This Is Your Daily Reminder

God loves you.

After hearing that so many times it begins to lose its meaning. It’s easy to hear it with your ears and not with your heart. But these past few months I’ve been realizing how incredible that statement really is.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

-Psalm 8:3-9

We can study and learn about our beautiful earth and the universe as far as we can reach but we will never find the end.

To think that we cannot possibly reach the ends of this universe we live in.

To think that there is a Creator so much bigger than all of that.

To think that He spoke and creation grew into existence.

To think that we are so small, most of our greatest ambitions is to see just this planet!

To think that we as mere humans think we can understand God.

To think that as mere humans we are wiser than Him and do what we think is best.

To think that no matter what we do to ignore God or how we hurt Him, God loves us.

So why do I do those things I know are no good for me? Why ignore God and settle for second best in my life? How can I not trust God with my life? Why do I think I can possibly be good enough for Him? And yet through His grace he made us good enough.

This is God’s daily reminder to you and I. His love is enough for you. You don’t have to change to receive it. You already have it no. matter. what.  

As you begin each day, remember that truth that is bound with no reasons.

God LOVES you just because.

Teddy Graham Thoughts and one Confessed Shop-a-holic

I’m sitting here munching on my chocolate Teddy Grahams in deep thought. I just finished organizing my closet and hanging everything up in the most efficient manner.

What can I say, I’m a neat freak.

So as I eat my Teddy’s and admire my work, I start thinking. I love clothes. I may have a bit of an obsession with them. I mean I don’t have a fashion blog so I’m not THAT obsessed and other things rank higher in my life but I do love them to the point where they distract me sometimes. When I am feeling sad or disappointing with life I expect that new clothes will make me feel better. So I go shopping. Online, or make a Target run.

If you are shaking your head at me now, it’s okay. So am I.

So then I start thinking, what if God calls me to a life where I will never have enough money to buy clothes that I want. What if He leads me to a life where I have to live on a LOT less than I am used to having?

Now before you go thinking I’m a spoiled rich brat, I’ll have you know that I don’t live in a five story mansion, my mom says “no” more than “yes,” and my dad mentions at least twice a day that I need to get a budget together and start saving for college. BUT, I do have it better than some. Enough so to make me a little greedy.

And selfish.

Aaaand maybe possibly a little whinny when I don’t get what I want. Maybe.

You can see then why God would want me to work on this weakness of mine. After all, I cannot serve God without giving up everything to Him. And everything doesn’t just include the things I am okay with leaving behind. It doesn’t mean I can ignore idols in my life and say its normal just so that I can keep them in my closet.

Cause when God does room checks, He is nothing but thorough.

If I’m honest with myself, I may not go shopping as much as some people but I know my heart is not right in it’s intentions. If I am honest with myself, I know that I do have that idol hidden in my closet and I know that God is asking me to hand it over. And if I am honest I know that if I do, I will be a lot happier.

Well, we all struggle with something or some things. And lately I’ve been realizing that we cannot complete the will of God in our lives unless we jump over that barrier and give those things over to God one hundred percent.

That in itself is a huge motivator. I have always wanted to be used by God in an awesome way, and I know He wants that too. But God wants to clean us out and move in His stuff before that can happen. And we all know that our stuff and Gods stuff doesn’t match.

So I guess you can say I am a shop-a-holic on the road to recovery. But hey, at least I’m not addicted to Chocolate Teddy Grahams. Yet.

Learning About Love from Pride and Prejudice

“You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you.”

SIGH…why can’t men talk like that these days? After watching Pride and Prejudice, what girl hasn’t fallen in love with Mr. Darcy? He is so…so…romantic! Romantic to the endless degree! I have never been more certain to say, it is now my favorite movie. There is something about the love story between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy that can make a girl swoon and wish for a man to ask for her hand in beautiful sonnet. As hate turns into love the characters learn more about each other’s character and integrity. By the end of the movie the characters have fallen in love with each other’s hearts and heads and have chosen to forgive each other’s faults and weaknesses because they know their own. And what is the result of this love? Marriage. Beautiful, isn’t it?

