Please Excuse the Break

My dear Bloggers,
For the next week you will see no new post on my blog. There are two reasons for this. One I'm participating in Brio's 30 day Challenge. Part of the challenge is going 7 days without being on the computer. So from Sun (June 1) till Saturday (June 7) I will not be on the computer. Brio's 30 day challenge is a once a year event that challenges teens to get closer to God. It's divided into four weeks. Each week focus on a different area. If this is something you are interested in doing you can check it out at www.briomag.com. The 2nd reason I'll be at Worldview Academy. However, if you need to get a hold of me (or just want to say hey) you may write to
Kaytlynn Clemons
Worldview Academy
C/O University of Central Missouri
Meeting & Conference Services
Eliot Union 301
Warrensburg, MO 64093
or email me at studentmaileast@worldview.org and put my name in the subject line.Thanks for understanding my short leave.

Let's Celebrate!!!

So I usually don't due post like this, but I thought I'd make an exception for today because...

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR THE SUMMER!!!!!
I survived my freshmen year of High School, and can't wait for the next three (okay, maybe I could wait, but I'm excited to see what they will bring)

What's next???

We all have all traveled through the valley of uncertainty. Some have passed through many times while others maybe just once or twice. Every year as school comes to an end I feel like I step into this valley. The new year is usually up in the air, and once again I have to deiced what I'm going to be involved in. While many times this can be a scary experience, it doesn't have to be. It's like going on an exotic adventure, and as believers, we have everything we need. We have our destination (Heaven), a map (the bible), and caravan for safety (Church). We also have something else, the most important thing of all, a guide. With Jesus as our guide we do not have to worry about the things to come. Matthew 6 talks a lot about this. Verse 34 says: "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Think about that, the Creator of the Universe is telling us not to worry, He's got in under control. I was thinking about this tonight. No matter what I end up doing this next year I don't have to worry, because Christ has it under control. I just have to keep trusting in God and testifying to His' love. My prayer for you is that even though you may be in the dark valley of uncertainty, you will follow the light and keep proclaiming His' truths.

My bff is in elementary school

There she was, walking down the church hallway. I was so excited, Katie was coming. A smile spread across my face as she walked into the room and said "hey". This happened many Sunday mornings when I was little. In elementary school I always thought it was so cool when a high-schooler took an interest in me. Now fast forward nine years. It's Sunday morning and I have a few minutes before youth starts, so I head to the children's wing. I step into the 2nd grade class room and immediately 3 girls get up from their seats and run towards me. As we embrace, I look at their faces, a smile is plastered across each one of them. It's the same smile I had when Katie would enter the room almost a decade ago.

There are several women in my life who are older than me who have helped me though many rough times, and that's part of the reason why I love spending time with the little girls at church. Just like the ladies older than me made a difference in my life, I can now make it in someone elses life. Titus 2: 3-5 says "Older women likewise are to be reverent their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, {to be} sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored." And even though I may not be teaching a 2nd grader how to lover her husband, I can still teach her kindness and be a godly example for her. When I was little I wanted to be like Katie when I got older, and now I have the chance to. I'm now the high-school kid who can reach out to the little girls. Who are the ones you can reach out to?

Invisible

Walking through the halls,
Sitting at the lunch table
She's surrounded by hundreds of people,
Yet feels all alone. She will do anything
If someone will just see her,
and she will no longer be
Invisible

One day, it finally happens
A guy comes, he says he loves her
He makes her feel special,
But this attention comes at a high price
And she is willing to pay it.
So she gives all of herself away
Just to be seen
and not thought as
Invisible

She hates herself, but cherishes every moment
Someone finally sees her, but he moves on
And she falls back to being, once again
Invisible

Days turn into weeks and weeks into months as
She walks through the busy halls,
And sits in the crowded lunch room
Yet still feels all alone
She is willing to do anything,
If someone will just see her
and she will no longer be
Invisible

A group of kids come over
"Could this be it?" she wonders
"Will they actually see me?"
They do, but their attention comes at a price too
They demand her loyalty, a vow of commitment to the group
She gives her vow all for the sake of not being
Invisible

The drugs, the cutting, and the stealing
All make her hate herself even more
"But they care for her, right?"
"They saw here, didn't they?"
But now, they demand too much
She refuses, and once again becomes
Invisible.

