What I Learned in 2015

     It's crazy to think this year is already at it's end. In some ways, I feel like it flew by. In other ways, it drug on slower than a turtle running a marathon. I finished spring semester of freshman year, spent a month home for summer and then went back to school to work, and now fall semester of sophomore year is at it's close. Of course lots of crazy things have happened in between! Needless to say, God has taught me so many things in the last 12 months. Some lessons I definitely didn't want to learn, but they were so important in my life. So here are just a few things that I've been able to learn in the year 2015!

1. I definitely don't know it all.

This is not easy to admit, that's for sure. It's fun to think I know everything, that I know what's going on all of the time. But as God has shown me time and time again, I don't know hardly anything, and that's a good thing. Trusting Him becomes a lot easier when that's the only choice you have. A lot of times I would be frustrated because I didn't understand how God would work things out, but He is all knowing and all powerful. It's not my job to have everything figured out because the person who created me already does.

2. "Have you prayed about it as much as you talk about it?"

I've heard this quote a lot of times, but it still holds really true. Sometimes when problems arose, the first thing I wanted to do was text my best friend or rant to my roommate. But the more different situations happened in my life, the more I realized how much I NEEDED God. Yes,  talking to council and godly friends is really important, but we can see so many times in the Psalms, David first cried out to God. There were times when going to God was the only option, but that was the best option. I started to go to Him when little things happened or when there were things I didn't understand, and it was amazing how much God was able to work in those situations. He wants us to go to Him right away, and cast our burdens on Him. A lot of times, I would pray and talk to God about it right away, and it was easy to just let it go after that. I pray that I will be able to continue working on my prayer life in the next year because it's amazing how much power prayer has.

3. Being alone doesn't mean you have to be lonely.

Sometimes I had to chill by myself in my dorm room, or I would be surrounded by people but so solitude in my thoughts. Just because God has brought you to a place where it's just you and Him one on one, it does not mean that you're exiled into perpetual loneliness. God brought many people to a place of solitude to have them learn - Moses, David, and Job for example. It's not a curse to be single or alone for awhile, it's actually  a blessing. God can do a lot with a person when they allow Him to have their full attention and full heart. I'm thankful for the times I was alone because I got to accomplish a lot, not only in doing things like school or piano, but because those are times when I can talk to my best friend and get to know Him through His word.

4. Sometimes nobody will understand you, and it's okay.

We all go through our own personal struggles and battles. God allows us to go through things because He knows we can conquer them with Him on our side. We are going to have times when people won't understand what we're going through or what we're thinking. We have to go through seasons, we have to be chiseled to grow. Someone I really admire told me a few months ago that I will look back on this season of life and be thankful for all it taught me, but I have to stand strong through it. I really kept that in mind. Hardship and struggles don't last for forever. Heartbreak will cease and trials will end. It's the unchanging word of God and the unchanging character of God that you can rely on. Friends and family aren't always going to understand exactly what you're going through, but we have a creator and best friend who knows our hearts better than we do.

5. Be thankful.

I heard a sermon many months back, and I wrote in my Bible, "Don't forget to thank God for the small, everyday miracles." I started writing something I was thankful for everyday in a little journal. It really opened my eyes to all that God does for me every day. Throughout the day I would keep my eyes open for things I could write in the journal. Whether it's a hug from an adorable preschooler, an encouraging text from a best friend, or the reflection of a beautiful sunset in the pond, there are always things to be thankful for. Praising God is a big part of our Christian walk, and I know that even now I don't do that enough. Making a point to write what I'm thankful for every day showed me on a very small level how much God does for me and how good He is. In the next year that's definitely something I want to keep doing because it made a huge difference in my life.

Of course God has taught me so much more, but those were a few of the big ones. I'm so grateful that He allowed me to live another year to learn and do more for Him. I'm excited about all the things that He has done in my life and in the lives of those around me, and I can't wait to see how much more He will do in the next year. My year verse for 2015 was 1 Cor. 2:9, "As it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither enter into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those that love Him." Staying faithful and giving my full heart to the Lord is something I have to work on on a daily basis, but I know that there is no other way to live than to live for Him.Thanks for everyone who have stayed faithful to reading my posts. I have such a passion for writing and I pray that God will be able to use it someday in a big way, but you have been a blessing in my life by supporting something I genuinely love to do. I hope you all have a VERY HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Stay excellent!

Merry Christmas!

     Happy Christmas Eve all! I am so amazed that it's already December 24th...this year flew by. I don't know about you, but I definitely think it's the most wonderful time of the year. I listen to Christmas music year round with absolutely NO SHAME. Well, this is just a cliche reminder to remember why we celebrate Christmas. We all love the presents, fudge, family time, and carols, but it's so important to remember that we celebrate because Jesus was born to die. He came humbly as a little, vulnerable baby when He deserved to break through the clouds with light and anthem. He showed us the true heart of a servant. He had one reason to come and that was to show US the reason to live - for Him. We have daily access to the GREATEST gift of all, salvation. I don't know about you but that's definitely better than anything we can wrap and put under the tree. 

Wishing all you friends and family have a merry & bright holiday. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOODNIGHT

Stay excellent!

Enjoy these goofy photos of the lovely ladies in my family ;)

Complete in God

"The only one who can truly satisfy the human heart is the one who made it - Jesus."
     I was reading a book the other day and it was talking about dating, but it brought up a really good point. It said that any person who does not understand that they are complete in Jesus is susceptible to idolatry. That really got me thinking. A lot of people look for a significant other to complete them, but we can only compliment them, not complete them. When a person finds something or someone to complete them that isn't the Lord God, they are placing that person or thing into a spot that only God Himself should be in. Therefore, if we're honest with ourselves, we have made idols.
    The Bible says so many times that we are to love the Lord with all our might, soul and strength. He should consume us, everything we do should be to honor Him and maximize the glory of the cross. Whether we're at Walmart buying groceries or talking to a preschool parent we see everyday, our thoughts, intents and actions should all be pleasing the Lord. When we allow other things to be our source of satisfaction or completion, we are consciously left desperate for more, whether we know it or not. It's a thirst that can't be satisfied by anything the world has to offer.
     My favourite chapter of the Bible, Psalm 139, talks a lot about how God sees us. He knows every word on our tongue, He is everywhere that we are no matter where we go, He compasses our path, and He thinks more wonderful thoughts of us than there are grains of sand. He desperately loves us and has even before we were brought into this world. Why are we allowing other things to complete us when we have a creator who deserves our full attention?
     Psalm 62:1-2 says, Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence, I shall not be greatly moved. One source describes this sort of rock as a permanent place of refuge, a symbol of faith. We must be permanently finding refuge and satisfaction in the Lord, He is truly our only source of completion.
     It's so important that we look to God to complete and satisfy us - don't allow people or things to become idols by taking that place of Him. He deserves our complete attention and adoration, and it's our privilege to get to spend our lives fully and deeply satisfied by the One who created us.

