Many times I ask myself while we're driving somewhere, or in my room alone, or just chilling out on the Internet: is this it? Is this all I have to live for is boredom on line when my friends aren't available and there seems to be nothing happening in my life?
I'm sure everyone has asked themselves these same questions. There is an answer, no. No this is not all there is to it, no there is more to life, and no you are not a failure.
Too many times we go about our lives without knowing who we are, who we truly are.
You of course know your name, your height, weight, looks, and your social security number, but that is not it.
I heard a sermon last summer that changed my life. I couldn't figure who I was, I was so irritated with the things that I did and I felt like I was chasing people away from me. The pastor who was preaching that day said this, "Christ is your identification." Click. Everything in my head suddenly made sense, I had accepted Jesus into my heart, and I knew who he was, but who could he be inside of me? It is still Him. He is the one who will empower you when things get tough, he is the one whose healing power will flow through your hands when you lay hands on someone to heal them. He is the one who knows every little detail about your life and will use other people to encourage, uplift, and cheer YOU up by showing you that he truly cares.
You were born with all kinds of talents, gifting, loves, passions, and all those things truly come to life once you accept Jesus and recognize who he truly is. God made you to be who you are for a reason. You were not a mistake, let me say that again, NOT a mistake. God formed you from inside out, he has a very special purpose for you. One to be his child, for him to love and adore, and he wants you to love him back because you want to! He wants a relationship with you, to talk with you, love on you, just be with you. Two, he has a very special purpose for you in life, to go about his business. And he will show you what he wants you to do in life, just ask him. Whether to be an Evangelist, Prophet, Healer, Intercessor, etc. You are the sons and daughters of the High King. That makes you Princes and Princesses! You have a royal seal on your heart, one that marks you as the King's kids.  If you feel like there are things in your life that needs to change, then change them. But don't change who you are, we all have little things we need to take care of. But we are no longer a part of this fallen world, we have been redeemed from the curse! You can get rid of whatever junk you feel you need to loosen. God will help you, he'll help you get through whatever you're going through.
Don't change who you are because some people might not like who you are, they're just insecure themselves or don't see the plank in their own eyes. You were made very extra special, and God loves you SO much! I can't even begin to tell you how much God loves you. Everything you've been gifted with is there for a reason. Everything you are is there for a reason. I do not count sickness and diseases, those were not put there by God and God wants to take all of that crap away if it is there.
The things you love, was a desire that God put in your heart for a reason as well.
This is my tid bit, let God take you to the higher levels. I can only encourage you, you must be the one to walk in the foot steps of the High King.
Love you guys so much!
Wren