This love story was written in the 1800’s and a lot has changed since then. The progression of love stories throughout the ages have gotten more and more focused on the physical expressions of love rather than love itself. So many romantic comedies in today’s time are filled with lust and instant gratification. Desire for one another is immediately followed by a kiss or more (most often more) and waiting for anything is out of the question. What’s worse is that these Hollywood movies tell us this is love when it is actually nothing more substantial than lust. We want love but we are so impatient in waiting for it. Love is patient, isn’t it?

If you’ve ever seen Pride and Prejudice, you noticed there is not a single kiss shared by anyone until the very end. A kiss on the forehead, the right cheek, the nose, the left cheek, and then the lips. And this is only after they are arranged to be married. The physical affection is very limited to respectful gestures like a helping hand, a bow, and men standing in the presence of a lady, but the romance is obviously present in the actions taken to please one another. Physical confirmation is simply not needed and only given til the end as a reward. The purity of it all is what makes it beautiful.

True romance is found in waiting because the longer you wait, the more meaningful and strong love becomes. God didn’t just tell us to wait to torture us. It says in Song of Solomon chapter eight not to awaken love until the time is right. Love is a powerful thing and with great power comes great responsibility. If we awaken “love” before it is ready in turns into something it’s not. It turns into something perhaps dangerous and unfulfilling. I think it turns into lust, which is what society mistakes for love because it is too impatient to wait.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Love is something worth waiting for.

Never Been Kissed: Waiting For My One and Only

A lot of talk about wedding gowns, bride maid dresses, color themes, guest lists, budget and table cloths have been floating around my house since I’ve returned home for the summer. No, I am not getting married. But my brother is! The date is about a month and a half away and I’ve already gotten my dress which has me thinking about a more important dress I will buy in the future for my future wedding to my future husband who I may or may not have already met.

Speaking of future husbands, lets talk about that! A popular trend seems to be writing cute love letters to your future husband. I tried that…a couple times actually. Turns out I don’t know what to say when I don’t know who I’m talking to. After struggling with my words I shoot God a short prayer asking him to watch over my future hubby and keep him waiting for me like I’m waiting for him. Which brings me to my next topic.

What do I mean when I say “waiting” for him? As you have probably guessed judging by the title, I’ve never been kissed. Half of me is proud to admit that. The other half is embarrassed. I am proud because I hold myself to high standards and stick to them but I am also embarrassed because…well, that one is a bit more obvious. Now let me make clear that I am not going to have my first kiss on my wedding day. I know couples who choose to do that and I applaud them! I think that is great! But as for me, how terrifying! The first kiss is already awkward enough but in front of all your friends and family? No Thank You. But I do plan saving that for my future husband and this is why:

First, I think of what I want in my husband. I want to be his one and only. I want to be the only girl he’s ever kissed and the only girl he’s ever loved. Sometimes I wonder what he is doing at this very moment. I wonder and hope I could be proud of what he is doing. Sometimes I wonder what he is thinking about. I wonder and hope I could be proud of that too. I expect a lot of him which is why I expect a lot of myself. The truth is, if you want to have a godly guy, you have to be a godly girl.

One of my favorite quotes is this: “A women’s heart should be so lost in God that a man must seek Him in order to find her.” I don’t know who said this but he or she is very wise. Follow the road God paved for you and eventually it will meet up with the man God intends you to walk with. I remember years ago I asked God not to let me meet my future husband until I learned to live for God whole heartedly. I am still working on that and I am still waiting but I know even if I have to wait longer than I plan, it will be worth it because it will be God’s plan.

So here’s to the girls with high standards. Here’s to the girls who are willing to wait for the one and only. Here’s to the girls who put God’s plan above their own. Here’s to the girls who are not afraid to be called a prude because “a girl worth kissing, is not easily kissed.”

“Hey Girls, Here’s How to be a Slut,” Says Cosmopolitan Magazine

Recently I was looking through my friend’s Cosmopolitan magazine because I was working on my own magazine pages in InDesign for school and needed some guidance and inspiration. I did manage to get some guidance but inspiration was more like disgust.

I was utterly appalled at the content in that magazine. I know I sound like an 80 year old grandma right now (call me old-fashioned) but honestly, no wonder girls throw themselves at guys these days. Cosmopolitan is one of the most popular magazine for women in their 20’s and it doesn’t exactly teach boundaries.

