Last January my Youth Pastor asked me to be a LAST Leader for our youth group at church. I was supposed to lead 6-8 teenager in a discipleship class. Needless to say I was a little scared but also very excited. We did our kickoff on a Ski Retreat in West Virginia. The first night I was a really nervous about teaching but it was so easy and my group was the best! I was amazed at how open they were and I loved getting to know them so much! They taught me so much! This was also the first time I went skiing. I was terrified! I took some ski lessons and got on the ski lift. First time getting off and I fall! The rest of the time I was there I didn't fall again on the ski lift and I enjoyed skiing so much.
One of the biggest topics of 2012 for our youth group was Identity. This was such an amazing lesson for all of us! We all struggle with one things that the devil keeps lying to us about. The devil will tell us that we aren't beautiful, we aren't good enough, God doesn't love you, and so forth. The most amazing part of this was the wall! We had all the students and leaders put a lie that the devil has told us on the wall and then smash the lie with a hammer. Every time the hammer went through the wall it made me want to cry! I knew healing was taking place! God was replacing those lies with His truth! Ephesians is one of the best books in the Bible on identity in Christ.
Our next LAST trip was to Myrtle Beach. Seriously one of the best trips I have ever been on. The healing that took place there was only something God could do. Our youth were so bold. Their boldness inspired the other youth to be bold. Stories were told and lives were changed. I will never forget the guy who had demons tormenting him and how he was freed from them. That was all God! That trip taught me a lot about boldness and prayer. I am sad I missed worship on the beach but I was so proud of these youth!
LAST grew me so much this year and I am so thankful God allowed me to walk through this. I believe He was preparing me for my destiny!
So fast forward to Fall. We did a Prayer experience at church. Each night focused on something different and on the Sunday we did a church wide Healing service. That was one amazing night and I believe healing took place in more that just the physical sense. That week was one of the greatest weeks of the year for me! It taught me how important prayer was and that God will speak to me! He told me "Be Confident in ME!"
That word CONFIDENT has come up a lot in the last four months. It even came up again today. He is teaching me to trust in Him. He holds my future in His hands and that is all that matters. I don't have to worry about tomorrow! Prayer is number one in my book! It all starts there!
About a month ago a few of the youth got up and talked about their Secret Place! It was one of the best nights all year. They talked about how they do their secret place. One of the girl talked about how it is all about spending quality time with Him, not if you get through the whole Bible in a year. I realized that that is what I usually do. Just read to be reading. That is not quality time with Him. My Secret Place has changed drastically over the last Month. I now get up in the morning and either read a couple of my devotionals or just one, read the Bible, and pray. This has changed my morning and my whole day. I now spend quality time with Him. Sometimes I just want to talk to Him so that is what I do. I am thankful that I was there that night! It has forever changed my life!
December 8, 2012- A day that I won't soon forget. Our Youth Pastor and his wife announced they were leaving the Church to seek His face for three months. This was really unexpected and sad! I now have had time to process and I am thankful for their boldness and faith in Jesus! They are going against what the world does and seeking Him! One of the most awesome and encouraging things. I am grateful for the time I had under their leadership and I am looking forward to what this next year brings me. I am even more excited to see what God does in their lives! It will be great whatever it is!
This brings me to today! I told you in a previous post that I have had an overwhelming sense of Peace! It is His peace! I looked up some verses this evening about peace and I wanted to share a few with you! Isaiah 26:3 came up previously in my study on confidence in Him. I love how the Lord works and shows me a verse again but this time He shows me another aspect of it!
"Acquaint now yourself with Him {agree with God and show yourself to be conformed to His will] and be at peace; by that [you shall prosper and great] good shall come to you." Job 22:21
" I
will listen [with expectancy] to what God the Lord will say, for He
will speak peace to His people, to His saints (those who are in right
standing with Him)—but let them not turn again to [self-confident]
folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, [and is ready to be appropriated] that [the manifest presence of God, His] glory may tabernacle and abide in our land.Mercy and loving-kindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring up from the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven." Psalm 85: 8-11
"When a man's way pleases the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." Provers 16:7 This verse is awesome! I don't have to worry about what others think when I am following God!
" You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You , because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You." Isaiah 26:3
" Then shall your light
break forth like the morning, and your healing (your restoration and the
power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness
(your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God)
shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the
glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard." Isaiah 58:8
"Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]" John 14:27
"And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7
" Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace (the peace of His kingdom) at all times and in all ways [under all circumstances and conditions, whatever comes]. The Lord [be] with you all." 2 Thessalonian 3:16
"Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14
Those are the big moments that made 2012 one of my best year ever. I am so grateful for the opportunities and experiences that grew me! I am so much looking forward to this year and how much more growing I will do!
Thanks for reading!
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