Horizon

This past year I was blessed with the most wonderful monetary gift I could have ever been blessed with. It makes me at peace. It calms me down. It gives me a little sense of freedom from the busy life of a type-A personality college student. Any guesses?? Anyone?? Well, my wonderful Toyota Rav-4 has been quite the luxury for my sophomore year of school at High Point University. Whenever I desire to see the world, and get off of campus for a little while, I am so blessed to be able to just hop in my car and…drive. And, you see I drive a lot. I already have 5,000 miles on my car in a short 3 months. And, I have class over half of the day each day. I have a solution for why this is the case-I am quite an introvert. You see, many do not realize that I am about as introverted as they come: sometimes people just wear me out. And all I desire is some alone time with my God. Whenever we are still, and away from all of the distractions the world presents us, we can begin to hear the voice of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. As I talked about in the last blog, this voice is not audible (for me anyway) but it most certainly becomes louder and has lasting impact when we have enough quiet time to digest the calling from the Lord. There is one common denominator when I drive: I always seem to drive on the ever-so-exciting Eastchester Drive. Eastchester has two parts: Eastchester and Westchester, which connect two cities in the state of North Carolina. So, it is fitting that you will see me driving on this road quite often. When I drive, blasting Hillsong United at the loudest volume my car can muster, I always love looking up into the sky. The horizon is a place we very often forget to look, as we are so focused on the present-the dotted and dashed yellow lines separating us from other cars. We become entranced with the present: almost obsessed with it. Often in driver’s education they call this a sort of drunkenness or hypnotism. We become so spellbound with what is familiar we forget to look ahead! Isn’t this true in our own lives? We grow tired. We grow lazy. We grow complacent. And we most certainly grow sedentary. We forget the simple act of lifting our chins upward to witness the sun rising behind the hills, the snow on top of the mountains, or even the road work ahead of us. Our own lives are the fulfillment and compilation of what we do in these small, everyday actions. We are so fed up searching for the correct curtains to block the sun, that we so often forget to look at Christ’s majesty, and His creation. We focus more on burning the toast than the thought of there the wheat even came from in the first place. We are so obsessed on the daily duties, that the screaming “collision” or “road work” just yards ahead of us goes unnoticed. Many times there will be a large turning point in the road right ahead of us..but we cannot take our eyes off the yellow lines warning us of this bend soon ahead. Why is this? Simply, because it is EASY!



When driving on Eastchester, there is another thing I always notice. The birds! And, for many of you who read my blog, you are California natives and this word picture may not be as familiar. When I say birds…I mean BIRDS…EVERYWHERE. Eastchester seems to house the largest amount of small black birds on God’s great earth. They all love to perch up on the telephone wire right above the cars. And, they all sit so close together with no space in between them, creating a beautiful silhouette against the setting sun ahead of me. I love watching these birds. Nature is God’s depiction of who we are-right in front of us. Sometimes it is hard to see ourselves in others-but when it comes to nature, it seems to be a little easier to relate. I am fascinated by what these birds do. When it becomes too comfortable for the birds, one will take its wing, and push the bird sitting right beside of it off of the wire. It is not a kind little nudge, either. A full on force is required to get these persistent buggers off of their wire and fluttering into the abyss. Isn’t God kind of like this? We all love to flock together like birds of a feather. We often forget though that the comfort of our world, or the wire, is not to be taken for granted. We will always of times of challenges where we will have to find a new home. A new source of strength. And, this is when we search for God. As the birds leave the wire, they will often soar upwards towards the skyline, past where the human eye can see them. When we are nudged off of what makes us comfortable, we are forced to find a new wire, a new platform. And, often this is not what is “cool” or what is practical. We may not be warm sitting side by side with our friends. We may be in a foreign land, we may be living off of little, we may be losing a family member, we may be going through a sickness that world cannot heal. Where do we turn when we are knocked off center? Let us begin to turn to God’s Grace. To God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. God’s riches are never ending. God’s riches are not ceasing. And God’s riches will never fail you. They may “shock” you a little bit (as I have often witnessed with the bird’s on the telephone wire), but it is for the good of your whole person. The Lord is training you to be a disciple. To be an apostle. To be a missionary of the Word for the World. Let us find ourselves relying on His grace instead of a wire of the world. It is steadier, and more consistent. We may get shocked, but we will always know where to fly back to. We may be alone here on Earth, but we will always know we have a safe platform in the Lord.

“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” Isaiah 30:18

The Call

Sometimes, there really are no words. In fact, for the first time in my life, WORDS haven't been used to persuade me...or to call me. My entire life has been revolved around words: from Speech and Debate tournaments, to listening to my dad, as he is a motivational speaker. I know words. I can speak words. And, I can understand words...right?

The Lord speaks to us in a different way. As believers in Christ we will often hear, "Preach the Gospel, and if necessary use words." Some find this comical and quite true. But, I have begun to see that talking the talk is just as crucial as walking the walk. Jesus doesn't have to talk the talk or walk the walk. Instead, he is the captivating force that leads his Children to his glory. He is the Holy Spirit-who does not need words or action. Instead, all we may have is a tug on a heartstring-yet it is so clear, there is no denying it.

We can deny words or actions and attribute them to something else. When a heart is broken and mended with a new passion, it is an action of the Holy Spirit. THIS is not reversible. And the human does not want to do anything else besides follow this command. Some choose not to as earthly existence can create immediate distraction: within seconds! Yet to truly find the dwelling glory of our God, one must pursue the broken-ness. It is more than emotion: it is affliction.

I have been broken, and I have been afflicted-in the best of ways. And you know the crazy part? Some people already do not believe me. But, if the Lord has actually called me for His will, many will not believe it, huh? Why? The Lord's callings are radical. They are sacrificial. They are NOT of this earth. Earthly callings are earthly callings. Emotions are emotions. Broken-ness, sacrifice, wisdom, and pure joy? Those are from above! When your heart breaks and your heart skips a beat at the exact same moment...GOD is PRESENT.
The Lord has called me, and He has not called me with words. The Lord has called me to the mission field. I write this blog for two reasons: to share the loving and glorious grace of God, and so that those who read it can keep me accountable in pursuing this affliction and intervening from the Lord. He has spoken to me-through one of my greatest friends that He placed in my life, through my wonderful beautiful grandma, to my own heart, and through the wind around me. I have never experienced something so powerful. The morning I woke up after being a puddle on the floor (full of indecision and rage at God's "silence", He spoke. He spoke louder than I have ever heard someone-with no words. Instead it was through a verse written out on a text message...

Isaiah 58:6

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

AMEN.

I proceeded to receive a package from my Grandma- with two articles of the need for missionaries. I received a call from my mother about my willingness to help those who do not understand my language. I received a call from Kathryn my stepmom, telling me that something in her heart knew something was going on with me. I even received a Facebook email from a woman I had never even spoken to, with a powerful message on the word "necessity". What did I really receive? I received a piece of God's perfect wisdom. I received his Word.

