So... I haven't posted in like, forever. Sorry! Last semester was super crazy. It was my first semester in the Teacher Education program and consequently my first semester going to an elementary school everyday. THAT was quite interesting in and of itself, then try adding in the five NGCSU classes and four "extra-curriculars" I'm involved in... I think you catch my drift. lol =)
But, since I have the house to myself for a little while, I figured I could write out some reflections on the past year, hopes for the coming year, and really whatever else I feel like writing. =) The joys of having my own blog.
2011 was a very interesting year. I had some really amazing times and some really tough times. As I think back over the year, I can really see how everything, good and bad, has taught me so much. It makes me continually thankful for God's direction and His work in my life. Although I wouldn't wish the hard times that I've gone through on anyone, I can see how God used those things to make me fully rely on Him and look to Him for strength and direction. As for the good times... I went on my first mission trip last year. New York City was AMAZING! I had the most amazing team, and I got to see so much. Then I went to Lakeshore, MS over the summer with another group of wonderful people and that trip was fantastic as well. I really, really love helping people. After that I taught my first VBS class. My favorite quote from VBS: "[talking about Jesus] They beat Him, then they hung Him, then they shot Him." 6 and 7 year olds are a hoot! =) Then I had the opportunity to be a counselor at NGM camp for a week, which was an incredible experience. Who knew that hanging out with 5 12-13 year old girls would be so great? lol. I ended the year with another 4.0 and a great new group of friends from my cohort. As for New Year's Eve, I spent that with my best friends, Thomas and Karen! I don't know what I'd do without them. =)
2012 is looking to be a promising year. After this year, I'll have one more semester of college, which is crazy to think about! I have no idea where I'll be placed for the next school year, or where I'll be living. It's tempting to worry about it, as I have a tendency to do, but I know that God knows exactly what He has in store for me, so I'm trying to keep that in mind. Right now I'm raising funds and prayer support for my first mission trip of the year: Quintana Roo, Mexico! 78 BCMers will be going on this trip to spread God's love to the people of Mexico and I am SO excited! I'm in the process of getting my passport now. =) I also turned in my SendMeNow application the other day, so I'll be gearing up for another summer mission trip as well. I have a BCM leadership retreat next weekend, that I'm looking forward to. I get to go visit my elementary kids next week when I get back into the swing of things! I can't explain how much I miss my second graders! They're the best. =)
In the midst of my excitement and hope for the new year, I've been hit with a dose of reality as well. On the morning of January 1st, a young woman named Hannah took her life. She was a North Georgia junior who was in the Honors Program. I had her in two of my HP classes and she was serving as the HP secretary for this school year. It's crazy to think of how fragile life is. How we can be here one minute and gone the next. Based on that, I want to live every moment to its fullest. I want to be a light in the darkness and show God's love in everything that I do. I know my time here is short. Our lives are but a vapor. I want to do everything I can to advance God's kingdom and truly let Him be seen in my life. I think about the fact that in 20 days, I'll be 21 years old. If that's not the age of adulthood, I don't know what is. I can't say that I've ever really been the typical rebellious or immature teenager/young adult, but the approaching of this "milestone birthday" is making me think. I wonder if I'm where I should be on my walk with God. I wonder if I should be farther down that road than I am. And although I can't go back and make up for lost time, I can strive to walk closer to Him everyday. I don't want that to be just something that I say, either. I truly want to live it. I know that I will still stumble and make mistakes, but I want to stumble less. I want to be someone that others can come to for advice and Godly council. I pray that God will give me the strength to live for Him everyday.
As a part of the BCM leadership team for this year, I was asked to write out a personal mission statement. It took me a while, but this is what my finished product (for now) is: "Allowing God to work in and through my life so that the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart please Him; So that I can shine His light in the darkness, love as He loves, and strive for His perfection." I hope that this year will be my opportunity to truly live this out. And I hope that in the years to come, this will truly be who I am.
I realize that this blog may be a bit jumbled and/or random, but I think I needed to get all of those things out. =) But in closing, I'll leave you with this thought: 2012 will not be a perfect year. No year ever will. We'll all fall down, and we'll all get back up to keep striving toward what God has for us.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down.
-Ps. 37:24
"Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself. I mean, do not be disturbed because of your imperfections and always rise up bravely from a fall. There is no better means of progress in the spiritual life than to be continually beginning afresh and never to think that we have done enough."
-Francis De Sales
God Bless,
Taylor
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Sunday, September 18, 2011
My Best Is Not Enough
My best is not enough. My best will never be enough. Because I am an imperfect, completely selfish, carnal, human being, the things that I do could never be good enough for the absolutely perfect God that we serve. BUT, I don't have to put a cap on what I can give God. Although my best will never be enough, His best is enough. And as long as I give Him everything that I have, and dive into Him and His word, He will be working in and through me. So, therefore, when I'm in sync with God, He is working in me and giving me His best, so that I can give Him His best.
