Living a Legacy

I went to a funeral today. Mrs. Hazel Struck was eighty-eight when she passed on, this Thursday. The farewell of her family and friends was beautiful and touching in so many ways. I sat in the crowded sanctuary, gazing on all the lives she had touched in her time on this earth and I couldn't help thinking of what a legacy she'd left herself. She'd touched so many lives.
We've all heard the saying, "Live your life so the preacher won't have to lie at your funeral." This woman did that and so much more. The two pastors that got up to speak couldn't stop singing her praises. She was a woman who lived her life in excellence, constantly radiating the love and grace that Christ offers. One would be hard-pressed to find something bad to say about her. Her heart was for her God and for her family. She prayed for her children and grandchildren constantly.
One life has such a great impact. The way she lived hers had touched so many in that room, who knows how many more it has reached, albeit inadvertantly. Daddy says I've met her before. I don't remember her, but even in death, her story has touched my heart.
I want to leave a legacy like that one day. I pray that my love for God and for people would outshine my many flaws in the end. I hope I have so many children and grandchildren, one day, whose lives have been irrepairably affected by my witness.
Pastor Heath quoted Malachi 3:16-17a when referring to Mrs. Hazel:
16Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name. 17"They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels.
He reminded us that a woman like her can only be described as a gem. That we can all be made gems when we let Christ changed our hearts and make us beautiful, as a jeweler makes a diamond beautiful by cutting out the impurities.
I pray that the Lord would be so gracious to me, that one day I can be described as God's gem. I want to be so devoted and close to Him that His light shines through me unto the nations. I can't do it without His help and niether could she. It's only by God's grace that we find the hope to be His jewels and leave a legacy of love for generations to come.
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!

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!

It's Not A Game

[Image compliment of Google Images]

I woke up this morning with God speaking to my heart.

I think I'd fallen asleep last night praying for a friend of mine who I'd been talking to. This person doesn't know the Lord and the hope He brings. They don't want to be a part of Christianity or serving God.

This morning, I woke up with that person still fresh on my mind and was wondering what would happen if I never reached them. What would happen if that person never accepted the love of God? What if they died and went to Hell, still not knowing how much God loved them?

Immediately, I heard God say "It's not a game."

And it isn't.

The point He was making in telling me this was that we can't keep going through life acting as if the salvation of others is just a game. We can't keep pretending that it doesn't have eternal consequences and treating it as a game where we try to get the most converts.

That's not what it's about.

Christ told us to make disciples of all nations because He longs for His children to return to Him, not so we can get bonus points. He doesn't want to spend eternity away from the countless mass of people that reject Him, but He won't force them to spend enternity with Him if they don't want to.

Christians, we have to move. We can't keep putting off His call. This is serious. We really don't know how long we have to reach those around us. At any moment, someone close to us could die and spend eternity separated from all things good, pure, and pleasing to God- including God himself. We need to be on the offensive. This isn't time to sit back and 'enjoy' life.

It's a war and we need to get suited up.

Put down the board game and grab your sword. It's time to move.

Have a blessed day!

A Truly Strong Woman

The following is an excerpt taken from page 100 of the book, So Much More, by Anna Sofia Botkin and Elizabeth Botkin:

A truly strong woman is not masculine or mannish, but is firm in decision,
character, beliefs, and action; she has all the softness that does not imply
weakness in the wrong way; she is possessive of a firmness that is not harsh or
domineering or exclusive of delicacy. She has the ability to provide for
herself, but in restraint does not. Instead she channels that ability by
supporting and building up her father or husband, enabling him to fulfill his
God-ordained role. The strong woman is loving toward family, helpful whenever
she can be; she is competent, capable, and intelligent, yet dependent on,
trustful of, and submissive to the Lord and her father or husband. I had never
before understood the harmony that existed between being strong and being
feminine. Yet a feminine woman is a strong woman, because her strength comes
from embracing and fulfilling the role that God has given to women.

