ymja

TIPS TO GET THERE

maggie@ymja.org (Maggie Nelson) — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 16:25:19 GMT

Three Fundraising Tips for the YMJA Retreat!

We can’t wait for you all to join us at our regional retreats this year! Fundraising is an awesome way to bring in support for your youth group and build excitement for the retreat.

Here are some different ideas you can do with your congregation’s youth group in order to raise money. It’s a great way to get the whole congregation involved in something fun and give them an opportunity to give to a good cause!

Car Wash

Of course you probably have heard about or seen a car wash fundraiser: high schoolers standing outside with signs urging people to come pay them $15-$20 to wash their car. They’re providing a genuine service; everyone’s car gets dirty!

Still, you might be thinking, “It’s much easier and more cost effective to go to a an actual car wash rather than have a bunch of young people do it by hand.” Perhaps! But the key to making this fundraiser go a long way is making it a ton of fun for the entire community!

Supplies needed: Car-safe cleaning supplies (microfiber towels, buckets, sponges, hoses, soap, etc.), signs to advertise

Supplies wanted: A large speaker playing some awesome tunes, a cooler with drinks and popsicles, a group of youth to do the work!

Since this is an opportunity for youth to do something physical, it’s probably a good idea to make 2 Thessalonians 3:10 the rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” If a youth wants to be able to utilize the sponsorship donations toward their registration, they have to participate in the car wash! It’s only fair.

Start by advertising to the congregation and friends and family! While it might be a good idea to put out signs in a neighborhood or slip little advertisements in doors, it’s probably best to advertise most to people you know.

About a month in advance, let the congregation know every week that on this day (a weekend is probably best) you’ll be having a fundraiser car wash! Make sure you share the reason behind the fundraising to really show why it’s important they help support. Tell them how much it costs, of course, but they can always give “tips.” ;)

On the day you’ve planned, have all the youth come out and wash some cars! With bumping tunes, plenty of water and other fun drinks and snacks, this will be more fun than work. You can have some people hold signs that help direct those who just drive by and want to support. Have a place (maybe indoors or maybe some nice chairs set up outside) for people to sit if they don’t want to stay in their cars while they’re being washed. Also, make sure that the washers don’t accidentally scratch any cars (this is important!).

After the time slot you’ve established for the youth to wash cars (probably not longer than 3 hours), tally up the cash and eat the rest of the popsicles!

A job well done.

Bake Sale

Who doesn’t love baked goods? And even better if you can not only get a delectable pie out of the deal, but also help send a young person to the YMJA Retreat! This is a great way to pitch a bake sale to the congregation. There are lots of people who have a sweet tooth!

Supplies needed: Youth who will bake pies/cakes/other baked goods. Price tags. A table to present everything!

Start announcing about a month out that the youth will be having a bake sale to raise money for the retreat! Make sure you also announce this to the youth because they’ll be the ones baking the goods—teamwork makes the dream work. If there’s a specific date/time where baked goods are especially needed (maybe a holiday or something like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, or Purim) that’s a great way to get more people from the congregation to purchase the goods!

Make sure you know how many baked goods to expect and encourage youth to make more than one batch of cookies or more than one pie (for example) in order to get more support.

On the day of the bake sale—likely a weekend, probably after service—set out all the baked goods that the youth created on disposable (but nice looking) plates or platters. Tag a price on each baked good—prices will vary depending on how much there is or maybe how much it cost to make. For example, chocolate chip cookies might cost $25 for a plate of 7, but a carrot cake might cost $40. Encourage the youth to stand at the table or go out and encourage people to buy their item(s).

Hopefully you sell out!

When tallying the money brought in by the bake sale, you can decide if you want to give each person the amount of money made by the items they sold or if you want to lump everything together and divide it evenly among the youth who participated. For example, if Shira Smith made five bake sale items, either she would keep the $150 dollars that came in from that or that money would go into a collective pile with everyone else’s income.

One helpful tip is making sure the baked goods look really delicious and presentable. Also, they should be on plates or in containers that are disposable so no one has to worry about returning a dish (unless you include a very nice dish in the price of the baked good!).

Happy baking!

Silent Auction

If you aren’t familiar with a silent auction, the process is pretty simple. People will purchase raffle tickets (each ticket should cost between $5-$15) to be put into a drawing for different prizes/auction items.

Supplies needed: A roll of raffle tickets, 8-10 auction items, 8-10 bowls/cups, a table to display the items, an auctioneer, a gavel (optional)

You’ll start by getting your auction items. These can be donations from small businesses that want to support you, private donations from people (make sure what they donate is new unless it’s a car), or you can go out and buy gifts at the store. It’s better if the auction items are donated, but even if you have to buy them, you can just deduct that cost from the money that comes in from the auction!

Options for great gifts include: A cool water bottle, a charcuterie set, a box of baklava, a cross-body bag, a nice wallet, Judaica, or gift baskets!

Have your congregation announce when the silent auction will be held a few weeks in advance so people can come prepared with money (if you need to make sure everything is cash) and they can already recognize they’ll be donating to a good cause on that day. On that Saturday (or Friday night or whenever you choose to have your auction) set out the auction items on the table so people can see what they’d like and place one bowl/cup in front of each item. People should come to the auctioneer, buy as many raffle tickets as they want, and then put them in the corresponding bowls/cups of the auction item they want a chance to win!

I’ll break it down with an example: Mrs. Goldenstein wants to win the beautiful Star of David necklace and the leather purse. She buys ten raffle tickets for $100 (if you sell them for $10 each) and she puts seven of them in the bowl in front of the necklace and three in the bowl in front of the leather purse.

After you’ve given plenty of time for everyone to buy as many raffle tickets as humanly possible, your bowls should be pretty full! Have the auctioneer get everyone’s attention and begin the raffle. Starting with the item that costs the least, draw one raffle ticket from the bowl, read it out loud, and cheer on the awesome donor who wins as they come up to receive their justly purchased item. Repeat the process until all the items are gone. Thank everyone for participating, and tally up how much money came in because of this awesome fundraising idea.

Easy!

There are many other options and opportunities to raise money to go to a YMJA retreat (grandparents, even), but here are just three options that could work for you! Let us know if you try any of these and how it goes down!

Teshuvah - Repentance

maggie@ymja.org (Maggie Nelson) — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 20:26:42 GMT

What image comes to mind when someone says “repent”? Do you imagine God standing over you, shaking his finger, saying, “Go over there and be sad for a bit. You deserve to feel guilty for what you did”?

Often when we think about repentance we can think about sinning, guilt, and condemnation. Well… two of those things are certainly involved. Sinning brings guilt, enough said. But repentance is not God telling us in an angry tone to go off and fix ourselves. Instead, the Lord is saying, “Come here. You turned away from Me; turn back. Come over here, back to My loving arms.”

This is a vastly different view of repentance.

One view can keep us from even wanting to repent because we don’t like the feeling of guilt and condemnation, so we’d rather pretend we don’t have a problem or hide our sin from God (it’s impossible by the way). But when we actually understand what repentance means, we can see the true heart of our Father, which always longs to be close to His people, so much so that Yeshua laid down His life for our sakes.

The word for repentance in Hebrew is teshuvah, which means to “turn” or “return.” That is exactly what repentance should be.

Have you ever felt the difference between when you condemn yourself for sin and when the Ruach convicts you? Whenever I sin and I am not walking in the Ruach, I tend to beat myself up, feeling upset with myself and distant from God. However, when I am humble before God and the Ruach convicts me it’s different. I feel the “ouch” or “oof” of seeing my sin for what it is, but I also feel the love of Yeshua. I feel close to God, not far away, because I am comforted to know that He thinks of me and is willing to show me where I am walking in destructive habits.

When the Ruach prompts us to repent it’s as if God is getting down on our level and holding out his arms, beckoning us to Himself again.

This doesn’t mean repentance is only joyful. It’s like pulling a thorn from your foot. It’s not pleasant that we have to do it because thorns hurt, but the answer to the thorn isn’t ignoring it or pretending it’s not actually that bad. Pulling it out is a good pain that ultimately brings healing and freedom to keep walking.

The same thing is true with turning from our sins. Sin is turning away from God and it separates us from Him, our ultimate Good. So coming back is always relieving, refreshing, and right—even if sometimes it feels like we got a little “Ruach HaKodesh" slap in the face.

In the Eitz Chayim liturgy, we sing an excerpt from Lamentations 5:21: “Hashivenu Adonai v’nashuva” (Turn us, Oh Lord, and we will return). We can’t please God or even turn back to Him in our own strength. We rely on the conviction of His Ruach when we fall short and turn away. It should be encouraging to know that it isn’t just you trying to battle sin by yourself. You and Yeshua are standing together against darkness.

So during this time of teshuvah at Yom Kippur, let’s be glad that we can turn to a Father who is asking us to repent and come back to Him. We love Him, so of course we want to be close to Him. Well, He wants the same thing.

Yom Kippur Reflection

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 20:25:08 GMT

Y om Kippur (The Day of Atonement) is a day to reflect on the past year and see what areas of your life you have been battling with sin. We all have areas where we fall short (being quick to anger, gossip, our language, etc.) which is why God sent Yeshua to wash the dross away. Thanks to Yeshua we know that as long as we accept Him as Messiah, we will be saved. Traditionally, the Jewish people believe that their good deeds are the way to salvation but we, as Messianic Jews and all believers in Yeshua, know that is not the case, only through Yeshua can you be saved. So are our actions and good deeds still important? YES! Even though they are not the way to salvation, they still hold value in the kingdom of God. We are the body of Messiah, therefore we represent Him through our actions. Hebrews 13:16 says “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God”. So this year on Yom Kippur I encourage you to reflect on what you can do in the next year to represent Yeshua.

By: Jennifer Meyers

October 4, 2022

A Days of Awe Reflection

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 13:18:46 GMT

As we are towards the end of the Days of Awe and soon it will be Yom Kippur, let's reflect on the following scripture from Psalms 102:25-27

"Long ago You laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with Your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But You are always the same; You will live forever.”

Consistency. To be consistent means, marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity.

Consider for a moment the following time patterns in nature. Our own planet earth has a repetitive pattern to rotate on its axis for 24 hours. Earth has been consistently rotating on its axis for 24 hours, since Creation. That is consistency!

We also have a fixed pattern of day and night. Day follows the night, and night follows the day. We read of this rhythm over and over throughout Genesis 1, ‘So the evening and the morning were the first day.’

If we look at human heart beat rate- it is an average of 72 beats per second. The heart is consistently beating to push blood flow in our body.

What about the Lord?

God keeps showing up. He is completely reliable. When all of life seems to be unsteady and unpredictable, we can have confidence in the Lord to remain the same.

He chooses to remain constant in His attitude and affection towards us. God does not have mood swings or sudden outbursts of anger. We will always know what to expect in His nature and character towards us. He always means what He says. And He always follows through on His words.

The truth is that, 'Yeshua Messiah is the same yesterday and today and forever.' (Heb. 13:8). And He has always desired our wholehearted love.

Prayer changes things. God is relational and desires to dialogue with us. He wants to hear our heart. God alone has the capacity to hold the past and future in His hands, and at the same time, be fully engaged in our present situation. There is no conflict for Him in this! God invites the conversation with us, calling us to work with Him, to petition our request to him and to glorify Him in prayer, prayer is powerful.

May we take time this season to reflect on the consistency of the nature of God.

Does God's consistency comfort you? In what way?

Are you a consistent person? In attitudes, in showing love to others? Where could you grow in being consistent?

Let’s embrace God’s consistent love, grow in consistency in our prayer life, open our hearts in prayer for God to show and guide us in deep ways. Especially as we go into Yom Kippur let’s be grateful for our salvation and pray for those that do not know him.

By: Hannah Micu

October 3, 2022

Mark Dayan's Legacy

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 20:01:38 GMT

Yesterday we lost a friend who means so much to so many in the YMJA. We are grieving losing Mark Dayan on earth but rejoicing that he is with the Lord. Mark was fondly known by many as "Uncle Mark". He served the Messianic community at large and in Philadelphia with his whole heart. In the YMJA he led the singles program for decades! There have been so many beautiful words posted about him within the last 24 hours, here are some of them:

"He taught me how to lead worship by worshipping with joy and sincerity. One of my favorite people to sing with, worship with and travel with. He diffused the tension in any room. He was the one that everyone everywhere gravitated toward and remembered.”- Marc

"Uncle Mark never approached life looking for ways to climb to the top of the social ladder. Instead, he focused on getting as low as he could, so that he could best serve the least & anyone in need of love, or just a hug & a good belly laugh. Just like his Messiah, he lived not be served, but instead he lived to serve.”- Nate

"He was impossible to miss as not only was he more than likely the loudest laugh or the loudest singer in the room but also he brought such an infectious joy and intentionality to everyone. He made a point to reach out to everyone, especially those who others deemed different or difficult. He made a point to lift others up even when it made him seem less.”- Melissa

"Uncle Mark had perfected the art of taking joy in other's successes. When you had a good report, Uncle Mark would be so excited, just as if whatever blessing you had received had actually come to him. Uncle Mark lived to give, lived to laugh, lived for joy and praise.”-Nyssa

"He always gave the best hugs, told the best stories, and above all encouraged everyone around him to joyfully follow G-d.”- Danielah

Today we encourage you to think of how you can remember Mark Dayan’s legacy and walk in his footsteps. We encourage you to seek ways to serve your community, notice who needs a friend and meet them where they are, and above all find your strength in the Lord.

We will miss you Mark, all your big hugs and encouragement. We will carry on your faithful legacy.

Isaiah 40:30-31 Encouragement

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 17:35:10 GMT

Shalom everyone, I wanted to share what the Lord has been reminding me lately. I am young, serving the Lord and recently I have been encouraged by Isaiah 40:30-31. This passage is honest and says “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but they who wait for Adonai will renew their strength. They will soar up with wings as eagles. They will run, and not grow weary. They will walk, and not be faint.”

It is essentially saying that even though we are young and are “supposed” to have this never-ending tank of energy, we still can get overwhelmed. We are humans living in 2021, it can get very overwhelming!

This verse has encouraged me to not let myself be or stay burdened. Rather be open to speak and say that sometimes I need to rest in the Lord, that it’s not about how much I can do, but rather it’s about how much God can do. And it’s true, there are things that only God can do. It goes to show that even youths grow weak and weary…. but those who hope in the Lord will find new strength! It’s about being encouraged to lift each other up to show that God’s Chesed (grace/compassion) is meant for everyone; that strength will rise to those who wait upon the Lord, and that He will mount us up on wings like eagles. Yes, it’s okay to take the time to stop. It’s okay to take the time to let go. And it is always for the best to simply follow God’s lead on what is yours to do and what is not in each season.

I encourage you to pray and ask God about when and how to serve and rest while being constantly renewed in His strength. #mycurrentfavoritescripture

By: Jacob R.

October 19, 2021

Galatians 6:9 Reflection

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 14:50:57 GMT

Hey YMJA! I hope you are all enjoying this lovely season of fall, and reflecting on all the Lord taught us during our recent journey through the Fall Feasts. What a time we are living in! It feels like there is transition everywhere. For me personally, I just began a new job--one that has been an amazing experience, and I know I'm where the Lord wants me. On the other hand, I've had some tough moments in this process of beginning a new season. I know many YMJAers are at a similar time in life-- a time of newness and transition. The Lord wants to grow our faith and trust in Him during these times, and to deepen our relationship with Him. My current favorite scripture, one that I have really been holding on to in recent days, is Galatians 6:9--"So let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we don’t give up."

With everything going on in the world today, it can be so easy to get discouraged--especially if what we are doing is not showing immediate results. Newness can be hard, whether it be a new job, a new school, a new house, or just a time of waiting on the Lord for next steps. Don't give up. Keep doing good. Keep serving, loving, trusting. Keep waiting for Him. He will bring a beautiful harvest of faith, hope, and blessing in your life as you persevere in the season He has brought you to. He is with you always--don't lose heart. Keep going. #mycurrentfavoritescripture

By: Michaela, YMJA Prayer Team Member

October 12, 2021

Linda's Legacy

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 19:58:27 GMT

If you have been at the MJAA registration desk for a regional conference or the annual Messiah Conference, you were likely greeted by Linda’s warm smile and genuine gift of hospitality. She ran housing and registration and spoke to many of your youth leaders and parents to make sure everything was in order for all of us to have the best experience possible. While she worked for the MJAA, she simultaneously worked as the YMJA administrative assistant from 2012-2019. She played an instrumental role behind the scenes to make the YMJA what it is today.

You might not know that in the early days Linda and her husband Steve created and ran the teen program at Messiah Conference. This was many decades ago, now the program is run by the YMJA as of 1988. Our current YMJA Executive Director, Rabbi Kevin, was a teenager in their program! As an educator, she founded two Messianic schools, Chalutzim and Cornerstone, where some of our YMJA members attended school including her daughter and our beloved VP, Melissa. There is so much more that could be said about her accomplishments, but this is just a snapshot of her vibrant life.

Those who met her were struck by her effortless excellence. She was organized, efficient, and made hard tasks and problem-solving look simple. More importantly, she had an extraordinary ability to connect with people and made people feel loved and seen. Many have said that her encouragement and affirmations empowered them to be who they are today.

Throughout good times and very challenging times, she clung to the L-rd and her love was an overflow of her love for Yeshua. She always said, "There’s enough time in each day to do the Lord’s will for that day.” We have so much to learn from the way Linda lived her life.

As we grieve, please remember to keep Melissa and the entire Brown family in your prayers as they walk through this very difficult time. Linda Brown's legacy is a blessing and she will always be remembered.

July 2, 2021

Simchat Torah Reflection

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 15:14:08 GMT

A beautiful tradition on Simchat Torah is to read the last verse of Deuteronomy and the first verse of Genesis. There is celebration and joy in the Word of G-d. We are celebrating a beautiful in between moment. Honoring the end of a chapter and a beginning of a new as a community.

Maybe your Sukkot was not as joyful as you had hoped. Maybe your Yom Kippur fast was not as meaningful as you had anticipated. Maybe your Rosh Hashanah was not as sweet as it has been in the past. All of that is okay, the Word of G-d will always be relevant and this holiday of Simchat Torah is a tangible reminder that no matter what season we are in, there is joy in focusing on the Word of G-d. His Word isn’t changing even if other areas of our life feel shaky.

Simchat means joy; joy isn’t circumstantial. The Torah scrolls that are held in synagogues all over the world are in the process of being rolled back to the beginning. There is a beautiful sense of unity in Jewish life, there is a joy that is hard to explain.

If you were unable to go to a Simchat Torah service, you can take some time to read the end and the beginning of the Torah and ask G-d to be with you in this season of life.

September 28, 2021

Rosh Hashanah Preparation 🍎

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 15:10:35 GMT

H ere are some ideas that you are welcome try in preparation for Rosh Hashanah, on Rosh Hashanah or during the 10 days of awe. We hope these ideas and this season in general brings you closer to G-d and your community.

The fall holidays are an invitation to draw near to the Lord, connect or reconnect to community and pray for the world around us, especially those who do not yet know Yeshua.

As you celebrate the holidays or prepare for them please feel welcome to tag us. We love that Instagram can bring us together, even though we live all over the ��.

#roshhashanah #reflection #baking #naturewalk #cards #daysofawe #community

September 2, 2021

Shabbat & Elul

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 15:08:02 GMT

T he month of Elul is a time to prepare our hearts for the High Holidays. Shabbats during the month of Elul are so beautiful. During this month it’s customary to reflect on the past year, examine our hearts, ask for forgiveness from those we have wronged, read Psalm 27 and so much more.

On this Shabbat we encourage you to take sometime to reflect. Let’s wholeheartedly run after the Lord, bring our worries to Him and prepare our hearts for whatever He has for us. Shabbat Shalom, YMJA! #ymjashabbatshalom

August 20, 2021

Adel's Thoughts

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 15:04:33 GMT

Originally I was quite on the fence about registering for the virtual Messiah Conference because online school had tired me out immensely… The prospect of being in front of a screen and Zooming, again, did not thrill me at all. However, after a bit of self reflection I decided to push my hesitation aside and just do it - with friends or without my friends registering, and despite the screen time I knew I would be facing. So I did, and as usual, YMJA did not disappoint. Despite the fact that I couldn’t make it to the last day, it was absolutely wonderful - close and intimate with countless opportunities to bond on a deeper level than usual. The games, the workshops, the messages, and the careful planning all culminated into one beautiful, very fun weekend that seemed to fly by. There were also new perks and online spaces we used that gave it a very fresh feel. I was very surprised that I was enjoying it so so much.

Once again, the takeaway for me is this: no matter what inhibitions there may be - whether it’s something as small as what I had, or bigger things like doubt, fear, discouragement - just DO it! Jump into opportunities God has for you. If you go into opportunities like this with an open mind that’s ready to receive blessings and experience unity, then that’s what you’ll get (and sooo much more too). God will meet you in the midst of it, speak to you, and personalize every event for you - whether it’s through a much needed message, a workshop, a small group discussion, or something different altogether. You will always walk out with a renewed mind and a stronger sense of community, which is more important now than ever before.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good deeds. And do not neglect our own meetings, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another—and all the more so as you see the Day approaching ." Hebrews 10:24-25

I hope you all enjoyed the conference as much as I did!

By: Adel

July, 16, 2021

Justin's Messiah Conference 2021 Testimony

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 14:52:00 GMT

There were a lot of ways this Messiah Conference was special to me. The worship was phenomenal! The teachings were all amazing! The crew groups were so special! I even got the chance to lead a few events at this conference, which I had never done virtually. However, the one thing that impacted me the most was my connection made during the 1-on-1 time with several incredible leaders. They spoke into me exactly what I needed to hear and had the expertise and advice I needed to grow in God's calling on my life. I've never felt like my calling was special and I struggled for a long time with doubt about whether it would even be received well by others. But these amazing leaders knew exactly what God wanted to tell me through that time. That His plans are perfect, and that He knows what He's doing when He has calls someone to do work for His kingdom. I want to encourage everyone reading this that if God has placed a calling on your life don't waste it and don't ever think it is unimportant. God needs you to fill that role. Find someone who can mentor and encourage you through it, as I have through this Messiah Conference 2021. If you have never been to a YMJA event, get yourself to the next one. God will bless you in ways you can't imagine. Thank you to ALL of the YMJA executives and planning teams for putting on such an amazing event.

By: Justin P.

July 16, 2021

Lila's Messiah Conference Testimony

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 14:00:38 GMT

To me, the virtual events give me th e sense of community I so desperately need, but they also add reflection and individuality to it.

Hi YMJA! I’m Lila from Florida and I’d like to share with you all a little bit about my experience at the 2020 Virtual Messiah Conference.

As most of you all, I was distraught last year at the thought of our retreats being canceled. The YMJA retreats are where I have met some of my best friends and mentors and had some of the best moments of my life. I was a regional representative last year and was looking forward to serving that weekend alongside Hannah and the other reps.

But God had other plans for us all.

After an amazing weekend at the virtual retreat, I decided to attend the virtual Messiah Conference, and it was truly one of the best decisions I ever made. Because of expenses and distance, I had never been able to go to Messiah Conference before, and that was something I always wanted to do. Thankfully, I was able to attend it virtually alongside a lot of y’all.