Stay excellent!

Extend Grace

"The only way to be better rather than bitter is to extend the same grace to others that God extended to us through Jesus Christ." 

      It's so easy in our human pride to get carried away with our own selfishness! I decided to write about this topic because it's something that I have found extremely difficult, but so life changing. Extending grace to others is definitely one of the hardest things to do when we're upset, but really, it's the very least we can do. We can be such vile people sometimes, seriously so so cruel and mean. Even though we might wear a mask of kindness, often there are times that our hearts act out in not-so-lovely ways. The Bible calls our heart desperately wicked for a reason! 

     Imagine if Jesus didn't extend us grace - none of us would be on our way to Heaven. Grace is the free, unmerited favor. Do we deserve His salvation? No way. Do we deserve His forgiveness? Absolutely not. But does He still freely offer it to us? Praise God the answer is yes. So why is it so easy for us to get all angry and bitter toward people when they do things that bother us? I can speak for myself when I say that it's ridiculous how often I let myself get all rude and upset when someone says something or does something that rubs me the wrong way. If Jesus kept a written record of all my wrongs, the list would start at the ground and reach higher than the Empire State Building. We should be taking on the same mind as Christ in all we say and do, therefore we really and truly should be extending grace to our friends, families, coworkers..everyone, as much as we can. 

     Now I get that a lot of this is easier said than done, but God tells us in His word that we are to take on the mind of Christ. If it was impossible, He wouldn't have asked us to do it. Here are a few things that have helped me as I'm learning the lesson of extending grace. 

1. Stop complaining to other people. 

     When someone upsets us, isn't it so easy to run to whoever may listen and complain to them? We want people to relate to us and justify our nasty attitude. If you need to go to someone about the situation, go to a godly friend who won't just agree with your bad thinking. Earlier today I was upset about something pretty dumb and I brought it up to someone I was working with, and she reminded me that I shouldn't let the silly situation spoil my day. That was something I was so thankful for because it was just what I needed to have that reality check - that we live each day for the glory of God so why should little things bother us in the first place? I needed to remember that I needed to extend grace to the person who wasn't extending grace to me. When people do things that irritate you, don't run to the closest listening ear to justify your bad mood. Try praying that God would help you understand all sides of the situation and that you would be able to let go things that aren't worth holding on to. Sometimes it's good to talk to someone about it, but make sure it's a person who will have godly advice.

2. Remember that you're not put on a pedestal.

     Sometimes we want our own way because we think we are better than anyone/everyone else. Although this isn't something we do on purpose, we often put ourselves on pedestals that we have no right to be standing on. Maybe someone cut in front of you in line...okay, yeah, it's annoying, but I know I've done it to people before. Usually when people bother us, they're doing it totally unintentionally. We often do to others the exact thing that we're annoyed about when other people do it to us. Ok, so there's no good way to word that sentence, but basically if someone cuts in front of me in line, I need to extend grace because I know I have accidentally cut in line before. Nobody put us on a higher level or made us any more important than anyone else walking around in this universe. Keep that in mind.

3. After all, having a bad attitude is a sin. 

     When we're not extending grace, we're usually sulking around with a bad attitude. We might lash out at someone, give someone a dirty look, or go and gossip about them. If this is the case, we are NOT representing attitudes that are anything close to Christ-like, and we are in the wrong. It's very easy to explain away our sin because of what other people are doing, but that's a behavior that wont help us grow as Christians. We have to have the heart that understands when our attitude is bad, and have the willingness to ask God to extend grace towards us and forgive us for it.

     These are just a few things that have helped me the last few weeks as I've been working on this. Obviously it isn't easy, and it's something that takes time and effort. Do unto others as you would have them do to you is such a commonly used phrase but so often we flippantly disregard it's true importance. EXTEND GRACE as freely and often as GOD extends it towards YOU. :)

Stay excellent!

Bread for Beggars

     "Christianity is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread." I love this quote because it truly brings into perspective the fact that we too used to be lost. We were all homeless, stranded, starving, and desperately trying to find a safe place. We find a solution to our problems when we find God. I have been to Chicago to pass out tracts a few times over the last year, and I always make a point to give a tract and talk to every beggar I see. A lot of them are sitting there asking for money, but I let them know that I'm giving them something that will last a lot longer than money will - the message of eternal hope.

     The Great Commission is so often confused, becoming the Great Suggestion. That's such a fatal flaw in our Christian culture. "Go therefore and preach the gospel" isn't a recommendation, it's a commandment. We have the bread to feed this starving nation yet we keep it to ourselves. It takes 1 minute to share the gospel that could affect someone's eternity, so why are we so hesitant?

     So many people pray for opportunities. The thing is, God constantly gives us opportunities, so instead we should be praying that God would give us courage. There are lots of things that you can do to help this starving world find bread. For example, that cashier at Walmart? Give them a tract. Ask them if they're 100% sure they're going to Heaven. What about the person behind you in the long, morning Starbucks line? We are surrounded by people who are eternally homeless. They might not be on a Chicago street corner with a cardboard sign and a McDonald's cup full of loose change, but they're desperately in need of something that will change their life.

