HEY! So right now, I'm pretty hyper. I had a cup of coffee and a red bull so bear with me on this one. (Reasoning for destroying my body: I am working from 9 PM until 6 AM for Black Friday- and I need all the energy I can get!) I have never really consumed an energy drink but they really are powerful! My friends would love it if they could be here right now. S/O Morgan, Jessie and Allie. But seriously, I don't recommend these especially to people who are like me and are ALREADY hyper to begin with. So once again, bear with me.
Happy Thanksgiving! Isn't it so great.. we have this one day to just be so thankful and nothing else. I keep seeing things like, "why count your blessings today, why not everyday?" I strongly agree, but I bet you about 10% of people will actually follow through with that. I know the Word talks a lot about giving thanks and not to let your prayers become too selfish, because the Lord deserves to be thanked too, you know? I mean look at all He's done in our lives! We better be thankful. You'll find so much more joy in thanking Him rather than complaining to Him asking, "why?" Trust me :)
I was reading my old YL leader's blog www.lindzcomb.blogspot.com and she talked a little bit about me :') and how you guys can have hope by knowing that the LORD can transform not only someone's life but their SOUL! It's real! I've seen it happen in a matter of not even three years. She helped this happen and without her I wouldn't be where I am today! I am so thankful for her whether she knows it or not. I pray to God that He blesses her everyday and that she will just take flight in making her community a community of BELIEVERS and that she will be encouraged by Him to take bigger steps everyday to changing the world. If you're reading this right now Linds, PTL for bringing you into my life. FORREAL can I get an amen! Gosh guys, think about it, where would you be without that one accountability partner that helped the Lord drastically change your life?
So just some updates since the last update which wasn't too long ago... Today my car broke down. I know horrible right?! Actually it wasn't. I broke out in a hot sweat but after that I pretty much brushed it off. I mean my car was parked at a Wal-Mart.. and there were a lot of people there. Like it could've been much worse! I said you know what? God new that my car was going to break down today, and if He didn't want it to happen He wouldn't have let it. And I was SO comforted in that that I just rolled down the windows (it wasn't completely dead thankfully) and reclined my seat and was on my way. (not literally, hehe) It was so relaxing, and most of all I was happy. Who do you know that's happy about their car breaking down?
I've been listening to Christmas music so much lately. My favorite song so far is competing for it's spot.. it's either Mistletoe by Justin Bieber (I can't resist.) Or Baby, It's Cold Outside by The Glee Cast.. It's literally SO great! Just makes me wanna dance. I'm so so so excited for this season. And I'm not even thinking about presents! I know the Lord is going to do so much in my area this Christmas season. I've already seen Him working so much this past week! At my church, we are giving away jawstring bags to fill up with Christmas gifts for boys and girls who don't really have a Christmas at all. We started off with 25,000 bags and by the end of this past weekend.. ALL OF THEM WERE GONE!!! It was seriously one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. So many people wanting to give! It was truly amazing. It made me think of at Work Crew when we'd ask each other where we had seen God that day, that's what I would've told them. So basically, the Lord has blessed me so much and right now all I can talk to Him about is how much I am thankful for what He's been doing in my life.
I asked you a few blogs ago but I encourage you to ask yourself again..
What are you thankful for?
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Been a while, huh?
Dang.. Just being on here makes me miss blogging so much. I don't really know where I'm going with this but those of you who know me know that once I start, I will get into something and I won't be able to stop!
I started a campaigners at my house and its been really great. The kids are awesome and I can tell that what they want more than anything is to get more into the Word and serve the Lord as much as they possibly can. It's so awesome to see such young people strive to such limits! (including myself, my momma's proud!)
I'm also excited for this upcoming weekend. I'm going to be serving the lord in many different ways- from packing gift bags for the needy to being on a dance team for the launch of the Christmas series! I'm really thankful to say this might be one of the best Christmases I've ever had.. And I'm not even thinking about my presents! I think that's really a gift from the Lord and how much He's blessed me these past few weeks.
Anyways I'd like to tell y'all what's been going on in my life because I know a lot of you are very busy like me and we barely get to update each other!
