Leadership

The New Year

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

This is always an exciting time for me. I get a chance to reflect on the good and the bad, but I get to move forward with a new vision of the year to come. A new year brings with it new chances to learn, new memories to make, and new adventures to undertake. This post may seem a bit different from my usual style, but I’m writing it this way to try and help you look at the year gone by and how you will take on the New Year that is to come. You see, this past year was filled with what seems like a roller coaster of emotions and experiences. It wasn’t easy, but then again, God never promised us easy lives. I saw friends pass away, friends that were like brothers to me, friends that showed me that I had value and loved me. I saw my brother-in-law (whom I call a brother) struggle with the dangers of addiction. I experienced the passing of my two grandmothers and the effect it had on my family. There was stress with college classes, responsibilities I have, feelings of doubt in my own talents, and watching other friends close to me suffer similar losses. But guess what? Even in all the hurt and pain, I found joy. I had a chance to remember the fun times I had with my two friends who had passed, I was able to reflect on how their lives shaped my own. My brother is now getting help for the addictions he battles, and God is truly working in and through him even in the midst of the pain. I saw my family grow close together in the loss and discover the value in time together. In the stress I learned so much in my classes on how to communicate, to make organizations function well, and present myself in a way that is respectful and wise. I learned that no one can take away what God has given me, because God designed me this way. My friends that were hurting, God let me be there for them, and I will always be there for them in the hurting. So much more happened as well, I met an incredible girl that I love spending time with; I’ve been able to see students in my small group step into their passions for poetry, music, and art; and I myself have discovered a desire to help others in their own walks of life. It was a hard year, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

Over the past three years or so, every New Year I decide to take a character trait and apply it for the New Year. This is something that is similar to the My One Word system, but because I like to be a rebel sometimes, I’ve morphed it into a trait I want to live into. It is a trait that I view life through, because I believe it will guide me and teach me to not only follow God in a deeper way, but to make myself better. In 2013, I chose to be a servant, one who looks at the needs of others and helps them in whatever way they can. In 2014, I chose to be a hero, one who sacrifices their own life and desires for that of a greater cause. And in 2015, I chose to be an adventurer, one who takes on new challenges and experiences, and thrives. Last year truly was filled with challenge and experiences that made me stronger, and in that I was able to gain the reward that God used to teach me. This year, I spent a while in my devotions and quiet times really praying over what I want to live into this year. The catch with claiming what trait you will live into in the year, is that most of the time, it becomes true. I experienced the way it feels to serve others, to sacrifice my own wants, and to be thrown into an adventure. I always love a challenge, because people will tell you it’s impossible to achieve, and then when you achieve it, those same people will look up to you. This year I chose something that encompasses what I want to do, something that I will use to help as many people as possible, and something that God wants of me.

This year, I choose to be a doctor.

Now before you jump to conclusions, I’m not going to start med school, nor do I plan on doing back alley creep surgeries. No need to worry about me becoming the guy from Re-Animator and making a zombie. What I mean by I choose to be a doctor, is I choose to encompass what a doctor does. A doctor is one who heals the sick, one who takes in the broken and brings them back from the brink of death. I don’t have the power to keep people from dying, or heal people from physical disease. What I can do is be there for the people who are hurting, the ones who face the chasm of despair, the ones who feel alone; I can be a doctor for them. This trait is a promise to myself. That no matter what happens, I will never be cruel or cowardly. I will never give up, nor will I ever give in. A doctor comforts those who are hurting, and seeks out the solutions for the ailment one faces. I want to be like a doctor, when I see my family hurt, when I experience the sting of death, or when those close to me feel alone; I want to be there for them, and I want to seek out the solution for their struggles. The best part is, I know the solution, and the solution is Jesus. Because Jesus is in me, I can do all things through him. I can be a voice of comfort, one that uses his words for life and never to tear anyone down, even in joking. I can use my gifts and abilities to reach people who are wandering and are lost. I can help those who are hurting, because I have experienced hurt. For a long time I felt like I was worthless, but with the voice of people speaking life around me, I was able to know my worth. I choose to be a doctor because I think more people need to know that they are worth it.

Big things are coming.

Along with my trait of being a doctor, this year I want to be intentional with everything I do. Some of my goals (basically a better word for resolutions, because whoever keeps those?) for the coming year are big. They are big because I have a big God. My first goal is to continue to make this blog more effective. That means making it a place where you can come and be fed from the word and have resources to grow in your own walk. This means sharing it with people (it really does help me) not for my own sake, I don’t want that, I want people to come because God is guiding me as I write and I want more people to have that. I have created a new tab thingy that has some essential books that have helped me in my walk, as well as the books that I read throughout this year so you can have recommendations from me. My second goal, and this is the big one, is to write a book. Yup, a book. I have been praying and God has shown me that this is something I can do, so this year I will be writing what is tentatively titled, “Coffee Shop Thoughts.” It will be going through the fruits of the spirit, and how to live a life of freedom through them. I’ve never written a book before, so why not start now! I will most likely use an ebook format through Amazon, and I can’t wait to figure all that out! My intent is for the book to be a simple devotional as well as be material used in a small group format. My plan is to have it done and produced by summer, and in the fall, have a small group based on it at Daystar Church. My third and final goal is to never lose sight of Jesus. No matter what happens, I want to focus on the one who even made it possible for me to do anything at all. Jesus is the one that brought me out of the depths and saved me, so I want to run and never stop running towards him.

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So what does this year look like for you? You’ve been able to see my heart over the past few paragraphs, but what does this year look like for you. Think about what you truly want out of this New Year, what character trait do you want to have that will grow you and push you to be all that you can be? If you feel like no one is in your corner on this one, know that I’m with you. I may know you, or I may never know you. What I do know is that you were made by an amazing artist and one who built the universe. God made you. So this year, set goals, find a trait that you will latch onto, and choose to have joy in all of it. I’ve learned that we are not guaranteed anything, so make the most of every minute you have been given.

Make memories, take on new adventures, and love life.

-Joshua Thomas

An Active Pursuit

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

The year is coming to a close, and what a wild year it has been. Filled with ups and downs, highs and lows, but no matter what has happened, you made it through. Just take a moment on that thought, the problems that you faced and all the hardship you endured throughout the year never stopped you. I know that with the end of the year it doesn’t mean that you don’t have any struggles, I’m just simply reminded you and me how God continues to be with us no matter what. In thinking about what to write about this week (yes, sometimes I have writers block too), I was looking at Pauls’ letters that he wrote to Timothy. Timothy was a young leader in the church, he was untrained, had little experience, and he was passionate about building Gods’ kingdom. So often I think we feel the same, that we are young, unexperienced, and have very little training, yet we have a passion for Christ. Paul speaks to Timothy, but at the same time he speaks to each of us. We are all experiencing hardship, or have experienced it in the past, and Paul says that we should not be passive but be active in our pursuit of Christ. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” Such an awesome message, and I do mean awesome. It is an awe inspiring message directed to each of us. To the ones who feel unexperienced, the ones who feel like they are looked down upon because of their age, and the ones who are completely sold out for the kingdom.

