Blown by the Wind...

John 6:18

A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.

Acts 27:15

The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.

James 1:6

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

How strong is your faith?

At my place today, it's fairly breezy. As I look outside my window, the plants and trees are waving their branches as the wind blows past. It got me thinking...

Remember the story of Jesus and his disciples travelling in the boat? Jesus had had a busy day - he was tired, and resting in the hull of the boat. All of a sudden, a HUGE storm blows up - and the disciples freak out. Keep in mind that these guys were probably seasoned seamen, and would have likely faced many other storms before. However, this storm was so big that even these serious seamen were scared - they thought they were going to drown. Worrying for their lives, the disciples ran to Jesus and cried out for Him to save them. Jesus awoke and replied "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" and with that, He got up, rebuked the wind and the waves and the sea was calm.

Doesn't that sound like our lives? We are travelling along, in our little 'boat', when all of a sudden a huge storm appears - perhaps it's a family issue, bullies at school, a mammoth end of year exam, choosing a college or some other major decision. The clouds roll in, the thunder begins to crash and we scream! Looking out onto the vast ocean, we freak out and wonder, 'How am I going to cope? Can I do this? I don't think I can.' Like the disciples, we become overwhelmed by the appearance of the wind and waves.

When we do this, we take our eyes off what our focus should be on - Christ. We have forgotten that, with Christ next to us, in the boat with us, we can do anything - even quiet that storm.

How strong is your faith? Are you firmly planted in the knowledge that, no matter what comes, you can face it because the Saviour of the world is beside you in your boat? Or are you like a blade of grass, which can be blown and tossed around by every little breeze that blows? Is your faith strong enough to stand tall in the midst of the craziness of life, or do you think your faith's backbone needs a little building?

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New Followers...

Shannon
SayRah
Amy

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If you would like to comment and leave your thoughts, please feel free to do so. 
If you comment, post your thoughts and, if you would like, share something about how to build faith in our lives - from something you've read or your own experiences. 
Thank you!

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For there is only One Hope

 “Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.”- Isaiah 26:4

Trust the Lord... it's not a suggestion, or a good idea, or something to do when you are scared. It's a command. God has said DO IT. Trust in Him.

In this world, we often place our trust in things that do not last. We have faith in our favourite football team... in our teachers, in our friends, in the leaders of our country. We look to them when times get tough or we need help or inspiration. But, truly...

Job 15:31 Let [them] not deceive [themselves] by trusting what is worthless, for [they]will get nothing in return.

What good is it to trust in humans? Will that really help you or get you anywhere in the long run?
Let us not be people who place our trust in the falliable human race or the crerations of man's hands. Let us be known for our steadfast trust in the Creator of it all... the God of the Universe...

John 12:36
Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.

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To answer some recent questions... 

Can anyone do [Multitude Monday]? from Libby

Sure! The idea is a fabulous one... and Ann from A Holy Experience came up with it. Head over to her blog to find out more. 

I was wondering... who made your amazing blogger template? from Emily Shae

My 'amazing blogger template' was created by none other than the fabulous Thais from Olivina Design House.  It's a custom design which she made just for me! She is amazing...
and... for those who were wondering, these sorts of things do cost money, but I won mine in a giveaway...

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What I learnt today...

Today I learnt that, no matter what, God is in control.
That obedience feels good.

That new beginnings bring joy.

But it's okay to shed tears over the things left behind.
I learnt that it is cool to share thoughts - even if you think they are stupid.
I learnt that good friends who love you won't think those thoughts are stupid - they will actually understand what you are saying.
Good music is songs sung by people that you like. A lot. Music by people you don't really like just isn't the same.

Falling in love is dangerous. It can cause you to say and do things a little out of the ordinary that cause people to stare, and make best friends roll their eyes, laugh and slap you.
Today, I learnt that it is good to be reminded that I am living for God.

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Feelin' Feminine - Challenging Femininity

Feelin' Feminine has just launched their first issue of 'Challenging Femininity'.
from the Feelin' Feminine site... 

