Don't Give Up

I recently posted a challenge on Facebook asking people to post something positive, encouraging or a picture of their “hero”.  I stated that scrolling Facebook had become depressing because of all the fighting over flags and who thinks who is a hero when in fact I am certain that the people debating these things have never actually met the people they were claiming to be or not to be heroes.   I will not even take time to comment on the flag debacle other than this sentence I am now typing. I also stated that I understand Facebook is a place where we can be free to say what we want and as far as I still know we have the freedom of speech. Has the government taken that way yet? I’m not sure; I can’t keep up. Anyway, with that being said, I love Facebook, I love watching all my friends babies grow up and I love seeing family vacation pictures and engagements and weddings and the positive upbeat posts that pour out as I scroll down page after page while sipping my morning coffee. It

When you have been set free in Christ you become open to a whole new world that you never knew existed. You start to live your days filled with hope instead of dread, you see the glass as half full instead of half empty. I have been in total awe over the last decade by the things I have seen God do in my life and through my life. I have enough testimonies at this point in my life to carry me through the end of my life that I should never ask for another thing yet God continues to bless me every day. I have been in the deepest darkest valley and I have felt completely and totally alone, I have had thoughts of leaving this world and its darkness, thoughts that lead to craving for something more than what I could see and feel. It was in those moments when I cried out to God completely venerable and listless that He heard me. He showed Himself to me; a beautiful angel of light that covered all of the darkness that tried to consume me. It was if I felt pounds lighter and years younger. A b

Even after it is over; I am sitting here in awe that our movie went to the BIG screen.   A few short months ago I was sitting in bed pleading with the Lord to use me to be a great youth pastor and to keep my class interested in building a relationship with His son Jesus and now I am pondering how we went from there to riding in a limo, walking a red carpet and watching our hard work shown in an actual movie theater while spreading the Good News to the multitude.   I am blown away and blessed by the truth in His words, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” I remember the morning well; as soon as I woke up God spoke to my heart, “make a movie”. I recognized the familiar sound of His sweet gentle voice. That voice has become the driving force in my life. I listen for it continually throughout my days. I listen for the directions, the correction, the teaching, the love, the reminders and the peace it brings. This morning was no different. He was directing me