Wait Pt. 3

This week, we are talking about waiting.  I have shared with you the season of waiting that I am in.  Today, I would like to share with you what Scripture says about waiting.

When I think about waiting, the first and greatest example that comes to mind is the story of Abraham and Sarah.  God promised Abraham that he would be father of all the nations.  When Sarah became impatient, she gave her servant to Abraham to bore a child.  It wasn't until thirteen years after Ishmael's birth that Abraham and Sarah conceived Isaac.  Abraham and Sarah were well advanced in age at this point.  The story of Abraham and Sarah's season of waiting in the majority of the book of Genesis.

Joseph has another beautiful story on waiting.  Joseph was sold by his brothers as a slave.  God promised Joseph that he would be the leader of his people.  At the time, Joseph was in a prison cell.  Over time, with patience, Joseph became the leader of his people and of the people of Egypt. 

How about the story in Joshua 6?  Jericho was closed; no one in, no one out.  God came to Joshua and told him to take the city that had already been given to him.  Joshua was told to march around the city of six days, and to blow the trumpets on the seventh day, after marching around the city of seven times.  Joshua did not share this information with his army.  How do you think Joshua's army felt?  What were their thoughts, do you think?  Marching around a city of six days, and then seven times in one day trumpeting?  What a story on waiting...  Joshua 6:27 says, "God was with Joshua".


For a little encouragement to press through seasons of waiting...

James 5:11 says that we should consider it a blessing to preserve. 

Galatians 6:9 warns us against becoming weary in doing good... the proper harvest will be reaped in due time.

Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us to trust in the Lord with all of our heart, leaning not on our own understanding.

Psalm 40:1 says "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.

Wait Pt. 1

Have you ever been promised something, but had to wait for the promise to be fulfilled?  All of us know what waiting is like.  I don't know anyone who enjoys waiting.  We live in a culture where everything is right here, right now.  We have the answer to everything at our fingertips!  The days of math teachers saying "you won't always have a calculator on hand" are behind us.  Waiting is inconvenient and un-enjoyable for most.

Have you ever had to wait on God?  Has He promised you something, but had to wait to see the promise fulfilled?  This may be the hardest thing to wait on.  We know that God will fulfill everything He promises to us.  We don't have to doubt God's faithfulness to us. 

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Deuteronomy 7:9

 

This week, I want to share with you the lessons I have learned through waiting on God.  Tomorrow, I will share with you the backstory on how God changed the direction my life was going career wise.  Spoiler, I felt like God didn't meet me at the end of the promise.  Wednesday, I will share with you what Scripture says about God's promises.  Thursday, I will share with you what you can learn while waiting on God. 

 

It's going to be a fun week.  No one enjoys waiting, but God has more in store for us in the journey than in the destination.

 

Fears, Doubts and Details

The week or so leading up to July 20th, I was an emotional wreck.  I have always tried my hardest to keep it together.  I have this (incorrect) idea that I have to always appear picture perfect to those around me.  The only time for tears or fear is alone.  I've felt this even more than ever recently, as I have made this big deal about following God's lead. 

As moving day became closer and closer, I developed this false idea that I could not be scared of what was ahead or doubt the decision I had made.  I was making this bold step in faith and I felt like a lot of people were watching this.  I wanted to make all of those people proud.  I feared that they would not be proud if I was scared.  I feared that they would not be encouraged to step out in faith if I doubted my decision. 

I say all of that in the past tense, but I realize as I write those words, it is still I very real notion inside of me... the idea that I cannot be scared for the sake of those watching this journey of mine. 

I would never lie to you, so I have to be completely honest.  There were moments leading up to July 20th that I was scared... scared that I had forgotten a major detail and scared that I would forget to pack something essential.  There were moments leading up to July 20th that I doubted my decision... what if I was wrong about God calling me to Texas, what if God didn't meet me in Texas, what if I hated it, there was a lot of doubt on my mind.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Matthew 6:34



Leading up to July 20th was a whirlwind of emotion, but it wasn't all bad.  God revealed Himself to me time and time again.  Despite being terrible at budgeting and not having a job the last month and a half that I was in Texas, I had enough money to make the trip from North Carolina to Texas happen.  My family and friends were such a blessing to me.  Everyone was overly generous; opening their homes to me when I didn't have a place to sleep, feeding me, letting me dog, house and baby sit, and encouraging me when my doubts crept in!

