The Answer

We’re all looking for something. At some point in our lives, we all realize that we’re missing something. But what?

We’re looking for something to give our life a purpose. Something to fill us. Something to answer the questions.

Someone who cares.

Who loves us.

Who understand how we feel and what we’re going through.

Jesus is the answer. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He wants to give you life! His love for you is unfathomable.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

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You are, You are the answer
The hope and the end to the searching
You are, You are the portrait of grace
You’re the one steady thing in a world that aches
In a world that breaks
-Britt Nicole (World That Breaks)

My Soul Cries Out!

Hillsong United Concert (Photo credit: Jiaren Lau)

At my church today during worship we sang “From the Inside Out” by Hillsong–one of my favorite worship songs of all time. The whole song is incredibly powerful and moving, but there’s a line that just stands out to me.

And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out Lord my soul cries out

“The cry of my heart”; “from the inside out”; “my soul cries out”. To me, these lyrics bring to mind a desperate need for God and an unquenchable thirst to bring Him all praise and glory.

Pure Joy

Flower breathes… (Photo credit: Anushruti RK)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4, NIV)

Sometimes I wonder why Paul was so joyful. I mean, he could have just said “Rejoice in the Lord always.” But that wasn’t enough: “I will say it again: Rejoice!” He really wanted to get a point across.

I think a lot of us take salvation for granted. Sure, sometimes during youth conferences or a Christian concert we are just so filled with God’s spirit that we want to jump for joy. But we’re not consistent about it. Our minds wander and our eyes drift to worldly things, and we forget just what God has done for us.

Get God Involved!

John 3:16 (Photo credit: FrancosFotos)

I almost wasn’t going to include this since it might seem a little silly to all of you experienced bloggers, but…I have hundred followers! Three digits, and I’m thrilled! To have a hundred people who came to my blog and decided that they wanted to hear more, well, it’s just amazing to me. And here’s what I know: There’s no way I could have gotten here on my own. Of course, my parents were a big help (and all the wonderful people who read my blog!), but having God involved made all the difference. I would have given up or run out of ideas a long time ago if not for Him.

Anyway, enough about me. My point: Is God involved in your life? When you start a new venture, do you pray about it first? Do you ask God to guide you in every aspect of your life?

The Heart of Christmas

Merry Christmas! It’s a time to celebrate Jesus’ birth, on top of opening presents and spending time with family. And, if you’re lucky and don’t live in the South, enjoy a white Christmas.
Those of us who are Christians have likely heard the Christmas story at least once a year, every year of our lives. Needless to say we all know the point of Christmas.
Or do we?
It’s so easy to get caught up in the commercialized aspects of Christmas. Gifts, Santa, family, snow, Christmas trees, reindeer and more. We tell ourselves that we haven’t forgotten the true meaning of Christmas, but although we may not have forgotten, for many of us it has drifted to the back of our minds.
I don’t need to tell you the Christmas story. But maybe we all need to be reminded of the reason we even have Christmas.
Why did Jesus come to earth? Did he accomplish His task when He was born in the stable and laid in the manger? No. That wasn’t His purpose. He came so that we could have life, and as a result of our sinful state we could only have eternal life, we could only be forgiven for our sins through His death. That night in Bethlehem was only the beginning of His perfect life.
So what am I saying? Even as we remember the wonders that occurred that night, we have to make sure we see the big picture. Because it’s not until we understand what has been done for us on the cross by Jesus that we’ll truly see what Christmas is all about.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
(Note: please forgive any typos, I’m trying to write this on my tablet and am sorely missing my laptop!)

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I’m Going To Heaven; Are You?

Sunlight, Trees (Photo credit: Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton)

It’s an average first day of school. I’m sitting at the kitchen table and reading my English textbook (I’m home schooled). Normal situation, right? And suddenly, I realize something. I’m going to heaven; God loves me; Jesus died for my sins and is living in my heart; I have a close relationship with God. If you, like me, have grown up in church, you’ve heard all of this before. But it’s a sort of reality check that comes out of nowhere (though I have a feeling it’s the Holy Spirit giving me a wake-up call). Like someone saying, “Hey, this is real!” And it make you realize that this isn’t the only life there is. Someday we will be with God for all eternity, and there will be no more tears, no more sorrow, no more pain. How can you not get excited about that?!

Of course, I’ve always known it’s real; but, for a lot of us, this knowledge becomes matter-of-fact and common-place. Like, “Yeah, I’m going to heaven, I’m saved. I know the drill.” But, if we really and truly believe that Jesus is one day coming back to rapture His church, we can’t live life in a “so what?” way. What God has done for us is amazing, unmatchable. Shouldn’t this affect how we live our daily lives?

God: Past, Present, Future

A lot of times, we tend to think of God as a God of the past. We say things like, “Sure, He did some amazing stuff 2000+ years ago, but this is the 21st century. Is He really still around?”

The answer is yes. Our God is a God of the past, present, and future. Let’s take a look at Habakkuk 1:5.

I Love You More

When I was younger, I would say to my mom, “I love you 99.9%, and I love God 100%.”

She would smile and reply, “And how much do you love Daddy?”

After pretending to be deep in thought, I would say, “I love him 99.9% too.”

Little could my six-year-old mind comprehend that, mathematically, this didn’t add up. Still, you get the point. Even though I love my parents a lot, I love God much more. And that’s the way it should be. But unfortunately, sometimes, as you know, we make mistakes, and God slips to the back of our mind.

Focusing On The Foundation

Are you a believer? If so, you probably experienced a radical change in your life when you put your faith in God. I don’t recall experiencing this overnight change myself, since I was five when I was saved (though I have heard countless testimonies of lives changed by God). And yet, I realize that my life did change, and is still changing; every day, I turn a little farther away from a life of sin and a little closer toward God. I also know that this is something I could never have done without Him.

Unfortunately, in the hectic whirlwind that we call life, we can lose sight of what brought about that change in the first place.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas. Aside from birthdays, I’ll bet that it’s one of the most looked forward to days of the year. Presents, snow, no school, family–what isn’t there to love?

John 3:16 says this: