New Gift Registry Website

I enjoyed creating this.

Because we will not be able to receive traditional wedding gifts (since we would have to ship everything), we created this website, so that people could give us monetary gifts! We won't really be making it public until we send out invitations and announcement cards, but this gives you a little idea of how it will work. I'm excited that people can now have a way to give (and we to receive) gifts! It'll make it seem a little more like your traditional wedding, even though everything about our relationship, wedding, and lives are very NON-traditional. :)

http://dougandmag.mydagsite.com

~Magdalen

The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice.

—Psalm 97:1

Causes for disquietude there are none so long as this blessed sentence is true. On earth the Lord’s power as readily controls the rage of the wicked as the rage of the sea; His love as easily refreshes the poor with mercy as the earth with showers. Majesty gleams in flashes of fire amid the tempest’s horrors, and the glory of the Lord is seen in its grandeur in the fall of empires, and the crash of thrones. In all our conflicts and tribulations, we may behold the hand of the divine King.

“God is God; He sees and hears
All our troubles, all our tears.
Soul, forget not, ’mid thy pains,
God o’er all for ever reigns.”

In hell, evil spirits own, with misery, His undoubted supremacy. When permitted to roam abroad, it is with a chain at their heel; the bit is in the mouth of behemoth, and the hook in the jaws of leviathan. Death’s darts are under the Lord’s lock, and the grave’s prisons have divine power as their warder. The terrible vengeance of the Judge of all the earth makes fiends cower down and tremble, even as dogs in the kennel fear the hunter’s whip.

“Fear not death, nor Satan’s thrusts,
God defends who in Him trusts;
Soul, remember, in thy pains,
God o’er all for ever reigns.”

In heaven none doubt the sovereignty of the King Eternal, but all fall on their faces to do Him homage. Angels are His courtiers, the redeemed His favourites, and all delight to serve Him day and night. May we soon reach the city of the great King!

“For this life’s long night of sadness
He will give us peace and gladness.
Soul, remember, in thy pains,
God o’er all for ever reigns.”

~Charles Spurgeon

Two Months Into Being Engaged...

So, when I started this blog, just 15 posts ago, I was "in a relationship" with a boy on the other side of the world. I had a plan to go visit him and spend some more time with him in person. Well we did that and had a wonderful time. We got to know each other better. I got to see him in his environment with his family, friends, and pets. I got to see how he handled family dinners, stressful situations, and me when I was a pathetic crying mess of a girl. I liked what I saw. I loved it that he chose not to kiss me until (or unless) we ever got married. Now, a lot of girls might find that rude or insensitive of a guy, but I found it incredibly endearing. I knew he didn't want to mess around with getting close to any lines that were not ok. He truly wanted to honor the Lord in our relationship more than he wanted to "keep" me. And that is OK with me. Just the way I want it. That was just one of the many pieces of evidence in his life that he loved his Savior more than me. What Christian girl wouldn't want to follow a guy who follows Jesus so closely? So when Doug popped the question, I said (well, more like yelled), "YES, I'LL MARRY YOU!"

After three weeks of being engaged, we said the most painful goodbye that either of us has ever experienced, and parted ways. I watched the little screen in front of me show a tiny plane slowly make its way over the ocean beneath as I got closer and closer to American soil. I wouldn't be seeing him for nearly 11 months, until about a week before our wedding. I sat there eating M&Ms, crying alligator tears, and flipping through my bridal magazines. My heart was in my throat.

