I'm not cool, but that's okay :)

Wow. I just thought I'd tell you all that I had an AMAZING weekend. Some friends of mine invited me to an event called Youth Ablaze, which I had never heard of before. It sounded pretty cool, and I thought it would be a spectacular opportunity since I had been wanting to see them again, anyway. When we got there, I was kind of intimidated. It was huge! I had never been to anything like it before. During the second sermon, I broke down crying and was extremely encouraged and challenged. Later on, at supper, I pretty much spilled my whole life story and told my friends everything I've been going struggling with. They were so supportive and welcoming - I loved it so much.

This weekend has taught me one basic thing: be different. I need to be unafraid of being totally and completely different from our culture - no matter what anyone says or thinks about me. It sounds like a scary concept, really - being brave enough to do things (or not do things) that may cause me to be despised or mocked. But in truth, it's freedom. While most people are stuck wearing, watching, saying, and doing only what the culture tells them is acceptable, I can choose ANYTHING that pleases God! If you think that God is a harsh taskmaster, you should try obeying trends and culture. Christ does have expectations about what we do, say, think, wear, etc. But His expectations are freeing, not confining. I can be a total freak to the world, and still please Christ! It's pretty cool when you think about it. :)

"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:30

Here's a link to an awesome song that goes along with this:

I'm Not Cool - Scott Krippayne

That's all for now, folks!

Breaking Free

Hi again, friends! It has been a busy December, and first week of January. My brother, Erik, visited for two weeks, and for the second week his girlfriend, Leah, and her family came to visit, too! It was a full house, and lots of fun. It was especially fun for me, I think, because I don't often get to have girls in the house, and there were several that week. :)

This week I have been getting back to doing school, and I am loving it. Having had a break over Christmas, I've come back to it with a new vigor. Also, my best friend Emily has come spent the night at my house twice this week, which has been a real treat for both of us.

As this new year is starting off, I decide to assess my life and see if there are changes that I need to commit to this year. I discovered a lot of things that need to change, but the biggest thing is the media input in my life. I realized that I watch a LOT of movies, and listen to a shocking amount of secular music, not to mention the amount of time I spent on facebook. I didn't listen to "bad" music, but it wasn't music that edifies me and inspires me to serve Christ more. The same is true about the movies I usually watch. As I became aware of these things, I felt the Lord calling me to make some significant changes this year - like I've never done before.

"Come away," Jesus was whispering to my soul. He wants me to know true joy, not settle for counterfeit joys in godless entertainment. Truly, these influences only extract joy from life; they don't add to it.

So here are the "resolutions," if you will. I have committed to God that I'm not going to waste my time watching movies or listening to songs that do not push me on to knowing Jesus Christ more deeply, which is the purpose of my life. Now, if my family wants to watch a movie together or something, that is okay. The purpose is to glorify God and break free from being saturated with our sinful culture, not to follow some spectacular rule that will magically change my life. Because, as you know, discovering God is what is life-changing, not legalism.

I also deactivated my facebook. I know my life will be much better without it. I can still email my friends, write on my blog, and all sorts of wonderful things. But, facebook just did not have a positive affect on me.

Since I am getting rid of some facets of my life, I also decided I need to replace them with better things. I am reading through the Bible this year, and I love it! I'm reading a Daily Bible, which is divided into daily, chronological readings, with devotional thoughts. Reading about Lot in the the city of Sodom today, I was convinced yet again that the changes I am making this year are necessary. I don't want to live in a such a way that I am completely imbued with sinful, secular concepts. I want to flee them! It is essential that we pursue righteousness - hard. I need to get out of "Sodom" (A place of secular influence) and live well.

I am so excited to see what will happen this year. Surely it will be a year of extreme change in my life, and hopefully I will be much more like Christ by breaking free of this entrapment.

Live Every Moment

Last night, at prayer meeting, Ecclesiastes 9:1-10 was preached on. What grabbed me the most out of this passage was verse 10: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going."

Recently I have been living in the future. Dreaming about something that will happen next week, next year, or far into the future, I tend to forget the life is composed of only one moment: right now. It will never be "tomorrow." Do you realize that? Wow! It will always be right now. When tomorrow comes, it will become right now. If I live in the future, I'm not really living at all. This is my only life; I want to live every minute of it to the fullest! I don't ever want to miss the opportunity of the present moment. I need to do everything with all of my might. Whether it's studying Biology, writing a blogpost, listening to a sermon, sorting laundry, or anything else, I want to delight in it and use it to serve the Lord. My life should be a continual offering.

Also, what if I don't live to see tomorrow? What would I do today if I knew I didn't have another day of life? I certainly wouldn't get caught up in my dreams of the future; I would take advantage of every single second. I wouldn't waste time doing selfish things, "vegging out," or complaining.

Life is short. Since we don't know if we have tomorrow, let's live like today is all we've got. We don't have to cling to right now or become desperate, either. We just need to trust in God's goodness, mercy, and grace, enjoy every blessing, and persevere through every trial. Live every moment!

"Only one life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last." (C.T. Studd - Missionary)

So much to say, so little space!

Goodness! Has it really been 2 weeks since I've written? I guess I have this idea in my head that I'll write every couple of days, but that never happens, does it!

Well, my trip snowboarding on the bunny hill with McKayla was wonderful! Added to the coolness of that, she's letting me borrow her snowboard for a couple of weeks to finish out my season! It's so neat how God works things out like that. I didn't go snowboarding last Thursday because I was REALLY tired! I think that's the first time in a long time that I've been home on a Thursday. Hopefully I can go this week though. I'm excited to be hitting the slopes again!

Another thing I am exited about: My month without sugar is almost over!!! :D I have SOOO missed my chocolate and ice cream! I will be done this Sunday, and I'm going to eat a whole chocolate bar!

Today my oldest brother had his first day working full-time with Answers in Genesis! Yay! Congratulations, Erik! He has been working part-time with them for a couple of months now, and to celebrate him going full-time we went to Pizza Hut yesterday! Yummy! I also made him some fudge because he loooves fudge. I had never made it before so I was afraid it wouldn't turn out right. It turned out quite well though. Too bad I couldn't have any!

Tomorrow is the first day of a new challenge! Try it with me - you'll like this one! This one isn't as hard though. It's called "Seven Days in a Dress," and is hosted by Simply Sarah-Anne. It's a challenge to wear only skirts or dresses every day for 7 days, and to do your hair differently each day. The principle behind it is learning to dress in a way that is feminine, orderly, and modest. I can't wait! I'm not a skirts-only girl, but I do love wearing skirts! It is quite possible to dress in a way that is feminine, modest, and neat wearing pants, but wearing skirts is also a great way to do it! Dressing modestly makes a statement to the world that a girl is not "for sale" and is set-apart. Now if you're not accustomed to wearing skirts, this might be more of a challenge for you. But try it! It really is a lot of fun, and wearing skirts is certainly becoming of a Christian woman, so it's so worth it! I hope you all will try it with me! :)

Well, that's all I have to say for now. I'll end with some scripture to ponder...
James 4:6-10
^"6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' ⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

May God bless you in all that you do! Stay strong in Him!