What To Say

"Activity conquers cold, but stillness conquers heat."

I read this today and my interpretation of it reflects my emotion. A few months ago, I was completely downcast. A fellow Christian had criticized me to an extra low point. I felt shame and unworthiness. Hindsight taught me that the devil attacks believers in the most unsuspecting of ways--including feelings of inadequacy and regret. And for every bit of perfection that comes from Christ, the devil has come up with a counterfiet to it. Sneaky fellow.

BUT then there's God. Shame doesn't come from Christ. Inadequate emotions are the devil's playground and he will pounce if given the chance. Let no one caught in sin remain inside the lie of inward shame. Amen to that.

"Activity conquers cold, but stillness conquers heat."
I stayed active. Doing God's work, doing MY work, school work. Working. I didn't take my hand off the plow. Most people would say I burn the candle at both ends, and I believe that's true to an extent. I conquered the "cold" that came from the feelings of shame and desolation with activity. I put my weapon of truth back in my hand, and got BACK TO WORK.

Now, as I encounter "heat" from my oppressors, I've chosen stillness. Vacationing with my family, cutting back on working, and hanging out with friends. I'm being still.
I believe God has used every scenario in my life to get to me the moments I live in each day. He has given me all I need, because HE is all I need.

Fear knocks at the door, faith answers, and nobody's there.

Redeemed, JAS.
(:

Jesus wasn't crucified...

"...I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves, on the town garbage heap, at a crossroad so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew, Latin and Greek.  It was the kind of place where cynics talk smut, thieves curse, and soldiers gamble.  That’s where he died.  And that’s where Christians ought to be..."

-George MacLeod

God is SO big. Less than 10 weeks away from getting on a plane to step into a world I'd have never known if I didn't know Him. You're crazy if you don't get to know Him too. Praying for the lost today, more than ever.

God is beautiful, and we are made in that image. Let's live like beautiful people.

-Redeemed, now and forever-

JAS.

Hope Wins

It's been too long! Here's an update:

The pictures give the update on my world, the Scripture gives the conditions of my heart.

 

"When you see a person/situation as hopeless, you've slammed the door in the face of God."

 -Charles Allen.

 

Cleveland, OK has a chunk of my heart.
Crazy Love 



College is fun.
And I have a new internship!



Lamentations 3:

 ^19-21I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
   the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
   the feeling of hitting the bottom.But there's one other thing I remember,
   and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:

 ^22-24God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
   his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
   How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
   He's all I've got left.

 

 ^25-27God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
   to the woman who diligently seeks.
It's a good thing to quietly hope,
   quietly hope for help from God.
It's a good thing when you're young
   to stick it out through the hard times.

 



 ^28-30When life is heavy and hard to take,
   go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions:
   Wait for hope to appear.
Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face.
   The "worst" is never the worst.  



 ^31-33Why? Because the Master won't ever
   walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
   His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,
   in throwing roadblocks in the way.



 ^49-51"The tears stream from my eyes,
   an artesian well of tears,
Until you, God, look down from on high, 



   look and see my tears.
When I see what's happened to the young women in the city,
   the pain breaks my heart.

^55-57"I called out your name, O God,
   called from the bottom of the pit.
You listened when I called out, 'Don't shut your ears!
   Get me out of here! Save me!'
You came close when I called out.
   You said, 'It's going to be all right.'

 ^58-60"You took my side, Master; 
   you brought me back alive!"

-------



 Proud to be on the

sidelines of all they're boldly doing.

 

Friendships are priceless.


-Redeemed, JAS.
P.S. 93 days and counting. Literally. :)

Hammer in one hand, a weapon in the other.

Remember the Lord, and get back to work.

Hope wins.

The Past 72 Hours

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -Walt Disney

Walt Disney, what a cool guy. Disney is someone (and now something) that's changed lives all around us. They've brought joy, laughter, lessons, and just a feeling of togetherness for years. A joke at my work is that Christmas at Disney World has to equal heaven on Earth, because it's such a place of excitement and nothing's better than Christmas! I like his quote because I feel like God tells Himself something along those lines every day.

