Gratitude Changes Everything!

1 Chronicles 16:34 O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Well, today is November 26th, 2015....Thanksgiving day! I can't believe it! I mean, we just had New Year's, right? :D So much time has passed, so many things going on, and this year has probably been my very craziest/busiest year yet, with a very heavy school load, work, and everything. God has kinda been convicting me lately.....I feel like with all the busyness of life I tend to easily get distracted and forget how greatly blessed I am.  Here in the U.S., we take so many things for granted and we have everything--and I mean EVERYTHING at our fingertips. There's literally an app for everything these days...I seriously saw an app that could turn on your light switch for you from your phone. I'm not kidding. LOL. And we have so much stuff! To say the very least, we have so much that it's hard to remember to be thankful for everything God gives us, for me at least. The world tries to deviate and shift the focus from being thankful on "Thanksgiving" to making it a  "Thanksgetting" because we get so caught up in what we can get. Did you know, that if you have food in the fridge, clothes on your back, and a roof over your head, you are richer than about 70% of the world? The other day at our church's youth group, we were watching some Operation Christmas Child clips (I put one of the videos at the bottom of this post.) It really touched me....how many things do we take for granted and not even thank God for? It breaks my heart to see that so many children are orphans, having hardly anything more than the clothes on their backs. You'd be surprised just how happy those sweet little kids are to just receive small things like a toothbrush, or soap, or some other thing like that. This Thanksgiving, let's remember to thank God for all we have, and take joy in the little things. Gratitude changes everything! Oh, and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I Am Not Ashamed

I was literally crying a couple of weeks ago when I saw the news about the Oregon college shooting. When man is without God, horrific things happen. However, those students were not ashamed to declare their faith, and boldly say "I am a Christian", KNOWING that would cost them their very lives. They knew the consequences, yet did not deny Jesus. Wow. This is a big wake-up call for us as Christians. Will we stand up? They were not ashamed. I am not ashamed. 
‪#‎iamnotashamed‬

No Matter What!

If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” (II Timothy 2:11-13)

I honestly don't even know where to start. All I can even say is, Lord I need You. Every hour I need You! I am speechless. Ok. So I probably should explain what I'm talking about here. It would take about a thousand words to really go into it, but just to summarize I have my times in my walk with Jesus where I'm walking very close to God, and other times where I'm not doing that so much. Lately, certain hardships have come and it's kinda been one of those "not so much" times. When trials come, I doubt His goodness, I doubt His love. My faith becomes weak, and it feels like I'm just on shaky ground. Then....this verse comes along! If we are faithLESS, He is faithFUL! Even when difficulties come, it reveals just how doubtful I can become. But how absolutely wonderfully amazing it is to be assured that He is still faithful. Jesus! My precious Savior is still here for me, and He's here for you. He loves me, even when I'm not very lovable. He cares for me, and He cares for you, dear friend. I am learning that even when you just can't feel Him, He still cares. He is faithful. No matter what. 

His Daily Sufficient Grace

"Oh, goodness, I'm never gonna get this right," I very frustratingly tell myself when I just can't seem to get a certain aspect or character trait in my life right.  Will I EVER EVER just do what God wants of me, with a willing attitude!!!?????!!!! I've got my flaws, that's for sure. So very, very thankfully God saw what a dirty mess I was, and so loving and so mercifully saved me  from my sins.  Will be perfect after we're saved....no!!  Ok, as you can see, I, uh...have my days :) Good news: God is good. He is made perfect in our weakness! His grace is sufficient for our flaws, and He gives such an outpour of it. Though we fail Him daily, He gives us His grace so willingly. And once we give our lives to Him, nothing--and I mean nothing--can take us from His grasp! The struggle is real, my friends. After we are saved, we are no longer enslaved by our own flesh and sinful patterns. We have a struggle--between our flesh and the new man. The apostle Paul said in Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." This is sooo true, especially in our modern-day culture! It is very hard to live in a Godly way...I mean, you don't have to go very far to face temptation. It is literally everywhere! So what in the world are we supposed to do about that!!?? Well, we've got questions. God's got answers! Psalm 119:9-10"How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your Word. With my whole heart I seek You, let me not wander from Your commandments." It says we have to seek God with our whole heart. We can't just expect to get up one morning and have a very close relationship to Him. Nope. We have to seek God first as a priority...which I in no way have achieved, and have to work on! :) So what are some practical ways we can make effort to grow in our relationship with God?? One way is spending time in the Bible, really studying it. Also, one thing I've learned is: Time spent in prayer...is NEVER wasted! I go through certain trials and difficulties, and at times (believe me) I can be an absolute emotional mess! :P During these times, psalms such as this one are such a comfort: "When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" (Psalm 61:2). But after praying, the burdens I'm carrying seem so much lighter because I know that God's got everything in control--I've just got to trust Him. Trust is the key! This other verse here is also absolutely fantastic: "He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6) Truly, sanctification is a process. Sometimes trials are tools and blessings in disguise to grow us closer to God and to refine us. Even though we fail, God is always there with His daily sufficient grace. Aren't you thankful for that??? I know I sure am. 

