by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
Mar 31
Posted by Josh
I admit that I rarely allow discouragement to get the better of me. I typically am the type of person that allows most things to roll off my back and then move on. God has allowed me to go through alot of challenges in my life and in ministry but I can’t think of a time where I have been more discouraged. I understand and realize that God is definitely in control of all things and I suppose sometimes that is where discouragement seems to set in. Because in the reality of everything I am in control of nothing. It seems that lately I have been continually reminded of this. God has continued to teach me humility and sometimes that daily prayer that I say “God reveal in me those things that are not of You” just gets harder and harder. There are days I don’t want to say it but I continually am confronted with those thing that are not of God that are in my life.
I am so thankful that God has given me the opportunity to intern at making and I am doing one of the things that I love most which is ministering with students. I have had the opportunity to speak on Wednesdays and Sundays and it has been awesome sometimes to see the teens response the word of God. I have had numerous teens come and counsel with me after a message and tell me what God has spoken to them. In addition I have had adults do the same thing. God has truly blessed. However I know that God has called me to full time Christian Service and I guess that is where the discouragement comes in.
I t is so hard to know that God has called you to something and yet feel like you are not doing what God has called you to do. For the first time in my life I have questioned what God has called me to do. I know God has called me but I suppose it is hard when you sit back and you wait on Gods plan to unfold. So often we want things to happen so fast.
I have given my life to christian service. In the last 14 years I have served in two churches and have seen numerous teens come to know Christ as savior. I have seen numerous teens be baptized, and have seen numerous teens live out there faith. I pray that I have effected lives in ways that I will never know and I pray that God has somehow used me to change peoples lives forever. However I continue to find myself asking God “what about now God” God amI done? God are my days of full time ministry over? Have I done all that you wanted me to accomplish in full time ministry? I feel the answer comes back no that God has more for me. Oh but it is so hard when you cannot see it. This is just how I feel.
Uncategorized
by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
Apr 27
Posted by Josh
Yesterday (4-26) I had the awesome privilege of being a room host at our Regional Teens Involved.  If you are not familiar with Teens Involved it is a competition that is hosted by Word Of Life (if you are not familiar with them then that can be another blog) anyway at this competition teens can compete in 23 different categories.  Yesterday I hosted the instrumental room which was a riot for me because I know very little about music.  What I was so impressed with was the quality of teens that were in this competition. I had the wonderful opportunity to pray with every teen before they performed and to chat with them briefly and wow.  We hear so much bout our teens doing bad things and this and that but these teens wanted to be there.  These teens wanted to give what they had to the Lord.  Specifically I remember one young lady playing her violin and I was nearly moved to tears.  My heart was encouraged being with those teens.
My heart was also encouraged as I had the opportunity to hear two young men preach.  These young men are special to me as I have had the opportunity to be a part of their life and have even lead one of them to Christ.  It was so awesome to hear them clearly lay out the gospel and clearly give a plan of salvation.  It was neat to hear that they had taken my advice.  Though I am saddened to not be their Youth Pastor anymore do to my recent resignation (thats another blog), I am excited to see them live for the Lord.  Both these guys and many others hold a special place in my heart more so then they or anyone else will probably ever know.  Guys if you read this you did an awesome job and I am so proud of you,
Teens are the church of now and into the future and it is a joy to see them serve. Â I would encourage you if you are involved in a church what are you passing on to those that are below you. Â Look for someone to get involved with and pass the things of God on to them.
My Thoughts, Spiritual Application, Uncategorized
by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
It has been along time since I have posted primarily because I have been so busy. I know that is hard to believe that I have been busy without a job but I sure I have been. Rather than update about Mike Erre’s book (I will do that later) I thought I would just give some things that have been going on in my life.
I’ll start with the crusade we recently had. I meet with one of our Pastors pretty regularly and I really enjoy the time I get to spend with him. Leading up to the crusade he asked me if I would like to help with train the counselors I of course jumped at the opportunity because this is the very thing I love to do. So I spent a few nights getting things ready and going over the training and then we trained the counselors for two evenings, to be ready for the response we were expecting during the crusade. The Impact Macon Crusade was February 22-25 and I was there every night. We saw God move in a remarkable way during that week we saw over 100 decisions for Christ and over 90 0n one night. I must say I was not ready for over 90 people to respond to the gospel that night but it was wonderful. Hey they were all counseled to.
Secondly I was asked if I could teach a book of the Bible to the youth what book would it be. I replied I would go through the book of James and the response was “why don’t you teach it” of course I jumped at that any time I get a chance to teach some teens I am going to do it. So on Sunday nights I am taking our Student Overflow through James. I pray and hope they are enjoying it. I have already taught through James so I already have the messages done, but if you know me you know I spend a great deal of time with message prep even if I have already done it before and making sure I am saying what the Lord wants me to say.
