Raccoons, Cockroaches, and Jesus

 (Warning: Some details have been modified to keep this story shorter)

This weekend held the most eventful camping trip I have yet to take.  Picture this. 

You are stranded in the woods with 20 or so teens and adults in your youth group family.  You here a high-pitched noise ring through the trees.  You shine your flashlight on the woods in front of you and start to scan the scene.  To your dismay, you see many pairs of eyes looking back at you.

This is almost exactly what happened on Sunday.  We had arrived at the campsite around the time that a group of scouts was leaving.  They warned us of raccoons the size of dogs and cockroaches as big as our finger.  We just assumed that they were trying to scare us, and even the ranger said that if you don’t have food out in the open, you would be fine. 

So we started setting up our tents and moved our backpacks inside.  Then we ate.  As the sun was setting, we noticed a raccoon walking along the path a ways away.  Paying little attention to it, we started singing.  “Light of the world forever … EEEEEE EEEEE EEEEE” The raccoons were out.  It seemed as if they all were let from a cage because you would see them everywhere.  Right behind you, gathered around your tent; they were all over!  When we finally looked at them, we realized that they were trying to break into the tent.  Our youth pastor went to go scare them away, and came back saying that the raccoons had unzipped his tent, and had been walking around inside. 

Instead of leaving, we decided to go to the store to buy some ammonia to keep away the critters.  As one of the ladies reached into the tent for her purse, a raccoon reached for the zipper only inches away from her foot.  When we tried to scare it away, it wouldn’t move!  That was the final straw.  We decided to pack up and go home.  We had to take down a chain, pull the cars through the woods, and shine the headlights at the tents just to see our feet in the dark.

That was when we noticed the cockroaches.  They would scurry over your feet if you kept them still, so we stood on benches.  I have never seen a campsite go down that fast.  A tent it took an hour and a half to put up went down in under 20 minutes!  We quickly got out of there.

We ended up staying at our youth pastors house, or at least the boys that wanted to stay at the camp staying inside.  The girls slept outside in a collapsing tent.  I personally had fun, but I can’t say the same for everyone else. 

All in all though, whether it was fun or not, whether the camping was successful, we did get a lot out of the trip.  An eighth grader that has been coming to youth group since sixth grade accepted Christ as his Savior.  In that case, it doesn’t matter that we had to battle raccoon and cockroach problems, or broken tent poles, because the kingdom of Christ grew this weekend.  And I wouldn’t mind battling rain and snakes next time if it means that the angels in heaven are rejoicing salvation.  This weekend just shows that sometimes, trials can bring triumph.  So lets work to set the world on fire, one wrecked camping trip at a time!

You Move Me

Here's something I wrote in  Creative Writing.

You move me like the cool breeze of yesterday and the light of tomorrow.  A dawn of a new day, an end to all sorrow.  And with every day, I am forced into wonder, of a Savior, a Messiah, whose name brings the thunder. Or the quietest whisper in my ear, spoken so that only I will hear.
You move me like the light at the end of my hall, a constant reminder that you catch me when I fall.  You move me like the sun kisses the water at sunset, and how the moon disappears without a word, and I would be plunged into darkness if you would ever leave me, for only with you can I truly see.  And at night when no one it's near, I call out your name because I can't do it alone and you are the song I am singing.
You move me like the mountains you could, the rain on a sad goodbye, my favorite song, but look : I see the day coming when I can see your face and thank you for your endless love and grace. 
Lord I need you, oh I need you and I anxiously await the day of our rescue.  But until that day I will wait and see, Lord continue to move in me.

Keep the Fire Burning

This week at school and at youth group and with the comments from my blog post last week, I kind of felt God speaking to me.  It really wasn't insane or extraordinary, but it really has given me a new view and purpose for this upcoming school year.  Keep the fire burning.  Yep, that's it.  And I honestly think that my goal for this year, although simple, is pretty amazing. 
Last year, I tried to live by my blog title, set the world on fire.  And this year, the fire that God sparked in my heart will still remain.  I will keep the fire burning.  You all know about the burden that He has placed on my heart for missions; my goal is to keep that fire burning.  The one burning here in my Jerusalem, yep, I am going to keep that fire burning too.
So I will leave you with this.  Whether Christ has been your best friend for as long as you can remember, or you just met Him today.  Whether you have you have acknowledged His presence, or you are still finding your way back home.  Keep the fire burning, and maybe together, with the help of our Heavenly Father, we can set the world on fire.

