Wednesday, November 22, 2006 - Thanksgiving
"Give thanks to the Lord in all circumstances. For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever."
Something to think about:
How many times do we truly stop and thank God for who He is and what He's done for us? How many times are we truly grateful for the blessings He has bestowed upon us? And how many times do we take it for granted?
I would strongly encourage you this Thanksgiving to have a quiet time where it's just you and God. Thank Him. Praise Him. Worship Him. Be thankful this year.
Go sit in a dark room and close your eyes. Think about how it must feel to be seperated from God. Pray for those people and thank God for what He's done.
Be thankful that you have a family, that you have food, that you have a car to go visit loved ones. Be thankful that you had a turkey to burn! lol.
This Thanksgiving, don't forget to be thankful.
Danya <><
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - Answer to Anonymous
Well, Anonymous, this is a tough one. I would strongly encourage you to pray about it. Prayer does work. If you feel God is trying to tell you something about this guy, pray, pray, pray, pray! But, know that our feelings can decieve us sometimes.
If you don't think that this guy is mature enough for a relationship, don't pursue one right now. If this is the guy you're gonna end up with, God will bring you together at the right time. You have to trust Him.
It's great that you're friends with his dad, and that you hang around his family. First, I would pursue a friendship with this guy. See how he acts around his family and friends. Get to know his personality. Watch him at church and see if it matches his lifestyle out of church.
I think an important thing would be to NOT let him take over your thoughts. That might be a little hard, but if you're thinking about him all the time in a romantic way, that's how you're going to end up feeling and acting around him. Think of him first as a friend.
Try to protect him like you would protect a brother. Don't dress in a way that might draw unnecessary attention from him. Don't touch him a lot. Side-hugs are better than regular. When you go to his house, I'd suggest staying away from the bedroom. Don't close the door if just you and him are in a room. I'm not saying anything would happen, but I wouldn't put myself in a situation where I'd be the least tempted.
There is a chance this guy is not the one for you. Always keep that in mind. Guard his heart and yours.
Thanks for your comment, I hope this helps!
Danya <><
Saturday, November 11, 2006 - Just Thinking...
Ok, so I'm just chilling right now and thinking and looking at the comments on the last post. BlackRose has an ax-muderer making hot chocolate in her house and barlowgirl is just being way random (I understood all of that. Kinda funny considering I "don't" know you. haha.). I think Broken Rose is the only sane person who comments on this thing. hahaha. jk.
So, what's been up with ya'll? I've noticed that I talk about me and what I think a lot on this, and I'd like to know more about what you guys have discovered and are going through.
Did you read something interesting the other day and want to discuss it? Did you and your friends do something really cool that you're just dying to tell someone about?
Are you mad or upset about something and need some people to talk to?
Share, vent.
What's going on?
Danya <><
Sunday, November 5, 2006 - Purity: More than Virginity
"...The Lord doesnt see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. " 1 Samuel 16:7 (New Living Translation)
The thing about us is that we don't always understand. We don't always know, we're not always sure, and we're definitely not always right! lol. We have a tendency to take someone's first impression, turn it into their consistant personality, and walk away thinking we know everything about the person. Like BlackRose said, someone may be going through a hard time and you just happened to catch them on that one bad day. And like iloveyouGod said, you can't judge people by the way they look. Sometimes you can get a hint of their personality and you can definitely see their style, but you don't know what's in their hearts until you start talking to them. And then, sometimes you might find that they're some of the nicest people in the world, and other times you might find that you do need to stay as far away as possible from them.
The thing I want you to get from that is, yes, we don't need to judge people. Yes, we need to love people. Yes, we need to look at their hearts. But just because we do that doesn't mean we're going to find out that everybody is a great person. You need to have discernment. Don't judge, but don't be stupid. If you're talking to someone and they say something about smoking pot or doing drugs, or threaten to kill you, you might not want to hang around that person very often. Doesn't mean you need to stop loving them, they just don't need to be your best friend.