Have a blessed day!

Ignorance is Negligence

[Image compliment of Photobucket]



One thing that God has been laying on my heart alot recently is the fact that we need to stop being ignorant in our faith.
Too many times we setttle on the back of the theology we hear spouted all around us, rather than standing up and finding out what we believe and why we believe it. We answer questions with recited answers. We go along with what all the other Christians are doing because we figure they know what's going on better than we do.
This is our faith. Take hold of it!
God doesn't need a bunch of mindless followers wandering idly in His general direction. He calls us to stand up and take hold of the purpose He's given us. He wants children who will sacrifice life and limb to call Him Lord.
How often do we really look in to each aspect of our Christianity? How much of what we believe is based upon actual Scriptural examples rather than our perception of what we think God will be pleased with?
We don't have to go through life guessing at what God thinks and says and does. It's all right there in His Word.
The challenge now is to seek it out.
Find out what God expects of you and dare to go against the mindset of those who'd rather stay in their comfort zones. How much of what you do is actually Biblical or just what you want to do?
Search it out. Know the Truth.
Because ignorance isn't bliss, it only hurts you in the long run.
Have a blessed day!

He's Crying Out

Isaiah 65:1-5

1"I was sought by those who did not ask for Me;

I was found by those who did not seek Me.

I said, 'Here I am, here I am,'

To a nation that was not called by My name.

2I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,

Who walk in a way that is not good,

According to their own thoughts;

3A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face;

Who sacrifice in gardens,

And burn incense on altars of brick;

4Who sit among the graves,

And spend the night in the tombs;

Who eat swine's flesh,

And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

5Who say, 'Keep to yourself,

Do not come near me,

For I am holier than you!'

These are smoke in My nostrils,

A fire that burns all day.

For some reason this passage of Scripture has always stuck out to me. Perhaps it's because I can almost hear the desperation in God's voice as He cries 'Here I am!' to tHis rebellious children. Maybe it's because I know that we're those rebellious children. Whatever it is, these five verses speak a relevant and very real truth that needs to be heard.

God has been reaching out to His children for hundreds and thousands of years. Lovingly, He wants to draw us in and restore us to our former glory- to make us into the beautiful creations He intended for us to be.

But with each loving touch He pours out on us, mankind shows in a new and more utterly vile way just how far we've fallen, just how enslaved we are to Satan and his schemes.

How dare we spit in our Creator's face?

How dare we stir Him to anger?

And yet He still weeps in longing for our love?

Hosea 2:19

19"I will betroth you to Me forever;

Yes, I will betroth you to Me

In righteousness and justice,

In loving kindness and mercy;

20I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,

And you shall know the Lord.

Many claim the name of God while sitting back and muddying the glory of His name by being apathetic hypocrites. It almost makes me sick! And a substantial amount of that disgust can be accredited to the fact taht I've been guilty of these very things.

This is a time to become prostrate before the Lord. We must seek to do His will and redeem all those times we've made it about ourselves rather than his love.

Examine your heart today, every day. I'll do the same with mine. Hear His desperate cry for your love- will you answer Him and fall to your knees, overwhelmed by a passion and desire to love Him? Or will you continue to sit on your butt and spit in his face?

If it's the latter, do Him a favore and be real with yourself and everyone else- if you're going to continuously act like that, you're not truly a Christian.

Cry out to Him today and put a smile on the face of the man who died to raise you from the ashes. Now that's what Love is.

A sixteen year-old girl in Asia laid down her life rather than neglect God's Word. Are you willing to lay down your magazine? -Alex & Brett Harris

Have a blessed day!

