The Gift of Faith

Long time, No blog. Let's talk Esther.

2009-07-30T23:03:00.004-04:00

It's been a while since I've blogged and I'm long overdue for one! And this is also on request of a friend, because she missed them. =)

The last week of June I was at Camp Northward (my favorite place on earth!) and we talked about the Armor of God and how the Bible was our Sword to battle the evil in the world. It really made me realize how little I knew about The Word. How are you supposed to battle evil with it if you don't know what's in it, right? When I got home, I decided to immerse myself in The Word and really try to read it everyday so I could be strong in Him and a strong Soldier as well.

So, one of the books I read was Esther. There are only two books in the Bible named after women and Esther didn't get the honor of that for no reason! And you know the saying "Well behaved women never make history"? Esther was definitely not sitting in the background. She was chosen over many other women to be queen, for crying out loud! You don't get to be queen by standing back and being lame... ANYWAY.... Her people were facing an edict that said to kill all of the Jews in the land of King Xerxes that was written by the twisted right hand man, Haman. He hated Esther's cousin, Mordecai, and sought to persecute the Jews because he was a Jew. Mordecai pleaded with Esther to go to the king, asking him to spare the life of her people. This was especially dangerous because those who appeared before the king unannounced were to be put to death if not pardoned by the king. After a couple of dinners with Xerxes and Haman, it is revealed that Haman was an awful dude and he was hanged. (Read the book of Esther for more details.....) And the king made Mordecai his new right hand man and he issued an edict that said the Jews could fight back against their oppressors.

That's a lot to take in, I know. How the heck would that apply to your real life? Take a stand, darn it! The only thing we're faced with in our high schools is maybe someone making fun of you but Esther fought against wrong with the possibility of death! We know what's right, and we know exactly what we can say to people who are like "Christians are stupid" or are cussing like fools. Open your mouth, for real. People will admire you for taking a stand. Some won't like you for it, but who matters more? That one person or Jesus Christ? He took a stand and DIED. If they laugh, what does it really matter at the end of the day?

The Race

2009-07-01T14:48:00.002-04:00

I was flipping through an old journal of mine from a couple years ago and found something I wrote that didn't want to make me cringe. Here you go!

Ready, set, heave for breathe
I'm running towards the end
Full force as my heart pounds inside my chest
Run, run, RUN!

I'm not giving up, not turning back
I've come to far to give up now
Enduring to the glorious finish
While the road is tough, I have strength in Him

I'll Never Understand

2009-06-17T02:38:00.005-04:00

For far too long, I was separate from you, O God
My heart found no place of rest
I cried myself to sleep at night, always lost...
Why did it take me so long to just turn around?
To find you right where I'd dropped your hand
Your hand was outstretched towards me
You, Lord, knew I would be running to you again
You're my total comfort
Why are you always waiting on me?
I go running every time, but still You're there
My mind can never wrap around what You've done
You gave your SON for me! For the world...
I've given you nothing in return
You should be ashamed of me
Yet still, you choose to love
My life is void of hope and love without you
You're arms are the only place anything makes sense
So God? Take my life and guide me.

The Truth Behind The Eyes

2009-05-16T13:10:00.003-04:00

Her greens eyes scream from behind her bloodshot cries
Please someone, reach out your hand to hold hers
It's so hard to do this on her own...
Can someone know?

And I'm begging you please, do not leave me here alone
I need you here, I need someone to understand what goes on
Behind these eyes I cannot hide, I'm sick of hiding
Just give me the truth, I want nothing else

I was made to love you

2009-05-04T21:09:00.003-04:00

Relationships in high school are rough a lot of the time because you never know what you're getting into a lot of the time. Many of them don't work out and many do but we can't be the ones to decide that! That's God's decision! I know how hard it is to put it in God's hands because you want something to work out so bad that what you think becomes what you think God wants you to do. I love the speaker Justin Lookadoo for a couple of reasons. He's not afraid to tell you the truth and won't sugar-coat his words to tell you. He's a Godly man fo sho. He wrote an amazing book called Dateable thatI DEFINITELY suggest to all of my readers, even if there is only a handful. You're awesome for reading this. But God knows the bigger picture, even if He's not telling it like you want it. Here's the toughest part about the Big Man's plan: you're not suppose to worry. I am the captain of worrying (and those of you who know me will attest to that!). In the Gospel of Matthew is says this: "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." It's so easy to worry about earthly relationships that you forget about the most important one: God's. Many of us know 1 Corinthians 13 very well. It says love never fails and can do no wrong. Couples read this and think "What's wrong with us?" Well, kiddos, it's not earthly love that Paul writes about. It's GOD'S love. His love is the perfect love and that love can only exist on earth through him (why do you think marriage is so sacred? God designed it! Duh!" I know that love is confusing, but God will show you what it really means. Turn to him and you'll see it!

I'm finding out...

2009-04-20T22:54:00.003-04:00

In your entire life, I bet that you've noticed how easy it is to fall into sin repetitively. Am I right? In Isaiah 6:10 it says "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them." I found myself falling into sin and I felt like "Why didn't God stop me?" Before I'd even cracked open my bible, God spoke through me to someone else. What I remember saying was "God lets us fall into sin because we have to see for ourselves that it's wrong. We know in our hearts that it is wrong and we have to realize that and we run to God for help." It hit me so powerfully when I had read that, knowing that God had spoke through me. I felt like a prophet and it was pretty darn cool. But in all reality, sin is a part of everyday life and when we sin we also recognize that it's wrong. Run to God for His forgiveness and He's ready to heal you. If we don't recognize our own sin, God isn't going to help us. It seems harsh, but we have to recognize it to want forgiveness.

Ye olde forgiveness shoppe

2009-03-31T13:26:00.006-04:00

"Forgiveness can be given when you think it can't cause with every passing second comes a second chance..."-Relient K

The entire bible is dotted with verses about forgiveness. For some strange reason, though, I don't think God put it in there to be repetitive and monotonous. He created all things and there are A LOT of interesting things, so God must be as well! Moving on...