One of my biggest fears is that I’m not making an impact on the people and world around me. I love people, and I love this world, but it is easy for me to fear what they will think of me, or fearing the failure that may come to me. I become timid, a word that means to lack courage or confidence, someone who is easily frightened. I think many of you may be timid. You’ve been beaten down by people around you. Maybe you’ve lost someone close to you, or maybe you feel alone. Maybe people have only ever said how you can’t do something, when you know you have a passion for it. I know how it feels, because I have gone through what you’re going through, but more importantly, Jesus knows your hurt and is the one who can pick you up off the ground and tell you, “Well done.” I think a lot of us need to hear that. We need to be active in our pursuit of Christ, because Christ did not make us to be timid. We have a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline, and when we believe this and pursue Christ, he meets us in the hard times. Instead of being passive and believing that we don’t have the courage or confidence, we must be active and pursue Christ even when it seems impossible.

You have a spirit of power.

Paul says this to Timothy for a reason. Not to boost his pride or make him feel like he is better than someone else, but it is a call to action. It’s a call to action for all of us. When you have a relationship with God, you have power. Not the kind of power that lets you walk on walls, or gives you a spider-sense, but one that gives you strength to make it through the hard times. It’s a power that lets you know that you have an all mighty creator who made a plan for you, it allows you to live in freedom rather than in fear. You have the power to have a conversation with the creator through prayer, no long a slave, but a part of royalty. It gives you the confidence to stand up for what you know is right, and speak life into those around you who are hurting. As a kid, I loved the X-men comics. It was always a bunch of misfits who had great power but were rejected by the world they lived in. They were hunted by people who hated them because they were different. The reason I loved these characters (and still do), is because they still used their power to save the people that hated them. What a beautiful picture of the Christian walk, even when people hate you and try to put you down, you have the power to save them. You have power. You may not be a mutant, but you have the power to save lives. Don’t live in fear, live with a spirit of power.

You have a spirit of love.

I like this one a lot. No, it isn’t referring to the chick-flick/ teen romance movie kind of love, but a love that is active. This is the type of love that does work, a type of love that works hard and doesn’t leave when problems happen. Love means taking risks, going up to the person that looks like they’ve had a rough day, listening to your sister share her struggles with you, or helping a friend laugh after they’ve only been able to cry. My sister demonstrates this all the time. It’s been a tough year for her, yet each and every week she leads a team and listens to their struggles and empowers them to lead the next generation. She comforts those around her and has a desire to actively pursue Christ no matter what. She shows love to everyone, even though she owes nothing. I’ll always remember in high school my sister would drive me home after I would have a rough day. She would listen to my struggles and be there for me, she was always there for me and loved me. Jesus showed us the perfect example, he died for us so that we could be saved. He was perfect, a sinless man, yet he chose to take on all our sin and shame so that we could be free. My sister has that spirit in her, I have it, and you have that spirit too. You have a spirit of love, one that is a choice, and one that requires you to take action. So step out in love, sometimes it may require a sacrifice of time, it may mean you don’t get to catch a favorite show, or do everything you want, but it is worth it. Don’t live in passivity, live with a spirit of love.

You have a spirit of self-discipline.

This is the nuts and bolts of what it means to be active. Just like if you were starting to exercise, you need a plan. You start to eat right, set a schedule, and set goals. The same is true in our walk with Christ. You need to fill your mind with the good stuff, so you read the word, spend time in prayer, and cut out the junk. What is the junk you ask? Well, it’s different for each of us. For me, it’s the endless hours of Netflix, the unlimited time on my laptop, and the endless hours of Call of Duty. These things are not inherently bad, but when I don’t set limits, I can get lost in them. So I set a schedule, I wake up and pray. Simple start to each morning. Each day I set a schedule, like on Monday’s I get up, head to Geeksboro, and write. Then you set goals. Maybe for you it’s to read more books this year, maybe it’s to start a quiet time, and maybe it means to start serving in some capacity. For me, I plan to read more books, continue to do my quiet times, and to write a book this year. I want to take this idea of self-discipline seriously, because I am serious in my active pursuit of Christ. The new year is a great time to set goals (I’ll talk more about this next week.), so I’ve set goals for myself and chose a word that I want to live through in the coming year, similar to what I’ve done in the past. I plan on reading more and keeping a section on the blog updated with what I’ve read so that I can help you read some great books that I have enjoyed. I plan on writing an eBook this year, and I will talk more about that later (Spoilers). Christ wants us to live a disciplined life so that we can grow ourselves and be effective in all aspects of our lives. Don’t live a lazy life, live with a spirit of self-discipline.

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An active pursuit. Complacency hates when we are active, complacency feels safe, but it only brings death. Complacency means that we are okay with the world around us, that we feel like life is fine. This is such a lie. We are surrounded by hurting people, people who need to be saved and need to find value in something greater than themselves. We ourselves have struggles this past year. We have seen people leave, experienced heartache, and have been beaten down. One of my favorite movie quotes is from Batman Begins. There is a scene when young Bruce Wayne falls into a well, and his father rescues him. Thomas Wayne then says to Bruce, “And why do we fall Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.” Throughout all of our lives we continue to fall, and each time we learn to pick ourselves back up and continue our pursuit. You see, when we are with Christ, we understand that struggles produce perseverance. We no longer have to live timidly, but we understand that we have a spirit of power, and of love, and of self-discipline.

Actively pursue Christ with your life, and you will find true courage.

-Joshua Thomas

Give Generously

/ Joshua Thomas / 1 Comment

Well, Christmas is this week! Kinda crazy to think about how fast time flies when I look back at the year. Christmas really is one of the most wonderful times of the year. Whether it’s the music, the lights in the neighborhood, or the smell of a good ole pine tree in your house. I love it. I also love this time because we have the chance to give gifts to the people we love in life. Finding the right gift is always fun for me, trying to think about the person and what they would really enjoy. Oh and in case you are a last minute shopper, Amazon Prime is your friend (so you should jump on that!). Also, I’m not sponsored to say that, but if Amazon is listening, hello! Anyways, giving gifts is a great part of the season, and yes, receiving gifts is always great! It is a season filled with joy and reflection for me. I get to be with my family and loved ones and just share time with them, and there is no better feeling than that. Being generous doesn’t have to be the giving of physical gifts either. In Daystar Kids yesterday, I was able to lead the second hour service. The life app we have been looking at is compassion, and yesterday I shared the lesson about how Jesus was the greatest gift any of us have ever received. God sent his son to save humanity, humanity that is corrupt and is a fallen people. Humans that are imperfect, given a savior who was perfect. A savior that came in the humble form of a child. God gave generously.

