I am a 15 year old singer/songwriter/musician who has fallen head over heels for the man who wove creation into existence. Here are my experiences and things I want you to hear.
Let's experience God's goodness together.
//To the one who's watching as their friends depart for college.\\
-When your friends get accepted into prestigious colleges, posting on Instagram and Snapchat their acceptance letters, and conversing about what colleges they applied for and which they chose
You are intelligent.
-When you choose to attend a community college in the heart of your hometown, because it's cheaper and the right decision for your life
You are wise.
-When your friends talk of the many places and adventures they will take, the people they will meet, and the fun they will have
You are important.
-When you feel as if you're completely overshadowed by your friend's new stage of life, and no one sees your stage (or sees you at all)
You aren't selfish.
-When everyone around you seems to be walking at a different pace than you
You aren't slow.
-When you look to the left and to the right and all you see is change
You are entering a new season.
-When you can't see anything but sorrow
Joy is waiting for you.
You'll need these reminders. Say them to yourself daily.
This will be a daily struggle, and that's okay.
So much chaos is happening in your life, and it's okay to feel sad.
Your friends are leaving you - that's okay. You are so much stronger than you once believed.
Life is changing, and it's crazy. Embrace it.
These are the moments in which you've been asking for so long, "Change me, Lord. Put me back on the potters wheel.. Shape me and mold me into Your image."
You're doing the right thing. You're not making a mistake. You are smart.
- You are intelligent, even if you don't feel like it at times like these.
- You are wise in staying home longer, even if you don't feel like it in times like these.
- You are important, and your value is not in the people you surround yourself with, or the college you attend, even if you don't feel like it in times like these.
- You aren't selfish because every thought isn't devoted to your friend's new stage in life, or for feeling overlooked, or for being afraid, even if you don't feel like it in times like these.
- You aren't slow because you feel behind everyone else, the hand of God is simply holding you behind so you can flourish under His care, even if you don't feel like it in times like these.
- You are entering a new season of your life, one full of hope and destiny, and just like a quarter on a scratch-off;
you have to experience friction in order to step into the fullness of your purpose, even if you don't feel like it in times like these.
This was me the past few months. But the funny thing is, I was stuck in an awesome season with the Father; prayer and scripture came so easily. My Secret Place with the Lord was at it's peak, yet something inside me screamed, "There's so much more to Him!!"
I was craving a move and a shift in our relationship. I wanted to be like Peter, who's shadow healed the sick. I wanted to host the presence of the Lord so strongly, it brought people to repentance.
So, why, Lord?
Why am I stuck doing the same things, at the same times, and not seeing much progress?
It took me so long to realize - I'm in this for all the wrong reasons.
I lift my hands in worship because I feel His presence.
I read scripture because I want to have cute underlines on every page.
I pray because I know He'll answer my requests.
Everything was all about me.
I kept asking God to take me deeper, when in reality I only wanted His benefits, and not any of His glory. And God's not in the business of selfishness, lemme tell 'yah.
I realized, this whole time, I've been completely missing the point.
I receive revelation to GIVE revelation; not to keep in a box and show off. We're filled to empty into others; not build our own personal spiritual Kingdom.
So, my question to you is, are you feeding off His presence, or His glory? When the going gets tough, do you want to feel His benefits, or experience His goodness?
6 One day the group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small.2 Let’s go down to the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs. There we can build a new place for us to meet.”
“All right,” he told them, “go ahead.”
3 “Please come with us,” someone suggested.
“I will,” he said.4 So he went with them.
When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees.5 But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell into the river. “Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!”
6 “Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface.7 “Grab it,” Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it.
Elisha is great, am I right?
His faith is through the roof, obviously. He wasn't thinking "Oh, goodness.. What if I pray, and look like an idiot, because the ax head doesn't come up.."He also wasn't thinking "Oh, goodness.. What if I pray, and look like an idiot, because it wasn't God's will for the ax head to come to surface..." (I am sooo convicted of this.) (By the way, if you ever feel this way, recognize it is the enemy. God 'changes His mind' often. If we declare things will happen, and we have the faith to back our declaration up, He will pour favor onto us.)
Elisha was thinking "We can't get work done without this borrowed ax head. Lemme pray about that." and THAT is what I absolutely love.
I actually read about this story in a book I am reading, called In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day. (FANTASTIC BOOK, BY THE WAY. I can't get my nose out of it.) I am here to expand on what I got from this story, and share a few quotes from Mark Batterson, the author.
My beautiful friend, Nicole, asked me to pray for her fingernail not to fall off, because she had slammed it in a door.
