Tortured For Christ

*Recently I started reading a book called "Tortured For Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand. He grew up as an atheist in Romania in the early 1900's. He was confused about his faith and came to Christ after he was married and his wife soon followed. He was a pastor and he preached the Truth no matter what. Communist's began persecuting the church. He was arrested after a while and the torture in the prison was horrible. In his book he said that some of the ways they were tortured were so incredibly horrible that he can't even bear to think about them, much less write about them. He saw so many die for Christ in his lifetime.
-As an American believer I can't even begin to imagine how horrible all of this was. Seriously! Thankfully here in America right now we can worship freely and the government cant tell us not to. We complain about the smallest things. So many people have starved because their spouses or parents weren't there to supply food. Many were beaten to death and tortured mercilessly, and all for God. They didn't complain. They went through it all with joy in their hearts and many times smiles on their faces because they knew God's love. They knew that on the other side of all this torture, suffering, and pain that there was a loving God waiting for them to come home.
*The first time he was imprisoned he was there for 8 1/2 years. He saw so many of his dear friends die. Even though they knew they would be beaten severely, he and many others preached to the other prisoners. There was one man there who was preaching one day. He was in the middle of his sermon when guards rushed in, drug him out, beat him horribly, then threw him back in the cell. He was terribly bloody, bruised, and in terrible pain but he just said "now brethren, where was I?" and continued his sermon.
One girl was discovered one day. She had been witnessing to little children. The secret police waited for a little while until the day of her wedding. As the ceremony was going on the secret police burst in. She reached out her arms to be handcuffed. She looked at her groom, kissed the shackles and said "I thank my heavenly Bridegroom for this jewel He has presented to me on my marriage day. I thank him that i am worthy to suffer for Him." She was then drug out and taken to prison. She was released 5 years later, a broken, destroyed woman, looking at least 30 years older.
Some of the most horrible things happened to the women and girls of the prison. Unspeakable things went on in this area of the world for some time. But God used it all for his glory and He had a purpose for it all.
-These people, just like me and you, they did so much for Christ. Just like them we can do so much for the Cause. It doesn't matter where you live, how old you are, or how shy or outgoing you are. God has placed us on this beautiful earth for a purpose. He has a plan for me, and he has a plan for YOU! You don't have to be tortured or go through many great challenges to be used by Him. God can use us in the simplest ways. Take time to ask God about what He wants you to do for him.

Colossians 3:16&17- Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Accepting God's plan

In the past couple of years I've gone through the toughest times in my life. Mostly just this past year. Several people that i knew or knew who they were died. I lost many good friends. Friends that i was really close to changed from being on fire for God, just diminished. Tough things going on with my family members. Just so many things that have been so trying in my life. There's really not words that can describe what I've felt. In hard times i would feel sorry for myself. Just start thinking, "this trial is so hard. I'm never going to get through it. Nobody can help me. Nobody cares." I would just let these thoughts swallow me up and make me feel so bad for myself.
-But one day i heard a sermon. It was on just accepting God's plan for me. the way it is. Because if I don't accept his will for my life and I go a totally different way, or just feel sorry for myself i could miss a very important opportunity. If i took the different way I could get into wrong relationships, become just basically dead for God, and It could end up in something very bad. If i chose to just feel sorry for myself the whole time I could become bitter. I could ignore my friends, and if they were going through a time when they really needed someone to be there I could miss that. And i wouldn't be able to lead them back to Christ. I would be so caught up in my problems that i would build up unnecessary walls in my life. Or the final option, I could choose to accept what God has planned for me.
-By accepting God's will i would grow a stronger relationship with God. And I could just learn from everything that was going on. These past years by just learning to accept God's will in my life has strengthened me so much. I realize every day how blessed I am. I look back on the times when i felt bad for myself and just think. I know so many people who have been through so much more than i have. And then i think about the many many more people that go through unimaginable loss and pain. And then i think. You know. A lot of these people are without God. They don't have someone that loves them unconditionally. They have nobody to turn to.
-I just have to keep going to God over and over and keep asking him to help me accept his plan for my life. Things seem to be easier almost when i do that. So my prayer for YOU today is that you will learn to accept God's plan for your life.

~This verse has meant so much to me this past year. Its been one of the many verses i turn to.
Romans 8:28-
And we know all things work together for good to them that love God, To them that are the called according to His purpose.

-Rich or poor, old or young, strong or week, God loves and wants the best for you. Turn to Him.