God wants us to give, but he wants us not to just give a tithe, but he wants us to humble ourselves. We can give our time, abilities, and heart to others. When I think back on the memories of people who gave to me, its’ always been a time spent together, an empowering word, or just a real conversation about how we can change the world. Giving generously is simple, my fourth and fifth graders show me this any time I ask about how they can show love or compassion to people around them. One of the kids has a lot of siblings, so when they say things like, “I can help do the dishes,” you know they are giving generously. Another kid said they love doing art, so they could make cards for people. The best thing about working with kids, is that they are wise beyond their age at times. One of the students said they could sit with people at school who are alone, because they know what it’s like to be bullied and alone. That was a fifth grader. She knows how to give generously. Moments like this are the ones where I get teared up and probably look silly in this coffee shop, but it’s because I see the heart in each of these kids. In moments when we feel alone or that someone doesn’t care about us, we can give generously and change someone’s life. I’m writing with tears in my eyes because someone gave generously to me, and told me I was going to make a difference, that’s why we must give generously.

Give your time.

This is a hard one for most of us. It’s so easy to be self-oriented, that our agenda becomes more important than investing in the lives of others. I think about the times my parents would give up time for me and my sister. Each week we would spend time together, doing things like eating ice-cream and waffles for dinner, or eating under the table. There was one time where my mom and I went to see Star Wars when one of them came out, I love those movies, and my mom went with me even though she was confused about the story. She gave time. She gave generously. It taught me to live like that as well, I give up time to pour into students on my Sundays, and I meet with a couple high schoolers in the week, and I do it because I want to give generously in their lives. Sometimes Netflix binging can wait when those close to us need us. Something that many of us can learn. Give with your time, we aren’t guaranteed it anyways, so use it wisely to impact people in your life.

Give your abilities.

Last week I talked about how unique each of us is. You have been designed with incredible gifts and talents. I love working with the next generation because they see the value in using their gifts to create a better world and spread the name of Jesus. So why is it that when we get older we start to live like we can’t make a difference? That is so not true! Everyone is important, there has never been anyone who wasn’t special. If you are silently judging me and thinking I’m the kind of person that wants everyone to get a medal, you are looking at things all wrong (Yup, I just called you out). Too many people live with a cynical mindset, trust me, I can be very cynical. When we look at life this way, we miss out on the chances to take a leap or help someone chase their wild dream! All too often we tell people they can’t, and rarely tell them they can. I think that’s sad. I think it’s sad because God made us with a purpose, we make larger ripples in the universe than we even can imagine. I have a dream to reach the next generation and help people find their purpose, so I decided to start a blog. I told my sister that when I first started (She is wise beyond her years) and rather than saying that’s silly, she told me to do it. She gave me confidence to put myself out there, and I am so thankful for that. You, my dear reader, have been given gifts. No matter how old or young you may be, you can change the world. If no one has ever told you can do it, know that I believe you can do it. Give generously with your abilities because God will use your effort to change the world.

Give your heart.

No, I don’t mean donate your heart (you can’t live without that, silly!). What I mean, is that before we can truly step into what God has for us, we need to give our life and place our trust in Christ. The first step to opening up a door to the vision of your life. When you do this, your life will change. You will begin to look at the world differently. When you have a relationship with Christ, you begin to treat others the way you want to be treated. You start to speak life giving words over others, and hold back your tongue when someone crosses you. God has much for you, so give your life to him. When you live differently, people notice. You make a bigger impact when you give your heart. I’ll always remember a certain moment in my life where things clicked, where I knew that God had more for me. It was in a passing moment with my middle school pastor who would invite me to serve at a local elementary school in a not so great part of town. My pastor, Marshall Johnson, knew that I felt alone and not worth anything, and he simply said, “Joshua, you are going to do great things one day.” Now I know it may seem like I’m trying to humble brag right now, but far from it. I’m simply sharing a simple memory that altered my life. I’m sharing it, because we have the ability to use our words and change lives of the people around us whom may be struggling. Give your heart, because when we do, we accept the responsibility of changing lives for the better.

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Giving generously is so much more than a present on Christmas. Giving generously means looking at the world around you and seeing how you can show love and compassion to another person. It doesn’t have to be a grandiose affair, it could simply be a text to that friend you haven’t seen in a while, laughing with the people you love, or sitting with the person who feels like they are fighting alone. Giving shouldn’t be a Christmas time feeling, it should be an everyday choice. A choice to give your time, abilities, and heart to grow closer to God and follow his vision for your life. You have dreams, and they may seem crazy, but God wants to use your dreams to impact this world. Speak life to the people around you, use your abilities to serve others, and give your heart each day to accept what God has in store for you. Live a generous life. So when you see moments where you can give to someone else, take hold of it. God gave his own son to save you. He gave the ultimate gift. So help your siblings wash dishes, draw a card for your friends, and sit with the person who may feel the same way you did. That is how you can live a life that honors God.

That is how you give generously.

-Joshua Thomas

 

Growing Your Skills

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

One of the things that I believe effects almost every person, something that holds many of us back, is the idea that we know everything. If you just slightly wanted to disagree with me, you’ve just proved my point. We can easily get it in our heads that we are the best, or that we know all there is to know about life, a hobby, or in your work. This is the thing that causes us to get angry when someone disagrees with our opinion or idea. We immediately jump to conclusions, thinking that the person disagreeing just doesn’t like us as a person (Which can totally be possible) or that they think we are somehow less of a human being than they are. It holds us back, causes us to get easily offended, and stop us from growth. So, what can we do to stop believing the world revolves around us? We learn. A simple idea, and one that God wants to help us do in order to pursue our purpose. When you stop and say, “I don’t have all the answers,” you embrace humility and begin a new journey. This idea isn’t a new one, it’s something that Paul in the bible knew and one that he shared with Timothy. Paul writes in 1 Timothy, directly to Timothy as he begins his own ministry. He essentially tells Timothy, we are all sinners, which means we can never add up to the glory of God, but God had mercy on each of us and he showed us the ultimate grace. Once we live with this mindset, we then hold onto truth, seek after true knowledge, and listen to our elders who have walked before us. Paul is telling Timothy that he may not have all the answers, which means he has the capacity to learn and grow his skills.

When I was reading through this, I was reminded of a verse that captures this idea of growing and cultivating our skills. Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is required but skill will bring success.” Or another version in the ESV says, “If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.” I love the simple example this verse uses, basically if your tool is breaking down, sharpen it. The same is true with our minds, if we feel like we are not learning, search for wisdom and practice your skills. I want to share today about how to press into God and learn from him. I believe that every person was made for a reason, and that every person impacts the world. Don’t sit back and let the opportunities to learn pass you by, take hold, and grow your skills.

You are unique.  

When learning a new skill, or cultivating a pre-existing one; you have to know that you are unique. We all have different styles, different ways of processing things, and different ways we see the world. This is a good thing. Can you imagine if everyone were the same? (Actually many authors have in fact, i.e. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) It would be pretty boring and new ideas would never be created. Grace Hopper captures this idea when she says, “The most dangerous phrase in the English language is ‘we’ve always done it this way.’” This idea kills new ways of approaching things and prevents you and me from trying new things. You are unique, plain and simple. You were designed by a God who created the universe and everything in it. You may be a skilled communicator, or have musical talent unlike anything else, or maybe you have the uncanny ability for comforting those who are hurting. Whatever it may be, you are good at something because you have individuality that God has given you. So discover what that skill is, try new things. The worst that can happen is you aren’t good at it and you move on, not everyone has the bow staff and nun chuck skills like Napoleon Dynamite. You have skills, because God made you, you.

