One of my former GA and youth girls posted the question “for my 30 and older friends – what advice would you give a young girl in her 20s?” I know you all aren’t in your 20s but after a lot of thought – here’s what I came up with. Praying for you all! -Kayla Rampey

First of all, I can’t believe I’m in this over 30 category. Let’s just pretend that’s not real lol 

My advice for surviving life is to…

Always remember that life is short and you are not promised tomorrow. 

Trust the Lord always – your will is not always the Lord’s will.

It’s ok to not be ok sometimes. Don’t put on a happy face and suck it up – everyone has bad days. It’s ok to rest – it’s ok to cry – it’s normal. 

Sometimes the “happy” faces are the ones that need your prayers the most. 

Always remember that when you hurt others, you are hurting the Lord – think twice before you speak. Sometimes it’s best to just stay quiet, walk away, and pray before your speak.

Remember that whatever you say to someone before they walk away could be the last chance you get to talk to them.

Pray for your spouse before you even meet him. And of course afterwards. Only God knows what and when you need someone else in your life. 

Don’t rush God and expect Him to follow your timeline – God’s timing is always perfect if you will just let Him be in control. Never compare your life and timing to others. 

For control freaks like me, the hardest lesson to learn is you can’t fix everyone – only God can. 

When you’re overwhelmed with anything -you’re most likely trying to do it all alone. It’s ok to ask for help – it’s more than ok to pray and just say “I can’t” God knows your heart but wants to hear your need for Him.

Life is not all about money – it’ll seem like it at times because adulting isn’t the greatest but don’t get overwhelmed with what you don’t have – look around at what you do have.

Just say no to credit cards. Debt is the devil. 

Inventory your social media feed occasionally- if a person is constantly posting negative things – unfollow them. Its toxic to your mind whether your believe it or not.

On the same note – unfollow people that seem to have perfect lives – sounds mean but when you constantly see what others have – you’ll constantly compare yourself and bring yourself down.

Did I mention ask for help when you need it? Never suffer in silence about anything. 

Choose your friends wisely- you’ll become just like them. Surround yourself with positive influences that’ll encourage you and just listen when you need them to. 

Don’t dwell on the negative – focus on the positive. What you dwell on is what you’ll become. 

Never let others drag you down. You are God’s creation – you deserve better. 

Stay in God’s word and in church – you can’t survive in this crazy world without a 

Leader that will guide you through all this. 

Help others however you can – being the hands and feet of Jesus doesn’t mean mission trips for everyone – it can simply mean holding the door for someone or calling someone to encourage them.

Friends are not always your age – be friends with someone older than you that can share experiences and give you wisdom. Listen to them – they’ve been there and done that. 

Don’t look back on regrets – move forward every day. (Just keep swimming – ha ha)

Never take family for granted – you might not always get along with them but they won’t always be around. Spend time with them. Listen to their stories – one day you’ll miss those moments.

Ask your friends and family about their salvation. There is no worse feeling than having a friend or family member die and not knowing that they are in Heaven. It’s a tough question to ask but it gets easier every time. 

Don’t let fear hold you back. 

Don’t let anyone hold you back.

Being independent is great but never lose your dependence on God. 

Pray for your enemies even when you have to grit your teeth to do it. 

Laugh at yourself – you’re not perfect. 

Respect and listen to your elders – they may have crazy stories or repeat themselves or whatever but they deserve your time. Don’t get too busy to care about others. You’ll miss those moments when they’re gone. 

Above all things, trust in the Lord. His opinion is the only one that matters. Don’t live life trying to please anyone else but Him.

“Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in ALL circumstances.” 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!

Congratulations on finishing up the 2020-2021 school year! To the 5th graders, 8th graders, and seniors, you have accomplished so much and are about to start a whole new adventure next year! My prayer for you is that you will see the next year as a fresh start and make a point to show others Christ in you. Wherever you may go, I challenge you to be different.  I challenge to set it in your mind that God has placed you in a new mission field. Serve Him wherever you go and let your walk be known to others.

I want you to know that you each mean so much to me. My greatest blessing is to see you grow in your walk with Christ. It is such a blessing to teach you and hear how God has changed your life throughout the years. I pray that you will reach out to me anytime you have questions or prayer needs. I am always here for you and love hearing your stories!

