SHIRTS FOR ECUADOR

I am now selling shirts from Fund The Nations. Each shirt is $20 however, it is $2 extra for 2x and 3x.
PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE IF YOU WANT ONE OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES! I will ONLY be selling these for about two weeks do to time constraints. Thank you so much for your willingness to help me go where the Lord has called me to go and fulfill the verse on this shirt. "Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things that he does." -Psalm 96:3 (NLT)

So It Finally Snowed...

So after a lot of off and on talk about snow, it finally came. Every one was prepared (if they paid attention), schools closed, businesses closed, even churches canceled services in preparation for the "snow storm" of 2015. My neighborhood is covered in a beautiful blanket of white snow. As my family and I headed outside I looked around and couldn't help but take in the beautiful scenery that reminded me of my sins being cleansed. "Washed whiter than snow."

If you know me and you have been around me in the last week, you know that I have been praying pretty hard for no snow. If you are asking why, please understand that this was literally like a dream week for me. Since I fell in-love with Jesus I have wanted a week of church every night. This week I would have only had one night with out a church service. Also if you are reading this and you have seen me sincerely praying for no snow please know, GOD IS STILL FAITHFUL! His will was for there to be snow, so the snow came. I pray that everyone has taken the time off today to rest in the Lord. God provided you time to be at home with your families so I pray that you took advantage of the blessing, and spent it well. I spent it sleeping in preparation for BLAST, my churches discipleship weekend that starts Friday (please be in prayer for the leaders, staff, and students).

Tomorrow is a new day. His mercies are new every morning, so start yours with Jesus. Spend time in The Word. Worship Him. Maybe even have your quite time outside if time allows and it's not too terribly cold for you to do so. Remember that God is faithful and that He is mighty in power. Everything is in His timing and not ours. Thank God for the blessings of the day, and serve Him faithfully in everything you do. This is a short post but I thought I would just say something about the very beautiful snow fall, and the even more beautiful reminder of the forgiveness of our sins;) May the Lord bless you with an awesome rest of the night in Him and a joyful beginning to a new day in the morning.

A New Season of Life

Well, it's time for new a season to begin. Not like Spring though I'm sure some of you are ready for that. No, the season I'm talking about is a life season. Somewhere around the end of this month and the first of next month I will be dropping down to a substitute position at my job (by choice). Between school, ministry, and church I really don't have time for my job. I am going into ministry so I feel that this is really the best decision. Oh, don't worry, there will be no lazing around I still have plenty to do. Between my quite time with the Lord and my required readings for school there will be plenty of studying going on, on top of continuing whats left of the bible study with my co-workers, fundraising for Ecuador (click on that button by the way), Great News (which I hope to start back with soon), class assignments (which includes a 15-slide power point on Genesis 1-2 this week), church, and SUB25 (which is our 25 and under ministry at church).

Don't get me wrong I love my job, however the daycare is a "for now" job, not a "forever" career. Before anyone starts calling me crazy, and telling me I should think this through, I have. A lot of prayer and thought has went into this decision and it comes down to the fact that if I don't drop down to a sub, my grades will start to suffer and my health will start to suffer. I am getting worn down and something had to go and after a lot of prayer the only reasonable thing to let go of was my position at the daycare. I will admit to having worries about this decision, but because I know that this is where the Lord is leading me right now I trust that He will provide for all of my needs.

Quite honestly, I am looking forward to the time that I will have to be able to do all of my readings for school (which is a total of 16 reads this week), read more of my bible, and spend more time doing ministry focused things such as starting Great News back up with devotionals. I look forward to what the Lord is about to do in my life. With that being said, there are things that I will miss about not being in a consistent position at the daycare, like for example being able to regularly go to the sanctuary and just sit alone in the quite with God. Another thing I will miss will be seeing the amazing kids that are in my class and on my hallway. While I don't always get along with each of the kids (face it, they are 2's to 3's) I still love each and every one of them. Finally, I will miss my co-workers. In at least the last six months I have had the blessing of getting to have some awesome God conversations with some of these girls and even just getting to see God do different things in some of their lives. And while it hasn't always worked out, I've even been able to  do a bible study with them.. Each place that the Lord has put me since I have been at the daycare has had some purpose or another. From buggy rides to water days (which, just saying, I really dislike water days), and everything in between God has had a purpose.

