Well, I'm heading out of town tomorrow for a week (yipee for Teen Camp!) and won't have any computer access...so to keep with my regular blogging goal, I thought it be best to post something today.

I'm trying to filter my thoughts to find something bloggable. My thoughts range from hope and hopelessness to family and the spirit of adoption to victory and discouragement. All too much to break down it seems.

But let me tell you where I'm at. I'm completely hopeless with my eyes set ahead. I am discouraged by almost everything I see and hear yet my eyes are set on things above. I am feeling alone and defeated, but I am a child of the King and surrounded by a family so deep. So all in all, things are great.

It's really easy to look at the moment, well because it is happening now and let's face it a lot of it sucks (I speak personally here, but I Praise God if this is not so in your life). It's so easy to get caught up in the nitty gritty of things and to get discouraged by it all. I have to challenge myself all the time (I was going to write daily, but to be honest, it is much more of a minutely thing) to take my eyes off of myself and off of the world around me and gaze into the face of Christ. This classic song "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace" says it best.

So practically, how do we do it? How do we not get discouraged when your family members get really sick or when your friends are dying in their addiction or when your neighbourhood is full of oppression and death or when your closest buddy won't turn from their sin, or when it seems like you just can't do anything right or please everyone no matter how hard you try? The simple answer is to worship. To fall facedown in His presence and relent everything. I'm not talking about singing pretty songs or playing nice instruments (although in my experience those times have been some of the sweetest times), I'm talking about plain and simple worship. Worship that looks like honoring the Lord with your actions and thoughts. Worship that looks like abandoning idols. Worship that looks like not denying the Holy Ghost. Worship that looks like encouraging your brothers and sisters. Worship that looks like proclaiming the name of Yahweh, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, the Alpha and Omega, the Wonderful Counsellor, the Beautiful Saviour.

Because it is when we worship, that it is when we forget about ourselves and those problems that seem to take over our minds. When we worship, our discouragement and fears fade away. Worship is the most unselfish thing one can do. Surely you can't possibly be thinking about your problems or those of your friends when you are facedown in the presence of the King.

So next time you are thinking too much about the moment, too much about those little (and sometimes big) things that get you or the next time you seem to be caught up in that nasty sin again, I exhort you to worship and set your eyes on things above. I exhort you to pick up the Bible and read aloud some scripture. I exhort you to pick up a guitar or tickle the ivory's. I exhort you to sing a new song. I exhort you with all that is in me to worship our Father with all that is in you.

May you find peace as you worship.