Living in Compassion

by Crystal Kelly

There are many opportunities to live out the compassion that Christ calls us to. We must never forget that we are also recipients of this very compassion. Compassion is defined as a sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. Is this not a beautiful picture? Is this not the very thing we needed Christ to do for us as we were steeped in the blindness of sin where pain and despair ruled our lives? In answering these questions to ourselves should we not look out and see where we could exercise this kind of compassion in our world.

We do not always have to go looking to help in another country, although this is a good thing. There are many opportunities for compassion right in the arena of “your own backyard”. Compassion is an act that has lasting effects. It touches not only the person you have exercised it upon but it touches you in a way that you would never be able to imagine. Compassion can be displayed by reaching out to the new student, by being a friend to the one who has none, by counting yourself among the unpopular in the name of treating everyone equally.

As individuals we all have opportunities to leave lasting marks in the hearts and lives of those we encounter. We must choose if we will be the ones to float quietly along the way or the ones who will stand up and make the mark of compassion a trend to not only be admired but copied as well. You are a generation with the ability to make changes, to make impacts. You do not have to wait until you are a certain age, you can start now. You are the trendsetters. Live your life in a way where the actions of Christ are apart of your very fiber.

Written by Ellen Marie Hawkins

Making 2012 Better

Hi, my name is Ellen, and I am an addict.

I am addicted to making goals.

There, I said it.  I confessed.  Deep cleansing breath, and…ahh.  Do I feel better?  That is yet to be determined, but I am one of those people that loves resolutions.  I love them so much that I don’t wait until the New Year to make them.  Why make them only once a year?  And even more importantly, why wait until the end of the year to take stock and determine what in life needs to be improved?

The athletic part of me loves a new goal and challenge.  I don’t think it’s the actual exercise part that really gets me pumped. Because, seriously, there are days when I feel like my lungs are going to collapse, my muscles are going to burn away, and my life is going to end because I didn’t complete that last set/mile/class/practice.  And all that, to be blunt, sucks.  So, really, it’s the bigger picture that is my reward.  It is that realization that I can now run further than I could a week/month/year ago.  It’s that backing away from the tree that’s blocking my view of the forest that is oh, so beautiful.

So, I enjoy discipline and accomplishment.

What’s the problem with that?

Actually, a lot.  You see, I used to approach my relationship with God the same way I would approach my training.  When I have met my weekly goal of reading the Bible every day for at least ten minutes, then I can have that talk with Him.  When I have finally deleted that offensive word from my vocabulary, then I don’t have to be ashamed.  When I have finally committed those verses to memory, well, then I know I can teach that Sunday School class because it will finally mean I know enough.

Having a relationship with God isn’t like preparing for a marathon.  There isn’t a task list to complete to finally prove you are ready.  Why?  Because it’s not about what you can do that makes you worthy.  It’s not what you think you can control that makes you a canvas ready for His picture for you to be painted on.

It’s about relinquishing control (faith), and allowing Him to determine what He wants to do with you.

I’m not saying that goals are bad.  I still make them and find enjoyment from reaching them.  But the most precious accomplishments and treasures I have in my life are not ones I dreamed for myself.  They are the ones I found delivered at my lap when I simply said, “I have no idea what this means, but I’m going to step out and try this because I get the feeling that you want me to.”  Not once has He let me down.  In fact, I’ve been pretty blown away by the things He has me doing that I never thought I could do, relationships I never thought I would have, and opportunities that I never thought I would be given.

So, this year, while making a list of resolutions, be sure to set some time aside to simply ask Him what His resolutions are for you this year.  You will be surprised by His answers.

written by: Crystal Kelly

Hard Talk With Yourself

What does it mean to live a life submitted to Christ? What is that really about? I mean you try to do the right thing and God knows of course you are not perfect, right. You say your prayers everyday and you read your Bible. You are kind and respectful to your parents and your elders. All this sounds pretty good so why do you sometimes feel like there is more you should be doing. The answer is because there is more. God does not just simply want our time. He requires our lives. God’s desire is that our heart’s passion is for Him and Him alone. You are young and you want to live life and have fun so you give God some time and the rest of your time is spent with your friends or family. Is it wrong to spend time with friends and family? Of course not but the error in thinking is that God’s time can be split with the time you have with your friends and your family. The very thing that God requires will open the door in your life for quality time with your friends and family. God is not a taskmaster that requires you to give Him all of your time. He requires you to love Him and submit your will and life to Him in obedience.

Submitting your life to God may be something hard to grasp. Submitting your life to God may sound as though you are losing your identity or who you are to a God who has so many rules you may feel as though you are walking a tightrope. The only tightrope is in your thinking. God is the creator of everything including your mind. God has given you the free gift of free will and choice. God foresees your future. He sees the roads which will lead to destruction in your life and the roads which will lead to peace, joy and hope in Him in your life. God’s choice to create you and give you breath is one which He put considerable thought and love into. You are God’s own design. You are God’s wonderful, beautiful creation and His requirements for your life are for nothing but your good.

