Lauren Kooistra

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Today I am Loving {102}

When you are treated to an evening out with and by the beloved aunt and uncle, and you tuck in the back seat and remember what it's like to drive the views of north Jersey housage.

Friday, August 5, 2016

When you roll into work after breakfast with the visiting friend and a trip to your stylist (both of whom make your bruised jaw experience the angst of 'are you sure you're ready to laugh so much?'), and all is empty quiet due to 'it's the final days of the summer season so we'd better take advantage of it' and you are struck with such profound gratitude for the gift of this place, you almost get on your knees in praise.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Today I am Loving {100}

When your day brings you to a moment when you return to the place where you sat out under the trees years ago now and fought with Him the fight of "will you do this your way or will you do it Mine?" and you knew the answer but you fought and you fought because hard it was and not what you wanted, but on that day He said "a bruised reed I will not break" and you knew you had to trust Him; when you return to the place because now you have seen all it is that He is doing and all that He has done and what it is He will indeed do and now you want to say to Him "You were right, and You are sovereign and I declare here in this place that I have seen You and I know You, and You are Good, in all Your ways, and Glory to You, to You, forever and always" and you hear Him say "The former things have passed away" and in it there is nothing but Fullness, the Fullness of His Promise.

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.

Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them." [Isaiah 42]

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son." [Revelation 21]