WAR.

Spiritual warfare is real.  Don't give up fighting because it seems to hard. 

Remember: the battle is already won.

 

 

 

The trials an tribulations of this world are temporary. 

 

 

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

 

Revelation 21:1-4

Forgiveness.

I am just sitting here in my room listening to the song Forgiveness by Matthew West and thinking over what has happened the last few days.

My best friend I quite talking last spring.  I would text her and get no response.  She started dating a guy and I thought she wanted to spend more time with him than with me.  I was confused.  I decided to just not pursue a relationship with her if she didn't seem to want one.

Ever since we quite talking, I was bitter against her.  I didn't want to reconcile with her.  I was fine just hanging out with friends from school.  I thought I could just put her aside and move on with life.

I was very wrong.  The anger and bitterness I felt against her were sins I was not willing to let go of and seek forgiveness.

I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I was having trouble with trust.  I had told this best friend everything.  She had endured sleepovers with me even when I got a little hyper.  I had shared with her my struggles and my accomplishments.  We had gone from sharing everything with each other to not talking at all.  Like I said, I was so confused.   

Questions began to run through my head often...

• How do I know I can trust my friends at school?
• Will they just quite talking to me one day?
• How do I know who will always be there for me?

The whole situation was interfering with my other relationships.  I became hesitant to share things with others.  My solution was to keep it all inside.  I talked a lot to God, but I didn't confide in anyone else.  This was a huge mistake.  I would get so worked up and exhausted from keeping everything inside that I would just cry myself to sleep at times.

Everything changed two days ago on Monday afternoon...

I was texting a close friend who has become very dear to me.  I told her how stressed I was with school and how I hadn't talked to my best friend in months.  She encouraged me to seek forgiveness.  I had been toying with the idea of calling my old best friend many times.  I really felt a burden to call her during the weekend.  The Sunday school lesson was on forgiveness.  My dad's prayer before lunch on Sunday had to do with forgiving one another.  One of the girls at school was giving a devotion to her House on Tuesday based on (can you guess?) forgiveness.

I decided I was going to make the call on Monday afternoon.  I just had to trust that God would do what was best.

The call was made and I was very nervous.  I started out the conversation casually.  I could tell she was surprised I had called.  After a couple questions about school and life, I decided to get to the point.  I just spilled about how I had been bitter against her for months.  I had been dealing with ungodly thoughts about her.  It had just gotten bad.  I asked for her forgiveness.  She was happy to forgive me.

We talked things out about what went wrong.  This is what had happened:

We both got the impression that the other one didn't want to be friends, so we quite talking altogether. 

You can not even imagine the weight it lifted off my shoulders to finally be reconciled.  I went to school on Tuesday and I was in a wonderful mood.  I haven't even really been struggling with trust lately (it is something I have struggled with since middle school). 

She text me Tuesday morning to tell me to have a good day.  It has been nice to know that we are on the same page now.  I saw her tonight at church.  We hugged and talked face-to-face for the first time in a long time.

It is weird all of the sudden talking again after so long.  A good weird.

Smoothies & Friendship

The only two things sitting before me this afternoon were a very delicious smoothie and a very dear friend.

After a very long day at school, it was wonderful to spend time with someone so dear to me.  She has been a wonderful accountability partner.  She has a very passionate heart for missions (like me) and always gives me good Biblical advice.

I had so much to tell her today.  Sadly, we don't get to talk as much as I wish we could.  Our schedules (mainly mine) are super busy.  I shared with her how I am having difficulties in a few classes at school.  It hasn't been the easy and fun senior year I had planned on.  It has actually been pretty stressful.  I shared with her how I am having some relationship problems with friends.  I shared all the struggles I am going through.

She calmly listened to me pour out my heart.  I have kept so much of it in for so long.  It was good to get it out.  She commented at times. 

When I finished pouring out, she shared what was going on with her life.  I love how I can be completely open with her.  We spent over an hour talking and sipping our smoothies.  It was too short if you ask me.  We are making a goal to meet more often.  She prayed for me before we parted ways. 

One of the things I appreciate most about this friend is that I know when I tell her I need prayer, she will constantly keep me in her prayers.  She is a blessing to have as a sister in Christ and accountability partner.

As a part of being a Christian, we need to keep each other accountable.  We need to confess our sins to one another.

Talking to my dear friend tonight just reminded me how broken I am and how much I desperately need a Savior.  The trials and struggles I am going through now seem unbearable at times.  The blessing is that the trials will not last forever.  In fact, Jesus has already overcome.  He has already won.  I anxiously await the say He returns to call His children home.  Until then, I have work to do on earth.  I am blessed to have friends like the one I got to spend time with tonight to encourage me to have confidence in Christ.

Paul tells the Thessalonians that nobody knows the time or day when Jesus will return.  We need to be aware and ready for that day.  We should listen to what Paul tells the Thessalonian (5:11) believers to do...

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 

Follow you.

You lived among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.

All my needs you have supplied.
When I was dead you gave me life.
How could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.

 

Use my hands, use my feet
To make your kingdom come
Through the corners of the earth
Until your work is done
'Cause Faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was she'd
So how could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
(X2)

I give all myself.
I give all myself
I give all myself... to you.

And I give all myself.
Yes, I give all myself.
And I give all myself... to you.

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
(X2)

 

 

We sang this song in chapel this morning.  Our last chapel of our mission month at school ended today.  This song above (Follow You by Leeland) was the theme verse for our chapels.

I love the song.  The lyrics are amazing.  I had to stop myself today when I was singing it...

Do I really mean what I am saying?  Or do I even understand what I am saying?

When it says "use my hands, use my feet" am I serious about saying that?  It does no good to give lip service (tell God stuff that you don't really mean) because He knows your heart. 

Am I really saying that I will follow Christ wherever He leads?

"I give all myself".  These four words are the ones that really make me stop.

I know there are things that I struggle to give to God. 

When I sing those four words, I am making a commitment to submit myself to God's will.

It's hard, but the eternal reward is worth it.  God is worthy of our praise.

 

Do we run?

Do we run to Christ, or are we reluctant and holding back?

I shared this with the girls in my house today as part of my devotion to them. 

There are two responses we can have to Jesus.

1. We can be like the rich man in Matthew 19:16-22...

¹⁶ And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” ¹⁷ And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸ He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, ¹⁹ Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁰ The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” ²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” ²² When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

This man decided not to follow Jesus because he loved his possessions more.

2. Or we can be like the disciples in Mark 1:16-20...

¹⁶ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

The disciples immediately left their earthly possessions and followed Jesus.

Is there something that is holding you back from being completely committed to following Christ?

Being a Christian is not something you can only be half committed to.  You are either sold out for Christ or you aren't.  Jesus says in Matthew 6:24 that we can't serve both God and money.  The rich man in the first parable found the truth of this. 

I struggle with being reluctant to give my time to Christ.  I know I should set aside so quiet time, but I really want to finish a good book I am reading.  There are so many things I could spend my free time doing.  God is a jealous God.  When I do spend a considerable amount of time with God, I am enriched.  Why don't I spend quality time with Him more often?  Do I not value Him more than the things of this world?  This is a question I daily have to ask myself.

Who are you going to serve? 

Will you run after Christ leaving everything behind?  Are you prepared to live a life completely devoted to living for Him?  Are you willing to die to yourself to be alive in Christ?

Sacrificial giving.

The hot water has been boiled, the sugar added, and the tea bag seeped.  

I can finally sit down and blog after another long day.

My allergies have been killing me lately, so my hot tea feels so good on my sore throat.    I could complain about how my nose keeps running or how I keep sneezing and coughing, but...

I have some great news!!

I have one of my favorite songs playing in the background while I type.  I am so happy right now! 

I explained to you yesterday what houses at my school are.  If you don't remember or didn't read yesterday's post, click here. 

This month is missions month at my school.  It is a really neat time when students who go on mission trips during the previous summer share what God taught them during Thursday chapels.  I talked about my trip to Peru in one of the chapels.

During missions month, each house raises money for the Families of the Martyrs.  It is part of the Voice of the Martyrs organization.  We do a little friendly competition to see who can raise the most.  (We count the money tomorrow afternoon to determine that.)

My house has been unbelievable in giving money.

Our initial goal was for every girl in my house to give $2.  Two dollars is nothing, so I challenged them to give more.

Slowly, the girls brought money.  I put my money in first to set the example.

The money kept adding up as each girl gave.  I told the girls that I had a goal for us to reach, but I didn't tell them how much or how far away we were. 

That was all I said and they came the next day willing giving more money.

One girl in particular really showed me what sacrificial giving is.  She is a big One Direction fan.  She has been saving up lose change for a while in a concert fund.  This morning, she came to me with all the change she had saved up.  She told me she wanted to give it all the Families of the Martyrs. 

She is not the only one who has sacrificed to give a little more.

It reminds me of the parable in Mark 12:41-44.  It is the parable of the woman who gave all she had...

⁴¹ And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴² And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. ⁴³ And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. ⁴⁴ For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Living in America where there is so much money, we tend to make sure we have enough to fall back on.  The problem then becomes that we are trusting our money to save us and not Jesus Christ.

I have been trying to understand what it means to give sacrificially of my time and money to further God's kingdom. 

When I give money to a missionary or mission organization, I ask myself one question:

Am I only giving what is easy for me to give or am I going to have to trust God to provide?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"The Underground Church...is so willing to give its martyrs!  It is so willing to risk years in...prisons!  But all its willingness is of no value if it does not have the tools with which to work."

-Richard Wurmbrand, Tortured for Christ

My house

Today I have to share with you something that is very special to me.  It might be a little confusing, but hang in there with me.  I will try to make it as easy to understand as I can.

In my small Christian private school, we are separated up into what we call "Houses"...

There are girl houses and there are boy houses.
Each house has an assortment of students from grades 7th through 12th.  (A teacher puts kids in houses randomly before the school year starts.)
The head of each house is a Citadel member.
A Citadel member is an upperclassman who is in the leadership class my school offers called Citadel.
These houses are basically accountability groups.
Each Citadel leader has a character trait that becomes the name of the house.  (The students vote on what character trait best characterizes the leader.)
To get into Citadel, you must apply and then be accepted.
Being in Citadel is a daily commitment to learn how to better be like Christ and reflect that image to others, especially those in your house.

This year, I am blessed to be in Citadel.  The character trait chosen for me was humble.  I have the blessing of leading 15 wonderful girls from 7th-11th grade.  They have been a huge impact on me already this year.
The class has also been wonderful.  Our teacher, a wonderful lady who volunteers to lead the class, reminds me so much of a Proverbs 31 woman.  She is a great example for me.

Among other things I will blog about, I want to share with you about my house.

I get to meet with my girls every day before school during our assembly time.  This is kind of how our morning assemblies go...

• Monday - prayer in houses
• Tuesday - I give a devotion to my house
• Wednesday - usually an all secondary devotion by a guy Citadel leader
• Thursday - all secondary chapel
• Friday - game day (houses verses each other)

I hope you followed all that.  If you got a little confused, I hope you got the general idea.  Citadel is a really great opportunity my school provides to encourage students to be spiritual leaders.