Virtual events are different but in a good way. I was able to meet people from all over not just the US but the world. I had valuable one-on-one time with so many amazing mentors.

To me, the virtual events give me the sense of community I so desperately need, but they also add reflection and individuality to it.

If you are thinking about attending, do it. If you weren’t sure, try it. Even if you fully expect nothing from this conference, I encourage you to come with an open mind and heart. Because I promise you will leave with something, whether it is a new friend, a sense of purpose or community, a renewed commitment to G-d, or ideally all of the above.

I cannot wait to see you all there!

By: Lila

June 11, 2021

Canyon's YMJA Mentorship Program Testimony

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 15:22:55 GMT

From beginning to end the YMJA Mento rship Program was simply phenomenal.

From beginning to end the YMJA Mentorship Program was simply phenomenal. The presence of the Holy Spirit, the wisdom and guidance from Joshua (my mentor), and the fellowship/brotherhood is the reason this program is so great.

Listen, you’re on the threshold of your adult life, it’s exciting, scary, hopeful, and a whole lot to take in! That’s why having a mentor who’s gone through what you’re currently experiencing (both the good and the bad), and is there to not only give your spiritual advice but also life advice is SUCH a blessing!

Joshua is not only my mentor but also a brother. He poured into my life, taught me, guided me, supported me, and was always there for me, he’s a bro for life.

If you’re given the opportunity to go through the program, DO IT!

If you are graduating high school and want to learn more about the YMJA College Freshmen Mentorship Program please email hannah@ymja.org.

By: Canyon

June 8, 2021

Kindness and Niceness

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 15:24:33 GMT

Anyone can be nice sometimes, but be ing kind is not just choosing to be nice when it is easy, rather it is consistency, which produces a character quality.

I’m sure you have heard people say “If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all.” This is great advice, but is kindness the same as niceness? Accor ding to the dictionary, the word nice means agreeable, satisfactory, or subtle. Whereas the word kind means character, nature, or essence.

Anyone can be nice sometimes, but being kind is not just choosing to be nice when it is easy, rather it is consistency, which produces a character quality.

The Bible says, “ If anyone forces you to go with him one mile, go with him two.” (Mathew 5:41)

The act of niceness that is just satisfactory would go with someone the one mile they ask for, however, the act of kindness that is at the essence of who you are would go with them the extra mile.

God’s word says, “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as the Messiah also forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Instead of using our words to simply just be quiet because we can’t be nice, we should go the extra mile and use kindness in our words.

1 Corinthians 13 tells us that love is kind. Matthew 5 says we are to love even our enemies.

It is easy to be nice to people who are nice to us, but that’s not what God’s Word says.

Challenge: (this is me talking to myself here) get into the habit of not just being nice, but being kind! Before you go to sleep tonight find someone to say kind words to, rather than just being nice and quiet.

Shabbat Shalom!

#ymjafruitofthespiritseries #ymjashabbatshalom #kindness

By: Caroline

June 4, 2021

Hannah's YMJA College Freshmen Mentorship Testimony

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 15:00:12 GMT

In this period of our lives, as we t ransition from being in high school to embracing college life, it can be so easy to prioritize the wrongs things too often.

Firstly I want to thank the YMJA for creating this mentorship program and for helping partner us with like-minded believers. I’m so beyond thankful to have been paired up with my mentor Rachel for this program. I’ve learned so much from her and her infectious excitement about Yeshua and His word.

In this period of our lives, as we transition from being in high school to embracing college life, it can be so easy to prioritize the wrongs things too often. When you have work until 9 pm and have a paper due at midnight, it’s so easy to just push spending time abiding with Yeshua to the bottom of your to-do list. While being productive and staying on top of your classes is important, deliberately choosing to include Him in your day and your week is the most important habit you could make your freshman year.

I decided to take fewer classes than I was originally planning to make sure I had plenty of time to devote to this mentorship program and meeting with Rachel, and I’m so thankful that I did. If you’re reading this and are about to go into your freshman year of college, please take this as a sign to apply for the YMJA mentorship program. It was an amazing experience and a great way to start your college life. Email info@ymja.org if you are interested in this program, I’m so glad I did!

By: Hannah H.

June 2, 2021

Show Kindness

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 14:55:15 GMT

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

Colossians 3:12

“kind·ness /ˈkīn(d)nəs/—— noun

-the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

Kindness can come easy to some people. It’s as simple as holding the door for someone or lending a helping hand. For others it can be harder, however, being kind goes a long way. In my short 19 years of living, I have experienced a lot. One of the biggest things I have concluded from living on this earth is that being negative is not worth a second of your time. I find that knowing G-d has definitely helped me chose kindness over anything else. I am currently in the mentorship program through the YMJA and I have learned a lot this past year. My mentor was very KIND and flexible and overall just great, I loved getting to know her. We had multiple conversations about how people that have a relationship with G-d, even if it’s in the beginning stages, can show a tremendous amount of kindness just through their words and actions.

As someone who is surrounded by many people that are not believers, I always try and give those individuals more grace and kindness than I normally do. Some of them don’t even really know what it feels like to be treated kindly. Having a relationship with G-d has helped me show people kindness. I have always been a person that is kind and understanding, people notice it and it can rub off on them. One last thing that is actually really important..YOU HAVE TO SHOW YOURSELF KINDNESS TOO!!! So many people are so hard on themselves, they have a little voice in the back of their head telling them they are not good enough. BUT you are good enough!! Give yourself grace, and treat yourself with kindness too.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12

Thank you for coming to TED talk. Keep calm and carry on. ��

#ymjafruitofthespiritseries #ymjatruthtuesday #kindness

By: Ashley

June 1, 2021

Heavy Hearts & A Lot of Prayer

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 21:34:05 GMT

We are reminded of the promise made to us in Revelation 21:4 that G-d will “wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Nor shall there be mourning or crying or pain any longer, for the former things have passed away.”

We come to you with heavy hearts as we address yet another issue facing our troubled world. It’s been a several days since a ceasefire was declared between Israel and Hamas, but we are dismayed and shocked as we see rampant antisemitism unfold in the United States and the world. The violence in the streets and on the internet has been alarming, and it feels like very few are in our corner. The vitriol spewed against the Jewish people in response to this crisis inevitably makes us all feel some combination of anger, exhaustion, confusion, and fear as we parse through the antisemitism.

We are reminded of the promise made to us in Revelation 21:4 that G-d will “wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Nor shall there be mourning or crying or pain any longer, for the former things have passed away.” In the meantime, we’re all praying for the safety of both Israeli and Palestinian bystanders who have been caught in the rocket crossfire. We’re praying for wisdom for government leaders. We’re praying that our Jewish people around the world are safe from antisemitism. We’re praying for our Arab brothers and sisters.

Seasons like this can make us feel hopeless, especially those of us who call Israel home and/or have friends and family who we’re worried about. If you need someone to talk to or pray with, we’re always here for you. You can DM us or email hannah@ymja.org

We’re also here for you if you have any questions. We have provided a brief list of resources in the graphic above. We hope that this list will help you on your journey of understanding the complex Israeli/Palestinian conflict as well as antisemitism.

As we begin Shabbat, please know that we are praying for shalom for you, Israel, and our brothers and sisters around the world.

Resource List:

BLOG POST:

Arielle Randle, Jews for Jesus: Nine ways to fight antisemitism - https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/issues-v23-n01/9-ways-to-fight-anti-semitism

BOOKS:

“The Case for Israel” - Alan Dershowtiz

“Righteous Victims” - Benny Morris

“Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor” - Yossi Klein Halevi

SOCIAL MEDIA INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS:

@Idf

@StandwithUs

@adl_national (Anti-Defamation League)

@hope4israel_jerusalem

INSTAGRAM IGTV INTERVIEW:

“Live briefing on Hamas Terrrorism and situation in Israel '' with senior educator Charlotte at Stand with Us on 5/13/2021: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CO08pE7AfXV/?utm_medium=copy_link

VIDEO ON CURRENT ANTI SEMITISM:

TED Talk created in 2020 from a Jewish college student: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCPrVTX7fXM

DOCUMENTARY:

Hope in the Holy Land https://hopeintheholyland.com

Disclaimer: The YMJA does not necessarily endorse everything in these resources, but we hope that they will help you get a better sense of the current situation in Israel and the nature of antisemitism from a variety of perspectives.

Adonyiah's YMJA College Freshmen Mentorship Testimony

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 21:26:14 GMT

I am much closer to God now then I was when I started the program.

Hello, my name is Adoniyah and I was fortunate enough to take part in the YMJA mentorship program. My mentor's name was Justin and my experience in the program was great. My time in the program helped my spiritual growth and my physical life all together. In the beginning, I was fresh out of high school and I did not have much of an idea about what I wanted to do with my life. Then as time went on and I learned more, I began getting an idea about what I wanted to do.

My mentor, Justin, gave me amazing advice and knowledge on how I can better my life, without him even realizing it sometimes. My time being with him woke up a part of my heart that I had previously forgotten about. We were able to talk about many things, especially things going on in the world right now and how it affects our lives and the lives of others around us. We would get so lost in talking that we would be talking about the topics in the provided lesson plan that we got from the program and not realized how the time flew by.

In conclusion, I am much closer to God now then I was when I started the program. My life is more structured which helps me know where I am going. I am looking forward to getting closer and closer to God and strengthen my spiritual growth and walk. I am very grateful for all the growth. If you have the opportunity to choose to be in this program, I highly recommend it. After the program ends you probably will have made a new friend and mentor to help and guide you through the struggles of life after high school. Thank you Justin and the YMJA for the opportunity.

May 19, 2021

Shavuot 2021

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 21:18:58 GMT

God reminds us of His love and fulf illment of His Word on the holiday of Shavuot!

How long should we wait for God to fulfill His promises? A day? A week? Over 150 days of flood waters overpowering the land? Over a year of pandemic? Two thousand years of waiting--from Acts 1 to 1948--for the restoration of the state of Israel? In a world that is growing tired of waiting, we as believers must look to the Word to find relief. Thankfully, God reminds us of His love and fulfillment of His Word on the holiday of Shavuot!

Originally, Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Law and the powerful theophany on Mount Sinai 50 days after the exodus from Egypt, and the holiday later expanded to include the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as was recorded in Acts 2. Yes, these are two wonderful events in history that demonstrate God’s power and love, but what my rabbi made clear is that Shavuot celebrates the fruit that comes from waiting.

For 430 years, the Israelites thought that slavery was “normal.” On one hand, they cried out to God day and night for even the slightest relief to their hard labor, but on the other hand, the Israelites had simply accepted the slavery and even longed for it as soon as they entered unfamiliar territory. However, God appeared in a powerful way to reveal to His people that they are to be His treasure as a holy nation. At last, God appeared to establish a new “normal” that involved freedom and an intimate walk with Him.

Thousands of years later, as Yeshua ascended into heaven just 10 days before Shavuot, the disciples anxiously waited for this Helper of which Yeshua spoke. The disciples had to trust Yeshua’s words that He would always be with them, even amidst the turmoil in Rome and Judea. Once again, the Holy Spirit appeared in a powerful way as God’s gift to humanity and a divine statement that He will always be with us, even in hardships, to help us and save us.

What does this mean for us? Noah was quarantined from the world in the ark for an entire year before walking on dry land on the 42nd day of Omer. Habbakuk pleaded with God to bring justice to the corrupt kingdom of Judah. Daniel struggled through prayer during the Babylonian captivity, wondering when the 70 years of exile would end.

Today, the future may seem confusing and honestly even hopeless at times, but do not lose hope: there is a purpose in waiting, and God will meet you where you are to deliver you.

As we pray for Israel with heavy hearts, let’s keep our eyes on Yeshua where we can find hope. Let’s meditate on his Word and make sure today we remember His faithfulness this Shavuot. #shavuot

By: Joshua

May 17, 2021

The Kindness of Shabbat

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 21:12:41 GMT

We can us e the kindness Shabbat brings.

Shabbat Shalom to our YMJA community living in ��, ��, �� and anywhere in the ��. Our YMJA social media series this month has been centered around kindness. This week has been heavy, challenging, overwhelming, and truly just very hard to put into words as we watch and pray for what is happening is Israel, and all the people it impacts. We can use the kindness Shabbat brings. G-d, in is His extreme kindness, has given us Shabbat no matter what; no matter if there are rockets/acts of terrorism, or if it is an ordinary week. As we honor Shabbat this week let’s remember that G-d is faithful and very very kind.

#ymjashabbatshalom #ymjafruitofthespiritseries #kindness

May 14, 2021

Praying 🇮🇱

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 21:08:36 GMT

United in Prayer.

Our YMJA Prayer Team and leaders are praying for safety and peace in Israel. We have dear friends of the YMJA living in Israel; we are praying for them and their neighbors in this heated time. Please join us in prayer.

If you have any specific names of a friend or family member in Israel that you would like us to pray for, please email hannah@ymja.org.

May 11, 2021

Kindness is Motivated By Love

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 21:03:51 GMT

One kind action or even a single kind word can instill hope and melt hearts, and yet it's really hard for me at least to act kindly.

Kindness is doing something that benefits another person even if it might hurt you, slow you down, or inconvenience you. It's what your mom does all the time, it's when your brother helps you fix something, or your father patiently explains the same concept over and over again until your stubborn brain gets it, and it's when the King of kings and Lord of lords comes down from ruling a literal paradise to sacrifice Himself to save those who are willing. An act of kindness so powerful that through it death was defeated.

One kind action or even a single kind word can instill hope and melt hearts, and yet it's really hard for me at least to act kindly. In kindness we see the love of God for there's no earthly reason to be kind. Kindness is motivated by love, and love is from God. In fact, it is list ed as one of the identifying traits of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4. Even though this world falls a little farther day by day, we can still continue to be kind for if there is virtue in bestowing the blessing of kindness during a time of prosperity, how much more so during a time of tribulation? Shabbat shalom everyone.

#ymjashabbatshalom #kindness #ymjafruitofthespiritseries

By: Ethan

May 7, 2021

A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 20:58:53 GMT

Well, it is more than just a saying. It is a reality.

Have you ever heard of the saying, “A little kindness goes a long way”? Well, it is more than just a saying. It is a reality. You never know how that little act of kindness can change a person’s whole day or outlook on life. The Bible says to be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32). Now, you might be asking yourself, “Well how can I show kindness?” If that’s you, I got some tips for you. The two biggest ways we can spread kindness is through our words and actions. When was the last time you told someone, “You have a beautiful smile” or “You have an amazing personality”? When was the last time you offered to help your mom put away the groceries or did some chores without being asked? All these things, though seemingly small, can have a huge impact on the people around you. What you say or do could be the one thing that someone needed to feel appreciated or loved. So, I have a little challenge for you. The next time you see your mom or dad struggling with a task, lend a hand. The next time your friend is down, offer words of encouragement. I guarantee you that it will not only bring a smile to their faces but to yours as well.

#ymjafruitofthespiritseries #kindness #ymjatruthtuesday

By: Magda

May 4, 2021

Patience and Trust

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 20:53:14 GMT

Patience is defined as “The capacit y to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.”

It stands to reason that human nature can be summed up by explaining that it is a rushing flood of impatience sprinkled with the dread that comes just before a roller coaster plummets downward. A constant push and pull between impatience and dread is something we all feel!

When asked to write a post about patience, my first course of action was to define it. If you’re the type to appreciate it, according to Oxford languages, Patience is defined as “The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.”, however, diving further into the definition, it was brought to my attention by the lovely Ms. June (my 8th grade teacher) that we need to pose the question of why. Why do we accept or tolerate these things?

At the core of it, disregarding general, case by case aspects, patience is an attribute, a virtue, that requires trust.

Whether you are waiting for your food to arrive through the kitchen doors of your favorite restaurant, waiting for a call from the doctor with test results, or are waiting for an answer to prayer, you can only trust that what you are waiting for will appear. Of course, you always are hopeful that the dinner, test results, or answer to prayer will be good, as well! Though it is not a definition of patience, I’ve found in my life that the need for trust within it is rarely escaped!

With that in mind, when I’ve focused on maintaining the virtue of patience, I tend to ask myself who I’m trusting in! As I stress on the car ride home from school after taking a test, patiently waiting for the results, I could trust that my own efforts were sufficient and that my studying capacity is where my grade’s potential ends, or, as I’ve actively been trying to remind myself to do more often, I could trust that the Lord has planned on this grade long before I knew I would receive it, and He is working everything into His will for me because, to quote Deuteronomy 31:6, “He hasn’t left you nor has He forsaken you!”

Of course this doesn’t disregard the fact that God has given you those incredible abilities to use toward his plan for you! It does, however, mean that regardless of my situation in life, rather than anxiously anticipate the results of my own abilities, I’ve come to realize, I’d prefer to stand firm in the promise that the Lord is setting into place blessing after blessing for me every second of every day! Stress and anxiety, though not as inevitable as I find trust to be within patience, are given too loud of a platform in my mind. It is my way, I assume, of resisting the trust I need to have in something greater than me, rather than embracing it and in turn, handing it on to the Lord!

This glance up to our Creator in moments of patience has improved my tranquility and perspective immensely. As I’ve been writing this post throughout the month of April, I find myself taking every situation that requires patience to reflect on who exactly I’m trusting in this time period, and to, if it’s not already been done, hand it over to God and I encourage all of you to do the same!

Scripture verses for a mini devotional to dive deeper into this topic: Galatians 6: 7-9, Psalms 24:11, and Jeremiah 29:11

Shabbat Shalom ��

#ymjashabbatshalom #ymjafruitofthespiritseries #patience

By: Aliza

April 30, 2021

Patience & a Couch

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 20:44:56 GMT

Patience isn’t something that we are born with. It’s something learned with practice .

"Patience is a virtue”

I’ve always heard that growing up from the adults in my life. What does that really mean? It means that being able to wait for something without getting angry or upset is a valuable quality to have. It’s so easy to have patience when things are going just how you’d like them to. When everything is lining up perfectly. The true test of patience is when things aren’t going the way you planned. When you’re waiting in a very long Starbucks line and they don’t have the drink you wanted, when you hit every light on the way to work and it makes you late, when you’ve explained things over and over again and someone still isn’t understanding. When we don’t have patience there is an unsettling feeling that is created, and is later turned into anger and hurriedness. In the Bible, patience is mentioned quite a few times, but always in a positive light. It’s one of the fruits of the spirit.

The Bible says, “But as for you be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7.

Patience isn’t something that we are born with. It’s something learned with practice and - well patience. As believers we are called to be patient and to wait for God’s perfect timing. Easier said than done. But when we persevere towards goals and endure through trials, we are testing the limit of our patience, and it continues to grow from there. God’s goodness and love is what helps us develop our patience and endure the long waiting periods before His promises are fulfilled. Change is not something that happens overnight, and the wait can be dreadful. However, when we have patience, the reward we receive feels tremendously more filling and worthwhile than we expected. It took me a long time to understand what patience really means and to practice patience; especially when my faith is being tested. Trust me, I’m still learning. Just recently I was looking on Offer Up for a couch to put in my living room, and I was getting nowhere. For about a week and a half I waited and just kept asking God for patience and for the right couch to find me. Just yesterday God provided me with the perfect couch that exceeded my expectations and for half the cost I was going to pay for it!

God rewards patience and having faith in Him with grand things. My advice to you is to keep pressing on and continue to have patience with the big and little things that God is wanting to do in your life, because the reward in the end is what God had you waiting patiently for from the beginning.

Shabbat Shalom!

#ymjashabbatshalom #ymjafruitofthespiritseries #patience

By: Sierra

April 23, 2021

Lilly's YMJA Virtual Events Testimony

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 20:29:28 GMT

#oneyearanniversary #virtualcommunit y

Hello, I’m Lilly, I’m 17 and I’m from Ohio. So I just wanted to take a moment say what a completely wonderful year it has been with the YMJA. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of going to the YMJA International Weekend of Hope -which was amazing btw! Saturday night was the one year anniversary since I had been to my the first YMJA virtual retreat/my first YMJA experience ever! So much has happened in this past year!

Last year my mom heard about the online retreat and asked me if I wanted to go. I said sure and I’m truly glad I did! I had about 7 or 10 teens in my first Kesher group and now I have more then 30 new friends and acquaintances all because of the YMJA! I want to say a huge thank you to the YMJA board and everyone who helped make it a memorable year! I am blown away by all that you’ve done for everyone this year. Ya’ll have no idea how you’ve impacted my life for the better! I remember being really nervous my first time cause I wasn’t sure what to expect but everyone was so warm welcoming! And my now two closest friends are people I met through the YMJA, and we have never even met in person! I am so thankful for the opportunity to be apart of something this amazing! And I’m so excited for future events!

Love to all y’all�� #oneyearanniversary #virtualcommunity

April 20, 2021

Patience is a Posture of the Heart

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 20:25:44 GMT

As a result of God's presence in us– His very Ruach, I encourage you to intentionally take up this posture of waiting patiently and expectantly.

Kicking off April is the next fruit of the Spirit: Patience.

Do thoughts of waiting in line at the grocery store, slow cruising traffic on the highway, or waiting for the water to boil come to mind? It does for me. Merriam-Webster defines patience as, ‘the capacity to endure what is difficult or disagreeable, without complaining.’ It's not just simply the ability to wait. It's HOW we act while waiting.

David wrote, 'I waited patiently for Adonai. And He bent down (inclined) to me and heard my cry.' Psalm 40:1 TLV.

We can see that patience is a posture of the heart. This posture is not one that is indifferent, passive or full of grumbling. Instead, it's radically expectant to receive from Abba Father. We get to decide how we are going to wait– and not just in lines, but for those deep desires you've been praying about that you haven't seen answers to yet.

Patience is intentionally choosing to set our gaze on Messiah because of who He is, regardless of what we see in the physical realm. It's about being satisfied in His goodness. It's believing He is our Deliverer– even if deliverance has yet to come.

He is Adonai Yireh– even if we don't see abundant provision.

He is Adonai Shalom– even in the midst of chaos, hopelessness, and despair.

As a result of God's presence in us– His very Ruach, I encourage you to intentionally take up this posture of waiting patiently and expectantly. Our Abba is good and He gives good gifts to His children. He withholds no good thing to those who walk uprightly. Let’s be patient. Shabbat Shalom!

#ymjashabbatshalom #ymjafruitofthespiritseries #patience

By: Hannah Mi.

April 2, 2021

Happy Passover!

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 20:19:53 GMT

We pray it will be filled with peace.

Chag Sameach, YMJA! Wow! Another Pesach in a pandemic. While most of us can’t gather with our wider congregational mishpocha (family), I cannot help but think that this Passover will be special.

One of my favorite blessings for Holy Days is the Shechechiyanu; “Blessed are You, ADONAI our God, King of the universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.” Another favorite Passover tradition is reading Psalm 136, where God’s lovingkindness isn’t just stated once or twice, but 26 times!! Yet another favorite part of the Seder is singing Dayenu, recounting God’s faithfulness throughout every generation. Even had God stopped with giving us Yeshua our Messiah, “Dayenu!” “It would have been enough!” But we know that He did so much more….

