Loving the Lord

Jesus is ~ Truth

2012-02-29T13:35:00.002-08:00

What I love about Jesus: His Truth

Verses that talk about this: Psalm 100:5, “For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 108:4, “For Your mercy is great above the heavens, and Your truth reaches to the clouds.”

How I have seen this in my own life: God’s deep, unchanging truth is an incredible source of comfort to me in today’s deceit-poisoned culture. All around are false ideas and concepts which go against God’s Word, whether blatantly or subtly. The fact that God is purely and wholly truth becomes a steadfast anchor amidst the sea of lies, and causes me to want to know and love Him more.
In my own life, whenever I am going through a difficult time, or having trouble understanding an issue, God’s truths are there to guide me. They are everlasting and unchanging and perfect in every way. I love the way His truth encourages, teaches, motivates, and convicts me –it’s incredible!
As a result, I have purposed to be fully dedicated to God’s truth all my days and to walk in it as it says in Psalm 86:11 “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth…” ~ Lydia

Jesus is ~ Strength

2012-02-28T08:56:00.002-08:00

What I love about Jesus: He is my (our!) Strength

A verse that talks about this: "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him..." 2 Chronicles 6:9

How I have seen this in my own life: I cannot help but boast of the incredible strength and power of my Savior; how He has redeemed me by His strength and how He is able to show His strength daily in my life if I am fully allowing Him to.
I am learning to not relay on my own strength to help me live victoriously, but day by day, to surrender my own will and live in the joy that comes from letting Jesus shine forth His power in my life!
In my own power I can do nothing, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! ~ Sophia

Jesus is ~ Comfort

2012-02-27T17:33:00.005-08:00

One thing I love about Jesus: His role as our Great Comforter

A verse that talks about this: Isaiah 49:13, "Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted."

How I have it in my own life - I am amazed when I look at all the ways in which Jesus has shown Himself to be my Great Comforter on a daily basis! I first experienced this blessing at the age of ten, when I suddenly began to experience significant back pain. It would be three years before surgery would correct the problem, and a total of seven years before the pain would relent completely. However, during this time the Lord taught me to cling to Him in a way that I had never before experienced. He surrounded me with His love and comforted me through Scripture and the words of His Spirit. Then, just as the Lord began to heal my body from pain, I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. After nearly two years of dealing with this illness, I can say once again that I have seen the comforting hand of the Lord everyday. I truly believe that He alone grants strength for each day and joy in affliction. ~ Mandy

Jesus is ~ Victorious

2012-02-26T12:03:00.001-08:00

What I love about Jesus: He is Victorious

A verse about this: 1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

How I have seen this in my own life: There have been many times in my life when a spiritual battle has been raging, but Jesus has always been there for me! Even when I fail Him, and don't have the faith I should, He is there to sustain me and help me claim victory in His name. Sometimes He has been there for me in obvious - even miraculous - ways, but I'm sure there have been many times when I have not even realized He was fighting for me! If we only humble ourselves and submit to God (James 4:6,7) we can be victorious through Jesus Christ! ~ Hannah

Jesus is ~ Redemptive Love

2012-02-25T11:45:00.000-08:00

What I love about Jesus: His Redemptive Love

A verse about this: "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name… who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy…" Psalm 103:1, 4

How I have seen this in my own life: The Lord has lately been showing me how transforming it is to look at life through the gospel… I was dead in my sins and had turned away from the Living God (Rom 3:10-12). I didn’t deserve forgiveness nor could I expect to be loved… yet God looked upon me… Jesus lovingly redeemed my life from a dark pit, brought me to the Father, and set upon me a crown of His love!!!

Life seems to be on fast-forward some days and I allow my gaze to shift away from Jesus and onto myself. When I do this, I tend to shift into a “do-gooder” mindset rather than a heart that is overflowing with love and gratitude to God. Have I forgotten??? -Jesus redeemed and loves me, not because I am working to “repay” Him, not because I look like a “good person” – but because He chose to mercifully cleanse me by grace! The Lord has been using these times of quietly meditating on the gospel to kindle renewed love and joyful obedience to Him. ~ Stephani

Jesus is ~ Sufficient

2012-02-24T11:14:00.001-08:00

What I love about Jesus: His Sufficiency

Verses that talk about this: "I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved....Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Psalm 16:8,11

How I have seen this in my own life: God has been so faithfully revealing to me this past year how He is enough!

No matter what happens, He will provide what I need, when I need it. And most of all, I can have fullness of Joy in serving Him! ~ Glory

Jesus is ~ Our Refuge

2012-02-23T11:12:00.001-08:00

What I love about Jesus: He is my constant refuge.

A verse about this: "Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." Psalm 62:8

How I have seen this in my own life: It has brought me so much comfort to know that I can go to Jesus with anything at anytime! He is just waiting and longing for me to run into His open arms and pour out my soul to Him. I've found that when life (or my emotions) is like a roller-coaster, it is more satisfying to fix my eyes on my Savior and His faithfulness in my life, than to focus on myself or my problems. And when I choose to cast my cares at His feet, my heavenly Father gives me the grace to praise Him, even when I don't feel like it. And in turn, He overflows my heart with His peace and joy! ~ Bailey

Jesus is ~ Patient

2012-02-22T11:08:00.002-08:00

What I love about Jesus: His never-ending patience.

A verse about this: "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him." Lamentations 3:22-24

How I have seen this in my own life: It amazes me that the Lord never gets annoyed or exasperated with me and just gives up on me. No matter how many times I forget Who He is and what He has done for me; no matter how many times I turn away from Him, doubt His presence, forget to pray, neglect His Word or fear to trust Him, He remains steadfast, loving and merciful toward me. It is a beautiful and hope-filled promise, especially on days when I feel like a complete failure, that His mercies are new every morning...we will never wear them out or dry them up! ~ Kelsey

Jesus is ~ Steadfast

2012-02-21T09:08:00.000-08:00

What I love about Jesus: His steadfastness.

A verse about this: "From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Pslam 61:2

How I have seen this in my own life: I have seen His steadfastness so many times in my life in different physical examples. But as this verse says, I've seen it especially in my heart. When I feel burdened by this world or my sin, I know that I can run to His loving fortress and find comfort and truth within His Word of promises. Jesus is so faithful to me! ~ Alyssa

Jesus is ~ Sovereign

2012-02-20T12:58:00.000-08:00

~ What I love about Jesus: His Sovereignty

~A verse about this: "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?" Jeremiah 32:27

~ How I have seen it in my own life: The sovereignty of God is manifested in every last detail of my life, and that is what makes it so amazing! Jesus knows everything, has complete authority over everything, and has complete power to accomplish His will in everything! Jesus’ will is always accomplished because He is always, perfectly, in control over everything!

Knowing that Jesus is sovereign allows me to trust Him with my life- in every area because not only is He Lord over me, but He is Lord over everything else in the universe, too.

Believing that allows me to live boldly and without fear. It frees me from worry, and allows me to trust Jesus with the outcome of my life. The only thing I need to focus on is living in obedience to His will as revealed in His Word- not how circumstances in my life will work out if I do. But what I really love about Jesus’ sovereignty is that it causes me to draw closer to Him. It forces me to depend on Him, because I know that I am not in control. ~ Rachel

Jesus is ~ Our Ultimate Example

2012-02-19T08:09:00.000-08:00

~ What I love about Jesus: His Ultimate Example of Submission to His Father

~A verse about this: Christ “went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.... O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” (Matthew 26:39,42)

~ How I have seen it in my own life: In Christ's incarnation, I am amazed by the depths of submission Jesus Christ displayed through leaving His robes of glory (Colossians 1:15-19), entering humanity (Colossians 1:20), and then taking the full force of God's just wrath (1 John 4:10), to become the propitiation for our righteousness (Romans 3:25). What wondrous love and submission He showed toward His Father—giving to me a beautiful example to follow, by His redeeming grace. The submission of Christ gives me hope and strength as He leads me by the hand (“I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee” -Isaiah 42:6), through whatever trials or sacrifices the path holds (1 Peter 2:21)—He alone is sufficient for me. What a wonderful Savior we have been given in the Son of God! ~ Sarah

Jesus is ~ Merciful Kindness

2012-02-18T09:01:00.000-08:00

One thing I love about Jesus: His merciful kindness

A verse about this: "For His merciful kindness is great toward us..." Psalm 117:2

How I have known this in my own life: Recently I have realized more and more just how great the Lord's merciful kindness is towards me! It's ALL because of His merciful kindness that I am saved, and have a relationship with Him! ~ Isabella

Jesus is ~ Everlasting Love

2012-02-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

One thing I love about Jesus: His everlasting love

A verse that talks about this: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." (Jeremiah 31:3)

How I have seen it in my own life: As the Lord has drawn me closer to Himself, He has shown me that His love is far more than enough to satisfy every longing of my heart. I don't need to look to anybody or anything else to fulfill me, because I have all I will ever need in Him alone! ~ Ashley

Jesus is ~ Faithful

2012-02-16T11:26:00.000-08:00

One thing you love about Jesus: His faithfulness.

