Start a Movement

Between attending the Rock and Worship Roadshow and viewing God's Not Dead 2 within the past few weeks, the Lord has been pressing against my heart a few things about steps of faith and standing up for Him.

It's so easy to live in this world with a spirit of timidity and fear. The name of Jesus has become forbidden, controversial, and quick-to-hide. To say His Name is risky. But to proclaim the name of Jesus in the way that we live...can lead to problems.

Problems that Jesus was all too familiar with.

And problems that must be worth the risk in order to pursue our Righteous King.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24

Following Jesus means risk. It means sacrificing everything, even our acceptance by this world. It means denying ourselves and living for Him.

It means standing up in faith.


We are called out to step out in faith and spread His love to the world. We are called to stand up for Him, no matter the cost. Even when the world considers us strange, even when we are told we must hide our faith, we must not let the light go dim. God is not dead, but is alive and active, moving in our lives and across this nation and world. Hardened hearts and spiritually-closed eyes are all around us, but with the power of our God, I believe that a movement for Him is not impossible.

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We must set aside the fear in our hearts and walk in bravery. In the face of opposition, we must jump off these "cliffs", if we just have faith that when we jump, He will catch us. In order to initiate a revival of turned hearts towards our God and Savior, we must be willing to walk in faith and courage. 

That means taking the giant leaps, despite not knowing where we'll land, but trusting that He'll be there to catch us when we fall.


Let's stand up in faith and proclaim His Name, no matter the cost. Let's do what's right, even when the world tells us to do wrong. Let's pray and act in accordance with our faith, stirring a movement in this nation for Jesus Christ.

I don't know about you, but this light in my heart is too big for me to hide. Let's proclaim the Name of Jesus in all that we do.

Let's start a movement! 

Beyond the Countdown (To the Ready-to-Graduate Students Like Me!)

10.5 weeks...

72 days...

23 hours...

11 minutes...

Until the day that I walk down the stage, diploma in hand, with a happy spirit and a joyful heart. Until the day that I am officially a high school graduate.

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Until the first day of the rest of my life, right?
Maybe not.


Life doesn't begin the day after graduation. Life is now. Yes, counting down to the final day is nonetheless an exciting thing, but in the midst of counting down and waiting for the big day to come, we miss out on the gift of the life we have now. We forget that high school will never come again. We forget that memories are the only remnants of our past, and without making the most of what we have in life now, those memories will never exist. We forget that God didn't call us to a life of going through the motions, but a life where we take every single day seriously, where we live knowing that every single second of our life is a gift and that our utmost priority over anything else should be taking advantage of the time He has given us and using it to love others.


I am not called to rush through high school and live a life of just getting by.
I am called to make the most of every opportunity and use this time that God has given me, despite how much I dislike high school, despite how busy schoolwork gets, to share His love, to make this world a better place...

to be the hands and feet of Christ.

I have nowhere near accomplished this, but the Lord pressed these thoughts against my heart recently and has invited me to take the challenge of slowing down over the next two months and taking the opportunity that He has laid before me in public school to truly be an example of Christ to others through the way that I love. He wants me to act in love, to talk in love, to think in love, to truly walk in His love.

By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

The world will know that we are His disciples by our love. But if we sit back and let the busyness of today and the rush to move onto tomorrow push us to go through the motions and never take the opportunity that God has placed before us to love, then the world will never know!

And it's not just in high school. In my college classes, in the shopping trips, when I'm getting together with friends and when I'm at home with family or surfing online...

He has called me to love.

Will you take the challenge? Whether you're a soon-to-be graduate, a recent graduate, a many-moons-ago graduate, or a many-years-to-go graduate, He has not called me and you to go through the motions. He has called us to take the opportunities that He has given us, with the situations and places He has put in our lives, with the people He has surrounded us with.

He has called us to love. Will you join me?

And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. 2 John 5-6

Restless Hearts

 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:14

Nothing fills the ever-present void in our hearts except for the presence of our Lord. We may chase after seemingly-satisfying things, escaping only temporarily the heartbreak of this life. The pleasures of this life are temporal. They are meaningless, satisfying for a few days or maybe even a few years, but never fully satisfying the cravings in our hearts.

We seek to be truly happy, yet we turn to every single thing imaginable other than the Creator of happiness and of life itself. We crave something more than this life is offering us, and are not content until we find what we believe makes our hearts truly happy. We place our happiness in other people, finding ourselves only content through the presence of others. We find satisfaction in certain activities, whether it's a new hobby or even something as far as the pleasure of sin, through acts of drugs and alcohol and acts of lust. Humanity is searching for something greater than what most find. Our hearts are empty, and we seek to fill it. Many believe they do, but none of these things last long. They are temporal, meaningless pleasures under the sun.

