Uganda 2011 Pics.

Trading Truth for Lies.

Maybe you say you believe the bible, but are your friends, your own desires, or your culture a stronger influence in your life?

Read below and see if you can relate to any of this…

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” -Romans 1:20-32

Man, it is tough reading Romans sometimes because the truth almost feels like a slap in the face. How quickly we exchange truth for lies. We exchange eternal joys for temporary happiness. We exchange peace and freedom for guilt and bondage. We get it so wrong, and so often. We say we believe and then we do what we want, when we want, how we want...and to be honest...it's time we step our game up and live like we believe.

A lot of us have been jaded by imperfect people who have proclaimed to be Christians and failed us, hurt us, let us down...BUT those people are not our PERFECT GOD. He has not failed you. He has given his life for you and paid the penalty for our sin so that we can have eternal life. We can have freedom. Many of us confuse freedom. We think freedom comes in doing what we want, and often ignoring God. I loved JP's example from Tuesday.

Sure you have the freedom to play the piano. You can walk up to it and start playing all you want, but it is going to sound terrible. In order for it to sound beautiful it takes discipline.

In life we have the freedom to do anything, but we will make it terrible, mess things up, hurt others, and continue to hurt ourselves until we realize that discipline is good for us. God's word, teachings, instruction is good...it makes all things BEAUTIFUL. Maybe you don't believe me...Try it.

Here is another question...

Do you know that you were created in God's image?

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." -Genesis 1:27

All of us are the image bearers of God. Wherever we are, what ever we are doing, we are to reflect that of Christ who created us in HIS IMAGE. The problem comes a lot of times when people don't take the time to KNOW GOD and therefore don't truly know how to REFLECT GOD. So some of us are doing a terrible job of being Christ's ambassadors.

"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."- 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

With our co-workers, family, friends, relationships, breakups, and even with strangers we are to live as Christ ambassadors. We are to be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

"The Gospel doesn’t just reconcile you to God, it regenerates our heart and helps restore others to God. It doesn’t just affect our eternity. It affects how we live each day. We should be living as ambassadors, restoring this world to God."- JP

You say you believe the bible, but are your friends, your own desires, or your culture a stronger influence in your life? Are you going along with what your friends do, or what ever feels good, or what our culture would say is acceptable? Are you living like you believe the bible?

You were created in the image of God...how amazing and humbling is that. He loves you that much. Everything else was created, but we were created in his image and get to have a saving relationship with him! Get to know Him. Be reconciled to Him. Be redeemed. Be restored. Be renewed. And then help others find the freedom in Christ too.

Hosanna- Hillsong United

Praying for you all that we would be a change in this city...for God's kingdom and our good~

www.theporchdallas.com

I'm Not Strong Enough.

STRONG WHEN I AM WEAK

Do you ever have those times when you feel like the hits keep coming? When it rains, it pours? When the storms in life keep coming and you think, “ok Lord I’m not sure how much more I can take”?

Then someone tells you, “When you are weak He is strong”. We hear that and far too often let that go in one ear and out the other without thinking much of this great truth.I can think of many times in my life, and to be honest the past couple weeks have felt like one thing after another keeps happening, and I wonder when I will have just one week of calmness…

Check out this song by Matthew West: Strong Enough <- click for video

As I’ve talked with friends, and heard Todd preach this past Sunday about all that Ann is going through it seemed fitting to share with you about these storms in life. You see more than often we rely on our own strength to get us through the days. We try to control and do things our own, it’s funny how strong and in control we think we are.

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” -1Corinthians 1:25

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.” -Isaiah 31:1

Finally in times of brokenness we look to God for his will, his strength, his grace, his peace, “God will you do anything to just get me out of this situation, or make this better, or bring this back, or take this pain away…God I can’t do this, I need you.” Oh how the Lord rejoices when we come to him and realize how much we need him.

“Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”– Isaiah 66:2

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” -2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I’m not sure why bad things happen, and why sometimes it seems like more than we can bare, but I know my God. I know who he is. I know that he hasn’t promised us an easy road, but he has promised to see us through everything (Isaiah 41:10). Things may not play out how we’d like, but his plan is greater than mine. He is good. He is faithful and I trust him. He is a strong tower, a refuge, when I can’t seem to find my way or have the strength to get through the day (Proverbs 18:10). I believe there will be a day where there is no more crying, no more pain, no more death, and He will make everything new (Revelation 21). I believe that Christ has victory over all, and I can't wait for that day to come, but until then I have to keep an eternal perspective.

Do you believe God is for you? He is. Do you believe he loves you and is there to see you through? He loves you, and you are not alone.

How quickly we forget our SAVIOR. He is all we need. He is our strength, our hope, our trust, our everything. Have you forgotten him? Have you turned to him to help you through the storms of life? He understands your pain. Christ suffered. He is full of compassion and grace. He longs for us to rely on Him. That is why he suffered…a greater suffering than we will ever endure...

Isaiah 53

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

He understands your suffering. He will get you through the storms in life. The awesome thing is when you see God use those times of suffering later to help others and to comfort them. He redeems all and uses all things for His glory and our good. Believe that.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. -2 Corinthians 1:8-11

Praying for you all and that you would trust the Lord to see you through~

www.theporchdallas.com

God Unscrambles Eggs.

“God unscrambles eggs….and only God” –Victor Marx

My life has been a scrambled egg for sure. It’s felt like such a mess at times and I’ve wondered when the trials are going to end. For far too long I kept wondering when things would just be smooth, or not feel like a rollercoaster. How long would it be until I felt at peace and true joy?What I didn’t realize is that part of the problem is that I had never dealt with pain from my past, and I had not turned to the Lord for healing, freedom, and grace. There were things I just didn’t want to face or let people know about.

When Victor said, “you can’t live according to the labels people give you” I could totally relate. I have felt stuck and used to believe that I was identified by my divorce and my past. How could people ever see me differently? How could I ever see myself differently?

The truth for me and you is that our identity is in the Bible. It is in Jesus Christ. Not in our past or what we’ve done. You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). You are a child of God…forgiven…free…and in the process of being sanctified.

What just seems too painful to face, and leaves you feeling like you’d rather just not deal with it?

What are you keeping from others because you are afraid of what they would say? Or just afraid to admit?

I had no idea how much of my life was affected by not dealing with things of my past, not healing, not forgiving, and not just bringing everything into the light. In the light…that is where grace is found, that is where healing begins. You see, God never intended your heart to be hard. He never intended us to hide things from each other, and Lord knows we can’t hide it from him. Trust Him. Give him that pain, hurt, or whatever it is that you have in the darkness.

^“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” - 1 Peter 2:9-10

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”- Galatians 5:1

The Healing has Begun – Matthew West : Healing has Begun (Video)

“You have carried the weight of your secret for way too long

Thinking if there is a place called forgiveness you don’t belong

Oh, but freedom can never be found behind those walls

So just let ‘em fall, just let ‘em fall… Whoa oh, the healing has begun (2)

How long has it been since you’ve felt anything but shame?

Child, lift up your eyes ‘cause mercy remembers your name

And those tears you’ve been holding back, let ‘em fall ike rain

Cause today is the day, yeah, today is the day

Whoa oh, the healing has begun (4)

Hallelujah, hallelujah, yeah, whoa

Just life your eyes, lay it down

What once was lost has now been found, whoa oh

There’s a world full of people dying from broken hearts

Holding on to their guilt thinking they fell too far

So don’t be afraid to show ‘em your beautiful scars

Cause they’re the proof, yeah, you’re the proof

Whoa oh, the healing has begun (6)”

Praying for you all and thanking God for bringing me out of the darkness and into his marvelous light…

www.theporchdallas.com

Still Launching...

To my dearest brothers and sisters in Christ~

As I reflect on this weekend my heart is full. LAUNCH 2011 was epic! Staff and volunteers have planned, prepped, and prayed for this weekend for the last year, and it brings me much joy to see what the Lord has done. Our prayers of people getting connected to each other (the Body of Christ) and into deeper relationships with the Lord, and to just have a ton of fun were answered. PRAISE GOD!

