Childlike vs. Childish

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.
Luke 18:16
There is a difference between being childlike and being childish; and it's pretty substantial. Both of these terms relate to children, but in different ways. In general, we call someone childish when they emulate the negative qualities in a child- throwing temper tantrums or acting immature. When we call someone childlike, it's usually uttered in a much more positive respect. We refer to someone as having a childlike joy, wonder, or faith and we are happy for them in that.
The above verse is referring to that childlike faith, but we must be sure that in our childlikeness, we have not become childish. I hope my faith is never aptly described as childish, but I would consider it a compliment to be told it's childlike.
The hearts of children are a wonder to behold and enjoy, beautiful things that we should cherish far more than we tend to on a day to day basis. They see the products of a living God around them and know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there had to be an artist. They take delight in the things we've become accustomed to and take for granted. I can't tell you how many times I've heard my two year-old neice (the beautiful little girl in the picture above), utter the words "Kirssy! Pretty dress!" with a wistful sigh and a smile that melts my heart all over again.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:11

How, then, do we keep our faith childlike, rather than childish?

I'll admit it's hard. It's hard to keep the world's persistent cynicism from infiltrating my thought process on a daily basis. It's difficult to hold to Christ's sufficiency when the world barrages you with everything it says you ought to be. And it's scary to stand, like a good friend of mine's six year old, and say "There is too a God in heaven and he's living in my heart!"

But that's exactly what we have to do: Stand!

Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.

1 Corinthians 14:20

Here Paul tells us what else to do. Yes, we should be childlike, but now he clearly commands us to refrain from being childish. We have to stand up and grow in our understanding of people and of Christ. What good are we as His ambassadors if we know so little about Him?

Lord, teach me how to make my faith childlike without it being childish. Help me to grow in your wisdom while not dismissing the simpler things about you.

Have a blessed day!

Spirit of Fear

One of Lyla's (my niece, that beautiful little girl in the picture :) newest things is saying "Kirssy, I scared!". Of course, depending on whom she's adressing, the name changes- but you catch my drift.
On Resurrection Sunday, she'd said it at least a handful of times. Whether it was something on Nemo that was a little scary or she just couldn't find Pa, those words would come tumbling out of her lips.
Well, one of those times, she came running toward me, "Kirssy, I scared!" she called, eyes wide.
"Come here, Lyla." Valerie (her mom) said from where she was standing near me. She took Lyla's face in her hands and made sure Lyla was looking at her. "Lyla, what does Mommy tell you when you're scared? God doesn't give us a spirit of fear. So when you're scared, you say, 'Jesus,'"
"Jesus," Lyla repeated.
"Help."
"Help."
"Me."
"Me."
"Alright. I love you." Val finished. Lyla went bounding off to whatever her two and a half year old brain had decided was next on her list of things to do.

That scene was just so touching to me- seeing how Val and Robert are already teaching this sweet girl God's truths in ways she can understand. It's so simple. We are so blessed to have a God who responds to that simple call of "Jesus, help me!" when we need Him most.
It never ceases to amaze me!

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Have a blessed day!

C.S. Lewis on Servanthood

This quote was taken from The Quotable Lewis:

I believe that men of this age (and among them you Father, and myself) think too much about the state of nations and the situation of the world. Does not the author of The Imitation warn us against involving ourselves too much with such things?
We are not kings, we are not senators Let us beware lest, while we torture ourselves in vain about the fate of Europe, we neglect either Verona or Oxford.
In the poor man who knocks at my door, in my ailing mother, in the young man who seeks my advice, the Lord Himself is present: therefore let us wash His feet. [Ed. note: Verona is the home city of Lewis's correspondent.]

In light of the blasted and ridiculous recent Healthcare bill being passed and soon to be signed by President Obama, I thought this was a fantastic quote. No, I'm not telling you that you shouldn't pay attention to what's going on in the world and try to stop our government from promoting unconstitutional bills and such. By all means, that would make me not only wrong, but a hypocrite as well. I'm just as upset about this horrid bill as the rest of you are.
What I am reminding you through this wonderful quote is that, in the midst of all the uproar, do not leave your hometown- your primary mission field- by the wayside. Do not get so wrapped up in what's going on that you can't properly function any longer.
God has it all in his hands and we must commit ourselves to doing His will no matter how often our country tries to throw itself under the train. Yes, we get some of these jokers out of office come November (Thank the Lord, I'll be eighteen!). Yes, we do our best to follow God in politics as well as normal life. Just remember to keep things in proper prospective.
Don't forget to wash the feet of Jesus when He enters your home because you're too busy rallying against Caesar.
Have a blessed day!

