Faith

Wow, it’s been a while since I have written…so much has happened and so many topics I could write about but faith is the one that God is teaching me about the most this week.

Faith…such a big topic…it goes hand in hand with trust. We just talked bout faith on Sunday night with my freshman girls at Ignition and it reminded me of how important having faith is. There are several good verses that go right along with this topic.

Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

To me these are two very powerful verses. It is hard to know what faith is and to even have faith when it is based on something we cannot see right now. For example, right now I do not have a job that pays even half my bills. I had some money from unemployment saved up but that money is slowly dwindling. I am starting to worry about how I am going to pay my bills, pay for gas, groceries, get baby gifts, Christmas gifts, b-day presents etc. in the upcoming months. This world is so consumed with things and money that it is hard to live if you don’t have money. It is also hard to live in t his world if you don’t have faith. Because if you don’t have money and don’t have faith than what do you have to hope for. If you have faith, than you can pray and hope for God to provide you with what you need.

So this brings me back to the topic for today…I must have faith in my god that he will provide and keep his promises like he said he will. I have to trusts that these things will happen. If I don’t have faith, why would he reward me with the things that I need. I do not understand how people live in this broken, messed up economy of the world without God. God created us; he created the world and everything in it. Why wouldn’t you put your faith and trust in Him. That is the one thing t hat baffles me more than anything.

Matthew 17:21 – “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

At ignition this week we discussed the story of Abraham and Sarah and how God came to her and said they would have a baby in a year. Sarah laughed at what God had told them. Abraham was an old dude, almost 100 and Sarah was pretty old too, but a year went past and Sarah and Abraham had a baby named Isaac (which means laughter). Gen. 18:1-15, 21:1-7

Sarah laughed in disbelief, thinking, they are too old to have kids, they've prayed about this for a long time, why now. They had little faith...can God do the impossible? Absolutely! He kept his promise and Sarah had that baby a year later! This story spoke to me on Sunday night and to my girls and it made us realize that with God nothing is impossible (Matt 19:26). It also made us realize that he longs for this daily relationship with us of trust and faith.

If I don’t have faith that God is going to provide for me, or faith that he has a perfect plan, that I will get a job etc. then my life will be impossible because then I will be living this life alone, on my own strength…and that would be stupidity on my part when I have a higher being, named God who is walking next to me every moment of my life, guiding me, showing me, speaking to me about the things he wants me to do and the things he has promised me. So I don’t know about you, but I am definitely putting my faith in God today and every day.

God, I thank you sooooo much that you sent your son to die on the cross for our sins. So that we can have eternal life and live according to YOUR plan not our own. Thank you God for protecting us, keeping your promises, and loving us even when we fall short and sin. Lord, I put all of my faith in you today because you are my God and Savior. I know that you will provide for me in this tough time in your timing. Lord, open my eyes to what you have planned for me next. Thank you Lord, I love you! AMEN!

Below is from the Spirit of Prophecy bulletin that I receive each day...this is today’s. This is so relevant to this topic of faith and trust. God promises that he will be our shelter and safe haven from destructive storms but challenges are going to come. God will help us get through these challenges if we put our faith and trust in him. Read below and soak on this for the week.

Beloved, this is a time when you must deliberately refocus your faith so that your dependence and trust are not in the things of the world, but in that which is eternal. You can trust Me when I tell you that I will be your shelter and safe haven from destructive storms. This does not mean that you will not be challenged through difficult circumstances, but it does mean that you can depend on Me to bring you through every situation in victory, says the Lord. Psalms 107:30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.

New Adventures in Des Moines

Well, the church in MN finally called me last Monday evening, a month and a day after my interview and said that they could not offer me a job but that I made it very tough for them to decide. I was relieved that they finally called me. I had planned to call them the very next day since I hadn't heard from them. I was not upset that I was not offered the job. I feel like that was totally the right thing and after praying about it and thinking about certain things over the past month, I realized that I may not have even taken the job if they had offered it to me a month later. I am so thankful that I know and that God placed it on my heart that I am supposed to stay in the DM area.