A verse about this: "God, who called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." 1 Corinthians 1:9

How I have seen it in my own life: Jesus has always been faithful to me. This past year I have had a lot of decisions to make and more than once God has answered very specific prayers, some even on the very same day I went to Him with the request! I have also seen His faithfulness in my own shortcomings. Even when I do not live up to His perfect standard, He has been faithful to forgive and restore the fellowship that He called me into. This has only made me more in awe of my Savior who loves me unconditionally because He loved me even before I loved Him. ~ Kayla

Jesus is ~ our Provider

2012-02-15T11:05:00.000-08:00

~ One thing you love about Jesus: He is our Provider.

~ A verse that talks about that: "For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." Matthew 6:8b

~ How you have known this about Jesus in your own life?
The Lord is my faithful Provider. Recently when I prayed for two specific things, He provided in His way and at the time I needed them. It reminds me, He sees my past, present and future all at the same time and therefore knows exactly what is needed for each day. I have also been in awe of Jesus when He provides, and I am not aware ahead of time of the need I have. It is a gift to rest in my Heavenly Father's care for my life as His daughter. ~ Elizabeth

Join us for 30 days of loving Jesus more by looking at who He is!

2012-02-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to invite you to join me and many others in taking the next month to focus on loving Jesus more by looking at who He is!

Each day for the next month, there will be a post here on the Loving the Lord Blog (www.lovingthelord.org) about one aspect of who He is - and many other young women seeking to love Him will be joining in posting!!!

So please join us and invite your friends to join us, too! It is going to be an amazing month of loving our Jesus more!

He is so amazing.

Knowing Jesus' Love and Loving Him in Return

2012-02-14T17:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day, Friends!

For a moment, stop and think about someone you know who loves you very, very much... Then multiply that by a zillion and you only begin to get a tiny picture of Jesus' love for you.

He loves YOU. He loves you more than you could ever put your mind around. Let that sink from your head to your heart. The Lord of the Universe loves and cares about YOU. He loves with a heart so pure, a love so deep, and a delight so great... nothing in the universe compares!

This love is what you were created for. I can tell you from personal experience that it is when you truly understand and embrace His love, it satisfies your heart, transforms your life, and makes you love Him in return. "We love Him because He first loved us..." 1 John 4:19

Look at these amazing verses from the greatest love letter of all time - the Bible:

~ "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you." Jer. 31:3
~ "The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zeph. 3:17
~ "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

~ "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

~ "....nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39

~ "His steadfast love endures forever..." Psalm 100:5

Living daily in the reality of Jesus' love is so incredible and important! It will color all of your life in amazing ways. A heart that is growing in being satisfied and filled with Jesus' love will more naturally experience joy, desire to please Him, be less temptation by sin, love others, and love Him in return. Friends, this is where you were meant to live!

We need to be aware that there are other things that will try to steal our love from Jesus and lie to us that they will satisfy more than Him. But we were created for Jesus and His love - and nothing less will ever satisfy! To live in Jesus' love and increase our love for Him, we must turn from things that lessen or steal our love for Jesus, and pursue things that help us know and love Him more.

These are things that are majorly helpful to me on a regular basis in living in Jesus' love and loving Him in return:

~ Keeping Him FIRST - in my heart, mind, choices, and activities

~ Daily spending time with Him

~ Reading His Words to me - the Bible

~ Talking to Him in prayer - all day

~ Reading books, listening to messages, and worshipping to music that are about HIM

~ Talking about, and praying to, Him with friends who love Him

~ Getting rid of things that take my heart from Him or distract me - limiting computer time, etc.

~ Thinking about and praising Him for Who He is.*

*I am inviting you to join me and others in taking the next month to focus on loving Jesus more by doing this - thinking about and praising Jesus for who He is. Each day, there will be a post on the blog about one aspect of who He is - and many other young women seeking to love Him will be joining us!!!

As you grow in understanding His love, living in the reality of it, and loving Him in return, you will be able to echo these words, "Because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you." Psalm 63:3

May you be deeply blessed as you know the love of our Jesus and to love Him in return!

Treasuring His love and loving Him with you,

Amy Vest

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Cor. 2:9

A Relationship of Love with Jesus

2012-02-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

Blessings as you know the love of our amazing Jesus and love Him in return, dear sisters!

"...Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind and with all of your strength." Mark 12:30

Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

2012-01-23T20:52:00.000-08:00

Someone insightfully said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”

What is the “Main Thing” for us as followers of Jesus? In Matthew 22:37-38, someone asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, ^“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.’”

Jesus tells us the main thing when He calls us to, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” He created us to have Him as our “Main Thing” in life – the One we love with all of our heart, our greatest Treasure, the purpose for which we are alive. In Him alone can we find the satisfaction for which He made us. When we are loving Jesus and keeping Him above anything else, He not only fulfills us, but also enables us by His strength to do the other things He calls us to do - “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” (Matthew 22:39-40)

How can we do this? A clear way to tell what holds the place of “Main Thing” in our lives is to look at the areas of our: ~ Love ~ Treasure ~ Thoughts ~ Motives ~ Time ~ Words ~ Actions. What do they say about what holds the place as “Main Thing” in our lives?

Other things clamor for the position of “Main Thing” in our lives. Things like people, self, possessions, entertainment, projects, ministry, etc. try for that position on a daily basis. When these things are in the position of “Main Thing”, they never satisfy and only lead to disappointment, distraction, discouragement, and instability.

Jesus is calling us to keep Him as our “Main Thing” in every area of our lives in: loving Him above anything or anyone, allowing Him to be the focus of our mind, following His commands, exalting Him in our motives, how we use our time, where we invest our resources, and how we live our lives.

If you see your need for Jesus to be your “Main Thing” in life, ask Him for His help. He will answer and give you grace to make it a reality. The more Jesus is our “Main Thing”, the more the rest of life will fit together beautifully.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

A book for young women!

2012-01-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled to share with you that Amy Vest is currently writing a book for young women!

We are excited beyond words for what the Lord's purposes are for this book! It is a book filled with Jesus, Biblical Truth, and deep vision for knowing and living for Jesus as a young woman.

We ask for your prayers as Amy writes, seeking the Lord for His words and heart to share with young women! (The lull in LTLM events is partially due to the enormity of this project.) We will keep you posted on this project!

The Love of God

2012-01-21T16:17:00.000-08:00

The love of God is greater far, Than tongue or pen can ever tell; It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell; The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain

O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away, And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall, When men, who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and mountains call, God’s love so sure, shall still endure, All measureless and strong; Redeeming grace to Adam’s race— The saints’ and angels’ song.

Refrain

Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain

by Fredrick Lehman

Have a beautiful day in the love of our amazing God!

The LTLM 2012 Newsletter has been sent!

2012-01-21T16:03:00.001-08:00

The newest Loving the Lord Newsletter has been sent! You can view it by clicking here. If you would like to be added to our email list or update your email, please email the LTLM secretary at alyssa@lovingthelordministries.org! We love seeking Jesus with you!!!

Looking forward to seeking Jesus with you in the New Year!

2012-01-05T10:21:00.000-08:00

We are looking forward to a New Year of seeking and loving Jesus together with you!!!

2011-12-26T19:16:00.000-08:00

- Embrace Him as your greatest gift.

Every day, every moment. In Him we have been given the greatest gift of all! We were meant to treasure Him every day!

- Through salvation – First, have you embraced Him as your Lord and Savior? As we talked about in remembering what Christmas is about (above), we must each make sure we have personally embraced Jesus as our Savior. Romans 6:23 reminds us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Have you personally known Jesus in this way – by recognizing your sin and confessing it to Him, receiving His forgiveness, turning from that sin, trusting Jesus alone to save you, and giving your life to Him?