What will I do with this? Well, I know I will not stray from it. I am the girl who can speak perfectly in front of large crowds! Yet may not be able to use language in a place where there is a language barrier. I am the girl with the self conscious attitude towards my body! Yet this may be useful to have broad shoulders and height when serving in dangerous places. I am the girl who cannot have children! Yet this may be God's calling for me to love, mother, and redeem His beautiful children, and be a mother to them!

God is good. Great is great. God is perfect. God is mighty. God is powerful. God is wise. And, sometimes God is Silent. Yet, he is the loudest speaker I have ever known.

Smile

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Yikes. THAT is a lot to live up to. I can begin learning to love as Jesus loved. I can create peace or give patience or show kindness. I could even show goodness and be a faithful woman and be gentle and express self control. But, how do I fake Joy if I don’t feel joyful? Why is this three letter word the second fruit mentioned behind the great "love"? How do I display joy if I cannot describe it or tangibly see it? The Lord’s plan for how we should live our lives is a perfect one. It is a life that we should all aspire to have, and aspire to live. Also, it is a life we should give. While in Honduras this past week I learned that Joy is the most contagious complex we as Christians must catch. Those that do not know the Lord, will never want to follow or serve a Lord that does not bring joy into their lives and does not encourage joy being expressed.


“A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.” Proverbs 15:13



One of my best friends in the world responded to this idea in such a brilliant way. “Joy is the fruit of perfected love.” Beautiful, isn’t it? The only perfect love (the definition of perfect love) is Jesus. And, when His perfect love infiltrates our lives, we will see Joy. I have seen imperfect happiness. I have never seen imperfect, impure joy. When I have sinned, I can still feel happiness. Joy is revealed once sin is diminished. The two cannot and will not live together. I saw pure, raw joy in Honduras. Innocent children free of the world’s worries will captivate you with their laugh and presence. The most compelling way they do this is through their smile. I was born with what the doctors call a cleft lip. Not as severe as a cleft palate, the split will affect a child's smile. Being blessed with expert surgeons in the states, I now have the ability to smile. There are so many children in the world that cannot afford the surgery to repair their smile, or even the funds to seek doctor aid of any kind, as clefts can often affect chewing or swallowing. It has been on my heart recently to pray for these young children that they do not lose hope. Joy, real joy, comes from the internal willingness and desire to seek Jesus in all that we do. It is the gutteral emotion of gratitude that radiates from unique individuals. While some children and adults may never have the incredible and priceless opporuinty to physically "smile", the Holy Spirit still shines through their spirits. The Lord did not create a smile for no purpose. Why do you think he blessed each of us with this feature? It is the outward expression of the Spirit of God alive and well within us. As blessed Christians I pray we learn to smile more. A smile is the only universal language we have. I pray we stray from sin and grasp on to perfect love. It is waiting for us. And, from what I can see, a joyful life leads to a fruitful life glorying the kingdom.



“Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; in
the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I
delight in your deliverance.” 1st Samuel 2:1





I now know you can see joy…and see it CLEARLY.

Awake

I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
—Psalm 3:4-5




Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
—Ecclesiastes 5:12




Five years ago I had the incredible experience of serving the Lord in Mexicali, Mexico. The spring break of my Freshman year contained a girl who was lost and immature, yet carefree. I had never been on a mission trip before, and the thought was daunting to me. I would be traveling across the border with 600 other high school students from the mega church I attended to lay in tents and attempt some Spanish. Yikes. Little did I understand the goal of a mission, or even what I was going to do. The theme of the mission was “Beautifully Awake”. Throughout the week, as a church, we began to delve deep into what it meant to be an “awake” Christian. And, what it meant to not simply live a “numb” life of sleepiness, disregarding the purpose the Lord had in our lives. The sermons reinforced the idea that we as followers must notice and eliminate distractions keeping us from fully seeking the Lord’s presence and glory in our lives. I left confused. I was awake. In fact, I was so awake I just served for seven days straight with an athletic body and a clear mind. That is what I had presumed.


On the last night of the mission, they asked us all to pray as a group to be “woken” up by the Holy Spirit. I remember getting down on my knees and praying in odd, youthful language for Jesus to jerk me awake so I could be the Christian He desired me to be. And….six months later to the exact date of that prayer, I was diagnosed with cancer. I do not believe the Lord GAVE me the disease, but it was certainly a clear and blatant message that my daily routine of lipgloss, boy-searching, Abercrombie-wearing days would be inverted. Priorities shifted, goals were reversed, and I began to look upward. I believe true “awakeness” is the releasing of wordly burdens and consistently looking upward. Taking every chance to your eternal conversation with your creator- Daily prayer. And, that is what I did. My numbness and sleepiness onset by worldly temptations and distractions desinigrated as my goals changed. My long sleep was immediately terminated by a blaring alarm that had no snooze button. But frankly, I didn’t want to press snooze anyway.


When we live an awake life, our daily routine changes. Let us look at an incredible, or perfect, example of sleepy death to vibrant life. Before analyzing Jesus last days before crucifixion and after resurrection, it is imperative we remember he was never asleep, but even Jesus saw a transformation post-resurrection . In John, the author focuses on a few common themes of Jesus final actions before the cross. Jesus Prayed for himself, prayed for His disciples, and prayed for future believers. Whether we have felt the calling of the Lord pulling us from mundane to sleep to an influential life or not, we must begin our journey with prayer. We must pray that the Holy Spirit is not grieved by our actions. We must pray for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and we must pray for those who have heard of the power of Jesus Christ. Our eternal conversation will also prompt the beginning of a longing for a life of significance. Prayer refocuses and prayer re-prioritizes. The lower we become and the higher we lift the lord up in prayer, the quicker we will see God bearing fruit in our and others’ lives. Regardless of a sleepy or awake life, we MUST take time to pray. And, if asleep, we must ask the Lord to intervene. And that can be the scariest prayer one will over mutter.


After Jesus’ resurrection we see other pieces of His ministry we can adopt and apply after we have been woken up. Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene in the gospel of John. Why? I pray I do not interpret this piece inaccurately, but I believe it is safe to say that Jesus had his woken state moved to proclaim the glory of God to one person in particular. Who is the man or woman in your life that you can mentor, befriend, and take under your wing? Then, who is the person the Lord is directing you to, to truly pour all of your testimony and “Jesus moments” with? I know who that is in my life, and I pray the Lord continues his work with me and this blessing in my life.


Next, Jesus revealed himself to His disciples. We as followers of the Lord, must seek our brothers and sisters and share the good news. In fact living the good news is not enough; we must proclaim it! We are no longer sleeping…we are alive. And we awake each day for one sole purpose: the Great Commission.


“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” This amazing passage from the Bible (Romans 10:15) was the anthem of my week in Mexicali freshman Year. Our goal was to be a group of servant leaders, eager to spread the Gospel and be on the Move! To use our new found awakeness in the light and glory of Jesus to truly make a tangible impact. Real impact- God impact- can only result through people that are awake in Christ. Think of inspirational Christian Mentors that have encouraged you in your walk- can’t you notice an undeniable light beaming from them?


