God says, “  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

Is your past holding you back from the future God has planned for you?

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 1 Corinthians 5:17

Trust Him. Know that His forgiveness is not conditional. His love is everlasting. He is there for you.

He also says we are a new creation when we are in Him. We are no longer who we used to be – and if you are – if Christ really in you?

 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 34:18-19

Trust in Him.

After forgiving yourself for your past, move forward continuously and forgive others as well.

“But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:15

Forgiveness is hard but not being forgiven by your Heavenly Father….how would that make you feel?

As a review from Wednesday night when I spoke at Six Mile Baptist Church, “Forgiveness takes faith, trust Him, and always rely on His direction for your life.”

Who has done you wrong? Who needs to ask you for forgiveness?

That’s an easy one. Most people know of at least one person that has hurt them in the past that either they want them to ask for forgiveness or basically they want them to cease to exist? Am I right?

The Bible tells us to love everyone, but what about our enemies? I don’t know about you but I’ve been hurt pretty bad by some people that I just don’t know how to forgive – and honestly – I’m still working on forgiving some people in my life. It’s not easy. Go back to John 16:33 – Life is not going to be easy. BUT GOD has overcome the world! 

There aren’t steps to forgiveness or levels of people who deserve it. God simply says, “ forgive others and I’ll forgive you.”

OUCH.

Here are a few other verses that will encourage you to forgive yourself, forgive others, and move forward in faith. 

Romans 12:20-21 

To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Luke 6:27-28 

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

Proverbs 24:17 

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

Matthew 5:38-39 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Luke 10:27 

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

1 John 1:8 

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

John 14:26 

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.   (HE WILL HELP YOU DO WHAT YOU THINK YOU COULD NEVER DO – FORGIVE)

Galatians 2:20 

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 It all boils down to this…follow His commandments. Simple. Forgive. Let go and let God show you what He can do with your present and your future. You will find joy again. Just have faith and trust Him.

John 14:15 

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Mark it in your Bible, write it on your mirror, memorize this verse as you follow His will for your life.

May God Bless You and Show You His Grace Every Day!

Kayla Rampey

Sundays are always memorable, but some Sundays are just days you’ll never forget. You’ll never forget the day you got saved, the day you looked over and saw a friend in tears and all you could do is hug her and pray, or the day you heard a message that sounded like the Pastor was talking directly to you (from God) and to no  one else. Those are days you’ll never forget.

Yesterday, before the opening music even ended, a young girl walked up and asked Preacher Jamie if we could have special prayer for a teenager that died in a car accident the night before. The thought of a 17 year old dying so young is devastating, but to hear later that she was in the car with a drunk driver and other young teens, it’s terrifying.

Ladies, please be careful. My son always says he’s going to get to Heaven before his brother because he’s older. He’s 5 and his brother is 2 but death has no age and no one is promised tomorrow. There will be days and times in your life (at all ages) that you feel invincible like nothing or no one could harm you or take your life away, but in a split second, you could be facing eternity. Where will you spend eternity? Are you ready for that day?

I still remember the first teenager that I knew that passed away at a young age. Adam Harris was in my youth group and suffered from heart trouble off and on all of his life. He was so tough and just flat out hilarious! Everyone loved him! We spent our Summers racing jet skis on the lake and going on youth trips with the church. He was always fun to hang out with and just listen to. He had the greatest Southern accent/drawl I guess you could say. I can still hear it now just thinking about him. He was a friend to everyone.

After a bad four wheeling accident, multiple surgeries, he didn’t  recover and bounce back as quickly as we hoped he would. All I know is one day I woke up and my mom told me he was gone. He was too young to die. He had his whole life in front of him but he was gone…just like that.

I’ll never forget that first Sunday going to church and he wasn’t there. I thought I was strong enough to sit there and listen to the sermon and funny stories we could all tell, but I couldn’t. I remember going down the steps crying my way out. I couldn’t handle it.

Today, as I sat in church, at 30 years old, my heart broke for the teens and the families that were broken for the loss of their friend. When I got home and heard that a 19 year old was driving drunk when the accident happened, my anger turned to sorrow. Yes, the driver was completely and utterly in the wrong, but why were they drinking in the first place? Where did they get the alcohol? None of that matters but what does matter is that the driver woke up from that accident and one of the passengers didn’t. Can you imagine the guilt, the pain, the anger at yourself? Life is short. Don’t make it shorter by making bad decisions.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say this again, program my number in your phone and I will pick you up – no questions asked – and take you home safely. 864-915-8094 (KAYLA RAMPEY) and yes text works too  – I am a mom – I wake up anytime my phone rings, beeps, or buzzes and I will be there for you if you get in a situation you need help out of. I’m not here to judge you, but I am here if you need help or just someone to talk to. Don’t live life alone or in a fog using alcohol of drugs to cover up your pain. It’s not worth it, I promise.

