Be the light

 

Matthew 5:14

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden."

 

When I watched this video for the first time I was inspired! I love that this gentleman despite his occupational label was a light. The school counselors were sending him "clients"! How awesome that he could connect with a students on a level that the counselors could not. The same is true for you despite your occupation or title or label you are capable of being a light. Each of us has talents and abilities outside of your occupation, title or label.

 

 

Occupation\labels\titles:

I am a Pastoral Care Assistant.

I am a daughter.

I am a sister.

I am a Krush Prayer Partner Ministry leader.

I am a Life Group leader.

I am a friend.

 

Talents:

I am a blogger

I am an organizer.

I am a good listener.

I am a crafter.

I am a hard worker.
I am an encourager.


How do you use your talents to be a light? Don't let your occupation\title\label put your abilities in a box. God gave you your specific talents and I pray you use them to honor God and be the light in this world. You are able, God will equip you if he hasn't already! Someone somewhere needs you to use your talents don't rob the world of your blessings.

You can do it! You are worthy! Your talents are worth sharing! You have talent! You can be a blessing! Shine your light on this world!!

 

 

Grace

I have always been aware of the fact that everyone grew up differently, but recently it feels even more obvious in my life. Here's what I mean:

• Not everyone grew up with parents who went to every game/recital
• Not everyone grew up with parents who were abusive
• Not everyone grew up with two parents
• Not everyone was raised by their parents
• Not everyone lived in foster care
• Not everyone lived with drugs in the home
• Not everyone grew up with alcohol in their home
• Not everyone grew up going to church
• Not everyone grew up with food in their house
• Not everyone grew up eating out for dinner every night
• Not everyone grew up with running water in their home
• Not everyone grew up with electricity in their home

Not everyone grew up the way you or I did. I hope that if you went without it made you stronger and I hope that if you grew up with plenty you learned to humble yourself and be a cheerful giver. The truth is no matter your background God can turn your story into something beautiful if you allow your story to be about God and not you.


Philippians 4:12
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."


John 3:30
^"He must become greater; I must become less.”

We must learn to flip the script and make a conscious effort to make the story about God! Whatever your parents did or didn't do for you God sent his only son to die on he cross for your sins, so I think you are loved in an unfathomable type of way. We have to stop making the story about what happened to us and make it about the one who gives you breath each day.

 

 

Ephesians 2:8-9

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."

 

We ALL deserve grace, because of God's unfailing love for each of us. Extend grace where necessary and point your life towards Christ.

 

  

What students taught me about ministry

Matthew 18:20
^"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

This weekend was the first of many weekends I spent working with teenagers and those teens taught me so much in such little time and I don't even think they realized they were teaching me. They taught me that the important thing is God the rest isn't always pretty, that we all have the ability to serve God, and that we all have a story and no matter how that story started God makes the ending good.



Isaiah 55: 9

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." I would be lying if I told you that I held on to these words all weekend and fully trusted God to do what only he could do in this ministry. The truth is my human nature kicked in and I wanted everything to go according to my plan. I was being selfish I wanted to check the pretty boxes and say that everything went exactly the way I intended, but it didn't happen that way. Saturday after I started to let defeat sit in someone came over and showed me a photo they took of myself and a group of students praying in the middle of the Krush lobby. In that exact moment I felt that I had totally missed the boat, because this ministry wasn't about me it wasn't even about checking boxes and being perfect. This ministry was about exactly what that photo captured, creating a mindset of prayer for these students and giving them an outlet to be lifted up in prayer on a regular basis. So I left my selfish pride at home today and I took a back seat so God could do what only He can do with these students. It didn't have to be pretty or perfect and the words didn't have to be well rehearsed the simple action of prayer made these students and I small in the grand scheme of things but the mindsets we created and the presence we made known was far greater than anything we could have done alone.  

 

 

Deuteronomy 13:4

 

It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him." If you're reading this your alive which means you have the ability and duty to serve God! You can scroll past this part, but God calls us to serve Him. He doesn't tell us exactly when and where He leaves that part up to us, but we are ALL called to use our gifts\talents to serve and honor God. I watch these students in awe of them, because I know I wasn't serving on every team possible in youth ministry when I was their age. The world these students live in is tough. John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." The "thief" for these students looks like, no parental support in their faith, no friend support in their faith, no school support in their faith, and the list goes on and on,  but they don't stop fighting against all odds these kids fight to use their talents for God. So someone please tell me why the "grown ups" aren't taking a page out of the student playbook? They are making time for community, serving God, school, studying, family, friends, Gods word and still search for more ways to be involved. I'm guilty as well of the "too busy" "not enough time" excuse, but enough is enough what if God woke up this morning and said you know I really don't have time to solve your problems today or I'm a little to busy for you today how would we feel?

