The Pursuit

When God Gives You Lemons...

2012-02-04T08:24:00.000-08:00

Hey girls, Rosie here! And I’m so very excited and thankful for the opportunity to encourage you girls on here for a little while!

So when life gives you lemons, what do you do? Well, you make lemonade, as the saying goes. I absolutely LOVE lemons and lemonade, and I especially love lemonade stands! Which is why I am now suddenly reminded of a hilarious commercial! You know, the one with the little girl where she makes her lemonade stand into a giant business? Well, here’s the commercial in case some of you girls have never seen it:

Look at that little girl! I mean, talk about using one’s resources! She uses everything she can! Her father entrusts her with his expensive-looking smart phone and instead of simply using the phone’s calculator, little Susie uses every possible feature on that phone to make a profit!

I think that God does the same thing with us. God gives each and every one of us our own lemons in life. But what are we supposed to do with the lemons that God gives us? Multiply them! In the parable of the talents (check it out in Matthew 25:14-30!), Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven will be like will be like a man who goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with his property. In the parable, the man gives money (in the form of talents, a measurement of money at the time) to three servants. The first two servants eagerly get to work and double the money they’re given, making a profit for their master. But the third servant does absolutely nothing for his master with what he was given. He just buries his master’s money in the ground. So when the master returns, he’s delighted with the efforts and profit of the first two servants. He entrusts them with more money and invites them to celebrate with him!

However, the master is angry with his third servant and takes away what he had. You see the third servant is lazy, wicked, and useless. He’s lazy and wicked because he doesn’t care to even try to please his master. (He could have simply put his master’s money in the bank and just sat around while it made interest! That would have been super easy, right?) And he’s useless because he does nothing for his master. He makes no profit; he’s a branch that bears no fruit at all. All the third servant does is complain about how “hard” his master is.

Can we sometimes act like the third servant though? Sadly, I know I can. So often we search, wonder, and pray about how we can serve God. We may dream of amazing ways to glorify God this summer, next year, next month, next week, even tomorrow. But sometimes we feel like there’s nothing we can do now. Maybe we don’t know where to start, or maybe we’re scared to try because we think God is too harsh. Or maybe we’re blind to what God has entrusted us with.

But just like little Susie in the commercial and the three servants in the parable, our Lord and Heavenly Father has entrusted each and every one of us with VERY valuable things. As Christians, we’ve all already been entrusted with the greatest treasure in the entire universe: God himself! (And like money, this gift definitely grows and multiplies when shared and invested!) We’ve also been given the people we know (family and friends at school or work) and the opportunities available to us (all of the places we can go). Imagine if we used all of that that God has given to us and eagerly went to work today like the first two servants!

Well let’s stop imagining now and let’s do it! Girls, I want to challenge all of you (and myself because the Lord knows I need it too!) to pray and search for ways to invest and share Jesus Christ today and this coming week, and then to act! Let’s be like the first two servants: let’s look for every opportunity today to serve God, serve His people, and share the treasure of Jesus Christ in our lives! Is there a new girl at school who’s having some trouble making new friends? Befriend her, love her like Jesus does, and pray and search for opportunities to share the Gospel with her! Is there a community service club at your school? Join it, and even suggest a new service project that you’re passionate about! Does your church need some help with watching children, phone calls, cleaning, greeting, or anything like that? Volunteer yourself today! Pray for such opportunities and God has promised that He will open the door!

Peace and God bless, girlies!

~Rose

Feel free to email me or check out my blog!

roseeflores@gmail.com

rosiewalkingthewalk.blogspot.com

Classic Cleanout-No More Acting Clueless

2012-01-25T11:05:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, I came to the realization that I really needed to clean out my closet. It was getting ridiculous. I forced myself to give away 25 items including dresses, skirts, vests, jeans, tops, and bags no matter their cost or age. This time there would be no justifying to myself why I should keep a certain piece of clothing or accessory or convincing myself that I'd wear it again in the near future. No more being clueless. This stuff had to go. So, I started pulling and grabbing, throwing the lovely discarded items on my closet floor never to look back again.

Oh. my. gosh. I must pause due to my inability to stop laughing...is anyone having a Clueless flashback? You know-when Cher goes through her gigantic, technologically advanced closet to give away outfits for the disaster relief she had volunteered to lead and organize for Ms. Geist?? Classic!

As in life, there are things that I know I should give away (to God) in order to rid myself of unwanted, unnecessary clutter. Sin-things that have or may have the potential to cause me to stray from my walk with God-even for a moment. It's not healthy-it's hoarding (and good grief, watch one episode of Hoarders and you'll give everything in your house away)! Hoarding leads to severe distress, anxiety and emotional/physical health problems. We have got to stop being so clueless. Why keep toxicity in your life? Especially in your heart?! As Cher would say, "ugh, as if!" (wow, I really need help...)

“Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.”
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)

I let them go. I feel strong, fresh and anew. With no justifications or stipulations hiding in the back of my mind (I threw those away as well), it has made it easier to let go of my unwanted "items". When you hold on to a small part of what you are trying to let go, it makes it not only harder to turn away from. but it makes it impossible. God commands you to clean out your closet. Start pulling and grabbing-never looking back! Should this be an option in your life? UGH, WHATEVER (in my best valley girl voice)! It's a commandment! Duh?!

"...If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell."

Matthew 18:7-9

Brynlea Taylor
Follow me for fashion and devotions!
http://fabyoulousgals.blogspot.com
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Brynlea Taylor Cunniff is a tomboy in a tutu. With a desire to be the Proverbs 31 woman God created her to be, she walks down the runway of life hand-in-hand with her Designer (in heels...and cowboy boots). Brynlea has a true passion for the young ladies of today's generation, so she has a blog dedicated to devotions, fashion and everything girly! Follow her on http://fabyoulousgals.blogspot.com and Twitter @bryntayl. She would love for you to join her Facebook group "Fabyoulousgals" for Godly encouragement and girl chat!

Who Am I?

2012-01-23T13:00:00.000-08:00

~ I am forgiven (Romans 5:1)

~ I am a member of Christ’s body (1 Cor 12:27)

~ I am a saint ( Eph. 1:1)

~ I am complete in Christ (Col 2:10)

~ I am free (Col 1:14)

~I am loved (Romans 5:8)

~ I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)

~ I am one in spirit with Him (1 Cor 6:17)

~ I am God’s (1 Cor 6:19-20)

With Christ, we are all of these, but without Christ, we are nothing. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? If you would like to know more, please email us at passion@passionwebmag.com and we would be happy to tell you all about our wonderful Savior!

Love Much,
Haylie

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

New Semester

2012-01-16T09:05:00.000-08:00

As we enter a new semester of school, whether it be middle school, high school, or college, I want to encourage all of you to remember something. I know that once we get back into the swing of school and life gets crazy with assignments, papers and projects due, it's easy to lose focus of the most important thing in life.

The bible tells us to be heavenly minded, not earthly minded. Colossians 3:2: "Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth."Though school may seem all important right now, we need to keep our focus on heavenly things--on God's plan and purpose.

I think Paul understood this "earthly tendency" when he wrote this verse. Notice he wrote "Set your mind..." This implies that it is a conscious choice you have to make. Our minds naturally tend to focus on what's immediately in front us. For us that is the upcoming test we may have, social pressures, and academic anxiety. But Paul gives us this verse for a reason. When we place our focus on Christ, it puts the rest of our lives in perspective, and it honors God.

So this semester, let's all set our minds on things above!

~Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

Amazima Ministries Video

2012-01-13T14:21:00.000-08:00

"If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks." -Deuteronomy 15:7

Support Amazima Ministries this month!

Learn more about Amazima and the work they are doing in Uganda here

Worship Songs

2011-12-28T08:09:00.000-08:00

As the year closes out, I wanted to share some of what I think are the best worship songs of 2011 with you.

1) God is Able--Hillsong United
2) Waiting Here for You--Passion
3) Always--Passion
4) Break Every Chain--Jesus Culture
5) All Things New--Elevation Worship
6) Give Me Faith--Elevation Worship
7) Take Heart--Hillsong United
8) Search My Heart--Hillsong United
9) Rhythms of Grace--Hillsong United
10) Like an Avalanche--Hillsong United

You will be blessed by these songs.

Also, look up Katie Davis' ministry, Amazima ministries, and her new book, Kisses from Katie. Her story is so inspirational! She left to live in Uganda and do missions work there right out of highschool!

Happy New Year!
~Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

The Gift of Christmas

2011-12-22T07:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas comes faster every year.

Just after Thanksgiving, holiday music is all we hear.

Bright colored paper, tinsel and snow,

Candles are lit, giving a soft, Christmas glow.

Holidays shoppers fill up the shops.

They’re running around making all the necessary stops.

Children are sitting on Santa Claus’s lap,

As their parents stand watching, desperately wanting a nap.

But is this what Christmas is really about?

Do we have to be nice and not cry or pout?

Is Santa the real thing or is there something better?

Santa may give us toys, but God gave us something greater.

He gave us His Son on that Christmas day.

Born in a stable in a manger of hay.

This tiny little baby saved us all,

Now isn’t that better than some new rag doll?

This gift of eternal life is the greatest gift ever.

Now let us celebrate Christmas like we have never.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Christmas Pursuit Giveaway!

2011-12-20T07:10:00.000-08:00

Hey girls! Passion Magazine is hosting a new Christmas drawing for the book Praying For Your Future Husband by Robin Jones Gunn. RJG is one of the most known authors for Christian teen girl fiction, and I know personally that her books are absolutely fantastic! (The Christy Miller and Katie Weldon were my personal favorites.) Recently she gave an interview with our friend Lilies Among Thorns Magazine, found here. Definitely check it out!

This is the prize we'll be giving away.

From when we were small girls, most of us dream of “The One,” our future husband. We wonder who that special guy is and when we'll find him. The great news is that what you do now can make a difference in your life and the life of your future husband!

In Praying for Your Future Husband, authors Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer share their two vastly different experiences, including the things they did right and the mistakes they made on the path to meeting and marrying their husbands. Each chapter includes helpful Bible verses, prayers, and practical application, along with true stories of women who prayed for a husband and how God answered in remarkable ways.

Entering the drawing is easy. Just be a subscriber to this blog and post a comment that has your name and you'll be entered into the drawing. We'll send you a confirmation email that you've been entered. (We'll only have your name in the database if you are a subscriber of Passion Magazine, so if you aren't, include your email in the comment, or simply subscribe at passionwebmag.com.) We will take new people into the drawing until the very end of this month, and announce the winner in January.

EDIT: If you are a subscriber and are only comfortable providing your first name in the below comments, we probably have a lot of people with that name subscribed to the webmag, so please provide an extra piece of information like your last name, where you're from, or part of your email so we'll know which girl you are. :) If you don't like that you can also just email us at passion@passionwebmag.com to enter.

Ariel

Christmas Check List

2011-12-07T07:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas comes by so fast that we often forget to sit back and enjoy the wonderful season. I composed of a list of things to do this Christmas so that we make sure to enjoy every bit of it!

* Invite some friends over and make Christmas cards.

* Volunteer at an animal shelter or food pantry.

* Grab your camera and capture every bit of your Christmas holiday.

* Invite the shy girl from your church/school out for coffee.

* Read “The Christmas Bus” by Melody Carlson.

* Write God a letter thanking Him for everything He has given you instead of writing a letter to Santa asking him for things.

* Give everyone in your youth group a candy cane.

* Get cozy in a warm sweater and enjoy your favorite treat or beverage.

* Read Luke 2 and remember what to true meaning of Christmas is about.

* Make a pie or baked goodies and give it to a family in need.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

What to do with your life??

2011-12-01T20:48:00.000-08:00

Until recently in my older teenage years, I've always stressed out about how I was going to live my life and how my future was going to go. Namely, I wanted to make sure that I was doing God's will in my life, and I hoped, hoped, hoped that I would never make the mistake of going to the "wrong" college, getting the wrong career, marrying the wrong person, moving to the wrong city...I kind of waited for God to suddenly appear in a glowing figuration as I prayed and send me to a country as a missionary, or tell me to go to this college, or just give me some kind of mission for my future!

But what I never knew was that, although God certainly does choose to personally in a very direct way guide us on a specific path... most of the time, we should just focus on glorifying Him in our daily lives, loving others at least as much as ourselves, and doing what we desire.

Whoa... did I just say that?? Doing what we want in life?? Let me explain.

Something that changed my perspective on this concept was a book excerpt by John MacArthur called "Found: God's Will". I encourage you to find it and purchase the book - it's definitely worth it. But he described that if we simply find our delight in the Lord, He will shape the direct of our heart and we can simply go after what we want, whether that's being an artist, moving to California, or volunteering for something. This is not an unbiblical concept. You see Paul and the team of people he was doing missionary work with in Acts executing this philosophy. Check out how it turned out:

"Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." Acts 16:6-10

Paul and his companions simply went from town to town, preaching the gospel everywhere, and where they want. They decided that they wanted to preach in a certain place of Asia - so they tried to get in. The Scripture doesn't say how the Spirit did it (perhaps it was by a closed door of opportunity?), but He kept them from going into the area. They kept trying, though! They didn't just give up and write it off as not God's will! In life, it's like we're all in a maze of walls, mirrors, and opened and closed doors, and we bump into these things and feel our way through until we find the right opening to continue on. And that's exactly what this missionary team did. They kept trying to get into Asia. Through that, it led them to other areas where they might not have gone otherwise to preach the gospel, but also they were led down a slightly different path - God wanted them to go to Europe! Christianity no longer would be an Asian cult, but spread throughout the globe through their missionary acts there.

This post is getting long, so I just want to encourage you girls about something I've learned and am learning. Abide in God, and prayerfully and intelligently go after what you want as long as it's holy, and don't give up. Pray, pray, pray, and worship Jesus, and live how He wants you to live - in kindness, in relationship, in strength, and in the Spirit, and don't worry about getting some grand vision from God about what to do with your future. If you are simply with Him, He is with you, and watching out for you - so go in life. Run. It's a short run until we reach eternity with our Father - let's live it to the fullest and to the glory of God.

Becoming Like Jesus

2011-11-30T10:31:00.000-08:00

Here's food for thought: am I more like Jesus today than I was yesterday? I actually have this question posted on my computer dashboard. It's so thought provoking! I mean how many of us really consider each day to be special and an opportunity to grow in Christ? I know I don't. Each day is more like something I just try to get through...I'm often in survival mode!

But this is where God calls us to be different. We're not supposed to go from day to day merely sustaining ourselves. We're supposed to make the most of each day, no matter how mundane, so we can grow in Him and glorify Him! So let's really evaluate our progress. I challenge you, before you go to sleep at night, to think over the day and consider what you accomplished for Him, and if you're more like Jesus as a result. Let me know what happens!

~Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

That Powerful Tongue of Ours

2011-11-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

I am a very quick witted person. If you say something, I will almost always have a witty comeback. Sometimes it’s good because it can get a conversation rolling, but other times it causes me to either offend someone or put my foot in my mouth.

The tongue is a very powerful thing. It can bring someone up or tear someone down. I believe the worse thing about the tongue is that you can never take back what you said. I always found it weird that, when sending an email, you have every option except “un-send”. They have forward, resend, delete, ignore and flag, but not un-send. You can never take back anything you have said which is why we are to be careful with our tongue.

There are four different ‘types’ of tongues. There is the controlled tongue, the caring tongue, the conniving tongue and the careless tongue. We are to have a controlled and caring tongue, but we were born with a conniving and careless tongue. As Christians, we are to trying to develop a controlled and caring tongue. Now, I am going to explain to you what each tongue is with some verses to back it up.

The Controlled Tongue: To think before speaking, to know when to be silent and to give wise advice

Proverbs 10:19 says, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refrained his lips is wise.”

Proverbs 11:12 says, “He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbor: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.”

Proverbs 13:3 says, “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wise his lips shall have destruction.”

These three verses wrap up the meaning of having a controlled tongue. We are to know when to speak and when to be silent. Sometimes, we tend to say things in the heat of the moment, but we have to remember that anger is never the right way to deal with things. It is much better to keep quiet.

The Caring Tongue: To speak with truth while encouraging

Proverbs 10:32 says, “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh forwardness.”

Proverbs 12:25 says, “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.”

Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

Like I said earlier, our tongue can either build someone up or tear someone down and I think Proverbs 12:25 said that very well! We are to build everyone up, but do it in truth. To me, that means do not tell a girl you love her shoes when you actually do not care for them J

The Conniving Tongue: To speak gossip, twist words around or to slander

Proverbs 16: 28 says, “A forward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.”

Proverbs 18:8 says, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.”

Proverbs 25:18 says, “A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.”

Wow! That last verse makes me want to sit back and think of all the horrible things I have said and go apologizes! Does it do the same for you? Proverbs 8:13 says, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate.” God hates a forward mouth! This should encourage us to think before we speak.

The Careless Tongue: To speak with lies, curses and quick-tempered words

Proverbs 19:18 says, “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.”

Proverbs 12:16 says, “A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.”

Proverbs 17:9 says, “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.”

Proverbs 12:16 stands out to me the most. It says the a fool’s wrath is known. People know that you are quick-tempered! I have an issue with being quick-tempered. If someone is yelling or saying things about me or the people I love, I find it very hard to control my tongue. I have gotten better, but I use to just let the words fly. I regret it so very much. Because of this, I have had to go back and apologize to people for some things I had said. Do no be one of the people known for their anger.

