iPhones, Facebook, and Starbucks!

Technology today is far from what it used to be back in the day. I remember when it was just cool to have e-mail. Now we have Twitter, Facebook and all these other social networking sites that help us keep connected. I’ve been realizing lately that my generation is totally into the whole “being-connected” thing. Which is pretty awesome and fine if you ask me.. But only if we remember what being connected is really all about. What’s the point of being connected if there is no purpose? The biggest thing lately is the iPhone. Along with other Apple products like macbooks, iPADs.. you get the picture. It’s like WOW! You got all these cool apps and the cool features and such. It’s just amazingg.. it can keep you connected anywhere and everywhere you go! And if you’re bored, you got an app for it! It’s like you have the whole world literally in the palm of your hand.

Aahhhh.. Facebook. A genius creation of which people are able to keep connected. You can pretty much find people that you graduated with 10 years ago and get reconnected. People love Facebook for the same reason they love the iPhone and all those other Apple products — the joy of being connected. It’s not just enough to send an email, call, or text anymore. It’s about the pictures of the kids, the fun surveys, the games like Farmville, Frontierville, Yoville, and all those other “Villes.” It’s like a voice in your head that keeps saying, “Connection, connection, connection.” You can’t stop. You have to know who’s who and what’s what. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing… it’s pretty awesome if you ask me.

((Now here’s where I’ll be steppin on some toes… stop reading here if you don’t want an ouchie)) Now I personally enjoy all these things as well. I like being connected. I mean, I don’t have an iPOD or iPhone (but that’s beside my point… I know people who do). But my point is “connection.” Connection can be a good thing… then again, it could be a bad thing too… I know, no ouchie here… yet. But allow me to explain.

You see, society is getting to the point where people have to stay in touch and be connected all the time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen kids, workers, saints, and even ministers on their phones during a service. It makes me cringe to watch people post statuses on Facebook and Twitter during a revival service. It’s all the “wow” factor. They’re somehow infatuated with the thought, “Wow, I can take my whole social circle with me wherever I go!”

It’s like a bad Starbucks addiction. It’s good, but so costly. You may be updating your status while missing the perfect opportunity to witness to someone. When’s the last time you took your Starbucks money and bought someone else a coffee from Starbucks? What is the last app you just downloaded onto your iPhone to stay connected? How much did it cost? (any ‘ouches’ yet?) When’s the last time you put all that stuff away, and disconnected to the mainstream of our culture and got connected to the main SOURCE?  I’m not saying that iPhones and Facebook and all that is evil. What I’m saying is what is your purpose in using it? Why be wasteful of precious time that could be used for the glory of God?

What I’m saying is that life is not about the newest fad. Life is about being connected to the One who matters most and using that energy towards others. I cannot and will not apologize for what I’ve written. It’s been on my heart so much lately, I can only pray that you understand what I am trying to convey. God’s been dealing with me on this same subject in my life. And I can only head to what He is saying to me personally. I hope you will, too.

Inspiration

So I'm horrible at writing on a regular basis, I know. But hey, we're not all perfect... Ony GOD is perfect. The past few weeks have been amazing. Ever since our Youth Convention, my life has changed. God is so good! He has freed me from some bondage that I had put myself in over the years. I know feel free to worship and live for Him more than ever before...
I love how God works.. I was working on our church newsletter tonight and I started writing something to fill in our section called "The Voice of a Youth" and God just HIT me with some inspiring thoughts. It was so amazing! I opened a word document and started typing everything and I was just like WOW! And then a thought occured to me... This needs to be a book, a series, or something!
I always wanted to write a book.. and maybe this will be a start for me. The next few blogs will most likely be little "tidbits" from what I'm writing.
I just LOVE how God inspires us like that. Goodnight and God Bless!!
♥Kristina

Freedom Service @ POA

This video really touched me. I always wanted to do something like this. I literally cried the entire time; my heart is touched. So many people are oppressed by 'hidden' addictions, addictions that they don't want anyone to know about. Or some of these people are affected by a relative or spouse's addiction.. but there is HOPE!

click here to play the video.

I hope you are touched just as much as I was.
God Bless.

L.O.L.^2

This weekend at Youth Convention, we were touched in a mighty way. The whole central them was LOL- Live Out Loud. I believe that this has not only touched us, but it has inspired the youth of Pennsylvania to go home and not just talk about it, but to LIVE it... out loud.

Many times people say "I'm a Christian." Sure they live it on Sunday and their midweek services, but what about the other days? what about when no one is looking? How about when some kid in your school is being picked on and you don't do anything but pretend you don't notice? Why don't you look like a happy Christian? Why not smile a little more?

I believe that God has truly awakened us to what He's about to do here in PA. I know that He has touched my life and many other lives as well. All this week, I've been waking up and saying "I'm going to make a difference in someone's life today. I'm going to let others SEE God through me." And honestly, I can't remember waking up in a better mood than I have this week.
But I think there's more to Living Out Loud...

