Carry Us

Carry Us

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

Is there an end to this season?

Maybe one day we'll find out the reason,

But I don't dare to count this as the fifth year

Because I hold onto hope that maybe,

Just maybe the end is near.

So..until then
We're all learning now that we don't lap up what others spill;

But that we wait for what God reveals.

Holy Spirit bear witness.

Bring us discernment

Of these words, words, words.

Bring us all into one accord

While we pray

And supplicate.

Separate..the lies from the truth

In our hearts

And start a great healing among us.

Keep the violation far from our memory

And carry..us far..far away from stagnation

By furthering us along on the road of salvation.

Testimony Tuesday - Brent Harris

    My name is Brent Harris. My parents met and married in church. Because of that, my life had a covering. I never saw my parents do drugs. I went to church every week and grew up within a godly home. At the age of 13 I dedicated my life to Christ. The Bible says for "All have sinned..." I knew my sin as a child was just as bad as the thief who robs a store. I vowed to serve Him all the days of my life. It hasn't been easy. The world has many temptations and many times I considered leaving the church in pursuit of what the world calls fun.

    On Jan 19,2014 I will marry the love of my life. I am 23. I have never kissed any woman including her. Our first kiss will be at the alter. I am a proud virgin. She is the only woman I have ever dated. I look back at my life and know without a doubt my life is blessed because I served my Savior even when life got hard. 

    To those who are reading this: Serve God. The Bible says "the pleasures of sin is only for a season." If you're a church kid you have a covering over your life, don't take it for granted. We serve an awesome God who truly cares about us. Nothing in the world can bring joy, like the joy of salvation.

God bless,

Brent Harris

San Antonio, TX

Real Romance

    Sadly heartbreak is a phenomenon you can't escape no matter your denomination, social status, or race. It's something I'm all too familiar with like a lot of people are. We all know heartbreak is inevitable. You can be 23 and you could have never had your first kiss and you still can say you have gone through some sort of heartbreak. Perhaps your dreams were crushed, your daughter or son passed away, you lost your job, or you are going through a divorce. Whatever it is that makes it hard to go to sleep at night and get out of bed in the morning is what I would define as a heartbreak.

    Maybe you think your life is perfect and you are just living young, wild, and free. The reality however, is that we all need Jesus whether life is a roller coaster or a smooth ride. Asking Jesus into our hearts and consistently examining whether we're really saved or not is so very important. This will be a more perfect parallel for those of you who are married or in a relationship, but still extremely important for those of you who aren't. Do you love Him? If you said yes then I am assuming that you are praying and communicating with Him. I am assuming you are spending time getting to know Him more through reading your Bible. Here is a verse that has been deeply treasured in my heart this last week: 1 John 4:18 - "There is no fear in love, but perfect loves casts out fear."

    The rest of what I have to say to you today is short, but powerful. Really ponder this one, precious children of God.

    God has been growing me in the area of my relationships lately. I can't remember a time where I went into a relationship being friends first except for once way back when. I rushed and was rushed. This caused a lot of fear in my heart. I was in these relationships physically, but not wholeheartedly because of this. I spent most of my time in fear than in love, but with Jesus this is impossible to even do. He's patient with us. He's perfect. He has the ability to cast out that fear. The depth of confidence in the Lord results in commitment. The height of trust in the Lord leads to perseverance in all circumstance. What a beautiful picture this is. He waits for you and in that period of time you can see all the other wonderful characteristics of God. It is faithfulness that casts out fear for love is faithful. Are you faithful to Him? Do you love Him?

A Reason for Every Season

    When a baby wants his mother's milk he cries and cries until he gets it. Humankind is impatient. We were all born into a sinful world so until someone taught us the art of being patient or until we ended up learning for ourselves down the road it was our nature. I assume that you're all Christians, but if you're not don't stop reading - this could apply to you too!

    If you are a Christian you were made BRAND NEW. You have made a commitment to die to your flesh daily and let the Holy Spirit take control of your thoughts, desires, words, and actions. You then are choosing to live in GOD' S will for your life. Then comes the question that we're all impatient in waiting for the answer: what is my purpose? Maybe for you that question looks like: what should I go to school for, who should I marry, what job should I take, OR maybe God's revealed something to you and you're trying to make it happen in your own timing. Let me tell you that it won't work.

