Corinthians

Hey guys!
This should be pretty quick, but here goes!

At Mass this Sunday, the 2nd reading was Corinthian 4:1-5. This is just such a great passage, but two things in particular stood out to me.

Corinthians 4:1 "Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." I'm not sure exactly what to say about this one, but I love it! When people think of you, what do they think of? Athletic? Smart? Funny? Quiet? There's a lot of options, but how about servant of God? And through this, also servants of others. This is the first thing that people should think of, and we, of course, are called to fill the role. Also, stewards of the mysteries of God...I have any general understanding of this, but does anything have something to add?

Secondly, Corinthians 4:3 "It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgement on myself." I do not even pass judgement on myself...I don't know about you guys, but this idea is totally new to me! We are told to work hard to achieve our goals, examine our lives to fix the bad, compare ourselves to others, try to be better. But guys, WE CAN'T JUDGE OURSELVES! It's up to God: we may think we are horrible and need so much fixing, and maybe we do, but we can't condemn ourselves and dwell on how horrible we are. On the other hand, we can't say we are better. God is the judge of us, and how should we know what is perfect? Also, we can't compare ourselves to others: have you ever been someone else? Please let me know, because I sure haven't! We don't know really know anything about other people's lives aside from what they tell us, so how can we compare ourselves?

Basically guys, continue to work hard and try to follow Christ! But remember, don't condemn or raise yourselves up. He is the final judge, and he loves you!

Have a good week!

Romans 8:28 & Being a Light

Hey Quest! God has been doing so much in my life lately, and I wanted to share a few things with you.

1) He makes ALL THINGS work for our good. Romans 8:28 says, "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." Quest, this is SO TRUE. I'm slowly learning how to surrender my life to Christ and trust in His plan for me. And the more I do that, the more I realize that He really does make all things work for the good of those who love Him! It's so rewarding being a disciple of Christ, isn't it?

2) Another random thing I've learned lately. In order to be a light, we have to GO TO the darkness. I heard this phrase in Church the other day and it made so much sense to me. If we want to act as lights, we have to actually go to where the darkness is! I find that the more friends I make and people I meet, the more I realize just how dark and broken our world is. The closer I get to people the more I realize just how much they are struggling with certain things. Quest, don't be afraid to go where there is darkness - that is the only way to act as a light. And if you look for darkness in this world, you'll find it. I know that sounds weird, but think about it. Go to the darkness, go to the broken people around you, and be their LIGHT.

Have a great week!
-Haley

insert awesome title here

Hey Quest. Right now I am so tired because I spent all weekend at this thing called Youth LEG. It's basically Louisiana's state youth and government conference, and high schoolers from all over the state meet in Baton Rouge to act as government. It was pretty awesome, not gonna joke. Anyways, while I was there I met lots of really legit people, and lots of people who are probably considered outcasts at their schools, you know what I mean, the ones on the edge of the social group. I mean, being a follower of Christ I pray and hope that if i were to know them personally that I would not think of them as such, but it's evident that a lot of people do. What I'm getting at is I met a wide variety of people at LEG. One thing that really hit me about it all after I got home was the realization that most of my life is spent living for me. It shouldn't be that way.

One girl in particular that i met really caught my attention. She was one of the candidates running for Lt. Governor for the club for the entire state. She's my age, and is just one of those people that you can spot as so awesome and passionate about anything they do. it's awesome to watch and i can only hope to be like that one day. i met her the 2nd day we were there and she was so friendly and personable, and really, just enjoyable to be around. i guess seeing her enthusiasm and passion for youth LEG sparked in me a desire to serve others and be all in everything I do. somehow, meeting her pushed me to live for others more than i have been lately. so i've devised a simple plan to achieve this in day to day living, because more times than not, the problem isn't that i don't know what to do, it's that i never actually do it. So i made a plan to ensure that I WILL DO THIS.

1) listen to people always.

2) seek their needs and/or wants.