My relationship with the Lord has been pretty rocky.. I feel though that I can't really complain because there's people out there who don't even have a relationship with Him and that's what I want to be focusing on. But how can I get through that without a strong relationship with Jesus? I can't- maybe for a few days but with out him stuff like that is impossible. It reminds me of Work Crew. Working 11 hours a day doing the same thing over and over again.. I couldn't have done it without the Lord! And everyone there would agree. Its hard work! All is impossible without God. So that's why I think without Him how could I be serving Him? I was living pretty much without Him for about a week. Up until this past Monday. I mean I was hearing about him at church, and maybe at a few other things but for me, without a quiet time with Him including reading His word and praying, I am not in the right standing relationship with him. And every time this happens to me I feel so down.. Yet I'm not motivated to have quiet times. And I know this could sound cliche, but after I prayed about it for a while I finally got the motivation. Some of you may think.. That sounds too easy.. It can't be that easy! But guys, it is. Through prayer you can receive anything if you ask for it! You just have to have faith- and that right standing relationship with Jesus. Now that's an awesome gift because it's free! And that's what I love about this journey. Free to LIVE. And live to the FULL more importantly. The last thing that I want to share is that I recently picked up a new bible (but instead of NIV I got The Message) and it's unexplainably AWESOME! I encourage all of you to get one, and start off your reading with Romans. I've read bits and pieces from this book but nothing compares to reading it from beginning to end especially with this version of God's word! It's really brought me back into the spirit of the Lord and I'm so thankful! I know this hasn't been much of a lesson or anything of those sorts but hey- you might get something out of it. I hope you do :) happy Thanksgiving week and if you're a part of Potential church, happy Christmas launch weekend! Gonna be EPIC!
And I'll leave you with this:
"It's news that I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts Him.. God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: 'The person in right standing before God by trusting Him really lives.'"
-Romans 1:16-17
Y'all. Two simple steps.
•Right standing with Him
•Move into LIFE!
I started a campaigners at my house and its been really great. The kids are awesome and I can tell that what they want more than anything is to get more into the Word and serve the Lord as much as they possibly can. It's so awesome to see such young people strive to such limits! (including myself, my momma's proud!)
I'm also excited for this upcoming weekend. I'm going to be serving the lord in many different ways- from packing gift bags for the needy to being on a dance team for the launch of the Christmas series! I'm really thankful to say this might be one of the best Christmases I've ever had.. And I'm not even thinking about my presents! I think that's really a gift from the Lord and how much He's blessed me these past few weeks.
Anyways I'd like to tell y'all what's been going on in my life because I know a lot of you are very busy like me and we barely get to update each other!
My relationship with the Lord has been pretty rocky.. I feel though that I can't really complain because there's people out there who don't even have a relationship with Him and that's what I want to be focusing on. But how can I get through that without a strong relationship with Jesus? I can't- maybe for a few days but with out him stuff like that is impossible. It reminds me of Work Crew. Working 11 hours a day doing the same thing over and over again.. I couldn't have done it without the Lord! And everyone there would agree. Its hard work! All is impossible without God. So that's why I think without Him how could I be serving Him? I was living pretty much without Him for about a week. Up until this past Monday. I mean I was hearing about him at church, and maybe at a few other things but for me, without a quiet time with Him including reading His word and praying, I am not in the right standing relationship with him. And every time this happens to me I feel so down.. Yet I'm not motivated to have quiet times. And I know this could sound cliche, but after I prayed about it for a while I finally got the motivation. Some of you may think.. That sounds too easy.. It can't be that easy! But guys, it is. Through prayer you can receive anything if you ask for it! You just have to have faith- and that right standing relationship with Jesus. Now that's an awesome gift because it's free! And that's what I love about this journey. Free to LIVE. And live to the FULL more importantly. The last thing that I want to share is that I recently picked up a new bible (but instead of NIV I got The Message) and it's unexplainably AWESOME! I encourage all of you to get one, and start off your reading with Romans. I've read bits and pieces from this book but nothing compares to reading it from beginning to end especially with this version of God's word! It's really brought me back into the spirit of the Lord and I'm so thankful! I know this hasn't been much of a lesson or anything of those sorts but hey- you might get something out of it. I hope you do :) happy Thanksgiving week and if you're a part of Potential church, happy Christmas launch weekend! Gonna be EPIC!
And I'll leave you with this:
"It's news that I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts Him.. God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: 'The person in right standing before God by trusting Him really lives.'"
-Romans 1:16-17
Y'all. Two simple steps.
