Dancing Through Life

2011-06-09T22:54:00.000-07:00

I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, deduced, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me…my banner will be clear!
~abigail

2011-06-09T22:52:00.000-07:00

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. They eventually touched on the subject of God.

Barber: I don't believe that God exists.

Customer: Why do you say that?

Barber: Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things. :
------- :
The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again.

Customer: You know what? Barbers don't exist.

Barber: How can you say that? I am here. I am a barber, and I just worked on you!

Customer: No! Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.

Barber: Ah, but barbers DO exist! That’s what happens when people do not come to me.

Customer: Exactly! That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist! That’s what happens when people do not go to Him and don’t look to Him for help. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.

2010-07-19T17:29:00.000-07:00

There is a poem by Robert Frost entitled “The road not Taken.” The poem talks about the choice a man must make on which road to take. The poem starts with this man walking through the woods in the season of autumn. He comes to a fork in the road, one path is overgrown with brush and has many hills, and the man can tell that not many walk this road. The the other is grassy and pleasant, it is an easy path to follow and many travel by it. He has to choose which path he will walk down, the seemingly easy path or the difficult path. The end of the poem states, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” To me this poem can be applied to the Christian walk.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14.

The two roads mentioned in the poem can be the narrow gate and the wide gate. The wide gate is a pleasant and easy place that many travel by. And the narrow gate is the rough and overgrown path that not many travel by. The Christian walk is a hard walk. Like it said in Matthew, we need to choose the narrow gate that not many travel by because it leads to life. It is the path of righteousness. The wide gate is the path of sin and many can fall into sin. It is an easy path to follow, but many people do not realize where it leads.

It took longer than most for me to choose a path. I was headed down the "easy" path, the path that many took. I struggled growing up with thinking I was in Christ one day and the next not being sure of anything. I grew up in the Church in a Christian home, I had it too easy. I said a prayer, got baptized went to Church, but my foundation was made of sand. One bump in the road and I would fall. I would try to use my own strength to get up again. I was living in a mentality of “I can fix myself.” Fourteen years of my life were spent on falling time and time again. Depression was my crutch, I was content on being miserable. I was dangerous to myself, spiritually and physically. I had never tasted true contentment. I knew something was missing in my life, but the devil had his hold on me telling me over and over that this is all there is. I would go to Church, but it might as well have been an empty seat. I did not want to hear what anyone had to say. I was tired of fighting to stay alive, so I gave in to the devils plan for my life. I was tired of living on the fence, so I chose a side. Then there came a point where I was sick of living a life that was destructive not only to my physical body but also to my spiritual body. I had come to a point in my life where I could not go any further covering up the mess I was in. By Gods grace He got a hold of my heart. I realized that the price was high, but I knew God would carry me through. I didn't have to "pick myself back up." I came to Jesus, with all my sin and shame and He took me as I was and changed my life forever. The ultimate price that Jesus paid for me covered all my past and gave me a new life. I dedicated my whole life to God my savior on June 12th 2010.

I chose the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference<3

Jimmy Needham ( Dearly Loved)

2009-07-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

Please lay down your arrows
For they’re sure to pierce the skin
And water from a broken well
Will make you thirst again
When all things you’ve acquired
Are tested by the flames
And you can see them melting
Then will you call his name

It’s worth it brothers
It’s worth it friends
To know your maker
To lose your sin
Did you know that you are dearly loved

To the slaughters you are being led
Being told that it’s a party
That this God is in your head
And every single lie
Sounds just like the greatest truth
But the one truth you’re not hearing
Is that he died for you

No greater joy
No greater peace
No greater love than this

It’s worth it brothers
It’s worth it friends
To know your maker
To lose your sin
Did you know that you are dearly loved

Leeland Carried To The Table

2009-06-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master’s courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms

I was carried to the table
Seated where I don’t belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don’t see my brokenness anymore
When I’m seated at the table of the Lord
I’m carried to the table
The table of the Lord

Fighting thoughts of fear
And wondering why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His Holy presence
I’m healed and unashamed

You carried me, my God
You carried me

2009-05-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

We as teens are at a very critical age in our life. Over the years ahead of us we will be, Taught, Mentored, Challenged, Tested, Trusted, and Rewarded. God, our Parents, our pastors, our leaders and even our friends will be a part of this process.

Taught/ Mentored: Psalms 71:17-- Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

Proverbs 22:6-- Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Our parents teach us and mentor us to where we are able to grow up to declare God and all he has done.

Challenged: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Challenges will come, some will be easy some will be hard. we need to take them by storm with God at our side.

