"Cum Grano Salis"

So, on the way home, sometimes I hear this man preach on the radio and one time he said, "The only way salt can lose it's magnitude and be corrupted is if it's combined with other substances." He then went on to preach about the following verse.

Matthew 5:13 - "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."

If I had to put together some sort of explanation as to why I'm blogging about this then I would have to say it applies greatly to my life as well as pretty much everyone else's life. I don't want to be thrown out one day, and I don't want to be "used up." Everybody fails, but when I keep following the process of failure, I don't get anything accomplished and I'm sure if I related that to my relationship with God it might help. Christians aren't held back by sin - we are "more than conquerers" over sin when we have God living within us (Romans 8:37). Therefore, because we have no chains holding us back, we have no reason to keep sinning. But, for some reason, we all keep doing it! Well, doesn't that just sound stupid? To me it does, and to be honest, I don't know why.

But I do know that I've figured this out - God's not gonna play both roles in the relationship. This means you have to hold your end of the covenant up as well. If you start to see your world collapsing, maybe its because you left God. In essence, you have become salt that has lost its flavor. Make the commitment - each day - to choose who we're going to live for. We all fall down, but that shouldn't keep us from trying. And we know we can't do it alone so what do we do?

We ask God to help us commit; we ask Him to give us the strength ("our daily bread") to start fresh.

On top of that we ask Him to keep us from the temptation of sin, and to help us see the way out that He's already provided. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Before you know it, we begin to head through our day feeling refreshed and renewed - and somewhat salty.

I Wanna Be Heaven Minded

I've done a bunch of stuff over the summer: Work, band camp, carrying crosses, concerts, church, friends visiting from Germany, lake and river trips, and a bunch of just hanging out. Pack all of that into one summer and what do you get? No, not gray hairs; you come out with experiences.

This post is starting to sound annoying already so I'll get to the important part, how God interferes with my life and teaches me important ways.

I've done some stupid things in my life already - Do I regret them? No, but I do wish that I would've learned from those mistakes better than I did. You see, it's funny how one minute I can be worshiping God and feeling loved but the next minute hanging out with the wrong crowd and completely denying Christ. I'm not saying that I personally said "I deny Christ." It's a lot more complicated than that. (Not really, but from my human perspective it is.) It's the fact that not living for Him every minute I'm breathing is in it's entity denying Christ in my perspective.

I always say to myself how all I want to do is just be with God and live in His Presence. And by no means is it wrong to tell yourself that, as long as you don't get distracted from the fact that you can have that intimacy. I found myself riding in the car the other day singing along with some worship music and thinking, "Why am I doing this, why do I memorize the words but not understand them completely? It's not another song I can tap my foot to, its an experience I get to be with God."

Another thought that always runs through the back of my mind is that I am going to die one day. People always tell me to live the life I am "meant" to live. Well, maybe who I am isn't determined by what I've done or what my name is. Maybe it's not even about what I am - for I am "fearfully and wonderfully made." and by that I am unique. I'm able to live my own life; do you know what that means? I have NO boundaries! I can do "all things through Christ who strengthens me" literally. There's not a life already mapped out for me that I'm supposed to follow. I have to find out for myself what I want to do - then do it. A "Modern Day Explorer" is what I want to call myself because I have to find my own path - my own walk with Christ; I have to explore the great unknown which is my life.

All this said and I come out with what - 2 quoted scripture?  Are you getting what I'm saying? If I only need those 2 verses to get my life started, how much more fulfilled will my life be if I actually live in the Bible. Jesus even said "People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." And therefore reading the Bible is essential and completely necessary for us to live! Well, I just thought of this and I really think I should say it but Rene Descartes once said, "I think therefore I am." Well, I want to rephrase that and say, "Christ died, therefore I am!" Haha

I'm gonna leave off with the lyrics to another song. This one is called "Forever and a Day" by Bethel Live:




I was afraid; Your love set me free
I was in debt; You paid the price for me
I was hurt; You took away my pain

I was alone until You called my name
I was broken and You mended me
Before I was You love me

You healed my body and You made me whole
No matter what I do you don't let go

I will sing to the King: I am the ransomed one
How I love Your holy name
Holy to the Lamb who was slain
When I laugh and when I cry
You are the reason why
How I long to be with You
Forever and a day

When I go to bed You are near
When I wake up You are there
When I call Your name You are here
When I walk in faith You're everywhere

You catch and save every tear I cry
You journal everyday all about my life
Your love for me reaches to the sky
I am Yours -- You are mine

I was ashamed
You called me beautiful
Now I'm Yours
You called me beautiful 

Let's agree to call it an answer - somebody please read?

