He doesn't Forget

So I recently got back from a mission trip to Belize and while I want to blog about the whole trip I realized I'm going to have to do it in many post as different things come to me. With that being said, here's the first post…
Two days of our trip were spent working in an inner city neighborhood of Belize painting houses and interacting with the kids in the neighborhood. The streets were burdened by gangs and run-down houses so it was pretty different compared to what we were used to seeing in our comfortable MA towns. In the midst of this brokenness, however, you can still see God's light shinning through.
We met a group of kids playing in an area by what looked like a half-built building. There was a tipped over oil can, broken glass, and other pollution all around this area. I noticed on the walls of the building were drawings of crosses and Jesus fishes (probably drawn by previous mission teams like us) and it reminded me that no matter how broken an area can be God still loves each and every person there. When we were coloring with the kids (we found some coloring books with Bible stories), the kids would look at the pages and they could tell you the Bible story. I thought we'd be going into these parts of the city and meeting kids who have never even heard of God, never mind know all sorts of Bible stories. It really opened my eyes to see that even though it may not have looked it on the outside, God was certainly taking care of the people of this neighborhood.
When I think about how small I am compared to how BIG God is and how much of the world he really looks after I find it hard to believe that God still remembers me. To see His light shinning in an area so broken is the biggest reminder for me that God doesn't forget about anyone.
So I leave you with this: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6

One the Road...uhh, Plane...Again

So I'm going on a mission trip to Belize on Saturday with the youth group at church for a week. While there we will be spending some time in the inner city and more rural parts of Belize (a.k.a. not the tourist parts) and talking to kids there about Jesus. We'll be playing games with the kids, coloring, doing (simple) magic tricks, and sharing our testimonies with them in hopes that we can teach them who Jesus is, because some kids never get the chance to hear about Him.
While I am excited beyond belief for this trip I'm also nervous. It's not like the pervious mission trips I've been on which were focused about building and being more of the "hands and feet of God" but this one has a lot to do with evangelism. I've been praying a lot this week that God will give us the words to speak next week and that He will watch over us and keep us safe next week. I'm also praying that God challenges us to dig deeper in our relationships with Him and trust in Him next week.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Dangerous Prayer

I wanted to talk about this song I'm really into, it's called "Dangerous Prayer" by Kathleen Carnali. Not only is this song just sung amazingly, but the lyrics have been making me think lately. In the song, Carnali is pretty much declaring how passionate really she is about Jesus, crying out to Him that He can do anything, she'll still go to Him.
"Jesus, rain on my parade, strip me down again so I'm desperate for you. Jesus, whatever it takes bring me to my end so I'm desperate for you, amen."
This song reminds me of The Beatitudes in Matthew 5 when Jesus is pretty much saying "Hey, if you're poor in spirit, if you mourn, if you're meek, if you really hunger and thirst for righteousness then you will be comforted and rewarded in Heaven. If people insult and persecute you because of Me, that's okay because you are blessed."
But would we have the courage to be willing to pray to be so voulnerable, when we've lost everything we've got that we're just SO desperate for Jesus? That's kind of what this songs saying. It makes me think, am I ready to just scream "HEY JESUS! I LOVE YOU MAN. I WANT TO FOLLOW YOU AND DO EVERYTHING I CAN FOR YOU NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES. I'M READY FOR YOU TO JUST TAKE EVERYTHING AWAY, BRING TO MY END, AND MAKE ME SO DESPERATE FOR YOU." That's a really scary thought. As Christians, we're supposed to be ready to give our entire lives and selves to Him. But are we? I don't know if I am, I know I want to be ready though.
Jesus gave His life for us, He didn't have to do that, but He did, because He LOVES us. That's powerful love. We should be ready to return that love, shouldn't we?
Just a little food for thought I guess...

Keeping Christ in Christmas for God knows how long

Everyone knows what time of year it is. Shopping frenzies, tree decorating, gift giving, baking bonanzas, but do people REALLY know what time of year it is, or have we all lost sight of the big picture? Christmas really started one day a long (LONG) time ago in that manger where Jesus, our Lord and Savior, was born. It was were the hope for us sinners started; the first Christmas miracle.