Of course, I was completely willing. But it got me thinking about the story of Elisha. How God poured favor out on Elisha, even when it was just simply an ax head. It wasn't a life or death situation, Elisha just wanted that darn thing back, and he knew God was willing to defy all odds, just to fulfill his request.
See, the issue isn't our view of the situation, the issue isn't even the situation itself. The issue is our view of God.
The issue isn't that Nicole's finger was slammed in a door. She knows God is willing to answer the 'small' requests, just as He is the 'big' requests.
As Matt Batterson says it, "To the Infinite, all finites are equal."
God doesn't look down at a woman praying for her mother with cancer, and say "Hmm.. This is a bit too difficult to do. Maybe next time." If He can split the Red Sea in TWO, He can bring healing, just like His word says!
Psalm 103:1-5
"Let all that I am praise theLord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise theLord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sinsand heals all my diseases. He redeems me from deathand crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things."
There is no situation too large for our God. He made everything, and He knows everything. That means He is in CHARGE of everything. What makes you think He can't provide good things for His children?
That include all of the small things.
God is forever. 100 years is NOTHING to Him, because He sits in a fantastic place where there is no such thing as time.
Healing a woman with cancer is no different than healing a fingernail.
To the infinite, all finites are equal.
As Mark Batterson says, "We have big requests and little requests. We have
easy requests and difficult requests. But that is a false construct. The truth is this: To the Infinite, all finites are equal. There is no big or small, easy or difficult, possible or impossible. When it comes to God, there are no degrees of difficulty. There are no odds when it comes to God. All bets are off."
Kinda puts our situations into crazy perspectives, am I right?
Before this post begins, let's take a moment to list 5 things that we are thankful for.
I mean, think deep. Do not say the obvious things, like 'family,' or 'friends.' What do you ABSOLUTELY adore, that God has blessed you with? Or things that you just appreciate?
For instance, here are my 5 things. 1) The way the leaves crunch under my feet as I walk 2) The sound of a new Christian saying the name of Jesus. 3) The peace that passes all understanding. 4) Every line in my knuckles. 5) A clear night sky. Have you made your list yet? No? .... Okay, I can wait. ......... ..... I hope you aren't continuing reading without making your list. It's important, in order to continue. You're done with the list? Awesome! Verbally, thank God for everything on your list. Express your thankfulness for these things out loud! Explain to our Creator WHY you are appreciative for these things. ( Yes, He already knows why. But that does NOT mean you can't tell Him. You may find out a few things about yourself that you didn't already know. ;) )When you're finished praying, continue reading.
How did you thank God?
-Did you say "Dear heavenly Father, I sit in your presence in utmost awe and adoration of The Most High, whom shall reignetc." ..?
-Did you say "Dear God, Thank you SO much for blessing me. You're one awesome Creator! I wanna thank you for etc." ..?Neither way is bad! After all, we ARE praying.
Alright, look guys. I'm going to be blunt. Is that okay? Alright, cool.
You pray to God how you view God.
Let's reflect.
If you picture God as being the Creator of the Universe, - the one who crafted every star, molded every mountain - If you view God as the Beginning and the End, If you are humbled by the presence of God ; You probably prayed something along the lines of the 1st prayer.
If you view God as a loving and caring Father, the One you can run into the arms of, the One who wipes your tears and holds your face in His hands, who created every hair and wrinkle in your skin ; You probably prayed something like the 2nd prayer. ( I am not an expert, I am not a guru. I am not saying this is how it always is. )
Different people have different personalities. Those personalities include our thoughts of God.
Some people view God as a 'human being', meaning He can laugh and understand situations.
Some people view God as a god, meaning He rules and judges.
But what if we were to be both?
What if we didn't sound like a southern Baptist preacher using words no man knows when we pray? What if we didn't say "yo, whuttup, Jesus?"
What if we had humbleness and respect, but not to an extreme? What if we could laugh with God, and learn to see God as our Papa?
"Yo, whuttup, my man, Jesus?"
Have respect for your Saviour! You're talking to the VERY One who crafted and hand carved the lines and holes in every tree, painted each leaf with precision and perfection ; You're talking to the One who made your hair and eye color to perfection, who makes sure you make it from school/work to home safely, who knows the thought of EVERY person and thing at once, who cares for the birds in the air, and the mice in the fields.
Yes, He is your friend. But He is NOT to be ran over. He may just flip over your tables.
"Dear precious Heavenly Father, I praise thee with thy mouth.."
'Heavenly Father'? Do you talk to your earthly father like that? So why do you talk to your Heavenly one with words you do not understand?
