Faith Like a Child...

What if we had a literal faith like a child??
What would that look like??

What if we truly believed that Jesus lives inside of us??
What if we seriously believed that concept??
The same God who conquered death, gave the blind sight, and had a love that never ended lives inside of His followers!!!
That thought alone gives me chills up my arm...

Now...
think if we lived out this truth in our daily lives...
what would that look like for us??

I know for me it would mean having more faith...
it would mean living like there is no tomorrow...
it would mean living a radical life...
a life of sacrifice and selflessness...


What do you think?
What would it look like if you had a faith like a child??
What would your life look like if you fully believed that Jesus lives inside of you and is yearning for you to let him take control?? from the inside out...


The apostles said to the Lord "Increase our faith!" (Luke 17:5)

Trying Too Hard..

I think I try too hard sometimes...
I start to think that I need to do things in order for God to be present in my life...
I start to believe that if I'm not being solid in my devos that He can't use me...
I'm starting to wonder now if it's my own fault that I can't feel God at all times in my life...

But alas I remember...
I remember that it is not about me...
it's not about what I've done...or not done
I start to remember that He has everything under control...
I can't change the Creator's plans...
and I definitely can't hinder them...
no matter how bad I screw up...

Thank You God! For always being my God. For giving me the opportunity to serve you through youth ministry. For giving me second chances. For the friends I have that continually challenge me...whether they know it or not...

life in transition...

God is on the move again in my life.
A time of transition is approaching as summer comes to a close.
I'll be living in a new place. A new community.
A new job is on the horizon (even though I don't know where that is quite yet)
And even new ministries may be down my alley.

God I ask for Your wisdom. I ask that you would guide my decisions and keep my mind clear.
I give You full control! And I ask that Your will be done, not my own.
You are an amazing God and I thank you for this season of my life!!

my prayer this Sunday night...

God!
Sometimes I don't know what you're doing...
Sometimes I think this isn't a good idea...

But I know You have everything under control...
I know You have a plan...

I ask that You speak through me to these kids...
I ask that these kids would see You and not me...

Give me passion!!
Give me energy!!


Let Your will be done!
not mine..

the summer so far...

It has been a very interesting summer so far.
It started out with a lot of expectations and a lot of energy.
We're just about half way through the summer and already so much has happened.
There's been a road trip from California to Michigan with Chrissy.
A camping trip with my camp kids at Camp Geneva.
An awesome 4th of July weekend.
Camp Rock (mon - thur)
Good times with family and friends the whole time as well.

This summer has definitely been full of "unexpecteds"...
It seemed that many things this summer were going to be as close to perfect as possible..
but God has proved my assumptions wrong again...

I seem to always get caught up thinking that my life is supposed to be easy and always the way I want it.
Then God always seems to smack me in the head and say, "Joe! you know this is not about you right? I have everything under control. Stop thinking you know best! because you don't."

I am still working on remembering that God knows best and that I am always in need of a little more faith.

Hope you all are having a great summer so far.

Keep seeking the Kingdom first!

Joe

One flight and one lady's story...

The first part of my trip out west was an interesting one. I was running on 3 hours of sleep and feeling a little sick. But God placed an elderly woman in the seat next to me and my curiosity got the best of me. I asked her a few questions and I ended up hearing her life’s story before we landed in Minneapolis. She shared about her family mostly and how she hadn’t seen her son in 16 years before this trip. She was such a happy lady and she found so much contentment in the simple things of life. She didn’t brag about having money or a fancy car or the newest cell phone or anything, instead she boasted about her relationships and the people she loved. All I did was listen; I maybe said ten words total the whole flight, all of that listening made me wonder though…
What am I boasting in?
What am I finding value in?
In school?
In my job?
In my relationships?
In God?

It was obvious that this older lady valued her relationships, as that is all she talked about.
I pray that I value my relationship with God the same way that lady valued her relationships with her family. I hope that it’s obvious that I am His child and that I love Him more than I love myself.

my prayer for tonight...

God,
I thank you for this life you have given me...
You are such an awesome God...

I pray for my friends...
Guide and direct their lives...
provide for their needs...
speak to their hearts and be real in their lives...
convict their hearts..

I pray for my family...
Help my family be humble...
give them the strength to get through the day...
work in their hearts...
open their minds...

I pray that you will help my faith grow...
Help me grow into the man you've created me to be...
Help me love others, because I know I can't love them on my own...


I love you Father!
You are so good!
I don't know how I've done it without you before..
You are our all in all.

Amen.