Devotions- "To Find A Smile"

"To Find A Smile"

Sometimes we take what we have for granted. We don't think twice about going to bed in a warm bed, sitting down to eat a hot meal, or simply going to brush our teeth.

This past week I took a trip to the local Soup Kitchen with some other girls. It was a heart breakinng experience, but one that I will never forget. We got everything set up for the people to come in and eat. The moment they began to come it, I had tears in my eyes. I just felt so bad that I have so much and they have almost nothing.

Out of all of the people there, there is one face, that I will always remember. It was the face of a little girl that couldn't have been any older than about 5 or 6. Her and her two sisters were there with their parents. My heart broke to pieces the minute I saw her.

Once everyone had eaten we passed around desserts and this little girl looked up at me when I was passing them around. Her eyes grew big and bright and she had the biggest smile ever on her face when she got hers. Then, later that night she came up with her plate to throw it away and didn't know where she was going and I asked her if she needed some help. Just reaching out a hand to help her with little things could put a smile on this one little girl's face. I would not have changed that night for the world.

It was a whole new perspective that I had not seen before. That night made me realize that the little things that we do count in someone else's eyes. They may not mean much to us, but to someone like that little girl, it could mean the world to her. After that, my heart was changed and made me want to give even more, and be a stronger servant of God.

God can use us in any way that He wants to. He used me that night to reach out to that child and let her know that there are people that care about her and that want to help.

How is God going to use you to work in other people's lives?
My challenge to you today, is to pray that God will use you in any way that He can to get to others. Also, pray that God will give you the strength and courage to follow through with the opportunities that He gives you.

Abbie

Trials

So I was at a brunch today at my church and my assistant pastors wife did a devotional for it and the devotional was about the verse Galatians 6:2 (Bear ye one anothers burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.) She was saying how we as Christians should really be caring more about others yes sometimes we do need people to care about us but what happens when the person who helped you out go through that time? Are you just gonna sit back and not care? She shared this great demonstration. This girl went to her mother telling her how she was going through a very hard time when one trial was over another one came, and she felt like giving up. Now we've all been there right? Instead of her mom encouraging her she put out three pots of boiling water and the first one had a carrot in it. The second had an egg in it. The third had coffee beans. She let them boil for 20 minutes put them in bowls and called her daughter in the kitchen and she said what do you see in the three bowls? Her daughter replied a carrot, a boiled egg, and coffee. Then her mother said these are three examples of people who went through hard times (boiling water). Each one responded in a different way The carrot went in strong and came out soft. The egg went in fragile and came out hard and bitter. The coffee beans had a different effect though the coffee beans went in and changed the water. These apply to trials that come our way think about it are you a carrot you go into the situation strong and come out hurt soft and crushed? Or maybe your the egg that went in fragile not knowing what would happen and come out hard and bitter. If were truly honest with ourselves we are in one of those categories but is that what we want to be? Of course not, but theres one more category The coffee beans we can go into a situation and turn it around and make the best of it. SO which of the three do you want to be the carrot? The egg? Or the coffee beans?

~Be a coffee bean Christian!!~

Devotions - The Body

So last night I went to a lockin at my church and I fractured my wrist.I don't really feel like getting into details, haha, but what I want to say is my wrist hasn't even been fractured for 24 hrs and I'm already learning something. Which is ironic cause went over this in Awana on Thursday.  What I'm learning is how hard it is to function without one part of your body. Now what we went over in Awana is how each part of the body matters. Does your body function right without a leg? No. Without an arm? Not exactly. Even without a wrist its hard to function. Now you can get along without these things but its very hard. Now in the body of the church, when people that are good at certain things, leave you need to get other people to do it, even if other people aren't as good. Your body gets weaker and weaker and you start to ache and feel pain. The thing we need to do is not only pray for our church but we need to start serving. Start using our talents for the Lord. One day, we  Christians, are going to be judged on the good things we have done. Do you want to stand before God and say, "I got nothing. I love you, but I did nothing for you"? So, this is my challenge to you: start serving! Trust me, when you serve not only will you make way better relationships but you will also feel really happy that you are doing something for the Lord. Don't be that person that gets change and puts it in a bag full of holes.

Krystl <3

Devotions - Stained Glass Masquerade

I was listening to stain glass masquerade by Casting Crowns and I thought of something I never really thought of before.
here's part of the chorus
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain

That really hit me I thought about it for a little while and I thought is that what we as Christians are supposed to be? Are we supposed to be plastic people who have no emotions? Are we always supposed to be happy and never show anyone of our weakness'. If we don't show people our weakness' how are they supposed to see Christ through us? People can see Christ through us with out happy faces yes but it is when we are sad and still keeping on when they really see Jesus. So don't be afraid to show your weakness' you don't always have to but sometimes its good to.

Devotions

"Stained Glass Masquerade" by Krystl 3/10/10

"The Body" by Krystl 3/20/10