Happy Friday! Today I’m sharing a video that circulated a few years ago. Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus is one of the best spoken words I’ve ever heard! This video is a great reminder of how we’re called to live as Christ followers. Check it out! 🙂
There are some days I just want to give up. I just want to wave a little white flag and surrender to life. I just want to lay in bed all day, watch Netflix and never worry about anything. Then God reminds me… Hannah, you have a purpose for your life!
“So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” Galatians 6:9 NLT
Maybe you’re being bullied at school or feeling captured by the sin in your life… Keep On! God has a plan for you. In fact He will give you the strength to keep on!
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 ESV
No one likes to suffer. No one likes to be bullied but we can hold on to the promise that after suffering and enduring we receive hope… Hope because Jesus has a plan for our lives. Suffering for a short time only to restore, support, and strengthen you.
“In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” 1 Peter 5:10 NLT
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“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 ESV
So if you needing strength today… Simply ask God for strength. Tell Him you can’t do this on your own and you need His help. Have a blessed Thursday!
“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” Hebrews 10:36 ESV
Happy Friday! I have Monday off from school so I’m excited to get an extra long weekend. 🙂 Todays post is about a really awesome book I read a few weeks ago. Epic by John Eldredge is a mini book. The book is, “The story God is telling and the role that is yours to play.” Epic answers some of life’s biggest questions… What is my role on earth? Who is God? What does He mean to me?
http://www.amazon.com/Epic-The-Story-God-Telling/dp/0785288783
I would highly recommend this short read! Happy weekend!
I go to a very compassion driven church. We are constantly serving in some sort of way. Whether its single moms, abused foster kids, or orphans in India, we’re serving someone! Because of this culture, serving has become a huge part of my life. I want those who are in difficult times to know that Jesus loves them and He hasn’t forsaken them.
I have a heart for the homeless. I think that so many of them lose hope (because of their living condition) and this couldn’t be more saddening. Jesus never ever gives up on these people, but so many of them don’t realize this.
Over the weekend I went with a group of kids from my youth group to Downtown Dallas to serve the homeless with some hygiene and food items. We had all the items in backpacks and as we walked around we gave away the backpacks. We had the opportunity to pray with a lot of them too. It’s really interesting to talk to the homeless because you find out you actually have a lot in common with them.
I had the privilege of meeting a sweet man named Larry. Larry looked like a normal dude. He had on very normal clothes. Normal haircut. As I was talking to Larry he began to tell me his story. He was from California and had been a drug dealer for 19 years. He had gone to jail, which forced him to get sober, and found the Lord. Once Larry was released he came to Dallas to start somewhere new. He has only been living in Dallas for 2 weeks and currently lives in a shelter but is in search for a permanent living situation.
By the end of our conversation I realized that his story is much like mine. We’re both sinners in need of Jesus! Even though I’ve never sold drugs or served jail time, we are so much alike.
My point in sharing this with you is to share how important serving is. We get caught up in one point of view of life and forget that not everyone grew up in church like us, or go to Christian schoo,l or have iPhones. When you serve, you become humbled. You learn that you aren’t better than the drug addict on the streets. You have sin in your life too! If you don’t currently serve, find a way to serve someone! Maybe you can get a group of friends together and hand out free water at the mall or offer prayer to people waiting in hospital waiting areas. Maybe it’s serving your mom or dad by putting your dishes into the dishwasher. Don’t get overwhelmed feeling like you have to do this huge service project. Start small and see where God takes you from there.
I hope everyone is having a great Tuesday! I’ve realized something revolutionary recently… God is too good to me. I don’t deserve this life. I don’t deserve to be blessed with the friends I have. I don’t deserve my supportive family. I don’t deserve my amazing church family. I don’t deserve my school.
But Christ.
I am a sinner. I fall short daily… Hourly… Sometimes by the minute.
 But Christ.
 Because of Christ I am richly blessed. Because of Christ, and His love for me, I gained eternity. This has nothing to do with my good works. It is all about Christ.
“A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 28:20 NIVÂ
Now don’t get me wrong… There are some days where I don’t think that God can do anything with my mess of a life. But…
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 NLT
God is about to provide anything you need. He is going to provide blessing to you in such a way so that you will even have some left over to share!
“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT
So today recognize the blessings in your life. Then think about how you can bless others with your blessings.
Today I’m starting a new category on the blog called Sheros, which I got from Taylor! A Shero is a she hero (duh 🙂 ). Sheros are woman I find who exemplify the Proverbs 31 woman. These are women who put others before themselves and personify Jesus.
Today’s Shero is Kara Gore. Kara Gore is your modern day superwoman! I have the privilege of personally knowing her. Kara and her husband Shane have three adorable kids, Hayze (11), and twin girls Morgan and Makenna (9). Kara works with the youth at my church and as I’ve gotten to know her, she has become a role model to me.