- Through all that He is – Secondly, after receiving Jesus as your Savior, are you embracing all that He is meant to be to you? Oh, friends! He is meant to be so real to us – to be everything to us! The more we will come to know our Jesus as the greatest gift, the more we will adore Him and the more Christmas will mean to us! Daily embrace Him in your heart - through time in His Word, prayer, walking through the day with Him… HE is what you are hungry for! Psalm 107:9 reminds us, “For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.”

Treasure Him, adore Him, give to Him, and relish this time of His birth and all it means!

Have a blessed CHRISTmas season – and may it just be the beginning of a new year of focusing on, walking with, and loving Jesus!

2011-12-26T19:15:00.000-08:00

- Celebrate and rejoice in Jesus!

This time of year is about JESUS coming! It gives us every reason to rejoice and celebrate. Rejoice in this time and treasure the celebration of the One we love! (Even if people, stores, etc. don’t realize it, in celebrating this time of year, they are decorating, giving gifts, throwing parties, and playing carols for His birth!) Let your heart rejoice as you drive past homes decorated with lights, walk through stores playing “O Holy Night”, and have people wishing you “Merry Christmas.” Let your heart rejoice as you tell our Savior, “It’s all about You, Jesus. I rejoice in You. I love You, Jesus.”

“My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness…” Isaiah 61:10

Such grace...

2011-12-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich."
~ 2 Corinthians 8:9

2011-12-23T16:33:00.001-08:00

- It is Jesus’ Birthday - Are we sacrificing to give something of value to Him?

We may be giving lots of gifts to others in honor of Christmas, but are we giving anything of value to the ONE Christmas is all about? Most of all, He wants our hearts. But, when we sacrifice to give something of value to someone, it increases our love for them. On His birthday, He and the Father gave the greatest gift (Jesus) for God’s glory and our salvation. Our LIFE should be fully given to Jesus (so let this season be a revival of this), but also is there maybe something that you can give up in order to give Him something special? Maybe returning that new sweater you bought and giving that money to a missionary who is sharing Jesus? Or maybe it's passing on a Christmas party and spending that time with Him? Let's give something precious to the One Who is our greatest Treasure and Who this season is all about!

2011-12-23T16:30:00.000-08:00

- Share the greatest Gift – Jesus!

Share and talk about Him with everyone - the store clerks (give them a Gospel tract – “Here is a little Christmas gift for you about the greatest Christmas gift ever!”), with your friends (“What does Jesus’ coming mean to you?”), with your family, ("Isn't Jesus' love amazing?") etc. You will find that their hearts are hungry for Him and that your love for Him just deepens as you share Him!

2011-12-21T21:22:00.000-08:00

- Focus on His presence instead of presents.

“And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Are we focused on the reality that Jesus came so that we may live in His presence and are we soaking in His presence this time of year – or are we so consumed in buying, wrapping, and giving presents? (I want to clarify that buying presents/gifts for those we love is not wrong and can be a beautiful picture of giving as He did, the key is what consumes our focus!)

Allow HIS presence to be your greatest focus and joy – “In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

2011-12-20T14:01:00.000-08:00

- Listen to the words of Christmas carols.

Oh listen to them! They are FULL of amazing truths about Jesus!!! I just love to tune into the words as Christmas carols are playing around the house, as we are singing them in church, or as they are even playing in the stores!

Here are a few of my favorites:
“Silent night, holy night; Son of God, Love’s pure light!”
“The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger; in all our trials, born to be our friend. He knows our need; our weakness is no stranger. Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!”
“He rules the world with Truth and grace; And makes the nations prove; The glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love.”
“How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv’n; So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav’n. No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.”

Listen to them, sing them, and rejoice in their TRUTH!

2011-12-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

~ Keep your focus on Jesus by taking time to remember all that this season means.

Take time to sit before Him and stand in awe of what His birth means:

Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, came to earth so that He could live as a man (though still fully God and perfect), show us the Father and the way to the Father, die and pay the penalty for our sins, rise from the dead - victorious over sin, death, and hell, and call us to be saved from our sins, right with the Father, and come to Heaven when we die - if we will surrender our lives to Him and trust fully in Him to save us.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

Let's seek to take even a moment each day this week to sit at His feet in special awe of His coming and all it means to us as His children.

Isn’t it amazing? I am without words to describe it. All I can say is, “Thank You, Lord!” Will you join me?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-18T18:54:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, Friends!

Isn’t it wonderful?! We are in the midst of this amazing time of year when we remember the birth of Jesus – the One we love! I pray you have the sweetest Christmas with Jesus yet!

As we celebrate Christmas, the Lord has been putting a variety of things on my heart that I want to share each day leading up to Christmas.

Here is the first one:

~ Christmas (as well as life) is all about Jesus.
It is all about HIM! When we can keep our heart and focus here, the rest of Christmas (and life!) falls in to place and is so much more meaningful. This is a time to rejoice in the birth of the ONE we love and Who is our LIFE, our JOY, or SONG, our SALVATION… The One Who came, so that we might come to Him! Let's seek to keep our eyes on Him every day.

“For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:36

May you be blessed remembering Christmas (and life) is all about Jesus!

FINAL LTL Videocast - Your Identity in Christ

2011-11-30T15:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Who are you? Where we find our identity is so important because we behave in line with what we believe about who we are. As a child of God, you have an identity in Christ that will transform you the more you understand and live in the reality of it!

2 Cor. 5:17 tells us, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

I invite you to join me as we look at this important issue in our final videocast. Then may we all go and live in our identity in Christ!

This will be our final videocast for now. We pray that the videocasts have been a blessing to you as you continue to seek Jesus! You can watch any of them again anytime on the videocast site (http://vimeo.com/user3463095/videos). You can also stay posted for more encouragement on the blog - (www.lovingthelord.org)!

May the Lord bless you as you continue to seek Him with all of your heart! He is so wonderful!

Because of Who He is,

Amy Vest

Trust in the Lord

2011-11-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6

So much to thank Jesus for!

2011-11-24T21:58:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving, I have been thinking in a special way of the things we have to be grateful for... and there is SO MUCH we have to be thankful for in Jesus!

Psalm 136 has been a special passage - Here are a few excerpts:

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever...
It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever."

This verse from the hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness" sums up how I feel:

"Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!"

May you be blessed as you thank Jesus for all that He is and all that He has done!

LTL Videocast #9 - Living for Eternity - Part 2

2011-11-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

We have this short moment in time to invest our lives in knowing Jesus and making Him known. Charles Spurgeon said, “Time is short. Eternity is long. It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in the light of eternity.“ Join Amy as we consider this together, discuss what it can look like in our lives, and are encouraged to look to the Lord for how to live our lives for what counts for eternity!

This video is the second part of the “Living for Eternity” videocast. You are welcome to watch this part alone, but if you have not seen Part 1, we encourage you to watch it as well!

Matthew 6:19‑21, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Jesus loves you!

2011-11-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

Recently I had the privilege of being in the wedding of a dear friend and sister. During the outdoor pictures, I looked at the ground and saw a HEART-SHAPED leaf on the ground! I had to share it with you. Jesus is always wanting to remind us of His love for us and to draw us ever closer to Him as a result!

Jeremiah 31:3, "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn you."

May you be so richly blessed as you press closer to Him, live in the reality of His love, and love Him in return!

A few more testimonies...

2011-11-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more testimonies from young women who took part in the Summer Pursuit. We pray that you will continue to be encouraged that pursuing the Lord is worth all of your attention, time, and effort! He is "a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

"Participating in the Summer Pursuit was a great way to focus on what is most important – God!" ~ Karen, Iowa

"I learned a lot during this challenge." ~ Rose, Minnesota

"These 3 months have given me a fullness in my walk with Jesus – a priceless treasure that has been so very special and will continue to be." ~ Amelia, Oregon

"When I decided to take the Summer Pursuit challenge, I was excited to see what the Lord would teach me this summer. It has been a wonderful, yet somewhat challenging, pursuit for me. Even though I usually spend time with Jesus every day, sometimes it can be difficult not to just read a short portion of Scripture, pray a short prayer and then jump into the day’s to-do list. The challenge was a blessing in making sure I got in at least 15 min. of time with the Lord. It has helped me think more about studying and how to apply it to my life, not only reading it… This pursuit helped me to pursue Jesus more and to focus on Him, even when there are full days. He has done so much for us and what a special joy we have to spend time with Him." ~ Elizabeth

“The Lord has in so many ways given me so much through doing the Summer Pursuit and, ultimately, I think I grew closer to Him this summer than I would have without. The 15 min. a day and 1 verse a week habit is one I hope and pray will stick with me for the rest of my life – because the greatest challenge I have ever had is from my Jesus Who says that those who diligently seek Him will find Him. And what can I say to that?!" ~ Anonymous

His love is better than life

2011-11-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You."
~ Psalm 63:3

LTLM Videocast #8 - Living for Eternity

2011-10-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

We are given life by God and are on this earth for a very short time. All that takes place in this life directly impacts our eternity and the eternities of others.

