Be Present

Skip to 4:31 if you want to watch the "Be Present" spoken word

You know those moments when you watch something or read something and afterwards you are just like "well...I feel guilty now"....that is kind of what happened to me after watching this video. It definitely spoke to my heart. 

There are so many things that serve as distractions: Emails, Texts, Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Twitter, Snapchat, Fantasy Football Updates, Tumblr...the list goes on and on. It's exhausting and it is like "man, when was the last time I looked up?" This generation is so guilty of not being present. We participate so heavily in social media that we completely ignore what is going on right in front of us.

This message called me out.

Referring to his wife, the man basically says "her presence is God's present, so be present" 

The Lord calls us to love Him and love His people. But how can we truly be loving if we aren't present? We spend more time typing then we do talking. We can't truly love, know, and understand His people if we don't even take the time to look up at them.

I pray that we can view the people that surround us as God's presents. So I just encourage that we spend more time talking to the people in our living room than talking to the people on our phone. If we are going to be there, let's be there. Amen? 

51

I just want to give glory to God right now and all that He has done through InterVarsity this past semester. Yesterday we had our end of the semester celebration in which we look at how we have seen God work. 

This semester we saw a total of 51 people make decisions to follow Jesus

PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Basically, InterVarsity saw a person coming to faith every other day. How crazy is that? Sometimes, I take for granted how special this community is. I get to see somebody come to Jesus almost every single week. That is so incredibly beautiful and inspiring. 

I pray you can all rejoice knowing that we have 51 new brothers and sisters.

I can't wait to see what next semester has in store! 

Decisions With Discernment

My prayer for you all tonight is that you just meditate on these lyrics

Lately, the Lord is really telling me what and who in my life is leading me closer to Him and who is not. 

We make decisions daily. They could be life changing or they could be as small as picking out your outfit in the morning. But how many times do we make these decisions for the sake of our God? When was the last time we approached decision making with discernment? 

No request or decision is too big or too small for God to have an opinion on, so why don't we start asking Him? 

Talk to Him tonight. Ask him what He thinks about your life....your job, friends, school, family, girlfriend,  boyfriend, closet addiction, children and what you do with your spare time.

Don't be afraid of the answer. Chances are He has something so incredible planned for you. He loves you enough to care about all of it. 

Offer every pocket of your life up to Him and see how He works. 

A Little Like Lily

As I was praying about what I wanted to share this week at woman's study, I came across this video and immediately thought "this is perfect". 

Some of you are probably thinking "where in the world is the biblical connection?" 

I know, it is kind of a stretch. 

The passage we went over was in Matthew 7

We discussed the idea of persistent prayer, receiving God's blessings and how to use them when our prayers are answered. 

The two things I wanted them to take away from this video were: 

1.) God knows the desires of our heart. When Lily was opening up her presents she would ask "how did you know I wanted this?! how?". So often the Lord denies us of what we ask for and gives us something even GREATER. So great that we always end up asking "how did you know I needed this Lord. How?!" His gifts to us are perfect. 

2.) After Lily was done receiving all her gifts,  her mother asks "okay, so where do you want to go with all these things?". Of course, her answer was Disneyland. However, I think that after the Lord spoils us with His abundant blessings, the question is "okay so how are we going to use these gifts". We not only should be receiving His grace, but we should be using it for His glory as well. 

So often God looks upon us as we looked upon Lily. Besides, to Him, we are all children. He knows our heart so intimately and He knows EXACTLY what we need. 

Now all we have to do is ask. 

I Am Awesome

Grace Amazing

This Monday night at women's bible study rocked my world. It is incredible how much you learn about the Lord as you lead people into a deeper understanding of His Word. No matter how much I try to plan and take control, God is always reminding me that He is the true Shepherd.

I wrestled for a while with the passage (John 4:43-54) that I was suppose to teach that week. There were just so many other verses that I wanted to share with the girls and however terrible this sounds, I just didn't have a passion for the story of the royal official and the healing of his son. I know, I know, that is awful of me to say, but I really just wasn't connecting with it.

HOWEVER, I decided be faithful and go ahead with the teaching of that passage. I felt as if even though I couldn't picture it right now, the Lord was going to really speak through it...

