The Inescapable Cravings of Your Heart | Spiritual Fuel ( or how God has plans for our day when we have other plans)

The Inescapable Cravings of Your Heart | Spiritual Fuel

 Whoa! I just had to share this devotional I subscribe to with everyone. I hope it speaks to you the way it did me!

I was fully planning on Job Searching today....

But, as i was checking  my email, I kept getting Facebook Messages concerning meetings & Information regarding  The Warehouse, my church's Youth ministry.

I really love serving as a youth leader for the Warehouse,but, because of some stuff I felt i needed to get worked out here my own family, I have taken a break from serving there temporarily.

As I am reading the messages, I am Feeling such a strong desire, a burden, longing to be involved in ministering to the Youth, but , at the same time a heaviness, because I know that i am suppose to be taking a break to deal with things here at home.

I have felt that I need to continue to deal with things but, I felt the need to be involved in some training comming up, as well as  a festival coming up. With my Kids permission of course. ;)  ( Thanks my wonderful friends that love me enough to hold me accountable! )

Then, I read this devotional.

It really encouraged me that even though I was not involved with the Youth right now, that the desire for it was not going to go away, and that by putting MY kids first, it was honoring him more than if i just did what I wanted to do anyway.

Obedience

This the word that is coming to mind as I write this post.

(this is my Desire)

Also, a Scripture Verse comes to mind.

James 4:10  (NLT)

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.



(This is my Challenge)

I am ready willing & able to meet it! 

YouTube - Hillsong-Devotion

I am a Youth Leader at the Youth Group at my Church called the Warehouse. The Warehouse is held every Wednesday Night & this is one of the Songs that we did during Worship Last Wednesday.  I really love this song. You could say its one of my favorites :). But, that night I really felt that God was using this to speak to me. Here are the Lyrics: (they are attached to the Video as well.)

Hillsong United - Devotion lyrics

Verse 1
I've been running, trying to be one who sees
I've been working salvation out on my knees
There is nothing better than knowing
that we are redeemed
I'm believing, trusting in creative hands,
I am praying for our world to bow to your plan
And this one thought is unmistakable:
I take up my cross and follow you Lord

Chorus
When you stand the tall trees and mountains bow
When you speak the fiercest of oceans is still
And I see the sinner seek devotion
The lost become chosen, and I fall to my knees

Verse 2
I'm forgiven; my Savior who did not deserve death
He was blameless and I was lost in shamefulness
I'm delivered, but it doesn't seem right
unless I keep my eyes focused on the savior who gave his life
In the middle of a world that denies it believes
It is breaking apart at the very seams
There is one thing to be alive for
And it's to take up my cross and follow you Lord

Bridge
I will take up my cross and follow Lord where you lead me
And I will take up my cross and follow wherever you go



Lyrics | Hillsong United lyrics - Devotion lyrics

WOW! These are some very POWERFUL Lyrics!!! 

 From a Very Powerful Song! But, when we were almost thru the Song, the Youth Pastor Exhorted the Youth saying " Listen to the words we are singing....

I will, Take up my Cross &  follow Lord where you lead me,
I will take up my Cross & follow where ever you go.

He asked them to search themselves and ask themselves, " would  you really go where ever God asked you to? If he asked you to go to Africa, would you go?

He asked If he asked you to go to a Place like they went, ( a Group from  the Youth  group just came back from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic) where there was no air conditioning, & the Living conditions were poor. "would you go?"  He asked if God Asked you to work just a 9-5 Job and influence people by the way you Live your Life would  you  do it?

WHOA! I felt an Instant check in my Spirit!

I Have been REALLY  frustrated with things in my life concerning work. I haven't felt like i have been getting enough Hours at work,I have Mentioned something about it, but, it hasn't changed, so, I have Started Looking for either another part- time Job, or a Full- time one that Pays more. Both of those efforts have Been very UN-fruitful. I have also Been frustrated with things in my Personal Life and Church life relationally. But, when The Youth Pastor said what he did, I felt like the Holy Spirit Nudge me, as if to say, "Yeah, what he said!"

I needed to Remember what Paul said in Philippians 4:11-12:

11 Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances.12 I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty.

Just Because we aren't where we think we should be, or where we are trying to be, doesn't mean that we aren't doing  what God wants us to do.

Sometimes all he wants us to do is to set the example for someone he's trying to reach.

It's that simple. We are the ones that make it so Complicated.

Related articles by Zemanta

• 1 reviews of The Best Worship Songs of the 90s (Various Artists) (rateitall.com)
• I don't mention music often but... Josh Fox (beliefnet.com)

Kids... *sigh*

This is a Follow up to My last Blog post! One step Forward, 10 Back. I Posted this to my Adhd Group on Monday.


My Husbands Step-son (who he's raised from an Infant, but isnt really biologically his) is going down an a Really bad road. He lives with his Mom. She Runs a VERY permissive household, she has only one rule... There ARE NONE! * sigh*. anyway, he had to move in with her because of some choices he mad when he lived here, that made it Necessary for him to move in with his mom.

