Χριστούγεννα

Is it the Christmas season already? Above is the Greek word for "Christmas." There's no particular reason why I chose to use the Greek word, other than I thought it was cool-looking :) Another year has rolled on by and there are so many exciting things to do! Christmas means different things for people. It’s easy to get caught up in the parties, banquets, shopping, eating, and bunches of fun… Despite of the busyness during this time of the year, we need to remember the significance of this season. And that is…Jesus Christ! It is ironic to celebrate through the comforts of this holiday season, while Jesus was born in a place where most of us would not even consider. He was born away from home after Mary and Joseph had traveled many restless miles wandering through the nature of this world. Jesus wasn’t born in a hospital or even in a secure warm environment. He was born in a barn. I imagine that the barn wasn’t as clean as one would think. What about personal hygiene that most of us are so obsessed about these days? This was the last of Mary and Joseph’s worries because a Savior would be born and has come to redeem the world. Do you think the life of Jesus was ever comfortable? I doubt it. Jesus took his public ministry out into the world. He spent very little time at home. He roamed through the roads, mountains, hills, water, and towns to spread his love and the gospel. Finally, he accepted the blame and took up his own cross for the burden of EVERYONE’S sins. Why did he do that? So that we may have hope and everlasting life!

Let this season be a time of reflection, thankfulness, and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. We cannot really celebrate Christmas or the New Year if we are slaves to sin. Materialism, money, and artificial pleasure easily entangle us and crowding out Christ of Christmas. Be careful in getting too busy for Jesus. Take in consideration what the message means to all of us. I must admit that I get excited every year that Christmas comes around. I love spending time with my family during this holiday season. We have our own traditions and celebrations. When I discovered that Christmas Day was going to be different for my family this year…I was disappointed. I’ve come to realize that I truly enjoy the traditions that I have every year, but it doesn’t change the true meaning of Christmas. I shouldn’t be disappointed because there is one thing that never changes…that’s Jesus Christ! Praise the Lord!

A couple of days ago another leader and I hosted a Christmas party for the kids that lives in the dorms here at school during the week. We felt that it would be great to spend some time with the teens. We did everything we could to make it the best party for the teens, but what it really mattered is that we spent time with them like Jesus spent time with the little children. Matthew 19:14-15, “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.’” I was so exhausted when the night was over! I spent a lot of time preparing, cooking, organizing games, leading games, and playing basketball with the teens. Oh, yeah…when all of that was over, cleaning up all the mess! It was a wonderful night of fun and celebration. My prayer is that I hope these teens will remember the night not because of all the fun they had and the good foods that they ate, but to also remember that they had caring people there in their lives that were willing to sacrifice their own time to be with them. This Christmas season wasn't the only time I spend time with the teens, but it was an opportunity and a privilege.

So, really…it doesn’t matter how Christmas is celebrated this year because there are many ways to demonstrate God’s love for the world in our own lives. Let this Christmas season be the beginning of your new life wherever you stand in your relationship with the Lord. Everyday can be a Christmas Day for you and that is what God desires from us! I hope you don’t get too wrapped up around the things of the holiday season. Rather, I hope you will understand that the Christmas message tells us that God’s grace is greater than us more than we can ever know. For this Christmas, the best gift you can give to the Lord is to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. Give Him the gift that He wants – your heart, soul, and life! It’s not too late! I hope that you will celebrate Jesus everyday for the rest of your life and extend that love unto other people.

God Bless you during this holiday season!

Following the example of Christ...

It’s hard to believe that this past summer has flown by so quickly! Is it just me or does the days seem like it’s passing by within a blink of an eye? Regardless of how slow or fast time feels like, I can’t believe it’s November already! School is in session. The sun rises up later in the mornings. You step outside into the cool and crisp air. The days are getting colder as we get closer to winter! The sun sets earlier in the evening. I’m sitting here and wondering if I have missed anything? Do I take each and every day for granted or do I take advantage of every opportunity? Despite of my ups and downs, I have pure joy in knowing that I have Jesus Christ in my heart! This pure joy becomes a feeling of brokenness as I think of other deaf teenagers that I come across that do not know Jesus Christ. And that is why I choose to wake up each and every day giving everything I have to the Lord.

Here is a link to view the 2009 Eagle Rock Camp video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEZ5Ia2bvI0; picture slides at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE7Is4-RP1c. This camp is one of the few camps that Deaf Teen Quest coordinates. We had a fun-filled week with many different activities and worship time. It was awesome! The leaders that bring their teenagers to camp also follow up by investing in their lives after camp during the year. This camp isn’t just a “one week thing.”

Just like many of you, I live a very busy life and it gets busier by the day. I work full time at a deaf school and then for most evenings I teach American Sign Language at a community college. On top of that, I am involved in a ministry called Deaf Teen Quest. It can feel quite overwhelming at times. I do my absolute best to develop relationships with the teenagers, but sometimes it feels like it’s not enough. Working in a school environment has some advantages. I am able to see what the teenagers go through everyday. The sin and temptations consumes them and a lot of times they don’t even realize it. I notice because their behavior shows it. It breaks my heart; however, it also motivates me to display positive images into their lives. As sad as it seems, some teachers seem like they don’t care and all they want to do is punish, punish, and punish. I am a believer in discipline, but I also believe in showing that I care. While I’m here to discipline the kids, I’m also doing everything I can to be involved in their lives. A good example of this is that some days I will sit with the kids during lunch to eat and talk with them. A lot of times I don’t even say anything…the kids do all the talking! I want them to recognize that I’m interested in them. I also try to attend to sporting events to support the teenagers. This is a fun and excellent time to interact with other deaf teenagers, while showing support to deaf teenage athletes!

Despite of everything that I try to do, there are days when I just feel like all of my investment of my life for the teenagers goes to waste. I just don’t see any results and I get frustrated. Really frustrated! It would be easier if I could just do whatever I want and invest in my own time. When I read 1 Corinthians 11:1, which says, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” We are to follow Jesus Christ’s example in our lives. Sometimes it’s hard and it just doesn’t feel like a difference is being made, but we must have faith that God is at work in other people’s lives. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” I like this verse because God is asking for our absolute faith and trust in Him. As long as we are following Christ’s example, things will work out according to His purpose and plans. It can be mind boggling. I would much rather have faith and not know than to know and not have faith. I think there is greater reward in having faith without seeing!

