Hello, friends!
I’ve needed to take some time to pray about my blog, Generation Lights. I’ve reached out to some other writers for advice and taken some time off of writing to re-evaluate. I have now come to the conclusion that I will continue posting twice a month. My purpose for writing on this platform is to encourage you to press on in the faith with joy and confidence in Jesus, and to continually grow in your relationship with Him. My passion is to share the life-changing and convicting truths of the gospel and Jesus Christ to this dark generation, and to challenge other teenagers to live radically for Christ. It’s worth it - even if it means laying everything down to bear the greatest light, and to receive the greatest gift of all. This morning I was reading through 2 Timothy 2, Paul’s letter to Timothy, and this verse stood out to me in particular: “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (vs. 19) The greek word for “know” in this verse is ginosko. It means: a prolonged form of a primary verb; to "know" (absolutely). This isn’t just a metaphor or a piece of figurative language. It is reality. God knows those who belong to Him, and He knows those who are just another sheep in wolf’s clothing - trying to pretend to be one of His own, but showing no evidence that they ever were. The Lord knows those that are His. Therefore, we can’t deceive God. If we pretend to have it all together and to confidently know all the answers though we're lost and searching, God’s not deceived. If we play the games and sing the songs to fit in with our other Christian friends, though we’re not a Christian at all, God’s not deceived. Rather, He knows everything, loves us just the same, and wants to help us through this. I once heard a quote from Paul Washer - a favorite preacher in our home - which said something like this: “I won’t get into the Whitehouse if I know the president, but I will get into the Whitehouse if the president knows me.” It's the same way with God. We won't stand enter His eternal kingdom because we only knew about Him. God has to know us - absolutely. If you're in a relationship with someone, you don’t just know them inside and out, they also know you. They know the last time you both talked to one another, and could tell you about the greatest memories you’ve had together. You’re not in a relationship with someone because you know all of their information, you’re in a relationship with them because you both have made a deeper connection with each other, and a commitment. As the final part of 2 Timothy 2:19 says that if we bear the name of Christ, we should turn from our iniquity. If we haven’t yet turned from our sin, or if we are living a “double life” with one foot in and one foot out of the world, are we truly Christians? If we claim to be something we're not, we aren’t only deceiving ourselves, but we’re possibly even deceiving those who around us. We then bear Christ's name falsely! Eph. 5:6 says that these are the very people that His wrath will go towards. That is a dangerous position to be in. It’s better to seek honesty, forgiveness, and righteousness (as hard as it may be), than to pretend to be a believer just to have an excuse to continue in sin. Lukewarm Christians are not acceptable in God's sight (Rev. 3:15-16). Galatians 6:7-9 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Pretending that we’re saved, or hiding things from others causes problems. Galatians 6 says that those who sow to his flesh (live carnally-minded, sinfully, and in a worldly manner) will receive corruption. It can also harm those around us. It is better to come into the light. If living a "double life" becomes acceptable and normal, it can (even unknowingly) encourage ungodliness in the lives of others around us, especially those who look up to us. Instead of trying to hide your pain, share it with others so you may heal. There is healing in His name. There is no condemnation with Him (Rom. 8:1). Instead of trying to work your way to salvation, repent for your sins and trust in the grace of God and blood of Jesus to be sufficient for you. It is He that works in you to do His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Instead of pretending to be a Christian, go to Jesus and become a true follower of the living God! There are no strings attached, and He is our hope of glory (Col. 1:27). Following Jesus was never meant to be about popularity or even living a good and happy life, no matter what society tells you. In fact, being a Christian is difficult. It isn't about what Jesus can give you, or about the benefits that come with following Him. It's about the life-long commitment to willingly live for and serve the Savior of the world, to follow Him and walk with Him through whatever comes - till the end. It's about the price He paid on the cross and the work He fulfilled so we could be in unity with Him. It’s a relationship to not become a better version of yourself, but to become more refined and more like Him. It’s a sacrifice that often requires us to give up all comfort, pleasure, and popularity to gain something truly better that this world could ever give. After all, what have we truly lost in gaining something more valuable than all the riches of this entire world put together? Nothing! 2 Timothy 2:11-13 - “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” Love to you all in Christ, Hannah K.
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Hello everyone!
As some of you may have noticed, I have been absent for quite a while on my blog. Things got busy with the National Bible Bee, and our internet was even having some issues, which prevented me from posting last week. All of that to say, I am glad to be back! I have missed writing posts to you all, and spending my Monday afternoons sharing what God has been teaching me recently. The National Bible Bee journey ended for me a couple weeks ago. I took the multiple choice test at home a few Mondays ago, and found out later that week that I didn’t advance to the oral recitation round. However, I couldn’t be more thankful. I have learned so much in this journey, and I am so blessed for the many friendships I have gained, and the invaluable truths that have been hidden in my heart. Those truths and hundreds of memorized verses will never leave my heart. I wanted to say thank you to anyone reading this who has either prayed for me or encouraged me - God knew I needed it! If it wasn’t for COVID, I would be heading to Nationals in San Antonio, Texas this November. But even though plans have been altered and changed, I am forever thankful to the Lord for this amazing four month adventure through His Word that changed my life. I value His Word more than ever before, and desire to let His truths shine through me into the world for His glory - and that is worth it all. Writing a post to share with you just a few of those amazing lessons I've learned is something I'm considering, though I'll try to keep it from reaching book length! God has been so good to me this year, even amidst all the hardships I've been facing personally, and even globally. Our God sure does triumph over our circumstances, and is faithful to hide us in the shadow of His wings. When we invest time into Him and His Word, He renews our hope and joy. His goodness can’t be quenched by the hardships or trials we encounter here in this temporary world. Rather, we have every reason to be full of joy because we can fully trust in Him! Recently I have been really blessed by a YouTube channel by a Bible Bee friend of mine, Sierra Ruga. She sings scripture in KJV, and God is using her gifting to encourage others around her. Feel free to check out her songs here! If I could give you a verse to hold onto this week, it'd be the one that especially helped me in my last few days of Bible Bee studying and testing: 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 - “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” Run, my friends! Give this race all you got, because you only get to run it once. Finish well, and do it all for Him. As always, if there is any way that I can be praying for you, just leave a comment below! God is greater than what you're facing, and one day we'll see that living a life for His sake really was worth everything. Love to you all in Christ, -Hannah Kohner When is the last time you sat down for more than a few seconds to observe the beauty of the sky?
