16

Jul

Black Ops isn’t Real Life!

You can always count on summer to keep you busy. Whether or not it’s doing xmin through the summer like myself, or employment, or even volunteering at a kids camp-There’s ALWAYS something going on that will keep you busy. And there is always someone to serve.

It’s common knowledge that summer is the time when a lot of people get LAZY, or ‘hit a wall’.  I’ve heard that term a few times today actually.

“I just feel like I’m hitting a wall.”

What does it mean? It means that you’re casting all the blame on said wall instead of sucking it up and moving forward. This is where laziness comes in. It’s way easier to say that something is hard and allow that to be the end of it with no possible solution in the near future. If we’re lazy when it comes to serving, then we’re probably lazy with our time with Jesus.

((Think about that for a second. Is there an ounce of laziness in you?))

“Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.”
Proverbs 12:24

Man. We miss out on so much when we let laziness come in! (I know this from experience!) And the thing is-We’re not the only ones who miss out.  Others miss out on US! I can think of plenty of times when I was hoping to spend time with someone and they couldn’t pull themselves away from _________ (TV, work, video games, etc. ) so that I could spend time with them. Learn from them. And laugh with them.

Laziness in itself is a wall that we have to demolish. We have to get rid of it completely. How? By serving people and getting off our butts. Then it will be hard to even be lazy!

I’ve realized that I can’t just spend my life with my nose in a book and forget about people.

((NOTE: Boys, there’s more to life than your Marvel Comic books. And you might not know it but even your Xbox deserves a summer break. Plus, Black Ops isn’t even real life!! Come on! ))

13 years ago Short URL 2 Comments

Uncategorized

////

28

Jun

Don’t Go Blind

If you haven’t read, The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, you need to…It’s pretty good. And if you’ve read it, be prepared to take notes.

It’s been a few days since I finished it, and I can’t get it out of my head.

Here are some of the questions that I am still asking myself-

Am I living to stay as close to God as possible or am I getting lazy?

Do these thoughts or activities please God?

Am I content with just Jesus? Or am I giving in to the world?

What am I filled with? Is it faith? Or something else?

“When God finds a soul filled with faith-God fills that person with grace that bursts at the seams.” -Brother Lawrence

“Allow God to reexamine your heart. If you don’t, you will go blind.”

Those are just some of the things that I have been asking myself. I had to answer yes to some, as well as no. These are hard questions, but I have to ask them. I have to remain teachable, even when I want to pretend like everything is okay. I cannot allow myself to become a person that is satisfied with where I am, unless I am overflowing with joy that comes from Jesus.

GROWING

13 years ago Short URL Comments

Uncategorized

///

23

Jun

To pop? Or Not to Pop?

 

 

Yesterday, when I got off the clock for work, everyone was out of the house.  I started taking my backpack and duffel bag into the living room because a friend was coming to pick me up. I put my stuff by the door, turned around and saw a giant roll of amazing bubble wrap. My first thought was to wrap my feet in the entire roll and make moon boots. My second thought was to simply pop every single, glorious bubble. My third thought was to do both.

Wow, those ideas were stupid. Fun, but horribly unproductive and pretty dumb.

Some of you are probably thinking- It’s not a big deal, it’s harmless bubble wrap! Pop away!!

But, I couldn’t get over thinking that the giant roll of bubble wrap was similar to sin. Sin always, ALWAYS-starts small, and then before you know it, POP! You’re on the last row, and the whole roll is gone! Even if you only intended on popping just one.

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

-1 Corinthians 10:13

I was tempted by the bubble wrap, and walked away.

Could you do the same?

 

13 years ago Short URL 2 Comments

Uncategorized

////

11

Jun

Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle!!

(Does the title remind you of any certain song? Alex Chowdhury, any guesses?)

Few know this but my bike has a name. His name is Miles. Miles and I have been reunited this week. We have spent close to 8 months without each other and it’s been a little rough.

Why am I talking about my bike?

It’s awesome, and that’s pretty much it.

Just kidding. There’s more to it than that.

I have been riding it a lot this week, and it’s been awesome. It’s great exercise and it gets me from point A to B lightning fast, and it reminds me of Jesus! Do any of you have things in your life that make you think of Jesus? Not just people, but things, like your bike?

When we follow Jesus, we’re not just on a leisurely walk, but we’re racing on our bikes with Him. He has this awesome perfect plan for us, like Ephesians 2:10 says. Why are we racing with Jesus? I think it’s because there are people in our world who lack God’s purpose in their life. They are living aimlessly, and it’s our calling to let others know about the possibilities that Jesus gives us!

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” -Ephesians 2:10

Jesus keeps us in shape, just like my bike.

