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Thursday, April 29, 2010

Proverbs 27:17: Lift Each Other Up





"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." -- Proverbs 27:17

It is so easy for us to joke with our friends, and put each other down. Many times we may be teasing, and although the others might know that it still puts them down. Think about it; what if you actually hurt someone with your words? Yes, you may be completely kidding, but maybe that person just won't speak up. Maybe they are afraid as being classified as "over-sensitive." It is so easy to get around your friends and joke with each other, but ultimately we truly need to lift each other up. We are children of God! We must strengthen one another, sharpen one another.

We cut each other down like logs being cut by saws.
Instead of picking out flaws and joking about our downfalls,
Why don't we lift each other up like we are called
To do in the name of Jesus Christ?
Can we please be nice, and sharpen our brothers and sisters.
Our words can cut like knives,
But lets use the Word that is like a sword,
Double piercing, for
Us to lift each other up.
Lets fill each others cup!
Instead of being so bent
On focusing on what those hurtful words meant,
Lets lift each other up with words of encouragement!
Ultimately we are no better than anyone else
Pastor, minister, even myself.
I am just as guilty of clowning around,
Putting people down for no apparent reason,
But in every season, we should praise
God for the endless days
He gives us to spend with one another.
Our sisters and brothers, lets lift each other up
Lets fill each others cup!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

God's Plan vs. My Plan




"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." -- Proverbs 19:21

"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." -- Jeremiah 29:11

Many times I want control. I tell myself that I have to have control of the situation, and if I can, I can fix it! False! I have steadily started to figure that out, and it is still something that I will always continue to grasp at. My plan isn't God's plan at all! I am pretty sure I have said this before, but here it is again: "This life isn't ours to live! It is given to us, by God, to do HIS works." Not our works, not our plans, we are not glorified at all! I have to constantly remind myself of this daily. I may have these constant plans for my life, but ultimately the LORD's purpose will prevail!

I have constantly had these plans for my life, plans that are not mine. Ever since I was little I always wanted to be a lawyer just like my dad. Up until my junior year of high school I still believed that, but I was called to youth ministry and missions! It was hard at first to accept that, what does that look like? I look up to and admire my dad, why can't I be a lawyer? "Your plans are not My plans" I heard. Well what about my father, and mother? I don't think they will like this, how do I tell them? "They will understand and support you. Trust Me!" Trust is what I did. My parents have supported my call to ministry since day one!

This one is for my mother and father!

The ones who raised me to LOVE! LOVE with all my heart, without question, no matter what. Thank you for compassion, thank you for constantly being there for me no matter what I was going through. I thank God for blessing me with you as parents. You taught me what a true Godly relationship is! You gave me everything I ever wanted, without spoiling me. Taught me to be humble and not to take anything for granted. I am honored to have you as parents. I thank you for the unconditional LOVE that you have given me. God definitely had a plan in making me, and giving me two wonderful parents! I am abundantly blessed just by being able to call you mom and dad! Thank you God!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

You Are An Original Masterpiece

Not really much of a post tonight! I feel like this video in and of itself speaks volumes. This is something we all need to hear, receive, and live out! Enjoy God's TRUTH!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Do Not Deny ME: Endure!



So I went running, and spent some quiet time with God tonight! At first I had my iPod in, but it died. "Great, there goes my motivation, and now I am going to just constantly think of how long I have to run" I said to myself. So I decided I was going to pray instead. I ran to Trinity and prayed the entire time I was running. I just prayed for everything that came to mind: my mission trip, my relationship with Cassie, my relationship with my mom and dad, my community at wesley, my sins, my struggles, my fears, everything. For the first time in a long time I was in constant prayer to God thinking of nothing else but just Him and me. It has been a long time since I have gone running just to run. I ran cross country back in high school, but I haven't really ran since then, unless I was playing ultimate frisbee or some other sport. Needless to say I thought I was going to stop a couple of times along the way, but when I was praying all pain left me. It was not a struggle to run, but a joy. My thoughts were in constant prayer.