A Lesson in Serving from the Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37
25And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
26He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?:
27So he answered and said, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind', and 'your neighbor as yourself'."
28And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live."
29But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30Then Jesus answered and said; "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a certain priest came down the road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.' 36So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"
37And he said, "He who showed mercy on him."
Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Everybody knows the story of the Good Samaritan. Okay, that's a lie. Most people do, though. And if you haven't- you skipped the beginning of this post and need to go back and read it- Now!
:D
I taught Jr. High Sunday school last Sunday (not the 30th, the week before) and my topic was Serving. While I was researching and prayign about this, I read the story of the Good Smaritan and was elated to find 3 points about Serving the parable portrays. And everyone knows that every good preacher has to have a 3 point sermon!
Well, after noticing my notes just wasting away in my journal the other night, I decided to share the lesson with you, my lovely readers.
Enjoy!:

There are 3 lessons we can learn from the Good Samaritan that I want to share with you.

1. You can't claim to know God and have no compassion for His people.
The Levite and the priest left him. Both were men who were known for their service to God (Lev. 21:8, Num. 3:12). They were set apart for God's use, yet they didn't even care enough to help a fellow Jew.
If we love God, we'll take care of His children. We can't choose one or the other. Jesus portrays this message to Peter by telling him to "Take care of My sheep." (John 21:15-16)

2. People won't always be thankful for your help.
The Samaritans were despised by the Jews mainly because of their having intermarried with the Gentiles. The Jews looked down upon them and kept their distance.
Even wit hthis fact, the Good Samaritan still chose to help the bloody and bruised man lying by the side of the road. This Samaritan had no assurance that even after saving this Jew and spending his own money to save his life- the Jew wouldn't stand up, spit in his face, and leave the moment he woke up. In fact, that may have seemed very likely to him at the time.
He still helped and put his needs and wants second to that of this Jewish man.
He knew that God had compassion for this man, and took it upon himself to be the hands and feet of God in this situation.

3. It's not just a story- You have to act on it.
Jesus often used fiction to portray eternal truth. These were parables. At the end of the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus tellls the lawyer, "Go and do likewise". He didn't just tell them a cute little story so that everyone would smile and feel good for a few minutes- He was evoking them to action.
Are you willing to step out and do this?

Matthew 25:31-40
31"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

This passage goes on to tell about those who didn't do those things and how they were punished.
In other words, even if people don't see your service to God or misinterpret it- God sees your heart and will reward or punish accordingly.
Will you put your selfish desires aside and step out in faith?
I don't know about you- but I'd like for God to thank me one day, like He does to those in the Matthew passage of Scripture. I most definitely do not want to see God's disappointment as He hangs His head in sorrow, because I didn't love Him enought to love on His kids, too.
Have a blessed day!

Question #12:Concerning This Generation

Q12: What is your honest-to-God opinion about the teenage generation?

My opinion is that our generation is one that is hurting. Many teens have turned to sex, drugs, and numerous other things to try to dull the pain that they feel so intensely.
Our generation is one that feels deeply and when we believe something wholeheartedly, we pursue it with everything in us.
I think it was Pastor Nick that once said our generation is one that yearns for love, but keeps everyone an arm's length away.
So many things have been perverted in our society that the teens are reaching out for something, anything, that they can to fill that hole from where their hearts have been ripped and broken. Many just don't know where to go. Those who wish them harm are the first to lend a hand and in their broken and hurting state, they accept it and it leads them to destruction.

Christians, we need to step out and reach them before those who wish them harm. We need to
show them that there is a spectacular and loving God who wishes the best for them. He has a plan for their lives and a purpose that Satan is trying to steal. Christ tells us we need to love on people. Let's get out there and do it.
We have to put aside our own fear and take each opportunity that we recognize God telling us to move to do just that- move. If we keep shutting the door and saying no, because of our own fears, He'll stop asking you. What a horrible day that will be when the Lord gives you over to your own selfishness.
And speaking of selfishness, this question also reminds me of Pastor Nick's message last night at Paradigm. He told us that people born within the last thirty years are more likely to get depressed than those in the generations before us, those who went through wars and depressions. Why is this? Why are the generations before us, who went through much more hardship than we ever have, so much happier?