One Moment

It is amazing how one moment in time can be life-changing. 
     For those of you that don't know, this summer, I took a week long trip to Nicaragua.  It was the best week of my life and I am still amazed at how much God changed me on that trip.  I still remember sitting on the plane in Fort Lauderdale and awaiting my next footstep into Nicaragua.  I vividly remember the first hotel we stayed in, and waiting for the bus to come that first day.  However, as distinctly as I remember everything, I am still so sad because I am forgetting what if felt like to be in Nicaragua. 
    One of the days I remember like yesterday was on the Tuesday that we were there.  It was the second day of VBS and we were at the village of Mateare.  I can recall how badly those kids needed love, and how we were so willing to give it.  One girl in particular stuck out to me.  I remember her being the one that didn't only want a hug, but she wanted me to hold her.  I held her for about 10 minutes when she wanted me to take her to her house.  I had to say no because I couldn't go unaccompanied.  I thought that I wouldn't see her again, but a few minutes later she was back and in my arms.  I can still see the people and feel that gentle breeze as I held her that day and gazed up at the mountains and thought about the song "This is Home" :

This is home

Now I'm finally

Where I belong

Where I belong

Yeah, this is home

I've been searching

For a place of my own

Now I've found it

Maybe this is home

Yeah, this is home
I thought about how maybe God was calling me to Nicaragua, or maybe it was to show me that I can do that in Florida, but I left that day knowing that God was calling me back.  Maybe not to Managua, maybe not even Nicaragua, or even South America, but I knew that God was calling me into missions.  So I decided that I would go where He wants me to, and right now, that means being a missionary to my Jerusalem, here in Land O Lakes, but I know that His plan is best, and I will follow Him where He wants so that I can set the world on fire!

"Dear Maddy" , My Guide to Middle School

This coming school year, my sister, Madelyn, will be going into middle school. I want her to get the most out of it, so I have decided to write her a middle school survival guide.

Dear Madelyn,
Welcome to the wonderful world of bells, 6 classes, and crazy personalities.  Middle school will be a big change from 5th grade.  Here are some tips I have for keeping your head on straight and having successful character.
1.  Make sure you are willing to break apart from the majority.  Don't worry about fitting in.  You might not be the picture perfect popular girl, but don't feel like you have to be.  Stand out.  Be different.  It will get you a lot further than fitting in.
2.  Keep a good relationship with Mom and Dad.  I cannot understand why my friends hate their parents or don't want to stay in touch with them.  They love you, so don't treat them like dirt.  Plus, keeping a good relationship means less yelling and more fun.
3.  Choose your friends wisely.  You reflect your friends, so be around the people that you want to be like.
4.  Don't let others words get to you.  You might get lots of negative comments from a lot of people (but I don't know why because you are an amazing girl), just don't let there words bring you down.  You are worth so much more than what other people think of you.
5.  Keep your eyes on God.  His opinion matters most.  Stick with Him and always know that He will be there to catch you if you fall.  Make sure He is the center of your years and they will turn out great!

Love you sissy,
Abby <3

My Fear of People (Well sort of)

I get scared sometimes.  Okay, I will admit; I get scared a lot.  I am afraid of things like snakes, lizards (don't even ask why), an over-attachment to Facebook (yes, that scares me).  But what scares me most, is that people that I walk by everyday won't be with me in heaven.  That they won't ever get the chance to hear the glorious news of Christ.  I am afraid for people I don't know.  And do you know the worst part?  I won't be able to tell all of them.  I could always stop people in the hallways, but there will be that person that walks to fast for me to catch.  How am I supposed to tell ALL of them?
That is where you all come in.  Not only is it my job to tell them, but it's your job too.  We are all called as children of God to be lights to the darkest corners.  We all need to share Christ instead of hogging Him.
So this week, I challenge you.  Be a light to ONE person (or more if your heart so does desire).  You don't even have to pick a stranger, it can be a friend.  Tell them about Christ, or even just invite them to church.  I want God to use us this week.  Help me get over my fear, and lets be the sparks to set the world on fire.

