Thankful

It is two days before Thanksgiving and I sit here thinking back on the many things God has done in and through me since this past summer. I am so thankful for so many new friends that have come into my life and the seasoned friends that I have grown closer with. I am thankful for my Savior, my family, my Second family, my two small groups, my amazing boyfriend, and this life that I have here on earth to share His love. God has taken me on a great journey through many joys as well as hardships. I have learned so much more about the character of my Heavenly Father and His Word. I have also learned so much more about myself and the purposes that He has for me.

Since May, I have been on a roller coaster ride and here are some of the many things that God placed in my path….. 

·         I started attending the “Rooted” Women’s small group on Thursday nights led by Kim Cox. For so long I had been pouring into the women of my small group and was missing out on being poured into. Kim and the ladies in this group have helped me dig into His Word and grow ever so closer to Him. I have been challenged in many ways to step even further out of my comfort zone.

·         My mind at times has literally been a battle field. As I grow closer to Him, the enemy has fed me so many lies about myself and different situations. When I am rooted in His truth, I know that I am a conqueror.

·         Bobby and I started asking each other deeper questions to get to know each other better. We started having Wednesday evening chats before my small group.

·         God made the sun stand still for Joshua and I asked God to do the same for me in my life.

·         I was a leader at Beach Retreat for High School and Junior High. It was great to be back at the beach and God sure had a plan to grow me. I was faced with many challenges and learned that if I am not focused on Him, I can do nothing. I need His strength for everything I do and cannot rely on my own or I will fail.

·         I helped lead a VBS class with Bobby. We had some fun and crazy 4^th graders.

·         I taught the Chinese Exchange Students about American culture, our holidays, and about the love of Jesus. I relied on Him to give me the words to speak, guidance, focus, and confidence.

·         I applied for numerous jobs for the fall and gave God the reins of my job situation. I was overcome by an amazing peace that He is waiting to give me the exact job that is right for me, no matter how long I have to wait.

·         I learned that I have a true inheritance in Christ. He did not let me be born on this earth to let me walk in the wilderness forever. I have to be willing to follow Him blindly and lose more of myself to gain more of Him.

·         Bobby and I started taking dance lessons and have learned more about our relationship with each other through dancing. We learned a thing or two about each other while reading “For Women Only” and “For Men Only” also.(I highly recommend everyone read BOTH of these books.)

·         Somewhere in the midst of our time together, I fell in love with an amazing Godly man that makes me want to be an even stronger follower of Christ. J

·         I have strengthened my relationships with my sisters in Christ and have focused more on praying for them individually. I have come to love being face down on the floor praying to My Father for so many others.

·         I have seen that as I go deeper in His Word, I grow in His character; I see He is even more holy, majestic, and powerful, and I want to be closer to Him.

·         I have attended a handful of weddings, bringing together Godly people and I pray for Him to truly bless them as a unified team for God. In the joy, I have also had to see close friends move away. (So thankful for amazing technology!)

·         I was asked to long term sub for elementary PE and I start in two weeks.

Throughout this season in my life and continuing on this journey, my love is for Christ, my desire is to experience Him more, and my passion is to serve Him and His people.

Passion

In the Webster’s Dictionary passion is defined as “an emotion;” “an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction;” “an ardent affection;” “a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept.” 

 

My deepest passion is Jesus Christ and carrying His name out in this world every day of my life. I have been convicted, broken, strengthened, and my heart has been captivated and again overflows with His unimaginable love.

 

My life changed forever over a short weekend, but I pray that what I experienced will live on in my heart till I am face to face with My Creator. The mission of Passion Conferences is to carry on the name of Jesus wherever life takes you. In Isaiah 28:6 it says “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.” What a way to declare what this life is all about. We wait for Him and we desire Him with our whole hearts.