It can be easy to focus on the “here and now” and what we can see in this life because we live in a world that focuses on this life because they do not know Jesus and don’t have hope of anything past this life! But the Lord calls us to know the deep purpose of living this life for Him and eternity - the life to come!

Join Amy as she takes you to a graveyard as we consider the importance of living our lives in light of eternity!

2 Cor. 4:18, “…We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Encouraging Siblings in Seeking Christ

2011-10-04T21:01:00.001-07:00

We were blessed to hear about what the Lord lead these two sisters to do in encouraging their brothers in pursuing Christ. We encourage you to consider doing something similar with your siblings!

"We were so excited when we found out LTLM was hosting a Bible challenge this summer. Since the goal of reading and memorizing God's Word is wonderful for anyone - not just young ladies - we invited our three brothers to join us for the summer pursuit. They each invited other young men they know to be their accountability partners, and they encouraged one another in manliness and in God's Word. We were thrilled to have them join us in this mutual summer goal, and for their prize, we sisters made them a special dinner and dessert, and cards exhorting them in their journey seeking the Lord.

As the pursuit neared its end, since all of us enjoyed the pursuit so much, we decided that we would host another "pursuit" this fall so we all could continue seeking the Lord together. Again, our brothers have joined us in our fall quest, with new accountability partners.

It's been so exciting to seek the Lord together as sisters, siblings, as a family, and with godly friends! This quest to know the Lord better will never end and will span into eternity when we all bow unitedly before Christ's throne praising Him forever! Why don't you make a challenge for all of your siblings to do in the coming month(s)? May we seek His face every day and every minute He gives us! "My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times." (Psalm 119:20)"

~ Sarah and Rachael Bryant (Kansas)

Summer Pursuit Testimonies

2011-09-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the wonderful testimonies that we have received from young women who took part in the Summer Pursuit this past summer! We plan to post more in the days to come, so be sure to check back! May the Lord bless you ALL as you continue to pursue our precious Savior! He is worth seeking with all that we are!

I really enjoyed being a part of the Summer Pursuit this year! It helped me to stay in the habit of spending time with God – even in the busy summer months. It has strengthened my faith in Christ and I have learned a lot!
~ Bethany, Texas

I truly believe I fell in love with Jesus even more. I mostly learned more about new attributes of God and how forgiving He is. He’s more wonderful to me every day! I learned so much this summer – so much more about Jesus – and I can’t wait to learn more!
~ Lily, Iowa

This summer has been a wonderful summer. God has done so much in my life; so many blessings! Reading my Bible every day was very hard. I failed many times, but God gave me strength and helped me persevere even though I was busy and sometimes didn’t want to be in God’s Word. Reading everyday has helped me learn more about Who my saving God is; but there is so much more to know! Memorizing verses was especially helpful. Now I have God’s words and promises in my head with me all the time! Before I never really made myself memorize God’s Word, but now that I have, I am so glad. God has been so gracious and good to me, more than I deserve. ~ Minnesota

I was so encouraged by it, and feel that I have drawn a lot closer to the Lord!
~ Martha, Alabama

What a blessing to have a set time each day for reading His Word and also to have accountability for memorizing. Accountability really helps and it was wonderful to get to talk and be encouraged every 2 weeks when we talked! The time requirement led me to spend more time in the Word and made me more “at home” in regard to where different verses/passages are found… and opened my eyes to new ones. I’ve found many “treasure” verses throughout this summer…
~ Maggie, Alabama

I’ve been blessed by how God has used the Summer Pursuit to show me the eternal importance of spending time with Him (in His Word). Our summer was super busy with so much to do and no matter what did get done, I look at my chart and see a huge amount of total time that I know was not wasted… it was spent in the best possible way. No regrets!
~ Annamarie, Minnesota

2011-09-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

"For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee."

~ Psalm 84:10-12

This makes us so happy!

2011-09-06T20:48:00.001-07:00

It has been an amazing blessing to receive your charts from the Summer Pursuit and to hear what the Lord did in your hearts as you have pursued Him this summer! We look forward to sharing some of your testimonies soon!!! May this only be the start of a lifetime of faithfully seeking our amazing Jesus!

“…Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.” Hosea 6:3

His Plan is Perfect!

2011-08-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

This past Saturday my little brother Eric was married to his sweet fiancé Anna. (You may remember both Eric and Anna from some of the young women’s conferences in the past. Eric did technology related work and Anna lead worship or played the piano.) They both love the Lord, are committed to live for Him, and are a powerful pair for His glory! I am so excited for them and what the Lord has in store for them living for Him side-by-side!

Through this exciting season, the Lord has reminded me of some beautiful truths that I wanted to share with you:

1. Jesus is fully sufficient - He is ALL that we need!
In every new season of life, we have the opportunity to cling to Jesus, know Him in new ways, and find Him to be everything we need. He has been this for me! His love is beautiful and our love for Him can grow so much deeper. As I watched Eric and Anna in love, it made me want to always be ever deepening my knowledge of and love for my Jesus. In this time, He has been meeting with me, bringing so many reminders of His love (yes, tons of heart-shaped things!), and bringing such delight as a result! He is what we are longing for, dear friends and He is so ready to be everything to us, if we will allow Him to be!
…And He never changes. So many other things in life WILL change, but He is always the same. Malachi 6:3 has been a sweet verse He gave to me during this time, “I am the Lord, I do not change…”

2. You will never regret investing in and having a close relationship with your siblings!
We have talked at the conferences about the importance of having a close relationship with your siblings. I want to tell you that in every season of life, you will see this reality more and be even more grateful for every investment you have made. When you are at home, you have a special daily opportunity to build relationships – and when you live apart, it takes a different effort. But, it is a life-long precious relationship in which to keep investing! Watching my little brother get married made me so grateful for the closeness we share and glad for every investment we made in one another’s lives… and it is to be continued, just in a new way! “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7

3. God writes the best love stories!
As you live surrendered to Him and seeking to love Him, He will allow His perfect plan for you to unfold in the area of romance. In watching Eric and Anna, I am more convinced than ever that we only want GOD’S will – HIS timing, HIS way, HIS purpose, HIS person for us (or lack thereof), and HIS glory! That is what is best for us and for His glory – and we don’t want anything else!!! His way is PERFECT! “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” Psalm 18:30 The best place for you to be right now – and always - is loving Jesus, surrendered to Him, and living for His glory – and He will fulfill His perfect and beautiful plan for you!

The Lord bless you as you live in His sufficiency and love Him in return, invest in your family, and live surrendered to God’s best for you now and in the future!

Zepheniah 3:17, “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

With love,
Amy

Summer Pursuit Ends Today!

2011-08-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

The LTLM Summer Pursuit ends today! We trust it has been an amazing summer of seeking Jesus!!! ♥ (Please be sure to send in your charts by September 6th! For more information on how to send in your chart, etc. you can visit the website under "Events" and "Summer Pursuit" at http://www.lovingthelordministries.org/.) May the Lord BLESS you as you continue to seek Him every day of your life! He is the greatest treasure of all! ♥

2011-08-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

"For I am the Lord, I do not change..." Malachi 3:6

Pause in LTLM Videocasts until October

2011-08-12T12:07:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Summer is going so fast, isn't it? I hope your summer is full of Jesus, His joy, and delight in the things that He has for you right now!

Our Lord's love is so deep. His power is so strong. His Word never fails. He is the answer to the satisfaction for which our heart is longing. He never changes. Isn't He wonderful? I love sharing Him with you!

In case you are not on our mailing list and did not get the email, I want to let you know an update on the videocasts. Our videographer (who is also my brother) is preparing to get married at the end of the month and then will be on his honeymoon into the next month. Out of respect for his very full schedule, we have decided it is best to take a 2 month leave from the videocasts. Thank you so much for understanding!

In the mean time, you are welcome to go to the videocast page (http://vimeo.com/user3463095/videos/sort:date) and watch any videos you have missed!

We look forward to being in touch with the next videocast in October! Stay tuned for the upcoming videocasts in October and November - It is a 2 part series where we take you to a very unique place and I am excited for the topic we will be covering!

