audrak79

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In response to the Travis Scott/Astroworld concert… A lesson from Zacchaeus. 11/9/21

As I see the news stories, pictures and videos of the tragic events at Astroworld, it just simply brings me to tears to think that our own human race could be so selfish. As you can see from all of the videos and pictures, fans continued to press in tighter and tighter as the crowd grew larger and larger. These fans wanted to be closer and closer to this artist who sings about nasty things, encourages violence at his concerts and has an arrest record to prove it. They were so concerned about their own worship of this artist that they were oblivious to the fact that they were suffocating and crushing other human lives. But what do we expect in our society when we cheer on things like the murderous act of abortion? We continue to take a variety sin and allow it by law because it feels good. Me me me me me. All about self. This morning, the story of Zacchaeus came to mind. You can read the full story in Luke 19. Jesus was notorious for drawing a crowd. Nowhere in the Bible does it mention people trampling other people to death just to see Him or worship Him. Instead we see how people found another way. Also, Jesus drew crowds because of His good works and good words. One man was lowered from the roof top in hope Jesus could heal him. One lady just touched is clothing. Zacchaeus, he went ahead of the crowd and he waited. Jesus rewarded his patience and perseverance. As parents, it is so important to pay attention to what is going into the minds, the eyes, and the ears of our kids as these things penetrate the heart. These 8 victims included a 14 yr old boy and a 16 yr old girl and the others were in their early 20s. All completely preventable. Every fan who pushed to get a little closer has played a part in this death. The artist too. I’ve seen footage showing camera men who refused to help after being shown dead bodies and they shooed the attendees away. What have we been teaching our kids to make them think this is ok or normal?! The problem has been, is, and will continue to be sin. The enemy comes to devour (1Peter 5:8). Make no mistake that the enemy is laughing and all over something completely preventable. We all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But we have a choice. We can choose to be a better example by not supporting or promoting sinful behaviors. There’s plenty of great music that doesn’t promote sexual immorality, violence or drugs. I challenge my rap friends to give KB or Andy Mineo a try (there are so many others but these are 2 of my favs). Heavy metal? Try Skillet or Phinehas. Music is powerful. We all know this. Choose it wisely, you can’t unhear or unsee things. Everything that goes in effects what we put out. How can we be surprised at what happened at this Astroworld when it’s exactly what the artist sings of and what the fans praise? Lord Jesus, help us be more like You. In a world crushing life in the crowd, help us to remember Zacchaeus. Help us Lord to deny ourselves and to take up our cross to follow you. Lord we ask that you comfort those grieving and bring healing to the other victims. We pray Lord that this be an awakening for all. Lord we await Your glorious return and praise You as we wait. Lord forgive us. In Your name Jesus, Amen.

#Astroworld #travis scott

[audrak79]

Are you a “Millennial” in your walk with God?

