Getting Plugged In

Well I did it, I took the next step at church. One of Elevation's philosophies on getting "plugged in" is called the 4 Gs: giving, gifts, growth, and groups. Well I've been giving my tithe. I've grown the church by inviting people with me. Now I'm ready for the gifts aspect. I signed up for the M1 mentoring initiative and I signed up to be a volunteer in the eKidz department at Elevation Church - Gaston.

Ever since I started going there back in June 2012 I felt that I had not only found a church that I could call home, but I found a place where I felt God was leading me to serve. I've been having this feeling for months that I need to get involved, start working with the kids, do something else with my life besides just working, eating, and sleeping. Now I'm doing it.

I know this move is a step ordained by God because of how easily it happened. This summer I happened to attend Elevation Uptown on one of the first weeks they talked about starting up the M1 initiative  Well, once the school year started I just never took the next step to go to a training or see if I could get hooked up with a student. Well today at the Gaston campus they brought it back up, saying the need was still there since they'd only gotten about 800 of the desired 1,000 mentors. I figured now that I'm attending Gaston regularly it was a good fit. Plus, Katie was there with me and as soon as she heard the call for mentors she looked at me and said, "Hey, we should do this. Do you want to?" I knew that was God speaking to me through her. And ya know what, since we were there, I went ahead and signed up to be a volunteer in the eKidz department so I can start working in the nursery again. I've been saying I wanted to be a nursery worker for months and I've just been putting it off saying I wanted to start tithing again and I wanted to make sure my school schedule was more stable before I got plugged in. Well, life is good, it's time to make it great. I'm getting plugged in!

Pastor Steven Furtick is in week 2 of his The New Rules of Resolution sermon series, and today's message was about receiving and achieving. He said that as Christians we need to adopt the lifestyle of "regifting". Yes, regifting. :-)  God has given us gifts. It is our job to then go out and give those gives to others. He blesses us so we should in turn bless others. He gives us grace so we should in turn give grace to others. God served us and gave his life and time for us, now it's my turn to use that gift and start giving back.

I feel really good about this! Boot camp for the eKidz department is next Sunday so we'll see how it goes. I can't wait to see where God takes me with this!

Tithing

People don't like to sit in church and listen to a 45 minute spiel about giving their money to God. They just don't. It gets uncomfortable and I'm guessing for many, hearing a preacher tell them to "give their 10% back to God" has them feeling so uneasy that they walk right out the church doors and don't go back.

I've been attending Elevation Church since the summer and currently Pastor Steven Furtick's in in a sermon series called Banner Years in which we're learning how to make every year great in our lives, thusly making it a banner year. A few weekends ago he had Pastor Robert s Morris (I think, my notes are not within reach at the moment) in from Gateway Church in TX and he gave a 2 week sermon about tithing. And I must say, it got to me.

Yeah, I'll admit it, sitting there listening to this man talk about giving money had me having those uncomfortable feelings, but it wasn't because I don't want to give God my money, but because earlier in my life I had been doing it for a long while, weekly, regularly. But once I moved out on my own and (cough-cough stopped going to church for a year) I started having to support myself financially, budgeting out 10% of my money to give back to church was a struggle for me. I mean I was barely having enough money leftover to put gas in my car to get to work and buy groceries to stock my cupboards with.

However, sitting in church hearing Pastor Robert and Pastor Steven talk about tithing really hit home to me. One of them made a comment about how when you stop tithing and giving God what is rightfully his, a curse gets put on your money. Now I've heard this for years growing up from old pastors and my parents. So it wasn't like it was old news. But sitting there, in that particular moment, it was like DING! the light bulb went off. Pastor made a remark about when you stop tithing, your money gets cursed and then the money you do have seems to run out faster and you struggle to make ends meet; things break down and you're always shelling out money for something or another.