The Magic Prayer Myth

"Just say this prayer and it'll change your life forever!"
How many times have we heard that line from a well-meaning pastor who just wants to see his flock saved? Far too many times, I think.
Usually when this statement is uttered, the pastor (or whoever is giving the statement) has the best of intentions here. What they don't realize that they're communicating is that the prayer is what changes your life and anyone who says it is officially a Christian. This is not only un-biblical, it's dangerous. Never in the Bible will you find Jesus saying, "Just repeat these words after me and you're going to Heaven!" No, He commands us to pick up our crosses and follow Him, even unto death itself.
It's not about a cleverly worded prayer. It irks me to no end that we give off that impression so often!
The instruction Yahweh gives us in His Word is to repent. Over and over He implores us to do so.
Matthew 4:17
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Luke 5:32
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
But what is repentance?
Repent: to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life
Repentance is giving your life over to God. It's saying, "Lord, I can't do this on my own. I don't want to live in sin anymore. I don't want to spend my life wallowing in my own sin. Take my life and make it yours. I want to follow you, no matter what the cost."
It's not a cookie-cutter prayer that changes you, only Yahweh can do that.
And it's not going to be easy, but He'll be right there beside you and He promises to pull you through no matter how hard it gets.
Have a blessed day!

Fear

During Pre-Service prayer at the youth ministry I'm in, Paradigm, we were praying for the students that were about to come in- asking God to radically impact their lives. Tonight's prayer was especially focused, due to a great charge from Nathan (adult leader; head of the prayer team).
We normally have prompts on the screen as we pray for the thirty minutes before service starts that keep us focused and unified in our prayers. One of them, one they put up every week, listed things that needed to be broken off of the students. The first on the list was fear.
I felt like God dropped something on my heart then and there.
We're afraid.
I began to war for the students, and especially for we leaders, because fear so effectively holds us back. It's a fantastic tool that Satan uses to tie us down and keep us from stepping out in faith. Fear keeps us from fully pursuing God, it holds us back from reaching the promises of God. Fear tells us we need to fit into the world's mold and it tells us it's a bad idea to live counter-culturally.
But that's exactly what we need! We need Christians to rise up and live like their lives are devoted to God, not themselves. We need our leaders to step out and stand for God, even if it means we're different.
If Christianity were all about being like everyone else, what's the point? If Christ doesn't change you, why are you doing this?
We tend to cling to our fear- to hide behind it, using it as our shield. Guess what- we don't need it. God promises that we can rest under the shadow of his wing (Psalm 57). Let Him be your shield. Step out and trust Him.
Don't settle into a mediocre walk with God. It's a walk with GOD for goodness sake! Live it passionately and live it whole-heartedly. Don't let fear hold you back, because it only ends up cheating you out of enjoying the true depths of His love. When you let go of your fear, you can go to new heights and depths with your Savior.
2 Timothy 1:7(NKJV)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Have a blessed day!

To Drink or Not to Drink?

Honestly, this isn't a question that I have to answer until I turn twenty-one. However, being in France where the drinking age 'might be' 16 (I'm told by a waitress that they don't really bother to keep up with it because they drink wine from near infancy) and England, where the drinking age is 18, I begin to wonder if I will drink when I 'come of age'.

Now before anyone gets worried, I never plan on drinking just to get drunk or any of that nonsense. I'm talking about the harmless glass of wine or beer to go along with the nice meal I just ordered at the restaurant.
Nearly everyone has a different stance on this. Some choose not to drink because of a past issue with alcohol or simply because they don't want to tempt themselves with it. Others say that there's not problem as long as you do it in moderation and they follow this in their own lives. Of course, there are always those who will take either stand to its furthest extreme, but I'm talking mainly of the two I've presented.
The Bible never says anything against drinking as long as you don't take it too far. We are often warned against getting drunk, but wine itself is never condemned. In fact, Jesus drank it and it was included in his first miracle. And don't give me that junk about it being the same as grape juice. Yes, their wine was more watered down than ours, but it mentioned party guests usually getting drunk. I've never heard of anyone getting drunk on grape juice.
1 Peter 4:3
3For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
So really, it's a matter of personal preference and conviction- whether one should drink or not. So far, I have not come to any conclusion on the matter except that I should do whatever God leads me to do. I still have plenty of time to make a decision.
I just thought I'd bring up this interesting topic as a point of interest. If you have personally made a decision on the matter, feel free to share about what caused you to make that decision in the comment section. I'd love to hear from you!
Have a blessed day!

