Passion Conference – Don’t Count Out This Generation
30 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
Passion Conference, a 4-day Christian conference that takes place every year in Atlanta, is one of the biggest youth evangelism events. Throughout the event, Louie Giglio, the founder of Passion Conference and Passion City Church, urged his college-aged audience of 42,000 to strive towards the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In Giglio’s closing remarks, he said, “You don’t have to wait to participate fully in the plans and purposes of God. It’s now that God can use you.”
This year’s speakers included Francis Chan, John Piper, and Beth Moore. Worship featured headliners Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman. The goal of this year’s Passion Conference was to raise one-million dollars to fight slavery and human trafficking. The money came pouring in. Students had to wait in line for hours in order to donate their money. It was all worth it in the end when the total amount of money donated was calculated – 3.1 million dollars.
Giglio and the all of the attendees at Passion Conference 2012 serve as a reminder not to count out this generation. This generation of college students are already changing the world around them.
Hensch, Mark. “Passion 2012 Closes With Spiritual Call to Arms for College Youths.” Christian Post. Web. 30 Mar 2012.
Survival Is Not Good Enough
03 Mar 2012 3 Comments
in Christ-Centered 24/7 Tags: complacency, faith, hebrews, life to the full, moses, slavery, survival
For a long time, I survived. I survived school. I survived work. I survived the daily routine of life.
If we stay in “survival mode,” we can easily become stagnant. We accept surviving as a way of living. But thank goodness God is not OK with just “survival mode.”
In John 10:10, Christ says, “…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Surviving isn’t living life to the full. It’s getting by, day by day.
That’s what the Hebrews did for generations upon generations. They survived – as slaves.
“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.” -Exodus 6:6
God did not want complacency with survival. So, He raised up a leader – Moses.
While everyone else lived in survival mode, Moses say all that God wanted for His People and knew that survival was not enough. Moses didn’t want to maintain the status quo.
Don’t allow yourself to simply live in survival mode. God had more in store for the Hebrews than what they could see. God has more in store than what we can ever imagine. Take the initiative, the knowledge that God wants you to have life to the fullest, and move to higher ground.
There’s more to your life than the problems, the pain, the monotony.
There’s more to your life than what we can you see right now.
One Year Later…
28 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Christ-Centered 24/7 Tags: cross, faith, follower, following jesus, giving up everything, jesus, losing everything
Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of God, in all His wrathful anger, coming down from heaven and into my body. He was quite angry, and had a fiery message for me, His new messenger, to deliver.
Delivering that message cost me everything.
“Salvation is free; it costs you nothing. Following Christ will cost you something. And there will be no return for the price you pay.” -Andy Stanley
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? -Mark 8:34-36
“Salvation is free; it costs you nothing. Following Christ will cost you something. And there will be no return for the price you pay.” -Andy Stanley
The delivery of that message the Lord burdened me with cost me everything. It cost me being part of the youth program at church, it cost me my leadership position within the church, and it cost me many relationships and experiences.
But it is no good for me to have everything in this world, only to lose everything in the next life.
Jesus asks us, “what can (or would) you give in exchange for your soul?
My answer is simple. Everything.
My soul >My things
My soul >My experiences
My soul >My relationships
So I willingly give up everything in exchange for my soul. I will carry my cross and I will be a Follower.
And I want to tell you that even though it cost me everything, I gained so much more, because by choosing to be a Follower and picking up my cross, God gave me so much more. He gave me a new purpose and new direction. He gave me His presence like never before. He gave me this and so much more.
So I willingly pick up my cross, no matter what the cost.
Oh Jesus, I FOLLOW YOU!
In Or Out Of His Will: You Decide
21 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Christ-Centered 24/7 Tags: choices, coincidence, college, decision, faith, satan, signs, snow, will of god
Recently, I visited a college. From the moment that we started driving towards the college, I knew that I was not supposed to go there. The number of signs confirming that was ridiculous. While driving there, the sky was dark and ominous. I told my mother, who was driving, that if it started to snow, I was leaving and was done with that college. It would be a sign that that college was not meant for me. It didn’t start to snow… yet.
When we finally arrived on campus, I looked around. Though most people think the campus is absolutely gorgeous, I abhorred it. This was definitely not where I belong.
Then, as we went to a different building on the campus, it began to snow.
This was a sign from God that I said would come. At that moment, I was certain that if I chose to attend this college, I would be out of the will of God.
It would be very tempting to say all of the signs were coincidences. With my current scholarship offer, it would be very easy to say that this was God’s will for me. To go to this college.
But I say no.
Because I choose to stay in the will of God.
I decide.
Every moment, I decide.
With every decision, I decide.
To pick God or Satan, I decide.
To be in or out of His Will, I decide.
God, I decide.
I pick You.
What will your choice be?
Remembering the Past and His Signature in the Sky
05 Feb 2012 1 Comment
in Christ-Centered 24/7 Tags: beauty, glory of god, god, nature, sky, tennis, worship
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I try to get to tennis practice about an hour before it actually starts so I can warm up and practice on my own. However, this past Thursday, the clubhouse was locked and I couldn’t get to my equipment.
Instead, I did something I never do – I went and hung out on the swings. As I was swinging back and forth, I watched some of the little kids there play on the playground. It reminded me of the good old days. The days when I wasn’t worried about grades or school or college. I miss the days where I could do almost whatever I wanted because I had no responsibilities.
Circumstances have obviously changed that, and even though I have very little freedom because of the overwhelming amount of responsibilities I have, I still have the freedom to worship.
As I walked back to the tennis courts, I looked around. Everything looked so clear, so beautiful, so majestic that the only thing I could do was worship the Creator. As I laid on the tennis courts, gazing at the treeline, all I could think was “Wow, how great is our God!”
