More on relationships

So once again I find myself writing about relationships. I guess I just find it easy to write about it because I have seen so much just in the last few years when it comes to relationships. Here's a short list of things I have seen in the last few years in relationships: I've seen people rush into a relationship when they hardly know each other, I've seen a couple break up at least 10 times in the span of two years, and I have seen relationships end faster then they began. This is only a short list but the point is, over the years we have tarnished what it looks like to be in a relationship. Whether it be boyfriend and girlfriend, just friends, or even married, we have taken each of these scenarios and turned them into something they are not. If two people are just friends, they ususally want more but are too scared, if two people are dating, eventually things will change between them and who knows where it goes from there. I'm not pointing fingers at any single person  because every single one of us is guilty of doing this. I believe it is one of the greatest feelings to find that person that you are going to spend the rest of your life with but why are we in such a hurry to find him/her. We are too afraid that we will never find love but if we would just trust God and know he has someone in store for us, we would not worry so much about finding love at such a young age. There is no reason to rush into anything especially if that relationship is going to last for such a long time. When did it become wrong to actually be friends with somebody else for a few months first before diving into a relationship? We have such a long life in front of us so we might as well enjoy every second of it and stop worrying about who God is going to bring into your life. It's all a part of his time and I think it is easy to say that God is not an idiot so lets learn to trust in his plan and know that God has someone for each of us. One other things, it's okay to be SINGLE!!!!!!!

Tis the season to be jolly

I always love this time of the year because I get to spend time with my family and realize how lucky I have to have family that loves me so much, Not only do I love celebrating it with my family but I love celebrating the fact that this is the season that Jesus was born, the same Jesus who would eventually go on to die for our sins and save our life. So no only do we get to be jolly about being with our family but we also get to be jolly about the fact that this season is when it all started. Without this birth, there never would have been a crucifixion and a resurrection. I say it all the time, Christ died so that we would have life. So what are some ways that you can make this season jolly; it is as simple as having a christmas on another level. How do we do this? Give a hug to random stranger, give flowers to somebody, pray with somebody, give a gift, donate clothes to the homeless, etc.... The list goes on but just one simple act of kindness can change somebody's life but you will never get the chance to change somebody's life if you do not put yourself out there. We all need to trust God and know that he is only going to put us in situations where he knows that we will be able to change someone's life!!! Thank you Lord for creating this amazing season where we can breathe and know that you are God.

Being in put God's element

Have you ever thought to yourself, how in the world did I end up here and you have no idea why. Well I've been asking myself that for about the last 5 months and my first semester in college. How did a teenager like me end up here. I come from the exact opposite culture of what I have seen at my college. Let me tell you, it is nice to know that I was plucked from my element and put into God's element, outside of my comfort zone. God's comfort zone is the exact opposite of what we perceive to be our own. Our comfort zone is where we most feel comfortable and able to be who ourselves. God's comfort zone is the exact opposite. H:is is where you feel completely vulnerable and uncomfortable. You have no idea what to do and you ask yourself, why would God put me here. Well guess what? God knows where you belong and usually, it is the exact opposite of where we think belong. God has a tendency to completely change our plans and bring us back to where he knows we belong. We think we know it all, when in reality, we have no idea where we belong until we start to follow God's footsteps. God knows so much more than we do, but we are too selfish to listen to him. We get in the mindset that it is my  way or the highway. Well let me tell you something, God's way is the high way. Not a literal high way, but the high way to take. His way always prevails over our way. It's so easy to say, no God my way is better and you have no idea what you are talking about. I can only imagine what God is saying when we tell him that. I picture him with the biggest smirk on his facing saying, okay you think you know it all, go ahead. Little do we know that God knows that eventually, we are going come crawling back to him saying okay God, I was wrong and you were right. I cannot imagine how many times God hears that in a day. It's like a broken record player that just keeps going and going and going. But, we serve the most loving and compassionate God that he takes us back in everytime we stray from his path. So do not be afraid to be plucked out of your element and put into God's because in the long run, he knows exactly what he is doing. Take his highway instead of your highway. On your highway, your going to end being the broken down car on the side of the road, but on his highway, you are going to be the car pulling over to help the broken down car!!!

Joy!!!