2010!!!

Wow! It's 2010 already? It's funny how each year seems to go by faster than the last.
I feel like I've been waiting for this year since I was in second grade! Why? Because this is the year I graduate from high school. :D I can't wait to see what all God has in store for me in the years to come!
For my first blog post of the New Year, I thought I'd show you a few of my New Year's Resolutions. It seems no one in my family wanted to make any this year, but I love making them and seeing if I carry them out.
I'd tell you about last year, but seeing as I'm still in Paris, France, I don't exactly have access to the journal I was using at the time. So I can only tell you about this year.
Here are a few of my resolutions for the year 2010!:
1.Get closer to God.
-I know, I make this resolution every year- but every year it's true! And every year I can safely say that I followed through with it. I'm not at the same place in my growth as a Christian that I was last year at this time. Thank goodness! I don't want to be a stagnant Christian who's all too comfortable sticking with the things that are familiar to me. Through all the ups and downs, all the times I feel like I've got a static-free connection with God and the times I have trouble hearing him, I know that those have been used to make me into the woman I am today and pray that He will continue to mold me into the righteous woman He created me to be.
2. Learn to sew relatively well. Should be able to make a dress.
-I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas LAST year and still can barely use it. It sits on the desk in my room and taunts me half the time. Kerri got a sewing machine during the summer and has already made a cute little dress for my assistant youth pastor's wife's baby! (Yes, I know that's a mouthful!) She tends to understand the instructions better than I do and can usually orally tell me how to do it and I'll get it. Weird how things work with us that way. I think the main reason I have so much trouble with it though is because I don't really try with it that hard, so that's what I plan on doing this year- trying hard and getting somewhere with my sewing skills.
3. Sell at least 15 items on Etsy.
-I joined Etsy like forever ago. Actually it was in May, but it feels like forever ago. I still haven't had anyone buy my stuff. *tear* This is the part where you feel sorry for me and buy it all! Lol! Just kidding! Well, the Living Water Shoppe has been on hiatus for the past three months while I've been in France, but it'll be back in business on January 5th most likely. I have a couple more items to add on and a brain full of new projects that I can start once I get back to getting some money from nursery work and such. Anyway, this 15 item goal will hopefully spur me on to better and greater products in the future.
4. Read at least 30 books.
-I keep a notebook where I record each book that I read, the day I finished it, the number of pages it had, and if I own it or not. When I looked back at it yesterday, I found out that I had read 29 books in 2009! How awesome is that? So my goal for this year is to at least read 30 books, but hopefully I'll get to more than that!
5. Gain more self-control/ patience.
-I tend to get mad easily, particularly with my family, and I want to change that. Patience, in particular, is a hard lesson to learn, I know. But I'd rather learn such an important lesson now than at a later date when it'll likely be even harder for me. Both of these character traits- self control and patience- tend to go hand in hand and are particularly important when people look at us as Christians to be examples of what the gospel teaches. I don't want to wait until I've managed to hurt everyone I love in some way or another before I learn this. I want to learn now.

Those are just five of my lovely New Year's Resolutions. So here's my question: What are yours? How are you seeking to better serve the Lord this year? What are you seeking to accomplish with your time? How are you seeking to better yourself as this new year represents another new start?
Have a blessed day!

I Celebrate the Day

Here's a fantastic recording of I Celebrate the Day by Relient K set to scenes from the Nativity Story, my favorite Christmas movie. Enjoy and remember just why we celebrate Christmas this year!