     When we treat the Great Commission like it's the Great Suggestion, we are allowing others to go starving while we have the solution. We were beggars once too, although someone may have shared with us how to find bread earlier in our life so we didn't have to starve for as long. Instead of being scared to share the gospel with others, look at it the way that God sees it. All that we do on this earth is for nothing if it isn't for the glory of God. Sure, you can have the best clothes or hair or make up. You can have the most updated phone or electronics, and maybe you have the world's best boyfriend/girlfriend. But in the end, the things that we do for the Lord are the things that are going to matter. Take 10 seconds out of your day to hand a tract to the lady at the grocery store, or even just praying for that one family member you know isn't saved. God desires for us to be ambassadors for Him, therefore it requires some effort on our part. Are you willing to help the beggars find bread?

Stay excellent!

Lay Me Down in Peace

     I love Psam 4:8 which says, "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou, Lord, only thou makest me dwell in safety." So many things in this world are promoted to bring inner peace, things such as yoga poses or deep breathing, special perfumes or lotions that help you relax, or fancy spas and massages. These things may give a brief sensation of something, but true peace isn't one of them. This is because true peace only comes from the Lord. "Peace I leave you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27 tells us there are two types of peace - wordly peace, and godly peace. Godly peace is the kind that King David had when he penned that verse in Psalm 4. David was hunted down to be killed by his best friends father, yet he said that he could rest in peace. He could sleep, because God is the only one who allows us to feel truly safe.

     God wants us to strive for peace - peace with man and peace with Him. There are dozens of passages that talk about the importance of the peace that God can give us. The question is, how do we get it? We know that He gives it, but when we're going through those times of heartbreak, frustration, hurt or doubt, how do we just reach up and receive the peace that passeth all understanding?
     Well, first off we have to pursue it.

     1 Peter 3:11 says that we need to be actively seeking and pursuing peace. It's something we often need to strive to have. We can't just expect to automatically have it because we're Christians, but we need to put forth the effort to seek it.
     Isaiah 26:3 says that we will be kept in perfect peace as we keep our minds on God. A lot of times our lives feel like they're in a giant state of upheaval because we've taken our eyes off of the Creator and cast them upon the world. Our minds need to be trained to focus on God, because that's where He takes the circumstances of our lives under His wing and allows us to rest, just like King David.
     1 Corinthians 14:33 says that God isn't the author of confusion but of peace. When your mind becomes plagued by confusion, ask yourself, who's writing your story? The devil, master of confusion, or God, author of peace? When our hearts and minds are not serving or actively seeking the Lord, confusion begins to seep its way into our lives. The more confused we are about various things and circumstances, the less we are worried about our godly testimony. It's so vital in our Christian walk that we put on our Jesus-goggles and see the world that He sees.

     I love that all-encompassing, perfect peace that comes from having a heart that loves the Lord and a strong desire to know Him more. Things are guaranteed to be hard in our Christian lives, it's not an if but a when. The best part about trial and pain is that God promises that through it all, He is there. It's against God's nature to be unfaithful, despite our unfaithfulness. Pursue peace, keep your eyes and heart on God, and allow Him to authorize the details of your life. It's beautiful to know that we are able, just like David, to lay our heads down and be in peace.

Stay excelllent!

Idols of the Heart

     It's easy to look at the Israelites in Exodus 32 and think of them as such fools! How dare they worship other gods after all that the Lord had done for them? We often view them in disgust and think, "I would never do something like that. I'm a GOOD Christian." Well...news flash. Idols aren't just golden statues made out of jewelry, they are anything that you put in the place of God. It's defined as: having a deep, extreme love for something or someone. It's easy still to say, "I don't worship anything or anyone other than God." But do a serious quick-scan of your heart - do you pull your phone out and text while doing your devotions? Do you spend all day with your significant other and forget to spend any time with the person that made them?  Do you work sunrise to sundown without giving the Lord a single thought? Do you desire affection, attention, confirmation or materialistic gain more than you desire a stronger relationship with God? Do you love things more than you love God? All of these things would classify as idolatry. 

     Judging those Israelites who worshiped tangible idols thousands of years ago is much easier than admitting we are also guilty of idol worship. We're inadvertently hypocritical because we don't allow ourselves to see the idols that live within our hearts. It's so important to do a heart check and really diagnose if you have something you're putting before God. Often it's unintentional, and sometimes it's not even a bad thing. Maybe you're working in ministry but you're so busy with the work that you forget for whom you're actually working for. Realizing what your idols are will put you on the road to destroying them, and straightening your priorities. So what do you do? How do you rid yourselves of these idols hidden deep within the heart?

1. Recognize the greatness of God. 

Of course we all know that we have a really cool God. That's not a secret. But it's so important to try and grasp how GOOD God is in scope of how small and minuscule we really are. I love Hebrews 12:29 that says, "For our God is a consuming fire." When we put God on the back burner, we are telling the God of the universe, the God who created all people and all things, that He's not worth our time. We need to put God on the pedestal that He deserves. Realizing His greatness will help us worship Him above all else. 

2. Pray. 

Having constant communication with God helps us to remember that He's here. We obviously can't see God so sometimes in the business of our day, we just forget about Him. Just like a relationship with a significant other, you talk to them multiple times a day, let them know they're on your mind, tell them things that matter to you. That's how it should be with God. Talk to Him and treat Him like the most important thing in your life, because that's what He deserves to be. 

3. Have purposeful & passionate quiet time. 

We should go into our quiet time with God with a purpose. We shouldn't pull out our Bible because it's habit or routine, we pull out our Bible to sit down and read something that will help us in our godly life and walk with the Lord. The first half of Matthew 6 talks a lot about how we should talk to God and have our quiet time. It should be a private moment every day where you purposely make time to read God's love letter to you - that's how He communicates. Texting or checking your email can wait, God is far more important than anything that can be happening on our devices. We should be craving the word of God - just like we rely on food and water to live a healthy physical life, we need the Bible to give us nutrients too. Just food and water won't suffice. So don't read a quick devotional as your walking out the door and count that as your quiet time - set a time out in your day to get to know your First Love. 

