Things 'Just Happen'

Acts 3:1-10: 

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.  

This has to be one of my favorite stories in the Bible. An honest to God miracle performed by regular people just like me. But as awesome as that is, that's not why I love this story. You want to know why I love this story? Well I'm gonna tell you anyway.

I love this story because the man who was healed could have easily  followed human nature and praised Peter and John for his healing, regardless of the fact they clearly state it is "In the name of Jesus". But does he? No. He praises the one who is worthy of it. He instinctively accepts that it is thanks to GOD he has been healed. 
So tell me... why don't we do that today? We pray for something, it happens. But so often we just shrug off that it was God's doing. We rationalize that 'things just worked out.' NO!!!Things did not just work out! 
Matthew 7:7

Ask,and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Whatever it is, it didn't just happen! It was a divine appointment! So long ago a lame man stood up and walked... LEAPED! and he praised GOD because he accepted that this miracle did not 'just happen'. Why do we have such a hard time accepting such things today?

The Joshua Generation

The Bible prophesies the coming of a generation that will love the Lord. A generation that will change the world for the better. This prophesied generation has come to be known as the Joshua Generation.

Psalm 24:5- This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face-- even Jacob.

Psalm 102:18- This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.

Who was Joshua?

Numbers 27:22-23- Moses did as the Lord commanded him; and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar [the priest] and before all the congregation. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the Lord had spoken through Moses.

Joshua was Moses' successor. He was a man deeply faithful to God and an honored leader. Joshua and his friend Caleb were the only two of twelve spies with enough faith in God's promise to believe they could take immediate possession of the Promised Land.

Joshua was chosen by God to complete the work of Moses. To bring God's people into the Promised Land of the Israelites.

What is a generation?
 Merriam-Webster defines a generation as "a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously". Which essentially means a group of people all born and living around the same time. 


What is the Joshua Generation?
Who is the Joshua Generation?
Why?
Jonny Diaz has a song called Prodigal Like Me that begins "Joshua blow your trumpets towards the walls around my heart, And you better bring your army come and tear my world apart"

The Joshua Generation is the generation that is going to bring this apathetic, dark, falling world jumping back to its feet and into the light with a passion for Christ that has never been seen before! The Joshua Generation is the generation that is going to bring God's Word to the world and His people back to the Promised Land! 

WE are the Joshua Generation. Right here. Right now. US!

Why do I believe we are the Joshua Generation?
Why not?! Look at our generation! As dark as this world is today, when was the last time you saw so many young people so on fire and SO passionate for Christ?! Never before have we had the access to the world like we do today. Never before have we had the tools we today. We have cars and trains and boats and airplanes. We have smartphones, and computers and the internet. We have medicine to battle virtually any disease anywhere that would be an obstacle to serving. Will all these things continue to improve over the years and be better for future generations? Sure. But what's stopping us from starting now? Nothing but our own hesitation!!! We can go anywhere. We can do anything. Why not do all things to His glory? How phenomenal would it be to be the fulfillment of a prophesy?! Reading the stories of the Bible is great! But why not become a part of those stories?!

People... WAKE UP!!! Time to get up and get moving.

WE ARE THE JOSHUA GENERATION.
Now... let's prove it.

Alone Even In a Crowd

~80 other girls in my dorm
~200 other students on campus
151 phone contacts
256 Facebook friends

I am completely surrounded by people.
Yet I am completely alone.

I just started college. I have been away from home before, no big deal. But this is the first time I've been away somewhere that I know nobody. At all. Every time I've been away from home before I've had somebody, whether it was friend or family, I have never before now been completely on my own.

A couple of days ago it really hit me how alone I am. I felt so, so lonely it almost felt like depression. I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry or go sprinting back to anywhere where I knew somebody. Yet all those people... literally hundreds of people, and I can count on one hand... a couple fingers really, those of them I felt safe enough to share my thoughts, my fear, my anxiety with.

I'm not a social person. I don't make friends easily. I rarely, if ever, admit this to anyone, but I am terrified of talking to new people, because the possibility of rejection scares me to death. I realized recently, after doing some research, I've developed a form of social anxiety because of this fear. Instead of taking the risk of talking to people to make new friends, I hide away in random corners or my room, keep to myself, and for all intents and purposes watch the world pass me by.

