Christmas

"I celebrate the day
That you were born to die
So one day I could pray for you to save my life.

To look back and think that
This baby would one day save me..

The first time that you opened your eyes
Did you realize that you would be my savior
The first breath that left your lips
Did you know that it would change the world forever?"



So songs make me think a lot..and with my habit of over-analyzing just about everything, they really make me think..maybe a bit too much. I was thinking about how Jesus was born to be our savior. And He's God, too. So when he was a little kid, did Jesus grow up knowing that He was going to die one day? And if so, that seems kind of like it would be a sad childhood..but then again I think, "He is God, and He wants us to be with Him. So, he knew why He had to die." But then, that's an interesting way of doing things..and then I remember that with the old covenant, something that was completely perfect had to be sacrificed.

The whole trinity thing is interesting to me, too. God knows everything, Jesus is His son, and the holy spirit lives in us to help us do the right thing. But yet they are one? Wow-that's all I have to say. So was it God coming himself to us? In the form of a human? Then it was God speaking to us. But then, He is pleased with His son..who is himself. Whoa.

And what about Mary? Did she know that the son she birthed was going to be killed for her and the rest of the world including the people who killed and hated him? I don't think I would ever let my son out of my sight if I knew that was going to happen.

All I know is that Jesus cane and died to save my life. He changed the world and left us the mission to finish what he started. Christmas is an interesting thing..and hard to understand sometimes. To think that God came to us in a baby, but He was still in heaven because it was the son part of the trinity. Then He grew up just like we do. Learning about himself almost since he was God, and then changed the world by telling us the right way to live and then asking us to follow Him. Then rising from the dead to ask us to tell others about Him. And taught that all we have to do is believe in Him and ask Him to forgive our sins so we could live in paradise with Him forever...AMAZING!

So thank God for His Marvelous love

[[Just some things I liked in these verses]]

Psalm 107:
"Oh thank God-He's so good!..All of you set free tell the world!"
-If God has done so much and even set you free, why wouldn't you want to tell the world about his love so others can experience it, too? That's what we are commanded to do-to love others and tell them about Christ.

4-9:
"Then in your desperate condition, you called out to God. He got you out in the nick of time; so thank God for His marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.."
-All we have to do is say His name and he comes running to us-right when we need him most. He's there to love us, even though we don't deserve it. He will never stop loving us. We're never alone.

10-22:
"He led you out of your dark, dark cell...so thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children He loves."
-Even in the darkest times, God hasn't forgotten us. His love is always there. Even if we don't know it. He's there guiding us back to Him-out of the cell. We're his children that He loves. He's merciful and wants to help us-just like a father with a hurt child. No matter what we've done, He's there to take care of us.

23-32:
"Then you called out to God in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time..He led you safely back to harbor. So thank God for His marvelous Love, for His miracle mercy to the children He loves. Lift high your praises when the people assemble, shout Hallelujah when the elders meet."
-God is there. He sees us out in the middle of the sea with no direction, but guides us and brings us back to Him. And what about other Christians? Shouldn't we celebrate what God's done for them, too?We were made to worship Him together. We have to thank God for them-even the elders. They're God's children just as much as we are. You're never too old to come to Christ.

33-41:
"He blessed them and they prospered greatly;... Good people see this and are glad; bad people are speechless, stopped in their tracks. If you are really wise, you'll think this over- it's time you appreciated God's deep love."
-How often do we take for granted what God has given us? I mean, we are alive for one, have an amazing church that loves and gives all people the chance to worship and be involved in ministry. We live in the best country in the world-we're actually allowed to worship freely and get a free education. Even though we don't always like them, He's given us all amazing families and uses them to teach us things we need to know in life. Sometimes just taking a look outside gives you a reason to be appreciative. He loves us so much He wanted us just to have something beautiful to look at and remember him by- to show His power and love to us every day.

"Amazing love. Now, what else shall I need?
And I found myself in you"- Found by Hillsong United.

Only the Best

Isaiah 55:2 "Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best, fill yourself with only the finest.."

School is getting really close. That makes me kind of sad. It takes me away from being around people who mean the most to me and it can even take me away from church sometimes.

Being away from those people of influence is going to be hard. I've really grown a lot this summer and developed meaningful relationships with some amazing people at First Assembly. They're the ones who hold me up and keep me accountable. That being said, I have to work harder to fill myself with only the best- not settling for mediocrity with Christ or in any part of my life but giving my all.

School gives so many temptations to lie, slack off, gossip, and even say the wrong things. I can't let it hold me back. I have to let my light shine; be genuine and let others see why I'm so different. I have to let people know that life is so much better with Jesus.

So that's my challenge for this school year: Be me and show Jesus. more than I have before. I hope you join me in the effort.

Friend

"Walk with me, talk with me, hold my hand. Be my God, be my closest friend..."-Lifting my Hands

Isaiah 41:9-10:
"You're my servant, serving on my side. I've picked you. I haven't dropped you. Don't panic. I', with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength..."

"You truly are my king, and I will serve your throne to worship you alone..."- Dear Jesus

I think the message God was trying to get across to me today was that I need to make him my closest friend. I need to run to him and let him help me; know that he's with me. I need to let him walk with me. And since serving is something I love to do, I need to serve on his side-using my servant hood as worship to him. Knowing that he's called me to do something great for him.

