This video absolutely blew my mind! I want to share it with you! It is only about 13 minutes long...definitely worth every minute of it!
The Lord really does deserve to be praised!
Check out my blog post below as well :)
Thursday, May 24, 2012
How Great is our God
The Lord really does deserve to be praised!
Check out my blog post below as well :)
Family Outside of Family
This past week, I was able to visit a church here in my hometown that has really been a huge part of my spiritual journey. God has really laid on my heart to write about how important having a church family is. So many times in my life, I have heard people say they don't need to go to church to be a good "Christian" and I don't disagree. A handful of people seem to be discouraged or have nasty tastes in their mouths from a bad experience with a church; my heart hurts for those people. After each of these conversations, I walk away with the same thought: "I don't know where I would be if I didn't have a church family." Quite honestly, I believe church is so important in following Christ.
I grew up in the church. In high school, I began going to Bible study at a different church than my "home" church. I didn't know that 4 years later they would be supporting me as I travelled to North Africa. My mentors and friends came from this church. They guided me spiritually and supported me on my walk with Christ (and still do!) When I walked into this church this week (and interrupted their lunch) they welcomed me with open arms (and even gave me a piece of delicious cake!). Never have I left this church (or of being with the people of this church) feeling empty or discouraged. They have done so much for me, including: providing the resources and leadership for great Bible studies, having retreats and many other events, commissioning me on my trip to North Africa, praying over and for me, allowing me to speak to their congregation, and just being my family outside of my true family. Seriously, how blessed I have been by this church and this group of people!
Everybody needs a family like this. Everybody needs a church home.
My heart breaks when people share stories about how the church let them down, or the ways that humans ruin church. Let me make something clear: those stories shed light on the work of the devil, not on God. The enemy will do everything in his power to turn believers away from church, because a body of believers is the devil's worst nightmare. That is why it is so much more important that the people of God are unified, because it is hard for Satan to attack a big body of believers. To him, those walking alone are the "easy catches."
I don't mean to scare you or offend you...but make a simple point. Church is important for every single believer of Christ. Being a part of an army of people seeking to bring the Lord glory is so vital.
From my experience, the body of Christ has:
supported me in the journeys that God has lead me on,
always had my back in prayer,
always extended a hand when I have fallen,
become my family outside of my family.
And God wants all of this and more for you. Not only does church play an important role in the follower's life, each person has an important role in the church.
1 Corinthians 12:12-26
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
I love this passage of scripture. We are ALL a part of the body. Without YOU, we would not be complete. As verse 25 says, "there should be no division in the body...parts should have equal concern for each other." The body of Christ suffers together and rejoices together.
If you are not a part of a body of believers, I strongly encourage you to seek out the place where you feel welcomed.
There truly is something so beautiful about having a church family. I pray that one day, you get to experience that for yourself.
I grew up in the church. In high school, I began going to Bible study at a different church than my "home" church. I didn't know that 4 years later they would be supporting me as I travelled to North Africa. My mentors and friends came from this church. They guided me spiritually and supported me on my walk with Christ (and still do!) When I walked into this church this week (and interrupted their lunch) they welcomed me with open arms (and even gave me a piece of delicious cake!). Never have I left this church (or of being with the people of this church) feeling empty or discouraged. They have done so much for me, including: providing the resources and leadership for great Bible studies, having retreats and many other events, commissioning me on my trip to North Africa, praying over and for me, allowing me to speak to their congregation, and just being my family outside of my true family. Seriously, how blessed I have been by this church and this group of people!
Everybody needs a family like this. Everybody needs a church home.
My heart breaks when people share stories about how the church let them down, or the ways that humans ruin church. Let me make something clear: those stories shed light on the work of the devil, not on God. The enemy will do everything in his power to turn believers away from church, because a body of believers is the devil's worst nightmare. That is why it is so much more important that the people of God are unified, because it is hard for Satan to attack a big body of believers. To him, those walking alone are the "easy catches."
I don't mean to scare you or offend you...but make a simple point. Church is important for every single believer of Christ. Being a part of an army of people seeking to bring the Lord glory is so vital.
From my experience, the body of Christ has:
been the place where I have found God's love,
where the seed of faith was planted in my heart,
guided me and helped nourish my faith,
brought me hope when I had none,supported me in the journeys that God has lead me on,
always had my back in prayer,
always extended a hand when I have fallen,
become my family outside of my family.
And God wants all of this and more for you. Not only does church play an important role in the follower's life, each person has an important role in the church.
1 Corinthians 12:12-26
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
I love this passage of scripture. We are ALL a part of the body. Without YOU, we would not be complete. As verse 25 says, "there should be no division in the body...parts should have equal concern for each other." The body of Christ suffers together and rejoices together.
If you are not a part of a body of believers, I strongly encourage you to seek out the place where you feel welcomed.
There truly is something so beautiful about having a church family. I pray that one day, you get to experience that for yourself.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
How To Miss YOUR Life
It has been a long time since I had the chance to write. By no means, have I forgotten about this blog. In fact, I've had many many many ideas every day about what to write. But since being home from school, I've cut my time on my computer and phone short. I don't know what it is, but there is truly something about limiting the time spent on electronics that liberates your life. Maybe it is the fact that there is more time to spend on more important things like family, friends or even yourself. Along with that, I believe there is an element of freedom from the world and all its "ugliness." Don't get me wrong, I think the world is beautiful, but nobody can deny the truth that our world is deteriorating...media is full of role models promoting success and sex, government is restricting people of their rights, other countries are struggling with poverty, human trafficking and slavery. But if you think about it, the ugly part of our world is broad casted on the Internet and TV. Back to my point, limiting the amount of time spent watching TV and googling the net frees you from all of that. If you haven't spent a day without your cell phone in your hand every second, or being on the Internet every hour (for things other than work or important matters), or sitting on the couch and watch the daily news every morning/evening, then you are missing out on the wonderful world called "Your Life."
