No Matter What.

Last Sunday, I was feeling terrible, so I stayed home from church and stayed in bed. I turned on my TV in time to hear some preaching. You know, Joel Osteen, etc. Pastor Furtick at Elevation was on TV, and I was completely thrilled. I listened and loved every minute...it was an incredible, encouraging message. Then, another preacher, (I won't name any names) came on TV. His sermon was titled: "Seven People God Cannot Save." After listening for about 30 seconds, I was absolutely disgusted. It made me angry. I continued listening...determined to give his message a chance. It continued to make me even more mad. The entire time, all he did was condemn people to hell. If you do this (fill in the blank)...God cannot save you. If you have done this (fill in the blank)...God cannot save you. If you have ever thought about (fill in the blank)....God cannot save you. He went on and on about who God cannot save.

I began to think about his message. I started thinking about if I were a pastor...and had the unique opportunity of being on television...to reach a huge number of people for Christ...and the words I would say to them. I would make it my goal to offer people the HOPE that I have found in JESUS. I would make it my goal to spread the message of the Gospel. I would make it my goal to show others what it means when God's love has completely changed your life forever. I would make it my goal to tell others about how God sent His one and only Son to die a death we should have died...so they we can live a LIFE that JESUS should be living. I would do my best to tell them how much God loves them and cares for them even when they feel like no one does. I would do my very best to glorify God.

All I heard out of this pastor's mouth were words of condemnation. There was absolutely no hope and no encouragement. It made me sad. It made me angry. Why is it that when someone has the opportunity to changes lives, they do nothing but condemn people and have the nerve to say that God cannot save them? Why? It makes me even more mad that the place where this pastor was preaching was filled with at least 2,000 people. And every one of them was saying, "Amen" and clapping their hands for a man who was doing nothing but telling them that God could not save someone who (fill in the blank....).

Last time I checked, God can save ANYONE who simply says YES to Him...and asks forgiveness for their sins. No matter where you have been, what you have done....God can save you. No matter who you are, how you feel....God can save you. No matter how bad you think you have sinned....God can save you. No matter how far you think you may be from God....God can save you. No matter what...God can save you.

I don't know who is reading this, I may not even know you....but, my prayer is that you know that God can save you. God's Word says so.

I am not really sure how to wrap this up, so I am going to end it with lyrics to a song.

Mighty To Save -

Everyone needs compassion
Love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

Savior
He can move the mountains
For my God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender

Shine Your light and
Let the whole world see
We’re singing
For the glory of the risen King
Jesus

doubt, lack of confidence, and fear of failure.

Doubt has been very present in my life over the past week. It has been in full force as I have prepared for and taken my final exams...all of which I have to pass in order to graduate. Satan has been busy....I felt as if the enemy has been screaming all week long, "You can't do it. You know you aren't smart enough. You will fail." Although, I felt overcome with doubt and fear....I DID it. I passed. I didn't fail. Although Satan was busy....God was by far even more at work. And God won that battle.

Each night over the past week, I would spend time in my room, in complete silence, studying endlessly until I fell asleep. I would wake up the next morning, scared out my mind, with absolutely no confidence. Doubt had completely taken over my mind. After each exam, I would wait anxiously to find out whether I passed. I was nervous and I had absolutely no faith in myself.

I have come to the realization that worry and doubt have built a home in my life. I don't like that whatsoever...and that home needs to be torn down. I have also noticed that I have little confidence in myself. I hate that. And, I have a huge fear of failure. I am afraid to fail....at anything. I need to stop being so afraid of failing....and just go for it. I need to have more confidence...and I need to believe that I can do anything I set my mind to. I hate all of these things about myself. I want these things about me to change....and I am determined that they will.

By myself, I can't. But with God's help ... I CAN.

I can do anything because God's got my back.

Through Christ....I can do all things.

I know it. I really do believe it....but I need to work on this....and I need to completely rid myself of worry and doubt in my life. I am determined. And I am certain that with God's help, my fears, worries, and moments of doubt will disappear.

For the Lord will be your confidence
And will keep your foot from being caught.

Proverbs 3:26

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

1 John 5:14

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

Calling on Jesus

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1

...and call on me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you will honor me.

Psalm 50:15

Friday night, as I was driving home from visiting my grandparents, I began having extremely sharp chest pains. They were constant. They were horrible. I wanted to get into a ball and cry my eyes out, but I still had at least another 30 minutes to drive. I contemplated calling my parents to come pick me up, but realized that I would get home quicker if I just continued driving (probably not the safest option, but oh well. I am home and safe.) As I was driving, I began calling out to Jesus. Every minute or so, I would say, "Jesus. Jesus. Jesus." I wasn't saying His name in vain, I was simply calling out to Him. That was all I could say...and at times that was just a whisper. Those were the only words I could utter. I couldn't pray. There were no words, except for the name of Jesus. And, thinking back to that night, I think that is okay. Calling on Jesus, and saying HIS name over and over was my way of praying. I'm certain that He understands.