3) try your best to meet these needs/wants in whatever way possible... Care about them.

4) ultimately, be Jesus to these people. Give them something to notice--the Savior of the world!

I challenge you all to follow this plan, or make your own! whatever works.

Love always,

Alexa

No fear?

Today I was driving in the car with my dad. I think most of you already know that my dad's an atheist. He's kind of a crazy driver, so I was telling him to slow down over and over again. And he jokingly said, "Well even if we die we go to Heaven right?" I just kind of laughed but then he said, "I don't understand you Christians. You say that Heaven will be this awesome place and yet you're so afraid of death." So it kind of hit me in that moment. Obviously it's okay to be afraid of death, but if we're trying to spread the Gospel - especially to those who refuse to believe the Gospel - the idea of Heaven should bring HOPE and fearlessness into our lives. So how are YOU living? With hope and without fear? Really look into your life and think about that question.

Just something to be thinking about :)

-Haley

Pray for these people!

Hey quest, I came across this article about six Afghan converts to Christianity, who are in danger of being executed by their government or being stoned and burned by the people for their beliefs. It's crazy to think that this kind of inhumane persecution is still happening today - this article was posted just yesterday! Reading this just really made my heart hurt for these people, so I wanted to ask you guys to pray for them with me. We are so blessed to live in a country where we are free to be Christians, but there are so many people who aren't. Please pray!

Here's the article link:

http://www.barnabasfund.org/UK/News/News-analysis/Christians-facing-death-in-Afghanistan-denied-refuge.html

I want Him in the driver seat

Last week at my small group we got pretty deep. I mean DEEP. we mainly touched on relationship issues with girls and how we should act, and more importantly how do we know if this girl is someone you really should date.

This is the answer we came to: 1) Date someone who is in the same place as you are spiritually or 2) not date any one at all until your out of high school.

The whole dating, and wanting a girlfriend can become a huge distraction for me and it can pretty much be all i think about some times. this is what distracts me from seeking the Lord at times and last night i just said, "Lord, i want you in my drivers seat. Anytime you're ready to take control, so will I."

I want the Lord to take control, I want to find contentment in His Word and His Love. But there are so many distractions that I can't remember Him occasionally.

How do you give your heart fully to the Lord? How do you say to God, "Lord, here's my heart and my soul. Do with it what You will. You can have me."

Story of my life

I came across these verses last night. They describe Jesus' redemption perfectly. And they describe my life perfectly, and I'm sure they do for yours also :)

"And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds, He has now reconciled in his fleshly body through His death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreprochable before Him, provided that you persevere in faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven." Colossians 1:21-23

Every day, we sin; we fail. And every day, He lifts us back up again and loves us just the same. Trust in His redeeming power.

Have a great week :)
-Haley

i know this is long but read me...or not

hi friends!

i feel like it has been forever since i have posted anything. but anyways. just an update on what is going down in this life. i wish i could say that it has been all peaches and cream but that would be a lie. this past week, i feel like satan has been attacking me. scripture says that the enemy only comes to steal, kill, and destroy and i feel like he has done all of these things...all within the last week.

there were and times where i just wanted to give up, but that wouldnt be ok and that is not what we're encouraged and commanded to do. James 4:8 says "Draw near to the Lord and he will draw near to you". i feel like this has been my go to verse this week. for i know that scripture is true and trustworthy and no matter my circumstances, it speaks life.

so i challenge you to cling to scripture on a daily basis. for the words of man are temporary and hold no value if they are not of the Lord. seek truth out for yourself. for this walk is more than a feeling, it is a relationship you will have to work at. please, please do not give up! you are not alone in this everyday battle!

oh and here is another thing i want to share with you. so my best friend is such a woman of the lord! i wish you could meet her because her heart is so precious. well, the lord is using her in so many ways and opening so many different doors for her to be used. on the flip side of the that, im over here begging the lord to open some doors and opportunities for me and nothing seems to be opening.

