Strength for Today, Bright Hope for Tomorrow

God's Faithfulness

2012-02-06T19:03:00.000-08:00

Recently, I was reminded of God’s faithfulness. The fact
that He never leaves me, or forsakes me. He’s always there, even when other
people aren’t. He loves me unconditionally, regardless of how much or how
little I’m loving Him at any given time. God continues to love and hold me even
when my heart gets distracted by other things. His faithfulness is like no
other. Great is His faithfulness!

Kindness and Truth

2012-01-05T13:20:00.000-08:00

Do not let kindness and truth leave you;

Bind them around your neck,

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Proverbs 3:3

When I read this verse the other day, I stopped to ponderits meaning. We need to let kindness and truth invade our lives. They should bein everything we say and do. They should be what characterize us. And we are todo everything possible to not let them leave us. “Bind them around your neck”. This made me think of putting anecklace on. Kindness and truth should adorn and grace our lives like abeautiful necklace. This verse also says to “write kindness and truth on the tablet of your heart”. A couple ofimages came to mind when I read this. When I went to Israel, I had the opportunity tosee the Dead Sea Scrolls and a tablet of stone with writing on it that provesPontius Pilot lived. That stone and the scrolls have survived for centuries.They were meant to be permanent when they were written. Kindness and truthshould be ingrained in us permanently as well. If a stone and scrolls withimportant writing can last centuries, kindness and truth should be able to lastour lifetime. So write kindness and truth permanently on your heart and adornyour life with their beauty, and they will never leave you.

Psalm 122 Revisited

2010-12-03T18:46:00.000-08:00

Psalm 122
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, that is built
As a city that is compact together;
To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord—
An ordinance for Israel—
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.
For there thrones were set for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
“May peace be within your walls,
And prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brothers and my friends,
I will now say, “May peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.

I posted this Psalm several weeks ago before I left on an exciting adventure that God had brought to me. I had the privilege of spending 11 days touring the land of the Bible, Israel. It was an amazing and incredible experience that has changed the way I read the Bible. I decided to come back to this Psalm, that so beautifully talks about Jerusalem. I cannot describe the joy of standing within the gates of this city that is indeed “compact”. I do give thanks to the name of the LORD for the opportunity He gave me, and I urge you to join me in praying for the peace of Jerusalem, both physically and spiritually. It is a city that is filled with people who need the salvation that only Jesus Christ can offer.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Saturday Psalm ~ 10-30-2010

2010-10-31T14:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday Psalm ~ 10-2-2010

2010-10-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

Who is the King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
Psalm 24:8

God is … the King of glory, strong and mighty.

Saturday Psalm ~ 9-25-2010

2010-09-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
Psalm 23:1

God is … my shepherd.

Trusting God

2010-09-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

Carolyn Mahaney was asked: “If you could parent your daughters all over again what would you do differently?” Her answer was:

“I wish I had trusted God more. For every fearful peek into the future, I wish I had looked to Christ instead. For each imaginary trouble conjured up, I wish I had recalled the specific, unfailing faithfulness of God. In place of dismay and dread, I wish I had exhibited hope and joy.”

While I am not faced with raising children at present, I was encouraged by this quote. Each of us, no matter what our season of life, has times when we look at the future and wonder what it holds. We often have fears and what if’s. It’s good to be reminded to trust God. And,

For every fearful peek into the future, look to Christ instead.
For each imaginary trouble, recall the specific, unfailing faithfulness of God.
And replace dismay and dread with hope and joy.
Trust God.

Saturday Psalm ~ 8-28-2010

2010-08-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

You are holy.
Psalm 22:3a

God is … holy.

Saturday Psalm ~ 8-21-2010

2010-08-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

God is … my rock and my redeemer.

Saturday Psalm ~ 8-14-2010

2010-08-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be the God of my salvation.
Psalm 18:46

God is … my rock and the God of my salvation.

Saturday Psalm ~ 7-31-2010

2010-07-31T12:09:00.000-07:00

For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God.
Psalm 18:31

God is … the LORD and a rock.

Saturday Psalm ~ 7-17-2010

2010-07-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised.
Psalm 18:3

God is … worthy to be praised.

Saturday Psalm ~ 7-3-2010

2010-07-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:2

God is … my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God,

my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my stronghold.

No Vacancies!

2010-06-29T17:55:00.000-07:00

“A heart that is truly guarded must have no vacancies -- no empty spaces that need to be filled, no voids that leave open places and room for the enemy to get in. When God asks for our heart, He asks for all of it. He wants to fill every part with Himself. He completes us. Only when we are satisfied in Him will we be able to selflessly give our lives for others. We need to put up a sign that says ‘No Vacancies’. Except we don’t need a sign - others will notice simply by our lives. They can see if our heart has voids and is unfulfilled, seeking attention from others, or if we are filled with Jesus, overflowing with love and joy, and seeking to spread His light everywhere we go.” ~ Sarah Mally

Saturday Psalm ~ 6-26-2010

2010-06-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

"I love You, O LORD, my strength."

Psalm 18:1

God is ... my strength!

Saturday Psalm ~ 6-12-2010

2010-06-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:8

God is … at my right hand.

Saturday Psalm ~ 6-5-2010

2010-06-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You support my lot.
Psalm 16:5

God is … the portion of my inheritance and my cup.

Saturday Psalm ~ 5-29-2010

2010-05-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good besides You.”
Psalm 16:2

God is … my Lord.

"There you are!"

2010-05-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

People have always been self-focused, but it seems as if people have become more so as time goes on. Sin-nature tells us to “look out for number one” and to think about “what will make ME happy”. However, as Christians, God calls us to think differently, to put others before ourselves. When we walk into a room full of people, we have a choice to make: are we going to make the focus be on us, or are we going to focus on others? We have to consciously make the decision to focus on others. And we have to be honest with ourselves about it as well. We are so good at saying we are serving others, but our real motive is to be noticed. It’s not just our own hearts that know what our attitude is, everyone else can tell as well right when we walk in the door. When we enter a room, our expression and presence says either, “Here I am” or “There you are”. The first is self-focused while the latter is others-focused. May we be women of God who are truly others-focused.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

2010-05-20T19:07:00.000-07:00

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

God brought me this beautiful passage shortly after a dear saint passed away. While we do mourn our loss of those dear to us, if they are fellow believers, we are to rejoice with them. They are in Heaven with the Savior! They have no more pain, struggles, or sin! And one day we will be reunited with them and spend eternity praising the Lord together!

Saturday Psalm ~ 5-15-2010

2010-05-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

The Lord is King forever and ever.
Psalm 10:16a

God is … King forever and ever.

Saturday Psalm ~ 5-8-2010

2010-05-08T18:03:00.000-07:00

For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness;
The upright will behold His face.
Psalm 11:7

God is … righteous.