So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

A friend of mine recently told me that God is in the details.  The moments that I silenced my fears and doubts were the moments that I had the opportunity to see God in the details of my life.  He was truly moving in every area of my life.


Today, I've linked up with the following wonderful blogs!

Why Texas?

Before you read Why Texas? I should let you know that I'm writing this post on March 4th, 2013.  I do not know when this post will make it live, as it is best for me to hold onto this post for a while.  I wanted to write about it all while it was fresh, but can't share it with you just yet. 

"Why Texas?!" is probably the most commonly question asked in my life right now.  Whenever I share what God is doing in my life, it is followed with, "why Texas?"  This has been such a fun question for me to answer, so let me take you back to the beginning of the story...

In November of 2012, I was researching seminaries.  I had become serious about going to seminary.  I had some amazing advice from a mentor of mine on what to look for in a seminary.  I was scouring the internet for seminaries in Charlotte, North Carolina that had a Children's Ministry program.  Want to know how many there are... ZERO!  What the what... how can I major in Children's Ministry if there are no schools with that program.  I begin to lean toward Master's in Theology or Master's in Divinity.  The Divinity program sounds super legit.  Yeah, I have my Master's in Divinity... What up!!

I started looking at schools anywhere in North Carolina or South Carolina.  I couldn't stand the chance to be farther than that away from my family.  Still not that much out there by way of Children's Ministry.  Then, one day, I'm continuing my searches and I come across this school that I just utterly fall in love with.  They don't have a Children's Ministry program but I can major in Theology with a focus in Children's Ministry.  That's like the best of both worlds for me. I'm hooked.

Until, I scroll to the bottom and see that the school is in Fort Worth, Texas.  Instantly, I close that tab out and move on.  Texas is definitely out of the question, right?  This school will not get out of my head.  Everytime I google search seminaries, it pops up.  I feel that gentle nudge from God that this is where I'm supposed to go.  I immediently give God three reasons why seminary in Texas was not an option...

Have you ever told God why you can't do something He's told you to do?  Don't leave me hanging here.  I know I'm not alone... Just like God does, He quickly squashes all of my reasons. That weekend, Pastor Steven gets on stage and introduces Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church in... go ahead and guess... Fort Worth, Texas.  That was God's response to one of the reasons I couldn't move.

 

Isn't God funny?  So, God manages to squash all three of my reasons in a matter of two weeks in November.  But, it took me until January to commit myself to the idea of attending a seminary in Forth Worth, Texas.  I began researching other seminaries, jobs, and churches in the Forth Worth area.  I ended up finding two more schools that I liked in Dallas.  These were became my back up/just get to Texas schools.  In February, I felt called to burn the plows, stop waivering between my options and completely trust God's plan in Fort Worth, Texas.  In March, I sent in my application.  That was intense; a letter from my church, two letters of recommendations, an essay on my testimony and an essay on why I want to go to seminary.  In April, after much waiting, I was accepted!!

So, July 19th, I am embarking on a three day journey with my parents from Charlotte, North Carolina to Fort Worth, Texas.

Week in Review

Week in Review... a new series of posts about how I'm working toward achieving my 23 goals while 23, what I'm reading in my Bible and anything else monumental I'd like to share with you.

This week I...

 

... Got back to the gym.  I took 12 days off because school was killing me.  It was brutal, but it was worth it.  (Working on goal 10)

... Skipped school work to celebrate my roommate's last day of work and the greater things ahead in her life. (Working on goal 5)

... Am dealing with the weight of following God's call.  Realizing what it means and the cost that it will have on relationships in my life.  Realizing that losing everything is worth following God's call.  (Working on goal 15)

... Am dealing with a difficult situation in the life of someone close to me.  When a parent came to me for help, I was at a lose for words.  Following God's lead on how to deal with it.  (Working on goal 18)

... Took a mess of pictures from the eGroup I guest spoke at, as well as a trip to the Charlotte Nature Meusum with some awesome kiddos.  (Working on goal 12)

This week in my QT with God...

... I finished Start Your Day Right. It's a fourteen day devotional by Joyce Meyer. So, it took me a few more than fourteen days.  At least I finished, right? 

