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The Lord Is My Shepherd

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:46:00 +0000
Psalm 23 is a powerful chapter and it begins with "The Lord is my shepherd."

More than just a figurative name, the Lord literally guides, protects, grows, loves, and changes our identity from being just a sheep to being one of His sheep. This changes everything. As a sheep is dependent upon its shepherd for everything, so are we on Christ our Shepherd. As a sheep is dependent upon its shepherd for provision, so are we on Christ our Shepherd. As a sheep must completely trust its shepherd, we do as well on Christ our Shepherd.

Learning to live in Christ in the reality of Him being our Shepherd is learning to live a life of total dependence on Him and trusting Him to be in control, to know what He's doing, and that He will always do what is best.

My prayer today is that those who know Him as their Shepherd will walk in complete dependence on Him - our guide, our protector, our perfecter, our lover, our provider, our life, and our Shepherd.

Living From A New Source

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:53:00 +0000

God has used a guy in my life in incredible ways for the past 6+ years. His name is Bill Loveless and he founded Christ Is Life Ministries.

There have been countless times where God has used Bill in my life to speak truth to me and to bring me out of lies that I have believed about God, me, others, and living this life. He has now made available a free resource online that is definitely worth your time.

He wrote a curriculum titled "Living Life From A New Source" and has made the video curriculum available online for free. You can watch the series here!

Here is the Introduction to the series:


CILM - Living Life From A New Source - Intro from Bill Loveless on Vimeo.

Being Lifted

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:06:00 +0000
One of the elements of the human adventure that is common among everyone throughout history is the reality of difficulties and adversity. There are millions of opinions and suggestions, countless books written, and entire religions built around trying to find a way through these circumstances.

How do you deal with difficulties in your own life? Where do you turn? What is your hope?

In Isaiah 40:28-31, there is a powerful truth that is just as applicable today as it was when first penned.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding. He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint." HCSB

As this passage has been processing in my mind for the past week or so, there is something that caught my attention that I've never realized before. It's been there the whole time, so it's not really knew (and may not be new to you) but it's powerfully new to me.

In verse 28, many words are used to describe God, including "never grows faint or weary." It is incredibly comforting to come to realization that the God we pray to, lean on, surrender to, and trust in never gets tired, never needs a break, and has unending strength. I think this is a pretty common understanding of God. However, as God reveals Himself through Isaiah He continues on and reveals something more.

In verse 29, God declares through Isaiah that "He gives strength to the weary..." and later in verse 31, "those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint." (emphasis mine)

We know God is a strong God who never tires, grows weary, or faints. However, did you catch what else He does? He makes us "run and not grow weary" and to "walk and not faint."

When we are redeemed by Christ, we pass from death to life. We move from self-sufficiency to Christ-sufficiency. We are lifted up out of our muck and lifted into Him so we no longer have to stumble around. He "renews our strength," not with our strength but His. He moves through us so that we walk in this world without growing weary in our soul because we have His abundant, full, and overflowing life in us (Matthew 11:28-31, John 10:10, John 7:38).

As we live in this world, we were created to live by faith which is a life of dependence - utter and complete surrender to Christ as we trust Him to not only be alive in us but to live His life through us. As we fix our eyes on Him (Hebrews 12:2), we begin to experience the life we were created for - His life - and we are lifted up on wings like eagles, soaring in this life as we find Christ to be our fullness, acceptance, life, and everything. It's at this place, soaring above, that we can finally see what's really going on because we've been lifted up and given His eyes so we no longer have to merely look with our eyes that will only see what we can rationally understand and logically explain.

My prayer for me and for all who read this, is that we will fix our eyes on Jesus and press into Him - taking one step of faith at a time as we trust Him to be enough for us. As we trust and live by faith, we begin to experience His life because He lifts us up, renews our strength, gives us rest for our souls, and makes us to soar on wings like eagles.

Passion Conference

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:07:00 +0000
In January of 1999, I was about to start the 2nd semester of my freshman year in college. Dani and I had only been dating a few months but were already thinking our relationship was going to be something big for us. Over the the Christmas break, while Dani was back with her family in Oregon and I was with mine in Texas, we talked a lot and looked forward to the time she would return.