We often poke fun at our younger generations (the Millennials/Generation Y and the Gen Z kids).  We talk about their lack of independence, their entitlement, their selfishness, and inability to think through things.  We’ve all seen the memes.  We’ve all experienced it.  I work at a busy law office.  I have 4th year college interns, some honors students and Dean’s List kids, yet they have no clue how to address an envelope, use a land line, have never written a check, or don’t even know what a deposit slip is. Their cell phone takes priority over ANYTHING.   We laugh about it.   I don’t want these younger generations to think I am picking on them, I mean I am but I also understand that this is a result of our society and what they have told us is normal.  Hmmmm, ROMANS 12:2 can’t be preached enough.  Anyway, what I just realized is that this is how Christians act with their faith.  WHAT!?!?!  Yes.  I’m serious.  Think about it.  There is no independence.  There’s the expectation for the Pastor to “feed you” spiritually.  The entitlement of the gift of salvation without the realization of what that cost was (why the price has to be paid to begin with) and what that really means you are to do with your new life.  The selfishness of doing everything for self and nothing for His kingdom or for HIS GLORY.  And the inability to think things through, because if you did you wouldn’t be doing the last 3 things I listed.   We all show up on Sunday, listen (or sleep through) the sermon, sing a little or maybe just clap your hands to the music. We smile as we leave, greet a few people that we greet every week.  Then you leave the building, and nothing happens until 7 days later when you do the same thing as the week before.   We get hung up on self that we lose sight of the most incredible selfless act ever performed, Christ’s death on the cross.  Sure, you think about it when you take communion.  But if you are truly realizing what that means, why are you still stuck in this weekly routine?  How often does the Bible get picked up and read from Sunday afternoon through Saturday night? How often are you praying and giving thanks for even the breath in your lungs?  How often are you sharing what God has done in your life with others?  How often are you sacrificing something to give to someone else?  1 John 3:17 is pretty clear: “If anyone has material possessions and see a brother or sister in need but has not pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?”  It’s great to join a fundraiser for your favorite cause, attend a banquet dinner, march for awareness, etc.  But this is supposed to be part of our EVERYDAY life.  Not just the occasional event.  Are you filling your calendar and saying “God, please bless this and get me through!”?  Or are you asking God, “Lord, please fill my calendar with what You say is important for Your kingdom and Your people.”  When we put self first, where is Holy Spirit supposed to fit in?  Put Him first and I guarantee you everything else will fall in line.  The Mary Kay business has great skincare and cosmetics, but guess what else, it is a model of GOD FIRST, FAMILY SECOND, CAREER THIRD.  God comes first.  He comes before your spouse (when you put God first, you are honoring your spouse).  He comes before your kid’s ball game (there will be more and if you are teaching your kids right, they will understand).  He comes before your career (He will guide you through your workday if you let Him).  It’s time for self examination.  What have you ignored, neglected, or put off because of self, your spouse, your kids, or your job came first?  Your spiritual growth? Serving God’s people? Giving of your possessions because you aren’t comfortable without them?  (OUCH!)  Or maybe you are afraid others will be weirded out if you put your priorities where they should be.  Maybe you’re afraid of what others will think if you miss a game or if you pray in public.   Maybe you ae afraid to let go and dance or cry during worship because someone else would see you, or because your knees became so week at His presence that you fell to your knees or just couldn’t stand.  Guess what.  It doesn’t matter what others think.  IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!  It’s about Jesus.  It’s about taking up your cross and following Him.  It’s about sacrifice and doing it for His sake, not your own. So I encourage you. Dance and jump like crazy, sing even if it doesn’t sound good, cry, pray out loud, love and serve others daily.  Feed yourself by reading your Bible, attending a retreat, finding quiet time alone, joining a study group, seeking wise counsel, or by being wise counsel to someone else.   Be an example inside and outside the church.  When someone prays, join them.  If someone falls because they are so aware of Holy Spirit’s presence, catch them or hit your knees with them.  Things don’t happen when we wait for someone else to do it for us or by remaining comfortable.  Things happen when we rise up and listen to Holy Spirit speak. So are you a hypocrite?  Are you laughing at the meme’s and society’s new norm yet doing the same in your walk with Christ?  You can change that.  Don’t conform, be transformed. Let the scriptural norm be revived and put to death the societal norm.  Lord Jesus, I pray that help me step out and make me uncomfortable.  Lord I pray for opportunities to love your people.  I pray my eyes are open to these opportunities.  I pray that I let go of self and pick up your agenda that you would have for me.  Thank you Lord for the breath you provide so that we can do Your work.  Thank you that You are not finished with me yet.  I love you Lord!  Amen.  09/30/19

#getyourprioritiesstraight #Godfirst #getoveryourself #riseup

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"I trust You’ve got something better for me....”