Stop putting up a front. Your Creator knows exactly how you are ; He MADE you to be yourself. So why do you put up a 'holy frontation' when it comes to prayer, and the ways of God?
I honor your respect for God. I appreciate the fact that you humble yourself before Him, but dude, you're over doing it. That very God you're praying to loves to hear your thoughts. He loves for you to scream, cry, laugh, smile, while praying to Him. Your emotion is what He adores, because it means you are REAL while praying.
Humble yourself before God, but treat Him like your Papa. Laugh with Him. He has shown me COUNTLESS times how humorous He really is. Believe it or not, but He actually tells me funny things, and tells me jokes... He is as real with us as we are to Him.
God treats US like WE treat God.
Trade your "thee"s and your "thou"s for "awesome" and laughter.
Trade your "yo"s and uncaringness for "Holy" and "Righteous"
Take a listen to this song, PLEASE.. It's called God by Eddie James.
The first words are "A.W Tozer teaches us, in his book called 'The Knowledge of the Holy,' that the most important thing a Christian can do, is to think rightly about God." If those words do not give you chills, I don't know what will.
Take a listen. I will post the lyrics, as well.
You. Will. Not. Regret. It.
God In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God The same was in the beginning With God all things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made It is He who has made us and not we ourselves For we have one God and Father of all Who is above all, through all, and in you all God, the Holy Ghost, spirit of truth, indwelling power God, the Son, Jesus, the same Yesterday, today, and forevermore
Jehovah, Yeshua, I AM, Elohim Kadesh, He's Holy, None compares to Him Glorious, All-Sufficient, Triumphant King For Thy pleasure You created all things
(Rap) Yeah, that's right we're talking about God the Creator Talking about the Ruler of all The I AM who created man He's the Rock, He's the Lion and He's the Lamb Almighty leaves Satan deceased He's the Most High, Satan's the least He defeated Him, He's victorious Our God's too powerful, He's too glorious
God before the foundations of the world you were God Before dominions, the heavens, the earth, and the angels God before the galaxies, water, wind or the air we breathe Nothing and no one can exist outside of Thee For You are God Who can counsel, advise, instruct, direct or give wisdom to God Who has weapons or an army to wage war and defeat our God Who has insight, who has revelation to describe the One whose ways are past finding out?
Jehovah, Yeshua, I AM, Elohim Kadesh, He's Holy, None compares to Him Glorious, All-Sufficient, Triumphant King For Thy pleasure You created all things
(Rap) Yeah, that's right He's kadesh He's holy, He's different, yeah He's the best Ain't no match for Him, He's on top That's right yeah He's coming and He can't be stopped He's unstoppable that's 'cause He's too strong and He's the boss Overall He's over all and above everything else our God stands too tall
God The greatest insult is to take the work of one's hands and call it God Even greater is to take the work of His hands and call it God Provoke His jealousy, fire burning envy Take anyone, take anything and put it in the place of the true and the living God His glory shall not be shared with another God, exclusive, you can have no other lovers God wrapped in humanity, He gave His life for me In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily
Jehovah, Yeshua, I AM, Elohim Kadesh, He's Holy, None compares to Him Glorious, All-Sufficient, Triumphant King For Thy pleasure You created all things
(Round) God, God, God, God, You alone are God Eyes like fire, hair like wool, feet like brass, voice of many waters Kadesh, Holy, Sovereign, Different, voice of many waters Holy, worthy, holy, worthy, holy, worthy
Glorious in holiness, fearful in praises You do wonders, who is like unto You? For You are Glorious in holiness, fearful in praises You do wonders, who is like unto You? For You are
(Round) God, God, God, God, You alone are God Eyes like fire, hair like wool, feet like brass, voice of many waters Kadesh, Holy, Sovereign, Different, voice of many waters Holy, worthy, holy, worthy, holy, worthy
Glorious in holiness, fearful in praises You do wonders, who is like unto You? For You are
Jehovah, Yeshua, I AM, Elohim Kadesh, He's Holy, None compares to Him Glorious, All-Sufficient, Triumphant King For Thy pleasure You created all things
Oh praise Jehovah, Kadesh, Yeshua Cuz there's no other, You're God and You're Holy Oh praise Jehovah, Kadesh Yeshua Cuz there's no other, You're God and You're Holy Oh praise Jehovah, Kadesh, Yeshua Cuz there's no other, You're God and You're Holy
You're God, You're Holy You're God and You're Holy You're God and You're Holy You're God and You're Holy
Stay firm, fam. Remember, I am always here to talk. Email me at any time.
What is time, and why do I feel so strongly about it?