I don't know about you, but I'm done trying to give God my best and stopping there. I need to take the time and give the effort to allow God to give me His best. With school and life moving at 100 miles a minute, lately I have pushed God into the backseat of my life. Sure, I still read a devotional. I might really try to implement that into my life that day. But I'm not truly connecting with God because I'm not putting in enough effort. I've put God on the last line of my list, and as I work my way down it, I'll get to Him if I have time (which, I usually don't). That is NOT okay. God should be the focus of my every moment, and He Certainly shouldn't be in the last slot of my list. It pains me to stop and really look at how disconnected I have been lately. I can make excuses all day long, but God knows my heart. And although He understands that I'm busy, He also knows that if I would put Him first, instead of last, my load would be easier to bear.
I need to discipline myself to remember that everything I do should be to the glory of God. And not taking time to spend with Him, REALLY spend with Him, everyday is not the way to grow closer to Him. If I want to see God's changes happening in my life, I have to make a change.
I know that my purpose on this Earth is to bring glory to God. That is the reason I'm here. Yes, right now I'm here going to college to earn a degree to one day teach a classroom of students, but all of that could change in a heartbeat. My world could be flipped upside down in the blink of an eye. But I know that my God will never leave me, and that He will never forsake me. So I hold onto those promises, and I constantly remind myself that my mission, my purpose, is to glorify God in everything that I do.
I know that as I run to God, and I draw close to Him, that my life won't get easier. The Bible tells us that it is hard to follow Christ. But my example is Jesus, and He gave everything for me. Who am I to hold pieces of myself back from Him? He traveled a ridiculously hard road for me, so why would I think that the road I have to travel for Him would be any easier? I don't need easy. I need possible. And, fortunately I serve a God with whom ALL things are possible. And I know that no matter how battered, beaten, discouraged I am at the end of the day, I can take my burdens and lay them at the feet of Christ. I can go to His throne and pour my heart out to Him. We can cry together, because He knows exactly what I am going through. He also knows the reason why I have to endure whatever pain I'm facing, and He will get me through.
I'm done placing my faith and trust in Earthly things, because I can place my faith and trust in the God of the universe who can never fail, never falter. He never grows tired or weary. And His grace and mercy is sufficient for me.
With EVERYTHING
With EVERYTHING
We will shout forth Your glory
With EVERYTHING
With EVERYTHING
We will shout forth Your praise
I don't know about you, but I'm done trying to give God my best and stopping there. I need to take the time and give the effort to allow God to give me His best. With school and life moving at 100 miles a minute, lately I have pushed God into the backseat of my life. Sure, I still read a devotional. I might really try to implement that into my life that day. But I'm not truly connecting with God because I'm not putting in enough effort. I've put God on the last line of my list, and as I work my way down it, I'll get to Him if I have time (which, I usually don't). That is NOT okay. God should be the focus of my every moment, and He Certainly shouldn't be in the last slot of my list. It pains me to stop and really look at how disconnected I have been lately. I can make excuses all day long, but God knows my heart. And although He understands that I'm busy, He also knows that if I would put Him first, instead of last, my load would be easier to bear.
I need to discipline myself to remember that everything I do should be to the glory of God. And not taking time to spend with Him, REALLY spend with Him, everyday is not the way to grow closer to Him. If I want to see God's changes happening in my life, I have to make a change.
I know that my purpose on this Earth is to bring glory to God. That is the reason I'm here. Yes, right now I'm here going to college to earn a degree to one day teach a classroom of students, but all of that could change in a heartbeat. My world could be flipped upside down in the blink of an eye. But I know that my God will never leave me, and that He will never forsake me. So I hold onto those promises, and I constantly remind myself that my mission, my purpose, is to glorify God in everything that I do.
I know that as I run to God, and I draw close to Him, that my life won't get easier. The Bible tells us that it is hard to follow Christ. But my example is Jesus, and He gave everything for me. Who am I to hold pieces of myself back from Him? He traveled a ridiculously hard road for me, so why would I think that the road I have to travel for Him would be any easier? I don't need easy. I need possible. And, fortunately I serve a God with whom ALL things are possible. And I know that no matter how battered, beaten, discouraged I am at the end of the day, I can take my burdens and lay them at the feet of Christ. I can go to His throne and pour my heart out to Him. We can cry together, because He knows exactly what I am going through. He also knows the reason why I have to endure whatever pain I'm facing, and He will get me through.
I'm done placing my faith and trust in Earthly things, because I can place my faith and trust in the God of the universe who can never fail, never falter. He never grows tired or weary. And His grace and mercy is sufficient for me.
With EVERYTHING
With EVERYTHING
We will shout forth Your glory
With EVERYTHING
With EVERYTHING
We will shout forth Your praise
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
God's Hedges
I spent last week at NGM (Neighborhood Gospel Missions) Camp and God blessed me SO much. More than I could have ever anticipated. Our speaker for the week was Missionary Derrick Morlan, and let me tell you, this man is fantastic! He always had the perfect message and preached in a way that everyone in the room, (pre-teen, teenager, young adult, senior) was touched by his sermon. He and his wife are missionaries in Oxford, England, so please be praying for them and their ministry. Anyway, the last night of camp he gave a message on Ecclesiastes 10:1-10 with the focus on verse 8. This sermon really spoke to me, so I would like to recount it for you and maybe you will get something from it too. =)
Ecclesiastes 10:1-10 ~ 1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour; so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. 2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. 3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. 4 If the spirit of the ruler rise us against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. 10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.
These verses were written by Solomon later in his life, and he uses them to reflect on the poor choices that he made.
