I think that this is something that everyone should have, but I know for a fact that not everyone does. I believe that I am really blessed to live where I do, and be with the guys and girls that I'm with. Why? You ask? Well, it's as simple as this.
I believe and have been told that others believe that Roanoke has probably the tightest community of believers. We have so many people around us that we can be real with, that we can tell anthing to, and that we trust. One thing I never thought about though, was the fact that all of us have the exact same vision for our friends. We not only have those of us who are constantly building everyone up, and those who really can understand things quickly, but we have the same view on the kids in the Roanoke area.
This vision helps us all. Because we all have the same vision, we can not only tell everyone how things are going when we talk about the kids that we are reaching out to, or tell them when things aren't going well, but we can let each other know when we notice when something's down. I never noticed it, but I can think of one example of how one leader not only did a small thing that will help out the club overall in a big way, but it will no doubt affect my leading towards people.
My friend noticed at Wyld Life one night that this kid was all alone. Those who know what Wyld Life is about should know that no kid should ever be alone. We don't think this is acceptable. The other thing she noticed was that he had an uncomfortable look on his face. Again, this is not good, we want everyone at club to feel welcomed, and knowing that she came to me (Though I'm sure she would have gone to any other leader who was there if she saw them first), and told me that a kid was standing alone, and looking uncomfortable. She then asked me if I could go love on this kid. Because we have the same vision for our kids, this wasn't a hard thing to think about.
I don't want that story to build up me or my friend, but it is to build up the Lord, for putting that vision in both of our hearts, but also because that vision is in all the leader's hearts. Because without the Lord looking out for us, we would not be able to love these kids with that vision of showing them Christ. I love the fact that the many, many leaders we have share that vision. One of my Young Life leaders talks a lot about how kids will "catch the vision". I believe that the reason that some kids will "Catch the vision" is because through Young Life, we share that vision with our friends who go and hang out with us there. It's not a secret, and I'm sure that the Lord is putting that vision in every Young Life ministry area in the world.
I just wanted to say thanks to my Roanoke family for being so tight, and for showing me, once again, that we are a tighter community than I seem to believe.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Just today
As well all know, this is a day that a lot of people tend to wait for in every year. They save their money, and make sure that they don't have any chance of losing it until today, because they just want to use it on something
The only problem with this, is that something very many times leads to a destructive life. It leads to many bad choices, and also broken relationships.
The something I'm talking about, if you haven't already guessed, is weed.
Now I won't be the guy to deny he's done this stuff. I used to be someone who looked forward to a weekend, just because I was going to be able to get high and forget everything about the week. I used to hang out with people, just for the sake of them having some weed that I could smoke with them. Isn't that a really bad way to say someone is your friend? If the person that I was hanging out with didn't have any, I would look to the next person who would have it.
This is not good. I based my friendships on this, and needless to say, 95% of the people that I smoked weed with back then, are not my friends anymore. Not because of the fact that they smoke, it's just we've drifted since I quit smoking, and I moved among other things. The biggest problem was that the relationship was based wholly on weed. Something that doesn't love me back. Something that doesn't give me complete life. The only friends I still have that do it, are people that I rarely talk to, because all they talk about is the fact that they were the last people I ever smoked with.
I don't like knowing that I used to be the kid who looked forward to this day. I hate the fact that I was having my relationships come from something other than a God that doesn't leave me. A God that loves me wholly. A God that no matter how much we mess up, loves us. Unconditionally. A God that will save me time and time again, and a God that suffered death, even death on a cross.
At the same time though, I wouldn't have traded any of those days, for 100 years the other way. Those days made me into who I am now, and even though they aren't the proudest moments in my life, they have built a story, that I can tell to people, that may actually be a thing that changes their lives. It has given me a testimony about how Christ has saved me from myself. It's given me the ability to be able to tell people that I have been on the other side of the tracks. I have messed up, and I lived away from God, but God still came out and saved me.