In closing, whatever the circumstance, know that God is with you and loves you. God cares for you enough to send Jesus to die for our sins. Jesus carried the burden for us and now it’s our turn to carry the burden for those who need Jesus in their lives. As Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Let’s follow the example of Christ by dying to self for others. You just may never know when you see the results of God’s work. A couple of weeks ago, I felt like I needed some time to be alone so I did not sit with the teenagers during lunch time. For about a month or two up to that point, I felt like I wasn’t making any difference or that the teens didn’t even care that I invest my life for them. In the middle of that week, I went to the cafeteria to refill my water bottle. As soon as I walked into the room, a few teenagers turned around and were so HAPPY to see me and wanted me to sit with them! At that moment, I felt a pure joy in knowing that I’ve been doing all that I can and these teens do recognize that. I realized that God is at work and I just need to trust in Him. These kids want to be loved and given attention to, just like anyone else that you are ministering to at this moment. Persevere and don’t ever give up! Amen?

A "thorn" in my flesh...

2 Corinthians 12:7-10, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

We all have received some kind of “thorn” in our flesh during our lifetime that have prevented us from doing something. In this passage, I believe the Apostle Paul may be talking about some type of physical ailment that he was experiencing at the time. It was obviously a hindrance to his ministry that kept him from working. Paul prayed to God three times to take the pain away from him, but God simply didn’t. Whatever the thorn Paul was experiencing made it difficult for Paul because he was the kind of person who is able to achieve things with a purpose and get things done. During this experience, I’m sure he felt frustrated and helpless. Paul was reminded that he needed to trust and depend in God so much more and to remain humble. He realized that he was becoming stronger through his weakness.

In the past couple of weeks I’ve been experiencing a type of “thorn” in my flesh. It started about two and a half weeks ago when my lower back pain was bothering me. I’ve had very light low back pain in the past that would go away in a few days, however, this time it felt different. It became progressively worse. There are many factors that may have triggered it. Regardless of what was happening, the Lord spoke to my heart about Paul’s thorn and prompted me to understand what that means. This painful experience with my lower back really convicted my heart about pride. I have always had the mentality that if I took good care of myself that everything would be fine and that I wouldn’t need to depend on anyone or anything. The past couple days the pain was unbearable and it got to the point where I really had very low mobility and range of motion. I was literally crawling around in my apartment. I couldn’t bend, twist, or move in any way. I finally gave up and text a friend of mine for help. Like Paul, I prayed and prayed to God to remove the pain away from me because I didn’t want to deal with doctors or medicine. Somehow this made me feel imperfect if I “gave in.” God didn’t remove the pain, but he taught me that I needed to recognize my own limitations. I cannot do everything on my own and that there are people who can help me, even doctors! I do not like doctors at all and I do not like medicine, but I had to suck down my own pride. I realized that I needed God’s help even if it’s through doctors.

I have to admit, I like being able achieve things on my own and it was hard to confess that I had a physical weakness. I’m sure Paul felt the same way. He felt the frustration of not being able to do anything. I felt that. Through this experience, I realized that my weakness has helped me develop my character and deepens my relationship with the One who has full control and holds things together – the Lord, Jesus Christ. Life is full of obstacles, hindrances, and setbacks and when they do occur, we must depend on only God. God will give us the strength that we need (Philippians 4:13). We are much stronger when we allow God to have full control than when we are alone. My back pain has not fully gone away. I feel like I’ve been humbled by this experience because it has cause me to re-think about some things. It’s not about what I can do or plan to do because ultimately it can fail. That is why God says to me that His grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in my weakness. During this time of my weakness, I am turning to God a lot more. I’m not asking “Why?” but rather, I’m asking “What are you trying to say to me?” I believe God has a message to teach me and I don’t fully get it right now, but if I continue to earnestly seek Him, I will come to an understanding.

As I close today, I encourage you to stay positive whatever your circumstance may be. Rather than asking God “Why?” is this happening to me, ask God “What can I learn from this experience?” The man Job (read the book of Job in the Bible if you don't know the story) did not do anything to lose all his wealth, health, & possessions because he did something wrong. God simply allowed this to happen to test his faith in Him. This may be a time of testing for you and me. Hang in there and we will make it through! God Bless you!

God is what holds us together...

For a while now I've been thinking about how big our God really is and had an opportunity to listen to a couple of sermons about this topic. Two days ago, I went for a really long run, roughly about 20 miles, so yes, it was a really long run! A lot was going through my mind as usual. I took the opportunity to pray about many different things. During this time, I realized that I was able to see more detail about my surroundings. What I mean by that is I've noticed things more than I have in the past year living in this city. I've heard about such and such places, but never really knew where they were. I realized that there is so much more that I can learn about and so much more I can explore. If I was flying on an airplane, I could see the big picture. But if I rode a car, I could see more than I could when I am flying on an airplane. But if I rode my bike, I notice things even more. Then when I run, I notice things even so much more! The point of this is that there's so much I have not seen, yet God knows it all! Why? Because he is the creator of this earth. God is the one that started it all and he is still at work. Our God is truly a BIG God! And if you don't really believe this, then maybe this will convince you...

To explain this a little bit more, I think you will be fascinated if you have not heard of this before. Louie Giglio, a Christian pastor/evangelist, gives a sermon about how inconceivably BIG our God really is. Louie talked about how God spoke the universe into being...how he spoke stars out of his mouth that are huge raging balls of fire...and so on. I think you get the idea. Louie then talks about our bodies. I'm already fascinated with this because as an athlete, I'm amazed how much we can push our bodies to the limit! God knitted our bodies into an amazing detail and wonder. At this point, I'm thinking, "No wonder we make things more complicated than we should because we're complicated beings!" Then Louie continues to connect this with how God is really our sustainer. The God who created everything is the God that we can trust because he has the power to hold things together when things seems to be falling apart.

Now, I know the Bible talks a lot about faith and trust in the Lord, our God. If you are like me, there are days when you feel like it's impossible to trust God. Maybe it's because you've been searching for an answer and still am at loss...or maybe something happened to your loved one...or maybe you've lost your job...or maybe God tells you to move to a different country...or maybe you're struggling with temptation...or maybe (insert here with your current reason why you feel it's impossible to trust in God)... I think you get the idea.

Colossians 1:15-17, says, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

You see in this verse that it is God that is the first, now, and last. He is the reason why we should trust him. He is the Creator. He is what holds us together! I mean that literally, God is the reason why we our bodies holds together. As I was saying before, we are complicated beings created by God. There are so many parts to our bodies that help us function. The human body consists of biological systems, that consist of organs, that consist of tissues, that consist of cells and connective tissues. The most important molecule I want to hit on is the molecule called laminin. Wikipedia describes laminin as this: "Laminins are a family of proteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue." In plain english, laminins are what literally holds us together. They hold one cell of our bodies to the next cell. Without them, we will literally fall apart. Isn't that amazing. Laminin is what holds our bodies together...God is the creator of our bodies...therefore God holds us together! If you still don't get it, then take a look of the picture I posted above.

