Dont Blink

This morning at my church Pastor Jon continued our series-Relationship Revolution. PJ spoke on parenting. Why would I decide to blog after hearing a message on parenting? I'm not a parent. No but I have them and I know A LOT of kids who have them, or the lack there of. He shared how quickly your kids can grow up. Well me, I'm on the reverse end of the spectrum-I'm the kid. The one who grows up in the 'blink of an eye.' All the days of being little and having no responsibility are gone. Youre only little for a short time, enjoy it while you can, be thankful for the little things. While my parents have watched me grow up fast, all the time I have with them has gone by fast. Im graduated and going to college, when did that happen? Over a short 14 or so years I've went from the little kid in sunday school to God blessing me with an awesome church where he's implemented me as a leader and drawn me deeper into his arms than I ever thought possible..who blinked? Was it me or my parents?

I don't want to ever come to a place where I take God's blessing for granted. Lately some of those blessings hes been dealing with for me, are my parents. They are AMAZING!!!! God is so great to bless me in this way. So that is one of the first things I got out of the message.

Pastor Jon also shared some things that some jr highers shared anonymously in relation to their parents. They said how much it hurt when their mom or dad dissaproved, or things like "my parents say I never tell them that I love them, but I do and they just never listen." Things like this. Their notes broke my heart. As I was thinking about that, and how many hurting people produce hurting kids God spoke to me. While any parents makes mistakes, God's grace covers all mistakes, but you have to go to him and repent and turn from your sinful ways. So for the kids and teens and now adults who have had hard relationships with their parents I pray for! God will fill the needs in his children's lives. Those whose parents werent always there, whose dad left, whose mom never listens, God will bring others into you life! If the parents dont come to a place of humbling themselves before God and heading down the right path God will bring those role models, the ones who will invest their time, love and heart into these hurting kids. God is the ultimate Father to the fatherless. He is so merciful that he hears the 14 year old daughter's cries for a father that loves her, and he comes in to fill the need then puts a godly man of integrity in her life to show her that she deserves better. The son that tries his best to impress his father but just gets beat later that night is restored to his Heavenly father and sees that he doesnt have to follow suit, he can break the cycle. God will hold up the weak, there is always hope in him, but he wants us as christains to do our part.

God spoke to my heart through the Jr Highers comments. He said "You hear that, you say you want to be the face of love to the people around you? You want to reach out with my hands, have my heart? This breaks my heart. My children are hurting and you can be one of those who fills the void." yeah. Soak that in. Every kind word I say to the hurting, every hug and smile is a balm that can be placed on their hurting hearts. God wants us to reach out, why not start out with the ones you see every week. While I cant be a mom to these people, I can love on them. I can let God work on my selfish tendancies and show my to love even more unconditionally. God please do that!

In conlcusion, if you can, jump on itunes.com and search for Resurrection Life Chruch of Richland and listen to these messges. God is awesome. I am going to be thankful for the little things and not take it all for advantage. I'm going to look at the Jr Highers in a different light, not in a pity, but genuine compassion and love knowing that God can use me to heal the hurts they have. Lastly, I'm not going to blink.

God, I can hardly find words to tell you whats on my heart. Thank you for how youve spoken to me and numerous others on all of this. HELP me to be more thankful, more selfless. God I SOOOOO want to be someone to love on those who are hurting. Help me to not get selfish and prideful, let me always look for ways to be used by you. Ways to make the lasting impression on the people around me. Ways to tell others about you, to leave a lasting legacy. Help me to store up gold and silver not just stray. Lord you are so loving, so merciful, thank you that we can always be redeemed in you..God no words can say it better than THANK YOU. Use us God!