All of my life---in every season---You are still God and I have a reason to praise You.
I had the privilege of attending the Simply Youth Ministry conference in Indianapolis this past weekend with my co-worker, Shari. God absolutely blew my mind at this conference. I do not believe that our relationships with Christ are based on feeling, but I believe that God gives us seasons in our lives where we are able to feel His presence. Feel His arms wrapped around us. Feel His touch in our heart. My relationship with Christ is not based on feelings, rather it is based on the truth that God is always with me---even when I don't feel Him. Even when I don't see Him. I trust that He is always near, He is always holding me, He is always listening. But every once in a while---in the middle of our lives, God does something incredible. He gives us a taste of His presence and we feel Him. At this conference, I felt the presence of God. And it was healing. It was beautiful. It was refreshing. James 4:8 says,"Come near to God and He will come near to you." What an absolutely beautiful promise. And God always keeps His promises. This weekend, the Lord drew close to me, just as I was drawing near to Him. He met me where I was. And He worked in my heart. And I fell even more in love with Him.
I didn't even know that was possible.
After all that Christ has done in my life.
After all that Christ has freed me from.
After all that Christ has healed me from.
After all that Christ has shown me.
After all that Christ has done through me.
How could I ever fall more in love with Him?
Mercy Me semi-recently released a beautiful song called "The First Time." (Look it up at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcMigEmszRQ)
The chorus sings: "I thought I knew Your face. I thought I tasted grace, but I had never felt anything close to this. Just when I'd seen it all, new mercy breaks the dawn. With my eyes open wide---it feels like the first time, first time."
That's what this weekend was. It was a breath of refreshing air after being under water for so long. It was a light after being in the darkness for so long. It was a drink of water after a long marathon run.
I felt like I had just discovered Jesus for the first time.
I remember the first time that I accepted Jesus, as Lord, into my life. In 9th grade, I was at a camp in Tennessee. I had gone to multiple camps and conferences by this point in my life. I had heard the Gospel and had accepted Jesus as my Savior, but I had never accepted Him as my Lord. But in 9th grade, I heard the Gospel again. And Jesus broke through my hard heart. And He changed my life. I remember the joy that I felt. The hope that I experienced. How close Christ felt to me. How apparent it was that Jesus loved me. How excited I was to share Him with others.
I never wanted to leave that moment in time.
But I did leave that moment. Even though I didn't want to, God knew that I had to leave that moment in order for my faith to mature. I don't believe that God wants us to live in that season forever. We don't grow in those seasons.
We grow in the hard seasons where we have to believe God, even when we have every reason to doubt.
We grow in the hard seasons where we have to trust God, even when things don't make sense.
We grow in the hard seasons where we have to rest in God, even when we are hurting.
We grow in the hard seasons where we have to rely on God, even when we are confused.
We grow in the seasons where we don't feel God.
We grow in the seasons where we can't see God.
We grow in the seasons where God seems far away.
We grow in the seasons where we are hurting.
We grow in the seasons where we are doubting.
We grow in the seasons where things don't make sense.
Christ knows that we need these hard seasons in order to grow closer to Him---in order to mature in our faith.
I don't know about you...but that has always been the desire of my heart. In the moment of salvation---I prayed that the Lord would show me more of Himself. That He would make me more like Himself. That He would teach me to deny myself. That He would grow me in the knowledge of Himself.
In the moment of Salvation---I wanted to know what it took to fall more in love with Him. To experience more of Him.
But I didn't really know what that was going to look like in my life.
I didn't realize that in the moment of my salvation, what I was praying for was going to lead to a life of pain, hurt, doubts, and persecution.
But if that's what it takes to praise Jesus, to grow closer to Jesus, and to fall more in love with Jesus---then I am glad that I left the moment of salvation.
I'm glad that He has taken me through different hard seasons.
I'm so thankful for these hard seasons. I wouldn't change any of them.
But oh, how beautiful the seasons of joy can be! How beautiful the seasons of feeling God are.
And I was able to experience Him this weekend, in a way that I hadn't in a very long time.
And it was such a sweet time for me.
God held me in His arms the entire weekend.
God reminded me how much He loved me.
God showed me How much He's done for me.
God filled me with joy and hope.