I came into the weekend alive in Christ, but I was being bogged down by so many things that my passion for Him had dwindled. I desperately needed His Spirit to take me over, take away some fears and doubts that began to creep in again, and a desire to be more active in my pursuit of Him. I was ready for Him to do something in my heart, but I didn’t expect the magnitude of what He would do. Here is a glimpse of what He taught and stirred in me.

Friday Night- Louie Giglio:

Phil 1:1 We are servants of Christ Jesus, but many times we serve so many other things instead of Jesus. In order to be His servant, we must not just know about Jesus, but we must truly know Him and have an encounter with Him.
Acts 9:4 God spoke directly to Saul. Every time we open the Bible, God wants to speak directly to us. We have to allow Him to speak to our heart and not get in the way of His voice.
Verse 8 Saul had such an eye opening encounter with God that he needed others to lead him around. We should live fully expecting such encounters from Him.
Phil 1:21 Every day I live, everyone around me gets more Jesus. The day I die will be the best day of my life because I get Jesus for eternity.

Saturday Morning Community Group:

Phil 2:3-11 As Christians, we need to be focused and united in Him.
In verses 6-8, we see how Christ first had to come down to the level of a servant, made Himself nothing and in human likeness, and was humble and obedient even while taking on a criminals death.
In verses 9-11, we see how God exalts His Son to the highest place where everyone on earth and in heaven proclaims that He is Lord.
We must walk in humility in order to make His name famous. We must submit to His Lordship in all aspects of our lives.

Saturday Morning- Francis Chan:

Eph 3:16-19 People can tell us about Jesus and set us up to have a relationship with Him, but it is all on you to let it happen No one can make you fall in love with someone else. You can’t just know about Jesus, but you have to fall in love with the person, Jesus!
Phil 1:27-28 Live in a manner worthy of The Gospel. Know the Bible and stand firm in His teachings. Does our life add up to, or equal, the weight of The Gospel? Do we live in a way that reflects The Bible?

Saturday Afternoon- Louie Giglio:

“I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord!”
We are part of a story taking Jesus to the whole world.
Heb 13:15-16 Worship is more than the songs we sing, Worship is a lifestyle. Worship through giving and sharing Christ with the world…… our neighborhood, our city, our state, our country, our continent, our hemisphere, our world.

Saturday Night- John Piper:

Where does our joy come from? Do we make much of God or make much of ourselves? God’s joy should be at the very bottom of what everything springs from. When we are saved, the Holy Spirit kills our bottom joy and replaces it with God’s joy.

Saturday Night Community Group:

Ps 16:11 God is most satisfying above anyone or anything else. Believe it!
Our day should be so filled with God that we have to make time for other things.

Sunday Morning Community Group:

Throughout history, there are many things or marks that have distinguished us as Christians
Phil 2:1-2 Our most important distinguishing mark is unity.
We are united together in love. We must love one another. John 13:34
How do we create unity? Phil 2:3-4 Do not be selfish. Do not serve to promote yourself. Do not have conceit- empty glory. Look out for other peoples’ needs.
Love each other before you know each other.
V.12-16 We must work out our salvation through fear and trembling because He is working in us. He will give us the desires and He will let us shine like the stars without complaining! Hold fast to the word of life.
Harden our resolve to fight sin and be gentler on ourselves when we fail.

Sunday Morning- Louie Giglio:
Acts 9:10 God called Ananias by name to go meet Saul. Our name could be written down in red in the Bible because God has called us by name.
We are anxious for other people to speak our name but the Son of God has already spoken my name.
Ananias responds with “Here I am, Lord.” He doesn’t say “who is this” or “who are you talking to.” He knew that the Lord was speaking to him and he answered “YES” to Him.
Isaiah 26:8 We need to live in a way that we say “YES” to Him every day. I want to be a part of a generation that builds on the name of Jesus. We have building potential.
Acts 9:15 He was God’s chosen instrument to carry His name. “I am a restorer.” God has spoken my name and chosen me to be an instrument to carry His name! Every bit of Hell is against His name. We are born name carriers and are surrounded by them daily.
What names do I carry into the world? I first and foremost want to carry the name of JESUS!