As a testimony to the King, even though this is one of the most dreaded days of the year for me, I can honestly say that there isn't a better reminder to myself, and hopefully many other people that the Lord has brought out of that life, that this is reality. People are going to smoke weed today. People are going to continue to throw their lives away. People are broken. As Jesus' disciples, we must ask ourselves a very important question
The question we must ask ourselves is the same question Jesus asked Peter. "Do you love me?" We need to ask ourselves if we really love Jesus. Because the next thing Jesus says after Peter says "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you", is "Feed my sheep" Well, this seems like a weird request. Asking someone to feed your sheep just because they love you seems kind of manipulative.
Feeding Jesus's sheep doens't have anything to do with physical food though. It doens't even have to do with legitmate sheep. Jesus's sheep, are the people in this world who have not gotten a chance to hear the gospel. They are the people we go through life with every single day. They are the people that we see at school every single day. The people that we know just need life. Feeding them is letting them hear the gospel. Teaching them that there is more out there, and the fact they they were made for more. We need to ask ourselves if we really love Jesus, and then we need to go and teach the gospel.
Christ gives us this command as clear as can be in Matthew 28:19-20 by saying "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I will be with you, always. Even to the end of the age." He tells us to do this, but we can't do this unless we really do love Him. Because our love for Him will become and overflow that allows us to run after our friends who don't have a relationship with Him.
So I hope that even though today isn't a day known for Christ, that Christ would still be evident for you
I love you guys
TJ
The only problem with this, is that something very many times leads to a destructive life. It leads to many bad choices, and also broken relationships.
The something I'm talking about, if you haven't already guessed, is weed.
Now I won't be the guy to deny he's done this stuff. I used to be someone who looked forward to a weekend, just because I was going to be able to get high and forget everything about the week. I used to hang out with people, just for the sake of them having some weed that I could smoke with them. Isn't that a really bad way to say someone is your friend? If the person that I was hanging out with didn't have any, I would look to the next person who would have it.
This is not good. I based my friendships on this, and needless to say, 95% of the people that I smoked weed with back then, are not my friends anymore. Not because of the fact that they smoke, it's just we've drifted since I quit smoking, and I moved among other things. The biggest problem was that the relationship was based wholly on weed. Something that doesn't love me back. Something that doesn't give me complete life. The only friends I still have that do it, are people that I rarely talk to, because all they talk about is the fact that they were the last people I ever smoked with.
I don't like knowing that I used to be the kid who looked forward to this day. I hate the fact that I was having my relationships come from something other than a God that doesn't leave me. A God that loves me wholly. A God that no matter how much we mess up, loves us. Unconditionally. A God that will save me time and time again, and a God that suffered death, even death on a cross.
At the same time though, I wouldn't have traded any of those days, for 100 years the other way. Those days made me into who I am now, and even though they aren't the proudest moments in my life, they have built a story, that I can tell to people, that may actually be a thing that changes their lives. It has given me a testimony about how Christ has saved me from myself. It's given me the ability to be able to tell people that I have been on the other side of the tracks. I have messed up, and I lived away from God, but God still came out and saved me.
As a testimony to the King, even though this is one of the most dreaded days of the year for me, I can honestly say that there isn't a better reminder to myself, and hopefully many other people that the Lord has brought out of that life, that this is reality. People are going to smoke weed today. People are going to continue to throw their lives away. People are broken. As Jesus' disciples, we must ask ourselves a very important question
The question we must ask ourselves is the same question Jesus asked Peter. "Do you love me?" We need to ask ourselves if we really love Jesus. Because the next thing Jesus says after Peter says "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you", is "Feed my sheep" Well, this seems like a weird request. Asking someone to feed your sheep just because they love you seems kind of manipulative.
Feeding Jesus's sheep doens't have anything to do with physical food though. It doens't even have to do with legitmate sheep. Jesus's sheep, are the people in this world who have not gotten a chance to hear the gospel. They are the people we go through life with every single day. They are the people that we see at school every single day. The people that we know just need life. Feeding them is letting them hear the gospel. Teaching them that there is more out there, and the fact they they were made for more. We need to ask ourselves if we really love Jesus, and then we need to go and teach the gospel.
Christ gives us this command as clear as can be in Matthew 28:19-20 by saying "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I will be with you, always. Even to the end of the age." He tells us to do this, but we can't do this unless we really do love Him. Because our love for Him will become and overflow that allows us to run after our friends who don't have a relationship with Him.