In the book of Mark God specifically targets forgiveness and prayer as a team. In chapter 11 verse 25 it says "And whenever you stand praying, forgive him, that your father in heaven may also forgive your tresspasses." You have probably heard it a million times that God always forgives. And you might have also heard that we need to be like God.

Here's the kicker that ties those two things together. Verse 26 says "But if you do not forgive, neither will your father in heaven forgive your tresspasses." In verse 25 says that he'll forgive you for frogiving a brother, but in verse 26, He's telling you what will happen if you don't forgive your brother. It's a sucky alternative.

So, I fight with my sister a lot and we're all RAWR and whatnot. When I try to go to God in prayer, I really can't because I'm all wrapped up in the fight. Usually I call her and try to make things right again. Part of the reason we're called to forgive others is because it takes us away from God. The other part is because if God can forgive us huge things like killing His son... why can't we forgive someone for stealing our lip gloss or for yelling at each othe over stupid things.

I just want to live

2009-03-22T20:17:00.005-04:00

I just want to live
I just want to die
Lay down my life for the one that was crucified

My soul will weep
And my heart it cries
For the generation that will waste away in lies...

Who will stand up?
Who will try?
Try and save the world from Satan's tricks and demise...

Is it a wolf's howl
Or a lamb's quiet cry?
Beware, Satan is only a wolf wearing a sheep as disguise...

A fool will meet folly
And a sinner: lies
Will we now lay down our sin and ask the Lord to be wise?

The Worlds View of Love

2009-02-09T22:21:00.002-05:00

The world makes its view of love clear all over TV and in most movies, right? It’s the sappy romance that ends in an intimate embrace and fading to black leaving your mind to wander… You know what I’m talking about: SEX. The movies make sex seem so romantic and lovey dovey and that everyone is doing it and that it’s a normal part of a relationship. Well, if you’re married, it is. Outside of marriage, it’s a recipe for heart break, depression and suicide.

Here’s what God says about sex: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is you abstain from sexual immorality.”- 1 Thess. 4:3 (NASB) He doesn’t make these rules for nothing, he knows that sex leads you down a road that is not his and his warning are all over the place in the Bible.

Another thing that God also knows (considering that he knows everything) is that temptation will always be there, trying to knock you to the ground. Luke 21:36 says this “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” God is saying right there is that we need to be on the look-out for situations that are going to tempt us and cause us to fall. He is warning us that it’s going to be out there and that through the gift of prayer, God is going to give us a hand to leap over those obstacles.

With that, it’s our job to use self-control to not just give into that temptation. That’s the whole idea of God giving us free-will, so that we can choose between right and wrong. God says in Proverbs 25:28 “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” We have got to be trying to fight temptation or God is going to recognize that we’re the world’s children wearing a sheep’s mask.

God isn’t going to condemn you to Hell if you fall from Him. He’s waiting to see you run back to Him and turn from the ways of the world. You’re His child and he just wants to see the best for you. Romans 8:1 tells us this: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus.” If you are truly in Christ, God will not condemn you for sinning if you are in Christ because “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” and created us that way.

Calling out to God for help is shown in Psalm 51:10-15. (Listen close now) It goes like this: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (That’s our call out to the Lord) Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore in me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Asking for help) Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing your righteousness. (Wanting to do God’s will) O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. (I want to praise You for what you have done for me).”

Falling away is easy, but running back to Jesus takes courage and A LOT of strength. In welcoming God into your life, you welcomed many problems and this is just one of them. God’s love is much better.

Friendlies!

2009-01-30T22:55:00.002-05:00

Charles M. Shulz said this about friends: "Just thinking about a friend makes you want to do a happy dance, because a friend is someone who loves you inspite of your faults." Lately I've been having a really hard time dealing the smallest things and I wanted someone to turn to, but I felt like no one would really care. But reading the quote, it reasured me that if they're true friends they're not going to let my faults and shortcomings change their view of me. There is so much beauty in knowing that and it has the ability to feel you with love and confidence. This is to the ones who are there for their friends through thick and thin. Love them always and never force them to change an ounce of who they are.

Everything Rides on Hope Now

2009-01-18T00:26:00.003-05:00

So, I've been think a lot about hope lately and how much of a roll it really plays into each of our lives. After the great flood that Noah and his family endured, hope was really the only thing that they had while they were afloat on the water, not knowing what God was going to do next. They held onto hope that life would be great again. Noah sent out a dove to see if the flood waters had receded holding onto hope that they had and that they could go back to life as normal. Without hope, what do we have to live for? Not much is what I'm seeing. I'm on my booty without hope or I'm laying in my bedroom floor feeling very depressed. Hope keps me alive and moving and knowing that the next day will be better than the one before! Okay, how does hope keep us going? It's just a feeling, right? WRONGish.... hehe. Check out this scripture: "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hopel for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." (Romans 8: 24-25) Hope is like the little engine that could. That little engine kept hoping that he could make it and he did! (duh...) Get it? Hoping that you get that iPod for Christmas isn't really hope. It's wishful thinking basically. Sorry to burst your bubble! But hoping for joy to come and understanding of something is along the lines of what hope is really about! Think about it, right now. Where would you be if God hadn't given you hope to hold onto during bad times in your life? Me? I'd be dead.

Poetry keeps happening: It Goes Around Again

2008-10-23T22:02:00.004-04:00

Babies cry and people die...
It goes around again
Sisters fight and hope is in sight
It goes around again
Hearts will bleed and you help ones in need
It goes around again
Days pass and memories last
It goes around again
But God lives and God gives
It stays ever much the same

Philosophy? heheh.

2008-10-17T10:14:00.004-04:00

I once was walking with my dad through Lowe's, and he commented that he would like to have glass cabinets. I thought it was silly and said "Yeah, but then everyone could see the mess we have in them!" He replied to me "No, it'd give us a reason to keep them clean."

