My Last January Post!

Aye! It's already the last day of January! Where did the time go? Honestly, I don't even remember!

What I do remember is my resolution/pilgrimage I made exactly one month ago, December 31st, 2015. 

Straight from my blog one month ago is my resolution:

"I want to grow in faith. 

This year, 2015, has been the year that I have grown closest to God, I feel. I want to grow closer, closer, closer. I am not there yet, and perhaps I will never grow as close to God as I would like to, but this year I want to focus everyday on growing in Him..."

So how am I doing with that? Well, it started out rocky at first, but now I have been reading my Bible everyday (I'm almost done with the chapter of 1 Samuel), listening to prayers on Abide, doing daily devotions, and actually devoting time to spend with God. I definitely could improve and be more rigid with it, though, as there have been a few times when I made excuses like, "I'm too busy with school" or "I've been working all day, and now I'm too tired!" This coming month, I think I want to work on crushing those excuses! ☺

January was a bit rocky overall, with school starting up again, dealing with rejection, and just the struggles that our daily lives bring. These struggles are tests. Tests to see if I will actually stick with God, even when things get tough. God will bring you through any storm, so stick with Him!

Speaking of God sticking with you, I recently finished reading the story of David and Goliath. This Bible story has been read and reread over and over to me since I was a little toddler, so when I came to it, I was very excited! ☺

David was a young boy who volunteered to fight against a 9-foot giant who wore armor that weighed hundreds of pounds! Everyone was frightened by Goliath, but David prevailed. David wasn't just a confident little guy, he had fought off a bear and lion when they tried to attack his flock of sheep! In addition to that, David had God on his side. David never doubted himself, or God, when put up against Goliath. These were his words:

"David replied to the Philistine, "You have come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven's Armies-- the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people. but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord's battle, and He will give you to us!"      1 Samuel 17:45-47 

In the end, David killed Goliath with a sling shot and a rock! The giant covered in armor had swords that weighed 15 pounds, but the little boy defeated him with a rock and his God! This goes to show us that no matter the struggles we face in the upcoming month, God will be there with us fighting our battles, not with sword or spear, but with His love and mercy.

It can be scary to give over your life to God, but remember the words of David:

"This is the Lord's battle, and He will give you to us!" 

So give yourself to Him with outstretched arms! He will never let you down, because He is there to fight for you!

Have a LOVEly February! God's Blessings!

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Making Fun of The Cheerleaders

Today we had a Pep Rally at school... Let me just say this: I would rather have a root canal than go to a Peppy Pep Rally. Sitting for more than half of an hour in the gym, surrounded by loud and obnoxious kids, awkward games, and cheer-leading routines.

I despise every ounce of Pep Rallies. In fact, I even considered not going to school today, just to avoid going.

The cheer-leading routines especially makes me cringe. Don't get me wrong, they are very talented, and never in a million years could I do what they do! Each of the cheerleaders is a very sweet girl. They proudly twist, tumble, and twirl in front of the entire high school. But, surely they hear it?

The whispers, giggles, crude remarks, and the downright mean names they are called? How could they not? Every Pep Rally these nasty words are spewed - and very loudly, might I add - all throughout the entire gymnasium. 

It's a bit ironic, is it not? Cheerleaders are stereotyped as petty, gorgeous, and mean girls that flaunt their attitude everywhere they go. Trust me when I say that these girls wouldn't hurt a fly. Like I said before, they are very sweet. Stereotyped cheerleaders rule the school. Again, these girls are not like that.

So what's the issue? 

It's actually not a matter of talent... but rather how they look.

All of the girls are beautiful because they are all made in God's image (Genesis 1:27). Their kind and sweet attitude makes them even prettier. If you know any judgmental high schooler, then you will fully understand what I am about to tell you:

The boys started out by laughing at how their legs look... a few of the girls aren't pencil thin. The boys have managed to develop their name calling skills over the past few Pep Rallies, going from "Fatty" to "Size One...Million!" and finally settling on "Jiggles." 

It breaks my heart. I realize that people will always be mean to each other, but my goodness, here we are 13-18 years old and kids are already as mean as snakes? 

I look to Jesus. He was and is our biggest cheerleader. He is always there for us, guiding us through the twists and tumbles that we take in our daily lives. 

Jesus himself was not "socially acceptable." He was seen as a threat, so people tore Him down and put Him on the cross. Jesus was made fun of and called names. He was torn down so that his enemies wouldn't have to hear from Him again. Jesus could not be silenced, though. He rose again to save us from petty sins like the ones that I experienced at the Pep Rally today. He loves us no matter what. 