It was an exciting time for her family as they were preparing for a trip to Israel with a group that would explore many biblical places and they would be able to finally see with their eyes what they have pictured in their minds. However, Dani felt God stirring in her something different. Her family helped her change her travel arrangements and sent her back to Texas early so she could attend Passion '99 in Ft. Worth.

I was pumped to have her back, but more than that I was pumped to get to go to this conference with her and experience God in this way together. Just saying that this was a turning point for us is an understatement. It is hard to express the lasting impact God gave us during this conference. It is a marker in our minds that we can always reflect back on and remember clearly tasting the majesty and glory of Jesus.

Our relationship was undoubtedly solidified as we prayed together, worship side-by-side, and studied God's Word with intensity, passion, and excitement. God changed us and we continue to thank Him for this huge moment in our lives where He not only moved in us as individuals but as a couple as well.

Fast forward to January 2012 (i.e. right now), and Passion has moved to Georgia with over 40,000 college students gathering to intensely and intimately engage with God. Not only are so many there, but they are also streaming the conference online and almost as many have been watching through that avenue. It is so wonderful to witness God moving in this generation! I am often moved to tears as I worship and watch all of those students sing, shout, dance, and engage with Jesus.

Earlier today, I took a break from writing curriculum for an upcoming event where I am teaching to watch with my daughters one of the sessions. I am so thankful that I get to show my kids this conference (at least a few clips of it) and worship with them, even though we are nowhere near Georgia where it's actually taking place.

It's almost over, but you can still check out several of the sessions and watch the remaining ones live if you are free. It is worth your time!

Watch Passion 2012 and engage with God through this incredible resource He's provided!

Song for the Upcoming Year

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:40:00 +0000

I searched for this song after reading a part of Hudson Taylor's story in the book, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret. As he was a missionary for most of his life in China, he learned of the incredible riches and depth of Christ's life for the believer that far exceeded anything on this earth and that could not be obtained by anything other than a life of dependence and trust that Christ isn't just Savior, but also Life. It was while he was in China that he discovered the incredible truth that he called the exchanged life.

Here is the excerpt from chapter 17 that has led to me listening to the song below on repeat for the past week:

"Whenever work permitted, Mr. Taylor was in the habit of turning to a little harmonium for refreshment, playing and singing many a favorite hymn, but always coming back to  

Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what Thou art; I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.

One of the eighteen evangelists, Mr. George Nichol, was with him on one occasion when some letters were handed in to his office, bringing news of serious rioting in two of the older stations of the Mission. Thinking that Mr. Taylor might wish to be alone, the younger man was about to withdraw when, to his surprise, someone began to whistle. It was the soft refrain of the same well-loved hymn:

Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what Thou art...

Turning back, Mr. Nichol could not help exclaiming, "How can you whistle, when our friends are in so much danger?"

"Would you have me anxious and troubled?"  was the quiet reply. "That would not help them, and would certainly incapacitate me for my work. I have just to roll the burden on the Lord."

Whatever this upcoming year may hold, my prayer for my family and me as well as all friends of LIFe Ministries is that we will "roll the burden on the Lord" and rest "in the joy of what Thou art."

Annual Update, 2011

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:34:00 +0000

props to Jade Pierce Photography

Dear Friendof LIFe Ministries,

Living In Freedom Ministries continuesto be life-changing for our family. As we look back on 2011 and aheadto 2012, we believe that with God navigating this ministry, we canembrace every twist and turn with trust, not in what lies ahead, butin the One who is directing it and sustaining us.

We are deeplygrateful for your prayers and encouragement as we continue in faith.When we started in 2006, we felt an urgency to spread this message oflife in Christ to as many as were willing to hear. As we continue toencounter adults, students, marriages and families experiencingintense spiritual and personal difficulties, that urgency increases. And as we witness the transforming power of truth in many of theselives, we are moved and compelled tocontinue on. We walk with the individuals God purposefully bringsour way while He pursues them. Through teaching Bible studies,meeting with pastors, leading marriage and parenting conferences andspeaking at churches and events, we are able to share truth about whoGod is, who we are in Him, and what it means to walk in dependence byfaith.

