nickelback knows about evangelism?...

We watched this video in youth group last night and then discussed the symbolisms it had to evangelism. its pretty powerful. we have something that can save those around us. something powerful and life changing. what keeps us from sharing it? we all have our own unknown amount of time on this earth, shouldn't we care about those around us, rather than ignoring everyone else by being so self centered? check out this song by nickelback and think about evangelism, if you don't get it, i'd love to talk to you about it.

http://music.aol.com/video/savin-me/nickelback/1467753

...and theres no other name worthy of praise but His!

today was all God. well i guess everyday is, or should be. last night i wrote a couple poems. one about a distraction thats been on my mind and the other about God and how he's remarkable and i'm nothing, because i try to do things on my own and fail. anyways so i go into church sunday morning like normal. we sang two songs. "empty me" which i sing as a prayer about what has been on my mind lately and then this new one that we learned at acquire the fire called "no other name" talking about who God is. the verse says "Teach my eyes to recognize you, teach my lips to glorify you, guide my feet so i can find you, whereever you are. me my way i'm lost without you, be my light shining through, my every breath, my every move, till every thought is you." talk about singing a prayer. the youth Pastor then mentioned how we fail on our own and we need to see God and let him be God. pretty simply and i know this but its nice to be reminded right when you know its a probably. so i'm overwhelmed with God's awesomeness. Then over in the main service, we sing some awesome songs and then the Pastor preachs from Psalm 92 about thanksgiving. let me highlight the main points, God loves graditude, and God loves music. he calls us to sing, to Him. whether we're good at it or not, he gives us reasons to sing therefore we should sing. reasons to sing: because of His character, and His activity in our lives and because He is committed to our victory. talk about awesome God. (if you want more details on this sermon let me know, i took notes!) so thinking about this with the thanksgiving holiday coming up this week. as believers we have a reason to truly be thankful. God is the center of everything that non-believers are thankul for yet they don't even know it, they don't know who to thank. its sad. yet we as Christians do what? nothing, celebrate with our families and go to a thanksgiving service and pie socials. which leads me to the next thing. evening service, which is actually youth group. (yes, i go to youth group but its because i'm a leader, not because i don't like the adult service.) so we're starting a 4 week study/challenge on evangelism. we heard a missionary last week, talk about evangelism and how we need to disciple and be discipled. which has been on my heart for awhile now. (I like how something gets on your heart and God won't let go and keeps reminding you until something is done.) so tonight was just the introduction to evangelism and Len (the youth Pastor) had some good verses and a story about fish that was like a parable about the church. sad but true. I picked up a book called "venti Jesus" i'm interested to read that and get more pumped about going out. I know I work at a church and volunteer at my home church, i don't really know any unsaved people, so its going to be a challenge for me to go out. and i believe in building relationships instead of craming the Bible down peoples throats. maybe I should just speak out and live it out how ever God tells me. one thing i know, with this comes failure, rejection and satans attack. which are all scary but I serve a much bigger God who wins in the end. so I say bring it on! I don't know where to begin. i have some ideas but I need to pray and make sure they're Gods ideas and not mine.

quick rewind: I went to a leadership conference a couple weeks ago. I was challenged and encouagred with lots of things. things need to change, in each persons lives and in our churches today. we serve and should have a relationship with this big God, why doesn't it impact us the way it should? I'm just thinking and wrestling with some things. God is at work and I went to step aside and let him work through me. whose with me? step up, it starts with you. we know God wants us to go, so why don't we? we know God says he'll give us the power, so why don't we let him? i don' tknow about you, but i'm ready!

any questions, comments, thoughts, throw them out, i'd love to share with you, whats on my heart, its a lot more then this one xanga post can handle. read "crazy love" by Francis Chan. spend time in prayer and reading your Bible, those two things alone should dramaticly change your life, and i challenge you to let them.

I'm ready...

