This coming school year, my sister, Madelyn, will be going into middle school. I want her to get the most out of it, so I have decided to write her a middle school survival guide.
Dear Madelyn,
Welcome to the wonderful world of bells, 6 classes, and crazy personalities. Middle school will be a big change from 5th grade. Here are some tips I have for keeping your head on straight and having successful character.
1. Make sure you are willing to break apart from the majority. Don't worry about fitting in. You might not be the picture perfect popular girl, but don't feel like you have to be. Stand out. Be different. It will get you a lot further than fitting in.
2. Keep a good relationship with Mom and Dad. I cannot understand why my friends hate their parents or don't want to stay in touch with them. They love you, so don't treat them like dirt. Plus, keeping a good relationship means less yelling and more fun.
3. Choose your friends wisely. You reflect your friends, so be around the people that you want to be like.
4. Don't let others words get to you. You might get lots of negative comments from a lot of people (but I don't know why because you are an amazing girl), just don't let there words bring you down. You are worth so much more than what other people think of you.
5. Keep your eyes on God. His opinion matters most. Stick with Him and always know that He will be there to catch you if you fall. Make sure He is the center of your years and they will turn out great!
Love you sissy,
Abby <3
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
My Fear of People (Well sort of)
I get scared sometimes. Okay, I will admit; I get scared a lot. I am afraid of things like snakes, lizards (don't even ask why), an over-attachment to Facebook (yes, that scares me). But what scares me most, is that people that I walk by everyday won't be with me in heaven. That they won't ever get the chance to hear the glorious news of Christ. I am afraid for people I don't know. And do you know the worst part? I won't be able to tell all of them. I could always stop people in the hallways, but there will be that person that walks to fast for me to catch. How am I supposed to tell ALL of them?
That is where you all come in. Not only is it my job to tell them, but it's your job too. We are all called as children of God to be lights to the darkest corners. We all need to share Christ instead of hogging Him.
So this week, I challenge you. Be a light to ONE person (or more if your heart so does desire). You don't even have to pick a stranger, it can be a friend. Tell them about Christ, or even just invite them to church. I want God to use us this week. Help me get over my fear, and lets be the sparks to set the world on fire.
That is where you all come in. Not only is it my job to tell them, but it's your job too. We are all called as children of God to be lights to the darkest corners. We all need to share Christ instead of hogging Him.
So this week, I challenge you. Be a light to ONE person (or more if your heart so does desire). You don't even have to pick a stranger, it can be a friend. Tell them about Christ, or even just invite them to church. I want God to use us this week. Help me get over my fear, and lets be the sparks to set the world on fire.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Psalm 69
I read this week during my devotions and really fell in love with it. David really pours out his heart and begs for God to rescue him. This really fit what I was going through. Saturday, I felt like I couldn't feel God, and that I was just going through the motions. But then, when I read this, I was encouraged to keep marching on. Although I really like verses 1-19 (and really encourage you to look at them), my favorite part was verses 29-33:
29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
may your salvation, God, protect me.
may your salvation, God, protect me.
30 I will praise God’s name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
32 The poor will see and be glad—
you who seek God, may your hearts live!
33 The Lord hears the needy
and does not despise his captive people
and glorify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
32 The poor will see and be glad—
you who seek God, may your hearts live!
33 The Lord hears the needy
and does not despise his captive people
I realized that the Lord does hear me, and that He does care, and even though we have hard times finding God, He will still use us to set the world on fire.
Monday, April 8, 2013
My Favorite Sound
"In death, in life, I am confident and covered by the power of Your great love. My debt is paid, there is nothing that can separate my heart from Your great love."
Friday night I went to a For King and Country concert. I had heard 2 of their songs before, but other than that, I was clueless. However, soon after they started playing, I knew that I liked them. The first thing they did was explain their name and how it was a battle cry and how it related to how we should be for Christ. What really got me though when we sang Jesus Culture's song, One Thing Remains. I posted the words to the bridge up above. But what made me get the chills was listening to everyone sing it. Hearing hundreds of people singing praise to the Lord really sends a shiver down your spine. " In death, in life I'm confident and covered by the power of Your great love." And even though I usually don't like out of tune notes or weird rhythms, I have a new favorite sound: the off key, off beat sound of people singing praise to the God who covers us with His love.
