Do you desire to marry? Is your dream to be swept off your feet and to one day be a husband/father or wife/mother?
If so, why? Is it because you believe it will make you happy? To know pleasure in the pure context of marriage?
God has been confronting me with these questions lately. As some of you may know I've made the decision to not date, but this does not mean I do not think/dream about marriage and having my own children one day, like many young people.
I am still learning to treasure and to take advantage of my single years. It can be a challenge in our day and time, as most any single person will tell you. One reason being that in the eyes of many, being single equals rejection by the opposite sex. In many people's eyes, if you don't have that special girl, or a guy who adores you, you pretty much have no identity. Through these years God is teaching me to find satisfaction and to place my identity in Him alone; to rely on Him for fulfillment, acceptance and joy. I find myself marveling at His wisdom as I realize how incredibly wise He really is. Because truly, without these single years to teach me to focus and to rely on Him, I would enter marriage with the expectation that my husband would bring me true happiness, fulfillment, and unfailing love and devotion. In reality, only God can fill the void in your heart, only He can bring you true fulfillment, full satisfaction and unwavering devotion. Yes, a marriage/a spouse is a wonderful gift, and they bring much pleasure I am sure, but only God can truly satisfy.
So I feel like God is asking me, and perhaps you-- "Why do you desire to marry? Why do you ask Me for a spouse?" Not because He doesn't know -oh He knows us better than we know ourselves- but because He wants us to examine ourselves- our motives and desires. Last night I read this verse in James: "And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong--you want only what will give you pleasure."
Is that your goal in marriage? Pleasure? Or is it to glorify Him, to better serve Him?
Psalms 37:4 says "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires." He wants to give us our heart's desires, but first we must learn to delight in Him, to put Him first and to have Him as our focus and to gain pleasure and satisfaction in Him. He is the only one who can truly and fully satisfy. No other can satisfy like He does!
At times it seems He withholds from us the things we desire. Why? Because He loves us and knows what's best for us. He knows that if we go into marriage with false expectations, not only will we be disappointed, but there will be marital issues because we will be placing expectations on our spouse which he/she can not meet. They were not meant to fill the void in our hearts, God is. He needs to be number one, the focus of every relationship. Marriage is meant to glorify God and to testify of God's goodness. It is a picture which speaks of His even greater plans to one day be joined with His bride "happily ever after." The marriage commitment is a lifelong one, and it is a commitment to selfless living. It is not to be taken lightly!
And if it seems like God is taking a long time in summoning prince charming to the scene (or the princess bride, for any guys who may read this), I encourage you to be patient, rest in the knowledge of His goodness, His love, and His perfect timing. Don't give in to the pressures of this world and settle for something less than God's best!
And again, take advantage of this time of singleness! As Paul says in 1 Corinthians, "But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and spirit." Take advantage of the single years to "serve the Lord without distraction." Learn to trust God now, it will better prepare you for trials later on.
As someone once said, "Our greatest need is for a Savior-- God met that need, why should we not trust Him with the lesser need of providing a spouse?"
I hope you were challenged, encouraged and blessed in reading this-- may God give you not only the patience to wait, but joy and gladness in serving Him as you do!
Sincerely, your sister in the Lord,
Victoria Christine Bullock
Friday, June 17, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
~For Girls~
You are beautiful. You are valuable, and you are loved. Do you believe that?
I thought I believed that of myself, but up until recently, I'm not so sure I did.
I'd like to share about an experience I had while on my latest trip to New Mexico.
Note: Though I do believe the Church is not a building but the body of Christ, for the sake of my own sanity and due to my current impatience in relation to the subject, all uses of the word "Church" in this post will be in reference to a building which has been utilized for the gathering of believers.
It was on a Sunday afternoon. Just hours before this moment in time, I'd dragged myself out of bed and prepared to attend a service at one of the local Navajo Churches. I made the mistake of not checking the weather before deciding what to wear to the service. I wore a dress (a rare occurrence), and it was -as it often is in this part of New Mexico- windy. It was a struggle to keep my dress from flying up into my face as I clutched my bible and a few belongings in one hand and held my dress down with the other and hurriedly made my way to the van which would then carry me and some others to the Church where the service was to be held.
The Church was what many in other parts of the US would consider small, but in comparison to some of the other Churches on or around the Navajo reservation (which, to give you an idea of the general size of some of the churches as far as the building is concerned, if they even had a restroom(s) with running water, they had only recently been added onto the main building structure) it was large, well-furnished with nice bathrooms, and several large rooms which included a good-sized kitchen.
At this particular moment, I was sitting in the sanctuary of that Navajo Church, tears flowing like Niagra Falls had relocated, taking up residence on my person, and make-up smeared all over my face (ugh, I never have cared for that crap) as if I was two again and had decided to try my hand at cosmetology.
Four young ladies, including my sister and one of my closest friends, gathered around me to pray as I shared some things I'd been struggling with, and asked for prayer regarding my future/upcoming decisions and some other various things I'll not be sharing on here. I listened as two of them, a bit older and wiser than myself, shared words of encouragement and wisdom.
Then one of them asked me something that totally threw me off and sent me into a whirl of momentary confusion. It was something like this, "Has Satan been saying things to you, and speaking lies to you in your head?"
Honestly it quite freaked me out for a few seconds as I attempted to discern WHAT on earth she was saying/implying. Though confusion was painted on my face as clearly as the make-up, I firmly shook my head "no."
With her next few sentences came sudden clarity. "Has he been telling you that you're not worth anything, that you're not beautiful, and not valuable?" With this the tears fell afresh as I realized the simple accuracy of her words. This time I nodded yes, and I almost think for a second I detected a hint of a smile as she realized my confusion and explained her meaning. Her next words were something like this: "But Satan IS lying to you when you feel those things. That IS him telling you those lies!"
After that experience, and the love and encouragement I received through it, I decided to share what was given to me.
You see, maybe you're where I was. You feel worthless, unloved, like nobody cares for you, that you're of little value.
It made no sense that I felt that way, and it may make no sense to you and/or others either. I have one of the most loving and accepting families on the planet, and a God who is even more so, yet I still struggled with it. I have close friends who I can trust and who are a huge blessing to me, yet I still struggled with some insecurities and doubts even if only in a small way. But even in a small way it affected my life and attitude/outlook.
I'm convinced that this very issue is linked to many young women's decisions to live a promiscuous and sinful lifestyle. They believe the lies Satan throws at them (from movies, to music, to books, to magazines, and even our society) saying they're not beautiful unless they're a certain height, a certain weight, with certain features, and a certain personality. That they're not worth anything unless they have certain clothes, shoes, make-up and accessories. That they're not cool unless they live in a certain house, have a certain car, certain friends, and a certain boyfriend. That they're not valuable unless they have certain talents, certain gifts, and a certain level of influence among society. That they're not loved unless they have guys dragging them into bed (forgive my bluntness but I see no point in sugar-coating what is so obvious) and taking them to every dance and football game. Many struggle to fit the world's definition of valuable, beautiful, cool, and loved, and when they fail to meet the requirements, they seek acceptance from other individuals/groups. They turn to drugs, drinking/partying, and a life of sexual sin, etc.
You see, I'd begun to believe the lies, and to doubt and forget just how loved, valued, accepted, beautiful and secure I really am. But as was God's intent for His body, when the foot tripped, the hand was able to reach out and regain stability and I was once again on my feet, thankfully before I'd managed to acquire any scrapes or bruises.