Welcome to Feelin’ Feminine’s first issue of Challenging Femininity. Join us each month for a new issue of articles from various writers, including the official Feminas, on all topics relating to femininity. This will be posted at the end of the month, and we hope you will join us by reading through the articles, announcing it on your sites, and perhaps even contributing for some issues.
If you haven’t already had the chance please read out Mission Page as well as Welcome Page, which contain info about the site and the columns. If you are interested in joining our blogroll or in becoming a partner please contact us via our contact page. We hope to be reviewing and hosting some giveaways in the upcoming issues so if you would be interested in investing your business in this way feel free to contact us as well!
Over the past few months the site has been so blessed by new writers, new visitors and readers, and emails of encouragement that come in every day! Yahweh is using this site in ways I never imagined when I began it over a year ago just to chronicle participants for the challenge, and I can’t wait to see where He takes it even from here!

Click here to go to their home page! I hope you enjoy reading 'Challenging Femininity'!

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Consider Others Better... - Thought for the Day

I started this a few days ago, so I'm just hitting post... :)

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”- Philippians 2:3-4

 I think that this is a pretty strong verse. Paul is not just saying, 'oh, you know, sometimes it would be a good idea to let someone else go first...'. I think he is saying... 'wherever you go, in whatever you do, put others first'. Those are pretty strong words, hey? I mean, we are all human, and of course our first priority is naturally ourselves. It's how we work - me first, you second.
But that is not the way Jesus lived. That's not the way God works. Imagine if God was like that? Do you think He would have given up everything - even His own Son - so that we could live with Him forever?
The challenge to us - put others first. Consider others better and more talented than ourselves. Take our eyes off us and put them on God, so that others will see Him glorified through us.

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New Followers

Vanessa

castingcrownsgirl33

Christa

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Followers of God - Thought for the Day

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Ephesians 1:5, KJV

 What does it mean to be a follower? A follower is 1) one who adheres to the teaching of another; 2) a servant; 3) a fan or enthusiast; 4) one that imitates or copies another. 

This verse in Ephesians states that we are to be FOLLOWERS of God. This means that we are to be...

1) someone who adheres to His teachings. To adhere to someone's teachings means to claim it as your own, and build your life around it. We need to study God's word, and make it the firm foundation for our WHOLE life. 

2) a servant. Wow. This can be a hard one. A servant gives up all of their own rights to live life the way their Master wants them... we are God's servants, and need to be ready and willing to do whatever He asks us to.

3) A follower is a fan or enthusiast of what they are following. This means we need to be LOUD with our Christianity and not shy away from saying that we fully believe in God and the Bible! Don't be afraid to look strange and to have people dislike you! The world did not love Jesus - and He is just what we want to become. Stay strong and passionate about your faith!

4) An imitator... we live like He would. It's taking WWJD and actually doing it. It's not worrying about what someone else is going to say - but just doing it because Jesus would. To be able to copy Him, we need to know what He is like... and we get this by studying our Bible and spending time in worship and prayer with Him. 

Are you truly a follower of Christ?

Have you given up all of 'you' so that He may live in your life?

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New Followers

Titus

dreamingofparismeg 

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Wisdom and Humility... GOD Thought for the Day

“[Two Kinds of Wisdom] Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”- James 3:13

The challenge to us is to live a life which reflects this understanding which God has given us in Christ. We are not supposed to just love God with our mind and know about Him and say the right things. A true follower of Christ does this, but doesn't stop it there. A true heart which is set after Christ will run towards Him and live a life which openly, honestly and humbly reflects the amazing grace which we have been given.

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New Look

I'm sure you have all noticed this one... Isn't my new blog look beautiful? It was designed by Thais. from Olivina Design House. Her work is simply amazing and beautiful. Please, if you are looking for a new blog design, check out her first! Click on the button below... 

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New Followers... 

 Nastya Andreyovna

Leah M.

Chelsea

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:) Hello friends!

Kelsey has asked her blog readers to compile a list of things that make them smile... So, here's mine!

1. God
2. My Bible
3. Dancing
4. Singing
5. Babies
6. Family
7. Chocolate
8. Les Miserables
9. The Sound of Music
10. Church
11. Friends
12. Crying (well, after I have finished sobbing my heart out)
13. Computers
14. Books
15. Reading
16. Shoes
17. Ribbons
18. Sewing
19. Trampolines
20. Strawberry Milkshakes
21. Blogs
22. Quilts
23. Dolls
24. Love
25. Other people smiling
26. Cute guys
27. Lori Wick's books
28. Romantic movies
29. Kissing scenes
30. Hot chocolate
31. Talking
32. Listening
33. Giving and recieving hugs
34. Photography
35. Irish accents
36. Scottish accents
37. aholyexperience.com
38. setapartgirl.com
39. godlygals.com/board
40. God.

