spirituality

He Sees Me

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Silly starts early
Always singing
Our Wedding Day

When I look in the mirror, I can only see myself as I am today.  I mean, sure, if I stare at myself long enough, I might remember how I used to look a few years back. Especially those fine lines gravity enjoys leaving behind as a reminder of its power.  I can look at past pictures of me, and recall how I used to look as well.  But it’s hard to know exactly what I will look like 5 to 10 years from now, should I still be here on this earth.

Crazy though, is the thought that when God sees me, He see my past, present, and future all at once.  It’s amazing to think: He knew me before I was covered in flesh.  Before I took my first earthy breath.  He knew what every day of my life would hold … what every moment would bring.

Take, for instance, the day when I came home and looked in the mirror, tears streaming down my face wondering why rejection hurt so bad.  Or that day I came home from elementary school in a bad mood because at PE I got picked last on the dodgeball team…..again. (TBH: I’m horrible with sports so I wouldn’t have picked me either).  Ah! But then, there was that glorious day I looked in the mirror flashing my new engagement ring on my left ring finger!  Dreaming of my wedding day.  The day I would become Mrs. Ross Magsig!  Even before that day, God had already seen my wedding day, the birth of our three children, our future together….the days that are still ahead of us.  Everything!  All of it!

We can only see what is.  We can only remember what was.  But God sees all of that and so much more!  He doesn’t see us in the limited way we see ourselves.  Or in the limited way others may see us.  He knows our entire story at just one glance!  And when He puts His eyes on us, He sees everything about us.  And amazing still, is that He loves every part of us!  His is truly an unconditional love.

He was there from the very beginning.  He’s been there through it all.  And He’ll be there straight into forever!  Straight into eternity!  What a glorious thought.  Recognizing the infinite love God has for you and me, makes me ask: What else do we need?  Nothing!  His everlasting love  means everything to us.  No one can see us the way He does.  Which is why no one can love us the way He does.  May you walk in the beauty of this truth today! You are infinitely loved!!

Love ❤️  -Cindy Magsig

“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!”   -‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:16-17‬ (‭NLT‬‬)

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”‭‭   -Ephesians‬ ‭1:4 ‭(NLT)

“For His unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the Lord!”  -‭‭Psalms‬ ‭117:2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

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If Only …..

/ SurrenderedHeartWorship / 4 Comments

If Only …..

If only we could be loved straight through all of our highs and lows. The ups as well as the downs.  If we could be accepted not only when we do something to please others. Or say only those things they agree wholeheartedly with. Or act and respond in the way they want us to respond and act in any given situation.

If only we could be loved fully with grace and compassion. What does that kind of love look like?  What does it feel like?  I only ask, because I don’t see it very often. Sadly not even in the church; a place I would totally expect and hope to find it.  Sure, I don’t expect to see it in the world. That’s because it is our job to show it to them. But do we?

See, Jesus didn’t wait to love you until you had it all together. He loved you before you could ever be cognizant of your actions. And He continues to love us with an everlasting love. Straight through all of our messes and hang ups.

So why can’t we love each other that way? Or maybe a better question is: Why won’t we?  I believe we can!  We can love, because He first loved us!  We can love others first, too. Before they impress us. Before they give us something we value. Before we get so easily offended at what the enemy knows is the pettiest thing in light of eternity. And bigger still, after we’ve been offended. I’d love to see THAT kind of mature love in action! Wouldn’t you?

We are to love like Jesus because He modeled love both in life, and death.  How He was moved to compassion by the very people who crucified him is mind boggling to me. But He asked God to forgive them!  And He personally asks us to love and forgive others the way He has loved and forgiven us. Love with compassion. Love with grace. Love without demanding our own way. Love straight through the disagreements. Love beyond the disappointments. Give others a love that bears all things. Hopes all things. A love that endures all things. Faith, hope, and love remain… but the greatest of these is, and always will be, LOVE.

What could happen if we stopped making excuses as to why we cannot love another person in this way?  If we cannot, it is solely because we have chosen to love only as far as our flesh will allow, negating the power of the Holy Spirit. He never asked us to love sin. We can hate that because it hurts people. But He does encourage us to love the sinner. He Himself chooses to love us despite our sin, too. I keep thinking of the woman caught in adultery in John, Chapter 8:1-11. Read or re-read it if you get a chance.

