Happy Valentine's Day!

So, in case you've missed the big pink and red hearts in all the stores, and all of the TV commercials...

News Flash!!!

Valentine's Day is TOMORROW. 

For some of you, you are getting ready to celebrate with the man or woman you love.

For the rest of us, we are getting ready to celebrate S.A.D. (single awareness day) instead.

But, as this post from VisionaryDaughters.com says- don't wallow in the pool 

of self-pity because you don't have a Knight in Shining Armor or a Maiden Fair, 

use this time to really look at yourself and say- 

"Hey- Am I ready for my Knight in Shining Armor/Maiden Fair?"

If the answer is no, then lets make the decision today to get ready!

Valentine’s Day may be a happy time for couples, but it’s often a painful reminder for single Christian women of what they’re still praying for, hoping for, and – sigh – waiting for. Many of us don’t have a valentine this year because we’ve been holding out for someone special. We have high standards, and we’ve stuck to them, and now we’re having to eat the fruits of this resolve (instead of Godiva chocolates).

High standards and faithful perseverance are noble things. But sometimes we need to re-examine the honesty of our standards, and the whole spirit in which we devise them. Some of us, whether we know it or not, have made lists of suitor-requirements that look like this:

Dear God,

I have been very good this year, and I would really like it if you would bring me a husband who:

Is working to become just like Christ

Will love me just the way I am

Speaks several languages and plays several instruments

Will look past my inadequacies to see only my inner qualities

Is handsome

Will not be so carnally minded that he will care about the way I look

Isn’t interested in money

Can support me in the style I would like to be accustomed to

Is completely sold out for God

Will let me be myself

I know these are very righteous things to desire, and I have been patiently waiting and have not compromised my standards, so can you please reward my faithfulness now? Thank you.

Love, Janey

It’s good to develop noble standards for the kind of man we want to marry, but simply having a preference for good men doesn’t make us worthy of them. We often have lofty demands for suitors (well, not that lofty – just that they have Jim Elliot’s heart, C. S. Lewis’s mind, William Wallace’s courage, Clark Gable’s face, Cary Grant’s clothes, Josh Groban’s voice…), but we want them to love us just the way we are. So the men we want to marry often don’t really exist – and if they did… well… why would they want to marry us?

Janey apparently hopes that her paragon of glowing character and accomplishments won’t mind that she is (apparently) shallow and materialistic, has qualities buried so deep there’s no danger of anyone ever finding them, is not-quite-sold-out for Christ herself… and is not interested in changing. But then, we don’t really want what we deserve, do we?

So, we make our wish lists and pray that we get Missionary Martyr Malibu Ken for Christmas. But what will we have to offer him? How are we preparing to be what hemight need in a wife? How long are our lists of standards and requirements for ourselves?

Our aspirations to be married to fine husbands are good; but then, that’s an aspiration that the Cinderellas and the ugly stepsisters of the world have always had in common. We need to step outside of our imaginary roles as the heroines of our own personal fairy tales, and ask ourselves: Which one am I? Why would the prince choose me?

The bad news is, none of us are naturally likeable, desirable, or eligible. Because of sin, we all start out as ugly stepsisters, and we don’t automatically become Cinderella upon reaching marriageable age. The good news is, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” (1 Pet. 2:24) And the rest of the good news is, if you find yourself Valentine-less this Valentine’s Day, that means the Lord is giving you more time to die to sin and live to righteousness, more time to make yourself ready, more time to become a better gift.

Ladies, let’s decide to do our (future) husbands good on this day (Prov. 31:12), instead of moping about the good they’re not here to do for us. On a day when women all over the world will be thinking about what they want to get from a man, let’s think instead about we’re preparing to give to one.

(With excerpts from It’s (Not That) Complicated)

Going for Christ- Part 2

It's not a question of "Do I GO?" it's a question of "How Do I GO?"

Please read Going for Christ- Part 1 first. Thank you.