Because they have learned contentment. Our generation has been taught by the media, and everyone else around us, that we are the center of the universe. We live in a culture of "Me, Myself, and I".

How sad is that?

Those before us were taught that everything it to be done for God. Prayer was taken out of schools in 1962, that's forty-seven years ago. It was about the time that our country seriously began moving away from its Christian foundations. I find it interesting that this happened only about two decades before those who are now thirty were born. Enough time for it to seriously start changing the next generation of children.

Christ tells us we need to pick up our crosses and follow him. We need to stop being so selfish and start reaching those around us. We need to start steering our nation back toward its roots in Christ. We have to start filling our lives with unceasing prayer and start moving when God says "Move!"

Christians, we've gotta move. I'm including myself in this charge. This challenge is directed to myself in this, as well as y'all. Like Pastor Nick said last night, "There are Christians all over the world that are literally dying for Christ, and we can't even die to our flesh." We can't even put Christ first in our lives, while they're putting Christ above their lives. It's something to seriously think about.

Let's turn our nation from be self-centered to being Christ-centered, once again.

Have a blessed day!

Related Posts by Me:

1) Christianity According to Ghandi
2) Prayer of Courage

3) Perseverance

Question #3: Concerning Character

Q3: What is character and why is it important?

According to Webster's Online Dictionary, character has many meanings. I took out the two that pertained to th is sort of character and will share them with you here.

Character:

5: Reputation

6: Moral excellence and firmness

So according to this, having good character would be likened to having integrity or good reputation.

Now why do we as Christians need to have good integrity?

Because we are a reflection of our King. He is the one we represent as we go out into the world and proclaim our faith. If we're not acting with great integrity, we are once again reflecting poorly on the Father who sent us out. And we are once again labelling His followers as hypocrites.

Christ tells us numerous times throughout the Bible to live without reproach. We are to do everything in excelllence and live lives of righteousness. That's why character is important. If we don't show others who God is, they'll never see Him.

[Picture compliment of Google Images]

Have a blessed day!

Open Mic Series

For the past two weeks we've had Open Mic Night at our church where questions submitted by the students ahead of time are answered by the leaders.

As I was listening to them tonight, I thought of something. Why not answer these same questions on my blog. When I was sitting there, reading the questions and hearing them answered, I kept thinking about how I would add to it or what I had learned concerning the topic that they might not have learned just yet.

Another thing is that I think it would help for those my age to hear the perspective of someone their age that is going after God has to say on the same issues. Someone who they can relate to more easily. Now some of the leaders are just out of high school, so they do very much relate to us, but I still want to give y'all my two cents.

These are questions that many need answers to, and I hope y'all will be encouraged by what I have to say. I may quote those who answered them in some instances as well.

Here is a list of the questions I'll be answering.

Q1: What is one way you can help change the direction teenagers are going? (If teenagers are going the wrong way, how can you help them change?)

Q2: How can we get an unshaken confidence that we are going to heaven?
Q3: What is character and why is it important?
Q4: Do you think God has called some people to be introverts or do we all have to be extroverts?
Q5: What are some hardcore issues that you have dealt with? How did you overcome them?
Q6:How would you change the world if you could take out something that you don't like?
Q7:Do you think abortion is wrong. If yes, why and what can we do to change it?

Q8: How would you define Christ's scacrifice?
Q9: What do you think about girls who show off their bodies too much?
Q10: Why is the older generation afraid to talk aobut worldly issues (sex, drugs, etc.)?
Q11: Is sex ever okay before marriage? Why or why not?
Q12: What is your honest-to-God opinion about the teenage generation?

Q13: Why do you think people get tired of Christianity or turned off by it?

I can't wait to get started on this series. Let me know what you think or if you have any questions you would like added or anything. You can email them to me or leave them in a comment.

I'm excited to see what God's going to do through this!

Have a blessed day!

Christianity According to Ghandi

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

"If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian today."

