Greater Things have yet to Come...

Hey everyone! So it dawned on me that I have a blog and I have completely neglected it! So here is my update =)

God has really been working in my life and showing me AMAZING things! Lately I have been speaking a lot....to kids and fellow teenagers...the thing is....public speaking is one of my weak points! and all of a sudden that is all I seem to be doing haha! Afterwards I have had some people tell me I should do it more often....and I was thinking "PFT you kidding me? that was FRIGHTENING...I was shaking like a leaf out there..." and people will say I didn't see an ounce of fear....I thought..." that's amazing I was completely terrified...I was pretty sure I stuttered..." and people said that I spoke so clearly and strong....now what is going on here? Public speaking is difficult for me and I can't do it very well...but all these people are seeing differently I asked God, God I am too scared to speak father, I stutter....I say ummmmm about a million times....I completely lose thought sometimes....I have so many friends who have strong loud voices who are completely comfortable with speaking in front of crowds...why me?....then a verse came to mind....."But He said to me, "My Grace is sufficient for you, for my POWER is made PERFECT in weakness." therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, THEN I AM STRONG."

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

it's one of those moments where the verse just jumps off the page and hits you!!!!

WHOA!! *BOOM* what was that?....*knock* *knock* who's there? GOD

then another verse came to mind....it is also in 2 Corinthians....it's my favorite book in the Bible! =)

anywho here is it....

"For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

A leader from a program called EXCEL that I went to...told me this story....

She brought to our bible study 2 pots....one hideously patched up pot (that was once shattered) and a pot that was also shattered and put back together but not patched up.....she said we are all cracked pots (yes we laughed about this at first, but time to get serious)....all our weaknesses and flaws are the cracks in the pot....*holding up the patched pot* this person has tried to cover those weaknesses and flaws....so no one can ever see them...or find out that it is not perfect....but God *pulls out a candle* is a light that lives inside us....*puts candle in the pot* and if we cover all the cracks God's light and glory cannot shine through....sure we covered up our weaknesses but we have covered up God's AWESOME power in us!...*pulls out cracked pot* we need to not cover our weakness and let God's power be perfected in us...*puts candle in*....and as i watched the beams shine through the pot I suddenly got excited about all my weaknesses...like Paul I started to delight in them and I couldn't wait to see how God would shine through me!!! Even though that cracked pot was not perfect, the light shining through it made it BEAUTIFUL!

I heard this 3 years ago and for awhile I had forgotten but God brought it back up in my life...because apparently I needed to hear it again HAHA =)

God is SO GOOD!!!! SO VERY GOOD!

I just want to encourage all of you that all your weaknesses were instilled in you for a reason...to show God's strength, don't cover it up, let God's light shine through your cracks and flaws and His power will be perfected in you! =)

You may think...man I can't seem to do anything right...I have all these flaws and weaknesses...how in the world is God going to use me....I have nothing special...WRONG...God's light is and will shine through you and through you HIS GlORY AND POWER will be made PERFECT! YOU are going to do GREAT and MIGHTY things in God's HOLY and PRECIOUS NAME!!! Brace yourself.....GREATER THINGS HAVE YET TO COME!

God is Good ALL the time and ALL the time God is Good!

So a lot of things have been happening in my life lately! 

I have met a lot of new wonderful people that have become friends , played wiffle ball, Got closer to God then I have been in a long while, went to Acquire the Fire (which was AWESOME), been recruited by a band (which the people in it are the most amazing people EVER), climbed trees, jumped on trampolines and tons of fun stuff =)

     

     God has been showing me a lot lately and it has been WONDERFUL! He has opened my eyes to things I have not noticed before about myself...things I need to improve and talents I have never discovered. He has given me AWESOME friends who have helped strengthen my relationship with God...instead of pulling me away. He has been helping me improve myself in how I act with my family...things like being obedient the first time, being respectful and not get frustrated. He has given me more patience and understanding, and HE has been continuing to spring clean my heart. He has given me the strength to forgive and let go, to trust in Him always and know that he is the only one who will never leave me and never fail me.

     

Little Blessings Along The Way :)

Hey Everyone!

Wow this past week has been great! Don't get me wrong...there was a lot of things that weren't great...but the good outweighs the bad :)

Lately I have met a wonderful new family....surprisingly I have not met them sooner...considering there only a bike ride away :)

Prayers that I have prayed a while back are being answered in better time then I could have asked.

I don't have time to say a lot but thats a little bit of what has been going on :)

Senior Pictures....Life

Well Yesterday was pretty fun...my sister and I took my senior pictures =D

They turned out pretty good...not sure which ones I am going to chose yet. 

<--- Thats one of them

Sheesh getting ready for graduation is a pain...but completely exciting...yet scary ;)

I am very excited to see what God has in store for my life!

My life has been a confusing puzzle...with all these different pieces it doesn't seem like a picture will come out of it...but I have learned to just be patient and stop trying to jam pieces together and just let God have control =) 

God has given me a few sneak peeks but I still don't know what is ahead...I think He likes it that way ;)

He loves surprises =)

God has been spring cleaning me lately...making sure there is no dust under the carpet ;) I have been trying to get in a closer relationship with Him...its sad but I don't always make time for Him...even though he is the most worthy of it he gets the short end of the stick :(

Then I heard this really cool simple message....picture your life as a jar....God is the rocks and all your life and the things you have to do is sand....if you put the sand in first...and God last (the rocks) the lid won't close...nothing will fit...it won't work...but if you put the rocks in first and then the sand....all your life...the things you have to do....will seep through the rocks and everything will fit perfectly...the jar works just as it was designed!

when I heard this I was thinking about all the times I just put my life first and God last....nothing went well that day...It would start it off wrong...I would be more snappy...less patient...not willing to love and think about others then myself....then I remembered the days I started off with God...I was more sensitive to the holy spirit and I could handle the day much much better =) My attitude was completely different!

Wow one decision to start my day off with God can change my entire day! That was awesome to hear!

I pray that I can stay on track more and put God FIRST.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me, and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."