One of the things I've noticed about living God's plan for your life is that when it comes down to achieving it, you gotta work, haha. I mean look at the book of Job-the dude had it rough but He still praised God through all his hardships! That's some dedication.

You see, everytime I wonder what I would like to accomplish in life traveling comes up - I wanna see the world. But with all these great ideas comes a price; like how am I supposed to afford this travel, how can I incorporate God into my future lifestyle, how am I to stay connected with hometown family/friends, ect..ect..ect..

Yea, and along with that my senior year is coming up which can only mean college after that and MORE time waiting before I can "practically" move on with my life. I feel like I'm stuck and don't get out there and make an impact now, I'll never break free of this small town and share the most amazing story ever! I don't want to hide from doing what God has planned for me anymore. I want to move on throughout my life without any regrets.

                                                        

• So I decided to combine 2 blogs I had recently drafted because they sort of correlated with the same message. The few paragraphs above me are the 1st blog about random stuff I think about while the passages below me are from a draft I was making about my experiences at a youth conference.

                                                         

I don't post Bible verses on Facebook and Twitter, pray for a hurting friend, invite people to church, or even raise my hands when I sing worship songs because I think people are looking. I do it because I know in my heart that if I'm not spreading the gospel and glorifying God with every breath He gives me - I'm not living.

This past week I had the chance to go to a youth conference in Atlanta. The name of it's Forward (because we're "not going back - we're moving ahead.") There were many famous Christian bands that played - such as TobyMac, Matt Redman, Planetshakers, Israel Houghton, and The Free Chapel Band. Also there were wonderful speakers including Christine Cain, Judah Smith, Reggie Dabbs, Jentezen Franklin, and Carl Lentz.

To be frank, it was pretty much amazing.

Even though I was worshipping alongside 30,000 people I felt that God was moving in my "small" life as well as the "small" youth group I attend. The best times I had with God on this trip wasn't worshipping with the masses though; the best worship was in the quiet, small group worship. It was when me and close friends stayed up until 5 A.M. talking about nothing but what God has done in our lives.

Anyway, God has been moving in not only my life but all my friends and family's lives. He's gettin ready for something big and I think we all know what that is.

My youth pastor's wife told me on the way home from the trip that my sister I have an anointing on our lives (which everybody does, really) that even though ministry work doesn't "run" in our family, we can be the ones to start a line of ministry workers. And to be honest, I know that's what God is after - people to start ministering and spreading the gospel in ways that nobody around them has seen before.

So there you go, call it the answer to my problems? I like to travel, worship, and apparently I have an anointing for ministry-I say mission work :]

• "Jesus came and told his disciples, 'I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'" - Matthew 28:18-20.

That Was Worship.

Worship has a significant meaning to many people. I'm one of these people and, personally, I love slow Spirit-filled worship. It doesn't matter how fast you can play, how loud your speakers sound, or what brand of instrument you play on-as long as you're lifting up your all to God and giving Him the glory, you're worshiping.

Recently I joined the youth praise band at my church. What do I play you ask? Well, in about August of 2010 I started teaching myself how to play piano. In time my parents caught on and provided me with lessons. So as you can see I decided to play the piano in the band. (Unless I played the trumpet, but seeing as that would be a tad bit awkward, I don't.)

For the first couple of weeks it was tough, I didn't know any of the chords on the piano-I only knew how to read sheet music. BUT!! I learned pretty quick how to tell a C#m chord from an Am! haha :]

Anywho, getting back on track before I bore you to death, the band had been practicing a plethora of new songs to play at a "gig," which happened to be a Disciple-Now that was being put on by 2 of the area churches. Let me tell you though, we had been praying for these kids that were going to this D-Now. About how the Spirit would open up their hearts and minds to let go of any distractions and just worship the Lord.
After about 3 months of practicing and praying, the time for us to go down to the D-Now had arrived. :]

We were all excited when we set up our equipment, practiced once, then played our first songs for the night. But let me tell you, I was in the wrong mindset that night-I was playing for my glory and fame, not His. I had looked at the situation like I was performing and not worshiping. The consequence for my actions, I guess, was that I jacked up what I was supposed to have practically memorized! To be honest, I sucked. Although I played bad, I noticed why I was playing bad pretty quick.
The message that was supposed to be spoken that night was totally thrown out the window, and instead what was preached was how we need to deny ourselves. I was convinced-and convicted-that I need worship in my life like never before. I really need worship in order to quench my spirit.

