Well, I have not posted as much as I should lately. I've been, busy, and life has been so up and down that I just didn't want to post. So I will simply say that God has been so good to me, and has really been lifting me up the last few days from a very discouraging week last week. I might not post for a while, or a might post a lot. I don't know.
And a prayer request - my Dad, Mom, and oldest brother are down in Kentucky now looking at a house Erik is considering buying. Please pray that God will give them direction and wisdom about the house, and safety as they will be driving a lot. Thanks!
And... I will be 15 in 6 days. Yipes! :)
God bless.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
"These are a few of my favorite things..." =)
Ahh, what a lovely day! And on this lovely day, I am going to post about things I love.
Some things I love and am particularly thankful for today:
Beautiful skirts
Puffy clouds
Tortilla chips and salsa
"The Challenge"Nail polish
Sunflowers
Cats
and most of all,
Jesus Christ, His grace, His forgiveness, His glory, and all of who He is!
And I was also thinking about my favorite words. Here are some:
Precept: "A prescribed rule of conduct or action; instruction or direction regarding a given course or action; especially, a maxim in morals."
I love how this word is used so many times throughout the Bible, especially Psalm 119.
Lovely:
"Possessing mental or physical qualities that inspire admiration and love; charming."
Psalm 84:1 - "How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts!"
Maiden: (according to the Webster's 1828 dictionary)
"A young unmarried woman; a virgin; fresh; new; unused." It goes on to describe a maiden as one who speaks and acts "demurely or modestly."Modern dictionaries simply describe "maiden" as an unmarried woman. Rather than being a modern "maiden," or "chick," or even simply a "girl," I want to be a Webster's 1828 Dictionary maiden!
There are so many more words I love, so many other things I am thankful for, and so many blessings in my life, but I won't go on all day! ;)
May Jesus Christ be praised!!!
Some things I love and am particularly thankful for today:
Beautiful skirts
Puffy clouds
Tortilla chips and salsa
"The Challenge"Nail polish
Sunflowers
Cats
and most of all,
Jesus Christ, His grace, His forgiveness, His glory, and all of who He is!
And I was also thinking about my favorite words. Here are some:
Precept: "A prescribed rule of conduct or action; instruction or direction regarding a given course or action; especially, a maxim in morals."
I love how this word is used so many times throughout the Bible, especially Psalm 119.
Lovely:
"Possessing mental or physical qualities that inspire admiration and love; charming."
Psalm 84:1 - "How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts!"
Maiden: (according to the Webster's 1828 dictionary)
"A young unmarried woman; a virgin; fresh; new; unused." It goes on to describe a maiden as one who speaks and acts "demurely or modestly."Modern dictionaries simply describe "maiden" as an unmarried woman. Rather than being a modern "maiden," or "chick," or even simply a "girl," I want to be a Webster's 1828 Dictionary maiden!
There are so many more words I love, so many other things I am thankful for, and so many blessings in my life, but I won't go on all day! ;)May Jesus Christ be praised!!!
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Challenge
Wow, where do I begin?
I haven't posted in a while because God has been teaching me so, so many things, and I have had too many thoughts to put into words.
First of all, I have been reading a book called The Challenge. It is so overwhelmingly wonderful! It is about a man named David, as he serves the Lord. Near the beginning, he meets a young woman named Hope and her family. I have learned SO much from reading about the gentle and quiet spirit Hope and her mother have, and I've been in awe of how David and all of Hope's family serves, worships, delights in, and communes with the Lord. The book is a novel, so it's not "real," but the challenges and lessons in it are very real. Christ CAN make me that much like Him!
Jesus has been drawing me closer through so many different things, each and every day. Through reading this book, especially, He has revealed so many new and wonderful things to me! It seems discouraging when, although I know the truth of how to live as Christ would desire me to, I still act so foolishly and fail Him so much. But change is a process, not an event. The purpose of me becoming like Him is not so that I can be proud of myself, or delight in my "goodness," but so that He will be glorified, and that I may know Him more.