Live a humble life.

So you are talented, and you have super awesome cool skills; but be careful of pride. So many pop culture icons we can see this downfall with, a person with great talent and ability, but believe the world revolves around them. You have to remember that you are not the greatest, you have the skills, but your attitude is what speaks volumes. When we look back at Timothy, he was a young leader in the church, and he was good. Communicated well, led many to Christ, but always had a mentor. He looked to Paul that had experienced so much, I can imagine that there were times when Timothy had an idea and Paul had to say no. When we live without a humble heart, we take offense easily to an elder telling us no. When we live desiring growth and what God wants, we understand when we are told no. At the same time, if you hold a high position, and someone lower on the totem pole has an idea, don’t be offended if it doesn’t match with the way you would do things. We need to always be open to change and criticism, because only then can we grow and improve. Our lives, or careers, and our ministries can benefit from this idea. All too often ideas are shut out because a younger person wants to try new things. Be open, and be willing to listen. When we let go of our hold onto the way it has always been done, can we experience growth. So live humbly, the world will keep going if you stop, press into the new ideas and listen to the voice of God.

Never stop learning.

I love to learn. I used to hate it in school, not understanding why it was important, but there is so much value to learning. We have opportunities all around us to learn new things. Maybe it’s from a coworker, a new book, or from the wonders of YouTube. The purpose of learning is not to have knowledge or the answers for a trivia game, it is to think differently and act on that. I search for new things every chance I get. I read books to be more informed or to find new ideas, I watch TED talks to be informed about the culture and climate of the world I live in, and I listen to Pastors who speak from their heart about the wonder of God. I never want to stop learning from people with great skills. You can learn from everything, even from people that don’t believe the same things you do. One of the biggest tragedies that believers fall into, is that anything not directly tied to God is unimportant. This is so wrong! Spiritual truths come from the Lord, even when it is not presented from a believer. Now you may disagree, but I’m not saying that you should believe all you hear. What I am saying is that God uses everything and everyone to speak to us, and when we are in scripture, we can discern the truths from the fallacies. Don’t close your mind off from new ways of leadership and new ways to look at the world that you live in. Always have the mindset of learning, and never stop growing your mind.

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Never sit back and let your skills go to waste. The world we live in needs people like you. People that know they have been made uniquely, people that live humble lives, and people that are always wanting to learn more. Live into the purpose you were made for, take the steps that will move you into your passion. Dream big, listen to the people who have gone before you, and do it with an attitude of bravery. Growing your skills takes time, you may even fail one or two or twenty times to get it right, but you were made for more. You were made with purpose. You influence more people than you can even imagine. Sharpen your mind just like you would a dull axe, because only then will you be effective in your purpose. So be unique, live humbly, and always be learning.

Never hold back from growing your skills.

-Joshua Thomas

Meaningful Memories

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

The past few weeks this idea of making memories has been a heavy thing on my heart. It’s an idea I’ve never really thought much about before, but I think it is not only important, but vital to our lives. This past year has been crazy, crazy for my own life, crazy in the life of the world all around us; there has just been a feeling of uncertainty that seems to have clouded the year. For me, the future is always a big mystery, one that I can get so caught up in. So, when the moments of chaos happen, I tend to immediately look ahead, I start to plan on my own strength. I think this is true for all of us, each of us wants to have control over our life and what happens in it. No matter how much planning and stressing over what may or may not happen, we ultimately have no control over what happens tomorrow. This may sound bleak, but this is just the opposite of what God tells us. God doesn’t want us to stress over tomorrow because he will take care of tomorrow and the next day, we should live for what today will bring. James 4:14-15 says, “You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, if it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” This verse really captured this feeling I have been having about making memories, living for the moments that today will bring you, because we are not promised tomorrow.

I was watching an interview from the band that was playing at the Bataclan, during the Paris attacks recently. The “Eagles of Death Metal,” gave an interview to Vice about what happened during the attacks, what they experienced and how terrifying it was. It is a great interview. (Note: there is explicit language used, not gratuitously, but it is evoking their feelings. Viewer discretion advised.) The main theme that kept coming up was how scary it was and how they were not sure if they would make it through the rest of the night. I reference this because it is a sentiment that we all share, we are not promised tomorrow, but that does not mean that we should live in fear. In thinking and praying about what it means to live in Christ day by day, and how we can take hold of every opportunity and moment we are presented with, I have three simple sentiments that I think God wants us to make memories in our lives.

Life is short, don’t miss out.

This may seem like a cheesy statement, but it is one to be taken seriously. We are not going to live forever, sorry to crush your dreams if you thought otherwise, but we are so fragile. So what is holding us back from making the most of everyday? Each day we are given multiple opportunities, opportunities to speak life over people, opportunities to show the love of God, and opportunities to lead others into the kingdom. I think about the ministry of Jesus, he spent his time with the people who were outcasts and those who were hated, because he had the opportunity to show them the truth and to save them. Each day we come in contact with people from all over, all walks of life, and we have no idea what they might be dealing with. Now this isn’t meaning that life is short, so go cliff jumping or act foolish, this is a call to make memories of impacting others. We are not promised tomorrow, but we can make a memory today that can be carried by others for the rest of their lives. Just like the verse in James talks about, press into what the Lord is leading you to each day, and make memories that impact others.

Live with compassion.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make is holding onto grudges. You know, not letting go of something that really doesn’t matter in the big picture. Learning to forgive is a challenge, but it is one that will only help you in the end. This is something I have had to learn to really do, to show forgiveness to those who have hurt me, even if they never apologize for the hurt caused to me. When we hold onto grudges, we feel the hurt that was caused over and over again, and our entire life is affected by it. Our attitude is filled with anger, we lash out at people who only want to help us, and we lose sight of our relationship with God. I’ve never met an angry person who has an intimate relationship with God. You may want to argue with me about that fact, but I think our relationship with God reflects our outward attitude towards others. I can say this, because I am a victim to the power anger can have in our lives. Many people in my early schooling life treated me poorly, bullying me for the person God made me. I still know their names, faces, and what they said; but I forgive them. I choose to not live with chains binding me down, I choose to live with joy and in freedom. When we choose to have compassion and to forgive those that hurt us, our chains fall off and we can continue to walk towards our vision. When we do this, we make new memories, ones with love and joy, memories that have the faces and names of people we deeply care about, and we hold onto the good memories we make. When we live in anger, we miss out on the opportunity to make memories that will impact us, and we lose the wisdom that comes from those opportunities.

Meaningful memories take a chance.