In loving memory of Grandma H. who is beholding His face!

Saturday Psalm ~ 5-1-2010

2010-05-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
Psalm 8:1

God is … our Lord.

Saturday Psalm ~ 4-24-2010

2010-04-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

God is a righteous judge,
And a God who has indignation every day.
Psalm 7:11

God is … a righteous judge.

The Christian Home

2010-04-20T16:16:00.001-07:00

As Christians, our relationship with Christ and His work in our hearts should overflow into every aspect of our lives. As women, one of these aspects is the home. A Christian home should have a different atmosphere from non-Christian homes. Our homes should proclaim Christ to both those who live there and those who visit. But how do we encourage a Christ-centered atmosphere in our homes? Well, there is an opportunity next month that will help us in this area!

On Saturday, May 8, 2010, 8:30am - 4:30pm, Biblical Womanhood Seminars will host their spring seminar at Cedar Springs Christian Conference Center in Sumas Washington. The title of the seminar is Christ in Me … The Heart of the Home. Nine women will be sharing how we, as Christian women, can create a Christ-centered atmosphere in our homes using the fruits of the Spirit. The seminar costs $15 per person, and includes breakfast and lunch.

I have attended three seminars hosted by Biblical Womanhood Seminars and have been greatly encouraged by the teaching and the fellowship. It is a group of godly women striving to live Christ-centered, God-glorifying lives, and encourage other women to do the same.

If you would like information on how to register,
please e-mail me at: brighthope4him@gmail.com!

A Post to Read

2010-04-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

I found an excellent post on not judging others based on their appearance. I encourage you to hop over to Joyfully At Home to read it. Click HERE to read the post.

Christ Is Risen, Christ Is Living

2010-04-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

Christ Is Risen, Christ Is Living
Christ is risen, Christ is living.
Dry your tears; be unafraid.
Death and darkness could not hold Him,
Nor the tomb in which He lay.
Do not look among the dead
For One who lives forevermore.
Tell the world that Christ is risen;
Make it known He goes before.

If the Lord had never risen,
We’d have nothing to believe.
But His promise can be trusted:
“You will live because I live.”
As we share the death of Adam,
So in Christ we live again.
Death has lost its sting and terror;
Christ the Lord has come to reign.

Death has lost its old dominion;
Let the world rejoice and shout!
Christ, the firstborn of the living,
Gives us life and leads us out.
Let us thank our God who causes
Hope to spring up from the ground.
Christ is risen, Christ is giving
Life eternal, life profound.

The Cost of Salvation

2010-04-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

Salvation is not easy. It cost God everything, even His own Son, and it costs you the same, even yourself. - John MacArthur

Saturday Psalm ~ 4-3-2010

2010-04-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

Wondrously show Your lovingkindness,
O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand
From those who rise up against them.
Psalm 17:7

God is … Savior.

Good Friday 2010

2010-04-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

“Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders.
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished.
His dying breath has brought me life.
I know that it is finished.”

“My sin, o the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin not in part but the whole
is nailed to the cross and I bare it no more. Praise the Lord!”

Be A Wog!

2010-04-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

A friend recently told this story:

Two young women were attending a conference. As they were chatting together, two young men were having a conversation behind them. On of the men said something that caught the ladies’ attention, “I wonder if she’s a wog.” The young women looked at each other a little confused. A few minutes later, they introduced themselves to the two gentlemen. After the typical conversation that follows an introduction, one of the young women said, “We couldn’t help overhearing your conversation a few minutes ago, and we were wondering what a ‘wog’ is.” The young men smiled, and the one who had spoken the unusual word explained, “A ‘wog’ is a ‘woman of God’.”

Being a woman of God needs to be our most significant characteristic. Determine today, along with me, to become a woman of God. Be a wog!

The Heart of the Home

2010-03-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

The fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23

The fruit of the Spirit is something that is to be present and evident in every Christian’s life. However, did you ever think that these are characteristics that can and should be found in the Christian home? An up-coming Biblical Womanhood Seminar will teach on this very topic.

Christ in Me …
The Heart of the Home
Saturday, May 8, 2010
8:30 am -- 4:30 pm
Cost: $15 per person
Breakfast and lunch provided

This one-day seminar, open to all ladies age 15 and older, will be held at the beautiful Cedar Springs Christian Conference Center in Sumas, Washington. It will be a wonderful day filled with Biblical encouragement on filling our homes with the fruit of the Spirit.

If you would like more information on registering for this seminar, please leave a comment!

Saturday Psalm ~ 3-13-2010

2010-03-13T08:57:00.000-08:00

Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God,
For to You I pray.
Psalm 5:2

God is … my King and my God.

The Word of God

2010-03-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like the Word of God. There will never be anything like it. We live and die spiritually in proportion to how seriously we take this book. Those who take it as the Word of God will forever stand in awe of every jot and tittle and be transformed by its incredible power. It is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness. In other words, it will teach you, touch you, turn you, and transform you. It will put back the missing pieces in your soul and make you new. - Russell Kelfer

Saturday Psalm ~ 2-27-2010

2010-02-27T15:12:00.000-08:00

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 4:1

God is … the God of my righteousness.

God's Love for Me

2010-02-13T09:52:00.000-08:00

February 14th means different things to different people. Generally, it is recognized as a day to express your love for a certain person. But, I have found that many singles, especially ladies, find it one of the worst days of the year. I have heard of it being renamed “Singles Awareness Day”, a day when singles remind themselves and everyone around them that they are single. However, I find that viewing the day in this way causes a slight, or severe, case of self-pity and discouragement. So, I decided to see the holiday in a different light this year. Instead of looking at the love two humans have for each other, I looked at the love God has for me. I searched for verses in the Bible, songs, and quotes that tell me of God’s love for me. As I studied and read, I again realized that I am loved by the God of the universe with the greatest love of all time, and found myself falling deeper in love with Him. I would like to share with you some of the things I found, and invite you, whether single or married, to join with me in celebrating God’s love for us this Valentine’s Day.

The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me
and have believed that I came forth from the Father.
John 16:27

God’s steadfast, sure love for us is:
Unbelievable - so worship!
Unwarranted - so rejoice!
Unshakable - so love!

God’s steadfast, sure love is unshaken by:
Death - when you die God’s love keeps going.
Time - God’s love never wears out.
Sin - sin does not break God’s eternal love for you.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ?
Romans 8:35a

The Love of God
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell,
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest Hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin.

When years of time shall pass away
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call;
God’s love so sure shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade.
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure,
How measureless and strong.
It shall forever more endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

How Deep the Father’s Love for Us
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss.
The Father turns His face away.
As wounds which mare the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders.
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there.
Until it was accomplished.
His dying breath has brought me life.
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom.
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart,
His wounds have paid my ransom.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us,
that we would be called children of God; and such we are.
1 John 3:1a

Saturday Psalm ~ 2-13-2010

2010-02-13T09:49:00.000-08:00

But You, O Lord, are a shield about me,
My glory, and the One who lifts my head.
Psalm 3:3

God is … a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.