And if you can’t get me – call an adult you can trust and find someone that has not been drinking AT ALL to just take you home. I’ve been there, I’ve done that, it’s not worth the risk of maybe or maybe not making it home alive. Get a ride – save your life and he lives of others.

My dad told me hundreds of times the same thing yet I never called him. I’m ashamed to say that there were nights I’m not sure how I made it home. All I know is God had a better plan for my life and his protection is the only way I survived my rebellion. Not everyone survives. Don’t waste your life running from God and trying to do things your way, run to Him, and let Him change your life.

Yesterday, at the end of the service, 2 young ladies walked to the front to pray. Shortly after they kneeled down, a few more came behind them. One by one, two by two, crowds circled around them and just prayed. That was powerful…the power of prayer not only reaches God in Heaven but it reaches those around you. It encourages, it displays His love, and it inspires others to step up and trust in Him.

There are times that honestly you won’t know what to say or what to do to make someone feel better, but you can pray. You can grab there hand, no matter where you are, and simply pray for them.

Youth – you can be an encouragement to kids, teens, and even adults. Just last week, I was working at the Easley Fall for the Arts Festival when a young lady walked up to me from church and asked me how I was doing. (for those of you that don’t know I’ve had a lot of health problems for the last 6-8 months – and it’s really gotten me down and depressed at times). I told her I was getting better and then we talked a minute and she asked if she could pray for me….right then….right there. WOW. With people all around, in public, a teenager put her hand on my shoulder and just prayed that God would give me peace, heal my body, and answer my prayers. Tears came to my eyes as I realized I needed to do that more often. It was such a blessing to me.

Teens – you can make a difference. You can be the change this world needs. Step up and show the world Who God really is!

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

Do you struggle with anxiety or depression?  At some point in life, whether it’s right now or happened years ago or years in the future, anxiety will try to steal your joy. As women, we are emotional, compassionate, and caring. The world wants us to be independent, strong, and confident, but we all know that’s not how we are every day. Even as an adult, I struggle to be strong and confident. The girls that look confident, strong, independent, and happy could be breaking down on the inside. We’ve all heard the saying “Never judge a book by it’s cover,” but have you ever thought about why? Just the other day, a friend of mine told me that she noticed one of her students was acting different during class. Normally she was bubbly and energetic, talkative and smiling, but that day, she was just quiet. When her grandmother picked her up, she asked her if the girl was feeling okay. The girl’s grandmother looked up and said, “She’s going to be okay but her parents both went to court today and lost custody of her. They’re both going to jail.” The beautiful bubbly little girl that always had a smile on her face was broken on the inside. Who do you know that’s hiding behind a smile?

Challenge: This week I want you to go on a scavenger hunt. I want you to search the word anxiety in the Bible App and find resources that can help you when you struggle. There are tons of 5-10 day Bible Studies that can help you on your toughest days. If you need more help, reach out to a friend, ask them to pray with you and help you find the joy in your life. Take a stack of note cards and write down scripture that will help you along this journey. Post them around your room or carry them with you for instant comfort. Whatever you do, don’t give up! You are a child of God, precious, and chosen. Choose joy and choose to let God win.

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

As you wake up in the morning, ask yourself, “Who do I want to look like today?” The world will tell you to look like the models on TV, your favorite singer with the perfect hair, or even the most popular girl in school, but what does the Bible say?

The Bible tells us to look at ourselves and see Christ. When you become a Christian, you let go of who you used to be and let God create you as a new person. It’s not an instant transformation, but with the will of the Father, and the devotion of a follower, Christ will change your life. The word “Christian” can be broken down to mean “little Christs.

An identical twin has 99% of the exact same DNA and traits as their sibling. It’s been said that twins even think some of the same thoughts at the same time. Have you ever heard of “twin talk?” Basically, some twins swear that they have a connection with their sibling that can’t be explained. They feel what their twin feels and know exactly what the other one is thinking or feeling during any given situation. I’m not a twin, so my sister and I didn’t have this kind of “connection” but if you are a twin…I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Imagine yourself as a twin of Christ. Would your traits be the same? Would they be 99% like Christ or maybe 75%? 50%? 10%? Where would you fall in connection with Christ? Do you hurt for what He hurts for? Do you desire what He desires?

The fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control

Do you love like Christ? Have joy like Christ?

Are you at peace because of Christ? Are you patient? Kind? Good?

How faithful are you? When you find yourself in a hard situation, do you handle it with gentleness and self-control?

When you are in school, why do you take tests? You take tests so the teacher can see how much you have learned.

In life, you are tested so the teacher (God) can see how much you have learned. These tests come in the form or troubles and hard situations. Your true colors come out when you face tests. How do you react during hard times? Do you always pass the tests God gives you?

Don’t worry, no one is perfect, and you are going to fail time and time again. If you were just like Christ and never sinned, you wouldn’t need Christ to direct your path. Our struggles teach us to rely on God, trust His plan, and stay focused on who He wants us to be.

Challenge: Write down the fruits of the spirit on your mirror. At the end of the day, ask yourself, “Who did I look like today?” Rate your fruits, grade your own paper.

Today I looked like Christ, by showing others: __________

Love____    Joy_____     Peace_____     Kindness_____     Goodness_____     Faithfulness_____     Gentleness_____     Self-Control_____

 

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

As a young child, I thought I was doing the right thing by walking down the aisle and saying the ABC salvation prayer that I was taught to say. I knew my family members wanted me to do this. I didn’t understand it, but I knew the importance. I cried thinking that one day I would be without my family in heaven. I didn’t want that and I didn’t want to hinder anyone else from getting saved just because I didn’t take that first step. I didn’t fully understand the concept of salvation or really what I was as doing at the time but I did it anyway. Later, I was baptized and continued to live my life thinking I was saved. I mean, I was barely over toddler age when I walked the aisle. It seemed every time someone would preach on salvation I would feel convicted or like I wasn’t saved at all, but I kept convincing myself I was. Once again, saved and baptized at a young age. Even in my testimony, I’ve said I was saved as a child then came back to God, but I now know I was wrong.

In my early teenage years I turned my back on God and the church and did things my way. I rebelled for years and stopped going to church all together when I was old enough to work and drive on my own. I started working at 15 so I slowly started getting out of church because of work and I just didn’t want to go. In college, I continued to do my own thing with no worries or thoughts of being wrong. I was always right at that time. 

But then one day, after my boyfriend and I had been living  together for a few years, his grandfather passed away. At his funeral, my husband said they talked about what kind of legacy will you leave behind? What will people remember about you when you are gone? He was truly convicted by this and decided that the it was time we turned our lives around. He told me right then that he was going to church in the morning with or without me. I didn’t think he was serious but Sunday morning came and he got up to go to church. Shocked, I found some “churchy” clothes and went with him. For a while we bounced back and forth from my childhood church, Elljean Baptist church in Pickens, to his childhood church, New Beginnings Baptist Church in Six Mile. I felt like everyone was staring at the “prodigal son” when we walked in the church. I knew I needed Jesus in my heart but I never was ready to admit until one day at New Beginnings. My heart raced, I gripped the pew, and tears poured that Sunday morning in July of 2009 as I realized I had never truly been saved. I didn’t have Jesus in my heart and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing with my life. That day, I prayed to God like I meant it, not just the ABC prayer I quoted as a child, but a sincere prayer that secured my salvation. I knew from that moment on, I was saved. At the time, my tears embarrassed me and I ran out the door as soon as I could and put my sunglasses on so no one could tell I was crying the whole service. My pride was a work in progress to get rid of. Years passed by and I felt like something was still missing. I continued on in life and started teaching some with the youth, my husband was licensed to preach, and eventually we were youth leaders at 3 different churches. Every time I taught on baptism or listened to the preacher preach about it, I convinced myself I was ok because I was baptized as a child but I still felt convicted.  Baptism doesn’t save you – it’s just an “outward expression of an inward confession” letting others know you have changed. . My pride kept me from talking to any pastor about getting baptized. What would people think? I was a youth leader, taught and even directed VBS for 3 years, and led conferences for teenage girls. What would people think if I got baptized almost 9 years after being saved??? Time and time again, I questioned myself and even spoke with my husband about it and prayed about it with him. Then I finally told him, “I feel like I’m telling God no every Sunday.” I knew what God wanted me to do but I wouldn’t do it because of my pride. Last Sunday, May 27th 2018, I walked the aisle and told pastor Jamie it was time I got baptized. He prayed with me and guess what, I’m getting baptized next Sunday, June 3rd at East Pickens Baptist Church almost 9 years after getting saved.

