“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

As you wake up in the morning, ask yourself, “Who do I want to look like today?” The world will tell you to look like the models on TV, your favorite singer with the perfect hair, or even the most popular girl in school, but what does the Bible say?

The Bible tells us to look at ourselves and see Christ. When you become a Christian, you let go of who you used to be and let God create you as a new person. It’s not an instant transformation, but with the will of the Father, and the devotion of a follower, Christ will change your life. The word “Christian” can be broken down to mean “little Christs.

An identical twin has 99% of the exact same DNA and traits as their sibling. It’s been said that twins even think some of the same thoughts at the same time. Have you ever heard of “twin talk?” Basically, some twins swear that they have a connection with their sibling that can’t be explained. They feel what their twin feels and know exactly what the other one is thinking or feeling during any given situation. I’m not a twin, so my sister and I didn’t have this kind of “connection” but if you are a twin…I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Imagine yourself as a twin of Christ. Would your traits be the same? Would they be 99% like Christ or maybe 75%? 50%? 10%? Where would you fall in connection with Christ? Do you hurt for what He hurts for? Do you desire what He desires?

The fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control

Do you love like Christ? Have joy like Christ?

Are you at peace because of Christ? Are you patient? Kind? Good?

How faithful are you? When you find yourself in a hard situation, do you handle it with gentleness and self-control?

When you are in school, why do you take tests? You take tests so the teacher can see how much you have learned.

In life, you are tested so the teacher (God) can see how much you have learned. These tests come in the form or troubles and hard situations. Your true colors come out when you face tests. How do you react during hard times? Do you always pass the tests God gives you?

Don’t worry, no one is perfect, and you are going to fail time and time again. If you were just like Christ and never sinned, you wouldn’t need Christ to direct your path. Our struggles teach us to rely on God, trust His plan, and stay focused on who He wants us to be.

Challenge: Write down the fruits of the spirit on your mirror. At the end of the day, ask yourself, “Who did I look like today?” Rate your fruits, grade your own paper.

Today I looked like Christ, by showing others: __________

Love____    Joy_____     Peace_____     Kindness_____     Goodness_____     Faithfulness_____     Gentleness_____     Self-Control_____

May God bless you and show you His Grace every day!

As a young child, I thought I was doing the right thing by walking down the aisle and saying the ABC salvation prayer that I was taught to say. I knew my family members wanted me to do this. I didn’t understand it, but I knew the importance. I cried thinking that one day I would be without my family in heaven. I didn’t want that and I didn’t want to hinder anyone else from getting saved just because I didn’t take that first step. I didn’t fully understand the concept of salvation or really what I was as doing at the time but I did it anyway. Later, I was baptized and continued to live my life thinking I was saved. I mean, I was barely over toddler age when I walked the aisle. It seemed every time someone would preach on salvation I would feel convicted or like I wasn’t saved at all, but I kept convincing myself I was. Once again, saved and baptized at a young age. Even in my testimony, I’ve said I was saved as a child then came back to God, but I now know I was wrong.

In my early teenage years I turned my back on God and the church and did things my way. I rebelled for years and stopped going to church all together when I was old enough to work and drive on my own. I started working at 15 so I slowly started getting out of church because of work and I just didn’t want to go. In college, I continued to do my own thing with no worries or thoughts of being wrong. I was always right at that time. 