Some of the best memories I have made have been spur of the moment chances. This past summer my dad and I went on a road trip to New York, and all along the way we would stop at random diners, local antique shops, and comic shops from TV. These were simple, not planned weeks in advance, just simple fun moments that we took a chance on. As a family, my parents would do something fun with my sister and I each Friday. We would do goofy things like have ice-cream and waffles for dinner, or eat under the table. Simple moments, but I will never forget them. All of these memories take a chance, they may require you to use some gas, to possibly make a mess, or to lose a little bit of sleep. We can make excuses, but these excuses will make us miss out on some truly joyful moments, moments that God has presented us with. Everything we have can vanish in an instant, so take hold of each day, and take the chance on making a meaningful memory.

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We are never promised tomorrow. Life is chaotic, things can happen in an instant and take us off guard. So many tragedies have happened this year, and even in the recent months. We live in a world that has been separated from God, a world where we are so busy focused on what we want and not what God wants for us. No matter how many laws are passed, or safeguards we put up, we will never be at peace. Our trust needs to be placed in the creator of the universe. Each day we need to know that we have a chance, a chance to impact the people around us, a chance to make a memory that will direct our life. When we live each day listening to what God has for us, no matter what happens to us, we can know we have victory over the enemy. In times of tragedy like the recent attacks in Paris, or the daily struggles of not feeling worth it, or when it feels like the world is crashing down around us; we can use our words to speak life, we can comfort those in need, and we can rally around those who feel like they can’t do it alone. We can make memories that will last forever and impact what we do and how we live forever. So take hold of every opportunity, have compassion to everyone around you, and take a chance on the moments life presents you with.

Make meaningful memories.

-Joshua Thomas

Thankful in All Things

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Well, October is now over, the year is quickly coming to an end, and the Christmas creep is in full effect. November has come, it’s a great season to reflect on what we have been given, I’m sure you’ve already begun to see the Facebook countdowns of what people are thankful for (not knocking on that, just think it’s funny how we all know what I’m talking about). We reflect on the year that has happened and what is to come, but what happens when we’ve had a tough year, or even a tough life? For me the past year has been absolutely crazy, yet all throughout the hard times God has never given up on me, and I haven’t given up on him. I have watched the hardship of addiction, seen two people I called brothers pass away, and watched my family experience loss. I wish this post was about how life gets easier or how things don’t hurt, but that simply how it works. One thing through all of this past year, and even throughout all that I have been through in life, there is hope because Christ never fails us.

It’s true that I, and you, have experienced hardship. That’s the dark side of life, but be careful not to focus on that. Focus on what God has done. Look at what Psalm 136:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Or in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” That’s pretty serious, in everything, good and bad, give thanks. This isn’t easy, but that isn’t what God is saying, he is saying that when we rejoice in the hardship, we grow in wisdom and find peace. I say this because over the past year I have experienced hardship, but this has been one of the greatest years for me. As I typed that sentence it wasn’t easy, if I could change time I would, but I would never have experienced all the good. Today I want to share with you the way I have grown so that in whatever situation you are in, you can learn to give thanks and find true joy.

Perseverance produces character.

When I look at the lives of the great leaders in the bible, it astonishes me how many of them were just like us. They weren’t gods among men, they were human, each with their own struggles and heartaches. Noah was given a mission and berated every day for what he knew was right. Elijah struggled with depression, even when he had a strong gift of prophecy. Jesus suffered rejection and people spitting on him as he faced his death. There are hundreds in the bible, story after story of men and women who struggled, but God blessed them. Each of them made an impact on the world, they each had character. They were wise and they used this to help others. When we stand in Christ through our struggles, we can make the same impact. The reason I want to be a next generation pastor is to help kids like me to know that they are special, and that no matter what has happened, they can impact the world. So often I think we, meaning everyone, are told that we aren’t good enough or that we will never do something important. I don’t believe that. I never have. Call me crazy but I believe that God wants to use each and every person, whether you’re thirteen or eighty-three, God has a purpose for you. All we need to do is persevere through the storms, and focus on Christ.

You have a story.

Each one of us is unique, no two people are alike. No matter if you have a twin or are from quintuplets, you are an individual. If you want to understand this concept, at some point right now or later on, look around in a crowded place and think about each person. Each face, every little detail, every person you see has a story. It really puts you into perspective, and the cool thing is, our stories can encourage others. One of my favorite things about leading a small group is seeing each person share and help each other, and I don’t even have to say a word! Not because I’m lazy, but I don’t have to say anything because we all can build each other up. This is the whole point of the church, to stand together and grow together, laugh together, and even cry together. I say all this to encourage you that you are not alone in your struggle, and God doesn’t want you to go it alone (I wrote a post about this a few weeks ago that explains more of this idea), and the second is that your story will help others around you. Use your story to encourage someone.

Hardship gives vision.

All throughout history, great leaders see a problem or experience persecution and decide to make a change. There is nothing stopping you from doing the same. While this year has been hard, I have chosen to look at the good from it, because I know good comes from all things. Instead of thinking about what could have been, I try to make an impact today. I have grown with my family, and my spiritual family has grown even bigger. I have learned to value the small things. I chose to start a blog and developed a passion and a vision to become a writer. I have seen so much good, and I wouldn’t give any of it up, the godly friends, the incredible dreams, the beautiful girl, and the powerful relationship with Christ. It may seem bleak for you in this moment, and I know it’s hard when you can’t sleep, but choose to be thankful. God will use your hardship to give you a vision, a vision is simply anticipating something that is to come. So anticipate the power that will come from a passionate love and pursuit of God, then you will leave a legacy unlike anything else.

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I hope this helps you. I know what you’re going through, and I know it hurts. Trust me when I tell you that there is so much more for you, you have dreams and aspirations, and these were given to you by an all-powerful creator. You are human, but more importantly you are a child of God. There is a quote from Doctor Who that I always think of when dealing with people who are struggling and it helps me. The Doctor says, “nine hundred years of time and space, and I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important.” You are important. We may not be world famous or be rich, but we all make wide ripples to everyone around us. So this month, think about all the things you have been given, cherish the memories of the people you have lost, and go forward to make even more. When we begin to change our perspective on the hard times, we find joy in the darkest of times. God made you, he made all the miniscule details about you, and he wants to do something in you and through you. You are a child of God, you are important, and you can change the world. Choose to be thankful in all things, and you will find true joy.

Change the world.

