Saving The Best For Last...??

You know the saying...we've all heard "I'm saving the best for last," but when it comes to quality time with God, isn't our first the best? In the Bible, on multiple accounts, we are called to bring God our "firstruits." When we tithe, we are to tithe from our Gross income, not the Net....firstruits. The same goes for our time spent in His presence. If we think we are saving our best for last and waiting until bed time to come into the presence of the Lord, we are doing a great disservice to ourselves and to the Lord. What happens when we wait until the end of our day to spend time with God? By that time we are beat up from the stressful events that took place during our day and we are exhausted. Our minds are so filled with the memories of the day and trying to get our thoughts in order that we are scatterbrained and cluttered making it nearly impossible to truly focus on Who exactly it is we are speaking to. I have found that if I wait too long I become very drowsy and will fall asleep mid prayer. If I don't fall asleep first, my mind will wander and suddenly I am thinking about things that are so far off topic that I forget that I was even talking to God. On the good days when I've had an essentially stressfree day and I feel energized by the time I get around to my devotional time, I find that if I had only started my day off with that scripture passage, what a difference it would have made in my day...in my attitude...in my encounters with those in need. 

It takes 21 days to create a habit....I challenge you.....for 21 days, instead of hitting the snooze button repeatedly, get up the first time your alarm rings and give God your firstfruits. Go make some coffee or tea and take it with you to a quiet place that you can be undisturbed. Spend 20-30 minutes reading the Bible and listening to what He has to say to you. Write it down and share it with at least one person during the day. 21 days...can you do it? I believe that you can!  

The Great Commission

Crossroad Church has been blessed so much this past year, and I am incredibly thrilled to be a part of it! There is so much growth and healing in our midst and it's very exciting! This year we were blessed to gain David and PJ Yount into our church family! They are incredible sheppards and have introduced our church to an incredible discipling tool. It is a series of 12 lessons that they wrote and published themselves. The series is titled 'How to Grow' and focuses on discipleship of new believers and old believers alike.

I began my own discipleship on 12/2/10 and today, I began descipling my eldest son's girlfriend Meg. She is such a sweet girl and I just love her to death! She was the first that came to mind when I was told I would become a discipler after completing my own series. At first I was hesitant because I feared a conflict of interest with me being her boyfriend's mom, youth leader and friend; however, I could not shake her from my heart and mind. I am so glad I did not pass this up! We had such an amazing lesson today and were able to share so much, so freely with eachother. We laughed, we cried, we got serious...it was everything I hoped it would be and more!

As of this very moment, I am discipling 2 women, and have one that we're just waiting to find a good meeting time. This, I have come to realize, is what this life is all about! This is the great commission! Matthew 28:19-20 says:

 "19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

I am honored and thankful for this wonderful opportunity to do what I was created to do! I love my ladies and look forward to growing relationships and many years to come of faithful service to the One I love most! Thank You sweet Lord, for loving me and allowing me to love You in return! ~Amen

This House-Edison Glass

I just want to share this video. I can't watch it without crying. It is by one of my favorite Christian Artists, Edison Glass. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLYmBRgO7uU

The Vilest of Offenders

Today is such a beautiful day! It's a perfectly gorgeous, blue skied sunny Southern California day! I am so incredibly blessed to be here! It saddens me to think of all the days that go by that I just take for granted without even noticing the shade of blue or indigo in the sky. tisk tisk.

Well, today in my quiet time I read a few chapters in my Bible. First I read John chapter 6, then I finished reading Matthew chapter 7 from yesterday. Although those 2 chapters are filled with beefy goodness, I was particulary struck by Acts chapter 9, the conversion of Saul. Now, Saul was the persecutor of all persecutors. This man was ruthless against Christians, and was singlehandedly responsible for more Christian deaths than any other. Saul was evil, through and through. In this chapter, we learn that Saul had an encounter with Jesus, and that Jesus spoke. Saul was blinded by a great light that came down from heaven and when he cried out "Who are you Lord?", Jesus repied "I am Jesus, who you are persecuting." Jesus then gave Saul some instructions on where to go to regain his sight. So he went down the road to Damascus to meet up with a man named Ananais, just as Jesus had commanded.