As I reached Trinity, I stopped at the labyrinth! I decided since I had prayed the whole way, I was going to walk the labyrinth and listen to God. As I started walking, it slowly started to rain. As I was listening for God, I heard Him speak (not audibly), but by thoughts through my head. As I listened I heard "I love you my son!" Just thought after thought continued to pour into my head. "Do not deny Me!" Okay Lord, what do you mean by that, I don't deny You. Then I heard it: "To deny Me in someone else, is to deny Me! Just as you are My son, they too are my sons and daughters!" I started to think of the people who annoy me, the people who frustrate me, the people who anger me. They are children of God, and to deny that God is in them or to even look at them in a negative light, is denying God! I continued to hear "You are going to struggle, there will be temptation, but I will be there to lift you up!" Then I heard: "You are forgiven. Chase I have forgiven you, I love you, I have restored your purity. Do you feel the rain? I have washed you clean!" Woah!

I then started to run back to my apartment. As I did I just continued to listen to the voice of God through my thoughts! "Do not deny Me!" Okay God, I heard you. "No Chase, do NOT deny Me! Listen to your mother. You are not always right. Honor her, respect her. She can teach you just as you can teach her. Just because she may not understand do not get frustrated! It is not your job to make her understand. I will control that!" Immediately I was humbled. "Do not be discouraged son, you will face hardships. I am here, ENDURE" Then I heard: "In the darkness do not be afraid, I am the light! Light dispels all darkness! There will be hardships and times of darkness, ENDURE!" Yes Father, I will! "I will give you strength, continue to walk this path I have laid for you, ENDURE! Thank you Father, was all I could muster. "Thank you son, for giving Me this time!" I love You Father. "I love you son! ENDURE!"


Sunday, April 25, 2010

Romans 12:10




"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." -- Romans 12:10

When I first read this, I just confined it to the community that I am in. Okay I am to be devoted to my community, understandable. I am to honor them above myself. Challenging. Then I took it out of the context of community and applied it to everyone. The one word that I can think of right now is "selfless." That is one thing I am definitely going to have to be on this mission trip. Not only do I have to honor my team members above myself, but just as important, the people of Cambodia we are ministering to! I am called to be devoted to every single on of my team members. Yes, we will have disagreements, but if we are truly being selfless, then those will be worked out! I must be selfless in every single step of this trip.

Then I looked at the verse right before it: "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." -- Romans 12:9. Love MUST be sincere. Wow! These two verses should literally be the theme for our trip! What does sincere love look like? I definitely think honoring others above yourself, and being selfless is sincere Love! This isn't just a something I should do just because of my mission trip, this should be done with everyone! It is extremely hard for me to do this, and for anyone to say it is not I would challenge you to sincerely reconsider. Reading these two verses really opened my eyes and made me think. I must honor others above myself, no matter what. I must truly die to myself!

Father give me the strength to wake every morning and die to myself. Help me to not only put others before me, but to honor them above myself! Father, I take credit for nothing. Without you God, I would be lost and hopeless! Thank you for the unconditional love you continue to pour out! Help me to truly be devoted to my team, my family, my community, and others in brotherly love. Continue to constantly humble me day in and out! I love you Father.

-- Your Son

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Acts 2:42




"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." -- Acts 2:42

This is true community! Ahhh I love seeing God move in every way. I had a really goo discussion with a great friend of mine Kevin today. I say great friend, and even though I am just now getting to know Kevin Perkins, I still consider him that! God is just good like that! We talked today about how we have seen God move in others and throughout each other this year! I just loved seeing the way God has moved in Kevin, and so many others in this Wesley Foundation. I really didn't involve myself, last year and part of this year, at the Wesley like God had called me to! Since December I have constantly been pushed, given the strength, excitement, and joy to reach out and share with this community! To reciprocate what has been given to me over the past year and a half! I must say that every day I am overjoyed at how much God moves in and through this community.

