A season at HIS feet

So lately I have learned that this season of my life is a season in which I am supposed to sit at HIS feet. This is something that I have struggled in learning. It's hard for me to just be still. I keep thinking that I have to be doing something. I have to be doing something that is advancing His Kingdom. Don't get me wrong we are supposed to be advancing His kingdom daily by living by His example but there are times when He just wants to take us in and be with us. He wants us to forget about what's happening in the world and focus on Him so that we can come to know Him more and grow deeper in the knowledge of His love for us. He wants to remind us that we are His beloved. That he is listening. He knows what's going on in our lives. He sees our struggles and our weaknesses. That he hasn't left us. That he is real and that he is completely in love with us and every one of our imperfections.

I think that sometimes we walk around with the spirit of condemnation and guilt hanging over heads. It's like when your driving and you see a police car and you tense up and make sure that you drive perfectly and you make sure you're not doing anything wrong, scared that you may be doing something wrong. Sometimes I think that's how we are with God. We want to try and live our lives perfectly and when we don't we feel guilty and condemn ourselves telling ourselves what we could of done better. Jesus came and saved us because God knew that we couldn't live a perfect life. We were never meant to be perfect. God loves us just for who we are no matter what we've done or what we will do He will still love us because that's just who He is. He's not mad at you don't let the enemy or anyone else convince you otherwise.

Right now He wants me at His feet because he wants to talk to me and hang out. He wants to teach me new things and He wants to heal my heart of things that have hindered me from being who He wants me to be. He wants to remind me of my identity. That I am a daughter of the most High King! Maybe that's where you are right now. Maybe He's not taking you to the next place you want to go because first He wants you to go and be at His feet or maybe you've already been to that place and He wants you to go out into the world and use what He has taught you to advance His Kingdom! Whether you're in a season of action or in a season of just sitting at His feet they are both great places to be because you are being used, loved and cherished by the King of Heaven and Earth!

May you be blessed and know that He loves you! That He is in love with YOU!

:D

~AC

It's okay to need Him

So lately I have had several revelations that come out to say that it's okay to need God. I mean most might say,"well duh!" but sometimes it may not seem as obvious. It hasn't been that obvious for me lately, anyway. I think in this world we have become to independent and don't get me wrong independence is good but to much of it can be a bad thing. It becomes a bad thing when you are going through something big that you can't handle by yourself and you try to anyway. As humans we don't like to admit when we can't do something because it makes us seem weak. But sometimes asking for help is what makes us strong. 

There are going to be battles that we aren't supposed to fight in this world. There are things that are going to get broken in this world that are not our responsibility to fix. There are going to be times where we want to defend and it's not our place to defend. For example, when some one you love is hurting you just want to say something or do something to make it all go away and you can't. I mean you may be able to make them feel better for awhile but not forever. The only one that can truly heal them is Jesus.

I feel like the Lord has been telling me a lot "Put down your sword, let me fight for you." and that is so hard for me because anyone that knows me knows that I love to war for people I love to go to battle. I keep having to remind myself that it's okay for me to put down my sword and let the King of Kings fight for me. When you are fighting a battle your not meant to fight the burden that you feel begins to overcome you. That's not how it's supposed to be. For his yoke is easy and his burden is light. (Matthew 11:30). In Isaiah 52:10-12 talks about God laying bare is holy arm and how he will go before us and be our rear guard! How cool is that? That the King of Kings guards us! One of my spiritual role models thought of it as Jesus coming in on a white horse holding his sword up high and coming to our defense no matter what it may be. He really cares about our troubles no matter how big or small so don't ever feel ashamed about coming to him with anything and everything! He longs to be with you!!

A year of new beginnings

So for the most part this summer has been a summer of change. Some good and some bad, all I know is this year is going to be a year of new beginnings. It's like I'm starting off fresh. It kind of throws me off guard a little bit but it also gives me a chance to re-evaluate who I am. It's kind of like I'm going on a sabatical but long term and in the same place. This summer I lost pretty much everything I knew. Now I'm left not knowing anything, not sure if I ever knew anything to begin with except that Jesus is my rock, he's the only thing that remains stable. You could say I lost a lot of stability these past few months but I gained something more. I got reminded that nothing in the world or of the world is stable. God is the only refuge that never falls down. I'm excited to see what the Lord has planned for me and my friends this year. It ought to be exciting, maybe just a chance to chill with him for a little while.

Go Hard!

So I was listening to one of my all time favorite Christian rap songs called "Go Hard" By LeCrae and Tedashii (T-dot!) and I just got so inspired more than that really, I'm not sure what word to use but anyway...It talks about going hard for the gospel no matter what it costs you even if it costs you your life! I mean that is amazing! I know that we've heard about people dying for their faith before but until I heard this song I never really thought about it. To give EVERYTHING to the Lord not just a few things but EVERYTHING! In all honesty that is the best thing that anyone can ever do because if we give our lives to Christ we are forever protected. No matter what happens on this earth we will end up in Heaven with our savior! Some say that death means that you lose but that is so not true because as paul says "to die is gain." Now I'm not saying that death isn't tragic it is, but it's beautiful also because if in Christ then you return home.