Another thing about appearance, and this is actually what I wanted to talk about, is that people are very good at hiding things. And just because someone's got it all together on the outside doesn't mean that their heart is in the right place. That's what God means when he said "the Lord looks at the heart." He looks past the expression on their face, the clothes they wear, the words that come out of their mouth, and focuses on the heart. And eventually, what's in the heart will be the important thing. What's in the heart will make you or break you. That's why it's so important to keep your heart pure. Because we're all guilty of hiding things. At the Pure in Heart conference I went to over the weekend, we talked about how we let garbage into our lives everyday. And sometimes we keep it in there because we don't want to admit we put it there in the first place.
We've talking about purity a LOT in this blog. In fact, we've talked about purity in almost every post. Because purity is not just about saving sex for marrige.
pu‧ri‧ty
ɪ| 1. | the condition or quality of being pure; freedom from anything that debases, contaminates, pollutes, etc. |
| 4. | freedom from guilt or evil; innocence. |
| 5. | physical chastity; virginity. |
"Freedom from anything that debases, contaminates, pollutes, etc."
"Freedom from guilt"
You thinks you're in love with a guy. So, you gives away your virginity. He leaves. You're empty. Your purity is compromised.
You're sitting at home on the internet. An add pops up that leads to a site. You click on it. It's a porn site. You look at it. Your purity is compromised.
Your parents told you not to go to a party because there was going to be drinking. You even felt God telling you not to go. You do it anyway. You face peer pressure, give it, get drunk, and come home. You're sick. You lied. You feel a guilt in the pit of your stomach. Your purity is compromised.
Most of the time people try to hide these things. They can have it all together on the outside and be completely broken on the inside. We've got to look past the bad days, and sometimes we've got to look past the good days, too. To understand people, we have to get to the heart. Sometimes people don't want to let us in, sometimes we don't want to let people in. But we weren't meant to do this alone.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
Most importantly, we need to let Jesus in. He'll meet us where we are, and if we ask Him, He will help us keep a pure heart. Just because you've screwed up in the past doesn't mean you can't start fresh. Just because someone else has screwed up doesn't mean they don't deserve and second and third and fourth and fifth chance. Don't judge, look at the heart, and don't give up. Jesus doesn't give up on us, don't give up on others. Judging, holding grudges, hating--that's not a great way to keep a pure heart.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8)
Hope this makes sense! I was thinking faster than I could type!
Danya <><
Friday, October 27, 2006 - Stuff About People
How many times do we judge someone before we know them? It's a habit, isn't it? I know that I've judged people way too quickly millions of times and almost missed out on some great friendships.
I would encourage you to pray everyday for God to help you love people the way the Jesus loved people. To look past the outward appearance to the heart.
Jesus didn't look at the world and see preps, punks, nerds, jocks, or goths, etc. He saw people. He saw God's creation. He saw people who needed love. Let's show God's love instead of judging.
Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - Everything Is Meaningless
"Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:11b
That's right. Everything is meaningless. The Bible says so. Pleasures,Wisdom, Work, Advancement, Riches...it's all meaning under the sun. In other words: Without God, Life is meaningless. Like building a castle in the sand.
The Teacher (King Solomon) wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. I would encourage every single one of you to read it. It's a fantastic book. One of the "extras" in the WiseUp devotional is actually to read it. It looks at everything in life under the sun and finds it all meaninless. The wise and the foolish, the rich and the poor, those who work hard and those who slack off, they all end up the same way. Dead.
So, what is the meaning of life? If everything is meaningless, why are we here? What is our purpose? Many people have asked themselves that question and found no answer. But the answer is this: we are here to serve God, to bring Him glory, to be His own. We are here to worship, praise, honor, and magnify GOD. To give HIM control of our lives. And when we do, we will recieve more than we could imagine. When we say yes, I believe, and when we make Jesus Lord of our lives, we let God bless us. We let God use us like He wants to.
" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.' " (Jeremiah 29:11)
" 'Call to me and I will answer you, and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know' " (Jeremiah 33:3)
And when we give up to God, life is no longer meaningless. Death is not the end. It is the beginning.
"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
Danya <><
ps. Remember the conference! see last post!
Saturday, October 14, 2006 - Speaking of Dating...
Speaking of dating, purity goes hand in hand with it. And speaking of purity, there's going to be a mom/daughter conference here in TN on that very thing. It's called the Pure In Heart conference and it will be in Franklin, TN, on Nov. 4. The conference starts at 8am. For more info, go to www.princesspureinheart.com and check it out! BTW, if this helps any, I will be leading worship for the teen session. If any of you in the TN area are available that day, I would encourage you to come!
Danya <><
Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - Quiz! Quiz! Quiz!
haha, I agree with BlackRose, this is like a wiseup quiz! lol. Ok, let's see...
1: Do you think it's okay for a christian to listen to secular music, Or should they always listen to christian music? I think it's perfectly alright for Christians to listen to secular music. But, sometimes it depends. For instance, some secular music is not immoral or offensive. And then again, some of it is. I listen to some secular music and it's not bad. But, with my convictions, if I hear anything in the songs that makes me feel uncomfortable, or it is encouraging something I know the Bible says not to do, I turn it off and I don't listen to it again. Some country songs you hear today are about getting drunk and having premaratal sex and divorce and all sorts of stuff the Bible says not to do. I've had people ask me why I don't like things and I've just plainly said, cause God said it's wrong and not to do it. That's the only excuse I need. Because God said so. So, my answer is, Christians should be able to listen to secular music, but they should understand that they should not lower their standards or convictions while they do. If the song is about something you know is not right, don't listen to it!
2: If you think it's okay, where should you draw the line? At cussing, ect.? If I am listening to a song and I hear the singer cuss, I turn off the song. I stop it, I don't even finish it, and I turn it off. Because I know that if I continue to listen to it and continue to let that get in my head, it will start to sound "ok". It will start to be "no big deal". You see, the thing is, it IS a big deal. The Bible says "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth." (Ephesians 4:29) Period. It all goes back to DON'T COMPROMISE. Now, this is a very radical way of thinking. I understand that. But Jesus said He wanted us to be hot or cold, not lukewarm. (Rev. 3:15-16) Also, say, if a song is talking about pre-marital sex, stealing, drinking, stuff you know is wrong, I would say the same thing. Turn it off. Don't compromise. It is NOT ok.
3: Do you think it is okay to get mad and hold a grudge? What if you can't stop those feeling? "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (Phillipians 4:13) God can help you overcome any feelings you have. It is not okay to hold grudges. Jesus said that if we did not forgive others, God would not forgive us. (Matthew 6:14-15) Now, it's human nature to get angry, so yeah, that's ok. But holding onto your anger is not.
4: At what age should a girl be aloud to date/have a boyfriend? Is it even okay to date? There is nothing wrong with dating. But it's not good to date for the wrong reasons. Love is not a game. Playing around with other people's hearts and emotions is not a good thing. I think that if you date when you're young, you kinda get the wrong idea. Dating is a way to find the person you're going to get married to. If you "date" someone when you're, say, twelve years old, the relationship will go nowhere because you're not old enough to take it anywhere. It becomes just a game. I know some of my friends have had many broken hearts over short-term relationships where they gave their heart away to a guy. My view on dating is to try to avoid it. Dating and breaking up prepares you for divorce, not marrige. When I get old enough to where I'm ready to get married, I know God will bring the right guy into my life.
Danya <><
Friday, October 6, 2006 - What Goes Around...