I am so blessed to have them, to be placed in this community! Many people may shrug that off to coincidence, but I say NO! How can this not be God? How can anyone other than God pull me out of the depression, the hate and scorn I had for myself, the fact that I thought I could never be loved or forgiven? Only God! A year ago, I would have never hung out with these people. Now I find myself surrounded with them, and I can not help but be overjoyed! Eating together, that is us breaking bread. Fellowship, that can be a random open mic night, or just watching a movie. Scripture and prayer are evident as well. When we are hurting, when we are full of joy we are there! Rejoicing with each other, or weeping with one another. How can I not look at where I am right now and give that to anyone, but God? I am beyond blessed in every way! Yes are community is different, but whose isn't? Why would I want a community where every single person acts the same? I want diversity, nay I long for it, and God has definitely given me that through the Louisiana Tech Wesley Foundation. I can't wait to spend thirty days with some of them! I definitely can't wait to spend the next year with all of them!

Hurt




I can't be here again. I refuse to go back! Today was just an all around bad day. I am feeling it from all sides. I can't talk to my parents anymore without getting upset. Why can't they see? God I just need to be real with you right now. I am feeling so worthless right now. I feel like I can't please my parents, and I know I can't make them see. I can't make them understand. Only you can show them why I am going on this mission trip, why I am involved in Wesley, why I want to do youth ministry. Father help me to remember and understand that ultimately my self worth is in you! I already have your approval, the approval of the world and anyone else doesn't matter! God, continue to show me that. Father give me hope, give me patience with my parents. Father, even when I hurt You are there! Father constantly remind me that I can accept Your love, because it is unconditional! I don't have to do anything! Father continue to give me the strength in times of trouble, temptation or sorrow. God I refuse to go back to that place of being comfortable sitting in my pity and sorrow.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7-8)

I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3)

I AM SO FORGETFUL, BUT YOU ALWAYS REMIND ME! YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT BRINGS ME PEACE!
I feel you right now Father. Thank you God, you are my refuge and strength! I love you Father.

-- Your Ever Humbled Son

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Family




I miss my family. Plain and simple. My mom told me two nights ago that she felt like I was pulling away from the family. Wow that hurts. Why? What am I doing? Why are you you saying this? These are the questions I asked her. My brother and I had a great conversation the other day, and I see him growing so much! I see his hunger for a greater relationship with Christ and I am overjoyed by it. I have lived with my brother for almost two years now. My entire life he has been a role model for me, and was there for me through everything. These past two years I have seen him grow so much! My sister and I have become so close over the past couple of years as well, especially this year! My parents raised us to cherish each other, and although we have our petty fights, family is so important to each and every one of us. To hear my mom say that she feels like I am pulling away breaks my heart. I have been extremely busy lately. I'm getting ready for a 30 day mission trip, school, involving myself in my Wesley community like God has called me to. I am just hurt, have I been neglecting my family? Now that I sit and think about it, I haven't really spent a lot of quality time with my family like I should have. I know that my relationship with God comes first and foremost, but my family comes second to that. I have been so blessed to have a parents that love and care for me no matter what I have done. I have been blessed with literally everything I have ever wanted, but taught at the same time not to be spoiled or take it for granted. My parents relationship is definitely something to aspire to! I have constantly seen them show each other love throughout my life, and they have constantly been there and supportive for all three of us! I guess in typing this I have no other reason, but to remind myself of how much God has blessed me with my family! My parents raised us to be respectful, kind, gracious, loving, forgiving, a gentleman. They have also been role models in their relationship with Christ! I am wonderfully blessed with my family. I will never pull away from them, and even though I may be extremely busy, I will never walk out on them. I couldn't. Family, if you are reading this, know that I love, value, and cherish every single one of you! I will always be here for you no matter what. Thank you for your example in my life, all of you! I thank God for you every single day!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

First and Foremost: My Relationship With YOU




"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town." --Matthew 10:14.

