I never expected that my life would end up the way it has, and it's not even close to being over! I remember the night I felt God calling me into the ministry. I remembered part of me thought I was loosing my mind! Funny enough, you have to be pretty crazy to go into the ministry! Although, it is the best crazy any person could ever be.
I never would have imagined the obstacles I have faced, I'm only 21 and have been in for 4 years in February. I can look back and see how I have been attacked in various ways, but I can also see where God has protected and provided for me! The crazy thing is that most of the blessings and provisions from God haven't been from a crazy, awesome, extravagant miracle. They have been consistent little provisions. I swear he has taken my family's finances and is multiplying it like he did the bread and fish. That does not mean that we are wealthy, but every surprise bill we get we are able to pay and not be broke. We aren't having to struggle to live from paycheck to paycheck. This is the example I use because at this time it is the most prominent. We are in the middle of trying to buy a house and pay for a baby. God doesn't show up with great big flashing signs or a big check from publishers clearing house (or whatever that's called). Remember the whisper in the wind?...
1 Kings 19:11-13
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?
This post is not about me or for anyone to say how good or _________ (fill in the blank) I am. I want to take a moment and recognize how glorious God is! It's just that the best examples I have are ones from my very own life. I was in all reality a no body, and guess what?! I am still a no body, but I have the best some body living inside of me!!
Psychology has always interested me, and what I have noticed is that a depressed or anxious person can be helped, but my word it is so much greater is they have hope! This year there was an instance in which a school lost a student so my youth pastor and I went and visited. The first girl we spoke to reminded me so much of how I used to be! The only answer I have for situations is God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit! It breaks my heart to think about all of the people trying to survive life without hope. It seems pointless, sadly enough those people think so too. Way too often someone gets too tired of it, too hopeless and acts upon those emotions.
Please hear this, if you do not know the hope and love I am speaking of, you can! It can change your life! Don't think that you have to get things right before you can have it, because Jesus just wants you to come to him the way you are! Yes, there will be changes that will take place in your life, but they will never and should never be thrusted upon you by other people. God wants a personal relationship with you, just as you are now. Whatever and whenever changes come, you will be glad to make them. Romans 10:9 says that if you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, and confess with your mouth that God raised him from the dead then you will be saved! Now, don't think this is a quick fix to any problem you might have. Go back to the beginning of this blog and re-read how I said there are things that we will go through. Also remember how you now have the most supreme being fighting for you. The victory is already won!
If you ARE A CHRISTIAN here this, you have a responsibility too. We are to be examples of our Savior. He keeps no records of wrongs, nor is he jealous. He is love. We are to be love...to EVERYONE, from our closest of friend to the stranger in the store. God is wanting to awaken his children to see the world as he sees it, to love people as he loves them. We have no excuses. Too often I hear the ole "we have a sinful nature" thing. Yes we do, but we also have a Christ who died and was resurrected to Give us his righteousness to live with NO EXCUSES!! Read Colossians 2:9-12.
We all have to ask ourselves if we are willing to live like that... if not, well that is so sad! Go read one of very first posts titled Why Awakening?!. Will you be willing to step out on absolutely nothing, and allow God to provide the something that is needed? Do you have the hope in God to believe even in total darkness?!
~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford
Awaken Logo
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Awakening in Our Students
I really feel like God burdened me with this and the only thing I know to do is share it. Please if you are a parent, please take a moment and read this.
I was standing in a line the other day and there were some teenagers behind me. They were talking, but their conversation was not concealed or private at all. I could hear every word they said. As I am hearing these students talk about people, smacking, drinking, sex and other people my heart broke!
It was like I realized that even the "good kids" are falling into the same trap as the rest of the world. Parents let me say this, your student may be the most respectful and grateful teenager around, but that does not mean that they are making the rig decisions. What broke my heart even more than realizing what choices our students are making was realizing the standards our parents and the world are holding our students to.
I don't want this to be a post about how horrible everyone is, that IS NOT my intention. The purpose of this is a wake up call. This is the Awakening blog. We need to wake up and hold our students to higher standards! Someone told me last week that all teenagers will go through a rebellious party stage. That is false!!!! There are 2 young ladies that I know who have NEVER gone through that, they are both college aged. I have personally had a conversation with one of them and told her how I want my children to have a testimony like hers! This is also a wake up call to the students, you CAN make good decisions. In my bible study, this weeks scriptures have been all about how we have been given EVERYTHING we need to live a HOLY life!
I work with students and I want every one of them to make only good choices! I want parents to not accept that their students are "just going through a rebellious stage" or that "they're just teenagers". Those thoughts make me want to jump right out of my skin!
So please understand that there are people out there who have faith in your students! I know a youth pastor who is extremely passionate about your students and will do whatever it takes to help them. I will do everything I can! Students, you have a power inside of you that will help you overcome anything! You simply have to accept it!
~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford
I was standing in a line the other day and there were some teenagers behind me. They were talking, but their conversation was not concealed or private at all. I could hear every word they said. As I am hearing these students talk about people, smacking, drinking, sex and other people my heart broke!
