...then he was strong.

I begin writing this post with a hurting heart. As a lifelong member of the ACA family, the most well known and most loved member of our family has gone to be with our Father in paradise. The whole school, past and present, is aching with the loss of such an amazing, faithful, and humble man, but it is important we see the light at the end of the tunnel. Mr. Danny Logan has gone to live in Heaven with His creator and the greatest lover of his soul, He left an impact I cannot even imagine leaving on this earth, and I believe this morning he heard the words, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Wow, what a place He must be in right now, seeing the light He has been living for his whole life. 
I know myself and every other person at ACA has never met such a kind hearted and hardworking man, and I am honored to say that I grew up with Mr. Danny around and have watched the way he interacted with my age group and I
and now with the kids of daycare who are in the shoes I once was in, and Mr. Danny's character and charisma and pure joy has never changed. No matter what has been thrown at him on this earth, he has now gone to be home forever. To experience real joy and real life that we cannot fathom here on earth. I believe God has given me this verse, which I read yesterday morning, in order to teach me and hopefully reach someone else through it. 

"For the sake of Christ, then, 'I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10)

There is no person I can think of that exemplified this verse like Mr. Danny. As the man who did everything at ACA, especially the things no one else could or wanted to do, he never complained, never boasted, and never let his position get in the way of his purpose. He could never be recognized enough to portray the amount of honor and love he deserves, and more importantly, he would've never allowed himself to be recognized for the things he did. He did it because he loved our ACA family, he loved the Lord, and he lived with an unexplainable joy and strength that came from the small jobs and the big jobs alike that he did. For when (Mr. Danny) was weak, then He was strong. 

into the dog house

This post is going to start as a story, turn into a dramatic scene (by yours truly), and hopefully turn into some truth; let's just see where God takes it. 

The Story:

Let me start with some background information on me and my family and situation. Every Monday me and my brother "move" to the opposite parent's house and load up everything we own and have to unload it when we get home. Also happening every Monday is chapel for 252 (college internship at Church of the Highlands), and usually turns out to be one of the highlights of my week. So I go to chapel after a day of work, then come home later and have to unload my car and unload every piece of clothing I have and make my room look neat again so I can feel comfortable going to bed. I have started to notice a trend on the Mondays that we move to my moms house, and the second I leave chapel and head home and especially when I get in the driveway, satan starts talking to me. He tells me lies and takes away from me the joy and revelation I may have just had at chapel, the refueling of me spiritually that keeps me going throughout the week, and he snatches it away from me in a second. This is how he does it. 

The Scene: 

First of all, it is always raining the day we move. ALWAYS. Which mean the yard is wet and I can't park near the door to unload my crap. Problem 1. The first thing that pops into my head when I take a step into the door is "welcome to the dog house." The enemy is taking something I am a bit bitter about (we have 4 dogs inside, and that story is for another day) and expanding it into something ridiculous and annoying. The smell welcomes me in along with the wet feet and licking of dogs while I am carrying in everything I own. Problem 2. Next, I come in with my hands too full and bags on both shoulders and cannot fit through the hallways and end up knocking down baby gates that are there for the dogs as the dog pack comes prancing behind me. Problem 3. Then, it is usually late, I cannot fit through the doorways, it smells like dog pee, and I have to unload my bags and do a million other things before I can finally go to bed. Problem 4. And to add to all of this, today, the second I left church I got a horrible headache and it made sure to follow me all the way through the dog and rain drama. Problem 5.

The Truth: 

So you are probably thinking I am stupid and dramatic at this point, and I can't say I blame you, but just bear with me and hopefully I can shine some light on the situation. I know satan is attacking me when I am in a good place because he is afraid of what is possible if I stay there. If I was able to share the love of Jesus to my family by being a servant, or if I could be pleasant about the things that annoyed me instead of blowing up about them then God would most definitely be magnified. Ultimately, if I could see the huge, amazing things God is doing in my life and overlook the little things satan is doing to distract me, my enemy would be under my feet. Maybe it is as simple as taking more trips to the car with fewer things, not breathing out of my nose when I walk in, and seeing the dogs jumping on me as love instead of getting mad about it- but satan is set out to convince me that those things are important. I am on this earth to be a light to everyone around me, not only people I don't know, but the people I know and love. God put me in the family He did, in the house He did, and in the situation He did for a reason, even if I might not know yet what that reason is. It is not an accident that we have too many dogs or that the smell of dog pee creates anger and bitterness in me, all of these small things are there to prepare me and teach me for the big things. Spiritual warfare is something so present in the life of every believer of Jesus Christ, and I believe recognizing it is just as important as fighting it, because you can never fight it until you see it. That is how satan wants it to be, easy to overlook and even easier to get caught up in. I am declaring over me, and everyone who read this, that we will see the world and the big and small situations the way that God does, and not the way satan does. That we will overlook the small unimportant things and enjoy the big things God is doing for us. And ultimately, that we would stop going into the "dog house", and take a few steps into the love and joy God has for us in whatever place we are headed.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."                 Ephesians 6:12 NIV

