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Father, what is my story?

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IMG_6093 Scripture References:

  • Psalm 86: 15
  • Zephaniah 3: 17
  • Romans 5: 8
  • Ephesians 2: 4-6

My favorite question to ask someone is, “What is your Jesus story?” I have no idea why I get a thrill out of it, but I do! I guess it is because I often hear things like this:

  • I don’t really have one
  • Mine isn’t really good
  • Well, it’s not like (insert a name here)

I’m not salty, I’m not here to preach at you. I am WITH you!!! I normally said my testimony isn’t much. I have great parents and great friends. I’ve never done anything that was “bad” and I’ve never had this radical come-to-Jesus moment. I was that girl that kept her little mouth shut and prayed to God that no one would ask me that question.

Truthfully, I needed to know why I didn’t think I had a good Jesus story and it was because I didn’t really have one. Yeah, I “know” Jesus. Yeah, I told people I am a Christian. Yeah, I go to church. I could quote John 3:16 and Philippians 4:13 word for word. I was a GOOD girl!!! Suddenly, I prayed a big, fat, humbling prayer about a year ago. I asked the Holy Spirt if I knew Him. I can’t say that I got this immediate response with vivid visions and a booming voice telling me that I am a sinner and I better find Jesus. No, the Holy Spirit slowly revealed my nature to me.

A few years ago my family went through a nasty divorce. Feelings were hurt… well feelings are still hurt. And there is this scar left from the anger and the betrayal. But, what made me the most bitter is the fact that the spot light was no longer on me. That’s a tough reality to face, to really see how selfish I am… and the crazy thing is that NO ONE taught me this! I never had to read a book about how to be selfish or prideful- this is my nature; these traits were who I was! Later, I read this really adorable love story about a man named Hosea chasing his horrible wife named Gomer. News flash, I am Gomer. I am the girl that didn’t want to submit to my Lord.

I continued to run down this road of destruction. Well, the Word says this:

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.”

Hosea 2:14

How amazing is that??? Your God, in the midst of your doubt and your wandering, is still alluring you to Him. So, that is my story. A once unbeliever, bitter, angry, hateful, and a prideful enemy of God became His child. He loves me, He shows me how to love you, and He is here for both of us. Eventually I gave into the Lord’s constant pursuit of me. I can’t explain it right, but it was as if He was near me, speaking sweet truths in my ear- “You are accepted.” “I am for you.” “I will never leave you.” “You are beautiful to Me.” And here it is, I want you to insert YOUR name:

“You, (Name), are a Child of God.” “You, (Name), have a purpose.” “You, (Name), are precious to Me.”

Want me to keep on? Because I can. Your worth is far greater than what your cute little brain can imagine. The Maker of ALL THINGS had a specific thought for you. He has given you talents, gifts, and quirks that make you valuable to the Kingdom. There was a time that you crossed over from death into living. That isn’t something that we should so flippantly accept. Because here is the thing, there are people who don’t know Jesus. And don’t ever think just because you are young, inexperienced, and…. young that you can’t impact the Kingdom. Recently, I had an amazing conversation with a beautiful 13 year old girl. She showed me just how much she loves Jesus by investing in friendships that come with intentional conversation. Let me just tell you, her friend found Jesus. Her friend walked away from death and is now walking alongside Love, Himself.

Your Jesus story matters. Your Jesus story is amazing. Go and tell it over the mountain, my dear.

– Bre

1. Who are you asking their Jesus story?

2. Who are you telling your Jesus story to?

3. Have you tried writing your Jesus story down? I know it helps me, every time I write it down. Maybe it will help you too!

Lord, I know you have more.

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Scripture References:

  • Romans 1: 21
  • Romans 12: 4-6
  • Galatians 4: 6-7

Do you ever wonder what living for God really looks like? I know I have…a lot. I know, I know, it’s being “in the world but not of it” or “glorifying God in everything you do”, right?  Those answers still weren’t super clear to me for a long time and I still felt lost, but then I realized it was because even though I knew God I didn’t treat him as the Lord of my life. I thought that what I wanted for myself would make me happier, but He has more for me.

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:21

( This is the NIV version, please read The Message version, its bae.)

Sometimes I was too busy justifying and worrying about the unsure strides I took on boundary lines that I forgot God’s glorification was my purpose. Gah, wake up Autumn! Do you ever frustrate yourself? I know I do. Anyway, God has more for you than a lifestyle of anxiety over unfaithful decisions. God is more than a crash pad, or someone to run to when tragedy strikes. He is more than the author of an inspirational Bible verse on the back of one of your t-shirts. We can feel lost when we know God but don’t treat him as our Lord and more like our safety net when we step a little too over the boundary line. Side note: You’re worth more than what you give yourself. There’s this guy named Jesus who died because he believed that.

