Last night I had a chance to serve along side the Students In Free Enterprise (The ORU business presentation team) at the Feed My Starving Children event. This organization gets an A+ in my book, and here is why.
This organization goes into third world countries around the world, and feeds children. They make meals by putting things like rice, soy, powdered chicken, and dehydrated veggies into a bag. These bags have all the vitamins and nutrition that a starving child needs to survive and be healthy. One of these bags are enough to feed a child for a week. One of the best parts is that the people that pack them are people like you and I.
This takes me to last night. Our business department and the SIFE team packed up the vans and went to a local church where the event was being held. We were briefed on what we were supposed to be doing, and we got to work!
These are some pictures of the event. Sorry that some of them are blurry, I had to snap them quick, and didn’t get a chance to check them.
(Crazy ORU business students…)
This was an absolutely amazing experience, and we had a chance to make a big impact in the hurting world around us. After the night was over, we packet 36,288 meals, which gives 99 children, a meal a day, for an entire year!So at the end of the night, Our lives were changed, children were fed, and the Lord was glorified. I would say that is a pretty cool night.
If you want to do this in your home town or want more info, click here and it will take you to the Feed My Starving Children website.
What would you give to see a starving child be able to eat?
“Food” for thought.
Filed under Feed my starving children giving food God ORU charity orphans hungry
Empty Words, Empty Worship
I want to tell you a little bit about myself. I am a worshiper. I am a musician. I am a worship leader. I love to spend those intimate experiences in communion with God through singing and playing keyboard. However, I am not always in the right mindset or right attitude for worship.
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” - John 4:23
I feel like more and more Christians have a problem with this very thing. We will be singing worship songs, but we are just going through the motions and not actually meaning what we are saying. Sometimes I find myself singing the song from memory and thinking about something completely different.
This is like lying and making false promises to God. For example, if you sing, “Lord, I give you my heart. I give You my soul. I live for You alone…” yet you don’t mean it, you are lying to the Lord. My opinion, don’t sing it unless you mean it!
Another example that this video makes is to about the pride and performance on stage. Too many worship leaders are on stage and singing for the wrong reasons. The main and only reasons that we should be on stage as worship leaders is to present our gifts to the Lord and worship Him with them, and usher the people into an intimate experience with God. Our job is to set an atmosphere that helps the people focus on the goodness of God and usher them into worship. If we are there to perform, showcase our talents, or have people focus on how good we are… WE NEED TO GET OFF THE STAGE!
We need to revolutionize the way we worship and lead worship. The best way to do this is to be humble, focus on God, and know that it’s not about us! God is the one who needs to be receiving the praise and worship. He is the one that gave us the talents and abilities that we have, and He wants us to use them to bring Him glory.
I know I am ranting but hey, I’m passionate. I hope you like the funny video, and I know it’s extreme. Honestly though, how many people fall prey to this kind of thinking?
So what are your thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Let me hear you! I challenge you to put your opinion on this subject below, or put an example in your own life where you have struggled with this, or maybe you have a story about someone doing it wrong and what they could have done to do it right.
Food for thought.
Filed under fake worship funny God encouragement Christian music worship leading going through the motions video
As the school year is coming to a close, a lot of people are graduating, changing schools, or deciding what they are going to do this summer. The main question that many people are asking during this time is, “Am I doing the right thing?” or “What am I supposed to do now?”
This has been a constant struggle in my mind. I think, “I want to do what God wants me to do, and I want to be fulfilling my purpose, but I don’t know what it is.” I like to plan, be organized, and know exactly what I need to do. However, that is hardly ever the case. As I said in a previous post, the Lord tends to only show me the next step in His plan, and even then it might still be a little fuzzy to me.
So what can you do to plan, prepare, and not go crazy during this time of transition?
Here are a few helpful tips:
1. Ask God for trust rather than clarity.
A man once traveled hundreds of miles to have Mother Teresa pray for him to have clarity. When he asked her, she answered with a resounding, “No!” Shocked, he asked her why she would not, because she seems to always have clarity. She answered, “I never have clarity! I just have trust. So I will pray that you will have trust.”