This what the structure of laminin looks like and this is not the "Christian" portrayal of it! If you look up laminin in the scientific/medical piece of literature, this is what you will see. Yet, I am amazed to why many scientists/medical people still doubt God when the truth is right there. The first time I saw this picture, I was amazed that the very core of our beings is the shape of the cross. Isn't it clear to you that our God is real? How can you not believe in that? No matter what, you will always continue to find evidences in life that links to God. I was blessed when I learned about laminin in a way that God continues to prove to me that he's real in my life! And I hope that this has blessed you in a special way as well. God Bless you and see you next time!

Walking alongside...

John 15:4-5, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

I had the most amazing time earlier this week with a group of Deaf Teen Quest (DTQ) leaders at a spiritual retreat in Tennessee. Upon my arrival, I looked around nervously and wondered what to expect in the next few days. I did notice the peace and quiet; the views were absolutely gorgeous! There's a main cabin that has a long deck with rocking chairs to over look the mountains miles and miles away. Looking straight ahead, someone tells me that on the other side is North Carolina. "Wow!" I thought. God is so amazing! Really, is there a God that created all of this just for me? I mean, WOW! It was absolutely breathtaking. If you think about it, God has brought each and every one of us here for a reason and none of us is a mistake. I find this very clearly in Ephesians 1:4, which says, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." You may be wondering right now or have wondered why on earth you're here? No matter what happens in your life or where life takes you, know this...God created you the way he wanted and he desires one thing from you.

A loving and intimate relationship with Him. That is what God desires from you. The staple message throughout the retreat was John 15, which talks about the vine and the branches and the importance of remaining in Him. I have read this chapter several times and I can say that it hits the spot in my heart every time. Especially this time, I've lost focus on how important it is to remain in Christ. There have been so many situations and circumstances that I've faced this year which led to discouragement. No matter what, I've held close to God. That's what God wants from me...to remain in Him.

As I look back in my life, I realize that I've been through a lot to get to where I am today. Quite honestly, I still wonder at times where the heck I'm going? Earlier in my life, I wanted to be a professional golfer. God closed the door on that one. After college graduation, I worked several part time jobs not really knowing what I want to do or what God has called me to do. Somehow along the way, I ended up in Master's Commission, a full time discipleship program. I went through that for two years of my life. I returned back home, not knowing what's next in my life. Within 3 months, I moved to a new city and landed upon a new job and a new ministry. This has been a challenging year and I did wonder from time to time if I've made a right choice.

On the third day of my retreat, I was sitting outside observing nature and praying. I spent some time reading a devotional and the Bible. I wrote in my journal and expressed my feelings about all the things I've listed above. Immediately, I heard a silent voice in my heart from God saying, "Be still and know that I'm God." I knew what that meant. For me, it means that I'm heading the right direction and that I needed to stop trying to do thing in my own power and control. God was saying that he knows what he is doing and I just needed to stop trying so hard to figure things out. I know that I'm called doing what I do. For a long time I've struggled with the word, called. The day before, someone said that you're not called until you get there. Somehow that made sense to me. I'm here right now. I'm in the deaf ministry that I know God has been stirring in my heart to be a part of it. Yes, there are days when I don't think I can do the "job," but God didn't place me here because it was going to be easy. Being a follower of Christ means fighting for life and continue sweating it all out in love. You may be wondering right now what God has called you to do. Just know this, if God has been stirring your heart to do some special work for him, obey it even if it doesn't make sense! And when you get to that destination, you have been called by God.

One thing I know for sure in what each and every one of us has been called to do. God has created us to have a loving relationship with Him. You have been called by God to love Him with all your heart, mind, and soul. Whether you're a Christian or not, God fearfully and wonderfully made you (Psalm 139:14) and he wants you to talk to Him, walk alongside him, and to love him with everything you have! Life is full of storms. If you truly know God in your heart and believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, you will continue to put your faith and hope in Him no matter what! My prayer is that if you don't know the Lord as your personal Savior, you will choose to do that right now. Or if you have a personal relationship with Christ, that you will continue to remain in Him and go through a life-pruning process and bear plentiful fruit. The reason for all of this is that apart from God we cannot do anything. God is what holds us together.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the powerful message of John 15 and the importance of remaining in the vine. I pray for those lost souls in the world, hearing or deaf, to come to know you. I also pray for those who are struggling to continue to put their hope and faith in you alone. Thank you for your wonderful and abounding love. I cannot thank you enough. I give you all the glory and praise, Amen!

Watch, listen, and obey!

John 14:21, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

It is interesting to know that being a Christian really isn’t that hard if we would simply obey God’s speaking in our hearts. Too many people get caught up in religion and doing good works as a mean to earn their way to salvation. Jesus wasn’t too fond of religion. He debated against the Pharisees and Sadducees during his days on earth. He knew that they were living hypocrite lives. Jesus walked on earth to show us that the only way to the Father is through Him. And by through Him, we are called to follow His footsteps. It really doesn’t take much and I would like to share a personal story with you that I think fits into this example very well.

The past couple of weeks I have been vacationing and traveled many miles! I traveled, by car, about 3,500 to 4,000 miles in a three weeks span! And summer is not even over yet! I still have many more miles to travel! Anyways, it has been an awesome couple of weeks because I was able to get a break from the everyday busy lifestyle. I experienced a different level of intimacy with the Lord and spiritual refreshment. Typically, my mornings usually start off with a prayer and devotions; and throughout the day, I would meditate a lot. It has been different during my vacation and worshipped the Lord in a different way. As I was traveling throughout the country, the Lord has been speaking to my heart about many different things. I meditated a lot as I was driving. I witnessed God’s beautiful creations. I was blessed by other people with their God-given gifts and generosity. I developed new relationships and friendships with some new people. I experienced some trials and knew that God was strengthening my character. Above all else, I am deeply amazed and in awe of God’s amazing love for His people!

