tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14725453927951091552024-03-20T01:00:16.621-07:00Scattering SeedsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-83503702193703844332015-11-28T15:33:00.003-08:002015-11-28T20:41:02.712-08:00L-O-V-E<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The expectation for being in love is tainted. Growing up, every romantic comedy I saw painted a disastrous picture of romance in such a seemingly beautiful way. Love was cheating on your husband with an old friend and realizing that your passion for this old friend was so much more life-giving than your pathetic husband, so you move across the country to be with him. Love was screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain, and at 2 am and you're cursing his name. Name-calling and monstrous fights and heartbreak were all fair because that's the price you had to pay. In my impressionable little eyes, love was nothing if it wasn't passionate and gut-wrenching and involved hysterical tears and maybe even throwing rocks at a window.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are some REAL LIFE examples of what youth considers tru luv...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQU-1yw8xtomgUHvJTRu0-mrFgKZML-Lu5OU4B2DNqM1qLpu9-JpIOKLujzTg69KsWrC6ny07GhPHIJFWbUn-nG3l0B9nplhHYOnedjghdBkByuUfilo_HZPgcRhD5NEAmKMS-6W9eBI/s1600/loooove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQU-1yw8xtomgUHvJTRu0-mrFgKZML-Lu5OU4B2DNqM1qLpu9-JpIOKLujzTg69KsWrC6ny07GhPHIJFWbUn-nG3l0B9nplhHYOnedjghdBkByuUfilo_HZPgcRhD5NEAmKMS-6W9eBI/s320/loooove.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSUNLCweoP42LRpMc9G1BKvJ3F_Sny1WxYIbC6AOdK3YCHJmO9qUSPJSTjOw3pzhnidMKrt8PjZjIJlm9B2X1n_047bJnEMkvdxLUbs-3l3oXyW4zoMKCDprMK284v6JRW2oupp5VlJk/s1600/lovelol.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSUNLCweoP42LRpMc9G1BKvJ3F_Sny1WxYIbC6AOdK3YCHJmO9qUSPJSTjOw3pzhnidMKrt8PjZjIJlm9B2X1n_047bJnEMkvdxLUbs-3l3oXyW4zoMKCDprMK284v6JRW2oupp5VlJk/s320/lovelol.png" width="212" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJq6XbI93Lcfh1qKHgOmq2JZ0gwxjiOUQK_gvHpNlgcUo2O0oqo_99KKLezOuQpjWJAtF3jAdmko8CCPWFz9i4R29NBwwmBuEQM5m5dHzbUID4ei_kLz0nxgEIdVNdsfaV5k6dmn2zQg/s1600/lovelolol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJq6XbI93Lcfh1qKHgOmq2JZ0gwxjiOUQK_gvHpNlgcUo2O0oqo_99KKLezOuQpjWJAtF3jAdmko8CCPWFz9i4R29NBwwmBuEQM5m5dHzbUID4ei_kLz0nxgEIdVNdsfaV5k6dmn2zQg/s1600/lovelolol.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpNjmV71t1DdDvANzkxsLd95YmJgqJmQi5JiKNvfaZJAcX4nxIhHLFPFMpEM6XhkHfFJBiEZjEpsGMtqXhSvmuXYiKsXMONc362QjQuBhYX3gh59WnCx87qk0L9lwMze63LuboGMOFEY/s1600/loveoh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpNjmV71t1DdDvANzkxsLd95YmJgqJmQi5JiKNvfaZJAcX4nxIhHLFPFMpEM6XhkHfFJBiEZjEpsGMtqXhSvmuXYiKsXMONc362QjQuBhYX3gh59WnCx87qk0L9lwMze63LuboGMOFEY/s320/loveoh.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is a huge problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If love is war, if love is only mad passion and nothing else, if true love means screaming and fighting, then I don't want that. I don't want to lock myself into some twisted relationship that's "us against the world". I don't want to be with someone who thinks that breaking my heart every day is okay simply because it's supposed to hurt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I refuse to accept pop culture's definition of love. I refuse to love a boy who only shows me respect when he likes me, and I hope that I can be better than allowing my current mood or my current feelings toward someone affect my promise to love them. Now, I'm not oblivious to the inevitable hurt that will come after two people link arms and decide that they're in this together. There will be mean words spoken, patience tested, and disagreements. However, this shouldn't define their relationship by any means. How dare we belittle something as wonderful as love to something so shallow, superficial, and ludicrous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The truth is, Love came down and showed us who He is. Love healed the blind, the lepers, and the lame. Love restored life to the dead. Love wept with those who were mourning. Love turned the dirtiest water into the tastiest wine. Love watched His friend deny Him three times, and then hung on a cross to save him from eternal despair.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love is a lot bigger than a feeling. Love is precious and holy and gentle and kind. Love is patient and beautiful. We shouldn't settle for a relationship that mimics the kind we hear about in Taylor Swift's songs. Let us be the people who love without bounds. Let us define love by its selflessness and devotion rather than its passionate fights and temporary highs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">*disclaimer: I love Taylor Swift.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-5156374951080254992015-08-19T23:46:00.001-07:002015-08-19T23:49:49.350-07:00End of Summer Ramblings<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know that Jesus is everywhere, but sometimes it seems like He's in Austin just a little bit more than everywhere else.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are some really random things that I've learned this summer:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Discipline is necessary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am the kind of person who claims to be spontaneous and wild and free as a bird, but at the end of the day, I love my routines. I love having a plan and all of my produce cut up and an rough idea of what my meals will be for the next few days. With that being said, if I want anything to be in my life at all, there has to be a time for it. Whether it's a friend, yoga, relaxing, or Friday Night Lights, I need to set apart time for the things that are important to me. This summer I learned that spending time with Jesus isn't something that I can just do when I'm in my car or walking around or find free time. It's an activity. Prayer is something that can easily be neglected if I don't make time for it, and I have learned that setting aside time for Jesus is so important and necessary. I need to be reminded of this daily (like right now when my flesh would much rather sleep in a little bit), but life runs better when I stop running it and let Jesus do His thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Jesus talks back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I pray for God to audibly speak to me quite a bit. It hasn't happened, but when I hear His voice, I will tell everyone I know. I hope it's deep and it echoes and He says something extremely profound. But, this summer I learned that God actually jumps at the chance to reveal Himself to us. He's working hard for his children and He doesn't want that to go unnoticed. He wants to shower us with bouquets and songs and beautiful people. Our prayers are not unheard, even if we don't hear a booming voice immediately after our Amen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Jesus loves surprising us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have so many prayers that I feel like aren't heard at all. But, I was humbly reminded that these prayers are not only heard, but cherished. These prayers are hung up on a giant bulletin board and written on beautiful paper with calligraphy pens. Jesus doesn't want to just answer our meek requests, but He wants to one-up every expectation we have set before Him. He doesn't just make the sun disappear at night, He gives us sunsets. He doesn't just fill our bellies with mush. He gives us colorful berries and delicious food. God isn't a repairman checking off boxes. He is our perfecter, life decorator, and redeemer.