Last year during an incredible mission in Honduras, I know I was jolted awake. It is easy as Christians to fall into “nap time” even throughout the day! When we surround ourselves with negative influences, entertain gossip, or forget to be in God’s word, we will feel the effects. For me, I become physically exhausted as well as mentally and spiritually. Each day I spend in Honduras this next week, (I leave tomorrow! ), I pray I do not grow tired. I pray that the 100 degree weather does not toll on my spiritual vibrance and awakeness. I pray that we come awake as the body of Christ. I pray that we are so awake, resurrected from our old lives, and ready to enter onto the Great Commission path Jesus Christ has paved for us.



“Come awake
From sleep, arise
You were dead
You’ve come alive
Wake up wake up
Open your eyes
Climb from your grave
Into the light
Bring us back to life”
-Come Awake
David Crowder Band


“ Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. “
-1 Corinthians 15:51
A hope for what is to come.

Water of Life

Water of Life

Yesterday I had one of the experiences that seem so rare in the negative world we live in. A prayer was answered. You see, I am beginning to see that this “catastrophic” event is not actually all that rare…but instead that we are not broken enough to recognize the grace we have been given. After watching the Oprah Show finale this past Wednesday I was inspired to begin a Gratitude Journal. This will be a compilation of answered prayers, and dreams that have been fulfilled through the grace of our Lord. It made me excited. Maybe, I can begin to grasp a greater understanding of where the Lord works in the places I often ignore. And, just maybe, the places I frequently see Him work, are the exact spots he wants me to serve!
So, I began my gratitude journal. First and foremost, I am grateful for my relationship with my King. Grateful seems too worldly of a word to encompass how I “feel” about the Lord and what He is to me, but it must suffice. Second, I am grateful for my health. After two great scares with my health and the frightening “C” word was thrown around, I am beginning to see the strength a healthy body has (pun intended). Strong bodies have the capacity to walk in the fresh air along a beach trail with my Mom each morning I see her. Strong Bodies have the capacity to clean my room, cook for myself, and type this blog; utilizing the gifts that the Lord has bestowed upon me. Strong bodies have the capacity to travel abroad and serve the world under the Great Commission. My second bullet point in my gratitude journal has a permanent spot of gratitude on my heart.
Once the two obvious points were made, I came to a..writers’ block. Not because I couldn’t think of the point to come next, as my gratitude for my family, friends, church, roommates, education, finances, and more began flowing from my brain onto scratch paper. I reflected back to that Oprah Show, and what it stood for. Although the show has had controversy for being the “idol” of the middle aged housewife, I clearly see its relevance and need in our nation. It empowers men and women to see behind the appearance, and behind any façade that those around us use to guard their insecurities and vulnerabilities. It challenges the viewer to take down their own brick walls in front of them. It reveals how to delve deep into the souls of those in our inner circle. As Oprah stated so beautifully, we all have “a single platform”. That is what we stand for, what we are grateful for, and how we want to change the world. As I began pondering my third point of gratefulness, I reflected on a common scene that Oprah encourages. Crying. Yes, Crying.
When husbands come home to their weary wives sobbing at the interviews on the daily television show, I assume they find it silly and ridiculous. When my mom recorded the final weeks’ shows of Oprah I sat down to give them a chance. And where did I find myself? Crying! Not even a controllable sniffle, but a complete sob! I never believed that a show of people I never knew could move me like this.
A woman dying of cancer took the role of filming videos for her six year old daughter of the life skills needed for a young lady. She knew she would not have the time to grow up and teach her daughter personally, so this incredibly strong woman took the opportunity to film her everyday life lessons for her own angel. Isn’t it true that when we witness undeniable strength in a fellow human being, we become the “weak” one? By weak, I mean the world’s definition of weakness: crying, frustration or depression. In my short 19 years of life, I have developed a respect and admiration for the strong people..AND what the world calls “weak” ones.
Tears are a beautiful thing. The water that flows from our eyes does not only grow us internally, but it prompts growth in the seeds that are around us. As tears hit the dry and closed souls of the people in our inner circle, these hearts are refreshed and see empathy. For the longest time I never knew how to cry. The callousness that our world encourages often keeps men and women from expressing guttural emotions it seems. The strongest people I know seem to be the heaviest criers; don’t you think? They are broken. They are real. They GET it. Oprah was right when she says that all facades of our world must be taken down to truly understand people.
After taking my Jesus and the Gospels Class this past spring, one theme stood out to me. Jesus’ time on Earth was greatly about His need to correct, guide, and teach. In John 11 verse 35, the shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept.” That is all of it, completely. Jesus, wept. The Messiah wept in the company of grievers at Lazarus’ tomb. He understood their pain. He revealed empathy!

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17)

Let us practice, crying. Not the act of purposely weakening our souls. But instead, let us practice the art of empathy. Let us grieve in the company of grievers. When our fellow man grieves, so does our Father in Heaven. Let us practice what He taught us.
I am grateful for the gift of tears. They show brokenness. They show authenticity. They show dry souls where WE find our Living Water.
So, I continue on my gratitude journal. Having only written three points of gratefulness thus far, I feel like I have summarized to the best of my ability, the day to day strength I find in Jesus. His grace is ever flowing, and everlasting.

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. (Psalm 61:1-4)

The Reverse Mission

I am currently sorting through all of my papers from my recent Honduras trip: vaccination records, safety guidelines, devotional outlines, and even some notes written by the ninos. I reflect back to my first day on the mission, making my way through customs and zipping through the crowded roads of Tegucigalpa. My prayer for the week went a little something like this.."Lord let Your will be done as I set foot in this beautiful country, and let me make way for Jesus!" The ironic part is, the Holy Spirit heard and responded to this prayer in vivid ways, yet answered others I would have never imagined.
Before the trip, my immediate family and all relatives told me I would have a "perspective change" on living in America and being raised in an affluent area. The trip became less of a perspective change, as it was a heart change. I had been blessed to travel to various locations throughout my youth, and I knew how different cultures appeared, and how impoverished nations felt. And, I presumed Honduras would fit into that category. Moreover, I was under the impression we were traveling to a place where the people had nothing. It was our job to bring them something. Possibly something tangible like Gideon Bibles or clothes for the children, maybe aid or health advice. Instead, I found that the people of Honduras had the something that I was searching for! The Holy Spirit's presence within the hearts of the young children was almost visible. Their radiant smiles were that of joy and hope in a literally crumbling topography. I am fully aware of the "pathos" and heart wrenching events that can and will occur when following the Lord's will to do a mission; the poverty alone will move one to tears. Yet, there was something even greater in Quisgualagua, Honduras. Our group made way for Jesus, our King, to touch the hearts of the young Hondurans before we even opened our mouths. I pray that for all future missions that I participate in, and any that our group pursues in the future, that we stand with "unveiled faces" under the glory of our God. The radical part is, that the glory we can express to all that we meet is an eternal glory, because of God's abiding presence through the Holy Spirit. He will aid us in ministry and encourage our manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit. That is when the transformation occurs.
The children that had nothing, taught me something. Christlikeness is the goal of the Christian walk. If we stand under the Glory of all that the Lord is, and move under Christ's example for serving our brothers and sisters we will be transformed. I can now laugh at a remark by a fellow mission group member, Lisa, who stated that the majority of mission work can be seen as a selfish endeavor: striving to find out more about God's character through small laborous tasks. It is so true! Missionary work results in something magnificent for the believer. It catapults us into a mindset of willingness: a desire to transform. A hunger to become a little more like Christ, our Savior.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Hearts of Clay