And now, hear this from me. You are loved! Oh SO loved! And regardless of all physical appearance, you ARE beautiful. You are valued! God created you to be YOU. Not your sister, not your neighbor, not your friend, not that popular girl at school, not the movie stars or the famous musicians or models, but YOU. He has a unique purpose for your life, and He so desires your love and affection, He so desires that you would see how much He cares about YOU as an individual. You'll never find satisfaction or fulfillment in the world. It is like a plague or disease that eats away at you and bit by bit sucks the life out of you. It's always seeking the newest styles, the newest fashions and trends, the "hottest boyfriend," the latest cool stuff etc.
You don't need that, and you don't want that life. It's not worth it.
God loves you, He created you with a purpose, and you are beautiful in more ways than you realize!
You have a choice. You can choose to live in God's reality and in His love and acceptance, or you can believe the lies and seek a life of acceptance and fulfillment elsewhere. But be warned: the latter is a nasty battle for wealth, fame and success. And it is an endless pursuit of happiness.
I left that Church/service and that circle of love and encouragement changed, with a new perspective and such a sweet sense of peace, love, joy, acceptance and security. It is my hope that this has encouraged you and that you have read it and been blessed as I was in hearing it from others.
Much love from your sister in the Lord,
Victoria Christine
P.s. If this post struck a chord in you and you've been struggling and would like me to be in prayer for you, feel free to contact me. I can promise you I will pray! I do not take such requests lightly. My e-mail is: t0ri4jesus@yahoo.com
I can give you other contact information via e-mail if you'd like but I don't list other personal information on public sites.
I thought I believed that of myself, but up until recently, I'm not so sure I did.
I'd like to share about an experience I had while on my latest trip to New Mexico.
Note: Though I do believe the Church is not a building but the body of Christ, for the sake of my own sanity and due to my current impatience in relation to the subject, all uses of the word "Church" in this post will be in reference to a building which has been utilized for the gathering of believers.
It was on a Sunday afternoon. Just hours before this moment in time, I'd dragged myself out of bed and prepared to attend a service at one of the local Navajo Churches. I made the mistake of not checking the weather before deciding what to wear to the service. I wore a dress (a rare occurrence), and it was -as it often is in this part of New Mexico- windy. It was a struggle to keep my dress from flying up into my face as I clutched my bible and a few belongings in one hand and held my dress down with the other and hurriedly made my way to the van which would then carry me and some others to the Church where the service was to be held.
The Church was what many in other parts of the US would consider small, but in comparison to some of the other Churches on or around the Navajo reservation (which, to give you an idea of the general size of some of the churches as far as the building is concerned, if they even had a restroom(s) with running water, they had only recently been added onto the main building structure) it was large, well-furnished with nice bathrooms, and several large rooms which included a good-sized kitchen.
At this particular moment, I was sitting in the sanctuary of that Navajo Church, tears flowing like Niagra Falls had relocated, taking up residence on my person, and make-up smeared all over my face (ugh, I never have cared for that crap) as if I was two again and had decided to try my hand at cosmetology.
Four young ladies, including my sister and one of my closest friends, gathered around me to pray as I shared some things I'd been struggling with, and asked for prayer regarding my future/upcoming decisions and some other various things I'll not be sharing on here. I listened as two of them, a bit older and wiser than myself, shared words of encouragement and wisdom.
Then one of them asked me something that totally threw me off and sent me into a whirl of momentary confusion. It was something like this, "Has Satan been saying things to you, and speaking lies to you in your head?"
Honestly it quite freaked me out for a few seconds as I attempted to discern WHAT on earth she was saying/implying. Though confusion was painted on my face as clearly as the make-up, I firmly shook my head "no."
With her next few sentences came sudden clarity. "Has he been telling you that you're not worth anything, that you're not beautiful, and not valuable?" With this the tears fell afresh as I realized the simple accuracy of her words. This time I nodded yes, and I almost think for a second I detected a hint of a smile as she realized my confusion and explained her meaning. Her next words were something like this: "But Satan IS lying to you when you feel those things. That IS him telling you those lies!"
After that experience, and the love and encouragement I received through it, I decided to share what was given to me.
You see, maybe you're where I was. You feel worthless, unloved, like nobody cares for you, that you're of little value.
It made no sense that I felt that way, and it may make no sense to you and/or others either. I have one of the most loving and accepting families on the planet, and a God who is even more so, yet I still struggled with it. I have close friends who I can trust and who are a huge blessing to me, yet I still struggled with some insecurities and doubts even if only in a small way. But even in a small way it affected my life and attitude/outlook.
I'm convinced that this very issue is linked to many young women's decisions to live a promiscuous and sinful lifestyle. They believe the lies Satan throws at them (from movies, to music, to books, to magazines, and even our society) saying they're not beautiful unless they're a certain height, a certain weight, with certain features, and a certain personality. That they're not worth anything unless they have certain clothes, shoes, make-up and accessories. That they're not cool unless they live in a certain house, have a certain car, certain friends, and a certain boyfriend. That they're not valuable unless they have certain talents, certain gifts, and a certain level of influence among society. That they're not loved unless they have guys dragging them into bed (forgive my bluntness but I see no point in sugar-coating what is so obvious) and taking them to every dance and football game. Many struggle to fit the world's definition of valuable, beautiful, cool, and loved, and when they fail to meet the requirements, they seek acceptance from other individuals/groups. They turn to drugs, drinking/partying, and a life of sexual sin, etc.
You see, I'd begun to believe the lies, and to doubt and forget just how loved, valued, accepted, beautiful and secure I really am. But as was God's intent for His body, when the foot tripped, the hand was able to reach out and regain stability and I was once again on my feet, thankfully before I'd managed to acquire any scrapes or bruises.
And now, hear this from me. You are loved! Oh SO loved! And regardless of all physical appearance, you ARE beautiful. You are valued! God created you to be YOU. Not your sister, not your neighbor, not your friend, not that popular girl at school, not the movie stars or the famous musicians or models, but YOU. He has a unique purpose for your life, and He so desires your love and affection, He so desires that you would see how much He cares about YOU as an individual. You'll never find satisfaction or fulfillment in the world. It is like a plague or disease that eats away at you and bit by bit sucks the life out of you. It's always seeking the newest styles, the newest fashions and trends, the "hottest boyfriend," the latest cool stuff etc.
You don't need that, and you don't want that life. It's not worth it.
God loves you, He created you with a purpose, and you are beautiful in more ways than you realize!
You have a choice. You can choose to live in God's reality and in His love and acceptance, or you can believe the lies and seek a life of acceptance and fulfillment elsewhere. But be warned: the latter is a nasty battle for wealth, fame and success. And it is an endless pursuit of happiness.
I left that Church/service and that circle of love and encouragement changed, with a new perspective and such a sweet sense of peace, love, joy, acceptance and security. It is my hope that this has encouraged you and that you have read it and been blessed as I was in hearing it from others.
Much love from your sister in the Lord,
Victoria Christine
P.s. If this post struck a chord in you and you've been struggling and would like me to be in prayer for you, feel free to contact me. I can promise you I will pray! I do not take such requests lightly. My e-mail is: t0ri4jesus@yahoo.com
I can give you other contact information via e-mail if you'd like but I don't list other personal information on public sites.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Challenges
Wow. It's been quite awhile since I last updated my blog! I would apologize if I thought anyone actually read it, but... well, on the slim chance that someone actually does, I'm sorry!