A month and a half later, here I am. I've moved, have had a job change, have experienced very hard financial pressures and family dramas, and miss Doug more each day like I didn't know was possible. But it's not too much to bear. There have been times when I've nearly panicked and felt like it was too much. I guess I'm scared of experiencing too much because I don't know what will happen. It's kind of like when I'm on a run, and I'm pushing myself to run harder and faster... I reach a point that I feel like if I keep going like that, something bad must be about to happen. So I slow down because I can. But the longer I am a runner, the more I realize that my body will keep working if I keep pushing myself. I'm more capable that I knew. Well, it's the same with this... my spirit is able to bear a lot more than I ever knew, and I only know that now because of what I've had to go through over the past few years. I'm only able to endure so much, because I have Someone a LOT bigger than me who is actually in control of everything, who I can rely on. I couldn't be more happy! The times of tears and crying out to the Lord, begging him to help me, to make me strong enough to endure the achy heart, obedient enough to rejoice in spite of it, faithful enough to seek Him, and willing enough to learn all that I possibly can through every circumstance I am faced with, have all produced beautiful fruit - a closer walk with Jesus. When I am faithful to spend time in the Word and dig deep, He is faithful to teach me what it all means and how to apply it. When I pray continually, and do not forget His Holy Spirit's presence with me, He hears my prayers, intercedes for me, teaches me to pray according to his will, and answers those prayers! These times have been really hard. I've had to really toil some days (physically, mentally, AND spiritually), but the lessons I am learning, the training I am receiving, and grace that is poured out on me is sustaining me...but not just sustaining, it's all causing me to thrive. Oh, for a closer walk with Jesus. Oh, to know Him more and make much of HIM! Look at what He has done for me! He's been my support as He Himself sanctifies me, causing all things to work out for my good and for His own glory. He plucked me from the fires of hell that drew nearer and nearer to me. No, I'm not being dramatic. I'm being realistic. He died in my place when I hated Him and walked in complete darkness. How could I doubt His love for me? It would be foolish, not just because of what He has done, but because He is faithful still to do for me what I still don't deserve. Just being found in Jesus is all that is required to a life full every spiritual blessing. I pray daily, that no matter what I face in this life, that I will be found at the foot of the old rugged cross in a state of humble, joyful, and grateful worship to my king who died for me.

So I currently live in the middle of nowhere, and it's really boring. But you know what? I've had more opportunities than ever before to share the gospel with people who are very lonely, in sin, and hurting. I've had the opportunity to encourage people who claim to be Christians to be more in the Word and in prayer. Do you know how joy-giving it is, to see an opportunity to proclaim Christ, to take the opportunity, and at the end of it to simply know, that by the grace of God, you've been obedient and done all that you could?? It's amazing. I've often been embarrassed at the hope that I have within me when I see people who have no hope. I don't want to offend them, by not "understanding" what they're going through, so many times, to my anguish of heart, I have kept silent. But the Bible teaches us that we're not to be ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to any one who will believe! I've been praying much that I will be faithful and bold to speak the Word in love to people when I have a chance. The Lord has been faithfully working that out in me more and more. I'm so grateful for that. I hope to evangelize to my own kids one day.

We can't save any one. I know that. Only God saves. Only God could die on the cross for someone's sins and forgive them because He's the only One who is perfect and the only One that everyone is ultimately answerable to. But we can do our part in being faithful to spread the gospel to the world. Where ever we are, we are to make much of Christ, and to show and tell the world about Him. And the more we are conformed to His image, the more effective our witness will be and the more the world will hate us. That sounds totally contradictory, right? The goal is not to make the world hate us, but it will hate us, because it hated Him first, and we follow Him. Be prepared for suffering. I'm beginning to face it more and more.

