New Year

I get excited about the new year. Not because its another year. No. Its not a bad thing it means we've lived through the last one (cruddy or not). I like the "new" part of it. People always set goals for the new year. I think that its a fantastic idea. This year take full advantage of the new. treat life like its totally new.Forgive and Forget the past so you can move on! Its time for change, good change, that will effect the rest of you life!! that's something to get excited about! If your not excited yet i give you this challenge... live life like everything is new. That means to take a lesson from 2 year olds. You know how they light up because of something that's not even important? And how they are wowed by everything? Yup that's your new years challenge! life will become exciting to you because it will seem new to you. And more people will want to be around you because of the positivity! :) Have fun with life and just love it!

dear God

Dear God,

I don’t understand why you don’t talk to me

I feel abandoned by the man who said he would never leave

You were supposed to be my daddy

         But daddies don’t ignore their kids

I used to feel your warmth

         It was like being cuddled up in grandmas home made quilt

Instead of warmth

         I feel chilled

Instead of love

         I feel alone

We were so close

         Now distant

         From everyone

Laughter used to spring out of me from a fountain of joy.

What happened to that joy?

Is it just hidden in a box?

         Stored away in the back of my soul?

The only emotion I feel is

         Depression.

So will life return to me?

Or

Will I remain dead inside?

That was what i wrote in my journal over the summer. I was going through a depression. It took a lot but i go my answer to that question. God got me through it. Dont worry he will get you through it too!

Mount. Life

Life is one big mountain. We stumble, fall, bleed, and start climbing again. Some people focus on where to place their hand next. Some decide its too hard and jump off. As sad as it is they never see whats waiting for them. Different people have different strategies on how to climb. I like to think i wear a safety cord. So that if i fall ill get picked up. Its worked before. I try to focus on the top of my mountain where i know God is. Even though sometimes it feels like hes not there or doesn't care i know he is. you might not be ok at times but hes making sure that you will be in the future. So don't give up your climb.

religious or a relationship?

 Q: What does having a relationship with God really mean? 

   A: We have relationships with our family members and best friends don't we? We develop them by spending time with that person. You find out the other persons interests and knowledge is shared. God is no different. He wants you to spend time with him and get to know him. He wants to pass on his knowledge, love and understanding ways so you can share them as well. 

   I journal to God sometimes and when i do i adress him a my Daddy. After all he is our father which can mean creator, but he is also our daddy. A dad is someone who loves you unconditionally, cares about you, is there for you and gives you wisdom if you listen. 

   1 John 3:1 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don't recognize that we are God's children because they don't know him.

   So there you have it, we are his children and he is our daddy. Now just get the relationship going by loving him and knowing he loved you. Put your trust in him for in Hebrews 13:5 God said "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  So trust him with your feelings, thoughts and life. He wont let you down!

Why wear it?

Q: What are we supposed to wear and why?
    A: How you present yourself does make a difference whether you like it or not. people have a tendency to hang out with others who they share something with. When you dress to cover you get people who usually hold the same values. So ask yourself what kind of people do you want to be attracting. How you present yourself also tells people that you care about yourself or not. Respect yourself enough to dress modestly and others will respect you as well. Last of all, no one wants to hang around the ones who don't seem to care at all about how they dress, smell or act.

Whats wrong with that?

Q: What's wrong with holding hands, kissing, ect. before marriage?
    A: In my opinion holding hands isn't that big of a deal. Kissing on the other hand can is more serious. With kissing your feelings get involved and if the relationship doesn't work out it would be harder to let go. Also depending on the couple, kissing can lead to other things such as sex. It takes a mature person to say no to anything else after kissing. As for the ect. or sex you should try to refrain from it until marriage. When you have sex you have that chance of getting pregnant or STD's. Also God made sex to be shared between husband and wife. It makes a break up harder because you gave away a piece of your heart to someone who hasn't committed fully. And you will be respected more by the people around you and give more respect to your future husband as well as yourself.

When should I date?

Q: When should i date?

My answer to that question is to date when you feel like you don't need anyone. When you are so close to God that you know that he is all you need. There are 3 steps in order to get there. 

