easiest and hardest

The rule that is easiest for me is "the desire to disparge." I love praising others and making them feel good about themselves. I don't think that anyone needs to be feeling down about themselves because there is something great about everyone! I love pointing that out to them and hopefully boosting their self-esteem! On the contrary, the rule that is the hardest for me is "focus on your strengths." So often I think negatively of myself, and don't look at the things that the Lord has blessed me with the talents or abilities to do. I always just focus on my weaknesses.

healthcare

First of all, I'll admit that I am really not "politically aware" at all. I know, it's really bad, but I'm just not interested in it, so I don't pay much attention to it. However, one might examine this political issue from God's point of view, by remembering that this really is not a political issue to God. I believe that it is a moral issue. The value of life is irreplaceable.

inadequate?

I agree with Hannah Whitall Smith's observation that service can become drudgery when we feel inadequate to do the job. In high school, when I was still going to my home church regularly, we did not have very many volunteers to help with the children's department. So, when I volunteered, I got signed up for so many things! I was teaching a 3-4 year old sunday school class, doing a lot to help with the choir, teaching a vbs class and it seemed like quite a bit more. I felt that this became drudgery because I felt like I was too young, and not capable enough to be put in charge of so many things. However, the Lord provided everything I need to do the job!

Ouch.

As much as I hate to say that I've done this...i have. I think sometimes I feel like I will look better or seem like a better person if I do volunteer work or just random acts of kindness, and although this may be true, it shouldn't be the reason I do nice things. In situations like this, I may not realize it at the time, but I'm actually not doing it to help others, I'm doing it to make myself look better. This can easily be fixed. (Well, easier said then done, of course!) The main thing I struggle with is depending too much of what people think of me. If we just realize that it doesn't matter what people think of us, it would basically eliminate this problem.

Oh, money!!

First of all, I hate money. I wish it didn't exist. I wish everyone could just be equal! However, I know it is necessary to live today. Money can lead to many great things, but in many cases, people fall too much in love with money and it turns into something bad. It completely consumes people. It is important in daily life and in ministry to be a good steward of the money that God has entrusted us with. We need to plan, budget, and pray about how we are to spend our money. God has given us the amount of money that we have for a reason, and we need to make sure we are using it how he wants us to.

Sowing together for harvest

The video that I watched was called, "A Canadian Journey".
Here is the link:http://vidego.316networks.com/player.php?v=e5adx367
A man named Gary Smith was called to minister in Toronto, Canada. Jarrett Hamilton, a church planter, planted Affinity Church in a Toronto suburb. With the help of Gary Smith and southern baptists giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, Affinity church was up and running! Now, because of help from southern Baptists, there is a Baptist church in that area. Without Baptists working together, it would have been really difficult for Mr. Hamilton to plant this church, and in turn further Christ's kingdom through that way. The generous gifts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering are making it possible to reach the most lost places in North America, and most of them happen to be in Canada!

Individual Leadership

I think it would be most relevant for my home church if we had more Individual Leadership. In my church there are not many people who, I guess, consider themselves "leaders", so there are not many people who volunteer to teach Sunday school or anything like that! Hence, it ends up being the same couple of people who are doing everything! If we had more individual leaders, we could have more ministries, and reach more people, and instead of a few people being spiritually worn-out, there would be a lot of people who are renewed! On the other hand, if this one area was overemphasized in my church, people could start becoming prideful in all the great things they're doing and all the wonderful ministries we would have available, instead of really focusing on the reason that we have ministries.

Formless Prayer

I'm more likely to err on being too formless in my prayer life as opposed to too formal. Sometimes I feel like I just pray when I need something or when I'm very happy. I often forget to leave time in quiet meditation, actually listening for what God has to say. I have a hard time remembering that prayer is not only speaking, but listening as well. Unfortunately, at times I feel like I forget how holy and magnificent God is and just talk to Him like any other person. To help me with this, I am going to write on index cards "Take time to Listen" and "Speak with Reverence" and put them in my Bible and taped on my wall above where I usually pray. Index cards are a great reminder and seem to work well for me in other situations.

Three Desires from God

Three things I desire from God:
1. To create in me a boldness to speak up! God has given me numerous opportunities to really make His name known, and I usually get scared. I chicken out!
2. I desire God to make me one with Him. I want to think like He thinks. See everything and everyone like He sees them. Treat everyone like He treats them. I want to be so much like Him that my whole "selfish self" doesn't even exist. I don't want people to see Galilee who has Jesus in her, but see Jesus, using Galilee as merely the vessel.
3. I desire peace. I'm a big worrier and an over-analyzer. I want Him to give me an unexplainable peace about my life.

