I am safe.
I am with the Shepherd.
We are on the way to green pastures and
sweet clear water.
I follow my Shepherd up narrow winding paths.
It is hard.
I am thirsty and hungry and tired.
The rocky path hurts my feet.
I am afraid of what lurks behind the boulders
and on top of the steep cliffs that line the road.
Yet I walk beside my Shepherd.
He rests His hand on me as we walk.
He speaks to me gently.
He sings to me.
We round a corner to find a quiet pool and shady grass.
We stop to rest and He runs His hands over me,
brushing away the thorns and briars and bugs
that irritate and torture me.
We move on up the rocky path.
I look at the steep uphill climb,
at the danger lurking in the shadows beside the road,
And I am afraid.
I look up at my Shepherd,
And I know that I am safe.
I trust Him to love me,
to care for me,
to keep me.
I choose to watch Him and to follow Him.
Lord, rest Your Hand on me as we walk this road.
Keep me safe.
I am Yours.
I am safe.
©Rebecca A Givens, 06/18/10
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Teen Girls Self-Defense Class
Course Description:
This class will focus on practical self-defense dealing with real life scenarios faced by young ladies of high school or college age. This class would be suitable for partial PE credit.
Grade Level:
9th grade through college, 8th graders may be admitted with instructor approval
Instructor:
Becky Givens, Sensei
Shingo-ha Yoshukai Karate, Nidan (2nd degree black belt), Sempai (standing teacher)
Martial arts teacher for 6 years, including regular karate classes for all ages and self defense seminars for women and teens
Homeschooling mom of 4 children for 16 years
Instructor Contact Info:
Contact Becky Givens to register:
beckykarateka@bellsouth.net
668-9865
243-2786
Location
Lake Crest Presbyterian Church
560 Lake Crest Dr
Hoover, AL, 35226
Time:
September-May
1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00am
Cost:
$25 non-refundable registration fee, applied to tuition
$100 tuition
Required Text:
Students will be required to read The Gift of Fear, by Gavin DeBecker.
Class Minimum:
Minimum of 5 students. If class minimum is not reached, class will be cancelled and registration fees will be returned.
This class will focus on practical self-defense dealing with real life scenarios faced by young ladies of high school or college age. This class would be suitable for partial PE credit.
Grade Level:
9th grade through college, 8th graders may be admitted with instructor approval
Instructor:
Becky Givens, Sensei
Shingo-ha Yoshukai Karate, Nidan (2nd degree black belt), Sempai (standing teacher)
Martial arts teacher for 6 years, including regular karate classes for all ages and self defense seminars for women and teens
Homeschooling mom of 4 children for 16 years
Instructor Contact Info:
Contact Becky Givens to register:
beckykarateka@bellsouth.net
668-9865
243-2786
Location
Lake Crest Presbyterian Church
560 Lake Crest Dr
Hoover, AL, 35226
Time:
September-May
1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00am
Cost:
$25 non-refundable registration fee, applied to tuition
$100 tuition
Required Text:
Students will be required to read The Gift of Fear, by Gavin DeBecker.
Class Minimum:
Minimum of 5 students. If class minimum is not reached, class will be cancelled and registration fees will be returned.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Dark Heart
I am so tired of my sin nature. I am tired of the same sins plaguing me year after year. I am tired of seeing the sins and weaknesses of my parents repeat in my own life. I am tired of seeing the marks on my emotions left by someone else’s sin. I am tired of the fight. With Paul I cry out, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” I feel that death, that sin, at work throughout my whole being; there is nothing it has not touched. It lives in my best impulses, my deepest desires. It colors not only the anger and hate in my life, but even my love. It doesn’t simply cling to me, it is me.
I want Life. I long for joy and peace and comfort. I want to love and be loved. I do not want to be alone. How can the God of Light, the God of life and joy and peace and comfort, tolerate the darkness that is inside of me? How can He possibly bear to shine that light on, and even inside of, this body of death that is me? What does He see there? How can He bear it?
I can do nothing but fall to the ground and weep before Him. I am nothing, I have nothing; there is only sin and death and darkness. Please Lord, I cannot survive Your Presence; but I cannot flee. The Light attracts me, it calls me, it holds me. I wait for Him to turn in disgust and fling me from Himself.
Yet He does not turn from me. He does not send me away. He touches me. He lifts my head. He forces me to look into His eyes. How can that be? How can He look on me that way? How can there be Love there? How can it be anything but loathing, or at best pity? But no, it is Love. I do not understand.
Scarred hands lift me up. They wipe my tears. They heal my hurts. They take my sin. Oh God, no! I am not worth that price! But the Lamb lies there, slain. Blood covers the white wool. My hands are covered with it, my body is splattered with it; I have been baptized in the Lamb’s blood. It is heartrending. God continues to look at me with love in His eyes. I look at the Lamb, at His Blood, at His eyes; they also look on me with love. He stands beside me, once again lifting me up with scarred hands. He breathes on me. A spark of light finds its way into my heart and brings life to my dead soul. The slain Lamb lives, and so do I.
I still do not understand. I do not know why. Why would God want me at all? He knows the foulest part of me, yet He died rather than hurl me from His Presence. He covered me with His own precious Blood. He breathed life into me, He left His own Spirit in my heart; a spark of Light living in sinful flesh.
Is it possible that I could in some way bring glory to God? Could I possibly bring Him joy? Will the spark of Light that is Him shine through this darkness that is me?
