This morning I heard about a young boy who really needs prayer; Stellan has major heart issues and his life is a medical rollercoaster. The power of prayer is such an amazing thing; hundreds of people united in prayer, strong in the faith and "standing on the promises" can do amazing things, with God's strength guiding them. Anything is possible! http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ This is his mother's blog; please visit it and remember to pray for Stellan, for nothing we do in faith is wasted or unheard. God is a miracle-worker! Yet we have to come to Him. Have faith, pray with the expectation of being heard, because every word you speak and every tear you cry, every laugh you make and every single thing you do, is looked upon and heard by our Heavenly Father. 

"...I will never leave you, nor forsake you..."

May God bless you, and may His light pierce your darkest times!

~PIP~

The Joys of Fathers [this column was written by Pippin Armour for Godly Girls magazine]

"Oh, it's baby's night and we're eatin' right, it's baby's night!" Dad hopefully sang this song and we all danced around the kitchen, trying to get my little sister, who was a baby back when this escapade was filmed, to eat her baby food. Queen Caitlin did NOT want to eat that nasty stuff, were we kidding her?! It wasn't even on a silver platter, entirely unacceptable. The only way she would open her mouth was if Dad sang this special song to her and if we made funny noises and careened around her highchair like sugar-high squirrels. Miraculously, Dad loved his little daughter enough to endure this subtle torture and sang the dinner theme song with a good nature. My older sister was apparently so amazed at his willingness to actually get in with his family, love on us unashamedly, do anything for us...that she got out the infamous video camera.

This is only one of the many examples of the love my Dad has for us and the warm, happy way he expresses his role as father. He's been through a lot in his life and the depth of the way his soul has formed into a faithful follower of Christ often comes out in the little things he does to show his love for us. He was in the Navy when I came along 15 years ago; how he's a Network Cellular Switch Engineer. I admire his strong sense of paternal duty, his willingness to sit and listen to our rambles about what we want to do that Saturday, and the countless trips downtown for root beer and candy. A happy, social person, Dad can make friends with just about anybody and is slow to show anger.

Once I was asking him something while he was typing on his work laptop. I waited for a moment, listening to the click of the keys and crickets outside. I thought I heard a pin drop. (OK, scratch the last bit.) "Dad..." I said, raising an eyebrow. Finally he looked up. "Did you hear anything I just said?" I asked. He gave me a quizzical look and went back to his typing.

* hysterical laughter from the rest of the family* Often we'll be asking him something and he'll be so focused on whatever he's doing that we'll literally be speaking to the air. He's got a 'one-track mind', and while this is annoying for urgent questions, I have come to realize that my Dad's determined motivation and his focus on one thing at a time has taken him far. He's quick to tackle anything, slow to give up, and his sole purpose is to honor God and provide for his family.

One thing I will always associate with my dad is the term 'Christian work ethic.' I have never come across someone so hard-working, so eager to go the extra mile and push on even when things seem bleak. The courage and strength he's shown in his work life and his dedication to his marriage with my beautiful mother encouraged me to strive on and do the same in my own life. Work is so important, God gives us jobs to do in life and the way Dad tackles every situation with enthusiasm and hardy perseverance is the way we should all throw ourselves into the tasks given to us.

"THE PIZZA'S HERE!" I look up from my typing Friday evenings, startled, and watch as my two little sisters fly down the stairs. I'm not sure how long we've had the tradition of bringing pizza home every other week, but Dad's cookin' quickly became a biweekly ritual of ours. Dad will stagger across the yard, trying to pet our puppy Tootsie Roll, keep his computer bag from falling from his shoulder and carry the pizza boxes all at the same time until we can get out to help him. Many times we've run across that torn grass to welcome him home from a business trip; many times we've felt his strong arms encircle us just as the arms of our Heavenly Father holds us close to Himself.

