"and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
Isaiah 58:10
One thing I've learned over the past few years of my life is how good it feels to serve others. Do you ever go help out with something and when you're done you just feel so good about yourself? It's one of the best feelings in the world. Then again has your mom ever asked you to go do something to help her out and you roll your eyes and get really annoyed? That's one of the worst feelings you can have. I've done both things. The thing about Jesus is he came to us with a serving heart and served anyone and everyone that he could without a single complaint. That's how we should be. Jesus WANTS to serve us, he wants to help. Why are we so selfish to only want to help people when we feel like it? We should want to help and serve whenever we are needed.
When you think of serving others you probably think of washing cars, going to the homeless shelter, habitat for humanity, feeding the hungry, etc. and those are all really wonderful ways to serve in your community, but they aren't the only ways. When someone in your family is sick and needs something, go get it for them. When you see someone walking around with their hands full of things, go take some of it and help them. When you see someone getting picked on, go stand up for them. There are so many simple ways to serve others that we ignore every single day.
The other day I was at the gas station and this homeless man was sitting by a gas pump just minding his own business. I had already put all of my money in my gas tank so I didn't really know what I could do to help him. He looked hot and miserable and I couldn't think of a way to help him. This really nice jeep pulled up to the gas pump that the homeless man was at and gets out. He watches the homeless man get up and go sit at an empty gas pump. The man then walks over to the homeless guy and asks him if he needs any money. That's right, he offered money before the homeless man could even ask, how many of you have ever done that?? The homeless man says "No thank you, I just need to sit here and cool down for a minute." The guy says okay and goes to put gas in his tank. After he starts pumping his gas he goes into the gas station and I watch the homeless man throw up due to the heat and I started to cry and pray that God could help him because I couldn't. The man comes out of the gas station with a sandwich, a bag of chips and two bottles of cold water. He then walks up to the homeless man and says, "Here is some food and water, will you please come ride around with me in my air conditioned car. I know you won't take my money, but please just let me help you." They got into the vehicle together and left. I thought about that situation all day, astonished at the kindness of this man's serving heart and desperation to help the homeless guy. I don't know many people who would offer money without being asked, much less continue to help even when his first attempt at helping was turned down. Later that day as I was heading home I stopped at McDonalds to get my mom and sister dinner, as I'm driving thru I see the man's jeep. I went inside to order my food just to tell the man how good of a person he is when I saw him and the homeless man laughing and enjoying dinner together. That man spent the WHOLE day helping this homeless man and it's honestly one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
That's what it is to have a serving heart and to help others. You should be happy to help others. If we had more people embracing a serving heart the world would be a much better place and I believe we would see more smiling faces. I challenge you to go out and find ways to help others. If we helped at least one person a day we could change so many lives. We are on this Earth to serve, not to be served, remember that. It's sad that so many of us view helping others as a chore. It is NOT a chore, but an opportunity! Helping others gives you the perfect opportunity to plant seeds in others hearts and share the gospel with them. Having opportunities like that is such a blessing and we should take hold of any opportunity that comes our way. Let's go be servants that bring light into this dark world. I promise it will make a difference.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Love is ...
"Love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
I just spent a week at church camp and it sure has been an eye opener. I learned a lot about myself and others. One thing that was a hot topic for me last week is what exactly is love? This week at camp I learned that love is an overused word that society is sucking the meaning out of. As Christians we should be more careful of how we use the word love and what we think it is that way when we do use it, it remains a powerful word. That information vaguely answers the real question though, what is love? Luckily for us, as Christians, we are provided a really cool book that can answer that exact question for us in 1 Corinthians. Reading these verses all together can be overwhelming so I'm just gonna break it down for a better understanding.
1. Love is Patient
If you have ever been in a relationship you understand how irritating it can be when something doesn't go your way or someone just doesn't listen to you. Your first instinct would be to cause a scene and let them know harshly what they're doing wrong. That isn't patience. Love is patient, meaning that you have all the patience in the world for someone you love. If they mess up, or irritate you even the slightest bit you have to be patient with them and talk to them. Explain what is bothering you in a sensitive way, work together to resolve issues.
2. Love is Kind
What does the word kind mean to you? To me being kind means that you are nice, helpful, and encouraging. That should be incorporated into relationships. You should be nice even if they're being mean. Helpful when they have problems. Encouraging when they feel their world falling to pieces. Being kind is such an important part of showing love. Love doesn't exist without kindness.
3. Love is not Jealous
Jealousy comes from greed and selfishness. You can't get jealous of someone you love, it's wrong. When something goes the way they want you should be by their side encouraging them and showing them how happy you are for them. Supporting each others accomplishments even if you feel unaccomplished is a way of showing love. Jealousy is one of the quickest ways to start problems between two people.
4. Love does not Brag and it is not Arrogant
Do you ever get in an argument and say "Look at all I have done for you and you treat me that way?" That comment is bragging and shows arrogance. Love does not have that. Love is appreciating what one does for you and enjoying doing things for each other without expecting anything in return. Don't pride yourself on being better than the other person, you're equals. Do not brag. Do not be arrogant.
5. Love doesn't Dishonor Others
Love has good manners. Love is courteous and polite. Love is never rude. This basically ties into love being kind. Love does nothing to dishonor each other.
6. Love is not Self-Seeking
Two people should be equal in a relationship. If you love each other then you should be looking out for each other, not doing things that only benefit one person. Equality is key.
7. Love is not Provoked
Love is not touchy, but is understanding. You shouldn't be easily angered. Having a good temper with each other will help you in the long run. Love is having a level head and figuring things out together.
8. Love does not Keep Records of Wrong Doings
Love forgives. You can't hold grudges with each other. If someone messes up, apologize, work things out, and move forward. You can never move on and be happy if you're continuously bringing up the past.
9. Love does not Rejoice in Unrighteousness, but Rejoices with Truth
Love doesn't encourage wrong doings. If you're in a relationship with someone who encourages you to drink, party, have premarital sex, lie, cheat, etc. If someone you love is encouraging you to do anything similar to those things or anything ungodly then they don't really love you. If they pressure you into doing things that you know are wrong, walk away.
10. Love Protects
If you love someone you will do anything to protect them. You'd take a bullet for someone you truly love. If you absolutely love someone they come second always. (God comes first.)
11. Love Trusts
Listen to what the other person has to say, and don't second guess them. If they love you then I promise they are telling the truth, if they lie to you then they aren't the one. Trust is SO important. If you can't trust someone, you don't really love them.
