Spring is coming!

     It's that time of year again, when the seasons change and everyone is either super excited for the change or kind of negative about it. Have you ever noticed that? When winter changes over to spring then summer everyone feels differently about it. Some are ready for warmer weather because it means cookouts, pool parties, and no school! While others are dreading the heat because it means getting all sweaty and driving the power bill up with the a/c. Either way everyone handles change differently, no matter if its weather seasons or life seasons.
     As many of you know my husband, Seth and I are about to enter into a new season of our lives together this August. We prayed and asked God where He wanted us and He told us Wake Forest, NC for Seth to complete his degree at South Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. This means moving about three hours from the home town we have always known. This means moving away from family and friends and our jobs. This means we are going to be broke for the next few years! Needless to say, the current easy-going, got-it-made season of our life is about to change. 
     I believe most people would be freaking out if they were me right now, but God has actually placed the desire in my heart to go to Wake Forest. He has already given me a passion and love for the people we will live beside and the people I will work with. And I haven't even met them yet! I am actually pretty pumped about moving there. But at the same time I already miss my family and friends so much. I know it's going to be hard. Through the wave of emotions, God has given me such a peace about whats to come. I know all this is for His glory and bringing Him glory brings me the most joy.

"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. " Ecclesiastes 3:11

     I just want to encourage those of you who are transitioning through seasons of life. Yes it can be scary, but it can also be exciting. Trust God with your life, because before the foundations of the earth were even laid He had YOU in mind. He planned out your life step-by-step and moment-by-moment before anyone else ever thought of you. And Jesus loves you more in a moment than anyone else could in a lifetime. He will bring you through this season, and the next, and the next. Just trust Him.

 

 

"An apple a day..."

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away."

Thank you, Johnny Appleseed.

I hate the doctor's office. I loathe doctor's appointments. I believe that most people feel the same. I think that's why the story of Johnny Appleseed is good for children. It may scare them into snacking on an apple instead of cheetos. Or, maybe not.

I like the thought of getting a daily dose of something in order to get both short term and long term results. I think it's smart and healthy. But, I think this goes farther any eating apples.

When I first became a follower of Jesus, I was told that daily bible reading was essential to my life and growth in Christ. It was easy and somewhat exciting at first. But, after a while I got in a rut and it became a chore. Kind of like a healthy diet. We look in the mirror to see muffin-tops, get motivated to eat right/exercise, but after a while it gets boring. We get out of the habit, and before you know it we find the three chins that we had once lost.

We need Jesus and His word more than we need apples and treadmills. And, hearing from our creator should be more exciting to us. It does take time, effort, and commitment, but I assume like the washboard abs that I haven't found, it's worth it in the long run.

 

 

"Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come."

1 Timothy 4:8

 

 

I hope this is encouragement to you. I can tell the days that I am in the word and the days that I don't make time. My attitude towards people is different. My effort in all of my activity is different. My mindset and motivations are different. And, I would reach to say that the results of my days are different.

 

I challenge you: Make time. Make an effort. The King of all creation wants to talk to you. It's worth it.

 

Don't know where to start?

My goal in bible reading is to get away in a quiet place and read at least one chapter of the bible a day. I try not to skip around, but read through the different books in the bible. A good place to start may be with Romans. It lays out our faith in a way that is understandable, but it will make you think. Just a thought.

 

 

"An apple a day..."

"Who, Me?"

Yes, you.

The Annie Armstrong Easter offering is coming up. This is an offering taken up in Southern Baptist churches around Easter to support the work of North American missionaries. I love this effort as it catapults the Gospel forward in the United States and other countries that surround us.

I was recently reading an article about this effort. It gave a look into the lives of some of the missionaries that this would be supporting. It spoke about their calling and the process of God showing these men and women where He would have them go. At the end of the article was a fantastic thought. To paraphrase, the writer said that most of tomorrow's missionaries are in our churches today, and that if they don't go no one else will.

That's when about everyone in the church says, "Who, me?"

Yes, probably you.

Have you ever thought about the fact that God has a plan for your life and that that plan is probably not the plan that you have for your life? The calling that God has for those NA missionaries in that article is not the exception, but the norm for New Testament followers of Jesus. The only difference is that they were positioned to hear God's calling, obeyed, and maybe you're not called to go to the exact place that they are called to go. But, you are called to go. You are called to go to you're family. You are called to go to your community. You are called to go to your neighbors around your nation. And, you are called to go to the World. You are not called by me. But, by Jesus. And, when we argue we are not arguing with a pastor, church, or denomination, but with Him.

