You Could Be A Saint!

    Anyone can be a saint. There is only one requirement: Believe! 
No way? Yes way! God has been reminding me that every single person is called, but few choose to respond. But what is the call?

    In the original Greek "saint" means  "to set apart, " "sanctify, " or "make holy."  In the Old and New Testament's alike, we are made set apart by faith. In the Old Testament we see this in Genesis 15:6.

 "Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness." (HCSB) 

It helped me understand this better by looking at another translation:

 "Then Abram believed Yahweh, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abram’s approval by Yahweh." NOG

    How does this tell us Abram became a saint? The HCSB version says Abram was "credited" with righteousness.  Righteousness means "The quality or state of being righteous; holiness; purity; uprightness; rectitude." This definition parallels with the previous definition of "saint". Abram entered into "sainthood" when he believed the LORD. It was nothing he earned, unlike the "credit" system we are familiar with, rather it was freely given with no credit checks. This blows me away!

    As a result of righteousness we recognize that we aren't naturally righteous. Sin is what builds a wall between us and God. To keep lines of communication open we need forgives from our blemishes. Even in the Old Testament this holds true. Before Jesus, a blood sacrifice was required by God, to God, from His people.  
In Leviticus 4:27-31 we see how forgiveness is obtained:

 “If any member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, 

when they realize their guilt  and the sin they have committed becomes known, 

they must bring as their offering for the sin they committed a female goat without defect.  

They are to lay their hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering.  

Then the priest is to take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.  

They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the fellowship offering,

 and the priest shall burn it on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

 In this way the priest will make atonement for them, 

and they will be forgiven."

 In Isaiah hope of another way is promised to God's believers:

"He was wounded and crushed

    because of our sins;

by taking our punishment,

    he made us completely well.

The Lord decided his servant

    would suffer as a sacrifice

to take away the sin

 and guilt of others.

Now the servant will live

    to see his own descendants.

He did everything

    the Lord had planned.

By suffering, the servant

will learn the true meaning

    of obeying the Lord.

Although he is innocent,

he will take the punishment

    for the sins of others,

so that many of them

    will no longer be guilty.

 

The Lord will reward him

with honor and power

    for sacrificing his life.

Others thought he was a sinner,

but he suffered for our sin

 and asked God to forgive us." 

 53:5, 10-12 CEV

    Jesus' blood was spilled as a sacrifice to save us from what makes us "non-saintly". When we believe in the death, burial and resurrection Jesus Christ, and ask Him to forgive us for the sins He paid for, we break down the wall separating us from God. The loving sacrifice of Jesus' sinless life frees us from the death our sin earned us.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus." 

Romans 6:23

    God promised us a free gift of Eternal Life for our belief in the One He sent. The present was wrapped in humility and love, and it was presented to us as Jesus' life, burial and resurrection. When we believe in the One God sent, we are sanctified into saint-hood. 

 "Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6

As a result we are humbled to repentance before our loving God and Savior. When we ask to be forgiven, we are, because Jesus already put it to death. We merely need to accept His lavish gift.

    Today, all who believe in Jesus are credited as saints before God. There is nothing we can do to earn that right. Paul, Peter, Luke, Mark, Matthew, Thomas, Andrew and John the Baptist are all men regarded as saints for the life they lived, but I tell you that the actions of their lives did not make them saints in God's eyes. Their choice to follow Jesus, made them saints before God. They are truly just as special as you. We are all people created in the image of God, to love Him and live for Him. If you responded to Jesus' call to follow Him then you are set apart as a saint in God's Heavenly Kingdom! Amen! How great is our God? Praise Him all the more :-)

  Though believing in Christ as Lord of my life, He has pulled me out of the rut I willingly climbed into. I was angry and bitter towards nearly everyone I came in contact with. I was selfish and prideful. I lived to please my own wants though pleasure and control. But that left me empty and more bitter. Jesus saved me from myself. He forgave me for living for myself. My heart now longs to serve everyone I see each day. I want to brighten their day though the love I have been given. Life is hard. Everyone faces challenges daily that I do not understand, but I am familiar with life's struggles. Is it really that hard to give them the benefit of the doubt and be kind to a rude person? Before Jesus, yes, it was to hard. But now He gives me the strength I need to love people, when they aren't lovely. I am not lovely either, merely loved. A love that big I must share! That love gave me the purpose I was longing for. This love is Jesus!

