Wearing your Faith

Hello readers! I hope your Monday was the best Monday ever. This past weekend I participated in an overnight retreat type event with the Baptist Collegiate Ministry here at Valdosta State. I made new friends, stepped out of my comfort zone ( next blog ;) ), and God really clarified some things he has been pulling on my heart. Many times we wonder why we are where we are. Whether that be location or circumstance, it is a valid point. Why am I at VSU? Why did I not go to Georgia Southern or Kennesaw? Why not go straight to ministry school? Why did I choose to forgo other clubs? Why was financial aid such a pain? Why did certain things in my life seemingly fall into a billion pieces?  Why did I pick somewhere so far away from those I love? Seriously, everyone questions their own decisions, even though they made them. These questions eat at not only our minds, but our faith. We wonder if anything good can come out of a season of waiting or wondering.. God has really shown me that I am exactly where he wants me to be right now. Even when things are hard or uncertain, his plans prevail. Many times I wonder why I'm not in a season of my life where I am on the streets helping these young girls become saved from the evils of trafficking. Or why I am not in Cambodia with the She Rescue House... there are so many things I "could" be doing that I'm not. I'm sitting in the Odum Library with some friends blogging on my laptop. I've made new friends that God opened so many doors to let me meet. Everyone is new here. There are probably a couple hundred students studying, reading, or searching online in this one building. As of today, I believe that about 11,000 students are enrolled at my school. ELEVEN THOUSAND souls. Eleven thousand impressionable young people. Eleven thousand peers who I could show Jesus to. I always think witnessing is about going up to someone & telling them my testimony or saying Jesus Jesus Jesus after everything. God has shown me recently the difference I am called to make, as well as yourself,.. Showing Jesus through my life.What do I mean show Jesus ? I mean wear him well. Make him your garment every single day. I love the saying of that.. wearing. I love to shop.. I mean LOVE. Why do we spend hours in the store looking at every aisle for the next purchase? I go through countless outfits to decide what to wear every single day.. why? because I want to feel like I look good & look decent for others. I want to portray something to my peers. That is how we are called to show Jesus. Portray him in all we do. When you wake up, do you put on Jesus? Or do you throw on whatever is popular? That secular song that the cute guy in your history class listens to? The super seductive crop top that you know your mom would kill you if she saw it? the latest gossip on the girl " that doesn't fit in"? I am guilty of gossip. I am guilty of listening or watching movies and music I probably shouldn't. I am guilty of a word slipping out of mouth because I got too comfortable trying to fit in with the crowd. I am guilty of putting a guy first. We all are guilty of wearing this world. Of doing literally everything we can to fit into a certain mold of a person... but what we are called to do is wear Jesus. Radiate him and what he stands for. Jesus stands for love. He literally is LOVE. He is grace and redemption and salvation. He is the King of Kings.  He is your Father and bestfriend. He loves you and sets you right where he needs you at any particular time. The choice is to put him on daily no matter where you'd rather be. You are a disciple wherever you go. Your mission field is right where you are. On your campus. In your family. At Walmart, wherever it is. I am not saying you have to tattoo Jesus on your forehead, but there is a light that comes from those who wear Jesus. You become joyful and bright. Not irritated and rash. You focus on the postive rather then the negative. You love others even when they aren't loveable. Integrity and honestly flow from your actions. Our leader for BCM, explained that about 10% of the campus is ready to except Christ, they are just waiting for YOU to do something to make a bit of a difference. YOU get the opportunity every single day to make an impact for THE kingdom. The Lord uses us to reach the unbelievers through our lives. Not even always through our words.. but through how we live, what we do, and how we carry ourselves.

{Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.} 1 Peter 2:12 

When I see someone worshiping God on a deeper level then just church, it sets a fire in me to get deeper. To find out what is different with that person. Use where you are. Use your gifts. Use every chance the Lord sets in front of you. Even if things are not perfect, you are a child of God. God wins in the end. He is yours, and you are his. What an absolutely beautiful truth ! How wonderful that we get to share that honor with those we meet everyday. A simple change in attitude can be just the seed someone needed in order to grow bold enough to accept Christ.. Wear Jesus well.