The Bible speaks in many places of the way God loves us in regards to the love a father has for his children. Dad always likes to play around with us, know what's going on with us if we act upset, discipline us if we're going astray and set us on the right path again. The love he shows reflects, on a finite level, the way God loves us. God wants to know what's up with us; He loves us to pieces, and loves to wrap His arms around us and hold us. Just as Dad loves to see us smile and hear our laughter, God loves it when we accept His gift of joy and express our happiness through our works for Him. Fathers are indeed very important, to guide us and love us and share in our joy.

Often during the restful winter evenings when the box heater thrums in the corner and laughter bubbles all around us, Dad will get a crafty look in his eye. "I think tonight's a good night for chocolate," he'll say. He goes into his room, rifles around in his drawer, and comes back with pieces of rich, dark chocolate. Little things, like the little acts of loving kindness God gives to His people, that my dad does shows us that he loves us and wants us to have a happy life. God governs His children in much the same way. Yes, life is sometimes hard, but it does not have to be void of joy. If we will keep our eyes and hearts open, we will see that God provides us with opportunities to love and live fully and be joyous, but often we only grasp these opportunities when it's convenient for us. Shame on us, then! Live all of life like there was nothing that could make you cry.

A precious tradition that my Dad has nurtured over the years as a homeschool father is 'read-alouds.' I have a whole drawer in my memory cache devoted to those balmy summer nights reading a lighthearted tale, or the cold winter nights when everyone wraps up in blankets and listens to a classic. Reading aloud as a family, and as father to daughter, created a bond long ago that can never be broken. I have a lot of books in my room and, pouring over the crammed shelves, I found that my two younger sisters and I have listened to Dad read about half of those. We've discovered some really rewarding books, re-read a few, learned what makes a good book good through many bedtimes of reading aloud. Dad cares enough for us to provide us with good literature that strengthens our spiritual foundation and increases our intellectual thinking. God does the same through the aspects of His wonderful creation we have at our fingertips; the things we can glean from the fallen-ness of this world and come back a richer, more well-rounded person. All for His glory! We were given this life; learning and growing and becoming the person God intended for us to become will give us joy, just as Dad's read-aloud time gives my sisters and me joy as we listen to him.

My sisters and I cherish every evening Dad kneels over a bonfire, coaxing it to burn large enough for s'mores, every family performance we make him act in, every curriculum fair he tromps through pouring over homeschool magazines and pointing out interesting doodads in the booths. The way he will go off on long monologues during a long car trip using a very exaggerated Southern accent, the sips he's let us take from his coffee and the countless surprises he springs upon us at Christmas are like the gifts God is offering to us to make our life colorful and exciting. "Honor your father", says the Bible. Appreciate the pains he's taking to bring you up, the things he does to give you happiness, the laughter as well as the tears. God gave you this wonderful man in your life for protection, correction and joy, as a mentor for your life. A father's role in his family mirrors God's role in our lives. This indeed is a very important role, not one to be taken lightly...but also not one to ignore, to rebel against, to take for granted.

I do not know what I would do without the loving kindness and the guiding hand of my father. Just as I need my Dad to help me in my spiritual and physical growth, we all need God in every stage of our lives, every fiber of our being. Letting God rule our lives and guide us will give us true joy, just as obeying our father and cherishing him will give us true joy.

Now, go give your dad a hug. :-)

I love the title of C.S. Lewis's autobiography, Surprised by Joy, because that is often exactly how I feel when I experience God's joy: surprised, and perhaps a little daunted. I am, by nature, a joyful person. I like laughing, I like feeling God's joy surge through me like a flood of sweet waters. Yet often in this world we are tempted by the Evils which have been lurking out there since the Fall to tear our eyes from God, focus on temporary things instead of laying up treasures in heaven...refusing God's free gift of joy to those who will take it for fleshly things that bring only happiness. Joy and happiness: there IS a difference.

