Reaching above...

I am a girl with unreachable aspirations and goals. One might say they are unrealistic, but in Christ I don’t believe that to be true. It is said that you raise the bar high so that you can reach new heights; well I have put the bar high so I can see new horizons. As an athlete I strived to set new records and goals, but in Christ I desire to do much more.

I want to impact the lives of young people everywhere from East to West and North to South. I want to teach them of God’s great mercy and grace of His love and guiding hand. My passion is to someday impact the younger generation to become the men and women of Christ that we speak of in the Bible. I want to watch the glow in a young kid’s life as they grab a hold of something worth grabbing a hold of.

From a beginner to a youth I will not stop loving the next generation. I have heard enough people give up on them and refuse to do that. Now that I’m filled with the Holy Ghost I will live the rest of my life walking with Christ to bring some hope. If I can impact one life with the promise of the Holy Ghost my heart will be glad, but I will not stop there.

My journey doesn’t end here I believe it has just begun. With God’s will I plan to use my calling to help those in need. I refuse to give up on soul’s period. No matter what age, nationality, or gender my complete desire is to see those around me saved. If it shall never come to pass that I will see people I love dearly saved I refuse to believe that they won’t be. God’s mercy on my life has been too great for me to not believe He is able to do exceedingly.

My heart goes out for those who are lost and without hope however there is a whole generation that is in our churches today that are just as lost. As much as I love to watch souls be won my greatest aspiration is to watch those who have been raised in the church grab onto Jesus for themselves. So often young people in the church have been living completely for their parents and don’t truly know what it is that they are doing. Sometimes we forget that those in the church are not always as strong in the Lord as they should be.

I believe that there is a reason that God spoke of the church in the Bible. We forget that even though we know the truth we sometimes forget what we truly need to do. I hope to someday be able to look into the church and see strong youth with great aspirations to bring souls into the Kingdom. Not because they want to be known for winning souls, but because they want to see people saved.

In the short time I’ve been in the church I’ve seen a lot, but if there is one thing I know it is that we are in a great need for STRONG apostolic men and women. There are many places around the world that are in great need of a shepherd and someone to bring the Truth to them.

My heart hurts to know of the many young men who have been called to the field and refuse to get ready. As we know that it is God’s timing that they will go on, however, so often they refuse the call. Priorities seem to be confused when it comes to God’s work and I hope to someday see more of the young men stand on the call that has been given to them. As well as a new strength in the young women to be everything they are called to do. Sometimes we forget that it isn’t just the call of the man that brings blessings to the area, but the completeness of the team that God has made.

Now that you know my greats aspirations and desires I pray that you pray with me to see all this come to pass. Like I said at the beginning some may say this is unrealistic, but nothing is unrealistic in Christ. For I can do all things in Christ, His word doesn’t lie. It is because of the desires of John the Baptist, Paul, Peter, and many more men that we can read of with great aspirations that we know this to be true. The Book hasn’t ended yet the church is still alive, but we must become the church of great power, with a promise and gift to the nations. A church with more than just a secret, but with a great passion to SPREAD THE GOSPEL!

Being Leah...

What I’m about to share with you is probably the most impacting revelation I’ve ever received in the Word. The impact on my life is so great that it has taken me almost a month to write it all down. I shared it with the youth and was told to keep my notes sadly enough I didn’t take notes. So hear it goes!

Many people are impacted by one of the greatest love stories ever written. This story is one that I’ve always thought was so beautiful and do even more so now. The story of Rachel and Jacob is one that we all know and love. People speak of the story every time they talk about being wanted and desired. Well one night after praying about my life’s confusion I was awaken by a voice that said “Being like Leah”.

I know you’re thinking she is going crazy, but I’m completely truthful when I say the voice said “being like Leah”. Now I’m telling you this so you understand the depth of this revelation. When I was praying that night I was filled with great heart ache. I have had some extremely heart breaking situations in the church with guys and felt like nothing in that department could ever go right. I felt like how could I ever find a man in the church if none of the godly men want godly women and I’m serious. You can quote me on saying this when I say “I have not met one single man in the church so far that hasn’t made me feel like less a woman because I want to live completely holy unto God”. I would love for someone to prove me wrong and if you find him all the power to you.