I always thought that to be a missionary, you had to go to the "jungles of Africa" or some other exotic place. But, this past year I attended a conference in Ohio, and the focus was on "Going for the Lord".  I realized at that conference that going has many different faces.

You can be going by serving in your local church, ministering to homeless at your local soup kitchen, leading after school Bible clubs, going on mission trips, or just by giving a smile to someone. 

As Christians, we are all missionaries for Christ. We have been given the commission to "Go into all the World and preach the Gospel". 

The problem some Christians have (myself included), is that we forget we're all missionaries, and we tend to brush off "going into all the world". We get so caught up in Jerusalem, that we forget about ALL of Judea, much less the uttermost parts of the earth. And Samaria? It's at the very back of our minds, if it's even in our minds at all.

I have been challenged through the seminars I've attended and the books I have read this past year, to get my "Global Focus" back. 

I am Christian, a Follower of Christ. His heart is supposed to be my heart. His desires, my desires. I must live my life as if it truly is.

I must not only work in my Jerusalem (where I am at right now), I must also do what I can to help spread the gospel across the country of the United States. I also need to make sure that my Samaria is being reached as well- I must go to those that when I think of them, I cringe (I'm being honest with you, this does happen in my life!). I also need to be thinking about the entire world, but I don't just need to think, I need to do...in ALL aspects.

As an example- My life. The way I'm "Going" right now-

*Author's note- My main calling, and my heart, is to work with children, so most of my "Go's" revolve around kids. Not everyone is called to work with children. Some are called to work with the elderly, some are called to work with teens, others still are called to work with business leaders, etc.. What has the Lord called you to do? What makes your heart burn with a passion to be able to be a part of it?

In my Jerusalem- I lead children's church on Sundays and Vacation Bible School in the Summer. I help with a food pantry at my church.

In all Judea- I lead and help with children's programs in North Carolina and Texas. (Mental note-This is an area I need to work on.)

Samaria- there are some people that are hard to work with in all circles. I am learning to serve them all in the Love of Christ. It makes life much more simple if I do it through Christ's power and not my own. :)

Uttermost parts of the Earth- I LONG for the day when I can go out of the country to serve the Lord. But until the Lord opens the door for me to go, I help support the goal of spreading the Gospel of Christ to the uttermost parts of the world by giving monetarily and prayerfully to "frontline missionaries" (so to speak) and to organizations that are dedicated to sharing the Gospel.

All Glory goes to the Lord for allowing me the privilege of serving Him in a multitude of ways. I am not bragging on myself but on Christ my Savior! I simply want to help give you all an idea of what "GO" looks like for an average 20-something adult.

So- Those are my "Go's". What are your's? What do you feel the Lord directing you to do?
I would love to hear your stories!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Resource links-

The conference I attended last year has the audios online for you to listen to and download for free- Check them out!
Sermon Audios from Passion4Christ Summit 2012

If you would like to experience Radical, or any of the other books I've listed for yourself- Here are links to each one-
Radical by David Platt
Passion for the Heart of God by John Zumwalt
Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman

Enjoy! God Bless you on your Journey!

Going for Christ- Part 1

This month I have been reading a book that was recommended by a friend, and then provided by the Lord. 
The book is called Radical by David Platt--Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream.

It is a wonderful book, and has already changed my thinking and my life drastically! I am taking the book slow and mentally digesting each section I read. Yes, I said section, I can't even read a whole chapter at a time, there's so much to think about!

This past year I also read two other books entitled- Passion for the Heart of God by Zumwalt, and Not a Fan by Idleman. The recurring theme in all three books is that as a Christian, you are commanded to GO into the world and preach the gospel and to make disciples.

The other night as I was reading Radical, I started thinking about Acts 1:8-
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth."

All of my life, this verse has been taught as if it is "or" between the cities/countries, not "and". It's also been taught as if we all have a choice as to which one we're going to 'reach for Christ'. The other thing I noticed is that it is taught a lot of times that Jerusalem is your hometown.

