Big C

“They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”-Acts 2:42-47

This truth has been infiltrating my life lately. The idea and practice that we are ONE body of believers–living, sharing, praying, and serving TOGETHER. One of my biggest frustrations is that somewhere along the way we lost this idea. We lost the drive to be one church, got caught up in the stupid details and decided we would rather be right than live as one body. My hope and prayer is that God would daily show us how to live as a “BIG C” Church and how to love, honor, respect, support, pray, uplift, and encourage each other as ONE and not as individual churches. I have seen God move in crazy-awesome ways lately. He is breaking down walls of churches and denominations so that we can reach out to serve and love one another as HIS body and HIS church.  I cannot express to you how much I am in love with the idea of one community of SOLD OUT Christ-followers!

Why I love Student Ministry

The past few months of my life have been insane! There is no reason-rhyme-or understanding APART from God’s plan. When I lost my job in July I was getting ready to go on the GAUNTLET with Newspring students! During that week God began planting truth and passion into my life like NEVER before. SINCE that time at the Gauntlet this uncontainable desire to see students meet Jesus has been growing…DAILY. There are literally moments I can feel my heart breaking for students…moments like:

1) When I see a student stand up and accept Christ.

2) When I watch a 12 year old lift both hands and worship whole heartedly to a God they LOVE.

3) When I hear someone talk about how ‘kids today are a lost cause’ or ‘kids today are only interested in technology’

4) When I see a room full of teens who could be ANYwhere else on a Wednesday night but they bring everyone they know to Fuse!

5) When I see or hear about a student who is far from God, a student that seems unreachable, uninterested, or unmovable–

I thank God EVERY day for visibly breaking my heart for what breaks His! I can not WAIT to see what God does through this ministry and through these students.

THIS picture, sums it ALL up

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I love You Tube Videos!

If you’ve never seen THIS it’s a DEFINITE “must see” makes me cry with laughter 9/10 times!

In love with this song

Just Do It

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24

So often I forget that we are living in the midst of a race. That there is a CLEAR finish line in life and that it can end in one of two ways.  Either we know Jesus or we don’t, and based on that we either go to Heaven or Hell.  I absolutely have to stop forgetting this.  People I know are going to Hell and if we as individuals can not be bold enough to confront people with that truth we are no better than Judas. Why do we act like we have so MUCH time? Who in your life do you need to share the gospel with? Who do you know that needs to be invited to church? Who in your life just needs  compassion and hope?!? If we know that Jesus is the ONLY hope people have, WHY do we insist on keeping that to ourselves? Why do we give excuses for keeping “quiet” and not wanting to “offend” people. My goal this week is to STOP apologizing and just DO what God commanded!

^“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

AMAZING things!!

It has been SO incredibly long since I have even THOUGHT about writing. SO much has happened and God has been at work in a HUGE way in my life. The biggest change is that I lost my job. ABSOLUTELY the hardest thing that’s happened to me this year, if not in my life. We won’t dwell though because what God has been doing SINCE that moment has been absolutely MIND BLOWING. ALSO, I have been sick now for about a month, NO lie. Pneumonia will knock you out! I don’t want to talk about that either because, AGAIN, what God is doing in my life is amazing! He has brought me back to that place of desperation for Him, for that absolute NEED for a savior DAILY! I feel as if my walls, my towers, my TEMPLE was destroyed and over the past (almost two) months I have been REBUILDING with ONLY the things God is giving me. I could give you a million reasons why I lost my job. All I know is that it took that to bring me here. There is definitely still pain and loss, there is DEFINITELY still struggles but it makes God THAT much bigger. So much of who I was two months ago was founded in WHAT I did, WHO I worked for, and HOW much I loved my job. None of that had to do with God. Of course, I gave Him all the credit for bringing me there, but my WORK defined me NOT my Jesus. Now, all I have is my Jesus and I have never felt so free. God is refining me and building me up for SOMETHING, I don’t know what but I can feel it. I’m hardcore volunteering at Newspring with Students and in the offices and it has given me a greater purpose than I ever had when I worked for money. I am consistently inspired, encouraged, and challenged to be more like Christ EVERY time I walk into the doors at Newspring. THAT alone is a HUGE blessing! I am able to hang out with students on a weekly basis and through their love for Christ I am rediscovering the PASSION for God and His word that got lost when I decided to pursue the world. Most of all, I am whole heartedly falling in love with Jesus more every day. I keep waiting for this feeling to go away, to fade with time, or to get discouraged and angry with God. Instead everyday it’s like my heart GROWS and my love for God expands even more. If I can love God this much (more than I ever thought possible) then how much does God love me…I literally can NOT even begin to fathom an answer to that question and that thought absolutely brings me to my knees again. I am so blessed.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;” 1 Corinthians 6:19

