Tonight, I felt like driving - no destination in mind... Only one thing I wanted - to see stars!! Call me weird, but rainbows and stars fascinate me to no end! I could get lost in rainbows or stars for hours and never find them old or boring.
I was thinking though... Why can't I see stars in Brandon? Why do I have to drive to some random place in order to see stars? It's because of all the lights and busyness and man-made things, right? In order to see stars, you have to get away from all of those thing that distract you from seeing the stars...
So I started thinking... Why can't I see God in my everyday life? Why do I have to go to camp, or on a retreat in order to see God? It's because of all the things in life like relationships, money, jobs, school, etc - right? In order to see God, you have to get away from all those that distract you from seeing God...
A song we sung tonight at IMPACT really spoke to me ("Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"), particulary one phrase "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it / Prone to leave the God I love". We get so caught up in the distractions of everyday life, we forget about God - the God we so very much love!
My challenge to you - go for a drive - get away from the thing(s) in your life that is distracting you from seeing God in his pure holiness and overwhelming light. Go seek some stars - you will find them (and get lost in them)! Go seek Him, the God whom you love - you will find Him (and get lost in Him).
James 4:8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
Peace, love, and JOY!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Tough Act to Follow
Jesus did some pretty amazing things on earth. And he asked us follow in his footsteps. Ever feel so unworthy because that was one tough act to follow? God totally laid out for us what we were getting ourselves into when we became Christians in Luke 14:25-35. God doesn't want to trick us into salvation. He wants us to follow him because we choose to - but it demands a lot: it demands our everything.
I have always read this passage in Luke and been perplexed. Prior to this passage, Jesus has told us to love our parents, siblings, friends, even ourselves. Now he is saying that if you don't hate them, then you can't be his disciple?! That's crazy! It seems like a contradiction, right? Wrong! It means that if we aren't willing to put God above every relationship in our life, then we can't be his disciple. He should be our #1, the most important person in our life. Not our mom or dad, a sibling, or even a spouse. We should love God so much, that even if all that was stripped away from us, we would be okay because we still love God. Talk about a high demand. But He also won't ask us to do anything He won't help us overcome.
The next part in the passage begins talking about building a house, then stopping half way through. And going to war only to lose in battle because you didn't calculate the cost. My first reaction was why on earth is that in there? It has NOTHING to do with being a disciple!! Wrong again... It has everything to do with being a disciple. Have you ever wanted to be something (doctor, teacher, police man) and not looked at what would be required of you? Or have you ever set out to become one of those people and quit half way? It's the same thing with being God's disciple. He doesn't want you to accept Him blindly. He wants you to know what is required of you before you get into. God for sure does not promise this life will be an easy one. It requires a lot: it requires your everything!
The passages ends talking about salt. Salt? What's with the salt? Salt is good - it adds flavor... It heals... It preserves... It has many purposes. But if a salt looses it's saltiness - it's worthless. How does that have to do with being God's disciple? Well, we must have our heart in it. We are meant to add flavor to people's lives... Bring healing by pointing people to Christ... We are meant to preserve life, not destroy it! Ever met a person who is doing all the right things but their heart isn't in it? What's the point right? God wants us to do good things, don't get me wrong. But He wants our heart in it! If our heart is not in what we do to serve God, it's worthless to Him!
If I might say, this is the most random 3 paragraphs in scripture that seem to have nothing to do with each other, but they are all intertwined with such beauty, it blows me away. God requires a lot from us to be His disciple: he requires us to make Him our #1 in our life, He requires our everything to follow Him, and He wants our hearts...
Have you given Him your heart? Have you given Him your everything? Is He above all your other relationships?
I have always read this passage in Luke and been perplexed. Prior to this passage, Jesus has told us to love our parents, siblings, friends, even ourselves. Now he is saying that if you don't hate them, then you can't be his disciple?! That's crazy! It seems like a contradiction, right? Wrong! It means that if we aren't willing to put God above every relationship in our life, then we can't be his disciple. He should be our #1, the most important person in our life. Not our mom or dad, a sibling, or even a spouse. We should love God so much, that even if all that was stripped away from us, we would be okay because we still love God. Talk about a high demand. But He also won't ask us to do anything He won't help us overcome.