I went to Memphis, TN recently for a mission trip/internship thing and God did a 180 on my thinking. I got to see a life that I don't normally see. LeCrae always talks about the brokeness in the "hood" and I never really understood what he meant until I went to see it for myself. I was pretty scared about bein' in the "hood" everyday but honestly it's not that bad, I mean you don't want to like take walks around the block at night but there is just such a messed up interpretation of it. They are just regular people searching for hope and wanting to be loved and listened to. My heart just feels so burdened for them I want to go back! There are so many people who haven't heard about Jesus, having gone to Memphis and listening to this song just makes me wanna go out there and preach the word! I was with this ministry called Eikon http://eikonministries.com/home and they mentor kids, help with the schools and help out in the communtiy and they live in Bing Hampton one of the hoods in Memphis their moto is "building urban leaders who will change their community from the inside out." Watching what they did for a week made me think "They get to do this for a Job? How cool!" I mean I have to admit I probably didn't see half of all they do but I admire them so much for it. Okay I'm rambling now so I will just leave you with the lyrics to the song "Go Hard"

Verse 1: Lecrae]Lord kill me If I don't preach the gospelI'm still in my 20's- but I'll die if I got toEh man I''m Already dead- man forget my fleshI done been crossed over, see the full court pressI'm a full court mess if the Lord don't use meRunning from my trials thinkin' everythangs groovyIf the Cross don't move me then I don't wanna breath no moIf I ain't seeing Christ potna I don't wanna see no moRep Him every day without worrying about bruisingI been to china mayne I seen some real persecutionIf U didn't know Christ would ya life look the sameCan they tell you value Jesus by the way you rep his name?man what's the point of living if Im living for myselfLord empty out my life before I put you on the shelfSo for God I got Hard I don't wanna die tonightBut It's too many people living who ain't heard about the Christ.

Go Hard or Go Home Lord Use Me Up

[Verse 2: Lecrae]Went to Asia had to duck and hide-for sharin' my faithThey tell me water it down when I get back to statesThey say tone the music down you might sell a lot a recordsBut it's people out here dying and none of em heard the messageTook my wifey on mission trip - in central americaShared her testimony 40 people stood and stared at herWhen she said Jesus shoulda seen it was insanecause 40 out of 40 never heard of Jesus nameAw mayne we ain't focused on the war we just kickin' itworried bout our image and our space up on the internettake me out the game coach I don't wanna play no moIf cant give it all I got and leave it out there on the courtThank you for the Grace for the will and the desiregot me living for your glory stead of living to retireBut I pray I'll never tire of going hard for MessiahI don't need no motivationYou the reason I'm inspired.

Verse 3: Tedashii]

Go Hard for the Lord baby 'til He takes us homeGo Hard for the Father baby go on get it onThat's what that is baby/that what that mean/that what that meanThat what That is baby/That what that mean/that what that meanWha-What that mean?That mean that we, should be out up in the streetsNot just in houses with our bible's summarizing what we readMan this ain't deep (man this ain't deep)/why we ain't doing what we readIts like we sleep (its like we sleep)But sinners sleepwalk when they sleepSo why can't we (so why can't we)/the redeemed of the LORDAct out, what He said/and make a scene for the LORDAction-cut, say what, like we was the directorBut you better get a Grip like movie sets, and get to stepping/(Martin)I know you done it/da-done it, da-done-and heard it allYou was going hard for the Lord before you heard this songBut don't play yourself to save ya self/and walk in fearScripture's like a mirror/the truth is closer than it appears

His love is unconditional

Hey there! Sorry I haven't blogged in awhile I should be blogging a lot more sense school is out! So lately I have realized more than ever that God's love is unconditional. The past few months or so I have been feeling like I haven't been doing the right thing or actually like I haven't been doing things the right way. The truth is, is that we can't do everything right all the time that's why they call it grace! I guess I just felt like if I didn't always do the right thing that God didn't love me anymore or as much anyway but that way of thinking is totally wrong!

God is not an either or kind of God. It's not like he's saying "Okay do this or I won't love you anymore." That may be the worlds view on love but it's not God's view. God loves us more than we will ever know! I think the reason why myself and so my others struggle with fact that God's love is unconditional is because the world has screwed up the definition of love. All we see on TV these days are celebrities getting married and divorced in less that 48 hours then by then they are already engaged to the next person. We see "friends" trying to get revenge on each other over silly issues when all they really need to do is talk it out. Okay that really sounded corny but my point is, is that God is not the Dad who left you or the husband who walked out or the friend that went away he is the one that NEVER leaves, walks out or runs away! I mean he said it himself..."I will never leave you nor will I forsake you." No matter what you do he will always love you! Isn't that awesome?! That's not only why they call it unconditional but that's why they call it true love!:)

