Well, this is my sophomore year in high-school. It's supposedly my hardest year of high-school (which, I might add, I could not agree more with), and probably will continue to be. It seems to me, that this second year is like a:
"Welcome to the end of the beginning, and the beginning of the end" kind of thing. Like, an entire chapter in my life is over. Now it's not as though I've just finished middle-school or that I'm graduating high-school, or any real landmark in my walk through life, but at the same time it feels like a big one. I think since Advance (which was also right when I started school), the conversations have been different. Every single one! Email ones, real ones, text-message ones...every conversation has pointed me in some way or another to the Lord. Now, I feel like each and every day I'm truly immersed in the gospel, even when I forget my daily Bible reading in the rush of the day, I still see through the eyes of a Christian. Everything that happens points back, in some crazy way, to God. It's so amazing to see like this! I was a "Christian" for a long time, but at my first Advance I felt a new awareness, an assurance, unlike anything before. ADV. 2012 was my fourth Advance, and I still feel like I've reached a deeper level of faith and assurance. Truth is, we'll never stop growing in the gospel and reaching deeper levels, as long as we're in Christ, which will be forever. All these things are the evident grace of the Lord in my life, as well as everyone else's. My heart beats faster just thinking about it. :) I could scream it from rooftops, or I could quietly sit in a corner and treasure it in my heart. I've been treasuring it in my corner for years...it's time I scream it from rooftops. Praise God, Jesus is alive!
The greatest day in history, Death is beaten
You have rescued me
Sing it out Jesus is alive
The empty cross, The empty grave
Life eternal You have won the day
Shout it out Jesus is alive
He's alive
Oh happy day, happy day
You washed my sin away
Oh happy day, happy day
I'll never be the same
Forever I am changed
When I stand, in that place
Free at last, meeting face to face
I am Yours Jesus You are mine
Endless joy, perfect peace
Earthly pain finally will cease
Celebrate Jesus is alive
He's alive!
Tell it on the mountains.
~ Kendall
Friday, August 31, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
~ What is Life? ~
A chat with a friend on gmail gave me an idea for a blog post. :)
Life is good.
Life is...great!
Life is.....amazing!
Life is not the result of an explosion in outer space.
Life is not a series of chemical reactions happening in a certain order.
Life is something consciously and carefully created by a divine Creator.
Life is something we experience when Jesus enters our lives and takes our hands and holds us up for everyone to see that we are His and not our own.
Life is when we are plundered from the strong man.
Life is being alone with God on the ocean.
Life is being in a sailboat under a starry sky.
Life is feeling the breeze while sitting out on the water.
Life is studying the word of God in a lawn chair by the lake.
Life is the rest of your testimony.
Life is swinging on the swings at the park even though we're to old.
Life is loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Life is only worth living when we are in Christ Jesus.
Life is good.
Life is...great!
Life is.....amazing!
Life is not the result of an explosion in outer space.
Life is not a series of chemical reactions happening in a certain order.
Life is something consciously and carefully created by a divine Creator.
Life is something we experience when Jesus enters our lives and takes our hands and holds us up for everyone to see that we are His and not our own.
Life is when we are plundered from the strong man.
Life is being alone with God on the ocean.
Life is being in a sailboat under a starry sky.
Life is feeling the breeze while sitting out on the water.
Life is studying the word of God in a lawn chair by the lake.
Life is the rest of your testimony.
Life is swinging on the swings at the park even though we're to old.
Life is loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Life is only worth living when we are in Christ Jesus.
Friday, August 17, 2012
~ From Retreat to Advance ~
So, I thought I'd do a post about Advance, because it was so different this year.
Undeniably, Advance 2012 was the greatest Advance I’ve ever experienced. It started out just like any other Advance: we were just a youth group going to the mountains for fun, and maybe some learning along the way. Little did we know, God was going to work a miracle in each and every one of our hearts over the course of this weekend. As we started going through the motions of meals, messages, and many, many games, I started to desire something more. The games were super fun and exciting, but it felt just like the things Relay always does. It felt empty. One of my friends in particular agreed with me, and wanted to have conversations with other people about God, and what He’s doing in our lives, not just playing games and talking about silly, pointless things. Obviously, God had those plans exactly, and put it on other’s hearts as well. Suddenly, on the second day of the retreat (or at least I think it was the second day), one of my other friends started a prayer group, just out of the blue, and as I and lots of others joined, it hit every single one of us that this is what we want to do every time we see each other. After the message on the third night, three of the girls in my cabin were greatly filled with the Holy Spirit, and were beaming with joy when we got back from the impromptu prayer-groups, which continued through the rest of the trip. Heading home on the last day, my brother and I thanked God for everything that He’d done on this trip. I believe that God turned this trip from a Retreat, to an Advance for His Gospel.
When we got back and went to church that same day, God worked amazingly again. My brother was moved and went to be prayed for after the sermon, and was saved! He prayed the Sinner's prayer and asked forgiveness for his sins!! Immediately when we got home I began to see a stark difference in his life, and for the first time I got to see first-hand the change that happens. I get so happy every time I think about it! Praise God.
~ Kendall
Undeniably, Advance 2012 was the greatest Advance I’ve ever experienced. It started out just like any other Advance: we were just a youth group going to the mountains for fun, and maybe some learning along the way. Little did we know, God was going to work a miracle in each and every one of our hearts over the course of this weekend. As we started going through the motions of meals, messages, and many, many games, I started to desire something more. The games were super fun and exciting, but it felt just like the things Relay always does. It felt empty. One of my friends in particular agreed with me, and wanted to have conversations with other people about God, and what He’s doing in our lives, not just playing games and talking about silly, pointless things. Obviously, God had those plans exactly, and put it on other’s hearts as well. Suddenly, on the second day of the retreat (or at least I think it was the second day), one of my other friends started a prayer group, just out of the blue, and as I and lots of others joined, it hit every single one of us that this is what we want to do every time we see each other. After the message on the third night, three of the girls in my cabin were greatly filled with the Holy Spirit, and were beaming with joy when we got back from the impromptu prayer-groups, which continued through the rest of the trip. Heading home on the last day, my brother and I thanked God for everything that He’d done on this trip. I believe that God turned this trip from a Retreat, to an Advance for His Gospel.
When we got back and went to church that same day, God worked amazingly again. My brother was moved and went to be prayed for after the sermon, and was saved! He prayed the Sinner's prayer and asked forgiveness for his sins!! Immediately when we got home I began to see a stark difference in his life, and for the first time I got to see first-hand the change that happens. I get so happy every time I think about it! Praise God.
~ Kendall
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)