In God's war for goodness against evil, which has already been won at the time of Jesus's sacrifice for mankind, God gives to His people spiritual gifts which they can use to deflect Satan's wiles and bring glory to their Heavenly Father. For me, these gifts rather come in the form of "swords", and I often imagine myself wielding a sword for God. My sword even has a name, I call it Joy. When I tear my eyes from God's light and am distracted by the shadows of the world, my hand has slipped from Joy's hilt. I do not feel God's joy in me because I am not focused on Him. In life there must be a balance between nourishing our spiritual convictions and "testing all things", discerning for ourselves according to our convictions from the Holy Spirit, what is good and pure and right. Yes, we can indeed glean and learn much from things which are "out there" or even anti-Christian, we can learn things from every aspect of man's finite creativity...BUT we are not to wallow in blatancy, we are to test all things, rise above, introduce a new standard to our fallen culture, move on out of the pain and the shadows, and lead the brigade of light. Yet how are we supposed to do this if we're not focused on God?

I was reading my schoolwork this morning and admit to letting my mind wander onto these sorts of things, and I actually started shaking. I said before, I experience joy so strongly that I can hardly keep myself from jumping into the air and flying! I get depressed and broody when my eyes are not focused on God and the things of God, or if I have been "testing" all the time and not "nourishing" enough. Like I said, there MUST be a balance or we'll get worn down easily. What did you think churches were established for? Why have friends, companions in the faith? Why read the Bible at all? We are only mortal, dear Reader, and we must take what we can from this life. Life is good, live it! But live it balanced.

I have always considered myself to prefer living life in the fastlane, being the leader of sorts, taking all I can from whatever I can and running as fast and far in the race for the ultimate goal. Yet there are times when I feel like all those roadblocks in my fastlane are wearing my tires out; I pull over to the side and just sit there, wondering how this happened, why all the other cars are passing me by. Had I kept my eyes on the road before me and stopped goggling at the scenery, do you think I would have seen the obstructions that put me to the side in the first place? Should I have waited to enjoy those mountains until I reached the overlook? Yes, God allowed those obstuctions and roadblocks to remain in my lane because it makes me stop my wild life and think about things, get refocused, start up again slowly, and drive on with my eyes glued to the road ahead. Yes, we should indeed take all we can from this life and that includes relishing God's beauty along the road, but we must also bear the brunt of the nitty-gritty, down-home STUFF that must be done. Life ain't all fun and games, Reader. It's hard work and sweat and blood, AND beauty. But how the heck can unloading the dishwasher bring glory to God? Man, taking out the trash is NOT going to be beautiful, why do it at all? That's how people get shoved onto the sidestrip. Bring glory to God through EVERY faucet of your life, not just when you've had a good day or something nice happened to you: "Oh yeah, God, I got an A on my biology test, so...thanx!" Nonono! God wants to help you through every circumstance but He expects us to honor Him through our lives. You must be thinking "Yeah right, like God is really going to care if these shirts are folded neatly...come ON, Pip, gimme a break." Stop and think about it. Why are you doing laundry in the first place? Perhaps it's your chore, perhaps your mother told you to. What does the Bible say? Honor your parents, and by obeying that commandment, you're bringing honor to God because you respect His Word enough to obey it. Would you rather wear wrinkly, dirty clothes? Your body is a temple, you use even your looks to honor God. You might be the only Bible people read. Scary? Yup. Kinda cool? It's awesome. You've been given this life, don't waste it by dragging your tires along the back alleys looking for a pizza parlor. Your needs will be provided for. Focus on God.

I find myself often rushing to get by with something, doing the bare minimum. (You see, I need that "Do Hard Things" book discussion as much as anyone!) I find myself focusing on other things like that weird guy walking along the highway while I "drive" on the road of life (as it were), the coffee shop instead of the road ahead, those beautiful mountains, look how pretty they are...whoah now, flat tire...HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?! Ha. And I wonder why I don't feel God's joy ALL THE TIME. It's because the world's way of tearing me from God's purpose in my life is distracting me with things, telling me it's ok to scrape by because you don't have TIME to drive all that way, livin' it real but doing it by the sideroads. This is wrong, and deep down I know it. Which shows me I don't get so far off the main highway into the sunshiny sideroads that I lose sight of that curving, treacherous highway I'm SUPPOSED to be on. Yeah it's hard but man it's worth it. Live and die for God, do it for His glory, drive that highway and fold those clothes! You'll never get this time back again, so DO SOMETHING! Drive that highway no matter how carsick you get! God is driving right ahead of you...hey, stop lookin' out the window. Yeah I see those pretty fields, but look! God is driving THAT way, follow HIS car.