~God Bless

Merry CHRISTmas!! :)

Well i know this is a day late, unfortunately. But at least i got it out! Hope y'all remembered to keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas! :)

Luke 2:1-21-
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria). And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them unto heaven, the shepherds said one to another, let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

~The CHRISTmas story is so amazing! It just shows the great amount of humility that Jesus had to leave his home of riches in Heaven and come down to earth, filled with wicked, wicked sin. He loved us so much that he would come, and live among us and one day die to take away our sins. Ive just been thinking about this so much this year. Its just an awesome thought! To think "Wow! Somebody loves me so much that they would leave Paradise, and come to earth. And be ridiculed, beaten, tempted, and die, and rise again for me. That's just so amazing!


~God Bless

A tribute to my adopted grandpa, Pa Jones

From The Beginning, Until The End


You’ve known me, since I was born,
You watched me get older,
You saw me grow like a weed.
Every Wednesday,
I’d be up at church,
You were always there.
Faithfully mowing the grass.
I would climb up onto your lap,

And we watched the ground for frogs,
As we rode along,
We would find tree frogs, toads, anything.
Many times you had frogs waiting,
Just for me.
You were there,
When I learned how to skate,
You cheered me on,
Even when I fell down.
I got older,
And so did you.
I got saved,
You promised,
You would always pray for me.
Time passed,
You got sick,
And now I prayed for you.
But now,
Our prayers for each other,
Have come to an end.
God has called you home,
You now rest, fully restored,
In the presence,
Of Almighty God.
I will miss you,
But I know,
Before too long,
I’ll be there too.

<3~in loving memory of Pa Jones

S.M.I.T.E.

