By BEN Larson |
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OFFICIALLY on staff with CMA for just two days , I find myself wide awake at 2:00 AM with God speaking to me about this article . I am amazed by God ' s faithfulness – I honestly hadn ' t started praying about this article yet , but He was ready .
Beginning my CMA journey at three years old ( thanks to my parents ), CMA has always been a big part of my life and is the backbone for my faith . I can vividly remember many points in my life where God used CMA to bring me to where He wanted me to be .
There is a spiritual blessing in this organization that I can ' t explain ; you can only experience it for yourself . It ' s truly our second family !
Growing up , I always traveled to CMA and secular events with my family . Then , after high school , I found myself in the LIT ( Leader in Training ) program , where I was blessed to help with various state events and be led by some fantastic leaders in CMA !
I met my beautiful wife , Rachel , through our local church ' s collegeage group about ten years ago . Not knowing the plan that God was setting before us , we have now been married for five years and find ourselves living on an acreage in the country of west-central Iowa with our dog , three cats , and four horses . We enjoy hunting , fishing , and spending time with our families outdoors . We love serving God together
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through CMA and our church . Our exciting news is we will be welcoming a new addition to our family in May , as we are expecting ! We are so excited to see what God has in store for this chapter of our journey with CMA and being first-time parents . We have been serving as the CMA Iowa Youth Movement Area Reps for the past four years . Three years ago , God began laying on my heart the possibility of becoming the next Youth Movement National Evangelist . When we got the phone call , it was very intimidating and comforting to see God working in this process before it even began .
With the New Year shortly behind us , I can ' t help but think about New Year ' s resolutions . Maybe your resolution was to save a little more money or lose some weight . The options are quite endless . But have you considered a resolution between you and God ? That ' s what I find God speaking to me this early morning . What kind of time are we setting aside to spend with God or to read and study His Word ? What am I doing this year to seek God first ? “ So don ' t worry about these things , saying , ' What will we eat ? What will we drink ? What will we wear ?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers , but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs . Seek the Kingdom of God above all else , and live righteously , and He will give you everything you need ” ( Matthew 6:31-33 , NLT ).
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God knows our every need before we even go to Him , so there is nothing that we can say or do to surprise Him . He longs for us to seek Him in our everyday lives . The Bible says to “ seek first the kingdom of God above all else .” How much time do we spend worrying ? How much time do we spend worrying about family , work , school , or that brick wall that seems to be in front of us ? God says to seek Him first . This isn ' t something that comes easy , but God can bring peace in what may seem like the worst of circumstances , when it may seem like there can ' t possibly be a way out . I want to challenge you to pray about what it is that you ' re trying to handle on your own . I also ask you to pray about what God may be asking you to change . It is never too late to start that New Year ' s resolution !
Stay tuned for next month ' s article , where we will be talking about what God did at this year ' s Flame On 2022 event ! CMA
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