Psalms 91: 7--A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

Tested: Psalms 66: 8-10-- Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.

To me, this verse is saying that our lives have been preserved, and we have been refined by silver, because God tested us. we need to praise his name because through the testing he has kept out feet from slipping.

In the King James version of the Bible instead of using the word tested it uses proved and tried.
(Oh bless our God, Ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard. Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.)
Here when it says the word tried, it means to smelt, refine, or test.
When it says the word proved, it means to make trial, test try, or prove.

Trusted: After you have been taught and tested you have finally earned the right to be trusted.

Rewarded: If you prove trustworthy you will be rewarded.

2 Samuel 22:25 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

Hebrews 10:35-36 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

2009-04-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday is coming!
I am so proud to celebrate the resurrection of my Lord Jesus. When I go back and think of all he did over his time on earth it just astounds me. That a king as holy as he could humble himself to be a carpenter. He knew why he came. He knew what he had to do.
The King of all came and gave his life so that me, a sinner could live with him forever. I remember my pastor talking on Sunday about how if we have committed just one sin we have committed them all. So if I have ever lied then I am a lying, thieving, murderer. God humbled himself to save a lying, thieving, murderer.
I remember when I first watched the passion of the Christ. I was about 9 or 10. Visually seeing what my savior went through to save sinners broke my heart and filled me with a gratitude that I had never had before. Realizing that I put him on the cross I drove the nails in. The one who was sacrificed knew no sin, but he became sin for us.
Some of his last words were "Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing." Even as he was being beaten and mocked he still was crying out for his children. His last words were "It is finished." To me that is the three most powerful words ever spoken. After that the sky turned dark, the ground shook, and the curtain in the temple tore in two.
The day he died he was put in the grave. His disciples and followers were afraid to go out into the streets. They stayed inside praying and grieving. Three days later Mary and Mary Magdalene went to go to Jesus's grave. On their way there there was an earth quake and an angel of the Lord appeared and told them that JESUS HAS RISEN! It said to go and tell his disciples the good news. Later on after Mary and Mary Magdalene tried to convince the disciples that Jesus had risen, Jesus appeared to them. Some of them did not believe it was him, they thought is was a ghost. Then they felt his scars and saw his bruised body. They believed as do I to this day.
I believe he is risen and seated at the right hand of the Father. I know that i will be joined with him when i die to eternally worship him. I further know that his grave is EMPTY and MY LORD JESUS CHRIST LIVES FOREVER!

2009-01-25T16:13:00.000-08:00

If you ever look at a simple rose and think of its beauty. Think how God can make something so amazing so easily. It has such detail and wonder.
Thank you God for creating roses and letting us share in their beauty.

these are just two of my favorite verses at the moment

2008-12-16T09:53:00.000-08:00

Romans 13:11
And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

John 15:18-19
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

Love

2008-12-16T09:30:00.001-08:00

John 15:13- There is no greater Love than this, that he layed down his life for his friends.
That is so amazing that God is calling us his friends.
Love is a sacrifice and God made it for us. There is NO greater Love than that. God sacrificed his life so that the dead might truly live. He who knew no became sin for us all because of Love.
1 John 4:16-And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Here it is saying basically that without God we don't have Love. We must Love one another and live in Love so that God will live in us.
1 peter 1:8- Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
I do Love God, although I have not seen him I can hear him and I can feel him. I know his love is real and powerful because he is Love.

slow fade

2008-12-04T18:11:00.000-08:00

It is a slow process turning your back on God. It can start with something so small and turn into something so big. As a warning to myself and others be careful what you put into your mind. Don't go out and watch movies and listen to music that will harm your relationship with God. You will end up being numb to the things of this world and not even seeing yourself going into sin.
1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
1 timothy 4:1-2

This passage is simply saying that when the time is coming nearer to when Jesus will return people will turn on their own families. They will be dragged into what the devil is telling them. It is all a slow process to be turned away from and we don't realize it is happening because we are becoming numb to what the devil throws at us.
You must be on your guard and stay strong in your faith. Without your faith you are vulnerable. Pay attention to your relationship with God and do not let it fade away. Continue to pray that you will stand strong.

Let it Snow

2008-11-18T05:46:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about snow. Last night we got some. I woke up to see our patio chairs white. I love to be able to just go outside and look at how crisp it looks after a good snow. God did a very good job in creating such a wonderful thing.

I have always wanted to actully see a snow flake up close. Like when you get paper and cut it out. I want to see a real snow flake look like that. Eeeeeeeeeee! I am so excited!

Modern Israel part 2

2008-11-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 43:1-3

1But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!
2"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
3"For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your place.