Later that evening (last Monday), after I had received that phone call I was checking my facebook and received a message from one of my freshman girls in my ignition small group. She basically told me how she was telling her mother that I am an amazing leader and can change the lives and tougch the lives of everyone in our small group. I about cried and was so excited...that is when I knew that a new season/adventure was going to start for me here in the DM area. I have so many things going on and I feel like this is the most important one that God has placed in front of me at the moment. I know he is going to use me to touch the lives of these freshman. I am sooooo excited for this challenge and adventure with them over the next year.

I just got done going to a soccer game of two of the girls and it brought so much joy to know that they wanted me there and were excited to see me afterwards. They did such a good job. They both scored goals today and they told me that this was the first game all season that they had scored goals. How cool is that?! Good for them. I am so excited to continue this journey with them.

God, I pray for each of my freshman girls. I pray that you be with them in school, give them self-control and help them resist temptation of this world. Give them your confidence and help them get along with their families as well. I pray Lord that you speak to me about their needs and that you give me the words you want me to speak to them and minister to them. Thank you Lord for this new adventure! :)

John 10':10

"The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

Yesterday as I was working at Des Moines Christian subbing in a preschool room the kids were napping and a friend had given me this verse earlier in the day. I decided to study it and ponder it during nap time. Since this is a Christian school we are encouraged to read the Bible or devotionals during nap time, which is GREAT! I love feeling free to do that where I won't get looked at weird etc. Although, in this broken world it would make sense to read your Bible on break anyway to be a witness to those who don't believe.

So during this time of studying and pondering I asked the Lord to speak to me about this verse and this is what it means to me: The thief seems to be people who try to destroy your dreams. Who tries to stear you away from what you know God has called you to do. For me, God has called me into youth ministry and I have told many people this and many people (mostly my family) has encouraged me to pursue other things...and tellking me that there are many many options when I know that but also know that God has seriously called me into youth ministry so why would I waste my time looking at other things that I know I am not called into?

God has died and come back so we don't have to suffer like Jesus did and so that our sins are forgiven. that is what it means that we may have life because we are free because of those things that He did for us.

Those who aren't happy in their lives or are trying to feel accomplished through you will try to steal or destroy wha you are doing or what you could do. Everyday is a gift from God and it will be full if you allow God to enter in each moment of each day. :) Thank you God for giving us each day as a gift and symbol of your love.

Ephesians 2:8-10

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do." Eph. 2-8-10

These verses...specifically vs. 10 keep popping up throughout my weeks. 2 weeks ago I was in Wisconsin visiting my grandma for her 80th b-day and I went to a church that she attends. This was the main scripture for the sermon. In the past two weeks, I have seen this vs. in AT LEAST 3-4 other spots. Now I have started to memorize vs. 10. This is interesting to me because I am not a good memorize nor does God usually speak to me through verses. I enjoy this though...God is doing some cool things right now. So I am not exactly sure what God wants me to learn from these verses but I do know that I need to pray over these verses and ask God what he wants me to learn and see from them. I definately feel like the last vs., vs. 10 has to do with whatever job God has for me to do next. I am not sure though that that is all of the meaning of that vs. I was talking to some friends at church about this vs. and one of them said that it could be several things that God has prepared in advance for me, not just job related. I never thought about it like that. I just find it non-coincidental that I have seen this vs. at least 4 times in 2 weeks.

Lord, I pray that you show me what these verses mean. What do you want me to learn from them? Lord I pray that you speak to me, show me specifics, and help me have spiritual eyes and spiritual ears so that I don't miss any important steps in the works that you have planned in advance for me. I pray that they all fall together like pieces in a puzzle. Thank you for being so faithful to me when I don't deserve it. Thank you for giving me hope and faith for the things unseen. Reveal the unseen things to me Lord. Thank you Jesus!

