Can God really use our suffering to bring others closer to Him?

So recently there has been some stretching and pulling from God that has been going around in my life and my friend's lives as well.

Each of us have been experiencing growth, at different times, and at different levels. In fact for most of us, there is always a hard trial that God leads us through, before we (humans) see the work that God is doing and see the impact it has in other people's lives.

Like Christ, our sufferings have the potential to lead others to God. Our sufferings have the ability to show others just how much we need Christ, and just how good God is, even when the bottom falls out. We can show others the hope that we have in Christ.

Now, I know this is not all oooey gooey...Life is hard, and it really sucks at times.
When our everyday rituals get shredded, we tend to loose focus, get frustrated, and head off course.

This past Sunday Pastor Steven used the story about when Lazarus died, and when Jesus raised him from the dead, to teach how to deal with the times when it seems as if God is not showing up in our lives in times of crisis.

Pastor Perry Noble also preached on what do to when it life gets harder and the bottom falls out. When we run so hard after Jesus, and when we are faced with life changing, faith altering circumstances that leave us frustrated, scared, and ready to throw in the towel.

I challenge you guys to watch both sermons in order that you may better understand how "God can take our greatest pain, and turn into our greatest gain"
Elevation Sermon: "I Am The Resurrection"
NewSpring Sermon: "It's Midnight"
Sermon starts around 11:30 if you wanted to skip the worship.

For me, and you can ask my mom, and those who know me very well... when I get out of my normal ritual, especially my workout ritual...I get very very cranky. I get stressed out, and I have all this energy that I need to get out.
I am already an impatient person, and I become even more impatient. And the reason why I do not get to work out is because I have so much school work to do, and ministry work.
My intimate time with God also goes out the window, so I am tempted to sin, to get angry with others, to doubt my self, and to become static.

Sometimes after that, I get the fear of never getting back to the place where I was before, or moving forward. I feel as if I am worhtless.
BUT, God does deliver me, every time, whether it is in the way I want it to, or not. and that gets me pumped up. God is so great.

Point: I am not perfect, I am human like the rest of us. Others believe that life is always great for me, that I do not struggle with insecurities, that I do not get stressed out, maxed out. But I do, and I need Christ just as much as the next person. Sometimes I feel I need Christ more because I become such a wreck.
Main Point: God will use our sufferings, just as He used Christ's to lead others to Him, and He will always deliver us, ALWAYS. He is God, He is just soo good.

What will you do? How will you give your suffering to Christ so that He can use it to bring others closer to Him? How will you let God deliver you?

Have you told someone today that JESUS loves them?

So it was a typical Saturday at Ray's Splash Planet.
Lots of people, rain, small Thunderstorm... the usual summer thang.

So I was having fun in the Lazy river, spinning kids, and rocking their inner tubes, and these kids come up to me...
"Hey man, you're a Christian right"
"Yeah" I reply
"well Jesus loves you man" the young boy said (Jimmy)
His buddy John and their friends all kept saying it to me.

Then they went around the pool telling the life guards and people there that Jesus loves them.

How awesome is that!!!
I think me, included that we often get intimated to share the fact that Jesus loves you with people because we don't know how they will react.
I feel that we often feel ashamed (our culture is not really a huge fan of religion).

God brought those kids into my life this weekend to encourage me, and to challenge me.
This week, I am going to pass out fliers for Elevation, and to tell people that Jesus loves them instead of just beating around the bush about church.

Don't get me wrong, I do invite people, but I need to also tell them that Jesus loves them just as they are.

What will you do?

Thank God for Trader Joe's!!

well as most of you know, the Daniel Fast is still on!!

All ORGANIC, fruits, juices(no artificial sugars), whole wheat bread(Kosher) Brown Rice... you get the point

no meat, dairy, enriched foods, soda, coffee, candy, chocolate, etc, you get the point.

(herbal tea i believe is okay).

Trader Joe's the wonderful place, where I can get Vegan foods, like veggie hot dogs, soy milk, vegie ice cream(not real ice cream, all soy hahah but with real fruit)
I got like everthing, brown rice, lentils, etc, it was amazing.

Sorry this post is like all over the place, very busy day, but yes, if you are looking for a place to get food for the Daniel Fast, I highly recommend Trader Joe's. Its not too expensive!!!

IMPACT

Last night, it was the kick off service for IMPACT!!! God did more than we ever expected or could ever imagine.
The place was almost packed out. There were so many new people who came out last night, and who worshiped like never before.
I firmly believe that God is going to do something awesome on our campus.
At first, Justin Wallace, gave us some sad statistics. 25000 students attend UNCC, but as of last year, only about 500 attended Campus Ministries.

I believe with all my heart, that this year, things will be different. Christ has called this generation to rise up, and to spread His Love, be His hands, His Feet.
With my whole heart, I believe that at least 100 people will give their lives to Christ by the end of the school year. God has placed that number so deeply on my heart this past summer. The harvest is so plenty, and we are getting more harvesters each day. Through Impact specifically, I know that God will do more than we can ever ask or imagine to reach this campus for Christ.