Through these past two days, God has definitely taught me what this means. I have been spending a lot of time and energy lately on worrying about a certain relationship. I have spent an unhealthy amount of time calling out, speaking Truth, and trying to get them to listen. I had been doing this so much to the point that it was affecting my personal relationship with God. I didn't even write last night because I was just so exhausted from it. God showed me this by speaking through my wonderful friend Matt Martinez. If I am constantly speaking Truth, and those words aren't being heard, then I literally have to shake the dust off my feet. He also told me that Jesus didn't stay in one city just because one person didn't believe. He worked miracles, spoke Truth, and moved on. He told the ones that didn't believe, that one day they would see He was the Son of God! I understood that I can't constantly put all my time and energy into this if they are not listening. I have literally done all I can do, as a brother in Christ. This really hurts, because these two people are very dear to me and some of my closest friends. They were there for me at the beginning of the year, but it got to the point where they had to wait on me to come to them. I am at that same place now, and God is going to have to take care of that! Even though it hurt me to tell them that I was done exhausting myself, making an effort, and leaving it up to them to now make the effort, I feel so much better! My relationship with God comes first and foremost, above all! This is something that I really have come to realize through all of this. No, that doesn't mean I am going to lock myself up and spend all of my time just God and me. Community is important as well, very important actually, but my relationship with God comes first!

UPDATE: We just figured out today that by going through Asian Hope our trip for the last 23 days is going to cost us $3,200 for the WHOLE TEAM!!! This means that our cost for our trip is going to be cut from $3,900 per person to $2,800-$3,000 per person! God's provision is so wonderful and magnificent! This is awesome because of that I now have 3/4 of my money raised for my trip! Praise God!

--Your Constantly Humbled Son

Monday, April 19, 2010

Come Away With Me




Come Away: United Pursuit Band

Come away with me, Come away
It's never too late, it's never too late
It's not too late for you
I have a plan for you, I have a plan
It's going to be wild,
It's going to be great
It's going to be full of Me

Can you just picture God saying this? As I listen to this song, I can't help but think of God in any other way, but a Father! Loving, caring, Father I love You so much. To even comprehend how You move is putting you in a box. You are not limited to our time. Father forgive me for the times where I am impatient. Forgive me for the times when I doubt that you have a plan for my life. Thank you for the many blessings that You have poured out on my life, and continue to pour out! Father I pray for those that we are about to go minister to in Cambodia. I pray that we would decrease so that You may increase. This is not our life to live Father, but it is life given to us to do Your works. Father send us, guide us, protect us, provide for us. Father I pray for those that we are going to minister to. You begin to move and stir in them, and help them to be open and ready for us. I pray for the struggles we are going to face. I pray as we face those struggles You would give us the strength to persevere! You are our Father, our daddy. I find so much comfort in that! I love you Father. Thank You for Your provision. Thank You for Your plan! I know it is going to be wild, great, and full of You!

--Your Humbled Son

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Rest




"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest." -- Hebrews 4:9-11

So I didn't post saturday. God really showed me that some days I just need rest, physical, spiritual, and emotional rest! This week is going to be one of the busiest weeks I have had all year. I literally am going from 8-9 in the morning to 10 or later every night. I really think God put this opportunity for rest knowing the week I was going to have ahead of me. While these daily posts are my daily, set aside quiet time with God; I also need actual rest where I relax and just listen for God in that relaxation! I am extremely extraverted, which means I love people, and hanging out with them! It is really hard for me sometimes to take that time out to rest and just spend time alone listening for God. God is slowly teaching me that, and how essential it is in my life. It isn't always separating myself from people, or always hanging out with people, but a balance between the both. That balance is really hard, but one that I am slowly learning. Other than that, its been a short post for tonight. God is great, and He is definitely showing up and moving in every situation of my life right now.

