"What's the Reason we're opposing this again"

What's the reason we're opposing this again? Because the Bible said so. My heart hurts when I see people who proclaim themselves as Christians get all wishy-washy on subjects when it comes to voicing to the people or their friends. I understand that Hollywood and Washington make so many exceptions and glamorizes everything. They promote equality and being who you are, and pushing limits. If you're not careful, it becomes really easy to jump on the bandwagon and choose to promote these views yourself in fear of ruffling a few feathers that have the comments multiplying on your facebook statuses and blogs because people want to voice their opinion and take your words out of context.

I don't want to be who I am... I was born a sinner, separated from God, with tendencies to sin in many different ways. I have a sinful nature that likes to drink and lust and fill voids with addictions and lie and get angry, and many, many more. I have issues I have to fight and conquer over and over and over again. Issues that bring guilt and shame, feeling unworthy and ugly. If I stayed the way that I was, I would be dead and that is a fact. I wouldn't be the wife to an amazing husband or the mother of the most beautiful little girl. If God didn't rescue and restore me and turn me into something else... A new creation... I wouldn't be here.

Some of you don't know you need to be rescued. Some of you haven't been broken. Some of you have been putting bandaids over a giant open wound. Some of you have scars that never heal. Some of you have secret desires you can't put away. Some of you feel that it is easier to be the way that you are so you don't have to go "there." The more acceptable it becomes to be THIS way, the more you don't have to think about changing. You don't have to cry or get all gushy about it, you don't have to breakup with the love of your life, you don't have to sacrifice, you don't have to move, you don't have to step or sink or fall.

I was there (and still am for many things). I didn't want to be told I was sinning. I didn't want to have people "pray for me." I was doing what all the other teens/college students/ young adults were doing. And if you feel like you are living a "good" life, then maybe this isn't for you. Seriously, you don't have to read on. BUT, maybe this even strikes a little curiosity, a little anger perhaps? That's okay. I'm pretty sure anytime I was around a Christian/ someone wanting to pray for me/ a holy roller/ a goody-two-shoes/ (fill in the blank), I got so mad that they were condemning me or trying to make me feel bad. They didn't know what I had been through/ nor did they want to. They didn't care about me, just how my lifestyle affected their reputation. I wasn't ready. I was a single, independent sinner not ready for an everlasting love affair.

I don't want to be legalistic either. I don't want to say you can't do this, this or this and call yourself a child of God. I don't want to list a bunch of Bible verses that are meant to condemn you or your lifestyle. As far as I'm concerned, you can live any way you want to. Christians  children of the Lord have to stop condemning outsiders and pointing out their sins when it is convenient for us. Even though it may spur up anger, we can't go around commenting on everyones facebook posts. But we also can't be silent. You can't love people into heaven, but you can't shove them either.

This world is not ours.

Believers, everything should feel gross, should hurt your heart, should be disgusting... you should be seeing people be misled and finding happiness in darkness... why? because this is not our home. The Bible said that it would get worse. The filthier this world gets, the more we set our eyes above.

We're not studying the Word enough if we don't know where to stand. That is so true in many issues... we can "hear" how we should feel about an issue, but question if it is really in the Bible.

Stand firm, stand tall, Believer. But don't cast judgment on the outsiders (1cor. 5:12), we can only pass disciplinary judgment on those within the church. Like it here? Do you feel like the world is getting better? Where is your heart? Is it in your money, your home, your body, your rights, your freedom? That's fine, live the way you want to, marry whoever you please, party it up it's YOUR world... i'm merely passing by.

WHOA it's been a while!

So, I apologize for the long absence in blogging. I didn't want to write with hormonal outbursts, rants, or other trivial things while I was pregnant with our first baby, then I was overwhelmed with the role as a mommy. Now that our baby girl Kinsley is 6 months, and going to bed around 7:30pm, I am going to try to start it up again.

I admit I had been waiting for the "PERFECT" blog or idea the Lord laid on my heart, that would change people... but I've realized, if I'm waiting for the perfect message, I'll be waiting forever. So, I decided to just jump in and tell you just what the Lord is doing in my life.

My heart and passion is for teenage girls- no doubt about it! The Lord laid that desire on my heart and led me to trust Him that I would be working in ministry. I prayed about it constantly and though I would go through months of forgetting my calling, He would bring it back with an intense fiery passion.

I heard about this private school, Grace Academy, that originally supplemented homeschoolers and provided classes like fashion, sewing, and a girls Christian growth class. I KNEW without a doubt God was calling me there. I wrote many times to the school, filling out applications on a whim, and trying to get an "in" when I finally got called in for an interview.... for an assistant position in media. I had them in front of me at least, and poured out my heart to them. I shared my testimony, where I felt God was leading, and my desire to share with young girls. They totally saw that I was not meant for the position they called me to interview for, but also informed me they already had the Christian growth class filled. They offered some computer classes and math but I am not a "teacher" so I said I was not qualified to teach those. I didn't know computer or math, but I knew I wanted to minister.

They wanted to keep in touch and if the position became available, for some reason or another, they'd give me a call. Months went by and I can't remember if I did this before or after I had my baby, but I knew I needed to have some supplemental income and I looked to see at the positions still available at Grace. They had a Graphic Design position available, and since I'm artsy and I know Photoshop, I applied.

Before I knew it, I was signing a contract to teach graphic and web design classes twice a week. That was so God. I had 3 months at home with Kinsley, and then started school at the end of August. Over and over again God was teaching me that He doesn't call the qualified, but He qualifies the called.

October came and I found out that the Christian growth teacher is now PREGNANT, and leaving on maternity leave in February. I headed straight to the office and offered to fill in. I was OVERJOYED and KNEW it was the Lord. They also told me that she was staying home with the baby and not coming back next year.... WHOA! I start subbing Jan. 31 and they hope to move me right into that position! Now THAT is FAITH!