So now I would like to ask that you would all pray. Pray for God to guide and direct my every step. Pray for Him to open new doors during this season of my life and maybe even for Him to reveal Himself to me in a new (to me) way. I can't wait to share this journey with you as the Lord allows, and I pray that He will bless each and every person reading this with an awesome day in Him. I'm done rambling now:)

-Kelcy

Can I Share My Heart With You?

My heart is so heavy as I write this.... I have sat debating and praying over whether or not to post anything but I have seen so much negativity towards true Christians, that my heart is broken and as I type tears are pouring down my face....

Let me start with this. This started because of everything going on with homosexuality so I am sorry to drop this on those of you that didn't already know, but if you do know me than you know I used to be gay. Living very "happily" (I was seriously miserable) in the homosexual lifestyle. I tell you this because I want you to know that God saved my life. I was lost, broken, living in sin and God found me, picked me up and changed me. It was not an easy process by any means but here I am, living my life to the best of my ability for God by His grace and for His glory. I won't pretend to know all about what is going on in the political world. Quite frankly I haven't had time, and if you know me, you know just how true that is. I know that Birmingham is allowing gay marriage now. I know that a lot of people are angry over this. I can't promise that this will be the most well written post but I am going to try my best to get my point across and I pray that anyone reading this will allow the Lord to use this post to speak to your heart and break your heart as He has mine tonight.

Simply put... hate is NOT of the Bible or of God. While I am by NO MEANS saying that those in same-sex marriages are in the right, I am saying that God loves those men and women just as much as He loves you or me. His love is unfailing. HE IS LOVE! THAT IS WHO HE IS!!! However, they are living in sin, they are breaking God's heart and as Christians, we are to reach out to them in love and try to show them the light. We are not to do this hatefully. We are not to throw scripture at them angrily and tell them that they are going to hell. We are to love on them.

Below are some screen shots of a "rant" on Facebook. I want to be clear, some of the things that are said I agree with (some I don't), it is mostly the tone in which it is being said that I disagree with. Also, names were blocked to protect identities.

There is a lot that could be discussed about this thread, but I will only address a few things. First and foremost, this is not the way to approach anyone. There is a difference between passionate and hateful and this is hateful. Now as for the question "Is it affecting your life?" I want to say this, and I pray that it convicts everyone reading this and challenges you as well, as a Christian, it should affect my life. No, it is not my place or anybody else's to judge, but I should be continuously praying for those people and doing what I can to reach out to them in love so that maybe they will hear the truth, know the love of God and turn to Him. "Y'all need to stay in y'alls own relationship with God they have theirs under control", on this I would like to say that if they are in a homosexual relationship, odds are they don't have a relationship with God to be in control of. You CAN NOT be in a relationship with God and yet still be doing something that He is plainly against. Yes, all sin is equal. But whatever sin it is, it is still sin. Finally, the last thing that I would like to address in this thread is the next to last comment. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 in the New Living Translation says, "Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people    none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." See the problem is, if no one steps in, how can they turn from their sin and be saved? Christianity is not just  personal... 

1 John 2:3-4 (NKJV):

"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him."

When you know about God, you will read the Bible because it's something you feel you are supposed to do, you may even claim to be a Christian.... but when you really know God... you will read and keep His word because you are driven, and compelled to do so out of the deep love you will have for Him because He saved you....

I know that many people who read this post are not going to like it. You are going to be angry and probably delete me from your friends list or whatever but can I be honest? While I love you, it won't shake my life or my faith if you hit the delete button. I will be praying because I sincerely want you to know the true, unfailing love of Christ.... I'm praying for you, I love you and I thank God for you because you are His masterpiece and while I many not necessarily get along with you He loves you and so I will too. May your heart be opened... there is not really anything else for me to say...