    Thank you for reading what God has put on my heart. I pray He amplifies my words to bring Himself honor in your life. Jesus loves you <3 He continues to change me from the inside out. Believe and He will do the same in you :-)

Road Rash of My Tangled Heart

I am currently involved on a study of James. The majority of what we have read focus on hard times, the heart and the tongue. God has been speaking to me greatly and encouraging me into action. I would like to share the verses that He is using in my life.

James 1:19-20 NASB
 "This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God."

James 3:3-5 NASB

 "Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue  is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire. And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell."

James 3:14-18 NASB

 "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in you heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthy, natural (sensual), demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits (see Galatians 5:22-23), without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

    God has been reminding me of the power of words. I quite often let my words get the best of me. Many times my mouth doesn't point to God, rather it points to the weaknesses in my heart. My attitude needs to be like Jesus, and I fall very short of Him. Keeping my snappy thoughts in, and asking God to change my heart is proving to be a struggle. My personal nature often overrules God's desire for my choices and the unpleasing worlds rush out of my mouth. Yet, I know with Him nothing is impossible. He will never give up on me no matter how many hundreds of times a day I fail. I praise Him for His unfailing grace and mercy that I so desperately need!

  He is also working in me to follow His will. He is comforting me that the lack of His presence results in ciaos. Disorder is a sign of human nature being in control. When I surrender something to God, that area will be filled with peace and goodness. This is guaranteed because He is pure and gentle. Why do I daily choose ciaos over peace? Why do I think I know better then my Creator and Savior? Comfort in in surrendering to His loving plan for my steps, words and actions. There is a constant battle with in me between my human nature and the Spirit of God. Thankfully, Jesus already won that battle. In reality, I simply need to let go and celebrate in His victory by living a life of faith. Why is the simple so hard? The following verse explains this spiritual battle.

Galatians 5:16-25 NLT  

"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. 
Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants.
 And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. 
These two forces are constantly fighting each other, 
so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 
But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: 
sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility,
quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, 
dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. 
Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not 
inherit the Kingdom of God.

 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: 
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 
There is no law against these things!

 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.  
Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives."

