Been a while...

Wow, I really need to write in this thing more often!

My life has been going wonderfully, lately. I've gotten some sad new over the past few weeks but the shock has worn off and I'm moving forward. I decided about 2 weeks ago that I'll be coming back to Gettysburg for a second year of MC. I'm pretty excited and terrified at the same time, but God wants me here so I'm gonna give it a go. 

God's been doing some good stuff around here. Things are going great with Harvest Cry and The Hope Initiative. God's really been showing me that if you trust Him then He'll come through. I'm loving it.

HOPE

Strongholds

I went on a trip with the youth group of my church a few years back. The main "theme" of the trip was breaking strongholds that the enemy has on us. There are so many strongholds over us, it's insane. There is sexual strongholds, addictive strongholds, being overly critical, being malicious, doubting, worry, there are all kinds of desires and actions that we commit or want on a daily basis. No wonder there are so many people in the world who have given strongholds more power to keep them away from the one who can set them free from their strongholds.

We can't get anywhere by giving power to the strongholds in our lives. We will never be able to get even close to our full potential spiritually, by giving power to our strongholds. Staying in them and giving them power is just like cowering behind something and waving the white flag to the enemy saying you surrender. NO! We should never surrender to our strongholds. We are a country so stuck in our own sin, so stuck in our own strongholds that we can't see how deep we are.

The whole reason in saying this at all is that I've been finding in my own life that the deeper grounded you become in God the more He begins to show you the things that need to be "fixed" in your life. God has been showing me a lot lately in the aea of the strongholds in my life. I've also found that the more God shows me the strongholds in my life, the more I notice strongholds in other peoples lives. I find it incredibly annoying, but at the same time a blessing. Because when I'm being shown the things in my life i see things in other peoples lives that I might be able to offer help or comfort with.

I've been growing a lot lately. I pray that I would never stop. No matter how annoying things may get sometimes!

We Shall Overcome

I've been thinking a lot lately about being an overcomer. We all have things to overcome, whether it be addictions, abuse, worry, doubt, a past, or maybe even the present. We ALL have things to overcome.

The literal definition of Overcome is: "to get the better of in a struggle or conflict; conquer; defeat.
Another definition is: "to prevail over; surmount"
And another is: "to gain the victory; win; conquer"

There are countless accounts of overcomers in the Bible - Jacob, Jeremiah, David - and those are just a few of the MANY. Jacobs name was changed to Israel meaning "one who wrestles with God" and David even went from a shepherd boy to killing a 9 foot giant! There are countless numbers of people in the Bible who have overcome unbelief, overcome doubt, overcome unfaithfulness, overcome worry, overcome sinful lifestyles,

It doesn't matter what your struggling with. It doesn't matter what is trying to overcome you - YOU are the overcomer.

Valentine

I don't even think much about Valentines Day most of the time. Most years, it just floats by like any other small holiday. Christmas and Thanksgiving are exempt from this of course. They are amazing holidays...but the others are just kinda there - for me at least. 

I'm gonna make a change in that this year. Valentines Day is going to be important for me this year. It's going to be a day where I can focus, even more than usual, on my Father and who He is in my life. It's going to be a day where the twoof us can spend some extra time together. We can spend some extra time talking. I can spend some extra time telling Him how much I love Him and He can do the same for me. 

Love

I'm so happy I have LOVE.

So exstatically happy.

The Love of my God.

The Love of my Family.

The Love of my Friends.

How exceedingly blessed are we to have Love?

None of us deserve it in any form.

Yet we are.

Loved.

Amazing, Hectic, Wonderful week.

So the past week has been a blur! We've had so much to do its not even funny! Starting Wednesday we had to go out to Pennsburg for 7 Project at Upper Perkiomen HS. It was an awesome time. I really enjoyed myself! We had a small hold up on the way to Pennsburg though. Our van's brake lights decided that they wanted to go on early retirement. Not good when you're driving for several hours with a trailer! We found a machanics shop and decided to see what he could do. Turns out the wiring in the van was bad and he fixed it all up for us - and the best part is that he didn't even want us to pay him! He was pretty stinkin' awesome. As great as it was to have our van fixed an back on the road we still had a problem...we were an hour and a half late! 