-Joshua Thomas   

The Dangers of Going Alone

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Life is filled with unpredictable things. Things we don’t always see coming, good or bad. It can be easy to feel like we are just completely helpless, like we are powerless over what happens to us. These events can hurt and leave us speechless, but we can also have events that lead us to be better people. No matter what happens to you, God wants to use it to build you into a stronger person, and he doesn’t want you to go alone. As we continue with the Halloween month (insert wolf howl here) I want to take a look at one of the number one issues that people in b-movies have, and that is that they try and go it alone. It’s the number one mistake of any bad boy from any movie, the whole “I got this” attitude has never helped anyone. God over and over again in the bible shows examples of people who try to go it alone, and just like the classic line from the Legend of Zelda, it’s dangerous to go alone. For me, I can get caught up in trying to be independent from God, thinking that I can do it and don’t need any help, but this is the opposite of what we should do. God wants us to be dependent on him because he will guide our every move. So how do we begin to live dependently? How can we go into every situation ready for what might come our way? Well I believe three things found in the book of Acts outlines what we should do. Acts 2:42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

I want to spend the next bit talking about three vital things to help us take on any challenge that we will ever face. I want to talk about them because they are things that have helped me so much throughout my life. From the good and the bad, I have trusted God and continue to learn and grow each day. My hope is that you feel empowered and grow stronger yourself. The truth is, you were made for more. You are designed for something so much greater than you can even imagine. God has a purpose for you.

Wield the sword.

This is the first step to being prepared. The bible is the place where we find all that we need, the wisdom to take on every opportunity that happens to us. The bible talks about how the word is a sword, a weapon capable of stopping the enemy where it stands. This is such a good truth, so many times we can feel discouraged or feel beaten down by the words spoken over us or the trials we face, but God’s word lifts us back up and enables us to fight back. Our enemy is real and he wants to stop at nothing to keep us from pursuing the kingdom. It reminds me of the crazy Evil Dead movies (viewer discretion advised, like watch the TV version) where the main character is faced with hundreds of skeleton and zombie enemies, and even his own hand is turned evil (literally). So he arms himself with a chainsaw and a shotgun and fights, it’s a weird movie series for sure. So many instances in my own life have been filled with people around me speaking death and even my own thoughts tearing me down, but when I read the word daily, I arm myself against any attack from the enemy. God’s word is a sword designed to teach us and give us protection no matter what comes our way. He doesn’t want us to go alone, he wants us to take the word and guard our hearts.

Surround yourself with a team.

So we have the arsenal, the teachings from the apostles, but now you need the fellowship. When I think of this I think of two teams from classic 80’s movies that take care of the creepy creatures. The Ghostbusters take care of all your ghost problems, and The Monster Squad, fighting off the ghoulish fiends that try to hurt you. Two hilarious movies with an important lesson. You need a team. The first step is getting armed, but then you need people to surround yourself that push you to be the best you can be and that will stand by your side in the darkest hour. For me, this changed my life, being able to have godly men that I call brothers now join with me through any pain, and lift me up saved my life. It gave me courage and I was able to then lift up those who helped me. This is why small groups are so important to me, because they have the power to lift people up and speak life over each other. God designed us to be around each other, to be in community, don’t try and go it alone. Choose the right people to stand by, these are the people that deeply care about you and lift you up, if they tear you down with words, they won’t stand with you in the tough times. You need a team, because it’s bad news to split from the group, which never ends well for the lone wolf. Stand with a group of believers and fight the fight together.

Be prepared for anything.

The third and final component from this verse, is being prepared. Prayer is the way we do this, it is the open conversation with Christ that gives you the ability to take on whatever comes your way. You have the arsenal, the team, and now you have the guidance from the most powerful person in the universe. It makes me think of the Frog brothers from The Lost Boys, two kids who know how to handle any kind of terror you may face. Zombies, a whack to the head. Vampires, wooden stake and garlic. Werewolves, silver bullets. Okay so we know that these aren’t real things, but when we talk to God, he gives us the wisdom to handle anything. If it’s choosing that career you want, or wondering if the decision you’re making is smart or not, God gives you the preparation. So we need to speak and listen, God has something for you every day, so don’t miss it! Prayer is so vital because it will guide you in every moment of every day. Prayer prepares us for anything that may come our way.

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It is so dangerous to go into any situation unprepared and alone. While it may seem silly to use all of these examples from goofy movies, there is such powerful spiritual truths found in them. For me I have tried to go it alone, try to take on the world by myself. I have always failed. The reason I fail is because I am imperfect, and so are you. Christ was perfect, the only perfect person who gave his life to save us, the ultimate story of a martyr. Life will hit you hard, so don’t try and take on the world. God wants us to meditate on his word, find community, and continually have an open conversation with him. Don’t go alone, be dependent on the one who created all things, who knows you, the one who wants you to help change the world. Be wise, choose him. Get ready for the daily battle you will encounter. Wield the sword, surround yourself with a team, and be prepared for anything that comes your way. When we all do this, we have victory over the enemy.

Don’t go it alone, stand with the creator of the universe.

-Joshua Thomas

Revealing Your True Identity

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People are funny things. We are individuals with unique talents and interests, yet so many times we try to hide our true selves behind a mask. I’m sure you’ve seen what I’m talking about, that friend who will change their whole personality based on who they are around. People that act one way in front of you, then act like they don’t even want to be seen with you. Ouch. Experiences like that never feel good and when it happens to me, I get so frustrated, but the sad thing is, I’m guilty. We are all guilty of pretending to be someone we are not. As I was thinking about the idea of hiding behind a mask, I was reminded of Scooby-Doo. In every episode there is some ghoulish thing creating chaos in an old mine, abandoned mansion, or creepy museum. The gang of teenagers and their dog jump into the mystery machine in order to solve the case, and every time, it is revealed to be just a simple person hiding behind a mask. Usually it’s the keeper of the house trying to protect what they value, a thief who just wants the jewels, or the business man trying to run someone out of their home. They are all looking for what they believe will make them happy, yet they forget that when we hide behind a mask, we lose sight of what is really important. In the process, we end up hurting ourselves more than helping when we hide behind the comfort of a mask.

This month I’ve been doing themed topics around Halloween, and this was one of the biggest topics I wanted to make sure to cover. I love being able to dress up in a costume and have fun with friends. It’s silly and fun, but in life, it is such an easy task to just put on a mask, to be someone God never wanted for us to be. For me, in high school, I hid behind a mask I made. I was afraid to be myself because I thought the person I was wasn’t good enough. So many times people had judged me for what I liked and the way I acted, I was afraid to step into who I really was. For a while I hid, and each day I kept hiding behind this façade, but I never felt complete. I was missing out on what God wanted for me, and the people close to me could tell. I wasn’t connected to the church because I didn’t want it, I had experienced hurt and saw my family struggle with it, and I wanted nothing to do with it. That all changed, when I came to my current church, I met a group of guys who were themselves, people that weren’t afraid to be different and most importantly, they weren’t afraid to be running after God. That’s what I want to talk about today, I want to help you (yeah you!) to learn how to remove your mask, and be the person God made you to be.

Different is good.                                                                            

You are a unique person, no one else is like you, even if you have a twin, no two people are the exact same. That’s a good thing! Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone were the same? It would be so boring, we would never grow, we would never have fun, and we would just be the same. So why do we want to fit in with everyone? We are afraid to be different. It’s such a foolish idea, if you love something, don’t give it up to fit in. God gave you talents and abilities so you can use them to impact those around you. Just look at the leaders of the church in the bible, each one was different in their own unique ways, and they were used to do extraordinary things! Once you realize that you are different, you can begin to take off the mask. Don’t be afraid to stand out, people will follow someone who chooses not to be of this world, and God wants to move in your uniqueness.

