<
p>
I love opening gifts super slow. It not only makes me excited to find out what it is, but I like the look on the gifter’s face as they wait in anticipation for me to finally open their carefully thought out, and wrapped gift. It reminds me of how we should be eager to open the free gift that Jesus offers. Salvation to all those who believe.
Source: Christmas Gifts
Welcome back soldier. Here are some things you need to know about this war that we are in the middle of:
1) Your greatest weapon is prayer. When you see a downpour of fiery darts headed for you, get on your knees and ask the King to protect you. You’ll be surprised the countless times that He will willingly, without hesitation, throw Himself in the line of fire for you, leaving you unscathed.
2) Remember the battle is already won by the King, the enemy is just a sore loser and wants us to forget all that the King has done for us.
3) You have an equally important weapon. Your Sword. No matter how matted and dirty it may get, the blade is sharper than any weapon you have ever laid eyes on, and will remain that way. Never let it leave your sight. Not only is it your sword, but it is an instruction manual for anything you need to know or are confused about. Ask the King to explain it to you, and He will.
4) The King is the most patient, gracious, loving, and compassionate King you will ever encounter. Never turn your eyes from Him and you will do jut fine. I encourage you, young soldier, to learn more about Him and do what He does.
5) Don’t give up! There are many of us in this unit. Each of us are in it together. No matter how rough this terrain will get, we are here to pull each other through. No soldier is left behind.
6) Don’t get involved in civilian affairs. It is only a distraction. They won’t understand what the battle is like, but will want you to join them in everything you can imagine. Don’t get distracted. Keep your focus on the King and you’ll do just fine. Maybe, through your faith and trust in the King, others will join with us in the battle.
7) Never lose your tags. They are why you were called to the battle, why the King chose you, and they contain the call for the remainder of your life.
8) The King is always there for you. He isn’t afraid of your filth, He knew what He was getting Himself in by calling you to be a part of His inheritance, yet He still called you. He will be there to wipe away your tears, He is there to pick you back up when you fall, He will ALWAYS be there. Trust Him.
9) Don’t forget what you will learn along the way. Don’t forget what the King has brought you from.
10) Love those around you. Remember we’re all in it together. We each have our fiery darts, temptations, and storms to go through.
11) Keep moving forward towards the King. You’ll learn more as you go.
12) If it gets too dark to see in front of you, drop on your knees and call out for the King. He will shed light on the situation.
13) Look forward to the Kingdom.
——-
Lately the battle has been very rough for me. And it helps to remember that we are soldiers in a battle. We can’t see the enemy, but he sure has had time to study humans, he knows how to trick us into believing lies. BUT WE ARE VICTORIOUS IN CHRIST. Katie and I were talking about how in our group of friends, we are all battle-weary. But we are there to help each other. Lifting each other from the pits we fall in. Throwing ourselves in the line of fire when they are too tired to move on. Praying with each other. Reminding each other of the reason we are in this battle. There are millions out there who have NO CLUE that Jesus loves them, wants them as part of His family, Our family. Anyway… just wanted to share this.
Source: We’re in a Battle
First, I’d like to mention how surprised I am that Christmas is this weekend. I don’t think it has ever crept up on me this fast and this suddenly before. But I’m looking forward to taking a breather, taking my best friend Katie, and hitting the road (or in this case the air, since we’re flying), and visiting good ol’ Pennsylvania for Christmas! I am praying for snow, even though the weather forecast is predicting rain and sun… but God can change that! A White Christmas would be a superb way to spend a holiday with family.
As we prepare to abandon ship for a few days, there is much to do. Bags to pack, gifts to wrap, details to nail down, living arrangements to finalize, etc. I know God has it all under control, but it sure is rather stressful. But I am reminded of Philippians 4:6-9. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. That the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus forever.”
Praying you all don’t forget the reason of the season! Check out the sermon from The Village Church that we heard this sunday at Church. http://www.thevillagechurch.net/flower-mound/ (it may be a few days till it is available online, but it is amazing!)
Source: I’ll be Home for Christmas
I’m the kind of person who likes to have a plan. To know what will happen, what has happened, and what is happening. This makes me rather impatient and is quite stressful at times. I like to be in control, but that is not always the situation. I’m learning to be flexible, to go with the flow. I love spontaneity, when I’m the one that sparks it, or if I’m in a chill mood. Knowing what will happen in my future, who will be involved, and how it will occur, in the exact timeframe it’ll unfold… That’s where I get hung up.
At those moments I am reminded of the Lord. That He knows my past, my present, my future. He knew it all before I was even formed in my mothers womb. He knows how it will all unfold. I want desperately to live out His will for my life, to not fudge is up by trying to seize hold of the circumstances and weasel my way into manipulating things how I think they should happen. I’m learning to let go of my wants, my desires. To let the Lord orchestrate my life. He knows my deepest wants and desires, and He knows what is best for my life. I need to be content with that.