In Genesis 29:17 it says Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. When I read this I thought God why would you compare me to Leah. She was nothing special not beautiful, not wanted she was basically given to Jacob because she was the oldest he didn’t love her or want her.

As I started to get more frustrated I heard the voice again “being like Leah”. I remember my eyes filling with tears as I thought God I can’t take being unwanted, not looked upon with value, or even feeling love. As I sat there I found myself growing with strength and couldn’t explain it. So I dug deeper into the Word.

The word tender is translated to mean soft, timid, and meek and eye is translated to mean showing mental and spiritual qualities. So as I took in these words I thought what an honor she was described to be a woman of a kind heart and showing knowledge of spiritual qualities. She was not described as being just a woman of intense great beauty, but a woman who was described as being an inward beauty. She was never described as being ugly, but being just a natural beauty.

As I breathed that all in I thought God what are you trying to tell me. Leah may have been spiritually complete, but she still must have questioned herself daily because she was “Second Best”. Those words I know have gone through the average girls head more than once. As a woman of Christ I stand firm on knowing I will not be second best or treated less a woman because of a man’s foolish mistakes. I know I’m stubborn, but I’m a working progress.

As I read more into the scriptures of Leah I realized that because of her dedication to Christ and her pure heart God gave her favor. She was more than a wife and mother, but a Godly example in the Bible that we so often forget to speak of. Sure she made mistakes it says that she even wanted favor from her husband. As we read into this story we realize that she was a woman who had some point in the Word. She was not just the unwanted wife, but God had a plan for her and that was proven by the ministries of her sons.

So often we as women and even men forget that God has a point and place for us. We forget that we are not just forgotten second best statues that are molded into the mold of robot like figures. God has called each one of us to fulfill the call on our lives. He has made us the women and men that we are to become. The story of Leah shows us that we have a purpose as women in Christ. Sure it is important for us to be wives and mothers don’t get me wrong I can’t wait for the day to be both. However, I know my call doesn’t end there. We are not just called to be fruitful and multiply to take all our knowledge and sit on it.

We are called to be woman like Ester who stood up to her husband for her people knowing that her boldness in Christ could cause her, her life. How she stood as a woman of godly example through the beauty regiments and pampering, standing firm as she went before the King with only her bare essentials and inward beauty.

Sometimes we forget about Ruth who stood next to her mother-in-law when she could have just left. But instead she was blessed greatly because of her dedication and loyalty. She was blessed even though they struggled and God gave her favor because she showed up.

I believe all in all that God wanted me to see this. In Proverbs 31:26 it speaks of the woman of wisdom and kindness something that speaks greatly of who Leah really was. It says in 31:30 that beauty is vain, but a woman who fears God shall be praised.

We so often as women in the church want to be looked at as beautiful and wanted. We want everyone to find favour in us and what we’ve done, as if that adds up to anything when we get to heaven. As women and men of Christ I believe we must begin to place God first and centered in our lives. Through all this God has proven to me that sometimes we can be so carnal and not even know it.

Through all of this I have learned so much about women in the Bible. I’ve found something in myself I never knew I had. I’ve found a strength that I will share with every female I can and explain to them that they never need to feel 'second best'. We are said to be virtuous and our value is far above rubies if a man can’t see your value than it makes him stupid. Be woman of great courage and strength strive after completion in Christ because that is all you can ever get.

I have come up with one conclusion to my madness. God wants to give me that man that will complete me. My value of godly character matters and I should never second guess that. I am never going to be second choose because God has told me I am important to Him. If I allow God to complete me He will supply that man and he will respect me, take care of me, protect me, and honor me like a woman should be. No more of this fleshly connections that last only a couple years God wants forever and that is what He’ll give. Sometimes it takes us to be awakened to realize that.