Then, the day I'm having all these thoughts, I get a text from a dear friend. Someone I know God has placed in my life to encourage me and keep me accountable. I open up the message and this is what I see:

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them. For the Lord your God goes with you, He will never leave you nor forsake you" pray and think on this verse today.. remember YOU are never alone
Isn't our God faithful?! Only He could have known how badly I needed that reminder that day. I lost count of how many times I went back to that message that day. I wrote the verse down in my best handwriting on some pretty paper and framed it and set it on my desk where I can see it every day. A reminder that I am not alone and if the people if this world reject me, it's okay, because I AM NOT ALONE, even if sometimes I feel like I am. I have a God who is faithful and present! How amazing is that? I just have to remind myself, whatever happens is His will and if someone rejects me, then they're not supposed to be in my life. I can do this. 

You Never Know When...

July 2013

... life is going to hit you in the face. Now for those few of you who know me, you know I haven't had the worst life, but it sure and anything hasn't been easy either. I've had some bad times, but remembering the good times is what really kills me. Most of the time those memories bring a smile to my face, but nights like tonight, I close the door to the bathroom, turn the fan on, and cry my eyes out.

Looking back on my life is a lot like looking at the ocean. Sometimes it's calm and serene, other times it's like a raging storm. Sometimes it makes me happy, other times is makes me sad. Sometimes it makes me feel like I'm connected, feel like I'm a part of something... and other times it makes me feel empty and alone.

I never know when nights like this are going to hit. Just the smallest things can set me off. A picture of my friends without me, a status on Facebook, a comment about some gathering I'm not going to be at... and I just break down and scream at God and ask why my life turned out this way, why I couldn't just stay where I was happy... and I know the answer. If I had stayed in that place in my life, I would've missed so many other things in my life, but that doesn't make the heartache go away. I still don't know what God's plan for me is, but I know He has one.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us: God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.

There are times I have a hard time accepting my life for what it's been, but my life is my testimony. My life is my story. And my life has made me who I am.

Missing Pieces

July 2013

"It was not the feeling of completeness I so needed, but the feeling of not being empty." ~ Jonathan Safran Foer

Last week a very dear friend of mine was married in Alabama and was a bridesmaid. I flew out early to help with wedding prep and spend time with her before the big day. I spent a week and a half with her, her family, and her community. She lives in a very small town in an even smaller holiness community. I'm a believer in Christ and I have attended church all my life, but I don't have any experience with holiness churches. Never in my life have I experienced the deep level of familial commitment to one another their community shares. At first I thought it was due to the fact that they've all grown up together, and to a point that's true. But the more time I spent among them, I began to realize the number of years they've all been together has very little to do with it. Their bonds are based on their commitments to God and truly biblical living.

The women do not cut their hair, and the men keep their hair short (1 Corinthians 11). Most of the women don't wear makeup. Everyone dresses very modestly (1 Timothy 2, 1 Peter 3). They are conscious of what they watch and listen to. They truly live by the guidelines of Romans 12: 2- "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." They live simple, biblical lives. And they love each other and they are happy.

I left feeling empty. Feeling... bereft and envious. I've never experienced the fellowship they share on a daily basis and I want it desperately... Their faith and their bonds with each other and make me want to be a part of it.

Never would I have guessed I would even consider making the decision to spend the rest of my life wearing skirts and not cutting my hair, but the simple beauty of it all is so appealing. I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my jeans quite yet, but my heart and soul feel empty when I think of my spiritual life compared to theirs. And if a simple life style change to adjust my focus would put me on the road toward sharing a fellowship I currently feel bereft of... it's a sacrifice well worth making. 

May 2013

"The most heartbreaking thing in the world is not knowing how to comfort one you love when they are in pain." ~Marissa Mattes~

Random Acts of Kindness

April 2013

So, I was having a pretty bad day today. No specific reason, just one of those days. And when I say no reason, I really mean no reason; the weather is gorgeous, I had a great day yesterday, and in general, things are good. I just wasn't feeling it today. I walked into town to run a few errands... didn't help my mood that I wasn't paying attention and made a wrong turn and ended up taking about a 2 mile detour with already blistered feet. But I got to where I was going and made a stop at the local drug store for a few necessities (not that you would care, but: face wash, lotion, sunscreen, sponge, mousse... and by that point I desperately needed something to drink).

