Sunday's Scripture

Psalm 138: 1-2 (KJV)

"I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."

Saturday's Sense-Life happens.

Yes, I know. Today isn't Saturday. I missed posting yesterday because I got distracted. I let other things get in the way of getting a post up. I meant to do it all day yesterday. But you know what?  We can have the best of intentions to do something and then not follow through with it. We can think about doing something for hours and yet not do anything. We make choices. We choose to put doing things off til the last minute and then that last minute comes around without any action occurring. What do we do when we neglect doing something we know we should do? What do we do when we feel like we've failed at doing something good? There are two choices. Feel defeated or get better. Don't get discouraged if you neglect doing something for God. Don't feel as though you'll never be a good worker. Nobody's perfect and you will make mistakes. You will miss opportunities to help others and/or teach them the Gospel. Realize now that it will happen. Also, realize what you need to do when it does happen.

Keep going. Continue to look for opportunities to do good. Learn from your mistakes and grow from them. Move on and get back on track.

Our Christian life is not a quick 100 meter dash; it is a marathon. We must endure and remain steadfast in the faith.

I Corinthians 15:58

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, foreasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

-C

Thursday's Thoughts-Knowledge is Power

Education is such an central part of all of our lives. We spend 13 years of our lives in school. In addition to that, going to college is usually expected of us too. So, potentially, we could end up spending 17 years of our lives being educated. Whether you're being homeschooled, going to a public school or at a private school, you're learning about how this world works. You learn the rules of grammer, the rules of math, and the mysteries of science. You also learn how to research, how to work with others, and how to piece information together. Countless hours are spent doing homework, working on projects, and extracurricular activities. You get the idea.

How much more important is the education we get from God's Word? I don't think there can ever be enough emphasis placed on studying.  Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us that we are to be soldiers of Christ. We have a description of what our battle garb should be, and in verse 17 we are told that our weapon is "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." How can we wield our weapon if we don't know what it says? How can we defeat our enemy without knowledge of the Scriptures?  We cannot. Knowledge of the the word of God IS power. It is more powerful than any other knowledge we get from our earthly education programs.

Think about the power of the Gospel today and the fact that you hold the word of God in your hands.

Open it. Study it. Grow from it.

-C

Wednesday's Wisdom

“Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight.” Proverbs 12:22

Most people are taught from a very early age that lying is wrong.  As children, it can be fairly simple to follow this rule.  However, as young adults it can become more tempting to tell a “little white lie” every now and then.  Teenagers especially are faced with the opportunity to be less than truthful when telling their parents where they are going or who they will be seeing.  Determine in your heart that you will avoid this temptation and stay faithful to God.  Don’t even consider lying as an option.  Be truthful and face the consequences with integrity.  Honesty truly is the best policy!

-J

Be the change-Now, not later

"Open your eyes up people, and take a good look around,
Catch the tears fillin’ up all those cracks in the ground.
Turn off you televisions; leave your picture perfect neighborhoods
A lot of folks out there ain’t doing so good,
To many of us left out in the cold

No invitations given, no welcome mats unrolled,
But you can, be the change you wanna see.
Be the hope to those whose lives are far from easy.
Reach out and lend a hand, share everything you can,
And be the change, be the change.

Carry the world on your shoulders, for a little while,
Put on someone else shoes, and walk around.
So many cups a runneth over, while so many goin dry
The grass ain’t always green on the other side.
There’s still a lot of work to be done,
A lot of wrongs to right, a lot of battles to be won.

If you can be the change you wanna see,
Be the hope to those whose lives are far from easy.
Reach out and lend a hand, share everything you can,
And be the change, be the change.

Reach out and lend a hand, share everything you can
And be the change, be the change.
Be the change.
Be the change.
Be the change"

Be the change-Corey Smith

I discovered that I had posted this song on a personal blog that I started writing four years ago (and haven't kept up with it all!). Even though I don't condone the messages in all of his music, I really feel like the lines of this song go hand in hand with Tuesday's Task. As Christians, we are told to do good to others. We are commanded to love people and help them. There are millions of souls in the world that are hurting and lost.

It's time to get busy doing the work we've been called to do.

-C

Tuesday's Task: Remember, Your Days are Numbered Too

Sunday I was privileged to listen to a sermon from Daniel chapter 5. In Daniel 5 king Belshazzar is enjoying a great feast, when a hand appears and writes on the wall. The king brought in many so-called wise men to interpret the writing, but they were not able to read what it said. Finally Daniel is called in and he tells the king that the writing means. God has sent a message to king Belshazzar, that his days are numbered-that very night the king died (v30).