Have a wonderful couple of months seeking Jesus!!! He is so, so good.

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34

With love in our Jesus,

Amy

Our Jesus is...

2011-07-21T08:45:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

I pray you are having an amazing summer filled with Jesus!

As Jesus has been meeting with me this summer, my heart is welling up with His goodness and falling in love with Him more and more.

Here is a little of what is on my heart:

Jesus is all that we need
His love is all that will satisfy our hearts
His peace passes understanding
His heart is infinitely kind
His Word is totally true
His plan is sovereignly perfect
His leading is fully trustworthy
His promises are eternally sure
His salvation is complete
His mercy endures forever
...and He will be all of this and more to you, if you allow Him to be!

On to know Him more together, dear friends!

Keep seeking Jesus - He is what you are longing for!

Loving Him with you,
Amy

Loving the Lord Videocast #7 - True Beauty

2011-07-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

God has a deep, wonderful, and extremely fulfilling message for us in the area of beauty!
When we think of beauty and we often think of things that our eye can see… But, our goal should be to learn to see and value true beauty as God sees it.

We live in a world that focuses on the external – they have no hope of eternity. It only results on shallow, temporary happiness or feeling good – and a surface beauty that quickly fades with time and age. 1 Peter 1:24 tells us, “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.”
The Lord (the One we love and are seeking to please) focuses on the internal – His plan of redeeming us from our sins and changing us into the image of Jesus. This results in true beauty - a lasting joy, peace, radiance in our life - and eternal impact on the lives of others! 1 Samuel 16:7, “For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

Together we are going to look at what true beauty is - and living in the fulfillment of seeking to be beautiful to the Lord!

I invite you to join me on this exciting quest!

Seeking His beauty with you,

Amy Vest

Prov. 31:30, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

A Powerful Testimony

2011-07-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

After watching the videocast "Don't Waste Your Youth," the Lord again reminded me of spending my time, energy and resources on matters that have eternal value. Recently the Lord has shown me that I must trust Him and pursue a life that is wholly consecrated, set-apart, unto Him. Everything that I do, say, think, and feel needs to reflect His life in me if I am to bring Him glory. And how the Lord has placed such a desire to bring glory and honor to Him! Through the videocast, God reminded me that there is not a moment to waste on worldly affairs. That I must set my eyes on Christ and His kingdom, rather than what I see here on earth. This is faith, to believe and be convicted into action based on the unseen. So I have surrendered all to the One whose thoughts are not my thoughts and whose ways are not my ways (Isaiah 55:8). My life is not my own, but His to do with as He pleases! I pray the Lord moves all His children to fully commit their lives to Him and live with eyes looking towards eternity! ~ Laura

The Family Summit is coming soon!

2011-06-23T09:31:00.002-07:00

This year's Family Summit with the theme of "Christ-Centered Life Purpose" on July 15-17th is fast approaching and we are so excited for what the Lord has in store!

The Summit will include; powerful messages and testimonies, an (optional) special program for children during the sessions, time for vision casting as couples, breakout sessions for the young people, fun family activities, campfires, amazing fellowship, delicious food, and more!

There are so many incredible families registered for this year's summit and we still have some room for you to join us! We would love to share this time of seeking the Lord with your family!

If you have specific questions, feel free to email the conference registrar, Breezy, at breanna@lovingthelordministries.org and she will be happy to help you!

We'd love to have you join us and are so looking forward to all that the Lord has in store!

Here is an overview of the main sessions that the adults and young adults will be receiving from our guest speaker Dewey Novotny:

1. Taking Aim in an Aimless World.
More than anything else, world-changing impact requires the right target. The rest is easy…sort of. This is your introduction to Life Purpose Planning, the process, and the possibilities.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish…” Proverbs 29:18

2. Discover your purpose.
Life purpose is your personal invitation to join God as He works in you and through you to bring Him glory, meet the needs of people you care about, and grant you joy and fulfillment in the process. Discover, delight, and dedicate.

“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11

3. Define your pursuit
Purpose involves people, ignites passion, and inspires pursuit. Identify your significant audience, determine your delightful and effective way to serve them, and clarify your life-changing message of faith, hope, and love. Write, refine, and run.

“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Habakkuk 2:2

4. Develop your plan of action
Analyze your situation and take proper action. The most excellent plans flow out of a purposeful process: Purpose first, wise stretching goals next, and then launch with powerful steps of action. Great plans are needed for great works of faith. Ready, aim, fire!

"Trust in the LORD, and do good…Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday."
~ Psalm 37:3-6

Breakout sessions include:

"Man-to-Man - After God's Plan" - Fathers and Sons - Jeff and Eric Vest

"Leaving a Legacy of Godly Excellence" - Mothers - Margie Vest

"Becoming a Young Woman of God in Today's Culture" - Daughters - Amy Vest

We hope to see you there! You can find out more information and print off a registration form at www.lovingthelordministries.org!

Loving the Lord Videocast #6 - Don't Waste Your Youth

2011-06-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Youth is a precious and amazing time full of great potential and opportunity. The Lord calls us spend it correctly and lay a solid foundation for the rest of our life. 1 Timothy 4:12 tells us, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” If we do this, we will be amazed at what He will do – in us and through us! We are exciting to look at this together in this video! May the Lord bless you as you seek Him and seek to live your youth to the fullest for His glory!

The Summer Pursuit began yesterday – it is not too late to join in! We would love to have you join us in making this summer the best summer of our lives! For more information, you can visit the website (www.lovingthelordministries.org) and view the video and information here on the blog (see below)!

May the Lord BLESS you as you seek to love Him and live your youth to the fullest for His glory!

Seeking to love and live for Jesus with you,
Amy Vest

P.S. There is still room to register for the 2011 Family Summit on July 15-17th! The Lord has amazing things in store and we would LOVE to have you join us! For more information, you can visit the website – http://www.lovingthelordministries.org/! (There is a $30 discount if you register before June 12th!)

The Summer Pursuit Begins Today!

2011-06-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

We are so excited that so many of you have decided to pursue the Lord this summer! He is so amazing and is worth pursuing with all that we are!!! It is going to be beautiful to see what He does in our hearts this summer!

"...Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth." Hosea 6:3

May the Lord RICHLY bless you as you seek Him this summer!

Announcing the 2011 Summer Pursuit - Beginning June 1st!

2011-05-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Each of us is always pursuing something. What are you pursuing? We pursue what we think will make us truly happy. We were created for a close relationship with the Lord and there alone will we find true satisfaction and joy. It cannot be found anywhere else.

Our life should be about pursuing Jesus - and since this is the case - so should our summer! Summer can be a special, but irregular time of year. In the midst of the varied schedules, activities, etc. it can be easy to let our time with the Lord become shortened. As a result, our soul and most important relationship with Jesus, suffer. The Summer Pursuit is designed to help us keep our hearts close to Jesus this summer and walk in the joy that results!

I would like to invite you to join me for the 2011 Summer Pursuit - a special time of seeking Jesus from June 1^st - August 31^st. You can watch the "Summer Pursuit 2011" video (above) and visit the website (www.lovingthelordministries.org) for more details. You can contact us at info@lovingthelordministries.org with questions.

Here are the basic details:
Who: You and Jesus
Where: Wherever you are
When: June 1^st - August 31^st, 2011
What is involved: 15 min. of devotions a day, memorizing 1 verse a week, choosing and contacting an accountability partner once every 2 weeks... and an amazing summer with Jesus!
When you complete the Summer Pursuit: You send in your chart and you receive a reward in the mail - in addition to the best reward of knowing Jesus!

This is going to be an amazing summer of pursuing and meeting with Jesus! Pursue Jesus with all that you are this summer, friends. He will meet with you - and you will never be the same!

"...Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth." Hosea 6:3

Looking forward to pursuing Jesus with you this summer,

Amy Vest

P.S. For special help in having powerful devotions, you can watch the latest videocast "Having Devotions that Change Your Life." (http://vimeo.com/23062783)

Loving the Lord Videocast #5 - Having Devotions that Change Your Life

2011-05-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I pray you are having a wonderful spring! As we enjoy the beauty of the green grass and flowers growing, may our heart's cry be that our souls would be growing even more in Jesus!

This month we are looking at "Having Devotions That Change Your Life." Our personal time of seeking the Lord is critical to a close walk with Him and to becoming like Him! If we spend this time correctly, it will change our lives. Please join me as we look at how we can pursue our Savior in powerful ways! I am so grateful to seek our amazing Savior together. Remember, He promises, "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

The Lord's richest blessings to you as you seek His face,

Amy Vest

$40 Registration Discount for the Family Summit!