I hope that this has helped you gain a better understanding of how powerful your tongue is. I hope that you try to gain a better control of your tongue and ‘train’ it to be a controlled and caring tongue instead of a conniving and careless tongue like it tends to be. Never forget to pray to God and ask Him for His help in controlling your tongue. He is always there to help His sheep.

“Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” Proverbs 17:28

I Love You

2011-11-06T17:19:00.000-08:00

So....just a real quick thought:

Today in church, my pastor said something that really made me stop and think. He has been going through the attributes of God, and he was "surveying" God's love; basically reminding everyone of the truths that we often forget. He asked us: "If God loved us as much as we love God, where would we be?" Wow! That made us stop and think....often we may think that we love God "enough", but put this way, it's a whole different story! I definitely would be in a bad place if God loved me the way I love Him! Let's all take this to heart and redouble our efforts to put God first in our lives.

Also...as we approach the holidays, we all know about Samaritan's Purse. In addition to the shoeboxes, you can donate different amounts of money for various gifts. They range from teddy bears to clean wells. I personally am sending money for medical supplies. I think it would be great for everyone to consider supporting them and focusing on the real reason for Christmas!

~Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

When Life Is Tough

2011-10-08T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls,
I would like to share something with you that I've been going through...maybe you can relate and it will encourage you ;)

So...I've officially survived my first month of college. Let me tell you, it was not easy! I am a nursing major, and they say that nursing students experience more emotions than they know is possible. It's true! The workload is overwhelming and much of the information goes over your head. It is definitely not a "fun" major.

Anyway...I entered college with high hopes and grand plans of enjoying my freshman year. That isn't to say I thought it'd be a walk in the park, but I had no idea what I was about to face. To sum it up, this past month has been the toughest of my life. I have been through all kinds of emotional highs and lows. I have been in times where I cry out to God, thinking I can't go on another day, and I've been in times where I'm rejoicing in His plan for me. My head is still spinning with the amount of work ahead of me for the next few years. It is a blessing that I have such a supportive family.

All that to say, what do you do when you're in a tough spot in life and can't tell heads from tails? When it feels like you're alone, the world is on your shoulders, and God is nowhere to be found? When you fall asleep crying into your pillow, hoping to make it through another day? When you question God's plan for your life?

I've been through all that, and there's no magic or easy answer. But I do know that God is faithful even as I experience all kinds of emotions. I still feel like I could lose hold on my calm at any moment, but I've come to the realization that God is bigger. He is bigger than my education. He is bigger than my hopes and plans and dreams. He is bigger than my 4.0 (hopefully a 4.0...lol). He is bigger than my nursing career.

Are you going through something that seems insurmountable and that requires every ounce of strength you have? What motivates you? Personally, God's strength is my lifesaver. I would be a total goner if I didn't have Christ as my foundation. In addition to that, I have had to change my focus on school totally. Instead of expecting to have fun and enjoy my college years (focusing on me), my motivation has changed. When I feel sick over the amount of work I have, or confused about something I'm learning, I remember that when I'm done with school, I will be able to more effectively help the lost. As an aspiring medical missionary, I picture the sick and needy adults and children I will be able to help in other countries once I make it through school. It's no longer about me! I don't have to force myself to study because I enjoy it, but because I will be able to help others!

Have any one of you gone through a similar experience? I'd love to hear it ;) May we all learn to rely COMPLETELY on God's strength even during the blackest of nights.

~Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

Doing the Right Thing

2011-09-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

“Katey, what are you doing?” I said as I saw her slip a simple, charm bracelet into her cross body bag.

“Autumn, don’t make a scene,” she hissed at me through her gritted teeth. “I’m just taking a bracelet. What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal?” I said in utter shock. “The big deal is that you are stealing! You know that’s wrong, Katey!” I turned my head in every direction. “Where’s Missie? I know she’ll agree with me on this,” I said as I walked around the clothes racks.

I spotted Missie a few clothes racks away and called her over to where Katey and I were standing. “Tell Katey what a big deal stealing is!” I cross my arms, waiting for Missie to freak out.

“Well… Autumn, it’s only a bracelet, and besides, it cost, what, ten dollars maybe? It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Yes it is! Missie, she’s stealing something! We all know that stealing is wrong, no matter how much the item costs!”

“Autumn,” Katey said in a firm voice, as she grabbed my arm and dug her acrylic nails into my skin. “You are drawing attention to us, now shut up and listen. It’s a stupid bracelet. It’s just for a thrill. There’s nothing wrong with that. Now, if I were breaking into someone’s garage and stealing their Porsche, that would be totally different, but I’m not stealing a Porsche.”

“You know, you’re right,” I said. “You’re not stealing a Porsche… and you’re not taking that bracelet either, now hand it over!” I said as I stuck my hand out. Katey squinted her deep, brown eyes and stared at me. I stared back.

Missie stared at the both of us. “Autumn, we all have been friends since kindergarten. Are we really going to let a stupid bracelet get in the way of that?”

Katey stared at me. “Yeah, Autumn, are we?” she said as she cocked one eyebrow at me. I turned my back to them and walked away quickly, causing my flip flops to smack loudly on the tile.

I could not believe it! My two best friends thought that stealing was wrong! How could that be? We’ve all been raised in godly, Christian homes. We went to the same church. We attended the same Bible classes. How could they think that stealing wasn’t wrong?

I knew that I had to do something, but I wasn’t sure what that something was. Multiple thoughts ran through my mind.

“Should I tell someone? Should I find a store clerk? They might get arrested or something though. Should I call Katey’s parents? Pastor Ron?” I thought to myself.

I, quickly, pulled out of cell phone and called Katey’s mom. The phone rang three times before Mrs. Miller picked up.

“Hello Autumn, is something wrong?”

“Mrs. Miller, I’m sorry to have to bother you, but Katey is trying to steal a bracelet and she won’t listen to me. I was going to tell a clerk, but I knew that you and Mr. Miller would take care of the situation if I told you.”

“She’s what?!” Mrs. Miller exclaimed. “Paul! Paul!” I could hear her yelling through her hand-covered receiver. “Get in the car! Katey’s is trying to steal something!” She brought her attention back to me. “Where is she?” she asked.

“We’re in JcPennies. You need to hurry though.”

“Thank you, Autumn, for calling us and thank you for not telling a clerk. I can assure you that we will take care of this.” You could hear the disappointed in Mrs. Miller’s voice.

“Your welcome, Mrs. Miller. I was just trying to do what was right.” With that, we hung up and I went to find Katey and Missie.

After searching through the jewelry department, the women’s department and the bathroom, I found them trying on clothes in the junior’s department. You could tell by the irritated looks on their faces that they were not happy to see me back.

“What, did you come back to yell at me some more?” Katey asked in a firm voice.

“No, I wanted to apologize for yelling at you too. Yelling was wrong and I am sorry, but you two need to know that stealing is wrong. You know that God hates stealing. He even made it one of the Ten Commandments. I’m just trying to look out for you two.”

Almost like magic, Mr. and Mrs. Miller walked through the doors and spotted Katey, Missie and I. Katey’s eyes grew wide as she turned to look at me. “You called them?” she exclaimed.

“I had to, Katey. It was for your own good.”

“Autumn, I never would have ratted you out! How could you? How can you even call yourself my friend?” Katey yelled. I just looked down.

“Katey Anne Miller, come here right now!” Mrs. Miller yelled. Katey slowly made her way over to her mother. Missie and I stood a distance away from them, trying to give them some privacy.

“Missie, do you really believe that it’s okay to steal?” I asked her. I still couldn’t believe that my two best friends thought that.

Missie looked down at her shoes and clicked her heels together. “Well, I never found anything all that wrong with it, but after today and after you reminded me that God made it one of the Ten Commandments, I think it is wrong.”

“Oh no, I knew you’d do something and I’m glad you did. Also, don’t worry about, Katey. She won’t stay mad at you forever. I can guarantee you that this will be a lesson Katey and I will never forget.”

Have you ever been in Autumn's shoes? Have you ever had to do something hard like rat your friend out because you love and care for her? I have, and believe me when I tell you that it's hard. It's wrong to let someone do something wrong. It may be hard at first to tell on them, but it's the right thing to do, so take courage my sisters. Do the hard thing, do the right thing.

Haylie

Foundation

2011-09-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

Some girls wear it, some don't. Foundation-a creamy concoction of pigments and fillers to create a flawless complexion. With a smooth canvas, a girl can create a masterpiece!

How important is having a foundation? I often think about my childhood and how blessed I am to have a family who set my feet on a firm understanding of God, love, morals and the important lessons of life. I often wonder what I would be like without their support and upbringing. No matter how far or how many times I've strayed, their words-especially those of my mom-resonate in my head, bringing me back to the path of the straight and narrow. Without that smooth foundation, where would I be? Would I be a mess?

Then I think about those who didn't have a solid foundation set for them. Their lives were far from flawless and loving. My favorite thing is hearing about those Cinderella type stories where someone goes from nothing to something! The Blind Side was a great example, but the people I know personally who are truly better because of their rocky start and dysfunctional childhood. Those people truly deserve the world and respect! You see, no matter what, you have a choice---be that foundation for someone, someone who needs it!!

Every makeup artist starts with a blank canvas-flawless or not. It's the teachings, experiences and creativity that helps them create that perfect look. Flawless or not, you have the option of creating a beautiful life for yourself and others. The Lord will honor you and bless you and guide you along the way :)

Psalm 40:2 "...he set my feet upon a rock..."

Stay FabYOUlous,
Brynlea
http://fabyoulousgals.blogpsot.com/

Brynlea Taylor Cunniff is a tomboy in a tutu. With a desire to be the Proverbs 31 woman God created her to be, she walks down the runway of life hand-in-hand with her Designer (in heels...and cowboy boots). Brynlea has a true passion for the young ladies of today's generation, so she has a blog dedicated to devotions, fashion and everything girly! Follow her on http://fabyoulousgals.blogspot.com and Twitter @bryntayl. She would love for you to join her Facebook group "Fabyoulousgals" for Godly encouragement and girl chat!

2011-09-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had the experience where you're reading a passage from the Bible that you've read and heard a million times, and all of sudden it pops out at you? For the first time, you really understand what it's saying and you see the connection to your own life? I love when God opens my eyes like that....like He did a couple of weeks ago.

I was skimming through a few chapters in Hebrews (chaps. 3-5...ish), when my eyes caught on the part where the author is reminding the readers not to repeat the sin of the Israelites. He goes on to summarize what the Israelites had done: they didn't have faith in God! Specifically, when God brought them out of Egypt and to the land of Canaan, they were too scared to take the land. Even though God had promised to fight their battles and give them the land, they didn't trust Him and, as a result, were sentenced to wander in the desert for 40 years.

Back to Hebrews, I focused on the part where it warned us not to harden our hearts (3:15) and not "fall short" of His promise of entering His rest (4:1). I thought to myself, is there anything that I might be doing that is hindering me from God's rest and His blessing? Am I hardening my heart and not trusting God?

Then God really convicted me! I've always known that I struggle with trying to control things (my life, others' lives, situations, etc.). But here, God showed me by me trying to control things, I was just like the Israelites! God has promised me great things and will fight my battles, but I have to surrender control to Him. I can't look at situations the way the world does and like the Israelites did when they came to Canaan. God is warning me that I need to stop controlling and let Him do His work or things will end up in a mess, just like they did for the Israelites.

Later, I wondered why I (and the Israelites) don't have faith in God to do what He's promised. Why do we feel like we have to do things ourselves? It's so much easier to rely on God. He's already promised to fight our battles! I think this is where our sinful flesh comes in. When things get tough or we face a difficult situation, it SEEMS easier to simply try to take the lead. We know God's promises, but in order to get to them, perhaps we feel it necessary to take things into our own hands. I know it took a while for me to realize this in my own life, because I was doing it subconsciously! But I thank God that He opened my eyes to the problem.

It is so much more comforting (not to mention less stressful) to surrender control of our lives to God! He will fight our battles! He will go before us! Let's trust Him for our futures!

~Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

31 Ways a Girl Can Spend Her Weekend

2011-08-26T22:58:00.001-07:00

"Redeeming the time..." - Ephesians 5:16

1. Read and memorise Psalm 1
2. Send a greeting card to a friend or relative in another state or country
3. Pray for your future husband
4. Listen to worshipful music and sing to the Lord
5. Wake at sunrise and spend the first golden hour of the day at Jesus' feet
6. Tidy your space to reflect the order and peace of God
7. Watch an inspiring, God-honouring movie.
8. Print out a favourite Scripture or inspiring quote and frame it
9. Email an encouraging Scripture verse to a friend
10. Pray for your pastor and his family
11. Read a devotional by Oswald Chambers or Charles Spurgeon
12. Take a walk, communing with the Lord as you enjoy His beautiful Creation
13. Begin a knitting, sewing or craft project
14. Keep a thankfulness journal
15. Visit a thrift store and buy a modest outfit for under $10
16. Tell a Bible story to a smaller child at your church
17. Cook a meal for your family
18. Read a chapter of Proverbs slowly and ask God to help you apply it to your life
19. Take the time you normal spend watching TV or surfing the net and play with your siblings instead
20. Pray for your sisters in Christ in the persecuted church
21. Read a pure, God-honouring novel
22. Meditate on 1 Corinthians 13 and pray for these qualities to be cultivated in your life
23. Help out a neighbour
24. Read a book by Elisabeth Elliot, Corrie ten Boom or Leslie Ludy
25. Cut some fresh flowers to decorate your room
26. Complete a project you started
27. Volunteer at a local charity
28. Pray specifically for a missionary
29. Have a heart-to-heart talk with you mom
30. Start a Bible study group
31. Read (or re-read) a few articles from Passion Magazine's archives

Girl Talk: In what other creative ways can you spend your weekend?

2011-08-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Do Not Worry?? But What About...??

Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV) says, "So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Today, I was texting back and forth with my fabulous friend, Christina. She's been looking for the perfect place in Uptown Dallas to live. You've gotta understand---this girl knows what she wants, and she won't settle for anything less! She had an amazing hope built in a fantastic townhouse in a prime area of Uptown, but sadly, it recently fell through. So, she's back to square one. She's getting a bit antsy and anxious about finding the ideal home. As we were texting, I told her not to worry, it will find her! Christina then prompted me to check her Facebook status. She had the verse above posted with the following comment, "Well...what about 'where shall we live?' We need a fabulous place in uptown to live and still no luck so far!" I laughed at this and then became inspired for this posting.

How many of you feel like Christina? How many of you are becoming impatient, anxious and a bit desperate for something that you feel that you want or need RIGHT NOW?! I'd go out on a tall stiletto here and say just about all of you, including me. But, once again, we are worrying. Even though the good Lord didn't list every single worry or want or need that a girl could possibly have in that verse (we would have to have another Bible written just for those) doesn't mean those worries and stressors aren't important to him.

The thing is, we don't give him our worries or problems. He asked us to cast our anxiety upon him because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7) , but us stubborn-headed women are determined to figure it out and handle it ourselves. Sometimes, us independent, strong-willed women like to think we have control over every aspect of our lives, however, when we take off with our own ideas and desires, we often find ourselves in a middle of a gigantic shoe store with absolutely no idea what shoe to buy! We had it all planned and then we find ourselves freaking out thinking....omg, what now??

Ladies, we often don't stop to pray and ask if (insert desire/need here) is in his will. Is it his will for us to have that perfect townhouse or make that career change....or buy those $725 Manolo Blahnik pumps?! Maybe, maybe not, but who cares? Being in the middle of His will IS the PERFECT place! And that's where we fail as strong women. You see, it takes more strength to admit you need some help and to let someone else take over. It's called delegating. Give it ALL to the One who loves you. He created you. He knows the PERFECT plan for you----yes, even the PERFECT place for you to live, Christina. So, stop and pray about it and be determined to be in the middle of His PERFECT plan for you. It will all work out for the best so...don't worry (even about the place you will live)!

Brynlea Taylor Cunniff is a tomboy in a tutu. With a desire to be the Proverbs 31 woman God created her to be, she walks down the runway of life hand-in-hand with her Designer (in heels...and cowboy boots). Brynlea has a true passion for the young ladies of today's generation, so she has a blog dedicated to devotions, fashion and everything girly! Follow her on http://fabyoulousgals.blogspot.com and Twitter @bryntayl. She would love for you to join her Facebook group "Fabyoulousgals" for Godly encouragement and girl chat!

Like a Bad Haircut

2011-08-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello girlies,

It’s turning into a late summer night in my house. With work approaching more quickly than I would like. I wanted to write you a letter about worship tonight, but it seems that God is turning my heart in a different direction, so I want to tell you about something important tonight as the stars twinkle so brightly overhead. Something as equally important as worship, my hair.

Wait, wait, don’t stop reading just yet. I’m a storyteller by nature, so just stay with me a bit longer (: There is a lesson involved.

You see, it all started last Tuesday, the day I got my hair cut. You see, my stylist, I love her to death, but you tell her an inch and the next thing you know there’s four lying in a pile on the ground. But let’s face it, once it’s gone, it’s gone. There’s nothing else you can do except hold your head up and try not to cry. Let’s just say that after I left, I lost it. As girls, I know you can relate. You’ve all had a bad haircut at least once in your life, maybe it was something you picked that didn’t work out, maybe it was too short, or perhaps it just wasn’t what you asked for. Whatever the reason, the only thing you left with was heartache.