Go on, post your own list! Leave me a comment so I can read it!

(PS. Make sure you check out Kelsey's blog)

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Living a Life of Purity - Part 2 - Mental and Spiritual Purity

 

{so far...}

So far in our series about Living a Life of Purity, we have talked about physical purity, and what it  means to be a virgin. We talked about how the world defines 'purity' (not having sex) and how God does (set apart, a heart attitude). If you want to read post 1 again (or read it for the first time before reading this) please click HERE.  

And so now, we are going to move on to Spiritual and Mental purity. Curious about how that works? Keep reading. :) And please remember to comment at the end of it all - I'd love to hear your thoughts!

{definition of purity}

 In the dictionary, the word ‘purity’ is described as being…
•  undiluted or unmixed with extraneous material
•  the state of being unsullied by sin or moral wrong; lacking a knowledge of evil
•  honour; virtue or chastity
Oswald Chambers defined purity in this way…
“…purity is something that has been tested and tried and has triumphed, something that has character at the back of it, that can overcome and has overcome.”
Elizabeth Elliot described purity as…
“… freedom from contamination, from anything that would spoil the taste or the pleasure…It means cleanness, clearness—no additives, nothing artificial—in other words, “all natural” in the sense in which the Original Designer designed it to be.”

{mental purity}

I think this is the aspect of purity that most people would find the hardest to keep. This type of purity is relating to what we think, imagine, do with our eyes and mind. So, it could include thinking about doing something inappropriate with someone else, or someone else wearing something inappropriate. Pretty much, it's about how we think about and view other people. 

If purity is 'unsullied by sin', we are contaminating our minds when we think about other in the wrong ways. That is the simple truth of it. Or when we view images that we know are wrong, and still look, we are corrupting our eyes and bringing unGodly influences into our minds. 

I don't know about you, but I don't want my imagination controlling me. If that was the thing that directed how I live, my life would be in shambles. If I was forever imagining that I was a princess, locked in a tower, waiting for my prince, there would be SO many things that I would miss out on in life. 

Instead of letting my imagination go, I need to bring it into captivity and let my Spirit control my thoughts... Check out what the Bible has to say about this... 

2 Corinthians 10:5

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

To me, this verse is talking about two things. Let's have a look at them both...
The first one is: DEMOLISHING. Knocking down. Little kids love to do it, but I think it something that most people try to grow out of - they change from being destroyers to trying to fix everything and build everything back up. While that's a good idea, I think we need to knock down before we build up. We first need to destroy, get rid of all of the things in our mind which are against the will of God before we can begin to fill ourselves with the Truth.
So, how do we do this? It's really simple - ask God. :) Ask Him to clear your mind of those things and to bring your heart into line with His. Ask Him to take over control of your life and your thoughts and then move on to step 2, which is...
BEGIN TO LIVE. Start to fill your life with Godly influences. Ask a trusted adult or friend to keep you accountable. Share your struggle with someone and get them to check up on you often, to see how you are going. Replace the bad stuff you were feeding on before with Godly influences and spend that time you used to sin in reading God's Word and studying the Bible. It's the best thing you can ever do for you faith.
And don't forget to pray. Bring your struggle before God daily and seek Him to change your heart desires and motives, so that they are pure and holy like Him. I promise that He is faithful and will bring His power into your life when you truly seek Him will all of your heart.

{spiritual purity}
This is a bit of an unusual one, and I don't know if I've ever heard anyone else particularly talk about it. But hey, I'll give it a go!
So, we have defined purity as being uncorrupted by extraneous material. What does this mean? It pretty much means that the thing which is pure has not been made unpure by having other strange substances added to it. 
To me, it's very simple. This means that my Spirituality should not be corrupted by influences which are not from God. I need to be active in protecting my soul from being marked by things of the world or the devil, and let my life only be changed and influenced by God's Word and things of Him.

{in conclusion...}

2 Corinthians 6:4-10

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.  

We are God's children. We have chosen to serve Him no matter what. And, as this passage reminds us, that means we have chosen to serve Him in purity. It means that no matter what the world says, or does to us, we will stand strong and protect ourselves from the evil influences which bombard us keep our hearts solely set apart for the good works of God. 