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-41155228510296572312015-07-02T14:31:00.002-07:002015-07-02T14:36:14.600-07:00Young Life Beach Trip<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For those of you who have spoken to me for more than 10 minutes, you probably know that I am a Young Life leader in South Austin. I didn't ever intend to be part of Young Life coming into college, but thanks to some divine appointments and Kendra Harrison, I got involved with UT Young Life during my freshman year of college. Becoming a leader at Travis High School has been my favorite thing that I've ever done in my entire life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The role of a Young Life leader is to build relationships with kids and tell them about Jesus. We are not a group of people who try to "fix", convert, or change kids. Young Life exists to love people and share the Gospel. It's a very simple ministry and I like it that way because it gives Jesus a whole lot of room to work in a whole lot of lives. The kids at Travis are some of my favorite humans that have been born. They are beautiful and wise and hilarious and they've taught me so much about the character of God. I am forever thankful for the opportunity to know them!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just last week, Young Life went to Port Aransas with a group of freshmen in South Austin! The trip was exhausting and busy and joyful. Here are some of the girls who went on the trip with me!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaE8iflENwVteMe9BB2oibnJoht8TFDmGoRNhB7Y6Y1QHmUexSWyClGkHskKL5qAYlC_Qwb0V51gq8aNOoftQG3GqtYQ8WZxQciN3GG5vfEP7Zm_7tTBwsV0_cq1GREqVVqBFEvTgRYQk/s1600/DSC_0148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaE8iflENwVteMe9BB2oibnJoht8TFDmGoRNhB7Y6Y1QHmUexSWyClGkHskKL5qAYlC_Qwb0V51gq8aNOoftQG3GqtYQ8WZxQciN3GG5vfEP7Zm_7tTBwsV0_cq1GREqVVqBFEvTgRYQk/s320/DSC_0148.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Elizabeth- You are fiercely loyal with a heart of gold.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYXDArTfbcTs1A7s0wILR2eBdx_czYUZgdmDaKdooUDp_6C3fuAUxNmCbSu6DBEo0Rf18I6nb4v-zWL0Y7vbmmVa3cnRi90jUfHPZMADsZ_es2ZVt016ttsTRbTT18UNNcMIxXbVB1QQ/s1600/DSC_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYXDArTfbcTs1A7s0wILR2eBdx_czYUZgdmDaKdooUDp_6C3fuAUxNmCbSu6DBEo0Rf18I6nb4v-zWL0Y7vbmmVa3cnRi90jUfHPZMADsZ_es2ZVt016ttsTRbTT18UNNcMIxXbVB1QQ/s320/DSC_0146.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Krishonna- You are a strong leader with so much wisdom.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJYZWKtoc6fG0uZ3F8-O-JTW-H-vQ-F1MvnG97R79qtS2LhXBTzyKb8bbkkfO7lDlK8enVWKuTZFjo2I4IBrWek1faCHMzHJbBlI_8SZiIYG9m-rcQEkTIXU0Se3150KSx5PK24Qw2Y4/s1600/DSC_0164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJYZWKtoc6fG0uZ3F8-O-JTW-H-vQ-F1MvnG97R79qtS2LhXBTzyKb8bbkkfO7lDlK8enVWKuTZFjo2I4IBrWek1faCHMzHJbBlI_8SZiIYG9m-rcQEkTIXU0Se3150KSx5PK24Qw2Y4/s320/DSC_0164.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Desirae- You are sweet and charming and your dimples are precious.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNaWr9G6TO8Pck8q8_aV8JLRfGnEOt3DzGwsQZZub7i3ubzvXubT5YhOJfESa_A2lnZKYI9LlJooMbsU5ZfW76zWpuc0HGPH4wfYbbVlKVvY81Z1WiF1FhL0oMY9MSZ81Z347EsS56Do/s1600/DSC_0249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNaWr9G6TO8Pck8q8_aV8JLRfGnEOt3DzGwsQZZub7i3ubzvXubT5YhOJfESa_A2lnZKYI9LlJooMbsU5ZfW76zWpuc0HGPH4wfYbbVlKVvY81Z1WiF1FhL0oMY9MSZ81Z347EsS56Do/s320/DSC_0249.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Azzy- Your humor and honesty make my heart overflow. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkNt1jNm3hPyld64dKrcghyphenhyphenTz0SX7q_DXJMOCAgzfTxCq__W56WQYrWGCGXDJpEUlN9-udWE-bLmAfwQ8lKVuC6ASKNGPFHHEkpHApHi8pXOi0JFB_iUa3imnKJguVSIU46d7hR3HiHo/s1600/DSC_0387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkNt1jNm3hPyld64dKrcghyphenhyphenTz0SX7q_DXJMOCAgzfTxCq__W56WQYrWGCGXDJpEUlN9-udWE-bLmAfwQ8lKVuC6ASKNGPFHHEkpHApHi8pXOi0JFB_iUa3imnKJguVSIU46d7hR3HiHo/s320/DSC_0387.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Clarissa- Your wisdom and your courage make me feel braver than I am.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They're the absolute best! We have so many wonderful memories from the trip, but I think my favorite was from the first night we got there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We were tired and antsy from the bus and everyone was getting a little cranky. The luggage was hard to carry and cell phones had just been taken up, so everything was a little bit more tragic than usual. I was frustrated because I wanted everything to be absolutely perfect so everyone could be in the best possible mood, and honestly, I started to worry that this trip was going to be a disaster. I tried my hardest to pep up my girls and that ended up being more annoying than peppy (a common theme), so I felt discouraged and inadequate. We finally decided to put down our swimsuits and see what the beach was like before our first official activity, so after some hair straightening and make-up touch ups, we headed down to the ocean. The walk was long and tensions were rising. Some girls were talking about sharks and how the notoriously "dirty" Texas beaches scared them too much to actually get into the water so they didn't know what they would do when we got to the beach. The girls were realizing that they were stuck with me for three days and were doubting all the hype they heard about the trip. But, as we got closer to sound of ocean waves, the walking turned into jogging and the jogging turned into running. Before I knew it, my girls were sprinting to the ocean and screaming with joy as they caught the first glimpse of the ocean. The waves were huge and the sand was warm and all was right in the world again. They ran at top speeds into the huge and scary ocean with complete assurance that all the fuss and doubts could not touch the appeal of the joy that the ocean brought.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezqpUni7I43hm7WoCDImnUbEvyFm41pAzQhSxX7ejYaez5xarz7pnp_NG0TYKjgDVbpmbA8n_1bR52hq4oATVYp5qhQ6Bs68TDP1QpHcDAcDfbh09Q5_A-5rLZE5ukDaIJ-18U7w7XlI/s1600/DSC_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezqpUni7I43hm7WoCDImnUbEvyFm41pAzQhSxX7ejYaez5xarz7pnp_NG0TYKjgDVbpmbA8n_1bR52hq4oATVYp5qhQ6Bs68TDP1QpHcDAcDfbh09Q5_A-5rLZE5ukDaIJ-18U7w7XlI/s400/DSC_0108.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What a perfect picture of our relationship with Jesus. God could not have chosen more beautiful people to show me the pure joy that comes from running at full speed into His arms. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I went from feeling down and fearful to feeling absolutely ridiculous for ever doubting the Lord. Our God, who worked absolute miracles to get these incredible girls on the trip was not going to let us down. Letting us down isn't in His nature. No, no. I was laughing with God on that beach at the fact that He chose me to be a Young Life leader at Travis. In spite of my reluctance and over-bearing nature, He chose me. I felt broken and silly and thankful that God chooses people like me to take kids to the beach in hopes of them knowing Jesus better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Jesus, thank you for hand picking the kids who went to beach trip and teaching me more about you than I ever imagined. Thank you for being a Father who loves to embrace us and splash us with waves and make us laugh and cry and laugh until wee hours of the morning. Thank you for loving us more than we can comprehend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Amen.