What do these things have in common? God’s peace is found throughout Pesach. His goodness is found everywhere. God created us, sent Yeshua as our final Pesach lamb to redeem us, and sustains us by His Ruach HaKodesh fifty days later on Shavuot. Through Yeshua, our final Pesach lamb, we can have peace with God. We are celebrating an Exodus that happened, but we’re celebrating an Exodus to come from sin and death, into God’s eternal Shalom.

This Passover season, eat your matzah and make the most of it. Know that God is with us, as He was with B’nai Yisrael.

Chag Sameach!

#ymjafruitofthespiritseries #peace #passover2021

By: Joe

March 27, 2021

Realign Our Lives with God

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 20:14:43 GMT

In an era divided by political and s ocial issues, it is easy for our spirit to become uneasy.

In an era divided by political and social issues, it is easy for our spirit to become uneasy. The stresses of this last year has been exacerbated by those who have sought to divide the world and the body of Messiah; through political, social, and economic issues. These issues have caused riffs in families, friendships, romantic relationships, and have turned brother against brother, and neighbor against neighbor. We may have even said things to close ones that may furthered the division between people in our lives. With all the different opinions, arguments and uncertainty this time has caused, it is easy to become anxious about what will happen in the future.

As we know this is not the way the body of Messiah should interact. The further that we go outside of God’s plan for how we should live, we will become more and more uneasy, especially in our spirit. When we become uneasy, and start to align ourselves with the world, anxiety will start to rule our lives.

What everyone could use at this moment is peace. As we know, the only way to true peace is through Yeshua, who is the Prince of Peace. When we start to realign our lives with how God has commanded us to treat others and live, we will find an ever lasting peace that will outshine anything that this world can offer us. We encourage you, as you go about your week, lean into Yeshua, and ask him to grant you an unexplainable peace that would be contagious to those around you.

#ymjafruitofthespiritseries #ymjatruthtuesday #peace

By: Aaron

March 23, 2021

An Unplugged Shabbat

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 20:05:56 GMT

One thing I find is kids these days (and some adults too) are on their phones all the time.

The past year has been crazy. With the pandemic and every thing else that has been going on it is really hard to find a moment to just relax and not let everything around you be ever present in your mind. That’s why my family and I take Shabbat off. We don’t workout, do work or school, we just relax. We go on the occasional afternoon walk with the dog or wait till late afternoon to watch a funny movie. It is peaceful.

One thing I find is kids these days (and some adults too) are on their phones all the time. Now sometimes I may be guilty of that too, I try to take Shabbat to be off my phone and social media. Social media can be harmful to most people who spend enough time on it. On Shabbat I try not to get on my phone until after Shabbat is over, and even then I am only on it for a few minutes. It is peaceful.

Shabbat is a day of rest and relaxation and to praise God. I encourage everyone to find something that makes them feel peace on Shabbat and carry through with that throughout the week. Shabbat Shalom.

#ymjashabbatshalom #ymjafruitofthespiritseries #peace

By: Gabriella

March 19, 2021

Peace in the Unknown

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 19:58:39 GMT

“I will lie down and sleep in shalom . For You alone, ADONAI, make me live securely.” Psalms 4:9

“I will lie down and sleep in shalom. For You alone, ADONAI, make me live securely.” Psalms 4:9

This verse has stuck out to me throughout this past year. With covid going and so much uncertainty I found myself very overwhelmed with stress and anxious thoughts. I worried about the future constantly and was always in anticipation for worse things to come. I struggled to find peace throughout the year and struggled to find rest. When I came across this verse G-d knew that this was what I needed to read and mediate on. I know that there are many unknowns with what will go on given this pandemic. I find peace in knowing that I am not alone and that I never was. I only thought I was. This verse has helped find my peace in the unknown and has allowed me to rest in Adonai.

#ymjafruitofthespiritseries #peace #ymjatruthtuesday

By: Rachel

March 16, 2021

God’s Peace Offers an Eternal Solution

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 19:25:40 GMT

The Creator of peace is the One who created us.

Shabbat Shalom!

Today I will be talking about the word Peace (Shalom). I feel like everyone has their own way of finding peace. What tends to attract some peopl e these days is the world’s peace and not God’s peace. The peace that the world offers is very different from God’s peace. In John 14:27 it talks about how God's peace is different than the peace the world offers us.

“Shalom I leave you, My shalom I give to you but not as the world gives! Do not let your heart be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

The world's peace is temporary and not reliable. God’s peace offers an eternal solution, which is salvation through Yeshua and His presence in our lives. When we fully depend on God, then we can fully experience joy and peace in our lives. If you ask people what peace means, maybe their answer would be taking some time off from work, not playing video games, not having any problems, or something related to our lives here on earth. While those answers are not bad or wrong, they usually do not include God. The world's peace doesn’t provide the kind of peace Yeshua is offering to us. When we walk with Him our problems might seem endless , yet we can still have peace. The Creator of peace is the One who created us. He is our Lord, our Creator, our Mighty God, and our Everlasting Father. Exodus 14:14 says “Adonai will fight for you, while you hold your peace.” God’s peace truly means peace in our lives. The shalom that God gives may be beyond our understanding, but it’s not beyond our hold. It’s available to us. If we want to have peace with God, there are no “Five easy steps to peace with God.” There is only one way and that is Yes hua.

#ymjafruitofthespiritseries #peace #ymjashabbatshalom

By: Gianna

March 12, 2021

A Testimony About Peace

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 18:40:30 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

PEACE

We’ve heard this word and seen it written many times throughout scripture. In greetings, in statements of well wishes, in description of what we should seek in life. Yeshua himself said to His disciples “Peace I leave with you, and peace I give to you” in John 14:27.

As believers in Messiah Yeshua we’re promised peace in our lives as a cornerstone of the relationship we have with Adonai. But how do we recognize what peace looks like in our lives on a daily basis? When things go wrong or things aren’t exactly shaping up to our expectations?

Philippians 4:7 says: “and the peace of G-d, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Messiah Yeshua.”

About 6-7 years ago I went through an incredibly tough trial concerning my physical health. At one point this trial even threatened my ability to walk properly and have feeling in one of my legs. Coming from an athletic background and a generally active life, this trial seemed to threaten my very existence. Throughout the recovery process I was reminded of Philippians 4:7 time and time again, because I was in need of the peace that only Adonai could give. G-d was teaching me that if I relied upon Him for guidance, He would provide the peace. He was showing me that the situation I was in at that time was equipping me to live a life of reliance upon Him. G-d taught me that our walk with Him and life in general is a marathon, not a sprint. Trusting in Adonai will bring peace.

At that time in my life I was seeking a peace that I didn’t quite understand yet. But now looking back I can say that without a doubt the peace that G-d can provide transcends all understanding because you might not recognize WHEN you need it, but it’s important to understand WHY you need it. The peace that Adonai can provide you will equip you not only to encounter current obstacles in life, but also the obstacles you may face in the future.

I encourage you to seek Adonai daily through prayer, and always ask Him for HIS peace no matter what stage of the journey of life that you may be in!!

#ymjafruitofthespiritseries #peace #shalom #ymjatruthtuesday

By: Austin

March 9, 2021

Such a Small Word with Such a Grand Meaning

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 18:30:04 GMT

The word peace means “a freedom from disturbance.”

Peace.

Such a small word with such a grand meaning. The word peace means “a freedom from disturbance.” The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, according to the concordance in the back of my bible it means “completeness, soundness, and welfare.”

I’m going to be honest with you, peace hasn’t been common in my life recently. It seems like I am always stressed, worried, or exhausted, especially from this crazy school year and having to do school mostly online. It seemed that my life was definitely lacking some peace, even when I had the chance to relax I would still seem to be thinking about something else- it might be a school project, homework or other things that were big in my life. When I was asked to write this blog about the fruit of the Spirit I was reluctant at first. I did not want to add one more things to my plate, but as I looked at the different fruit of the Spirit “peace" was the one that jumped out at me. Peace was the fruit of the Spirit that I felt I was lacking the most.

When I agreed to write a blog about peace it was January and the YMJA had told me that peace was going to be the fruit of the Spirit for March, so from that moment I decided that every time I felt worried or stressed or if I simply didn’t feel at peace I would try to find a bible verse about peace, as well as pray for Yeshua to give me peace. During this journey of trying to find peace I stumbled across this verse in Philippians 4:6-7. This verse in particular gave me the key to finding peace, and the key is “prayer and petition with thanksgiving” as we pray to G-d to give us help with our troubles and worries, He gives us His peace. Although our problems don’t go away, we have His perfect peace to deal with any problems or issues we might have. So whenever you feel like your lacking peace we can use this key!

My final advice to you is that instead of letting the situation that you are in rule your life, pray for G-d to rule in that situation instead and ask for His peace in your life. May the L-rd bless you and keep you may He put His countenance upon you and give you peace. Shabbat Shalom!

#ymjashabbatshalom #ymjafruitofthespiritseries #peace #shalom

By: Sophia

March 5, 2021

Peace Regardless of Circumstances

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 17:39:05 GMT

Philippians 4:6-7 says this “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua.”

In a society in which everyone is moving at such a fast pace, and stress and anxiety are everywhere, we as believers have the blessing of leaning Yeshua and His word. Stress and anxiety are most certainly not a part of God’s will for our lives, He desires for us to have peace. Peace is the third fruit of the spirit and that is something God desires for us to have an abundance of in our lives.

We are all probably familiar with this passage of scripture, it’s a great one. I want to tell you how I have been able to apply the peace of God to my life by utilizing this scripture.

First, it was important for me to internalize the fact that God is above everything on this planet, He is our all powerful creator. This realization helps put my day-to-day struggles into perspective. I understand that all the stresses, no matter how big or small they are, have no impact on my eternity with God. They are temporary, worldly problems that try to take my focus away from God. So, what I have been doing is each time I feel myself getting stressed or anxious about something, I try to take a step back and think about that eternal nature of God and how He desires peace for me. Then what I do is I will pray Philippians 4:6-7 and I lift up my burdens to God. Let me tell you, praying this scripture has led to more answered prayers in my life then I ever thought I would have. God is a perfect God who keeps His promises. I have prayed for peace and received it immediately countless times, as I do this almost on a daily basis now.

I’ll give you a quick example that happened the other day. I had a long day of schoolwork where I was thinking about school all day long, and in all of the working, I managed to forget to take the midterm for one of my classes. When I realized what I had done, I got that horrible feeling of being so small and feeling like the world is on top of me. I started to sweat and frantically go to email my professor about what I had just done. I was anxious for all of 5 minutes before I got my bearings and brought my anxiety to God. Not only did I ask for my problem to be fixed, I also asked God to give me shalom in this time no matter the outcome, and He gave it to me right then and there. I was able to just go to bed and not have any worries on my heart. One of the reasons I know that this is the peace of God is because my professor emailed me back and told me that she would not open the midterm back up for me. When I read that email, I still had the same peace that I did after I prayed for it. And I think that is the biggest take away here. You will know you have the peace of God when you have peace regardless of your circumstances. God’s shalom exists outside of our worldly struggles and that is why it is able to separate us from the struggles we have in life. I hope that was able to speak to you in this stressful time. I hope and pray that all of you are blessed and are covered with the shalom of God.

#ymjatruthtuesday #peace #ymjafruitofthespiritseries

By: Cameron

March 2, 2021

Joy in Light of Purim

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 14:47:09 GMT

I think of Queen Esther and the dif ficulty she had of having to hide her identity so she could save the Jewish people!

JOY

James 1:2-4 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadf astness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing ."

This past year has been difficult one. From the corona virus, lost jobs, and having to stay home and quarantine. It may seem hard at times to find the joy in our lives, and daily routine with all of these things happening around us. But I have to say we have an amazing heavenly father, who is always there for us to cary the weight of the world, He is steadfast and never wavers! I find joy in this season through His word, though we do not know the future have joy in knowing that He does! I’ve experienced so much joy through time at home to spend with the Lord and family, I’ve found so much joy in my daily walks outside, spending that time with the Lord in his creation! I pray that we can all have a joyful heart and spirit being happy and content where the Lord has us. Everything is for a reason, and our father has such special plans for our lives! I’ve been so excited as we come closer to Purim, I think of Queen Esther and the difficulty she had of having to hide her identity so she could save the Jewish people! She was steadfast, trusting, and experienced great joy in trusting, and being obedient to the Lord, for it lead to the safety of our Jewish people! I pray that we all see the joy of the Lord in our everyday lives and in everything that we do.

Romans 15:13 " May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. "

#ymjashabbatshalom #ymjafruitofthespiritseries #joy #purim

By: Erica

February 19, 2021

Joy in the Midst of Historic Storm

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 14:45:12 GMT

Is snow in Texas even possible?

I think it is safe to say that many of us have experienced a hard time in our lives, especially in 2020/early 2021. A lot of us even this week have experienced a hard ti me, with historically cold temperatures and winter weather hitting us. I live in Houston and we got up to 4 inches of snow in the north part of our city. Millions of people are without power and water right now since temperatures have been in the single digits (northern people, please don't laugh at us southerners). Not only is this unheard of for our area, but many people are unable to warm their homes in spite of it.

It can often feel overwhelming to deal with these troubles. Even small things in our lives can just feel like the world is crashing down around us. We may not know what to do about it, we may wonder why these things are happening to us, or may just be wondering where to find God in the midst of all of it. I want to point out a couple of Bible verses that may encourage you through these times. One of my favorite verses of all time really helps me when dealing with these situations in my life. James 1:2-3 says “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." This verse reminds us that whenever we go through trials, there may not be a certain reason for it, other than to strengthen our faith.

Sometimes, God just wants to teach us to fully rely on Him for everything in our lives, even when that seems impossible to do. If you are thinking it is really hard to do that, you are not alone. However, I encourage you to consider that nobody thought it was possible to get temperatures this cold in the city of Houston and to literally have the entire state of Texas in a Winter Storm Warning. This has been incredibly historic and nobody thought it could happen and many thought they didn't know how to make it through it. But, several are finding ways to keep warm and make it through the coldest night in recent Houston history. While it is still not a happy ending and we aren't out of the woods yet, we are finding ways to find joy in the midst of the storm.

#ymjafruitofthespiritseries #joy

By: Justin P.

February 16, 2021

Joy is a Decision

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:58:15 GMT

Choosing joy and spreading joy takes intentionality.

I’ve got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart... where?? (If you know that oldie but goodie, let me know)

Have you ever been around that one person with the most con tagious laugh? Or that smile that just radiates even behind a mask? ��

Now that you’ve got that image in your mind, I think its safe to say that true joy isn’t just smiling or laughing. I like to think of joy as a decision, rather than a simple emotion. To choose joy means you decide to realize who has the locus of control in your life in situations, both good and bad. It means you put aside your (insert the mania in your life here lol) and realize it’s much bigger than just circumstances.

Joy can even look like giving a compliment to someone on one of your toughest days.

& WOW, is it reciprocated.

I love the moments where a simple act totally just makes a person’s day and they pay it forward for someone else. To bring JOY out in a person can TRANSFORM and it is so contagious.

Lifting someone’s spirit can lift yours in unimaginable ways.

To simply aim to be that light to someone around you… is powerful. Joy is a decision. Giving encouragement to someone is a gift. It does not take talent, it takes intentionality. Try spreading joy like you spread butter! (: #ymjatruthtuesday #joy #ymjafruitofthespiritseries

By: Nikole

February 9, 2021

Joy in Uncertain Times

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:52:30 GMT

Amid the chaos, I was reminded that my joy is not based on my circumstances.

I think we can all agree that 2020 was one of the hardest years the world has endured. A year that will be highlighted in history books, and that we will one day discuss with our children. It was filled with tragedy, canceled plans, failed expectations, hurting people, and it honestly left me struggling to find joy. How can I find joy in the uncertainty of this season?

Amid the chaos, I was reminded that my joy is not based on my circumstances.

There will always be life celebrations that bring feelings of happiness, but there will also be tough times where I have to remember the never-ending, constant, evolving joy that comes from the Lord. Whatever happened yesterday and whatever may come tomorrow, we can have joy today because our God has defeated the world by overcoming sin. We can have joy today because Yeshua will come back and put an end to all suffering. Our Messiah suffered far more than we could ever imagine and still chose to save us. We can find joy in that promise. There is so much unknown in this world and the days to come, but I invite you to pour yourself into the deeply rooted joy that is so lovingly offered to us. Spend time with your creator, marvel at what He’s made, and remember that the joy of the Lord is our strength.

#YMJAShabbatShalom #YMJAfruitoftheSpiritseries #joy

By: Natanya

February 5. 2021

Where is my joy found?

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:48:35 GMT

When we seek Him and His presence we are filled with joy.

S omeone once told me that there is a difference between happiness and joy. That happiness is an emotion that is fleeting, but the joy of the L-rd is not fleeting. Joy is something more permanent that we can obtain by leaning on G-d and choosing His ways; let’s look at some verses about joy.

Psalm 16:11 “You make me know the path of life; in your presence is unbounded joy, in your right-hand eternal delight.”

Romans 15:13 “May God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and shalom as you continue trusting, so that by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh you may overflow with hope.”

There are two things here that are important. Joy is found in the presence of G-d. When we seek Him and His presence we are filled with joy. Our spirits are refreshed and rejoice in the presence of G-d.

When we fully trust G-d we are filled with joy. Letting go of control, stress, worry, anxiety, depression, whatever holds you down can make room for joy to fill that space. Giving up all the things we hold onto allows us to be filled with what G-d wants.

Within these ways we can find joy, there is something important to consider. We have to choose to be in G-d’s presence. We have to choose to trust G-d with all of our hearts. We have to choose joy. Joy is not something that will just fall into our laps when we are going through tough times.

Joy is seeking G-d, trusting Him and following Him. We can choose joy in the toughest of times. Even James says we should be glad in times of trials because the end result is that we grow and learn from it (James chapter 1).

I am not saying that you should ignore anger, anxiety or depression. Stuffing emotions or being fake is not what G-d wants from us. He wants us to be honest and if you are going through a time where you do not feel the joy of the L-rd then talk to G-d about it. Ask Him to fill you with His joy because His joy is prevalent throughout all trials and is not based on your situation.

Let me tell you it might not be easy….well at least for me it wasn’t. When I was around 15, I was going through a rough time in my life. I was struggling in my friendships, my family was going through a loss, and my health was not in a great place. I was depressed, lonely and I definitely was not feeling joy. This was about the time I heard about the joy of the L-rd. I decided to seek G-d and ask for His joy. It was hard at first because I felt like I had a right to be sad and angry, but G-d did not want me to feel that way forever. When I finally chose to fully accept the joy of the L-rd it changed my whole perspective. My situation did not change, but my outlook did. I saw the positives more often and I chose to not focus on all the negatives all the time. It made that time of my life more hopeful and not as bleak as it was before.

If you are struggling to feel joy, I encourage you to ask G-d for His joy. He wants you to have it and the joy of the L-rd is a great testimony that others can see and want for themselves. Like I said, it might not be easy at first, but if you continue to seek G-d and trust in Him, He is ready to give it to you. You just have to be ready to choose if you are going to seek and accept it.

#YMJATruthTuesday #Joy #YMJAfruitoftheSpiritseries

By: Adonia R.

February 2, 2021

International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2021

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:43:45 GMT

#WeRemember

“The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this an nual day of commemoration, the UN urges every member state to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides.”- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

In June of 2018, I had the privilege of going on the YMJA Eastern Europe Ministry Trip where we had a chance to walk through Auschwitz-Birkenau. There is so much I could say, and there is so little I can say. It is hard to find the right words. In front of our eyes, we saw the depths of what hate can lead to. The myriad ways the Nazis thought of torturing and killing my Jewish family and millions of others was sickening.

Seeing what hate and dehumanization can lead to was painful. The Jewish people have constantly been attacked (that is the premise of most Jewish holidays), but seeing this in front of my eyes is something I will never forget. When we returned home and went to Messiah Conference, just a few weeks later, we took a field trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in D.C.

I had walked through this museum before, but this time it was a chance to process all that I had seen in Poland. In that moment I realized education is the way to make sure history does not repeat itself. Today and everyday let’s educate ourselves and others using incredible resources from places like the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. When I met survivors in Eastern Europe, I realized that by meeting them and hearing their stories, it was now my duty to share those stories and honor their memory. It is up to all of us to keep their memories and legacy alive as we teach the communities around us.

#WeRemember #internationalholocaustremembranceday #neverforget

By: Hannah

January 27, 2021

I find deep comfort in the humanity of God.

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:41:11 GMT

Love remains in the turbulence of my hurt.

I find deep comfort in the humanity of God. That God is able to resonate with my emotions: the grief, the disappointment, the bitterness. He is not one to minimize a sin gular emotion. I used to think that my negative emotions made God uncomfortable. I felt that God would abandon me in the midst of my bad decisions. I thought that love would punish me with pain to teach me a lesson.

Now I know that love does not stop the consequences of my choices, but it doesn’t abandon me to them either. Love remains in the turbulence of my hurt. Love teaches me how to dance in the valley of disappoint. Love walks me out of the caves of fear. Love has shown me that emotions are beautiful, redeemable, & meant to be invitations into healing. Love whispers it is forever for me. God is that love.

#YMJATruthTuesday #love #YMJAfruitoftheSpiritseries

By: Belen Gad

January 26, 2021

Rooted & Established in Love

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:38:02 GMT

It can become easy to forget the depth that the word love carries.

Hello from California! As a believer, I feel like we have grown immune to the word “love,” it is a strong word. We often hear "love your neighbor as yourself" and "agape " (especially at this time of year), and it can become easy to forget the depth that the word love carries. Even society dulls it out with platforms such as Tinder, Instagram, and TikTok idolizing relationships when in reality love is deeper than it appears and goes far beyond romantic relationships. If I'm being straightforward, love isn't pretty. It isn't dainty and floral or filled with hearts and kisses. When you think of TRUE love, it's found in some of the darkest places. Nurses care for dying patients. Birth isn't pretty but is one of the purest forms of love. Your loved ones hearing your ugly cry. Yeshua brutally sacrificing Himself on our behalf.

My rabbi says, "At the end of the day, it's just going to be you and G-d.” If you want true love, love G-d first. John states this clearly by saying you can't even experience true love without having experienced G-d’s love. I encourage you take this Shabbat to seek His love before anyone else's because others will fail you. His love is sufficient, unconditional, and firm. Build your foundation of love upon His love. Be firmly rooted and established in it, just how He wants you to be. Grace and peace to you on this Shabbat!

#YMJAShabbatShalom #YMJAfruitoftheSpiritseries #love

By: Grace M.

January 22, 2021

What is love really?

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:32:51 GMT

Sometimes I struggle to believe that G-d can love me ...

G-d has unfailing love. He literally loves us no matter what. Sometimes I struggle to believe that G-d can love me even though I’m not perfect and I make wrong decisions . I was having these doubts one day and then I looked up and saw this sign I had put up a few months ago that said “love never fails,” from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. I fail every day; humans fail every day. But G-d never does, and His love never does. So, when you’re going through it, and feel like nobody loves you or even wonder if G-d loves you. Remember, G-d always loves you no matter what you do, just turn to Him.

#YMJATruthTuesday #love #YMJAfruitoftheSpiritseries

By: Eliana

January 19, 2021

MLK Day 2021

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:21:18 GMT

Let's make today a "day on" instead of a "day off."