So as I continue to fall on my face before the Lord, and He continues to forgive me and pick me up again, I want to day by day be more like Him. I want to be a woman of prayer, communing with Him every moment, and becoming more like Him every day.
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."
Jude 24-25
(photo credit to Cody for these pictures)
I haven't posted in a while because God has been teaching me so, so many things, and I have had too many thoughts to put into words.
First of all, I have been reading a book called The Challenge. It is so overwhelmingly wonderful! It is about a man named David, as he serves the Lord. Near the beginning, he meets a young woman named Hope and her family. I have learned SO much from reading about the gentle and quiet spirit Hope and her mother have, and I've been in awe of how David and all of Hope's family serves, worships, delights in, and communes with the Lord. The book is a novel, so it's not "real," but the challenges and lessons in it are very real. Christ CAN make me that much like Him!
Jesus has been drawing me closer through so many different things, each and every day. Through reading this book, especially, He has revealed so many new and wonderful things to me! It seems discouraging when, although I know the truth of how to live as Christ would desire me to, I still act so foolishly and fail Him so much. But change is a process, not an event. The purpose of me becoming like Him is not so that I can be proud of myself, or delight in my "goodness," but so that He will be glorified, and that I may know Him more.
So as I continue to fall on my face before the Lord, and He continues to forgive me and pick me up again, I want to day by day be more like Him. I want to be a woman of prayer, communing with Him every moment, and becoming more like Him every day."Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."
Jude 24-25
(photo credit to Cody for these pictures)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Love Song for a Savior
In open fields of wild flowers,
She breathes the air and flies away
She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
In no simple language
Someday she'll understand the meaning of it all
He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
Someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call her and she will come running
And fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray,
"I want to fall in love with You, I want to fall in love with You.
I want to fall in love with You, I want to fall in love with You."
"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness," Psalm 30:11 ♥
As a little girl, I believed in Jesus, but I didn't know Him deeply. Over time He's teaching me the meaning of it all, and how to trust and see Him. And I want to fall in love with Him!
Photo credit goes to Cody for this one. Song lyrics are "Love Song for a Savior," by Jars of Clay.
She breathes the air and flies away
She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
In no simple language
Someday she'll understand the meaning of it all
He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
Someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call her and she will come running
And fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray,
"I want to fall in love with You, I want to fall in love with You.
I want to fall in love with You, I want to fall in love with You."
"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness," Psalm 30:11 ♥As a little girl, I believed in Jesus, but I didn't know Him deeply. Over time He's teaching me the meaning of it all, and how to trust and see Him. And I want to fall in love with Him!
Photo credit goes to Cody for this one. Song lyrics are "Love Song for a Savior," by Jars of Clay.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Blessings galore :)
My brother, Zach, turned 19 yesterday! Woo-hoo! Also, my grandpa came to visit, which was really neat because he lives far away and we don't see him very often. We all had brownies and ice cream to celebrate Zach's birthday last night, and he's also having a party tomorrow night. What fun!
Sunday School was a real blessing to me last night. We talked about sharing our faith, and some of the essentials of it. Our youth group is planning a 3-day rafting (and camping) trip for mid-August - I can't wait!
This morning my grandpa stayed for breakfast, and left around 9:00 AM. We've done some chores and such today, but it has been a restful day overall. I got a chance to read a couple chapters of the book, "A Quest for More" by Paul David Tripp, which a mentioned in a previous post.Only one more chapter left! It is SUCH a good book; God has taught me so much through it! You really should read it - it's very helpful and encouraging!
Sunday School was a real blessing to me last night. We talked about sharing our faith, and some of the essentials of it. Our youth group is planning a 3-day rafting (and camping) trip for mid-August - I can't wait!
This morning my grandpa stayed for breakfast, and left around 9:00 AM. We've done some chores and such today, but it has been a restful day overall. I got a chance to read a couple chapters of the book, "A Quest for More" by Paul David Tripp, which a mentioned in a previous post.Only one more chapter left! It is SUCH a good book; God has taught me so much through it! You really should read it - it's very helpful and encouraging!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Time flies!
So, I was looking through pictures last night on my computer of me a few years ago, and thinking how much has changed.
