Night #4: The Last Night of Renewal

Before renewal tonight, we had a meeting to talk about Catalyst, a convention down near LA our group is going to in April. We talked about some the fundraising we'll be doing and signed up for dates! It's going to be so much fun. This is the first time I've really done hardcore fundraising with a group, working towards something on my own. This is a big step for me and I couldn't be more thrilled. Here's what I signed up for:

• A Leadership conference, where we'll be serving food (March 3, 10-3)
• Taking pictures at the Valentines Dance (February 10, 5-8)
• Serving at BBQ family lunch (March 11, 8-1)

We'll also be having a Young Adults summer camp. I've never been to summer camp...so that would be like a dream come true for me, no joke! I am really excited about that. And I'm also thinking, I'm seriously going to need a job for all of the things we're planning and wanting to do coming up! LOL. You have no idea how excited I am for all of these things coming up...this is the start of something really, really good. 

We had a little time to kill before service started, so we all just hung around and talked for a few minutes, then grabbed our seats. I felt an overwhelming sense of peace tonight as we started worship and singing just confirmed everything.

"I yield, I yield, I let go of my worries and doubts

I yield, I give, I do not have to figure it out

I give up the right to what I think is best

I'll do what I can, but then leave you the rest

I yield, I yield all of my life to You my Lord."

"Here am I, Lord send me 

To the ends of the Earth 

I will go

Wherever you lead me, I will follow

Here am I, Lord send me!"

Tonight, our pastor spoke mainly to the younger generation with his word tonight about following God's plans. He has something special and beautiful for each of us, but insecurities tend to hold us back. It doesn't matter where we're from or what families we were born into, we can break the generational curses. Satan tells us lies about ourselves and pretty soon we start to believe them. We're not good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, etc. We feel ashamed or even that God is ashamed with us, so how could we ever be able to go on and do great things? Ya know what? God uses imperfect people; He uses people that have screwed up, because we ALL do. 

The youth pastor got up to speak and said the youth is going through a challenge called "Shift." God continuously wants to shift things around in our life. So, what is it that He's calling us to shift? Our attitudes? Our language? Our hearts? Minds? My attitude has been a big one that I've been working on for the last year, and it still definitely needs some changing as well. Romans 12:1-2 is the perfect verse for that. I've had a fear of failure, I've tried to be perfect, and at times I've tried to play things off like I had it all together. But, I don't have to be perfect. We all mess up, and God takes care of those things that we can't do. 

It's time to stop focusing on the things we DON'T want to be, and start focusing on what we DO want to be. Tonight, I felt God calling me back to my original passion and love of music/singing. From the time I was about five, I always knew that I had wanted to be a singer. As I got older, that didn't change. However, recently, I've just started feeling like maybe it's time to face the facts that I need to move on from that and that dreams change. But, this week I've been getting confirmation about music and singing. And for some reason, tonight as we were hearing the word and singing the last song of the night, The Grand Ole Opry stage kept flashing in my mind...maybe it's of things to come and maybe it's not. But, I trust God in His judgement and as long as I stay faithful to Him, He'll provide. God knew from the day I was born what He had planned for me, and He still has a plan now. I choose to follow them. 

I'm so sad that it was the final night, because I've had an incredible time of truly getting to know the Lord for who He really is. I feel like I have grown so much over the past four days! I have gotten confirmation about things I've been worried about, I've been prayed over and blessed, I've felt God's peace and love, and I've been able to share all of these incredible moments with girls that inspire me daily. I love them and thank God for their friendship. 

After the service, we hung around a few minutes. We were trying to make plans to go out for ice cream at Denny's or McDonald's, but it didn't work out. Ceci gave me the sweetest card after, and it totally tugged at my heart strings :*). Viviyan gave me a ride home, where of course, we had one of our infamous talks about all the wonderful things going on in life! 

Now, I'm catching up on a little TV (Pretty Little Liars and One Tree Hill). Tomorrow, I have a fun filled day in a small town where I go to school...yay! I hope the day goes by quickly.

That's all for now,

Shelby