Friday night I went to a For King and Country concert. I had heard 2 of their songs before, but other than that, I was clueless. However, soon after they started playing, I knew that I liked them. The first thing they did was explain their name and how it was a battle cry and how it related to how we should be for Christ. What really got me though when we sang Jesus Culture's song, One Thing Remains. I posted the words to the bridge up above. But what made me get the chills was listening to everyone sing it. Hearing hundreds of people singing praise to the Lord really sends a shiver down your spine. " In death, in life I'm confident and covered by the power of Your great love." And even though I usually don't like out of tune notes or weird rhythms, I have a new favorite sound: the off key, off beat sound of people singing praise to the God who covers us with His love.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Our Purpose
Most
atheists will say that our purpose in life was to reproduce.
I
have to believe that our purpose in life is more than reproducing; that we are
called to do more than mate and have kids. If that was our purpose, then why do
people take their jobs too seriously? Why do they go and drink away all of
their problems? Why do we buy the
latest “I” products? Why do people
just want to have fun? Why do we
have feelings for the people we mate with? Why do teenagers moan when they find they are pregnant? Why have they created ways to inhibit
and destroy reproduction all together?
If our purpose is to have children, then why do we pour our energy into
reaching space, breaking the limits of Earth and her atmosphere? Our advancements are so much greater
than being thrust into the category of animals. No other animal has built higher or flown to the heights, or
invented what we have. How can
someone look at the complexity of the brain and the human genome and our body
and say that we evolved from a single celled organism that somehow appeared
during the Big Bang. No, I must
believe that we are created for a higher purpose, called to a higher goal, and
that goal is to further the kingdom of Christ and to worship Him.
Matthew 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inb the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Fulfill God's purpose for your life and set the world on fire.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Build Your House on the Rock
Funny how a children's song reminds you of where your priorities lie.
The wise man built his house upon the rock
And the rain came tumbling down! The rain came down
And the floods came up
And the wise man’s house stood firm!
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
And the rain came tumbling down
The rain came down
And the floods came up
And the foolish man’s house went SPLAT!
This song truly illustrates life. We have a choice whether or not we want to build our house on the sands of this world.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galations 5)
Or we could chose to build our lives on the Rock, not Dwayne Johnson, but Christ, and heavenly things.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galations 5)
I like the last part best because it puts it into practical terms for your life.
So, build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
And the blessings will come down
The blessings come down
As your prayer go up
So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Build your life on the Rock and He will use you to set the world on fire!
The wise man built his house upon the rock
And the rain came tumbling down! The rain came down
And the floods came up
And the wise man’s house stood firm!
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
And the rain came tumbling down
The rain came down
And the floods came up
And the foolish man’s house went SPLAT!
This song truly illustrates life. We have a choice whether or not we want to build our house on the sands of this world.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galations 5)
Or we could chose to build our lives on the Rock, not Dwayne Johnson, but Christ, and heavenly things.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galations 5)
I like the last part best because it puts it into practical terms for your life.
So, build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
And the blessings will come down
The blessings come down
As your prayer go up
So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Build your life on the Rock and He will use you to set the world on fire!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
The Computer Analogy
"I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when
its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down
computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark,"
~ Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking is regarded as one of the most intelligent people on the planet. However, he has a hole in his life only able to be filled by God. This statement was made in 2011. I find however that Hawking has forgotten the parts of a computer.
I compare the hard drive of a computer to the soul. It lasts even after the computer itself dies because the information can be recovered from this. Like this, the soul lasts even after the "computer" dies. What you choose to do with your "computer" also matters. Accepting the gift of Christ is like getting a warranty for your computer. You will be able to get a new computer with the same hard drive, even after the first one dies. When you don't accept the warranty, after the computer dies, it is worthless. Even though it has the hard drive, nothing can be done because you don't have anything to recover the hard drive with.
Putting your faith in Christ can be hard. It is like performing an obstacle course blind folded. But accepting Christ is like adding a person beside you to hold your hand. You still can't see what lies ahead, but you have someone next to you who can.
"Hebrews 11:1
Learn to rely on Christ even when you cannot see what lies in the next step or the next mile and He will help you to set the world on fire!
~ Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking is regarded as one of the most intelligent people on the planet. However, he has a hole in his life only able to be filled by God. This statement was made in 2011. I find however that Hawking has forgotten the parts of a computer.
I compare the hard drive of a computer to the soul. It lasts even after the computer itself dies because the information can be recovered from this. Like this, the soul lasts even after the "computer" dies. What you choose to do with your "computer" also matters. Accepting the gift of Christ is like getting a warranty for your computer. You will be able to get a new computer with the same hard drive, even after the first one dies. When you don't accept the warranty, after the computer dies, it is worthless. Even though it has the hard drive, nothing can be done because you don't have anything to recover the hard drive with.
Putting your faith in Christ can be hard. It is like performing an obstacle course blind folded. But accepting Christ is like adding a person beside you to hold your hand. You still can't see what lies ahead, but you have someone next to you who can.
"Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
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