Everything in life has requirements. There are curfews that must be followed, governed laws that must be followed, work etiquette, social etiquette rules that must be followed. There is nowhere in life that you will be able to escape the golden rules of following laws or requirements in which to live. So why not follow the one who created you out of love. Why not follow the requirements of the one who designed you to absolute perfection, the one who understands you when no one else does, the one who sends the answer in the quiet or the storm, the one who surrounds you family and friends, the one who is your friend, God. Look upon Him as He looks upon you with unimaginable love.

God’s plans for you are better than you could ever imagine. God’s love for you if you can grasp it is so overwhelming that you would run into the plan that He has for your life. God’s eyes of love are forever on you even when you feel as though He requires too much. God’s arms are ever open waiting for you to welcome His amazing embrace. God is yours and you are His and full submission to any other being but God is living your life in settlement of less than the best. Every question you will ever have will be answered through God’s perfect will for your life. Give God everything so that He can give you everything. Do not be deceived into believing submitting to God is too hard. No, the hardest thing is not living in submission to God.

So I suppose you are wondering how on earth can I start to live this life of submission to a God I cannot see but sometimes feel that He is near or maybe you have never felt Him near. The answer is to STUDY the New Testament Gospels. Every time you read about Jesus you are spending time with Him learning from Him and growing in the knowledge of who He is and the plans that He has for your life. A great gospel to start with is John and from there read and STUDY all of the gospels. Allow God to lead you through a journey of His word as the Spirit prompts you to. So go now find your quiet place and run into the loving arms of Christ. He is waiting just to spend time with you.

Written by Ellen Marie Hawkins

Christmas Nativity Scene

I remember when I was in sixth grade, my family went through a rough time.  To this day, I don’t know the details, but I do know that we still had our house, food, and clothes.  So it was a big surprise to me when I came home from school one day to find a very large box.  It was on one side of the room, my mom on the other.  She was sitting in her chair, staring at it.  So I peeked inside the box.  Several presents were inside, neatly wrapped and ready for Christmas morning.

“What…?” I asked her, baffled.  Those presents weren’t wrapped by mom.  This, I knew.

“It’s from the church,” she answered.  She kind of shrugged, her eyes filling with tears.

I remember the way my heart sank, and how confusing it was because I couldn’t identify the feeling I felt.  Was it shame?  “For us?” I asked, ready to cry, too.  My mom nodded.  “But there are others so much worse off than us,” I said angrily. “We don’t deserve this.”

I don’t want to mislead you.  I was as greedy as your average twelve year old, just as self centered and selfish as my friends.  But, as far as I knew, we had never been at the receiving end of charity, and experiencing it for the first time wasn’t pleasant for me.  All I could think of was that there might be another family who would go without because the attention had been on us.  It embarrassed me.

Accepting what you don’t think you deserve is a pretty intimidating feeling.  It’s humbling.  I remember feeling exposed, like people in the church knew a secret about us that they didn’t have a right knowing.  I felt smaller as a person because someone else was trying to fill what I thought A-I didn’t need, or B-what I thought was already taken care of.   I felt powerless being on the receiving end, and I didn’t appreciate that lack of control.

Christmas is almost here.  On the 25th of this month, we will celebrate the birth of a Savior by trading gifts with our family and friends.  Some of us might even be fortunate enough to anonymously give a gift to someone who felt like I did…undeserving.  But the truth is, none of us did anything good enough to earn the love of a God who would send His son to die for our sins.  For some, accepting that gift might be most difficult thing they will ever do.  None of us did anything to deserve the gift, but even better yet, none of us can do anything to lose it once we’ve accepted it.  We just have to open ourselves up to the possibilities, take a leap of faith, and accept what is presented to us out of love.

By Dana Ford

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1263312

Those considered Christian devote their hearts to Jesus Christ according to what the Bible may tell them to do. In many ways they do this, among one is tithing.

To tithe is to give a piece of one’s heart to God in exchange for his blessings. This piece of one’s heart is a financial gift to God in order to satisfy his wishes he expresses in the Old Testament. “Tithe” is a Greek word meaning “tenth.” Therefore the basic meaning of tithing means to give 10 percent of everything one owns to God.

Those who do not tithe are considered robbers of God’s blessings.

In Amos 4:4 it says, God commands Israel to bring back the tithe and reiterates the curse that is upon them if they don’t.

Several other religions practice tithing as well.

For example, Jews give 10% of their earnings to different charities, Jewish or non Jewish.

In the religion of Islam, a tithe of two and a half percent of their income is given to charities. This is called zakat. This tithe can be in the form of wealth, production or animals. It is the duty of Muslims according to their culture to collect zakat and distribute it fairly.

In other places such as Austria or Denmark, a church tax must be paid. These taxes are paid to help keep places of worship running properly and to show dedication toward a specific religion.

World religions follow these rules of the tithe every day. Sometimes it’s hard to give more than what we can afford, especially at a young age. But Christians say, give what your heart can manage.

And in Matthew 6:27, 31, 33 it says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Have you ever thought about tithing?