Take it back!

   It has been a little while since my last blog. Life has just been so overwhelming since my father passed away. Not in a bad way just in a really busy way. I know that I must take some time to slow down and breathe. I know my rest is in Jesus and I know He is my strength and has defiantly been restoring me. I just want to take a minute to share a little of what God is doing in my life and our students.
   Last night my sermon was very simple yet God took something simple and made it powerful. I honestly didn't know what to expect when preparing. It was going to take some teenagers stepping out and not caring what the person next to them thought, trusting in God, and really pushing themselves further than they have ever gone spiritually.
   The message was going to the enemy's camp and taking back what he stole from us. I told of the story of David and the Amalekites in 1 Samuel chapter 30. I explained that the enemy came in and took their women and children and burned everything they had. I then went on to tell how David sought God and once God gave him direction, he went to the enemy's camp and reclaimed all the women and children and even took the herds and flock. God restored David and his people with what they had and then some.
   We then took index cards and wrote on it what the devil had taken from us. Some examples were joy, confidence, ministry, passion, happiness, etc. Then we passed around a corporate one and put things he has taken from our youth group, most of the students wrote the names of other students that have fallen away.  As a youth pastor that touched my heart the most. These students have a true love for each other, they pray and truly have compassion on those that have fallen away and are struggling.
  We placed the cards on the front row and made that area the enemy's camp. We began to pray and seek the direction of God. We marched around the camp, we prayed for each other, we did whatever we felt God leading each of us to do. Then when we felt God say go, we went to the enemy's camp and reclaimed what was ours.
  Satan is thief and a liar. John 10:10 - The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
  But the Word of God also gives us the power to come against the enemy. Luke 10:19 - Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:19 KJV)
  So last night that is what we did, we went to the enemy's camp and we took back what he stole from us. We had teenagers sobbing, shouting, dancing, rejoicing, and so full of the Holy Ghost they couldn't walk straight. And just like the story of David God not only restored what the enemy had stolen God gave us even more.
  The question I want to ask anyone that reads this, what has the enemy stolen from you? And my encouragement to you is, take it back! Satan doesn't have the authority to defeat you, so stop letting him. Go get your joy, your laughter, your happiness, your ministry, whatever it is, go get it. What are you waiting for?

Intimacy with God

    Being intimate with God is so much deeper than a relationship. It is more than even our minds can comprehend. A love and a desire to be in His presence, a desire to do His will, and a hunger that never seems satisfied.
    Psalm 63:1-2: O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 
    I have heard it said that intimacy can also be said "into me see." God seeing into me. Him seeing me vulnerable, my weakness, my shame, my pain, my brokenness, seeing all of me. He even sees things in me that I may not even see. Yet He still loves me and desires fellowship with me.
   He knew that I would be far from perfect. He knew there would even be a time that I didn't want anything to do with Him. He knew that I would hurt Him and disappoint Him. Yet He still loved me.
   We can have a relationship with anyone. We decide how much we tell them, how close we want them to be to us. We can lie or be fake with them and they not even know. We can pretend to be someone that we're really not. But being intimate with God, He already knows. We can't hide things from Him, we can't lie to Him, we can't trick Him into thinking everything is okay just because there is a smile on our face.
  Once you have true intimacy with God you wont struggle with sin. You wont struggle with doing right or praying or reading your Bible. You will just want too because it brings you closer to Him. You will want to please Him, do His will, and even tell others of His love.
    When we get to the place of true intimacy with God we will finally be able to experience His perfect love. We will be able to surrender everything to Him that keeps us from Him because nothing will compare to the love we have for Him. To truly desire to be in His presence is when you are able to be changed, healed, and able to grow.
    So ask yourself, how intimate are you with God? Always know that you are never to far away from His perfect love. God loves us so much and desires intimacy with us. I am so thankful that I serve an amazing God.

