Life.

Ok, so it has been a long time since I have blogged. A lot has changed, a lot has stayed the same. I am in a new place, with new people, experiencing new things everyday. Experiencing God in new ways all the time. I am a full time student of Spring Arbor University now. I love here, it has challenged me more then I have ever been challenged in my life. In good ways, and in ways that I care not to share. One way I have been challenged is in the way I connect with people. In general, and on a more personal level. I am learned a lot about myself coming here. That I am a very strong person, though I have my moments of weakness. Chapel here is manditory but I dont mind, I LOVE IT, every time. The band takes us into the throne room of God. The speaker challenges us spiritually. To remain hungry, and seeking God.

I have become a more patiant person since coming here. Because sometimes God does not answer in bright shining lights like we expect, sometimes we have to wait on the Lord, for Him to come to us. Being quiet and just waiting. That is one of the hardest things for me, to just wait on an answer. I have been in that situation more then once since being here. I have had to wait on the Lord, not knowing what His answer was going to be. Yet knowing that it was going to be the right answer no matter what it was. Just resting in that had to and has to be enough. Know full well, God will come. If He is being silent for some reason, He is probably waiting for you to completely 100% trust Him, knowing He knows best.

What does it look to trust God completely? Does it mean just saying it with ones mouth? Or should that surrender be evident to ALL? I believe TRUSTING God with everything in you takes work, it takes daily laying your life before God, and saying, DONT ALLOW ME to pick up any of this, I know its in your hands, I have to trust and wait expectantly to see where You are going to lead me. Ok and another that needs to be understood here, is that full surrender is not easy, its not something you can do over night, something that you can do flippantly. It is making yourself a "slave" to Christ, to spread HIS love an mercy to this dying world, knowing though where we came from, so we dont get side tracked and try to start running our own lives again. That is why it is a daily thing, to lay your life on the alter of God, and know that you are in His control. NO you are not a puppet, it is a choice, yes. But, if you are fully surrendered to God, you will allow HIM to rule you. and to guide you, and to divinely appoint meeting in your life, with people that need a touch from Him.

Friends..... cant life without them.

Have you ever been in a bind and had a friend that was there to help you? and cheer you up, when all you wanted to do was cry? I can tell you that I have more then one time, I have been in a bind, and not known how I was going to get home even.... One time was last night. And I know that that God made sure that I had one of my friends with me, because He knew that I would have freaked out had she not been there. She calmed me down and made me laugh.... She is an amazing friend, who has been there for me whenever I need her, whatever time it is, even if she has to work the next day, she does not care, she is right there to talk if I need it, to cry if I need it, to laugh if that is what I want. She has been there through thick, and thin.

I believe God brings people into your life at the precise time you need them, sometimes He brings them into your life so you can get close to them, and then when you come to rough water they are there to make sure you stay in the boat. When all you want to do is give up, they are there to to make sure you you don't. When you feel like the whole wide world is on your back, they are there to take some of the load if you need them to. When you feel like everyone is looking at you and noone really knows you, you can rest assured they do!

God gives you people to walk with you, and laugh with you, and just be there with you for the ups and down... That is one thing that I am SOOO thankful for! God is amazing! He knows what you need, and when you need it, even if you dont even know what you need.

God is amazing!!! :) Can I get an AMEN!!?!?

When it comes time to run... are you ready?

Sometimes I wonder why God calls me to do things, that seem SOO hard, and things that I just cant seem to get through? Why me, I find myself often ask myself. Why not someone with more faith? Then I remember that God wants to use me right where I am. He can take what I have to give, and multiply it for His glory. And in the times when I feel inadequate or like what I have to give is not enough, are the times I need to remember that God called me to do hard things in spite of everything I screwed up on, and in spite of the fact that I really have nothing to bring to the table, God called me anyways. He called me to give what I had.

Another thing I need to always remember is that if God calls me to do something He will equip me to do it. Even if it seems impossible. And if it does seem impossible that is probably because it is impossible by human standards. BUT where my strength and my ability to do what I am called to do ends, is where Gods begins, and where God picks up the slack and helps me get where I need to be. When I am feeling like I cant take another step, like everything is falling apart, in the midst of that is when I need to call out to God, and tell Him everything that is going on in my life, and everything that i feel I cant do, and ask for help. Because He is there to help, all I have to do is ask... isnt that amazing, I think it is incredible that God is right with me all the time, and when I cant go on, He will carry me the rest of the way.