So yesterday started like any other Saturday.  I held exercise at the church, went to bible study at the winery ( #winewiththeword ), fed the family lunch, ran to a Bulldog Development meeting, then met some friends for wine tasting and dinner at my fav, Cooper’s Hawk.  Little did I know what God had in store from there forward.  My wine tasting started with awesome conversation with awesome friends and quickly turned into a chance to share God’s word.  We had great wine, even greater food, with the greatest people.  As we left, my husband and I were jamming in the car on the way home to some worship songs and God hit me, like full-on smacked me up the front of the face, YOU NEED TO BE AT MT. TABOR METHODIST AT 9AM TOMORROW WITH BRAD DAUGHERTY!  I asked Benji what he thought about attending this service to support Brad as he presented for the first time his “Even If” story.  If you aren’t familiar with it, just look him up on facebook or check out #courage4christian.  I texted Brad and asked if he would like us to be there and of course, he said yes.  I set the alarms, because this girl does not like mornings, and it was a 9am service 30 minutes from the house instead of a 10:15 service 5 minutes from the house.  We got to the little church in Dunkirk, IN about 8:50am, found our buddy Brad and took a seat.  We prayed before Brad spoke, prayed God would give him the right words and prayed for the receiving ears of this testimony.  As Brad began speaking, he asked us to open our bibles to Isaiah 55:8-9.   “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  We can’t understand or comprehend God’s plan or His will.  Brad spoke about his son who at age 6 (and he is now 8) has had to experience the unimaginable pain of a unique type of brain tumor and is now up to 6 surgeries.  Through it all, he chose, CHOSE, to not be angry at God, “even if” the unspeakable and unthinkable happens.  He spoke of the amazing God moments, his Riley Moments, and how he learned to talk to God while at Riley.  He then jumped to Hebrews 11:17-19.  “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,  of whom it was said, Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.  He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.”  I was reminded of the song “Isaac” by Hollyn.  She sings “even when I feel like I’m gonna break, I will lift my hands to you... open up lift your hands higher, I know it’s hard.  Give me back what I have given, trust my heart.”  Google the lyrics, you will cry... it’s amazing.  The bottom line of her song is the message behind the story, we must trust that God has something better for us “even if” we feel like we are going to break. Trust.  Have faith. As I listened to Brad continue, I felt compelled to read the remainder of Isaiah 55.  As I was reading I was also hearing Brad speak about how many messages he gets from followers of his posts about them coming to Christ or attending a church service. He continued on talking about how we must love and do what we are called to do.  He said he didn't know what God was trying to teach him or his family through all this, but he was willing to to never be angry and continue to praise Him.  I finished reading Isaiah 55 and after the service I asked Brad if he had read the remainder of the chapter as it relates to what he is doing now.  He said “no”, I said well I’m going to read it to you now.  “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Did you hear that?  THE WORD OF GOD WILL BE GO OUT AND WILL NOT RETURN EMPTY, IT WILL ACCOMPLISH IT’S PURPOSE, IT WILL SUCCEED.  YOU SHALL GO OUT IN JOY, LED BY PEACE.  IT SHALL MAKE A NAME FOR THE LORD!  Brad is living out God’s will for his life.  He has sent Brad to share the good news, to bring people to Him.  Through Christian’s story, his family’s faith, their courage, and their proclamation that God is good all the time.  Wow!  Just wow!  The title of Isaiah 55 is different depending on the translation you read.  ESV calls it “The Compassion of the Lord”.  NLT says “Invitation to the Lord’s Salvation”.  No matter what translation you choose, this book and chapter is what God has called Brad to share.  As we left in total awe and amazement, I knew Benji had been brainstorming (he even had his calculator out during the service) on ways to help as he heard Brad speak (please check out our new event on ways to help in our Another Berry Long Run Facebook page).  We stopped at our church on the way home since we knew the sermon was still in progress.  The current sermon series is “6 Things Jesus Did NOT Die For.”  And todays thing ...... Jesus did not die so we could live a pain free life.  Again, WOW!  Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  I’ll leave you with that.  #courage4christian #Godisgoodallthetime  July 7, 2019

[audrak79]

The Big 4-0

If you google “turning 40”, great memes pop up. Some of my favs: FORTY, THE ULTIMATE “F” WORD or HAPPY 40th, ENJOY YOUR COLONOSCOPY. Then there are articles about turning 40 & the things we need to know, most of which are depressing reads. However 1 article grabbed my attention, 5 BRUTALLY HONEST THINGS EVERY WOMAN TURNING 40 SHOULD KNOW. As I read through it I realized how sad aging without Jesus must be. So I’m going to go through this gals top 5 but use God’s word to address each one. Here we go. #1 Our bodies will require additional work. No more fast food or eating what we want & not paying for it. You know, less calories/more exercise. She quotes B.K.S. Iyengar who said “Your body is your temple. Keep it pure & clean for the soul to reside in.” Who is this person? Yeah, I wondered too because he totally ripped off this quote from Paul in his letter to the church at Corinth. Paul tells us “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, & you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17‬, & “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:19-20‬. If my body is a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, why wouldn’t I take care of it? Do we not pull out the good dishes, hide the laundry, & make sure our toilets are flushed (come on, you know it happens) when we know we are having company? So take care of yourself whether it be by diet, exercise, worship, & other healthy habits. #2 Get ready for the estrogen roller coaster & the depression likely to come with it. Hooray for Menopause. The writer encourages seeking professional help (ie counseling) in addition to finding your own sun (vacay) and laughter with friends. Ah, laughter is the best medicine, right? It’s good, but our God is the great physician so I’ll rely on Him. Lots of great reads for help with depression; Psalm 40:1-3, Romans 8:38-39, Isaiah 41:10, just to name a few. This one stuck out to me, “Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies & God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:3-4‬. #3 Heart disease is the number 1 killer of woman. That’s uplifting, not. The author focuses on healthy habits & encouraging the same for your kids, I’ll refer back to #1. Healthy habits are learned & why wouldn’t we want our kids to start early? (Proverbs 22:6). On a side note, let’s think about this too, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬. #4 Vision quality decreases. Great. She stresses the importance of UV protection & a diet rich in antioxidants. Great advice. I’ll add that God can open the eyes of the blind. Yes, literally. But whether my eyes fail me or my sight remains in good condition, I pray that God would open the eyes of my heart, “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,” Ephesians‬ ‭1:18‬. Finally, #5 I’ll be bombarded with worry. I call BS. I’ve never been a worrier & don’t see how 40 will suddenly change that. Massage and meditation was this author’s answer. I’ll pray and continue to dig into God’s word. Although a nice massage never hurt anyone. I’ve decided that as I turn 40, I’m looking forward to more than just my first mammogram. I’m focusing on being transformed instead of conformed (Romans 12:2), choosing joy over the hum-drum that comes with everything we encounter in this world. “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs‬ ‭17:22‬. God gave us freewill, use it. I will intentionally and deliberately chose joy. 1/20/19