     Of course, these things are hard. We constantly have a battle between our flesh and the Spirit. The flesh can't stop sinning and the Spirit can't sin at all. Satan WANTS us to have idols. If we are Christians, Satan doesn't want us to further the Kingdom, so he desperately wants us to put other things ahead of God so we can waste time instead of leading others to Christ. Jesus Christ gave His all for us, for each of our sins. He deserves our whole heart and our whole soul. These idols of the heart that can't be seen have the ability to break our fellowship with Christ and desperately harm our testimonies. Make it your goal to burn those idols and destroy them, and worship the one TRUE God.

                                                                                                                          Stay excellent!

Get in the Wheelbarrow

"Blondin's greatest fame came in June of 1859 when he attempted to become the first person to cross a tightrope stretched over a quarter of a mile across the mighty Niagara Falls.

He walked across 160 feet above falls several times, each time with a different daring feat - once in a sack, on stilts, on a bicycle, in the dark, and once he even carried a stove and cooked an omelet!

On one occasion though, he asked for the participation of a volunteer.
A large crowd gathered and a buzz of excitement ran along both sides of the river bank. The crowd “Oooohed!” and “Aaaaahed!” as Blondin carefully walked across one dangerous step after another -- blindfolded and pushing a wheelbarrow.
Upon reaching the other side, the crowd's applause was louder than the roar of the falls! Blondin suddenly stopped and addressed his audience: "Do you believe I can carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?" The crowd enthusiastically shouted, "Yes, yes, yes. You are the greatest tightrope walker in the world. You can do anything!"
"Okay," said Blondin, "Get in the wheelbarrow....."
The Blondin story goes that no one did!" (Story taken from http://www.creativebiblestudy.com/Blondin-story.html)

This is a story that really makes us think about our faith. How often do we ask God to do something, looking up and knowing He has the ability, but when we're asked to put our trust in that we run the other way? We say we believe, but our actions show that we don't. God asks us to follow Him with our WHOLE heart, trusting without borders. In Joshua 14 we read about Caleb, and in verses 8,9, and 14, it says that He "wholly followed the Lord." Caleb was blessed throughout His life beause He gave God all of Him every step of the way. Each step we take, each decision we make, everywhere we go, we should be holding the hand of God.

Just like nobody wanted to get in the Blondin's wheelbarrow, we get too scared to put our whole lives in God's hands. We'll let Him have control over some areas of our lives, but we try to hold on to a few of them, as if we had the power to do a better job than God can. That's where things get dangerous, because when we try to walk that tight rope alone, we will plunge toward our death. Why wouldn't we get in the wheelbarrow of the One who cannot fall?

I was challenged with this illustration because I know that sometimes I am content just watching God work, but really I should be 100% inside of His will. He doesn't want a relationship where we sit back from a distance and watch, He wants us to get in that wheelbarrow and experience the journey with Him. Let this encourage us to WHOLLY follow the Lord, get in the wheelbarrow, and trust the tightrope walker.

Stay excelent!

Don't Pray for a Lighter Load, but a Stronger Back

     "Pray not for a lighter burden, but a stronger back." This old Proverb is so applicable to us today, seeing as how so many of us want things to get done but don't want to do the work it takes to see it through. As Christians we know that we're supposed to work for the Lord, but how often do we stop when the job gets difficult, or when it goes outside of our comfort zone? Maybe we don't want to do the work because we are lazy, or because we know someone else will step in and do it if we don't. We see so many examples of Christians who served God to the fullness of their potential and didn't stop when it got rough or scary - we see this in the lives of  Abraham, Noah, Moses, Joshua, Ruth, Paul, Joseph, Mary, and SO many others. They didn't stop when the work was tiring or heavy, but they pushed through and reaped so many positive results because of that.
     I found this cartoon on the Internet and I think it perfectly sums up the importance of enduring the burdens that God asks us to carry, for we need them in the end.

     We are guaranteed hardships in this life, and there are crosses that we're going to have to carry. Each of us have to go through struggles in different ways at different times, but God lets us go through that process so that we can grow. Working for the Lord may get tiring and hard to bear at some points, but we will be able to use that trial to get through what God needs us to get through. This cartoon man kept begging for a lighter load, when he really should have been praying for stronger shoulders. We need the struggles and pains in this life to help us grow and achieve great things for God. When we pray for a lighter cross, sometimes God answers that prayer, and it may seem good at the time. We see this guy with the little music notes over his head - he's a happy camper. But then we see that he needed that cross, he needed that burden in the end, so he could make it through the real danger. Just like that little cartoon guy, we need our cross to get through the battles. So don't pray for a lighter cross, but pray that God would give you the strength you need to carry it until the end. 

 Stay excellent!

The Weight of your Words

     The phrase "actions speak louder than words" may be true, but it doesn't mean that words don't matter. Words can make a colossal impact both positively and negatively in the lives of others, and it's up to us how we want to control our tongues. 

      Often times, people speak without even thinking, and that can cause a lot of damage. We spout things off when we're tired, angry or grumpy, and those things can really hurt someone. At the same time, we have the power to completely change someone's day and maybe even their life, by letting them know that they're loved, special or important. 

     The Bible refers to our tongues as a razor in Psalm 52. If I really thought of that each time I opened my mouth, I'm 99.9% different I wouldn't say half of the things that I say. It would be easy to sit and count the times people have said (or didn't say) things that have really hurt me. At the same time, I could turn around and realize that I have probably said just as many things to people that have hurt them. Our words carry so much more weight than we could even realize, and it starts with you as an individual making the difference.

Proverbs 12:18 - There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise is health. 

There are two types of people according to this verse - those who's words pierce other's like a sword, and those who are wise. The question is, which tongue do you have - the piercing tongue, or the wise one?

Proverbs 18:21 - The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Do you love the negative power that your harsh words can deliver? The Bible says right here that it has the power of life and death. There are thousands of stories where someone has committed suicide and the turning point were the words that someone said, while there are also thousands of stories where someone didn't commit suicide because someone stepped in and let them know their lives were valuable. 

Matthew 15:18 - But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Our mouths reflect what's in our heart. If what we say is nasty and mean, all it does is show everyone that the heart is infested with bitterness and anger. We should be a sensitive and caring people, sharing the love and kindness of Jesus, not infected with the disease of meanness. 

