The Love of Christ

I can say with full confidence that I have never truly experienced the love of Christ until now. I thought I knew what his presence felt like, but I did not. I thought the people who I hung around were the best examples of Christ for me, but in reality they weren't. Frankly, they were not what I needed. I looked for the acceptance of others, hoping to find my place in this world. All I wanted to do was to please people so they would like me, the only problem was I tried to make my relationships by myself. I found myself getting hurt by the people I thought loved me over and over again. That way of life only satisfied me for a short amount of time before I realized my soul longed for more. I needed something that only God could provide for me, and that was love. Instead of searching for this love and acceptance by myself, I finally decided to turn to God for help because my relationships at that point were empty and falling apart. I prayed that God would place ONE person in my life that would accept me, for just me. Someone that would love me and would not judge my past or my future. Waiting, I believe, was the hardest part about that time. I have always envied other people's relationships, and I did even more at this point in my life.

Well, guess what?! We, as Christians, always underestimate God's power, and so did I. Instead of just one person, He has placed several people in my life that mean a lot to me. They have ALL shown me what the love of Christ is supposed to look like and it is amazing! To finally say you have people who love you and you trust is still beyond me. 

One lady that God has placed in my life will forever have a special place in my heart. Her smile and hugs are sometimes the only thing that gets me through the week. She is precious and so dear to me, and I love her more than she will ever know. God, I believe, was saving the best for last and I am so grateful for her. She is like another mother to me. I know for a while I felt hopeless and that no one cared. I felt lonely, but God was preparing this women in particular just for me. At that time, I did not know that there that I deserved better than I what I had and that there could be other people that would mean so much more to me than what I had. Sometimes we have to let go so God can reveal something even better. 

"I waited patiently for The Lord, he turned to me an heard my cry." Psalm 40:1

How did I treat others?

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

I believe this quote contains a lot of truth and power within it. I can honestly say that many people have hurt me and the only thing I remember about them is the way I felt when I was around them. I don’t necessary remember why they made me feel that way it just happened, and even to this day that is the only thing that replays in my head about them. The words that cut me down, the words that brought pain. All the nights I cried, because I was informed that I was worthless and God did not have a plan for my life, those are the people I remember the most.

On the other hand, there have been a handful of people that have done the complete opposite. They showed my love, joy, and happiness. Feelings that I never wanted to let go of, but reality is life is not always going to be that way. Those people that showed me love, joy, and happiness have been taken away from me. They served there purpose in my life and then moved on. God took them away when I believed I needed the most, but I believe God did that to show me that I do not need man to survive. In some of my worst moments I had nobody, but it showed me that I only need Him. Truth is I don’t need anyone. Actually, I deserve nobody, yet God has blessed me beyond what I could ever imagined. He has placed people in my life that showed me pain, but also has shown me grace. The people that have impacted my life in a positive or negative way all have stepped into my life, then left. I have learned in the process that I cannot depend on man, because everyone will fall short, but my God wont.

There are a few people that come to mind when I first saw this quote, but in the scheme of things it won’t matter how I was treated by others, but rather how I treated others. What will really matters is what I did to impact someone’s life for Christ. I can either take that criticism from someone and hate them for it, or I can take it to change me for the better. Change myself to be more like Christ.

As Christians, we should, be asking Him for love, wisdom, grace, knowledge and understanding. Instead of reacting on our feelings and emotions, we should be reacting on what God says is true. Feelings and emotions are temporary, but God is NOT!

Heros do not wear capes, they wear dog tags.

About a month ago I asked someone in particular if they could write a letter to my sister. My sister is still currently in Navy boot camp, and if you don’t know much about the military these people live to see letters. The person I asked responded and said, “Possibly...I don’t really know her...” To be honest, that made me furious. I mean to me it doesn’t matter if you know the person, but even a few words of encouragement would have been better than nothing. My sister even stated in one letter that there were four or five other females that WANTED to receive a letter, because they had not gotten anything yet! But this person is not the only one out of many that cannot take a few minutes out of their day to encourage someone who is fighting for their freedom...

