A Night Of Worship

Just a couple nights ago, I was blessed to have the most BEAUTIFUL and POWERFUL experience ever....TWICE. A Night of Worship with Leeland and Phil Wickham. These incredible musicians stopped by Twin Falls, ID on April 18 and Idaho Falls, ID on April 19.

Both nights were equally amazing. I was almost brought to tears when Leeland, Phil Wickham, and Matt Maher opened up the show together. Their harmonizing voices during "How Great Thou Art" was the perfect way to start the night. The presence of the Spirit immediately filled the room. Their rendition of "Awake My Soul" brought everyone to their feet and opened up their hearts in preparation for a sincere night of worship.

I had never really listened to much of Matt Maher's music but I was immediately made a fan after seeing and hearing him perform live. His song "Alive Again" became an instant favorite. The singing of the crowd to "Your Grace Is Enough" could be heard from miles around. "Christ Is Risen" captured my heart with reminders that He is alive! "Hold Us Together" preached that love will hold us together and show us that we are not alone. Matt Maher is a fantastic musician!

Phil Wickham. There are no words to describe. He opened up his set with his power-packed song "Eden" and had everyone clapping and on their feet. His vocals during "Beautiful" brought me chills. Such an incredible musician! His voice is just so amazing live. He continued his set with poetic and mesmerizing songs like "Cannons," "Divine Romance," "Safe," and "True Love." Phil provided a nice blend of songs from his older albums and his latest album "Heaven and Earth." Every single song was performed beautifully. I hadn't listened much to "In Your City" but now it is a new favorite. Perhaps the most powerful and memorable part of Phil's set was when he performed the song "Cielo." AMAZING! The beauty of the lyrics and his voice was indescribable. "Cielo" is just an incredibly beautiful song and the effect it had on the crowd was amazing. With lyrics like "I can't sing loud enough when I'm singing for You my God," "I can't bow low enough at the vision of You my God," and "I can't lift my hands high enough when I'm reaching for You my God" how can one not be affected? It was the most wonderful sight to see every person in the church reacting to the lyrics...singing and worshipping as loud as they could, falling to their knees and bowing, lifting their hands as high as they could in order to reach God. I will never forget the feelings I had during this song. It is perhaps the most beautiful song performed live. Phil reminded me why I am so in love with his voice, his music, and, most importantly, the Lord.

Leeland. What a gifted guy and at such a young age! Leeland started his set off with "The Door" and reminded the crowd that Jesus is the only one for us. Most of the songs he performed were unfamiliar to me since I hadn't listened to much of his older songs. Familiar or not, his songs were performed with so much passion and tugged at my heart. "Count Me In." "Sounds of Melodies." "Tears of the Saints." "Beautiful Lord." "New Creation." I loved every song! The second most memorable part of the night came when Phil Wickham joined Leeland in singing "Follow You." It is such an incredible song and a great reminder as to what we are supposed to be doing...following Christ. Phil's vocals were the perfect addition to such a wonderful song. I loved seeing Leeland take a few minutes during their set to talk to the crowd about how much God sacrificed and how much He loves us. Leeland has so much passion for the Lord and a beautiful faith.

The night ended off just as it had begun...with all three musicians sharing the stage and lending their vocals to worship one last time. They continued with "Awake My Soul" and reminded us, one last time, that we were made to meet our Maker. I absolutely loved seeing the three of them perform that song and their rendition was awesome.

I didn't want the night to end....either nights. Powerful. Beautiful. Unforgettable. Indescribable. The Holy Spirit was present. I am just so grateful to have had the opportunity to see these magnificient musicians perform live. They are true instruments of God.

A Thousand Words Spoken By The Heart

Put together a few quotes that inspire me, or that I can relate to, when it comes to the truths that matter the most.

Love and Hope

"Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the senses."

"Love comes to those who still hope even though they've been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they've been betrayed, to those who still love even though they've been hurt before."

"To often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."

"You don't love someone for their looks, their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear."

"I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person; love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of; love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you."

FAITH

"Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible."

"Every character has an inward spring; let Christ be that spring. Every action has a keynote; let Christ be that note, to which your whole life is attuned."

"What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God."

"The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way."

"In happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. In every moment, thank God."

MATTERS OF THE HEART

"You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel."

"One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter."

"It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is the most painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let the person know how you feel."

"It takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone - but it takes a lifetime to forget someone."