That morning while I was in class, I listened to a voicemail from my dad saying my grandmother was taken to ICU.

She had broken three sections of her lower abdomen and her organs were beginning to shut down on her at a rapid rate. 

I rushed back to the hospital in Temecula after class and spent the whole day praying over my dad and praying over her. Never had I seen a person more fragile. 

I began planning the bible study while sitting by her bedside as she slept. 

I started rereading the passage about how the royal official literally begged Jesus to come and heal his son. I could not help but connect with the desperation that the father was feeling. It was the same posture that I had minutes earlier as I begged for the healing of my grandmother. 

In this moment, I knew that the Lord had spoken to my heart. 

I then drove back to San Marcos to give the lesson on healing. As we prayed together at the end of the night and as I continued to pray as I drove back again to Temecula, I knew that everything was going to be okay. 

The next day I found out that although she was still in a critical condition, she was to be moved out of ICU and will soon be on her way to recovery. At 92 years old, any type of progress after the state she was previously in can definitely be considered a miracle!

This week taught me that I should never doubt how transforming His Word can be. No matter what, God will find a way to speak to your heart. It is AMAZING that what has been written thousands of years ago is still very much ALIVE and APPLICABLE to ALL of us today. 

How beautiful is that? 

You Got Served

A while ago I started to find new ways to serve God's sons and daughters. One of the things I began to do was pay for the people that were behind me in the Starbucks drive-thru line. I am sure you have all heard about people doing this, it is such an easy thing to do and really is pretty rewarding. 

So yesterday I decided to do it for the first time in a while. I know this is not a good excuse, but money has been kind of tight and I have been trying to save as much as possible. 

But this time, I had a gift card. My wonderful mother puts money on this card every time it runs out, so I knew I would be totally safe to pay for the people behind me. 

After I had told the barista to put the couple's order behind me on my tab, it turned out that there wasn't any money left on the gift card. 

Therefore the three drinks and two lunches that were to be purchased came straight out of kendal's broke account. 

I think this was God's way of saying there is no such thing as superficially serving His people. Although it was such a small thing, the Lord humbled my heart in that moment. I think that trip to Starbucks did more for me then it did for the couple behind me. 

So often we think that we can do the bare minimum, but God calls us to do more. Serving is good, but it is GREATER when it involves sacrifice. 

Let's just say, lesson learned. 

Dream A Little Bigger

This week I prayed for one divine appointment ...

The Lord provided me with TWO

This week I prayed for three new faces at women's study...

The Lord provided FOUR

This week God reminded me:

if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you -John 15:7

The way that He has been working this week is incredible. Every time I sent up a prayer, He responded with just a little bit more. It is as if he is beckoning me to dream a little bit bigger. 

The Lord calls us to stop pretending that He isn't BIG. We have to stop living like He isn't going to come through. He IS going to come through and He is going to do so BIGGER & BETTER than we could ever imagine. God is going to blow us away. 

I want to have faith in the fact that the Lord is going to continuously take my breath away. 

He loves to show us that He has what it takes...so why don't we let Him? All we have to do is be prayerful and be willing. If we can do that...then we are going to see BIG things happen. 

Mountains are going to move this semester on my campus

Water Into Wine

"Like a rushing wind, Jesus breathe within. Lord have Your way. Lord have Your way in me. Like a mighty storm, stir within my soul. Lord have Your way, Lord have Your way in me" -I Surrender by Hillsong

Today at Intervarsity we went over John 2, the miracle where Jesus turns water into wine. It is incredible how you can read a story a million times, but still the Bible speaks to you as if it was the first time your eyes read those words. 

I was amazed by the servants' obedience to Jesus despite not knowing that He was capable of miracles. They had absolutely NO idea what they were getting themselves into. Still, they continued to listen to His commands. 

This just goes to show that sometimes listening to the Lord does. not. make. sense. But, that's okay. Francis Chan says that, "something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers". The way we interact, speak, and live our life should  not  make sense, but we should do it anyway.

If we are obedient, God is faithful. 

Jesus did not ask the servants to perform a miracle, He just called them to complete a small task and He was going to take care of the rest. We shouldn't fear the act of stepping out in faith. If we are faithful with the little things, God will come through with the miracle. 