... I started Here I am, Lord.  It's a thirty-one day devotional about being in the moment and thanking God for what you have. 

... Realized how great the need for me to trust God.  If I delight in Him, my footsteps will be firm and I will never fall.  Really helped in relation to the calling God has placed on my life.  I've been scared, but I have no reason to fear if I delight in Him. - Psalm 27

... Realized that even though I don't have any biological children, God has placed an amazing group of eStudents that I have to thank Him for.  The influence that I have the opportunity to impress on them is a huge responsibility.  - Psalm 127

Reflection Friday

If you are new to .Redeemed., I lead a middle school girls eGroup. Thursday evenings with the girls is one of my favorite parts of the week. They are an amazing group of girls and they teach me as much as I teach them.

Icebreaker: Catch Words.  It's a free iPhone App that's similar to Catch Phrase.  First team to seven points wins.  We had a blast trying to beat the timer!

Discussion Highlights:  This week, we discussed honoring, being obedient and bringing joy to our parents.  We had a delightful discussion about what it looks like to honor your parents and practical ways we can begin being obedient and bringing joy to our parents. 

The girls are going to try respectfully responding to chore requests, instead of rudely declining.  When asked to do the dishes, they are going to work on thanking them for the opportunity.  They are going to remember that Hebrews 12:9-11 says that we are disciplined out of love. 

Closing: We closed by praying together, and talked about our next outreach project.


During the Week: This week, we will be reading YouVersion's "What's Next: Student Edition" Bible study.  The girls will begin brainstorming how we will pull off a bake sale for A Place for Hope.

Next Week: We will discuss what we read in our study during eGroup.  We will make snack packs for A Child's Place.  A Child's Place is one of Elevation Church's outreach partners which exists to erase the impact of child homelessness.  We will be putting a healthy snack together to go home with some kids. 

Personal Reflection: I'd say that tonight went pretty well.  Catch Words was a great way to get our evening started.  I enjoyed the heart racing laughter that the timer on the game caused.  We had a blast!  It was great to discuss honor, obedience and joy with the girls.  At thirteen/fourteen, honoring your parents can seem like the hardest thing there is to do in the world.  I can't wait to see them change the way they treat and look at their parents. 

2012 in Review [ Pt. 2]

Elevation Church Year in Review

2012 was truly an amazing year at Elevation Church.  For me, at Elevation, I started serving at Elevation's Uptown campus, continued to lead a wonderful eGroup of middle school girls and attend an eGroup of amazing college age students.  Elevation started the year with a twelve night revival, went to Israel for Easter, and Pastor Steven released his second book Greater.  It was a banner year, in deed.

Below are my favorite ten sermon's from 2012.

10.  Suspension of Disbelief (Living a Better Story)  The entire Living a Better Story series was hugely impactful to me this year.  During the second week of this series, Pastor Steven preached from Numbers 13-14.  Suspension of Disbelief is deciding to get lost in the story.  We must believe that what we read in the Bible actually happened.  We must nail or disbelief to the cross.  Another quote that I loved from this sermon was that our setting does not determine our story.

9. The Taurus & The Fox (Grey Matter)  The entire Grey Matter series helped me grow this year.  This series was about those questions that aren't black or white in the Bible.  The answer is grey.  The Taurus & The Fox was a sermon about how to follow God and the closeness that we gain from the journey.  If God gave us directions, we wouldn't get to know him better by following Him. 

8. He's Big Enough for Both - Dumb Dichotomies (Grey Matter) A dichotomy is a division into two mutually exclusive contradictory groups.  Pastor Steven explained some dumb dichotomies; life or death, one God or many God's, spirit or flesh.  We make some dumb dichotomies, too; make plans or trust God, be successful or stay humble... John 1:14 says, where we put an OR, God put an AND.  God can do both.  He is big enough for both.

7. Frustrations of a Fixer (Mother's Day) Pastor Steven preached on the frustrations of a fixer.  God completes us.  No one can complete us, and we can't complete anyone else.  People were not created to fill the needs that God is suppose to fill.  This sermon impactful, because I try so hard to allow other people to complete me. 