Step 1, Knowing God loves you. Most of us have herd the story of Jesus. The reason he was sent was because God loved us so much that he wanted a way for us to spend eternity with him. Jesus is that way. When he died on the cross he took on all the sin in the world. Which means no matter what you do God will still love and forgive you. 

Step 2, love yourself. This step is often one of the more difficult ones. I think that is because we know that we are not perfect. we need to forgive ourselves just as we forgive others. Letting go is a huge part of love, especially when it comes to yourself. 

Step 3, being content. For me this is the hardest step. Reading the bible helps out a lot with that.

Sex

Teenager girls who have sex are 2x more likely to commit suicide than girls who practice abstinence.

Teenage boys who have sex are 7x more likely to commit suicide than boys who are sexually abstinent.

What if you were the cause of that suicide?

You can get pregnant any time. Even during your period. Pregnancies sometimes lead to abortions and Girls who have abortions are 6x more likely to commit suicide than those who don't.

1,211,137 abortions were preformed in the year 2011, so about 1.2 million

28% of women who have abortions commit suicide. To be exact that’s 339 118 suicides. That was just in 2011! If you feel bad now, just think if you were the reason that person committed suicide or the reason that baby died. How bad would you feel then?

Sex is no joke. Its not something you play around with. Yes it may bring some temporary pleasure, but look at the side effects.

Some people may say that sex is how you become and adult. Seriously? A smart adult plans ahead and uses wisdom to make the right decisions. What about having sex before marriage fits that description?

   Your purity is a huge part of you and your heart. When you have sex with someone you give them that piece of your heart. But here’s the catch: You only have so many pieces to give away, before you grow numb to the process; the pieces stop feeling as important. And when you get married, your sex life isn’t as exciting. For those who wait until marriage to have sex, When you get married, you’ve got a whole lot of awesome sex that you haven’t ever had yet. And now you get to catch up, instead of just burning out. Like the people who have been having sex for decades. Those who wait have a better sex life that last longer than those who didn’t wait.

Your marriage will last longer for waiting as well. This is because you won’t loose interest or fall out of love as easily as the burning out couples. because you have so much more invested and will fight much harder to defend your investment.

Don't you want your future spouse all to yourself and not have to think about their past with another woman or another man? Well I'm guessing that they want the same thing. Instead of giving your heart away a little at a time, give all of it to the one person who has earnd it.

   My question to you is why settle for less? I believe that we all have someone we are ment to be with. So don’t settle for someone who isn’t the one. And if you know that you will get married to someone some day then why start cheating on them now?

Song of Songs 2:7

- do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. 

   The entire book of song of songs is about a couple who is recently married. In this scripture she is telling the other women to save sex for marriage because it is worth it. 

What if we are meant to be? 

   This is probably the most used excuse i have herd. If its meant to be then test it. If you have turely found that person you are meant to spend forever with, then they should be able to respect your decision to wait. And then there is the other side to that answer... What if it really isn't meant to be? 8 out of 10 teens in a sexual relationship last 6 months or less.

Commitment

   This is a big reason to save it. Sometimes we do think that we are meant to be with a certain person and give in. Then after a while it doesn't work out. The problem is that you weren't completely committed to one another. Marriage is commitment.

What if i don't know what to do on my wedding night?

   Please, this is a lame excuse. Have you ever heard of a couple who couldn't figure it out? And if you honestly can’t on your wedding night, you have the rest of your life to try. Also the first time is always a little awkward but wouldn't you rather share that breaf awkwardness with the one who already committed to you and loves you?

Everyone is doing it

   Can you really say that after hearing this? Don't i make it obvious that I'm not "doing it?" It may seem like your the only one not being normal, but who wants to be "normal?" By all means if "normal" is walking around feeling hurt, used, rejected, heartbroken, worthless and alone, then i don't want to be "normal." Do you?

Say you do have sex, how do you plan on telling you true soul mate that you already gave it away? How do you tell someone something like that? What if it really hurts them? It’s a sign of love and respect if you waited to have sex with the person you will marry. Show them how much you love them.

If you have already "done it" and wished you had saved it, then start over. Its one thing to tell you spouse that you made a mistake and realized it. Its totally different to say that you just didn't care.

You shouldn't have to prove your love. If you are in a dating relationship and are being pressured to have sex, it’s not worth it. That should tell you right there that the person wants only to please themselves and really doesn't care about your feelings. He or she should love you for who you are not what you can give.

