God in the midst of disappointment...

Today, I woke up feeling terribly discouraged and disappointed.  Not in God, but, over frustration because of an unmet desire in my life.  


I asked the Lord, and He reminded me of who is He despite the pain that we feel in this life.  Truth be told, if God were to strip everything from my life He would still be good.  But, oh, how often I have to remind my heart of that truth.  

The Lord reminded me this morning that; 

He is God amidst unmet desires and disappointments. He is God when your heart is overwhelmed with disappointment and discouragement. He is God in life's deepest valleys. He is good throughout it all, the good and the bad. Why worry, fret and fear when the God of the universe holds you in the palm of His hand? Do not fear, beloved, for the Lord your God goes with you wherever you go. 

"If I find in myself desires, nothing in this world can satisfy I can only conclude that I was made for another world"- C.S. Lewis

A blog on Health and Fitness

whats the secret to being healthy and in shape you ask?

well...first of all...its not a secret....we just like to over complicate things and everyone always wants a short cut.  

1.  It takes discipline
2.  It takes planning
3. It takes commitment 

Once you've got those 3 down.  It's easy.  

No really, it is.  I promise I wouldn't lie to you :)

1.  Eat smart- eliminate all fake sugars and overly processed foods from your diet.  Cut out caffeine (people are addicted...it's OK I was too at one point, but just put the coffee down and walk away ;)).  Stop consuming so many calories by what you drink.  It's amazing how many empty calories people consume through foofy coffee drinks, alcohol and pop.  Choose foods in their most whole form. That means, the closer it is from coming out of the ground or a tree, etc. the better.  If someone had to "make it" in a building somewhere...run away.  Purchase lots of fresh produce, brown rice, sweet potatoes, lean meats, oh yeah all that good stuff.  If you want a healthy foods list I can send you one. Really your diet makes up, in my opinion at least 70% of your getting fit goals.  

2.  Exercise regularly.  Even if its just 30 minutes 3-4 times a week.  Get up and start moving!  We spend the majority of our day sitting, then we go home in front of the TV and sit some more.  Get up and move throughout the day, then make a commitment to go out and get some exercise.  Find something you enjoy and stick with it.  

3.  Have the long view in mind.  It didn't take you a month to get that size so don't expect it all to fall off in a month and stay off.  We have to make lifestyle changes and that takes TIME.  Don't give up, set long term, realistic goals.  Shoot for a 1-2lb fat loss per week and stick to making those changes.  

4.  Calories are your friend, not your enemy.  Your body needs them for fuel to survive.  Oh and by the way, carbohydrates are not bad for you.  THEY ARE GOOD FOR YOU the problem is in our typical american diet we consume far too many and all the wrong overly processed kinds.  View your body as a machine and in order for this machine to function properly it needs a healthy balance of fats, protein and carbohydrates.  Too much of one of those categories, long term is not good for overall health and fitness. 

I personally eat quite a bit during the day for as small as my frame is, but I eat the right types of food, I workout 4-6 times a week for 30-50 minutes (take my time seriously...you don't have to spend hours in the gym, nor should you) and I am committed.  Just on a side note, I recently went gluten and dairy free for the past 8 weeks and have seen some results from that as well. 

I'm Heather Douglas and this has been your health and fitness tip of the day.  If you have questions, let me know!  I'd love to help if I can.  

Transformation

The gospel awakens the soul.  It gives light to eyes that were once darkened by sin and regret.  It illuminates life's purpose within the heart that was at one time overcome by failure and disappointment.  It sings a new song of hope into a life that was once hopeless and a grants a joy unexplainable to a soul once burden by shame and fear.  

"Oh how marvelous, oh how wonderful is my Savior's love for me"

Now, Walk it Out

To walk by faith means that I replace all fear with faith, doubt with trust and despair with hope.  

But, this doesn't come naturally.  I must chose by faithful obedience to believe the promises of God.  The issue is not, will God pull through?  He always pulls through.  The issue is me, who lacks the faith to believe and then walk it. 

True faith is made evident not in the words that fall from my mouth, but in how I act upon the faith that I proclaim.  Do I act upon what I say, then good, but if not my words are a mere smoke screen to the untrusting, doubting heart that doesn't believe God at His word.  

Doing Youth Ministry the Wrong Way....

Sadly, many churches do youth ministry because they feel like they should, not because they are passionate about it.  They push people who have no love for teenagers into leading their youth ministry.  Which causes them to have floundering, poorly attended youth ministries that are not sustainable.  Things go alright for a couple of years and then it eventually comes to a screeching halt and no one understands why.  

They think we just need another pizza party.  Kids don't need more pizza parties.  They need the gospel, lived out in a community of people who love them, are invested in them and who truly care about them.  They need adults who are willing to pour into them, disciple them and point them to Jesus Christ.  

If you're not passionate about it, then please don't do it.  If you're not truly invested in these teenagers, they know that.  They're a lot smarter than we think.  

It saddens my heart when we do youth ministry the wrong way.  These teenagers deserve our best, unto the glory of God.  

Although, I admit we don't do it perfectly we do love young people at Collide Youth Group and are committed to loving on them for the glory of God.  Our greatest desire is that they would experience Jesus Christ within our midst and be forever changed by His love.  

Something more....

Even human heart has a longing and a desire for something more.  

All pursuits apart from the gospel of Christ will only leave our hearts in a continual longing for something more.  Pursue Christ and you'll find that you have immersed yourself in a well that never runs dry and is so deep that you can never reach the bottom.  The more you immerse yourself in the joy of knowing Christ the more your heart swells with hope, peace, purpose and lasting satisfaction.  

Drink from this well and be consumed by the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Watch as your heart starts to be transformed as you get to know the one who created you.  

"Jesus said, I have come that they may have life and have it to the full"- John 10:10

Water: A Source of Life

Jesus calls Himself the living water.  

I need water to survive.

That means, I need Jesus to survive.  

"Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”- John 4:13-14