Sovereignty and Snowy Days
Author: Beth
•Saturday, January 31, 2009
I have been greatly enjoying the abundance of snow that has delicately and beautifully covered the area in the last few days. Here are a few pictures that I've taken recently and some reminders that the God who formed every snowflake and every landscape is the same God who watches and directs our paths.



“Ah, Lord God! It is You who has made the heavens and the
earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” – Jeremiah 32:17

“Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.” – Psalm 55:22

“I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in
man who walks to direct his steps.” – Jeremiah 10:23

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.” – Isaiah 40:28

“That they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.” – Isaiah 41:20

“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” – Exodus 14:14

“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” – Revelation 4:11


“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” – Psalm 138:8



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Powerful Love
Author: Beth
•Wednesday, January 28, 2009


“For the love of Christ controls us…” 2 Corinthians 5:14

Love is a curious thing. The true meaning of love is often lost in a culture that has commercialized the idea of love into being a fleeting emotion of the moment, drowning in the midst of a pink haze of hearts and rose petals. But every now and then, some truth shines forth as being deeper, stronger, and more lasting than just an emotion. One such revelation came to me today when I read the verse above.

Love has power.

If you’ve ever sat back and observed two people in love, you’ll know what I mean. There is a certain sparkle in their eyes, an unmistakable glow, and a curious preoccupation with the person of their affections. It is as if they are being controlled by a deep, insatiable force that gushes up like a fountain and flows into every fiber of their being. But beyond simply the affection or devotion of two people, this idea of love penetrates deeply inside of life itself.

The word used in 2 Corinthians 5:14 is synecho, which means “to hold together, to hold together with constraint, to compress, to hold completely.”


The love of Christ holds us together completely.

Solomon says “love is as strong as death.” (Song of Songs 8:6). God’s love was so powerful that it held Him to the cross (1 John 3:16). Having perfect love casts out all fear (I John 4:18). Romans reminds us: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels or rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 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 8:38-39).

Can we even grasp what this means to us?

It is the love of Christ that keeps us from falling apart, from giving in to the destructive poison of our own sin, from ruining our lives by trying to control ourselves. It is the love of Christ that gives us security, a sense of purpose, and the ability to spread that love to others.

If we can imperfectly be controlled by a love for a person, how much more should we surrender to the deep richness of everlasting love that comes from Christ?

What a life-changing thought.

~ Beth
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The Beginning
Author: Beth
•Monday, January 26, 2009


Hello dear friends,

Welcome to the Ripple Effects blog! This is the story of my humble journey as I learn what it means to live a life completely surrendered to my Savior and His will. It is my prayer that as I write my thoughts, experiences, and lessons here, that it will serve as a source of renewal and encouragement as we learn together to make our relationship with Christ central in every area of life. Whether you just stumbled across this website recently or whether you are a long-time friend, I hope that you will enjoy and be inspired by what you read here.

The definition of “ripple effects” is the spreading effect or series of consequences caused by a single action or event. If you’ve ever dropped a pebble into a still pool of water, you’ll notice that the ripples seem to continually expand outward. Every ripple has a point of origin. For me, that origin is Jesus Christ. He is the source, my reason to live. Everything else expands from this source. It is my humble cry that all that I do in my life and the impact that I have on the world would reflect the awesome glory of Jesus Christ.


“If you want your life to count, if you want the ripple effect of the
pebbles you drop to become waves that reach the ends of the earth and roll on for centuries and into eternity… you have to know a few great, majestic, unchanging, obvious, simple, glorious things, and be set on fire by them.” – John Piper

Ad majorem Dei gloriam,
Beth
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