There's not much I can say about joy except that it's one of the greatest feelings ever. So what's the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is circumstantial. It deals with how you feel during a certain moment or situation. But joy on the other hand, that's a feeling that never goes away once you gain it. You may not like the situation you are in but your joyful because of the inheritance that God has promised us. Instead of happily ever after, they should joyfully ever after because joy is something that cannot be taken away from you. Like the song goes, I have the joy of the Lord deep deep down inside of me. Once it's in there, it cannot be taken away. Like I said, there's not much to be said about joy but one thing is for sure, once you have it, you cannot lose it so you might as well be joyful about life.

God's Love for us: life's a dance

God's Love for us: life's a dance: "'Life's a dance you learn as you go, sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow, don't worry about what you don't know, life's a dance you lea..."

life's a dance

"Life's a dance you learn as you go, sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow, don't worry about what you don't know, life's a dance you learn as you go"!!! Trying to learn a new dance is as hard as learning what life is all about and why you are here. Let me give you some advice. It's ok not to know everything because you don't need to know everything. God knows everything there is to know about you and one day he will let you know what you need to know. Until that time, don't worry about it. All you need to do is sit back, enjoy life, and watch God for the ques. He's know what he is doing and he will lead you. All you have to do is follow and he will provide for you every step you take with him. There will be times like trying to learn a new dance when you step on his feet but he'll pick you back up and he will continue to lead you. Just have patience and trust that he knows what he is doing because he is the only one who knows what he is doing. He has your back and he will always support you through every victory and failure. Life is all about giving it a whirl and putting yourself out there even if it means being hurt and being successful. The most important thing to do is to pick yourself up when you fall and move on. God will always be there for you but we have to make that decsion to stick by him even when we are hurt and crushed. So just sit back, let God take the lead, lean on him for your strength and know that he will always pick you up after every fall!!!!

taking care of number one

There are times in my life when I find myself taking on the burdens of the people around me. During those times, I forget completely about myself. I think that I'm satisfied with life but as soon as that happens, I suddenly find myself experiencing more pain. How can we possibly become a better person if we do not do what we need to do for ourselves. No one in this planet can possibly handle all the pain and bitterness of everybody except for Jesus. The problem is that we all have a control problem. We do not trust the Lord enough to handle it. But the reality is that the only one who can possibly handle and fix all of it is God. All of us, even me, have to learn to surrender it all to Christ and know that his will is going prevail over all else. It's one of the hardest things to do, learning how to let go and know that God will provide for all of our needs. In order to surrender, we need to become more vulnerable and lay it all out there on the line. One thing that always remains constant is that no matter what decision we make, we will always be supported by Christ who is our rock. As with any decision we make, the one thing we have to do before making it is prayer. When we cry out to God, he will answer us and he will give us clarity that everything is going to be ok. There is a song called salvation is here and the chorus goes like this, " Cause I know my God saved the day and I know his word never fails and I know my God made a way for me, salvation is here'. That chorus pretty much sums up all of this. Before even making a decision, God already knows the outcome because it happened 2000 years ago on the cross when God's son saved the day and all of our sins were wiped away. God is the only one who knows what is going to happen so when we learn how to surrender all of ourselves to him, we have entered the greatest trust that anyonce could ever ask for. I'm not, however, saying that we need to forget about everyone around us because it's the greatest joy ever to help one of your closest relatives or friends through any hardship, but we do need to learn how to take care ourselves and know that we are in the creator's hands.

Nice to know

So there I am tonight, sitting in Wendy's with the one of the most unique group of people that I have probably ever seen. Looking back on the night, it's something that I haven't experienced in a while. Keep in mind that that this group has only been together for maybe a month but we were all so able just to be open with each other even though some of us did not know each other that well. During this, we suddently found ourselves praying for each other right there in the middle of Wendy's. Who'd ever think that we would find ourselves praying for each other in Wendy's but it was so awesome. Sure we may not have that many things in common or not know each other but the one thing that we do all have in common is our love for Jesus and thats all we really ever need. That's the bond that makes things like this possible. That's why thinngs like praying for a complete stranger on the street is possible because we know what it's like to be loved by the Lord. I love how God brings it all together. Just the sense of God brings that sense of community whether it be with a group that you know nothing about or whether it's a group that you have spent your whole life with. Even if you do not know each other that much, the feeling of thinking you have known them your whole life comes from the Lord. He take a frienship of just one day and turn it into a relationship that feels like it has always been there. It was a fantastic day and night and there were hugs all around. We even got to see a frozen snake:) Thank you Lord for nights like this and the opportunity to make friendships that will never end and it's all because the bond of the Lord's love that we all share in common. So thank you Hannah, Sarah, Jenny, Brooke, Ashley, Beau, Austin for this night! And a shout out to Hannah for being baptized and publicly proclaiming her faith!!! Jesus is awesome and so is life!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To Know His Name