6. Timeless Christmas (Christmas 2012) Pastor Steven preached a bold message on the dividing line.  So often, we flirt with the line of salvation.  There are moments in our lives where we can distinctly mark what life was like before and after that moment.  That is the line of salvation.  We must stop flirting with it and cross over the after life after accepting Christ.  We don't have to do anything before coming to Christ.  He already did it on the cross.

5. Digging Ditches (Greater) This is the second sermon in the series Greater, based off of Pastor's second book.  The story of digging ditches from 2 Kings 3 is probably one of my favorite books in the Bible.  There had been a drought, Elisha told them to dig some ditches, and the rain came.  You never read about them actually digging the ditches, but the rain came. 

4. The Power of Multiplication (Banner Years) Pastor Robert Morris from Fort Worth, TX came to preach for two weekends during our Banner Years series.  This was the first of his two sermons.  He preached on the power of multiplication with money.  Pastor Robert shared some stories of his audacious faith in God financially.  His trust in something greater than earthly things was inspiring. 

3. Burn the Plows (Greater) Pastor Steven's second book is titled, Greater.  This is the first sermon from a four week sermon walking through some of the greatest part of his book.  Burning the plows is in reference to when Elisha burned his plows in order to take Elijah's place.  Burning his plows symbolized that he could no longer go back to who he was.  There is something holding each of us back, that we need to burn. 

2. If I Have to Wait, I'm Gonna Get to Work (Waiting Room)  Holly Furtick, Pastor Steven's wife took the pulpit to preach this powerful sermon of working while you wait.  Waiting rooms are one of the most dreaded places.  She preached from Acts 16:22-40.  Paul and Silas were in prison, they didn't complain.  They bypassed the urge to complain and filled the situation with praise.  We must preoccupy ourselves with fulfilling God's purpose instead of escaping our problems.  Finally, we need to embrace the face that our detours are often God's destination. 

1. Continuum of Forgiveness to Bitterness  (How to Hug a Vampire) This was without a doubt, hands down, my favorite sermon of the entire year.  Pastor Mark Driscoll came all the way from Seattle, WA to preach this powerful message on forgiveness.  Pastor Mark preached through Ephesians 4:22-32, what forgiveness is and what forgiveness is not.  This sermon changed the way I looked at forgiveness. 

Banner Years

Elevation Church has been celebrating all that God has done in the last six years that we've been in ministry and examining what has made each year a banner year in an effort to make the coming years banner years.  It's been a really fun and practical series. 

In the year 2008, Elevation did "cardboard testimonies".  Several people stood up on stage with their cardboard testimony.  Two weekends ago, we did this all over again.  I can't tell you what it was like in 2008, but I can tell you that it moved me to tears this time.

 

He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.

Song of Songs 2:4

Before I share my cardboard testimonies with you, take a look at this video. 

I was me-first with my finances.  Now God's banner over me is financially stability through God-first with my finances.

I was sleeping with my boyfriend.  Now God's banner over me is restoration through salvation.

I was insecure.  Now God's banner over me is security and faith in Jesus.

I was consumed in the worlds view of me.  Now God's banner over me is an importance only in doing what He wants me to do.



What is God's banner over you?!

Nehemiah and Me

"Do I still follow God's plan, even if it means I lose my relationship with my parents?"

 

"Is getting my Master's degree worth losing my relationship with my parents?"

 

"Can I spend Thanksgiving with you, because my parents don't want to see me."

 

Those were just a few of the text messages that I sent Tuesday evening to close friends of mine.  I laid awake this past Tuesday debating on the worth of pursing God's call on my life. 

  

I did some research on Bible characters that refused to give up.  I came across Nehemiah.  He is quite a great man of God.  He was a cup-bearer for the king, (meaning he tested the drink before the king drank out of it), was a trusted man of the king and was a trusted advisor.  He fasted and prayed for help when hearing the news about Jerusalem.  He left his job to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.  Despite constant attacks by enemies, Nehemiah led the rebuilding of the walls in 52 days!

 

I skimmed the book of Nehemiah.  It's a long stretch, but I'm able to relate to Nehemiah in this moment of my life.  I've fasted and prayed for God to reveal a plan for my life.  He revealed it.  I've made arrangements to fulfill this plan.  And despite constant ridicule, hurtful words and attacks by those who are close to me, I will do what God has called me to do.

