Worldly or Godly? You decide.

August for me was a month of purging myself from worldly entertainment.  I was trying to focus solely on the things of God for just one month.  Sounds easy enough, right? It's not like I was going to do this forever.  At least that's what I thought at the time.  I'm not so sure anymore though.

If I claim that Christ has saved my soul and is living inside of me, shouldn't I always be about the will of the Father, just as He was when He walked on this earth?  We are commanded in Colossians 3:1-3 to, "Seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."  Do we then have an excuse to turn our minds off to God, and on to the world by watching, reading and listening to things that are completely contrary to God's holy standards?  I don't believe so.  If I am truly bought by the blood of Jesus then I am going to constantly be, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (II Corinthians 10:5), not saturating myself in them.  I need to remember to invest my time in what truly matters, serving the Lord.  "Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Galations 6:7-8).  

I don't have this thought studied out completely yet, but I am studying it.  Not just glorifying God in movies, music and books, but in my speech, health, relationships, etc.  Submitting every area of life to the One who gave me that life to use for His pleasure and His glory.

Divided

As you look on the church landscape, youth are leaving the faith in droves. The modern church, overall, is struggling to reach the next generation with the gospel. What has happened? Whether for good or bad, men, for many years, have been inventing solutions or brainstorming ideas without fully relying upon the foundation of God’s Word. God, however, is greater than man, and as the heavens are above the earth, so are His ways higher than ours and His thoughts than our thoughts (Is. 55:8-9). We have substituted the greater for the lesser – God’s wisdom for man’s ideas. Jesus said that he who hears His Word and does it, is like a man that built his house upon a rock, and when the storm came, it stood firm. On the other hand, he who rejects His Word, is like a man who built on the sand and when the storm came, the house fell (Matt. 7:24-25). Shouldn’t the church, as a whole, abandon the sandy ideas of man and shamelessly return to the firm rock of the Word of God? God’s Word sufficiently identifies how youth are to be reached. For more information on this issue, please see the filmDivided, which is a documentary on age-segregated youth ministry in America. Watch it for free (for a limited time) atwww.dividedthemovie.com. For an in-depth study, the book A Weed in the Church delves into the topic and more thoroughly handles the Scripture passages that address ministry to young people. For other details or to help spread the message, visit www.dividedthemovie.com.

My Precious

I just realized that I haven't posted anything about our little Marshall.
He is beyond precious to me. Babies are always amazing, but it's so different when the baby is your brother's. I know that he belongs in our family and that fact is mind blowing to me.  He's not anyone else's. He's ours. Technically, Ben and Brittney's but you know what I mean.

Goodness!!! I love this little boy

COURAGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Watch the Trailer for Courageous & View Photos from the Movie


I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS.

I don't know if I've ever wanted to see a movie as bad as this one!

Sheltered Safe

Everywhere around me people are trying to rebuild their lives. Houses are gone. Family members are dead or missing. Property is destroyed.  Lives completely changed in an instant. I hurt for those around me, and praise the Lord for shielding my family from harm.  I rest in the truth that God is in control and He is always working out His perfect plan for our lives.  He is sovereign. He knows what He's doing even though we don't. He will comfort His people and He will be their all in all.

The Lord will give strength unto His people. 

The Lord will bless His people with peace. 

Psalm 29:11

Almost.....

My niece/nephew is supposed to be here in 2 weeks!!!!!  I am so ready!!!  I can't wait to snuggle with little Charlotte or Marshall (whichever she/he happens to be)!

I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. Psalm 130:5

This may be my favorite flower. Indian paintbrushes. Soooo pretty.

Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Ps. 96:6

What Are You Thinking When You're Talking To a Guy?

I've had a mini-revelation lately that I think might help some of you too, so I'm going to share it.

I was thinking about how we relate to guys and how we are supposed to treat them as brothers in Christ. That's always confused me a little. I'm definitely not going to treat them as close as I treat my brothers, so how exactly do you treat a brother in Christ!?!? I do not have the answer. BUT! I have an idea. Or rather a question and then an answer.

Q: What are you thinking when you are talking to a guy?

A: You should be thinking about how to glorify God the most in your conversation.

Now, let me try to clarify my jumbled thoughts just a bit.

I've realized that most of the time when I'm talking to a guy I worry about what he thinks of me. I want him to think I'm intelligent, kind, funny and all around great, right?

For example: I have a bad habit of replaying conversations I have with people over and over again (not just guys, but everybody) and thinking about what made me look kinda goofy and immature, and wishing I could take it back. The root of this is pride. I am more worried with what people think of me than what God thinks of me. Harsh, but true.

Do I ever replay conversations and think, "I wonder if what I said was as pleasing to God as it possibly could've been"? NO! But, that is my goal from now on.

I want my motive behind every conversation I have to be: I want to please and bring glory to God in the fullest way possible. And not: I want to make me look really good.

I hope that this helped you gain a fresh perspective on pleasing God with your words.

The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom, but the froward tongue shall be cut out. Prov. 10:31

Photo credit: 123rf.com

Oh Dear, Oh Dear

It's been forever and a day since I posted! Woopsie.

Let's see..............since my last post I have found out that my brother James and his wife, Holly are having a baby!

Extreme excitement.

Now I may have a potential flower girl AND ring bearer for whenever I get married ;). Umm....there's been Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years...........can you believe it's 2011? Yikes.

Time to start over with goals, plans and dreams for this year!

I finally got my hope chest. I plan to paint it tomorrow, then burn my name and a Bible verse into the lid. Sounds cool, huh? I'm actually going to be able to put some of my treasured "for my house" items in it!

I can't think of anything to write!!!!! Sorry guys, I must be experiencing writer's block (is that what it's called?).

Well, I guess that's all till I can think of something else meaningful to write.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Everything Changes.......

Growing up is so strange. I can't get used to everything I used to dream about happening (you know.......wayyyyyy in the future) actually happening.

For example: 2 of my brothers are married.

Ben and Brittney are having a baby in May.

I graduated a year ago.

My parents 25th wedding anniversary is in June.

Sarah is in high school.

Next year will be 10 years since 9/11

See what I mean??? This stuff isn't supposed to be happening now. I'm supposed to still be a little girl whose favorite toys are her siblings, who loves playing blind man's buff, making huge tents in the house, eating sugar ants, writing on walls with feathers for pens and berries for ink, climbing trees, trying out roller blades for the first time, thinking I was a big kid if I stayed up till 10 o'clock...................*sigh*

Those were the days.........................and I do kinda miss them.

Those were my childhood memories, now will be my niece and nephews memories, then will be my children's memories.

Is this post too melancholy? I don't want it to be. I'm just in a reminiscing mood today.

My childhood days are over, so for now I'll remember the past, take joy in the present and look forward to the future. Knowing that my God is in control of everything and, no matter what changes, HE is the same yesterday, today and forever.