If those reasons aren’t enough maybe these facts will be…

Statistics

Parenthood is the leading reason why teen girls drop out of school; what’s even worse is that fewer than 2% earn a college degree by age 30.

How many people here know that you pretty much need a collage degree to get a good paying job?

About 3 million teens get STIs every year;

some STDs can lead to serious health complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease, organ damage, infertility, cervical cancer, or even death. Mind you that STDs can be spread even with birth control.

Not one person who saved sex until marriage regretted it!

P.S.

     This was a speech i wrote for my public speaking class. I encourage all of you to step out of your comfort zone and speak up! (Acts 18:1"Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you")

Time

   Just the other day a boy in my class and i were discussing God. He told me he didn't have time for God. I replied with "that's sad." I thought God can make time for you plus the rest of the world. Yet you can't find  a spare moment for him? 

    Today i realized that it is really hard to make time for everything. We have to many things we have to make time for. Our society is so rushed. Instead of stopping to smell the roses, we need to stop and admire the maker of the roses. Life is made up of time. We just have to balance it.

   Lately I've been guilty of not making time for God. It shows in my attitude. I need to get my priorities strait so that i can judge what to do and when. A planner helps out a lot. I'm going to make a list of things i have to do, prioritize them, and place them in my planner. You should try it too. But don't forget to take a few breaks every now and them. Having ME time is important for everyone. It's hard to find that balance between overloading and not doing enough but we have to try our best.

The relationship

once upon a time there were a boy and a girl that were in love

                        boy girl

                          God

then the boy and girl didnt see eye to eye and started growing apart

        boy                        girl

                    God

but then they both started to grow closer to God!

                boy girl

                  God

wait a second is it just me or did something just change???

then the boy and girl got closer to God they got closer to each other without even knowing!!!!! (they all become one)

   Right now its like where climbing this big mountain of life. As we clime we get closer to God. As we get closer to God we also get closer to our soul mates. But our relationship with God, and our obedience to him will lead us to the one were supposed to be with. Just remember to put him first

God lead

Feelings can drive you into a ditch. I usually lean on God for things. He's a sturdy foundation, but he is never boring! Everyday is an adventure! I love life because of him! It's amazing. i mean come on, the maker of the galaxies is pretty out there. Look around you! He made the leaves change color, the flowers bloom, the birds sing. Without him life would be imposable and worthless. He pushes me out of my comfort zone and loves everything about me. He is the best dad in the universe!

Shinning Armor

   I know your probably thinking about those olden days where there were knights in shinning armor. Well you should be. Those old heroes in fairy-tales always had some kind of protection for their heart. They knew that if their heart was hit, that they would die. Now we do not fight agents flesh and blood, but it is very important to protect our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 says "guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life." Though we all will take risks in our life it is still important to think about it and guard your heart. 

   We don't always have to guard it though. God promises that he will accept us and love who we are. You can put your trust in him. Shed you armor in his presents and find peace in him. 

   Later in life he will bring the person specifically designed for you and that's a different story. For now focus on his divine love and grow in him. He has a way to your will so trust him with it.

something to think about

i have a question for you... What is more important, money or society?

My story

         Everyone has gone through something that makes you who you are. Some of you may know me pretty well, others probably not. There are some things about me that no one knows. I’ve been a Christian since I was 4 years old. I have had times where I kind of went away from God. But for the most part I’ve always had a relationship with him, which has always been really important to me. Maybe it’s not important to you or maybe you haven’t tried having a relationship with God, but I’m going to share with you a story of how having that relationship has effected me and formed me into what I am today.