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-14602255863353901412015-06-05T23:32:00.001-07:002015-06-05T23:32:38.248-07:00Austin, Jesus is Near<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Jesus,</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Summer is here, and Austin is beautiful. Hear the prayers of this city and the people you call "loved".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May our conversations exist to glorify You. Even though our flesh fails, enable us to use our words to draw others near to you in times of trouble and in joy. May we build each other up and push one another closer and closer to You.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May those impacted by the flood depend on You more than they ever have, and may this city come together to give time and money generously to those who need it most.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May the rainbows remind us of your covenant with us. Let the sun shine down on us until we are filled with vitamin D and smiles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May those visiting Austin feel the overwhelming peace that only Your presence can bring. When others see this city as a dark place, shine through our messy souls. Use the flawed humans that you recklessly love to light up this city. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May music bring people closer to you. Allow profound lyrics and emotional instrumentals to move people to catch a glimpse of your deep love for them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May the students throughout Austin pursue knowledge wholeheartedly, but may we learn to see success as you do. Inspire us, motivate us, and enchant us with the beautiful world You have made. But, remind us that this world is temporary and success can mean many things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May the careers we pursue bring others to know You. Jesus, guide us and push us in the direction of Your will. Help us trust you when it's hard to know which path we should take.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May we learn more about your character through salsa, queso, guacamole, and jalapeno ranch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mostly, give us courage to love. Without love, we are nothing. Challenge us to love one another deeply and ferociously. Remind us what radical love looks like. Expose beautifully broken pieces of us to one another, so that we may use those pieces to point back to you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Austin, Jesus is near.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-6279925222394546472015-01-13T10:30:00.000-08:002015-01-13T10:34:08.330-08:00Chiseled Hearts<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am baffled when I think about all of the accommodations I have made to make myself more comfortable in this world.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Society teaches us that looking a certain way is beautiful. You must be thin enough to wear the same size as a toddler, but then you risk being too skinny which must obviously mean you have some sort of insecurity or eating disorder which is absolutely not okay since any sign of being vulnerable is frowned upon. Then you must be "curvy" enough to turn the heads of pubescent boys - and if you're lucky - you may even make it on to one of their SnapChat stories with a flattering caption such as, "bunz 4 dayz". You also must have all the right clothes. No more high-waisted shorts because (for the last time!) boys HATE those. A skirt short enough to show off your long, recently tanned legs, but not short enough to upset your jealous boyfriend is ideal. Your hair should be long and if it's naturally straight - curl it. If it's naturally curly- straighten it. Do everything you can to hide all the blemishes on your face, because that may lead people to believe they were caused by stress, and beautiful people do not stress. Cover up all the scars from the battles you have overcome, hide the wrinkles from long nights of laughter, and f<span style="line-height: 20px;">or the love of all that is good and decent, pluck your eyebrows.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Now this is a simple an possibly overused example of how society alters our mindset.</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> I'm not saying that being beautiful according to society's standards is bad. My point is that because of how easily </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">accessible</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> and overly advertised the prototype for physical beauty is, we are prone to deem our passions "silly" or "irrelevant" for the sake of what is considered normal. It makes sense, as ridiculous as it is. For us, being normal is comfortable.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As we have seen, beauty can all too easily morph from an all-encompassing definition to a specific and exact type. It's easy to recognize this with our physical features, but what I'm concerned about is what our hearts find beautiful. Society can teach us that loving certain types of people is ridiculous, just as easily as it can convince us that wrinkles from smiles are ugly. A prototypical body is pretty awful, but a prototypical heart is absolutely vile.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While every person looks naturally unique from the outside, our souls are simply inimitable. We are each born with different passions than our neighbor and that is a truth we should take such delight in.<b> Because of this, we should never, no matter what this world says, oppress that little voice inside of us that says, "Hey this matters.".</b> We should never tailor our hearts to this world's teaching that things and security and temporary happiness trump that brave little voice.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is another voice in our head, unfortunately. This one is pestering and sometimes much louder than anything else we hear. The one that says, "Don't be silly. Don't worry about <i>them</i>. If you spend too much time caring about them, you may not be able to have all of <i>this</i>." When that voice gets louder, it's because it knows how powerful the human heart can be when it doesn't conform to this world's selfish requests. When you feel defeated by that voice and are ready to give up on that burning desire to make a difference in the lives you feel drawn to touch, choose love.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When you find something that makes your heart beat faster, whether it is giving food to the homeless or being there for an abused child, don't let the hideousness of this world tell you it doesn't matter. Don't believe the lie that "someone else will take care of it" or that "you'll have time later in life". <b>You were made as an extraordinary human with unmatched interests.</b> There is no one else in the world who looks at the world like you do. Let us not chisel our hearts as society has tried to make us chisel our bodies, and let the voice that screams about love be heard over all else. Let us make accommodations for our souls rather than the desperate cry of the society.