I'm not saying I can be wholly and zealously dedicated to absolutely everything I must do in this life; commitment takes work and work is often hard. I'm only human, I have to rely on God's strength more often that I'd like to admit. But what would happen if I tried to bring God the glory through every aspect of my life, even if it's just disciplining myself to get to bed and get up in the morning on time, or balancing the for-fun books I read with the meaty, heavy classic stuff I NEED to read, or making sure I get all my schoolwork done and actually storing up knowledge by it? I have to refocus often, I'm often pulled onto the sidestrip to refocus...which drives me nuts, because I love living it real and fast and full but I often lose sight of what living that kind of life actually means. I like feeling God's joy; I HAVE to, and the only way I can is if I follow God's roadmap, His car if you will, along this crazy highway and enjoy the hard parts of life with the same enthusiasm as I do the sweet parts.

God bless,

~PIP~

POST TAKEN FROM ISLANDER HIDEAWAY, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This afternoon I was praying about a number of things, and my mind began to wander. I was deeply distressed at the symbolic actions that President Obama took as he began his presidency. Namely, that he signed executive orders releasing funds to pay for abortions, permission to fund human stem cell research, and federal funding for contraception. I have been involved in the pro-life movement for nearly 20 years, and it pained my heart to see a man and a political party committed to the shedding of innocent blood. This man, and this party lead our country, but they do not represent me or the 54% of Americans who believe that abortion is wrong and should no longer be legal.

As I was praying, I believe that God gave me an interesting idea. Out in the garage I have a box of red envelopes. Like the powerful image of the red LIFEtape, an empty red envelope will send a message to Barack Obama that there is moral outrage in this country over this issue. It will be quiet, but clear.

Here is what I would like you to do:

Get a red envelope. (You can buy them at Kinkos, or at party supply stores.) In the front, address it to:
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C.

On the back, write the following message:
This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world. Responsibility begins with conception.

Put it in the mail, and send it.

• That God would bless me with the right words to say.
• That God would provide at least 2 more girls to fill the class.
• That God would bless me with a special verse to use as our motto.
• That God would always be the center of this study.

I read this book in the mornings with my Bible readings. I had attempted to read it several years ago when I lay abed ill, but was not able to finish it. Several more years later I watched a movie (made on a low budget) of it and decided it was sad, that it was a tragedy, and that I wanted to ignore it and read happier things instead. I finally decided to give it a second chance...and loved it.

Hind's Feet on High Places is a beautiful allegory about a young cripple, Much-Afraid, who is given the option to escape her relatives who taunt her day and night, and travel the arduous journey from the Valley of Humiliation to the High Places with the Great Shepherd. She is given two guides, Sorrow and Suffering, whose hands she must hold on to tightly as they travel through the wide Desert, walk along the Shores of Loneliness, and trudge through wild elements in the Forests of Danger and Tribulation. All along the way, Much-Afraid is plagued by her relatives, Pride and Self-Pity and (the worst of them all) Craven Fear, but each time she cannot survive on her own strength, she calls upon the Shepherd and he comes to her.

After many trials and losses, Much-Afraid accepts the Shepherd as her one and only guide and trusts him to lead her faithfully to the High Places, no matter how hard it seems and no matter how far away he might seem to her. Much-Afraid allows the Seed of Love to be planted in her heart and, though she has many doubts and fears, in the end she is able to grasp Sorrow and Suffering's hands and journey into the High Places, awed by the light and the Goodness, and is given new feet like those of the hinds who leap along the High Places with ease and joy.

People often overlook this book, preferring "Pilgrim's Progress" as 'the' allegory for the Christian walk, but this book blew me away with the depth, the beauty, the truth hidden deep within the tender, graceful words. Most assuredly worth your time.  

May God guide your eyes to read works written for His glory!