But then one day, after my boyfriend and I had been living  together for a few years, his grandfather passed away. At his funeral, my husband said they talked about what kind of legacy will you leave behind? What will people remember about you when you are gone? He was truly convicted by this and decided that the it was time we turned our lives around. He told me right then that he was going to church in the morning with or without me. I didn’t think he was serious but Sunday morning came and he got up to go to church. Shocked, I found some “churchy” clothes and went with him. For a while we bounced back and forth from my childhood church, Elljean Baptist church in Pickens, to his childhood church, New Beginnings Baptist Church in Six Mile. I felt like everyone was staring at the “prodigal son” when we walked in the church. I knew I needed Jesus in my heart but I never was ready to admit until one day at New Beginnings. My heart raced, I gripped the pew, and tears poured that Sunday morning in July of 2009 as I realized I had never truly been saved. I didn’t have Jesus in my heart and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing with my life. That day, I prayed to God like I meant it, not just the ABC prayer I quoted as a child, but a sincere prayer that secured my salvation. I knew from that moment on, I was saved. At the time, my tears embarrassed me and I ran out the door as soon as I could and put my sunglasses on so no one could tell I was crying the whole service. My pride was a work in progress to get rid of. Years passed by and I felt like something was still missing. I continued on in life and started teaching some with the youth, my husband was licensed to preach, and eventually we were youth leaders at 3 different churches. Every time I taught on baptism or listened to the preacher preach about it, I convinced myself I was ok because I was baptized as a child but I still felt convicted.  Baptism doesn’t save you – it’s just an “outward expression of an inward confession” letting others know you have changed. . My pride kept me from talking to any pastor about getting baptized. What would people think? I was a youth leader, taught and even directed VBS for 3 years, and led conferences for teenage girls. What would people think if I got baptized almost 9 years after being saved??? Time and time again, I questioned myself and even spoke with my husband about it and prayed about it with him. Then I finally told him, “I feel like I’m telling God no every Sunday.” I knew what God wanted me to do but I wouldn’t do it because of my pride. Last Sunday, May 27th 2018, I walked the aisle and told pastor Jamie it was time I got baptized. He prayed with me and guess what, I’m getting baptized next Sunday, June 3rd at East Pickens Baptist Church almost 9 years after getting saved.

Baptism doesn’t save you but it does show others you are not ashamed of your salvation and you’ve changed your life for Him. When you go under the water it represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You are showing others that you are a new person in Christ.

The Bible says over and over again for us, as disciples of Christ, to “go and baptize others in His name.” 

Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”

The Bible also tells us that we should not be ashamed of our salvation or let our pride get in our way of following His commands. 

Matthew 10:32“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in Heaven.”

Mark 16:16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16

I’ll end with this, don’t let your pride or your worries about what others will think, hold you back from doing God’s will. I told God no for several years and lived a life “thinking” I was saved and could do whatever I wanted. Then when I realized what I had done, and asked God for forgiveness and salvation in 2009, I still let my pride hold me back from baptism for almost 9 years! (Man, I’m stubborn!) 

No one is perfect, and no one knows what tomorrow holds, so secure your salvation today and be baptized to let everyone know what God is doing in your life. As Pastor Jamie said Sunday, “this is a time of celebration!” I look forward to celebrating my salvation with my baptism on Sunday! 

-Kayla Rampey

May God Bless You and Show you His Grace every day!

This blog is not just for Seniors. It’s for High School Seniors, Rising Seniors, teens of all ages, or even Seniors from years ago. In other words, it’s for everyone. I think this Biblical advice is relevant for all ages but especially for those graduating and entering a whole new phase in life. So here it goes:

Dear Seniors (and everyone else),

I know you’ve heard it all. “This is the first day of the rest of your life.” “Congratulations! Welcome to the real world!” “Your future awaits you!” And of course, “God has a plan for you just stay close to Him!”

I could sit here and tell you all the same things and more, but I’m not. Instead, I want to give you Biblical advice for the future.

First of all, “this is the first day of the rest of your life” is kind of crazy when you think of it. The day you were born was the first day of the rest of your life. Even before that, God had a plan for your life and knew it from start to finish.

Second, “Your future awaits you” well sort of but as we speak, your future is happening. Every step you take is one step further into the future. The future won’t just “wait” for you. It’s there whether you are ready or not. My advice to you is to look to the future by looking to God. Don’t look to the future and look for dollar signs, your future Mr. Right, or anything else – just keep your eyes on God and your future will become the future He has planned for you.

And “God has a plan for you.” I love this one because it always is true. No matter what stage of life you are in, graduating, getting married, getting a job, growing old, etc., this statement will always be true. God had a plan for you the day you were born. (even before you were born He knew the plans for your life)

There’s an old hymn that goes, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future and life is worth the living just because He lives.” If you grew up in a Southern Baptist Church, I’m sure you’ve heard the song. In my mind, I can still hear every word to it just as I can “Amazing Grace.” In his 80s my Papa would stand in the choir with tears in his eyes and sing this song without ever once looking at the hymnal. He knew every word and I know he believed them just as much. Every night, he would bow beside his bed and pray, every day he would thank God for giving him another day to serve Him. He was a Christian example that I will always look up to. He passed away almost 2 years ago, but his life forever changed mine.

