Fear Not

“The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 27:1 ESV

It's Summertime!

It’s summertime, and for a lot of young people that means more free time than usual. I understand that some of you may be busy working at your summer job or going to camps. However, if you do find yourself with a little extra down time, here are ten ideas for ways to fill that time in service to God:

1. Read your Bible! If you haven’t been keeping up with your daily

Bible reading regularly, now is a great time to implement the habit.

2. Invite a friend to worship with you. Sometimes there are other events

going on in our congregations during the summer that provide excellent opportunities for inviting guests (VBS, gospel meetings, youth events, etc.).

3. Volunteer to do yard work for an elderly member of your

congregation. If you are a resident of the South, you better get up

early to complete this one!

4. Assist with or teach a Bible class. Without the added pressure of

schoolwork, summer is a great time to develop your teaching skills.

5. Volunteer to run errands for someone who cannot get out as easily.

Pick up groceries for someone, or take them to a doctor’s appointment.

6. Write notes of encouragement to Christians near and far. Send cards

to people in your congregation and to missionaries or friends in other areas.

7. Offer free babysitting services to a young family you are close to. I’m

sure the parents would appreciate an evening out. If you would not feel comfortable watching the kids on your own, even offering to watch the kids while the mom or dad gets some things done around the house would be a great help.

8. Cook a meal for someone. If you are living at home, offer to make

supper for your family one night. If you are living on your own, invite

someone over or offer to bring a meal to someone who would

appreciate the help.

9. Become part of or start a women’s study group. If your congregation

or one nearby already has a ladies’ Bible study in place, see if you can join. If there isn’t one around you, get with some of your friends or other ladies in your congregation and start one. Fellowship and study with other women can be a huge source of encouragement.

10. Pray. Use your spare time to develop a deeper and more consistent

prayer life. It doesn’t require a huge amount of time, but getting into the habit of prayer will change your life, not just for the summer but for the years beyond.

Summer is a time of great possibility. Don’t let a moment go to waste!

#operationreadmybible

Jennifer Gerhardt has a great series going on about overcoming obstacles we face when trying to get into a habit of daily Bible reading. I have found it to be very helpful so far. She offers lots of practical advice for developing this vital discipline in our lives.

Check out her blog here: http://jlgerhardt.tumblr.com/

I’d also encourage you to read some of her other articles while you are there. She is a very powerful writer with a heart for leading people to God.

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before GOD, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27 ESV

If you have grown up going to church, I’m sure this is a verse you are very familiar with. Yet, as a young lady, you may be searching for practical ways to fulfill this commandment. For instance, you may be too young to take care of any children or even too young to drive to visit widows. Let me offer you a couple of examples of ways you can still help.

1. Pray, pray, pray. Pray for orphans and widows you know

specifically. Pray for opportunities to help, and I’m positive doors will be opened for you (Matt. 7:7). Pray for efforts that you know of to alleviate the pain and suffering of these often marginalized groups.

2. Use worship services as an opportunity to visit. Sit with a

widow before and during services. Ask her how she is doing and if

there is anything you can do for her. Ask her if she has any prayer requests. Please do not focus on yourself when doing this. Do not think, “Oh, I am doing such a nice thing for this lonely woman.” I guarantee you will end up gaining more from this experience than she will! Recognizing the value of the elderly in our community is something every young person needs to do at an early age. We are to learn from the older women in our midst (Titus 2:3-5). This cannot happen if we are unwilling to form relationships with each other!

3. Give, give, give. (2 Cor. 9:7) Give of your time to volunteer for

efforts to help orphans. Give of your possessions to children’s homes

or other organizations where clothes and toys can be given to the children. Give of your money if you are able to Christian organizations working with orphans and/or widows. For instance, Chinese Agape is an organization working to help orphans in China (http://chineseagape.org/home). Research organizations and find a place you feel comfortable giving, whether it be of your time, possessions, or money. Get your whole family involved. What we have isn’t ours anyway. In a world where people are urged to get more, let us always a people trying to give more.

Modesty Matters - Links to Help You Shop Smart

     We feel your pain when it comes to finding modest clothes-especially during the summertime. So here a few hopefully helpful links to assist in your closet filling quest.

noVae Clothing -  We love this lady alone just for putting modest clothing in her web address and sticking to the claim in her merchandise. This site is the product of a stay-at-home-mom of four, who got fed up with the tiring search to find modest fashionable clothing. While some of it is pricey, keep in mind she makes these items herself, in limited quantity so you're buying a nearly one-of-a-kind item. Also be sure to sign up for the newsletter to be alerted of the great sales she offers. And I'm pretty sure if you spend much time on Pinterest you're going to recognize several of these pieces.

The Skirt Outlet - Not only will you find awesome denium and knit maxi skirts on this site (also seen in abundance on Pinterest)...you'll find modest shells/tank tops/sleeveless shirts! How many times have you purchased a spaghetti strap "shirt" or tank top to layer under an immodest top only to have it fall short as well?! Is that not the most frustrating feeling??? It is for me. That's why I love this type of tank top-you know you're covered. Another big plus about this company? Free exchange shipping! Who doesn't love that?! Now that I've had my say about this company listen to how they describe themselves:

The Skirt Outlet was founded from a desire to provide affordable, classic and comfortable long skirts for women and girls, without hours of shopping disappointments. We are committed to providing a real alternative to today's extreme fashions and yesterday's out-dated look.

