just a part...

i'm going to share something that was shared tonight during worship with the youth group...

how many of you reading this have heard the words "we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."?
if you've been to church a few times...you most likely have.
next question - how many have a hard time believing it?
i mean - do you ever feel like "hey God...i'm LOVING you here...but i DON'T. GET. THIS.   FIX. IT."

things don't always make sense.
in fact - probably the majority of time, things don't make sense.
God has this great big plan, this picture that is so so so much bigger than we could ever see - so its hard to wrap our minds around the fact that our time here on earth, our lives...are just ONE part of a bigger picture.
i heard a pastor say just the other day that

 "looking at our lives compared to eternity is like putting your face right up to a stained glass window.  you'll see some color and some texture - maybe even a shape or two.  but what you don't see is the hundreds of OTHER shapes and colors that make up the whole rest of the picture to make it truly breathtaking".

interesting, huh?

and sometimes things just don't make sense.

BUT what the truth of that verse from Romans says - is that its not random.

our lives are not left up to chance and God isn't just watching and saying "oh...hmmm - yeah, idk how we're gonna turn that one around..."

He's not surprised!

He's not caught off guard!

how COMFORTING is that???

hard to believe? yes.  but comforting if its true??? yes!

and He said it - so guess what?  its true.

and if that's true...

then the incredibly frustrating situation you are facing right now - is in His hands.  

all hope is not lost.

the person you've been praying for for YEARS that seems like a lost cause?

they're not.

the times you feel so confused because God just isn't doing anything remotely resembling what you thought He would in your life?

He sees the bigger picture...and He's getting you there.

its tough stuff.

its not easy.

so tonight we had the youth write down things that God is doing on pieces of paper that don't make sense.

or that they don't understand.

or that is just HARD and it doesn't feel like there is hope left.

and just surrendered them to Him...

admitted that while its frustrating and lonely and difficult - 

we are CHOOSING to trust that He knows.

that He has not lost track of us.

and stay tuned...because we're not done with those pieces of paper.

just like God is not DONE with our situations.
so if you are reading this and want to add a "piece of paper" by commenting here or messaging me or something - just somehow surrender these things.
we will worry ourselves to death over things we can't control and really - if we knew the whole picture, we probably wouldn't want to.

we just have to keep our eyes fixed - just like Hebrews 12 says.

keep our eyes FIXED on the author and perfecter of our faith.

He's doing it...

choose to trust Him for it today.

-ALIVE

time to smile

today i am sharing two of my new favorite songs with you.

first - 

you will be reminded of how GOOD God really is.

so just let it sink in, 

and take some time to smile :)

and then keep that smile on your face and listen to this one...

and just let God love you...

love.

love it so much.

oh man.

i hope you enjoyed these few minutes of worship 

and i pray that God fills you with His holy spirit freshly today!

:)

be blessed friends!

-ALIVE

a unique addition

i heard a pastor say this the other day and i had to share...

"God didn't make you unique for uniqueness' sake.  He made you unique because He's got a specific purpose in mind for you...

you have been placed into a community of believers.

you are a part of the body to work for the glory of God. 

and when one part doesn't work - the body is hindered.

and what happens when you decide that you don't want the gifts you've been given or when you decide not to use your gifts within that community, 

you are robbed of being able to experience God and you stifle the church.  

the community of believers is robbed of the unique addition that God has brought to them in you."

                                                                                                         ---Matt Chandler.

powerful, right?

we are all unique because we all have a different purpose.

and we have been placed in such a way that we fit with the rest of the body of believers.

and a body only works if all the parts are doing their thing - 

so if we decide that we don't really matter,

or we're just not that gifted,

or no one really needs what we have...

we are WRONG.

God says in 1 corinthians that every part is crucial.

so us making that decision doesn't just affect us.

it affects the whole group.

so all the times i say - 

find your gift,

use your gift,

practice your gift...

its not just so you can be good at something or find your talent.

its so you can experience God by letting Him show you how He created you...

and so the body of Christ gets to use what He's given YOU.

i can write and direct all day long - 

but that is a VERY small piece of the puzzle.

God's plan needs hands, feet, legs, eyes, ears...........

and He's put us all together in such a way that we can be used in incredible ways to bring Him glory and to reach out to a lost world.

so don't belittle your gifts and don't assume someone else can do it - 

because they can't.

and don't be afraid to step out and use it - 

because its His gift.  it'll work.

its not about us.

its ALL about Him.

and we have been placed with a uniqueness

that completes the body He has put together.

and it only works the way it should if we actually do our part...

if you know what you're gift is - use it.

if you don't - don't be afraid to ask Him.

but don't rob the church of the uniqueness He's given us in you.

-ALIVE

yes, i'm talking to you...

annnnndddd.......

we're back!

it has been WAY too long since there has been a post on here.

for that - i apologize.

it has been a few months of craziness and spiritual warfare and challenges...

but God is working.

and He has pulled us through - 

and He has not lost a bit of his creativity.

:)

we're doing things a little bit differently for the moment - 

taking a step back from deadlines and craziness and just working on the things God has given us.

deadlines will be back - i can't ignore them forever,

but for right now...

we're completely at the mercy of God's leading.

its a nice feeling.

:)

so our first project?

a dance.

well - a dance/ dramatic signing to the song

Your Great Name 

by Natalie Grant.

POWERFUL song.

soooo worshipful.

and every time i hear it i just picture so much worship happening - 

and God has laid it on my heart to put a dance to it...

so i have enlisted ashley to choreograph it...and i'm so excited.

not sure EXACTLY when it will be performed - 

but i've got a vision for it.

SO - if any of you out there are interested in checking it out or being a part of it 

(and if you think "i can't dance" don't worry...i can do it.  if i can do it - you DEFINITELY can do it)

and we'd LOVE to have you be a part of it.

we will spend the next couple thursdays working on it and possibly on a saturday coming up.

so if you are interested PLEASE let us know!!!

ASAP.

:)

here's the song...

let God speak to you through it.

that being said...

back to the what i was saying.

like i said - we're letting God lead.

here's the kicker though - if we're going to be completely at the mercy of God's leading...

we need to be so intentional about listening to Him.

listening FOR His voice and His ideas.

so team - 

lets listen.

lets surrender and just stop trying so hard to get stuff done...

and just let Him lead.

lets pray for specific things, ask Him for what we need.

lets see how He wants to stir us up,

and find out what happens when God shines through us.

and please - if you want to get involved, don't be afraid to talk to me.

know that i am praying for God to help people use their artistic/ creative gifts...

so if you're feeling led - 

you may just want to listen ;)

i would LOVE to see how i can help you use your gift of art or acting or writing or videoing or song mixing or speaking or WHATEVER...please don't be afraid to try it out.

God's given you a gift for a reason...

aren't you just a little bit curious to find out what it is?

:)

-ALIVE