~PIP~

This is a smoky, cozy chowder that my family and I love! Enjoy!

In a saucepan, saute' 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions in butter until tender and transparent. Stir in 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp. salt  and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Add 4 cups milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly. Stir in one 17-ounce can of whole-kernel corn, drained, and one 46-ounce package of smoked sausages, and reduce heat. Simmer 10 minutes and serve hot with fresh bread.

If you would like a variation to this recipe that tastes just as good, just ask for it in a comment!

May God bless you, and may His light pierce your darkness!

~PIP~

February Chowder is taken from the "Smoky Corn Chowder" recipe in Once-a-Month Cooking cookbook by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg.

I'm sure you've heard people say you can't let a day go by without learning something new. I agree with this statement! Each day we should try to learn something that will help us grow in Jesus and better enable us for our futures. Yes, each of our futures are not going to be the same. God is calling me to be a homemaker and a help to my future husband. Maybe you are being called to the same thing, or maybe God is directing your path elsewhere. Whatever the case, we need to study and learn so that we can fulfill the task that is before us.

There are so many ways we can learn things. Your parents are a wonderful source of unending knowledge, your grandparents, friends, homeschool group leaders, parents friends, books, the computer, and informative movies are all great ways to study.

By doing things you are learning. Cooking, cleaning, writing, reading, crafting, farming, sewing, in everything you do, you are getting experience that will help you in the future.

Perhaps God is calling you to be a missionary or someone who dedicates your life to serving God overseas somehow. Whatever it may be, whatever your interests are, strive to follow them! If it be farming, learn all you can about it! If it is writing, write all you can, learn to spell well, and practice you skills.

The Bible says to think on pure things....make sure the keep your interests pure and honoring to God. Always be above reproach no matter what the situation. This is something very important to remember throughout life. Keep a short account with Jesus, ask Him for help whenever you need it and even when you don't.

A good way to learn new things is to hook up with friends who are good at--or--learning the things you are! Meet people over homeschool blogs or write people and ask them questions.

In order to train for our futures we need to do more than just learn new skills....we also need to read our Bible, pray and learn more about our Heavenly Father. Go to church-take notes and keep them in a notebook. Make it a goal to spend just as much time with God as you do on the computer--one hour on the computer = one hour with God! Hang Bible verses in the kitchen and read them while you kneed your bread dough.

Something that my family does is hang verses in the shower. This way-God's Word is the first thing we see in the morning!

So--today I encourage you to "study to show yourself approved". Learn all you can about everything wholesome. Read and study your Bible. Spend time with Jesus no matter what you are doing.

If we all step up to this challenge we will see changes in our  homes and in our attitudes towards everything. Study! Study! Study!

Yesterday marked a meaningful day in America's history, for we elected the first African President and have thus stepped into something which we know nothing of, as regards to what we're going to face during his leadership. Not because of his race, but because of his motives.

As I watched his election address on TV yesterday afternoon, I was swept away into a reverie of passion, success and the American dream. Mr. Obama is indeed a very good orator, but this doesn't mean he's fit to rule in office. Yet we have elected him. The majority has ruled out those who sought to have McCain for President, and despite personal opinions, Obama is our new President and we should be always ready to pray for his wisdom and good judgment. He has the enthusiasm to change our fallen economy and lead us with steps never before taken, but we have to evaluate the motives behind what he is doing and ask ourselves "Is this right? Is this pleasing in God's eyes?" Nonconformity is one of my favorite words and it means to rebel or to go against something. Cultural nonconformity has become a good thing in recent times, sad but true. Just because others are doing something doesn't mean that we should be doing it. Hopefully, we will never have to fight against Obama, but hold him in respect and acknowledge him as our country's leader. Yet we should not go along with something that we know in our hearts is wrong, according to the Scriptures and our personal convictions via the Holy Spirit.

Please pray for our country in the years to come!

God bless,

~PIP~

"Uh-oh! Restrictions?! But why? I really wanted to do that! Mom, Dad, can't I pleeease go with them? I promise to be good!"

