Story Telling Of Our Heart

 There's torn up pages in this book, Words that tell me I'm no good, Chapters that defined me for so long, But the hands of grace and endless love, Dusted off and picked me up, Told my heart that hope is never gone, God is in this story, God is in the details, Even in the broken parts, He holds my heart, He never fails, When I'm at my weakest, I will trust in Jesus, Always in the highs and lows, The One who goes before me, God is in this story, So if the storm you're walking through, Feels like it's too much and you, Wonder if He even cares at all, Well, hold on tight to what you know, He promised He won't let you go, Your song of healing's written in His scars, God is in this story, God is in the details, Even in the broken parts, He holds my heart, He never fails, When I'm at my weakest, I will trust in Jesus, Always in the highs and lows, The One who goes before me, God is in this story, If it reads like addiction, If it reads like disease, He's the One who frees the prisoner, He's the healer of all things, If it reads like depression, If it reads broken home, He's the One who holds your sorrow, He won't leave you here alone, God is in this story, God is in the details, Even in the broken parts, He holds my heart, He never fails, When I'm at my weakest, I will trust in Jesus, Always in the highs and lows, The One who goes before me, Always in the highs and lows, The One who goes before me, God is in this story (you're in this story), God is in my story (right here in my story). Is this the end? Or only the beginning?

The second chance, You never thought you'd get, The question is, Will you do something with it, Or spend your days, Lost in your regret, This is the story of your life, You decide, How the rest is gonna read, This is your chance between the lines, To redefine what kind of legacy you leave, This is the story of your life, And it's a story worth telling, Breathe in deep, Feel your heart still beating, Let's go see the reason you're alive, Oh you are here, And love is up to something, So take your fear, And leave it all behind, This is the story of your life, You decide How the rest is gonna read, This is your chance between the lines, To redefine what kind of legacy you leave, This is the story of your life, And it's a story worth telling, This is the joy And it's the pain, And all the pages in between, Your finest hour, Your weakest moment, It where you've been, It's where you are, It's where you're going, This is the story of your life, You decide How the rest is gonna read, This is your chance between the lines, To redefine the kind of legacy you leave, This is the story of your life, Go tell the story of your life, 'Cause it's a story worth telling, It's worth telling, Is this the end? Or only the beginning?

Psalm 78 verse 4, Exodus 10 verse 2, Exodus 13 verse 8, John 14 verse 6, Isaiah 38 verse 19, Luke 1 verse 37, Luke 8 verse 17, Joel 1 verse 3, Daniel 2 verse 21, Hebrews 11 verse 1, Hebrews 12 verse 14, Hebrews 4 verse 12, Titus 1 verse 2, 2 Timothy 3 verse 16-17, Romans 15 verse 4, Romans 12 verse 12.

In the scriptures we see how our Stories which are our Testimonies are being told. We see how we can be a walking and living testimony of where we see how in 2 Timothy 3 that all the scripture is God breathed. Think of that for a moment, and I mean truly think of that for a second. We are talking about God's Word here, where a scripture is talking about all scripture that is God breathed but then it goes into how it is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. When you hear that again, and I mean you truly hear it again, you take a look at all the other scriptures, the lyrics I shared in the beginning and you see it all come together and how our God, Our Savior is in this Story that the question of the song by Matthew West of is this the end or only the beginning, that our Story that is our Testimony is far from the end, and that it's only begun. God has never left us guys, He's here with us in this place. He's here with us in our hearts, in our brokenness, in our times of seasons we go through. He was in every person of the Bible's Story, He was crafting their testimony to where He was preparing for them to tell of the Word, The Truth, The Gospel. He was preparing them to know that when He sent His to die on the cross, that His Son would rise again 3 days later from the grave. He's coming again, we may not know the day or the hour as the Bible says it is unknown when He returns, but we know He's still crafting and perfecting the scrapbook our Story which is our Testimony. He's calling us as Beloved children to be a light in this world to know that our God is bigger than our fears and our anxieties. See the enemy would want us to live our stories, our testimonies in fear and anxiety as to where God wants us to live in Faith, Hope, Trust, Love, Compassion, the Peace that surpasses all understanding to know that we are not a mistake, we are not a problem who the enemy may try to make us think we have a problem of being a mistake, when God reminds we are not that, but a new creation in Him because we are Beloved children who are owning our Belovedness daily to be reminded that this story has just begun and that this story of which is our testimony is being crafted in the Eyes of our Savior who has a plan for us because just like in Jeremiah 29 verse 11 it says: For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you but to give you a hope and a future.