Kara is the real deal. She is the most organized person I know. She can do literally anything. She handles herself with so much grace and humility. She has taught me what it looks like to balance church, a marriage, and raising kids. If you know Kara you know that she is truly Jesus with skin. Kara is willing to do anything for others. She would give you the shirt off her back. She is an amazing woman and a true SHERO!
  
-What do you like to do in your free time?
      I love to spend time with my kids and husband. I know I only have a certain time with my kids so I try to spend as much time with them as I can. I also like having people over at our house. When I have time for myself I like to go shopping… Every momma who gets alone time needs some retail therapy! 🙂
-Would you have imagined your life looking like this when you were a teenager?
           No, not at all. When I graduated high school I thought I wanted to be a paralegal. I grew up in church, but I never would’ve thought I would end up working in the church. I wouldn’t have imagined marrying a pastor either. Not that I wouldn’t have, but I just wasn’t living my life the right way. I wouldn’t have thought that God would’ve used me.
-If you could go back and change anything in your past would you, if so what?
           Yes, just choices I made about boys that I liked and the way that I lived my life. I would’ve been a stronger Christian.
-What are some encouraging words to teenagers/ young women?
           Pray about decisions and consult the Lord in every decision you make. In your dating life, friendships, etc. Make good choices. I learned the hard the way and I wish that I would’ve learned that the first time around. It’s better to make good decisions early in life than to look back with regrets. I also wish I would’ve been a better example at school and been a better Christ like example in my classmates lives.
-Favorite Scripture
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
Get connected with Kara:
Twitter: @karagore
Instagram: @kgore
“Everything is so weary and tiresome! No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are never content.” Ecclesiastes 1:8
This verse has been super convicting lately. Everything I do is so tiresome. I feel like I’m always tired. I feel like I can never get my head above water. No matter what I have, I’m never satisfied. Nothing is ever enough.
I get so annoyed with myself! I have the greatest hope… Jesus.
No wonder I’m tired… I’m trying to do it on my own. I’m trying to find happiness in places other than God. No wonder I’m never satisfied. Anything apart from God will not bring me complete happiness and satisfaction. I will never be content if I trust anyone other than God.
So this week when you’re weary, unsatisfied, and restless remember that God can solve ALL your problems… You just have to let Him.
Happy Tuesday!
Today we are continuing to unpack Romans 8! Happy Thursday 🙂
“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.  So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.” Romans 8:5-8
Are you dominated by sinful nature thinking about sinful things or are you controlled by the Spirit thinking about things that please the Spirit? Your thoughts control you. If you let the Spirit control your thought you will have peace but if you let sin control your thoughts you’ll be at war. Sin is everything God’s not. It cannot follow the law. It cannot follow God. If sin controls your life you CANNOT please God.
“But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)  And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.  The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” Romans 8:6-11
If you belong to Christ, you should not be control by your sinful nature! You should be controlled by the Spirit of God that lives inside of you (the Holy Spirit)! The spirit gives you life. It justifies you. It makes you right with God. The same spirit that lives in you raised Christ from the dead… WOW.
“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” Romans 8:12-14
Because the Spirit lives inside of you, you have no commitment to follow your sinful nature. When you received the Holy Spirit you stopped having an excuse to sin. The spirit, which gives life, urges you to do the things the things of God but when you sin you chose your sinful nature. If you are a child of God it’s time to be led by the spirit instead of your sinful nature.
“ So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.  And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” Romans 8:15-17
The spirit of God is so sweet… It’s full of love. It calls you His. His spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are truly His children. Because we are His children we are heirs to the greatest glory in the entire world… Heaven.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:4 NIV
Delight simply means to greatly please. So when you delight in the Lord is means you are pleasing Him or honoring Him. When you please Him He will give you the desires of your heart. This doesn’t mean He will give you that new pair of shoes you’ve been “desiring,” but rather the TRUE desires of your heart. When your heart’s desires match up with The Word He will give you the desires of your heart.
A few years ago I didn’t feel like I had a lot of Godly friendships. It was a really difficult time of my life. I had a few friends but I desired to have close Godly friendships. I prayed and prayed. One day I realized that God had given me the desires of my heart and I didn’t even realize it. He placed some of my closest friends in my life and I still can’t believe I’ve been blessed with such great friendships.
 Maybe you desire to hear from God. Maybe you desire to have a closer relationship with Him. Maybe you desire Godly friendships. Whatever you desire, God wants to bless you. He wants to give you the desires of your heart.
Find pleasure  in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart! Happy Thursday!
“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.” Matthew 12:33 NIV
So how does this apply to your life? Your life produces either good or bad fruit and people will identify you by it. As Christians we should try to be a good tree with good fruit.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a conversation with a non- Believer only to find out that the reason they don’t have a relationship with God is because of other Christian’s bad fruit. Now I’m not saying that this is truly the reason they don’t have a relationship with God but what if we didn’t give them a chance to say that. Too often than not we call ourselves Christians but have bad fruit… Because we are Christians our tree should be good creating good fruit!
 
So today’s challenge is to look at your tree… Are you producing good or bad fruit because your life will be identified by it.
thatotherhannah.com 