{a sneak peak into part 3}
In part 3, we are going to answer any questions you have. So, please, ask away! :) Post a comment. :) I'd want to get as many questions as I can, and I will post all reasonable questions I receive, so, ask away! :)

God bless you this week!

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Living a Life of Purity - Part 1 - Physical and Emotional Purity

{Introduction}
What is purity?
In the dictionary, the word ‘purity’ is described as being…
•  undiluted or unmixed with extraneous material
•  the state of being unsullied by sin or moral wrong; lacking a knowledge of evil
•  honour; virtue or chastity
Oswald Chambers defined purity in this way…
“…purity is something that has been tested and tried and has triumphed, something that has character at the back of it, that can overcome and has overcome.”
Elizabeth Elliot described purity as…
“… freedom from contamination, from anything that would spoil the taste or the pleasure…It means cleanness, clearness—no additives, nothing artificial—in other words, “all natural” in the sense in which the Original Designer designed it to be.”
These definitions give us a pretty high expectation of what purity should be, right? When we read that (according to the dictionary) purity is not morally wrong, that it is (in Chambers’ words) ‘tested and tried’, that purity is something which, as Elizabeth Elliot said, is what ‘the Original Designer designed it to be’, it is hard to believe that we can ever live a life which reflects this.
In this series, we are going to be delving into the Bible to discover what God says purity is, and how we can live this out in our life.
So, get comfy, settle down in your chair, grab your Bible and get ready to discover more about
        Living a Life of Purity.

{today’s view of purity}
When we hear the word ‘purity’, this is probably what most people think of. It’s the save-your-virginity for marriage talk, the don’t-kiss-a-total-stranger message, and the I-hope-it’s-okay-to-hold-hands question that teen couples ask. This is the aspect of purity which you DO.
Physical purity has been thrown out the door in many a western culture today. Instead of young people being urged to wait for that ‘special someone’ who they would spend their whole life with, they are now being told ‘It’s okay to have sex. Just use a condom.’ Even Christian teens want to know, ‘How far is too far? Can we kiss? Is it all okay as long as the clothes stay on?’. Many people think as long as they maintain their physical virginity, there are no dramas. The truth is, virginity is NOT just a physical thing – it is an emotional and spiritual thing too.
When we look back and study the original Hebrew language, you will find that the word ‘virgin’ means more than just ‘someone who hasn’t had sex’. It’s true! The original Hebrew word for ‘virgin’ actually means separated, committed, not on-the-market or available. To be a virgin, in God’s eyes, means that you have set your life apart for Him and for His best. It means that you view members of the opposite sex as brothers or sisters in Christ. It means you have a spirit of virginity – a heart attitude of set-apart-ness and faithfulness to God and your future spouse.
When we put it that way, being a virgin is more than just saving sex for marriage. We see that there is a lot more involved with keeping yourself for your one life partner than just not sleeping around. So, how do we live a life which reflects the Bible’s version of purity?

{living out of a Biblical purity}
When we live a life that reflects the fact that we believe in the Bible’s version of virginity (which, remember, is about keeping yourself set apart for God), our life is going to look a lot different to the lives of those around us. When everything we do springs out of the fact that we are separated for the work of God, there are a lot of things that we are not going to do which will makes us look ‘strange’ to those around us. And do you know what? That is okay. In fact, it is a good thing! Did everyone on the earth love Jesus? No – they killed Him. As we become shaped more into the image of Christ, the world is going to like us less and less, but we are becoming more and more like our precious Saviour, and isn’t that what we want?
In my opinion, living a life of Biblical purity is harder than anything else. It requires strength and courage that most people today don’t have. To live a life of purity, TRUE purity, we need to rely 100% on God. No matter what. We have to live each and everyday in His glorious strength, no our own, and be guided by Him in every step we take and word we speak. Our life has to be His.

{practical purity}
So, what does this look like in real life?
I would say the obvious – you don’t flirt, or advertise the fact that you are single. You are not hunting for another girlfriend or boyfriend. If you do have a relationship, you don’t get all huggy-huggy, kissy-kissy.
But then there is also the less thought about: you respect every person you meet as if they were your brother or sister (and there are some things you just DON’T do with a sibling…). You are not worried about pursing a relationship with a guy or girl – instead all you pursue is a deeper, more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Because your life revolves around Christ, you are not worried about keeping up with the latest trends, or looking good to the world because you are becoming more like Him, and that is all that matters.