•Right standing with Him
•Move into LIFE!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Hey Jude
I don't usually listen to "oldies" but I do enjoy The Beatles... A lot. The lyrics in the song "Hey Jude" are just so great. It says take a sad song and make it better. One of my favorite lines because you can not only take a sad song and make it better but you can do that with anything! You can take a sad day and make it better. You can take a hard/bad situation and make it better. You can do anything I guess is what it's saying, and that just really gives me hope. Stuff like this always just puts me in the best mood. It reminds me of something God is saying to me..
"Don't be afraid"
"You were made to go out and get her" (the world?)
"Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better." (JESUS!)
It's perfect just perfect.
And then it starts...
Naa na na na na na naaaaa Hey Jude! And then you're just like dang this is just right. Life is good. And then, I find comfort.. And nothing at all to complain about in this beautiful, amazing life. Would you like to sing along?
"Don't be afraid"
"You were made to go out and get her" (the world?)
"Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better." (JESUS!)
It's perfect just perfect.
And then it starts...
Naa na na na na na naaaaa Hey Jude! And then you're just like dang this is just right. Life is good. And then, I find comfort.. And nothing at all to complain about in this beautiful, amazing life. Would you like to sing along?
Thursday, October 20, 2011
And smile? I just might.
These past couple of days have been pretty rough. When I start going through a drift- it's hard to get out. The only way of getting out of it is through full and devoted prayer. I tried, but it just wasn't seeming to work. I felt so far away from the Lord and from His love. I felt unworthy when someone asked me if they could be praying for me. I felt useless and unwanted. It wasn't a good feeling at all. I realized I was trying to fill my cup up with so many Godly things like podcasts, praying, reading, reading reading and reading! It got to the point where everything I was doing was going in one ear... And you know the rest. I was just upset and I needed OUT of the mess. The early morning devo's seemed to have become simply a habit- and I was told by a friend to not make it like a "chore" but a lifestyle, and it hit me that really this is not just a religion, but a whole entire lifestyle! And a great one at that. Last night at church the lesson was on "distractions." At first I was like well yeah we all have a lot of distractions. But then I was like wow, I am going through a big distraction right now, I need this! I learned that if you let the distraction come over you- you will cease to learn, cease to succeed, cease to live! That didn't sound good to me so I kicked this two day distraction in the butt, and this morning I had one of the best times with the Lord.. EVER! Here's a little bit of what I learned..
Our Lords exhortation (or arguments/agreements) is to be generous in our behavior toward everyone.
"If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another." (1 John 1:7) even to those who we have no affection toward!
If you show others what God has showed you- He will give you plenty of real like opportunities to prove whether or not you are "Perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
And my favorite part of the devo was when it said,
"And when we come in contact with things that create confusion and a flurry of activity, we find to our own amazement that we have the power to stay wonderfully poised even in the center of it all."
That stood out to me so much because it seemed like God was telling me exactly that- that even when I go through distractions I don't need to worry because we are so wonderfully poised because of God's wonderful grace!
And then I'm reminded of this:
"Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask him for what you need. The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 4:6-7
After I prayed that God would pull me out of this drift I was brought extreme comfort by Him. I have never felt this so affectively before, and God is really teaching me now that I don't need to worry, because of the power of prayer and His wonderful, wonderful grace.
Our Lords exhortation (or arguments/agreements) is to be generous in our behavior toward everyone.
"If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another." (1 John 1:7) even to those who we have no affection toward!
If you show others what God has showed you- He will give you plenty of real like opportunities to prove whether or not you are "Perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
And my favorite part of the devo was when it said,
"And when we come in contact with things that create confusion and a flurry of activity, we find to our own amazement that we have the power to stay wonderfully poised even in the center of it all."
That stood out to me so much because it seemed like God was telling me exactly that- that even when I go through distractions I don't need to worry because we are so wonderfully poised because of God's wonderful grace!
And then I'm reminded of this:
"Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask him for what you need. The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 4:6-7
After I prayed that God would pull me out of this drift I was brought extreme comfort by Him. I have never felt this so affectively before, and God is really teaching me now that I don't need to worry, because of the power of prayer and His wonderful, wonderful grace.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Faithful Pleasures
I finally had all this time today to just relax.. It gave me time to pray and to spend some good time with the Lord. I opened up my "Utmost for His Highest" (daily devo, highly recommended.) It overwhelms me when I miss days and the pages are blank, so I don't go by date. Just what I've missed. This evening, I read about how we can't be exactly how God is, so why are we always trying? We are constantly trying to be holy, to be faithful.. And other things. But how can we do this without guidance, or obeying God, or even being in the right standing relationship with Him? We need all these things and then after being in the right with Him we can leave it up to Him- since He is holy, He can make us holy. Since He is faithful, He can make us faithful. And so on and so fourth. It's simple, but we take it for granted so often because those things are what we think will help up be stronger in Christ, but honestly, Christ can make us stronger in Him, along with prayer obedience. Because of God's atonement, we are able to be in perfect oneness with Jesus, because He died for us.