I want you to look around you as you grow up, who do you see? In your life, from here on out, you’ll see WAY more people than you did in High School. You won’t see the same faces every day, and believe it or not, you may never see them again. Life gets busier and I pray that you’ll use every chance you get to be a Christian example to others.

So who do you see around you now?

At my age, I see my husband and my children, my co-workers and a bunch of patients that come into our office each week, my extended family, and my church. Outside of my direct view, I see strangers walking through the grocery store, neighbors that I don’t even know their names, and thousands of different people on the road or in passing that I may never see again.

What kind of influence am I making on them? At night, they can’t see me kneel with my children and my husband to pray. In my private time, they don’t know what how much time I spend studying the Bible. So what do they see when they see me? In the brief seconds they see me in passing, what do they see?

Ask yourself the same question every day. “What do people see when they see me?” If your answer isn’t Jesus, you need to really think about what matters most in life. The Bible says we are to be like Christ. In 1 John 2, the Bible says, “3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”

When you look in the mirror, who do you see? When life gets busy, it’s hard to see God. You get distracted, you get busy, and you just don’t have time to slow down and spend time with God. My advice to you is to never get too busy for God. I pray that God will place people in your life that will see Jesus in you and forever be changed by your influence. Be the example that my Papa was to me, and don’t wait until you’re a grandparent to be an example. I know, most testimonies go something like this, “I was close to God as a child, I grew up and left God for a while to party in college, do drugs, or something crazy like that, and then I came back to God and now I’m amazing following Him.” Your story doesn’t have to be that way. Your story can be greater by the influence you can make on others in college, in life, and in this world just by being like Christ always.

It’s a challenge, a daily challenge to wake up and be like Christ, but if you pray and you stay close to Him, in His Word, and living for Him by His commandments, you can do it!

I want you to know I’m praying for you, and I’m here for you! You can always message or call me anytime! College, school, life, work, whatever stage of life you are in, I’m just a phone call and a prayer away. Send me a text and I’ll pray for you! (864) 915-8094

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

Kayla Rampey

“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:37-47‬ ‭NASB‬‬
http://bible.com/100/act.2.37-47.nasb

In my reading this morning, I tried to imagine what it would be like if everyone acted like this today. What if 3,000 people were saved in 1 church service; better yet by a missionary standing on the street. Today,  we get excited about 1 soul getting saved – can you imagine 3,000? My husband just came back from a mission trip in Cuba and he came back so excited to tell us about the eagerness of the people to learn about God. He said one day they walked through a tobacco field to get to a small home and talk to a family about Jesus. 2 people were saved in that home. Can you imagine what those 2 people can do in that small village if they “go and tell”like we are called to do. Dustin went on and on about how happy the people were wherever they went. There were no cars, a few horses and buggies and bicycles but not even a Walmart! And can you imagine – no WiFi?!!!! I know scary! But these people were happy with what they had. No AC, no WiFi, no shopping besides open markets… and they were happy.

Maybe we are missing the point: happiness is not about the “stuff” you have. It’s about Who you have around you – and the best person to be around you is Jesus Christ.

With Jesus in your heart you’ll want to act like the people in th scripture above, You’ll desire to share His Word, and you’ll find out what real joy is.

One more story and I’m done – last week while my husband was in Cuba for 7 days – my hotwater heater flooded….27,000 gallons or water….under my hous over the last 2 months. Apparently a small leak turned to a big leak and busted a week ago. My water company called with concern and to tell me my water bill was going to be outrageous- so I grabbed my flashlight aka my phone and crawled under my house to check it out. BTW make sure you always kno where a flashlight is in your house. Phones are Great but not for crawling under the house. It didn’t take long for me to find the leak and step in water. I called my dad – no answer. I couldn’t call my husband – no service in Cuba. And then I called on of my church friends, Amber. For some reason, her husband answered. I was almost in tears and asked him if he could come check it out. We’ve only known this couple since last Fall but they have been such a blessing to us – that’s a story for another day – but that day – Jon came to my house, checked out everything and decided I needed a new hotwater heater. $$$ is all I could see. He removed the old one, helped me find a new one with a good cost and rebate from my power company, and the next day he installed it himself for no cost at all. I had hot water by lunchtime. Sometimes sharing God’s love is not by telling others abou Him – it can be by serving others and helping those in need. I tried to tell him we would repay him and he said no, he just loves to help others. Be thankful and be blessed for what you have and who you have around you!

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

Can you imagine for a minute that you are a “DAUGHTER OF A KING?’