My Prayer:
I will live radically for You. Nothing in this world can stop me from pursuing You and for You to use me as Your name carrier. You are my Savior, Love, Friend, the One I follow, my everything! I want to fall in love with You all over again and continue falling in love with You every day of my life. I submit to Your Lordship in all areas of my life especially my relationships. I will pour more into each of my relationships building stronger fellowship through encouragement and prayer. My life will be lived worthy of The Gospel. I will live boldly and with intensity proclaiming Your name. My worship will be my whole lifestyle. I will travel the world to share Your love. You are the joy that everything in this life springs from. I live to glorify You and only You. I will grow in Your character and wisdom. I will fear nothing. I will earnestly seek You and study Your Word. I will say “Yes, Lord” whenever You call my name. I will carry Your name. In Jesus name, amen!

This Little Light of Mine.....

I'm gonna let it shine..... in this world where He has me. Today I was recommended for my teaching certification! Tears of JOY streaming down my face, I fell to my knees praising my Father in Heaven and sang this song from my heart. I know I am exactly where He wants me. After a year and a half long road of ups and downs, I am overcome by the faithfullness of my Father. Until the day He calls me home, I am going to let my light shine in my classroom, bringing the joy of learning to my students, inspiring them, encouraging them and loving them with everything I have. With a little bit of faith, God has taken me to a place far beyond my dreams!

Captured

I'm captured by a love so strong that my heart is completely abandoned to Jesus. Last night's Hillsong United Aftermath concert renewed my heart for Him.  This life in not perfect and we come to Him as broken people. BUT, there is nothing that He cannot do to overcome whatever we go through in life. In my broken mess two years ago, I came to Him with an ounce of faith and He made it absolutely beautiful! I do not know where life will take me, but following Jesus is the sure way to the most beautiful future.

I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world. John 16:33

In our troubles and tears, He is our hope. In our failure and fear, He is our love. In our heartache and pain, He is our healer. In our burdens and shame, He is our freedom. All because He has overcome!

Worship

What is worship? Many people believe it is just a gathering together on Sunday morning to sing songs to God, but I have discovered that it is truly more than that. Worship is what we give our hearts away to. Worship is what we love, what we can’t live without, the names we carry with us. I have been on quite a journey since last summer in pursuit of My King. My heart has fallen more in love with Him, but not without some bumps along the way. Many stemming from things that I have worshipped and given my heart away to instead of Jesus.

I gave my heart away to fear, lies from my past, and feelings of not being worthy enough. His love took a hold of me and over a week in July I was overcome by His healing. I truly accepted it, believed it and let Him heal my wounds. I gave my heart away to busyness and a lack of motivation for the purposes He has given me in this life. I completed my student teaching not without being attacked by the enemy at every angle. At a time where I had no idea what was going on, I sought Him with everything I had. I let go of my pride, asking Him to fight for me because I couldn’t. He had to be my complete strength and He came through in an even greater way.

I gave my heart away to my own selfish desires and let sin entangle me. I gave my heart away to titles, wanting control, ministry, and a lack of focus. I have worshipped books, dreams of my future, Christian musicians, and friendships. The list is really endless. Throughout this season in my life, God has shown me that He is the only one to give my heart away to. He is the only one I should worship. His name is the only name I should carry into this world.

In a place where we worship friends, celebrities, clothes, music, movies, conferences, places, relationships, sin, material things, our own desires, and love, we forget who we should be worshipping with our life, and that is Jesus. We worship not only through songs, but by the way we live our lives, our actions, our words, and what we do behind closed doors.

God has placed a piece of scripture on my heart over these last several months and it has changed my perception on what I give my heart away to: JESUS! My prayer is for an undivided heart, and heart that longs for Him alone, and heart that worships Him and nothing of this world. So, what are you giving your heart away to? What or who are you worshipping? Is it Jesus or something or someone else?

Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth. Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. Psalm 86:11 NLT