In the last year teaching Released Time at Pickens Middle, I was reminded how tough middle school can be for all students.  My advice for you and your future is to always remember that “God has not called you to “fit in.” He has called you to be set apart and to make a difference in the world around you.

Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

To break it down:

Transform don’t conform: The devil wants nothing more than to see you blend in with the sins of this world and accept the unacceptable in God’s eyes. We are called to love one another and show the love of Christ to everyone around us, yet we are not called to love the sins that others commit. Let it be known what you approve of and don’t approve of based on the Word of God. Don’t let go of God’s word just to appease those around you. The only One you should seek approval from is that of God Himself. If you are a follower of Christ, you won’t fit in with this world and to be honest – it won’t always be easy, but you can do it with the guidance of Jesus Christ. Don’t give up. Stay in prayer – stay focused on who God wants you to be – and don’t become consumed with the culture this world has created.

Renew your mind: Your mind is constantly filled with sin. Turn on the TV, the radio, or just simply scroll through the social media – everywhere you look sin is lurking in the darkness. In the midst of good posts filled with scripture and encouragement, the devil sneaks in with a video, a quote, or a picture that is not pleasing to God yet tempting to others. You are young and you are human – so it is all too easy for the world to consume you, bring you down, and turn your focus away from God and towards the negativity, pain, and sins of this world. My prayer will always be that God is first and foremost in each of your lives. I pray that you are praying. The only way anyone, young or old, can overcome the society we live in today, is to stay connected to their Heavenly Father. Remember what I said in class, when you sin, say the Lord’s Name in Vain, hurt someone with words or actions, or act out of what you want versus what is right in the eyes of the Lord, you should not be worried about just offending other people – you are offending your Heavenly Father, your Creator, your Savior. You are free to make your own choices but your choices can come with consequences. Seek the Lord first in every decision you make.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Mathew 6:33

Remember who you are in Christ and what Jesus did for you.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Let your light shine even when it’s not easy and let Christ use you to encourage those around you.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

 You can make a difference. You can save a life.

In my classroom we had 7 chairs that represented teens that had lost their lives during the school year (Ages 10-14). 3 of them from students that had committed suicide. Before you speak, think about what it would be like if that was the last thing you said to that person. How would you feel?

I pray that this virus and shut down has taught you a lot about yourself and what/who you often have taken for granted. Who did you miss? What did you miss about school or society in general? Would you have treated others differently if you knew you would miss out on the last 2 months of school with them?

At the beginning of the school year, my word for the year was more of a verse. “Rejoice always.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice when you are happy and everything is at peace but also rejoice when times are tough and God is working in your life. Life will not always be easy, but God has promised us hope and a future. Stay focused on God and let Him lead your life.

You are always in my prayers!

Love and prayers,

Kayla Rampey

864-915-8094 Text anytime with prayer needs

“Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!

There may come a day when you look into the mirror and no longer see yourself but a blurred image of who you used to be.

You’ll see your eyes, your nose, the physical features you were born with yet not be able to recognize the person you’ve become.

“Who is that?” you’ll think,  as you wonder what lurks behind those eyes in the depths of a mind controlled by the world. 

Will you ever escape? Will you be able to find who you once were?

Or is it too late?

Who are you anyway?

Worry often is a lurking portrait of who you could become. As a young adult you may fear resembling a family member or friend that harmed you in the past. You might even fear a stigma that hangs over your family name or a gene that has been passed down for generations.

What if your family history of temperament, lack of judgement, abusive behavior, or addictive nature was never told to you, would you worry about who you will become?

Maybe your family is perfect, do you worry about not being able to live up to their standards?

Would your genes and stigmas phase you if you never knew them in the first place? 

We often worry about the futures we create in our minds not the ones that God has planned for us.

Worrying about your future will not change any of the circumstances God already has set in front of you.

To live a patented future, you must learn to live without the fear of becoming someone else.

Erase who you could become and face who God wants you to be.

When you look in the mirror the only image you should want to see is that of Jesus Christ. But is someone else standing in the way? 