letter to me

Dear Future Self,

If you are reading this, then you have probably come to a road block. You might be struggling or second guessing past decisions or maybe just trying to get a feel for who you have become and who you used to be. Whatever the situation, whether you are reading this ten days from now or ten years from now; remember this- you have overcome this world and your enemy. Whatever is going on right now, you have already overcome it through Jesus Christ! Let that sink in for a minute. 

"Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:5)

You are a child of God! You have been called into His kingdom and called to do His work on this earth. You have been given a purpose. When you were 18, the day you wrote this, you knew what your next step was and God called you to take a leap of faith into exciting and terrifying territory and you were so excited to do so. You had never been more sure about anything in your whole life. If you are struggling with what you feel God has placed you here for, remember the moment He told you your next step. Through those 6 am prayer services in January 2015, He revealed to you more than you were asking for. Not only did He reveal it to you but he confirmed it when you doubted. He never left you- through the hardest year of your life and the ten thousand changes that took place in your life, God never left you. Remember your testimony, the way God has prepared you to reach other people and the way your life has happened the way it has for a reason. Nothing you have gone through has been in vain, it wasn't when you wrote this and it isn't right now. God is STILL using you even if you feel he has left, He is still with you even if you can't see, feel, or hear him, and there is nothing you can do that will separate you from His love. NOTHING. 

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."                                   (Romans 8:38-39)

Maybe you are feeling void of healthy relationships, needing friends and not knowing who to go to with your situation. Remember the way God provided for you before. He got you in small groups and gave you some of the best friends of your life when your best friend moved away. He not only gave you people to talk to, but he gave you people who love God and love you and were able to bring out the joy of Jesus in you while you were healing from disappointment and worry. He delivered you from the state satan put you in and showed you how relationships with people who love him and encourage you daily can drag you out of the pit you are in, all the way on to the top of the mountain. Your worst year turned into your best because of his faithfulness and the way he loves you so much, more than you can even imagine. 

Remember the way Church of the Highlands changed your life and everything about your relationship with God, never forget the joy you got stepping onto the campus for chapel or ONE and growing deeper into relationships and living through and learning from awkward moments with the people that would become some of your best friends. It hasn't necessarily been easy, but the payout is so worth the uncomfortable first small group meetings, or the embarrassing icebreakers. God made you that way for a reason. You were created and placed in the cities you have been in, in the positions you have held, in the small groups you have joined, even down to the everyday encounters that have happened for a divine appointment and you are being used for the glory of the Kingdom. 

Bayly, I am urging you to finish the race. Push through whatever is holding you back right now, whatever is keeping you from doing all God has called you to do. Be bold when it is uncomfortable because every life will end and every person you see every day will eventually go to eternity in one of two places. Make sure you know where they are going, and that you try your best to bring them to heaven with you. Never lose sight of the sole purpose you were placed here for- never get caught up in the trends of being a Christian (let flannel become more to you than life change), and never forget the people around you who are sinking. Never let the power of what God has placed you in, whatever and wherever that may be, become normal to you. Don't become so caught up in you job, duties, or workload that you forget why you have that job. Ultimately, keep your head steady and your eyes on Jesus, and bury your head in the word of God that has pulled you through every tough situation thus far. 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

You have been made for great things. Your father, God, sent his only son to save you by slaughtering Him on the cross and letting heaven sit silently as your sins were paid for forever. You have been bought at a price, Jesus' blood, and God wouldn't have taken you in if you weren't worth it. Remember that. You were worth it, and you still are. 

Jesus loves you infinitely,
Bayly



This blog post is a little different than normal, but inspired by God as always. Technically it is written to me in the future, but I believe this is a message God has spoken (typed) through me to reach YOU now. It is not just for future Bayly, it is for current ______ (fill in the blank). Everything said in this letter pertains to you, you have been called and your sins have been paid for by the ultimate sacrifice. God loved you then and he loves you now, and there is nothing you can do to separate you from his love. Read this letter and fill in "you" with your name and let the words that God gave me graciously to reach you, empower you. I am only a vessel, and God is the source that never runs dry. Connect yourself to the source and see what He has for you in this message. You are awesome for making it this far in this post, and I am honored you care enough to read it. Thank you!!

when traditions change...

