Busy but Blessed

Teaching and coaching brings a WHOLE lot of "busy"...but the Lord continues to move in my life and teach me SO much. I just finished reading The Shack by William P. Young and I have to say that I LOVE that book. The Lord did so much in my life as I read. I truly felt the Lord speaking to me and healing things deep within my heart that I didn't even realize existed.

I FINALLY get what it means to have a RELATIONSHIP with God. It's not about what I do, it's not about rituals and steps and performance...it's all about a RELATIONSHIP--constantly relating and depending on the Lord for ALL things. I've got a long way to go to learn how to truly let go of my control and allow the Lord to draw me into TRUE relationship with him.

How do you define relationship? That's another question I am searching out. It's a lot to take in, but I praise God that he is still moving in me and working to teach me SO much about him. Relationship with the God of the universe means constantly being a student...and I LOVE IT!

My plea...

give them something eternal, not temporary.

Holy Spirit?

Here lately I have had this desperate hunger to learn more about the Holy Spirit and just what his role is in this whole scheme of things. The more I study the more I am blown away by the fact that the Holy Spirit is the power of God in us. If you don't have confidence in yourself...that's okay. Our good works are like filthy rags compared to the works of our Father in heaven. SO...if the Holy Spirit places God's power within us...imagine what we could do FOR HIM and THROUGH HIM! WOW!

We may have limitations on what we believe we are capable of...but are we putting limits on God?

I'll leave you with some words from Jesus in John 14.

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."--John 14:11-21

Leadership

If you had the opportunity to ask your pastor one question about leadership, what would it be?
Lately, God has been teaching me so much about the role of the Holy Spirit in my life. I really want to ask my pastor, what role does the Holy Spirit play in your leadership?

But that question seems so simple. It seems like it could be answer with a simple response. I just feel like that is the question burning in my heart. I know that the response will most likely be, "The Holy Spirit guides me." But I pray it digs a little deeper than that and I learn more about what the Holy Spirit is doing in me.

Miracles?

This video explains what God is doing in my life right now. I pray that the kingdom is infectious and that God is glorified.

Vision...

On Sunday Perry preached a bold and powerful message about having an effective prayer life and being an effective Christian. He challenged us to pray and ask God to show us why we were created, to ask God to allow us to see as he sees, and to ask him what our next step is to walk in His will. I've been praying those three things since Sunday and God is already rocking my world.
Honestly, since I've been interning at NewSpring this summer I've been really questioning my call to teach middle school. After working for such an amazing church, with constant vision and constant encouragement, it is hard imagine going back to work in a place that drains life. Not to say that the school I will be teaching at is bad, it is an awesome school, but the demands that are put on teachers in general are stretching...and every teacher is stretched--hoping for survival, no time to pour out encouragement to others.
But, God is stirring some awesome vision in me. I realize now that I am questioning my calling because I am comfortable. My needs are being met, and my cup is overflowing without much effort. It's time that I step outside of this comfort zone and listen to what God has for me...rather than resting on my assets.
I can't help but notice the pain and emptiness in the middle school age children today. Among young people aged 10-14 years, the suicide rate has doubled in the last two decades. I cannot get this fact out of my mind. They are hurting. What is it that they need?
Around 70% of these children are growing up in broken homes. What does this mean? What does filling this need look like? What is it that I need to do to love these kids. I have to do more than teach 7th grade English. Yes, I will encounter around 110 kids a day, ages 12-14...yes, I can give them my love and support. But what more can I do. I feel like I can do more. But what does that look like? I want to fill this need in the name of Jesus. But how do I do it?
It's easy to feed the hungry and clothe the naked...but how do you love a teenager?

In Jesus Name

"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."--John 14:13-14

How many times have I ended my prayers with this, nonchalantly. Honestly, before today, I didn't realize the power and the seriousness of this statement at the end of my prayers. In search of the answer, I found this brief snippet on a website that hit what God spoke to my heart as I prayed through these verses this morning.

Some mistakenly apply this verse [John 14:14]believing that saying “In Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer results in God always granting what is asked for. This is essentially treating the words “in Jesus’ name” as a magic formula. This is absolutely unbiblical!

Praying in Jesus’ name means praying with His authority and asking God the Father to act upon our prayers because we come in the name of His Son, Jesus.