Most of the time when our parents give us restrictions it's for our own good. Our parents say 'No' to certain things because they know they could do us harm and tear us down rather than build us up. A parents advice should always be taken joyfully and responsibly, and MOST OF ALL, we should heed it!

God gave us parents so they could teach us, and so we could learn from them. This is part of the reason they are older than us! God has allowed our parents to go though life, experience things, make mistakes, learn form them and grow in the Lord. If our parents were the same age as us, we would NEVER mature! It would be a very reckless life with a whole lot of heartache.

Our parents make restrictions, rules, boundaries, and limits so that we will be safe and grow into mature adults. Accepting restrictions maturely is very important. Saying 'yes sir' and 'yes ma'am' when your parents say 'no', instead of throwing a fit and having a bad attitude shows that you are willing to accept instruction with a happy heart. The Bible goes over this very will in Proverbs.

Each day, as you discover new restrictions, instead of being upset you're not allowed to do that, be happy! And and thank God for parents who are willing to take the time to protect you and bless you with limitations. Yes, I said bless....

Because our parents know so much more than we do, when they lay out rules, we need to follow them with utmost trust and respect. Parents know sooo much more than we do! Even when we think we know the best way to go, the best way this should be done, or the right way to do that, we STILL need to obey our parents. After all, they've got LOTS more experience than we do! Remember that God put you parents in you life to love you, protect you and to help you grow into the person He wants you to be. Everyday, try wholeheartedly to first put your trust in God, and second, put your trust in your parents whom Jesus ordained to raise you are rear you in His name. (Proverbs.)

Another good and a mind humbling thought to remember is that being a parents is probably pretty hard at times. Just *think* about all the though and prayer that goes into your life. Think about how in makes your parents feel when you get upset with a bad attitude when they say no. Just thing about for a second! Mom and Dad are offering you the chance of your lifetime! Why do we thing we can reject it? No! Embrace it with your whole heart and all your being! LOVE correction! ENJOY your restrictions! EMBRACE your limits! All these things will help you grow into a better person, and more like Jesus everyday.

To put in in perspective: If somebody were to hand you a $100, and somebody else handed you $5, which one would you be most likely to take? Yup, you bet! $100 is much more that $5 just like our parents correction is worth a lot more than what the world hand our fleshly desires have to offer. Which one are you choosing?

You may not be faced with the choice whether or not to die for God, but you will every day be faced with the choice whether or not to live for Him. (variation on a quote by dcTalk)

When we read about Christians who are persecuted, we are liable to be filled with a kind of fiery passion. I remember going through a phase when I actually asked God if I could be "counted worthy", as the apostle said, to suffer for Him. But sometimes the trick is not whether we can have joy and peace in the face of death, knowing that God is in control and our lives are like jigsaw puzzles being put together by His hand, but whether or not be can be content and joyous living for God. Even in the smallest things, we, as Christians, must be willing to live every moment for God's sake. I confess to having gone through many days feeling listless, lazy and altogether un-Christian. We will all go through valleys, dear Reader! God never said that taking up our crosses, or in other words grasping the hilt of His sword and fighting for His kingdom, obeying Him and His Word, would be easy. "Christians rejoice and gets a Rolls Royce!" should NOT be our main goal in life. Our main goal shouldn't even be to have happiness, but to obey God in everything. If we serve others, live for God and try to bring glory to Him instead of ourselves, then we will gain a deeper sense of joy so that it not only shines through us like the light from a stained glass window, but it reaches others with a shocking go-against-the-flow kind of surprise.

Let's face it, Reader, the economy is failing. This world is not our home, praise be to God! But that doesn't mean that we should focus on building up our own faith foundation and never try to witness to the confused and the fallen! Why do we fellowship with other believers? Because we are encouraging each other. Why bother reading the Bible? Because it builds our understanding of God's goodness. So yes, we are commanded to minister to our own souls. Many missionaries have been less productive than God intended them to be because they were not yet ready to go out and proclaim Him to the fullest capacity, because their biblical foundation wasn't strong enough. We have to be assured that God's armor and His sword are with us before we venture out into the world, or we may become a stumbling block for others. It's all a work in progress, God is not finished with any of us yet. Patience, joy and perseverance.

