December 28, 2012

Living Proof

Friday, December 28th, 2012

 

 

           It completely surprises me howquickly this year flew by. And not to mention how much I have grownspiritually. It’s weird to look back and to see where I was this time lastyear. To be honest, it’s a complete blur. I highly doubt I would be thinking Iwould be where I am right now. 2012, brought both peaks and praises, which Icouldn’t even imagine where I would be without both of them working togetherand trusting in God’s ultimate plan for my life. His blessings this past yearhave been unimaginable, from the opportunity to work with the National AmericanMiss organization and travel across the country serving others to meetingincredible people with even more incredible backgrounds made this year unforgettable.I know I say it every year but, I can say with complete confidence, this yearhas been a golden one.

 As this next year approaches, I am completely excitedto see what God has in store, and how many more blessings he can turn my way.One year from right now, I want to remain steadfast in who I am and what Ibelieve. God will always be number one and I will continue to trust in Him nomatter how rough the waters may seem, because I know he will bring a rainbow atthe end. I want to encourage you, no matter what note you’re ending on thisyear, you can change. The way you end this year doesn’t mean this is how youalways have to be. Who knows, maybe 2013 could be your golden year.  

  

December 8, 2012

Living Proof

Saturday, December 8th, 2012

 

 

It’s been a crazy month, to say the least. From tests, babysitting, church, volunteering, a fashion show, college visit, Christmas Party and a four hundred point composition on The Crucible. All leading too little time to journal, but it’s been a great month. Learning a ton about what God has planned for me life as well. One of the biggest things I learned early in November was the importance of not judging people, and talking bad about other people. Matthew 7:1-2 was the verse which convicted me, “Do not judge or you to will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” I had known this verse, but didn’t completely understand it to its full importance. This verse blatantly says, do not judge. Seems easy, but how many times do we find ourselves looking at others and assume we know what they are going through. It happened to me all the time. How do we stop this? How do we stop judging others? Well, whenever I see someone and I start to think something negative, I catch myself and immediately think something positive about the person. In addition, the hardest thing as a girl is when my friends are talking bad about another girl or person. Most of us, including myself, think talking bad about someone else will make us look and feel better. How wrong. In these situations, compliment the person. That’ll catch your friends off guard. Verse two explains, that in the way you judge someone, someone will be judging you in the same way. Last time I checked, no one ever wants to be talked about negatively. If we live a lifestyle that encourages, others will notice and talk positively about us. I challenge you, next time you hear someone tearing someone apart, compliment them. People will be stunned and notice there’s something different about you. You’ll be set apart.



November 4, 2012

Living Proof

Sunday, November 4th, 2012

 

 

It’s truly incredible how things can all work out and how God can work in situations inconceivable to man. Yesterday I had the opportunity to volunteer at the 22^nd annual Power of One in Kimberly. Having never gone to the Life! Promotions event, I was completely ready to see what God could do through the attendants and how life changing this event can be. I was set to work the cashier station for the concessions, selfishly; I was just excited I wasn’t going to be working in the brisk Wisconsin day. I had never worked a cash register before and was prepared to learn. The girl I was working with was Anna. What a blessing. Before the event started, we just talked. About everything and anything. Who knew it was exactly what I needed. Since the start of the year, it’s always been on my mind about my future and what college is going to suit me and even what I wanted to study. I though Youth Ministries was calling my name. Talking with Anna she told me the one thing missionaries always say when they come home from an adventure, “Get a skill.” God has set everyone with spiritual gifts and talents. She advised to get the skill, and then God can use you. The question is still up for what college God is calling me to, but maybe education is the major I want. Time and prayer will only tell. But I’m trusting in what God can do.    