The next part in the passage begins talking about building a house, then stopping half way through. And going to war only to lose in battle because you didn't calculate the cost. My first reaction was why on earth is that in there? It has NOTHING to do with being a disciple!! Wrong again... It has everything to do with being a disciple. Have you ever wanted to be something (doctor, teacher, police man) and not looked at what would be required of you? Or have you ever set out to become one of those people and quit half way? It's the same thing with being God's disciple. He doesn't want you to accept Him blindly. He wants you to know what is required of you before you get into. God for sure does not promise this life will be an easy one. It requires a lot: it requires your everything!
The passages ends talking about salt. Salt? What's with the salt? Salt is good - it adds flavor... It heals... It preserves... It has many purposes. But if a salt looses it's saltiness - it's worthless. How does that have to do with being God's disciple? Well, we must have our heart in it. We are meant to add flavor to people's lives... Bring healing by pointing people to Christ... We are meant to preserve life, not destroy it! Ever met a person who is doing all the right things but their heart isn't in it? What's the point right? God wants us to do good things, don't get me wrong. But He wants our heart in it! If our heart is not in what we do to serve God, it's worthless to Him!
If I might say, this is the most random 3 paragraphs in scripture that seem to have nothing to do with each other, but they are all intertwined with such beauty, it blows me away. God requires a lot from us to be His disciple: he requires us to make Him our #1 in our life, He requires our everything to follow Him, and He wants our hearts...
Have you given Him your heart? Have you given Him your everything? Is He above all your other relationships?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
The Call to Live for God (1 Peter 4)
So Satan really is not happy with me. I have felt it this morning since 6 and he totally just deleted this the first time I wrote it...
Yesterday was an AWESOME day and I don't know how it could have gotten any better. Many of you have heard my life motto (J.O.Y. - in order to have true lasting JOY, you need to put JESUS first, then OTHERS, then YOURSELF). Yesterday was the perfect example of that. I spent some sweet time with Jesus yesterday morning. Took a walk through the park and had coffee together. Really cool (try it sometime - it's worth it!). Then a friend and I were working on a project to serve others yesterday. Then last night, I took time for myself by having a fun night at my apartment (sorry Beth if we were loud...). I went to bed about 2:30 this morning and woke up at 6 feeling this oppression from Satan like none other. He isn't happy when someone is doing the will of God and he will try anything possible to prevent you from doing so. So I started praying... And praying... And I asked someone else to pray for me... Then I opened up His word. I have been doing a leadership study on Peter (through LeaderTreks, great study!). Today was the last day in it, but God knew WHAT I needed, and WHEN I needed it.
Every day you do a different Bible study method - today was paraphrasing. Not my favorite, but that is how God spoke to me this morning... Here's my paraphrase of 1 Peter 4.
Christ suffered, so must we. We shouldn't live this life for ourselves, but for God. You have already been like the world: sexually, drinking, idolatry, among others... The world thinks you are crazy for not doing these things. Remember, God will hold them accountable on judgement day. You will be held accountable too! The gospel is preached to the saved and unsaved so that we all have the same standards.
You don't have much time here on earth! Stay focused and PRAY! Most importantly, love each other! Help each other willingly, don't complain about it. God has given us all unique gifts for the purpose of serving each other. Remember, when you speak, God is speaking through you. God will provide you with the strength that you need while you are serving. This is all so God can be praised and glorified. Glory and power truly belong to HIm forever!
Don't be shocked when you experience hard times. Rejoice in it and be on the lookout for how God will bring glory from it. If you are insulted because you are a Christian, blessed are you because someone can see Christ in you! Suffering for sin is not the same as suffering because you are a Christian. We need to re-evaluate ourselves and make sure we are doing what God wants us to. Can you imagine if we aren't doing what we should be doing?! If the righteous can't live out their faith, why would a sinner want to be saved?