When is the last time you sat in God’s nature and breathed in the fresh air - without interruptions? Do you remember the last time you stopped to feel the wind blow across your face as you took your eyes off of the distractions of this world, if only just for a moment? Some of us cannot even remember. The world which longs for our attention has a way of distracting and busying us, to only leave us feeling empty in the end. If we aren't careful, we can easily miss the very blessings that God has set before us in our daily lives. As I've gotten older, I've learned that things in life don't slow down for us. Rather, we have to make the choice to slow down ourselves. The Lord does not say in Psalm 46:10, “When things around you are still, know that I am God.” Rather, He says, “Be still and know that I am God.” That verse in itself is one of many that shifts our perspectives, and reminds us of the truth that unless we take initiative and be still, it won’t happen. The world will not stop for us. I love the promises in scripture that talk about the true peace found in God, amidst our chaotic, distracting, and fast-paced world. Isaiah 26:3 says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Yet even when we are anxious with our never-ending to do lists, overwhelmed with our ongoing commitments, and stressed by our impossible standards, God is merciful. He gives us grace in time of need (Heb. 4:16), and reminds us that we don't need to be in control, because He already is. He relieves us and speaks to us that He is still the same stress-free, sovereign, and all-knowing God, who is not surprised by anything. He is sufficient to give us the peace we need to be still. His standards for us never change. His requirements for us are never burdensome. In fact, His only requirement for us is to love and serve Him with everything, and to love others as ourselves. He understands our pain, our stress, our worry, and our fears. Yet, knowing what He does, He’s still asked one thing of us - ourselves. He wants us. He wants us to take that time out of our days to memorize His Word, to read His truth, to love those around us, to pray, and to smile. If anyone understands the importance of work, Jesus does. He had the greatest role anyone has, or will ever have on this earth. He made the biggest impact, and He knew that the choices He'd make would change the world, for eternity. Talk about pressure! Yet somehow in all of this, He took time to pray. He took time to teach, to love, to help the poor, and to laugh. He took time to sit on the mountainside and eat with his disciples. He took time to heal the brokenhearted, and to sit with the hurting. He was not moved by this world, even though He lived in it. Jesus is the perfect example of what we as Christians should be like. He never intended for us to be so overwhelmed that we forget to take time to be still. If things get too heavy for you, give it to Jesus, ask for His peace, then look up. Take that time to pray for others without distraction, to spend time with Him without rush, to laugh without worry of the future. Take time to take in what He has given you here on this earth, and to take in who He is, and what He has done for you. As for your worries? Leave those in His hands. This past week as I myself have been stressed with commitments, tasks, and competitions, I have been overly blessed by the times I have chosen to sit still and to be in God’s presence. Those moments won't be wasted. This earth is just temporary, and what we do here matters. If we only live once, what do we want to fill our lives with? What do we want to make time for? The best thing on this earth in the eyes of a King is the one fully lived for Himself. Are we fully living for Him? Believe me, I understand when life gets busy, and schedules are scattered. But I also know that Jesus is greater. He's worth our first and last breath, and everything in between. If we need help, all we have to do is pray and ask Him. Ask Him to help you to refocus, prioritize, and to breathe. He gave us the flowers, birds, the wind, laughter, sunsets, and the stars all for our enjoyment. I don't want to be so busy where I miss these blessings right before my eyes. I don't want to be held captive by distractions and busyness. I want to take time to receive the gifts the Father has given me, to thank God for each morning, to love unconditionally, and to be worry-free like the sparrows, knowing that my God cares for me (Matt. 10:29-31). He wants us to be a part of His plan, and we can't do that if we're stuck in the worries of our own. Whether you’re in college, or are cooking in the kitchen, you're a part of the greatest plan of the greatest King. So look up, and take time. There is nothing in this world that distracts, stresses, worries, or overwhelms you that is not already in His hands. Love you all in Christ, Hannah K. “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter from us, as the day of Christ is at hand.” - 2 Thessalonians 2:2
A question that I have had to ask myself over and over again is, am I prepared? Am I prepared for the battle that is mentioned in scripture to rage more fiercely as we near Christ’s return? Am I willing to be ridiculed, mocked, persecuted, and afflicted as scripture says in John 16:1-3 and in Hebrews 11 for the sake of Christ? Am I ready to stand alone on a foundation of faith when the world around me crumbles beneath my feet? Is the church of Christ ready? So many Americans have been conditioned to comfort and prosperity. An innumerable number of Christians have lost sight of the true goal and purpose of living on this earth in exchange for comfort and momentary pleasures. Sadly, there are more of us who are unprepared for what is coming than those of us who are prepared. There are more Christians trying to get as close to the fine line of “ungodliness” as possible while calling themselves "righteous," instead of ones who are radically living for Jesus even if it costs them everything. Teenagers are seeking for the word success to be written upon them instead of the name of Jesus Christ. Could this be an example of what the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:1-4? Ephesians 6 mentions that we as Christians wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Romans 12:5-6 says that believers are one body in Christ, and that each of us have differing gifts according to the grace that is given to us. So how do we equip ourselves? How has Jesus individually instructed us to handle these difficult times to come that He's warned us of? 1. Pray. 1 Thess. 5:17 says to pray without ceasing. We should pray together, and pray alone. Jesus Himself prayed to His father while on earth, and in Matthew 6 He teaches us how to do the same. As Christians, we cannot view prayer as something distant that is to be “checked off” a list. Now more than ever, we need to go on our knees and intercede for our nation, our world, our families, and for our leadership. Prayer is a communication with God, not an act of religion. Can we not pray with Him for one hour after all He has done for us? What are we willing to lay down so we can have uninterrupted time with the King of the world in prayer? 2. Immerse yourself in God’s Word. When we take time to read God’s Word in a day, and fill our hearts and minds with His truths, it changes us. We'll be strengthening ourselves to stand in the day of adversity. When our minds are constantly thinking on God’s Word, it then flows out of us and we have a different perspective on what we’re facing. 3. Spread the gospel. The last commandment that Jesus gave us before He ascended into heaven was to teach all nations about Himself and to baptize them in His name. Why do so many Christians act as if this command is optional and nonurgent? Ezekiel 33:11 says that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live for Christ. How can we take part in this bigger plan? 4. Memorize scripture. As N.A. Woychuck once said in his book, You Need To Memorize Scripture, “Reading and studying God’s Word gets the person into the Word, but memorizing it gets the Word into the person, and there it becomes a major force in molding the spiritual life and conforming it to the will of God.” The more scripture I hide in my heart, the less people can take away from me. As I memorize, I feel more connected to God, and become stronger in my faith. I’m then able to make Him known to the world, and use those words to encourage others. Psalm 119:11-13,16 says, “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgements of thy mouth. I will delight myself in thy statutes, I will not forget thy Word.” Hebrews 4:12 describes the Word of God as “sharper than a two-edged sword.” Scripture is our foundation, and it is powerful! If we want to spread the gospel, we have to know His Word. 5. Obey God. If He is revealing to you to prepare in a certain way, do it. If He is asking you to grow your faith in a certain area of your life, do it. If He wants you to give something up, or to change an area of your life, do it! He knows what is best for you. We need to be ready and equipped for what is coming, and God’s Word prepares us spiritually so that when the waters come and beat upon us, our foundation doesn’t budge. We can’t waste this time seeking comfort and pleasure. Now is the time to seek Jesus while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6-7), for today is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2)! The time of our salvation is nearer than when we first believed (Rom. 13:11). It is time to wake up and live in the light (Rom. 13:12). Even if things seem difficult now, or get harder in the future, as Christians there are eternal promises that we can hold close to our hearts. God rewards the faithful (Matt 25:21), His presence is with us (Exodus 33:14), and He is working things out for our good and for His glory (Romans 8:28). We have no reason to fear (Isaiah 41:10), but every reason to trust (Prov. 3:5-6)! Psalm 46:11- “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” Love you all in Christ, Hannah K. “Hannah!” I glanced up at the calling of my name to see my friend and former Bible Bee judge motioning me to follow her. Now was the time.