Isaiah 44: 21-22

21"Remember these things, O Jacob,
And Israel, for you are My servant;
I have formed you, you are My servant,
O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.
22"I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud
And your sins like a heavy mist
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you."

Get excited

2008-11-04T18:19:00.000-08:00

For so long I have been such a lukewarm christian. No longer am I in the middle, I am on fire. God has done so much and given me excitement. I have never been so excited about what God can do!

It just excites me to even think about God. Lately if I just sit still for a few minutes an overwhelming desire to get up and unashamedly dance before my King. I could sit for hours and just think about all he does. Constantly I want to get up and shout his name loudly. I get butterflies when I hear people talk about him or hears songs that praise. I love to get excited about my Lord Jesus! It puts me in such a good mood. I want to shout to the world how awesome my savior is.

Modern Israel part 1

2008-10-31T14:21:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday night my whole youth group sat and cried out for our nation. I was over on a corner sitting on the floor praying and listening to what God had to say. God clearly told me that our nation is like Israel. We have gone through abundance and now we are stuck in the dessert. We have not followed the commands of God and we have become wicked and sinful. I could hear God saying the we as Christians need to continue to cry out and ask God to lead us to the promise land. We need to keep our eyes on him and he will show us the way out of wickedness.
I felt like I should share this as an encouragement. To tell people never to give up on prayer that God will lead us out of the dessert and into the land he promised. We need to be praying day and night for ourselves and our nation.

my heart belongs to God

2008-10-29T10:31:00.000-07:00

My heart belongs to God and God alone!

I get so excited to know that my heart is kept safe by the one who cares most.

I have been getting so excited about who God has for me. God has also been telling me who I need to wait for. I that who he is going to be will be worth waiting for.

God is always preparing for the days ahead. Also he does NOT want us to dwell on the days to come and to live in the future. I know I must not always think about what will come and not enjoy what God is giving me right now.

Although i am sooo excited about the man god has specially planned for me. Even before i was born he had my life planned. He always had my life planned perfectly how he wanted it to be.

There will always be temptations in my life, but i know i need stay true to what God and my parents are telling me. What they say is most important to me in all the world. I have already gone through so many things concerning my heart. I have been taught how to handle those things by having to. I have learned from all my stupid mistakes. I have also learned from the mistakes of the people around me.

It is not all fun and games. There are so many hurtful things that can and will happen. Your heart is the most important part of your body it keeps you alive. Without it both metaphorically speaking and physically speaking it is hard to live. It is so hard to go through and shine Gods love if it is broken hurt or torn.

On my wedding day i want to totally be able to give my heart to my husband without knowing that it has been passed along through so many different people. I pride myself in knowing that it has always been Gods and will be till that day. It excites me to know also that God is able to fix a broken heart in the time it takes it to beat. I have prayed for God to fix it before. It renews your joy to be so much stronger.

I find praying to God so exciting. He is always listening. He always answers them. Even if God does not answer them in a way you think he will or want him to. He always does everything on purpose. Nothing in this world happens on accident.

:-) :-);-) ;-)

My Savior

2008-10-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

Jesus truly is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is my true savior. He is my joy and my peace and comfort. With all my heart I will sing his praise. If I only had one more breath I would shout his name loud and clear. I want everyone to know the love of my savior. He came to earth and truly humbled himself to be a baby born in a stable. He came from King of all to a carpenter who died to take away the sins of this world. With a hole in each wrist and one in each ankle. With a wound in his side he hung from a tree. He rose again three days after he died. He appeared to over four hundred people as a man still with his wounds. He rose into heaven with all glory and majesty. He now sits at the right hand of the Father. I will proclaim his name, i will shout his praise and i will worship my king. I will fall to my knees and cry out to the one true God of all creation.

Intercession

2008-10-16T17:38:00.000-07:00

When i see all these people who don't know Jesus it so breaks my heart. I recently learned one of my best friends does not truly know him. I was telling my dad about it and i stopped and realized how important it is to intercede for them. There are so many that we don't even know some that have not even heard of his glorious name or is his saving grace. I know that i need to be praying for god to send his spirit upon them. That he would touch theirs lives and open their eyes. It is so heart breaking to know all these people going to eternal torment. It is also eye opening to me. I never thought about it like this and it has never really broken my heart till now. I knew they would not share the joy of dancing with the king of kings and worshiping the lord of lords. I never thought about what they would be doing. I want my friend and all those people put their to share the joy i have from being one of his children. From knowing that i am saved by the one who sits high upon the throne. From the one who died for my sins so that i could spend an eternity worshiping him. There is NO greater love than what Jesus can give you through knowing him and having a true relationship with him. With all the desires of my heart i want everyone to know how amazing and wonderful and majestic and peaceful and joyous and comforting God's love truly is. How indescribable it is. I mean how amazing is it to know that the King of Kings and lord of lords knows your name and planned your life. He knows every second what you will do next. He personally created you and thought of you from the beginning of this world. I want them to know that by God's grace alone are we saved from eternal torment and brought into the most indescribable relationship ever known. I want them to know that only God can make us pure and give us true joy for eternity.