That's what StoryTellers do. We Restore Order with Imagination. We Instill Hope again and again.

My Life Is A Story About Who God Is And What He Does In A Human Heart.

Whenever You See Darkness, There Is Extraordinary Opportunity For The Light To Burn Brighter.

So in these quotes God calls all those who are is children to be the light and not in the dark. He calls us to use our imagination to see how we can instill Hope in those who want to know about How God uses our heart to share our life story which is our Testimony to know that the desire of our Heart can be mended through the Testimony of our Faith Journey, and can tell us how we have the strongest of Love through our Savior that is giving us Life to help us Breathe but also remember how tonight we learned that all Scripture is God Breathed. Isn't that amazing in how God is giving us a brand new life to be a new creation? Only God can write a story that resonates not just in the power of the imagination or the heart or the mind, but in the very soul; only God can write a story that brings dead things to life.”

When you close your eyes, do you go back there, To a bended knee and a "Lord, I need you" whispered prayer?, Remember the moment you let Jesus in, Would you give anything to go back there again?

You feel like a million mistakes and a million miles, Away from the first time faith of a child, But oh, I want you to know, He's making you new, He's making you new, He's healing your heart right where you are, If only you knew, He's lifting your shame, He's changing your name And when you look back, The only thing that you'll see is His grace, Has been making you brand new, He is making you brand new

When it just doesn't feel like the old you is gone, The shame keeps telling your heart that you should be further along, You can fix your eyes now on the truth you know, That you are held by the hands of a savior that won't let go, He's making you new, He's making you new, He's healing your heart right where you are, If only you knew, He's lifting your shame, He's changing your name And when you look back, The only thing that you'll see is His grace, Has been making you brand new, He is making you brand new, Anyone in Christ is now a new creation, Every day you're closer to the you He's making, So take one last look back and see your past erasing, You're not who you were, that's over and done, So lift up your eyes to the one, Who's making you new, He's making you new, He's healing your heart right where you are, If only you knew, He's lifting your shame, He's changing your name, And when you look back, The only thing that you'll see is His grace, Has been making you brand new, He is making you brand new, Yes, He is making you brand new.

I thought I knew what I was talking about, When I testified of Your great love, Well, I was a soul on fire, there was no doubt, Bible believing, saved, and washed in the blood, But it wasn't 'til I stumbled and made my mistakes, That I could know in my soul how amazing was grace, You brought me blessings out of a tragedy, You turned my old song into a symphony, And with Your spirit living inside of me, I'm a new creation, I'm a new creation, And now I know what You were talking about, Went from my head into my heart, When I was broken at the bottom, I found, You're my Healer and Redeemer, Jesus, that's who You are, You brought me blessings out of a tragedy, You turned my old song into a symphony, And with Your spirit living inside of me, I'm a new creation, I'm a new creation

Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, But it wasn't 'til I stumbled and made my mistakes, That I could know in my soul how amazing was grace, You brought me blessings out of a tragedy, You turned my old song into a symphony, And with Your spirit living inside of me, I'm a new creation (oh, oh-oh, oh, oh), You brought me blessings out of a tragedy (You brought me blessings), You turned my old song into a symphony (I hear a symphony), And with Your spirit living inside of me, I'm a new creation, I'm a new creation, (Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh), I'm a new creation, (Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh), Oh, a new creation, And with Your spirit living inside of me (oh, oh-oh, oh, oh), I'm a new creation (oh, oh-oh, oh, oh), I'm a new creation.

