http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMhKHTFclJk
This link will lead you to the Lifehouse Everything Skit that high school students from FBC Church Hill performed for United for A Revolution on May 1, 2009.
This performance and any performance of this skit is very moving! As an upcoming sophmore at the local high school & a varsity cheerleader & being activly involved in my youth group I constantly have people watching me and judging me. I do my best to represent myself and my squad the best i can by not giving into peer pressure & having sex with my boy friend, or not doing drugs and drinking. In this i am not only representing myself and my squad i am representing every Christian. If we are who we say we are as Followers & Believers in Jesus Christ then we must stand strong and stand up for what we believe in. If we say we are Christians but then go out and act as any other person and do all the stuff we know we shouldnt do then we are no better than them. It is our responsibility to share the love of Jesus to the rest of the world and if we don't stand up for what is right and what we believe in then we have failed at out job.
I have been in many of the situations represented in this skit and it is not easy at all to stand strong thru all those temptations, trials, and struggles. I did fall many times and let my faith in God slip away. Before I finally got a good look at reality my relationship with God was basically non existant, but with the help of some very good friends I stood back on my feet and said "im done with those ways!" it is amazing how much God loves us and will protect us thru anything as long as we stay true to Him. I am still faced with these trials and temptations on almost a daily basis but now i know my friends who are there to help me thru and no matter if it is 2 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon all i have to do is call them or text them and say please pray for me or can i talk to you about something and they are always there to listen. You can make it thru anything life throws your way as long as you stand strong and keep God on your side.
NO MORE GOING THRU THE MOTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
The Mind of a Teenager.. Who has been through alot!
I wrote this on April 19th 2009 and read it to my youth group the following Wednesday night.
As I stand here before you tonight I see alot of things... Football players, basketball players, tennis, band members, colorguard girls, cheerleaders... So why are we all here together? Its not because we are all best friends, its for God. You know this because how often do you see a Varsity Cheerleader walking down the hall with a band member? Not often. How often do you see a football player hanging out with a girl from colorguard? Its about as rare. So why are we all here? Together? In the same room, doing the same thing? Is it because all of us want to? No. Is it all because our parents made us? for some maybe it is. For others it is not. We are mostly here for God and His glory!!!
As many of you here know, I really struggled last year. I went my own way and did not do what God wanted me to do. I was to focused on what i wanted and not what God wanted. I chased after a guy, who was not involved regularly in church, though he claimed to be a Christian. Who would cuss and scream and fight just for the heck of it. He didnt care about anyone but himself. I thought he loved me, I thought he cared, but I was wrong. I see now that i should have followed what my heart told me to do not my head. While i was going through all this i struggled with my faith. I got up on Sunday mornings and came to Church cause mom and dad said i must, I came on Wednesday nights to see my friends and talk about the latest thing that happened at school.
I was so commited to my tumbling that I didnt care what it took i was going to do what i had to do to be the best i could. I didnt miss a practice unless i absolutely had to, I went to every competition i could and i didn't care if I missed church. I actually looked forward to it. Now i look back and see all that i went through and im not going to say i regret it because i see that God was working in my life all along. He let me go through all that to make me who i am supposed to be one day. Even tho i went through all the pain and all the questioning of whether God really existed and if He really loved me, I wouldnt change it for anything. Between Xtreme, Winter Jam, listening to what John has to say on Wednesday nights and Brother Gary on Sunday mornings, and my own personal time with God, I have come to realize EVERYTHING and i mean everything, that happens to each and everyone one of us for a reason!!! We all are here tonight for a reson! Whether we get along or not we have been placed in each others lives for a reason by God.
With the help of many friends I have made this year I have realized that just because i was so far away from God last year doesnt mean it has to be like that forever. In fact right now my walk with the Lord is stronger than it has been in a long, long time. I have realized that a Christian will face things in their life that make them realize that God is the one and only and if you don't follow Him life is almost unbearable at times. You realize during your walk with Jesus that Satan really is a devil! He despises the fact that you love the Lord and he will try every way in the world to hold you back. He will make you believe that God isnt real. He will give you obstacles to overcome that when youre first confronted with them you believe they are impossible, but with God's help everything is possible! NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!!!!!!!!!! He can pull you out of the deepest darkest pit and se you back on your feet. God is always waiting with open arms to accept you and love you and forgive you of all your sins. And trust me, its not an easy road. You may lose friends you will have hard times. but this is part of living a Christian life. You will get judged because of your faith. but you will also have times to witness to non-believers and the joy you will get when you help lead someone to Christ makes everything worth while. I have seen this in my own life and i believe that Jesus died on the cross thinking of each and everyone of us. He now sits at the right hand of our Father and knows each and everyone of us inside and out. He knows what is going to happen 5 seconds from now. 5 minutes, 5 days, 5 years, or 5 centuries! he knows it all! He knows the exact secont we will take our last breath and join him in Heaven. He knows the man or woman we will marry, and if and when we will have children.