I don't know why we get so hesitant to talk about our faith with people when we know that if we just do it, then God will speak in those moments. 

I hope you are all encouraged by the servants' ability to trust without being able to see what is going to happen next. They are the perfect example of what it looks like when we walk by faith and not by sight. 

Create a space for God to show you a miracle this week! 

Ignite L.A. 2013

Today....God showed up. 

You better believe that the Lord is moving and working and starting something NEW on the campuses across California and in Las Vegas. And better yet, He has called the Intervarsity students to be His hands and feet to make it happen. In fact, He has called all college Christians to be the light their campus so desperately needs. 

Tonight over 300 college students gathered together to be anointed with the authority they need to minister to their campuses. He spoke to us through healing, words of confirmation, visions, testimonies, worship, speakers, community, workshops and His word. We received it all today. I can almost guarantee that not a single soul in that church left without feeling completely satisfied in the Spirit. His grace and mercy and love absolutely CONSUMED that room. It was a beautiful sight.

 I just hope that you all can continue to be praying for the young adults whose heart's break for the people on their campuses, both students and faculty. It is NOT okay that so many students can come and go without knowing the love of Jesus. We should be spiritually UNSATISFIED that students go a day without being shown the character of Christ. It is our duty to see to it that NO ONE misses the grace of God. 

We are called to love. We are called to do away with judgement. We should remember that it is Jesus who LOVES to use the broken. In Bethany Dillon's song "You Are On Our Side", she brings to light the fact that Jesus laughs with the wounded and the poor and he sits at the table with the thief and the whore. It is OUR responsibility to be Jesus to those who don't know him. We shouldn't be afraid to go to those places that are seemingly unreachable. If you think that someone is too far removed from God to ever be saved, then that is EXACTLY who you need to begin a new relationship with. 

I just pray that the fire that was set in our hearts will continue to burn throughout the rest of the year. 

It is pretty simple: Experience God. Change the world......why not, right?

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUT TO KELSEY TRUE! woot woot! What a wonderful way to celebrate! :) 

Eden Rose Craig

I recently started working in the children's ministry at my church Temecula Hills Christian Fellowship  and I have to say, it has been THE biggest blessing. There is something so genuine about having a child-like faith and those kids are a daily inspiration to remember God as my loving Father.

Now, this little lady (my niece) is my constant reminder that God DEARLY loves us. There is absolutely NO denying that God exists when you look at this child, or any child for that matter. She is the epitome of purity and innocence and she just radiates the love and beauty of the Lord. How can you possibly look at that face and think "oh she was just an accident, a product of science, she was not divinely created?" 

OF COURSE she is a creation of the divine, we ALL are. 

Although I rarely get to see her, Eden Rose has drawn me and so many others closer to Him without her even knowing. She is another precious child of God and I cannot wait to see her grow up to know that she is LOVED. 

Who/What in YOUR life reminds you of God's unfailing, infinite love? 

Little, Big Blessings

Good afternoon everyone!

I figured that I should probably tell you a little bit about who I am before I continue to post, post, post. So here's a little list of some of the big blessings in my life...

1.) My Family

So here we have my dad. Although you can't tell on the surface, this is the most adventurous man you'll ever meet. He is super intelligent, sentimental, and absolutely LOVES his children with every ounce of his being. 

My mother is one of the strongest women I will ever know. Her story is absolutely incredible and despite her sometimes headstrong attitude, she really is just a big goofball. 

My baby niece, Eden Rose. Ah...I could go on and on about her. With ease, Eden stole everyone's heart the moment she took her first breath. She's already 8 months old now and beginning to crawl...she is absolute perfection. 

My sister-in-law, Marie, is literally THE most beautiful woman inside and out. She is the epitome of class, grace, and elegance (which makes sense because she danced as Jasmine, Belle, and Snow White in Tokyo Disney)....of course she is going to be princess-like! She is witty and independent and just happens to be one of the most hilarious girls I know. 

Finally, my big brother, Allen. Now, talking about him almost makes me cry because of how much he means to me. Most people know him because he plays professional baseball, but even BETTER than that....he is an incredible big brother, wonderful son, and an amazing father. He is the greatest guy I know. 