Heart Of Our Savior

I want to share a song called Gracefully Broken by Matt Redman where the lyrics of it say: Take all I have in these hands And multiply, God, all that I am And find my heart on the altar again, Set me on fire, set me on fire, Oh, take all I have in these hands, And multiply, God, all that I am, And find my heart on the altar again, Set me on fire, set me on fire, Here I am, God, Arms wide open, Pouring out my life, Gracefully broken, My heart stands in awe of Your name, Your mighty love stands strong to the end, You will fulfill Your purpose for me, You won't forsake me, You will be with me, Here I am, God, Arms wide open, Pouring out my life, Gracefully broken, Pouring out my life again, Here I am, God, Arms wide open, Pouring out my life, Gracefully broken, Oh, gracefully. The second is a song by Daniel Doss called Stained Glass Windows. The lyrics say: Last week I walked on water, Today I'm sinking low, Can your hand reach down to me and pull me up once more, The dreams I had are shattered, scattered on the floor, The last time you picked up the pieces helped me dream some more, Cause were making stained glass windows, Every piece a different shade, Broken and then put together like a big mistake, But when the light shines through the colors form a tapestry, A hundred different images of how you keep loving me. Each moment you are with me, Each word I hear you say, Help me understand and trust in your higher ways, The road that goes through valleys help me cling to you, And when we find a mountain top we'll dance the whole day through, Cause were making stained glass windows, Every piece a different shade, Broken and then put together like a big mistake, But when the light shines through the colors form a tapestry, A hundred different images of how you keep loving me, I don't know why, I don't know why, You keep loving me. Yeah, yeah, Broken and then put together, Were making stained glass windows, Every piece a different shade, Broken and then put together like a big mistake, Oh and when the light shines through the colors form a tapestry, A hundred different images of how, And when the light shines through the colors form a tapestry, A hundred different images of how you keep loving me. Let these songs be a reminder this week that beyond us feeling broken at times God is using us to form that tapestry to show us how He keeps loving us daily as Beloved Children of Him.

Which brings me to what I want to talk about tonight that continues from what I shared in the beginning of what I wanted to share at the end of last week's study. Tonight I want to continue how Love and Brokenness can be something that leads us to Our Savior. I want to talk about the Love that we feel in our Hearts, where the Brokenness of the Heart can lead us to The Heart of Our Savior where we can see that our scars our made whole, and that the Love we feel is God's Love because God is Love. The brokenness we feel at times can be difficult, it can be scary, but when we are lead to The Heart Of God, Our Savior then we can see how God is giving us what we need, before we ask or think it. Let us look at some scriptures now where it talks about Our Savior, Heart, Love, and Brokenness. The scriptures we are going to look at tonight are: Acts 4 verse 12, 1 John 4 verse 14, 1 John 2 verse 15-17, James 5 verse 14. Psalm 51 verse 10, Matthew 5 verse 18, 1 Samuel 16 verse 12, Psalm 37 verse 4. 1 Corinthians 16 verse 14, John 15 verse 13, John 14 verse 15. Psalm 31 verse 12, and Matthew 11 verses 28-30.

In these scriptures we see how when we have Love that God can mend the Brokenness of our Hearts. We see how Our Savior shows the Love, The Compassion, the timing of knowing we our coming back to the Heart of Our Savior who doesn't let us go, who doesn't let us down, and we are lead back to the Heart of what is known as The Love and The Heart Of God. We are having a time of where we can Worship our Savior with Song, We are having a time where we can pray to our Our Savior. We are even having a time where we can talk with Him to let our Hearts pour out to Our Savior who is with us daily.

Last week we talked about Love and Brokenness, the week before that we talked about many different things that related with the word Love, and many things that were a reflection and reminder of God's unfailing Love and Redeeming Grace. We know that Our Savior is Ruler, King, and that He will continue to do many great things. We know that God is doing a work in our lives for those who Love.

While some things may be similar to what we've learned last week, and the week before that, it's always a great reminder to go over some of these things, as well as know that God is working in our Heart for us to see that He has a purpose and plan in place for everything at anytime for everything we do that is according to His Will, and that is being done in His Glory. We know that God is watching over daily to help us get a better understanding to know how to come back to the Heart Of Our Savior if we are lost.

