Merry Christmas!!!

We hope you and your families have a wonderful, special Christmas! May we all celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ with great joy, for He has given us the greatest gifts of life and love!! We are praying for you this season and can't wait to share more posts with you in the new year! Merry Christmas!!!

Miracles

"There can be miracles when you believe..." --this is a line from one of my favorite songs, When You Believe. There are many reasons why this song has become so special to me. This past year, God has truly opened my eyes to see His miracles in my life.  He has shown me how powerful belief is.

There is evidence of God using man's belief all over scripture--the faith of Moses as he followed God's call to free the Israelites from slavery, the faith of the sick woman as she reached out to touch the cloak of Jesus, the faith of Peter as he commanded the lame man to rise and walk. They trusted that God was who He said He was and that He could do anything.

How many of us believe that today? In our own lives? In our own families? In our own society? In our own generation?

Belief in God is trusting in Him. It's having faith in His promises, His power, and His goodness. Moses did not trust in his own ability to speak and persuade, but rather in God's ability to soften the hearts of those who would hear his words. The sick woman who believed for her healing by touching the edge of Jesus's cloak did not trust in the physical power of Jesus's cloak, but rather in the unseen power of Jesus, of God, Himself. Peter did not trust in his own words or own will when commanding the lame man to stand, but rather in God's ability to fully mend what was hopelessly broken.

These people trusted in a God higher than themselves. They trusted in a God that was above their circumstances. They trusted in a God that had the ability and the power to work miracles. This is the same God we believe in. He is still working miracles today! Recently I have been asking God to open my eyes to see the miracles He is performing all around me. And I've discovered that many of the miracles He has shown me are things that I would have previously overlooked.

Something as small and special as my little brother running up to me and hugging me is a miracle to me. Having the opportunity to love my family and laugh with my friends on a daily basis is a miracle to me. Watching a bird soar freely across the sky is a miracle to me. (I know it's weird, but I just love watching birds fly...I don't know about you, but it's definitely a God-sighting for me!) Why are these little things, like sharing a joke with one of my siblings or having a fun night at dance class, suddenly seeming so meaningful now? They are significant because through faith, I am able to see God's hand behind all of them. I am able to see Him working in big and small ways in my life and in the lives of those around me.

He is the God of miracles. Whether you're waiting for a big miracle, like a loved one coming to know and accept Christ or trusting God in something as small as getting through a math class, He will always be there for you, working behind the scenes in ways you may never realize. He is mighty and He is moving in your life in countless ways. He is moving your mountains, parting your seas, and healing your hurts. Trust that He is making miracles out of every area of your life.

I encourage you to look for all the small miracles in your life. There are many, many special things God wants to show us that we miss daily because we forget about Him and His unfailing involvement in our lives. I also encourage you to trust God for your big miracles, the situations where you desperately need His guidance and power. Trust that He is God and that He sees you, loves you, and promises to deliver you.

As you continually renew your trust in God and in His power, goodness, and loving involvement in your life, He will give you the eyes to see His miracles and the faith to believe in Him no matter what your circumstances are.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21

~Hannah

All You Need is LOVE!!!

...And that’s something God was really working with me on over the summer, and is STILL working with me on!

I don’t know about you, but I had a really busy summer. It seems to have flown by so fast! But looking back on it now, I realize that I was so blessed to be able to do a LOT of different things this past summer that really grew me as a person and even more so as a believer.

First of all, I think I read over TEN BOOKS this past summer, which is totally a record for me (Shout out to Ted Dekker! If you haven’t heard of Him, you should definitely check him out! His series “The Circle” will change you life!!!), and almost every book I read somehow brought me back to the idea of God’s immense love for me- for His Church, for His Bride, for His people- and the desperate measures He took in order to ensure that I would have an eternal spot in heaven with Him.

Then on top of all that reading, I went to Ballet Magnificat’s summer dance intensive in Jackson, Mississippi in July for four weeks! And boy did God do a lot of things in me during that month! But like I said, everything I’ve learned has kept coming back to that one idea of Love. GOD’S Love. 

We studied the book of Ephesians while I was at Ballet Mag, and one of the big parts we focused on was God’s Love, and how HUGE it is yet how close and real it is at the same time. We, as human beings, cannot even comprehend how great the Love of our Father is!

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2:4-5

God saved us not because of anything we did or could EVER do, but solely because He loves us THAT much and cared about us enough to give Himself up for us!

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19

“...and to KNOW this love that surpasses knowledge...” I love that part! That’s exactly what God’s been working with me on: KNOWING His Love. It’s so easy, for us as people, to get all caught up in our emotions and wanting to feel God’s Love. And for me personally, when I’m not really feeling God’s Love, I start to get kinda panicky on the inside and I freak out and feel like I’m doing something wrong and begin to worry that I’m not pursuing God hard enough, etc, etc... But in reality, I’m just getting all caught up in my feelings, and that’s just human nature. However, God is ABOVE all of our feelings, and although He does allow us to sometimes feel his love, “He doesn’t always choose to work in fireworks.” :) He doesn’t always reveal Himself to us in the way that we hope He will. He doesn’t always come to us in this big, dramatic way, where our lives are being wrecked by Him and we’re feeling His love wrap around us for the first time and we’re bawling our eyes out all over the place- No. Sometimes, He simply asks us to step out and choose Him, even though we don’t feel Him at all. And That’s where faith comes in. We’ve experienced God’s Love and seen evidence of it all around us time and time again, so even in those times when we don’t feel His Love at all, we can still fully trust that it is there and it is just as present as always.