Thankful

Today God has spoke to me in many ways. It all started this morning when our pastor was talking about God's covenant and that it means: "Sacred promise from God." At Ignition tonight covenant was brought up again. As I have been thing about this word...."covenant" it seems that God is speaking to me and saying that he promises to provide in this tough situation that I am going through. He promises to provide in any way needed. He promises to comfort me in times of sadness and to be joyful with me in those joyful times. I am so thankful that God has reminded me of this and brought this to my attention. I am comforted by just being reminded of this. It brings me joy to know that God promises all these things for us and that he sent His son to die for us to be in covenant with him. Imagine if he hadn't sent his son to die for us. What kind of corrupt world would we live in? It freaks me out to even think about that.

Thank you Lord for creating this covenant so that we have assurance that we are protected and provided for. I have been reminded tonight Lord that you will provide for me and take care of me through this tough and trying time. I pray that I continue to see your grace, gentleness and mercy that you give me each day. I love you Lord. AMEN!

After I went to the 9:15 service I helped out with One Body KQ (our special needs ministry during Sunday School) at the 11:00 service. This is always a blessing to me because not only do I learn from the Bible lessons, but I get to make a difference in a young child's life who has special needs. Today the girl I usually work with didn't show up so I worked with a little Kindergarten boy. He is actually pretty independent until craft time comes and depending on the craft time he sometimes needs help. So the lesson today was on Abraham and Sarah and how they wanted a baby and God said that he would give them a baby. However, Abraham was almost 100 so they thought it was impossible. But God promised them a baby. So...they waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited!!! We had to act out the waiting part in several different ways and this just hit home sooooo much and kind of makes me want to reread that story again. Abraham and Sarah had to be patient and wait. As we were acting this "waiting" out, it was so cute to watch the kids put their hand on their chin, then lie on their stomachs and do the same thing, then lie on their back just waiting and waiting...it really reminded me of how long I have been waiting. I totally understand that I am supposed to wait and be patient and continue to be patient.

Thank you God for that reminder today. It is not easy to wait, but it is worth the wait in the end. God, I know you have perfect timing for everything. I thank you for that and pray that you show me what that timing is with this youth ministry thing that I am pursuing, whether it be this job in MN or wherever...I know your timing is perfect and if you want me at HOPE for the rest of the year to minister to these freshman girls I am happy to do that. I just want to be obedient Lord and go where you want me. Thank you Lord for giving me this gift with children and this desire to be a youth director. I pray that you lead me where you want me when you want me there. It's all about you Lord and not about me or my plan or my timing. Jesus you are AMAZING! AMEN!

Created in His Image

Last night I was helping out with Powerlife our 7th and 8th grade confirmation program and our senior pastor spoke on creation the first couple chapters of the Bible...Genesis 1 and 2 about all the things that God created in the beginning. He talked about how after God created them he said..."and saw that it was good." We are part of God's creation and he created us in "His Image" (Genesis 1:27). This means that He created us to be like him and act like him. Not only did he create us in His image, he saw that we are good. God was a generous, loving, non-judgemental, accepting man. So often we are pressured in school, at work, from friends and/or family to be someone we're not. Especially in 7th and 8th grade. I pray for these middle schoolers through these tough years that they would hear God's word and know his heart for them. That they would resist temptation from the enemy and falling in the trap of trying to be someone they're not. It's hard in this broken world not to fall into that trap because there is always someone saying...."hey if you were only better at that" or "I wish you would do this..." These are the traps that we all fall into and we end up doing something that we may have never wanted to do or that would make us someone that we are not. Please Lord, speak to these students and everyone in this season.



On the 7th day the Lord rested from all of the work that he had completed. As the 7 days of completion were demonstrated by students last night, the last one just stuck out to me today. God rested on the 7th day. This is a huge reminder to me that I need to take a day of the week to rest. I work so hard on the other 6 that I need to rest, take a sabbath and keep that day Holy as God did. Too often I am running, running, running and I get run down. I get so run down that I am exhausted and not even wanting to hang out with anyone or talk to anyone. That is not a good state to be in. Luckily that hasn't been the case lately but it was a wake-up call last night that I need to continue to take a day of rest and just kind of "chill". Thank you Lord for the amazing things that you are teaching me in this season. I pray for the middle schoolers and all the leaders that they get rest and that they don't try to be someone they are not. I pray for protection over them. Thank you for your creation and your works. I love you Lord!