L.O.V.E.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8Love: patient, kind, humble, honors, selfless, slow to anger, forgiving, truthful, protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres, never fails.

Love. We underestimate it. We don't take it as serious as we should. And a lot of times, we simply just don't do it. 

They say that over time, love fades away. But in my opinion, we just kill it. We let it get sick, and then we don't bother to nurture it back to wellness. Why? We give reasons like, we're busy, we're tired, we're incompatible. But when it all comes down to it, it's because we're selfish. 

In any relationship, friendship, marriage, etc., the problem is that, usually,  in one way or another, either one person gets selfish, or they both do. 

But when you get down to it, loving people isn't that hard to do. It's our own pride that keeps us from doing it. Love is telling someone what you love about them. Love is forgiving someone. Love is being honest. Love is trusting. Love is being patient. Love is being protective. Love is being selfless. Love is being understanding. Love is giving a gift. Love is giving a hug. Love is listening. Love is doing the dishes. 

Love is a lot of things. Love is often a lot of simple things. 

So then why are we so quick to set love aside? Are we afraid? Are we conceited? Are we too busy? Do we just not think about it? 

We earn our friend's trust, but then we talk about them behind their backs. 

We say "'Til death do us part", but then we get bored, selfish, or tired. 

We constantly have people pouring into us, but we continue to live for ourselves. 

Love is the answer. 

Love turns tears into smiles. Love turns fear into breathing. Love turns anger into forgiveness. Love turns selfishness to selflessness. Love turns tired eyes to vibrant life. Love can change everything. 

We must stop brushing off love. We must start thinking about it. We must start loving. 

1 John 4:19 We love because he loved us first. 

We didn't deserve God's love, yet he so graciously loved us anyway. 

There are always people that are harder to love than others. But taking a step away from my life, and looking at how God loves me, I have to say, I could be considered "hard to love" just the same. 

But God loved me anyway. 

If God's love is in us, God's love should be shining through us to others. God's selfless, patient, humble, kind, forgiving love should be the same love we model in our own lives. 

God says, "I love you. I promise I always will. I chose you. Forever I'll choose you still."

So we must take a look at our own lives, and the love we have with other people.
 "Before we burn down all our bridges, let's look awhile at what we've built. We'll take turns asking for forgiveness, and watch our love grow deeper still."

Trust

So there’s this one word that has been on my mind a lot lately.

It’s a word that some of us have a really hard time doing.

And for others, it is really quite simple. 

The word is Trust. 

Someone has probably said it to you before.

“Just trust me.” “I trust you.” “You are very trustworthy.” “I just can’t trust her.”

But my question lately has been, 

I say that I trust you, but do I really? 

You see, I’m going to be a junior this year. (fun, fun)

A lot of people, by junior year, know exactly where they want to go to college, know exactly what they want to study, etc. But for me? I just have no idea! I just want to....live, ya know? Like not worry about the next five years, and just live. 

But in our culture that isn’t exactly possible. 

Your HS counselors are constantly nagging you to tell them what you are interested in, your parents are constantly asking you what schools you want to go tour, your grandparents are constantly asking you what you want your career to be, and it can all just be a little much.

I just turned sixteen, and I’m expected to have a semi-clear view of what I want to do with my life? Goodness.

I think a lot about the future. I think a lot of people do. I think about me, being the social butterfly that I’m not, not being able to make friends when I go away to school. I think about hating my major and changing it a thousand times. I think about all the expenses I am going to have to pay on my own. I think about how scary it’s going to be being so far away from my loved ones. And in a matter of time, I just end up thinking to much. 

But you know, God calls us to trust Him. And that’s not something that is always easy to do. You have to be okay with the fact that what you want for yourself may not be what God knows is best for you. Sometimes it’s harder to trust God because our lack of physical connection to Him...which is what makes Him so great and powerful! 

So recently I’ve just been learning that I just have to breathe. I have to trust that God is going to guide me in the right direction and lead me down the correct path. I have to trust that wherever God leads me, He is going to provide. I have to trust God, even if it’s terrifying, and even if it’s hard. 

Here are some songs about trust:

In Christ Alone by Kristian Stanfill

I Give You My Heart by Hillsong Live

Cornerstone by Hillsong Live

Only King Forever by 7eventh Time Down

Trust in Jesus by Third Day

Steady Heart by Steffany Gretzinger

Multipled by Needtobreathe

Strong God by Merideth Andrews

Walk by Faith by Jeremy Camp

You Lead by Jamie Grace

Give Me Faith by Elevation Worship

Through All of It by Colton Dixon

Sovereign by Chris Tomlin

We Won’t be Shaken by Building 429

Let Faith Arise by BridgeCity

Anchor by Bethel Music

Tonight by All Sons & Daughters

Summerfest 2015

This week I went to the most amazing camp of my life, my favorite week of the summer every year. I realize many people are not able to attend, so this blog is strictly about what I learned and took away from camp this week. 