12. Love Hopes
Love is not pessimistic. Love is going into a relationship hoping that the best will happen. If you have a hopeful love, anything can happen. Hope means happiness and that's important when it comes to love.
13. Love Perseveres
If something doesn't go as planned, hang in there! Love is never giving up, always striving for the best outcome of any situation. If they aren't ready to accept your flaws and work past them, they aren't hoping for a future with you, and they don't love you. If y'all stumble upon a problem and they don't want to work through it, they're giving up, and they don't love you. Love never gives up.
All of these are ways that Jesus loves us. We are all supposed to strive to be Christ-Like in all aspects of our lives, this is one way to do it. Nothing can separate us from His love, so if you love someone, nothing should be able to separate y'all from each other. Love is a hard thing for society to figure out these days, but it's all there in black and white. Right in the bible which is just one big love story. If you can't do all thirteen things (I'm not saying flawlessly, but if you can't do them at all) you don't love like you thought you did. Love is a serious and powerful thing. Always keep that in mind. If you're going to love, love like He loved us.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
I just spent a week at church camp and it sure has been an eye opener. I learned a lot about myself and others. One thing that was a hot topic for me last week is what exactly is love? This week at camp I learned that love is an overused word that society is sucking the meaning out of. As Christians we should be more careful of how we use the word love and what we think it is that way when we do use it, it remains a powerful word. That information vaguely answers the real question though, what is love? Luckily for us, as Christians, we are provided a really cool book that can answer that exact question for us in 1 Corinthians. Reading these verses all together can be overwhelming so I'm just gonna break it down for a better understanding.
1. Love is Patient
If you have ever been in a relationship you understand how irritating it can be when something doesn't go your way or someone just doesn't listen to you. Your first instinct would be to cause a scene and let them know harshly what they're doing wrong. That isn't patience. Love is patient, meaning that you have all the patience in the world for someone you love. If they mess up, or irritate you even the slightest bit you have to be patient with them and talk to them. Explain what is bothering you in a sensitive way, work together to resolve issues.
2. Love is Kind
What does the word kind mean to you? To me being kind means that you are nice, helpful, and encouraging. That should be incorporated into relationships. You should be nice even if they're being mean. Helpful when they have problems. Encouraging when they feel their world falling to pieces. Being kind is such an important part of showing love. Love doesn't exist without kindness.
3. Love is not Jealous
Jealousy comes from greed and selfishness. You can't get jealous of someone you love, it's wrong. When something goes the way they want you should be by their side encouraging them and showing them how happy you are for them. Supporting each others accomplishments even if you feel unaccomplished is a way of showing love. Jealousy is one of the quickest ways to start problems between two people.
4. Love does not Brag and it is not Arrogant
Do you ever get in an argument and say "Look at all I have done for you and you treat me that way?" That comment is bragging and shows arrogance. Love does not have that. Love is appreciating what one does for you and enjoying doing things for each other without expecting anything in return. Don't pride yourself on being better than the other person, you're equals. Do not brag. Do not be arrogant.
5. Love doesn't Dishonor Others
Love has good manners. Love is courteous and polite. Love is never rude. This basically ties into love being kind. Love does nothing to dishonor each other.
6. Love is not Self-Seeking
Two people should be equal in a relationship. If you love each other then you should be looking out for each other, not doing things that only benefit one person. Equality is key.
7. Love is not Provoked
Love is not touchy, but is understanding. You shouldn't be easily angered. Having a good temper with each other will help you in the long run. Love is having a level head and figuring things out together.
8. Love does not Keep Records of Wrong Doings
Love forgives. You can't hold grudges with each other. If someone messes up, apologize, work things out, and move forward. You can never move on and be happy if you're continuously bringing up the past.
9. Love does not Rejoice in Unrighteousness, but Rejoices with Truth
Love doesn't encourage wrong doings. If you're in a relationship with someone who encourages you to drink, party, have premarital sex, lie, cheat, etc. If someone you love is encouraging you to do anything similar to those things or anything ungodly then they don't really love you. If they pressure you into doing things that you know are wrong, walk away.
10. Love Protects
If you love someone you will do anything to protect them. You'd take a bullet for someone you truly love. If you absolutely love someone they come second always. (God comes first.)
11. Love Trusts
Listen to what the other person has to say, and don't second guess them. If they love you then I promise they are telling the truth, if they lie to you then they aren't the one. Trust is SO important. If you can't trust someone, you don't really love them.
12. Love Hopes
Love is not pessimistic. Love is going into a relationship hoping that the best will happen. If you have a hopeful love, anything can happen. Hope means happiness and that's important when it comes to love.
13. Love Perseveres
If something doesn't go as planned, hang in there! Love is never giving up, always striving for the best outcome of any situation. If they aren't ready to accept your flaws and work past them, they aren't hoping for a future with you, and they don't love you. If y'all stumble upon a problem and they don't want to work through it, they're giving up, and they don't love you. Love never gives up.
All of these are ways that Jesus loves us. We are all supposed to strive to be Christ-Like in all aspects of our lives, this is one way to do it. Nothing can separate us from His love, so if you love someone, nothing should be able to separate y'all from each other. Love is a hard thing for society to figure out these days, but it's all there in black and white. Right in the bible which is just one big love story. If you can't do all thirteen things (I'm not saying flawlessly, but if you can't do them at all) you don't love like you thought you did. Love is a serious and powerful thing. Always keep that in mind. If you're going to love, love like He loved us.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson
Monday, June 29, 2015
Be the Light
"Make your light shine so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16
As Christians we are supposed to share the gospel and represent Christianity in the best way that we can. Unfortunately there are some people who are saved, but it ends there. Some go to church and some don't. Some pray daily, some only pray when they're in need. Some sing worship music at the top of their lungs, and some only listen to vulgar music. Some of us strive to be something God can use, and others are perfectly fine being mediocre Christians. Don't be a mediocre Christian.
Christianity includes a lot of freedom. We can do whatever we want, we have free will, a lot of us abuse this. We have a set of rules written all throughout the bible, we all know right and wrong, however we have a very forgiving God and that gets taken for granted a lot. We shouldn't do the wrong things with the mindset of whatever we do he will forgive us. Instead we should strive to be the best Christians we can be and if we mess up we should be upset with ourselves and confess our mistakes with a heavy heart. Don't live your life day to day taking forgiveness for granted. As humans we tend to forgive people, but after so many times of hearing the same person apologize we eventually give up on them and stop talking to them. God, thankfully, isn't anything like us, he forgives as many times as we ask, but I promise you it completely shatters his heart that we abuse his kindness and love. He wants to live through us and make us better people, we have to start turning our backs on our worldly desires and let God show us a life worth living.