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -God

The past 72 hours might just be the most JAM PACKED GOD weekend I've been a witness to in a long time. What's even better is that a simple blog will never do it justice to what's truly gone on, and what's truly been seen. So here's my nutshell version:

First: A beautiful baby girl named Taten Quinn was added to the family Thursday night. SO happy for my cousin, Michael and his wife! The miracle of birth is truly something impossible that God makes possible. How a little tiny one can have the eyes of my cousin, and the nose of her mother. It's only God who could create such a well-thought out, masterpiece. What a beautiful girl she is. With love, comes new life. That's impossibly cool.

Next, one of my close friends got married on Friday! I've been lucky enough to stand on the same team as Austin for almost 10 years now (ew, dang!)  and I'll never forget the first conversation we had about his then-girlfriend Tiffanie. People always say "when you know you know" and boy did he know. What's cool is they each have a life centered around Christ. They were seeking Christ, and that led them to each other. All weddings are beautiful, and theirs was no exception. I've witnessed several friends get married this summer. What a blessing they've each been in my life. I finished that night with dinner with one of my oldest friends. SO fun. With passions, comes new life. That, is impossibly cool.

Saturday I got to experience a reuniting of new friends! There's nothing more refreshing than fellowship with long-distance friends. Maranda and Ashley, I don't even know if you'll read this: But. I'm speechless. You guys light up my soul. I've never felt so loved by people who've SEEN me less than a week's time. God works in mysterious ways, and He wastes nothing. I'm thankful for our relationships and the journey I've been on to come to know the great people of their town. Forever grateful. Out of obedience, comes new life. And that, is impossibly cool.



Brother 1



I ended my week where I'm planted. My church family revives me, and MY family, rejuvenates me. Got my double (triple!) dose of church this weekend, then ended my Sunday with my whole family. That's what I love about Sundays. I love my parents. I love my brothers. I love my family. Out of devotion, comes new life. And that's (you guessed it!) impossibly cool!



Brother 2



Long blog short: God is good. He was busy making plans for this weekend long before I knew Him. And that's what is so impossibly cool. Only God. All for His glory. ALL of this weekend, for Him.

Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

Luke 18:27

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible."

Can't help but agree!

Redeemed, JAS. <3 

We are chosen!

 "Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field."

Matthew 9:35-38

Growing up in church, these are pretty common verses. It wasn't until recently that I was re-reading them, and realized something I hadn't seen the first time I'd read them.

Jesus was surrounded by the sick, the poor, and the needy. The first thing He DID was look to the disciples. And He asked them to pray.

I had to stop for a minute and think about how I pray. Are my prayers problem-centered, or promise-centered? Am I selfish in nature, or compassionate for the needs of those around me? How I pray reflects how much I BELIEVE about God. I could do a lot better in this area, and as a nation, I think we all could. I hope you pause to ask yourself the same things I did.

Back to the verses above:

What's even more surprising than Jesus asking the disciples to pray, is what Jesus told them to pray FOR. You'd expect Him to see the multitudes and tell the disciples to pray for them, but instead he told the disciples to pray for more workers, for the church. He didn't say to pray for the lost, but for the church.  It's as if His concern wasn't that the lost wouldn't come to Him, He knew they would. He was concerned that the "workers" (the church) wouldn't go to the lost.  how humbling.

Here's where I stop and ask myself: How well of a "job" are we doing as a church? As a "body" of believers? Most people say the reason they don't believe in God is because of others' behaviors who say they do. What have you done to help out God's "team?" What more could we be doing? I've had a busy summer of doing God's work, and I'm SO glad to be chosen for that. God has blessed me in my obedience, but I continue to see areas I can grow in.

Sometimes I wonder if other professed "believers" ever feel that way. Are they striving to try harder, to live differently, to proclaim boldly, to give generously. If you're claiming to be part of this team, the chosen generation, then BE. Be apart of it. Or don't. There is no in between. Jesus didn't just kind of die for you, so we could just sort of live for Him. He died. He rose. He lives. There is no gray area. Jesus asked the disciples to pray for the church, not those in need. How scary.

"For you are a chosen people.

You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession.

 As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

We were chosen for this. :D

Redeemed, JAS. <3

where does my strength come from?