Here's what the Lord revealed to me the other night-
First of all- It is "AND" throughout the whole verse. There is no option to choose one or the other, they are all part of the commandment.

Second- 

• Jerusalem is not the hometown, because the disciples were all men of Galilee, not Jerusalem. (So don't think that just because you've moved cross-country you get out of serving!) I have come to believe Jerusalem is where you're at right now. The men that Jesus was addressing in Acts 1:8 were in Jerusalem. Christ was saying- don't wait until you get home, don't wait until a certain day. Get started NOW! 
• ALL Judea- Judea was the country in which Jerusalem was and is located. I see this as Christ saying- don't stay in one place, spread out. Cover the whole country with the Gospel!
• Samaria- I believe Samaria represents your enemies, and those who you feel to be inferior to you. In other words- those who you don't think deserve the Gospel.  It's the uncomfortable place to go. You see, historically, Samaria was a country full of half-breeds. The Jews would not have anything to do with Samaritans. By Christ saying go to Samaria, He is saying- humble yourself, they need the Gospel as well.
• Uttermost Parts of the Earth- This is plain as can be. Jehovah's heart is for the entire world ("For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16). If we call ourselves Christians, then that means we are to have a renewed mind and heart- the mind and heart of Christ. If Christ's heart is for the whole world, ours should be as well.

So, in a nutshell, we are all commanded to "GO" for Christ. So it's not a question of "Do I go?" It's a question of "How do I go?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

New Year's 2013

Wow! Another year has come…and just as quickly…gone.

I have been learning an amazing thing this year- Truly Trusting Christ. I know, I’ve made a couple posts about that this year, so I’ll spare you and not go into a really long speech. :)

I have a feeling I will be learning this even more so this year. Last year, the Lord threw in a couple surprises in what I thought was a year I had well planned. 

This year, there are only a couple of things I actually have planned. Everything else is completely up in the air!

I am a little nervous as to what the year might hold, but I am completely thrilled to find out what the Lord has in store! It’s even more thrilling to know that the majority of it is going to be a complete surprise, and that my year’s story (as well as my life story) is being written by the Maker of Heaven and Earth, my Heavenly Father!

Jeremiah 29:11 says- “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Hebrews 11:1- “Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Romans 8:24-29- “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

What wonderful truths to start the New Year on!

Not only is the Lord planning good things for our lives, but- THROUGH His plans He will build our faith and our hope! By building our faith and hope, He will draw us even closer to Himself!

Oh! What a glorious thought! Every step of this life is predestined by Christ Himself to draw us closer and closer to Him!

How wonderful to know that everything- Every person, every job, every relationship, every ministry, EVERYTHING- is meant to strengthen our relationship with Christ.

As you enter into 2013- be on the lookout. Look around you for the blessings of Christ, and for the ways He is drawing you to Himself! It could be in the most unlikely place!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Thanksgiving 2012

Today is the day we, as a nation, have set aside to gather together and give thanks to the Lord for all that He has blessed us with.

Today, I would like to thank the Lord for all of my blessings, but specifically for the following ones from this past year-


1. First and foremost- My salvation through my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and for continuing to draw me unto Himself!

Pleasant Hill Outdoor Center, Perrysville, OH

October 2012

2. Time with family-

Sim's BBQ Molasses Festival October 2012

Family - Easter 2012 

With cousins in Nashville, TN June 2012

3. Bonding with My sisters :)

Easter 2012 

4. Opportunities to serve the Lord-

Served with these amazing people in Big Sandy, TX 

April 2012

I was blessed to teach these cute kids about the Lord!

So blessed by these little ones!

The Lord opened the door this summer for a VBS at my church.

What a tremendous blessing and opportunity it was to work 

with these adults and teach these children about the 

Masterwork of God in their lives!

July 2012

The Lord abundantly blessed with an awesome team of teachers

for the NC Children's Program this summer!