You cannot right what is wrong, you cannot redeem the world, these are things for God because He is able! Do you have faith in what Christ has done? Are you in the habit of constantly realizing it?
"The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to BELIEVE things."
-Oswald Chambers
"Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time-remember, you've been raised from the dead!-into God's way of doing things." (Romans 6:13)
You cannot right what is wrong, you cannot redeem the world, these are things for God because He is able! Do you have faith in what Christ has done? Are you in the habit of constantly realizing it?
"The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to BELIEVE things."
-Oswald Chambers
"Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time-remember, you've been raised from the dead!-into God's way of doing things." (Romans 6:13)
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Prayers: Check!
Literally all week these three things have been on my mind:
- Clean your room.
- Get a job.
- BLOG.
I've had this blog going for a while but I never realized how much I love doing it until I realized that I want people to see the real me, whatever me I'm hiding from the world is what I want people to see on here. Even if I am not really hiding anything about myself when I am out in the world, I think that there is always a part of me that is churning to get out, and it just won't. Just for that odd reason that I can not yet figure out yet. I think there's a part of me that some people have seen, (mostly talking about a few select friends back in Virginia, and most of the Work Crew) but I don't really show that to most people on the first meet & greet just because I think this would be their first reaction, "who the heck is this girl, and why is she acting this way?" I think when I'm around people I'm pretty much in love with, in the best way, I act totally myself because that me isn't afraid to be myself and be WEIRD. One thing I'm slightly struggling with is putting that girl out to the world, because that's the "me" that I love and that I wish everyone could see. It's the crazy Lily, not the shy, outspoken Lily. Now there's times where this weird me comes out, like in a couple of my classes I get that look from people that's like, "hmm.. there's something different about this girl, and I can't tell whether it's good, bad, or just plain old weird!" I'm glad that I'm slowly coming back to myself, I guess I'm just scared about what other people will think about me, especially in this new atmosphere.
Tonight, for the first time in a while, I got to hang out with some friends. Some old, some new. Usually when an opportunity like this comes about, I always find a way out of it. I always lie and say that my mom wants me home even though I know she could really care less. It's just that it's either a hit or miss with me, I'm going to be really shy, and I'm not going to know what to say and feel completely out of place.. or I will be the fun, out going girl I usually am. I got a little alone time before hanging out with these kids so I just talked to God and flat out said, "I'm tired of not having a social life anymore God, I want to be fun, I want to be me. Don't let me hold anything back!" And just like that, God answered my prayers. I'm glad to say I could finally be myself without having to be around people that I know I can be myself around, or without having alcohol or drugs around. It brings me so much joy that the Lord has such different plans for me, and that I can totally see Him forming this amazing path for my life. (Even though some parts may definitely be rocky, I know He's got a plan, and that's what keeps me content when I even think about worrying.)
I guess I just wanted to share that, just because it really showed me that God is still there, even when I'm not reading or praying as much as I should be. It taught me that God can really do anything, and that nothing is impossible for Him, even with the smallest things. I believe this so much because I can honestly see myself being so shy tonight, especially with the people I was with.. and I wasn't! God. Is. So. Great. Enough said!
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own." -Matthew 6:33-34
Lay it all out at his feet. Flat out talk to Him, He is listening and He always will be!
Most apologies for the longer post.. I guess I just got a little excited :)
Happy Sunday :)
- Clean your room.
- Get a job.
- BLOG.