Update on the mission trip. We are now going to Cambodia through the organization know as Asian Hope (). The trip through the VIM was going to cost about 3,900.00 a person (and we haven't been given a specific budget by Asian Hope yet), and now it is going to cost hundreds less through Asian Hope! We will be working for our first 4 days in the Youth Camp in Sihanoukville. After those 4 days of working in the youth camp we will be going to Phnom Penh and staying in the Asian Hope and staying in a hospitality house for the remainder of the trip! This hospitality house has a school (Logos) attached to it. All the profit made from the halfway house we are staying in goes straight back into Asian Hope. This hospitality house is also a place for those kids in Logos to have a job. Asian Hope gives scholarships to the kids of Cambodia to come to Logos. So by staying in the hospitality house, we are paying for kids to come to school, and get a full English education! Also Asian Hope is going to find specific projects for us to do while we are there. As those projects and other news come up I will keep you all updated. Please keep not only our team in your prayers, but also ask God to prepare the hearts of the ones in Cambodia we are going to mission to! I know God is going to do great things in their lives as well as ours. Praise God in everything!

-- Your Humbled Son

Friday, April 16, 2010

Humbled




James 4:10 "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up!"

Today was hard. I needed it though, and I was definitely reminded that I needed to be humbled before the Lord. Today taught me that I am going to have days where I can choose to live in the comfortableness of the world, or I can choose to fight that and live in the Truth of God!

For literally the past 3 weeks, I haven't had a bad day or really struggled that much at all. I have been living in the Truth of God, constantly seeking Him in everything, and always praising His name no matter what. I truthfully can not tell you the last time I had a bad day. I woke up this morning and I met with Becky, the assistant director of the Wesley, and a wonderful women of God! I talked to her about my relationship with Cassie, and was even further reassured by God through her. After that I went to class and we even got out 30 minutes early! I was excited for my meeting with Brian Mercer, but got a phone call immediately after I got out of class and he told me he was going to have to re-schedule. This was completely fine, and I knew it was for a good reason. After that I realized that I needed some gas to go to shreveport tonight, and I literally had no money in my account. So I reluctantly called my parents and asked them if they could put some money in my account. As I was talking to my mom she told me she wanted me to "settle." When I heard this I was like what? What do you mean settle? What is she talking about? She then proceeded to tell me that she wanted to make sure I was doing things for God and not for other people.

Immediately I knew what she was talking about! My mother is scared for me to go to Cambodia. She is fearful for me, and I know that she is just being a mother and caring for me like she should. I know she loves me, and I know she isn't doubting my call at all, but it hurts sometimes. I love and value my family and their opinion over anyone's, but God. So when it feels like my parents are disapproving of things God has called me to, it hurts. My mom wouldn't explain beyond what she said, but I knew what she meant. That immediately put me in a bad mood! I proceeded to head to work, and have one of the worst days at work that I have had since I moved to the branch in Ruston three weeks ago. It was so easy for me to sit there and say today sucks, nothing good has happened, and I am just going to sulk and be comfortable in this crappy mood. I had to make a conscious effort to focus on the good, give it to God, and let him take control and take care of the situation. It was not easy! Every little thing that went wrong, (and a lot of things went wrong) I had to make a conscious decision to not get upset or frustrated. It was hard, but it was definitely humbling.

Through this day God taught me that I am going to have days where I struggle, I am tempted, and things don't go my way. When this happens I must humble myself before the Lord and know that I can't control this. I must give every situation to Him and relinquish control. As I stated in one of my earlier posts: "This life isn't ours to live. It is given to us by God to carry out His works!" Although today was a struggle, it was a day that I definitely needed. Praise God in times of hardship, joy, peace, temptation, struggle, sadness......Prasie God ALWAYS!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Patience




So tonight in my Wesley small group we did things a bit differently. We started with the passage John 6:25-29:

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." -- The Word

We focused on what is our bread that we refuse to eat, or in layman's terms, what is something that we have a hard time accepting from God? Whether that be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control (the fruits of the Spirit). The idea was to split up into groups of two's and vocalize what this was. As we vocalized it, we wrote down what we had trouble accepting on a piece of paper and then attached it to a plate of fruit that we made for one another. This was to show and encourage that God does provide for us.

