Justified by Faith and Set forth in Forgiveness

We are Called to Forgive Even When it is Hard and Walk by Faith...

"The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self -all your wishes and precautions- to Christ."- C.S. Lewis 

It is incredibly hard to let go of something and give it to the Lord when you know that it would be so much easier to hold on to what it is and continue to give into it. Tonight as I was walking on the beach (I still cannot believe I live where I can walk on the beach every night. Praise God!) with my Activities Director and friend, Sam, we were discussing something that had us both so addled and in bitter spirits and it was just not where we wanted to be. Halfway through this walk I had this thought that came right to me. It could only be explained as a word from the Lord. This feeling was strong so I spoke on it and said, "Sam we just have to pray and forgive. That is the only way we are going to be able to let go and let God work in this the way he intended." Forgiveness is the last thing I would have ever thought I needed to do but yet the exact thing that needed to be done.

God is so good. He blesses us each and everyday in such amazing ways and it just puts this smile to my face and fuels a happiness in me that is undeniable. Even in this happiness there is still room for sin and mistakes and failure of different measures. In this instance this failing was holding onto something that was becoming this toxic thing that was only hurting me and doing the opposite of good in my life. It was becoming this default focus of my time here and that was not ok.

So when Sam and I got back tonight after our walk we started talking about this situation and we were just like we have to pray now and go to the Lord and ask for his guidance and just forgive and let go of this. We crawled up on Sam's bunk and dove into the word. Sam just so happened to turn to Galatians 3 and wow what a God thing that was. It was exactly what we needed to hear and applied to our situation more perfectly than either of us could have ever imagined. How amazing is the Lord? Galatians 3:24-25 says, "So the law was put in charge to lead as to Christ that we might be justified by faith.  Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law." After Sam read that verse we looked and each other and we were just like, wow God thank you. This law that was put forth served its purpose, and faith came so we live in this faith and are no longer supervised by the law. In the Lord we are free and how amazing is that?

To finish out Galatians three the verse -28 speaks on being one with Jesus and I am still so amazed on how perfectly this plays into today and this situation. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, MALE NOR FEMALE, for you are ALL one in Christ Jesus." We are ALL one in the Lord. In everything, every single thing. It is such an easy thing to remember and yet so hard to accept. No matter who you are, where you have come from or what you have done we are ONE in Christ. We are equal in our father's eyes. At the end of Galatians 3 we proceeded to pray and put forth this forgiveness in the Lord that was so greatly needed and this immense and indescribable peace just washed over us and this weight was just lifted. Something as simple prayer time and look into the word was what this situation needed. I think we often forget and underestimate the power of prayer and God's word. He speaks. Whether it be through situations, through the word, in prayer, whatever it may be he is speaking to us, all we have to do is be open to what he is telling us.

I am firm believer that the Lord calls all times soon and that he reveals and provides when the timing is right. So tonight following this powerful prayer I turned on my Holy Spirit Flowing station on spotify and the song that came on was "Forgiveness" by Matthew West. I looked up to the Heavens and giggled at the Lord. He speaks. Every day in every way he speaks to us. The lyrics to this song are so profound and I couldn't help but be consumed by how perfect the Lord's timing really is.