Could that someone be the “you” that your mind has created from the influences of the world? Is fear of becoming someone else determining the next step in your life?

It’s time you wipe off the mirror, erase the smudges, and let your reflection start to clear. 

Can you see Jesus now?

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭

Who are you afraid you will become? Is there a family stigma that you fear the most? How can you let it go and let God be the image you pursue?

Let others see Jesus in you.

May God bless you and show you His grace every day.

-Kayla Rampey

Governor McMaster recently declared Sundays as a National day of prayer, a day to remember the ones that are fighting COVID-19, the heroes on the front lines, and the families of the ones that have lost their lives.

Matthew 6:9-13 sets an example of how a person should pray.

“This, then, is how you should pray:

 Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

Your kingdom come,

Your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

(Acknowledge God and give Honor to Him, ask all things to be done is His will)

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

(Ask for forgiveness and provision for your needs – not list of wants)

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

(Ask for God to help you overcome and temptations or sins you are struggling with. Submit to God and let Him deliver you from Satan’s ways)

Today, I want you to realize that prayer does not have to be a sermon of fancy words or a night time ritual that puts you to sleep, it’s much more than that.

Prayer is personal. It is direct communication with your Heavenly Father.

It is great that our state supports a national day of prayer; however, we need to make sure we are treating every day as a day of prayer.

The Bible says is 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray continually.”

Prayer is your most powerful tool as a follower of Christ. Let’s take this day and every day and declare it days of prayer!

Become a prayer warrior and watch the world change!

Praying for you always!

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!

Kayla Rampey

“Worry in weighs you down, but a good word makes it glad.” Proverbs 12:25

I’ll never forget a drama that was performed at my church, East Pickens Baptist, several years ago. The drama opened with a young girl standing on the stage alone with her backpack ready for school. Her parents entered the stage arguing and throwing their hands at each other causing the young girl’s demeanor to quickly change. As they left the room, they added a brick to her backpack. As a group of teenagers entered the stage whispering behind her back, she held her head low as they placed one more brick into her bag. One by one different people walked on stage adding bricks until she eventually fell to the ground in tears. The weight she was carrying was too much for her to hold alone. In a glorious moment, the Lord entered the stage with a bright light and lifted her up, took the bag off her shoulders, and threw it on His own back. What she could not carry alone, the Lord could.

“Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest in your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

Our hearts tell us we can carry our troubles alone. We are taught to be independent from the very first breath we take. We are shaped into beings that have a hard time letting go of the control we think we have. Jesus tells us, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens.” (Matthew 11:28)

You are not meant to fight your battles alone. Let the Lord lift your worries, your burdens, and your brokenness from your worn out shoulders.

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!

-Kayla Rampey

Friday night, I turned off the lights on the cross that stood beside my door for Easter.

It was dark. It was silent. It was a reminder of the darkness that would have filled the night when Jesus breathed His last.

I walked away in tears reflecting on what it would’ve been like to look up to the Light of Jesus on the cross one last time.

“It is finished” would’ve echoed through the land.

Imagine walking away from the cross in a darkness you’ve never felt before.

As I was walking away from the cross to go to my comfy bed, in my nice warm home, with my family and all that I’ve been blessed with, I felt guilty. Jesus died because of my sins. How could I be worth that? 

Saturday came and I spent the day with my family complaining about being stuck  at home and not being able to go and do as I pleased. I was bored and had already forgotten that moment of silence I experienced the night before when the Light dimmed on the cross.

Sunday, I woke up and the same cross stood by my front door, lights still on. I accidentally left them on the night before but woke up to a dark cloudy day lit up by the cross. May His Light I’ll never fade.

As the storms rolled in Sunday night, I was reminded of that glorious day when the stone was rolled away and Jesus rose from the dead. 

Let the darkness remind you of the sin debt that Jesus paid for you. 

Let the wind remind you of His last breath.

Let the rumbling storms remind you of the stone rolling away.

Let the lightning remind you of His glorious Light.

Let the calm and the silence remind you of  His control over any storm.

Let His love be remembered every day!

Today and every day, Jesus is alive!

May God bless you and show you His grace every day! 