2.) My Best Friend

Let me just tell you about Madeline. She is syrup sweet, she is sugar sweet. She leads with her heart and always looks to the Lord in all that she does. I met her in 1st grade and now that we are going into our 3rd year in college it blows my mind to see how far we've come. Although this Cali girl found herself all the way at Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio) she still manages to challenge me in my faith, she is a true Sister in Christ. 

3.) My Sister

 I know, we don't look alike. That's because we aren't related. haha, but besides Marie, she is the closest thing I will ever have to a sister. She use to babysit me when I was only a couple months old and somehow we just managed to stick around in each other's lives. This girl is my concert buddy, my dance in the car buddy, my adventure buddy. She recently moved to Seattle, but distance makes the heart grow fonder!

4.) Mi Amor

 This guy right here is special. I met him at a wedding last September and he quickly became my best friend. I never thought I'd meet someone weird enough for me, but here he is. No matter what we are doing, I can be sure that laughter is to follow. Our relationship is a true testament to how in tune the Lord is with all of our hearts and I cannot help but Praise Him every time I think of Cory. He completely reconstructed my idea of what it means to be a true Man of God. A real gentleman, a modern day Prince Charming. (he'll prolly make fun of me for saying that).

5.) My roommates

Stephanie on the left and Sabrina on the right. These girls are my partners in crime and together we probably make up THE most awkward group that you will ever encounter. I have lived with Stephanie for three years now and she was the person that has been there for all of my college experiences, the good and the bad. I met Sabrina last year and I'm not sure there is anybody on Earth that is quite like her. She is a true gem! I adore the both of them and I know going into my third year of college that they  will continue to be by my side. 

So there ya go! My life in a nutshell :) I hope you learned a little bit more about what makes my life so beautifully blessed! 

Wow....it has been a WHILE since I have even THOUGHT about blogging. It use to be quite the addiction and then all at once and all of a sudden, it just stopped. Which was probably for the best because I had a lot more time to fix my eyes on something other than my computer screen. 

However, here I am.....yet again. But, this time around I am going to use 'blogging' for a completely different purpose. This time I will be writing solely for the purpose of recording and remembering how the Lord has blessed me. Looking back, I sometimes forget all of the miracles that He has performed in my life (the biggest one of all was when He stole my heart for the very first time). 

Therefore, I figured that by writing down those "god moments", those "divine appointments", those "i'm so in awe i can't even breathe" moments, I would have no excuse for not believing that God really is good ALL. THE TIME. These moments - both big and small - are what truly anchor my soul, give me peace, and continuously remind me that even in the darkest of my days, that the Lord is moving and working all things together for my good.

So here is the first "i'm so in awe i can't even breathe" moment.

 Tonight was Intervarsity's very first Large Group. We had spent the past three days in the blazing hot sun passing out snow cones and talking to hundreds of passing students about who we are and what we are all about (at a secular college, it takes a significant amount of boldness to try and tell students that Jesus really is a cool guy). After getting 700 contact cards, we proceeded to follow up with every. single. one. of. them and invite them to Large Group this Wednesday. Making them feel welcome to the community is something we really take seriously. haha

(keep in mind I don't remember what all of these people look like, all I know are their names) 

So, during my follow up, I called about 40 girls and left voicemails for about 25 of them. There was only ONE girl who called me back, Maggie. We had a great conversation and she decided to go to Intervarsity with some of her roommates. 

Fast forward...my staff leader, Ramiro offered an alter call at the end of the night. Anybody who wanted to get to know the Lord and accept him as their Savior could stand up. Before I knew it, 12 people were standing, including a girl that was sitting across the aisle from me. 

Ramiro asked that we lay hands on the 12 and so I prayed over the girl who was closest to me. She was crying.....and so was I.  We both knew that the Holy Spirit was definitely pouring out His love on this moment. 

Afterwards, I introduced myself as Kendal and she proceeded to say:

"I'm Maggie, you were the one who called me and told me to come"

talk.about.a.heart.melter. 

Sometimes all it takes is a phone call guys! You never know what it could lead to. It is only the third day of college and Maggie already made the best decision she will ever make in her life.

ALL GLORY TO GOD!