That story seems silly and perhaps it is, but the same applies to life. We keep secrets in our hearts and it gets all jumbled up like Tupperware in our cabinets. It becomes a mess inside of us. But the fact of the matter is that if we just let people into our hearts, we wouldn't have the jumbled mess because the stress and fear that you feel is no longer clogging up your life. Other people aren't hear just for kicks and grins, God gives us them to help. It's like, if you have glass cabinets, you put things where they're suppose to go. Like if you have bowls and plates in a cabinet(representing happiness in this senario) and you put pots and pans up there too(the icky stuff... stress, sadness) then it's gonna get all ugly. But other people coming over gives you inclines you to clean it up. I'm SO not saying to just fix everything when people are around, but your friends give you the helping nudge to clean you cabinets and to let your heart begin to heal.

If that makes sense, you amazing.

O-O-Obey-o

2008-09-25T20:43:00.002-04:00

Obedience is such an icky word... it feels like your giving up your right to choose! But obedience really helps us. Strange, right? If we didn't obey people, then we'd be in heaps of trouble and always be grounded I would think. We're given rules to help us stay on the good side of our parents and elders, and more than that, to be happy with ourselves!

You know the saying: Ignorance is bliss? It's SO FLIPPIN WRONG!!! I feels all horrible to say "I didn't know" when we're in trouble. I mean, we say it most of the time when we realy do know(which feels WORSE... I should think.....) It's in our human nature to automatically go to what is good. God gave us this pull towards what is goodDeuteronomy 30: 12-14 goes like this... "It is not up in heaven, so theat you have to ask, 'Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, 'Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." It's really clear right there that God gave us what is write in our hearts so that we may follow it. It's just a matter of what we choose to do! Now, I'll take a note from my sunday school teacher: I challenge you all to obey what people ask of you and what is right in the Lord's eyes.

I love you all very much!
Emily Elizabeth

Wait

2008-09-01T22:15:00.002-04:00

My prayers go to you
Those who find themselves at a loss
God, please be with them
Help them through these troubled times

The storm will pass soon
And the silver lining will come
Just wait out the storm
It pass while you sleep
God will not let you continue to weep
My heart goes with yours

From where I stand, you're stronger than you know
Though the fears licks at your heels...
You'll learn to let it wash pass with the tides
Don't give up your hope, don't give up your faith
Wait out the storm

A thought for today

2008-08-12T23:11:00.002-04:00

"But keep on preaching, preaching and heal the world
Lip service makes up look great

Do you feel
The weight of the world singing sorrow
Or to you is it just not real
Cause you got your things
Yeah we all have our things I guess

I guess my mind wanders off from time to time
Sometimes I convince myself that all is fine in the world
It's not mine
Why should I have to try to fix things I didn't create or contrive

....

Have the habits Had you
Has it been for long
Can you feel the souls behind what's going on" - The Rocket Summer

I was listening to this song and I realizes that it epitomizes our society... You often here us talking about how we need to help the weak or stand up for our beliefs, but think about the times you have. Again, we talk about the situatioh in Darfur and how we should help, but have you? Our society is all talk in my opinion. We'd love to help if it was the easiest way, but it's not convinient to us or we think that we didn't start the fire, so we have no reason to help. Our lives are nothing compared to what so many go through, but our things are more important, right? How can you take yourself seriously when all you do is talk. Get over yourselves and act! Stop passing someone in the halls that needs help and not helping. It takes no effort at all... who cares who's watching.

Love

2008-07-13T02:30:00.003-04:00

"Without suffering, there can be no compassion."- A Walk To Remember

At numerous times in everyone's life, you will suffer. It sounds like a horrible thing, right? And when you do suffer I bet you think something like "Why me?" or "What did I do?" And maybe you didn't do anything at all, but it's merely a test of perseverance and faith. Sounds HORRIBLE. But what can make you appreciate everything good in life without pain and sorrow. How can you appreciate the birth of a child without death. That life brings what death had taken. How can you appreciate love without heartbreak of some sort? Love heals.

I know how hard it is too remember that there is something better in the midst of sorrow, because it feels like there is no way out. When it hurts, think of joy and nothing else. Hope is what keeps us alive, faith is what keeps us going. Never let go of that, ever. Once you do, pain encircles your life. I never want to see a person hurt, but that's where compassion comes in. When you see a little girl who scraped her knee, you don't walk by. You stop and see if you can do something, maybe even give her a band-aid. That is the reflection of God. Doing God's will is not always standing on street corners saying "REPENT!" or flat out telling people about Christ. When you help someone, they see love and love is God. It's in the stories of The Good Samaritan and of Jesus at the well with the Samaritan women. When you see someone hurt, be there for them. This is love, my friends.

Judge for Yourselves

2008-06-30T23:41:00.002-04:00

It seems like I haven't written a really blog in ages. One with scripture and all. And aside from my poems, which honestly bore people that don't like poetry. So maybe you can appreciate this blog. I pose a question to you: Which is right? To obey man, or God? The obvious answer is to obey God. But I bet you're now thinking of which one you actually choose. Which brings the second questiong: Who do you follow? God or Man? Those two questions obviously have a right answer, but no wrong one. They do contain a truthful answer though.

More often then not, we choose the ways of man because it's easier than God's path. A lot of people think God is some stuck up spiritual monarch making life hard, but all he wants to do is make you strong. It's like if you want to lose weight: Man is the brownie and God is salad. The salad sure doesn't taste good like a brownie, but in the long run is better. That darn delicious brownie is going to give you indigestion and hour later, but the salad makes you feel healthier. (If that analogy did any good, give me a holla.) In Acts 4, this council is telling Peter and John to stop spreading knowledge of Jesus but they reply, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking of what we have seen and heard." In a nutshell, God is coolier than these other peeps who are just going to make you bloated(refer back to the brownie analogy), so you should do God's will. I know it takes a while to get God's words out of your mouth, but think about that verse when you're face with a brownie-salad decision.