I have seen these quotes, both by Ghandi, alot recently. Why?- because there's alot of truth in them. Like Pastor Nick would say, "They're true... ish."
I don't know about you, but I feel like I get a little jab to the stomach every time I read them, especially the first one. I think we all know that many people outside the faith call us hypocrites. Why is this? For the same reason Ghandi stated- we are not living the way Christ did.
I'm not saying that Christians should be perfect. By all means, I think we know that's unattainable. What I am saying is that we have to stop using the "Nobody's perfect!" or "Everybody makes mistakes!" as a cop-out! It's absurd how often we use these lines as means for defense.
However, there is a difference between being perfect and striving toward perfection.
We as Christians should be the latter. Stop sitting on the sidelines saying, "I don't want to be called a prude!". Too bad for you, because I'm going to live my life so that when people see me, they know whom I serve.
You're always representing someone. If you aren't representing Christ, who are you representing? Who are you living for? If what you do isn't glorifying God, you aren't living for Him.

[Pictures compliment of Google Images]

Have a blessed day!

BrAiNwAsHeD???

1. 
   Unlike many, I'm not on Facebook- instead, I'm on Myspace. I prefer it over here.

Anyway, I was on the forums the other day and was told that I am brainwashed concerning parts of what the Bible says about women, such as submitting to my husband.

My question is this- Why are we called brainwashed for simply not believing what everyone else believes?

Brainwashing is defined, by Webster's Online Dictionary, as:
1 : a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas
2 : persuasion by propaganda or salesmanship

Obviously, most people that call us this don't know what it means. I'm pretty sure that believing something doesn't constitute brainwashing.
I also went to Yahoo!Answers and asked about this. I asked believers if someone had said this to them and non-believers if they held this belief. Here's the question.
The results?

• I was called brainwashed a few more times.
• Many Christians wrote in saying this was pretty common for them and why they believed it was so
• Others told me I was not brainwashed, but indoctrinated

Now you're asking- What exactly does indocrinated mean? Well, here's your answer:
1 : to instruct especially in fundamentals or rudiments : teach
2 : to imbue with a usually partisan or sectarian opinion, point of view, or principle
They are right, I am indoctrinated with Christianity.
And they are with their beliefs as well.
How many people aren't indoctrinated by something or other? Everyone. So, yeah, I claim that.

We know the truth and we can't let their calling us brainwashed keep us from giving them the chance to see it. No one wants to go on living a lie. Our job is to show them that they are so they can see the truth.

[Picture compliment of Google Images]

Have a blessed day!

Prayer of Courage

Lord, help me to be the woman of God you've called me to be.

Give me the courage to stand for what I believe in, even when it's hard and to follow you wherever you lead me.

I've gone through alot of valleys and you've been with me every step of the way- whether I realized it or not. Help me to stand firm beside you and when it's too hard, remind me that you'll carry me then.

You have created me to love you and bring glory to your name, that's all I want to do. Don't let my flesh or my selfish desires get in the way of that wonderful purpose.

Use me, God. I want to be a tool in your hands. Teach me how to show people your perfect love. I know I can't portray it the way you can, but let me be an example of who you are. You have done so much in my life and all I want to do is show others that same saving grace.

I can't do it, God. I'm hurt and broken just as much as the next person. I'm nothing special. It's you. You're the only one that can heal my broken heart and stand me up on my feet again. Only you can forgive sins and restore hearts. To you, I am everything.

Help me to show others how much you love me, and them. Our love can't even compare to the love that you have to offer.

Give us the nations!

