Living Free

I’m Terrified, and That’s Okay

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

This week begins another phase in my life. My classes at the university start back, and that marks the beginning of a new semester in my life. Life will start to be more chaotic and my time will be filled with more work and studies, which isn’t always a bad thing. The girl I’m dating heads back to school herself which is hard, but will make the time together even more meaningful when we do see each other. My close friends start a new phase in their lives as well, so getting together is more of a challenge to stay in touch. I will take on new responsibilities within my serving at the church, I’m taking on the task of what it looks like to write a book, and I’m having to make the most with the time I’m given. All of this is good, and I’m excited for what the future will bring, but I’m terrified. This always seems to happen when big things are coming. The fear starts to creep in, I start hearing the whispers telling me I will fail, or that I’m not skilled enough to chase my dreams. I’m so scared that all the things God has made me for, I’ll screw it up or miss my chance to achieve it. I think a lot of you might feel the same. You may feel like your dream is so big, that there’s no way you could make it happen. Maybe you feel scared like me, and you know what? It’s okay.

Whenever these feelings creep in, I’m reminded of Joshua. No, that’s not a humble brag about me thinking about myself and being totally cool (Cue the sweet putting on of sunglasses). I’m talking about Joshua in the bible. I think many of us feel like Joshua. He was a slave that followed Moses out of bondage, because he had true faith in the one true God. He was eager, he was young, and he had a desire to be close to God. I know for me I feel this way, and many of you do as well. We have a drive to be all that we can be, we are young in our faith, and we want nothing but what God has for us. Joshua was so devoted, he was right by Moses to help him in any way that he could. There was one instance where Moses had a tent and told the Israelites that the spirit was in it for any to come be in his presence. No one went in, except for Joshua, and not only that, but when Moses left the tent, Joshua stayed and kept worshiping. So, when Moses passed away, the Lord appointed Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. No big deal right? Actually yes, it was probably the biggest thing any of us could face. Joshua reacted like me, he was terrified. He didn’t run away from the challenge, but he was scared. I mean think about it, this was hundreds of people, people that would wander away like sheep without a leader. But God is way more awesome and bigger than we often make him out to be. You see, God isn’t a get out-of-jail free card or a nice guy, he is an all-powerful and all-knowing savior. He is on your side. When you look at chapter 1 of the book of Joshua, God reassures Joshua by simply saying, be strong and courageous. Today I want to encourage you, because this has encouraged me. I am terrified, but I have a God who is bigger than my fears, a God that simply says to be strong and courageous because he has a plan for you. When we look at Joshua, we see simple truths that each of us can hold onto, three little ideas that combat our fear, because we get scared, and that’s okay because God is with you.

God has designed you with purpose.

Sometimes it feels like I say this over and over, but it will always be true. One of my biggest fears that has come at me over my life, is the fear that I have no purpose. I know this is a fear for you, it’s one of the biggest questions people ask; why am I here? Many of us spend our lives seeking purpose in things that don’t last, maybe you’re seeking the perfect career, looking for a relationship to fill the void, or turning to the consumeristic pleasures to fulfill you. God made us for so much more. Yes, it’s nice to find a job that you love, a spouse to share life with, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life; but they are so small in comparison to what God has designed you for. God designed Joshua to be a leader, his purpose was to lead the lost into freedom, literally and figuratively. Your purpose isn’t a test grade that defines you, or being in the best job that fits all that you want, your purpose is what God calls you to. What is God asking of you? Maybe you are a leader who has a passion for small groups and helping people find true life. Maybe you have a desire to help those whom are less fortunate than you. Maybe you desire to lead the next generation to be the best they can be, and not see the world put them down as a lazy generation. Your purpose doesn’t have a set path, you have to try things and figure it out on the way. In high school, one of my small group leaders who we called, “Mike D,” taught me this. He was a real estate agent by career, but that wasn’t his purpose. He used his influence and the opportunities to be around people to lead them into the kingdom. He showed love, listened to their problems, and cared for them. He did the type of things you see Jesus do in the bible, and he was just a simple real estate agent. That’s a picture of living into your calling, and that’s what God has designed us to do.

God will be with you, no matter what.