So I hope that even though today isn't a day known for Christ, that Christ would still be evident for you
I love you guys
TJ
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Don't Speak About It, Be About It.
Lately I have had a sense of hearing people say the things that they want to do, be it, be closer to God, being real and intentional about the way they feel about people, actually going out and bettering yourself, or any other thing. The big thing that has been happening is people aren't acting out the things that they want to do, or that they say they're are about.
We have all probably heard the phrase, "Be true to yourself". I think that this phrase speaks more than most people want to take it, because a lot of people only see it has stand up for the things that you believe in, and while this is true, I think that there is more to it than that. I also think it means that you have to act out what you say. Another way of saying what I'm trying to say is, don't just talk the talk. You also gotta walk the walk.
The biggest reason that I am writing about this is the sole fact that someone I know pretty well has said that he is a follower of Christ, but he has done nothing to actually show, and the only reason that you do things to show that you are a follower of Christ is because that the love that you have for Him overflows, and you can't help but to want to do things to serve Him. He says he wants to better himself, and that he's going to change, but day after day that I get to see him, the only thing that has changed is the thing he does that isn't what he says he wants to do. I do believe totally that this is a direct result of the lack of spending time with the Lord to really get an accurate picture of who Jesus is, and how He lived.
A few other reasons I am here right now is because there are many times in my life where I say I wanna be better at something, be it soccer, football, school, or any other thing that I may take part of, but I simply do not make a conscious effort to do anything about it. This is a message to myself, and anyone else who has seen that people aren't actually doing what they say that want to do, or aren't really about what they say they are.
The first thing I can really say to those like this is MAN UP! Most of the people who will read this and are in this boat will be about my age or older, so all I can say is it's time to start acting like it. When you're around the age of 17 or older is about time that you started to act out what you believe in, and what you say.
To those of you who may be struggling with the fact that you are a follower, but you aren't really showing it, Christ has called you out on this. In the verse Revelation 3:16, God says "So because you are lukewarm- neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth." God is telling us that because we aren't exactly living out the life that we should, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He will ask us if we knew Him, and though we say yes, our actions won't say it, and He will say "Away from me, for I never knew you" This is a serious call to say that we can't just say it, we must be it.
To those who are looking to better themselves in some way, the first thing you really need to look at is do you really NEED to better yourself? Or should you just be happy with the way you are, since you are the way you are for a reason. The second is, are you willing to work? Nothing ever comes without something being sacrificed. In order to lose weight, one must sacrifice bad eating habits for good ones; time spent watching television for working out, or running/walking; other sedentary things that won't help you. For those who want to be stronger physically, they must sacrifice a lot of time from doing other things like hanging out with friends, or video games for time spent in the gym, and doing other things that will benefit you and the sedentary lifestyle which they may live that makes it hard for them to have the motivation or energy to work out.. The term, "you reap what you sow" fits here. You get out of it what you put in.
To those who say they want to be nicer to more people, or they want to start getting to know someone, or they want to mend a broken relationship, I would say the first thing is, do you think this friendship will help you? Or will it just end up hurting you in the long run? After that, the hardest part about all this stuff is fear. The initial fear of meeting new people is a fright everyone in life takes part in. Being a Wyld Life leader, I have this fear arise each and every day. Because the 8th graders are in my school this year, I have a lot of time that I could spend meeting people, and I must confess that I haven't been intentional about that. It's hard to meet new kids and earn their trust. With that girl or guy in the hall, that fear you get that you may be rejected off the bat is a common one for many people. The butterflies that sit in your stomach cause for whatever reason you thought swallowing a butterfly whole was a good idea, start to get to you, and you can't bring yourself to beat them. We all go through it once in a while, but there gets to be a time where you have to ask yourself if you ever really wanted to chase that relationship. There is a time where you have to buckle down, and just go for it. Chances are the leap of faith that you take will get you to your desired destination, and even if it doesn't, you've gone and made yourself a new friend.