         A while ago I went through a depression. It happened pretty gradually, starting with me not reading my Bible as much. Then I started to concentrate on little things that didn’t really matter. I let it steal my peace. Then I started getting mad over those little things. It was like that snow ball effect. Everything was just building into another thing. But because it happened so gradually I wasn’t noticing that big of a change so I thought I was fine. I wasn’t happy, I knew that. I just didn’t feel like reading or going to God. I was moody all the time. I wasn’t content or grateful. I was just mad. Then I started feeling really alone. It was like that little snowball had become so big and rolled all the way down the hill and finally crashed. All there was was me. I acted fine around other people. I would smile around them and when they asked how I was I would find a way around the question. Even though I didn’t give people a reason to ask how I really was I wanted someone to. I would ask how they were instead so that no one knew that I was depressed. And it worked. I had convinced myself that no one cared. I just stayed that way for a while. No reason to get out of bed. The days were worthless and so was I. At night I would sit there and listen to songs, crying out for God to hear me, to talk to me, to comfort me. But I heard nothing. In that time I felt like God had abandoned me. Finally one night I reached out to a girl who lives all the way in Oklahoma. She was going to a Christian collage, and helped me out a lot. I needed someone who would encourage me. She told me that she had been depressed before too and that telling someone was the first step to recovery. I also knew I wasn’t alone.

         Recovery was the next thing that happened. It was hard to do. I had to force myself to get up out of bed and to read my Bible. I also wrote in a journal, constantly telling God how I felt. I wrote a list of things to be thankful for and had to read them everyday when I got upset to see the good. I made myself do things during the day like cleaning. I would listen to only Christian music and some songs really helped me. The song Never Alone by Barrlow Girl (a Christian rock band) helped but mainly because of the story that went with it. They had gone through a time where they needed God but couldn’t hear him and didn’t feel his warmth. But they stuck it out and God did come through.

         The thing that impacted me the most was Psalms chapter 31. King David was the king of Israel around 1000 B.C. In this chapter it talks about David crying out to God because he was depressed. He felt like God wasn’t responding, but in the end he found that God did hear him. I realized that God was there when I went to Michigan Adventures with my family. My cousin locked her keys in the car and out of no where this guy comes up and says that he used to opens cars for people for a living. I knew that was God. Why else would this guy have come to us? Unfortunately he didn’t have his tools with him but he reminded my aunt about triple A. My aunt had forgotten completely about it.

         The next way God showed me he was real was by actually talking to me. God can talk to us in many different ways. He’s that gut feeling, the voice inside your head. He can give us dreams or visions. He has a still small voice. I was just sitting alone and I had this feeling inside me to start a blog. So I asked my mom and dad if I could and I did. So I end up making a blog. God sent a friend of my moms to help me start it. But I didn’t know what to write. Suddenly when I read my Bible scriptures would pop out at me and I would get how they related to real life. So here I am. Now my blog has grown a lot. God talks to me a lot. I never feel alone. He gives me these ideas to put onto my blog to help out others. So I let him lead and guide me. In fact my blog will be a link on my churches new website. I am not on fire for God, which means I am excited everyday to wake up in the morning because I might be able to be used by him to help someone else. I am full of joy and peace now. It is all because he sent that girl to help me. I wanted to keep the cycle going.

         To sum it all up I might have went through a hard time but after it was over I have a better relationship with him. That depression made me who I am today. The last thing I’m going to say is a quote I wrote.

“Sometimes bad things happen and we don’t know why. But once we make it to the other side, that story becomes out testimony. And we can relate to others and aid them in their struggles”

         - By D

Lets Get Rich

this was taught to me by my second pastor JP.

    Some people have this opinion that they need to be content and just have enough. Well I'm sorry to tell you but God never said to just have enough. If you desire to be a millionaire well Psalms 37:4 says delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart! God has a way for your will. Think of it this way, God is your Dad. For those of you who are parents don't you want to give your kids everything? So does God! He wants to love on you, because your his kid. 

   Psalms 35:27 says "But give great joy to those who came to my defense. Let them continually say, "Great is the LORD, who delights in blessing his servant with peace!"

   God made a covenant, which is a promise, to us that he wouldn't get physical. So he needs us to witness to others in the flesh. Imagine yourself being a non believer. Some stranger comes to your door all hanging his head, stressed and tired and  asks if you want to hear the good news. I don't know about you but i would be thinking that it doesn't work. Now lets go with a different scenario. You see someone all spiffed up walking into a gas station smiling and happy because he has no worries, wouldn't you want to know what he has that's working so well? So you go up to him and ask how he does it and he just reply's with "God provided me." Wouldn't you want to get more information on God? wouldn't that make you want to try it out? so let me ask you something, are you a fisher of men? if so then even fishermen need good lures. So ask God to lead you and let him rule your life. You will be blessed!