It’s like a piece of cake. 

 If you see someone holding a big plate of chocolate cake, you can just look at that piece of cake and know that it’s good. Of course, if you’re anything like me, you’ll probably stare at that piece of chocolate cake and drool over it and want so badly to devour it, that you beg and beg for that person to give you just the smallest, little bite... but the fact of the matter is, you don’t have to taste the cake to know that it’s going to be good. The Bible says to “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). Taste AND see. Sometimes God allows us to taste that cake- to taste His Love and to experience it afresh all over again- but other times He just wants us to see the cake and to see His Love at work all around us and remember that He IS still good no matter what we're feeling.

Then, whether we're "tasting" or "seeing", all we have to do is simply live in His Love and enjoy every moment He gives us, big and small.

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Ephesians 5:1-2

We just have to stay in an attitude of Love towards Him and towards others, and always remain in awe of the greatness of His Love- His perfect Love that drowns out all fear (1 John 4:18)- because all things fade away in comparison to the Love of God, and all we really do need in this life is His LOVE. :)

Here’s a quote one of my friends shared with me that I’d like to end with-

“It’s really cool you want to be passionately in love with Jesus as much as you can, but please don’t beat yourself up about this. Be prepared for the seasons when you’ll barely hang on to God with an intellectual thread, and other seasons where you’ll be so head-over-heels for Jesus that you’re getting tattoos of him on your rib cage. Be ready to be honest in your dry valleys, and be ready to rejoice on the mountaintop. Enjoy both seasons, because both help you grow and both have significance in our lives. The winter and fall teach you to grow deep roots into God even when you don’t feel Him, and the summer and spring are those powerful weeks of blooming fruits and plentiful harvest that will have you laughing and weeping at the same time. Soon you’ll also see: loving Jesus is not even really up to you, because he’s the one who woos, who draws, who beckons, who calls. Loving Him is the easy part; God loving you cost His Son. The more you know that it’s less about you, the more free you will be to love God all the more.” J. S. Park

 

~McKenna 


 

Embrace Change

Change. It’s one of the things that people fear most. Why? Change puts us in a place where we might feel anxious, alone, and unsafe. When we move on from something that we are comfortable with and find ourselves in circumstances that are unfamiliar, we tend to entertain worried or fretful thoughts.

With the upcoming school year quickly approaching, a lot of people, especially teenagers, are going through a lot of change. Maybe you’re approaching a huge school year, like your freshman year of high school or your senior year of high school and you know that your classes will be a lot harder than last year. Or maybe you’re worried about this next school year because you’re changing schools and have to make new friends and get used to a new environment.

Whatever it is you’re worried about, I guarantee you it probably has a lot to do with change. After all, you wouldn’t be worried if your classes and friends were all the same as they were last year because you’re already comfortable with them and you know what to expect of them.

But now, you have NO CLUE what to expect for the upcoming year! I know that sounds scary, but when change comes, whether you’re moving to a different school or moving to a different state, DON’T PANIC! I want to share a little bit about what I’ve learned about change this past year.

1.     Change initially feels uncomfortable. When you’re faced with change and you find yourself in an unfamiliar environment, it’s natural to feel unsafe. But just because you FEEL unsafe, doesn’t mean that you ARE unsafe. You have to believe that God knows exactly what He’s doing in your life and you couldn’t be safer with anyone but Him! So even though you might initially feel uncomfortable when transitioning into a new environment, you have to trust that you are safe with God.

2.     Change is an opportunity to reach out to others. When you feel uncomfortable, you’ll tend to focus more on yourself than anyone else. Do these thoughts sound familiar when meeting new people or walking into a new environment? What are they thinking of me? Do they like me? Am I enough? See how we tend to focus on selfish thoughts rather than selfless ones? I’m guilty of it as much as anyone! But God has shown me that focusing on myself accomplishes nothing but cultivating insecurity and anxious thoughts. God always has a purpose in change. But how will you find that purpose if you are focused on yourself? Maybe God has placed you in a certain situation so that you can reach the people around you! As you intentionally look for ways to put aside your insecurity and look for ways to bless and encourage others, you’ll find that you feel much less insecure and anxious yourself! God has given you so many opportunities to reach out to people right where you are! Ask Him to open your eyes to see the people around you the way He sees them!

3.     Change is always best for you. This is sometimes the hardest to believe, especially if you’re in a new, uncomfortable, unfamiliar environment. When you’re facing the unknown or when you’re battling insecurity in meeting new people, believing that God knows what’s best for you can be very, very hard. But even though your circumstances may change, God’s promises never change. “For we know that God works out all things for the good of those who love Him…” (Romans 8:28) “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) When you don’t understand “why”, trust that God knows. Trust that He has a perfect plan for every moment of your life. Remember that change is an opportunity to trust Him. He is faithful to walk with you through change and He never leads you somewhere that’s not best for you.

