Understand Who You Are - Advice for Everyone (but mostly kids)

Dear Child, understand who you are in Christ. Nurture yourself while you are young. Learn what God's word says, so you may be evangelistically bold in the Spirit. But learn more than just His word, learn to worship Him in all you do. Learn to seek His presence, and walk in it. Learn to hear His voice, that you may know Him when He calls. For without His guidance your own feet will surely lead you astray.

Music - You Are More

This video is awesome, a great illustration of how powerful God's love is, how much bigger He is than everything, and how He washes away our sins!

Bible Study - Acts 12

God delivered Peter from his shackles, how much more can He free you of your troubles? (And yes, I am talking to you, the one who just told yourself that that last rhetorical question has nothing to do with you... It has everything to do with you!)
We need to realize that everything, every talent and ability, every penny, every piece of knowledge that we hold claim to, has come from God. Without God, we would still be in the ground, and would be accomplishing nothing. We would be nothing but dirt. Therefore, everything you do,  do it in worship of Him who created you, and know that nothing can hold Him back.

The Olympic Dream

Two years ago, during the 2012 London Summer Olympics, God told me that I would be there one day. Many a tear was shed as I watched records be broken, and metals being placed around the neck of U.S. athletes. I mostly watched swimming and gymnastics, neither of which are my sport. I really didn't ever watch any of my events, but that doesn't matter. 

At this point in my recovery from my concussion I feel as if I will never get back to my normal self. That I will never really be able to compete again at a high level. On Friday night I was reminded of God's promise as my family and I watched the opening ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. It was a very emotional evening for me, and there were some tears. But I now have hope, a bigger reason to believe that I will again be who I once was.

I know that God has huge things for me in the future, and that gives me something to look forward to as I am training both physically and spiritually.


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.

It is so good to know that this not only applies to my sports life, but also to my life in general. Every season of my life, God will bring me through, and I will be stronger each time.

Love Your Brothers and Sisters - Advice for Everyone (but mostly kids)

As you are growing up you will make friends, many will betray you, many will leave you, and few will stick with you. It is important to have good friends who you know will never leave you. They may be hard to find, but you will find them, and they will stick with you through all you do. These friends you will call your brothers and sisters. As they are very important to you, love them will all your heart. The bible says that if you say you love God, but hate your brother, you are a liar. Don't be a liar, love your brothers and sisters. This applies to your actual brothers and sisters too, because you will have so few true friends, your siblings are your stronghold later in life. But if you spend your childhood hating them, you will not be able to confide in them when you are older.

Bible Study - Acts 11

We can be so single minded that we demand explanation for why someone went to eat with the non Christian people. But in reality, we need to do more of that. Don't get me wrong, it is good to spend good quality time with other Christians. But we are called to share the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ, not sit in our own secluded circle. Jesus spent His time here loving on the sinners, why should we do any different!?

Do Something - I challenge you, next time you see someone sitting by themselves, go over and talk to them, pray for them. If they reject you, go away knowing that you tried! All it takes is a little bit of faith!

Bible Study - Acts 10

As we go through our lives we see people who we, automatically without thought, deem incapable of receiving God the Father. But in Acts 10 God tells Peter not to judge people so. God created everything, therefore everything is clean, it is only the Devil that makes it unclean. 

 Romans 8:31 says "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

We have no reason to fear the Devil in others. So why don't we take a stand for what we believe, and trust that God will catch us when we fall?