… Why would we make a conscious choice or decision not to follow in Jesus’ example when it comes to loving and forgiving others?  Why would we choose to live beneath His power, when we have been told that our love will show the world that we are His children? Here is the goal:  This year, I encourage you to mature in your capacity and ability to love and forgive others. This is my heart’s desire going forward, too. When it begins in you, it will begin with you!

Love, -Cindy Magsig

Scripture References for Further Study:

“We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:19-21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us His Spirit as proof that we live in Him and He in us.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:7-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:4-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.”
‭‭2 John‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

REASONS are everything …

/ SurrenderedHeartWorship / 2 Comments

It’s a simple fact: Reasons are everything. Often overlooked, reasons explain the WHY in our lives.  If we fail to hone in on our reasons, we may miss some important things about what really matters most to us.  For example: There are reasons why people start a job.  And reasons why they leave.  There are reasons why some people get married young.  And reasons why some wait much longer. There are reasons why some people go away for college.  And why some stay.   You get the idea.  We could go on and on about the WHYs in life.  And before you think, “What does all this really matter?”…think again.  Because it absolutely does.  Reasons guide a great deal of our lives.

Everything begins with “why?”.   Why did God choose to create the earth?  Why did He choose to create YOU?  Why did He give you the family He did?  Why did He make you the way He made you?  Why will you go to great lengths to make sacrifices for this, but not necessarily for that?

If you peek behind the curtain of your life, you may discover your reasons.  Our reasons give us an explanation of why things are the way they are.  Why we do what we do. Why we feel the way we feel.  Why we act the way we act. Maybe even why we react the way we do.  They tell us why we value some things, but not others.

Recently, I began searching for some answers in regards to why I was doing what I was doing, when I no longer felt pulled in that direction. I asked myself why letting go was so difficult, when the passion I once felt was gone. Honestly? I would like to know what you do when you are asking your heart those tough questions. After all, many of us may experience this at one point in our lives or another.

What I discovered is that sometimes our reasons are not so easy to pinpoint. I came to the conclusion that I was going to need God’s help in identifying what my true reasons were. This took some work. And a lot of prayer. It took a good amount of soul-searching. I searched in God’s Word (the Bible), and I listened to Podcasts. I read books on the subject. In short, I wanted to be sure my reasons were in line with what God wanted from me, and for me.

I love what King David asks in Psalms 139:23-24 “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (NIV)

Once God helps us to clearly see our reasons, we can check them against His Word to see if they line up with how He calls us to walk out our journey of faith. He cares deeply about what is good for us, and what is not. I am convinced He knows me much better than I know myself. Who better to lean on than Him?

Everybody has their reasons.  I have mine.  And you have yours.  But it is always a good idea to stop and take stock of them.  So the next time you ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” or “Why do I feel this way?”,  go ahead and bring God in on the conversation.  He will give you the wisdom and confidence you seek as you move forward.

-Cindy Magsig

Additional Scriptures for Study:

Psalms 139:1, Ecclesiastes 3:6, Romans 8:27, Proverbs 2:6, James 1:5, Proverbs 3:5-6

What is Your Pattern?

/ SurrenderedHeartWorship / 2 Comments

As we look to begin a new year, many of us will be making resolutions that almost never seem to make it past the first six months. Wanting to “do better” is great, but I think there is something we can look at that might prove even more valuable/worthwhile to us as we chart our course, and head into the future.

This year, for me, has been one of the most self-revealing years ever. Mainly because I have wanted it to be so. I have searched deeper within myself with the resolve to get more honest with myself than I’ve ever been. Trust me when I say, when you make a decision to “see” yourself as you really are -you will.

It’s not all been a pretty sight. But just as I was uncovering these layers of life, a close friend asked me if I saw any patterns in my decision making that were my “go to” when things got tough. Can you guess what the answer was? Yep! …It was a resounding, yes.

Well, it got me thinking: we all have “patterns” or modes of operating that become familiar to us when we are faced with crisis, questions, uncertainties, turning points, or big impending transitions in our lives. We don’t always take chances and try new methods when it comes to seeking solutions.

I’m convinced our patterns reveal something about our character. With this in mind, what do your patterns say about you? When we look in the Bible, we can see glimpses of people’s patterns:

Jonah was really good at running away
Gideon was good at second-guessing
Thomas was good at doubting….