She is worse than when she started
With a whole in her heart
From sleeping with the one who said he loved her
And the scars that cover her arms from the blades
She still walks through the halls, and sits at the lunch table completly
Invisible

She has finally mustered up the courage to do it
She wishes she would have done it along time ago
Now, her plans are made,
The notes are written explaining the "why"
All she has to do is jump
She double checks the rope
Takes a breathe, and is ready to end her suffering from being
Invisible

Before her feet leave the ground
The phone rings, she wonders
"Does someone really care?"
Loosening the ropes, she answers it
"What will one last good-bye hurt?"
The person on the other line didn't want a good-bye
They wanted a hello, maybe she wasn't completely
Invisible

They said they saw her
She looked at the scars on her arm
A reminder of the price paid to be seen
The voice on the other line told her of a love
A true love that doesn't cost
"Could this be so?"
"A love that's free and true?"
This is what she wanted
She listened as the voice told her of a man
A man known by the name of Jesus
The voice told her of how
He died for her and loved her
All she had to do was accept Him
And she did
She hung up the phone
And looked at the rope
Should wouldn't be needing it anymore
For she was no longer
Invisible

Who are the invisible people around you?

Good Morning!!!!

At camp we used to have this song we would sing in the mornings to get everyone up and at'em. It went something like this:

The birdies in the morning go tweet tweet tweet tweet

The birdies in the morning go tweet tweet tweet tweet

I wake up happy not sad, and when I wake up in the morning I say

"Jesus, your the bomb!"



This morning was one of those mornings where I just wanted to wake up and say "Jesus, your the bomb!" When my alarm went off, the birds where chirping out the window, there was a nice breeze blowing in my room, and the sunlight shown promising a day full of cheers. There is just something about starting your day with God in the mornings. For me, I think it's because I know the day ahead is full of the scars of this world, and I like being able to spend time with the one who is in control. So, I encouraging you to enter the throne room of God in the mornings and tell Him that is truly is "The Bomb".

It's supposed to be the best years of my life.....isn't it?

Almost nine months ago I stepped foot into this place we call high school. But what I didn't know stepping though the doorway, was that I was also stepping into a land filled with so much drama, doubt, and death. Things happened this year, that I never would have thought would. I was blown away. I couldn't believe the change a summer could make. My class went from having sleep-overs with a group of girls, to sleeping with one whom they claim to love. We went from thinking not being able to see someone for a day was as bad as them dieing, to actually not being able to see our friends because they died. We went from thinking our life was so rough we would just stay in our rooms all night to thinking our life is so bad we should end our lives. What happened?

So many have forgotten the faith of their childhood. They left it at the door as they entered High School. They say they're too cool, or it's just for the weak. They don't remember what it felt like. To just be held by the Heavenly Father. My friends, He hasn't forgotten you. I know it's been such a hard year for so many people. And even though so many things have been torn away from you, there is one thing that can never be taken away. It's God. He wants to help you. Actually, He wants to help you carry your burdens. Matthew 11:28-30 says: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart. You will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light". I don't know what is going on in your life right now, but God does. Just like when you were a child, and your daddy pick you up in his arms and all of your worries melted in his hands, your Heavenly Father wants to do the same. Run to Him, His arms are open.

Who will tell them???

So many people, so many faces, so many souls. They are all searching, they want something more, and I have that something. I think of all of the people who will never hear God's name. They will never be told about Christ's love, and still where do they go? Hell. My heart absolutely breaks at the news of this. My friend, I want you to hear something. Christ loves you, and He died for you. Because we all have sinned, we deserve Hell. Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Although we deserve Hell, God has shown His amazing grace. He sent His son Jesus, to take the punishment for our sins. Even though He lived on earth, and didn't sin, He took our sins upon Him, and died. Then, three days later, He rose again!!! In doing this, He paid the price for your sins. He's offering you a free gift, His hand is out-stretched, and the box is there. All you have to do is take it. He's paid for it in full, it's up to you. My friend, God wants to come and be with you. To live inside your heart. If you want to accept Christ into you life, you can. It's simple. All you have to do is ask Him. If you don't know what to say, you could say something like this:

God, thank you for sending you Son to die for me. Lord, I know I am a sinner, and I can't get to Heaven on my own. Lord, I want you to come into my life and forgive me of my sins. You've paid the price, and I'm accepting you gift. In your name, Amen.