I was just about to recite seven passages in seven minutes, to determine whether or not I could move on to the next round of Bible Bee testing. My heart was racing. My nerves were anything but still. I gave my fellow Bible Bee contestant a high five as I stood up and went to the judging room. I felt peace in my heart amidst the feelings of nervousness that arose within me. I was doing this for God, and that was all that mattered. My goal was a perfect recitation, and to get 1st place at Locals. In order to do that, I had to avoid even the smallest errors. I walked into the judging room and couldn’t stop smiling. I knew that every word I proclaimed was to glorify God. What was more important than a perfect oral recitation was that the King of the world heard me, and He saw me. That thought overtook my mind as I was preparing to recite. Little did I know that God had planned for my favorite passages to be requested by the judges for me to recite that day. Passage after passage, I was reminded of God’s faithfulness throughout the summer. I quoted passionately, joyfully, and confidently. I knew that no matter what happened that God was worthy of the best I could give, and that was what I’d do. I was only two errors away from reciting thirty-three verses perfectly. Even though 1st place wasn't God's plan for me, He blessed me in different ways that day that I would've never expected. I'm thankful that His plans for us are always perfect, no matter what we think or how we feel. Later that day, the award ceremony took place and a tie was announced for 3rd place in the Senior Division. I was called up to stand in front of an audience full of people and recite yet another passage - perfectly. If not, my fellow contestant would get 3rd place instead. I remember glancing into the audience to see the faces of my family members and my dear friend. Thumbs up, enthusiastic smiles, and wide eyes were what I saw. I was nervous, especially to have my competitor go first to recite a scripture. As I was standing up front, my heart was racing, but in that moment, I completely trusted God. If You want me to make third place, I know You’ll allow me to recite perfectly. I don’t know what will happen, but I know that I can trust You with all of it. I thought to myself as I fixed my eyes on Christ. Fear started to vanish as I heard a wrong word inserted into the passage by my fellow competitor. “Incorrect.” I heard the judge say. The audience remained silent. Then it was my turn. “Hannah, please recite Genesis 37:26-28.” I felt hope rise up in my heart as I stood tall and paused, then started quoting. “That is correct!” The judge said as the crowd roared with excitement. God, you did it again. I whispered to myself over and over again as I held the beautiful medal in my hands. God, You are faithful. This is not my work, but Yours. Your Word is in my heart. It won’t leave me in trials, and it won’t be wasted. My greatest reward of all is knowing You and having hid Your beautiful treasure inside of my heart. Thank You God. You get all of the glory. I thought to myself. I have spent this summer knowing You, Lord. Now is the time to make You known. Please prepare me and this generation for what You want us to do, and help us to be Your lights and shake the world around us. Help us to share Your Word to those who are still in the dark, today. 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 - "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the LORD; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Proclaim Day 2020 is a day I will never forget. I walked out of that building with a medal around my neck, but most importantly, courage and strength to stand as God has called me to. I walked out with many wonderful memories and hundreds of invaluable words engraved into my heart. Not one moment you invest in God’s Word and knowing Him will be wasted. The rewards you get here on this earth may be great, but the real rewards are eternal, and not yet grasped by our minds or our hands. Those rewards are ones that never fail. We can trust in the Lord, and those who do will not be put to shame (Psalm 22:5). Choose today to trust Him. Choose today to hide His Word in your heart and to make Him known to the world. Choose to stand up and allow His light to shine through you for the glory of God. You'll never regret it. Love you all, Hannah K. Yesterday I turned 18.
Leading up to my birthday, I was unsure of how exactly things would turn out. The image of a “perfect day” wasn’t lining up to reality-- at all. But it was then that God reminded me to trust Him, for He had more planned for me than I knew that day. Recently, He’s been teaching me to let go of my plans and desires in exchange for His own. Yesterday was just one more opportunity to do so. Little did I know that God would shower me with surprises, numerous blessings, strengthened faith, answered prayers, and beautiful weather on my birthday. He indeed knew just what He was doing, even when I did not. Over the past couple of years, I’ve found that asking advice from those older than me has benefitted me immensely. Last year I wrote a post around my birthday listing 17 things I’ve learned in 17 years (you can find the post by clicking here). This year I thought it’d be fun to share with you all 18 words of advice from 18 years of my life. I hope they benefit you as well! 1. God’s faithfulness isn’t limited by our perception or understanding of who He is. 2. Don’t let the time you read God’s Word become a mundane routine, chore, or even an act of religion. Instead, memorize, study, and meditate on it because you love the Author, and you desire Him more than anything. That is true passion and hunger. 3. Just because a door is open doesn’t mean God opened it. Pray before you make big decisions because even the paved path can seem perfect, but lead somewhere God doesn’t want you to go (even when we mess up, it doesn’t catch God by surprise. He is gracious to pick us back up again). 4. Do hard things, and start doing them young. Even when difficulty stares you in the face and says you can’t, do it anyway. You’ll find that the more you practice hard things (public speaking, writing, standing up for what’s right, learning a new instrument, memorizing books of the Bible, talking to strangers, etc.), the easier it will be. 5. A race can only be won by taking it one step at a time. Memorizing scripture can only be done one verse at a time. Living for Jesus can only be done by glorifying Him one day at a time, and giving Him the rest. We weren’t meant to carry more than what He’s given us, today. 6. By succumbing to the low expectations of this culture and choosing not to use my teen years to grow in my character, abilities, and relationship with God, I’m missing out on some of the most important years of my life. I’m making it harder on myself later, and wasting the years God has given me now. 7. Adults are wise. Listen to them. Ask them questions. Learn from them. Bless them. 8. Always go to God first. If you can’t understand something in scripture, ask God for interpretation, wisdom, and revelation. If you’re struggling to make a hard decision, pray about it and ask for His peace and direction. He’ll show you! 9. Don’t wait to tell or show others how much you love them. Life is a gift and you’re living in this moment. Enjoy this present from God, and love fully! 10. There is NO freedom outside of Christ. No matter how many places we look for a sense of satisfaction and joy in temporal things, we won’t find it. If we do, it won’t last. Jesus is where freedom and joy is truly found. The closer we get to Him, the more of that we’ll experience. 11. Take time to slow down. Life can be so fast paced. Often we can get so carried away with the distractions and cares of this world that we forget why we’re here. We forget to take in the beauty surrounding us, and the work of our Creator. The Bible says to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10), and to set our mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2). 12. Use your words to encourage, rather than to tear down. God gave us the ability to speak whatever we choose, so CHOOSE to glorify the King and uplift others with the beautiful gift of words. You have this opportunity. Don’t waste it! 13. Materials don’t matter as much as we think they do. True joy is found in eternal things, and in Jesus, rather than what we store up (Matthew 6:19-20). Christ understands what it’s like to be tempted by the enemy with momentary pleasures of this world (Matthew 4). Yet even then He laid down his life so others could find their own. He gave up what he could’ve had so we could be given the best gift of all. 14. Smile. If your mind is telling you there is absolutely no reason to do so, remind yourself that if you know JESUS, that's reason enough. It doesn’t matter if the sun is shining or not. Smile anyway, and watch how that one simple choice can change someone’s day. 15. People won’t always agree with us, and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean we should stop showing Jesus’ love to them, that we should ignore them, or that we should compromise in what we know to be true. Rather, stand for truth and love them anyways. 