Words by Hawk Nelson

I'm A Little Tea Cup

    Recently, at Bible study, we took a step back to be led by God. We each smashed a lovely tea cup against the unforgiving patio, in a harmony of chimes.  These battered beauties undoubtedly needed love. So, we took them in and assessed the damage. Through this we were called to reflect on our life and pray. This simple task elevated to His holy stage. What loving insight did He want to share tonight?
    Imagining my life as a tea cup was very fitting. I once was innocent and whole, but I am broken. I have fallen. I have made bad choices. I have had bad intentions. I have fell short of His perfect plan for my life. I tried many times to pull the pieces of my life together, but I only have two hands. I can only hold a few pieces at a time. I can't love others as God loves me, while holding tight to my past, present and future. How can I run well with my arms full of doubt, shame, disappointment, and regret? I have spun and smashed my tea cup through life, with my limited understanding of my value in God's eyes.
    My self-service was what shattered my tea cup.  In an attempt to build my own life truths, I encouraged new cracks. Some of my choices hit me so hard, slivers of me have been completely destroyed. I will never be able to rebuild my life.  My original shape has been ruined by my own agenda. 
     Unknowingly, I developed comfort in my ways. There are areas in my life God desires to restore. Some of them I am unaware of. I am naive to many of my jagged edges. However, there are others I don't want changed. After all, it's not that bad, right? Nope. God is completely perfect. Even one scratch tarnishes perfection. None is better or worse than the other in God's eyes. While there are some cracks God is working on healing, now. Praise be to Him that there are some He has healed. Relationships have been restored. Stress and anxiety has been confronted. Doubts have been removed. Frustrations and anger have left my heart. He is freeing me from myself through His soothing love.
    Temptation often gets the best of me. Frequently, while He is mending me, I fall back into my own desires. Sometimes it is habit and I unintentionally repeat it again. In other cases, I resist healing because I don't want to deal with it yet. I'm not ready to change. Satan knows my weak spots. He plays dirty. There is no low-blow he won't inflict. He is always there to put thoughts in my head to pull me into my own pleasures and away from God. He convinces me it is no big deal. I can always change later. In the mean time, he intends to crack me more. 
    Jesus died to be the glue that holds my shards in place. No matter what Satan does to break me, he will never beat my Savior. I believe Jesus paid for my life with His selfless example of surrender and love. He loved me by giving up His life for me. When I acknowledge my need for Jesus' sacrifice before God, and ask to be forgiven for making choices against His will, He immediately removes that burden from me. He forgives without question. Jesus died so that I could be forgiven. "He personally carried (my) sin in His body on the cross so that (I) can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds (I am) healed" 1 Peter 2:24 edited NLT.   Jesus holds me together, freeing me to run with ease and joy.   
    Through meditating on my life, through gluing this simple tea cup back together, God revealed to me His faithful love. I have made mistakes. He knows I will continue making mistakes until I die, but He still loves me.  I need to let Him make me new.  He is not finished with me yet.   I  need to let go, trust and embrace His plan. "'My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,' says the Lord. 'And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts'. " Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT. My understanding is very limited.  I need to seek hard after His plans and trust Him, through faith, that He knows best. Living for Jesus means a life of faith. To live outside of myself is only something God can make possible. I can not save myself. I can not free myself from the confusion and shifting ways Satan uses to trap me but He can! I have to let Him in, to change me from the inside out. 
   I will always need more refining to be made more like Him. It won't be easy, but it will be a blessing. Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) encourages me in saying "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."  I have gaps, overlaps and holes. God sees my imperfections and faithfully works on me.  As long as I live I will have cracks. I won't be made completely whole until I reach Heaven. However, the openings are not bad. In fact they are a blessing! He fills my cup with His love and it pours out through the cracks in my broken life and out into the world around me.
    God's spirit compels me to share how Jesus has and is changing me from the inside out. To explain the changes in my life, I have to openly share where I have been and the ways I went wrong. Those are my cracks. But Jesus saved me from my past! I am continually being transformed and I pray I will continue to embrace His healing grace. I will never look at a tea cup or a person the same again. God has softened my heart with His love yet again.

 