A certain verse came to my mind tonight, and it's so true... I've read it so many times, but it hasn't been more real to me than now...

"If anyone says “I love God” and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen."
--1John 4:20 NET

We need to learn to put our differences aside and love each other, just like God loves us. This verse has never been so real to me until tonight... we not only need "Live Out Loud" but we need to "LOVE Out Loud"

How else can we be a witness unless we love each other? John 13:34 says that we need to love others as HE loved us. God didn't have to show us love and mercy. He didn't have to die for OUR mistakes. He didn't even have to care. I'm not sure why I'm writing this, but it's on my heart. So many times there are people (and we've ALL seen them) who say I'm a Christian on Sunday and then are in the world the rest of the week talkin' smack on people. And when I see that I just stop and I'm like.. WOAH! How can this be???

Here's a quote from one of my previous notes that I've written last year.. "The me Generation; A Generation that Knows No Love"

"Now He didn't die only for the people that where good to Him—no, He died for you, for me, even those who He knew were going to betray Him. How much more should we love others? How much more should we get out of our busy schedules to show someone God's love?
People also look at the way we act towards each other in the church. So much of the world has crept into the church and it's really sad. There's so much disunity and gossip and lying and hatred among God's people. And that's exactly what the devil wants—disunity. Mark 3:25 says, "If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." If we (the church) aren't of one mind, it is easier for the devil to attack."

Brother Russ Cripps put it even better in his book ThirtyOneAnothers. . .

"God came down to redefine love, to show us that loving others is real love because real love is not about us, it's about them. We really don't know how to love one another. We must juxtapose the old love and the new love and learn to love others on the same level that Jesus loves them. In that NEW love, the HIGHER love, we place others before ourselves.
It is obvious that we all want to receive the love of Jesus. The real challenge lies in our ability to give love to others also---it's not just caring for them, not just loving them, but loving them as Christ loves you."

Like Bro. Handkins said this weekend, "What you believe, determines how you'll behave." I think that if we truly believe in God's mercy and grace, and how He loves us, that we will be able to love others with no regrets, no strings attached.

We need to "Live Out Loud" & "Love Out Loud"
L.O.L.^2
Thanks for reading,
Kristina<3


Link to notes referred to:: http://www.facebook.com/krissybug10?v=app_2347471856&ref=profile#!/note.php?note_id=62930800126

Beautiful.

Sometimes I really think that we don't truly grasp how beautiful our Savior really is.. this song touches my heart every time I hear it.

Beautiful by Kari Jobe
Here, before Your altar,
I am letting go of all I've held
of every motive, every burden,
everything that's of myself.
and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are.

beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

oh beautiful

here in Your presence,
I am not afraid of brokenness
to wash Your feet with humble tears
oh I would be poured out till nothing's left.
and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are, who You are

Beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

oh Lord You're beautiful, beautiful beautiful
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are

beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are.

I Give Myself Away

There's a song by William McDowell called "I Give Myself Away." It's such a beautiful song-- and it is my heart's cry to the Lord in this time in my life. God I want you to use me. I give you my life. I'd give it over and over again for you to just use me. Lord, let my life honor and please You. Lord, my heart's cry is to do Your will. For my life is NOT my own, to You I belong. You created every part of me-- my inmost being. You are my passion, Your word is my passion; Your will for me is what I long for each and every day. Lord, help me to reach my generation, for they are hurting. Help me to show Your love, Your glory, Your compassion, Your grace, Your mercy. God, I know that You're about to do amazing things this year. I feel a wave coming; a wave of renewed passion. Let us be willing and ready, Lordl. Let your people be willing to give themselves to You fully. Let us put all our dreams and plans into Your hands. Lord, I pray that not our will but Yours be done in our lives. I pray that you touch Your children.. for we truly ARE Your sons and daughters. I pray that we may receive a boldness like never before. I pray that we have a renewed passion for doing Your will. I pray that You break us, Lord. Let us be on fire for You. Let us hunger and thirst for more of You. Allow us to be so full of You.. that we're overflowing and be witnesses to others. Lord, help us to just raise our hands and say... "I give myself away"

I Give Myself Away

Chorus:
I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me
I give myself away
I give myself away
So You can use me

Verse 1:
Here I am
Here I stand
Lord, my life is in your hands
Lord, I’m longing to see
Your desires revealed in me
I give myself away

Verse 2:
Take my heart
Take my life
As a living sacrifice
All my dreams all my plans
Lord I place them in your hands

Bridge:
My life is not my own
To you I belong
I give myself, I give myself to you

The Ultimate Bowl

Tonight's a big night. Millions of people are cheering for their favorite football team. There are people gathered at friends and families' houses; there's people even watching it at their churches. Crowds are cheering, yelling, screaming for their favorite team to win.. It's intense. The atmosphere is just so thick that the crowds are just wild! For one night in the year, practically the entire world is watching this big-time event...