Baptism doesn’t save you but it does show others you are not ashamed of your salvation and you’ve changed your life for Him. When you go under the water it represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You are showing others that you are a new person in Christ.

The Bible says over and over again for us, as disciples of Christ, to “go and baptize others in His name.” 

Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”

The Bible also tells us that we should not be ashamed of our salvation or let our pride get in our way of following His commands. 

Matthew 10:32“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in Heaven.”

Mark 16:16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16

I’ll end with this, don’t let your pride or your worries about what others will think, hold you back from doing God’s will. I told God no for several years and lived a life “thinking” I was saved and could do whatever I wanted. Then when I realized what I had done, and asked God for forgiveness and salvation in 2009, I still let my pride hold me back from baptism for almost 9 years! (Man, I’m stubborn!) 

No one is perfect, and no one knows what tomorrow holds, so secure your salvation today and be baptized to let everyone know what God is doing in your life. As Pastor Jamie said Sunday, “this is a time of celebration!” I look forward to celebrating my salvation with my baptism on Sunday! 

-Kayla Rampey

May God Bless You and Show you His Grace every day!

This blog is not just for Seniors. It’s for High School Seniors, Rising Seniors, teens of all ages, or even Seniors from years ago. In other words, it’s for everyone. I think this Biblical advice is relevant for all ages but especially for those graduating and entering a whole new phase in life. So here it goes:

Dear Seniors (and everyone else),

I know you’ve heard it all. “This is the first day of the rest of your life.” “Congratulations! Welcome to the real world!” “Your future awaits you!” And of course, “God has a plan for you just stay close to Him!”

I could sit here and tell you all the same things and more, but I’m not. Instead, I want to give you Biblical advice for the future.

First of all, “this is the first day of the rest of your life” is kind of crazy when you think of it. The day you were born was the first day of the rest of your life. Even before that, God had a plan for your life and knew it from start to finish.

Second, “Your future awaits you” well sort of but as we speak, your future is happening. Every step you take is one step further into the future. The future won’t just “wait” for you. It’s there whether you are ready or not. My advice to you is to look to the future by looking to God. Don’t look to the future and look for dollar signs, your future Mr. Right, or anything else – just keep your eyes on God and your future will become the future He has planned for you.

And “God has a plan for you.” I love this one because it always is true. No matter what stage of life you are in, graduating, getting married, getting a job, growing old, etc., this statement will always be true. God had a plan for you the day you were born. (even before you were born He knew the plans for your life)

There’s an old hymn that goes, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future and life is worth the living just because He lives.” If you grew up in a Southern Baptist Church, I’m sure you’ve heard the song. In my mind, I can still hear every word to it just as I can “Amazing Grace.” In his 80s my Papa would stand in the choir with tears in his eyes and sing this song without ever once looking at the hymnal. He knew every word and I know he believed them just as much. Every night, he would bow beside his bed and pray, every day he would thank God for giving him another day to serve Him. He was a Christian example that I will always look up to. He passed away almost 2 years ago, but his life forever changed mine.

I want you to look around you as you grow up, who do you see? In your life, from here on out, you’ll see WAY more people than you did in High School. You won’t see the same faces every day, and believe it or not, you may never see them again. Life gets busier and I pray that you’ll use every chance you get to be a Christian example to others.

So who do you see around you now?

At my age, I see my husband and my children, my co-workers and a bunch of patients that come into our office each week, my extended family, and my church. Outside of my direct view, I see strangers walking through the grocery store, neighbors that I don’t even know their names, and thousands of different people on the road or in passing that I may never see again.

What kind of influence am I making on them? At night, they can’t see me kneel with my children and my husband to pray. In my private time, they don’t know what how much time I spend studying the Bible. So what do they see when they see me? In the brief seconds they see me in passing, what do they see?