As I heard what we were doing, I immediately said, "Well God has shown me all of these this year, I don't really know." When I sat down with James (one of the Wesley interns) it hit me that I have a hard time being patient. I have been called to youth ministry and mission work for four years. I just did my first youth internship last summer, and I am just now about to go on my first mission 4 years after my call! FOUR YEARS! Since the beginning of last year I have wanted to be anywhere but Ruston, Louisiana, and I have not liked my job as a teller at the bank (which I have had on and off for 3 years). God has definitely been teaching me patience and I have to be constantly reminded that God doesn't work on our time. He is omnipotent (almighty or infinite in power) and omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time). We are a culture who can get things instantly. If we want food we can go through a drive-through (instant), we can download music instantly, we can chat, text, or call instantly. We are born into a world that gets what it wants! God doesn't work that way at all, as I have been humbly reminded tonight and throughout this year. I find it ironic now that I am dating a wonderful woman of God who lives 9 hours away. Now tell me that isn't God teaching me patience! I have to be reminded daily that this life I am living is not mine to live, but God's for Him to do His works through me. Whatever and whenever that may be!

Also just a quick update! After 48 hours my fast is over! We are now going through Asian Ministries instead of the VIM. I will find out all the details Sunday night and will let you know. Also in case you were wondering, my first meal was a big ole bowl of red beans and rice!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

40 Days of Change Devotional

(Go to ineed2change.org to read the way God has brought about change in 40 people's lives)

Change: (v) To make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone.

I ask that before you read this, you would pray for God to prepare your heart for what you are about to read. This is a very sensitive subject to me, and one that has happened recently in my life. I pray that God would be glorified in this and that He would increase as I decrease.

When I was first asked to do this devotional about change that God has brought about in my life, I had many instances come to mind: When I was called to ministry, how I changed after my freshman year of college, or how my view of God and relationship with Him has changed over my life, just to name a few. There is one that sticks out more than these. This was a very hard subject for me to talk about, and even as I type these words my entire “worldly” self is screaming at me to stop.
This summer I was involved in a four-month relationship with a girl named Anna who was not a Christian. While I had God clearly telling me (through other people) that this relationship was unhealthy I completely ignored Him, and did what I wanted. As the relationship progressed the relationship became intimate, and the last month of the relationship we started having sex. After the relationship ended, my life was devastated. I had poured my entire self worth into one person. I had completely lost my relationship with God, and separated myself from my community of believers. I knew that I was forgiven, but I could not forgive myself. Not only had I made myself unclean, but I had also taken the purity of a beautiful child of God. Even though she didn’t know or understand, I had taken something from her that was not mine to take.

For the next four months I lived in a state of depression. I could not forgive myself, and I could not accept the love of God, my friends, or my family. I was literally living in the pit of hell, and people were trying to help me out, but I was too comfortable in the depressive state I was living in. It finally took God speaking to me through Tamara, who at the time, I had only known for a week. She called me out on all the crap I was living in and that is when it hit me. It is not about us cleaning ourselves up before we can come to God. God meets us where we don’t belong, and pulls us out of what we are in! I then realized that God was the reason that my relationship with Anna ended. Although at the time I didn’t see it, God taught me so much from that relationship, and He is still teaching me things to this day.

I learned how essential the Word of Christ is in my life! I now have started reading the Bible and spending time in His Word daily. This has brought so much life, and by doing this God has shown me so much! I also learned that for me to be truly forgiven, I must forgive myself. Over the past four months of my life God has shown me how essential my community at the Wesley is, and the reason I am still in Ruston is because of the Wesley Foundation! I am no longer living in the shadows of others, and I am no longer afraid to share fully and completely about my life. I was so afraid of opening up and sharing my life with people, but that has completely changed. To be involved in a community is to know each other’s struggles, faults, fears, failures, and joys. God has continuously shown me this and has continued to change my life and my relationship with Him.

Reaffirmation: Undeservingly Blessed!