So, I have a question....and nobody seems to have the answer to it! What has happened to Senior Year? I feel like yesterday I peered across the Granite Bay High School field and saw our Senior Sunrise, a classic tradition at the beginning of each year. Tomorrow night will be our Senior Sunset; a conclusion of the year for us to "release our regrets". Every year I had heard this facet of the tradition and laughed. Who has regrets?! It is highschool-a time of fun, right?Let me tell you this. The balloon I tie my regrets to may be weighed down by the long scrolling piece of paper!
Please do not mistake me as a person with a negative outlook. My senior year has been beyond blessed in each and every way. The Lord has provided in ways I cannot describe. For one, my college search has come to a screeching halt. High Point University it is. And, wow! Am I excited or what! I continued to pray for one thing from the Lord. If He would be so gracious to provide it, please let Your decision for where You want me to attend school unbelieveably clear. And looking back at the six month long process, I stand in peace knowing his hand was on everything. Lord, thank you for your clarity when we need it. You will never fail us when it is crunch time.
So what are these regrets? If any underclassman are reading this, please take my advice. I started highschool with the misconceived notion that the Lord will intervene in our lives whenever He so chooses, and will often to redirect us. The Lord always does know what is best for his children and will teach us in the ways that we should go. Often times though, a huge aspect of the learning process is the Lord patiently waiting for us to ask Him to enter our lives. It is in the moments when we cannot even place words to our emptiness that we must turn to Jesus. If He is the one thing that brings such hope in our world, where else would we turn.
Our hearts are but clay for his molding. if we never ask him to shape it and mold it to his forms of righteousness, we are simply young kindergarten students; ignorantly believing that we can learn all skills on our own. It is once our teacher comes to the forefront to give us direction, when we truly learn, isn't it? We must not assume that we have it on our own, or that self-progression is a natural process. Trials are inevitable. The Lord's availability and access is constant. But often once that trials hit, our first incling is not to look to our teacher. We cling to our own understanding, and lean not on His.
The joy of the Lord is our strength always and everyday. Think about the depth of these words. The joy we attain from simply knowing the perfect loving King is enough to bring us strength. And the joy that the Lord has for his children and their wellbeing lets us live each day in confidence. We are protected He is our refuge. Let us pursue our teacher. Let Him mold us.
I desire to look into the sky tomorrow night and instead of seeing yellow balloons floating aimlessly in the sky with laundry lists or sorrows and failures, I want to see Jesus' face shining. There will be no way to soar higher without a purpose. One that actually rejoices in the times that we give our regrets to Him. Now he has the chance to pour His love on us. And, show us His way.

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5

And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your teacher.

Isaiah 30:20

Be Ready.

2 Timothy 4:2

" Preach the Word: be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

And the seasons change once again. I have not written a blog since the very beginning of my Senior Year...and I am approcahing the end of my first semester. What has the Lord shown me in the past few months? First, that He is so good: every aspect of his being is righteous. Second, that He wants us all to proclaim His greatness to the ends of the Earth. What does that look like for us? Let us begin to determine His mission field for us.

A quick update on what the Lord is doing in a local mission field. If any of you have seen G4C on my License Plate frame, you may have been wondering what this was. Over the summer the Lord put in on my heart to stop searching frantically for a place to serve. God wanted me to be at peace, have a heart ready to proclaim His name and lead people to the Lord from what I have seen of Him. I knew I had to start an outreach to girls my age struggling with the common pressures and temptations of this world: family dilemmas, friend conflicts, college and future worries, and overall anxieties. What can put a soul to rest? The Word. Each Wednesday morning it has been such a blessing to not only walk through the Word with these girls, but to also have constant fellowship inside and outside of our current meeting spot at Peet's Coffee. The Lord moves in that place too; we recieve looks of confusion from fellow students not clear on what we are reading, or why we would ever spend a collaboration morning in a book of all things. But regardless of the world, the group has been growing! What matters though, is that we are equipping ourselves through our fellowship, and through Him, to be His disciples. Let the Lord be praised!

How do we become disciples of integrity and holiness in a mission field that often is a battlefield? I have had the opportunity to spend time in the book of John, and it outlines what a life like this must be. In John 15, it shows the Lord as our vine, and we are His branches.

"Every Branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."

Once we know Him; the Way, Truth and Life, we will begin to have the motivation and qualifications needed to prune fruit for the Lord. We cannot begin to grow our own form of ministry or evangelism without the vine as our support and source of nutrients. Our Father, the source of all of our joy and evangelistic motivation is glorified through us bearing fruit and proving to be His disciples. It is overwhelming to see people around me being equipped to lead and serve the Lord through the sheer knowledge of His holy nature. Let us attach ourselves even closer to the vine, and grasp ahold of the protection and wisdom it gives. You cannot help but desire to grow His kingdom after learning about our Lord and Savior. That is what this year has taught me.

This weather is keeping em indoors it seems. I don't have the desire to be outside as often interacting with people, and enjoying their company. But it is exactly that the Lord wants us to do! Get outside of our comfort zones of stillness and isolation, and begin to be immersed with His people. When we serve Him with our all, we become closer to the vine, and have the desire planted in our hearts through that vine to bear fruit. In and out of Season be ready for Him. Be ready for His people. Be ready to bear fruit.

The Power of Presence.

Tick-tock, tick-tock.  It is countdown time. My AP Literature required reading is sitting in the dusty corner of my room, and my new class schedule is sitting on my bare desk. My senior year starts next week, and I am a little nervous. I know the Lord has so much for me to accomplish for His kingdom, yet there is still so much I desire and need to learn. Each year, I pray about one thing in particular to shape my approaching school year. Last year, the all consuming prayer request was for the blessing of great friends to learn about the Lord from, and to share with. I was immensely provided. This year, I desire for the Lord to challenge me in a way that will stretch my innermost character. Let my darkest sides be exposed and transformed. 

The Lord has blessed me with an amazing mode of transportation. My Grandmother gave me her SUV for my 16th birthday, and I was thrilled! When the Lord throws us unexpected blessings, we seem to appreciate, yet abuse them though don't we? I immediately found myself driving around town fulfilling useless tasks, just so that I could be out of the house and expressing my independence. But, as good as being a seventeen year old zipping around town may seem, I was missing out on a crucial part of my maturation and adolescence. At home, my family was having family meals, my father wanted to help me on my speech for an upcoming tournament, my grandparents wanted me to help them with their computer, or my siblings just wanted to hang out and talk. I was missing out on cherish moments with my family members that I would never get back. The Lord desires us to spend time with His people. We must make a daily effort to be in each others presence, especially in times of emotional need. 