Man, what a whirlwind of a month I've been handed. What do I have to show for such a busy month?

I've seen the lives of others changed around me, I've seen sinners come to know their Maker, I've seen others recommit themselves to their original promises to God, I've seen children, younger than you and I, learn to lean on God's grace for their lives. I've raised a good amount for Africa. :) I've trusted, I've grown. I've seen BIG THINGS. And boy, have I said big things. :)

I'm so thankful for a God who comes through when I really need Him to. And in HUGE ways.

Back to tonight's topic! My strength?

My strength lies solely in my tenacity.
Tenacity: persistence. perseverance. grasping tightly. holding firmly.
The word tenacity literally means "the act of holding onto..." It's an act, an action. To be persistent in this means to ACT on your convictions, your beliefs, to be a little WEIRD, a little radical. to GO, to be silent, whatever it may look like, it's an action.

Psalm 121

" ¹ I look up to the mountains—
     where does my help come from? ² My help comes from the Lord,
      who made heaven and earth!

 ³ He will not let you stumble;
      the one who watches over you will not slumber.
 ⁴ Indeed, he who watches over Israel
      never slumbers or sleeps.

 ⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
      The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
 ⁶ The sun will not harm you by day,
      nor the moon at night.

 ⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
      and watches over your life. ⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
      both now and forever."



My help comes from the Lord. I could never have done what I did this month if it wasn't for His help. He's kept me from harm, and He watches over every decision I make. That's where my strength comes from. Knowing fully well that when I wake, the God of the universe is already there, with His huge plans.

I've held on, and learned that God is exactly who He says He is.
Be careful when you ask God to do big things, He'll knock you off your feet. :)

So grateful. My cup is overflowing.

Redeemed, JAS. <3

While there's still time....

"If God's love is for anybody, anywhere, it's for everybody....everywhere."


God is so cool, can I just say that? Super Summer went above my expectations. It's funny how when you even make expectations, God kinda throws them out the window and laughs and says something like, "Yeah right...wait til you see this!" I always imagine Him adding something like, "Boom Roasted" at the tip of those thoughts, too. Mmm!


Super Summer 2k11!



First, I love my girls. I miss them all. Wish we could all meet up like once a month! If any of them read this, you're beautiful, and you're God's. What else do you need to know from me??

We had a worship band from Ireland called BlueTree, (look them up, love them) they wrote the song God of This City that's become so popular. We got to hear the story behind the song, making the song even more of a motivator to see those "greater things" get done!
Craig Tackett was our speaker. He knocked me to the ground with his enthusiasm for God and for his love of Scripture. What a fun guy.

Just wanted to share my devotional this morning:
Since Eden, we've all sought independence from God's control in our lives, we convince ourselves that we're somehow in control of our destinies. But the Lord says one day He will come...and that's exactly what the prophet Joel was trying to tell Judah. Judah was a nation that had become so complacent, so comfortable. They were prosperous and powerful, taking their blessings for granted. (Sound familiar?) They had turned to self-centeredness, idolatry, and sin. Joel "boom roasted" Judah with words from God Himself:

¹² That is why the Lord says,
      “Turn to me now, while there is time.
   Give me your hearts.
      Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
 ¹³ Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
      but tear your hearts instead.”
   Return to the Lord your God,
      for he is merciful and compassionate,
   slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
      He is eager to relent and not punish.
 ¹⁴ Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve,
      sending you a blessing instead of this curse.
Joel 2:12-14

Key phrases that stick out to me are, "while there is still time" and "don't tear your clothing." Sounds silly to us now, but tearing your clothes was a sign of deep remorse back in the day, it happened all the time. But that's simply an outward act. Without inward repentance, or CHANGE, it'd be as if you ripped your shirt for nothing. Tearing your heart instead....sounds intense, but it's what God desires. And He is slooowwww to anger. Amen to that.

"While there is still time...." That one is pretty self-explanatory. Who knows, that blessing may be on its way as I write, but first comes repentance.

Don't wait, God takes no pleasure in fools who do so.

REDEEMED, JAS. :)

My own limitations

"...And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set a royal crown on her head and declared her queen..." Esther 2:17

DON'T LET LIMITATIONS LIMIT VISION.