Now, here's where it gets tricky and my attention was caught. Jesus also approached Ananias to make sure he would be prepared for Saul. When Ananias heard this news, his immediate reaction was that of accusation. Beginning in verse

13 "But Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name."

He made sure to point out to Jesus just exactly who Saul was. Don't we do just that? Don't we look at people, and their vilest offenses, and think they are unworthy? Don't we look at criminals on death row and think they don't deserve another chance? Don't we look at child molestors and rapists and think they should be doomed? Saul was going around killing people for no reason other than that they were Christ followers. Ananias obviously thought he was unworthy. But listen to what Jesus says picking up in verse 15 "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel." Saul was a chosen vessel! The Lord took the vilest offender and CHOSE him to be His witness!

Let's think about this. Jesus met Saul on the road to Damascus and revealed Himself. Didn't Jesus already know who Saul was? Didn't Jesus already know of the things Saul was accused of? Did He need Ananias to give Him the rundown of who this man was? Even though Christ knew who this man was, He still chose to use him. Who are we to judge, or even voice our opinion about who deserves to know Jesus? Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY deserves the opportunity to make their life right and come to know the Lord. He uses people with unpleasant testimonies in a mighty way everyday. Do we look back on our past and forget that we were guilty, too? I am so thankful for Jesus seeing past the ugly and giving me the chance I never deserved! Let's practice compassion and forgiveness. Let's not play God. We are commanded as Christians to tell the world about Jesus. It's not up to us to pick and choose who to tell....we are to tell everyone!

*Heavenly Father, I pray that You will give Christians around the world the boldness to get out there and share Your love with even the least lovely. ~Amen*

Up From the Depths...the Renewal

Well, it's seems it's been forever since my last blog post. In looking back on where I was, and I'm going to try to keep this blog a bit more personal and authentic. No more copying and pasting devotionals that I think are cool...unless they are really special. I'm challenging myself to dig in and create my own devos and journey into the real adventures of Kelli.

So many new and exciting things are happening in the life of Kelli. A new business venture is hatching and I am very excited to see what happens. It's actually to answer a calling on my life. About two years ago, God called me to full time ministry. For the past year I have been going to school working on my degree in Sociology: emphasis Human Services, in order to enrich my skills and understanding in the field of my business. I do not want to divulge too far in to details about the business other than it is to provide a safe haven and positive alternative to partying for teens.

I really have NO idea how it's going to happen, but I trust wholeheartedly that God will iron out all the wrinkles. I have been praying for Him to send the right peole my way. I need an attorney to help me form by-laws; I need an accountant to help with financials; I need go getters to help raise funds. I really just need a lot of love and encouragement right now. It becomes very difficult and overwhelming at times, but thank the Good Lord the excitement makes up for it all!

On another note, I am so super uber thrilled and excited to say that there is a fire within that has been rekindled and has brought me back to life! I once again have the passion and desire to not only know the Lord, but to share Him with the world! I'm sad to say that my pilot had gone out...but I'm back!! I just finished a course in discipleship and am now discipling 3 women. Well, 2 and 1 in the queue. It's funny how just a little time with God can bring you back from the dead and to share that with other women is totally rewarding! Thank You Lord, for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th...1,000th chances!!

Today before my math class, I spent some time in the Word. I read Matthew chapter 7. I believe this passage was meant just for me today. Maybe it was meant for you too?

Matthew 7:7-11

7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and tho one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father whi is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

God loves us all so much and He wants the best of the best of the best for us. All we have to do is ask Him. Seek Him. Let Him in. What's holding you back?

TTFN~kel