Life. It's been very challenging. As some of you know, I've been actively pursuing photography for awhile now, and honestly it's going as well (if not better) than could be expected. I've been blessed with the temporary use of a camera (for those interested, it's the Nikon D60), and being given that opportunity has only confirmed all the more to me that this is something I feel God has placed before me for me to pursue. I've prayed about it, and it just seems like every door leading to photography is opened wide for me to pass through. I am SO grateful for the kindness, generosity, and support so many have shown me, and for the grace and mercy of God to make His way so clear.
As I said though, it's been challenging. The mere interaction with so many different individuals (many strangers) just in the learning process of photography (though I know I'll never achieve all knowledge of the craft, I hope to at least have the basics down at some point, lol), and anticipating many many more such interactions as a professional photographer... it's intimidating to say the least. To suddenly have people depending on me and expecting so much when I feel so inadequate to fulfill their expectations/requests... yeah, it's definitely a challenge! But I find that it is during the times of greatest challenge in life, and the abandonment of my comfy safe zone that I grow the most, and that I learn the most. But that doesn't make it any less easy! I'm still nervous and intimidated.
Yes, even talkative me is shy and quiet at times (feel free to gasp in astonishment)!
I'm not too far off from buying my own camera-- not exactly the one I really want, but it will do the job nicely till I can actually afford the one I want. I've been asked to take pictures of a family of 10 (my "biggest" challenge yet!) and some others are waiting on me to get it together to take their pictures (or the more professional way to say it, "photograph them"... or shoot, whichever you prefer).
In the midst of all this and other various goings on, I am trying to be careful to not get caught up in the "big, important things" that I miss the things that are really truly important in life. It's been a test of priorities, and yet another challenge. It's teaching me to consider carefully what I value most. Being "successful," or "important" are not my goals. And yet, especially as I learn from other photographers whose goals and priorities are very much different then my own, it can be hard to not get caught up in it all as they have and be swept away in the mad search for fulfillment and satisfaction in "success."
As a child of God, simply put, my purpose/goal is to maintain a close relationship with Him and His people, and to lead others to discover, as I have, the wonder of a love relationship with the God of the universe. Being a photographer only defines the ways in which I fulfill that purpose! Oh that I may not lose sight of Him and His will in this mad world!
If you feel like there was little or no point to this post... well, it's probably because I'm not sure what the point was, I just felt like it was time for a new blog post. :)
If you will, please be praying for continued guidance and provision on my behalf. Thanks for reading!
~Victoria Christine Bullock
Life. It's been very challenging. As some of you know, I've been actively pursuing photography for awhile now, and honestly it's going as well (if not better) than could be expected. I've been blessed with the temporary use of a camera (for those interested, it's the Nikon D60), and being given that opportunity has only confirmed all the more to me that this is something I feel God has placed before me for me to pursue. I've prayed about it, and it just seems like every door leading to photography is opened wide for me to pass through. I am SO grateful for the kindness, generosity, and support so many have shown me, and for the grace and mercy of God to make His way so clear.
As I said though, it's been challenging. The mere interaction with so many different individuals (many strangers) just in the learning process of photography (though I know I'll never achieve all knowledge of the craft, I hope to at least have the basics down at some point, lol), and anticipating many many more such interactions as a professional photographer... it's intimidating to say the least. To suddenly have people depending on me and expecting so much when I feel so inadequate to fulfill their expectations/requests... yeah, it's definitely a challenge! But I find that it is during the times of greatest challenge in life, and the abandonment of my comfy safe zone that I grow the most, and that I learn the most. But that doesn't make it any less easy! I'm still nervous and intimidated.
Yes, even talkative me is shy and quiet at times (feel free to gasp in astonishment)!
I'm not too far off from buying my own camera-- not exactly the one I really want, but it will do the job nicely till I can actually afford the one I want. I've been asked to take pictures of a family of 10 (my "biggest" challenge yet!) and some others are waiting on me to get it together to take their pictures (or the more professional way to say it, "photograph them"... or shoot, whichever you prefer).
In the midst of all this and other various goings on, I am trying to be careful to not get caught up in the "big, important things" that I miss the things that are really truly important in life. It's been a test of priorities, and yet another challenge. It's teaching me to consider carefully what I value most. Being "successful," or "important" are not my goals. And yet, especially as I learn from other photographers whose goals and priorities are very much different then my own, it can be hard to not get caught up in it all as they have and be swept away in the mad search for fulfillment and satisfaction in "success."
As a child of God, simply put, my purpose/goal is to maintain a close relationship with Him and His people, and to lead others to discover, as I have, the wonder of a love relationship with the God of the universe. Being a photographer only defines the ways in which I fulfill that purpose! Oh that I may not lose sight of Him and His will in this mad world!
If you feel like there was little or no point to this post... well, it's probably because I'm not sure what the point was, I just felt like it was time for a new blog post. :)
If you will, please be praying for continued guidance and provision on my behalf. Thanks for reading!
~Victoria Christine Bullock
Sunday, November 21, 2010
What now, Lord?
It's been a couple months since my last blog post, and I decided to give a general update about what's been going on in my life.
I graduated from high-school this year, and many people have been asking, "so, what are you going to do now?"
In answer to their questions I've given some possibilities of things I'm considering, but never a hard set-in-concrete answer. If I am to be completely honest, I don't know yet!
The same questions others are asking me, I've been asking God for months, maybe years. "God, what next? What do you want me to do with my life? It'd be reaaaaaaaaalllly nice if you could, like, let me know. Soon." (I tend to be very honest and to-the-point with God, can you tell?).
I know I'm not the only one who has just graduated and is undergoing the same pressures to decide NOW what I'm going to do with my life, as I am hearing of similar struggles/confusion from my friends. Some would say I should have thought about it before now so I'd know what I want to do, but I have! God has just not yet shown me what He'd have me do, and I'm waiting on Him and trusting that He will guide me to the right door and open it at the right time in my life. I feel like, for the time being at least, that God has me where He wants me. He has been opening smaller doors (windows, perhaps? :-) which I feel may lead to bigger ones, but for now I'm taking one step at a time.
I don't want to rush into something or choose a career out of sheer desperation or pressure from family, friends, or our society in general, because I am convinced it is often those who do so that end up unhappy with their decision and regret their choices later on. I want God's will for my life because I know that I will find joy and peace in my obedience- even if it means that His will for me is to stay at home and help my parents (oh tragedy of tragedies, lol).
However, God has already been opening some doors and providing new opportunities and I'm very excited to see what He has for me next! Here's what's been happening:
-Through odd and seemingly random events He's provided the opportunity for me to help out on a farm nearby and also get help with training my stubborn horse (truly a blessing).
-He's blessed me with friends/family who are on a similar path, who also encourage and support me and we've been meeting together multiple times a week to study the bible, pray, sing, and various other things. I'm so grateful for these people and I don't know what I'd do without them!
-I and some others are discussing/planning to begin reaching out to the poor/homeless in the Winchester area and we are super excited to see what God's going to do through us and in the lives of others!
-I am practicing to become better at photography and am looking into ways I can incorporate it into mission type work either here in VA or possibly, eventually (like, maybe years from now), beyond here. I very much enjoy photography and would love to be able to combine my interest in photography with my passion for missions work. I've really been feeling more and more the desire to do mission-type work, and God has really stirred a longing in my heart to help the poor, and orphans especially. For some reason I've been inclined to research some about people/children with down syndrome, and that seems to be coming up a lot lately- I'm not sure exactly what this might mean, but we'll see what God does. :)
And so, those are the main things I've been up to lately, aside from my general work at home and with daycare kids. I just thought I'd share and then if anybody was curious they could read what I'm up to- and hopefully this answered some questions. :)
I have found these verses to be especially encouraging to me at this time in my life, I hope you find them to be of encouragement to you, also!