I'm going to start blogging more since I will be more involved with the students and learning new material. If you are a teen or a mom of a teen, or even a friend of a teen, PLEASE ANONYMOUSLY  write a comment below letting me know some topics I could base my lesson plans off of... areas of temptation, struggles, questions, etc. That would be awesome! Looking forward to furthering the Kingdom!

Our Calling

Isaiah 61:1-3 (amplified version)

 ¹THE SPIRIT of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound,<sup>(A)



    2</sup>To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor]^[a]and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,<sup>(B)


    3</sup>To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion--to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit--that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

This is just a simple post to remind us of what God has called us to do. When the devil attacks us with doubt, fear and pride, we are to remember that God CALLED us to do these things so the HE may be glorified. 

Are you fulfilling your calling?

"I don't care if you're a christian"

Are you a Christian? Maybe you don't go to church as much as you should, or maybe you slip up time and again, but the general response would be "Yes, I'm a Christian."

At a point in time, maybe when you were 5 years old you prayed "the prayer" and got saved and "once saved, always saved, right?"

I always wonder about that. I know God "knows your heart", but do unsaved people always know they're unsaved? What about drifting away from God? What about your lifestyle? What about living in the moment? What about being a "good person"? What about the church being where you worship, and since God is in your heart, you don't REALLY need to go on Sundays, you can worship in your heart at home?

What about when I no longer wanted to be involved with the youth ministry as a teen because I thought our new youth pastor knew less than I did because I had been a "christian" longer? What about when I fell into a lifestyle of wanting to party with drugs and alcohol and didn't care how much it destroyed my family? What about when I sold myself into lust because it made me feel worthy and beautiful? What about when I was living the life that "felt" good?

Was I a Christian then? 

I never denied Christ with my words, but I definitely did with my actions. I didn't even really feel guilty about the things I was doing.

1 John 2:19 says that if we REALLY did belong to Jesus, we never would have turned from Him.

BUT I'm not here to debate salvation. I'm not writing to justify your past. I AM writing with concern for Christians and to express some new revelations.

Are you happy with your lifestyle? Are you confident that if Jesus came back today, that you would enter into heaven? The truth is that not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 7:21)... this shows us that there are people who believe they are "Christians" but they aren't saved.

First of all, the word "Christian" is so overused that people gladly title themselves a Christian, but deny it by their lifestyle. I'm so OVER everyone claiming to be a Christian. I want to take myself out of that category completely. I want people to KNOW who I live for by my lifestyle.

I don't care if you're a "Christian," but I do care if you desire God's will for your life. I care if you call him Lord, AND live like you do. "When Jesus saves you, he expects you to live like it." The 2nd half of Matthew 7:21 says who will enter heaven,

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Are you doing the will of the Father who is in heaven? Regardless of past, what is your present life like...(this weekend, last night, what's on your television, your relationships, etc) can you say that you are doing the will of God?

I am reading the book, Radical by David Platt, and even in the 1st few pages, I feel like my heart is being written on the pages of someone else's book. Today at church, my pastor, Loran Livingston, spoke things that I had been reading and pondering myself. I wondered if he had my facebook to read some of the statuses I've had up lately, haha. I also enrolled in a Bible study on Beth Moore's study of Daniel.

Though everything above is not related to another, I am hearing overwhelming parallels. That is God speaking.

I am hearing Him tell me that it's not about saying a prayer to be saved. It's about the sacrifice our giving up everything we are to follow Christ- DAILY. It's not about the title of a Christian that saves people.

David Platt says this,

"'Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.'  Give up everything you have, carry a cross, and hate your family. This sounds a lot different than "Admit, believe, confess, and pray a prayer after me."

Titus 2:11-13 and my pastor expanded on what comes after salvation, what should come after your "prayer," what should change after you call Him Lord:

- turn your back on a godless life

- turn your back on an indulgent life/ reject worldly passions

- OBEY

- hunger and thirst for righteousness

- you're ready for Jesus to come

- the Bible becomes necessary

- you want to pray more and more

You say, I am a Christ-follower, a believer, a Christian, I am saved...

What looks different  between your life and the world's? Are you drinking what they're drinking? Is your tongue speaking the same language? Are your eyes tolerant? Do you expect to be entertained? Do live by truth or by feeling?

I don't want to ever JUDGE your salvation, but I want to make you aware that just because we call ourselves Christians, doesn't mean we are saved. I want my friends to know, that they know, that they KNOW, they are going to heaven when they die. I don't want to condemn you or point my finger at your lifestyle, if you know my past, you know I'm far from perfect.

 I DO want to say that, who knows for sure if I would have died in highschool, if I would have surely gone to heaven because I lived for God in Middle School. Or that I didn't need to repent of my sin again because I prayed a prayer when I was 5. I don't have a date of when I got "saved," but I do have a point in my life, after college where I gave up EVERYTHING (friends, alcohol, drugs, sex, etc) and read the Bible and prayed as if my life depended on it. Because it did. I didn't want to be who I was anymore. I wanted to get off of the path my life was heading down. Of course I found it difficult, very trying and brought lots of tears. I had to confess I had been living according to MY OWN WILL and trust that God's will was BETTER than my own. You have to be willing to lay down your life, no matter what trials you will bare. No matter how heavy your cross is, how lonely the walk is, your eye is fixed on an eternity with a God that's worth it all!

Every day calls for examination of our life. Every day calls for crucifying our worldly passions and desires. Every day calls for repentance and turning from our yesterday. Every day is a new breath to take in the Spirit and live by it. Every day is a day we can be forgiven and NEED TO BE FORGIVEN. Today can be the day that you start living according to His will for your life.