Category: Uncategorized

Joceline's Posts, {Worth}

{Worth} All For You

UYM

Written By: Joceline Sweeney

What a day to ponder our worth? Good Friday.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

If you struggle with feeling like you are not worth it, like so many of us do, today of all days you can stand firm that you are worth everything.  God the creator of the universe sent His only son to die on the cross so that YOU could have eternal life with Him.  Jesus hung on that cross for YOU.  He thought of YOU when He cried out His last words “It is finished.”  The work He had come to do for YOU was finished on the cross.  He paid the debt for your sins, you could have never paid it on your own.  He paid it so that your life could be made whole.  If you don’t think your worth it, stand on the truth that Jesus saw you even while you were still a sinner and felt you were worth the pain and agony He suffered to make you new.  He looks at you with such love and admiration, you are a treasure.

It can be so easy to tear ourselves down, but really who are we hurting?  In these times try to remind yourself that your words are not only hurting you but you are basically calling God a failure.  May I remind you as I said earlier “The creator of the Universe” the one who knew you while you were still a secret even from your parents, thinks you are marvellous!

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvellous—how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.

They cannot be numbered!

Psalms 139:13-17

 

His thought are precious toward you.  They cannot be numbered!!!   Start today on Good Friday, the day God gave everything He had just for YOU, remind yourself how He really feels about you even when you struggle to see yourselves that way.

To Him YOU are completely worth it.

Until Next Time,

~Joceline

 

Taylor's Posts, {Love}

{Love} An Unplanned Date

UYM

By: Taylor Fast

I feel like the first Valentines Day a married couple is special in this cheesy-romantic way.  For my husband and I, we were celebrating 5 months of being married!  My husband is not huge on Valentines Day, but he knows that any event that I can decorate for, I’m going to be excited about.

This Valentines Day was nowhere close to being the romantic day I had imagined, but I never felt more loved and cared for by my husband during that day.  So you are most likely wondering how that is possible?

The week before Valentines Day, my family and I were working through the idea that someone we loved was having some extreme health issues.  This someone was my brother, who already battles Cystic Fibrosis.  We had all taken turns going back and forth to the London hospital as doctors and nurses were trying to figure out what was going on.  One evening as we got home from work we received a call that my brother might have cancer, but that it was a slim chance.  My thoughts stayed positive as colon and bladder cancer were not something in our family, and my brother is so young.

The next morning we received a call saying that my brother did have cancer.  The thoughts, emotions, and questions came rushing to our heads, as we never thought this would be a journey for my brother to go through.  This all happened on Valentines weekend, as we prepped for the day after Valentines to be my brother’s surgery day to attempt to get rid of all the cancer.

Valentines morning, the day before the surgery, my husband and I woke up in worry and wonder for what tomorrow will hold.  We prayed constantly and I cried endlessly.  This is not sounding romantic at all, is it?  You’re totally right- we swapped gifts that morning and had a nice breakfast together, but the rest of the day was spent with family prepping for surgery the next day.  My husband showed me how much he cared for not just me, but my family.  The love continued as even my husband’s family members sent their love and prayers towards my brother.  Was this day the romantic one I wanted?  No way, but I have never felt more loved, cared for, and supported by this man of God- my amazing husband.

Marriage isn’t easy, but I could tell you that we have been tested plenty of times, and our love for each other never fails, just like God’s love for us.

Looking back now to the surgery day and the days to follow, my husband has stayed by my side and has sent so much support to my brother and I am so thankful for that.  As we wait now to see if my brother is 100% cancer free, my husband, his family, and my family have never been stronger.  Love trumps all, even cancer.

“Above all, love each other deeply, as love covers over a multitude of sins.”  1 Peter 4:8

Until Next Time,

~Taylor

Kerrington's Posts, {Life}

{Life} It’s Okay to Pass the Clipboard

UYM

Written By: Kerrington Sweeney

Have you ever felt shame in passing ‘the clipboard’?

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” -Galatians 6:9

There I was one Sunday morning, sitting in church when…the clipboard was being passed around for volunteers.  I dreaded the moments before it was passed to me.  I took it quickly into my hands and looked at list.  To be honest, in that moment I just wanted to cry.  A veil of guilt draped over my weary heart.

“If I don’t sign up, what will people think?”  This worry tossed around in my mind, as I tried to figure out a way to fit this event of volunteering into my already ridiculously jam-packed schedule.