It took me a day or so to realize how silly I was being by moping around mourning the loss of my hair. There were so many people in my life that we’re having greater troubles than just a bad haircut. My friend is having troubles at home with his wife, and he’s just trying to salvage what’s left from a nine-month marriage. My dear aunt is pregnant (about to give birth to my beautiful cousin in just a month), and I know she’s afraid of the month ahead after losing her newborn daughter just over three years ago. There are fathers and mothers out begging for a job to feed their hungry children at home.

I have a good life, sure there are troubles, rainclouds that darken my days, but still the sun shines. I have a job, a home, and a family that loves me. I have reachable dreams and achievable goals. I have a beating heart, and a True Love that loves me with a love that far surpasses that of any man. And somewhere out there, I have a prince charming waiting to meet me. But instead of reflecting on those things, I’m too busy thinking about how hot is outside, or how I don’t have this, or a body like that.

If we focus all of our lives fretting about petty things like these, how can we stand before God claiming to live out His life as He asked. We’re supposed to be focused on helping others, but instead we only seem to think of ourselves. God asks us to rise so much higher than this. To become lighthouses of His glory in a murky, numero-uno kind of world. I ask you to think of this last statement today.

If we were to cast our problems into a pile with that of our friends and neighbors, how quickly would we be to retrieve our problems without complaint?

After looking at it in this perspective, my hair doesn’t look so bad after all. In fact, it’s kind of cute.

Peace to you tonight darlings,

Emily.

A Worry Box

2011-08-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls!
Ahh...the summer is counting down! Well, hopefully you're all enjoying it.

Anyway, I was on vacation with my family at a Christian family camp in NH. It's absolutely beautiful and refreshing. They have activities for the teens, and one day they split up the guys and girls and had devotions. Most of what they talked about was the same old stuff you hear all the time. But one thing struck me: our leader was talking about anxieties and worries and how they don't honor God. She said that she has something called a Worry Box. Let me explain.

She keeps a small, decorated box on her desk with a particular Scripture that comforts her written on the outside (for instance Matt. 6:25-34). She keeps a pen and paper inside it. Whenever she becomes worried, anxious or stressed out, she writes the issue down and puts it inside the box. By doing so, she gives each concern to God and trusts Him with the result. After that, she doesn't allow herself to worry about that issue. Instead, she simply reminds herself that it is already in God's hands.

I love this idea! But what if I expanded that idea to something called My Thought Box. You see, I also struggle with worrying, but my bigger problem is my thought life. I am constantly fighting a battle to think pure thoughts and not let the Devil speak lies into my mind. So, for me, writing down anything I'm struggling with in my mind and putting that in a box (i.e., visually handing it to God), would be even better!

This is by no means a magic fix. And there is certainly nothing wrong with simply praying or journaling about your concerns...I do this as well. But for those like me who are very visual, this can be a great way to hand over worries and concerns to God. I can't wait to try it!

Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

Mirrors

2011-07-18T10:22:00.000-07:00

Mirrors

Not being vain, but I love to look in the mirror. I don't always like what I see, but I do look at one every morning. I am that person who glances at myself passing by a shop window or gives the quick flip of the car visor mirror to make sure everything is in check. Lips glossy? Check! Concealer concealing? Check!

However, in true retrospect, my face should be the last thing that I should be checking daily...what about my heart, my spiritual relationship and walk with God?! I feel that often as humans we are so selfish and self-centered that we don't take the time to really focus on what matters. We take everything that doesn't matter to heart and take the important aspects of life with a grain of salt. No wonder why our society and generations have such a skewed perspective of life and its meaning. We, as a whole, are morally and spiritually dead.

As Christians, it is our God-given purpose to focus and reflect what truly matters-the Love of God and living a life that reflects Him! This is the only thing that can save us. We are the mirrors of Christ-a true reflection of what it means to follow Him. What is your life reflecting? If you are honest with yourself like I am, it can be quite scary at times---like the first-in-the-morning-hair-out-of-place look! Does your life need a makeover? Stop, read, reflect and act. Don't take the Word of God merely as a Cosmopolitan-like How-To Guide. Read it, follow it, live it.

James 1:23-25

"Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes

away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do." KJV

Stay FabYoulous,

Brynlea

An Example

2011-07-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

You should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. -- 1 Timothy 4: 12

What comes to mind when you think about a role model? Some would think of celebrities, actors, actresses, your pastor, a family friend, or overall just someone that others look up to. I mean I'm sure we all have someone in our life that we can honestly see as a role model. For some of us, this could even be your mom or dad. But have you ever really stopped to see what the word role model really means? Let's take a quick look at what a dictionary says a role model is.

Role Model- Noun: A person looked to by others as an example to be imitated.

A person looked to by other...as an example to others. Hmmm... go back up and read the Bible verse in 1 Timothy. You might find a few similarities with this definition and that Bible verse. God calls Christians to be role models in Christ to shine His light to others. I'm sure for most of you, this is not any new news. But I have a crazy idea for you, that you might want to spend some time thinking about this month.

Have you ever maybe thought that YOU could be setting an example for someone else?
Honestly, I don't think this question comes to mind very often. We know that our little sisters or brothers tend to look up to us. We know that we have other people we look up to. But have we ever really stopped to think that we are setting an example for someone else? I know for me, I really never thought about it. Maybe you're in the same boat too. Stop and think for a second. Do you go to church, or youth group? You are setting an example there. Walk into wal-mart? You're setting an example there too. Go to the local mall with your friends? More examples being set.

The thing is, we can set a good example, or a bad example. Of course, as Christians, we want to strive to set good examples everywhere we go that will shine all of the glory back on God. Sometimes it is easy to get trapped into the lie that we don't set an example for anyone. But believe it or not, you are setting an example to many, many people. You just might not know it yet, but you are. :) I wanted to take this post to encourage you today. We are all setting an example, but what kind of example are we setting? We want to strive to be setting a Godly example in everything we do. You never know who you just might be setting an example for.
In Him,
Angelica

Sunsets and Heaven

2011-07-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, can I just say that our God is awesome? This whole summer so far (since mid May for me...college schedule) I have felt so connected with God. I have felt Him and seen His fingerprints all around me throughout each day. For instance, I have been so awed by some spectacular sunsets! I often go to the gym or go biking or running in the evenings...which gives me the opportunity to see God's handiwork!

You guys know what I'm talking about, right? The fluffy, cumulus clouds, tinged golden at their edges? The radiant sunbeams shining through the clouds? The stormy, dark thunderheads set against a purple and gold sky? Greenish gray mountains hiding the glowing sun and shrouded in mist? The most awesome thing is that each evening, the view is different! Each sunset is never the same. God creates each light show uniquely! He is the most creative artist! The Bible says that the heavens declare His glory and handiwork....but He also uses nature to romance us.

Do you know that feeling you get when you see something beautiful like those sunsets I just described? Your heart flip flops, right? You want to freeze that moment and your heart sings for joy. Just for a moment, you forget your troubles and life's sorrows and revel in God's glory. Can you imagine if life felt like that all the time? Such unspeakable joy! Well, life will be like that one day....in heaven! We will be constantly surrounded by beauty and wonder. I believe that God is both romancing us (as our one true Lover) and giving us little tastes of what heaven will be like. I don't know about you, but after witnessing such glory, my heart yearns for heaven!

I would like to encourage you to be sensitive to the little things each day that God wants to use to bring you back to Him. He wants you to be so in love with Him...don't allow yourself to become too hardened so that you miss His fingerprints in this world! Ask Him to make your heart sensitive to Him....and rest in His beauty and glory! Let us always remember to thank our God for His goodness!

Love,
Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

The Eternal Well

2011-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was reading John 4, the time in Jesus' ministry where He met a Samaritan woman at a well and told her that He was the Messiah. If you haven't read that before, you can read it online here. What stunned me about this story was how what He said probably paralleled to what the woman was personally struggling with. She had gone from man to man to man (at least 6 at that point in her life), perhaps looking for something to fill that longing in her spirit - that longing in all of our spirits that compelled us to all kinds of things to fill the void and give us peace inside. But it only works for a while doesn't it? Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again" (John 4:13).

It's what humans do - turn to the things of the world to fill that void. Some of us go to entertainment (movies, television shows, social media, or music) to fill the hole. A lot of us go to guys for acceptance, love, and appreciation. There are drugs. There is alcohol. There is popularity. There is physical beauty. There is intelligence. But none of these things work. We fill up and are satisfied for a shorter time - perhaps you have reached that point and remember going deeper into the things you were already exploring, or searching for the next well to fill your longing.

What can permanently fulfill us?? Let me allow Jesus to tell you:

"Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." John 4:14

"I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." John 6:35

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves...for My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink." -John 6:53, 55

"If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink*. He who believes in Me as the Scripture said, 'From his inmost being shall flow rivers of living water.' " John 7:37-38

*Ie, keep coming to Me and keep drinking

Come to Jesus! Lay your heart on the floor. Believe in His power to heal you. Believe with all your heart that He died for your sins, redeemed you from yourself, and rose from the dead. Believe in the glory of God and His love for us, despite our unworthiness. You will find fulfillment in the arms of God, who will call you His child if you but believe in the name of Jesus.

So drink of Him! Pray to Him and listen for answers. Study the Bible with hunger. Have good, honest conversations with your brothers and sisters in Christ. The Holy Spirit will give you peace in your heart that surpasses all understanding, and your thirst will be fulfilled.

Feminism or Femininity?

2011-06-24T18:01:00.000-07:00

Recently in my high school English class, our teacher was reading from a book to us, when she read a line that said,

"...and the women stayed in their kitchens."

All of a sudden, the whole class erupted into gasps of horror and outrage.

"You can't say that!"

"That is so sexist!" several girls exclaimed.

Now the book was a children's picture story (long story, we aren't normally read picture books at school!) and was very innocent. I'm sure the author had no intention of "degrading" women at all, but through this incident I became aware of how much feminism had permiated our culture and thinking.

Women and girls today are buying into the lie that they are "liberated" from the restrictive confines of the home, that they are "freed" to from the misery of being a wife, mother and homemaker, and that essentially, they are no different from men.

But what does the Bible say?

"And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." - Genesis 2:18

"Whose adorning...let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." - 1 Peter 3:3-4

"That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." - Titus 2:4-5

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." - Ephesians 5:22-23

"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." - Proverbs 31:27-29

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."- John 8:32

God made us as women to be different from men, which is a wonderful thing! We are designed to be "help mates", to be nurturers of strength, and we are given a special role: to be keepers at home. We are to pour ourselves out in glad service to those most near and dear to us. This is the essence of femininity -- to submit to our (future) husbands even as the Church-Bride to Christ.

Now it is true that not all of us will be married. God may intend for us to remains single our entire lives, but this doesn't change our femininity. While the culture tells us that such a life is dreary, dull and utterly depressing, God tells us "truth will make you free" -- the truth as revealed in His Word. Yes, it is a politicially incorrect truth, but it is a truth that will bring us abundant, immeasurable joy, peace and blessings.

Does that mean we are forbidden from working outside the home? No. The Proverbs 31 woman "seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands", "bringeth her food from afar", "considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard" and does many other jobs. However, her main priorities are centred around her home.

May we dare to trust our God and become wise women who build their houses (Proverbs 14:1)!

Great Summer Reads

2011-06-14T02:14:00.000-07:00

As the school year finishes and vacations begin, it's time to take a well-deserved break from study and homework...and refresh your mind and soul with some inspiring, timeless books. Here are some of my very favourites to get you started...

Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper
Christian biographies are one of my favourite genres to read. I am constantly in awe at the powerful, personal ways God worked through His faithful saints and soldiers in ages past. This book is one I'm sure to read and reread over and over again. It details the faithful lives of four amazing women: Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Alward and Esther Ahn Kim. And it's always so encouraging (and sometimes convicting) to remember that the same extraordinary God is my God today!
{If you aren't able to get your hands on a paper copy, this book is available free online here.}

When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric and Leslie Ludy
If you haven't already hear of Eric and Leslie's beautiful love story, I'd highly recommend this book! In this book, Eric and Leslie Ludy share God's design for true, lifelong romance -- a kind of love that far surpasses any worldly pattern for relationships. Even if you are not at an age where you're thinking of love and romance, this book shows how we can prepare for our future husbands before we even meet him. Interwoven through this book are glimpses of Eric and Leslie's own love story, which they share more fully in When Dreams Come True (which is highly recommended also!)

The Torn Veil by Gulshan Esther
This is a powerful testimony of God's wondrous grace to deliver, heal and set free. Gulshan, a crippled Pakistani girl, was born into an orthodox Muslim family, where she was brought up according to the strict Islamic code of the Shias. Having heard about Jesus in her late teen years, she began to pray to Him, and experienced a miraculous healing and deliverance from her life of captivity. This inspiring book tells of how, through God's grace, she endured many hardships and became a bold witness for Christ to many in Pakistan.
Note: This book does contain some accounts of persecution (although nothing too graphic) which may be disturbing to younger girls, so if you are under 13 or 14, you may want to ask your parents to read it first.

The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter
This novel is at the top of my to-read list as well. I've heard it contains an amazing blend of honour, heroism, nobility and grand adventure. Sounds right up my alley! It is the story of William Wallace, and though I can't tell you much more about it, I'm sure it's going to be an awesome read!
{This book is available free online here.}

The Bible by the King of kings, Jesus Christ
Of course, the best read of all time is the Love Letter handscripted by our Heavenly King. If you haven't been reading regularly over these past few weeks, I'd encourage you to start digging into the Bible again. (It's never to late in the year to start a reading plan, or you can make your own!) One particular reading plan I really like is Prof. Grant Horner's Bible Reading System. If 10 chapters sounds too much for you, I can say from experience that it only takes around 30-40 minutes to read, however you can feel free to split each day's reading in half and read 5 chapters a day. Pretty soon the Word of God will truly come alive!

Hope you enjoy these books, and enjoy a wonderful summer (or winter, if you, like me, are a Southern-Hemisphere-ian)!

Girl Talk: What great books have you read and would recommend? Share them with us below!

Pride

2011-06-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

How many of you have experienced that deceptive little sin called pride? It's one of my worst enemies. Especially because it's so easy to become prideful because you think you're humble! So, I've been wondering, how do you know if you truly are humble and not proud? Because if you think you're doing well at being humble, it's very easy to become proud of that. Should we even acknowledge that we're humble?

This issue recently came up when I was confronted with some personal issues. I thought I'd been conquering my pride well and being humble. But then I realized that I really was proud. So, now I'm working on being humble...but pride creeps in so easily that I don't even realize it sometimes! I'm proud that I'm not like other people; I'm proud that I have a good family, etc. I find it so hard not to look down on certain people...which is horrible, I know. Sometimes I get so angry at myself or angry at those around me and sometimes even angry at God.

I think I'm really starting to understand that the Christian life is a battle, a constant struggle against our flesh. At times, this is a discouraging thought...but then I rest on God's promises in His Word.

I know this post is a little different than most...but I'm hoping that some of you can share your own experiences with pride....

Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

Job Applications - God = Bad Idea

2011-06-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

Looking for a job is easy. Filling out an application is hard. Being accepted is great. Being turned down is devastating. Lately, my job hunting experience has been hard and devastating.

I've applied for multiple different jobs this past month (Ok, If I'm being honest with myself, I've been trying since before Christmas but took a long break) and no one has called me. Tuesday (my 17th birthday), I filled out two more applications. One for a retailer at Cracker Barrel (my kind of job!) and one for a cashier at Michael's (One word. Discounts!) Who knew that filling out the Michael's application would take up 3 WHOLE HOURS! I kid you not. They even made me do a timed quiz on math and vocabulary. I do believe that was more stressful then my SATs.

Lately, I've been getting devastated. So many jobs that I would love to have and enjoy, and noting back. While filling out the Cracker Barrel application, A verse popped into my head. It was Proverbs 3:5-6.

"Trust in the Lord with all thin heart and lean not unto your own understandings. In all they ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path."

Before, I was just filling things out hoping (not praying) that I would get the job. I totally forgot to add God into the equation. (I guess that math quiz is making me talk all math-y) I will admit, I was praying when I called our New (well, it's opening this weekend) Christian bookstore and coffee shop asking if they were hiring, thinking I would be great at that job. Christian books + coffee= Perfect job for me! They had, sadly, already made their hiring decisions. You could of heard my heart break.

A lot of times, we go through life 'forgetting' to ask God what He wants in our life. We just do what we want to do and hope for the best. News flash, ladies, GOD KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR US! Let the Creator of this universe, of you, do what He has planned for you. Next time you come across something, whether it can be life changing or not, say a prayer to God and asks Him, "Is this what You want for me?"

Flame of God

2011-05-20T18:36:00.000-07:00

Amy Carmichael is one of my greatest spiritual heroes. She was an Irish missionary in the 19th century to Japan, China and India, where she rescued over a thousand children from slavery. Her life was truly one that was poured out without reserve at the feet of her Beloved Jesus. Not only was she a faithful missionary, but a talented writer and poet. I have been inspired again and again by her commitment expressed through her writing. In particular, I am continually challenged and uplifted by this prayer-poem, from her book Toward Jerusalem, which I hope will also encourage you today:

From prayer that asks that I may be

Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,

From fearing when I should aspire,

From faltering when I should climb higher

From silken self, O Captain, free

Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,

From easy choices, weakenings,

(Not thus are spirits fortified,

Not this way went the Crucified)

From all that dims Thy Calvary

O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,

The faith that nothing can dismay

The hope no disappointments tire,

The passion that will burn like fire;

Let me not sink to be a clod;

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

- Amy Carmichael

To read more about this amazing woman of God, I'd highly recommend A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot.

