Struggles,obstacles and perseverance.

So I want to start off by saying we all have different struggles in our lives. Demons as some may call them. I have them, you have them, we all have them. It like the flyers that people but on your windshield you know what I am talking about. Anyways when I went to church Sunday we talked about Gideon and the Israelites. It made me think we too often are like the Israelites and by that I mean when we fall back into our struggles we cry out to God and he saves us but then a few days later it happens again. Our personal demons are hard to deal with. I don't know what yours are but they are hard to defeat. But we have to have perseverance, we can't give up we have to continue on. We have to face them. We have to not only break our chains but you may have to completely destroy them. God  will not give up on you. Too often it is the other way around. So stand strong have your anchor in Christ. Get into the word daily, have nurturing talks, build each other up. We are strong. We are called to be warriors, world changers and loving. Obstacles will come along on the way but be prepared for the enemy comes in the night to steal,kill and destroy. But we will not be shaken. We will not fall back into our old habits and cycles. We will live not by the flesh but by the spirit. But if obstacles come up don't fall if you start to stumble I will be there and help you up. For we are to build each other up. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We recognize souls not color. We love each other. So whatever comes your way. Whether it is this week, this month, 6 months. Before or after camp even during camp continue on. Even if it is crawling, for it is still moving foward. Listen to God take out the garbage in your life. Be like Gideon and listen for he will provide just like he did for Gideon and his 300 men who won a war. Trust and listen and you will persevere. For once God starts something in you he will finish it.

Come as you are

We all have different stories, different cultures, different influences. We have a ton of differences. But do we accept these differences or do we tend to shun or push people if they are not the same as us. Do we take the time to listen and actually hear where the person comes from. We are not the same and that is a fantastic thing. Lets be real I am not going to sugar coat it. If we were all the same we would be in a very sad and boring world. One without color, one without uniqueness, one without a lot of things. We need to recognize them because then we can make progress, if we don't then we wont be moving forward in anything. But the cool thing about being different is how and whom you get to come into contact with in your life. Take me for instance, I was raised in the typical white Christian family there is nothing wrong with this. But because of this I have had different experiences than the people I know who are black and raised in the ghetto area and may be the only Christian in their family or the only reason they are in church on a Sunday morning is because they have a grandma or neighbor who cares enough to pray and take them to church. We are different but we are brothers and sisters in Christ and we need to recognize it. Whatever it is we need to be okay with it. To some I may not look like the typical Christian. I love to hang out with the sinners because I get the chance to show light to them don't get me wrong I love Christians and fellowship with them. But some of the people who are unsaved show more mercy and grace than those who have chosen to receive God. It is weird to think about right. Take me for example I love tattoos and piercings and I have a few each of them tell a story. I want to work with human trafficking victims and drug and alcohol addicts. I will be real with them and tell them I have no idea what they are going through or have gone through because it the truth and I will be real with them. But we have to be willing to take people where they are at right now. Whether they are tweaking out, homeless, rich, poor, stuck in addition, self-righteous. Who have been to church since they were born to those who first sunday it is at 25. David Crowder has a song called come as you are which is just talking about what I was just talking about. It is so important to just love and give hope. Being a Christian is not about being about being better than someone else, because you were once in sin just like them, someone cared enough about you to give you hope and a future. We need to do the same thing. I may be different but I honestly love and care. I don't care where you have been or where you are but come to Jesus, the decision is yours to make. I wont say being a Christian will be easy because it wont be but it will be worth it in the end. If you ever have questions, comment and I will comment back and talk and explain the best I can. Just remember Jesus told the teachers that who is without sin to cast the first stone, and told a prostitute to go and sin no more because she is forgiven. You are not defined by your past, God defines you if you choose to take comfort in him as your savior.