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Watch this.
click here.

This is what we are missing. 
We sit in pews and wonder why nothing is happening.
We tell someone 'I will pray for you', go home, and forget.
We watch TV. Images of starving children, Video of out-of-control bushfires, The sounds of screaming people running in midst of a war-torn country. And we sit dry eyed and say 'oh those poor people'.
Do you really think that is what God is doing?
Does He sit in heaven, and see that beautiful child He created starving to death and think 'oh dear...'.
I think not.
Imagine a parent, whose child has passed away at a young age. How much does that parent weep for the child they have lost?
We are unrighteous. God is perfect. We mourn over death of our loved ones - how much more do you think God does so?
We HAVE to catch His heart.
We cannot live and profess to be Christians and not catch His heart.
Father God, break our heart for what breaks yours. May we weep tears for those children who starve. May we weep tears for those who run from the enemy who strives to kill them. May we weep for those who have no hope. May we weep for those who don't know you. Father, but may we also get off our seat and DO something about this. We pray in your precious name, Amen.

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Living a Life of Purity - Introduction

Welcome to my 3-part series on 'Living a Life of Purity'.

I believe that living a life of purity is one of the most important things we can do. In this series, we will be looking at the following 'parts' of purity.

• Part 1 - Physical and Emotional Purity
• Part 2 - Spiritual and Mental Purity
• Part 3 - Practical Purity

This series will be presented in the following format. Each post will have:

• Introduction
• Thoughts/teaching/lesson
• Practical tip/s
• Biblical references
• Challenge questions

Your questions and feedback regarding this series would be much appreciated!
This series will begin on Monday 31st August, 2009, with Part 1. Part 2 will be posted on Monday 7th September, and Part 3 on Monday 14th September. A wrap-up finale post will be posted in the week following the final part.

I have created a button for this series, and you will find it and the link to put on your blog in the sidebar. Please post this on your blog, so that others can be challenged and encouraged by this series too.

I can't wait for us to get started! Please pass on the message!

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The 10 Commandments - In a txt

I just read this over at Ken Davis' blog... I thought it was so clever; I had to share it with you!

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The 10 Commandments - in a txt

1. no1 b4 me. srsly.
2. dnt wrshp pix/idols
3. no omg’s
4. no wrk on w/end (sat 4 now; sun l8r)
5. pos ok – ur m&d r cool
6. dnt kill ppl
7. :-X only w/ m8
8. dnt steal
9. dnt lie re: bf
10. dnt ogle ur bf’s m8. or ox. or dnkey. myob.

ttyl, JHWH.

ps. wwjd?

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Isn't that cool? Let me know if you need help translating... hehehe...

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Living a Life that Counts

I know it isn't Wednesday, but I have really felt to share this...

Monday 17th August, 2009

Living a Life that Counts

Matthew 6:34 – Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Exodus 9:16 - But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

Isaiah 49:4 - But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God."

Today is the Tomorrow we worried about Yesterday.

We are not guaranteed that we will live to see tomorrow. Nowhere are we promised that we will get married, have kids and grow old. And yet, we expect with all certainty that tomorrow will be there for us. We presume that we will live long enough to find that special someone, settle down with a family and spend our grey-haired years in a rocking chair.

But it doesn’t always happen this way.

Everyday, all over the world, lives are cut short. People, mostly children, are dying because of the sin and selfishness of our world. There is a food crisis in so many countries - people starving to death, or becoming ill from eating rotten food.
Even in the plentiful countries that many of us live in, there is still hurt, pain, and suffering. People still die undeservingly. Car accidents - drunk drivers. Depression - suicide. Drug overdose.
As I type this, my heart is unsettled. Why do we live in a world so full of pain? Becuase of sin. But what are we doing to change this? What cause are we standing behind? Are we even trying to make a difference in this world?
If you were to die tomorrow, would your life have counted?
Right now, our challenge is this:
Will I put aside ME - the things that I want, MY dreams, MY comfort - and pursue HIM?
Am I willing to give up being popular on earth to be a valuable part of heaven?
What am I going to do to change even the smallest corner of this world?
Is my focus on me, or am I focused on God? Is He my first priority?
Do I live in such a way that I am sharing God's love and making a difference everywhere I go?
IF I DIED TONIGHT, WOULD MY LIFE HAVE COUNTED?

