The Only Thing I'm Sure Of

    You ever have one of those nights? You know, the ones where you can't sleep because your mind is going. Or maybe your body just hurts. Or for some other reason you just can't sleep. Yeah, that’s been happening to me a lot lately.

   I did a lot of reflection on my life. That was good and I didn't dwell on it too much. But now I'm struggling with the future. I am a creature of habit. I like it when I have a plan and know what's going to happen. I can deal with change, but I don't like a lot of changes at once. 

   That's where my head is at. I'm laying in bed with a tired mind that won't stop. I'm laying in my bed with a body that is physically exhausted from work. But I can't sleep. I know I need it. I know that God is with me, and I don't need to fear or overthink things. But I can't sleep.

   I lay here wondering. Wondering where I should live. Wondering what will happen with my relationship next. Wondering if I should stay at my job or find a new one. Wondering if I should continue coaching. Wondering why my social life is pretty much nonexistent. Wondering why my body hurts so much. Wondering why I can feel negative thoughts that I don't like creeping in. Wondering about pretty much every aspect of my life. I lay here wondering.

   And, as I wonder, I begin to wonder what I should do at this immediate moment. Should I keep trying to sleep? Should I read, pray, talk to God, sing, continue my trains of thought? The thought that kept interrupting those thoughts was the song lyrics, "oh no you never let go." And that thought helped open a new thought train.

   What am I sure of? Honestly, not much. I don't know if I will live in this apartment for the rest of the year, if I will stay in this job, if I will keep coaching, if I will make new friends, or if I will live through the night. Yeah, sometimes the thoughts are kind of morbid. There was nothing I was sure of. Except, that God is with me.

   I had that thought then peace washed over me. I was only sure of one thing and that was God. He's there. He's with me I the good and the bad. He's with me when I'm overthinking things. He's with me as I sit here in the dark typing this. And he has a plan for me. He's got one for you too.

   So, as I sit here in the dark, I haven't figured out much. I don't have a plan. And, if I'm being honest, that doesn't bring me much comfort. But there is someone who is comforting me right now. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, you can have his comfort too. And you can be sure of one thing, or I should say, one person: God.

https://youtu.be/-Pch1_467pM

The World's Turned Upside-down

   One weekend I began watching Hamilton. There's a song lyric in that musical that says, "the world's turned upsidedown." They were talking about how the Colonists shouldn't have beaten the British. Now nothing makes sense.

   I got to thinking about that. In many ways it seems like the world has turned upside down again nowadays. In fact, it happened that weekend after I re-watched Hamilton. I'm not really into politics but my husband is. He talked about how normally it is the Republicans who want war and the Democrats who want peace. Usually it is the Democrats who want to save the environment. Once Trump introduced RFK Jr. as endorsing him that flipped. 

   Then, also on that weekend, my pastor said the world is turning upside down. Then he began to talk about some of the things going on in the world and how it's just going to get crazier.

   If you don't know the world is going to turn upside down, just read Revelation. Family will turn on family, there will be so much wickedness, natural disasters will be rampant, there will be talk of a one world government with one currency. The world will turn upside down. Some signs are already here, just look around.

   We know it's going to happen because that's what God said would happen. So what do we do? Should we panic? Should we become preppers and look out for only ourselves? No, that's not why we were put on this earth.

   Matthew 24:14 says, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." This verse, and other verses, tells us what we are to do. We are to preach the good news. It's good because it's from God. It's good because we have hope because of it. We know that no matter what happens in this crazy upsidedown world, God is with us. And the worst thing that can happen to us? We die. When we die, we go to be with Christ. We should want to spread that news to everyone so all can be saved from the prince (Satan) of this crazy upsidedown world.

   So, knowing all of this, what are you doing about it? Are you spreading the good news?

The Abyss

    You are walking along minding your own business. Suddenly, a large area of blackness is out before you. It calls to you. The doubts in your head rise out if it. Your fears claw up the side and into your head. Anger begins to boil in you. It's in you and calling out to you from the abyss as well. The anger toward yourself for doubting, for sinning. The anger from what that person did to you. It's there and it begins to consume you. Then the guilt comes. How could you give into doubt, fear, and anger? Depression falls on you like a waterfall. 

   The abyss is calling. It would be so easy to just step in. Just let it take you. It is so much easier than fighting.

   Or, perhaps you are already in the abyss. You just keep falling in the darkness. What's the point of it all anyway? But you face a choice.