Those “patterns” were the very things God dealt with in each of their cases. And the same holds true for us. Fortunately, God’s power is greater than our patterns. That is, IF we are submitting ourselves to His lordship in our lives. Would you agree that sometimes our patterns of behavior are unhealthy? If so, what are some of the patterns in your life that have proved this to be true?

To gain a better understanding of your personal patterns, go back to one of your most recent crisis, or seasons of transition. What are the things you did to cope/deal with it? Do you tend to run away from the crisis? Do you retreat or isolate yourself? Do you do the opposite and talk people’s heads off about it? Do you eat more? Shop more? Sleep more? You get the idea. You “do” something, and it’s usually the same pattern for the next crisis, and so forth.

Let’s pause to look at the bright side, though. It must be stated; there are also GOOD patterns in our lives. I certainly don’t want to overlook those. And neither should you. The fact is: we can choose good patterns over bad ones if we so desire. However, we will never up-root the bad patterns if we refuse to become aware of them, and how damaging they can be to us, as well as to those we love.

I’ll close with this challenge: Look at your 2013 patterns of behavior. Which ones are worth keeping? Which ones are worth up-rooting? Which ones do you see God bringing up again and again in an effort to get you to allow Him to renovate your character? He wants the very best for you. And it’s o.k. for you to want the very best for you, too.

Love & Blessings!
-Cindy Magsig

Scriptures:
Philippians 3:17 “Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.” (NLT)
Ephesians 5:15-20

The Pursuit of Healing

/ SurrenderedHeartWorship / 1 Comment

Healing is a gift. No matter how it comes to us, or in what form; when we are desperate to be healthy, well, cured and free, it is a gift. The longer I live and the older I get, I realize I need healing in many areas of my life. Areas that are not limited to that which is purely physical, but areas of emotional and spiritual wellbeing as well.  Fortunately, for those of us who believe in God’s Word, we have lots of promises like:

Psalms 103:3  “He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.”  And  Psalms 147:3   “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” (NLT)

Many times, it is not enough to simply believe in words, but to act on what we say we believe.  If you took time to read many of the stories in the New Testament when people were healed by Jesus, you would see some very common threads.  At times, Jesus was passing by, saw a need, and decided to bless with the gift of healing.  But more times than not, people came to Him seeking to be healed. For example:

Mark 1:40 “A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed…”

Matt. 21:14  “The blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple, and He healed them….”

Mark 7:25  “A woman who had heard about Him came and fell at His feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, and she begged Him to cast out the demon from her daughter….”

Luke 6:8  “Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward, and Jesus restored his hand….”

Then, there’s  this:  (…..I just love this….)

Luke 6:17-19  “Jesus went down with them [the disciples] and stood on a level place. A large crowd of His disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases [physical]. Those troubled by impure spirits [spiritual/emotional] were cured, and the people all tried to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all.”    [added words in brackets-mine]

…So cool that regardless of what version of the Bible you read concerning Luke 6:19, all say the same thing:  … “Power was coming from Jesus, and He healed ALL of them!”  (see also Matt. 15:30).

I’m convinced that those of us who come to Jesus, believing by faith that HE is the source of our healing, will walk away healed.  It may not be the way we, in our human mind and heart, believe it should be. But in the power and sovereignty of God, we will be blessed with the gift of healing!  We can place our hope and trust in this.

Gonna close with this incredible story of healing in the N.T. It’s in Luke 7:1-10

Here’s a quick paraphrase:

A Roman officer had a slave who was sick and near death. The Roman officer highly valued this slave. So he sent some respected Jewish elders to Jesus to ask Him to come and heal his slave. The elders begged Jesus to come saying; “If anyone deserves your help, he does, for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”

Jesus decides to go with them, but before they get to the house, the Roman officer sends some friends out to tell Jesus this:

“Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you.  Just say the word from where You are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am a man under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers.  I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come.  And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” 

You know?  I love the understanding this man has of authority!  This concept of authority becomes key in this story of healing.  And it is key in our understanding of healing as well.

The Bible tells us that when Jesus heard what this man said, He was amazed!  And He turned to the crowd that was following Him and said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all of Israel!”

How would you like to amaze Jesus and have Him say that of you?