It was like I realized that even the "good kids" are falling into the same trap as the rest of the world. Parents let me say this, your student may be the most respectful and grateful teenager around, but that does not mean that they are making the rig decisions. What broke my heart even more than realizing what choices our students are making was realizing the standards our parents and the world are holding our students to.
I don't want this to be a post about how horrible everyone is, that IS NOT my intention. The purpose of this is a wake up call. This is the Awakening blog. We need to wake up and hold our students to higher standards! Someone told me last week that all teenagers will go through a rebellious party stage. That is false!!!! There are 2 young ladies that I know who have NEVER gone through that, they are both college aged. I have personally had a conversation with one of them and told her how I want my children to have a testimony like hers! This is also a wake up call to the students, you CAN make good decisions. In my bible study, this weeks scriptures have been all about how we have been given EVERYTHING we need to live a HOLY life!
I work with students and I want every one of them to make only good choices! I want parents to not accept that their students are "just going through a rebellious stage" or that "they're just teenagers". Those thoughts make me want to jump right out of my skin!
So please understand that there are people out there who have faith in your students! I know a youth pastor who is extremely passionate about your students and will do whatever it takes to help them. I will do everything I can! Students, you have a power inside of you that will help you overcome anything! You simply have to accept it!
~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Thirty, Sixty, or a Hundred Times!!
Have you ever heard the parable of the sower (good soil)? Oh you haven't?! Well here you go!
Mark 4
4 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”...
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
Mark 4
4 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”...
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
This is a great great story! The cool thing about the Bible is that we're told that parable (vv. 4-8) then it is explained to us (vv.13-20)! I read this and relate to the good soil. I know that I have heard and accepted God's word. I know that I have grown in it and have became rooted and established in my faith. So then I begin to think, am I producing a crop that is multiplying the seeds that have been given to me?
I know that there has been an abundant amount sown into my life and who I am. From the very first Sunday I ever sat in Life Church to this very day, I am surrounded by pastors and co-workers who sown seeds into my life everyday! Am I doing them justice? I know that I have had the opportunity and privilege to impact a few lives, but has the crop from my faith even produced the same amount of seed that's been sown into me? Not to mention doubling or tripling it! The thought of it being multiplied by sixty or even a hundred times rattles me, in a good way! This is a challenge that I get to face, and I am okay with it. I want to produce thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was given to me!
But this is also a challenge that you get to face, and everyone else in the world. What type of soil will you be? You see I know some people who are like the path, they do everything in their power to try to argue with or tear apart God. All you can do is pray for those type of people.
Then there's the rocky soil. Oh believe me I know some of them! They are very emotionally driven people who are more like a roller coaster than anything else. You may be one of those type of people. The best advice I have for you is to take back control! My pastor once preached about how so often we "follow our hearts", but our hearts are evil things. Instead, we need to lead our hearts! There is a book called Who Switched Off My Brain, it is a fabulous book that explains to us how our minds work and the process all of our thoughts go through. This book also tells us how we can fix the way our brains work. We are not a victim to our mind. I have family members who are like the rocky soil. At one time time they were in church and their lives seemed to be great, then the sun came out and now they are no where to be found.
My understanding of the thorns is the people we hang around. The plant couldn't grow and produce fruit because of it's surroundings. Sometimes our hearts can be right, but we are too unwilling to let go of our friends so we end up dying anyway. If you are the good soil and you know someone who is in thorny soil then make an effort to invite them to hang out with you. You never know what that can do for someone...
So the question is posed, what type of soil are you? If you're one of the first three (path, rocky or thorny), what type of soil do you want to be? Romans 12 tells us that we are to renew our minds. This renewal is a way that we can change our hearts. If you aren't the good soil but want to be, first make sure that Jesus is your savior. Romans 10:9 says that if you believe with your heart that Jesus is Lord, and confess with your mouth that God raised him from the dead then you will be saved. That is the absolute BEST choice you can ever make!
Next comes the process of sanctification, the relationship with Jesus and allowing him to convict you. But know this, you can feel conviction and not change a thing. YOU must decide to give into that conviction. It can be very difficult at times, you are essentially killing your flesh so a part of you is dying. Make sure you stay in your word and in your quiet time with Jesus!
What would this world look like if the majority of the population was good soil that was producing thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was sown?!
~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford
I know that there has been an abundant amount sown into my life and who I am. From the very first Sunday I ever sat in Life Church to this very day, I am surrounded by pastors and co-workers who sown seeds into my life everyday! Am I doing them justice? I know that I have had the opportunity and privilege to impact a few lives, but has the crop from my faith even produced the same amount of seed that's been sown into me? Not to mention doubling or tripling it! The thought of it being multiplied by sixty or even a hundred times rattles me, in a good way! This is a challenge that I get to face, and I am okay with it. I want to produce thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was given to me!
But this is also a challenge that you get to face, and everyone else in the world. What type of soil will you be? You see I know some people who are like the path, they do everything in their power to try to argue with or tear apart God. All you can do is pray for those type of people.