Have you ever seen those Christians who are seriously some of the best people you've ever known? The ones who pray all the time, have scripture memorized flawlessly, who give glory to God in literally everything they do, and show the love of God to everyone? Those people make me want to be a better Christian. I look at them and see God's love. That's what we should be like. We have Jesus who was faced with every problem, every bit of temptation that we are faced with and he went through life as a perfect human. It wasn't easy either because he was picked on and persecuted, but he did it! That should be your role model in life. We are ALWAYS going to fall short of the person Jesus was, but trying to be like him is the best kind of person you can be. Be a light in this dark world. We are living in the Devil's playground. This is his territory, he is the reason for every bad thing that happens and every temptation we face, this is a dangerous place and you don't want to be sucked in. No matter how much fame, money, and luxury you can get from life on Earth, it isn't worth compromising your Christianity. This isn't home, just a stop along the way. Remember that.
You should live every day with the mind set of "what does God have in store for me today." Every day of your life is SO important as a Christian. We only have so many days of life, we need to live every day for Jesus. It's time to stop wasting precious time and pray that God shows you what he wants you to accomplish every day. Spend your free time studying scripture, praying, and growing closer to God. The more you grow the brighter you get as a light in this world. That's the main goal, to be a bright light for Jesus in this dark sinful world. Without a light how can those lost in the darkness find their way to safety. You are so crucial in the role of leading people to a wonderful eternity. If you don't live for God you could be passing up so many opportunities for someone else to experience the love and power a life of following Jesus gives. Being a Christian doesn't just benefit you, it allows you to help the lost surrounding you.
My challenge and hope for you is to live every day to the fullest. Take any and every opportunity God throws at you. Spread the gospel, spread love, and spread hope. Be a voice that desperately needs to be heard, and speak with the confidence the Lord gives you. Show everyone how to be a light and increase your own light. Give all the glory to God and watch for all of his blessings. Take nothing for granted, appreciate everything God gives you. Love Him before anyone else. Let everything you do be done in love for God. Live the life you were meant to live and don't waste any more time for it is limited. Live a life that makes others want to live for God, and then when they ask you why you're so kind and what it is that makes you the way you are, give all of the glory to God. We all have a purpose in this journey we call life, we are called to be the light so that we may help to lead others out of the darkness. Make a change starting today, starting right this second. Be the light.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson
if you have any questions or just need to talk feel free to email me: kswaims@atu.edu
Matthew 5:16
As Christians we are supposed to share the gospel and represent Christianity in the best way that we can. Unfortunately there are some people who are saved, but it ends there. Some go to church and some don't. Some pray daily, some only pray when they're in need. Some sing worship music at the top of their lungs, and some only listen to vulgar music. Some of us strive to be something God can use, and others are perfectly fine being mediocre Christians. Don't be a mediocre Christian.
Christianity includes a lot of freedom. We can do whatever we want, we have free will, a lot of us abuse this. We have a set of rules written all throughout the bible, we all know right and wrong, however we have a very forgiving God and that gets taken for granted a lot. We shouldn't do the wrong things with the mindset of whatever we do he will forgive us. Instead we should strive to be the best Christians we can be and if we mess up we should be upset with ourselves and confess our mistakes with a heavy heart. Don't live your life day to day taking forgiveness for granted. As humans we tend to forgive people, but after so many times of hearing the same person apologize we eventually give up on them and stop talking to them. God, thankfully, isn't anything like us, he forgives as many times as we ask, but I promise you it completely shatters his heart that we abuse his kindness and love. He wants to live through us and make us better people, we have to start turning our backs on our worldly desires and let God show us a life worth living.
Have you ever seen those Christians who are seriously some of the best people you've ever known? The ones who pray all the time, have scripture memorized flawlessly, who give glory to God in literally everything they do, and show the love of God to everyone? Those people make me want to be a better Christian. I look at them and see God's love. That's what we should be like. We have Jesus who was faced with every problem, every bit of temptation that we are faced with and he went through life as a perfect human. It wasn't easy either because he was picked on and persecuted, but he did it! That should be your role model in life. We are ALWAYS going to fall short of the person Jesus was, but trying to be like him is the best kind of person you can be. Be a light in this dark world. We are living in the Devil's playground. This is his territory, he is the reason for every bad thing that happens and every temptation we face, this is a dangerous place and you don't want to be sucked in. No matter how much fame, money, and luxury you can get from life on Earth, it isn't worth compromising your Christianity. This isn't home, just a stop along the way. Remember that.
You should live every day with the mind set of "what does God have in store for me today." Every day of your life is SO important as a Christian. We only have so many days of life, we need to live every day for Jesus. It's time to stop wasting precious time and pray that God shows you what he wants you to accomplish every day. Spend your free time studying scripture, praying, and growing closer to God. The more you grow the brighter you get as a light in this world. That's the main goal, to be a bright light for Jesus in this dark sinful world. Without a light how can those lost in the darkness find their way to safety. You are so crucial in the role of leading people to a wonderful eternity. If you don't live for God you could be passing up so many opportunities for someone else to experience the love and power a life of following Jesus gives. Being a Christian doesn't just benefit you, it allows you to help the lost surrounding you.
My challenge and hope for you is to live every day to the fullest. Take any and every opportunity God throws at you. Spread the gospel, spread love, and spread hope. Be a voice that desperately needs to be heard, and speak with the confidence the Lord gives you. Show everyone how to be a light and increase your own light. Give all the glory to God and watch for all of his blessings. Take nothing for granted, appreciate everything God gives you. Love Him before anyone else. Let everything you do be done in love for God. Live the life you were meant to live and don't waste any more time for it is limited. Live a life that makes others want to live for God, and then when they ask you why you're so kind and what it is that makes you the way you are, give all of the glory to God. We all have a purpose in this journey we call life, we are called to be the light so that we may help to lead others out of the darkness. Make a change starting today, starting right this second. Be the light.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson
if you have any questions or just need to talk feel free to email me: kswaims@atu.edu
Friday, June 26, 2015
Show God's Love
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."
1 Peter 4:8
With the new law passing about gay marriage I figured it would be fitting to write a post about love for others and God's love for us. No surprise here, I have multiple friends that are gay in my life. They are some of the kindest, caring people I have ever met. There's really nothing different about them besides the fact that they are attracted to the same sex. That's right, you heard it here, gay people are actual people. They aren't aliens or anything so stop treating them like they are something not from this planet.