2011-05-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce that we are offering a $40 discount for the Family Summit on July 15-17th, if you register by May 31st and present this coupon or mention this offer! There is still room and we would love to have your family join us for this powerful time of seeking the Lord together as families! If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Eye Has Not Seen

2011-05-02T11:23:00.001-07:00

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
~ 1 Corinthians 2:9

He is Risen!

2011-04-24T21:07:00.000-07:00

It is such beautiful thing to have this time of year to especially rejoice in our Savior's death on the cross and resurrection, so that we could be right with God and live with Him eternally if we will put our total faith and trust in Him to save us from our sins!

I have increasingly seen the power of daily reminding myself of what Jesus did for me and seeking to live in that amazing grace each moment of my life. It only grows more wonderful and awe-inspiring the longer you walk with Him! He is so incredible!

May the Lord bless you as you rejoice in Jesus and what His death and resurrection mean for us who have received Him as our Lord and Savior!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." Romans 5:6-10

Beautiful Servant's Hearts

2011-04-21T10:02:00.001-07:00

We wanted to give you a peek behind the scenes at the beautiful servant's hearts that the Lord is using as a part of this ministry. These three sisters offered to do the mailing of the Winter Media Challenge rewards - and did it with such joyful, delighted hearts!

They were a great blessing to many and a sweet testimony of Colossians 3:23-24:

"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."

Media Challenge Testimonies

2011-04-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

We could share so many exciting testimonies that we have received from all of you who participated in the Winter Media Challenge... and have had to select just a few more to share. We pray you are encouraged!

Remember that this challenge, and everything else, is about knowing Jesus and His Word more and increasing our love for Him! There are many, many ways to do this. We need to pursue things that will help us fulfill our life goal of seeking to know Jesus more - keeping the activities, things, etc. as tools to help us towards our goal, and letting Jesus BE our goal. May the Lord bless you all so much as you continue to let this be your goal in life!

Here are a few encouraging testimonies:

“This Media Challenge has been a blessing in my life, through reading my Bible 15 min. a day has helped me gain a better relationship with my Father in heaven. I am thankful!” Joy, OR

"The Lord showed me that He can be my only Joy if I let Him. I need to rejoice in the Lord always!" ~ Angela, MN

“This Media Challenge was so wonderful for me! I spent way more time in God’s Word and with my family rather than being sucked into the computer. I learned so much from the Bible and will definitely keep reading and studying and praying. I am also going to keep staying off the computer more. I will not go back to my old ways of practically living on the Internet.” Laney, ND

“...the Lord helped me show myself that media is my slave, not the other way around. I learned a lot.” Alyssa, MN

“I must say, this has been weird. (It was hard for a while.)… When I say weird, I am referring to the fact that I do not have a strong desire to go on blogs now. This was a great idea… thanks for the chance and encouragement to take a break.” Krista, WA

“The Lord has blessed me this month giving me resistance from the TV and computer. My whole family didn’t watch any movies, so instead of watching movies, we played a lot more games together and had lots of fun.” Celia, MO

“I thought a lot about how I am using my time: Am I wasting it? Or doing something productive? Would God want me doing this? Now before I go on the computer or TV I check myself – What is my motive? If it is okay and not wasting my time, I go ahead and do it. If its not, I go do something else, like memorizing verses. I have a lot more time now to be doing things that needed to get done, or do other non-media related fun things.” Jacqueline, MN

“This month I felt a lot closer to God. I spent time with Him and had a great time. I found that daily devotionals just became a habit and I will continue. After spending time with the Lord I found it wasn’t that hard to stay off media. I have spent a lot more time in prayer and felt more at peace. I also found that when I started studying my Bible and sharing I just kept wanting more. I was murch more interested in church and the other devotional talks…” Carrie, Bismark, ND

“I really thought I didn’t use the internet as much as I did and this challenge really was a great eye opener! During this month I grew closer to the Lord and had more time to study my Bible. It also free up time to work on projects I haven’t had a lot of time for…” Cassie, ND

“I feel like I have more time to be with my family now. Now, when I have a problem, I run to God’s Word instead of getting caught up in a computer screen and it’s amazing!” Dianna, GA

"During the month of March, my heart has grown closer to Jesus by removing a substantial amount of media from my daily life. I have spent so much more time with the Lord! This was exactly what I needed for this season in my life. I have enjoyed the break from the computer. I realized how much time I really had been spending reading blogs, on my Facebook, etc. I’m so going to cut back! I have been able to read through a lot of the Bible, finding many verses that applied to exactly what I needed to hear that day! My faith has increased, my “need” for media has decreased. I’m so thankful to the Lord for what He is doing in my life. I am a work in progress!" Madeline, MN

"Wow! I am so excited about what God has done in my life as a result of this challenge! My walk with Him has been deepened. I had gotten into the habit of just reading a chapter in my Bible, zipping through a prayer, and then bouncing up to get into my days activities. But having to spend 15 minutes every day in the Bible and in prayer really helped me to put God as the center of my lie. I also started keeping a notebook where I jotted down verses from my devotions, and edifying quotes from devotional books and biographies... when (the challenge was over) I went to check out the blogs that I follow, I was very disappointed in how unedifying they were to me. I felt very detached from everything. I praise the Lord that He helped break that bond for me so that I do not feel as strong of a pull towards it. Thanks for hosting this Media Minimization Challenge. What a blessing it has been to me!" Hannah

"God has really helped me make Bible reading everyday a habit, and with God’s grace it will continue to be a habit. I realized that being in the Word everyday, drew me closer to God and made me a happier, calmer person. God has really been working on me, showing me sins I didn’t ever dream of, and helping me work to defeat them... God has given me a hunger to want to know Him more and more, a want to love Him, and a want to be with Him always. This has been a time where God has really drawn me closer to Him. I am so glad I accepted this challenge, because now I love God more and He is showing Himself to me in ways I never could have imagined." Mackenzie, MN

Wait for the Lord

2011-04-09T09:52:00.000-07:00

"For from of old no one has heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who works and shows Himself active on behalf of him who [earnestly] waits for Him."
~ Isaiah 64:4 (Amplified Bible)

Loving the Lord Videocast #4 - The Importance of Truth

2011-04-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

In this video I have you over to my house for lunch - and I hope you will join me. :)

The theme of this videocast is - "The Importance of Truth." So often we do not live in the fullness of all that the Lord has for us because we are believing the lies of the enemy and are not standing on the Truth of God's Word. What we believe and claim as truth shapes us and impacts every part of our being! In this video we look at this important issue!

Have a wonderful day walking in Truth!

Amy Vest

"And you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free." John 8:32

The Fruit of Seeking Christ

2011-04-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Here is another Winter Challenge testimony from a young woman named Sarah from Easton, Kansas ~

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33)

The Word of God, how vast! How precious! This past month, God has done great things in my heart. My prayer at the beginning of the winter challenge was found in Psalm 119:18, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” I had realized my finite knowledge and love for God's precious Word, and prayed earnestly and wholeheartedly that He would open my mind to see its treasures and that He would grow me in love for my Savior Jesus Christ. I can say that God has truly answered that prayer more than I ever hoped or imagined. How small my faith is! Toward the end of March, I found the treasure verse in Psalm 81:10 while memorizing portions from this book. It has become my “theme verse” for the month: “I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10). God has filled my heart to overflowing! How lax I had been to seek God's Word with my whole heart as Psalm 119:2 says, yet as I did so in March, I found that my God is so faithful to reward “them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Truly my flesh rebelled against the restrictions from Internet this month, but oh, how worth every sacrifice it has been! It has been such a blessing to have the accountability and goal to work towards, and I am actually continuing the challenge for a few more weeks as I continue to seek God's will for my life. It is wonderful to be able to think on the things of the Lord throughout the day instead of having my mind constantly distracted by internet.

As I reached the end of March, I knew that I didn't want this chapter of seeing God's blessings to close. I have been realizing the importance of prayer, and how much I have lacked in this area. Thus, I made my own challenge for the month of April—to pray for a certain amount of time each morning. Already it has been such a blessing. Some of my other goals are to listen to several sermons each week and read deep biographies of great Christians. I have also set up several boundaries for myself in regard to how much time I spend online (I assigned certain days of the week for certain sites). The treasures of God's Word and a close, abiding relationship with His Son is just so precious. I can't wait to see what great things God will do as we seek Him! Faithful is He which has called us: “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands” (Psalm 138:8). Behold the things God can do when we truly “seek him with the whole heart” (Psalm 119:2).