Now I don’t want to sound like a ranting bitter old hag who doesn’t like to have fun because rest assured that couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are things I do enjoy reading in the magazine. I am amazed at their creativity when it comes to painting your nails. I swear they have 100 different techniques for that. And unlike hardcore Christian magazines, they do bring up sensitive issues about our bodies that we as women SHOULD be aware of (this is a fault of most nun-friendly religious mags). We shouldn’t be so embarrassed or ashamed to talk about our bodies but there are lines you can cross and Cosmopolitan magazine definitely crosses them…or just removes the lines altogether.

A section called LUST is devoted 100% to you-know-what. If you ask me, I’d rather read a section about love. Love is a commitment, it’s forever, it’s fulfilling and beautiful. Lust leaves you feeling used, hurt, worse off than before, and alone. Now if I’m going to be completely honest, I think some of those articles are on the right track. For instance they warn against certain health issues and all things in moderation (if I’m pushing it) but the only time those articles are okay to be practiced is if you are married, which most of it’s readers are not. Those articles are dangerous in the hands of young innocent girls because it sparks interest and curiosity in things that should be taboo for them. Not only that, but it tells girls it is okay.

I know a lot of girls read Cosmopolitan magazine and love it! In fact, most of my friends read it. I also know that this post will not make me very popular but when you are a Christian in today’s society, popularity isn’t exactly a priority. Don’t get me wrong. If you read Cosmopolitan or another magazine like it, I am in no way judging you for that or saying you are a sex addict like the magazine seems to think are it’s readers. I am blaming the magazine for shaping the younger female generation into sex machines. To me, the magazine tells girls that you need to look pretty and the only think you are good  for is sex.

Wrong-O.

Girls, you are much more than that. Your outer beauty does not tell your worth. You are not defined by the number guys rate you or even how cute girls think your outfit is today. God is the one who designed you and He made you perfect and beautiful. He also made a boy just for you and you don’t have to dress like a slut to catch his attention. You don’t have to be a nun or throw out all your makeup either. Be real, be you, be honest, be true, but don’t be the girl society tells you to be. Be the girl God made you to be. That is the most attractive thing to a real man.

Project Inspired has a petition you can sign to stop Cosmopolitan from “marketing explicit porn tips to minors.”  SIGN HERE!

And Then There’s Kari Jobe — God’s Goodness Never Gets Old

If I get down to the root of things, sometimes I just need to just sit, listening to worship music and praise God right there by myself. There’s Hillsong, there’s Chris Tomlin, there’s Sixteen Cities, and then there’s Kari Jobe. I find that she has some of the most encouraging and truth filled lyrics. If you don’t know who Kari Jobe is, well, she is an amazing singer and you want to become familiar with her music. Much like Taylor Swift, she has a song that fits every mood you find yourself in…from a spiritual perspective I mean.

Getting to the root of things, today I was in need of some Jesus time. Not for any particular reason and not because I was in a depressed mood or needed to ask God for something, I just needed to spend time with him and let him speak to me instead of the other way around, which I do much too often. Of course my iTunes was playing and Kari Jobe popped onto the scene with her song “Find you on my knees.” This is exactly what I was feeling. We find God when life has taken everything out of us and we desperately long for Jesus.

I was talking to my friend Josh and he made a comment that really stuck out to me. “He was with me the whole time. Even when I wasn’t with Him.” Isn’t this so incredibly true?! Looking back I see it in my life too. Recently I went through a couple months where I hardly spoke one word to God and didn’t bother to listen to Him. It obviously showed in the way I lived because I caught myself slipping so easily during that time. I didn’t like who I was. I was a mean girl. I talked bad about people, I acted selfishly, I was living for myself and for lack of better words, it sucked.

Easter seemed to come at the perfect time because I needed the reminder of the cross. The message of salvation never gets old. He is there patiently waiting for you to come back to him and it doesn’t matter how far gone your’ve been from Him. You can’t get away from God’s love. He paid for your sins fully, so completely on the cross. He thinks about you all the time and when you think about Him, He smiles.