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-36212948082399546972014-11-24T13:50:00.000-08:002014-11-24T13:50:33.895-08:00Glorifying Busy<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's been almost two months since I updated my blog. Whoops.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />The reason I haven't been writing is dumb. I've been busy. So, I have been presented with such an opportunity to talk about how absolutely terrifying it is to become less busy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of my favorite quotes of all time is this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How simply beautiful is that command?! When I first saw that, I was in major denial that I ever glorified busy. I didn't even think that was possible. I didn't understand how one could glorify busy... as if "Busy" was an idol. As if "Busy" had any control over the direction of our thoughts. And then, reality hit me as I was making a to-do list and barely squeezing in time to cut my produce. Yes, I seriously put that on my to-do list... was I crazy? Or just that Busy?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I struggle with glorifying Busy. I struggle with feeling accomplished if I achieved a lot of things that day. Throughout the day, my mind is usually on the next task I need to cross off. I've found myself making schedules by the minute so that I can control how much I actually get done. I don't trust that it will all get done if I don't make a Plan A, B, C. But this quote doesn't demand that we just trust that it will get done, and that's why I love it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Stopping the glorification of Busy means to stop finding success in how many things you accomplish. <b>Being Busy does not mean you are being productive, worthy, or important.</b> You are those things without a single task crossed off of your to-do list. Letting things go and un-busying yourself is one of the harder things that I'm learning to do right now. I'm learning that sometimes you have to say yes to the more important things, like spending time with your Creator or walking a little bit slower on the way home to talk to your mom. Saying yes to these things will take all the power away from Busy. <b>We can only serve one master, and Busy is not one of them.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Society demands that we fill every second of our time. This demand will make us fail and become miserably attached to the hollow promises that Busy tries to fulfill. Life is meant to be lived fully, without to-do lists that are only out to destroy and phones that are constantly buzzing. <b>Life is meant to be shared and enjoyed.</b> Life should be filled with long conversations and deep relationships. Busy has no power over us when we realize what truly matters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In Chapter 10 of Luke, there is a story about how Jesus addresses busyness. (Spoiler alert: He doesn't like it)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Luke 10: 38-42</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let's stop being like Martha for a little bit and see what the good portion has to offer.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-14909238169404760042014-09-30T17:51:00.006-07:002014-09-30T17:51:54.659-07:00Small Person, Big God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgyN3jmNtCc3_RJ1aePfGAD40TS3fwY-zwt5NVoy9-YE0XHW07yVkmlCKaCJ8bx5qH48dIvJXfHM2-Z5HjeCKusJgMa8NpSC9pTTnymspTJPvd-oFoMOJx7sINE535TZ-dihMqIqQdac/s1600/IMG_5619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgyN3jmNtCc3_RJ1aePfGAD40TS3fwY-zwt5NVoy9-YE0XHW07yVkmlCKaCJ8bx5qH48dIvJXfHM2-Z5HjeCKusJgMa8NpSC9pTTnymspTJPvd-oFoMOJx7sINE535TZ-dihMqIqQdac/s1600/IMG_5619.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a>Today is a simple one. I am thankful to be fully loved and reminded of that truth in all the valleys. Thank you, Jesus, for telling me to come home when I start to wander, and beckoning me in with a full feast and a promising glance into eternity. Thank you for creating me and never leaving me. Thanks for knowing every corner of my heart, even the darkest parts. Thank you for giving me things that the world promised and failed to deliver. Thank you for being so bright that ignoring you would be <b>impossible.</b> Thank you, Lord!!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-42941743537586390512014-09-01T18:09:00.003-07:002014-09-01T18:13:31.818-07:00Broken and Thankful<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I start my second year of college, I can't help but laugh at how different my life is than what I expected just 365 days ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">College is a time where we meet all sorts of people with different ideas and perspectives than us. If there is anything that this exposure has given me, it is the understanding that not one of us is "better" than the other. Every person is so incredibly unique and, for a lack of better words, cool. It's easy to get caught up in the idea that everyone is so great or that you, as an individual, is so great. But at the end of the day, we aren't all that different from one another. As a species, we are all pretty dark and broken and there are parts of each one of us that we don't want others to see. To be honest, we are a big bunch of defective creatures who are on the hunt for some sort of clarity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I came into college completely unaware of how deep of a desire I had to understand it all. Growing up in the church, I thought I knew what I needed to know and that my blind faith would carry me to the end of the ages. But as I entered into that stage of life where losing your faith is expected, God was persistent. He was loud and He was in my face and if I'm giving credit where credit is due, Jesus is the only one whose name deserves to be heard. Because of Him, a series of incredible interventions were made and several people were placed along my path to remind me why I am alive. Fortunately, college has been a time of spiritual growth unlike anything I could have expected.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, it is not all sunshine. C.S. Lewis said it best: "If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.” While this past year has brought me an overabundance of joy, I have also become aware of how broken I am. Just a glimpse of a my utter humanness has been revealed, and it is unsightly. There are days and sometimes weeks that go by where I feel completely apathetic toward everything Jesus has done for me. I will open my bible grudgingly and keep my heart closed off from its very creator. My prayers can be spiteful and my words sometimes come from a hollow heart.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">I am a child who will continually fall short.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So much has happened in the past year, and so much will continue to change. His faithfulness will never fail, and for that I am beyond thankful. But, it is so important to remember that I am a work in progress. Just because I believe that there isn't anything more important than Jesus doesn't mean I am any less a sinner than anyone else in this world. I am foolish and I am a sinner. I have a deep need Christ and the longing in my soul can only be healed by Him.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My prayer for this year is especially for incoming freshmen. In the most confusing time of your life, I pray that Jesus makes Himself so bright that you can't help but want to stay by Him. Embrace community, challenge your faith, and love your campus radically.