I want every apostolic woman/girl to know you are valuable and you must stand firm on what your godliness means. Your value is priceless and never let someone take that away from you. As for every apostolic man/boy I want you to know that you are valuable as well and your work for Christ matters greatly. You should never allow someone else to devalue who you are in Him or allow you to sway away from godliness.

We are called to spread the gospel and it doesn’t just say only the male species can do so. It says ALL shall spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Together we can make a stand in this world, but if godly people quite seeking after godliness it will soon be a hard thing to find.

Stand firm on your rock that gets you through the storm. Stand firm on that rock that shows you value. I refuse to allow myself to be anything less than Leah. If my day comes that I am chosen than I will not be second best I will be first because I’ve stood strong on the rock that has gotten me this far. In Christ everything is possible and finding that completion in Him makes your other half fit just right!

Update...

Hello Everyone! I just thought since it has been a month and a half since I've written I must update you. God is working greatly in our church. His blessings are being poured out and His work is never done. Trials have came to my life, but I count my blessings daily. With trials comes strength and God knows I'm going to be one powerful girl when all this is over. Powerful in Him! Anyway I wanted to say that we have finally received an offer on our church and we have been given promise to the other church. We are waiting for all formal things to go through, but November will come quick enough. PRAISE THE LORD!

I have to say that God has given me more than I've ever asked for in Him. Life is good, but a daily walking struggle. However, He promised me if I was to not go into education He'd supply that desire to help children. HURRAY! I'm teaching Sunday School what a blessing. I know that they teach me more than I them. However, everyday I go into the class is a great remembrance of the impact Mrs. R had on my life. If I can impact one student with the power of Christ the way that Mrs. R impacted my life with the power of reading I will be complete in that.

The youth is under spiritual attack, however, Youth Core is coming to Borderland in August! I believe that we will see great works through that outreach and great blessings to supply after. If I can see come to pass promises I've held on to I will be greatly thankful!

I will be posting some new blogs very soon! I need my editor to read through them though. Since you all know how great of a speller I am. Praise God for his blessings church it is about time for a great revival!

We have had more baptised in 2008 than I ever expect, several filled with the Holy Ghost, and many to come! Get ready Borderland here comes the Holy Rollers taking over the city! I love you all in Christ and ask you to keep God First In All You Do!

Seeking His kingdom and righteousness!! Together we will do great things in Christ!

The Sunlight of God...

The fresh, crisp, spring air fills my heart with delight and anticipation. As I look out the big glass windows that display the front of my family’s store I find myself in awe of how the beauty of sunlight can hide all the dirt, snow, and mud puddles; how just a little glimpse of green grass can make you think of the magnificent beauty of summer. The roads are raceways with kids on bikes, the baseball fields are filled with excited youngsters who can’t wait to throw and hit the ball around, and the bass boats are skimming the tops of the waves on Rainy Lake. Wow, how I love summer!

When I think about how I get when I see the bright sunshine I find myself thinking about how excited I get when someone gets the Holy Ghost or even gets a touch from God. While I was daydreaming here at work this afternoon I began to see the comparison of how my excitement and anticipation for summer is very much how I get when the spirit of God lights up someone’s life and I anticipate what great things will begin to bloom and change in their lives.

Last night I was praying and realized that when I’m not seeing brightness or hope my attitude changes compared to when I see and feel the sunshine of God’s spirit. Watching people pray with tear-filled eyes, shaking hands and trembling lips lights up my world much like a day filled with bright sunlight.

The Bible tells us that in the beginning God said “Let there be light and there was light”. In Genesis 1:4 it says “And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” Sometimes we forget the importance of light in our lives and how important it is for us to walk in light and bring light. We should find strength in each new day and when the light of the SUN comes up we should be reminded of the light that the SON brings in our lives; we need to walk like Him, be a light to others, and be grateful from the light He brings to our lives.