"Trying to make someone fall in love with you is about as pointless as trying to control who you fall in love with."

BEAUTY

"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart."

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting --- a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing."

"Beauty is how you feel inside and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical."

"Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts."

"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams."

OPTIMISM

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

"The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose."

What Is Your Mission Statement?

I was recently given an assignment to write down my personal values and a mission statement for myself. Here is what I came up with:

Personal Values

* Compassion
* Faith
* Love
* Optimism
* Selfless
* Self-expression
* Respect
* Loyal
* Driven
* Family-oriented

Mission Statement

To live a life of love, for nothing is bigger than love. I strive to live each day to the fullest with love, gratitude, hope, and faith. I shall never let negative thoughts or failures consume me and I will live without regrets. I am determined to have compassion for, and bring strength and hope to, those who are less fortunate.

What is YOUR mission statement?

ReSOLUTIONS

At the beginning of each year, people make resolutions...promises to themselves that they must try not to break. Those promises usually end up being broken and leave the promiser disappointed in themselves. Why should we set ourselves up for disappointment? These resolutions are meant to make us better individuals, not weaker.

Instead of resolutions, this year I will make reSOLUTIONS. These are merely SOLUTIONS to the problems I may face in the new year. I can turn to any of these reSOLUTIONS and find the answers to any hardships. If I stick to these, I can overcome any obstacle and become a stronger, better person.

1) Grow stronger in my FAITH.
2) Love more.

3) Live more.

4) Live life uninhibited...let go of fear!

5) Breathe deeper!

Happy 2010!!!

I AM GRATEFUL...For 2009

Squeezing one last blog in as 2009 comes to a close. In this final entry for the year, I would like to make a list of the things that I am grateful for and love from 2009. Everything from favorite music to appreication for humanity and anything in between. In no particular order, except for number one...

1) FAITH
Faith has been THE BEST thing to enter my life. It has allowed me to find purpose in my own existence and has brought me more happiness than ever before. I can love more because of the love that God has given me. His Grace and Beauty has pulled me closer to Him and closer to the rest of His children. The bond between me and the wonderful people that have entered my life has been made stronger. Faith has allowed me to view life with a different eye. I have put my life in God's great hands and look forward to the many amazing things that He will bring into my life. I know that the best is yet to come. I will forever be grateful and loving for this!

2) MUSIC
Music plays such an important role in my life. It expresses what I am too weak or afraid to express. It can change my mood and bring positivity. It can make me forget about the stresses of the day. Some artists and albums that I have come to love from 2009:

* Jason Mraz, "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things"
Technically, this album was from 2008 but my love for it grew in 2009. It is such a happy album! his feel good "happy little hippie song" can make a happy little hippie out of anyone! Every song on the album makes me want to get up and dance and leave all the stresses behind. jason's outlook on life is inspiring. I have had a blast adopting his ways of being love and expressing gratitude.

* Phil Wickham
I can't give enough praise to this incredibly gifted musician. Beautiful. Amazing. Poetic. Uplifting. Inspiring. His music and lyrics have made me fall even more in love with Jesus Christ. He has been given the gift to bring praise and glory to the Lord. Phil's song "Safe" has been a saving grace to me these past few months. It can pull me out of any troubles that I may be feeling and reminds me that I will always be safe and never alone. I will forever be grateful for his music.
There are so many more artists and songs I love from the year but fail to think of at this moment. So I will just give them props!

3) Humanity
I am more grateful than ever for the people that are in my life. Faith has helped me grow so much closer to friends and family. I have also met some absolutely beautiful people this year...people that may have helped change my life even if they may never know it. I love seeing the good that can come out of our society and the good that faith can bring to one's heart.

4) Experience
I had the most wonderful opportunity to give back to my community this year. A good friend and I were able to provide stockings for Aid For Friends this holiday season. It was so great to share the experience with someone who has the same passion as me to give to others. The rewarding feeling of selflessness and love was unforgettable. We also received a beautiful gift from God that night after we had dropped the stockings off. We were the witnesses to a herd of deer not too far from us. We watched from the side of the road as the deer peacefully stared back in wonderment. it was amazing and a sight to cherish.

There is so much more that I am grateful for from this past year. It would be impossible for me to remember everything. So I will end on this note...I am grateful for all the goods and bads, all the ups and downs, all the toss and turns that 2009 brought. I pray that it only continues to go up from here. Goodbye 2009!