Now, this prayer isn't magic. All of you life's problems won't go away, but you will have someone to help you. If you asked the Lord into you heart, let me or someone else know. You can email me at kaclemons@sbcglobal.net

So.....now what?

So you're a Christian huh? First, I'd like to personally welcome you into the family! But I'm sure you're wondering, now what? Where do I go from here. Or maybe you've been a Christian for a long time and still don't know what to do. I would encourage you to read Matthew 10:5-11:1. It gives instructions for God's disciples and what they should do. There are a few things that really stuck out to me. I am going to highlight one of them today. In verse seventeen it says "But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake." I have read the stories of many martyrs who have been brought before kings, and the courts (there are even some examples in the bible too!). However, for many of us, we will never have to be brought before a king or the President for the Crime of following God. However, it might be a principal, a teacher, or maybe even your boss.
I have gotten the experience of standing before the Principal (a few times actually) about the Christian club at school. Let me tell you, I was pretty terrified at the time. I couldn't imagine what I had done when I was called out of class, my mind was racing, palms began to sweat, and I didn't know what to say. But that's okay because I didn't have to know what to say. A peace came over me as I prayed for guidance and wisdom from the Lord. In verse 19 and 20 Christ says, "But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say, for it will be given you in the hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." How awesome is that? God will give us the words to say! The next time you find yourself being called before your boss, your teacher, or maybe even the principal, remember you are not going alone. God will give you the words to say.

Wanna Talk about ME!

I'm sure most of you have heard the song "Wanna talk about me" by Toby Keith. For those of you who haven't the chorus goes a little something like this:

wanna talk about me
Wanna talk about I
wanna talk about number one
Oh my me my
What I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see
I like talking about you you you you, usually, but occasionally
I wanna talk about meeeeee
I wanna talk about me

The phrase that stinks out the most to me is "I like talking about you, but occasionally I wanna talk about me." Occasionally the song says, however that isn't the case for most of us (myself included). So many times we become focused on "ME", my needs, my wants, my comforts, and completely forget those around us. Some blame it on society, and the Me focused world we live in. Yes, it is everywhere from Myspace to tee-shirts claiming the world revolves around us, but those things our not to blame. It's not a matter of the media, but of the heart. The bible constantly tells us not to put ourselves first. Romans 12:10 is an example. [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.


I was thinking today about about lying down your life for someone, and what a self-less act that is. John 15:13 says "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." I was listening to the news the other day and they were talking about the war. A hand grenade was thrown into a room where a group of American soldiers were gathered. One of the soldiers, without hesitation, jumped on top of it, absorbing the blast and saving many of his comrades lives. He gave up his life, so others may live. Would you have the guts to do that? My challenge to you today is to stop focusing on the "me" and start focusing on Him.

not so often experience

Today I had a chance to see part of the harvest of some seeds sown long ago. About two years ago I went to Mount Zion Baptist Church to help build their community center, and today was the dedication. It was amazing to see the looks on peoples' faces, and how happy they were. They were all so excited about the new facility. It was all very encouraging. One day, we will get to Heaven, and get to know the outcome of the seeds we have sown. However, it is nice sometimes to get a glimpse of the plant we planted long ago.

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Okay, I kind of have a side note to go along with this (what became) a really short post. I was thinking when I started it on Saturday, ok I'll say some positive and encouraging and something like it will all be okay, God will provide a way to see your fruits on earth, or something like that. However, when I went to look in my bible for the "perfect verse" it wasn't there. So I asked some of my good friends and family what they thought (thank you very much guys for your input). I soon began to realize that we don't always get to see the results here. That is not why we should witness. Some times it is hard when you feel like you're not making a difference, but you don't know that. You do not know the condition of someone's heart. I pray that we will continue to be a shinning city on a hill to those around us, even when we fill that we are not making a difference.



It's not about the results, but the call: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Mathew 28:19-20)