Ask yourself the same question every day. “What do people see when they see me?” If your answer isn’t Jesus, you need to really think about what matters most in life. The Bible says we are to be like Christ. In 1 John 2, the Bible says, “3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”

When you look in the mirror, who do you see? When life gets busy, it’s hard to see God. You get distracted, you get busy, and you just don’t have time to slow down and spend time with God. My advice to you is to never get too busy for God. I pray that God will place people in your life that will see Jesus in you and forever be changed by your influence. Be the example that my Papa was to me, and don’t wait until you’re a grandparent to be an example. I know, most testimonies go something like this, “I was close to God as a child, I grew up and left God for a while to party in college, do drugs, or something crazy like that, and then I came back to God and now I’m amazing following Him.” Your story doesn’t have to be that way. Your story can be greater by the influence you can make on others in college, in life, and in this world just by being like Christ always.

It’s a challenge, a daily challenge to wake up and be like Christ, but if you pray and you stay close to Him, in His Word, and living for Him by His commandments, you can do it!

I want you to know I’m praying for you, and I’m here for you! You can always message or call me anytime! College, school, life, work, whatever stage of life you are in, I’m just a phone call and a prayer away. Send me a text and I’ll pray for you! (864) 915-8094

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

Kayla Rampey

“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:37-47‬ ‭NASB‬‬
http://bible.com/100/act.2.37-47.nasb

In my reading this morning, I tried to imagine what it would be like if everyone acted like this today. What if 3,000 people were saved in 1 church service; better yet by a missionary standing on the street. Today,  we get excited about 1 soul getting saved – can you imagine 3,000? My husband just came back from a mission trip in Cuba and he came back so excited to tell us about the eagerness of the people to learn about God. He said one day they walked through a tobacco field to get to a small home and talk to a family about Jesus. 2 people were saved in that home. Can you imagine what those 2 people can do in that small village if they “go and tell”like we are called to do. Dustin went on and on about how happy the people were wherever they went. There were no cars, a few horses and buggies and bicycles but not even a Walmart! And can you imagine – no WiFi?!!!! I know scary! But these people were happy with what they had. No AC, no WiFi, no shopping besides open markets… and they were happy.

Maybe we are missing the point: happiness is not about the “stuff” you have. It’s about Who you have around you – and the best person to be around you is Jesus Christ.

With Jesus in your heart you’ll want to act like the people in th scripture above, You’ll desire to share His Word, and you’ll find out what real joy is.

One more story and I’m done – last week while my husband was in Cuba for 7 days – my hotwater heater flooded….27,000 gallons or water….under my hous over the last 2 months. Apparently a small leak turned to a big leak and busted a week ago. My water company called with concern and to tell me my water bill was going to be outrageous- so I grabbed my flashlight aka my phone and crawled under my house to check it out. BTW make sure you always kno where a flashlight is in your house. Phones are Great but not for crawling under the house. It didn’t take long for me to find the leak and step in water. I called my dad – no answer. I couldn’t call my husband – no service in Cuba. And then I called on of my church friends, Amber. For some reason, her husband answered. I was almost in tears and asked him if he could come check it out. We’ve only known this couple since last Fall but they have been such a blessing to us – that’s a story for another day – but that day – Jon came to my house, checked out everything and decided I needed a new hotwater heater. $$$ is all I could see. He removed the old one, helped me find a new one with a good cost and rebate from my power company, and the next day he installed it himself for no cost at all. I had hot water by lunchtime. Sometimes sharing God’s love is not by telling others abou Him – it can be by serving others and helping those in need. I tried to tell him we would repay him and he said no, he just loves to help others. Be thankful and be blessed for what you have and who you have around you!

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!

 

Can you imagine for a minute that you are a “DAUGHTER OF A KING?’

In this world, you would have a crown, a luxurious life, and a life that little girls would dream of. People would envy you for your glory and the blessings and possessions that you have. For example, a crown so beautiful that it lights up the room when you you walk in, a beautiful home or castle that has more rooms that you’ll ever need., and a Father that is a King.

The truth is, you don’t have to imagine this. This is your life. If you are a follower of Christ/Christian, you are a child of God, a daughter of the One True King.

On this Earth, you might not have the best clothes, biggest house, or even a crown that you can wear around to let people know your status, but as a daughter of God, you are special, you are unique, and you have been blessed with the Holy Spirit that will give you the Light to brighten any room, brighter than any crown you’ve ever seen.

Your Heavenly Father , the King of all Kings, loves you, cares and adores you for who you are in His will for your life.

I saw a quote the other day that really doesn’t have too much to do with this blog, but I have to share it:

“God invites us to come as we are, not stay as we are.” – Timothy Keller

When you become a daughter of a King, act like one. That’s the best way I can put it.