I feel that this time of year is often more stressful due to the commercialized holiday when it should really be more celebratory since it's when we remember this miracle! If we say we are so thankful for Jesus' birth, then why do we often find ourselves getting caught up in the shopper's hype?

It doesn't matter how well you know Santa Claus (or Buddy the elf) he can't give you the best present ever because God already has. He sent His Son into the world to SAVE us, and He did this because He loves us, no matter what. I think that's a pretty good reason to be happy this time of year (and any other time of year for that matter).

So let us not forget to keep Christ in Christmas, no matter how many shopping sprees you have, how many cookies are baking in your oven, or how many presents are wrapped under your tree. Always remember that we celebrate His birth on this amazing day.

Luke 1:29-38 NIV

²⁹Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. ³¹You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

³⁴"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

³⁵The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^{a]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} the Son of God. ³⁶Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. ³⁷For nothing is impossible with God."

³⁸"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

"When I Say I Am a Christian" By: Carol Wimmer

Everyone knows the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Well I'm reading Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christian Teen Talk. I haven't gotten too far into it yet, but there was introductory poem I really liked. As I was reading this, I felt that it's pretty much exactly how I feel when I say that I'm a Christian. I don't think I'm going to reflect on it too much, because it is pretty long, and it's pretty self explanatory. So here it is:

When I Say I Am a Christian:

When I say, "I am a Christian"

I'm not shouting, "I am saved."

I'm whispering "I was lost!"

That is why I chose His way.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble

Needing God to be my guide.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak

And pray for strength to carry on.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"

I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed

And cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"

I'm not claiming to be perfect.

My flaws are too visible

But God believes I'm worth it.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"

I still feel the sting of pain.

I have my share of heartaches

Which is why I seek His name.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"

I do not wish to judge.

I have no authority

I only know I'm loved.

iLove iTunes

Well, let me start off with an apology for my complete lack of posting. See, here's my problem with that: I always have a lot to blog about, but never actually come on the computer and blog. So I'm going to try and get back into the blogging world, really, I will...anyway, here's what I feel like blogging about tonight *drum roll please*

If I were ever to name myself a shopaholic it would be due to the fact I buy so much on iTunes. I can spend $60 in iTunes cards in about 2 hours. The thing I like about iTunes is that when you purchase a CD, it give you recommendations on other CDs you may like, according to what you just bought. So you may see my problem. I go to iTunes, ready to buy a CD I want, and then it recommends another CD, so I click on the recommendation, preview the CD, like it so much I have to buy it, have a new favorite artist and have reason to get more iTunes cards. If they use the recommendations as a way to get more money out of people, it sure works on me! But I also see it as a way to listen to artists I haven't heard of before and actually end up liking. Like right now, I'm listening to a band called "Pocket Full of Rocks". I never would have heard of them if not for this recommendation, and now I can't stop listening to them. Another thing I really like about this: I'm learning that I'm REALLY into Christian music, but I'm not aware of too many artists of that genre. So when I buy something on iTunes that is Christian music, it will tell me what else is out there that I might like, which I think is really awesome. So if you're ever using iTunes, always check the recommendations, because they are really good most of the time. The End.

AC/DC Concert

So Monday night I found out I was going to see AC/DC, which was Tuesday night. I've always loved AC/DC and was super excited. The concert was at Gillette Stadium and it couldn't have been any better. When they played Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, the crowd went crazy, you could look into the crowd and see thousands of fists pumping along in excitement. It's incredible to watch Angus Young, a man older than my parents, play the guitar so flawlessly, granted he was covered in sweat by the third song, but it's amazing that his fingers didn't fall right off. From fireworks, to big bells, to cannons, to confetti, to light shows, this concert had everything it needed to be probably one of the best concerts Gillette Stadium has ever seen. Even David Spade and Chris Rock were there!