Change is inevitable for most of us. It’s easy to feel unsafe, insecure, or unsure when it comes to change. But there is a way for us to overcome these feelings! Though change may come, you can put your trust in Him who is unchangeable. God never changes. God’s promises do not change. You can trust in Him at all times and in all circumstances.

~Hannah~

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to our real life heroes!!! We love you!

Thank you daddy for not only being an amazing father, but also being one of my closest friends. You have taught me so much about the love of God and how to succeed in life. I thank God for giving me a dad that is truly interested in what I like, what I don't like, and that loves to have conversations about absolutely anything. I look up to you so much and hope to marry a man that is like you. You are my favorite superhero! Happy Father's Day! ~Maddie

Happy Father's Day Daddy! I love you SO much- to the moon and BACK!- and I am so thankful to have such an amazing, hard-working and encouraging dad as you! God surely made no mistakes when He put our family together. :) Thank you for always making me laugh, leading me through example, and loving on me no matter what. I'm so blessed to have you as a dad, and I can't wait to see how God continues to grow our relationship with each new year that passes!
Love you TONS!

Love, Kenna

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I hope you never forget how much I love you, appreciate you, and look up to you. You are one of the most God-fearing, selfless, inspiring people I know! Whether we're cheering on our favorite sports team (Go UNC Tarheels!), or racing each other to see who can finish reading a gripping novel first, I treasure every single moment I spend with you. You never cease to amaze me! I love you to infinity and beyond, Daddy!! ~Hannah

He Cares

So, some interesting things happened in my life over this past weekend and as a result, I have big news to share...
   
I FINALLY GOT MY DRIVER’S LICENSE!!! Only after two full years of having my permit... LOL! No big deal! 

As you can imagine, I was extremely nervous all throughout the long nights leading up to that Friday morning on June 9th when I knew I would be forced to go to the DNV and take my driver’s test...

What if I run into someone else’s car in the middle of the test while I’m trying to park? What if I can’t control my foot on the gas pedal and end up speeding the entire time? What if embarrass myself trying to unlock the car or something while the tester guy’s trying to get in? What if I FAIL!?! What if I fail like FOUR TIMES before I finally pass and get my license!?!

...These were all some of the “freak-out” thoughts going through my head as I counted down the days leading up to that dreaded June 9th morning. I was so nervous for it and I just wanted to get it over with already! I literally spent my whole shower time the night before just talking to God about it, because I KNEW I had a selfish mindset about it and I needed to give it to Him. 

So I prayed practically the whole time I was in the shower that night (I love to talk to God while I shower! It’s just one of the most quiet, alone times I have during my day, to just think and talk to Him... Maybe some of you reading this can relate!).
I prayed that he would help me have faith that was bigger than my fear.
I prayed that I would stop only focusing on myself and my insecurity in the situation and instead give up my control and surrender this driving test over to God.
I prayed that He would give me favor when I went in to take that test- that He would “anoint my head with oil” so that “my cup would overflow” onto all those I came in contact with at the DNV...
And I thanked God that “the joy of the Lord would be my strength”. 

He was going to give me confidence and His will was going to be done in my life. And boy! I cannot tell you how much better I felt after simply surrendering my anxiety I had about my driver’s test over to God! I got to the point that night, where I didn’t even care what happened that next day, I just wanted God to be glorified, even through me taking my driver’s test.

And the whole time I was thinking and praying and thanking God, I was just reminded of how much He cares about me- How much He cares about even the most mundane thing as a teen who’s about to take her driving test! I mean, every teen on the planet has to do it at one point or another, but God still cares. And since it’s a big deal to me, it’s a big deal to Him, too. :)

I woke up early Friday morning with butterflies starting to flutter around in my stomach already as the nerves began to kick in again. But God only reminded me in my quiet time, once more, how much He cares and how much “He’s got this”, even though it may only be a driving test. He spoke to me through my “Jesus Always” devotional, saying-

“Apart from me you can do nothing. On days when the tasks before you seem overwhelming, remember this: I am with you, ready to help you. I designed you to need Me and depend on Me. So come to Me just as you are. Talk with Me about the challenges you face and the inadequacy you feel. Don’t worry about being successful in the eyes of the world.”

Whew! Don’t worry about being successful in the eyes of the world. What a relief it was to hear that! I don’t have to worry about pleasing the world, because I already have a Father in Heaven who takes great delight in me, and is already more proud of me than I could ever know! :)

And in the end, as you of course already know, I PASSED!!! I PASSED MY DRIVER’S TEST AND I GOT MY LICENSE!!! It was nowhere near as bad as I had worked it out to be in my head! I even had the sweetest, little old man I got to drive around, named Mr. Howard, who told me all about his 4 cats and let me help  put his seat belt on for him. :) He was such a treasure! And even after the fact, I remembered that I had seen him two years earlier, when I had gone to the DNV to get my permit, and how I had thought to myself then, “I hope I get THAT guy when I have to take MY driver’s test!”

See how good God is!?! He even took notice of THAT smallest detail, that little thought of mine, and made it a reality for me. How cool! He really does care, so much! And I am so thankful for his listening ears that are always tuned-in to me, and his outstretched hands, always ready to help me with whatever I need. :)

"Cast all you anxiety on him because he cares for you." 

1 Peter 5:7

- McKenna Brooks

Happy Mother's Day!!