Freedom is For Real

    This past weekend Justin and I went to go see the new Captain America. The main plot of this movie is that power corrupts even with the best of intentions. As humans we have this need to control, to keep things within our reach. Captain America stands for true freedom, meaning to live independently, with out hindrance. Even the good guys try to provide freedom within their guidelines.Captain America serves to keep the free, free indeed. In this movie he restored "order" by demolishing the immediate forms of restrictions built against the American people. This begs the question, is it possible to have freedom in today's world or is it just a good movie? 
    There is so much hate, anger and frustration all around us. Politics don't exist to serve the people, rather the entire opposite. They exist to serve themselves, and to conform others into their view. We have a hard time accepting other opinions, and feel the need to impress our "rightness" on others. Often this is done by any means necessary. The "I'm right. Your wrong" mentality is so prevalent. So, how can we be one? How is peace possible?
    Well, frankly, it's not. The main reason is that we are self-serving by nature. It literally takes a miracle. Have you ever watched a child? They have to be taught to share. By no means is it natural to put others before ourselves. Look around you. Today's lifestyle is about instant gratification, and self truths. Who has more, who knows more, who looks better and on and on. Is it possible to break out of that mundane cycle society calls "living"? Is there even any other way? Is there any way out?
   I have tried living for my own truths. I have followed the opinions others had on how I should live my life. I have lived for the moment. I have lived for myself. I have lived to know more, do more, feel more. Never did I find freedom in self service. Not once did I find joy or peace inside. How can we expect to rescue ourselves when we don't (and can't) comprehend the vastness of life? In the same regard, how can we expect another person to give us the answers? How can they lead us into freedom when they themselves only have their own fantasy of what it means to them?
    At the end of the movie, in the credits, an outside evil power is revealed. The moment has arisen when he has his chance to mold the world into his fantasy. He holds the power to rule as he sees fit. My point is this, there will always be another ruler. We all have opinions and many believe they can make the world a better place if only they were listened to. In many cases in history, and currently, people will do what ever it takes to be heard. Even if fear is the motivating factor, they perceive success. 
    So, is there any hope of change? The answer is "yes"! There is another way! There is only one Ruler who has been the same yesterday and forever. He will never change or become corrupt. We can count on Him. The catch is we need to abandon our selfish nature. There is no need to fear loosing control, because His power is greater then our understanding.  "I want you to know about the great and mighty power that God has for us followers. It is the same wonderful power He used when He raised Christ from death and let Him sit at His right side in heaven." Ephesians 1:19-20 CEV. What power have you ever seen that can literally overpower death? 
    In the same way His love for you is so deep that He is literally in capable of deceiving or leading you in a bad direction. He promises us this, if we follow His perfect guidance: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV 
    When we make the personal choice to live in the death of Jesus Christ, life is no longer the same. The cycle is broken "if you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 NIV You will be free to serve the merciful and loving Creator, and live with Him in eternity instead of experiencing death. This is best explained in Romans 6. I would encourage you to read it in its entirety, but here is a handful of it. 

 4 When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father.

5 If we shared in Jesus' death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him. 6 We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin. 7 We know that sin doesn't have power over dead people.

8 As surely as we died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him. 9 We know that death no longer has any power over Christ. He died and was raised to life, never again to die. 10 When Christ died, he died for sin once and for all. But now he is alive, and he lives only for God. 11 In the same way, you must think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But Christ Jesus has given life to you, and you live for God.

12 Don’t let sin rule your body. After all, your body is bound to die, so don’t obey its desires 13 or let any part of it become a slave of evil. Give yourselves to God, as people who have been raised from death to life. Make every part of your body a slave that pleases God. 14 Don’t let sin keep ruling your lives. You are ruled by God’s kindness and not by the Law.

    Jesus is the real life Captain America. He lived, and died, to preserve our spiritual freedom! That freedom's only hope for preservation is to give our personal desires to Him as a response to the greater sacrifice He made for us. Have you experienced guilt, shame or regret when you have messed up? Do you recall how bad that feeling is? So, take that feeling and times it by every mistake you have made. What if you had to feel every mistake you have ever made in one moment? Can you imagine how that feels? Now, imagine that feeling multiplied by ever person who has lived, is living and will exist. How massive is that pain? I can't even imagine that feeling. That is exactly the feeling Jesus felt on the cross, in addition to the physical pain of torture, beatings and crucifixion. He experienced that for you, because the love of the Father is endless. He lived a life as an example of how to overcome human nature and live according to the will of God.

    God has a perfect plan for my life and yours, but we have freewill to make our own choices. He lets us live as we choose, because there is no freedom if you are forced to follow. One of the options we have is to trust Him and have faith in His perfect love by striving to let go of our agenda and align with His will that we can have "a hope and a future".

    I am still living for the moment: the moment God has given me to serve Him and all people. For the moments God breaths life and hope back into a hurting heart.  For the moment I go to live in His presence forever! For the moment when Jesus comes back! Living for God's truths instead of mine has freed me from the mundane. I have hope and peace in my life. He plays no favorites. He longs to transform you life through His love and forgiveness, as well.