 

 

  



October 21, 2012

Living Proof

Sunday, October 21st, 2012

 

 

I recently went out to a coffee shop with one of my friends to work on homework, while working we saw a couple sit down on the couch across the shop from us; they sat holding hands and praying. I adored it; it was incredible to see a young couple with a relationship centered on Christ. My friend started telling me a story about how in her Personal Finance Management class they were told to list the criteria necessary to be their roommate, she told me that she needed to be roomed with a Christian. She asked if I agreed with her, I didn’t. She looked at me as if I was crazy. I told her that if God were to place a non believer into my life as my roommate, I would use this opportunity to witness to them. God can work wonders through someone’s life if we are willing to step out of our comfort zones and spread the word of God to all nations. When I was talking to her, I remembered this video by Louie Giglio, Fruitcake and Ice cream. It’s about a girl in college that has a roommate that wasn’t a believer but through her actions was able to strike up conversations about Faith, and eventually became a believer. Sometimes, I feel that Christians become too comfortable with their lives. Be outgoing, be a apostle and spread the grace of God that is found in Jesus Christ.  

 

 



October 18, 2012

Living Proof

Thursday, October 18th, 2012

 

 

This past weekend I was blessed to have the opportunity to goon our church’s Junior High Retreat, one weekend up in what I call the middleof nowhere with other churches apart of the Christian Missionary Alliance.  Man, what a crazy weekend that was. Thespeaker was Pete Brokoff, a missionary from Burkina Faso, Africa, what acompletely interesting journey God has brought him on. He spoke about prayer,and the importance of it. Not only that but the urgency to tell our friendsabout Christ. He told us a story about how one of his business partners when hewas growing us was a Muslim. Pete didn’t want to push the Gospel down this man’sthroat but he had a plan, he planned on being super nice and then eventuallyhis friend would have to ask him why he was so nice and he would tell himbecause of Jesus Christ. Sounded like a good plan right? Pete waited fouryears, nothing. Eventually, Pete left to go Seminary, to learn how to share theGospel to Muslims, and Pete said “Goodbye” to his friend and told him that heloved him. His friend stepped back and said, “if you believe that if I do notaccept Christ into my life I will go to Hell and you tell me you love me, whydidn’t you ever share to me about this, if you really loved me, wouldn’t younot want me to go to Hell?” Whoa. Did you catch that? This man asked Pete whyhe didn’t tell him the Gospel if he loved him. Think for a minute, people inyour life that you love. Do you want any of them to be living ETERNITY in Hell?Of course not! If they don’t accept the love and grace that is found in JesusChrist, that is what will happen! You can change that. Be the person in theirlife that saves them from an eternity of pain. Romans 10: 14-15 explains, “How,then can they call on the one they have no believed in? And how can theybelieve in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear withoutsomeone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As itis written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” Nothingwill change in someone’s life unless you tell them about Christ! Words must bespoken! Are you willing to take the step and save the loved one’s in your lifefrom a eternity of suffering?  

 

 

October 11, 2012

Living Proof

Thursday, October 11th, 2012

 

 

Personally, when I hear someone start to talk about the 10 Commandments, all I can think of is a list of rules that all Christians are supposed to follow. Until now, I have not thought of them as anything more. Needless to say, my viewpoint on what Moses was telling the Israelites while on Mount Siani has completely changed.  

Now, Moses was on Mountain Siani speaking to the Israelites when he was giving these commandments. At this time, most of the Israelites knew they should’ve murder, steal, commit adultery, worship other gods, or to honor your father and mother, but they were on the journey to the Promise Land. The reason why God had called Moses to proclaim the commandments to the Israelites was to equip them for what God wanted for their lives, because where they were headed, was not fulfilling these commandments. They would be noticed by living their lives set apart from what the world had been living. These commandments were set in place by God not as a list of do’s and don’ts, but God gave us instructions to protect the Israelites and us and to make our lives better.

How does this look today? LIVE IT OUT. God had these instructions set so the Israelites would be noticed as someone different, they would be questioned why they are living in such a different way. Shouldn’t we be doing the same? In James, he exclaims what it is like to be set apart. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (1:27). This is what God wanted for the Israelites, to have them be set apart from what the world wanted them to conform to. Is there a difference in your life that people can see?