[audrak79]

What Are You Lenting

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lent season. While some may remind me I'm not Catholic, my 12 year old daughter has reminded me of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and asked to to join her sacrificing something that means a lot to me for the next 45 days. Last year she gave up pasta (huge as it is a staple in her diet) and I gave up soda (this also lead to a lifestyle change as I no longer drink it daily). Many of you know that I love sweets. I eat donuts several days a week in addition to cakes, cookies, brownies, and candies (ok, I eat sweets daily, all day long). My gut hiding beneath my shirt would show you the proof. So, starting tomorrow I will pray each time I desire my sweets and thank Jesus for His sacrifice for me. Hoping this will help me better pace myself and sweets will become special instead of a food group. Oh, Joon's giving up popcorn...because she eats it everyday. LOL. 2/28/17

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Jesus Changes Us

I was asked to make a 3 minute video with my husband answering 3 questions. It seemed easier to write it out first and see what this might look like. I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, I’m a visual person. So, here we go….

WHO WAS I BEFORE JESUS? I didn’t grow up in church. I was exposed at a very young age but from elementary school on, my church experience consisted of Christmas and Easter visits to little Bethel church. I don’t really remember a time that I didn’t believe God was real. I didn’t understand what being a Christian really entailed nor did I comprehend how big a deal Jesus’s death and resurrection was. I never doubted that Jesus died on the cross for me. I grew up hearing John 3:16 and knew that I could put my name right inside that verse and it still rang true. But it just wasn’t my lifestyle, wasn’t anything I thought about daily, weekly, or even monthly. I felt God’s presence from time to time; singing the twice a year I attended church, a knot in my stomach when I was making a poor decision. I call my young self the “blind faith believer”.

HOW DID JESUS GET MY ATTENTION? I saw a lot of crazy things growing up. I did a lot of crazy things. I made really bad choices. But I usually had a moment in that poor decision which made me only make that decision once (of course getting caught helps there too). But it wasn’t during that time that Jesus got my attention. I don’t think I was ready to listen. After the birth of our daughter, I felt a really strong tug to make sure she grew up in the church since I didn’t. I mean, I don’t know how anyone gives birth and doesn’t realize how real God is. We started visiting Bethel church as a family. They passed out these videos during their living nativity. The Jesus movie, we called it. The book of Luke in movie form. I’m not a reader so it was perfect for me, I’m a totally visual person. I remember watching it one day when I was home alone, maybe Joon was asleep. I cried so hard watching the death of Jesus. It was like a light switch was turned on. That he REALLY and ACTUALLY died for me. At the end of the movie was that prayer to invite Jesus into your life, into your heart. I sat there and repeated those words from the movie prayer and had no clue what to do next. Over the next few years I watched how God transform my life. It wasn’t overnight. It wasn’t without bumps in the road. But slowly, I see where God was through my entire childhood and young adult life. I didn’t see Him then, didn’t recognize Him always, but I see how He was putting my life together. Like a puzzle. I was young and confused and didn’t know what life was supposed to look like but I can see those pieces now fitting together.

WHO IS JESUS MAKING ME INTO? He’s making me more like Him. I don’t know exactly what the finished puzzle looks like for me here on earth, but I know it’s ever changing. I no longer make excuses. I decided to be a “yes girl” for Jesus. God has led me to and through some pretty incredible things. I’m not perfect and I am trying everyday to be more and more like Jesus. I’m a better wife, mother, and friend. I strive to put others first and hold my tongue. I recognize the enemy when he tries to make me fall. I’m still a mouthy wife and a controlling mother. I’m still sloppy and my husband cleans up the mess. But slowly, I recognize my faults and I try to correct them. I take better care of myself because I know that I am made in His image and that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit inside me. I’m a work in progress until His returning.

