Convict.Judge.Love.Christianity and the GLBT Community

As some of you may know, I have been writing for the Metro Youth Network for they Salvation Army Metro Division. When I was first asked to do this, I was pretty nervous because I really didn't feel like I would have anything worthwhile to say. After a good friend spoke encouragement and truth into my life, I decided to take on the privilege of writing for this website. Here's the latest article I wrote based off the topic assigned to me which was "justice."

http://metroyouthnetwork.com/2010/01/convict-judge-love-christianity-and-the-glbt-community/

Mercy

Thanks to my friend Jen, I heard this song. It's called "Mercy" by Casting Crowns. It's amazing! Here are the lyrics and the website so you can listen to it! Enjoy!

Website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn0gCrQ3SkU

Here I am a sinner Broken and in need of You
Take my life and wash my fears away
For You are the Great I AM Rest assured,
I feel Your hand Holding me until the darkness clears
A Father to the fatherless
Redeemer of my soul
My Life is Yours forever I want the world to know
Your mercy saved me Mercy made me whole
Your mercy found me
Called me as Your own
Here I stand a child of Yours
Broken and in need of You
Break these chains and wash my guilt away
Healer of my brokenness My weary soul will find its rest
You are my strength, the lifter of my head
You’re greater than my yesterdays
You hold me close today
You’re the Lord of my tomorrows
My heart will always say
You’re greater than my yesterdays
You hold me close today
You’re the Lord of my tomorrows
My heart will always say
You called me as Your own
You called me as Your own
Thank You for Your mercy
Thank You for Your mercy
You called me as Your own
Your own

To be honest, I've never been one to make New Years resolutions. I have a couple of times, but I usually steer clear just because I fear that I will fail. Take that as you will, but it's true. This new year is going to be different.

First of all, I just want to say that God has truly been showing me how insanely blessed I am to have the friends that I have. I am still friends with people from middle school and high school....how many people actually say that? I have amazing camp friends, college friends, work friends.....and the list continues. Last night, which was New Years Eve, I was talking with my friend Roxanne. We had listened to a sermon on CD by Pastor Joyce from Embassies of Christ church in Indiana, and this pastor spoke about the dangers of doubting. As she went on with her sermon, I found that my life is full of doubt. She spoke of the authority that each one of us has in Jesus Christ, and I realized that I don't take hold of and practice this authority. I don't proclaim things into my life, and I don't allow God's promises to permeate my slightly hardened heart. Not good.....

So this New Year, I WILL make resolutions. In other words, I will take that God-given authority and proclaim truth. Here's my list, and I will pray over this (please feel free to do the same) so it may change as I feel God is leading:

1.) I will take more time for myself.
2.) I will become more healthy.
3.) I will get rid of the busyness in my life which distracts me from hearing God.
4.) I will do my job and any other work with passion to give the glory to God.
5.) I will allow God to work through me and have faith that family and friends will be saved!
6.) I will support my family and friends as best as I can.
7.) I will find worth and confidence from knowing that I was created in God's image.

That's all for now....I encourage all of you to have faith that those things you've been waiting for or wanting to happen WILL happen, through God's prefect grace and love!!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

What have we done to Christmas?

Sorry, everyone! I know I have only written two posts, but I honestly didn't even know people were following. I will do my best to keep my blog updated, ok? ok.

Well, it's Christmas Eve, yet it doesn't feel like Christmas at all. I've been trying to figure out why, and I've come up with many reasons:

1. Many of my good friends are away from home....the Holts, Colleen, Everett, etc.
2. This is my first Christmas in the midst of an actual job. I've been so used to Christmas breaks in college that it's definitely new to me to be working all the way up to Christmas eve and actually on Christmas Eve.
3. It's been a hard few months for me, especially with these last couple of weeks. I seem to be a little emotionally, spiritually, and physically tired.
4. I have heard so many heartbreaking stories of clients who walk into my office, especially today on Christmas eve. Hearing about the pain and suffering of so many people tends to wear on you.
5. Friends around me are hurting and going through a lot, and when I see this, my heart hurts as well.

Those are a few of the reasons that I could come up with, but mostly, I have this overwhelming feeling of discontentment. In my heart, I know that we (as a society) are doing Christmas entirely wrong. And I say "we" because I am a part of this, too. There is something majorly wrong when I have a client who walks into my office saying he's a single father with 4 children and nothing to give them for Christmas. Plus his water is shut off and his electricity will probably be shut off soon. Now, I know that there are children who are showered with presents on Christmas....I will get home and some how, despite the fact that things are tight financially, I will be given presents, materials things that my parents probably paid a lot of money to purchase. But why?

