It's Been A While...

The summer flew by me without nearly the posting I'd hoped. I am going to work on getting back on track now that school is back in session. As always, I hope you find what is in this blog to be sound and uplifting.
I love you all!

O Be Careful, Little Mouth

We all get carried away at times and say things we shouldn’t. Whether it’s profanity or complaining or talking about someone behind their back, we all make mistakes with our mouths. The tongue is difficult to control, but it can be done. Think before you speak is very good advice!

James 3:4-6 says, “Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.” This scripture tells us that even though our tongue is only a very small part of our body, it is very powerful and has the potential to do much iniquity.

But it also has the potential to do much good. Use your tongue to tell others about God and His Word. Or, if you know someone who is already a Christian but is having some difficulty, encourage them, pray for them and help them. Use your tongue to tell others that you love them or are proud of them. Having a positive attitude and saying positive things can go a long way in showing others the love of God.

April

Making Godly Decisions

I was sitting in the adult class at the VBS of a sister congregation here, and the teacher made a statement that I thought was really interesting. He said, "When you are trying to decide whether or not to do something, don't focus so much on the consequences now. Worry about how this decision will affect you 100 years from now."

Obviously, 100 years from now, I will have long been gone from this earth. His statement, I think, I actually quite profound. Instead of worrying about how a decision is going to affect my life here, I need to worry about how it will affect me eternally. will what I choose to do today keep me out of Heaven when it's time?

So, how do we figure out how a decision will affect us eternally? Face it, God's not going to send you a Facebook message or a text telling you. Instead, you have to use the abilities He's blessed you with to try and discern His will for you. We are instructed over and over to seek God's will for our lvies and to focus on Him (Colossians 3:1, Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 16:3, Proverbs 3:5-6) We, first of all, have to be willing to trust Him to guide us in good decision making.

Then we need to study, study, study. Really, how can we expect to make Godly decisions if we haven't taken the time to know what God expects of us? We need to immerse ourselves in His word so that we can understand to the best of our ability how He wants us to act. If we know what is expected, we will have an easier time of figuring out if seomthing is acceptable or not.

Rember Colossians 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."

O Be Careful, Little Feet

Our feet are a very important part of our body that we probably take for granted much of the time. Our feet can take us to many places, including those where we shouldn’t be. As Christians, we should be careful not to find ourselves in the wrong places. We need to stay away from things that are going on that are not acceptable for a Christian to participate in and seek out places where we can do good and be good! When there is pressure from your friends or when you are tempted to go somewhere you know you shouldn’t be, pray for God to give you strength to do the right thing. Choose friends who will help you make the right choices and whom you can help as well.

Romans 10:15 says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” Are your feet taking you to places where you can teach others about God? What kind of tidings (information or news) are you sharing with others in the places you go?

April

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

(I am excited to share a devo that was actually written by my amazing husband TJ. He prepared this for church camp, and I liked it so much that I asked him if I could post it here. If you don't know the song "The Battle Belongs to the Lord", read the lyrics here before going on. This talk is based on the song - the theme of church camp was "Bible Boot Camp" and focused on the armor of God.)

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

In the Bible, Paul talks about us singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. This is why we have to mean what we sing and know what we are saying to God. We all have our favorite songs. When we are younger, our favorite songs are usually ones that have us involved in something like “Wise Old King”. But as we get older, we move gradually from church songs that just have a good medley to songs that mean something to us and have a great message for us to listen to. We need to know what we are singing and agree with what we are singing so that we are giving God the fullest reverence we can.

”In Heavenly armor, we’ll enter the land, the battle belongs to the Lord” refers to putting on the full armor of God. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:11 to put on the full armor of God to be ready to combat the devil and the world. The full armor of God covers us from head to toe. The helmet of salvation, the breastplate of Righteousness, the Shield of Faith, the Belt of Truth, The Sandals of Readiness and Peace, and of course, the Sword of the Spirit, which is our Bible. We need to be ready to combat the devil and the world when things come up. There will be times when you are with friends that want to talk religion. You always want to be ready to make sure that you can give the truth to them if they give you a verse that makes things sound different than we know it should be. Just saying “I know that is not right” is not going to convince them that you are correct and what they have been taught all their life is wrong.

“No weapon that’s fashioned against us will stand, the battle belongs to the Lord.” If we stand with the full armor of God and are ready for anything that is thrown out at us, there is no way that anything Satan throws our way can win against us. We can fight the world if necessary as long as we are clad in His armor.