"I know you gave the world your only son for us, to know your name, to live within the savior's love! You took my place, knowing he'd be crucified, you loved, you loved people underserving"!!!! What an amazing chorus to an amazing song called To Know Your Name by Hillsong. Once again, we see the savior's love conquering all and in return, giving us life. I know I say it all the time but that one act gave us the greatest gift of all and sometimes it takes us years just to realize how privileged we are to live!!!!! It says it right there in the chorus, He loved people undeserving!!!! No one on this planet deserves that love. This last week at church it was put into a perspective that made me realize just how lucky we are. In the crucifixion of Christ, he received our sin and we received his righteousness. What this means is that when God looks at us, he does not see the sinful person, he sees the righteousness of Christ. This makes so much sense because God is a perfect God and because he cannot be associated with sin, he sees the righteousness of his son in us. How amazing is that!!!! Yah I know, kinda hard to believe because what makes us so significant that God should only see the righteousness of Christ in us and not the sin. You would think that the only thing that could be seen in us is the sin because we do it so much but no, God does not see that!!!! I do not know about you but that just makes me want cry tears of joy when I hear that. Our God is so forgiving and merciful!!! The sooner we realize it, the less scared we will be to spread his incredible love throughout this entire world and see lives transformed because of him!!!!

What it means to be onfire

So I was asked tonight, what does it look like or mean to be an onfire Christian? For me, a person who is an onfire christian is more passionate about christianity than anything else in their lives. They are on the frontlines fighting for the Lord and spreading his word everywhere they go. They are a soldier in the Lord's army and they will do whatever it takes to bring God to this world. More than anything, they long for every person on this earth to realize their fullest potential and they want God to be evident in every part of everybody's life. They are not afraid to be vulnerable because they know that God will catch them whenever they fall. How amazing is that!!?? God will always be by our side and he will never let us fall. He's got our back in every situation whether we believe it or not. So what does this mean for our lives? Our relationship with God is a two way road. He will always be there for us and will never let us go, but what are we doing to make sure that he stay's evident in our lives? Do we truly believe in God and trust that he will always be there for us, or are we just saying it without doing anything to prove it? Our actions speak louder than our words. I believe it's in hebrews that Paul says that says I show you my faith through my works. What are we doing in our everyday life to show how much we love God? One day we will stand before the Lord and we will be judged for our actions on earth. What will you do to prove that God is your savior and that you will do anything to show his love here on earth. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get out there and spread his love to everybody I come in contact with!!!!! So go be a soldier for the Lord's army!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Live out loud

There's this really awesome song by Steven Curtis Chapman called "Live out loud" and it is a freaking amazing song. The chorus goes like this "Wake the neighbors, get the word out. C'mon crank up the music, climb a mountain and shout!! This is life we've been given, made to be lived out, so la la la la live out loud". How freaking awesome is that!!! We have been given the greatest gift anyone could ever ask for and nothing can replace it, LIFE!!! Everyday, we get the opportunity to live out loud. That's what, we as Christrians, are asked to do. How awesome would it be to see every Christian living their life out loud. One thing that all Christians should have in common is that they get so excited just when they even think about what God has given us that we should live life out loud. I mean, just think about it!!! We are so freaking priveleged to have the greatest gift anyone could ever ask for. God did not give us this life to be lived inside a shell. He gave it to us to be lived out loud just the way Jesus did during his time on this earth. Jesus only lived here 33 years but I can guarentee that every day, he was out there on the front lines fighting to bring God to this planet. Yes I know, it's one of the simplest things to do, but it's also one of the hardest things to do because we are so worried about what everybody else may think of us. Guess what? Who cares what they think. The only thing we should be focused on is what God thinks about us. He has so much more power than anybody on this earth and he will not let you fall when you put yourself out there for his glory. He is the ultimate provider and the day you ask to be his servant is the day that he will start giving you the opportunities to live out loud. So be vulnerable and be willing to be used by the God who created you and loves you more than anybody or anything on this planet!!!!