Better than good news – Great news! During this shut down my students have opened up more than they ever would have in class. They’ve participated in Bible discussions, sent me prayer requests and concerns, and kept in touch at least once a week or more. It’s been amazing to hear their stories and how much they care for their lost family and friends. I’ve even received a few apologies and requests for forgiveness for behavior (from teenagers). It’s been amazing! Yesterday morning, I had a student ask me how to share Christ with a nonbeliever. I gave him some encouragement and direction and by the end of the night he messaged me back so excited to tell me that he had led them to Christ through what he had learned in Released Time! There is no greater feeling to be there during that moment or to hear the excitement from others when they can be a part of that amazing life change! If a Middle Schooler can be bold enough to stand up for their beliefs, why can’t you? 

This is a tough week for us all, but think back to what Jesus was going through during this week. His life on earth was about to end and He knew it. He knew His time had come and He would soon face the cross. He knew He had to prepare those around Him for what was to come. Can you imagine the pressure, the concern, the desire to encourage and prepare His children of the importance of the next few days. 

If you knew this were your last week on earth, your last week to physically be with your family and share the hope of Christ with them, what would you do differently? Who would you talk to? Would you use your “quiet” time in chaos to seek God’s direction and be His hands and feet, or would you focus on your life here and what you would miss, build up your kingdom on earth, and ignore those around you?

What can you do to make a difference? Do you honestly realize that your next breath is not promised, your days are numbered, and your time is limited. Look at the statistics for this terrible virus, life on earth is not eternal, only God is eternal. You get to choose where your eternity will be. You get to make the choice to be silent or share His love with others. Who can you tell about Easter today? Or anything else about God’s amazing plans? 

Don’t wait! Text that friend you know is bitter against God. Call the one that doesn’t believe. Open your eyes to the ones you are unsure of. Be the hands of feet of Jesus…before it’s too late.

“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Love and prayers! If you ever need someone to talk to, know that I’m here. Send me a message to KaylaRampey@yahoo.com and I would be glad to pray with you!

May God bless you and show you His grace every day! (As He always does)

Kayla Rampey

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:19-21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As quarantine continues, many people have found themselves ‘storing up treasures on earth.’ Just look around, grocery store shelves are empty, toilet paper has magically disappeared, and people are rushing in and out of stores with carts full of random items they don’t even really need. When the government shut down non essential stores like furniture, clothing, and craft stores, people panicked even more. Last

Friday, I drove by Lowes and Walmart and the parking lots were crammed pack! People were everywhere despite the risk of spreading the virus. 

Amazon and online shopping sales have spiked in the last few weeks as well. Since people are stuck at home, they are spending more time online shopping and improving their earthly homes with more items they don’t really need. Based on where their ‘treasures’ are being stored up, what do they find most important? Eternity or this world? 

People are so worried about their lives on earth that they aren’t even concerned with their eternity. 

The Bible says, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I challenge you to think of a way you can “build up your treasure in heaven” instead of on earth. 

By focusing on eternity, you’ll start to see how little and insignificant our earthly struggles are. Our struggles on earth are temporary just like our time. We need to use our time wisely and use it to bring others closer to God.

“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:21

Where are you treasures? Do you desire to bring others closer to God?

Change your focus. Change lives!

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!

Praying for you always!

Kayla Rampey 

When the quarantine started and schools were closed down, I really felt like I was being taken out of my mission field as the Released Time teacher at Pickens Middle. I felt lost, confused, and had no idea what to do next. I hated being away from my students. I knew that there was unfinished business they needed with the Lord, and I knew they needed God’s guidance through these hard times. 

God blessed me with an amazing Released Time team that came together to make a plan to connect with our students. After a few plans started, we were given access to Schoology so we could finally post lessons and encouragement for our students. 

It’s taken a few weeks to realize this but God’s not finished with me and this class yet. Being away from my students has allowed me to appreciate them even more and allowed them to reach out to me individually on a more personal level and ask for prayer when they are struggling. It’s been a time of worship and connection that I would’ve never had if we were always in a classroom setting. No one wants to open up when they are surrounded by their peers. I’ve loved getting emails from my students and being able to share God’s word with them. It’s been such a blessing to be in a different mission field. 