If you did not take the winter challenge, I encourage you to pick another month this year and take the challenge—even another area of sacrifice besides Internet! It is definitely worth the sacrifice and will be life-changing. You will never regret the investment you pour into seeking the face of our great Father.

A note from Amy on the Winter Challenge

2011-04-05T18:13:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

I am being BLESSED... I wish you could see me smiling as I open your Winter Challenge charts! Your hearts to seek Jesus bless me more than I can say and I praise the Lord for what He has done as a result of the time you have spent seeking Him!!!

We keep hearing this again and again:
- "I am so much closer to Jesus!"
- "I found myself doing things I really should do and that matter a lot more."
- "The pull of the computer lost its grip on me."
- "I want to keep this pattern even though I am "done" with the challenge."

For those of you who are considering doing something like the Winter Challenge, I would heartily recommend it! You will not believe what it does for your relationship with the Lord, relationship with people, and use of time!

We will be posting more testimonies in the days to come!

Know that seeking Jesus is the best thing in the world, He loves you, and words cannot measure the blessings that result from knowing and following Him!

May the Lord BLESS you as you continue to seek Him!
Amy

"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James 4:8

A Winter Challenge Testimony

2011-04-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

"I really felt like God prepared me going into the media challenge this month, and once I started, the spiritual opposition was something. I found it to really be a battle, as I was very ill most of this month with "nothing to do". Thanks so much for the challenge!... I learned so much this month, and now I can honestly say, I didn't miss the internet that much. Instead of internet time or movies, I found myself challenging me to see how MUCH time I could spend in God's Word each day. What a blessing! Really, the reward of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord is more than worth giving up a few other things." ~ Barbara, Bloomfield, Montana

The Winter Media Challenge Is Finished!

2011-03-31T14:53:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to everyone who finished the Winter Media Challenge!!!

We are so blessed and encouraged by how many of you took the challenge to minimize your media this past month and to seek to maximize your love for Jesus!

It has been so neat to hear your feedback as you have found the amazing results! The Lord truly is, "...a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6) and is worth seeking for with all that we are!

Please stay tuned for inspiring testimonies from young women who completed this challenge and what the Lord did in their hearts.

(Be sure to send in your chart by April 7th, so we can send out your t-shirt!)

We pray this is just the beginning of a life pattern of seeking Jesus above all. We encourage you as you finish the challenge to seek the Lord and talk with your parents about the Lord's will for your use of media and the place it has in your life - and then to establish good boundaries for yourself.

May the Lord richly bless you as you continue to seek a lifestyle to minimize your media and live in such a way as to maximize your love for Him!

Off of the blog from March 1-31st for the Winter Challenge!

2011-02-28T12:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

We will be off of the blog from March 1-31st for the Winter "Media Minimization and Love for Jesus Maximization" Challenge! For more information on the Challenge, you can read below - We hope you will join us in seeking the Lord this month!

If you want more information on anything, feel free to visit the website at www.lovingthelordministries.org, or contact the LTLM office at info@lovingthelordministries.org!

May the Lord richly bless you as you seek Him - He is amazing!

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

With love in Him,
Amy

Loving the Lord Videocast #3 - Mastering Media for the Glory of God

2011-02-26T19:23:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I pray that you have had an amazing month with Jesus!

We are really looking forward to the launch of the Winter "Media Minimization and Love for Jesus Maximization" Challenge beginning this Tuesday, March 1st! We have been so excited to hear from so many of you who are taking this challenge and seeking to deepen your walk with Jesus! We would love to have more of you join us! For more information on the Winter Challenge, you can visit the blog or website.

In light of the Winter Challenge, we wanted to get this videocast to you early so you can watch it before you go off the internet for a month! The theme of this videocast goes along with this month's challenge - "Mastering Media for the Glory of God." I pray that you will be encouraged to allow the Lord to help you master media as a tool to know Him, share Him, and see the amazing things He does vs. allowing media to master you and pull you away from the most important thing in the world - your relationship with Jesus!

Remember, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

Have a wonderful month seeking our amazing Savior!

Looking forward to knowing more of Jesus with you this month,

Amy

Special ideas of how to use your time during the Winter Challenge

2011-02-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

As you set this time aside to seek Jesus, here are some ideas to help you in deepening your relationship with Him!

Ideas: (You can find more ideas in the post below or under the “Encouragement” section of the website!)
- Spend time with the Lord (See the website under then encouragement section for ideas on devotions)
- Journal – write down what the Lord is doing in your heart, Who you are finding Him to be, insights from His Word, prayers to Him, etc.
- Read books that will encourage you in Jesus (see mini list of resources)*
- Fellowship – pursue relationships that encourage you in Jesus by phone calls, get-togethers, or even organizing a get-together of a few girls to encourage each other in Jesus!
- Ministry - invest your time in things that will last forever! While this is good, we encourage you to focus most of your energy this month on deepening your relationship with Jesus. (See ministry ideas below)*
- Memorize a passage of Scripture. This would be a great thing to do with your accountability partner!
- Study Bible – really take time to dig into it and see what the Lord is saying to you!
- and so much more!

*Resources: His Chosen Bride by Jennifer Lamp, Before You Meet Prince Charming by Sarah Mally, Consider the Lilies by Teresa Nuckols, The Cross-Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney, Biographies of men and women who walked with God… and so many more! Again, choose ones that will help you in your walk with Jesus!

*Ministry ideas: (You can find a longer list under the “Encouragement” section of the website!)
- Help more around your home (your #1 mission field) and really take time to enjoy and encourage your family in Jesus.
- Write letters to encourage missionaries, friends, younger girls, etc. in loving and serving Jesus!
- Pray for people across the world.
- Start discipling a younger girl you know.
- Write an article or testimony from your life to encourage others in living for the Lord. (We would love to see some of these to possibly post on the blog!)
- Ask the Lord to show you ways to serve Him.

Frequently Asked Questions - Media Challenge

2011-02-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

The main things are:
1. Stay completely off the internet and TV.
2. Pour your time into deepening your walk with and love for Jesus.

Listening to Music and Audio books:
These are fine, as long as they will really help you deepen your love for Jesus!

School or home business emailing:
We understand that some of you are in college or have a business from home that requires email. If you strictly stick to just what you NEED to do for these, along with the Winter Challenge rules, you are alright.
We do encourage you to pursue as much time as possible deepening your relationship with the Lord.

Is it okay if I use some of my email time to print off encouraging articles or do you think it would be better if I just cut of all "browsing?"
No, all browsing does need to be cut for the Challenge - but, maybe you could print things off ahead of time or go for good books!

Can I visit the LTLM blog?
We will not be posting on the blog for the month of March and the challenge requires that you are FULLY off of the internet. We are even planning to have the March videocast up on February 28^th so you can watch it before you go off!

Can I type letters or journal on the computer?
This is fine. It is internet/email that we are requiring you to stay off. But, we again challenge you to spend as much time on things that will deepen your love for Jesus vs. being busy with lots of other things. The goal is to minimize the media and maximize time with Jesus!

Growing in Loving the Lord

2011-02-23T10:15:00.000-08:00

Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to: "...love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)

Here are some practical ways to grow in loving the Lord:

~Make Him and loving Him your #1 priority and focus – in every area of life! Start your day with Him and keep Him as most important in all details of your day. Something that has really helped me is the moment that I wake up (or am coming into consciousness) to turn my heart to the Lord and tell Him good morning and that I love Him. Then I roll out of bed and land on my knees. It starts your day out right and sets a good patter for the rest of the day!

~Daily spend time with Him. Remember that your walk with the Lord is a relationship! It takes time and energy to deepen a relationship. Your personal time with the Lord is a critical key to growing in your relationship with the Lord. Remember that He is real and is right there with you when you are having your personal time with Him! If you have not been faithful in your personal time with the Lord, you can start today! The Lord is waiting for you with open arms.

~Read the Bible daily. It is your spiritual food and without it your spiritual life will begin to starve! Through the Bible you come to know the Lord better and know how He wants you to live. It is the Lord’s letter to you. Read it carefully, He has lots to show you! It has the answer to every question and is the final authority for our lives.

