Which Bucket?

Yesterday my dad was ordained as a deacon at his church. It was an awesome service & thrilled I got to be a part of it. I was sitting there listening to the preacher talk about how deacons are supposed to act and how their wives were supposed to act (1Timothy 3:8-13), but one thing the preacher said really stuck out in my mind, he said deacons carry to buckets, a bucket of water & a bucket of gas & they have to know which bucket to throw at which time. He said sometimes there are fires in the church and the deacon will need to throw the water to put out the fire & then there are times when the church is on fire for God & doing great things & in those times they should through the bucket of gas to keep the fire burning. He said sometimes they through the wrong buckets & can fuel those fires (conflicts) that need to be put on & then they throw the water on the fire when things are going good and put a stop to it.

I believe this true for a lot of people in the church, not just deacons. A lot of times instead of fixing the problem we like to make it worse or instead of encouraging Christians to be on fire for God we discourage them. What if all Christians lived according to the guidelines for deacons outlined in 1 Timothy 3? We wouldn't have to worry about throwing the wrong bucket.

Don't All Paths Lead to Heaven?

Don't all paths lead to heaven?  That's the question being asked in countless classrooms and break rooms around the globe.  Our world is under the impression that every faith and religion that exists is equually effective in saving one's soul.  It doesn't matter if someone is a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu, or whatever else.  What they believe doesn't really matter.  All that truly matters is their sincerity about what they believe...right?

No!  Jesus indirectly, but definitively, answered this for us in Matthew 26:39.  On the night before He was crucified, Christ cried out to His Father, "if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me."  What was He saying here?

The "cup" refers to His Father's wrath toward sin, which Jesus would taste on our behalf on the cross.  Notice that Christ asked to be spared this experience "if it is possible."  In other words, Jesus was saying.  "Father, if there's any other way to satisfy your wrath toward sin, if there's any other way out there for man to be saved, if there's any other path that leads to heaven...then please spare Me the horrors of the cross."

But the Father didn't grant this prayer, He didn't allow the cup of His wrath to pass from Jesus, because He knew there was no other way to satisfy His wrath toward our sin.  There was no other way for man to be saved.  There was no other path that would lead us to heaven, if there were, then the cross would not have been necessary.

Don't all paths lead to heave?  the answer is no...and the cross declares this by virtue of its very existence.  The only way to heaven is through the blood of Jesus Christ!

On Mission for God

Wow, God is Awesome!!  When i realized I was going to be going to India & Nepal back in June, I never expected to be so blessed, I never expected to miss it so much.  But, let me back up a little.  I had been praying about going on this trip and felt that I was supposed to go but the money just wasn't coming in.  A good friend told me that maybe this wasn't the trip for me and that maybe God had just wanted me to be obedient and say "yes Lord I will go" but for some reason I felt that I was supposed to go and just didn't understand why the money wasn't coming in.

The rest of the team had ordered their plane tickets about a month in advance and I didn't have enough money for my plane tickets.  I remember calling Amanda (she was leading the trip) on a Wednesday morning just upset about not being able to go and she said she was going to see what she could do to see if I could still get on the same flights.  She called our missions director and he called the travel agents and was able to get me on all the same flights, the only catch, I had to have $2,000 by Wednesday night.  I felt so defeated, I was thinking there was no way I could raise $2,000 in only a few hours, well you know what??  I raised about $200 that night.  I remember going home and crying and praying and just so confused because I really thought this was the trip I was supposed to go on.  Well the more I cried and prayed, the more God revealed to me that He can do anything He wants if we have faith in HIM.  I immediately started doubting that God could provide $2,000 in one night and that doubt stood in the way of my faith that HE could have provided $3,000 in one night if he wanted to.  I remember praying and thanking God for all that HE had taught me through all of this and praying that HE would prepare me for the next trip that HE would have me to go on.

About a week later I told my boss that I wasn't going to need all those days off anymore because I didn't raise enough money in time to buy my plane tickets.  She asked me how much I still needed and I told her I wasn't sure because it was probably too late to even get the plane tickets.  She offered to give me the remaining amount if it wasn't too late.  I called Amanda just to check to see and she was great through the whole thing, she called the missions director again and he called all the travel agents and in a few hours she called me back.  She said that they could get me on all the same flights with the rest of the team at no extra cost, tell me that isn't GOD :)!!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am terrified of flying, and had only flown once in my life and it was an hour flight.  This trip would put me on three 8-10 hour flights.  I prayed before each flight and had such a peace, I wasn't even nervous :). 

God is awesome, and HE taught me so much through this trip!!  When you start praying for God to use you, make sure you are ready for how and where HE wants to use you.  Don't pray to be used by God if you aren't willing to be used how HE wants to use you!!

I will post more about my trip including pictures in a separate post.

Soap Box

According to a study by the Pew Research Group, this generation of youth are the least involved in religion than any other.  At first I was shocked by this, then I got to thinking about all of the so called influences they have in their lives right now and I was just saddened.

I was watching Hannity the other night and they were talking about a new song by Lady Gaga called Judas and one lady said that this song didn't mean she wasn't a Christian it was just to sell records and make money.  Here are a few of the lyrics from the song...

In the most Biblical sense,
I am beyond repentance
Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind
But in the cultural sense
I just speak in future tense
Judas kiss me if offensed,
Or wear ear condom next time

I wanna love you,
But something's pulling me away from you
Jesus is my virtue,
Judas is the demon I cling to
I was appalled when I read the lyrics to this song and can I tell you how many kids I have heard talking about how much they love Lady Gaga's music?!? 

A few lyrics from another one of her songs...

