A story of daily and complete surrender to Christ. My life is not my own, find out why by reading below:
Growing up I always believed in God. I went to church with my family, I prayed the Lord’s Prayer without really knowing what it meant. Basically, I called myself a Christian because my faith was based off of my family’s; that’s what they believed and I followed. I was a good kid, didn’t drink or do drugs; I was a great student and a dedicated teammate. Yet, I still was searching for satisfaction in pleasing my family and my friends. I wanted to be that “perfect” person for them to look to. And in that time of what I thought living life to the fullest was, I was living for myself, not in surrender to Jesus.
I was living for myself because I didn’t know what it looked like to live for Christ. But God captured my heart and pursued me until I found His heart. Through a Cru fall retreat my freshmen year of college (October 10, 2009), my perception of God and the Gospel was taken to a whole new level of understanding. The message was about running to the Lord and leaving all of the weight and sin that so easily entangles us, that so easily blinds us from true Joy//JESUS. Hebrews 12:1-8. I learned that it wasn’t going to be an easy road, but it is the right road, the best road and I would be running it with my Great King. So that night I officially surrendered my life to Christ. I made the decision to truly lean on Him. Complete joy washed over me.
Since then, by His Spirit, He has been shaping me into the woman He wants me to be. Of course, I have made many mistakes along the way and as I am still human, I will continue to do so. I know that I am free to fail, as Jesus is the one who has succeeded for me. My approval and acceptance is in Him. My heart wants to be in continual praise of Him. How radically different is that from our world? Obviously, that is not of me, but of the Holy Spirit of God. My life is not about trying to please God by my own works. He has given me the freedom to do good works in praise and thankfulness of Him and by that shows the faith God’s given me. I believe that Jesus saved me by grace through faith in Him. He took my place in the very penalty that I deserve, which is death because of my sin… the very thing that separates all of us from God. So Jesus, full of glory in heaven, humbled himself and came down as fully man and fully God… He came and He died for me and defeated death for me. He is alive. He is alive in me. Guess what? He not only did this for me, but for the world, for YOU. He came to give us the fullness of life.
He has showed me that Love is sacrificial; He sacrificially died for the world and invites us all into this love. We just have to receive it.
He has showed me to always walk in love. Allow God to show this to you too. God was this example for us, as it says in Ephesians 5:1-2 “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” He continues to sanctify me by showing me how much I need him daily. I am only human. Like I said, I am not perfect (only when we get to heaven). We are not perfect, yet He who is perfect gave us His greatest treasure. That is a God worth living for. This life isn’t about me. Philippians 3:7-9 is one of my favorite parts of scripture “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”
So yes, I profess my faith in Jesus Christ.
And let me reiterate from before that following Christ definitely isn’t easy. We are called to be in this world, to be lights and lead people to the light, but we are not to be OF this world. Our inheritance is in heaven, and so that is why I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. I serve a HOLY God. A God that is Good. A God that is patient with us. He is a God that saves. A God that is constant, never changing. He is always here. He redeems. He knows all things and knows what is best for us. My prayer is to lean and trust in Him for everything. To always be thankful no matter what. Our GOD is SO BIG. He deserves to be lifted high in our lives. He is so worthy to be praised and made known in our lives. By His Grace I stand here today.
Colossians 3:3 “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
Thank you God for all the you are. All that you call me to be. All that I am in you.
You are to be exalted above all and before all.
Thinking and praying for you Elise Koop.
God has put you on my heart today.
In the Spirit of my thankfulness for you, I have on the scarf you gave me from India, and I as well was just reading the note you gave me before I left for Uganda.
Jesus is using you. Jesus LOVES you so much and oh my goodness is He making you new daily. Your heart for people and for the world is contagious.
Love you sistaaa!
Yep. I was there. Dude you rock.
One week ago today I was dancing on a stage in front of 13,000 people! This was at the Catalyst Conference. Those two dudes are Tripp & Tyler. They’re really funny. This party is just getting started.
It’s about you JESUS. Your glory. Your renown.
less of me. more of YOU.
John 3:30
RESTORATION. REDEEMED.
Lets carry this on to past generations, to our generation and to the next.
COME ON LORD. This is by far one the most beautiful sermons I have ever heard.
We have a God that has the heart of setting the captives free.
Lets be the church that goes outside our walls of familiarity.
Lets be the church that is more interested in setting the captives free than going to church to just get our fill. Lets not be blinded by our religious traditions because it can cause us to be critical of others. We are called to love and welcome ALL into the church.
Mark 11:15-19
15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer FOR ALL NATIONS’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. 19 And when evening came they went out of the city.