I’m so happy that the joy of the Lord is my strong tower! I love to live for God and watch His Glory fall down around us like shards of light in the universe. Our churches are going to see great revival soon and very soon, but it will only happen when we allow God to do the work in us and in His church~only He can give the increase.

I’m praying that God’s people find a renewing in their spirit because God’s work is never done. But … His light is always shining and His glory is forever moving. Rejoice! My brothers and sisters it is about time that we all step up and let the glory fall down.

Look up and soak up the SON!

Faith...

Sometimes I think that we make this short, little word out to be something so out of reach. Yet, we forget it is something we live by every day. Have you ever gotten into your car in the morning and said I better get out I might get into a car accident? Have you ever gone to work and said hmm I better leave because maybe this will be my last day to live? Have you ever gone out in the boat looking for the sun to set and it never did? Have you ever thought first before you sat down in a chair assuming it wouldn’t support you? Of course, not!

Seriously, how can we forget that God is doing things, everyday and all the time! We walk in faith that we can drive to work safely and that we will be driving back at the end of our day. We stand on faith that each day is a blessing from God and we will not live in fear. We marvel at the splendor of a sunset each day and watch the magnificence of its beauty as the bright orange, pink, red, purple and yellow fills the skies, every day. When we go somewhere and sit down, we just do it, having faith we’re not going to crash to the floor. God gives us a breathe every 5 seconds and we don’t have to even remind ourselves to breathe!

I was forced to come to this realization one day when everything seemed to not be going the way I felt it should. The easiest way for us to get down is to doubt what we know is God and what He wants of us. I have stood on a promise for almost 2 years now and each day I have to remind myself that God has everything under control. It doesn’t take much for people to make you doubt what God has told you and it doesn’t take much for your heart to be weighted down by a sense of inadequacy or confusion.

Faith … the word that is so easy to spell, write, and pronounce, but so hard to apply in our lives and often times so hard to stand on. God says that there is no greater faith than faith without seeing. I know it is difficult to believe that God has everything under control when your heart is breaking or your mind is confused, but He does. We can’t see what is going on in the spiritual realm, but the Bible tells an awesome story of the battle with the Prince of Persia. Stand strong! God heard your prayers THE FIRST TIME and His will SHALL BE DONE.

It has taken me 2 years to realize that God will not let me down. He has promised me things and I will stand firm. If I wasn’t adequate enough He wouldn’t have told me in the first place. Now don’t get me wrong I don’t deserve anything from God, but I will never get anywhere doubting Him.

I never want to hear Him say to me “yea of little faith”. I will stand strong with His promises looking towards the Heavens and praying for His will to be done. If it so happens that what I believe was said doesn’t come to pass then I will still stand on His promises and walk in the magnificent light of Christ.

Believe! Trust! Stand! God is ready to pour out His blessings, but sometimes we don’t stand still long enough for Him to catch up to us. Allow yourselves to listen to what he truly wants for you … and have faith that it will happen!

Getting Old...

What does it really mean to get old? Does it mean that you grow in knowledge? Does it mean that you move up the authority ladder of life when it gives you the right to boss people around that are younger than you and pity those who are many years your senior? Getting old is not just from a physical perspective …

I was brought to the realization the other day that no matter how old we get we never truly know how to grow up; I don’t mean that in a mean way, I mean it in a good way. Sometimes we can live a life so full of timelines, goals, and plans that we forget that we should be thankful for each day God gives us and remember the first breathe we received.

Throughout our lives we remember and hold onto meaningful words of advice from those we respect. My Pastor told me last year before I left for college “You know I was young once too and I know how it feels to rush life”! At the time, I was so mad at him that the words didn’t really stick. Now, don’t get me wrong I did listen to what he said, but I must admit I was a little mad at him. It pricked my flesh. The first thing that went through my mind was “I don’t rush things! ”

This “difference in opinion” recently came back to me and I realized how right on Pastor was and how badly we can be at self-evaluation. We all need to take a good long look at who we are as God sees us and not how we perceive ourselves. It’s no longer about our plans, our goals, our timelines, but walking in His will; even if His plan doesn’t fit into our plan. Self-evaluation means looking truthfully at ourselves and as Christians we need to be able to see if we are walking in the spirit or walking in our flesh. If we’re full of self we can’t see clearly or hear clearly.