I'd love to leave you with this prayer...

Father, thank you. Thank you for showing up and doing more than we could ever do. We can hang some lights, decorate a building, sing songs, speak your Word, even make people laugh, but YOU ALONE SAVE. You alone heal, restore, and bring everlasting life. I pray you get all the glory, honor, and praise. I pray that as we come back to the "real world", we would be changed, be moved, and continue living a life of worship that is glorifying to you. That we would be a light to this world and a change in our city.

I love you Lord and thank you for my friends at The Porch, and an incredible Launch weekend. ~Allyson

Some of my favorite quotes from the weekend:

We can’t help but be moved, be changed, give forgiveness, find freedom, and love others in a way that is selfless and honoring to the Lord.

Our God is a sweet and convicting God...are you ready to deal with me now? We distract ourselves from having to stop and think and deal with our Holy God.

We engage in everything that Dallas offers and not the one thing that matters.

Purpose of singleness is to secure an undistracted relationship with the Lord.

He is not looking for moral conformity, He is looking for personal intimacy. It’s not about doing things to get the guilt off.

When you decide, when you act like He’s real it will cost you. It may be socially awkward. You don’t think it was awkward for Noah building a huge boat? It will cost you but the benefits are greater.

When you are smitten and captivated by the Gospel generosity and forgiveness come because our God is those things.

When the weight of the Gospel falls on you, you feel the stewardship and want to go and tell.

The greatest gift we have, our salvation, came because God denied Jesus’ request of there being any other way.

See your chains, not as a setback, but as an opportunity…like Paul.

When you understand the Gospel, that you don’t deserve it, entitlement goes out the window and you serve others.

www.theporchdallas.com

Looking in the Rear View Mirror.

"You think you're looking for a spouse, and the truth is you are looking for HOPE." -JP

I love that the last two weeks at The Porch haven't been like a magazine five tips to dating or how to find a man/woman, but rather dealing with the real issue...ourselves. We are the the common denominator to all of our relationships and at the end of the day the healthier we become, the healthier our relationships will be.

I remember sitting in JP's office back in 2009 and discussing with him how I didn't agree with the way he was telling us (young adults at The Porch) to date. I probably argued some of the same points you may be thinking, but he said something I couldn't argue with,

"You've done it your way for how long now? And how is that working?"

He then gave me a verse that I've continued to go back to:

"As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." -Proverbs 26:11

I know that verse sort of sounds gross talking about a dog and vomit, but in the same way it is gross when we continue to do the same thing, continue the same sin pattern or continue to date the same way and expect different results. A first step is to take time to "look backwards in the rear view mirror-and see the destruction". What is your dating pattern? Are you addicted to the highs and lows of being hurt?

What do you keep doing that you wish you didn't?

In order to move forward in a healthy way you have to deal with the past. You have to heal and be set free. Instead of allowing God time to heal us, we continue stuffing our baggage, trying to hide it, and carrying into the next relationship. Then we often times look to that person or frankly anyone who will give us attention to love us the way only Christ can. Your boyfriend/girlfriend can not be your savior and you shouldn't put that pressure on them to be because they will fail you...but CHRIST won't. I don't say fail you meaning that they will intentionally hurt you, but we are all imperfect people in need of a perfect SAVIOR, Jesus Christ. Whether it is past relationships or family issues, the only way to truly heal is to be open to looking at your past, and taking your baggage to the foot of the cross...bring it to Christ and allow him to heal you. For many of us that is scary because when we look in the rear view mirror it is not a pretty sight or it may be extremely painful, but you'll never be free from your past until you allow God to restore those areas of your life. NOTHING is bigger than the cross. There is NOTHING he can't REDEEM.

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." -Titus 2:11-14

We often think if only I had that special person in my life to make me feel loved every day things would be great, but it is not another person in your life you need...it is Christ.

