Hey everyone. I’m excited to be back with the blog. Each Monday I will be posting a new blog post for you to check out. I would like to fill you in on all the things going on in my life. 
Im currently enrolled in my first college class at GCU that started last Monday. It is a relatively easy class aside from the fact that it is very time consuming. For those of you who don’t know, I have decided to pursue my education in ministry. My degree will be a bachelors in Christian studies with an emphasis on youth ministry.

Now for a health update. Every day presents a new challenge. My current battle that you can be praying for is for the return of my kidneys. My hands and my feet are healing up very well. At my most recent doctors office visit the doctor had me stop bandaging my feet and start wearing socks. I also was given a new pair of shoes that are more normal. This was a really exciting feeling because it allowed me to feel like I’m making real progress! As far as my hands go, I have been working with a hand therapist three days a week. My therapist has me doing all kinds of fun exercises and working on getting function back in my hands. 

For this weeks message its all about Jesus. I want us to be reminded this week of what an amazing sacrifice God made for us! We did not deserve it and yet God humbles himself to save us! The Bible verse I have listed below has a part in verse 10 about every knee bowing down in Heaven and on Earth, and that is what I would like you to do right now. Stop whatever you’re doing, get on your knees and just acknowledge that Jesus is Lord! Thank him for all that he’s given you! Praise him for all that he is! Too often we go through our days without giving praise to the one who gives us everything we have. So remember this week, Jesus is Lord Jesus is Lord Jesus is Lord!

“8 And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:8-11

Hey everyone. This week we will be talking about the importance of hard work and earning the things that you have. The Bible says in ‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:10-13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.”

‭‭ As I was reading this it made me think about all of the times when I allowed myself to get lazy. For me this is when I only do the minimal amount of work when it comes to my blog and spreading my Messages to the world. I’ve had many opportunities placed in my lap and sometimes I just allow myself to get lazy and don’t do the work necessary to act on these opportunities. I need to spend more time writing sermons and spreading the word on social media and speaking at more events. This is what I use as my example right now because this is my main job, spreading the word of Christ and encouraging others through my blog and my personal story. For you this may be you working harder at the accounting firm you work at.

There are so many different jobs out there. It can be easy with any job to let yourself get lazy or just get by. That is not why we are here on this earth, to just get by. We were put on this earth to make a difference. To influence encourage the people we are surrounded by. One of the ways we can do that is by working our hardest. Giving 100% of the energy that we have, nothing less! If you allow yourself to do this I guarantee you that you will see a big difference in your life. I hope this message inspires you and reminds you that anything less than 100% is exactly that less then. 

May God bless you and strengthen you as you go through your week! Thank you for watching!

Hey guys. For this video I just want to hear from you my viewers. What topics would you like to hear more about? Please share in the comment section below!
 

Today’s message is about the power of prayer. For the past several weeks I have been blessed with the opportunity to sit in on the youth group at Scottsdale Bible Church’s Cactus Campus. This past week their leader Ryan asked them some really Great questions that I’d like to ask you today. Sidenote if you are looking for a church or youth group and you are in the area near Cactus and Cavecreek this is the place to go. The church is so welcoming and their youth program on Sunday’s is an awesome place to learn about God. 

So let’s get to the questions. How often do you pray? Do you pray once a day? Once a month? Only when it’s absolutely necessary? I’m not asking this question to guilt trip anyone, Just to get you thinking.

 Prayer is one of the most important things that we can do to keep our connection with God strong. If you don’t think prayer is important just remember Jesus himself was often found going off on his going to pray. That was Jesus. And he’s perfect. I don’t know about you but I sure am not          

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16 . 

Next question, when you pray, what is it that you pray for? Is it for something to happen in your life. Maybe that God would ease your stress at work, or he would help you if you were troubling time, or maybe that your sports team would win this week Sunday game. Go Cardinals just saying! How about praying for others and the events in their life, do you pray for your sick friend to get better? For your worst enemy to have a nice life? Yeah most people don’t pray for for that last one but that’s A sermon for another day.

 Let me ask you this question. do you believe that God truly answers those prayers? I mean true answers them…. The bible says, 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

Problem is a lot of the time we fear asking for the Big things. Or if we are willing to actually ask for these things we don’t truly believe in my heart that God has the power to do that. We doubt the power of God. Don’t worry you are not alone it’s human nature. 