 

... But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."

Nehemiah 6:9b

 

There is no way that I will be able to accomplish all that I plan to accomplish without God's strength inside of me. 

 

 

Resource - Nehemiah Character Study

Munching Monday

Updates Are Available

Exodus 32:15, 27-28     Acts 2:1-4, 37-41     Acts 19:2     1 Corinthians 2:1-5, 9-16

 

Elevation Church started a series this weekend titled "Ghost Stories, A Not-So-Spooky Series on the Holy Spirit".  Pastor Steven opened this series with a powerful word from God on what the update that is the Holy Spirit.  See, in Exodus 32, Moses brought the law.  In Acts 2, we were sent the Holy Spirit to take Jesus' place on Earth.  The law was updated to the Holy Spirit.

 

The most important skill is learning how to listen to the Holy Spirit in every day life.

 

The greatest moments are when I receive an impression from the Holy Spirit.

 

The Holy Spirit knows the ways of God.  The Spirit in me allows me to know the ways of the Lord.

 

 

Love what you just read? Want to hear more? The entire message can be found for free at 12:00, 4:00 and 8:00 (AM & PM) here, or you can download the podcast for free!

What I am munching on...

First and foremost, I am so thankful that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be my liaison between me and my Heavenly Father.  Because of the Holy Spirit in me, I am able to feel the Lord in my life, and know when to act on something.  The Holy Spirit is my conscious, reminding me not to do things that are wrong.  When I feel the Holy Spirit move in my life, I move.

A few weeks ago, I was discussing burning plows with my eStudents.  One kept mentioning 'burning' Netflix from her life because it was keeping her stuck in the lesser loser life and from living a Greater life.  But, she was very hesitant to act on the call to action.  As I was walking out of the room, the Holy Spirit impressed upon me to challenge her to give up Netflix for one month.  Next thing you know, I was giving up Netflix with her as an accountability partner.

The Holy Spirit lives in each of us.  Learning to feel the Holy Spirit is something every believer needs to do. 

What are You Chasing?

Have you ever found yourself chasing an opportunity?  Maybe a job that seems perfect, a boy that is cute, a girl that is gorgeous?  I think we've all chased something one time another.  More often than not, the thing that we are chasing are wrong things.

 

Those who chase fantasies have no sense.

Proverbs 12:11

 

I've spent time over the last few months re-evaluating things I had been doing, plans I had set for myself and what I was doing with my life.  I spent a lot of time in prayer, asking God to reveal to me what I needed to change about myself.

 

You're chasing opportunities, Keirstin.  You aren't seeking My best for you. 

 

Well, to say that hit with anything less than a ton of bricks would be a lie.  I was running after things that I put in my own plans, not after what God was writing for my story.  God has an amazing plan for my life, and I was selling myself short.  The moment I realized that I was chasing the wrong opportunities, I stopped and began to seek God's guidance on the opportunities I should be chasing. 

 

God has a greater plan for your life than you could ever imagine.  God wants to do something amazing in your life, but He can't if you are chasing after your own opportunities. 

 

 

What opportunities in your life do you need to stop chasing to give God room to work?

Munching Monday

Conflict Resolution

 

To close out I Know He is, But What am I?, each Elevation Church location heard a message from someone different.  Elevation-Blakeney heard from Lysa Terkurst, Elevation-Matthews heard from John Bishop, Elevation-Uptown heard from Joel Delph and Larry Hubatka, Elevation-Rock Hill heard from Frank Bealer and Tim Fara, Elevation-Providence heard from Wade Joye, and Elevation-University heard from Larry Brey.  It was an amazing weekend at Elevation!! 

 

I went to Elevation-Blakeney for their 6:45 worship experience on Saturday night to hear Lysa Terkurst.  And, I do not regret doing that!  She is an amazing woman of God, who speaks and writes with such openness and honesty with a bit of humor mixed in.  

4 Reactions in Conflict

1. Exploder Who Blames Others

Proverbs 10:19 - Pause before reacting.

 

2. Exploder Who Shames Themselves

Proverbs 12:19 - Add perspective

 

3. Stuffer Who Builds Barriers

Proverbs 10:18,21 - Build boundaries instead of barriers

 

4. Stuffer Who Collects Retaliation Rocks

Proverbs 10:14 - Am I trying to prove I'm right or improve the relationship because I can't do both?