I have said all this to asy all this right here.
Jesus loves you and cares about you. He wants you to be his and to walk with him everyday. It does not matter what you have done in the past. He will accept you the way you are. So if you believe in Hima and trust Him with all your life remember this: In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:6)
If you think that you are to far away to accept God as your Lord and Savior. YOUR WRONG!!! I thought that i was to far away from God last year and at the beginning of this year to ever be able to call myself a Christian agian. Then things began to change. I met a few people that changed my life, some other things began taking place and i realized I could still be a child of God. I want you all to realize that to. It does not matter what you have done it only matters what you are going to do. Like i said before, it wont always be easy. I recently have been through some things that this time last year i would have handled completely differently. I probably would have said some choice words, slapped a few people or punched something and stayed mad until something else happened that i could be mad at. Now i prayed to God to give me the strength and the wisdom to do what was right and it has worked itself out for the most part. No one should ever thing that God wont take them back. Never give up on God cause he will never give up on you!!!!!!
I know you are probably thinking what was the point of this.. Ill tell you what the point of this was. I want you to know that God loves each and everyone of you. Unconditionally!!! & i have stood in front of you to tell you all this because i felt that it is what God wanted me to do!!!
As I stand here before you tonight I see alot of things... Football players, basketball players, tennis, band members, colorguard girls, cheerleaders... So why are we all here together? Its not because we are all best friends, its for God. You know this because how often do you see a Varsity Cheerleader walking down the hall with a band member? Not often. How often do you see a football player hanging out with a girl from colorguard? Its about as rare. So why are we all here? Together? In the same room, doing the same thing? Is it because all of us want to? No. Is it all because our parents made us? for some maybe it is. For others it is not. We are mostly here for God and His glory!!!
As many of you here know, I really struggled last year. I went my own way and did not do what God wanted me to do. I was to focused on what i wanted and not what God wanted. I chased after a guy, who was not involved regularly in church, though he claimed to be a Christian. Who would cuss and scream and fight just for the heck of it. He didnt care about anyone but himself. I thought he loved me, I thought he cared, but I was wrong. I see now that i should have followed what my heart told me to do not my head. While i was going through all this i struggled with my faith. I got up on Sunday mornings and came to Church cause mom and dad said i must, I came on Wednesday nights to see my friends and talk about the latest thing that happened at school.
I was so commited to my tumbling that I didnt care what it took i was going to do what i had to do to be the best i could. I didnt miss a practice unless i absolutely had to, I went to every competition i could and i didn't care if I missed church. I actually looked forward to it. Now i look back and see all that i went through and im not going to say i regret it because i see that God was working in my life all along. He let me go through all that to make me who i am supposed to be one day. Even tho i went through all the pain and all the questioning of whether God really existed and if He really loved me, I wouldnt change it for anything. Between Xtreme, Winter Jam, listening to what John has to say on Wednesday nights and Brother Gary on Sunday mornings, and my own personal time with God, I have come to realize EVERYTHING and i mean everything, that happens to each and everyone one of us for a reason!!! We all are here tonight for a reson! Whether we get along or not we have been placed in each others lives for a reason by God.
With the help of many friends I have made this year I have realized that just because i was so far away from God last year doesnt mean it has to be like that forever. In fact right now my walk with the Lord is stronger than it has been in a long, long time. I have realized that a Christian will face things in their life that make them realize that God is the one and only and if you don't follow Him life is almost unbearable at times. You realize during your walk with Jesus that Satan really is a devil! He despises the fact that you love the Lord and he will try every way in the world to hold you back. He will make you believe that God isnt real. He will give you obstacles to overcome that when youre first confronted with them you believe they are impossible, but with God's help everything is possible! NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!!!!!!!!!! He can pull you out of the deepest darkest pit and se you back on your feet. God is always waiting with open arms to accept you and love you and forgive you of all your sins. And trust me, its not an easy road. You may lose friends you will have hard times. but this is part of living a Christian life. You will get judged because of your faith. but you will also have times to witness to non-believers and the joy you will get when you help lead someone to Christ makes everything worth while. I have seen this in my own life and i believe that Jesus died on the cross thinking of each and everyone of us. He now sits at the right hand of our Father and knows each and everyone of us inside and out. He knows what is going to happen 5 seconds from now. 5 minutes, 5 days, 5 years, or 5 centuries! he knows it all! He knows the exact secont we will take our last breath and join him in Heaven. He knows the man or woman we will marry, and if and when we will have children.