Another thing I need to be keenly aware of is that as soon as I make the decision to follow Jesus with everything in me, that is when Satan starts to attack, and HARD. When we step out in faith relying solely on God for direction that is when Satan will send his strongest most damaging forces to attack me, because Satan wants nothing more then to stop me dead in my tracks, because I am reaching people with the Love and Acceptance of Jesus Christ. Satan does not want the Word of God spread. He wants to take down as many Christians as he can, and if he can make me believe that what God is calling me to do is impossible, he wins. So knowing that Satan wants to stop me, is the strongest tool I have against him. Because I am equipped with the Holy Spirit I can ward off his deadly attacks, with scripture, or just by calling on God for help, God will help me! He has promised me that. I am never alone, in anything I do, God is always RIGHT with me. Every breath I breathe, every step I take, every action I make, He is right there. If I need Him all I have to do is talk to Him. He is ever-present, and available, in His power I can do all that He has called me to do because if He called me to it, He will help me through it!

I serve a POWERFUL, LOVING, ACCEPTING, MERCIFUL God. How about you???

Trust the one who got you here.

God is showing me more and more each day what it means to trust Him. When things seem to be out of control, and you are being pulled a thousand different directions that is when we need to trust God the most, and lean on Him for strength. This is something that needs to be done daily, even if everything it going good, and it seems like we dont need God. We need to remember that He is with us even when things are going good, and things are smooth, He is with us in those times too. Its all about concistancy, and making God first every day. Even when we dont feel like it, when we feel like we can conquer the world alone. And in the times we feel like we cant take another step we need to lay everything before God in those times too, and tell Him everything on our minds, either that be frustration, confusion, joy, sadness, anger, anything, God wants to hear you talk to Him, no matter what it is about. Just talk to Him about your day, tell Him the things that are bugging you. He wants to hear your voice.

In brokenness we need to call out to God too, lay it all down before the one who can help you through it all. Sometimes God brings you to hurdles He knows FULL WELL you cant overcome alone, just so you will call out to Him for help. So His power can be displayed through your life, and even in your struggles. God is always there walking with you no matter how alone you may feel. You may feel like you are the only one that is going through this, the only one that has ever gone through anything like you are going through. BUT the truth is, you are NOT alone, if you are a child of the Most High God, you are NEVER ALONE. And also God puts other Christ Followers in your life to direct you, and help you where they can. We were not made to walk alone.

Trust.

When I say the word "Trust" what do you think of? The first thing I think of is the trust fall. Putting complete trust in someone else to not let you hit the ground. I think that our relationship with Jesus should be the same way, if He calls you to do something, JUST DO IT. Don't ask questions, learn to trust in the one that sustains your very life.

I am learning more and more everyday what it means to trust God. God has been talking to me a LOT lately about trust, and giving me instructions... that I didnt want to follow through with, but after much wrestling I knew that is what God was calling me to do. I stepped out in faith, TRUSTING that God will not let me down, and since He called me to this hurdle, HE in HIS great power will help me overcome it. And guess what is the most amazing part about my God? He came through for me!

Is there something in your life you are holding back from God? Is there something in your life that you would not give to God if He asked you to do so? I am going to be completely open and honest, I was not fully surrendered to God, I thought I was, and was saying I was. But He in His awesome Power, and Love, showed me that I was not living a life that was pleasing Him. And that my priorities NEEDED to change.

God is growing me, and teaching me to TRUST even when it does not make any sense at all. NONE. I want to encourage anyone reading this, that even if what God tells you to do does not make sense... TRUST Him and do it anyways. And I am saying this from a place of pure surrender to my Savior. I also want to tell you it took my 19 years to get to this point in my life, the point where I want NOTHING more then to please my savior. But, the main thing is... I GOT HERE EVENTUALLY. Yes it took time, it took effort, it took loosing things that I held dear to me, BUT I finally surrendered everything about me to God, and He came through for me!

God has changed me more this last week, then EVER in my life, the whole focus of my life, my goals, dreams, and ambitions have been taken from me, and replaced with new ones that are from God!