Thirdly the first week in March I started taking over the Wednesday evening teaching to the Youth. This has been going great once again I love teaching the teens. On Wednesdays I typically play a game with them and then we go over prayer requests and then I teach. I desire to see both these ministries grow tremendously and I have seen God definitely working on the hearts of some of the teens that come.
Fourthly I received a call from the principal here at Atlanta school and was asked if I could come in and teach Science while the current teacher is away on maternity leave. I accepted the position. Which if you are a teacher you know the work that gos into lessons and so forth. So for the next few weeks I am now a Science teacher. I must say that teaching in the public school is a lot different then teaching in Christian School, or teaching at church, however the kids seem to like me as a teacher and some even thanked me for teaching.
Finally all of this has been happening while still sending out resumes (required for state aid) and while going through an interview process with a church that is interested me. So yeah I have been busy but hey I like being busy. Please pray I will be directed to the church God wants me at and that I will know it and so will the church.
by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
Last-night I was a busy person.  I headed to Deleware to meet with some friends, then off to Philadlelphia Biblical University, then to Lehigh Baptist Church, then back to Deleware then finally home.  I had an awesome night except for in my way home there right in the middle of 176 these guys decided they wanted to race.  So as I am going about 70 there are two cars stopped next to each other man I thought I was going to hit someone.  What does that have to do with God fighting our battles right.
Well while I was at Lehigh Baptist Church this verse was read. Â
 He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” Hezekiah’s words greatly encouraged the people. 2 Chronicles 32:8 (NLT)
I have not been able to shake that verse from me head. Â I have had a lot of questions come my way and a whole lot of thought. Â I have listened to alot of truth, half truths, and downright lies, over the past few weeks. Â There are times that I have wanted to tell people to stick it. Â There are probably times where I have told people to stick it in no uncertain terms. Â There are many times that I just want to go to battle but this verse says “we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us.” Â I dont need to fight the battles God will fight them for me. Â I don’t need to defend things that people think might be wrong or are uncertain of.
I often think of the days when we will get to heaven. Â Praise the Lord that there will be no “you said this” and “I heard this”. Â There will not be anyone complaining because they had there feelings hurt or because something did not go their way. Â There will not be people fighting and arguing about this or that. Â There will be no meetings to figure things out because none of it will matter. Â I know in my life I have thought about things that were not right or have thought I was not treated right but in the end when I stand before God it will not matter. Â I long for that day. Â Until then God will keep on fighting.
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by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
Sep 16
Posted by Josh
Last-night on “Hannity and Colmes” Gianna Jessen shared some of her story.  If Obama was president at her birth she would be dead.  She handles herself well.  Check out the video.  This issue is going to heat up in this election especially with the fact that Sarah Palin’s baby Trig being born with Down Syndrome.  It is estimated that between 80 and 90 percent of all pregnancies diagnosed with Down Syndrome are murdered.  Watch the video below.
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
May 13
Posted by Josh
Wow these last few days have been extremely crazy for me.  It all started yesterday.  My wife said she was having alot more contractions and our baby is at 32 weeks in addition she said she had not felt the baby move for awhile.  So I told her it was better to be safe then sorry and to call the dr.  She took my advice and the dr. sent us to hospital to get it checked out.  This was our 5th trip to the hospital during this pregnancy.  While there the nurse ran some tests and said that her water had broke and she was admitted.  We both thought that id were water had broke then our child would be born that night.  We were obviously wrong. Â
So I spent the night in an uncomfortable chair and got about 3 hours of sleep before coming home showering and heading back to the hospital.  When I got back to the hospital we received good news.  The nurse said that another test was negative and that her water may not have broke so if she got three negatives she would be allowed to come home tonight.  However, you guessed it the next two showed signs that her water may have broke.  Confused?  Me too.  So they decided to keep her.  Not sure how long maybe until the baby is born we do not know. Â
So in the middle of this I received a phone call from a Pastor who had been in contact with me about the possibility of becoming their Youth Pastor.  The kicker is everything with this church at the moment is matching up perfectly.  Well other then it will be 1,000 miles from our family still.  But everything else is perfect it is almost too good.  New building, in a place I have always wanted to live, more of a rural setting, Is this from the Lord?  God please make it known to me. Â
In addition to all this my mom will be here next Friday and I have so much to get done for the move.  The plan is to send everything back to Missouri but my wife may still be in the Hospital?  This is crazy.  If you got some advice give it.
Sorry for the rambling just needed to say something.
Life, My Thoughts, Uncategorized