Those of you who don’t know my story I was hospitalized for a long period of time and they didn’t think that I was going to make it. There were a lot of struggles during that time and I was presented with many opportunities to hate God. For instance I lost function to my fingers and my toes. Something that anyone could be willing to get mad about. Instead I made the choice to take it as a blessing that God spared my life. Not that God ruined it or took things away but that I was blessed to be alive and breathing. This verse comes to my mind when I think of that time, 
““ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”’ Mark 9:23 NIV

I am healed due to my faith and belief that anything is possible with God. Back to my point on prayer. I am still in healing and I am currently dealing with my kidneys not coming back. I’ve caught myself praying that he would heal me but not believing it in my heart, but I finally caught myself. We have to remember if we don’t fully believe in what we’re praying Will come true, how do we expect God to come through with it. God knows everything that is on our hearts which means he knows when we are doubting him. So I pray diligently, I pray for a full recovery of my kidneys, I’ll pray that I would not only be healed but I would grow from the experience and be used by God. Because isn’t that why were all here? To be used by God.  

So remember not to be afraid to ask for the big things. We serve a big God who is capable of all things. Thank you for your time. God bless! 

Today’s message is all about love.

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:3-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Temptation is something that we must deal with on a daily basis. We are always being tempted and all of us in different ways. The good news is God is faithful and he will provide you the way out if you are keeping your eye out for it. The key is to be on your guard. 

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

This first reminds me that there’s always a way out if we are willing to look for it. It made me think of the movie pursuit of happiness with Will Smith. There’s I joke the son in the movie tells that I have quoted below. I think it sums up the same idea that we’re dealing with here.

 “There was a man who was drowning, and a boat came, and the man on the boat said ‘Do you need help?’ and the man said ‘God will save me’. Then another boat came and he tried to help him, but he said ‘God will save me’, then he drowned and went to Heaven. Then the man told God, ‘God, why didn’t you save me?’ and God said ‘I sent you two boats, you dummy!'” 

I use this joke because I think it perfectly sums up a moment where someone can be so blinded did they miss the moment that’s right in front of them. God gave the faithful servant a way out, but because he had in his mind A specific Way he thought God would save him, he missed it. Sometimes we are just blinded because we can’t see past your own vision. Be on your toes and always be seeking a way to escape the temp Tatian that is in front of you. God will never give you more than you can handle.

For today’s blog we will be using a few different versus coming from Psalm 139. Our topic is gods plan. I wanted to remind everyone that you are so unique. God loves you for who you are and he wants a specific relationship with you. He created you in his image unique to everyone else. He has had a plan for you since the moment you were born. I’m going to read for you first Psalm 139 verses one through three.

“You have searched me, Lord, 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, Lord, know it completely. ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139:1-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬
I’m going to repeat that last part again. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, no it completely. This means that he already knows what’s going to happen before it even happens. I don’t know about you but that brings a lot of relief to me. I would also like to read Psalm 139 verses 13 and 14

“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 ‭139:13-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This part always gets to me. The fact that God had a plan for my life before I even took my first breath. Not just that but that I was fearfully and wonderfully made. I wasn’t just put together really fast with the same traits as every other person but I was made special and unique. 

I have a specific purpose on this earth and so do you! My hope and my prayer is that these verses would be a reminder of that for you. So what now? Now you find out what your purpose is. Start to explore. Ask questions. What gifts do you have? what is it that brings you joy? If you have trouble finding these things ask your friends for help. Remember God already has a plan in place! 🙂 

Today’s challenge is really simple. I asked for you to find someone and just ask them if they need any form of prayer. If they tell you something then take the time in your day to pray for them and for anyone else that you know needs it. God bless!

You may notice that in today’s blog I’m dressed a little differently than normal. That’s because today’s message is all about using the Spirit of God to be a superhero to others. Also I really really really wanted to wear this Superman robe. You don’t have to be a minister or missionary to build up the kingdom of God. We are called as Christians to reach out to others and spread the word of Christ daily to those around us. However this can be a very scary thing and I totally understand that. That is why I chose to read this verse from Matthew today.
“On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”Matthew‬ ‭10:18-20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let us remember whenever we are scared that we have the Spirit of God in us. If we pray diligently to the Lord and ask for opportunities he will present them to us. When we don’t know what to say or do the spirit will take over for us. I challenge you to trust in the Lord and the spirit within you. I think you will be surprised by the results! 🙂 God bless!!!