Things that we say could be stamped on someone's heart forever. What if each word we said was permanently inked on our skin? How much more careful would we be with what we say? Make sure that you think of the weight of your words, and may all we say bring a smile to our Heavenly Father's face. 

Stay excellent!

Why a Happy Attitude is a Godly Attitude

It's no secret that our attitudes are contagious. Our emotions are one of the only things we constantly have control over - we can choose, will we have a good day, or a bad day? It's all about our attitude. Lately, it seems like an overall happy mood is decreasing in popularity, and it's being replaced with negative thinking - a bad attitude. What exactly does that mean? Well, according to good ol' Webster, bad is described as - poor in quality, defective, unpleasant, or unwelcome. Attitude is described as - a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person's behavior. If we put this together, a bad attitude is an unpleasant way of thinking, reflected by one's behavior. When we have a bad attitude, our thoughts are of a poor quality. When we have a bad attitude, usually our presence is unwanted and unwelcomed. When we have a bad attitude, we're advertising to the world that we have a defective heart. When we're walking around with a heart and mind full of awful thoughts, we are infecting those around us in a negative way. As Christians, it is Biblical to have glad hearts - in the book of Psalm alone we read so many times that we should have happy, joyful and cheerful hearts.
We all know that a bad attitude is definitely NOT a godly one, so it's important to know what God wants of us concerning our thoughts and our actions.

1. Be quick to hear and slow to speak.

James 1:19 - Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 

Often times, people listen with the intent to reply rather than the intent to hear. This verse means that we need to be quick to hear, open our ears and listen to what a person is saying to us. We shouldn't be quick to spout of words, or in today's age, a text. We should be slow to our replies, and think about the impact of our words. Lastly, we should be slow to wrath. We really need to give it thought before we become angry for petty or childish reasons. 

2. Don't fight fire with fire.

Romans 12:21 - Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

There are some rude and cruel people in this world, that's not new to anyone. No matter who you are, at some point in your life you've either encountered or will encounter an unpleasant or unkind person. When a person is trying to pass off the bad attitude off to you, the best thing to do is give them the cure - kindness. It may not work, but at least you've offered it. When someone is being rude or unkind or just flat out wicked to you, the best response is kindness. Show them the love of Jesus - good attitudes are just as contagious as bad ones. 

3. Honor God with your thinking.

James 1:20 - For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Having angry hearts and bad attitudes don't bring God any glory - in fact, they do quite the opposite. If you're a Christian who's walking around with negative thinking and you reflect in your actions and words, you're harming the name of God. Our words and actions and attitudes should all bring God the righteousness and honor that He deserves. When you start to feel that bad attitude sickness creeping in, remember that the goal as a Christian is to be a representative of God. 

4. Every day is a blessing - cherish it.

Psalms 118:24 - This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Perhaps this is one of the simplest commandments. Rejoice and be glad in each day that we have. Is this really so hard? When we walk around with a bad attitude, how is that rejoicing in the day that God gave us? I'll give ya a hint - it's not! David, the author of the book of Psalm where this verse came from, went through a lot of turmoil on earth. He was hunted down to be killed for years by his best friend's father, he was constantly running from place to place to hide, before he became king, he was a lowly and ignored shepherd who had little to no respect, he fought in countless wars, he lost is best friend Jonathon, and amongst all this he also endured much emotional turmoil. There are probably very few people who will ever have to go through a day worse than David had to, and if he can rejoice in the day the Lord hath made, I think we can too.

So there we are - 4 simple verses that show us what God wants from us regarding our thoughts, actions and emotions. In the end, it all boils down to the fact that we are to be reflecting the light of Jesus in everything we say and do. It should be our goal to have an attitude that properly represents our Creator. People are watching us each and every day, seeing if we really are a peculiar people. Attitudes are contagious - is yours worth catching?

Stay excellent!

Summer Bucket List

Can you believe I've lived 19 years of my life and never made a bucket list? Well, my lovely best friend Grace and I decided that this was the year we were going to make one. It isn't long because I'm only home for a month, but we want to achieve everything on this list before I head back to Chicago! So here's the list!
1. Tie Dye Shirts

 



2. Go to the farmer's market
3. Go on a road trip
This Thursday-Saturday Grace and I are hanging out in Kansas City, MO! It's been such a blast.

 




4. Talk in British accents all night
5. Try a new food
6. Go back yard tent camping
7. Star gaze
8. Light sparklers
9. Go midnight swimming
10. Buy best friend necklaces/bracelets
11. Have a bonfire
12. Go to a museum

Today we went to Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in KC! It was really cool. I especially loved this exhibit about the American Soldier. SUPER AWESOME.

13. Buy matching phone cases
14. Make homemade facials
15. Find a four leaf clover
16. Visit a college

17. Make s'mores

So here we go! I'm so excited for all these adventures that are sure to be a blast. We will post photos after we accomplish each thing. Happy summer to everyone. :)

Stay excellent!

What I Learned From Deleting My Social Media

     Sorry that I haven't written a post in awhile! It's been a hectic week. I realized that it's been almost a year since I deleted my social media. I'll admit, at first it was so hard because I found myself going to look at my Twitter only to find that the apps weren't there. I would take pictures for my Instagram only to remember that I wasn't using it anymore. Here are 4 lessons that I learned in deleting social media from my life.

1. I wasted so much time on my phone

When I was using social media, I constantly had my phone out. I would waste countless hours organizing my Pinterest boards or stalking people's Twitter feed. According to a survey on Adweek.com, people between the ages of 18-29 spend 51 minutes a day on Facebook, 30 minutes on Instagram, 25 minutes on Pinterest, and 23 minutes on Twitter. Although that might very from person to person, overall that adds up to 129 minutes a day. That's a long time to be looking at the Internet. I now try to use my time a lot more wisely. I read my Bible in the morning instead of checking out my Instagram feed, and I might read a book instead of spending countless hours on Pinterest. Overall I have found that without social media, I use my time a lot more wisely.