Founded in 2008, The Skirt Outlet started out as a retail brick-and-mortar store in Eureka, Illinois. As word spread about the store, The Skirt Outlet began getting calls from out of state, requesting skirts to be shipped to them. This website was thus founded to meet the needs of those who were unable to make it to our store. However, we still welcome all customers to come and visit our retail store in Eureka!

ThredUp - Online consignment shops are huge right now, which is to your advantage...it means more affordable available clothing. ThredUp does a great job accepting and selling only gently used clothing-much of it looks just like new. Be sure to check out their stock and keep them in mind when you clean out your own closet.

-M

7 Steps to Help You Become a Better Worshipper

1.     Rest well on Saturday night by going to bed early. It is very tempting to plan activities on Saturday night, but it really is better not to. Pick another night to go on a movie date or bowling with friends. We should never feel like preparing for service is an inconvenience. It is a privilege and we should treat it as such.

2.     Avoid the “Sunday morning rush hour.” Get up early. Don’t wait on your parents to drag you out of bed. Set your alarm the night before and get up on your own. (When you’re grown and no longer living under your parents’ roof, you will have to do this anyway. Get used to it. It will happen sooner than you realize.)

3.     Eat breakfast. Hunger deters focus. By eating a filling breakfast, you avoid a growling stomach and slowed senses.

4.     Avoid disagreements with your siblings and parents on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Help everyone keep a clear focus on worship.

5.     Plan your contribution and have it ready.

6.     Bring your own bible and notebook/iPad/laptop to take notes.

7.     Don’t be late. Do not assume this does not apply to you just because you are not the driver. Be ready to go on time. Once you arrive be sure to take care of restroom needs before worship service begins. Take time to get settled and focused.

“Little things make the difference. Everyone is well prepared in the big things, but only the winners perfect the little things.”

-Paul “Bear” Bryant

list adapted from Ready For Worship podcast

available via The Light Network

Homemaking 101 - Kitchen Tips & Habits to Develop

                  For gals who hope to one day hold the title homemaker, it is never too early to begin gleaning knowledge from those with more experience. By no means do I claim to be an expert in the field of homemaking, but I do have some tips and lessons that I am able to share. Some is from my own experience, but much of my knowledge comes the wisdom of those older and wiser. So get your notebooks out, today I’m sharing 9 tips and habits that make life in the kitchen better.

                  Whether the first time you move out of your parents home is with a college roommate, on your own, or as a newlywed, it will be up to you to fix something to eat which equals time in the kitchen. Lots of time in the kitchen. If you marry a man who likes to eat and then you have children, just go ahead and accept the fact that the kitchen will be the room you spend the most time in. So with that said, tip #1…

1.     Make it a place you enjoy being. Decorate with your favorite colors. If you love new modern style, decorate with bright, bold colors. If you’re a vintage lover, create your own by framing handwritten recipes from your mother and grandmother. If you need music to help motivate you, find a designated spot for a radio/iPod dock/cd player. Be creative and use resources such as Pinterest for decorating ideas. Make your kitchen your space and you will enjoy spending time in it. (For those

2.     Wash as you go. You are not going to want to do this, but trust me on this one. If you wait until you completely finish, you are going to hate that you didn’t heed this advice. Washing as you go means less clean-up and a more relaxing space to work in.

3.     Clean out the sink after the dishes are done. I hear you-this is a gross job, but the jobs we dread most are the ones we need to go ahead with and get out of the way. Don’t put this one off, you’ll be sorry.

4.     Label the leftovers. You will not remember if you made that hamburger casserole last Wednesday or Tuesday. When this happens you either take your chances eating spoiled food or you follow the old rule: “When in doubt, throw it out.” Label what it is and the date it was prepared. You can even keep a roll of tape and a sharpie on top of the fridge to make this super easy.

5.     If it can be frozen, freeze it. The list of foods that can be frozen for later use is practically endless. Do your research and make the most of your freezer.

6.     Make a meal plan. Have a list of go-to meals and do your best to keep most of the ingredients in your pantry. It’s also a good idea to keep a list of foods to take to families who have lost loved ones or have new additions to the family. This makes last minute meal prep a breeze.

7.     Stick to your grocery list. Make your weekly meal plan and base your list on ingredients you’re missing. This will cut down on spontaneous purchases, which often leads to wasted food (and money).

8.     Transfer bagged food into mason jars. I store beans, grains, dried fruit, trail mix and so on in inexpensive canning jars. It’s a great way to keep my pantry and cabinets neat and organized.

9.     Prep vegetables and fruits at the beginning of the week so that you snack on healthier foods. If you’re like me you will eat healthy snacks, but only if they’re as easy to grab as a handful of potato chips.

(P.S. – For those of you still living with mom & dad, I doubt they’d object much if you want to put a few of these into practice. Give them a break sometimes and get some much need experience for yourself!)