I believe many Americans take their freedom from granted. No, I KNOW many Americans take their freedom for granted. We are so caught up in our everyday lives that we don’t acknowledge the men and women that sacrifice their lives so we can just live. Why is that? Why do we worship celebrities like Miley Cyrus, yet never hear a word about a soldier in the news? Miley sure does become famous fast when she is nude, but what about those soldiers that die daily? You never hear a word...because we as Americans have everything backwards. Many look upon Miley as their hero, but I do not define her as a hero. No, way! I believe the men and women that wear combat boots to work everyday are the people we should be looking up at. Not some twenty year old slut that is looking for attention in all the wrong ways. And you wonder why sex trafficking is so atrocious these days. It is people like Miley who advertise their bodies as objects that cause the man’s mind to be all screwed up. Heck, in boot camp for the military if you hug the opposite sex they will keep you for two to three extra weeks and make you take sexual assault classes, because they don’t play around with that crap.

Now for me to get off my rant about what has been on my mind and tell you guys what God has been revealing to me. It is related to freedom, that is why I brought that topic up. I believe God gave each and everyone of us freewill. We can do and choice what we want to do with our lives because we are not just robots. I believe we tend to take our freewill for granted. Even Christians, I believe, push the boundaries of what the Bible says is right and what we tell our selves is right. We like to be conformed to this world, rather than be what God says we should be. Romans 6:1-2, “What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By NO means...” God clearly states that we should not take His grace for granted. That freewill comes with a price, called consequences. Consequences can either come with blessings or hurt, but no matter what God will forgive you. You just have to truly repent of your sins that you committed. I know, it is not always easy, but I do know it is always worth it.

For a while I had a grudge against the person who informed me that they were not going to write a letter to my sister. The fact is though, that person had already moved on with life and yet I was still stuck in the midst of what they had said. I was to the point where I felt as though my lack of faith was setting me back. So eventually I had to forgive myself for holding that grudge, but I also accept the apology that I was never going to receive from that person. We have to move on with life because it is not worth any ones time to dwell in the past.

"Love is not a fight, but it is worth fighting for."

This quote above has been on my mind recently. Many people are lead to believe what this quote is referring to a marriage, or a close relationship here on this Earth, and I do believe that this it can be applied to those situations.  But what if I said I was fighting for the love of someone that isn't on this planet? But rather the Creator of the Universe...God. I know personally, lately I have felt as though I cannot feels His presence anymore, and God just doesn't have a plan for my life. And through all these emotions I have seen my faith hindered and a wall that has formed between God and I. Even though I know these feelings in particular are lies, I still believe they are true.

I know for a fact I am not the only person feelings this way, as though God has abandoned me.  I believe in this day and age, we as Christians, have to fight the devil for that intimate relationship we want to have with God. With everything that happens in our world we tend to push God off until we have gotten to the point where we forgotten Him.

Have you heard the saying, "If Satan can`t keep you bad, he will make you busy." I believe even though we may believe we are "good Christians" we don't truly understand God, because we are so caught up on everything that is going on around us. What if we just stopped? Even for just a moment and listened to Him. What if we let go of our pride and just keep moving forward when things go wrong, instead of blaming God? What if we weren't so caught up in our own lives and noticed people around us? What if we embraced our freedom of religion? What if for once we changed things up instead of being stuck in a routine everyday? What if we forgave the people who needed it the most and let go of grudges instead of holding on? What if we just quit worrying and just gave it all to God?What if we stopped judging and started to help? What if we gave up temptations and the sin of this world?

What if...Christians did what they were called to do? Then would Christianity be different? Then would we know of  a love that is worth fighting for?