We are a Luke 19:10 ministry, seeking and saving that which is lost.
The passion is more intense this year, there are more broken hearted people who need an intimate relationship with Christ.

Lord, Thank YOU so much for your Love, and for sending Your Son to die on the cross for our sins. Thank YOU Jesus for rising from the grave, and giving us a new start, a new life.
Bought at the highest price, love with the fiercest love, we are a people undeserving.

This is the song of the day:

To Know Your Name-Hillsong United

Daniel Fast Week 1

Sorry Bradelyn lol, I stole your title haha.

So yesterday marked the end of the first week of the Daniel Fast!! Wow, God is just doing so much not only in my life, but also in the people of this city as well.
Ethan, my main man and I had a chance to go to the Awakening, an event specifically to challenge and encourage middle schoolers and high schoolers. Pastor preached amazing messages, Friday and Saturday night. I really felt the Spirit move in those students. The place was packed. Over 180 Students gave their lives to Christ!!! AWESOME!!

Also, yesterday, over 4800 people attended Elevation Church!!! 420 people in the services professed Christ, with a total of 600 people this past weekend. PRAISE GOD!!!

Yesterday at UPTOWN was so amazing!! The place was almost packed out!! Praise God!!!!
Over 500 people came out.
Just being able to serve Christ, and serve people is a really humbling, yet exciting experience. Being able to greet these people as they come to Christ really encourages my soul, as well as theirs.

I am just so excited to see what Christ does next!!! Tonight is the first night of my hs small group. I am so excited!!!

Thank You Jesus!!!

To Know Your Name-Hillsong United

Actively Single, or Passively Single? This past month...

So this past month has been amazing for me. God has really been stretching and pulling me. He has moved me out of my comfort zone.

I started off these past month passively single. I was talking with Danah and Womack today at Java's and their friend came up with this theory, that Pastor, and other pastors have talked about for ages. Brett's theory is simple, yet so powerful.
Here it is:
Are we passively single, that is not content, not taking full advantage of our singleness to advance God's Kingdom. OR Actively Single, that is content, knowing full well that we are God's hands, and that we are called right now, to live, fully, and boldly in our singleness to advance God's Kingdom. Do we set our aim on things higher than this world, honed in to God's Holy Spirit? If we are actively single, than we are caught up in matters of God's Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 7:32-35

This reminds me of the many talks, I have had with my Entourage.
I don't have it all together, I make mistakes, I mess up. I worry, I get stressed out, and one issue for me is this whole singleness thing.
This past month, God has shown me where my fault has been on this issue.
Yes I am doing ministry, yes, I am advancing God's Kingdom, but I have been yearning for my wife. ya know, looking, searching, daydreaming.
I have wonderful friends who have prayed for me, and still are, friends who care about me, and who want to see me reach new places in Christ Jesus.

I firmly believe that God uses people around us, people in our lives, not just our friends but random people, to speak life and truth into our lives.

I have realized that I have not been embracing my singleness. I have not been joyfully enjoying this season of my life.
God has shown me what great credibility I have as a single man of God. I have this great and special opportunity to live my life as a witness to others who are struggling with this same issue.
I can relate to others, and encourage others using the Gospel. I can be fully focused on God's affairs because I am single.

I am a better man today, because I have finally let God fill me up, and breathe His creative power in me. I have stopped fighting God, and just let His truth take hold in my life.

I am excited about this season now. I am fully content, knowing full well that He has that special wife out there for me. This has been a struggle of mine. Even though I have not had a gf in over a year, I still have been pursuing possible candidates.

Just because this world tells me to not wait, does not mean that God is telling me to not wait. In fact He is working so mightily in my life right now, that the best thing for me to do is to stay focused and stay in the race, running for the prize. In other words, to just chill out on this whole finding a wife business and focus fully on seeking and saving that or those who are lost by being an example.

Who do you have in your life who has your back? Who do you have in your life who will speak life and truth into your life, whether you want to hear it or not?
I pray that you have somebody. I know I have quite a few, and that is very frustrating at times because I am hard headed.

Praise God!!!!

HELLO HELLO!!

So I have been taking a hiatus from blogging, only because I have been journaling a lot on the fly. I just carry it with me wherever I go now. I journal at work, home, even at the beach.

I am sorry for those of you who have checked to see if i have written anything crazy latley. I have not, but rest assured, I will be posting journal entries from the past month.

I am excited to have had the chance to stay at my grandparents beach house in Emerald Isle this past week. No internet, it was great.
I am excited about the GOSPEL, the new series Elevation will be kicking off the fall with.
Tomrrow night I go to Providence for the AWAKENING, an event for students. I am so pumped to meet the high school boys who will be in my small group. How awesome is that!! Plus my main man Ethan King will be going to UNCC in the fall, so me and him get to sharpen each other this whole year!!!

adios