February 2017

#workinprogress #ibelongtohim

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Now or never....

I don’t really know where to begin.  There are so many things I want to share but it seems that maybe each “thing” should be it’s own blog, however the point of this blog is to share what’s on my heart right now… the gospel, and why it is THAT important.  I’m not really sure how to do that. You see, I’m still learning but I know God has things he wants me to share.  So many great things have happened in my life, too many to count. There are so many amazing relationships started or that have grown, sickness healed, hearts mended, and I MUST give all glory to God for that. I could go into so many details about how I know God made those things happen, but that is another blog.  I think I should start a blog simply called “my God winks”.  You know those moments that some might call “coincidence”, but I know it is God giving me a little wink, telling me, “I’ve got this!”  

What sticks out right now is this, I have so many family members and friends that are “non-believers”, they either don’t believe or aren’t familiar with who Jesus is and what He did for them.  This is hard for me to swallow.  God’s word tells us in Romans 10:13 “for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  That’s awesome, right?  But there is a second part.  The part that many forget.  Verse 14 says, “How then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”  Yup, that part that makes so many of us Christians nervous, the part that makes us feel uncomfortable.  That part being SHARING the good news, preaching the gospel.  It’s not an easy topic to start, especially if you are new to really growing in your relationship with God. Like, all I can think of is a meme of “excuse me, do you have a moment to talk about Jesus Christ?”  You know, the one with like a zoo safari animal sticking it’s head in the car window at the 2 year old who is totally freaked out. Or the one with the dog sticking it’s head through the dog door.  Hysterical, but seriously…. I was always what I would call a “blind faith” believer.  There was never a reason I shouldn’t believe.  I mean let’s face it, how many people did you encounter in your youth, or even in your lifetime, that didn’t celebrate Christmas.  Or Easter!  If that many are celebrating those holidays, there must be some sort of truth to it.  So, I lived the bulk of my life just knowing that there was an Almighty God, a Creator and that He sent His Son to die for me and anyone who would accept Him and believe.  I didn’t really think I needed to know more than that.  I prayed, sometimes (or told people I would thinking that the thought was enough).  We are really good at that, “please pray for ______”  or “keep my family in your prayer”, to which we reply, “Got it”  or “done!”, yet did we really or was it just the thing to say?  

As my daughter approached toddlerhood, I realized that I wasn’t equipped to teach her about Christmas and Easter etc.  I could tell you amazing stories of how we started going to church, how God lead us to our current church, how we met the current pastor of our church, how my family decided to get baptized together, and the way the dots connect…. it’s NOT coincidence.  It was a perfect plan by a perfect God to get us where He wanted us and when He wanted us there. 

So here it is.  It’s real simple. To my family and friends who don’t know anything about God, Jesus, faith, or being a Christian: Let me tell you about a man named Jesus who was born unto a virgin and came to save the world.  He died for YOU!  He took upon Himself the most brutal death, the weight of EVERY sin EVER committed and that would EVER BE committed, he took all that pain so you wouldn’t have to suffer for all eternity.  He was buried.  He laid in a sealed tomb 3 days and then got up!  That’s right. He walked out of tomb, alive, and many witnessed that it was really Him.  They had dinner with Him.  Could you imagine?!  I know it sounds crazy, right?  Like, “DUDE, YOU WERE DEAD!”  I don’t know that anyone denies that Jesus was a man that walked on the earth during the time and era the bible says He did (I can’t back that up, I’m sure someone out does).  Many will doubt my statements above about why Jesus died and that He flat out conquered death.  But here is my challenge and my prayer (not just for the ones who don’t know who Jesus is, but also those who have heard of him but chose to ignore the possibility that what the bible says is true) READ ABOUT IT.  Don’t just google it.  Don’t be “that guy” who googles “proof God does not exist”. Read the bible.  I am.  Well, I listen to it mostly because I HATE READING!  Like for real, can’t stand to read a book.  I know how pitiful that is.  But here are just a few things I have realized by reading/listening to God’s word: 

1.  There are WAY to many connections from one book to the next, from how the geneology is laid out, explanations of how and why things happen etc.  There is no way someone could just make this up.  I mean come on!  If they are just stories complied together, than why and how are they all connected the way they are? You won’t understand the detail until you actually start diving into it. Also, if it were designed just to make us feel good, why would ALL that genealogy be in there and how and where tribes went and all the other stuff that makes our heads spin. Or all the brutal death stories. It was not easy to get through some of it, BUT trust me, there is so much information in there and you won’t realize it’s importance until you ACTUALLY KEEP READING. It’s like the infomercial, “But wait!  There’s more!”   