Psalm 69

I read this week during my devotions and really fell in love with it.  David really pours out his heart and begs for God to rescue him.  This really fit what I was going through.  Saturday, I felt like I couldn't feel God, and that I was just going through the motions.  But then, when I read this, I was encouraged to keep marching on.  Although I really like verses 1-19 (and really encourage you to look at them), my favorite part was verses 29-33:

²⁹ But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
    may your salvation, God, protect me.

³⁰ I will praise God’s name in song
    and glorify him with thanksgiving.
³¹ This will please the Lord more than an ox,
    more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
³² The poor will see and be glad—
    you who seek God, may your hearts live!
³³ The Lord hears the needy
    and does not despise his captive people

I realized that the Lord does hear me, and that He does care, and even though we have hard times finding God, He will still use us to set the world on fire.

My Favorite Sound

"In death, in life, I am confident and covered by the power of Your great love.  My debt is paid, there is nothing that can separate my heart from Your great love."
Friday night I went to a For King and Country concert.  I had heard 2 of their songs before, but other than that, I was clueless. However, soon after they started playing, I knew that I liked them.  The first thing they did was explain their name and how it was a battle cry and how it related to how we should be for Christ.  What really got me though when we sang Jesus Culture's song, One Thing Remains.  I posted the words to the bridge up above.  But what made me get the chills was listening to everyone sing it.  Hearing hundreds of people singing praise to the Lord really sends a shiver down your spine.  " In death, in life I'm confident and covered by the power of Your great love."  And even though I usually don't like out of tune notes or weird rhythms, I have a new favorite sound: the off key, off beat sound of people singing praise to the God who covers us with His love.

Our Purpose

Most atheists will say that our purpose in life was to reproduce.

I have to believe that our purpose in life is more than reproducing; that we are called to do more than mate and have kids. If that was our purpose, then why do people take their jobs too seriously? Why do they go and drink away all of their problems?  Why do we buy the latest “I” products?  Why do people just want to have fun?  Why do we have feelings for the people we mate with?  Why do teenagers moan when they find they are pregnant?  Why have they created ways to inhibit and destroy reproduction all together?  If our purpose is to have children, then why do we pour our energy into reaching space, breaking the limits of Earth and her atmosphere?  Our advancements are so much greater than being thrust into the category of animals.  No other animal has built higher or flown to the heights, or invented what we have.  How can someone look at the complexity of the brain and the human genome and our body and say that we evolved from a single celled organism that somehow appeared during the Big Bang.  No, I must believe that we are created for a higher purpose, called to a higher goal, and that goal is to further the kingdom of Christ and to worship Him.

  Matthew 28:19-20

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^b the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Fulfill God's purpose for your life and set the world on fire.

Build Your House on the Rock

Funny how a children's song reminds you of where your priorities lie. 

The wise man built his house upon the rock
And the rain came tumbling down! The rain came down
And the floods came up
And the wise man’s house stood firm!
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
And the rain came tumbling down
The rain came down
And the floods came up
And the foolish man’s house went SPLAT!

This song truly illustrates life.  We have a choice whether or not we want to build our house on the sands of this world.
  The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.  (Galations 5)

Or we could chose to build our lives on the Rock, not Dwayne Johnson, but Christ, and heavenly things.
   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  (Galations 5)


I like the last part best because it puts it into practical terms for your life.

So, build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
And the blessings will come down
The blessings come down
As your prayer go up
So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Build your life on the Rock and He will use you to set the world on fire!