A Milestone Reached

2010-02-12T14:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I have now been blogging for a year. I can hardly believe it! It’s been a good year. God has grown me in many ways, and because of the lessons He has taught me, Strength for Today has grown. I honestly believe this blog is what it is today because of what God has been doing in my life. As I pass the 1-year marker of blogging, I would like to take the time to say some “thank you”s.

First and foremost, all thanks and glory belongs to God. He is the One who placed it on my heart to encourage young women through a blog. He is the One who gave me the courage to take the plunge. He is the One who has shaped Strength for Today. All of my posts are a result of the many things He has been teaching me. Ultimately, He is the One writing this blog!

Next, I would like to say a huge thank you to my family, especially my parents. Both my parents have been an encouragement from the time I first mentioned my idea. They have watched me create Strength for Today with enthusiasm and support.

Last, but definitely not least, thank you to all my faithful readers! It’s a lot more fun to write a blog when you know there are people reading it! :) Those of you who leave comments, thank you! They are very much appreciated! To those of you who have never left a comment, please do! I would love to here from you and get to know my readers a little.

In honor of reaching the 1-year milestone, I thought I’d make a slight change to my Saturday Psalms. I will be working through the Psalms posting verses that tell us about who God is. I’ve already begun collecting the Psalms and thinking through them, and I have to say I’m very excited to share them with you!

Thank you for stopping by and reading! May God bless you as you strive to become more like Him! ~ Bright Hope

Building Sibling Relationships ~ Part 7

2010-02-10T10:53:00.000-08:00

Where to Start

I’ve written quite a bit about building sibling relationships in the past few weeks, hopefully you’re not overwhelmed! It’s been a lot of information and a lot of ideas. You may be thinking “I want to build relationships with my siblings, but where do I start?” Start by being thankful for your siblings. God has designed your siblings to be your siblings. He placed you in the same family for a reason, and you need to be thankful for His wisdom in making your siblings just the way He did. Next, express thankfulness for and to your siblings! You need to thank God for your siblings, but you also need to show gratitude to your brothers and sisters. When was the last time you told your sister “Thank you for being my sister”? Or told your brother that you love him? Telling them these things will draw your heart to them, make you love them even more, and will draw the two of you together, building your relationship as siblings.

Building Sibling Relationships ~ Part 6

2010-02-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

Activities for Siblings in General

I’ve written and being friends with sisters, brothers, and baby siblings. Now I would like to give you some ideas of things you can do with any of your siblings no matter how old they are or whether they are brothers or sisters.

Read together ~ whether someone is reading aloud or each has their own book, sit together and read. One day last year, my mom came up to my bedroom to find me sitting on my bed reading my girly Jane Austen book and my brother sitting next to my with his World War 2 book.
Cook together ~ get everybody together in the kitchen to make something together, or work on different dishes.
Clean together ~ my siblings and I had fun cleaning the whole house together one weekend when our parents were out of town. It’s not too hard to find jobs for everyone to do; even a 2-year-old can wipe baseboards.
Art and craft projects ~ gather everyone at the table to color, paint, make cards, etc.
Talk! ~ Siblings need to talk to each other. Good communication is crucial in a family. My brother and I talk about everything from serious topics like life situations to not-so-serious ones like something funny that happened that day.
Just spend time together ~ take the time to spend time with your siblings. Relationships take time and energy. So put some into your siblings.

Building Sibling Relationships ~ Part 5

2010-02-06T20:24:00.000-08:00

Being Friends with Baby Siblings

Babies are so cute and fun! Their tiny hands and feet, and big eyes that take in everything around them. You may be thinking, “Why is she talking about babies in a series about building sibling relationships?” Well, I believe that good sibling relationships should start here. Don’t wait until your baby sibling is older to begin building a relationship with them, start now. Snuggle them. Play peek-a-boo and clapping games with them. It may seem weird some times, but talk to your baby sibling. Babies study peoples voices, that’s how they get to know people and learn to talk. So, talk to the baby, tell them how much you love them. We all have the need to know we are loved. We should begin telling our siblings we love them when they are babies. Something fun that builds a relationship with a baby sibling is a nickname. Nicknames create a special bond. I am blessed to have a sister 16 ½ years younger than me, and I have a nickname that I call her. Her face lights up when I call her by it, because she knows I am the only person who calls her that. Begin building a relationship with your siblings when they are babies, and you will find it easier to build on to it in the years to come.

Saturday Psalm ~ 2-6-2010

2010-02-06T20:21:00.000-08:00

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who made the heavens with skill,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who made the great lights,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting:
The sun to rule by day,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 136:1-9

Building Sibling Relationships ~ Part 4

2010-02-01T19:06:00.000-08:00

Being Friends with Brothers

Brothers. I only have one brother, but I know that brothers are very different from sisters, and that’s because boys are different from girls. So, we relate to our brothers differently than we relate to our sisters. We build relationships with them in different ways from our sisters. While I was thinking about this, I asked my brother what a girl can do to build a relationship with her brother. He thought about it for a minute and then said, “Bake cookies!” That just proves that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and that includes brothers! So bake lots of cookies! :)

Another way to build relationships with our brothers is to show interest in their interests. People generally like to talk about the things they are interested in. Our brothers are no exception. We can show interest in their interests by listening when they talk about their interests. My brother has an interest in computer networking and programming and likes to share with me what he’s learning. I listen to him talk, but eventually he starts using terms I don’t understand and I have no idea what he’s talking about except that it has something to do with computers. When this happens, I politely stop him and tell him that I don’t understand some of the words he’s using. He then backtracks and explains the terms he used. This builds our relationship because my brother knows I really am listening to him. On this topic of showing interest, my brother did give a caution. We need to show interest, but not take the interest. My brother explained to me that if I had decided to show interest in his interests by learning about computers with him, he would have felt like it was a competition to see who could know the most about the topic, and lost interest in it. So be careful. You and your brother can have similar interests, but make sure it’s something you really are interested in.

A very important way we can build relationships with our brothers is by helping them be men. Boys were created to grow up to be men; to be leaders, protectors, and providers. We as sisters can help them become the men God created them to be by letting them lead. This can be hard to do (especially for older sisters!). We like to be in charge. However, we need to build up our brothers and encourage them to take the lead. When your brother makes a suggestion (maybe about what game to play, or how to play it), don’t just brush him off. Even if the idea sounds crazy, or like it won’t work, try it anyway. You might try asking your brother what he would like to do, or if he has a suggestion on how to do something differently. Of course, if you ask him, you have to be willing to do it!

