Kicking and Screaming

We quote Jeremiah 29:11 throughout our daily lives and we know the meaning and purpose that verse serves but yet does it have the affect on us that it should have? The truth is . . when something in our lives takes a turn for the worst or doesn't go as we planned . . . Jeremiah 29:11 is the last thing on our minds. We try to fix it, avoid it, change it, dress it up, or deal with it on our own and completely push God out of the equation. We don't want to recognize that maybe this awful thing we are going through is actually part of God's plan for our lives . . and it actually serves a purpose. Not only do we not want to recognize it but the last thing we want . . is God to take over and lead the way. Soceity is convinced that they can handle the problems the world throws at them but they can't! In fact, you can only find comfort through God and definetly through Jeremiah 29:11. So why do we constantly turn away from the thing that can bring us true joy and peace? Fear. Fear of being seen for who we really are, fear of rejection, fear of exposure. But God rejecting you is just a myth and exposure is the only way to forgiveness . . . recognizing when we do wrong and asking for forgiveness leads to healing and peace. So next time your world is flipped upside down, instead of taking the wide road, try the narrow road to life. Open up your Bible and meditate on the true meaning of Jeremiah 29:11 and let your spirit overflow with truth and love.

Happy Birthday to My Best Friend and Sister in Christ Hannah Harkness(:

Tomorrow is a special day for my best friend Hannah because it's her 16th birthday and I'm so happy for her! So, I just wanted to dedicate this post to her because she is so so so special to me and I love her! This girl has been by my side always there for me for an awesome 7 months and I don't know where I would be without her! She is such an inspiration to me and she keeps me on track on my walk with Christ. I feel so blessed to have a friend that I can call at any time, any where and she will listen to me vent for as long as I need to .. . that's what I call friendship! She gives the best advice mainly because it's always from God and she's always honset and is not afraid to tell me when I'm wrong. She's real and I know I can count on her and I know she will be in my life forever and ever as my best friend. Because our lives are like trees and people come and go and they are the leaves . . but the people who stay in your life and make the most impact are the roots and I'm proud to say that Hannah Harkness is a root in my life. I'm glad that I can call her sister and mean it with every fiber of my being because even though she's younger then me . . I look up to her as my role model . . she's strong, faithful, and just full of sunshine and an example of what we should all strive to be . . a proverbs 31 woman. So as I close this up I just want to say, Hannah I hope you have the most wonderful 16th birthday ever and many more to come and I love you and thanks for being my sister!:) God Bless.

Hurricanes and Love Unrestrained

As most of the East Coast knows . . Hurricane Irene decided to delight us with her presence this week. We were not expecting Irene to impact us as much as she did but she did however give me a new perspective on natural disastors. When we think of "natural disastors" we think of rain, wind, trees falling, and especially no power! But try applying this new perspective and I think you might find that hurricanes are not as evil as they may seem. Irene showed me just how powerful God really is . . . how he can move the oceans and the wind and sometimes completely turn peoples lives upside down. People get angry and upset by natural disastors . . but save your anger . . and find pleasure in knowing just how powerful your God really is.

To My Dearest Sister Hannah Marie Harkness

Hannah,
I'm sorry I forgot to do my devotions last night so I thought I would post tonights on here to make up for it. So I've been reading in James and this verse stuck out for me; James 3:17 "So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all- it is dead and useless." So it just kind of reminds me that faith without action is dead . . it's pointless to claim to be faithful but don't put it into action. It's like saying "I love you" but not really meaning it. Faith and action comes as a package . . you can't have one without the other. Sooooo there's my devo for tonight. Thank you for being the best sister in Christ/best friend ever! I love you:)