It is amazing to me, how fast God can change a person's heart, and dreams. When I finally stopped fighting what I knew God wanted me to do, and what He made me to do... The moment I stopped fighting and gave in to what God wanted me to do, was the moment I believe I was a live for the first time in a LONG time. God gave me a new heart, and a new mind, and a new spirit, that is fervently seeking His face, and His direction for my life.

It is one of the most amazing, and scary things that I have ever done in my life. To place ALL my HOPE, ALL my TRUST, ALL my DREAMS, my WHOLE BEING, into the hands of my Creator, is one of the most thrilling things also!

GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME! ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD!

Their more then just cool stories....

As I lay outside listening to the birds sing, and my little brothers play in the pool, and soaking in the sun I cant help but think about God and His amazing, outrageous, never-ending love for us. I am constantly in awe of the God who gave up His ONLY son for us! We did not deserve it, nor did we show any signs of turning to God, BUT still He gave up His only son to be a ransom for many peoples sins.

Have you ever stopped to think about that, like really think about it? I mean honestly.... Think about the thing, here on earth, that you hold dearest to your heart, and think about how you would feel if you had to give that up. I know I would be devastated, think about how you would feel if God called you to give that up? Would you question Him? Would you do it? When I think about this I think about Abraham.,. and how this same all loving, all powerful, omnipresent God, told him to sacrifice his ONLY son, BUT you know, Abraham knew God's promise, and knew that God's word was reliable, and trustworthy. And God had told him that his descendent's that would be as numerous as the stars would come through his son Issac. And you know that? Relying on that promise had to be good enough for Abraham, he trusted His God at His word. Abraham did not argue with God, or make excuses, or try to talk God out of it, he just trusted, and did as God told him to do. And you know what is so amazing about this story to me? God came through for him. That is the highlight of the story for me. Is that God called him to do something that seemed OUTRAGEOUS, he followed Gods instructions, and GOD CAME THROUGH FOR HIM!

See now heres the best part about all of this.... let me let you in on a secret, WE SERVE THE SAME GOD ABRAHAM DID!

If He calls you to do something that seems crazy, or maybe even impossible.... thats probably because it is by human standards.... and if we just run hard after God, and trust Him at His word, and be faithful to Him, HE WILL COME THROUGH. Thats the cool thing about the God I serve, He has promised that He will NEVER leave me or forsake me, even when things may seem hopeless or I am walking through the desert, He will guide me, and if I loose all strength and hope, He will carry me if I need Him to!

The love that my God has for me is one I DO NOT DESERVE, one I CAN NEVER PAY FOR... But that is the love that has been bestowed upon me, an unconditional love. Even the love my parents have for me cant even come close to the amazing love God my Father has for me. At times I cant even comprehend it, and I feel so unworthy at times... because I do something that is not pleasing to God and then I have to run back to my God and tell him I am sorry, and repent of the sin I have committed again Him and Him alone... and you know what He does????? Something that NO HUMAN can do, He forgives and FORGETS my sin, He removes it from me as far as the east is from the west. It is an amazing God that I SERVE!

Truth.

Have you ever felt like you couldn't take another step? Been so defeated that you just couldn't go on? I have, and I can tell you right now that is not a fun feeling nor is it a feeling that God created us to feel. When we live lives that are fully surrendered to Christ He tells us that its okay if we cant take another step, we were not made to walk alone, we were made to rely on HIM and other believers who God places in our paths.

Though at times it is hard for a person like me to place all my trust and all my hope and all my strength in something I cant see, but I am slowly learning that is what I have to do. I am a very strong independent person, and I like to figure things out for myself, and learn from my own mistakes, you can tell me till you are blue in the face that i should not do something, but if I dont think that you are right I will do it just to see if you are right, and if you are I will get hurt. I have always been a strong independent person since I was little, and it is just becoming more and more prevalent in my life as I grow up. As I get older and start to make more and more of my own decisions.

But lately in my life, I have been getting very discouraged, and having to lean wholly on Christ for everything, making hard choices about my future and what I am going to do with my life, and it is hard. But a realization that i came to about a week ago was, God has promised me that he will NOT give me more then I can handle, and if it seems like He has and I cant take another step in any direction except backwards, God is right there with me, and He will carry me if I need him to. Where my human strength ends is where Gods divine strength begins. This is something I have to rediscover daily, and become keenly aware of, every morning.