Time is so hard to define, because of how much power it holds. Time can grow beards, time can mend a broken heart, time can get a runner from start to finish, time can raise a family. We can't take back time. The beard can't ungrow, the whole heart can't be unmended, a runner can't run from finish to start, a family can't be unraised. What is done, is done. It can't come back.
Heaven is eternal because it rests in a place untouched by the grip of time. The angels live in a single moment that lasts for eternity. Us humans can not comprehend such a magnificent thought, because we have only known the sound of a ticking clock. We've only known the sign of wrinkles and rust. Things get used. People pass away.
Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
On the last day of creation, God did the most magnificent thing.. He rested. "Yeah, wut ev. He was tired." No, you don't understand. The Creator of the Universe RESTED. He made His masterpiece, and He decided to enjoy His masterpiece by RESTING in it. This means that God placed Himself in time. The one untouched by the grip of time, touched time. And rested.. What. A. Rebel. Isn't God awesome?
Just mere seconds hold more power than any human. Two seconds can start a heart attack, make a silence awkward, cause a car crash, produce a child, lose a game of Minute to Win It, etc.
Do you understand the power of time, now? Our time is so important.. We can spend our day serving the elderly for Christ, or ganging up on a group of teenagers. The difference can be life or death when it comes Judgment day. We can use our day to sign stacked paperwork, or we can use our day giving ourselves fully to God. (I am not saying working is bad. I am saying if you put work before Christ, that time can mean Heaven or Hell.)
The most important and significant worship we could EVER give our Creator is our time. Our Creator invented time, so He understands how we could get sidetracked from our personal relationship with Him. That is the very reason He created it. What FULLY devoted Christian doesn't have time for their God? What bride doesn't have time for her bridegroom? What children don't have time for their father? I believe God created time to rule out the jerks who want a free ride to salvation. Like a fast food worker who wants the money, but not the effort it takes to receive the money.
God honors our time. It only takes 5 minutes out of your 24 hours to tell God how much you love Him. How much He means to you. The more time we pour out to Him, the more favor He pours on us. We can spend 5 minutes in His presence, or 5 hours. You know how WONDERFUL it feels to worship God? So why don't you do it more? Why do you spend 30 seconds praying, 5 minutes reading in your Bible, and 23:55:30 preforming actions that will not benefit in your eternal life? We are all guilty of this. Christ doesn't want 5 minutes and 30 seconds. He wants our SACRIFICE of time. Not our left over time. Christ gave HIMSELF. Why can't we sacrifice that 3 hours we were going to party away? We are called to follow the way of Jesus Christ, Christians! That includes His MANY sacrifices. "I am too busy to pray." You are too busy NOT to pray. If you've got so much going on that you can't wake up at 5:30am and tell God how much of a blessing He is by studying the word, then you need to PRAY for time. Carve out hours - you will get your reward.
Psalm 39:4-5
Lord remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered - how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. my entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.
Proverbs 16:9
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
Ever met someone that left you completely awestruck? This question sums up my day.
See, there's this guy that I went to high school with. (He's still in high school, I just started homeschooling.) Everyone talks about him, but in a GOOD way. He's well known for being an awesome follower of Christ. So when I found out I would be preforming with him for a complete day, I had mixed feelings.
Half of me was excited. I was ready to see what God was working through this guy. I was thrilled. But the other half of me had the feeling of the need to show off. Half of me was the old Taylor. Half of me was the Taylor seeing the face of Christ.
Before one side had the chance to win, Here (We're going to call Him Buzz. For Buzz Lightyear.) Buzz walks in, limping. He had messed up his ankle a while earlier, and had just got back from therapy.
See, I am no expert on this kind of stuff. But when the anointing of God is seriously on a person, I can smell it on their breath. It is a green peppermint type smell. It's cold and minty when they speak to you. I believe some preachers try to fake this smell, also. I know a certain pastor who eats peppermints while praying for people, maybe in hopes that people will draw false conclusions, maybe not. Who knows. But see, when people eat peppermints, it's more of a smell, when the anointing of God is more of a peppermint, cold, comforting feeling. I think that anointed God smell was the first thing that I noticed about Buzz.
While practicing a song, He asked me if I knew what 'Shekinah' meant. I thought for a minute, and said 'Uh, no, I don't think so.' In the middle of him explaining 'Shekinah' to me, I felt the complete peace of God. The feeling of wanting to rest in the Spirit and cry your eyes out in worship at the same time. That's when I knew this guy was one of the best people I had ever met. And he didn't even know my name.
Buzz is the Christian I strive to be. He is the Christian I pray for, for my community, for my high school, for my country. He's the Christian who seeks God more than he seeks his daily meal. That is the anointing of God.