It's so important for Christians to strive to be Christ-like. The bible says that all sin is equal, none of us are better than the other. We all sin, we just sin differently. How would you feel if you lost friends and people publically shamed you because you told a little white lie, cheated on a test, or disobeyed your parents? It doesn't seem like a huge deal to you because everyone does it, but it's a huge deal to God and he is VERY disappointed in you. Now on top of that you would be so upset if people we're verbally and physically attacking you over these things. That's what gays have to deal with. They get attacked and shown no mercy because they sin differently than others. How is that okay? It isn't. As a Christian you are called to love others despite everything. Do not act like you're better than anyone. Hate the sin, not the sinner. Jesus loves sinners even though he is flawless. Here we are, every one of us filthy with sin trying to hate on and shame other sinners. It makes no sense to me.
I'm not saying you have to agree with sin. You shouldn't. You're supposed to hate sin, but that's completely different than hating the sinner. The only person who can throw the first stone is the one who is perfect, and until he throws the first stone we shouldn't be throwing any. If you're waiting with your stone ready you'll be waiting your entire life, because Jesus isn't going to hurt others due to their mistakes. He died on the cross for this very reason. It's time to stop hating on people. If you're hating on gay marriage because you're a Christian then you are wrong. Not because gay marriage is okay, it's not, but because you're also hating anyone who is gay and gets married. They don't talk down to you because of the way you live your life, so don't belittle them because of their choices.
Another thing I've seen Christians say is, "You can only go to heaven if you're forgiven and if you're in a gay marriage you aren't walking away from your sin so you aren't going to heaven." .... Hold on wait what?.. So you're telling me that when we die we have to have been forgiven of all of our sins in order to go to heaven? So if I was going to a guys house and I lied to my mom and said I was going to my best friends house and then got in a car accident on the way and died instantly I'm going to hell? I don't think that's how that works. We are all sinners until our very last breath, it's something we do without even realizing it. Once again this all boils back down to them sinning differently, but it's all equal..
Also Christians like to say "Gays have to be punished for their sins so they're going to hell." Excuse me? What? We are all punished for our sins! That's why we live in a world full of temptation, destruction, and misfortunes. We have to endure the bad things in life because we are sinners. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and our debt is paid, our sins are forgiven. So I'm pretty sure that makes that statement irrelevant.
All of this goes with any and all sin. None of us are perfect. We shouldn't be judging each other because of our mistakes. That's wrong and the bible says not too. So we need to stop giving Christians a bad name just because we don't agree with the things going on around us. God didn't say that this world was going to be perfect, he said it's going to be hard and full of temptation. We have to learn to ignore the temptation and live our own lives accordingly to the bible. You're in charge of yourself and no one else, you have to answer for your sins, no one else's. Spend less time hating others and more time living your life the way you're supposed to. We need to look past this whole situation and show love, give Christians a good name, because the more you shame others because "the bible says it's wrong" the more you're forgetting to show that God is love. Don't ruin the Christian reputation with ungodly behavior.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson
1 Peter 4:8
With the new law passing about gay marriage I figured it would be fitting to write a post about love for others and God's love for us. No surprise here, I have multiple friends that are gay in my life. They are some of the kindest, caring people I have ever met. There's really nothing different about them besides the fact that they are attracted to the same sex. That's right, you heard it here, gay people are actual people. They aren't aliens or anything so stop treating them like they are something not from this planet.
It's so important for Christians to strive to be Christ-like. The bible says that all sin is equal, none of us are better than the other. We all sin, we just sin differently. How would you feel if you lost friends and people publically shamed you because you told a little white lie, cheated on a test, or disobeyed your parents? It doesn't seem like a huge deal to you because everyone does it, but it's a huge deal to God and he is VERY disappointed in you. Now on top of that you would be so upset if people we're verbally and physically attacking you over these things. That's what gays have to deal with. They get attacked and shown no mercy because they sin differently than others. How is that okay? It isn't. As a Christian you are called to love others despite everything. Do not act like you're better than anyone. Hate the sin, not the sinner. Jesus loves sinners even though he is flawless. Here we are, every one of us filthy with sin trying to hate on and shame other sinners. It makes no sense to me.
I'm not saying you have to agree with sin. You shouldn't. You're supposed to hate sin, but that's completely different than hating the sinner. The only person who can throw the first stone is the one who is perfect, and until he throws the first stone we shouldn't be throwing any. If you're waiting with your stone ready you'll be waiting your entire life, because Jesus isn't going to hurt others due to their mistakes. He died on the cross for this very reason. It's time to stop hating on people. If you're hating on gay marriage because you're a Christian then you are wrong. Not because gay marriage is okay, it's not, but because you're also hating anyone who is gay and gets married. They don't talk down to you because of the way you live your life, so don't belittle them because of their choices.
Another thing I've seen Christians say is, "You can only go to heaven if you're forgiven and if you're in a gay marriage you aren't walking away from your sin so you aren't going to heaven." .... Hold on wait what?.. So you're telling me that when we die we have to have been forgiven of all of our sins in order to go to heaven? So if I was going to a guys house and I lied to my mom and said I was going to my best friends house and then got in a car accident on the way and died instantly I'm going to hell? I don't think that's how that works. We are all sinners until our very last breath, it's something we do without even realizing it. Once again this all boils back down to them sinning differently, but it's all equal..
Also Christians like to say "Gays have to be punished for their sins so they're going to hell." Excuse me? What? We are all punished for our sins! That's why we live in a world full of temptation, destruction, and misfortunes. We have to endure the bad things in life because we are sinners. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and our debt is paid, our sins are forgiven. So I'm pretty sure that makes that statement irrelevant.
All of this goes with any and all sin. None of us are perfect. We shouldn't be judging each other because of our mistakes. That's wrong and the bible says not too. So we need to stop giving Christians a bad name just because we don't agree with the things going on around us. God didn't say that this world was going to be perfect, he said it's going to be hard and full of temptation. We have to learn to ignore the temptation and live our own lives accordingly to the bible. You're in charge of yourself and no one else, you have to answer for your sins, no one else's. Spend less time hating others and more time living your life the way you're supposed to. We need to look past this whole situation and show love, give Christians a good name, because the more you shame others because "the bible says it's wrong" the more you're forgetting to show that God is love. Don't ruin the Christian reputation with ungodly behavior.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Forgive Now and Forgive Always
"God will forgive you. All you need to do is ask, believe, and receive it. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."