Another thing I need to rediscover eveeryday is that there is NOTHING that i can do to make God love me less then He loved me yesterday, I am a child of the king and I need to always remember that. Esspecally on days that I feel I cant go on, on days I just want to give up all hope and lay down and just stop trying. That is when God comes in and whispers to me that, I am a child of His and He will help me through everything I am going through! If God brought me to it, He WILL HELP ME THROUGH IT! I know that to be true.

Why am I here?

Have you ever gotten lost in your thoughts, wondering why on earth you are here? I have I can guarantee you of that. I have gotten lost in my thoughts, and that is when I realize I am relying on my own strength to get where I think I should go. That is the wrong way of thinking, if you ask me. As Christ followers, we are called to live lives like that of our Savior, NOT just making decisions that will just benefit us. Though that is what I find myself doing a lot of times. We were called to live life with our arms wide open, living to the glory of Christ's name, and if that means we loose something we are holding very dear to us for someone who has nothing, that is what Christ called us to do. He did not die so we could keep Him to ourselves, He died so we could live, and share His love and mercy with everyone we come in contact with!

How do we do that?? You might be asking... Well... I believe that we live lives that will please God when we start to live to further other peoples ambition's and dreams, and forget about ourselves, and just live to impact peoples lives for Christ. But HOW? I would say that it can be in small things, it can be in large things, it can be however you can do it. You can start by just changing your outlook on life, and becoming a person that is happy, and joyful JUST to be alive and have another breathe in your lungs. Then you can give smiles that radiate the love of Christ to a hurting people. If you want to do more than that you can be intentional about who you talk to, who you interact with... and always be willing to give up anything you have if God calls you to do that. In my own personal life, God has called me to give up some things that i did not want to let go of because of my human way of thinking, I wanted to hold onto it for selfish reasons, and God made me put my heart in check, and realize that other peoples needs are greater then mine. I am slowly learning to hear the voice of my God, and follow where He is calling me to go, even if that is scary at times.

I am learning to follow my Jesus even when it does not make sense... even if it SEEMS CRAZY by human standards, because it probably is. But if I keep my eyes focused on Christ I find it a LOT easier to do what he is calling me to do... then if I am self absorbed, and selfishly pursuing my ends. When I really think about it, I realize that my reasons for wanting to NOT do what God is calling me to do are very self pleasing reasons, and that is NOT how God has called me to live. I also tend to look at all the reasons why something wont work... This happens when I take my eyes off Christ and look at the crazy thing He is calling me to do. (well it is CRAZY by human standards.) Then and only then do I start to see the obstacles that Satan is placing in front of me. I believe that obstacles are self imposed, and the only time they appear is when we take our eyes off the goal we have in life.

There is however a solution, we can pray and wait expectantly to see where God leads while the whole time remaining focused on Christ to watch where he moves in the lives of His followers. To me personally, this was a realization that could not come soon enough. God has been giving me a heart to help people, and love people, and reach out, and pursue the hurting, lost and alone. When God FIRST started to birth this within me, I tried to fight it because at the time, I wanted desperately to be a Veterinarian. But God just kept talking to me, and ministering to me through other people, teaching me that people are the most important thing on the earth, I believe He just wanted me to know that all along.

Well I finally realized that God was calling me to help people not animals, WHEN I finally grasped that He then started to birth another desire in me... This was a burning desire to go beyond the people I am in contact with here in MI, to to reach the corners of the earth. It was about then that God started to move in the body of my church... and my church started to become more missions focused, and everything started to fall into place, but I was still unsure what God was calling me to do, and where I would fit into the whole thing. Well, two years ago they started to talk about Swaziland, Africa... and something in me just couldn't keep quiet, I felt like I HAD to go, BUT there were obstacles that I could not overcome to go on that trip... the main one being that I was too young.

Well two years have not passed, and I am now almost 19 years old, and they started to talk about Swaziland again, and that Sunday something in me just EXPLODED, and could NOT be contained any more... I didn't know what was happening at the time... I found out later that multiple people were praying that I would have a desire to go to Africa some of whom didn't know that I even wanted to at all... as soon as the sermon was over I practically ran to the table and grabbed an application and ran to my mom and said, "Mom, I am GOING!!" and she started crying, because she had been praying that somehow I would have a desire to go... and God put a FIRE in me, and I want NOTHING MORE THEN TO GO! Right now, in my life, this FIRE burning in me, I cant justify closing my eyes to it, I know that God is calling me to Africa. There are still obstacles that will have to be overcome, BUT I know that if God wants me there I will GO!

