I was so unique Now I feel skin deep I count on the make-up to cover it all Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention I thought I could be strong But it's killing me
Does someone hear my cry? I'm dying for new life
I want to be beautiful Make you stand in awe Look inside my heart, and be amazed I want to hear you say Who I am is quite enough Just want to be worthy of love And beautiful
Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me Fighting to make the mirror happy Trying to find whatever is missing Won't you help me back to glory
You make me beautiful You make me stand in awe You step inside my heart, and I am amazed I love to hear You say Who I am is quite enough You make me worthy of love and beautiful
So as many of you may have heard, Casas' intern program has been canceled for this summer.
This year, Casas is down about 250 builds from 2007. That's a lot of families, most of whom have been waiting for homes for over three years.
Basically after finding out that the program was canceled, the interns got together and decided to build this summer anyways. They will be the team. All they need is the prayer and funds to make these builds happen this summer. They'll build until they're out of money.
Those of you who have been to Juarez may know that many people froze to death last winter in the below 0 weather (we were there even before it hit 0. It gets bitter cold in Juarez in the winter), and many more will die this summer in the 100 degree heat without adequate housing.
It's time for us to help out! God's word says that to those whom he has given much, even more will be required (Luke 12:48). God has called us to give to the needy. If your church is not coming back this summer, consider having the interns build a house in your church's name. Please, please pass this on. Families are waiting on the good news of Christ and the hope of a warm place to live next winter.
Any donations can be made online at casasporcristo.org (just put intern builds in the comments) or you can write a check (with intern builds on the memo line) and send it to:
Casas por Cristo
PO Box 971070
El Paso, TX 79997
If you have something/someone that you are truly already supporting, I just want to say AWESOME. Keep up the work for God's kingdom. If not, please consider supporting Casas this summer!
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope you will pray along with me for the interns (or rather "summer builders") of 2011. Many of you have supported Casas in the past and I can't tell you how thankful I am for that!!! THANK YOU!
I've been wanting to write this post for a while, but haven't really found the words to write it. And I'm still not sure I have the right words, but here it goes.
I've been listening to this song called "Make War" by Tedashii...I listen to it almost every day as it's on my running playlist, and as I'm running God uses the lyrics of this song to stir my emotions and my heart and my thoughts. Now I'm not usually a hip-hop fan, but I make an exception for this song.
It is very easy to forget about the war that is going on in this world when we are surrounded by so many distractions.
But "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." - Ephesians 6:12
I believe first and foremost that we are to fight for souls. Because Satan has already lost and he knows it. He's ticked and he's taking down whomever he can. And we can't waste time sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves,
"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." - 1 Timothy 1:7
And how do we fight for souls? I don't think it's by standing on a corner and shouting condemnation at people. And I don't think it's forcing your beliefs on someone at your job or at school. But I think it's this: Be Christ. Be his example everywhere you go. (I am a major failure at this most of the time). And people will notice. They will ask why you're different.
Back to the song...the song basically talks about making war on our own sins, but it always makes me think of getting out of my laziness and nonchalant attitude and doing something. Because I think sometimes we're asleep and we don't even know it. We don't realize that our next-door neighbor just wants someone to acknowledge the fact that they exist. Or the fact that in the three seconds it takes to turn on the faucet for a drink of clean water a child somewhere will die because they have no water.
It is so easy for me here to forget about people that need love, that need God, that need a home, that need food and water. Because I have all of this. And so, sadly, I forget.
It is amazing to me that here we can go into a restaurant, order whatever we want, eat, and leave. Obviously, nothing wrong with this, but it is so weird for me to think about because I wonder how many people in poverty would actually believe me if I told them that there's a place where they can ask for food and in a few minutes they will get it.
So again, I am anxious for graduation next May. I am ready to get out and help and love on people for God's kingdom. I'm ready to be a teacher and work with students and feed, clothe, house them if necessary. People always say they have a "life verse" and I never really had one because I believe they all should be life verses. But I guess if I had one that I would focus on it would be this: "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." - Luke 12:48
God has given me so much through my awesome parents: plenty of food, a nice house, my own car, my own apartment, and a lot more. And I will spend my life giving back to people and to my parents (when I can...I always joke about how I'll never be able to repay them because I'm just a college student with almost no money). But I am going to give back.
I am so ready to make war for God's kingdom. How will you choose to spend your life? Are you living for God or living just to get through? Although you may not feel like God has called you to a life in missions, I would highly recommend at least visiting a country where poverty is rampant and there is the risk of getting hurt (I know, you're thinking I'm crazy...but this is what God uses to change you).
Get out of your comfort zone and do something for the people who are hurting around you. If you don't have any ideas, message me, because I could probably help you.
My favorite part of this song? "Wake up, and let's get it."
Since the time we start school we have this longing in us to find where we belong. This longing is what breaks hearts and tears apart friendships in middle school, brings friends back together in high school, and sets our nerves on end when we leave for college. It is amazing to me the things people will do in order to feel like they fit in, and I've been one of those people. The person who breaks someone's heart because they just don't fit into your definition of "cool."
What if what we're searching for isn't something material? Although I'm only 22, I can tell you that what you're looking for isn't money. It's not a big house or a Mercedes-Benz or the top spot in a company. Because when you achieve these things, you will still feel empty.
Now these things aren't bad things, but they can become bad things when they take the place of what we're really searching for. They become bad when they keep us from being obedient to Christ.
When I returned from Mexico last week it was hard for me to get back into my daily routine. I didn't want to put on makeup and get dressed up. I didn't want to make sure my hair looked perfect.
Why do we chase things that aren't real or that don't last? Flawless faces and happiness in money and identity in the brand of clothing we wear.
I can tell you there is only one place that true, eternal happiness is found. And that is in the pursuit of the heart of God.
I belong where God's heart is. I belong serving the poor alongside brothers and sisters in Christ. I miss the feeling of callused hands and dirty nails, the feeling of sweat pouring down my back and forehead, the feeling of not being sure when I'll be clean again or when I will get to shower. Because it's in these times that I realize that there is more to life than fancy cars and big houses. And you will see it when you spend time with the poor, the orphans, and the widows. God didn't call us to serve them just because. I believe he called us to serve them because it is in them that we begin to see him. We begin to find where we belong.