In this world, you would have a crown, a luxurious life, and a life that little girls would dream of. People would envy you for your glory and the blessings and possessions that you have. For example, a crown so beautiful that it lights up the room when you you walk in, a beautiful home or castle that has more rooms that you’ll ever need., and a Father that is a King.

The truth is, you don’t have to imagine this. This is your life. If you are a follower of Christ/Christian, you are a child of God, a daughter of the One True King.

On this Earth, you might not have the best clothes, biggest house, or even a crown that you can wear around to let people know your status, but as a daughter of God, you are special, you are unique, and you have been blessed with the Holy Spirit that will give you the Light to brighten any room, brighter than any crown you’ve ever seen.

Your Heavenly Father , the King of all Kings, loves you, cares and adores you for who you are in His will for your life.

I saw a quote the other day that really doesn’t have too much to do with this blog, but I have to share it:

“God invites us to come as we are, not stay as we are.” – Timothy Keller

When you become a daughter of a King, act like one. That’s the best way I can put it.

Be joyful in the fact that your King, your Heavenly Father, loved you enough to send His Son to die for your sins on the cross, the bear a crown of thorns, and suffer life in human form.

Be joyful that you are alive. Every breath you taken is given from God. Don’t waste it.

For those of you that don’t know, I work at Community Chiropractic in Easley as the Practice Representative. I go to a lot of Marketing Events, Festivals, and even Farmer’s Markets in the Upstate promoting my office.

In the same way, we are Representatives of Christ. How well are you representing Him?

Just yesterday, my job sent me to a place where God needed me to be. He sent me to jail. No, I’m not in jail and I did not do anything to go to jail. As the PR for Community Chiropractic, I visited the Dispatchers that take 911 calls for the Upstate to say Thank you for all that they do. They recieve heart breaking calls every day, and leave work not knowing what happened or even if that person survived. They are unspoken heroes we should be thankful for every day.

First, I went to the City of Easley, dropped off some goodie bags and moved on to the County Jail where the dispatchers are located. As I spoke to the clerk about our office and how much we appreciated our dispatchers, I overheard a police officer talking to a family member of that had lost a loved one in a shooting. He was handing over his possessions to the woman and going through each item one by one. The clothing could not be returned due to the severity of the accident, and more than that the lady standing there would never see her loved one again. In tears, she stood there questioning the cop why someone could  be so cruel and why she would never be able to see her family member again? She was broken and searching for hope.  My heart was breaking for her and I wanted to just run up and hug her and pray her but she was so busy with the police officer that I was unable to speak with her. As I walked out, I saw a car with two young children in the back, both in tears. I imagined they were family members of the victim. It could’ve been their brother, father, or someone else that meant a lot to them. Either way, that family needs our prayers.

As I sat in my car, safe and sound, my family safe at home, I remembered how blessed I am.

No, my life isn’t always perfect, and yes, I do have bad days, but I am a child of God and He always sees me through my darkest days.

I prayed for this woman and her family as I drove home, and I ask that you do the same. I don’t know the families name, who died, or even the whole situation, but I do know a life was lost and a family is struggling right now.

Thank God for your family even when you don’t agree, tell them you love them every day, and always remember, YOU are a DAUGHTER OF A KING.

May God Bless You and Show you His Grace every day!

-Kayla Rampey

Dear Drivers or soon to be Drivers, road construction is not fun.

The other day, I was driving down the road in Pickens and they were repaving both sides of the road at the same time. For those of you that aren’t driving yet, this can be super annoying. First of all, there is no place to go. Then, they block off roads you always need to go down, and worse than that, the little orange cones are everywhere! The cones alone make me nervous. Then, if your car is clean, it’s going to get rocks all over it and black dust from the machines and such, and overall, it’s just annoying. It takes an extra 15-20 minutes to get through each mile and sometimes – it confuses your GPS so much you just want to cry.  Not to scare you, but if you live in a bigger city than Pickens, I can imagine it’s a lot worse. Therefore, I live in Pickens. Ok, so that maybe my description was a little dramatic, but the point is, it takes time to get through the rough patches. There are obstacles you have to maneuver around, and sometimes, there are even red flags  or signs telling you to stop and wait or yellow signs telling you to slow down. Drivers, you can’t avoid this…there will always be constructions zones in life.