Matthew 6:12
We all have our darkest secrets, our most shameful moments, things that we want no one to know because that would mean disapproval. That's the thing though, we ALL have them. We are all sinners. You, your family, your best friends, your pastor, your boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, we are all dirty with sin. There was and will only be one perfect person and he died for us, because we are sinners and someone needed to pay that debt. We were all forgiven that day that our savior was so cruelly nailed to a cross and belittled. So, if he forgave us and he loves us, why is it so hard for us to forgive and love ourselves.
I've seen so many great Christians give up because they didn't feel like they were good enough, I was one of them. You get to a point in your life where you just think of everything you've ever done. You are literally drowning in your sin and you can't breathe. You hurt and you want to do better but you can't make yourself get back up. Then on top of it you have people who want to belittle you and put you down for the mistakes you've made. You hate yourself for what you've done, and people don't even care because they hate you to. You feel like you're all alone and you have no where to turn. Some of us feel like we've hit rock bottom and we can't even pick ourselves back up. I had a time in my life where I didn't even feel worthy enough to face God and ask for help. I was so ashamed and hurt and all I could say to myself was "You did this, you have to deal with it." It shatters my heart to see someone so broken and to see others kicking them when they're down. I don't care how alone you feel, you can ALWAYS turn to God. He knows what you've done, but he has already forgiven you. So what if you can't get back up, you aren't on your own! God is there to pick you up and help you until you can stand again. He is such a forgiving God and we still try to hide? Why? At least you feel guilt and you're ashamed of yourself. That means you have a conscience and you know right from wrong. However, you can't just feel sorry for yourself all the time, you have to start taking steps into the right direction.
I know how it feels to want to take steps in the right direction, but find yourself not moving in any direction because you're afraid of what everyone will say. That's sad to me how we can call ourselves Christians, but some of us will be so discouraging to others who want to progress. I have been in a situation where I was trying to start over and be the girl God has called me to be and someone said "She's going to go back to her old ways soon as always." or "Why is she even trying, she's not a very good Christian and she shouldn't be pretending." That was one of the most heart breaking things for someone to tell me. If you have ever discouraged someone like that, shame on you. Why are we so content on tearing people down who are doing everything they can to pick themselves up? You are not perfect. I am not perfect. So we shouldn't be judging each other. It's not right and we have NO room to criticize others. As Christians when we see others who are down and trying to pick themselves back up we should walk over to them and grab there hand and help them. We are called to love each other and we need to be doing that.
Another thing, stop comparing your walk with God to others. So what if we have more struggles than others! We all have different issues and we shouldn't compare ourselves. I remember being at church camp one year and meeting a boy there. I was at a really low point in my life and this guy just kept trying to talk to me. His mom was my cell group leader and she bragged about him so much that I knew exactly who he was. I was so mad at myself for being the way that I was. I just kept thinking, "this guy is so much better than me, he probably hasn't done half the stuff I have and he is such a good Christian. I shouldn't even try any more because I already messed up and I will never be as good as he is." That was so wrong of me. Not only did I almost miss out on a really great friendship, but I was tearing myself down because I wasn't like a fellow sinner. I never even considered that he sins just as I do. Just because we don't sin the same way I was mad. I wanted to be like him when I should have been wanting to be like Jesus. I tore myself down for not being like someone other than Christ and that was so dumb of me. Do not let yourself get down because you think someone else is better than you. Fix your eyes on Jesus and you strive to be like him and no one else. Pick yourself up and keep trying, forgive yourself and continue with your walk.
We are all sinners, we just sin differently. Don't ever let anyone tear you down and don't tear yourself down. Jesus died on the cross and this battle we are trying so hard to fight has already been won. We are fighting for no reason. We are all trying to prove ourselves worthy of forgiveness when we shouldn't be. We will NEVER be worthy of forgiveness, but we are still forgiven. That is such a beautiful thing that we have a God who is so forgiving and he doesn't make us earn it. It's a gift that Jesus gave to us. So stop feeling sorry for yourself. No matter how low you have let yourself get it is time to pick yourself up and to start walking again. You can do it because you're already forgiven and you already have God ready to walk by your side. Also not only should we be picking ourselves up, we should be picking others up as well. We need to help each other. We are all Christians struggling to do good with our lives, it's time to stop criticizing each other and to start helping. You don't understand how appreciated it is to have someone help you. I was struggling so hard to pick myself up, I was so low I didn't even want to try to pick myself up anymore because I didn't see the point. I thank God every day that I had someone lift me up and tell me how special I am and how good of a person I am. I wouldn't be where I am today without that person. My best friend has been picking me up throughout my entire freshman year and no matter how many times she saw me fall she never failed to pick me up again. I am so blessed to have Cierra in my life and she literally saved my life and will never even understand how she did it. So please try and be that person that helps someone, pick someone up no matter how many times you have to do it, and don't let yourself stay down because you're so special and loved and God is waiting on you to come running to him. He will never abandon you, he's always there so please forgive yourself. You deserve to feel God's love and you deserve the encouragement of others. I love you all and if you're struggling tonight, or ever and you don't think you can get up again please feel free to email me and we can talk. (kswaims@atu.edu) You're so special and loved. Forgive yourself and forgive others, always.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson Swaims
Matthew 6:12
We all have our darkest secrets, our most shameful moments, things that we want no one to know because that would mean disapproval. That's the thing though, we ALL have them. We are all sinners. You, your family, your best friends, your pastor, your boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, we are all dirty with sin. There was and will only be one perfect person and he died for us, because we are sinners and someone needed to pay that debt. We were all forgiven that day that our savior was so cruelly nailed to a cross and belittled. So, if he forgave us and he loves us, why is it so hard for us to forgive and love ourselves.
I've seen so many great Christians give up because they didn't feel like they were good enough, I was one of them. You get to a point in your life where you just think of everything you've ever done. You are literally drowning in your sin and you can't breathe. You hurt and you want to do better but you can't make yourself get back up. Then on top of it you have people who want to belittle you and put you down for the mistakes you've made. You hate yourself for what you've done, and people don't even care because they hate you to. You feel like you're all alone and you have no where to turn. Some of us feel like we've hit rock bottom and we can't even pick ourselves back up. I had a time in my life where I didn't even feel worthy enough to face God and ask for help. I was so ashamed and hurt and all I could say to myself was "You did this, you have to deal with it." It shatters my heart to see someone so broken and to see others kicking them when they're down. I don't care how alone you feel, you can ALWAYS turn to God. He knows what you've done, but he has already forgiven you. So what if you can't get back up, you aren't on your own! God is there to pick you up and help you until you can stand again. He is such a forgiving God and we still try to hide? Why? At least you feel guilt and you're ashamed of yourself. That means you have a conscience and you know right from wrong. However, you can't just feel sorry for yourself all the time, you have to start taking steps into the right direction.