I have said all this to asy all this right here.
Jesus loves you and cares about you. He wants you to be his and to walk with him everyday. It does not matter what you have done in the past. He will accept you the way you are. So if you believe in Hima and trust Him with all your life remember this: In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:6)
If you think that you are to far away to accept God as your Lord and Savior. YOUR WRONG!!! I thought that i was to far away from God last year and at the beginning of this year to ever be able to call myself a Christian agian. Then things began to change. I met a few people that changed my life, some other things began taking place and i realized I could still be a child of God. I want you all to realize that to. It does not matter what you have done it only matters what you are going to do. Like i said before, it wont always be easy. I recently have been through some things that this time last year i would have handled completely differently. I probably would have said some choice words, slapped a few people or punched something and stayed mad until something else happened that i could be mad at. Now i prayed to God to give me the strength and the wisdom to do what was right and it has worked itself out for the most part. No one should ever thing that God wont take them back. Never give up on God cause he will never give up on you!!!!!!
I know you are probably thinking what was the point of this.. Ill tell you what the point of this was. I want you to know that God loves each and everyone of you. Unconditionally!!! & i have stood in front of you to tell you all this because i felt that it is what God wanted me to do!!!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
In Life...
As a 14 going on 15 year old teenage girl I dont always get the credit I deserve. I know I still have alot to learn but I do know alot of things already.. I was sitting in my bedroom a few minutes ago thinking...
(this is how it is for girls anyway. it may not apply as much to guys)
There are many things you learn in life, many before you are considered a legal adult, tho people dont always give you credit for it. Here is what i was thinking...
(this is how it is for girls anyway. it may not apply as much to guys)
There are many things you learn in life, many before you are considered a legal adult, tho people dont always give you credit for it. Here is what i was thinking...
As you grow up you realize alot of different things..
People change and so do things, nothing ever stays the same for long. Just when you start to get used to how things are, it seems that life throws you another curve ball. No matter how far away from God you may get, he is always ready and waiting with open arms to forgive you and get you back on the path you need to be on to lead a life for him. Friends come and go but family is always there. You may not always like them, you may fuss and fight all the time, but your family is there the only ones that love you truly that are here on this Earth. No matter how much you love someone they will always break your heart. It does not matter how much they love you and care about you either, we all make mistakes and that is one of many everyone does. Some cases are worse than others but its up to you to pray to God and ask for the wisdom for what you need to do. If you feel that they are truly sorry and want a second chance then give it to them, if you feel its right. If not, you need to stand up for yourself and no matter how much it may hurt you would be better off without them. It is not right to sit around praying that someone you "love" will change just cause they "love" you. People never change for you no matter how much they say they "love"you. You may think they did but really, normally, they act that way for you and go behind your back and continue their own way.
Also, you will have many difficult decisions to make even before your out of high school. Hard times will deffinately effect your life and the way you see things from then on out. Past relationships will always be brought into new ones, cause you always hold on to part of your past no matter what. People always judge you by your looks first, and by what your reputation is. You should always be cautious about what you say cause there is someone out there who is jealous and would do anything to kill your reputation just so they could take your place on the social ladder. The devil will and can attack you full force at any moment of any day no matter where you are or what you are doing.
The only thing you can rely on ALL the way thru your life is the love of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
University Of Kentucky
ENVY OUR PAST
FEAR OUR FUTURE
THE JOHN CALIPARI ERA IS HERE!
I only remember 2, now 3 coaches in Kentucky history. Tubby Smith is the first coach I remember, and when he resigned i was happy. I thought that it was time for a change. I dont like the walk it up the court, pass the ball around and maybe get a shot in. I want a fast paced game with a high score. I was hopeful when Billy G. came but I soon became to dislike him cause it was not much of an improvement over Tubby. I thought he should have one more year to try tho, but this is the beginning of a new Era in Kentucky Basketball History. John Calipari will bring alot to the program and Im ready for some exiting basketball in the bluegrass!!!
FEAR OUR FUTURE
THE JOHN CALIPARI ERA IS HERE!
