Broken Pieces

     Did you know that when a potter wants to create something new, beautiful, and with a purpose he has to use broken pieces from old, tattered pottery in order to make it strong?

     The same goes for us. Our brokenness is not what defines us. Instead, it is what God uses to make us strong and beautiful and with a purpose. He mends those broken pieces and makes us beautiful.

     Some of you reading this right now may have recently been broken. Or perhaps you have old scars you have been hiding. Maybe your circumstances are such that the tears will not stop and the wounds will not heal. What is it in your life that you think God could not possibly reconcile? Can I make you a promise? There is nothing... and I mean nothing that God cannot rebuild, redeem, or restore... But we have to trust Him to do so... And then we actually have to let Him work. (Romans 8:28)

     God has invited us to come as we are. Circumstances, situations, and the things that have been done to you... are not who you are. Truth is, God, the Creator of the universe and the maker of all things, has fearfully and wonderfully made you. (Psalm 139:14) You have been created in His image. (Genesis 1:27) You are chosen, redeemed, and called by name. (Isaiah 43:1) He has a plan and a purpose for your life - to give you a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) 

     I want to encourage you to make the choice to trust God today with your broken pieces, so that He can make you whole. It is not easy to let go and it may be a choice you make daily. But I promise you will be glad you did.

     "You Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, and You are the potter. All of us are the work of Your hand." Isaiah 64:8 

Let God be the potter. I hope you will be the clay. You are a work of art!

Living Beyond Fear

     About 4 years ago, I went on mission trip to Kenya, Africa, not knowing that place was going to change my life. One of my favorite memories was walking through the towns and villages, admiring the children. When they saw a ‘mzungu’(white person) they giggled and shouted. Some would run toward me with excitement, and others would hide from the sight of a foreigner. Those who weren’t afraid would grab my hands so eagerly, as though we had been friends forever. The people and children made it so easy to fall in love with them and their country.

     In just 6 short months, I have been given the opportunity to return to Kenya. So often when I mention visiting such a foreign country, I get a response like, "That's great, but aren't you afraid? or Do you know how dangerous it is?" Most days I do not have the right words to respond to such a common question.


     But let me ask you this.... How much more dangerous is the comfort of our soul?! (Matthew 10:28) "I am much more terrified of living a comfortable life in a self-serving society and failing to follow Jesus, than I am of any illness or tragedy." When we are focused on serving the Lord, we are not focused the task or our fears, because we are focused on Him.

     My heart had found its joy, as I served the beautiful people the world calls “poor” but who seemed so rich in love to me. I lost a part of my heart to a place I had never been before. My prayer is to solely remain in the center of the Lord's will - no matter the where He leads, long or short term, I know He is greater. This is my passion and I have chosen to dedicate my life to it!

New Year, New Places --- Passion Part 2

Passion Conference: Jan 2-4, 2016
40,000 students. 3 arenas. 2 cities. 1 heartbeat.
The name of Jesus and His renown are the desire of our souls!    

     My heart is so full! I am blessed to have spent 3 days learning from worldwide, influential leaders who care so much about pouring truth into the next generation. "Truth is the most powerful weapon in the world." (Ravi Zacharias) The Passion band, Rend Collective, and Hillsong United did an outstanding job leading us in worship. There was a moment when I opened my eyes to a "sea" of hands held high to Jesus. In that moment, tears ran down my face as I saw a glimpse of what Heaven is like. Strangers become instant friends when your bond is the love of Christ, and for that I am thankful for community groups and people who love Jesus. "You can't talk someone out of something they love, whether it's BBQ or Jesus." (Louie Giglio)

     If I had to choose one word to describe the impact Passion has had on my life, the word would be-incalculable! Going into the conference I wasn't looking for specific answers and didn't have certain expectations. I asked God to show me what He wanted me to see, hear what He wanted me to hear, and do what He wanted me to do. "Our calling is not to stay alive, but to stay in love with Jesus." (John Piper) I have been popped, stretched, and I am ready to dominate! When God is calling me, I want to be ready and equipped to fulfill His plan and purpose for my life. I want to be more purposeful with my Bible reading, by truly meditating and memorizing Scripture day and night. Then I will be ready for trials, suffering, obstacles, circumstances, opportunities, revivals and more! "It is through suffering, not in spite of it, that God uses us. Suffering is not an obstacle, rather an opportunity to be used by God like never before. If you take away suffering, you take away the ministry." (Levi Lusko)

     "This generation does not just need to pray for God to send a revival, but we need to BE the revival. We ARE the revival. We have no excuses or limitations, because impossible is where God STARTS, and miracles are what He does. The highest calling we have in this life is to be servants of the Lord." (Christine Caine) When we truly serve Jesus, we are not worried about the task because we are focused on Him. "What Jesus has done FOR us, is bigger than what anyone has done TO us." (CC) We need to train our eyes to see everything from a perspective of eternity. Not acceptance, achievements, popularity, possessions, number of likes on Instagram, physical pleasure, etc....ETERNITY!