I don’t need to know what is going to happen, or how it will happen, but only to remain content in every circumstance as the Lord does what is best for me. I don’t need to be selfish and want what others have for myself, because obviously, that is not what is best for me, otherwise the Lord would be doing that in my life as well. I don’t have to know it all. And I’m okay with that. Finally.
——
Lately I have been praying for patience. Not just with others, but with myself and with the Lord. Patience as the Lord teaches me the balance between sitting on the edge of my seat, ready to jump up to do whatever it is the Lord asks me to do; and not sitting on the edge of my seat, but reclining back, taking in each moment, waiting, and meditating on the Lord as he works in my life. I tend to be a radical person by nature. Either I’m all in, or I’m not. But I know there is a balance. And I know that I will find that balance as I pursue the Lord and grow in a deeper relationship with Him. Everything flows from that single task. Seeking the Lord, growing in Him, and applying all that He is teaching me, how He asks me to apply it. If I make that my goal, then everything else will follow.
——
Anyway, that’s my thoughts as of late. To be content in all circumstances that the Lord orchestrates, not trying to manipulate, but allowing myself to be molded more into the image of Christ as I submit to His ultimate will.
Sorry if this doesn’t all make sense. If you’d like to know more about how I came to this conclusion, I would be more than happy to share with you.
Source: Being Content in the Lord
I’m not sure whether to be happy or something else about my birthday coming up. Should I be excited? Typically people get excited for their birthday to come around, they enjoy the gifts, the attention, the hugs, and birthday wishes. Showing them that they are indeed loved and cared for. For me though, I don’t get those “warm fuzzies” when people recognize that it’s my birthday, or nearing that day. Is it because I don’t like getting attention? Do I just not like the fact that it takes a birthday to get that attention? Maybe it is the same reason why I’m not a big fan of most holidays…
I don’t like having to need an excuse to do something nice for someone. An excuse to celebrate. Why wait for a holiday to show someone they are loved? Why wait till Christmas to rejoice in our Savior that came to DIE for the world? Why use a birthday to recognize someone you love and care about? Shouldn’t we live everyday as thought it’s our last? Live for the Lord and not care about the future? Not letting a friend slip by without knowing that you love them? Serving others because of the love of the Lord in our lives?
Maybe it’s just me. But that’s how I feel. I’m not against my birthday, I do find it weird that I’m almost 21, but I’m not against it. I’m just not a fan of people feeling obligated to do something for me because it was the day I happened to be born. I don’t know… it just feels weird…
But I’m not against those who do enjoy birthdays and holidays. And I’ll say a pre-thank you to those who do have plans, and to those who want to do something special. Thank you for your love. I do appreciate it.
Anyway.. I’ll stop now.
Source: Last few days of being 20
So, the other night God gave me the ability to cry again. Yes, I know it sounds strange, that being able to cry again would be a prayer request of mine, but as I mentioned in an earlier post of mine, I haven’t been able to cry for a long while. Teary eyed, yes. but full out crying, where tears run down your face and your nose gets all stuffy, and you want to just curl up in a ball and be alone. That’s what happened. For once, I’m not going to go into much detail about it. But I thought I’d write on here that God has answered my prayer. And I’m thankful for the moment I got to share with just Him and me, as I sat there and wept.
Anyway! Off to impacting thousands of lost souls in Asia!
Source: An Answer to Prayer
So, I went camping this past weekend with a group of friends. Like always, I brought my camera in the hopes of capturing some of the memories of laughter, rock climbing, avoiding the blue algae infested lake, worship, fires, and setting up the tents in the dark. You know, the normal. But I went to turn on my camera, and it was dead. It wouldn’t turn on. I charged the battery, so I knew it wasn’t that. it was officially dead.
How tragic! I didn’t know what to do without a camera! I felt kinda lost. So I prayed. “Lord, help me to remember these moments, give me a photographic memory for just this weekend. Please!”
And He did! I remember all the highlights. The beauty of His creation. The fellowship between all us friends. Was amazing!
Needless to say, when I got back, I began to search for a new camera. Decided to invest in a digital SLR. After much research, and lots of help from friends and my gpa, I bought a D3100 off of Amazon. Can’t wait till it arrives!!
Source: Dead Camera
I had an “aha moment” just now as I was listening to my current favorite song “How He Loves” by John Mark Mcmillan, while chatting with a friend of mine about how we are trusting God for the future instead of us trying to manipulate circumstances so they work out how we want them, instead of how God wants them.
This is what I sent him:
it’s crazy that EVERYTHING in our lives was planned out to perfection before we were even born.
that God planned what we would learn, how we would learn it, and when would learn to apply it.
meaning that everything that happened before we learned the truth, before it finally “clicked” was His plan as well. That those experiences are what brought us to the realization of His Truth in this very moment.
Just like everything we are learning now is for preparation for what’s in store for us in the future.
everything is timed perfectly
so perfectly in fact that we often times miss it
we miss what He is doing and has done until He points it out to us.
and it’s all so that we can know how much He loves us. All so that we can then turn and give glory to Him for working the good in our lives amidst all the bad that we perceived as bad, which was actually for out ultimate good.