My Daddy

During this time with dad in his final weeks I have learned so much. God has shown me that He never leaves us, He is strength in our weakness, He is comfort in our sadness, and He is peace in the midst of our chaos. He has shown me that He is working not only at what is right in front of you but also behind the scenes. I have never realized how you can really feel prayers until now. When I felt like I couldn't do anymore, a new charge would come to me and I was strengthened.
Watching my dad I begin to think about how life really is full circle. From the time a child is conceived in the mothers womb, that child will have their own identity, temperance, and their own will to live this life. Each pregnancy is different, each birth is different and each death is different.
My dad has been a fighter all his life. He used to say "I was born during the Great Depression and came out backwards." He went into the Navy at 14 years old so he could send money home to support his family. He worked all his life through two battles of lung cancer and a battle with prostrate cancer and finally retired in his 70's. He lost his only son, mother, sisters and brother, then to lose his wife of 53 years, and two years ago to lose a daughter. He has spent the last several years sick and having many surgeries that almost cost him his life. Three infections at once that had doctors saying he probably wouldn't make it. The last three weeks he has been given 24-48 hours to live more times than we can count.  He is in such pain but never complains.
My dad is the strongest and bravest man I know. Did he have faults, of course, don't we all. But a man that would sacrifice his life for his family, a man that would never say how much he was going through because he didn't want anyone to worry. A man that prayed for everyone else when he needed prayer the most. Honesty, integrity, and self willed barely speak of what kind of man he is.
But I have watched this strong man become so weak that today he can't even lift his arms or legs. He can't speak or even barely drink from a straw. But even through it all he still shows great strength and courage. He smiles at everyone that comes in to see him, he prays when someone prays, when we say love you he always says I love you too, he is gentle and kind in the midst of a battle. A true love for life, for his family and mostly for God.
My dad came out of the womb strong and brave and leaving this life will be no different. He has taught us all so many things about strength, honesty, to love and cherish family, but most importantly to always be humble and love God with all our heart. Dad knew that he would have never survived the battles of this life without the hand of God over him.
I pray that I learned with every battle I go through there is someone else with a greater battle. I pray that I can carry the mantle of prayer for my family the way that my mom and dad both carried. I pray that I will always be all the things my daddy instilled in me. But most importantly I pray that I pleased God by honoring my dad and caring for him during his final days.
I am so thankful that God allowed me to be raised by such an amazing man. I am so thankful for  the time that God has given us with him.
To God be the Glory! Soon there will be a mighty warrior entering the Kingdom! Soon we will rejoice with the angels! We serve an amazing God that through our sadness and pain we can rejoice.  We are not promised tomorrow but those that live for Him are promised Eternity.

Are you running?

  The other day I was reading the book of Jonah and God showed me something that perhaps I have overlooked in the past. As a little girl we always sang the song of Jonah and the whale. I pretty much always looked at as just that, a big fish or whale swallowed Jonah. I have heard this story preached different ways but still never the way I read it this time.

  In the story, God told Jonah to go and speak to the great city of Nineveh. He wasn't just told to go preach to them but was told to go and preach against them. Instead of Jonah going he ran and tried to hide because of fear. Once on the ship, God sent a storm that made all the others fearful, (paraphrasing), after casting lots it fell on Jonah so they threw him overboard to save their own lives. Then God sent a big fish to swallow Jonah to keep him from drowning.

  Thinking of how each thing happened in this story, I reflect on my own life and the lives of others. How many times has God asked us to do something and instead of doing it, we run and try to hide? How many have great callings on their lives, yet run from that calling? Maybe because of fear, selfish desires, life style, whatever the reason is.

  Then the next part, Jonah tried to hide from God. How many hide from God through addictions, sin, depression, trying to put him out of your mind and heart? People try to drink their problems away, they look for love and fulfillment through relationships, they take pills so they don't have to feel, they even deny Christ.

  In the story, next came a mighty storm. The storm was beating against the boat and the people in the boat feared for their own lives. Ever notice how when we try to hide from God everything feels like it is falling apart around us? Our family falls apart, our finances are short, our health deteriorates; mostly because of stress, and nothing seems to work in our favor.

  But just when you think your life is over and you have nothing to live for, God saves you. At the end of the story, Jonah accepts the call that God has placed on his life. Even though the end of the story you will see Jonah still had some learning to do and God teaches him. But Jonah stepped into his calling and obeyed God.

  If it seems like everything is going wrong around you, if you feel like you have to push your problems away through addictions or relationships, ask yourself, what are you running from?

  God has called each and every one of us. We all have a job to do and each one of us is just as important to Christ as the next. So when you see others overcome addictions, thoughts of suicide, fear, just know this, God sees us all the same, if one can overcome it, so can you. So stop running, surrender your life to Christ and step into the ministry that He has called you too.

