Faith.

It's so crazy to me how easy it is to let the devil in with out even realizing it. 

I've been having a quiet time in my bible every morning, but not really having a quiet time because my mind was totally elsewhere. 

We pray at night and sometimes I can't even remember what Kyle had said. 

I rarely listen the KLOVE or Air1. 

Lastly, we hadn't been to church in almost a month! 

Last weekend we went to church, finally, and for the first time in a while.

My pastor was preaching on the 4 soils, a message many of us had heard multiple times. When he started preaching though, I was instantly convicted. The message was brought to us from a different angle. It was about growing. In the message we were given 4 thoughts for the 4 different soil types. The passage is found in Luke 8 if you would like to give it a read. 

Soil 1. The stepped-on mind

How to grow if you are in this soil: Be open to the fact that God wants to talk to you.

Fear, bitterness and pride can step on our minds and snatch that seed from being planted. 

Soil 2. The shallow mind

We need to set aside dedicated time to listen to God's voice. 

If you are in this soil, you are usually thrilled with what God has to say but never transformed.

Make time for a quiet time!

Soil 3. The preoccupied mind

Keep yourself free from the distract you.  

For example:

The cares of life thorns

The riches of life thorns

The pleasures of life thorns

These people hear the word but the thorns that are near choke out the word.

I find myself in this category. I am so preoccupied with whatever is going on around me. When I pray, I find my mind wandering and not actually talking to God. Sometimes I will cut my quiet time short because I need to blog or catch up on a show. 

I need to remember that God gives and takes away. I can't control what is going on around me, if I will get a new car or a promotion at work. I need to give it to hime and stop letting the thorns of life choke me. 

Soil 4. The committed mind

Make a commitment to do what God tells you to do. 

We should all strive to be like this. I desperately want to have faith like this, to be able to tell God, "I don't know what you are going to ask me to do but that's ok because I will do it." 

Reception with God is not automatic. It takes work. I had somebody tell me a couple weeks ago that they don't really understand how people can feel the Holy Spirit, because he just never has. 

When you truly accept Jesus into your heart to be your savior, he gives you the gift of the Holy Spirit. You don't just instantly call to the Holy Spirit and he's there, if you don't know Jesus. Of coarse that is why it's so confusing for him, because maybe he hasn't really surrendered his life to him.  

It's hard work to be in connection with Jesus. Actually it's not that hard, giving up time and clearing our minds to finally hear him is what is hard. 

After this weekend, I felt so much more in connection with Jesus. 

Also, the devil started attacking me more.

Kyle thought he might have hours cut & I thought I was out of the running for a new position at work.

Turns out they were both just miscommunications. 

I need to stop being worried and preoccupied with life and all of it's worries and start trusting God and telling him yes, even if I don't know what he will ask me to do yet. 

Hope this encourages you this morning!

With Love,

Kenzie Ann

Is it only Tuesday?

Seriously? After 3 weeks of an abnormal schedule, I'm really feeling like it should be more like Thursday....or Friday..that would be great. 

This week I find out if I got a new position at work. I won't be bummed if I don't get it but a little raise would be pretty cool. Prayers please!

Here's a little verse to help you through your Tuesday:

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. 

Colossians 4:6

Have a great day everyone!

With love,

Kenzie Ann

The Thankful Project: Day 8

Day 8: Words

Ok so I have two "words" or in my case books that I am thankful for. First is the bible. I didn't start getting into reading my bible until a couple of years ago. I never thought I would enjoy it and thought it was so old and boring. Then in high school, I started to have quiet times with the Lord reading his word. I started in the New Testament and read a chapter a night. Once I started to read, it was like God totally opened my eyes to his word and it felt like he was speaking to me. If you haven't started to have some quiet times with the Lord, I recommend getting a notebook, and open your bible to one of the gospels (Matt. Mark. Luke. John.) or James. I think I might have started with James. Its now one of my favorite books in the bible. 

Once you read a chapter, write down a verse that stuck out to you. After I write down a few verses, I usually journal in the notebook or write down prayers. I like to look back at my journals and see what God was doing in my life at that time. 

Ok so this is the Christy Miller Book Series. I read all of them when I was in high school. If your not a reader at all (like me) then at least give this books a shot. They're amazing!! These fiction books are so encouraging and not full of love/sex junk like other young love books. The series follows the main character Christy and her friends from age 14 till after college. They really teach girls what to do and not to do with love and friends. The christian message in them is just so refreshing. To have a fiction book talk about God in such a normal, not "preachy" way throughout the whole series is awesome. 

I learned so much from these books. I can also say that because I started reading these books at age 15, I started to pray for my future husband. What book or movie or person for that matter, encourages  praying for someone you don't even know, but that's really what all young girls should do. I really can't say enough amazing things about this series and all of Robin Jones Gunn's books. PLEASEEEE check out the series at her website. I'll link it here. These books helped me through some tough teen angst. I'm so thankful that I came across them and that God really spoke through them. 

Do you recommend any good book or have any words that you are thankful for?

With love, 

Kenzie Ann