"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."
~Psalm 139:16
"Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you."
~Psalm 37:5
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."
~Proverbs 3:5-6
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the LORD. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'"
~Jeremiah 29:11
I graduated from high-school this year, and many people have been asking, "so, what are you going to do now?"
In answer to their questions I've given some possibilities of things I'm considering, but never a hard set-in-concrete answer. If I am to be completely honest, I don't know yet!
The same questions others are asking me, I've been asking God for months, maybe years. "God, what next? What do you want me to do with my life? It'd be reaaaaaaaaalllly nice if you could, like, let me know. Soon." (I tend to be very honest and to-the-point with God, can you tell?).
I know I'm not the only one who has just graduated and is undergoing the same pressures to decide NOW what I'm going to do with my life, as I am hearing of similar struggles/confusion from my friends. Some would say I should have thought about it before now so I'd know what I want to do, but I have! God has just not yet shown me what He'd have me do, and I'm waiting on Him and trusting that He will guide me to the right door and open it at the right time in my life. I feel like, for the time being at least, that God has me where He wants me. He has been opening smaller doors (windows, perhaps? :-) which I feel may lead to bigger ones, but for now I'm taking one step at a time.
I don't want to rush into something or choose a career out of sheer desperation or pressure from family, friends, or our society in general, because I am convinced it is often those who do so that end up unhappy with their decision and regret their choices later on. I want God's will for my life because I know that I will find joy and peace in my obedience- even if it means that His will for me is to stay at home and help my parents (oh tragedy of tragedies, lol).
However, God has already been opening some doors and providing new opportunities and I'm very excited to see what He has for me next! Here's what's been happening:
-Through odd and seemingly random events He's provided the opportunity for me to help out on a farm nearby and also get help with training my stubborn horse (truly a blessing).
-He's blessed me with friends/family who are on a similar path, who also encourage and support me and we've been meeting together multiple times a week to study the bible, pray, sing, and various other things. I'm so grateful for these people and I don't know what I'd do without them!
-I and some others are discussing/planning to begin reaching out to the poor/homeless in the Winchester area and we are super excited to see what God's going to do through us and in the lives of others!
-I am practicing to become better at photography and am looking into ways I can incorporate it into mission type work either here in VA or possibly, eventually (like, maybe years from now), beyond here. I very much enjoy photography and would love to be able to combine my interest in photography with my passion for missions work. I've really been feeling more and more the desire to do mission-type work, and God has really stirred a longing in my heart to help the poor, and orphans especially. For some reason I've been inclined to research some about people/children with down syndrome, and that seems to be coming up a lot lately- I'm not sure exactly what this might mean, but we'll see what God does. :)
And so, those are the main things I've been up to lately, aside from my general work at home and with daycare kids. I just thought I'd share and then if anybody was curious they could read what I'm up to- and hopefully this answered some questions. :)
I have found these verses to be especially encouraging to me at this time in my life, I hope you find them to be of encouragement to you, also!
"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."
~Psalm 139:16
"Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you."
~Psalm 37:5
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."
~Proverbs 3:5-6
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the LORD. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'"
~Jeremiah 29:11
Thursday, August 26, 2010
New Mexico & A Brownie Search
I'm home!
For those of you who may not know, some of my siblings, two friends and I went to NM on a missions trip to minister to the Navajo people, and to visit some close friends.
The trip was amazing! God touched my life in many ways and once again I left feeling as if I'd gained more than I'd given! The Spitlers and staff at CFAN (Christ For All Nations), as well as the Navajo believers, welcomed us like family and it was such a blessing and honor to be given the opportunity to come alongside them and minister to the Navajo people through various ways.
One story in particular I'd like to share with you, as it made a big impact on my life and greatly encouraged me.
It began before our trip and didn't end till some days after we got there, but for the sake of keeping the story as much as possible as I experienced it, I'd like to begin on last Friday afternoon when some of our group went on a long ATV (or four-wheeler, as we call them) ride. At one point when we were far back on the reservation we saw one of the Spitler's dogs chasing some wild horses. As it is fairly common for the dogs to follow us on our rides we didn't think anything of it and continued on our ride. When we got back, however, we realized the dog, Brownie, hadn't followed us home.
Thus began the search for Brownie. Several people went out on the Rez looking for her, mainly on the four-wheelers.
Finally, as the sun began to set, my friend Lindsay, and I decided at the last minute to ride out on our own on the four-wheelers) and look for her.
Our first mistake was not bringing a flashlight. Our second mistake was not bringing a cel phone. And our third mistake was not checking the gas tank. These three things resulted in the two of us at the bottom of a small canyon (in comparison to other places it was small, but in reality to two teenage girls at night, it was HUGE), in the dark, with no flashlights or cel phones, and running nerve-rackingly low on gas. Scared, but determined, we pressed on, shouting for Brownie and hoping with everything within us that she'd bark and come running. At one point Lindsay was (and still is) sure she heard her bark, just once, and we listened and looked, but neither of us heard her from that point on.
To our dismay we finally had to end our search as it was by this time completely dark and in the middle of a canyon with wild animals (and gangs in the near vicinity I might add) is not the safest place to be. Not to mention we knew we were really low on gas. I'll be honest, we were scared. Yet in the middle of it all, I was at peace. I'm so grateful I knew and could rely on Christ! We were talking and I remember Lindsay asking if I was scared and me saying that though I was to some extent, I knew it would all work out for our good and God's glory.
So, we began the ride back home, still listening out for Brownie, hoping to hear her bark and see her familiar form take shape out of the darkness (though as I pointed out, even had we seen her come running I'd have jumped out of my skin before I realized it was her). Then, suddenly we came around a curve and for a few seconds we were positively terrified, and my heart felt as if it'd stopped in mid-beat.
There was a man on a four-wheeler ahead, just sitting there, not moving.
But sudden terror turned to sudden relief as we got closer and realized it was Lindsay's dad, and boy were we relieved! We decided to resume our search for Brownie again, feeling much more confident, yet to our dismay still could not find her and so were forced to return home.
Just as their house and the mission base came in sight, we ran out of gas. Thank God for reserved tanks! We made it home with a little gas to spare and though we were still worried about Brownie, we were grateful to be back safe and sound!
That night nobody slept well, as the dog still could not be found and we knew that if she were out all alone on the Rez at night, the odds were stacked high against her. To make matters worse, we were scheduled to leave early the next morning, Saturday, for a trip to Mesa Verde in Colorado.
The next morning we awoke and Brownie still had not been found nor had she shown up at the house, and we began to lose hope of ever seeing her again. With little excitement and much sadness we got up early the next morning, packed our picnic lunch and prepared to leave.
Finally, behind schedule and with everyone very much not in the mood for a sight-seeing trip, we loaded up and got in the vans, only to hear, "okay now everybody get out we're going to pray before we leave" and everyone got out and joined hands in a circle. Lindsay's dad, Daniel, led the prayer and just before he said amen, Tracy -Lidnsay's mom- said, "and bring Brownie home safe," and with that we said "amen." Then, as everyone turned to leave, someone (I still don't know who) shouted, "BROWNIE!!!!" and we all turned to look, hardly daring to hope. But sure enough and to our amazement, standing there behind us like she'd been there all along, was Brownie. In a matter of a few seconds she was smothered in hugs, kisses and tears of joy.
After a few minutes spent with the dog and with much gratitude we loaded up in the vans and set off, now excited and looking forward to our trip.