    The whole world won't change, but one by one some will hear the truth, instead of old familiar lies. You could be one of those lives that is set free from self-serving rulers of personal fantasies. Instead you can live in love, grace and mercy, thought the free gift Jesus Christ offered though His death, burial and resurrection. That is where true freedom is given. Freedom is a choice. What will you choose?

"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are bring saved it is the power of God" 1 Corinthians 1:18 Insight is freely given to those who have faith in God through belief in Jesus Christ. No on who seeks is denied, because He is a gracious God who is deeply in love with YOU!

    To learn more we would love to see you come to Manchester Christian Church's Easter service at the JFK Coliseum at 303 Beech Street, Manchester NH (8 am, 9:30 am 11 am or 12:30 pm) to find out about the power of God and how it saves! There is everything to gain!  What do you have to loose? Swing by! Or check it out online at http://www.manchesterchristian.com/newhome.aspx. There is an archive of past services and the Easter service will posted in the next day or so.

God designed humanity to be one. There is hope because God has always had a plan and always will!

My Testimony of a Transformed Life

Let me tell you how God moves and loves. His love literally has transformed my life forever!
I grew up as the oldest child in a newly Christian home. We went to church every Sunday since I was 5 years old. I attended Sunday school, many Christian day camps and youth groups. My family all ate dinner together and prayed before each meal.

Half way through 7th grade until 12th grade, I attended Christian schools. And no, I was not forced. I asked my parents to transfer me. I wanted it so bad! Some how, God made a way.

Around my junior year of high school, I began to question what I had been taught. I developed many doubts and saw many flaws in the people all around me. I started to feel like it was all a bunch of charades and cliche phrases. My plan for college had been to pursue being a missionary. Once it came time to apply to schools, I decided to go to culinary school instead.

  During college, I fell away from everything, even my family. I lived how I wanted. I started to feel empty. The more excitement and experiences I tried to fill my life with the less satisfied I felt. I grew very annoyed and frustrated. I was draining the life out of myself. I became like a frog in a pot. The heat kept rising steadily and I didn't notice, and eventually I was cooked.

I tried to find my satisfaction in pleasing guys. I wanted to feel needed and cared for. I was going to be the one they would remember. I got exactly the opposite of importance. I became used.

After I graduated college, in 2011, I got a job at a small diner. On my first day, I met Justin, as a customer. I shortly found out that he worked there too. He was going to be my next "conquest", if you will. I was going to do everything right, this time. I was going to be everything any guy ever wanted. I anticipated a great fling with him. I had nothing serious on my mind.

Then, as I mentioned in my first post (Sparks Fly: Love Makes A Way), God totally rattled my world. "One night, while we were out on one of our regular wandering drives, I became so utterly overwhelmed by how much I loved him! The feeling consumed me, and I was amazed I could feel this much. It was especially crazy to feel all this for someone who was still more a stranger then anything else. Then, as if the latter was a slight-of-hand decoy, a second, more powerful wave crashed over me: "If this deep love for a near stranger is possible, God's love for me must be massive!" The second thought was more surprising then the first. I hadn't considered God in a number of years. After knowing each other for 6 months we moved in together. Little did I know this decision would change everything.

I started thinking about God more and remembering things I had been taught. I prayed a little but nothing meaningful. It was mostly about how I wanted God to serve me. One night, after about a year since I had that overwhelming realization about God's love, He rocked my world again. It was late and Justin was already asleep. I was very restless and began praying. Through that prayer, God lead me to ask for forgiveness for the first time in years. A wave of relief washed over me, and I literally felt weight lifted off of me. Tears streamed from my eyes. I was made new again! All the emptiness I acquired was actually a pile of spiritual baggage I was lugging around. I felt empty because I was building a wall of sin between God and I. That "God  shaped hole" inside of me steadily grew bigger. From that moment of forgiveness on, my life began to slowly change. That hole was filled again. I could feel God's presence, like I used to. I could feel Him in the wind and nature the clearest. It was how it used to be for me. I loved it! I was coming back to life.