Wehave personally experienced the transforming truth of Christ in ourlives and have seen powerful transformation in the lives and familiesof others.

“My wife and I have read a lot of books about marriage. We've doneBible studies and been in countless marriage Sunday School classes. But this has been the missing link that we needed for a healthymarriage! I am now seeing how God wants to change my marriage bychanging the kind of husband and father I am.”

-Participantof 2011 Marriage Conference

Wecontinue to embrace His calling to be missionaries to the church byencouraging those who struggle to delve into“the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us inChrist Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7).

Thank you forserving with us in LIFe Ministries. We can continue our servicebecause of your friendship, prayer and financial support. God hasshown us love, kindness and provision through many of you. Pleasepray for us this upcoming year as we make ourselves available tocontinue LIFe Ministries as God leads.

We are blessed tosee God's financial provision through events, special offerings and abase of supporters who have faithfully joined us in ministry byregularly contributing to LIFe Ministries. The largest avenue throughwhich God continues to provide is our base of supporters. We ask that as you pray for us, you alsoconsider giving financially as He leads. God knows our needs, and weare thankful for how He has provided for us through you.

“ForGod, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in ourhearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in theface of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, toshow that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2Corinthians 4:7). Being used by God inLIFe Ministries has been humbling and more fulfilling than weimagined as we have trusted and depended on Christ. It has also beenmore difficult than we anticipated as God has stretched our faith. In it all, we have the opportunity to “fix our eyes on Jesus”(Hebrews 12:2) as God transforms our lives “by the renewing of[our] minds” (Romans 12:2). We are grateful for you and pray thatyou may experience His life, love, peace, kindness and powerthroughout the upcoming year.

Grace and Peace,

Matt and Dani

Living In Freedom, INC. is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization.

If you're interested in making a financial contribution, 

please visit the official LIFe Ministries website and complete the form.

The Bema Part 2

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 22:09:00 +0000
Here is part 2 of The Bema presentation that Bent Tree Bible Fellowship did this past weekend. It is only available for a week so watch it while it's on. If you miss the window to view it online, you can order the dvd's here.


The Bema-Part 2 from Bent Tree on Vimeo.

LIFe Ministries Fall 2011 Update

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:43:00 +0000

It is incredible that we are already over a month in to the fall semester. We hope you are having a wonderful start to the new school year.

In August, we had a “Friends of LIFe Ministries Appreciation Dessert” in Oregon. We loved reconnecting with friends of LIFe and sharing what God is doing in our lives and in LIFe Ministries. We are also planning a local gathering soon!

Dani and I have felt for several months that God was preparing us for a change. We did not know what that would entail but knew that it would be different in some fashion from what we have done for the past four years. Then, in early August, I received a call from Providence Preparatory School about a part-time teaching position for three PE classes and two Bible classes, a position that would allow me to continue full-time in LIFe Ministries. After praying extensively over this change and trusting God’s guidance, I am officially a part-time teacher at Providence and have deeply loved each moment I’ve had so far. I now have a group of students that I will get to regularly walk with for this year. I also get to teach my older two girls in PE!

I have begun to see that God has much more than teaching for me here. He is using me in a pastoral role as well. After just a few weeks, I am already experiencing this reality, and I love getting to watch God move in this setting.

This new job has definitely made for a busier schedule, but we are seeing God provide energy, guidance, strength, and clarity as we depend on Him to make sure everything is done and done well. Monday, Wednesday, half of Friday, and weekends are devoted to LIFe Ministries, while I devote Tuesday, Thursday, and half of Friday to Providence. We are excited about this new adventure in our journey.

As for the fall in LIFe Ministries, here are some of the things we have going on so far:

We have officially kicked off the Marriage Discipleship element of the ministry. Dani and I are now available to disciple couples who are struggling in their marriage. We have an ad in the Belton ISD athletics program to let our community know about this opportunity, and I am also contacting local churches to encourage them to send couples our way.

This fall, I am also speaking at several Fellowship of Christian Athlete events, a few at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas and one at Academy High School. Also, Dani and I are going to Missouri for a Married LIFe Retreat with FBC Ellisville. This retreat will be our first event with FBC Ellisville, and we are excited about the partnership that is forming.

