something to think about

i have a question for you... What is more important, money or society?

My story

         Everyone has gone through something that makes you who you are. Some of you may know me pretty well, others probably not. There are some things about me that no one knows. I’ve been a Christian since I was 4 years old. I have had times where I kind of went away from God. But for the most part I’ve always had a relationship with him, which has always been really important to me. Maybe it’s not important to you or maybe you haven’t tried having a relationship with God, but I’m going to share with you a story of how having that relationship has effected me and formed me into what I am today.

         A while ago I went through a depression. It happened pretty gradually, starting with me not reading my Bible as much. Then I started to concentrate on little things that didn’t really matter. I let it steal my peace. Then I started getting mad over those little things. It was like that snow ball effect. Everything was just building into another thing. But because it happened so gradually I wasn’t noticing that big of a change so I thought I was fine. I wasn’t happy, I knew that. I just didn’t feel like reading or going to God. I was moody all the time. I wasn’t content or grateful. I was just mad. Then I started feeling really alone. It was like that little snowball had become so big and rolled all the way down the hill and finally crashed. All there was was me. I acted fine around other people. I would smile around them and when they asked how I was I would find a way around the question. Even though I didn’t give people a reason to ask how I really was I wanted someone to. I would ask how they were instead so that no one knew that I was depressed. And it worked. I had convinced myself that no one cared. I just stayed that way for a while. No reason to get out of bed. The days were worthless and so was I. At night I would sit there and listen to songs, crying out for God to hear me, to talk to me, to comfort me. But I heard nothing. In that time I felt like God had abandoned me. Finally one night I reached out to a girl who lives all the way in Oklahoma. She was going to a Christian collage, and helped me out a lot. I needed someone who would encourage me. She told me that she had been depressed before too and that telling someone was the first step to recovery. I also knew I wasn’t alone.

         Recovery was the next thing that happened. It was hard to do. I had to force myself to get up out of bed and to read my Bible. I also wrote in a journal, constantly telling God how I felt. I wrote a list of things to be thankful for and had to read them everyday when I got upset to see the good. I made myself do things during the day like cleaning. I would listen to only Christian music and some songs really helped me. The song Never Alone by Barrlow Girl (a Christian rock band) helped but mainly because of the story that went with it. They had gone through a time where they needed God but couldn’t hear him and didn’t feel his warmth. But they stuck it out and God did come through.

         The thing that impacted me the most was Psalms chapter 31. King David was the king of Israel around 1000 B.C. In this chapter it talks about David crying out to God because he was depressed. He felt like God wasn’t responding, but in the end he found that God did hear him. I realized that God was there when I went to Michigan Adventures with my family. My cousin locked her keys in the car and out of no where this guy comes up and says that he used to opens cars for people for a living. I knew that was God. Why else would this guy have come to us? Unfortunately he didn’t have his tools with him but he reminded my aunt about triple A. My aunt had forgotten completely about it.

         The next way God showed me he was real was by actually talking to me. God can talk to us in many different ways. He’s that gut feeling, the voice inside your head. He can give us dreams or visions. He has a still small voice. I was just sitting alone and I had this feeling inside me to start a blog. So I asked my mom and dad if I could and I did. So I end up making a blog. God sent a friend of my moms to help me start it. But I didn’t know what to write. Suddenly when I read my Bible scriptures would pop out at me and I would get how they related to real life. So here I am. Now my blog has grown a lot. God talks to me a lot. I never feel alone. He gives me these ideas to put onto my blog to help out others. So I let him lead and guide me. In fact my blog will be a link on my churches new website. I am not on fire for God, which means I am excited everyday to wake up in the morning because I might be able to be used by him to help someone else. I am full of joy and peace now. It is all because he sent that girl to help me. I wanted to keep the cycle going.

         To sum it all up I might have went through a hard time but after it was over I have a better relationship with him. That depression made me who I am today. The last thing I’m going to say is a quote I wrote.

“Sometimes bad things happen and we don’t know why. But once we make it to the other side, that story becomes out testimony. And we can relate to others and aid them in their struggles”

         - By D

Lets Get Rich

this was taught to me by my second pastor JP.

    Some people have this opinion that they need to be content and just have enough. Well I'm sorry to tell you but God never said to just have enough. If you desire to be a millionaire well Psalms 37:4 says delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart! God has a way for your will. Think of it this way, God is your Dad. For those of you who are parents don't you want to give your kids everything? So does God! He wants to love on you, because your his kid. 

   Psalms 35:27 says "But give great joy to those who came to my defense. Let them continually say, "Great is the LORD, who delights in blessing his servant with peace!"