Sandcastles, Ocean Waves, & Rainy Days.

2011-05-16T19:20:00.001-07:00

  I absolutely loathe going to the beach. It’s hot and the sand gets everywhere. Despite of my hatred
of the beach, I love watching the little kids lug all of their little toys out searching for the perfect spot for the sandcastle of all sandcastles. They start out with a smooth, flat foundation, and slowly build the walls and finally after spending more time than they have ever spent on anything in their life, their castle is done. Mom comes running with the camera, and just before they can snap the picture, a wave comes and washes the whole thing away. The disappointment is clear on the child's face, but it is just one of the hard facts of life; you cannot build your sandcastle too close to the crashing waves.

Let's look at this in another way. You are the sandcastle. The world is your wave, but it is also your
foundation. You are trying to be a good person, but the wave comes in and throws you down. The world has the best advantage, because when the wave comes, your foundation also gives way. No matter how hard you try to stand firm, the world keeps knocking you off your feet. NOW picture this. You ask JESUS CHRIST into your life, and HE becomes your foundation. Suddenly, you have some stability in your life. JESUS moves you to HIS rock solid foundation away from the ocean's harmful waves.

        So now you begin to live entirely for GOD :), and as you glorify the ULTIMATE CREATOR, you build your sandcastle higher and higher. The goal height? Straight to the heavens. You work hard, and your castle reaches up to the sky. It is a beauty. Many people are inspired to follow your example.

     A new problem now arises. YOU get selfish. You want to live your life for yourself, and your eyes are taken off of GOD. Your blueprints get lost in the clouds, and then the rain comes. You don't notice the rain destroying your sandcastle until it's much too late. Your castle has already been washed away. So there you stand with nothing left to show for your CHRISTIAN walk, BUT HERE'S the GREAT THING. YOUR FOUNDATION is still there.

   So here you stand with JESUS between you and the angry world waiting to tear you apart, and here's the really cool part. JESUS stops the rain and clears the sky. Your blueprints and goals are once again visible, and HE shows you how to watch the sky. He tells you to always watch the sky no matter what, to NEVER take your eyes off of the CREATOR, and HE shows you exactly how to hold the umbrella when the rain comes. JESUS shows you how to protect your castle when the storms roll in, and how to stay safe until the sun comes back out.

   JESUS is the one guy who promises NEVER TO LEAVE. HE said HE will stay with us always, and HE means it. HE is our only bridge to heaven, and our best shield from the cold world. ONE day here soon, we'll all be standing in heaven, with castles made from something a lot more glorious than sand. But until that day, don't take your eyes off the CREATOR, and remember to always trust in JESUS.

Shine Bright Today,
               Emily.Ann. :)

Feeling Beautiful...

2011-05-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls,
Sorry it's been so long! It's finals week for me....so I really enjoyed the post about not stressing out :)

Anyway, I guess I want to share something that I've been dealing with lately. I wonder if anyone can relate to my problem. When you break out (more than normal), do you feel ugly? This may seem trivial, but my face has been breaking out a lot recently, which isn't normal. And I'm going to a military ball on Saturday. Every time I look in the mirror I cringe...it makes me feel so ugly. But as I've been dealing with this, a thought popped into my head. I wouldn't go as far as saying that God made me break out, but maybe he wants me to learn something through this. Though this whole situation may seem silly, it forces me to reconsider what makes me, and everyone else, beautiful.

Does being beautiful depend on how much makeup I wear or what guys think of me? Does it matter if I look like a plastered, fake supermodel? Does it even matter what I think of how I look? I believe the answer to all these questions is no. If beauty is a superficial as all of this, then people would be beautiful one day and ugly the next--and that doesn't make sense. So I have come to the conclusion that my beauty doesn't rest in me, but in God. Yes, we've all been told that inner beauty is what really matters. But how many of us stop and really consider the truth in that? I certainly don't...not until I am faced with less than ideal circumstances. As I look in the mirror, I am forced to decide how I will define beauty. Will I compare my looks to the world or look to God for my self-worth? I pray we all find our beauty in Him.

~Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

God Sighting Challenge Entries Part 2

2011-05-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers!
As promised, here is Part 2 of the Challenge entries that we received last month. It is my home and prayer that they are an encouragement to you. If you would like to share how these entries made an impact in your life, please feel free to email us at passion@passionwebmag.com!

Early this morning, just as I was about to leave to work, I looked to my left and saw a rainbow above my house. It was one of the biggest, brightest rainbows I have ever seen. Suddenly I was filled with a sense of awe. It's beauty was indescribable - I wanted to wake the whole neighborhood and show them this rainbow! As I left to work, the rainbow only seemed to get bigger and brighter. As I looked at its beauty, I felt in my heart like God was telling me that He keeps His promises. He will keep His promise to give me a hope and a bright future, if I trust Him. The rainbow was a reminder to me of God's unfailing love. - Hannah K.

I went to a Maundy Thursday service and I experienced Gods presence among everything that has happened. For me, this has been one of the craziest and hardest years I've went through. As I was praying, I was asking God for his guidance and comfort to get me through all the obstacles. For the past couple of months I've been crying and hurting a lot. When I opened my eyes, I saw the glow of a candle amongst the darkness. It was powerful and comforting because as I listened, I felt Gods presence. I knew then that God has never left me and even though there are times that really blind you, there is always that light to pick you back up. (I also heard this song and really sums what God has done for us on the cross. It's very touching as well as a beautiful song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aowdjLeaCYs) - Cathrina K.

“Well, last night, it started to thunder and lightning. And let me tell you, God went all out on THAT display of love! I felt that with every incredibly loud boom, and every stunningly bright light, God was saying, ‘I love you, and I'm putting on this huge show just to let you know!’” - Katherine

“ I hadn't been in the shower 5 minutes last night when the lights went out! I was so afraid. I couldn't see ANYTHING! I clung to the shower curtain thinking that the curtain would save me. I called out, but everyone else in the house had gone to sleep. I reached out, trying to grab something, anything in that awful dark. A minute went by, and then I prayed and relaxed knowing that God had everything under control. Suddenly the lights came back on. But not just in the bathroom, but in my mind also. Jesus Christ endured the dark for YOU! Just like the dark I experienced last night Christ endured the cross, a worse form of darkness. So today, whatever dark you may be experiencing; a loss, depression, or even just an empty feeling, know that Christ endured the worst kind of darkness for you. When you give him control in your life, the darkness will be gone replaced by the Son! “ - Rachel C.

Stressed Out? Your Not Alone!

2011-05-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

Do you ever just bring yourself to a point of being so stressed out, and so overwhelmed you just feel like doing nothing anymore because you have so much to do? I have felt that way in my life so many different times. We start to freak out saying, "I have 2 full days worth of homework to get done, school projects due this weekend, my best friend wants to talk, I'm going on vacation, how in the world will I have enough time to get all of this done?" So I doubt all those things are currently happening in your life right now. That would be a LOT! But I think you know what I am trying to say. Sometimes we just bring ourselves to this point of having so much to do, being so overwhelmed that we honestly just feel like shutting down.

In my personal opinion, we are doing this to ourselves. We naturally think about the BIG picture. This is how much I have to get done by tomorrow, the weekend, or even next month. What we should start doing though, is looking at the SMALL picture. The little things. Like the school work problem, for example, you have to days worth of homework to complete by Sunday? That's alright. Just take it slow. One subject at a time. Packing for vacation? Easy! One step at a time. I want you to do something with me. Think of a problem that you are struggling with right now. Weather it be lots of school work, finals coming up, vacation to pack for, or a stressful workload, I'm sure everyone has an idea of something in their life that is just getting to be too much! When you get that idea in your head,imagine Jesus standing right there with you. Helping you with that, guiding you as you get through that stressful situation. Feel a lot better now, right?

Sometimes life just sneaks up on us. We realize we have all this stuff to do and no time to get any of it done. I know that normally, this would be cause to freak out, but in reality, Jesus is right there with you. He is guiding you to get through it, whispering to you all along the way. So I just really wanted to encourage you that if you are feeling like everything is too stressful and overwhelming, go to God about it! Remember that he is right there with you to help encourage you through what you are going through, regardless of what that might be. If you want to talk to someone who understands that feeling of frantically being stressed out and overwhelmed, feel free to email me at angelicaspassion@aol.com.

In Him,
Angelica

God Sighting Challenge Entries Part 1

2011-05-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers! (:

Here are some of the entries that we received in the God Sighting Challenge over the last 2 weeks. Over the next few weeks, expect to see more of the entries!

"Lately, I've been trying to figure out what direction I should take next career-wise. I am 19 (I will be 20 in May), and I have a passion for impacting the media and entertainment industries for Christ. However, I've felt for several years that God was directing me not to pursue those things I loved most, but to work in the medical field. Not wanting to be like a Jonah and disobey the commands He placed in my heart, I've been pursuing becoming a Registered Nurse, and became a Medication Aide at my work place (another small miracle that God worked out, but that's another story). Yet, I've always sensed this calling to the medical field to be temporary.

I can't say that I've gone without experiencing frustration while obeying God, but during this time of a confusing "ill-fit" between my natural gifting and the direction I've been heading, I've been waiting on God to show me what steps to take next and trying not to get discouraged at His unique methods of mapping out my life. I've continued to pursue something I don't particularly enjoy, and have been re-submitting to enter a local Registered Nursing program (it can take up to 2 years in California to get accepted into an R. N. program due to a teacher shortage).

Today at work it was a slow day, and I had some time to read the Bible. I read verses about God's unfailing love, and how He keeps His promises and gives good things to those that love and obey Him. I prayed and asked God for some serious direction. I needed something blatant, something tangible, telling me what to do about this whole medical thing- did He want me to continue to pursue this, or not? Sometimes it helps to be specific in your requests to God. He may choose not to answer immediately, but He always gives results.

As I was just in the middle of this, one of my bosses came over to me. She had just finished her prayer time (one of the perks about my job is that it is a very God-centered environment). After starting up a conversation, she asked me about my career objectives. I have known her since I was 13, and her questions about what I want to become were routine, and my answers routine as well. I was going to become a nurse and travel. The answer did morph over time- it became a psych-nurse as I became interested in psychology, and a part-time psych nurse as I began to feel that God would not be calling me into a full-time medical position regardless of how long the position would last. Yet the answer remained nearly the same.

My boss asked me what my career objective was. I said something like do whatever God wants me to do wherever He wants me to go. She said that's a vocation. Fair enough! So she asked again. Yet this time, my answer did not come as easily as it had done in the past. I found myself saying that I wasn't sure, and in response, she told me that she didn't see me becoming a nurse, and that I don't seem to enjoy my job. She didn't say this in a mean or accusatory manner, but in a friendly and interested way. Her words did not injure me, but were a huge encouragement. My boss said that she had been watching my medication work, and though I do the best job I can and with a joyful attitude, I believe she noticed a distinction in my soul. While she didn't say as much, I realized it myself: my joy at work comes in spite of, not because of what I do. My work has commitment, but not passion- sort of a "going through the motions" feel. Like in a marriage between two people, a marriage of commitment but void of passion and enthusiasm may yield a strong bond, but hardly a quality one. This is like how we can be loyal to God and claim Him as the Creator of the universe without being truly passionate about Him. We can believe the Bible without being compelled to love Him. Similarily, I do well at my work, and am loyal to my good job, but this devotion doesn't spill over into enthusiasm.

I just don't get joy out of the medical work that I do the way others do that are called into the field permanently. Sometimes I have been jealous of this passion when I have seen it in others. I've tried to mimic it. I've tried to adopt it. I've tried everything, but it just doesn't stick. Don't misunderstand - I love to smile and to sing at work, and am a generally positive and optimistic person. Yet my work detracts from, rather than contributing to, this happiness.

I do not know what steps to take next in life, and I have recently been prayerfully asking God whether He still wants me to pursue becoming a nurse.
I realize that my calling into the medical field is temporary, I've just always been uncertain as to how temporary. When do I know that God is ready to steer me in another direction? Sometimes I hear His direction in His word, reminding me that He is faithful, as I did this afternoon. Other times, God can be more blatant, gently confirming His plans through others (such as the temporary nature of a calling into the medical field). While I still don't know exactly how God wants me to proceed in every area of my life, He has shown me that I don't have to fret or worry. He has it all under control.

What my boss said was not at all a criticism in the manner she spoke it, but instead, oddly enough, an encouragement. It was encouraging because I realized that God knows what He's doing. He will never abandon those whom He loves. He listens to our heartfelt prayers. When it seems that we are not hearing from Him and are confused about what step to take next, if we look hard enough, God will use things and people around us to show us where He wants us to go. I may never become a nurse, but I will trust God to make me what He wills in His own good time and His own unique ways.

To be truthful, more than half the time His ways of directing me seem bizarre or don't make sense. Yet in the big-picture, does it really matter how confused we may become by our circumstances? God has a bright future and a hope for us. He will lead us. Through the conversation I had with my boss and through spending time in His word, I was reminded of the hope found in Him, of Christ's unfailing love, and that I just have to trust that God will get me where He wants, nurse or not. I believe that God is at last starting to lead me away from being in the medical field. I don't understand it all, but I am thankful, grateful, and I know that God will continue to reveal His plans to me as I wait on Him. It comes down to the words of an old hymn: 'Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. '" ~ Hannah K.

"God sighting in Rome today! There are, sadly, many old women on the streets begging for money. Sometimes they spend hours, bent over the ground, hands raised upwards. On one corner, I saw a lady spent a few minutes with an old woman, sharing love and kindness, and just listening. I saw God today!" - Christina K.

"I work at a restaurant as a server. I know God wants me to do everything with as much gusto as if everything were for Him; so I try to apply this to everyone at work. Well, my manager called me into the office the other day to tell me that a customer I waited on loved my service so much that he called the main office (where the president of the company is) to compliment my service. Shortly after, a second manager told me that I had the potential to be manager over the whole restaurant.

Talk about God in the works! And I didn't think I was doing anything special -- just serving Him." - Christine E.

Hello From Passion's New Blog Manager and Blog Designer

2011-04-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers!

[haylie jo]

I just thought I'd take some time to introduce myself. I'm Haylie Jo Gregory, but I like to go as Haylie Jo :) I'm 16 (soon to be 17!) and I'm Passion's new blog manager! Just a few quick little facts about me. I am not the same girl I was a year ago. Last year, I was, what I like to call, a plastic Christian. I played my part well in the play of life, but at the beginning of this year, I was changed, yet again, by our loving Savior. Now, I'm trying my hardest to live for God as best as I can :D I live in Central Florida and I'm a country girl! Plaid shirts, cut-offs, boots and straw hats are my thing! I talk like Lauren on "American Idol". If you'd like to get to know me a little better, you can always check me out on my blog, A Wildflower Growing in the Sunshine!

[annie joy]

I'm Annie Wang (I go by Annie Joy). My name means "favoured grace", and I am only a grateful sinner rescued by the grace of my matchless Saviour! I'm 15 (very soon to be 16) and I'm Passion's new blog designer! (Look out for a new design next week!) I'm an Australian-Chinese girl living in "the land Down Under". I love fresh flowers, lil' kiddos and sunsets. My prayer is that I may be like clay in the Potter's hands, and that He may use me to reach the least and the lost. If you'd like to know me better, please email me anytime: hisgivenlife [at] gmail [dot] com I'd love to hear from you!

Relationships

2011-04-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

Hey girls,

With Easter already over with, I wanted to share a little thought with you all. I know it's easy to imagine Jesus as an unapproachable King. But this is so far from the truth. I think that so often, we look at Jesus and think, well, He's way up there, I'm way down here, and I want something tangible. I want something I can see, I want something I can feel. I want a relationship that is real.
People tell us over and over that Jesus loves us, and that He wants to be our perfect Prince. That He wants to be our perfect Groom. But for those of us still waiting for our prince charming on earch, for our Mr. Right, we want a real relationship right? Not one with someone off galavanting somewhere in the sky. Maybe it will help to think about it like this.

What is your idea of a perfect man?

Personally, I want someone who is funny. Someone who likes sunny days, adores oceans, and thinks museums are cool. I want someone who knows the joy of finishing a really good book. Someone who will make me laugh, and cry from laughing so hard. I want someone who is family oriented and hard working. Someone that my children can look up to. Someone who will cry when needed and tell me his regrets and fears. I want to marry a storyteller, a dreamer, a wisher, a believer in prayer. Someone who believes in hope, love, and happiness. I want someone I can miss, but also someone I know that would sacrifice his life for his family, and his King Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ, the Holy King, the Perfect Lamb, the Living Sacrifice was a man, and during that time, He lived, laughed, and loved. He sang, and ate and cried. He healed the sick, and taught the poor. He loved the people who hated Him. He walked along winding dusty roads. He ate with sinners. He fed the crowds and calmed the seas. He was tempted, tried, and finally lay down His life for His Bride.

He thinks you are beautiful, that you are worth more than the oceans and stars. He adores you like crazy, and He only wants your best dreams to come true. He is the ultimate love, and I know that the only way I will be able to love my future husband the way that I need to is if I love Jesus with everything that I have. And the only way that he will be able to love me is if he in turn loves Jesus too. Jesus willing gave up His life so that you and me could enter the ultimate love experience with the best Man to ever walk the planet. Next time you find yourself wanting something more real, pray this prayer.
Jesus,
I love you. I know who you are, and I know the things that you've done. But to know you is to want to know you more. Reveal yourself to me in ways that I have never imagined. Help me understand how amazingly real you are. You are my perfect love. And I love you.
Amen (:

And remember girls, to have a good relationship with someone, you have to be willing to give an equal share. He gave up his life for you, shouldn't you be willing to give yours to Him as well? And trust me, when you do, He will do the most beautiful things with your life. (:
Dwell in the newness of your Perfect Love tonight.
Emily.