This year is off to a wonderful start and the journey of faith continues to surprise us as we learn to trust in each step. We are praying for you and would love to know how to pray more specifically.

The Bema from Bent Tree Bible

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:27:00 +0000

The Bema-Part 1 from Bent Tree on Vimeo.


For more info, check out The Bema.

Great Devotional...by someone else.

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:27:00 +0000
I get a daily e-mail from www.ChristAsUs.com and most of the time I find them very beneficial for my journey. This one seemed to clearly describe what the Christian life really is so I thought I would share it here! It was written by Juan Carlos Ortiz.

 ""For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never by the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near" (Hebrews 10:1 NASB).

The written Law is the shadow of the reality. The Reality is the Spirit. It is the dynamic, actual, working Spirit of Christ. The Letter cannot make perfect. But the reality, yes! The Spirit can make perfect--that was the promise of the Father. "I will show you how to walk in my ways and you will keep my ordinances."

Too much consciousness of the letter, gives the letter the wrong place, so that the letter becomes an end in itself rather than a pointing finger to the real thing. We find a sign that says: "Oregon, 200 miles." That sign is supposed to help us get to Oregon, but it is going to be a hindrance if we say, "Oh, wonderful! See, it's Oregon! Let's put our camper here." But that's not Oregon. It is just a sign saying that to get to Oregon you have to keep going. If you stay there, the sign that was supposed to help you becomes a hindrance. Even so, we can become letter-centered.

Wherever I go I have my wife's picture. Every time I pack my suitcase, my wife makes sure that I have the picture. I set it up in my room on the table, and every night I look at the picture and write a letter. One letter a day goes to Martha. But suppose when I come home I keep on looking at the picture, writing letters, and don't pay any attention to her? She would say, "Juan, give me back that picture. I'm here!" I think Jesus is tired of our obsession with His picture when He is alive and with us.

What is the fulfilment of the Law? Love. And love is much, much more than the fulfilment of the Law. It goes far beyond the Law. The Law said, "Thou shalt not covet." But the Law never demanded, "Thou shalt have peace. Thou shalt have meekness." Never. The fruit of the Spirit is much, much more. The disciples at Pentecost. What was the result? They stayed together; they prayed; they loved everyone; they were fearless; they had fellowship with one another. Miracles were done. They lived together. They had their things in common. They sold their property and goods and brought the proceeds to the feet of the apostles. They shared with all who were in need. They persevered in accord. They ate together. Their love was contagious and worth dying for. What came naturally to them was much, much more than the requirements of the Law.

The Law never asked them to sell their goods. The Law never said they had to live together, to perform miracles, to go into all the world and be expendable for others. Never. This life in the Spirit is much more than the Law because Pentecost is the reality foreshadowed. It is the new heart--the new creation--with God's desires built in, with the Trinity at home in the heart. It is rivers of living water flowing out to every community and nation."

Still Learning Dependence...Still Being Amazed

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 05:41:00 +0000
This past month has been quite the adventure. After an amazing trip (that was a gift to us) to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary, we began to explore other employment possibilities as the ministry was out of funds and we were almost personally out as well.

After sending out an e-mail to all those who have followed LIFe Ministries for some time now, we began receiving some special funds as God led people to give to cover the ministry expenses for the next few months.

It's been incredibly encouraging to experience His grace through others in this way. We are deeply grateful for all who have responded to His prompting to financially join us in ministry at this time.

Last week, I was the speaker for the Harvest Fellowship Church youth camp. I wrote the material and spoke twice each day at camp. It was a beautiful week as I saw the Spirit move in the lives of the students and the adults who were serving as leaders and helpers during the week.

Jesus overflowed by His Spirit to speak, reveal, encourage, and transform. Many of the students shared with me how they had read so many of the biblical stories we looked at but they never saw in them what we were unpacking together as Jesus opened their eyes to the Truth and revealed how the biblical account connected with their lives. One girl came up near the end of camp and shared with me that she heard from God for the first time in her life. She was beaming with joy as she shared this experience!