See we as leaders, followers, Disciples of Christ can be that person that reaches out to those who are lost, hurting, and don't know God at all. We can help them find the Heart Of Our Savior again. We can pray for them, we can pray with them. What happens after that is between them and God. No matter what we face in Life we know everything can lead back to the Heart of God. I want to end on two things. The first thing I would like to share is Zach Williams song The Heart Of God. The lyrics say this: I know you're hurtin', I can see it in your eyes, So pull back the curtain and take off your disguise

Whoever told you, you ain't worth the fight, The cross tells a story that'll change your mind, 'Cause there's only love in the heart of God, No room for shame in His open arms, There's beauty from ashes, so come as you are, And there's only love in the heart of God, Come, prodigal children, it's never too late, Run home to the Father, let Him clothe you with grace, And bury your burdens, break free from your fear, Step out of the shadows, there's no judgment here, There's only love in the heart of God

No room for shame in His open arms, There's beauty from ashes, so come as you are, And there's only love in the heart of God, No, He's not sittin' there shakin' His head, Writin' you off, leavin' you lost

He's not sittin' there shakin' His head, Wishin' He'd never went to that cross, He's not sittin' there shakin' His head, Writin' you off, leavin' you lost, He's not sittin' there shakin' His head, He went to that cross, He went to that cross. We see that God has Love for us so much that He sent His Son to die on that cross so that we could have everlasting life. You have the Savior of the world on your side. If you seek His help and follow His directions, how can you fail? I wanted to end on this quote so that we could be reminded this week about all the things Our Savior does for us, and how much Love there is to give when we seek, and come to the Heart of Our Savior who shows that we can come together in Love.

Love and Brokenness Study

 Take a look at the mountains, Stretching a mile high, Take a look at the ocean, Far as your eye can see.

And think of Me, Take a look at the desert, Do you feel like a grain of sand? I am with you wherever

Where you go is where I am, And I'm always thinking of you, Take a look around you, I'm spelling it out one by one, I love you more than the sun And the stars that I taught how to shine, You are mine, and you shine for me too, I love you yesterday and today And tomorrow, I'll say it again and again, I love you more

Just a face in the city, Just a tear on a crowded street, But you are one in a million And you belong to Me.

If grace was a kingdom, I'd stopped at the gate, Thinkin' I don't deserve to pass through, After all the mistakes that I've made, Oh, but I heard a whisper as Heaven bent down, Said, "Child, don't you know that the first will be last And the last get a crown", Now I'm just a beggar in the presence of a King

I wish I could bring so much more, But if it's true, You use broken things, Then here I am Lord, I'm all Yours, Whoa-oh-oh-oh, Oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, The pages of history, they tell me it's true, That it's never the perfect, It's always the ones with the scars that You use, Oh, it's the rebels and the prodigals, It's the humble and the weak, All the misfit heroes You chose, Tell me there's hope for sinners like me.

We see here how God can love us more than the sun and the stars in the sky that He created. We see here that He can take the broken things and craft them into something beautiful.

I want us to look at some scriptures now. The scriptures we are going to be looking at tonight are 1 John 3 verse 1, Matthew 22 verse 37-39, 1 John 4 verse 7-21, Ephesians 2 verse 4-5, Psalm 86 verse 15. 1 Peter 4 verse 8, 1 John 4 verse 11. Isaiah 53 verse 6, John 3 verse 16, Hebrews 4 verse 12, and Hebrews 11 verse 1-40. We see in the scriptures, how God is using us for His Glory and how we can walk by Faith and not by sight. We see how God loves all His Children and how He takes the broken things, the pieces that are shattered, and picks them up because just like in that last scripture we read tonight, our Faith and our Faith alone is an assurance of things hoped for and of things yet not seen. We don't ever walk this Faith journey alone. We don't go through the broken chapters that is our testimony and that is still being crafted in the scrapbook of which we can look at how we feel at times sad because the enemy tries to remind us that we are not worthy or that we are unloved, or we can look at it as a way of seeing how God reminds us that we are loved and that we do have worth in the eyes of Him. You see the difference between the enemy and God, is that the enemy will do anything to say the things that you go through of the broken chapters that are things that are beyond repairing, and that You're unloved because how can God love us despite our brokenness of things we deal with. See that's where God reminds that He still loves us beyond all that and that He loves us more than the sun and stars He created because the broken chapters are worth repairing in the eyes of our Savior and He reminds us that the enemy doesn't matter as long we continue to listen to the voice of truth which is Christ because as long as we have that in our hearts, what more can we ask for than to know how God continues to love beyond our broken pieces, imperfections, and continues to love us no matter what despite when we at times all go through some way or another of feeling down, or even hard on ourselves. The enemy may try to knock us down, but God picks us right back up and loves us more than anything and because of that just like in the other Matthew West song I shared, if it's true that God uses broken things, than here I am Lord I'm all yours. Let this be a reflection of how God is using us this week, so that we can be a light to others in need. Let this be a reminder to us this week so that we can be the light to others who don't God but want to know who He is because we need to be the light but be the change in how we can not lean on our own understanding but on the promises of God's Love and Goodness because God is Love.