I only remember 2, now 3 coaches in Kentucky history. Tubby Smith is the first coach I remember, and when he resigned i was happy. I thought that it was time for a change. I dont like the walk it up the court, pass the ball around and maybe get a shot in. I want a fast paced game with a high score. I was hopeful when Billy G. came but I soon became to dislike him cause it was not much of an improvement over Tubby. I thought he should have one more year to try tho, but this is the beginning of a new Era in Kentucky Basketball History. John Calipari will bring alot to the program and Im ready for some exiting basketball in the bluegrass!!!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
wow..
Its hard for me to believe that my freshman year is already coming to a close. As of today i only have 31 more days left in my freshman year of high school. its scary when i look back at these past several months. So much has changed!! I have rededicated my life to the Lord, I have met an amazing guy who has changed my life for the better, tho i realize it may not last forever. I have made new friends and lost some and even tho its sad in the end i think it was better, they are no longer there to drag me down. I have drifted away from some people but also gotten closer to many others. This year was a whirl wind of emotions and im sure they are not over yet but in the end i can honestly say i enjoyed my freshman year of high school at VHS. as i lay here and think about my life now i wonder.. "how did i let myself get so far away from God? How far down in that dark hole was i last year? Am i out, or do i still have work to do to get out? How much longer til Satan tries to get me back with a full attack again? will it be worse or will i be strong enough to say no and stand up for myself and God this time? Will what i decide to do with my life please God? What does the future hold? How much longer will everyone i love be here together? Will i lose someone tonight? this week? this month? what are my parents going to do in 3 years when im off to college? How will my brother like being the only child at home for once? Will he like it? will he miss me? does he even care? What am i going to do if me and Chris are still together when he goes off to college? Will that last? What if i dont succed in achieving my dreams? will i be a failure in life or will i push myself to get what i deserve? will i remember to never settle for less than what i deserve? Will i get married? Will I have kids?" I know i dont need to worry about these things but at the same time i think every teen today worries about most of this stuff to a certain extent more than people realize.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
United for a Revolution
Tonight during The Revolution I was thinking.. We all have friends who are not in church anywhere and do not know the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With Good Friday and Easter (Resurection) Sunday coming up, and for the youth in this area United for a Revloution a few weeks after that.. I think every one who is in the Youth Groups at FFWBC and FBC Church Hill especially and every other church youth group in this area, state, country and world, need to invite their friends that do not attend church anywhere else reguarly to go to church with them. Everyone has the right to know what Jesus gave up for them and could do for them. He is amazing!!!! So I challenge Youth and Adults alike to invite your non-Christian friends to come to church with you some time before Resurection Sunday. And for the youth at FFWBC and FBC Church Hill invite EVERYONE OF YOUR FRIENDS to United for a Revolution! it will be a great time for fellowship and worship in the house of the Lord! Even if your friends have a church home still invite them cause this will not interfere with a regular church service. United for a Revolution will hopefully be the start of something amazing in our community!!!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Team Trials
I have just finished competing at the 2009 A.A.U. Team Trials in Canton IL. I am sad to say I did not make team but I did finish in 8th place along with 2 other girls out of our group of 24 girls!!
I would like to say thank you to everyone who has helped in this process!
To my coach for years now of dedication to me and the rest of the team. none of us would be who or where we are today with out you!!
to my parents for putting up with me all fourteen years of my life =) and for paying all the expenses month after month for me to do this. and all the love and support you give.
to my wonderful boyfriend for believing in me when i cant even believe in myself. i love you so much and you are the best thing to happen in my life in a really long time!!!
to all my amazing friends for all your love and support even when we cant hang out cause i have a meet what ever weekend and for listenin to my countless stories about crap you dont even understand =) i love you guys!!!!
and to everyone else i have met in the process, including other coaches, fellow athletes, judges and all the parents at the meets!!!
and most importantly God. the only way i am able to do any of this is thru God's will. I pray before every pass i do especially in competition and then i thank him when i make it alive.
Today im praising him even not in church, because He is the only reason i did as well as i did today! I could not do any of this on my own! Believe in the one and the only! My God is Amazing!!!
I would like to say thank you to everyone who has helped in this process!