Sound familiar? Road construction is just like life. Rough patches take time, they take red signs telling you to stop, yellow signs telling you to slow down while others pass by, and even little orange cones for you to maneuver around before you get through the rough patch. But luckily, it ends. And when road construction finally ends, the road is so smooth and amazing! It’s just like you get to glide through life again. But be warned, after a few million steps on that same road, construction will be back. So believe in the good times, they are coming, and when you struggle through construction, stay strong, smooth roads aren’t too far away. The construction, the struggles, the pain that you are going through today, right now, is working it’s way out. Maybe you’re at the red sign waiting for God to telling you when to move forward. Or maybe your stuck in traffic behind hundreds of other people that seem to be passing on by like nothing is wrong in their world. Either way, whatever obstacle or cone you are trying to get around, remember to focus on God. Focus on the Finish line, the ONE reason you are here, and the obstacles don’t seem so bad, they just remind you that God is molding you into the person He wants you to be.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Collossians 3:1-3

Stay strong ladies!

Construction is almost over!

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

When I think of Holy Week, I think of the last week of Jesus’ life. What would it have been like? What thoughts would He have had? Would He have been scared? Was He nervous about what was to come? How did He not fully explain it to everyone before it happened? Why didn’t He call Judas out before He betrayed Him and turned Him in? So many questions I would love to know but all I know is that I’m thankful. I’m thankful Jesus took my place on that cross and paid my sin debt even though He didn’t deserve any of it.

Although, Jesus is fully God, He was also fully man. When Jesus’s disciples betrayed Him, he felt their betrayal, but loved them anyway. When He was crucified, beaten for our sins, He felt every pain. When He was nailed to a wooden cross, He felt the bones breaking and the agonizing pain that it caused. He heard the people mocking Him and He knew exactly what was to come, yet from the cross He said “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”

When I start to think of my minuscule, tiny little things I call problems that I have going on in my life, it’s hard to compare them to the struggles Jesus went through during Holy Week, better yet throughout His whole life.

When He was born, He knew He was destined to die for sinners like you and me. Throughout His life He constantly had people ridiculing Him and watching Him, waiting for Him to mess up or sin one way or another. He was constantly under a microscope. As He traveled around with His disciples, He never had a true home or a place to sleep at night. He even told His followers, don’t follow Me, this road is not easy. Several times He warned them, it wouldn’t be easy, yet they followed Him anyway. Jesus didn’t have an easy life. So why do so many people today think they should have it easy?

In today’s world, it’s still not easy. Life gets harder every day. The Bible says is John 16:33,  “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

No matter what pains you feel or struggles you go through,  always remember the cross. Remember the price that was paid for your sin, my sin, and all the sins of the world. Remember the One that came to pay your sin debt. Do your pains even compare?

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

Jesus’ own blood covers our sins.

This week, I want you to focus on the day by day events that Jesus went through. From Palm Sunday, where they welcomed Jesus into town on a donkey singing praises and Hosanna to His death on the cross just a few days later where the people yelled “crucify Him.” In a moments time, Jesus was betrayed by His own friends and followers. He was beaten and crucified on a cross so that you and I could live a life worthy to Him.

For further reading: Read Luke 24 about the day Jesus rose from the dead! As followers of Christ, we know that the cross was not the end of the story. 3 days later, Jesus rose from the dead as He said He would. Later, He ascended into Heaven and left His people to spread the news of Jesus Christ all over the world. He left you to be His hands and feet, to disciple the believers, to teach the younger ones, and to help those in need. Be Jesus to every person you meet, you never know what they are truly going through.

“He is not here; he has risen!” Luke 24: 6

What have you done for Jesus your lifetime?

What will you do in the future?

Spend time in prayer studying Holy Week and thanking God for what He did for you.

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

One of the hardest commands for me to deal with in the Bible is “to love one another.” I know it sounds simple but there are days when people are just not lovable. Think about it, in the Bible, Jesus chose the tax collectors, fishermen, and even the meanest Christian persecutors to serve and follow Him. All of these men became great follower of Christ and changed lives forever.

Thinking of this, I think of Billy Graham. He was just a man, but he was a man of God that chose to make a difference. He wasn’t a superhero, he didn’t have magic powers or anything crazy like that, he was just human.

But on the inside, he had the Holy Spirit. If he Holy Spirit is in your heart, you will be changed; you’ll have a desire to serve Christ, a heart for everyone around you, and a passion that cannot be explained. Because of His faith in Christ, he changed thousands of lives and many people accepted Christ because of what God did through Him.