It’s been a time of growth, a time of learning, and a time for God to remind me (and hopefully others) that you are never taken out of your mission field, you are just introduced to another one.This world is your mission field. Wherever you are, whatever situation you are in, locked in your house, working from home, or just surrounded by neighbors that need encouragement, you can still serve the Lord.

Serve where you are. 

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!

Praying for you all!
Kayla Rampey

Not too long ago, I taught a lesson in Released Time on Noah’s ark and how Noah was given over 100 years to build the ark and warn the people that God was about to flood the earth and destroy all mankind. For over 100 years he stood strong in his faith and told others about God, but no one listened. They laughed at him, ignored him, and considered him crazy for building an ark before anyone had even seen or heard of rain. Noah had extreme faith and it saved his life and the life of his family.

A few lessons later, we learned about Joseph and how his older brothers hated him so much that they plotted to kill him. Their jealousy turned to anger that they could not control. First, they were going to throw him into a pit where he would surely die without food or water. Then, not by chance but by God’s will, an opportunity arose for the brothers to sell their brother into slavery. As they considered their options, they decided that it was better for them to sell him and make some money while also taking his blood off their hands. The brothers sold Joseph into slavery and lied to their father by telling him he had been killed by a wild animal.

Joseph’s path was not as he had planned, but God had a plan all along. Joseph started out working for Potipher, a leader in Egypt, where he gained his trust and more freedom in Potipher’s dwelling. Unfortunately, Potipher’s wife falsely accused Joseph and caused him to be thrown into prison. Potipher very easily could have had Joseph killed for what his wife accused him of, but instead, he threw him into prison. What sounds dreadful was actually God’s protection and part of His plan. While in prison, Joseph used his spiritual gift to interpret the dreams of prisoners. When Pharaoh had troubling dreams, he called upon all the magicians and wisemen to explain the meaning of his dream to him. No one was able. It was then that word got to Pharaoh that Joseph, a servant turned prisoner, could interpret dreams. The guards cleaned Joseph up and sent him before Pharaoh to explain his dreams to him.

Joseph told Pharaoh that the first dream and the second one were one in the same. When something is repeated more than once, it means it’s important. Both dreams meant that Pharaoh’s people would have 7 years of plentiful harvest followed by 7 years of famine.

In class, I asked the question, “If you knew that for 7 years you would make a ton of money, but after that you would be broke for 7 years, what would you need to do?” Most of you answered “save some of your money.”

 Since Joseph interpreted the dream, Pharaoh gave him rule over preparing for the future. Joseph insured that all people would put back 1/5 of their produce in preparation for the upcoming famine. His preparation saved thousands of lives.

When his brothers approached him and asked for food, they told him that they had one brother that died and a younger brother that stayed behind with their father, Israel. Joseph commanded them, without letting them know his identity, to go back home and bring their youngest brother back with them. He wanted to insure he was safe. When they brought him back, Joseph took all of his brothers into his home and revealed his identity as their brother to them. He didn’t yell at them for selling him into slavery or causing him years of struggles; instead, he welcomed them with forgiveness and had a feast for them. He told them that everything that had happened was part of God’s plan. He forgave them with mercy and grace. He then sent for his father, Israel, so he could seem him before he died. When he returned, Joseph welcomed him and provided land, food, and protection for his entire family. His faith in God saved his family and many other people from famine.

God protects and God provides when you trust in Him. Though we may be suffering today, God has a plan for everything that is going on. Trust in Him.

Dear Lord, I pray for each person that is reading this right now during this uncertain time. I pray that you will give them peace that only you can give them. Help for them to rely on you more and more. Increase their time in prayer. Encourage them with your Word. Lord, let the panic all around us lead people closer to you. I pray that people will take social isolation seriously to protect those around them and stop the spread of COVID-19. Lord, we know you are powerful and You alone can give us strength. I pray that though we are apart as families, churches, and friends, we will continue to stay connected to You in your Word and connected to each other to be there for those in need. Lord, thank You for who You are. In Jesus Name, Amen.

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!

-Kayla Rampey