Sorry my thoughts are a little jumbled in this post, stuff just started to come out. :)

Life as we know it...

As I sit here listening to a family bicker, I cant help but wonder, is this how God made us to be...get married start to hate your spouse and children and then die... I beg the question "Is this all God made us to be? Or is there more out there? Something we are missing?" There is something I know to be true about my God, and it is that he made us to live life abundantly, and live it in a way that pleases him. And He created marriage to be a reflection of His Love for the church, so when we fight and bicker about little things that cant please God anymore than it makes us feel like crap.

So if it is true that God made marriage to be a reflection of His abundant Love for us, then we can conclude that the love with which we are to share with our spouse should be an unconditional abundant love that has no limits. An unconditional love says, "I may not agree with what you are doing, or how you are going about that, but I am going to love you anyways, even if you dont love me I will love you. Even if you hurt me I will still love you." That is the love with which we are called to love each other, is it not? If we are to mimic what we saw in Christs example, then we can logically conclude that this is in fact that love that we are called to love with. And not just family, we are called to LOVE everyone we come in contact with, everyone we pass in the grocery store. EVERYONE period. You never know what the impact of a smile could be? or the impact of a simple "hi". You could change someones eternity, you could plant a seed and then someone else will come water it... and it will grow until the person you originally touched cant deny that love has changed them!

So.... I beg the question.... what would it look like if we loved with this love? the love that says you dont love me, you dont care about me, but I am going to LOVE you unconditionally anyways! What would that look like? What would it make our relationships look like? What would it make our towns look like? If the people that claim to be followers of Christ started acting like they were instead of just saying it with their mouth. What if we actually fed the hungry, and sought out the lost, hurting or alone? Do you think we could impact our communities? What if this nation that claims to be "Christian" would become awakened and start living lives that would reflect the faith they profess?? What would that look like? Do you think we could change this country? Do you think we could change this hemiphere? Do you think we could impact our globe??? I do! I think that if the church would just start acting like the church we could change the world, one heart at a time! We could start a fire that no man can put out! We could spark a revival! All the way to the smallest countries, and villages in Africa, Asia, India, China!

What if we stood up unashamed? What would that look like? If we wholheartedly followed Christ, and the only words from our mouths were "Yes LORD, where you lead I will follow?" Does that concept scare you? Cause it scares me!! But if need be I will DO IT AFRAID! I am not going to let fear stop me! The path to you greatest potential is often STRAIGHT THROUGH your greatest fear.-Craig Groechel. The second we realize this and take hold of it will be the point when we start toward our purpose in life! Its time that the church gave their lives to God, indevidually, and as a whole and let God lead thier steps, and whereever God calls you go! and you answer "Yes Lord!!"

At times you must go against the crowd....

Sometimes God calls us do things that in the eyes of mere men look foolish, because they appear from the outside that there is no way they could ever work. However, sometimes God calls us to do things like that to show how powerful He really is. He is in the business of taking things that seem impossible to man and making them possible through his power.

There are things in my life that seem like there is no way I can do them. I talk to God about them and you know what he tells me? He tells me that I am right there is no way I can do them.... in my own power, BUT I can do them with HIS help, and that he would LOVE to help be through it. Because another thing I know to be true about my God is that He will never bring you to something that he wont help you THROUGH. If there is another thing I know about my God it is that He can move mountians that stand in the path of His followers if He wants to.

The mountain in my life right now is having an indescribable desire to go to Africa. And sometimes when I mention wanting to go to Africa, people start to tell me all the reasons why it wont work, and I just have to remind myself that if God gave me this desire He is going to help me achieve it and if I have God on my side nothing can stop me.

Africa....