….Hand raised really high goes here….. Yeah. Me, too!

Of course, the slave was completely healed by the time they all got back to the house.

But here is this powerful man who humbled himself to just let Jesus be Jesus, and believe!  In essence, he was saying, “I’m not worthy of Your power and Your sovereignty, but I will yield to it, because I believe AND You alone hold all authority to heal.”

So much so, that Jesus was impressed with his faith!!  This is the kind of faith I need. Pretty sure you do, too.  It all begins when we come to Jesus in our pursuit of healing…..for whatever it is we need to be healed of!  And we let Jesus be Jesus, and do it His way.  And we resolve to believe His way works! …Because it really does!

Love & Blessings!
-Cindy Magsig

Song – “Healing is in Your Hand” by Christy Nockels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sG94EKGDcU
Song – “Healer” by Kari Jobe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2yDB528p3Q
Additional Scriptures: Luke 13:1-13, Luke 5:17-20, John 5:1-9, Mark 9:17-27

Letting Go

/ SurrenderedHeartWorship / 6 Comments

There may come a time in life when we have to let go of something we don’t want to let go of. Others tell us to take heart and find comfort in the fact that something better is waiting on the other side of letting go. But how can we be sure? How can we be sure if we let go of what is comfortable and familiar, we will be happy?

Stepping out into unknown territory can be unsettling for sure. What’s more is: while we are dealing with the uncertainties of the future, we are also dealing with the pain of detaching ourselves from what we are giving up. So both fear and grieving are a part of the equation. There is this mix of angst and sorrow to manage in the deepest places of our heart.

The goal seems easy enough … we want to make the best decisions as we move forward. And long to take the kind of steps we will not regret.

Others may tell us, “Let go, and let God”. We are challenged to surrender any control we have over our own lives without even knowing what that really looks like. So….what does that really look like? Well, first off, the one thing our hearts long for in times of uncertainty is assurance. The question becomes: where will that assurance come from? And who (or what) will give us this assurance? At the core, all we really want to know is: will we be secure?

For starters, the best thing to do is to seek to move from anxiety to assurance. So let’s break this down:

Assurance:

– Can you have complete assurance in your job?

-Can you have full assurance that someone won’t break your heart (be it intentionally or unintentionally)?

-Can you have assurance that your bank account will always have a bountiful supply and never run dry?

No. We can’t even be sure we will wake up tomorrow. Every day is a gift!

I think you get the picture. I don’t want to make this writing a real “downer” – my goal is to encourage you! But since there will always be things out of our control, not even WE can guarantee ourselves assurance.

Here’s where the Good News comes in: God is in control of all things. He always has been. He always will be. Sure, He allows people to choose to do right or wrong, good or bad (hoping they will choose good, of course), but He will always hold unlimited power. And because of His power …

-You can be assured God is in control.

-You can be assured of His love for you.

-You can be assured He will orchestrate good outcomes for you, even when you have to go through bad things along the way. He works all things for our good and our purpose. (Romans 8:28)

-You can be assured that if you give Him control (something He has anyway, something you don’t have anyway), He works from a heart of love and goodness.

Psalms 111:7  “All He does is just and good, and all His commandments are trustworthy.” (NLT)

Lamentations 3:25  “The LORD is good to those who depend (look to Him for assurance) on Him, to those who search for Him.” (NLT)        italicized words added, mine

Knowing God’s Word, and more than that, believing in His Word helps us to let go of the things we are being moved away from. HE is our assurance as we move into unknown territory. We may not know what awaits us in the future, but He certainly does. Trusting His goodness and love will give us the courage and comfort to move forward. We are reminded in Hebrews 11:1 that faith (in God) is what gives us assurance about the things we cannot see.

Philippians 4:6  “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.” (NLT)

This is the cure/treatment when you find yourself reluctantly having to let go. Time will bring new opportunities, new faces, new places that will fill you with hope. Be open to it!

Love & Blessings!

-Cindy Magsig

Extra Verses: Proverbs 3:26, Proverbs 19:23, Psalms 125:1, Psalms 63:8

Theme Songs: “I’m Gonna Be Ready”  by Yolanda Adams  &  “God, You Are God”  by Josh Lopez with Broken, Restored, Loved (CBC Music)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuMxxkPiCxs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bk5iRcphWY