Review: Audrey Assad “The House You’re Building” album.
A Live WTL Ministries review of Audrey Assad’s album “The House You’re Building”.
enjoy!
www.livewtl.com
www.audreyassad.com
Episode 20: What’s Up With Saints? & Daily Devotionals
So on this week’s show, we’re doing “Questions from You!” Our first question is about the Saints.
Who are they, why are they important, do we really worship them (no!), and why should we even care?
Here’s an awesome article that helped me in research for this question.
Then, we talk about how to make God a bigger part of your day to day life. I reccomend devotionals like
Jesus Calling, Purity 365, and Mustard Seeds. Have a great devotional that you do? Send the name of the book and something short about why you like it, and we’ll reccomend it!
Welcome to Brandon and Matt, the two newest members of our Ministry Team. If you’re interested in joining the team for Live WTL, check out the team page!
Have a great week!
God Bless,
Avery
Episode 19: St. Clare and Baby Baptism
In this episode we focus on the story of St. Clare, and then we get into the question of Infant Baptism.
First off is St. Clare.
Here’s where I got my info on her: http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1104
Also, here’s some more in depth on her life: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04004a.htm
Then, we get to thw question of Infant Baptism–why exactly do Catholics baptize babies? And where is that in the Bible?
Thanks to Lizzie, 15, from Georgia for the question! If you have questions about the faith, send them in here: http://www.livewtl.com/questions/
Love you all!
Prayers,
Avery
Momentary happiness vs. Everlasting joy.
It’s your decision.
When I think about life, I tend to think of it like those pictures you drew in third grade art class. The ones with the train tracks or the mountains and roads, where you had to show the trees getting smaller and smaller as it all faded into the distance. Perspective pictures. (up there, that’s what I’m talking about)
I think many times in our lives we need to re-focus our perspective pictures. Our journey (road, train, snowmobile, whatever strikes your fancy) is a road to heaven. Plain and simple. We may stop at cool places and do cool things along the way. But essentially, we are on our road to heaven.
We sometimes get so caught up in the journey though that we lose sight of our destination. That’s what sometimes concerns me about my faith. While I LOVE learning and growing, I sometimes feel like I get too intellectual about it. I want to strive to have a child-like trust in my King. Not a child-ISH, but a child-LIKE.
There’s a big difference there.
Yes. We all have differences. We all have problems.
But intellectually trying to figure it all out? I’m not sure how I feel about all of that.
Sometimes I think we try to have too much control of our spiritual lives instead of really just allowing ourselves to fall into the arms of our Lord.
We try to have it all together, to know everything, to grow, grow, grow. But in this, we lose sight of our humility and our meekness and our complete inability to be perfect.
We need to live unhindered for Christ.
We need to give Him all of our love, and our devotion.
Tonight I was talking with some amazing people about some of the different things that our world is facing right now. We all had our different perspectives and opinions and experiences, but it came down to the unity that we were all seeking God.
That happens in different ways and through different things, but with that unity, we can grow in grace and love of Christ.
But back to perspective: your faith isn’t about what people think of you or how many followers you have to a churchy blog or how much you read the Bible or how many times a week you say the rosary or go to Mass.
Your faith is about seeking God and understanding the reason that He put you here: and that reason is to get to heaven.
Nothing else.
At all.
Whatsoever.
The purpose of life (ding, ding, ding) is to grow in our love for God so we can be ready to spend eternity with Him.
The rest is all lovely and nice but it is fleeting. The only solid, the only unchanging, is God.
Your last breath on earth is followed by your first breath in eternity. Where do you want to be at this point?
Not to be all gloom and doom and preachy here (sorry), but really. Take a look. Your faith is more than just an hour in church on Sunday. If it isn’t, there are so many BEAUTIFUL parts and mysteries and challenges that faith possesses! It’s past just paying attention in church and dressing modestly and being a good person.
It’s so much deeper, so much bigger, so much more amazing.
With that perspective it stops being a question of “What do you want to do with your life?”, and it becomes the question of “What does God call you to?”
It seems like there is a lot of talk about happiness. Do what makes you happy. Find what makes you happy and live that out. What is the secret of happiness?
But happiness, by definition, is an emotion. It ends.
You are happy one moment and sad the next. Then angry. Then happy again.
But then there’s joy. Joy encompasses the emotion of happiness, but it stretches much deeper. Joy may include times of pain or suffering or sadness. Because joy is more of a lens. It’s an attitude.
When thinking about careers and colleges and future I sometimes find myself wondering if I can really do the same exact thing for forty years after I graduate college. What makes me happy now may not be the same thing that makes me happy when I’m 55. It may get…old…after a while.
That’s where joy comes in.
Joy is found only through Christ. That is purely its dwelling place. So to find something that brings me joy (thus, what God wants me to do, that’s what I should seek).
Happiness is momentary. Joy is everlasting. So today and every day, seek joy. It may be the narrow path, that which is less traveled, and it may have a few bumps along the way. But know that this path is the one that is leading you to the most AMAZING destination: heaven with your Lord.
Jesus loves you. He loves you so, so much.
Episode 18: Finding Your Calling
In this episode, we talk about plans. Our plans, God’s plans, and the combination thereof.
Also, welcome to Scott, our newest member of the ministry team!
Episode 17: Honduras and Heaven
Well, it is GREAT to be back! The last few months have been rough due to the concussion I have been dealing with, but I’m feeling a lot better now, so we’re back and at it!
I just got home from Honduras so I talked on the show about my experience there. Also, we discussed the question of Salvation outside our Catholic and Christian faith.
More questions? Send them to me! avery@livewtl.com.
Also, here’s Olancho Aid’s website: http://www.olanchoaid.org/en/ CHECK THEM OUT(:
I love you all and I’m so happy to be back!
In Christ,
Avery