Dedication

Pushing yourself when you are emotionally, physically, and mentally drained is tough. What would we be if we didn't push ourselves? Who would we be if we didn't go that extra mile? Now you can push yourself in many areas of life. You can push yourself to get in better shape, to be smarter, to travel more, etc. 1 Timothy 4:8 Paul tells us that spiritual exercise is most important. It will not only help us in this life, but the next. Now if there's one thing I learned from playing sports my entire life is that in order to get better you must push yourself. There is no slacking off if you want to win. It takes endurance and dedication to improve. In order to have a stronger spiritual life I must push myself. As Christians we must make reading the bible the norm. We can never grow spiritually if we don't read God's word. Sometimes you don't want to workout but you know it will only make you better. Same with the bible; only your time reading the bible is more important. How can you learn more about Jesus and the person you are in him if you neglect to read the bible. You can't read the bible and not push yourself to actually become what you read. As some say, practice what you preach. Having a life like Jesus' isn't easy, it's a struggle. It can be difficult making the choice to stand up for what you believe in,but it's worth the struggle. I know that when I push myself I have a place to rest. When I feel weary and worn out I have somewhere that will fill me with light. The world is a scary place. I struggle out in it each day but he is with me. At the end of each day I have a place to go and recharge, but I must make that last effort to get in his word because that is the only place where I will truly find rest. So push yourself to learn more about Jesus. Dive into the word. If you have time to watch videos about Honey Boo Boo or the energy to write another Facebook post I think you can take a few minutes to read your bible....only difference is the person you'll become when you choose which one to spend your time doing.

Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG) “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

1 Timothy 4:8(NLT) “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8 NLT)

Guard Your Heart

To my ladies out there. Why do you insist on settling? Why do you continue you to go for a cute boy when you should be going for a man who is going to gently hold your heart in his hands. Throughout my high school years I continually gave my heart to boys who carelessly handled my heart and just stood there watching it shatter as it hit the ground. Thinking about this brings tears to my eyes but thankfully I have someone who was watching over me and reminding me who will hold my heart no matter what happens. This man, Jesus, has ignited a fire in my spirit to encourage women to wait for a man who will not complete them, but compliment them. What qualities do you want in a man? What do you want his character to look like? I want someone who is strong, courageous, and who will fight for me. I want him to stand up for me. I want a man who is seeking after God. A man who can handle emotions without just locking them away. Too many men are afraid to show emotion. Don't fall for a man who can't even hold you and comfort you as you cry. I've fallen for guys like that one to many times. I continue to say that I allowed these guys into my life. I consciously got into a relationship with them because I thought they could complete me, but I was wrong. I continue to watch families fall apart and girls be hurt by their own fathers because their character is not of a man but of a coward. The best way we can wind up with an amazing husband (this man is also going to father your children) is to be Godly women! If you believe you are ugly, that you aren't nice, and you allow things like sex and alcohol to corrupt you then of course you are going to end up with a guy with poor character because you yourself don't have character. So I encourage you ladies to not fall for the next guy but patiently wait for one who will protect you and truly love you. I encourage you ladies to read Proverbs 9 and evaluate the type of woman you are. Are you lady wisdom or lady luck?While you patiently wait don't just sit around letting time slip by, but continue to grow and become the woman your future husband is praying for. I'd much rather be lonely now than go on a million stupid dates and kiss a bunch of frogs that results in happiness for a short amount of time. I don't want joy that lasts for a couple years, I want joy that lasts a lifetime.

Pass the Buck

Have you ever heard the saying "pass the buck?" I sure have and I've been guilty more than once by doing it. Pass the buck, for those of you who don't know, is an old saying that means you pass the blame of your problems onto someone else instead of taking responsibility. In the last month at places like school and work I picked up on often people pass the buck. People LOVE to blame others for their own mistakes. This week I began to notice myself blaming others for problems. Why do we do this? Why don't we just own up to our own mistakes and messes WE create. It's because we want the easy way out. I don't want to go through the "struggle" of fixing my mess; I want others to do it for me.

For example my dad asked me this morning if I made soup because there was some overspill on the oven and I said no I didn't make soup. But I did make oatmeal..that did spill over and even worse I didn't clean it up...and even more worse I didn't tell him. I didn't want to own up to it. Now this is just a small example. Little things like these can become habits that turn into even bigger problems.

Galatians 6:5 says "For each one should carry his own load." (NIT) I love the NLT version, "For we are each responsible for our own conduct." This verse straight up tells me that I better not being blaming others for my mistakes; no matter how big or how silly. If I'm going to live a life like Jesus and call myself a believer then I better take up my cross and take full responsibility for my sins and my actions.

If we constantly blame others what does that show about our character? Wouldn't you want someone to tell you it was their fault instead of blaming others? I know I would. Whatever your reasons for passing the buck, laziness, fear, stupidity, anger, choose to be courageous instead of cowardly. I encourage you this week to work on this and build a character of responsibility and humility. Do you want to be the you from yesterday or someone brand new full of life?


"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." Luke 9:23-24

Thank you.

I often wonder what happened to the word thank you. What happened to parents teaching their kids to be thankful? Now a days people are so used to getting what they want they aren't even thankful for it. In our fast paced culture I think we've left behind the words thank you and instead just expect things to happen for us. 

Thank you : a polite expression of one's gratitude

Thankful: conscious of benefit received 

Thanksgiving: 1 : the act of giving thanks. 2 : a prayer expressing gratitude

It's so easy to teach your kids to tell people thanks. Saying thank you is just a way of speaking your gratitude. Thankfulness is deep in your heart. My parents raised me well enough to make sure I knew to say thank you. My mom had me sit down and write out thank you notes. At the time I never realized what a beautiful lessons she had been teaching me.