I was looking at my high school yearbooks the other day and was amazed at the things people wrote to me. It brought back good memories of all the fun times I had with my friends. However, there was one quote that I didn’t remember reading before. It said, “On this day we are striving to be the person that we want to be, but truly we don’t know the person we are going to become”. What came to me is that so often we forget that along with maturity comes knowledge, but understanding often comes from learning from our experiences, whether they were a product of our good decisions or our bad decisions. We spend so much time thinking about what we want to be in the world that we forget that what we really should be focusing on is what God wants us to be. We need to stop striving so hard and actually listen, and most importantly, obey “that still small voice”, even if it doesn’t fit into our plans.

Sometimes the more we know the more we expect everyone else to understand and know what we know. In college and in the workplace I sometimes assume that what I know everyone else knows. I think the same thing applies for us as Christians. When we begin to mature and function in the spiritual world and do the work of God we can easily forget where He brought us from and that we were once where others are. Now I don’t claim to be an elder in the church, however, I’ve found myself seeing some young people following the same path that I was going down at one time, the path of self assurance instead of the guiding hand of God’s assurance.

Sometimes it is hard to know why God does certain things in our lives, but truly with each breathe we learn that it isn’t the knowledge that we need, but the trust. If we can trust that God will bring us through, we must believe that He’ll bring us to a place of understanding.
One of my favorite scriptures is Phillipians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”. At one time I felt that my understanding and knowledge of a situation was going to be my strength, but God’s Word says that I should not lean on my own understanding. Thank God!

As I “get older” I realize one thing. God doesn’t work in our own knowledge because we know so little in life. The more mature we get in our relationship with Him we can see the pathway more clearly. The older we get the more we love to serve and not be served, the older we get the more we appreciate the work our seniors have done for us, the older we get the more we see that we actually know and understand so little!

God’s got great plans for us, but I feel I need to say that it isn’t what we know that is going to bring His gifts and blessings. We must learn to respect love and cherish one another. When one of us falls, we must lift them up in prayer, not criticize or condemn. We also must pray that the Lord will restore us, but also that He will reveal to us the lesson we must learn. We must see ourselves as God sees us and realize we will never know it all! Study His Word because He has
utlined an answer for our questions.

Isn’t it time to start trusting and believing that God will handle things and guide us in the right direction even if we don’t understand His ways or timing in our lives? Let go of the rigid timelines and your fleshly plans in life! If it’s not God’s will it will not work for good anyway!

I’m grateful for all of the Godly examples I have in my life. I’m grateful to all who have been drenched in sweat, travailed in tears, and deceased their flesh to do a work in the great Kingdom. I ask you to do the same. Thank those that work so hard for God and go unnoticed because they want it that way. Thank those that do the work of God for all the right reasons, not because they desire to be in leadership or to hear their own accolades. Most likely, those saints have no timeline and they are the Godly examples we so admire because of the hard lessons God has guided them through. They are the ones with wisdom, they are the ones that are old in the spirit, and they probably have some good advice if you just seek it. The hard part is actually getting past our pride, hearing it, listening to it, and living it.

Was I rushing my life? Oh, yeah! I had a plan and I was on a timeline … but, God’s grace and mercy brought me back where He told me to be not once, but two times. I finally feel I’m walking in His will and I also know that I don’t know everything and I don’t need to! With each breathe I take I remember it is only possible because of the first. I can finally exhale and it feels great!

Keep breathing and seeking; God will reveal and answer all of our unanswered questions someday, but it doesn’t have to be today!

VICTORY, VICTORY, VICTORY...

As I finished my book tonight written by Sister Reynolds, Two Sweat Hearts, (yes the spelling is correct), I was inspired. Her book was filled with stories of unbelievable thrill and excitement. I felt like I was reading a thriller book of the Holy Ghost’s grand blessings. It took me through a personal journey explaining a true story of two people working together in the works of God and His will for them.