Well the first day was Sunday and it was just regular cuz I met the people that I would be in the same room with for the rest of the week and we had a night service... we studied in the auditorium for the next days lessons.... Then Monday we went to all different types of classes... All the girls and guys are seperated at level 1 for all the classes except for the Wordless Book class which was taught by Brother Aarron Baker. He was AMAZING at that and he did an AWESOME job! So then after we get done with our classes we went to lunch... Then after lunch we all go back to our dorms and get ready for the Bible Clubs. After that everybody goes to the auditorium and we study until its time for Uncle Jerry to get up and talk about how we can prepare ourselves for that day then we all have prayer. Its really neat because everybody turns around and is just kneeling and praying about the day and everything! Its sooo special! Then after prayer we leave for Bible Clubs. Some people go to trailer parks, some go to apartments, some go to day cares, and some go to just neighborhoods. The first day at Bible Clubs we only had about 7 kids. We were off to a little bit of a rocky start because of the first time we had ever worked together. That night after supper we went to the service. There was sooo much singing and special music! In many ways its sooo different from our church! The singing is sooo powerful because there are sooo many people and everybody is just singing with their whole hearts its amazing! That night a group of teen-agers from a church that were there sang a song called I Have Been Blessed. The verses just talked about how much we have been blessed with everything we have. It made me realize that we live in a country that we can worship God freely in and that we are sooo much better off than lots of other people in the world and even in the United States. After the group got done singing Uncle Jerry had them stay up there while he talked to us about how we have no right to sing that song because we don't really truly believe how blessed we have been. He had a young man get up and talk about how hard his life had been. Stephen told everybody there how as he was growing up him and his family lived in a house that had no windows or doors. He said that the warmest it ever got in the winter in that house was 17 degrees! Stephens first dad was abusive to their mother and his brothers and sisters. They would go days without eating very much. Stephen said that one night they were so cold that him and his brothers and sisters slept in the closet together for warmth. His mom and dad got divorced and she remarried another abusive man. Later on the children were taken away from their parents and they were adopted by some really AMAZING people. They are now loved and they dont have to worry about whether or not they are going to be hurt the next day or anything. After Stephen gave his testimony Uncle Jerry preached at us and he was saying "how can you stand up and sing that song and you don't even realize how truly blessed you are?! He said you cant stand up there and sing about how your blessed for having a mother and father that care about you if you are not right with them right now!!" After a little while he stopped speaking and there was an early invitation. I was feeling really convicted because I really did not love my parents like I should and I took it for granted how truly blessed I am! So I went up to the front and I knelt at the alter with my leader and friend Tyler and I just sat there and cried and prayed that God would give me the Grace to realize how blessed I really was. So that night I called my mom and I told her all that had happened that night with me. We were only allowed to talk on the phone for 5 minutes with our parents every day sooo it was short... Then that night since the service ended so late everybody had to be in bed at 12 so we didnt get that much time to study. The schedule was the same the next day. At Bible Clubs we had 2 boys come to Christ! It was GREAT!! Then that night we had the service and then we all studied..... lights out at 1. The next day the same routine in the morning... Then in the afternoon we had Bible Clubs.... we had 14 that day im pretty sure! That night at the service there was tons of more singing than normal since it was Wednesday night! So that night one of the sermons was on the bad things in our lives and how if we dont repent of it it may be too late to go back eventually ... me and lots of my friends went to the altar once again... After everybody was back in their seats Uncle Jerry got up and said that he had been video-taping everybody from the back during the service and he saw some people that were not paying attention to the message and that lots of the young people there were visibly thinking about their music and were rocking back and forth and doing things that teen-agers do when they listen to rock music. Then he challenged anybody that still had bad things in their lives to go up and stand in the front of the auditorium so that everyone could see that they were taking a stand againgst the sinful things in their life. Many teen-agers went to the front while I was just sitting in my seat just burning up because I knew that God was telling me to go to the front.. But I didnt.. Then Uncle Jerry had leaders and counselors go up and pray with the young people that were at the front.... After they had been prayed with he gave all of them note cards and had them put their names on them and what they were giving up that night..... Then after everyone was in their seats he had every person that was right with their parents to raise their hands... I raised my hand because I had just gotten right with my parents on Monday. Then he told everybody to put their hands down and if they were not right with their parents to raise their hands....... So many young people raised their hands and he told them to go and get a cell phone from someone they knew and to call their parents right then and get right with them! Then that night they opened up the concession stand and everybody studied in the dining room.... The next day we did Bible Clubs and 4 children came to the Lord! It was sooo AMAZING!! That night Brother Davis preached on how it is so important to replace the evil things in your life with good things! So he preached a whole sermon that night on that and at the end of it I was majorly convicted so I went to the front. My friends Jazmien and Karen came and knelt with me and prayed for me. That night I gave up all my country music and all the other music that was in my life that I knew the Lord did not want me to have in my life. Uncle Jerry then got up and spoke. He said for everybody to look around and see how many lives had been made new and he was just saying that many many people had just given up bad things in their life and replaced them with good things........ Later on that night I learned that one of my friends (a girl) had given up pornography the year before. That just shocked me because she didnt seem like the kind of person that would have that in their life...... That night all my friends, old and new, came up to me and told me that they would be praying for me... The next day was the big test that everybody had been studying for...... We all knew that we had to get a 70 to pass..... We were sooo worried.... Everybody was supposed to be studying for an hour and a half for the test. It was bad enough that all of us 30 girls or so were in the same room studying together but then there were 20 guys too... So all the girls were talking to the guys and everything..... I just tried to ignore them and study my own stuff! Their were three girls in front of me that didnt understand something that we were studying so it was really encouraging to me that they asked me to help them. So I answered there questions about the things they didnt understand... So finally it came time to take the test..... 70% of your grade was on the wordless book... we had to go to an evaluator and say the wordless book to them..... Then came the written part........ it was the most quiet time that we had ever had in any of our classes..... After the test was over we went to lunch and we were all so nervous because we didn't get to see what our score was until we got back from Bible Clubs..... that day it rained the whole entire day.......... so it was raining at Bible Clubs we only had 4 guys that day..... well when we got back everybody rushed to see the scores..... i got a 76.... I couldn't believe it! I had made a horrible grade!! But I had passed.... then we all went to get ready for the night session...... we all got dressed up nicer than usual because it was the last night and it was also graduation fro the 4th level students!! My leader graduated!! that night we said goodbye to everyone that was not staying that night..... We were all sooo sad to see everybody go. But we had e-mails and phone numbers..... Uncle Jerry got up and talked to everybody that was staying and after that we all went to our dorms and got changed into stuff to clean in....... We mopped, swept, cleaned the bathrooms, and vaccumed. Then Uncle Jerry took us girls to Wendys!!! They opened up the inside area just for us!! We sang a few songs for them too!! :) Well then we got back at like 12:30 or somethin and we went to our rooms........ Over all my week at SMITE was life changing! I do not regret going whatsoever and I have used everything I learned there many times! I encourage anybody that is wanting to go to just go! Your life will be changed! There is a link to their website on my blog page!
~God Bless