So, I am going to start at the beginning. It all started in 2008 when I found out my church was taking a summer mission trip to Swaziland Africa in the summer 2009. I wanted nothing more then to go, BUT in order for me to go alone a few things had to happen, that was a parent go with me because I would not be 18 by the time they went, they went two weeks before my birthday. And a LOT of money had to be raised. Well, neither of my parents could go. I was bumming, but I moved on. However the flame inside me that was started then never went away.
And it all started to be rebirthed in me at my open house, when I was talking to people about my future and multiple people not even afiliated with my church or knowing anything about my desire to go to Africa stated something about Africa or missions to me, and it got me thinking about it again.
Then on Sunday I went to church, and I sat down in the pew, and something in me just started to explode! I didnt know what was happening at the time, but I found out later it was a LOT of people praying that I would somehow have a desire to go to Swaziland. Well I was singing and I happened to read the title of the sermon that day, the title being "Unstoppable Courage." I was like oh this is going to be good! :D
Then.... Pastor Phil started talking about Swaziland and the trip in 2011, and I tured to Stephanie who was sitting by me and said, "I am going." just that thats it. And she was like... "what?" so I said it agian, and she just looked at me.
Then the sermon started and the first thing that was said was, "The path to you greatest potential is often STRAIGHT THROUGH your greatest fear." That hit me like nothing has ever hit me before, and I knew right then that I was going to go to Africa, and that God was going to make it possible.
Because will I be afraid YES!!! One of my biggest fears is flying over the ocean. But I am going to step out of my fear, and into faith knowing that if God wants me to go to Africa He will provide the funds for me to do it and alllsoo the courage for me to do it! :D

I know I have not posted in a long time, I have been so busy with work, and getting ready for my graduation and my open house that I have not been able to find the time. After graduation I should get more consistent. :] But I have a poem that I absolutely love that I want to share.

The Summit.

The mountain before me was enormous.

I began my climb steady and sure. Soon i

ran into obstacles. Some places I slid back

down the mountain, almost to my death.

The mountain seemed to be winning.

I could feel the force of the mountain trying

to keep me from my goal. But I fought my

way through. Finally the Summit was in view.

It was then the climb became the most

difficult. The steep loose rocks made the

final journey hopeless. I slid down the

rocks. I was hurt, tired and had lost hope.

Suddenly, I felt a force touching me. I turned

quickly and there I saw Him. It was Jesus!

I grabbed both His hands and knelt at His feet.

He said to me, "Oh my child, I've been reaching

out to you your entire journey but you pushed

me away and went your own direction."

As I cried at my Savior's feet, He lifted me up.

We drifted off the mountain.

Instead of rising to the top of the summit,

we glided down to the base of the mountain.

Jesus said to me, "If you said to this mountain

be cast into the sea and do not doubt in your

heart is shall be done." I stood there looking at

the mountain. It was an enormous towering obstacle.

I asked myself, "Did I have enough faith?"

Then I looked at Jesus. Two eyes looked

back at me who had been where I was before.

He had felt feat and loneliness. He had been

hurt and unloved by others. With my eyes

still focused on Jesus, I said in a loud voice,

"MOUNTAIN BE CAST INTO THE SEA!"

The earth began to shake furiously. Rocks and

boulders tumbled to my feet. Something of

incredible size and power was happening

behind me, but I kept my focus on the Savior.

I heard water and waves splashing up.

Then there was a great calm. I stood there

looking in the eyes of Jesus. Love, Joy and

Peace came over me that I could not explain.

I did not have to look back anymore.

I KNEW GOD HAD REMOVED THE MOUNTAIN!

God.

In this blog I am going to attempt to show you the God I worship and love, by showing you who I know Him to be.

First I need to tell you what I believe. I believe that God is the only supreme that has ever been and ever will be! He is sovereign over all, at all times. He is Lord, Christ, Jehovah, Master, Ruler, Elohim, Provider, Sustainer, Jealous... He is an Creator of ALL, all Loving, all Powerful, Living God, all Merciful, all Mighty, all Just, all Compassionate, Unequaled, Supplier of my EVERY NEED, Enduring through the Ages, all Consuming, all Great, Peace Giver, Everlasting, Healer, in Control, Over all, Covenant Maker, Covenant Keeper, Awesome, all Sufficient, Perfect, all Knowing, and Omnipresent among man other attributes that could describe this man that is completely in charge of my life! But most of all, to me He is a PERSONAL God, who is involved in my life, and is alive and at work in the world around me. If you just look around you, you will see His hand is all of Creation. I call myself a Christ follower, and I want to walk so closely in the footsteps of my Father that I am covered in the dust that His sandals kick up.

