And On And On It Goes

This is our anthem, we are an Easter people!

I'm baack! Sorry for the long break but I needed it! Had to get away from school for a while and get my head back in the game! It's been a great few weeks and there's so much I need to discuss! I've made so many new friends (Shout out to my friends from Ohio and Florida!!) and learned so many new things that will make me into a better person.

It's gonna take a while, but like I learned, it's time to take the offensive. No more being reactive. No more just sitting and waiting for things to come to me. Now it's time for me to go out and do what I was meant to do.

It's time to.....

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BE BOLD

Where was I? Well I went on something called the Lifeteen Leadership Conference 2012. Me and 504 of my closest friends. ;)  

What did I learn? It's not enough to just exist. It's time to live! It's time to be who we were made to be.

Before this past week, I wasn't really living. Now, don't get scared, I'm not a zombie! XD. I was breathing and going about life, but I didn't know what I was doing. I was sort of going through the motions. I learned this week what it means to live, and how to do it.

Living means dying. YES, I said that. To really live you have to die! Before you do anything radical, I don't mean literally!!!! We have to die to ourselves if we are to truly live. It is in service to others that we can find our own meaning. Sure I want to lay on the couch all day... or just never get out of bed. You know, that sounds really nice! Last night I had this really cool dream about Captain America and... oh ya, off topic... anyways.... Yes I want to spend my days fighting off evil with superheroes safe in my bed but I've been called by God to do something so much more beautiful and special than that. I've been called (as have you!) to fight real evil in the world. I've been called to get up and go spend time with my brothers when all I want to do is lay around. I've been called to do the dishes when I just want a moment to rest. I've been called to help with the lawn when I really want to be practicing on the piano. Dying to myself is hard, but that's what we are called to do.

Life is so much more beautiful when we do.

We have to be bold and and let ourselves go in our daily lives. Doing extra nice things for people throughout the day, especially when they go unnoticed, is one small way to be bold in our everyday lives. There are other ways to be bold too. If you see someone upset, go up to them and offer to pray for or with them. Talk about being bold!

In the movie "We Bought a Zoo" they say that it only takes 20 seconds of insane courage to change a life forever. What if we lived with courage always? Imagine the world we could change! God has taken me and set me on fire for the world, and me and 500 of my best friends are going out into the world and we are going to change it forever.

I know how this sounds, "Oh, he's just coming off of a retreat high, this'll change in a few weeks." But you seem it's not! Well, I'm sure part of it is, but it's also SOOOO much more than that!!! It's a revolution. A generation of people who are finally ready to stand up and take back their faith. Take back the world. Bring the Truth, show the Way, show Love Himself. Yes, it's going to be difficult, but we can be bold because of the Spirit who makes us so. That's what I realized this past week. I could never do what I've been called to do on my own. It's true. And the beautiful reality is, I don't have to, I just have to let the Spirit work within me, and He'll take care of everything.

Being bold and following the right path does not mean that life will be any easier, or that we won't trip up. Haha I know firsthand that tripping is something that will still come naturally. And life being easy? I don't think so! Those who stand out are those who are most often persecuted! Doing that right thing takes guts and the knowledge that you will be persecuted. It's a guarantee! Jesus Himself said so. But He also said "Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of Me.Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven." Matthew 5:11-12a

Rejoice and be glad. Do what you were meant to do. Be bold! I'll finish up here soon, but one thing remains to be explained...

So why the title? I heard a song over the week called "One Thing Remains".

And on and on and on it goes
it overwhelms and satisfies my soul.
And I'll never ever have to be afraid
One thing remains


Your love never fails
it never gives up
it never runs out on me

I feel like this is the call to be bold. And the way to do it. His love never fails us, and we never have to be afraid to do whatever He calls us to do! Never give up, never back down. BE BOLD.
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I feel like this blog is going to start taking a different direction now, but we'll have to see where it goes! I'll try to start writing more again, and i'll be sure to add to the videos section soon!

I'll leave you with this: do you know what the most repeated phrase in the Bible is? It's not about God's wrath. It's not a warning. It's not a rule.

Be not afraid.

Go out into the world, be who He called you to be. Be not afraid, He goes before you always.

Until next time my friends, God bless!

~Wanted~