Okay guys for one I would like to say I sort of find what has been going on in my life slightly ironic. I have been involved with a lot of cancer patients lately. First I shaved my head for one boy suffering of cancer at our school. And now another member of my own family is suffering from the dreaded cancer. I find this ironic because a long time ago my aunt died from cancer. She was actually one connection I have to one of my best Christian friends nowadays. He had spoke at her funeral after her death.
Anyway back to the idea of being a blessing. My mom got very involved in a benefit for this member of my family (my cousin by marriage.) She has always been involved with her church all her life. This is the same church we had the benefit in. Chili was served and there was an auction. All the funds made at the benefit went to doctor's bills. Which if you've seen a doctor's bill lately they are expensive. This was all very appreciated but what I also saw was a large group of people which were drawn together to help. Some of which were a part of my family who don't even go to church or claim Jesus. A lot of which do go to church and do claim Jesus as their Savior. Personally I find this all to be a big blessing to me.
Or so I thought...
That was a blessing sure but the real blessing came earlier today. My mom and I went over to this cousin of mines house to visit for a bit tonight. (Notice how I say a bit.) We ended up staying there for somewhere about three hours catching up with them. Through this catching up they all found out that I was planning on going into ministry in the future. They were very encouraging. In all reality it is the most fun I've had with family for a long time. It was awesome. I went with the intention of being Jesus to a part of my family and being a blessing to them. They ended up being a huge blessing to me.
Here's a verse to think on for the week.
“Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” but not everything builds others up. Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person. (1 Corinthians 10:23, 24 NET)
God bless and have a good week!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Valentine's Day
Today is Febuaray 14th. This is a day that a lot of people were looking forward to... And a lot of people dreaded it. Love it or hate it Valentine's day comes around no matter what.
I will admit that there are plenty of people that just see it as another day and there are others that love the idea of lavishing their loved ones with gifts of all kinds. But there is one other group. This group is the group of people that is simply sad that they are not with someone that loves them on THE day that people show love.
Before I get too into this let me make something clear... I am not posting this to bash on these people. In all honesty my friends I used to be one of those people. I used to dread Valentine's day coming around and when it was here I would do nothing but sit around and do nothing. I would absolutely hate that it was there.
Here's some advice from one believer to another... Don't fret about not having earthly love. It just gets in the way. If you have it then thats fine. If you don't then I would ask that you focus on God's love. Here's scripture's definition of love which is up to God's standards. This is how God loves us.
Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NET)
God's love never fails. He never gave up on us. He didn't even spare His own Son from the fate that we should have suffered. Just think on that tonight as the day ends.
God bless and goodnight.
I will admit that there are plenty of people that just see it as another day and there are others that love the idea of lavishing their loved ones with gifts of all kinds. But there is one other group. This group is the group of people that is simply sad that they are not with someone that loves them on THE day that people show love.
Before I get too into this let me make something clear... I am not posting this to bash on these people. In all honesty my friends I used to be one of those people. I used to dread Valentine's day coming around and when it was here I would do nothing but sit around and do nothing. I would absolutely hate that it was there.
Here's some advice from one believer to another... Don't fret about not having earthly love. It just gets in the way. If you have it then thats fine. If you don't then I would ask that you focus on God's love. Here's scripture's definition of love which is up to God's standards. This is how God loves us.
Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NET)
God's love never fails. He never gave up on us. He didn't even spare His own Son from the fate that we should have suffered. Just think on that tonight as the day ends.
God bless and goodnight.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Thoughts while driving
My grandma and I decided to go look at cars today in Mitchell because I will (hopefully) be getting my license soon. We had an enjoyable time. This also gave me a very nice chance to drive a bit before my test. She drove there we looked at cars and I drove us back.
We drove around for a solid like 30 minutes. We talked about a bunch of random things which include having a will (I'm in business law so I decided it'd be fun to ask) and the upcoming driving test I will be required to take.
On the way home from our drive we got stuck in traffic. I was stuck on one side of the street while a slew of cars went by on the other side. We sat there for a good ten minutes waiting for the traffic to cease.
I found myself becoming slightly frusterated with the situation. There was all this traffic on one side of me and a bunch of traffic behind me (there would've been more but a lot of them passed me). In the middle of all this mess and frusteration I found myself thinking... Does God ever get frusterated with us?
Think about this. One moment in your life where you were stuck doing something that God most likely didn't like. My thoughts on the matter are this... He most likely did get slightly frusterated with us when we were caught in that. On the other hand He loves us enough to forgive and just keep on showing us love. No matter what we do. God is there. In the silence. In the darkness. In the light. Our Father is present.
Never forget that. God bless and have a good week.
We drove around for a solid like 30 minutes. We talked about a bunch of random things which include having a will (I'm in business law so I decided it'd be fun to ask) and the upcoming driving test I will be required to take.
On the way home from our drive we got stuck in traffic. I was stuck on one side of the street while a slew of cars went by on the other side. We sat there for a good ten minutes waiting for the traffic to cease.
I found myself becoming slightly frusterated with the situation. There was all this traffic on one side of me and a bunch of traffic behind me (there would've been more but a lot of them passed me). In the middle of all this mess and frusteration I found myself thinking... Does God ever get frusterated with us?
Think about this. One moment in your life where you were stuck doing something that God most likely didn't like. My thoughts on the matter are this... He most likely did get slightly frusterated with us when we were caught in that. On the other hand He loves us enough to forgive and just keep on showing us love. No matter what we do. God is there. In the silence. In the darkness. In the light. Our Father is present.