T he Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is someone we uphold as an example of leadership and service during one of the many difficult seasons of racial injustice in the United States. He was a man of faith who tirelessly worked alongside Black and White champions of Civil Rights as he believed that our country could change the bigoted course it had been on for centuries.

Today, we find ourselves in a similarly difficult time in our country’s history as we continue to fight against systems of racial injustice. Dr. King understood that things will not automatically move from A to Z, but purposefully from A to B, B to C, etc. He recognized through speaking “I have a dream that one day” that things will not change overnight but if we are committed day-to-day, justice and peace will prevail.

As we honor the life and legacy of Dr. King today, let’s be inspired by and remember the words he said during his Nobel Peace Prize speech in 1964 that hauntingly echo the realities of our own time, “I have the personal faith that mankind will somehow rise up to the occasion and give new directions to an age drifting rapidly to its doom. In spite of the tensions and uncertainties of this period something profoundly meaningful is taking place. Old systems of exploitation and oppression are passing away, and out of the womb of a frail world new systems of justice and equality are being born.”

Today and in the days to come, let us remember what Rav Shaul said to the Galatians, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) We encourage you as the future of this country to make this a “day on” as you advocate for racial equity and justice for all people living in th e United States. Be a meaningful piece of the puzzle that leads to positive change. Speak out and share the truth in love. Seek to better understand Dr. King’s mission . Participate in advocacy through volunteering. There are many ways that we can be the change we wish to see in the world and continue on in Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy.

By: Melissa and Leah

January 18, 2021

God is Love

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:52:50 GMT

God IS love. He embodies it. Everyth ing about Him and His character is centered around love.

“So, we have come to know and trust in the love that God has for us. God is love. Now whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” 1 John 4:16 TLV

When I was about 3 or 4 years old, my grandmother taught me 26 Bible verses, or parts of them, for every letter of the alphabet. The verse she gave me for the letter G was taken straight from 1 John 4:16: “God is love.”

Obviously when I first learned this verse as a toddler, I didn’t fully comprehend what it meant, but now that I am older I can look deeper into the meaning behind those 3 simple words. God IS love. He embodies it. Everything about Him and His character is centered around love. And this love is everlasting just as God Himself is everlasting, having no beginning and no end, because it is a part of who He is. That’s why love is so important, because to know love is to know God. Our greatest commandment is to love Him and love others with everything we have.

So, let’s abide in this love together as we move forward in the new year, draw nearer to our Father, and learn to love like He does. We love because He first loved us. Shabbat Shalom!

#YMJAShabbatShalom #YMJAfruitoftheSpiritseries #love

By: Emma Brazzel

January 15, 2021

Forgiveness & Love

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:16:31 GMT

We are forgiven and loved by Yeshua. Now we have a responsibility to do the same.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Messiah died for us.” Romans 5:8 TLV

This verse demonstrates the greatest and most powe rful example of forgiveness and love.

I grew up in a believing home all my life. At a youth retreat one weekend there was a time of worship and I remember being in complete awe of Yeshua and picturing Him on the cross dying. In that moment it clicked for me. Yeshua’s sacrifice wasn’t a head knowledge anymore but rather a heart knowledge. Yeshua died for me, wow! I have been walking with the Lord for most of my life and everyday it’s a daily surrender to Him to say, “Lord not my will but Yours be done!” And His way is always better for me.

As a believer I often get a conviction to share my faith with people and I have done so a few times. There are a couple of scenarios where I never got to the Gospel (the Good News) because that person did not want to hear it. I’m not gonna lie, I felt offended when they did not want to hear what I had to say.

Maybe you’ve had similar stories where you shared God’s love and in return, they rejected His love. He said it would be hard: “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.” (John 7:7 ESV)

In Luke chapter 5 Yeshua says that He came for the sinners! “I did not come to call the righteous, but the sinful to repentance.” (Luke 5:32 TLV)

Yeshua said that those who are well have no need of a physician but it’s those who are sick.

Luke 5 starts out with Yeshua’s miracle of the disciples being able to catch lots and lots of fish and Yeshua tells His disciples that from now on they will be catching men. That’s what it’s about, catching men; being a light and a witness, giving a smile, loving as Yeshua loves. It’s God’s love that enables us to love or as 1 John 4:19 puts it “We love, because HE FIRST loved us.”

Amen! Yeshua is the greatest example of love.

I want to leave you with this challenge. Keep loving, keep witnessing, keep giving and when you feel offended or hurt remember this verse Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

God bless you YMJA family:)

#YMJATruthTuesday #love #YMJAfruitoftheSpiritseries

By: Elisheva Marvin

January 12, 2021

God's Love

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:12:05 GMT

His love for us is truly amazing.

The love of our amazing God is truly, truly amazing.

Paul said in Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor t hings present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord."

That truth--that as believers nothing can separate us from God's love--this should bring so much peace, joy and hope to our lives. He is with us, He is for us, and He is sustaining us day by day.

Having experienced God's love for ourselves, we then have a responsibility to share that love with others. We are to "let our light shine," because as Yeshua said, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (Matthew 5:16, John 13:35).

In all the chaos and craziness going on in the world today, the world needs believers to be examples of God's amazing love like never before. We need to share His love like never before. Let's make that our challenge for this New Year of 2021--to ask the Lord to help us experience His amazing love in new ways, and that He would help us share His love with those around us. The opportunities are everywhere, all around us--we just have to keep our eyes open. Let's ask the Lord to use us to show His love to someone today.

❤️�� #YMJATruthTuesday #love #YMJAfruitoftheSpiritseries

By: Michaela M.

January 5, 2021

Happy New Year!

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:07:56 GMT

Shabbat Shalom and Happy New Year thoughts.

Shabbat Shalom & HAPPY NEW YEAR YMJA!!! We made it through 2020 and we are ready for 2021 (insert happy dance here). As we look at the Fruit of the Spirt this year, we are starting off January focusing on Love.

I want to ask you a question: How many times have you used the word “love” today?

It could be affection for a person or animal; “I love you, Scooby Doo” (I said that to my parents’ dog today).

We seem to use the world “love” a lot. The word “love” in Hebrew is “Ahavah.” It comes from the root word “hev,” “to give.” In order to be loving, there is a gift and sacrifice involved.

Let’s read the Sh’ma & V’ahavta:

“Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

The word “strength” here in Hebrew is “meod” which literally means “everything.” In reality, we are to love God with “everything.” God is not looking for us to be static; He wants us to be active in our love for Him.

Before we love Him, let’s remember His everlasting love for us. The truth is that “...ADONAI your God ... will delight over you with joy. He will quiet you with His love. He will dance for joy over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). God came in the form of Yeshua so that He could redeem our world because He loves us. He gave to us His everything. Shouldn’t we give Him our everything?

This year, I challenge us to love God and our fellow man radically. Let us understand how deep, how wide, how far reaching His love is for us. Shabbat Shalom!!

#YMJAShabbatShalom #love #YMJAfruitoftheSpiritseries

By: Joe Miterko

January 1, 2021

Fruit of the Spirit

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 17:36:51 GMT

What is coming in 2021?

This is the last YMJA post for 2020. Wow- what a year it has been! In this moment, I am truly in awe of how G-d has provided ways for our YMJA family to grow closer to Him and each other. In a pandemic that had so many cancelations, we actually were able to provide so many more opportunities for teens, young adults and youth leaders to connect than a typical year due to Zoom. We have witness new friendships formed, testimonies birthed, and have had unique spaces to have fun as well as dive into hard topics. I could go on and on, but you all know G - d is faithful!

While 2021 can bring thoughts of uncertainty, we can have confidence in G - d’s character. We are going to launch a social media series on the F ruit of the Spirit, beginning January 1st. The fruit of the Spirit come from G - d. As we spend time dwelling on G - d’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, we can be transformed to live them out and experience freedom and purpose in this new year.

In the month of January, we will dwell on Yeshua’s love.

2020, it’s been real.

2021, let’s go! #YMJATruthTuesday

By: Hannah

December 29, 2020

Last Shabbat of 2020

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 17:32:00 GMT

A reflection on the Torah portion a nd 2020 .

This is the last Shabbat of 2020. It’s been a year filled with difficulties, unknowns about the future, and tragedies. Yet as we read today’s Torah portion, we see that when God writes a story, it’s ultimately a story of redemption...

I knew the journey of Joseph’s life. But last year, listening to sermons from Rabbi David Rosenberg, I realized there was another story I had missed- the life of Judah.

Judah was the one who convinced the rest of his brothers to “spare” Joseph and only sell him into a life of slavery. Joseph seems to trust in God and release the bitterness that could have overwhelmed him. But Judah doesn’t seem to be able to live with the guilt of what he’s done. Right after selling Joseph, Gen. 38:1 tells us that Judah walked away from his family. The rest of the chapter is the not-so-kosher story of a man whose life is marked by guilt, shame, sin, and death.

But that all turns around in today’s Torah portion. It’s the story of Judah’s redemption. He goes from the one selling his brother Joseph into slavery to one who offers himself as a slave in place of his brother Benjamin. It appears that Benjamin, their dad’s new favorite son, has been caught red-handed stealing from the Egyptians and is condemned to a life of slavery as punishment. Now their dad will relive the loss of Joseph. His heart will probably not be able to handle this second loss. He probably won’t be able to forgive his other sons. All the pain of the past resurfaces in this darkest moment. But Judah pleads to take Benjamin’s place in the longest speech recorded in the Torah. That transformation and sacrificial love ignites Joseph’s heart. He reveals himself to his brothers. And forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration comes to their broken family.

May this season and new year be marked by redemption, reconciliation, and restoration, because we have a God who does his best work in the darkest of moments. #YMJAShabbatShalom

By: Ravi G.

December 26, 2020

Definition

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 17:27:09 GMT

Who defines me? Where is my worth found?

Definition. This is something I struggle with a lot. The world tries to define who we need to be. Where we live, what we look like, what car we drive, how much money we have... and society says we’re worthless or not enough if we don’t have the nicest things. It’s so much pressure coming on all sides, all the time and it’s hard to stay focused on the truth. It’s hard filtering out the lies of the enemy when they come on all sides and flood your brain 24/7. It’s hard to not think “I’m not good enough.”

But who’s definition really matters? Your friend’s, co-worker, schoolmate, or crazy aunt? No. God’s definition. He defines you. That could sound more intimidating than people’s definitions for sure. “God is perfect and we’re just human... I wonder what He thinks of me...,” that’s something I’ve thought about.

But God says:

We are more than conquerors.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

We are His children, and He loves us unconditionally.

We can’t keep listening to lies of the world and the lies of the enemy. Each and every one of us is beautiful, wonderful, creative, and lovely people. We have worth. We have a Messiah that went through suffering and gave His life, for YOU. He loves you so very much, and you mean the world to Him. #YMJATruthTuesday

By: Cymri Eleazer

December 22, 2020

Psalms‬ ‭19:2

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 17:20:35 GMT

A reflection to prepare our hearts for Shabbat.

Psalms 19:2 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky shows His handiwork.”

David pens this song- a perfect revelation of the LORD. He looked to the h eavens and the mighty sun, meditating on their glorious splendor - for with such wisdom they were made. They were created with no limit to how far they could reach, all declaring the grandeur of the Master Craftsman.

It is good to muse on the beauty of creation. How often do I forget that such beauty, wisdom, and intentionality surround me daily? Their intricacies remind me of the One who is from eternity past. As we approach and enter into Shabbat- this weekly rhythm of rest, let's set our eyes, attention and affection on Him. Slow down. Take a deep breath. And delight in Him. For He delights over us with the light of His countenance.

Abba, reveal Your beauty to us today in wonderous ways!

#YMJAShabbatShalom

By: Hannah Micu

December 18, 2020

Community!

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 17:11:17 GMT

It's more than a game night.

I have been part of the YMJA for many years, and I am constantly reminded how important the community I have through them is. At the last youth group meeting at my home synago gue of Brit Ahm, my youth leader discussed Proverbs 27:17 which says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

This verse and his message really started to sink in for me last night, as I virtually attending the YMJA Chill Game Night with my friend who lives in New Mexico (across the country from me). As Messianic believers living in a world where the majority of people around us do not share our beliefs, this community is so important. I’m able to ask my Messianic friend in Georgia for prayer and I am able to have spiritual conversations with a like-minded pe ople who I would have never met if it wasn’t for YMJA. This community has made such an amazing impact in my life, both spiritually and socially, and I’m so thankful to G-d for allowing me to be part of it. #YMJATruthTuesday

By: Hannah Hancock

November 10, 2020

My Light Bulb Moment

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 17:02:16 GMT

My Light Bulb Moment

Last week at the YMJA Zoom Big Picture Bible Study we were studying the Monarch Period of Israel's history. We were put in our breakout rooms for a discussion on the topic and each group was given a king to discuss, my group was assigned King David. At one point in my group's study, our group leader was connecting last week's study of the biblical covenants, and the covenant that God made with David, to what we were talking about this week. While he was talking, I had a huge lightbulb moment. The Davidic covenant (God promising David that he will always have a descendant on the throne) has never really made sense to me because Israel has not had a king for a very long time, and during Yeshua's life there was a Roman on the throne. But the thought that was given to me was this: Yeshua is of the line of King David, and Yeshua will sit on His throne forever, so when you combine those two things you get an eternal descendant on the throne just like God promised David in 2 Samuel 7:16.

“So your house and your kingship will be secure forever before you; your throne will be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7:16 (TLV)

I am looking forward to the rest of the series! #YMJATruthTuesday

By: Cecelia

October 27, 2020

Total Surrender

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 20:42:00 GMT

“We cannot be used to show Him to others until we surrender ourselves.”

~Steven Shreyberg

Steven’s first message at the YMJA Virtual Spring Retreat 2020 was all about Sincere Surrender. Full, unconditional surrender unto God. I would definitely classify myself as a perfectionist. I like to be in control of things and know the outcome. That is something I’ve struggled with my entire life. And especially now, with the world all sorts of crazy ten times over, that need for control is still there. It’s really hard for me to give up one iota of control, much less all of it. I’m so scared that I’ll be let down or left unprotected from how cruel this world can be if I do. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says,

“9 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness, Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Messiah may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Messiah’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

This verse was actually a part of my regional rep testimony. I, personally, find peace in the knowledge that my weakness and struggles in this life show the grace of God to the world. They show that there is absolutely no way that I could make it through on my own. They illustrate the divine plan of God and His usage of me, and all of us, through times of trial, to work as “light(s) unto the nations” (Lev. 20:26).

We have to surrender the doubts, the confidence, the worries, the certainties, the imperfections, the perfections, the messy parts of our lives, and the moments of sheer joy. We have to give it ALL. We have to allow ourselves to be shaped and changed and created anew by God. Isaiah 64:8 says,

“But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

We cannot show God and His love to the world without the act of perfect surrender. We need to surrender ourselves and embrace Him. It is through that surrender, that we can show this love. The love of God that surpasses all understanding.

More of Him; less of me.

For the Heart who feels Unqulified, Unlovable, or Anxious

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 20:34:40 GMT

About a month ago, I painted a flower pot and wrote the word peace on it. I wrote the word peace because for this past year I’ve been dealing with anxiety. I didn’t even realize that it had crept into my life because I was always so busy. I liked busy because it made me feel productive. Productive made me feel in control. Although I felt in control, I felt exhausted from trying to mentally control every moment in my life. Recently, I’ve realized I’ve allowed anxiety into my life out of fear. I was petrified that I could do something that could mess up the the will of G-d for my life. I was petrified of saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing because I hated the thought of G-d being disappointed with me. I believed something I did could ruin G-d’s plans, so I became a perfectionist. I was so ashamed I was battling with anxiety that I refused to tell G-d. Therefore, I kept Him at a distance. I felt the anxiety I was dealing with was such a burden to God. I believed G-d would punish me for the anxiety, not deliver me from it.

However, during that eight month battle with anxiety, G-d’s goodness and mercy was so faithful to me. He loved me when I wasn’t even looking to be loved. Over the years, I’ve learned it’s easy to believe that G-d loves me, but it’s another thing to believe G-d knows the fullness of my weakness and still loves me. For example, during that time I did believe that G-d loved me, but I believed He only loved me because I wasn’t showing Him the anxiety. I wanted G-d to see the best parts of me not all of me. So I did a lot of hiding.

Recently, I’m learning the power of being honest with G-d. To walk in joy, peace and freedom we have to be honest with ourselves and with G-d. John 8:32 says “then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free”. There is freedom in honesty because it’s founded in truth. Honesty is an act of faith. It means coming to G-d with all of our shortcomings and believing that He will give us mercy and deliver us. Darkness will never cast out the darkness, only the light can cast out the darkness. We have to come out of hiding and be honest with God. I couldn’t drive away my anxiety, it was only until I allowed the Lord to love me right where I was that I became free. You don’t have to wait until you become clean, perfect, or free to come to G-d. G-d doesn’t run from our fears, our fears run from G-d.1 John 4:18 says “perfect love drives out fear.” G-d accepts the broken, the bound, the addicted. Anxiety has taught me one thing and it’s that G-d is good all the time. He is good in the midst of when I battle anxiety. G-d’s heart is so for us. So often we allow the voice of condemnation and shame to creep into our lives believing it’s the voice of G-d. We think we can condemn ourselves into righteousness, but only by accepting the free gift of Yeshua do we become righteous. Romans 4:5 “But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in G-d who forgives sinners.”

I’ve learned I need to stop trusting in my idea of perfect, and start trusting in G-d’s idea of good. My life is not perfect, but it is good because I trust in a good G-d. G-d is greater than anxiety. He knows what you’re dealing with. He doesn’t want to punish you, He wants to deliver you. He doesn’t want to condemn you, He wants to love you. I’ve learned G-d is in love with the process. G-d could have chosen to immediately take away the anxiety, but instead He allowed it to teach me about the power of His love through it. What you’ve been through, what you’re dealing with, the very thing that you think disqualifies you from receiving the love of G-d might be the very thing that G-d wants to use to show you about the greatness, goodness, and power of His love. The anxiety that Satan wanted to destroy me with, was what G-d used to show me the faithfulness of who He is. He wants to do the same for you. I encourage you to stop hiding. I encourage you to be honest and vulnerable with G-d. Invite Him in right where you are. He’s welcoming you into His embrace, open up your arms and receive Him.

Advice for the College Freshman

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 22:30:19 GMT

College has been the best adventure of my life so far. Before I got to college, I did a ton of research about how to survive college and the best tips for college students. I was super excited, and I wanted to know all I could know about it before I got there. One thing that I noticed was severely lacking were articles about serving Yeshua in college. I want to fix that, so here are a few tips I have about how to use your college time to serve Yeshua.

1. Get connected with the Christian ministries on campus

The thing that most surprised me when I arrived to my campus was how many strong believers were in the student body. This was extra surprising because growing up in the public-school system I was in I felt alone as a believer. I had made the decision to follow Yeshua all my life but not having many like-minded friends was always a challenge.

Then I got to college and connected with new friends, I was shocked to see that there are so many people out there who are trying to do exactly what I am doing in following Yeshua. On campus I got connected with the BSM and a local congregational ministry. I found that there were so many opportunities available to me to grow in my faith. I am able to go to Bible study almost every single day. I am able to be challenged and have people hold me accountable to those challenges. Plus, these people are just so much fun! I have the best friends and I love that I never have to worry about going somewhere and there being alcohol or drugs or anything else. I am able to relax and let my guard down more around them because they have the same values I do.

2. Find a good synagogue/church

Going to college, this was one of my biggest fears. It was extremely important to me that I found a place where I could worship God and learn about Him through sound and biblical teaching. I was worried that I would never find a congregation as good as my home congregation, but thankfully God placed me in a community where I completely feel at home. I know this is where God has called me to serve for the next few years.

Growing up, I did not live in a place with a Messianic community; therefore, I was used to going to a church. I know that is not the case for a lot of you. Many of you will be going from a place with a moderate to large Messianic community possibly to a place with a small or nonexistent Messianic community. If you are blessed to be going to a college near a Messianic community, then find the place where you can best serve God. If you do not have a Messianic community around you, then my advice still holds, find where God has called you to learn and serve Him. Do not use the excuse of “there are no Messianic synagogues” to get out of worshiping with God’s people. It is imperative that if you cannot find a Messianic synagogue, you need to find a good church. There are a lot of them out there! I know it will be different from what you are used to, but it is extremely important for you to have a place where you can worship God with other people.

3. Use this time to really practice loving others

In college, you will encounter so many different people. This is an excellent time to practice loving your neighbor as yourself. Some people are extremely easy to love, but some aren’t so easy. I challenge you to make sure you love even those you find difficult to love. Love those that other people find difficult to love. You never know what people are going through and you never know what could lead someone to Yeshua.

Ways to love your friends:

Write them a nice note
Buy them lunch
Make extra food and share with them (seriously, food is important in college)
Spend quality time with them, even if that’s just a study night
Actually listen to them

Ways to love strangers:

Buy them lunch
Listen when they need someone to talk to
Don’t avoid people
Don’t cut conversations short
Invite them to get-togethers with your friends

4. Embrace it when people question your faith

One last piece of advice: do not be scared when your faith is challenged. There may be people out there who think you are crazy for believing in God, or there may be Christians who questions why you eat kosher. Neither one of these things is something to be afraid of. If you ask Him, God will guide you to the answers you need. Also, if people ask questions about being Jewish and believing in Yeshua, don’t get offended. A lot of people have never heard about Messianic Judaism before. It is an excellent way to minister to other people, especially when non-believers ask how you can “be both.” Bring your questions to God, the Bible, and do research- our faith is historically and scientifically reasonable. If you need help finding answers to these questions please check out the YMJA Apologetics Facebook page. The page is filled with answers to questions about why our faith is reasonable. If you are not able to find the answer to the question you have, please ask it so the YMJA can help you find the answer and the answer will be there for future YMJA members who may be asking the same thing. Another way to brush up on your apologetics (which just means proof for our faith) is by joining the YMJA Freshman Mentorship program. Through this program, the YMJA pairs you up with a mentor who goes through weekly lessons with you over the feasts, apologetics, and life skills. Your mentor is there to answer any questions you have and if he/she does not have the answer you are looking for to help you research and point you in the right direction. If you have any questions or would like to be a part of this program, please e-mail info@ymja.org . First Peter 3:15 says, “ but treat the Messiah as holy, as Lord in your hearts; while remaining always ready to give a reasoned answer to anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you — yet with humility and fear,” and the YMJA is here to support you as you seek to give that reasoned answer.

I hope these things help you better serve Yeshua in college. College is seriously a wonderful and unique time! There is so much to learn and do during your college years, so make sure you take advantage of it all. Use this time to strengthen your relationship with God and build meaningful friendships that will hopefully last into eternity. Use this time wisely and have fun!

Making Time For G-d and How

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 22:12:09 GMT

Just like it is with people, you aren’t going to get closer if you don’t make an effort to spend time and learn about them. G-d needs to be our priority and we need to make an effort to continue learning about Him, but sometimes life gets really busy. Work, school, and having a social life is still important and with all the different things going around it’s very easy to forget to pray and read the Bible.