... for something more. I love the fact that I'm in minisitry. I'm a youth leader, AWANA leader, lead a girls bible study, pretty much lead the college and career Sunday school class too. Those are all great. I work at a church and realize that I have no contact with unbelievers. I am learning that I can lead and be useful in those things. I can get challenged and grow myself while teaching and encouraging others. However, I can easily get comfortable in my "christian bubble." I loved public school but after a Bible College and now being so involved in church, how much would the world suprise me. Things have changed since I was in high school. I am keeping informed but I am also getting old to where some things bug me about the kids today. Anyways I think my point in all of this is just a reminder to serve where God places you yes. But do not get comfortable and the moment that you do, stop and pray about where God wants you to go next. Whether it's a new direction in your current ministry or taken on a new ministry out of your comfort zone. It is way cool to see how God made us and how he provides situations that will grow our character into who he wants us to be and what he wants us to do. He does all the work. O course we can't just sit and say "go ahead God do your thing." once he does and says his thing, we need to act upon it. Following God in faith sounds hard but at least we don't have to be the ones to plan and figure everything out. He knows the end results, hence him being the only one who can figure all those things out. It's pretty sweet really. We serve a big God.

does anyone use this thing anymore? i'm not even sure why i'm updating. the only people who read this probably still talk to me and know these things but nonetheless heres the scoop...

i got a job, its a part time secertary position at the nazaere church in town. today was day three. i think i'll figure things out. haha.

last night was a story all in itself. but lets start with saturday. i went to an alumni bbc dinner here in ohio. i learned some new things and enjoyed the presentations. ate really good food. shook president Jeffery's hand. and met the new admissions guy for the ohio area. he offered to come to youth group the following evening.

so sunday night rolls around, he shows up. Jake is in charge and does very well in my opinion. haha. we were in a wind warning. huge winds b/c of the hurricanes down south. well the electric went out, the youth room was pitch black. we went into the hall way and finished our discussion. which i thought was amazing. its still all rolling around in my head. Geoff (the bbc guy) took pictures of us and his new adventures, hes new to this road trip for bbc thing. we showed him that things can get interesting. haha. to say the least.

i'm doing a lot of reading and thinking. plus staying busy with work and growing up, and leading bible study and being a youth leader and awana leader. plus trying to spend time with the family and do things right here so that i avoid getting in trouble. its all quite amazing. we serve a big God. yet we say that so easily. i'm learning a lot about him and sin and ministry and the holy spirit. its just amazing. i realized that the foundation for life is God's love. once we get that then we naturally want to share it and love it and grow in it and obey the Word, on and on it goes. its that simple but sin and this world make it hard to see that everything comes down to that.

in other news, my brother is in and out of good health. he has a test tomorrow. hes going to be going to a new transplant office, who would rather his have a living donor. so we'll see what God has in store for that, when that time comes.

right now, things seem crazy and up and down but over all i'm loving life. well i'm loving the God who made life and helps me through it. haha.

i'm out. email me or facebook me.

Currently Reading Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God By Francis Chan, Danae Yankoski see related

random reflections

Goodness sakes! life is crazy! random side notes, simply because.

1. Canada was amazing! 2. Labor day weekend was fun. 3. I didn't lie to James, I just only told a half truth. 4. I got my first birthday card in today's mail. 5. I love my friends! 6. I desperatly want a job and my lisence. 7. I wish I had my own bedroom. 8. I have a killer headach. 9. My family is a bunch of vicious animals. 10. I think it's stupid that the transplant office just left. 11. thought I had more random things to say. 12. I love my church!!! 13. its AWANA season. which means we'll be neglected. which could be good in somethings, bad in others. 14. wishes Matt could get a transplant. 15. Maybe a new office would allow me to give. 16. I am growing a lot. 17. I'm thinking a lot too. (some good, some not.) 18. I hate relationships. 19. I have a new look on life. 20. But its hard to live every day. 21. Oasis is Saturday! 22. I have the most crazy dreams! 23. I watched the movie "23" today, so I think this is where I should stop!