This is me (left) and my best friend (right) about 6 years ago - when I was 9. Can you believe that chubby face is mine? :) Emily and I have been good friends through the years, and I am SO thankful for her. Our friendship strengthens through time, and she is still my closest friend! We've been through a lot together.
I think I was 10 in this picture. This picture was taken at one of the lovely tea parties I used to have with my mom. :) Life sure was simpler back then! I mostly did was I was told because I wanted to make people happy, and because it was easy. It wasn't until later that I actually had make a hard, but wonderful decision to serve Christ, no matter what.
This is me at almost 11. When I was that age, I always did my hair by pushing it back with a headband. The day this picture was taken is memorable because it was a Sunday afternoon, and Erik and I were taking a long walk together. What a wonderful day! When I was 11, some things started to change. It wasn't always easy. One of the best things that changed was that Christ started becoming truly real in my life.
12 was an interesting year. I somehow went completely nuts. In some ways, it was a really fun year. But I was not living for Christ like I should have been, and I started out on a downhill path. I couldn't find any *nice* pictures of my at 12, so I made a collage of the crazy ones.
Thirteen, at first, was a really great and really awful year. For a while, I started to walk back uphill again. But it was in my own strength, not Christ's. About halfway through the year, I started to run downhill again, hard and fast.
Near the end of my 13th year, God started to wake me up. He used some pretty awesome things... one of them was my mom! My mom was a huge help to me. I didn't always appreciate it at the time, but I sure do now! Then starts this past year - 14. God has really taken hold of my hands and started teaching me dance with Him. I am every bit as sinful, and every bit as unworthy as I ever was, but he has shown me that it's not about me! I don't have to earn his grace. I am falling more in love with him every day. There have been times, this year, when I have stooped so far, and my heart has left my True Love, Jesus Christ. But He has never left me. He keeps bringing me back, and teaching me more about who He is. Wow, He is SO awesome!!
And now, I am almost fifteen. My birthday is August 1st - wow, time sure flies!
This is me (left) and my best friend (right) about 6 years ago - when I was 9. Can you believe that chubby face is mine? :) Emily and I have been good friends through the years, and I am SO thankful for her. Our friendship strengthens through time, and she is still my closest friend! We've been through a lot together.
I think I was 10 in this picture. This picture was taken at one of the lovely tea parties I used to have with my mom. :) Life sure was simpler back then! I mostly did was I was told because I wanted to make people happy, and because it was easy. It wasn't until later that I actually had make a hard, but wonderful decision to serve Christ, no matter what.
This is me at almost 11. When I was that age, I always did my hair by pushing it back with a headband. The day this picture was taken is memorable because it was a Sunday afternoon, and Erik and I were taking a long walk together. What a wonderful day! When I was 11, some things started to change. It wasn't always easy. One of the best things that changed was that Christ started becoming truly real in my life.
12 was an interesting year. I somehow went completely nuts. In some ways, it was a really fun year. But I was not living for Christ like I should have been, and I started out on a downhill path. I couldn't find any *nice* pictures of my at 12, so I made a collage of the crazy ones.
Thirteen, at first, was a really great and really awful year. For a while, I started to walk back uphill again. But it was in my own strength, not Christ's. About halfway through the year, I started to run downhill again, hard and fast.
Near the end of my 13th year, God started to wake me up. He used some pretty awesome things... one of them was my mom! My mom was a huge help to me. I didn't always appreciate it at the time, but I sure do now! Then starts this past year - 14. God has really taken hold of my hands and started teaching me dance with Him. I am every bit as sinful, and every bit as unworthy as I ever was, but he has shown me that it's not about me! I don't have to earn his grace. I am falling more in love with him every day. There have been times, this year, when I have stooped so far, and my heart has left my True Love, Jesus Christ. But He has never left me. He keeps bringing me back, and teaching me more about who He is. Wow, He is SO awesome!!
And now, I am almost fifteen. My birthday is August 1st - wow, time sure flies!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Our God is an Awesome God!
Wow... I just have to start by saying God is good.
