Guest Blogger Day

Today I have a guest blogger: Ashley Phillips. She's a Salvationist from the South, whom I met at The War College in Vancouver. Today she wrote the following on facebook and I was so impressed, I wanted to share it with you. Looks like our TSA future is in good hands, huh?


Blood and Fire Baby!
I got this new sense of pride today. But not pride in a sinful way. Pride like I have in my country. Almost like a patriotism. For The Salvation Army.

I don't know where it came from. But I am not complaining that it did come.

I was talking to Tammi last night about my preliminary testing this Thursday for training. And she asked me if i was nervous. And of course my first response was to say yeah, i hate tests . . . I have never been one of those people who can pass any test that is put in front of them. But i thought about her question...and i had this epiphany.

I am 100% sure in my heart that God wants me to be a Salvation Army Officer. So, why be nervous about some tests to become one? Sure, i may not be the most theologically smart person in the world...and I may not be psychiatrically sane all the time (who is really?) . . . and yeah, I get the doctrines confused sometimes (and I'm not the only one! . . . We believe that whosoever will may be saved!) But I love this army. I love the mission of this army. I love Jesus, and I know God has so much in store for this army that our generation will bring to life.

Guys . . . we are the future of this Army! That is some pretty exciting stuff! I mean . . . just think . . . We are going to see God do things in this army that will blow us away. All these things that burden us about this army, God wants to use us to change. And we are going to be his workers. His Servants. His Soldiers. God wants to use you! What an honor! If that doesn't excite you, then somethings wrong! The creator of this whole universe . . . the One who made every tree, mountain, river, ocean, and star beautiful and breathtaking . . . The guy who knitted you in your mothers womb to be exactly who you are today . . . He wants to use you! Will you let him? Will you let Him send you to places of darkness where the Love of God has never been preached? Whether that means in a far away country, or a few yards away to your neighbors door . . . will you go? Will you trust Him to guide you? We need to cast out this complacency that has hit this generation. This idea that as long as we are saved then that's all we need to do. Because that breaks God's heart. He wants to use us. Will you let Him?

In the words of our great founder: "We must wake ourselves up! Or somebody else will take our place, and bear our cross, and thereby rob us of our crown."

If I rise on the wings of the dawn
If I settle on the far side of the sea
Even there your hand will guide me
If I say, The darkness will hide me
And the light will become night around me
Even there your hand will guide me
Darkness will not be dark to you
It will shine like the day Darkness is as light to you
For even there your hand will guide me.
-Psalm 139:8-12