A Christmas Tradition

  Christmas time brings so many emotions for many people including myself. There is so much joy and happiness in the air, beautiful lights and a time where so many people do many great things for others. But there is also sadness because of loss of loved ones, financial struggles, anxiety and stress. But some of the things that some may not see is greed, frustration with others, anger, and a major one is that Christ is being taken out of Christmas.

   Matthew 1:21-23 - And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

    I love being able to watch my kids open their gifts from under the tree, I love spending time with my family, and I love to see the joy and happiness on everyone's faces. However, a lesson that we were taught last year was we get so caught up in the gifts, food, plans and travel; that we can forget what Christmas is really about.

  We have an amazing Christ that came to this earth to be like us so that He could feel our burdens, our sadness, our joy, and save us from our sins. His Birth is just as important as His Resurrection because without His Birth we wouldn't have His Resurrection and without His Resurrection we wouldn't have Freedom and Everlasting Life.

   A couple of years ago we started Christmas morning off by reading the Birth of Christ and talked about why we celebrate Him and His Birth. Then we prayed and opened gifts. Last year there were no gifts under our tree but we still took time to read, pray and then gave thanks for His love and mercy, the roof over our head, the food on the table, and for each other. It was the hardest year ever yet we still taught our children and ourselves that gifts are a blessing but you still have so many blessings without them. This year there are some gifts under the tree but my children are more excited to read about Jesus and pray and give thanks for what God has done for us and what He has already given us.

  So this year, start a family tradition, if you have gifts under the tree or if you don't. There still many great things we have to give thanks for and we should teach our children what Christmas is really about. Let’s not allow the world to take Christ out of Christmas.

  Just a thought: Ever wonder why people use X-Mas instead of Christmas? 

Step out of the boat

  I am so ready for summer. Our family loves to fish, camp, and hang out at the beach. Being on the water is one of my favorite places to be. The funny thing is I am so scared when it comes to actually getting in the water. I always worry about what is in the water that I can’t see, what if something bites or stings me, or what if a wave pulls me under and I can't get to the surface.

  I am reminded of the story of Peter in the Bible. Matthew 14:25-33 - And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

  Our spiritual walk can be scary because it requires us to step out into what we can't always see or not knowing exactly how it will all work out, just like Peter, it requires faith. I am the kind of person that likes to have everything in perfect order. I like to always know what to expect next. But God doesn't work that way. If He told us everything from A – Z we would never build our faith and trust in Him.

  The amazing thing about this story is even when Peter had fear and doubt and began to sink; Jesus reached out His hand and saved Him. Sometimes when we step out of the boat we might fall but if we never step out of the boat we will never give Jesus a chance to save us.

  So today ask yourself what Jesus is asking you to do, then take the step and do it. You will not regret it.

Let it Rain!

  Rain is important for things to grow. Each year we plant a garden and I have noticed that rain water always makes our garden greener and grow faster than city water. There is just something about the natural water source that treated water can't do. I love when trees and bushes on the side of a dirt road are all dusty and dirty and then a good heavy rain comes and washes everything clean. Everything always looks crisper, greener, and healthier.
  There are two kinds of water sources, God's water source and man's water source. If you don't feel like you are growing or maybe you feel weighed down, maybe you are seeking the wrong water source. Are you seeking direction from God or man? Are you looking for answers in man written books or from your Sunday morning service more then you are in prayer? Don't get me wrong, God can and will speak to you through sermons and books and He will even use people to speak to you. But if that is what you are depending on and not God, then you are getting water from the wrong source.
  God's presence is just like the rain that falls from the sky. In order for us to be cleansed of the dirt and dust the world throws at us, we need the rain. If we are going to grow, we need the rain. Psalm 68:9 - Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
 I don't know about you but I need the rain. I want to be saturated in the presence of God every day. I don't want to become brittle and weak, dusty and dry, or weighed down by the chemicals of man's water source. If we are ever going to make a difference in this world, we need to be refreshed daily. I am thankful that God uses men and women to speak into my life, I am thankful for the revelation He has given to many to share with us through books and songs, but there is nothing like hearing directly from God Himself. I want a daily encounter with God. I want to make sure that I have my own personal relationship with Him.
  Today I hope that you will seek God for yourself and ask Him to send a plentiful rain on your life.