Anyone Seen A God Sighting? (:

2011-04-20T22:54:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I sent this email out to the subscribers earlier tonight and decided to post it here too so you all can read it. (:

Hi girls! (:

I hope you all are having an amazing week! I wanted to let you girls know about a mini challenge that is going to go on, starting today. It's called God Sightings. I know how easy it is to get caught up with the busy things in life. Working on school work, having a job, keeping up with your friends, and doing any extra volunteer work can take a lot of time out of your day, and even week! So I created this challenge to challenge you girls to find the little things in life. The small little things like a butterfly flying past, or the beautiful sunset. Just something small that speaks to you and it is so easy to see that it's just God. Because girls, the thing is that God loves you so much that he does little things for you each and every day. Think about this for a second. God loves you so much that his own son was put on the cross to die, just for YOU! Just for YOU! Amazing, huh? So if he loves you that much, don't you think he gives you little gifts through the day to remind you how much he loves you? (:

So here is what you do. You try to find a few things throughout your day that are from God. It can be something small, or something big, but just something that is so encouraging and tells you that God is right there with you helping you out. Then when you find a few things, or even lots of things, send them to me at passion@passionwebmag.com. At the end of the month I will compile ALL of the entries sent in and email them to you. They will also be posted here on the blog. The point of this is to find the little things that remind you that God is always there for you, then in return they will be shared with everyone else and you can encourage them too! Awesome right? (: So this challenge starts today. Have fun with it, and be creative. You never know what you could find!

In Him,
Angelica- Assistant Editor/Blog Contributor

Contrary to the Command

2011-04-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hey girls, I just wanted to encourage you on something specific today: to not make big decisions without seeking God first. Recently, I made a bit of a mistake by rushing into something that I assumed I had God's answer for. I almost went completely through with it, without that important strong, clear direction from God. And now, let me tell you, I'm regretting having moved so fast!

We have a minor role in this life of ours if we've given it to God. It's His. We do not want to stray from that path that He has for us! The best plan is His, and that's why we need to seek His will in our decisions. He will speak, whether through a clear voice, through lining things up in an obvious, God-arranged way, a solid feeling of peace that won't ebb...if we seek Him hard enough. Wrestle with Him and trust that you will get the answer! Wait patiently and continue to ask. Get prayer from others. Just don't make the mistake of making a decision before you know what God wants!

And if you've already done something...seek God about it anyway. It might be something that's hard to reverse, but God might have a rerouting for you. Or, He could say you're in the right place! Let's have the heart of Balaam the prophet when he said, " 'Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God.' " (Numbers 22:18).

Take The First Step!

2011-04-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

Hey girls! (:

Today I found this song called Walk on the Water by Britt Nicole and decided to share it with you. It's an awesome song so I would encourage you to check it out. I also want to encourage you girls. I know that sometimes we can be afraid to take that big step out in faith, even when we feel that God is calling us to something bigger and better then we ever even had planned. Sometimes though, we really just have to take that first step into the unknown and see what God has in store. Sure, it might be scary at first. But God tells us that he will never ever leave us or forsake you. If you feel like God is doing something in your life and calling you to something bigger and better... go for it. You will be glad you did. (:

"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me." Psalms 139:7-10

"For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." Isaiah 41:13

In Him,
Angelica

Witnessing

2011-04-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls,

I want to talk about something that has always been challenging for me as a Christian: witnessing. We've all read it in the Bible; God wants us to publicly share our faith. That sounds easy, but when you are in a classroom surrounded by people who only make fun of Jesus and live to party, it's extremely hard to open you mouth (I know from experience!). So, often (at least I do!), we just kinda twist that command to mean that we only have to live good lives and that will be our testimony...right????

Well, not exactly. Sharing the hope of the Gospel with our mouths is very important, something we can't just slink around. So, you may be wondering, how exactly should I go about this? What can I say that won't come across as preaching or condemning them or just plain stupid? I've had these same questions, so let me try to answer them:
1) Pray! Pray that God will open up doors of opportunity as well as make you sensitive to His voice and prompting.

2) Look! Look for the right situation, the right moment when you can appropriately bring up the subject. This is crucial, because if you try to shove the Gospel on someone at the wrong moment, you could actually turn them off, causing them to be less interested in what you have to say.

3) Speak! Don't try to summarize the whole Bible all at once! Maybe question their way of thinking or behavior and then offer a different way or approach (one that is biblical of course). Or present a smaller facet of the Gospel to them, one that fits the occasion. Or maybe simply challenge their belief about God....there are so many ways, just be sensitive to what is appropriate and what is most beneficial to them.

I want to challenge you guys to think of three people you know who aren't saved and whom you care about. Pray for them daily. And then witness to them using these three steps (if you want ;). I hope this helps and challenges you all!

Love,
Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

Dealing With Pride

2011-04-01T23:27:00.000-07:00

Did you know that God says Pride is the biggest sin? God hates pride more then any of the other sins mentioned in the Bible. Before we go into this in more detail, I think it would be good to list the deffinitions on pride and humble.

Pride: A sense of one's own proper dignity or value; self-respect.

Humble: Marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant

"The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished."- Proverbs 16:5

So why does God hate pride so much? Well personally, I think it is because once we get prideful and full of ourselves, do you know what huge mistake we make? We loose sight of God's will for us. We fall further and further away from God and his plan for us. This does not make God happy at all. He loves us so much that he wants us to be hunble and not proud. He says that if we are humble, then we will recieve gifts in heaven.

So by now we have figured out a few things. God hates pride because it takes us away from his grace and love. And God will reward those who are humble with gifts in heaven. So now what do we do if we are being effected by pride? We don't want to continue in these ways of sin, so how do we stop? Here are some steps to give you some idea's on hw to get rid of pride.

Identify It: If you don't identify pride for being pride, you can't do anything to change. Ask God to show you if you are currently being effected by pride in your life.

Ask for Forgiveness: Once you identify that you are struggling with pride you need to repent and ask for forgivness.

More on: After you have asked for forgivness, that's it! You can move on with life knowing that the creator of the universe has taken the weight of your sin on himself.

I hope this gives you some idea's on how to deal with pride. Pride is a hard thing to deal with but remember that God loves you and is willing to help you deal with pride, or any of the other sins that you might be struggling with. take these requests and concerns to him, and he will lovingly take them from you. (:

Your Sister in Christ,
Angelica (:

Being Born Again: What I've Learned from Here to the Cross

2011-03-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

Being a teenager in this world isn’t easy, and being a girl doesn’t seem to help much. But to be a teenage Christian girl, in a world full of sin and temptation is nearly impossible. I try to remain pure, but still I fail and I fall. I am human after all. And even after all those falls, Jesus still forgives and He still loves. But, it doesn’t make the journey easy. You see, I don’t want to fail Him, I just want to make Him proud of my good deeds. But even at my best, if you compile a list of all the best good things that I have done, things done with the right intention, It would still be as a filthy rag to Him. Even if it stretched the sun and back 99 billion times.

You see, when you compare the best of me to God’s standards, I wouldn’t even be worthy enough to see the gates. And that’s not even considering the worst of me. I do bad things all the time. I fail Jesus at least a thousand times a day, and that is when I am checking and rechecking myself asking myself, was that what God would’ve done, was that Godly, was that done in the right intention? What would God think of that thought? Is He smiling at your actions? As a cursed human, I have to check everything I do, and still, I’m not good enough, and sometimes, it’s all I can do to not give in to some of my temptations.

And after hearing this, you might ask, well what is the point? Why not just throw in the towel now? Let me tell you why I continue on. Because of His forgiveness. Because of His mercy. I continue on because about 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ continued on for me. Even though His cross was heavy. Even though it was a burden. Even though He was broken. And because even though He could have stopped there, because His shed blood was all that was required, He didn’t. He continued on and gave me the following things.

He is my Ultimate Comforter. When I am lonely and broken, He is near, offering kind words and love. He is my Lighthouse when I am lost at sea. He is the still whisper when I fret. He is small enough to calm my fears, yet big enough to fight the thief at the door. He is sympathetic enough to listen to my problems, yet just stern enough to spank my rear end if needed.

He is my strength, my joy, my hope, my strong tower, and He is my Freefall. Every day He fights to rewin my heart, so I have to say that He is my hero. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. And instead of just paying the price to let me into His Father’s kingdom, instead of just preparing me a place, instead of just penning my name in the Book of Life, Jesus also gave me His own clothes to wear into His Father’s house so that I would be appropriately dressed for the occasion.

When I have to sum all this up, the good outweighs the bad each time. Each time I realize how much harder I want to try for Him. And I hope you will too. Dwell in the love of your Freefall.

Emily.

Author of our Lives

2011-03-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

Recently I remembered how my heart once was brought to and kept a place of awe of God's work and plan in and of my life. How He used things to help me see Him in all happenings, which coincidentally was a whole part of the planning. Typically we're not hyper-aware of God's activity in our every day life -- how present and active and dynamic He is in His planning. Something happens -- we meet a new person, get a job, get invited to a party next week, receive $50 from our grandparents -- we think, "Cool" and walk away. Thinking it's just another thing that happens. Like our lives are just "happenings" stacked back to back. We forget that God has an idea for all that! That He is active and working to complete the grand picture He has for our lives. That there's a plan.

I realized the other day that if we constantly recognize that concept -- that God is the author of our lives, and that He's always writing -- we become better tools of God to shape ours and others' lives. Why? Because we embrace each moment as a moment from God more, and treat it as such! And when we treat it as such, it opens doors. We get to know that new person and keep in touch, cementing what could be a valuable new connection. We look for ways to truly serve in our new job. We cherish the time at that party with our friends, inviting God's work even there. We really think about how the Lord might lead us to spend that $50! Maybe it was an answer to one of our prayers, or He wants us to hang onto it because He intends to use it as an answer to someone else's prayers.

I think more often should we as Christ followers call events in our lives puzzle pieces, always keeping in mind that He has a big picture He's putting together...or as a domino in a chain of dominoes...or as a thread in the tapestry.

And don't forget about recognizing our entire lives as a whole as a centimeter of a thread of God's tapestry for His world plan. Now that's exciting!

Surrendering Control

2011-03-07T18:35:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I can get so mad at myself, like yesterday. I am such a perfectionist; everything has to be neat and in it's place. I need to look perfect, my room needs to be perfect, my homework and assignments need to be the best...the lists goes on. Everything needs to run on a set schedule; if I'm behind schedule, I freak out. I am really a control freak. Yesterday, I was realizing my need to control things, when I felt God asking me why I was putting such a burden on myself.

I can't explain why I have such a need to be in control and be perfect. I know I will never attain perfection and things aren't going always go my way. But I think that maybe at the root of my problem is my need for affection and being accepted. I want others to notice me and love me. But God has been teaching me to surrender control to Him. I can never pretend to have things under my own, pathetic idea of control. He is almighty God; how could I ever do His job?

Are there any of you out there like me? Maybe not exactly like me, because I know I am kinda crazy, lol, but perhaps you've experienced some of the same things? I pray that God will continue to reveal to me, and anyone like me, His awesome peace and power. What a comfort it is to know that He will always love me and accept me for who I am and that I do not need to be perfect!

Love,
Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

Trusting The King of Kings

2011-03-02T22:13:00.000-08:00

Hi girls,

I am going to be honest with you guys. A struggle I have been going through these past few weeks, and possibly even months, has been trusting in God. I tend to want to take control of my own life, as many of us tend to do, and not let God run the show. I think this boils down to a trust issue. We sit back and go, "Uh God? I don't know if you can handle this problem...it's kinda big after all..." So we decide to take the problem on ourselves. Instead of handing our problems over to the Creator of the Universe, we decide to take the problem into our own hands. Do you want to guess what happens when we do that? We fail. Every time. The truth is girls, we can not tackle these life difficulties and problems by ourselves! God is calling out to you. He wants to take these problems and give us peace, rest, comfort and love. But girls, he can NOT take our problems for us unless we give them to him. I am going to repeat this again. God can not take our problems for us and give us peace, love, comfort and joy...unless we GIVE THEM to HIM!

I know you might be thinking. "Okay, Okay...this sounds great. But don't you know it's hard to give up something to God?" Yes, girls. I know. Honestly, I am still fighting to try to give up certain things to God. I think some things are easier then others. It really all depends on you. But spend time praying about it. I have found the more I have gotten to know who Jesus was, the more and more I give up things to him. It all goes back to that trust thing again. Think about it. When you meet someone for the first time are you going to sit down and tell them every little bit of your life, and even more....trust them with difficult problems and situations in your life? No! This is because we want to make sure we can trust them first. But it all takes time to get to know someone, God included. So girls, take some time getting to know God, your amazing father. Trust him to be able to handle these problems you give him. He cares and loves you more then you can ever imagine. All we need to do is trust him. Remember he is the King of Kings, no problem is too big or to small. He wants to hear them all.

Girl Talk: What is one thing you have trouble giving up to God?

Crazy Love

2011-02-24T15:46:00.000-08:00

Hi girls!

So, for the longest time, I was looking for a devotional book to use during my quiet times with God. I didn't want something shallow, while at the same time I wasn't looking for a college textbook. I think I just found what I was looking for! It's this book called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. It is so inspirational and challengeing. There's a website that goes along with it that has videos for each chapter of the book. It is the perfect supplement for my devotions! Anyway...I just wanted to quickly share that with you guys ;)

Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.

You Are More - Tenth Avenue North

2011-02-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

View full screen or on Youtube for a bigger size! :) This is a great music video.
(Posted by Ariel)

Infinite Love

2011-02-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

“I love Him. Yes, I love Him. He died upon the cross at Calvary. And I love Him. Yes, I love Him. Oh, but best of all, He loves me.”

~I Know Him

Can you even start to imagine the love God Almighty has for us? Can you even start to fathom? Look around you. Look at the finger-painted sunset, at the birds and trees. He made all of that just for you, and He did it to such pure perfection, that to really think and study into it all would completely blow your mind to pieces. Did you know that the smallest caterpillar has over 223 separate and distinct muscles in its head alone? That’s a lot, for something we could squish with our fingers. Did you know that your heart generates enough pressure to squirt blood up to thirty feet? Or what about the simple fact that trees take up carbon dioxide and release oxygen? I know they teach you that in the third grade, but God thought of that. He spared no detail in creation.

Did you know that the Bible says that God’s work speaks who He is and what He is like? His work shows me that He is not only thoughtful, talented, and creative, but also that His thoughts are far more complex than you or I could ever begin to wrap our tiny minds around. Just think He made all of the wonderful things you see around you to impress you, to make you happy. The Holy Father wants to make us happy; He spared no detail for you. That simple fact would wow me alone. But He didn’t stop there.

You know what really wows me about God? He created the big things too. Like the sun, solar system, and the Milky Way galaxy. Have you ever considered how big these things actually are? Let me give you a little estimate. If you could stand on the sun, and look in the general direction of the earth, the earth would look like a bouncy ball, not the big ones, but the uber small ones. The earth looks like a bouncy ball to the sun, and the earth is home to over 6 billion people. From the edge of the Milky Way, you can’t even see the sun anymore, just a cluster of stars around it? Did you know that if you looked as far as the human can (by aid of the Hubble Telescope); we can see this kind of ovalish thing, full of clusters of galaxies. Clusters that surround other galaxies, like the Milky Way. Basically, from this point, the sun looks like a speck of bacteria to us. You can’t even see it. And that’s the sun.

It blows my mind to even consider not being able to see the sun. God created that, and He’s still bigger. He’s bigger to the point that it hurts your mind to even think about, because as big as we know still isn’t anything to Him. And this is the same God who totally loves us. He sent His only son, the one thing He loved most to die for our benefit, although we did nothing but hurt Him with our past. That is love in its truest and purest form. It’s the agape kind of love, the love that sacrifices for the benefit of others.

Imagine sending the one person that you love most to die. Imagine sending your little brother or sister, or your mom or dad. Imagine sending one of your grandparents, or even your boyfriend. Imagine sending them when you knew without a doubt that they were innocent; sending them to die in the place of a whole bunch of people who weren’t. Imagine having to watch the guilty crowd cheer as your dear one was broken, beaten, spit upon, and hung on a cross in-between common criminals to die. Imagine the sickening sound of the nails tearing through the flesh as the hammer hit. And then sitting there knowing you had the power to do something, but at the same time couldn’t do a thing.

I’m crying as I explain this to you, because I know it’s awful to think about and I know that it’s a bit painful to talk about, but now you know just a portion of what God felt to give us another chance. To see any one of my loved ones in that position would tear me to pieces inside. And if that wasn’t bad enough, imagine having to look away as the one you love took all of that sin on their shoulders. That’s why I get so emotional about Jesus. That’s why I flip out over what He’s done for me.

Because He bore the burden of that cross, even though it was heavy, even though it separated Him from His Holy Father, even though it meant death. He loved me so much that He gave up His life for me, and in the process, He conquered death, hell, and the grave just like He said He would. Jesus is the one guy who will never lie to you, and unlike a lot of others, He’ll always be around. It’s like He’s proposing to you. He’s holding out His hand and asking you to be His forever. And the day you accepted His offer of salvation, you became His Holy Bride, set apart and distinct. He’s coming for you soon. I promise. He can’t wait to bring you home to show His Father. He’s so stinking proud of you it’s crazy.

