Empty, Wordless
Unhelpful. Hopeless
Disappointing
Grieving
Aimless
Wandering, Hollow
Discouraged
Down
"I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and he word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one." 1 John 2:14
Replenished, Praising
Caring, HopeFUL
Fulfilling
Cherishing
Directed
Wholehearted
Encouraged
Lifted up
And so it goes...
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Honest Praise
"Of a childlike faith, and of my honest praise. Of my unashamed love."
People often question as to why I am so passionate about wanting to become a teacher. There are many reasons, of course, but one of the biggest reasons is because I absolutely love how you can learn so much from a child. The best times for these are when they are just being themselves. It's true. It's honest. It's vulnerable. It's REAL. I love learning, especially from the kids who I teach/will teach someday.
Tonight I had the opportunity to go to Winter Jam 2012, where I enjoyed the music from 10 Christian bands that were all amazing. It was a great night, in the end. At this place, I found myself absolutely blown away by how much I learned from a little girl sitting next to me. She probably doesn't even know that she taught me a lesson tonight-after all she was simply enjoying herself and being true, honest, vulnerable, and real- but man did she teach me a lesson in worshipping tonight.
See my girlfriend and I arrived at the concert not early enough to get in the front of the line, which consequently caused us to get seats not ideal to our thoughts on the drive over. They weren't bad seats at all (especially compared to the nosebleeds we were in last year) but they were still not our desired seats. I found myself completely irritated at the beginning of the night. I was trying to get into the music and truly hear God speaking to me, but just couldn't because I was too caught up in where we were sitting.
I look to my left, and here is this girl that had to be no older than 10 years old just giving everything she can up to the performers, and of course, to God. She was singing along, closing her eyes, raising her hands, and just surrendering her praise to the One who deserves it. She didn't care that she was to the side of the stage and couldn't get the full effect. She was there to have a good time, and a good time she had.
I learned a lot from that. From seeing such a young girl acting more mature than I was at the time, I gave myself a check and realized that it wasn't about seeing the performers- necessarily. I learned from that girl that it was about letting God hear your praise, and it was about nothing else. I could still hear the music, and see pretty much everything that was going on up on stage, so why was I putting up this wall? Sometimes actions speak louder than words, and this little girl's actions spoke chapters to me.
We have got to fully surrender ourselves to God with our praise. Until we live completely for Him, we're always going to nitpick our circumstances and miss out on the "childlike faith" and "honest praise" of which God completely deserves.
And not to mention- this girl knew EVERY WORD to all of the Skillet songs played tonight. Yeah. I was impressed.
And so it goes...
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
God's Timing is Perfect
"And even though I'm walking through the valley of the shadows, I will hold tight to the hand of Him whose love will comfort me. And when all hope is gone and I've been wounded in the battle, He is all the strength that I will ever need. He will carry me!"
Those words are pretty powerful right? Well upon re-encountering them the other day, I found myself experiencing one of those face plant moments I always am talking about. See I was driving back to school after a much need chiropractor appointment, and on the radio that song,which by the way is called "He Will Carry Me" by Mark Schultz, started playing. I literally stopped driving for a brief moment, because those words just spoke so many things to me. (Songs have been doing that a lot lately, and by songs I mean GOD has been doing that a lot lately THROUGH songs..) I instantly felt comforted, because I was reminded that I am not alone, and that God has all the strength needed to carry me through my storms in life.
But that's only part of what this blog is about. Remember the title? yeah, it says "God's Timing Is Perfect". And yes, Him putting that song into my life that day was perfect timing for me, but it also provided a second perfectly timed moment later on that day. See, for me, I love to listen to songs over and over whenever they have some sort of deeper meaning to them, and this song definitely has a deeper meaning. Therefore, I looked up the song on youtube to listen to and possible discover a music video. I found a collage that someone had made with the song in the background, and was moved by it. After watching it for the second time, I suddenly had this feeling that I needed to post it on my friends wall. I had no idea why, I just felt that it was necessary that I go to her facebook page, copy the URL from youtube onto her wall, and go from there. Little did I know that that song was EXACTLY what she needed. Needless to say, we ended up skyping probably 30 minutes later and she told me about how she was having a horrible day/weekend and that song provided the EXACT comfort she needed. I had no idea she was having a bad day, but God saw her pain. And he chose to use me as a vehicle to contact her and let her know everything was taken care of and in control. How cool is that?