“The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.” Nehemiah 12:43

“No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.” Ezra 3:13

“For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:15

God is ALL about making HIS name famous and not ours, and NOW so am I. I am rebuilding God’s temple IN me. Like it says in Romans 12:1 I am learning daily how to offer myself as a living sacrifice to God, using MY life for HIS kingdom. I am praying that everyone I know, that everyone I encounter is aware of what God has been doing in my life AND I am praying that they too can have an encounter with the creator. EVEN, if it takes losing a job. Yes, I might be praying for YOU to lose your job! Sorry

InGia

My friend Liz left for India a week ago! The last time she went to India…I was with her. Two years ago today I was getting ready to head to Bangladesh with a team I barley knew and a passion I had yet to find. I love South Asia. There is something about the culture that is so refreshing. There is something about the lost-ness that is so utterly heartbreaking it is literally hurting to talk about it. I can not believe how much has happened in two years. How much I’ve grown closer to the Lord, but at the same time I struggle with the same things I struggled with then. I get stuck inside of my own body and can not seem to find the boldness. I know I should be bold in Christ and I am bold in my faith, but I am not bold in my own self. I would give anything to ride in a rickshaw again, to barter for cool jewelry, and to share Jesus with someone who has never heard of His love and compassion. Basically, I’d like to go back to South Asia. I feel like that’s a selfish desire right now with all the debt I’m in and money I should be saving, but I still want to go. I love Henna, Saris, and nose rings. Something I thought I’d never say…I even miss the smells. Sometimes I catch a whiff of something that vaguely reminds me of  THAT smell, and it feels like being homesick. (this is not a good smell) Anyways, if you read this then you should say a prayer for my friend Liz!! She’s backpacking through India this summer for about 7 weeks and sharing Jesus with people!! Thanks–Meg

I love this…

show & tell

I really liked show & tell in elementary school…so we’re going to do a little show & tell today!

My favorite books (you should read them!)

Last Weekend

Last weekend was FANTASTIC! I watched my best friend graduate from College after 5 (LONG) years!!  I finally said goodbye to Lander and Greenwood. I feel like I can finally MOVE on from that part of my life! I feel like I graduated (haha)!  Then I watch my little brother turn 6. Which made me think about where I was 6 years ago. I didn’t know God 6 years ago, I didn’t know most of the people I know & love today, and I definitely didn’t get along with most of my family. It makes you really realize how in control God truly is. I thought Lander would be the worst thing that ever happened, it was one of the best. I thought that leaving Lander would be the worst thing that ever happened, it was one of the best. I am continually pursuing Christ now because of someone in college (a college I didn’t want to go to) spoke truth into my life. I met my BEST friends in college, and they will ALWAYS be my best friends!  My mom and I are closer now than we’ve every been and when I left home after high school I never wanted to see her again. AND to top it all off…after 5 years of praying, begging, and hoping…my MOM accepted Christ on Sunday at Newspring! WHOA! I have no more words for how amazing that is! Thank you jESUS for a Fantastic weekend!