When we make that commitment to become Christians, we should understand what exactly it is we are pledging our lives to. For indeed, we are giving our lives, our very souls, to God's hands. We are basically saying "Do with me as you see fit, Lord, I give myself totally up to You." Whoah, now there's a heavy promise! And I've seen countless lives being wasted because the man wanted to glorify himself. "Oh, look at me, look at what I can do! Yeah, sure, God gave me these abilities, but look at ME!"

A good example of this is the fact that so many women are more interested in bringing attention to their bodies and their looks (or the lack thereof, completely self-absorbed and untrue, beauty is in EVERY woman but perhaps it hiding) instead of honoring God with their purity! Ladies, we must be willing to give our bodies to God, to remain pure and chaste for His sake. I know temptation is everywhere. We must pray hard for each other, that we can remain pure, an unquenched light in the darkness of this world.

The main point is, Reader, that not only must be be ready and willing to die for God, but we must also commit our lives to Him as well. I have seen the majesty of God revealed to me in such a personal, powerful way that I cannot help but be in awe. We must not love our lives, these temporary things, so much that we forget how to let God hold the steering wheel. Live for Him, die for Him!

Notes: God-willing, PureJoy will be updated weekly. If you have any requests for a blogpost, please PM Tessa or Pip. Also, book and movie reviews might be an option, if you'd like to see a specific book or movie reviewed, please PM Pip. If you have the time, please comment and tell us how we're doing! And the poll for purity has been moved from  Islander Hideaway to PureJoy's sidebar, we'd really like to see results! If you have any prayer requests, don't hesitate to let us know! If you'd like one-on-one prayer support or if you don't feel comfortable telling us in a comment but need someone to talk to, please PM me, Pip, and I will help you if I can!

God bless you, dear Reader!

~PIP~ 

Good afternoon!

Today, as I sit here in the computer chair, I am thinking about how close 2009 is. It is truly just around the corner! so, with that thought in mind, I want to encourage all of you to make your new year resolutions. A few tips for resolutions are:

1. Make your goals "reachable".

2. Keep your resolutions to a minimum. Try not to exceed 15. If you get too many then they  become unbearable.

3. Type your resolutions up on the computer and print them out. This way, they are written neatly and orderly.

4. Think through your resolutions. List them from "Most Urgent" to "Less Urgent". This way, you can accomplish the important things first.

5. Hang your list above your desk or computer, or somewhere where you will see them everyday. The bathroom mirror works great, too!

6. Find a buddy who is doing new year resolutions and team up with her so that you can keep each other accountable.

7. Make reading your Bible and praying the very fist one on your list. Everybody needs more of Jesus in there lives, whether they think so or not! Believe me, your day will go much better if you start off with a "Good Morning" to Jesus.

8. Talk to your Mom and Dad about areas that you need to improve. Most often, your parents can see things in your life that you can't. Don't be afraid to ask their advice. Be sure to add what they say to your list!

9. It's also a good idea to keep a complete list of your resolutions in your Bible. This is another place you will be sure to see them everyday. Also be sure to keep one in your journal. One you establish your habits, and break your bad ones, journal about it! Then you can look back in years to come and see what you have accomplished.

10. Last but not least, be sure to pray about your resolutions. Ask God, your Heavenly Father about ways HE wants you to improve your life. Be honest, and try really hard to make this year's resolutions to become reality, not just another list.

May God bless you in 2009!

Thank you Jesus for coming to earth as baby.

Thank you for living your life so that one day You would die on the cross to save ME.

Keep these things in your heart, and ponder then all year long...not just at Christmastime!

This morning my parents went to vote!!! This is a very pivitol time in our country's wellfare and I want you to consider the following things:

1. No matter what happens in the next few years, God will always love you!!!

2. The choices we are making right now will shape the future, so please consider your vote with much prayer if you are reading this and you are of voting age. If you are under-age, like me, please speak with your family about what kind of men (and women, now) we want running for office!

Much disputation had arised from the Presidential campaigning and as we have followed the last two Senators through their speeches and delcarations of hope and justice, worry has increased as to who actually is the better choice for President. I won't go into all the details now, but what we must consider is the impact these two Senators will have on such thriving issues such as global warming, the educational system, abortion and same-sex marriages, Wall Street, oil drilling, taxes, illegal immigration, the war in Iraq, the increasing and alarming rate of people with lost jobs...the list goes on and on!!!

Whoever becomes the next President will have a very, very hard road ahead of him, and whoever is elected deserves our fervent prayer for wisdom, bravery and a heart that fears God.

God bless,

~PIP~ 

As most of us know, the answer to our prayers is sometimes Wait, and sometimes No. While we'd love for it to be Yes all the time (!), we must realize that what we want might not be what God intends in His plan.  Time and time again, I have asked God "WHY?!" because I couldn't make sense of what was going on! But we gotta remember, girls, we're only human and because the Fall, are no longer capable of knowing "why" all the time. We must be content with the fact that God is in control and what He plans is far, far greater than anything we could ever imagine. I have personally seen God work in our lives in such a crazy way that I never could have guessed! It's all part of a rich life. Faith in God's perfect plan and obedience to His commands through the Holy Spirit makes us stronger Christians. We are allowed to go through trials and pain because it brings us closer to God and forces us to rely on His life and His alone. Nothing else will satisfy! We must be diligent in prayer that we will become the Godly, obedient young ladies God intends for us.

Now, I have been issuing a challenge and I will now reissue it. If you'd like to post a picture of you in your favorite skirt, we would love to come and see what you consider beautiful, pleasant and modest!

Also, every week I will be praying for a different country. Last week was Afghanistan, and this week is for the the salvation of Algeria and the encouragement of their tired church. If you would like to support my prayers and tell others about this weekly prayer schedule, we'd love to hear about it!

And tell us how God has been working in your life!

Now, I have decided to put some new stuff on here soon. I am going to be reviewing movies and books occasionally, so if you have any that you are curious about, please let me know! I will be honest in pointing out the good and bad things about the reviewed item. If you'd like info on a PG-13 movie I would have to ask my Mom, but anything else will gladly be considered. You may ask me here or at Islander Hideaway!

God bless,

~PIP~ 

I came across something in my school that I'd like to ramble about: a Christian once asked someone why they prayed to saints. The other guy replied and asked why the Christian asked other Christians to pray for him in trials and praise with them in triumphs; isn't it the same thing? In fact, in God's plan is already laid out, it has been from the beginning of time, why pray at all? Things are going to happen, no matter what we say. But think about it! If we didn't bother to pray, what state would our faith be in? We'd take it for granted that God does indeed work in our lives as an omnipotent, personal friend. The same God who commanded Moses and girded Esther's heart with bravery! It's positively thrilling. I have seen God work in our lives so much during the past few years, it amazes me how anyone could doubt His power.

Ok, so He's powerful. That still doesn't answer the question of why pray! Well, praying is like a statement of your faith. You are praying to God because you know He hears you and will do something, even if it's something you didn't expect. When you ask others to pray for you, it's like urging the folkses praying to declare their faith in the same way. But praying to saints is almost like down-playing God's power and your very faith in Him. Only God can fully work out His perfect plan for your lives and no mortal, however pious or good, can ever come close. We've had a really hard week, so many things just suddenly bombarded us. Believe me, we struggle with keeping the faith alive and trying to remember that God IS in control, even though we may not see Him through these confusing mists. God's plan is never to be fathomed, I learned that long ago. It's sometimes so crazy and so seemingly tangled, it goes way beyond our mortal comprehension. We may admire saints, indeed we should get inspiration and encouragment from them! But we shouldn't put them in God's place. We should pray for complete faith in God alone, because we were created so that nothing less will satisfy!

I would love feedback on this, tell me whatcha think! Also, there is a book called "Why Pray?" by John Devries that I found very encouraging.

God bless!

~PIP~