He is All You Need

I wasn't sure what to do my devos on this morning. So i prayed that God would reveal something to me. Then i managed to flip through the well-worn pages of my Pawpaw's Bible. I came upon this verse, Psalm 73:26:

My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Heartache is, well basically it's what it says it is: painful. There are things and people in this world that are going to let you down. Wanna know how I know this? I've been there way too many times. 

See, people on this planet are not as perfect as we tend to think. We picture ourselves in Pleasantville where nothing or no one can go wrong. But here's the deal, the same people who you live with, are friends with, live beside, and work with are the same as you and me. 

Romans  3:23 says, "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.". Notice the word "all" here.  This means that every single person on the planet Earth deals with sin, just like me and you. They deal with the same jealousy, bitterness, irritability, misunderstanding, anger, and pain that we do. Yet we expect them to somehow be perfect.

When we come into heartache, we think it is the most devastating, horrible thing that has ever happened in the history of relationships, best friends, your boss, etc.  But ya know, they are just like you and me; and sometimes we have those situations in life where we wish we would've made the right decision.  Or maybe the decision was correct, we just wish it didn't hurt as bad. 

But check out this verse Christ gave us!  

My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Did you get it that time? Cause if you did, you should probably be jumping up and down (to say the least)!  Read it again:

My flesh (everything that is in me that is not ordained by Christ) and my heart (that soft mushy thing that allows us to come into occasional pain but is the giver of earthly and heavenly love) FAIL; but God is the strength of my heart (able to heal every tear and fill every hole) and my portion (literally this means my territory) FOREVER (even as we walk through those heavenly gates).

So did you get riled up that time?  This verse is telling us we WILL have heartbreak.  God allows it so that we are forced to lean on Him.  Or He may be protecting you from something that only He knows. But we can have assurance in Him. He can bring us freedom from the situation.  He can bring healing.  He can allow a greater work in us that we could ever possibly imagine.  Or maybe you will allow Him to wrap His big arms up around you and let Him guide you to His perfect comforting will. 

God is all we need. We simply need to trust and have faith that He is all knowing.  Pro 5:21 "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He ponders all his paths.". He knows what is best for us.  Take comfort in the fact that God loves you and He is the ONLY strength you will ever need. Give your burden to Him. 




Surrendering all,

Elizabeth 

Teen Camp Wrap-Up 2012

This week at Teen Camp, here at Uplands Reach, we had a blast pouring into the lives of young people from all around!  There were campers here from Florida, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia!  It started on Monday, June 25th and lasted through Friday, June 29th.  I believe there were tears in many eyes.  

 Lunch was a time where kids could chill out, grab some treats from the Canteen (the snack shop), meet some new peeps, and simply have a blast in the small amount of free time they had! 

P.S.  They could also sit with members of Seventy-One!  The band we were blessed to have for the week.

Lives were changed.

World changers surrendered.  

Praises could be heard from miles away.

The His Reins MOD was able to saddle up onto Mighty Bucky 

and have their try at actually staying on. 

Brother Neal and Ora had a blast helping out with this adventure!

The Epic Worship MOD created sheets for the Upfest adventure on Friday night!  

This was a night filled with a talent show, arts and crafts, music, and hang time. 

 Isn't this sheet beautiful?

 The MudSlingers MOD involved making pottery and crafts all week long.

Maryanne led this Mod.

(I do believe it was one of the favorites of the girls.)

This camper's name was Jordan.  

She created an awesome bowl that she got to take home and enjoy!

Teen camp was a week filled with laughter and tears.  It was amazing to see these individuals grow throughout the week.  These campers grew more this past week than most Christians will grow throughout their entire life.  Their willingness was humbling.  I do believe they taught the Summer Team here at Uplands way more than we could have ever imagined to teach them.

Ephesians 2:4-7

But God, who is rich in mercy, 

For his great love wherewith he loved us,

Even when we were dead in sins, 

Hath quickened us together with Christ, 

By grace ye are saved;

And hath raised us up together, 

And made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

That in the ages to come he might shew 

The exceeding riches of his grace 

In his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Extraordinary You

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."          Ephesians 2:10

Have you ever thought about the fact that each and every part of you was constructed by the great architect Jesus Christ?  Each part of you, from your fingers to your toes was created for a specific purpose.  You have a smile to brighten someones day.  You have hands to shake the lonely man in the back pew.  You have feet to walk and be a witness.  You have eyes to see the broken hearts and heavy-burdened.  You have ears to listen to the stories of your children.  You have a mind which was configured in just the way God wanted it. This mind can be used for Him. 


Each of your intricate details can be used to the glory of God - a light in the darkness.  Let God lead you.  He made you, so He knows that you are capable of extraordinary things!