I've learned so much lately. Over the past few days, there have been several tests of my faith. Sometimes I passed them... and often I didn't.
But you know what? It's not about me.
Jesus didn't die on the cross to make me a better person.Jesus didn't die on the cross to make me love him.
Jesus didn't die on the cross to make me happy.
Jesus didn't die on the cross to make things easier for me.
So why did He die on the cross?Ephesians 3:7 "that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
He did it because He is God. He is holy. He is awesome. He is good.
The reason He died is that He is love, and He wants to lavish His love and grace on us!
I'm not going to wake up someday and be overcome with joy that I am perfect, thrilled that I know how to live the Christian life. That joy comes from waking up and knowing that He is God, and He is AWESOME!
I don't have to be perfect; I just have to rest in his grace. I will never be able to repay Him for His awesome love, but I don't have to! Thankfully, it's not about how "good" I am, it's about how truly GOOD and AWESOME He is!
However, that doesn't mean I should just go and live however I want to, and not try to please Him...
1Peter 2:16 "as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God."
Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may bound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?"
I am FREE! Serving Christ has been given to me as a privilege and delight! He loves me, and has saved me! I am so thankful and so in awe that He would save a wretch like me!
I've learned so much lately. Over the past few days, there have been several tests of my faith. Sometimes I passed them... and often I didn't.But you know what? It's not about me.
Jesus didn't die on the cross to make me a better person.Jesus didn't die on the cross to make me love him.
Jesus didn't die on the cross to make me happy.
Jesus didn't die on the cross to make things easier for me.
So why did He die on the cross?Ephesians 3:7 "that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
He did it because He is God. He is holy. He is awesome. He is good.
The reason He died is that He is love, and He wants to lavish His love and grace on us!
I'm not going to wake up someday and be overcome with joy that I am perfect, thrilled that I know how to live the Christian life. That joy comes from waking up and knowing that He is God, and He is AWESOME!I don't have to be perfect; I just have to rest in his grace. I will never be able to repay Him for His awesome love, but I don't have to! Thankfully, it's not about how "good" I am, it's about how truly GOOD and AWESOME He is!
However, that doesn't mean I should just go and live however I want to, and not try to please Him...1Peter 2:16 "as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God."
Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may bound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?"
I am FREE! Serving Christ has been given to me as a privilege and delight! He loves me, and has saved me! I am so thankful and so in awe that He would save a wretch like me!
Friday, July 2, 2010
My brother Erik!
Ah, another beautiful day that the Lord has made! And today, I get to write about Erik!
Erik is my awesome 20-year-old cowboy brother. Throughout my life, he has been a great friend and mentor to me.
He is very smart and studious. When it comes to linguistics or grammar, I can always ask him for help, because he is spectacular at them! Since he loves languages so much, he loves to learn them. He knows at least a little bit of many different languages. Incredibly, he has even created languages!
During the day, he is usually quite busy working as a web editor for Answers in Genesis. For the most part, he edits website articles, blog posts, and emails, or manages technical things.
Erik is very sweet and sensitive. Understandingly, he can always tell when I'm sad or upset. He's an admirable person. Exceeding my wisdom, his advice is something I really treasure. For me, it is very encouraging to talk to him because he always helps me to hold to a high standard in every area of life.
Theology, history, photography, computers, fantasy, books, and the outdoors are some of his many interests.
As I mentioned before, he's kind of a cowboy. He loves horses, country music, and campfires. He looks great in a plaid shirt, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat!
He's crazy about music! Practicing often, he has learned to play guitar, pennywhistle, chord piano, djembe, and even a little bit of violin.
Doesn't he look great in his hand-made chainmail?
He's also carved flutes out of American bamboo, created languages, and written songs. He's so creative!
While he is often serious or calm, Erik can also be really fun! He and I have had a lot of laughs together. :) Sometimes we can be so silly, and just laugh for a long time about things that aren't even all that funny!
Dependability is a quality that Erik has that I really appreciate. I can always rely on him!
It's such a blessing to have a man of God like Erik for my brother! <3
Erik is my awesome 20-year-old cowboy brother. Throughout my life, he has been a great friend and mentor to me.