“When the power of darkness comes in like a flood, the battle belongs to the Lord.” The power of darkness can refer to many things in our lives. Darkness can be the devil working in our lives. Darkness can be a weakness that we all struggle with. A weakness like Lying, cheating on tests, sneaking out when you are supposed to be in bed, always wanting to go across “Death Valley” during church camp week, etc. Darkness can also refer to a rough time in our lives like the loss of a loved one, a fight with a friend, a breakup, or any number of other things that can put us in bad moods and upset us as human beings. The darkness can be handled if we just turn the matters over to God. Just like the song says “The Battle Belongs to the Lord”

“He’s raised up a standard, the power of his blood” The power of Jesus’ blood is nothing that can be matched. He went to the cross and shed his blood for sinners like you and me. He already loved us 2000 years ago and was willing to shed his blood and die for us so that we might live with Him in heaven. The standard of the power of his blood is a standard that we all should strive to reach.

“When your enemy presses in hard, do not fear, the battle belongs to the Lord.” There is a little piece of paper hanging in my office that says “If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.” I am not sure where I heard it, but I heard it about five years ago, and that sign has followed me to every office I have had and it will go with me wherever I go, even if it is not on that piece of paper. What is being said in this song and on that little sheet of paper in my office is this: When things get tough, turn to God, He can handle anything. God will get you through when your enemy is pressing you hard, if you will just let Him. Again, remember, the battle belongs to the Lord.

“Take courage my friend, your redemption is near.” Christ died to redeem us. He died so that we could live with Him in Heaven. Our redemption is something that is given to us if we do as we are told in our Bible.

“And we sing glory, honor, power and strength to the Lord” is giving praise to God for the things that He has given to us. When you stop to think about it, we do not praise God enough. In our prayers, we thank God for the things that he has given us…How many times have you thanked God for the beautiful day? How many times have you thanked God for your parents, friends, your food, for camp, etc? But how many times have you stopped to pray and just said something like “God, You are the Most Holy, the most wonderful, the One that deserves all Honor and respect.”? I am reminded of a prayer that I was taught in preschool that we said every day before lunch and I want to share it with you because it simplifies what I am saying “God is Great, God is Good, let us thank him for our food. Amen” Now, this is a short prayer and most if not all of us can do better, but this is the simplified version of the point I am trying to make.

Next time you find yourself in battle, make sure that you are ready to combat the evil that is brought to you and that you let that battle belong to the Lord because He can handle anything put in front of you if you will just let Him.

Website to check out

Just wanted to pass on this site for you to check out at your leisure. It is run by a sweet Christian lady named Margie. She has lots of great articles, scripture, and other things to help you in your Christian walk. Read up when you have a chance.

Bible for Women

Nobody but you

We rely on others for a lot. When we're young, our parents provide us with food, clothing, shelter, and everything else we need to lead happy, healthy lives. We rely on our friends to go shopping, watch movies, and have late night talks. We rely on teachers to educate us at school. The list goes on and on.

But one thing we can't rely on someone else for is our salvation. Sure, your parents may help lay the foundation. They take you to church as a child, where you learn about God and all He's done. But once you are older, it's up to you. As you mature, you have to make the decision for yourself. That doesn't just mean you make the decision to go to church; it means you make the decision to obey the gospel and follow God's plan of salvation.

Growing up means you begin to mature. Not only will you grow physically, but your mind should begin to grow as well. You should begin to question Christianity on your own and begin your own study of the Word. This is the only way you will know for certain that you are following God's commands.

As you mature, no one else can force you to be a Christian. No one else can get you into Heaven. That is something you have to do all on your own. Others can encourage you, but ultimately, they cannot MAKE you go. Each of us will have to give an account of our own life when Christ comes (Romans 14:12 and 2 Corinthians 5:10). When that day comes, will you be rewarded for making the wise decision? Or will you still be waiting on someone else? If you're still waiting, it will be too late.

O Be Careful, Little Hands

Our hands are one of the most useful parts of our bodies. We can do so much good with our hands, but we can also do harm if we are not careful. Perhaps the damage is not done in an intentional way most of the time. It may be that we are failing to do good and that is just as bad as doing harm. When we have an opportunity to help someone with our hands and we choose not to, we are squandering a chance to show that person the joy of Christianity and the joy of helping others.

