Front Porch Sanctuary/Fourth of July

In the past few weeks I have found such comfort in the few days that I have been able to sit out on my front porch just me, my dog and Jesus. It has felt so nice these past few weeks and the peace outside is just wonderful (except for when Bear decides to start barking). I love places where you can get away from the world in a way and just be alone with Jesus. Some of my favorite places to do this are places I have mentioned before such as church sanctuaries, the beach and a little chapel in Ecuador. Well, now my front porch on nice days in the summer has been added to this. The scenery is beautiful, the sounds of nature are calming and the best is when we have a nice thunderstorm:)

Today there is a mix of noises that aren't nature but are definitely natural in America. With it being the fourth of July you can hear families gathering, patriotic country music playing and oh the smells of food being grilled. As I write this, five minutes ago it was pouring down rain and now it is beautifully sunny and seemingly perfect for cooking out.

Anyway, my times on the porch I feel are so very nice, there is very little to distract or disturb me, there is a gentle breeze blowing, and of course (as I've already mentioned) the peace and quite. The other day (actually the first day that I decided to sit out here) I spent the entire day out here, I only when in to cook dinner later that after noon and then came back out side. It was such an amazing day spent having quite time. God spoke through His Word, through the book Charles and I are reading together, and just simply through time of prayer. I know God is everywhere but there is just something special about meeting with Him at these places:)

So all that being said, as previously stated, today is the fourth of July. One of the many sounds I hear right now is our American flag that's hanging off of our porch waving back and forth in the wind. What a great reminder today is of the freedoms we have as Americans. A great example at the moment is free speech... the freedom that I have to write this blog and Great News. Freedom of religion also comes to mind. The freedom to go to church, pray and live out our faith in public with out fear of being arrested which is a privilege we have that a lot of other countries do not.

As you go throughout your day thank God for the freedoms that He has provided you as an American. Spend time with your family and praise God for all He has given you. God bless you all today my friends and may God bless and have mercy on America in these last days.

Please Take Some Time

I know I'm just a few days later than everyone else on sharing this but I wanted to make sure to do so after I was able to watch it all the way through. I have often spoken about how much I love my worship family but I am not so sure that I have communicated that much love towards my church so let me just say that I love my church greatly. Our pastor and our staff have the hand of God heavily on them and there is no other church I would rather be at than Gardendale First Baptist.



With that being said if you are reading this I want you to make a commitment to sit down and watch this service that Pastor Kevin titles "A Biblical Response to Bruce Jenner". I have found this to be such a moving service and believe that you will to. My pastor isn't sugar coating it he is telling like it is and I believe we need a lot of people to do that today. God has given him some powerful words on this very controversial subject and it is definitely worth your time. May God open your hearts and your ears to receive what He has for you through this service. God bless you richly my friend.



TruthCasting - Player

If He Created That....

Due to being home I joined my family going to the beach. If you have been reading my blogs on here from the beginning, you probably saw the one from last year where I said a little bit about my quite time on the beach. Well, yesterday evening as the sun was getting lower I went out and had my first beach quite time since we got here. It was beautiful and quite eye opening. When I went down there I took my Bible and my journal (and believe me was it hard to open my Bible in that wind). After having set there for probably 10 or 15 minutes I felt God whisper. Now before I tell you what He said, let me share with you this:

For some time now I have been working on seeing myself and everyone around me as the beautiful masterpiece that God has created us to be. Sometimes (more often than not) it is much easier for me to see others as a masterpiece before I can see myself as a masterpiece however I know that is a problem and have been trying to fix it.

With that being said I looked at the waves and the sunset and thought about how beautiful it was, then it hit me... If God created that water, those waves, that beach, that sunset and all of the beauty that is held in each (and He did) than don't you think He made you even more beautiful because while those things are not made in His image, WE ARE.

Don't get me wrong we are not perfect, only God is perfect. Perfection for us, will not be obtained until Jesus returns. However, God did create us as masterpieces. His Word even says so;

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." -Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

You see, we are His masterpiece! My point in saying all of this is that we should first realize that we are HIS and that He calls us His masterpiece. Then with each person that we come into contact with we should see him/her as the masterpiece that he/she is and treat them that way.