God's timing IS PERFECT!
and so it goes..
Those words are pretty powerful right? Well upon re-encountering them the other day, I found myself experiencing one of those face plant moments I always am talking about. See I was driving back to school after a much need chiropractor appointment, and on the radio that song,which by the way is called "He Will Carry Me" by Mark Schultz, started playing. I literally stopped driving for a brief moment, because those words just spoke so many things to me. (Songs have been doing that a lot lately, and by songs I mean GOD has been doing that a lot lately THROUGH songs..) I instantly felt comforted, because I was reminded that I am not alone, and that God has all the strength needed to carry me through my storms in life.
But that's only part of what this blog is about. Remember the title? yeah, it says "God's Timing Is Perfect". And yes, Him putting that song into my life that day was perfect timing for me, but it also provided a second perfectly timed moment later on that day. See, for me, I love to listen to songs over and over whenever they have some sort of deeper meaning to them, and this song definitely has a deeper meaning. Therefore, I looked up the song on youtube to listen to and possible discover a music video. I found a collage that someone had made with the song in the background, and was moved by it. After watching it for the second time, I suddenly had this feeling that I needed to post it on my friends wall. I had no idea why, I just felt that it was necessary that I go to her facebook page, copy the URL from youtube onto her wall, and go from there. Little did I know that that song was EXACTLY what she needed. Needless to say, we ended up skyping probably 30 minutes later and she told me about how she was having a horrible day/weekend and that song provided the EXACT comfort she needed. I had no idea she was having a bad day, but God saw her pain. And he chose to use me as a vehicle to contact her and let her know everything was taken care of and in control. How cool is that?
God's timing IS PERFECT!
and so it goes..
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Stand firm
Isaiah 7:9 says "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all."
Standing firm in your faith is not an easy thing to do. Even with the recognizable definition of faith being "Believing in what you cannot see," going out on that limb with a firmness and comfortability seems almost unattainable. But more and more I'm finding that it is very attainable, because even a little faith can go a LONG way.
This is my first year at college, and it has been difficult adjusting to being away from home and having to make my own decisions. How cool is it that I am growing up, right? Well it is also very scary. I've had to really stand up for what I believe in, especially when encountering others who don't share the same beliefs as me. One of the hardest things I have had to do is stand firm in my faith when others are consistently knocking me down. But the cool thing is, I can keep getting back up through the help of my Savior. Sure, Isaiah says that if you do NOT stand firm in your faith, you will NOT stand at all. But that just means that the opposite holds true as well- if you DO stand firm in your faith, you WILL continue to stand. And even if you fall down, you will be able to get back up because you have that friend to lean upon. Bee-tee-dubs, His name is Jesus.
I am learning this year that standing firm in my faith may seem hard, but once I do it it reaps many benefits. For example, I always feel better knowing that people recognize me as "that Christian kid" rather than any other comparison they might make. Also, I'm finding that all it takes is one person to be brave enough to stand strong in their faith for others to join you. When I came to my school, some people told me that I would have a tough time encountering Jesus because it isn't a private Christian school. However, I am discovering more and more that God can be found at my school just as easily as He could be at a private Christian college. My first few weeks here I felt like I was incredibly alone, but all it took was for me to express my relationship with Christ for others to appear in my life who shared the same beliefs as me. I have found Christ here because I have chosen to find Him here. I am content with my college choice, and am glad I have chosen to stand FIRM in my faith, because I know that God will help me stand.
And so it goes..
"And of a childlike faith, and of my honest praise. Of my unashamed love."
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Reflections on 2011
2011 was a year of growth.