We finally got to Pennsburg a little after 9pm. We completely missed setup - Sad day. We got settled with our homeopeners for the night and got some shut-eye. The next day was alot of fun. We all got to the church at 7:30am and got started. We were all assigned different jobs for the morning assemblies. I ended up helping with lights. It was so much fun! Changing the lights from purple to white and to all the different colors and patterns. I enjoyed it. It was also really nice to be able to hear all the different speakers stories and learn where they came from. First was Zack who is a skateboarder and has an incredible way of using his passion and talent to reach young and older people alike for Christ. Then there was Seth. He was one of the first white men in the Harlem Globe Trotters since the 1960's and he has an awesome talent for the game of basketball, and has an equally awesome ability to reach young people for Christ. 

We finished up both assemblies for the morning and started teardown. It was kind of fun and at the same time, hard. The church that was hosting 7 Project also treated us to lunch back at their church and it was pretty amazing. Lasagna, Garlic Bread and Salad followed by Apple Pie for dessert. Great cooking!! We got a chance to hang out with everyone for a few hours before we had to go back for the night rally. There are some great people associated with 7 Project. I really enjoyed myself that afternoon. 

The night rally was a-w-e-s-o-m-e! We had inflatables, we broke out the sumo suits and Zack did some skateboard jumps. It was alot of fun. Seth ended ital up by sharing his faith with everyone and telling them about Jesus and about salvation in Him. There was alot of talking, which is going to happen in any HS assembly, but there seemed to be alot of kids actually listening. It was nice to see. Seth ended things by giving an altar call of sorts. Tons of kids responded! There was atleast 80 to 100 kids surrounding Seth. He led them in a salvations prayer and then gave them an opportunity to pray themselves and or talk to any of the leaders. It was an awesome time. 

After everyone cleared out after a bit we helped tear everything down and get everything packed up. Once we left we were invited to a dinner somewhere in town but needed to get gas for the van first. Once we stopped at the station we realized our break lights were out again! We ended up having to stay in a hotel room for the night and let me just say that the Holiday Inn Express is an awesome hotel! I got a good nights rest. I think we all did! 

We came back Friday night and had family night at the Landis house, which is ALWAYS awesome. They are such good people. (Hey Charity! If you read this tell your parents they are amazing and Mama G's cooking is wonderful!) 

We also had a visiter at Freedom Valley this weekend. Johannes Amritzer was here from Sweden. He is an awesome man of God. I got the chance to hear him speak twice. Once at Freedom Valley and once at Bethel AG. It was awesome and I look forward to seeing him again in June at Harvest Cry!

God really showed me alot over the past week. He worked in me and through me in ways that He hasn't in a while. I thouroughly enjoyed it. My God is an amazing God!

Feeling good.

I've been having a really nice time lately. Over the past weekish I've been really content... just happy with how life is going. I've been hanging out and going places and just being happy. 

Thing have been going in a really good direction for me. I feel like God has just been subtly blessing me over the past several day and I love it. I love when God gives you those little things that make you happy and they are so small that you barely even notice. Just the little stuff. I find those to be the best kind of blessings. 

I think a lot of my contentness has been coming from blessing other people also. You'll never know how richly blessed your life can be until you bless other people. I love it. 

To make a long blog entry short - I've just been feeling good!

Sitting...

I've been thinking alot lately about the fact that I don't just sit with God on the regular. You know, just sitting by myself, not talking to anyone, not on my laptop, not on my cell phone, not watching the television - just alone, with no technology around, - just me and God. 

I'm actually sitting in prayer right now, thats what brought on the thought. An hour, three times a week, just isn't enough. It's an awesome start, but still not enough. I need to get with God for a while everyday, and if not everyday, atleast I could try. 

It's been a realization of mine for quite a while now, how we are so dependant on our technology. We think we can't live without our computers or our cell phones, iPods, GPS's, pagers, PDA's, wireless internet or FaceBook. Alot of us can't even go without using a calculator to do the simplest of math equations. How sad a shape are we in when we have gotten to this point? It's SO easy to let our stuff get in the way of God. It's so incredibly easy to let our laptops get in the way of God. How long will we let our stuff come between us and our Father?