Yesterday, during Pre-Service Prayer for our Wednesday Night Paradigm Service, I started reading the first few chapters of Psalms. When I read some of the verses, I would stop and pray them over Paradigm and the students.
One verse stuck out to me:
Psalm 2:8
Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance and the ends of the earth as your own possession.
I stopped at it and prayed it over Paradigm. That the students would ask and the Lord would give to them the nations. Not as actual earthly possessions, but as mission fields. As places where we have authority in Christ's name to spread His Word and change hearts for Him. That we would be able to claim the victory through Christ in that place where He put them. I prayed that they would proclaim this in their schools and workplaces and wherever they are now. That they wouldn't wait until they are actually out in another country to claim this promise as their own. They can claim it now. That God would hand them the victory in the place that they are now.
I challenge you to pray this over the place God has put you in right now- wherever that place is. No challenge is too great for the Lord.
It also reminded me of YFN. Every year we are assigned a different nation. I've gone for four years and have been given Israel, Croatia, Malawi, and Burkina Faso. Each time before our nation leaders would come out we had to yell, "GIVE US THE NATIONS!!!" And even though alot of us would rather not do nation games, our favorite part is the last day when they have us pray for ten minutes over our nation that we've come to love and represent. Our prayers for those nations were so powerful.
Why not do that as well? Perhaps God has put a certain nation or nations on your heart that you could pray for in your quiet time each day. Maybe you could just look up some different nations that need prayer. It's a great way to help your brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.
And for those of you who feel you are called to be missionaries, like myself, or maybe you are but don't know it yet- this is a great way to prepare yourself for the battle.
Look up information about that nation too, if you want. That way you can know some specific things to pray for. Like Malawi, my YFN Nation in 2007, it was 90% Christian but also nearly 100% AIDs infested (if I remember correctly). By knowing that information, I knew to pray for healing and help for the AIDs epidemic, and also for the Lord to strengthen the Christians there.
You never know how God intends to use you.
Have a blessed day!

Rock your school!

Today's blog is pretty much dedicated to some of my best friends, Kelli and Kerri (their names are similar because they are twins :D)

I've been talking to them today about how their first day of school was and it was exciting to hear about all the things that had happened today and how excited and ready they are to rock their school for the Lord.

That inspired my post today.

For most of y'all, today is your first day back at school. Summer's over and it's time to hit the books. Most of your time for the next ten months will be spent with the students at your school, unless you're homeschooled like me. In any case, this is your chance to make a difference. You're stuck with these kids for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. What better opportunity do you have to witness to your friends than this?

And for the kids going to Christian schools, this doesn't exclude you. I've gone to Christian schools almost all my life. You and I both know that you can make a difference there as well. Show them what it means to live your life as a sold-out Christian. Plus, just because they go to a Christian school doesn't mean they are Christian.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind y'all to be in prayer for your schools. Get ready, because God uses His willing servants to mess up the world. Ask Him to show you what to do this year and how to rock your school for Him.

This school year is going to be rockin'!

Have a blessed day!

Being An Example

Well here's my last entry in this series, and I'm actually glad that I've gotten it over with. Not that I don't enjoy this series because I do, just that I prefer writing on what I'm inspired to write that day rather than having a plan ahead of time. :P
Anyways, today's topic is about Being An Example to our unsaved friends. This is extremely important, especially in today's society where Christians are mainly thought of as hypocrites.
The point in this topic is that we need to show them what a real Christian looks like. Too many times, people are exposed to so many casual Christians that they no longer see any difference between Christianity and the rest of the world.
But they should see a difference. We have hope and we know the Truth- that a loving Savior came to die on the cross for us and because we accept that gift, He will give us eternal life with Him.
I don't have alot to say on this topic, but I do want to remind you that the people in your life are watching you. You may be the only Jesus they ever see.
Ephesians 5:1
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.
We should be imitating God in our lives because we love Him and we want to see His children love Him as well. As we imitate God, those looking up to us will want to imitate Him as well.
Whether you realize it or not, someone is looking up to you and that gives you a great responsibility.
Have a blessed day!