Until next year...
Tonia <3

86,400 Seconds To Change

Hello December! I am making TIME to write all that has been on my mind. Here we go...

Wake up. Hit the shower. Rush to work. Meet deadlines. Provide customer service. Return home. Eat dinner. Bed. Start over.

We live in such a fast-paced society surrounded by the ever-so-popular phrase, "I don't have time." The truth is, time is all we have. It is not like money. We can't earn more of it. We can't spend some and get change back. We can't take a prized possession into the local pawn shop in exchange for a few extra minutes, hours, or days. Time is not like a cell phone plan. The minutes that we don't efficiently use in one day can't rollover to the next day. The only thing to do is spend our time wisely and cherish every second of it, literally.

There are 86,400 seconds granted to us in a single day. Somewhere between the first second and the 86,400th second we must love, appreciate, and breathe. If you want to make a change, you must start with now...this second. Don't waste a day to addictions or bad habits that may have come to define us. We can't afford to steal time away from love, knowledge, or compassion. We can, however, afford to steal time from hate, destruction, and arrogance. Accomplish what you want to accomplish and leave behind the failures of time gone by.

When you wake, take time to say "Good Morning" to the loved one that wakes up beside you. Take time to sit down to a real breakfast with family. Take time as you drive to work to look around and appreciate the beauty that surrounds you. Notice where you can make a difference in your community. Take time to say "hello" to that familiar face, or even that unfamiliar face. You just may make their day. Take time to be sincere and compassionate. Take time to share love and express gratitude. Take time to go on a date with knowledge and faith. Schedule some time to change the world one small step at a time. The time is NOW. Don't waste a moment of it.

What are you "not having enough time" for? Where can you afford to donate some of your time?

With love and plenty of time!

Obsession for Possession

On October 17, Cafe Gratitude asked, "If money were no object, what would you be doing right now?" I have had time to think and here is what my mind managed to muster up:

Why is it that we live so much for money and a material existence? Many of us have become so defined by our possessions. Fancy cars. Designer bags. Couture clothing. We enter this world without a stitch of clothing and we leave the world in exactly the same way. The only thing we take with us is what's in our heart. A love for life; an appreciation for experience; compassion for others; a love for God. When we cease to exist, we can't take our Bentleys or our Louis Vuittons with us. The soul is the only company we keep. Live to be defined by your heart and soul, not by physical possessions.

Another thing on my mind, why do we also let our jobs define us and our status? Society has led us to believe that the more salary you bring in, the more successful you are. This is a load of bull. The way I see it, success is the achievement of your own personal goals. Success is acquiring happiness.

"Success in life could be defined as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals. Success is the ability to fulfill your desires with effortless ease. And yet success, including the creation of wealth, has always been considered to be a process that requires hard work and it is often considered to be at the expense of others. We need a more spiritual approach to success and to affluence which is the abundant flow of all good things to you." --- Deepak Chopra

A doctor may be living in luxury but be alone and miserable with life. A janitor may be just managing to make ends meet but be surrounded by love, warmth, and support. In my eyes, the janitor is far more successful. My point is that jobs don't represent who we are. They merely represent a fraction of what we do. Who we are is reflected by our hearts. The love and appreciation we have for life. The gratitude we express towards others. Our passion for bliss. Don't judge based on occupation. A doctor holds no more cards and no higher ranking than a janitor. God loves all His children equally and does not judge. What makes us think we have the right to do so? Respect and love people for what is in their heart.

It seems I have managed to stray a tad bit from the main question. If money were no object, I would love to travel the world and photograph all the beautiful images waiting to be captured. God has spread His beauty over this vast earth and it is our duty to find and appreciate it. I am obsessed with beauty. I would love to do anything involving self-expression. Music. Art. Dance. Music is my addiction; it is what I turn to when I'm feeling a certain way. I've also had the desire to start a t-shirt company of some sort. How awesome would that be?!?!?! A trendy organic t-shirt that spreads messages of love and appreciation. There is a load of competition out there but it would still be a great adventure. And last, but certainly not least, I have a passion for giving back to society. So anything where I could give back to others would be wonderful. Of course, this can be accomplished with or without money.

This blog has just got me thinking...what am I doing with my own life? I'm headed into a field where my heart is not in it fully. I can't honestly say it is where I want to be 100%. It seems as if I have more to figure out but that's a whole other novel in itself. Until then....later!