When traditions change....

Every person has different traditions for holidays and different things that make Christmas feel like Christmas to them. It is crazy the way we identify our holidays by the things we do instead of the reasons we do them. Coming from a family with yearly holiday get togethers at the same house, with the same people, the same music, the same ornaments, the same story, and all in the same order, when things happen and shake the tradition that has not been broken for decades it becomes a time to reflect and discover what I am actually looking forward to. That has happened this Christmas for me. Long story short- it involves the hospital, divorce, and so many other factors that have changed what is "normal" for Christmas for me and my family. 

• First, questions without defined answers. 
• Second, mixed emotions. 
• Third, new plans being made.
• Last, acceptance and reflection.

I think the first few steps are self explanatory and natural for anyone (especially a planner and organizer like myself), but the last can be different for every person. This year I have had to realize that Christmas is not defined by going to my grandparents house on Christmas eve with the extended family as well as immediate, waking up early to see Santa has come Christmas morning, and spending the rest of the day lazy around the house. This year it looked a little more like this- small Christmas eve get together with food, presents, and the Christmas story without the whole family and minus a few traditions, seeing what Santa brought around 11pm on Christmas Eve, taking a road trip with my brother to my dad's house as Christmas becomes Christmas day and we drive on through the midnight hours, waking up late instead of early and going to a Christmas lunch I have never been to before with a different side of my family. Wow, for a traditional person that might sound like a nightmare, and I think that is exactly what the devil was trying to make me believe.

This is where Jesus steps in- and ultimately reminds me that no matter how many times I read Luke 2 on Christmas Eve it is so easy to make Christmas about the traditions instead of about the birthday of my King. Therefore, with traditions out the window I had to realize what it was we are celebrating. It isn't family (even though that is wonderful), it isn't presents and Santa Claus coming to town, and it most definitely is not the traditions that take place year after year- it is Jesus and only Jesus. How awesome is it to know that no matter the earthly circumstance or life changes or lack of Christmas decorations at one house and overuse of at the other or anything else that attempts to take away the pure joy of Christmas, it cannot be taken away because my salvation can never be taken away and that is found in the birth of my savior on Christmas Day. Go ahead and tell me something that is better.... just kidding because you can't. So long ago today, the history of everything was changed in a manger because there was no room for Jesus to be born anywhere else. I am sure this is sounding like the cliche Christian Christmas post, but when I really realized what was taking place, nothing means more than radiating with joy during this holiday time because of what was done then, and not what is going on now. So to finish out my phrase from the title...

When traditions change,  Jesus always remains the same.

I hope I never get to the point where my traditions must change in order to once again realize the real meaning, but I will always see the meaning before the traditions. Rejoicing because one day I will be with my king, Jesus, for eternity and I am sure the Christmas celebration in heaven will be more perfect than any tradition or decorations or anything I could even fathom on this earth.

clean your sheets

       Sometimes we all just need to clean the sheets....  now that you are confused let me explain. Every relationship we are in (between friends, parents, and every other person in our lives) has good times and bad, we all know that, but sometimes we can reach a place where we are stuck. We can be stuck because we were wronged and are hurt, we can be stuck because we haven't spent time with the other person, we can be stuck because the other person is holding something against us or vice versa, and on and on and on. Thats how every relationship works. Being stuck in relationships is like having dirty sheets. It isn't necessarily fun to clean them and take time out of our busy lives to make that happen, but it is necessary, and they only get dirtier as we put it off and wait to do something about it. 
       The process for cleaning the sheets can be easy or it can be hard. Maybe it's been so long and they have gotten stained; we're too deep that forgiveness itself will not fix the problem and other measures need to be taken. Maybe its easy, and all we have to do is throw them in the empty washer and dryer and someone is there to help us put them back on the bed immediately; the problem is fixed simply with only a little effort and met by the effort of the other person. Maybe they are to the point where you feel like you want to throw them away and just try to find new sheets; you either will have to make time to go out and spend money on new sheets or take time to fix the wrinkled, stained and dirty old ones no matter how difficult and long the process is. Either way, no matter the condition of the sheets, something will have to be done- we get to decide what we do about it. 