For Jesus

2008-06-23T10:29:00.002-04:00

You're five feet away, but my voice doesn't carry that far
My heart cries out, but cannot be heard beyond the crowd
And Jesus... I'm begging you to save me
To reach out and rebuild this broken life

To many days I've wasted, waiting for nothing more than loss
Every sin in a day is nailed upon that holy cross
Oh Jesus
Take this broken life, and make me more like you
It's been about me for to long
Now I'm giving it back to you

No more tears, at least for the moment
I don't want to fall, again
Please here my voice, let me know that I'm not alone
My life will be for you
Once again!

You're the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end
My Savior is everything and so much more
Why did you die, for me?
But Lord, I thank you for opening this locked door

Run Away

2008-06-02T21:02:00.002-04:00

She had the prettiest smile from a mile away
But you'd never see it with hatred holding her down
The way the poison could seep into her bones
And spread across a room like a wildfire

You'd never think that a girl so pretty
Could have a look that shot daggers from her eyes

What happened? To the girl I once knew?
What happened? What happened to you?

It's not like I ever struck a chord with you darling
But now I stand here while you just snarling
I didn't crush your dreams, now honey
It's that boy who's pulling your puppet strings

Cut the chords, that tie you down
Lift up your heart, as he pounds you to the ground
You're not some dog that should cower in the corner
Set yourself free... lift your feet and run
Just save yourself

Hero

2008-05-20T22:57:00.002-04:00

A hero is still a hero, even when he's lost his shine
Even when his cape is gone and his hair isn't all in line
A hero can learn to fly again, even if he faced defeat
All he needs is a helping hand, to pull him to his feet
He's not a hero for personal gain
But a hero for all the ones crying in pain
While he may have spent some time pondering what to do
One day he'll find help, and you'll find the hero in you
A speeding bullet shall not kill him and make him bleed
He has The Shield of Love protecting him in times of need
When the poison sinks in, he'll find it hard to resist
But the hero in you helps him; will always insist:
That Love will overcome the evil that festers inside
That the Hero has rules that he must abide
A hero with a hero is two-fold strong
Solid as a diamond, always ready to fight a wrong
When you fall, he'll be there as you were
Standing by your side, so ready to serve
The Shield of Love is not ever to be felt by touch
But is the bond of heroes, it's love abounding much

The only Me

2008-05-12T22:10:00.002-04:00

I'm not the smartest girl out of the bunch
And I'm not good at geometry
I hate most green foods as well as most beans
My favorite words to say are "I don't know"
And "Like".... but, like, whatever... I don't know
I'm not sure of what life is going to be like in twenty years
Or if I'll always have bunions
I know that I have some rad curly hair
And rosy red cheeks
I can't stand hypocrites
And that means that I sometimes can't stand myself
I'm happy with who I am
I don't need to lose 20 pounds to be happy
If I do, I'll just look better in a swimsuit!
I like peanut M&M's and gummy bears
Along with cookie dough ice cream
My sisters drive me crazy
And I can't play guitar hero
All I know is that my God is ALWAYS going to be there
And that I can talk to him about anything
Things get tough, but I'll deal with it
I'm just plain and ordinarily Me

I have found my silver lining in Jesus

2008-05-03T19:24:00.005-04:00

For a while now, my life has been nothing but messing up and asking for forgiveness from God. It's exhausting, following the same pattern every week... never making things right like you've been telling yourself you would. Hawk Nelson has a song with a line in it that says "Nothing from nothing gets you nothing at all", and while that song in general has nothing to do with what I'm going through, the line does. I've been struggling a lot with the same sin, and I kept telling myself that I wanted out of it... but I kept going back to it. In my heart (though it may damage the image some people have of me), I never wanted to sever all ties with it. A couple of weeks ago, I met my breaking point: get away from this sin... or die inside. God gave me a smack in the face then and made me realize that I was tearing apart the piece of art that He had made me.Where had my real faith gone? Why did I follow Satan's path, when I had proclaimed my love of Jesus Christ only a few years before? I don't have any bible verses for you in this blog... but God told me to write about it. Is the person you are now, the person you want to be? I've finally let go of what held me so tightly... and the silver lining has appeared. Just putting your heart in the hands of God changes things so dramatically that it feels like you can breathe better, see better, believe in more things... just let it go, once and for all.

This is for the anyone who has gone through the same thing.

The Three Gifts

2008-03-23T19:52:00.004-04:00

God gave me a very profound message for you guys today on the way to church this morning. It's about three gifts that God has given us that are so easily looked over. Now, these three gifts may be the most important things that god has given us in my opinion.

Prayer: Prayer is hugely underestimated today and is often passed up as unimportant. But the power of prayer is ridiculously strong! A lot of the time it seems like your prayers drift off into space and are forgotten. You're not alone because I've felt that way a lot in my life. But we've got a big problem presented to ourselves as well. We don't truly believe that our prayers will do anything at all. No you might say that you mean everything you say to God, but do you really? How many times have you asked Jesus to come into your life again? It's the classic crime of Christians today, we don't mean what we say. We pray in a moment of need, but then forget what we've prayed and go on with our daily lives. Matthew 21:22 tells us "Jesus said 'If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." The key word there is believe. This is when faith really kicks in. When you pray, do you have faith, do you believe that God will give you what you ask for? I'm guilty of this on several thousand occasions and I can bet you aren't clear of it either, no offense or anything!

The Truth: God's holy word is our tool to guide us through life. It's our manual, if you will. I know that a lot of the time it's difficult to read it, especially in the Old Testament, but it's filled with many good stories that will help you, really. Faith comes into this as well because you have to have faith that God will teach you something. Don't read is just because you feel obligated to or are told to, but read to learn something! I mean, before I open it, I pray to God to give me something that will help me with what I'm going through which is amazing because he usually does.