*****If you are suffering because of something you are doing for God, draw near to your Creator and keep going! FINISH STRONG!*****
So often when we start living the way God wants us to live - with a purpose and intentionally. But then when we begin to feel oppressed or experience discouragement, we give up or we become less purposeful or less intentional. Can you imagine what this world would be like if every Christian just lived one day with complete purpose and intentionality?! Holy cow! Keep going! FINISH STRONG! You aren't done with this race until you get to heaven!
Yesterday was an AWESOME day and I don't know how it could have gotten any better. Many of you have heard my life motto (J.O.Y. - in order to have true lasting JOY, you need to put JESUS first, then OTHERS, then YOURSELF). Yesterday was the perfect example of that. I spent some sweet time with Jesus yesterday morning. Took a walk through the park and had coffee together. Really cool (try it sometime - it's worth it!). Then a friend and I were working on a project to serve others yesterday. Then last night, I took time for myself by having a fun night at my apartment (sorry Beth if we were loud...). I went to bed about 2:30 this morning and woke up at 6 feeling this oppression from Satan like none other. He isn't happy when someone is doing the will of God and he will try anything possible to prevent you from doing so. So I started praying... And praying... And I asked someone else to pray for me... Then I opened up His word. I have been doing a leadership study on Peter (through LeaderTreks, great study!). Today was the last day in it, but God knew WHAT I needed, and WHEN I needed it.
Every day you do a different Bible study method - today was paraphrasing. Not my favorite, but that is how God spoke to me this morning... Here's my paraphrase of 1 Peter 4.
Christ suffered, so must we. We shouldn't live this life for ourselves, but for God. You have already been like the world: sexually, drinking, idolatry, among others... The world thinks you are crazy for not doing these things. Remember, God will hold them accountable on judgement day. You will be held accountable too! The gospel is preached to the saved and unsaved so that we all have the same standards.
You don't have much time here on earth! Stay focused and PRAY! Most importantly, love each other! Help each other willingly, don't complain about it. God has given us all unique gifts for the purpose of serving each other. Remember, when you speak, God is speaking through you. God will provide you with the strength that you need while you are serving. This is all so God can be praised and glorified. Glory and power truly belong to HIm forever!
Don't be shocked when you experience hard times. Rejoice in it and be on the lookout for how God will bring glory from it. If you are insulted because you are a Christian, blessed are you because someone can see Christ in you! Suffering for sin is not the same as suffering because you are a Christian. We need to re-evaluate ourselves and make sure we are doing what God wants us to. Can you imagine if we aren't doing what we should be doing?! If the righteous can't live out their faith, why would a sinner want to be saved?
*****If you are suffering because of something you are doing for God, draw near to your Creator and keep going! FINISH STRONG!*****
So often when we start living the way God wants us to live - with a purpose and intentionally. But then when we begin to feel oppressed or experience discouragement, we give up or we become less purposeful or less intentional. Can you imagine what this world would be like if every Christian just lived one day with complete purpose and intentionality?! Holy cow! Keep going! FINISH STRONG! You aren't done with this race until you get to heaven!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Wow... What a summer!
Updates... Wow... What a summer!
Started off with Pawley's Island which was amazing. Then interpreted at a vision camp for a deaf child. Cool new experiences working with deaf and "blind". Then my more permanent summer job "interpreting" for a group of 8 deaf pre-k kids. I learned that is not my cup of tea. I like older elementary (1st grade and up). I am still waiting on my school assignment for next year. Still waiting on my NIC test results. I sent my wonderful 8th grade girls off to high school and have moved back down to a new group of 6th grade girls that I am very excited to get to know and pour into these next 3 years of their lives!
God has been teaching me so much about his love. And being content in Him. And teaching me patience. And learning how to balance serving people and building meaningful relationships with people.
I've just started my 2 weeks of vacation (yay for a vacay!). I want to have fun, but I want to use my time wisely. It will end with middle school camp (whoot!). I have a few service projects for people recently added to my schedule that I am super excited about! But I also want to focus on just loving my God. Spending time with Him.
Pray I keep my priorities straight. Many of you know my motto to have my genuine "joyful" personality: serve and love (J)esus (O)thers (Y)ourself. Sometimes it's so easy to flip Jesus with my others (friends and family) and even myself... So yeah...