Verse 8 - He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpant shall bite him.
This verse tells us that we reap what we sow. A couple things to remember: We always reap more than we sow (think planting one kernel of corn and harvesting 100s), and we always reap later than we sow (we usually pay the consequences for our choices much later in life). We will either learn this principle now or later in life when we ware facing the consequences.
Verse 8 talks of two different sins. 1) Digging a pit. This speaks of someone who goes out of their way to invest time and money into wrong things. 2) Breaking a hedge. This speaks of someone who tears down what is right and good, what God has placed in our lives. The digging of pits starts with the breaking of hedges. People have to break down the good walls before they can begin digging into evil.
We all have some degree of a problem with authority. Those who have bigger issues with authority often blame it on having a strong personality. But really, any problem with authority we have is because of our rotten, stinking sin nature. God is the ultimate authority and all resentment towards that stems from Satan. God put lines in our lives to protect us and our freedoms. But, as dirty, rotten sinners, we just have to push boundaries and cross lines. Most people who cross the hedge never come back. Ask any person who is addicted to anything: cigarettes, alcohol, gambling, etc. It's so Easy to take that first cigarette, but once you're hooked it's nearly impossible to stop. Nearly impossible to get back to the right side of the hedge. Satan will do his best to make sure that everything on the other side of the hedge looks better than what you have now. But this verse tells us that if you cross the hedge, you WILL get bitten. We, as humans and as sinners, are constantly asking what's wrong with this and what's wrong with that, but we never ask what's right. I know that personally I'm guilty of that. We've been conditioned to stay away from things that are "wrong," but not many of us have been raised to be drawn to the things that are "right." Deep down, we know what things are right and wrong. As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit living in us and a God-given conscience to tell us what is right and wrong.
So, God places hedges in our lives for a reason, and He puts people in our lives to give us wisdom along the way.
3 things:
1) The building of the hedge. God, Himself, not any man, has built the hedges. If we are willing to stay in the hedge, and close to God, He will bless us for it. Consider Job.
Job 1:9-10 ~ 9 Then Satan answered the Lord, ans said, 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job chose to stay in the hedge God made for him, and because of that, God blessed him richly. And because Job endured Satan's torture, he was richly blessed again.
Look at the lives that are ruined and you will see that somewhere in the past a hedge was broken. It all starts with the breaking of one hedge, the crossing of one line. Remember that landmarks are placed along your way to protect you and guide you.
2) The breaking of the hedge. How is a hedge broken?
Verse 9 - Whosoever removeth stones shall be hurt therewith, and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
Hedges are torn down one stone (one piece) at a time. God told us to abstain from all appearances of evil. He didn't tell us to walk as closely to the line as we want to. He didn't tell us that it's okay to peek over the hedge every once in a while. He told us to stay away from even the appearance of evil. He wants us to stay away from these things to protect us. God knows that broken hedges only lead to broken hearts. We cannot be right with God and be wrong with the authority God has put in our lives. We will always be under authority, so now is the time that we need to understand why. It is, and will always be, to protect us. We don't need to cross lines and break hedges to see how things are on the other side. Hedges shouldn't be broken because they are there for a reason.
3) The biting of the serpent. The verse says that ANYONE who crosses the hedge WILL be bitten. This isn't a threat; it is a promise.
Revelation 20:2 - And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.
Satan is the serpent who is waiting for you on the other side of the hedge, and if you are bitten, you will have scars for the rest of your life. God is not trying to take something good from you by placing hedges in your life. God is trying to protect you from the terrible things of this world.
He knows, and has told us, exactly what is on the other side of those hedges. So why do we constantly pick at them? Why do we try to walk as closely to the lines as we can without falling off? That's not how God intended for us to live. Ask God to teach you how to stay away form the hedges. If we stay close to Him, it will become easier to live within the lines of love that He has drawn for us.
God bless,
Taylor
Ecclesiastes 10:1-10 ~ 1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour; so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. 2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. 3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. 4 If the spirit of the ruler rise us against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. 10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.
These verses were written by Solomon later in his life, and he uses them to reflect on the poor choices that he made.
Verse 8 - He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpant shall bite him.
This verse tells us that we reap what we sow. A couple things to remember: We always reap more than we sow (think planting one kernel of corn and harvesting 100s), and we always reap later than we sow (we usually pay the consequences for our choices much later in life). We will either learn this principle now or later in life when we ware facing the consequences.
Verse 8 talks of two different sins. 1) Digging a pit. This speaks of someone who goes out of their way to invest time and money into wrong things. 2) Breaking a hedge. This speaks of someone who tears down what is right and good, what God has placed in our lives. The digging of pits starts with the breaking of hedges. People have to break down the good walls before they can begin digging into evil.
