https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PBtBzAe8DU
OR type in "Dating Jesus Messy Monday" in YouTube Now for those of you who know me personally are probably saying, "Wait, wait, wait. Haven't you always said you're 'dating Jesus'?" If I'm close to your girls, you're probably thinking "Don't you tell my girls to 'date Jesus.'" Yes. I have so many problems with this video it is not even funny. The intention of this video is to be funny and sarcastic. Now I don't want anyone to take this post the wrong way AT ALL. I don't want to be critical or demeaning in any way. This guy is actually pretty funny. He is usually spot on with his videos and they make me laugh out loud. I just want to express my concern and encourage you moms and girls to absolutely date Jesus. I totally disagree with telling our middle school and high school girls that it is not okay and even annoying to "date Jesus." In middle school, girls' hormones are raging as they hit puberty and boys aren't so gross and yucky as they were before. Boys are actually starting to have some value. (But girls still rule. All the time.) So as a Christian, it can be hard sometimes to not fall into the typical middle school trap of "dating" around and "talking" to almost every boy in the seventh grade. What is the solution? Well first thing, parents, setting the rules about relationships with boys. And secondly, encouraging your daughter (or son if you want) to deepen their relationship with Christ on a more intimate level. They are allowed to date Jesus. Dating Jesus may seem crazy and just weird and what the guy in the video had to say about girls getting a crush and just dumping Jesus was spot on. That is why you can't just say "Oh, I'm dating Jesus. I don't need a boyfriend." You have to actually date Jesus. Why does that seem so crazy to some people? Well, because He's God and sometimes we get a lofty view of God that He's "too good" to possibly be intimate with a middle school or high school (or college) girl. But it's not crazy at all. Think about it. Jesus left His perfect life in heaven, humbled Himself and stepped into the mess and sin of the world just to have a personal relationship with us AND so we could spend all of eternity with Him. So that we could live happily ever after. I don't know about you but that seems like a REALLY good deal. So how does one date Jesus? You would date Jesus like anyone else just without being able to physically see or touch the person. There are two things that are most important in your relationship with Jesus 1. Communication: Communication in your relationship with Jesus, much like any relationship, is key. Tell Jesus how things are going, tell Him how crappy or exciting your day was, tell Him how frustrated you are with a situation, tell Him everything. Tell Him your deepest secrets and your heart's desires. He wants to hear them. In turn, He will sweetly tell you how much He loves you. He will also tell you when you need to fix something and challenge you in the hardest ways possible. 2. Personal Time: Spending personal time with Jesus is soooo important. It's like if you have a boyfriend and you guys go to the movies or go bowling. You're spending personal time with each other. It's important to set aside time each day just for Jesus. You can sit and talk, read your personal 66 book love letter written just for you, and just listen for what He has to say. In my opinion, the best thing to do during your daily "date time" is read your Bible. Reading your Bible, you will in turn learn Jesus' heart's desires and learn what He wants for your life. He will do the most speaking to you through His Word. Developing a personal relationship with Jesus is so important. He will walk with you on your hardest days and dance with you on your most exciting days. He will not only be your best "boyfriend" but also your best friend. One thing that I have learned as time has gone on and my relationship with Jesus has deepened is that I'm not only dating Him but pursuing Him with my whole heart. When a boy comes along girls, don't ask yourself "Is he a Christian?" Rather ask, "Does he love Jesus with His whole heart?" My youth pastor always says: If you pursue Jesus with your whole heart, God will bring the right man and the two of you will link arms and pursue Jesus together. That, sweet girl, is what it is all about. So, sister, dive head first into Jesus! He won't let you sink! Give your heart to Jesus! He will hold it forever! Follow Jesus without abandon because He is so worthy.
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Have you ever fallen in love with someone you've never met? I'm sure you probably have. How about 15,000 someones?
The summer of junior year and my senior year of high school was crazy. The summer of my junior year, the Lord was really preparing my heart for what was about to happen. God gave me the desire to serve. He gave me a love that I really can't explain for the sweet faces, young and old, across the world who are less fortunate than me. God gave me so much passion. God had a plan and Satan was going to do all he could to wreck that plan. As senior year began, so did the frustrations. I was being hit from every side with things that were distracting me from the passion and the desire that God had placed in my heart to serve these people I had never met from the U.S. When I say "the passion and the desire" what I mean is, I was itching with excitement to serve God and serve these people. I could hardly sit still with pure joy and contentment at what God was doing in my life until I took my eyes off of Jesus and let the world distract me from HIS plan, HIS purpose, and knowing that HE is in control of ALL things. But God who marvelous in all He does, gave me scripture after scripture to remind me that what He was going to do was much bigger than what was happening around. He had it covered in more ways than one. "They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress." Psalm 107:5-6 (NIV) "For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." Psalm 107:9 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6 That was dealing with the work I was doing. Then He gave me scripture for my heart. "The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, 'I am weary, o God; I am weary and worn out. Surely I am too stupid to be man. I have not the understanding of man. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.' Who has gone up to have and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name and the name of his son? Tell me if you know! Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in him." Proverbs 30:1-5 ( v1-2 ESV. v 3-5 NIV.) "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me." Psalm 13:5-6 Though daily life raged on and the overall stress of senior year increased, God continued to remind me of His constant grace. He reminded me that His love for those that I so desperately wanted to serve topped any kind of love that I could express or experience. Every time I would read the statistics, I would become worried. Every 3 seconds someone dies of hunger. "Lord! What if that person didn't know you!" Then I would be at peace because one thing I do know, is that God works in ways that I cannot understand sometimes. Sometimes only looking back on a situation is the only way I can understand what God was doing. And God was definitely at work with my project. When it came time to package, I was done. I was tired, everything that could've gone wrong (in my mind) did, and my teacher and other classmates were giving me a hard time so the sooner this was over, the better. I was also excited. People who donated time and money got to actually see the fruit of their money. 15,000 meals. 15,000 people. 15,000 souls who get to hear the Gospel! Yes! I may have gone into packaging day with the wrong attitude but God had a different plan. During packaging day, I got to talk to other people who had been involved with CTW before and I became even more impressed with the organization. But God also burdened my heart for those 15,000 people. I fell in love that day with those people. I don't know their names, their faces, their circumstances but I know that God has plan for them and loves them immeasurably more than I could ever imagine (that's how He feels about us too!) so why shouldn't I love them. My heart is burdened in prayer for those sweet 15,000 faces. I pray that they are in good health and that those they love are in good health as well. But my heart's desire for those 15,000 gorgeous and handsome people is that they know God. That have a personal relationship with Him and trust Him with everything they have and everything that they are. I fell in love with 15,000 people on April 13, 2013. Will you pray for them with me? |
Allison MozingoI am currently a teacher and life-long student of Scripture learning more about life and Jesus's marvelous love and boundless grace. Archives
December 2019
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