My God is mighty to Save

There's this really awesome song called Mighty to Save by Hillsong United and it is so amazing and true. In this chorus he sings "Savior He can move the mountains, My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save, Forever Author of Salvation, He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave". Such a short chorus but so true if we would just believe it. Our God is more powerful then anything on this planet and if we were willing to be more open and vulnerable, oh how we would experience his power and strength so much more. Something that is hard for anyone, especially guys, is willing to be vulnerable and more open. Girls find it hard sometimes especially if they have even been hurt or cannot trust someone and this is legitimate but there will always be one person who we can always be vulnerable with because he will never hurt us and he will always catch us when we fall. Ironically, his name happens to be God. There is not one thing that we go through or experience that he cannot relate to us. He created us, he knows everything about us and he is the one person that we can trust without a doubt. So whenever you say that God does not understand or he would not be able to help us, you better think again because that is one lame excuse and it does not work with God. One reward from being open and vulnerable with God and all your other relationships is having a long lasting relationship that will carry you through all the trials and hardships in your life. One relationship, especially with the Lord, can change your entire life and your perspective on life. It sure has worked for me. That is why Christianity is a relationship with Christ and not a religion where you have to follow a certain set of rules. IT'S A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!!!!!! And it's one of the greatest relationships that you will ever experience. So learn how to be vulnerable, more open, and trust that God will not let you fall and he will always be your rock!!!

Hopeless

Some days, there are days I just feel hopeless and I wonder how God could forgive me for every sin that I have ever committed. Day after day after day, I fail but day after day after day, he continue to forgive me. When I feel so hopeless, I remember and am given hope by the fact that God has forgiven me because he has given us the ultimate freedom! Freedom in Christ! But I still cannot help but wonder why? What makes me so special that I should receive this kind of grace? I am far from deserving of this but all I know is that God possesses the greatest love ever and no one can ever replace that love! Day by day, I'm slowly learning that the only love I can lean on is the love of God. It is unconditional, merciful, caring, and just all around amazing. Every day, I so long to spread this love to everybody that I come in contact with because if they could just experience it, they would realize just how loved they are by their ultimate creator. I am at a very weird place in my life right now. Two months into college, learning how to balance my time, figuring out what I want my life to look like and who I want to spend the rest of my life with. These first two months have gone by so fast and I cannot help but think that in a matter of what feels like a few seconds, I will be out of college and figuring out what I want my life to look like. Life is coming at me in hyperspeed and I want every second to be a blessing to the Lord and to those around me.

Relationships

So this weekend I went on a retreat with my youth group to a place in Conifer called Long Scraggy Mountian Ranch and it was freaking amazing. They flew in a couple from Washington DC to do a seminar on relationships. Let me tell you, this couple is the one of the greatest examples of a marraige that it is completely centered on God. When I get married, the two marriages that I want my marriage to look like is my parents marriage and this marriage of Dawn and Reggie Sanders. They are so happy and the best part about it, they have been married for only 18 months and they are already spreading the news on relationships, It's so amazing. They talked about 4 key components of any relationship. Talking, Intimacy, problem solving, and salvation, TIPS for short. In everything relationship, the one thing that all guys are guilty of is not talking with their spouse or girlfriend. The girl asks a question and we give them one word answers. What the heck? How can we have a relationship with the girl if we are not willing to TALK to them. We have to be able communicate with them or there is no reason to have a relationship with them. Every guy is guilty of this, even me and it's time that we step up to the plate and learn how to TALK to them. The next key component is problem solving. In every relationship, there is going to be a conflict and the key is learning how to handle that conflict. We have two ways of approaching this; one wrong way and one right way. The wrong way would be to blame the situation on the other person which in turn will just make the whole situation worse. Why is it so hard for us to say one simple word, SORRY. It's not going to kill us to say it. The right way is to talk to each other calmly and work your way through it without blowing it up. How amazing would every relationship look if we were able to calmly solve the conflicts without any arguing or criticizing. Not only does it work, but it also keeps the situation from getting one. My Mom and stepdad also do a great job of doing this. Yes they have conflicts but they know how to calmly work through it. Here's the truth, if the situation is not life threatening, there is no reason to act like it'a the end of the world and blow it completely out of proportion. The next component is intimacy ( yes I realize I went out of order lol) One thing that every girl needs is to know that they can feel secure around the man. If the woman cannot trust the man or does not feel secure around the man, the relationship will not last. The key to intimacy is being able to ask deep questions about each other. If both parties are willing to be vulnerable and open up, especially the man, that is a good sign of trust between both the man and woman. I realize that there are some aspects of both of their lives that do not need to be addressed but it is so important that both parties can trust each other. Without trust, the relationship will not go very far. The last key component of any relationship is salvation. Are both parties Christians and do they have the same beliefs. If you try to make a relationship with opposite views on religion or anything, it a red flag. When somebody has grown up with the same beliefs their whole life, it will be extremely hard to change them and because of it, the relationship will not function to its fullest potential. This is why it is so important that both parties have the same values, principles, and beliefs before entering any relationship. Without it, there will be conflicts everytime you turn around. I loved how Dawn and Reggie put it, if there are two many red flags in any relationship, the best thing to do is ROLL ON.