Tonight I'm considering my own short-comings. I'm selfless to the point of a loss of self-worth, I talk WAY more than I listen, I don't take care of myself, I'm sarcastic to the point of insensitivity, indecisive, selfish, and the list could go on....
But also tonight, I'm considering the life of Queen Esther. So consider this:

God doesn't only use our gifts to fulfill our destiny, He'll use our limitations as well.

Yeah, even the things we're HORRIBLE at, or that we struggle with the most, God uses it all.
Esther has several "big" short-comings for back in her day. Sure, she didn't have to worry about social status, having an iPhone, updating her Facebook, being tan enough for summer, or texting people back in a timely fashion, but she had a few issues to face in her time as well. And her limitations, the things she had "going against her" so to speak, are what God used to help her fulfill for role as queen.
She was an orphan.
She was a minority.- a Jew living in Persia, BIG deal.
She was a single woman.

And God used all of those things, along with her beauty and brains to fulfill her destiny.

Sometimes what looks like a disaster in my life is part of a much bigger plan. But I'll never fulfill that destiny if i'm busy throwing my own pity party.
Esther could've regretted her role. She could've done like most of us do today and said, "If only it wasn't me" or she could have looked at other people's lives and said, "Man, it must be nice to be them..."

I think I need to realize that the unpleasant obstacles in my life are more often God-ordained opportunities in the making.

So, for anyone reading:
You might be in a situation right now where everything is going wrong, and you can't figure ANYTHING out. "Why me?" But God knows. Nothing in your life is accidental. The pleasures, and the pains are all to be used by God.

So, I'm thankful to belong to a God who not only uses the good in my life, but the bad as well.
All I gotta do is say, "I don't get it..." and trust that He does.

Pray for me and my family tonight.
Redeemed, JAS.

A photo recap...

"A good snapshot stops a memory from running away..."


I'll be summing up this past month with old photos I found. :)

I'm a girl of few words tonight.

Africa is on my mind.



I hung out with Melissa. FINALLY. P.S. I miss Rose...

I'm leaving for Super Summer in a week and I'm PUMPED.

My crazy brother moved in next door. Grrrreat. ;)

I have the world's wackest best friend ever. :)

My parent's first year anniversary is coming up. ;)
 I LOVE THEM.

UCO's #CentralEdge KILLED IT at AAF this year. :)

Had a few heart to hearts with good ole Baby Ray. :)



Sometimes good things fall apart. <3



His Grace is and always will be more than enough. <3

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand. I leave for Africa in less than 7 months. Mmmmmm.
Doing good, doing REAL good. :)


Redeemed, JAS.

Make Great Sacrifices

 Consider this!
Eventually every relationship you have, every dream you pursue, every  possession you own will have to go to the altar from time to time. It won't be a superficial test; it will hurt. Because sacrifices always do.
When we're truly devoted to something or to someone we're willing to make sacrifices. The measure of that sacrifice determines what matters most to us. Sometimes God responds to our  prayers rather bluntly. Like in Luke 14:33


"Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."



Broseph



Now, some things in Scripture can be hard to understand, but this isn't one of those. It's tough to do, sure, but it isn't complicated. Jesus made it clear that following Him, even if it contradicts everything that's important to us, is the top priority. Following Jesus means letting go of YOUR agenda, and picking up HIS.



Like a king that has to calculate the strength of his army before going to war, discipleship is no different.  In other words, what will this cost us? the COST is absolute sacrifice.

Here's my modern day example:

Imagine a little girl playing with plastic beads. She loves them. What if someone asked her for the plastic beads in exchange for a real (and expensive) pearl necklace? And moreover, she REFUSED THE GIFT?! Logically, her attachment to the plastic beads doesn't make sense. She would lose very little and gain so much more if she accepted the offer. One day she'd look back at the exchange, and wonder why it was ever a hard decision in the first place. But she can't see that in her childlike ways. 

Sadly, this is how many of us live today. Pain helps a person discern between plastic and pearls. Suffering leads to discernment.Sacrifice. But we who live comfortably as Christians have trouble telling the difference between plastic and pearls. We hang onto our friends, families, and income as though they were the ultimate reward. If God were to ask if we loved Him, we'd have no true answer. We're afraid to relinquish the beads for valuable pearls. And why? Because we value our beads? Or because we're suspicious that the pearls aren't real?  