One simple habit to develop is to pray constantly. It doesn’t have to be a long sit down (even though those are also amazing) just be in constant communication with Him. I try to instead of just thinking to myself, pray to G-d and seek Him in all that I do. Since we’re constantly thinking let’s just direct our thinking towards talking to Him. It takes time but it’s an extremely good habit. I always try to do a more in depth prayer before I go to sleep, which again sometimes you’re exhausted and rush through it but falling asleep praying about people you care for is never a bad thing.

Devotionals are also pretty tricky when you’re going from one place to another, but whether it’s waiting in a doctor’s office, waiting for food, or just any spare moment you get you can easily use that to instead of playing a little game on your phone, read His word. I personally use YouVersion because they have many different amazing devotionals that you can take anywhere and read anytime. They give you daily reminders and you just read a short devotional with Bible verses and it works really well. Obviously if you’re a more paper person journals are also amazing, I like both but having it digital just makes it where I use it more.

If you don’t spend the time with Him you’ll never get that deep, intimate relationship and it’s so beautiful to have. Each relationship with G-d is unique and everyone should strive to get closer. Whether you feel very close to G-d or too far to approach Him, He is waiting to go deeper with you.

Abiding in Messiah

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 22:05:47 GMT

I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing. — John 15:5 TLV

John 15. I know. It’s a passage of scripture we’ve all heard at one time or another. But have you ever thought about what it really means to ‘abide’? When I looked it up, the first three definitions were reside , remain , and await . They sort of seemed like steps to me.

Reside. I used to think reside meant ‘to live with’ when it more accurately means ‘to live in ’. That slight prepositional change makes all the difference. If we’ve accepted Yeshua into our hearts, then He lives in us. And because we can do nothing on our own as the verse says, we live in Him.

Remain. Now, Yeshua doesn’t promise that the moment we accept Him that our lives will be perfect. It can often be difficult to remain in Him when we see our life not turning out the way we expected. In John 16:33 Yeshua tells us that in this world we will have trouble, but Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that Adonai has great plans for us to prosper— trials aren’t meant for harm. It is through these trials that we are ‘pruned’ or ‘trimmed’ as it says in second verse of John 15.

Await. This is where the Quiet time between you and the Father is very important. Pour out your heart. He wants to hear it all. Abba loves us— as much as He loves His own Son! (verse nine) And He longs to have an intimate relationship with us!

Yeshua is calling us to abide in His love. When we choose to abide (reside, remain and await) in Him and keep His commandments —here’s the best part— we become His friend. It says it right there in verse fourteen. Let that sink in a moment. The Creator of the Universe —your Maker— wants to be your friend. One Who will never leave you or forsake you. I believe that is one of the best promises of all.

My Journey and Realizations

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 00:11:35 GMT

All believers have a story that begins when we accept Yeshua as our savior. While I accepted Yeshua into my heart as my savior at a young age, I didn't really have an active relationship with Him. I had not realized how important it is to spend time investing in my relationship with Him. While we are considered believers and will ultimately get to heaven if we have salvation, it needs to go farther than that in our everyday lives. We need to continually choose to spend time with God in order to have an active and growing relationship with Him.

When I was younger, I went through life making choices that would put me ahead. I didn't really care about other people or how my decisions affected those around me. When I started to strive for a relationship with God, things began to change. Slowly but surely, I started to think about how my actions looked to God. I started to think about certain aspects of my life and how they would hurt my witness if I continued to act the way I did. Instead of just doing and saying whatever I want, I am now learning to think things through. I don't want to tell people about Yeshua and how He is a part of my life and then have them think, “Then why is she so inconsiderate? Aren't believers supposed to be loving and kind?” As I spend more time with the Lord, I start to realize changes in my everyday life.

John 15:5 says: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Our relationship with God is important. If we try to live our lives without God, we won't succeed. Like I said before – I used to live my life how I wanted. I tried to “bear fruit” without the Lord. Guess what? It didn't work. I got myself into a lot of trouble that I could have avoided if I had listened to God and not myself. How do we have a relationship with Him, though? As long as you are consulting God in prayer, reading your Bible, and overall trying to make Godly decisions, it will in turn strengthen your relationship with Him. However, I know it isn't easy to do all those things. Even if the time you put into your relationship with God isn't as consistent as you would like it to be, the important thing is that you're trying. God doesn't keep score of the days you don’t prioritize your time with Him.

Though I am not always daily consistent in my time praying and reading my Bible, I can rest in the truth that I am saved, and I will meet God in heaven one day. However, sometimes I need a reminder that no matter how badly I mess up or fall from grace, I still have my salvation, which is the only thing that will get me to heaven. Even when I am constantly reminded of this, I still feel guilty for not being more spiritual. Many people like me get caught up in trying to read their Bible every day without really focusing on the relationship we need to have with God. We tend to treat Bible reading and prayer like an item on a to-do list. Why? It should be something we enjoy doing. I think that the everyday part of being a believer (reading the Bible, reading a devotional, spending time with God, etc.) is hard, yet we need to do it to strengthen our relationship with Him so that we can listen to what God is telling us. When I need to make a major life decision, my relationship with God will help me with that. While salvation is what is getting me to heaven, a relationship with the Lord is guiding me through life until that point. Since I accepted Yeshua at a young age, like many of you, I am already going to heaven. Now my focus needs to be on spending time with God, and bettering myself so that everyone I come across sees the light of Yeshua in me.

What God Says About Us

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 00:08:42 GMT

A Mini Recent Discovery

Recently I have noticed myself lacking self-confidence. I realized that I have been listening to the lies of the enemy. These lies have brewed insecurities and hindered the way I see myself.

These were some of the lies:

“I am not good enough”

“I am not enough”

“I would not be successful in my future”

Well, God says something totally opposite.

I have put Psalms 139:14 on my mirror. It says, “I praise You, for I am awesomely, wonderfully made! Wonderful are Your works- and my soul knows that very well” (TLV).

To me this is such an awesome reassurance and reminder that the King of Kings, the Lord almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, took the time to create me. He knows every single little detail and flaw about me, and says that its beautiful.

It says in Isaiah 49:16, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are continually before Me” (TLV). How cool is it that the same God who can move mountains and make miracles happen has our name written on the palm of His hand! God knew exactly what He was doing when He created you. He didn’t make any mistakes. I hope that this can remind you if you ever have doubtful thoughts that you were created in the Lord’s beautiful image, and you are exactly who he meant you to be.

Living Testimony

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 00:05:28 GMT

Our lives are living testimonies, whether we know it or not. Our actions and examples determine how others view us; either leading them to the truth or leading them astray.

Each of us face different realities, with different tasks. We interact with many different people and it's hard trying to fit God into our conversations. We fear the idea of being judged, not necessarily wanting to be associated with Yeshua because its "uncool." However, as we look into our world, each day it becomes more and more evil. In 1 John 2:15 it says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them." Yeshua put His children in the world to help the world, not to become like everyone else. We need to be constant reminders to people, Yeshua did not want us to be quiet people; living amongst the world, blending in, without trying to share His story of love and forgiveness. Yeshua told us in Matthew 28:19–20, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

We try to do good in our daily lives, always doing the right thing, hoping that by acting this certain way we are a light to our friends. It's the way we are supposed to act. However, temptation comes to us all. Especially in the school realm, we see everyone around us doing the exact opposite of what we know. What we believe is evil, is good in the world's eyes. This is the time for us to speak out, stand out, be the light. In Luke 12:8, “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God”

This topic I think I've struggled most with, I lack confidence when it comes to speaking with people, I want to speak out, but something holds me back. I think many people face this difficulty of fear, I believe that this timid-ness that I've dealt with is a tool that the devil uses against us. He doesn't want us to share the word of God, but we need to break out of that shell and be confident in the word. Yeshua publicly died for our sins. He continues to love us daily, even while we sin. Because of this love and devotion Yeshua has for us, we only owe it to Him to live our lives as testimonies to the world.

Our Plans or His Plans?

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 00:00:11 GMT

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

What does your plan for your life look like? Is it a well-paying job? Does it involve college? Did you pray about it? Have you mentioned it to God? Is it His plan or is it yours? Planning is a concept that we do all the time. Whether it’s planning for our future, or what we’re going to do for the day. We plan because it brings satisfaction and peace to our lives. Some of us plan just because we enjoy it. We will plan every single step of the way and it has to go perfectly, or the plan is a mess. Again, I ask the question, is it His plan or your plan?

It’s so easy to look at our future and plan out our lives exactly how we want it to be, but never stop and think is this what God wants for me. Planning never has been my specialty. I never got the whole thing down because I figured the plan will either never meet my expectations or I veer off of it. But one thing I did have planned out was my future. I planned on going to college and then after joining the army and doing that the rest of my life. I prayed constantly from day one. I asked the Lord if this was what He wanted for me, to please show me the path He had for me. I didn’t want it my way. I wanted it His way.

In high school, I decided to go to the University of North Georgia, join the cadet program, and go into the military with nursing degree and be an Army Ranger. This was my path I had chosen and trusted God told me that I was on the right path. I stuck with it full of enthusiasm. I applied for the cadet program, and after a couple months received my letter from the school to be denied acceptance into that program but accepted into an associate program. I was devastated. I questioned my plans and the plans the Lord had for me. But I prayed and asked the Lord for guidance. I continued with schooling for a semester forgetting the plan of joining the military. After the first semester, I soon realized I could not pay for the second semester. Money was a setback, so I took a semester off and saved up for summer classes to catch up. After summer classes, I could not pay for my fall classes and I was stuck again. Was this going to be a reoccurring cycle? I prayed to God for help, and through a friend’s father I was given the idea to join the Air Force because they pay for your schooling and its part of your commitment. God realigned me back on the path I had fallen away from. I stuck with this idea/path and I am committed to the Air Force and I am going to Basic Training very soon.

I learned through this experience that the Lord will have His way in your life even if you have given up. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Trust is the key ingredient for staying on God’s path for your life. You must always trust in His will and His understanding of your life. Leaning on your own understanding of what God wants or what you feel is best for your life will produce hardship and unnecessary stress. The Lord has all the answers so why not just give Him all your cares? 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your cares onto Him, because He cares for you.” The Lord cares about us so much that He wants to take all our worries off our shoulders. Why plan all of our lives out step by step by ourselves when the Lord has it all planned out perfectly anyways. Give Him all your plans and pray for Him to reveal what He has for you. It is definitely a burden lifted off your shoulders.

Busy Bees

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 23:54:14 GMT

Find a solution to this problem: You want to spend time with G-d, what do you do?

Now find a solution to this problem: You’re a high school/college student that is trying to maintain decent grades, has extracurricular activities, wants to have a social life, possibly has a job, and you want to spend time with G-d -- what do you do?

The answer isn’t as simple now, is it? Your youth is one of the busiest times of your life and for many people, it’s difficult to find a way to balance everything that needs to be done. We’ve all been in a place where we thought we just didn’t have time to go to service or youth group or read scripture because something else in our lives needed attention. It’s nothing to be ashamed of-- people become busy. Instead of beating yourself up over it, find a way to make your alone time with the L-rd happen.

For example, schedules are a commonly used way of keeping track of what you need to do and when. Pick a time you know is free (and it doesn’t have to be the same time every day), and use that time to be with G-d. You can spend time with the word, prayer, etc. -- it doesn’t have to look the same every day. For some of you, your family may often times be a distraction with their noise level, let’s be real family can be loud! For others, it might be that your bedroom is a distracting area because you have things laid out over the floor, homework taunting you on your dresser, and things of that nature. I encourage you to find a new place to spend your quiet time with G-d whether it’s in another room, outside, or any other place--get creative!

Things seem to always pop up when your schedule doesn’t have a lot of flexibility. For example, a friend asking to hang out or a sudden project that’s time consuming. No, you don’t have to get rid of that friend or fail the class in order to keep your schedule. Try working around it. Instead of going out to eat at noon, push it back however long you need to. Instead of taking a nap as soon as you get home, read those verses you set aside. No matter how unlikely it seems, it’s always possible to open up some time in your busy schedule for G-d.

Lamentations 3:27-28 says “It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him”. It’s hard to receive what G-d is giving you when you’re surrounded by noise and commotion. By making time for Him, you will be paying attention to the bond He is sharing with you. So I’ll return to my previous question. You’re busy, but want to spend time with G-d -- what do you do?

Interview with Rabbi Jeff Adler - By Joseph Hackett

linda@ymja.org (YMJA Staff) — Fri, 12 May 2017 20:13:58 GMT

Jeff Adler is the Rabbi at Sha'aray Yeshua and has been my Rabbi for my entire life. He recently performed my Bar Mitzvah and he helped perform my mikvah. He has been my friend for as long as I can remember and is practically family at this point.

He has recently had health issues and our entire congregation has been praying for him. He has been recovering and we are so thankful. He has done so much for our congregation and for my family. God has blessed us by allowing us to know him.

So here are few things I learned about Jeff during an interview. At the end of January was Jeff's 55th spiritual birth day. Growing up as a Jewish believer in Messiah, there were no Messianic Synagogues until he was about twelve years old. His family went to churches, while grateful for them, he felt out of place. There was no way to express his Jewish identity. Even his relatives treated him, his parents, and siblings like the black sheep. They had to learn to relate to them better and many of them became believers including his grandparents.

As a senior in high school Jeff had people already prophesying over his life and ministry. Jeff attended a seminary in Chicago. As a senior in college he began to feel a sense of satisfaction about the plans for his life. I asked Jeff why he thought youth ministry was so important and his response was pretty simple, '' because those lives matter.'' He went on to explain how youth are making major decisions about their lives and its important for them to start making them right. I also asked Jeff how he would guide a young person who is considering ministry as a profession. He said he would encourage them to think about their interests, talents, and gifts. God will use those interests, talent, and gifts to complete his will.

So I encourage those who read this to try and get to know your Rabbi, your youth leaders or other congregational leaders. God gave them the positions they're in for a reason and they can help you on your spiritual journey.

College Freshman Tips for Your First Semester - By Tronia Tante

linda@ymja.org (YMJA Staff) — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 22:23:38 GMT

Going to college is a big transition. You go from seeing your family every single day, to about every other week or every once in a while. While living at college you gain a lot more freedom than you might have asked for. At first it’s great because there’s no parents and you’re literally on your own, doing your own thing. But then you realize that you are literally on your own.

Your first semester is what I would like to call your free trial, because everything is completely new and you have to train yourself to adapt to the college life. One thing I want to stress is that in my experience high school really did not prepare me for college. If you are like me you can relate to this: In high school, basically you had it pretty easy, nothing was really all that challenging, you could still easily have a social life, and do what you want to do without worrying about your grades going into a crisis. But in college? Oh no, that’s a whole different story, you are basically thrown into the deep end of a pool and you have to teach yourself how to swim. You have to actually learn how to be an adult. And one of the biggest characteristics of being an adult is managing your time, which is one of the hardest skills to learn, especially when you’re taking all these classes that are most likely harder than you are used to. College asks for a lot of your time and energy if you really want good grades, and it can get really stressful. It’s really all about sitting down and reflecting with yourself on how you function and what you can do to set yourself up for success.

Now, we are human, we are not perfect. But when you bring God with you to college, He can and will make a way for you to be successful. That’s the number one key. God doesn’t want to see you fail, He only wants to see you succeed. As long as you learn to be consistent it’ll work out, because consistency is key. Don’t slack, because once you start slacking, things pile up, and then they become very overwhelming, and you find yourself always rushing, and doing things last minute. One thing I learned in my first semester is to be intentional, proactive, and to have a positive mindset ALL THE TIME. Once you give a little bit of room to negativity, it will eventually unpack all of its bags and move into your life, and it won’t be pretty.

Also, have confidence in yourself that you can do it, because you can. You are more than a conqueror through Yeshua who loves us (Romans 8:37). Always give yourself a pep talk, and speak positive things into existence, like “I will pass this test, I will get this homework done, I will be successful.” Also, reach out to people for help, prayer, or someone you can trust to talk to, like a mentor. Life is a learning experience, and we grow every day. Don’t let life knock you down, always remember that God is on your side.

The Importance of Breakthrough - By Alexia Formby

linda@ymja.org (YMJA Staff) — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 22:20:49 GMT

John 8:32 reads, “ And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. ” Recently, the Lord has been putting the concept of spiritual breakthrough on my heart. The idea of “breakthrough” as mentioned here is vague. But to each person, it is personal and very specific. To some, breakthrough might be salvation. To others, it might be freedom from debt. To another, it might be throwing off the chains of fear. The list of possibilities is never-ending. But with the power of the Lord, that which binds you or your loved one is not never-ending.

The strongest way to combat chains and achieve breakthrough is by the truth of God’s Word. As John 8:32 says, it is the truth of the Scripture – the very words of God – that sets us free. Chains fall when we cling to the hope of God’s promises. Breakthrough happens when we seek God’s will and rest our confidence in Him. In addition, prayer is a powerful weapon against that which holds us captive. When we pray the truth of Scripture, we claim the promises of God by releasing them back to Him. “The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.” (James 5:16) The prayers we pray bring great breakthrough in our lives because of the power of the Ruach.

The things which hold us captive have no place in our lives. We must surrender anything and everything which holds a place in our heart that God should have. Whether it’s the salvation of a family member, debt that is holding you down, fear that keeps you from sharing the powerful hope in Yeshua, or anything else, those strongholds must be given to the Lord in truth and in prayer. And with the power of the Ruach, you will see breakthrough happen powerfully in your life and in the lives of those around you.

There are multiple instances of breakthrough in my life. In one, God came to me before I even knew what breakthrough looked like; in another, I persevered in prayer until I saw change. I used to be gripped by fear. I was terrified to speak up in class, I barely talked to new people unless I had to, and I only spoke in front of others if it was absolutely necessary. This was a time when I was very new to having a relationship with the Lord (I had been a believer for a long time, but I was only then learning what it meant to have a genuine relationship with God). As I grew closer to Him, I realized that fear had no place in my life. One day, I was worshiping during a youth group event, and God gripped my heart with the verse 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Breakthrough began there, and has continued ever since. By holding onto the promises of God’s Word, I was able to take the steps towards committing that fear to God. Every time I would get nervous, I would remind myself that the Lord is in control, and that I don’t have to be afraid. More recently, I have struggled with jealousy and comparison towards another person. I began by praying, asking the Lord to help me love that person and to clothe myself in humility. God continued to convict me of my thoughts towards this person, and at one point (also during a worship service) the worship leader asked us to go to someone to receive prayer. I confided in a friend, and she prayed over me. God used her to speak truth into my life: I am worthy and I am loved, and by using my heart to compare myself or to be jealous of someone else, I was giving away parts of my heart that God wanted to use. Since then, I have been dedicated to praying for and choosing humility in my everyday thoughts and actions. Breakthrough occurred in my life because of God’s truth and because of prayer, and I have learned that breakthrough doesn’t occur only in one moment. It is defined by God gripping our hearts, us submitting to Him, and continuously choosing His way day-by-day, moment-by-moment. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Dwelling on God’s word - Quantity vs. Quality

linda@ymja.org (YMJA Staff) — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 20:15:26 GMT

By: Alexa Woock

Reading God’s word isn’t about how much you read every day, but rather what you get from it.

Matthew 4:4 – “But He replied, “it is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

It doesn't have to be, "I need to read five chapters, then I'm done." If that works for you there's nothing wrong with that, but I think it's important to slow down sometimes. No need to rush through. There’s nothing wrong with only reading 1 or 2 verses or chapters at a time, then give yourself time to process and grasp what you’ve read. There’s so much more to God’s word than what’s written on the page.

What Does it mean?

When you read God’s word, take time to understand it. Sit and think about what it means, and ask God what it means or what He meant by it. Then consider how you can apply it to your life. While doing this, you’ll start to see things in scripture that you've never noticed or understood before. The words start to unravel, and pieces start to fall into place.

Psalm 119:130 – “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”

Dwell on it

Dwell:

•To live as a resident; reside.

•To exist in a given place or state.

•To fasten one's attention on something.

Now that you have come to understand the word, take even more time to dwell on it. Dwell on it all day, or even the rest of the week (longer if you want to). Let it seep into your heart, let it transform you. Go back and reread things, something new might catch your eye (or heart), something you may not have seen before, revealing new things to you. Dwelling on God’s word is incredible.

Daniel 2:21-22 – “--He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things. --”

Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Isaiah 40:8 – “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”

Psalm 33:4 – “For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for restoration, and for training in righteousness, so that the person belonging to God may be capable, fully equipped for every good deed.”

Good News! There’s even more.

John 1:1-18 – “In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were made through Him, and apart from Him nothing was made that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that through him everyone might believe. He was not the light, but he came to bear witness concerning the light. The true light, coming into the world, gives light to every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him; but the world did not know Him. He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him. But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God. They were born not of a bloodline, nor of human desire, nor of man’s will, but of God. And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory, the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies about Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘The One who comes after me is above me, because He existed before me.’” Out of His fullness, we have all received grace on top off grace. Torah was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Yeshua the Messiah. No one has ever seen God; but the one and only God, in the Father’s embrace, has made Him known.”

Dwell on that….

Mentorship - By Alyssia

linda@ymja.org (YMJA Staff) — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 20:03:22 GMT

~ Proverbs 27: 17 ~

As iron sharpens iron,

so a person sharpens the countenance of his friend.

A mentor is defined as someone who is willing to use their time and wisdom to help guide the development of another person. Think about it! This means someone out there is willing to sacrifice their time to help you grow. Or maybe you have a desire to invest in someone else’s life through mentoring.

In Proverbs 27:17, God demonstrates the mutual benefit of two people working together to become stronger through the idea of sharpening iron. When you rub the two blades of iron together, both of the edges sharpen, making not just one, but both pieces more efficient. The same idea can be applied to mentoring.

When you’re mentoring, you are pouring into someone’s life, helping them to grow and become stronger. You could be helping them strengthen their relationship with God, inspiring them to create goals and surpass them, or motivating them to live every day to the fullest. What you may not know is how much the mentor is also gaining from this mentorship. They are taking a step of faith, letting God work though them to reach out and really pour into someone else’s life.

Within this past year, I have been extremely blessed with the opportunity to not only be mentored by someone, but also to be a mentor to someone else. This year, the YMJA has started a Mentorship Program for college freshmen. Through this program I was placed with my awesome mentor.

Having a mentor has impacted me more than I ever thought possible. My mentor has encouraged me to try new things and kept me accountable in my walk with God, but most importantly she has always been there to listen to me and give me advice. Thanks to my mentor, I feel stronger and have been able to grow as a person while going through my freshman year of college. She has been someone to turn to if I had questions or needed prayer. The effects from this mentorship will not just be growth or motivation I get in the moment. It will be something that impacts me for the rest of my life.

After being mentored for a few months, I felt like God called me to become a mentor and pour into someone else’s life. After praying about it, I soon knew who I was supposed to help mentor. Now with my wonderful mentee, I have the opportunity to answer her questions and be there to support her. While being a mentor, I have been asked questions I found challenging to answer. In these situations, I have called upon God to help me. A couple of times, God has actually provided me with an answer and has spoken through me! Though this was great, there were many other times when I still had no answer, but I learned that it’s okay. Not having the answer helped fuel my hunger to learn more, overall allowing me to grow and get closer to God.