Jesus speaks of “Child-like” faith in Matthew 18 to remind us to be like the little children: innocent, trusting, humble, without prejudice, obedient (well most of the time), and dependent on their parents. I challenge you to read through Matthew 18 this week and see what you can learn.

In the same way, when we struggle, no matter what the struggle may be, we need to be like the children.

We need to read the Bible to see how we need to act and treat others.

We need to be humble and not prideful for what WE have done. Instead, we need to exalt the name of Jesus in everything we do. We need to be without prejudice. That means, we need to love even the people we find hard to love.  We even need to love the ones that have hurt us in the past, lied to us, lost our trust. Forgiveness is a great part of love. Jesus spent time with the prisoners, the tax collectors, the rejects and sinners in society, yet He stayed strong and changed their lives by showing them how His love is unconditional and His love is for everyone.

We need to be obedient. When God says this is what you should do…then guess what…that’s what you should no. There are not loopholes in the Word of God. It’s not a trick. What God says is what God means. In my case, when God says “love one another” that means LOVE ONE ANOTHER, not just love the ones that are easy to love or love the ones you get along with, it means, LOVE EVERYONE.

Lastly, but most importantly, we need to be dependent on our Heavenly Father. Children depend on their parents to feed them and supply their every needs. As children of God, we need to be dependent on our Heavenly Father to supply our needs. This means, when things get tough, we need to TRUST in God.

As a follow up to my last post about my depression, I am learning to love better, spending more time writing out my feelings, and growing in my faith every day. No, I’m not perfect and I never will be, but I am moving forward in my Christian walk. It takes time, and it takes trials, but through it all, Christ will never leave your side.

Stay Strong Ladies!

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

Ladies,

I want to apologize for not keeping up with my blog for the last few weeks. To be honest, I just haven’t felt like writing or doing much of anything. I know what you’re thinking…you’re a leader…you’re an adult…you’re a teacher…how could YOU not even feel like writing! Believe it or not, Ministry Leaders, Teachers, and Preachers are not invincible. We all have struggles, we are human, and we do need help sometimes.

I’ve suffered from depression/anxiety most of my life. From my teenage years till’ now, it’s always been a constant battle. One minute I’m fine then the next minute, I’m just not wanting to do anything, or maybe I’m crying for no reason, or upset with someone and really can’t even explain why. It happens in different ways and it’s been worse since my husband and I experienced several miscarriages prior to having our boys. After having Asher, who is now 2, I suffered postpartum depression, and now I just worry. I worry about the what ifs that I’ll never be able to control. For my kids: what if I’m making the wrong decisions about parenting them? What if I should’ve homeschooled instead of sent them to public school? What if there is a shooting at my kids’ school? What if I shouldn’t have been a working mom? There are too many what ifs in parenting to go into, but my major worry is that one day my kids will look back and be upset with how their Mother raised them. (wow…that’s deep for a teen blog, but it’s true. This blog is about true life and I want you to know me…the good…the bad…and most importantly the changed by God’s Grace)

Depression is a battle. A constant battle that the Devil loves to throw at me.

In October of last year, my husband and I started attending East Pickens Baptist Church. My kids loved it, we loved it, and it was a fresh start for my whole family. We were excited to a part of something. For years, we’ve been in Youth Ministry and on staff at churches, but at East Pickens, we walked in as just visitors. They even have visitor parking…just fabulous! Before East Pickens, we visited several other churches but for various reasons, we found our new church home just a few miles down the road at East Pickens Baptist Church.

My husband and I decided to be patient and not rush into ministry  or even serving again. Honestly, we were overwhelmed, overworked, and just flat out tired from working in the Church. Ministry can be exhausting, and I’ll be honest, it’s easy to get burnt out and just tired. We left Crosswell to focus on our family and grow as a family in Christ together. At one point, I was on the praise team, served in the nursey, helped with children’s church when needed, directed VBS, and oh yeah…taught the Youth and planned events for them including a Mission trip. Ministry is a blessing, and seeds were sown there that I’ll never forget but I was tired. Just the other day, I heard that several of the youth boys at Crosswell gave their lives to Christ. It’s such a blessing to know that God is still working in that church. You see – when people leave a church – it can be sad and upsetting – but you have to remember – God never leaves the church. He is always there for His children.

