What legacy will you leave?

I got the awesome privilege to listen to and watch Dr. L.H Clayton (my grandpa) preach the word of God for 18 years. I got the chance to watch how he interacted with people in and out of church. No matter where he was or who he was surrounded by he practiced what he preached. My grandpa was blessed to live till the age of 81. At his funeral stitched into the top of his casket were the words, "Let my life speak for me". Nothing could have been more fitting because his life and how he acted and treated people spoke volumes about the type of man he was.
I remember at the funeral I started to ask myself a series of questions that I now want to ask you. What legacy will you leave?  What will people say about you at your funeral? Will they say you were a women of God or a man of God? Will they say you practiced what you preached? Did you inspire anyone? Many people got up and had loving words at the funeral. They quoted some of grandpas favorite scriptures and sang some of his favorite songs. It was nice to see so many people celebrate his life and the legacy he left. It really got me thinking that we only get one shot at life and none of us knows how long it'll last. But it seems too short to be straddling the fence going back and forth on whether you are going to serve God or not. Many people especially the younger generation believe they have years before they have to "get it right with God", but what if that's just not true. The bible says in Matthew 24 that no man know the day nor the hour. Thats why I feel a sense of urgency to share with my brothers and sisters these few facts:
God is real.
God is forgiving. It does not matter how dirty your past is He makes all things new (Acts 3:21).
God loves you so much He sent His one and only son down to die for your sins (John 3:16).
God desires a relationship with you. This one gets me every time that the Lord of the universe desires to have a relationship with me. He knows all of my sins nothing is hidden from Him and He still loves me. 
I can't speak for anyone else. I just know when it is all said and done I want my life to speak for me like my grandpas life spoke for him. I want to leave a legacy full of faith and love. What will your legacy be?
Blessings to you all!

Cherry Blossom Season

As many of you know my husband and I currently reside in Japan. This was not our original plan to move across the world, but here we are living as first time foreigners. I was excited and a tad bit reluctant when we found out we were moving overseas. Japan has treated us very well so far. We both serve at our new church home, and we have even purchased a small Japanese styled car. Something I have been taking notice of since arriving are the different seasons. A very popular season that is about to start here in Japan is Cherry Blossom season. Now the cherry blossoms are considered to be Japan’s national flower and they have an entire festival that spreads across many cities to celebrate the blossoming of this flower. The season typical begins at the end of March and carries on until the beginning of May. These trees that carry the cherry blossom flower are all over the country.  

The people of Japan never worry that the the flowers on the tree won’t bloom as long as the tree is planted in a position to where it can receive nutrition its going to bloom in its appointed season. That reminds me of me a lot of my journey as a Christian. I have asked myself these questions and now I am asking you. Are you in a position to bloom? Have you planted yourself near people who will encourage your relationship with Christ or be detrimental to it?  Are you roots planted in the word of God or have you gotten away from it? There are so many people including myself whom have planted themselves in toxic relationship and season after season they are in the same position and no growth is taking place. Sometimes we have to be uprooted and replanted in new soil in a new environment where we can blossom. Sometimes the nutrition we were receiving from a certain area has run dry and its just not where God desires for us to be anymore. No matter what the case is when God calls you I encourage you to answer. I have come to realize how important it is to stay connected no matter where in the world we are the Lord will bless us blossom in our due season. I know the same God my husband and I worshipped in America is the same God that reigns in Japan. Keeping pushing forward in the faith y’all.

Some verses of encouragement that came to mind are;

Jeremiah 17:7-8;  “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 29:11; “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plan to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I also recalled

Deuteronomy 31:6; “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

The Patience Project: Part Two

As many of you know I moved to Japan just before the first of this year. My husband an I had been separated for 6 months prior to me moving here so you could imagine my excitement. I absolutely love it out here so far. Its been 8 great days with new discoveries being made each day. We found a church home called Greater Harvest that will spiritually feed us the unedited word of God. We found a number of really cool shops, and the food out here is delicious I have yet to eat at a restaurant that I don’t love. Despite all this great stuff that is going on we still have run into some hurdles. Moving to a different country is fun and exciting but it definitely has its downsides. And through the struggles we have incurred I find it to be the perfect time to practice what I preach. Last month I did a blog on patience and this month I have to apply everything I wrote in that blog to my daily life. The characteristic of patience and choosing to trust God when things do not look like they are going to work out is what separates the warriors from the whiners. I have been a whiner before but it is 2016 right I rather start and finish this year as a warrior letting my faith and trust in God take my husband and I to places we never even imagined.

 This new life requires us to wait for housing from the military housing department. We both need to get a driver’s license, and then we need to purchase a vehicle. I need to look for a job and we both have to do a mountain load of military paper work. All this isn’t too bad but, my husband leaves at the end of this month for another deployment, so that puts a time restriction on us and creates a sense of urgency. But in the middle of the panic and the rush to get everything done before the end of the month there is God whispering to us, “just be still and know that I am God" (psalms 46:10). See God doesn’t want us to worry about the task at hand or the time restriction he simply wants us to trust in him. Because he is the same God that rescued us and redeemed us from tough situations before as he is today. I refuse to forget when facing trial that God has already proved his perfect love and faithfulness to me by Jesus’s death on the cross. Making time to rest in God’s presence when you get hit with trials shows your dedication to him. It shows that no matter what is going on or what list of things need to get done God still comes first. It is good to know God’s promises of provision when going though difficult circumstances. Below I will list some of my favorite verses to meditate on since being in Japan.

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Romans 12:12

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Jeremiah 29:13

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Philippians 4:19

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Much love and peace to all my sisters and brothers who are fighting a battle people know nothing about. May this encourage all those who read it.