Many of these words are from Jason Curry. Christ puts amazing words in his mouth!

PARADOX:

Our theme this week was paradox. 

A paradox is something that should be the opposite of what it actually is. 

Here are the paradoxes we focused on:

1. If you want to get life, you must lose it
2. If you want to be filled, you must empty yourself

Some other great things we learned were:

1. You can’t invite someone unless you’re going somewhere

2 You can only live like Christ by living through Christ

3. A heart filled with Christ, breaks like the heart of Christ

RECOGNIZE:

Sometimes we flee from Christ because we think how could God ever love a wretch like me? But God says, “There’s no need to cover what I already saved. I loved you before you knew what love was. I saw it all and still I chose the cross. So rid of your shackles. My victory is yours.” -Steffany Gretzinger. 

God says, “I knew what you were going to do every single day of your life, and still I sent my son, and still he chose the cross.” And if you look over at Jesus he says, “And it was worth it.” We are worth it, even though we don’t deserve it. 

HOW TO GROW YOUR FAITH:

God calls us to grow our faith. Here are some things to remember when doing so:

1. God doesn’t always answer our requests the way we want. Like a good Father, He answers in the way that is best for us, even when we don’t understand it. 
2. Things won’t always be easy, but God will always be there
3. Temporary pleasure<eternal treasure
4. John 16:33 In this world, you WILL have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world! --God promises to give you more than you can handle. 
5. Your most painful moments are the most influential to other people, because it gives them a chance to see you living by faith in hard times. 
6. You get through pain by God’s love. When you look around and ask if God cares, you must hurry to the cross and see Him there.(-Martin Luther) There is no pain that you face that Christ did not suffer. 
7. You get through pain with God’s people. We can’t do it alone. 
8. A student ministry is students who minister to students. Don’t attend, Lead. 
9. You get through pain with God’s Word. Psalms 119:105 Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path
10. Matthew 7:24 He who roots his life in the Word and lives by it has built their house on the Rock, and the storm will not cause the house to fall. Everyone gets the storm, but everyone gets the choice of building their shelter on the sand, or the Rock.
11. The most important part of your faith is the part where you don’t give up, give in, or take the easy way out. 
12. The first step to intentionally growing your faith is to identify what stands in the way of it. 
13. Stop letting distractions cause you to live for yourself.
14. Live a life of action and growth, worthy of the Lord. 
15. 15. You can talk yourself in and out of anything. NEVER TRUST YOUR HEART, only trust the word of God.
16. Follow Jesus in all areas of your life, giving yourself to others to make the world a better place in Christ’s name. 
17. To live the life God desires for us, we must be committed to growing our faith. 
18. Stop embracing your baggage. 
19. Sometimes the best thing that can happen in your life is to get caught in your sin. 
20. Remember that Jesus never said, “You must earn.” He only says, “I will give.” 
21. We are stiff in our faith because we believe our plan is better than God's
22. The area that keeps you from God is the area that is least surrendered to Him. 
23. A yoke is a wooden plank that two animals carry on their necks. The animals must be in sync to keep the plank level. Nothing can grow where yokes are unequal. 
24. If you face opposition, you’re probably going the right way
25. Living for God isn’t easy, but it’s worth it
26. There is a wall in everyone’s life. The wall is Christ, whom we stand on. The wall keeps our city safe from the enemy’s destruction. Don’t come off the wall. Don’t give in to your sin. STAY ON THE WALL. Because if you come off the wall, it will fall down. 
27. God uses our pain to lead others to Christ
28. Take your painful situations and stop asking why! Start asking how you are going to use it to the glory of God
29. People who do not follow Christ are not enemies. They are brothers. Show them love. Show them the same love that Christ has shown us. 
30. If you went to heaven today and got to look down on Earth at all the people who grew closer to Christ because of you, would there be anyone to look at?

SCRIPTURE:

Here are some scriptures to read to help you take the next step in growing your faith and owning your faith. 

*1 Thess 2:13-14 In the beginning God chose you. He called you through the gospel, that you may share glory in Christ. 

*1 Thess 3:5 May God direct your heart to His love and perserverance

*1 Tim 1:15 Christ came to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. I was shown mercy so that in me, Christ might display his unlimited patients as an example to non believers around me. 

NOW TAKE THE GOSPEL AND GO

It’s your life. It’s your faith. Take charge. Move forward. Take ownership of your relationship with Jesus. You’re ready.