Beautiful Moises

So you may have heard about Moises Asertemo he is a little boy from Belize who fell out of a truck and had suffered massive internal injuries. His diaphragm was ruptured. His abdominal contents had moved into his chest cavity. He was without nutrition because of the extent of his injuries made it impossible for it to reach his body. Tim Tam from who used to be an associate pastor at First Press. here in Amarillo has a ministry called the Word at Work and he goes from Amarillo to Belize quite often. When met Moises he was literally dying and so he immediately got on the phone to hospitals in the U.S. to see if they would take him because the surgery that he needed was not available in Belize and after numerous calls, BSA here in Amarillo accepted his case at no cost. But that's not even the beginning....the night before Tim Tam was going to tell them that he was going to the states Moises said that he was visited by a man in white Tim said that "He said the man in white by the window told him he was leaving, that he should get ready." So Moises got up out of bed in the middle of the night wiped himself off and combed his hair with Vaseline, put clothes on and waited in a chair. Moises hadn't been able to get out of his bed for weeks so his mother and everyone else were astonished that he was out of bed and able to get ready. Moises arrived March 26th around midnight right before the blizzard. His mother Magdalena was unable to arrive with him due to problems with her Visa but came in two days later.

God keeps using this boy to amaze me of how real God is. The faith that Moises has is just unbelievable he heard the man in white tell him to get ready to go to a place he didn't know and he did it and God brought him to safety, like I said it just amazes me how God can use a little boy to restore the faith of many. He is known in Belize as "The Boy Who Refused to Die" and that is so true! I met him the weekend he came and he is just so Beautiful! I can't tell you how much the Lord has touched me through him, he is such an inspiration! He's only 8 years and God is using him in such a huge way, everyone in Belize has heard of his situation and is praying!!

He won't be able to have his surgery for at least two months. He needs to gain about 2o pounds at the moment he is around 33. I just would ask all of you to pray that the Lord continues to bless Moises with his love and healing. I ask that you pray for his mom and also family back home, this looks to be like it's going to be a lengthy process I just ask that you would pray that it goes by fast!! I will be posting updates as I know more!

To know more details read the story GENEROSITY SAVES A LIFE http://www.amarillo.com/stories/040509/new_13070933.shtml

Talking to him not at him

So I have been in place with the Lord where I feel like I'm not getting through...but I feel like I had a revelation. I learned that when you are in prayer you need to talk to the Lord and not at him. What I mean is you need to talk to him and wait for a response, make his presence known. I think what I've been doing is, I've just been talking a hundred miles an hour and not giving him a chance to say anything. I've been asking him a lot of questions lately and not getting answers I think that's why. It's like when you're in trouble whether it's with your parents or whoever and they are so mad that they ask you all these questions but they don't give you a chance to answer. That's what I've been doing with the Lord haha. The Lord knows that you have questions and wants to answer them, you just need to give him time. :)
Love~

Pray Harder

So lately I have been feeling a little bit unworthy. I feel like everything I do is wrong or if I don't do something I get disappointed in myself. I have felt disappointed in myself lately, I feel like I just keep making mistake after mistake. I feel like that sense I keep making the same mistakes, making promises I don't keep, that I'm too unworthy to approach the Lords throne. I always wondered how people could feel unworthy and be too afraid to approach the Lord because they think he's mad at them but now I feel that way. I wonder if he still loves me, if I can still be involved in the plan he has for me or if now I messed it up so bad that it's out of the question. I feel like I've been praying the same thing over and over with no result...Natalie Grant put it in a good way "my prayers feel like there bouncin' off the sky" I went to coffee with one of my dear friends in the Lord and she said whenever I'm feeling like my prayers aren't getting through to just "pray harder". That seems so simple...pray harder. I'm guessing that just means to press in. The Bible says good comes to those who earnestly seek him (Jesus). I just wish this whole mindset of rules would break off because the way I think of God right now is totally wrong. He's not angry, he's not mean he's full of compassion. He doesn't want us to live like puppets on a string he wants us to live, and walk in the freedom he died to give. He loves us more than we will ever know.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." ~ Matthew 11:28-30
Love~

Faith and Not Fear

So lately I've been kind of cleaning house spiritually. I'm starting to discover who the Lord really is. I've been trying to open my mind to the things he wants to teach and the things he is teaching me. I've really had to learn to keep the faith and not fear. When things look scary and out of place I think our faith becomes small, hidden or it disappears at least that's how it is in my case. I feel like I've just been observing lately...sometimes I've felt that I was on the outside looking in, but now I see that it's been a good thing because I've come to realize how important the people around me are. I just look at all my brothers and sisters in the Kingdom and I'm just in awe. It makes me feel safe to know that I have them. Safe. that's another word another thing that we like to feel. Lately I haven't been feeling that way...It seems that I've been living in constant fear. Maybe that's why the Lord has been pointing out all the beautiful people in my life. REVELATION!! haha isn't the Lord great!! Love~