Love to all my faithful blog readers and to those of you who might be new to my blog or haven't checked in for awhile. It's all good :)
Started off with Pawley's Island which was amazing. Then interpreted at a vision camp for a deaf child. Cool new experiences working with deaf and "blind". Then my more permanent summer job "interpreting" for a group of 8 deaf pre-k kids. I learned that is not my cup of tea. I like older elementary (1st grade and up). I am still waiting on my school assignment for next year. Still waiting on my NIC test results. I sent my wonderful 8th grade girls off to high school and have moved back down to a new group of 6th grade girls that I am very excited to get to know and pour into these next 3 years of their lives!
God has been teaching me so much about his love. And being content in Him. And teaching me patience. And learning how to balance serving people and building meaningful relationships with people.
I've just started my 2 weeks of vacation (yay for a vacay!). I want to have fun, but I want to use my time wisely. It will end with middle school camp (whoot!). I have a few service projects for people recently added to my schedule that I am super excited about! But I also want to focus on just loving my God. Spending time with Him.
Pray I keep my priorities straight. Many of you know my motto to have my genuine "joyful" personality: serve and love (J)esus (O)thers (Y)ourself. Sometimes it's so easy to flip Jesus with my others (friends and family) and even myself... So yeah...
Love to all my faithful blog readers and to those of you who might be new to my blog or haven't checked in for awhile. It's all good :)
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Would you recognize Jesus if you saw Him walking around today?
Okay - so I have been doing a study on Peter and his leadership experience.
Today I was reading John 21:1-23. It's the passage where Jesus asks Peter if he loves him, three times. But something else stuck out to me. Verse 4 says, "Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus." I started thinking, why didn't they recognize who Jesus was? They spent 3 years together - almost every day, serving together, learning together... So how could you not recognize someone you spent that much of your life (especially so recently) with?
I started thinking... I remember last summer I did an internship with LeaderTreks for 11 weeks. I am very involved with the college ministry and middle school ministry at my church - and I am good with faces (not names so much). Anyways - while I was gone for almost 3 months, I only kept in touch with about 3 people and they were my informants of news and passing messages along for me. I remember coming back, and seeing this guy who seemed like he knew me... After some awkward "OH my goodness! I feel so stupid" thoughts... I realized it was Cory Dunbar - he had chopped his long locks of hair off, but I hadn't kept in touch with him or heard any updates... So I totally didn't recognize him...
Same idea with Jesus - Peter and the other disciples hadn't hung out with Jesus lately... They hadn't kept up with him (we have the blessing of having the Bible now). They didn't recognize him! I'm sure they had the same "OH my goodness! I feel so stupid" thoughts I had... But we don't have fall away so far that we wouldn't recognize Jesus if he walked by today... It's sad, we have so many resources - many of us have several Bibles at home, and yet for some reason we don't use them to get to know our Savior, friend, redeemer, comforter, daddy...
That led me to thinking - have I recognized Jesus lately? Last night, I saw Jesus! I was out getting ready to go to my next interpreting assignment. I had just driven through TONS of rain... But Pinellas county was starting to clean up. I looked back towards Tampa and I saw the most beautiful rainbow! I went inside and when I came back out - there were 2 (a double arc!). It was so beautiful - it felt like God had written me the most beautiful love note! I got a picture on my phone if anyone wants to see it...
Anyways - the only reason I believe I recognized Jesus in that rainbow is the fact that I have been trying to stay connected with Jesus - having daily dates with him. When I am not connected, I miss God's messages to us or the glimpses of Jesus we can see if we are looking!
So - anyways... If Jesus were to walk around here today, would you recognize him? Get to know him on a deeper level - no matter where you are right now, you can always go deeper!
Love and hugs,
Joy
Today I was reading John 21:1-23. It's the passage where Jesus asks Peter if he loves him, three times. But something else stuck out to me. Verse 4 says, "Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus." I started thinking, why didn't they recognize who Jesus was? They spent 3 years together - almost every day, serving together, learning together... So how could you not recognize someone you spent that much of your life (especially so recently) with?