We can look to Job, a prophet who seemed to have it all: wealth, a family, and feasts galore. Suddenly, disaster and tragedy completely wiped out Job's family and possessions. When this occurred, we see one of the Lord's many lessons become very clear. As long as Job's friends kept their mouths shut, they were comforting to their grieving friend. Once they began conjecturing about what could have caused Job's tragedy, or why he was feeling a certain way, they got into trouble. 

 “Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep”  Romans 12:15

It seems that the Lord is sending us a very clear message about how he wants us to act around friends going through tough instances in their lives. Sometimes all that people need is your presence, your sense of hope, and your presentation of the Gospel. If all we do is bring His good news, that is more than enough. The Lord wants YOU to be the one standing by a person in need. When we abide in the Lord and put His truth in our hearts, we must share that with anyone with a non-settled heart. This sounds pretty basic: it is fundamental to our Christian walk. But the thing that is radical about the whole process, is that our presence is just a small display of our Heavenly Father's unconditional presence. 

 

“Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry” James 1:19 

The essence of empathy is the gift of presence. Let us begin to seek out anyone with a troubled heart. Let them know that we are present. Let them know that HE is eternally present. 

Two Families.

I placed both feet on the escalator, and began to descend. Goodness, I was beyond tired. The time change plus a seven hour total plane trip resulted in a girl in a drowsy and exhausted state. I peered up and saw four familiar faces looking back up at me. They were smiling. They were excited.
This is my family, and they had traveled to pick me up from the airport. Two weeks seemed like a long time away from them, and I was ready to finally sleep in my own bed. Families are a blessing, aren't they? The amazing part our families is that they truly are given to us. Unlike friends, we do not need to go out of our comfort zone to meet them, or maintain a strict relationship with boundaries. Families have been with us from the time of birth and we grow and mature in the midst and love of them. They are a gift to us that we don't deserve, but we do need.
What is the Lord's intention for a family? I was so blessed to lead an adult Bible Study class while in Ruston Louisiana, and I know the Holy Spirit revealed its answer to me. My grandma handed me a pamphlet of devotionals and commentaries on Exodus 7, and the Bible. The verses in Exodus 7 refer to the rise of Moses and his strength to speak to the Pharaoh, and to ask for Israel's freedom from Egypt. As I read the Word, I continued to remember that Moses, the prophet and wise man, had a serious obstacle when serving the Lord. His voice, a powerful gift the Lord had blessed Moses seemed to be hindered, and could not be used to its fullest extent. The question arises, "Why would the Lord put the burden of a speech impediment on Moses, His chosen one?" He does not make any mistakes, does He? We realize that this was the Lord's plan all along, when we read on in the Word. Moses' brother, Aaron was also blessed with a gift. His gift was a voice. His powerful words were spoken to the Pharaoh in the presence of his brother. Moses heard and responded to the Lord, and Aaron spoke. These brothers were willing and capable of serving the Lord in different ways. God blessed each one differently, amazingly. The power of our Heavenly Father was heard through the gifts the Lord placed in earthly men.
Yes, Moses was well...a crucial and imperative point of glory for the Lord and all of His kingdom. I am beginning to think though that not only are we called to be men and women whose all-out desire is to serve Him, but we are also supposed to regard our families as members of an immediate body of which we can serve Him with. God has intricately placed each and every member of your family alongside you for a reason. Appreciation and gratitude should flow from our hearts when we comprehend this.
Why then, do families break apart and stray away from their original, perfect structure? How can sin begin to enter the picture and disrupt God's divine harmony and original intention? The only thing to keep a family in line with God's original intention, is to begin to mold themselves into the family that God originally creates. Simple, right? Sadly, sin always seems inevitable when we are so surrounded by the flesh every day. The only way to begin to move from the flesh, is to become closer to Christ, and His living word.
Divorce hit home for me when I was in the fifth grade. As an only child, I could not comprehend what it was or why it was happening to my family. Over six years later I can begin to see the multitude of blessings that have overflown out of something outside God's line. My five siblings are some of the most diverse and incredible people I could have been blessed with. The Lord knew that I needed family members to walk along the rough patches and times of hope. My siblings and step-parents are some of the most diverse and influential people in my life, and I love them so much. The Lord has blessed my families so much. It seems that what I lack, they posess, and vice versa. Our families are just small groupings of the Lord's family and and Kingsdom. Let us be just as joyful and grateful to be a part of our immediate, earthly family members, as we are to be a part of God's eternal kingdom.

Exodus 7:10

So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the LORD commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

Let us be a part of our families just as the Lord has commanded. Let us live lives of gratitude and grace.

The Capable Wife

This blog is mainly written for teenage girls. It is written for an online magazine/blog for the church I attend, but I wanted to share it! 

It is my second week in the South, and I now know why I am here. I have the opportunity to see my relatives every summer, and this year, has been one trip I will not forget.

Every day my grandma and I visit another family. I drive her Mercury Mountaineer all over downtown Ruston to another home where we will drink Sweet Tea, munch on homemade brownies, garden in the backyard, or shell peas. Life is different here. Not only does it seem as though it is in slow motion, but every time I visit, it teaches me something about humans. As I look into the eyes my grandma's elderly neighbors, they have something they want to say, and what they do express is so insightful. I experienced insight from someone this past Sunday; but it was not an elderly lady, or the pastor, but a fourteen year old girl in the youth group I attended. The youth pastor asked a question of the youth group, "What would you want to see written on your tombstone?" One teen raised his hand and responded, "Forgive me, and I will try to forgive you." After much laughing in the group a quiet girl said, "Well if I am blessed to have a long life and I get to serve the Lord and be married, I would want Proverbs 31:10-31 engraved on my tombstone." Everyone in the room stopped and racked their brain to see if that was a verse known by heart or one taught in Sunday school recently. Nothing came up. I immediately flipped my Bible open and turned to the last bit of the book of Proverbs. When I saw the words, "More precious than rubies", I knew which passage I was looking at. 

The Lord was fully aware that this part of His word was something I needed to hear...immediately. You see, this part of Proverbs discusses the image of a wife: one serving and living for Christ, her husband and her family. Proverbs has a lot to say about women. It is so fitting that the book ends speaking of a woman with great character, many diverse skills, and unconditional compassion. This woman is not a solely domestic, quiet, and servile woman. She is the picture-perfect wife, mother, and daughter of the Lord. Her resume includes being a realtor, seamstress, and merchant, and that is only the beginning of it. This woman of God does not tire easily, and is rejuvenated when she looks to the Lord. She is not lazy either, her energy is from Him. What is so amazing about this passage is that her character and dignity do not originate from within her, from her husband, or from her family. Her strength comes from her reverence for the Lord. 

