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."