Be in community.   

Nothing is more important than surrounding yourself with others that will build you up rather than tear you down. Many of the times we put on a mask is to impress a group of people that doesn’t deserve your time. Every 80’s movie depicts this, the geeky kid wants to fit into the group of cool kids. That was me, the geeky kid, who just wanted to be what I thought was “normal,” but normal isn’t nearly as exciting. Just like every 80’s movie, the kid discovers that being cool isn’t what it’s cracked up to be, and they find a group that they truly fit in with. That is such a good piece of truth, we need a life giving community to help us be accountable and build each other up. We all need community, we all need people around us to walk through life together and look out for one another. You are different, and so are other people, come together and learn from each other. We all have a different story, and your story will help someone more than you can even imagine.

Take chances.

One of the biggest tragedies that happens when we wear a mask, is that we miss out on opportunities to step out in faith and take a chance. I used to be so petrified to stand out and take a chance on something, it made me miss out on opportunities. Now, I go into every situation with a trust on God, because often the worst thing that can happen is I fail, and try it again. We learn through the experiences in our lives, we learn through the key observations we make in every situation. I took a chance in starting this blog, I felt like I had some things to share and didn’t know how to share them. So I started writing, a lot, and made this blog with the purpose of getting my thoughts out there that God had given me. Now, I love writing, I love being able to do this each week, but had I never taken the chance, I would have never cultivated a passion for writing. Think about your own life, what is something you’re afraid to do because it may be a failure? I encourage you to try it (unless it’s to be a shark whisperer that I bet takes a ton of training.), the worst that can happen is that you don’t succeed. So you try something else, all while listening to what God is leading you towards. Take a chance.

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Just like in Scooby-Doo, we like to be the person hiding behind a mask because we are so lost. To be honest it’s hard to be your true self, to reveal your identity that Christ gave you to the world, but it is so worth it. We stop being the bad guy, and we become the group that wants to solve the mysteries in the world with others around us. For me it meant that I’m a geeky guy who is passionate about Christ and reaching the next generation. For you it could be standing up for what’s right in your career, or just simply stepping out and encouraging that friend you know is struggling. God made us to be individuals, to not hide behind a mask of doubt and fear, but to step into his presence and follow him. Be yourself, because your true self is more beautiful than you can even imagine. Don’t fake your way through the struggles around you, come into your community that brings life, God wants you to trust him with everything. So be different, stand with fellow believers in community, and don’t be afraid to take a chance. Remove the masks that you hide behind in life.

Reveal your true identity in Christ.

-Joshua Thomas

Don’t Go In There!

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October is here! Temperature has changed, autumn is in full swing, and Halloween is right around the corner. I love this time of year, not only because I have a birthday on the seventh, but I love everything about this season. One of my favorite parts of this year is the incredible b-movies that seem to be on all the time. As you can see from the title of this blog site, I love a good b-movie, they’re always ridiculous and are great to riff on like Mystery Science Theater 3000 (If you have no idea what that is, please educate yourself on it, it is amazing). The best bad movies tend to be science fiction or horror, and there are some lessons that I have learned from them. I know, seems a bit odd, but I believe that God can use all things to teach us and show us some spiritual truths. This month I will be using some of these lessons in a Halloween themed posts.

Every horror movie does one thing very well. Yes it’s designed to spook you or gross you out, but there is one specific idea that never changes. There is always a scene where we know the house is haunted, an alien is now on earth, or the masked creep is trying to get us. Without fail, one of our heroes decides to go into that dark room, spooky forest, or open the barn door. It’s the moment that makes the viewer want to yell out, “don’t go in there!” Sadly, they never hear us, they go in and get attacked or grabbed by the creep. So often though, we make the same mistakes in our own lives, and no I don’t mean we go into the haunted house or are chased by melting men. We find ourselves believing that we are invincible, that we have it all together and we take risks we should stay so far away from. I was thinking about this and it just gave me a picture of that yelling at the TV to not go into the room, I think so often God watches us take risks like that and just begs us not to do it! I thought about this while reading in Timothy. Paul wrote to Timothy because he was a young man who was beginning his ministry. In the letters to Timothy, Paul warns him to be faithful of all things and one verse captures the core of why we need to be careful of all we do. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” That word timidity means lacking boldness or confidence, you see God wants us to stand up for what’s right. What that means is we need to choose not to go in that room, because that room is the temptation that we all face, coming in many shapes and sizes. That room is filled with nothing but death and sadness, something we were not made for, we were made with purpose and to be bold. We were made to be strong, to show love and to be focused on what matters above all things.

You are powerful in Christ.                                                            

Timothy was a young man who didn’t have years of experience under his belt, or have a fancy job that moved him up in the world. He was simply a man that wanted to follow after what God had for him, something that needs to be true for all of us. It’s easy for us to feel weak and want to prove our worth to everyone around us. We end up hurting ourselves more than doing the good that we so desperately want others to know about us, we try to show the rest of the group that we can fight the creature. We open the door and enter blindly, often without anything to protect us. This is such a foolish errand! One that I myself have too often tried to do, it could be in any part of our life. In ministry we try to prove to others that we are spiritual enough, or in school we kill ourselves trying to get a letter rather than attaining knowledge for our future. The thing is, we don’t have to prove anything, because God has already accepted us. He loves us so much that he wants to use us to do great things, and when we do have to face challenges, he gives us his word as a protection and guidance through all things. In Christ, we are powerful, we don’t have to prove our worth because God made us to be who we are. When we live in power, nothing can stop us.

We are called to love one another.

Paul looked out for Timothy. When the world was telling Timothy he was too young and didn’t have enough experience, Paul said he had more than enough. So often we see people, even people who claim to be a Christ follower, treat others as lesser humans. This is so tragic! We are called to treat others the way we would want to be treated, not tear each other down with our words. I have seen so many people feel beaten down because they feel like they can’t do anything, or that their mistakes define who they are forever. It is our job to come alongside one another and build each other up. We need to lift our brothers and sisters out of the trenches of sin, not push them deeper into it. We need to be bold, we need to stand up for those who are broken and hurting, we have been called to serve others. Love is an action and not just a feeling, we need to act in love and stand with those around us. When we stand together, through even the darkest times, we will not fail.

Be wise.

The last part of the verse speaks directly into each and every one of us, we need to have self-discipline. While we are powerful in Christ and we come together, we need to make wise choices. When we go back to the idea of not going into that house, we are adamant at the character to not even go near it, so why then do we in our own lives like to test the limits? It looks a little different now. So often we like to think of how close we can get to the edge when we should try and stay as far back as possible. We make compromises with God. It’s not that bad, everyone else does it, and I deserve this. We find ourselves doing things we shouldn’t. We self-medicate, we get to intimate before we say “I do,” and we watch things we know will corrupt our minds. Why not protect our hearts and minds? Why not take a stand for what we know is right, even when others don’t? So when we are with friends, maybe only have a couple drinks, or none at all. When you decide to pursue a relationship, set boundaries to guard your heart. When that Victoria’s Secret commercial comes on, change the channel, and get a filter on your computer. Don’t go inside the house, just drive past, and be wise.