Yes, I grew physically. I probably added another inch or so to my height, and that's all fine and dandy. But the real growth I am talking about is Spiritually. God completely blew my mind this year, aaand it all started with a very simple prayer.
It was the first day of Camp season. For those of you who don't know, I am a counselor at an amazing church Camp where I spend most of my summers. I count down the days until camp, because it is just a magnificent place... but anyway that's another story on another blog. This has to do with GROWTH, remember?
Anyway, I was driving to this said camp on the first day of Camp season, and as I was driving I decided to say a quick prayer- specifically about the summer, but the entire year was included. I turned my blaring Signature Sound Quartet music down, rolled up my window, and breathed the simplest prayer I could think of, "God, do something BIG in my life this year." Sounds simple enough, right? Kind of a passive prayer- something you obviously strive for anyway....
This prayer turned out to be a portal into the biggest whirlwind of a summer/year I've ever had. When I told God to do something BIG, He took it, stretched it out, and in return did something HUGE. He made me learn that, despite what I like others to think, I don't alway have everything it takes to get by in the world- I don't know quite as much as I think I do.
Complacency was the word of choice that God put on my heart. It was as if all summer He was telling me to not become complacent. To not just skate by because you've been a counselor for so many years and fairly know the way things run. Yeah. I knew how Camp worked. I figured "eh. It's my sixth year out here. There's probably nothing new that could come my way. I know what it takes to be a good counselor , and that's what I plan to be. Bring it on, world."
Then the best week of camp in my entire life happened. It was the worst week I could imagine, but the best in the end. God sent several blessed children from a Community Center that works closely with camp to challenge the faces off of us "complacent" counselors. These kids were the kind that stretched you to your limit so quickly you didn't think you could last 4 minutes let alone 4 days. Yet, we still had to persist because, we possibly were showing them the only love they would get (their home lives aren't the greatest). These kids were nothing like I expected at the beginning of the summer. Here I was, this supposed great counselor who knew all the answers and had all the right things to say, completely knocked on my feet. "Don't become complacent. Stop acting like you know what you're doing." said God.
God revealed his plan for my spiritual growth consistently throughout the year. I went on a Chrysalis walk at the end of the summer, and the entire weekend He kept showing me that it's okay to not know everything and not have the answers. It's okay to seek help, because He who does know wants to have a relationship with me. He wants me to fall into His arms and cry to Him because I want to know HIM more and learn more from HIM. Life is constantly changing, even in the aspects which seem to remain still. I never knew my world could be rocked like it was this year at Camp, but God showed me that It was not in my best interest to think I got it all under control-- because, unfortunately. I don't.
And how fitting that the theme of camp this year was Faith? It was as if all year, God was saying "ye of little faith! Do you not think that when you asked me to do something Big in your life I wouldn't cause you to grow as well?" I learned to step out on my faith with God this year, and act for HIS will even if I don't know what I'm doing. But hey, all I need is the faith of a mustard seed, and I can move the mountains.
And so it goes...
Yes, I grew physically. I probably added another inch or so to my height, and that's all fine and dandy. But the real growth I am talking about is Spiritually. God completely blew my mind this year, aaand it all started with a very simple prayer.
It was the first day of Camp season. For those of you who don't know, I am a counselor at an amazing church Camp where I spend most of my summers. I count down the days until camp, because it is just a magnificent place... but anyway that's another story on another blog. This has to do with GROWTH, remember?
Anyway, I was driving to this said camp on the first day of Camp season, and as I was driving I decided to say a quick prayer- specifically about the summer, but the entire year was included. I turned my blaring Signature Sound Quartet music down, rolled up my window, and breathed the simplest prayer I could think of, "God, do something BIG in my life this year." Sounds simple enough, right? Kind of a passive prayer- something you obviously strive for anyway....
This prayer turned out to be a portal into the biggest whirlwind of a summer/year I've ever had. When I told God to do something BIG, He took it, stretched it out, and in return did something HUGE. He made me learn that, despite what I like others to think, I don't alway have everything it takes to get by in the world- I don't know quite as much as I think I do.