Having someone to keep you accountable plays a significant role in your growth! The idea of knowing that someone is there guiding you and keeping you on the right path is life changing. I pray that everyone has a chance to be impacted through mentoring like I was. Now, I encourage you, if you have the calling to mentor someone then go for it! Or if you don’t feel prepared to mentor someone under you, then find someone you look up to spiritually and try asking them to get some coffee or to just hang out and see what happens, this could be the start to an amazing mentorship!

Patience

linda@ymja.org (YMJA Staff) — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 20:17:40 GMT

by Nicole Varner

“‘For I know the plans that I have in mind for you,’ declares Adonai, ‘plans for shalom and not calamity-to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11

God has known you for your entire life, even before you, your parents or their parents even existed. He knows what will happen in your future, and He knows what choices you’ve made that led to where you are now. You may not like where you are at now, whether that be spiritually, mentally or physically, but that’s okay. God has a plan for your life, and the low points that you are experiencing now are just growing pains. God never said following Him would be easy, and I’ve seen people leave their faith for that exact reason. What they don’t understand is that going through hardships while relying on God is so much easier than figuring it out yourself. Although, to rely on God during hard times requires a great deal of patience and patience requires trust. If you can’t trust God to have your back, it becomes very difficult to wait.

It is so easy to become impatient when you have all the pressures of this world lying on your shoulders. Whether those pressures are deadlines, drama at school or work, or feeling stuck in a bad life, God wants us to rely on Him. He wants us to trust that He has our life in His hands, and He’s not going to let go. Remember this, He loved you before you ever loved Him. When you’re struggling and you feel like no one is on your side, trust that God is there. He has a tendency of taking broken people or horrible events and turning them into something better than you could ever imagine.

A lot of excuses I’ve heard recently about following God seem to consist of the same main idea: “Why would I want to follow a God who lets bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people?” That is definitely one of the harder subjects to address. We don’t live in a perfect world and because of that bad things do happen to good people and vice versa, but that gives us even more of a reason to follow God. There is a huge difference between going out into the world and trying to depend on yourself or others for answers to your problems, rather than depending on God. To rely on God requires a lot of patience and trust, which both sadly, are not very common character traits that people have nowadays.

Yeshua said that we are to have a childlike faith, and I can attest to that statement. The more you trust in God to take care of you, He will. For me it’s as simple as asking God for an easy/good day when I wake up in the morning. Sometimes that day isn’t easy or good at all, but looking back on those days, I see how God used those struggles to help me grow in my faith. Recently, God had been testing me on my ability to have patience. It is definitely an important quality to have. When I am patient I have to trust God knows what He’s doing, and something better will come along not in my time, but in His.

When you do finally give yourself completely to God, you begin to learn more about yourself and grow into a better relationship with Him. God wants you to go to Him immediately when something goes wrong because that is true faith and trust. The other morning, as I was getting ready for school, I misplaced my phone. I was already running late because I didn’t hear my alarm so I was in a hurry to find in. I usually put it down on a table or dresser while I’m getting ready so I look in places it should’ve been. During my frantic search I had a thought go across my brain, “pray”. So I paused took a minute and asked God if would help me remember where I put my phone. After I asked, I slowed down and got the rest of my stuff ready to go for school, and as I’m going to grab my book bag, I think, “maybe I put it in my bag.” Sure enough I open my bag and there it was. God has a funny sense of humor because the verses of the day on my bible app came from Matthew 7:7-8 which say, “‘Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives, and the one who seeks, finds, and to the one who knocks, it shall be opened.’”

I find that it’s the little things that help you grow in your faith. From those little things God strengthens your relationship with Him, and as you grow He tests you to keep that relationship strong. Whether He’s testing your patience, humility, gentleness, or goodness, know that it is for a good cause and He’s probably trying to get your attention so you can change to be more like Him.

Living Out Love

linda@ymja.org (YMJA Staff) — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 16:14:34 GMT

Written by Sarah Adler

Romans 12

An extremely powerful chapter that clearly instructs us how to live by loving others, using the gifts G-d has given us and being an example by letting others see G-d’s light and goodness through us.

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to G-d because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.

Whoa! Do you hear this? Our bodies are a sacrificial offering to G-d! They are given to Him as a form of worship. How are we going to present ourselves to the one true and holy G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Should our bodies be something that we take care of and keep pure and clean to be able to present to our L-rd? Or is it okay to give something less than perfect to G-d? He’s given us everything we could ever imagine out of love, so shouldn’t we do our best to give Him something He can declare is worthy and acceptable?

See also: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of G-d—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

When we hear or think about this verse, the first thing that usually comes to mind is how we present ourselves to others. But, the verse says, “ the renewing of your mind, ” so it’s not only about conforming the way we act with other people, but also our mindset. Do you need to change the way you think? Pretty much everybody should say yes to that; we shouldn’t have pride, selfishness, jealousy, or stubbornness. There are so many other things that we need to train our minds not to think like so that we can try to get as close as possible to have a mindset and attitude of Messiah. This is something that we should definitely be praying and asking G-d to help us with; He loves to see His children coming to Him for help!

Ezekiel 11:11-12, Matthew 16:26

3 Because of the grace (privilege and authority) G-d has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith G-d has given you.

This ties in with the last verse. We really should not have a proud or arrogant spirit. Now, I know that this something easier said than done; I have really struggled with this in the past (even now it’s something that I need to keep myself in check about). But when you really think about it, what can we truly be proud about that we accomplished completely on our own? Nothing. Everything we have done or achieved has been given to us by G-d to be a part of His perfect plan. We are all equals in G-d’s eyes, so why should we think differently?

2 Corinthians 10:17

4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5so it is with the body of Messiah. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

These verses are so powerful! Okay, I know what you might be thinking: “this is common knowledge!” or “I’ve heard this before!” But have you ever really thought about what that means? This means we all have to work together and build each other up! You’ve most likely heard the phrase, “A team is only as good as its weakest player.” Well, it’s the same in out ‘team’ that makes up the body of Messiah! If you see another believe really falling behind and struggling with something, go talk to them and share the burden; encourage them with the word of G-d and work together so that you can learn from each other and do the best job possible for G-d.

1 Thessalonians 5:11/5:14, Hebrews 3:13/10:25

(Sorry! I had to add this in; it just fit in perfectly! Mulan can always be related J )

6 In His grace, G-d has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if G-d has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as G-d has given you. 7If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If G-d has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

G-d has so graciously given us these wonderful gifts! Now, when parents (or really anybody) give you a present, do they give the same thing to everyone else? Not usually, if they know you really well, they will most likely shape the gift to fit you. And if other people do it, surely G-d will do so much more for us. From the very beginning of time, G-d knew exactly what gifts you would have and how you would use them, how amazing is that? For that reason, we should never be afraid to use our gifts; G-d has given them to us for a purpose. Just like the gifts others give us are meant to be used, we are encouraged to use these spiritual gifts to the fullest! We should also cultivate our gifts and ask G-d to show us how to use them to help reach out to others.

Deuteronomy 16:16-17, 1 Peter 4:10

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tight to what is good. 10Love each other with genuine affection (brotherly love), and take delight in honoring each other.

G-d calls us all to be lovers. Now, as I’m sure you know, this isn’t like falling in love with someone; it’s more of an act than a feeling. If people went around and just thought, “I love this person,” how will that other person receive that love if there is no action along with the thought? We can’t read other people’s minds, so we have to love others through actions and words. Share the word of G-d—this is HUGE , the best way we can love others is to show them G-d’s love)—or lend a helping hand. Build each other up. Hate what G-d hates and love what He loves. “How do I know what G-d loves and hates?” The best way to know what those things are is to read and know His word; He made it clear and not confusing so that it is easy to understand. * Remember: hate the sin, not the sinner! *

Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:37-50, Romans 13:8-10

11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the L-rd enthusiastically.

This verse needs to be a daily reminder to some of us. There are so many times that I get so lazy—or even distracted—and I end up putting off working on the things that I’m supposed to do (sound familiar?). But G-d clearly states that that is not something we should be doing. Even going to school or work is an opportunity to be a light and show G-d’s love to others; so we shouldn’t even be lazy when it comes to those things. As difficult as it seems, this verse even goes so far as to say do it enthusiastically. Everything we do should be for the L-rd, and we should do that gladly and enthusiastically; there is not room for laziness. Especially now that we are getting closer to the return of Messiah. Really, we never want to be lazy because Yeshua will come like a thief in the night, so we need to be ready for Him and give Him the welcome He deserves. Do we want to sleep through His return (kind of like the disciples in Matthew 26)? Or say, “Sorry G-d, I just didn’t feel like doing your works”? That’s a big no. Now, we aren’t perfect, so sometimes we might fall into the temptation of being lazy. The best thing to do is to pray for G-d to help us resist the temptation of laziness and weakness of spirit (His word tells us He will never give us more than we can handle).

Proverbs 26:13-16/19:15, Matthew 26:40-41

12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.

We have so much to hope for! For the return of Yeshua, for living in eternity with G-d, for the opportunity to reach out to the millions of lost souls, for the enemy to be defeated, and for leaving behind all evil to be surrounded by goodness in heaven. And not only should we hope, we should rejoice about it! Jump for joy with your hope and knowledge of what is to come! But, while we joyfully hope and wait, we will face many trials. This is where prayer and patience come in. If we don’t remember to have hope, patience and prayer, our short time in trials will be so much harder. They work together and we cannot let go of them.

Psalm 25:5/28:7, Proverbs 23:17-18, Jeremiah 29:11-13, James 1:12-15, 1 Peter 1:5-9

13 When G-d’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

This is another way to show your love to others (notice a pattern?). Like the Good Samaritan, when we see others in need, we should reach out and lend a hand to help in whatever way we can. We should always be grateful that G-d has chosen us to know Him and have eternal life. With this knowledge, it shouldn’t be a chore to help others in need that don’t have as much as we do. It could be a way to lead them to the greatest gift—Yeshua. We should be ready to help in whatever way needed (spiritually, physically, or even mentally). G-d has already given us so much, so it is our duty to love others and help when needed.

Deuteronomy 15:11, Proverbs 14:21/14:31, Matthew 6:1-4

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that G-d will bless them.

Yet another verse that ties into loving others (seems important). Even the people who curse you—who may even hate you—need your love. Again, even though it might be hard, “ Don’t just pretend to love [them]. Really love them. ” More times than not, these people are really just lost, confused and hurting. You can love them by praying for that G-d blesses them with being able to knowing Him so that they might be saved. Just shower them in love (keep this in mind; comes again in a few verses J).

Luke 6:27-36

15 Be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! 17Never pay back evil with more evil. Do such things in a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18Do all you can to live in peace with everyone.

Like in verse 3, don’t be proud and arrogant; G-d can teach us lessons through anything, so be content wherever G-d puts you (with whoever and whatever). G-d really just wants us to live in unity with one another and not let the petty things of this world distract us from eternal life with Him. A way to be a role model to others who might need the guidance is to show G-d’s light and be honorable. If you can help it, don’t let anyone be able to say something bad about you (things that are true—sometimes people may be cruel and spread lies, but you can’t help that and the only thing you can do is pray for them and the situation). Even though G-d is the only judge, we can pull people in if we always act in goodness, mercy and kindness. Act in integrity and be honorable so that people can see G-d’s light in you, which can lead them to Him.

Psalm 48:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 1 Peter 3:8-12

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of G-d. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the L-rd (Deuteronomy 32:35). 20Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads” (Proverbs 25:21-22). 21Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

We have a holy and just G-d. He will give to everyone what he or she deserves. It is not our place to give them our own form or thoughts of justice. If we act out in revenge, then we are no better than them and there will be consequences. We can also show G-d’s love by “ [blessing] those who persecute [us] ”. When people wrong you, they expect a reaction and retaliation, so it can melt or change their hearts if they receive love and kindness instead of anger and bitterness.

Leviticus 19:18, Jeremiah 25:14, 1 Peter 3:13-14, Revelation 2:23

I hope this touches your heart and that you go forth loving others and seeking help from G-d when you need it!

Love, Sarah

Interview with a Rabbi

linda@ymja.org (YMJA Staff) — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:06:44 GMT

Written by Noah Caracelo

Interview with Rabbi Jude Caracelo

Founded in 2014, Keren Ohr Messianic Synagogue has served the Savannah, Georgia region for almost two years. It has grown from a small attendance of around 20 people to a consistent attendance of 50 people a week. Rabbi Jude Caracelo and his family moved from Melbourne, Florida and its synagogue, Kol Mashiach, to start Keren Ohr. I asked Rabbi Caracelo a few questions about his experience in starting and running a brand new synagogue, and about how he became a leader.

Noah Caracelo: What compelled you to start Keren Ohr, and why did you choose Savannah, Georgia?

Rabbi Caracelo: My wife and I knew we were called to ministry. I was the Assistant Rabbi in my home synagogue in Florida. We knew at some point we would lead a congregation. We had been looking at several options, but the "Gideon's fleece" for me was finding a secular job in my field. A perfect job opened up in Savannah, GA and with prayer and discussion we felt that we needed to move to Savannah and start Keren Ohr.

NC: What challenges did you face when making Keren Ohr a reality?

RC: The biggest challenge initially was getting the word out about our new congregation. We knew only a handful of people when we started Keren Ohr. We relied heavily (and still do) on social media and a good website. But it took some time to get the synagogue off the ground. The Lord brought us a couple of Messianic families who had moved to Savannah just before us. With our three families we launched the congregation.

NC: What is a typical Keren Ohr service like?

RC: A typical service consists of praise and worship, Jewish liturgy and a message. Those are the three basic elements. We try for a mix of traditional Messianic and Jewish music and contemporary songs. The liturgy is not extensive but we incorporate the well known pieces (Sh'ma, Ma Tovu, Etz Chaim He). The messages are all about applying what the Bible says to our every day lives.

NC: What do you do every week to prepare for the service?

RC: For my message, I spend several hours a week preparing. I do sermon series, usually lasting from three to eight weeks. For each message, I have a stand alone point or points based on a passage of scripture related to that series. I have a lot of commentaries that I glean from, but my preparation is mostly prayer, pouring over the text for that week, and laying out a clear point or points for the listener.

NC: How do you foster a sense of community in your congregation?

RC: We have several events throughout the year to build community. Monthly men's fellowship/sisterhood meetings, youth meetings, picnics, and special services all play a part in this.

NC: Why did you choose to become a ministry leader?

RC: I did not initially set out to become a Rabbi or leader. I was very content to work in the business world and raise my family. However, the Lord started working on me when I was about 32 years old to go into ministry. During the next several years, the Lord prepared me in many ways, including study and dying to myself. I can truly say I was called and I did not choose.

NC: Did you have any other leadership positions before starting Keren Ohr?

RC: Yes, I was a youth leader, men's group leader, worship leader, and Assistant Rabbi before starting the congregation.

NC: What advice would you give someone who is looking to get into ministry?

RC: Learn as much as you can from your Rabbi and other leaders the Lord has put over you. Even if you don't have the opportunity to formally learn under them, watch how they handle situations and work through life in the ministry. You will be surprised at how much you will draw on that learning when/if you go into ministry. The other advice I can give is continually work to die to your flesh about being a leader. What I mean by that is pride is an insidious thing, and we all have to be careful to stay humble. Remember, it's not about you - it's all about God. He gave you the gifts you have and He will allow you to be placed in ministry if it is His will. Practice humility and seek His face continually. Ask Him if you should be in ministry and wait on Him. Our timing is never the Lord's timing. You may think you are ready for ministry, but God will open the door to it when it is the right time.

You can get more information about Keren Ohr Messianic Synagogue, including directions, events, contact information, and message recordings, at shalomsavannah.com.

You’ve Been Forgiven

linda@ymja.org (YMJA Staff) — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 14:57:01 GMT

Written by Abigail Harrison

“If you, LORD, kept a record of sins,

LORD, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,

So that we can, with reverence, serve you.

Psalm 130:3-4

You don’t have to hate yourself. You don’t have to live in the past. You’ve sinned. You’ve made plenty of mistakes in your life. But did you know that it’s okay? Your glorious Messiah has forgiven you. It’s alright to have regrets. Thinking over your mistakes can serve to motivate you to do better. But don’t let the enemy beat you over the head with something that God has forgiven.

Sin is your past. It’s everyone’s past. None of us are capable of a sinless life. I have spent many sleepless nights thinking of my mistakes, and reliving every moment of shame. This kept me from being free to look forward to the future and loving God. The enemy will use any means of keeping us in bondage, and he loves to keep us living in the past, where we are completely ineffective at serving God.

We have to live in humility, realizing that we have all sinned, and He loved us enough to forgive us. But don’t let your past keep you from moving forward.

r�V�E�

Two weeks for G-d

Tue, 21 Jun 2016 21:31:17 GMT

My name is Aaron Hyslip I am part of Congregation Baruch Hashem in Glendale, Arizona. My congregation has been going through a series on the book of Acts. We have seen a growing of faith in the L-RD, but we felt like we needed an
extra push toward Him. We decided to do a fast for two weeks called the Dunamis Fast.

Dunamis is a Greek word, which means power, but not just any power, it’s the power of G-d. We see an example of this
in Acts chapter two, where the apostles were filled with the spirit, and spoke in tongues. The goal of the Dunamis Fast is, for two weeks, we can only eat fourteen food items (preferably healthy). Doing this helps us to die to our flesh. The other goal of the fast is to pray for the outpouring of the dunamis power in our lives, so we can represent Gd’s love to the world.

The fast has definitely strengthened my walk with the L-RD. I’ve been praying and reading the Bible more and more, and when people at my school ask why I’m doing this, it opens up a way for me to talk about my faith with them. I
encourage you to do something similar if not the same and you will see a definite change in your life whether it be big or small.

Aaron is the SW Regional Rep

Unity

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:08:29 GMT

Unity is special. Unity is not something easily attained. It all began at Messiah 2k13. One of the night services had an extended prayer time at the end. Everyone who was there from our youth group huddled together, and a leader prayed over us- specifically for unity. She prayed that someone would step up and be a leader. Afterwards, we all talked about how powerful the time had been. Fast forward to two years later. Our youth group’s leadership team had a prayer meeting regarding Messiah Conference 2015. The recurring theme that each person prayed over was unity. There was such passion and excitement that sprung from the desire to see our youth group become unified in every way. Before, everybody was friends, but not in particularly deep relationships. Some people would seclude themselves like any other normal youth group. Nonetheless, our leadership team desired unity.

Now fast forward to Messiah Conference 2k15. We brought thirty youth from Beth Hallel. We were all excited about Messiah, and it was a bunch of people’s first time. The Dara Vidito, probably the best youth leader ever, had us go to the first dinner all together. Before we left, we put our stuff in the dorms and started walking down the hall. Someone casually shouted out “squad.” Right there, we all took a selfie, all thirty of us, and we walked to dinner as one big group. At that moment, something special happened- we were united. We were part of something bigger than ourselves. It sounds silly, but honestly, this seemingly small event was orchestrated by God. Right then, God gave us this strong sense of unity that we were not planning on or expecting.

Ever since, God has been moving more powerfully than ever before in our youth group. There are no more cliques, way less drama, and everybody has become so close. We are real with each other, and God has used these relationships for encouragement in our personal relationships with God. We truly motivate and challenge each other in the Lord. I cannot even describe the closeness between us, and it is all thanks to God. It is so beautiful.

Our goal is not to have “squad” just be an ATL thing. We desire the idea of “squad” to spread across the whole YMJA. This means for everyone to join in, connect quickly, and allow space for friendships to develop and the movement to grow. Just imagine, for a second, what would happen if we were purely and completely united in Yeshua. No cliques, a lot less drama, and deeper friendships that produce growth in the Lord would happen at Messiah Conference and other YMJA events. Unity this complete is special and not easily attained. We need to be praying for unity in the YMJA, which means unity in Yeshua. What an amazing idea.

P.S. The “sign” that everyone is doing in the picture is the “ATL squad symbol”. This picture was taken at Messiah 2015!! But this idea needs to spread and we need your help, but most of all, the power of God. I love you guys!:))

Love,

Bekah Mann

SE Regional Rep

You Are

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:08:24 GMT

You are the branch I am the leaf.

Let your roots grow deep into my heart.

Your nature is enduring.

Your mercy is showing.

Oh Father, shower us with your spirit, for we Abba, long for you.

We fall, you pick us up.

We cry, you wipe our tears away, with your gentle touch.

We fail, yet, you give us another opportunity to try.

You God, are the God of miracles who loves his children.

You are the tree, we are the birds, waiting for the harvest.

You are the sky, we are the clouds, indeed a big God you are.

The clouds float effortlessly, due to your beautiful breath.

You breathed life, and you made creation.

Everything that you made, shows us your wonderful works.

You are God, we are your children.

Let your roots grow deep into us, so we may know the knowledge of your wisdom, and not the knowledge of evil men.

For I am yours, and you, are mine.

Authored by Margaret Shatokhin, SE Rep

Take Care of You

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:08:19 GMT

What is self-care? When was the last time you did it? I don’t mean taking care of your family or friends and including yourself, I mean you taking care of you. Self-care can occur alone or by reaching out to other people. It is restorative and it is deliberate and self-initiated, and completely under your control. It’s how you unwind after a really stressful day. It’s how you feel whole before you undertake a big project or have a presentation or competition.

You should engage in self-care because you are a treasured child of God. Think about the Lord’s perspective: Consider loving someone so much that you would be willing to suffer embarrassment, pain, and death to be with them. What if they then thought that they weren’t important enough to prioritize over getting a project done, or getting some stamp of approval? When we refuse to care for ourselves and allow ourselves to be whole people, we are breaking step with God’s priorities. We are saying, wordlessly, to Him that we know better than He does by reassigning our own importance to below that of the to-do list, or that person whose approval we just have to have.

God says to love your neighbor as yourself. You have to love yourself for that commandment to work properly. There are two parts to this commandment, and we should follow both of them. The Lord wants you to show love to others, and to yourself, hand-in-hand. In addition to considering God’s position, you should consider your own; when I am pushing my limits, I am not treating myself with love (which I should be treated with, as a child of God). I am more susceptible to sin; to losing patience, to being unkind, to failure to express the Father’s love the way I should. This is partially because of being out of step with God’s priorities, and partially because practically speaking, if you are not giving yourself space to experience restorative loving care, it is harder to react to situations in love.

Like most things, self-care is about balance and knowing your limits. Of course ministry is important, and time with friends and homework and the to-do lists are also important. But we need to find the balance that is sustainable for our mental and physical health, and that prioritizes the things that are integral to God’s calling on our lives, which includes our fundamental selves in mind and body.

Self-care is a way of meeting our own needs in the same loving way in which we should treat others. Knowing what you personally need is important; it might be a nap, prayer, an hour of Netflix, 10 jumping jacks, or a cup of tea. Even time with friends can work; it’s just a matter of doing what helps YOU recharge. Sometimes you might need professional psychological care, and I encourage you to get that help if you need it. It does not mean you are not spiritual enough, it doesn’t make you weak or crazy; it makes you brave. Know that God loves you and created you, and He wants to use you the way you are: with limits. Honoring them is pleasing to Him and helps you understand His love, obey His commandments, and love others even better!