   You can choose to fall in. You can choose to keep falling. Or you can choose to grab the wall and climb out.

   The first step is that choice to reach out and grab the wall. But the climb won't be easy. Also, you can't do it on your own. You must call to God. He's the only one who can help you take each step out of the abyss. The abyss is different for all of us. But what we have in common is we need to admit we cannot get out on our own. Isaiah 41:10 says, "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." God holds us up if we choose to follow him, believe in him, and ask for help.

   So, what's your abyss? How can you take steps to get out today?

https://youtu.be/F5Y6G_NMEbc

The Journey of a Ring (Purity Series Conclusion)

   She received me as a gift from her parents at the young age of sixteen. This girl had seen a lot of life, but I had not. I was on her left ring finger for many years since then. Through those years I have been through many events with her. I was a visual reminder of a promise made long ago. A reminder to continue to choose God each day. I am her purity ring.

   Now, this girl had lived somewhat of a sheltered life compared to some. She didn’t know swear words and hadn’t been exposed to many of the darkness’s of the world. But, in time, she would be. High school friends from soccer would open her eyes to some things. I got a bit beat up then. In college she learned more about the world’s darkness. She watched some movies that were not glorifying to God and a few more nicks hit me. 

   She began to grow in God more as her college years went by. Eventually, I moved from her left ring finger to her right ring finger as she began to question her worth. She questioned if anyone would ever love her or care. Thankfully, she did not lose herself or me. But there were times of trials when she was weak that she would watch or read something that gave me a bit of a scuff. Yet, on I stayed even with a few marks.

   After college, her kindergarten students would question if she was married. To them, having a ring on means you are married. It was interesting watching my owner try to explain why she wore me to five-year-olds! Years later she coached at a goalkeeper camp. Her middle school girls asked why she wore me. She told them that I was a purity ring. None of the girls knew what I represented. In shock, my owner explained what purity meant. One of the girls said, “I wish my uncle would have one of those.” It hit my owner hard. It made her sad that people are not being taught about purity and the promises of the Lord. 

   A year later she was coaching at a college. One of her goalies needed a break so she went to step in. As she was trying to step in, she was taking me off so her finger would not get jammed with me on. Suddenly, a ball was shot toward her, and I went flying. She was engrossed in the game and did not realize I had fallen on the turf! 

   After practice, she went to put me back on, but I was not in her pocket! She started to look around on the turf. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Finally, she crouched down and saw my gleam in the sunset. She picked me up and one of her players came over. “Did you find it?” She asked. “Yes,” my owner replied. “I am glad you did not lose it. I know it has sentimental value to you,” the player smiled. My owner looked down at me and smiled. I could tell she was happy to have not lost me, the physical reminder of a promise she made long ago.

   Today, as my owner types this, I am still on her finger. You may not be able to read my text that says “true love waits” as much as you could years ago. I may have a few scuffs here and there, both physical and spiritual. Yet, the promise made remains the same. Each day my owner puts me on, she makes a choice. A choice to choose to follow the way of the Lord, not the way of the world. A choice to be pure in body. A choice to do her best to stay pure in mind. Even if she fails at that, she knows that Christ died for her so she can be pure in Him. Purity is a choice. 

https://youtu.be/kkTrf44rzRA

Visual Examples of Purity

   I am a preschool teacher in a public childcare center. Thus, I do not do much preaching/evangelizing with my actual words there. However, I have also been involved in my church’s Sunday school programs, Vacation Bible Schools, and church camp ministries. Because of this, I learned how to teach younger children the truth about God. One experiment that really helped open the eyes of the kids I was working with was an experiment using bleach.

   I remember talking with the kids about how we are born into the world with a sin nature. We are unclean like this jar. The jar had the word sin on it with water and food coloring (or iodine) in it. Then, when we sin, we become unclean as well. I poured some of the sin container into a different jar labeled “you.” This made the jar labeled “you” to become red. No matter what I do, I cannot get the red to separate from the clear water that was in it before. 

   Then I took at jar with bleach in it labeled “Jesus” and poured some of it into the “you” jar. When you accept Christ as your savior, he comes into your life and cleanses you. I explained this to the kids and asked if anyone wanted to do that. Many of the children did so. I prayed and as I was praying, the jar labeled “you” became clear. When I said, “amen.” The kids’ eyes lit up when they saw that the water was clean again. It was an amazing example of God’s work. 

