My name is Brice Livingston. I'm twenty-two years old. I'm from upstate New York but I've been living in Honolulu, Hawaii sporadically since September of 2013. I have two incredible, Christian, parents who deserve every bit of honor I can give them. Through them I've learned to trust God and continually seek Him out in every situation, and so much more. So if you're reading this, Mom and Dad, thank you. Thank you so much.
I'm the third and final child in my family of five and after two years of community college I decided to join an inter-denominational mission's organization called Youth With A Mission. Since rededicating my life to Christ in December of 2011, things have been pretty exciting. I've shared a stage with a few famous bands, driven across the US, hiked in Nepal, surfed in Bali, had a gun trained on my head in Papua New Guinea, ordered pizza in the Philippines, strolled down the number one beach in America with the girl of my dreams and formed the best friendships anyone could ask for. But this is less about me as it is about my Father, and glory must be given where glory is due.
Thank You God for this life I live. Thank You for Your grace and love that outshine any kind of darkness within me. Thank you for redeeming me and showing me not how sinful I am, but showing me my worth and giving me purpose. My life is Yours. You're awesome and wonderful and mighty and there's nothing that stands in Your way. Teach me to fear You. Teach me to love You. Guide me and give me wisdom. Speak to me, and open my ears. I want to know who You are.
I'm the third and final child in my family of five and after two years of community college I decided to join an inter-denominational mission's organization called Youth With A Mission. Since rededicating my life to Christ in December of 2011, things have been pretty exciting. I've shared a stage with a few famous bands, driven across the US, hiked in Nepal, surfed in Bali, had a gun trained on my head in Papua New Guinea, ordered pizza in the Philippines, strolled down the number one beach in America with the girl of my dreams and formed the best friendships anyone could ask for. But this is less about me as it is about my Father, and glory must be given where glory is due.
Thank You God for this life I live. Thank You for Your grace and love that outshine any kind of darkness within me. Thank you for redeeming me and showing me not how sinful I am, but showing me my worth and giving me purpose. My life is Yours. You're awesome and wonderful and mighty and there's nothing that stands in Your way. Teach me to fear You. Teach me to love You. Guide me and give me wisdom. Speak to me, and open my ears. I want to know who You are.
I've recently discovered that universities sometimes accept "Life Experience" as credits toward a degree. (Which is good news for a prospective transfer student who's taken a few gap years.) Anyway, the reason I think they do that is because it's almost impossible to live and learn nothing. Although the lessons we learn may be different, they probably all hold value of some kind; great or small.
The following is a regurgitation of things I've heard or read in the past year that have had an impact on my life and have inspired me to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Satan is the father of lies, and his greatest lie I've swallowed is about my identity. How can a child know he's loved if he thinks he's an orphan? How can a soldier fight if he doesn't even know he's in the army? It makes sense that our identity in Christ is under attack. If I were Satan, I would do the same thing. So many times through my Christian walk I've identified with my sin rather than with the words of the Creator who spoke our universe into existence. And if God's words literally formed things out of whatever is less than thin air, I should probably believe Him when He says I'm free from condemnation and all my sins have been forgiven. God's words have power. And so do ours.
Instead of rebuking Satan and his lies, it's imperative to ignore them and speak the truth instead.
So I'm not an orphan. I'm not incapacitated. I'm not bound by sin. I'm not only as good as my last deed or mistake and I'm certainly not alone fending for myself. I have existed since before the world began. I was created in the image of the one, true, living God as His very own child, and before I was even born He knew the plans that He has for my life. I'm worth the life of a king, and not just any king; I'm worth the life of The King of Kings. I'm loved beyond anything I can imagine because there's no greater love than laying down your life for a friend. And that actually happened. Jesus loves me this I know... I AM weak but He is strong, and His Spirit of Holiness lives in me, empowering me to live this life, not for myself but for Him. And who can stand against me when the Lord, God Himself is for me? Every moment I'm on earth God's glory outshines Satan. Satan hates me and he wants to kill me because every time he sees me he sees my Father. And he can't kill my Father, he's already tried. So he thinks he can kill me instead. But he can't because I'm God's son and a father protects his son. The same power that brought Jesus back to life lives in me. I didn't chose Him, He chose me. He set this up.
The following is a regurgitation of things I've heard or read in the past year that have had an impact on my life and have inspired me to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Satan is the father of lies, and his greatest lie I've swallowed is about my identity. How can a child know he's loved if he thinks he's an orphan? How can a soldier fight if he doesn't even know he's in the army? It makes sense that our identity in Christ is under attack. If I were Satan, I would do the same thing. So many times through my Christian walk I've identified with my sin rather than with the words of the Creator who spoke our universe into existence. And if God's words literally formed things out of whatever is less than thin air, I should probably believe Him when He says I'm free from condemnation and all my sins have been forgiven. God's words have power. And so do ours.
Instead of rebuking Satan and his lies, it's imperative to ignore them and speak the truth instead.
So I'm not an orphan. I'm not incapacitated. I'm not bound by sin. I'm not only as good as my last deed or mistake and I'm certainly not alone fending for myself. I have existed since before the world began. I was created in the image of the one, true, living God as His very own child, and before I was even born He knew the plans that He has for my life. I'm worth the life of a king, and not just any king; I'm worth the life of The King of Kings. I'm loved beyond anything I can imagine because there's no greater love than laying down your life for a friend. And that actually happened. Jesus loves me this I know... I AM weak but He is strong, and His Spirit of Holiness lives in me, empowering me to live this life, not for myself but for Him. And who can stand against me when the Lord, God Himself is for me? Every moment I'm on earth God's glory outshines Satan. Satan hates me and he wants to kill me because every time he sees me he sees my Father. And he can't kill my Father, he's already tried. So he thinks he can kill me instead. But he can't because I'm God's son and a father protects his son. The same power that brought Jesus back to life lives in me. I didn't chose Him, He chose me. He set this up.
So, You are a child of a God who loves you so much that He died for you. You're part of God's kingdom with value and purpose. You are chosen. That's always been the truth. There's never been any other way. Now believe it. All you have to do is change the way you think. Submit to God, set your mind on things that are holy, hide God's word in your heart, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Ignore the lies and embrace the truth, know the truth, speak the truth. And the truth is Jesus Christ. Without Him there is no life.