To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. If you

 know the Holy One you have understanding. Proverbs 9:10

This woman has outstanding abilities. As women, we must look to her as an inspiration for all we can be. We can learn from her integrity and grow from her strength. 

Isn't she the perfect model for all women to admire, and aspire to be? She is a superwoman in God's eyes and heart. 

As women, praying to be the "capable wife" mentioned in the Proverbs encompasses every aspect of our lives. Our relationship with our future or current husband will be strengthened, our family will be concrete in Him, and our existence will be one devoted to prayer, serving and all-out worship for Him. What could be any better? Our lives, and our families will be a part of the Lord's Kingdom on Earth. 

The word "capable" is so interesting too. As flawed, sinful humans, how will we begin to be capable enough for our future husband?  We must start the groundwork now. Let us live lives of fellowship for Him now, so that our husband can praise our capable nature once in a marriage. And, in eternity, let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I pray that all women know they have a home in You. Let us feel strengthened and humbled by your power. Transform each of us into a woman whose hope is to be a Godly wife: one who never tires because we know we are rejuvenated by You, and one that will serve her husband and family the way You have instructed. Let us begin to grow into a capable wife today, and bless our marriages under You forever. 

IM. I Am. He Is.

Facebook. Myspace. Twitter. MSN. It is instant messaging time. What has occurred in the lives of the friends that I have gone two hours without instant messaging?! Isn't it funny, and quite sad how a generation is connected, almost too connected?

I have the opportunity of giving an oratory speech for Speech and Debate tournaments.  A piece of my speech speaks of the concept of the IM, and the instant messaging craze of our technological era. Instead of focusing on the impact of instant messaging though, I have realized the our Inner Messaging is what truly shapes who we are.  What we tell ourselves daily, hourly, and even second by second centers our perspective and influences our potential.

I give this speech pretty frequently too; in fact I am in the midst of a competition this week. As I say this line time and time again, it is beginning to lose its validity, yet inspire a new meaning within me.

 It is true that what we tell ourselves is a large contributer to what we believe and why we believe it.  We must ask ourselves what the source of our inner messages are. Are the messages holy? Are they breathed of the Spirit?

Many times what we think we are telling ourselves is actually what He is telling us. But before we begin to assume that something is of Him we must test these messages against His word to validate them. 

I think it is incredible how the Lord speaks to us in the most ingenious of ways. He is a whole different dimension of creative, isn't He? How the Lord delivers His word and guidance to us is unbelievably complex. Although many may say that all of the Lord's commandments and "tips for success" are already stated in His Word, the ways he reveals his promises to us makes me astonished. They are in a timely manner; on his perfect time schedule. He knows what we are prepared to hear about him. In the same way, he knows when to deliver insight to us, challenging our miniscule thought processes beyond the mundane world's perspective. His messages are holy. And, we cannot trust our own messages for anything. We must listen to His voice and disregard the voices of sinners. Seek the truth with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Seek messages and encouragement from Him, and beware of the flawed advice of the flesh.

We are not what our IM tells us we should be. We need to be people that looks for His messages. The purest of all voices, our guiding light. 

Tomorrow is the last time I will ever perform my "Dash" speech to an audience of judges, and competitors. I cannot continue to let people believe that our inner messages will lead us to a world of success. By listening to ourselves, we make a 360 degree turn: we get nowhere. Let us look to him....and honestly listen. Let us keep our ears open, our thoughts pure, and let us call on Him with eager hearts. If we call, He will answer. 

He is the source of the messages, and the messenger. With six conversations occurring between friends on our "instant messaging" sites per night,it seems so easy to become distracted and illusioned. Words of truth, comfort and validity will only come from ONE conversation. Let us add the Lord to our friends list. 

More than just Noticing.

I saw him again. His long blonde hair gently swept away from his face when the wind hit him. He clutched his Bob Marley longboard in one hand and a blue Powerade in the other. He looked across our highschool's quad and peered in the direction of the library. He kicked down the longboard, jumped on, and began racing fast down the paved walkways of our school.
I have always known skaters, but this one was different. He had an intensity that was overwhelming. His blue eyes and blonde hair made him have an angelic appearance with a rough demeanor. As he arrived at the front gate, he picked up his longboard and began to talk with his friends. I noticed him. I do not know why, but he continually catches my eye's attention.
Why do we notice certain people in our day to day life? Why do specific people that may be your ordinary aquaintances suddenly call for your respect or thoughts? As we will all see in our Christian walk, God places certain people in our lives for a reason that may be unknown to us. Something about this boy is calling for me to notice him. Possibly the Lord wants us to seek out these people to lead them to Christ. Maybe, He just wants us to be their friend.
My trip to Mexicali when I was a freshman sparked something interesting in me. I had always been nervous that going to Mexico was somewhat cliche as many churches go to the country to build homes and teach in a Vacation Bible School setting. But after spending one day with Christ's children, I knew it was the opposite of cliche. The unique nature of these children impacted my life for Christ. Their infectious faith was passionate and strong. One girl imparticular caught my attention this time. Her name was Gloria, perfectly fitting her. She never smiled...just watched. Her intriguing nature led me to believe that Christ was truly speaking to me through her. When I was having a rough week, stumbling over my attempt at Spanish, she would just smile and say "Esta bien," "It is okay."
So what should we do when we meet people like this? They may be children, may be the elderly, may be people we are around every day and suddenly realize why they are in our lives. We need to do more than just notice them. We must pursue them with the Lord's love, and show them how much they are loved. We must speak words of truth and integrity as well. Christ does not solely notice people after his own heart. He guides, leads and follows them. We must be His messengers here on Earth.
Usually "standing in the way" of someone has a bad connotation. But, as Christians we must be willign and capable of being the mediator between the person after Christ's heart and the Lord. Once they find our Savior, it is their turn, and God takes care of him. We must not be a hindrance to them finding the Almighty God, but we must be ready to lead them with never-failing energy.
Evangelism is a touchy subject, and doing a final project on this topic has opened my eyes dramatically. If we are going to lead people to Christ we must be a person that is contagious for Christ's being. But, more than that, we must use words. We must actually speak words of truth and lead people to God's divine words. Although our WWJD bracelets are catchy, and although a Cross is beautiful to wear, words are what will bring people to God. Our actions and our talk must be congruent in all aspects. We must walk our talk and be sure not to "overtalk our walk".  With a pure and faithful heart for the Lord, we become contagious. Through Him, we become the messenger.
I must actually speak when I see that boy again. Christ desires us to use our gifts to please him, and we must. He has given us the ability to speak and we need to utilize it. We cannot be quiet and we cannot possibly be silenced.
Let us begin to do more than just notice people close to us. Let us pursue them and deliver a glimmer of God's glory to their day, or life.

Look Up.

Today was a tough day. For me, days are classified under "tough" when I feel like I am in a blur of confusion or haphazardness. The world seems to do that to people. We get lost in the flesh: a whirlwind of materialism and minor issues. Unfortunately, I succumbed to having one of these days. 