Time after time, that dark veil of guilt had won.  For years upon years I would run myself dry, volunteering and serving in every area I possibly could handle.  I was coming into a season of absolute physical burn out.

All I could do was sit and cry.  It was then that I had the new realization that –It’s okay, to pass the clipboard.

No longer, was I going to allow guilt to rule over my life and my emotions.

No longer, was I going to be a slave to the pressures and expectations that I had firmly placed upon myself.

No longer, was I going to feel guilty when my name wasn’t signed up for every volunteer area in the church.

 

Sweet Sisters, are you drowning in church schedules like I once was?  Are you juggling your time, and compromising what truly matters?  Remember, even Jesus passed on things to make time for Himself and the Father.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.  Simon and his companions went to look for him,  and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”  Mark 1:35-38

I encourage you today to just stop.  Look at the areas you love serving in and do just that and the next time the clipboards get passed to you…Pause.  Pray and if needed, never be ashamed or afraid to simply pass it along.  It’s okay!

Until Next Time,

~Kerrington

Kerrington's Posts, {Faith}

{Faith} We Are the Kingdom | The Calm Embrace. 

UYM

Written By: Kerrington Sweeney

All of my life I have been striving for something more.  Always more than what I am blessed and privileged to have.

More popularity.

More social contact.

More friends.

More fulfillment.

More money.

More freedom.

More likes on Facebook.

More happiness.

More time.

More education.

More readership.

More hits on the blog.

More everything.

There has always been a MORE.  I can now share with you dear readers that growing up, I was hardly ever satisfied with what I had.  Until, one night I went to serve with some friends at the local soup kitchen and this is where God spoke directly to my ungratefully, ugly heart.
These people, you see…they absolutely broke me.  Seeing wee little babes to 65 year old men line up for dinner.  Tears filled my eyes.  They had nothing.  They were right off the city streets, borderline begging for a hot meal to quench their hunger.  And then, there I was.  Selfish, always wanting more, ungratefully ugly-hearted me.

Ouch.  I know…

My ugly heart had a lot of breakthrough that evening, as I served up hot mashed-potatoes to a starving group of at least 100 people or more.  God used those moments in amongst my servant-hood to teach me a valuable life lesson.

It was near the end of the night and we were all packing up getting ready to head home…when I had saw a young woman, in her 20s, in a red hoody exit the building.  We got into our cars and I thought really nothing of her.

We started to drive away and as we drove past a park bench a couple roads over from the soup kitchen, there she was setting up a bed for the night.  With only that red hoody and ratty old blanket for warmth.

It was right then and there, that I had one of those profound God-ordained moments.  I calmly embraced my life, just the way it is with utter gratefulness, I bowed before the Lord for all that I had been blessed and privileged with.

So does that mean that I don’t ‘want’ anything anymore?  Pish Posh, No!  I’m human.  I still have selfish desires just like you and the postman.  But if you’re like I was, in never being satisfied with what you have, I pray that this post came as a reminder to you, and prompted you, to stop and take a look at your heart.  I pray that you are able to experience your true calm embrace, just like I did.  Bless you.

Until Next Time,

~Kerrington

Joceline's Posts

{Testimony} Joceline

UYM

Written By: Joceline Sweeney

As I have looked back on my life, I honestly didn’t feel that I had much of a testimony, but as I began to think about what I was going to write for today the Lord showed me that I do have a beautiful story.

His grace and His protection.

My story with Jesus began on a simple afternoon, I think it was a Tuesday.  My family had just started to attend a church regularly and that past Sunday a salvation message was given to us little people.  I was extremely shy and didn’t really know what to do, but that’s okay because the Lord knew how He wanted our story to start.  In such a way that I would remember it for the rest of my life.  I didn’t know if we even had a Bible in the house yet, but I knew we had a story book that my mom read to us every night before bed that had pictures of Jesus in it.  So I grabbed that big story book climbed onto the coffee table in our living room.  I clutched the book close to my heart, closed my eyes and asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and come live inside of me.  I know that I really had no idea what that even meant, but when I opened my eyes after my sweet little prayer, even at such a young age, I felt alive!  I was no longer alone.  His grace and His protection were now with me each step of the way, all the days of my life.