This is the most comforting part about being strong and courageous, God never just simply leaves you. It may feel like he isn’t as close, or feel like he is letting bad things happen in your life, but he never leaves you. Once you make a choice to have that relationship with him, he is always with you. The Holy Spirit is the third part of the trinity that doesn’t get a lot of attention, but he is vital. He is the one that is in you, the voice that helps guide your choices, and the one that convicts you in your wrong doing. The Holy Spirit walks with you in the good and the bad, he is there to listen and wants to be with you. The choice is, will we seek after him or not? Like any relationship, the only way we grow closer is by communicating. God tells Joshua to not let the word of the Lord depart from his mouth, what he is saying to Joshua, is that he needs to actively seek the Lord and be in the scripture to truly grow. The same is true for us. In the moments when we are terrified of what happens next, or when we are given more responsibility, we need to seek out the Lord. God is with us no matter what, but in order to hear him, we must pursue him. When you love someone, you pursue them, you understand that you have a deep connection and you will do anything to grow closer and care for that person. The same is true of our God. We need to pursue him in the calm and in the fear, we need to actively grow closer to him, so that when the fear comes, he will speak to us.

God wants us to obey.

Whenever I think of the word “obey,” I think of a parent and their child. Working in next gen ministry has shown me this. You have the kids who run around like crazy people, and their parent walks up, says their name sternly (and if it’s really bad, you hear the middle name), and they tell their child to stop and listen to them. I think that is a picture of how God feels with us. We are like crazy children running around with scissors trying to live the way we want to, and God just needs us to stop and listen. The parent is always right, even though the child may think jumping off the playground is good or that eating off the floor is totally fine, the parent knows what is best for their child. God knows what’s best for us. We need to stop and listen to what God is showing us. It may not be easy, it may mean giving up something you want. You may need to give up work and spend time with your family. It may mean to live authentically, rather than wearing a mask. It may mean putting boundaries in place for your relationship. And it may mean making choices to living in Christ rather than your own desire. Simply put, when we are scared, God wants us to stop and listen to his voice; “be strong and courageous.”

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I don’t know what your life looks like, and I don’t know what you are going through. All I know is that it’s okay that you’re terrified, because I am too, but I will not live that way. God tells us to be strong and courageous. So when I go to class today, or when I sit and write my book, and even when I miss the people whom I love; I will be strong and courageous. It’s like I am a ship on the sea. The storms will come, I may have to navigate rocky waters, but I will trust the wind to guide where I’m headed. I choose to be strong and courageous with everything, I will trust my God because he has designed me with purpose, he is with me, and I will obey his wise guidance. I choose to be like Joshua, to desire God and follow him no matter what. This year will be unknown and exciting, and I am terrified, but it’s okay. God is bigger and I will trust him.

Be strong and courageous.

-Joshua Thomas

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

 

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

Live in Victory

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

As November comes to a close, so does the mindset that Thanksgiving brings. It happens every year, we get excited about the coming holiday and forget the things that we have been blessed with, simple things like the device you are using to read this on. God has blessed us with so much, but we don’t deserve any of it. This past month and even the past year has been filled with crazy things for me, I have seen addictions take their toll on people I love, I have seen friends suffer and lose the fight of depression, and I have experienced the death of family; but I am blessed. This isn’t a post to get attention from you or to gain sympathy, I am simply here to share with how much God has given me, even when it seems like the world is falling. During all of the craziness God still moves, I have seen the healing of addictions, I have seen the support of the families that lost their sons, and I have been surrounded by people who truly care for me and my family. 1 Thessalonians 5:5 says, “You are all sons (or daughters) of the light and sons (or daughters) of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” I have been reading though this book in the bible over and over, and every time, the idea of living in victory keeps reigning true.

None of us are worthy of the blessings we have been given, yet God still gives them. That doesn’t even make sense! God has saved us, he has given all of us a purpose. This past Sunday my mom, in our Daystar Kids small group huddle, was reflecting on how people have served her during this time of craziness in life. All people have a choice. We can either live in victory, to be in the light, or we can live in defeat. That verse from Thessalonians is both a truth and a call to action. We have been redeemed when we grow in relationship with Christ, and then we must choose to live completely in the light. So…how do we do that? Well if you look just a little further down in the book, it tells us! (Aw yes! So nice of it to do that.) 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Three simple statements that can alter the reality and mindset that you live in. I want to spend the next little bit expanding on what these look like practically and how they have dramatically changed my life. God has blessed all of us, even when we struggle and don’t deserve it at all.

Be joyful always.

