You've been remade. I've been remade. I've been given new life.

In one second-it could all slip away. I was able to experience this just last night. As I worked on paper after having my passion marred by my biology advisor-I decided to go on a drive. And I drove far away. So far away from Calvin. Later that night I decided to go out again, until my sister called me and asked me to go and get her so we could both go out on a drive. And so I drove the car around and made my way back to Calvin-where I waited as she got in the car. We didn't have a heading I just drove and kept driving. It was around 10:37 p.m. when I thought maybe we should turn around and go back. So we made a right turn and soon I saw a gas station that had let me know earlier in the afternoon that we were headed the wrong direction. So I knew that I would just turn around and head back on the road. It all happened so fast. I didn't notice the red blinking light in front of me-I assumed it was yellow. And I also assumed the car coming in the opposite direction would just stop-and it was too late when I realized that he wasn't going to. Before I could stop this from happening-he hit us and we went flying and flipped around twice. I didn't stop screaming until the car stopped and we were upside down.
To say the least it was tramautic. The impact of it all is still fresh in my mind. And I'm not going to drive for a really long time. But amidst it all I've learned one thing God is good. And He is so good. No matter our mistakes-no matter the pain. He is good and He loves me. He has given me life-He was there through the entire thing. And He has blessed me with wonderful people, like Rachel Elaine to help me get through these things. To give me laughter and joy when things looked so bleak.
God is great. We might be bruised and broken-but He is here. Here in the sorrow, here in the joy. And He has remade us. Because He makes all things new again. And so my soul sings-praises to His wonderful name. And I'm thankful for everything, I mean everything. God is good to me.
And His glory appears like the light from the Sun. My soul sings His praises.
Holy is the Lord. My soul cries out for He is my rescue and shelter.

We look to Yahweh. Yahweh.

Today our pastor spoke on the series we will dig into deeper in the coming six weeks. It's about an undivided heart. And I was just struck by the purity that there is an undivided heart completely devoted to God. Our pastor talked about Solomon, to whom the gift of wisdom was granted. And that it was a tool that God gave him, and like he did with Solomon God gives us tools. Maybe not in grandeur as palpable as Solomon's gift was-but maybe we're not looking close enough.
The intelligence to be good in school-is a gift of God. A compassionate heart for the people around you is a gift of God. The ability to write beautiful poetry, swift feet that dance beautifully to the music are all gifts from God. Gifts He has granted us-tools. But as we may know-Solomon's biggest weakness was women. And these women were what pulled him down. And he used his gifts-his money, his wisdom to praise other false gods.
You see these tools were given to him, to us-to fulfill God's beautiful purposes, not our own. The very tools we use to fulfill our own agendas are the very tools we were to use for God's kingdom. And when we use our abilities-our intelligence, our musical skills to fulfill our own agenda's rather than to further God's kingdom we drift away from God and more to ourselves. When you use the beauty God has given you to get your way-you drift. When we use our singing voices for the fame of it all-we drift. And I don't know about you, but I don't really want to drift into myself. There's sin in me-there's darkness. And without Him-it's even worse. But I want to work to go to God. I want to remain in Him. And lead my boat to Him.
So amidst the conflicts, the pressure in school, the assignments, the papers, the tests, amidst it all. I want to look to God. Not to myself but to Him. And to use EVERYTHING He has given me for Him. Instead of being caught up in my lack of focus, in myself and things that will come to pass. I want to look to God. Look past myself and use my oar and look to Him as He leads me in this great river of life. As I rest in His streams of Peace. In His plans, not my own. In HIS time-not my own. I look to Yahweh.
We look to God. We look to Yahweh.