(Please comment your answers to these questions)

I'm not pointing fingers at anybody - I struggle with this each and everyday as well. My answers would be:
1) My soul is willing but my body is weak... As much as my heart's desire is for 'me' to die and for Christ to live and reign in me, that isn't the way I live all my life. It has to change. It will be radical - I will probably look pretty strange, even to other Christians. But it is what I have to do.
2) I figure - I'm not popular, but I seek to be. I want people to like me and to have friends. But, what is better - the acceptance of God, or that of people? Makes me think about what it is that I really want...
3) What am I doing now... While it may not really seem much, I guess helping out in the children's ministry at church is part of that... as is my writing and singing. I really need to think more about this...
4) I know that I focus on me more than I should... that is going to change though! I am determined to make God my first priority!
5) Again, I wish I could whole-heartedly say 'Yes!', but I know that this is a constant struggle and issue... I'm working on it!
6) ... I want to say yes, but I'm not sure...

Let's change, and live in such a way that we can say 'My life counted!'

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Relying on God

Wednesday 12th August 2009

Relying on God

2 Chronicles 14:11 – Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.”

Isaiah 50:10 – Who among you fears the LORD, and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

1 John 4:16 – And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. Go dis love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

Life is not always a bed of roses. It is not always like a piece of smooth dark chocolate. Sometimes it seems that life is not that smooth yacht ride you thought you got on – turns out it is actually a really big rollercoaster.
More than often, things happen in our lives that we wish didn’t. Dad might lose his job unexpectedly; perhaps your pet dog who you had lived with for your whole life suddenly passes away; it might be that your house is turned to dust in a freak bushfire which sweeps through your state.
Though these things are not fun, and don’t seem beneficial at the time, they have a purpose. God will never put you through anything you cannot handle. But do you know what? He doesn’t want you to try to do it all on your own.
When times get tough, it is not the bag of chocolate that we should turn to for comfort, it is our Bible. When we don’t know what is going to happen, don’t ask your friends for advice, or think that the newspaper horoscope will spell it out for you. Turn to God in prayer and ask Him and listen for the answer. If you suddenly find yourself drowning in a puddle of worries and woes, rise above that and worship your Saviour with all you have – because no matter what He is worthy.
In the book of Proverbs, we are told to not lean on our own understanding but to trust in God’s wisdom and turn to Him for direction in our life. But how often do we do that? Even in little choices, such as what we wear, we still need to ask ourselves what God would say about this.
So, we know we need to rely on God – not only in the bad times though, but in the good times. It can be hard to remember God when we are on the mountain top, or on the crest of the rollercoaster, but we have to. Our life, no matter what, needs to revolve around the wonderful love and goodness of our Heavenly Father. Even if it is hard, we need to worship Him because He is good and above all things.
The challenge to us now is this:

Will I put everything aside to know
and rely on my Father,
no matter what?

Things to think about (please comment your answers):
- What areas of my life am I holding onto and not letting God have control in?
- Where do I need to rely on God more?
- What things do I rely on now that I need to remove so I can rely on God more?
- What practical step am I going to take now – today – to rely more on God?

God bless you all as you rely more on Him!

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I like to talk about random things in life...