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." Colossians 3:12-14

       Typically in Scripture I've found that when God repeats something in the same passage it is probably pretty important. These verses speak into my soul. Basically, God has cleaned my sheets and your sheets (forgiven the sins we have committed against Him without us even asking and done more than enough to make sure when we are ready to come to Him we have clean sheets waiting on us and a new start in our relationship with Him); therefore, we need to take the first step the same way He did, and make an effort to forgive those who have wronged us, or hurt us, or who we find ourselves holding a grudge on because we haven't truly gotten the whole story or don't understand the entire circumstances. If we make the first step, and start getting the stains out, sewing up the holes and wash and dry the old sheets in the form of conversations and forgiveness, then when the other person is ready to return and figure it out the bulk will be done and the clean sheets can be enjoyed, and the relationship will be restored much easier if we have already taken the time to do our part.
       Forgiveness is a topic that is so hard to do and so easy to come up with excuses for, yet so important for us to take part in and make a priority in our lives. I find myself struggling with this exact situation often, where I am waiting for the other person to start washing, but I haven't made any effort to get the stains out. This may seem like a silly post, but I believe God is using this as a sort of modern day parable, and I am so thankful he is using me as His vessel. We all know how good it feels to lay on clean sheets, so if we are spending our nights letting our sheets, and relationships, keep getting dirtier and more messed up, then it will only be harder when we finally make our attempts to clean them.

thankfully inspired by the One who is greater,
                                           Bayly

glimpses of JOY

Why does God give us talents? I've always been told that God graciously gives us talents to use to bring others to Christ and to publicly glorify His name, which I believe, but what if some talents are for a different reason. What if every person you see had an amazing talent you knew nothing about? Something crazy, awesome about them that only they know about and sometimes they don't even realize themselves. I believe this is true. What if God gives us talents with only the intent of us enjoying it and God enjoying it and no one else knowing about it- I think he does. 
For me it is the piano. Many of you don't know that I play because I'm not in a band and don't post Instagram videos of myself playing, etc... but I do. I'm no Mozart, but I can play chords, and if you know anything about music, chords = songs. I don't think I am disobeying God for not playing in church or using the talent he has given me publicly, because I have found that every time I take a seat at the piano, it is like I am taking a seat in the presence of Jesus. How crazy that must sound, but how awesome it feels to feel like one with my Savior. Maybe God gives us talents such as this in order to communicate with Him in a way that is personal to us and that pleases Him immensely. Maybe I am part of something so much greater only by taking a seat and hitting a few chords with my mind focused on Heaven. Maybe God gave me this gift to be solely for me and Him. 

"Do your work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself, and not just your earthly master. In fact, the Lord Christ is the one you are really serving, and you know he will reward you."                         -Colossians 3:23-24 CEV

If God gives each of us talents, no matter what they may be, that shows His grand design in the creation of each of us and of our lives before we were even on earth and how special we are in His eyes. That the God of the whole universe would pay special attention to give every single one of us a talent/talents just for the pure idea of enjoyment and communication between the earth we live in and the heaven where He resides. Tell me that our God is not incredible, I dare you. When we look around we see things we wish we had or could do (maybe singing, dancing, writing, or any other talent under the sun), but just maybe, God gave us something special so that it could be a love language between us and our creator, personally, and not something we receive applause for on earth but only when we join Him in heaven. I can't wait for the day I join Him for eternity, but until then I know God wants me to continue to connect with Him through the gifts he has given me on earth, whether super talented or not, and learn to communicate through what He has given me. I urge every single person reading this to realize that God created you specifically with talents and gifts, and I may be wrong, but I believe some of these are specifically to communicate with the God who blessed you with them. Think about that and see the joy that comes when you use what God gives you to praise Him and to find your identity and community in His name. Hallelujah, our God is greater than anything this earth has to offer- finding joy in Him gives a glimpse of perfection in a world of brokenness.

"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother’s womb.

I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I’d even lived one day."   -Psalm 139:14 MSG

stop looking

Obviously I don't have a set schedule for blog posts considering my last post was in August and it is approaching the end of October, I just write when I feel like God has given me something meaningful to say. It seems to me that God likes writing blogs around midnight, maybe because I am sleepy and he can send His words straight to my fingers and bypass my imperfect human brain, but that's just a thought. Typically I have an idea before I begin typing about what my point is and how I am going to use certain stories and whatnot, but today I only have one word and my God who I am trusting will write this post for me the way He always does. Gideon. That's all I've got at this point, so I am going to start with a quick overview of the Biblical story of Gideon beginning in Judges 6.