Well, I sat there and did a mental check list. Since I've moved out on my own almost three years ago, I'd wrecked my car, twice, I'd gotten a speeding ticket, my computer started falling apart, I had high bills, I didn't have any extra income to save, a night out on the town consisted of me heading to Wendy's to order off the value menu on Friday nights, and I was struggling to make ends meet, like really struggling. Like I would do good to have $40 left in my checking at the end of the month before payday. So when he said that and I realized all the money I essentially lost over the last two years I tried to think about what could be a reason behind it. Well, it was simple. I stopped going to church which translated to I stopped tithing regularly.

Back in high school when I was working part time I got paid every Friday. So that meant every Sunday I was filling out my offering receipt and putting it in the church offering. I wasn't making much back then, maybe $200 a week, but man did that $200 go far. I always had money, my gas rationing was good. I didn't wreck my car (to where it was my fault; I'd been hit a few times); I never wanted for anything; my belongings lasted and didn't break. Life was good! Then all of a sudden, life wasn't so good.

Was it because I stopped tithing or was it just life circumstance. You can take your pick. But I know for me personally, sitting in church I knew I had to get back on it. It'll be hard for me to crank the top 10% off my gross salary and put it in the offering because bills are still so high, but I'm working to start with at least 2-3% and increase it to the full 10% (and hopefully go beyond that to 15 and 20%) as I get accustomed to not missing that money. Sounds bad, I know. Why give at all if I'm not going to give the full 10% you might ask? My position is this, God knows my heart and he can see that I'm trying to live right and follow his commandments. I'd rather give 3% regularly to him rather than give 0% and have the rest of my money be cursed.

I'm sick of wrecking cars, I'm sick of high bills, I'm sick of never being able to do things because my budget won't allow it. I want the curse off my money and I want a better life. So here we go. Jasmine is tithing again.

I started this past Sunday 12/2/12, and ya know what, it felt great!

___________________________

PATS SELF ON THE BACK!
Memory served me well. It was Robert Morris at church the other week. And this quote was very memorable from his sermon:
Concerning your money -- "90% with God's blessing will go a lot further than 100% without it."

On Track to 25

I haven’t blogged much recently, a common trend I find myself falling into. But truthfully, I haven’t been explosively mad to the point where I need to vent through this avenue. My life is good right now, completely changing, and good.

I don’t know how old I was, perhaps still in college, when I made a personal goal for myself stating that “By the time I’m 25 years old, I’ll have my life together. I’ll be a full-fledged adult by then.” I’ve been saying that for years, because you know me, I always have something that I’m aspiring to, and personally I wanted my life to be in order. What does that mean you ask? Well it’s simple.

By the age of 25 I expect to:
- Be stable in my career
- Be stable financially
- Be closer with my family
- Be closer and more firm in my relationship with God
- Know who I am

If all of these things were in order, then I figured I’d be ready to take on the world. I’d be ready to have a serious relationship with a man and truly give him my best self. So let’s do a breakdown and check my progress.

Career
It’s my third year teaching. I’m still at the same school, but, I’m no longer a second grade teacher, nor am I the RTI Interventionist/Coordinator for our school. This year I’m back in the classroom teaching 5th grade English Language Arts. I love it! I couldn’t be happier. I’m teaching a subject that I love and can really delve into, and the 5th grade team is just awesome. I’m clicking with them in ways that I don’t think I clicked with my 2nd grade team. Nothing against my 2nd grade team because they are all wonderful ladies and we still have casual conversations when we see each other in the hallways at school, but I feel like I fit in with the 5th grade team. It’s just something internal. I have peace.

Financially 
Well, this stage of my life is sort of in limbo. At the end of the school year a group of teacher-friends and I decided to get a big house together so we could share bills and save money and not be so lonely living on our own anymore. It was a great plan and we found a great house and moved into it at the end of July. From living on my own to living with roommates, I should be saving about $200-$300 every month. That’s huge. Only, it’s been 3 months and I haven’t saved a thing. Why? Well, I wrecked Susan in the middle of July and had to by a new car, and between insurance screw-ups and waiting on payoff checks and breaking my apartment lease and owing them money, I haven’t been able to put that extra money in the bank. But it’s coming. October is going to be my month that all that gets situated and come November, that extra apartment rent money, insurance money, and surplus from not having to pay bills on my own is going straight to my savings account (well, after I buy a new cell phone. My blackberry is finally giving out).

