...You Are All I Need...

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18


The beauty in this verse is it again reminds Christians of the eternal hope that we have. In spite of our MANY sins and disobedience to God even after He has rescued us that we have an everlasting great hope. Our days are numbered and sooner than later we will all go on the glory but while we struggle through this world let us hold fast to the heavenly hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Yes we all go through things and yes we all make mistakes but take courage beloved because God has a glorious reunion waiting for you in heaven. We you fall ask God to get you back up. When Satan attacks ask God to cover you. When life just happens ask God to give you guidance and remember that “Soon and Very Soon- We are going to see the King”.
Blessings…

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

This Hallowed Ground

Coach Boone: This is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today. This green field right here, painted red, bubblin' with the blood of young boys. Smoke and hot lead pouring right through their bodies. Listen to their souls, men. I killed my brother with malice in my heart. Hatred destroyed my family. You listen, and you take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were. I don't care if you like each other of not, but you will respect each other. And maybe... I don't know, maybe we'll learn to play this game like men.

In the world we live in unconditional love has left our minds, attitudes and actions towards one another. People get lost on this journey and instead of remembering that you too where once lost and only by the grace of God you made it back safely you sit in condemnation and judge and hate your neighbor. Examine your intentions… do you want that person whole again or do you just want to be right? Do you really want that person to be restored or because of your own pride you want to continue to put your foot on the neck of the person so you can feel more righteous about yourself. I would like to think that death changes people and makes them need, rely and depend on each other more. But what I have come to see is that in living or dying we have a need to set up camps and have rules and standards that we don’t even fully live by ourselves and they based upon how where living and if you don’t fit all of those things and if you have a different opinion then you are kicked out of the camp and hate pursues you. There no room for people with mistakes in the past and present in your group. There is no room for different ideas and approaches and if you don’t fit the “type” then your now allowed. It seems really sad to me that friendships are destroyed because people cant forgive past and because people wont allow differences. It seems sad to me that even the message of the dead doesn’t awaken us to put down our swords of hate, wrath and anger and come together. If your trying to be right then you will always isolate yourself, others will leave and you will find yourself alone, miserable and “Right”… But if you want to do the right thing then you can just love, forgive, move on and come together. Relationships aren’t perfect because love isn’t perfect, but love is just love. So when will stop arguing about who started the fire and just put it out. When we focus on the solutions then we have no time to fight over the problems. When we focus on the heart and soul of people instead of what we don’t like about them or their mistakes and past then we have no time to judge them or be mad at them. Lets take all this energy that it has taken us to get to this mess and lets focus on just loving each other because if we don’t come together now, then I am afraid we might just loose another person to all this chaos.

Here we go!!!

Well school has started and I am taking my classes online and it is WONDERFUL I have had a lot of time to relax and chill out. I am finally getting my teeth fixed after all this time, the doctor says I should feel better after my teeth are done, who knew that teeth were so important to the physical. I finished my ministry at NGBC it was an amazing time and we had a lot of fun and did a lot to get people focused on the gospel but my time was up; the relationships I have with many people will never end but it was time for my ministry to end there. I learned a lot about myself and I have fallen more in love with my self and I think that the things I thought before are still true and the lessons that I have learned from Pastor Timothy and Andy Vance are still true in helping lay the foundation of my ministry and help to guide me when I see certain things. Pray and Stand on principle. I am excited to see where God is leading me next. Remember to encourage yourself and know that life has seasons and in all the seasons of life know that they come to teach you something. Be blessed and walk in it….

John The Baptist...

As I sit here this morning and have my personal devotion I am reading Matthew chapter 3 and I am looking at the passion of John the Baptist. John the Baptist is preaching in the wilderness “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. His circumstances are not restricting him from preaching the message of heavens hope: Jesus Christ; just because he is in the wilderness does not mean that he is going to stop doing what he has been called to do. The same should apply to us as Christians if we sit around and wait for the “perfect” circumstances in order to preach the gospel we will never do it. Its about Johns passion not his circumstances.
This chapter also tells us that john wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey. Not the most rewarding of all jobs but john didn’t look at what he ate or had to wear he looked at the mission and his real undeniable belief in what he was preaching about. I have a friend and his father has millions and yet my friend refuses to take any money from his dad. Him and his father have a great relationship but his father is not a Christian so my friend says to me that maybe my message will be more powerful to my dad because I am struggling and yet I am not asking for anything or taking anything when he offers it. Its not about the stuff he tells me, its only about our relationship. I want my dad to know that I love him not for what he can do for me but simply because of whom he is. I wonder if that is how it is for most Christians. Do we serve God out of obligation or out of love. If God didn’t do another thing for us would we still be willing to be preach his message.
The life that John the Baptist lived was extremely humble but what he got from Jesus was the honor of baptizing the messiah. He walked with Jesus and he talked with Jesus and he reigns with Jesus in heaven. John was not seeking the earthly fulfillment's of this world but rather he was seeking a relationship with Jesus Christ. As you live your life here on earth what are you doing?