Fellowship: I know that it's difficult to stay strong sometimes by yourself, but God gives us the gift of fellowship. We weren't put on earth to be alone, but to spread the love of God. To make friendships and to be happy. Even Jesus had friends, take Lazarus for example! And didn't his disciples often go out in pairs? He knew that we could be stronger with someone else! Ecclesiastes 4:10-12 says that "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man that falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Two are stronger than one! Do you get it? You have friends to help you! It's pretty rad and really does NOT need to be looked over.

Don't overlook these things. They're truly importand and will help you in your life. They will help keep you from stumbling. Print this out and hang it on your wall maybe, remember it always though.

What happend to us?

2008-03-21T22:31:00.003-04:00

High school can change a person dramatically if you let it. What sucks is having a front-row seat to it all. I used to have three AMAZING best friends in eighth grade, but we've drifted apart since the summer after it. Summer was great for each of us, but it changed us all as well. We became different people and it seemed like we were almost in different worlds. We basically stopped talking completely. I wanted to move in with my dad and the others weren't so hot about it at first but they said that it was fine. I had to move back with my mom where they were but we never hung out. I did once with Paisley but Samm and Sams I never saw a glimpse of. I miss them tremendously and I wish we could laugh like we used to and talk to each other. Those three don't even talk to each other at all. My heart feels broken because our friendship is broken and I'm afraid beyond repair. I wish we could go back to trying on Prom dresses with each other in JCPenny and going to the park on my birthday. Back to making fun of Samm and all the boys she liked and being in awe of Sams and her intelligence. Back to wishing we were as tall as Paisley and if they wanted t be like me at all. As tears fall down I pray to God that he'll somehow keep us together. We said we'd be friends forever and go to each others weddings, but I'm afraid that that won't happen. I need you guys, but you're not there.

Shut it down before we're all out of time

2008-03-05T22:15:00.005-05:00

I've most likely written a blog on this before, but you know how I am, I like to repeat myself because I have the memory of a tank of goldfish! Today, with all the cool new gadgets we're surrounded with, they practically consume our lives. Think about it though. How many hours do you spend on the computer, texting, or watching television? Compare that with how much time we spend with our families! Does the scale tip towards technology? Well, I love the song by MxPx: Shut It Down. There's a verse in the song that I simply love because it criticizes the way America has turned to.

It says: "Throw away your cell phone, you can talk to yourself. You need a real friend, not some digital image. So what's it gonna be? A chat room or your family? Don't let the TV screen turn into your reality"

There's a HUGE nugget of wisdom in those words. We become so wrapped up in our worldly goods that we forget about really living. It says later in the song "I don't want to die but I'm having trouble living." Our attachment to the world is slowly killing us because we aren't relying on God anymore. Matthew 6:24 says "Jesus said, no one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Are you more devoted to your possessions than to God? I find myself in the position all the time when I could be studying God's word instead of sitting online talking to my friends or just doing absolutely nothing because I'm to lazy to do anything for God! God offers things for us that won't wear out which is eternal life in Heaven. Why is it that we're willing to earn money for an iPod or a laptop and not willing to earn our place in Heaven. Sure, when you're saved and baptized, you reserve a room up there, but does it feel right to be working for worldly things and not for something even greater? I challenge you as I challenge myself to give up something worldly that you could live without like TV or your cell phone and instead spend that time doing something for God. Spend time with your families because you don't know how much longer you may have with them. Be a friend that's there instead on the other end of a computer.

Playing too many games

2008-02-17T00:05:00.004-05:00

I never meant to hurt you
It seems as though I've tried
You're the one who sent your Son
Sent him to die
I've taken you for granted one to many times
But still you forgive me
Even though I deserve nothing

Please save me once again
I'm tired of these tears
Gone through way too many years
To give up on you now
And I may not know how
To ask this again
But Lord I need your hand
Please guide me once more

You're the hope of my life
Gift of my heart
I know I've messed up
But I need you here
I know you alone will dry my tears.

Love conquers all

2008-02-11T22:30:00.000-05:00

Valentines Day is coming up here soon and you'll be busy giving boxes of Chocolate to your sweetheart, roses and teddy bears too. But I don't want you to think that that's all love is. Love means caring for someone without end and accepting them for everything they are. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 says " Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." This is exactly what love is, and only God could sum that up. When you say you love someone, you should remember that verse. Thinking someone is hot is not love, and neither is wanting to hook up with some one. To me, when you love someone, you want to make them unspeakably happy and not want to bring them down in any way. When you love someone, they should be like your best friend. When you love someone, let them know it! Tell them they are handsome or beautiful; smile when you see them. Don't let love pass you by because you are shy or modest. God gave us love and we should be thankful! It's a gift to us!!!

Always knowing

2008-01-31T22:10:00.000-05:00

Good things happen
Along with the bad
It's the way this world works
We look to much at the bad
We focus on the negative
Why not look to the good
And start each day with the son in our hearts?
How is that we are almost programed
To hate what opposes us
To hate the challenges
Why not embarce what you are given
Take it as a chnace to grow
Our hearts slowly grow cold
Until there is no feeling left
And you lay there only numb
Don't let your fire go out
Don't be left in the shadow of death
Revive the fire that once lit the world
Bring it back to dominate the ice
Hold tight to what you believe in
Don't be swayed even though temptations are strong
You're stonger with the son lighting the world
Step into it with a knowing heart
Always knowing that things can be better