even though she is my best friend and im so so incredibly pumped for her, i still have a wave of jealousy flood over me because i want to be used as much as she is. i want doors to opened like they are for her. and it was in that moment where the lord instantly reminded me that it is not about me and it will never will be. let me elaborate. as believers we are part of one body and we all have different functions. some can teach while others encourage and so on and so on. the lord clearly revealed to me that i couldnt do the things that he has called her to do and she wouldnt be able to do the things he has called me to to do; we were made for certain tasks for his kingdom and his namesake.

so if you are like me and wish that the lord was using you in other places and opening doors like he is for people you know....please dont wish those things. trust in jeremiah 29:11. pray that the lord opens doors in his timing. trust scripture and his special plan for you but remember it isnt a competition but its a battle for his kingdom!

Light up the world!

Hey everyone! You're probably wondering why in the world I'm writing on the quest blog at midnight! Well I just got back from this awesome Christian concert with all these different bands (Kutless, David Crowder, Sidewalk Prophets, etc.), and I wanted to share something with you.

At one point, one of the bands that was on stage (I think it was Kutless, I don't remember), told everyone to take out their cell phones. The stage lights all turned off and everyone in the audience held out their phones so all you could see was the bright lights coming from the phones in the darkness. Immediately I thought of Quest (weird, I know). I thought of when Cameron told us how he envisioned us all going back home after camp and living as lights for Christ. He said he pictured a map, with lights slowly getting brighter and brighter. And he said he prayed that our lights would stay shinning, in this world of darkness, all throughout the year.

When I saw those bright lights from the cell phones I thought of what Cameron had said. Do NOT let your light fade. Keep it shinning because this world needs it - daily! The more and more people I meet and friends I make the more I realize how broken and dark our world really is. Quest, don't let your LIGHT stop shinning! Light up the world!

"You are the LIGHT of the world. A city on a hill CANNOT be hidden." Matthew 5:14

You're in my prayers!
-Haley

What is faith?

What is faith? How do you trust Christ? It is definitely easier said than done.

So this question was asked to me earlier this week and I think its one we don’t often think about. What really is faith? How do we know if our faith is strong?

Well here are some ideas… Faith is love. Faith is trust backed by knowledge. Faith is believing the truth… the Good News.

To have faith we must first be truly convinced of the Truth. This means trusting in what the Bible says as reality – having trust in things unseen. We then must believe and put stake into embracing and seizing this truth. Check this out…

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

So what is the difference between faith and ignorance? We can say, “Oh yeah I believe, that’s why I do not need to really read my Bible. I already know it is all true, so what is the point?” This is SUCH a common misconception. But really, guys, knowing is only half of the battle. We must SEIZE the truth he gives us and ake our faith active.

Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

Ok so what is an example of faith in action? Remember when Peter walked on water? He didn’t just believe… he acted. Think of the circumstances Peter was in – On a boat in the middle of the ocean, a huge storm waves crashing into the walls of the boat, and then Jesus appears and Peter takes action and begins to walk out to him. He didn’t just believe… he acted. Just believing is not enough… we MUST act. God demands for us to believe and trust in times of weakness. We must lean on him to make us strong. “Faith is the state of being convinced about what we hope for.” (See link below)

So we see, coming to a conclusion here, that faith and trust are hand in hand. We must believe, and then trust - even when our circumstances tell us otherwise. God is SO much bigger than anything we can see here on earth. Trust in his goodness and his might.

Love yall so much,

Lindsey

P.S. Check out the below page for more info on where I got this material!

http://www.acts17-11.com/faith.html

Washed white as snow

Hey everyone it's DJ
this is a follow-up to A Crimson Stain and then A Darker Stain

So I'm at youth group and my friend with her issue walks in. She walks up to me and gives me a hug. A VERY LOOOONG hug. and when she let go she said thank you.
I had texted her earlier that day with the idea that God doesn't need us, we need Him. and her concern was that God wasnt doing anything in her life, and I said that "God does so much in our lives. There's an endless list of the things He does, we just dont notice them half the time."
I wouldn't of had that conversation with my friend if it weren't for you guys encouraging me to do so. So thank for pushing me!