The relationship between a brother and a sister can be cold, strained, and practically nonexistent, or it can be warm, strong, and pleasant. Build your relationship with your brother today by showing interest in him and letting him lead. And don’t forget the occasional batch of cookies! :)

Saturday Psalm ~ 1-30-2010

2010-01-29T22:46:00.000-08:00

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1

Building Sibling Relationships ~ Part 3

2010-01-27T20:37:00.000-08:00

Being Friends with Sisters

Being friends with sisters sounds so easy. They’re girls and we’re girls. But sometimes it’s not as easy as it sounds. Sometimes we have different personalities. I have one sister who loves pink. She would have the bedroom and everything in it pink if she could. My other sister, however, doesn’t care for pink so much. We each have differences like these, and sometimes it seems like we don’t have anything in common. But that’s when we get to learn and be creative! If you don’t think you have anything in common with your sister maybe you just need to learn more about her or learn to enjoy some of the things she enjoys. Something else you could do is find a new activity that both of you enjoy.

I think one of the best ways to build relationships with sisters is to have fun being girls together. On a cold, rainy day, pull out the teacups and have a tea party together. Get dressed up in pretty dresses together for special occasions. Learn to do each other’s hair. Have a girl’s movie night and watch a girly movie. One summer evening, my sisters and I did pedicures. We clipped and filed our toenails, put lotion on our feet, and then painted our toenails (pink, of course!). It was a lot of fun, and built memories that we’ll keep forever. So find some ways to enjoy being a girl with your sisters, and take the time to build relationships with them while you do it together.

Saturday Psalm ~ 1-23-2010

2010-01-23T18:19:00.000-08:00

My soul waits for the Lord

More than the watchmen for the morning;

Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.

Psalm 130:6

Building Sibling Relationships ~ Part 2

2010-01-20T20:15:00.000-08:00

Why You Should Be Friends with Your Siblings

You may be thinking, “Why do I need to be friends with my siblings? I have other friends, and, besides, they’re my siblings.” Well, I have three reasons why you should be friends with your siblings.

The first reason is a verse found in the Old Testament. Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” This verse tells us that it’s good and pleasant for siblings to be friends. It’s a good thing and it makes life more pleasant for you and everyone else.

Another reason we should be friends with our siblings is that our siblings will always be our siblings. Friendships change, people move away, start going to a different church, or their interests become different from ours. However, our siblings will always be there. I have had many friendships change over the years, but my brother and sisters have continued to love and support me and will continue to do so.

A third, and I believe the most important, reason we should be friends with our siblings is that we are Christians. The World, the people who do not follow God and His ways, expect siblings to fight and not like each other. However, because we are Christians, we should treat our siblings differently than non-Christians treat their siblings. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” and Ephesians 4:24 tells us to: “Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”So, we are to stop treating our siblings as the World expects us to, and start treating them the way God wants us to treat them.

Hopefully, these three reasons I’ve given have helped you to see that we should be friends with our siblings.

Building Sibling Relationships ~ Part 1

2010-01-18T14:49:00.000-08:00

It seems impossible that two people could live in the same house and only be mere acquaintances. And yet that is the state of most sibling relationships. We spend years living and growing together, but we don’t take the time to learn about our siblings and build a relationship with them. God has blessed me with good relationships with my siblings. I have a very special and unique relationship with each of them. We enjoy spending time together, and because we spend so much time together, we know each other. Besides my parents, my brother is the person who knows me the best. Having good relationships with siblings is not something that comes easily or quickly. It’s something we have to work at. It takes time and energy. Over the next few posts, I’m going to share with you ways to build relationships with your siblings, and encourage you to make them your closest friends.

Saturday Psalm ~ 1-16-2010

2010-01-16T19:30:00.000-08:00

I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait,

And in His Word do I hope.

Psalm 130:5

Saturday Psalm ~ 1-9-2010

2010-01-09T19:21:00.000-08:00

Your name, O Lord, is everlasting,
Your remembrance, O Lord, throughout all generations.
Psalm 135:13

Saturday Psalm ~ 1-2-2010

2010-01-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;

Sing praises to His name for it is lovely.

Psalm 135:3

Another Year Is Dawning

2009-12-31T15:34:00.000-08:00

I found this hymn by Frances R. Havergal and was so encouraged by it. May this be our prayer as we begin another year.

Another year is dawning: Dear Father, let it be,
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee;
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy Presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace;
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love;
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning: Dear Father, let it be,
On earth or else in heaven, another year for Thee.

Happy New Year!

Contentment & Our Promised Land

2009-12-28T20:19:00.000-08:00

I came across the following paragraph in the book Emotional Purity. It was a great encouragement to me as I read it.

“You’ve heard “hind-sight is twenty-twenty”. I think the children of Israel must have coined that phrase. Did they understand what God was going to do when they stood at the Red Sea with their enemies behind them? No. Did they understand or know where their food, water, and provision for their basic needs would come from? No. Did they understand what God did when He said the land He gave to them was filled with giants? No. They continued in their discontentment and the cost became deadly. The Israelites rebelled against God over and over in the desert, and often we do the same thing. The correlation between the children of Israel and us is clear: they were in bondage to the Egyptians, we are in bondage to believing that marriage is going to save us from this state of discontented singleness. God performed a grand exodus to save the Israelites from slavery; God sent His Son to save us from slavery. He led the Israelites through the desert of testing to worship and serve Him there; He wants us to come through the desert of testing to see if we trust Him. Then He allowed the Israelites to enter the Promised Land; and, if you allow God to take you through the arid desert of trials, you will come through trusting and obeying Him. The promised land is not marriage, but rather a place of knowing that you are in the Father’s hands and that you will not be single a day longer than He plans for you.” ~ Emotional Purity: An Affair of the Heart, By Heather Arnel Paulsen, p.92

I love the comparison Heather makes between us as singles, and the children of Israel. It is so important that we gain contentment before marriage. As I have heard repeatedly, “If you’re not content before marriage, you won’t be content after you’re married”. I think the Israelites are a good example of this. Even when they got the freedom they wanted, they still weren’t content. I also love the last sentence in this paragraph. Ladies, marriage is not our promised land. It is so good to be reminded where our focus is supposed to be and what our promised land is and in Whom it can be found.

Saturday Psalm ~ 12-26-09

2009-12-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

Behold, bless the Lord, all servants of the Lord,

who serve by night in the house of the Lord!