On the second morning, worship was way more meaningful to me. It was really only just a couple of fast songs to wake up the campers but it still helped prepare my heart for that night...

FINALLY!!
I can let y'all know what happened that night. :] so, after we had all spent the day together as a band and prepared our hearts, the songs we were going to play included, "Let It Rain, How He Loves, Mighty Breath Of God, and With Everything." Now, if you don't know these songs they are slow moving worship-filled songs.. (just like I like 'em) As we started to play we let the campers know that they just need to let go of all their holding on to and grab hold of God and just worship. Right then and there people started raising their hands and focusing on God; It was very intense. I saw some people didn't know the songs but they were singing anyway! After we finished, the message was told about how all we need is God-To take up our cross and follow Him. When the preacher stopped he asked the band to come up and play again afterward. (Now, the band had come up with the idea that, since this was the last night, we should worship until people felt like they had gotten right with God.) So we started praying and playing-all off the hand, no script or anything. 


God led worship.


When we started playing "Let it Rain" again-it started thundering! People were crouched down praying, holding on to their life-sized wooden crosses their youth pastors gave them as a lesson.

I've never felt a feeling like that until that night - a feeling that says, "I would love to see people changed by God EVERY time I play!" :]

Well, take what you want of that story. However, just know that I was changed and others were changed by just worshipping. And that, my friends, was worship.

It's Been A While

So, apparently ya'll can see from the name of this post that its been a while since I've blogged. I've needed to.

SO many great and wonderful things have been going on in my life and I feel the need to share them because it has to do with God and if anything is worth hearing its God's messages. I guess I'll just start haha

1. So, a while back on Wednesday night at church, there was a missionary who came from India to talk to the adults. Our youth pastor told us that we would be going downstairs to "hear" him. Well, we "heard" him, but understanding him was a little hard haha. But, what I DID get out of his message was that our youth is precious in the Lord's eyes. He shared a story saying, "Imagine you just made fresh bread. That bread can fill you up and please your hunger. Just its smell can change your mood. But if the bread waits too long on the counter, it becomes hard and moldy. Then it can't do anything." Now, compare that to today's youth. He was saying that we have the power to change people's lives-quick. But if we waste our lives, worrying about tomorrow or what people think about us, we become useless. That's why we have to get out in the world and share the story of the one who died for us!

2. Not everything's happy and joy. There's times in my life where I don't feel good enough and just down. But that doesn't happen when I'm with God. Whenever I pray and talk to Him, I can feel that I'm worthy and loved for who I am, not having to change anything about me. One thing I've been worrying about way to much is being perfect. Nobody can be perfect and if you think that, I'm sorry but you'll just be "rotten bread" by trying. God's shown me that I don't have to worry and my life has been a gagillion times better.

But proof of this was when Danie Eric Groves band came to Cornerstone one night. He was a wonderful worship leader and the presence of God was there that night. He spent time to tell us a story of a woman who had been healed of blindness then he gave prophesied and some of our youth were radically changed. I thought to myself, maybe my heart could be changed so I wouldn't worry. Then he called up the youth and wanted to pray over us. When he got to the person beside me, his prayer was really long and powerful which was great for that person, but what was even better was when he got to me and said "You're a lion." This whole time I've been praying for God to tell me I was worth it and here I am being called a lion like I'm courageous, when the whole time I've thought that I wasn't! Those were the only words I needed-and they've changed me.

3. This past Wednesday at church was a God-filled, God-controlling, coming-together time for out youth! We  worshiped like never before and when what we thought was the message came, our youth pastor said we would be sharing what's been going on in our lives. "sweet!" I thought. I was sitting there wanting to be the first but too afraid - which was stupid now. But I was shaking and I felt I was gonna blow up if I didn't say anything. (fact is: I didn't know what to say) I got up there and just poured my heart out and afterwards what happened, how I felt, was like the calm after the storm. I felt peace again and I felt I could trust my friends. What the great thing is is that the rest of the youth went up and poured THEIR hearts out! It was amazing. That night we stayed 1 hour and like 15 minutes after the time we were supposed to leave. Then when we left, I told some guys that we should go somewhere and talk more. Well it was only three of us, but we shared amazing things and I felt trust, godly trust! And let me tell you, that's 1 thing you don't ever want to lose.

Let God change you in greater ways than ever. It can only get better, and you'll only move forward.
Thanks,