2. I'm not as concerned about people's opinions

When I was using Instagram, I would take selfie after selfie with proper filtering to make sure that my picture was as good as it could be. I wanted people to like my pictures. On Twitter, it was important to get a lot of followers, retweets and favourites. Overall, we want to represent ourselves well with our social media accounts, and that's something that took me a little overboard. I can't tell you the last time I've taken a selfie. I find that I am a lot less concerned about what people are thinking about me. I want people to know me for the person I am, not who I portray over social media.

3. My life has a lot less negativity

It's no secret that social media is an outlet for drama, bullying and petty fights. When I was in high school, it was a rarity to have a week where there was no drama via Twitter. A lot of young people use social media as an outlet to create problems where they really don't have any place to be. People insert their opinions where their not needed, which makes other people want to retaliate their opinions too. Even if I wasn't participating, by reading that, I was allowing all that negativity into my mind.

4. I can enjoy "real life" a lot better

As a person who loved to use social media in my past, deleting it from my life was hard. I wanted to post things on Twitter all the time, and I saw so many sunsets that I would've loved to upload to Instagram. But not everything revolves around the Internet! I find that I can enjoy things in a new way because I'm not thinking, "Oh, how can I fit this into 140 characters?" or imagining how I word my Facebook status about it. I don't have to worry about letting the Internet world in on my personal life, and it's kind of a freeing feeling.

Overall, I have really enjoyed my time without social media. My friends ask me if I will ever use it again, and honestly I don't think I will. I know that lots of great things come out of social media, and I wouldn't think badly about anyone who uses it because I think that it's awesome how many amazing things can come out of public attention. But for me personally, the lack of social media in my life has really been a positive change. My challenge for social media users is to just be careful - don't spend hours a day on the Internet and enjoy the life God has given you. Remember that each day is a gift, so don't waste it. :)

Stay excellent!

One Simple Truth About Modesty

     "Dressing immodestly is like rolling around in manure. Yes, you'll get attention, but only from pigs." Ah, the issue of modesty. It's the subject of every girl's cabin devotional at Bible camp, and it's discussed in young ladies' Sunday School at least once a year. Wouldn't it just be great if God gave us a specific modesty hand book in the Bible? One that, in detail, let us know what was and wasn't okay for us to wear. There's no step-by-step guide that tells us that skirts have to go to the shin or that sleeves have to go to the elbows, or that anything less of a turtle neck is debauchery. (If that was the case, I think I would just stick to wearing a potato sack everywhere I went.) The thing is, modesty is more than just a hemline. It's an interior decision not to wear anything that would attract vulgar or unnecessary comments or thoughts, because of love for the One who created you. I think that there are many good verses that talk about how we should be presenting ourselves, but there is one verse that really does give us a standard, not only for modesty, but for the way that we should be living in general, and it's found in Micah 6:8. He has shown you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of thee? But to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.
     To do justly is talking about a heart that can discern right from wrong. A person who is walking in the Spirit will have that heart of discernment. If we look in the mirror and see a little too much of what shouldn't be seen, we should have the desire to change because we should want to be following the Holy Spirit's guiding. We know from other places in scripture (Romans 12) that our bodies are a living sacrifice unto God and we should use them and all that can flow through them to bring Him honor and glory. Say you had a job as a lawyer and you had a client meeting. Would you show up barefoot, in sweatpants and a cut off tie-dye shirt? No. That would not be representing your law firm nor your skills as a lawyer, and that would probably make the client doubt your abilities to perform. It's the same thing in our Christian life. We are Christ's earthly ambassadors, and the world is our client. We need to be representing Him in what we do as well as what we wear. 
     To love mercy means that we should be showing God's love and mercy to other people. If we know who someone struggles with lust but dress immodestly anyways to provoke them, that is wrong. We should be abstaining from all appearances of evil, so if it seems like our clothing is purposely pushing the limits, it's better off wearing something that covers a bit more. It's not about covering the body to hide it in shame, but revealing your dignity. 
     With modesty comes humility. A lot of girls in today's culture dress in pants too tight, skirts too short, and shirts too low, for the sole purpose of getting guys to look. Should they look? No. But will they? Most probably would. Pride and immodesty go hand in hand. If you're living humbly, you would strive to live a modest life. Not only in dress, but in conduct as well. Dressing immodestly isn't giving guys permission to look, but it isn't restricting them either. We need to be respecting the bodies God gave us, not showing them off to get approval. It's like if a recovering alcoholic was walking past a bar, and although there wasn't a sign that said, "PLEASE COME IN AND FALL INTO SIN!", the door wasn't locked either. When a woman dresses immodestly, it's not that there is a sign on her forehead saying "Please, struggle with lust because of what I'm wearing," but she's not making it very hard for him to turn away either. As Christian women, we need to help our brothers in Christ, not make them dread spending time with us for fear of falling.
     There is no specific "this is modest and this is immodest" manual, but there are certain truths we should be living by. Modesty is about the true character of the woman - there should be a mirror to reflect the heart because that is where true beauty is to be found. 
     So you've read all this, and you're probably wondering, WHERE IS THAT ONE SIMPLE TRUTH? Well, here it is. A WOMAN MUST HAVE HER HEART CHANGED, BEFORE HER CLOTHES EVER WILL. My dear friends, it is so important that we use our bodies to honor God, not to bring unneeded attention to ourselves in a negative way. When you dress modestly, you show respect to your Heavenly Father, AND TO YOURSELF. It's about the heart of a virtuous woman. It may be hard, but it IS possible to live modestly in an immodest world. 

      Stay excellent!

Peace, Be Still

     I'm currently studying through the book of Mark, and last night I noticed something pretty cool at the end of chapter 4. The last 4 verses say,
          "And he (Jesus) was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked them, and said unto the sea, "Peace, be still." And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, "Why are ye so fearful? how is that ye have no faith?" And they feared exceedingly and said one to another, what manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
    In the verses right before we see that they were on a ship, and a horrible storm was beating down upon them. In studying this chapter, I found that there are 4 lessons that we can learn from these 4 verses. 