The past lingers on

Last night I was painstakingly reminded of my past. All the pain and memories that I have tried to cover up over the years came back. I have told myself that I do NOT ever want to return to that state of being again. My life was filled with resentment, hatred, emptiness, loneliness, and confusion. I was to the point where my feelings and emotions dictated everything I said and did. I remember feeling as though I could not escape it. It was like my whole body was engulfed by this perpetual pain. The emptiness inside of me kept creeping back and the misery I experienced was pure agony. All I wanted was for all the awful feelings to disappear, but the more I wanted to let go of it all, it only just seemed to get worse. There were some days I felt as though my existence did not matter anymore and God truly did not care. There were nights I would cry myself to sleep and wonder what God’s plan was through the situation. I convinced myself that I had no one to turn to, and I felt as though no one could understand what I was going through. Most days I just tried to ignore the pain, and kept a facade up so no one would know. Church at that time did not mean anything to me anymore either. I was at my all time low. I had this void within me that could not be filled and this numbness that could not be shaken. I even got to the point where I could not express my feelings. I was in desperate need of help, because I felt as though there was no point in living life anymore. That I believe was my breaking point, I just wanted to move on with life, but I felt that I couldn't. I felt stuck in the middle of this obstacle. So I had only one option, God. He was not my first choice, but I believe desperation is what brought me back to Him.

I feel as though many people are reminded of their past and they just don’t want to have to face it. I know for me last night, the actuality of the whole situation hit me in the face, because I realized that WAS my reality at one point. Was I proud of it? No. But last night I was also reminded that our pain in Jesus Christ has a purpose. He can turn the worse situation into the best. Ultimately, he knows the grand scheme of things and meaning behind what he has put you through.

I believe in our culture we are taught at a very young age to cover things up and to lie about what is truly going on in our lives. The devil has told us nobody cares or wants to help, and that is one of the biggest lies he has convinced us of. I know, personally, it took me almost three years before I had the courage to tell someone what was going on in my life. And let me tell you, it lifted a burden off of me once I did, because I finally knew someone could help me. That godly women, I believe, is the reason why I am alive today. If God had not placed her in my life, I might not be here typing. She was such an encourager for me and still is. So do not let anyone tell you that no one cares or your life is not worth living. The pain is only temporary, so just live one day at a time. Eventually, life will get better, I promise. I know God rather wants us to share our testimonies then ignore them, because what you may be going through might encourage someone else to keep living.

“My heart goes out to everyone who feels depressed, unworthy, ugly, not good enough, and emotions beyond explanation. We all have been there. Take one day at a time to realize you are here for a purpose and even though it might not be clear yet, don’t give up because life is one hell of a journey...good and bad. Your day will come. YOU are priceless, strong, and beautiful in every way, don’t give up just yet.” -Unknown

Failure is not a person, but only an event.

Today, disappointment was the first word I thought of after seeing the score on my first exam. After studying for days on end I was just wanting to receive a C, no more no less, but to my surprise I was blown away when I saw a F on the computer screen. I just wanted to cry, because that letter defined me as a student. A failure, yet I was far from that. I actually knew the material very well, but that one thing dictated what I supposedly knew, and according to the score it wasn’t much.

It was like a reality check to me that this new chapter in life is not going to be a breeze. And if I want to receive A's now I  have to work ever harder, because those A's I earned in the past is not who I am now. It humbled me in a way. I believe if we wanted to succeed as much as we failed on a day to day basis, this world would be a different place, especially for Christians. I began thinking about how I was so ashamed of this grade, and how that could relate to us, as Christians, when we sinned. What if when we sinned we felt guilty about it? Sadly, in this day and age many of us are numb to our sins, we are conformed to this world and we are repeatedly committing the same sin over and over again. Instead of feeling guilty and being humbled by our mistakes, this world actually has told us to be proud of our sins. The other day a guy told me his record for drinking cans of beer in one nights was 35. And he was not afraid to admit to it either, he acted as though it was a major accomplishment. I wanted to tell him that being proud of this addiction is not how God wants him to live his life, yet the truth is many of us are trapped into this lie. A lot of us are not even aware of this sin that is holding us back from God and everything He wants from us. Whether it be holding grudges against someone or gossiping, we do not realize it is a sin until it`s too late.

What would happen if we were so ashamed of our sins that we truly asked forgiveness from God every time we did something we knew was wrong and actually meant it? How do you believe God would react to us actually taking responsibility of our actions? What if we wanted to succeed for God in everything that we do? What if God was the only reason we stood against the sins of this world?