Gideon is a young Israelite boy, one of the weakest in his family, and he is introduced in a time where the Midianites have been given complete control of the Israelites because of their continued disobedience to God. Gideon is a part of the desperate cries of Israel to God for help after they realized that there was nothing they could do on their own- they had no food, no shelter, and every accomplishment they made was immediately knocked down by Midian. One day, Gideon was trying to secretly get food for his family and an angel came to him and told him God was going to use him to save Israel from Midian. As you can imagine, Gideon was stunned and questioned the authenticity of the angel and the calling God had for him at this moment. He came up with every excuse (I am weak, God isn't with us anymore because He gave us to Midian, how can I be the one to save all of Israel, etc.) but God showed him that He was God and gave Gideon a peace of mind to trust Him. Gideon requested that God prove that He really wanted to use him by doing a "magic trick" and without a doubt God delivered. Yet Gideon was still on the fence, although I am sure he knew at this point that it was legit, he asked for another miracle, and again another. After three miracles from God to prove his calling, Gideon decided to believe him, but he still doubts. God uses a few methods to

shrink the army of Gideon so low that Gideon becomes uneasy and loses his sense of safety he created with the multitudes of people fighting on his behalf, and once again he asks God for a sign. God tells him to go down and listen if he still has any doubts, and when he does he hears the enemy stating that Gideon has won the battle in their dreams-giving Gideon the power to fight with his small army and defeat the Midianites the way God initially told him it would take place. Following this eavesdropping that boosted his spirit, Gideon went out on faith and did exactly what God told him he would do from the beginning, only delayed a bit because of his fear that crippled him. Although he was unsteady- God was, and always is, constant and true to His word.

I start to relate my life with Gideon's when he begins to ask for signs to prove that it is God talking to him, when in reality he already knows it is him and is only stalling because he is scared. Lately I have been faced with so many decisions that will affect my future (searching for a major, deciding when to do things and in what order, and tons more) and even giving over those decisions to God and feeling peace in the waiting, I am questioning the answers that God is giving me and wanting to make sure they are from God, when in my heart I know they are. My prayers are being answered and yet I still am asking the same questions over and over again to "make sure" that it is God, and this is only because I'm scared to take a step even though God is stepping with me. Gideon knew that it was God from the beginning and he sort of tested God even though he knew the answer wouldn't change- the answer either wasn't what he wanted or  he was too scared to believe that it was true. Trusting God's answers is the only way we can move forward into God's will for our lives. If we only ask God for his answers in hopes that he will tell us what we want to hear we will only be disappointed and will never stop asking for an answer that will not come because when God answers with his perfect will, He will not change. In a way this sounds disappointing- that God is not going to always give us exactly what we want to hear- but also it's encouraging, that no matter how many times we ask for an answer from our Father in heaven, he will always give us the same answer-we just have to accept it and reap the benefits that come from listening to the still small voice of our creator in Heaven who knows ALL things. 

It sounds easy to accept the answer God gives us, especially when we have given our problems to Him and given Him control in order to have peace, and until we truly trust and take a step in faith we will never understand the ways he will move when we just listen. If taking a step in faith and writing this blog post right now is the biggest calling God has on my life, then I hope that forever I will be able to listen to his almighty answers and take the challenge to type, allowing God to use me without knowledge of how until the post is done. It is so awesome to see the way God answers prayers and leads me through life even when I am too stubborn or scared to accept it, because when I finally do, it is worth it. The same way Gideon conquered Midian and doubted his calling completely, I hope that every person who reads this will be able to conquer your calling for the kingdom of God and trust completely in the answers God gives you to begin with- but it is nice to know that even when we question God or ask Him to prove himself, he doesn't get frustrated and his answer is always the same, and He will prove himself to us until we accept it no matter how long that takes. 

I hope this post has been a blessing to just one person reading it, and everyone reading this know that I am writing to myself as well. As mentioned above, I don't write these posts, God does. He uses me (an imperfect tool) to write his perfect story for y'all to hear and I couldn't be more happy to share in this and to learn from what my fingers type that comes from the heavenly voice of God. It is always fun for me to go back and read what He has written through my post because I never really know until the post is done and I can marvel at His work and be forever grateful that he chose me for this small work and we can all be forever grateful for every big and small work he prepares for us. I believe that while waiting and even when testing God and his answers he gives us little snippets of knowledge that can carry us through, and for whoever needs this today I hope that you receive this from Jesus because it has been carrying me through lately in relation to so many things: 

because you can't go wrong with a picture of His beautiful creation

Stop looking, and start waiting on God to show you. He will show you whatever you are looking for and it will be more clear to you and in perfect timing if we just wait on Him.