What I have to offer is Me

So...
I'm not really sure who has or hasn't heard of the death of Amanda Todd. It's a really sad story. A young girl bullied at a young age. It's heartbreaking it's the story of thousands and thousands of youth. The statistics on bullying are mind blowing.

It blows my mind how an individual can literally speak enough death into someones life that they would kill themselves. Suicide is so sad, it goes beyond my comprehension. To literally feel like there is no hope is mind blowing. Because I know the hope of the world.

See before the world or the universe existed God existed. God was in perfect relationship with his son and the Holy Spirit and they wanted to extend that relationship so they created humans. But before they actually created us they had a conversation and decided that no matter what happened they would have a way that we can always be in relationship with them, because that is our purpose. We are made complete when we are in relationship with God. So God (Father, son and spirit) created the universe, earth, light, land, water, every animal on land, in water and in the sky. And finally they created humanity. And when we were created it was beautiful and creation was complete, we were the climax of their creation.

Now I'm sure most of you have heard the story, Adam and Eve ate of the fruit that God had told them not to. God wasn't trying to hold back from Adam and Eve, but God wanted to protect them from evil. But it was their free choice, see God could have created us so we'd automatically praise him and do good. But we could never love him that way because you need to choose to love someone. Well the moment Adam and Eve took a bite of that fruit evil entered the world. But this wasn't a surprise to God, he already had a plan of how we can still be complete in relationship with him. Because God loves us, God desires that relationship with us. so years later (around 4000) Jesus comes to earth, he comes and displays who we were created to be when in relationship with God. But the world hated him because he went against their way of living for only themselves. So they had him killed. But this again wasn't a surprise to God he knew Jesus was going to die, Jesus knew. But this was the only way for their beautiful creation to be in relationship with God.

See when we sin the consequence is ALWAYS death. Not a physical death but a spiritual one when the very life in us dies. So Jesus took that, he took all of the death we deserved and was killed. But God is more powerful than the grave, three days later Jesus rose from the dead. Now the penalty is paid, we can now enter into relationship with God and begin the process of being made complete in him.

That is my hope, this is everything I live for, this is what keeps me alive when the evil and darkness of the world seem so strong. I know I can live out my purpose in life which is to live in relationship with God. I know there is still good in the world because God is good and I'm connected to God now.

I didn't know Amanda Todd, but to think that she died feeling like there was no reason to live. That breaks my heart. I have so many questions, did she know that the God that created everything thought she was important enough for his son to die for her? Did she know that love her beyond understanding? I don't know. But if she didn't thats un us as Christians. I am so sorry to all the people who have never heard that there is a God who loves them and wants to know them. Because my job here on earth as a Christian is to be a testimony to the incredible thing that God did approx. 6000 years ago when he thought out a plan to redeem us from sin.

What blows my mind is how incredibly mean people have been to Amanda. I don't know her, I don't know the people that bullied Amanda, I don't know what made them do that, but I do know that God loves/loved all of them. God loved Amanda. God also loves the people who bullied her.
I'm angry at the people who bullied Amanda, if I could talk to them. I'd have one question. Are you happy now? Now that you destroyed a life are you happy? But what is so incredible about my God is that he doesn't do that. God can't not love people. I think he gets sad with people. But he never stops loving them. And that in my mind, if I could say one thing to the people who bullied Amanda I would say God loves you, and forgives you. I feel compassion on them, because they are just as lost as Amanda felt.

I've read some of the comments on the Amanda Todd Facebook group and they say 'I hate the people who bullied Amanda' or 'God's going to come and get you back' ... well to those of you who wrote hurtful things to the people who bullied Amanda, how are you any better than them? You're saying mean things too. And everytime you say something hurtful you are speaking death into someone, and only so much death can spoken about soemone before they have no reason to live. It's this viscious cycle and it needs to stop! Hateful words need to stop being spoken.

It's hard to love someone that is our enemy, yet thats what the bible calls us to do because when a gentle word is spoken it can calm a war.

I'm all my followers, this is a long entry. But I think it's important to examine our lives and the way we treat people and look to see if we're building people up or tearing them down. That even means in our joking. It might funny for you but you never know the power of your words.

I want to leave you guys with a video that I saw on the To Write Love on Her Arm website, I really liked something this guy said he said, "Don't allow yourself to be tricked into thinking that the way things are is the way the world must work" We have the power to change the world. But you have to be the change you want to see. If you want bullying to stop than you need to examine how  you talk to people. And if you see bullying YOU need to step up and say something! I ask myself these questions too, I know I have failed many times, but I keep trying to make the world a better place.
Please take 5 minutes to watch this video.
http://www.twloha.com/blog/what-to-offer-1/

Infinite x's and o's
- A

Inside my head

Hey!