God put something on my heart tonight though, and I feel as though it needs to be shared. It is something that has been encouraging me this past year, and will continue to, when I face days that seem to have an "absence" of Christ. 

As my AP Statistics class ended, I decided to head home after a tiring and somewhat stressful day. I pulled into my driveway, turned off the car and had to take a few deep breaths. I began to think of the summer; what I had planned, and what I wanted to get caught up on in the few academic-free months I had ahead of me. I immediately though of my week-long trip to Birmingham, Alabama, and later my short drive to Ruston, Louisiana to be with my family for the humid, summer week. Ruston is an incredible place: humble, loving people, beautiful trees, and caring Southern accents in every small grocery store. I  began to envision myself there to escape the suburbs of Granite Bay for a second. I miss the small Grace Methodist Church I attend with my Grandma every Sunday at 7am to catch the Sunday school, and Worship service. I heard a hymn last time I had the opportunity of visiting. A hymn written in the early 1700's titles "God Will Lift Up Your Head", flooded the Sanctuary and I was in awe. All of the women singing the song without restraint and seeing my Grandma in the choir singing with her whole, vulnerable heart to Christ. 

Days when we feel so caught up in the world call for one thing. We must mentally and physically look up to  be engulfed by the Lord's protection. God is SO strong. The act of Him gently raising up our chins to peer into His kingdom is extraordinary. We may see clouds, we may see sun, but we will always see Him. 

We can at all times come to him and simply look up. One of the most incredible parts of the Lord his the ease at which we can access Him. And, when we least expect it (and need it most) Christ will life up our heads for us, and put something on our hearts to feel at peace. 

The composer of this hymn was so right on in so many ways. Think about this: when we look up to the sky it is almost impossible to cry. As we look straight ahead, at the world, tears may flow fast and thick down our cheeks. As we look up, crying is interrupted. The Sky is an expanse that brings hope. As we "reach for the moon" or "search for the stars" we are in essence looking at Him. His greatness, His strength, and His ingenious spirit is in it all. When he lifts up our heads from the mundane world of the flesh, to the hope-filled expanse of his Kingdom we as humans can get a taste of eternity. Christ's gentle nudge to look upwards to Him is breathtaking. Many times we may not have the strength to look up, and that is when He takes over.

Christ clears the way in this sinful world and through His strong hand we can be lifted up. As He rose, and He become the helping hand in raising us up as well. Christ becomes so joyful as we look up to him. In joy, He does this, not as an obligation. As he lifts our eyes and our hearts, He is joyful, and in turn we are too. The God who knows every pore on our face, and counts our tears, will lift up our heads to catch a glimpse of his glory.

Take the chance to look up every once and a while. Step outside and let your eyes be transfixed on His greatness.  

So Alive.

I have always been a thinker. I used to criticize myself for it-saying there was no point to aimless thinking. You see, I felt that the more I thought about random occurences, the more often I would find myself off track with what God wanted me to be and the direction he had for me. I used to imagine the path God was taking me on as two long train tracks that made slight turns, if any, and continued on a straight path, forever. I am beginning to see this metaphor much differently.

God has a plan for us: we all know that. But where does the training aspect come in when we look at our lives, and the places God wants to take us?


So, I developed a new metaphor: one that worked for me and helped me understand God a little bit more.


If we imagine a swimming pool, the second we get in we may have to catch our breaths because it is so cold. God's all encompassing presence caught me somewhat off-guard when I first began to feel it. It may seem like a plunge we are not willing to take at the moment, but once we are settled in and feel his love, we stay there.


The moment we get out of the pool we feel hot flagstone on our feet. We have left what has felt comforting to us, and now stand on unknown territory, whether it be scary or not comfortable. The heat from the world, the flesh, cannot comfort any aspect of us and we so badly desire to jump back into God's loving arms.


Why, as humans, do we ever leave the pool? Even if we become pruny-fingered and have tired muscles, why don't we stay in the place most comfortable to us? God's love, in constrast to a pool does not make our fingers wrinkle up or let us become wiped out. His love energizes and strengthens.

God has a journey that he wants to take each and every one of us on. A journey to grow his Kindgom, and enrich our faith in him.
Christ will TAKE us, BREAK us, and REMAKE us. This process is cyclical and will continue until we leave this earth to be with Him. I find it so awe-inspiring to see how Christ completely changes our make-up as a person and as an advocate for Him during this transformation. Our hearts, sourls and minds become more open to his grace, aware of his blessings, and empowered to speak His words to others.
Christ knew that humas would need a severe wake-up call to shake them from the casual way "Sunday morning Church attenders" to people devoted to Christ's Word and sharing the Gospel. An up close and personal look into how Christ leads his children is seen so clearly and beautifully as we experience this transformation in our lives.
The awesome thing, is that the Lord is so faithful to his creation.

As Psalms 145:13 reads: The LORD is faithful in all he says; he is gracious in all he does.

Christ is so alive, isn't he? From the way he transforms our lives, to the way he directs our paths so flawlessly continues to amaze me. God is not a one-dimensional figure in our lives. The word faith implies continuous thought and care for all he has made. He stumble with our faith towards Him, yet the Lord's faith in what he has completed, and what he has yet to have shown us is perfect and remarkable. It makes it much easier to have faith in a God that has faith in his good works.

God intervenes in our lives in unthinkable, creative, yet perfect ways. The Holy Spirit is so alive in our lives and never, ever lets go.

Let us try to stay in the water a little longer. Let ourselves get slightly pruny. Although we may not know specifics on God's call for our lives we do know it will be a life for Him- a good and blessed life.

Miles from Somewhere.

Cat Stevens, you are a musical genius. Words that inspire and words that uplift come out of your mouth in every song. You encourage the young to pursue their dreams and adults to nurture their children. You are passionate about change and expect each generation to progress and be successful.

A question then arises as I listen to your music. What exactly is your passion? What is the fuel to drive you to compose songs inspiring a revival of America's culture? Why do you do it Cat?

The fifth track on the C.D. began to play. And it all came down on me at once. The song is titled "Miles from Nowhere." Cat Stevens speaks of the long journeys he takes in his life, and how unlike many people he knows, Cat does not end up in the same place. He never returns home, or to a similar location as he started. His ventures away from the norm allow him to see life in a different light, and he never comes back.

He is truly Miles from Nowhere though, isn't he? As he is "lost" in this "wild world" something becomes clear. Everyone needs to have a "somewhere" they belong. In this wild world, the only true home we have is in Him. Under Him we are empowered, strengthened and humbled. Even as we travel to the farthest distance from Christ, he still finds us. We seem to play hide and seek with the Lord, don't we? We may hide in shame misery, concern or because of a lack of faith. But we once again are discovered by the person searching for us: our Savior.

I am beginning to be encouraged to maybe not hide in the most discreet places from Christ. When we do, we only place ourselves nearer to sin, and farther from Him. Thankfully, as we will experience at many points in our lives, He constantly does find us. He never loses this game on Earth, and did not lose the game of eternity.