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I've been learning more than ever before that in the midst of sadness, when I find myself basing my happiness on the presence of other people or activities in my life, that contentment is not truly found. These things are fading. When they slip like the wind, my heart is no longer full. In fact, it is never full unless all contentment, all satisfaction, is placed in Christ alone. He is the Only One who can fill the human heart, which He created.

Our hearts have a God-shaped hole that only He can fit. We are made for something more. We are made for a life of satisfaction, of contentment and pleasure, but we will always be craving that very thing until we chase after the One who created happiness itself. We will always be restless until we live life according to the purpose for which He created us: to live in step with Him.

Jesus is the Only One who doesn't change. In a world of meaningless things, a world that is fading and will one day no longer exist, God will still be on the throne, and our hearts will truly be full of joy.

In the moments of discontentment, when your heart is restless and your happiness is based on the presence of other people or things, fix your eyes on Jesus. He is the only One who can fulfill our craving hearts and bring pure joy to this fading life.


I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

Short Reflections After an Extended 21-Day Fast

I just returned from a 21-day social media fast, which I ended up extending to over a month long! It was such a breath of fresh air to escape an addiction that I've been facing as well as partake in a necessity in my walk with God. I really experienced His calling on my heart to do it and I'm so glad I did! He worked and moved beyond what I imagined.

If you're facing an addiction or would just like to sacrifice something to grow in your relationship with the Lord, I recommend fasting. This was one of the best experiences I've ever had. Here are a few things God revealed to me:

--Trust in Him. Many trials--some worse than others--came during this time of fasting and I know that if I hadn't been fasting, I would not have been as strong in my faith as I have been over this past month and would've had an even harder time during these trials. He answered several prayers during this time, from prayers I've been praying for years to ones I began praying during this period of time. Through His faithful answers and movement in my faith, I've truly learned to depend and trust in the Lord and in His great love for me.

--Wait on Him and trust that He will reveal to me His will for my life at His right timing. As I've been praying harder than ever before about my future and His will for me with college, my major, and my future career, He revealed to me several times, oftentimes with the same Scriptural passage, through different sources that this is a waiting season. Continue seeking Him. Continue knocking on the door. At the right time, I will know what door is open and what door He has called me to walk through. He will reveal to me what to do at His right timing. Until then, learn to seek Him fully. Wait and pray. Ask for His perspective and desire only His will. I know that at the right timing, I will know for sure what to do--and it will be in line with what He has already been doing in my life.

--He spoke to me several times about going out in the world and making disciples. Go. Go. Go! The word was everywhere. He has called me to pray daily for the lost in my life and to grow in boldness and in faith. To open up and share my faith and what God has been doing in my life will be a challenge, but it is my wish that His love will shine through me this year and that I will be a part of going and leading people to Him. Grow in boldness, and be faithful in prayer!

--Be still. I began praying from day one of the fast to help me be still and yet it took me until the end of the fast to realize that He has done just that. Throughout the entire month, I barely made it anywhere, other than my home, school, and occasionally a place or two (such as Winter Jam during the second week!). Church, volunteering at the shelter, or any other normal to-do never worked out, as things were coming up again and again. Yet through the trials, I grew stronger in Him. As my schedule became less busy and more about Him, I was able to spend more time in prayer and in His Word. I grew stronger in my faith.


God knew the bad times that were coming, and yet He called me to take a break from the constant scrolling of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and led me to the foot of the cross, experiencing the love and grace of Christ in a way that was different than ever before. Because of this fast, I was able to handle the trials with a faith stronger and more dependent on Him. I wrote pages upon pages in my prayer notebook  during this period of time about what God has been doing, and I am just so grateful I listened to the call of the Holy Spirit on my heart. This was one of the most memorable moments in my walk with God, and I recommend fasting from any addiction/idol in your life as well!

With that being said, God is good.

Come to Him

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17-18

In the troubles, in the trials, in the times where peace is nowhere to be found and sorrow steals our joyful hearts, rest is found in the arms of our Savior. Constant tears and broken hearts may overtake us. Life is rough. Sometimes we wonder why God is doing what He is doing. It's easy to doubt His love and let grief overwhelm us.

The Lord is too good to want that for our lives.