As much as I observed God moving in the students' lives and how much they shared what they were experiencing, He was also moving in my life and encouraging my soul. It was powerful for me to see Him move and to watch as He ministered through me and others. I loved getting to see how He moved through Jeff (the YP) during the worship times as he stood in the back praying over the students and leading other leaders to specific students to pray over.

This group was unique, to say the least. They were close, welcoming, open, and receptive to the Spirit from the start. I have not witnessed the warmth and love between students like this before. They were affectionate, but not inappropriate. It didn't matter if they were close friends or if they just met at camp, they were encouraging one another, speaking truth in love to one another, and fully engaged in each element of camp. Not only were they like this with each other, but with the adult leaders and with me. It was like we had known each other for years even though this was my first time to meet most of them.

When we returned home, there were several checks for the ministry that came while we were gone and an envelope that had the ministry address in both the "to" and "from" sections. There was a typed letter inside as well as a financial gift, whoever sent it remained anonymous. To say we were encouraged by this would be an understatement. It wasn't just the financial gift that encouraged us, though it is significant and came at a crucial time, but it was also profound for me because God continued to show me that I can trust Him and that He is moving even when I don't see it.

As for other employment opportunities, nothing has become clear to us so far but we are remaining open to where and how He might lead us next while enjoying this moment right now. Dani and I have had some significant conversations with each other and a few others that we feel God has used to speak to us and I will share soon some of the changes we think will take place this fall. We are excited about His activity and deeply grateful to have experienced Him last week at camp as well as how He continues to minister to us through others.

He is able. He is enough. And we are His!

Great video from Ian Thomas

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Important Transitions

Fri, 27 May 2011 19:29:00 +0000
Dear Friends of LIFe Ministries,

God has encouraged us through you, and we are thankful for your prayers for this ministry and our family. Thank you also for your willingness to give financially when God has led you to give. LIFe Ministries has always been designed to function by God's provision through a base of supporters as well as compensation for speaking events.

This year, while ministry activity has been at an all-time high, our financial situation has been at an all-time low. Typically, compensation from ministry events provides approximately 30% of LIFe Ministries' funding and supporters account for the remaining 70%. Without sufficient funding from both sources, we are not able to continue on in this ministry the way we have functioned up to this point.

LIFe Ministries did not have enough funds to cover payroll in May. We have used personal savings to cover our May expenses, but we will not be able to cover our June expenses. I have speaking engagements the next two Sundays and a youth camp in the middle of June on the horizon, but these events will not cover the deficit, and the funding we do receive from these events will be late.

Due to this financial situation, we are seeking employment outside of LIFe Ministries to support our family and praying fervently about this next step. Will you pray about giving to LIFe Ministries as we serve in the engagements that we already have calendared and explore what God is leading us to next? I will continue working full-time for LIFe Ministries while I pray through and explore our other options. We are asking you, as our support base, to consider giving to support our family during this transitional time.

Right now, our hope is that LIFe Ministries will continue operating on a part-time basis. We will keep you informed as God leads us as we walk by faith on this unbelievable journey of learning dependence.

In all of this, we are still trusting. We are trusting that God is our provider, that He is good, and always does good to us. In this struggle, we rejoice in His comfort and kindness to us in the midst of difficulty. We are also available to Him and to whatever He desires for us, wherever that may be.

We praise God for this struggle as He reveals that He is enough for us and trustworthy even when our circumstances are unstable and appear frightening. We praise God for His faithfulness and provisions and for this adventure. We also praise God for you. We are praying for you and would love to know how we can better pray for you specifically. Thank you for praying for us and giving as He leads.

Grace and Peace,


Matt and Dani Smith

LIFe Ministries Update - Spring 2011

Fri, 27 May 2011 19:24:00 +0000
Hey there LIFers,

This semester has been full of travel activity as God has taken me to a variety of places since I last wrote. At the end of February, I spoke at Lake Arlington Baptist Church for their DiscipleNow Weekend. You can hear the sermon I preached during their Sunday morning service here (http://bit.ly/i6CvAp). You will need to scroll down a few sermons to get to the message I delivered titled "Abiding - The Reality of a Disciple." This was a lot of fun for me for many reasons, one of which was reconnecting with Eric, a friend and college roommate who is one of the pastors at LABC.

