Dry

Lately...I've just been feeling so dry and confused and un-focussed.
I really just need to be washed. I just need to BREATHE.
I am so close to forgetting how to do that...

I'm praying for God to reveal Himself.
I'm praying for time.
I'm praying for COURAGE.

I guess just pray for me if you would.

I need to be poured into so that I can pour into others.
Right now, it's hard for me to give the encouragment that people are looking for.
And that really kills me because I love being that person for others...

Peace
Liz

Teenagers

Sometimes I am so ashamed to be in the same catagory as a "teenager". Society has set our bar and standards so low. They don't think we are capable of being anything more than lazy or irresponsible or arrogant.
I have met plenty of teens who fit this describtion, but I have also met SO many who are really working towards raising the bar and not staying in this comfortable zone that society has placed us in.
I just had a conversation with a kid and we were talking about all the changes happening in our school, just with teachers leaving and how we don't seem to have as much freedom as we used to. He said something like "This school is going to be hell..."
I said, "Well, it'll only be hell if we allow it. I'm more concerned about the lack of love in our school. I can't wait for the day when I just see students loving an accepting one another. I hope to start/be apart of that movement..."
His response was, "Don't expect it to happen anytime soon."

But why? Why can't that be the reality? Why do we have such little faith in ourselves and in God and what He is capable of?
God could just snap his fingers and in a second the world would be perfect and love would just occur in my school. But I LOVE the fact that he lets it up to us to start that movement ourselves! He doesn't need us! But He chooses to use us...even us teenagers.
If God has that much faith in us, then why don't we do anything? Why do we walk in our hallways and when we see someone getting picked on, we just ignore it, or in worst cases, we join in? Why do we let people eat lunch alone? Why do we make people feel bad? Because it's cool? Because it'll score you "points" with your buddies?
At the end of the day, is it really worth it?

I'm so tired of going to school and seeing that everyone is the SAME, ya know what I mean?
It's like, we all shop at the same places and do the same things and tell the same jokes and so on and so on.
It's so refreshing when I just meet an individual. Someone who is living life. Someone who can just BE.
Wouldn't just be easier to take off the mask? To finally know who your TRUE friends are?
Because I am sure the kids you pick on everyday, would be a much better friend to you than the people you call your "best friends" now.
I have the greatest friends in the world, because they accept me. I don't have to wear certain clothes or do certain things to win their approval...they just love me for who I am. And I thank them for that.

I'm not using this to rag on anyone or to tell people that their friends suck, but I just want you to think. Think about the life you are living. Think about the low expectations that have been made for you and think about how you can raise them.

Make teenagers into something more than what society thinks we are.
What if we just loved one another?
What if we were who God CALLED us to be?
What if we just accepted ourselves and each other?
"How much of our pain comes from not being able to answer 'Who are you?'"

Just be. Raise the standards. LOVE ONE ANOTHER! Please. Think of the movement...
Love always wins.

Peace
Liz

Beauty

I was watching television the other night and there was this documentary on.
(I tend to watch a lot of those...they are so intreging to me!)
This one was about this Chinese woman who has recently been named the tallest woman in the world, reaching well over 7 feet! It's because of this tumer on her petuitary gland and it makes her grow up to 2 inches every year.
Because of her non-stop growing body, her mobility is extremely limited and she spends most of her days in bed and everyday, people who live in her town crowd around her little house just to watch her...gawking at her and her un-believable features.
Laying in bed all day, every day, brings upon a lot of time to think. The longing in her heart to be normal, to be just like everyone else, to be BEAUTIFUL...it overwelms her.

As I was sitting there watching that, I couldn't help but just cry. Crying over this woman and the way she feels about herself. Thinking the whole time "God thinks you are SO beautiful and so perfect. God loves you...He made you BEAUTIFUL."

After watching the first half of the show, I went to bed. I layed in bed and I was just struck. God made ME beautiful and made ME perfect as well...

Why is it so easy for me to tell others that and mean it, but then when it comes to myself and my own insecurity...I can't believe it?
I hear verses on it all the time and people say it all the time...

There is a huge difference between knowing and believing.

So, just so you know...God thinks you are SO beautiful and so perfect. God loves you...He made you BEAUTIFUL.
Let's start to believe that together, because there is something about people with confidence...people who know they are beautiful because of God.

Peace
Liz

Days, People, Conversations...

This morning I looked at my youth pastors blog and it said simply this: "Who did you talk to today?"

Well as the day went on, I talked to more and more people...I even met three new ones!
But at the core of this question, it isn't about so much how many you talked to or just who you talked to...but what did you talk about!