Praying in Jesus' name means the same thing as praying according to the will of God, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15). Praying in Jesus’ name is praying for things that will honor and glorify Jesus.

Maybe this is an elementary truth that I just caught on to, but man...it radically changed the way that I looked at my prayers this morning, before I stamped Jesus' name to it. Before I said amen, I thought back through what I had said to God. Did I feel comfortable attaching Jesus' name to it? Did I feel comfortable going to the creator of the universe with te authority of the son he sent to die on the cross for the salvation of the world? Mmmm...a little heavy for 8:30 am...but I love it when God speaks.

...more later--gotta go to work.

STOKED...

OUT OF MY MIND. Just got out of my first staff meeting as a NewSpring intern and I am completely excited about what God is about to do in HIS church. Get ready for some of God's bigness! It's coming in waves! Perry's gonna be back on stage, live this Sunday. My prayer is that God prepares our hearts like crazy!

WOW

Just Ask

God is teaching me to see him in everything. I pray that he opens my eyes so that I can clearly see what he is trying to teach me in every situation. This morning I was super sick to my stomach because of some medicine I am taking and I hated to wake him up but I asked him if he would please go and get me some water and a cold wash cloth. He hopped up in a snap and was back before I knew it. Just what I needed. About an hour later I woke up again, still in pain--about to barf--and hated to wake him up AGAIN...but I did because I was SO sick and asked him to bring me some crackers. Again, he got up and immediately went to help me. When I woke up feeling much better at about 7:30 he kissed me on the forhead and went off to work. Later, he sent me an email saying how much he loved the fact that I let him help me.

My husband is human, and I know that he loves me so very much...but if he is willing to help me that way...how much more is my father in heaven willing to help if I will just ask.

Don't try to take it all on yourself. God is ready to help...if you will only ask.

John 17:20-24

What if...what if all of the Christians in the world actually joined together to fufill Christ's prayer in John 17:20-24

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

What if the Church, became ONE?! Today in this week's sermon from our series One Prayer (to learn more, go here ). Craig Groeshel spoke a message to HUNDREDS of churches around the world via video about the possibilities if he could have one prayer...for the church to become one--to actually become the body of Christ.

World hunger would end this week, poverty could be a thing of the past, and he went on to say some amazing things could happen...but if you think about it...if EACH Christian did as Christ commanded us to do, if we joined together as ONE body (FORGET DENOMINATIONS FORGET DIFFERENCES) and did as Christ called us to do...we could show the rest of the world just how BIG our God is! Not that he needs us for that...BUT STILL!

My prayer is that God will show me what my part looks like in this. What can I do to make this happen? How do you feel about it? Do you think that it is possible for the church to become one?

The "In-Between"

Hold on to me, hold on
Hold on to me, yeah
Please don't let me go no, no, hold on
'Cause I am prone to wonder
Prone to leave this faith I know
Hold on
And now they say that the wise man
Well, he fears the Lord
And this fear, well, it's the beginning of all wisdom
And I must be a fool
'Cause I sure don't seem to fear You
'Cause the very things that You will me to do
Well, I just don't seem to get around to
The very things that You hate
Are the very things that I always stumble into
Hold on
--"Hold On" by Shawn McDonald

Have you ever listened to a song and you knew the words and just kinda sang your way through it every time it came up on your play list...you know, that song between your two very FAVORITE songs that you listen to just to get to the next one? Well, I finally listened to the words of this in-between-song and it just rocked my world. How many times to we treat scripture this same way. We just breeze through our quiet time digging for something that holds meaning...missing the words of our God that if we take the time to listen, will mean something? Just a thought.

Eyes on ME

Has God ever just broken your heart for something? Has he ever just humbled you and taught you so much you felt like your brain might explode. Well, that's how I feel right now. Tonight while Brad was speaking at youth I got hit with something that sort of sums up all that God is teaching me right now. Brad said something along these lines...all too often we lose sight of our God, the creator of the universe, to focus on the created.
There was a time in my life where I saw God in everything, from learning to wakeboard to the stinking juniper that I had to pull up working for my dad. There was a time when I had my eyes on the creator. Lately God's gently had his hand under my chin, turning my face toward him. So gently that I didn't even realize it until tonight.
My soul craves my God.
What does your soul crave?