When my mind is drenched with thoughts of Jesus and His amazing love and grace, nothing else matters. All my worries fade away and I am actually happy. Really truely happy. The happy that makes you laugh and cry at the same time. There is no better place to be then in His presence.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you.

People in Real Life

I believe we are supposed to share God with others. In terms of the Bible, we are to share the “good news” with others. God meant our witnessing to be in a loving manner and not a preaching one. However, when you are thoroughly convinced that something is true, it takes a conscious effort to refrain from “preaching” at someone as opposed to “sharing” with someone.

I will admit, I am guilty of standing on a pedestal and having a one way conversation.  Of course I don’t do it on purpose and I try not to! Lately I have been realizing the importance of listening. I’m talking about real listening. I’m talking about asking questions and finding common ground with people who have differing beliefs.

Sometimes I get so excited about God I feel like there is a dire need for me to share him with my non-Christian friends. At the same time, just because I’m pumped about Jesus, doesn’t mean they are! It’s important to find out where others stand before going in and plastering the Bible all over their face.

People are more likely to open up when they know the ground they stand on is non-judgmental. No one likes to be wrong. It’s embarrassing, it’s a slap in the face, and it makes people vulnerable.

I’ve learned that people will share their weaknesses with you if you show them yours. As Christians we like to act strong because we feel like if we act weak, that means our God must be weak. But others like to see that we are real humans who struggle with real issues…because we do!

If our love for others is missing from the message we share about Jesus, it just becomes another controversial religious argument.

From now on, I want to build relationships with people based on love and then show them Jesus instead of talking at them about Jesus and miss out on the friendship.

Am I Beautiful?

Girl, age 12: Am I beautiful?

World: If you wear this makeup, then you will be beautiful

God: You are beautiful

Girl, age 14: Okay, I know how to apply my makeup. Am I beautiful?

World: First, show a little skin. You are becoming a woman so you need to flaunt what you have. Then you will be beautiful. 

God: You are beautiful just the way you are

Girl, age 16: Alright, my wardrobe is fitted and shows my curves. I show a good amount of skin too! I catch boys looking at me a lot. Does that mean I’m beautiful? 

World: Enjoy yourself first. Have some fun with some of the boys you like. But only the ones you really like. Its healthy even to exercise your affection for one another on a more intimate level. Then, you will feel beautiful beyond words. 

God: You don’t need to do that, you are beautiful the way you are

Girl, age 18: I have given myself to boys and they seemed to like me but I can’t get them to stay long enough. They keep leaving me… When will I be beautiful enough to get one to stay?  

World: The answer is simple. Once you find a boy who loves you, he wont leave you. Then you will feel beautiful.

God: I’m right here and I will never leave you, you are beautiful the way you are.

Girl, age 20: Why does it have to hurt so much? I keep giving more and more of myself to them but no one loves me. Why aren’t I beautiful enough?

World: It’s important that you explore your sexuality. Maybe the boys are the problem. Explore your interest in other girls. If you are true to yourself, you will feel beautiful. 

God: You are perfect to me. Stop trying to be someone you’re not!

Girl, age 20: I dont even know who I am anymore…

God: You are beautiful and you are mine. 

What Are You Afraid Of?

Forgotten God by Francis Chan, Chapter 2 Summary/Reflections

Things we fear that hinder the Spirit in us:

1. What others Christians will think about differing details of Christianity (what sets up different denominations).

2. That God wont come through (drives us to ask for less, expect less, and be satisfied with less) “There is a huge difference believing what God has promised and praying for things you’d like to be true” (49).

3. That God will show up and ask you or put you in the position to do something that makes you uncomfortable. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” -Romans 12:2. His will may be scary and not something you normally would want to do. It wont be easy, but it will be worth it.

It was God’s will that Jesus die on the cross:

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

 ³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed,“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup of suffering be taken from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” -Matthew 26: 36-46

“For the Spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

4. Our reputation in spiritual matters.

“As disciples of Jesus, being in a relationship with Him must be our focus. When we allow others’ perceptions of us (or even our perceptions of their perceptions) to control how we live, we are enslaved. We become entrenched in the ways of this world and do not live as citizens of heaven, which is another kind of kingdom altogether” (53).