In March, I was asked to speak at the Temple Bible Church Spring Break Ski Trip. The format and setting for this event was much different than anything I've done before. I spoke late each night after everyone was exhausted from skiing all day, and yet their attention and the level of engagement was high. I spoke on our identity being in Christ and the reality that our lives are hidden in Christ (Colossians 3). It was exciting to see God move in the lives of the students who were on this trip.

In April, I went to Lepanto, AR for a DiscipleNow Weekend at FBC Lepanto. This town was fascinating. The population sign listed Lepanto at just under 2,200 people. I loved getting to learn about the people of Lepanto and seeing how God is using FBC to share His life, hope, and love to the community. The leaders were passionate, excited, and full of stories of how Christ has moved in their lives and how they long for Him to do much more. I was encouraged by the faith of the leaders I met there. You can hear the message I delivered during their Sunday morning service here (http://bit.ly/hDmC4M).

Two weekends ago, Dani and I hosted and led our first Married LIFe Retreat for married couples. With the help of our friend Mindy, we organized the event and invited churches to join us in Salado. This was the first time we had hosted a LIFe Ministries event on our own, rather than being invited by a church to speak. We had 26 people attend this event (including Dani and me) and loved getting to do this! Here is a quick testimony we received after the retreat:

"I just want to thank you so much for the retreat this weekend. It has changed me so much, I have rededicated my life to God after this weekend and I believe that it has saved my marriage!"

We have finished with Post Be Transformed for this semester, but we continue to host a Be Transformed group in our home on Sunday nights, and I lead a Be Transformed group at Brazos Meadows in Hewitt on Wednesday evenings. It's amazing to watch God reveal Himself as we walk these groups through Be Transformed.

We are thankful to get to partner with you in ministry and hope you experience His fullness in you today as we continue to remember His incredible sacrifice for us and celebrate His resurrection that we are now able to share in Him. We would also love to know how we can better pray for you.

Grace and Peace,

Matt Smith

Another Sermon Online

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:27:00 +0000

During the last weekend of February, I spoke at Lake Arlington Baptist Church in Arlington, TX for their DiscipleNow Weekend. I spoke once on Friday, twice on Saturday, and once on Sunday. The Sunday message was during the church-wide worship service and was recorded. If you have some time, check it out here. While you're listening, you can also follow along with the slides I used.

This message has been one that God has used to work on me a ton over the past month.

Listen Online

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 07:35:00 +0000

Recently, my family and I traveled to Colonial Hills Baptist Church for their annual church-wide Winter Bible Conference. I led three sessions and Dani and I led one together. The theme for the conference was "Living In Christ." The first session was "Living In Christ at Church," the second session was "Living In Christ at Work," session three was "Living In Christ at Home," and the last session was "Living In Christ When You're Alone." Dani and I led "Living In Christ at Home" together.

There were some technical difficulties for the session that Dani and I led, but you can listen to the other sessions here.

Married LIFe Retreat

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:37:00 +0000


If you are interested in coming or want to know more, e-mail marriedLIFe[at]liveinfreedom[dot]org.

Or, you can download the registration form here.

I Am New

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 02:36:00 +0000
There is a relatively new song out that I am digging in a major way. If you haven't heard it, it's called "I Am New" by Jason Gray. There are few songs that clearly deliver the message of our new creation, new identity in Christ like this one. You need to take a few minutes and enjoy the sweet truths being sung over you as you hear the truth of all who are in Christ.

More Details for the Married LIFe Retreat

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 07:19:00 +0000
April 15th:

5:00-7:00 Registration
7:30 Worship Session 1
9:00 Games, Snacks and/or Couple Time

April 16th:

Continental Breakfast at Hotel

9:30 Worship Session 2
11:00 Ladies/Guys Discussion Groups
12:00 Lunch Date with Spouse in Salado
2:00 Worship Session 3
3:30 Couple Discussion Time
4:00 Q&A with Matt and Dani/Closing Session
5:30 Dinner Date/Head Home

Married LIFe - Retreat for Couples

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:30:00 +0000
Mark your calendars - April 15th-16th! Actually, mark also March 15th because that's the early-bird deadline to register and pay for your spot at our first ever Married LIFe Retreat.