We all have some degree of a problem with authority. Those who have bigger issues with authority often blame it on having a strong personality. But really, any problem with authority we have is because of our rotten, stinking sin nature. God is the ultimate authority and all resentment towards that stems from Satan. God put lines in our lives to protect us and our freedoms. But, as dirty, rotten sinners, we just have to push boundaries and cross lines. Most people who cross the hedge never come back. Ask any person who is addicted to anything: cigarettes, alcohol, gambling, etc. It's so Easy to take that first cigarette, but once you're hooked it's nearly impossible to stop. Nearly impossible to get back to the right side of the hedge. Satan will do his best to make sure that everything on the other side of the hedge looks better than what you have now. But this verse tells us that if you cross the hedge, you WILL get bitten. We, as humans and as sinners, are constantly asking what's wrong with this and what's wrong with that, but we never ask what's right. I know that personally I'm guilty of that. We've been conditioned to stay away from things that are "wrong," but not many of us have been raised to be drawn to the things that are "right." Deep down, we know what things are right and wrong. As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit living in us and a God-given conscience to tell us what is right and wrong.
So, God places hedges in our lives for a reason, and He puts people in our lives to give us wisdom along the way.
3 things:
1) The building of the hedge. God, Himself, not any man, has built the hedges. If we are willing to stay in the hedge, and close to God, He will bless us for it. Consider Job.
Job 1:9-10 ~ 9 Then Satan answered the Lord, ans said, 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job chose to stay in the hedge God made for him, and because of that, God blessed him richly. And because Job endured Satan's torture, he was richly blessed again.
Look at the lives that are ruined and you will see that somewhere in the past a hedge was broken. It all starts with the breaking of one hedge, the crossing of one line. Remember that landmarks are placed along your way to protect you and guide you.
2) The breaking of the hedge. How is a hedge broken?
Verse 9 - Whosoever removeth stones shall be hurt therewith, and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
Hedges are torn down one stone (one piece) at a time. God told us to abstain from all appearances of evil. He didn't tell us to walk as closely to the line as we want to. He didn't tell us that it's okay to peek over the hedge every once in a while. He told us to stay away from even the appearance of evil. He wants us to stay away from these things to protect us. God knows that broken hedges only lead to broken hearts. We cannot be right with God and be wrong with the authority God has put in our lives. We will always be under authority, so now is the time that we need to understand why. It is, and will always be, to protect us. We don't need to cross lines and break hedges to see how things are on the other side. Hedges shouldn't be broken because they are there for a reason.
3) The biting of the serpent. The verse says that ANYONE who crosses the hedge WILL be bitten. This isn't a threat; it is a promise.
Revelation 20:2 - And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.
Satan is the serpent who is waiting for you on the other side of the hedge, and if you are bitten, you will have scars for the rest of your life. God is not trying to take something good from you by placing hedges in your life. God is trying to protect you from the terrible things of this world.
He knows, and has told us, exactly what is on the other side of those hedges. So why do we constantly pick at them? Why do we try to walk as closely to the lines as we can without falling off? That's not how God intended for us to live. Ask God to teach you how to stay away form the hedges. If we stay close to Him, it will become easier to live within the lines of love that He has drawn for us.
God bless,
Taylor
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Mississippi
So... it has been a pretty good while since I blogged. =/ Sorry about that. As finals came around and summer started, things got a bit crazy. Anyhoo, since I blogged last, I finished my fourth semester of college, got accepted into the NGCSU School of Education, got placed at Kilough Elementary in Dawsonville for the upcoming school year, made all A's again to maintain my 4.0 (YAY!), went to Panama City Beach with my school's BCM for a wonderful week of teaching and relaxing with some wonderful people, and went on a ten day mission trip to Lakeshore, Mississippi.
As the title entails, I'm going to be writing mainly about my MS trip. Going on this trip to Mississippi was a very humbling experience, and one that I have grown a lot from. For some background info, I signed up to do summer missions through a program called SendMeNow. This group sends out multiple missions teams to places all over the US and all over the world. From the 8 NGCSU students that went through SendMeNow this summer, one went to East Asia, one to South Korea, one to Maryland, one to Peru, two stayed in Georgia, and two (including myself) went to MS. Although the trips are vastly different, I'm sure they are all fantastic and I know that God is working through all of them.
But back to my MS trip. If two years ago you had told me that I would be going on a ten day mission trip with 11 people I didn't know to help rebuilding efforts in Mississippi, I would have told you that you were crazy. Never in a million years would I have pictured myself in that situation. But I'm glad that God puts us in the situations He knows we need, and not just the ones that we picture for ourselves. If, at that same time two years ago, you had asked me what my biggest fear would have been about that "hypothetical" trip, I would have told said being around people who I didn't know. Honestly, that has always been kind of a struggle for me, simply because I'm not the best conversation starter in the world, and because I'm generally pretty quiet, I don't really make friends very easily. However, in the days approaching our trip, I wasn't really concerned about the fact that I was about to hop into a van with 11 strangers (Well... pretty close to strangers. I had met them all briefly at our orientation weekend). I can only explain that as God working in my life. God put us all on that trip for a reason, and not once did I feel left out or isolated in any way. And, even more amazing to me was the fact that I was able to easily talk to these people, and I now consider them to be my friends.