Family
I love my family so much and I’ve been trying to physically and verbally show them how much I care about them as well. In July I went to Kentucky to see them and was there for two weeks. I also had two trips down south to Louisiana and Texas where I got to see my extended family. All good is on those fronts. I have a good relationship with all my brothers, my parents and my grandparents. I thank God everyday for blessing me with such a great family who loves and supports me.

Spiritually
This is perhaps the biggest change to happen in my life and recently. I will admit that I was very lax about finding a good church in Gastonia. Two years ago when I moved out on my own, I was gung-ho about hunting one down, but eventually that cooled off and I fell into the Sunday morning routine of washing my hair and cleaning out my DVR (if football wasn’t on.) To get a bit of the word I’d listen to Joel Osteen, but even that wasn’t feeding me enough. I used the excuse, and yes it was an excuse, that the reason I wasn’t finding a church was because every time I went to Kentucky and sat in my dad’s congregation and heard him speak the word, I knew I needed something similar to what he was offering, and in Gastonia I wasn’t finding it. Truth is, I just wasn’t looking hard enough.

Then this summer, after a girl’s weekend at Trish’s house, she says to us that we’re all going to church the next morning, even though we’ve been out late celebrating her birthday. I say OK and hop in the car and head to a 9:30 service at Elevation Church. Instantly I was hooked.

Pastor Steven is r-e-a-l. His words hit true to home and I learn something about myself or what I’m lacking in my walk with God every week. There are times when he’s preaching and I realize just how right on path I am. Being in church frequently has me desiring to get involved and give back. I’m thinking about mentoring, and volunteering and working in the eKidz department. I want to give back to the community and the world and really get plugged in. I love hearing his sermons. They are uplifting and at other times very eye-opening.
But what really pulled me in to Elevation was the worship. Since I’ve been involved in music since I was in 6th grade, I personally feel my connection to God and the Holy Spirit comes through worship. I can get more out of 20 minutes of singing and personal praying than I can get out of a 30-45 minute sermon.  The Worship Experience pulls me in, centers me, humbles me, and the direct communication link I have with God opens up wider, and I lift my hands (something I’ve rarely done in the past but now surrender completely to during my me-time-with-God), sing and pray, and feel totally at peace.

I have Trish to thank for all of this. Through her, I’ve found a church and I’m very passionate about attending that is feeding me spiritually. Those three weeks this summer I was off vacationing were hard because I was missing services and missing the worship and I longed for it. Truthfully, church services at Elevation have become the highlight of my weekend. :-)

I’m praying more, I’m trying to listen more, and the biggest thing off all is that I’m talking about God more. I’m sharing my viewpoints with my roommates, with my friends, with coworkers, and my family. There’s a spiritual fire burning inside of me and I love spreading it.

Jasmine 
Who am I? That’s a huge question for most people. Well, in two years of living off on my own, I think I know the answer. I love myself. I know my faults and I’m striving to be a better person. I know I’m not perfect by any means, but I’ve learned to take personal responsibility for myself and my actions, and you know, I have peace and stability at being exactly who I made created by God to be.

So what now… 
Well, since I can basically check off all these aspects of my life, what does that mean? Well, my mom always likes to ask me am I dating anyone or are there any potential flings. And for the majority of my two years away from her, that’s been a firm resounding no. I’ve had some dates, a few casual connections, but nothing substantial, no boyfriend, and I haven’t wanted one.  How could I date someone when I didn’t feel like I was my best self? My life was all out of balance. I was all out of balance, and after Anthony, I had to really hone in on exactly who I was, what I liked, what I needed, and what I wouldn’t accept from a man. Sure, mom might want more grandbabies besides Bentley and I’m the next logical choice in bearing a child since I’m the oldest, but I can’t rush something serious like bringing a person into my life if my life wasn’t together.
Last night I was talking to a friend of mine and I asked him what had he learned about me recently that he didn’t know before. Now, we’ve known each other for two years so to hear his answer to this was big for me. He said two things. “You’re more mature than I thought. You’re more mature spiritually than I thought too.”