16. Everyone gets angry, but staying angry and choosing to walk in prolonged bitterness is not ever worth it. 17. Give. When you do, don’t expect anything in return. Forgive. When you do, don’t expect an apology, but genuinely release them into the hands of God. 18. GOD IS IN CONTROL. No, my life may not be the way I planned it, and my circumstances may seem overwhelming, but my God still reigns. My life is for His glory and to do His work and not my own. Knowing this allows me to rest and find true joy in Him. So there you have it! Keep on focusing on Jesus, and let Him take you to new levels as you ask for wisdom and seek advice from those around you. Above all, trust Him and desire for His will to be done. The rest will fall into place! Love you all! -Hannah K. Complaining. How do you feel when you read that word? If complaining were a person, would it be one that you’d feel well acquainted with, or would it seem like a stranger? Teenagers, and even adults in this generation, are surrounded with innumerable low expectations, and complaining is only one of them.
Together we can combat the lie to succumb to its grasp through a biblical perspective, and we can rise above these low expectations. A few weeks ago, a group of young Christian writers and I decided to stand up and do something difficult. Very difficult. Thanks to Brett Harris creating the No Complaining challenge, a couple friends and I decided after a Bible study call that we weren’t going to complain for one week. Then, we went to our family members and asked them to hold us accountable — for seven whole days. Some of us made charts on pieces of paper to mark every time we complained, while others developed a new habit to apologize to those around them when they caught themselves complaining. Scripture makes it clear that complaining displeases the Lord, negatively affects us, and can even hurt others. Read below what Krystle, a participant of the No Complaining challenge, has to say: "Complaining is something everyone does and oftentimes we don’t realize we do it. Recently, I participated in the "No Complaining" challenge. I didn’t write every time I complained, but I was more observant to my complaining. The people in the Bible who complained a lot were the Israelites. They complained to Moses about how God brought them out of Egypt just so they would die of hunger and thirst. God had good gifts for the Israelites, but they weren’t trusting God to supply their needs. So often we don’t trust God to supply our needs and we start complaining about how things aren’t how we want them!” We were so benefitted by that week of no complaining that we even decided to do it the following week. Seeing our improvement was encouraging, and looking forward to sharing our areas of growth the following week made it even fun. We can see how complaining from the Israelites caused Moses and the Lord to rebuke them in Exodus 16:8. “And Moses said, [This shall be], when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what [are] we? your murmurings [are] not against us, but against the LORD.” The Israelites murmured in their tents and didn’t pay attention to the voice of the Lord (Psalm 106:25)! We see from this verse that we’re not only to refrain from murmuring when others are surrounding us but even when we’re at home in secret! God is everywhere, and hears every word that comes out of our mouths. We aren’t to leave purity of speech on the wayside when we’re alone in the car, or working on chores at home. A verse that helps me to be thankful in every situation is James 1:17 which says that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” That means that even the smallest gifts in life are from God. Just like the Israelites behaved after they were freed from the captivity of Egypt, Christians can often behave as if we deserve more than what God has already given us. We reason with ourselves that we don’t deserve to suffer, struggle, or be inconvenienced. Rather, we’re tempted to live just as the Israelites did and forget where God brought us from! We shouldn’t so easily forget the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for us, and the eternal life He gave us. It would have been immense grace if He had allowed us to suffer a little while in hell, but He kept us out completely. He’s already given us enough reason to praise Him for eternity, even if He never does one more thing for us! So...the challenge is on. Teens and adults around the world are putting an end to complaining. They’re shining a light on the sin that is so often dismissed and overlooked. They’re glorifying God even with the words they choose to— or not to— speak. Will you join us? Philippians 2:14- “Do all things without murmurings or disputings.” In Christ Jesus, Hannah K. Hello friends and fellow readers! This week has been very wonderful for those of us in Minnesota. The weather is beautiful, the sun has been shining, and the crickets and birds are chirping. I am officially feeling the presence of summer! But with this new season also comes new challenges and unanswered questions. I have some friends who are moving homes. Others are struggling to find a sense of normalcy, consistency, and productivity during their seemingly mundane days. Quarantine may still be effective where you live. It may not. Either way, each of us have experienced a level of change in our lives. I know a dear friend of mine had her plans cancelled to return to the USA, while others had many of their summer plans cancelled leaving them in a place of confusion as they search for a sense of purpose. So what are we to do exactly when life feels too ordinary to be enjoyable? How are we to follow Jesus in the small day-to-day tasks, when we are longing to just do more? “How do I live passionately for Christ when daily life feels mundane?” This week’s question is actually asked by a few young Christians who are searching for true answers-who long to do more. This is the last week of the Committing Fully series, and I'm thankful for the past weeks I have been able to speak truth into your lives, and answer your questions by the strength of the Lord. It has been a fun series to write about, and I have benefitted from learning what topics would minister to and bless you all the most in this season of your lives. I myself can relate to the struggle of learning to fully serve Christ when life feels mundane, uneventful, and even boring at times. One thing that God reminded me of in this time is that whether I had my own plans or not, HIS were the ones to come to pass. The fact that I no longer had a calendar filled up with fun activities didn’t change the fact that my God was still King, and that His plans were ultimately all that mattered. My ordinary days are extraordinary whenever I choose to have God on my side and put Him first. The fact that I have the Creator of the universe on my side and in my life is reason enough to walk around every day with joy, passion, and purpose! After all, I’m not living for myself. I am living for Christ. After memorizing Philippians 1:21 which reads “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain,” I’ve gained a better understanding of Christ’s value in my life. That verse along with many others in Philippians have encouraged me to sacrifice my desires in life for the ultimate glory of God. Here are 10 ways that teens are serving Christ in the mundane right now - and you can join them! They are:
Colossians 3:23- “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the LORD, and not unto men.” So there you have it! It’s never easy to do difficult things for God’s glory, especially when the world encourages us to do nothing. But no matter what your life looks like right now, you CAN serve God in the mundane! No matter what season of life you’re in you can pray, encourage others, read God’s Word, offer your time, talents and abilities, trust God, love, and choose to grow in your faith and character (and maybe even help others in their own journey)! You are here for a reason and this season won’t last forever. Embrace it while it’s here. We're here for Christ, so don't be afraid to ask Him for help along the way! 1 Corinthians 10:31- “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Love you all in Christ, Hannah K. - Serving others is rarely convenient, but those who serve God and others have a life of true beauty, passion, purpose, direction, love, joy, and adventure. - Hello all!