The Computer Analogy

"I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark,"
~ Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking is regarded as one of the most intelligent people on the planet.  However, he has a hole in his life only able to be filled by God.  This statement was made in 2011.  I find however that Hawking has forgotten the parts of a computer.
I compare the hard drive of a computer to the soul.  It lasts even after the computer itself dies because the information can be recovered from this.  Like this, the soul lasts even after the "computer" dies.  What you choose to do with your "computer" also matters.  Accepting the gift of Christ is like getting a warranty for your computer.  You will be able to get a new computer with the same hard drive, even after the first one dies.  When you don't accept the warranty, after the computer dies, it is worthless.  Even though it has the hard drive, nothing can be done because you don't have anything to recover the hard drive with.
Putting your faith in Christ can be hard.  It is like performing an obstacle course blind folded.  But accepting Christ is like adding a person beside you to hold your hand.  You still can't see what lies ahead, but you have someone next to you who can. 
"Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

Learn to rely on Christ even when you cannot see what lies in the next step or the next mile and He will help you to set the world on fire!

Faith in the Face of Tragedy

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When tragedy strikes, our natural defenses tend to kick in and we start to question our foundations.  We question God’s sovereignty, His grace, we question His mercy, and we even doubt His love.  With the Sandy Hook Massacre behind us, and as we look towards the future, we continue to question God’s purpose, His presence, and His nonexistent intervention.

It was a bright and sunny December 14.  Kids were filing into classrooms and getting settled in, excited for what the weekend might hold.  Out of the blue, the PA system turns on and gunshots, shouts, and cries float out.  Teachers scramble to hide their children from a seeming invisible gunman.  Twenty-six women and children were killed that day, but many more lives were changed.

Weeks after the second largest school massacre in US history, we continue to question the Lord’s presence.  The problem is, though, that He was asked to leave a while ago.  When people request Christ is taken out of schools, He will leave, but don’t anger over the fact that He wasn’t kicked out of schools.  I believe that He did show up that day of unthinkable tragedy.  He showed up in the hearts of teachers who laid down their life for their students.  He showed up in the minds of the first responders who ran onto the scene, not knowing if the steps they were taking would be their last.  He showed up in the hearts of parents who franticly searched for their babies.  And He showed up in the lives of those in Newtown, the ones mourning a great loss.

Another controversy that this brings up is God’s will.  People are constantly using this as an excuse to “show that God is not loving”.  But do we truly understand what God’s will means?  God’s will doesn’t mean that God wanted Adam Lanza to murder 26 people; it doesn’t mean that it was a good thing, or even right.  But God’s will means that God will use it.  That even though Adam Lanza meant it for evil, God meant it for good.  God will use this grief to bring praise and glory to Him, and to ultimately further His kingdom.  Just because we don’t see the change in our life doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. 

So as we ponder all of the possible questions, we need to remember one thing, to pray.  To pray for the families of those first graders, to pray for the students at Sandy Hook, to pray for the people of Newtown, to pray for the Lanza family.  Pray for God’s grace and love to cover them, and for them to find peace in this time of pain.  And be thankful for those who you can hug right now, because you never know what the future may hold.

Faith ~ My 2013 Tropicana Speech

Everyone has faith in something.  Faith in your parents that they raised you right.  Faith in your teachers that they speak truth.  Faith in government officials that they make the right choices for America.  Faith in your medical doctors, lawyers, and police officers that they will keep you safe.  Faith in the chair that you are sitting in; that it will hold you.  But what about faith in something greater than yourself.  A being that is not of this world.  One that controls our universe more than we do, and could control our destinies.  Perhaps it is not visible, and even words themselves can’t describe the incomparable enigma.  Around the world, people are putting their faith in something that they can’t see, hear, or touch.  Millions are choosing to believe in something that may or may not exist.  For reasons such as the complexity of a single particle of pollen, to DNA, from the birth of a star, to the birth of a human, there are things that cannot be scientifically explained.