August 2012

I was also blessed to teach these adorable young ladies

 5. Making New friends- 

With new family friends in Nashville, TN

June 2012

I got to stay in the same cabin with these beautiful ladies for a week!

What a blessing they each were to me!

Perrysville, OH 

October 2012

6. My birthday- I turned 22 this year!

So blessed with another year to serve the Lord, love my family,

and shine the light of Christ to those around me!

7. Wise ladies to disciple me and help lead me in the path of the Lord.

This is one of those special ladies- Mrs. Pam Cavanaugh

of Vision4Living Ministries

 8. Iron-sharpening-Iron friendships

The amazing small group the Lord allowed me to be a part of at

Passion4Christ Summit 2012

Perrysville, OH

October 2012

 9. Awesome sunsets and sunrises to enjoy!

Sunrise in Big Sandy, TX

April 2012

Sunset near my church

March 2012

10. Protection

This picture may not fit with 'protection' for you- but for me it does.

Here's why- 

1. John 3:16- "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, 

but have everlasting life."

I am protected from the schemes of the devil, because I have placed my heart, faith, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. The ring is my 'promise ring', that my daddy gave me. 

This ring represents that I have placed the responsibility of protecting my heart in the hands of my daddy and my Lord. Until the Lord brings the right man into my life, and even past that- until my wedding day, my heart will rest safely in their hands.  They will help me keep my feet on the ground, my head out of the clouds, 

my eyes on the goal of serving the Lord, 

and my heart focused on the Lord Himself.

What a blessing this truly is, and one that I have come to truly 

appreciate the older I get! 

There are many more things that I could list, but I will keep it at the top 10 today :).  

As you spend time with your family today, take time to count your many blessings!  

Lessons Learned from an Unwise King

I have been reading in 1 & 2 Kings the last couple of months. 

It has been quite eye opening.

Earlier this year, I made a post about Building a Legacy and thinking generationally. I honestly don’t know if I truly knew how important that 

was until I read 1 Kings 11.

Let’s look at the background story just a bit...

• What did Solomon ask for?

1 Kings 3:7-13a (emphasis added to all scripture quotations is mine)

“And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant [Solomon] king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

“And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

“And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.

“And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and…not asked for thyself long life; neither…riches for thyself, nor…the life of thine enemies; but…for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

“Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart…

“And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked…”

Jehovah was so pleased by what Solomon asked that He gave him not only the wisdom he asked for, but also riches and honor. The Lord only gave a small stipulation in verse 14-

“If thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.”

In chapters 4-10, Solomon builds the temple, prospers exceedingly, and is visited by many great leaders, including the Queen of Sheba. He truly was blessed by the Lord. His downfall sadly came in chapter 11.

1 Kings 11:1- “But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites.”

All of these tribes listed were tribes that the Lord had commanded the people of Israel to not marry, because they would draw their hearts away from the One True God, Jehovah.

• What happened once Solomon let his guard down?

1 Kings 11:3-4- “And he (Solomon) had seven hundred wives,…and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.”

1 Kings 11:7 & 8 really shows how far Solomon had fallen from the presence of the LORD.

“Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

“And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.”

1 Kings 11:9-10- “And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the LORD God of Israel,…and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.”

• What did the Lord do as a result of Solomon’s turning away?

1 Kings 11:11-13—“The LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. In thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.”

Notice first of all what I have highlighted in bold- “I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.”

The Lord’s punishment to Solomon was that He would take the kingdom from him- all of his riches, all of his land, all of his wives, EVERYTHING Solomon had- and give it to his servant (one of the other countries).

Now notice what I have highlighted in green- “I will not do it for David thy father’s sake” and again “for David my servant’s sake”.

This is where the generational thinking comes in. The Lord said He would take the kingdom away, but then He tells Solomon (in modern lingo)- “Because your dad served me faithfully, I won’t take the kingdom away from you, I’ll take it from your son. And furthermore- I won’t take the entire kingdom. I’ll leave your son a small portion, because your dad was a good man who served Me with all his heart.”

