And We're Back

Well hey guys. So like I say every time its been just too long since I last posted. I'm back in Birmingham Alabama and I still like my Chicken Fried, so not too much has changed. I have alot going through my head right now, but I just don't know what I really want to talk about. All I can think about is being home and then school and prayer and work and money and girls and friends and camp and trips and vacation and... well the list goes on and on. So I'm gonna start with prayer.

Jeremiah 29:7-12 says

"Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” ⁸ Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. ⁹ They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.

¹⁰ This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosperyou and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. "

Some powerful stuff if I ever did see. Now lets start with verse 7 and we will go in order. God is giving us a charge here to take care of the city he has caused us to be placed in. He has put us in "exile" in that we are currently exiled from Him, so wherever we go we should be trying to fulfill this charge. Now God here tells us how to take care of the city with one specific. It might not be what people expect God to tell us to do for our cities, but it is what we should do. God tells us to pray for the city. This shows that God is telling us how important prayer is.

Verses 8,9, and 10 are God telling us not to listen to the people of the world who claim that God doesn't answer prayers or that how you live your life will determine if God will answer your prayers. God says in verse 11. I know the plans I have for you. God knows what He's doing. He knows how to take care of  us. God plans to keep us safe in Him and to keep us going strong. He loves us and wants us to prosper. Then in verse 12, we can see that GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS. ALL OF THEM. God does not ever leave a prayer unanswered. Sometimes His answer is no, sometimes its not yet, but God never ignores you. That's something to take comfort in. That whatever His answer. We can know that God is doing what is best for us.

I love you all and can't wait to see you next! Here's some pics from St. Lucia! The full story on the trip will come at the next post.

---- The Running Man