I was reminded of James 4:14-our life is like a vapor that is here for only a short time before it vanishes. How many times have you read this verse and thought, “Well, this doesn’t apply to me; this just means that seventy or eighty years goes by fast.”  But the verse does apply to us! We aren’t promised tomorrow. Too often we are guilty of putting off the Lord’s work for this or that reason and use the excuse, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” “I’m really busy with school right now, but I’ll get more involved with church activities once I’m done with it.”  “Once I’m married I will be more comfortable talking to people about Jesus.” “After I’ve had kids I will help teach in the children’s Bible classes.” “I know I should visit that lady in the nursing home, but I just don’t like going there. Maybe I’ll go tomorrow.”

Don’t wait until you have a family of your own, make more money, or are older to do the Lord’s work. There is plenty for you to do right now. The Lord needs strong, young workers in His vineyard today. Death doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care how old you are. So give your all each day and when you lay your head on your pillow tonight (and every night), thank God for allowing you to live this day and go to sleep with the satisfaction of knowing you did everything you could today to further His cause.

-M

“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

John 17:4

Monday's Musings

“Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

I was unable to locate the exact source of this quotation, but it is a valuable one nonetheless.  Remember as you begin your day to deal with others with compassion and empathy.  You never know what someone else is going through!

Have a great week!

-J

Saturday's Sense: Perspective

You know all those bad days you have? The ones where everything you think could go wrong, does? You trip in the cafeteria, you fail that test you studied so hard for, the girls in math class make fun of the shoes you're wearing, etc?  You've had them. We all have them. Well, when I was in middle school/high school, my mom would always listen to me vent my frustrations and be upset about whatever had happened then she would say something very profound to me. "In 50 years, will it matter?" And I would stop complaining and really think about what had went on that day. You know what? The answer to that question was usually always no. It helped so much then and it still helps me now. It helps to figure out what's worth being upset about and what's really not all that important. Those years in middle school and high school EVERYTHING seemed like an epic disaster. I'm so thankful my mom helped me get that perspective and helped me realize what will matter in 50 years.

Today, I'm glad I get to share that perspective with all of you. When everything seems to be going wrong, ask yourself if any of it will matter in 50 years. You'll be surprised at how the answer will make you feel.

-C

Does Modesty Fit into Summer?

Summer officially begins today and sadly, I’ve seen many girls posting pictures on social media sites of themselves in very immodest apparel-even girls who wear the name of Christ. Summertime is hot but regardless of the temperature, we must act and look like Christians. I encourage you to watch this video with an open and honest heart, as Robert Hatfield preaches the truth in a loving way.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/34079071

Friday's Focus: Did You Think to Pray?

Prayer is an awesome privilege that God reserves for His children. Through prayer you can bring your deepest concerns to the Lord. As John tells us, “This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us,” 1 John 5:14. God can help you with anything from arguments with friends to a friend or family’s illness. Prayer is especially important when making big decisions. Before Jesus chose the apostles, he spent all night in prayer to His Father (Luke 6:12-13). So whatever you’re choosing…a college, a job, or a mate… always consult God first. Paul instructs in Php. 4:6 that we should “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication…let your requests be made known unto God.” Just knowing that God is working in these situations will bring the peace which surpasses all understanding” to your life (Php. 4:7).

                  When should we pray? The Bible answers repeatedly: ALL THE TIME! (Romans 12:12, Psalm 55:17, 1 Thess. 5:17) This doesn’t mean speaking constantly in prayer but rather that God wants us to constantly recognize and thank Him for the good things He has done for us and can do for us. When I recognize a blessing in my life, I remember to pray. A Christian who is close to God will call on Him in good times as well as bad.

                  Prayer is an avenue for confession. Sometimes we try to cover up our faults-our human nature doesn’t want to admit that we have problems and need help. But God designed prayer so we could bring Him our sins and difficulties in life and let Him help us through. Tell God about your problems and struggles. 1 John 1:7-9 tells us that when we as Christians, confess our sins to the Lord and stop doing them, He will forgive us.

                  We need to keep in mind as well that sometimes God answers our prayer with no (2 Cor. 12:7-9 and Mat. 26:39-42), but God knows what we need most. Here are a few of his suggestions that will help improve any Christian’s prayer life presented in an article in the June 1994 edition of Power:

1.     Have a prayer list. List people (by name) and church programs for whom/which you want to pray. It is easy to forget if you don’t have something to jog your memory.

2.     Organize your list. In addition to having general prayers each day and specific prayers for immediate needs, plan a special time to pray for a different subject area each day of the week. An example of this is below…

                                                                          A Weekly Prayer Reminder

Sunday: Saints-fellow Christians, church leaders, local congregation, the church universal. 

Monday: Missionaries-Evangelism, missionaries, and the lost (by name). 

Tuesday: Teachers-Bible class teachers, elders and deacons. 