Today has been all about reaffirmation! I woke up this morning and my body was exhausted. I actually woke up at 9:30 (when class starts) and I was immediately awake and thinking of God from the time I woke up. Although I was ten minutes late for class I didn't get frustrated. I have noticed lately that I am constantly dwelling on God and how He is moving not only in my life, but the lives of others as well. After class I went and met with my pastor Andy Hurst from 11-12:30. Mr. Andy and I have been meeting just about every other week for the past two years. He has been a huge mentor in my life and God has definitely worked through Him and showed me a lot of things in my life. Mr. Andy is a wonderful man of Christ and I am so glad God has blessed me with him in my life. Mr. Andy and I talked about many things from my devotional that I wrote for Trinity, to my relationship that I am now in, to my Wesley guys small group that I am co-leading every Wednesday. In everything we talked about I was reaffirmed by God through Mr. Andy. Normally when Andy and I talk, there is something specific that I want to talk about, but today we just sat and talked about God! We discussed my mission trip, and my fast and I was reaffirmed in both of those, that God is glorified and no matter what happens with our mission trip God will move!

Afterwards I headed to work, and I brought my Bible to prepare for my guys small group that we have every Wednesday. We were talking about purity this week so I looked up verses on purity. The first verse I looked up was 1 Corinthians 6:12-20! It talked about sexual immorality, and this definitely brought up thoughts of my relationship this past summer (Read my 40 Days of Change Devotional). When I read this verse I immediately started to dwell on the negative, and how unclean I was. I began to look up other verses: Ephesians 5:1-10, Colossians 3:1-10, Isaiah 52:11, 2 Corinthians 6:3-6, and 1 Timothy 4:12. In all of these verses God reaffirmed that I was forgiven, that I was a wonderful Son, that I had died to myself, and that He had restored my purity. I went to small group and even as we discussed these things God continued to reaffirm me. He showed me that this Wesley community is where I am called to be! I am called to truly and intimately get to know my brothers and sisters in Christ! This is knowing their faults, fears, failures, joys, ect... and I am doing that! God is moving through others, and definitely moving through me!

I will leave you with a quote of a dear friend of mine: "God is always there for reaffirmation! All we have to do is ask Him to show up, to work, to reveal, and He is there! We are undeservingly blessed!"

Monday, April 12, 2010

Fast



So Sunday I found out a lot of things that were going on with our mission trip. We are going to Cambodia through the VIM. By doing this we have to go by their schedule. We thought that the first 10 days we would be working in a youth camp, and helping minister to kids. Apparently its only going to be our first 5 days that we are working in the youth camp. The next five are filled with things that we need to see (i.e The Killing Fields), but there are also other things that are costing us money that we really don't have to do. It's almost seeming like a vacation rather than a mission trip. The other team that we are going with are leaving after those ten days and not staying the full month with us, so they have no objections to this at all. While yes I am frustrated, I know that God is going to be in whatever we do!

My team leaders, also interns at the Wesley Foundation, are Kevin Singletary and Krystle Matthews! Both of them are great leaders and great children of God! They both have to make very important decisions within the next few days and weeks to come, especially if we decide not to follow the VIM schedule. I ask that you would pray for them as they make those decisions, and I know God will be in and through every decision and action made. The reason this is titled "Fast" is because Krystle, Kevin, and I have started fasting from food and having a strictly liquid diet. This is until we have some answers, or at least we feel a definite peace from God about the situation. I ask that all that read would pray for this! I know the power of prayer!

Father God, I just praise you for today and the days ahead! I pray Father that You would be in every decision made by Kevin and Krystle. I pray Father that you would begin to open our teams heart and prepare us for those we are about to go and minister to! I also pray that You would prepare the hearts of the ones we are ministering to as well. Father Your plan is so much bigger than ours, and for us to even think that we can control this situation is putting you in a box. Father I pray that we would give this all to you! I also pray that you would be in this fast and that it would glorify you. I also pray that as I fast I would listen for your voice and pray constantly. I love you Father! Thank you for all you have done in my life and continue to do each day!

Your Humbled Son...