I love when God speaks like that. I read the passage in Isaiah last night and as I listened to those songs today, I made the connection. I opened my bible and reread the passage and I knew what I wanted to share. Isn't God awesome?

Assignment

This was actually something I wrote to share with the Worship team on Wednesday, but I thought I would put it on here, too:

Psalms 32:1-2,11
"1.Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be-you get a fresh start. your slate's wiped clean.2.Count yourself lucky-God holds nothing against you and you hold nothing back from Him..11.Celebrate God. Sing together-everyone! All you honest hearts raise the roof."

Psalms33:1
"Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising."

Because of what he did- The fact that He does wipe my slate clean, He does give me a fresh start, and He holds nothing against me, I need to hold nothing back from Him. I need to always celebrate him and sing his praises. I need to go into worship with an honest heart. If I count myself as a right-living person I need to praise because that's what I do best.

So everything I do, and every time I'm in a corporate setting of worship, I need to enjoy what God is doing and what he's done for me and celebrate together with those who have experienced God's blessings and love. I need to praise God for who he is; not just because I'm on a team and I'm supposed to do.

Need

I bought a new CD last week and these are some of my favorite songs:

Crazy - Jonathan Stockstill

I'll never bring to you something that doesn't cost me
When I worship it will be the best I can bring...
When I dance for you I'll always dance a crazy dance
My life was nothing and you gave me a second chance
I'll go crazy for you

The thing you want from me is just to give a crazy praise
Abandoned happiness and joy beyond my wildest dreams
I'll jump and scream and glorify your awesome name..
The sky will break with noise and dump on us a second rain
I'll go crazy for you!


I Need You-Jonathan Stockstill
Oh Lord, my life I owe to you
Each breath I take is by Your grace
My ways, my heart, they yield to Yours
My soul cries out to hear Your voice

You are the source of life and my strength
I need You more and more
You are the reason that I live
I need You more and more

In you I live and move
and have my life
I am sustained, renewed, and loved by You

I need you more
I need you Lord
I need you
I need you.

Only having nine days left until the Deepening gets me very excited. I know God is going to do something amazing in our lives this year. I need Him more and more. I want to be desperate for Him to be in my life.


"God, I love You. I only want You. I need You here. I don't want what You can give me, I just want You, God. I want You to be here with me as I go through this crazy life. I want to go crazy for You, God! You deserve everything that I can give and more. Thank you for loving a simple person like me. Thank you for the blessings You give me. Thank you for the friends and people in my life that help me grow. Thank you for a church that loves students and loves to have us help them. When we could just be sitting at home, doing nothing, they give us a place where we can go and prepare to minister to people that week. Thank you that I get to be a part of the big picture that is You. Thank you for putting me on a worship team that gets to lead people into Your presence each week. I pray that we would go crazy for You and our passion would be out of this world! God, I love You. I need You here with me. My life is only because of Your grace. Lord, I put You first in everything."

Preparing our Hearts

Currently, I am on my first official fast since I was in C.I.A.! It's not a big thing, but it means something to me and the others joining together.We started last Saturday fasting all music but worship. It's not that I listen to secular or other types of music often, but I do enjoy listening to different varieties and styles of music.

This is something we hope will prepare our hearts more for what God has in store for us this summer at the Deepening. When Jeff Harte asked me and some others to join him for his second year of fasting, I knew I was in. The idea of focusing even the area of all of our music solely on God was just awesome to me. Even while I was just sitting in band class today, listening to a new song we're working on in Reality, it changed my entire day. It just gave me a peace during this last week of school and finals that God is with me and he has a lot planned for me. I am excited to be a part of this wonderful group of people who are going after God more. This is a tradition that I definitely want to continue.

So, Just pray for us all as we give up all other music and pray that God will do something amazing in all of our lives this summer.

Also, be looking forward to seeing me a lot this summer! I hope to be able to come and help as much as I can at First Assembly!

Growing and learning.

Wow, it's already four months into the year and I'm just now updating!

Lately, I've had maybe some of the most meaningful times I can remember. I've really gotten a chance to learn and connect with new people and grow in skill as well as spirituality.

I've become involved in mew ministry which has brought mew new friends and brought old ones closer. I've also gotten the chance to help and serve here at the church. The people here are great. They are very patient and always willing to help. That alone makes learning and growing easier.

I still want to be more involved.. I want to learn more about what I do. What better way to appreciate and do your ministry better than to learn and keep learning about it, right? I'm not on the tech team, but I've learned how to set light cues and even do easy worship. It's so much fun to know how those things work and I have a great appreciation for people who do it. With the worship team, I do things to take care and better my voice. I help set and tear down the stage, and I hang around people who are leaders in that area. I watch what they do and I even help at times with suggestions if they ask me.

I want to keep my desire to grow. The more you grow, the more you learn. The more you learn, the more you can lead and teach people..and you can't lead where you haven't been yourself. Thanks you to all of you who are leading me and who are growing with me. I could never do it without you guys! A leader never stops growing and I'm not going to.