That night as I was writing in my journal and thinking of the day's events I came across some bible verses in my journal that out of my inborn curiousity I decided to look up in my bible, which then led me to some verses in Luke 17. In this particular chapter I came across a verse where the disciples asked Jesus to show them how to increase their faith. I couldn't understand why Jesus didn't just give them an answer and the directions for growing faith, and marveled at what He DID say. He gave them a short lecture on what faith could do and then went on to talk about serving God with humility as an unworthy servant doing his/her duty.
I felt as if He hadn't given them a direct answer and for some reason it really bugged me that I couldn't understand why.
But I continued on looking for maybe some clue as to how to find the answer to their query about faith, and I discovered that right after His statements about faith and serving God He continued on His way toward Jerusalem, then as I read on, I became increasingly amazed. Jesus came across the ten lepers and healed them, and only the one man came and praised God. Jesus last words to the man sank deep in my heart, "Stand up and go, your faith has healed you."
How awesome is that? I mean, it may be assuming too much, but though I don't find it mentioned in the bible it seems fairly obvious to me that the disciples were with Him, and I find it awesome that though he didn't directly answer their question, He provided an opportunity for them to grow in that area.
I realized that sometimes, rather than answer our prayers/questions verbally or with a direct and to-the-point answer, God provides opportunities for growth in that specific area of our lives.
As I continued on with this train of thought, something began nagging me... what had I prayed for (that'll teach you to be careful what ya pray for, huh?!?!)?
I began searching in my journal through recent entries and in the middle of my prayers for our trip, and written just three days before we left, I found this prayer: "Take my fears and doubts and replace them with trust, faith, hope, and love through you. Cause my faith to grow, & show me how to take a stand."
I was amazed as it all sank in... just like what Jesus did with the disciples on their "trip" to Jerusalem, through an experience on the very trip I'd been praying about, He provided an opportunity for me to grow in answer to my prayer. The funny thing is, He also used my love for animals to spur me along in the process! I was very upset about the dog and Lindsay and I both cried (and she wasn't even my dog!), and so I went with Lindsay to look for her. On the search I had to trust that it would all work out for our good and His glory. I had to have faith in God, that He would remain faithful to His promises to protect and guide us. I had to be hopeful in that Brownie would come back even gainst all odds, and my love for my friends and even for animals spurred me on to keep searching, and to be there as much as possible for my friends.
So, all that being said... be careful what you pray for! :D
I hope you enjoyed reading this and that maybe it strengthened or encouraged you in some way.
I believe that when God teaches a person something, or when God really "grows" them through an experience like that, when they share the experience with others, the blessing of the experience is not only on the person who experienced it, but those that the person took the time to share it with! So I hope you go away from reading this marveling at God's goodness, and blessed through reading/hearing of my experience!
To God be glory, how wonderful and good He is to us His children!
~Victoria C. Bullock
For those of you who may not know, some of my siblings, two friends and I went to NM on a missions trip to minister to the Navajo people, and to visit some close friends.
The trip was amazing! God touched my life in many ways and once again I left feeling as if I'd gained more than I'd given! The Spitlers and staff at CFAN (Christ For All Nations), as well as the Navajo believers, welcomed us like family and it was such a blessing and honor to be given the opportunity to come alongside them and minister to the Navajo people through various ways.
One story in particular I'd like to share with you, as it made a big impact on my life and greatly encouraged me.
It began before our trip and didn't end till some days after we got there, but for the sake of keeping the story as much as possible as I experienced it, I'd like to begin on last Friday afternoon when some of our group went on a long ATV (or four-wheeler, as we call them) ride. At one point when we were far back on the reservation we saw one of the Spitler's dogs chasing some wild horses. As it is fairly common for the dogs to follow us on our rides we didn't think anything of it and continued on our ride. When we got back, however, we realized the dog, Brownie, hadn't followed us home.
Thus began the search for Brownie. Several people went out on the Rez looking for her, mainly on the four-wheelers.
Finally, as the sun began to set, my friend Lindsay, and I decided at the last minute to ride out on our own on the four-wheelers) and look for her.
Our first mistake was not bringing a flashlight. Our second mistake was not bringing a cel phone. And our third mistake was not checking the gas tank. These three things resulted in the two of us at the bottom of a small canyon (in comparison to other places it was small, but in reality to two teenage girls at night, it was HUGE), in the dark, with no flashlights or cel phones, and running nerve-rackingly low on gas. Scared, but determined, we pressed on, shouting for Brownie and hoping with everything within us that she'd bark and come running. At one point Lindsay was (and still is) sure she heard her bark, just once, and we listened and looked, but neither of us heard her from that point on.
To our dismay we finally had to end our search as it was by this time completely dark and in the middle of a canyon with wild animals (and gangs in the near vicinity I might add) is not the safest place to be. Not to mention we knew we were really low on gas. I'll be honest, we were scared. Yet in the middle of it all, I was at peace. I'm so grateful I knew and could rely on Christ! We were talking and I remember Lindsay asking if I was scared and me saying that though I was to some extent, I knew it would all work out for our good and God's glory.
So, we began the ride back home, still listening out for Brownie, hoping to hear her bark and see her familiar form take shape out of the darkness (though as I pointed out, even had we seen her come running I'd have jumped out of my skin before I realized it was her). Then, suddenly we came around a curve and for a few seconds we were positively terrified, and my heart felt as if it'd stopped in mid-beat.
There was a man on a four-wheeler ahead, just sitting there, not moving.
But sudden terror turned to sudden relief as we got closer and realized it was Lindsay's dad, and boy were we relieved! We decided to resume our search for Brownie again, feeling much more confident, yet to our dismay still could not find her and so were forced to return home.
Just as their house and the mission base came in sight, we ran out of gas. Thank God for reserved tanks! We made it home with a little gas to spare and though we were still worried about Brownie, we were grateful to be back safe and sound!
That night nobody slept well, as the dog still could not be found and we knew that if she were out all alone on the Rez at night, the odds were stacked high against her. To make matters worse, we were scheduled to leave early the next morning, Saturday, for a trip to Mesa Verde in Colorado.
The next morning we awoke and Brownie still had not been found nor had she shown up at the house, and we began to lose hope of ever seeing her again. With little excitement and much sadness we got up early the next morning, packed our picnic lunch and prepared to leave.
Finally, behind schedule and with everyone very much not in the mood for a sight-seeing trip, we loaded up and got in the vans, only to hear, "okay now everybody get out we're going to pray before we leave" and everyone got out and joined hands in a circle. Lindsay's dad, Daniel, led the prayer and just before he said amen, Tracy -Lidnsay's mom- said, "and bring Brownie home safe," and with that we said "amen." Then, as everyone turned to leave, someone (I still don't know who) shouted, "BROWNIE!!!!" and we all turned to look, hardly daring to hope. But sure enough and to our amazement, standing there behind us like she'd been there all along, was Brownie. In a matter of a few seconds she was smothered in hugs, kisses and tears of joy.
After a few minutes spent with the dog and with much gratitude we loaded up in the vans and set off, now excited and looking forward to our trip.
That night as I was writing in my journal and thinking of the day's events I came across some bible verses in my journal that out of my inborn curiousity I decided to look up in my bible, which then led me to some verses in Luke 17. In this particular chapter I came across a verse where the disciples asked Jesus to show them how to increase their faith. I couldn't understand why Jesus didn't just give them an answer and the directions for growing faith, and marveled at what He DID say. He gave them a short lecture on what faith could do and then went on to talk about serving God with humility as an unworthy servant doing his/her duty.
I felt as if He hadn't given them a direct answer and for some reason it really bugged me that I couldn't understand why.