Recently the Lord has been changing my heart. For a long time I had struggle praying. I would rush through it and say thank you for different things at the end of the prayer. I didn't take the time to really be thankful. 

Colossians 3:15-17 says: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." 

I have so many things to be thankful for. We are free from sin, we are free from regrets. We can now see the world for it's beauty. We don't have to be stuck in the darkness any longer. These things alone we should be giving thanks for! Take the time to really say thank you to God while you pray. Take time to tell your parents thank you. Take time to write a thank you card to someone who bought you a gift or helped you out. Show people how thankful you are for them by doing simple deeds for them. Take the trash out. Offer to help your neighbor unload grocery. Take a friend out to dinner. Don't live your life selfishly any longer.  I can promise you you won't regret doing so. I've grown up listening to my parents frustration about my friends not saying thank you and I completely understand where they're coming from. I imagine how much it must hurt God when you neglect to have thanksgiving in your heart. He gives so much and we can either live a life just going through the motions or a life singing with a heart full of gratitude. Instead of focusing  on my sorrows I'm going to focus on all I have to be thankful for. Instead of going to God with more things he needs to fix I am going to go to him full of thanksgiving. It's your choice on how you live your life but I can guarantee your heart will feel much lighter when you realize all you have to be thankful for. 

Ephesians 5:20 "Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Psalm 106:1 "Hallelujah! ThankGod! And why? Because he's good, because his love lasts."

Colossians 4:2 "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." 

Penetrate

I often hear people saying that God speaks to them. I've heard people say they see visions or can almost hear a small voice in their head. For me I can always feel a gentle pull at my heart. I can feel his breathe on my spirit. Sometimes it's so gentle like the ripples of a pond; other times it comes as strong as a crashing wave. At times I feel envious when I hear others talk about how God speaks to them, wishing he would speak to me. I long to hear his voice, to feel his presence. 

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12   

This verse is so powerful. To let it fully seep into your mind and your heart you must read more than once. I love how it describes the word of God. It doesn't speak of it like it was only useful in the past but it says it is living and active. The word penetrate is so powerful. I looked up its definition according to Merriam Webster  and this is what it says:
1 a : to pass into or through b : to enter by overcoming resistance 2 : to affect deeply the senses or feelings.

How beautiful is it the God can penetrate through all of our messes, our brokenness, the evils of the world and touch our most secret thoughts and feelings. He goes beyond our physical bodies but dives into our soul, spirit, heart, and mind. I love the definition of penetrate that says it deeply affects the senses or feelings. It doesn't lightly affect; it deeply affects. The word of God is so powerful.  Recently the movie magic mike came out. When first watching the previews I was really excited to go watch it. I made plans to watch it with some friends. Those plans never really came to pass but I continued to make them. I always had this weird little feeling about it. It was a nagging on my heart saying that I shouldn't see it. I continued to ignore this. Verses would come to my mind reminding me that what we see and do is who we become. I finally made the trip to go see it but it was all sold out. My friend thought we could wait awhile and see the next one but something told me no. After that night I realized God was telling me that these were images my mind didn't need to see and my heart didn't need to be filled with. A few weeks later one of my friends saw it and said she had to leave because it was so much like porn. I am beyond thankful that God spoke to me and I listened. His word penetrated into my heart showing me the evils of this world. This is why reading the bible is so important. The bible isn't just a bunch of old stories from the past; it is powerful. The word of God is sharper than any double edged sword. I have the weapon I need to win the battles of this world. Satan is no match for my God!

No Reason to Get Lazy.

Live outside of the box. The other day my mom dragged me to church with her. I had a pretty bad attitude about it which I greatly regret. Aside from that, though this church service really got me thinking. I think God used this church service to open up my eyes about a few things. How often to you go to church and go through the same routine? You are greeted, listen to the announcements, praise and worship, listen to the sermon, pray, and then praise and worship again. It gets boring! I've heard the same sermon a dozen times. I don't think this was God's intention when he gave us the bible. Maybe Christianity is such a turn off because Christians can make it so boring. Telling an athiest the same thing over and over isn't going to change their mind.  "let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together." hebrews 10:24-25  When I read this verse it was part of a daily devotion talking about spiritual laziness. It's very easy to become spiritually lazy and too comfortable. We continue living day to day not pushing ourselves to our full potential. We as Christian's have been given a book.. The bible.. To seek out and live by. This doesn't mean you have to read a verse and get the same thing out of it that everyone else does. Jesus did so many things and his stories have many different ideas and lessons that we can learn and let live in our spirits! Don't be afraid to watch a sermon on YouTube instead of going to church, don't feel bad going to a bible study on Monday instead of Wednesday. Join a group you never thought you would join. Jesus can be found in so many different places. We shouldn't feel like we have to do what the world is telling us to do. If you feel led to feed the hungry, do it! If you feel led to become a motivational speaker, do it! God gave each of us our own talents and gifts. Don't be afraid to go outside of the box or outside of the church. I felt frustrated at my pastor because he wasn't going outside of the box but god reminded me that he gave me a bible and many other tools to use so that I can go outside of the box. We don't have to sit around and wait to experience a life like Jesus'. God has given us the strength and the courage. We just have to choose to use that strength and courage and not wait around for answers; go and seek those answers yourselves. So many people are frustrated with their faith. Don't get lazy! John 7:28 says, "Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" So open up your bible, watch a video, serve others, and drink the living water that comes from Jesus. Jesus is full of life so that we may never grow weary or go thirsty. How beautiful is that?