Lift up your hands to the sanctuary and bless the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Zion,

He who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 134

Mary's Magnificat

2009-12-21T21:02:00.000-08:00

And Mary said:
“My soul exalts the Lord,
and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has had regard
for the humble state of His bondslave;
for behold, from this time on
all generations will count me blessed.
For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
and holy is His name.
And His mercy is upon generation after generation
toward those who fear Him.
He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud
in the thoughts of their heart.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
and has exalted those who were humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and sent away the rich empty-handed.
He has given help to Israel His servant,
in remembrance of His mercy,
as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
~ Luke 1:46-55

This passage of Scripture, known as Mary’s Magnificat, is Mary’s response to Elizabeth blessing her and the child she carried. Almost the entire speech is made up of verses from the Old Testament. Mary’s mind and soul was so steeped in Scripture that when she broke out in praise the Old Testament naturally flowed from her lips.

Saturday Psalm ~ 12-19-09

2009-12-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with You,

that You may be feared.

Psalm 130:3-4

Saturday Psalm ~ 12-12-09

2009-12-12T20:42:00.000-08:00

How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.
Psalm 128:1

A Citizen of Zion

2009-12-09T11:49:00.000-08:00

PSALM 15
Description of a Citizen of Zion.
A Psalm of David.
O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
He who walks with integrity,
and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
But who honors those who fear the Lord;
He swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He does not put out his money at interest,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.

David begins this psalm with questions. He is asking the Lord what the characteristics of a citizen of Zion are. He then answers those questions. This psalm describes to us how a citizen of Zion should behave. From our side of the cross, we can say that this psalm is a description of a Christian. They are good guidelines to be reminded of. Also, if we do these things we will “never be shaken”. What a wonderful promise!

Saturday Psalm ~ 12-5-09

2009-12-05T19:27:00.000-08:00

As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.
Psalm 125:2

Living to be Used by God

2009-12-02T12:47:00.000-08:00

What we believe shapes who we are. When we base our lives on the truth of the Bible and allow God to work in our hearts, we become the godly women He wants us to be. However, God doesn’t want to make us beautiful merely for His own personal pleasure. He wants to use us to show others what the Christian life is really like. What do others see when they look at our lives? Do they see Christ? Are they attracted to us because we are different from even other Christians? The difference should be a life focused on God and a willingness to be used by Him. When we have a willingness to be used by God, it needs to be a willingness to be used where He has us right now. The Bible tells us of a young woman who was taken from her home and family to live in a palace. While she recognized it as a great honor, it wasn’t where she wanted to be. However, as she was reminded, God had placed her there for a reason. Esther was willing to be used where she was. Like Esther, God has placed us in this time and place for a reason. Instead of wishing a certain part of our life is different, we need to be alert, watching for opportunities, and allow God to use us in the lives of others. While we might not save an entire race of people as Esther did, we may be the only light of Christ in some peoples’ lives. The Word of God, our relationship with God, and peoples’ souls are the only things that will last forever. God can use His Word in our lives and our relationship with Him to show others the love of Christ and their need for a Savior. As we become beautiful to God, let’s shine forth that beauty and let Him use us for His glory.

“You don’t have to do something for God,
you just have to be willing to let Him work through you.”

Saturday Psalm ~ 11-28-09

2009-11-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.
Psalm 28:7

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T11:28:00.000-08:00

May we all remember to be truly thankful today.

Happy (American) Thanksgiving everybody!

Give Thanks!

2009-11-26T11:20:00.000-08:00

Reading through the Psalms, I noticed that there were several verses with the exact same wording, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting.” I pulled up my Bible study program on my computer and found there are five verses in the book of Psalms that say this. Growing up, I was taught that everything God said is important, when He says something twice it’s really important, and if He says it three times it’s really, really important. The Bible repeats these exact words five times! I think God is trying to tell us something through the Psalmist. He is commanding us to be thankful to God because He is good. His everlasting lovingkindness is not only another reason why we should be thankful to God, but it is also one of the many things we should be giving thanks for. God told us this five times, so let’s listen up and give thanks!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

Psalm 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 118:29; 136:1(NASB)

Saturday Psalm ~ 11-21-09

2009-11-21T09:46:00.000-08:00

I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord,
And I will sing praises to Your name.
Psalm 18:49

The Final Thought

2009-11-21T09:43:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I wrote about feeding our minds and taking our thoughts captive. I have one more thing to share with you about our thoughts: “The last thing we think about at night is what we sub-consciously think about all night”. If what we are thinking about when we fall asleep is what we think about all night, that means we can control what we think about while we sleep! So, if we fall asleep meditating on Scripture, we will think about those Scriptures all night. What an amazing thought that is! Taking our thoughts captive is not only for while we are awake. We need to take our “sleep thoughts” captive too. What will you be thinking about tonight while you sleep?

Feeding Our Minds

2009-11-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “You are what you eat”. If we eat healthy food, we’ll be healthy, but if we eat junk food, we won’t be healthy. The same is true with our minds. We feed our minds with the things we listen to, watch, and read. What we feed our minds with effects our thoughts, and our thoughts effect our actions. In other words, what we feed our minds on is what shapes who we are. This can be a good, beautiful thing or it can be a bad, ugly thing depending on what we are using to feed our minds. When we read the Bible and meditate on Scripture, we become more like Christ and become beautiful to God. However, if we are reading books, watching movies, and listening to things that stir up wrong thoughts, we will eventually start acting in a way that displeases the Lord. The Bible says we are to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). That starts with what we are using to feed our thoughts. If we control the types of things we are listening to, watching, and reading, we will be able to better control our thoughts. Does this mean we shouldn’t read anything except the Bible? No. We just need to be aware of what causes us to sin in our thoughts and stay away from those things. We can also give ourselves a standard or guidelines to help us decide whether we should feed our minds with a certain book or movie. Something that has helped me in this area is a standard that is found in the Bible. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things”. While reading a book or watching a movie I can ask myself, “Is what is happening true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and worthy of praise?” If the answer to the majority of these is “no”, then I probably shouldn’t be reading or watching it. I admit I don’t always hold things up to this standard or put them away when they don’t measure up. However, we all need to be striving to take captive our thoughts by controlling what we are using to feed our minds.

Saturday Psalm ~ 11-14-09

2009-11-14T14:56:00.000-08:00

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
Psalm 9:1

Internal Beauty

2009-11-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves things that are beautiful, and, as women, we have a desire to be beautiful. The world puts great emphasis on outward beauty. It bombards us with advice on how our hair, teeth, skin, cloths, etc. should look in order to be beautiful. But that beauty is all external. God has a different plan. He wants us to be beautiful on the inside (1 Samuel 16:7). We have to decide who we want to be beautiful to, God, or the world. If we are living for the Audience of One the answer is God. Our desire to be beautiful should be a desire to be beautiful to Him. Being beautiful to God is living a life fully surrendered to Jesus Christ, and striving to be more like Him. It is having a personal relationship with God and making Christ our identity. We must be in The Word, seeking to know the Lord and walk in His ways. Inward beauty isn’t something we can just “spray on” like perfume. It takes time and effort. We should be spending at least as much time getting inwardly beautiful in the morning as we spend getting outwardly beautiful. Of course, it’s God who does the work in our hearts and makes us internally beautiful, but we need to have soft, moldable hearts for Him to work on. Our hearts can be like Silly Putty (soft and easy to shape), or they can be like the hard shell the putty comes in. The difference is between God being able to mold us, and Him having to break us. A beautiful heart is soft and moldable. When we have inward beauty, we are beautiful to God, and our lives bring Him glory. Each of us has a desire to be beautiful. Who do you desire to be beautiful to and what are you going to do with that desire?