There is no other name
By which man can be saved
There is no other name under Heaven
There is rest for my soul
And the wounded made whole
And the captives set free and forgiven

Such love as i have never known
I've found by the grace that flowed through me
In my unrighteousness
This is why my heart and soul and tongue confess

Isaiah 40:3-5

2008-10-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

A voice of one calling: In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Isaiah 40:3-5

Who Will Be My Voice In This Nation

2008-10-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

Who will go to the battle fields and fight?
Who will step up?
Who will speak my name loudly with no fear?
Who will comfort my people?
Who will be my voice in this nation?
Who will cry out?
Who will be BOLD?
Whom shall I send?

I will say i will go!
I will go to the battle fields and fight!
I will step up!
I will speak Gods name loudly with no fear!
I will comfort his people!
I will be his voice in this nation!
I will cry out!
I will be BOLD!
LORD SEND ME!

As i was going back to my room last night with my devotions notebook in my hand. I accidentally turned the page to see my notes of Lewis Burke's sermons. All i saw was who will be my voice in this nation? I broke down crying and i couldn't move. As i finally started walking again I could clearly hear God say that i will be his voice in this nation.
I know all these people that would know there call on their life and know what God wanted them to do. I never did, I prayed and prayed for him to show me what it was. Last night i finally heard God on what he wants me to do with my life.
Another thing like before this week i could barely hear God on anything. I was going through a season of silence and me not listening to what he had to say to me. Finally one night at my youth group i went up for prayer. The youth leaders wife prayed for me. I did not say anything to her but she just prayed that i would be able to hear God clearly. That he would tell me what i need to do. I went home that night so excited about God. As i layed in bed that night I prayed to God as well that he would show me things. Now all this week i have been able to hear him loud and clear!!!

Glorious In America... part 2

2008-10-15T12:03:00.001-07:00

It is so scary to see all the things going on right now in America. When i rarely do watch the news all i see are things about the stock market or murders or bombings or all these things that are stressing us. Then i don't even have to mention the elections. It is so clear how much we need to cry out to God right now. I am speaking for myself when i say that I call myself a christian and have not been caring about the world God has graciously givin us to live in. I know that i need to speak up in prayer to cry out for our country. If I really do want this to be the land of the free I need to go out and minister and comfort those hurting. I need to be praying for God to send his holy spirit down on us and fill us. I need to be praying for him to take us on the right path and to lead us. I know God can save a dying nation look what he did with the Isrealites.

Glorious In America... part 1

2008-10-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

These are the lyrics to the song that god gave me that i talked about in my first post!

Let your glory fly
Let your glory fly
Let your glory fly

If my people will humbly pray
Turn from sin and there wicked way
Then i will hear them and heal their lands
And secure my glory and power again

Lift your eyes up
To the sky
The lord is coming..coming to america again
Can you feel the fire
Can you see the wind
It's blowing through it's coming to america again

Go and tell them the blind will see
The lame will walk and tha slave is free
Shout the news that the lost will say
In the name of jesus you dead be raised

Oh God could this be
The land of the free
The land of the free
Oh God could this be
The land of the free
The land of the free

When God spoke to me!

2008-10-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

One morning I was sitting on my bed doing my devotions and god spoke to me about humility. It was so amazing, I looked up so many passages that said things to me so clearly. I never knew God was so easy to hear if you just take the time to listen. I had not just sat down to listen to God and what he had to show me in so long.
As he was rapidly showing me all these references about humility I saw one in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that was talking about humbly praying. I was reading it and i noticed that i had heard a song that had these lyrics in it and the first verse was 2 Chronicles 7:14. I went and listened to the song. After hearing it, and being totally amazed by God, he gave a dance to the song. Our dance team (Jezreel) had been praying and trying to think of new dances for so long and God gave me one in like two minutes.
Also i had not really been myself just kinda sad and depressed, but that morning God gave me back my joy. I was able to smile again, and laugh, and hear God. So far this had been the best morning in a long time.
I went and to tell my mom (and i think i interrupted her devotions) about everything that had happened. We both got to just sit down and talk. It was so AMAZING! :-)