There are many ways to help and we are presented with opportunities more often than we realize. We can do good with our hands in small ways: holding a door for someone, helping an elderly person pick up something they have dropped, holding a child’s hand when they are crossing the street or patting someone on the back when they have done well or if they are having a hard time. There are also things we can do that have the potential to make an even bigger impact. For example, we can pick up a phone to call someone and invite them to worship or to have a Bible study. Or we can drive to someone’s house to pick them up and take them to worship. These things are easy to do and don’t take a lot of time, but they could change someone’s life and their eternal destiny. Do you have someone in your life whom you could call and invite to worship? Can you take the time to change someone’s life by using your hands?

April

If you were a....

Just a little Friday affirmation! :)

If you were a star, you'd be the bright one.
You'd be the rare rainbow if rainbows were few.
If you were an answer, you'd be the right one.
You'd be the perfect fit, if you were a shoe.
If you were a fine pie, you'd be the finest one.
You'd be nice as the sunshine that makes the sky blue...

but you're YOU...which is better
than all these things put together.

Psalm 139:14 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

O Be Careful Little Ears

(If you're just checking out this blog, go back and find the first article, "O Be Careful Little Eyes".)

Every time we turn on the television or go to a movie or simply walk around in public, it is likely we will hear profanity, hear the Lord’s name taken in vain or hear a perverted joke or some innuendo. We should try to stay away from this type of language whenever possible. If you hear it on tv, change the channel. If you hear it on the radio, change the station. If you are around someone who is using bad language, ask them to stop. If you sometimes find yourself using this type of language yourself, pray to God and ask Him to help you to use your words in a better way.

The things we hear, like the things we see, become a part of us. If we are always exposing ourselves to negative language, it will eventually become a part of us. Even if you don’t say things out loud, you may think them. Or you may find that you’ve become immune to such language. We should always work to avoid becoming immune to any thing that goes against God’s Word. James 4:4 says, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” If we allow ourselves to accept all behavior, even if it is against God’s will, we have allowed ourselves to become His enemies. This is certainly not the side we want to be on!
April

Where does the time go?

Yeah, so I'm over a week late with posting something. Time flies when you're...oh wait, the end of that statement is "having fun", isn't it? I can't exactly say that the past week has been fun! It started out amazingly as our family enjoyed a mini-reunion and Monday off for Memorial Day (no school!). But then we did have school, and it was FINALS week. You might think that's only crazy for students, but teachers go nuts then, too. We want summer vacation as much as you!!! On top of all of that, TJ and I have spent the last few days working on the new youth group song book and a VBS story room!

On a good note, Emmalynn and Kayla both graduated from kindergarten on Thursday. Now, I am sitting at home with 4 kids (although Em has morning cheer camp), but I am already enjoying summer!!!!

I'm back on track for posts and things this week. You will see April's post shortly that I should've posted Saturday!!

You know, maybe you can use my crazy life and my lack of time as a lesson. Realize that time will run out before we realize it. We have to MAKE time for God and make some study and prayer time a priority. Also, don't hesitate in making sure you are right with God. We never know when our last day will be. Don't want to sound morbid, but it's the truth. Always be prepared!

O Be Careful, Little Eyes...

(Hope you enjoy my Saturday articles. Please comment and let me know what you think!)

Around every corner, we are faced with a barrage of images. Some images are positive. It is inspiring to see a beautiful piece of art or to watch a movie that uplifts and encourages us. But we may find ourselves watching television shows and movies, or looking at things on the Internet, that do not help us in our walk with God, but rather hinder it. Philippians 4:8 says, “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” How can we meditate on things that are good and pure when we are filling our minds with things that are negative and unacceptable to God?

Also, as women, it is important that we are not causing anyone else to stumble with their eyes by the way that we dress. Romans 14:21 says, “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.” Although we are not ultimately responsible for the soul of another, we will be held accountable if we cause another to stumble in their walk with God by the way that we dress or act or talk. I Timothy 2:9 says “…in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety (appropriateness) and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing.” God put in us the ability to appreciate beauty. It is good for us to feel good about the way we look and to take care of our bodies. But we have to do this within the confines of God’s will for us. More importantly, we must seek to be beautiful on the inside. Inner beauty is the only kind that counts with God and the only kind that lasts.

April

Two Are Better Than One...

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls for he has no one to help him up." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Friends are one of the greatest blessings God gives us. They are there to enjoy the good times with us and to support us through the rough time. Christian friends can be a twofold blessing. Not only are they fun, but they can be a huge help in our Christian walk...and the opportunities for you are countless. Together, you can increase the good that you can do for God.