So the next time you are at a breathtaking sight whether that for you is a sunset on the beach or the Grand Canyon, remember that yes God created that and all of the beauty that is held in those things, but friend... He also created you and He calls you masterpiece. :) Love you friend!

In Christ,
Kelcy

If You Didn't Already Know

I want to start this post with a post I put on Facebook because I want you all to understand that I'm home:

"As most all of you know last Friday I left for Ecuador where the plan was to spend a little over a month serving in that country. As most of you don't know (though some of you do) I came home this past Tuesday. Before I go any further I AM OKAY. While there I got pretty overwhelmed by everything, began to feel like I was no longer supposed to be there and so after some time talking with the missionaries there, some staff members there, and praying I felt it was best that I came home so arrangements were made. I am very thankful for those that have already shown your support and I understand that not all of you will be supportive of this decision however, it comes down to this... I believe that I was obedient to God in going to Ecuador, but I also believe that I was obedient in coming home and I will stand on that knowing that even if many of you do not support this decision God is with me.

Now I do want you all to know that this trip was not wasted at all. God spoke to me about several things for the few days that I was there, brought new friends into my life, and allowed me to feel the love of a family I didn't know I had in the Chacauco staff. He is also about to teach me through this season of answering everyone's questions and dealing with I'm sure some very not so supportive people. There are things that God has taught me and is currently teaching me that I could not have learned with out making this trip and I trust that His hand has been on every decision made about this trip. God never told me that I would be there the whole five weeks, He just told me to go and expected me to be obedient enough to do so. I am very thankful for all of the prayers and support that have been provided up until this point and I pray that it will continue."

I understand (more now than when I actually posted that) that many of you will not understand, nor will you be supportive of the fact that I'm home. What I would like to say to those of you is can you honestly say that you know what God is saying to me, and what God is doing in my life better than myself? If so than I would love to sit down and have a cup of coffee or maybe do lunch. I hope that this doesn't come off rude, and forgive me if it does, but you are not me. You do not know me, nor do you have any right at all to judge my relationship with God. I don't judge yours because that is not my place just as it is not your place to judge mine. My point is, don't be so quick to question my salvation, or to say that I can't discern the will of God for my life. You are not me and you have no idea what God has or has not spoken over my life. I am not perfect and I will not pretend to be so (too much responsibility for that and I'm not God), but I believe I have a very close relationship with my God. Is it as close as I would like it to be? Far from it, but I am constantly growing and pray that you are as well. I want you to know that I say all of this in love but I want you all to be aware that this is how I feel about it.

Now on the same note, I want to be open and honest with you as I always try to be on this blog. Through all of this, especially in coming home, I realize that I have an idol. My idol is caring far too much about what people think of me. When I felt that God was bringing me home I knew I didn't understand and therefore I knew others wouldn't either. This made me waver. My first thoughts were what will people think when I come home and they understand it about as much as I do? What will they say about my relationship with God? Will they be disappointed? Will they be upset? Then I had to realize that I can't go on what other people think of me. My biggest fear coming home was what people would think when they found out I came back. Especially when I tried to explain as best I could and it wasn't enough for them.

Through coming home God has made me face this idol and deal with it head on. There are many who are against me right now, and who are even going as far as questioning my salvation (as I addressed above). Because of this I have had to lean on God and only God because I never know who is for me or against me. I sit in the midst of hundreds who I used to trust to have my back only to fidget and wonder who of those people have now turned their back on me. I still love them, please don't misunderstand that and if you are one of those people (and yet for some reason are still reading this post) I STILL LOVE YOU... However, it is indeed a painful experience. It has been a process and I realize that I should have always been leaning on God and Him alone. I knew that I had a problem caring too much what people think I just never knew it was this bad until I had to come home and face the idol I allowed it to become in my life.

Please know that God has a purpose for doing everything, and nothing He allows to happen is wasted. God spoke to me about things I personally could have only really learned by going to Ecuador and He did the same thing bringing me back as early as He did. I trust Him and His plan even though I don't understand. I just pray that you will have my back, however if you do not... the One who matters, does. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Love you friend!

In Christ,
Kelcy

So it's been a while...