I've had this blog going for a while but I never realized how much I love doing it until I realized that I want people to see the real me, whatever me I'm hiding from the world is what I want people to see on here. Even if I am not really hiding anything about myself when I am out in the world, I think that there is always a part of me that is churning to get out, and it just won't. Just for that odd reason that I can not yet figure out yet. I think there's a part of me that some people have seen, (mostly talking about a few select friends back in Virginia, and most of the Work Crew) but I don't really show that to most people on the first meet & greet just because I think this would be their first reaction, "who the heck is this girl, and why is she acting this way?" I think when I'm around people I'm pretty much in love with, in the best way, I act totally myself because that me isn't afraid to be myself and be WEIRD. One thing I'm slightly struggling with is putting that girl out to the world, because that's the "me" that I love and that I wish everyone could see. It's the crazy Lily, not the shy, outspoken Lily. Now there's times where this weird me comes out, like in a couple of my classes I get that look from people that's like, "hmm.. there's something different about this girl, and I can't tell whether it's good, bad, or just plain old weird!" I'm glad that I'm slowly coming back to myself, I guess I'm just scared about what other people will think about me, especially in this new atmosphere.
Tonight, for the first time in a while, I got to hang out with some friends. Some old, some new. Usually when an opportunity like this comes about, I always find a way out of it. I always lie and say that my mom wants me home even though I know she could really care less. It's just that it's either a hit or miss with me, I'm going to be really shy, and I'm not going to know what to say and feel completely out of place.. or I will be the fun, out going girl I usually am. I got a little alone time before hanging out with these kids so I just talked to God and flat out said, "I'm tired of not having a social life anymore God, I want to be fun, I want to be me. Don't let me hold anything back!" And just like that, God answered my prayers. I'm glad to say I could finally be myself without having to be around people that I know I can be myself around, or without having alcohol or drugs around. It brings me so much joy that the Lord has such different plans for me, and that I can totally see Him forming this amazing path for my life. (Even though some parts may definitely be rocky, I know He's got a plan, and that's what keeps me content when I even think about worrying.)
I guess I just wanted to share that, just because it really showed me that God is still there, even when I'm not reading or praying as much as I should be. It taught me that God can really do anything, and that nothing is impossible for Him, even with the smallest things. I believe this so much because I can honestly see myself being so shy tonight, especially with the people I was with.. and I wasn't! God. Is. So. Great. Enough said!
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own." -Matthew 6:33-34
Lay it all out at his feet. Flat out talk to Him, He is listening and He always will be!
Most apologies for the longer post.. I guess I just got a little excited :)
Happy Sunday :)
Friday, September 30, 2011
No Stress
Life is too short. Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. Laugh when you can. Apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Love deeply and forgive quickly. Take chances, give everything and have no regrets. Life is too short to be unhappy. You have to take the good with the bad, smile when you're sad. Love what you got and always remember what you had. Always forgive but never forget. Learn from your mistakes but never regret. People change, and things go wrong but always remember life goes on.
Sitting here stuck in an airport, reading that, made me really content. It didn't make me happy that I'm sitting here bored out of my mind, anxious knowing wether or no I will make it on my next flight. But I'm content. Content with my life and I am assuring myself (or should I say God is assuring me?) that He will always provide something else for me. If something doesn't work out, something else will. And that's all I have for right about now.
Sitting here stuck in an airport, reading that, made me really content. It didn't make me happy that I'm sitting here bored out of my mind, anxious knowing wether or no I will make it on my next flight. But I'm content. Content with my life and I am assuring myself (or should I say God is assuring me?) that He will always provide something else for me. If something doesn't work out, something else will. And that's all I have for right about now.
Accepting the Fact of Growing Up
I mean can you believe we'll already be driving soon? (fellow sophomores, that is.) It's scary to think that we are already done with Driver's Ed and halfway through the year. Next thing we'll be driving cute little cars to school junior year. I'm scared, aren't you? Of reality. Of growing up, of change. God tells us not to worry, and to pray to Him and let it all in His hands. Do all of us do that? No, in reality we try to and we try and pray, but when we pray, most of us are just asking for His guidance, not even that! We're just asking for things that we want. We all do it. I was reading and came across one of Jesus' disciples who was continually just asking God for things in his life. God got to the point where He said to him, "stop praying." This dawned on me, stop praying? Then I thought, we have to thank Him sometimes too. One of the things I lack is being thankful for what I have. I want to realize that I won't have what I have for long, and what I do have is something speacial. So I, scratch that, WE need to live it up. (and can't you "live it up" without drugs, sex and alcohol? I know I can, and so can you) Be thankful for what you have. Thank God, thank your parents. And watch yourself grow up, in slow, patient time. Never rush a thing. Live like you're going to die tomorrow, love like it's your last chance, and laugh with your middle school best friend again. Rememer the good times, and look forward to new ones. Be a teenager forever, never grow up.
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