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.