So I wanted to get a little personal on this blog, being honest with you and hopefully you learn a little something about me that you didn't know before. In the summer I was feeling really lost and just kind of unsure of who I am. So I decided it would be a good idea to sit down and write out things about who I am. And i want to share my journal entry with you guys, so I hope you enjoy and that you feel like you know me just a little bit better after reading this.

" Monday August 6, 2012

Alright lets talk about who I am.
I am twenty-one years old. I'm sensitive about my age.
I have red hair and love every inch of it.
I've grown up in small towns all my life. I used to hate the country, but now I'm embracing my country side.
I hate the taste of coffee but I drink it because it makes me hyper, and I think I'm more fun when I'm hyper.
I love tea, all kinds of it. I
'm left handed and have terrible printing.
I love getting good old fashioned mail. And I would probably send a lot more letters if I had nicer printing.
I like tall guys with blonde hair and blue eyes. (I always tell people I want to marry someone with those qualities because, 1. I'm short so if I marry someone tall my children have hope of being taller, 2. I have red hair so if I marry someone with brown hair my children are pretty much destined to have brown hair, so I'd like them to have the option of having a light colored hair, 3. my eyes are brown so if I marry someone with blue eyes then my children have hope of having something other than brown eyes and also blue eyes are just really pretty)
I have brown eyes and have ALWAYS wished for a different color.
I love lace and old things.
I also really enjoy simple things.
I love to travel, I hate trying new things (but after doing it I love that I tried something new)
I am a Christian, born and raised.
I love God, but sometimes I go through phases where I don't feel like I love him and I don't live the way I should. (I don't like those phases but during them I feel... almost invincible, like I can do anything I want. But I also feel ... empty.)
I want to change the world. I mean... I REALLY want to change the world.
I'm super naive, I don't try to be I just am.
I beleive the best in people. And have a really hard time believing there are bad people in the world.
I enjoy quotes, they inspire me.
If I could pick a favourite feeling it would be inspired. That's all I want to do with my life, inspire people. I just haven't figured out how to do it yet.
I'm slightly OCD. But only in moments.
I wish I was more creative with words. I would love to write songs. I open my heart quickly to people, and get attatched easily.
I want to own a jeep.
My favourite music genre is accoustic and folk, but oldies and jazz are a close second/third.
Often I'll flirt with guys I don't even like just because I like the attention from others, and yet the guys I do like I get awkward and quiet around.
My favourite movie is the Notebook because I love how old fashioned it is. AND the southern accents.
I always wished I had a southern accent, and sometimes I pretend when no one is listening.
I am a complete hopeless romantic and am constantly dreaming of find "my man" and going on lots of crazy adventures with him.
                                                 I think thats all
                                                Infinite x's and o's

                                                                                                                                                            -A

Passion for people

Well Hey everyone!

          If you guys have followed my blog since the beginning then you may have noticed the face lift I gave it. See my original name, and everything just didn't fit anymore. The purpose of this blog has changed and the name needed to change with it. To something a little more me, and seeing as I am definitely a country girl at heart I figured country and heart was a fitting title.  I hope you guys enjoy my new blog style.

        So I want to share with you guys what happened to me today. See I'm in Bible College studying to be a pastor right now, and I'm not really sure thats what I want to do with my life, but thats the direction I'm heading for now. All I can say for sure is that I know I love people. People are my passion. But see up until today I've been saying that and saying that but I haven't been acting it. I say that I want to inspire people, but my actions haven't lined up. Well today in class my prof. was talking about how we are supposed to love people not for whothey are portraying themselves to be, but we need to love people for all the potential of who they can be in relationship with Jesus Christ. Just because someone is acting rudely doesn't mean I should be acting rudely back, instead I need to treat that person according to the potential they have inside them.

       Now I don't know maybe you guys read that and were like, uh yeah no duh! But for me this was like huge revelation. Because I realized how I say I love people, and I want to inspire them but then because they aren't acting perfectly that changes how I react and treat them. Well I need to apologise to everyone I have ever treated badly because you know what? That was wrong of me. And I figured out the way I can inspire people is by treating them according to the potential they have in them. When you treat someone who would seemingly not deserve honour with honor they begin to rise to the level that you are treating them on. And that is how I want to live treating people so good that they rise up to be that good, or greater!

        I really do love people, and its not going to be an overnight change of how i treat people, I am constantly telling myself to not say certain things, but its worth it in the end.

        How can you guys treat people better around you? Are you building people up? Or tearing them down? Are you challenging people to rise to a higher calling on their life because of the way you treat them or are you minimizing people? Think about the way you treat people, it's really important!
Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other. - John 13:35

Infinite x's and o's
-A