Amazed by You

I spent the majority of my quiet time before the Lord in prayer and worship, just thanking Him for who He is. He is so amazing, and I am so in awe of all that He is and does. The Lord has been really speaking to me about not complaining, and I felt like He was leading me to spend time not asking for anything, but just praising Him. It was great. I also felt like this time of prayer and worship enabled me to be more open to what the Lord had to tell me for the rest of the day. It changed my whole attitude. It made me feel entirely at peace. I agree with Henri Nouwen on the idea that solitude is very important.

"Let praise flow from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees. Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right."
Psalm 119:171-172

Thanks, Kellie!

In her blog, Kellie Thompson wrote about how one of the most difficult things about complete surrender to our Savior is the thought that maybe something that we always planned on for our lives would not be part of God's plan for our lives. What if our dreams were not His will?! This post was very encouraging to read. It is a great reminder of how God is in control and we must trust Him! I think it's helpful for not only myself but for most Christians, because fully trusting God can sometimes be difficult. I always dream of having 5 healthy kids, being a stay at home mom, having a nice house, and so many other things, but reality is that I might not get any of the stuff that I dream about. God may want me to be a single woman with no kids. This is really difficult for me to be content with, but I trust God. He knows whats best!

I'm praying for you as you continue to surrender this area of your life, Kellie!

Always in Need

Right now in my life I feel most in need of contentment. No matter what the circumstance, it seems like I frequently catch myself thinking of something that I want or how something could be better. I always want to be prettier, have nicer clothes, a nicer car, a more outgoing personality, be more sporty, be a better public speaker, and the list goes on and on. I can always think of something. I know that I am very blessed to be the way I am, but I still struggle with this all of the time. I just have to remember that God is perfect, and He made me in His image!

The Power of Christ's Love

God is Love. The only reason I can love anyone or anything is all because of the great love He has for me. He not only loves me, but loves every other person in the whole world and sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins! It would be very difficult not to love someone who made such a huge sacrifice for you. He loves us, and it is only because of this that we even know what love is!

His love for me also enables me to love myself. I'm still overwhelmed by the thought of Christ loving me so deeply. I'm so unworthy. Feeling the love He has for me makes me realize that I am important and special, which in turn makes me love myself...because Christ loves me.

God's love for me enables me to love others. Sometimes I can get the tendency to think that some people don't deserve to be loved or are too rude for me to love, but then I remember that Christ loves everyone, and that I should too. Because of Christ's love, I am able to love others. He reminds me that everyone is equal and everyone deserves love.

Disciples

According to Jesus, the life of a disciple should be made up of these things:

• Repent of your sins and turn to God.
• Come, follow Me.
• Let your good deeds shine out for all to see.
• Love your enemies.
• Pray for those who persecute you.
• Be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect.
• Give your gifts in private.
• When you pray, go away by yourself.
• Store up your treasures in Heaven.
• Seek the Kingdom of God above all else.
• Live righteously
• Keep on asking, seeking, and knocking
• Do to others what you would like them to do to you.
• Listen and understand
• Honor your father and mother.
• Turn away from selfish ways.
• Take up your cross and follow Me.
• Love your neighbor as yourself.
• Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
• Keep watch (for you don't know when the Lord will come)
• Go and make disciples of all nations.
• Obey everything I have commanded you.

Making 'Little Christs'

Cornerstone Baptist Church, my home church, is effectively helping make 'little Christs' through the ministry of a soup kitchen. The Bible says that we are to care for the homeless and poor. Through the ministry of the soup kitchen, we are not necessarily preaching straightforward, but are showing the un-churched that we care about them, and that we are more than just people wanting to shove Christ down their throat. There have been several people so far who have started coming to church and have been very curious about Christ. Some of the broader ministry implications are that not only is Cornerstone providing a soup kitchen, but other churches in the community are volunteering to help! With their help, the soup kitchen could continue to grow and reach more people! It is so great to see churches coming together to not necessarily grow their own church, but to further Christ's Kingdom!


‘In the same way the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time.’ -C.S. Lewis

Giving it ALL

The most difficult part of giving everything I have to God is just that...giving EVERYTHING. At times, I feel like I've given everything I have to Him, but do I really give every single aspect of my life? I know I don't. I have a difficult time completely trusting in God to provide. For some reason, I feel like I, the poor, busy college student, can control what is going on better than the Almighty, All-knowing, All-powerful Creator. However, everyday, He continuously shows me that HE IS FAITHFUL and HE WILL PROVIDE. What a wonderful Savior!