    1. The God who calmed their storm, can still our storms too.

Our trials and struggles in life often parallel to storms and tempests, and although the disciples were experiencing a real storm with water, it relates quite a bit to the storms in our lives. I feel like sometimes it's so easy to judge the disciples here. Like, Jesus is right there, you can SEE Him! But we have that same assurance of Jesus' presence, yet our faith lacks too. They saw Jesus yet they doubted His capability to fix the problem. Amidst their doubt, He calmed the waves just by speaking, and they were in awe of Him. I find it totally incredible that this is the same God that we serve daily. He looks out for His children, and we trust in that.

  2. Don't accuse God of not caring.

The disciples say, "Carest thou not that we perish?" They're upset that Jesus is laying there asleep instead of watching out for them. You see, sometimes we as Christians ask God the same question. "Do you not see that I'm hurt? Why aren't you doing anything about this?" We think that just because God isn't actively calming the storms right when we want Him too, that He must not care enough. It's clear from so many scriptures that Jesus DOES care, more than we could ever comprehend. One of my favourite chapters in the Bible is Psalm 139, and verses 17-18 say, "How precious also are thy thoughts toward me, O God, how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand..." I don't know about you, but I've never taken a handful of sand and counted each little grain, and I have no intentions of doing so. God thinks precious thoughts toward us, so never accuse Him of not caring just because you can't see His calming hand.

   3. Don't let fear rock your faith. 

God sometimes chooses His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction. When storms come up in life, don't fear. We can see Jesus right there, and we can rest in the knowledge that He has it under control. When we fret and worry about being injured by the waves, we are telling Jesus that we don't think He is able enough to protect us. Don't let the fear take precedence over the overwhelming calm that can come with faith in the one who created you.

   4. We are safe in Jesus' hands no matter what.

You could imagine that the disciples were probably pretty confused at the fact that Jesus was asleep, during the storm, laying on a pillow no less! But Jesus was just as much in control asleep as He was awake. We are always safe in God, just like they were. He is very much in control no matter what, and I think that we can see the contrast of Jesus and the disciples' faith by the fact that Jesus was sound asleep while the disciples were panicking. Even if He doesn't wake up and calm the storm, we can still be safe in Him. I don't know about you, but there's no place I'd rather be.

 I love that calm assurance that we can have in knowing that we can trust God no matter what. When He says, "Peace, be still," the storms don't fight back. He has the whole world in His hands, and that's something that we can have total confidence in.

Stay excellent!

Why God Deserves More Than Leftovers

   
     I'm no hater of left overs. I love to pull out the last of the spaghetti from last night's dinner, throw some cheese on it and eat it for tonight's dinner. Or that cold pizza for breakfast? I'm a huge fan. But there are times when left overs just aren't appropriate. It would be a huge deal if the president of the United States showed up at our house for dinner - we wouldn't pull out the various containers in our fridge and throw them together to feed the honored guest. We would go out of our way to serve him the best of the best. It's the same thing with God. Although we don't serve the Lord a steaming meal on a dining room table, we do serve Him every day with our hearts and minds. Are we giving Him the left overs, what we haven't used at the end of the day? Or are we going out of our way to give Him a feast, something He is worthy of?
     God wants us to daily crucify ourselves, and surrender to Him. For I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith. (Galatians 2:20) It's clear that we need check ourselves each day to be sure that we are not following our flesh. After we are saved, we will always be saved, our salvation is not in question, but our fellowship with the Lord is dependent on our desire to walk in His word and desire to know Him more. If we are giving Him only the left overs of our minds at the end of the day, how are we going to truly have a sustaining relationship with Him? In a relationship, communication is required. If a husband doesn't want a really unhappy wife, he will listen to her. We have a Creator whose ears never get tired; there will never be a moment where He doesn't want to hear from us.
     It's so important to be on "talking terms" with Jesus throughout each and every day. We are so blessed to have access to Him 24/7, so why don't we utilize that? He wants to hear from us, and have that personal relationship. We shouldn't be giving other things more attention and love than we give God. When we only give Him the left over time before our head hits the pillow, what are we conveying about our priorities? Are other people and things more important to us than He is? One source said it like this, "...some people treat God like the Salvation Army is to many people. After we can't sell or give away our used merchandise then we truck it to the Salvation Army. God really shouldn't be an after thought, but rather we should give Him our best time, money and talents. What can we give to offer respect and thanks to God?" God is the most precious thing in my life, and I know that I want to give him more than just my left overs. His mercies are new and fresh every morning, and He has given me His word for my daily nourishment. He deserves from me a submissive heart desiring to know Him and understand Him. He wants me to develop an adoration and a desire to constantly be in fellowship with Him. 
     This is something God has really been working on in my life - making it my number one priority to make HIM my number one priority. So that's my challenge for you today. Will you give God the best of all that you have, or will you only serve Him the left overs?

                                                                                    Stay excellent!

  

Turn the World Upside Down

     When big things happen in our society, whether it's the birth of a royal baby, or a devestating earthquake, it shakes the world. We hear about it all over the place. It affects people and motivates them toward change. I was recently listening to a lecture and the pastor gave us a challenge - to turn the world upside down with the gospel. Back in Jesus' time, most people probably had heard about Jesus and His miracles, but only a few got to really know Him on a personal and intimate level. But we are so blessed to be living in the Church age, where we can have 24/7 access to God, we can go bodly to His throne. We are endwelt with the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation, and we have the completed Word of God. There has never been and will never be a time where we don't have the presence of God in our lives. There are so many amazing benefits we have today as being children of God. There is a lost and dying world right outside my dorm room, and I have the message of hope that could offer them an eternity with Jesus. WHY ISN'T THE GOSPEL TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN?

      It's no secret that the United States is in a downward decline - not only socially and economically but what used to be a moral country founded on Christian pricipal is becoming more corrupted as the days go by. If you have questions on the beliefs of our founding fathers, go ahead and check out http://www.history.org/almanack/life/politics/giveme.cfm. Benjamin Franklin said this, "As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, is the best the world ever saw, or is likely to see;" It is so clear that the very men who founded this country and made it to be the great nation that it is, accredited their success and their liberty to GOD. Why then, I ask, do we simply sit here and allow our society to intimidate us into believing that our message of salvation isn't worth sharing?

