chanwrenn

A blog I wrote for a friends blog.

Hey! My name is Chandler. I have been lucky enough to have Loren select me for writing for her during her time that she is in Haiti. Also after reading Josh’s blog before mine I am now intimidated. Thanks Josh for being insanely wise.

For those of you who do not know me I am the Advance intern at Forest Hill and I have the pleasure of getting to work with Loren in Ballantyne.

The title of this Blog is How2loveagirl. My immediate reaction is “I have no idea.”

Over the last two months I have been on a Journey searching for this answer. The more and more I learn about Love is the more I am learning about what sacrifice is.

Altruism- is the unselfish regard for or devotion to others.

This beautiful word has come up time and time again in my studies. I enjoy how much this points to the cross. The cross is the picture of true Altruism, for he gave EVERYTHING with a unselfish regard for his own well being, for others to be given EVERYTHING.

His Agape lead to his Altruism.

Sacrifice is such a lost concept in the world we live in today. Take a look at your life, what did you do for others today? What did you give up so someone could have a better day? What are you doing to become morealtruistic in nature?

Sacrifice is a dangerous word to the self indulgent nature we were born with called The Flesh. The Flesh wants you to think that if you have to give up something it is too risky to call LOVE. To the flesh LOVE looks a lot like self.

When I think about loving a Girl, immediately I think of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. (You know the one everyone and their sister uses in there weddings,bathrooms,napkins, whatever they can put it on.) When you read this try and replace the word Love with your name. Are you patient? Are you Kind? Do you not envy? Are you not self-seeking?

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

The point is , Paul gives us a beautiful description of what love and how much we all fall short of love. Therefore we need Jesus, to love is to be filled with the one who loved you. If you read 1st Corinthians and replace Love with Jesus, it all makes sense.

Altruism is love, and Love is life.

Let your self die, so others can see what life is.

Love you all,

Chan

P.S. sorry if this does not make sense. Not much of a writer.

You are beautiful

This needs to end.

Fathifulness/Encouragement

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Do you have a hard time truly believing in god’s faithfulness? Let me give you a honest look into how faithful god is to your life.

Did you eat today?

God is faithful.

Did you drink water today?

God is faithful

I could go on and on about how faithful the lord is to our lives, but i am not writing to give you a blog about how fortunate we in America are.

I know a lot of people out there who need encouragement, more than likely if you are reading this than there is something you are battling.

Here is the good news, GOD HAS WON YOUR BATTLE.

Give your battle to God and watch the results blow your mind. The problem is we do not know how to fully trust god and give it all to him. We give God a piece of our problem and expect to have our say in gods solution. That is not the way it works. God wants you to surrender, not lend a hand. He calls for you to give your life, for his perfect will in your life.

If you surrender you will be given everything, because you see when your heart reflects gods heart, then you and god are on the same page and as we know god does what he wants, and if you want what god wants, then guess what will happen?

This is the freedom in Gods plan for your life.

Here is the beauty of surrender,

Gods holy spirit resides in you and enables you to conquer all circumstances, GOD IS FAITHFUL.

God has his promises but and he will always holds true, but you have to hold your end of the promise up also. When you give your life to Christ you have to live for him, not for you.

You are never going to out give God, when your faithful to him, trust me he is more than faithful in return.

2 Thessalonians 3 3-5

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. ⁴ We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. ⁵ May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

My your faith be in the one who conquered death.

lets dance.

davidleininger:

Fat Tuesdaying with @chanwrenn (Taken with Instagram at Diamond Restaurant)

What i woke up to this morning.

He is the creator god who will never abandon his workmanship. Hold onto his promises , place your entire faith and trust in the living god you will survive all dangers and adversities.

Don’t you love when god is speaking perfection to your heart?

Wisdom

My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
   bind them around your neck,
   write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
   in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

Faith

How is your faith? What are you putting your faith in?

Everyone has times in there life where they have trails, during these times where are you putting your faith? Are do you spend most of your time complaining to god about your problem?

As David Chadwick says ” You can not gripe to god and have faith in the same heart”.

In Jeremiah, Jeremiah is writing this letter to tell the exiles sent from Jerusalem to Bablyon that God has not forgotten them and has his purpose for them.

God cast them into exile for 70 years. When is the last time you were cast into exile for 70 years? Think about that when you want to complain to god.

⁴ This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵ “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶ Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. ⁷ Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” ⁸ Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. ⁹ They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD.

In verse 4-9. This is where God tells his people. I have placed you here for a reason, i have placed you in waiting so you will seek me and rely on me for everything. But while you are seeking me take comfort that i have put you in waiting i want you to prosper here.

He says to build a house in your discomfort! Find peace in your discomfort! This is where God is completely in control and your hope is only found in him.

So take a look at the problem in your life and know gods promises. Unlike this world, IF GOD MAKES A PROMISE HE KEEPS IT.

Verse 10-11

¹⁰ This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This is the gospel. God has not forgotten about you! He will fulfill his promise and wants to give you hope and a future! THIS IS THE HOPE OF JESUS CHRIST.

Hebrews 11:1

¹ Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Ephesians 3:20

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.

OUR GOD IS ABLE!!!!

Lucky to know these guys

davidleininger:

Manler’s birthday! @chanwrenn (Taken with Instagram at Waffle House)