His signature was clearly seen in the sky that day. The sky was a gorgeous blue, the trees a stunning green. And all of it, every single leaf and ever inch of the sky was made for ME, so that I could look up and say “Wow, only GOD HIMSELF could do that! Glory to God in the Highest!”
“O LORD, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom has thou made them all:
the earth is full of your riches!”
-Psalm 104:24
When You’re Unknowingly Headed In The Wrong Direction…
28 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Christ-Centered 24/7 Tags: direction, doors, faith, life
When you are unknowingly headed in the wrong direction, God will start closing doors. Lately, He has been doing this in my life a lot. In the past week, I’ve had God shut two doors. No matter how hard I try to open those doors back up, I can’t because GOD closed them, not I.
When God closes a door, it is a blessing. It keeps us from straying from His Will. When He opens a door, it is also a blessing, because it keeps us within His Will.
God opened a door for me in the past few weeks, a door that I must take because I cannot shut it.
Though I don’t know all that lies behind the newly opened door, I must walk through the door in faith. And that is what I shall do.
“…What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” -Rev. 3:7
A Friendship from the Past
19 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Christ-Centered 24/7 Tags: blizzard, darkness, friendship, skiing, snow, snow ski, winter
It was going to be the blizzard of the decade. This was not good news. My family, my friend Mac, and I were supposed to be heading to Winterplace Ski Resort in Virginia for my birthday. Despite the ominous forecast, we piled into the minivan on Friday afternoon. Within two hours, we were stuck in traffic. It started to rain. Then, the sleet began. The sleet quickly turned into thick snow. Suddenly, traffic came to a stop. For three hours, we wondered if we were going to move again. Snow was built up several feet on each side of the road. Though Mac and I were quite scared and frustrated, we had each other, and that was all we needed. After many uncertain hours, traffic slowly started to move. We immediately began searching for an exit, Around ten-thirty, we pulled onto an exit, in need of rest. We were now in “Middle-of-Nowhere, North Carolina.”
The next day, we got back on the road. Four long hours later, as we were about to go through a tunnel, construction crews stopped us. For what seemed like hours, Mac and I sat in the van, not knowing our fate. Would we ever get to Winterplace? Eventually, crews waved us through the tunnel and three hours later, we arrived at our destination where we enjoyed three days of intense skiing.
On our final day at Winterplace, we were going to night ski. On our way up, Mac and I rode on different lifts. I stared at the hundred-foot drop beneath me. It would be okay. The lift would get us to the top. Suddenly, we were thrust into darkness as the lift jerked to a halt. I couldn’t see my hand in front of me, much less my friend.
I yelled to my friend, “Mac, are you okay?”
“Yes, but I don’t like this!” Her voice was shaking. The wind started to pick up, and the lift started to sway. The cold began to seep in through my jacket.
Finally, the course began to light up again and the lift began to move. Getting off the lift, we hugged each other. We were alive! I had never been so scared before. I hated not being able to be beside Mac when were stuck and scared in the dark. I believe that because we endured the fear and the cold alone, it was much harder on both of us than if we had been on the same lift.
I believe that life is better when you have a friend to walk beside you. I believe in a friend who won’t lead, because she couldn’t pick me up if I fall. I believe in a friend who won’t walk behind me. My step may be uncertain and unsteady. I believe in a friend who will walk beside me so that we may hold up one another.
Used, Abused, and Loving It!
17 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Christ-Centered 24/7 Tags: angels, faith, god, holy spirit, presence of god, used and abused
I’m going to admit it. I’m worn-out. This past weekend, I served as a table leader at a Christian 3-day weekend for youth. It was an incredible experience, and even though the girls were absolutely amazing, I feel used and abused. I didn’t go to bed until one or two in the morning, only to be up by six am. The days were so exhausting but so filled with God.
I’ve realized that every time we need filling up, He will not just fill us up, He will overflow our cup. 
Every time we need a reminder of His Presence and Love, He comes full-force with His army of angels close at hand.
Tonight, I can say that I am used and abused by God and loving every minute of it!
“…You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” -Psalm 23:5
Holy of Holies
12 Jan 2012 1 Comment
in Christ-Centered 24/7 Tags: faith, holy, holy of holies, religion
Tomorrow I will be leaving for a 72 hour trip to the Holy of Holies, called KR.
At our Holy of Holies, we truly gaze upon the face of God, and lives are changed because of it.
This is the place where religion dies and faith is revived.
There’s this song called “Take Me In” but Kutless, and I think it describes perfectly describes my life at the moment and my love towards the Holy of Holies…
“Take Me In” – Kutless
Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy Place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
And the Priests who sing your praise
I hunger and thirst for your righteousness
But it’s only found in one place
[Chorus:]
Take me into the holy of holies
Take me in by the blood of the lamb
Take me into the holy of holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
Lift Us Up To Fall…
11 Jan 2012 1 Comment
in Christ-Centered 24/7 Tags: confusion, fall, god, healing, hope, lift us up
There’s a song by Tenth Avenue called “Lift Us Up To Fall,” and one part of it has been stuck in my head for many days on end.
“We’re waiting here,
waiting for You God,
with our hopes and fears,
we come empty hands held out,
Lord draw us near,
heal these broken hearts,
You lift us up to fall before everything You are.”
How great is our God that He can use music to teach us!
Life has been complicated lately, and for a while, I had no idea where to turn. The answer: turn to God!
I’m broken. I’m confused and frustrated. I’m banged up and bruised up. I’m all used up.
But when I fall before God, He will fill me up again.