Authored by Tatiana Pulido, NE Rep

A Work in Progress

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:08:15 GMT

Unfortunately, there are two types of people in the world, the ones who complain about it and the ones who try and make a difference. As a society, many of us have grown lazy and bitter, ignoring all the problems around us and allowing someone else with a “powerful” title to resolve all the predicaments we face. Many of us use social media or the internet as a therapeutic tool to release our frustration. From status updates, tweets, blogs, etc. we can either have a positive or negative influence on our followers. If we truly want our society to change and make the world a better place we need to start from the beginning.

In 2 Timothy 1:9 we read, “He has saved us and called us with a holy calling- not because of our deeds but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Messiah Yeshua before time began.” G-d has not called me; He has not called you, but us all! It’s not only one’s responsibility, it’s everyone’s because in the end if we follow the path he has planned for us, in the end we will all work together in the body of the Messiah. “We know that ALL things work together for the good of those who love G-d: those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) You will face hurdles, mountains, valleys, potholes, etc. and there may be a time when you just want to stop, letting everything go away and live your life normally but you need to, “Trust in the L-rd with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5) Our relationship with G-d is the key to our success and prayer is so important!

As a freshman in college, I know how difficult it is for one to go to class, work, do homework, study for upcoming exams (especially finals), try to maintain your social life, go to services on Shabbat, and somehow manage getting the normal eight hours of sleep on a daily basis (not to mention clubs and hobbies you like to participate in). But our success comes with sacrifice and without sacrificing some time with G-d it is almost impossible to manage everything.

Maybe you’re not called to be a rabbi or a leader in your community, and that’s okay! You still have the power to motivate and inspire your family, friends, co-workers, and even children! Believe it or not they are always watching your attitude and behavior because they look up to us thinking that we are “cool”.

“In every encounter we either give life or we drain it; there is no neutral exchange” (Brennan Manning.) Change comes from influence and you have a GREAT influence on the people around you, leader or not! Whether you may have the gift of prophecy, prayer, mercy, etc. or strengths such as communication, empathy, intellection, positivity, etc., remember that no matter what your calling might be, you make a difference in the world. We are here to contribute because our future is connected to the people around us. Think about it, if we were to show kindness and G-d’s love to one person, that person might touch two people, and those two might have an impact on eight, and the chain goes on and on! How much longer will we sit around and do nothing? When will we all have the fiery passion and love from G-d so that we can start to make a change? Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of others and change our society? I pray that the L-rd will fill you with a fire so that you may become a light for others to see and motivate them to aim high. I know how stubborn society is, I understand that change isn’t going to happen overnight, but it’s a work in progress and if I can encourage at least ten people in my life, that is so much more that I could ever dream of.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you declares the L-rd, plans to prosper you and to not hard you. Plans to give you hope and a future.”

Authored by Brittany Espinosa, SC Rep

Living for God at School

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:08:12 GMT

At most public high schools it isn’t always easy to follow God. At the high school I attend, we have two programs. The teachers running these programs go above and beyond to find a way for young people to talk about God and worship together. The two programs currently offered are, Cru and FCA (Fellowship of Christian athletes).

Cru is supervised by one of our Spanish teachers. He runs this program on Wednesdays right after school and they last about an hour. Our leader answers any questions students have about God and answers them with Scripture to back it up. There are about 12-15 students that regularly attend Cru and everyone I’ve seen there seems highly enthusiastic to learn. For the lesson, everyone gets a printout of the verses. As we each read a couple of verses we’ll occasionally stop to make sure we’re all understanding it well enough.

Fellowship for Christian Athletes is only somewhat what it sounds like. It is a service for students to get together and learn about God. However, it isn’t just limited to athletes. These teachers who volunteer as leaders show up to school 35 minutes early on Tuesday mornings to teach students about God. When you walk by the room on Tuesday mornings, it’s always packed. There are at least 30 or more people. They have a lesson, some doughnuts and fellowship.

Out of all the public school’s I’ve attended, Warren Central has been the most supportive of believing students. Both of these programs are extraordinarily helpful with one’s personal walk with God. With both programs students get a message and fellowship with other believers. These programs help students stay away from peer pressure and share their personal beliefs. It is rare to find such amazing programs in a public school.

By Regional Rep Carrington Nicole Hulce

HOPE

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:08:00 GMT

And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7

If I could wish one thing, I would want every person reading this to live this verse. Simply because my words are so small compared to the power in it. Every time I read it, all I can hear is the desperate cry of a heart calling out to God.

Our God is a God of miracles. He’s a God of second chances, a God of hope: and I say that with all the conviction in me.

“And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that He answered them well, asked Him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Yeshua answered, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30

I didn’t realize until recently just how much strength I wasn’t loving God with. Yeshua says this command is part of the most important of all of them.

A few weeks ago, I was praying, and as I prayed, liturgy started flowing off my tongue. As I spoke the v’ahavta, the words, “Love the Lord with all your strength,” stuck in my mouth like glue as I realized that it was one thing to speak the words to my spirit and another to actually put it into action in my heart and mind. The Holy Spirit seemed to be whispering, “Where is your strength, child? When will I be given all of you? When will you trust me with the parts of yourself that you think are the only things left to support you? Only I can do that.”

This experience made me take a step back and look. Where was my strength being spent? My puny, finite, weak “strength” I claimed to have? My house of carefully built emotions, expectations, relationships, and priorities was breaking down at the very foundation; and I, the inexperienced carpenter, was attempting to fix it using the equivalent of a stapler and Elmer’s glue. Suddenly, I realized that the quiet, crushing, weight that was on my shoulders for who knows how long did NOT have to be there.

When we ask Yeshua into our hearts, we make a covenant with Him. He promises unconditional love and acceptance into His family, while we promise to promise all we have to offer the King of Kings himself: ourselves. THIS is why the v’ahavta is part of the most important commandment. Our father knows that if we try to support the foundations of our own crumbling house, we will collapse. Any strength we have comes from Him in the first place, so the absolute best thing to do with it is use it to love the giver of all that we have. Strength spent loving God is multiplied ten fold!

And for the times when we have no strength left, there’s good news: He gladly also accepts our weakness as an offering. (Psalm 51:17) Powerful things are done through the person who loves God with ALL that they have to offer.

I’ve realized that at the end of me, of all I’ve tried to make myself out to be, there lie incredible things. Things that God is just waiting to make into something beautiful! Things that God is wanting to make beautiful in you as well. Whether in weakness or strength, whether we sink or swim, our Father has promised us a safe place. A haven to rest in while we catch our breath. A hope and a strength that can’t be rivaled.

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7

by Whitney Tattersall

YMJA SE Regional Rep

Cardboard Boxes and Packing Tape

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:07:56 GMT

Cardboard boxes, packing tape, and newspaper. These ordinary items became constant companions for me over the month. That’s right, I’ve been in the process of moving. During this exciting (sarcasm) process, I’ve caught myself occasionally muttering things like, “I’m never moving again!” or “Next time, I’ll hire movers to do EVERYTHING.” Though neither one of these phrases are actually realistic, saying them to myself over and over seemed to have lessened the blow—at least for a few minutes.

During this last month, I’ve asked myself over and over again, “Why is moving so difficult?” It doesn’t seem like it should be that big of a deal; you’re simply packing your stuff in boxes, putting all of it in a truck, driving the truck to a new location, unloading, and unpacking the boxes. Pretty simple right? Not so much.

One of the biggest stressors of moving is a change in routine, and almost all of your routines are affected by a move. But it goes even deeper than this. It’s not just about finding a new place to put your toothbrush, a new Thai place to get takeout, or a new way to do your laundry. When our routines are shaken up, our sense of security can also get shaken up.

I’d like to think that my sense of security is firmly rooted in G-d, but as I reflect on how I’m dealing with this move, I realize how much security I find in in earthly things—things like an organized medicine cabinet or a color-coded closet (I know, I’m a nerd).

When G-d called Abram, he said, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) Talk about a change in routine! Amazingly, G-d didn’t just ask Abram to move once—He asked Abram to go on a journey- traveling, pitching his tent in various places, all the while following G-d, who eventually led him to the land which would become Israel.

We aren’t given much detail about the turmoil Abram faced in leaving his home. The Scriptures simply say, “So Abram left, as the Lord told him.” (Genesis 12:4) However, we’re told that Abram took his wife, nephew, and “all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran.” (Genesis 12:5) I imagine Abram, Sarai and Lot driving an ancient UHAUL down to Israel. At several points, they got out, parked their “UHAUL,” and pitched their tent. I imagine Sarai saying to Abram, “Now what?” But Abram knew exactly what to do. After pitching their tent, the Bible says that Abram built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. I imagine that Abram was scared and exhausted, but he knew that G-d would take care of him. While Abram’s circumstances were filled with instability, change, and uncertainty, G-d provided stability, consistency, and certainty. Abram didn’t rely on the idea of placing his trust in G-d; he actually did it. And because of that, G-d carried him through move after move, until He brought him into the promised land.

What changes are you dealing with in your life? What things make you feel secure? I challenge you this week to reflect on the fact that G-d is our security. “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” –Psalm 18:12

Remembering Sean Trank

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:07:52 GMT

The YMJA celebrates the life of Sean Trank, a fellow Jewish believer, who passed away from lung cancer on July 2, 2014. Sean chronicled his brave journey through his blog, which can be read at http://seantrank.com . We are so grateful for Sean’s life and for his courageous example of faith.

Retreats 2014

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:07:44 GMT

It is June 4, and I can hardly believe that the 2013/14 retreat season is over. As I reflect on the past five retreats, my thoughts are filled with laughter, delight, awe, and wonder.

I laugh at the memories of young people in California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio gargling tunes and peeling bananas with their toes. I delight in remembering the Regional Reps sharing their “I Am Second” testimonies. I am in awe of the way G-d met us through the desert experiences and night hikes. I am filled with wonder as I remember the clear night skies, littered with stars.

Do you remember putting your “nerd glasses” on with Rabbi Tim? Do you remember watching Rabbi Matt cry as he read his father’s poem? Do you remember watching each other bravely step up to the front, sharing your talents during our Desert Theater variety show?

Do you remember sitting in G-d’s beautiful creation, having your one on one’s with G-d each morning? What did G-d speak to you about during that time? What did you sense? What did you feel?

Do you remember reflecting your fingernails off the dancing fire of the Havdalah candle and singing along during the traditional blessings?

Do you remember rolling the dice during your core group time and building team pyramids, playing Duck, Duck Goose, and being led blindly around your core group circles?

Do you remember listening to Scott Hamilton’s “I am Second” testimony? Do you remember the songs sung by the worship team? Do you remember seeing people dance and sing, expressing their love for G-d?

Do you remember the Q&A time? What surprised you during that time? What questions did you go home and continue thinking about? What answers changed the way you think about yourself?

At each retreat, we’re given a little glimpse into Heaven. For one weekend, we’re able to retreat from the worries and chaos of the world and come together. We get to meet people who understand us. We get to laugh together, cry together, cheer for one another, and learn from one another. We get to hike into the night together. We get to worship together. We get to be real together.

And then the weekend comes to a close. Sometimes, we mourn the loss of the retreat ending, wondering why our regular lives don’t feel quite like our retreat lives do. Perhaps they’re not supposed to. Maybe we’re longing for something greater, something larger than life, something that can’t quite be experienced on this earth, and these retreats offer a tiny little glimpse into what we are longing for.

Just Listen!

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:07:41 GMT

“To you my heart says, “Seek my face.” Your face, ADONAI, I will seek. Psalm 27:8 (TLV)

What’s in a face? By simply looking at someone’s face, you can see every emotion too deep for words. You can see happiness, sadness, hurt, love, and so on. When you have a conversation with someone you look into their eyes, which will express the deepest parts of their heart. So, what does it mean to seek G-d’s face?
For so long, I had tried and tried seeking G-d’s face; in other words, I longed to know Him. The Bible was in front of my face for hours on end and I sang my heart out to Him every time I found myself alone. However, it still felt so shallow. Think of your favorite celebrity. You might know everything there is to know about that person from what their preferred past times are to their most preferred food, but you do not know that person because you have never met them. That is how I felt towards G-d. You can know all there is to know about someone, but until you actually spend time with that person, you don’t know them at all.
Then it hit me, I had done so much to try and draw close to G-d, from praying and worshiping, to crying out to Him at the top of my lungs, but I rarely shut up and simply listened. I babbled on and on to Him, but never allowed Him to get a word in! And I’m sure we all know how difficult it can be to have a conversation with someone like that. Don’t get me wrong, all of that is extremely important, but it is only one side of the conversation. So each day after my morning devotion time, I prayed a short prayer, “Abba, I’m listening. Please speak to me.” Then I said nothing. It was hard to keep my mind from wandering. Most days I didn’t hear Him speak, though I did feel Him there, and some days I would hear a whisper. He usually will not barge His way in; rather, G-d will wait for you to invite Him in, and wait His turn to speak.
I would like to encourage you to do this- to listen. Find a place you can be alone with G-d and simply tell Him you are listening, and do so. Don’t let time be a distraction- take as much as you need. You may not hear an audible voice, but His presence is so sweet and knowing He is there beside you is more than enough for me. Just as you desire to be with Him, He also desires to be with you.

This post was authored by Regional Rep Trevor Weldin

A Time For Everything

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:07:32 GMT

I visited two different hospitals this weekend. On Friday night, my friend, who is pregnant with twin boys, started going into labor, two months prior to her due date. When I walked into the hospital, a nurse was checking a monitor that kept track of each baby’s heartbeat, as well as the contractions. The nurse was explaining what seemed to be a dozen “if, then statements” to my friend and her husband. “If this happens, then we’ll do this. Or, if this happens, then we’ll do this. But if this happens, then we’ll do this.” I was awestruck as I was listening to the nurse explain the possibilities. In spite of the incredible technology that was hooked up to my friend, and in spite of the dozens of nurses and doctors who were monitoring every single movement and heartbeat, nobody could predict exactly when the babies were going to be born. In that moment, it became so obvious to me that G-d is the One who chooses the exact moment that each of us becomes born. In our human capacity to understand, we speak of concrete phrases, such as “too early” or “too late.” G-d doesn’t operate this way, though, and His timing is always perfect. The beautiful verses in Psalm 139 came to mind as I watched the babies’ heartbeats on the monitor. “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (16)

A couple days later, my mother and I went to visit a close family friend, who is very sick with a type of blood cancer. When we entered her hospital room, the lights were dimmed, and a nurse was quietly attending to her needs. I sat down gently, trying not to disturb her, as it was clear that she was in a great deal of pain. I talked for a bit, trying to be encouraging and comforting to my friend. She shared with us how much pain she was in and how frustrating it was. At one point, she voiced her fears about dying. Again, I was reminded that it’s G-d alone who knows how long we will be on this earth. And though death is still terrifying and strange, I find comfort in knowing that there is nothing about my life that is unknown to G-d, not even how long it will last.

These two hospitals were sixty miles away from one another. In one, nurses huddled around my friend preparing for birth, while in the other, nurses huddled around another friend, gently preparing for what seemed like death. Neither team of nurses or doctors could predict what was about to happen.

There is a beginning and an end to all of our lives, and though the exact dates are mysteries to us, they are not to G-d. When we understand how much G-d loves us, there is absolutely nothing to fear. We can trust Him with both the beginning and the end of our days.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

-Ecclesiastes 3: 1-15

What’s your plan?

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:07:29 GMT

Everyone is trying to make plans whether they are small like what clubs to join at school or big, such as what college to go to or where to apply for a job. That’s great because we need to plan, but are our plans aligned with what God has for us?

I’m in 11th grade, and I still don’t know what to major in when I go to college. Every so often, it can cause me to get worried and sometimes a little stressed. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” It’s hard for me to trust God when I’m stressed because my mind starts racing. I find praying and worshiping Him helps me stay calm.

Many times I have made plans, but God has done something different to accomplish His will. Proverbs 19:21 is “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” It’s important to keep an open mind when we make plans. God might have something different in mind that we could have never predicted. If you are having trouble finding out God’s calling for your life, try talking to some of your spiritual leaders. It can be your parent, youth leader, rabbi, or any other spiritual role model in your life. Tell them what plans you are considering and ask them to pray for you, as well as give you advice on what your calling is.

Finding your calling can be hard and time consuming. Here are some questions to keep in mind as you make plans and find God’s purpose for your life.

What plans are you making?

Do you know God’s plan for your life?
Are you following his plan?
Do you have trouble trusting God?
If so, then what’s stopping you from trusting Him?
How can you overcome these barriers?

Also read: Jeremiah 29:11 & Isaiah 55:8-9

This article was authored by regional rep Caleb Goldberg.

Preparing For Life’s Next Chapter

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:07:25 GMT

Look up Proverbs 13:4. Adulthood isn’t very far away. For some, it may be just a year or two until they can vote. For kids under 18, adulthood may seem like the time in your life when people start respecting you. It’s the milestone you reach before entering college or starting a career.

Though becoming an adult can seem like an exciting time, we teens still often act like kids. Though we are responsible and can accomplish more than before, we are often tempted to play video games more than we want to learn new talents. We have fun with our friends instead of helping others. Though it’s all right to have fun, we shouldn’t spend all our time on video games. Some teens might not be like this, but many of America’s teens are.

Is this bad? It can be. I know I have a good time playing online games on my computer, but I never get anything done. It’s not bad to relax once in a while, but most teens relax too much. Teens that want to have fun playing video games during their spare time may develop bad habits that will continue on into adulthood. Imagine a 30-year-old in his mom’s basement playing Mario Kart.

Look up Romans 12:2.

Are there some “things of the world” that you can get rid of in your life?

The teen years are the time to prepare for adulthood. It will be here before we know it, and we won’t be ready for it if we stay like this.

Look up 2 Chronicles 34:1-3.

Like Josiah, G-d can use us at a young age. Start a club. Raise money for an orphanage. Expand your talents. If you like to teach, tutor younger students. If you like to write articles or essays, submit your best stuff to your school newspaper. G-d has a plan for each of us, and we need to use our time well.

What are ways G-d can use you at a young age?

As 1 Timothy 4:12 says: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Ask G-d to show you some ways to expand your talents or use your time productively. Just because we’re teens with no way of getting a full time job doesn’t mean we can’t get ready for one. The teen years are the best years to start learning new talents and begin preparing for adulthood.

This article was authored by Regional Representative Sam Deck

What Do I Have to Offer G-d? by Regional Rep. Erik Pulido

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:07:20 GMT

What do I have to offer G-d? It’s a question that we all ask ourselves. What can we do that compares to what the King of the Universe does for us? He is such a great G-d, and we are so small. Even when we know that he loves us, and that he cares for us, knowing the vast difference between what he is able to do and what we are able to do can sometimes make us wonder if we even have anything to offer G-d. It’s not even just G-d – we might see other believers all the time who have a lot to offer G-d, and do so much for his kingdom, that it can be discouraging when we compare them to ourselves. You’re not a bad person if you feel this way; I feel like this sometimes, myself.

When I feel discouraged in this way, I find it’s important to remember not only that G-d loves us and cares for us, but that he values us, not despite what we can do, but because of it! G-d knows the resources and the abilities that you have, and he values what we can do – not based on what he can do, or on what other people can do, but based on what we are able to do.

Rav Sha’ul (Paul) wrote that “if the eagerness to give is there, the acceptability of the gift is measured by what you have, not by what you don’t have” (2 Corinthians 8:12). The same way, we should not focus on and feel discouraged by all that we cannot do, but we should instead focus on doing all the things that we can do to build up G-d’s kingdom. Don’t forget the story of the widow, in Mark 12:41-44: no matter how little we have to give, if we do all that we can do, G-d values all of it – and, remember, most of all, as you think about this: he values us for who we are.

Authored by Northeast Regional Rep. Erik Pulido

Ferris Wheel by Regional Rep. Katie Deck

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:07:15 GMT

One blistering hot summer day, our youth group went to an amusement park in Oklahoma City. At the end of the day, we had a couple of minutes left before we had to meet up with the others, so my friends and I decided to ride the Ferris wheel.

We rode for several minutes having fun for a while. We then realized that we were not being allowed off the ride; the joy stopped. We yelled at the operator each time we passed. Tired and hungry, my friends and I were concerned that we would miss the time to meet up with the others. Round and round we went each time begging him to let us off. We were annoyed. We were queasy. We had been on rides all day long, and the sun blazed right on us.

It took a couple more times of asking him to let us off until he finally allowed us to get off. We were several minutes late. It was so frustrating because we had plenty of time to enjoy one more ride, yet the operator of the ride decided to just mess with us and make us late. It was frustrating and annoying when that happened.

We all know that our plans can fail at times. Some call this life. Psalm 33 tells us that God’s plans will stand forever. It also says God can foil the plans of nations. If He can change the plans of an entire nation, He can definitely change our plans as well. Jeremiah says that God has plans to prosper us. Maybe, I rode the Ferris wheel several times in the hot sun because it was in God’s plan to prosper me or others through me. It sounds crazy, but God can do anything.

Have you experienced something annoying like my Ferris wheel ride? What if every second of our lives has already been planned, and God will use each one of them to bless us and others? What if God already planned for us to go through rough times? David praised God because God is true and faithful in all that He does. He praised God because we can trust Him. As you go about your day or week, praise God that He has everything under control. We don’t need to worry about what is going to happen tomorrow because we know that He has it all planned. I challenge you to trust God even in the hard, frustrating, or annoying times. Look for the ways that He has blessed you through something bad.

What do you do when your plans fail? Grab your Bible and see what G-d’s word has to say.
Psalm 33
• How does David begin the Psalm?
• Why did he begin this way?
• How did God create the world?
• Who is the one who foils our plans?
• Whose plans will stand firm forever?
• What can save us?
• Who does God deliver in the end?

Jeremiah 29:11
• What kind of plans does God have?
• Who is a part of God’s plans?

Authored by South Central Regional Rep. Katie Deck

Tunnel Vision by Regional Rep. Lillian Ashworth

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:07:02 GMT

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

We’ve all endured trials of many kinds, and we will continue to do so as long as we live on earth. We endure trials of persecution against our traditions, and persecution for the outspoken faith God has requested in our lives. Every day, when we make the choice to walk God’s path and not the world’s, we put ourselves on display to be looked at, pointed out, and set apart. And every one of us has to call on the wisdom, council, patience and relentless love God has for us to persevere through these trials. In my life, God has brought me through spiritual and physical attacks on my family, my gifts, my friends, and my own self image.

When I was in these situations I had tunnel vision faith, a kind of faith which disabled me to see the context of the trial I was enduring. It belittled my view of the power of God’s forgiveness and restoration to a pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel. I constantly remind myself of God’s
promise that the trials I endure are a purification of my faith, in order for it to become as precious as gold (1 Peter 1:6-7). Be encouraged when you face trials, and know God’s work in delivering you from them will further mature and complete your walk in trusting Him.

What do you feel like is separating you from God? Is this situation causing you to have tunnel vision of God’s power and love? Read Romans 8:35-39 and be reminded of the power of God’s love to persevere through anything.

Are you finding joy in the persecution you may face? Read Matthew 5:10-12 and remember that you are blessed when you are persecuted against for the sake of God.