   The last thing I did was reminded the kids that Jesus was tempted to sin just like we are each day. I poured the rest of the jar labeled “sin” with the food coloring in it into the “Jesus” jar with the bleach in it. But Jesus did not sin. So, the jar labeled “Jesus” stayed clear!

   Jesus can make you pure again no matter what you have done. He is your advocate, brother, and friend. He loves you just as you are, warts and all. Because of that love, he died for you so you could be with him in heaven.

   So, what does this experiment mean to you? How can you practice purity each day? Watch the Eustace clip below and think about how it relates to purity. How does the clip relate to you?

Eustace changed https://youtu.be/InAukk4DuRw 

Sin experiment https://youtu.be/wRefcuICmuM 

https://youtu.be/8z1I7YQwaI8

What If You Are Not Pure Anymore?

   Some of you may be wondering, “is it too late for me? Am I too far gone that I could ever be washed clean, be made pure?” Some of you may have made the choice to sin when you didn’t even know what you were doing was wrong, or a sin. Others of you may have made a conscientious choice. You knew what you were doing was wrong but you chose to gratify your carnal desires for a temporary high. Is it too late for you?

   Here’s the thing. Sin is like a cage, or a jail cell. You are inside it thinking that you are on top of the world but it is a temporary fix. It’s like putting a band aid on a cut then cutting it open again yourself. You are trapped but it doesn’t seem like you are because it’s your choice to keep sinning. Now, you may be saying, “if this is something I can choose to escape then why am I in the cage or jail that is locked?” The door isn’t locked. The door is wide open. You just have to choose to take one step, then another, and another until you are out and free.

   Who opened the door you may be asking? Jesus did. He died to take on the blackness of your sin. If you accept him as your savior and cleanse yourself in his blood then you are free. The chains, the cell, the bondage of sin holds you no more. It cannot be that easy, can it? 1 John 1:9 says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” He forgives our sins and cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness. That time you lied about where you were going. The time you stole candy from the store. When you bought that dope to get high. When you were in your room alone looking at porn. The time you lost your patience and yelled at your family in anger. ALL OF IT IS WASHED AWAY!

   But it is your choice. You can choose to stay in the jail with the door open. Or you can choose God. You can choose purity.

   So, what is your choice? If you have already chosen purity, how can your continue to grow in God and stay pure?

https://youtu.be/3DivZbSv4JI

Why Stay Pure?

   Okay, stay with me on this one. Obviously, there is the simple answer of “God tells us to remain pure.” That is true and a good enough reason why we should stay pure. But that reason hasn’t seemed to convince everyone in the world as many have chosen the path of sin rather than purity. 

   The thing is many of us have fallen so far away from the Lord that we think that this life is all we have. If this life is all we have then should we not carpi diem? Or live life to the fullest? Should we eat, drink and be merry? If this is all we have and all we believe in, then that makes sense.

   But God’s word tells us that death is not the end. In God’s great grace, he sent his son to be a perfect sacrifice for all of our sins. He did this so we could spend eternal life with him, so long as we accept Christ as our savior, believe in him, and confess that we are sinners. John 3:36 tells us “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” God is a God of love. He loves us all. He wants us to all be with him in eternity. Yet, he cannot be with anything unholy. If we are not washed clean by Jesus’ blood, then we will face God’s wrath.

   Some people believe lies. Lies like: “this life is all there is.” “God could never forgive all I have done.” “No one could ever love me because I am unworthy.” “Hell is where all my friends are going, and it will be a party. I don’t want to leave my friends.” They make jokes. They feel depressed. They feel alone. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Even if you take away the argument for God telling us to stay pure, you cannot take away the argument that if there is life after death, and if God tells us there is only one way to gain that life, you must make that choice to follow him or be doomed.

   We must follow the words of Psalm 119:37: “turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.” The things and pleasures of this world are temporary. Even if you are the richest man in the world, even if you have sports cars, a mansion, gold, jewels, the latest technology, and more but you don’t have God you have nothing. You cannot take anything you have on this earth with you into eternity. Money, drugs, alcohol, and other things that bring you temporary pleasure are destroying you. You are losing yourself to a world that lies; you are losing yourself to worthless things. But that’s your choice. You can choose the temporary pleasures of this world, or the pleasures of eternity for all time.

   So, are you staying pure? Have you made the choice to follow Christ or yourself? How can you turn your eyes from worthless things today?

https://youtu.be/6WPRac8xeBU