Yes, some of you may have noticed that I skipped a blog post last week. However, I have a good reason: We started Bible Bee! Last Monday was my first day of studying, and our family got our resources in the mail. Later that afternoon, I excitedly dove into the story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis and the study that went along with the scriptures I read. I’ve honestly learned so much already. Many of my friends have been so encouraging and it's been great to share this journey with them and my family. Below I list two truths I have already learned this past week in doing Bible Bee. I’ll also be sharing my answer to yet another question for the Committing Fully series about how to read scripture even when life is busy!
What has God taught you this week? Our second Committing Fully question for this series is asked by a fellow peer of mine. In fact, this question fits real well with the “blog theme” of Bible studying this week, so I’m thankful that I get to share my answer with you all. "How do you grow in your faith when you are busy and don't have hours to read your Bible or pray? I feel like really good Christians read the Word in the morning and in the afternoon and at night, but I only read my Bible once. So advice!” -Age 14 First of all, thank you for asking this question! It’s very thought-provoking and an important one to have the answer to, especially in this generation. Personally, there have been seasons in my life where I study the Bible for several hours in just one day, and there have been others where I struggle to spend an hour in His Word. Whatever amount of time I invest into His Word is the amount I will receive out of it. The same goes for everybody. Sometimes I do get busy, but it's in those times that I have to re-evaluate. What am I making time for instead of God? What can I change? When life is not busy, how do I spend my free time? A well-known quote by Elisabeth Elliot that has helped me: “If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.” Even when I have a crazy schedule, I can ask Him to fill me and to strengthen me- and He will! There isn’t a rule to how much time we’re supposed to spend in a day to qualify as a “good Christian.” But what God has told us in His Word is that we must delight in it, seek His truth, and meditate on it. The good thing is, there’s no limit to how much time we can spend with Him! If we’re hungry for food, no matter how busy we are, we’ll usually make time to eat. The same is the way with God’s Word. If our spirit is hungry for more of God, we’ll make more time to fill ourselves, and we won’t be satisfied until we do. If you want more of God, don’t let anything stop you. Pray while you work, memorize verses throughout the day, sing songs of thankfulness, and remember that even when life is busy, Jesus is right there with you wanting to live every second with you (even if you’re not spending a ton of time searching up Hebrew words in a concordance from a verse you’re studying :). Ask Him for help in this! Check your heart and see if you truly are hungry for more of Christ. Seek to spend more time not to feel better, but to please Him and to become more of who He wants you to be. Surrender these busy times to Him, and seek Him in the quiet ones. You may even find that the more time you spend just meditating on the things of God throughout your day it will change you- immensely! “I don’t often spend more than half an hour in prayer at one time, but I never go more than an half hour without praying.” -Smith Wigglesworth Matthew 4:4 - But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Love in Christ Jesus, Hannah Kohner This past week I’ve been preparing for the studying of the National Bible Bee summer study. I’ve been memorizing, praying, and working hard on history homework to finish up the school year. As I sat down to write this blog post, God quietly whispered the word patience to me.
I can’t wait for this new season of my life to begin, but instead of wasting this time before its arrival, I’m living each day productively by working hard in this season I am in. I’m choosing to use this once in a lifetime waiting season both wisely and purposefully. And that’s how God has called us to live our Christian life- wisely and purposefully. God gave us a mission here on this earth as we anxiously anticipate His arrival. He has high expectations for His children, and desires that we use the time we’re given to invest into eternity by truly knowing Him. When we value God above all else, and start living this life with a heavenly purpose to honor the King, everything changes. When we decide to radically pursue Christ and kick back the weights and doubts of society, we truly start to shine. The moment we say NO to normality, complacency and fleshly sin to say YES to living for the One who gave it all for you, your life will be transformed. Committing fully is guaranteed to change your life. But if we want to shine like stars for Jesus, we have to be willing to be set apart from the darkness around us. In last week’s email, I asked a few of you to share any questions you had on fully committing to Christ or on a true relationship with Him. This week, I’ll be answering one of those questions by sharing my personal advice. “How do you balance the desire/need to be productive with prioritizing relationships (God, family, etc)?” - Age 15 Honestly, I’m still improving in this area myself. :) Although I have been productive with my time recently, and made a point to be more intentional with the time that God has given me, I still need grace. I have to remember that God hasn’t only given me time, but He’s also given me the many blessings in my life such as family, friends, and most importantly, Himself. This past week, God really showed me the importance of slowing down, as He reminded me of the story of Mary and Martha in Luke chapter 10. I could run around all day and get everything done that I needed to while still lacking what really matters- invaluable time in His Word, and with my family. I’ve had to say no to several of my goals in a week to fit in time for what Jesus says really matters. Although culture likes to put on us the importance of busyness, Jesus says to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all else will be added (Matthew 6:33). If I'm too busy to pray, I need to change something in my schedule and reprioritize. What I would recommend is writing down a list of what you accomplish in a day, what you don’t have time for (but want to), and your biggest distractions. Sometimes the problem isn’t being productive as much as it is using your spare time in the wrong ways, or not keeping track of how you currently are using it. Jesus never said that working hard was wrong, but He did say that loving others and Him was the most important commandment of all. I like to ask God with help in prioritizing, because He can help me in ways I can’t help myself. The truth is, spending that time with Him and those we love can be so much more rewarding than any task we complete. Thanks for the question! ---- A life well lived is one at Christ’s disposal, and willing to let Him orchestrate our days. Sometimes we’re tempted to think that we’re doing what’s best by staying busy, completing the most goals, or reading more scripture than the rest of those in your Bible study group. But what if God doesn’t call us to be better than the person who knows more than us, but to reach for Him and not stop growing until we are who HE desires? What if God doesn’t call us to check off every box on our lists (not saying they aren’t helpful:) to be at peace? What if our true peace is simply found in being in Christ’s presence? In all honesty, we have no limit to how much we can do for His glory. So why don’t we give Him our best while we can? God calls us to live a holy life for His glory, resolving to lay down our will for the sake of doing His. Yes, it's hard. Willingly doing what He desires doesn’t come naturally for us, but as we patiently wait on Him and yearn to be like Him, He’ll meet us where we’re at. He’ll hear our voices as we cry out to Him and pick us up from our sin, leading us to a life for His ultimate glory and for our good. We may not be perfected in Christ yet, but we must not give up. be willing to try. That’s where patience comes in. To understand we’re not yet perfected, but to live each day we’re given purposefully and wisely to please Him. To be willing to try and to take that first step of obeying God when He says go, and choosing to trust Him with the rest. Maybe obedience seems like a small step, but in reality it's a launching pad into a deeper relationship with Christ. Even when things are uncertain and culture says to stay back, you’ll go... because living a life committed to Jesus is worth it all, and you’ll never regret it. Luke 10:41-42- “And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Love you all in Jesus, Hannah Kohner If you’ve been a Christian for any amount of time, or have Jesus-followers in your family or friend circle, this post is for you. I’m starting a new series called, Committing Fully. This will actually be my first series on Generation Lights! My prayer is that through this series your question will be answered if being radical in your faith is truly worth it. What’s the point, if there’s one at all?