“When you want to succeed as much as you want to breathe, that's when you will be successful.”

Do you think you are worth it?

Money has no inherent value, so why does the government put value to it? If you really think about it, it is really absurd that we trade this "valuable" paper for objects. Money does not have any value, but yet it is only because we put value in it. Realistically, money is nothing, it is only paper. I do not think paper equals the same value of a house or a car, but in today's culture it does.

It made me start thinking how we, as people, can be valued as nothing. We can go through everyday life feeling as though we have no reason to be here because that is what the world has told us. It has shouted so many lies that we start to believe them. In the world around us we are labeled. Wherever we go someone is judging who we are, what we do, and how we do it. Sadly, we can even be labeled as objects! Especially women, they are taken advantage of not only in the United States, but worldwide through sex trafficking. It is a touchy subject, but I believe it must be addressed. If you do not do anything about it, it will only get worse.

Even though those men treat these women as though they are objects, they have value. Those women are worth more than they realize and they are more than their past, pain, and struggles. God sees them as strong, beautiful, and courageous women and He loves each and every one of them terribly much.

You might not be like the women I described above, but you might define your self worth through your relationships, your family, or your possessions. Even though society may label you as a geek, liar, cheater, thief, faggot, homo, whore, or even a slut, I just want to let you know that those names DO NOT define you. "And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you.  Live and obey and love and believe. God, nothing else, defines your life." 1 Corinthians 7:17 You just have to rise up and tell yourself that God defines your life. In Jesus Christ, what the world screams at you, is NOT your value. Far from it, he sees you as a precious treasure. You are priceless in God's eyes or He wouldn't have sent his only son to sacrifice himself for the debt you could not pay. You are worth it even the days you mess up badly. God looks down and says, "It's going to be okay."

No matter what this world throws at you, God always defines you for who you are, not your sins! "We are going to have to scream the truth louder than the lies that have infected us." -unknown

What I believe

I believe in a faith that is defied by others

and scientifically cannot be proven,

yet is greater than my own understanding.

I believe in a God of mighty powers

that has already conquered death,

and has come to save this wicked world.

I believe even though my faith is considered a religion

and many label and call it “Christianity”

it is still something far more significant than that.

I believe that my Father sent His only son,

who was perfect and blameless in every way,

to pay the ultimate price for our transgressions.

My faith cannot be explained,

but rather it is something bigger than I,

because what I believe is that I have a relationship with a personal God.

Everyone has a story God has given them to share to this world, we just have to sit down long enough to hear it.

I believe, especially, in today`s culture we get so caught up in media and technology that we miss out on many opportunities just to sit down and share about what God has done in our life or someone else`s life. Even when you see someone out and about we, as Americans, ask the other person how they are doing just to be polite, but passed that smile and laughter, is that person really OKAY? Is that person carrying a burden that they are not sharing? Has that person conquered more than they will ever tell?

I believe we are all living testimonies for God. Yet we always tend to think that a person's testimony has to be this miraculous event where God gave them a second chance in life, whether it be from drugs and alcohol or even to financial issues. Now don't get me wrong, some of those stories can be the most touching and inspiring of them all, but what if you could say your testimony wasn't extravagant, rather something different. Something actually quite simple, yet it meant a lot to you. What if you could say you never gave into the worldly desires that surround you constantly. What if you were able to say God kept you safe in His arms your whole life? And that you were able to say to other people that you never tried drugs, drinking, premarital sex, self-mutilation, or even looked at porn, but rather gave your life over to Him from the start. Then you could truthfully say you kept a pure heart, mind, and soul. I believe that would be a true testimony in itself.