I wish they would have told me...

Do you ever read or hear something and you think, "MAN...I wish someone would have told me this _______ years ago." I"m currently reading Erwin McManus' Soul Cravings and this quote just dug deep into my heart and pained me for who I used to be.

"The most powerful evidence that our souls crave God is that within us there is a longing for love."

In high school and my first two years of college I was constantly "in need" of a boyfriend, a group of friends, a place to belong. I couldn't stand to be alone. Then when I got saved during my sophomore of college, a deep, insatiable thirst for belonging seemed to be filled in such a miraculous way. I began to see that love that I received from the people around me as Jesus in the flesh, the body of Christ loving on me.

But I wish someone would have told me sooner. I wouldn't have given myself away the way that I did. I would have sought God's love rather than the world's definition of love a lot sooner and avoided a lot of mistakes...

BUT

I wouldn't be who I am today. And for that, I am thankful. I am thankful for who I am in this moment because I am a child of God--and SO blessed, because of HIS perfect plan.

FIVE DAYS!!!

I am getting married in 5 days! FIVE DAYS!!!!!!! My prayer right now is that God turns up the heat and works in my heart to prepare me to be the helper that he has created me to be for my soon to be husband. I am going to be Megan Stafford...in 5 days. I can hardly believe it. Please pray for our marriage to just beam with glory for God. We know that is the purpose of our marriage. Sorry my thoughts seemed so scattered. I'm pretty stinkin stoked!

God's Rockin' Awesomeness!

I haven't been a Christ follower very long (about 3 years) but usually by now, even young Christians have lead someone to Christ. I mean, I have been a youth leader for almost as long as I have been saved, but the only times I have lead someone in the sinner's prayer was after someone else had done the leg work. I know some reading this may think..."You did do your part, someone else planted a seed and you helped it flower." But God has just been challenging me lately to share the gospel and salvation. So, last night during the service @ Student Ministry, God just starting working in my heart telling me what I was supposed to talk about during small groups. He showed me that I was supposed to define sin, explain what a life without Jesus was like, have some of my girls share their testimony. Then he lowered the boom and told me exactly WHO was going to get saved. I wanted to weep and I wanted to shout. It was the craziest feeling ever. Then on the way to small groups God told me that the girl that was going to get saved didn't have a Bible, so I picked up one on the way. So I got to small groups, made a little small talk and then God just starting doing his thing. I just stepped back and hid behind the cross for a while. It was SO amazing how he spoke so much truth through me--I was blown away. Then, he showed me to have the girls close their eyes and raise their hand if they wanted to accept Christ. Not only did the girl that he showed me accept him, but a girl from the school that I teach at that has been coming to church with me for the past few weeks also accepted Christ. When they opened their eyes I told them that a prayer doesn't save them, but the grace of Jesus and the desire in their heart to know him and accept him as the savior of their life does. So I lead them in the prayer. When we finished I looked at one of the girls and said, "You don't have a Bible, do you?" After she had told me two weeks ago that she did. She looked at me with big puppy dog eyes and shook her head. It was the most AWESOME spiritual experience I have ever had in my ENTIRE! life. For the first time ever, God allowed me to lead two people to Christ. WOW! Pray for those girls. Pray that God would teach them who he is and that they would learn how to be true disciples of Jesus. Pray that because of their lives, others would be saved. God rocks my world! Has he rocked yours lately? Tell me about it! I love to hear about God's rocking awesomeness!

Where are you going?

"You cant lead people to where you aren’t going..."

From time to time I tend to find a blog worth stalking and I drain every drop of wisdom from it that I can. My current "stalkee" if you will is Brad Cooper, one of NewSpring Student Ministry's pastors. He just rolls with wisdom constantly and today when I read the line quoted at the opening of my blog, it took me aback. This is something that I inherently knew, but to hear it put into those words just really challenged me.

"You cant lead people to where you aren’t going..."

Where are you going, and who is following?

Who are you playing for?