It's the hardest thing to give away

And the last thing on your mind today

It always goes to those who don't deserve

It's the opposite of how you feel

When the pain they caused is just too real

Takes everything you have to say the word

It flies in the face of all your pride

It moves away the mad inside

It's always anger's own worst enemy

Even when the jury and the judge

Say you've got a right to hold a grudge

It's the whisper in your ear saying set it free

Forgiveness, forgiveness

Forgiveness, forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable

Show me how to reach the unreachable

Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness

It'll clear the bitterness away

It can even set a prisoner free

There is no end to what its power can do

So let it go and be amazed by what you see through eyes of grace

The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, forgiveness

Forgiveness, forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable

Show me how to reach the unreachable

Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness

I want finally set it free

Show me how to see what your mercy sees

Help me now to give what You gave to me

Forgiveness, forgiveness

Forgiveness truly is one of the hardest things to give away, just like these lyrics say, but that is what we are called to do. I am so thankful that tonight Sam and I could come together in prayer and ask the Lord for forgiveness for the way we have handled this and give forgiveness. For God is good and everyday we shall rejoice in his grace and go forth in faith. What a blessing it is to come here to this place that is so visibly in need of the Lord, and have the opportunity to share the most important part of who we are as Christians. Thanks be to the Lord for situations that cause growth and bring us closer to him. Thanks be to God for this amazing Christian family in which I can share and thanks be to the challenges that being part of this family brings.

 Life is not easy, neither is forgiveness but nothing worth the gain is ever "easy." Praise God for a challenging life that makes every day a new adventure and a chance to extend his forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Psalms 100:5 is a great reminder of the Lord's goodness, "For the Lord is good and his love endures forever. His faithfulness continues through all generations." It continues, his faithfulness is forever and always, in every single situation. Going into tomorrow I pray for peace and joy regarding this situation and anything that I may face, that Sam may face that any of my SummerShine family members may face. As a body may we love each other and together love others. Tomorrow is another day the Lord has made and his forgiveness is in my heart and mine on my lips. 

Thank you Lord. 

Shine Bright through the Highs and the Lows

A Not So Easy Time Makes The Relationship Stronger...

Recently I have been having a time with the Lord and his plan for my life, and for the right now. Currently I am off doing my best working to shine his light at the KOA in Myrtle Beach South Carolina. What I didn't realize until quite recently is that every day can be a battle. Maintaining that light amongst the darkness and shining bright when circumstances aren't ideal has always been present but I don't think that I quite realized the full force of that until I jumped head first into this mission experience. Each and every day is a new opportunity to see his works in the least likely places. 

It seems as though everywhere I turn I know that what I see and feel is that the atmosphere in this place is severely lacking God's love and light. What is more amazing than God's love? It is incredibly difficult, it is a daily battle to push through and know that I am not working for a worldly person. Everything we do is for the glory of the Lord who loves us more than we could ever begin to imagine. Today and this past week have been a little bit more on the challenging side. I have to keep reminding myself I am here to carry out the Lord's plan for my life. A verse that my activities director brought up at our bible study speaks to what we are doing here so perfectly, "for all who have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."-Romans 3:23-24 This exemplifies that no matter what we all sin and fall short of the glory of God and that even through that the Lord loves us so deeply and gives us immeasurable grace. It plays so much in to the atmosphere here, that no matter who you are or what you have done you are justified by God's grace and that is amazing.

Where we are here it is imperative that we keep in mind that however different we may be from our coworkers we can't look down upon them or belittle them or each other. For our purpose is to shine God's light and share his love; keeping our heads up and pushing through the undesirable circumstances that we may face. "the Spirit helps us in our weakness..."-Romans 4:26 Every single day in whatever weakness you may face the Holy Spirit is there within you giving you the strength to carry out his will. God is so good. All the time he is good. 

This opportunity to work here with other SummerShiners has truly made me realize that it is about the work we are doing it is about how we do that work and who we are doing it for. Good works are wonderful and great but unless they are in the name of the Lord they don't hold the merit that they should. Hebrews 6:10 says, "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." Even as we work for the glory of the Lord for his people we ourselves are growing and that is amazing.

I have already learned so much about myself in this process and it amazes me everyday how present the Holy Spirit really is in everything we do. "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."-Romans 5:5 I love this verse so much because the fact that the Holy Spirit is so tangible in our lives means everything. God has poured out his love that we too may love his children. I think it is so important in this mission field and any mission field that we know that it isn't about the work itself and how well we can do it but how we can do it with the Holy Spirit flowing in us to glorify our Heavenly Father.