Something to Remember

God is bigger than you think he is.

People are more desperate than you think they are.

You can do more than you think you can.

Just a saying I've heard and was reminded of the other day...something good to remember in day-to-day living. Love you guys!

~Alexa

Oh, Your love is a song

Hey Quest! I am loving how this blog is just exploding with posts this week! Keep it up! :) I love how we all help each other whenever we need encouragement. So cool!

I found a great song yesterday called "Your Love is a Song" by Switchfoot. I can't stop listening to it...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LbMxs3HDOs&feature=feedlik. I hope you like it too!

God's love for us is a song; it's a melody. His love is beautiful and satisfying, everything we've ever wanted and MORE. Don't ever forget that. We are all so guilty of turning to the world for happiness and satisfaction...but only God's unfailing love for us can give us permanent joy. Everything we've ever wanted and more.

One part of the song goes like this:

"I've been keepin my eyes wide open,
I've been keepin my eyes wide open."

When I heard this, it reminded me of what Brooklyn and Alexa were talking about in Brooklyn's post below about love. It reminded me to "take hold of the open doors" that God has for us, and to be open to His plan for us, just like Brooklyn and Alexa said. We have to be open to each opportunity God gives us.

"Oh Your love is a symphony, all around me, running through me. Oh Your love is a melody, underneath me, running to me. Oh Your love is a song. Your love is a song."

-Haley :)

Being Noticed

Hey guys!

First of all, contrary to what you may believe, this is not a post about not caring what the world thinks. This is a post of encouragement.

So a couple weeks back, we had a nun come to my school to talk about discernment, which is basically deciding what God wants you to do with your life. As we were walking back to class, one of my friends, who's not Christian, asked me if I was going to be a nun.

I didn't really think much of this until yesterday, when all the sudden something hit me: she thought that I might become a nun! There were other people with us, but she asked ME. This probably just made my whole life, because I have been trying really hard to minister to this girl, but it's been tough, as this is my first experience. But her saying that just prooved to me that she noticed that I've been talking about my faith and trying to live it. People actually DO notice!

Anyway, there's probably some verse about this, but I can't think of any, so if you know one, please share! I was just so excited to know that my efforts are not wasted, and that God has been working through me. If you're in a position where you don't think what your saying means anything, maybe it does because of God. So don't give up hope!

Haha, my hands are kinda shaky right now because I'm so excited by this. So good luck and God bless all of you! You are doing great things in the world!

Broken Down

I just experienced something that I want to share with you all. It's 11:51 on Tuesday night, and i have been praying for about the past 20 minutes. I needed time with the Lord to pray and plead and give all of me up in prayer for another. I won't go into the long version now, but my heart is broken, and it has been for quite some time. It's broken for someone who i never thought it could be this broken for. i know a lot of you have been through rough patches and know what intense, inner, spiritual pain feels like. i know you have. well that's where i am now. my heart and soul ache for someone in my life. i've been kneeling in my room, crying out to God, and crying, too, and it just HURTS. honestly. i don't even know how to fully explain it, really.

sometimes, God breaks us down to build us up, and i have experienced that through this situation, too. and that, well that is incomparably AWESOME. but i've been thinking, maybe it's this inner ache that is our wall that's stopping us from unleashing God's power and glory. i feel like a lot of times i think the opposite, i think about how the pain can reveal God's glory through it. and i'm not saying it can't, don't get me wrong, here. God's power and sovereignty most definitely CAN shine through heartache! but what i'm saying right now is that maybe, just maybe, this deep, throbbing pain that cripples our souls and spirits is what is keeping us from allowing the Lord to work through us. maybe we feel that the pain is too great to deal with, so we shrug off thinking about how much it hurts, when really, if we embrace it and let it out, God's light and sovereignty will take action and truly come alive in our lives. get what i'm saying? i hope so.