I know how it feels to want to take steps in the right direction, but find yourself not moving in any direction because you're afraid of what everyone will say. That's sad to me how we can call ourselves Christians, but some of us will be so discouraging to others who want to progress. I have been in a situation where I was trying to start over and be the girl God has called me to be and someone said "She's going to go back to her old ways soon as always." or "Why is she even trying, she's not a very good Christian and she shouldn't be pretending." That was one of the most heart breaking things for someone to tell me. If you have ever discouraged someone like that, shame on you. Why are we so content on tearing people down who are doing everything they can to pick themselves up? You are not perfect. I am not perfect. So we shouldn't be judging each other. It's not right and we have NO room to criticize others. As Christians when we see others who are down and trying to pick themselves back up we should walk over to them and grab there hand and help them. We are called to love each other and we need to be doing that.
Another thing, stop comparing your walk with God to others. So what if we have more struggles than others! We all have different issues and we shouldn't compare ourselves. I remember being at church camp one year and meeting a boy there. I was at a really low point in my life and this guy just kept trying to talk to me. His mom was my cell group leader and she bragged about him so much that I knew exactly who he was. I was so mad at myself for being the way that I was. I just kept thinking, "this guy is so much better than me, he probably hasn't done half the stuff I have and he is such a good Christian. I shouldn't even try any more because I already messed up and I will never be as good as he is." That was so wrong of me. Not only did I almost miss out on a really great friendship, but I was tearing myself down because I wasn't like a fellow sinner. I never even considered that he sins just as I do. Just because we don't sin the same way I was mad. I wanted to be like him when I should have been wanting to be like Jesus. I tore myself down for not being like someone other than Christ and that was so dumb of me. Do not let yourself get down because you think someone else is better than you. Fix your eyes on Jesus and you strive to be like him and no one else. Pick yourself up and keep trying, forgive yourself and continue with your walk.
We are all sinners, we just sin differently. Don't ever let anyone tear you down and don't tear yourself down. Jesus died on the cross and this battle we are trying so hard to fight has already been won. We are fighting for no reason. We are all trying to prove ourselves worthy of forgiveness when we shouldn't be. We will NEVER be worthy of forgiveness, but we are still forgiven. That is such a beautiful thing that we have a God who is so forgiving and he doesn't make us earn it. It's a gift that Jesus gave to us. So stop feeling sorry for yourself. No matter how low you have let yourself get it is time to pick yourself up and to start walking again. You can do it because you're already forgiven and you already have God ready to walk by your side. Also not only should we be picking ourselves up, we should be picking others up as well. We need to help each other. We are all Christians struggling to do good with our lives, it's time to stop criticizing each other and to start helping. You don't understand how appreciated it is to have someone help you. I was struggling so hard to pick myself up, I was so low I didn't even want to try to pick myself up anymore because I didn't see the point. I thank God every day that I had someone lift me up and tell me how special I am and how good of a person I am. I wouldn't be where I am today without that person. My best friend has been picking me up throughout my entire freshman year and no matter how many times she saw me fall she never failed to pick me up again. I am so blessed to have Cierra in my life and she literally saved my life and will never even understand how she did it. So please try and be that person that helps someone, pick someone up no matter how many times you have to do it, and don't let yourself stay down because you're so special and loved and God is waiting on you to come running to him. He will never abandon you, he's always there so please forgive yourself. You deserve to feel God's love and you deserve the encouragement of others. I love you all and if you're struggling tonight, or ever and you don't think you can get up again please feel free to email me and we can talk. (kswaims@atu.edu) You're so special and loved. Forgive yourself and forgive others, always.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson Swaims
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Dating 101
"Love is patient, love is kind; it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs; love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth; always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres."
1 Corinthians 13:4-6
First of all I would like to say that love is a beautiful thing. You always read books, hear songs, or watch movies that show you what a wonderful thing it is. Every little girl spends her days dreaming of her prince charming, and every guy spends there time wondering if the right girl is ever going to come along. That's the thing though, we all just sit around and wait. Waiting is going to get boring and it's going to cause you to pursue the wrong people because you're more interested in someone caring for you than you are about making sure they're absolutely the right person to date. In order to have a successful relationship with someone you must first seek a relationship with God. Once you have fallen completely in love with God then he will send you the person that is going to be your other half, but only when he sees that you can handle it.
The thing about dating is that hardly anyone actually takes it seriously anymore. Dating isn't even that big of a commitment anymore because the mindset of everyone is "it's just dating, its not like we are getting married, if it doesn't work i'll just break up with them." I understand that you date before getting married because you have to figure out if you guys can actually work, but a relationship shouldn't be treated so lightly. I don't know about y'all, but when I date someone it's because I can see myself with them for a very long time. I can't date someone for a few weeks, or even months, and just break up with them. That's pointless. You should have an idea of whether it could work out or not before you ever even jump into a relationship. That's the first step
When I was at church camp one year I had to make a list of 10 things I was looking for in a guy and so this was my list:
1. He has to be a Christian with a really strong faith. I want him to be able to encourage me and to hold my hand and help me with my walk with Christ.
2. Artistic. He needs to be able to play guitar and/or piano and sing so that we can sit around and play Christian music and sing together.
3. Smart and focused on getting his education so that he can have a good job. I've always dreamed of being a wife to either a doctor, orthodontist, or youth pastor. So he should be well educated for whatever he aspires to be.
4. Taller than me. I'm pretty short so this isn't a lot to ask from a guy, I just want to be able to look up into his eyes.
5. Nice because I am getting tired of boys being mean to me.
6. Enjoys community service, I like helping out whenever I can, so if he liked to volunteer with me that'd be pretty cool.
7. Blue eyes. I have brown eyes and I don't really like them that much. Blue eyes are just cooler to look at.
8. Good teeth, because teeth are SO important.
9. Athletic. I come from an athletic family, we all had our sports. I can't marry a man who doesn't love sports and wont be able to teach our future children how to play baseball or basketball.
10. Have a nice family. I'm tired of dating guys who have families that don't even give me a chance. I'm a really nice person when people give me a chance, but lately I guess guys families just decide that they want to hate me without even talking to me. It's cool though.