Today is one of the most special days of the year! It’s the day when we are reminded of how amazing our mothers are!!! We get to celebrate them and show our love for them! We hope that you will take the time to extend your personal gratitude and love to your mother this weekend! Remind her of how special she is to you--whether that's by writing her a note, getting a gift for her, or simply giving her a hug and telling her that you love her.

Mothers, we pray that you will always feel as special and loved as you are. We love you and appreciate you so much!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

                                                             Thank you mom for being my best friend!! You will always be the person I turn to for guidance or just for a laugh. Thank you for everything you have done for me all these years!! You'll always be my closest friend. Love you! ~Maddie

Happy Mother’s Day Mommy! You are AMAZING and I don’t know how you do what you do everyday and yet manage to still have a smile on your face! Thank you for always leading me not only through your constant encouragement and love as my mom, but also through the example you set for me as you live in a way that puts God first in all things! I love you so SO much- to the moon and back!- and I am so thankful to have you for my mom! :) xoxo, Kenna 

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!! If there's anyone I look up to for guidance and advice as I walk through life, it's you. Thank you for always being there for me. Whenever I need to talk, you're there to listen. Whenever I need to laugh, you're there to make me smile. Whenever I need to be reminded of God's goodness and faithfulness, you're always there to remind me of the truth. I don't know what I would do without you! I love you past the sky!! ~Hannah

Phobia

This week, I passed my Driving Test and finally received my license. A year late, since I am now 17 years old and probably should have gotten it last year at 16... but better late than never!

It's super exciting and I'm so happy that all the work and practice I put into driving finally paid off. However, it wasn't always like that. Not too long ago, I had a fear of driving and would refuse to take the driver's seat when I was asked to drive anywhere. Two years ago, my parents forced me to study and get my learner's permit even though I was afraid and though I was happy when I passed the test and we celebrated... I still didn't want to drive around.

Let's just be honest, driving is scary! People are crazy! They speed, they don't check their mirrors, they won't turn their blinker on, they honk at you.. etc etc. To sum it all up, it stresses me out and being only five foot one, barely being able to see out the car window, doesn't help.

Finally, last month, my parents enrolled me in driving school. Yes, I drove around in one of those really obnoxious "Student Driver" cars with the signs on top and everything. It was nerve-wracking, but in the long run, my instructor helped me gain confidence in my driving and taught me how to be safe on the road so I wouldn't have to be afraid!

I had to realize, this was a step in me becoming an adult. I had to get my license. I would never be able to drive anywhere myself if I didn't. Most importantly, I had to understand that God will protect me. He's always watching my every step and if I remember to drive safely and pray for God's protection, I have no need to be afraid of the road.

Last week, in my new confidence, I walked up to my dad and said, "Can I drive to youth group tonight?" He was so happy that I finally wanted to drive. It was the first time I had ever asked.

This relates to situations in our lives. Something will come up that you know you have to do and it's scary. For example, going to a new school, speaking in front of people, going to college, trying out for a sport. These are all events that shape our lives and personality. God puts hard things in our lives so that we may learn to trust in him alone and build our faith. I would have never overcome my fear of driving if I wouldn't have begun praying for His guidance and for Him to give me strength and courage.

Because of that, I now have my license (with a cheesy picture of me on it) and I can now get in the car with absolutely no fear, but instead, enjoyment.

Difficult situations in the long run give us more courage than we had before and we know that God gives us the bravery we need to walk through a hard situation. And he gives us this bravery for free. All we need to do is ask Him.

-Madison Terwilliger

Be Still

When was the last time you took the time to be still? Unfortunately, most of us are going to have to think pretty hard to answer that question. With our busy schedules, commitments, and daily responsibilities, we find that what we’re dealing with is practically more than we can handle.

Maybe you don’t have an overwhelmingly busy schedule, but nevertheless, you find yourself asking, When WAS the last time I took to be still? I’ve found that sometimes it doesn’t take a chaotic schedule to keep us from taking moments of rest. Sometimes, the constant distractions during the day are enough to keep us from finding rest in God.

By definition, being distracted is “being unable to concentrate because one’s mind is preoccupied.”

If I’m honest with myself, I’ve been feeling pretty distracted recently. And I don’t have to think very hard to figure out some of the main reasons WHY I’m distracted. From school, to dance and countless rehearsals, to spending time with family, to going to church and to church functions, to the little things like watching a TV show with my family, or playing a game with my siblings, or reading a good book, I find that I’m distracted most of the time. Are these distractions necessarily bad? No! But they keep me preoccupied for much of the day. And honestly, I try my best to keep myself preoccupied by them.

Because I know that if I’m preoccupied, I won’t have to face my doubts, questions, fears, insecurities, and pride. If I’m busy doing other things, I won’t have time to address those tough issues, right?

I’ve found out the hard way that distracting myself doesn’t let me avoid those tough issues.

In fact, embracing distractions only leaves me incredibly vulnerable to even more of the enemy’s schemes. Because when I’m distracted, when I’m preoccupied by worldly thoughts, I am unable to concentrate on God’s goodness and truth.

This is a dangerous place. I’ve only just recently noticed that I’ve found myself in this situation more often than I would like to admit. Whenever I start to feel empty, whenever I start shutting down, I tend to turn to things like obsessively checking my phone, or switching on the TV, or ANYTHING to keep me preoccupied!