But anyway, enough about me. The trip was really awesome. It was super hot, there were nasty biting bugs, and I got really sweaty and gross everyday, but besides all that I was able to give my time and energy to a church that has been giving everything they have since the day that Katrina hit. I was able to go and serve the people that have been serving the Lakeshore community for five and a half years. Although the things that I did may not seem super significant if looked at individually, the fact that I was there doing what needed to be done for this church to continue to run at full potential is a big deal. To give you an idea of the types of tasks that our group did, here's a list: painting, cleaning (kitchen, bunk houses, sanctuary, dining area, pantry, grounds, etc.), SORTING TILE (a job we all grew to hate since the church has collected over 5000 pieces in the past five and half years), hanging t-shirts that groups left over the years (stapling them to a 15-20 foot ceiling in the dining area), shoveling dirt, clearing debris, reattaching a 30x30 foot tarp over an outside eating area, loading and unloading tires and wood, and visiting with some of the church members. I will never forget one church member in particular. Our whole group went over to Ms. Redford's house to get rid of some tires and wood that her son had dumped in her yard 3 months prior. While we were there, we got to visit with her some and hear her talk about surviving Katrina. This woman was older and she shook a lot, so sometimes it was hard to understand her, but if you listened closely you could make out enough to follow along. She talked about how she had stayed at her home when the hurricane came in, and how when the waters started rising, she and her pet chihuahua left her house and swam through the streets in multiple feet of water. I have no idea how this woman and her dog were able to make it through the hurricane. Actually, I know that God got her through that hurricane, because nothing else could have. Ms. Redford got a FEMA trailer and a plot of land after the hurricane came through, but she said, "It was just a rinky-dinky trailer that wasn't fit to live in." So, the church came out and built her a house. It was the first one they built after Katrina. You could tell that Ms. Redford loved her house and that she was forever indebted to the church for taking it upon themselves to build it for her. She talked about how God gave her everything she had and how it was He who sustained her and kept her here on this earth. I truly believe that not a day goes by that Ms. Redford doesn't thank God for her life and everything she has. Just thinking about how much she appreciated us makes me get a little teary-eyed. lol. =)
We visited Ms. Redford on the last day of our trip, and it really brought things into perspective for me. I'll admit that sometimes when I was there working in the 100 degree heat, I didn't really think about what I was doing or who I was doing it for, but after talking with this woman it was clear that I was there for a reason, and what I was doing was important. It's easy to get comfortable in our lives and not really relate to what's going on in the world around us. Actually going to MS and seeing shopping centers and houses that are still completely deserted and in disrepair after 5 years really starts puts things more into perspective for me. I still can't imagine what it would be like to lose everything that I owned, to lose friends, to be completely dependent on other people to survive because I didn't have any belongings at all, but I can begin to see the pain and trials that these people suffered. It makes me really thankful for the things that God has blessed me with, and it makes me more aware of the hurt in our world.
I would really like to go back to Lakeshore one day and continue helping that church that has given so much. If you ever have the opportunity to go to Mississippi or Louisiana, or anywhere else that has suffered a natural disaster (Haiti, Japan, etc), go. I promise it will change your life, even if that natural disaster happened 5 years ago.
Think about it. Pray about it. Go where God sends you and be open to letting Him use you because He has a purpose for you and He won't let you down. =)
God Bless,
Taylor
As the title entails, I'm going to be writing mainly about my MS trip. Going on this trip to Mississippi was a very humbling experience, and one that I have grown a lot from. For some background info, I signed up to do summer missions through a program called SendMeNow. This group sends out multiple missions teams to places all over the US and all over the world. From the 8 NGCSU students that went through SendMeNow this summer, one went to East Asia, one to South Korea, one to Maryland, one to Peru, two stayed in Georgia, and two (including myself) went to MS. Although the trips are vastly different, I'm sure they are all fantastic and I know that God is working through all of them.
But back to my MS trip. If two years ago you had told me that I would be going on a ten day mission trip with 11 people I didn't know to help rebuilding efforts in Mississippi, I would have told you that you were crazy. Never in a million years would I have pictured myself in that situation. But I'm glad that God puts us in the situations He knows we need, and not just the ones that we picture for ourselves. If, at that same time two years ago, you had asked me what my biggest fear would have been about that "hypothetical" trip, I would have told said being around people who I didn't know. Honestly, that has always been kind of a struggle for me, simply because I'm not the best conversation starter in the world, and because I'm generally pretty quiet, I don't really make friends very easily. However, in the days approaching our trip, I wasn't really concerned about the fact that I was about to hop into a van with 11 strangers (Well... pretty close to strangers. I had met them all briefly at our orientation weekend). I can only explain that as God working in my life. God put us all on that trip for a reason, and not once did I feel left out or isolated in any way. And, even more amazing to me was the fact that I was able to easily talk to these people, and I now consider them to be my friends.