Well, first off, BrokenRose, I want to say that I'm really impressed that you are thinking about your sister's feelings even after she didn't really think of yours. That's showing a truly compassionate spirit and the love of Jesus. I commend you on that. Have you talked to your sister about any of this? That would be my first piece of advice. Have a heart to heart conversation and tell her your feelings about the situation. I would also say that I think it's perfectly alright for you to be friends with your sister's friend. Just don't exclude your sister. But most of all, pray about it. Nothing is too small to bring to God. And if you step back and let Him work this out, it will be perfect in the end. Also, remember, people aren't possessions, so neither of you can really say she's your friend. It would be a really silly thing to fight about. Your sister is always going to be there. So, most importantly, protect that relationship.
Danya <><
Tuesday, October 3, 2006 - The Lighthouse
Steadfast, serene, immovable, the same
Year after year, through all the silent night
Burns on forevermore that quenchless flame,
Shines on that inextinguishable light!
So today I was diligently researching Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Google. I had to do a report on him. He's a famous poet. Now, call me crazy, but I had no idea who he was. I'm sure everyone on this blog did...but I didn't. Anyway, as I was reading about him and taking notes for my report, I came across his poem called "The Lighthouse". Coincidentally, this poem was about a lighthouse I needed to do a report on, too, so I read it. Four lines seemed to shout up at my from the computer. I felt so moved by them, I have posted them at the beginning of this post. If you didn't read them, go back and read them, and if you did read them, read them again. I don't know about you guys, but I think those four lines describe our Lord. God is all around us, and I believe He can speak to us through anything.
Here's your mission. I want you to find God in everyday life. I found God on Google in a poem. Maybe you can find God in a magazine or on TV. Maybe in a grocery store. Maybe you'll see God in something someone does or says. But you will find Him in something. Share about it!
Oh, and BlackRose, I sent your questions to my cousin and she'll be replying soon. If anyone else would like to ask some questions, or just wants to know what I'm talking about, read the previous blog. Danya <><
Friday, September 22, 2006 - Open Up The Sky
Isn't it amazing how clearly we can hear God when we actually stop and listen? It may not be a voice coming out of nowhere, but He does speak to us. It could be a phone call from a friend that encouraged you. Or a sermon about something you really needed to hear. Maybe even when we open our Bibles and find a comforting verse. This morning, I heard God.
I was starting my day off talking to Him. Sometimes I feel like it's a one-way conversation, but that's because I don't always listen. But this morning I was praying and I had kinda paused because I was thinking about something really important to me...and the wind started to blow a little harder outside...and the rain suddenly started to fall. And I heard the rain gently tapping against my window; and I knew God was telling me He was there, listening to me, speaking to me. I just stopped then and listened. It was a pretty awesome expirience. I started thinking of a FFH song that says: Open up the sky, rain down Your love, I don't care if I never get enough. I just want to be caught in that flood, so open up the sky.
Hey, BrokenRose, if you go to the links on this blog, one of them will take you to a place where you can order WiseUp! The second one's not finished yet, but when it is, there will be a link to it, too.
ArdentlyBeautiful, yeah, sometimes I feel that way too. But if we just learn to trust God, our lives will be soooo much easier. I think (as I've probably said before) that sometimes we put God in a human perspective. But God is not like us! That's why we can trust Him! Because He is all-powerful, all-knowing, totally perfect, and totally GOD!
I almost forgot! What would you want to ask a young lady who didn't kiss her husband until after the minister said, "I pronounce you man and wife"?
Or when they had to take their newborn baby to another state for a heart operation, looked at it as an oppertunity to share the love of Jesus with others? Or who's willing to just get up and move if God calls them to another place to serve? Because I'm interviewing my cousin Sara here in a little while and I'd love it if you guys would supply me with some questions!
Danya <><
Thursday, September 14, 2006 - The Red Letters
LOL. Well, Chris, the blog is directed at girls. But I'm sure a guy's point of view once in a while wouldn't hurt. What happened was I had prayed the night before that one of my friends would open up to our Youth group and make friends with other people. Cause she had just been talking to me and no one else. Well, we had the Youth come over after church, and...I'd never seen her talk that much ever! She really opened up and she was laughing and stuff. And she was hanging out with this other girl. It was really cool.
