God is BIGGER than ______________.

I want you to take a moment to fill in the blank. God is BIGGER than __________. Take something that you are currently struggling with; school, work, finances, trust issues, fear, lies... and fill in the blank. It doesn't just have to be one word, express your weakest self, knowing full well that He is BIGGER. While you do that let's talk a little bit about why I am asking you to do this.

Most of you on Facebook have seen, I'm sure, the God Is Bigger movement. I have a bracelet to remind me that He is but in the last few days I have become so overwhelmed with some things that I am losing my grip on this truth. When I open my bible there is a quote that I wrote down after having seen it on a church sign on my way to work, I took a picture so you could see it below:

"Let your faith be BIGGER than your fears."

I am sharing this with you because as I flipped open and read that quote over and over and over again today I found myself crying, my heart writhing in pain because I realized that my fears about certain things in my life, far exceed my faith... I feel like I am powerless against my fears (and please feel free to comment on what God says about these feelings) but I feel like I am being held under water because of these fears, worries, and concerns about things that could NEVER be in my control. I know that the Word says God has not given us a spirit of fear or timidity but one of power, love, and a sound mind. I try my best to cling to that when I feel most overwhelmed by my fears. My insecurities. My stress.

I am weak. I am allowing you to read that here. I am opening my heart and allowing you to know that I am broken and I am weak... but I know... no matter what... I am loved. I am cherished. I am HIS.

Greater is He who is living in me than he who is living in the world. (1 John 4:4)

So let me fill in the blank for my life. God is BIGGER than my every fear, every temptation, every doubt, every insecurity, every trust issue, every hurt, every bit of stress, every concern or worry, He is bigger than my anxieties, He is bigger than my finances, He is bigger than every lie that Satan is trying so hard to convince me of and quite honestly God is bigger than ANYTHING I could ever face. 

So now it's your turn. Take some time. Allow God to bring it to your mind and fill in the blank. Speak it out loud, shout it from the rooftops or at least to the top of your lungs where ever you are at right now. CLAIM IT! Right here. Right now.

God is BIGGER than _________________.

It Keeps Getting Better

So if you have kept up with my blog then you saw my last post, the one where I addressed my worship family. I let them know just how much I loved them and to be quite honest I was a little shocked at the response. I had 88 views… 88 in two days! I was overwhelmed by the comments and messages I received and while I didn’t know that it was possible for my worship family to bless me more than they already have, they did. I was brought to tears by each of the responses.

If anything was accomplished from that post I simply think that it just increased my inability to describe how much I love each person in the GFBC worship ministry. I am so incredibly excited that I get to go and worship with these wonderful people once again tonight on stage and then again during choir practice. My heart is so overjoyed that there are once again no words for me to describe what I am feeling. I pray that someone reading this knows this same feeling when it comes to the people the Lord has blessed them with.

In other news, it is finally Fall! Walking outside to cool air and a nice breeze is so refreshing. I know that this means we are one step closer to Winter, which means one step closer to non-stop sickness for my co-workers and I, better known in my family as the “Daycare Curse”. While I am not ready for that, I am ready for the cooler weather and yes, I am ready for Christmas.

For those of you that haven’t yet received an update, school is still going great! I currently have a 99.35, and I am currently in my last week of my first class! I am praying for the next several classes to pass by quickly because I am ready for my Theology classes but I know that everything will happen in the Lord’s time and His timing is perfect!

I can't wait to see what the Lord does throughout today. He has blessed me so much in the last few days and tonight will be no exception I am sure. When I checked the order of service I was surprised to see that all but one song we are singing, are some of my favorite songs for my personal worship time. It makes me think that God has something special for me tonight:) I can't wait! May the Lord bless you richly and beyond measure today! =D

To My Worship Family

Dear GFBC Worship Ministry,
I want to publicly tell each and every one of you that might read this, just how much I love you all. You are more than just people that I get to worship with on Sunday's and Wednesday's. You are my family. I can not really put into words the overwhelming love I feel for each of you when I get to see you all during services or practices and while singing with you. While there are far too many of you for me to know each of your names, I pray for the choir, orchestra, and praise team as often as the Lord brings you all to my mind. It is such a blessing to be able to stand with so many people that have such a strong love for the Lord and want to use the gifts that He has given them to show it.