Why we should be excited about Jesus

So I've been curious as to what makes people the most excited when they think about Jesus. So I decided to take a survey and let me tell you, there is no reason to think that Christianity is boring. Here is what I got.
1. His unconditional love and freedom in Christ
2. God is powerful and alive and all authority in heaven and on earth resides in his hands.
3. Eternity the Lord in heaven
4. Seeing the power of the Holy Spirit move through healing and prophesying.
5. How the bible outlines God's plan for mankind and our redemption through Jesus and that God made everything that way because he wants us and loves us-- all before we choose Him.
6. Jesus' power and compassion for every single one of us.
7. The opportunity to plant a seed in someone.
8. All the plans he holds for us in our lifetime.
9. To feel treasured and loved by Jesus considering he is God and I'm just a person.
10. That he is always there for us.
11. That Jesus was completely human but he came to earth to be ou means of attaining eternal salvation. We are innocent by his grace and are filled with the spirit of power through accepting his selfless gift.
12. How patient and merciful he is towards us.
13. Knowing that we cannot screw up his ultimate goal, even if we tried,
14. All the miracles that he performs.
15. The fact that he laughs at and with us.
So here is just a short list of why people get excited about Jesus, but it is very easy to see that God has so much in store for us and that everyday, we have the opportunity to spread his love throughout the world. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people say that Christianity is boring when in fact, it's one of the most exciting things to be apart of. We have been given so much and to whom much is given, much is expected. Every day is another day to say, Today is a new day to say Jesus you are my only way.

How God would want men to treat women

So I'm sitting in church tonight and my pastor says, Girls never settle with less than perfect when it comes to how a guy should treat you. And guys, never settle with less than perfect when it comes to how you treat a women. I have seen so many relationships that have crashed and burned because the guy did not know how to treat the women. Sure it starts all good, but once the guy has made his mark on that woman, he completely changes into something completely different because he thinks that it will not matter. I'm so sick of seeing boyfriends treat their girlfriends like a piece of meat. A woman is no different than a man (aside from the physical aspects), but they have feelings to and every time we hurt their feelings, I don't think we realize just how much we are hurting them. Guys unless you want to spend the rest of your life alone and without a wife, we had better change fast and realize that we are no higher, better, etc... than any woman out there. Both of men and women are created in God's image and we are both equal in his image. I realize that it's not all the guys fault if a relationship ends, girls have their flaws too, but both parties have the same responsibility in the relationship. One other thing, if a relationship it ends, it has ended for a reason and it's probably not a good idea to get back together especially if you are not going to get married, I saw this so much throughout high school and all did was create more heartache for both the man and woman. Men, we are men, not boys anymore and it is time that we start acting like men. Women, you are women and not girls anymore so it's time that you start looking for a man that you can trust and do not settle for less than perfect when it comes to how they treat you. You are to be treated like a delicate china tea cup!!! So men, step up to the plate and decide to do something about it. If you truly love the woman, you will do anything to make sure that relationship lasts and you will treat her as God would treat her.

Be happy

So here's a little something for you to think about.I have only been a committed Christian for about 3 years but the one thing that I have seen that is true for all Christians is that they are always happy. I mean, how can you not be happy when you have the savior in your heart. It's so easy for us to be happy about a new video game, or getting a good grade on a test, but why is it so hard for us to rejoice in the Lord. He gave us the greatest gift ever and yet we neglect to be excited about it. It's absolutely mind boggling. I believe one of the most important characteristics of a Christian is their joy in the Lord. We have the opportunity every day to spread that joy but we are too worried about what others may think of us or not being cool. I don't know about you but I can't help but be excited when I think about all the gifts that God has given me. We are all guilty of taken it for granted at one point in our lives. I don't know if you know this but when we rejoice, God rejoices with us, when we are mourning, God mourns with us, and we are just needing a friend, God is always there for us. There is nothing that we experience that Jesus has not experienced. He can connect with all of us because he went through the exact same thing while he was on earth. If there is one person who can relate to us in every situation, it's JESUS!!! In our words, he's been there, done that. I get so confused when people say that Christianity is boring or it's just another religion. It's the farthest thing from boring and it's not a religion, it's a relationship with the almighty creator. There's not certain rules that you have to follow or meet in order to know God. It's a decision by you to bring him into your life wherever you go. Some of you may argue that the Bible is the rulebook. It's not!!!! That's our connection with God. And these "rules" are ones that will benefit us, not harm us in the long run. They are there for our benefit and you would be smart to follow them. Nobody is going to force you to do anything, it's all your decision. I can guarentee one thing, it's a decision you will never regret so for goodness sakes, be happy and know that you are loved by the greatest lover in this universe.

