Friday, August 28, 2009

This is War









We are not blind, we know the truth, still we won't stand, still we don't choose
we'd rather stay, so comfortable, stuck in our world, that's under control
We may not pull, the trigger but we, stand by and watch, then pretend not to see
Silence is worse, then evil done, what in the world have we become..

can't you see

That this is a war So pick your side
Its time to move not time to hide
Don't let lies make up your mind
cause can't you see, were running out of time

Tomorrow will come, and one day we'll see, the choices we made, made history.
Before it's to late, find where you stand, so let's use our voice, while we still can

can't you see

That this is a war So pick your side
Its time to move not time to hide
Don't let lies make up your mind
cause can't you see, were running out of time

God were crying let us feel again
God we cry let us feel again

~BarlowGirl-Running Out Of Time~


Dear Readers,
This post should not be comfortable. It should get in your face. But it should also fire you up. I want to encourage you, but I want to make you realize how 'lazy' we have become. With that said, read on.
Did you know that life is war? That this life is all a spiritual battle for souls? This time in history is our time to make a change in the battle, but most of the time we back down and let the world do whatever it wishes. Why? Because we're scared! We don't want to, 'rock the boat.' Why should we be scared of men when GOD is on our side! We say, "Oh Jesus will come back and it will be all good." What about our part in this battle? We are given one life to live and we say, "No I want to be excepted and I don't want them to think I'm weird." When you don't agree with a worldly perspective you need to put that out. Let everyone know that. Yes, we need to do everything in love and I will focus on that in another post but right now I want you to see how much we have backed down. When was the last time you stood up for your faith? When was the last time you made a stand and did not follow the crowd. I'm a fighter. I don't let anything change who I am, but I know that I have so much to learn. I have slowly given some of myself to the world and I'm now realizing this and I'm going to change. This is not something I'm just saying, change is a verb.
The song above says, we are running out of time and that this battle is going on, we just have to step out and fight. Part of what we have to do is show the world not only the love of Christ, but the passion of Christ. Did Jesus ever deny God so He could fit in? No! Not only was he perfect, but He was full of passion for His father and He loved His Father so much that He would never fail Him and never deny Him. The world sees us back down every day and they see us take back a commitment we've made, and look at a magazine we shouldn't look at, say words that we know are wrong, make choices that are just on the edge of being inappropriate. What is up with that. We should love God with our lives and we should show the passion of Christ so others will want this love and passion. I am a teenager and in your teen years peer pressure is at one of its worst points in life, but I think too often teens (myself included) use that as an excuse. We need to face this and fight. Live your life full of passion. There is a spiritual battle going on and I am not going to give up.
So this is me and this is what I am fighting for. I am fighting for my soul and I'm fighting to show others this passion and love that I have. I am fighting to love God (and in the process love others) in a world of hate. I'm running out of time to leave my mark in the battle so I'm fighting now. I'm praying that you'll join me.

Revelation 3:15-16 (The Message)

"I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, 'I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.


Monday, August 3, 2009

-I'll Wait-




















Dear Readers,

Hey!

I know I have not written in a while because I have been very busy. But today I am going to make up for that with a very cool story and a very important challenge.

So for the past few weeks my cousin has been up from South Carolina and He has been on volunteer staff with my sister and I. It has been really cool to see him grow in Christ and meet new Godly christian guys. He is a christian which is awesome, but the growth I have seen is just super exciting.

This past week he has been chatting with one of my LDC leaders a lot and sharing all kinds of things with him. On Sunday we went to a picnic and he road up with my LDC leader and shared his life story with him. Once we arrived he came up to me and showed me something awesome. He stretched out his hand and on his hand was a brand new purity ring!

How cool is that! A new commitment to love his wife from now onward. An awesome commitment to live a life honoring to God with his body and actions. That is such a huge decision and that takes guts to step out and make that choice. I'm super proud of him!

Last week at camp one of our speakers talked about how love is not a toy. Don't mess with it. When you play around with love someone gets hurt. Like the illustration in the movie, "fireproof" if you super glue a salt shaker and a pepper shaker together and pull them apart one of them if not both of them are going to brake.

My challenge for all of you is to make the choice to step out and fight for what is right. My cousin is going to have a hard time in the future with all the peer pressure in this world, but he has chosen to go ahead and take that step anyway. Take that step and what ever God has chosen for you to abstain from or go to, do it. Love God with your life just as my cousin has chosen to love God and his future wife with this commitment.

Don't be scared. Set an example. Say I'll wait.



Acts 18:9

"Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you...


1 Timothy 4:12

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.