But anyway, enough about me. The trip was really awesome. It was super hot, there were nasty biting bugs, and I got really sweaty and gross everyday, but besides all that I was able to give my time and energy to a church that has been giving everything they have since the day that Katrina hit. I was able to go and serve the people that have been serving the Lakeshore community for five and a half years. Although the things that I did may not seem super significant if looked at individually, the fact that I was there doing what needed to be done for this church to continue to run at full potential is a big deal. To give you an idea of the types of tasks that our group did, here's a list: painting, cleaning (kitchen, bunk houses, sanctuary, dining area, pantry, grounds, etc.), SORTING TILE (a job we all grew to hate since the church has collected over 5000 pieces in the past five and half years), hanging t-shirts that groups left over the years (stapling them to a 15-20 foot ceiling in the dining area), shoveling dirt, clearing debris, reattaching a 30x30 foot tarp over an outside eating area, loading and unloading tires and wood, and visiting with some of the church members. I will never forget one church member in particular. Our whole group went over to Ms. Redford's house to get rid of some tires and wood that her son had dumped in her yard 3 months prior. While we were there, we got to visit with her some and hear her talk about surviving Katrina. This woman was older and she shook a lot, so sometimes it was hard to understand her, but if you listened closely you could make out enough to follow along. She talked about how she had stayed at her home when the hurricane came in, and how when the waters started rising, she and her pet chihuahua left her house and swam through the streets in multiple feet of water. I have no idea how this woman and her dog were able to make it through the hurricane. Actually, I know that God got her through that hurricane, because nothing else could have. Ms. Redford got a FEMA trailer and a plot of land after the hurricane came through, but she said, "It was just a rinky-dinky trailer that wasn't fit to live in." So, the church came out and built her a house. It was the first one they built after Katrina. You could tell that Ms. Redford loved her house and that she was forever indebted to the church for taking it upon themselves to build it for her. She talked about how God gave her everything she had and how it was He who sustained her and kept her here on this earth. I truly believe that not a day goes by that Ms. Redford doesn't thank God for her life and everything she has. Just thinking about how much she appreciated us makes me get a little teary-eyed. lol. =)
We visited Ms. Redford on the last day of our trip, and it really brought things into perspective for me. I'll admit that sometimes when I was there working in the 100 degree heat, I didn't really think about what I was doing or who I was doing it for, but after talking with this woman it was clear that I was there for a reason, and what I was doing was important. It's easy to get comfortable in our lives and not really relate to what's going on in the world around us. Actually going to MS and seeing shopping centers and houses that are still completely deserted and in disrepair after 5 years really starts puts things more into perspective for me. I still can't imagine what it would be like to lose everything that I owned, to lose friends, to be completely dependent on other people to survive because I didn't have any belongings at all, but I can begin to see the pain and trials that these people suffered. It makes me really thankful for the things that God has blessed me with, and it makes me more aware of the hurt in our world.
I would really like to go back to Lakeshore one day and continue helping that church that has given so much. If you ever have the opportunity to go to Mississippi or Louisiana, or anywhere else that has suffered a natural disaster (Haiti, Japan, etc), go. I promise it will change your life, even if that natural disaster happened 5 years ago.
Think about it. Pray about it. Go where God sends you and be open to letting Him use you because He has a purpose for you and He won't let you down. =)
God Bless,
Taylor
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Thunderstorms
I love thunderstorms. They are a reminder of just how powerful and magnificent God is. He can create winds that will blow over houses. He can create rains that will wash away cars. He can create lightning bolts that light up the sky for miles. Although sometimes these storms can cause damage, they are beautiful.
Imagine that you're driving through a thunderstorm at night. You're in your car and with your headlights on you can make out the road about 15-20 feet in front of you. You have to focus really hard to stay on the road. The yellow reflectors show you the middle of the pathway, but the white edge lines are hard to make out. Every once in a while, a lightning bolt flashes across the sky, giving you a momentary glimpse at the road farther ahead.
Isn't this just like our walk with Christ? As we chug along through our daily lives, He is the lamp unto our feet. He only lights the path directly in front of us, because that's all we can handle at the time. Sometimes, though, He gives us glimpses into the future so that we will know where to go. He is also the reflectors in the middle of the road. If we stick close to Him, He will keep us safely on the pathway, but if we start to veer toward the blurry edge lines, we may end up falling off the road.
While driving home tonight in the massive thunderstorm, this is all that I could think about. The parallels of that drive and my walk with Christ. At times, I would get antsy when I couldn't see what was coming around a corner or when I hit a puddle and careened a bit. At times I get antsy in my walk with Christ, when I don't understand His reasons or when I don't know what is coming next, but then He'll send a lightning bolt to give me a glimpse, just enough so that I can take comfort in Him. Or, He won't give me a glimpse, and I just have to keep going and trusting that He will show me the way bit by bit. In either circumstance, it is completely God. He knows what He is doing. And just like I trusted Him to get me home through the thunderstorm, I should trust Him with my life every second of every day. If I let Him guide me, He won't lead me astray. The last song I heard on the radio as I was driving home tonight was this:
Light Up The Sky - The Afters
When I’m feeling all alone and so far to go
The signs are nowhere on this road guiding me home
When the night is closing in
It’s falling on my skin
Oh God will You come close
Light, light, light up the sky
Light up the sky to show me You are with me
I, I, I can’t deny
Oh I can’t deny that You are right here with me
You’ve opened my eyes so I can see You all around me
Light, light, light up the sky
Light up the sky to show me You are with me
When stars are hiding in the clouds
I don’t feel them shining
When I can’t see beyond my doubt
The silver lining
When I’ve almost reached the end
Like a flood You’re rushing in
Love is rushing in
Light, light, light up the sky
Light up the sky to show me You are with me
I, I, I can’t deny
Oh I can’t deny that You are right here with me
You’ve opened my eyes so I can see You all around me
Light, light, light up the sky
Light up the sky to show me You are with me
So I run straight to Your arms
You’re the bright and morning Sun
To show Your love, there’s nothing You won’t do
Light, light, light up the sky
You light up the sky to show me You are with me
I, I, I can’t deny
Oh I can’t deny that You are right here with me
You’ve opened my eyes so I can see You all around me
Light, light, light up the sky
Light up the sky to show me You are with me
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You are with me
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You are with me
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
How amazing is that? I'm constantly reminded that God is with me, that He is all around me. Even something as ordinary as a thunderstorm attests to His majesty. I challenge you to find Him in everyday things: a tree, a storm, a face, a cloud. He is everywhere.
