First Step! Not Really…

It is so amazing that even after knowing Christ for almost 20 years and following after him for the last 8 or nine years, he still can show us something new.  I can remember when I was young and in my teens, the promise I made that I would “never” get up and speak in front of people.  Now, my fear was always in that all eyes would be on me.  However, God has used a lot of awesome people in my life to help me realize, speaking in front of people is not about me.  It is about people and their chance to hear how God has worked on healing my heart and what he can do for theirs.  The best advice that I have heard up to this point is just show up and let God make it awesome.  I understand that I can’t just simply show up, I will do my preparation and I will be ready to speak on what God puts on my heart, but that statement takes the feeling of the pressure I put on myself away.   I have always prayed to be the Man of God I have seen my pastor of my church be as well as a few other pastors in my life time.  When I came back from Nicaragua I did feel a difference in my walk and it was in that feeling that the Evil one and my flesh decided to launch a full out attack.  In the end, God prevailed and not only did he protect me fully from the evil, but also from myself.  Then it has seemed at every turn an opportunity to speak about him just pops up.  Well, I have stopped believing in coincidences a long time ago and I know how awesome and just God is.  I am so thankful for the people he has put in my life who have been amazing in my walk, sometimes with the simplest of responses.  I know that God loves his beloved so much and I know he would protect them if what I had to say wasn’t right.  However, it is awesome to see how much he does love me and trust me to share his word and to share it the only way I know how.  Even though, tomorrow’s event is in front of only a few, I am prepared to take my stand and no longer wait on the sideline asking when I can get in.  The truth has been that I am and have been the 1st string guy since the start of this.  It has been on me to trust the gifts he has given me, accept them, let him love me and like a friend told me and reminded me this morning of something I always say ” LET GO and LET GOD!”  Selah!

Who am I?

I ask this question a lot to myself, but recently God has been asking me this.  Its not a comfortable question at all. The reason is the way He asks me the questions. Who am I to think I earn the right to sin, who am I to think my life doesn’t affect others, who am I to think I am not worthy to do His work, who am I to refuse to do His work, who am I to be more afraid of myself then a mighty powerful and real God, who am I to run away in fear of a God who only wants whats best for me, who am I to think my life is my own, who am I to think that running away means God won’t chase after me, who am I to think its always about me, who am I to think I have the right to do as I please, who am I to give advice but not apply it to my life.  I can go on and on, but ultimately God wants an answer and is waiting for my response.  When I think of myself I think of a man who wants so badly to change, but allows the lies of my life to come first, I have never really experienced God’s love fully, actually I have never allowed myself to feel any love for me fully.  The scripture says love your neighbor as you would love yourself.  My prayer is that in my obedience to Jesus this summer I would experience His love fully for the first time and that I would bring that into all of my relationships old and new. Selah!!

Ocho Cinco Project.. My Church is 85!

This was an awesome project to be involved with.  I was able to work with some very close and talented friends.  God took a hold of this project and just blessed it fully.  It was amazing to see how many people really enjoyed it and were touched by the video.  Click on the link below and check out the video on my YouTube Channel  Devoetry Visual.  My church has played an important role in my transformation and growth as a Christian.  I am excited to see how God is choosing to mold the church person by person and moment by moment. Amen!

My church’s Birthday