Other than the t-shirt post, it's been a while. So much going on trying to get ready to go to Ecuador, having the blessing of being apart of a few ministries that have been busy, and then of course school. I don't have a whole lot of time to just blog any more. So today, it's time to take the time. The birds are chirping, the sun is out and beautiful, and Jesus is alive =D

Whose happy to have warm weather? I know I am! Not gonna lie, I was seriously getting a bit tired of the cold. Besides, now we are getting into my favorite kind of weather.... thunderstorms:) If you have been reading my blog since the beginning you probably saw my post that talked about my love for thunderstorms, if you haven't seen that blog, well... by the way.... I love thunderstorms =D There is just something so nice, peaceful, and even calming about thunderstorms. Yes, that's right, I find loud booms of thunder, calming. Now, to be perfectly clear, I don't really like being out in thunderstorms. I would rather be at home where I can enjoy it. But in all I thoroughly enjoy thunderstorms.

I'm sure that's enough said about thunderstorms so anyway, I can truly say that I have missed writing. Well.... I miss writing here. I have done PLENTY of writing in the last seven weeks. Between school papers and Great News, my writing is almost constant. Don't get me wrong, I love writing for Great News, but there is something that is special (in a different way) about getting to write here. Something that makes me feel connected to people that probably could care less about my life, but for some reason or another choose to read about it any way. My prayer is that you find something about my post to brighten your day and shine a little Jesus into your life. Even if it just makes you feel like someone gets you (surely there are more crazy people like me out there) ;). It's a very rare occasion that I communicate with my readers unless they are my mom, or my friends. Yet, somehow... I still feel connected to you all. I've shared my passions, desires, dreams, hurts, pains, tears and fears with you. I have shared some exciting moments, and some... not so exciting moments. One of the greatest things I get to do by writing this blog is share some really awesome God moments in my life. So I feel connected to you all. Some of you I may see daily and I just don't know that you read my blog, if so, I love you friend:) Some of you, may be people I have never before met but though I haven't seen you, don't know you, and will probably never meet you, because you read these posts, you are apart of my life, you have crossed my path and you are my neighbor and I love you as well:). To some of you this may seem random but with all that I just said it should now make since. Writing to you is like writing to a friend I haven't seen in a while. Someone who I need to have lunch with and catch up with. So, that being said, let me catch you up on some things that God has been doing in my life.

In just the last few months sometimes through people that I have the privilege of getting to sit under and be poured into by, sometimes through everyday friends, sometimes through church leaders, and sometimes through just spending time alone with God He has taught me the truth and depth of His forgiveness. The beauty of His MANY names (some that I had never heard before now). He has deepened and enriched my prayer life, teaching me to truly "Pray with out ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). He has taught me to see not only others but also myself as the masterpiece He has created us all to be. In the last few months God has been teaching me continuously, and still is teaching me, all of these things and so much more:)

One of the many names He has is a word that we have heard often growing up, whether it be because of school or church, and that is "teacher". God is my Teacher. He is teaching me day in and day out new things. He is renewing and transforming my mind so that I can be more like Him every day. Now He doesn't do this by setting up a time for us to have a class together in which I sit down and He teaches me with a chalkboard (of coarse, I'm sure you already knew that). Instead He is using those that He has placed in my life, His Word, His Spirit, and the words of some incredible songs He has written through His people. I have enjoyed and am continuing to enjoy His teachings in my life. And I am loving the way that He is revealing Himself to me as Teacher.

Something else that He has allowed me the privilege of doing is going to Ecuador for a little over five weeks this summer. I get to intern and be apart of a ministry over there that I absolutely love and while I can't wait to get back, there is two other names that God has been having to reveal to me lately and press onto my heart. Fear-taker, and Jehovah-Shalom my peace. Because to be quite honest I'm a little nervous. Who wouldn't be their first time leaving the country for this amount of time, or for that matter this only being their second time out of the country. Please don't misunderstand me, I know that God has given me this opportunity and I can't wait to see what all He has planned for me there, but as a human, I am nervous. God will protect me and I know that, but I'm a little nervous. So that being said please pray that God will press even further into my heart these two names. I am so thankful for you all because even though I may never meet a lot of you as I said before, you are my friends and I love each of you. Most of you seeing this are praying and for that I am far more grateful than you will ever know.

Well, you are caught up now I guess. Hopefully it won't take too long for me to write you again:) I pray that God is continually blessing you each and every day my friend:)

Love in Christ,
Kelcy:)

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.