I've been thinking lately, about what an awesome life that we as Christians have to live.
We serve a great God! We are constantly taken care of, and loved beyond measure.
I find it interesting that when I talk to people they are worried about the economy and how scary things are; people losing jobs left and right, people can't get work left and right, people keep complaining up and down.
Jesus lived in an even crappier time than we are living in now, and he was well taken care of. Fish coughed up coins, (the fish must have had an interesting time trying to digest a random coin, right?)
A little boy bringing what all he had, which was three fish and a bread loaf (man, there's that fish again)
Jesus turned that into leftovers for over five thousand people! You may say, well he's God and he can do whatever he wishes. Well, that same God that you just said could do whatever he wishes is living, guess where? in you! But, Jesus didn't make those fish come out of thin air, a little boy came to him and gave him what he had, then Jesus was able to use what he was given and turn it into a plethora of food! Jesus also told the rich man that if he gave up everything he had, he could be one of his disciples, and yet the rich man walked away sad because he didn't want to give up what was dearest to him. Now, Jesus wasn't saying that we all have to give up our lap tops, jewelry, ipods, etc. What he was doing was seeing if the man really wanted to follow God. Would he really trust God to be happier then he was with his present money? Or see the even bigger riches that would come in future because he would lay down his life and let God take control. Sadly, this wasn't the case for the rich man. Did he love God more then the food in his belly or the watch on his wrist?
We as God's children are completely taken care of, yes we may have to work a job, but God will exceedingly bless you through that because you are following him with your heart instead of following the dollar. By not following the dollar and giving God all you have Jesus can take that and multiply it by the tenth power. I am NOT saying sell your stuff, but give it to God, just say: Hey God, my life is yours, my things are yours, I'm willing to lay them down for fifteen minutes a day to see what you have to say to me. God will take what you were able to give to him and spoil you rotten because you first gave it to him, you gave him a little bit of a bubble! Jesus is not going to make you poor to follow him, that is not what I am saying at all. What I am saying is that are we really willing to lay down the things that are most dearest to us, at his feet and say you matter more, I give you room in my life to really work. I trust you, God has the most out of this world faith in us, why can't we just say: God, I have faith in YOU that you will supply me with all my needs. God already knows everything we went through, going through, and will go through, He already has a plan set in motion to help you, now will you LET him help you by letting him work in your life. Don't let the words of doubt fill your head. The enemy wants to try to keep you in shackles by trying to make you think you messed up, so God wants to hurt you or you have to be poor to follow him. No, Jesus will bless your socks off if you are willing to trust him and let him do so. For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome." Jer 29:11 There was also the time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was resurrected, and he told them to cast their line on the other side of the boat, and it was LOADED with fish. I think it is time we start listening to God and where he wants us to cast our line, if we do that, he'll be able to bless us because we obeyed and allowed him to work in our lives. You know? I'm really starting to think Jesus had a thing for fish....I'd hate to be a fish when he's around. However, I wouldn't mind being a fisher of men for Jesus. Now that would be cool! To be able to bring people to God as easily as Jesus captured fish! Bring it on.

Love you guys!
~Wren

Expectations

Standing up, rising above, shake the dirt off your sandals.
These three things share something extremely important; going beyond what the world says you can or can't do.
I have put myself in my little colorful box one too many times! I call it a colorful box because people don't want to step outside of their safe zone, so they make themselves comfortable in their own little world, so they decorate it with all the things they wish to do instead of going after it.
I wanted to do so many things and I quit because I either lost interest or thought it was too hard to accomplish, because I'm just me. I'm not Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens or Leona Lewis. But, should I give up wanting to follow one of my dearest dreams of all time because I'm not any them? No. Yes, I want to be a singer, am I willing to go after it? Yes. I've had different opinions said about my voice, I know I need training, but that doesn't mean I'm a failure; we all have to learn. I almost gave up that dream about two years ago, because I let thoughts of doubt fill my head. There are still many times I struggle with it. So, I sought God over the entire ordeal, and now I have full confidence that he wants me to be a singer.
Not following expectations isn't always denying that your Mother wants you to be a dentist, or your Father wants you to be an athlete. No, expectations are the things you set up for your life. Will you set yourself up to fail or will you set yourself up to succeed? That's the important question, "will you or will you not?" What are your expectations in life? The things that you would love to do and then you turn and say: I can't do that, I'm not good enough. You are only as good as you let yourself be. God knows you, and who you are, he believes in you. Obviously, the God who created you, would know what you can or can't do; he put you together in the first place. The thing is that He believes you can do anything you put your mind too. Phil 4:13 says, "You can do all things through Christ who is the strength in you." Christ is your strength, it doesn't matter if you 'look' weak, or don't 'look' the part. The thing that matters the most is the heart behind it all. Knowing that my God is with me, then who could be against me? Trust me, people such as Cyrus or Hudgens did not get where they are because they had it easy, they had heart. I fully intend to live my life to its fullest, and not discard the idea of I can't do that because I'm not smart enough or pretty enough. No, I will keep walking with my head held high and my God in my heart. Supporting me with all his strength. He's supporting you, his strength will hold you up because he believes in you. My best friend believes in me to the fullest extent, her support helps strengthen me; God will be there for you like that too.
Set up your own expectations and go after it with all your heart!  
Don't be afraid to be you, if people think you're weird or unacceptable because you don't meet their expectations then they can get over it. You are so special! Be who God made you to be, because He made you for himself. It only matters what he thinks of you, not what the world does.
Love you guys!
~Wren
Ps 139!