I also challenge you to trust Him, even when you can only see right in front of your face, remember that HE can see the entire path. He knows what is coming up, and if you place your trust in Him, He will guide you straight through.
God Bless,
Taylor
Imagine that you're driving through a thunderstorm at night. You're in your car and with your headlights on you can make out the road about 15-20 feet in front of you. You have to focus really hard to stay on the road. The yellow reflectors show you the middle of the pathway, but the white edge lines are hard to make out. Every once in a while, a lightning bolt flashes across the sky, giving you a momentary glimpse at the road farther ahead.
Isn't this just like our walk with Christ? As we chug along through our daily lives, He is the lamp unto our feet. He only lights the path directly in front of us, because that's all we can handle at the time. Sometimes, though, He gives us glimpses into the future so that we will know where to go. He is also the reflectors in the middle of the road. If we stick close to Him, He will keep us safely on the pathway, but if we start to veer toward the blurry edge lines, we may end up falling off the road.
While driving home tonight in the massive thunderstorm, this is all that I could think about. The parallels of that drive and my walk with Christ. At times, I would get antsy when I couldn't see what was coming around a corner or when I hit a puddle and careened a bit. At times I get antsy in my walk with Christ, when I don't understand His reasons or when I don't know what is coming next, but then He'll send a lightning bolt to give me a glimpse, just enough so that I can take comfort in Him. Or, He won't give me a glimpse, and I just have to keep going and trusting that He will show me the way bit by bit. In either circumstance, it is completely God. He knows what He is doing. And just like I trusted Him to get me home through the thunderstorm, I should trust Him with my life every second of every day. If I let Him guide me, He won't lead me astray. The last song I heard on the radio as I was driving home tonight was this:
Light Up The Sky - The Afters
When I’m feeling all alone and so far to go
The signs are nowhere on this road guiding me home
When the night is closing in
It’s falling on my skin
Oh God will You come close
Light, light, light up the sky
Light up the sky to show me You are with me
I, I, I can’t deny
Oh I can’t deny that You are right here with me
You’ve opened my eyes so I can see You all around me
Light, light, light up the sky
Light up the sky to show me You are with me
When stars are hiding in the clouds
I don’t feel them shining
When I can’t see beyond my doubt
The silver lining
When I’ve almost reached the end
Like a flood You’re rushing in
Love is rushing in
Light, light, light up the sky
Light up the sky to show me You are with me
I, I, I can’t deny
Oh I can’t deny that You are right here with me
You’ve opened my eyes so I can see You all around me
Light, light, light up the sky
Light up the sky to show me You are with me
So I run straight to Your arms
You’re the bright and morning Sun
To show Your love, there’s nothing You won’t do
Light, light, light up the sky
You light up the sky to show me You are with me
I, I, I can’t deny
Oh I can’t deny that You are right here with me
You’ve opened my eyes so I can see You all around me
Light, light, light up the sky
Light up the sky to show me You are with me
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You are with me
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You are with me
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
How amazing is that? I'm constantly reminded that God is with me, that He is all around me. Even something as ordinary as a thunderstorm attests to His majesty. I challenge you to find Him in everyday things: a tree, a storm, a face, a cloud. He is everywhere.
I also challenge you to trust Him, even when you can only see right in front of your face, remember that HE can see the entire path. He knows what is coming up, and if you place your trust in Him, He will guide you straight through.
God Bless,
Taylor
Friday, March 25, 2011
Shocked or not shocked? Sin in our society
We, as a society, are hardening our hearts toward sin instead of away from it. We are becoming more and more accepting of the sins of this world. We are no longer shocked at the sin that we see happening around us. If we were, we would do something about it. Instead we stand by and watch, too scared or indifferent to take a stand for God. Jesus would not have stood idly by and let sin take place right in front of His eyes, and we shouldn't either.
I'm guilty of being a bystander to sin. There are countless times when I've watched sin take place and kept my mouth shut. It's not usually what we would call "big sins," but sin is sin to God, and it should be to us too. And by letting sin happen in front of me, I'm basically telling God that it's okay.
Psalm 55:16-19 - But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God, who is enthroned forever, will hear them and afflict them-men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.
The devotional that sparked this blog only mentioned Psalm 55:19b, but I think it's important to know the context.
I feel like David was talking about physical battle when he wrote this Psalm (I could be completely wrong, because I am by no means a Bible scholar, but that's what I feel like he was writing about). Regardless, his words are true for the people of our generation who are in a battle against sin everyday. There are many people who will oppose us, BUT we serve a God who is greater than anyone else, and He hears our cries morning, noon, and night. He will get us through anything, and through Him we can make a difference.
I'm only one person, but when I'm standing in the shadow of the cross, I have God on my side. If God wants to use me to convict someone of their sin so that He can work in them, then who am I to stand in the way of that? I can't let my insecurities get in the way of God's work.