These cheerleaders proudly do what makes them happy, with a smile on their face. Regardless if others accept us, Jesus is always there for us, cheering us on with the loudest megaphone and the brightest smile. 

After all:

"If God is for us, then who could be against us?"

                                                          Romans 8:31

I  hope if you take anything away from this post, is to live knowing that God always approves of you. We should always aim to please him, because he is good and perfect, and is always cheering us on!

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A to Z of Our God

                                      God will...

                 

Always Be There for You! (Joshua 1:9)

Bless You! (Numbers 6:24-26)
Calm Your Storms! (Psalms 107:29)
Do as He has Promised! (Numbers 23:19)
Equip You! (Hebrews 13:21)
Fight for You! (Exodus 14:14)
Give Himself to You! (Galatians 2:20)
Heal You! (Exodus 15:26)
Increase! (John 3:30)
Judge you Fairly! (Romans 2: 1-13)
Keep You Safe! (Psalms 121:7-8)
Lift You Up! (Isaiah 40:31)
Make All Things Possible! (Matthew 19:26)
Never Fade! (Isaiah 40:8)
Open Doors for You! (Revelation 3:8)
Plan Your Future! (Jeremiah 29:11)
Quench Your Thirst! (John 7:37)
Rescue You! (John 3:16)
Strengthen You! (Isaiah 41:10)
Transform You! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Unchain You!(John 8:32)
Vindicate You! (Romans 12:19)
Wipe Away Your Tears! (Revelation 21:4)
X-Ray Your Heart and Mind! (Psalms 139:23-24)
Yet Reveal... (John 13:7)
Zealously Give Himself! (Titus 2:14)

We learned our A-B-C's when we were small children, but sometimes a refresher can be good! Besides, Jesus said himself;

"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven."   Matthew 18:3

Now you know your A-B-C's! Next time won't you sing with me? 

Have a lovely week! I'll be praying for you!

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Being a Light in the Darkness

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Martin Luther was the leader for the Civil Rights Movement. He led in nonviolent ways while he promoted love and peace instead of hatred. King was a minister and truly shone with the love of God through his times of trouble. He loved those who wanted him dead, and continued to spread this love up until his assassination.

Martin Luther King was certainly a light of hope in the darkness of racism and hatred. He was an example to the millions of people who were stripped of dignity, rights, and even their own lives or the lives of their family members.

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." -MLK

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend." -MLK 

This most definitely was not easy to say and even more difficult to follow through with. Reading in our history textbooks will tell us of the horrific events that African Americans experienced to earn the rights that were supposedly for all men. It is a sad part of our history, but filled with meaning and lessons that should not be forgotten.

While racism in our country still exists, African Americans eventually won the rights that they deserved. I have always been told to learn about history as much as you can, because it repeats itself if you let it.
             
                         Lessons that we should remember from the Civil Rights Movement:

1.  We are all equal, whether or not humans can accept that.
2.  Love can overcome hatred.
3.  Humans deserve to be treated as humans.
4.  Lean on and help others in times of trouble.


Like I said in my last post, Jesus said to 'love your neighbor as yourself.' Love is a great force that was first given to us by our gracious God. To reiterate our Weekly Bible Verse, I'll post it again. I think it fits well with today.

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this; to lay down one's life for one's friends." John 15:12-13

"Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34 

Millions of African Americans died for the rights of their friends, families, and people across the States. Think on this, this week and remember that when you find it hard to love someone remember Martin Luther King and Jesus. They loved those who hated them. Let love serve as your inspiration.

                                          I will be praying for you!

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The Golden Rule

Has this ever happened to you? You'll be having a decent conversation with someone and all of the sudden they blow up? You can't even figure out why- Was it something I said? Did? Who can even say? Why do they immediately revert to anger? What is this conversation even about anymore?

So, I know this person and it doesn't happen too often, but when it does it is lethal. The way I remember one of these deadly conversations went something like this:

"Hey, can you go do this?" (I must mention that this person was doing nothing at the time while I had been spending a few hours on my homework)

"Hold on... I'm working on my homework."

Cue angry yelling:

"Why can't anyone ever do what I ask them to? Is it too much for me to ask this? Does it affect your life that much? I am constantly doing stuff for you- why can't you ever do anything for me!!" 

By that time I was flustered and exasperated. I realized that I probably should have helped right away, but why, I thought: "Why should I stop what I am doing to help you, when you are doing nothing yourself?" Then I realized. I was being selfish, only thinking of my immediate need- to get my homework done and then I could help. I wasn't thinking of the needs of the person in front of me.

Now this conversation could also be interpreted the other way around. The person that I was talking to could of offered me with help on my homework, but they didn't. Either way you look at it, this conversation could be interpreted as selfish.