     "Do not love the world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." 1 John 2:15-17 NLT

     Passion has given me the fuel I need to complete my mission, for what matters most. I don't need the approval of anyone else, but for my God to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Praying that this fire burning in our souls, to touch a lost and broken world, will not lose its flame. I am ready for God to take me to a new place, at a new pace, and give me a new perspective! Lord, empty my cup that You have so abundantly filled!

Physically Tired, Spiritually Awake --- Passion Part 1

     This past weekend has wrecked me in so many ways! My friends and I left on New Years Eve for a road trip to Atlanta, Georgia, for the Passion conference. On our way up, something that you would want to be nothing more than a dream, became our reality. Just 30 minutes away from our destination, we were involved in a car accident. A lady who was sitting at a red light, two lanes away from us, was trying to crossover into the turning lanes to get back on the interstate. Hard to see the upcoming vehicles, another driver waved at the lady to go ahead. As we were coming up to the light to turn, our vehicles collided and we were T-boned and pushed into oncoming traffic. Everything happened so quickly, and slamming on the breaks was my only option. By the grace of God, my passengers, myself, and the lady who hit us are all okay. My car...well, not so much lol. As I began to ponder over the next hour what had just happened, I noticed one of many God details. If my car would not have stopped just when it did...seconds later, my passengers doors would have been hit head on and crushed. God is not done with us!

     As the days went on, it just seemed like a series of unfortunate events for my friends and I. Fear and anxiety, homesickness, sinus infections, devastating news, and the list goes on. We left a couple days before the conference for some time to explore. Walking around downtown Atlanta, on New Years, was not thought out very well as most everything was closed for the holiday. Determined to find a local coffee shop....mapping them out on our phones, walking for hours in circles, finding out they are closed or no longer in business was exhausting. At this point, getting in the car to find a Starbucks was a necessity. After consuming the most important meal of the day, COFFEE, we journeyed to a hippy town called, "Little Five Points." Walking out of another coffee shop for round two, because two is obviously better than one, the Holy Spirit was speaking to me. I began to tell the girls the perspective I had which was, "Satan is pissed! He is doing and will continue to do, everything he can to destroy our weekend." In saying this, we became even more excited for Passion, knowing that God was going into "God mode" this weekend!! Not letting our faith and foundation be shaken, our feet to stumble, and our hearts to become hardened, but by pressing in to the steadfastness of God, we were victorious!

For Part 2, click on the link below...

New Year, New Places --- Passion Part 2

My Heart Overflows

    Recently I have been finding myself looking back on past seasons of my life and comparing them to where I am now. I have seen so many changes, and things that I had never expected. I have been through some hard times, as I am sure you have too. During some of the seasons of struggle and pain, I wasn’t sure I would make it. But something happens during those seasons. When I look back, there is a beauty to it all that takes my breath away! I have learned to breathe deeper, love longer, and hope more than ever before. And after a while I realized, although I don’t want to go through those things again, I wouldn’t change them for the world. What I have learned, I consider priceless...

     God takes no joy in our pain, but it means so much when we turn to Him in the midst of it. He finds no pleasure in our exhaustion, but is fulfilled when we choose to rest in Him. There is no delight for Him in our fear or heartache, but only when we come to Him for strength and peace. It doesn’t bring God happiness when we are hateful and hurtful, but it is His greatest joy when we humble ourselves and lay our shame at His feet. ("The fountain of Your pleasure is found in the sacrifice of my shattered heart before You. You will not despise my tenderness as I humbly bow down at Your feet." Psalm 51:17)

     “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

     Thank you God for all seasons of life! Without them, how would we know the depth of Your love, faithfulness, mercy, and grace? May we trust and seek Your will, no matter the cost. Amen.

In the Shadow of His Wings

     "How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings." Psalm 36:7

     Picture a parent to a child, or a bird covering its young with his wings... What a beautiful picture that is. Children find rest, comfort, hope and peace as they lean in and hear the heart beat of their mother.

     In the same way, God looks after us when we need nurturing.

     In some seasons of our lives, God pulls us close, takes us under His wings so we can learn, grow, find comfort, and regain our strength. But after time, He lifts his wings and nudges us out. Not on our own, not to be left defenceless, but confident that we have what we need to fly.

     But the purpose of our rest is to prepare us for flight. For He knows we will fly...

     “Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles…” Isaiah 40:31

When You Feel the Nudge, Don't Ignore it!

     While I was tagging along with a friend, for what I thought was a typical grocery shopping trip, God was up to something in the midst. We found ourselves picking up not 1 bag of apples but 2...Not 1 thing of bananas but 2...Not 1 box of macaroni and cheese but 2. You get my point. After we left the grocery store, we saw a lady walking along the road, crying. As we drove by, I couldn't help but look behind me wondering is she okay? What does she need? How can I help? We both felt a nudge that we just couldn't ignore.