These are the last three things I would like to end on tonight cause I feel this is important to share.

The first is a song by Stars Go Dim and the song I would like to share is called You Are Loved.

The lyrics say this: We hide pain in the weirdest places, Broken souls with smiling faces, Fighting for surrender, For now and the after, yeah, Just look around and you'll see that people, Are scared to say how they really feel, Oh, we all need a little honesty, You are loved, If your heart's in a thousand pieces

If you're lost and you're far from reason, Just look up; know you are loved, Just look up; and know you are loved, When it feels like something's missing, If it hurts but you can't find healing, Just look up, know you are loved, Just look up, know you are loved.

The second is another song called Gracefully Broken by Matt Redman where the lyrics of it say: Take all I have in these hands And multiply, God, all that I am And find my heart on the altar again

Set me on fire, set me on fire, Oh, take all I have in these hands, And multiply, God, all that I am, And find my heart on the altar again, Set me on fire, set me on fire, Here I am, God, Arms wide open, Pouring out my life, Gracefully broken, My heart stands in awe of Your name, Your mighty love stands strong to the end, You will fulfill Your purpose for me, You won't forsake me, You will be with me, Here I am, God, Arms wide open, Pouring out my life, Gracefully broken, Pouring out my life again

Here I am, God, Arms wide open, Pouring out my life, Gracefully broken, Oh, gracefully.

The las one I want to share is a song by Daniel Doss called Stained Glass Windows. The lyrics say: Last week I walked on water, Today I'm sinking low, Can your hand reach down to me and pull me up once more, The dreams I had are shattered, scattered on the floor, The last time you picked up the pieces helped me dream some more, Cause were making stained glass windows, Every piece a different shade

Broken and then put together like a big mistake, But when the light shines through the colors form a tapestry, A hundred different images of how you keep loving me. Each moment you are with me, Each word I hear you say, Help me understand and trust in your higher ways, The road that goes through valleys help me cling to you, And when we find a mountain top we'll dance the whole day through

Cause were making stained glass windows, Every piece a different shade, Broken and then put together like a big mistake, But when the light shines through the colors form a tapestry, A hundred different images of how you keep loving me, I don't know why, I don't know why, You keep loving me. Yeah, yeah, Broken and then put together, Were making stained glass windows, Every piece a different shade, Broken and then put together like a big mistake, Oh and when the light shines through the colors form a tapestry, A hundred different images of how, And when the light shines through the colors form a tapestry, A hundred different images of how you keep loving me.

Let all three of these songs be a reminder this week that beyond us feeling broken at times God is using us to form that tapestry to show us how He keeps loving us daily as Beloved Children of Him.

Outreach Study

 When we think about our Imperfections, when we think of how we grieve and mourn the loss of our loved ones, and when we think of those who go through difficult times we see how God can pull us through by comforting those who mourn and grieve, and  can help us see that we have beautifully broken pieces of our testimonies that are still being crafted in that scrapbook to know that our imperfections don't define who we are but the Love of God defines who we are made in the Image of Him. 

We go through seasons in the times of feeling hard on ourselves to where we feel like we are not good enough, strong enough, or brave to do what we have been called to do in what God has planned for us to do. We don't have to let the enemy win in our life because it's God who fights our battles and it's God who reminds us that we are loved. It's God who reminds us that we can be strong in Him because it's Him who gives us strength. We think of the traits that God has given us to overcome obstacles. 