~Prayer is so important. It is so vital that your talk with someone that you want to get to know better! Share your heart with the Lord, praise Him for Who He is, confess and ask forgiveness for anything that He show you in your life that is not pleasing to Him, ask for His help to obey, and listen to what He wants to say to you. Seek to really come into His presence with your heart prepared to meet with Him.

~Walk with Him throughout the day. Remember that the Lord is always with you and that walking with Him does not just end when you leave your quiet time! Walk through your days with the Lord. You can always talk with Him.

~Carefully choose things that will help you in your walk with the Lord and not pull you down. What you watch, listen to, enjoy, etc. will make up who you are and directly impact your relationship with the Lord. Don’t take your choices lightly! What I always like to ask myself about things I am considering watching, reading, listening to, enjoying, etc. is, “Will this draw me closer to the Lord or distract/pull me away from Him?” If it does not seem definitely one way or the other, it usually means that is would be a good idea to pass on it. (Those things only waste time and really can be a distraction from what is good.) It is good to hold things up to the light of God’s Word and see if they match up with what He says is right. (For example, try Phil. 4:8-9.) We really should just fill our lives with what the Lord says is right.

~Time. You can use your time in ways that will either encourage you in the Lord, waste your time, or do damage. Your time is so valuable and the way that you use it shapes your life. Spend it on the Lord, what He says is right, and what will last for eternity.

~Friends. The friends that you have will drastically impact who you are and become. Choose them so carefully! Allow the Lord to be your best friend and choose friends who will encourage you in the Lord (instead of encouraging you towards TV, makeup, nail, wrong, attitudes, boys, etc.).

~Fellowship. It is so important that we spend time with people who are seeking for the Lord and will help us on in our walk with the Lord! If you do not have regular contact with other like-minded girls, you might want to think about starting a Bible study.* This can give you encouragement in seeking the Lord as you have fellowship with other girls who are desiring to follow Him.

~Ministry. It is so important that once you find true satisfaction in the Lord, you pass it on to others. There are so many opportunities to share the Lord and serve Him! Some things that you can do include: Serve at home, encourage siblings, younger children, friends, etc. in the Lord (share about what the Lord has been doing in your heart, memorize Bible verses together, study the Bible together, etc.), help out at church, and start a discipleship group/Bible study for younger girls.*

*Due to the need for material for Bible studies and discipleship groups for girls, we videotaped 2 of our past conferences and put them on DVDs and VHSs with companion handbooks. People have used them for girls’ (or mother/daughter) Bible studies and other girls your ages have used them to start discipleship groups for younger girls. If you are interested in using them, you can find out more about them on our website at www.lovingthelordministries.org!

~Get a vision from the Lord for your life! When your focus is on Him alone, you will not have other things clouding your vision to see clearly what the Lord has for you. Don’t waste your life with a clouded vision. God has great things in store for you! If you will seek Him and live to love Him with all of your heart, He will give you a vision for your life that is beyond your wildest dreams right now.

~Allow Him to work in your life and make Himself real to you. Never stop the Lord from working in you! It may not always be the most comfortable, but it is always for your best! Seek to know the Lord in deeper ways each day through your personal time with Him, reading your Bible and other books that will help you grow in the Lord, etc.).

~Accountability. I would so strongly encourage you to find someone to hold you accountable for seeking and loving the Lord! It will help you stay on track more than you could ever imagine!

The more that you come to know the Lord, the more you will see how wonderful He is. As a result, you will more naturally tend to love Him. Remember that loving the Lord and knowing Him is the greatest thing in the world and the only place that you will find true fulfillment! He loves you so incredibly much! Seek to love Him with all of your heart –You will never regret it!

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” ~ Philippians 1:6

Announcing the 2011 Winter Media Minimization Challenge!

2011-02-16T15:18:00.000-08:00

Here is a video announcing the 2011 Winter Media Minimization Challenge! More information coming next week! We would love to have you join us as we minimize our media for the purpose of maximizing our love for Jesus!

Details for the Winter Challenge 2011 – Media Minimization and love for Jesus Maximization:

In seeking to know and love Jesus more, a huge thing for our generation is to discipline our time spent on media – specifically the computer, internet, and TV - seeing that it can really rob valuable time that could be spent deepening our love for Jesus and truly living for Him!

It is something that needs to be mastered for God’s glory and our good!

So this challenge is for the month of March 2011 to focus on minimizing the time we invest in media and using the time instead on things that will help maximize our love for Jesus!

It is going to be AMAZING and I know the Lord is going to move in powerful ways! This is not going to be super easy – but, it is going to be GOOD for you and so worth it!

I am challenging you to do this - I am doing this with you and am really excited about it! I really believe God is going to do phenomenal things!

Here are the details:

Dates: March 1-31st, 2011
Who: Young Women ages 11-31 (ANYONE can take this challenge – these are the ones to whom we are offering the reward!)

Rules:
Stay off:
Internet, Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, all social media, TV, Movies, Video/Computer games, YouTube, GodTube, etc. (This includes ALL OF THESE THINGS on your computer, TV, phone, ipod, etc.) 

Computer details - You are allowed:
- Up to 15 min. a day of personal email time, 6 days a week, for a total of 1 ½ hours of EMAIL ONLY time each week.
- 5 min a day, 6 days a week for emergency internet time (i.e. getting directions, ordering), for a total of 30 min. a week.
- Sunday – Stay off the computer completely.

Do:
- Watch the “Winter Media Challenge” Video on our videocast page.
- Talk with your parents about taking this challenge. Ask for their support and prayer.
- Print off the Winter Challenge chart from the website – www.lovingthelordministries.org. (Post about the Winter Challenge on your blog or Facebook and encourage your friends join you in this, too! You can provide a link to the video and information as you let them know that you will be off for the month of March.)
- Find an accountability partner to connect with by phone once a week to make sure you are both on track, to share what the Lord is doing in your hearts, and to pray together.
- Spend 15 min. (or MORE) of personal time with the Lord each day of the challenge, for a total of 1 hour and 45 min. a week for a minimum – you can spend as much time with Him as you want!
- Spend your other time on things that will help you in loving the Lord and living for and serving Him. (We will have this suggestions/recommendations posted on the blog – check them out, they will be a great help in maximizing this time for deepening your walk with the Lord!)

Send in your chart:
Once you have completed the Challenge on March 31st, send the chart to the address on the chart by April 7th and we will mail your reward to you.

Rewards:
- Best of all, a closer relationship with Jesus!
- An exclusive LTLM designed t-shirt

Let us know that you are taking the challenge:
Email us at info@lovingthelordministries.org and let us know that you are taking the Challenge with us!

Questions:
If you have questions or a special situation that comes up, you can email us!

The Lord bless you as you focus on Him this month, friends! He has amazing things in store! I am eagerly anticipating it.

Remember that, like Hebrews 11:6 says, “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Have a great month minimizing media and maximizing your love for Jesus!

2011 Family Summit - "Christ-Centered Life Purpose" - July 15-17th

2011-02-16T13:47:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled to announce that this coming summer on July 15-17th, 2011 we will be hosting another Family Summit, with the theme of "Christ-Centered Life Purpose."

It has been our desire to be able to encourage whole families in seeking the Lord, serving Him, and gaining a vision for living for Him together. That is the purpose of this Summit. We were overwhelmed by the response from last year's summit and our desire is to build upon what the Lord is doing in this year's summit by helping families gain vision for and live out their God-given life purpose.

LTLM and the Vest family are so grateful to have Dewey Novotny joining us as our main speaker for this year's Family Summit! Dewey, creator of the Life Purpose Planning Program, is an encourager, writer, and international speaker that is passionate to see others discover, define, develop and deploy their life calling and purpose. He looks forward to helping families and individuals discover their life purpose at the Summit!

The Summit will include; powerful messages and testimonies, an (optional) special program for children during the sessions, time for vision casting as couples, breakout sessions for the young people, fun family activities, campfires, amazing fellowship, delicious food, and more!

The Family Summit will be held at the beautiful facility of Camp Lebanon in Upsala, Minnesota. Camp Lebanon is a special haven to pull away and experience the presence of God, the beauty of His creation, and a refreshing atmosphere. For more information you can visit their website!

We are so excited for what the Lord has in store and would love to have you join us!
For more information and to download a registration form, you can visit our website and look under the "Events" section at www.lovingthelordministries.org! We encourage you to register early, as space is limited!

We encourage you to register early, as space is limited! We are so excited for what the Lord has in store and would love to have your family join us!

May the Lord bless you as you seek to raise your families for His glory!

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

~ Psalm 37:3-5