One thing that I personally have been going through is I keep saying that I am going to make my grades better. I keep having that goal of getting the A, B honor roll, or some crazy thing like that. My problem is, I don't do anything to earn it. I have this weird thing in my mind that says "I think, therefore it is." Which can be a really destructive way to live your life. IF you go through life thinking that you want to make yourself better, or thinking that you are going to talk to that girl in the hall, or thinking that you are going to start being intentional about your relationships, be it with Christ or another person, but you do nothing to really make it happen, all you are really doing is cheating yourself out of a great life. I need to stop thinking that just because I think I'm going to make good grades, that it will actually happen. I need to put in some work, which requires sacrifices all over my life. I need to take time away from facebook, or even sports, or something like that, and use that time to go into doing my homework, to give me that practice that I need to be able to do the things right. I need to take away from the staying up for all hours of the night for getting better sleep habits because if I keep doing things the way I do now, I'll be screwed next year. Pray that the Lord would instill in me, a work ethic that doesn't lead to disaster, and that I would be intentional about working towards it.
I hope this may inspire you to be real about things, take some risks in your life.
I love you guys
TJ
We have all probably heard the phrase, "Be true to yourself". I think that this phrase speaks more than most people want to take it, because a lot of people only see it has stand up for the things that you believe in, and while this is true, I think that there is more to it than that. I also think it means that you have to act out what you say. Another way of saying what I'm trying to say is, don't just talk the talk. You also gotta walk the walk.
The biggest reason that I am writing about this is the sole fact that someone I know pretty well has said that he is a follower of Christ, but he has done nothing to actually show, and the only reason that you do things to show that you are a follower of Christ is because that the love that you have for Him overflows, and you can't help but to want to do things to serve Him. He says he wants to better himself, and that he's going to change, but day after day that I get to see him, the only thing that has changed is the thing he does that isn't what he says he wants to do. I do believe totally that this is a direct result of the lack of spending time with the Lord to really get an accurate picture of who Jesus is, and how He lived.
A few other reasons I am here right now is because there are many times in my life where I say I wanna be better at something, be it soccer, football, school, or any other thing that I may take part of, but I simply do not make a conscious effort to do anything about it. This is a message to myself, and anyone else who has seen that people aren't actually doing what they say that want to do, or aren't really about what they say they are.
The first thing I can really say to those like this is MAN UP! Most of the people who will read this and are in this boat will be about my age or older, so all I can say is it's time to start acting like it. When you're around the age of 17 or older is about time that you started to act out what you believe in, and what you say.
To those of you who may be struggling with the fact that you are a follower, but you aren't really showing it, Christ has called you out on this. In the verse Revelation 3:16, God says "So because you are lukewarm- neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth." God is telling us that because we aren't exactly living out the life that we should, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He will ask us if we knew Him, and though we say yes, our actions won't say it, and He will say "Away from me, for I never knew you" This is a serious call to say that we can't just say it, we must be it.
To those who are looking to better themselves in some way, the first thing you really need to look at is do you really NEED to better yourself? Or should you just be happy with the way you are, since you are the way you are for a reason. The second is, are you willing to work? Nothing ever comes without something being sacrificed. In order to lose weight, one must sacrifice bad eating habits for good ones; time spent watching television for working out, or running/walking; other sedentary things that won't help you. For those who want to be stronger physically, they must sacrifice a lot of time from doing other things like hanging out with friends, or video games for time spent in the gym, and doing other things that will benefit you and the sedentary lifestyle which they may live that makes it hard for them to have the motivation or energy to work out.. The term, "you reap what you sow" fits here. You get out of it what you put in.
To those who say they want to be nicer to more people, or they want to start getting to know someone, or they want to mend a broken relationship, I would say the first thing is, do you think this friendship will help you? Or will it just end up hurting you in the long run? After that, the hardest part about all this stuff is fear. The initial fear of meeting new people is a fright everyone in life takes part in. Being a Wyld Life leader, I have this fear arise each and every day. Because the 8th graders are in my school this year, I have a lot of time that I could spend meeting people, and I must confess that I haven't been intentional about that. It's hard to meet new kids and earn their trust. With that girl or guy in the hall, that fear you get that you may be rejected off the bat is a common one for many people. The butterflies that sit in your stomach cause for whatever reason you thought swallowing a butterfly whole was a good idea, start to get to you, and you can't bring yourself to beat them. We all go through it once in a while, but there gets to be a time where you have to ask yourself if you ever really wanted to chase that relationship. There is a time where you have to buckle down, and just go for it. Chances are the leap of faith that you take will get you to your desired destination, and even if it doesn't, you've gone and made yourself a new friend.