It can be easy to misinterpret this one, being joyful sounds simple enough, but that always is where it can get tough. Life isn’t always the most joyful, we have people that treat us poorly, we have stress from school and work, and we are surrounded by a world that is divided and thrown into chaos almost every day. Being joyful isn’t the emotion of feeling happy, it is the choice to not let our struggles control us when we are not happy. Think of it like a relationship. If you truly love and care about someone, you work to make the relationship stronger even when you might not always “feel” like it. A choice, not a feeling. The choice of saying I will not let my circumstance control how I live my life. You are a child of God, one that has a purpose for more than you can imagine, choose to live in the light. I try to live my life with joy, it doesn’t mean I’m super human or perfect, it simply means that I have to actively choose joy even when life throws punches at me. So when I have the chance to have fun and be surrounded by people that bring me joy, I grasp tightly to it. Too many times people get bogged down by dwelling on the world around them, and this is so tragic. Trust God, in him you will have joy and he will give you the moments to enjoy. This past weekend I was able to spend time watching Doctor Who with my girlfriend, simple moments that I absolutely love. Why? I was able to spend time with someone I care about, to laugh and enjoy life, to grab hold of the moment that I had been given. I am a son of the king, and I choose to live in joy.

Pray continually.

This one is so vital. Prayer is the way that we communicate to God, the way we build a relationship with the creator of the universe. Prayer is rather simple, which shocks most people when I say that. The common picture of prayer is the getting on my knees, hands put together life that emoji (you know, the one that could also be a high five), but this isn’t the case. While that is definitely a great way of humbling one’s self, it’s not practical when driving a car or roller skating (yes roller skating. I’m not really sure why I said that either.). I like to make the joke in small groups when talking about prayer that it can be as simple as asking God if I should eat pizza or a taco, both solid options but never both. Simple things you ask God prepare your heart when you need to come with the big prayers. The ones that you need the creator of the universe to help you in, the ones where you cannot possibly make it through alone. That’s the beauty of prayer, you are never alone. God doesn’t want us to just come to him when we need something, he wants us to be in a daily conversation with him so that when the big things come, he is already listening. Prayer doesn’t mean a get-out-of-jail free card, it is the foundation on which you build your relationship with. It is a choice to speak to the one who has loved us since the beginning.

Give thanks in all circumstances.

Note that the verse doesn’t say, “In the month of November” or, “When you have the best day ever.” All circumstances means every day all year round. Like the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities, “the best of times, the worst of times.”(Literary reference, check.) This is the last of the three choices we must make, and this is the one that truly opens our heart to what God has. Focusing on the negatives in life will hurt us, emotionally and physically, but when we choose to look at our situations and be thankful, we have life. The story of my mom this past weekend really made me think about how much people have come alongside of me and my family through everything. We have to look at the world through new eyes. Look at how Paul lived his life, we wrote many of the New Testament books from prison. He didn’t wallow in his situation, he simply saw that God had placed him there for a reason. Think on your own life, the disappointments, the bad choices, and the people that may have hurt you; all of these things led you to where you are now, to this moment in time. You and I have grown and matured through hardship, we have a story we can use to help others. Your circumstance can be used to save a life. You just have to choose to be thankful in all things.

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Three simple choices. Three choices that can either help us live in victory, or fall into the hands of the enemy. We are sons and daughters of the light, we don’t have to live in darkness, and even when it seems like there is no hope, God provides the way. We are all in a battle, one that is a daily fight; but God has already won, he defeated the enemy. We are all fighting, but the world has too many warriors, we need doctors to save those who are lost. We must choose to step into all that God has for us. As I look at my life, I am so blessed and thankful for what I have experienced. If I had never struggled, if everything had been easy, I would never be where I am today. I would have never learned what it means to live with true joy. I would not understand how vital my communication to Christ is. I would never have learned how to be deeply thankful for every blessing, and neither would you. I thank God for all he has done; I am running after a dream that seems crazy, I have a family that I love and keeps me strong, I have a relationship with an amazing girl, and I am surrounded by people whose stories empower me and fill me with passion. So when you feel like you are surrounded by darkness, look up to the sky and see the light that God is leading you towards. You are a child of the most high.

So live in victory.

-Joshua Thomas

Revealing Your True Identity

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

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!

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

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

Eliminate the Toxins

/ Joshua Thomas / Leave a comment

I have found myself recently in a bit of a quagmire, or in other words a confusing funk. The past year has been a crazy one, but through it I feel like God is showing me my purpose. He has continually been revealing me skills and providing me with opportunity, even during the hard times. I think the same is true for all of us as we really focus in on what God is trying to tell us, we can learn so much if we just stop to listen. So why is it that we get into a funk? This funk being that we have a vision of what we believe God has for our lives, but we feel held back. There’s nothing worse than knowing what you want and not being able to grasp it. It feels like an invisible force is trying to keep me where I am, but it’s not invisible or unknown. In Daystar Kids, this month has been talking about initiative, seeing what needs to be done and doing it, and is exemplified by Nehemiah. The story of Nehemiah is the perfect example of someone who was given a purpose, and uncovered what these invisible forces that hold each of us back and completed his purpose. Three simple things, that not only helped him fulfill his purpose, but eliminated the toxins from his life. The truths that Nehemiah discovered hundreds of years ago, are still the same truths today that will help us live in confidence and step into the vision for our life.