There is one of many stories that I would like to share that I experienced in the past three weeks. While I was staying in the St. Augustine beach area in Florida, I experienced a simple act of obedience even when it didn’t seem like it would make a difference. One hot and humid morning, I was going for an 8 mile jog along the main road just off the beach. Towards the half way point of my jog, I turned around and about a tenth of a mile ahead of me I noticed something unusual on the sidewalk. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. Am I really seeing some bills on the sidewalk, I asked myself? I had just passed this point less than 5 minutes ago and I didn’t remember passing by anyone or seeing any money on the ground. As I approached closer, I realized that it really was money! I stopped, took a look around, hesitated, and then bent down to pick up the money. It wasn’t much, but it was 5 single dollar bills. My first reaction was, “Yeah!” I mean, who wouldn’t get excited? I was already thinking of the many small things I could buy with $5. A free lunch. Maybe a Trilogy Kombucha tea, which is my favorite drink, but expensive. Maybe some ice cream. Or whatever else…I was excited! I folded up the money and started to run again. As I got back to focus, I saw a woman carrying a bag walking with a little girl ahead of me. I thought, “Could it be that this woman dropped the money?” Even if I did stop by to ask, she may lie about it and say that it is her money. I decided I would just not ask and keep the money for myself. For some reason I was immediately convicted and prayed a short prayer to God. I knew what I had to do. As I approached her, I asked her if she lost some money. Immediately, her hands went into her pockets and she realized her money was gone. I gave her the $5 and told her I found it on the ground. She was saying some things to me, but I was trying hard to lip-read. I’m pretty sure she said that she and her daughter were on their way to the grocery store and that was the only money she had left. I said, “No problem” and took off. I felt relieved, at peace, and was glad I performed a simple act of obedience. I mean, if you think about it, a family might have been in need that day and I was living in abundance. The $5 may not seem much to me, but to another, it’s everything.

Sometimes God uses us in the small things to show others how we are to follow Jesus’ footsteps. Nothing should be taken for granted. If we would just take a step back, take a closer look at things, and ask God for wisdom. No matter how small or large things are, God is always at work. Take a minute and ask God to help you to slow down and take a closer look at things. You may be surprised in what comes your way as God works in strange and mysterious ways! I hope this story has blessed you in a special way and have you thinking about your personal lives as well. God Bless you!

Is it really easy to miss?

Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

As I was driving to Louisville, Kentucky the other day, I was thinking about a lot of different things and meditating on God’s Words. I do this very often when I drive. Sometimes I wonder how I get to my destination without getting into an accident because I am pretty sure there are times when my thoughts get deeply absorbed. I think about many different things and talk to God about it. I confess, a lot of those things are things I’m struggling with and I’m pretty sure I complain a lot. I just thank God for the patience He has with me! One of the things that came to my mind is where am I in my relationship with the Lord? I feel like such a failure at times. I hate when I fall short in my abilities to please God. Today, I’m not here to talk about my shortcomings, but rather to talk about what God has to offer us. As individuals, we have two choices to choose from. Either we take up our crosses and follow Him or we don’t. The beginning of this step is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It’s not about religion or how much of the good thing we have to offer. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus Christ accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that he had bought for us. It’s really that simple!

Or is it? As I was saying, I was driving to Louisville and I completely missed it! To get to Louisville from Cincinnati, you have to drive on Interstate 75 and then it merges to Interstate 75/71 to Lexington and Louisville. As you continue to drive for another several miles, you have to get off on Interstate 71 to Louisville. The problem is that it’s so easy to miss. I wasn’t really paying attention because my thoughts were somewhere else; however, I thought I was going the right way. Interstate 75 (to Lexington) and 71 (to Louisville) splits, but the road that takes to Lexington is wide and easy to follow and the road that leads to Louisville is narrow and easy to miss. I missed the exit and when you miss the exit, it’s pointless to turn back and you might as well keep driving to Lexington and then go to Louisville. That is what I did and it took me an extra 45 minutes to arrive to my original destination. Oh, I was agitated!

When I read this verse about the two roads to heaven and hell, I thought about my travel experience to Louisville. How easy it is for us to believe we’re going the right way, when all along we’ve missed it! The narrow gate doesn’t mean that it is difficult to become a Christian, but that there is only one way to live eternally with God and only few people will decide to walk that road. Believing in Jesus brings us our way to heaven and living His way may not seem popular, but it is the truth. God is offering that to us right now. The gate will not be open forever and when it closes, it will be too late. You may be thinking that your sins are too much to ask for forgiveness, but Jesus says it’s possible and you just have to believe and trust in Him. As soon as you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are born again! It doesn’t end there because we must daily take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus says in Luke 9:23-24, “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will save it.’” To be a Christian means to follow the Lord by imitating his life and obeying his commands. Take up your cross and follow him…

You may be thinking that following Christ is costly now. To be honest, it is! In the long run, it is well worth the pain and effort. I encourage you to deny selfish desires for our own way (whatever that may be) and choose the right direction in life that leads to Christ. I strive to do that daily. Yes, I am not perfect, but God knows my heart and my desires for Him. What is your desire? Are you willing to take up your cross and face the cost of following Jesus? It may seem so complicated and so difficult, but it really is that simple if we just only paid attention. You have two choices: take the narrow road that leads to life or the wide road that leads to destruction. My prayer is that you don’t take the easy (wide) road and completely miss the narrow road that Jesus Christ has to offer you! Be ready to accept Him and take up your cross to follow Him!

Storms in life...

Matthew 8:23-27
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

We all experience some type of storms in our lives. There have been times when we may have felt angry, frustrated, worried, afraid, fearful, and so on… Think about the storms in your life-the situations that cause you great anxiety. What do storms mean for us? In Webster’s dictionary storm is defined as the following:

*Heavy rain, snow, or hail with high winds.
*To be very angry (rage).
*To feel attacked by something.

Our lives can be compared to the mother nature of storms. I remember last fall when the city of Cincinnati was attacked by a massive wind and rain storm as a result of the hurricane down south. We had up to 70mph winds and rain was pouring down like crazy. As I was looking outside in amazement, I realized that there was nothing I can do to control the weather. Trees were falling, branches breaking off; personal things around people’s properties were blowing away, and power was turned off. I’m sure there was so much more that went on during this time. It was a crazy moment! The whole city of Cincinnati was without power. It really did feel like a strange time for me as I was without power for one full week. Schools were cancelled and I did not work for that whole week.

How often do we experience storms in our personal lives? Honestly, I feel like it happens quite often. I think there is a reason why that it happens. Most of the times it is because we don’t see things happening the way we want it to happen. Our emotions arise and we feel like we’re being attacked by something, then we blame others. Sometimes things just happen and we ask ourselves, “WHY?” I don’t think we can really control the storms in our lives, but we can control who we can put our trust…Jesus or ourselves.