So tonight, I ask, what sacrifices have you made to show your true devotion? What sacrifices still need to be made? It's time to lay it on the altar.

"So when the whole world turns against me, and I'm all by myself. And I can't hear you answer my cries for help, I'll remember the suffering Your love put me through and walk through the valley. It may not be the way I would've chosen, but you never said it would be easy. You only said I'd never go alone...."

Redeemed, JAS. :)

Through The Mud

Adversity introduces a man to himself.

Adversity. Affliction. Distress. Discomfort. Misfortune. Hardship.

Suffering. A word NO ONE wants to hear, right? The words mentioned above are synonyms for 'suffering.'  C.S. Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

We plot. We plan. We assume things are going to go a certain way. And when they don’t, we find ourselves in a new place—a place we haven’t been before, a place we never would have imagined on our own. It is the difficult and the unexpected, and maybe even the tragic, that opens us up and frees us to see things in new ways. Many of the most significant moments in our lives come not because it all went right but because it all fell apart. Suffering does that. It hurts, but it also creates.

Here's what the Bible says in 1 Peter:

 ^13-18If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath. It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God. (The Message)

Jesus paid it all.

The antonyms for suffering are hopeful. Happiness. Health. and Joy.
If you are suffering, I pray that it will bend you, and break you--but  into a better shape until you reach health and happiness.


Redeemed, JAS. :)

When life gives you lemons...

PRAISE GOD FOR THOSE LEMONS. :)

Amanda loves me <3

I have had many conversations with people who feel ripped off by life and therefore mad at God.   Because of personal challenges and severe circumstances they have decided that God is not worthy of their love or attention. However, I disagree with that.  I have experienced challenges in my life as well.  I have had people mistreat me and I have been delivered depressing news, but those things do not change my view of God.  They never have, and they never will. Even if my confidence in the the amount of trust I have in God wavers, my devotion to Him does not.

Even when life is not perfect....God is.

Hebrews 13:8

"Jesus Christ never changes; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!"

When I can’t find comforting answers to appease my questions, that does not mean that God has lost control.  I know that God is still good.  He is still loving, and He is still on my side.  When I am faced with challenges, I pray. Maybe not immediately, but eventually I know that every circumstance under Heaven, He is well aware of my needs.  Sometimes he has changed the circumstances and made them easier to deal with while other times he has just given me peace in the midst of the storm and surrounded me with his presence, but He has never left me alone, and He will never leave you alone either.  

So, the next time you feel that life has ripped you off and God has let you down, take a deep breath and realize that God is still right there next to you ready to help you cope.  You can pray and ask him to change the details of whatever it is that you are facing, but even if that takes time, ask Him for peace to make it through.

      

Philippians 4:6-7

^"6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

I pray that you're able to "make lemonade" out of the circumstances you're in.

PS: Check out the greatest song ever:

REDEEMED, JAS. :)

Just like the mist

"How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning mist--it's here a little while, then it's gone." James 4:14

It's only been a week since my previous post and MY how things have shifted. So let's update!

I'm NO LONGER going to Africa in August alongside my friend Sara. God's plan for her August has shifted, and He has the final say. I was stunned to say the least, but not worried. Nothing was going to seperate me from this conviction God has put on me heart. Chip Ingram once said, "When you and God agree on something, NOTHING can seperate that calling from turning into a reality." And I am witnessing that truth first hand.

The exact same day Sara told me that she couldn't come to Africa, I got a call from a friend who asked if I would be willing to change my trip dates and accompany a group of amazing people to Uganda/Kenya in December. It took me all of two seconds to decide to make the switch! Some of you might think that's disorganized, or that I should've prayerfully considered the idea for a few weeks then got back to him, but my theory is this: God doesn't work around MY schedule, or yours, or ours, for that matter. The will of God is unpredictable, sure, but it's not invisible. This opportunity came at a moment where my "praise" for God was dwindling, and I was wondering why He would throw this "fork" into my plan for the summer. And that was the whole point. August in R/E with Sara was MY plan. My analytical, well-thought out plan. Not God's. Even in the efforts to do something great, an act of servitude, somehow I put my wants over God's. Yeah, that sucks to say, but it's honest. 