Living From Desire

"Jesus ran because he wanted to, not simply because he had to or beccause the Father told him to. He ran 'for the joy set before him,' which means he ran out of desire. To use the familiar phrase, his heart was fully in it. We call the final week of our Savior's life his Passion Week. Look at the depth of his desire, the fire in his soul. Consumed wiht passion, he clears the temple of the charlatans who have turned his Father's house into a swap meet (Matt. 21:12). Later, he stands looking over the city that was to be his bride but now lies in the bondage of her adulteries and the oppression of her taskmasters. 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,' he cries, '...how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathrs her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing' (Matt. 23:27, italics mine). As the final hours of his greatest struggle approach, his passion intensifies. He gathers with his closest friends like a condemned criminal sitting down to his last meal. He alone knows what is about to unfold. 'I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you,' he says, 'before I suffer' (Luke 22:15, italics mine). Then on he presses, through the intensity of Gethsemane and the passion of the cross. Is it possible he went through any of it halfheartedly?
"When the going gets rough, we're going nowhere without desire. And the going will get rough. The world, the minions of darkness, and your own double-mindedness are all set against you. Just try coming alive, try living from your heart for the Sacred Romance and watch how the world responds. They will hate you for it and will do everything in their power to get you to fall back into the comfort of the way things were. Your passion will disrupt them, because it sides with their own hearts which they've tried so hard to put away. If they can't convince you to live from the safer places they have chosen, they will try intimidation. If that fails, they'll try to kill you- if not literally, then at the level of your soul." -From pgs 197-198 of The Sacred Romance (Italics actually aren't mine, those are the author's italics.)
Have a blessed day!

'Tis The Season To Be Stressed Out

Yesterday, I talked to Kelli on Twitter just about life in general. She began to tell me how stressed out she's been lately. There's so much that she needs to do and so many things she's being asked to help out with and it's all just weighing down on her.
Now Kelli is one of those people who tends to over-commit themselves. She's done it for as long as I've known her. She's not very good at saying 'No" when people ask her to help out with something- so she says "Yes" and gets so much put on her plate that it looks like Thanksgiving dinner all over again!
It seems, though, that it's a similar case for everyone around this time of year. You may not be over-committing yourself to various projects, but perhaps you're stressed out about something else. I know my brother and I have been struggling to keep up with our schoolwork to the point where it almost seems like our Co-op teachers have decided to throw it just a little extra work just to watch us squirm. And I can't tell you how many Facebook and Twitter updates I've seen talking about what a horrible day or week it's been.
It seems that the Christmas season just hands you loads of things to get stressed about and you're expected to just swallow it all and keep from puking before you make it to the bathroom. People are stressed about money, about Christmas shopping, about too many committments (like Kelli), about exams and schoolwork (like Mitchell and I), or about any other number of things.
So what are we supposed to do? Down a bottle of Pepto-bismol and hope we don't look green on the Christmas cards?
Here's my 'Season of Stressfulness' advice: Just take a deep breath and handle things one at a time, all the while remembering that this isn't what this season is about.
You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. If you try, you're just going to run yourself into the ground. Figure out what's important to you and pursue it. Figure out what needs to be accomplished and tackle it. Then you can use the extra time to commit to a FEW things and do those efficiently and with good spirits.
This season isn't about beating everyone else by getting the best present for Martha. It's not the time to push and shove so you can get little Johnny the best toy ever, even if that's what the commercials try to tell you. It's not about over-working yourself, even if you genuinely want to help, and it's not about getting stressed because yet another thing has been unavoidably added to your workload.
Christmas is about remembering the birth of Christ- that's why we as Christians celebrate it. As far as I'm concerned, the world can keep their plasma screens and their blow up Santas, they can keep their platinum credit cards and their shiny new cars. If that's what they want to celebrate, far be it from me to rain on their parade.
I choose to celebrate something infinitely more worthwhile.
God came to earth in human flesh in order to bring hope to a fallen world. He came to rescue his bride, plunging into the world that had been so overwhelmed by the muck of sin just so he could draw us out. He brought Life anew to the world, reminded us that there is more than just us, and eventually died in our stead. He took the cross, which was our rightful punishment, and bore it so we wouldn't have to. He then defeated death and rose again, leaving to prepare a place for us. Even then, He did not abandon us- but gave us the Comforter who helps us and leads us in a world that wishes us to return to our sin.
We anxiously and joyously wait for His return, in which He will draw us back into Him. There will be a wedding feast that will surpass all. I can't wait!
So what are a few shiny cars and blow up Santas when the Savior of the world is desperately in love with me? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
In this all too stressful time of year, don't get distracted by the bright lights and loud noises, because they're only trying to quiet the voice of the One who is gently wooing you. So take a deep breath, seperate yourself from the noise, and spend time with Him.
Don't let Jesus be neglected because you've got too much homework to bother with Him. Don't let Him get pushed aside by the over-filled shopping cart. He's worth so much more than anything this world can offer.
[Picture compliment of Google Images]
Have a blessed day!