These are things that I have dealt with and still deal with, that’s why I’m sharing what I’ve learned with you. I think each of us have struggles, let’s face it, if you didn’t you would be a super human. We aren’t perfect super humans, we all want to quit, we all have to face opposition, and we all have to make a choice between what we know is worthy and what we know will ultimately hurt us. I say all this because I’m nowhere near perfect, I just have a vision for how God wants to use all of us for something greater than all of us. So let’s step into something greater.

Combating fear.

Nehemiah was afraid. His people in Jerusalem were unprotected because their great wall had fallen, which left them open for destruction. Nehemiah felt the tug on his heart to do something about it, but what could he do? He was a cupbearer for the king, not of noble descent or of any great political power, but he had a vision. That’s true for all of us. Most of us aren’t bajillionares or celebrities (if you are you should totally promote my blog, yo), we are all simple people with a great vision. The sad truth of it is, most of us would just stop here, have a picture of greater things but be afraid of taking the jump to attain it. Nehemiah was brave, he had favor with the king because of his attitude, and decided to approach the king. Now just in case you don’t know, a cupbearer takes the first sip of the kings drink to make sure it isn’t poisoned, a job very low on the totem pole. Nehemiah trusted God and asked to be brave, and it paid off. Not only did the king support Nehemiah’s wanting to rebuild the wall and lead that mission, he supported him with more than he needed to make this happen. This is so true of our own lives, when we trust God and take a leap of faith, he rewards us even more than we could imagine. When we are brave, we combat fear and cleanse ourselves of the first toxin.

Battle the negative relationships.

Nehemiah was opposed. People didn’t like what Nehemiah was doing, he was standing up for what was right and the people in Jerusalem were so thankful, but others opposed him. I know this is definitely true in my life, whenever I try to follow my vision people around me are so quick to chime in on their “opinions.” We’ve all dealt with this, the comment that gets under your skin, talking behind your back, or the lovely you’re not equipped for this. I say again, Nehemiah was a cupbearer, not an architect, yet God used him. Nehemiah’s opposition was way worse than anything you and I have probably faced, they wanted to kill him and the workers on the wall. That’s pretty serious, and would have been easy for Nehemiah to quit and not complete his vision, but Nehemiah had God and a close community beside him. They stationed soldiers alongside the workers on the wall, so as the wall was completed, the guards protected the mission. So often in my life I want to focus on the negative actions of people and I miss the people that God has placed in my life to walk with me. I listen to the words of the enemy when the life giving people are right next to me. Nehemiah prayed to God and said that any curse spoken against the people of Jerusalem would be turned back on their enemies. Nehemiah knew that he couldn’t stop the voices, but he trusted God to handle it and protected his people. We need to give God control and protect ourselves from the negative words. The negative relationships in your life need to go, trust God and eliminate the toxin of life taking relationships. We were made to be so much more than to be trapped in friendships or romantic relationships that hurt us rather than build up our lives.

Dedicate the wall.  

The wall was built and the people were safe, but Nehemiah knew there was one more objective to complete. He had faced all the odds and completed the purpose for his life, and he dedicated his work to the Lord. So often we forget to thank God for the work he has done, we’re quick to pat ourselves on the back and we lose sight of our powerful creator that gave us the passion to begin with. Nehemiah 12:43 says, “and they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy…The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.” Our lives should be shouting to everyone around us who gave us the strength to be the best we can be, to say that I am powerless, but he has made me brave. The final part to getting rid of the toxicity that holds us back, is to dedicate our lives to the one who created all things.

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In our fear and in the hurt we make excuses as to why we can’t do something, but God says we can. Over and over again we all have a vision of where we want to be and what we want to do, but we are held back by such insignificant things. No matter what you’ve done before, how old or young you are, I think that each of us is made for something so much bigger. We all have a story and we play such a small part in God’s large plan. Even though life may hurt, and believe me it does, there is so much more for each of us. My vision is to help the next generation see that they are so much more valuable than they can even imagine. I want to help you be the best you can be. We all have purpose and we all have to fight daily to be brave and refuse to listen to the toxic lies our enemy uses to stop us. You were made by God to do great things.

Step into your legacy.

-Joshua Thomas

What is your vision? How has God been using you? I’d love to hear from what you guys think. Leave a comment, share the blog, and most importantly, think about it. Thanks for reading!