Some people just really don't want to hear anything about God, much less Jesus! It's amazing how you can be having a nice conversation with someone about things that really don't matter much, then the moment you mention God, they miraculously "need to go now". It's over. People aren't ready to die. What I mean is that to "accept" the idea of Christ, they know they have to give something up. Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it won't produce any fruit. People instinctively know that to follow the Lord they have to give up their own rights and desires. They see it as an uncomfortable and dreadful thing to be answerable to someone, but what they don't understand, is that whether or not they acknowledge it, they are answerable to Him. But for those who are in the light, we've been given a precious understanding that it is life giving to die to ourselves! To be found in Christ is freedom! We're no longer slaves to our sin, and we no longer stumble around like a blind person in darkness. Isn't it loving to tell that to someone? You don't have to scream it in their face, and you don't have to hit them over the head with a Bible. But you can, with the help of the Helper, find a way to lovingly work it into conversation. Sometimes that can be the sole purpose of your conversation, but sometimes you can be talking about something totally unrelated and then realize, "Wow, this is the perfect opportunity to tell someone about the gospel!". It seems like very few people respond immediately, but consider Paul. He persecuted the church even though he heard them speak the truth. He knew the gospel, and the seed of the Word was being planted in His heart. Then one day, God caused the seed to grow and begin to bear fruit. There are people who probably told Paul about Christ who never knew that the Lord saved him. But we don't always get to see the fruit of our labor. Yet we have a promise that our labor will not go unrewarded. I pray that I will be a faithful worker for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It encourages me to see growth in myself that God is causing to happen regardless of the difficult circumstances I'm facing in life right now. I don't wish a long distance relationship on anyone. It's really hard, and some days, I hurt so much, that I think I might explode. I can hardly WAIT to be back in his arms. It seems like all emotions are heightened because of our engagement, but I can't express all these emotions to the one I love because we're not with each other in person. It's weird. But we're on the home stretch. Just 9.5 more months, and then we'll be married and living together and won't ever have to say goodbye like this again. I cherish the thought of coming home to HIM at the end of the day, and talking all we want without having to hurry up because we only have 15 more minutes of credit. I so look forward to just doing life with him. How incredible will it be to start a family together and raise kids! How awesome will it be to go through the hard times with each other, to hold each other up in prayer, and to look back and be able to say together, "wow, the Lord really got US through this". I'm looking forward to really working at our marriage TOGETHER and taking on the responsibility WITH DOUG to make sure it is pleasing the Lord and effective for the gospel. It helps to know that we're in it together and our goals for our marriage are ultimately the same. I couldn't be more excited about our future.

Dear America

I arrived safely on Tuesday morning. Doug almost managed to sneak up on me in the airport after my arrival but I turned around when he was about 30 feet away, shrieked out his name with total excitement and disbelief that I was almost in his arms, clapped my hands twice (I have no idea why!), and ran toward him. It was unbelievable to get to hug him. And then shocking again when I looked into his face. Skype has been wonderful, don't get me wrong. I'm so thankful for it, but the ability to look someone in the eyes and have them look back into yours is just not available on Skype. I couldn't believe we were actually there, in eachothers arms, looking into eachother's eyes! Wow! After seven months of skype, skype, skype this was a HUGE treat. We didn't have anything to say to eachother for about 10 minutes except "I don't know what to say!" "I'm so happy to see you", "I'm so glad you're here", "I've missed you so much". The trip itself was very long, somewhat interesting (since I'd never traveled overseas before), and it was tiring. I had plenty of time during my layovers to relax, get non-airplane food to eat, and walk around. During my longest flight from San Francisco to Auckland, New Zealand, I was blessed to be able to sleep nearly the whole time. It was 13 hour flight and with the help of melatonin I slept about 12 of those hours. There was nobody in the seats next to me and we flew west with the night (which meant it was dark the entire time), so I stretched out covered myself up with a blanket, and slept. I don't think I would have survived the rest of the trip very well with out that sleep. Three days later I'm still suffering from a little jet lag, but doing pretty well. My room is so fresh, comfortable, cozy, inviting, and breezy warm. Everything is unpacked and settled in. I've already had many soothing cups of tea with milk and honey, and lots of nice long conversations with Isabel (Doug's lovely mom) and Laura (his sweet sister). I'm definitely enjoying it here so far. Please don't stop praying for me and Doug! There's so much to commit to the Lord. A lot is unknown. Any time you're in a relationship that's not sealed with the covenant of marriage there's the very real possibility that things could go either way. That's hard to think about, but sometimes necessary in order to keep a level head about everything. We both covet your prayers. Please pray that the Lord will prepare us for WHATEVER is ahead (it's going to have it's hard points either way things go). I want so much to learn to trust the Lord and be willing and obedient to do whatever he calls me to. I feel so incapable of that and need continual prayer for that growth and maturity that He calls us each to. Please, please pray. Love to you all.