Many years ago, there was a crowd just like this. However, it was different. They mocked him. The atmosphere was thick with mockery and judgment. He carried a cross.. a crown of thorns put on his head. They nailed him to that tree and pierced a sword in his side..

"Above his head they put the charge against him, which read: 'This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.'" -Matt 27:37

The world rejected him. Heaven and hell watched closely. The demons cheered, the angels stood silently, watching. The king had died. Hell was happy, for they had won. Heaven stood still, waiting.
Just as in the last moments of the Super Bowl, people will be waiting; the world silent. Who will win? I do not know who will win the Super Bowl this year. But one thing I DO know, is that three days after his death so long ago, Jesus Christ the King of Kings rose. Hell was stunned. The angels rejoiced. How much more should we celebrate that our Lord and Savior has conquered Death, Hell and the Grave?? Jesus is the winner of all... and I believe that all of Heaven rejoiced when he rose from the grave.. I think that we should rejoice even more than when our favorite team wins the Super Bowl! Our king is ALIVE! And he lives in each and every one of us. And he has won the Ultimate Bowl!* :)

God Bless.
-K♥


*Bowl- a football game played after the regular season by teams selected by the sponsors of the game, usually as representing the best from a region of the country [[Jesus represents the best Team in all Creation]]

Its 11:43 and I can't Sleep

So this weekend totally ROCKED! To start with, there was the "BLIZZARD" at Apostolic Faith Church in Hazelton. Which I must say the service was off the hook! Brother Betterly preached a sermon "What's in Your Wallet?" And he talked about what we value is what's in our wallet (our lives). What do we put first in our lives? Is it God? Is it internet? Is it wealth? Is it things of this world?
Luke 9:1 says, "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and too heal the sick.9:3And he said unto them, Take nothing for [your] journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece"
God is saying that we should worry about nothing except Him. We need Him to be first in our lives. We need to value Him first. All else will come into place.
We also sang a song that night called I'm Not Ashamed:

I'm gonna dace for You, like nobody's watching, nobody's watching me
Worship You my Lord
I'm gonna sing for You, like nobody's listening, nobody's listening
And sing for You my Lord
/I'm not holdin' anything, anything back
I will worship You with all that I am/

ch: I'm not ashamed to worship the name of Jesus, Jesus
I'm not afraid to shout out the name of the Lord
I'm not ashamed to worship the name of Jesus, Jesus
I'm not afraid to shout out Your name Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

vs.2 I'm gonna worship You like nothing else matters, nothing else matters
Worship You my Lord
I'm gonna worship You like nothing else matters, nothing else matters
Worship You my Lord
/I'm not holdin' anything, anything back
I will worship You with all that I am/

Bridge: Lord, I’m gonna dance for You; Lord, I’m gonna sing for You
Lord, I’m gonna worship You, I’m not afraid, I’m not ashamed
(repeat)
Nothing’s gonna hinder me. Nothing’s gonna silence me
Shout it out if you believe, I’m not afraid, I’m not ashamed

I don't want to be ashamed when it comes to worshiping my Jesus! I don't want to be afraid to shout the name of Jesus!! I want to put Him first and foremost in my life. I want to live for Him every moment of every single day!! Jesus, I'm not holdin' anything back anymore!!!

Krissy♥

**I would also like to thank Apostolic Faith Church for inviting us to the Blizzard 2010. It was definitely a lot of fun and I can't wait for next year's Blizzard. Love y'all!!**

And the Message is: YOU ARE LOVED!

So it's a new year! A new day... a new, fresh and clean slate to work off of. So I've decided a few things and decided that our world needs a change. I look around and there are a LOT of people that need the love of Jesus. They don't know what real LOVE is. They don't know what real PEACE is. They try finding it in the back seat of a car. They try finding it in boyfriends and girlfriends. They try finding it in bars. They try finding it on the street corner. They try finding it in self-destruction. They try finding it in crack cocaine. They try finding it on porn sites. They try finding it in other addictive things. They don't understand what the purpose of life is. Maybe they don't even think they HAVE a purpose. Maybe they're just like "I'll do whatever I want to please myself because there's nothing else in this world for me."
I'm here to say that people NEED to kno that they are loved. People NEED to kno that they can have peace. People NEED to kno that their life doesn't have to be all about porn, or sex, or drugs, self-destruction, or any other addiction. They need to kno that living for Jesus is the BEST! And that it's better than any other high on this Earth. They need to kno that God LOVES them and wants the BEST for them. He doesn't put us where we are without knowing what we can become. God has each and every one of our lives in His hand. He knows our potential. And I think it's time to tell the world...


YOU ARE LOVED!


K♥