So for the verse of my blog: My life is but a mist, that vanishes as the day goes on. My plan is also that mist, easily lost as the Son comes out and shines HIS plan through brightly. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have NO idea what God has in store for me now, all I know is that He's got the pen in His hands, and He's writing my biography! And MAN is that the coolest thing in the world or what??

SO, long blog short: I'm STILL serving, I'm STILL asking for prayers. Just the details of my trip have changed. I'll be going to Uganda/Kenya on December 26-Jan 6, with the protection of God's grace.

Thanks for staying up with my trip! There will be more details to come as I know this! But for now, I'm going to STOP worrying about the "plans" and the "details" and simply follow where God leads.

Redeemed, JAS.

Give Good A Chance

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
Listen up "good men"!!

I was talking with a girl today in one of my (more stressful) classes. It's what us well-on-our-way-to-graduation-juniors call crunch time! Scholarship deadlines are everywhere, EVERY class has a project or two underway, and it's "Stress Level Midnight!" Needless to say, everyone is ready for summer, but we can't check out just yet. ANYWAY. 

She began ranting about the evils in the world and how some people just can't be born with a conscience. She mentioned Hitler, then somehow we got to Westboro Baptist Church members. (yikes!) Then came the universal question that I think many people have found themselves asking:

"Does [insert name here] have a conscience?" "Does [insert name here] know what "good" looks like?"
"Are people born good or evil?"

John 1:6-9

"God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe him. John himself wasn't the light, he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The One who is the true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world."

This verse lets me know that everyone, EVERYONE has a little bit of good/light in them. Even the people I can't stand or that I think are plain hateful, they have good in them. This verse tells me that at the beginning of time (or our existence) God gave every man a piece of himself to provide for them a conscience. How comforting. Moral of the verse? Give people a chance. They WILL surprise you. Sometimes the surprise is a lesson you were needing to learn. Randy Pausch (google him!) used to say that no matter how much evil a person may show you, if you give them an honest chance, the good will come out of them somewhere. 

What about the Hitlers and the sects of the world? It just goes to show how far we have fallen from Grace and in a sense, lost their moral compasses. 

Spring Break 2011!!

So before we let the evils of the world triumph, examine where the hearts of "good men" dwell. Are we giving people, (God's people) a fair chance? NO ONE is too evil for the gospel to change their lives. When we stop believing in that, we stop living. God created them too. Hatred has no place in a Christian's heart. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. 

Give people a chance, they might surprise you.  

Redeemed, JAS.

P.S. Africa details SOON to come! Thanks for the prayers and support thus far!

To Whom It May Concern

I decided the details of my trip to Africa were FAR too long for a Facebook status, so, here is where I'll describe the last few months of my life (cliffnotes style!):

Ever since I graduated high school I knew I wanted to travel abroad. Whether it was for school or for a mission trip, or for vacation, the travel bug had hit! My mom and I have gone to many different places across the US, and I'm EVER grateful that she has instilled in me the mindset of how travelling the world can help you better understand your own. Shout out, I love you mom!

Skipping ahead what would be the last 3 years of my life of "avoiding" trip opportunities and/or "making excuses" as to why I shouldn't go (for reasons which most of you would deem exceptable) God basically said, "THAT'S IT! I've had enough!" It's all in or all out! For context, this was about the time the first earthquakes hit Haiti. I felt more than "called" and more than "emotional" about what had happened to the people there. Even prior to that, the tsunamis across the world had hit home with me at a young age, and Katrina. I knew I wanted to help. Didn't matter where, for how long, or what exactly for. But I knew/know I am able and willing, so God would lead me.

 A friend of mine, *he who must not be named* (but not Voldemort) began telling me details about his upcoming trip to Africa last winter. This Voldemort is truly a blessing in my life, as he well knows, and I began to "regret" that I hadn't been doing what he was getting ready to do. That's when God said it again, "I've had enough!!"...of my excuses and half-hearted vision of helping others. And then, as God so perfectly does, the Word got to me. Scripture after Scripture put a conviction on my heart SO STRONG, I'd be an inch from hell if I had ignored it.