For more info, check out our digital flyer.

To register, click here. Registration is not complete until we receive your payment!

This event is designed to give you and your spouse some quality time together, encouragement, connections with others, and exploring the realities of the Christ-centered marriage.

We hope to see you there!

If you have any questions, e-mail marriedLIFe@liveinfreedom.org.

Update/Support Letter, December 2010

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:32:00 +0000

Dear Friend of LIFe Ministries,

The joy of our adventure over the past four years has been discovering the reality and depth of the life and love of Jesus in us: He is flowing into our souls, renewing our minds and transforming our experiences on this earth. We are grateful for this journey and truly thankful for your partnership in this ministry.

Walking in dependence on Christ is how we were created to live, even though at times it seems quite difficult. As we continue to learn to live in dependence on Christ in every moment, He continues to bring more opportunities for us to trust Him. We are witnessing His activity and sufficiency through this ministry in incredible ways.

Partnering with churches has been an essential element in this ministry as well. It has never been our intention or desire to do one event and never see those who attended again. We long to see lives transformed, and most often that doesn’t happen after just one weekend.

During 2010, the ministry continued to expand into marriage ministry and college ministry. In May, we led our first marriage conference we called, “Uncovering Marriage Myths” at Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Tyler. I led a youth event there a few years ago and have remained close with some of the pastors since then. Nate Murray is the Pastor to Families at Colonial Hills and recently shared his thoughts with us about the marriage conference:

"The comment I heard time and again, was that Christ communicated through Matt and Dani in a way that set apart their teaching and discipleship on marriage from anything our families had heard.

Matt and Dani bring to the table an honest, Scriptural approach to living life in Christ and allowing Christ to live His life in and through you. Their authentic testimony combined with their understanding of the truth of God’s Word allows Christ to work through them to provide an environment where people can dig into what it means to find your identity in Christ.

What I appreciated most was the manner in which Matt and Dani easily engaged with our people, providing simple, practical tools for couples to use on a daily basis. A lot of material sounds good in theory, but fails the test of reality. What our families learned during the conference, they’re still using on a daily basis months later.”

In June, our family was asked to be a part of the IMPACT Camp with Temple Bible Church. This was our second year in a row to write the material we would cover during the large group sessions and small group devotional times. Aisley, a freshman in high school, shared with us a little of what God revealed to her during the week:

“I've always grown up in a Christian home and "accepted Christ" when I was ten. I say that lightly because it was more like I prayed the prayer and kept on living life...During the beginning of my seventh grade year I really gave into the influence of the world and began to turn away from God...Then, the summer after eighth grade at IMPACT Camp for Back Yard Bible Clubs, Matt spoke on Philippians 3 and surrendering our lives to Christ. He was saying that in order to live our lives for Christ and in Christ we had to give our whole life to Christ. As I was thinking about it I didn't understand that after all I had done, Christ would still want me back...But then after reading a few other passages in the Bible I realized that Jesus doesn't require us to be perfect. I may have pushed God away but He had never gone anywhere. He had been there all along and He was only waiting with open arms for me to come back. But then came the hard part. Letting go...I was terrified of letting go. I knew that what God had in store for me was going to be so much better but I still didn't believe it. After Matt's talk on the last night I talked with one of my dearest friends who prayed with me. Then I decided that I was going to do it. I gave my life to Christ that summer and it was to this day the best thing I have ever done...”

To read more from Nate and Aisley as well as other testimonies, please visit our website.

As LIFe expanded into new areas and age groups, our website and logo were no longer representing our current ministry. A good friend of ours redesigned them this year. You can check them out at www.liveinfreedom.org.

Each semester we lead a Be Transformed study in our home. It is based on Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” As we walk college students and adults through Biblical Truth and how to surrender as God transforms our minds, we are continually astounded by God's work in their lives. This semester, He has revealed Himself to the members in our group in an amazing way. He has set them free from many of their life problems and faulty belief systems about who they are, who God is, and how they are supposed to live the Christian life.