Now if we back up and see it from an audience point of view, we could apply the Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. If I were my friend would I of wanted immediate help? Yes. If my friend were me, would they of wanted help with their homework? Probably. We need to examine our situations and act on them in ways we would like to be treated.

We also need to think of this person and what is going on in their life now. Is something affecting their behavior and attitude? Is there anyway that you can help with this? Make sure that you don't immediately jump to conclusions: "They're always so mad!" "She only thinks of herself!" "He never thinks about how this affects me!" Because, chances are, they are struggling with something more than you know, and they are lashing out their anger as a result.

When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, he answered that it was to "Love your neighbor and Love God".

No matter how someone may treat you or react to what you say, love them no matter what.

"12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."  John 15: 12-13

To lay down your life for your friends is the greatest kind of love. Meaning, love is doing what your friends need from you (within appropriate limits), loving them, and making sacrifices for them. We need to "love our neighbors as ourselves" because God has shown us the greatest love though sending his son to die for us on the cross.

I don't know about you, but that is the kind of love that I want to be treated with, and the kind that I would like to give in return! :) I will be praying for you! And remember, God is always on your side- so be strong because God will help you through any fight!

If you don't know how to help someone, ask God to guide you! Let Him help you help others, even those who are especially hard to love!

                    Have a lovely week, and remember to love others as God has loved you!

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Rejection

As I sit here and write this, there is a knot in my stomach. My eyes blink away tears as I tell myself over and over "You're not good enough." I try to swallow the lump in my throat, but it won't go away. Today was just one of those days when you feel like everything you do just isn't enough. Let me give you some back story.

So, over the weekend I got a letter in the mail that said I was accepted into an application process for National Honor Society. I was over the moon excited and felt that I could do anything. Yay! I was just so happy and was so proud of myself. The letter also said that I would pick up my application in the front office.

After a weekend of thinking about what I would write down, I was confident that I would fill out the application, and I would get in and everything would be sunshine and rainbows, because that is the kind of person I am- always positive. I walked into the office with a smile plastered on my face and a "Hello-can-I-have-an-application-for-National-Honor-Society-please?Thank-you-so-much!" I was self-assured, upbeat, and convinced that I would achieve greatness with my answers. I practically ran to the car where my parents waited to pick me up. I wouldn't look at it until then, I decided.

With the whisk of the paper, I glanced at its contents. Smile, smile, smile, flip page...

                                                              Oh.

Cue lump and blinky eyes that try to contain the tears.

                                                              Oh.

I handed the worksheet over to my mom. "There is no way that I am good enough to get into this." I limply dropped the paper and I sobbed internally as she glanced it over. She knew just as well as I did that I had never led a leadership position- I had always been too shy, too much of a wallflower. There was no way that I could get in. I hadn't done enough community service, enough extracurricular, enough perfection. I told myself.  "Can't I ever do anything right?"

Then to top it off, my application for a community service project was rejected. Rejection, rejection, rejection.

Cue sobbing and eyes that can no longer hold back tears.

               

Actually, up to today I felt good about myself. I had perfect grades last semester, and I am starting off well this semester, I have been reading my Bible more, and I have been feeling so much closer to God. Then, BAM! It hits me. "You're not good enough. Look at all of the other girls that got into NHS... look at all of the other girls that will get into NHS.... look at everyone expecting you to get into NHS, but you won't, because you are not good enough. You're not going to get into any colleges because you are too mediocre." 

Whoa. Mediocrity? Me? I had never thought of myself like that. I had always expected myself to do great things, and everyone expects me to as well. And now? "I'm not special" runs through my head, even though I know that God thinks otherwise. (If you read my last post, you are probably thinking, "Hey, what happened to your 'don't be negative because negative thoughts drown you'. Well she's there, but is now buried in guilt, rejection, and disappointment. And besides, do as I say, not as I do!)

Sorry to bring you down with my oddly depressing post. I know that God has a plan for us all (Jeremiah 29:11) but honestly, it doesn't feel right. I feel hollow and worthless. I know that I'll get over it eventually, sure. This is one little club that I got rejected from. What if I'm rejected from colleges, or job offers? That is way more serious. If I am not good enough for a high school club, how can I be good enough for the rest of my life?

I know I shouldn't worry, and I know that God loves me no matter what. I just want to be in this club. But, wait. Do I want to be in NHS because I want to, or because I want other people to know that I got in, that I did what was expected of me? At this point, I really don't know. Everything is jumbled. When my head clears, maybe I could say, but at this point I have no idea.