We had 2 'gig's. One at 11, one at 6. In between, the rest of the band and myself went out to eat, and just hung out. I'm not actually sure where Buzz went, but we all met together again around 4 for practice.
For 2 straight hours I had watched this poor guy limp around due to his ankle. I knew from the start that the Spirit wanted me to lay hands on his foot and pray for him, but I was a bit hesitant..
I was a bit afraid I would have too much pride afterwards, because I had that spirit of pride before practice. I knew if it ended up healed, I would crave the glory for myself. I would want Buzz to thank me for it, instead of God. I would want Buzz to look at MY personal relationship with God, and think I was a good Christian because 'I' healed his ankle.
I finally broke down and asked which ankle was bothering him. I laid hands on his ankle for about 2 minutes, praying in tongues. After I felt led to stop praying and ask him if his ankle felt any
better, his face completely lit up. He started walking and jumping around with the hugest smile on his face. At this time, God completely took my pride away from me. I didn't want to be seen. I wanted the glory to go to God for the miracle, instead of myself. I was absolutely humbled. I wasn't proud of myself, I was proud of my God.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
See, a person can preform healings all day long, and not have their heart in the right place. Just because my God is big, doesn't mean my faith is.
That was right before the service started, and at the end of the service, Buzz told me he had been wanting so badly to experience healing for something. Anything. He had been praying for healing.
Isn't it funny how perfectly God answers prayers?
God saw my pridefulness. He saw Buzz's craving for healing.
God placed things just perfectly.
Jentezen Franklin often has online podcasts that are simply amazing, to say the least. I love hearing his sermons while doing school work, practicing music, etc. It's a total blessing.
Yes, I have mentioned Jentezen Franklin before. No, I do not get paid for talking about him, and yes, I would like for you to look him up.
So, I was listening to one of his lessons on "The Power of Now" or something along those lines.
Here's my shortened, revised, and blogified version of what I got from it, that I felt led to share.
John 2:9-10
When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. A host always serves the best wine first," he said, "Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!"
These verses are on the time Jesus turned the water into wine.
A lot of preachers who teach about these verses say "Jesus saves the best for last!"
Re read these verses. Does it say the best came last? It says the best came NOW. Does that statement not give you chills? The best is now.
I am a 15 year old homeschooled female. I didn't grow up in a religious house hold. Like every one else who lives in the south, we had Bible verses hung up on the walls, and a dusty Bible on the bed stand. But that's as far as anything went.
I was taught that God was real, but He wasn't REALLY real.
I didn't grow up in church. My dad and mom have been split up ever since I can remember, so I go back and forth between houses. Visiting my grandmother on my dad's side was about the only Christianity I got into me. Oh, bless my grandmother .. She is such a blessing. She took me and my 1st cousin to EVERY VBS, every Sunday morning service, she gave me (and still does) every ceramic angel she could buy at yard sells. Angels that sang, angels that lit up, angels that made me smile by the very thought of them. I believe Christ used my amazing grandmother to open up the door to my salvation today.Moral of the small distraction, hug your grand parents while you still can. I waste no time letting my grand parents know how much I love and care for them. Be grateful for every opportunity they gave/give you. Pray for their wellbeing constantly. Anyways. Back to the point.
My parents never raised me in church. I started going to church on my own much later on in my life. So for a few years, I've been trying to get my mom in church. After 2 long years, I finally heard these words escape her lips "What time is church tomorrow? I may go with you." Oh, the joy! Oh, how the angels in heaven shouted and sang praises to God! But my spirits were a little let down when she told me my step father was also attending, because she makes a habit of not stepping out when he is around. But the funny thing is, they came the next week. And the next. And this week, they are (Lord willing) continuing to attend Sunday morning service with me. See, Jesus saved the best for now. During those 2 years of waiting, Jesus saved the best for then, as well. The days of 'marinating' is just as important as the day now. We can't have salvation without marination, and we can't have marination without salvation. Laugh all you want at my choice of words, but it's only absolutely true.
"...but you have saved the best until now!"
NOW, family. Today is the day to turn your life around. Today is the day to start that ministry you have been praying for. What is stopping you? Now is the only time we have. So why are we still laying in bed? Why aren't we off our tail-ends yet? Start your volunteer work now. This very hour. We aren't promised next week, when we are free. We aren't guaranteed our next heart beat. Geez, family. Let's get up and serve NOW.
Jesus saved the best for now. Let's stop looking at what's coming up, let's stop looking back at our 'good ole days'. Let's look at Jesus, and receive His best.