2.  God’s timing is mind blowing. It is no coincidence that I am telling you all this RIGHT NOW.  It is God’s way of reaching you right now at this exact moment.  I have seen his timing at work so many times, and the more I dive in, the more aware I am of it.  For example: my church isn’t preaching through Old Testament, I’m not going through it at any of my bible studies, and I have attempted to read through the Old Testament with a a reading plan (”Read the Bible in 1 Year!”) for the past 3 years.  Yes, I said 3 years for the 1 year plan.  (Hey, I said I hate reading and I am by no means a perfect follower of Christ.  I am, however determined not to give up.  I can do all things through Christ… Philippians 4:13)  But here’s the funny part, I have been working on this 1 year plan for like 3 years and guess what? I’m only in like the 10th book out of 66.  Right now I have been going through how the Israelites (God’s peeps) are delivered out of slavery but keep messing up.  Yet in all their screw ups, God is faithful to His promise with them.  But instead of looking to Him as their ruler, king, leader, they decide to lean on their own understanding and do what they saw was right in their own eyes. Hmmmmm, sound familiar?  And the shit keeps getting deeper.  It’s like what happens today.  Even crazier, God used some pretty jacked up people to carry out His will (Just read the book of Judges). He needed to defeat these nasty and morally corrupt people to allow the Israelites a way to live apart from them and be the example but he didn’t have perfect people to do that with.  God will use who He wants, when He wants, to carry out His will.  Guess what, this all made sense during this election season.  I had my fav candidate, but I knew it ultimately did not matter.  We may have a president, but Jesus is King.  He will use whoever is president to do His will. So relax. God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the ones He calls.    

3.  The bible is like a big bar fight wrapped into the most amazing love story.  Weird right?  I know.  But if you read through it, you’ll see what I mean.  There are talking serpents, violent war stories, love stories, stories better than any blockbuster movie.  Give it a chance. Do it prayerfully. 

So, I don’t have all the answers.  I don’t even have a lot of answers.  Actually, I may not have a single answer to a single question. But if I don’t know the answer, I can find it and I know where to find it.  Life on this earth could end at any second.  We never know how much time we have.  If you aren’t a believer, think for a second that “what if this Jesus, Christianity, heaven and hell thing are real?”  Do you want to take the chance of not entering heaven when your earthly time is up when there is the greatest escape plan EVER?  If that is your only reason alone for reading and checking it out, so be it. My heart aches knowing that if Jesus came today, many of the people I love so dear would be left behind.  I CANNOT force someone to believe.  I CAN share the gospel in hopes they would be receptive to it.  

So that’s it.  I pray this: Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me the courage, wisdom, and ability to write this blog.  Thank you for bringing into my life so many people.  Lord, I know it is your desire for ALL to know you and that you have provided a way for them to do that.  Lord use me.  Guide me.  Go before me as I continue my journey doing Your work.  Lord, I pray that just one person that would read this would consider the idea of looking into what you have to offer, eternal life.  Lord, I pray that each one reading this is reading with an open mind and heart.  Lord, I ask for your blessing upon each person this blog reaches, that they may feel that little tug at their heart and recognize that it’s not indigestion or coincidence or any other thing they try to imagine.  That they would recognize the Holy Spirit upon them.  Lord, thank you for doing what I could not.  For dying for me.  Thank you Lord for living in me and allowing me to be used for Your Kingdom.  IN YOUR NAME I PRAY.  AMEN. 

November, 2016

#jesusfreak #beincommunity #doyouhaveamoment #doyouknowjesus #nowornever #myprayer #thanksgiving

[audrak79]

“...If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it...”