I could meet a hundred new people everyday...but if we never talked about anything authentic or deep or interesting...did I really meet them? Did I truly TALK to them?

So ask yourself: "Who did I really, deeply, authentically talk to today?"

My goal starting today, is to try and learn something new about every person I talk to.
No matter how long I have known them.
Them maybe...I'll end up learning something about myself...

Peace
Liz

Rain

My grandma sent this to me in an e-mail today, and it really touched me. Just another example of how life should be lived through the eyes of an innocent child...

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful freckle faced image of innocence.
It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.
We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of Target. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.

I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom let's run through the rain," she said.

'What?' Mom asked.

'Lets run through the rain!' She repeated.

'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated:

"Mom, let's run through the rain."
"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.

'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet? "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain.. We all stood silently No one came or left in the next few minutes.
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.
Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD
let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran.
We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like
children all way to their cars.
And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...
So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

Do you need washing? Are you making everyday a memory? Are you living life to the fullest, as if it were your last die? Loving as if everything life depends on it?

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

Living Life Through Prayer

Last week threw me for a huge loop. I have a friend right now, who is in the hospital basically fighting for her life.
I also started school and I am slowly learning that this year is going to be a very hard one. Not only academically, but as far as people go. I also had little things that were crazy, like failing my drivers test...

The thing that really threw me for a loop about the week was that, I wasn't stressed at all. I wasn't worried or scared.
I was satisfied. I knew deep in my heart that God was enough. I found myself constantly PRAYING.

Why is prayer so hard for us? We have the opportunity to speak to and have an authentic relationship with the creater of the universe, and we take it for granted. We only pray when we need things or when things go wrong and then we never give it a second thought. This week I experienced life lived through prayer. I experienced life the way it was truly meant to be lived. Even through community as well.

The situation with the girl I know in the hospital, Jake, affected sooo many people. God ended up using that horrible situation as such a blessing. There have been so many people who have found the Lord through this, her mom included. God has answered so many prayers and it has really just shown us how big He is and that we always need to trust in Him. We have also all experienced COMMUNITY the way it's supposed to be. We had a few prayer vigils for her and just the unity in those places and the presence of God...it was incredibly moving and amazing.

This week, I want to challange you to do a few things. First off, PRAY. We need prayer. We need that intimate time with our Father like we need air or food! It will fulfill us and satisfy us!
Also try to BREATHE this week. Last week, it was hard for us to just take the time and breathe and just let the Lord speak to you. Just listen to what He is saying to you and also find some time to yourself. It can really do you some good.
Lastly, try to meet a new person. For me, I hardly have any classes with my friends, so it has been hard. But I have also met a lot of new people and it is also a great opportunity for me to love others.

Just become consumed by God this week. Try to breathe, pray, give God your time because sometimes life can get so crazy, we even forget that He is always listening and can always take on our burdens and stress, no matter how big or small. JUST LIVE LIFE. The way it's suppose to be lived.

Peace
Liz

p.s. PLEASE PRAY FOR JAKE. She is improving everyday, but really still needs our prayers. Pray for her heath and that God would heal her and recover her body. Pray for the doctors and nurses and the people who are trying to save her life. Just that God will give them the wisdom and the will to keep trying to save her no matter what. Pray for her mom and family and close friends that they will never lose hope in the Lord and that they will not become discouraged. And just pray for anything else that is on your heart involving this situation. God is bigger than we can understand. He will always bless us through the pain. We need to trust Him.
Thank you.

Forgiveness...Why is it so hard?

The other day, I was watching television with my sister and this documentary came on TLC. It was about this little boy, 7 years old who lived in Uganda, who had a condition in which his head was cone shaped and his eyes were almost bulging out of his head (I didn't see enough of it to get the name of the condition).

His whole town pretty much disowned him. They rideculed him, made fun of him. He had to leave his school because the kids would torment him so much and even the TEACHERS would ignore him and exclude him. Well, long story short, an American doctor offered to perform plastic surgery on him to fix his features. When he came home, the whole village had a huge celebration for him. Everyone wanted to be around him. He was the most popular kid in his school. He was basically a celebrity in his village. So, not only did were they horrible to him when he was disfigured, but when he came home, they only accepted him because he looked like they did.
And you know what he said? "I know that I have to forgive the people in my village. And I have."

7 YEARS OLD, and he understands forgiveness more than we do.

We are the "Christians". Aren't we supposed to know more about forgiveness than a young boy?

Why is it that a little boy can forgive his entire village, the people that made fun of him relentlessly and forced him to leave his school and his country until he changed his APPEARANCE, but we can't forgive our neighbor for the smallest thing?
We hold grudges against people for the dumbest things!