Never forget that. God bless and have a good week.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Reflections on Run to You (I Need You)
I got home today from school and put all my school supplies away for the weekend. (I mean after all who does homework over the week?) Anyways I picked up my iPad and decided to listen to most of my worship cds to get me pumped to finish my Youth Alive lesson later. And well I've been here for hours just listening and having some inspiration for how I want to be. Here's the lyrics I'm sort of reflecting on right now.
"I need you. I can't get enough of you. I come alive when I'm in your pressence. Oh, God of my salvation."
This almost sounds like a Psalm! But with music and no huge prophetic words. The song itself is talking about needing God and always running to Him who gave us this great salvation and this great strength. By the way the song is by Kari Jobe for anyone who may wish to look it up. (I would recommend it!)
It's a faith like that and a love like that that keeps us going in the Christian life. Knowing that there is always our God that we can run to and who will ALWAYS love us. Science tries to explain away God but yet the facts for God outweight the "evidence" for scientific reasons for our existence. The fact alone that believers know He's present should be enough. He's always there to comfort us and love us. Like a father would. Anyway have a good weekend my friends.
God Bless.
"I need you. I can't get enough of you. I come alive when I'm in your pressence. Oh, God of my salvation."
This almost sounds like a Psalm! But with music and no huge prophetic words. The song itself is talking about needing God and always running to Him who gave us this great salvation and this great strength. By the way the song is by Kari Jobe for anyone who may wish to look it up. (I would recommend it!)
It's a faith like that and a love like that that keeps us going in the Christian life. Knowing that there is always our God that we can run to and who will ALWAYS love us. Science tries to explain away God but yet the facts for God outweight the "evidence" for scientific reasons for our existence. The fact alone that believers know He's present should be enough. He's always there to comfort us and love us. Like a father would. Anyway have a good weekend my friends.
God Bless.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Winter White Wash: My Experience
My youth group just got back on Sunday from a weekend of sking, snowboarding, swimming and ice skating. Sounds fun right?
It wasnt' all fun and games with some of the closest friends I have thought. We learned a very important lesson about hungering for God. One thing I'll never forget about Winter White Wash is that it was the first youth rally I ever went to. I had a weird reminder of the topic last year too though.
I have recently been trying to get more music on my iPad 2 (Mostly because I only had one album and was getting "reminded" of that fact a lot). I got this keyboard which I now use and a good sum of iTunes money when I got back from the trip. I bought two new apps and three albums. (Which by the way brings me up to four albums! Yes!!!)
Anyway one of the albums I got was Kari Jobe's "Where I Find You." Kari Jobe has always been one of my favorite worship artists but there was a song that struck a chord with me. There's a song called "We Are" and it talks about how we are the light of the world which is referenced from Jesus.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16 NET)
Which is what we learned about last year at Winter White Wash! Like exactly. It's crazy how much this song reminds me of that trip last year. Its great to have the reminder! God is good!
It wasnt' all fun and games with some of the closest friends I have thought. We learned a very important lesson about hungering for God. One thing I'll never forget about Winter White Wash is that it was the first youth rally I ever went to. I had a weird reminder of the topic last year too though.
I have recently been trying to get more music on my iPad 2 (Mostly because I only had one album and was getting "reminded" of that fact a lot). I got this keyboard which I now use and a good sum of iTunes money when I got back from the trip. I bought two new apps and three albums. (Which by the way brings me up to four albums! Yes!!!)
Anyway one of the albums I got was Kari Jobe's "Where I Find You." Kari Jobe has always been one of my favorite worship artists but there was a song that struck a chord with me. There's a song called "We Are" and it talks about how we are the light of the world which is referenced from Jesus.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16 NET)
Which is what we learned about last year at Winter White Wash! Like exactly. It's crazy how much this song reminds me of that trip last year. Its great to have the reminder! God is good!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Importance of Prayer
I've found recently that there is a huge change in my walk with Jesus just from prayer alone. I have been keeping a prayer journal since I went with my church youth group to CIY last year. One of the speakers had a talk on prayer. I realized as I prayed more and more it became easier. It eventually becomes like talking to your closest friend but talking to God is way more then that...
God has recently become the person I run to during my day. Its really refreshing knowing that no matter what is going on in my life God will listen. No matter what state I'm in. I could run to my Heavenly Father in tears or elated about some accomplishment and the response is the same. I get this over whelming feeling of God saying "My son I am here with you. Through it all." This is quite amazing for a kid who never had an earthly father to run to.
Remember you can always run to Him for comfort or anything.
God has recently become the person I run to during my day. Its really refreshing knowing that no matter what is going on in my life God will listen. No matter what state I'm in. I could run to my Heavenly Father in tears or elated about some accomplishment and the response is the same. I get this over whelming feeling of God saying "My son I am here with you. Through it all." This is quite amazing for a kid who never had an earthly father to run to.
Remember you can always run to Him for comfort or anything.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
TNT!
I haven't posted in a long time. I apologize for that. I have simply been way busy and have needed to wait for things to slow down. My schedule is pretty full with school, newspaper staff, youth group, TNT and various other church events!
Well anyway TNT is moving back to doing more accountability stuff tonight. I am so excited! Up until this point we haven't tried to do accountability for a while... The sole reason being that it's just been too hard to do accountability with so many people. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy teaching about God but I'm glad the group is getting back to its core.
Westway is also doing many great things lately. I'm excited to see where it'll take us. Well I will definitely try to post on here more often now that things are slowing down.
Well anyway TNT is moving back to doing more accountability stuff tonight. I am so excited! Up until this point we haven't tried to do accountability for a while... The sole reason being that it's just been too hard to do accountability with so many people. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy teaching about God but I'm glad the group is getting back to its core.
Westway is also doing many great things lately. I'm excited to see where it'll take us. Well I will definitely try to post on here more often now that things are slowing down.
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