Oh, and newsflash for the girls, at this moment, my mom is upstairs writing the next Bible study called Get Real. It's gonna be really cool!
Have you ever had that feeling where you know you can't do anything but pray about a situation? That point where you finally know it's out of your hands and only God can fix it? The feeling you get when you finally give up to Him is amazing. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest." One of my favorite verses in the Bible is one where Jesus says, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Me." It was a really amazing experience, actually, because I was worried or stressed about something. I don't even remember what. But I do remember that I just opened my Bible for comfort, and that was the first thing my eyes were drawn to. There is love in the red letters. There is peace in the red letters. There is hope for the hopeless, peace and forgiveness, there is life in the red letters.
Danya <><
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - Why Do We Doubt?
Have you ever seen a prayer answered? Have you ever asked God for something and then saw Him do it right in front of you? It's an amazing expirience. I got to see that happen Sunday. But, it makes me wonder why I still doubt God.
It's human nature. The Israelites did it. I wish I could say that if I saw God destroy Egypt with miraculous plagues, part a sea in front of my eyes, send down food from heaven, and tear down the walls of Jericho, I wouldn't ever have doubted Him or turned away from Him. But they, His chosen people, they doubted. Some of the greatest people in the Bible doubted God. John the Baptist, who was the prophecied Elijah, the one who would prepare the way for Jesus, was the only known person in the Bible who expirienced the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit all at once. When he baptized Jesus, he was touching the Son, the Spirit came down from heaven in the form of a dove, and the Father spoke. Yet, even though he had expirienced this, he still doumbted. He sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He really was the Messiah. What's up with that? Well, like father like son, John's father, Zachariah had an angel appear to him. The Bible says that Zachariah was afraid. But after the angel told him that his wife would have a son, he argued with him! How do you go from fearful and in awe to arguing with an angel?!
Of course, we don't have an excuse to doubt God now, no one does. But we're not alone. When we think of God, often times we try to put Him in human form and the thing is, God's not human. We can't possibly understand Him. We doubt because we haven't grasped how totally and perfectly in control of everything He is! I'm trying to trust Him with everything. Because I know that when He works it all out, I'll feel bad for doubting Him. God is in control. If God is for us, who can be against us?
Danya
Sunday, September 3, 2006 - God Loves You
You know it before I speak
You know every thought
The deepest part of me
You draw me closer than I see
Your presence is every thing I need to be
The child that you've created me to be
I'm ready now to see it your way
I lay down my pride
My desires my demise
I'm ready now to see it your way
I'm done I'm through ignoring you, now it's true
I'm kneeling at the cross of your grace
Lay down my pride
I was faced with passing time
But I knew the choice was mine
To finally come to you
And give you all control
I've wandered miles to find my way
And then you revealed this simple faith
I know that you can see the secrets of my soul
The cross the blood you shed for me
Your back was ripped and bruised
So I can know your love
I kneel, I bow to you, my King
Thursday, August 24, 2006 - God Does Answer
Hey! Those of you who are familiar with my other blog know that I get really excited about two things: God and my church. About five or six months ago, we lost our Youth pastor at my church. I was a little upset, but not very. I was confident God would see us through, and that He had more in store for my Youth pastor and the Youth group. But, our Youth group started rapidly decreasing. We were already small, but we went from an average of nine and ten, plus occasional visitors, to three or four. At times, there would be only one person in Youth. Mostly, that one person was me. That's when I got upset. So I started praying. Every night, every chance I thought of it, for God to bring back our Youth group, to bless our church, and to send us a new Youth pastor. Last week, we had ten people in Youth, plus a visitor. It was a total shock. Our teacher didn't have enough worksheets. He was used to five, not eleven. This week, we had the same ten back. It was amazing. We had an awesome worship time as well. When you're the only person who show's up, it's hard to lead yourself in worship. And it's not as fun to teach one person. But we had an awesome worship time. I KNOW without a doubt, God is answering my prayers. And I KNOW He's bringing the right Youth pastor to us. He may not be here now, but he's out there, and God will bring him to us. I have seen my prayers answered.