It felt like 'the first time' that I ever felt the Lord overwhelm my heart.
I felt like a 9th grader again.
The Lord surrounded me with true Christ followers that loved me all weekend.
The Lord surrounded me with sound teaching.
The Lord surrounded me with people that prayed with me.
The Lord surrounded me with times of worship.
The Lord surrounded me with people that love students, just like I do.
The Lord surrounded me with new friends that showed me grace.
The Lord revealed and taught me so much this weekend! I cannot even combine it into one blog...but I do want to emphasize what I was reminded about prayer.
One of my favorite quotes from this weekend was:
"It is more important to talk to God about people than it is to talk to people about God." ---Jason Ostrander
This quote reminded me that it is more important to be on my knees in prayer for my students, friends and family---than it is to be in their face, shoving the Gospel down their throat. Another quote said: "Our lessons should weaken because we are spending so much time in prayer."
But the catch is---our lessons won't weaken. Martin Luther put it this way: "I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer."
It is so important to plead before the Lord. Prayer is powerful.
And I desire nothing less than to spend time on my knees---talking to my Lord and spending time with my Savior. Pleading for my friends, family, and students.
After this weekend, I have no doubt that God is going to have me in youth ministry for a very long time.
I am so in love with Jesus.
I am so excited to work with students.
I am stoked to continue to tell students about Jesus and His love for them.
I am thankful for this weekend---to experience joy, hope, and God's presence. But I am not fearing the next season that God has for me. I know that I will grow in pain. I will grow through doubt. I will grow through hurts. And I know that God is always with me. Even when He is silent, He is not absent. Even when He is silent, it is in a "He is right next to you" silence not in a "He is far away" silence.
So, my encouragement to you---whatever season of life you may be in. Whether you are on the mountain-top or in the valley--God is growing you. He is teaching you. He is with you. Every season of life has a purpose. Praise God for they valleys. And praise God for the mountain-tops. Keep walking. Keep fighting the good fight. Don't lose hope. There is always hope. Don't fear. Draw close to the Lord and He will draw close to you. I have experienced the valley. I have walked through many valleys. And Jesus has always kept His promises to me.
Trust in Him. Rest in Him.
As for me, I am on the mountain tonight. I haven't been on the mountain in many years. But this weekend, God has walked me up to the mountaintop. So, I am rejoicing from the mountaintop tonight. I am living in this season, knowing that it won't last forever. But the Lord has shown His goodness to me and I am rejoicing. He has reminded me of His love and I am rejoicing. He has given me a breath of fresh air and I am rejoicing.
Psalm 148:1 "Praise God from heaven, praise him from the mountaintops."
In His Love,
HG
I didn't even know that was possible.
After all that Christ has done in my life.
After all that Christ has freed me from.
After all that Christ has healed me from.
After all that Christ has shown me.
After all that Christ has done through me.
How could I ever fall more in love with Him?
Mercy Me semi-recently released a beautiful song called "The First Time." (Look it up at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcMigEmszRQ)
The chorus sings: "I thought I knew Your face. I thought I tasted grace, but I had never felt anything close to this. Just when I'd seen it all, new mercy breaks the dawn. With my eyes open wide---it feels like the first time, first time."
That's what this weekend was. It was a breath of refreshing air after being under water for so long. It was a light after being in the darkness for so long. It was a drink of water after a long marathon run.
I felt like I had just discovered Jesus for the first time.
I remember the first time that I accepted Jesus, as Lord, into my life. In 9th grade, I was at a camp in Tennessee. I had gone to multiple camps and conferences by this point in my life. I had heard the Gospel and had accepted Jesus as my Savior, but I had never accepted Him as my Lord. But in 9th grade, I heard the Gospel again. And Jesus broke through my hard heart. And He changed my life. I remember the joy that I felt. The hope that I experienced. How close Christ felt to me. How apparent it was that Jesus loved me. How excited I was to share Him with others.
I never wanted to leave that moment in time.
But I did leave that moment. Even though I didn't want to, God knew that I had to leave that moment in order for my faith to mature. I don't believe that God wants us to live in that season forever. We don't grow in those seasons.
We grow in the hard seasons where we have to believe God, even when we have every reason to doubt.
We grow in the hard seasons where we have to trust God, even when things don't make sense.