I don't want this post to seem at all negative toward Christmas. Christmas is an amazing time of the year because we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the one who sacrificed Himself so that we, who are so undeserving, could live. Praise God for His grace and unconditional love for us! When I think about what Christmas is all about, I realize that how we choose to spend our time and money during the Christmas season must make God pretty sad. I always hear people say that Christmas isn't about the gifts.....yet people spend tons of money, time, and energy on buying presents. We truly do forget the meaning behind Christmas.

This year I chose to make all of my gifts. They are nothing special, but I put my time and love into making them specifically for my loved ones. A friend of mine is writing letters to his family for Christmas, which may seem insignificant to some, but to put your love and feelings into a letter to a person is powerful. What if we chose to do Christmas this way? What if we chose to throw away the chaos and busyness that distracts us from what Christmas should be about? It would be difficult for sure, but I think there would be an insane amount of fruit.

To everyone in the blogging world, Merry Christmas, and I hope that you remember or find for the first time, the true meaning of Christmas.

Goodbye to a Dear Friend

Yesterday was a rough day. My dad called me yesterday while I was at work letting me know that a family friend of ours passed away. Sandra Parker was my first grade teacher as well as my other two sisters' first grade teacher. I wish that you all could have met this woman. Have you ever met someone and upon the first couple minutes of meeting that person, know that he/she was special? Yes, that's exactly how it was with Mrs. Parker. I don't think I've ever met a woman with such a big heart for children as well as people in general. She was a first grade teacher at Protsman Elementary School in Dyer for, I believe, over 30 years.

For years, my sisters and I went to help Mrs. Parker get her classroom ready for the fall. She was always a source of support and encouragement. I last talked with her about 3 weeks ago and made plans to meet up with her. Now, there is no doubt in my mind that she is in heaven with our Lord. She loved Him with all her heart, and I praise God for that! While she will be very missed, I am comforted by knowing she is in a better place.

As many of you know, I work as the Social Services Ministry Director at a Salvation Army in Joliet, IL. I have a passionate for meeting the clients' needs and for helping those as best I can who walk through my door. Food pantry days are always crazy, but there are a few clients who make it all worth it. Today, I was able to do a little bit of just talking with the clients, and as I was walking around, I saw a group of little kids hanging out by one of the bushes. I went over to say hi, and I noticed that they were all taking leaves that had fallen off of the bushes and putting them back on the tree. They would take a leaf and poke the leaf through the branch so that it would stay on. I asked them what they were doing, and one little boy profoundly said "The leaves are sad on the ground. They fell and can't get back up. We're putting them back where they belong." I think that's pretty awesome, don't you?

In the Beginning

So, because of the insane amount of thoughts in my head from day to day, I've decided to start a blog. It will be good to clear my head, and this is a great way for friends/family to keep up with my life. Here we go!

First thing: There is a homeless guy named Jessie who lives under the stairs outside of my house. The first time that I noticed he was there, he scared the crap out of me just because I was not expecting someone to be there. Jessie is a nice guy and we do not mind him living there, but I feel like I should do something more than give him some food and a blanket. I'm not really sure what, but I'm praying about it. Honestly, Jessie is a constant reminder of how God has blessed me way beyond my deserving. The picture below is my house!


Second thing: I love receiving letters from people. I have saved almost every letter/note/card that I have ever received. I love re-reading them since they are all so encouraging. I even have some of my favorites hanging up into my office, and I'd like to share my favorite with you. It's from my friend Mike, and he gave it to me our senior year of high school. The card is titled "You'd Be My Friend No Matter What," and the cover looks like a comic strip with two dogs. They go back and forth and one of the dogs says something like "I have gas" and the other dog says "That's okay." It continues on with the one dog giving all of these excuses of why the other shouldn't be his friend but the other dog never abandons his dog friend. Then on the inside it says "So I guess you're stuck with me. Get used to it." I love this card and will keep it forever.

Third, and final thing for now: I love Rosie Thomas. Whenever I am stressed, I will pop in her CD, and feel a little better. There has been one song that is been stuck in my head for a few days now. I'll share the lyrics with you:

"Oh, tie me to the end of a kite
So I can go on, I can go on with my life
Every marigold I pass below will be my guiding light
I just want to go away from here

Oh, tie me to the end of a kite
So I can go on, I can go on with my life
Every time the wind blows stronger,
I will feel my spirit rise
I just want to go away from here

Oh, tie me up tightly by your side
So I may go with you where ever you reside
And anytime the road looks dimmer
I will be your guiding light
I just want to go away with you
I just want to go away with you"

Until Next time....