My Conversion

Doug asked me today about how I came to be a Christian.

Here's my story.

I always wished I knew the exact moment when the Lord saved me. Surely there has to be that moment for each believer because we live within time. However, I've never known when that was. What I do know is that currently my hope is the Lord. I have assurance of my salvation. My assurance is based on the Word of truth which God planted in me, used to give me new life, and which I received and submitted myself to (again, at which point in my 21 years, I'm not exactly sure). That same assurance is boosted by the experiences in my life which the scriptures point to as evidence of my salvation and His power in my sanctification (being filled with Spirit, experiencing victory over sin, suffering for His name, having supernatural boldness, knowing deep conviction and true repentance, having an understanding of spiritual things and an un-blinding of my eyes to the gospel of Jesus Christ, a peace that is beyond comprehension, a fear of and deep love for our Lord Jesus Christ, a longing and deep deep desire to know Him more and live my life completely for Him, and a surrender to His will, and so on and so forth). During times of unfruitfulness, backsliding, and disobedience in my life, I lost assurance of that salvation and wondered, "Am I really saved? Have I been deceived? Why do I keep doing all the things I don't want to do?"

I grew up in a home with Christian parents. The Word was read regularly and prayer was a common thing. When I was five years old, I "asked Jesus into my heart". John, my brother, had told me that he did it, so I should too. All I had to do, according to him, was to tell mom or dad and ask them to help me pray and ask Jesus into my heart. So I did. Mom sat by my bed as she was tucking me in one night and she prayed a prayer which I repeated. I remember that she explained to me that I had to ask Jesus to forgive me of my sins which were all the bad things I had ever done. I don't remember much about our little conversation and prayer beyond that. I can't tell you whether or not I understood the gospel at that time. I suppose it's possible that I did. With all the Scripture that we read each morning during "Bible Time" and the conversations my parents had with us kids about God, and the many, many prayers they prayed for us each day (out loud and silently), maybe I did know at that point what I was praying. But I doubt that sometimes.

When I was about 10 years old (or maybe younger), I began to copy the Scriptures out by hand. Dad payed any of his kids who would do this. The going rate was ten cents a verse. Over time, I copied Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. I copied parts of the Psalms and Proverbs, and some of the smaller New Testament books. When I learned to type on the computer I would type out the Scriptures. Sure, I did it for money, but I know that the Lord used that in my life to teach me to love His Word from a young age. I began to comprehend how vital the Bible was to my life. When I would be away from the Scriptures for extended periods of time, I experienced unrest, sin, conviction, and lack of joy and peace. Soon I began to read the Bible on my own (without pay), but would do it secretly because of some of my older siblings who were in open rebellion against my parents and God at that time. I was hungry for the Word, but I didn't want them to see me reading my Bible and praying. I knew Matthew 6:6, and would often go into my closet (literally) to spend time with Lord.

One time between about the ages of 8 and 12, I remember clearly thinking, "Oh, now I get it! Jesus came to earth and died INSTEAD of me having to die for everything bad that I've done." Yet, still, I can't tell you whether or not that was the moment of my conversion. I don't remember repenting right then and there of my sins. But I do believe that the Lord gave me the gift of faith (whether it was then or earlier I'm not sure) in order to repent. There were many times that I would be so convicted of my sin (and it was usually one particular sin) that I would be so afraid of God's wrath, that I would be in agony in my spirit and cry out to God, "God, please have mercy on me. Please save me! Please don't let me keep doing this. Please don't let me go to hell." Sometimes I would be afraid that maybe God hadn't chosen me and that I would go to hell. The thought frightened me. I know I understood God's sovereignty in some small way because I knew that He had to do something in order for me to be saved. Some small part of me knew I couldn't save myself, yet I would often try and try to do good things without the motivation being a love for and surrender to Christ. I was often very convicted of that. I prayed that God would forgive me and help me to do better next time.