Complacency was the word of choice that God put on my heart. It was as if all summer He was telling me to not become complacent. To not just skate by because you've been a counselor for so many years and fairly know the way things run. Yeah. I knew how Camp worked. I figured "eh. It's my sixth year out here. There's probably nothing new that could come my way. I know what it takes to be a good counselor , and that's what I plan to be. Bring it on, world."
Then the best week of camp in my entire life happened. It was the worst week I could imagine, but the best in the end. God sent several blessed children from a Community Center that works closely with camp to challenge the faces off of us "complacent" counselors. These kids were the kind that stretched you to your limit so quickly you didn't think you could last 4 minutes let alone 4 days. Yet, we still had to persist because, we possibly were showing them the only love they would get (their home lives aren't the greatest). These kids were nothing like I expected at the beginning of the summer. Here I was, this supposed great counselor who knew all the answers and had all the right things to say, completely knocked on my feet. "Don't become complacent. Stop acting like you know what you're doing." said God.
God revealed his plan for my spiritual growth consistently throughout the year. I went on a Chrysalis walk at the end of the summer, and the entire weekend He kept showing me that it's okay to not know everything and not have the answers. It's okay to seek help, because He who does know wants to have a relationship with me. He wants me to fall into His arms and cry to Him because I want to know HIM more and learn more from HIM. Life is constantly changing, even in the aspects which seem to remain still. I never knew my world could be rocked like it was this year at Camp, but God showed me that It was not in my best interest to think I got it all under control-- because, unfortunately. I don't.
And how fitting that the theme of camp this year was Faith? It was as if all year, God was saying "ye of little faith! Do you not think that when you asked me to do something Big in your life I wouldn't cause you to grow as well?" I learned to step out on my faith with God this year, and act for HIS will even if I don't know what I'm doing. But hey, all I need is the faith of a mustard seed, and I can move the mountains.
And so it goes...
"Savior. He can move the mountains. My God is mighty to save. He is mighty to save."
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, everyone! Well, Merry belated Christmas, as it is almost New Years. However, I hope it was good nonetheless. I hope that Santa Claus left lots of fun memories, and great laughs. I also hope you took time to remember the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus, the Savior, is born TODAY! Hallelujah! I just can't fathom that experience. Born in a manger, no room for the inn for the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. It's just so crazy to me.
To me, Christmas means celebrating Jesus' birth, but also enjoying the company of my family. I love my family so much. They are kind of my lifeline. I thrive off my family, and always look forward to spending time with them in some way. My immediate family (being my older brothers) always seem to be weirded out by my love for family time. Whenever we go to reunions or get togethers, they always tend to leave before the party is over, and groan before we arrive in the first place. I mean, sure they enjoy seeing family as much as I do, they just don't like being social for more than, well, 20 minutes a day, tops.
However, as I already said, I thrive off my family. They provide such great memories and wonderful laughs that I never miss a family reunion, and am one of the last ones to leave. I love seeing my grandparents and aunts and uncles in the same room having a good time fellowshipping with one another.
It used to be that on Christmas, I would really celebrate it three times. We would wake up super early (or, at least I thought it was super early) and open the presents from our parents and Santa ( :) ). Then, after a quick breakfast we would scurry out to my dads side of the family and spend the afternoon there with so much laughter and hilarity I could hardly stand it. Of course, it took me until just a few years ago that I was able to actually understand the jokes, but I laughed regardless. From there, we would head home just for a quick stop to grab the other presents to exchange at Christmas on my mom's side of the family.
I'm the third oldest grandson on my mom's side of the family, so it was always a lot of fun over there. My mom is the oldest of three kids, and therefore her kids are the oldest of the grandkids. I have three younger girl cousins and one younger boy, add that to my two older brothers and that totals the 7 grandkids of my Grandma and Grandpa Phillips. Anyway, since I am near the older group, a lot of the jokes and activities are geared toward my understanding and I laugh a lot. (Not that I don't laugh on the Henry side, I just understand the jokes a lot better on the Phillips.)