©Rebecca A Givens, 06/12/10
I want Life. I long for joy and peace and comfort. I want to love and be loved. I do not want to be alone. How can the God of Light, the God of life and joy and peace and comfort, tolerate the darkness that is inside of me? How can He possibly bear to shine that light on, and even inside of, this body of death that is me? What does He see there? How can He bear it?
I can do nothing but fall to the ground and weep before Him. I am nothing, I have nothing; there is only sin and death and darkness. Please Lord, I cannot survive Your Presence; but I cannot flee. The Light attracts me, it calls me, it holds me. I wait for Him to turn in disgust and fling me from Himself.
Yet He does not turn from me. He does not send me away. He touches me. He lifts my head. He forces me to look into His eyes. How can that be? How can He look on me that way? How can there be Love there? How can it be anything but loathing, or at best pity? But no, it is Love. I do not understand.
Scarred hands lift me up. They wipe my tears. They heal my hurts. They take my sin. Oh God, no! I am not worth that price! But the Lamb lies there, slain. Blood covers the white wool. My hands are covered with it, my body is splattered with it; I have been baptized in the Lamb’s blood. It is heartrending. God continues to look at me with love in His eyes. I look at the Lamb, at His Blood, at His eyes; they also look on me with love. He stands beside me, once again lifting me up with scarred hands. He breathes on me. A spark of light finds its way into my heart and brings life to my dead soul. The slain Lamb lives, and so do I.
I still do not understand. I do not know why. Why would God want me at all? He knows the foulest part of me, yet He died rather than hurl me from His Presence. He covered me with His own precious Blood. He breathed life into me, He left His own Spirit in my heart; a spark of Light living in sinful flesh.
Is it possible that I could in some way bring glory to God? Could I possibly bring Him joy? Will the spark of Light that is Him shine through this darkness that is me?
©Rebecca A Givens, 06/12/10
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Righteousness
"By the righteousness of faith we are acquitted from sin, and by the righteousness of works we are aquitted from hypocrisy."
Thomas Manton
Thomas Manton
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Karate Summer Camp
Learn
Self-Defense!
Self-Confidence!
Self-Control!
Kids ages 6-12
New students welcome!
Time:
July 12-15, 1-3:00pm, $40
Location:
Lake Crest Presbyterian Church
560 Lake Crest Drive
Hoover, AL, 35226
982-2807
Contact:
Becky Givens, Sensei
Shintaikan Dojo
Shingo-ha Yoshukai Karate
beckykarateka@bellsouth.net
668-9865
243-2786
www.beckygivens.blogspot.com
Self-Defense!
Self-Confidence!
Self-Control!
Kids ages 6-12
New students welcome!
Time:
July 12-15, 1-3:00pm, $40
Location:
Lake Crest Presbyterian Church
560 Lake Crest Drive
Hoover, AL, 35226
982-2807
Contact:
Becky Givens, Sensei
Shintaikan Dojo
Shingo-ha Yoshukai Karate
beckykarateka@bellsouth.net
668-9865
243-2786
www.beckygivens.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Undone by FFH
Once again FFH speaks to my heart:
Open up wide
swallow down deep
the spoon full of sugar can make it sweet
the cancer inside
stealing my sleep
night after night it keeps haunting me
the secrets i keep are tearing me up inside i try to hide them in
i wonder why
i wonder why i'm still running when i know there's no escaping
Chorus:
Come Undone
Surrender the stronger
I don't need to be the hero tonight
you all want love
you all want honor
nobody wants to pay the asking price
(Oh oh ohhh Oh oh ohhh oh oh ohhh)
Verse 2:
Fall on my knees
fall on my pride
I'm tripping over all the times i've lied
I'm asking please
but i can see in your eyes
that you don't need tears for alibis
it's true what they say
love must be blind it's why your still standing by the sinners side
your still by my side when all i've done have left you bleeding
Chorus
(Oh oh ohhh Oh oh ohhh oh oh ohhh) x7
Ohhhhhhhh
I don't think I can drive it home tonight
Ohhhhhhh
I don't think I want to be alone tonight
Ohhhhhhh (4 times)
Open up wide
swallow down deep
the spoon full of sugar can make it sweet
the cancer inside
stealing my sleep
night after night it keeps haunting me
the secrets i keep are tearing me up inside i try to hide them in
i wonder why
i wonder why i'm still running when i know there's no escaping
Chorus:
Come Undone
Surrender the stronger
I don't need to be the hero tonight
you all want love
you all want honor
nobody wants to pay the asking price
(Oh oh ohhh Oh oh ohhh oh oh ohhh)
Verse 2:
Fall on my knees
fall on my pride
I'm tripping over all the times i've lied
I'm asking please
but i can see in your eyes
that you don't need tears for alibis
it's true what they say
love must be blind it's why your still standing by the sinners side
your still by my side when all i've done have left you bleeding
Chorus
(Oh oh ohhh Oh oh ohhh oh oh ohhh) x7
Ohhhhhhhh
I don't think I can drive it home tonight
Ohhhhhhh
I don't think I want to be alone tonight
Ohhhhhhh (4 times)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Take the Adventure that is sent us
"Doubtless," said the Prince. "This signifies that Alsan will be our good lord, whether he means us to live or die. And all's one, for that. Now, by my counsel, we shall all kneel and kiss his likeness, and then all shake hands one with another, as true friends that may shortly be parted. And then, let us descend into the City and take the adventure that is sent us."
C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair
C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair
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