This brings me to my past point, my friend Macy put this into perspective. If there was a gunman that walked into your school or work place and asked a random person where all the Christians in the building were, would they say your name? If we’re living out what God has called us to do we should be one to the names that the gunman would hear. People need to notice the change that we’ve gone through and want to know more about Christ through the way we live our lives.

 

 

 



October 7, 2012

Living Proof

Sunday, October 7th, 2012

 

As a young woman in Christ it constantly kills me to see what teenage girls wear. It kills me to see that women in my church and attend my youth group wear inappropriate clothing. Modesty. When I think about it, I do not believe that any girl wants to be remembered as the one that wore short shorts or low cut shirts. A girl wants to be remembered on how beautiful her personality is. What you wear is sending a message. If you want to dress sexy, that message will be sent to everyone who sees you and you will get attention from others. The wrong message and attention will be sent. Philippians 4:8 tell us, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” This is how we should be presenting ourselves, by living out Philippians 4:8. Not only by the way we dress but by the way we carry ourselves too. As a Christian, we want to be known as that, and have someone just look at us and know something is different about us. Are your clothes representing that you’ve been saved? If not, rethink what you wear in the morning. By dressing modestly, respect is gained and a reputation can be changed.

 

 

 

September 27, 2012

Living Proof

Thursday, September 27th, 2012

 

 

            Identity. Dictionary.com describesIdentity as “the state or fact of being the same one as described.” Think for a minute.How do you think people describe you; the popular one with all the greatestclothes, the one that never talks, the one with the greatest shoes, the loudone? How did you earn that specific identity for yourself? Are you satisfied withthat? Are you constantly finding yourself wanting to get more? Ever thought, itwasn’t enough? It’s not. In Luke 18: 18-22, Luke talks about when a rich rulercomes to Jesus and asks, “Good teacher,what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). “Why do you call me good? Jesus answered. “No one is good-except Godalone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, donot steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother’” (verse19). “All these I have kept since I was aboy,” he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack onething. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasurein heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, becausehe was a man of great wealth (verses 20-22). This rich ruler was searchingfor more and went straight to Jesus and asked where he could find it. And Jesussaid the answer was Him. The rich ruler thought he could do it alone, hefigured he didn’t need Jesus in his life and wanted to keep living the way hehad been. This man found his identity in material things and his money. We needto be opposite from this man, we need to find our identity in Christ. Whyshould we find identity in Christ? Finding out identity in worldly things areonly temporarily, they’ll eventually let you down, or even go away. While if wefind our identity in Christ, he is always there, He’s not going anywhere andwill be with us wherever we go. Having your identity in Christ, is what God intendedus to have. When people describe you, do you want them to see your great faithand notice how set apart you are from the world? That’s having your identity inChrist. Not conforming to this world, just living in it.     

Set yourminds on things above, not on earthly things.

–Colossians3:2

 

September 26, 2012

Living Proof

Wednesday, September 26th, 2012

 

 

             Thissummer I was a part of an amazing team that endured ten days at a leadershipdevelopment camp through my favorite place on earth, Lake Lundgren Bible Camp.During those ten days there our team worked through a book called, “ImprovingYour Serve” by Charles R. Swindoll. While reading this book it was neveranswered to why we have to serve. Of course it was to ultimately serve God butwhy? Two months later, I finally received the answer. At youth group tonight Iwas blessed to have a one-on-one with our new assistant leader, Andrea. It wastruly a blessing from God to have had this time with her. From hearing herstory, it seems like we’ve been through pretty much the same things. I couldeasily relate. One question was, “What is Christ to you?” She replied herSavior. My answer to this question that had been swirling in my head wasanswered when she replied with, “Jesus has done so much for me, he saved my life,the least I could do for him, was to give him everything that I am and servehim.”It wasn’t because of it was the right thing to do or because it’s in thebible, it’s deeper than that. It was that simple. Look at what Jesus did forus. Yes he died for us, but the pain he endured before the cross is unbearablefor us today. He took himself to the cross, when he didn’t even deserve it anddied so that one day we can be reconnected with him for eternity. So why shouldwe serve God, He has done the unimaginable for us, He deserves it.   