Oh So Thankful Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving went off pretty well today!
We've been trying to get supplies for the last week, really. Dad went to the States last week and got a couple of things like Nestle's chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, and cranberry sauce. A good amount of this will carry over until Christmas! Yay!
Of course, we're especially excited about fudge. If you've ever been to my house around this time of year, you know that my mom makes the best fudge EVER! It's a secret family recipe that we all love and enjoy sharing with others as much as possible.
The French are lucky to have us! :D
Due to it being Thanksgiving, I decided that I would do what probably every other blogger is doing today- making a list of things I'm most thankful for. I'll make it short so I don't bore you to death by means of redundancy. :D

1) First and foremost, I am thankful for the Heavenly Father who made me, redeemed me, and keeps me on my feet. He has been my King, my Best Friend, my Savior, the Keeper of my heart, and my God. He is the most important person in my life and there's nothing I'm more thankful for than the sacrifice He made because of my transgressions. He took my place on that cross and saved me when I was worthless. For that, I can never be thankful enough.

2) I am thankful for my family. They are always beside me, steadying me and filling my life with smiles. Even when we fight, and we fight alot, we learn to forgive one another and keep walking side by side. I'm thankful that God has put me in the family he has- I love them so much!

3) My friends! I have such an awesome support system of friends that I love to death. Though we get funny looks because of our constant playful bickering and sarcasm, we love each other dearly and aren't afraid to say it. :D They keep me accountable and are always challenging me to be my best.

I would say that those three are the very most important things. Sure, there are many other things that I am thankful for and if I sat down and wrote it all out, we would be here for hours.
Take the time today to think on the many things the Lord has blessed you with today. Really stop and think about it all- He did all of that for you.
Even the most obscure thing that makes you smile- it's him wooing you. The nice man opening the door for you, your mom making your favorite dessert, or getting the last candy bar that you wanted so badly. Is it really that far-fetched of an idea that Christ cares about me enough to just make me want to smile? No. No it's not.
The thought just floors you doesn't it? It floors me.
Keep that in mind as you celebrate this day of thankfulness.
Have a blessed day!

"You forget I'M in America!"

Today I was working on my Geography schoolwork while listening to my iTunes on shuffle when the song "America" from the West Side Story soundtrack came on.
This song is sung by the 'Sharks'- the Puerto Rican gang- as an argument between the boys and girls. The girls claim that everything is better in America, while the boys claim that all there is to be found there is racial prejudice and their true home is in Puerto Rico. It's a very good song and I love it!
Anyway one of my favorite parts is in the middle when Bernardo tries to make a point to his girlfriend, Anita.

Bernardo: "Everywhere grime in America, organized crime in America, terrible time in America."
Anita: "You forget I'm in America!"

Haha... I think she won that one.

Anyway, so I was thinking of those lyrics and I felt like God pointed something out to me. I've been thinking alot about how much I miss Texas and can't wait to go back home. I can't wait to see everyone who I've been missing so terribly.
With the definite possibility of our coming back far more frequently in the next few years, I've really got to come to terms with the fact that this is where God's taking me and I have to be content with that.
It's not that I'm not contented here, I ought to say. It's just being in a foreign country where no one speaks your language, in a big city that makes you uncomfortable, and hundreds of miles away from just about everyone you know (except my mom, dad, and brother, thankfully!). It's not comfortable and it's not something I totally enjoy.
I don't mind coming for two or three weeks, but three months is beginning to feel like forever.

Anyway, back to the point.
It doesn't matter where I am or how far I am from everyone I love, God is still there. Yaweh is still on His throne and He's still loving me. He's the one who's placed me here for the time being and He's the one who will bring me back if we come back.
No matter how hard it is to get adjusted, no matter how much I feel like I'm in over my head, no matter how much I'd rather just go home now- His will surpasses all and He knows what He's doing.
And I'm willing to trust Him through it all, because His plan for my life is better than any I could imagine!