     As we made a U-turn to find this lady, it turns out she was walking to a nearby preschool, to borrow diapers for her baby. We just so happened to have diapers in the car to give her as well. We went on and asked if she needed a ride anywhere, and back home is where she was headed. Of course as we are driving this lady back home we are getting to know her story. Her and her husband have 5 children, and are doing everything they can to provide for their family. They are just caught in a rough time.

     There is no doubt that God was orchestrating our day, time, money, and even the amount of groceries that were purchased. A small nudge with a little obedience can go a long way. Not only were we able to bless this lady with diapers and wipes, a short car ride, and a few groceries, which none of it she asked for, but it also opened up the door for conversation about being the church. As Christians, our calling is to help those in need.

     Hebrews 7:7, "And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed."

     God is constantly wanting to use us for His glory! I share this story, not to put myself or anyone else on a pedestal, but to encourage you to look for an opportunity to be a blessing to someone today!! When you feel the nudge, don't ignore it!

Outlook Determines Outcome

     "For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast." Proverbs 15:15

     If your mind is filled with troubles at the start of the day, more troubles will come your way. If your mind is filled with hope, blessings will be sure to come your way. It truly depends on your outlook. "If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory." ~Wiersbe

     We cannot always choose which circumstances come our way, but we can choose our outlook for every situation. The secret to a happy heart is filling our mind with thoughts that are true, pure, noble, and lovely. (Philippians 4:8) As we face the struggles of daily living, we must look at our attitudes and then examine what we allow to enter our mind and choose to dwell on. This is important because our mind is one of Satan's greatest targets to attack. Why would he attack our mind? Warren Wiersbe said, "Because your mind is the part of the image of God where He communicates and reveals His will to you." When Satan has convinced us to believe his lies, he has accomplished his purpose.

     So often, we let the outcome of life determine our outlook, when really our outlook determines the outcome. Not knowing what tomorrow holds, or understanding the reason for everything happening today, we must trust that "God works all things for the good of those who love him." (Romans 8:28) In Christ, we can look at the future with eyes of confidence and hope. 

     When your outlook is based on Christ, it is then that your life becomes a continual feast!

He Who Promised is Faithful

    "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23 

     In a world where faithfulness is not always acknowledged, you can trust that God is and remains true. He is true to His word and His promises. 2 Timothy 2:13 says, “If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful.” Faithfulness is not something God does, it is who He is.

     The definition of faithfulness cannot even describe how faithful God is. He always goes above and beyond. We can hold onto our confession of hope in Him completely, without wavering, without worrying, without any doubt, trusting fully that He who promised is faithful! 

     Be encouraged to hold fast...hold tight and never let go of the fact that you can have hope in Jesus for today and tomorrow because of His faithfulness towards us. It may not necessarily be in the way we expect, but it will always line up with His word. He brings peace that surpasses understanding. He empowers us to overcome sin and any situation that would bring our spirit down. He loves us unconditionally and purposefully. He brings hope to hopeless situations. He has already prepared a home for you and I in eternity, so that not even death is the end. He is faithful.

In the Mess, I am Blessed

     Ever feel like you just can't keep up? Sometimes life can turn into a crazy mess. The current status of my life...college, applying for a job, in a relationship, trying to pay bills, keeping up with house chores, trying to find a car, and the list goes on. It seems like a never-ending cycle of...well, I guess it is part of becoming an adult.

     I cannot help but remember the story of Joseph, and what a mess his life was from the outside looking in. He was betrayed and deserted by his family, exposed to sexual temptation, and punished for doing the right thing. He also endured a long imprisonment and was forgotten by those he helped. I love this story not because of what Joseph went through, but it was his response to it all. He did not spend much time asking why, in fact, his approach was "What shall I do now?"(Genesis 30-50)

     In times of what feels like insanity, I am constantly reminding myself to take a step back and count my blessings. So many times, we get caught up in our daily lives and are focused more on what has to get done today, in order to make it through tomorrow, and that is when we lose sight of God's blessings and His faithfulness.

     "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

     What matters is not so much the circumstances and events in this life that we have to juggle, but our response and perspective of them. Even while some days seem like too much, I will choose to be thankful for all that leaves me begging for more Jesus and His strength!

Valentine's Day is Still Happening?

     How am I suppose to spend a day that is meant for couples? I thought that since I am single and important, that Hallmark would just call off the holiday until I found love. No? This is slightly depressing, but I have to manage somehow. I'm sure that some of you can relate ;)

      Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, "I want you to be free from the concern's of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord's work and thinking how to please him. But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible."

      Paul is saying that one advantage of being single is the potential of a greater focus on Christ and his work, and being able to serve Christ wholeheartedly with fewer distractions. Be encouraged by this today, and this week as Valentine's Day is approaching.