 

¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,^[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

 

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

 

 

Monday's missionary is probably sitting in your seat on Sunday. And, if they don't go, who else will?Jesus has issued the call. Will you answer?

All About JESUS.

Lent

John 3:30

^"He must become greater; I must become less"

So as we all know tomorrow kicks off the first day of Lent. Lent is a time of fasting and reflection it begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter. For Christians this gives us a time to fast or most of the time give up something that distracts us from God. We all get so busy and invested in life that many things distract us from God, this time period is just a good time to slow down and reflect on just how great God truly is and how much He has blessed us. For me personally this year I'm giving up all social media. I've prayed that God show me what distracts me or consumes most of my time away from Him, and social media was the answer. Use this time to just really reflect on Jesus's life, death, and resurrection, or as a time of thanksgiving. Lent is always  an awesome reminder that Jesus is enough. A lot of Christians challenge themselves during this time as well. So what is distracting you from being All About Jesus?


Joel 2:12-13          
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster

We Are The Church Part 2

We've been entrusted as the church with an awesome and humbling task/gift of sharing the love of Jesus with others. 

As the church there are 4 things that can be labeled as our purposes.

1) Worship - All too often we think of worship as singing a few songs and as something that we can only do on Sundays or Wednesdays or in our own quiet time. True worship, however, is how we live our lives daily. Worship is giving a sacrifice of praise. Yes singing, prayer, and gathering with other believers is a time of worship. But so is being in the shower or being at work or school, worship is a lifestyle. Colossians 3:17 reads, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him". I gotta be open and honest with y'all, I fail to do this every single day of my life. It's something I've been being convicted of and something that I need to repent of. The heart of worship is bringing glory to Christ and if we're not bringing glory to Christ, we're ultimately bringing glory to the enemy. 

2) Fellowship - As the church, we're called to fellowship with one another and with the Lord Jesus Himself. We're brothers and sisters in Christ! You may be an only child, but if you're a part of the body of Christ you have more brothers and sisters than you can even count! Romans 15:7 reads, “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” We’re all in this together, playing on the same team with the same coach. We should be there for our brothers and sisters. Praying for one another, talking to one another, encouraging one another, and LOVING one another. Satan can’t touch our salvation, true. But he can keep us from coming together as the church to prevent us from accomplishing things for Christ.

Our fellowship can be broken with other believers whenever we sin against them. Such sins are being resentful towards a brother or sister, gossiping, jealousy, envy, bitterness, and causing divisions. Another open and honest moment from me to you, I struggle so much with every one of those sins against my brothers and sisters. I'm extremely prideful and the bitterness I have towards others at times eats away at me. Please pray for me…

Our fellowship can also be broken with our Savior as well. Our fellowship is broken with Jesus whenever we sin. The solution however is simple, repent. As believers, repentance should be a part of our DAILY lives, emphasis on the word daily (if you didn't notice).

3) Ministry – As the church, part of our duty is to serve. We serve in the church, the community, and anywhere and everywhere we are. Guys, we ought to have our communities and schools turned upside down for Jesus. He's worthy. We're not worthy at all, but He's worthy of our all. Our debt was paid in full at Calvary when Jesus took our sins upon Himself. God punished Himself for our sins. WHATTTTT!!!!???? Let me say it again, HE'S WORTHY! 

4) Witness - “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” – Acts 1:8.

That’s a promise. And God doesn’t break His promises.

You’ve probably heard it said, “Share the gospel, if necessary use words.” I completely understand what that statement is trying to say (as a matter of fact I'm guilty of tweeting that), but it’s a halfhearted way to witness. And honestly it’s not witnessing at all.

The word translated to witness from the Greek is martyria. Martyria means making a defense, spoken testimony is the essence of its meaning.

In witnessing situations, Satan loves it when we talk about the Bible, God, and church. As long as we don’t mention the name Jesus, he doesn’t care. We accomplish his work for him. 

Just say Jesus. Like the song says (I have no clue what its title is but I’m sure y’all may know it), “When you don’t know what to say, just say Jesus.” There is power in HIS name. Let’s make it a point to proclaim His name and His truth to all the nations.

I want us all collectively to pray for everyone who reads and writes this blog. Pray that we will be bold witnesses for Christ wherever we are. Let’s pray for all our brothers and sisters who are genuinely following Jesus. Pray. Pray. Pray.

Let's be the church that Christ intends for us to be.

Freedom comes in following Jesus.

“But HE was wounded for OUR transgressions; HE was crushed for OUR iniquities; upon HIM was the chastisement that brought US peace, and with HIS stripes WE are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

Please sit back and meditate on the contrasts in that verse. That alone is a call to worship.

                         #AllAboutJESUS