A lesson on purity

2008-01-29T17:52:00.000-05:00

Issues with purity have never been things I wanted to know about. But here I am writing to you about it. Staying pure nowadays isn't easy. In fact, it's really tough! I'm not some perfect girl, and I'll never claim to be. Now you may even ask why I'm writing this, since it'll get personal, but I'm writing this because it's something we all have or will struggle with in our lives. There are hundreds of ways to be impure , but really only one way to be pure: to follow God and obey his commands. Psalms 119:9 says "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word." In 1 Corinthians 6 it talks about sexual immorality. There's a part that I really liked in verse 15... "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take members of Christ and unite them with prostitutes? Never!" Think about it... are you going to be looking at porn with Jesus looking over your shoulder? Are you going to be sleeping around with Christ with you? Are you going to be messing around with Jesus sitting right there? Honestly, if it can be labeled as impurity, you shouldn't be doing it! In my opinion anyway. You know how I said I wasn't perfect? Well, I've struggled impurity a lot before, and it sucks. Being impure covers lusting after someone and thinking impure thoughts. Now how many of us can truly say something like that has never gone through our minds. Scriptures says to flee from sexual immorality because you're sinning against your own body! (1 Cor. 6:18). But then look back to verse 15: not only are you sinning against your own body, but Christ's because you are part of his body. When it comes to impurity... let your "yes" be yes and "no", no.

Bless y'all,
Emily Elizabeth

The not so great compromise

2008-01-28T12:00:00.001-05:00

I find myself trying to compromise with God all the time. I pray to do better when I know in my heart that I'm going to do it again. I basically say to myself "I'll do this, then ask God to forgive me" which is the WRONG thing to do. What kind of chosen people(1 Peter 2:9) are we if we're going to preach the Good News then do the opposite. A lot of us as Christians are a bunch of hypocrites, we don't do what we tell other people to. It's probably my biggest problem. I love to help people, but I really couldn't because I was so far away from God. It's like I was letting Satan further and further inside my heart. The heart I had claimed belonged to God was pretty much being handed off to the Devil. I knew I had to fix something and learn to speak up about what was going on, I hated being so far from God. I prayed to Him for the words to speak, and he gave them to me and helped me find the courage to get it out. If we keep everything inside it's going to fester and begin to tear us apart slowly. Scripture says to obey God's word. So quit doing what you're doing, take up the cross and follow Jesus.

Do what you know in your heart is right,
Emily Elizabeth

Be thankful!

2008-01-15T12:31:00.000-05:00

You might pray a lot... you might pray a little, I have no idea. But do we thank God when you pray? Heck, do we even realize all that He has done for us? We pray for something... then we get what we prayed for, but we don't turn and go "Hey God, that was awesome! You've done some pretty spiffy things for me. Thanks!" It's more like, "Wow, imagine that luck!" We've got to realize that God is behind all of these awesome things that happen! He is the ultimate good guy! He's like Super Man... but better! 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says to thank God in all circumstances. Which means even if you've just been punched in the face... don't mope around and think about how unfair it was, but thank God that you did not just have your arm chopped off. Look for the positive things in a world of negative. God thinks that's really cool!!! If you have the respect for God to thank Him for the small stuff, you're awesome in my book and I should hope in God's book too! So yeah...

God bless you cool people,
Emily Elizabeth

Friends and family

2008-01-13T20:10:00.000-05:00

Sing a song to match my thoughts
But in my my throat my voice is caught
The tears they come, a smile I'll wear
It's happiness beyond compare
Insults come, they bring me down
My cries from the floor make little sound
My Savior comes to rescue me
He reminds me of my family
And angels sent from heaven as friends
Always a hand they offer, a shoulder they lend
Why beat myself up so instantly?
They're blessings that help me see
Thank you for always being here
You mean the most, my dear, my dear
In my heart you hold a place
It's no longer locked inside a case
God came to you and gave the key
The key that let my heart be free

It's a head on collision

2008-01-08T22:44:00.000-05:00

No really. I've been pretty uninspired lately... I was at a writers block until five minutes ago. I was packing my backpack ad I saw my Bible in there. I prayed to God, "Lord please inspire me to write..." I got that far and the verse Isaiah 22:3 popped into my head. I mean... I knew God knows my thoughts, but that was hardcore. It was like... whoosh. It goes something like this... "All your leaders have fled together, they have been captured without using the bow. All you who were caught were taken prisoner together, having fled while the enemy was still far away." Now I knew what I was going to write the moment I read it. I was like, dude... no way. We all run away from our problems so quickly if there is an escape route, but it's almost like we're running towards our problems! Don't things seem to hit you more quickly by trying to flee? Maybe it's just me, I have no idea. That was a prophecy about Jerusalem. They were trying to run from the enemy, but got caught that much sooner. If running doesn't work, try God.And that never seems to work. We've got to greet our ordeals face to face. A line in Isaiah 14:2 says "They will make captives of the captors and rule over their oppressors." When we face our problems... that's what is going to happen. We will overcome them and stand high over evil. Isaiah 14:7 says "The lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing." So basically... you're going to be overly happy about it. Once you deal with your problems... things are pretty snazzy! Say a silent 'yay!' now. Please don't run, but turn and stand on the battle field ready to fight.

Behind the mask

2008-01-07T21:39:00.000-05:00

I wish you see who I really am
I'm not some washed up version of you
I'm a girl who wants to change the world
A girl who's heart hurts when others do
I just want people to treat me right
And not pity me or laugh
Just see the girl behind the mask...
See the girl who cares
Don't give up so easily, I'm there!
But with me you have to do some digging
I've kept my face hidden for too long
If you really know me, I laugh a lot
I cry, I sing
I hurt, I bleed

Think about it, come on, think.