I never really did anything terribly bad, my dad even joked on my wedding day that I was pretty much a model child.  I was a rule follower, minus the one time I lied to my parents, I didn’t disobey.  So I don’t have a terrific story of God’s redemption, but mine is of His grace and protection.  God has watched over me so carefully that even when I wanted something that really wasn’t’ that bad or wrong, He knew what was better for me.  He kept me from myself.  From friends who weren’t evil, but who wouldn’t have encouraged my walk with Him.  To relationships that weren’t wrong but not the one He had planned.  He knew what my heart could handle.  He kept me for Himself.  So I encourage you today to look upon your life, if you too were saved at a young age and don’t really feel you have much of a story, I’m here to tell you, yours may be a story of His grace and His protection. So rejoice and don’t be afraid to share it!

Until Next Time,

~Joceline

Taylor's Posts

{Testimony} Taylor

UYM

Written By: Taylor Fast

I happen to be a pastor’s kid, so my testimony story started quite young.  I grew up in a Christian household with parents who raised me to pray before every meal, pray before bed, and pray when I needed help.  I grew up on the original Veggie Tales and there are many times still that I get old school hymns stuck in my head.  I was saved in Sudbury, Ontario, my hometown, while I was in Kid’s Church.  I remember having some beautiful ladies that were much older then me (“prayer moms”) always praying over me, and those people lead me to asking God to come into my heart and stay there.

Of course, as any Christian we all have moments where we slip away from God, but I believe I have stayed pretty true to Him.  Growing up everyone knew I was a pastor’s kid, some people thought it was weird, but I was lucky to never be made fun of for it.  I attempted to share my faith with others, but this got harder and harder as I got older, so I had to lean more and more on God and let my life and words be an example to others, as much as I could.

There were moments when my faith in God was tested.  I lost a good friendship in high school and I wondered where’s God?  When an Uncle very close to my family passed away, I wondered where’s God?  Whenever my brother gets very sick from his illness of Cystic Fibrosis, I wonder where’s God?  I tell you this because every time I felt that way, it was like I had to renew my faith in Him.  I was still a Christian but I had to think back to when I was a child and I fully trusted in God, it was so easy!  I have to show the same trust even as an adult.

Though we feel the weight and stress of the world more, God is still there.  Our world is sinful, so moments will come where we don’t understand why God let circumstances happen, but I promise you God is always there.  He doesn’t disappear.  Moments like these allow me to lean on Him and ask for help and remind me of when I was saved and why I thought getting saved and becoming a Christian was a good idea.  We mess up, yes, but we have a God who doesn’t, He will get us through the storm.  How incredible is that?

The fact that God gave up His life for us so that we could live and He sticks around us today to help us through our daily lives, it’s hard not to be thankful!

I am saved because I believe in God, I believe in salvation, and I believe He has an amazing path for us.  I believe He is a Father to the fatherless.  When I doubt my salvation in times of worry and pain, I think back to my testimony story- my reason for believing, my reason for faith.

“He is a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, this is God, whose dwelling is holy.” Psalm 68:5

 

~Taylor

Kerrington's Posts

{Testimony} Kerrington

UYM

Written By: Kerrington Sweeney
Salvation Chalk-Board + Fisher-price dream kitchen set = Salvation story? 

You may be very puzzled when you read that first line, but don’t you worry, it ALL makes perfect sense in the end! To start off, if you were a faithful Sunday-school attender or not we all may have heard the saying either in children’s ministry or when someone lead you in the salvation prayer…

“When you give your heart to Jesus, He wipes all your sins clean, just like a chalk-board.”

 

I have probably heard 2 dozen, or more Sunday School teachers use that line and I still had trouble picturing Jesus cleaning my entire life of sin? How could anyone love me SO much? Pretty confusing stuff, at least for a six year old at the time.
With that being said, let’s take a little walk down memory lane…shall we?

Think back to when you personally gave your whole heart to the Lord. Do you remember that divine moment? That milestone of hope. I sure do remember my big day. It went something like this:

I vividly recall standing in my little, playroom on a blustery, winter January afternoon, wearing my tiny, purple slippers at the age of 6, playing “washing the dishes”, with my favourite entire complete kitchen appliances and cupboards set.
We are talkin’ the stove, fridge, microwave, sink, table and chairs, and all the plastic play food you could ever imagine?! …I may have been a little spoiled, but man I loved that thing! I was racking my 6 year old mind, while trying to wash the lunch dishes, cook dinner, spoon feed my baby doll daughter Kate and talk on the phone with my imaginary husband Chris, who was late coming home from work, again!!! I couldn’t believe him, How dare he miss supper……twice! (Wifey + Mommy at heart since birth, can you tell?)