"Am I fully prepared to allow God to grip me by His power and do a work in me that is truly worthy of Him? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me--sanctification is God's idea of what He wants to do for me." --Oswald Chambers

More of You

It is hard. It is difficult. To "let go, and let God" is realllllyyyy reaaalllly not easy. I know for me personally, I want what I want. When I want it. And how I want it. Sometimes, it is really hard for me to say "God, not what I want, but what YOU have for me"....because I have a plan in mind. To me, it makes all the sense in the world. And sometimes, it may be a good thing! Why should it not work for me?? This past year, I had the wonderful blessing of being part of CYT/STP's production of "Sleeping Beauty". The princess, "Joli", wanted her way, all the time, no matter what. Things were not going pretty for her--UNTIL she fully surrendered her life, her everything to Jesse (Jesus!). God has been showing me how much I can relate relate to Joli! I think I know what's best...because it makes sense in my thinking. God is so loving, despite all my sin and brokenness He saved me! Lately, He has been convicting me more and more that I really, truly, absolutely need HIM! He is showing me that He is all I will ever need is His love for me....and when I say "God, this is what I want, but I give this matter to You. Show me what Your will is" (it is reallly very hard sometimes!!) He gives such a peace and such a joy. The joy of knowing that it is in His hands! This hymn comes to mind "Take my life and let it be; consecrated Lord to thee. Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise!" When we tell God that, it is then that He can use us. He makes the blind to see, and the lame to walk. He makes the broken to be beautiful vessels for Him. For sure, I am very far from perfect.No doubt about that whatsoever. But when we say, more of YOU, and less of me.....the most amazing things happen!!

 {Lord, make me tender to things of You;
  and create in me a heart that is soft
   towards things that are true.

 There is one thing I ask from above,
  that You would give me a desire
  to love what You love,
  and hate what what you don't admire.

 Jesus, make me a shining light,
 and create in me a heart of patience
 to daily bear my cross and plight,
 as You bore much more for my deliverance .}

Thank You Jesus <3

He Hits The Restart!

It's not what we do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through us. God doesn't want our success; He wants us. —Charles Colson

Wow. That is powerfully true. Sometimes it's easy to feel like we always need to do 

things to measure up to other people, to be one step up on the ladder to feel like we 

are better than someone else. Or maybe because we want to be known for our 

successful doings so the world can love us....But that's not what God wants at all! He 

wants US. It's that simple. He wants us to surrender all to Him! And when 

we do,everything else will fall in place. I know I myself am guilty of not fully surrendering 

certain aspects of my life to Jesus, just because I think I can figure things out on my own. 

I am sorry to say that sometimes I do think I can do things on my own  

without anyone's help...but Jesus, so merciful and so loving is there to convict me and 

show me of my pride and my absolute need to let Him take over. In other words, "Jesus 

take the wheel! Take it from my hands, because I can't do it on my own." :) Truly though, 

when we do let Jesus take the wheel, all those little things we thought were issues 

and couldn't figure out on our own, just fallinto place perfectly. He gives us such a joy as  never before. He wants us to want nothing but Him...because He  is the One who satisfies us fully! One of my very favorite songs states this perfectly:  
Make me broken
So I can be healed
'Cause I'm so calloused
And now I can't feel
I want to run to You
With heart wide open
Make me broken

'Til You are my one desire
'Til You are my one true love
'Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making me

        

It's true...Jesus does want us to be broken. Broken to see how much we are sinners and how much we so need Him. He showed me His love and mercy. He loved me even when I was unlovable. That's how amazing our God is.....He turns everything around in our lives!  He hits the restart!

"Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved." Psalm 62:1-2

"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy." 1 Peter 1:8

How do we live a pure life in a very impure world? It is really hard--with all the music,TV, social media, movies, and just everything surrounding us nowadays! Well, it starts in our thoughts. That's because before we even do something that is a sin, we think unholy thoughts, which lead eventually to actually doing it. So how can we stay godly in our thoughts in such an ungodly world? One way is surrounding ourselves with the right friendships. Our friends truly do affect our thinking! Another one is listening to Scripturally sound sermons, which really renew our minds and shape how we think. That's not to mention how much listening to godly music, and just about every aspect of technology and social media really affects us too. One good verse to encourage us to be godly and not conform to the world's views is Romans 12:2:And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
And of course, prayer is very important in our walk with God. He is the One who ultimately we are accountable to!

Psalm 16:11

So I was thinking....

So I've been thinking...It would be sooo cool to be a missionary to some foreign, third-world 
country. Wouldn't that be absolutely amazing?!?! Maybe one day. Maybe God will call some of us to go there...But, hey! Who said we can't be missionaries right where we are, in the mean time? Being on the mission field doesn't necessarily mean in a different part of the world (although it could be!). Being a missionary could mean simply sharing Jesus with that little kid down the street or giving the cashier a Gospel tract, or even just not compromising and giving in to pressure. Although the others may laugh and think you're weird, that's how you let your light shine. They will see that there is something different about you, and It may even cause them to ask you questions about your faith and Jesus! Just because you're young, don't let that discourage you from serving God, as it says in 1 Timothy  4:12 (Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.)  Pray for opportunities to be used for eternal purposes, and don't let this special stage in your life be wasted--it only comes once! :) :)