During that whole week when I did not have any power, things got a lot quieter. I realized that I was living a busy lifestyle that demanded a lot out of me. The minute that got taken away from me, everything felt calmer. It was at that moment when I realized that as soon as I trust Jesus with my trials and tribulations, He calms it down for me.

I believe that Jesus allows storms in our lives so that he can show that He is fully in control and that we must trust in Him. There is often a stormy area of our human nature where we feel God can’t work or won’t work. When we truly understand who God is, however, we will realize that he controls both the storms of nature and the storms of the troubled heart. Jesus’ power that calmed this storm in this passage can also help us deal with the problems we face. Jesus is willing to help if we only ask him. We should never think that Jesus can’t do anything to help us in our trials and tribulations. Whatever your difficulty, you have two options: you can both worry and assume that Jesus doesn’t care or you can put your full trust in Him.

When you feel like panicking, confess your need for God and then trust Him to care for you. Always remember that God is sovereign. God controls the history of the world as well as our personal lives. Just as Jesus calmed the waves, he can calm whatever storms you may face. God Bless you and I pray that you will make the choice to follow Jesus in every part of your life.

In closing, Psalm 107:28-30

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper;

the waves of sea were hushed.

They were glad when it grew calm,

and he guided them to their desired haven.

Great and unsearchable things...

Do you ever get the feeling like you can't fight anymore? Sometimes things goes well and then there are other times when things just feels like it's falling apart. I know that I know that I know everyone goes through this phase in life. If you tell me that you have never experienced this in your life, I will assume you are living in a fantasy world because you're not living it real. Everyday of my life is REAL. I want people to know that it is not always fine and dandy. It's not always like the movies. The past couple of weeks has been a challenge to me. It wasn't because it was hard, but because I catch myself feeling unmotivated and complaining too much. It's almost as if I felt like I've lost hope. A friend of mine e-mailed me at the right moment and gave me a word of encouragement. I have known this friend for about two years of my life and I am so grateful to have a friend like him. I would like to talk about him and tell you why he is an inspiration in my life and how he has encouraged me. My friend name is Anderson and he is from Brasil. I got to know him through the discipleship program called Master's Commission. I was involved in this program for two years and had the opportunity to travel to Brasil twice on a missions trip. It was an amazing experience! Anderson is an inspiration in my life because I see the loving power of God at work in his life. You see, Anderson was a street kid living in Brasil. He didn't have any hope in life. He was involved in drugs, alcohol, stealing, and who knows what else. It's not about what he did, but all about how much God loves him. God was reaching out to Anderson through missionaries in Brasil. God gave Anderson opportunities...many opportunities and he was defiant at times! Anderson had an opportunity to live off of the streets, yet he went back a couple of times. All though this, God still reached out to him. Finally one day it hit Anderson and he decided to take up his cross and follow Jesus. I'm sure he knew it was going to be hard, but he did it anyways. Today Anderson is serving God with all his heart and he is back in Brasil and with Youth With A Mission. I know that God is going to use Anderson in extraordinary ways! He has an amazing testimony I wish you all could hear it...it is amazing!

I remember the first time I met Anderson. He did not speak any English at all! He seemed like a shy kid, yet with a lot of patience. He didn't talk much to anyone...neither did anyone else talk much with him (and I know how this feels...barrier of communication). Anderson walked around with a Portuguese-English dictionary, studying every word he could learn. After a year, I couldn't believe how much he has learned and grown. He was persistent! My second year is when I really got to know him and found him to be a loving and compassionate person. He is an amazing guy with a lot of patience.

Last week Anderson sent me an e-mail about how he almost gave up and allowed the enemy to tell him to quit his life and all his dreams. After a lot of prayer and meditation, he asked himself this question, "How can I kill the promise and the calling of God in my life?" The answer he got was his own pride. This is what he said, "If you don't watch out for your pride, that pride will kill you and just gonna take you away from the Lord." He knew that his pride was just eating him away and he knew that he had to fight against that through prayer. That is what he just did. He prayed for strength in fighting against tribulations and barriers in his life. Anderson's encouragement to me was to not allow my pride to be bigger than God because if I allow that then it will destroy my intimate relationship with Christ and the plans that God has for my life.

Thanks Anderson for sharing this with me. I know that God knows what he is doing because God came in at the right time through Anderson to share this with me. All of us have pride issues that can destroy us. God is bigger than that. God has a great plan for our lives. I see the amazing plan that God has for Anderson's life and I know that God is REAL.

God says that he will do amazing things! Jeremiah 33:2-3 says, "This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'" And through that, God promises that he will take care of us and have an amazing plan for our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

God Bless you guys and I pray that you allow God to be bigger than your life troubles!

Why is training important?

It's been a while since I've ran outside. As a matter of fact, the last time I was in training was last October after I completed the Indianapolis Marathon. I probably ran for a total of two weeks since October until now. I needed a break from running. I continued to exercise to maintain my cardiovascular fitness by other forms of training. This past week I started running again and my body responded with muscle aches and pains. As strange as it sounds, it was an awesome feeling. You know, when we do the same exercises over and over, our bodies get used to it and eventually plateaus. If we're constantly stimulating our bodies with various types of training, we get results. I don't know about you, but I feel so good when I get better and stronger with my fitness levels. I feel like I can accomplish more and push my body to further limits. Maybe that's why I get a rush from running in marathons because of the sense of accomplishment I achieve when I complete 26.2 miles of running. What's even better is when my results shows improvements!

Winning a race requires purpose and discipline and the Apostle Paul makes that comparison of physical training to spiritual training. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, the Apostle Paul explains, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

The Christian life takes hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation. As essential it is to train physically in various forms of cardiovascular and weight training exercises specifically geared toward certain sports; it is just as essential to train diligently in our spiritual lives. We must discipline ourselves with prayer, Bible study, and worship on a daily basis. Without those disciplines, our daily vigor and stamina diminishes. We should not just jog a couple of laps, we need to train diligently! As Christians, when we receive Jesus Christ in our lives, we have set ourselves up for a goal...and that goal is to win the prize that God has to offer us. It's good to have a goal because without a goal the disciplines that we undergo seem like self-punishment. With the goal and desire of pleasing God, we will do whatever it takes to grow closer to Him. If someone has told you that a Christian life is supposed to be easy, they are wrong! Being a Christian requires hard work, discipline, and sacrifice! You will face hard times. You will face persecution in some form. You will face temptations. You will experience pain. You will experience discomfort. I'm not going to lie to you...a true Christian life is grueling and you will get sweaty. It will all be worth it in the end because of God's promises.