We grow in the hard seasons where we have to rest in God, even when we are hurting.
We grow in the hard seasons where we have to rely on God, even when we are confused.
We grow in the seasons where we don't feel God.
We grow in the seasons where we can't see God.
We grow in the seasons where God seems far away.
We grow in the seasons where we are hurting.
We grow in the seasons where we are doubting.
We grow in the seasons where things don't make sense.
Christ knows that we need these hard seasons in order to grow closer to Him---in order to mature in our faith.
I don't know about you...but that has always been the desire of my heart. In the moment of salvation---I prayed that the Lord would show me more of Himself. That He would make me more like Himself. That He would teach me to deny myself. That He would grow me in the knowledge of Himself.
In the moment of Salvation---I wanted to know what it took to fall more in love with Him. To experience more of Him.
But I didn't really know what that was going to look like in my life.
I didn't realize that in the moment of my salvation, what I was praying for was going to lead to a life of pain, hurt, doubts, and persecution.
But if that's what it takes to praise Jesus, to grow closer to Jesus, and to fall more in love with Jesus---then I am glad that I left the moment of salvation.
I'm glad that He has taken me through different hard seasons.
I'm so thankful for these hard seasons. I wouldn't change any of them.
But oh, how beautiful the seasons of joy can be! How beautiful the seasons of feeling God are.
And I was able to experience Him this weekend, in a way that I hadn't in a very long time.
And it was such a sweet time for me.
God held me in His arms the entire weekend.
God reminded me how much He loved me.
God showed me How much He's done for me.
God filled me with joy and hope.
It felt like 'the first time' that I ever felt the Lord overwhelm my heart.
I felt like a 9th grader again.
The Lord surrounded me with true Christ followers that loved me all weekend.
The Lord surrounded me with sound teaching.
The Lord surrounded me with people that prayed with me.
The Lord surrounded me with times of worship.
The Lord surrounded me with people that love students, just like I do.
The Lord surrounded me with new friends that showed me grace.
The Lord revealed and taught me so much this weekend! I cannot even combine it into one blog...but I do want to emphasize what I was reminded about prayer.
One of my favorite quotes from this weekend was:
"It is more important to talk to God about people than it is to talk to people about God." ---Jason Ostrander
This quote reminded me that it is more important to be on my knees in prayer for my students, friends and family---than it is to be in their face, shoving the Gospel down their throat. Another quote said: "Our lessons should weaken because we are spending so much time in prayer."
But the catch is---our lessons won't weaken. Martin Luther put it this way: "I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer."
It is so important to plead before the Lord. Prayer is powerful.
And I desire nothing less than to spend time on my knees---talking to my Lord and spending time with my Savior. Pleading for my friends, family, and students.
After this weekend, I have no doubt that God is going to have me in youth ministry for a very long time.
I am so in love with Jesus.
I am so excited to work with students.
I am stoked to continue to tell students about Jesus and His love for them.
I am thankful for this weekend---to experience joy, hope, and God's presence. But I am not fearing the next season that God has for me. I know that I will grow in pain. I will grow through doubt. I will grow through hurts. And I know that God is always with me. Even when He is silent, He is not absent. Even when He is silent, it is in a "He is right next to you" silence not in a "He is far away" silence.
So, my encouragement to you---whatever season of life you may be in. Whether you are on the mountain-top or in the valley--God is growing you. He is teaching you. He is with you. Every season of life has a purpose. Praise God for they valleys. And praise God for the mountain-tops. Keep walking. Keep fighting the good fight. Don't lose hope. There is always hope. Don't fear. Draw close to the Lord and He will draw close to you. I have experienced the valley. I have walked through many valleys. And Jesus has always kept His promises to me.
Trust in Him. Rest in Him.
As for me, I am on the mountain tonight. I haven't been on the mountain in many years. But this weekend, God has walked me up to the mountaintop. So, I am rejoicing from the mountaintop tonight. I am living in this season, knowing that it won't last forever. But the Lord has shown His goodness to me and I am rejoicing. He has reminded me of His love and I am rejoicing. He has given me a breath of fresh air and I am rejoicing.
Psalm 148:1 "Praise God from heaven, praise him from the mountaintops."
In His Love,
HG
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