I started thinking... I remember last summer I did an internship with LeaderTreks for 11 weeks. I am very involved with the college ministry and middle school ministry at my church - and I am good with faces (not names so much). Anyways - while I was gone for almost 3 months, I only kept in touch with about 3 people and they were my informants of news and passing messages along for me. I remember coming back, and seeing this guy who seemed like he knew me... After some awkward "OH my goodness! I feel so stupid" thoughts... I realized it was Cory Dunbar - he had chopped his long locks of hair off, but I hadn't kept in touch with him or heard any updates... So I totally didn't recognize him...
Same idea with Jesus - Peter and the other disciples hadn't hung out with Jesus lately... They hadn't kept up with him (we have the blessing of having the Bible now). They didn't recognize him! I'm sure they had the same "OH my goodness! I feel so stupid" thoughts I had... But we don't have fall away so far that we wouldn't recognize Jesus if he walked by today... It's sad, we have so many resources - many of us have several Bibles at home, and yet for some reason we don't use them to get to know our Savior, friend, redeemer, comforter, daddy...
That led me to thinking - have I recognized Jesus lately? Last night, I saw Jesus! I was out getting ready to go to my next interpreting assignment. I had just driven through TONS of rain... But Pinellas county was starting to clean up. I looked back towards Tampa and I saw the most beautiful rainbow! I went inside and when I came back out - there were 2 (a double arc!). It was so beautiful - it felt like God had written me the most beautiful love note! I got a picture on my phone if anyone wants to see it...
Anyways - the only reason I believe I recognized Jesus in that rainbow is the fact that I have been trying to stay connected with Jesus - having daily dates with him. When I am not connected, I miss God's messages to us or the glimpses of Jesus we can see if we are looking!
So - anyways... If Jesus were to walk around here today, would you recognize him? Get to know him on a deeper level - no matter where you are right now, you can always go deeper!
Love and hugs,
Joy
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Pawley's Island ROUND 2
Hey everyone!
So it has been a while since I updated this blog site - have been updating the team site (www.ignite-pawleys.blogspot.com) for my mission stuff... Since my last post I have graduated and received my AA degree (3.98 GPA!). I finished up the school year (finally!) and have led a mission trip back to Pawley's Island. Tomorrow I start back to work (praise God for summer school!) and thus begins my saving for my house down payment!
Anyways - I just wanted to type up my story from Pawley's. What God did IN me and THROUGH me during 1 week full of challenges, joy, frustrations and growth. Debbie Humphreys (my college pastor's wife) and I took 11 girls up there. 10 hours in a mini van with 5 girls will teach you a lot of things, let alone, a whole week of intentional relationship building! It was so good to see everyone from last summer (Jess, Van and Van, Horace, the Halls, some kids from VBS, and mainly the Smith family whose house we are working on). Anyways, so here's my story!
God did a lot of things IN me this week, even if it was directed towards my girls. God taught me a lot about humility and depending on His strength to get me through the challenges that come way. One of my spiritual gifts is believing (being a prayer warrior) and through humility, God took my prayer to a whole new level. We had some issues with team unity throughout the week. Renee and Franny were great and all of the adults were being used by God to speak words of truth into these girls lives. But even doing that, I wanted to take it deeper - God could speak through me, but He also could simply work on their hearts. Thursday, instead of speaking more, I prayed when I wanted to say something. That was a day some of the girls started to get it. It wasn't anything I said or did... It was totally God working in their hearts. God really worked on my pride this week. The team Bible study was on Daniel and God broke the proudest man on earth - He can certainly change anyone's heart. I also became refocused on being intentional with building relationships with my girls. I had forgotten some of the power of being intentional with things and God reminded me how much I love that daily student interaction.
God also did a lot of things THROUGH me. Through being intentional, I got to have some good conversations with some of the students. Some deep conversations were with Nicole about prayer, Mollie about worship, and Amber about friendship. I also feel it was a good week to encourage Franny because now is a time when you start needing God's supernatural strength (she is an intern for 10 weeks like I was last summer). I also could see the joy in the Smith family (especially Doniella) when she saw I came back. It is so exciting to be a part of God's big picture. I have set a goal to contine letting God use me in that I want to be intentional with one student every week (that ends up to 52 students a year! Imagine what being intentional will do!).