We do the stupidest, meanest, most horrible things, things known as sin, and Jesus forgives us for ALL of it.
If we call ourselves Christians, followers of Christ, shouldn't we be showing the same love and mercy, or at least try as hard as we can to?
Yeah, it's inconveinent. Yeah, it's hard. But if a little boy can do it, who perhaps has never heard the gospel, why can't we?
Why is it so hard?

Challenge yourself. Become AWARE. If it is inconveinent...then you should probably do it.

Peace
Liz

Community

Tonight we got a taste of communtiy. We are really starting to understand and hold onto the idea of making a community that equals freedom. We are starting to understand how important vulnerability is and why taking off the mask...getting rid of the fake smile and pulling your arm down is so important.
You can't give love if you aren't accpeting it. We are starting to understand how important it is to have a solid community. A community that can be God in a physical sense, holding you up...pulling you out of the ditches in life and just living their life to be there for others.

It's a beautiful thing to be apart of and I can't even understand why other churches are supporting the masks. Why they are afraid of the vulnerability. Why? Because, it's awkward? Because it's inconveinent? Because it's uncomfortable? Those things are during those MOMENTS. They aren't going to last. Why not endure those moments of awkwardness and inconveinence to be apart of authentic community? to help someone who is struggling? Who is willing to say "Hey. I'm DONE with not living life. I'm done with the ordinary. I'm done with keeping you at arms length and having to say I'm doing great, when in reality I feel like I'm falling apart."?
WHY DO CHURCHES IGNORE VULNERABILITY? SUFFERING? BROKEN-NESS?

I feel extrodinarailly blessed to be apart of my community....

I pray that this continues and that it only gets better. That we actually start having conversations and getting to know the girl who came every week for four months and NO ONE talked to her...or at least learn her name and say we are happy to see her.

Just pray. God really is big enough. He really does do extraordinary things. BE AWARE. Open your eyes. Learn. Live.

Peace
Liz

P.s. Relevance people! Or whoever cares! This is my number:636-233-8102
I do not have unlimited texting (I'm working on it!) so don't text just asking What's up. haha.
But if you need someone to talk to or if you have any cool ideas for the upcoming year at the Realm or anything like that just text or call me. :)
I'm not big on the whole talking on the phone thing...but I will still gladly talk to you on the phone. Especially if you are just going through something. Don't hesitate...really.

My email is also lizzardsr10@yahoo.com
I check it everyday...and mostly everyone has my Facebook.
Yeahh. Cool! Just talk to me. About anything (I'm not joking...ANYTHING!). We will get coffee...or whatever.
Peace!

Dreams

Yesterday morning I went to church for a meeting on what we wanted to see happen at the Realm...trying to get creative in the changes that could happen there.

If I'm being honest, I was disappointed in myself. I feel like I was still inside the box. I feel as though I wasn't thinking about the Realm or the community...I was focused on preferences. I wasn't dreaming big enough. I was thinking small.

God created us with these huge minds and these huge imaginations. He gave those to us so we could think big, creatively, outside the box...not so we could think small.

I have a dream of starting a club in my school called "Love is the Movement". I think that it would be a good way for students at our school to gain encouragement and to seek recovery from whatever is going on in their lives. Everyone is broken...I wanna bring that to attention at my school. I wanna start a love movement and revolution in my school. I want kids to feel as though they are loved. To know that they can truly be accepted. WE NEED THAT IN OUR SCHOOL. There are so many kids in my school who are struggling, who are in pain, who are broken and they may never receive love or encouragement from anywhere else. I want this to become a reality...

If I am being vulnerable...I don't believe in myself enough to see this happening. I am praying that I can start to believe in my dreams. I should be because I believe in God. I know that I can do all things through Him. I need to believe that. WE need to believe that.

Begin to pray that God will allow you to use the imagination and the mind He blessed you with. Start to think outside the box. Start to believe in yourself.

Let's help create a generation of dreamers.

Peace
Liz

So Sweet...

"Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up,
so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer.
Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on in.
Love makes up for practically everything.- 1 Peter 4:8 (The Message)

Uhhhh...I love this. A lot.
Like...I am getting goosebumps and my stomach is in my throat.
I love how God's word is the most beautiful written thing in the world...

This is where I am finding my encouragement lately.

I just thought I would share this verse, because when I read it my face was ripped off. And I kinda cried a little. Haha.

Where is your encouragement coming from?
Be encouraged this week. And smile.
This is a random thought...but I know that when I get a smile from a stranger it makes me feel so awesome. So, smile! Make someone feel awesome! :)

Peace
Liz