If you’re a teenager and found the title of this post intriguing, stick with me. If you’re an adult reading these words, I challenge you to take these truths to your own heart and share them. I’m seventeen years old, and will be turning eighteen in two months. Yes, to write those words seems surreal. I still remember the day I sat at our kitchen table and opened my presents at the age of fourteen. I thought that eighteen was such a big number, with a big amount of uncertainties to pass through to get there. I was scared, and rather I decided to push that thought to the back of my mind. But it didn’t keep me from reality. Now I’m here. Looking back over these past few years, I’ve seen how far God has taken me. I smile at the priceless memories, and thank God for His sufficient grace in my struggles. I’m blessed for His strength that has remained perfect in my weaknesses, joys, tears, and growing seasons. I give God all the glory for who I am today. Over the years I’ve met many friends. Some have stuck, and others have not. Some encouraged me, and some had a bad influence on my life. As I’ve grown in the Lord, I’ve had to say goodbye to a lot of connections, or be okay with their sudden disappearance from my life. I was different. Some of my friends didn’t like that. “Do you swear?” A girl asked me once. “No, I don’t.” I replied. “The Lord says to not swear or take His name in vain.” “I know,” she responded. “But what do I do when all my friends around me are swearing?” “I would tell them politely to not swear around you, and if they don’t listen or respect you, distance yourself. You have to know that when you spend time with them and are close with them, they’ll impact you. You don’t want to start swearing, when it dishonors God.” (Read James 5:12). It's hard to stand up for what’s right. Short shorts. Crop tops. Tight pants. Immodest and ungodly apparel. It's everywhere, isn’t it? We can hardly walk into stores without seeing the culture’s latest trends splashed upon their walls and advertisements. I remember teaching at a girl’s Bible study one weekend, and we brought up the topic of apparel. “It’s hard to not wear the short shorts and leggings though because they’re so comfortable.” they spoke. “Everyone wears them!” In fact, some of us would rather shove the verses that talk about being modest to the furthest parts of our minds than say no to being popular. It's hard to be uncomfortable! “Ugh! I wish it wasn’t raining outside. What a gross and mucky day. I had plans!” I’ve heard those words spoken before more times than I’d like to count. I myself have spoken them! However, the more I have read in God’s Word, the more I've seen that complaining, even about the little things, is unbiblical. It’s mumbling to the One who gave us every good thing. Philippians 2:14 says to do all things without murmuring. In the Old Testament we see many accounts of God having to deal with the complaining Israelites. Even after all that God had done for them! I know it's easy to be ungrateful, but what if doing the hard things could really change our lives? Remaining silent when we're mistreated or inconvenienced is tough. “Why do you read your Bible every day?” is a question I’ve heard before. Well, to put it simply, God’s Word has the power to change and transform, and it’s done so to me. After all, if you loved someone very much whom you never got to see, and that person gave you a treasure above all treasures, how would you treat it? I know it can be difficult at times to read God’s Word every day, or in that way, but I’ve found that as I delight more in my God, I have a deeper hunger for His Word. I’ve learned that the more I ask Him for wisdom and seek His approval above man’s, that my time I spend with Him and the motives behind it are more intentional. Isn’t it difficult to be disciplined? To sacrifice so much for a relationship with Christ? It is. It is really hard. But is it worth it? To hear in the end Jesus say well done? Is it worth it for you to give God glory who put His breath into you? What if we viewed these things as more of a blessing than a loss? To be a teenager or adult that passionately pursues Christ and commits to being different for Christ... isn’t that the most rewarding? Yes, you will be different. You will be going against culture. You will be set apart. You will be left out. You will lose friends at times (1 John 3:13-24). But Jesus understands. So what's the point? When we give it up for Jesus we'll be living to do what we were born for, and pleasing our Creator-the King of Kings. We’ll find passion, purpose, freedom, and hope. Not because we decided to fit in with the wrong crowd just to be noticed. Not because we tried to have one foot in Christianity and one foot in the world, but because we chose to be fully committed. When we chose to love Christ with all we've got, because He first loved us, others will notice a difference. It's then that we'll begin to shine like stars FOR JESUS. And that will never go unnoticed. Love in Christ, Hannah K. Hello friends!