We can humbly walk in Faith and see that when we humble ourselves before God that we can endure the great things He has done to help us through. If we were to name or define who we are in Christ of the traits  that He has given us, we would come up with traits of being Loving, Kind, Compassionate, Noble, Respectful, Joyful, and I'm sure we could come up with others, but these traits here, show us that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of a sound mind because with Him all things are possible and nothing is impossible for Him. These traits here show us that the good parts of our testimony that is being crafted daily by our Savior who shows unconditional love. He shows unconditional love because He is Love. We think about the Delegation of God's Authority where we trust and obey His Word because His Word and the Words He says remain true. If we were to take what the enemy says and apply it to our life today we would feel miserable because what the enemy says doesn't apply one bit to the testimony that is greater in the eyes of God. We would be miserable because we would follow the lies the enemy put in our head to hear the voice that says we are not good enough. Although if we hear the voice of truth, what God's truth is then that is what we will see how the good parts of our testimony are still a work in progress. We will see that He reminds us we are enough. I pray that no matter what we do, or what we think the enemy says, that we will still remain in the Heart of God to where we can see that He is showing us we are a new creation in Him. I want us to look at some different scriptures now. 

The scriptures I would like to look at are Ephesians 2 verse 8-9, Romans 5 verse 8, 1 John 4 verse 12, Matthew 5 verse 48. Matthew 5 verse 4, Revelation 21 verse 4, Psalm 147 verse 3. Genesis 1 verses 26-27, Genesis 2 verse 7, Genesis 9 verse 6. 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 3:16, Colossians 1:16, Romans 8:28, Romans 6:23, Acts 20:24. The last scriptures we are looking at are: Isaiah 41:10, 1 John 4:18, Psalm 34:4, 2 Timothy 1:7, Joshua 1:9, Philippians 4:6, John 14:27, and Psalm 27:1. So we see in these scriptures that God is helping us see His authority, the traits that He has given us, how He still loves beyond our imperfections, and how when we grieve that He gives each one of us comfort.

I want to share just some lyrics with all of you tonight. The first one I want to share is this: All of my life I've been making a list, Of all the things about me I'd change if I could And the longer I live, the more I'm convinced, The bad and the ugly will outweigh the good, I beat myself up, I tear myself down, And it's never been harder to understand how, You perfectly love me and all my imperfections, Still can't believe that it's true, How You perfectly love me and all my imperfections And all my imperfections You'll use. The second one I would like to share says: It is through suffering I find the strength I need, it is through suffering I know that you are faithful, so even when I can't see the change around me, God I know you're changing me, your changing my heart, cause your the only way. The third one says: Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see, Your majestic love and authority. We see with each one of these lyrics that we are perfectly loved by our Savior who doesn't let us go. We see that the scars the beautifully broken scars just like in a different song that we don't have to be afraid in the work that God is doing in our lives to show us that His Mercy, His Grace, and His Love will endure forever and ever.

I want to end on this tonight: Who said that you weren't beautiful And that you didn't belong in your own skin? Who said that you were all alone And that you're never gonna find love again? So many little words, so many little lies That have followed you all of your life, Looking for the truth, look into your eyes And you'll see it's been there the whole time, Ooh, even when you were running, Even when you were hiding, Never been a moment that you were not perfectly loved, When you barely believed it, When your eyes couldn't see it, Every single moment, you've always been perfectly loved, Ooh, perfectly loved, You've always been perfectly, In the hands of the Infinite, As the wounds of the world became His, See the kindness Heaven has for you And how He's always been drawing you in, So many open doors (so many open doors), so many miracles (so many), That have followed you all of your life, Looking for the truth (looking for the truth), look into your eyes (oh), And you'll see its been there the whole time. I wanted to end on this tonight because I want us to remember this week in everything we talked about and what we read from the scriptures that we belong as Warriors in the Kingdom of God. We belong as the Beloved child that we are who are perfectly loved in the Image of which God made us Uniquely, Fearfully, and Wonderfully made. We have our imperfections, we have scars, but we are Perfectly Loved in the Eyes and ways of God. We are Perfectly Imperfect as a child of God who is a work in progress becoming that brand new creation each and every day to serve God and be the light.

Let us take this and I mean truly take this to heart this week and remind not only ourselves but others that God's Love never fails and that God can make all things new and that He's perfecting our Testimony and showing us that our scrapbook of that is far from over because God's working in us.