But I continued on looking for maybe some clue as to how to find the answer to their query about faith, and I discovered that right after His statements about faith and serving God He continued on His way toward Jerusalem, then as I read on, I became increasingly amazed. Jesus came across the ten lepers and healed them, and only the one man came and praised God. Jesus last words to the man sank deep in my heart, "Stand up and go, your faith has healed you."
How awesome is that? I mean, it may be assuming too much, but though I don't find it mentioned in the bible it seems fairly obvious to me that the disciples were with Him, and I find it awesome that though he didn't directly answer their question, He provided an opportunity for them to grow in that area.
I realized that sometimes, rather than answer our prayers/questions verbally or with a direct and to-the-point answer, God provides opportunities for growth in that specific area of our lives.
As I continued on with this train of thought, something began nagging me... what had I prayed for (that'll teach you to be careful what ya pray for, huh?!?!)?
I began searching in my journal through recent entries and in the middle of my prayers for our trip, and written just three days before we left, I found this prayer: "Take my fears and doubts and replace them with trust, faith, hope, and love through you. Cause my faith to grow, & show me how to take a stand."
I was amazed as it all sank in... just like what Jesus did with the disciples on their "trip" to Jerusalem, through an experience on the very trip I'd been praying about, He provided an opportunity for me to grow in answer to my prayer. The funny thing is, He also used my love for animals to spur me along in the process! I was very upset about the dog and Lindsay and I both cried (and she wasn't even my dog!), and so I went with Lindsay to look for her. On the search I had to trust that it would all work out for our good and His glory. I had to have faith in God, that He would remain faithful to His promises to protect and guide us. I had to be hopeful in that Brownie would come back even gainst all odds, and my love for my friends and even for animals spurred me on to keep searching, and to be there as much as possible for my friends.
So, all that being said... be careful what you pray for! :D
I hope you enjoyed reading this and that maybe it strengthened or encouraged you in some way.
I believe that when God teaches a person something, or when God really "grows" them through an experience like that, when they share the experience with others, the blessing of the experience is not only on the person who experienced it, but those that the person took the time to share it with! So I hope you go away from reading this marveling at God's goodness, and blessed through reading/hearing of my experience!
To God be glory, how wonderful and good He is to us His children!
~Victoria C. Bullock
Monday, May 17, 2010
Hello everyone!
Sorry it's been so long since my last post, life seems to be leaving little time for blog posts these days!
But I decided I'd share some of what's been on my heart lately, so... here goes!
I've been reading about the poverty and brokenness in other countries and even in places within the borders of our own "wealthy" and "free" country , and it has been stirring something in my heart lately...
I've asked God to give me the desires of His heart, and these desires are often accompanied by such pain!
He's given me a love and compassion for the poor and lost, and I am beginning to feel like -what I believe- Jesus might have felt when He looked into the eyes of the lame man, when He looked upon and heard the desperate cries of the blind, the deaf, the orphans and the widows, when He saw tax collector or the harlot bound, captive in their sins, desperate for the taste of freedom.
And in the midst of these "stirrings" I am becoming unsatisfied with my own lifestyle and the lifestyles of many Christians I see in America today as I realize how little we are doing in comparison to how much we COULD be doing to spread the gospel and the love of Christ, to further His kingdom.
It seems we often distance ourselves from anything that causes us discomfort, that stirs our hearts and compels us to take action. This is very dangerous! Why? Because if we are not exposed to it- how can we take part in changing it? It is much harder to ignore the pleading look in an orphan's eyes than to simply know they exist somewhere far away in the distance.
Unless your heart has been hardened against the very ones God's heart aches for, you WILL want to make a difference, if you are aware of them and have not accepted the lies satan has so often used to trap us into complacency and stunt the growth of God's kingdom.
We hide those uncomfortable, painful scenes, so that we don't have to deal with the responsibility of changing them, we distance ourselves from them making it easier to ignore God's call.
How could one NOT be touched at the sight of little child, who has never known the joy and happiness of having parents who love and care for them? Often we take these little things for granted, but their are many who have never known such love and would give much to experience it!
I don't understand how we, claiming to know and love the Father, claiming to be followers of Christ, could care so little -if at all- for the person struggling to survive, or the poor widow living all alone everyday without any hope for a change or for any comfort and love in her grief. How could that be? Jesus spent much of His time among the poor and broken during His time on earth!
And not only the poor, the orphans and the widows, but the "disreputable sinners." The people EVERYONE knew had been up to no good. They had a BAD rep, and with good reason. The sluts, whores, tax collectors, etc- those people.
But what do we do? We shun them as if we were somehow better than them, as if God loves us more than them! We are all -or at one time were- sinners in need of Savior, regardless of what sins we committed! None is righteous but for Christ's payment on the cross! We Christians seem to see ourselves as too high and mighty to associate with sinners, somehow forgetting the fact that once upon a time we were in their place.
Thankfully, somebody somewhere cared enough about us to share the love rather than shun us and turn us away like we have gotten in the habit of doing.
So I guess my point is this: Let's stop ignoring and running from God's call to reach out to those who don't know His love, whether it be the orphans, widows, homeless, or the "disreputable sinners" of our time, and be willing to go wherever God leads! And let me say this: we should not because we "have to," but because we love our Father and desire to please Him, because He has taught us how to love as He loves- because the apple does not fall far from the tree, so to speak.
Let's rise up and be who we are called to be- living witnesses of Jesus Christ and His amazing love! It's time to share the love!
Thanks for reading what I have to say, I hope I didn't take up much of your time, that I didn't bore you, and that you were challenged and/or blessed in some way! God bless!
-Victoria Christine Bullock
Sorry it's been so long since my last post, life seems to be leaving little time for blog posts these days!
But I decided I'd share some of what's been on my heart lately, so... here goes!
I've been reading about the poverty and brokenness in other countries and even in places within the borders of our own "wealthy" and "free" country , and it has been stirring something in my heart lately...
I've asked God to give me the desires of His heart, and these desires are often accompanied by such pain!
He's given me a love and compassion for the poor and lost, and I am beginning to feel like -what I believe- Jesus might have felt when He looked into the eyes of the lame man, when He looked upon and heard the desperate cries of the blind, the deaf, the orphans and the widows, when He saw tax collector or the harlot bound, captive in their sins, desperate for the taste of freedom.
And in the midst of these "stirrings" I am becoming unsatisfied with my own lifestyle and the lifestyles of many Christians I see in America today as I realize how little we are doing in comparison to how much we COULD be doing to spread the gospel and the love of Christ, to further His kingdom.
It seems we often distance ourselves from anything that causes us discomfort, that stirs our hearts and compels us to take action. This is very dangerous! Why? Because if we are not exposed to it- how can we take part in changing it? It is much harder to ignore the pleading look in an orphan's eyes than to simply know they exist somewhere far away in the distance.
Unless your heart has been hardened against the very ones God's heart aches for, you WILL want to make a difference, if you are aware of them and have not accepted the lies satan has so often used to trap us into complacency and stunt the growth of God's kingdom.
We hide those uncomfortable, painful scenes, so that we don't have to deal with the responsibility of changing them, we distance ourselves from them making it easier to ignore God's call.
How could one NOT be touched at the sight of little child, who has never known the joy and happiness of having parents who love and care for them? Often we take these little things for granted, but their are many who have never known such love and would give much to experience it!
I don't understand how we, claiming to know and love the Father, claiming to be followers of Christ, could care so little -if at all- for the person struggling to survive, or the poor widow living all alone everyday without any hope for a change or for any comfort and love in her grief. How could that be? Jesus spent much of His time among the poor and broken during His time on earth!