The next thing I need to address is faith and what exactly I believe it is. Faith is believing that which you cant see. Taking that a step further and saying that faith in God is-running hard after God without knowing where you are going, without having it all figured out, and trusting that God will lead you where He wants you, and He will put people in your life to challenge you and to spur you on toward the goal for which you are reaching, that is Eternal Life.

God does not tolerate sin of any kind. God is perfect and demands that His followers strive to be like Him. He sent us the greatest example, in the form of a man, that is His son Jesus Christ. God sent His son to this earth to show the world He cared and wanted to spend an eternity with us. God created us, not because He needs us, but because He wanted us to be part of the story He is writing, be part of the master piece He is painting. God created us so we could be with Him and love Him, and strive to show this lost world His Love. And the main reason God sent His only son was because He knew that when people are left to their of choices, and to their own reason, and frame of mind, they will choose sin over Him, that is the way humans are. Humans tend to reject that which is most dear. And because God knew that about humans, he sent His son to save those who fall into sin, because He could not stand the thought of an eternity without you and with me. God sent Jesus Christ to be the attoning sacrifice to save us, and redeem us, and lead us back to Himself. To be saved all a person has to do is believe God is who He says He is, believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and confess with your mouth that Christ is Lord, and surrender everything you have to Him, and live your life taking every step trying to line up with Christ's.

However, there are some people in this world that will refuse Gods amazing gift. And because God is all Loving and all Just, He can not leave sin unpunished. So that is why Hell exists, because God is so loving that he could not let unpunished sin into His presence. So the God-rejectors are cast into an eternally burning lake to burn for all of eternity. BUT there is a way to escape that, all you have to do is accept the free gift God gave, and live your life for Him, and spend eternity in Heaven with Him, in His presence.

God gave us an amazing gift, and He has sent us with this charge-go and spread the truth of Gods word to the ends of the earth! To every every tribe, every tongue, every nation. Love God so God can fill you with His abounding Love, so we can in turn love people the way God loves people. So I leave you with this question... what are you doing with the gift God has so graciously given you? and who are you loving with the love of Christ today?

"Louder than Before." -Jeremy Camp.

Hear now this declaration

From out across the nations

We need to wake up and understand

Many hurting hearts are crying

But our voices seem to be dying

Can you see the battle raging on?

We are the light to reach this world

We are the salt preserving these souls

Let's show them the love that we've received now

We are, we are in desperation

We need to reach this generation

We are speaking louder than before

We are the hope that's been forgotten

We have the love that will be brought and

We are speaking louder than before

Take every chance that you can

Move together taking a stand

Never losing heart, we'll speak as one

We need to be the image of Christ

Show love and serve at all times

We can make a difference in these lands

We are the light to reach this world

We are the salt preserving these souls

Let's show them the love that we've received now

We are, we are in desperation

We need to reach this generation

We are speaking louder than before

We are the hope that's been forgotten

We have the love that will be brought and

We are speaking louder than before

Every thing's so surreal

But this urgency I feel

We should be reaching out to

All these desperate pleas

Oh, the meet is real, can't you feel

Let's call it revolution

My beating heart is breaking for them

That's why I'm speaking now

That's why I'm speaking now

We are, we are in desperation

We need to reach this generation

We are speaking louder than before

We are the hope that's been forgotten

We are the love that will be brought and

We are speaking louder than before

We are, we are, we are, we're speaking louder

We are, we are, we are, we're speaking louder

We are, we are, we are, louder than before

We are speaking louder than before, oh yeah

This song challenges me. And I really like it! There are so many people that are in our lives that we come in contact on a daily basis, or at least weekly basis, that are so hurt, and in need of God..... who are we to decide they don't deserve Him? God came to reach everyone, and God called us to reach the hurting, lost, broken, alone, and forgotten of this world. It is our job to show them the God we know! We were not called to keep Him to ourselves, we were called to share Him with EVERYONE we come in contact with. HE is the only thing that truly matters in this life we are living. He should be the thing we share constantly! He should radiate from our very being, we should live to show people who He is! We are to be Jesus with skin on! And with God's help we can do that!!! We need to be fervently seeking God and asking him to help us reach the broken among us.

Lets go, just a few of us can change the world. If God ignites our hearts nothing in this world can stop us! Whose with me?!?!?!?