I was pondering about everything that my Sunday School teacher had said earlier that week, about how much sweeter life would be to walk with Jesus every step.

Then my Mom walked into the room, and I experienced a feeling that I had never felt before. ( I dropped the plastic dishes into the sink, burnt dinner and hung up the phone on my hubby.) My heart sunk into my stomach…
“Do I tell her, I want Jesus to be my friend too??” I thought.
Thoughts began swirling restlessly, through my mind.

What do I say? Has everyone done this? Will I look different? Will I hear God’s voice? Will I feel clean? What will this do?

Long story short, (I say that because the rest is history!)

January 2003, I became God’s adopted daughter that day in my little playroom and have been loving Him and pursing His presence ever since. I have had my many bumps and valleys along the way, but I had to remember just one simple thing…

 

“When you give your heart to Jesus, He wipes all your sins clean, just like a chalk-board.”

 

Now every time I walk by our home church nursery and see that little girls fisher-price dream kitchen set sitting there. Which is now faded, old, wrecked, and a couple cupboard doors are now completely missing…I think to myself, Thank you Lord for my Life and for amazing Sunday-school teachers who taught me, that Jesus can clean ANY sin and He just wants to be my best friend. Thank you God, for divine appointments and opportunities. Thank you, for my Mom and for her sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Thank you God, for my salvation.

Look at me…tearing up at 1:43am! (That’s right Jesus makes me work mid-nights on the blog sometimes…haha)

Friends, If you haven’t asked Jesus to walk with you yet, please, please, please do!

I can’t make you do anything, but I will say one thing. My life has never been the same since. I am a radically changed young woman, pursuing God with every ounce of my being. I have a family of believers who love and encourage me to go farther in my callings. I would love to personally, welcome you into that family. Send me an email when you do give your heart to the Lord, like I said, I would love to celebrate with the Angels when you become my Sister in God’s Family.

~ Kerrington

Joceline's Posts, {Love}

{Love} So You Want to Be in Love?

UYM

Written By: Joceline Sweeney

I was amongst the last of my friends to embark on a dating relationship, and I was only 17 ½ years old when I met my husband to be.  Mind you I was one of the youngest in our group, but it felt like everyone was dating and I was still waiting!!  Instead of sulking and being jealous, I began to notice their relationships.

I began to watch their interactions, my likes and dislikes of the way they spoke to each other.  I watched how they treated each other, such as if he opened the doors for her and if she was thankful for his thoughtfulness.  I paid attention to how they worshipped together in church, did they really listen during the service or were they too involved with each other.  This was in no way to be critical of their relationship, all I knew was someday soon I would be in one when the Lord sent someone special my way, and I wanted to be ready.  I wanted to learn as much as I could before my day came.  I really began to see what I wanted from a friendship that could turn into something more.  It was in these years that I formulated what I wanted my future relationship to look like.

I began to pray for my future boyfriend, whomever he would be.  I knew that I didn’t want to date many people so I asked the Lord to keep me and protect me.

I purposed that right from the start I would never hide anything from my parents as I wanted my relationship to be one that was cause for rejoicing, not secrets.

I had realized that I didn’t like long distance relationships, but even as much as I didn’t care for one, the Lord knew how precious a time that would be for me!  That’s how my friendship began with the man I would someday marry.  It was a beautiful time of really getting to know each other as we talked for hours upon hours on the phone (after seven o’clock because that’s when it was a cheaper calling time!)  Some of our sweetest moments were experienced on the handset of my then corded telephone.  Oh and the letters, I loved when I received an envelope in the mail with his return address on it!  It was a very happy day indeed.

So as you see not every idea I had formulated in my mind turned out exactly as I “wanted” but they did in fact turn out just as God had planned.  When it was my turn, I felt ready.

So you want to be in love?  Don’t “waste” your time waiting… watch, listen, learn and pray!

Until Next Time,

~Joceline

 

 

 

Taylor's Posts, {Life}

{Life} Feeling Stuck

UYM

Written By: Taylor Fast

A couple weeks ago I was talking, well I should really say complaining to my husband about feeling stuck.  I was explaining that I could not shake this feeling of wanting to do more then just going to school and completing my placement.  I was having such an urge to be finally done with school, that it was affecting how I was feeling in the morning.  My husband stopped me and said something that was simple, but such a good reminder.  He said “Maybe, this is where God wants you right now so that you will be ready soon for a new transition. Maybe this is a training ground, maybe you should keep your eyes opened for what God has planned for you.”