I encourage you to combat tunnel vision. Realize God’s love is incompressible, His power is uncontainable, and His grace is unfathomable. Allow your vision of God to include all of God’s majesty and the restoration from trial He extends to you. And know the trials you endure purify, mature, and complete your faith.

Authored by Midwest Regional Rep. Lillian Ashworth

Rosh HaShanah: A time to reflect

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:06:55 GMT

Rosh HaShanah, Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets, the Jewish New Year. These different titles all represent the same call commanded by G-d in the Torah to set apart the “first day of the seventh month” to “have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with shofar blasts” (Leviticus 23:24). As Messianic Jews and Messianic Gentiles, what is our expression of this special holiday? How is G-d calling us to celebrate on Rosh HaShanah? Most importantly, how can we worship Him through our celebration?

Growing up, I celebrated Rosh HaShanah by eating apples and honey, taking a highly anticipated day off from school, and spending time with my family. As a Reform Jew, I understood Rosh HaShanah in terms of tradition; the special liturgy and practices on Rosh HaShanah connected me to a rich heritage of my people. When I became a Messianic Jewish believer in Yeshua, the special holiday took on even more meaning. I began to consider my relationship with G-d during Rosh HaShanah and used Rosh HaShanah and the proceeding “Days of Awe” to take a spiritual reflection and prepare my heart for a “new year.”

One of my favorite traditions of Rosh HaShanah is Taschlich, where a person casts bread or stones into a body of water. As the water carries away the bread, we are reminded of G-d carrying away our sins and offering us forgiveness and freedom. The ceremony is taken from the book of Micah in the Old Testament, “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”

How do you celebrate Rosh HaShanah? What traditions are meaningful to you? What do you think of when you hear the shofar blast? How will you spending your time over the next 10 Days of Awe? I encourage you to set apart this time and to reflect on what G-d has done in your life this past year. Ask G-d to prepare your heart for the things He wants you to do and experience in this coming year. Thank G-d for the beautiful gift of seasons and the opportunity for new beginnings.

Yeshua said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” –Matthew 5:17

L’Shanah Tovah Tikatevu!

Regional Representative Reflections

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:06:50 GMT

This blog post comes from Trevor Weldin, a former Regional Representative. He has been gracious enough to share his thoughts with us on the experience!

My time as Regional Representative has been super impacting. Having rarely been in an official position of leadership before this, I didn’t know quite what to expect; and boy was I blown away!

Each Regional Representative Opportunity Task (RROT) was challenging and revealed to me a lot about my own character. One of the more difficult ones was making phone calls to ask for prayer requests and such. At first, it felt rather awkward calling a bunch of people I didn’t know, but it ended up being one of my favorite RROT’s since it enabled me to touch peoples’ lives in a direct way and hear of how God is at work in them!

Perhaps my favorite part of being regional rep, though, was serving at the retreat. It was an amazing experience that challenged me by pulling me out of my comfort zone and gave me opportunities to serve in capacities I had not yet done. It was so amazing to hear the testimonies of what God did in each person’s heart and how He used me to bless others!

After this experience, I feel much more greatly equipped to lead and disciple those around me in God’s word; not to mention I am much more comfortable speaking in front of groups than before. In addition, opportunities now keep arising to mentor certain people- something for which I had been praying a long time- and I am more ready to do so and shine God’s light in greater ways than ever before!

Supernatural High – Must Read!

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:06:45 GMT

A lot of us have been in this boat: we’ve had an awesome spiritual experience at a retreat or conference. There was great prayer, maybe some tears, promises were made, and goals were set—and don’t get me wrong, these are all good but, Monday rolls around, and returning hits you like a bulldozer.

The hardest part is that the supernatural high crash is never expected. I may not be able to cure you, but I can help you.

Surround -Back at home, you’re not surrounded by believers all the time like at the retreat. You have to choose to be surrounded by believers who will support you and pray for you. Make new connections with other believers to help you grow in your faith.

Set -Set goals you can keep. At the end of the getaway when you’re fired up for G-d, and decide to work on your relationship with Him set goals. Start slowly, and then build up. Maybe you’re not ready to read the Bible in one year, but you can manage a chapter a day. Take baby steps and watch yourself grow until the next retreat.

Strengthen -Keep contact with the other YMJA members you met. Facebook, text, Morse code, smoke signals- do what you have to, to grow your relationship and keep each other accountable in your relationships with G-d. That‘s part of the retreat experience- discovering the community of support you have.

Step Back -This last one may seem obvious, but remember what happened. When you get a chance that weekend, take pictures or write about what’s happening. Rereading what you wrote or flipping through photos can help you to keep the spark glowing and remember how you felt when G-d touched your life. James 1:23 “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror.”

I hope you can use some of these tips after your next retreat or conference. And remember, Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

-Naomi Wiater, Regional Representative

Letter from the Sky

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:06:41 GMT

Why can’t G-d just drop a letter from the sky? Or hide a note in a tree for me, or print a headline in the newspaper?

Sometimes I daydream about G-d speaking to me in a way that I couldn’t possibly miss. I think about G-d speaking to Moses through a burning bush or shielding Abraham from hurting Isaac at the critical moment. Through the beautiful gift of the Holy Spirit, living in each of us, G-d speaks to us in countless ways. However, my discernment sometimes gets tainted with human flesh and emotions. It is during these times that my letter-in-the-sky fantasy captivates my imagination. Mostly, these fantasies remain daydreams, but every now and then, G-d makes himself known to me in an incredible, uncanny way.

I have been battling health issues for the past few months, and it has been a challenging journey. The truths that have been rooted in my life over the past twelve years are being tested by a new set of circumstances that is beyond my control. Bible verses and promises that I’ve clung to during trials in the past are inviting me to trust G-d in fresh, more intimate way. I wish I could say that I’ve stayed encouraged and grounded through this entire journey, but waves of discouragement and fear have wormed their way into my mind. Yesterday, I was discussing with a friend how the theme verse for my life has always been Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things G-d works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I shared with this friend my desire to be reminded that my beloved verse is relevant even in this situation.

Later that evening, before going to sleep, l browsed through the headlines on my news app, as I often do. (I’m a news junkie; what can I say?) My mind wandered from my personal difficulties to the difficulties our nation is currently facing: bombings in Boston, explosions in Texas, and massive flooding in my hometown. Then, suddenly, I read a headline that did not seem to fit in with the typical headlines on my newsfeed. “God works in all things for good,” read the subtitle underneath the title, “America’s rough week.” Did I really just read that in my secular news app? I proceeded to read the article, where a well-known columnist listed the tragedies faced this week in light of the promise that G-d gives us in Romans 8:28, reminding Americans to hope in the midst of tragedy.

I believe that G-d spoke to many people through that article, and it certainly wasn’t just meant for me. On the other hand, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my desperate plea to be reminded that Romans 8:28 is applicable to my current personal struggle was answered through my nightly news-reading routine. G-d speaks to us in ways we can hear.

Is there a situation in your life that is causing you to question the promises you’ve treasured in the past? Are you desperately yearning for a reminder from the Lord of how much He loves you? I invite you today to trust that His promises are true even when your circumstances seem unconquerable.

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of G-d that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.” –Romans 8:37-39

Dayenu!

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:06:29 GMT

Dayenu. Loosely translated, “It would have been enough!”

The melody to this familiar Passover song offered a backdrop to my thoughts this morning as I got ready for work. “Ilu Hotzi-anu…”

I’ve always loved the way this beautiful song was orchestrated, where our thankfulness for G-d’s provision increases with each verse.

“If He had brought us out of Egypt and had not carried out judgments against them….Dayenu!”
“If He had carried out judgments against them, and not against their idols…Dayenu!”

My favorite verses have always been:

“If He had brought us before Mount Sinai, and had not given us the Torah…Dayenu!
“If He had given us the Torah, and had not brought us into the land of Israel… Dayenu!”

Today, as I sang these verses in Hebrew over and over, I began thinking. How could I write my own song of thankfulness for what the Lord has done for me into this beautiful format?

“If He had brought me into this world and not given me health… Dayenu!”
“If He had given me health and not given me a wonderful family…Dayenu!”
“If He had given me a wonderful family and not given me amazing friends to love…Dayenu!”

As I continued, I began weaving Yeshua into my song.

“If He had died for me, and not blessed with me His presence….Dayenu!”
“If He had blessed me with His presence, and not answered my prayers…Dayenu!”

“Wait a second,” I stopped.

Should I really be thankful for what G-d has done for me even if He never answers a single prayer of mine? My answer is, “Yes!” G-d has already done so much for me, more than I ever could have dreamed, and that should be enough for me. Even if He never offers me another blessing in my life, I can be content with looking back on all that He has done in my life. The simple fact that came into this world and died for me is enough. And yet, He will do more! “G-d is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask for or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us.” (Ephesians 3:20)

“At work in us…” Knowing that G-d has chosen to allow His power to work in us is mind-blowing. In other words, He equips us daily with His strength and supernatural power to not only get through our days, but to be His hands and feet on earth.

Perhaps during this Passover season, we can all take a moment to write our own “Dayenu” song of our lives. In the process, we can look back with gratitude on all that He has done for us, while we look ahead to the future, being filled with the power of the Spirit.

“If He had revealed himself to me and not given me the power of His Spirit…Dayenu!”

Scratch Spin

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:06:24 GMT

I used to figure skate. From the moment I began skating, I was captivated by spins. The whirl of a skater spinning, while effortlessly holding a graceful position, amazed me. I yearned to master the intricate spins—layback, camel, sit-spin—but most of all, I wanted to perfect the scratch spin. You know the spin; a skater draws her “free” leg closer and closer to her body, gaining speed and momentum, producing a dizzying effect.

When I first started learning the scratch spin, my body was not used to spinning at such an intense speed. I would often get dizzy or nauseated and would have to take a break. I was caught in a dilemma: how would I learn the spin I desired when I kept getting so dizzy? In ballet, dancers are taught to “spot” in order to prevent the dizzy sensation, but a skater spins too fast in a scratch spin to use this technique. So I practiced. I practiced and practiced, and slowly the dizzy feeling decreased. My body became used to the situation I was forcing it to endure, and it adapted. I also learned an important strategy that helped me. As soon as I finished spinning, I would look at the edge of the boards that surrounded the rink, and this would help orient me. Eventually, I was able to perform a scratch spin without getting dizzy at all.

So, what does this have to do with our faith? Plenty. G-d often allows us to encounter situations that disorient us. Some call it suffering, others call it life. Regardless, there are situations in life that cause us anxiety, confusion, or just plain dizziness. They make us feel uneasy and sometimes blur our vision. What does G-d ask of us in these situations? To persevere.

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of G-d, you will receive what He has promised.” –Hebrews 10:36

The greatest myth of faith is that if you love G-d, He will prevent difficulty from occurring. Or, in a slightly more subtle tone, He will prevent the negative emotions from occurring the minute you encounter difficulty. This is simply not true. Our G-d doesn’t pluck us out of difficulty, but He asks us to persevere through difficulty.

Back to skating, I had two options with the scratch spin. I could either have continued to practice the spin, pushing through the awful sensations my body was experiencing, or I could have given up. I could have convinced myself that learning a scratch spin wasn’t really necessary, though, of course, it’s critical to learn if you take skating seriously. We have the option of running from our difficult situations. But what if G-d wants to use that difficult situation for His awesome purposes? What if He has valuable things to teach us through it? What if He wants to show us His love and grace in a way that would be impossible for us to grasp if we were not encountering difficulty?

G-d promises us that if we persevere, we will be blessed. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” –James 1:12 My human mind cannot fathom what the “crown of life” feels like to receive, but I know that it is something wonderful beyond description that the L-rd bestows to those who have persevered.

What are you persevering through right now? A difficult change? A loss of friendship? A broken family? A fear of the future? G-d wants to meet you where you are at. The situation itself may not stop causing you to feel dizzy, but eventually, He will teach you how to adapt and persevere through it.

Remember what happened after I finished spinning? I would focus my eyes on one spot on the boards, and that would stabilize and orient me. If we fix our eyes on Yeshua in the midst of our difficulties, He will orient us. No matter how unnerved you feel or how blurry the world appears, Yeshua will strengthen and help you if you fix your eyes upon Him. (Isaiah 41:10, Hebrews 12:2-3). So dear friends, I encourage you to keep spinning!

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because G-d’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” –Romans 5:3-5

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SC and SE Youth Retreat Registration is now open!

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:06:05 GMT

The new year is here, and with it we begin a new season for YMJA Youth-Only Retreats! We will be holding the South Central Retreat in Glen Rose, TX, on March 11-13th. This will be followed by the Southeast Retreat in Polk City, FL, on April 8-10th. Check out the brochures, and sign up today!

New 2015-2016 YMJA events!

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:06:00 GMT

Each year, the YMJA hosts numerous events for Messianic young people, ages 13 to 30 years old. The YMJA puts on five regional Youth-Only Retreats each year, where teens come together for a weekend of powerful teachings, youth-led worship, outdoor activities, and fellowship with other Messianic youth. This year’s theme is “The Story of Your Life”. God is the author of your life and is calling you to live a life of purpose, wonder, transformation and hope.

The YMJA also co-sponsors regional and national conferences with the MJAA and offers programs for teens and college & career. In addition to retreats and conferences, the YMJA hosts special events such as the Aish HaRuach Messianic Leadership Training summit and overseas ministry trips to Israel and Eastern Europe. In all areas, the YMJA aims to challenge our youth to passionately follow Yeshua our Messiah. Click here to view the events page and more information!

Blank (Newsletters Blog)

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:05:48 GMT

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Who is our Lord?

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:05:44 GMT

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Luke 6:46

If you’re reading this, the odds are that you’ve already made Yeshua your Savior – but have you made Him your Lord? The dictionary’s definition of “lord” is:

a person who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler

These words – control, authority, master – all imply that a lord is someone higher than all the rest. However, the cool thing about Lord Yeshua is that He humbles Himself and asks to be our Friend, not just our Master.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” Psalm 27:1

Our Lord is a Gentleman, always looking out for us and protecting us, and because of this, He will only draw as near to us as we are willing to draw near to Him. He is as big and as close as we make Him – expect the Lord to do great things in your life, and He will. He is a passionate, jealous God who would do anything to win us over, but the choice to pursue Him back is always ours.

In my opinion, one of the coolest things about the Lord is that He doesn’t need us. God is the Creator of the entire universe and all that is in it – He doesn’t need us, but yet, he so desperately wants us. On the other hand, we need God each and every day, but most of us neglect Him and turn away from His love. Wouldn’t life be so much simpler if we really let God be our LORD? Wouldn’t it be better if He really were our Controller, our Authority, our Master? Often, we are reluctant to give up control of our lives because we are scared of where the Lord may lead us. Maybe He would do something extreme like send us to live in another country, or maybe He would tell us that the job we’ve been pursuing for years isn’t right for us.

One of the wisest quotes I’ve heard regarding this subject is, “If He’s not Lord OF all, He’s not Lord AT all.” It’s harsh, but it’s true. We can’t keep the parts of our lives that we want power over because that wouldn’t be true surrender to His authority – the college we want to go to, friendships we want to hold onto, the life we have planned for ourselves.

Think about it. Have you heard the prayer, “More of You, and less of Me”? I really think the prayer should be, “ALL of You, and NONE of me.” As Matthew 9:17 illustrates, if we pour new wine into an old wineskin, the wineskin will burst. In other words, in order to become completely filled with the Holy Spirit, we must first empty ourselves of our old nature. Join me in emptying ourselves of the stubbornness, selfishness, and greed for power that we once held, so that we may truly surrender every single part of ourselves to Yeshua, our Lord.

Authored by Rebecca Vitkus, Southeast Rep

Money – G-d’s Way

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:05:40 GMT

Money can be a useful tool to further the kingdom of G-d or a dangerous trap to lead us away from Him. It is an integral part of society and no matter what period of life you are in, money will likely be constant consideration. You might be a teenager making money with your first job and figuring out what to do with your paycheck. You may also be further along in life developing a career and possibly responsible for taking care of your new family.

In any case we should turn to G-d and His Word for guidance as we do for all aspects of our life. While doing some research into the topic of money in Scripture I came across several statistics. While not all of the sources agreed on the exact numbers the consensus lies somewhere around the following: there are 2350 verses that reference or talk about money (though not all of them are specifically about the use money) and 16 out of 38 of Yeshua’s parables deal with money. Though I wouldn’t put stock in these statistics, it is clear that G-d wanted to relay to us an understanding of money and its handling.

Money as an Idol
Despite the necessity of money in our lives we are warned to not make money an idol. Consider what Yeshua has to say. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matt 6:24) We know from other parts of Scripture that money is a necessary tool. Therefore, money itself is not evil and does not cause idolatry. Paul tells us in his discussion on contentment that it is the love of money that turns us away from G-d. “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Tim 6:9-10)
Consider also: Matthew 6:19-20

Debt
Debt has been the downfall of many individuals and families. It and other financial concerns have been cited as one of the top five reasons for divorce, often higher than infidelity. Unfortunately, debt has become a normal way of life for modern households. Getting what you want now instead of saving to get it later has become perfectly acceptable. Scripture is quite clear on how G-d views debt. “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” (Rom 13:8) “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” (Prov 22:7) When we borrow from others we become like slaves to them. Lenders often have legal rights to take our assets or money straight from our paycheck. They will also create stress on you or your family that ultimately takes your attention away from G-d.

If you are at the point in your life where you are in college or about to go into college, you are likely going to have to consider student loans. If you have no other choice, student loans may be necessary. You should first consider all possible ways to reduce the amount of debt you need to take on before doing so. Apply for as many scholarships and grants as possible. Also consider the benefits of taking on a part time job throughout school. If you still need to take out a loan, work out a plan to have it paid off as quickly as possible. You may also be at the point in your life where you are considering buying a house. Oftentimes a mortgage payment is near the same amount or less than rent for a similar house. If you are considering buying then try to make sure your budget can allow for you to pay more than the minimum each month. This will allow for you to be free from the debt much sooner. Just because a bank will give you a loan for a larger or nicer house doesn’t necessarily mean you can afford it. You must carefully consult your budget but most importantly, you must pray and consult the Lord.
Consider also: Neh 5:3, Ecc 5:5, Ps 37:21, Being the surety of other’s debt (Prob 6:1-5, Prov 11:15, Prov 17:18, Prov 22:26-27)

Savings
If you are free from debt then you should motivate yourself to save money. When you have money saved there are three main benefits. The first benefit is that you will be prepared when emergencies happen. It is not a matter of IF unforeseen expenses will happen but WHEN they happen. “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” (Prov 21:20) Consider the wisdom of Joseph as an advisor to Pharaoh regarding the upcoming famine in Genesis 41:34-36. The second benefit is that when there is something special you want to buy, you will have the means to do so. G-d does not wish for us to be devoid of nice things but He wants us to obtain them responsibly. “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” (Prov 10:22) The third benefit is that you open up yourself to be a blessing to others. When you have your finances under control and have saved up for emergencies then you can confidently spend more of your time and money to bless others.
Consider also: Prov 6:6–8, Prov 13:11, Prov 14:29, Prov 21:5

Budgeting
Now that we see G-d’s wisdom in staying out of debt and saving up our money you may ask, how? The answer is quite simply to keep a budget. People often look at their busy lives and find this task too daunting but the benefits far outweigh the time it takes. Scripture advises that we need to budget as well. “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?” (Luke 14:28–30) The process of budgeting provides two great pieces of information: how much money you can spend on certain things and and where you might need to cut back.

In this modern age there are several great software packages that will help you budget. If you want to keep things simple, I highly recommend the envelope system. The idea is that every dollar that you make has a purpose. To use a simple example let’s say it is the beginning of the month and you made 300 dollars last month. Now you need to put all of this money into the different categories (envelopes) that you spend your money on. If your envelope system is simple then you may allocate this way: Tithe – 30, Saving for College – 100, Entertainment and Purchases – 70, Gas (based on how much you usually spend) – 100. Now let’s say you were out and found a pair of shoes that you really like that cost 65 dollars. Since your envelope for Entertainment and Purchases has 70 dollars you know you can afford the shoes and still have enough to fill your gas tank at the end of the month. Further you will also know that if you buy the shoes you won’t have enough in your envelope to go see the movie you and your friends were planning to see next week.

Remember it doesn’t matter how young or old you are it is never too early or late to learn how to budget. I encourage each and every one of you to implement this in your lives. If you need help make sure to talk to your YMJA or congregational leaders. I personally would love to assist anyone who asks for help in developing a personal budget. In doing so, their time and resources can be more devoted to G-d.
Consider also: Prov 27:23, 1 Tim 5:8

Authored by Nick Lewis, Midwest Regional Rep

Who’s Your Number One?

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:05:34 GMT

If I were to ask who or what takes the most important or top place in your life, what would you answer?

Some of us probably would have an answer not including G-d. There is a reason why; that is where you put your focus and heart.
When you wake up in the morning, what do you immediately think about or start your day with? Is it getting ready for school or work, maybe your thoughts on the day ahead? Often we think of everything but G-d (myself included). One of the biggest distractions from seeking G-d is ourselves. Each of us has a purpose to live out and that is to serve G-d. However, sometimes we put ourselves, our interests, our needs etc. ahead of G-d’s will.

Another obstacle is material items. For me that would be technology like the iPad, iPod, and all of the apps, music, games and ever-present social media. I could keep on listing things that steal my focus.

Now that we know why we lose focus on G-d, how do we get it back? For the material possessions it is easier if you them off for a while and turn your focus to G-d. Maybe stay away from those things for a little while until you can use them without putting so much attention on them. As for yourself, first that is a choice and a way of thinking. You control your thoughts, actions, and way of life. To love G-d and seek Him above all is a choice.

Sometimes you may even have to force your focus and life back to G-d. Other times this may be easy to achieve. But again I want to remind you that you have a choice. If you do need to refocus your life, see your mistake, correct and move on to a better tomorrow. You can’t change the past but you can choose the right focus starting now. Please read Mishlei (Proverbs) 16:3 and Mattiyahu (Matthew) 6: 19-21 to see what the Bible says on the topic.

Authored by Abigail Calise, Northeast Regional Rep

What can be accomplished at your age?

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:05:29 GMT

It’s common for those in the YMJA, especially the Junior and Senior High, to hear they’re too young to accomplish or attempt great things. Well, we in the YMJA leadership know all teenagers have great potential. We’ve seen God use teenagers in mighty ways to bless their peers and those who are older than them. Not everyone’s story will be the same. Not everyone will have their successes “on public display,” though this in no way makes them any less! Whatever great plan God has for your life, the YMJA wants to help you grow into it. Just for fun, here are some things accomplished by those who were teenagers that might surprise you:
At 14, renowned photographer Ansel Adams took his first photograph.
At 14, Lucille Ball from “I Love Lucy” created and preformed a 1-person stage show.
At 15, Thomas Edison became a manager of a telegraph office.
At 15, Tennis player Jennifer Capriati was the youngest semifinalist in Wimbledon history.
At 15, American sharpshooter Annie Oakley won a $2,000 bet against well-known marksman Frank Butler. After she beat him, they started dating and eventually got married.
At 16, the ringed-donut was invented by a baker’s apprentice named Hanson Gregory.

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