I started going to church sometimes in the spring of 2013. It was a hard transition. Sunday was our special day together as a couple. Justin didn't like it and didn't understand why I was doing this. I wanted to share this part of my new life with him so bad! I felt helpless to explain it. I didn't know how to show him, but I had a deep peace within me that he would find what I found. I just needed to have faith that my God can do the seemingly impossible. Some how, I knew that it would take something huge, like a rug pulled out from under his feet, for him to see it.
   
    I told my mom that I didn't want it to be me. I didn't want something drastic to happen in our relationship or in his life for that matter. I was scared for what was coming. I prayed that I wouldn't be anything to do with his mom or his brother. They are the two most important people in his life. My second fear was that something would happen with his job. Praise God that none of those scenarios happened.

Weeks before this conversation with my Mom, God had calling me to move out. I fought it for months. Eventually, I couldn't any more. I moved back home just before Christmas of 2013. Our relationship became the biggest roller coaster ride ever. He thought I was moving out because I didn't love him any more and I wasn't satisfied in our relationship. He thought he had done everything wrong. That was the furthest from the truth. It was because I love him so much I had to move out and obey God. God blesses obedience and faithfulness. I knew if I trusted God with my relationship He would do the rest. I began praying for Justin and for us, as well as asking other to do the same. Facing the fact that this choice to follow God could take Justin away from me, forever, was the hardest reality to face. If it took this painful step of faith to point him God's way, it was going to be worth it. Even if it was years down the road, and I never knew, it still would be worth it. That thought was a great motivation to cling tightly to God's promise to blessings from obedience. To Him be all the honor and praise for His faithful love!

God has not only transformed our relationship and made it the best it has ever been, but he has changed Justin's life forever. In January, Justin asked Jesus into his heart, and to forgive him for the things he did against God. On February 2nd, Justin took a step of obedience and got baptized, proclaiming to the world that Jesus is his Lord. On March 9th, God answered another prayer. We got my Dad's blessing to be married. God has also blessed us with a wonderful pastor friend who has offered to provide us with premarital counseling. Throughout the stress of the initial transformation Justin and I went through, Pastor Bob was there praying and encouraging us. God used him greatly in our lives then and is still continuing to do so today.

God has not only transformed my heart and Justin's, but has made our relationship new and vibrant. On top of that, my relationship with my family is better then it has ever been! He provide me with a new job that literally fell in my lap at the exact time I needed it. This job allows me to love and serve people with His hands everyday. I can see Him stirring in that place. It is only a matter of time until people see Him and are saved.

Now, I live on a road that strives to build God's Eternal Kingdom, instead of living to fulfill my personal pleasures. In letting go of my wants, God has been more then faithful in satisfying my needs. Matthew 6:20-26, 30b says,

"I tell you not to worry about your life. 

Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. 

Isn't life more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky! 

They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. 

Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. 

Aren't you worth more than birds? He will surely do even more for you! 

Why do you have such little faith?"

God is faithful to all who thrown themselves into His merciful love and grace.

I am no longer empty. He has filled my heart with life, love and joy! Each day is truly a blessing to live for Him. It is a constant process of letting go of myself and moving closer to His plan for my life. I know He created me with a purpose that only my life can complete. I look forward to this journey through life with Him. I am so blessed that He has given me Justin to take this trip with and a family and friends that provide great encouragement. I am confident that He is going to use us in a mighty way. I am even more sure that He will do an even mightier work behind the scenes in our personal life. His love is truly amazing! It is steady and unchanging.

    If God never sent Jesus to save me, my life would still be empty. One of my favorite verses before I left God was Romans 5:8. It says,

"But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, 

even though we were sinful."

Praise God for loving me even when I lived without Him in my life. He was still by my side, trying to hand me true life through Jesus. I promise He is doing the same for you. Right now, as you read this He has His arms open wide to accept you and make you new. He always has been and always will be.

