God You're So Good

"Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."- 1 Corinthians 1:31      I have never been the best at bragging and encouraging a person very often. For me naturally as a leader and a person I find it easier to find the areas that need strengthening and to challenge everyone involved to grow the area and to just bypass the parts that were completed with excellence and encourage the ones responsible for it. I am slowly learning how important it is that I purposely acknowledge, thank, and encourage others for their work. However, for the past few weeks God has really given me substantial reasons to boast in Him and all the things that He has done in my life and the lives of the people who surround me. 1) For the past almost 3 years I've had in my head about doing a Mexico Missions Trip. Always thought it was out of reach and I had plenty of other things that would come up in its place. October after a youth service I really felt like God was saying, "It's time." So of course I spend a few month praying. Then about a month ago I get an email giving me all the information, deadlines, and pricing. Of course I went, "my gosh this is impossible!" Especially when one of the financial deadlines was only weeks away. I sent out missions letters to everyone I could think of. I had to continually tell myself that I walk by faith and not by sight. It seemed that the money was coming in slowly but surely. Thank God for the ones that felt led to give big offerings and Thank God for the ones that gave what they could. It really showed me that there are people behind my ministry, and are willing to sacrifice their hard earned money so I can go do the work of God. The deadline came and to the Glory of God I was able to fully make my first payment without it costing me anything. I now have 2 other payment, but my faith has been built up so much by what God is doing and His faithfulness to His children. 2) About two weeks ago I was privileged to go on a Youth Conference trip with a youth group that I just love. My expectations of the week was that I was just going to end up having a great time with the people I enjoy being with so much. My expectations for the services were low. I just went to have fun and to be able to just get away from all the stress of life at home. Weeks prior to the trip I was just feeling so stressed and ultimately discouraged about my dreams for ministry. I felt that all the dreams I felt God had given me for ministry were too far off and I just ignorantly was listening and believing the lies that the enemy was speaking. I looked forward to the trip months before I was even going, but my excitement rose weeks before leaving just so I can leave and not have to worry about anything. The day I was leaving I packed up my stuff looked in my rear view mirror as I hit the highway I thought, " all my problems will be here when I get back. Woohoo." The drive to pick up friends from Valley Forge Christian College was just incredible it seemed like everything I've been wanting to do for a while just opened up. A great sunny day where I can just travel through the country with the windows down and worship music up. The drive to Windber, PA was honestly the best time I had in weeks. Just driving with Christians with Hillsong United on took my mind off of everything. Then we left in a church van to drive all the way to Tennessee. The ride down was so much fun. We get there go to bed and then wake up to go to Gatinburg, TN. Had a incredible day with everyone. Then we go to the first service. Worship was great, the message was great, but the altar call was even better. I saw as the altar piled up with people hungry to receive Christ. Up until that point I always felt casually about people needing Jesus and getting saved. I felt my lack of passion for the lost would disqualify me for where I want to go in ministry. However that night there was a switch in me. I sat there and watched people respond and return back to their Creator and I just sat in my seat crying because I now instantly had a passion in my heart for the lost and seeing them return to the Love they were created to have. The service ends make our way back to the hotel. The next day we go back to Gatinburg, TN again a perfect day. Then back to service. Worship was even better, the message was even better, and the altar service even better. That night Kevin Wallace preached on the anointing. I knew even before the message that God was going to give a deeper anointing to the leaders of youth groups and churches that night. I knew during worship that was when God was giving me fresh vision and ultimately breaking off the dead things in my heart and voiding all the assignments and lies of the enemy. However, I didn't expect to see all that I did that night. The one leader in the youth group I was with blessed me so much during that service. To see Jonathan first receive everything He had been crying out to God for a while at that point just revealed to me how Faithful God is to our prayers and our cries. Then I stood and watched how Jonathan made his way to each of his youth group members and pray for them. Each one of them receiving from God in a new way. A moment I won't forget anytime soon. We later had a great talk about how God really answered the things he was praying for. Encouraged me so much. Then that night all the youth and chaperones piled, and I mean piled, into this room to share about what God had been doing (which I absolutely love). I sat and listened to some of the greatest people in my life talking about their encounters. I reluctantly shared my heart and another one of the most inspirational people I know responds to me and gives me words that felt like it was coming straight from the mouth of God. In that moment I knew that everything I believed before about my ministry and all the things I felt unsure about were answered in that moment. After everything we go and return to our rooms. Then we wake up to go to the last service. Worship was refreshing and the words of Reggie Dabbs brought tears to my eyes. The commission of being sent and reaching the lost never seemed so urgent to me before. So of course I'm a blubbering mess at this point. Then we leave to head back to the cold snowy Pennsylvania with another great car ride. I reflected on the drive back home the next day on all that God had done. I had a great conversation again with someone so important in my life and really brought forth revelation and  encouragement that I had not expected. I drove the rest of the way home just crying out to God for newness and to not come back the same, but to come back in a new Glory and a new season. God answered. I left that trip with such a refreshing socially by spending a flawless weekend with some of my closest friends and left refreshed spiritually by being ministered so deeply by two people who I have such a respect for and see God so strongly in their life. I returned home with more than I had ever expected. There has been so much I could just sit and praise God about, but those two things have just allowed me to see people and God in a completely new way and broke off the uneasiness and confusion that had entangled me and clouded my focus to see what God was speaking in that season. The best quote I can think of that perfectly encompasses how I've been feeling these past two weeks comes from the wonderful Mabel "Madea" Simmons: " I am livin' for the Lort, I am livin' for the Lort. When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all that he has donnnnnnne for me, my soul cries out halleu-yer thank God for savin' me."