Saturday Psalm ~ 11-7-09

2009-11-07T13:19:00.000-08:00

I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness

and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Psalm 7:17

Living for the Audience of One

2009-11-02T15:29:00.000-08:00

One of our downfalls as humans is worrying about what other people think of us. We are naturally “people-pleasers”. However, it shouldn’t be that way. As Christians, we should be living to please God alone. This is called “living for the Audience of One”. In Genesis 17:1 God told Abram, “I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be blameless”. He didn’t tell Abram to walk before his family or his friends, God told Abram to walk before Him. It didn’t matter what others thought of Abram’s life, only what God thought. The same is true of our lives. What other people think of us can’t change who we are in Christ, so when our identity is in Christ it doesn’t matter what others are thinking or if we’re pleasing them. When we make God our “Audience of One”, it frees our minds from the thoughts that accompany trying to please others, and we are able to focus on becoming more like Christ. In other words, living for the Audience of One gives us the freedom to become the women God wants us to be. We need to determine whether we are living to please God alone, and choose to make Him our Audience of One.

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men?
If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Galatians 1:10

Saturday Psalm ~ 10-31-09

2009-10-31T17:40:00.000-07:00

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Psalm 121:1-3

Thanksgiving Challenge 2009

2009-10-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

For Americans, the month of November brings the Thanksgiving holiday. Originally established as a day set aside to thank God for His many blessings in our lives, the fourth Thursday in November, to most people, is just an extra day off from work that is filled with football, food, and strategy planning for the “day-after-Thanksgiving” sales. People seem to have forgotten the meaning and purpose of this day. Even Christians can get caught up in the festivities and the excitement of the holiday. Do we take the time to thank God for all He’s given us over the past year? Even if we do take the time, are we sincere? Or do we say our thanks and then forget about it as we dig into the turkey? I have been just as guilty of doing this as anyone else, but I want to change that. This year, I have decided to make the entire month of November Thanksgiving. Each day, for 30 days, I plan to write down in a journal something I am thankful for that day. Even if you don’t live in America and/or don’t celebrate the American Thanksgiving, I encourage you to join me in this. Let’s start thanking God for His blessings on November 1st and continue, past Thanksgiving Day, all the way through the 30th. Who knows, maybe we’ll even go farther!

May I See Your ID Please?

2009-10-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

Your identity is your individuality, uniqueness, and distinctiveness. It’s who you are, and you get to decide what your identity is going to be. Where you find your identity is critical because where your identity lies will dictate how you live. People find their identity in many different things based on their position in their family, their education, their job, etc. However, what most people don’t realize is that each of these things could change at any given time. If they lost their job, their identity would change. So is there an identity you can take on that won’t change? The answer is yes! Christ can be your identity. When your identity is in Christ, your life is based on Someone and Something that does not change. When you become a Christian, you have already begun to make Christ your identity. As I’ve said before, the first step is to make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. Of course, just because you are a Christian doesn’t mean you are finding your identity in Christ. One of the goals of making Christ your identity is so that when people look at you they see Him. In order for that to happen, you have to give Him your whole life. The next thing to do is learn to see yourself as God sees you. There are many verses in the New Testament that describe how God sees us and who we are in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17, John 1:12, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Colossians 3:12, etc.). Study these verses and take them to heart, because the more you know who you are, the more you can walk in the light of it. If you are finding your identity in Christ, you will live your life in a manner pleasing to Him. So choose to make Christ your identity today!

Saturday Psalm ~ 10-24-09

2009-10-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion,

which cannot be moved but abides forever.

Psalm 125:1

Building a Relationship with God - Part 3

2009-10-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

Prayer is another way you can build a relationship with God. Prayer is how we talk to God. The neat thing about prayer is that you can do it any time, any where. The Bible even tells us to pray all the time (1 Thessalonians 5:17). You can pray to God about many different things. Begin by telling God how wonderful He is and how thankful you are for Him and what He’s done for you. You have an amazing, wonderful God. He saved you from the bondage of sin, made you His child, gave you the Bible and the Holy Spirit to help you grow, and has promised you eternity in Heaven with Him. Thank Him for these things. You can also tell Him what’s on your heart; struggles you’re having as well as joys you’re experiencing. Don’t forget confession either! Telling God how you have sinned and asking for forgiveness is very important. Another way to pray to God is by praising Him through song. All those hymns and praise songs you’ve sung in church can be sung as a prayer to Him. Really listen to the words of those songs and sing them directly to Him. When you do this, the songs will take on new meaning to you, and your singing will become what it is meant to be; worship. Singing songs as a prayer is a great way to pray to God throughout the day. As you spend time talking with God, your relationship with Him will grow stronger and you will find yourself glorifying and enjoying Him.

“Pray without ceasing.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Saturday Psalm ~ 10-17-09

2009-10-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

Those who love Your law have great peace,

and nothing causes them to stumble.

Psalm 119:165

Building a Relationship with God - Part 2

2009-10-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

The next part of building a relationship with God is spending time with Him. It takes time and effort to get to know someone. You can know a lot about someone from what other people tell you, but you won’t really know them unless you spend time with them. Your relationship with God is the same way. One of the ways you can spend time with God is by reading the Bible. The Bible is God’s letter to you. When you get a letter from a friend, you don’t stuff it away in a drawer, you read it as soon as possible, and re-read it so you know all that it says. This is how you should view reading the Bible. You should be enthusiastic to read it and want to know all that it says. Reading the Bible should be a daily goal and activity. And remember, you won’t make much progress in your relationship if you only spend a few minutes with God. Spend enough time with God each day to really get to know Him. It may be hard at first, but you will find that the more time you spend with God, the more you want to spend time with Him.

Building a Relationship with God - Part 1

2009-10-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

The Westminster Catechism states that the purpose of man (humans) is to, “glorify God and enjoy Him forever”. If you are going to glorify God and enjoy Him, you first have to know Him. To begin this life-changing relationship you must first make sure that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior. Everything else builds on top of this very important fact. You can’t have a relationship with Him if He isn’t your Lord and Savior. You have to believe that Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of God, came to earth, lived a perfect, sinless life, and died on the cross so that you could have your sins forgiven. Three days later, He rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of God. When you believe this and ask Him to forgive your sins, He becomes your Savior. Many people know and do this, but they don’t allow Christ to be their Lord. They don’t understand that “Lord” and “Savior” are not separate, they have to come together. You can’t have one without the other. When you make Christ your Savior, you must also make Him Lord in your life. By making Christ the Lord, you are giving Him complete control. It’s like your life is a car. There can only be one person driving the car. Are you going to drive, or are you going to give the keys to Jesus and let Him drive? Give God your life, and not just part of it, give Him your whole life. Make Him your Lord and Savior today and begin the relationship that will change your life forever.