okay, have you ever prayed really really insanely hard about something or someone? did you ever feel like nothing was happening, that God wasn't listening or taking action when you thought he should? that's us making God out to be a god we want him to be, not who he actually is. we pray and pray and pray and want something to happen, we expect it because we believe that God will deliver. but when things don't happen, we doubt. the pain washes over us even more and we crumble. can anyone relate? so basically what I'm trying to say is, maybe it's this hurt inside of us that hinders our faith. we let it get to us and it clouds our vision, our perception of God. it's so intense and real that it blinds us from who God is and all that he can do, IF WE LET HIM WORK. guys, if we don't allow God room to work in our lives and the lives of others, how can we expect great things to happen? we've gotta do our part, and that involves not letting the heartache and brokenness block your view of God and his might. keep posting...i'm loving it

-Alexa

Luke 21:38

Hi guys!
This is a really random post, and I'm not quite sure what to say. Basically, I was reading the Bible, and I came across this verse, and I really don't know why (probably God), but I really liked it and had the feeling I should share it. Especially you, DJ, which is weird, but I thought of you when I read it and for the life of me I can't figure out why. So if anything has anything to share about it, please do.

Luke 21:38 "...and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive."

Anyway, I hope you guys like it!

Encouraging.

I hadn't been on in so long before I posted that last post.
So I went through reading a lot of your posts.
It was so encouraging...
and so many things that I needed to hear were said.

You are all blessings.

Love, what a powerful thing.

To have a life, the only thing that has to be relevant is the beat of your heart; the fact that you're alive. There are many living things on this earth, but right now I'm referring to humans. The most intricate, original living thing. Every single one of us are different, we may find many similarites with one another, but we are all so different. 
Although every day we get out of our warm bed, climb out of our carboard box, or maybe even just open our eyes to find ourselves lying on the floor of the earth because we didn't have a place to sleep the night before; all to go through with another day of this thing called life that we live. Life can make you laugh, it can make you cry, it can be the best thing ever, and it can hurt like hell. No matter how you live it, it's an ongoing battle. We all live it different ways, because like I said we are all so different. We all have different reasons to wake up every morning, and we all have a different mindset; but one thing stands the same. We all want to be loved, accepted, and cared about. 

As humans we search for love in relationships, and I'm not just saying boyfriend girlfriend relationships, but all of them. Including parents, any family, or friends. You look for it, you want it. I know I do, and sometimes you may find that love or maybe you've always been blessed to grow up having a love from family, but you just can't seem to find fulfillment. Then there is those of us who have not experienced love at all, or have gone through periods of our lives when we don't feel it. Either way when we can't find it...we do so much for it. The things we do for "love" (acceptance) are never ending. Alcohol, drugs, sex, emotionaly giving your heart away, or just being something your not. There is a never ending list, but all of these things we do for "love" can affect the rest of our lives in terrible ways. Things that aren't worth it. And then there are the things we do when we don't find love...to get rid of the pain. And there's no place to begin or end with that.

 So now it comes down to why? Why can we not find that complete fulfillment in this world?  Why are there people who can not find love anywhere?  Because my friends this world is broken. The world has screwed up the defenition of LOVE, some people have never truly loved, or been loved. "1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." Although, there is those who love well but no one in this world can love perfectly. What is love, do we even know? People define it in so many different ways. BUT YES, we do. Love is patient and kind. It does not envy, it does not boast; it is not arrogant. It is not rude. It does not insist on it's own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things. Believes all things. Hopes all things and endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)  so are we at loss in finding this love? NO. Because their is a Savior, a Rock, a Reedeemer, WHO. IS. LOVE. His name is Jesus Christ and he can fulfill us beyond what we can imagine with a love that is perfect, a love that we can not even imagine. Our heart just has to be opened to it, and when it is we can get to know his heart and learn to love the way he loves us. And THAT can change our lives and others lives and the world!!! A lot of times we have to be reminded this because we do even as people who have experienced this love fall in to finding fulfillment in this world daily.I wonder what it would be like if we could truly understand his love for us completely?  