 

 

 

 

Titus 3:8

"This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone." Each of us has a story what we do with that story is up to us. We can choose to be defined by the things that have happened in our lives and dwell in them and never move on, this isn't what God wants he wants us to allow him to do a good work in us. The other option is to allow God to write your story from this point forward understanding that your past will always be a part of you, but it does not dictate your future. I stood 5 times and listen to 5 different sets of kids share a quick summary of their testimony and how God moved in their life. The stories I heard were not all happy some were painful and hurtful, but the key in all of the stories was they decided to follow Christ and allow Him to move in their life no longer choosing to live in the past. I time a student shared their story their peers sat and listened and each time I watched as lives were changed. God can change your story you just need to ask Him to be the Author and Perfector of your life.



This weekend was a one I will never forget a weekend in Krush Prayer Partner history and a weekend in the history of me. I pray you too can learn something from these students that have so much to offer if only we'd give them the chance and encourage them in the process.
 

 

 

Give us FAITH

Recently my job has evolved and I have been gifted a Krush Prayer Partner Ministry when I received the news I was overjoyed. I knew this was something the students were hungry for and I was hungry for as well, instantly my mind began to race with all the possibilities! I couldn't wait to get this Ministry started! I began praying for this seedling of a Ministry for it to grow strong and might for the students who would be Prayer Partners to put on God's full armor and take a step of faith and for myself to do God's work.

This process happened very fast and for that I am honored, but my over organized self saw the huge hiccup in the road. The weekend all students were to be trained as volunteers I had prior engagements preventing me from being there to meet and train the students who took the step of faith and made the decision to become Prayer Partners. My heart was torn and a worked diligently all week to find a solution so these students would be prepared for the first weekend of Krush Prayer Partners happening the very next weekend. I know I must have given God quite the laugh with my stressing, but then Thursday night rolled around and by God's grace my previous engagement had been cancelled although it saddened me a smile came over my face and a peace grew within me. I knew that God had taken care of this. He had done it again he provided when I thought it was impossible, and I knew he provide eager students for me to teach.

The day of orientation was a breathe taking day that is branded on my heart forever. God provided a hand full of students who were ready to take a step of faith and become Prayer Partners. They don't know it but those student reaffirmed that I was exactly where God needed me to be and that there was a true need for this ministry. Listening to the eagerness in their voices and seeing the joy on their faces that in only a week this ministry would become a reality gave me the fuel I needed.

In a week these students will begin a ministry in uncharted territory I ask that you pray for the student ministry as a whole. That you pray for the students stepping out in faith and becoming Prayer Partners. Also that you pray for this new Krug Prayer Partner Ministry. All of heaven will be rejoicing at the sound of students praying for fellow students next weekend! Thank you God for this opportunity to bring people to you and to glorify your name!

Prayer run

Today was the 11th annual Beneeezy fun run 1K, 5K, 10K. This is the only run that my brother and I have done together. This race is very near and dear to my heart. This race is in honor of Ben Garcia a young man who left this Earth too soon after a night with friends. This year I let life get in the way of preparing for this run. My excuse to myself was that I was just too busy to go run after I got home from work. So Thursday night I had a wonderful epiphany- I would run this years race listen to a playlist filled with my favorite worship music and pray during my run.

^"Rejoice always,  pray continually,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4


"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:4-9

"Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I." Isaiah 58:9

So the race began and the beautiful uplifting son Greater by Mercy Me came on and I began to pray and thank God for the breath in my lungs and the ability to run today as well as all the people running along side men prayed for their health and spiritual health. At the next half mile I prayed for the athletes running with me I prayed for their seasons and their safety. For the student athletes that they understand their ability and who gave them their talents. At the next half mile I prayed for Ben's family and the family of his friends he spent his final moments with and for the people running this race to understand the meaning and impact it makes every year for those families. For everyone running this race to understand that this Earthly life is only temporary and one day we will be called home by our Creator. The next half mile I prayed for the community of Alvin to grow spiritually. For the youth to come alive with love and longing for a relationship with the King. The next half mile I prayed for the law enforcement officers that were stationed around the race course I prayed for their safety and peace of mind and that God protect them on every call they go out on. I prayed for all law enforcement and public safety officers for them to return home safely to their families always. For the next half mile I prayed for our schools, for educators, and for students. I prayed for their safety for them to have a great school year for them to be rooted in their faith and to honor God in all their actions. And for the last stretch of my run I prayed for God to do a good work in everyone around me for my family, friends, coworkers and so many more.

When my race was done I did not care how long I had run I did not care how exhausted I was or that I was tired or that my allergies were killing me. It had been the most incredible fulfilling run I had ever had. I was happy. I had peace in my heart. I realized the value of time. I appreciated the opportunity to run and offer my time running to God. I highly recommend running with your favorite worship music and some personal time with God! It feels incredible.


My prayer for you is that you're never too busy for God. I pray when you feel overwhelmed you cry out to your Creator for help and guidance. I pray you lean on Him when life seems hard. I pray you lay all your worries, burdens, busy, overwhelmed at the feet of Jesus because only He can make them into something beautiful.