Examine your own life right now. Are you developing your spiritual muscles? 1 Timothy 4:7 says, "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly." Do you see your own life being transformed? Do you see the grace of God in your life? Do you see bondages being set free? In my own personal life, I am amazed the work God has done in my life because I chose to discipline myself spiritually. I've chose to be obedient to the challenges God has given me. The reason why I find myself in difficult and challenging situations is because I'm responding to God's calling in my life. There are days that seem impossible, yet I am able to get through it because God says he'll give me the strength. I know that God has put me at certain places at certain times because he is developing my character.

When I watch athletes achieve new levels of fitness and performances, I am amazed and find myself asking, "What's next?" I find it interesting to see athletes achieve new records and that goes to show us that we are physically able to get better. We can push our bodies to further limits. The same goes with our spiritual lives as well. We can never reach a limit. We must always strive to get better, stronger, and more ike Christ. Don't just stop today. Keep on going. Keep on moving. Keep on running. Keep on striving! And most important of all, keep on keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus Christ!

DeafTeen Quest Ski Event

Here is a group picture of the teens and leaders that was involved in the skiing event on February 21st. There were 15 of us that went (5 leaders and 10 teens). The leaders and teens came from the Louisville and Cincinnati region. We began our day at 9am where we met at St. Rita School for the Deaf, split into three different cars, and traveled to Lawrenceburg, Indiana to Perfect North ski slopes.

It was a windy, cold, and wet day! Despite the weather conditions, we all had a lot of fun. It was an awesome opportunity for me to connect with the teens. I spent the first half of my day skiing with one teenage girl. I had plenty of time talking with her about many different things as we were waiting in line and in between lifts. I was nervous about giving my time and energy on this one teen, but I discovered that she cared more that I was there for her more than anything. I have known this girl from school and have seen her walk around with a serious look that reminded a lot like me. I also seen this same girl at several deaf socials and she would spend a lot of time talking to me. I’m not that important or cool, I thought, and she’s interested in me? It’s not that she’s interested in me, but because I give her my time. We talk about a lot of things and found out we have a lot of similar interests. I was told by a co-worker of mine that she has never seen this girl smile at school as she did while she was talking to me. I thought that was pretty amazing. This reminds me about a passage in the Bible when Jesus welcomes the little children.

Mark 10:13-16, “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”

Teens today crave for attention and the attention they get is not always positive. My role as a leader is to love on these teenagers by being there for them as much as I can! You know, it’s funny, I’m leading a group of girls in the DeafTeen Quest group twice a month and I’m always a nervous wreck! Why? Because I’m the only white girl! I remember asking myself the first day, “What the heck am I doing in Cincinnati!” I don’t think I can survive! I had to laugh out loud because I never thought I’d be in this situation. I have a really tough group of teenagers. Despite their tough exterior, deep down inside I know they are gentle and crave for the love only Jesus can give them. Every teenager is different. I could connect real quickly with one, but with another it takes more work. I realized that cannot just buy their trust…I have to earn it! These girls will do everything they can to test me and my motives before they can even trust me. I’m okay with that. I’ll just be there for them and show them that I love them despite of who they are or what they have done.

Lord, Jesus, I ask that you bless every one of these little children of yours. Protect them from any harm and soften their hearts so they are willing to receive you. I pray for all the leaders out there that give their time and energy with the teenagers. It is your will for these children of yours to come to you and into your kingdom. Thank you, Lord God, Amen!

Why did Jesus fold the burial cloth?

Last weekend my parents came for a visit and we’ve discussed some interesting topics regarding God’s work in our individual lives. I have always enjoyed spending time with my family because of the passion that is discussed within the Word of God. It seems like we never get enough of it! We are always learning and can’t wait to share with each other. The first night my parents arrived, my dad was so excited to share me this one thing and challenged me with this question: When Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, why did Jesus fold the burial cloth that has been wrapped around his head? Do you know why? Well, let’s take a look…

Jesus Christ had been arrested and His own people wanted Him to be crucified for the death He did not deserve. Jesus endured hours of torture. He was beaten, whipped, and flogged, to name a few. He carried His own cross for miles and was crucified. Jesus knew what He had to go through to show His love and to give His people a chance. After Jesus died, He was buried by the wrapping of a special cloth and put into the tomb. After three days, a miracle had just happened! Jesus Christ rose from the dead!

The gospel of John tells us that the burial cloth that was wrapped around Jesus’ head was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. John 20:6-7 says, “Then Simon Peter, who was behind him (the other disciple), arrived and went into the tomb. He saw strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was neatly folded up by itself, separate from the linen.” Why? Jesus has risen from the grave, so why would he take the time to fold the burial cloth? Hmmmmm?

Is this important and significant? YES!

To understand the significance of the folded cloth, we must understand the tradition of the Hebrew culture of those days. It is the relationship between the Master and the Servant. When it is meal time, the servant would set the table the way the master wanted it. The master would come and feast at the table and the servant would not touch the table until he knows his master is finished eating. How did the servant know when his master was finished? When the master was satisfied, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. This is how the servant would know when his master is finished and to clear the table. However, if the master got up from the table, folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not touch the table, because the folded napkin that the master had left meant, “I’m coming back!”

Do you see it? Take this metaphor of Jesus Christ and the people. Jesus is our Master and we are His servants. Jesus took the time to fold the burial cloth wrapped around his head because…JESUS CHRIST IS NOT FINISHED WITH HIS WORK! Jesus said that He will be coming back again. That is why he took the time to fold the cloth. Jesus Christ will be coming back for the second time to complete His work that God has planned ever since the beginning.

Jesus says in Matthew 24:42, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

The apostle John witness events told in Revelation and in the last section of the book records that Jesus is coming back soon. In Revelation 22:20, Jesus reveals to John and says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Dad, thank you for sharing this with me and giving me the opportunity to share this to others. I am at constant awe that everything Jesus does that shows significance in God’s plans for our lives. My challenge to all of you is what are you doing in preparing the return of Jesus Christ? Have you personally invited Jesus Christ into your life? Have you developed a relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you allowing the Lord to change your character and to become more like Him? We are called to live a holy and righteous life and only the Lord can help us. Be honest with yourself and ask where you are in your relationship with the Lord. My prayer is that you will choose to serve Him no matter the cost. Have a blessed week!

Don't be a pessimist!