   God made a covenant, which is a promise, to us that he wouldn't get physical. So he needs us to witness to others in the flesh. Imagine yourself being a non believer. Some stranger comes to your door all hanging his head, stressed and tired and  asks if you want to hear the good news. I don't know about you but i would be thinking that it doesn't work. Now lets go with a different scenario. You see someone all spiffed up walking into a gas station smiling and happy because he has no worries, wouldn't you want to know what he has that's working so well? So you go up to him and ask how he does it and he just reply's with "God provided me." Wouldn't you want to get more information on God? wouldn't that make you want to try it out? so let me ask you something, are you a fisher of men? if so then even fishermen need good lures. So ask God to lead you and let him rule your life. You will be blessed!

Smile :)

Why should i have a good aditude? 

    When you are having a bad day it's harder to smile and just shrug it off. Knowing that my smile might just be what someone else needs keeps it on my face. Most people don't realize that every act of love or hate can change a persons life forever. What are you giving off?

   Also if we give every problem up to God the moment it hits us we have the ability to smile because we no longer have to worry about it. Always smiling can attract people to you. They notice that you never seem to be down. That could cause them to approach you for the answer and give you the opportunity to share God's love with them. Keep in mind that Jesus didn't go to the people, they were drawn to him. Let God's love give you a glow that people are drawn to.

The why nots about sex

Proverbs 4:23 

- above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.

How does that relate to sex? 

   Your purity is a huge part of you and your heart. When you have sex with someone you give them that piece of your heart. Even though God can heal your heart, why not save him and you the trouble. 

Song of Songs 2:7

- Daughters of Jerusalem, i charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. 

   The entire book of song of songs is about a couple who is recently married. In this scripture she is telling the other women to save sex for marriage because it is worth it. 

What if we are meant to be? 

   This is probably the most used excuse i have herd. If its meant to be then test it. If you have turely found that person you are meant to spend forever with, then they should be able to respect your decision to wait. And then there is the other side to that answer... What if it really isn't meant to be?

Psalm 37:4

- delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

   My question to you is why settle for less? In this scripture it tells you that God WILL give you the desires of your heart. That's a promise from God and he doesn't break his promises. So if your heart desires to have someone to love then God will get it done. So if your a real christian and "live by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7), then trust him. And if you know that God will bring you a spouse, then why start cheating on them now?

Commitment

   This is a big reason to save it. Sometimes we do think that we are meant to be with a certain person and give in. Then after a while it doesn't work out. The problem is that you weren't completely committed to one another. Marriage is  commitment.  

Song of Songs 2:16 

- "My lover is mine and i am my lovers." 

   Don't you want your future spouse all to yourself and not have to think about their past with another woman or another man? Well I'm guessing that they want the same thing. 

Whenever you hit puberty and your mom tells her girlfriends, sometimes they like to congratulate you on becoming a man or a woman. It's so ridiculous! Just because you are able to have babies doesn't make you an adult. Same goes for sex. Some people may say that sex is how you become and adult. Seriously?  A smart adult plans ahead and uses wisdom to make the right decisions. What about having sex before marriage fits that description?

What if i don't know what to do on my wedding night?

   Please, this is a lame excuse. Have you ever heard of a couple who couldn't figure it out? And if you honestly cant on your wedding night, you have the rest of your life to try. Also the first time is always a little awkward but wouldn't you rather share that breaf awkwardness with the one who already committed to you and loves you?

Everyone is doing it

   Can you really say that after reading this blog? Don't i make it obvious that I'm not "doing it?" It may seem like your the only one, but who wants to be "normal?" By all means if "normal" is walking around feeling hurt, used, rejected, heartbroken, worthless and alone, then i don't want to be "normal." Do you?

Song of Songs 4:12

- You are a garden locked up, my sister my bride; You are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.

   You might be thinking "a sealed fountain? What the heck?" But what this scripture is really saying is how much the husband loves that his wife is pure. Isn't gazing at a fountain or strolling in a garden nice? But to know that that garden or fountain is all yours makes it even better.

Say you do have sex, how do you plan on telling you true soul mate that you already gave it away? How do you tell someone something like that? What if it really hurts them?


If you have already "done it" and wished you had saved it, then start over. Its one thing to tell you spouse that you made a mistake and realized it. Its totally different to say that you just didn't care.

You shouldn't have to prove your love. If you are in a dating relationship and are being pressured to have sex, its not worth it. That should tell you right there that the person wants only to please themselves and really doesn't care about your feelings. He or she should love you for who you are not what you can give.

If i haven't given you enough reasons why not to have sex, please feel free to look in your Bible for more. Also if you still think that sex before marriage is right for you, then state your reasons. I am sure i can help chance your mine :)