I kid you not, that was the list I wrote down. When we finished our list the lady who was teaching us told us about how she had made a list when she was young about what she wanted in a guy. She told us that she even put that she would like for him to be Canadian just because she thought it'd be cool. She was a very dedicated Christian. One day God sent her a man and that guy was everything she was looking for right down to the Canadian part. That was so cool to me how God gave her everything she wanted. God has someone out there for you who is everything you want in a partner. That's the second step though, figuring out what you want.
After you've developed a solid relationship with God and you decided on what you want in a significant other then I feel like God will send you someone. Don't just settle for anyone though. Even if that person has all of the qualities you've been searching for make sure you pray about it. Pray to God and ask him if dating this person is what he wants to happen. Praying always works and he will give you your answer. I beg you not to jump into a relationship without praying about it, that's the worst thing you could possibly do. So, step 3 is prayer is key.
Once you've done everything you can to make sure that person is actually worth dating you can finally date them. Don't let that be the end of the praying and getting closer to God. Now it's your job to encourage your partner and help them in any way you can. Y'all have to be looking out for each other now. Praying together, studying the bible together, pushing each other to be the best Christians that y'all can be. That is key to a successful relationship. If you do all of this your relationship will last. If it makes God smile and it glorifies him, it's a relationship worth keeping.
I know all of this seems like a lot to do just to date someone, but it's actually very helpful. My friends know I don't get crushes easily. I may think someone is attractive, but I never consider dating someone unless I am absolutely sure they are who I want. Just please be cautious with your heart, only give it to someone who has given there heart to God. All of this information I felt needed to be shared with you all, because even I had to remind myself on how to handle this kind of stuff. It's not always easy to be patient, but please make sure you're dating to marry and that you aren't with someone who isn't right for you. Most importantly, make sure your relationship is satisfying to God as well as both of you. If you aren't keeping these things in mind you're wasting your time. Don't chase the person, chase God so yall can do it hand in hand that way your relationship will be everlasting.
XOXO
Kirby Madyson Swaims
1 Corinthians 13:4-6
First of all I would like to say that love is a beautiful thing. You always read books, hear songs, or watch movies that show you what a wonderful thing it is. Every little girl spends her days dreaming of her prince charming, and every guy spends there time wondering if the right girl is ever going to come along. That's the thing though, we all just sit around and wait. Waiting is going to get boring and it's going to cause you to pursue the wrong people because you're more interested in someone caring for you than you are about making sure they're absolutely the right person to date. In order to have a successful relationship with someone you must first seek a relationship with God. Once you have fallen completely in love with God then he will send you the person that is going to be your other half, but only when he sees that you can handle it.
The thing about dating is that hardly anyone actually takes it seriously anymore. Dating isn't even that big of a commitment anymore because the mindset of everyone is "it's just dating, its not like we are getting married, if it doesn't work i'll just break up with them." I understand that you date before getting married because you have to figure out if you guys can actually work, but a relationship shouldn't be treated so lightly. I don't know about y'all, but when I date someone it's because I can see myself with them for a very long time. I can't date someone for a few weeks, or even months, and just break up with them. That's pointless. You should have an idea of whether it could work out or not before you ever even jump into a relationship. That's the first step
When I was at church camp one year I had to make a list of 10 things I was looking for in a guy and so this was my list:
1. He has to be a Christian with a really strong faith. I want him to be able to encourage me and to hold my hand and help me with my walk with Christ.
2. Artistic. He needs to be able to play guitar and/or piano and sing so that we can sit around and play Christian music and sing together.
3. Smart and focused on getting his education so that he can have a good job. I've always dreamed of being a wife to either a doctor, orthodontist, or youth pastor. So he should be well educated for whatever he aspires to be.
4. Taller than me. I'm pretty short so this isn't a lot to ask from a guy, I just want to be able to look up into his eyes.
5. Nice because I am getting tired of boys being mean to me.
6. Enjoys community service, I like helping out whenever I can, so if he liked to volunteer with me that'd be pretty cool.
7. Blue eyes. I have brown eyes and I don't really like them that much. Blue eyes are just cooler to look at.
8. Good teeth, because teeth are SO important.
9. Athletic. I come from an athletic family, we all had our sports. I can't marry a man who doesn't love sports and wont be able to teach our future children how to play baseball or basketball.
10. Have a nice family. I'm tired of dating guys who have families that don't even give me a chance. I'm a really nice person when people give me a chance, but lately I guess guys families just decide that they want to hate me without even talking to me. It's cool though.
I kid you not, that was the list I wrote down. When we finished our list the lady who was teaching us told us about how she had made a list when she was young about what she wanted in a guy. She told us that she even put that she would like for him to be Canadian just because she thought it'd be cool. She was a very dedicated Christian. One day God sent her a man and that guy was everything she was looking for right down to the Canadian part. That was so cool to me how God gave her everything she wanted. God has someone out there for you who is everything you want in a partner. That's the second step though, figuring out what you want.
After you've developed a solid relationship with God and you decided on what you want in a significant other then I feel like God will send you someone. Don't just settle for anyone though. Even if that person has all of the qualities you've been searching for make sure you pray about it. Pray to God and ask him if dating this person is what he wants to happen. Praying always works and he will give you your answer. I beg you not to jump into a relationship without praying about it, that's the worst thing you could possibly do. So, step 3 is prayer is key.
Once you've done everything you can to make sure that person is actually worth dating you can finally date them. Don't let that be the end of the praying and getting closer to God. Now it's your job to encourage your partner and help them in any way you can. Y'all have to be looking out for each other now. Praying together, studying the bible together, pushing each other to be the best Christians that y'all can be. That is key to a successful relationship. If you do all of this your relationship will last. If it makes God smile and it glorifies him, it's a relationship worth keeping.
I know all of this seems like a lot to do just to date someone, but it's actually very helpful. My friends know I don't get crushes easily. I may think someone is attractive, but I never consider dating someone unless I am absolutely sure they are who I want. Just please be cautious with your heart, only give it to someone who has given there heart to God. All of this information I felt needed to be shared with you all, because even I had to remind myself on how to handle this kind of stuff. It's not always easy to be patient, but please make sure you're dating to marry and that you aren't with someone who isn't right for you. Most importantly, make sure your relationship is satisfying to God as well as both of you. If you aren't keeping these things in mind you're wasting your time. Don't chase the person, chase God so yall can do it hand in hand that way your relationship will be everlasting.
XOXO
Kirby Madyson Swaims
Saturday, June 13, 2015
You Are What You Surround Yourself With
"Do no be deceived: "bad company ruins good morals.""