The Lord didn’t have to do that. He’s the God of the universe. He could have taken a deep breath and blew Israel off the map because of what Solomon had done. But He didn’t. Because of David being “a man after God’s own heart”, the Lord decided to spare them at least a small portion of what they had. 

For every action, there is a reaction. We should be doing our best, with the Lord’s help, to leave a chain-reaction of blessings for future generations.

You've heard “look before you leap”? Well, how about “Think about the future before acting in the present”?

David’s humility is what spared the kingdom for Solomon. 

• What did the high places that Solomon built do? 

Sadly, they brought destruction for the entire country of Israel. Read First and Second Kings. It’s one evil king after another. The few good kings are all praised for living a pure and upright life in every way, except for tearing down the high places. For each generation that came along with the high places still intact, the worse the sin of the country became.

Do your future generations a favor- search your heart and life now, and tear down the high places in your life. It will make things a little easier on your children and grandchildren when they come along.

If you already have children or grandchildren, then get rid of the high places in your life, and pray that the Lord will help your family to realize the need to tear down the high places in their lives.

Take back the ground from satan, it’s the only way you will ever get victory for yourself and for your family. Trust me, it’s easier to start with a clean slate, than to try and clean a dirty one.

May Jehovah bless each of you as you ‘think generationally’.

What Is Our Responsibility Now?

Yesterday was Election day.

Whether you are happy with the results or not, we as Christians have responsibilities no matter who is in office.

"What responsibilities?", you may ask. 

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
"For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;
"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
"Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."
-1 Timothy 2:1-6 (KJV)

To help understand things better, here are some definitions from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary-

Supplications- To make a humble entreaty; especially: to pray to God
Prayer- An address (as a petition) to God in word or thought
Intercession- Prayer, petition, or entreaty in favor of another
Thanksgiving (giving of thanks)- A prayer expressing Gratitude

So, here are some responsibilities that I see set before us in Scripture-

1. Make a supplication, or humble entreaty, to the Lord. 
"O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed." "The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer."- (Psalm 6:1-2, 9)

2. Pray
Prayer can be explained in many ways. My favorite way to explain it, is the way my Daddy explains it- "Prayer is the way in which we are ushered into the Throne Room of Grace before a Holy and Righteous God."
If you are in love with someone, what do you usually do? You talk to that person. You tell them about your day.  You would be happy to just sit in their presence all day long. 
Christ is our Bridegroom, we are His Bride. We should be longing to do the same with Him! We should gladly and urgently enter into our closet to pray, to talk to Him! He wants you to talk to Him, He wants to talk to you! And sometimes, we just need to sit in His presence. That is what prayer does. It is not always with words that we pray. Sometimes it's a point where you just kneel before Him and say- "Lord, I just want to bask in Your presence."
With all of the uncertainty before us, we should be seeking a closer relationship with the Father and His Son. Therefore, we should be spending more time in His presence!

3. Intercede for those in Authority
The verses above say that we are to pray, intercede, and give thanks for all men, but especially for our kings and those in authority.
But what is the reason we are to pray?
"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."- 1 Tim. 2:4
Christ is willing that all should repent and that none should perish! (2 Peter 3:9) We are to pray for those in authority, that they would be shown the truth, that they would believe the truth, and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!
That is the only way that things will ever change. Change comes from the heart. We must, as Christians, have a higher need than just what's happening to our pocket books. We must remember that we are fighting a spiritual battle that is raging for souls! We are soldiers in the army of the LORD, and it is our duty to FIGHT for those who we know are lost. Pray that someone would be sent to each person in authority, to show them the truth.