Being there for your Unsaved Friend

Another important component in reaching your unsaved friends for Jesus is simply being there for them. Your their friend who is supposed to represent Christ to them, and they need to know that the Lord is always there for them. The best way to show them that is to be there for them yourself.
You need to make sure your friend knows that you're there for them. Tell them that if they ever need to talk that you're always there for them, even if you feel like you sound cheesy. They will appreciate it just like you appreciate it when someone says the same to you.
When your friend needs you, remember to be patient and understanding. You'll need wisdom as well. This is one of the many reasons why it's important to stay in the Word and prayer. When they present you with questions about your faith you have to be prepared to answer them with the Truth.
Depending on how close you are with this unsaved friend, they will probably come to you with whatever it is that is hurting them most, and you've got to be there for them. Show them who Jesus is and what is people are like. And don't hesitate to bring Him into the conversation. I'm not saying that you should disregard whatever your friend says and just pound the Gospel into their head. I'm just saying that whenever you feel God's prompting for you to say something or when Christ could be easily filtrated into what you're saying. Let them know who you serve and how great He is. And show them that you live out what you believe.
Have a blessed day!

Pray it up!

Prayer is not only essential to keeping your relationship with God healthy and active, but also in reaching your friends for Jesus.
Prayer is how we talk to God. How do you pray? You speak! It's not some big complicated thing that you must do before God smites you. It's simply telling the God who created you what's going on in your life and asking for His help to lead you through life.
When we pray for our friends we are asking the Lord to work through us to make Himself known to that person. We need to be praying for our witness to them and for the Lord to strenghten us in Him so that we can be a light to them. We need to pray for wisdom when we speak and understanding when we listen.
Now we have to remember that the Lord isn't going to make them turn from their ways and follow Him. But He will give them a choice and many chances. He gave us free will for a reason- He wants His people to truly love Him... He doesn't want forced love.
Pray for your friend who doesn't know the Lord, there is so much power in prayer. There's no greater gift you can give someone than to be in prayer for them- even if they don't see the importance in that gift.
The Lord loves it when you talk to Him and He loves it when you express concern for His children. Ask Him to give you a heart for the lost, because that's where His heart is. Lift up your friends in prayer and pray that your words would reflect Him!
Have a blessed day!

Perseverance

Perseverance in showing Christ to your friends is critical. You have to keep pressing in. If you give up, your hope of reaching them is dashed.
Now I'm not telling you to go pound on your friend's door and tell them you won't stop until they accept Christ. That's not the type of perseverance I'm talking about.
You've got to keep trying. That's what I'm saying. Be there for them. Show them that you love them and that you aren't trying to con them into something. You are trying to show them the One who will bring them hope, joy, and peace.
Like I said in yesterday's post, you may be the only Jesus someone sees. We have to show them that Jesus won't give up on them. We may give up on Jesus, but He'll never give up on us. We have to be a portrayal of that. Do you want their only image of Jesus to be someone who gave up on them when things got hard?
Hebrews 12:1&2
1Since we are surrounded by so many examples of faith, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up. 2We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of Him, so He endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought Him. Then He received the highest position in heaven, the one next to the throne of God.
If you just skimmed through those verses. Re-read it. In fact, even if you read it the first time, read it again- now think about it.
God has put a race before us- a challenge, a purpose. What is that purpose?- to tell everyone of His great love for Him and the hope and joy He has to offer.
We have to focus on Jesus to get through. He didn't care what kind of a disgrace His love for us was, He gave it anyway. Why should we care what people think of us if this life is "but a breath"? The only thing we should be worried about, concerning what people think about us, is that we are representing Christ to a dying world.
If you truly love your friend, the greatest thing you could ever do for them is to lead them to Christ.
So persevere. Don't give up! I know it can be hard when it seems like everything you say is hitting a brick wall. Believe me, I understand that it's hard to keep trying. But you must. Your friend's salvation is counting on it.
Like the picture I put on here says "It's always darkest before the storm." When the storm comes, it brings rain with it. So think of it this way- It's always darkest before the rain. God will pour out. Keep praying for your friends. The Lord will prevail.
Have a blessed day!