</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-83956695575312503132014-06-28T09:35:00.002-07:002014-09-01T18:14:07.816-07:00How Comprehensive is Our God<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One of my favorite things about God is how He is always revealing Himself in crazy ways. While so many of His characteristics are recorded in the Bible, I have found that He doesn't stop there. He is always trying to show us who He is, and that is amazing!</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am so thankful for a God who pursues us.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lately, I have been self-conscious about my little prayers. Like asking God to get me to where I need to be on time. Or asking Him to help me find something I've been looking for. Or praying for joy. In retrospect, these are all very small and trivial requests. Does God really care about my happiness when there are millions being persecuted for His name in the Middle East? Doesn't He have more important things to do before the sun goes down?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've learned two absolutely crucial things from these questions. First, we cannot assume that God runs on the same time frame we do. All too often I get caught up in the fact that "God doesn't have time for this", but that is entirely untrue. He is God, and he is not like us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In <u>Mere Christianity</u> (a book every human should read), C.S. Lewis explains God's timelessness by comparing Him to a child and us to a child's play toys. The child can play and play with his toys in their own little world, and then walk away and have a meal or read a book on his own time. This can help us comprehend how God is "not of this world" even though he created it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lewis says,</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“Almost certainly God is not in time. His life does not consist of moments one following another...Ten-thirty-- and every other moment from the beginning of the world--is always Present for Him. If you like to put it this way, He has all eternity in which to listen to the split second of prayer put up by a pilot as his plane crashes in flames.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That's a very hard concept for me to wrap my head around and I don't quite understand it, but who would want to worship a God who we completely and totally understand? Where would faith come in to play? There are several theories about how God is involved in time, so I challenge you to research each of them thoroughly before deciding on one for yourself!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The second thing I've learned is that God care so much about the details. He truly cares about the smallest specifics of our lives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Look at this flower for example! I had seen flowers like this every single day, but I had only looked at them through my eyes without thinking anything else. When I took the time to look at them from the perspective that a God who is all-knowing and completely powerful created them, I was awestruck. Why would he care to make a roadside plant look like this? Why would he care to make it so appealing to us? The answer is simple, yet hard to fully grasp: because He loves us. He wants to make sure every single detail of our lives brings us joy due to His glory. He loves when we smile and stop to smell the roses. He loves when we marvel at His creation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our extraordinary and intricate God loves us.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-82574873061333235532014-06-21T21:09:00.002-07:002014-09-01T18:14:19.982-07:00My Spiel on the Bishop of Rome<div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pope Francis is absolutely one of the coolest guys to walk this planet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Before you form any opinions about the man, I challenge you to look at what he has done, read some of the letters he has written, and compare his teachings to the Gospel. I think you will be impressed at the parallelism and lack of hypocrisy whether you are a believer or not!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am especially drawn to his love for those who are imprisoned. His ability to love and fight for a group of sinners that may never even recognize him for what he has done... sounds very familiar (see Genesis-Revelation). <a href="http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/letters/2014/documents/papa-francesco_20140530_lettera-diritto-penale-criminologia.html">Here</a> is a link to the letter the Pope wrote in regard to how Jesus would treat prisoners.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By loving radically, he is spreading the Gospel in each corner of the globe. What an incredibly simple yet profound way to change the world. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-80303292852617580272014-05-29T15:23:00.002-07:002014-09-01T18:14:35.652-07:00Who Am I?<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Feeling fully and uniquely loved isn't easy for anyone. I have been struggling with this lately and I've found that it's easy to just accept God's love in my mind without realizing it in my heart. I have been told that He loves me, but what does that mean? What does that look like?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Being adored in today's society leaves me feeling pretty empty. We are conditioned to believe that if we look good in the most fashionable clothes and have perfect skin and if we are endlessly bubbly and full of smiles, we will be loved. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Countless times I look in the mirror and feel like less of a person because I'm just not up to par. Countless times I force a smile and put on the daily disguise just to be cruelly reminded that my smile could always be a <i>tad bit</i> bigger. I could always have <i>just a couple </i>more friends. My body could always look a <i>little</i> more like Jennifer Aniston's. By the world's standards, I am <u>never</u> enough. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My identity has been lost and stolen and changed to meet the standards of so many different people. <i>So who am I?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In Christ...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am a child of God. (John 1:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am part of the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:27)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am an heir. (Romans 8:17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am a friend of Jesus. (John 15:15)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am God's temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am more than a conqueror. (!!!) (Romans 8:37)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am chosen. (Ephesians 1:11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am for the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am a light. (Ephesians 5:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am set free. (John 8:31)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am forgiven. (Ephesians 1:7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am His workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These words tell us that our concerns, though valid, are irrelevant. It doesn't matter how straight my teeth are or how unnaturally deep my voice is. <b>His love is the found in the beautiful fact that we cannot escape our identity in Him.