Sorry about the rabbit trail but let me get back to where I was. Oh yeah, East Pickens is now our new home and we were supposed to be waiting to serve, volunteering occasionally but not committing to anything. We thought we needed a break. I guess God had other plans. You see? WE never have plans…God does. WE just need to start listening closer.

It was Sunday morning, MISSION SUNDAY, when the mission teams from all over the world (straight from Pickens) stood up and told their testimonies and their mission trips that they had been on in the past year. Dustin was on the edge of his seat the whole time. A wife knows when something’s going on in her husband’s mind. I could see it in his eyes…. he was ready to pack up and go any minute, but I was still on the fence. I am very practical, a little OCD, and I like to be organized and scheduled out for every moment of my life. (I know – impossible right) It’s hard for me to feel “out of control” in situations.

By December, Dustin was talking to the Children’s Pastors about starting a new Sunday School Class for Young Couples. When he left the house he said he was just going out for coffee with the Children’s Pastor, but when he came home, he had already committed to teaching a class. He was so excited and couldn’t wait to get started. I was like, what happened to waiting, chilling out a while, just being members without actually working. I know it sounds selfish but this is where you get when you get burnt out. For me, I was starting to struggle again with depression. I wasn’t myself. I doubted God. I started to worry about the what ifs about the class. What if no one shows up? What if it’s an epic fail? What if I really just don’t want to be at church that early? What if we’re not ready? I was afraid, I was worried, and as a wife, I didn’t want to see my husband jump in to something too fast.

I know it sounds silly, but what ifs are exhausting. I hope somewhere out there someone is saying AMEN and agreeing with me. I know I’m not the only one that gets tired just by worrying and stressing.

Dustin’s Sunday School Class started the first Sunday in March and prior to that we had a young couple cookout to celebrate the start of something new. It was great to meet new people and just have fun with other people our age (or close to it). The class is for couples 35 and under. It was good time and we hope to plan another get together when it actually warms up and stays warm.

My depression and my doubts increased over the next few months and I’m not sure why or what started it, but it was getting rough. By February, I was really struggling to keep things together. As long as I was busy working or doing something, anything, I was fine, but in the quiet times, when nothing was going on, it felt like everything was going wrong. I worried, I doubted, and I struggled to keep things together.

6 weeks ago, Dustin told me he was going to Cuba on a Mission Trip. Seriously the text said… “going to Cuba.” I was like what now? Then the what ifs started again and this time I tried to hold off on sharing them with him through texts. I was at work just left wondering why, when, and how Dustin was going to make it to Cuba by April. What if we can’t afford it? What if something happens to him? What if he never comes home? What will I do with the kids while he’s gone? What if I need him for something or there’s an emergency…. on and on and on my mind raced. Then my doubts started again. Why God? Why can’t we just sit back and enjoy church together for a while? Why do we have to serve all the time and spend so much money? Lord, we live paycheck to paycheck and now you want us to have $1200 in less than 3 months? Lord, why?

My depression hit hard then. I tried so hard to stay strong for my husband. I would put on a fake smile and be the wife I needed to be…sometimes, but when he was gone or not in the room, I would cry myself to sleep or leave the room to just be alone and think. I kept myself so busy during that time just to keep my mind from thinking about the “what ifs” that I didn’t want to cross my mind. The last thing I wanted to do was discourage Dustin about his class or his mission trip or finances or anything. I just wanted him to be happy and serve the Lord with all his heart. And to be honest, I wanted to get back to the place where I wanted to serve, desired to get involved, and actively spent time seeking God’s will for my life. Despite my depression, and my doubts, I was determined to make Dustin’s mission trip happen.

Passports usually take 6-8 weeks to get processed and returned. Dustin didn’t have one. How would he ever get his passport in time to get everything he needed for the trip? I doubted it would even happen. Once again, I doubted God. Even the Mission Team Leader doubted he would get his passport in time.

Today, March 12, 2018 we have every dime we need for my husband to go to Cuba. I’m not sure how, but somehow, we managed to get the overtime, cut back on things we didn’t really need, and save the money we needed in less than 6 weeks. Dustin’s mom randomly showed up one day with $300. She didn’t say much, she just said she wanted him to serve where he was called. A few weeks later, we had the mission trip money paid in full.