We always have a choice- We can either stay on the bike by exploring the word, serving and loving others, seeking God’s will, or we can slack off. Those who slack off have told themselves that it’s okay because their walking next to the bike, barely holding on. What a compromise! You wont get anywhere lightning fast like that!

We have a bike in our hands, get on it and ride!

How awesome!?

 

13 years ago Short URL 2 Comments

Uncategorized

/////////

01

Sep

I want to go to Paris

This will be my short blog attempt. 🙂

This morning I woke up extremely tense. I knew that there were only a few hours until I would be in a interview at a local cafe that I left a resume with the day before, so I needed to get myself together.

Some background information: For the past few months, I’ve been looking for a job, believing that God would provide, but anxious about a few things. It seemed like everything I was doing to find a job was wrong, and I beat myself up over it, which may have been the root to all the other feelings. (the story gets way better)

My day falls into the ‘difficult to explain’ category perfectly, but I will give it a shot anyway.

In the midst of the anxiety that I was having while sitting at Starbucks before my interview, I pulled out my Bible and journal, I needed God to speak to me! I opened it, flipped to Ecclesiastes 10-12, finished reading it, and then wanted to get on my knees. I’ll tell you right now…It hit me in the face, and God did not fall short in His words to me. The anxiety totally slipped away.

Here are some of the major verse that spoke to me:

Ecclesiastes 10:8b, “When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake.”

Ecclesiastes 10:2o, “Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts. And don’t make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom.”

Ecclesiastes 11:3,”When clouds are heavy, the rain falls down. Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13, “That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.”

I cannot understand the activity of God, but I do KNOW, and UNDERSTAND that there is activity. I do know he has a plan, so he’s got it all under control, and knows every detail!

The questions I had to ask myself were these, “What am I doing? Why am I believing the lies of my anxiety?!” I love when God points out my faults…like my lack of faith! He points them out so they can change!

So now that this ‘short post’ is turning into a ‘long post’, I’ll make this long story short. I went to the interview at the local cafe. I met with the owner, discussed some details, and he told me to come in tomorrow to follow a server around so that I could get the hang of things to start. I walked out of the cafe, got in the car and couldn’t stop thinking of several uncomfortable variables, so I prayed. I prayed that God would give me other options, because I needed a job, and this was the only one so far. (only if you knew the amount of places that I’ve applied these past few months..) I also prayed that everything would work out through his ways, not mine.

Later that day I called Good Girls Go to Paris Crepes about the status of my application/resume and on the spot, I got offered a job. So as you might have guessed, I called back the local cafe and turned them down politely. 🙂

My employment status went from zero to two jobs in one day. God’s activity is so amazing, it’s more than enough! He never fails!!

I start at Good Girls this Friday! 🙂


14 years ago Short URL 7 Comments

Jesus/Uncategorized

/

15

May

More of His presence.

I’m so thankful that God uses us through our weaknesses, and I’m so thankful for what God is doing in my mom!

At the beginning of the year I was challenged by God. He brought up the way that I treated my mother while I lived at home (Champaign-Urbana IL). Let me just say that I was a jerk. I didn’t show her who Christ is for a second. I would always let my flesh get the best of me.

It made me wonder where my mom’s heart would be if I would have thought about the things I was saying. Anything that came to my mind would vomit out of my mouth (I didn’t have a thought filter at all…) . Not because she was necessarily doing anything wrong but because I had not let go of bitterness towards her from the past, and the things that I said were aimed towards the satisfaction of my flesh. I was pissed and I wanted to get back at her in a revengeful, deceitful manner.

God brought me to a place of repentance. He was leading me to call my mom and apologize to her. Not in a cheesy, weird sort of way, but really, from the bottom of my heart to say sorry. So I did.

Right now God is doing amazing things in my mom’s heart! I have been praying for her non-stop. She doesn’t know Jesus personally but I know that she will.
One of the reasons that I want to go back to Champaign-Urbana for the summer is because I know God wants me to make some relationships right (first my mother!).

James 4:7-10 (New Living Translation)

7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

-We can be thankful for what God does, even in our mistakes.

Before I go back to Champaign-Urbana I need to make a statement of standards! Verse 7 says, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
I know if I don’t make standards I will just stand still in what God is doing, totally miss out on what he wants to do in me and through me. If I’m totally consumed in what I want, my desires, instead of the standards that God wants me to have I’ll miss out, and I am not okay with that.

Verse 8 says, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” How can I love people (like my mom) in the way that I should if I don’t love God to the extent that I should or desire to. It also says, “Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for the loyalty is divided God and the world.” I cannot be close to God and the world at the same time! So I needed (need) to stay focused on God-his purity, and stay undivided to the world. God has my attention! We are as close to him as we want to be!