I can’t explain the excitement I felt when reading her book, it made me open my eyes to the true meaning of “trust”, the true meaning of “love”, and the true meaning of “power”. God was in every word of that book and He showed Himself truthful and loving through every page. Every time I thought that there was no way that it could happen God showed it was His will and He pulled through. It is truly a blessing to have read the story of two unbelievable Godly people. Their love for God blossoms and reveals itself in their true love for Jesus, one another, and souls.

Now my reason for sitting up and writing this blog isn’t to praise this beautifully, Godly couple. My reason is to encourage. After reading this book I have realized that we, me included, have become so sad while walking through life. When problems come our way we don’t listen to what God wants us to do with that problem we give up and stand in fear, polarized. God doesn’t give us the spirit of fear and when He tells us something He means it. God is not a liar! Problems may come our way and maybe even obstacles that seem impossible, but it isn’t time to give up. Things are never over until they are over. We need to hit our knees, pray, and get direction. Sometimes it is the obstacles that make our blessings that much grander. Often the things that we have to battle for make life that much greater.

My mom had counseled someone once and told them “you must decide on what you value in life, and if you truly value your salvation you must be willing to battle for it". We are given so much from the Lord and I think sometimes we forget that we can’t always play the victim. God gives us favor! I think it is time that “we” stand on our two feet and jump up, not slump down. Like one of my favorite songs says “Don’t You Wanna Go”! I want to go… I want to touch those nail-scarred hands, I want to see the streets paved with gold, and I want to sit at the throne of my savior.

The ball is in our court, it is what we do with what God has told us that makes the game that much more exciting.

I ask each one of you today to hit your knees and find your strength in God. If He’s promised you things STAND on them.

God is not a liar and His will, will be done! We just have to keep it in motion.

Keep smiling everyone… God is coming soon, but we can’t wait, sit here and do nothing. We’ve got work to do and what amazing work that is! No job can be as rewarding as the job we have for God.

God Bless and love you all!

It is okay to not be okay...

As I sit in this bedroom so familiar and safe I come to remember a time that neither faith nor strength could be found in me. A time when I gave up on what could be and what would be and wallowed in my own self and grief. Everything I once knew and believed in was no more and everything I thought I was, was gone. I couldn’t understand how God could bring me more pain.
After all my surgeries and all my faith I was with nothing. Sitting in my room I remember writing my last journal entry to God.

Dear God,
I believe this is the last time I will ever write you. My writing has become more like journals and less like prayers. I believed that you would get me through this and look at me now. Everything I was going to be is gone and I have nothing. You’ve taken away everything that I ever truly cared about and left me all alone.

This time in my life was scary. I know with no doubt that I was at the lowest place any teenager could be. I was depressed, distant, and hurting. Crying out for something to bring me back to what I once knew. I couldn’t play sports anymore, the pain in my knees way too hard to handle.

Tears rolling down my cheeks like raindrops on a rainy day. I couldn’t take the pain, but was so afraid to tell anyone. My fear of letting everyone down caused me to resent God more than I would ever like to admit. The pain that I kept inside ate me alive because I had always thought of crying as a sense of weakness. No one saw me cry, I was like the royal guards at the palace.

I remember the day I finally couldn't take any more pain. I cried in front of everyone revealing everything that I feared them to see. The day I quit hockey was one of the worst days of my life. Krystina Meyers the athlete was dead and everything I knew was going into a big black bag that had became my connection to everything I thought I needed in life.

Everything I knew and loved started to crash around me. My family was on my side, but every friend I had ever had turned their back on me. It was like a horror story and I was the victim. No one knew the pain that I was going through because I had never shown my pain inside. Everyone talked about me behind my back, calling me a quitter, a coward, and an alien to them.




A couple of months ago I finally came to this revelation...