 

Love what you just read? Want to hear more? The entire message can be found for free at 12:00, 4:00 and 8:00 (AM & PM) here, or you can download the podcast for free!

 

What I am munching on...

Without a doubt, I am a stuffer.  My roommate and I went to see this sermon together, and she looked at me when Lysa began talking about stuffers.  Lysa said that stuffers favorite four letter word is F-I-N-E.  Oh, how true!! My roommate looked at me, and said, "I can tell when you are not fine."

 

Lysa went on to say that stuffers are peacemakers.  It may be a bad quality, but the good that comes out of it is peace making.  It is so true!  All I want to do is have peace in relationships.  I resist conflict.

 

I need to learn to build boundaries instead of boundaries and ask myself what I am trying to do in the relationship.  I don't want to ruin relationships because of my stuffing.  What happens is I stuff and then I explode.  Those are not good conflict resolution skills techniques.

 

Reader, get involved! What is your conflict resolution technique?  How do you relate to this sermon?

Figuring it Out Pt. 2

Yesterday, I wrote about making plans for myself and then God coming along and changing everything I ever wanted for myself.

Many are the plans in a person's heart,

but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails

Proverbs 19:21

Where I am trying to go with this is that we should never get too settled in our own plans. When God comes along to uproot them and rearrange things, being set in your own plans makes you less willing to respond to what the Lord is saying.

God's plan for our lives is far greater than we could ever imagine.  I grew up thinking that I was going to be a teacher.  That is great and all.  But, God has huge plans for me to use my degree in Children's Ministry.

I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 3 as I thinking about God and His always perfect timing.  Ecclesiastes 3 says that there is a time for everything.  Having complete faith in God includes having complete faith in His timing.

I must constantly remind myself that the words in the Bible are true.  He is the light unto my path.  When it is time for me to make my next step, I will know where to go... if I allow Him to have complete control over where I am going.

I don't want to go where He isn't leading me.  I will take faith in His timing!  I will do what He has called me to do.  I will be patient while I wait for my next step.

Hey, you're reading this post!  Get involved in the conversation.

Have you ever had to have complete faith in the Lord's timing?  Was it hard?  What was the pay out in the end for waiting for the Lord instead of induldging in your own plans?

Respect Pt. 2

I ended Tuesdays post by asking you if you thought I was crazy and if I was alone in thinking that we need to be held to a higher level of respect these days...



I don't think I'm alone. I just came across this article of a restaurant in LA that will give you a discount if you leave your phone at the hostess station while eating! They are encouraging visitors to spend more time with the people they came with than their phones.

Maybe some biblical references will drive my point home...

Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law of the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

I know that it ticks me off when I am sitting down to dinner with a friend and they are constantly checking their phone.  I know that it drives me bonkers when one of the girls in my eGroup pulls out their phone during eGroup.  This is why I hold myself to a higher standard and refuse to sit on my phone while I am with other people.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.

Romans 12:10

One way that I can devote myself in honor is through respecting them enough to get off of my phone.  One way that you can devote yourself in honor is by giving preference to the people you are with over your iPhone, iPad, iTouch, iPod, or whatever techy device you have. 

Render to all what is due to them: tax to who tax is due; custom to who custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

Romans 13:7

I believe that honor is due to the people that I spend time with.  You should believe that honor and respect are due to the people you spend your time with.  You can give them that level of respect that you believe is owed to them by giving them your undivided attention when you're together.

Was this not enough for you?  Feel free to look up respect, honor or any other synonym to respect in the Bible.  You'll find plenty of biblical references to back up my point.  They may not have had Apple products or smart phones when the Bible was written.  Thankfully, the Bible is a timeless book that will always be relevant.

So, Reader... What are your thoughts?

Faithful Blogging

There are always days when I struggle about what to write on .Redeemed. I always want to give you fresh, biblical content. But, sometimes my mind goes blank and I can't come up with anything. Today, I will be using a prompt from Faithful Bloggers. You can find my blog, and many other Christian blogs in their directory.

