Hold On, The Best is Yet to Come!

"College years are the best time of your life! I'll tell you what, high school is the best time of your life!"

Nothing bothers me more than those two phrases.  I heard it after I graduated high school and found college to be ALOT more fun.  Give me 4 more years, and I guarantee I'll disagree with the college phrase as well.  Let me explain....

Our hometown preacher says, "Hold on, the best is yet to come" every single week.  I have yet to hear another phrase that places a greater importance on our future.  I always sit and think that the topic is much greater than the high school to college years.  Recently, I tweeted that someone could write an entire book on the topic of "hold on the best is yet to come".  Why?  Because everyone is concerned with their future.  I honestly don't think that the majority of people expect good things to happen to them.

Want an example?  There have been many times throughout my life that my mom has mentioned she was going to ask for help on a certain task.  I used to always think, "Why would they help?  They won't want to or they'll be too busy."  Not her though, she'll ask.  95% of the time, she will get the help. 

It's a great example of expecting good things to happen.  She expects that people will help her.  Without realizing it, her positive outlook has a positive effect on the people around her. 

This is something that everyone can apply.  God did not create us to live to 22, then stop enjoying life.  He did not create us to turn 50 and stop pursuing dreams.  Our preacher is in his sixties and continues to emphasize that the "best is yet to come".  Not only is he still following his purpose, but he's got heaven to look forward to!

For some reason, our society has accepted that after certain life milestones, it's over.  This couldn't be farther from the truth.  Our God has given everyone a purpose that only they can perform.  What's the greatest part of that?  It never ends!  Every single day, we can wake up and expect our life to get better! 

I don't know about you, but I will not accept anything less!  Step out On The Water and expect great things to happen! 

He told them, "Because of your lack of faith. I tell you with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.  - Matthew 17:20

Why God Says No

Are you reading this post hoping to find the answer to, “Why God Says No”?  I’m going to go ahead and tell you, I don’t know!  Trust me, I wish I did know!  As a Christian, I believe this is the toughest question to comprehend.  Even tougher than having faith God exists?  Yeah, I really think so. 

What am I getting at?  I’m talking about the roughest parts of your life.  A time when praying is painful. A time when praying is your only solution.  A time when praying is your last resort.

 “God, I need this job!  My family won’t be able to eat!” 

“God, I don’t even smoke, and You gave me Cancer?”

“I’ve done this for You, and You took my wife?”

These moments can make you doubt everything about this “God” of yours.  Is He even hearing my prayers?  If so, why did this not happen the way I wanted it to?  This is not the way my dream was supposed to end!

I’ve wondered the answers to those questions MANY times.  Thankfully, a few months ago, I heard a song that has forever changed the way I view life’s trials.  A tune that has been referred to as the most powerful Christian song in years!  So influential, that it made iTunes most popular singles, an absolutely remarkable achievement for a Christian artist!  In an area where the common names are Lil Wayne, Rihanna, and Katy Perry, a Christian song stood. 

The chorus of Laura Story’s song, Blessings:

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

Wow, why isn’t God answering my prayers?  I think every situation is completely different, but I do think there is one common notion.  God’s way is better than our way!  He knows the best path for us.

Did it take pain and trials to know God was near?  Personally, this is how I’ve always been affected. 

Laura Story says it perfectly:

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy

This is how God gets to me.  He knows the only way to get my attention is to completely tear everything down.  He knows that everything has to fade away, for me to truly be dependent on Him.  Is He blessing me by not giving me what I want?

We all pray for God to take away the pain.  Why does he say no?  Nobody knows, but He does.  Maybe these moments make you stronger.  Maybe these rough patches in life are molding you for your future.   Or maybe God knows what is truly better for you!

I’ve posted the song and her opinion on the song (an absolute must see!)

Facebook is growing faster than Churches!

Throughout the evolution of Facebook, people have flocked to the website in unbelievable amounts.  These amounts could consist of over 200,000 members in a single month!  How is that possible?  Why aren't people flocking to church in the masses every week? 

There are many reasons people don't want to attend church.  Some say it's boring.  Some say they are too busy and need their rest.  Although, I think the biggest reason is because they don't feel comfortable with Christians.

What do I mean?  People don't want to attend a church service because they feel that the members judge or look down upon them.  I'll be honest with you though, I think judging naturally happens.  It is a natural part of the human mind to judge others on the way we see them. 

I think this aspect of our minds can lead to an increase in our own pride.  As Christians, we try to be perfect and act as if everything is always alright.  Our personal pride leads us towards a desire to be of high social standing inside the church.  To get this so called, "ranking" we act as if everything is always perfect in our lives.  Why would someone with problems a calculator couldn't count, want to come to our church and stand out? 

Since when did church become the place where people go when they have their lives all together?  Since when do all church members live the so called, "perfect" life?   
Church should be the place where people go when they don't have it all together!  It should be the one place where you don't have to act like someone you're not.  Why haven't we created this atmosphere?  This world has only seen one person who had it all together! Jesus! 

Churches need to have an atmosphere where people feel like their lives can be changed.  If you have a problem, there is no greater place to not only find help from God, but from other people.  Many of those people, whether they want to admit it or not , have gone through the same trials.  All this takes is the willingness to take our pride out of the equation and admit that we are hopeless without God!  People have to feel comfortable to attend church.  Church has to be the universal place for people to go when their life gets so bad that it needs fixed. 

"I gotta get my life in order, then I'll start coming to church."  No, come to church this Sunday and let God get your life in order!

Why You Aren't Truly Happy

How could it have taken 22 years to find what I was truly looking for?  Why did it take so long?  Why had I spent my life chasing things that never satisfied me? What was wrong?

I have always been, and always will be, the type of person that will do whatever it takes to accomplish what I want.  The only problem has been that the accomplishments or success would never satisfy me.  I couldn't find anything that could fill what was empty.  The only thing that ever crossed my mind was success.  Not only in team sports, but in games such as Age of Empires, ping-pong, and NBA Live.  It's what I now call an addiction to success.  I couldn't and still can't stand doing something worse than someone else.  All of those traits are great and I'm still the same way.  But why was it when I reached a goal, I still felt empty? 

For a long time in my life, I thought it was because I had no direction.  Now though, I have direction and know what I want to pursue in my future!  How am I still empty at times?

It's because I've realized that God is the only thing that can fill the void in me.  I can go 4-4 in a baseball game, but it does not satisfy me like the worship songs on Sunday morning do.  I'll be the first person to say that it sounds crazy, but it's true.  The peace, relaxation, and comfort that I feel during a song on Sunday morning is the only thing on this entire world that satisfies me. 

It must be because those moments are when I feel like I'm in complete connection with God.  I know I cannot be the only person who has this need.  We all go after things in this world to satisfy us.  We go after alcohol, fame, and money as if it will fill us.  Yes, those things will undoubtedly be a lot of fun, but will they make you happy for the rest of your life? 

Everyone has this void in some way.  Maybe it feels different to you than it did me, but you have it.  People will spend countless hours and amounts of money in hopes of getting what they want to fill their emptiness.  Unfortunately, it takes most of us decades to figure out that we are searching for something that is easy to find.  The presence of God!