4. Give Thanks
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."- 1 Thess. 5:18

No matter who is in authority, no matter what your circumstances, tell the Lord your thankful for it. Don't think I don't know it's hard when things are going rough. It's very hard to thank the Lord when the powers out, when the kids are screaming, when the fridge is empty, or when you think the wrong man might have been put in authority (at work or otherwise). But remember-

"We know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

"For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."- Jeremiah 29:11


We must trust that the Lord has a perfect plan and that everything is bringing us closer to that plan.

So, that is my thoughts on the recent happening in America. 

You have a responsibility Christian, are you going to take up the Cross and Cause of Christ?

Hoping in God

Where do you turn when life seems a little unstable or confusing? I found this passage of scripture to fit pretty well with my life right now. 
 
"O send out Thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; 
let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: 
yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? 
hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." 
Psalm 43:3-5


As I look ahead into the next year, I am tempted to be scared of what could happen.
I have written a couple posts this past year about Stepping Out In Faith, as I look into the future, I see a whole lot of stepping out in faith involved.

Psalm 43:5 (above) really sums up how I feel right now.
Life is quite confusing and bewildering right now. It is a daily battle between my spirit, that believes the Lord has everything worked out, and my fleshly soul, that wants to micro-manage and control every aspect of my life.


I have to ask myself quite often- am I leaning on the everlasting arms of the Lord Jesus Christ? I can usually tell when I'm not leaning on Him, I start to get anxious and worry about the future.

There is an illustration that I heard as a child- Jesus gives us a light for our path. But He doesn't give us a spotlight to see into the distance, and He doesn't give us a floodlight to see everything around us, He gives us a candle, with just enough light to see one step ahead. 

So, while I'm taking the step He has me in right now, I will trust Him for what is to come in the next.

I wonder what adventure awaits around the corner?

Involved or Committed?

It’s an interesting question. Some folks would argue that they are one in the same.

But not necessarily.

My family and I attended a local pastor’s Jubilee this past week, and one of the pastor’s shared an illustration on this very fact.

Think about your breakfast table.

A lot of times breakfast will include eggs, bacon/sausage, biscuits, ect.

The chicken who laid the egg was involved in the breakfast meal, but the pig who gave his life to contribute bacon and/or sausage was committed to the meal.

I know it’s a little crude, but it really is the perfect analogy.

As you go about your life, and serving the Lord, do you get involved occasionally or are you completely committed?

• Do you say you’ll pray for someone just so you can get them off of your back? Or do you sincerely devote part of your day to praying for that person and their situation until that situation is resolved?

• Do you donate food to the food pantry/soup kitchen? Or do you get in there help bag the groceries or hand out a plate of food?

• Do you get on the kids level, and possibly even get dirty, as you play with them and teach them at VBS? Or do you show up and stand on the side lines just to say you were there?

• Do you volunteer to help out around your church? Or do you just sit in the pew on Sunday morning?

The examples could be continue, but I’m going to stop there. I think you’ve got the general idea.

The point is, whether it’s working with children, homeless, senior citizens, young married couples, families, or just your own siblings, the Lord has called each of us to a specific task and ministry. Are you willing to fully commit yourself to whatever it is the Lord has called you to? Or are you just willing to be involved?

I am reminded of the story of Jim Elliot and his four friends who went to reach the Auca Indians for Christ.

These men had decided early on that the souls of these men and women were worth the risk of dying. They truly committed everything they had to reaching these people for the Lord. They were killed in a very inhumane way by this head-hunting tribe of people.

At first it seemed nothing good would come of it. Five women lost their husbands, several children were without fathers, parents lost sons, siblings lost their brothers. Lives were devastated.

But Elisabeth Elliot and Rachel Saint went back to the very tribe that had taken from one a husband, and from the other a brother, and lived among them.  They showed them forgiveness in a living, breathing example. The Lord later blessed the fruits of not only Elisabeth and Rachel, but also of the five men, by the whole tribe coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

These people were not just involved, they were completely committed. The men lost their lives, and the women risked losing theirs when they went back to the tribe. But Christ was faithful!

Not everyone is called to literally give their lives for Christ, but is He calling you to give up the comforts of home to go serve in another country?