The way I have discovered that I work is with my heart. I could be doing the lest desirable task, cleaning some bathroom with some of my amazing SummerShine family members, and smile and deep belly laugh because no matter what God is present and so so good. How blessed are we to be given the opportunity to serve our Heavenly Father? I know that right now I want to focus on cultivating friendships and working for the glory of the Lord even when it is approximately 100 degrees outside and I am walking around drunk from heat exhaustion. God blesses us everyday so I want to use what I have to glorify him in any way that I can even though that is harder than I could have ever imagined.

This season of my life is for working for the Lord as the Holy Spirit flows through me. I have prayed for who knows how long for things to become apparent in my life and right now all that I know for sure is that I can't even comprehend what the Lord is using me for but I do know that I love being the body. Of course I fail but failing or messing up an easy task only makes me want to work harder. God is amazing and he knows, he loves, he does, and he calls all times soon (even in the darkest places). My God is a loving God who holds me on days when I feel down and comforts me and gives me guidance when I don't know what to do or how to handle a situation. "Though the mountains be shaken (the heat be unbearable) and the hills be removed (and the work be difficult), yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken..."-Isaiah 54:10 No matter what God's love is unfailing, no matter the highs or the lows we may face, God is good and in that we can shine his light bright. We are the body and the lights in the darkness. That excites me and scares me, but I have been called and so have you. With the strength and love of the Lord we can do it.
Always and forever.

I am ready.
My mission, our mission for Christ Jesus who is undeniably righteous and in him we are so. 

Live Free, Wild, and On Fire for the Lord

I am a free spirit...

Everyday that the Lord has made is another adventure that we are beyond blessed to embark upon. There is always somewhere to be, something to do, people and things to see; but no matter what the adventure or where the your free spirit may take you the Lord will meet you there. It is amazing to me that the Lord knows us so well and has planned our tomorrows out. What is more is that each one of us is incredibly different and yet we all love the Lord in our own way and do life the way we feel called to serve him best.

I would describe myself as an insanely free spirit with so much energy to face tomorrow wild and free. Even in a life full of unknown adventures the Lord's love and guiding hand is constant. Psalm 32:8 speaks on how the Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." When you think about it, that is undeniably amazing. The Lord has planned  your entire lifetime why worry? Why stress? You have the ability to live your life free to worship the Lord in every way whether that be singing to the top of your lungs, dancing like a crazy person, laughing with a brother or sister in christ, traveling to different locations to observe the Lord's beauty, you are so free in God's love.

Exercise your life in the fact that "Where the spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom!"- 2 Corinthians 3:17 Shout it from the mountain tops! If you are like me you always want to go on an adventure to soothe your free spirit and your heart for adventure. That is perfectly fine because the Lord put that there. We are all made different and if you have a free spirit that you just can't tame, feed it! Our most important mission in life is to praise the Lord and spread his love among the nations. So if your free spirit calls you that speaks volumes.

"God will direct your steps"- Proverbs 16:9 God will guide your free spirited steps where you can best carry out his plan for you. Today is another day where you can march to the beat of your own free spirited drum and live a wildly in love and on fire for your Heavenly Father.

You Have A Way With Humor

"He will yet fill your mouths with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."- Job 8:21 

In the midst of every single day that the Lord has made there is some room for some laughter. I don't know about everyone else but I love to laugh; and I tend to laugh even when things aren't funny, and often I laugh or work to produce laughter when the situation is less than ideal. When you can look at the world with humor and see everyday as an opportunity to laugh or make someone else laugh that is awesome. Shining your light through your demeanor and sharing a laugh and a happy moment with someone is part of what the Lord calls us to do. 

This summer I felt that the Lord called me to work with SummerShine at the Myrtle beach KOA. So I arrived to move in this past Sunday with my Mom and my brother only to find out that I was there before my Activities Director and they weren't expecting me until the following week. So naturally my first instinct was to panic and think "how in the world could this happen to me?" Once I got settled into where they were going to let me hangout for a few days I really thought about the situation and I came to the conclusion that it was actually kind of funny, a story to tell sometime and laugh about the crazy things that always seem to happen to me. I believe the Lord has a sense of humor and that we definitely see him in the funny instances in life. 