 

 

September 23, 2012

Living Proof

Sunday, September 23rd, 2012

 

           For my church I every week with first graders, and let metell you, it’s not easy with a group of twenty of them at eight o’clock in themorning, but I know that God is at work within those kids. It was so cool todaythough, during “Discover Time” (a time when kids have an upbeat and funactivity as an icebreaker into the lesson of the week) which is what I run, Iasked the kids to create a poster of something that they have learned on Sunday’sin the past weeks and I was so amazed at what they actually knew. Theyremembered what they had talked about and even the specifics on the differentplagues that were sent in the Old Testament. I remember starting at my churchin first grade and not even knowing a thing about the bible, and the kids thatI have a part in teaching know about the plagues, how the Israelites complainedabout not having water and how Moses separated the Red Sea. It’s truly ablessing having these kids open to learn so much. For our lesson today, we werein Exodus 17. This chapter is all about trust, trusting in God to provide,always. Proverbs 3:5-6 is a verse the first graders probably have instilledinto their brains. It tells us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, andlean not on our own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and hewill make your path straight.” God knows so much more than we do, we have totrust in the fact that he knows what he is doing.

            Just today,I found myself trusting God for a big thing in my eyes. Since I’ve starteddriving, I’ve had to come up with ways to save gas in any way I can. I drove tochurch today with less than an eighth of a tank of gas and was freaked out thatI would be that person on the side of the road without gas. Once I got home safely,I knew that the next thing I would have to do would be to visit the gasstation. But my sister needed a ride to her soccer game, I freaked. Even thoughthe soccer fields are less than five miles from my house doubt started settingin, so instead of taking the highway we took the back roads, little did I know,it would end up being a God thing that we did, my sister forgot her cleats athome and we had to drive back. We decided to take the highway over and I waspraying the whole time that we would make it safely to the fields and withoutthe car dying on the side of the highway. I made it there, and back. I had totrust that God would provide for me. He did. And even if I was stuck on theside of the road without gas, I know that God would still provide a way for me.Trust in God always, he knows what he’s doing.     

September 22, 2012

Living Proof

Saturday, September 22nd, 2012

Wow,God is so cool. He can work in ways that I can’t even understand. Today Itraveled up to Green Bay and was reunited with my camp friends and had a biblestudy and worked through the next chapter of the book, Improving Your Serve,the book that we were required to read a camp. It was so amazing to have the opportunityto be with them again and dig into God’s word and that book and open up to eachother about what is happening in our lives and to be able to pray with eachother physically, felt like I was back at camp. I loved it. Once we were donetogether two of the other girls and I decided that we needed girl time and wentout for coffee, except it wasn’t easy to get to coffee. My friend said she knewexactly where we needed to go, but she didn’t know where it was. As I wasfollowing behind her in my car all I could think was, this is what life is like.I had absolutely no idea where she was going but I trusted in her to get usthere. We don’t know where God is taking us in life but we know we can trust heknows what he is doing. After many turns and minutes of driving around wefinally landed upon a Starbucks. Having coffee with these two beautiful youngwomen in Christ couldn’t of been more of a blessing. We talked about our livesand how God is working in each of our lives. We praised Him and prayed together.God puts people in our lives so specific reasons. And today I knew that God hadplaced my camp friends in my life for people I can turn to and to encourage meto keep fighting the good fight and to live for Christ every day.  