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B-movies are campy and goofy, but they have truths to them that are vital to our walk with Christ. So often we want to do it all on our own that we end up hurting ourselves more than helping. We choose not to trust God, we choose not to have community, and we make foolish choices. We walk right up to the door and go inside, only to be devoured by the enemy. God has such a higher purpose for each of us, and yet so many times we choose to go our own way. People are yelling for us not to go into the dark forest, and yet we ignore every warning along the way. We need to be bold, to stand up for what we know is right, and live into the higher purpose we have been called to. We instead turn away from the dark path that only brings pain and step into the light. Nothing can hide once it is brought into the light. Step into the light, step into the vision that God has placed on you. Just as Timothy chose, live with a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. You were made for so much more than you can even imagine.

Be bold, and live with faith.

-Joshua Thomas

Killing Can’t

/ Joshua Thomas / 1 Comment

Ever been told that you aren’t able to do something, or even worse when someone tells us we can’t do something? I’m not referencing a person telling you not to touch a hot oven (seriously, don’t do that!), I mean more on the lines of telling you not to follow after your dreams and aspirations. I think this happens almost on a daily basis for some of us, we run into situations where we have a bold idea or want to get better and take a risk. Then some force says, “You don’t have enough experience,” or, “you’ll never be able to do that.” Nothing will crush you worse than something like that, especially when it’s someone who knows us. I remember being in tenth grade of high school, I wasn’t the best student in the world, but I always tried my best. I was in a class where I was on the edge of failing and I was trying to get help from the teacher, my teacher wanted me and my mom to come in and meet. I felt relieved because I would be able to see how to do better in the class, unfortunately, it didn’t go that way. In the meeting my teacher was very hard on some paper and tests that I had done, I don’t remember all that was said, but there was one thing that I will never forget. She said to me, “If you don’t understand this, you will never be able to understand anything.” I was devastated. My teacher was supposed to help me learn, but she had no faith that I would be able to amount to anything. That took me a long time to move past, and to be completely honest, I still have fears about being a failure and not amounting to anything. The words that were said cut like a sword, and they were the words that said I can’t.

We all have moments in our lives where we remember the words that hurt us, and the people that told us we can’t, but God says we can. For me I clung to this truth, because over and over again we read in the word how God uses the people who feel hopeless. God uses the broken to heel the broken. Don’t believe me that God uses broken people? Read Paul’s story! If you have been keeping up with my blog for the past few months, you know that I have been reading through the life and writings of Paul. The thing that amazes me is how broken Paul was, he was a terrorist and a murderer, but God used him. God stopped him in his tracks and showed him how far he had gone, showing him the damage that he was doing. God used him. God gave him a new name, gave him a new identity. Paul is one of the most well-known leaders of the early church, and he was the most broken. No matter how broken you feel, or hurt others have done to you, there is always hope. That story above, that wasn’t a story of failure. I ended up passing the class, I continued to work hard at everything I did. I was rejected from universities when I applied, so I went to community college. I am now in my third year, and happily at the University of Greensboro. I didn’t do any of that on my own will, I trusted God and chose to not believe the lie that I can’t do something. No matter how many times you may be told you can’t do something, God says you can change the world. I want to share my mindset that God has taught me through my life because I believe that each and every one of us can be used for something bigger and better than we can even imagine.

Trust in God.

When Paul had an encounter with God, he was blinded by a light. This is such a perfect example of all of us, we are blind. Probably not physically, but we are all blind to what happens to us. Problems and struggles come against us all the time, and we can’t see them coming. God wants to guide us through life, he wants to be there with us when the problems arise. Because when the problems come against us, God will lead us through it. In my own life, struggles have come against me and my family a lot, the past year has been some of the hardest challenges we have ever had to face, but we have trusted God through it all. Things are still hard, and life hasn’t become perfect, but God has never left. When we trust God through all things, he shows us the blessings in life. I have seen people come together in the times of loss with my friends, I have seen the beginning of healing for those close, and I have learned to find the simple and beautiful joys all around me. I choose God, no matter what, I will always choose him. I will follow his ways forever, and no matter where life takes me, I know my future is in his hands. As I trust in God, I am secure in my talents and abilities, I will use them for his glory and not my own. When all of us choose to trust in him, the words that people say will never stop us from achieving the path set for our lives.

Work hard.

Throughout the bible, we see the stories of the broken being used to change the world, but it wasn’t easy for them. I think that’s one of the biggest misconceptions about our awesome God, things don’t just fall into place, it requires hard work. Paul was a great leader because he chose to do the hard work. He traveled in order to spread the word, he was imprisoned, and he poured into the lives of people he mentored. So what does working hard look like? First we need to get rid of the idea that we are too spiritual to get dirty. That’s such a lie from Satan to hold us back! We need to be willing to let go of pride and serve others. Each week at my church, I see people serve one another and do the hard tasks for the kingdom. From dirty diapers to leading a small group, we need to be willing to do hard work. If you trust God and expect change to happen, have fun waiting, God wants us to do all we can to serve those around us. I sound pretty harsh because I want you to know how vital this part is, if a farmer never tended the fields, there would never be any produce of value! When people say you can’t do something, show them you can by working hard at everything you do. Actions speak louder than words, and in God, we can do all things.

Testimony brings life.

Everyone has a story. Big or small, simple or complex, each of us have a story to tell. Paul’s story is one of brokenness to redemption, and that spoke to countless numbers of people. Imagine the people you could comfort with your story. Think of a few people right now. Do it? Good. Now think about what would happen if you shared your story with them, I guarantee they can relate to it. We all have a story, so why not use it? One of my favorite things about a small group is having a group of people share with one another the things they are going through, as a leader you want to have all the answers and help them, but nine times out of ten, someone else in the group speaks up and is able to comfort that other person. No matter how old or young you are, you have a story that will speak to someone else. Your testimony in an example of how you can make it through, how you can be influential, it kills the can’t we fight in life. Your testimony brings life.

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I know it’s hard sometimes. It can feel like people around you just keep telling you no, or that you’ll never be anything. It can feel like it may be true, or that you can’t change now. Worries, fears, and doubts, we all face them. I face them every day. In all of this, know this one truth. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” The truth is that you can. We can because God says we can. Does that mean it will happen now? Probably not. Will it take experience and trial? It will. Is it worth it? Absolutely. God made each of us with purpose, we weren’t made to just exist. We were made to change the world. No matter what you’ve done or if you feel like your age holds you back, know that God will use you where you are to change the world. You are special. You are beautifully made. You can do all things with Christ. So step into the identity God made for you, trust him, work hard, and use your story to show love to everyone around you.

Kill the can’t in your life.

-Joshua Thomas