My title today comes from Luke 6:27-30.  It blows my mind how the Lord gives us the words we need, when we need it.  How He prepares us for what is to come and comforts us during the storms of everyday life.  This past Sunday I had the privilege of teaching the 1st-5th graders at church.  Our lesson was loving your enemies, Luke 6:27-30. Monday started like any other Monday; HECTIC, crazy, emotional, just a plain ole hot mess.  But as always, I had workout at the church at the end of my day.  This workout time is something I look forward to EVERYDAY! I don’t just need the workout, I can run or do sit ups anywhere.  I need this time for the fellowship with the women that come and for the worship, the time with God just letting go the worries of the day.  Workout started like any other workout.  I announced what playlist we would be using.  Monday happened to be our first ARM DAY!  Everyone has a love/hate relationship with arm workouts.  We hate them because they are hard, tiring, and painful, but we love the results.  Immediately while doing our opening stretches, I found myself just really dig’n the worship. We opened with Big Daddy Weave’s “My Story”.  What an awesome song of how God has worked in our lives and through our lives and how telling our story to others is telling of Him, our Creator, our Friend, our Father, our Savior, our EVERYTHING.  Immediately I noticed I wasn’t alone in feeling the Holy Spirit’s presence in that gym. I saw arms raising and heard voices lifted.  AHHHHHH, how amazing!  The workout was fabulous.  At the conclusion we stretched to “Holy Spirit” by Francesca Battistelli.  Wow, what a song and what a way to end our workout…by asking God to fill us and fill the place we were in, to FLOOD it!  Again, smiles were upon faces and voices were lifted.  THANK YOU GOD!  As we were ending class, it was great to hear that 3 newcomers enjoyed themselves and said they would come back.  Hugs were exchanged and as we began to exit our spirits went from joy to fear in a matter of seconds realizing that 3 of the cars in the parking lot had broken windows and these gals purses and phone were gone.  VIOLATED!  It’s just stuff, but oh how it makes us feel when we are violated. We feel scared, dirty, sad, angry, and we panic.  We began the phone calls and quickly we were able to recognize that none of us were physically hurt and God had protected us. Someone could have easily attempted to enter the building, but something kept them at just entering the cars.  I mean, we were in the middle of a corn field with the State Highway right there for an easy get-away.  Waiting on the police to arrive, we had many conversations.  What I didn’t notice was any bitterness, hatred or really any sort of emotion.  We laughed about how depressing it was to lose your favorite lipstick. There was sadness in losing phones, credit cards, and even large amounts of Christmas cash that was about to be enjoyed.  I expressed how sorry I was that this happened.  I was so disappointed that 2 or our 3 newcomers had this happen to them.  Nothing says “WELCOME” like having your car window busted and your purse stolen.  I made sure to thank the ladies for their tithes and offerings, LOL, gotta laugh to keep from crying sometimes.  Once the police arrived (an hour after my call) I left the church grateful.  Grateful for having such amazing women in my life.  Grateful that our associate pastor was at the church and able to hang with us.  Grateful that our lead pastor stopped by to check on everyone.  Grateful my husband was prepared to investigate and patrol the area.  Grateful that nobody was hurt.  Grateful that it was only 3 cars instead of the 13 there.  Grateful that everyone handled the situation the way they did.  As I explained to my 11 year old daughter what happened, I asked her to pray with me.  Pray not just for the victims but for the perpetrators as well.  They needed something.  Whether it was right or wrong, whether it was food or drugs…. they had a need that I couldn’t understand and didn’t know about.  I wasn’t even thinking about the lesson I taught on Sunday, but God prepared my heart for how to react to this situation.  I didn’t even know it!  Didn’t realize it until Tuesday morning when I was looking for just the right words to say to our victims.  As I was looking for scripture on praising God through our storms (yes, I immediately started singing “Shackles” by Mary Mary. “…but as I lift my hands, I understand that I should praise You through my circumstance…”) I was reminded of Sunday’s lesson from Luke 6:27-30.  Not only did God prepare me through Sunday’s lesson, but he prepared all of us by filling us with the Holy Spirit during workout.  Our hearts were full, joyful, soft, and armed with His promise. The enemy did not like the presence of God being that strong and he tried to bring us down.  Didn’t work, our God is bigger than that.  So I will close with God’s word and be reminded of it, I hope it brings peace to you as well: 

Luke 6:27-30 (MSG) “To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

April 5, 2016

#loveyourenemies #beincommunity itsallaboutJesus filled

[audrak79]

A New Year

It’s 2016.  Another year has begun.  I’ve never been one to blog, this is my first go at it.  What I do know is that I love reading other people’s blogs, devotions, Facebook posts, Instagram posts, tweets, etc.  What’s interesting is that I HATE to read, like despise it.  But for some reason reading about other people’s lives, their stories, their drama, their lessons, their praises, their hurt, their everyday everything is just much more easy and fascinating to read.  Why is that?  I guess that alone is a huge statement that I can explore to learn more about myself.  

Here’s what’s on my mind right now… 2015 was a ROCK’n year for me.  In 2014 my family publically accepted Christ as our Lord and personal savior by participating in a baptism ceremony.  Was that day we “accepted” Christ?  Nope.  But it WAS the day that we made it public, the day I asked the world to hold me accountable for the lifestyle I chose, the day I finally said, “ok, I know this Jesus, so from this day forward let’s do something about it!”  August 9, 2014, was just the launching pad for me and my rock’n 2015.  I became a “yes girl” instead of making excuses.  I began taking risks.  I quit saying “no” to things because I didn’t know what the result looked like. I finally realized what it looked like to surrender to Jesus and let him take the wheel (insert Carrie Underwood’s tune here).   Since August 9, 2014, I have been on 2 women’s retreats with my church gals, I took a class on abstinence training and sex education for high school kids, I joined a women’s small group at church, I started a women’s workout ministry at church, I joined the outreach committee at church, I began teaching regularly in children’s church, I started attending bible study, I started leading a bible study, and have now agreed to speak at our church’s service this month at a nursing home.  If someone would have told me 2 years ago that I would have even done one of those things, I would have thought they were nuts.  The thought of begin in a smaller more intimate group of people sharing their lives, learning about Jesus, praying together, speaking to a group, or speaking publicly TOTALLY FREAKED ME OUT!  Still does.  What I do know is that I can trust in God’s word.  His word tells me that I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 ESV.  

Here are some of the things I have learned in 2015. 

1.            GOD IS AMAZING.  I already knew that, but this past year I have allowed God to truly reveal more about just how amazing he is.  For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.  Deuteronomy 10:17 ESV

2.            I CAN trust God’s word.  It’s so cool how when you just ask God to take over, ask Him to fill you so you can fill others, ask Him to speak through you…..HE DOES.  There have been so many times in years past where I was nervous or scared to death to pray out loud with a group.  “What do I say, how do I say it, what if I say the wrong thing, are their big words I should use, what if I mispronounce something, what if people think I’m a totally unknowledgeable dork?!”   I was also scared to death to even engage in conversations about God’s word for these same reasons.  Then I realized that it doesn’t matter how I say it, what I say, I don’t have to use big fancy words, and God knows what’s on my heart and what I’m trying to say even before I think it.  Now I gladly pray out loud, with others, in public!  I know when I trust Him and His word, He will bring forth the words that need spoken, the words that need to be heard.  He WILL speak through me.  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5 ESV

3.            Give more.  Whether it’s of my time, my love, or my money, I know that whatever I am currently giving…I can do more.  It’s a fun journey.  To look at my schedule and find more time to volunteer, or more time to spend learning God’s word.  To forget looking at the checkbook register and just blindly give because I know it’s the right thing to do.  My schedule and my checkbook don’t make sense, but God has always taken care of it.   The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 ESV

4.            My body belongs to Him, not me.  I started a workout ministry because I couldn’t afford a gym membership and $5 per class 3-5 times a week was more costly than a gym membership.  I figured I wasn’t the only one who wanted free exercise, and what better way to exercise than to worship music.  I saw a need to be healthy.  I realized that being skinny wasn’t necessary, but being healthy was.  When you put God into everything we do, He moves!  Not only have I been able to become stronger and healthier in my body, I have become stronger in my relationship with God.  Taking time to just sing his praises and focus on Him who gets me through that second 8 count of squats, to thank Him for the ladies that are in that room doing the same thing, to build relationships with others and share experiences, pray for one another…it’s mind blowing!  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV

5.            Listen to my elders.  As a younger person, I sometimes (well, ok… most always) thought I knew it all.  As I grow older, I see the importance of listening to my elders.  The stories they tell, the lessons they teach.  Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5  I can’t imagine all the valuable lessons, fun stories, or useful information I have missed because I didn’t take time years ago to be more humble, to just subject myself to the elders around me. 

6.            Don’t be afraid to enjoy my youth.  Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 ESV.   As I have learned to appreciate my elders, I’ve also learned not to be ashamed of my youth, my free spirit, my craziness, my ignorance, etc.  How awesome is it that even though I haven’t lived through as much as my elders, I’m not as wise as they may be, I can still be an example.  This is something I try to ensure my daughter knows.  Even at her young age of 11, she can be an example to those around her.  She can shine Jesus out for all to see by her words, her actions, her love. 

So as I begin 2016, I look back on my 2015 and can’t help but be excited.  What kind of goals could I make, what can I be better at, what can I do to make my relationship with God continue to grow?  As I mentioned in my opening, I HATE to read.  But I also mentioned that reading other people’s stories was easy.  Why have I not just changed my mindset?  The bible was always so intimidating, but the bible, God’s word, is nothing but other’s stories.  It’s full of the best, juiciest, dramatic, heartfelt, heartbreaking, and controversial stories EVER!  It’s like Facebook on steroids.  God has already given me the type of reading my heart longs for.  All I have to do is take the time to explore it.  Soooo, 2016…..here we go, this journey just got started.

January, 2016

#getnreal beincommUNITY jesusfreak