</b> As children, He knows we are inclined to drift far away, but that couldn't stop our generous and omnipotent father! He invites us daily to come running back to Him and beg Him to show us all that we are. He has made us to be totally enough and God wants us to be satisfied FULLY in the truth! Satan feeds us lies about how to find fulfillment, and by recognizing the fact that any identity found outside of Christ is a lie, we are taking away all the power from the devil. Our unique personality, body type, skin color, passions, and talents are all gifts sent directly from God so that we may help bring His radiant light to the world! </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Let us discern God's truth from Satan's lies and feel secure in our identity</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> in Christ. Let us be the mismatched and broken, yet perfectly made, hands and feet for our awesome God!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCrRM5frFvBX23uWpTr7_iQzpJ_ab1Fc6lRhBqVzUuOOZ64shB1I5A_76f4voozbVN_kVg52dU9gx4bbgJBQWb6lUmzJKScT9XeDUVBYw9xagQwZ_inyitVScsmfAs9-NiCGCYSTpqICU/s1600/ChildOfGod-prev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCrRM5frFvBX23uWpTr7_iQzpJ_ab1Fc6lRhBqVzUuOOZ64shB1I5A_76f4voozbVN_kVg52dU9gx4bbgJBQWb6lUmzJKScT9XeDUVBYw9xagQwZ_inyitVScsmfAs9-NiCGCYSTpqICU/s1600/ChildOfGod-prev.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></span></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-48782189742857499472014-05-09T12:08:00.002-07:002014-09-01T18:14:46.647-07:00First Year Recap<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This past year has been nothing short of incredible. I am a first hand witness to the Lord's faithfulness and unconditional love! I have been blessed with amazing community, role models, and hidden passions that God has revealed to me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNK9dWN_Zrinx8Uk1zGaFb1tSGK2hZKPwXYlzR4cKenE_wUPJTj43U0gEI3qjZEfLpfoYmPgmp2CM2eohoXxKwDgskLRbgldpXBj8EzUassSh8PhmslLED5YUE6TTKUKlda5Z8WpWT_sE/s1600/1016457_10153047047120021_1849586998_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNK9dWN_Zrinx8Uk1zGaFb1tSGK2hZKPwXYlzR4cKenE_wUPJTj43U0gEI3qjZEfLpfoYmPgmp2CM2eohoXxKwDgskLRbgldpXBj8EzUassSh8PhmslLED5YUE6TTKUKlda5Z8WpWT_sE/s1600/1016457_10153047047120021_1849586998_n.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I got to watch one of my best friends in the universe get baptized.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEkNNYQaqRtwx0QINF0CC2pl1RrJy7P5AoAa5PUu-g3mj6WLzLUMPrm06_mTIyYViQ_fQqD1LicwvfUag2VwjbOnEX8Le0d61lGC29annUXBbuGU_o-t9PplTULqzYSmfXV1QpoyliJQ/s1600/10258271_10203550146412905_3888866165915826604_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEkNNYQaqRtwx0QINF0CC2pl1RrJy7P5AoAa5PUu-g3mj6WLzLUMPrm06_mTIyYViQ_fQqD1LicwvfUag2VwjbOnEX8Le0d61lGC29annUXBbuGU_o-t9PplTULqzYSmfXV1QpoyliJQ/s1600/10258271_10203550146412905_3888866165915826604_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My little brother (the short guy on the right) got confirmed!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhhjE2cBv0biYMzrR4T3JlpiHhm9VawoSJ9zCxqvtEoPx3Txr998KoQFrMrj4D5i7BKVpvLeNkSeDgNOfUxO8aYC088d90TDeoOT4QPCh2Bhg_dQVkpBDl29eVhodFY7bxE1qNcHJbxc/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhhjE2cBv0biYMzrR4T3JlpiHhm9VawoSJ9zCxqvtEoPx3Txr998KoQFrMrj4D5i7BKVpvLeNkSeDgNOfUxO8aYC088d90TDeoOT4QPCh2Bhg_dQVkpBDl29eVhodFY7bxE1qNcHJbxc/s1600/2.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I get to minister with the kind of people that you just want to write books about.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aoj4xWAOuWmRshzP4jDUzyPsOElYuqrVOBfkhSKRW5vunmeSsysupkz4tQNrPOiP0c3JkM5IA_-8vfQ7OXihKkJMlc0aoYAkUt8d9IpzJRpaB0FoIjc7RXR0qzdMbUxOhO1MuMsUi_4/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aoj4xWAOuWmRshzP4jDUzyPsOElYuqrVOBfkhSKRW5vunmeSsysupkz4tQNrPOiP0c3JkM5IA_-8vfQ7OXihKkJMlc0aoYAkUt8d9IpzJRpaB0FoIjc7RXR0qzdMbUxOhO1MuMsUi_4/s1600/3.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I get to be a counselor with some of the most eccentric and awesome people at UT.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAjzpuCTQdsFxmFcQVNc3vsBwtG4-ZCQEZb8mD8MbQlyv9VfBkKRBem71xfcXeG6KtRb_LUgB0FdCJ6H6Sd-sfbZkb8g1TlYBDClRUjYo5SdK6c2UAq4M1ENUHXmTmS8rT1x2zKHAc3Q/s1600/10259953_2178341387693_4493649052961504164_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAjzpuCTQdsFxmFcQVNc3vsBwtG4-ZCQEZb8mD8MbQlyv9VfBkKRBem71xfcXeG6KtRb_LUgB0FdCJ6H6Sd-sfbZkb8g1TlYBDClRUjYo5SdK6c2UAq4M1ENUHXmTmS8rT1x2zKHAc3Q/s1600/10259953_2178341387693_4493649052961504164_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I got to spend Thursday nights with the greatest small group to ever exist. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9t7WTfIOeKRTi_MxdAa6F_3EQ0-ifb4OIZCi12n0Yjghf_-fRqPfxppUX5EGrEWd-Gpj2dKz15pRfhNESQO1T9pXXEWp_E4PExVrM86lin7mGL_y0wyVvOT8-4eoNThw58xNPtVrj-g/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9t7WTfIOeKRTi_MxdAa6F_3EQ0-ifb4OIZCi12n0Yjghf_-fRqPfxppUX5EGrEWd-Gpj2dKz15pRfhNESQO1T9pXXEWp_E4PExVrM86lin7mGL_y0wyVvOT8-4eoNThw58xNPtVrj-g/s1600/4.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was introduced to Penny and Sparrow and suddenly my heart was full.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK01U7ujoXaqsqm7D7zOPbALoDiA-aHEgs8G_Y546giWNMAu78FCbXUDp3PjbKIeTUx1U6EHQ9HTf-ybvZOp872NuZlV7xBqvDEP7GiKWNS8yBPIT2MY4X_eeQFOvd_kX5EVgcQZLWNjk/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK01U7ujoXaqsqm7D7zOPbALoDiA-aHEgs8G_Y546giWNMAu78FCbXUDp3PjbKIeTUx1U6EHQ9HTf-ybvZOp872NuZlV7xBqvDEP7GiKWNS8yBPIT2MY4X_eeQFOvd_kX5EVgcQZLWNjk/s1600/6.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I got to hang out on the beach all day for a week.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrYGjsWle2WyLUIoiEbFCG_d38Iqd0zcFgHzMIfotU7GmttCnjwW2dj7sdlMIgSGbvbBADJhDezAHWlUkg9_azLY_csbXpLnZfJH7a8IarweHqkTaMjn77Gov3Wn-OLg4gddwoMYfMK0/s1600/1959632_10153045082655021_797091767_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrYGjsWle2WyLUIoiEbFCG_d38Iqd0zcFgHzMIfotU7GmttCnjwW2dj7sdlMIgSGbvbBADJhDezAHWlUkg9_azLY_csbXpLnZfJH7a8IarweHqkTaMjn77Gov3Wn-OLg4gddwoMYfMK0/s1600/1959632_10153045082655021_797091767_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I met lifelong friends in the dining hall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I decided I like rollercoasters now!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I will forever be grateful for the <i>many</i> conversations that ended in happy tears, nights that were defined strictly by laughter, lots of phone calls home, I-35 when phone calls weren't enough, friends who love to make and eat guacamole as much as I do, a new appreciation for worship, HOT weather, tons of coffee, singing competitions, total uncertainty of the future, and all the hope to come!</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-91560404678342309062014-05-02T14:20:00.002-07:002014-09-01T18:15:01.356-07:00My Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: left;">Jesus, Friend of Sinners is a popular song that I've heard several times, but I hadn't really listened to the words until earlier today. This song talks about how no one knows what we stand for, only what we stand against. I think about the protests and all the people who have been hurt by the Church, and I hate how true this statement can be at times. As a believer, it is so easy to get caught up in the do's and the don't's of Christianity, and while these basic guidelines are extremely important, we must first remember who Jesus is.