These memories are the best for me. Both my dads side and my moms-- I always loved Christmas because we always had lots of family and lots of fun. But-- lots of things happened in my family over the years, including the death of both my Grandma and Grandpa Phillips, and now it's just not the same. We don't get together as much on my moms side- especially for Christmas. It used to not bother me all that much, because I would always say "There's next time" or "Maybe we'll hang out as family on a different time" But my mom and her siblings don't really get along very much it seems, and it always seems like its a HUUUGEEE burden for us to get together. I guess it really started to bother me when I noticed the same burden trickling down to my brother. I recall him asking "So.. Are we going to pretend to do Christmas with (family members of Moms side) this year?" I mean, yeah I know that Grandma and Grandpa aren't here anymore for us to see during the holidays, but is it really that much of a stressful time just to see your family? I love seeing them..
I don't know. This is a much different blog than my others, and I kind of feel like I'm complaining. And don't get me wrong, I understand the pain they are going through and sometimes don't want to be around my family either. But, ESPECIALLY at Christmas, couldn't we make the effort to see each other? That's all I ask..
And so it goes..
To me, Christmas means celebrating Jesus' birth, but also enjoying the company of my family. I love my family so much. They are kind of my lifeline. I thrive off my family, and always look forward to spending time with them in some way. My immediate family (being my older brothers) always seem to be weirded out by my love for family time. Whenever we go to reunions or get togethers, they always tend to leave before the party is over, and groan before we arrive in the first place. I mean, sure they enjoy seeing family as much as I do, they just don't like being social for more than, well, 20 minutes a day, tops.
However, as I already said, I thrive off my family. They provide such great memories and wonderful laughs that I never miss a family reunion, and am one of the last ones to leave. I love seeing my grandparents and aunts and uncles in the same room having a good time fellowshipping with one another.
It used to be that on Christmas, I would really celebrate it three times. We would wake up super early (or, at least I thought it was super early) and open the presents from our parents and Santa ( :) ). Then, after a quick breakfast we would scurry out to my dads side of the family and spend the afternoon there with so much laughter and hilarity I could hardly stand it. Of course, it took me until just a few years ago that I was able to actually understand the jokes, but I laughed regardless. From there, we would head home just for a quick stop to grab the other presents to exchange at Christmas on my mom's side of the family.
I'm the third oldest grandson on my mom's side of the family, so it was always a lot of fun over there. My mom is the oldest of three kids, and therefore her kids are the oldest of the grandkids. I have three younger girl cousins and one younger boy, add that to my two older brothers and that totals the 7 grandkids of my Grandma and Grandpa Phillips. Anyway, since I am near the older group, a lot of the jokes and activities are geared toward my understanding and I laugh a lot. (Not that I don't laugh on the Henry side, I just understand the jokes a lot better on the Phillips.)
These memories are the best for me. Both my dads side and my moms-- I always loved Christmas because we always had lots of family and lots of fun. But-- lots of things happened in my family over the years, including the death of both my Grandma and Grandpa Phillips, and now it's just not the same. We don't get together as much on my moms side- especially for Christmas. It used to not bother me all that much, because I would always say "There's next time" or "Maybe we'll hang out as family on a different time" But my mom and her siblings don't really get along very much it seems, and it always seems like its a HUUUGEEE burden for us to get together. I guess it really started to bother me when I noticed the same burden trickling down to my brother. I recall him asking "So.. Are we going to pretend to do Christmas with (family members of Moms side) this year?" I mean, yeah I know that Grandma and Grandpa aren't here anymore for us to see during the holidays, but is it really that much of a stressful time just to see your family? I love seeing them..
I don't know. This is a much different blog than my others, and I kind of feel like I'm complaining. And don't get me wrong, I understand the pain they are going through and sometimes don't want to be around my family either. But, ESPECIALLY at Christmas, couldn't we make the effort to see each other? That's all I ask..
And so it goes..
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Late night thoughts..