The trip definitely was a hard growing experience in many ways - but God did some awesome things in these girls lives and I believe many of them owned their faith in a powerful God who is on our side. If He could make King Nebuchadnezzar crazy like a wild man, He can do some pretty awesome and mighty things through the youth of today!
Thanks for all your prayers and support along the way. This definitely will not be my last mission... Keep checking back to make sure I am living on a mission all the time!
Love,
Joy
So it has been a while since I updated this blog site - have been updating the team site (www.ignite-pawleys.blogspot.com) for my mission stuff... Since my last post I have graduated and received my AA degree (3.98 GPA!). I finished up the school year (finally!) and have led a mission trip back to Pawley's Island. Tomorrow I start back to work (praise God for summer school!) and thus begins my saving for my house down payment!
Anyways - I just wanted to type up my story from Pawley's. What God did IN me and THROUGH me during 1 week full of challenges, joy, frustrations and growth. Debbie Humphreys (my college pastor's wife) and I took 11 girls up there. 10 hours in a mini van with 5 girls will teach you a lot of things, let alone, a whole week of intentional relationship building! It was so good to see everyone from last summer (Jess, Van and Van, Horace, the Halls, some kids from VBS, and mainly the Smith family whose house we are working on). Anyways, so here's my story!
God did a lot of things IN me this week, even if it was directed towards my girls. God taught me a lot about humility and depending on His strength to get me through the challenges that come way. One of my spiritual gifts is believing (being a prayer warrior) and through humility, God took my prayer to a whole new level. We had some issues with team unity throughout the week. Renee and Franny were great and all of the adults were being used by God to speak words of truth into these girls lives. But even doing that, I wanted to take it deeper - God could speak through me, but He also could simply work on their hearts. Thursday, instead of speaking more, I prayed when I wanted to say something. That was a day some of the girls started to get it. It wasn't anything I said or did... It was totally God working in their hearts. God really worked on my pride this week. The team Bible study was on Daniel and God broke the proudest man on earth - He can certainly change anyone's heart. I also became refocused on being intentional with building relationships with my girls. I had forgotten some of the power of being intentional with things and God reminded me how much I love that daily student interaction.
God also did a lot of things THROUGH me. Through being intentional, I got to have some good conversations with some of the students. Some deep conversations were with Nicole about prayer, Mollie about worship, and Amber about friendship. I also feel it was a good week to encourage Franny because now is a time when you start needing God's supernatural strength (she is an intern for 10 weeks like I was last summer). I also could see the joy in the Smith family (especially Doniella) when she saw I came back. It is so exciting to be a part of God's big picture. I have set a goal to contine letting God use me in that I want to be intentional with one student every week (that ends up to 52 students a year! Imagine what being intentional will do!).
The trip definitely was a hard growing experience in many ways - but God did some awesome things in these girls lives and I believe many of them owned their faith in a powerful God who is on our side. If He could make King Nebuchadnezzar crazy like a wild man, He can do some pretty awesome and mighty things through the youth of today!
Thanks for all your prayers and support along the way. This definitely will not be my last mission... Keep checking back to make sure I am living on a mission all the time!
Love,
Joy
Monday, April 28, 2008
I'm an Author!
So, at the end of my internship last year, I set goals for myself... Short-term, long-term, and some life-long goals...
One of my goals was to write a devotional...
Well, I did just that and had it printed at church this past week for the Ignite Pawley's team. It's a 40 day devotional through the book of John. I am so excited to do this study with my girls! And it is so cool to see your dreams and goals come true!
Excitingness that I just thought I would share :o)
Hugs,
Joy
One of my goals was to write a devotional...
Well, I did just that and had it printed at church this past week for the Ignite Pawley's team. It's a 40 day devotional through the book of John. I am so excited to do this study with my girls! And it is so cool to see your dreams and goals come true!
Excitingness that I just thought I would share :o)
Hugs,
Joy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