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">First of all, Jesus is. He is alive and in each one of us, no matter whether we accept Him or not. He is the great "I am", and he forgives us continually. Because He IS alive, He IS a friend of sinners. That doesn't mean He is friends with the thief, or the liar, or the alcoholic, but it means that He is friends with <b>each of us</b>. None of us can escape the title of a "sinner", and Jesus knows that. He is the only one who can bridge the gap between perfection and imperfection. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Going to church every Sunday, memorizing every verse in the Bible, or volunteering at a homeless shelter doesn't make someone any better in Jesus' eyes. He doesn't look at people the way we do, and thank goodness. While He loves to praised and worshiped, He still loves us even when we fall short.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What does this mean for Christians? It means that we are to be friends to sinners, to people like us, and to show God's love as best as we can at all times. We are all His people, and we are responsible for bringing people to Him. There is no where in the Bible that says we are to judge others because that's not our job. We are to stand in our glass houses and praise Jesus without throwing rocks at people who sin differently than us. Jesus calls us to confess our sins to one another, and to stand up for what is right. The pride in us is what continues to tell us that we are better than our neighbor or friend or enemy. Let us rejoice with one another that we are all loved endlessly!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is</span></i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">not your own doing; it is the gift of God.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Ephesians 2:8</i></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-87406087464918733162014-04-21T11:19:00.002-07:002014-09-01T18:15:19.356-07:00The Peace Found in Letting Go<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are so lucky to be in a relationship with a God who wants us to celebrate with Him! There are so many times God tells us to praise and sing and dance and feel true<b> joy </b>with Him. It is easy to forget this. Life can be a beating sometimes. There are says where I look forward to going back to sleep as soon as I wake up, and as the end of the school year approaches, I feel this all too often. The mundane details of the weekday can just seem all consuming and I often wonder what exactly it is that God wants us to celebrate. I find myself searching desperately for a reason to sing praise and as ashamed as I am to admit it, I often just give up. When there is not a tangible item that very clearly gives me instant joy, sometimes I just don't get it. I am much too human to constantly "overflow" with the hopefulness that God gives us through the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, but the grace of God, it IS possible for us to have that peace all the time. Whether we are happy about our life's circumstances or not, the fact that God is in control brings the ultimate peace. Thank goodness we are not in control!! Through prayer and strong community, we can constantly be filled up with the peace of knowing that we are unconditionally loved with a beautiful destination awaiting us!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-40150695477084281522014-03-17T06:38:00.001-07:002014-09-01T18:15:33.869-07:00The Gift of Full Joy<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Much of the cynical talk surrounding Christianity is centered on the idea that in order to be a follower of Jesus, you must strip away everything fun in your life. Contrary to popular belief, this is a lie. God doesn't intend for your life to be stripped of joy, in fact, he wants quite the opposite. Rather than stripping us of happiness, God wants us to fill ourselves with Him. He knows what true joy is because He understands what is true (John 14:6). His love for us exceeds ALL things and because of this, He offers us the most pure form of joy there is. He has designed us for far more than what is on this tiny earth and He knows that we can never be fully satisfied in anything but Him. We may find temporary happiness in the small pleasures of this world, but we cannot even comprehend what else is out there for us. In the Matthew 13:44, a man found a treasure so valuable that he sold everything he owned just so he could have that treasure. A treasure that is worth our entire life's earnings seems too good to be true, but this is is exactly what God promises us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, because of our limited capacity, it is hard for us to truly trust that God has greater things than us. The temptations of this world and the fault in our humanness is that we are constantly searching for fleeting pleasures. Although there is a kingdom that we have inherited, we can't see it all right now so we tend to put it on the back burner. There are times where no amount of suffering really seems worth it because how can we suffer for something we can't see?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That's where faith comes in. That's exactly the point where God prompts us to submit to His complete sovereignty and let go of trying to be satisfied in all of the shallow prizes of this world. Not by "giving up" all fun things, but by allowing God to fill all the holes in our porous body and be filled with true joy. God wants us to allow Him to strip away what is corrupting our hearts and taking away space for Him, so that in Him we may be fully satisfied. God doesn't make empty promises like the ones we are used to; the Gospel is a vow that cannot be broken. When we allow our relationship with Jesus to be the center of our heart, we will be filled with peace in all circumstances. We won't need to rely on the imperfect world, but only on a perfect God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Every day, I forget that God's plan is greater. Every time I allow God to restructure my mindset, I am reminded of how great He is. He couldn't disappoint us, and there is no way that life with Him could be boring. His plans for us are so much greater than our feeble attempts, and when we let Him fill us up, we will find a peace and joy unlike anything else.