 Faith is becoming a prominent role in the daily lives of Americans.  Everyday people are turning to faith to live out their lives.  People who weren’t sure what they believed in, are turning to something to stand on.  Former atheists such as CS Lewis are finding that there can’t be an absence of a creator and a controller.  Scientists that study the human genome are discovering that the complexity of our minds cannot be explained by the evolution of a single celled organism or a result of a natural phenomenon.  Humans are discovering something greater than themselves.  Something humbling and right.  People are dedicating their lives to their beliefs and having faith in something inexpressible.

Faith has always been an important part of my life.  I have been taught about a god who is loving, just, and forgiving.  One who gave His Son, so that we might live.  When I am down, or weak, I turn to a god who takes my burdens and carries me.  I choose to live my life for something beyond me, yet with a passion that takes over me like a conflagration.  It burns inside of me and I cannot explain it.  But isn’t that what faith is, something that even the greatest minds cannot explain.  I am learning to live by faith, even when I cannot see.  And when it is the hardest, that is when I truly rely on faith itself. 

 Faith is constantly growing.  And the scientific results are astounding.  Hospitals are reporting that faith may help people recover faster.  Dustin A. Pardini, of the University of Alabama, and Thomas G. Plante, of Santa Clara University did a study on how religion and spirituality affect substance abuse patients.  It showed that in fact, faith does have an affect on the way people recover.  Dr Daniel Hall of the University of Pittsburg Medical Center says that those who attend weekly religious services have a life expectancy increase comparable to that of those who exercise daily!

What do people ask for when someone is terminally ill, they ask for prayer and for people to have faith.  And when lives are taken, some people are drawn to it.  “But where was God?” some people ask.  Are they questioning His existence, or are they really searching for something to have faith in.  After all faith is believing in something that is indescribable.  Some say that faith is a crutch, a sign of weakness and a false hope in something that cannot ever be seen, but I beg you to consider this: faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see and with faith, impossible is just another word.

Stand on Him

Wow, I feel like I am not consistent right now with anything.  My blog, my faith, my prayer.  It is nice to know however that God will always be.  He will be there even when our life itself is shook.
Lots of things in life are not stable.  Finances, jobs, houses, relationships, and sometimes even the ground are just a few of the things that we lean on, only to find ourselves falling.  However, we serve a God who should be our rock, our fortress, and our foundation.  We can trust that He will not shake, or fall, or crumble.  We can give our burdens to Him and He will carry them.
"On Your promise I will stand, all other ground is sinking sand"  (Stand, Britt Nicole)
This week, I challenge you to put all of your faith and trust in God.  Lean on Him and give everything to Him.  Choose to stand on His faithfulness. Give God everything, stand on Him, and He will use you to set the world on fire.

Love the Unlovable

     Lately, I have been thinking about some of the things I don't like.  Number one on the list: when people take the Lord's name in vain.  Not only does this drive me insane, but the fact that you say something like "Holy cow!" in front of a Hindu and they glare at you like you just cursed at them.  I personally hate it when they misuse God's name, but I do not stare at them like the death plague.  I mean if you were to say "Oh my Allah" or something like that, you would get in serious trouble, but saying "omg" has no meaning to a person?
     Number two: when people think they know you, but they don't.  I'm not talking about good friends, but like people who you hardly know think that you are one person, but you are actually another.
     Number three: when atheists say that there is absolutely no proof of a god or the Bible, and that there is no way that creation could have happened.  Proof of God is everywhere, from the beach, to the trees, to the peace that He gives that passes all understanding.  Proof of God through the Bible is even stronger.  Jesus' own birth was prophesized hundreds of years prior to it actually happened.  Paul warned us of prosecution, and today we are one of the most prosecuted groups in the world.  The Big Bang Theory and the Theory of Evolution doesn't seem any more believable than creation.  I mean they think the universe was created out of nothing, and that we evolved from single-celled organisms.
     I don't mean to sound like a person who hates everyone, but these are just some of the things that irritate me the most.  John 13:34-35 says that our greatest commandment is to love others as Christ loves us and that doing that will show others that we are His disciples.  So remember to love others as Christ loves them, and use it to set the world on fire!