It's another wonderful week in the beautiful month of May. As I was thinking about what to write, my eyes shifted to the many flowering pink trees we have in our backyard. Since we moved into our current home last October, this spring is the first that we’ve been able to enjoy here. It was only a couple weeks ago that we discovered these stunning trees were only a couple steps away from our back patio. What a fun surprise! As I’ve been watching these trees blossom, I’m reminded of how sometimes blessings take time. In the beginning of May, I was actually complaining about how there were hardly any buds on the trees where I lived. It's not that I was doubting the arrival of new green leaves, but rather that I was impatient. Once the buds arrived, I was happy, but quickly found myself taking them for granted. Can you relate? Sometimes we get anxious to receive a long-awaited blessing, only to later get so comfortable with it that we forget to live in continuous thankfulness to God. Another thing I’ve realized is that we humans often doubt the arrival of our blessings. We’re unsure of God’s promises. When we’re overcome with various trials that seem endless, complaining comes naturally. Oftentimes we even forget why we are in these storms of life in the first place. We become like the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness and forgot the very one who was leading them. When the rain pours, we can get frustrated that the sun isn’t shining, but we forget that rain makes things grow, too. In fact, without the rain and dark clouds that fill the sky, would we even have any flowers to enjoy? Would we have our faith tested and strengthened to become more acceptable to our Creator? Probably not. As much as we’d like blessings and promises to overflow our lives, there is a priceless treasure found in the darkness of a storm. As I was talking to my dad about how the trees were late to bloom this year, he reminded me that we’ve also had less spring rain than usual. I felt like those words were a reminder to me that yes, good things take time. No, our blessings may not come in the time that we desire, but for those who trust in the Lord, they will come. Some popular sayings of the world include, Live your best life now, do what makes your heart happy, and chase your dreams. But are those really biblical? What does God say? In His Word we can read true encouragement for the weary soul: “Come to me all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:29). We can be confident when we read the words, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 40:10). “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4), and “The trial of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:3). Those are the kind of promises that are eternal, and ones that we can hold on to, even through life’s storms. The best part is, when our entire world caves in beneath our feet, the strong foundation of the trustworthy words of God remain. There will even be times in our lives when blessings seem purely invisible. I myself have been in seasons of life where I felt like the cold of winter and the dryness of the desert would never end. But it’s in those times that the refreshing words and promises of my Creator replenish my tired soul even more. In those times the glorious truths of His words shined brighter. Even if it means we won’t see our blessings for a race well run for Christ here on this earth, I want to remind you of the encouraging fact that Jesus did indeed promise that in the end we shall receive a crown of life. Sometimes those seemingly invisible blessings won’t come until we see Him face to face. Although you wait, don’t be weary! Run this race with hope and with those blessings in mind. Don’t be like me in the month of April when I complained about the lack of beauty in the rain. Instead, count the blessings you do have. Thank God for His present goodness in your life. In fact, I’m sure you’re so blessed that you wouldn’t even be able to count everything. I dare you to not take the gifts God has given for granted. Your pain won’t be wasted. Don’t give up! Brett Harris, the well-known author of the book Do Hard Things once said, “Faithfulness and obedience to God, and hearing from the Lord, ‘well done good and faithful servant’ at the end should be our ultimate motivation to do hard things for His glory now.” Isn’t that the biggest blessing of all? Those words themselves encourage me to keep pressing on for Jesus no matter how long it takes. I know that someday we’ll hear His voice and look into His eyes! It’s amazing how once we focus our eyes on Him how our current circumstances fall into perspective, isn’t it? Jesus is cheering for us and praying for us (Romans 8:34). What does this mean for us? How can you count your blessings this week and rejoice in the ones to come? This week I want to take time to be still and smile. I want to praise God not only for what He has done, but for what He is doing in my life currently. I want to extinguish complaints with praise. I want to live in the moment and give God glory every second I can- even when my blessings seem invisible. Because someday I will see how good things take time, and on that day I want to look back and say that the years I waited patiently were not wasted. Rather, they were used to grow me into who God desired, for His glory, in His timing. Just like the flowering trees. Will you join me? 2 Peter 3:9- "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some would count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Luke 11:28- “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Love you all in Christ, Hannah Kohner “Mom, I still have to do the dishes, finish packing, make my lunch, and print out my speech! I don’t have time, and we have to leave now!” I hollered as I frantically tied my shoes and raced back into the office to print my soon-to-be-presented speech.
This particular winter morning was a stress-filled one. When I arrived back home, I completed the tasks on my list to only add even more the next morning. Week after week I’d race to finish everything on time. I hardly had time to just do nothing, and longed for the day when I would have time to truly rest. And now that day is here. Can you relate to how I felt that morning? Maybe you’re a teenager who’s accustomed to several activities and outings a week, filling up your schedule. Maybe you’re an adult with a full time job and are overwhelmed with all of the tasks you have to do once you arrive home--and those emails you still haven’t replied to. Why do we do this to ourselves? We live such fast-paced lives and skip our days of rest. We often dream of a day when we can just sit down and have everything on our lists checked off. But will that day ever come? When the coronavirus hit our lives, we even filled up our suddenly blank schedules with things to keep us busy! I myself quickly created a list of goals, and was determined to remain productive. But then I realized… there is more to life than productivity, grades, and reputation. We were made for more than goal accomplishing, sports, and endless activities. God doesn’t want us to be so busy and stressed that we forget to rest. Recently I’ve been memorizing the Book of Philippians. When I came around to meditating on chapter 4 verse 6, I had a completely different perspective. “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known unto God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Yes, I know those are very popular verses, but if you skipped over it to continue reading, I encourage you to take time to go back and read each word - slowly. What stood out to you? The part of verse seven that stuck out to me was the part which read, “The peace OF God.” Throughout our busy lives, God is still the same. He watches as we take on commitment after commitment, and He speaks our name and says, Come to me all who are burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Even though we’re used to a life reeling at one hundred miles per hour, God remains the same. He is still the same God who parted the sea, who sees every sparrow as it falls, and knows the hearts of man. Time and time again, He writes to us in His Word of miraculous miracles and breathtaking events. Yet through it all, He has remained the God of peace. He is peace itself (Isaiah 9:6). In this season of our lives, I want you to consider looking at every day as one to rest in His peace. Take time to listen to the birds, dive into God’s Word, memorize a scripture, and spend time with your Creator. Thank Him for your blessings, and lift every request up to Him. Even when we are tempted to create a full schedule, I want you to value the forgotten treasure of peace. We have access to it every day, every hour, and every minute. How much do we dwell in it? When the world is full of chaos, you can be full of peace. Not because you have a cleared schedule, (because we all know how our minds can still be racing, seeking to fill them up;)) but because our God is still with us. We don’t serve a God who brings discontentment and stress. Rather, he has a priceless gift — a treasure — waiting in His hands for us to accept, at any time we desire. I know what it's like to be a high schooler with plans, dreams, goals, and ideas. But what if we surrendered these things to Jesus? Instead, what if we let go of our stress, worries, and cares, and just made them known unto God? What would happen to those around us who saw a difference in the way we lived our lives amidst adversity? What kind of change would we make, and what kind of glory would God receive? God promises those who trust in Him true rest and peace that can't be found anywhere else. We now have what we asked for: time to rest. What are we going to do with it? Not one hour spent with our God is wasted, and the ones we live with Him will be overflowed with peace. We really do not have anything to lose. This week I have found so much rest in Jesus. I found peace in Christ when I spent time with Him, memorized His Word, prayed, and chose to worship Him with songs of genuine praise. It seems as if all of my problems shrink to nothing when I am at the feet of Jesus. I begin to see how small my concerns really are in light of my beautiful Savior. He is in control! The God we serve took away every reason of ours to be anxious, and replaced it with peace and confidence in HIM alone. Will you accept this treasure? It's no one’s choice but yours! Love you all in Christ, Hannah K. Recently I received an encouraging letter in the mail from a friend. She wrote on a small piece of paper a challenge for me, and I hung it on my bedroom wall. Her challenge was: Find joy in Jesus. Where does your joy come from? Jesus or things? That really got me thinking... I then rephrased that question with the word hope. Where do I find my hope and joy? I've learned from experience that it's easy to answer that question in hard times, until the things we really did place our joy in our taken away from us. When life seems to be falling apart, then we can truly ask ourselves where our joy is found, test our motives, and re-shift our focus.