I am blessed with many good friends in my life. One of my best friends is April, an amazing Christian lady that I met when we were both students at Freed-Hardeman University. She is one of the most grounded, Spiritually minded women that I know. I am so grateful to her right now because she has graciously agreed to be our Saturday "guest blogger". :) Tomorrow, she is going to begin a series based on the children's song "O, Be Careful..." I think you'll enjoy and appreciate what she has to say.

Thanks and I <3 U, AJ.

Found this cool graphic to go with my last post....gotta love the internet and the plethora of pics and graphics for myspace, facebook, etc. ;)

FAITH

Forsaking
All
I
Trust
Him

Do you really have faith? Hebrews 11:1 says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

The acrostic above tells us that to fully put our faith in Christ, we have to forsake all. We cannot let other things like friends or extra-curricular activities get between us and God. We have to prioritize and make sure our focus is always on Him. When we focus on Him, everything else falls into place.

We also have to trust that, when we are focused on the cross, God is going to lead us on the right path. He will guide our decisions and will protect us in the choices we make. We only have to have complete, total faith in Him. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Remember, if God leads you to is, He will lead you through it.....IF you let Him.

Have You Prayed Today?

If not, maybe you should stop right now and do that. Don't know how? It's as easy as talking to your best friend.

Phillipians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God."

Don't let your worries pile up. Take them to God immediately. You don't have to get on your knees and close your eyes to pray. You only have to focus by whatever means it takes for you to give all of your concentration to your prayer. Admit in prayer that you need God's help. Ask Him to guide you on the right path and to keep you safe. Ask Him to lead you in making the right decisions. Focus on God and asking for His wisdom - don't focus on yourself and your wants.

Finally, don't forget to thank God for the blessings He pours out on your daily. Mention specifics. Remember, you should be closer to God than any person on Earth, so there is nothing that is too insignificant to mention in prayer.

Maybe we all need to be a little more "cross-eyed" and put our focus on Christ.

Thought for the Day

The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.

--Norman Vincent Peale

Wow. Who couldn't use more energy? I think this quote is saying that when you immerse yourself and become passionate about something, you will be more driven and more enthusiastic about it. If you love to play basketball, you will enjoy practicing and playing. If you don't, you won't. It's a lot easier to work at something that you like than something you care nothing about.

I think that applies to our faith also. If we lose ourselves in God, we will have more energy and zeal to serve him. If you start your day by praying or reading your Bible, I think you'll find that you are ready to face whatever comes at you in the day ahead. When you find yourself struggling, stop and pray - rejuvenate your faith. At the end of the day, pray and turn it all over to God. Let him carry your burdens and you'll sleep well at night.

Readers - what do you lose yourself in? What are some other ways you find to energize your faith?

Complacent or Content?

When it comes to your life, which are you?

Complacent means to be “pleased with one’s merits, advantages, situation, etc. often without awareness of some potential danger”(http://www.dictionary.com/). This means you go along in life without any cares or concerns. When applied to your Christian walk, it means you are stagnant and unconcerned with pursuing more for yourself. It means you just walk in a daze without realizing that spiritual dangers lurk around every corner. You aren’t necessarily doing anything wrong, but you aren’t doing much to make sure you stay on the right path.

Complacency is dangerous. The Bible refers to this as being “lukewarm”. Revelation 3:16 says, “So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot or cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” We cannot be lukewarm; we as Christians must work for the Lord. Christ knows what effort we put into our faith.

There is a Switchfoot song with lyrics that I think are applicable. It says, “We were meant to live for so much more, have we lost ourselves?” Sometimes it’s hard to maintain a fervent zeal for God. As teenage girls, there are so many things out there ready to tear you down. Now, more than ever, you have to focus on Christ and be active in your faith. It is easy to lose your ambition or drive, so you have to continually study and recharge yourself spiritually. Make time to read the Bible and don’t discount the power of an active prayer life. Nothing you want to say to God is insignificant.

Content means to be “satisfied with what one has”. The difference is that when you are complacent, you are unaware of your situation; basically, you are uninvolved in your Christianity. If you are content, you are fully aware of the blessings God has bestowed upon your life, and you know your place in His plan. You are living your life to the fullest and are passionate about your faith in Him. I Timothy 6:6 says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

So, what’s it gonna be? Do you want to be spit out of His mouth? Or do you want great gain?