   He has a plan for everyone's life that can only be accomplished when we choose to live for Him, instead of ourselves. This truth is promised to us in Jeremiah 29:11:

 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, 

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 

plans to give you hope and a future." 

It is true! He has and is and will continue to do this in my life and is waiting for you to let Him do the same in yours. Please, let Him show you His great plan for you life. I promise you will not be disappointed; rather you will be so satisfied and overflowing with perfect love and peace.

Enemy by Newsboys

To Live is to Surrender

    There are so many directions I could move my life toward. I could strive towards money, love, popularity, spirituality, companionship, success, knowledge, adventure, fitness, creativity...the list is endless. How can I know how to navigate my life? I want to feel meaning and in purpose everything I do. How do I find true happiness and satisfaction in this crazy  life?
    What defines happiness and satisfaction? Dictionary.com defines happy as "delighted, pleased, or glad" and satisfaction as" contentment" meaning "ease of mind". How can I achieve peaceful delight?
    I have tried to find happiness in pleasing people, by going out of my way to mold myself to what I think they want  me to be. I felt that doing that would produce my purpose, because I would be needed. Instead, I got used to serve their personal gain, and I was still meaningless-just a means to an end. How can that cycle be broken? Where is my value found?
    God has shown me that my value is in my design. Ephesians 2:10 says "God planned for us to do good things and to live as He has always wanted us to live. That’s why He sent Christ to make us what we are". My Creator made me with a purpose in mind, and I won't  achieve my purpose until my will is subject to His. True satisfaction is found in the One who is intimately in-tuned with your design. There is one relationship you were literally designed to have. http://www.hutchcraft.com/yours-for-life/presentation/alpha. In that is where our purpose is found.
    Genisis 2:7 says "The Lord God took a handful of soil and made a man. God breathed life into the man, and the man started breathing". Our very breath, the rhythm of life, is God's. When I use my gift of life to serve the One who gave it to me, my purpose is found. I find an ease of mind even in mundane areas of life. 

    I used to feel annoyed and overrun at work, but now I have joy! I used to rely on my own thoughts and ambition to get my through each day, but that left me exhausted and unsatisfied. Now, I give each day to the One who gave it to me. The results have been remarkable! He shows me how to be patient with difficult customers and serve them with His loving-kindness. 

    God has proven to me that to live a full life, I must allow Him to empty me of my own selfishness, and fill me up with His love and grace. The more areas of my life I let  go of and give to God , the more He leads me to true satisfaction. Ephesians 2:10 says "God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. That’s why he sent Christ to make us what we are". To let go and trust God that He will always lead me to a better plan, then I have for my own life, is so freeing! 
    I am free to live without worry of pleasing people. Now I can serve people with God's love and never again be used and meaningless, because my value is in my Creator.  The best part is that my Creator also created you! He has a plan for your life. He cannot wait to guide you into a fully satisfied and delighted way of life. Serving Him by reaching out is the ultimate purpose built into every humans design. God has changed me from the inside, out. My heart has changed and as a result my thoughts are transformed, leading to actions of His love for all of His creation.

   
"A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
Should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace
Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise
Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart, in my soul
I give you control
Consume me from the inside out
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out

Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring you praise
From the inside out
Lord my soul cries out"

    Many times this song has pulled me into deeper surrender to the One who gave it all for me to know Him. Imagine how much He would move in your life if you let go and let Him. Nothing could ever stop Him from caring for His people. His grace and mercy covers every mistake I have made. He is the lighthouse for my soul to navigate me though life. I will never again loose my purpose, because it is found in seeking His will above my own, through the flawless example of Jesus Christ. He is my peaceful delight, because I am His valued masterpiece!

                         For more inspiration about your "Untouchable Worth" check out
       http://www.hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-hard-times/untouchable-worth-5585

 or 

watch this video Anything But...Surrender.

