Hello Everyone!

This is a blog/journal entry I was writing for myself and I figured I should share it as an encouragement and challenge for all of you as we are getting ready to go on this journey together. It's kinda long, and not well written, but I need to get my thoughts down fast haha! So here you go! I hope you enjoy it!

It is amazing to me that most of the boundaries that I am faced with in life are placed there by myself.

'I can't go because I'm not good enough'

'It won't work because I'm not smart enough'

'Why bother trying when I know it will never happen for me'

'I'm only a kid...maybe in 5 years'

These are constant thoughts that run through my head, and continual fears that I am attacked with. It's a familiar voice and an unwanted presence that always manages to sneak up behind me the very instant a doubt or even a hesitation enters my head. And as much as it pains me to admit it, a lot of times that's all it takes to shut me up. And while I'm cowering inside my head in shame and regret, Hell is celebrating a victory.

I was listening to some sermons from Spain a few days, and Andrew mentioned something that really struck me and parallels directly to this-

In the ever popular and powerful story of David and Goliath, the Philistines are at war with the Israelites, and it was decided that the Philistines best fighter, Goliath, would fight the Israelites best soldier, and the winner would gain control over the others army- read through the following scripture to get a good idea of what I'm talking about

1 Samuel 17:8-11

 8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us." 10 Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other." 11 On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

1 Samuel 17:16

 16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

1 Samuel 17:23-24

23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.

are....you....KIDDING ME??? The reality of these verses just hit me smack in the face and I could NOT believe what I was reading. For FORTY DAYS Goliath came out and yelled the same old challenges, the same threats, openly  DEFYING the army of the living God! Day after day for over a month this punk comes and pushes the Israelites around with the same old lines, and STILL they cowered in fear?!?!!?? These guys had the God of eternity backing them up!

The Enemy KNOWS your weaknesses. And He will come at you EVERYDAY and scare you with the same old threats. But we are all greater then this. I REFUSE to let the usual defiances scare me anymore. Decide DAILY that you will be more then what the world expects you to be, and decide to silence those lies before they have a chance to silence you.

ANNNDDDD I just watched the documentary 'Finger of God' and it BLEW MY MIND! It's about the miracles and wonders that God is doing today around the world. I really encourage you all to watch it if you get the chance. It totally challanged the way I view God and the way He is moving today, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Hope everyone is doing well!!