As a soon to be English teacher, I love it when God demonstrates elements of literature! (Forgive me for my corniness, it's early and I haven't had any coffee yet) God is ironic. How is God ironic you might ask...well, last night I was talking to Will and out of the blue he asked me who my favorite athlete of all time was. That was def. a tough questions, but I quickly thought of the Atlanta Braves I watched growing up, with my late grandpa. Those athletes brought back memories that I will always cherish, besides that John Smoltz and Greg Maddux are pretty baller!
So this morning I started surfing some blogs that always seem to spur me spiritually. I started at Perry's blog because he just seems to see God everywhere and it blows me away, the ways that he hears and sees God even in the monotony of the day most take for granted. So Perry's last blog had a funny comment about Brad Cooper which lead me to Brad's blog. Ok...here comes the ironic part. I was reading through some of Brad's blogs when I came upon this video of John Smoltz.


Dude...I didn't even know he was Christian! So, while it was cool to find out that my fav. athlete of all time loves Jesus, it aso challenged me. The way he uses his talent in every capacity and plays for an audience of one really made me stop and think...who am I playing for?

Me?

Do you ever look up at God and say, "Who, me?!" Lately, I've had quite a few of those moments, but tonight probably had to be my biggest. My loving, awesomely incredible fiance informed me, with full confidence, of God's calling on his life. I'm not going to share it just yet because I'm not sure he's ready for the world to know, but please be praying that God gives him wisdom and clarity as he pursues this calling. Pray that God gives me a faith-filled heart. Pray that God will change my heart and make me worthy of the calling. Thanks!

Wow

So, yet again, it has been a while since I've posted, but student teaching and wedding planning has caused life to blow by at break neck speeds. I really don't even have time to be doing this right now, but something so outrageously awesome happened in my life tonight that I could not, ABSOLUTELY could not pass up the chance to share it tonight.

Our service at Student Ministry tonight was about the book of Revelation, three things we should learn from it. One of the things was that Jesus is coming back, I know--something, I've always known, but presented and made real to me in a way that I hadn't considered in a LONG time. Brad Cooper, one of our youth pastors shared the truth of heaven and hell in such a powerful way that I was completely overwhelmed for the souls of those who were lost. He described those who don't know Christ as lost in a burning building while we know the way out. I realized in that moment that I am just standing on the curb watching people that I love burn. I am standing by and, quite honestly, telling them to go to hell while I rest on my blessed assurance and bask in my salvation. I know that is a lot to chew on, but this is not where the heart wrenching conviction really struck me.
While I was washed in the truth and inspired by the message during the time that I was still in the building, it wasn't until my drive home that God poured some frapping amazing knowledge on my heart. I was praying for my students at Palmetto and began to weep for their souls. I cried out to God and asked him if I could take their place. I wept and begged God to make me the lowest servant I could be, to give me patience and the capacity to love them despite how they try me...and then it hit me. What I was feeling at that moment was not even a fraction of what Christ felt before he went to the cross. I don't say what I prayed to bring glory to myself, but to show the depth of the love that Christ showed for each one of us. I didn't even realize the depth of what I was saying, but I knew that what I was praying was the outcry of my heart. Hearing God speak to my heart and show me why I was feeling what I was feeling was completely astonishing. The clarity and peace I felt at that moment was phenomenal. While I want to show my kids that love of Christ each day and attempt to SHOW them the gospel, I want to boldy proclaim Christ's death and resurrection without the fear of being fired or losing the job I've been promised for next year. So, if you're reading this and your pray, pray for me to be bold and share the gospel (with wisdom and respect). Losing your job is such a small sacrifice compared to handing naked on a cross. God will provide. Don't lose heart.

A BIG YEAR

2008 is going to be an absolutely stinking HUGE & SLAM PACKED year for me. I graduate, get a job, influence young people, and get married...all within ONE year. Can you believe it? Wow. I'm pretty blown away. Thinking about this new year and what's to come I've decided to change a few things. No, not New Year's resolutions...those get broken--I said CHANGES. So here are the big changes that I want you as my readers (whoever you are) to keep me in check with. My email is mhendricks1781@andersonuniversity.edu feel free to email me and ask me how I'm doing.

Changes for 2008:
1. Share the gospel every chance I get.

2. Love with all of got. (Esp. my fab fiance)

3. Find a hobbie that I really love and do it often.

4. Eat food that is good for me. (Try to balance my diet...no, I did not say DIET, I said balance my diet, aka eat right)

5. Get fit. I mean REALLY fit, like when I played volleyball.

What do you want to change this year?