Smile :)

Why should i have a good aditude? 

    When you are having a bad day it's harder to smile and just shrug it off. Knowing that my smile might just be what someone else needs keeps it on my face. Most people don't realize that every act of love or hate can change a persons life forever. What are you giving off?

   Also if we give every problem up to God the moment it hits us we have the ability to smile because we no longer have to worry about it. Always smiling can attract people to you. They notice that you never seem to be down. That could cause them to approach you for the answer and give you the opportunity to share God's love with them. Keep in mind that Jesus didn't go to the people, they were drawn to him. Let God's love give you a glow that people are drawn to.

The why nots about sex

Proverbs 4:23 

- above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.

How does that relate to sex? 

   Your purity is a huge part of you and your heart. When you have sex with someone you give them that piece of your heart. Even though God can heal your heart, why not save him and you the trouble. 

Song of Songs 2:7

- Daughters of Jerusalem, i charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. 

   The entire book of song of songs is about a couple who is recently married. In this scripture she is telling the other women to save sex for marriage because it is worth it. 

What if we are meant to be? 

   This is probably the most used excuse i have herd. If its meant to be then test it. If you have turely found that person you are meant to spend forever with, then they should be able to respect your decision to wait. And then there is the other side to that answer... What if it really isn't meant to be?

Psalm 37:4

- delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

   My question to you is why settle for less? In this scripture it tells you that God WILL give you the desires of your heart. That's a promise from God and he doesn't break his promises. So if your heart desires to have someone to love then God will get it done. So if your a real christian and "live by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7), then trust him. And if you know that God will bring you a spouse, then why start cheating on them now?

Commitment

   This is a big reason to save it. Sometimes we do think that we are meant to be with a certain person and give in. Then after a while it doesn't work out. The problem is that you weren't completely committed to one another. Marriage is  commitment.  

Song of Songs 2:16 

- "My lover is mine and i am my lovers." 

   Don't you want your future spouse all to yourself and not have to think about their past with another woman or another man? Well I'm guessing that they want the same thing. 

Whenever you hit puberty and your mom tells her girlfriends, sometimes they like to congratulate you on becoming a man or a woman. It's so ridiculous! Just because you are able to have babies doesn't make you an adult. Same goes for sex. Some people may say that sex is how you become and adult. Seriously?  A smart adult plans ahead and uses wisdom to make the right decisions. What about having sex before marriage fits that description?

What if i don't know what to do on my wedding night?

   Please, this is a lame excuse. Have you ever heard of a couple who couldn't figure it out? And if you honestly cant on your wedding night, you have the rest of your life to try. Also the first time is always a little awkward but wouldn't you rather share that breaf awkwardness with the one who already committed to you and loves you?

Everyone is doing it

   Can you really say that after reading this blog? Don't i make it obvious that I'm not "doing it?" It may seem like your the only one, but who wants to be "normal?" By all means if "normal" is walking around feeling hurt, used, rejected, heartbroken, worthless and alone, then i don't want to be "normal." Do you?

Song of Songs 4:12

- You are a garden locked up, my sister my bride; You are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.

   You might be thinking "a sealed fountain? What the heck?" But what this scripture is really saying is how much the husband loves that his wife is pure. Isn't gazing at a fountain or strolling in a garden nice? But to know that that garden or fountain is all yours makes it even better.

Say you do have sex, how do you plan on telling you true soul mate that you already gave it away? How do you tell someone something like that? What if it really hurts them?


If you have already "done it" and wished you had saved it, then start over. Its one thing to tell you spouse that you made a mistake and realized it. Its totally different to say that you just didn't care.

You shouldn't have to prove your love. If you are in a dating relationship and are being pressured to have sex, its not worth it. That should tell you right there that the person wants only to please themselves and really doesn't care about your feelings. He or she should love you for who you are not what you can give.

If i haven't given you enough reasons why not to have sex, please feel free to look in your Bible for more. Also if you still think that sex before marriage is right for you, then state your reasons. I am sure i can help chance your mine :)

Love

         No one is perfect. But God said that man will fail you but he will never leave you nor forsake you. which means that people will let you down, but God is always there, and he always loves you. no matter how many times you mess up. God also said that he would be unfailing in all areas especially love.