We may not see what He is doing, but His plan is so much bigger than what our minds can understand. He is moving behind the scenes. He is working out His purposes, filled with perfect love and never-ending faithfulness. He sees the big picture.

Yes, the tough times will still come. But in these tear-filled times, God is waiting for us to seek Him.

It's in seeking Him that we find true rest for our souls. As we cry out to Him and present our requests before our Almighty God, we discover a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:6-7). Jesus is willing and ready to bring comfort to our broken spirit. He is leaning in close, filling us with His breath of love, the air of life, the words of peace and faithfulness.

He hears your cries. He is close to the brokenhearted. He heals crushed spirits and brings a peace that is like nothing else.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus says to come to Him.

All who are weary, all who are burdened, all with seemingly never-ending wet eyes and all whose hearts are split into two---

He says to come to Him, and He will give you rest.

He brings peace in our trials, comfort in our sorrows, and rest in our weariness. 

In all of this, run to Him. Your situation may not change, but your soul's condition will. Peace and rest and pure joy is found in trusting in our Savior.

My heart is filled with gratitude that in the dead of a cold night, I can come to Him and find rest for this weary soul. He is lifting this heavy heart and placing it all on His shoulders. No purer peace is found anywhere but in His unending love. 

He is gentle and humble in heart. Come to Him.

Prayer For The Lost

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God has been speaking to me about the lost in my life a lot recently. He has called me to pray for them, and I believe the same for you. Who are the lost sheep in your life, the dry bones living without the breath of God?

Anyone coming to mind? Commit to praying for them on a daily basis. Some people may never come to church, never read the Bible, or never listen to a sermon, but they will see the way you live your life. Do they see God's love, a love that sets you apart from the rest of the world? Do they see joy? Hope in the good and the bad? Peace like no other?

Commit to pray. He who listens to our every cry is faithful.



Lord, I declare Your Word over these dry bones I see in the valley of life. I pray You would breathe life into these dry bones and dress them in flesh. I pray they would see You as You are, with eyes finally opened and hearts softened. Let them be lost sheep no more, and let the voice of You, our Good Shepherd, echo in the way I live as You use me to bring them to You. You are the Gate. Let them come home through Your doors and finally be found. I know You wish to bring the lost sheep home to You, to bring these dry bones out of the valley. I pray that Your love will shine through me and for each of these dry bones, these lost sheep, in my life to come to know You.


I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. John 10:16a
This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.  I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord." Ezekiel 37:1-14

 

Greater Than Your Sin

I don't know where you've been or what you've done.

But I do know this.

In the battle, God is fighting for you. He has collected every tear you've cried. He is reaching out to you with an outstretched hand. He cares about you and loves you more than life itself. Jesus came and shed His blood on the cross because His love is greater than your sin. He died so that you could be forgiven.

Maybe you feel like you're not worthy of forgiveness, like you aren't good enough to be loved or clean enough to come near to a holy God. Maybe you feel like your life is a never ending battle and you can't escape a certain sin or the terror of your past. Maybe, just maybe, you feel like giving up.

If this is you today, let me be the one to tell you that God's grace is bigger than your failures.

We all struggle with sin. No one is perfect in the eyes of our holy God. In fact, His Word says that "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." (Romans 3:23). In His eyes, we are all sinful. He does not count the number of sins you have committed or analyze how 'bad' your sins are.

He is aware that we are all sinful. And that is why He sent His Son.

If you've never given your life to Christ, I encourage you to come to the feet of Jesus and ask for forgiveness. He died so that we could live. His life paid for the punishment of our sins. So thank Him for His sacrifice. Accept His gift of salvation, as you come to Him for forgiveness. Then, expect life change, as He cleanses your heart from the inside out, and becomes all of your life.

Come to Him as who you are. He doesn't care what you've done or who you are. It takes surrender, but He is ready and waiting for you to run into His arms.

But if you're a follower of Jesus Christ and are stuck in the mess of a certain sin, please know that you are not alone. He is fighting for you. He loves you. Nothing you do is too big for the grace of God. His grace covers everything you will ever do.

2 Cor. 12:9; Image via Pinterest

So turn to Him. Surrender it all to Him. When you let our God fight the battle for you, victory will come.

He cares. He forgives.

We are all a mess. But in His eyes, we are a beautiful mess...a mess covered by the love of His Son.

Let Him take the wheel and lead you out of whatever dark place you are in today. He will never leave your side. His arms are always open, ready to forgive.

His love is greater than your sin. Don't forget it!

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9