its a beautiful day

It's a beautiful day to be alive. Heck, every day is a beautiful day to be alive. We have been given the greatest gift of all time, LIFE!!!! It's something that every single one of us takes for granted and we are all guilty of it at one point in our life. Just think about this for a second, Jesus gave his life so that we may have life in him. It's something that's hard to grasp but in order for us to have life, he had to give his life. I don't know about you, but that's the greatest gift that anybody can be given. Having been in boulder for just a month, I have realized just how much God loves us from everything that I am surrounded by. I am surrounded by the beautiful mountains and I'm surrounded by spots where I can just go and be with the Lord for a while. Those are the times when I know that God is right by me and that he will never leave my side. Every day,  I have the opportunity to affect the life of somebody who desperately needs Christ. I have the ultimate friend in Jesus Christ who will always catch me when I fall and who will always provide every opportunity for me to reach out to a lost or broken soul. His presence is everywhere!!!! In the wind, in the mountains, in the classrooms, out on the streets, and most importantly, in me. He is constantly spreading his love through me and through out the world. No matter where I go, he will always be there by my side. Comforting me, encouraging me, challenging me, and most importantly, loving me. This is true in everybody's life, believes and non-believers, he will never forsake us. So remember, every day is a beautiful day and another day to wake up and say, today is a brand new day, a new day to say that God, you are my only way!!!!!!

How can it be

How can it be that my savior died for me when I'm so sinful. How can it be that he is constantly forgiving and never changing when I'm alway sinning and drawing away from him. How can it be that he even knows my name and knows every thought and everything about me. I'm so small and a just another person in this mixed up world, but still he knows EVERYTHING about EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!! How amazing is that:) Day after day after day, I continue to make mistakes and fall away from him but HE NEVER CHANGES AND HE ALWAYS FORGIVES!!! It's so hard to wrap your mind around it and it's so hard to believe but's it's so true. I see it everyday, example of example of how loving, merciful, and caring he truly is. He is right there by us through every victory, triumph, and battle. How can it be that the scars on his hands were for me and that the lashes on his back were ALL FOR ME!!!! I'm just me, why I am so special and significant that he cared about me that much to do what he did. No greater love has ever been displayed and no greater love ever will be displayed. I truly wonder and ponder how he can love me that much when all I do is sin and sin and sin until the point of no return. No, it can't be that way anymore!!! This is my life and I'm going to take control of it. No matter waiting, no more wondering, no more pondering. I am ready to fulfill the life that God has given me and I'm going to use it with every ability that I have been given. And who will always be there for me when I fall? GOD! And who will be there every step of the way? GOD! And who will be my rock and my shelter? GOD! Who will never fail me and will carry me every time I'm about to fall? GOD! He will my rock, my comfort, my shelter, and my almighty father and creator!!! No one can ever replace him because he was, is, and is to be the greatest father anybody could ever be given!!!!! I AM GOD'S SERVANT, CHILD, AND HE IS MY FATHER IN HEAVEN WHO LOVES ME!!!!