Verse 9 says, “Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.” Wow, let me tell you. I was crushed. I had no idea what to do with myself when God convicted me of the hurt that I caused my mom. The fact that I thought I was living a Godly life, and not treating my mom like it was a horrible thought for me. It meant that the “mom issue” was only the start of the change that God was going to have to do. But, when we go to God (our daddy) sincere, softened in our tears, he gives us the joy again. My mom is my joy. There will be a greater amount of joy when she comes to the Lord!

Verse 10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”
It all starts with honesty. You will never become humble in the lord if you don’t become honest with yourself. Let God point it out- he can (will) either fix it, get rid of it, or birth it or all of it.

14 years ago Short URL 1 Comment

Uncategorized

////

15

May

Free Fridays

Almost every Friday, we have the awesome privilege of spending time with our mentor, disciple and friend, Pastor Chilly Chilton. We get to spend a few hours learning from, and prodding into, one of the most Christ-like men we have ever known. That type of discipleship is priceless, and when taken seriously has the potential to create an explosive move of God. We usually meet at a local StarBucks and do what he calls Free Friday. Basically, we have a few hours to talk. No topic list, no outline, and no adgenda other than one: Discipleship. We get to spend these moments learning from a man who is both wiser, and farther in his walk with God than ourselves.What usually decides the topic of the conversation is what God has been stirring in our hearts and lives. Other the last few months we have been able to make quite a compilation of amazing lessons, quotes, analogies and the like.

One of the major examples in leadership that Pastor Chilly has taught us over the past few months of Free Fridays is the value of discipleship. He values the purpose that God has for our lives and plays a major role in our growth and development… and it shows. Through the time that he has poured into us, through the wisdom, and passion we have gained an example, when it comes to mentorship, to follow in our own lives. We are so very thankful.

On a specific occasion, while talking about the fruits of the spirit, Pastor Chilly said: “We’re not an apple tree, an orange tree, or a pear tree… we’re a tuti-fruiti tree… we get all of them.” Many times, we try to work on patience, or kindness, or faithfulness; when really it’s the Holy Spirit that produces those fruits in our lives. Pastor Chilly explained to us how we don’t need to pursue right behavior, or a good character; because, we can’t do any of that suff on our own. “When we try to produce fruit, it’s wax fruit – it looks the same, but when you bite in, there’s frustration rather than nutrition” (Pastor Chilly). Instead of trying by our own means, we need to pursue Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will produce all that good stuff in us. We’re also not limited to just one fruit of the spirit. I’m not a joyful person lacking self-control, and I’m not a loving person that can’t wait for anything. I just need to be an obedient person, then I’ll be all of those things.

There is also an analogy that Pastor Chilly gave us during another Free Friday. It was the story of an eagle, you see, eagles have the potential to live up to 75 years; but most die around 40. This is because when they reach that age something begins to happen, they get old. Their beaks become hooked, their talons become dull, and their feathers get musty. They lose the ability to hunt, to eat, and to fly. But, there is a process some choose to go through to extend their lives by another 30 years. First they break their beaks off, the bird will repeatedly smash it beak against a stone until it breaks off. Then they smash the claws against the stone breaking them off as well. Once this is done the bird cannot eat, it has to go a several weeks without food. Once the eagle’s talons have regrown it is then able to pluck out its dead feathers and take flight again, good as new. Now, you may be asking what does any of this have to do with discipleship? Each of us here has the opportunity to totally skip this long process of pain later in life. Each one of us has access to a man that’s screaming to us, sharpen your claws, scrape your beak daily, and pluck your dead feathers it will prevent a world of suffering later. We have the ability to hear a wisdom that can only come from God and we need to make the most of it. If we do we have the potential to fly for a lifetime.

Without question, Free Friday has been one of the most significant times while being here in Xmin for all of us students. We have been able to personally connect with Pastor Chilly and individually grow in our walks with Christ. We are able to ask him any questions we want, or talk about whatever subject we have in mind. We have a great time just chillin’ with our pastor, and when we go to leave our meeting spot, usually Starbucks, we are barely ourselves, because we’ve been so convicted by the Holy Spirit speaking through him.

Your favorite Xmin students,
April, Jay, Joe, and Zack

Also, for your enjoyment, here are some other good quotes:
“There’s not resistance in grace, there’s resistance in holiness. But, you’ve got to be holy to be like Jesus.”
“I want to keep making testimonies, not telling them.”
“Love figures out a way to love them better”
“Disciples never give up! They get knocked down, then they get up and punch the challenge in the face. NEVER stop serving courageously.”

14 years ago Short URL Comments

Uncategorized

///////

Blog at WordPress.com.