Today's random topic is...
FRIENDS.
Okay, I guess it's not so random. (though my friends often are... gotta love 'em!)
This post is going to have 3 parts - Part 1 - Things I love about my girl friends.
Part 2 - Things I love about my guy friends.
Part 3 - Things I love about being a friend.
So, without further ado...
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY GIRL FRIENDS
1. They are good for laughing with.
2. They are good for crying with.
3. They are good for talking to, yelling at, and dishing out dark secrets to.
4. I can call them, and they will talk - even if they have only 5 minutes, they will focus on chatting for that five and then go on with whatever else they have to do.
5. They can fix things with a hug and a smile.
6. Who else would I turn to for fashion advice?!?!
7. I'm SO not going to trust my hair and make-up to a guy... :) but my gals are welcome to make me over.
8. Sleepovers - it would be creepy with guys, so :) yay for us girls!
9. Giggling together while swinging at the park... good times!
10. They love me for who I am right now.
11. They love God first - over everything.
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY GUY FRIENDS
1. They are FUN-NY as anything.
2. They play sports with me - even though I suck at anything even remotely like exercise.
3. They don't really care if my sock colour doesn't match my underwear. (or outerwear, for that matter.)
4. They can get away with doing totally gross stuff - all we girls do is GIGGLE!
5. I know that if I ever need a big brother to cry on, they will just sit there and let me cry, not try to fix my whole world with big long fancy words.
6. They are passionate about life.
7. Did I mention they are REALLY funny?
8. They love God.
9. And they are just super fabulous and awesome and cool.
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BEING A FRIEND
1. I get to have fun.
2. I can be myself.
3. I can show someone else how much God loves them and how awesome they are just being themselves!
4. There is always someone to talk to or listen to.
5. There is always someone to eat chocolate with.
6. I can grow when I listen to their inspiring stories.
7. We are so close that they can tell me that my breath stinks and I won't be offended.
8. If I need something - they are there for me, and if they need something - I am there for them, no matter what.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and tell a friend how awesome they are!
God bless you all!

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Wednesday is a good day to work hard...

Or so I have found...
In my life, Wednesday is the only day of the week that I don't have anything at all scheduled (except for my brother's football practice... but that doesn't really have anything to do with me.) So, yes, anyway, Wednesday is a great day for me to work hard and get alot done. :) And today is no exception. I am preparing things to send off to my teacher, and I have an English speech assignment which I need to film. And some creative writing. But it is all fun! Let me encourage you (whenever you read this - on Wednesday or whenever) to work hard today. Don't let the hours run through your fingers - work hard and well for the glory of God.

Proverbs 14:23
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Acts 20:35
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

1 Corinthians 4:12
We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

2 Corinthians 6:4-6
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;

God bless you as you work hard for Him! Remember, this is what will bring blessings and fruitfulness into your life!

justagirl4god

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And I'm So Happy...

So very happy! I've got the love of Jesus in my heart...
If only it were that easy...

Why do we complicate life so much? Why can we not just accept that Christ loves us, died for us and wants us to live with him forever? Why do we humans need to complicate everything and have it all perfect in our little heads before we believe?

The Gospel:

Man sinned.
God loved.
Christ came.
Christ lived.
Man despised.
Christ died.
Christ is alive.
God loves.
Just accept it!

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Something of Value

When you think of the word ‘value’, what is the first thing that pops into your mind?

Gold? Silver? Jewellery? Bling? or maybe...
Family? Friends? Your pet cat? or perhaps you think more of the dictionary meaning...
Of Worth. Valuable. Important. Quality. Desirable.

Take a moment to think about it – what, in your life, have you assigned value to? What is important to you? What do you think is of worth or desirable?

Rather than a long post, I just want to challenge you about what you are valuing in your life – is God number one? If not, I challenge you to pray and remove the things that are getting in the way of you and God being closer than close... and work to put Him first in ALL that you do...
xo Blessings!
Justagirl4god

PS. It is FREEZING here today... currently 9 degrees Celcius... :) just a little bit chilly... :p

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Long time no blog!

Okay! So, here I am... I had a RATHER busy week last week, but hopefully this week will be less so. :)

First up, do you all like the new background? I love it... pretty and girly, yet classy at the same time... the new colour scheme rocks! Comment on it...

Second, urm... I watched the 'Rabbit Proof Fence' movie last night... it was so sad! And yet the main characters were so inspiring! If any of you Aussies out there get a chance to see it, you so should! Anyone else, you could watch it too, but you might not get as much out of it as us Aussies. You see, it was about these 3 Aboriginal girls who were taken away from their family becuase of this law that said this guy was in charge of all the Abroiginal people and could pretty much do whatever he wanted with half Aboriginal/half Caucasian kids... very sad...
But I learnt heaps from the movie and say 'check it out!'...

What else... not much, really! I am having fun just being me... reading my Bible... wanting to spend more time in the Word...

OH! Okay... here is a challenge for you all - I really want to get as many comments as I can for this...
Here is the question - let's hear your best answer -

How do you discipline yourself to read God's Word and spend time with Him each day?
(and how can I do better at it! I hardely ever remember to... and it makes me sad, and I just want to change!)

xo

justagirl4god

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