So, I keep saying God has more and not telling you what it is. When we do what we want, we bring death to ourselves. Our Father values us enough to give us life instead. Actually, eternal life. Once we accept that gift, I believe that God changes two big things: our purpose, and our perspective.

All of the sudden, we go from living aimless, winding lives to being part of something big. Something meaningful. We literally have the power, through the Holy Spirit, to change the world. We are called to live differently, which basically just means get over ourselves. We are called to serve and show the love of Christ in everything. We are called to be thankful and worshipful in everything we do.

Once we know our purpose, our perspective dramatically shifts. We quickly forget about boundary lines and guilt. Suddenly tragedies don’t cut as deep and feeding our flesh seems foolish. The difficulties of life can be pushed through because they’re no longer pointless and you have your Creator walking with you. DISCLAIMER: Sometimes we lose sight of these things and that’s why God puts his word and his people in your life to point you back.

You should know that the same God who created the world is infinitely in love and invested in you. He created you because He valued you enough to want you to be part of His purpose.  So, what I really want to do by saying all of this is encourage you to persevere through all our selfish desires and the trials that come with them, because there is a sovereign God who runs the universe and orchestrates your tomorrows with a delicate and precise touch and wants you to play your part in His plan.

– Autumn

1. What is your purpose?

2. Where is your perspective?

3. What can you do to align both of these things with what the Father wants for you?

4. Text one person this week that you are not “close” to. Tell them what you love about them.

5. Read all of these Scriptures, write them down, read them in different versions. Then base your prayers off of them and even write that down!

Lord, pick me!

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Scripture References:

  • Jeremiah 29: 11-13
  • Esther 4: 14
  • Psalms 139: 13-16

This blog was created, truthfully, almost one year ago…and my first blog post was only two days ago. That’s a big difference in time, and I could tell you that I created the blog and then just forgot about it the next day, but that would be a lie. Every week I felt a need to write; even in college my professor asked me if I had a blog because I wrote as if I was having a conversation with a group of people- which in literature class is not a good thing might I add. It is kind of like saying, “Your writing is good but not good enough for literature.” …So my ego was bruised.

I have friends that will tell you how many times I would get aggravated because I didn’t know what to write or I felt like no one would take me seriously. From a young age I loved writing, but I hated to write book reports or essays for school. I felt like I was drowning in a pile of words that I didn’t believe in or I was forced to say. But anyone who knows me knows that I have a lot to say and I say it loudly…with strange accents.

Then two of my friends looked me IN THE EYE and asked me, “Do you think what you have to say is important? Does it point to what you believe in? Does is point back to Jesus? Or is it just a fad that will go away?” At first I wasn’t sure at all and then I began to questioned myself. “Can I even write well? Would I annoy people? I’m sure someone has already said what I have to say. No one would take me seriously. I’m just the funny girl who likes to make people laugh. Everyone would think I’m a joke. They’re going to think I’m just doing it because everyone does it.”

I was speaking death over the gifts that God had given me. I let the roots of doubt, worry, anxiety, and panic creep in to something beautiful God had designed JUST for me. A perfect gift that I was drowning because of fear.

Then I went to Italy. Everything changed. I realized I don’t have to worry about anything. God has my back. The Creator of the universe, He who hung the stars, and knows my inmost being. He gave me a gift and this gift has the power to change the world.
My friends and I just started a Move group called Unfiltered. We want it to be a group for girls to ask questions and dig deeper into their faith- to truly fall in love with Jesus. Because Jesus wants every piece of you, every facet of your being… the good, the bad, AND the ugly. We WANT you too! We want to do life with you, to grow with you, to be vulnerable with you, and we want to rejoice with you. We want our girls to be able to step away from the world of social media, Instagram filters, vscocam, and “140 characters or less” and truly become what the Lord intends them to be. Weird accents and all. So we named this group Unfiltered. So likewise, we named this blog Unfiltered.

I guess to sum up my ramblings: God gave YOU gifts. Whether that be acting, singing, writing, speaking, drawing, filming, or dancing. Fall in love with Jesus, dive into the Bible, learn to pray relentlessly, and make the most of what God has given you. The most powerful statement I have heard was when someone told me, “God gave everyone gifts and He equipped you with the power to use them, but if you just avoid it and push it away and drown your gift in fear He WILL find someone else to use that gift to glorify His great, glorious, gorgeous, wonderful, amazing name.”
So, embrace your gift.

Make a difference in the Kingdom: one word at a time, one speech at a time, one dance at a time, one film at a time.

“Go at once” and do it!

– Sydney

Go journal about this:

1. What is your gift and how can you use it to glorify Jesus?

2. What is holding you back from pursuing the dreams that God has put into you?

3. Write down everything that YOU want to do. Off of that list, how much of points back to Jesus?

4. Journal your prayers. Uses the Scriptures given to help shape your prayers.

5. Show some love to one person this week that you wouldn’t normally speak to. Write down his or her name. Pray for them. Hang out with them. Text them. Something!