2007-12-30T19:51:00.000-05:00

How dare you call them foolish men
As you lounge in the family den
You sit and watch your plasma screen
While they fight so your grass stays green
In the Land of the Free
I wish you could simply see
That they are dying for you
So tha our anthem will always ring true
"The war solves nothing" you say again
No thought you give it, not now, not then
But if you sit and really think
That a man dies as you blink
Would you still look at them with a cynical eye?
The cynic that watches our young men die
To convict the soldiers with your heart
Then stand in church and sing "How great Thou art"
Is utter foolishness all in all
How can you sit and laugh while soldiers fall
To be free is maybe the greatest gift
So now you watch my right hand lift
To salute the ones who died out of love
And hope to meet them up above

An end and a beginning

2007-12-26T15:03:00.000-05:00

There is always something really sad about December to me. We count down all year until the fateful day of December 25, but when the hours and minutes dwindle down to December 26, our hearts seem to grow heavy. Heavy because the Holy day is over, heavy because school starts back, or heavy because the year is coming to an end. Memories flood back into your mind of the past year and you wish to make more joyful ones. I know I'm not ready for it to end. The start of new things always seems scary, yet inviting; confusing, yet clear. Are we afraid of what's to come? Of what the future holds for us? The new year opens so many doors for you! You have a chance to start anew and define yourself. You have another chapter to fill full of adventures!!! The past year is such a small fraction of the life you have to live. The coming year is awaiting you to come and make memories with it, to walk not yet taken by anyone before. Don't look at the new year as a dragon ready to eat all of your hopes and dreams, but as the Lord waiting to use you for wonderful things. His loving hand will guide you through each day if you let him. It's so cliche, but with every closed door, another one opens.

A sin is a sin

2007-12-20T20:18:00.000-05:00

I once talked to a girl who said she had accepted her "fate" of going to Hell because she thought her sins were too big. She said that she "tried the whole God thing" and it didn't work out. It broke me heart to hear her talk like that. She's a work of art by God and I hoped so dearly that she could see that. I'm here to tell whoever is reading this that all sins can be forgiven, but it's your choice. 1 John 1:9 says that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." A sin is a sin. Either a lie or adultery or anything, God WILL forgive you. That does NOT mean it's okay to look at porn or lie to your parents, but you can be forgiven if you're like "God, I know what I have done is wrong and I need your forgiveness. Please help me to stay close to you." There are a million different ways to say it, but you get the point right? Acts 13:38 says "Therefore, my brothers(sisters are included...), I want you to know that hrough Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you." God didn't send his one and only Son to die to watch him suffer. He loves us so much that He send His Son to die for the world (John 3:16). If you think you've done too much wrong, think again. Your sins can be forgiven if you admit them to God. Think about it.

God bless,
Emily

I just don't know

2007-12-14T23:42:00.000-05:00

Am I a liar? A Hypocrite? A failure? A Fiend?
How many times have I tried to fly with broken wings?
A jump and begin to soar
But it's not long until I fall to the floor
I never meant to disappoint you
I just wanted to be happy too
I've done so much wrong through out this year
Have I broken all that I held so dear?
When did everything begin to change?
In my heart, a feeling so strange
A heart break that never heals
From the family that shuffles and deals

To the ones who have been there

2007-12-14T22:11:00.000-05:00

Dealing with this pain
Sometime seems unbearable
Seeing through the dark
Sometimes seems impossible
I've been given angels
Ones from heaven in the form of friends
We all sing a song of praise
We smile and know
That we're always there
In the pain and the sorrow
Each one is loved so dearly
They are treasures in our heart
A rare jewel that isn't to be let go
No matter where life takes you
Always will you stay with me
Never will you leave my heart
Distance means nothing to us
Because we're all so close
I'll see you again, this I know
Don't forget the good times
We cannot cease to live
Because love keeps us alive
Always and forever
I promise to be your friend
Like the stars in the sky
Our friendship is unmeasurable
Always growing, always forgiving

Get me a mood ring please!

2007-12-12T16:30:00.000-05:00

God made me a really emotional person. I must go through more moods a day than anyone else on earth. I go from laughing to crying, from rejoicing to defeated, 100 to zero in a matter of seconds. But because that happens, I'm made stronger. I'm not like your average depressed teen: I don't cut, I don't run away, I don't turn to drugs or alcohol. My release is in writing. I put emotion into what I write because I can't find a better way. Some people cut or do drugs to mask over the pain. I'm not into that. I don't want the pain to stay in me, I get it out. Like the Relient K song "Let it all out, rip it out, remove it. Don't be alarmed when the wound begins to bleed." When you put your emotion on the table, it's gonna be a little while until you can cope with it. But Jesus is there to heal all wounds. Hand your troubles to Jesus, he cares that much for us that he'll take the suicidal thoughts, the anger, the pain you feel away. 1Peter 5:7 say to "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." They don't want to look down from the Heavens and see you crying or to see the blood pour out from the razor cuts. Jesus will take that from you without hesitation. Lamentations 3: 19-24 goes like this "I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him'" Jeremiah wrote that because he was so sad that he couldn't help the city of Babylon. He was basically depressed about that. But he kept hope because he knew the God was there for him. He knew that God wouldn't let him stay in such sorrow, that he would persevere through it all. When times are bad and you feel like giving up, remember Jeremiah. He might not have gone through the same thing as you, but he knew depression but still held his faith. He's an amazing prophet that we can learn a lot from. A friend of my dad's wrote to me saying that death is permanent and it's not worth it AT ALL. What we go through is such a small fraction of our lives that might just fade into memory. If you've overcome awful situations, anything at all, I'd love to listen. When no one else cares, you've got me and Jesus.

Singing Praises,
Emily

Ready, Set, heave for breath

2007-12-08T13:10:00.000-05:00

I learned something today while I was running. Yes, running. I need to get into shape. Round isn't exaclty my shape even though I pull it off nicely. Anyway, I was running and I realized that my heart isn't ready for it. Literally. I've never been the girl to go running just because I love it. I run if I need to get into shape, am running from someone, or am running towards something (Like the ice cream shop, haha.) Since I've never been a keen runner, I don't have the endurance to keep running. My muscles are weak and my lungs aren't prepared for that kind of thing. I mean, it would've helped to have eaten something before, but I didn't really think of that because I'm really suppose to be blonde... That was like 30 minutes ago and now I feel really healthy. Like I can breathe better and my heart is all YAY. It's like that whenever we try something different that might take a little out of us. The good stuff, nothing illegal! Standing up for your faith is REALLY similar to that. It's tough at first, but as you work through it, it gets a little easier as time goes on. A good verse to remember is James 1:3-4, "Because you know that testing of your faith developes perseverance. Perseverance must finsih its work so that you maybe be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Standing up for Jesus and your beliefs is testing your faith and therefore developing perseverance! There's a verse somewhere that says "Run the race to win" which is what we need to do. We're not here to try and backdown when our hearts are under pressure. We're here to give our all for Christ! God gave his only son to die for us and to let us live a good life, not so that we can go "I believe in Jesus" and then sit on our butts all day. If you can run the race in real life, can you run the race for Christ?