Thanks to all the awesome comments! You guys are right. People do get mad when their prayers aren't answered. We live in a generation that wants everything right now.God sometimes says wait. And sometimes, we have to accept the fact that He said no. But if we're living for God and we have His love, we should understand that His way is better. And more than we could ever imagine will be given to us if we just trust and obey. And don't forget, God loves you. Talk to Him, He wants to know about everything. It's all important. And Black Rose, we're getting to your question, don't worry. :)
love you all, stay focused on the truth!
Danya
Saturday, August 12, 2006 - Prayer Changes Things
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. --Ephesians 6:14
Every night before I go to sleep, I lay in bed and talk to God. Yeah, there's a lot of problems with the world, and yes, there's a lot of fake people in the world. But our world is a lost world, and it's people are a lost people. God loves us. He loves the world. He doesn't stop loving us because we make wrong decisions. I know that I have friends who are lost. And I pray for them constantly. Prayer changes things. I know there are lots and lots and lots and lots of problems in the world. So I pray about that, too. Because Prayer changes things. I have things in my own life that I know are not good. So I pray about them. Because Prayer changes things.That verse says pray with all kinds of prayers and requests. Even if it's about someone who broke their arm or a little kid whose dog died. Prayer changes things.
And look at the last part. Pray for all the saints. In other words, your fellow Christians. That part kinda got me. Because see, we need to pray for the people who don't nescesarily have problems. But, did you know that Hilary Duff is a Christian? What about Jessica Simpson? Brittany Spears? Mel Gibson? President Bush? They are out in the world every day facing it's temptations, and some of them aren't doing a very good job of not giving in to them. Do we pray for them? They are real people too. Maybe the person we see on TV and on magazines is not the real them. Maybe they are trying to be something they're not to fit in. So maybe we should pray for them, too. Because Prayer changes things. God doesn't love them any less than He loves you and me. Why do we predict them failing instead of praying that they won't? Why do we get mad and try to get revenge on someone instead of forgiving them and showing them God's love? Why don't we pray for them, too? I do. Because Prayer changes things.
What if His people prayed? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Songwriter/182842/ check out these lyrics.
Danya
Tuesday, August 8, 2006 - Fake or Misunderstood?
Wow, thanks BlackRose and TwiggyPop for your comments. It is true that Satan is out to get us. He knows that God's going to take him down, and he wants to take anyone he can down with him. He's decieved the world. We like the darkness.
My old youth pastor once did a lesson on this. Before he started the lesson, he turned off all the lights in the room, which made it pitch black. (we had taped aluminum foil over all the windows and put black curtains over them, so NO light got through.) Then, he started talking about how everybody had stuff they tried to hide. And how sometimes we tried to be who we weren't so we would fit in. And how the world had gotten comfortable in the darkness. Then, he flipped on the big stage lights used for the band. And, yeah, it was bright and everybody was like putting their hands over their eyes and squinting and stuff. And then he said that sometimes, it hurts to get back into the light. But that's where we need to be. And the more we sit in the darkness, the harder it's gonna be to get back into the light.
People all over the world are hurting. And most of them try to hide it. We're scared of showing vulnerability. So, in a sense, we are fake. Everybody tries to fit in, even if it means being someone you're not. Rose, maybe the girls at the party were fake. But maybe they were trying to cover up the fact that they really are like everybody else. I think that in our world today, we stereotype and judge and size people up before we get to know them. I have some really good friends that, at first glance, I wouldn't have thought I would get along with. But that just goes to show you that sometimes thinking gets you in trouble. ;).