I read a blog this past week titled "How to Miss a Childhood." Basically, it talked about how in this day and age, the phone has consumed people's lives. As a result, parents are missing out on the lives of their children. Of course, I am not a mother...but it was still rather convicting. Truthfully, making your phone the most important and vital aspect of life causes one to miss out on more than a childhood, but their very own LIFE. I think it goes without saying that life is one of the greatest gifts God has given us (besides the sacrifice of Jesus and grace we received because of it, and His love of course!) Waking up every morning with a new day to discover, relying on your lungs pump oxygen in 20,160 times per day, trusting the strongest muscle in your body to beat continuously for years upon years. Doesn't that just blow your mind? Life is such a beautiful gift, but do we realize it? Do we appreciate it like we should? Does God receive the praise He deserves for this amazing blessing He has given each one of us?
For me, I take for granted each breath He allows me to breathe, and each second He allows me to live. At the time I am writing this, I have lived approx. 645,063,380 seconds. That seems like a lot, and honestly, that means I should've sent the Lord that many praises in my lifetime, because each second is a gift worthy to praise Him for. We all know that at any moment He can decide to finish our life here on earth and take us to His eternal Kingdom in Heaven. But not at this very moment...so therefore we praise Him.
It is so easy to become distracted, not only by cell phones, Internet, media by also just by our own selfish desires and pleasures. It is common to go days completely forgetting the blessing of life and instead criticizing everything that is wrong in life, or complaining about the circumstances. Something I've realized recently: when we criticize our lives and the people in our lives, we are truly criticizing the Lord and the work He is doing in our lives. Painful. That hurts me just saying it. He doesn't deserves our criticism, in fact, I'm not sure we have any place to tell the Lord what He is doing right and what He has gotten completely wrong. Hmm...that's one to ponder on further.
I don't know what your life looks like right now, but from my 20 years of life, there has never been any circumstance big enough to take the place of praise. Nothing is greater than the Lord. Not our circumstances, not our mistakes, not the storms that suddenly cover our lives. The Lord is bigger than ALL.
"Don't tell your God how big the storm is; tell the storm how big your God is!"
I think it is time to disconnect with the world and reconnect with God. Break the bond with media (phone, Internet, TV) and strengthen the bond with your Creator, the One who sustains you and gives you EVERY breathe you need to function each day. Remove your eyes from the ugly, distorted, or misplaced pieces of your life and fix your eyes back on the Lord who sees the entire picture, which, may I add, is BEAUTIFUL.
The Lord doesn't want you to miss out on your life. The beautiful, unique life that He so thoughtfully and meticulously designed just for you! You only get one chance to live it...how will you spend each second He gives you? Being critical, or being joyful and full of praise?
I read a blog this past week titled "How to Miss a Childhood." Basically, it talked about how in this day and age, the phone has consumed people's lives. As a result, parents are missing out on the lives of their children. Of course, I am not a mother...but it was still rather convicting. Truthfully, making your phone the most important and vital aspect of life causes one to miss out on more than a childhood, but their very own LIFE. I think it goes without saying that life is one of the greatest gifts God has given us (besides the sacrifice of Jesus and grace we received because of it, and His love of course!) Waking up every morning with a new day to discover, relying on your lungs pump oxygen in 20,160 times per day, trusting the strongest muscle in your body to beat continuously for years upon years. Doesn't that just blow your mind? Life is such a beautiful gift, but do we realize it? Do we appreciate it like we should? Does God receive the praise He deserves for this amazing blessing He has given each one of us?
For me, I take for granted each breath He allows me to breathe, and each second He allows me to live. At the time I am writing this, I have lived approx. 645,063,380 seconds. That seems like a lot, and honestly, that means I should've sent the Lord that many praises in my lifetime, because each second is a gift worthy to praise Him for. We all know that at any moment He can decide to finish our life here on earth and take us to His eternal Kingdom in Heaven. But not at this very moment...so therefore we praise Him.
It is so easy to become distracted, not only by cell phones, Internet, media by also just by our own selfish desires and pleasures. It is common to go days completely forgetting the blessing of life and instead criticizing everything that is wrong in life, or complaining about the circumstances. Something I've realized recently: when we criticize our lives and the people in our lives, we are truly criticizing the Lord and the work He is doing in our lives. Painful. That hurts me just saying it. He doesn't deserves our criticism, in fact, I'm not sure we have any place to tell the Lord what He is doing right and what He has gotten completely wrong. Hmm...that's one to ponder on further.
I don't know what your life looks like right now, but from my 20 years of life, there has never been any circumstance big enough to take the place of praise. Nothing is greater than the Lord. Not our circumstances, not our mistakes, not the storms that suddenly cover our lives. The Lord is bigger than ALL.
"Don't tell your God how big the storm is; tell the storm how big your God is!"
I think it is time to disconnect with the world and reconnect with God. Break the bond with media (phone, Internet, TV) and strengthen the bond with your Creator, the One who sustains you and gives you EVERY breathe you need to function each day. Remove your eyes from the ugly, distorted, or misplaced pieces of your life and fix your eyes back on the Lord who sees the entire picture, which, may I add, is BEAUTIFUL.
The Lord doesn't want you to miss out on your life. The beautiful, unique life that He so thoughtfully and meticulously designed just for you! You only get one chance to live it...how will you spend each second He gives you? Being critical, or being joyful and full of praise?
"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
~Psalm 139:12-14
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