And I’m going to tell you, filling your mind and heart with that kind of stuff doesn’t work. It doesn’t silence the fear. It doesn’t answer your questions. It doesn’t make you feel any more secure than you felt before. It only makes you more desperate. Believe me. I’ve been there.

But that’s not the end of the story. That emptiness you feel after you’ve checked your phone or finished watching a TV show doesn’t have to stay with you.

Jesus can take it. He wants you to lay it all down at His feet, trusting Him to fill that emptiness in your heart, trusting Him to fulfill your deepest longings and desires. He’s there, longing for you to stop clinging desperately to those distractions. He’s there, with arms open wide, with no judgment and no condemnation standing in the way of His love.

He’s there, waiting for you to find rest in Him.

The definition of rest is to “cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.” True rest is only found in Jesus. When you cease striving and preoccupying yourself with other things and intentionally seek Jesus, the pressures of the world fall away, you get a new perspective on a certain situation, and you find strength that only comes from God.

In this world, with its heavy expectations and countless distractions, letting ourselves rest is sometimes the hardest thing to do. But it’s often what we need the most.

One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm 46:10 which says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

Being still means finding rest in Jesus. Being still means giving Him everything that’s occupying your mind, the good and the bad. Being still means letting Him quiet your distracted heart and fill all that emptiness with His joy and strength and love.

We must know that He is God. He who created the heavens and the earth in all their majestic glory, He is God. He who spoke into being the mountains and seas and stars and planets, He is God. Amazingly, this very same God loves each of us individually. He cares about every single detail in our lives. He knows each distraction that vies for our attention, each distraction that we embrace -- and He loves us through it all.

This world throws distractions in our faces 24/7. But we don’t have to let them preoccupy our hearts. We can win the battle against distractions by taking the time to be still and trust that God is everything He says He is.  

           

         

Remember the Cross this Easter

“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. And that price was exorbitant- My very Life! I went through excruciating pain and humiliation as I sacrificed Myself for your sins. This was a gift of infinite value- an act of indescribable Love. However, only those who recognize their sinfulness, their need for a Savior, can receive this astonishing gift of Love. Hear my invitation calling out: ‘Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’ Sin is a terrible, crushing burden, but I have paid the price in full to remove it from you forever.
When you awaken each morning, say to yourself: ‘I am not my own. I belong to Jesus.’ Then keep in your mind Whose you are as you make your way through the day, especially as you make plans and decisions. Knowing that you belong to Me helps you keep your feet on the path of Peace. This knowledge meets deep-seated needs. you can find find spiritual and emotional security by remembering that you are Mine- My beloved.”
~ Sarah Young (“Jesus Always” devotional)

     With yesterday being Good Friday, this quick devotional really impacted me when I read it... Jesus paid the ultimate price- He gave it ALL for me- so that I might have life to the fullest on this earth, and then one day, have life everlasting with Him in heaven! 

     My family and I all watched “The Passion of the Christ” film together last night for the first time, and boy- did it really grab my heart! 

     It’s so easy for us as Christians, to make light of what Jesus did for us. “Jesus loves you” and “He died on the cross for you” almost becomes like this slogan type of thing we use... But Jesus Christ was a real person- a real man. Everything written about him in the Word of God really did happen. He came down from heaven to be born in a stable. He lived as a man and walked on the earth for 33 years. He died on the cross and was buried in the grave for three days. He rose again, defeated hell and descended into heaven to be with the Father until the time comes for Him to return again someday. He gives us the power to reign victoriously over death forever in His Name! And He did it all because He loves us... :)

He bought us with His very LIFE! We belong to Him, and He invites us into a life lived in His Love. 

He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life (John 14:6).
The Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13).
The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
The Son of God (John 10:36).
The Great I AM (Exodus 3:14).
He is all we’ll ever need and more! He is our EVERYTHING! He is Jesus Christ the Lord! And he deserves it all- all of our love, all of our devotion, all of our worship, all of our focus, all of our energy, all of our giftings... all of our LIVES!
So give Jesus your ALL this Easter- He is so worthy, so good, and He loves you more than you will ever know!- and never forget the true meaning of the cross. 

Side Note: I know I’m always including songs in my blog posts (it’s kind of almost become like my signature thing I guess!)... so I’m sure it won’t be surprising that I have a song to go along with this post as well! :) It’s called “Death Was Arrested” and it’s been one of my favorite songs to listen to this Easter season...
https://youtu.be/fZ5k5X0YmLI



 

Silence

   I’ve always told myself that I’m the type of person who could simply be sitting in silence with the people I love the most, and yet still feel totally comfortable and secure. But over the past couple of weeks, I’ve realized that though that mindset of mine may be true with the people I’m closest to, it certainly didn’t seem to be true between me and God.

     Over spring break, I honestly went though a time of panic in my relationship with God. Not panic because I felt like He was drawing away from me, but panic because I felt like I was letting my thoughts draw me away from Him.

     For lots of different reasons I was sad... I felt like I was missing out on things... I was jealous of the BIG experiences God was allowing the others around me to have with Him... and I felt angry because I wanted to do certain things so bad and God was obviously saying that it was not the time for me to do them yet.  

