Being Content and Being Loved....

  Happy January Everyone! 
  I am so glad i could get in a post before this month ended. That is one of my New Year resolutions; Type, at least, one blog a month. How incredible this New Year has been so far. Allen, Heather and I had a great time ringing in the New Year with many laughs, losing debit cards (me) and showing off our sweet dance moves. What more could a gal ask for to start off 2013? Perhaps not losing the debit card but everything else! 

Allen, Heather & I

I want to share a few things that are on my heart. I have learned/been reminded of great truths. I have an awesome LIFEGROUP . Also, an awesome experience at a youth conference this past weekend.

      First, Lifegroup is just a fancy word for "the best Wednesday night Bible Study with ladies who are my age and who are on fire for the Lord." Last year the Lord led me to venture and get plugged into a Bible study. I was so nervous since i had no clue where to begin. The Lord brought me to this group of ladies, who are just like me. We are out of college and have grown up jobs. It is hard to believed that it has been a year already with these group of ladies. It has been incredible being able to share our hearts with one another.

    We are reading the book, "Calm my Anxious Heart" by Linda Dillow. We are reading a chapter each week and it just blows us away of how God speaks to us through His scriptures. I just wanted to share our first chapter.  

    
My main man, Paul, wrote in Philippians 4:11-13:

   "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstance. I know what it is to be in need, and i know what it is like 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. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

When i read those verses, i think of Paul's life, it was full of anything but positive circumstances. He lived an amazing life for the Lord. He was beaten, misunderstood and chained; but He said, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance I am." That blows my little mind away, to know that for Paul, and even us who belong in Christ, we have the contentment we need which is God Himself! 

   God HIMSELF- living within us through His Holy Spirit, how could be not be content? We can have a REAL relationship with HIM because of what JESUS did for us. How awesome is that?

"God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." -1 Corinthians 5:21

     Second, I had the privilege to go with Calvary Baptist Church from Rome, GA to the Strength to Stand conference. It is for youth age kiddos 6-12th grade and i went as a small group leader for the middle school girls. How in the world did I go with a church from Rome? 

Well, meet Nic! A little history lesson on our friendship; We worked at Centri-Kid camp in 2008. We became "best camp friends" the moment we were chased by a skunk (not fun- we really thought we were going to stink for days). He has been an amazing friend and we know how to encourage one another in God's path for our lives.  For example: Nic, one summer, had all of his youth write me encouragement cards while i was serving in Puerto Rico. This guy loves the Lord and seeks to draw young ones to Him. I am blessed that Nic asks me to pour into the youth ministry God placed in his path. I love any opportunity to encourage and spread the Good News to anyone. 

Nic, Me & Lacie 

The conference theme was "Nothing to Lose". Living a life for Christ with no shame, full obedience and full of LOVE! This year, in my opinion, was the best conference yet. I want to describe the worship experience. The first night there were 5,000 teens in one room (there were a total of 10,000 but we had to split sessions) and we had incredible worship leaders such as: Kristin Stanfill, Kari Jobe, and David Crowder. They just led us to the Throne in praising God. Four hours of singing to God and pouring our hearts out was great. This is how worship was for the rest of the weekend- just crying out and listening to God. Hearing all the precious voices cry out to Him made me stopped to listen. All i heard was a choir of people, singing and for a brief moment i just desired to be in Heaven already. If worship can be this beautiful on earth, i can't wait to actually be in Heaven singing in front of My King. Have you ever experienced that?

First Night of Strength to Stand

Kari Jobe

Rush of Fools leading us in our small session 

The biggest thing I took from this conference was the topic about "True Love". Our first small group session a man named, Ergun Canner, spoke about how to find the "right one". Of course, everyone little ears perked up with all of the funny things he had to say about young love. 

Ergun said these funny/true examples of "You know it is not love when you": 

*have to spend every moment with them. 

*when you say, "YOU complete me" (which it should be Jesus that completes you)

*Demanding that you change yourself- which is not love it is distortion.

*Liking pictures of you from 3 years ago- that is not love that is stalking :)  

*Giving EVERYTHING of yourself to them- that is not love it is slavery.

*Being jealous- is not love it is insecurity.

                                                                               and etc......

He said this, "True LOVE begins and ends with the Heart of God." True love is unconditional. Here is the quote that changed my view about how much God loves me, "God knows the worst thing about us and still loves us. He accepts us as we are." God saw potential in us and He encourages us. He STILL chose me even when i messed up in sin, because HE STILL SAW POTENTIAL in me. Ergun said, that we need to find someone who will love us like God loves us. Someone who accepts us for who we are (mistakes and all) and who encourages and see potential in us. True love will believe in us and believe that we can change the world. That is what God does- He has great things in store for us to do for HIM. 

 Now, when you think "Is this true love?" Ask yourself, does this person loves me like God, accepts me but better yet do they bring me closer to God?

Look how BLUE the sky.... 

Praise God for His greatness, His faithfulness, and just for HIS LOVE! Praying for you beloved, yes you-- the one who is reading this. 

Have a beautiful rest of your January. 

Until next time: sonrisas y abrazos!