God loves you RIGHT NOW, not some future version of you. He loves you no matter what your past looks like, and he will continue loving you every single day. Nothing can separate you from God's love.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 8:38-39

At the end of the same conversation with JP, he took his dry erase board marker and wrote two words:

TRUST GOD

Do you trust Him, or are you trying to control? Are you looking to Him to lead you and guide you, or are you doing what you want and asking Him to come along for the ride?

God is good. There is nothing he can't handle, and nothing he is trying to keep from you. We too often settle for good, and temporary satisfaction, instead of realizing God wants GREAT for us. God wants BEST for us. Trust Him.

Praying for you all, that you would be healed, be set free, and trust in the Lord with all your heart.

www.theporchdallas.com

How YOU Doin?

I've joked before saying, "Do I have the word 'sucker' tattooed on my forehead"? Whether it is in regards to shopping or dating I have been talked into "needing" something I actually don't need. I love that JP started our first message with you have to know what you are looking for before you shop, or you will be lured into all sorts of things you never really wanted/needed to begin with. Knowing what you are looking for in someone you'd date is so very important, otherwise you will fall for anything. Sadly, for a lot of women instead of knowing what we want we in a man we just want attention from any man. We wait for the next guy who will give us any attention, the next guy who will say anything that makes us feel like we are special...even if for just a day. This commonly will lead women into liking how a guy makes us feel, instead of actually liking the guy for who he is. The feeling card starts to trump the reality card and that's when you really know there is a problem.

"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." - 1 Timothy 4:12

JP gave us great biblical truths as to what we (both guys and girls) should look for in someone we would date straight from 1 Timothy 4:12: SPEECH, CONDUCT, LOVE, FAITH, and PURITY. (You can check out the last blog post for all of his notes on each of these.)

One of the best things I did for my dating life was to take a break from dating. I know that may sound weird to some of you, and to be honest I didn't love the idea when community around me recommended it. All I knew is that I was tired of dating the same way I always had and getting the same outcome. Something had to change and I was exhausted spinning my wheels with no real progress.

What lesson in your dating life do you feel like you have to keep learning? What pattern can you see that has led you frustrated/hurt? Are you still dating in the same way and expecting a diffrent outcome? Are you dating someone who's reputation is unhealthy relationships, and like in He's Just Not That Into You, hoping to be the exception to the rule?

I think as a society we bounce from relationship to relationship just killing time, and thinking that we'll just know when we meet "the one". A huge problem with that is that we are carrying a ton of baggage into each relationship and never really allowing any healing or growth. Have YOU taken time to deal with your own past issues? Are you the kind of person you are looking for? Both guys and girls I think would all say they want someone that is honest, trustworthy, not sleeping around, not selfish, not angry or always gossiping, and if you're reading this I'm assuming you probably want someone who is committed to loving and serving the Lord. How are YOU doing in those areas?

I love when JP said, "You're not DQ'd forever. You work on you though, and then come back in the game."

You have to know what you want, and you have to know who you are IN CHRIST before you really should start dating. You can't look to someone else for the love and completeness you can only find in Christ. They cannot be your savior, and you cannot be theirs.

Far too often I see that we would rather have others approval and affirmation over the Lord's, and we settle for good rather than holding out for great. When we do this it shows our lack of trust in the Lord, and that should be our sign that we still have things to work on. Thank God that he is patient with us, even when we are extremely impatient with him and his timing. God is faithful, even when we are not. Praise Him for that truth.

“We don’t love God for the way He makes us feel. We love Him for who he is-his character.”-JP

The truth is there are sometimes where we don't feel like loving God because of our circumstances. Feelings change constantly, His character does not. James 1:17 TRUST HIM.

Praying for you all~

And just for fun here is Joey from friends with "How you doin": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc2Z7CL4Cv0

www.theporchdallas.com

You. Complete. Me.

“YOU COMPLETE ME”…oh Jerry Maguire why did you have to say that??