    I had lots of unanswered questions and anxious thoughts whirling around in my head-
When, God, will you answer me? When will you tell me what I’m supposed to do? Why can I not feel you like I usually do? Why am I having all these awful feelings of sadness and jealousy and frustration?

     It was hard- really hard. And as I continued to panic, God remained silent. And I have to admit, I was very uncomfortable.

     You’d think that I would be totally at peace in the hands of my all-knowing Savior, but during that time I was not. I hated feeling so sad and so jealous of others and so confused... I didn’t understand why God had me in the place that he did, and I wished I could just go back and re-live all the special memories and incredible moments I’d had with God in the past!

     But slowly and surely, God began to entangle my emotions and give me peace even amidst all my questions.

     First, He opened my eyes to see that sometimes the feelings I experience are all just going to be a part of living in the fallen, sinful world that I do. I’m only human, and as a result I won’t always be able to help feeling sad or jealous about some things. However, I must always be sure to run to God whenever I am having those feelings and allow Him to replace them with His truth and love.

     Secondly, God showed me that I cannot live my life looking back into the past. Even though I may have been dwelling on very GOOD things I’d experienced- special memories, life-changing moments, and God-sized miracles- I was still dwelling on things... I was thinking so MUCH on the past things God had done in my life and wishing I could go back and relive those moments again, that I started loosing sight of the incredible things God is doing in my life RIGHT NOW! I was trying to get back up and pretend I was living life on this great, super spiritual mountain with God, when I should have been buckling myself down and preparing to fight in the trenches for the things God’s called me to.

     And then one morning, during all that uncertainty and discomfort, I finally clearly heard God speak to me through these verses I had read in my quiet time that morning...

“YOU HAVE STAYED LONG ENOUGH ON THIS MOUNTAIN.
Break camp and advance into the hill country...
See I have given you this land.”
~ Deuteronomy 1:6-7

It was like God was literally telling me-
McKenna, you have stayed long enough at this mountain. I have given you so many good things in the past, but now is not the time to turn back in pursuit of those old good things. Now is the time to turn towards ME and pursue MY perfect plan for you! Now is the time to plant yourself in the valley and fight for the things I’ve called you to. Now is the time to believe in the miracles forming right before your very eyes! And to know that I am standing beside you. And I love you. And I believe in you. And I have called you to greatness!... If you’ll only trust in me.

“Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them.
The Lord your God, who is going before you,
will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt,
before your very eyes, and in the wilderness.
There you saw how the Lord your God carried you,
as a Father carries his son, all the way you went
until you reached this place.”
~ Deuteronomy 1:29-31

     Just because God may have been silent for a time, didn’t mean that He wasn’t still Sovereign. God had never stopped being my Savior, and I know He never will! He is still seated on the throne, ruling as King of my heart, and no matter how hard my walk with Him may get, He never lets go of my hand and He never ceases to hold my whole word in His hands! If He has carried me this far in my life, I know that He can surely carry me on into the future, too! And I trust Him. He is such a good God; such a good, good Father- MY good, good Father. And though I still may not have all the answers, I know that HE does, and that’s enough.

     And so... I’d like to end this post with a song God immediately brought to my mind JUST the other night as I was thinking about all of this...

https://youtu.be/BGvGsApcnWA

To Whom It May Concern...

"I'm fine" or "I'm good" is an expression that is an automatic reply for most people.We don't want to tell people what we are actually going through or what's actually going on in our lives. To be real for a second, is anyone actually being honest when they answer the question, "How are you?". Being a human being means there is going to be change, hurt, fear, loss, anxiety, etc. 

In students and adults alike, it is common to see them "shut down" emotionally when they are going through something hard and hurtful. They aren't completely honest with the people around them and they begin to "disappear". I'm not judging anyone when I say this because...I do it too. Really this post is something I struggle with as well.

I've been going through a situation recently that's life-changing and difficult. And I didn't want to talk to anyone about it. After a few weeks, months even, I began to see myself transition into this melancholy and quiet person. I wasn't depressed, I just was more solemn and anxious. I noticed this interesting change in my character and decided to find out what it was. With the Lord's (and my dad's) help, it hit me. I was suppressing my feelings, tucking them away, not talking to anyone about how I was feeling. Honestly, I wasn't even talking to the Lord about my situation! #fail

Sometimes when we are going through the storms of life we don't want to talk about because we are afraid to cry or we are angry. Or... we don't know WHO to talk to. Maybe we even think we have no one.

The point is, there is always somebody. The Lord wants us to talk to him about everything. Your struggles, your fears, your dreams, your joys. You can't see him there, but for me, I can feel him with me. 

I recently got prophesied over, and in this prophesy the Pastor told me that the Lord is saying to me, "My hand is on you." This was exactly what I needed at the time. I pictured myself, my problems and fears in front of me and Jesus putting his hand on my shoulder saying, "I have you." 

No matter what you're going through, the Lord already knows and he is for you. He is always by our side through every good situation and bad one. 

Now, whenever I begin to feel worried or sad, I immediately journal it down in my Prayer Journal, pray, or talk to my parents about it. Expressing your feelings is one of the best medicines out there. The relief of getting your emotions and thoughts out in the open can help you heal and give you peace.

