Stand Strong & Hold On

It amazes me everyday what trends become popular and how fast they become popular too. Here lately the trends on Facebook are jumping into some water, and then something called the "No Make Up Challenge" for the ladies. I know what you're thinking "Lord, please don't let anyone challenge me with that one." I thought it that's for sure. However, I have had a change of heart. No, I was not "challenged" to do this. I am doing it on my own. 

There it is. Fresh face and some messy hair that just don't care. :) I had planned to write a new post on getting through heartbreak, but I felt lead to switch it up last minute. By the end of this post I want every young lady, or even my older ladies that read this to realize their self worth. You are beautiful. You are unique. God created you for a special purpose. 

Psalm 139:13 – 14
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.” (NLT)

It is tough growing up in our world when trying to stay pure, and to do what is right because the sin is everywhere. The media makes things like drugs, drinking and partying look like innocent fun. You and I both know it really isn't. I'm bothered the most when we as Christians are considered "uncool" or "boring" because we don't participate in those activities. Then we get called a "goody two shoes." It will happen and when it does, that is when you leave them with a simple "whatever." You do not want people like that in your life anyways. I feel that is tougher on girls too because some guys see being a "good girl" as a turn off. Every girl wants to be loved. And when a boy thinks you're pretty or likes you, you'll want to do just about anything to make him happy because if he is happy, then you're happy. That is our first problem. No boy should ever, and I repeat EVER be the reason for your happiness. (A lesson I have definitely learned.) 

“I don’t ever want to have to need someone again,

 where you feel like, without them, you can’t be yourself.” 

- Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus, who normally isn't someone I would ever quote, actually has a really good point. We get boyfriends, then lose track of who we are. We forget our self worth. We forget that we are beautiful with or without a boy sending you a "Goodmorning beautiful" text to wake up to. We forget that God has a wonderful and beyond amazing plan for us. 

We,ladies, deserve a man who will not pressure us into things we don't do. We deserve a man who prays for us daily. The greatest thing a man could ever do is lead his woman closer to God than he leads to himself. If a boy doesn't like you for who you are, then so be it. It is his loss. You are a special young lady and God has made someone just for you. He might come into your life tomorrow or five years from now. Do not lose hope. There is someone out there who will love you for you. In the meantime, love on the God who loves to love on you. Remember your self worth. Do not settle for some silly little boy who doesn't know what he's going to lose. 

Proverbs 31:30 
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” (NLT)

Do not lose yourself in this crazy world. You are beautiful. Be strong. Be the light this dark world so desperately needs. Let others see Jesus Christ through you. Carry yourself like a Proverbs 31 lady.(look it up) Stand up for what is right. Pray for those who do wrong. Surround yourself with others who build you up instead of tearing you down. 

I will leave you all with this passage from Joshua 1:6-9.

6 “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Which Highway Are You On?

First off I'd like to say thank you to those of you who read this blog and share it with others. Your kind words mean so much to me! I'm always reminded of why I wanted to start this blog in the first place. Thank you, again. :) If you have been keeping up with my posts then you will remember how a few weeks ago I was asking for your prayers about a big scholarship at a college I was really wanting to go to next fall. I felt really good about the interview and classroom discussion I was in. I wasn't as nervous as I thought I was going to be, instead I felt really calm. It was all a God thing. I knew He was beside me the whole time and that is just a wonderful feeling. :) However, I did not receive the scholarship. It was upsetting but I knew that God had a different plan for me. I figured it just meant a different school, but boy, I was wrong. Throughout this whole process I have always asked God to lead me in the direction He wants me to go. This past week or so I have done some major soul searching and God has answered my prayers. I believe that I am called to do something that I would have never in a million years pictured myself doing. I am still praying for more answers before I share with everyone what that calling is. But like I said before, thank you for all the prayers. :)

This week is revival at Wynnbrook Baptist Church and Ken Freeman is the guest speaker. (Look him up, he's awesome!) Tonight (or today. Depends on when you read this) I want you to think long and hard on what highway you are on. Are you on the highway to heaven? Or highway to hell? Heaven is for real, just like hell is for real. There is no escaping the two. No matter how you try. 

James 4:13-17

13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

We don't know how long we have on this earth. Nobody does. That is why it is important to know where you are going to be when it's all over. Getting into heaven isn't as simple as just going to church one day, walking down the aisle and being baptized then not showing up again. To get into heaven you must have a relationship with God. No pressing the snooze button, get up and read your bible before work. Spend quiet time with God. Talk to Him as a friend. Share everything with Him even though He already knows it all. God loves hearing from us. Having a relationship with God does take work, but the outcome is beautiful. God loves us so much. Always strive to do what's right. We aren't perfect. We will stumble and fall at times. That's life. But God is always there to pick us right back up when we fall. When everyone in this world walks out on us, God doesn't. 

Many people hear about God and choose to take the easy, earthly route. We should feel sorry for them. We should be witnessing to them even when they tell us no. 

Luke 12:21

21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

2 Peter 2:4

4 For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell,in gloomy pits of darkness,where they are being held until the day of judgment.

We can't escape it. It will happen. We will be judged. The choice is up to us. We could be gone in the blink of an eye, so today is the day to make that decision. 

Psalm 39:4

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—

 how fleeting my life is.

Are you going to choose the easy path with the wide gates? Or the path with narrow gates?

Matthew 7:13-14

13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell[a] is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Matthew 7:21-23

21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

As Ken Freeman would say: Hell is hot, but Heaven is not. :) 

Which highway are you on? Highway to heaven? Or highway to hell?

Finding Joy in Midst of Pain

Goodmorning to you on this cold & rainy Monday morning! :) If you're still lagging this morning and can't seem to wake up, then click this link: http://m.godtube.com/watch/?v=F9J99MNU 

(it's not spam, I promise) :) 

Hopefully you're awake now.. If not, then go grab some coffee after reading this.

Have you ever heard someone say that they are going through the toughest time in their life but are still very joyful? I don't know about you but the first time I heard someone say that I was kinda just like "Uh, okay. That makes total sense." For the longest time I never understood how someone could be so joyful and happy when they were facing such difficult times. 

Last summer when I was going through a difficult time myself, I was given the book "A Young Woman's Walk with God" by Elizabeth George. One chapter was about having a happy heart and one of the fruits of spirits being joy. Some of the points were this:

- Joy is important to Jesus 

- Joy is an expression of godliness 

- Joy is experienced anywhere and at anytime. 

Sources of joy:

#1 God Himself is a primary source of your joy. 

#2 God's salvation.

#3 God's promises.

Everything started to make sense. The stories people told me of how they were full of joy even when going through a tough time were clicking. I understand now.

The fact that Jesus died on the cross for all of us who sin when He had never sinned before was something to be joyful about. We are loved more than we even know by Him. If that doesn't make your heart fill all warm and fuzzy then read it again. Jesus died on the cross for US because we are LOVED so much by Him!! 

But why would He die for us besides the fact that He loves us? 

So we could have eternal life in heaven with Him once we've accepted Jesus into our lives. 

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." 

God promises us eternal life with Him in heaven and all we have to do is accept Him into our hearts and have a relationship with Him. A relationship with God can never break and you can never run to far from God. He will always be there! 

"This is the day The Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!" Psalm 118:24 ❤️❤️

Have a blessed week everyone! :)