Isn’t that crazy? God is so good. Anyway… that was my Aha moment.
Here’s also that song that I mentioned above. I recorded it for ya. Sorry the quality isn’t that great…
Source: God’s Timing is Perfect
So, I am training to participate in the Tough Mudder challenge taking place on April 1, 2012. This challenge is a 10-12 mile run full of multiple obstacle courses that are INTENSE. Anyway, part of this training I’m enduring is to work up to running 10 miles. Yes, I said it. I am training to run 10 mile, do at least 6 pull ups, and many other physically demanding activities. So I am now biking to work most days of the week, instead of driving. I’m running three times a week. I walked an hour and 20 minutes from my place to a friends house against the wind and in the cold. And I’m playing DDR more often to work up my cardio and such. And of course, I’m eating healthier.
Let’s just say I am exhausted. But I feel so good and healthy! I’m liking this and I think I’ll keep it up even after the tough mudder.
Source: Am I Crazy?
So I just recently had a revelation. An “ah-ha!” moment, I would normally say. You know the verse Philippians 4:4 where Paul writes “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say rejoice!”
Gospel for Asia is an organization born from prayer. Literally, it started as a tuesday night prayer meeting in our founders house, and still to this day, we are a living breathing organism grounded in the greatest weapon given to Believers in Christ. Prayer. We have Monday, Thursday, and Friday morning prayer before we go to our battle stations, we have Tuesday night prayer every week, we have a Friday night all night prayer on the first Friday of every month, as departments we have prayer once, twice, or even three times a week, and of course there is personal prayer time. I’m not saying this to brag or anything, but just to make a point. With our lives grounded in prayer, you can bet that we see the effects of those prayer requests every day, sometimes immediately after we’ve prayed. I don’t know about you, but for me, this is a cause to rejoice.
Some of the answers to prayer may include, healing for brothers and sisters, whole villages coming to know the Lord through the various ministries we have on the field, people in the west faithfully giving more than they have in excess to further God’s work, etc. Aren’t these amazing things?! But what about those prayer requests that we don’t get the result we had been hoping for? Say, we pray for healing for a brother in Asia who was brutally beaten for professing Christ Our Savior, we pray and we pray and we pray, but then that brother goes to be with the Lord. How is that a good thing for the family that he left behind, or for the believers he was discipling in a distant village, or even for those who persecuted him? Doesn’t Paul say Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS?
Is the word “always” subjected to only the happy answers to prayer? Shouldn’t we also rejoice in the answers to prayer that aren’t as happy? Praise the Lord that brother is no longer suffering, but he is forever in the eternal presence of our Lord Jesus! Praise the Lord I didn’t get the raise in my paycheck, because HE knows what I need more than I could ever imagine! Praise the Lord for _______ (you fill in the blank).
Often times working in ministry I will get caught up in the numbers of the results. No matter how hard I try not to focus on the numbers, it seems to always creep into mind. Recently we have been praying for year-end giving via the web. We’re praying for a “million dollar” day. Which would be AMAZING, but what happens if we don’t reach that? Or if the numbers go down? Will we still be praising the Lord for the lives transformed by the gifts given by those who were perhaps sacrificing the comforts offered in America, what someone might call the “widow’s mite”? I want to say I would rejoice in this situation. I want to say I would rejoice in every situation, whether it be death, or new life, or sickness, or health. I will definitely be praying for the Lord to make this transformation in my heart and mind.
But then I find it hard to rejoice in death when often times it’s a death of someone who hasn’t yet come to know the Savior, the Comforter, my Father in Heaven. How can I rejoice? They are headed to the worst possible suffering one could ever endure, and not just for a day, but for eternity in Hell! But then I remind myself of Romans 8:28 “ALL THINGS work for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” If ALL THINGS work for the good of those who love God, then I have to trust that the Lord has it all under control.
If you would like to do something to make an impact on these lost and dying souls, share the love of Christ with someone who hasn’t heard before. Well you’re in luck. It just so happens that we are in the last two months of the year 2011. Meaning, it is time to start thinking about Christmas gifts. Praying for the loved ones that will be joining you on both Thanksgiving and Christmas, that they will come to know the Lord. But what about those that we are praying for in Asia? You know…the ones I talked about earlier, the ones who are in need of healing, the ones who are being persecuted daily just because they were born as a Dalit, the broken, the blind, the lame. Remember them? Make it your prayer request that they would come to know the Lord. Believe Him for that. He is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). And if you would like to give a life-altering gift this year, I know the perfect place to do so. www.forgottenchristmas.org. Don’t just give because you feel bad for them, give because you love God and love those who He created. Love them as you would your own son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, etc.
I am praying for each of you. I may not know your name, or what you look like, but I do know that God loves you more than you could ever fathom. And I pray that if you know Him, that you would grow in Him. If you don’t know Him, I pray that you will come to know and love Him just as He knows and loves you (even before you were born!).
God Bless,
Alley/Alex/Owley
Source: Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS