Lawn Mower Lesson

Today we were working in the barn, and my dad was trying to tell my little brother how to back the lawnmower. Dad kept trying to tell my little brother how to back it, and my little brother kept insisting his way was better! Dad made my little brother back the lawnmower up the correct way and then asked him “Why is it that I told you what to do and you disobeyed? What I was trying to tell you was the correct way! Why didn’t you listen?”

My little brother responded “well, I thought that I could do it this way. My idea would have worked!”

My dad replied, “No it wouldn’t have. If you would have backed the tractor up that way, you would have run into the trashcan and would have gotten stuck. Don’t ask for help if you’re not willing to listen.”

How many times have we asked God for help in a situation and then told him his solution wasn’t the right one? How many times have we just bluntly ignored him? I know I’ve done it lots of times.

The conversation that went on between my dad and my little brother was a tiny example of how we should obey God. My little brother needed help with something, dad tried to help, but my little brother wouldn’t listen!

The conversation kind of made me think. I imaged myself in prayed with God asking, sometimes begging, for His help. God always helps us through tough situations, and He has given us His word to help us. But many times, well okay, almost all the time, my pride gets in the way. God shows me, He explicitly spells out how to deal with certain things, and yet, I believe my way of dealing with things is better, so I got with it. Like my little brother, my ideas, my ways of dealing with things, never work. I always end up in more of a mess. But God is still there! At the end, after my mess, He’s always there. He’s always there to help pick of the pieces and to help me deal with things the right way.

Elisabeth Elliot is probably one of my favorite people in all of history. I stumbled upon a quote of hers the other day and I absolutely adore it because of the truth and the sin it shows in my life (as crazy as that sounds.) She said, “Do you do as I do sometimes – take my burdens to the Lord and then carry them away again? God gives us one part to do. He doesn’t give us the whole job.” She follows with Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

How many times have we come to this verse in the Bible and said, “Oh Jesus, please just take this... please help me. I can’t do this,” and then walked away still worrying? Or even worse, walk away and try to solve it yourself? I’m not saying we shouldn’t sit back and watch life go by and trust God will do everything. No, I’m saying that we should come to Jesus in prayer, and tell Him about our worries and troubles, and then trust completely that He has them under control.

So many times all of us, just like my little brother Owen, ask God for help with something and then ignore exactly what He says. But see, that’s not what God calls us to do. He calls us to cast our burdens on him. He wants us to tell Him (even though He already knows.) Don’t let your pride get in the way of trusting God and following His plans. Our solutions to our problems may seem like a good idea, but they will always lead to disaster and downfall. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18. So next time you’re faced with a situation or trial or whatever, remember to lean on God and not yourself. His plan is always better than ours.

So I’ll leave you with this verse from Ephesians:

Ephesians 3:16-19- I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Thanks for reading, and God Bless. :)

B.E.L.I.E.V.E

Dear Lord, I wanna set the world on fire, until it's burning bright for you. It's everything I desire; can I be the one you use? I wanna feed the hungry children. And reach across the farthest land and tell the broken there is healing and mercy in the father's hands. Lord, can you use me? Someday I will get where I’m going. I’m only here for a visit; I’m really headed home to sit with my father and King. I’m here to serve Him and praise His name. I believe that life is more than a survival. It’s a gift and it’s a privilege. I believe that my heart is more than a muscle. I’m in love with my Lord and He is truly my best friend. I believe my life can make a difference. I believe that heroes are made when choices are made. I believe that a touch of human sympathy goes a long way. I believe in the message of the cross. I believe that saying you’re a Christian is more than a title! It’s relationship and a lifestyle. I believe that even though I fail at it sometimes, my Lord washes me clean and I can start over. I believe TWLOHA is one of the most amazing groups. I believe that every child should feel loved and everyone should know there’s healing and mercy in the Father’s hands. I believe that in some way, the Lord will use me. What do you believe? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vvx8mdSXno

Dear Mom

Dear mom,

Today is the day we celebrate you

And everything you do.

You loved me when I was tiny.

You stayed by my side when I was fighting to survive.

You taught me to love –

You taught me that even though people might hurt me,

I should still love them like Christ.

You taught there’s one whose love it true.

You taught me that my dreams,

Are possible to live.

You taught me that no matter how hard I try and fail,

To keep searching for my passion,

Cause it’s out there somewhere.

You taught me never to go down,

Without a trying fight.

You taught me that saying “I love you”

Is more than just three words.

You taught me to be careful,

To always look both ways.

You taught me writing and reading,

And that horrible rhyming grammar.

But one of the most important lessons you’ve ever taught me

Was when I got thrown off my pony, you told me:

Always always get back up when you fall.

So I’m writing this to you,

And I know a poem won’t be enough to thank you for 16 years of late nights, and gray hairs,

But I hope you might get a bit of insight into my thank you.

So thank you for 16 years of being my mommy.

I know it hasn’t been easy

And at times, impossible.

But thank you mommy for all those lessons you’ve taught me.

Thank you mommy, for being my mom.

Happy mother’s day!

love

me

Free to Run

I’m staring at this canvas

I don’t have words to say

The deadlines are drawing nearer

And I’m still lagging behind

The day runs out before my list gets done.

Someday I just wanna run.

What would it be like to run and never get tired?

To never get weary?

To never lose hope?

What would it be like to run for miles and miles-

With only one goal in mind:

To chase the sun.

What would it be like-

To run?

And never

Get

Tired.

I know a place, where I hope I’m going-

Where I can.

Where I will

Forever.

And furthermore-

I’d like to cordially invite you too!

Come with me

To eternity

Where we can run and never get tired

Where we can truly be free.

Just call out His name.

Just fall at his feet-

And someday you’ll make it home-

Free.

Change for Him

What if we never stopped changing?

What if we never tried to change?

What if we stayed the same?

What then?

Would the world become a better place?

Would be stare adversity in the face?

I’d rather grow up thinkin’

That I can change the next day

But maybe if we never change, the world would become a better place?

But then again what would it be like,

If we all embraced sin?

If we never tried to empty our lives-

Of the things Christ saved us from?

What if we embraced our evil, and ran with the wind?

What then?

For all those who say we should never try-

I want to look you in the eye and say:

You are wrong.

We are made to change

We are made to be molder

We are clay.

We are made to change and grow-

Hopefully it’s for the better.

But we shouldn’t live in a world, where we embrace sin.

We should live in a world where we embrace Him.

We embrace the one who saved us from our sin.

The one who is going to come again!

What if we stop making excuses for how we act and what we say-

What if we changed ourselves TODAY?

What if we never tied to wait?

What if we stopped playing this game?

What if?

Who decides?

Who is responsible for your actions?

It’s you.

So stop flirting with sin-

Stop courting with your dark side.

Let go our your idols

Your addictions-

Your pride.

Let go for once.

Stop trying to be your own King.

I know we say we trust in Him, but then again, what does that mean?

Does it mean letting go?

Does it mean only praising him and running to him, when it storms?

No.

It means always seeking Him.

Always wanting His way.

We must set aside everything we have as an idol or a sin and change.

If we don’t ever change, how are we to become a better Christian?

How are we supposed to know Christ better?

We are made to change.

We are the clay and He is our potter.

Stop fighting the hands that are molding you.

Sink into submission-

Let go.

Give up your selfish ways, idols and sins and cling to the one who is your King.

Change not only your heart,

But change your skin.

Change who you are!

Change

For

Him.