I know it would be unimaginable, but running after the Lord and growing in a relationship with him, reveals this love to us more and more. HOW INCREDIBLE IS THAT! Running after this love is an ongoing battle, because we are broken people who live in a broken world, just running the race of life for a incredible purpouse.  It's not easy, it's really hard - but it's well worth it.  

And our calling? To share this love with this broken world that does not know love!  Because like I said this love is life changing and world changing!  

I'm just sharing this with you guys for one because I needed to be reminded this because it is so easy to find fulfillment in this world when you're surrounded by it.  And for two, because we do not share this love enough, I know I don't. This beautiful. redeeming. powerful. love. that we keep to ourselves so often. And there are open doors all around us, daily to be able too. I encourage you to do take hold of those open doors.

I pray that this is a reminder for you, or that if you have been finding your fulfillment completely in the Lord it encourages you to keep after it!  I will praying as well that God opens doors around you for you to share his love, and that your words are his, and that he already begins to soften and open the hearts of the people that you will be sharing with to accept this love. 

Miss you all, and hope that this year of your life is blessed through the trials and the rejoicing. Will continue to be praying for you - Love. 

why?

i can't figure out why day to day living, every moment of every day, isn't spent in utter awe and amazement towards God. what keeps us from that? the world? then how can we stop it? how can we block out the world? how?

i'll keep these random thoughts of mine coming... comment what you think we can do

-Alexa

Unity and Love

Hey you guys! It's Hannah Becker..session 11. Wow! That seems like so long ago! Anyway, I really had the intention of writing something completely different in this post, but I kind of feel led to share this instead.
If you look at the title of my blog..Love and Unity.. I think they kind of go hand in hand, especially when it comes to a body of Christian believers.
Here's a verse you guys are probably familiar with..
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It always protects always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Okay..So obviously, we know that Christianity is focused around Christ's love for us..and because he loved us it is our job as Christian's to love other people. (1 John 4:19) But think about it..how often as Christians do we catch ourselves not loving others..Think about that one kid that sits alone at lunch..or the one who never has a partner for a school project and gets teased all the time...Do you join in with the people that make fun of the people that don't have very many friends? Maybe not. But just simply staying quiet and not taking part in making fun of someone else isn't what Jesus would do. Christ would go sit with that person, or offer to be their partner..I know I'm guilty of that. Someone might be getting teased, and a lot of times I'll find myself just feeling sorry for that person and walking away. But I encourage you guys to ask Christ to take you out of your comfort zone and completely love other people.
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:3
Alright! So when I think of unity I usually think of the body of Christ..and in simpler terms, my youth group, because that's where I spend most of my time at church, and most of my activities are involved with my youth group. But as much as I love them, I still see problems in my group that I see at school. My church group has cliques, and though it's rare that we're ever downright mean to each other, there still are those one or two kids that just don't have anyone to hang out with. Guys, I can't even tell you how important I think it is to love others at school and outside life, but also at church too!! If we can't fully trust or get along with the people that share the most important thing we all have in common (CHRIST!!) then how are we supposed to love other people that aren't believers? It goes back to being a light. My favorite verse: "You are the light of the world, a city on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14. think about it. Your friends that don't know Christ might come and visit your youth group one day..if everyone is tense..and not unified through Christ, do you think your friend will feel comfortable there? I encourage you guys, again, to pray to be put outside your comfort zone and continue to share the g ospel with others around you..Pray for a bold attitude. I have faith in you guys!
One last thing...
My really good friend Monica has a friend who's brother was in a car accident. He had an aneurysm and ran into a tree, and has been in a coma for 41 days now. I can't tell you guys how many people are praying for him right now..but I know it's a lot. I really think that Christ is going to do something miraculous here, and show us what the power of prayer can really do! So pray for him and his family!
I love you all SOOO much! Keep safe(:
Hannah Becker.

focusing on the cross

hi friends. I miss you all so much. It brings me so much joy we have this blog where we get to share with one another.