"Nobody knows what we're for, only what we're against when we judge the wounded. What if we put down our signs, crossed over the lines, and loved like YOU did?"
Yet again I am finding myself newly convicted by lyrics of a song. Remember that face-plant moment I talked about in one of my previous blogs? Well it happened again. People out there are "wounded". Not necessarily in the literal sense, although the could be, but I think that what this lyric is implying as "wounded" is the people who are emotionally wounded. These are the ones who are succumbing to the sinful nature and appearing as if they don't care about it. And it seems that a lot of times Christians, especially me, judge people too awfully, and too quickly.
I know that for me, I oftentimes pass judgment on others just by sight. Instead of getting to know their true story, and simply loving them as Jesus would love, I avoid them and let them continue to go about their lives. Perhaps I would be the only Jesus they see, and I passed up the opportunity because I was uncomfortable, judgmental, rude.
Can you imagine what a powerful statement it would be for the body of Christ if we stopped worrying about our own comfort and instead went out and fought for what God intended us? What if we stopped judging others, and really did love like God does? Love so much that people RAN into the arms of Jesus. Can you picture the overwhelming results we would receive if we stopped worrying about the standard way of doing things, and instead went out on a limb-guided by Jesus' loving hands- and loved the loveless, the Sinners that the song continues to talk about? Wouldn't it be amazing if we stopped dividing ourselves from the rest of the world, stopped looking down on the world, but instead stepped into the world in order to try and save it, actually "put down our signs, cross over the lines, and love like JESUS did? Christ's love is powerful enough to do that, so why don't we show it?
And furthermore, the song goes on to say "Open our eyes to the world at the END of our pointing fingers." We should stop blaming the world for the sin, as we are sinners too. We're really no different than the sinners we are condemning and judging. The only real difference is the only difference that matters. We have the winning answer! We have Jesus' love and grace! He's on our side! Why not show that to the world? It's so easy to obtain, and we have it!
Anyway- it's my New Years resolution to be Jesus to whomever I encounter. I'm going to try and "be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry," as James 1:19 encourages us to be.
And so it goes...
Yet again I am finding myself newly convicted by lyrics of a song. Remember that face-plant moment I talked about in one of my previous blogs? Well it happened again. People out there are "wounded". Not necessarily in the literal sense, although the could be, but I think that what this lyric is implying as "wounded" is the people who are emotionally wounded. These are the ones who are succumbing to the sinful nature and appearing as if they don't care about it. And it seems that a lot of times Christians, especially me, judge people too awfully, and too quickly.
I know that for me, I oftentimes pass judgment on others just by sight. Instead of getting to know their true story, and simply loving them as Jesus would love, I avoid them and let them continue to go about their lives. Perhaps I would be the only Jesus they see, and I passed up the opportunity because I was uncomfortable, judgmental, rude.
Can you imagine what a powerful statement it would be for the body of Christ if we stopped worrying about our own comfort and instead went out and fought for what God intended us? What if we stopped judging others, and really did love like God does? Love so much that people RAN into the arms of Jesus. Can you picture the overwhelming results we would receive if we stopped worrying about the standard way of doing things, and instead went out on a limb-guided by Jesus' loving hands- and loved the loveless, the Sinners that the song continues to talk about? Wouldn't it be amazing if we stopped dividing ourselves from the rest of the world, stopped looking down on the world, but instead stepped into the world in order to try and save it, actually "put down our signs, cross over the lines, and love like JESUS did? Christ's love is powerful enough to do that, so why don't we show it?
And furthermore, the song goes on to say "Open our eyes to the world at the END of our pointing fingers." We should stop blaming the world for the sin, as we are sinners too. We're really no different than the sinners we are condemning and judging. The only real difference is the only difference that matters. We have the winning answer! We have Jesus' love and grace! He's on our side! Why not show that to the world? It's so easy to obtain, and we have it!
Anyway- it's my New Years resolution to be Jesus to whomever I encounter. I'm going to try and "be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry," as James 1:19 encourages us to be.
And so it goes...
No one knows what we're for only against when we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours
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