And not only the poor, the orphans and the widows, but the "disreputable sinners." The people EVERYONE knew had been up to no good. They had a BAD rep, and with good reason. The sluts, whores, tax collectors, etc- those people.
But what do we do? We shun them as if we were somehow better than them, as if God loves us more than them! We are all -or at one time were- sinners in need of Savior, regardless of what sins we committed! None is righteous but for Christ's payment on the cross! We Christians seem to see ourselves as too high and mighty to associate with sinners, somehow forgetting the fact that once upon a time we were in their place.
Thankfully, somebody somewhere cared enough about us to share the love rather than shun us and turn us away like we have gotten in the habit of doing.
So I guess my point is this: Let's stop ignoring and running from God's call to reach out to those who don't know His love, whether it be the orphans, widows, homeless, or the "disreputable sinners" of our time, and be willing to go wherever God leads! And let me say this: we should not because we "have to," but because we love our Father and desire to please Him, because He has taught us how to love as He loves- because the apple does not fall far from the tree, so to speak.
Let's rise up and be who we are called to be- living witnesses of Jesus Christ and His amazing love! It's time to share the love!
Thanks for reading what I have to say, I hope I didn't take up much of your time, that I didn't bore you, and that you were challenged and/or blessed in some way! God bless!
-Victoria Christine Bullock
Monday, November 9, 2009
Now What Do We Pick Up?
You know, sometimes I have to wonder if maybe the reason so few teens and college age students stick to church (or regularly "going to church") is because most teens are looking for something more.
They see mainly hypocrisy and lies within the body- and frankly most aren't willing to live a lie, and I gotta respect them for that. They see a group of people who say one thing, and do another.
I'm a teen, and that's what I see. It's just that I have parents who dared to be different and show me that there IS something more.
I believe that there are a number of teens/college age people who are slightly confused because they realize that people were once upon a time willing to die for their faith, and they hear of people in other countries dying for what they believe, but they know that what they see as christianity is nothing worth dying for.
It's ironic that we christians talk about persecution and standing up for what we believe in, or the things we may face in the future because of our belief... but I don't see that ever happening to us in America-- or at least not unless the church drastically changes.
The church is so corrupted by the world that the church pretty much is the world. If we live just like the world- why would we be persecuted by it? But if you start standing up for what you believe in -and living what you preach- you will find yourself hated by the world.
Jesus wasn't lying when He said the world would hate us! (John 15:18-25)
This generation isn't looking for a dead religion. Many have tried the church, or what they think is the church, and they found the people lacking the very life that they preach about.
So they try everything else. They are unhappy, unsettled, and pretty stinkin' bored with life since they really aren't expected to do anything but cause trouble-- an expectation they unfortunately often live up to. (Or would that be considered living down to...?)
Young people are catered to, constantly, and even in churches.
They are expected to do nothing but make immature and stupid decisions. They try everything from sex, to drugs, to find peace, love and fulfillment. Is it any wonder that as the church becomes more and more lukewarm, corrupted, dead and apathetic, that teen pregnancy, cutting, and drugs/alcohol addictions are increasing? If they don't find what they're looking for at church they will look for it somewhere else.
I read recently about a guy (Shane Claiborne) who said in sharing his testimony, "But then you start to think there must be more to Christianity, more than just laying down your life and sins at the foot of the cross. I came to realize that preachers were telling me to lay my life down at the foot of the cross and weren't giving me anything to pick up. A lot of us were hearing 'don't smoke, don't drink, don't sleep around' and naturally started asking, 'okay, well, that was pretty much my life, so what do I do now?'"
And later on in his book (The Irresistible Revolution- awesome book, btw) Shane states, "God forgive us for all those we have lost because we made the gospel boring. I am convinced that if we lose kids to the culture of drugs and materialism, of violence and war, it's because we don't dare them, not because we don't entertain them. It's because we make the gospel too easy, not because we make it too difficult. Kids want to do something heroic with their lives, which is why they play video games and join the army. But what are they to do with a church that teaches them to tiptoe through life so they can arrive safely at death?"
What about the rest of our lives? What about Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, and Thursday, and Friday, and Saturday? A couple hours one or two days a week isn't gonna cut it. Not for me anyway. I am an all or nothing kind of person, either I give it my all, or I'm giving nothing at all!
And what's sad is that most of the churches that have been able to retain a few kids for whatever reasons are only raising up another generation of themselves.
People who get spiritually high every Sunday and Wednesday, barely make it through the week, and come back again for another dose the next Sunday. (And if there's a bonus revival, it'll last... hey, maybe even two or three weeks!) It's harsh, but it's reality. I don't want that, and is this really what christianity is about?
Where is the love, the life, the purpose and fulfillment they are searching for? Is it in modern American christianity? No, it's not.
What do they do then? They find temporary love, purpose and fulfillment, in other things. (As we see through their lives...)
Jesus and the believers in the bible preached "the Kingdom". They preached that God's kingdom is NOW, "on earth as it is in heaven", that you don't have to wait until heaven to live, to be resurrected to a new life in Him. According to the bible, believers have died already and been resurrected into new life!
(Romans 6:1-4)
We don't have to wait to live, we can live NOW. We are to live and love now. People get so stuck on their future in heaven, they totally forget their life now on earth. We have to show others that living for Jesus is more than laying down, it's picking up too.
Satan has fooled believers into thinking that if they have the best entertainment in their church that the teens will stay. But it's a trick. It get's the believers focused on their programs and entertainment stuff, and causes them to neglect the necessary things; Believing, preaching, and living the truth- but especially the living. This is a common saying, but it really get's to the heart of things, "Preach the truth, and when necessary use words."
They will know us by our fruit. They will know that we serve and follow a living God when WE live.
I know that I for one am not looking for entertainment, I'm looking for people who really live like Jesus did, like He said to live. And in my search I am realizing more and more just how uncommon these people are.
What most teens/young adults need is not somebody who is going to constantly preach at them (They already KNOW by now for the most part what they are/aren't supposed to do!!!) but somebody who will walk alongside them as they live.
Jesus walked with His disciples, not just taught them. They learned to care for the poor when they saw Him caring for the poor. They learned to love, forgive and do good -even to those who hated them- as they saw Him suffer and die for loving those who hated Him. They learned to live holy lives as they saw Him living a holy life. This is the type of leadership they need, the type of christianity people are searching for! When situations would arise that Jesus saw a lack of understanding or wisdom, THEN He taught them. But much of His preaching was not with words. I mean, think about it. The amount of preaching he did that we read about in the gospels could have been done in how much time? He raised them up by example, taught them with His life, as well as with words.
He also lived with them, so they had accountability. People, of all ages and at all stages of life, HAVE TO HAVE accountability!
And if people know you love and care about them they will be much more likely to come to you with their struggles and temptations.
As somebody who is going to be living the rest of my life with this generation, it would be a relief to see a change of direction! If my generation is this bad, how much worse will my kids' generation be? What will I be up against in raising MY kids?
So PLEASE, we have to change something! Anyone can see where this generation is headed, it doesn't take any statistical genius to figure it out! "If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always gotten!"
Perhaps we should rethink our ways?