Psalm 126:2 speaks some serious testament to how the Lord's love and devotion really impacts our lives; "Then was our mouths were filled with laughter, and our tongues with songs of joy. Then they said among the nations, The Lord has done great things for them." When I sit and break this verse apart I get these few things; a deep spiritual connection with the Lord produces happiness which then brings laughter, when you are immersed in God's love you want to shout and sing for joy that he is your beloved and you are his, and among those people who are right where you are you then do what you are called to do, which is to share God's love with every single person you meet. 

This summer is going to be one with some crazy new things but I am excited to see what it holds for me. I can only hope and pray that my love for the Lord will be shared with those around me. Whether it be some laughter, a smile to someone in passing, or just a friendly hello to a neighbor, God's light can shine so bright if you only let it. 

One of my all time favorite verses is about going out and being salt and light and shining before all men. Matthew 5:16 says; "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." It is really just as simple as laughing at a sticky situation and making the best of it. Simply choosing to look on the bright side of things shows those around you that you are a part of something so much bigger than this world. Our God is an awesome God and I pray that this summer and forever we all take the time to laugh, sing, smile, and show others the amazing love of our Heavenly Father. 

When You Hit a Bump in the Road of Life

It is a wonderful thing to know that God's word is a lamp to my feet a light for my path...

Just yesterday I found out that one of the dearest people to my heart, my amazing Papaw, received an unforeseen bit of news from his doctor. The bladder cancer that we thought to be completely gone has actually spread to his abdomen. This has not only shocked my family but the doctors. No one could have seen this coming and if there was a bump in the road this would definitely be it. Chemo is the next step to try and reduce the tumors. I refuse to believe it is over, God is so much bigger, bigger than cancer, bigger than our troubles, bigger than every single bump in the road. 

We cannot foresee what is going to happen in the future and what is to come of situations that we wish we weren't in, but God has a plan. In psalm 119:105 it says that "your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." I know I will be spending some serious time in the word seeking that light to my path and the closeness to the one true God. I take comfort in knowing that I not only have God in my heart and in my life today but everyday for the rest of my life. Of course it is hard to except the hard things in life and believe that the Lord could do something so shocking, but the Lord never does things to hurt his children who seek him daily. He never let us go through things we cannot handle and learn from. 

"So that no one would be unsettled by these troubles. You know quite well that we were destined for them."-1 Thessalonians 3:3  As christians we can expect troubles because we know that hard times grow faith. Life is not without the troubles that we daily face. We are held in arms of the one who love us immeasurably more than we could ever hope or imagine. 

I look at today with a smile in knowing that the Lord is present and he has his hand on my Papaw. Whatever the outcome this is not a time for weariness or pessimistic thoughts but instead a time to praise the Lord for what he has blessed us with. "The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him."- Exodus 15:2 My strength in everything comes straight from the Lord and I choose to sing his praises and shine my light in the hard times. What good are we if we cannot love the Lord and others when times get tough and we hit those bumps in the road? "The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still" and know that he has you in his arms and he will never let you down or let you go.

As it says in Ecclesiastes 3, "there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven..." For me and my family this is a time of hope and prayer and that is exactly what I intend to do. I hope in my love for the Lord everyday and I only hope that something amazing comes from this and in knowing that no matter what the circumstance the Lord is in it and he is working. I believe in miracles and amazing things happening but I also believe in God's timing and I know he calls all times soon. So in this time I pray for everyone who is going through something, a trouble, a praise, whatever it may be, I pray that we all continue to look to the Lord for refuge and strength. He is so big and we rest under the shelter of his wings. Face today and tomorrow with a smile and know that no matter what the bump in the road God is bigger and his plan is far more than just sufficient. 