Be joyful in the fact that your King, your Heavenly Father, loved you enough to send His Son to die for your sins on the cross, the bear a crown of thorns, and suffer life in human form.

Be joyful that you are alive. Every breath you taken is given from God. Don’t waste it.

For those of you that don’t know, I work at Community Chiropractic in Easley as the Practice Representative. I go to a lot of Marketing Events, Festivals, and even Farmer’s Markets in the Upstate promoting my office.

In the same way, we are Representatives of Christ. How well are you representing Him?

Just yesterday, my job sent me to a place where God needed me to be. He sent me to jail. No, I’m not in jail and I did not do anything to go to jail. As the PR for Community Chiropractic, I visited the Dispatchers that take 911 calls for the Upstate to say Thank you for all that they do. They recieve heart breaking calls every day, and leave work not knowing what happened or even if that person survived. They are unspoken heroes we should be thankful for every day.

First, I went to the City of Easley, dropped off some goodie bags and moved on to the County Jail where the dispatchers are located. As I spoke to the clerk about our office and how much we appreciated our dispatchers, I overheard a police officer talking to a family member of that had lost a loved one in a shooting. He was handing over his possessions to the woman and going through each item one by one. The clothing could not be returned due to the severity of the accident, and more than that the lady standing there would never see her loved one again. In tears, she stood there questioning the cop why someone could  be so cruel and why she would never be able to see her family member again? She was broken and searching for hope.  My heart was breaking for her and I wanted to just run up and hug her and pray her but she was so busy with the police officer that I was unable to speak with her. As I walked out, I saw a car with two young children in the back, both in tears. I imagined they were family members of the victim. It could’ve been their brother, father, or someone else that meant a lot to them. Either way, that family needs our prayers.

As I sat in my car, safe and sound, my family safe at home, I remembered how blessed I am.

No, my life isn’t always perfect, and yes, I do have bad days, but I am a child of God and He always sees me through my darkest days.

I prayed for this woman and her family as I drove home, and I ask that you do the same. I don’t know the families name, who died, or even the whole situation, but I do know a life was lost and a family is struggling right now.

Thank God for your family even when you don’t agree, tell them you love them every day, and always remember, YOU are a DAUGHTER OF A KING.

May God Bless You and Show you His Grace every day!

-Kayla Rampey

Dear Drivers or soon to be Drivers, road construction is not fun.

The other day, I was driving down the road in Pickens and they were repaving both sides of the road at the same time. For those of you that aren’t driving yet, this can be super annoying. First of all, there is no place to go. Then, they block off roads you always need to go down, and worse than that, the little orange cones are everywhere! The cones alone make me nervous. Then, if your car is clean, it’s going to get rocks all over it and black dust from the machines and such, and overall, it’s just annoying. It takes an extra 15-20 minutes to get through each mile and sometimes – it confuses your GPS so much you just want to cry.  Not to scare you, but if you live in a bigger city than Pickens, I can imagine it’s a lot worse. Therefore, I live in Pickens. Ok, so that maybe my description was a little dramatic, but the point is, it takes time to get through the rough patches. There are obstacles you have to maneuver around, and sometimes, there are even red flags  or signs telling you to stop and wait or yellow signs telling you to slow down. Drivers, you can’t avoid this…there will always be constructions zones in life.

Sound familiar? Road construction is just like life. Rough patches take time, they take red signs telling you to stop, yellow signs telling you to slow down while others pass by, and even little orange cones for you to maneuver around before you get through the rough patch. But luckily, it ends. And when road construction finally ends, the road is so smooth and amazing! It’s just like you get to glide through life again. But be warned, after a few million steps on that same road, construction will be back. So believe in the good times, they are coming, and when you struggle through construction, stay strong, smooth roads aren’t too far away. The construction, the struggles, the pain that you are going through today, right now, is working it’s way out. Maybe you’re at the red sign waiting for God to telling you when to move forward. Or maybe your stuck in traffic behind hundreds of other people that seem to be passing on by like nothing is wrong in their world. Either way, whatever obstacle or cone you are trying to get around, remember to focus on God. Focus on the Finish line, the ONE reason you are here, and the obstacles don’t seem so bad, they just remind you that God is molding you into the person He wants you to be.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Collossians 3:1-3

Stay strong ladies!

Construction is almost over!

May God Bless you and Show you His Grace every day!