Discovering the Mission

"Discovering the Mission"; a three word phrase that has so much meaning behind it. Not a mission where you are finding gold or treasures for yourself or trying to complete a task before the time runs out; but instead I think of "missions" as unlocking a whole new perspective on life and purpose. Dictionary.com defines missions as "a group or committee of persons sent to a foreign country to conduct negotiations, establish relations, provide scientific and technical assistance". While this is true, missions is so much more than going to far away places doing amazing things. I've had the priveldge this summer to go to a week long camp to learn what missions really is. The first day our leader asked my group what missions means to us and most answered "going to foreign lands doing God's work". Now, that week we didn't go to another country, we actually went right down the road to a local nursing home, childrens center, and orphanage to visit, entertain, work, and share God's love. Each day every person was changed a little bit and the definition of missions was clarified. At the end of the week our leader asked us the same question as he did when we first started, what was our definition of missions. Missions is doing anything, anywhere to show God's love to everyone. I see missions as a way of giving back and fufilling the commission that God has planned for all of our lives. So whether you are in China or right at home you can show God's love and give back in many ways. So I challenge you, go out and be a missionary wherever you are, show God's love, and strive every day to do the commission of Christ.

Mark 16:15 "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

1 Peter 4:16 "However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."

1 Timothy 4:12 "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."

Stuck in Limbo

One of the worst feelings has to be going through the part of your life where your not sure where your going and life is just . . bland and boring. Well I guess you could say I'm going through a 'limbo stage' . . . everything's coming to an end for the year and I'm just bored out of my mind. The worst part is not knowing where your going . . what God has planned for your life or which direction you take next. Sometimes it feels like no one is on your side and you have no one to turn to, no where to go, and no one to talk to. Life just feels pointless and nothing really makes you happy anymore. We all feel that sometimes. But God watches over His children and He promises joy. That doesn't mean easy, but it does mean possible. Yes you will face challenges in your life but God only puts them there to make you stronger and ready to face what lies ahead for you. Everything you do or go through is meant to glorify Him. So you may be going through a challenge right now . . and that challenge may be feeling like your stuck in limbo . . . but our God is a loving God who promises joy in exchange for our obedience. If we follow His will and His plan . . then I can promise you without a doubt that you will have the most amazing, purposeful life beyond your wildest dreams and one day you can proudly look back and say that you have lived a good life even through the stages of limbo. It won't be easy, but It'll be worth it in the end.
"The Lord your God is a faithful God who for a thousand generations keeps His promises"
-Deuteronomy 7:9

Untitled Message

I could have called this one of the worst days . . . . but hey I think I'll take this challenge and this day and turn it into an opportunity. An opportunity to change things and glorify God through it.

4/11/11: 2nd Best Day of My Life

Yesterday . . April 11th I had the priveledge of finally celebrating my 1 year Christian Birthday!! Yes I did accept Christ when I was 9 years old but last year I dedicated my life to Christ and I really understood what it meant to serve God 100% . . and that's when my life changed forever. So I count the wanderful day of April 11th as my Christian Birthday. So happy christian birthday to me and I can proudly say that it has been the best year of my life so far and I can't wait to see what God has planned for the next year of serving Him! There is no greater joy then serving the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and strength.

Be The Best That I Can Be

One thing that I have been severely struggling with is trying to reach perfection. Now I know that that is impossible but I still like the challenge. The hardest thing seems to be balance. How to balance friendships, school, work, church, extra activities and of course my time with God. It's just about impossible! I always seem to forget to let my friends and family know that I love them or finish my homework or do my daily devotion . .. I'll be the first to admit that I'm no where near perfect! But thankfull I don't have to be . . . . Christ is perfect for me and I look to Him as the example of what I should strive to be like. Also putting God before everything is key and never losing your focus on God. Once Christ is first in your life, everything else will fall into place and you will have balance.

Gotta Love Urban Dictionary.com

Definition for 'Purity':
"Purity is about being something, abstinence is about not doing something.
God calls us to be Pure and Holy.
Abstinence is about not doing something, its an action however, Purity is about being something, and it is a blessing."

Definition for 'Relationships':
"doomed from the start"

Definition for 'Gospel':
"the God honest truth"

Definition for 'Cursing':
"Cursing is when somebody acts or implies that they are better than another person, place, or thing."

Definition for 'Lust':
"often confused with love, it is purely physical attraction and has no lasting effect"

Definition for 'Jesus Freak':
"Someone who displays an unusual or embarrasing amount of enthusiasm for Jesus."

You go urban dictionary! I'm pleasantly surprised(:

Got Love?