Empty Hands Raised High

Tonight we had an amazing night of worship and prayer. It was just a few of us but God moved and spoke through people and through the bible. My soul has been thirsty for the Spirit of God lately. I have been in need of him. Thinking about my past, my present and my future for the last few months has just wore me down. And tonight just like when he called me into the ministry God spoke to me. I have been scared to move into the unknown. I have been scared to get out of my comfort box and to move forward in my life. I have found myself continuing to put myself into comfortable situations and around people who think and act like me because I have been scared of the change and challenge. God has been trying to awake my soul for some time now and through a series of events this year beginning with the death of my great grandmother Jesus has been pulling on my heart to go to a different direction in ministry and in my personal life but I have been fighting it because I am scared of the work it will take and I am scared of the unknown. But tonight God unexpectedly spoke loud and clear and now is the time for me to move on in many areas of my life. He wants all of me and he wants to show me new things. Life is short and he is trying to get me to places in my soul and spirit that I cannot do by living in mediocrity. Taking me to new places will take me away from many people that I love and care about but I have to trust God to take care of them just like he has always done and now I need to trust him to take care of me as I take new steps in my Christian journey. I don’t know what the future holds but I know who holds the future. My prayer has been God please bring me direction and peace and tonight he did. And the doors that he wants to shut and open he made clear tonight what I need to do. Growing is painful. Become more than what you are right now is painful. Leaving people behind and going to other places is painful but its apart of the growing process. So tonight I stopped fighting with God. I let go of my mistakes, my pain and anxiety. I accepted his love and forgiveness and truth. And surrendered to his plan for me in the next phase of my life. I am scared so please pray for me. But I am hopeful and confident in Jesus Christ. That’s all I know is him so now I will trust and obey.

My Boy Lincoln... RIP

I woke up this morning and they told me you were dead and everything began to break down in my head. My soul cried. My emotions broke. My body was paralyzed. All I could do to contain myself was ask God let you know that I loved you. I wish I had told you more. I wish I had reached out more. I wish I had knew more. Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you come to me? I know you didn’t mean for this to happen. I know its not your fault. You were trying to connect the dots in life and it didn’t work out the way you thought it would. Its ok. No ones mad at you. We all love you and were just missing the hell out of you right now. We promise to take care of your mom and sisters. I will be praying for them everyday. I promise to pray for your friends and if there is away for you to hear me or come and see me every now and then please don’t ever hesitate to come visit me in my dreams. I remember the first real encounter I had with you. Me, Steve and Scot took a group of you to church camp. I had in my group: Lincoln, Joey, Jesse, and Joey V. what a week. Remember the Gold Bond powder in my bed- every time I think of that I still want to beat you kids up LOL. From that trip until the day I die I will always love you and pray for your soul. I will never forget you and I know Lincoln that in your last moments that was not you. I don’t blame you for that. Please take your soul and be with Jesus now. Rest & enjoy the love of God. Its all over now. All the worry and stress and drama that you had to put up with is over now. You don’t have to keep trying to prove yourself to anyone. You are in God’s hands now. At least now I don’t have to worry about you so much. At least now I don’t have to wonder what your doing and how your doing. Now I know that you are with Jesus. I wish I had been there for you more. I wish that you didn’t have to feel the way you did before you went. I wish that I could tell you one more time that I love you. I know that you knew I loved you. We will all miss you sooooooooo much kid. Please Lincoln go and rest in the arms of God. Watch over us. Be our spark of hope. I love you kid.

Sails

For your example we say thanks for your unconditional love we give you praise and for the way you always forgive we acknowledge that you are creator and sustainer of the universe. To our heavenly father that loves deeply and forgives fully we surrender our lives to you as an appreciation for all that you do and have done.
To all the dads and granddads out there who make the world a better place. For sticking with it when it would have been easier to leave. For your endurance and strength for your patience and love. For being a role model and teaching us the right way to go. For all the elders we want to thank you on this father day.
Since I have been sick and in bed I have had a lot of time to think about my life and I have realized that a lot of the emotional damage that happens to people is because people allow it to happen to them. By your actions and responses to things you teach people how to treat you. If you allow for someone to come into your life regardless of the type of relationship you have to set the boundaries for how they will treat you and the only damage that can be done is if you allow it to be done. Again in this season of my life I am really grateful that I can now look and examine personalities and types of people before I let them into my life because this now equips me for the future so I will no next time not to let negative people come into my life. As I am getting ready to turn 25 years old I have been blessed to have some good relationships with people and some horrible ones and to all the good folks out there thank you and to all the ones who intentionally came in to set my life on fire: I survived and came out like goal.
I think we all need to ask ourselves everyday what are we doing? And why are we here? Are we wasting our lives in projects and in people that will never get better or in situations that will never change. Have we come to the cemetery and are trying to raise the dead bones. Have we come to a crossroads in our lives and need to rethink why we are here and what we are doing? Life is like living on a ocean. The waves come and move you up and down and the winds of the sea are constantly blowing in different directions… My question is have we adjusted are sails and are moving in the right direction?

Blessings…