I hope this post makes sense, because it sorta feels like I'm rambling. :P
My God is in France, He's in America, and He's even in Malawi. Nothing can separate me from His love, and that's all I need.

1 John 2:17
And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Romans 8:38-39
38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Have a blessed day!

The Adventure in Following Christ Pt.2

What's So Special About Stories?

"Story is the language of the heart. Our souls speak not in the naked

facts of mathematics or the abstract propositions of systematic theology; they speak the speak the images and emotions of story." 

-pg 39; The Sacred Romance by John Eldredge & Brent Curtis

If you can't tell by the start of this post and the last one, I'm currently reading The Sacred Romance. It's really a fantastic book that I'm quickly become enraptured with.
For one thing, it's covering something that I've been wanting to write about for a while now, but haven't been able to find the words to do so. This book (and the use of it's quotes :) has been the catalyst for this short series I've been wanting to do.

The question is this: What's so special about stories?
Why do we identify with them so much? Why do they enrapture us so easily?
Stories surround us. From overhearing what the animated narrative the woman at the table to your left is giving to her counterpart to bedtime stories, from movies to plays, from books to short stories, from YouTube to Blogger. All of these run rampant with fantasy, action, romance, tragedy, comedy, and the conquering of good over evil (usually).  From the Disney princesses to Narnia to Lord of the Rings, we've been raised by the stories surrounding us.
Even Jesus used stories called parables to display Biblical truth and the Bible itself is a collection of the stories of men and women who gave everything for God.
Mankind identifies with stories because they realize that they're in one. For Christians, we realize that we are in a story where Good ultimately conquers Evil and we each have our part in the battle. As the authors of The Sacred Romance say- it's a collection of small stories that add up to one massive and intricate tale of God's love and the redemption of His Bride.


 "It is a world of magic and mystery, of deep darkness and flickering starlight. It is a world where terrible things happen and wonderful things too. It is a world where goodness is pitted against evil, love against hate, order against chaos, in a great struggle where often it is hard to be sure who belongs to which side because appearances are endlessly deceptive. Yet for all its confusion and wildness, it is a world where the battle goes ultimately to the good, who live happily ever after, and where in the long run everybody, good and evil alike, becomes known by his true name. . . . That is the fairy tale of the Gospel with, of course, one crucial difference from all other fairy tales, which is the claim made for it is that it is true, that it not only happened once upon a time but has kept on happening ever since and is happening still." 
-excerpt from Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale by Frederick Beuchner on page 46 of The Sacred Romance.


In Part 3 of this series, I will begin fleshing out the Real Story, the story that we all have a part of. (This is the part I've been looking forward to.)


Have a blessed day!

See You At The Pole

[Picture compliment of Google Images]
For many school kids, today was See You At The Pole!
For those of you who don't know (like some homeschoolers *Danae* or whomever), SYATP is an annual tradition carried out by kids in public and private schools alike. It's a usually student-lead prayer meeting normally held before school hours on the appointed date.
Seeing as I don't have a flag pole in front of my home, though my neighbor does :D, I went to Kerri and Kelli's school for their SYATP. They asked me to sing while their friend Brandon played the guitar when it came time for worship and I did.
The whole thing turned out pretty well! Kerri lead most of it and I managed to get through worship without shaking too much. For those who don't know, I'm one of those odd people who shakes if their even the slightest bit nervous- so it's pretty common for me. :P
I pray that the Lord was able to plant some seeds in the hearts of those who came. There were probably anywhere from 35-50 students that came for it, and many at least caught a glimpse of our time around the flag pole.
It was a great time of prayer and worship and I think it was really great that so many came. There aren't a lot of sold-out believers out there. It was a wonderful time of ministry and I encourage everyone to try to go to one when it comes around next year!
Have a blessed day!

My Hero, My Protector

Psalm 56:3-4
3Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. 4In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

As most who went on the LA Trip with me know, especially Kelli, I'm one of those people who freezes when put in a potentially dangerous situation. My heart rate starts going ninety miles an hour, my eyes go wide, and my brain goes blank. Suddenly, all common sense goes out the window and I'm left with my deer-in-the-headlights look.