Faithful Blogging Prompt #66 -

If you had to recommend only one book of the Bible for a person to read, which book would you recommend and why?

If I could only recommend one book of the Bible to a new believer, I would suggest the Book of Acts.  I am almost done reading the Book of Acts and have learned so much about what it means to be a Christian.  The sense of urgency that the apostles have in every situation, their undying devotion to spread the Gospel and boldness when sharing the Gospel are skills that I believe every Christian should have.  I regret not taking the time to read about the early church before now. 

If I could only recommend one book of the bible to a seasoned Christian, I would suggest the Book of Romans.  I can't ever read this book of the Bible enough.  I find this to be one of the most encouraging books of the Bible.  I mean, have you read Romans 8?  You can't not get reeved up after reading that we are more than conquerors, we are co-heirs with Christ!

The Book of Proverbs and the Book of Psalms are always good books to open up to anytime you are struggling with finding something to read in the Bible. 

Dear Reader... yeah, You...

What is your favorite book of the Bible?

Muching Monday

I know He is, What am I? Week Two

 

Matthew 16:13-19     Exodus 24:15-18

I noticed a persistent and consistent gap between who God says I am and will do and what I feel and do.

1. Correction - Jesus is not who we say he is, he is who the Lord says he is.

2. Protection - Nothing can stop the work of the Lord. Not even the gates of hell.

3. Connection - The keys represent access

We obsess over our assessment of other peoples assessments of ourselves.  Don't stare at other peoples assesments.

When what God says isn't matching up, the promise I need to access is in the cloud. (Exodus 24:15-18 and iCloud analogy)



 

Love what you just read? Want to hear more? The entire message can be found for free at 12:00, 4:00 and 8:00 (AM & PM) here, or you can download the podcast for free!

What I am munching on...

This sermon was absolutely perfect.  They always are.  God's heart is centered in the Lord, so every word out of his mouth comes straight from what God tells him!

 

I have been relying on other people to tell me who I am for far too long.  I need to protect who I am in the Lord.  I need to only allow only God's words to come into my ears and resonate into my mind.  Pastor Steven said, "We will never discover what God has in store for us if we spend our lives listening and believing others assessments."

 

I do not want to miss out on what God has called me to do in my life.  I do not want to miss out on anything that the Lord has called me to do.  I need to allow God to close the gap between who I am and who He is, because they should be the same.

 

 

Reader, get involved! Have you been believing lies from the people around you?  What are you acknowledging is not true and believing that God has said?

Monday Munching

I know He is, What am I? Week One

Who God Is...

Exodus 3:11-14

In Exodus 3, Moses asks who is sending Him.  God says to Him, "I am who I am. Tell them I AM has sent you."  Well, if that isn't powerful, I don't know what is!



Pastor Steven unpacked a list of 15 things that God is.  It was a powerful way to walk through what the Bible says to be true about who God is and a perfect reminder of who He is.

Love what you just read? Want to hear more? The entire message can be found for free at 12:00, 4:00 and 8:00 (AM & PM) here, or you can download the podcast for free!

What am I munching on...

Have you ever found yourself in a rut?  You know who God is, but at the same time you have forgotten who He is.  You know He can do great things, but you've forgotten that He is and will do great things?  I've found myself in that place over the last few weeks.

I am praying for something HUGE, but I feel like God is not hearing or answering my prayers.  I needed Pastor Steven's reminder that my God is omniscient and omnipotent.  I've found myself believing that He is far away, that God has distanced His self from me for some reason.  I needed Pastor Steven's reminder that God is immanent and omnipresent.

Reader, get involved in the post... Who do you need to be reminded that God is today?  Because He is everything that you could need Him to be.



Social Media Fast Reflection

Last week, my middle school eGroup took some time to look at what the Bible says about social media and gossip.  It took some digging, but I felt some great Bible verses to relate to the topic of social media.  From what we read in Matthew 12:36, Proverbs 17:28 and 1 Corinthians 10:23-24, the Bible doesn't take the subject of how we present ourselves on social media lightly.

I challenged each of the girls to take a week to fast from social media.  We pledged together to take seven days to fast from all social media platforms in order to seek God's wisdom on how we could use social media to advance the Kingdom of God.  When craving time on any social media site, we pledged to turn to the Bible or to the Lord in prayer and seek His guidance on how we could present the Gospel through social media. 