"For I the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying unto you, Fear not; I will help you." - Isaiah 43:13

Everlasting Love

         

With Valentine’s Day being just two days ago, I thought this would be an opportune time to write about love and about what God has shown me as a fifteen-year-old girl this Valentine’s season.

I don’t know about you, but there are still visions of pink and red hearts and boxes of chocolate and bouquets of flowers dancing around in my head!

Unfortunately, with it being two days after Valentine’s Day, those flowers don’t look as lively and beautiful as they did the moment someone handed them to you and all that’s left of the candy you were given is a bunch of wrappers.

Does this depress anyone besides me? Can love represent more than the wilting flowers on our desks and the fading feeling in our hearts?

As a fifteen-year-old girl who doesn’t have a boyfriend or have any plans to start seriously thinking about dating, Valentine’s Day can be one of those days when I shrug my shoulders, receive the gifts my friends give me, and move on. After all, what’s the point of celebrating when you haven’t found true love yet?

That’s when I have to catch myself. The truth is, I have found true love. It’s just not in the form of roses, or a sweet note, or a giant red heart. It’s in the form of a wooden cross, crudely fashioned, with blood staining its bark. It’s found in the knowledge that God the Father looked specifically at me and thought, I love her and I want to spend eternity with her.

So He sent His perfect Son, Jesus, to die a horrible death in my place as a punishment for my sin. When He died, He made a way for me to be cleansed of my sin and have a relationship with a holy God. When He rose from the dead, He proclaimed to the world that He was greater than death and that He won the ultimate battle against the devil.

God did all this…because He loved me. Just like He loves you.

But what if I’d rather have the gifts and the roses? What if I want to know I’m loved right in this moment and not just two thousand years ago when Jesus died for me?

The great news is, God’s love doesn’t stop with the cross. He loved you before you even breathed your first breath and He will not stop loving you for eternity. His love for you right in this moment is as strong as it was when He carried that cross up the hill of Calvary. He sees you in this moment, He knows you and all your desires and fears, and He cherishes you for who you are.

God’s love does not compare you to other people. It does not criticize or condemn. Rather, instead of comparing you, He specifically chooses you as His own. Instead of criticizing you, He thinks the best of you and calls you special. Instead of condemning you, He defeated sin so that He could welcome you with open arms despite your past mistakes.

God’s love remains forever. It lasts so much longer than the wilting flowers or the fading ink of a pen on a note or the slight warming of your heart. Although these earthly things we cherish aren’t bad, they can hurt you and disappoint you when you base your entire identity on them. God has an identity for you, one rooted in true love, one based on the fact that He has redeemed you and calls you His beloved child.

So maybe today, you’re starting to feel let down because the love you felt on Valentine’s Day is slowly fading away. Maybe you’re scrambling desperately around trying to feel loved again, trying so hard to get someone to tell you that they care about you.

I’m here to tell you that God cares. He has always loved you and will always love you. You can trust His love, cling to His love, and find your true identity in His everlasting love for it will NEVER leave you or disappoint you.  

Alone

    Recently, I've been watching this show called, "Alone". It's about ten men, dropped off in some of the most dangerous places on the Earth, all by themselves, no one around, and they have to see how long they can survive, just them, a few supplies, a camera, and nature. The man that lasts the longest wins a ton of money.

    Honestly, it's a pretty awesome show. I love seeing these guys build fires, shelters, catch food, and document their adventures with the camera they were given. It's interesting to see how humans react to being alone with no distractions like smartphones and other people. These ten guys started dropping out of the competition like flies after being by themselves for a while in the wilderness. They began to tell the camera how frightening it was to be alone with just you and your thoughts.

    One guy confessed that his past failures began to creep up on him the longer he stayed in the wilderness. He told the camera that it was so different to have no distractions around you, erasing your problems temporarily. He felt vulnerable and afraid and he didn't like just sitting there in the woods having to face his problems.

    My point is, you don't always have to be in the wilderness by yourself to suddenly recognize that creeping feeling inside your soul where all your problems, failures, and relationships come into your brain. It happens to humans on a daily basis. 

   The main reason why people have addictions is because they are trying to "not feel" or avoid problems in their life. When those distractions are taken away, there's silence. And people can't stand silence.

   When I was in middle school, I became addicted to hardcore rap music. The explicit, really gross kind. I was struggling in middle school to figure out who I was and who I wanted to be and the devil took that opportunity to fill that hurting gap in my soul with sin. Those were the worst few years of my life. I BECAME those rappers in a way. I was angry like they were, I was confused like they were, and I was filling my soul with sin instead of Jesus… just like they were. I thank God that he intervened and my parents took iTunes off my phone. 

  A person without Jesus in the same situation, listening to rap music and getting busted by their parents, would feel ashamed of their mistake. And I definitely was humiliated at the time. What I didn't realize was that God was going to use my story for good. Without that dumb music, my personality began to change. I was happier, my relationship with my parents and friends was better, and I filled that hole that had been filled with rap music, with Jesus instead.

  I understood that he FORGAVE me. God wasn't ashamed of me for listening to bad music. He wasn't angry with me. He knew I was better than that and THAT'S why he intervened in the situation. He loves me so much and wanted me to fill that gap with him instead. I wasn't fulfilling my purpose in life and God helped me do just that.