Wednesday: Washington-Civil government leaders, worldwide peace, spreading of the gospel. 

Thursday: Thanksgiving-Health, food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and spiritual blessings. 

Friday: Family-Friends and relatives.

Saturday: Shut-ins and Sick-Elderly and chronically ill. Also the poor, afflicted and those who mourn.

  

3.     Review past prayer lists. This reaffirms our belief that prayer works and increases our thanksgiving.

4.     Develop good prayer habits. Spend more time in prayer. Pray at set times everyday and be open to opportunities for spontaneous prayer

I apologize for this being such a long post but there is just so much to say about the importance of prayer. Thanks for bearing with me through the lengthy read.

-M

What if you woke today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?

Source: Girl to Girl

Let your light shine.

Matthew 5:14-16

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Nether do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Thursday's Thoughts

I've been thinking a lot about friendships lately. Having strong, Christian friends is such a blessing. It is always encouraging to be able to talk to one of your sisters or brothers in Christ and know that you're on the same page when it comes to spiritual matters. You share the same goal of getting to heaven one day. But are any friendships easy? Proverbs 18:24 says that "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." Friendships require work. For that matter, all relationships require work. There's a saying that to have friends, you have to be a friend. That's what the proverb is saying. As Christians, we have the best friend that anyone could ever have: Jesus Christ. We can talk to Him and hear His words through the Bible. It requires work too though, right? We have to study and listen and pray and be busy doing His will. He will encourage us more than any friend we have on this earth. He will also let us know when we are doing something wrong. He's honest, faithful, and loving. 

Let's work on our friendship with Him. Tell Him your secrets, laugh with Him, and get to know Him better this week. 

"I'll be a friend to Jesus, my life for Him I'll spend
I'll be a friend to Jesus, until my years shall end."

-C

Wednesday's Wisdom

“Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.” Proverbs 11:28

Things, things, things, things.  As Americans, we live in a very blessed country, and it’s so easy to get caught up in material things.  We want more, we want bigger, and we want better.  We think if we have this or that, our lives will be just right.  Or we think as long as we have X amount of money saved up, nothing can stop us or hurt us. 

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6: 19-21

Don’t trust in riches on earth.  Store up your riches in heaven by following God’s will and serving others.  Where is your treasure?  Where is your heart?

-J

Tuesday's Task: Think Pure Thoughts

Keep your thoughts positive

Because your thoughts become your words.

Keep you words positive

Because your words become your behavior

Keep your behavior positive

Because you behavior becomes your habits.

Keep your habits positive

Because your habits become your values.

-unknown

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Philippians 4:8

Everything we say and do starts as a thought. This makes what we think about very important. Paul knew this and that is why he wrote in Philippians 4:8, we must think about things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. Write this verse on the front of your notebooks. Write it on a post-it note and stick it to your bathroom mirror. Save it as the background on your phone. By doing this, you will help remind yourself to be careful what type of music you listen to, what kind of TV shows you watch and the books or magazines you read because what you put into your mind is what you will think about.

-M

Monday's Musings

 

“Everyone deserves a parade.”

http://vimeo.com/67909901

Go make someone’s day.

-J

Sunday's Scripture

John 14:1-6 (NKJ)

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also, and where I go you know and the way you know. Thomas said unto him, Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Saturday’s Sense

You can only control what YOU do. Don’t get caught up in what other people are or are not doing. Focus on what you can do for the Lord’s kingdom and don’t get discouraged when you see other people not being active! Also, you never know what they’re doing behind the scenes so try not to be quick to judge them. (And I need this today as much as any of you so I know how difficult it can be!)

Happy Saturday! Enjoy some ice cream for me :)

-C

Friday's Focus:Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me

      Focusing is hard (well, it is for me anyway). I get distracted easily. Often, I have a good thought but something else pops into my mind and I abandon that good idea, but you know what I don’t have trouble focusing on? Myself. If I have a little extra money I usually catch myself thinking something like, “I could buy myself a new purse,” or (being the book lover that I am) “I think I need that book.” Now let me tell you that I am extremely blessed in the area of material possessions, so do I really need a new purse or whatever else my heart desires at that moment? No, but society tries to convince me I do. It is not wrong at all to have nice things and to buy yourself something but it is wrong to only be focusing on our self. The Bible tells us…

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

      To help us focus less on ourselves, we need to focus more on what we can do for others. No matter how old or young you may be, there is always something you can do for someone else. You can pray for others. Do you have a friend who is having a difficult time with something? Pray for them and tell them you are praying for them! Send a card to someone who is in a nursing home. Tell them you were thinking of them and hope they have a good day. Send a card to one of the children at the congregation you attend. Tell them how happy you are to have them at church & if you can point out something specific you appreciate about them. For example, they might always be smiling. They might be great at sharing or at helping their parents take care of little brothers & sisters. Getting a card from a “big person,” like you will really mean a lot to them.