Can anyone even begin to comprehend God's love for us? This is such a big subject that I could blog every second for all eternity and still never even get close to covering God's love for us. Just listen to the song "How He Loves" by the David Crowder Band . . it might just bring you to tears like it does to me everytime I hear them say "Oh how he loves us". This weekend I will admit . . . I was very down in the dumps because I felt so unloved, just because I did lose two people that I really did love. But you know people come and go and you can't help but love the people God brings into your life . . . the hard part is loving them even when they do you wrong or just walk out of your life. So since there is so much I could cover I'll pick 3 central points: God's love for you, your love for others, and love through actions.
Point 1:
God's love for you is sooooooo big that we could never even begin to understand it. Just the fact that he sent his only son to die for you . . . to take your place . . . now that's big! Then he can still love us even when we sin every day . . . and go against him he still loves us! If you were somehow not seeing God's love for you . . . pick up your Bible and read any part of it and I guarentee you will feel the love overflowing your soul because guess what the Bible is: A LOVE LETTER WRITTEN TO YOU FROM GOD. bam.
Point 2:
We are supposed to love others as Christ loves us . . or 'the church'. So yeah I know it's hard but guess what . . . haha that's the point! The harder it is the more awesome the reward will be! So yes if someone slaps one cheek you offer the other! If you get your heartbroken and you can't find any reason to love them because they did you so wrong, you love them anyway! You know why? Because they're your brother and sister in Christ! Pray for them, be there for them, love them with all that you can!
Point 3:
How? Do something out of the ordinary to be nice, pray for them, compliment them, just be nice, or SMILE! You would be surprised how just a smile can make a person's day completely better. Through these things you can show God's love to others, just one smile at a time and we could change the world. Love isn't supposed to be bottled up . . . it's supposed to be shared and passed along.
To anyone reading this . . . don't forget that you are loved. If you are loved by one person on earth then you are blessed . . if you are loved by more then one then you are really blessed! But don't ever say you are not loved because you will always be loved . . .. God loves you and that will never change. All you have to do is open your eyes and see all the love around you . . . you will never be the same.

Nothing is as Rewarding as the Priveledge to Serve Others

Today at my new job (Cici's), we had a group of special needs adults come in all hungry for some pizza. I was having a pretty tough day but as they migrated down the pizza bar just smiling and as happy as they could be, it completely brightened my day and made work actually fun! I had the true priveledge of being able to help them cut and choose their favorite pizza and I'm not exactly sure who had more fun, them or me! It was the most amazing thing ever to be able to selflessly serve others, not to make myself look good or to do it for money, but to do it because I want to and to show Christ's love to them through sausage pizza! God blessed me today by letting me experience the joy of helping these wonderful people.

440 lives were saved today thanks to Shoes For Africa sponsored by Cosby High School's Bible Club: tGif

short, sweet, & to the point

This will be my shortest blog ever, ENJOY!! I got my first job today at Cici's!!! Not the most glamorous but I was in need and God provided! Just another reminder of how awesome He is and hopefully I can use this experience to bring glory to Him and spread His Word and Love; can't wait to start on Friday! Prayers are much needed!

This is the Stuff

Well . . . . today wasn't exactly the 'best day ever'. I had a lot of little things that annoyed me which turned my smile upside down. Then I remembered my new favorite Francesca Batistelli song "This is the Stuff" which I never really caught the real meaning . . until today! These little annoying things in life like forgetting your homework or losing your keys are little things that God uses to glorify Him. I know! Wierd huh?! Even something so small as misplacing your phone can be used to bring glory to God and draw you closer to Him. But HOW?! Well it reminds us that we shouldn't let these little things distract us from God; it reminds us to put our full focus on Him and it's God's little reminder to trust Him in all situations, even when we get a speeding ticket or are stuck in traffic! God is in complete control and will never leave you or forsake you. So today I'm flipping my frown upside down and laughing at all the little things that drove me nuts today! Because my God has a GREAT sense of humor;) When the day finally ended . . I looked back and realized that it had all worked out in the end . . . because God was by my side the whole time.

Today I'm Praying for Japan.

