Its that time of year again!

Yup you guessed it Awakening Conference is back! This is the 4th annual youth conference and it honestly keeps getting better. In April of 2007, I was asked by an old friend the morning of if I wanted to attend this random conference she was going to, I had nothing better to do and out of curiosity I went. Looking back, I don’t know why I went; I usually avoided church at all costs. Church had always seemed so hypocritical and judgmental, but there was something about this conference…the people I met and the speakers I heard seemed genuinely in love with God. There was an energy and excitement about God I honestly had never seen or felt before. I only planned on spending one day at the conference, but I ended up attending all 3 days. I cannot tell you how much that one single decision changed my life. At that conference, God turned my world around and offered me His grace and love, not a set of religious rules and standards I had to live by to receive a Get out of Hell Free Card. Awakening continues to change my life every year, and 2010 will be no exception. This year is gonna be unbelievable. Don’t miss it! www.Awakeningconference.net

Don't tarnish their name for your own sake

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." --Proverbs 18:21
Gossip reminds me of smoking. Its always the "cool" thing to do, it always feels good to take someone and verbally stick them in the trash for a bit. If you're really cool, you know how to make the crap you say about people funny so everyone listening laughs. I'm sad to say that just like smoking, gossip slowly destroys you and everyone around you. It not only tarnishes the person you're talking about's name, it also tarnishes your own. Although you'd like to think you are cool for rudely mocking that person, you just make yourself look pathetic and self conscious. A confident person doesn't need to prove to everyone that they are better than them. They are happy with who God has/is making them. Also as much as we'd like to think the words we're spreading wont get to that person, they always do."For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open." --Luke 8:17
Gossip doesn't only ruin friendships, it also ruins your character and that person emotionally. I don't care who you are, no one enjoys being blatantly mocked. I have too often watched and participated in tearing someone in the church apart, simply because it was "funny". Have we as a church missed what God is all about? God is about loving others (Including our enemies) and love is about lifting one another up, not ripping each other down to make ourselves feel better. How amazing would it be if we instead of hurting one another, started to encourage and love! Can we please start a chain reaction of encouragement and love? I continually pray that God will convict me about these things, so that I may leave a trail and legacy of love where ever I go.