One thing that I personally have been going through is I keep saying that I am going to make my grades better. I keep having that goal of getting the A, B honor roll, or some crazy thing like that. My problem is, I don't do anything to earn it. I have this weird thing in my mind that says "I think, therefore it is." Which can be a really destructive way to live your life. IF you go through life thinking that you want to make yourself better, or thinking that you are going to talk to that girl in the hall, or thinking that you are going to start being intentional about your relationships, be it with Christ or another person, but you do nothing to really make it happen, all you are really doing is cheating yourself out of a great life. I need to stop thinking that just because I think I'm going to make good grades, that it will actually happen. I need to put in some work, which requires sacrifices all over my life. I need to take time away from facebook, or even sports, or something like that, and use that time to go into doing my homework, to give me that practice that I need to be able to do the things right. I need to take away from the staying up for all hours of the night for getting better sleep habits because if I keep doing things the way I do now, I'll be screwed next year. Pray that the Lord would instill in me, a work ethic that doesn't lead to disaster, and that I would be intentional about working towards it.
I hope this may inspire you to be real about things, take some risks in your life.
I love you guys
TJ
Monday, April 16, 2012
Weighing Sins and Forgiveness
There are just those time when you look and see people that make you mad. All they make you wanna do is punch their lights out every time they talk, and there really isn't anything you can do to change it. We all have that person who makes us mad, but the question here is, How do you react? It can be to retaliate, it can be curse them under your breath, or it can be a few other things. The other question is, can your forgive them?
A good friend told us a story at Wyld Life the other night about how he was with these people, and they were praying for something big with my friend. Then something came over him, and he felt the Lord telling him about the bitterness that he had in his heart. The hard part about what he got was that the Lord said that because of this bitterness, he would not be blessed. My friend then stops the prayer and confesses the bitterness, and right now, he is hopefully waiting for something real big to happen! I know that the Lord is not going to leave him out to dry.
Similarly, there are a few guys on my soccer team that do nothing but complain and yell at people when things don't go the way they want it to go. All they did was make me mad, and there was a lot of bitterness in my heart, and now it's gotten to a point where the Lord has clearly shown me that because of the bitterness, I would not be blessed. Over the past week I have started to forgive the things that have made me mad, and ask the Lord for forgiveness over myself for this bitterness in my heart. Slowly, but surely, the blessings have come. A few things are working out, and though some are not, it's not a big deal. The Lord has shown me that I can't let those few things that aren't working out the way I want them to get me down. I need to trust that he has a better plan for my life, and that He will bless me through whatever He feels necessary. I just have to remember that nothing that those kids can say, and nothing that I hear from anyone, makes me who I am, and the Lord is my Rock and Salvation.
Again, there is a problem between some people very close to home, and I don't like talking about it. Things are very high tension and all I wanna tell the person who talks to me about it is that they need to forgive or else they will not be blessed. The hardest thing about it is if I say pretty much anything against either side it's like a bomb went off I just want the Lord to work through it, and make things work out the right way.
When the time comes, you need to look at your life, and ask the Lord if there is bitterness in your heart. Like Psalm says "Search me, and try me, O Lord, see if there is any evil way in me. That's paraphrased, but the Lord says that we need to love others, not be bitter to them. Bitterness leads to hate, and hatred is like killing someone in your heart. Which is like real murder. Bitterness also leads you down many roads you don't want to go down. It's like in Star Wars when Anakin starts being bitter towards the Jedi Council about not making him a Master, he eventually turns to the dark side. Sort of like that, when we don't get rid of the bitterness in our hearts, we will eventually start to turn away from the Lord again.
Just a thought that came to mind.
I hope this helps you.
Love you guys!