Saturday Psalm ~ 10-10-09

2009-10-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

The sum of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.
Psalm 119:160

Mentoring Seminar Update

2009-10-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful time at the Passing the Truth Along mentoring seminar this past weekend. While I went to the seminar to learn how to mentor young women, all weekend I found myself being mentored. I was blessed by Amy Vest’s sweet spirit and her love for the Lord, encouraged in my relationship with Jesus Christ, and inspired to reach out to the young women around me. I would love to share with each of you the truths Amy shared and the things God taught me. However, to tell you everything I learned over the weekend would make for a very long post! Instead, I plan to post a little at a time over the next few weeks. So stay tuned!

What God has Done for You

2009-09-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

I just started a Bible study on the book of Ephesians and thought I'd share one of the assignments with y'all. It doesn't take very long, but it will leave you thankful and excited to be a Christian! So here it is:

Read Ephesians 1:3-14 and list all the things God has done for you.

Read it, do it, and be blessed!

Saturday Psalm ~ 9-26-09

2009-09-25T22:46:00.001-07:00

Your word is very pure,

Therefore Your servant loves it.
Psalm 119:140

Preparing for Battle Together

2009-09-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

As Christians, we are soldiers in the army of God. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:13-17 to put on the armor of God. With these pictures in mind, I began to think about the knights of old. In order to be the best swordsmen, a knight would have to practice his skills with a sword. Some of it he could do by himself, but it worked better if he had another person to work with. The best way for a knight to improve his swordsmanship was to “fight” against someone more experienced than he. He would learn more and become better at it this way. Likewise, Christians can learn about God and grow their faith in Him by reading and studying the Bible on their own and going to church, but there is so much more we can gain learning from other Christians. One of the beautiful things about this I mentioned in an earlier post, you don’t have to be a certain age to help someone in their walk with the Lord. Even as a young woman, there are things I can teach the girls younger than me. I’m not perfect, I don’t have it all figured out, but I can come alongside other young ladies and assist them in preparing for the battle to come. I get excited when I think about this. If we are all striving to help each other become godly women, there is a stronger hope of the future generations being stronger Christians.

If you’re still not sure you could be a mentor and assist young ladies in this way, I would encourage you to remember that “God doesn’t call perfect people to be mentors”, and then consider joining me and many other women on October 2 or 3 for Passing the Truth Along Mentoring Seminar in Sumas, Washington. It will be a day filled with encouragement and teaching on how to mentor young women. Our guest speaker, Amy Vest, is a young woman herself who has been mentoring girls younger than herself for the past 9 years. The link to her website, Loving the Lord Ministries, is on the sidebar.

Join with me in coming alongside the young ladies of today and helping them put on their armor and prepare for battle.

“The goal of the race should not be to win it for yourself,
it should be to help others win.”

Again, if you would like more information please leave a comment.

Heart to Heart with Mom

2009-09-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

All through my life, my mom has taken the time to talk with me about things going on in my life. She has used these times of conversation to guide and mentor me. As I have grown into a young adult, those talks have continued. I go to her with ideas, struggles, and situations I’m facing. Sometimes they’re short conversations, lasting only ten minutes or so, while other times we go for an hour or more. Looking back, I can now see how our discussion times have changed from a mother teaching and training her daughter to heart to heart sessions between an older woman and a younger woman. Yes, I still learn from these conversations with me mom, but I now receive joy from them as well. I have come to love the time we spend sitting on the couch or standing in the kitchen. Build your relationship with your mom. Go to her with your struggles and share with her from your heart. You will both be blessed beyond measure.

Saturday Psalm ~ 9-12-09

2009-09-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

Righteous are You, O Lord,
And upright are Your judgments.
You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness
And exceeding faithfulness.
Psalm 119:137-138

Mentoring Young Women

2009-09-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

Many of us have heard of older women mentoring younger women, but have you ever stopped and thought about the fact that you don’t have to be a certain age to be a mentor? As teens and 20s, we tend to forget that there are girls and young ladies that look up to us and would love to learn from us. You may be thinking, “But, I can’t be a mentor, I haven’t learned or experienced enoughin life!” Let me share with you a tidbit someone shared with me: “God doesn’t call perfect people to mentor”. Even though we are still considered young women, we can walk alongside some of the girls younger than us, helping them grow in their love for the Lord. With that said, I would like to share with you an upcoming opportunity that I am really excited about.

On October 2nd & 3rd 2009, Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center will be hosting a seminar specifically focusing on mentoring young women. Women of all ages are encouraged to attend (I believe they recommend 11 and older).

The speaker willbe Amy Vest, who has been mentoring young ladies since she was about 17. She has founded Loving the Lord Ministries to minister to young women in their walk with the Lord. Amy will be coming to share with us how to minister to young women and will even give us the opportunity to practice mentoring through a role-play exercise.

Both days of the seminar are identical, so you only have to sign up for one day. The seminar runs from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm and includes lunch and dinner. Cost for the seminar is $25 per person. For families it’s $50 for mother and one daughter plus $15 for each additional daughter. (Prices are American currency)

As I said, I am really excited about this seminar. God has worked in the life of a young woman and is using her in the lives of many other young women. He has worked in each of our lives and now we have the opportunity to influence the lives of girls for His glory. God is working. I encourage you to be a part of His amazing work!

If you would like more information about this seminar, please leave a comment.

Remebering 9/11 2009

2009-09-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 8th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 tragedy when two passenger planes were flown into the Twin Towers in New York, a third flown into the Pentagon, and a forth crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. It is an event that should be remembered. The patriotism of eight years ago has faded and people are complaining about the war being fought overseas. May we take the time today to remember the lives that were lost that day, and thank the Lord for the men and women who have put their lives on the line to ensure that we continue to live in freedom.

