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,

I Love..

Think of the things you love. Think of everything you've just stared at and wondered, "This, this right here is what makes me happy." I'll tell you a few of mine. I love when I'm riding in the car in the summer on my way home from swimming and I stick my head out the window to dry my hair. I love to go running in the winter and when I'm all tuckered out I feel that freezing air hit my tired lungs (it may hurt, but I like it). I love to go kayaking, and I love that feeling you get when you almost get sunburnt. When I go swimming at Blue Springs I love to feel that mud between my toes, haha, and especially that cold water. I like to see the leaves fall. I love my family. I love my friends, and even some of my teachers. But mostly I love that feeling I get when I'm worshiping God. When nothing around me is bothering me - that one that sends chills down my spine because I absolutely know in my heart that I'm in the very presence of God Himself.

These things that you love and the things that keep you from living a mundane life are the very things that God has put on this earth for you to admire. He's saying to you, "Hey, listen, when you admire all the wonders I've given you, I'm admiring you - My creation." God speaks to so many people, but they don't take the time to figure Him out. If only they would open up their hearts to Him.

He's gonna take you on a journey like no other. Just hop on board and don't let you get in the way.

Pretense.

• Pretense - a false show of something

Today I was riding around town just thinking. I though about my friends and their lives that they live; I thought about God, and this calling I have; I thought that maybe its not just a "calling" of some sort. Everybody's called for the Lord. Its the Great Commission people.

Why is it that a kid that's retarded gets made fun? Or if you're not "cool enough" you don't get invited to a party that you probably shouldn't be going to anyway? Why do people live such fake lives - acting like their living for something amazing, when all they're really doing is getting by each day as if it were a given.


The only reason I'm telling you this is that I believe that I deserve a life worth living. One where I can see the smile on people's faces when they hear the good news of the gospel. Or see a whole family get saved and baptized for the first time. Yea, it may take a while, and it may take my life, but these are the things worth living for.


Just imagine the first time in your life God spoke to you. The first time you were saved or filled with the Spirit. How was that feeling? Well of course it had to be life-changing! These were the most important dates of my life, and I'll never forget them. You see, when God comes over you and you enter into His presence, this overwhelming joy hits you like a hammer on a nail: it feels natural, it feels right.


Now imagine this: you had just witnessed to somebody about Jesus Christ and they just passed you off as some weirdo with no life. Or maybe they made fun of you and mocked you. But listen, what if you went back and told them again? What if they didn't mock you but God spoke to them through you and they actually listened? Imagine seeing this joy and peace pass over that person and them accepting the Lord as their savior. <- THESE are the things we need to strive for. These are the things that make me happy to see. They're the moments in life that seem so small at first, but end up saving a soul!


Okay, so I'm gonna leave off with more lyrics to a great song.
Dance With Me-Jesus Culture


Behold You have come over the hills upon the mountain
To me, You will run. My Beloved, You've captured my heart

Won't You dance with me, Oh
Lover of my soul,
to the song of all songs?

With You, I will go You are my Love You are my Fair One
The winter has passed and the springtime has come

Won't You dance with me, Oh
Lover of my soul,
to the song of all songs?

Romance me, Oh
Lover of my soul
to the song of all songs.


Thanks,