TJ
A good friend told us a story at Wyld Life the other night about how he was with these people, and they were praying for something big with my friend. Then something came over him, and he felt the Lord telling him about the bitterness that he had in his heart. The hard part about what he got was that the Lord said that because of this bitterness, he would not be blessed. My friend then stops the prayer and confesses the bitterness, and right now, he is hopefully waiting for something real big to happen! I know that the Lord is not going to leave him out to dry.
Similarly, there are a few guys on my soccer team that do nothing but complain and yell at people when things don't go the way they want it to go. All they did was make me mad, and there was a lot of bitterness in my heart, and now it's gotten to a point where the Lord has clearly shown me that because of the bitterness, I would not be blessed. Over the past week I have started to forgive the things that have made me mad, and ask the Lord for forgiveness over myself for this bitterness in my heart. Slowly, but surely, the blessings have come. A few things are working out, and though some are not, it's not a big deal. The Lord has shown me that I can't let those few things that aren't working out the way I want them to get me down. I need to trust that he has a better plan for my life, and that He will bless me through whatever He feels necessary. I just have to remember that nothing that those kids can say, and nothing that I hear from anyone, makes me who I am, and the Lord is my Rock and Salvation.
Again, there is a problem between some people very close to home, and I don't like talking about it. Things are very high tension and all I wanna tell the person who talks to me about it is that they need to forgive or else they will not be blessed. The hardest thing about it is if I say pretty much anything against either side it's like a bomb went off I just want the Lord to work through it, and make things work out the right way.
When the time comes, you need to look at your life, and ask the Lord if there is bitterness in your heart. Like Psalm says "Search me, and try me, O Lord, see if there is any evil way in me. That's paraphrased, but the Lord says that we need to love others, not be bitter to them. Bitterness leads to hate, and hatred is like killing someone in your heart. Which is like real murder. Bitterness also leads you down many roads you don't want to go down. It's like in Star Wars when Anakin starts being bitter towards the Jedi Council about not making him a Master, he eventually turns to the dark side. Sort of like that, when we don't get rid of the bitterness in our hearts, we will eventually start to turn away from the Lord again.
Just a thought that came to mind.
I hope this helps you.
Love you guys!
TJ
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Lucky Number 7
7... That's how many weeks of Junior year there are for me.
51 days until I leave for Rockbridge.
About 259 hours of school if we had nothing but whole weeks left.
1224 hours until I'm a senior.
All these numbers are crazy, and it doesn't seem right. I am so jacked up on Jesus for this month-long season that I need to maybe take a step back and look at the grand scheme of why I am going to be there. This is something I have looked forward to since July 8th, 2010, the day we got back from camp after my freshman year. 43 weeks left of high school. This is unreal. The sad part is, I will miss it.
I never thought I would say it, but high school is going to be a thing that I miss. I complain all the time about how impossible a class may be, or how much I dislike a teacher, but no matter how much I complain about it, I love it. High school has done nothing but teach me things. This past year especially. Nothing really seemed like it would be this fast, but now that I've taken time to grasp it, it's happening. Nothing is going to slow down. We are on a fast track to our life. When I look at it now, I am happy that high school teaches me things.
Freshman year, I learned what life really is. How we look to other things, how we are all broken on the inside. How we need a Healer. How love lost, really can result in true-love found.
Sophomore year - I learned that blessings come in the simplest of ways. You can find the fun in everything, no matter where you are, if you know where to find it. I also learned about some gifts that I have.
Junior year - I have learned that everyone is broken. Everyone needs Jesus. It doesn't matter who you are, where you are from, and who you talk to, Jesus is what you need. I also learned that life is too short to not take a little risk every now and again. YOLO, right?
Senior year - ????? This is the big mystery for me, but I don't need to worry about that now.
I love this feeling. My only worry right now is should I lead Young Life as a student leader, or should I stay with my Wyld Life kids? Honestly, that being my only concern of any importance, I am good. There is a time for God to reveal those things to me, and I must say that I will more than gladly take part in whatever He leads me to.
On to the big part of this coming Summer..
Work Crew 2012.