It's a common joke now that we "can't do anything without getting on FaceBook first." One I heard a few weeks ago was, "famous last words: I've got to write this paper, but I'll just check my FaceBook first." HOW SAD IS THAT?! We are a technology dependant society to the point of it, honestly, being an addiction! I'm as guilty as the next person. I can't go an hour without having my cell phone in my hand or my laptop in front of me - and honestly, it's coming between me and my Daddy. Sometimes I even get on my laptop to look something up on BibleGateway and I'll end up on FaceBook, later to realize I've been on FaceBook for an hour and STILL haven't found the scripture I had intended to look up. 

I'm challenging everyone who reads my blog right now - including me - to take some time out of your day that you would normally talk on your cell phone or get on your laptop, even if it's just 15 minutes, and get alone and spend that time with God. Just once a day. You don't have to do it everytime you think of going online or calling someone, I'm not saying you have to become a hermit, just once, maybe twice a day. 

Do it. You might be surprised where it gets you. 

Nothing is impossible for You...

So I've been reading up on abortion lately and what President Obama plans on trying to legalize concerning the issue. I'm appalled. Obama  plans on trying to legalize every type of abortion in all 50 states and make them unlimited to anyone who wants one and for there to be no restrictions on them. 

I'm praying right now that Obama's heart will be changed and a redical revival will sweep the nation. Nothing is impossible for God.

Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. Its an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. Its a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing!! "Nothing is impossible with God"

God, I pray right now that You would change the heart of our president and that he would see the issue of abortion through new eyes. I pray that You would help the people of our nation to realize what a huge mistake we are making. I pray that people would realize the amount of people we are simply throwing away and the impact it is going to have on our future as a nation. How are we supposed to have a future generation if we are killing it? God, I just pray right now that You would send revival to America. I pray that You would sweep over everyone in this country and cause our people to realize their need for you. God I thank you so much for giving me such a blessing to be able to live in a country where I have the freedom to change the world. Amen.

From Your perfect hands 

You gave Your one and only son 

To save, we wretched people

So undeserving

Sitting under our steeples

We've done nothing to deserve it

Some don't even care

But I, Your lowly servant

Have striped myself bare

Of all this worlds problems

I decicate myself to you

You and only You

My life will be your masterpiece

And you will be the potter

I'm not really sure where this came from but i wanted to share. Love you guys.

Jesus, here I am, your favorite one.

What are you thinking?

What are you feeling?

I have to know.

So, I'm in prayer, and this song is playing on The Prayer Room, and it got me thinking about it. First, of all...I'm God's favorite me, and it makes me feel absolutely wonderful. I'm Gods favorite. There will never be anyone like me in the future and there has never been anyone like me in the history of humanity. I LOVE that thought. God made me a complete individual, not similar to anyone. When I think about it...how much of an insane amount of love goes into making us. God is SO in love with me, and I, somehow, overlook that sometimes. It remind me of that Misty Edwards song.

I'm in love with God and God's in love with me, this is who I am and this is who I'll be and that settles it. Completely.

Something else it made me think about too is the fact that God lets us know what going on with Him. He lets us know His thoughts and His feeling about us and about what we do and about what He does. That, in and of itself, is absolutely amazing to me. I could sit and think about it forever. 

John 15:14-16a

14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you...

My God loves me so much that He not only made me completely special but He also wants to be intimate with me, and how sad is it that I can't even bring myself to be intimate with Him all of the time.  It makes me so sad to think about how much He loves me and how much He cares for me, and how much time and effort He puts into me and that I, for some reason, can't. 

I'm comtinually trying new way to become more intimate with God. That's what I'm here for. That's the very reason I exist.

thinking again

So, I'm sitting here in Al De Salvatore's church with Add, Bee and Heather, to hear Add preach...and there is no Internet so I'm actually writing this in Open Office and more than likely by the time any of you guys read it I will have copied and pasted it to Blogspot. Not sure why I wanted to share that glorious information but maybe someone will find it as strange as I do.