A friend of mine drove by this church one day and took a quick picture of this billboard and sent me a text. At first, I had to ask her what it meant but when I re-read it, I realized the meaning of it. You can laugh about this, but you sure as well know that it is so true! I mean, how many times have we doubted ourselves when we face a challenge? How many times have we complained about difficult issues or problems cannot seem to resolve? Or maybe, how many times have we told ourselves, "I cannot do this?" I have done this countless of times! You know, it isn't as hard as you think it is...

The Bible says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." There is nothing that is impossible which God gives us to do. It may feel like it at that moment, but when you go through it with the Lord's strength and then as you look back, you realize the amazing victory you have achieve through Christ! We made the problem bigger than it actually seems.

Since the beginning of this year, I made a commitment to completely read the whole Bible in a year. Right now, I'm reading the book of Exodus when God uses Moses to bring the Israelites out Egypt after being in slavery for about 400 to 430 years. The part that I'm at loss of words is about how much grumbling and complaining the Israelites had when God CLEARLY provided and protected them out of Egypt. The Israelites complained to Moses about not having water or food repetitively, yet no matter how many times, God still gave them what they needed. The Israelites disobeyed God's instructions from time to time. I had to shake my head and say, "Jeez!" But then I realized that I have put myself in a similar position many of times. I have tried to argue with God and say, "Well, only if...this...or...that...then I will be able to do it or have the confidence." The more I realize my faulty thinking, the more I understand that the Lord is asking of my faith in Him. I have tried to put it in practice that whatever opportunity comes in my life that I would pray about it and seek God's will in this and then put it into action without any questions. Sure, there have been times when it's been difficult and I've wrestled with God, but in the end when I do pull through, I look back in victory.

For example, I moved to a new place recently (new state, new city, new people, new job, new ministry, etc...). It was hard to take that first step. The job that I accepted wasn't what I wanted, but in the next couple of weeks another job opened up and was offered to me. It wasn't anything that I thought I'd ever do and I had absolutely no experience in it. After I considered the possibility and prayed to God about it, I felt that it was a challenge that God had prepared for me. I was so scared, but boldly took on this responsibility. The first day on the job, I was a nervous wreck! The first week on the job, I cried almost every night and I REALLY WANTED TO QUIT! I complained here and there. I was negative about my abilities and qualifications. I kept telling myself that this isn't what I got my degree in...only if I had that other job, I'd be a better fit for it. Deep down inside I knew I was only fooling myself. No matter what job I would accept, it will be a challenge. Every morning, I prayed to the Lord for help and to constantly teach me how to remain humble. One day after another, a new challenge came and things got progressively harder. Even though it got harder, I became stronger with the help of the Lord. Yes, I still complained every now and then like the Israelites did on their journey to the promise land, but I still put my faith and trust in the Lord. Today as I look back, I realize that the Lord has been working in my life and in the lives of others around me! The Lord is so good and He is still bringing on new challenges in my life. I know that His timing is perfect and that He will not give me more than what I cannot handle.

I have a new opportunity that arose and will be facing a new challenge beginning this week. Yes, I'm scared as heck, but I choose to have faith in the Lord and to trust Him with my life. I remember a little over two years ago I received a confirmation from the Lord regarding my life and I continue to hold onto that to this day. My prayer is that this will be passed to you and that you will choose to BELIEVE in it. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Nothing is impossible with God!

Okay, I'm sitting here at a Panera Bread on a snow day. School is cancelled and as a teacher I have the luxury of not having to go to work! Strangely, my text messaging has been on the higher side today and I ran across an interesting, but brief conversation with a friend of mine. She asked me if I have given much thought about golf?

Now, before I go into this...for those of you who do not know, golf has been a HUGE part of most of my life. I started playing when I was 5 years old and earned my way throughout college on a golf scholarship. God has been an amazing blessing to me with this talent. During my younger years, I had aspirations of being the first deaf professional golfer on the LPGA Tour.

So, what happened to my golfing days? Believe me, I have asked God about that countless of times. My response to my friend is that I've finally stopped asking God because the answer is clear. It is finished. That is not where God wants me to be at this moment of my life. I have asked God to teach me and mold me to be more and more like Jesus Christ. The utmost importance for me is the development of my character and the continuous fire for my love of Christ.

Did I waste all those years in my golfing profession growing up? Absolutely not! I recall many memories that God has taught me during my golfing days (although I didn't really realize it at the time, but it's becoming evident to me now). I'm looking outside of the window right now and smiling because I can vividly remember those days. I would like to share a moment of time that God has taught me about honesty.

On a certain day in October 1996, I was walking up on the 18th green somber and discouraged. Many things were running through my mind. "Jeez, I've screwed it up! All those hard work, down the drain! I guess I won't get that three peat now." Many other thoughts came across my mind. I have probably played the worse golf of my life on the worse day to do it...the state championships. I hadn't even finished the round yet. As I arrived to my ball, I studied the green and decided what to do. I took out my Cleveland sand wedge and took a couple of practice shots. I approached my ball and set the club down. Next, I took a back swing....wham....and then something bad happened. I double chipped. This means that I had already hit the ball, but as I was following through somehow the club hit the ball again. Now, the rules state that every contact counts as a stroke. "Shoot!" I said to myself. I looked up and to my amazement, nobody noticed. As my group finished the hole, my scorekeeper asked me if I had a 6 on that hole. It literally took me 5 seconds to answer that question. Finally, I decided to go with my instincts and tell the truth. "No," I said. "I had a 7 on this hole; I double chipped back there." The girl looked up to me in amazement and said, "Are you sure?" "Yes," I said. Next, I went up to my parents and they knew how I was feeling and hugged me. My dad thought I shot a certain score, but I told him what had happened. The look I saw on my dad's face caught me off guard. He smiled and simply said, "God noticed your honesty and will reward you for it." At that moment, I had mixed emotions and I was really ticked off and frustrated. I said, "God? I doubt it! I've worked so hard for this moment and I'm a good person and I've done all I can to live a good life! I have always been honest and never really saw the blessing! How can God reward me for this? I haven't really seen God do something miraculous in my life. I'm too far behind from the leader and only have one more day to compete!" I said so many things and was angry with my dad and God. Finally I walked off and said, "Impossible!"