DanyaSunday, August 6, 2006 - It's Time To STOP
Ok. I've been thinking lately. And there's been this one subject that's just been laying on my heart for a few weeks. I've been noticing how...messed up...our world is. I talked about this in my other blog. I've been noticing that our world is so wrong. And they like it. And that's not right. We have independence and freedom of speech and religion and all this other stuff. But it seems to me like people translate independence into rebellion. And freedom into sin.
We've starting ignoring God. And the church has been divided. We have numerous denominations, and we don't communicate with each other like we should. In the Bible, you read Paul's letters to churches. Encouragement and teachings and even prayer requests. It seems like we've stopped communicating with each other, and we've also stopped communicating with the people around us. We're here to connect to God and connect people to God, and we can't do that if we just try to fit into the background. I've noticed that when a team of people work together, things get done. We all have our weaknesses and strengths, and together we can get things done.
It's time to stop trying to fit in. It's time to stop ignoring the world around us. It's time to stop hiding things from each other. It's time to stop waiting for a change. We can be the change. One person can make a difference, yeah that's very true. But if we join together and work with our God, we can change the world.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-Romans 15:5-6
Thursday, August 3, 2006 - Pondering...a big word for thinking.
Hello people! Ok, so this week I've been at my grandparents' house with my cousin. And...we went to DollyWood. yay! I know, you're very happy for me, right? You see lots of people at these parks. All different kinds, too. Every shape, color, size, race. You see some people in all black, you see some in swimsuits. You get to stand in line for a really long time waiting for a ride that everybody seems to want to go on. You get to stand in the line in the heat waiting for a ride that everybody seems to want to go on. But, you know what's cool? These people of all different kinds have all come to this park for the same reason. It's kind of amazing. You can start a conversation with a total stranger like that. It's those moments when the line seems to go on and on and on and on that you look behind you and say hi to a total stranger and suddenly start talking about the most random things. And then, of course, you end up sitting in the same coaster as them and having a blast. With total strangers. It's pretty cool. I would encourage you to not be afraid of strangers. You know, maybe when you're in a line, God has someone He wants you to talk to standing right behind you. View every situation as a chance to shine God's light wherever you go. Hey, you may end up leading someone to Christ one day. So maybe when you're standing in line at an amusment park, you're not really thinking about saving your soul or anyone else's. But maybe that's our problem today. We don't think about it. I think it's time to start thinking about it.
smartchik
Saturday, July 29, 2006 - HOTLANTA!
Hey guys! Guess where we are? Yep, another homeschool conference. This time we are in Atlanta, Georgia. I like this conference best, though. One: because the place they're holding it in has carpet. Yeah. It's pretty sweet. And two: Because I have some friends down here that I get to see once a year if everything goes good. I met Jenna at a parenting conference here almost four years ago and then she introduced me to Kirsten over email two years ago. I've only seen Jenna three times (including this past Thursday night) and I got the privilege of meeting Kirsten for the first time Thursday, yet they're two of the best friends I have. It's kinda strange. But it's pretty awesome at the same time.
Anyway, this homeschool conference has gone great so far. I tried to write yesterday, but the computer crashed and I lost everything. Go figure. It's so cool to actually be writing during the conference. I'm sitting here and watching the families walk by with matching tee-shirts and hearing the people next to us tell about their products. I was going to interview somebody, but I haven't met anyone yet. lol. It's been one of the best weekends of my life so far. It's amazing how God can work out even the most horrible situation. For instance: Like when you expect a four hour drive from Nashville to Atlanta and end up sitting in traffic for seven and a half hours. Yeah. It was not fun. I was bored out of my mind. And mom couldn't even say, "Well, if you're bored, you can help me with the laundry." Believe me, I was so bored, I would have done the laundry gladly. But alas, it was just us in the car...with all the stuff...and lots of traffic...and trees...and the road...and fake road work signs that made people slow down...anyway. But it all worked out and I don't know why I ever doubted God. Just trust Him with everything, guys. He wants to write your story and give you a happily ever after. Really.
SmartChik
