What is there to lose?

"He is no fool, to lose what he can not keep, to gain what he can not lose."
Jim Elliot, Christian martyr and husband of Elisabeth Elliot.

I've been thinking about God's plan and purpose of course for my life, but also with 9/11 being  today. Thinking about all the suffering and hurt that we experience in this life.  No one knows this kind of pain more intimately than Elisabeth Eliot, wife of the Christian Martyr, Jim Elliot, who gave his life to share the gospel to a people in remote Ecuador.  Putting her own pain aside, she remained in Ecuador to minister to the people who eventually came to believe in Jesus Christ.  

The following is a song by Twila Paris, but with clips from the movie Through Gates of Splendor, which is an account of the Jim and Elisabeth Elliot's mission trip to Ecuador. 

What an awesome testimony, the same sacrifice that Jim and Elisabeth gave, is that of Jesus. He too gave up His physical life, that we might have eternal life! God asks us to do the same, to give our lives away that others might live through our "death".  

"He is no fool, to lose that which he can not keep, to gain that which he can not lose." In giving our lives God gives us the eternal life.  Amen.

Answering the Call

I hate to only post when things are going good for me. But we are encouraged by one another's testimonies. 

I believe God has done amazing things through simple spending time with Him and seeking my purpose and calling. I've been reading some and trying to get to the bottom of my "calling"/  my purpose.

What I have discovered over the past couple of months, as I've been "filling in" for my pastor's wife as praise and worship leader (first timer) is that I am called to do this!  Although it hasn't been easy or flowed every time.  I've noticed that God speaks to me about which songs to do, my personality is really well suited to giving adoration praise and glory to the Lord.

I've also noticed that my urge to make a big deal about "what is beautiful" is fulfilled in leading and worshiping the Lord.  I am so thankful! So grateful for this news, because I have a level of faith and confidence that God is with me and has placed His gracious hand on me to do this! Thank you Lord!



Sincerely,
AGFREED! for real y'all!

Movin' Mondays

Allow this to bless you and minister to your heart if you were like I was before this morning.  Its amazing how something so simple can have such a huge impact

The words very simple
 I'm trading my sorrow
I'm trading my shame
I'm laying them down
 For the Joy of the Lord!


 What a life altering thought!


Continuing to move forward,
AGFREED

I'll be back

Such a busy couple of months here and its already April, but I'm determined to get back to writing.  I've been moving forward down a clear path and I'm excited about all the growth I've been experiencing.
 God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

Bye for now, look out for some upcoming posts.

Love,
AG Freed 

Sound of melodies

Hey there,
Its been a while, and I've been up to http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Warfield2.htmlsome great reflection and some walking in my truth :-)
I played a recital on Monday, and it was such a great experience! I felt like I was really getting some of my music out! Even the rehearsal process was super interesting and revelatory.
I also discovered that my temperament is a Melancholic according to Aristotle's four temperaments.  This has made my life significantly more interesting and I understand a great deal more about myself and about my relationship with others and with God.
Portrait of a Melancholic temperament.

•  Melancholy
  1. Conscientious, SJ - Guardian - The melancholy is an introverted temperament type. His natural style is analytical and perfectionist. He is the most moody of types ranging from highly "up" to gloomy and depressed. During his low periods he can be very antagonistic and does not make friends easily. He is the most dependable of the temperaments due to his perfectionist tendencies. His analytical ability allows him to accurately diagnose obstacles and problems, which often keep him from making changes - he prefers the status quo and may seem overly pessimistic.
  He may choose a difficult life vocation involving personal sacrifice. Many melancholies become doctors or scientists or artists. Their interpersonal style can be critical and negative. He tends to be more indecisive than other types. They have difficulty giving praise and approval because they cannot bring themselves to say something that is not 100% true. They also are usually dissatisfied with themselves being highly self-critical.
  Other weaknesses include being "thin skinned" or touchy and easily offended. He often feels persecuted and may seek revenge for real or imagined insults. He tends to be "all or nothing" in his evaluation of things; everything must be black or white and no shades of gray. He is least likely to consider mitigating circumstances when evaluating a person or situation. No temperament is more likely to be legalistic and rigid. He can be intolerant and impatient with those who do not see things his way.

taken from  http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Warfield2.html

This is amazing to me because it describes me to a tee.  Anyway I've decided some things about my true gifts and strengths and I plan on putting myself behind those things, I know that I should be playing my instrument more to assuage the title wave that beats upon the shores of my heart from time to time.   Thank God for understanding, clarity, and the enjoyment of life! 

AGFREED!

new cut

Been doing more self discovery, and have decided to go with a new cut too! Here it is!

29th bday is right around the corner! Loving me, living me.

AGFREED

For Peace

The Serenity Prayer goes like this --
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next. Amen.

Sometimes I get so caught up on having things my way; forgetting that we are not always supposed to be in control. God reminds us of that with this person and that, this situation, or circumstance, that is not as faviorable as we'd like.  We wrestle with our loss of control, I wrestle.... But where does all that wishing and hoping and worrying get me... absolutely nowhere. Well, thats not actually true. It gets me to place of constant unsubsiding--straight up anxiety, to the point where peace is no where to be found in me.  

God lets us go through these emotions-- waiting for us to pray and request His ultimate intervention.  What then is next? But complete and total surrender. We can not always change the way some one feels about us, or how a situation is turning out. Acceptance,  at times, is wisdom.

Agfreed