For the rest of the night, I went off to practice and was the last person left on the golf course. My coach finally encouraged me that I've had enough practice and need to eat. He was getting tired and it was getting dark as well. Honestly, I don't know what happened the rest of that night because the next day completely overrode what had happened the previous day. I went about as if it was just another day and to my amazement, things were going so great! I had played the best round of my life! Little did I realize that I had won the tournament! "What? How can that be?" and then I cried. I looked to my dad and said, "What would have happened if I lied?" Seriously, I knew I would have carried a deep feeling of guilt even if I didn't win the tournament. God has taught me a valuable lesson through my dad. The two things God taught me was that nothing is impossible with God and that my honesty left a good feeling inside of me that I could never forget. Because of that, the next two years of my championship felt like a huge blessing! I was the first female golfer to win three straight years at a Division 1 high school in the state of Wisconsin. I created history in October 1998.

Therefore, no, I don't regret giving up golf because it is the life lessons that God has used through my circumstances to teach me. God has brought me to a place today that would never have happened if it wasn't because of those experiences. That is only one small part of my story... The lesson of the day: Luke 1:37 says, "For nothing is impossible with God."

Give what it takes to follow Jesus!

Life is hard. Sometimes I feel like I go through an emotional rollercoaster and just don’t know why. Do you feel that way too? Well, at least it is for me. This past week has been incredibly difficult and challenging. It’s been a fight. It seems like so many factors find its way to pull me down from my purpose in life. I know I have the victory and I’m holding on…

Whether or not you’re a born again believer, you will discover that things don’t just happen they way you want it to happen. Sometimes we just feel so out of control! We actually mean to do well, but something enticing comes in our way. We do things we don’t want to do and we don’t do things that we want to do. Seems ironic? But it’s a reality.

The Apostle Paul shares some of his lessons (Romans 7:7-25) that he learned in trying to deal with his old sinful desires. He says in Romans 7:15, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Paul noticed that he was sinning in ways that weren’t even attractive to him. Who knows what he was struggling with, but there were just as much temptations during his day as it was when Jesus was on earth. (Here, I must note that even though Jesus was tempted, He never sinned – that is why he is the perfect sacrifice for us. Praise the Lord!) There sure is heck as much temptations in our lives today. Nothing has changed…sin still remains prevalent in our daily lives.

We can do absolutely nothing for ourselves to live a perfect life. Each and every one of us has sinned. All of us have fallen short. We find that one of the Apostle Paul’s lessons show that self-determination doesn’t succeed. This means we try to struggle and win with our own strength. Here’s an example, how many times have you left a buffet feeling properly nourished? I’m sure we’ve often left the restaurant beyond stuffed. What happened to our will power? Or maybe we ate an extra chocolate chip cookie because it looked so delicious. It’s not enough to have just one. We have to have two…maybe three…or more? Now, I'm not saying that eating is sinning, but the temptation is there for us to eat more than what we can handle. What about what you see on television, the magazines, or billboards? Everything seems so enticing. Romans 7:15 is a description of a Christian struggling against sin or trying to please God by keeping the rules and laws without the Spirit’s help. There is no way we can live a perfect life and that is why Jesus Christ came for us…and there is no way to win our salvation by attaining perfectionism because we fall into legalism. We will fall short anyways and even IF we don’t, God's main desire is our heart. God looks towards the inside of us more than He looks on the outside. Thank God for the Holy Spirit’s help because when we fall, He (Jesus Christ) lifts us up.

Thank God we have the Holy Spirit available to us in giving us the strength we need to resist temptations and to lift us up when we need it. God’s grace surpasses it all! Ephesians 2:5 says, “…it is by grace you have been saved.” When we come to Christ with our life, the penalty of sin and its power over us have been destroyed by Christ on the cross.

My challenge to you is to keep fighting the good fight for righteousness and holiness. Being a part of God’s army is a lifelong journey. As we continue to follow Him and training ourselves to be godly, we must embrace the cross. Embracing the cross doesn’t mean that things will always go the way we expect it to go. In Luke 9:23-24, “Then he (Jesus Christ) said to them all, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.’” I dare you…give what it takes to follow Jesus Christ.

God's plan from the beginning...

So, here it is...my first blog. First of all, let me say that the purpose of setting up this blog is to share my heart as I continue to strive for a personal relationship with my Savior. I pray that my relationship will be an inspiration to others around me and perhaps bring you to the Lord much closer than you ever imagined. I will be posting many different things, whether it's the Word of God or the daily involvements of my life.

I've been thinking about what I would like to post and one thing popped in my mind. Here's a truth for you to think about. God knew you even before you were born! Do you actually believe that? Let me validate that from Ephesians 1:4, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." Okay, here's another way of saying it bluntly...YOU WERE NOT A MISTAKE! Yes, God knew you! That is why you are here on earth. God wants a personal relationship with you. It was from the beginning that God would send Jesus Christ to die for our sins once and for all! There are many scriptures in the Bible that tells us about that. A couple of years ago I had a devotional time with God and was reading through the book of Genesis, chapter 5. This chapter is a long list of genealogies of Adam's descendents - from Adam to Noah. I vaguely remember how boring this is with all the names. How would this apply to my life? Thankfully, the Holy Spirit nudged me to continue reading my devotional (Embracing Eternity). I would like to share this with you and I think you will be amazed as well...

First, read the book of Genesis, chapter 5. Don't fret, if you don't have a Bible on hand, just go to http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%205;&version=31. Hopefully this will lead you there :)

Now, you may be thinking...I don't remember what I read! I did the same thing. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." Okay, so there must be some meaning to Genesis 5. Let me explain...it is very significant! The people of the Bible generally have names that means something. So, if you look up in the Hebrew dictionary, you will find the names of the genealogies provides a hidden message.

Adam -- "man"
Seth -- "appointed"
Enosh -- "mortal" or "frail"
Kenan -- "sorrow"
Mahalalel -- "the blessed God"
Jared -- "shall come down"
Enoch - "teaching" or "commencement"
Methuselah - "his death shall bring"
Lamech -- "despairing"
Noah -- "to bring comfort"

So, if you would put the puzzle together and read between the lines. The whole chapter of Genesis 5 tells us that, "Man appointed mortal sorrow. Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) his death shall bring (the) despairing comfort." The gospel of Jesus is hidden within the lines of scriptures since the beginning!

God had a mission all along! I don't know where you are at with your relationship with the Lord, but John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Will you allow Jesus in your life and change you? All you have to do is to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved (Romans 10:9-10). God loves you! Don't ever forget that. Will you come to Him today?

To have Jesus come into your life say this simple prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. I n Jesus' name. Amen.

For more information on Steps to Peace with God, visit: http://www.billygraham.org/SH_StepsToPeace.asp.

Have a Blessed day!