  Since then, I've shared my music testimony all over my city. I've shared it at schools, teen conferences, and summer intensives for spiritual growth for kids. I'm not ashamed of my story anymore. I actually am proud of sharing what God did in my life to change me and bring me where I am today.

   Therefore, I'm okay with silence. Because I know God is bigger than all my problems and I don't need to be ashamed of my failures. When I'm by myself, there is a peace in my soul because God lives inside of me and I know how much he loves me. 

  Your problems are temporary, but God is eternal.

 

"Live It Well"

    One of the things I like to do every year (from the first day of school till the last), is think of a theme song for myself. I usually try to pick something that really goes along with whatever God's working with me on that year, one that really stands out. The kind of song that when you hear it you just go "Oh my gosh, God! That is so me!" or "That's just what I needed to hear". In the past, finding my theme song for the year hasn't been too much of a challenge. God will often give them too me pretty early on in the year. For example...

     In 8th grade, my song was "Oceans" by Hillsong United. 8th grade was a very challenging year for me, when God gave me PLENTY of opportunities to grow, calling me to step out in faith even when I didn't know what the end result might be or where He might take me! But I trusted Him, and I got to really taste and experience God's goodness for myself. So even though 8th grade was one of my toughest years (academically, spiritually, emotionally), it also ended up being one of my BEST years, too!
     
     In 9th grade, my theme song was "My Lighthouse" by Rend Collective. 9th grade is usually a HUGE transition year for most people, as it was for me, going into high school and everything. I was already kind of on the edge about it, and then I ended up spending my entire first semester in this gross, depressed, unhappy kind of mood. I was living as what I like to call, a "zombie teen", which so many high schoolers are caught up in nowadays. And though it took that whole first semester of my high school years to break out of the funk I was in, God finally "woke me up from my slumber" and called me back into being His lighthouse for all the other kids around me. 

     In 10th grade, God actually gave me my theme song before school even started! It was "Sinking Deep" by Hillsong Young & Free, and it's still one of my all time favorites! The message of that song really encouraged me to never forget how much God loves me and will take care of me no matter what kind of situations I'm facing. It helped me remember to stay focused on God and who He was calling me to be, despite who the people around me were choosing to be. It gave me a new confidence in Him that enabled me to stay strong and secure, living my life grounded in a firm foundation of His love.

     So... that's a brief history of "McKenna's theme songs"! But this year, it just seemed like it took forever for me to find that perfect song! Maybe it's because I haven't been through anything super "huge" in my life this year, or maybe it's just because I haven't really been putting much thought into what God's song for me was... But about a week ago, I finally found that perfect song! And I just thought I'd share a little bit about it and about the theme God's been working with me on for this year. 

"Live It Well"

Take the burden from my arms

Take the anchors off my lungs

Take me broken and make me one

Take the silence and make it a song

Life is short, I wanna live it well

One life, one story to tell

Life is short, I wanna life it well

And You're the One I'm livin for!

Awaken all my soul

Every breath that I take is a miracle

Life is short, I wanna live it well

I wanna sing with all my heart this lifelong song

Even if some notes come out right, and some come out wrong

Cause I can't take none of that through the door

Yeah, I'm livin for more than just a funeral

I wanna burn brighter than the sun

I got one life and one love

I got one voice, and maybe that's enough

Cause with one heartbeat and two hands

I got one shot

And one life to live

One life to live!

*Here's a link to the song if you wanna listen ;)

https://youtu.be/Ov_lnXy7tkQ

     So, as you can tell, the song God gave me for this year is "Live it Well" by Switchfoot. All this year, God has just really been working with me on living every day in an attitude of JOY! I want to enjoy every moment of my life, feeling so thankful and so blessed for all the things God's given me! Because living in an attitude of joy really does make life so much more special and fun and exciting and adventurous... It makes me love every single moment God's given me and experience the blessing in everything! Whether it's a super intense Pre-Calculus class, or a fun-filled hour of teaching little girls ballet, I've learned to be JOYFUL in all things, and seek out those new "God-Sightings" and special treasures that God's hides for me to find. :)

     I know this was a bit of a more casual post, but this is something I've definitely been wanting to share. I mean, even just listening to that song makes me feel happier! It makes me want to live BIG and BOLD and on fire for Christ! It makes me want to seek out the good in everything! It makes me want to laugh more, smile often, be my own wild self and love everyone... And I hope it does the same for you, too!

Nehemiah 8:10

"Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and 

sweet drinks, and share the gift of food with 

people who have nothing prepared. 

This is a sacred day before our Lord. 

Don't be dejected and sad,

for the joy of the LORD is your strength!"

P.S. I know I mention songs and song lyrics a lot in my posts... One of the things I love to do, is write down the lyrics in my journal of certain songs that really speak to me. We sing all these popular worship songs that we hear in church or on the radio all the time, but do we really know what we're singing about? I used to always just hear the lyrics and sing along, but I realized I wasn't really hearing the lyrics, if you know what I mean. I would just hear them and sing them from memory, without giving any thought to what those lyrics really meant. So now, I love to write the lyrics of my favorite songs out in my journal, then I can really think about them and understand what those words I sing all the time really mean. Not only does it give the song so much more significance and meaning to me, but it helps me know God and the character of God on a deeper lever as well. You should try it sometime :)