In his absence

So last night I was at church and we are studying the book of Philippians right now. Something was said that began to make me really think about my faith. How obedient are we to God in his absence? How would we act if Jesus was standing right next to us. We would probably go from being all shy and worried to spreading his love faster than we could sneeze. I began to think..... how easy it would be to spread the love of Jesus if we pictured him standing right next to us everytime we are spreading his gospel. Sure you can't physically see him but just think how much more we would be willing to spread his word if we pictured him righ next us. For me, just thinking about what Jesus did just gets me all jacked up and excited but that excitement would be multiplied by 100 if everytime I was spreading his love, I pictured him standing right next to me!!!!!!!!! With that picture in our mind, we have nothing to be afraid of because he will not let us fall and if we are unable to reach that person, he is still right there next to us and will always be right next to us through every victory and failure, he will never leave our side. Just think about that for a second, he will never ever ever ever leave our side because the day that we accepted him into our heart is the day he became present in our lives. This isn't one of those things where he decides whether or not to be by us just because he feels like it. No, he is always there, no matter what and that should so much joy to your life in every circumstance. You may not want him there, but he will always be there because we are his children and that will never change.His love for us is unconditional and that will never change. The greatest example of his love for us, of course, is the cross!!!!!!! He laid down his life for us to wash away all our sins and that we would know his love. No greater love has ever been shown and no greater love will ever be shown than that. So I encourage you to live your life every day as if Jesus were standing right next to you every second of every joy and prepare to witness his love more than ever!!!!!!!!!

S. Truett Cathy

So today I had orientation for my job at Chick-fil-a. Nothig fancy, just learning about the policies and filling out some paperwork and watching videos. Little did I know that I would almost cry during this orientation lol I watched this 40 minute video on the life of S. Truett Cathy, and holy cow, I almost cried and got some good laughs out of it too lol This man, the founder of Chick-fil-a is one of the most loving, caring people I have ever seen on a video. He is a committed Christian and for the last 50 years, he has closed Chick-fil-a on sundays because thats the Lord's day and time for people to go to church if they so choose too. I never realized how opening a quick service food place could have such a big impact on a community. This man shows so much love for everyone around him, especially the less fortunate, He loves foster children with a love out of this world and he is one of the most happiest people I have ever seen. At every conference he has ever spoken at, he always asks the audience if they are happy and they always respond by saying yes and then spelling out the word happy, how awesome is that. He finds joy in all the small things and he is extremely giving. Today has shown me one huge thing, always expect to be affected or changed by someone that you come in contact with even if it's just watching a video about Chick-fil-a lol. This man is extremely humble, blessed, respectable, and one of the most loving people I have ever seen. U can tell just by his every day life, that he is one of the most on fire christians and he has used what God has given him to spread his love throughout this country. It's just completely amazing how much one person can have such a huge impact on a country. Sounds like Jesus!!!!! I once heard the phrase, we are to be Jesus' with skin on our bodies. S. Truett Cathy is definitely one of those people. So how willing are you to be affected everyday by maybe one person you come in contact with every day?? It's your decision but just imagine how much you could change if you let one thing or person affect you effect you in a positive way every where you went. Just think about it because it's pretty cool to think about!!!!!!!!1

The will of God

So I have this banner in my room that says the will of God will never lead you where the Grace of God cannot keep you. Lately, I have been having a hard time trying to figure out where the will of God will lead me in my life. About four weeks ago when I moved into college, I thought I had it all figured out, knew what I was going to do with my life and what my life would look like. Four weeks later, I have no clue what my life is going to look like and if you think about it, it's kinda a cool thing. I don't need to know everything right now and quite frankly, dont want to know everything right now. I have the a whole life in front of me to figure out what I want to do. Even though I may have a sense or leading of what I want to do, I still don't know how I'm going to do it and what it's going to look like. I've really learned how to trust in the Lord a lot the last few months and even though it's not the easiest thing, I'm slowly learning that He is going to provide a safe haven for me. One example: the last few weeks I have been looking for a job and praying that he will provide. HE PROVIDED IN A HUGE WAY!!!!! One of my best friends works at Chick-fil-a and last week I texted her asking if they were hiring. She said that we are pretty much always hiring so I went over there yesterday, filled out and application. They interviewed me right there and gave me a job right on the spot!!!!!!!!!! If's that not God providing, then I don't know what is. Not only did I get a job right on the spot, but I also get to work with a lot of cool people and I will have the opportunity to have an affect on any customer that walks into that place. YAY FOR GOD AND YAY FOR A COOL JOB AND COOL PEOPLE TO BE AROUND!!!!!!!! I am so excited to see what new challenges God is going to put in front of me and I know that this is going to be a huge step and stage in my life in learning God's will for my life!! So if you are ever doubting or wondering what God has in store for your life, dont freak out about it because if you truly believe that he has a great plan for your life and that he is the ultimate provider, God's plan for you will surely flourish every where you go. It's so easy to lose hope or feel like we are being punished because something bad happens in our life but if we never faced any challenges or obstacles, how could we ever grow closer to God and learn what his will for our life is. So the insight for the day is never doubt that God has a huge and glorious plan for your life and if you believe that God is the ultimate provider, nothing will ever get in the way of your relationship with the Ultimate creator and lover of mankind, GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's true