Earlier today as I thought about it, I began to think about my Mawmaw. My Mawmaw has many health issues that have drastically altered the way that she lives. Simple tasks have become extremely difficult. Leaving the house to go somewhere is next to impossible. She has great difficulty walking down the hallway to use the restroom due to her lung capacity. Every time I am around her, I hear her call upon Jesus. According to my grandpa, she does it all the time. She cries out to her Healer. "Oh dear Jesus. Oh dear Lord. Oh dear Jesus." Jesus....is the One who can give her strength and healing. Jesus is the One who can deliver her from the circumstances she finds herself in. Only Jesus.

Then I starting thinking....what better name to cry out than the name of JESUS?

Jesus is our everything....why not cry out to Him?

Jesus is our Help in times of trouble.

Jesus is our Strength and our Salvation.

Jesus is our Healer.

Jesus is our Deliverer and our Rescuer.

Jesus is our Hope.

There is no better name than the name of Jesus. There is no better name to call upon. Jesus is the name above ALL names. As one of my favorite songs goes.... "Your Name is a strong and mighty tower. Your Name is a shelter like no other. Your Name, let the nations sing it louder....'cause nothing has the power to save...But YOUR Name."

The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

Psalm 145:18-20

the mountain tops and valleys of life.

I was thinking earlier today about the goodness of God. It amazes me just how good God is...it's an incredible thing, and I am so grateful for it. When everything in our lives seem like they are falling apart, God is still good, sovereign, holy, strong, and bigger than whatever we may be facing. I find myself amazed.

Life has so many ups and downs. Life is full of so much good, yet so much bad. That's life. I thought about how crucial it is to praise God in our good times as well as the bad. If we cannot praise God in the best times of our lives, how in the world can we praise God in the worst times? Being grateful is extremely important, and I hope that my gratitude towards God has been evident in my life no matter how good or bad things may seem to me.

When we find ourselves on the mountain top, we must give God all the Glory so that we can praise Him in the valley. Maybe everything in our life is wonderful, we need to make sure all the glory be to the One who blessed us in the first place. Maybe everything in our life is not going the way we had planned, we need to praise Him in the midst of our circumstances. Maybe things in our lives have taken a turn for the worst, we must praise Him in advance and trust that God works all things together for our good.

My prayer is that we can live lives that praise the One who has saved us. May we never be too caught up in our mountain top that we forget the God who put us there to begin with. And may we always remember to give God all the Glory ahead of time for the wonderful things He has done and will do in our lives even if we are currently in the valley.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Beautiful ----

God is speaking to me through the lyrics to this song. I am grateful that I am treasured, I am sacred, and I am HIS. That's really all that matters.

Beautiful -- by Mercy Me

The days will come when you don't have the strength
When all you hear is you're not worth anything
Wondering if you ever could be loved
And if they truly saw your heart they'd see too much

You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are made so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His
You're beautiful

And praying that you have the heart to find
Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight
For all the lies you've held inside so long
And they are nothing in the shadow of the cross

You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are made so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His
You're beautiful

Before you ever took a breath
Long before the world began
Of all the wonders He possessed
There was one more precious
Of all the earth and skys above
You're the one He madly loves
Enough to death

You're beautiful
You're beautiful
In His eyes

You're beautiful
You were meant for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You're meant for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His

Ready to Run

I find myself filled with so much anticipation of what this year will bring. I am hoping, believing, and praying that God will show up in incredible ways this year. I know that He has wonderful things in store. And I have peace knowing that God has His hand on my life and He knows exactly where I'm going and where I belong. I'm trusting and seeking God as I continue my walk of faith in this new year.

I was thinking earlier that I only have two weeks and then three semesters left of my entire high school career. In the fall, I'll be a senior and will be applying to colleges and making the biggest decision of my life thus far as I choose the college that is right for me. I know that God knows exactly where I'll be going and I'm finding so much comfort in that.

I was thinking about 2010 and realized once again that God is faithful in the midst of my circumstances. And I know without a doubt that God will be there this year and will be faithful just like He has been. Although I know that life isn't easy, and I know that 2011 will come with it's own challenges, struggles, and difficulties....I also know that my God is faithful, and that the God I serve will carry me through whatever life storm I may find myself in. God is just so good.

I am in awe. Complete and total awe of what God has already done in my life. It amazes me and I am so excited to see what God has waiting for this year. I know that no matter what....God is with me through it all and I am incredibly grateful for His love, provision, and hand on my life.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

My prayer is that we can all forgive easily, laugh frequently, pray continuously, and love unconditionally. It's going to be an incredible ride. I am ready to run the race that God has set before me. I am fixing my eyes on Jesus this 2011.

Ready...set...go...