He is very smart and studious. When it comes to linguistics or grammar, I can always ask him for help, because he is spectacular at them! Since he loves languages so much, he loves to learn them. He knows at least a little bit of many different languages. Incredibly, he has even created languages!
During the day, he is usually quite busy working as a web editor for Answers in Genesis. For the most part, he edits website articles, blog posts, and emails, or manages technical things.
Erik is very sweet and sensitive. Understandingly, he can always tell when I'm sad or upset. He's an admirable person. Exceeding my wisdom, his advice is something I really treasure. For me, it is very encouraging to talk to him because he always helps me to hold to a high standard in every area of life.
Theology, history, photography, computers, fantasy, books, and the outdoors are some of his many interests.
As I mentioned before, he's kind of a cowboy. He loves horses, country music, and campfires. He looks great in a plaid shirt, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat!
He's crazy about music! Practicing often, he has learned to play guitar, pennywhistle, chord piano, djembe, and even a little bit of violin.
Doesn't he look great in his hand-made chainmail?
He's also carved flutes out of American bamboo, created languages, and written songs. He's so creative!While he is often serious or calm, Erik can also be really fun! He and I have had a lot of laughs together. :) Sometimes we can be so silly, and just laugh for a long time about things that aren't even all that funny!
Dependability is a quality that Erik has that I really appreciate. I can always rely on him!
It's such a blessing to have a man of God like Erik for my brother! <3
Thursday, July 1, 2010
My brother Zach!
Hey again! Today I get to write about... Zach!
My brother Zach is 18 and will be 19 on July 11th. He is a really awesome brother! Finding pictures of him was hard, but I got a few good ones. :)
Zach is imaginative and artistic. I think that is why he's also very good at writing. In his stories, he always writes very interesting things. Dragons are something he's especially interested in. If you were to look at the pictures he has drawn of them, and the clay models he's made, you would have to agree that he's quite skilled!
I'm not sure how he does it, but he can bake really well! Creatively, he bakes delicious food without even using a recipe! Even if he and I both baked something using the same recipe, I know his would turn out better! :)
Zach's not a particularly extroverted person; usually he enjoys being alone or with a few people he knows well, rather than being in a large crowd.
I love laughing, so I really enjoy how remarkably witty and funny he sometimes is!
Because he is extraordinarily smart when it comes to science and history, he understands a lot of concepts that I don't understand at all! He also knows a lot of miscellaneous facts about many other things. Memorizing things comes relatively easily to him, so he's great at memorizing scripture!
He's also very generous. If he gets a gift or something, he often loves to share it. :)
Considering all of the evil in this world, it is a rare and wonderful thing to see him seeking to be a man of God! It is fantastic to see him desiring to do what is right!
It is such a blessing to have a great brother like Zach, and I am so thankful for him!
My brother Zach is 18 and will be 19 on July 11th. He is a really awesome brother! Finding pictures of him was hard, but I got a few good ones. :)
Zach is imaginative and artistic. I think that is why he's also very good at writing. In his stories, he always writes very interesting things. Dragons are something he's especially interested in. If you were to look at the pictures he has drawn of them, and the clay models he's made, you would have to agree that he's quite skilled!
I'm not sure how he does it, but he can bake really well! Creatively, he bakes delicious food without even using a recipe! Even if he and I both baked something using the same recipe, I know his would turn out better! :)Zach's not a particularly extroverted person; usually he enjoys being alone or with a few people he knows well, rather than being in a large crowd.
I love laughing, so I really enjoy how remarkably witty and funny he sometimes is!
Because he is extraordinarily smart when it comes to science and history, he understands a lot of concepts that I don't understand at all! He also knows a lot of miscellaneous facts about many other things. Memorizing things comes relatively easily to him, so he's great at memorizing scripture!
He's also very generous. If he gets a gift or something, he often loves to share it. :)
Considering all of the evil in this world, it is a rare and wonderful thing to see him seeking to be a man of God! It is fantastic to see him desiring to do what is right!
It is such a blessing to have a great brother like Zach, and I am so thankful for him!
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