Do you want to know how Christians keep running to God? Why they just can’t have enough? Think about it like this, you’ve just met this really great guy, and he’s a total hottie. But soon enough, if he’s not the right one, you’ll get bored with him. Want to know why? Because you know everything about him, and he’s no longer a mystery. Praise JESUS! This can never happen in a true relationship with the Creator. He keeps you in the dark to keep you coming. And as you walk with Him faithfully, He reveals things to keep you interested. To encourage and uplift you, to excite you. And then He uses you to show everyone else what their missing out on. Be that light. Fall so fiercely in love with Jesus that people can see you from miles away.

Run to Him and remember the Creator of the universe is crazy about you and is screaming out for your attention; He loves you, as small as you are.

Running,

Emily

Delights and Desires

2011-02-03T12:57:00.000-08:00

"Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." -Psalm 37:4

"Looking back on the whirlwind of the past few months and all the amazing things that have happened to bring us to this place, this is what I know to be true: God takes good care of His children. He places dreams–His dreams–in our hearts. Then in His own way and in His own time, as we delight ourselves in God alone He gives us those desires of our hearts. Why are we always so surprised when extraordinary things happen? The desires of our heart have been His dreams for us all along. The real goal seems to be that we let go of our fears and find our delight in the Lord." -Robin Jones Gunn (from her February 2011 e-newsletter)

Another note I wanted to add is if we aim the focus of our affection onto Jesus, He will surely shape what we want to be aligned to what He wants. That's one of the joys of our relationship with Jesus. He gives us His eyes, and fashions our hearts to beat like His. When He becomes our first desire, the subsequent desires will be authored and accomplished by Him.

Girl Talk: What are some of the desires of your heart? What have been some in the past that have changed as you've followed God?

Finding The Right Youth Group

2011-02-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

Hi girls!

God has placed an interesting topic on my heart recently that I felt I should share with you. Youth group. Not every teen goes to a youth group and I personally don't think that you have to go to youth group to be a follower of God. Not at all. But what about those of you who are searching for a youth group? How do you find one that fits you?

Truthfully, I think it all depends on the person. It all depends on YOU! But it also depends on where God leads you. I must not be making much sense, but what I'm trying to say is choosing a youth group depends on two things, in my opinion anyway. Where God leads you, and your personal preferences.

You might be thinking, what kind of personal preferences? I mean things like the size of the group, the youth leader, how serious the group is, and that kind of thing. Personally, I enjoy smaller groups where I can speak my mind, and a very focused group with not many distractions. But everyone is different.

The other thing is where God leads you, and this is the most important. This comes before your friends, your preferences, or anything else. He can lead us to our right youth group in many ways, and just like your preferences, everyone is different here as well. I would advise you to try different youth groups out and listen for anything from God. You need to trust God, and he will take care of you.

Psalm 9:10

10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Eventually a time will come that God will show you the youth group that you are supposed to be in. Look around, and try out different youth groups. God can show you the youth group that is meant for you in so many different ways. All you have to do is listen. Listening to God can take time but is so worth it in the end. And as just a side note, I want to encourage you that your youth group that God has chosen for you, does not have to be the same youth group your friends go to. It is an awesome experience to be able to learn about God with close friends, but as I have been learning, sometimes God has other plans. :) So stay strong and trust in God! The Bible says he will never leave you or forsake you. (Psalm 9:10) I hope you girls all have an amazing month! :) God Bless!

~Angelica

Like a Child

2011-01-31T21:56:00.000-08:00

The moon is made of cottage cheese.

No, really. The moon has been scientifically proven to be made up of a clotted cream-like substance that is soft to the touch and totally cottage-cheesy to the taste. Samples are sitting in the NASA museum...no really! I'm serious!

Fine. Don't believe me, then. ;) But what if I had told that to a classful of preschoolers?

What about Santa, or the tooth fairy, or the fact that you'll blow up if you sneeze, burp, and poke your belly button at the same exact time?

My point is, kids believe stuff that's completely outrageous, that with any logical reasoning would immediately be proven false. Why?

Simple. They have faith.

They have faith in the people that tell them "Of COURSE there's such a thing as the tooth fairy." "Haven't you SEEN the color of the moon? Obviously it's made of cottage cheese, because only cottage cheese is that color."

"Ohhhhhhhh." Their eyes fill with wonder as the impossible suddenly becomes possible, simply because you say so.

Now here's a thought.....

What if we believed God when he told us that he would do stuff?

What if we ACTUALLY believed him with all our hearts, just like as a kid you put your tooth under your pillow, or put cookies out for Santa, or told all your friends that you knew someone who had accidentally exploded?

We would change the world, that's what would happen.

Nothing would be impossible:

"'You don't have enough faith,' Jesus told them. 'I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it would move. Nothing would be impossible'" (Matthew 17:20, NLT).

The Father would give us everything we ask for inside His will:

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (John 14:12-14, NLT)

He will show you what life truly is:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV).

He will never, ever leave you alone.

". . .and be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20b, NLT).

Let's start taking God at His word.

Looking Back

2011-01-05T09:09:00.000-08:00

Hi girls,
Sitting here in the 2011 year it really is hard to believe that time has gone by oh so fast! It almost seems like yesterday that school was just starting and I was taking baby steps closer and closer to being in the 9th grade. Well now the first semester is over and I am starting the second! Sometimes I can get really discouraged, and I think we all have our moments. Have you ever stopped to look back wondering why you are doing what you are or how you even got to where you are today? I sure have, and have been doing a lot of that this year in 2011. Although it's only been a few days since the year started, looking back I can see just how much God did in my life. One of the biggest things he did in 2010 was have me find the Passion Mag. That was a blessing to me in more then one area! :) He allowed my love of writing to grow as well. I just wanted to encourage you. I know life as a teenage girl can be hard, and frustrating at times. But taking the time to look back on some of the things that God has done for you in the past year is a great way to start the year off feeling refreshed and encouraged!

Girl Talk: What has God done in your life this past year?

In His Love,
Angelica

The Next Best Thing To Do

2010-12-27T15:40:00.000-08:00

From My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

"Seek, and ye shall find." Luke 11:9

"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss." If you ask for things from life instead of from God, you ask amiss, i.e., you ask from a desire for self-realization. The more you realize yourself the less will you seek God. "Seek, and ye shall find." Get to work, narrow your interests to this one. Have you ever sought God with your whole heart, or have you only given a languid cry to Him after a twinge of moral neuralgia? Seek, concentrate, and you will find.

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." Are you thirsty, or smugly indifferent - so satisfied with your experience that you want nothing more of God? Experience is a gateway, not an end. Beware of building your faith on experience, the metallic note will come in at once, the censorious note. You can never give another person that which you have found, but you can make him homesick for what you have.

"Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." "Draw nigh to God." Knock - the door is closed, and you suffer from palpitation as you knock. "Cleanse your hands" - knock a bit louder, you begin to find you are dirty. "Purify your heart" - this is more personal still, you are desperately in earnest now - you will do anything. "Be afflicted" - have you ever been afflicted before God at the state of your inner life? There is no strand of self-pity left, but a heartbreaking affliction of amazement to find you are the kind of person that you are. "Humble yourself" - it is a humbling business to knock at God's door - you have to knock with the crucified thief. "To him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

God's Your Gold

2010-12-18T14:14:00.000-08:00

"If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored;
If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,
And place your gold in the dust,

And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
Then the Almighty will be your gold
And choice silver to you."

-Job 22:23-25

Sisters of Encouragement

2010-12-03T16:11:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen one of those people who encourage everyone they meet? They usually are really outgoing, super sweet, and ready to do anything to help at a moment's notice. Their lives look all together. We look at them and wonder, Why can’t we be that way too? Why do they get to have everything all together and we have to be the ones suffering? It can be frustrating at times, I know.

Pushing all of our feelings of envy aside, we need to stop and realize that these people are not all together. Although they look like everything is going great, it is not always that way at all. As sisters of Christ, we should always be encouraging to one another, and to others. The next time you see someone who looks like they are having a bad day, stop and ask them what’s up. Be there for them, and encourage them. So remember, the next time you see someone who is hurting, afraid, or even really encouraging…stop and ask them what you can do for them, how you can pray for them, or if they just want to talk. This holiday season, remember to encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ.

In His Love,
Angelica

Closer--Shawn McDonald

2010-11-23T12:09:00.000-08:00

Battling the Rip Tide

2010-11-12T18:41:00.000-08:00

“Are you ready to go?” you ask your roommates. You hear them say “Go ahead, we’ll be right there.” You take a step onto the hard, wooden floor outside of your hut-styled bungalow. You hear a howler monkey in the tree just above you, their screech like nails on a chalkboard. You start off on the path to the beach; you can smell the fresh scent of the palm trees surrounding you. You wave to your friend lounging in the kidney shaped pool; at seven a.m., you wonder what she’s doing in the pool. As if reading your thoughts, your roommate says, “She’s going to be safer in the pool than we are in the ocean.” Another roommate pipes in, “At least she has a lifeguard!” You realize your friend is right; no lifeguards would be at the beach this early in the morning. You think about her statement for a minute, and brush it off quickly, because the water was fine yesterday. “Yesterday there was a life guard” your conscience keeps telling you.

You forget it when you friend starts to run toward the beach. You taste the ocean breeze; you feel the cold sand between your toes. Realizing it is a haven for sand fleas, you run faster, leaving only your footprints behind. The water’s edge, like the edge of a canyon, is tempting you closer. You take a small step into the raging beast, and you can already tell this won’t be fun. The green, scratchy seaweed feels like sandpaper against your legs, and the sea is colder than the night before. Your friends are just ahead of you; and you feel the wet, squishy sand, between your toes. You duck down so a wave will wash through your hair; your friends are doing the same. You look to your right, your friends are about five feet away, but you don’t think much of it. You keep looking over at your friends, and fail to realize how far away they’re getting. You look back to the shore, and notice that all but one of your friends are already back on the shore, and you’re a lot farther out than you planned.

You turn around to go back because it’s not safe anymore; the cooing newborn has turned into a screaming toddler. You take a step, and go under the formidable waves. Now you start to panic, nothings there! You try and take a step again, and realize you are in a rip tide! “Don’t panic, don’t panic.” You coax yourself; even though it would be easier to find a penguin in Hawaii. You remember reading a book that said, “If you are ever caught in a rip tide, swim parallel to the beach.” You start to swim parallel to the beach and realize that it is to no avail. Your friend yells out to you, “Come back over here!” Exasperated, you look at her across the raging waves, and start screaming like a banshee. Of course, she can’t hear you over the roar of the waves. You can feel the salt stinging your eyes and nose. You cannot get back without someone’s help. You are treading the freezing cold water, and wishing you would’ve swam in the safe, lifeguarded pool. You keep drifting farther and farther from the shore, which is now a palace, fit for the finest of kings. You can see the gorgeous palm trees, the weather-worn driftwood, and even the road back to your bungalow.

Your friend makes her way over to you; you feel her cold, wet hand, much more like a prune after this long, torturous affair. Then, she starts to panic. Now both of you are screaming louder than the howler monkey, but your friends on the shore are too busy talking to hear you. Your arms give out like a limp noodle, but you still keep trying to make your way through the waves. The waves, as far as you’re concerned, are playing catch with you as the ball. You get about a foot towards the shore, when the rip tide pulls you back into the cruel waves, like a yo-yo on a string.

You start giving your farewell address to your friend, when you get an idea. Albert Einstein would’ve been proud of you. You could use your soaked t-shirt to propel you back to the shore. It works! Your t-shirt then becomes the only thing between you and the ghastly waves. Your t-shirt is using the once cruel waves to soar you back to the shore. When your friends finally take notice of you, they ask, “What took you so long? You feel the sudden urge to throw them into the rip tide, and then you would ask them “What took so long?” You start back the gravel path back to your hut. You decide to go swimming in the pool, only waist deep, just to be safe. The pool water is crisp and cool, yet warm. You just sit there for a while, and then join in with your friends.

After you get out of the pool, take a shower, and dry off, you decide to go and swing on the hammock. You feel the soft fabric against your skin, and hear the rain’s music against the roof. You hear your friends talking in the background, and you can see them sitting in the bungalow. Your friends just didn’t enjoy the rain as much as you; you loved the fresh, clean smell rain made when it dove into earth’s crust; and the feel of the raindrops on your skin. It sounded like a little girl hitting a xylophone ever so softly. You think perhaps you will read a book, but then decide to reflect on the day.

You think back to the beach, and how close you came to death, you are so relieved you decided it was time to go back when you did. What if you had kept going deeper and deeper? You realize you might be at the bottom of the ocean if you hadn’t felt the urge to go back. You know, a person can start wading into sin, and then go a little deeper, and deeper, until the sin swallows them. When they try to get back to God, it gets harder and harder because their sin just pulls them away. Usually, when someone realizes how deep they are in sin, it is too late to turn back. And that’s why Jesus came down to earth, and put himself into our sin, so that he could help us get out of it, even if it meant sacrificing His safety. You remember that He is the only way back to the Father, the only way out of our sin; without Him, we would still be battling the rip tide.

By Libby Hartwig. Used from the Girls for God blog!

Just One of Those Days

2010-11-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

Has anyone ever had one of those days when you're like, "I couldn't possibly come before God today. I've done way too much bad stuff, compromised so much, I never have time for Him, and there's just so much wrong in my life."

Let me tell you something. So you feel like you can't come before God because it's your worst day ever? YOU CAN'T COME BEFORE GOD ON YOUR BEST DAY EITHER. If you have ever sinned in your entire lifetime, you aren't ever going to be good enough to come before God at all.

"Isn't this supposed to be an encouraging blog?"

Yes. Bear with me.

Romans 5:6-8 (New Living Translation)

⁶ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Did you catch that? While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. You see, God didn't choose you to be His daughter because you were good. He chose you because He loves you even though you're not good. This is one of the most amazing, awe-inspiring things about the character of God: He's able to love you more than you could fathom on that "worst day ever."

It doesn't matter what you have done. It doesn't matter how bad you are. All God wants from you is for you to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37, NLT).

All God wants from you is to love Him more than anything. Everything else (trying to stop sinning, loving others, living correctly, etc) will follow after that and spill out of your love for God.

So the next time you feel like "How could I ever come before God NOW?" give the devil a black eye by coming and being with your Savior anyway. Definitely tell God that you're sorry, but letting shame or guilt come between you and God only magnifies what Satan has done. Instead, magnify what God has done by letting His freedom set you free.

~Joelle

More on Quiet Time. . .

2010-10-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

Okay girls, so I am going to make this enormous confession! I haven't had a quiet time in a long time. And I thought it would be a good idea to share with you guys the story of how this came to be.

Essentially, a few months ago I think it was, I realized that the Bible said nothing about having a "daily quiet time." I wondered why it was so demanded in the church of God hasn't ever actually made a decree about it?? It troubled me that I had written articles that insisted you girls had to have a quiet time every day. And I apologize for that advance only in this -- it is not something that the Bible says we must do. It is not a commandment.

Anyway, I suddenly decided that I wasn't going to be "tight" about it. I would go to God when I wanted to! When I felt the Spirit calling, or I just felt like spending some time with the Lord, I'd go do it. I'd figure it would happen from a few times a day to every other day at the least! So this is what I did.

Well let me tell you. My set-apart times of prayer decreased. They went from every day to every other day. Then a couple times a week. Then a few times a month. Then they became, simply, a rare treat. And the sad thing is, this was a part of something that pulled me away from God. I have still lived for Him in that I generally follow that He has laid out for us, but, have I been living a sold-out life? Have I been focusing on hourly dedication to Him? No.

He has become farther removed from my mind, and recently I actually started to develop a secular mindset!!! Ahhh! I know, right?? Not an atheistic, particularly worldly mindset, but a more self-absorbed one. Lately I've been thinking in terms of what talents and abilities I want to cultivate, my dreams, what I want to do with my life, what difference I want to make, finding out what kind of a person I am in terms of personality and likes and dislikes, what goals I'd like to set...have you noticed something?? There's a lot of "I's" in this sequence!! What happened to "I WANT GOD!" and that's all?

I think that part of this has rooted from my lack of self-discipline to set aside time for God each day. Is it a Bible decree? No. Is not spending specific, set-apart time with God in prayer and reading Scriptures daily a sin? NO! But to put it plainly, it's just a smart idea, and using plain logic, it's something that all Christians should do. It just makes sense!

I was thinking today about desire to spend time with God. What if we don't want to spend time with God, but then do, as a chore? Is that wrong? I could be wrong, but what I think the answer is, is something like this: If you don't want to spend time with God, then you haven't been spending enough valuable (quality, not quantity) time with Him in the first place to recognize the rewards of it! I stumbled across this quote the other day and it hit me pretty hard:

"The moment you don't feel like praying, get on your knees. And the moment you don't feel like reading your Bible, you'd better get that Book open." -Lori Wick

I need to get back to daily time with God. Even if it's just 10 minutes. It doesn't matter how much time--it just has to be a reasonable (ie, more than 30 seconds ;)) amount that is valuable, spent worshiping in the Presence and learning from Him!!! It will affect our day-to-day life, and therefore, our life as a whole! So I'm going to go back to the self-discipline of reading the Bible and praying to Jesus every day. Even if I don't feel like it. Because eventually, it will become a joy.