Wow! I had to stop and just think about that for a second. How right was he! I know that where I am now is where God wants me to be because He helped open the doors for me to get onto this path, how could I take that for granted?  My husband’s words were just what I need to hear, it was a reminder for me to slow down because God had me where He wanted me to be for that time.  I was so thankful for those words of encouragement that slowed down my moment of anxiety.

“You make known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”  Psalms 16:11

If you are feeling stuck with your life, reach out and pray to God.  Ask others for guidance as well that you trust, and keep your eyes open to where God might be leading you next.  God has an exciting and blessed plan for you.  Remember that where you are now, may be the training ground you need to have the skills, tools, and faith to get to where you are going next.

Stand strong in your faith and look out for opportunities in your life that God has specifically placed for YOU.

Until Next Time,

~Taylor

 

Kerrington's Posts, {Beauty}

{Beauty} The Simplicity of His Presence

UYM

Written by: Kerrington Sweeney

This post was originally written for my other blog, a couple of years go! Enjoy as 15 year old me, shares some wisdom with you today:

Something I have recently been learning is that you don’t need a big church service with lights, instruments, guest speakers and a bunch of people, to feel the presence of God…

Although, these are all important in our Christian walk, they are only a part of God’s Orchestra on the earth… I have always had the mindset that you need a conference or a big church event or even just a Pastor praying for you to have an “Encounter” with the Holy Spirit.  I think the reason why I have always had this mindset is because that’s the only places I had ever had an “Encounter” with the Holy Spirit, in a way like that ever before. 
Actually speaking of encounters with the Holy Spirit, just recently my church was having a Baptismal service at the beginning of this past summer!  (I always get so excited for Water Baptisms!! It is one of my favorite times in church) 
As I was standing at the front of the church that particular Sunday morning watching all these people as they came up from under the water, set free and cleansed by the Holy Spirit.  It was just amazing and oh so breath-taking!  It filled my heart with an abundance of great joy! 
Something that my church does which is really neat and I absolutely love, is that every time someone comes up out of the water we Celebrate as a Congregation, as a Community, as a Church Family.  We shout for joy because a life now has a fresh start… To not look at the past but, to look forward to what God has in store for their new life!! Off with the old, on with the new 🙂 
As they came near to the end of the water baptisms that day and things were starting to get a little more quiet and peaceful in the Sanctuary…
One of the pastors said “If anyone wants to be baptized there is still time… Don’t worry we can find you a towel ;).” As she spoke those words I instantly had the urge, to want to be water baptized again for the second time, 
And I didn’t even know why!? 
I had already been water baptized before so why again?…I was like “okay am I going crazy?!” or is this actually the Holy Spirit telling me to do something?(on top of all this, I was wearing a pretty dress and high heels that Sunday…Goodness! Holy Spirit could have warned me that I needed to bring an outfit change…lol) 
So I ran over to my mom who was standing on the other side of the Sanctuary and I told her all my thoughts…Long story short, I got water Baptized (in my pretty dress) for the second time and had an amazing life-altering experience with God in that tank!
It wasn’t about the many Pastors being in the tank praying for me, or the bunch of people watching, or the up-beat music playing in the back ground, or even my friends and family standing outside of the tank supporting me.
It was just me and the Holy Spirit getting re-connected in such a simple, deeper, and intimate way 🙂 
After I came up from the water that day I felt so alive, free, and ready to take on whatever life would throw my way…because I knew the Holy Spirit lives inside of me & is always there!
Whenever life has gotten stressful and times get rough…(well as rough as a 15year olds life can get..lol) I think back to that “Encounter” with the Holy Spirit that radically changed my life forever that one Sunday morning. I will cherish those tender memories and I so look forward to many more Encounters with my sweet King 🙂 
If you remember anything from today’s post remember this…
You don’t need a Church service or a Water Baptism or even a Pastor praying for you to have an “Encounter” of His wonderful, sweet presence… Holy Spirit is so simple but, so meaningful that you could receive a “touch” of his wonderful presence while drinking your tea this morning!!
You never know when he’s going to pop by… Better keep the kettle on 😉 
Take a few minutes and just simply listen to The Lord. Open your heart to what the Holy Spirit wants to speak to YOU this morning…Have an incredibly blessed day!!!
  Until Next Time,
    -Kerrington