“Think about it. If you are single, after graduation there isn't one occasion where people celebrate you ... Hallmark doesn't make a ‘congratulations, you didn't marry the wrong guy’ card. And where's the flatware for going on vacation alone” –Carrie, Sex and the City

I can’t tell you all how STOKED I am for this new series “Boy meets Girl” on relationships.I remember my first boyfriend in elementary school named Charlie. I can honestly say since elementary school I’ve been trying to understand relationships… and I am still learning.

I’ve been the “co-dependent girl”…the “I went to college in the south to get my BS degree and my MRS. degree”…the “Sex and the City girl thinking I can beat you at this game before you hurt me”…and finally (Praise God) am to the place where I am complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10).

To be honest with you all, although I’ve found my identity in Christ alone, I am a little afraid to open up to a real relationship because I am more comfortable being single where I won’t get hurt or possibly hurt someone else. It seems easier to date people that I know it won’t work with because I know how it ends, I know what’s going to happen, and I don’t have to trust God with it. I’m excited to learn with you all through this series not just about relationships, but more importantly that it’s all about our relationship with Christ. Knowing and trusting in Him.

Below are just some quotes from JP’s Summer Lovin series back in 09 and from a book I am going through now by Beth Moore called So Long Insecurity:

“Men are not our problem; it’s what we are trying to get from them that messes us up. Nothing is more baffling than our attempt to derive our womanhood from our men. We use guys like mirrors to see if we’re valuable. Beautiful. Desirable…” -Beth Moore

If you don’t have a right relationship with God, dating…it’s only going to distract you. –JP

God is love. You want to know how to love, you’ve got to go to the Father. -JP

The greatest thing you can do for them is understand how God loves you. And be complete in that, the reality is that person cannot complete you. You’re looking for them to meet a need that can only be met by God. –JP

I can't wait to start the series tonight, and to share again with you all next week! Praying for our time together now~

www.theporchdallas.com

I Want to Say THANK YOU...

People often ask me what I love about Watermark and why I’ve chosen it as my church home. My answer is always, “I’ve never been a part of a church where I truly felt cared for until I came to Watermark. Here I've found the church body lives out their faith through transparency, community, accountability, grace, and compassion.” I realized this past Tuesday that I should also add generosity to that list. Before having a relationship with Christ we often live our lives consuming all we can with a “get mine” mentality, and taking/buying way more than we need. As we grow in Christ we start to give more, serve more, and love on others more intentionally.As I listened to JP’s message last Tuesday on generosity I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude thinking about all the people here that have been so incredibly generous to me since I started coming to The Porch/Watermark.

“Generosity meets the needs of others. Generosity is an investment in the Kingdom. Generosity comes from God.” –JP

So often we think of generosity as just being about giving money, but often times generosity is shown by giving of your time, engaging in conversation, and meeting people’s needs. I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you to a few people that have been so generous to me, and who continue to encourage and challenge me by the way they give to be more generous myself.

“GENEROSITY MARKS THOSE WHO KNOW AND TRULY BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.” -JP

Janet Godby- I haven’t known Janet that long, but from day one of meeting her I realized just how truly selfless she is. We were in the car together and I overheard heard her having a conversation with someone and anything they needed she would respond, “Sure! I’d love to help. Just let me know what you need.” Since then I have consistently seen her live this out. Janet constantly goes out of her way to serve others. She cooks for people, spends time listening to them, and even has made people cd’s of Christian music they can workout to. Thank you Janet for all you have done for me and how without even knowing it you’ve challenged me to give even more of myself to others.

Chris Gurley- We have served together here at The Porch and Chris has continued to stand out as a servant leader. He is someone who serves so much and does it often times without people knowing how much he is truly doing for this ministry and for others. He’s become a dear friend and is always there to check on me, pray for me, and even bring me coffee on days when I’m not feeling well or need a little energy. If you’ve ever been around him you probably too have a story about how he’s generously given of himself too. Thank you Chris for being such a great example of living generously, and giving so much to others.