To my coach for years now of dedication to me and the rest of the team. none of us would be who or where we are today with out you!!
to my parents for putting up with me all fourteen years of my life =) and for paying all the expenses month after month for me to do this. and all the love and support you give.
to my wonderful boyfriend for believing in me when i cant even believe in myself. i love you so much and you are the best thing to happen in my life in a really long time!!!
to all my amazing friends for all your love and support even when we cant hang out cause i have a meet what ever weekend and for listenin to my countless stories about crap you dont even understand =) i love you guys!!!!
and to everyone else i have met in the process, including other coaches, fellow athletes, judges and all the parents at the meets!!!
and most importantly God. the only way i am able to do any of this is thru God's will. I pray before every pass i do especially in competition and then i thank him when i make it alive.
Today im praising him even not in church, because He is the only reason i did as well as i did today! I could not do any of this on my own! Believe in the one and the only! My God is Amazing!!!
Friday, January 23, 2009
I've Been Told...
I've been told I'm Special
I've been told I'm here for a reason
I've been told I have made a difference
I've been told I can change the world!
Yes, my life has been difficult recently
but I can work thru it.
Everyone will have ups and downs
but Im done letting mine get to me!
I wanna know how special I am,
I wanna know what reason Im here for
I wanna know what knd of difference I will make
I wanna know if I really can change the world
I know I will always have obstacles trying to hold me back
But I have the will power to get over or around it
Im not going to listen to the ridicules and remarks around me.
I am going to see where I can end up in life!!!!!!
I've been told I'm here for a reason
I've been told I have made a difference
I've been told I can change the world!
Yes, my life has been difficult recently
but I can work thru it.
Everyone will have ups and downs
but Im done letting mine get to me!
I wanna know how special I am,
I wanna know what reason Im here for
I wanna know what knd of difference I will make
I wanna know if I really can change the world
I know I will always have obstacles trying to hold me back
But I have the will power to get over or around it
Im not going to listen to the ridicules and remarks around me.
I am going to see where I can end up in life!!!!!!
What do you do?
What do you do when your life finally seems to be going right, for the most part but one of the most important people from your past seems jealous and not happy for you? When you have finally realized that you need to forget the past and move on with your life. YOu know it was the right decision to make and everyones so proud of you, except for her and you can already tell your making a turn for the better. What do you do? This time last year I would have said " forget all this! im just going to forget it all! it aint worth it!! and not followed thru but now my feelings are different now. Now, I have decided that I know that this is what I have todo, it is going to be better for me now & for later in life. I cant let others in my life drag me down. I have to do what is best for me and if others dont approve then so be it. and if they dont understand why i must do it then i dont need them around anyway. I have to listen to God cause if Im not living for Him then what do I even have in the first place? What is my life worth? Its worth absolutely NOTHING if im not living the will of God. Im ready to stop living for what i want, put everything in God's hands, and live my life for him!!!
Brandi Michelle
January 23, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Being An Athlete
Being an athlete means not being able to do every school activity you would like to. It means putting everything else behind, school, friends, everything. It means getting hurt but still trying, losing friends because they dont understand, living in you own world and not knowing what goes on outside of practice. Its working hard on one thing to perfect it for hours on end & the only people you talk to ourside of your team is family or might as well be. You have your circle of friends that love you and care but hardly ever get to talk to them. You may pass them in the hall at school but simply have time to say her and keep going for fear of being late its still having your one best friend that you still talk to and having left everyone else for the sport you love. Its forgetting how bad being single can hurt sometimes but a hard pravtice makes the pain disappear, at least temporarily. Its knowing exactly to eat before a practice, exhibition, competition, or game and having to plan everything around those. Its being categorized at school & feeling all alone all the time cause no one you know understands. Its having the physical and emotional strenght built up pver the years of feeling that way not to break down in front of everyone anymore. Its working everday for what you love and never giving up!
Written by: Brandi Michelle Lewis
August 8,2008
Written by: Brandi Michelle Lewis
August 8,2008
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
My Thoughts Tonight
As we enter and go thru 2009 I believe that God is going to work strongly in the lives of the youth of First Baptist Church Church Hill. We started off strong with Xtreme at the end of 2008. The conference really got the group fired up for Christ. At the most recent SMT meeting there was a lot of things running thru my mind. What really got my attention was some of the people that have always seemed to want our group to grow more toward Christ and to be a bigger and stronger group as a whole, seemed stuck in old ways! As long as i can remember the youth group at our church has gone to the YEC. This year we have now decided to go to Winter Jam instead. Many other youth and myself that went to winter Xtreme last December believe that the group as a whole and ourselves as individuals will get alot more out of this retreat than we would YEC. I honestly would have thought that she would want to do what the group would benefit more from. but thats not my problem.
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