For me, having two homes can be difficult. Lugging my stuff from home to home or attending every family member's events is quite challenging. I have discovered something pretty incredible about Christ though. I sometimes find myself saying this hurtful phrase to my parents, "I am just going to go stay at _____ house then!", filling in the blank with the opposite parent I am talking to. Sometimes I just want to get away.-away from the current circumstances to experience so called peace. Once I drive my car over the other home though, only more turmoil stirs within me. Peace really only does lie in Him. Nothing here will satisfy you permanently. The experience of having divorced parents has also taught me something crucial to how I view people. With some of the most diverse parents one could ever imagine, the experiences of their lives contribute to their wisdom, which they can then teach me. They have all at some point (as we all do) ventured outside of the path God has directed for them, and learned something. As Christ found them, put them under His wing, and brought them back under the pouring out of glory and blessings, they are inspired to share the Word of God. No matter how far outside of the Lord's law and love they stood, they were saved, uplifted and transformed.

Although in our lives we may feel lost, frightened, confused or even bewildered with things of the flesh, we need to know that our way home is not too far. Although we may be miles from where we aspire or should be, we still so have a starting point, a destination, and a current home in Him. We are only miles from somewhere, never from nowhere.

Isaiah 40:31~But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

We know that we have that somewhere. And, that Somewhere is wanting us to visit and stay there.

Think Outside the Bun.

"Alexa, you need to drive me to Taco Bell. I have an interview!" These were the first words out my brother's mouth yesterday when I came home from school. After endlessly searching for a job, he is one person truly deserving of a job, even in the economy of today. We got into my car, and drove over to the Taco Bell near our home. Nervous yet excited, Alex was ready to make a great impression. He walked inside to meet with the manager, and I went across the street to Raley's while he was inside the restaurant. I decided to get him an energy drink (his favorite) as I stuck to my regular Diet Coke and Big Red gum. I got back to my car and sat and waited. What to do on this Thursday afternoon, 20 minutes before I needed to be at work?

While I was in the store I noticed an elderly couple walking with each other as they carefully chose the best produce and picked up candy for their grandchildren. I always smile when I see an elderly couple so in love or caring for each other in a Godly way. I zipped over to the express lane instead of standing in line behind them, and was now sitting in my car. As I racked my brain for something to fill the time, I decided to play some music on my iPod. I decided on Jars of Clay and I began to feel at peace. I then looked up across the parking lot and once again saw the couple. Now they had somebody helping them out with their few bags of groceries to their red van. The man helped his wife into her seat and then got into the drivers seat. The engine started and the van began to move. As it turned the corner right in front of my car I was drawn to a faded sign attached to the back window and trunk opener. I now know why I was so fascinated with the couple in the first place. What was written on the back of their car was a clear message I needed to hear. It said in all capitals "25 Matthew 40-45."

"And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

I reached to the backseat and grabbed my study bible. On first glance I began to feel slightly insecure about my lack of knowledge or memorization of this verse. It was on the "memorize" category of my Bible, and now I see why. This man's life mission was to do good for other people. One thing many have noticed about Jesus is that he does not waste any words; every single word of His Word has clarity and specificity. The ease at which we can praise Him every day; from the small actions of everyday to monumental servanthood all praise our Savior. Why would I not do something for someone else, if in fact it was for Him. On Earth though the distractions are inevitable and so prevalent. We must remember this simple phrase: If we are loving God, we will be loving people. If we are loving people, we are loving God.

Faith, Hope and Love. The three words that bring joy to our lives as Christians, or non-believers. While I was sitting with my dog watching T.V. the other night I realized something else. Animals, once you get past the begging of treats, or the jumping for a walk, all have one thing in common: they are so eager to give and receive love. One purpose for them on this earth is to love and be loved. The same is true for humans: when all is stripped away; possessions, needs, fears, or even relationships, all we want is to be loved. Our inner being is composed of it and longs for it.

The similar ideas of servanthood, love and the verse I saw that beautiful afternoon just came toppling down on me at once. The Lord knew it was something that I really needed to hear at this point in my life, and maybe you do too.

My brother raced back to my car as I pulled out of Taco Bell with a smile on his face, "one more interview to pass, and I got the job!" The van was in front of us with the white letters slowly deteriorating from the back window. Those letters, that verse, had been there awhile. Frankly, I believe it has touched so many people's life as it did mine.

I encourage you to "think outside of the bun" every once in a while. Think outside of the boundaries of earth's restrictions and laws and place yourself under Christ's guidance.

GOD-oincidences.

Emotions are complex. I used to view emotions as a few staple ones, ranging in intensity, or being combined in certain circumstances. But some emotions could never seem to be labeled, controlled, initiated, or stopped. And because I am not a rebellious teenage girl, or do not have emotional oddities, I cannot simply point the origin of the emotions to myself. But I do feel them, and I know many others do as well.

I have been on this earth for almost seventeen years. I feel as though I have learned a lot, and seen a lot in the time I have been living. Still to this day, I find myself stating the same remark. "Life is so random." This can either follow something exciting, tragic, or just plain odd. Nonetheless, I seem to say it often.

Is life truly random? Are things just thrown into the schemes of our lives for no specific purpose? Maybe, random events, or coincidences are in our lives to keep us entertained. Or, to keep us on our toes in the journey we call a lifetime.

This concept hit home for me on two nights ago. At Metro Calvary, I attend an exceptional women's Bible study. As we read and interpreted Ephesians 6, I was drawn to a woman who had an inspiring story to tell. After battling breast cancer she came to know the Lord in a different way, and in a different light. She heard the Holy Spirit so clearly it was difficult to not be obedient. What seemed to be a tragedy, became a milestone point of faith in her life. The diagnosis of cancer was not a coincidence. She must walk through the valley of the shadow of death to lay by the green pastures she now sees.

No wonder people speak of seeing the Lord when they are at their lowest of lows and deepest trials. Our lives are being molded and shaped by the Lord. It takes a wake-up call to loosen our outer shell to get to the interior. These coincidences, as they appear from an earthly perspective cannot be random. Coincidences in our lives are in fact GOD-oincidences.

Here is what I have learned. If you ask for a challenge; get fully prepared to receive one. If we prepare our

hearts to be open to the love and grace that the Father and Son provide, get ready to receive it. But also,

be prepared to see things that appear to be random on the surface. The Word puts it perfectly, as it

always does."The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."- Deuteronomy 29:29. There are many things we will never know, and never understand, but that is left up the Lord. We must know, that the Lord does not throw things into our lives, our dash, our earthly existence, for randomness sake.

These GOD-oincidences are irresistible. If you ever feel or experience one, the emotion is remarkable. The tugging of the Holy Spirit is present, and obedience is our choice. As we transform our mental vocabulary form "coincidence" to "God-oincidence", hope abounds. Trials may bring God, joy may bring God, but God's plan is not one of randomness.