In Christ,

Kelcy

Ecuador!!!! (and puppy update)

So, as I'm sure you have already noticed, there is a little widget to the right of your screen that says "Go Fund Me". Last month I started the process of filling out an application to be an intern in Ecuador. If you know me, you know how badly I have wanted to get back to Ecuador, if you don't know me, scroll down and there will probably be a post or two talking about it:)

Either way, after almost two years, God has opened a door! However, I need money to go and it is an amount that I can in no way raise on my own in the short amount of time that I have to raise it. What I am asking you to do is very important. Please take some time and pray, asking God what (if anything) he would have you donate. Then as He lays a number on your heart, I pray that you would come back to this page and click the "gofundme" button to donate that amount. It may be $5 it may be $50 or more. Whatever God lays on your heart. Thank you so much!!!! May the Lord bless you richly!!!


By the way, just a quick little update on Bear. He is a HUGE 2.1 pounds as of the last vet visit and is actually on his way to the vet again today:) He has settled in quite well and is a mostly loving puppy:) Also if you didn't see it this past Sunday, Bear was actually the Fox6 pet pick:) Here are some pictures:)

Before he came to live with us

Charles and Bear<3

Bear "chillin" with mom. Also this was his Fox6 Pet Pic:)

Meet Bear!

I would like to introduce you to my new best friend...

This is Bear. I came home from work and my mom and sister surprised me with him. I would say something about NPS (New Puppy Syndrome, for those of you that missed that blog) however Bear seems to be settling in quite nicely. I couldn't be happier to have this little puppy, and you should possibly just expect to see many posts and pictures of him in the days and weeks to come. As I type this little guy is sleeping away in a blanket cocoon that he made for himself along with his little warmy buddy:) Honestly I should probably get some sleep too! Just couldn't wait to show him off:) May the Lord bless you all richly with wonderful rest not just through the night but also through the weekend:)

P.S. Yes I know this is a VERY random post....

P.S.S.... you still read it =D

Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015!

So it's a new year. So much has happened in this past year and I honestly feel like it just started. I don't know how your 2014 was but mine was full of heart break, surprises, changes and some amazing moments and I don't think there is a thing I would change because even the bad was made good somehow or another by the Lord. I had the opportunity to lead an amazing group of girls during BLAST (a discipleship weekend at my church) which I hope to be able to do again here in just a few months. Just before that I went through a week of loss where I was hit one right after another with three different deaths over the period of one week. As you all know I started college this past year and while it has been an adventure I truly believe that God has been glorified in my school work and I can't wait to see where He takes me on this unbelievable journey. If you know me than you probably know that I have never been a big fan of change. So when brother Mark came down into my Sunday school one morning to tell us that we were not only getting new teachers but changing EVERYTHING that we normally did, you can imagine that I was one of many that was not too happy. I stuck it out for a little while gave it all a shot and now I couldn't be happier with the change. The Lord is opening up so many opportunities for me through these changes as well as in other areas of my life. Let's also not forget that it wasn't too long ago in the year that I started writing this blog and quite honestly it has turned out better than I expected it to. PEOPLE ACTUALLY READ THIS STUFF! Can you believe it??? =D

I have to say that I truly believe God has started speaking to me more about things in the last six months than the rest of this past year. He has opened up an opportunity for me to overcome somethings with the help of an amazing accountability partner, He has opened my eyes to a few things that He might have for me down the road, He even gave me an amazing boyfriend. Obviously I am not writing out everything because that would be a post far too long to publish but I wanted to share some of these things with you. My pastor has been saying that He is believing 2015 will be a big year for Gardendale First Baptist and I agree with him. I also believe that God is going to do even greater things this year for our college ministry (SUB25), for Great News, through the bible study He has allowed us to start on my hallway at the daycare, and in my life personally. I can't wait to see what He does.

I pray that whoever is reading this will have an amazing new year! That God will open your ears and your eyes to whatever He has for you and that you will claim it as the child of God you are. Don't let anyone stop you from getting what God has in store for you! May the Lord bless you exceeding abundantly!! =D

-Kelcy