Why was I "jealous" of a friend doing an act of love for God? Why do I say "I can do all things thru Christ who gives me strength." But then I wasn't really living that? I'd become a hypocrite, a luke warm Christian.

Skipping ahead a few months, I applied. I took my "here I go" moment and ran with it! And now I'm going to Ethiopia and Rwanda in August 2011 for 11 days.

I wish I could say that I've gotten nothing but support and that my life has become richer, but quite the opposite. See, whenever you step out in obedience to what God has told you to do, your red dot pops up on the devil's radar and he has it out for you. Whether it's a frightened family member, or a friend who thinks I'll never make a difference, I won't be scared, and I will make a difference. Yes, I've met obstacles, and I'm sure more will come. But if God is for me, NOTHING can stop me.

I'll be going with an organization called Visiting Orphans, (google them!) whose sole mission comes from James 1:27-- to love on orphans in their distress.

I'm not saying going to Africa makes me any more "spiritual" than anyone else. There's a difference between taking a radical step of faith and a reckless step of foolishness. I have the chance, and I'm going to take it.
More to come, as always!


Redeemed, JAS. :)

What I Expect



My best friend. :)



And me. :)



"The world is a dangerous place, but not because of those who do evil, but because of those who see evil and do nothing."

I can officially start blogging about my trip to Africa! I'm SO excited. Excited isn't even a grand enough word for it! Also, my friend Sara will be going with me! If you're reading this, I ask that you lift BOTH of us up in prayer, it's going to be one heck of a year!

I think my main point this morning as I'm typing is that I've heard a lot about "growing where you're planted." Which is great! What I mean is, the main thought/facial expresssion I've received when I say something like, "I'm going to Africa!" is either, "Why?" or "There's plenty to be done right here in the US." Both GREAT thoughts, and I look forward to answering more just like that. :) Here's one answer I've given and wanted to share:

I believe in the power of story-telling. Yes, story-telling. Like parents do for their children late at night, or the storyline of a movie. I believe in the power of relaying a message with visuals, with "characters." Jesus did too. He used COUNTLESS parables throughout the New Testament to enlighten the men of His day. Those "stories" stuck with them to the point where the "hidden truth" among them was a daily lesson to be learned. 

Now, I'm a STRONG missionary for the area of Midwest City, Oklahoma, USA. My heart breaks DAILY for the people I interact with and the choices that come before me each week. But who's to say I should've do both, if I can? Some would say what "dent" can you make in the orphan crisis in two short weeks, what are you possibly expecting to "get out of this." And that's where the shock comes in:

 I'm expecting EVERYTHING out of this. Before you say, "HOW SELFISH!" Hear me out:

Jim Elliot (an amazing man of God, google him if you want!) used to say something like, "The world has yet to see what God can do to a man, through a man, and for a man, who's completely sold out to Him." (Insert your name.)

I think it's a Tenth Avenue North song, but the lyric goes, "At first I was afraid, but not because of fear. I was afraid because the Holy of holies was inviting me near. " The God of ALL creation has invited me on a spiritual journey and He promised He'd never leave me. That's all I need to know. And guess what? Two of us agree! (see the promise of Matthew 18:19)

What do I expect to "get out of this trip," then? Everything. I expect to never be the same, I expect to leave a piece of myself there, (emotionally and physically, ha!) I expect to change the lives of the people around me while I'm there. And more than that, I expect to get a story or two. Or two hundred. :) A story that when I come back to my mission field of MDUB, people can't help but hear it and be changed. FOREVER. I'm living proof that a "story" about what God is doing in the lives of His people is all it takes to change someone. ANYONE.



TFS & JAS

I'm praying for a new story for my own life, and for yours. And I'm so thankful to the One who's writing mine daily.

"...he who has ears let him listen..." -Jesus.

REDEEMED, JAS. :)

P.S. Happy Birthday to Jimmie Tribble. The godliest man I know, and have ever known. He was CRUCIAL to my salvation, and for that, I'm forever grateful. LOVE HIM!