Then there's the rocky soil. Oh believe me I know some of them! They are very emotionally driven people who are more like a roller coaster than anything else. You may be one of those type of people. The best advice I have for you is to take back control! My pastor once preached about how so often we "follow our hearts", but our hearts are evil things. Instead, we need to lead our hearts! There is a book called Who Switched Off My Brain, it is a fabulous book that explains to us how our minds work and the process all of our thoughts go through. This book also tells us how we can fix the way our brains work. We are not a victim to our mind. I have family members who are like the rocky soil. At one time time they were in church and their lives seemed to be great, then the sun came out and now they are no where to be found.
My understanding of the thorns is the people we hang around. The plant couldn't grow and produce fruit because of it's surroundings. Sometimes our hearts can be right, but we are too unwilling to let go of our friends so we end up dying anyway. If you are the good soil and you know someone who is in thorny soil then make an effort to invite them to hang out with you. You never know what that can do for someone...
So the question is posed, what type of soil are you? If you're one of the first three (path, rocky or thorny), what type of soil do you want to be? Romans 12 tells us that we are to renew our minds. This renewal is a way that we can change our hearts. If you aren't the good soil but want to be, first make sure that Jesus is your savior. Romans 10:9 says that if you believe with your heart that Jesus is Lord, and confess with your mouth that God raised him from the dead then you will be saved. That is the absolute BEST choice you can ever make!
Next comes the process of sanctification, the relationship with Jesus and allowing him to convict you. But know this, you can feel conviction and not change a thing. YOU must decide to give into that conviction. It can be very difficult at times, you are essentially killing your flesh so a part of you is dying. Make sure you stay in your word and in your quiet time with Jesus!
What would this world look like if the majority of the population was good soil that was producing thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was sown?!
~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
What Do You Hear?!
Today I began to write my post and half way through it realized that post is for a different day. I've been reading in the book of Mark. Today I read chapter 4. There is some great great stuff in there, but there's one thing specific that stuck out to me today for the Awakening!
Mark 4:24-25 (NIV)
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
This is telling us to consider carefully what we hear, because once we her it we are held accountable to it. Once we hear that we'll be fired for doing something, then we do it. We're going to be fired. We can't say I didn't know, we heard the rule. (Granted you're boss may be compassionate with you, but that's not the point here.)
Some people say ignorance is bliss. Well no, that's just ignorant. Sometimes I think that people hold onto that idea because once you have knowledge then you are to be responsible with it. It's easier to be irresponsible. Don't you know that's why we should just be young and dumb?! WRONG!!
I work in youth ministry and I see all the time teenagers just doing "what teenagers are supposed to do". That's not biblical! The word teenager isn't even a word until the sixties or seventies. The Bible says that we are either a man/woman or child. But what is even more saddening, there are plenty of young adults and adults who still want to act like "teenagers", young and dumb, ignorant.
Verse 25 says that whoever has will be given more, BUT whoever does not have, will get even the small amount of what they have taken away. Which would you rather have, more or less than nothing? There is power in knowledge. You just have to be willing to be responsible with it.
Luke 12:18 (NLT) When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
Luke 12:18 (NLT) When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
I hope this has encouraged and empowered you! Let yourself hunger and thirst after knowledge and truth! Seek and you will find!
~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford
Monday, November 12, 2012
Are You a Friend?!
My mind begins to form a spiderweb of thoughts. Friendship. Fellowship. Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Ladies of Life is meeting tonight. How wonderful it is that we have all of those ladies coming together and growing in their walks with each other! Our GMG McAlester Bible Study, an even smaller group of ladies meeting together weekly to discuss, discover, and bond!
All of these thoughts are provoked, then I give them some attention as I feel God is trying to tell me something. You see, my spiderweb of thoughts wouldn't have always looked like that. I was raised with different mindsets, weather they were meant to be implicated upon me or not. Before the spiderweb would have had things like, 'no one knows me', 'I don;t have friends', 'you can't trust people', or 'I'm a nobody and will never be anyone'. My heart begins to ache, wondering how many people in that room were thinking those things. Then I have to wonder how many people of the world think those things. It saddens me because I know the effect of those thought. I know how discouraged you feel when you think like that. But there is a point God is trying to get across our brains!
For one, you are somebody. You are somebody spectacular and fabulous and very unique. You were created with a purpose! Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;" Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Then I felt God wanting to encourage his children! 'Get up, go! Say hello to someone! Step out! You are wonderful and fabulous, I created you a masterpiece [Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.] so go show someone!' Another mindset that I ended up with, and had to put a lot of effort into breaking, was one that said 'I can't go talk to someone else, they're too good for me. If I am going to talk to anyone, they must come talk to me first'. This is dangerous. While you are thinking this you are feeling vulnerable and unworthy, but how it comes off is conceded and snotty.
We are to pick up our crosses (Luke 9:23). But we must not see the cross post resurrection, we must look at this pre death. The cross is like our electric chair or lethal injection, except much more agonizing. Right before that charge in Luke we are told to deny ourselves. So as torturous as it may seem, try stepping out of your comfort zone and talking to someone new.
My youth pastor preached a sermon that contained this statement, "you cannot give what you do not have". Taking that thought and applying it to this one we end up with "If you want to gain a friend, you must first be a friend". So I pose this question, Are you a friend?!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)