Saturday Psalm ~ 9-5-09

2009-09-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

The unfolding of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
Psalm 119:130

The Sweetest Sound

2009-08-31T11:56:00.000-07:00

At our church’s annual camp-out, I was strolling down the gravel road that encircles the campsites. As I passed campsites and children on bikes, I would hear young voices call out, “Hi Miss ________!” Turning, I would see the beaming face of one or two of my young friends. With a smile, I would greet them, maybe ask a question about how they were doing, and then continue on my way. After the 8 or 9th encounter, I began to marvel at the fact that all of these children, most between the ages of 4 and 10, were so excited to see me. Many of them I hadn’t spent a whole lot of time with. Some of them I see on a regular basis, while others I had only recently spent one afternoon at the lake with. Then I realized, I have invested time and energy into each of these children, even if it was for only a couple of hours. It has been said that the sweetest sound to a person is the sound of their name. Each of my young friends rewarded the time I had spent with them with smiles and their sweet voices calling my name. I encourage you to invest some time and energy into the young lives around you. Weather it’s once a week or one afternoon, invest in them. You may just be rewarded in the same way I was, with one of the sweetest sounds on earth.

Saturday Pslam ~ 8-22-09

2009-08-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

Establish my footsteps in Your word,
And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.
Psalm 119:133

Saturday Psalm ~ 8-15-09

2009-08-15T11:54:00.000-07:00

Your testimonies are wonderful;

Therefore my soul observes them.

Psalm 119:129

The Teacup

2009-08-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

The Teacup
Author Unknown

There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques, pottery, and especially teacups. This was their 25th wedding anniversary.

One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, “May we see that? We’ve never seen one quite so beautiful.” As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke. “You don’t understand,” it said. “I haven’t always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay. My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over, and I yelled out, ‘Let me alone,’ but he only smiled, ‘Not yet.’

“Then I was placed on a spinning wheel,” the teacup said, “And suddenly I was spun around and around and around. ‘Stop it! I’m getting dizzy!’ I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, ‘Not yet.’

“Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening, and I could read his lips as he shook his head, ‘Not yet.’

“Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. ‘There, that’s better,’ I said. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. ‘Stop it, stop it!’ I cried. He only nodded, ‘Not yet.’

“Then suddenly he put me back in the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening, nodding his head and saying, ‘Not yet.’

“Then I knew there wasn’t any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and said, ‘Look at yourself.’ And I did. I said, ‘That’s not me; that couldn’t be me. It’s beautiful. I’m beautiful.’

“ ‘I want you to remember, then,’ he said, ‘I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I had let you alone, you’d have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn’t put you in there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn’t done that, you never would have hardened; you wouldn’t have had any color in your life. And if I hadn’t put you back in the second oven, you wouldn’t have survived very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began you.’”

God knows what He’s doing for all of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us, so that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker --

an earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth!

Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’

or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?
Isaiah 45:9

The Enthusiastic Attitude

2009-08-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

Fervent in spirit.

Romans 12:11

“One of humanity’s most chronic shortcomings is the lack of individual enthusiasm. Often our failures to achieve what we ought result directly from apathy and lack of commitment. But that should not be true if you’re a Christian.
Enthusiasm requires Spirit-assisted resolve and persistence, not just human-guided good intentions. Henry Martyn, the tireless missionary to India, conducted his ministry with scriptural enthusiasm and fervency. It was his desire to “burn out for God.” And the apostle Paul admonishes us to “not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal. 6:9).”

Taken from: Truth for Today, by John MacArthur, page 216

Saturday Psalm ~ 8-1-09

2009-08-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

Sustain me according to Your word, that I may live;
And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
Psalm 119:116

Leap for Joy!

2009-07-28T16:07:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I found a really good blog post last night and thought I'd share the link to it. It was posted by Tara and Kelly over at Daughters of Vision. It's a very encouraging and convicting post. So pop on over and read it Here.

Saturday Psalm ~ 7-25-09

2009-07-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes

Forever, even to the end.

Psalm 119:112

Pharaoh's Hardened Heart

2009-07-23T19:36:00.000-07:00

As I read the account of the plagues on Egypt in Exodus, I noticed a phrase that was repeated with each plague. As each plague came, Pharaoh would say that the Israelites could go, and would plead for the plague to stop. However, when God stopped the plague, each time Pharaoh would change his mind. Three times the account says that, “the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart” (Exodus 9:12; 10:2; 10:27), and four times it says, “Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, just as the Lord had said” (7:13; 7:22; 8:15; 9:35). I began to think about the wording of this passage. If it had read, “Pharaoh’s heart was hardened”, we would not have thought much about it. However, God used this opportunity to show us that He controls the hearts of all men, even the king of Egypt. In Chapter 7 of Exodus, God had told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart (v. 3). This is another amazing verse that stood out to me as I read this account. In this verse, God tells us why He hardened Pharaoh’s heart. “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.” God could have made Pharaoh let the Israelites go the first time Moses and Aaron made the request. But He didn’t. He chose to harden Pharaoh’s heart to bring glory to Himself, and so Pharaoh, the Egyptians, the Israelites, and all of us, could see the power of God. In this passage, I saw proof that God is completely in control of everything, even the minds, hearts, and responses of men, and that He has a purpose for everything He does, even if it doesn’t make sense to us at the time. We serve an amazing God!

10 Things I Wish I'd Known When I Was Single

2009-07-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine posted this on her blog after she found it. They are good reminders to us single ladies as well as an encouragement to "excel still more"!

1) Marriage doesn't "develop" the good traits. If you don't cultivate patience, joy, gentleness, kindness, etc. before marriage, they aren't going to miraculously appear when you've wed.

2) If you can't joyfully submit to your parents, you won't joyfully submit to your husband.

3) If you develop a "grass is greener" mentality while single, marriage won't feel as fulfilling as you dream it to be. Contentedness is something you must cultivate while single. If you aren't content as a daughter, you won't be magically become content as a wife.

4) Cultivate a schedule (along with a daily quiet time) before you have to schedule life around children. If you can function on a schedule as a single young lady, then you will flourish as a wife and mother.

5) Learn to play with your siblings. If you can't "enjoy" your brothers and sisters, it will be hard to "delight" in your children. You will love your children, yes... but you will not become a "fun" person through childbirth.

6) Learn to give. Make your life as a single young woman about serving others. (Make sure to do this through the leadership of your father so that you choose wisely and don't overextend yourself.) If you make your single years about "serving self," it is very difficult to "kill off self" once you're married.

7) Learn to please your earthly father. This relationship will give you the vital ability to discern what will bless your future husband. Granted, every man is different... but if you seek to do your father good, it will be easy to seek to do your husband good.

8) Consider your mother your mentor. Learn from her... Study her... Memorize her movements and schedules. One day you will be the "home manager."

9) Learn to enjoy and have fun with "just" your family. If you need friends to make life fun while single, the same will apply when married.

10) Learn to follow a budget and shop wisely. Regardless of your family's "mode" of living, generally marriage is started off on a simple budget. You will be a great blessing to your husband if you manage carefully the money he gives to you.

Saturday Psalm ~ 7-11-09

2009-07-11T11:33:00.001-07:00

I haveinherited Your testimonies forever,

for they are the joy of my heart.

Psalm 119:111