Their first reaction to the challenge was what you would expect from a group of 10 to 14 year olds - panic.  They didn't know what they were going to do without their time on the social media sites.  Through conversations during the week, they seemed to be handling it better than they thought. 

My Reflection from the Week: If you follow me on twitter, you know that I am a bit addicted.  And, by a bit, I mean, I have a serious problem.  I do not post on facebook often.  I keep facebook around to keep track of my middle school girls and stay in touch with people who aren't on twitter.  I love Pinterest.  Obviously, I am in love with my blog.  I do not have a cool techie smart phone, so I am not on Instagram.

I had a terribly hard time being away from twitter.  Every situation that I was in, I wanted to tweet about it, mention people and hash tag it something catchy.  I hated not being in the loop on what was going on in the social media world.

Taking the time away was great for me!  I was able to realize that I can use the social media platforms that God has given me to present the Gospel in a new and fresh way.  When I am reading the Bible, I can tweet a link to what I am reading and share a personal reflection.  On facebook, I can steer myself away from petty drama by continuing to scroll instead of pitching into a debate.  I am excited to continue to present the gospel through my blog.


Have you ever taken a fast from social media and come back with a new perspective?  Do you need to take a fast from social media but are afraid of being away?

Sermon Sunday

Soul Detox Week Two

Toxic Words 

Pastor Craig Groeschel

Proverbs 18:21     Proverbs 12:18     Proverbs 15:4     Proverbs 4:20-23     Ephesians 4:29    Mark 11:23

This weekend, we had Pastor Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.TV. He recently wrote a book titled Soul Detox.  Last week, Pastor Craig preached on toxic thoughts.  This weekend, he preached a powerful message on toxic words.  Words are so powerful.  We can forgive them but never forget them.

 

3 Words of Wisdom

1. Guard your heart against toxic words - You are not who others say you are!
2. Speak life giving words to others every chance you get - Everytime you think something positive, speak it!
3. Speak life giving words to yourself and circumstances - Don't talk about your mountain, talk to your mountain!

What are 100 good things about yourself?  Remind yourself of how great you are!!

Don't believe the enemies trash, believe God's truth!

 

Love what you just read? Want to hear more? The entire message can be found for free at 12:00, 4:00 and 8:00 (AM & PM) here, or you can download the podcast for free!

 

Personal Reflection:  This message was overly powerful for me.  I haven't had many people speak life into tme.  I've heard a lot of you're not good enough, you're not smart enough, you'll never do much...

 

Never in my life have I had people speak into my life like they do at Elevation Church.  The people there are so positive.  They will tell you positive things about yourself into you believe them.  God's word tells me that I am perfect, that He has made me as good as I need to be and as smart as I need to be for anything I face.  God's word tells me that He has a great plan for me and I will do more than I can imagine with my life.  God's word is true.

You can't allow people to speak negative words into your life.  You also can't let yourself speak negative words into your life.  Believe that you are amazing! 

Sermon Sunday

Soul Detox Week One

Toxic Thoughts

Pastor Craig Groeschel

Romans 7     Proverbs 4:23     2 Corinthians 10:4-5     Jeremiah 12:3     Philippians 4:7-8

This weekend, we had Pastor Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.TV.  He recently wrote a book titled Soul Detox.

 

Believing a lie radically limits our ability to work for God.

 

Toxic: Anything containing poisonous material capable of causing sickness or death.

 

Identify and reject toxic thoughts

 

Maximize your life for Christ with your time.

 

Replace toxic thoughts with God's truth

 

 

Love what you just read? Want to hear more? The entire message can be found for free at 12:00, 4:00 and 8:00 (AM & PM) here, or you can download the podcast for free!

Personal Reflection:  More often than I would like to admit, I give into toxic thoughts in my life.  I let my mind take control of my thoughts and that is a messy road.  I let my mind tell me that I will never amount to anything, that I am not smart enough to graduate or that I am not as good as others tell me.  These are all thoughts that the devil wants us to believe.  They aren't true and we shouldn't give the devil that control in our lives.

Replacing toxic thoughts with God's truth won't be an easy road.  Overcoming the devil is never easy.  But, it is a long road worth taking.