When I stand in the choir loft, the choir suite, on the stage, or in praise team practice, I am always overwhelmed by the love I feel for all of you and the joy that I feel getting to praise God with each of you. I can't tell you enough how much I love all of you, but may the Lord allow each of you to know the love that He has put in my heart for you. If you can't grasp anything else of what I am saying please know these two things. You are my worship family and I love each of you so much more than I can explain.

To our three God fearing, Spirit filled worship leaders: While everything above is for you as well, thank you so much for all that you three do to keep things running. Thank you for praying for each of us, for encouraging us, and for leading us. God's hand is on each of you and we couldn't ask for better leaders. Not only do you encourage us to sing or play out for the glory of God, but you encourage us by your lives and walks of faith. You work hard and it is appreciated more than the three of you will ever know. May God pour out His blessings on each of you in overwhelming waves!

Thank you all so much for loving God and allowing Him to use you for worship at GFBC. I look forward to worshiping with each of you again soon! May the Lord bless and keep you!

In Christ,
Kelcy =)

A Little Slice or Two of Heaven

I was sitting and listening to an AMAZING song that we are getting ready to sing at church by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, and as I was doing this I started to think of a few things that give me joy, little "slices" of heaven if you will. It's more than two but here are some of them:

1. A passion filled worship at church
2. GFBC Choir, Praise Team, and Orchestra
3. My personal worship time
4. My alone time with God in the South Campus sanctuary
5. Breathe by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir (and yes, that is the song previously mentioned)
6. The GFBC Christmas Program (you have no idea just how big of slices those really are...)
7. A sunset on a sort of cloudy day

I thought seven was plenty for here, don't you agree? My God is an AWESOME God. In the last few days He has allowed me to experience six of these seven (because it's not Christmas time...) even in the heartache. Plus last night I was overjoyed to get to witness the baptism of a friend of mine! I will admit that it's been a pretty bad week, and if you read my last post you will understand that, but I would also like to remind whoever is reading this and myself that God's Word says that even though weeping may last through the night, a shout of joy will come in the morning (Psalm 30:5b NASB). I trust my God. Right now, I am leaning on my God because I don't have enough strength to walk around on my own. My God is so much more awesome than mere words could ever say. My God has given me a shout of joy with each experience. How could I not love Him?

I want to ask that you will continue to pray for the friends and family of the man I mentioned in the last post, who so recently went home to be with the Lord. But, I also want to encourage you to sit and think about this question: What are your little slices of heaven? Feel free to comment with some below as well, I would love to read them! May the Lord bless you!

No More Death, No More Pain

Tonight I sit typing with a heavy heart. Today I was at a funeral of a good man. Two of my friends, who are brothers... lost their dad this past Thursday. My heart broke watching the youngest of the two hurt, and it broke even worse when I found out that the oldest wasn't going to be able to make it in time for today (NOT HIS FAULT). This friend of mine is in the navy and is trying hard to get home but unfortunately due to different circumstances that are not my place to post, he couldn't make it in time... I know he is hurting, I know he wants to be here, and all I can do is pray for him and his brother. 

So even though I found out about this the day it happened, everything only hit and really sunk in yesterday. My heart broke, I texted my mentor/accountability partner with some serious questions, I went and prayed with a woman I know from student ministry who's office just happens to be on the other side of my work, I have cried almost (but not quite) constantly, and it all led to today (which by the way only increased the water works and the pain in my heart). SO.... why am I telling you all of this? Because I know that I am not the only one... I know that someone else reading this at this very moment has a broken heart, someone reading this is grieving, and like me you are tired of the pain. 

I sat down just a little while ago and told God with more tears streaming down my face that I want so badly to ask Him and the people He has blessed me with here, just like a little child, why there is so much pain in this world. Truth is I already know the answer... we live in a broken world. I asked God to take away the pain in my heart but deep down I know He allows me to experience this pain so that I am reminded of where I belong and that it isn't here. 

Can I tell you something? While I don't like the death and pain that consumes this world anymore than you do, that place where I belong.... where we belong... there is no death and pain there. In fact there is a God who will one day put us on His lap and wipe every tear from our eyes and there will be no more of those either! So right now, I will admit... I want to go home and sit in my daddy's lap, I want Him to take the pain and hurt away more than anything... but the truth is, my life is not finished. God isn't done using me here yet and from what I keep being told... I have some big plans ahead of me. And even though I am hurting, God hasn't left me... I have felt His presence through everything today and have even heard Him whisper that He loves me and He is with me. 

