#thenxt

Pastor Maddie preached tonight and did amazing of course! ☺ We all learned that it's important to have vision for our lives - more specifically our dating lives - and what that looks like.

Proverbs 29:18 - Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.

If you don't have a vision for your life, you're going to mess things up.

What is vision exactly? Vision can be defined as seeing yourself in the future, and bringing it close. You should have a vision for your dating life! 

Psalms 139:16 - Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

God has a plan for your life. He's a good God and He loves you.

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

There are two attitudes that people can have in life in regards to vision. The first attitude is a mediocre one. Mediocre is defined as of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad. A mediocre attitude shows no vision for your life. The second attitude you can have is an attitude of excellence. This shows vision for your life.

Why do we date? Is it just to have fun? Look at the word. We date to get to know the other person, to see if we are compatible for marriage.

Now, there are 12 things that Ladies and Fellas need before they start dating! Here we go..

12 things Ladies need before they start dating:

1) Identity formed by the word of God.

God thinks that we are beautiful and marvelous! If you don't look to the word of God for who you are, you'll settle for 2nd best.

Psalms 139:14 - I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

2) Relationship with Jesus Christ.

How will you know if you're in a relationship with the wrong person if you don't have the Holy Spirit to help you?

3) Vision for your life.

Know where you're going so you know who will fit.

4) Actively pursuing your dreams and goals.

Don't sit around and wait!

5) Standard and conviction on sexual purity.

If you don't set them now, it will be hard to set them in the moment. 

Song of Songs 2:7 - Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

6) Character

Be a woman of your word; be someone who lives their private life as if it were public.

7) Organization

If you can't organize your life now, how can you expect to organize 2 people's lives? Also, have a budget!

8) Unshakable trust in God

Trust God and stop worrying if a man is going to walk into your life. If you don't trust God now, it will get harder when you start dating because you will rely on a man for what only God can provide. (and that's not fair to the man!)

9) Pastoral Accountability

You need someone who can tell you the truth.

Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

10) Real friends who will tell you the truth even if it hurts.

11) Confidence partnered with humility

No man wants a girl who wallows in self-pity. Be confident, and have humility. Be someone who doesn't necessarily need a man, but does want a man.

12) Love yourself

How can you love someone else if you don't love yourself?

Now....

12 things Fellas need before they start dating:

1) Passion for Godliness

1 Timothy 4:8 -  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

2) Work Ethic

3) Job!

Girls don't want someone who isn't going to be able to provide for them!

4) Pastoral accountability

Don't do what you wan't just because you want to.

5) Character

Are you a man of your word and are you a reliable source? Girls like guys who can be a leader, they don't want to have to drag you along.

6) Standards and convictions on sexual purity

Don't do anything you wouldn't be comfortable doing in front of her father.

Hebrews 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

7) Relationship with Jesus Christ

Do you let the Word of God shape your life?

8) Confidence partnered with humility

It's way unattractive if a guy is really insecure. 

Romans 8:37 - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

9) Servant's Heart

Learn to serve your heart out with no hidden motives. Jesus didn't come to be served, he came to serve and we model our lives after him.

Matthew 20:26 - Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

10) Walk in your God-given authority

You're meant to be the head of the household, so learn how!

11) Learn to respect your mom and your sisters

How you treat your mom and sisters is how you'll treat your girlfriend.

12) Actively pursuing your dreams and goals.

Work hard, get an education, serve, travel, and never apologize for  pursuing your dreams.

I know this was a long one, but it's all so essential when it comes to dating! Don't take 2nd best!

This year of camp was amazing, As it is every year.  The games are great, the friends you make are great, and most of all God shows up every single time in the services. There are so many things I could write about that happened that was just amazing.  People getting saved, people being challenged, leaders getting prophesy over, and over all my world getting rocked once more.  I was challenged once again to change something. 

This year of camp I got some direction for my life.  I had a gut feeling of what I should be doing and I was starting to realize God was shifting where I was supposed to be going.  Camp gave me confirmation.  When I was being told that I needed to make a pivotal change during an altar call, I immediately knew what I the change that I needed to be making because had set it on my heart on the weeks leading up to camp but I had managed to push it away because it wasn't something that I really was wanting to do.  I didn't feel like I had a full confirmation from God to change until camp during an altar call that week that I responded too.  A leader came to me with direction from God.  The leader told me that this next season in my life is important and the decision I make will be pivotal to remaining stagnant or growing and finding my identity in God  She told me to go find some time during the next 24 hours and get alone with God and ask Him about the decision I needed to make.  

I already knew the answer.  That leader talking to me was the confirmation already but I went to find some alone time anyway.  After games I went back to our room and took a shower then let my cabin leader know I'd be in the Back 40 of Quaker Hill.  I walked out there having an argument with myself and God about how in the world it would work.  I knew that step that needed to be taken but it just seemed so large how in the world I am supposed to make the step.  I mean the people I'd have to tell, my parents who weren't super excited about my college decision and may not like this decision either, and even my friends who have been super supportive of everything I was scared to tell.  It was very intimidating to think about and I was honestly scared about making the change.  I came back to the leader later in the day and let her know what God had confirmed to me.  

I'm independent, stubborn and a planner, so even though I know God has it all working out I still mentally try to see how it would all happen in my own mind.  Since many things are beyond what I can see working out in the flesh I get frustrated and worried.  I just had to take the step and trust God.  Many of you probably already know my plans since its been spreading about  my church like wildfire without my knowing and others are asking yourself what in the world I'm doing because I've been vague this whole time.  Well I quit college and applied for the internship program at my church.  I felt that God didn't want me trying to go to NNU as well as do Advance so I went in this week and did the paperwork to let the university know I wouldn't be back this fall.  There now its been said, and from my mouth...or my fingers rather, but you get the idea.  I was attempting to keep it kind of quiet until I totally was for sure in Advance but hey.

 I loved NNU, yet was dreading having to go back this fall for another year of pain like I went through last year.  The decision to do Advance I wasn't super excited about at first either.  I knew the homework load would be considerably easier compared to NNU but the uncomfortable stretching that will happen I not sure i'm ready for.  I was arguing with God about how I thought I've had my share of hard and uncomfortable this last year, then I realized how little God cares about my comfort.  So I face this new season head on, ready for almost anything.  Knowing I have people supporting my every step of the way.

 I loved hearing the camp testimonies tonight at youth group, especially from the girl that got saved during camp.  And this is just my little piece of testimony of what God did at camp and is doing in my life right now.