It isn't so much "getting them saved", most who have left the church have asked Jesus in their hearts at some point or another. (Now whether they weren't saved in the first place or they somehow aren't anymore I'll let the theologians decide, but the point is they clearly aren't now.) Obviously it's not there we find the problem. It's the life after salvation. Why aren't they sticking to it? I think much of the reason is because they are simply left to the world once they are saved. Nobody walks with them, they don't have true accountability, and like Shane Claiborne said, they've laid their life down at the foot of the cross- and don't know what to pick up. What's next? For those who really did mean it when they gave their lives to Jesus, what's left but services and a list of things they can't do? Is anyone really willing to lay down their life for a dead religion? We have to decide on a new plan of action, a new style of living, because my life, the life of my generation and generations to come depend on it. I challenge YOU no matter how old you are, to take action rather than stand by and watch this generation go down the drain. I'm not giving up, and I'm going to do what I can do, however little that may be. I want to go to the poor and the widows and orphans like Jesus and His disciples did! I want to learn to be like Christ in everything I do. I've laid down my life, and I'm still discovering what I am to pick up, when, and how!
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
"What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him."
Romans 12:1-2
"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice- the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
~Victoria Christine~
They see mainly hypocrisy and lies within the body- and frankly most aren't willing to live a lie, and I gotta respect them for that. They see a group of people who say one thing, and do another.
I'm a teen, and that's what I see. It's just that I have parents who dared to be different and show me that there IS something more.
I believe that there are a number of teens/college age people who are slightly confused because they realize that people were once upon a time willing to die for their faith, and they hear of people in other countries dying for what they believe, but they know that what they see as christianity is nothing worth dying for.
It's ironic that we christians talk about persecution and standing up for what we believe in, or the things we may face in the future because of our belief... but I don't see that ever happening to us in America-- or at least not unless the church drastically changes.
The church is so corrupted by the world that the church pretty much is the world. If we live just like the world- why would we be persecuted by it? But if you start standing up for what you believe in -and living what you preach- you will find yourself hated by the world.
Jesus wasn't lying when He said the world would hate us! (John 15:18-25)
This generation isn't looking for a dead religion. Many have tried the church, or what they think is the church, and they found the people lacking the very life that they preach about.
So they try everything else. They are unhappy, unsettled, and pretty stinkin' bored with life since they really aren't expected to do anything but cause trouble-- an expectation they unfortunately often live up to. (Or would that be considered living down to...?)
Young people are catered to, constantly, and even in churches.
They are expected to do nothing but make immature and stupid decisions. They try everything from sex, to drugs, to find peace, love and fulfillment. Is it any wonder that as the church becomes more and more lukewarm, corrupted, dead and apathetic, that teen pregnancy, cutting, and drugs/alcohol addictions are increasing? If they don't find what they're looking for at church they will look for it somewhere else.
I read recently about a guy (Shane Claiborne) who said in sharing his testimony, "But then you start to think there must be more to Christianity, more than just laying down your life and sins at the foot of the cross. I came to realize that preachers were telling me to lay my life down at the foot of the cross and weren't giving me anything to pick up. A lot of us were hearing 'don't smoke, don't drink, don't sleep around' and naturally started asking, 'okay, well, that was pretty much my life, so what do I do now?'"
And later on in his book (The Irresistible Revolution- awesome book, btw) Shane states, "God forgive us for all those we have lost because we made the gospel boring. I am convinced that if we lose kids to the culture of drugs and materialism, of violence and war, it's because we don't dare them, not because we don't entertain them. It's because we make the gospel too easy, not because we make it too difficult. Kids want to do something heroic with their lives, which is why they play video games and join the army. But what are they to do with a church that teaches them to tiptoe through life so they can arrive safely at death?"
What about the rest of our lives? What about Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, and Thursday, and Friday, and Saturday? A couple hours one or two days a week isn't gonna cut it. Not for me anyway. I am an all or nothing kind of person, either I give it my all, or I'm giving nothing at all!
And what's sad is that most of the churches that have been able to retain a few kids for whatever reasons are only raising up another generation of themselves.
People who get spiritually high every Sunday and Wednesday, barely make it through the week, and come back again for another dose the next Sunday. (And if there's a bonus revival, it'll last... hey, maybe even two or three weeks!) It's harsh, but it's reality. I don't want that, and is this really what christianity is about?
Where is the love, the life, the purpose and fulfillment they are searching for? Is it in modern American christianity? No, it's not.
What do they do then? They find temporary love, purpose and fulfillment, in other things. (As we see through their lives...)
Jesus and the believers in the bible preached "the Kingdom". They preached that God's kingdom is NOW, "on earth as it is in heaven", that you don't have to wait until heaven to live, to be resurrected to a new life in Him. According to the bible, believers have died already and been resurrected into new life!
(Romans 6:1-4)
We don't have to wait to live, we can live NOW. We are to live and love now. People get so stuck on their future in heaven, they totally forget their life now on earth. We have to show others that living for Jesus is more than laying down, it's picking up too.
Satan has fooled believers into thinking that if they have the best entertainment in their church that the teens will stay. But it's a trick. It get's the believers focused on their programs and entertainment stuff, and causes them to neglect the necessary things; Believing, preaching, and living the truth- but especially the living. This is a common saying, but it really get's to the heart of things, "Preach the truth, and when necessary use words."
They will know us by our fruit. They will know that we serve and follow a living God when WE live.
I know that I for one am not looking for entertainment, I'm looking for people who really live like Jesus did, like He said to live. And in my search I am realizing more and more just how uncommon these people are.
What most teens/young adults need is not somebody who is going to constantly preach at them (They already KNOW by now for the most part what they are/aren't supposed to do!!!) but somebody who will walk alongside them as they live.
Jesus walked with His disciples, not just taught them. They learned to care for the poor when they saw Him caring for the poor. They learned to love, forgive and do good -even to those who hated them- as they saw Him suffer and die for loving those who hated Him. They learned to live holy lives as they saw Him living a holy life. This is the type of leadership they need, the type of christianity people are searching for! When situations would arise that Jesus saw a lack of understanding or wisdom, THEN He taught them. But much of His preaching was not with words. I mean, think about it. The amount of preaching he did that we read about in the gospels could have been done in how much time? He raised them up by example, taught them with His life, as well as with words.
He also lived with them, so they had accountability. People, of all ages and at all stages of life, HAVE TO HAVE accountability!
And if people know you love and care about them they will be much more likely to come to you with their struggles and temptations.
As somebody who is going to be living the rest of my life with this generation, it would be a relief to see a change of direction! If my generation is this bad, how much worse will my kids' generation be? What will I be up against in raising MY kids?
So PLEASE, we have to change something! Anyone can see where this generation is headed, it doesn't take any statistical genius to figure it out! "If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always gotten!"
Perhaps we should rethink our ways?
It isn't so much "getting them saved", most who have left the church have asked Jesus in their hearts at some point or another. (Now whether they weren't saved in the first place or they somehow aren't anymore I'll let the theologians decide, but the point is they clearly aren't now.) Obviously it's not there we find the problem. It's the life after salvation. Why aren't they sticking to it? I think much of the reason is because they are simply left to the world once they are saved. Nobody walks with them, they don't have true accountability, and like Shane Claiborne said, they've laid their life down at the foot of the cross- and don't know what to pick up. What's next? For those who really did mean it when they gave their lives to Jesus, what's left but services and a list of things they can't do? Is anyone really willing to lay down their life for a dead religion? We have to decide on a new plan of action, a new style of living, because my life, the life of my generation and generations to come depend on it. I challenge YOU no matter how old you are, to take action rather than stand by and watch this generation go down the drain. I'm not giving up, and I'm going to do what I can do, however little that may be. I want to go to the poor and the widows and orphans like Jesus and His disciples did! I want to learn to be like Christ in everything I do. I've laid down my life, and I'm still discovering what I am to pick up, when, and how!
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
"What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him."
Romans 12:1-2
"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice- the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
~Victoria Christine~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)