As I sat in my hospital bed and my body went out of control, I couldn’t mask the lack of control I had. However, I found strength in a higher power and trust. I knew my promises in God and knew that I would never be anything without Him. That fighting for the control was silly because His plan is what I want. His plan is what I desire to strive for.

Either I can walk with Him and find beauty in His plan or I can find myself in this very familiar bedroom crying myself to sleep as I fail to fit the mold I thought I needed to fit.

I’m saying life is hard and never truly easy. God’s plan is never the same as yours because He has bigger plans. We need to come to the realization that we are going to have hard times in our life, but truly that is when we should find the strength in God to keep on. It is okay not to be okay, but you can’t stay there!!!

Remember that people may not show their pain. Thinking that you have more pain than someone else is a lie. Pain comes in all sorts of ways and because we have felt pain we should learn to lean on the strength that gets us through it. We should learn that because we know pain we should be like Jesus and be considerate because others could be going through something much worse. Life is hard, but never as hard as it could be without Him. We are of blessed people and God doesn't leave us alone like I wrote... He helps us through when we believe!

Stand in faith my brothers and sisters. No valley is too deep, no mountain too high. We have all gone through our share of pain, but because of that pain we need to learn that we are blessed and He Never leaves us in those times alone.

Remembering... Toad!

In life we grieve over our sorrow and cry over our pain. We lose loved ones and leave classmates behind. Grief is no more than a time of rest a time to reflect. I have not grieved, however, I have cried. Memories of life as it was will never be, but a step is what it has given me. A year ago today I lost one of my classmates a young man who has touched the hearts of many. Timing in life is like a stop watch it never stops. We must mark the lives of those around us and remember those who are surrounded by the pain of the loss. I pray today that those who were close to Anthony will remember him today and that their grief turns into a smile. He had touched so many lives, being the class clown it isn’t difficult to do. He will be greatly missed, but in one year I can say life as we knew it has changed and with the time ticking it isn’t time to leave one minute to regret. Remembering all who are grieving today in prayer!

Heels in the sand...