After leading Be Transformed groups for the past 5 years, we felt led to begin a new group called Post Be Transformed. We invited everyone we have led through Be Transformed to further explore the realities of living a dependent life on Christ while we examine difficult passages of Scripture. We are excited about this new opportunity to continue walking with others as God reveals Himself to them as their life and what that means for each moment.

As we embark on another year of ministry, we continue to primarily operate financially through support partners. Please pray about your partnership with us and how God desires to use you in this ministry. We are thankful to get to walk with so many and share in this adventure of faith.

Grace and Peace,

Matt and Dani Smith
www.liveinfreedom.org

Living In Freedom Ministries is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Great Clip About The Gospel

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 04:42:00 +0000

Another Story of Life Change

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:43:00 +0000
Every now and then we get a note from someone we have either taught or walked with in discipleship. We recently received this note from our friend, Luke, whom we walked through the Be Transformed study with a year ago. This past May, I got to officiate the wedding between Luke and Kelsey and my girls were flower girls while Dani was a bride's maid.

It's awesome to hear how God has revealed Himself to our friends.

“As a college student on a “Christian campus,” who was raised in a Christian church, by Christian parents, I had it mostly figured out. Although there were questions that seemingly no one could answer regarding predestination or the “unforgivable sin,” the Christian walk was a breeze. I even led worship for hundreds of college students throughout the year. There just wasn't that much left to figure out, except who I was going to marry, of course.

Then I met Kelsey. A strong, kind, and very different version of the girl I thought I would marry. As the debates about Christianity and the life we lived and how we were to live that life piled up, I quickly realized we had a very different belief system.

Out of those conversations (some might even call them arguments!) Kelsey urged me to meet two of her dearest friends, Matt and Dani. Man, am I glad she did! Dani was Kelsey's mentor and she had walked with her, along with Matt, through a Bible study called Be Transformed. Apparently, this is where Kelsey picked up these “Semantically different” beliefs, or so I called them. Shortly after meeting Matt and Dani, they invited both Kelsey and I to walk with them (and 3 others) through Be Transformed.

Throughout the study, Christ began to strip away my wrong beliefs about myself and about Him, replacing them with Biblical truth centered in Hope. As I began to hear about my new life in Christ, and that I was a new creation, I felt a weight lifting off my shoulders. As I heard how the Spirit wanted to work in and through me, I began to stop trying so hard! And as I learned all good things come from Christ Jesus, I learned that the dependent life was the only life I wanted to live. Although this study did change certain areas of theology for me, it changed so much more that. I began to shift my focus from works to Christ, from darkness to light, from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil to the Tree of Life. I was no longer reading my Bible because of where it would get me but turning to Christ because of where He could take me. I began to stop going through the motions of religion and started allowing the Lord to teach me what true dependence looked like.

Since the study I have had the opportunity to share these treasures with several people. Matt and Dani still continue to walk with us as we all search for answers and struggle to live dependent on Him. However, our hope is built on a God who has taken our sins as far as the East is from the West and we know that Christ in us will accomplish his plan for us as he teaches us how to surrender to Him.”

Born in 1992? You're now a freshman in college...what?

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:15:00 +0000
A school in Wisconsin just released some details about the students in the US now entering college. It's hard to believe they were born in 1992. I now feel old.

It's fascinating to read some of the things that have always been (or never been) in their lifetime. For instance, when they were born - Bill Clinton was being elected to his first presidency and hard drives on their computers had the capacity of flash drives now...of course they've always had computers.

There are several other points of interest worth checking out. You can read the article here.

Youth Ministry Today

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:55:00 +0000
There is an interesting (and saddening) article in USA Today that looks at recent surveys of teens and their involvement in church youth groups. You can read the article here.

One of the biggest statements, to me, made in the actual article is "Only about one in four teens now participate in church youth groups, considered the hallmark of involvement; numbers have been flat since 1999." That's eleven years! That's incredibly revealing.

If you get a chance to check out the article, it is worthwhile to read through the comments as well. Some are very insightful, honest, and personal. Many have shared their own experiences about their time as a teen in a church youth group. Most are not very complementary.