I still don't know what my job is, but I'm now in a group on facebook with the bosses, and some of the kids who are going to be serving with me. I can't wait to serve with them, and I just hope that big things happen there for the glory of the Kingdom, and for the better of everyone. I know big things will happen, actually. Big things already have. The Lord knows what will happen, I just can't wait for Him to reveal them to us! It's so exciting knowing that we have a God who knows exactly what's going to happen! We don't have to worry!
I am so ready to go to Rockbridge and show the campers that we are there for that there is a love that they need. I'm a little confused as to how I'm going to be able to contain my joy. Then again, with Christ, there is no such thing as contained joy. Happiness is only real when shared, right?
The boys of Fall are coming soon.
Football season is coming fast, and I have no other choice but to really sell out. The thing is, while to everyone else it seems I will be sold out for the team, or sold out for them, my purpose is to a different thing. I have no other choice but to sell out for the Lord! It's my last chance to show people that I have a powerful King working through me, and that they have a chance to meet Him! It's my last chance to prove to them that it doesn't matter that I am a follower. I can still play football like anyone else. It's my last chance to prove that Christ is higher on the field, and off.
Soccer's in, and I'm almost out
I'm enjoying the year, but it's hard for me. I also have no choice here. The rest of this season, I need to be sold out for Christ here too! last year I did it, so it's nothing new. It's time for me to be intentional about living out through the power of Christ. I am here for a reason, and Christ is going to be the reason I am there. Not to play soccer or to even say a word to the guys. It's time to preach the gospel, and use words when necessary.
Roadbound
I finally got around to ordering my birth certificate, so hopefully in about 9-10 months, I'll be licensed finally. A brand new adventure. Thanks go out to my youth minister! Thanks, Mike!
So much has happened, and not enough time in the day.
It's with heavy eyes, and a plan to make this year go out with a bang,
That I wish you all a good night, and may Christ light your way!
I love you guys!
TJ
51 days until I leave for Rockbridge.
About 259 hours of school if we had nothing but whole weeks left.
1224 hours until I'm a senior.
All these numbers are crazy, and it doesn't seem right. I am so jacked up on Jesus for this month-long season that I need to maybe take a step back and look at the grand scheme of why I am going to be there. This is something I have looked forward to since July 8th, 2010, the day we got back from camp after my freshman year. 43 weeks left of high school. This is unreal. The sad part is, I will miss it.
I never thought I would say it, but high school is going to be a thing that I miss. I complain all the time about how impossible a class may be, or how much I dislike a teacher, but no matter how much I complain about it, I love it. High school has done nothing but teach me things. This past year especially. Nothing really seemed like it would be this fast, but now that I've taken time to grasp it, it's happening. Nothing is going to slow down. We are on a fast track to our life. When I look at it now, I am happy that high school teaches me things.
Freshman year, I learned what life really is. How we look to other things, how we are all broken on the inside. How we need a Healer. How love lost, really can result in true-love found.
Sophomore year - I learned that blessings come in the simplest of ways. You can find the fun in everything, no matter where you are, if you know where to find it. I also learned about some gifts that I have.
Junior year - I have learned that everyone is broken. Everyone needs Jesus. It doesn't matter who you are, where you are from, and who you talk to, Jesus is what you need. I also learned that life is too short to not take a little risk every now and again. YOLO, right?
Senior year - ????? This is the big mystery for me, but I don't need to worry about that now.
I love this feeling. My only worry right now is should I lead Young Life as a student leader, or should I stay with my Wyld Life kids? Honestly, that being my only concern of any importance, I am good. There is a time for God to reveal those things to me, and I must say that I will more than gladly take part in whatever He leads me to.
On to the big part of this coming Summer..
Work Crew 2012.
I still don't know what my job is, but I'm now in a group on facebook with the bosses, and some of the kids who are going to be serving with me. I can't wait to serve with them, and I just hope that big things happen there for the glory of the Kingdom, and for the better of everyone. I know big things will happen, actually. Big things already have. The Lord knows what will happen, I just can't wait for Him to reveal them to us! It's so exciting knowing that we have a God who knows exactly what's going to happen! We don't have to worry!
I am so ready to go to Rockbridge and show the campers that we are there for that there is a love that they need. I'm a little confused as to how I'm going to be able to contain my joy. Then again, with Christ, there is no such thing as contained joy. Happiness is only real when shared, right?