The closeness of family to work in a ministry elsewhere?

Your leisure time during the week to disciple children?

Your Sunday afternoon nap to meet with a new Believer and help them grow?

“And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.” (1 Chronicles 21:24)

Ornan was going to give King David the things he needed for the offering to the Lord. King David answered wisely when he said he would not offer to the Lord that which cost him nothing.

You can live life as a Christian and not make sacrifices. But you will not live a fulfilled life that way.

The Lord convicted me this past week of doing ‘just enough’. Just enough to keep people from thinking bad about me. Just enough to feel like I’m doing what I should be. Just enough…But the truth is ‘just enough’ is never ENOUGH.

So, I ask you- Will you be the involved chicken or the committed pig?

Another CI has Come...and Gone.

To say that I enjoy CI would probably be an understatement :).

The Lord has blessed me with a tremendous desire to reach young hearts for HIM, and therefore I cherish any opportunity to serve the Lord while working with children!

I believe D.L. Moody said it best when he was asked about the conversions at a recent meeting. The conversation went something like this-

Man: How many accepted Christ, Mr. Moody?
D.L. Moody: Two and a half.
Man: Oh, two adults and one child?
D.L. Moody: No, on the contrary, two children and one adult. You see, when a child accepts Christ you are gaining a whole life in service to the Lord, whereas an adult has already spent half of his life.
 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I could not agree more. As my pastor said at VBS this year- "we are fighting not just for a life but for a lifetime." 
  
Few people truly understand that we are in a spiritual battle, and I believe that no battle is stronger than the one that is waged over a young heart. Christ Himself said "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6)
What a battle we are in my friends! 
I am grateful for the opportunity to help train up the next generation of Believers!

Here are some highlights from the 2012 CI---

 This is a Group shot of our kids and some of the Team Leaders/Assistants

 The entire Team

Back Row (L-R)- Briana, Amanda, Martha, Kayla, Hannah, Kristin

Kneeling (L-R)- Avonlea, Chris, Ben, Stacey

Seated- Rebecca and Olivia

 The kids enjoying the parent presentation on Saturday.

(This is when they get to 'show-off', so to speak, for their parents.

We sing the songs and recite the scripture verses that they learn during the week.)

This year our theme was "Let Your Light So Shine", based out of Matthew 5:14- "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and praise your Father in Heaven."

We learned about different missionaries each night, and we also learned different ways to brighten or dim our light for Christ. As Christians, our goal should always be to shine brightly!

We learned Philippians 2:3-11, and how being a missionary means you must be a servant to not only the Lord Jesus Christ, but you must also be a servant to those whom you are witnessing to. 

We had some wonderful stories as well. Here are some of the highlights-

Monday Night- We learned about George Muller and his faith to trust the Lord for everything, and never ask man for anything.

Tuesday Night- We learned about George the determined/obedient elephant, who listened to the voice of his master.

Wednesday Night- We learned that we have to memorize Scripture to fight off satan when he attacks us with bad thoughts; we also learned, through a different twist of Musical Chairs that you must yield your rights in order to win in the game of life.

Thursday Night- We learned that we have to give things away, not claim them as our own, if we want to be able to love. ("For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:21)

Saturday Morning- We shared the greatest story of Forgiveness every told- the story of Christ giving His life for you and me on the Cross of Calvary.

Saturday Afternoon- We learned a couple different things- we learned how sometimes, things must be broken in order for the Lord to use them (Jim Elliot and his four friends who went to witness to the Auca Indians in Ecuador were killed. Because of their murder, the Lord later opened the door for Elisabeth Elliot (Jim's wife) and Rachel Saint (sister to one of the other men) to go in and witness to the tribe, and eventually the entire tribe came to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus), we also learned how we have to learn when to let something go, otherwise we might reap serious repercussions if we don't. 

It was truly a blessing to be able to serve the Lord through CI again this year!