Something even crazier, is that when we ordered Dustin’s passport from the PICKENS post office, it came in 2 weeks later! (not the 6-8 weeks it was supposed to take) We didn’t even pay extra to expedite it or anything. Somehow, it just happened. I know that somehow was God.

I say all this to say, never doubt God. I’m talking to myself when I say this as well. Through this storm, my husband never lost faith. There were days that I didn’t want to do anything or even facing society, yet he reminded me every day that God would see us through this. At one point, I was in the ER because my blood pressure was so high from panic attacks that I couldn’t calm down, and to be honest, it was one of the scariest moments of my life. My heart hurt, my eyes were swollen from crying, and I couldn’t even explain why I was upset, I just was. I thought I had lost my joy, my heart was broken, everything I had done in my life was worthless, my peace was gone, and I was broken. Through it all, God never left my side.

When the devil realized he couldn’t hurt the faith of my husband, he attacked my weakness to hurt my husband. My depression hurt more than just me. It hurt my family, my friends, and everyone around me. I hate to have to admit I have depression, but sometimes saying it out loud or in this case, typing it in my blog, helps me cope with the fact that some things are out of my control and somewhere out there, someone is suffering just like me and needs to hear this.

Sometimes, it hurts more to see someone else hurting than it does to hurt yourself. To me, when my kids are sick, I just want to take their pain away and if I could I would. I hate seeing them hurting and helpless. I’m the same way about any of my family members. The devil will try his best to destroy the family, destroy the plans that God has for you or your family members, but you have to remember, your GOD is bigger than the devil ever will be. YOUR GOD is in control!

No, I’m still not perfect and I still have bad days, but I know God is in control, and He can do great things…things that we think are impossible.

Whatever you are dealing with, don’t give up. God is in control and He will provide a way out for you if you’ll just let Him.

I appreciate your prayers and your patience during this trial in my life. Depression is a constant battle, and if you are suffering, don’t suffer alone. You can message me anytime and I’ll be glad to talk to you. KaylaRampey@yahoo.com  I’m also on Facebook @GlitterandGraceTeens

As always, may God Bless you and show you His Grace every day!

13 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ² During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, ³ Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, ⁴ rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. ⁵ Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. ⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”⁸ Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,^[a] but is completely clean. And you^[b] are clean, but not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

¹² When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. ¹⁶ Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant^[c] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13:1-17

In John 13, Jesus shows us true humility and selflessness. Jesus was preparing for the end of His life on this Earth, yet instead of laying around in self-pity or finishing off his “bucket list” with a bunch of crazy adventures, Jesus did something completely selfless. Jesus stood up from the table and started to wash His disciples feet. One by one he washed each of his disciples’ feet knowing that each of them would deny Him soon after. Can you imagine washing the feet of your enemies? Jesus loved His disciples unconditionally and He knew that they would betray Him and turn their back on Him before His death, yet He looked past that and selflessly washed their feet.

Jesus even washed the feet of Judas knowing that He would be the one that turned Him in for his crucifixion. Judas would trade His friend, His Savior for a few coins, yet Jesus washed His feet.

How hard is it for you to love your enemies or the ones that hurt you the most? In my experiences, people are not always the easiest to get along with. We are all different, and we all have different opinions and attitudes. At times, people can be hard to get along with…some more than others, but we have to remember that Jesus wants us to love them like He does (even when it is hard).

If Jesus can wash the feet of His disciples knowing that they would betray Him soon after, why can’t we even smile at the ones that hurt us the most?

I challenge you to pray for your enemies and practice selflessness when it would be much easier to just be selfish and mean.

Pray for…

• Your enemies and the ones that hurt you the most
• Your parents when you disagree
• Your siblings
• Your teachers
• And anyone else that you find hard to get along with

Practice Selflessness…

• Stop yourself before speaking negatively about your enemies (say a prayer or walk away if you can’t think of anything nice to say)
• Smile more – you never know what someone else is going through
• Forgive often – forgiveness is hard but Jesus teaches us to forgive. Even when He was on the cross Jesus asked His Father to forgive the ones that hurt Him. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they’ve done.”
• Shower your enemies with kindness. (randomly compliment them, don’t respond negatively to their remarks, practice being more like Christ)

I know this is a tough challenge so I’ll definitely be in prayer for you! (and myself as well)

Have a great week ladies!

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

**Don’t forget about the concert this weekend! Al Harris is great and you don’t want to miss out on this great event!