"27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can boast in the presence of God."                              1 Corinthians 1:27-29

To me, this verse means that no one is perfect in God's eyes. He sees our faults, weaknesses, and fears, but he overlooks them. He loves us no matter what. I mean, he sent his own son to die for us. That is eternal love that lasts though every situation, good and bad.

Rejection is tough. But I have to remember that God brings us into storms to test us, to see who will continue to look to Him as their lighthouse, and pulls them out stronger than before. "This too shall pass."

On the bright side, I have been asking God to help me find a topic to write about for this blog, so maybe this rejection has a silver lining after all! :)

What is your rejection story, if you have one? How did you overcome it? What did God lead you to?

God's Blessings for the new week! I will be praying for you!

Negative Thoughts

Hello, all! Here I am writing another post, trying to squeeze it in before school starts again! School is actually a topic that I will be discussing today. Now as you get to know me, you'll find out that I do love learning and education, truly, honestly! But I will also tell you that I dread the thought of school, as most do. School actually can make me a pretty negative person at times, and as you probably already know, that is totally unlike me! Negativity is a pretty funny thing. It pops up out of the blue and suddenly takes its hold on you, without you even realizing it.

I've been reading Joyce Myers' books for the past year and she often talks about being negative, especially in "Battlefield of the Mind." (A favorite of mine, by the way!) Have you ever had a stiff neck and you go to the chiropractor, and they tell you that the source of pain is in another location, other than where it actually hurts? This is because your spine is connected to, well, everything! Just like your spine, your thoughts, words, moods, and behaviors are all connected. 

Think about it: You are placed in a negative spot, school, work, even at home. You are surrounded by negativity so it begins to engulf you. You frown and knit your brows into a furrow. Negative thoughts begin to seep into your mind, weighing down your mood. And when you are in a bad mood, you start acting negative. And when you act and feel negative-guess what! You start speaking negatively. Negativity never solves problems. In fact, it makes them worse. 

However, there is always a solution! God has your solution written out for you in the Good Book! There are two verses that I know of relating to this topic, but honestly I am sure that there are so many more!

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."                          Philippians 4:8

"Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.      Luke 10:19

You have the power to think positive thoughts. Crush your serpents and replace them with noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy thoughts and actions. Not only will thinking such things make you happy and sunny, but you can help to improve the moods and thoughts of others around you. God only wants us to be happy, but in order to be happy, we need to take the extra step, go the distance. Is it easier to be negative? Yes. But, are you a person that God would be proud of when you are negative? Does your unfavorable behavior allow for you to carry out your duties gladly? Are you proud of yourself when your project your mood on others? Think through these questions when you feel yourself sliding down the slope. Then, pick yourself back up, try again, and overcome the mountain!

I will be praying for you! I know that it is hard, but nothing is impossible with God! And, remember! It is a New Year, so lets work on improving ourselves and our relationship with God! Best wishes and God Bless!

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Why Do I Blog When I Have No Followers (And Possibly No Readers)?

Why should I blog if I don't even have anyone reading my blog? I ask this to myself all the time. I am fairly new at this whole blogging thing, so I guess that my lack of followers is expected, yet at times I feel discouraged. If you look over at my sidebar, you see no followers, I have only gotten one comment on this blog, and my blog doesn't even show up when you try to look it up on Google. So, why? Why do I continue to blog to an empty page? I'll tell you why: I cannot quit. I can't. Why? I try to quit, but God pulls me back to it.

If you look back at my posts, you will see a gap between May and November. Five months went by and I didn't make a single post. I was embarrassed for writing to a blank crowd. I figured that if I didn't have followers immediately, I never would. So I gave up. I felt a tug each time I signed on to my email. "Blog." it whispered. I ignored this little voice. It grew stronger with each passing month. "BLog." it spoke. Finally, it turned into a full-blown scream: "BLOG!!!" So there I was, publishing my second post in November. I wrote other posts, well half-wrote, in the "gap", but I never felt they were worth sharing. So now, there they sit, unfinished. Maybe one day I'll share them, but for now I'll keep them there.

If you ask me why I started this blog, I would simply tell you that it was to show that God Never Fades. He is always there with us, guiding us and showing us our paths. This blog is my path. I tried to quit, but God pushed me back on track because He knows what is best. He has plans for us. Now, I have no clue what this blog could lead to, or if it even will, but for some reason God wanted me to continue this blog. Even if I never get a single follower, I will continue to blog for as long as God wants me to.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. "                Isaiah 55:9

"You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail."    Proverbs 19:21

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight."    Proverbs 3: 5-6

If you are unsure as to how God want to lead you, PRAY. Be steadfast in prayer and God will show you. It may come out as a whisper, or a loud scream! I pray that you will find God's purpose for you!