Sparks Fly: Love Makes A Way

    The end of my first ever blog post (on AmandaCheryl190) goes as follows, "I'm standing at a new door. I never thought I would make it to college, never mind be ready to graduate. My cap and gown is hanging up in my closet, along with a cord, pin, and medallion showing my accomplishments. Whats behind the door? Where will I go next? Who will I meet? I'm ready to turn the doorknob and walk through in to an endless world of opportunities! So many new adventures, experiments, people, and stories. At the very least there will be a new circle of society to people watch ;-)". I never could have imagined what was next.

    My whole childhood worried a lot about peoples opinions. As I grew, I still hadn't leaned enough about myself, or life, to really own my views. I just wanted to fit in. How was I supposed to think in order to be included? I never really felt excepted by society. I never felt I belonged. Where was my place in this big, wide world?

    In college said I would live with no regrets. My first blog is even titled "One Step Stronger: No negative experiences, only learning one adventure at a time :-)" I was going to build my life however I wanted. Nothing would leave a negative impact. Life was going to be one big adventure of building my list of accomplishments, so I could say my life amounted to something. At least I had fun. At least I would have a story to tell.
    The stories I was gathering weren't making me feel more accepted. They more stories I told, the more judged I felt. I wanted to be like everyone else, to do things everyone did, so I could make a connection. Why did I still feel disconnected? What do I have to do to be "in"?  I felt lost in a whirlwind of questions, hopelessly looking for answers.

    During college I put up blocks in the lines of communication with my family, and after I did the same to my friends. I didn't know what I wanted, but I did know I didn't want to hear even half of another opinion of what I should do. I just wanted to be left alone. Alone!  I wanted to hear myself think. How to accomplish that was the bigger task. 

    There were so many voices pounding in my head I didn't know which was mine. Many questions flooded my mind constantly: "Who am I?", "What should I do with my life?:, "Is there real purpose to anything I do?", "Does anyone really care?", "Did I make the right choice?", "Am I good at anything?","Can anybody hear me?". The questions are end less. My mind was utterly consumed with doubt, fear and bitterness. My mind was like a collection of many hamsters running on there own very squeaky wheel, filling me with confusion. I was literally at a stand still, "treading water" through life. I felt so empty

    School told me my degree meant I deserve credit. It made me entitled to value, to purpose. All the work I did and information I learned was going to be worth the cost. It was supposed to set me apart. Why didn't I feel like that?  Why did I feel invisible and insignificant?

    Then, I met Justin and my heart slowly opened. One night, while we were out on one of our regular wandering drives, I became so utterly overwhelmed by how much I love him! The feeling consumed me, and I was amazed I could feel this much. It was especially crazy to feel all this for someone who was still more a stranger then anything else. Then, as if the latter was a slight-of-hand decoy, a second, more powerful wave crashed over me: If this deep love for a near stranger is possible, God's love for me must be massive! The second thought was more surprising then the first. I hadn't considered God in a number of years. 

    He was out of my picture. Beyond that, I was very bitter towards the Church and everyone who called themselves Christian. I grew up in a young Christian home and attended almost 6 years in private Christian schools. In my late teens I saw hypocrisy and pride under every rock. I felt like it was all one big joke. I wanted no part in such trickery, so I ran. I lived to please myself in the moment. I would satisfy myself with a regret free adventure into my own pleasures. I would find my own "truth". Up until that moment in the car, I was living in my own little world. Then, God reached out and ignited a spark in my heart. Light made a tiny pin prick in my heart, and love began transforming my life! 

    What have you seen of God? Has He revealed anything to you? If not, how would your life change if He is real and is all the things the Bible says He is? What if everything you cling to now is a lie? Would you even want to know the truth, or would you like to stay where you are? Could there truly be a bigger purpose for your life? "So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks." Luke 11:9-10. Wholeheartedly ask, seek, and knock. He will move in your life, because He unconditionally loves you. He wants nothing more then for you for find Him. What amazing love!