Words cannot describe the summer God has blessed me with. It has been the best summer of my life. This summer God called me to camp, to Grace Adventures as a counselor. Going into the summer there, I was super anxious. I didn't know what to expect because I never had been a counselor before. I also was nervous because I had to lead Bible studies, cabin time, meet parents and ask kids questions about their relationship with God. At times I thought "I don't think I can do this." "Is this really part of God's plan?" "Am I supposed to be working here this summer?" "Can I really lead someone to Christ?" Every single one of those questions were answered this summer. God taught me so much this summer and I want to take some time to reflect on what He's taught me and the amazing ways He's worked this summer. 1. God's taught me to fully rely on Him. We can't do it in our own. We need God's help, his guidance, His wisdom and His strength. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. -2 Corinthians 12:9 For when we are weak He is STRONG. He is all we need. 2. God taught me to trust Him. Going into camp I was super nervous. The first two weeks I was wondering "Am I really supposed to be here this summer?" Part of our theme this year (The Reel Deal) we talked about how we are all part of God's great story/movie. At times, we might only see the little pictures or part of the picture, but God, He see's the big picture and we have to trust Him with that because He knows what's best for us and He loves us so much. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in that secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be - Psalm 139:13-16 3. God is faithful "Will I be able to lead a kid to Christ?" "Can I really do that?" As I was getting ready for camp, this is the question that constanlty was going through my mind. Going into the summer, my hope and my prayer was that if it was God's will that He'd use me and give me the opportunity to lead one person to Christ this summer. I'm truly humbled that this summer, God gave me the opportunity to lead 7 young girls to Christ all between the ages of 7 and 11 years old. To Him be the glory! I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to His service. - 1 Timothy 1:12
Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing well. I'm very excited because on Monday I leave for a retreat with my Church. In preparation for my retreat, I decided to tie dye t shirts. As I prepared to tie dye the t-shirts. I was looking forward to see how they were going to come out. After having the t-shirts sitting the dye for a while. I took them out, rinsed them and took took off the rubber bands. To my surprise they came out great. The royal blue was a beautiful color. I then misread the directions and rather than hand washing them with a small amount of detergent I put them in the washing machine. Most of you probably know what happened...that beautiful royal blue faded away. I'm pretty bummed out I'm not going to lie. In midst of my retreat coming up it got me thinking.
As Christians, how often do we come back after a retreat or even Church on a spiritual high? A spiritual high where we are focused and consumed on God and His Word? But after a few days, a few weeks even that spiritual high seems to slowly fade away and we are back to where we were with our relationship with God before we left for the retreat or Church that Sunday morning. (I have totally experienced this before) Throughout my walk with God, I have definitely had my spiritual highs, lows and in betweens. But I don't want to have lows or in betweens. I want to constantly have a spiritual high. I want to be that beautiful royal blue t-shirt. I have found that the more I focus on God and His Word the more I think not of this world but of His Kingdom and furthering it. The better I get to know Him and the better I learn the Women of God He wants me to be.To become that royal blue t-shirt is going to take time. Spiritual growth is a process and it's an on going thing. We either move forwards or backwards. I don't want to go backwards anymore I want to constantly be moving forwards. My encouragement to you all is to do your best to make sure you are going forwards and to not be discouraged. At times we all may take a small step backwards but always remember that God is ALWAYs there with welcoming arms. I want to share a verse that has encouraged me in my walk with God. In Romans 12:1-2 Paul writes "Therefore, I urge you,brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conformto the pattern of this world,but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasingand perfect will."
My name is Sami and I'm 19 years old and I attend Grace Bible College in Grand Rapids, Michigan where I am studying to be an elementary teacher. I just finished my Freshman year and it was the best experience of my life. In the wee hours of the night I have decided to start a blog. I have decided to share a bit of where I came up with the name of my blog.
Some of you may know of the song "Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns. About two months ago God really spoke to me through this song. Before I explain what God spoke to me about let me take you back in time to about 6 years ago to when I was in 7th grade. In 7th grade, I tried out for my schools volleyball team. I was super excited about playing because my older brother played and I wanted to be just like him and play volleyball. I went to an 8 week volleyball clinic before try outs to get some basic skills down. The clinic was great and I really enjoyed it. Try outs came along and......I got cut from the team. To this day I remember crying hysterically down the hallway and on the bus all the way to my bus stop. It was one of my first biggest disappointments in life...sadly it was also the end of me playing sports. I had lost all my confidence when it came to my athletic abilities and I always lived in fear of not making the team. At my college, basketball is huge. This past year, I went to many basketball games both mens and women's and had a lot of fun at all the games (GO TIGERS!). As I watched the games though, I began to miss the feeling of being on a team, I began to want to play sports again. That's when I started to want to play basketball. But how could I do that? I have never played basketball before. I then decided well I can just play soccer they are always looking for players. But when I played soccer at open gym all I wanted to be playing was basketball. I couldn't play though. It's college basketball. There was no way I could do it. I had no confidence. From October all the way through April I fought a spiritual battle with Satan. Satan deceiving me with lies. For all those months I had prayed about what I should do. Although for most of the year I was unsure of what to do, I took a lot of time to practice and shoot hoops in the gym. One day though, I realized that I had never asked God what HE WANTED ME TO DO. It's amazing how God speaks to us in different ways. I remember it so vividly. I was sitting in my schools commons studying for a vocabulary test when I turned on "Voice of Truth." For whatever reason, I had it on repeat. After about probably the 8th time, it was as if my ears were opened up almost as if before they had been spiritually clogged I felt the Holy Spirit came over me and I heard these words.
"But the voice of truth tells me a different story And the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!" And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory" Out of all the voices calling out to me I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth" As I listened to the song I felt the go ahead from God with playing basketball. He was telling me to not be afraid. That I could do this because with Him all things are possible. BUT to remember that if I was going to play that it's for HIS GLORY and not my own. God speaking to me through the "Voice of Truth" has become so much more than basketball.it became everyday life. In today's secular world Satan gets us with so many lies. The secular world and media tells us we have to look a certain way, be a certain weight and wear certain clothes. When God says we are His masterpieces (Ephesians 2:10). Everyday I have come to live less and less in fear. I have begun to listen to the Voice of Truth more and more each day. I have had the constant reminder that everything we do is for God and to further His Kingdom. My question for you all is what voice are you listening to? Are you listening to the deceiver Satan or are you listening to the Voice of Truth?