Practice His Patience

Problems...Will Always Be Present 

Today. What a funny thing today. Today is another day the Lord has made but I am having a hard time rejoicing and being glad in it. The thing about today is that no matter where we go the Lord will be there. Despite the disappointment or stress we may feel for whatever reason we must keep the faith. 

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the almighty love of Christ that forever flows through us."- Romans 8:38-39

I know I am experiencing a really hard day and as soon as I got back to my dorm room this afternoon I went to the word. The only place we can ever truly find a home is in Christ himself. It is evident throughout scripture that nothing, NOTHING, not one single thing, can separate us from Christ and his amazing love. There is a peace that we find in the Lord and I know that sometimes we have trouble resting in it. But even in that we must know that many problems vanish instantly in the Light of God's love because we realize that we are NEVER alone. 

The Lord replies in Exodus 33:14 "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." We have rest, peace, love, and everything we could ever possibly need in the presence of the Lord. Even in the midst of our problems and our days that just fall short. Each moment we can choose to practice his presence or to practice the presence of problems. Often it feels easier to take the problem or problems at hand and run with them; but in the Lord we are blessed to have patience and understanding in knowing that no matter what the circumstance he is so much greater. 

Christ has set us free. He has set us free from the attachment of the problems that come with living in this world. For we know that what awaits us is more than worth the problems we face. I know I must remember and that we all must remember; Nothing, not one little problem, NOTHING, can separate us from God's great love for us. 

I am Famous in My Father's Eyes

He Knows My Name 

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world (and gets fame and fortune) yet, loses his soul?" - Matthew 16:26

As I sat down to write this post of course the Lord decides to prompt me with the song by Francesca Battistelli, He Knows My Name. This song really speaks to me in a deep personal way; from when I was a little girl I had this dream that I could be famous. This dream that I could be the next pop superstar/actress was a fire for years fueled by so many different things. Of course as I got older it wasn't as much of a pressing dream, but the embers from that fire still remained. So when I was in high school I was involved in many different theatrical and musical pursuits and it seemed to me as though such a thing as 'fame' could be a potential facet in my future. I truly got swept away with the glamour of people knowing my name and being commended for my performances. Graduating from high school I was voted 'most likely to be famous' and I was told that I had the potential to really make that happen. So I really began to think about what that might look like for me. 

While it is wonderful to have a talent and a blessing to share it with the world, it became this fantastical to-do that was an important part of my future. So I really got to thinking about this thing called 'fame' and the idea of millions of people knowing my name... 

I asked myself questions like; 

                                        What would my life look like to be famous?

How amazing would it be to be noticed on the street by fans?

                                                                                

                                                                                   What would it take for people to know my name?

But in the midst of this obsession with being known, and taking my talent and showcasing it for the world to see I soon realized that is not at all what this life is about. Of course I knew that to be the truth but it didn't actually set in until I was sitting in church this morning and I realized that I am at home in the Lord, my Heavenly Father, who is more famous than any single I, or any single celebrity could ever hope to be. How amazing is it that God knows my name and knows me more personally than anyone could ever hope to? He crafted me to be the outspoken, theatrical, musical, Christ-lover that I am. He made each one of us and HE knows each one of us by name. 

So while it wold be interesting to be famous, we already are. We are famous in the Lord. He knows your name and he makes a big deal about everything you are and every talent you have because he loves you and me infinitely more than we could ever hope or imagine from fame and fortune. In Ephesians 5:19 Paul tells us to "Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." For the Lord is the only audience that truly matters. He gave us this life so that we may sing for him and proclaim his name for the world to hear. 

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to his power within us, to him be the glory!"- Ephesians 3:20

Let us always know that he knows each and every one of our names and we are blessed beyond compare to call the most amazing God our Heavenly Father! Whether it be fame or fortune you seek no that the Lord is much more than you could ever wish for in something so fleeting.