September 20, 2012

Living Proof

Thursday, September 20th, 2012

I honestly don’t think I’ll ever be able to wrap my headaround just how amazing God is. Every day I find myself praising Him for allthe countless blessings that he’s given me. This year I decided to take on anAP Psychology class. Knowing that this class would be difficult and for collegecredit I knew that I would find myself challenged everyday in that class. Wereceived a study guide for our first quiz we would be having, but the day thatwe were going through the questions and working on them with others I was sick.So, I just finished the study guide at the best of my ability for the due date.When we were correcting the study guide I was getting over half of the answerswrong. When it was time to tally up all our wrong answers, my teacher had us readoff our grades in front of the class so they would easily be put into thecomputer, looking down at my 21/43 score my heart started to race. When my namewas called and I read off my score my teacher said, “Carrie, did you get allthe problems?” Truthfully there were quite a few that I skipped. He said hewould give me another day to work on it. The rest of the class I couldn’tfocus, my grade was going to be starting off with an F for the year. Doubt andworry started to creep in. So I prayed. Slowly I started to calm down because Iknew that God would use this situation for good, weather now or within fiveyears, I knew God would prevail. Once the bell rang for the end of class, Iwent and talked to my teacher to see what my options would be for the studyguide, he said he would give me another one to do, he didn’t have one. So hesaid he would give me the average score for everyone in the class which was a40/43. I didn’t deserve that. How could he just do that for me? Grace. It wasthat day that I finally knew the concept of grace. God did the same thing. Hesent his only perfect Son to die on the cross for all of our sins, we didn’tdeserve that. It should’ve been us on the cross. But no, it wasn’t us. I’mtruly thanking God for the should’ve been.

            Yesterdaywas the first true Quest night for the junior high students within our church.Man, I am so blessed where God has placed me. I have two moms and myselfleading the group with thirteen seventh grade girls. What a bunch we have. I’mso excited to see where God leads our group. Along with working with juniorhigh, I am still going to my high school youth group on the same night.Yesterday we did something completely different than usual, we had a scavengerhunt around the neighborhood, it was going great except for the fact that itwas thundering and lightning outside, but hey, we’re all still alive. One ofthe tasks was to do a random act of kindness for someone. There’s a yacht clubnot too far from the house so we went there. The bar area was filled elderlycoming for late night drinks. My leader suggested, I help walk a couple totheir car. It ended up only being the wife but I was more than happy to do so.I carried her purse and leftovers from dinner because she could barely walksince she needed new knees. She began to ask me what organization I wasassociated with and I explained that I was with my church. She continued to saythat her old neighbor went to our church and brought her on a retreat and allthe kids were very well behaved and never had to be scolded or disciplined. Shewas so proud of the fact that we were living kind and helpful lives andteaching others to live in that way. I explained it’s because we have the lightof Jesus shinning through us. Just this little old lady wanting to know moreabout God, and noticing the work that he can do through a person’s life isincredible.

 

September 17, 2012

Living Proof

Monday, September 17th, 2012

 

 

I had a friend ask me today, “Whatwas one thing that God has reveled to me within the past month?” Man, just onething? That question really got me thinking about what he really has been doingin my life. After coming off one of the best summers He has ever blessed mewith, it was truly a difficult task to pick one thing. Finally, I answer backwith God opening my eyes that I must serve Him and to not be ashamed of whathe’s done for us and telling others about what He’s doing in my life.

            Starting offmy junior year of high school I knew that my lifestyle was going to bedifferent. I knew that God has worked so much in my life throughout the pastthree months and I was ready to put all my training this summer and walk intothe battlefield of high school. Its only week three of this important year andGod is working wonders.

            A few weeksago I had a friend ask me if I was going to be a leader for the junior highstudents within the church. Little did she know, working with junior highstudents has always been a dream of mine and where I see my spiritual giftsshine. She brought me to the youth pastor in charge and I was given theposition on the spot. God was so faithful! I couldn’t praise him enough. TodayI received an email from the pastor; it was a list of all the girls that wouldbe in my small group, along with the two adult women leaders that I would beworking with throughout this year. I couldn’t be more excited and blessed aboutthis group and I know that God will do wonders through this group. Wow. God isso good.

            Of course asbeing a high school girl, there’s a boy.  I decided to tell one ofmy friends about him. She flipped. She happened to be really good friends with him and was already planning a time when her, him, my friends boyfriend and I could all get together. I was so not ready for that. The next night I texted her and asked she not plan anything, I simply told her that God is in charge of my love story, not her or me. God has a plan for my life, and I need to trust in that and know that at the correct time he will place that special someone in my life. Needless to say, my focus is on God this year and not on boys.