So though I sit here tonight with a broken and heavy heart, I will press on with the help of God. I will live the life I am called to, all the while longing to be in the place that my soul was created for and one day, when God has used me for His purposes here I will run into His open arms squealing like a tiny little child filled with love "ABBA!!!" as He wraps those arms that defeated death around me, and welcomes me home.

Please pray for this family, and for the friends of the family as they grieve. Pray that they remember there is hope in Jesus. 

Last night I had the privilege of doing one of my favorite things, I got to go to prayer. My choir director, her husband and several members of the worship ministry get together at 7:14 on Thursday nights to pray. I enjoy this far more than anyone could ever imagine. Standing with other believers and praying to our Father. Some of you are looking at the time wondering why it's 7:14, it's because of 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says, "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore the land."

Some people think that I carry my excitement too far when it comes to being at the church all the time but honestly one of the men last night put it best. He was talking to a friend earlier that day and when his friend asked where he was headed, he told him that he was going to prayer. The friend said something along the lines of man we're there all the time and he simply said well, where is there to be? (Sorry if that didn't make any since)

That's how I feel. I honestly feel like every other place that I go through out my time here (work, out with friends, and yes even home) is pointless. My mind even wandered to a verse the other day from Luke. 

"'But why did you need to search?' he asked. 'Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?'" -Luke 2:49 (NLT)

Sometimes when people ask me why I spend some much time at the church, or when they tell me that I spend too much time there, or the infamous you don't have to be there every time the doors open, I think of this verse. I want to be at my Father's house whenever I can be. So what if today's culture says I'm taking it too far, I think God is looking down smiling at my eagerness to be in His house. Some people think that I am spreading myself too thin and that I am going to ware myself out but I promise you, the less time I spend at church and the less time that I spend with God the more worn out I feel, but the more I'm at church whether it be for service, practice, or prayer, and the more time I spend with God the more ALIVE I feel, and the more rested I feel. 

Being a christian means that no matter what the people around us think about it, whether it be friends, co-workers, or even family, we will do what we feel like the Lord is leading us to do. We will risk everything. 

I guess I am done with my rant now:) I really hope that this will encourage some one today. And I hope that you all have a WONDERFUL day!! =D

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." -Romans 15:13 (ESV)

Today was a special day for me. Today I made vows to Jesus. Some of you think I'm weird but really it is already changing me. You see I have a purity ring that for the longest time I have only thought of when it comes to staying physically pure before marriage. However recently I have thought more of purity in heart, mind, and spirit. So today in the dim lit, tranquil setting of my churches old sanctuary, I got on my knees and made vows to my sweet Jesus. I recommitted my purity ring, this time with a deeper understanding of what it means. My time there today was a sweet moment that will stay between Him and I unless He leads me to share the details of it later, but my heart is overwhelmed with a joy that I cannot explain.  

Some of the sweetest parts of my weekdays are when I get to go into the old sanctuary at the south campus of my church. You see, I work in the daycare there every afternoon Monday-Friday and the sanctuary is in the center of the building. When I get there the kids still have somewhere between an hour and a half to two hours left of their nap so I will spend a little while talking with co-workers and/or eating lunch, then I will slip off to the sanctuary where I am blessed to be able to spend about half an hour sometimes more, just me and Jesus:) This time, without a doubt is the sweetest prayer time I have ever had the joy of experiencing. I would encourage everyone to make sure that you have a time at some point during the day that you can be completely alone with God if at all possible. Since I started doing this almost a month ago my walk with God has become more intimate and  I find myself falling in love with Jesus more and more:)

Well I guess since today is about to become tomorrow I should get some shut eye. May God bless you exceeding abundantly:) Goodnight. 

First Post:)

This blog is going to be a look into my life as a Christian. These aren't meant to be like the posts that are on Great News!!!!! These are simply stories from my life as I walk through the darkness of the world doing my best to shine the light of Jesus. I pray that they may encourage you, and help you in your walk:)

Jesus is my savior. My healer. My redeemer. My rock. My everything. I love my sweet Jesus!! Looking back on what my life used to be like it's such a breath of fresh air to realize that I have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. My faith is growing by God's grace every day and new things are happening. I've always had a pretty bad temper that mostly remained even after I was saved. Recently, God has been working in my life to help me be some one who is quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19). I've always been someone that was quick to anger and could never control it but recently God has helped me to control it. Just the other day I felt my anger start to boil for a reason that wasn't even worth it, and I looked to heaven, took a deep breath and immediately the anger went away. I honestly can't wait to see what God does next. :)