CAST DOWN BUT UNCONQUERED

February 21, 2018
(don't worry i was at a complete stop while I took this) 

I'm sure you could tell from a lot of my recent posts that I've been feeling a bit down of late. A little bit overwhelmed and exhausted and broken. I found something I wanted to share with you all - that we have this treasure in earthen vessels....

THAT THE EXCELLENCE OF THE POWER MAY BE OF GOD AND NOT OF US. 

we are hard pressed on every side; yet not crushed. we are perplexed, but not in despair.
persecuted, but not forsaken. struck down, but not destroyed. 

What do those words say to you? To me, they scream of HOPE. I was reading in my Bible the other night when I found them. Yup. That's a straight up quote from the Bible. (2. Corinthians 4:7-9)

after I sat there for a moment I was like "WOAH GOD YOU JUST LEGIT SPOKE MY LINGO" bc you know how sometimes the Bible is ssoooooo clear and then others its hard to understand and sometimes you're like "yup this was what I needed rn". Well, this was one of those times, but like it was poetic and I just got it. right away. it made sense. 

GOD DESERVES THE CREDIT AND PRAISE FOR EVERYTHING AND I DON'T. and yet when it seems impossible... I will get up and keep going bc of the power of Jesus and bc of His excellence and love. I AM HARD PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE. BUT. NOT. CRUSHED. 

hello hope and goodbye everything else. 

what verse(s) bring you hope? 
is it rainy or snowy or foggy or icy or warm or cold by you rn??

32 comments:

  1. This was so beautiful. I definitely needed it.
    It's been warm and humid where I live (Texas), but a cold front came in so it's nice today. :) I'm glad God spoke to you and I'll be praying for you. <3

    ~Ivie|Ivie Writes

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    1. *hugs* me too!
      It was warm and humid here yesterday as well! now it's back to freezing cold o.o AWW thank you Ivie <3 <3

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  2. Girl, I just love you and your blog so much <3

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  3. I have been reading in Paul's letters as well! I actually put up a blog post yesterday about the things that stood out to me in the place of life I am right now, so I will spare you, haha... but yes, it's been one of those weeks were verses like that were needed on my own life as well! The Lord works all things out for His purposes <3.

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    1. woah really! How neat! That sounds like a really good blogpost - I'll have to go check it out. <3 Mmmhmm yes I get you sister. TRUTH xxx

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  4. thanks for saying all this <3 You're always the best of reminders :))

    lisa @ inkwell

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  5. Love you, girl! <3<3<3 This is so good!

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  6. LOVE that verse!! the night i stumbled upon 1 and 2 corinthians in my bible was a MAGICAL night. i haven't been the same since. that is one of my all time favorite verses. it gets stuck in your head! :D

    sophy of sophyslighthouse.blogspot.com

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    1. SAME. and I've read it lots of times but for some reason it STRUCK HOME this time. GOD <3 mmmmhmm yes yes yes

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  7. It's legit EVERYTHING here!! Seriously though, the mountains will make it 61 one day and then a blizzard that night!!!
    I love 1st Peter (3:10-12 specifically...) and this was such an ENCOURAGING post!! Imma go look up that verse.......<33

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    1. WOOOAHHH WHAT A MIX (kinda like that here too but no blizzard thankfully lol)
      girl srsly almost all of 1 Peter is underlined in my bible BUT YES THANK YOU FOR POINTING THOSE VERSES OUT. so good xxx

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  8. You're amazing. so so amazing.
    He is GOOD. All the time.
    Verses?
    A few, but probably James 4:7-10. Working letting it penetrate my very innermost being.
    xoxox

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    1. not me. no way. nope.
      HE IS AMAZING AND ALLLLWAAYS GOOD
      dude
      Ilovethoseversessooooooooomuch wowowowoowowow THANK YOU *hugs* I wanna write those down rn
      xxxxxxx

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  9. Aw dude, God's got your back! So glad you found that verse and I totally know what you're talking about. Something today happened that blessed me even in the smallest way. I needed to get into a dorm to see my friend but my ID card doesn't work since I'm a town student. I didn't want to make her have to come downstairs to let me in, so I figured why not ask God to allow someone to come before me with their card and open the door before me? So I say a quick prayer and then cross the street. There's no one in sight. I go to one set of doors and then change my mind and start walking to the other set of doors. Now there's this girl coming towards me. I'm like . .. can she be going in the right dorm??? Sure enough, she turns down the sidewalk. I start following her and dare to hope she's turning again to open the door I want to go through. Then I'm like, dude; God did this for me. Of course she's going in the right dorm door. and sure enough, she is!!! I was just like WHOAAAAAAA and I told two of my friends how AMAZING that experience was because I SAW A MIRACLE IN PERSON!!! So cool.

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    1. DUDE HE HAS YOUR BACK TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
      also like we talk all the time how did I not know about this??!?!?! XD XD
      for real tho, I love the small things that smack you in the face in the best possible awesome clear way and you're like *nods* "THAT IS MY GOD YUP YUP YUP"
      xxx

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  10. Beautiful! I have so many verses that I like to read, but right now....my mind's a blank. *blushes*
    Ugh, wish I could think of one, because many of them are so special to me.
    I'm praying for my awesome friend,*hugs* and I know God's going to hold you up when you are feeling down, so know that there's someone out there who cares <3
    And... IT IS SNOWING here.
    I'm talking for days, and days, and days, it's been snowing, and it won't stop! It doesn't help that our septic system is shot, so no showers. *groans*
    But I keep telling myself that winter is not forever. <3

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    1. *hugs* then you just have to promise to send me the verses when you remember them K <33
      AWW THANK YOU GIRLIE. mmmhmm yes. you're precious. and i'm praying for you as well xx
      WOAH SNOW! It's clear here and normally I'm the one with snow lol! We had rain and rainn and rain and now its sunny and cold lol
      haha! Nope, it isn't <3 WE'VE GOT THIS

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  11. This is a wonderful reminder, Julia! It's so awesome how God gives us the strength to go on and the means to reflect the glory back to Him for it. Thanks for sharing (and I just love that photo.) xx

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    1. wow, you're so right Emily. SO SO SO SO SOOOOOOOOOO RIGHT. Thank you for reminding me of that (and eeep so glad I wasn't late for work that day lol) xx

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  12. So true! My favorite verse is "God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved, God will help her when the morning dawns" -Psalm 46:5 (btw, that may or may not be a mix of two versions)

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    1. THAT. IS. SO. BEAUTIFUL. I checked my bible (NKJV) and it's very similar. girl girl girl thank you

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  13. also it's like chilly and super rainy

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  14. DUDE.

    I feel like this post was written for me because it's exactly what I needed. Thank you. <3

    xx Kenzie

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  15. JULIA, this has been one of my FAVORITE verses for about 6 months now!!! It is SO ENCOURAGING to see that Paul also struggled, but that God.was.faithful.
    Praying for you and know that He is working in your life!
    Lydia

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  16. YES I love this! Hope is actually my word for 2018 and it's been so amazing reading the Bible and seeing the Lord just speak right to my heart! Thank you for sharing my friend <3

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  17. DUde yes. Love this. I can't remember the reference (Romans something), but a verse that always encourages me is the one about how endurance produces character and character, hope--and because of God's love, hope will NOT put us to shame.

    It's 80 degrees where I live... crazy times!

    Hailey
    www.haileyhudson.wordpress.com

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  18. I've had this bookmarked for so long, and finally read it today. I'm so glad I did. Thank you for writing this, Julia!

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let's be honest here peeps, comments rock. keep 'em clean and fun and I'll reward you with a virtual ice cream cone

*reluctantly hands cone over*