Anyways, for some reason I feel the need to say how awesome God is at making sure my needs are met. I don't have any huge news like my college tuition has been paid or I'm getting a new car or anything like that, just so you won't get your hopes up, but I've just been thinking about it a lot more lately that I normally do. God has so richly blessed me it's not even funny. First of all I'm in Master's Commission and I'm not paying for a thing, now, you may say, “well that's not necessarily God blessing you, that's just your mom paying for you to be here”, and I know this because I've heard it before, but God is blessing me by allowing me to be here through my mom paying for it. Something else is the fact that I'm here and I've been placed with the most awesome home-openers ever. Not only are they allowing me to live in their house but when I had a really annoying, and completely out of my control, money issue, they took care of me until I got the money I needed in the mail.

Those are just two examples out of many, but I just thought I would share. God is so awesome that He blesses me through everything. Every little thing is a blessing from God. Waking up in the morning, having money in my wallet (no matter how much it is), being in MC, being alive, being able to have any type of food I could ever want right at my fingertips, I have amazing friends, my family is absolutely wonderful...honestly God has blessed me with so much I can't even think of it all.

I just felt the need to share. Lol. Love you guys.

Thinking...

I believe you made

All that I can see

So everything I want

Is You, Alive in me

Though I may be young

You said let the children come

So, I will sing

I'm not too small

To know you Jesus

As my Lord

So, I will sing

I will sing, for You

Only for You

Even if my eyes

Can not see You here

I believe You are

I know You're always near

Though I may be young

You said let the children come

So, I will sing

I'm not too small

To know you Jesus

As my Lord

So, I will sing

I will sing for You

Only for You

I was sitting here listening to this Hillsong Kids song, which I love by the way, and I was thinking about having faith like a child. I wish so bad to have that child-like faith again. 

I do Kids Connect on Saturday night now, and seven though I normally only do sound, I did worship with them tonight. It was one of the most awesome things I've experienced in a long time. Not only did 30 or more kids jump around and sing to Jesus, but being in the middle of it made me, somehow, feel like I could get that child-like faith back again. It's also so easy to let loose in worship when im around all the kids in Kids Connect. Kids always have this way of not caring who's around in worship. If they want to dance - they dance. If they want to jump - they jump. If they want to spin around - they spin around. Even if the just want to dance in front of the projector - they do it!

It always seems harder to worship when I'm around other adults. We always seem to be so judgmental towards others, and in turn, we feel like we are going to be judged for something we do or want to do, and I'm pretty sick of it. 

I'm making a point from this point to completely ignore everyone else in the room during worship, calm my thoughts and stand and worship the only one who is worthy to be worshiped. Connect deeply and intimately with the one who cares so greatly for me, I can't even fathom it. 

Your prayers are ALWAYS appreciated. 

So, I've not been having a good time in life lately - but, at the same time, I've been learning so much more about God than  I've ever realized was truth. I've felt so complainy, so whiney, and so pathetic, the past week or so - I can hardly stand myself, but I feel more open to help and more open to oppinions from other people than I EVER have. 

I'm just getting to the point in my life where I not only WANT to fix my junk, I'm DOING something about it. I'm working towards a goal. I'm working to deal with and get over stuff that I haven't yet. So, with that being said...it seems like everything is being dumped on me at once. 

One thing I'm having to do now is deal with my Dads death. May will begin the sixth year since my Dads death and I still haven't dealt with it. I'm not sure how to do it - but, with that being said, I got back from my Christmas break about a week ago to find out after a few days that a good friend of mine, from back home, had passed away. Not only did he pass away, but the way he died was the EXACT same way my Dad died...it was a hard blow. I didn't quite know how to deal with it, but this situation has cause me to meditate on an extremely important piece of scripture.

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together^[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28

I've heard this verse all my life, but I've never really thought about it this much. God uses EVERYTHING for good. God can use a situation like the death of my Dad, or the death of my friend to reach so many people. God could have easily reached hundreds of people from those deaths - and honestly, I know He did. 

This week I've basically just learned not to be selfish in these kinds of situations.

Even though I was extremely upset with both situations, God used them to reach people through everyones pain.

I'd really appreciate you guys prayers.