As time went on, I became more bold in our home about my faith. I would talk with my younger sisters about God and would pray with them. I would instruct them about things in the Bible (whether or not I was accurate, I don't remember) often in a very bossy way. Mom says there are times that I would terrorize them with telling them awful things about hell. I don't remember that, but I do remember not wanting anyone to go there. I suppose that was my motivation for telling them those things.

Around the time that I was 13 or 14, I really, really wanted somebody (an older lady particularly) to talk with and pray with me and teach me about the things of God. When I had just turned 15, some new neighbors moved in across the street. The lady asked me to help her with some office stuff. I did and she payed me very well for what I did. She had a ministry called Discernment Ministries. I transposed audio clips of sermons for her and folded, stamped, and sent out newsletters. For a while, I was offended by what I heard and read, but over time I realized that much of what was discussed and the side which Jewel (my neighbor) and those in the ministry took was based on the Word of God (which I was growing to love and depend on). She talked with me about the gospel regularly. She had me over for tea often. She spoke so openly about how she loved Jesus and wanted to live for Him. She explained one day how she had been on her face before the Lord that morning in repentance because she listened to the song "I Surrender All" and she wept over her lack of complete surrender to Him. I saw in her everything I wanted to be. I realized that God had brought her into my life to speak truth to me and give me an example of how to live and behave, how to seek Him, how to humbly love and serve Him. I came to understand that she was an answer to my prayer.

When I was 19, I entered into a relationship with a guy who was much older than me. I was attracted to the idea that he was attracted to me. He said he was a Christian. I believed him and went along with it. I experienced lust for the first time in my life, but shoved aside the Lord's conviction about my sin. The lust lead to sin, and as the Scriptures state, "sin when it is full grown brings forth death." I was absolutely dying inside. My relationship with the Lord was pushed aside and ignored as I pursued trying to please this guy who I wasn't even married to. Although we never "crossed the line" and remained technically abstinent, I crossed every line of holiness in the sight of God. The death I experienced was a period of unfruitfulness for Christ, being miserable in my spirit, and experiencing what it was like to live apart from the Lord. God, by his sovereign grace and mercy, allowed me to still pray, "Lord, I don't want to live like this. Please help me." I would make rules for our physical relationship, hoping to solve the problem and experience peace again. But it didn't work. It was like a roller coaster I thought I would never be able to get off of. One day, I finally realized that I was at a cross road. I could keep living the way I was, marry this guy, and live unhappily ever after. Or I could surrender everything to Him, not knowing what exactly it would cost me (although I knew it could be everything), and live for Him. At least I would be happy and have peace, I thought. So I did it. Through tears and some fear about hurting my boyfriend, exposing myself to everyone who knew I was in a relationship, and surrendering to the power of God to bring me out of my sin and back into a right relationship with Him, I did what I knew I must. I was so, so, so glad that I did, even though the next few weeks were very hard. And the following months carried some moments of sadness. I realized in February 2010 what God had saved me from and I wept. When I realized how much more (than just an unfruitful, unhappy, unsatisfied life on this earth with an unsaved man) that he had saved me from, I wept even more. When I thought of what Christ did on the cross for me, and how deep and grave my sin was, and how I should have payed every last cent with my life for everything I had done, but how I wasn't held accountable for any of it at all, I wept more still. I believe I understood the gospel before then. But on that day, it became more real to me as the Lord showed me a picture of my sin and the cross all in one frame.

So was that the point of my conversion? I don't think so. I think I was saved before that. But when? I don't know. My memory is a human memory. There are things I'm forgetting, and some of the things I recall may be inaccurate. I do know that God in His Sovereignty placed me in my family and gave me the neighbors, the physical appearance, the struggles, the trials, the jobs, the car, and the faith that I have so that His purposes would be fulfilled. I know that He has given me salvation, taken the blinders from my eyes, has given me a love for His Word, a desire to serve Him, a holy and reverent fear of Him, and most of all his Holy Spirit to equip me to walk with Him in obedience. There's still sin in me. And boy, it makes me sad. It makes me sad to think that STILL I displease Him. The One who loved me and gave Himself for me. The almighty, awesome God. I've grieved the Spirit with my disobedience to His commands and still live sometimes as though I'm ruled by the flesh instead of the Spirit. But Christ is growing me and continues to give me mercy, to intercede for me to the Father, and to chasten me. He sharpens my conscience instead of allowing it to get duller like a used knife. He continues to show forth evidence to me of His work in my life and heart. What a gracious and powerful God that I serve.