This week Japan and some parts of the US were hit by a severe storm. The US seems ok but Japan is struggling tremendously; yet another natural disaster has occured. Whether it be terrorism, natural disasters, murders, etc we always turn to the same guy for answers . . . God. We get angry and impatient asking Him "Why God?! Why them?! What did they do to deserve that? Why me?! What did I do? All I've done is live for you! Why don't you stop any of this?!" Well . . . I don't really know why He doesnt stop it . . . but you know, He's probably asking us the same question. Why don't WE stop it. How come this tragedy is going on in Japan and practically no one has done anything to help them . . . get up and get moving, do something to help. Faith without action is DEAD. So be that action, whether it be by donating money, physically getting out there and helping rebuild or taking care of the people, or by just PRAYING for them. They NEED YOU NOW, by YOU being there for them when this tragedy happens YOU are showing Chrit's love to them. So try this: instead of asking "Why did this happen?" ask: "What can I do to help and show God's love to them?"

The Impossible Lyrics by Joe Nichols

Baggage . . . . Too much?

Your Way -or- God's Way

Something that I have recently thought in depth about is my future and which paths to take, especially now with college right around the corner! Sometimes . .  well . ..  most of the time it's hard to figure out God's will for your life, or his 'Jeremiah 29:11' secret million point plan, and we tend to get, yes, IMPATIENT. We know we have to be patient, but why is it so hard? Well because we want God to move NOW on OUR time. Kinda like fast food, we order what WE want and we want it NOW. But God is different . . hes more like a sit down restaurant where the food  . .  is WAY WORTH the wait!! Because we are his children, which is such a great honor, he expects us to have patience; but with that patience he also expects us to follow HIS plan for our life, not ours. We can 'try' to write our own life story and make up our own plans . . but it will most likely crash and burn and you won't be as happy as you could be by following God's perfect plan. Romans 2:7-8 says "To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immorality, he will give eternal life. But those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be a wrath and anger." So by 'self-seeking' aka following our own plans . .. is really just selfish on our part. The maker of the universe, YOUR merciful Father and Savior who made you and already set out His perfect plan for your life . . . you gave you the gift of salvation . . . why wouldn't we follow his plans? I mean  . . wouldn't it seem easier just to throw our hands up and say "hey God, I can't do it anymore, I need you to take full control of my life"? By doing that, we let God in and when He's in, He will do amazing things for you and your life. So, let go of the burden.

big plans;)

Tonight was the first night of sunday night youth group for 2011. We had a blast hanging out and planning for the new year! I was afraid that this year could never be as awesome as 2010 . . . . but I think God has other plans. Just learning about all the stuff our youth group is getting involved in really excites me and I know this year will be amazing. But even though we have a lot going on we still have to remember to live our life for God and focus on Him and His will everyday of 2011 and the years to come.

Don't you just love long talks about God?

Today I had the wonderful priviledge to be able to hang out with one of my closest friends and catch up on all that has gone on in our lives. We sat in Chipotle for hours talking about what God has done and our lives and our hopes and prayers for the future.  We talked about amazing life changing experiences and also about times when we messed up and hit rock bottom. We gave and received advice from each other and planned for the future. Today I realized how blessed I am to have friends like her in my life that I can go to at anytime and talk about anything with  . .  however God is usually the main topic! There is truly no greater friendship . . then a friendship established by God and that emphasizes growing and faith and loving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Coffee with Jesus

For the past few months . . . I have faced many new problems and obstacles that i have yet to fully conquer. I always felt like I had to have a 'human' friend there all the time to talk to to give me advice and get me through it. Well half the time the advice that was given only hurt me . . . . or it really didnt make much sense. Then today . . . I had absolutly no one to confide in and I was  . . alone. But then I realized that I wasnt alone at all. I have always struggled with praying . . because I always thought it had to be 'formal' or God wouldnt want to listen. I was SO wrong! Prayer doesnt have to be formal or fancy at all! Prayer is really just talking to God! I sat there for hours talking to my Lord and Saviour about everything going on in my life and my friend's lives and God is the best listner ever! I could actually feel him listening to me and comforting me even though I couldnt see Him of course . . I knew he was there. Well needless to say . . . I now would rather sit down and talk to God then pick up the phone and call my best girlfriend. Its amazing what God teaches us everyday on our walk with him . . .  today I learned that not only is God my daddy upstairs . . but he is the best friend I never had.