(Left to right: Erika, dad, Evan, mom, Elyse, and me (Elaina lol))

    I think I was four or five the one Christmas where my mum told me I got less presents than all my other siblings. My lower lip started quivering and I ended up crying these big "crocodile tears". I didn't wait for her to tell me that it was because one of my presents was more expensive than any one of my other siblings' and that's why I had fewer presents than them. So as the other kids opened up the rest of their presents I waited for my last one while I sat on my daddy's lap crying. Then it came the time when I got to open up my last one. I waited in sour anticipation as they were bringing it up from the basement because I was hurt my mum told me earlier that I had to wait. My dad brought it into the eighties decor family room. It was a big present! I opened it with excitement and it ended up being the dollhouse I REALLY wanted. 

    The point of that story was that we already know that God has a great and fulfilling purpose in store for us. There are times where sometimes we have to step out in faith but when we are waiting for His answer we're often not patient (that includes having a good attitude) and then when we do have the answer we try to make it happen instead of learning the lesson He meant for us to learn on this journey: to trust in HIM and HIS timing and HIS way of doing things. We need to realize that some seasons are for planting, some are for growing, and some are for reaping the harvest. Don't try to rush to the season you want; you might miss a very important step.

    So when it seems like all of your friends, family, or even your enemies are ahead of you in life remember trust in God. (Read Ecclesiastes 3)
that we're not in competition with them. We are to walk where God wants us to walk in anticipation of good things, wait patiently where God wants us to wait, and praise Him joyfully no matter where we are. You never know where He's going to take you or what He's doing in you. So your task is easy: sit back, relax, and

Ecclesiastes 3:1 - "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest...."

Proverbs 3:5-6 - "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."

Ecclesiastes 7:8 - "Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride."

Romans 15:5 - "May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus."

Love Like Christ

#LoveLikeChrist

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

Not hypothetical

Love...overcomes...

The hardest of obstacles.

Love's...outcome

Promises great harvests...

Even in the hardest.

A love unconditional

Going deeper every day,

Not superficial only on weekdays.

But on weak days it fights to be stronger than before

Instead of giving in deciding you don't want it anymore.

A love that casts out fear was a love that endeared.

Love is patient.

Love is kind.

Love is loyal not looking to find...

Temptations, abominations.

Love is more than a monotone recitation

Or some silly citation.

It's deeper than relation.

Love protects.

It doesn't expect...

Others to be perfect.

But love corrects out of another's benefit.

Love always hopes.

Love always trusts.

Love perseveres...

Love adheres

In sickness and in health,

In poverty and in wealth.

Love never fails.

No matter what it entails

Love will prevail.

So Much More!

    My heart over the past couple of weeks has been to encourage my fellow believers in Jesus Christ with the following: First off, I want to tell you all that this is not about me, but about God who has been working through me. I had been feeling discouragement in where the direction of my life was headed. He had given me big dreams, but I had no idea where they were going. It seemed like a dead end, however my passion was obvious. Over the past week or so I had been praying that God would expand my influence so I could speak into many young ladies' lives and let me tell you, He answered that prayer and not because it was my timing, but it was HIS timing and not because they were in the way I had envisioned them, but in the way HE envisioned them. I am joyed to be able to tell you that He had answered them in an even bigger way than I had EVER dreamed.

 

    How does this apply to you, precious ones? I am not telling you to discourage you if you are in a dry season. I am here to encourage you to have FAITH. God did NOT put you on this earth to be ordinary, but EXTRAORDINARY and to be able to share in HIS glory. Do not envy anyone else's call because He is going to use you in the areas that you will be the most effective. BUT, you HAVE to take ACTION. It is dire. When He says move, MOVE. When He says stay put, STAY PUT.

When He says speak, SPEAK. When He says listen, LISTEN. Staying put, however, disregards staying put in your relationship with God. We are called to GROW and NEVER to be stagnant and I do NOT care what it takes for that to happen. Be WILLING and CONTINUALLY be in prayer about being humble.

 

    Most importantly, we must live by the HOLY SPIRIT. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide. Cover yourself in the blood of Jesus. Pray purity over your hearts, minds, emotions, words, and your desires. Pray that HIS will be done, not yours. When God moves pride can become a huge epidemic in your relationship with God and it will not be able to thrive in it. Be on WATCH. Beloved ones, I pray that you will be encouraged to stay in tune to the Holy Spirit and this will be the start of your COMPLETE deliverance.

 

2 Corinthians 6:6 ~ "We prove ourselves by our PURITY, our UNDERSTANDING, our PATIENCE, our KINDNESS, by the HOLY SPIRIT within US, and by our SINCERE LOVE."