I have recently had my mind focused on one major idea.

Focusing on the Cross instead of focusing on our sin.

It seems like the best thing to do when we are struggling would be to ask the Lord for help and guidance. But when we start constantly praying for help with our sin we begin to focus only on the sin and not on the power of the cross. Jesus has already died to save us from our sin and if we are only thinking about that sin then we forget what he has done for us.

This verse was in my devotional this morning.... what do you guys think it means?

"And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

1 Corinthians 2:3-5

Love you guys. Let me know what you think.

Always,

Lindsey

A darker stain

This is a follow-up to "A Crimson Stain."

I talked to my friend today and things aren't well.
I kinda see faith as a step-ladder or a staircase and if we aren't careful we lose our footing and fall. It's when we seek out God again that we're caught by His safety net and put back on the ladder. I use this example to say that my friend has been caught by the net yet, and that she is falling even faster than before. (If any of that didn't make sense, I'm saying that my friend's cutting issue is getting worse.)
She was talking about all her viscious mind cycles and frustration at herself and shame that drives her to do this. I used Jeremiah 29:11, but the next thing she said was this word for word: "Oh, did I mention I'm kinda leaning towards deism as regards His activity in my life. I believe he is there. And does wonderful things in other people's lives. But not mine."

I'm clueless. i looked up deism and it says that they believe that a supreme being created the world and the answer is only found and explained in nature and no supernatural revelation (or something like that).
Things are getting worse and I'm losing hope for my friend. I need help trying to minister Christ to her.
-DJ

Beautiful

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

These are the lyrics to Beautiful by MercyMe, this is such a great song. There is so much truth in this. I often find myself confused because i know that we are sinners and we are nothing more than dust and i know that we are unworthy of God's love and thats why its hard for me to remember that I have worth to him. Despite the fact that we are unclean sinners he still loves us. We are SACRED AND TREASURED! that is so powerful. I think this song really speaks for it's self so please look it up. Yall are great. How can we live our lives for His glory today?

"The LORD apperaed to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.'"
Jeremiah 31:3

Fading Treasures

This is just a quick little reminder to all of us that things of this world, material things, don't matter in the long run.

1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

James 4:4 "Don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes and enemy of God."

Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other."

No matter how much we enjoy material things everyday, we can't let them get a hold in our lives. We must make it to a point where we can honestly say that we will be fine without them.

Just a reminder to keep on loving God and serving the world with his love and forgiveness that we have been given ourselves.

keep on keepin on sweet friends,

Alexa

...hopefully more to come soon...

Listen in the silence

Some people have posted before about just listening to what God has to say to you. I had never really done that before, so I tried it a few nights ago! It was awesome. Think about it, when we pray and cast all our worries and anxieties on God, that's great, but He always know everything we're about to say before we say it. So try just blocking off all distractions and listening to His voice in the silence. It's kind of frustrating at first because you'll want to start praying or you'll get distracted by something, but try just being in His presence alone.


"[I] give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ...for [I] have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the holy ones....and your love in the Spirit." Colossians 1:3-4, 8. I'm so thankful for all of you! You encourage me everyday. You're awesome - don't ever forget it!

-Haley

hi my sweet friends.

i hope this finds you in a sweet sweet time and that the lord is showing you new things each and every day. i know that it is about this time of the year where we start slacking and find "more important" things to do besides pursuing christ, but i want to encourage you. i pray that you are seeking him and seeking him hard because im realizing more and more, by the grace of god, that there is nothing sweeter than knowing him and pursuing him.

please dont give up this fight. dont let the enemy lie to you and convince you that growing in him can wait. cover yourself in scripture. bathe in prayer. meditate on the word.

keep running hard my friends.

amber