We are surrounded by compromise. Surrounded by a world of get what you want with no regard to what it takes. In the church we have been victims of nothing less, girls fighting over who will get the next preacher boy and boys fighting over who will get the next trophy wife. Life is supposed to be filled with hope and great adventure. We are supposed to be reaching for the stars and instead we are reaching for the pebbles that surround our feet while we walk over them. We have started to compromise ourselves and given up on fighting for what is right.
For some reason it seems that we are so often overtaken by satisfaction or publicity that we find ourselves in this little church world no different than the world we live in. We have allowed ourselves to remove landmarks that have been in place for many years and revamped them much like our freedom of speech and religion. Sometimes we forget that we are like boats in water we want the boat to be in the water, but not filled with the water. Our lives should be nothing different; we are to live in the world, but not of the world.
I believe we all know that we are in the middle of a battle. The youth is being attacked right now and it isn’t just because we are so great or so godly. It is because if we can believe that a little compromise won’t hurt us, then a little can grow into a lot and in which will weaken our walks and decrease the spreading of the Word. By doing this the Truth will soon be killed off and there will be no more people walking in the Truth.
Compromise can come in so many ways and in the youth I believe it has many stages. One stage I believe is in us. I believe to cure this deadly disease we must get to the source. We need to learn to start relying more on God and less on our own feelings or knowledge. We need to learn that we are not the force behind our swing, but the vessel in which the work is being done through. We are no more than the keys on the piano; if someone doesn’t play the piano the keys are really worthless.
I’ve found out one thing while living in the Truth. Nothing is ever as easy as it seems. Life is hard, people are mean, and you can never depend on anyone because at one time in your life they will let you down. Hey we are human and if we were perfect there would be no need for heaven.
Open the ears and hear what it is that you need to do. In life we are asked to take out the trash, wash the dishes, and sometimes even cook supper. Well, in our spiritual life we are asked to go to Africa, clean the church, and sometimes even stay somewhere you don’t want to be. Listening to God sometimes can be misunderstood and with that we grow. Sometimes we get a little love tap, sometimes the full left hook and sometimes we even get a swift kick in the behind. In which, I believe is only done when we find ourselves listening to ourselves.
Listening is something that involves more than our ears it also involves our hearts and our eyes. When you hear something it isn’t always because of the words that are spoken, but also the body language behind it. Learning to read and listen to people is something that I believe is a good tool when trying to listen to God. You should always know for sure when God is speaking! You don’t always understand why He says what He says but you know He is speaking. Sometimes when He speaks it isn’t exactly through prayer it can also be through someone else who is filled with the Holy Ghost. Getting slapped on the wrist isn’t the best feeling in the world, but the reward of listening is like creamer in coffee sometimes the only way you can take it and sometimes the only way we can truly learn.
Now I’m going to put a little twist on this and get down to the real compromise I see in our youth. We are surrounded by role models in the church people who sometimes have never really thought about their leadership role. Now the people who are actually in the leadership role they are put to higher standards and who they are in a relationship with are put there as well. When men pick their spouse or the girls they are going to date the way they present themselves is an example of what should be.
No one asks to be under a magnifying glass, but the truth of the matter is we all are. No matter whom you are or what position you have you look to those who are older for guidance and council. You watch and look up to those who are put into positions because they are the ones who the elders of the church believe are good role models to look up to.
Kids look up to the youth who are placed into positions. It is just the way life is. Even though this isn’t right it is the fact and it is something that we as the youth must understand. When we pick those who are going to be our helpmates we need to look at the whole package. If what they portray to others is nothing less than what God wants than it should give us the okay. People don’t understand that when you go for something that is of the world and you are placed into a position you are not just taking the chance of falling you are also taking a chance with a whole lot of young people behind you. For example: if a young man is in leadership and he starts to date a girl who is snotty, questionable on her dress, questionable on her prayer life, and even more so not well liked by many of the girls around her or even in general. It isn’t always because the girls are jealous of her. When this boy starts to date her he is telling the girls who are strong on their standards, strong in their prayer life, and well respected that none of that stuff is important. Also tells the younger girls that they can also lack in those areas because godly men don’t look for godly woman. It also tells the boys in the church that they can also compromise and allow themselves to go after girls who are much different than the girls that were said to be virtuous.
Now I’m not saying that you are suppose to marry or date someone who you are not attracted to. I’m saying that who a person is with is who they are in real life. People can only be something they are not for so long. Everyone is watching and when you are choosing someone who you want to have by your side you need to make sure that they are the whole package. Don’t compromise yourself into believing that you can have the best of both worlds because the truth is… you can’t. Light can’t be mixed with darkness.
So, let’s start thinking about our futures. Let’s start being the leaders we are supposed to be. We know that the days are short. The youth needs to get strong and quit putting their heels in the sand. We need something more strong to place our heels in… like the ROCK. We need to look at ourselves and really make the decision to walk or not. Strength is something we all need and God is the only way. Let’s start listening and stop pretending. People in the church know who is right and who is not so let’s push our pride a side and start listening. It may help you skip that swift kick in the behind!

Waiting to exhale.....

Sometimes I feel like all I need to do is exhale. As if doing so I will let go of all that has ever worried me. Well it really can work that way. Let go of what is holding you back. Let go of what is making you frustrated. Exhale and let it go, give it up to God and let him take the load. He gives us burdens, but doesn’t send us to carry them alone. It may be hard at times, but remember that He never sends you alone. We have a friend who catches us when we fall, lifts our heads up when we cry, and kisses our scraped knees when we fail, but He also lets us know He loves us with every waking moment. Who could say God doesn’t love use when He’s promised us all the beauties of Heaven. Keep smiling… there will come a day when all your hard work will pay off and all your scrapes will heal completely. There will be no more tears, no more fears, and best yet so much love that you can’t think of anything else! KEEP SMILING MY LOVELY FAMILY OUR DAY IS COMING SOON!!!!