     Things like celebrities getting pregnant or divorced won't matter in eternity. Who cares if that big sports team won whatever big sports event, when there is a lost world out there? People are dying every second with no hope, not knowing where they will spend eternity. People don't like to think about the "afterlife" because the here and now seems so glorious and romantic. It is our job, Christians, to get out there and BODLY share the message of truth. Jesus Christ came as a perfect baby to suffer the cross, be beaten and marred beyond human recognition, for you, and He rose again on the third day. There is nothing we can do to get us into Heaven, and there's nothing we can do to lose the salvation we have. This simple gospel message is true whether someone believes it or not, denying Jesus doesn't make Him any less real. So I ask, what are you afraid of? When people reject the gospel, they are rejecting Jesus, not His messenger. 
     It's time we as Christians get up and turn the world upside down for Christ, before we lose the freedom to do so. Look at men like the Apostle Paul, who truly did go through horrible persecution that we may never face because of the gospel. We are not in jail and we are not being stoned. We may have to suffer a bad look or a rude curse word, but that's nothing in comparison to His struggles as a servant of Jesus. It takes 3 seconds to hand the cashier a tract and give them the message of hope for eternity, and less than a minute to quote to someone Ephesians 2:8-9. So I ask you, are you willing to turn the world upside down for the cause of Christ?

                                                                            Stay excellent!

                                                                             

How 4 Year Olds Changed My View On Life

     Okay, so here's one of the cutest stories out there. I was in class the other day when this little boy comes up to me and says, "Miss Emilie...you're soooo pretty. I am so glad God made you." (I had to write this down so I remembered it just like he said it. It was too cute for words.) I replied, "Well I'm so glad God made you too!" He says quizically, "Wait...who's that guy up in the sky who makes people?" I assured him it was God and he says, "Yeah...that's what I thought."

     How this tiny, little human knew exactly what I needed to hear that day, that's something I may never know. But I have been blessed beyond compare to have the honor of spending around 35 hours of each week with the best things that could've ever happened to me! 18 ridiculous, screaming, sometimes out of control (most times), adorable, sweet, and loving 4 year old preschoolers. They have taught me so much about life in the 9 months I've got to spend being with them! Here are the top 6 ways these kids have changed my views on life.

     1. There is no such thing as a bad day.

Kids will cry when they scrape their knee or throw tantrums when they don't get their way...but it never lasts very long. Sometimes they come in to preschool crying because they want to stay with their parents, but the minute they see their friends playing, they forget about their worries. That's the thing about kids...they don't have "bad" days. Things don't bother them from 7am to bedtime. They get hurt, someone steals their toy, they have to have a time out...but then life goes back to normal. They go right back to laughing and smiling and playing. I have learned not to let miniscule and stupid things ruin my entire day. There are so many reasons to smile!

     2. Every moment can be a fun moment.

Whether it's cleaning up toys, waiting in line or working on cutting papers, children can always find a way to have fun. They don't let many "boring" moments pass by. Kids utilize every chance they get to play a game or make believe they're doing something super fun. I think adults need to stop being "bored" with life. There is something enjoyable in each and every moment and experience. Savor it.

     3. Dandilions can be roses, as long as you're not picky.

Kids want to make people smile. They love when I grab their dandilion bouquet as if it's the most beautiful bouquet of flowers I've ever recieved. I have learned that in life you can't always be so judgemental. God sometimes gives us such amazing things that don't always appear that way. Kids don't know the difference between dandilions and roses, they see flowers. I have learned to stop searching for the potential good or bad in every little thing but accept that sometimes it's okay to see the beauty in ordinary things. Whether it's a weed or or a beautiful spring bouquet, both can bring a smile. 

     4. Show love.

We live in a culture that's kind of powered by bitterness and rudeness. There could literally be pumps of fuel for the human that say, "Make sure your tank is full of attitude today!" It's just kind of the way we're wired now-a-days. I'm speaking to the choir here, I know I'm definitely guilty of it. But these kids come in and they run up to me, and give me a hug...and it changes my day. I love knowing that they're excited to see me. There's this little girl who told me the other day, "Miss Emilie...I love you so much. You are a super, ultra good girl." I laughed so hard, but I was also so honored. Kids know how to compliment and let you know you matter to them! We should be showing that to others, too.

     5. Apperances aren't the most important thing in the world.

All of these kids play together each and every day. They're all different shapes and sizes, with different skin colors and ethnicities. None of those things matter to them. They can wear polka dotted pants with a striped shirt in two completely different colour pallets but it doesn't matter to them. They have fun with each other, they don't know how to judge. We need to stop looking at people with the intent to scrutinize everything. Everyone has things that are amazing about them, and if kids can find those things in each other, I think we can too.

     6. Jesus LOVES His little children.

Nothing melts my heart more than hearing kids sing Jesus Loves Me or ABC Jesus Loves Me while they're playing on the courtyard or working on their papers. They know at such a young age that they have a Jesus who loves them. I asked this one boy the other day, "Does Jesus love you when you're good?" He says, "Yeah!" I say, "Does Jesus love you when you're bad?" He says, "Yeah...but He doesn't love my badness." We too often forget that we are so loved beyond human comprehension. If they are throughout the day singing of Jesus' love for them, why is it so easy for us to forget that He loves US too? WE are His little children. It's our reason for living, to testify His love to others, and His free gift! That's the most important thing that a child can know... that they're loved by GOD. And these kids know that not only does Miss Emilie love them, but Jesus does more than anything in the world.

So there ya have it! I will say again that I am so thankful that God has provided me this incredible chance to work at a Christian preschool where I get to be a light in kids' life each and every day. I am so honored that God allowed me to be a part of such an AWESOME ministry and I can not wait to see what the next 3 years will hold as I continue working there throughout college. I hope these little lessons I have been taught will remind you of some important child-like views on life that have really allowed me to grow in my walk with the Lord as I live to serve Him. 

Stay excellent!