Well, there you have it. My confession. This isn't some fancy article, obviously, where I focused on my writing skills -- it's just me chatting informally with you and sharing what's been going on in my life. So, what are your thoughts on this subject? Am I wrong? Should we only go to God when our hearts feel like it? And where are you? Let's pray for each other. :)

Ariel

Quiet Time. Vs. Love Time

2010-10-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

"Most Christians have been taught in church or by their parents to set aside a daily time for prayer and Scripture reading. It's what we are supposed to do, and so for a long time it's what I valiantly attempted. When I didn't, I felt guilty.

Over time I realized that when we love God, we naturally run to Him--frequently and zealously. Jesus didn't command that we have a regular time with Him each day. Rather, He tells us to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." He called this the "first and greatest commandment" (Matt. 23:37-38). The results are intimate prayer and study of His Word. Our motivation changes from guilt to love.

This is how God longs for us to respond to His extravagant, unending love; not with a cursory "quiet time" plagued by guilt, but with true love expressed through our lives. Like my little girl running out to the driveway to hug me each night because she loves me."

Francis Chan, Crazy Love, pgs. 55-56

Girl talk: Do you agree? Should we set aside time for God each day, or should we naturally go to Him out of our love for Him?

Asking God for Cake?

2010-09-29T22:07:00.000-07:00

"[Jesus said,] 'Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.

Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone?

Or is he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!'" (Matthew 7:7-11)

Some Christians interpret that whatever you ask God for, He will give you, from peace to boyfriends, from a college acceptance to a good hair day. I read this passage and only just realized that little phrase in there that I emphasized in the quote: what is good!

When we ask our parents for fish and bread--food--we are asking them for something that we need. Now, how about if we asked them point-blank for cake? Or the extension of a curfew? A car? If they're wise, they're going to give us what they believe is good for us. Isn't it the same way with God? He'll absolutely provide us with EVERY necessity we need and everything He promised us in His word--peace, for instance--and He will also give us what He knows is going to be good for us.

Girl talk: What's some evidence of this you've seen in your life?

Girl Talk: Truly Set-Apart

2010-09-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

Hey girls!

This is Ariel. I've been reading Set-Apart Femininity by Leslie Ludy and God has been convicting me in very deep places in my heart. I'm not afraid to confess it--I am not fully dedicated to Him. Recently, I've been letting entertainment, friends, looking beautiful, and hobbies give me refreshment or value, and I've been spending a lot more time on Facebook, watching TV, listening to music, and other worthless, worldly things than making a valuable heart-to-heart connection with God and growing in Him. I'm guilty of being a hypocrite, but I've made the decision to start throwing away these worldly distractions so I can focus on seeking Jesus with all my heart!

I know I'm not the only one who has had these thoughts flitting through my mind; I've been thinking about how big and amazing God is, and how temporary and useless all these things that our culture distracts itself with today is. Is anyone else getting the feeling that maybe Christians should be different because we're not caught up in what the world is--looking attractive for the opposite sex, hanging out with our most popular friends, drinking in pop culture's poisonous messages, spending significant daily time watching TV or going on the internet, having all the hottest or musically superior artists on your iPod--but we're caught up in the King of the Ages, and Him alone?

I'd recommend Set-Apart Femininity to all of you girls--what I've been learning through this book isn't enough to fit into one post!

But again, I know I'm not alone in my thinking--what are you girls doing to un-conform yourself from the patterns of this world and sticking to Jesus' pattern for true, lasting joy, peace, and love instead?? Share in the comments below!!! Let's start a meaningful discussion.

In Him,
Ariel

Three Questions from Leslie Ludy

2010-09-23T09:50:00.001-07:00

Springs of Benignity

2010-09-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

""The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water." John 4:14

The picture of Our Lord gives is not that of a channel but a fountain. "Be being filled," and the sweetness of vital relationship to Jesus will flow out of the saint as lavishly as it is imparted to him. If you find your life is not flowing out as it should, you are to blame; something has obstructed the flow. Keep right at the Source, and--you will be blessed personally? No, out of you will flow rivers of living water, irrepressible life.

We are to be centres through which Jesus can flow as rivers of living water in blessing to everyone. Some of us are like the Dead Sea, always taking in but never giving out, because we are not rightly related to the Lord Jesus. As surely as we receive from Him, He will pour out through us, and in the measure He is not pouring out, there is a defect in our relationship to him. Is there anything between you and Jesus Christ? Is there anything that hinders your belief in Him? If not, Jesus says, out of you will flow rivers of living water. It is not a blessing passed on, not an experience stated, but a river continually flowing. Keep at the Source, guard well your belief in Jesus Christ and you relationship to Him, and there will be a steady flow for other lives, no dryness and no deadness.

Is it not too extravagant to say that out of an individual believer rivers are going to flow. "I do not see the rivers," you say. Never look at yourself from the standpoint of--Who am I? In the history of God's work you will nearly always find that it has started from the obscure, the unknown, the ignored, but the steadfastly true to Jesus Christ."

From My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers, pg. 251

Consume Me, God

2010-08-27T18:08:00.001-07:00

The following entry was taken with permission from Scream the Truth e-zine. It was written by the editor, Julie Martin.

I used to say I'd never date... until I actually fell for a guy. When that guy fell for me and asked me to be his girlfriend I went absolutely insane... and of course, I said yes. For the first few weeks he was all I ever talked about... I was pretty much obsessed with him. Eventually liking him grew into loving him, and eventually loving him grew into heartbreak. One day he called me and ripped my heart out. It took me a while to heal from that, after-all, I'd never had my heart broken like that before. I mean, he said he loved me... right? He said I was the most amazing girl he'd ever met before... right? Then he CALLED to break up with me and didn't even give me a real reason WHY?! At the time I didn't understand. I didn't understand for a long time, but recently God has been giving me hints as to WHY such a thing happened.

I used to pray for my relationship with this guy. I constantly prayed that if I wasn't following God as deeply as I should that he would put a halt to the relationship. What I didn't realize back then was that I'd become too wrapped around what was going on around me that I was forgetting to pray everyday; in a way, I was ignoring God. I think God was ultimately the one behind halting that relationship, and to be honest, I'm really glad what happened, happened! It was something that really NEEDED to happen.

This whole experience has given me a much deeper understanding of why we need to be totally and completely lost in God before we decide to date. Guys, I mean this, we need to totally and COMPLETELY caught up in God before we even consider dating. I'm not going to lie, I do still like guys, but even if someone were to ask me out today I'd say no... because I'm not to that point with God. I'm not totally caught up in Him. Yeah, I have a strong relationship with him, but there are definitely some areas that I need MAJOR improvement in. If I still get distracted by the things going on in the world around me then how could having a boyfriend actually benefit me?

I'm most definitely not trying to call anyone out. I promise. I just believe we need to stop, take a deep breath, and take time to whole-heartedly pray about possible relationships. We need to ask God, "will this really benefit me? Will this distract me? Do I need to just focus on You for now?" I'll be honest, I never had that talk with God. I mean, I prayed about it, but I never put my heart into it; my heart was already caught up in the guy, which should have been a major red flag to begin with!

So now, I'm going to put it plainly -- I'm not dating again until college. Yeah, I have guy friends, but that's as far as anything is going to get for now. It's a tough decision for me to make, but in the end I know I'll be happy I did it. It gets tough at times seeing the majority of my friends happy and dating. I mean, I can't help but wonder to myself "Why doesn't anyone like ME? Why can't I have that?", But God grabs me and says "Julie, you don't need that... not yet. Not until you're fully mine."

Now I challenge you to take a week or two of deep prayer over this subject. Put your heart in it and learn what God has in store for YOU relationship wise. After all, everyone is different.

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."

- Luke 9:23-24

To Shine

2010-08-02T23:29:00.000-07:00

"Dear Jesus, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others."

Mother Teresa's daily prayer

Move Aside

2010-07-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

As Christ followers, we're always pursuing more of God. How can we give Him more of our heart? What's standing in our way of a deeper relationship with Him? We should always ask ourselves these questions.

So, have you asked yourself it lately? I heard someone say to let God in more, you have to move something out of the way. What's something you could cut back on or quit for the sake of God? Maybe you need to cancel your account on one of the sites you frequent. Or cut back on the large amounts of time time you spend on your cell phone or iPod. We love God, and we love to give things up for Him! Even if it's a fast for a week to grow closer to Him, sit down to pray about what you should put aside so the Lord can have more of your heart.

Is 31,000 Verses Too Much?

2010-07-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

I heard this on a commercial on the radio today: "The Bible is thousands of pages long, has 66 whole books, and over 31,000 verses! No wonder it's so hard to find the motivation to read it!" They went on to advertise some kind of program that split the Bible into daily readings, I think it was. I was too stuck on being mad at the "hook" message to actually hear what product they were raving about.

"The Bible isn't just a long, boring book!!! It's God's LOVE LETTER to us! It should be EASY for us to read! We should be wanting to read God's Message all of our lives, just taking bathroom and sleep breaks, it's so amazing. We should be wishing His Book was longer, not shorter, so we could have even more of God's voice and heart so accessible. It's the Creator of the universe's LOVE LETTER, you terrible man; how dare you say it's hard to read it because it's so long."

Then, as I was ranting at my radio (well, the guy), I remembered that I was 3 days behind on reading this amazing Book.

I paused. Oops? Hypocrisy, much?

Seriously, though, am I right? Are we totally crazy to say we don't have "enough time" to read God's book for us? ("Ugh, Facebook just takes up my schedule, man.") I mean, I say that we just out with it: we don't read the Bible as much as we could because we are lazy and sinful. We don't have enough of the love of God in our hearts. Once we realize that, we become vulnerable. But God can heal us and place the love of His Spirit, searching out His will, and reading His Word into our hearts. We just need to ask.

What God Thinks

2010-07-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

GOD ADORES YOU! You might not think you are anything special but you are more special than you can even imagine to God. God sent his Son, Jesus to die for each and every one of us (Romans 5:8). He died and rose again so that we could be freed and forgiven (1 Peter 3:18) from the mistakes we make. It is so hard at times as a teen and even for some adults to acknowledge that God's love is so much greater than any love any human (including a guy you might be dating!) can give us. Sometimes we get so tied down by what people think and we let it eat away at our hearts. But what God thinks is what matters and He thinks YOU ARE SPECIAL! He loves you with an everlasting love and it's through the understanding and acceptance of His love for us that we find freedom. Let me let you in on a secret....even when you feel you can't go to anyone on this earth, Jesus wants to be your best friend, and he qualifies for the greatest bestfriend you could EVER have. He wants to sit with you when you are hurting (Psalm 34:18). He wants you to tell him everything you are feeling (Psalm 10:17-18). He knows it all already, so you might as well tell him about it, right??? He will not turn away from you and leave you abandoned. He wants a personal relationship with you because you are His most prized possession (1 John 4:9-10)! What you have done in your past, He will forgive if you ask...what He longs for is for you to come to Him with an honest heart (Hebrews 4:16) and make it right, ask for forgiveness if you've done something wrong, ask Him to take away the shame, guilt, or self-hatred you may feel. He wants you to be free from the hurts in your life. He wants to walk beside you all the way!

HE LOVES YOU THAT MUCH!!!

From Restored by Love Ministries, our affiliate

New Clothes

2010-06-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

I found an awesome picture of God's redemption for us through the cross in Zechariah today:

"Now Joshua [a high priest] was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. And he [the angel] spoke and said to those who were standing before him saying, 'Remove the filthy garments from him.' Again he said to him, 'see, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes."(Zechariah 2:3-4)

Jesus completely did this for us when we first came to Him. He removed our dirty, ugly sin--our raggedy, old clothes. We became naked. Although we were clean and free from sin, we were still plain...weak...incapable. That's when He went the extra mile. He has and/or is giving us gradually glorious robes to adorn ourselves with. They're not naturally a part of us. They are a part of Him: to be courageous...loving...capable. Capable of righteousness, His righteousness.

In our hearts, the more we shed of our uselessness, the more room He has to adorn us in His glorious righteousness. Even in this colorful robe He has clothed us in lovingly, we are still nothing. We simply have something...His something.

God will continue to transform us and clothe us in new clothes constantly. It's an ongoing process that we'll continue through our entire lives, when we surrender to Him. What stage are you at? Are you gloriously dressed? Just have small garments? Are you freshly undressed from your old clothing, ready for some of God's power? Or are you standing before a holy God, ashamed of dirty rags? He loves you and wants to remove them and replace them with new clothes of righteousness and holiness. "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts."

Even There

2010-06-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

"If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast." -Psalm 139:9-10

It doesn't matter where in the world you are -- location-wise or heart-wise -- God is always with you and offering His guidance and protection. So when you're feeling discouraged, think about that. Fill in the blanks with your own situation:

"If I ___________________________, even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast."

What's your fill-in-the-blank? "sit, lost, a graduated high school student not knowing where to go next"? "roam the lost lands of India as a missionary"? "am heartbroken and hiding in my closet so no one hears my crying"?

Holy

2010-05-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

Girl Talk: When is the last time you sat down for a few minutes to just contemplate how holy and glorious God is, and how He is?

Hour by Hour

2010-05-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

We talk a lot about glorifying the Lord with our lives, but how about our years...months...weeks...days...HOURS? Can we seriously look back at our day at the end of each one and say with confidence, 'God was glorified?'

We talk a whole lot. Dedicating our lives to God is not praying "God, You can have my life". Dedicating our lives is not staying away from cuss words and general bad deeds. Dedicating our lives to God is not even just setting aside 10 minutes to prayer and reading the Word a day.

Dedicating our lives to God is dedicating every hour of our life to service to Him. Seems radical, huh? Seems impossible.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

I'm just going to be honest. I could totally be wrong, so debate with me if you want. But really - is playing video games being dedicated to God? Is surfing the net aimlessly or spending an hour on Facebook taking ridiculous quizzes or playing silly games a life dedicated to God? Is spending money you don't have on designer clothes you don't need dedication to God? What do you think?

But the purpose of this post isn't to condemn you. It's to wake you up, to wake me up.

Our minutes, hours, days, and weeks ARE OUR LIVES. If we are dedicating our lives to God, we're dedicating every second to Him. Are you dedicating every second to Him? I'm not. So today, when you're finished studying school and the priorities you have before you, think over what you're going to do with the time God's given you. Use it wisely. Will you spend it growing closer to Him in prayer? Reaching out to strangers? Helping someone who needs it? Asking your friends how you can help them...pray for them?

Is your life dedicated to God?

A Productive Summer

2010-05-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

Summer's coming!

Isn't it exciting?? I really can't wait for school to be done with. What is your summer going to be like? Some of us are going to have jobs and tons of activities to bog us down and keep us busy the entire summer. But a lot of us also will just have time, time, time on our hands with school out of the way.

Commit to using all your new free time this summer to spend growing deeper in God! The best hope we have for our lives is to be close to Him, so utilize all this extra time in the summer to prayer and growing in the Word. Also, look for places to volunteer and serve Him. His heart is for the orphaned, poor, and widowed, so don't turn a blind eye to them. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, entertain the folks at a nursery home, or just grab a few friends, make some sandwiches, and go downtown in your city to serve the homeless for Christ! Ask God how you can serve Him this summer and allow Him to guide you to the answer.

Girl Talk: How are you going to serve God this summer? What ideas do you have for your sisters in Christ who want to serve Him by helping those in need, but don't know how?

Spice It Up

2010-04-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

"You will fill me with joy in your presence." -Psalm 16:11

How much quality goes into the time you spend with God? For many, the special time with God means little more than a daily routine that includes reading a few scriptures and saying a quick prayer. Then, they're off and running!

It is so easy to fall into such routine when spending time with God that you lose the excitement. Scriptures that used to speak life to you now have little meaning. The prayers that once brought answers now seem to get no further than the ceiling. Often, your mind tends to wander when you read the Bible, or you drift off to sleep. Consequently, you find yourself facing challenges without sensing the close presence of God.

God wants you to enjoy your relationship with Him. Remove the limits when it comes to how you spend time with Him. Spice things up a little. Try writing God a letter, just like you would if you wanted to contact a friend in another state. Let Him know how much you love and appreciate Him for all He has done for you.

Sing worship songs to Him. Pretty soon, you will sense His presence and know that He is receiving your praise. Maybe you can take a walk in a park, or hike a nature trail. Visit a museum or stop off at the zoo. You'll find God, and the beauty of His creation, in all those places.

There are lots of ways and places to spend time with God. And He will be just as ready to talk to you then as He was when you were locked in the privacy of your bedroom.

This devotional was taken from Daily Grace for Teens, a great book filled with devotional reflections to nourish your soul, from HonorBooks.

Unknown Future

2010-04-17T12:43:00.000-07:00

I personally am in a pretty rough spot in my life in that I don't have an inkling what to do after I graduate from high school. It's scary not knowing more than one step ahead about what you should do. It can be intimidating not knowing what God's plan for you, but the best approach for the situation is just to trust Him with all your heart, and keep loving Him and praying that He will guide you and illuminate what He has for you.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." -Proverbs 3:5

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD. 'Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" -Jeremiah 29:11

"If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm." -Psalm 37:23

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me [Jesus]." -John 14:1

The truth is, God knows what He's doing in your life, and it's okay if you don't know what the next step is yet. Take time to pray. Give your future to Him, and wait. He won't stay silent forever. He'll open the doors that need opening. Keep your spiritual ears tuned for the nudge of the Holy Spirit through these doors by praying daily, spending time in the Word of the Lord, and obeying the commandments He's laid out for us to follow each day, out of love, and you can't go wrong. God's got great stuff in store for you. Just trust Him.