In the TEENS

Some recent news:

1) I leave for Australia in 15 days!

2) Doug hurt himself. :( He pulled some muscles in his neck and is now wearing a neck brace and taking lots of painkillers. Pray for him, please!

3)I ran my farthest distance for this round of training. A few days ago, I ran 5.5 miles at Eagle Creek Park. I splurged recently (I don't do that often!) and got a Polar heart rate monitor watch. It beeps at me if I exert myself too much, as I am prone to doing!

4)I have all my make-up and brushes packed. I've been gathering things slowly that I know I won't use between now and the time I leave. I have a laundry basket full of things I'll be taking. One thing I need is an extra check in bag. I only have one, currently. I may borrow from someone...

5)Doug asked me a few days ago if I think I'm a woman after God's own heart. Stop.

OK, so THAT threw me into a whirlwind of thoughts as I pondered how to answer. The past couple of weeks have been filled with questions in my mind, and seemingly random thoughts on this very thing. I've never been asked that question so directly before. This morning I read a devotional by Charles Spurgeon. The passage of Scripture that he used for that particular day was 1 Corinthians 10:12 - "Therefore, let him that thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall." It almost seems arrogant to say yes. But to say no - is that denying the power of God in my life in sanctification? Isn't that what He's making me into? I don't know. I guess I will do some more study to find out what a woman after God's heart is.. What does she look like? what does she do? What is her attitude?

6)The next day Doug asked me how I came to be a Christian. Why all the hard questions?! It's because he's had more time to think about these things since being injured and away from work for a few days. I thought and prayed hard about that one. I almost felt offended at the question.. like maybe he was doubting my salvation or something. Then I got a hold of myself and decided to take it like an adult, think through it carefully, and answer wisely. After prayer and thought I wrote, "My Conversion" which will be my next post.

Twenty-Six

How in the world? How is it possible that I will leave in twenty-six days? Well, technically we all know the answer. We live in time and time always passes with or without our consent. It doesn't speed up or slow down and no one can control it except for God alone for He lives outside of time. No wonder we are told to measure our days.

Psalm 39:4-11 --- "LORD, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah. Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them. And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish. I was mute, I did not open my mouth, Because it was You who did it. Remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; Surely every man is vapor. Selah

This has been on my mind recently as I've realized how time passes so quickly. As quickly as this time is passing our lives will also pass. When my grandpa died a couple weeks ago I wrote in my blog post about him, "...yet somehow his life passed as quickly as he would swat a fly." As I held his hand in the hospital, I felt that truth so deeply. I gained a better understanding of how short our lives really are. I've already lived nearly a fourth of what he did. That's not very long. But in all of these thoughts, I've found such an incredible hope and comfort in the truth in the above passage of Scripture - "And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You." As Christians, saved by the blood of Jesus, we do not sit around waiting to die. And we are taught in Scripture that we are not to heap up treasure for ourselves on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. Nothing is secure here. That is not to make us afraid, but is a truth that God revealed to us in his mercy towards us, that we would fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In this short, short life, let us fix our gaze on Jesus Christ! He is our hope. We wait for Him. We look for His return with earnest expectation and groan in longing for his glory to be revealed in us. Come, Lord Jesus!

I've been so hungry for fruitful evidence of my life in Christ recently and today I read this passage of Scripture. I was reprimanded, convicted, and yet encouraged by it.

2 Peter 1:2-11 --- Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to persevering godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is short-sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore brethren be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

How awesome is that! I spent some time today reading, writing, and praying through that. There is so much to be gained from that passage.

Here is a passage of Scripture that I memorized recently. I love the Word!

Philippians 2:5-15 --- Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life..."