Honduras: I'm a punk

I'm getting ready to go to another country and teach people that have a different language than me, lead a team where I've never been and go on my first mission trip overseas. Good luck huh?

It is cool to see that God will use anyone to do anything for His glory. I was just an earring wearing, bleached blond hair dying, cussing like a sailor guy with a 0.7GPA my freshman year of high school about 13 years ago. God took a punk and changed his life to lead others to Christ.

I do not know much in life, but I do know that God is good and at the end of the day He is the main thing that matters.

Let God do something in your life today. I'm sure you do not have it all together either. Maybe your marriage is screwed up. Maybe your a cutter. My God is big enough to change your problems. Turn to Him. He loves you.

Jesus says, "I'll do it"

It is amazing to me of how open Jesus' arms are. Reading in Matthew 5: 5-13. This is the passage were the Roman officer asks Jesus to heal his servant. This guy had so much faith in God that he knew that Jesus did not even need to come to his house to touch the servant. He knew that Jesus could just say the words and the servant could be healed. Jesus said that He had not seen faith like that in all of Israel.

We all go through junk in our lives. Jesus is there for us with open arms to heal and love us. What area do you need healing in your life? School? Marriage? Finance? Jesus is there and He cares.

Back from speaking at camp.

I had a blast speaking at a Middle School camp for Dallas Bay in Panama City Beach. It was fun speaking into their lives every morning and evening. I was also able to hang out with them and play games throughout the day. Overall 9 students trusted Christ. Praise God for His salvation that He sends to us. Two parents on the trip said that they left changed as well.

May we never forget the truth of God's Word and how it changes lives forever!

Speaking at a youth camp

I remember sitting at youth camps as I grew up always looking at the guy on stage and thought, "Wow, that would be awesome to do that one day". I stuck with the vision and now have spoken at many camps and am getting ready for another one next week.

When I was in high school I always noticed the jokes and stories and how they connected them back to God. I believe that is the most important thing; that the undeniable truth of Jesus is lifted up by the end of the message.

A few things that I will focus on for the week are: 1. Connecting with the students as I bring God's Truth. and 2. Relating and hanging with the students during their free time. I always remember looking up to "the speaker guy" and noticed everything they did and now that I'm "the speaker guy", I need to make sure that I love these students this week.

Focus II - Follow up

I am still thinking through and getting wisdom from older men in ministry about focus. I was talking with a friend, Chris, about following up with things in life. I have realized that in my life, growing up I did not have much to follow up on and now, these days I have a ton to follow up.

I grew up without my parents involved in my life. I grew up a happy-go-lucky, easy going guy that did not have much responsibility or structure in life. The epitome of my responsibilities were remembering bring a basketball to the court or to bring a gun to our BB gun wars we had in the neighborhood.

No I am getting ready to turn 27, I have a wife, 2 kids, a house and a ministry to oversee. I would say I have somethings that could use some following up.

I pray that God would continue to give me wisdom as I focus on these areas of my life.

Focus

How do you stay focused? That is a great question and problem that I am currently addressing. I am such a dreamer that I put a lot of ideas, goals and dreams before me that are hard to complete. I have been learning the last few days about focus. I have heard and even said the saying, "Just do a few things well", but it has been a drudgery trying to actually to follow it.

The last few days I have been focused on what I have to get accomplished for just the next couple of days and am working solely on them. I like it. It feels good to focus on my current task and think through things and do them.

I am reminded that we are to do all things for the glory of God and need to continue to focus in on this area of my life. What areas are in your life. Where can you focus?

Set apart for the gospel

Paul says in Romans that he has been set apart for the gospel. I wonder about my life and what I have been set apart for. Could it be true that the God of the universe, the Lord of all creation, has actually set me, Justin Deweese, apart for the gospel? For the good news of the death, burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ?

What an honor, to be called by God to bring hope to a dying world. That gives me hope and strength to get up and live for the gospel today.