What else can you suggest that will help us focus on others? 

-M

Thursday’s Thoughts

 

So I went to Sonic the other day to get a nice, cold drink to beat this muggy heat. After drinking all of my raspberry sweet tea (my favorite btw), I opened the lid to eat some ice. And guess what? There was a dead fly sitting on top of that ice! Needless to say, I was a little grossed out and did not eat any of that ice. However, it got me thinking about how great I thought that tea was while I was drinking it. It was sweet and perfectly flavored. It quenched my thirst and I thought there was nothing better than that at the moment. But when I opened it up, it was disgusting. It was contaminated and no longer made me feel satisfied. Isn’t that how we are sometimes? On the outside, we put on nice clothes and fix our hair and have a pretty smile. But on the inside, are we contaminated by the flies of the world? God knows. He knows our hearts (Luke 16:15, I Samuel 16:7). He knows what’s inside when we take the top off of our soul.

Let’s try harder than ever to focus on the inside of our cups and keep the flies out.

-C

Be still.

                                                               

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted in the earth."

Psalm 46:10

God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). He created everything from nothing. He is amazing, awesome, incredible, powerful, loving and just. And you know what? He loves YOU. He loves you and wants you to follow Him. 

What more do we need?

-C

Oh sweet Summertime

The days stretch in front of you, long and slow and lazy. No school. No homework. No set schedule for your days.  You finally have enough time to spend with friends and family. Don’t you just love it? Enjoy it. Enjoy every second of your summers as a kid. Don’t wish your life away. Don’t wish to be an adult. As much as you think everything would be better to just be older, it won’t be. There will be plenty of time (Lord willing) for all the new experiences, new responsibilities, and new pressures that being an adult brings.

Look around you. You are free to be a kid. So be a kid. Catch lightning bugs and run barefoot outside. Go to the park and swing as high as you can. Read all the books you want and explore new subjects. Watch a sunset and realize that our God is an awesome artist. Who else can paint the sky that way? Pray for opportunities to reach out to the kids in your neighborhood. Invite them to worship services. Give someone a nice glass of cold lemonade on a hot day. With the more relaxed environment of summer, you can find more ways to bring Christ to the people around you. So get out there and start enjoying the moments you’re in right now.

You won’t regret it.

-C

How many times have you prayed so fervently for something and then the opposite happens?  You pray that the cute boy in homeroom will notice you and then he starts dating someone else.  You pray that you’ll be as pretty as that girl on the softball team with the perfect skin and then you wake up with a huge pimple right on your nose. You pray that your sister will get that job so she can move back closer to your family and then she gets that rejection letter. In the middle of these situations it is so hard not to look up at God and get upset. And, to be honest, we pray for selfish things a lot of the time then get so angry and frustrated when things don’t happen the way we want them to.  It is especially hard when you’re in middle school/high school and everything seems so magnified. Every set back seems like it is the end of the world. All those emotions just swell up and you don’t know how to handle them all. 

Here’s what you do with them: give all those emotions back to God. Pray and pray some more (I Thessalonians 5:17). Just because the answer wasn't what you wanted doesn't mean He doesn't care. We have to put our trust in Him (Psalm 71:5). He is our hope. No matter what, hold onto that hope. Trust Him and don’t let your plans get in the way of His. 

It isn't easy. It is so much easier to get angry. It takes a lot of determination not to let the disappointments of this life get us down. But with God on our side, anything is possible.

Believe that.

-C

Dear Reader,

You are precious. You are important. You are beautiful.

This blog’s intention is to help you see those things for yourself using God’s word and by sharing what meager wisdom we, the writers, have to share with you. This wisdom comes from age, from experience, from observations.  Most importantly, we want this blog to be somewhere you can go to be encouraged and lifted up. It’s hard being a girl in this world. It’s even harder trying to be a Christian girl in this world as well. We know. We’ve been there. In some ways, we are still there; still in the sea of low self-esteem, of confusion, of learning and of growing.  In Titus, Paul writes that the older ladies are to teach the younger (Titus 2:3-4 KJV) and how do we teach but through showing lessons we’ve already learned ourselves? Perhaps our mistakes can help you to avoid some of the traps Satan sets for you. All those heartaches, tears and pain we’ve suffered through would be worth it if our experiences could help one of you avoid the same pitfalls.  We hope these articles, links, quotes, etc will find open hearts and we want you to know that everything we write is written from hearts full of love for you and your future as a sister in Christ. 

In closing, I Thessalonians 5:11 says we are to comfort and edify each other.  Our prayer is that this blog will do just that.

Until next time,

C