Satan wants us to compromise on sin, both in our own lives and in the lives of others. But if we continue to compromise, it will not only destroy our testimonies for God, but it will also shed a negative light on Christianity and God. So, from this day forward, I'm going to do my best to harden my heart to sin. I'm going to do my best to stand up for what I know is right. And even though sometimes I may not want to, and sometimes I might get scared, God is and will always be behind me, and He will take care of me if I'm doing what He asks me to do.
How do you deal with sin? Are you willing to put yourself aside and stand up for God?
God Bless,
Taylor
I'm guilty of being a bystander to sin. There are countless times when I've watched sin take place and kept my mouth shut. It's not usually what we would call "big sins," but sin is sin to God, and it should be to us too. And by letting sin happen in front of me, I'm basically telling God that it's okay.
Psalm 55:16-19 - But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God, who is enthroned forever, will hear them and afflict them-men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.
The devotional that sparked this blog only mentioned Psalm 55:19b, but I think it's important to know the context.
I feel like David was talking about physical battle when he wrote this Psalm (I could be completely wrong, because I am by no means a Bible scholar, but that's what I feel like he was writing about). Regardless, his words are true for the people of our generation who are in a battle against sin everyday. There are many people who will oppose us, BUT we serve a God who is greater than anyone else, and He hears our cries morning, noon, and night. He will get us through anything, and through Him we can make a difference.
I'm only one person, but when I'm standing in the shadow of the cross, I have God on my side. If God wants to use me to convict someone of their sin so that He can work in them, then who am I to stand in the way of that? I can't let my insecurities get in the way of God's work.
Satan wants us to compromise on sin, both in our own lives and in the lives of others. But if we continue to compromise, it will not only destroy our testimonies for God, but it will also shed a negative light on Christianity and God. So, from this day forward, I'm going to do my best to harden my heart to sin. I'm going to do my best to stand up for what I know is right. And even though sometimes I may not want to, and sometimes I might get scared, God is and will always be behind me, and He will take care of me if I'm doing what He asks me to do.
How do you deal with sin? Are you willing to put yourself aside and stand up for God?
God Bless,
Taylor
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Show God's Love
With tomorrow being Valentine's Day, I thought it fitting to write a blog about the greatest love in the universe. God's love for us. There is NOTHING more fantastic, magnificent, or breath-taking than God's love for us. We are SO undeserving of His love. Isaiah 64:6 says that, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." There is nothing we can do to earn God's love. He gives it to us because we are His children and He created each and every one of us.
John 3:16. You're probably reciting it in your head right now. But have you ever taken a moment to really, truly grasp the enormity of that verse? We all know it and for many of us it was the first Bible verse that we memorized. But just because we can say it backward and forward doesn't mean that we understand it's full meaning. So take a minute and truly look at the words that are written.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." ~John 3:16
God loved us SO much that He gave His ONLY Son to die in my place and yours. Jesus died for something. He died so that we, undeserving, filthy human beings, could have a way to Heaven, a way to spend eternity with our Lord, God, Father and His Son who died for us.
Are you really letting this sink in? It's ridiculously crazy. The God who created everything in existence let the Son that He loved die a horrible death so that we would have a way to be with Him. He gave up EVERYTHING for us. What are we giving Him?
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." ~Romans 12:1
God asks for our lives to be a living sacrifice for Him. Are you honestly devoting your entire life to His service? It's not something that happens overnight. Becoming a devoted Christ-follower takes an amazing amount of work. But doesn't God deserve every ounce of you? AND you're never working in vain. If you're working for God then you are building up treasure in Heaven while furthering His kingdom here on Earth. I think that should be every Christian's goal.
So, I present you with this challenge: This Valentine's Day show God's love to someone that you don't know. Smile, not only with your mouth, but with your entire being. Be happy and joyful in God's love and let the world see that you are His.
Happy Valentine's and God Bless,
Taylor
John 3:16. You're probably reciting it in your head right now. But have you ever taken a moment to really, truly grasp the enormity of that verse? We all know it and for many of us it was the first Bible verse that we memorized. But just because we can say it backward and forward doesn't mean that we understand it's full meaning. So take a minute and truly look at the words that are written.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." ~John 3:16
God loved us SO much that He gave His ONLY Son to die in my place and yours. Jesus died for something. He died so that we, undeserving, filthy human beings, could have a way to Heaven, a way to spend eternity with our Lord, God, Father and His Son who died for us.
Are you really letting this sink in? It's ridiculously crazy. The God who created everything in existence let the Son that He loved die a horrible death so that we would have a way to be with Him. He gave up EVERYTHING for us. What are we giving Him?
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." ~Romans 12:1
God asks for our lives to be a living sacrifice for Him. Are you honestly devoting your entire life to His service? It's not something that happens overnight. Becoming a devoted Christ-follower takes an amazing amount of work. But doesn't God deserve every ounce of you? AND you're never working in vain. If you're working for God then you are building up treasure in Heaven while furthering His kingdom here on Earth. I think that should be every Christian's goal.
So, I present you with this challenge: This Valentine's Day show God's love to someone that you don't know. Smile, not only with your mouth, but with your entire being. Be happy and joyful in God's love and let the world see that you are His.
Happy Valentine's and God Bless,
Taylor
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