I wish I were one of those quick-thinkers, like Anthony, who can talk himself probably out of any situation. Or A.Will, who no one would want to mess with because he's big, black, and brawny. :D Or Jordan, who'll go back up to the person who was hitting on us, just so they know that we're not in any way interested. Or Kelli, who seems to keep her wits about her enough to relocate the two of us to the closest male on our team when we're placed in these scary situations.
But I'm not, I'm one of those who freezes up and my brain stops functioning somewhat.
I've been thinking about all of this today and laughingly thinking that my future husband will one day have to be working overtime if we're ever in dangerous places. :P
As I was pondering all of this, I felt like the Lord reminded me of something. He is always protecting me. He is the only one that can truly keep me safe. In each of those situations in LA where I felt unsafe, he put someone with me or nearby that would lead me to protection. He put Kelli beside me because she knew to push us over to Jordan. He put Kelli and I near A.Will, because He knew that A.Will would see that we needed a little help and would come over to us.
Psalm 57:1-3
1Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. 2I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. 3He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.
I don't have to be afraid in any situation. Like the first verse says- What can flesh do to me?
The Lord is the only one under whose covering I'll be in complete safety. There's more than the occasional creepy guy that I need protection from. There's also a horde of Satan's demons that would also love to see me fail. The Lord is my Protector and he's always watching out for me.
Satan ain't got nothin' on that!
Psalm 61:2-4
2From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. 4I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.
Have a blessed day!

On Women and Submission

Well, I was going to make my next post on the reason that I wear skirts. However, since I got so much feedback on my previous post "Should Christian Women Wear Headcoverings??" I decided that I should address some of the questions and issues raised within the comment section.
Some of them just made me laugh with the absurdity of their remarks. Many were made with a false recognition of what Biblical standards are or what their purposes are. I was told that I'm "under the thumb" of my parents and that I think I'm inferior to men.
Far from it.
Men and women are of equal value, yet they have different God-ordained roles. Neither is somehow more worthy of God's love or of far more worth than the other. In fact, when God saw that Adam was alone in the Garden, he said it was not good. Man needed woman before it was good.
However, there are still roles that God set into place even before the Fall. Man is the head. This doesn't mean that his inherent worth is much more than that of woman. It just means that he has a different job. Men were designated to be the head, the providers, and the protectors. Women were designated to be the helpmeets, the nurturers, and the educators.
The Lord made us uniquely gifted in motherly care, tenderness, and a fierceness to protect those we love. When we support our husbands (or for we unmarried folk, our fathers), we further their vision and therefore work alongside them in raising the next generation for Christ.
While women are called to submit, men are called to love with a sacrificial love- willing to lay down their lives for the ones they love. They are called to be Christlike, leading their Bride into holiness and loving her with a passion while protecting her from the snares of the Enemy.
I'll be proud to one day submit to my husband as he leads our family into righteousness. Until then, the Lord is my husband and he has set my father as my head until I am under the covering of my husband.
Have a blessed day!

Super Aspirations

[The following is taken from a story I posted on my FanFiction Account yesterday. My fanfiction account can be found here, for any of you who would like to see it.]

Super Aspirations
by Kirsten Erin

When we watch Justice League cartoons, or countless other action-y movies, why do we long to be apart of them? When we read about Flash saving Central City, watch Batman save Gotham, or sit with our eyes glued to the screen as Superman sacrifices himself for the people of Earth, why do we wish we could take their place? Why is it that we wish to stand side-by-side with the Justice League as they save the Earth one more time, sacrificing all to keep the people safe?

What is it that rises up within us when we watch Narnia? What is that longing that creeps upon us as we read those books written by C.S. Lewis? What is it that makes us want to draw our swords and charge into battle alongside the Pevensies as they fight once more to save Narnia? What is it that makes our adrenaline rush when we read each new story and cause us to long for more?

Let me tell you, because I believe I have it quite figured out.

The desire is one that runs through each of us. It's indwelt quite deep in every bit of God's creation as even the grass sings it's praise unto the most High God. I can hardly comprehend it myself.

Each of us were meant to take part in a great battle. Each of us currently do, however most hardly recognize it's prescence. It's sad how in the end, we help the enemy because of our own ignorance.

The Lord has called us to a great battle that He will ultimately win.