Jonathan Pokluda (JP)- I couldn’t thank people and not include JP. One thing I love about serving at The Porch is the example JP is to us all. Not only does he share with us incredible truths every Tuesday night, but he leads us so well in giving us an example of what it looks like to follow Christ. As he spoke Tuesday I started thinking of the ways he has lived out this message of generosity. He has always been there to challenge me, answer emails, take time to talk through my questions, offer forgiveness, and encourage me to grow in Christ. He truly pours himself out into this ministry. Having served with JP for over two years and gone on two mission trips where he’s lead I am constantly in awe and challenge by the way he generously gives to all those he meets no matter where he is. Thank you JP for not just preaching a good message on generosity, but truly living it out as well.

“A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” –Proverbs 11:25

“Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” –Deuteronomy 15:10

I actually have an a very long list of people I could have included here including Melissa Rubin, Kiersti Orr, Lauren Godby, Joe Waters, Jon Lantz, and all of those I have the privilege of serving with at The Porch. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity and for being an example to myself and all those around you of what it looks like to live generously. I feel blessed, encouraged, and challenged at the way you have given, and love that we can follow your example as you follow Christ.

Here are some questions for us to continually think through:

What do I have to give?

We all have something whether it is time, money, food, extra clothing, a helping hand, a smile, and prayer. See Romans 12.

Why am I not giving?

Any reason you come up with is an excuse. We all have something to give and trust me when I say, you aren’t truly experiencing life until you are generously giving to those in your life. It brings much joy!

What are you holding onto so tightly that it will hurt if the Lord takes it from you?

“I've learned that we must hold everything loosely, because when I grip it tightly, it hurts when the Father pries my fingers loose and takes it from me!” –Charles Swindoll

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Full of Life.

"Who is with us is more important than what we have or where we are."-A.T.

How true is that?! I love the people in my life that make the simple things that much sweeter. The ones that no matter where you are or what you are doing you know it's going to be a good time. I've found that those people are usually the one's "full of life". As I type that it's funny because I've never thought too much about the statement "full of life", but that actually could translate to full of the Spirit.

"The Spirit gives life..." -John 6:63

"...through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." -Romans 8:2

I loved Adam's question from Tuesday, "What would you do if you were confident that God was with you?" I started thinking about the friends in my life that seem full of life...full of joy and I truly believe that they too live as though God is with them always. It is so contagious being around these people that are full of love, joy, excitement, compassion, and laughter. Life is sweet being around them. Unfortunately many of us often let our circumstances dictate our happiness, forgetting that God is with us and has best for us. When any sort of adversity comes our way we pray that God would please change our circumstance, and when things are going well we start getting complacent and ask God for more. We continually look for and pray for God's blessings to satisfy us rather than God himself. Think about that statement for a second...we look for and pray for God's blessings (Him to change things, give us more of things) to satisfy us, rather than being truly satisfied with God himself. I'm not sure about you all, but that is pretty humbling to realize.

Do you truly believe that God is with you ALWAYS?

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authoiry in heaven and on eath has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" -Matthew 28:18-20

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you...The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." -Deuteronomy 31:6&8

"No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of you life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." -Joshua 1:5

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" -Hebrews 13:5

There was a long time where I couldn't wrap my head around this idea that God was always with me. That he would never leave me nor forsake me. It wasn't until I truly took the time to understand our Lord and his character that I was able to see that God has always and will always be with me through the good and bad times, and when I have a lot and when I have little (Philippians 4). I've learned that even the times when I felt completely lonely, broken, and helpless...God was there. He probably was sitting there broken hearted with me, saddened at the poor decisions I have made or others have made that have brought saddness. God was always waiting for me to turn to Him and trust Him, and once I did he has redeemed and restored every bad situation I've been through. He didn't change the circumstances or give me more worldly blessings, but He gave forgiveness, peace, and finally joy. I'm not sure what you may be going through, but I know God is with you always. Be satisfied in HIM, be full of LIFE!

"Here in the desert with you God is far better than the promise land without you...Anywhere with God is infinently better than anywhere without God."

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD...Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are thee. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, eve there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night aound me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

-Psalm 139:1-14

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