A joyful Heart

As i slid into the church pew on sunday i was a little bit distracted and ready to sit out a sermon that i knew would be good, but i still wasn't much in the right mind or rather "heart"set. And then something new, a woman with a walker sat down in the pew in front of us. Little did i know that she was going to teach me an even bigger lesson than the sermon that day. As the worship music started the woman in front of us began to dance, lift her hands, and sway side to side. She didnt care what anyone thought. I looked at her and what i saw in her face caught be off guard. Authentic, Genuine Joy. She was praising God and she didnt care what anyone thought. I glanced around and i saw the smirks on the face of some of the kids sitting in the pew across from us. They didnt get it they didnt see what i saw but it didnt matter. I was transfixed on her. I realized that I wanted to be consumed in the same way she was. I watched her throughout the rest of the service, maybe i should have been paying closer attention to the sermon but i couldn't help it. Everytime the pastor said Jesus or God her face lit up she amened (idk if thats a word) in agreement with the sermon and during the video that played during communion she sang along even though no one else was. It wasn't about attention, in fact it was like for her no one else existed. This was about her praising God. Maybe for me it isnt dancing or speaking outloud my agreement to a sermon but i want to have that passion, i want to burn when i hear the name of Jesus Christ. So thats my prayer, to have a heart that desires God and his will more than anything in life. I hope you guys feel the same way, God bless you!

Confirmed...

Today God confirmed something for me. I love working with youth. Especially Junior High and Im sure that I'll enjoy Senior High more once Im out of it. Some days I feel like nothing I do really makes a difference but getting up today and watching my peers go up and share their stories and their experiences, watching the reactions of some of the kids and just looking around and knowing some of the things that those Junior High students are dealing with... Man I can't even explain what came over me. I really feel like Im being called into Youth Ministry but it can be so discouraging when you feel like you're not having impact but God gave me a glimpse of something today. And i guess the way i'd explain it is hope. Hope that our society, our teens, and the problems they face aren't too far gone, that those who are hurting and those who stray down the wrong path really need someone to love them and show them that there is another way and just be a friend. I can't even believe some of the things that they have to deal with in SEVENTH grade! Its crazy! But wow to watch the people who do step up and just dont let that hold them back astounds me. I had so many of those kids come up to me or talk to me on facebook about the stories that were shared and the biggest thing that came up seemed to be this amazing song that my friend Sam wrote. It really challenged them and made them consider the way they were treating their peers.. and those are there words not mine. I am proud of all the groups that came in and listened and Im so thankful for the other highschoolers i was with and for the courage they have in sharing some really personal things and for the examples that they are to those kids and to me! I guess Im kind of rambling but this is just me trying to put that small feeling that swept over me into words...

Then I got to speak at the 7th grade FCA.... There were kids sitting on the floor! They have the courage to leave there friends once a week, mix up who there hanging out with, and do something that in our society and in middle school culture isn't really very popular and whether you see it or not that is a hard thing to do.. But I'll tell ya something. I have never been so proud of a group of kids in my life. I remember how hard it was in 7th grade to do things even a little bit differently and I am so glad that these are the kids that are soon gonna be leaders and actually already are in their school and soon they'll move on to Jefferson and be leaders there. They are such strong, bold examples of Christ and i know that God is gonna use them in big ways!

Water

Science is absolutely my least favorite subject by far. I mean after we've talked about molecules and how they bond then we find out we have to write a nearly two page paper on, yup you guessed it, water of all things. But ya know what as much as i resented writing that paper on the unique properties of water it really made me think. We had to focus on 6 different characteristics of water and most of those unique properties don't make sense scientifically but ya know what blows my mind? If the properties of water were any different than they were life as we know it here on Earth would cease to exist. Suddenly that little lightbulb above my head went off, okay just kidding, there was no lightbulb but still i realized that we serve an almighty God and a glorious Creator who specifically designed every aspect of our world to support his creation. How amazing is that to think about? All those little things that make life possible, if any one of them was different we wouldn't be able to survive but God worked out all those tiny little details specifically. Pretty cool huh?

God's Greatest Gift

Yesterday was Easter and it never ceases to amaze me that God actually loved us enough to send his only son, perfect and blameless, to die for us on the cross. The son of God died a criminals death to cover over our sins. Death by crucifixion was a very painful death. After the beatings and being whipped and mocked, while Christ hung upon the cross he experienced the worst consequence of our sin. Separation from a perfect God. Bearing all the sins, and the shame of those sins, from everyone who ever had and ever would exist and then having his father turn away from him.... that i can't even imagine. A holy, pure son who had always known God and been one with him and reigned in heaven alongside him suddenly not having that and knowing that he was at that very moment he was separated from God just as we would have been for all eternity had he not taken that from us... That is truly unconditional love and i can't even begin to fathom it. I hope that you all had a blessed Easter. Don't forget to keep in mind the great price that Jesus Christ payed for us to spend eternity in heaven with him.

Homosexuality

Im in a facebook group called Protect Marriage: One Man and One Woman but they posted something today saying that it was impossible to be a christian and then be gay, but don't we all stray and fall into sin? Im not condoning it at all, Im just saying that we need to love people where they are and putting them down is not gonna draw them back to Christ. This is what I said. Feel free to agree or disagree or correct me in what I've said but as far as Im concerned the bottom line is sin is sin, Christ died for our sins and is willing to forgive us if we repent. If they've come to Christ and then turn from him for a period I dont believe that they are no longer Christians i just believe that they need to repent of their sin and turn back to Christ. Granted I think that the way Christians handle is different then how an unbeliever handles it. I mean Christians can still be tempted or tricked into thinking that they're born that way and they can even fall into that temptation but they will be ashamed of it and feel guilty and repent but it doesnt mean they wont commit that sin. Unbelievers however will not feel shame at their behavior and will stand by the worlds view and will not see any need to turn from that type of a lifestyle. I'd say the difference is lifestyle choice vs temporary sin followed by repentance. Here's what I posted:

1. God loves them 2. He hates the sin 3. Quite a few of the comments that had been posted above blatantly disregarded commands in the Bible to love, not judge, and to consider your own sin before pointing fingers. 4. Sin is sin its ignorant to think that we can tell a white lie here and there or slip up and use a bad word but still be a believer because of the amazing thing that Jesus Christ did for us on the cross and then turn around and say that someone who is commiting a different sin can not be a christian. 5. Im NOT saying it's right, I joined that group because i believe its wrong I am simply saying that we have to guard what we say and make sure that we have the right motives when you say that you're supposed to keep your brothers and sisters in Christ in line are you saying that out of love or are you saying it because you view this sin as worse than any of your own? 6. I hope you all have a blessed Easter and realize that this is the time of year that shows exactly how much God was willing to sacrafice for his children to cover over a great multitude of sins so that we could be with him even though we all sin.

Can we start a discussion on this? I'd like some feedback, what do you guys think?