Unearned Love

2010-04-12T21:31:00.000-07:00

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." -Romans 5:1-2

The only thing that God has us do to receive His grace is to have confidence in the Truth of the gospel. That's grace. There is nothing that anyone in the world -- murderer or enormous missionary -- can do to earn the love of God. The cross and the empty tombstone proved that the Creator loves all of us equally, despite what we have done, thought, said, or been. Or the things you are doing, thinking, saying, or who you are. (And let's face it, every single one of us is wretched.)

In our world, we have to earn stuff most of the time. But God's love was not earned by anything we did. Even if we rejected Him and our sins sent us to Sheol after we died, He still loved us.

The question is if you really, truly grasp this...or if you're still caught in the legalism that Jesus came to overcome. Do you have some idea that Jesus doesn't love you as much as your fearless evangelistic friend or that guy you know who is starting a charity for God's cause? (Or anyone else.) Don't do anything to try and earn God's love. Our deeds that are done out of religious obligation, pride, or a vain way to get His attention are filthy rags to Him. But deeds done out of a pure heart that is grateful for how God loves you and how His Son took our penalties? To Him, those are precious jewels that He uses to draw other men to him.

Just accept it:

GOD LOVES YOU!

Now, what are you going to do about it??

Be thankful for that never-ending, unearned love, and love Him back, because the Master of the universe who loves every single one of His messed up creations completely deserves it. And tell others about this incredible affection and adoration He has for us!

Sole Rest

2010-03-18T06:52:00.000-07:00

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." (Psalm 62:1-2)

Is it a tall order to find rest and strength alone in the Creator of the universe, the King of life, the Redeemer of our souls who has an endless love for His creation? It shouldn't be. But it is. We rest in the fact that we are well off, or we have a lot of friends, or our social status in school or church, or even silly things, like how we are having a good hair day. But God wants to be our SOLE source of rest, peace, and protection. He wants us to reach the point where He is our everything. We'll never be perfect because of our sin nature, but with His help, we can get really close to it. And when we are snatched away into heaven, His glory will be the only thing there and truly our Everything.

Girl Talk: What do you find rest in? What makes it tough to lean on God instead of this?

Undignified

2010-03-06T19:24:00.000-08:00

A poem by Ariel Oliver

Bitter cold bites my cheeks,
Sand is stinging my shins,
Harsh winds assault my hair.

But before me lies beauty -
Aqua waves tumble forward,
Darkening the beige sand.

The beach beckons.

I kick off my shoes,
My soles are greeted by coolness:
I quickly tread the grainy ground.

I breathe in the crisp air.
My caked feet meet the line
Between dry and damp sand.

Pause before the choice.

One inch up invites
The tease of surf.
Warmth surprises.

Tiptoeing breaks into a trot;
My feet slice through the water;
Sand swirls around my ankles.

Exhilaration thrills my heart.

The sea swallows my knees, and I slow down.
I see water ahead curling forward;
Trepidation births inside me and stirs.

The wave, crested in white foam
Stretches forward and nudges me back,
Sweeping past my waist and hips.

Joy inside spills forth to express itself.

Twirling
Kicking
Laughing

Dignity has become foolish.
Being a fool is dignity.
All self image has leaked away.

I spin once more, and then stop to face it.
My breaths are silenced by the surf's whisper.
I watch the waves gently reach up and roll.

The mystery, glory, and power of the ocean stuns me.

This has a hidden spiritual parallel. Are you living recklessly and without concern for dignity for Christ? I know that I am not nearly enough. Ask Him where in your life you need to throw away your self image, and pray for help. He will help us.

Going with Christ

2010-02-18T06:11:00.000-08:00

For most of us who grew up in church before, we have heard this verse uttered a hundred times:

"And again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying: 'I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.'" (John 8:12)

I found something really intriguing when I was studying this passage today. The Greek word behind "follow" in this context is "akoloutheo" (pronounced ak-ol-oo-theh'-o). It is the combination of 2 Greek words, one that means "together" and one that means "a road". Essentially, akoloutheo means to be in the same way with, to accompany, to attend, to go with. In this light (no pun intended), the verse makes a lot more sense. If you're with light, then...you're with light! Not darkness. (By the way, the Greek verb where Jesus says "shall not walk in darkness" is double negative, which means He was more like saying, "shall definitely never, ever walk in darkness". Yep, I'm a Greek geek!)

In our everyday life, it's easy for us to envision Jesus going with and accompanying us. But what about our accompanying Him on His way? His way is clearly laid out in His Word. Are you following it day by day? And just as importantly, are you accompanying Him closely? Communicating with Him throughout the day? Are you aware of His presence with you, and do you regularly ask, "Lord, where are you staying?" Although He certainly calls us to follow and obey Him, this is also synonymous with us being WITH Him. Consulting Him. Talking to Him. Are you lagging behind Him following Him silently, or do you walk beside Him, submissive to His way and in lively fellowship with your best Friend?

God's Voice

2010-02-09T05:59:00.000-08:00

One thing I have always struggled with is hearing and recognizing the voice of God. I'm still waiting to experience that "booming voice" from the back of your head instructing you to do something very specific. But I've come to realize that God does speak into my life, more than I realize. And He speaks into yours, and to you directly!

You know that gut feeling of The Bible says this is wrong. I need to stop? That's His prompting. Are you obeying? Or the sudden urge to go spend time with God in the middle of your day. That's the Holy Spirit beckoning you to spend some intimate time with the Lord. Or the very strong feeling to befriend a specific person at your school or write your troubled aunt a letter? That could be the voice of Jesus guiding you.

Are you obeying His voice? Are you taking the time to listen for His voice, or is your quiet time all about you talking? God has things to say. Keep your ear open. He may whisper to you as you spend time with Him, or He may suddenly speak as you go throughout your normal day doing normal things, like He did with David, Gideon, and many other people! Obey God's voice and see what amazing things will unfold because of it.

The Romance

2010-02-02T17:34:00.000-08:00

“The disciples must have thought Jesus was crazy. Seriously. I can only imagine their faces.So confused, so perplexed, uncomfortably glancing back and forth between each other, wondering if they had misheard, wondering if someone could help them understand. Meanwhile, you got Jesus, unnerved, unfazed, just sitting there cooly, looking them dead in the eyes, asking them to marry Him. Yes, you heard me right…marry Him. With nothing more than a cup of wine, no less, the Lamb of God was proposing. So you can imagine their confusion right? “Wait. What? Come again? Jesus, you feeling alright brotha? I mean, I don’t think that I’m exactly what you’re looking for! You want to think about what you’re saying for a minute?”

Of course, we don’t see it that way, because we’re not Jewish. But they were, and they did. See it that way, I mean. “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” We hear these words and we think Communion, Eucharist, Last Supper. The disciples heard this and they’re thinking wedding bells.

Apparently, “in those days,” when a Hebrew man decided to take for Himself a Hebrew woman, he’d go to his father and say, “Her, Dad. I want to make little rabbis with her.” So then the dad would go to her dad and they’d talk camels, or sheep, or whatever the payment was going to be, and after they’d settled on a figure, the groom would call in all his friends and family, set a table in the middle of a room, set the aforementioned girl down in front of said table,break out a cup, fill it with wine, and set it in front of her saying, “This is my covenant with you, take and drink it.” And if she did, that was her answer. With a simple gulp and swig, she was saying, “I do,” and that was it. No rings, no fancy songs or dinners,just a cup and an invitation. And oh yeah, all their relatives sitting in the room watching. I mean, talk about pressure. But yeah, that was it. Her lips to the glass was the same as saying, “I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.”

Now, If the girl said yes, “in those days,” she would then go immediately back to her home, where she would be known as, “one who was bought with a price.” It’s true. That was her name. Kind of long and tedious, and extremely hard to shout out in a game of soccer, but that was it. And with her new identity, she would go back to her town, and start preparing for the wedding. And really, she’d just start waiting for future husband to finish what he had to do and come and get her. What was he doing? Well, during the engagement, the groom’s primary responsibility was to build a mansion for him and his bride to be.

Now girls, before you get too excited, let me explain. “Mansion” in Hebrew means, “apartment.” And what’s even better is that this apartment was actually more like an addition, because the groom would build it onto his parents pre-existing house. Yes. You heard me correctly. Their first home would be with the in-laws. And right now, I can just imagine how many girls are thinking, “oh please don’t let me marry a Jewish boy.” It’s true though. He would build his “mansion” onto the family “insula,” which is what they would call the family dwelling. You see, the entire family would just keep building on and building on until you had what was basically a city block, all comprised of one big bustling Jewish family. (And you thought My Big Fat Greek Wedding was bad) Crazy, but also true.

Well, as you can imagine, this process could take quite a while. I mean, it’s a house for crying out loud. Some scholars say it was six months, or even a year before the poor guy was finished. And get this, the only one who could decide if it was finished was the father. So he’d be working and working and working, and every day looking to his dad, saying, “Are we done yet?” And I can just imagine the father messing with him. Taking his time, looking it over, and then just saying, “Almost.” Could you imagine? Oh, the agony! And to top it all off, the groom and the bride weren’t even allowed to talk to each other. Nothing. Nada. Zip. They couldn’t see or speak to one another during the entire engagement, except for one outlet. The best man. He’d be the instant messenger if you will. Taking notes back and forth between the doting couple. And those moments were probably pretty funny. “Here’s your note, ‘one who was bought with a price.’ Check yes, no, or maybe.” Unbelievable.

But you know, how much more beautiful would that day be when the father finally approved? That day when the groom was finally finished, and he could gather up his homeboys, or ‘groomsmen’ as we westerners would say, and imperiously march into his fiance’s town? Oh it was sweet. And that’s just what he’d do. He’d get his bridal party together and they’d come to her house, and without any prior announcement or advanced warning, they would blow a shofar, which was a ram’s horn that served as a trumpet, and upon hearing it, the pining bride would come bustling out her front door and practically straight down the aisle, and into her beloved’s arms. The period of waiting and wanting would be over, and the two would be united at last to consummate their long-awaited union. Joy. Happiness. Little Rabbis… You know, all the good stuff.

So then, back to the dinner table with the 12. Can you sense where this is going? Jesus breaks into this marriage proposal,

cup out, wine-filled, offering his covenant with them. They accept. “I do” to Jesus. Gulp, gulp. “I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.” So then, what does Jesus do? He explains how they have to spend some time apart. Naturally. Only this is going to be longer than a year. However, the best man was coming. His name? The Holy Spirit. So when Jesus leaves, off to get busy preparing a “mansion” for them, (“in my Father’s house there are many rooms”) He doesn’t leave them alone, but instead sends His own mediator, the Holy Spirit, to keep the messages going between Himself and his Beloved. Meanwhile, the bride is left behind in her town, keeping watch, day and night, not knowing the day, time or hour that the bridegroom will appear. Until finally, after a long-awaited return, and we’re talking seriously, long awaited; centuries and milleniums waited people, after this much awaited consummation, the Father alone will announce that the time has come, and Jesus will be coming back for all His faithful, all who are His bride. With a posse of angels and loud trumpet call of their own, He will take us home, to the marriage supper of the Lamb! And we will share in ever-increasing joy and intimacy with Him forever and ever. As C.S. Lewis so brilliantly articulated, “Further up and further in!”

And people still want to insist that Christianity is no more than a religion.

I don’t know about you but in light of this information, it puts Jesus in an entirely different light. He’s no longer an ideal, or a belief system. He’s a person. And to put it more precisely, He is a groom in love with his bride. And not just any bride, but a wayward, adulterous bride. A bride who is half-hearted at best, chasing other lovers and other interests more than Him. And still, He keeps on loving. He keeps on being faithful, He keeps his promises.

In the Old Testament, He tells his prophet Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman, to show everyone the way He loves his people. (see Hosea 3) In the New, He tells us that divorce will never be an option for Him. (Phil 1:6) Over and over and over again, From Isaiah, to Ezekiel, to Ephesians, He tells us that we are not just his children, but we are his bride. Faithless though we might be, we are His, and He is ours.

And like I said before, this changes everything. It changes the way I view prayer. It changes the way I view marriage. It even changes the reasons that I obey. As Donald Miller once said, “it’s a far different thing to break a rule, than it is to cheat on a lover.” I only pray that it changes things for you. ”

- Mike Donehey, Tenth Avenue North
http://tenthavenuenorth.com/blog/2009/06/19/chapter-9-beloved/

Thieves in the Temple

2010-01-20T16:03:00.000-08:00

Growing closer to God is a big goal in our lives as Christians. But a question that many will have is how do you? How do you grow closer to God?

One thing I would like to clarify is getting to know God is not about feelings. You'll always go through seasons when the presence of God feels far or it feels like God might not care about you, but feelings are fickle. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Our walk with God is and will always be about faith in Him and following Him. Have faith that God knows, loves, and hears you. Our first priority is to follow Him. Often feelings will come after that. Just know that in a relationship with God, the foundation is not how your heart feels, but faith in Him and His Word.

That aside, how do we grow closer to God? What's the heart of all this Christian talk about a relationship with Christ? We can literally (well, spiritually) move closer to Him. But...

We live in the world, and the world is a dark, cluttered place. God's on the other end, and though we're sanctified with His holiness so that we glow in the dark, I'd go as far as to say that pretty much all of us have obstacles between Him and us. They could be sins. They could be habits. They could be interests. They could be activities. They could be people and relationships. They're not necessarily bad things!! Just things that we place before God or close to Him. (For instance: school, friends, Facebook.) We often have junk standing between us and God, and I'd bet it's not one item -- there's quite a few.

Think of it like this. There are large obstacles in a line, in between you and your Father. I named some of the things they could be. When you remove one, you have the space to move one step closer to Him! Truly, our life with God and growing closer to God is locating and kicking aside these objects to get closer to the heart of our Lord.

The obstacles in our lives steal away attention from the Holy One. Go grab your Bible and read John 2:13-17. Read Mark's version of the narrative, too, found in Mark 11:15-17. The Bible says our hearts are a temple for God. We want it to be as pure and vacant as possible in order to be filled to its full extent with His glory and love! But there are those thieves we all have in our personal courtyards. Pray to God right now and ask Him to reveal to you any robbers in your heart. Spend some time with your King requesting Him to chase them out, and then truly work to place Him above them, trusting and having faith that the Holy Spirit will help you. Then, you will grow closer to God.

Girl Talk:

What are the robbers in your heart? How do you plan to drive them out? Post your comments sharing with your sisters.

Authenticity

2010-01-15T18:37:00.001-08:00

A lot of people put on masks and pretend to be something they're not. I'm sure you see that in a lot of different cliques at school, and just people in general. There are the popular masquerades, the strong, invincible, but fake front of the scared and suffering, the wanna-be rich kids. But what about faking saintliness? The fake front of being holy? Have you ever faked a strong walk with God?

Have you ever raised your hands or dropped to your knees in worship at youth group or at a Christian concert to look holy and a superior worshiper before your Christian peers?
Ever signed up for a volunteer activity because you wanted to seem like a super kind, compassionate person who was on fire for Jesus and get praised for it?
Ever made up or exaggerated a God moment and broadcrasted it on every social networking site you have an account on to make it seem like you have an extra special relationship with Him?

It saddens me that my answer to a few of these is "yes." Hypocrisy and dishonesty about what's really going on in our relationship with Christ is rampant in the church. And Jesus abhors hypocrisy. Read the Seven Woes in Matthew 23, probably one of the harshest things we have recorded that He said in the Bible. It was directed to the religious leaders of the day, who were very proud and religious and loud in their good works, but inside they were dying. I think one of the things that drives God bananas the most about our hypocrisy is that hypocrites claim His Name, but they drag it through the mud in their arrogance or dishonesty and give unbelievers the wrong impression of what a Christian is like.

Are you dragging His holy Name through the mud? Maybe you aren't even saved, and put on the look of living for God on Sundays but on every other day at school when no one from church or your family is watching, you live like anyone else. Or perhaps you are saved, but you are putting your glory over God's in your own life.

Before we begin the Pursuit of God, we have to know that it's not an outside show for the world to see and praise us for. We need to really, truly be seeking God with our hearts. Examine your heart and your motives. Ask yourself the tough questions that need to be answered. Are you putting on a show? Not being real? Do you need to get on your knees and pray that you will truly, honestly, and authentically be consumed by the passion of the Holy Spirit?

Introduction

2010-01-13T07:12:00.000-08:00

Hey, girls!

I'm happy to type out this first entry of Passion Magazine's new, official blog, The Pursuit. On here I will be posting brief devotionals and thoughts that will, I pray, further encourage and compel you and me in our pursuit of the heart of God. This is the purpose of our life! He pursues our hearts with a passion that is unimaginable, even to the point of death. As the Apostle John wrote, "We love because He first loved us." And how He does love us! He watches and waits on each of us as individuals. Respond to His beckon and open your heart to Him. The point of the devotionals on this blog (and the whole aim of our ministry) is to help you do this, growing in your relationship with Him.

So, subscribe to the blog if you have a Google or Blogger account and tell your friends! If you haven't subscribed to Passion Magazine yet, then do so today. Click here to learn what it means to subscribe and why you should.

And don't forget to comment on blog entries that are posted here! :)

In Christ,
Ariel Oliver
Editor of Passion Magazine