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-83846061769757519152014-03-05T19:07:00.000-08:002014-09-01T18:15:47.127-07:00Leave the 99<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Imagine watching a person (or dog) you love deeply being kidnapped. You have stand near the scene, yell as loud as you can to show them you can help them escape while they are completely unaware of your presence. As you run toward them, you watch the the horror emerge in the eyes of your loved one as they are being snatched up by the criminal. When you finally reach the enemy, you fight them and fight them and do everything in your power to provide a way out, but by then it's too late. They have been fed monstrous lies and been given false promises. They are out of reach. As your loved one is placed in the kidnapper's car, you are certain that their happiness is forever gone, they will be tortured beyond even your worst nightmare, and you will never see them again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is obviously the worst possible thing that could happen to anyone, and it happens to God every day on an even greater scale. When we do not choose the light, despite His constant effort and ongoing battle, he must watch us die (1 John 5:12). Actually, die. Jesus is alive, and because of this, we have hope while we are here, but if we do not seize the opportunity to create a relationship with the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), the great "I am" (Exodus 3:14) -- then we are doomed. Not only is this tragic for us, but it is absolutely heartbreaking for God. The Bible tells us so many times that Jesus LOVES us, and he LOVES to give us grace. God absolutely delights in us coming home. God waits patiently for us to proclaim that we are His, and we need Him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Luke 15:7, one of my all time favorite verses, says:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">This truth is hard to comprehend, but it just makes me smile when I really sit down to think about it. In Greek, repent means to change your mind, change your ways, or think differently. So it is explicitly stated that God REJOICES over one sinner who changes their ways. He absolutely loves those who are lost and He gets so much joy over someone coming home.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Because this is so important to God, and because it causes EXTRA joy in heaven (hard to imagine), it should be of the utmost importance to us. We should seek those who are lost and be ready to help them come home. We should show the love God has for us through actions and words, and proclaim the Gospel so that others know there is someone eagerly waiting their arrival. And first and foremost, we must remember that if we are breathing, God is fighting for us and it is not a burden nor is it too late to come home. He truly wants us there with Him, talking to Him, accepting His love, and clinging to Him as he fights the enemy to get us home safe and sound.</span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-51987674878626908102014-02-24T23:36:00.002-08:002014-09-01T18:15:59.587-07:00His Big Love<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There are so many times in my life where I feel completely inadequate. I feel so torn down and weakened by the fact that I am flawed and imperfect. At times, this is so disheartening that I no longer even feel convicted. My faith, the most important thing in my life, is broken just at the idea that I might not be good enough. The devil is real. It's scary because he's luring us in to all his traps that he's so carefully laid out for us, and he doesn't plan on stopping. No matter how often we pray or how many times we go to church, the devil is constantly trying to find new ways to snatch us. His top notch manipulation skills are persistent and he knows the things about ourselves that we try to forget. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says "for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light" which is just scary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But the thing is, God is more passionate and crazy about loving us than the devil could ever be about killing us. Jesus came down and defeated sin so that we could have life. He just asks that we give our life up to Him, and give him control. Sin will tempt us, anxiety will seem like it has the power to overcome us, but goodness gracious God is greater! To live in a body that is made my God to glorify Him and direct other people toward Him so that they may one day go home is a miracle that no one can fathom. To be loved by a God that is so perfect that he did NO wrong when he became flesh is something we naturally want to reject, because that kind of love just doesn't exist anywhere else. Satan depends on the sad truth that as humans, we think it's alright to settle for anything other than the best. He works off of the fact that we are not able to comprehend the idea of love so big that there is nothing can separate us from it (Romans 8:38-39). But, still, Jesus is bigger. Jesus is better. He will continually fight us and protect us from Satan's lies, and hug us as tight as He can. In John 16:33, it is clear that we can have peace because God overcame it all. I don't understand it, and my mind is boggled with such enormous figures and acts of pure kindness. All that I know for sure is that we are blessed beyond any words could ever explain, and we have so much to rejoice in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472545392795109155.post-29590965830666668722014-02-15T00:13:00.003-08:002014-09-01T18:16:16.560-07:00Time to Scatter Seeds<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well, I've reached that point in my life where God's love is just too overwhelming to keep to myself. This isn't because I've morphed into a "better" Christian, or because my prayer life is just rocking so much that God suddenly decided I should receive more of His love, but because He's God. I really don't understand, and I feel as undeserving as I always have been, but I have come to the understanding pretty recently that all good things come from Him and my life is starting to feel like one giant hug from the man who is actually love Himself (1 John 4:8). Now this doesn't mean my life is perfect and I'm just walking on sunshine 24/7, because I still have the same amount of off days as always. I'm a complete failure sometimes (ex. when Chipotle runs out of guacamole and I cry about it...actually cry), but God's grace is much more visible to me than it ever has been before. God has forced me to stop and sit at His feet. I am a witness and testimony to the most perfect love to ever exist. As I sit to marvel at His love, I hope to be receptive of it. We are all here to go out and announce the good news! There is no escaping it, so we might as well run into His arms! God has given us all the tools to cultivate the most beautiful garden with His love. I hope to be able to use the seeds that have been scattered by God's wonderful people, and as I grow in Christ, I hope to be able to scatter some seeds as well!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This song made me cry the first time I heard it years ago, and it still inspires me to this day. First of all, HOW COOL is it that God love us that much?! No matter how we feel about Him, He is crazy about us. It doesn't matter who we have been or what we are going to become because God sees all that and love us through it. <b>His love is like a super power</b> and it is something we can think about for ages and still not understand because we are so human. This song also rocks because the love it sings about it something to strive for. If only we could love like that - without qualifications or consequences. If only our heart wasn't so murked up by all the nastiness of the world. We can, however, pray boldly for a heart like His. We can pray so boldly that it forces us to reconsider our relationships with others and ourselves. We can begin to show people who love God as well as people who don't even know the big guy that perfect love IS real. It is given to each of us as a gift that is so amazing. Although we will all fall short, we cannot let that stop us from striving to be as much like Him as possible! He gave us hearts to love without constraint! (1 Corinthians 13)</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620767023012174223noreply@blogger.com0