Now, normally people who seem perpetually optimistic and happy bother me... I mean, can you say hello to reality? But for some reason, today that wasn't the case. The cashier was really nice. He asked how I was. But instead of accepting my generalized 'Good' and half-smile, he really looked at me and went, 'Really?' and I told him'Well, you know, just one of those days.' But the thing is, he took an interest. He paid attention and seemed to be genuinely interested... and not in a creepy way. We made small talk for a couple minutes and then I left. But as I was leaving he told me 'Enjoy the rest of your day. Stay beautiful.'

So, here's the part where I mention my hair was pulled back, almost severely so, I had no make up on, and I was probably kinda sun burned. Not exactly my idea of beautiful. So that simple comment, that basic act of kindness, totally made my day. I walked home in a much better mood and feeling quite simply happy. And just because a stranger in a store took the time to talk for a few minutes... to be nice.

Can you imagine how much better the world would be if people took the extra 30 seconds it takes to compliment somebody or help an old lady get something off the shelf at the grocery store? Because I can. And it's quite the picture.

So... how 'bout church?

February 2013

I was recently reading a conversation on a friend's FB status regarding church. Specifically, atheists going to church. For the sake of privacy, the people in the part of the conversation I'm sharing will be labled "A" and "B".

The original status (and I'm paraphrasing) was essentially "Why do atheists think they don't have to go to church because they're atheists if going to church is considered the 'right' thing to do?"

A: Because we're not going to waste our time doing something we don't believe in.

B: Well, what if you started dating a Christian girl and she wanted you to go to church with her?

A: I would go because I was asked. Regardless of beliefs, it's the polite thing to do.

In it's entirety, the conversation was much longer, but mostly comments were unrelated. This section of the conversation is the only part relevant to my point. I have a lot of acquaintances. I've lived a lot of places, and the reality is, the majority of my friends are not Christians. While this conversation was hypothetically speaking about a 'couple' it is not exclusive to that scenario.

How many people do you know that don't go to church? Professing believer, atheist, agnostic, whatever. Personally, I know a LOT. Now, how many of them have you asked to attend church with you? If you're like me the answer is, sadly, if any, not many.

Now, read that conversation again. A said that he would go to church... if only he was asked. While it was in reference to a romantic connection, the simple truth is, they would probably say yes if it was just a friend that asked them.

The fact is, an atheist, or non believer of any form, is not going to just walk into a church. It's intimidating. It's scary. The unknown always is. But what if someone asked them to go along? Invited them in? You know what makes the unknown bearable and a lot less scary? Support. Someone standing by your side.

So, think about it. Is it really that hard to say "Hey! You doing anything this weekend? Would you like to go to church with me and grab some lunch on Sunday?" The worst they can do is say no. But what if they say yes? It could be the first step to salvation for someone. And all you have to do, is ask one little question.

My Heart Trusts in Him

February 2013

I recently realized, as in a matter of minutes ago, that I have never explained the title of my blog. And point in fact, it's a very significant part of everything I write. The name comes from a verse in Psalms.

Pslam 28:7- The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.

The reminder in this verse that I am no longer my own person, that I am Christ's, that I am not alone, has gotten me through nearly every trial in my life since I cam across is roughly 5 years ago. It has shaped my life, and it has given me strength and comfort when there was non to be found.

I Love You

December 2012

"I love you" is not a question, so why do we feel like it requires an answer?

A friend of mine replied to this saying "When one says it, we feel the need to say it back because we want that person to know we love them back." And while I can completely see his point of view, I can also see another side to this.

When I tell you "I love you", while it is indeed nice to hear you say "I love you too", getting that response is not my intent. My intent is, quite simply, to let you know how I feel. It is not an obligation to respond, it's something that is meant to make you feel cherished, with no gain of any kind to me. It's a gift, a gift of affection, letting you know you hold a place in my heart and that I am trusting you with that place. <3 p="">