1 Corinthians 15:33
One year I went on a mission trip called CityReach (if you've never been you should look into it, it's life changing.) On this trip the speaker talked about how we are the average of our closest friends. Think about your 5 closest friends and the kind of people they are. Are they good or bad influences? You're the average of that. They influence you whether you see it or not. Most Christians who have a period where they lose there way can usually trace that back to the fact that they got involved in the wrong crowd. I'm not saying these are terrible people and you should fully avoid them and never talk to them again. I'm saying that you need to be considerate of what you surround yourself with.
When I was sixteen I was in church all the time. I went on every trip the church took, and I took every opportunity handed to me to glorify God. In my free time I hung out with my youth group, my best friend didn't go to school with me, she went to church with me. I chose to surround myself with believers who had a strong faith and knew what they wanted to do with their lives. When I went to college I hung out with people who partied as often as they could and never went to church. I don't see them as bad people, I loved my friends, but I do see the changes that happened in my life when my friend group changed. Your attitude and your outlook on life is greatly affected by the people you choose to hang out with. This is a hard thing to accept, I know when I was told this that all I could think about was how great my friends were, but everything I am telling you is true. Don't ever ditch someone, just limit the time you spend with them. If they aren't willing to make the changes in their lives that you're making in yours then they will probably hold you back while you try to move forward. If they are willing to make positive changes in their lives then they deserve to have the privilege of hanging out with you often, again. You can't make anyone change, you can only pray for them. As much as it hurts us, there are just some people that we need to spend less time with for the sake of our walks with Christ. It doesn't mean they're bad people, it definitely doesn't mean you're better than them, because you're not, it just means that you're willing to work on yourself and sadly they are not.
This topic can also be turned around and directed at yourself. Are you being the kind of person that a good Christian would want to be friends with? Are you growing closer to God, or are you straying? Are you a good or bad influence? If any of your answers to those questions are negative answers then you aren't helping your friends, you're hurting them. A true friend wants to see their best friend doing good things. So if you aren't that kind of person, maybe you should reevaluate yourself. God wants us to live our lives for him and if we are falling for worldly temptation then everything about our lives will be worldly and temporary. Do you want friends that will last a life time or friends that are looking out for themselves making sure that they are having a fun time and not caring about anything else. You'll attract the kind of people you are, keep that in mind. We all have things to work on, nobody is perfect, you just have to be willing to actually work on yourself. We don't have all the time in the world on Earth. Our purpose is to make a difference and to show others the love of God. If you aren't working on yourself and living for God you're wasting time and you're holding others back. Don't be the kind of person that won't move forward. You aren't meant to stay in the same place forever.
As Christians we should consider making changes in every aspect of our lives. Some changes are harder than others, but if the change is beneficial then you should make it. If we are focused on making these changes then we will attract the right type of friends that will help us and push us to be better people. A good life is one that honors God in everything that you do, and the way to make that even easier is to have good Christian friends that are taking the same walk as you and wont let you fall, but instead lift you up and help you reach your full potential. If you want people to look at you and see God's love and miraculous ways then you can't be crowded by bad company. It's time for us all to step back and evaluate our friend choices. Are they hurting, or helping you? Just keep in mind, you have one life and you're supposed to use it to glorify him, don't let the man down who made the biggest sacrifice for you.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson
1 Corinthians 15:33
One year I went on a mission trip called CityReach (if you've never been you should look into it, it's life changing.) On this trip the speaker talked about how we are the average of our closest friends. Think about your 5 closest friends and the kind of people they are. Are they good or bad influences? You're the average of that. They influence you whether you see it or not. Most Christians who have a period where they lose there way can usually trace that back to the fact that they got involved in the wrong crowd. I'm not saying these are terrible people and you should fully avoid them and never talk to them again. I'm saying that you need to be considerate of what you surround yourself with.
When I was sixteen I was in church all the time. I went on every trip the church took, and I took every opportunity handed to me to glorify God. In my free time I hung out with my youth group, my best friend didn't go to school with me, she went to church with me. I chose to surround myself with believers who had a strong faith and knew what they wanted to do with their lives. When I went to college I hung out with people who partied as often as they could and never went to church. I don't see them as bad people, I loved my friends, but I do see the changes that happened in my life when my friend group changed. Your attitude and your outlook on life is greatly affected by the people you choose to hang out with. This is a hard thing to accept, I know when I was told this that all I could think about was how great my friends were, but everything I am telling you is true. Don't ever ditch someone, just limit the time you spend with them. If they aren't willing to make the changes in their lives that you're making in yours then they will probably hold you back while you try to move forward. If they are willing to make positive changes in their lives then they deserve to have the privilege of hanging out with you often, again. You can't make anyone change, you can only pray for them. As much as it hurts us, there are just some people that we need to spend less time with for the sake of our walks with Christ. It doesn't mean they're bad people, it definitely doesn't mean you're better than them, because you're not, it just means that you're willing to work on yourself and sadly they are not.
This topic can also be turned around and directed at yourself. Are you being the kind of person that a good Christian would want to be friends with? Are you growing closer to God, or are you straying? Are you a good or bad influence? If any of your answers to those questions are negative answers then you aren't helping your friends, you're hurting them. A true friend wants to see their best friend doing good things. So if you aren't that kind of person, maybe you should reevaluate yourself. God wants us to live our lives for him and if we are falling for worldly temptation then everything about our lives will be worldly and temporary. Do you want friends that will last a life time or friends that are looking out for themselves making sure that they are having a fun time and not caring about anything else. You'll attract the kind of people you are, keep that in mind. We all have things to work on, nobody is perfect, you just have to be willing to actually work on yourself. We don't have all the time in the world on Earth. Our purpose is to make a difference and to show others the love of God. If you aren't working on yourself and living for God you're wasting time and you're holding others back. Don't be the kind of person that won't move forward. You aren't meant to stay in the same place forever.
As Christians we should consider making changes in every aspect of our lives. Some changes are harder than others, but if the change is beneficial then you should make it. If we are focused on making these changes then we will attract the right type of friends that will help us and push us to be better people. A good life is one that honors God in everything that you do, and the way to make that even easier is to have good Christian friends that are taking the same walk as you and wont let you fall, but instead lift you up and help you reach your full potential. If you want people to look at you and see God's love and miraculous ways then you can't be crowded by bad company. It's time for us all to step back and evaluate our friend choices. Are they hurting, or helping you? Just keep in mind, you have one life and you're supposed to use it to glorify him, don't let the man down who made the biggest sacrifice for you.
XOXO,
Kirby Madyson
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