Too many times we ask God for the solution or the end result instead of trusting Him through the process. Sometimes if we have clarity, we might not go down the path God wants us to. If we trust Him through the process, He will not only take us to the end result, but He will prepare us through the process.
2. Plan, but be flexible.
“We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” - Proverbs 16:9 NLT.
I like to think of it as we give God our “rough draft” then He makes corrections. He gives us a free will, but as we go throughout life it is always good to seek out His correction and guidance.
3. Be at peace and content throughout the process.
The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. -Psalms 29:11
Rest in the Lord as He guides you through this process! Don’t worry, because that will only harm you. Pray that the Lord will give you peace that you are where you are supposed to be, and if you need to move, pray that He would tell you.
So take a deep breath. (No really, do it now. Inhale…. Exhale…) Good! :) Now trust God, be at peace, be flexible, and enjoy life! Living life with God is an exciting journey. So take comfort in knowing that He knows exactly when He wants you to do so you don’t have to know it all!
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.-Jeremiah 29:11
Think about it. Be encouraged.
Filed under fork in the road decisions change God purpose plan trust certainty peace encouragement
One-Liner of the Day: “The freshness of being evaporates under mere repetition.” -Alfred North Whitehead
We all have had a point in our lives where the things that used to be exciting and new get old and dull. If we hear a song over and over it starts to get annoying, and we no longer hear the meaning that the song is meant to portray.
Don’t allow your relationship with the Lord to turn dull and routine. A relationship with God is supposed to consistently be full of growth and change. God doesn’t change, but as we continue to get closer with the Lord, we begin to change and the relationship dynamic begins to change.
God wants to continue to help you grow, and He wants you to sing Him a NEW song.
So what new thing is God challenging you to do? What avenue in your life does He want you to grow in?
Filed under monday God inspiration change old routine Christian fresh growth
One Liner of the Day: “Leaning on your securities is the same thing as being chained down by them.”
Food for thought.
Sometimes we stay in our comfort zones so much that we begin to be limited by them. Where are some areas that you need to go outside of your comfort zone and let go of your earthly securities so that God can take you to a greater level of freedom? Can God use you to the greatest of your potential if you are stuck in your comfort zone?
For a personal story and a “picture from words” on this topic, read this! “Training Wheels”
Filed under comfort zone God freedom security next level inspiration
One Liner of the Day: “YOLO!” (You Only Live Once)
Food for thought.
What does this phrase mean to you? Do you think that this phrase should allow you to ignore logic and caution so that you can experience life “to the fullest”? or do you think that you can still use logic and caution and get the same “effect”? How does keeping eternal life (A life after death) in mind effect this?
Comment below. What do you think?
Filed under yolo inspire inspiration God eternal life life logic
One Liner of the Day: “Enjoy today as you prepare for tomorrow.” -Eric Smith, Plan with Purpose
My roommate makes an excellent point here. Too many times we get so caught up in trying to prepare for the future, that our “now” is filled with stress and anxiety.
Prepare, but don’t freak out!
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” -Matthew 6:27,33-34
As you see in the scripture above, Jesus encourages us not to “freak out”, but to focus on what He wants us to do with our lives. This is a day by day process.
The way that God works with me is He shows me the next step I need to take, and not much more. I have to trust that in the end, this path that He is leading me on is right where He wants me. It is only when I take that step does the next step become clear.
So don’t worry about what tomorrow holds! Prepare for tomorrow by focusing on what God has for you to do today, because He is leading you on a path of preparation for tomorrow.
What are you freaking out about now that you need to give to God? In what areas of your life do you need to focus more on God then trying to figure out all the answers?
Food for thought.
If you would like to read more about finding your purpose, or just another really awesome and encouraging blog, Great! Because it’s right here.
Filed under purpose stress worry peace God inspiration prepare preparation focus goals