I smiled instantly at the responses. For me, that’s great. He can see the change in me that I’ve been working for. He can see my growth as a person, my growth into an all-powerful-adult. Hearing that lets me know that I’m on track. I’m on track to being the best Jasmine that I can be at 25. I know I won’t be completely 100% perfect and satisfied, there will always be things that I need to work on with myself, but in my life’s journey, I know that I have to pause, reflect, and evaluate, and see if I’m making the right decisions and stepping onto the right paths that are going to benefit and fulfill me.

Well this was a very long post, and I’ve got an hour before I need to be heading out the door for church. So, until next time…

Resurrection Sunday

Most people took to social media this morning to wish people "Happy Easter". My first tweet this morning was a different spin on this Holiday.

It's not Easter. It's Resurrection Sunday.

I followed that tweet with this one.

Jesus died and rose again so that we might live. Take a moment to be thankful that He loves us so much to die for our sins.

On this day, several people go to church and get a watered down version of what happened when Jesus died on the cross for all of us. Then after church they go out and have Easter egg hunts and snack on chocolate bunnies and eggs. That stuff doesn't do it for me. The eggs and the bunnies are all pagan symbols of a fertility god. If you ask me, fertility has nothing to do with My Savior dying for my sins.

Call me a miser if you want to, but I don't look at Easter the same. It isn't about looking for eggs and getting Easter baskets full of candy and toys. It's about remembering. Remembering a time when the human race was so corrupt and full of sins that our Father God was ready to blight us from the world. Instead, his son, Jesus, bore all of our sins on his back and died so that we might have a fresh start.

Today, on Easter, I choose to let that by my focus. And for that, Jesus, my Lord, my Savior, I thank you. Thank you for caring enough about me and my future to die for me.

Searching For A Church

I moved out on my own almost a month ago, and three Sunday's have gone by and I've sat on my couch in my PJs and watched cartoons instead of getting dolled up and heading out to a morning Church service. My parents have asked me a few times have I found a church and I replied to them that I was waiting to get settled into living on my own before I go out there and find a church family, which is true. So this morning I woke up super early and as I was flipping through the channels trying to find a marathon of Avatar, I came across a local church service airing on TV. I sat and watched. And then I turned on my computer and started researching the church. I even went as far to email the pastor and ask him some very poignant questions. 

Is it wrong and lazy of me to not be out there visiting these churches in person, but rather taking a more reserved approach and researching them on the Internet and emailing the pastors and asking them about the messages they teach, doctrines and their beliefs, as well as the racial and age percentage breakdowns of their congregations. I mean, I'm the type of person who doesn't like to waste my precious time and precious gas, going to different churches that don't fulfill my criteria.

Having been raised as a pastors child I know the Truth about God's Word, and I can't just go plop my rump down in any pew and listen to just anybody with a ministry ordainment preach what they believe to be the "Truth". I want to be in a God-centered, supportive family environment that doesn't sugar coat heaven and hell, and repenting for sins, and consequences of not living a Godly lifestyle. I want to be somewhere that we uplift me spiritually while also challenging me in my Walk with Christ. I want to be somewhere that simply is honest and teaches the Truth. While also not being full of only one race, and having a lot of old people. Tough criteria I know. But I want a church that has people that look like me, and different from me, and are near to me in age, while also older and younger than me. This world isn't comprised on only old people, or only black people, or only married people. It is a diverse world, and I want to become a member in a diverse church family. 

What are your thoughts? It's a lot to request, but I will not give in. I will be successful in my endeavors to find a new church to call home.