True Beauty

“We live in a world that has trained us to see nothing but our flaws. The first thing we see in the mirror is the volcano-sized pimples, crooked noses, and Dumbo ears. But when God looks at us He sees perfection - not because He sees us as we are, but because He sees us for who we can be in light of His love for us. His love makes us elegant. His love makes us beautiful. His love gives us purpose and reveals to us who we truly are.”

Exerpt from God Called A Girl by Shannon Kubiak

One Thing I Would Outlaw

In creative writing class, Lizzy thought about using the topic: If You Could Outlaw One Thing, What Would It Be? So I'll tell you what my choice would be.

Insincerity in Christians

Some one comes to you expressing their love for God and desire to serve Him, yet they turn around and continue in sin. Do they not understand? God cannot use someone who continually disobeys Him and His laws. Yes, I understand we all sin, but to say one thing and then deliberately disobey is a different situation. God longs for sincere Christians who say what they mean and do what they say. There is nothing so unnerving as someone talking nice about your God, then dragging His name through the mud. If I had the power to outlaw one thing it would be insincere Christians who fake their devotion to God.

Our America

"The more profoundly we study this wonderful book (the Bible) and the more closely we observe it's divine precepts, the better citizens we will become and the higher will be our destiny as a nation."

President William McKinley

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord"

May America get back to the Lord before it's too late. May the Bible be our law and the Lord, our Guide.

A Quote to Think About

I was reading a book the other day, Christy, by Catherine Marshall, and though it is fictional there was a part in it that I thought, "Wow! That is so true in our Christian lives. So will post it.

"What do you do when strength is called for and you have no strength? You evoke a power beyond your own (Christ's power in us) and use stamina you did not know you had. You open your eyes in the morning grateful that you can see the sunlight of yet another day. You draw yourself to the edge of the bed and them put one foot in front of the other-and keep going. You weep with those who gently close the eyes of the dead, and somehow, from the salt of your tears, comes endurance for them and for you. You pour out that resurgence to minister to the living." (p.477)

I thought it was neat how God can use anything to teach us a lesson. Sometimes we "know" we can't go on anymore, we just "can't" do it. But we are wrong in one sense, We cannot do it but God can through us. "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me." Phil.4:13

Then when we actually do it and we look back, we know the only way we got through that trial was with the Lord's help. I just thought it was neat.

A Quote To Think On

"Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is and cleave to it as the highest price of every pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain."
~John Piper ~

Lesson from a Single's Activity

We had a singles activity last Thursday and Mr. Serafin(he hosted our activity at his house) gave a challenge that made a lot of sense and all of us singles deal with it.
Genesis one is the creation of the world, and how after everything that the Lord made He said, "it was good." And on the sixth day He said "it was very good." God created it all, it was perfect.
In chapter two the Lord created man, but there is an interesting thing mentioned in verse eighteen that, "It is not good that man should be alone;"(Vs.18) First God made everything and said it was very good and then He made man and said it wasn't good for him to be alone. So He brought a woman along in His timing, mind you, and it was all good again. God has someone for everyone, except for those who are serving the Lord in areas that a relationship doesn't seem to be the wisest. But we can know that it isn't good for most of us to go through life alone. Two heads are better than one. So much more can be done, when two people are serving the Lord together. Anyway, I thought this was interesting, hope is may have touch someone else's life.

The Blessings of Friends

I am posting again and I have a ton of new thoughts to post. But one of the hugest blessings I had this week was from the friends the Lord has given me. I was thinking of all the wonderful friends I have both from church and school and other places.

I got to spend last Thursday with my friend Samantha, who is a huge blessing and going through a lot of the same things as I. She is going away to teach like I am, leaving home and family to go to a place you do not know(she's going to West Virginia). Then the same night Seth and Brenda showed up for church where we were down at school. So I got to see Brenda and then she told me that she was coming to my church on Sunday.

Sunday Morning Brenda came up and gave me a card and said, "Don't open it in here, it has music." So I took it home and open it, it started singing "You've Got a Friend in me" and she wrote in it reminding me of some memories we've had. So I wrote her a card back, (even though mine didn't sing) and told her how much I loved her and I reminded her of some good times we've had since our freshman year. Good Times, Good Times! =) But it was good to see her and spend some time with her.

And I can't forget to mention Seth, he's there every church service asking me how things are going for me and asks what the latest news on Germany is. He's a faithful friend and I've known him a good while. Yeah, I'm afraid he knows me real well, maybe a little too well! ;) Nah, he's just seen me with my family in many interesting situations.

Sunday night I was also given a letter from my best friend Ruth. I had given her a card Friday at VBS just telling her how much I appreciate her and our friendship. The Lord definately planned for us to be friends. We can just be together, not doing anything, and still have the greatest time. We really got to talk on July 5th while watching fireworks and I just wrote some things for her to expect when she goes to college(This is going to be her first year). She wrote back just telling me that she was so glad that I wrote her that letter. But that isn't the point. I don't get to see her very often, because she works at her Dad's camp during the week, but anytime we get to spend together, just her and I is wonderful! Our friendship is kinda like being sisters, I guess minus the fighting. ;) But neither of us worry how to act around each other, we just act ourselves and we accept each other despite of it. She is a friend like the picture says, one that reminds me of what God has done in my life and what He is continuing to do.
Because of these friends, not leaving out any of you others, I am so thankful for everyone of you. But God reminded me the other day of how blessed I am to have godly, encouraging, believers of like faith who are my friends. So I am so thankful for each one of you and I can say like David:
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"
Psalm 133:1

New Blog

Well, here I am. I decided that I wanted to make a new blog where I could just post things that the Lord was teaching me. I still use my other blog but it will just be about the different things that are going on in my life. So I need to work on this and edit it to where it suits me, so I'm going to work some more. I'm at my grandma Davis' so I don't have my Bible, I'll post when I get home.