 {And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.} 1 Corinthians 11:1
 
You are the hands & feet of Christ. Be more like Jesus with every step you take. You will stumble, but the good news is that we have a God who catches us when we do so. Put on your Jesus today.

lots of love,
Kalyn  

New begininngs

Goodafternoon ya'll,
 As many of you probably know, I am now a resident of Valdosta, Georgia. eeeppp, it still is hard to believe it all worked out & I am sitting in my dorm room blogging. God had his hand on this without a doubt. It has been awhile since I posted, but I decided to blog a bit about my first week or so here & encourage those starting new chapters.. even new beginnings you had no idea you are capable of making & for those who want to begin something new, but it seems everything is falling through.

I am SO excited that I just had a sudden urge to open up my daily reading on YouVersion.. Proverbs 3. It is exactly what I needed to set the foundation for this blog. ( go ahead & read https://www.bible.com/bible/116/pro.3.nlt ) When I think of "new", I think of fresh, shiny, & spotless. When I think of "beginning", I think of the start of a journey or race with a path set out before you. This August, I watched my little sister set out on a new beginning as she entered middle school. I saw two of my dearest friends begin a new beginning with their new spouses. I watched as hundreds & hundreds of kids I grew up with move miles away from eachother. It all happened so fast, but it is life. As we grow, we change, We move. We meet new people & travel new places. There is a feeling about newness that drives us all. I know I love to get a new outfit or blanket or purse or anything. Meeting new friends is the scariest, but funnest thing. That is why the majority of us obsess over the newest phone or update or who to talk to or whatever is of all the rage now... but my point is developing an attitude of newness. I believe God has laid this on my heart because it something I struggled with & continue to have to pursue daily. This world is beautiful, God created this amazing place for us to live life on. To invest in his creation & build his kingdom. How can I do that when I am living in the weight of yesterday's mistakes, failures, and disappointments? I carried around, honestly, this bitterness of oldness. I just dreaded the day because of regrets, anger, unforgiveness of myself, & had an attitude set towards my circumstance. Everyday I would pile on another negative thought or action until I felt bombarded with negativity. That is exactly what the devil had in mind, for me to focus so much more on my yesterday than my today. As you read this, I hope you are connecting to this truth...
{ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! } 2 Corinthians 5:17
Today, I want you to write this verse on a sticky & post it somewhere you'll see it all the time. Jesus makes us new. He allows these new beginnings. He refreshes hearts & makes them pure.
 {Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.} Psalm 51:10
 Everyday, in the morning, make your requests to him for your day. He is able,he is just, and he hears you. He hears you're voice, trust in the power of the Lord who makes dry bones ALIVE. { Ezekial 37} { In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. } Pslam 5:3  Through Christ, we live out the opportunity for a daily refreshness, a daily new beginning. As I referenced earlier, Proverbs 3 shows that resting on his word sets you up for walking in a new state of mind. Being full of the word , the truth, will change how you view everything. No matter what falls through or who says you can't or you're " foolish" , you get the chance to pursue a new attitude , a new life BECAUSE of Christ. Through his grace, through your faith in him, you get to change your circumstance every single day because he makes your heart full of bitterness, stress, & contempt.. pure. He renews your spirit of anger into a steadfast, trustworthy intimate relationship with the king of kings ! As you walk through your campus, walk in newness. Walk in the faith that you have begun a new beginning daily with your Savior. That he dearly loves you. He wants what is best for his most wonderful creation. You have the power of the Holy Spirit to guide your every decision.. tap into that this week & live life with a new start. A new day. & a new perspective on your purpose... to be a light. To walk in FREEDOM EVERYDAY. 
 
{I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.}psalms 119:45

Lots of love, 
Kalyn Bowser 

{And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.} Phillipians 1:6