It's true that if you are ever feeling bad, down, sad, or just plain miserable, serving the Lord will always bring you joy. I've been in college for 4 weeks now and it has been some of the hardest four weeks of my life. I went from always being around people who loved me and who I loved them. They were the most on fire christians I had ever met, but this, this is different. I'm surrounded by 30 thousand people and probably only about 500 of them are committed Christians. I walk through this campus, so much darkness here and  I can't help but think that I need to do something to change this I don't have many friends outside of the ministries I'm involved in and that's never been something that I'm really use to. Don't get me wrong, I have found some really awesome Christian friends here who are amazing, but what about the rest of the 30 thousand here who do not know Christ. They do not realize how privileged they are to be loved by the creator, let alone be here in this beautiful town. This town is evidence enough that there is a God. We are in one of the most beautiful cities in the country and they probably don't realize it. One thing that always stands true is that God loves them the same and he always will. He loves them with a love out of this world and I pray that one day they will realize that cuz the day they do is the day they are changed forever. I love all of them and so wish I could show every single one of them just how much God is in love with them. There are plenty of people that I will never see in my next four years here but  I know that God is going to put some people who desperately need Christ in my path. When that happens, I'm going to in words, throwdown on them lol. They won't even know what hit them but it's going to be a glorious day. God put me here for a reason and I'm finally starting to see what that reason is and it's beautiful. I cant wait for that day when somebody realizes how much God loves them and they committ to following the Lord. So it's true, if you are ever feeling sad, bad, down, or miserable, serve the Lord and you will experience more joy than ever in your life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a little about me

So I've been on this earth for nineteen years now and a lot has happened in my life I guess. I have grown up in a Christian home and school my entire life and I have loved every minute of it. I went to Faith Christian Academy from preschool all the way through graduation and it was awesome. Until about my freshmen year of high school, I loved faith and all my friends in it but when I got into high school, some things changed. I lost some really close friends and never got that chance to recreate those bonds but out of those broken relationships came some even better relationships that I will cherish forever. I didn't meet my best friend until the end of my sophomore year and man am I glad that I met her because she is so awesome. From her alone, I made a but load of new and awesomer friends.(I dont think awesomer is a word but it is in my vocabulary) These new friends are so freaking amazing and words can't describe how much I love them. They are always there for me and I know I can always count on them to get my back just like I have their back. My junior year of high school is when I started making these friends because I started going to church and allowing myself to be changed. I wish I would have started going to church earlier but God had a different plan for my life and right now, I'm so glad of everything he has done for me and everything that he has done for me. Words cannot describe how amazing it felt to have a life, friends, and family like this. My life was perfect but I also had many challenges come my way. Out of those challenges, I have received God's mercy, grace, and will more than ever. I will never forget the first time I really started to rely on Christ. I particapated in a three day fast and it absolutely changed my life dramatically. I knew that a God really did exist and that he loves us so much. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. One thing that all my friends see in me is my joy for the Lord and there is no better feeling than to know that we are filled with his joy!!!!!!!!!!!! So I hope this has given you some insight on my life and look forward to continuing to hopefully poor into your lives

Our heart

So I read this thirty page book today that talked about our heart. Our heart is 7 different rooms and the one thing that they all have in common is that God wants to be present in every single on of them. The 7 roomare the library, the dinning room, the living room, the workroom, the recreation room, the bedroom, and the hall closet. The library represents our mind and all the thoughts that go through our head. The dinning room represents all our worldly wants and desires. The living room represents the place where our relationship with God comes to life, where Jesus sits everyday waiting for us to have a relationship with him. The workroom is where we allow ourselves to be used as tools to advance the kingdom of God. The recreation room are all the distractions that keep us from Jesus on a daily basis because we won't let him be involved in our lives. The bedroom is where God reminds us that the rules and boundaries that he has set up for us our there for our good and we should never feel like we are being punished but rewarded because of them. The hall closet is all our hidden skeletons that we are to ashamed or afraid to talk about. What would your life look life if we allowed God into each of these rooms of our heart and allowed him to do his work in us. How different would your outlook on life be and what would you do to advance the Kingdom of God. One thing we constantly fail to realize is the GOD WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH US SO MUCH!!!!!!!! The day we allow him to come into our heart, take control of everything, and let him work in us is the day we become his servant and will do anything to make sure that God is spread throughout this entire universe.