Readers – how do you achieve contentment in your life? Share your responses in the comments.

What Must I Do?

I felt like this was an important place to start because what good will any of this do if any of you aren't saved yet? Before you can live a Christian life, you have to turn your life over to Him and become a Christian. Read below and take the time to look up the scriptures for yourself. If you don't have access to a Bible, check out http://www.biblegateway.com/ where you can read verses online.

First of all, it's important to realize that the gift of salvation is only available through Christ. No one else can provide us with that opportunity. I Peter 1:18-19 says, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."

The plan of salvation is clearly laid out in God's word.

1 - HEAR - This seems obvious enough. A girl must hear the Word of God before she is able to proceed. (Check out Rom. 1:16 and Rom. 10:17) With this hearing comes obedience. Following God's commandments means doing what He asks of us. (Heb. 5:9)

2 - BELIEVE - Along with obedience comes belief. Believing in God means trusting and having enough faith that you will do everything else that He wills. It means having faith without being able to see everything. It is a belief that Jesus is His son and that the Bible is His word. (Read Heb. 11:16 and Mark 16:16)

3 - REPENT - Repentance is a pivotal step in turning your life around for Christ because it means just that...to turn around. Repentance isn't just asking God to forgive your past sins. It's about making the commitment to change and to turn from your former wicked ways and follow the Godly path. (See Acts 17:30 and II Peter 3:9)

4 - CONFESS - When you confess, you stand before others and acknowledge your beliefs. You affirm that you believe in Christ and believe that He is the Son of God. (Find this in Rom. 10:10 and Acts 8:35-38)

5 - BE BAPTIZED - This step is commanded as a part of our salvation. It is not an optional step; it is not something that can be done later. Each step must be completed as a part of the process, and this cannot be left out. Being baptized means being immersed (not sprinkled!) in water for the remission of your sins. This water represents the blood that was shed by Christ on the cross to save us. (See this in Mark 16:16, Rom. 6:3, and Acts 2:38)

***Every instance of conversion in the New Testament includes baptism. Take some time to read the following conversion stories and you will find baptism included as a part of their process.

Pentecost - Acts 2

Samaritans - Acts 8:12

Simon - Acts 8:13

Eunuch - Acts 8:35-40

Saul - Acts 9:22

Cornelius - Acts 10

Lydia - Acts 16:14-15

Jailer - Acts 16:30-34

Corinthians - Acts 18:8

Ephesians - Acts 19:1-5

If you have any questions about anything you read here, please comment. Readers, feel free to comment with additional verses in regards to the steps. Those I listed are but a few.

The Purpose

Besides knowing about me, I guess you wanna know why I'm even writing this blog, huh? Well, I truly believe that teenage girls need guidance in their spiritual walk. I see every day the struggles of teen girls in a high school setting, and I remember being one not too long ago. It's rough, especially when you WANT to fit in.

Well, being a Christian isn't about fitting in, but it's about finding ways to be strong enough to stand firm and stick to your beliefs. I truly believe that I can have a positive influence on young girls and want to use my writing abilities combined with my personal studies of the scriptures to help them make good decisions.

Plus, I am a young woman trying to stay faithful as well. What you see in this blog will be a reflection of my own studies, so it's sort of a spiritual journal for me.

If at any time you do not agree with something I've said, please share your thoughts in a respectful manner. If I am in error, I want to be shown that error. If I am right and you are in error, I would like to show you where the Bible teaches the truth. Together, we can walk the Heavenly way.

About Me

To help you feel confident in the messages in this blog, I am sure you'd like to know a little about the author behind it. Maybe author isn't the right word. Perhaps "messenger" is more like it. I will be supplying you with information from a variety of sources, some of which I may not even know.

First and foremost, I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He was born of a virgin and walked this earth. I believe that He died on the cross for our sins and was raised on the third day. I believe He has gone to prepare a place for those who do the will of His father. I believe I am commanded to live my life according to the truths shown in the Bible.

Beyond that, I have been married to my husband since 2000. We have two beautiful daughters together, and we currently have 2 precious foster children with us as well. I am a high school English teacher, and I love my job. My family attends the Glendale Church of Christ in Newbern, TN. My husband works with the youth group at our congregation, and I am blessed to be a part of that work. Besides being a part of the group devotionals and get-togethers, I have been able to teach teenage girls' classes. I absolutely love working with them.

Any other questions about me, please feel free to ask!