No matter gay, straight, or bi,
Lesbian, transgendered life
I'm on the right track baby
I was born to survive

We wonder why kids this generation are less into religion than any other generation?? 

I teach 6th grade Sunday School at my church and we have been talking about defending your faith and knowing how to defend your faith.  First you have to know what you believe in!!  I hear people say, "well I don't really pay attention to the words I just like the beat" or "I don't like that singer as a person I just like the beat of the music"  I am going to be the first to tell you, you can't listen to a song without hearing the words of the song.  I had a song stuck in my head the other day and I don't even know where I heard it from and don't even remember hearing it that day, but at some point I had heard it and got it stuck in my head, it wasn't a bad song, but the point is you are going to hear the words whether you think so or not.

You may think the music you listen to doesn't affect you, it's just music, it's just words.  Well when you get this stuck in your head and then you start to think, well that isn't what the bible says but she is singing about Jesus so maybe she is right.  Where do we draw the line??

I heard a kid tell me the other day that a certain singer was a christian because they prayed before their concerts.  Well their music doesn't reflect God at all!!

It's not just the music we listen to, it's also the movies you watch.  It is really sad how kids movies now have cussing and sexual innuendo in them, why is that even neccessary?!?  The movie HOP has the playboy mansion in it, seriously??  The movie Soul Surfer did not have one single cuss word or sexual innuendo or drinking or anything, they even quoted scripture, it was still very dramatic with out all the other stuff!!

I was watching on CBS last night a tribute to women country singers and one got up and sang and one part of the song said "I am hell on heels and I have done made a deal with the devil" I almost turned the channel but I didn't for some reason and I'm glad I didn't.  The next lady they honored was Carrie Underwood she sang How Great Thou Art.

This was on national tv.  I bet you she wasn't thinking last night if I sing, some trashy song I will sell records and have lots of fans.  Awesome song, I was in tears during and after hearing this.  Her voice is amazing & this just goes to show you that you can honor God with the gifts and the talents He has given you & you don't have to compromise what you believe in to make money or sell records!!! 

Healer

Last March my dad was diagnosed with Acute myeloid leukemia. It is a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells, characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal white blood cells. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was snowing and I was on my way to work and got a call from my dad crying (I have only seen him cry twice in my 29 years & that's when his parents died) anyways he called to tell me that I needed to come to the hospital. It was the hardest day of my life! I remember I was so angry and upset and didn't understand why this was happening, (a year an 1/2 earlier he had triple bypass surgery). I just didn't understand why he had to go through all the pain again.

He spent several weeks in Emory taking chemotherapy and receiving platelets and blood because the chemo would wipe out all of that. He spent about 6 months going back and forth to Emory taking chemo treatments and getting blood. He would have good days and bad days but he never gave up!

About 6 months ago we found out that he was cancer free!! Praise God He is the ultimate healer!! You know, that was six months ago, but just last night it really hit me, my Savior healed my dad of cancer!!!  I don't think I have ever really thanked Him & praised Him like He deserves!!!

I heard this song last night and it made me realize that no matter what pains or trials we face He is our healer. Sometimes we just have to have faith and trust that He is there & run to Him.

Whatever you may be going through whether it's the loss of a loved one, a broken heart, broken relationships or whatever it may be, trust in Him, He is our healer, He is all we need, NOTHING is impossible for Him!!!

ABCs of Me

A – Age: 29
B – Bed size: Full
C – Chore you hate: washing dishes
D – Dog’s name: Sassy - boxer & Gypsy - minature pincher
E – Essential start your day item: potty :)
F – Favorite color: Pink
G – Gold or Silver: Silver
H – Height: 5'5"
I – Instruments you play: Clarinet, base clarinet.  I can play saxaphone a little, trumpet a little, & piano a little :). I took chorus for 3 years and band for 4 years and can read music.
J – Job title: Operation Round Up
K – Kid(s): none yet, but hopefully someday
L – Living arrangements: in a house :).
M – Mom’s name: Jackie
N – Nicknames: BB, Beebs, Becky Lou, Beck Beck
O – Overnight hospital stay other than birth: I don't remember ever staying over night
P – Pet Peeve: Liars
Q – Quote from a movie: "Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming" - Finding Nemo :)
R – Right or left handed: Right
S – Siblings: Michael
T – Time you wake up: depends on where I have to be, during the week usually around 6:30 or 7 on the weekends it just depends.
U- Unique fact: I absolutely can not stand other people's feet!!!
V – Vegetable you dislike: Asparagus
W – Ways/Reasons you run late: hard time getting out of bed, I am not a morning person!!
X – X-rays you’ve had: only when I've been to the dentist :)
Y – Yummy food you make: Lasagna :)
Z – Zoo favorite: Tigers and Elephants

Who is in control of my life?

I had really been struggling the last several days spiritually & emotionally. I have been stressing about funds for Nepal. The hardest part has been letting God have control. I know He will provide the funds it's just been hard to let go of the worry! I have been praying that I would just let go of all that and let God have all the control!!

I have 2 bosses at work and I don't know their hearts but I don't know if they are Christians. One of them gave me $100 toward my trip & the other said she was going to give me a check as well! What a testimony!!

I have been struggling financially and trying to find another part time job and nothing has worked out. Well today I was offered a part-time job it's not a lot but it will help :) PRAISE GOD!!

I've decided to give up a few things that have been distracting me from praying & reading my bible & when I feel like I want to do those things, I read or pray instead. I'm really shocked how much I was attached to those things, but really excited about the time I'm going to spend with God and can't wait to see what He is going to teach me!! I am giving Him COMPLETE control of my life!!