In a world that tells you to act on your emotions and feelings you are able to say you didn't need drugs or sex to fill that empty void. But rather for the very beginning the hole for acceptance, need, and want, was filled with the love of Christ. Wouldn't you be proud to say that throughout your life God kept you pure, because your God had everything under control. I believe that would be a miracle, especially in today`s culture. I can honestly say that no one has shared a testimony like that before because the crowd has set a standard and has said that a "testimony" has to come with obstacles, and tribulations. You don't have to go do the road of heartache, pain, and misery if you know who you are in Christ. I am not saying that your life will be perfect, because God even tells us that we will face difficult times. Since this world shouts in our ears to follow the crowd, doing the total opposite would be a statement. A statement that many would witness.  Instead of saying "yes" to that alcohol, that cigarette, that knife, that drug, what if we said  "NO"? Imagine what the devil will be thinking.

God called YOU to be different, to stand out, to be that shining light in this dark world. So why is it many so called "Christians" are blending into their surroundings? Step out and be the change you want to see in this universe, because God`s love is so addictive that it will leave others wanting more.

Romans 12:1-2
"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." 

Stop judging and start loving, it`s that simple.

Tonight I was reminded that Christians, especially, tend to point their finger at not just other Christians, but everyone around them. Let’s face reality, people are going to be turned off for God if his followers are doing and saying the exact opposite of what He tells them to do. Stop judging and start loving, it’s really that simple. Gandhi once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." I know personally I have felt as though Gandhi’s quote was pretty accurate, because I was that person that felt as though everyone around me was judging my family and I, instead of just accepting me as a person. Now do not get me wrong, I have judge other people and I am not proud of it, but God has showed me through my past that I have no room to judge other people because I have no idea what they are facing. I believe there are many people out in the world that claim to "Christians" but are of the world. You also have to remember we are human, and we make mistakes, but we also tend to judge other people of their sins instead of loving them for who they could be. I believe as a Christian we should put our faith in God and believe He will take care of ANY situation. "Casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you." -1 Peter 5:7 We should not worry about what others are doing, but be aware of how you can make the situation better for Christ. Society can shape a person or you can shape society. As a Christian we want to shape society, not the other way around. If society shapes us and we act like the world then we are not shining a light into this world that God called us to be. Think about this though, is it right to have gay marriage? You may say well I`m not participating in that so why would it matter? It does! The Bible clearly states that being homosexual is wrong. Saying nothing is making a statement. It is saying you do not care, but as a Christian you should care about the spiritual health of others. Are you judging people that are gay? No, you are standing up to what you know is true. "Love the sinner, not the sin." You may also say well if you ask God into your life you are forgiven of ALL your sins, right? Yes you are. If you asked Jesus to come into your heart, but if you are a true Christian you would not be committing that sin time and time again. Also, remember sin is sin in God`s eyes so we constantly need forgiveness. It is by the grace of God we are still alive so thank God for the little things. People will judge us, but you need to remember who you are in Christ.

The devil loves to tell lies and once he has you convinced, he then has distracted you from God and what He wants for your life. It does not matter what the world tells you God LOVES you no matter what. He believes you are beautifully and wonderfully made in HIS OWN image. You are chosen by God to be where you are today for a specific reason. So next time when judge someone just remind yourself God loves them as much as He loves you. Our world needs the love of God, nothing more and nothing less.

 ^"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." -John 3:16

Are You listening?

It has been one of those days where I feel as though I am just fighting for answers. Just sitting in the unknown and all I can feel is my heart pounding. At this point in life, I have no clue what my purpose is here on earth for Christ. My heart, especially recently, has been broken, but I have this passion beyond my own understanding to do something that is and will change the world. I know first that revival has to start within me. I have no idea if God wants me out on the mission field helping those in bondage or if He has other plans for me. Right now I just want Him to show me His will for me, because I am stuck in a waiting period. And let`s be honest, it sucks. I feel as though I am powerless and too young to change the world for Christ. I feel as though I cannot do anything at this point. In the meantime, I just want Him to give me wisdom, hope, and encouragement for others that is beyond me.

Even though I know God has everything planned out already, waiting is hard, and waiting patiently is even harder. Just remember that you are not forgotten about during this time. He is working in and through you in ways you may not realize. So keep your head up and your love for Him on fire. Also, don't forget to pray because God may not answer our prayers the way we wanted them to be answered, but He does not forget the times in which we had faith in Him and prayed.

“My Lord God I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that my desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” -Thomas Merton