Like Aslan and Superman, He sacrificed himself for your love.
Like Aslan and Batman, He'll give everything for 'the mission'.
Like Aslan and Shayera, He knows what it's like to be persecuted because their loyalties didn't line up with what others thought they should've.
Like Aslan and Flash, He loves far deeper than we'll ever understand.
Like Aslan and J'onn, He knows what it's like to lose everything.
Like Aslan and Wonder Woman, He's strong enough to help you through any challenge.

Open up your heart. He wants to know you so much more than you're letting him now.

"Enemy-occupied territory- that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church you are really listening-in to the secret wireless from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going." - Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis; pg 46.

John 19:28-30
28After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" 29Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30So when Jesus had received the wour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
John 20:24-29
24Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
26And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" 27Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.
28And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
29Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Growth Spurt

I won't write much today, because I'm super tired and it's 1:39. I'm going to attempt to make this short and sweet.
I just wanted to let y'all know that I feel like God is really moving in Paradigm right now. I can see it nearly plain as day. It's pretty hard to miss. He's raising up leaders and moving us closer to him.
I feel like the prophetic words of Christ in John 4 are beginning to come to pass, where He says that a time will come when the true worshippers will come forth. I believe He's currently molding us and that goal is just on the horizon.
Right now, God is cleaning out the ears of His children. He's always speaking, the problem is that we're usually too distracted to hear it. He's cleaning out our ears and we're beginning to hear Him more than ever before and we're able to recognize His voice like the sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd. I know that's truly happening in my life.
I believe that right now, He's calling His children in the Youth Ministry to rally toward Him, to crawl into His lap and get in His face. He's ready to pour out blessings on us. He's showing many His plan and is beginning to set things in motion that will be like the small pebbles that begin an avalanche.
We're going to be able to look back in a few years at this time in God's movement in our lives and pinpoint it saying, "That's where it all started!"
God's moving. Keep your expectations high and your heart open- God's about to show up and show out!
Have a blessed day!

Rainy Days

With all this rain that's been sporadically blessing (and/or inconveniencing) all of us in the Dallas area- I can't help but think about something God told me while I was at YFN.
I was laying in my bed on the last night, my body laying down and my mind sitting up as usual, when I saw a flash on the wall. I was confused for a moment, then figured a storm must be coming in.
I almost fell off the top bunk trying to peek out the window and catch sight of some of the lightning strikes. I love thunderstorms. There is just something soothing about the sound of the rain mixed with the rumbling thunder and beautiful bolts of lightning. It just brings a smile to my face.
So as I leaned halfway off of the CFNI bunk bed and watched the storm roll in, I continued to pray about the service we'd just been released from a few hours earlier and about Paradigm.
I asked God what this coming storm meant, if anything. God's always speaking through little things- the struggle is grasping what that is.
Then some of the lyrics from Curvine's song Revival popped into my head

"I'm not talking about just a couple of drops of rain
But what I'm saying is similar to a tital wave
Open up the gates, let it rain
Open up the gates, let it rain"

I just felt like God was telling me that was what He has in store for Paradigm and all of His people. He's going to move through us like a ripple of water moves through the whole body of water. We just have to be willing and ready to move.
I can't wait to see the ripple effects in Paradigm in the coming weeks!
Have a blessed day!

God's Amazing Provision

[Image compliment of the Reader's Digest website]

We had Servolution two weeks ago, that was our missions trip to our own town and surrounding areas. We got to help out some at a ministry based in Dallas called Care Center Ministries and it was such a blessing to help them out. One day, we got to help out with The Basket, where we gave a box full of food to each family that came in.

Each box was filled to the brim with canned foods, breads, and other donated items. And each box also received a goodie on top- some got mashed potatoes, others had cake, and still more had pizza boxes.

Kerri and I were carrying out one with a pizza box on top to someone's car when we overheard a woman nearby. She was talking to a guy beside her as she said, "When I get some money, I'm gonna buy my kids a pizza- straight from the store."

I was struck by the layers of meaning that statement had. How often do we take for granted a simple box of pizza? We have so much going for us, and too often we forget to thank God for each little thing. Instead, like our consumer-driven culture, we choose to complain about all that we don't have.

Anyway, this was such a testimony to me of God's provision and just how great He was. That simple statement was what taught me the most on this missions trip. It's amazing how you hear God's voice most clearly when you're doing His will.

Have a blessed day!