Since then, its been totally down hill for him. He has gotten into Running with a Bad crowd, doing drugs,Having Indiscriminate Sex, He Is in the System( has a Police Record) for Vandalizing Property, and most recently been arrested for Shoplifting. He knows what hes doing is wrong. His excuse is "yeah, i know, but so and so made me do it". Or "They were the ones doing it! Im just an innocent bystander" Its NEVER him in anything.. So i have a ladies Small group that i Go to on the Second and fourth tuesdays, and since he has pretty Much distanced himself from us, ( he will go to his Friends house that he gets into trouble with, because his mom lets him, because she wants him out of her face, than to come over here) He went to this friends house over christmas( yes, his mom let him! she is all about herself) than to come with us and spend Christmas with us and go to his Grandparents.

Anyway,I digress! I had my ladies group pray and the leader said " wow, sounds like you have a Prodigal son on your hands", and that indicates a deeper heart issue" I told her i agreed, and we all Prayed for him. Yesterday, we had a Guest@ our church, that goes around and ministers to teens, especially teens in trouble heres the Link! Teen Rock Anyway, this Group came to our Church yesterday, and Ministered. And it seemed Like maybe He had a Breakthrough, and was touched by this Guys message and Ministry, and Didn't want to go down that road. Came up front the Guy Prayed with him and for him for quite a while!. To me it seemed like an Answer to Prayer.

On the way home he was talking about it, how he was going to shape his act up, and turn himself around. My husband said " Yeah, I'll believe it when i see it" as did his sister. I stuck up for him and said, " now, come on! Lets not be negative here" I encouraged him to not listen to the naysayers, and that i was really happy that he was reached and decided to turn his life around. I told him that i know i don't always show it, but that i really did love him and was really happy about this turn of events. He gave me a hug and told me how much he appreciated my encouragement, that it meant a lot to him. My husband took them to church( for youth groups Superbowl party)

I enjoyed the Game and went to pick them up. when i got there, they were dragging their feet, a few minutes later, This Friend of his and Brandon told His Mom A Bunch of Lies about Things i supposedly did and said, and said that they Both told her that i am constantly harassing him and Brandon, and that i talk bad behind their backs and make fun of his friend( this is Something my HUSBAND does, and he freely will admit that he does it, Because, the kid is a BAD INFLUENCE)

Anyway, I told her i didn't Know what she was talking about because I don't do those things! That is Just not in my Nature to do! ( and she would have only come to the knowledge of that threw Brandon)All of this In front of the Youth Pastor/ worship leader. I dont know what he heard or didn't because he was a little bit away from where we were standing). I confronted him( Brandon) about it after she left ( i was too stunned to do otherwise) and He got his cocky attitude back and asked him why in the world would she be coming to me asking me those things? He said, without looking me in the eye" because you and DAD do it all the time. I said, Brandon, that's a LIE you KNOW i don't do that. I told him how Disappointed i was in his Choice to betray my Trust. I told him that He stabbed me in the back, and i have Been Praying for him and Encouraging him, and i Stuck up for him to his dad he was being Negative. i said, WOW, i have stuck up for you and encouraged you and Prayed for you, and THIS is how you pay me back! I said I guess your dad was right. I guess you haven't changed, Your actions just showed me that.

I feel SO betrayed! I have Tried to Love him despite things he has done to me, and hes done to my kids. I have Been there for him( even though i HAVE gotten frustrated with his behavior ALOT!) His DAD has given him SO MUCH he has NEVER been obligated to do! and allways included him in the family( even during the Times I didn't want him around because of his behavior, Nasty attitude, Etc) and He Goes and throws our Family and our family's Name under the Bus! all in the name of his Friend that is SUCH a horrible influence that he would rather sacrifice US than someone hes only known 3 yrs. I am SO sad for Being Betrayed like that, like we are nothing more than a source for him to use when his mom gets on his nerves, or when he wants something from my Husband. We are at the Point of letting the prodigal go... Its hard, its a Situation that HE has Brought us to. thanks For reading if you made it this far. :)I know this has been long, but this situation is heavy on my Heart today.( Monday)


And a Friend of Mine(That i LOVE Dearly!Btw) Said to Encourage me monday afternoon!Seeds Have Been Planted in this Childs Life! Seeds from Last Sunday, Seeds that ever Since he has Been going to our Church with us!Those will Grow and Change him eventually! God doesnt ever Give up chasing us and Its not up to us to Save Him! Thats God's Job! We Need(i need) to get out of the way and let him do it!

I Know that God has a Plan for Everything! and He WILL use this Choice Brandon has Made for His Good and the Good of our Family. Even Though I was Really Angry and Bitter When this happened, I am determined to Continue to Pray for him and One day, he will see the things he has done, and he will be a Better person for it! That is my Prayer. I Totally Believe that God uses things(struggles) in our lives to Make us the Person he calls Us to be!