JAMES

James 1:3-4

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

      I am beyond pumped and convicted about the service tonight. Ashlyn Peachy, a 16 year old girl in the youth group here at SBC, quoted the entire book of James. All 5 chapters, with boldness and grace. She is an incredible girl with such a hunger for the Word that you can't help but get excited! Last year, she memorized and quoted all of Psalm 119 to Garrett. 

     But what is really cool about her love for scripture and drive to memorize the Word is not the fact that her brain was able to store all that information or that she could stand up in front of her peers and speak the Word clearly and courageously. It was the joy of Christ seen inside of her as she spoke, and experiencing the very Words of God being spoken over us as we sat and listened and soaked it all in. It definitely got me excited hearing it, and I know it did for others.

     We'll be going through the book of James over the next few weeks with Garrett on Wednesday nights. I just think it's so awesome how God's leading me through scriptures, teaching me details and encouraging me in the study of them. In leadership on Sunday mornings we've been going through 1 Peter; on Sunday nights, Pastor Michal Catt is going through the book of John; now we're going through James on Wednesday nights; in my discipleship group we're going through Mark and John as well. It just gets me really excited thinking about how blessed I am with so many opportunities to be poured into and grow in the Word. I am very excited about Secret Church this Friday night as well with David Platt. I've got my variety of colored highlighters ready!

     So I'm definitely encouraged by Ashlyn and cannot wait to see what God is going to do in and through her life, as she already shared how God has worked in her life this week through different circumstances, and how He provided the exact scripture that she had memorized to get her through. God is so good! I hope her love and joy have encouraged you as well :)