The boys of Fall are coming soon.
Football season is coming fast, and I have no other choice but to really sell out. The thing is, while to everyone else it seems I will be sold out for the team, or sold out for them, my purpose is to a different thing. I have no other choice but to sell out for the Lord! It's my last chance to show people that I have a powerful King working through me, and that they have a chance to meet Him! It's my last chance to prove to them that it doesn't matter that I am a follower. I can still play football like anyone else. It's my last chance to prove that Christ is higher on the field, and off.
Soccer's in, and I'm almost out
I'm enjoying the year, but it's hard for me. I also have no choice here. The rest of this season, I need to be sold out for Christ here too! last year I did it, so it's nothing new. It's time for me to be intentional about living out through the power of Christ. I am here for a reason, and Christ is going to be the reason I am there. Not to play soccer or to even say a word to the guys. It's time to preach the gospel, and use words when necessary.
Roadbound
I finally got around to ordering my birth certificate, so hopefully in about 9-10 months, I'll be licensed finally. A brand new adventure. Thanks go out to my youth minister! Thanks, Mike!
So much has happened, and not enough time in the day.
It's with heavy eyes, and a plan to make this year go out with a bang,
That I wish you all a good night, and may Christ light your way!
I love you guys!
TJ
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Lead Me Back To the Cross.
Lately I have felt as if something hasn't been quite right. I've been worn down, and haven't really felt like I know how to love in the way that Jesus wants me to. I also just read a post from a dear friend that is pretty much describing how I want to live my life. Reading her joy in the ministry that we have been blessed in doing , and seeing that she has been going through an even more trying time than I ever have, and seeing that she is getting through it just fine makes me want to do that too. I wish I could say I was doing well, but things are not all right.
After reading my friends post, I just felt the Lord telling me that it's time for me to stop being so passive. In everything. When it comes to loving the 8th graders that I see every day, or even talking to them. That is a constant struggle for me though. (side note, I did meet 2 kids, one named Jacob, and one named Humda, or however you spell it haha) I hope that I can get more time to chill with the 8th graders in the morning, and love them like I should have been for the past few months. The Lord has also told me it's time for me to stop letting myself get mad at the kids on my soccer team when they give me all the crap in the world. I can just hear Jesus saying, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do" He's forgiven me, so why can't I bring myself to do the same for them?
I need to spend some time alone with the Lord, and let myself be lead by Him. This is the only other thing I know I need to do. I've been trying to go through my life in every single way without Him, and it's really starting to kill me. I wanna pray for everyone else, but right now my prayer needs to be that God can still be My God. He is the only one who can bring me back, and I need to step out in faith and let Him do so.
I also wanna ask that you guys pray for me. With all that going on. I have to leave school early this year for Work Crew! I'm excited, but I need the Lord to get me through the rest of the year first.
If I said I loved you guys, I don't know if it'd be true, so thanks for reading..
TJ
After reading my friends post, I just felt the Lord telling me that it's time for me to stop being so passive. In everything. When it comes to loving the 8th graders that I see every day, or even talking to them. That is a constant struggle for me though. (side note, I did meet 2 kids, one named Jacob, and one named Humda, or however you spell it haha) I hope that I can get more time to chill with the 8th graders in the morning, and love them like I should have been for the past few months. The Lord has also told me it's time for me to stop letting myself get mad at the kids on my soccer team when they give me all the crap in the world. I can just hear Jesus saying, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do" He's forgiven me, so why can't I bring myself to do the same for them?
I need to spend some time alone with the Lord, and let myself be lead by Him. This is the only other thing I know I need to do. I've been trying to go through my life in every single way without Him, and it's really starting to kill me. I wanna pray for everyone else, but right now my prayer needs to be that God can still be My God. He is the only one who can bring me back, and I need to step out in faith and let Him do so.
I also wanna ask that you guys pray for me. With all that going on. I have to leave school early this year for Work Crew! I'm excited, but I need the Lord to get me through the rest of the year first.
If I said I loved you guys, I don't know if it'd be true, so thanks for reading..
TJ
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