The truth is, when the things we have hoped in start to fall through our hands, it gives us the ability to fully latch hold of our Savior as we should. Oftentimes, hard seasons in our lives cause us see the areas we maybe didn’t trust God in entirety before. Difficult times enable us to view His Word through a different perspective. Christians have hope even in their suffering, and good news that many others don’t. Now that’s something to rejoice about! What has kept us from letting this joy spill over and bless those around us? Is it because we've been too caught up in the things of this world? Over the years, God has taught me that my hope never was to be placed in material things. As much as I enjoy my friends, home, comforts, hobbies, and commitments, none of those things could ever satisfy me or keep me rooted. The only way I am guaranteed to have a sure foundation, regardless of the storms that come, is to be grounded in Christ. After all, are we really meant to only find joy in temporal things that’ll waste away? Take a step back this week and look at life through a different perspective. Jesus really is in control. He knows what it's like to suffer and to be beaten down with earth’s heaviness and oppression. Yet one thing that He never did was lose sight of His Father. Jesus knew that He was just passing through. Any trial He endured here on this earth paved the way for those who followed Him to endure with hope. Jesus didn’t die so that we could be tangled by the affairs of this world. He died to save us, give us eternal life, and assurance of the fact that He's already overcome! How does that inspire you to view these hardships through a more glorious light this week? If we are dedicated and true followers of Christ:
So whatever you’re going through right now, whether it be a sickness, confusion, financial struggles, a loss, or stress, please remember... Jesus is still here. The hope that He gave us does not come and go like our hardships do. It doesn’t matter what we lose, because what we have gained in Him is so much more. It doesn’t matter where we end up in this life, because in the end we know that we will be with Christ for eternity. Anything that we have hoped for here on this earth is sure to pass away, except our Lord Jesus Christ. He never changes. You still have hope, and no one can steal that from you. Romans 5:3-5- “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” *How may I pray for you this week? Send me an email at [email protected] with any prayer requests, and my prayer warriors and I will be sure to lift you up.* Love in Christ, Hannah K. Hello my friends!
Did you have a good week? For me, this week for me was on the quieter side. Yet I was able to memorize many Bible verses, go on a few walks with my family, start choreographing a dance, and participate in a few Bible studies. I’m thankful for this slower-paced season so I can enjoy the little things in life more. As I was seeking the Lord about a topic to write about, my mind was brought back over the past year at the goodness and mercy of God. I spent my morning in thankfulness and thought of the many lessons He taught me and the joyous moments He gave me. I was reminded of Psalm 77:5 which says, “I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.” Verse 11 stood out to me just the same “I will remember the works of old. I will remember thy wonders of old.” Reading those verses reminded me that even when our world is currently shaken, God has always been good. He’s given us days in the past where we’ve learned how to fully trust Him. We’ve seen His promises come to pass before our eyes. We’ve had days when the storms raged, yet we tasted God’s faithfulness as He brought us through it. As Christians, we have endless words in our hands that proclaim the trustworthiness of One who made a way through the Red Sea and the dry desert. We know accounts of our Promise-keeper fulfilling prophecies and bringing His words to pass from the beginning. So why don’t we take a moment to glance to the past and remember where God has brought us from, and His goodness in the days of old? I challenge you to make a list of what God has shown you this past year, or even this past month! Then praise Him for His faithfulness. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forevermore! Below is a short journal-like list of lessons and truths that God made a reality for me in each month of this past year. I hope they bless you. April 2019 - Wanting God’s plans above our own puts us in the best place. His plans include things we never thought about, lessons we never thought we’d learn, and blessings we never thought we’d receive. May 2019 - God is really good, and though we can’t stay in perfect moments of joy forever, we have the ability to enjoy every moment as it comes and praise Him fully in it. June 2019 - There is no treasure greater than God’s Word, and my knowledge of it could never reach a limit. July 2019 - Just as building a house takes time, being able to fully trust in Christ takes time. He never leaves us as we wait. The result of obeying God is the greatest reward. When He calls us to walk upon the waters, there will be sacrifice. But He is holding our hand, so it is totally worth it. August 2019 - True biblical worship is a lifestyle. It's praising God in the storm and dancing even when it doesn’t make sense. September 2019 - When you can’t see the future, trust Him and let go. October 2019 - God doesn’t promise us what we want, but what He does promise is best for us. Even when we feel like our whole world has slipped out from underneath us, if we focus on Him in it, He’ll supply our needs- sometimes even to the point of blessing us beyond what we ever thought possible. November 2019 - As things are harder and you feel defeated, don’t sit around and let the enemy beat you up. Beat the enemy up. December 2019 - Jesus is calling us to Himself, and the more we shine Him with those we are around, the more others will notice something different in the body of Christ. January 2020 - Following Jesus isn’t about feelings. Ever. I can trust Him with my life. February 2020- God alone has all the strength we need to make it through this. He alone can use us where we are if we let Him and He is so much more than my limited understanding of Him. March 2020- Surrendering control is uncomfortable, but essential. When we have the opportunity, sitting around and waiting for the storm to pass won’t help, but standing up and using the time we are given in it for Christ will. Living this life for ourselves and doing what we desire isn’t what God wants, and hanging onto things that will pass away is a waste, so let's live our lives for the One who won’t change. April 2020- If we faint in adversity, our strength is small. After all, this life is His not our own anyways. Anything that He allows to happen to us is for His glory, in His perfect plan, and because He sees it is for our good. Let His will be done. There you have it! Hopefully that list encourages you to remember what God has done for you in the past and to dwell on His faithfulness and goodness even in this current season of your life! He is always good, so don’t allow yourself to forget it. Isaiah 46:9- “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me” Chronicles 16:12- “Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.” 2 Peter 3:9- “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Love you all, Hannah Kohner |
AuthorHello, I'm Hannah and I'm so glad you're here! I'm a twenty-year-old Jesus-loving writer, National Bible Bee Alumna, and homeschool graduate. Jesus redeemed me, and now I give my life, and this blog, to serve Him. Hebrews 3:13 reminds us to encourage each other daily, lest we be hardened by sin. I hope that reading each blog entry that I post you will be encouraged and challenged to become more like Christ daily. |