So sick of the worries, so sick of the pain

2007-12-05T16:28:00.000-05:00

Project SOS came to my school the other day, and they really had me thinking about self-worth. So many people turn to sex, drugs, and alcohol to feel important. In the end it makes them feel worse. One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalms 139:13-14 which says "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful and I know that full well." God made you with care and he made you to be the amazing person you are now! Ecclesiastes 11:10 says "So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast all the troubles off your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless." Going out and partying isn't going to take the pain you feel away. Taking the pain out on your body by cutting and drinking is going to make everything worse. I need you to remember those verses; write them down something! I hate seeing people I care about sad and turning to awful things. I'm begging you to pray to God that you figure out how amazing you are. I know it, and I'm hoping that you can see it one day.

I'm so sick of the worries
So sick of the pain
So tired of waiting for a light in the rain
I'm praying to God to open my eyes
To see the person I am without all the lies
Just tell me the truth
I need nothing else
Am I beautiful? Am I great?
Do you love me or do you hate?
Leave the sugercoated truth on the curb
Give me the truth, I need to know
It'll make me stonger
It can't bring me down

God bless all of you,
Emily

Music is good for the soul

2007-11-26T19:33:00.000-05:00

Music has saved my life more than once in the past. About 2 years ago I was at a point where I thought God didn't care about me and that he wasn't real. I was at an all time low and I kept debating. Relient K was my favorite band at the time and their music was full of Godly praises but I thought 'How can I listen to this music if I don't believe in God?' I didn't want to give up my favoirte band for a stupid decision. I listened to the songs like 'Getting into You', 'For the Moments I feel Faint', 'Over Thinking', and 'Wake up call' and thought how foolish I'd be to give eternal life. Songs like that made me think about how you can be at an all time low and God is there, you just have to ask for His help. You may think it's sad that music was the deciding factor of my faith then, but I'm thankful that God gave me it.What does your music Say about you? My music says that I love God and want to praise him. Music can define a person and music has the power to change the world if we let it. Music has also helped me through some tough times when I thought I couldn't make it. Music that praised God and spoke of how He saves you made me stronger. Bands like: Barlow Girl, Super Chic[k], Toby Mac, Stellar Kart, Run Kid Run, EleventySeven, Pillar, Sanctus Real, The Rocket Summer, Skillet, Relient K, and so many! They can be great to listen to but their songs can also help you to feel better. Maybe you should pick up one of their albums, I hope they can help you like they helped me.

There's room for you!

2007-11-25T12:21:00.000-05:00

A whole bunch of people think that Heaven is completely bogus and that there's no room for such a sinner there. But think about that Audio Adrenaline song 'Big House'. It's like that in John 14:2-3. Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am." When Jesus died on the cross, he did it to save us. In him doing that, he made it that we didn't have to sacrifice lambs or doves or anything anymore. He was and is the perfect sacrificial lamb. All we have to do is ask Jesus to guide our lives and to accept Him as our savior because that's exactly what he is. When we become Christians, a place is prepared for us in Heaven. I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty nice. In the Bible it says that nothing can compare that it's better than any mind can concieve! So if you think about the nicest place in the world... IT'S BETTER. I don't know about you, but I'm not about to miss out on that. Jesus told us he'd come back and take us to our neato room that He prepared for us. Don't miss out on spending forever in paradise with the perfect person that had ever walked the earth. Not only did Jesus die for you, but he wants to give you this awesome place to stay. He's just that cool.

Once upon a time

2007-11-23T16:43:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, there were four best friends. Jane was the talkative one obsessed with boys; Anne was the tall graceful one who everyone loved; Jessica was the small smart one who could stand up for herself; Molly was fun loving and always a bit confused. The girls shared everything with each other from Jane's latest crush to Anne's beliefs. They were happy and nothing could be better. They exchanged gifts at Christmas, went to each others Birthdays and laughed until their sides hurt. They swore to be best friends forever, no matter where life took them. Summer rolled around and it was time for each girl to do their own thing for a while, Anne went to visit her friends in another state, Jane went to London, Jessica was staying home, and Molly had to visit her dad even though she wanted to stay. Reluctantly, Molly went and had the best time ever. She couldn't understand why she hadn't wanted to go. She wanted to stay with her dad because things were amazing there. Molly had really great friends back at her moms, but life at home was getting worse. She didn't want to have to leave her friends behind, but she thought that they would understand. She told Jane that she wanted to stay with her dad and they stopped talking. Molly was forced to go back to her mom's and leave everything she loved behind as summer memories. Each girl was starting a new school, and it was hard to stay in touch with each other. Molly saw Anne once, but it was awkward. Jessica called Molly once, but the plans they made fell through. Jane never answered her phone and it became that way with Anne and Jessica too.The friendship that had once been crumbled and brought tears. Molly had people that cared about her, but they were hundreds of miles away. Her mom wouldn't let her go back, she thought everything was fine and that Molly was happy. Her sisters seemed to be too. The girl went around wearing a mask because she was to scared to show her face, so scared of the tears. She was terrified of what might happen, because people kept leaving her. She prayed to God for his help, and she got stronger. But her story is still being written, she lives day-to-day with hope and fear and her faith that keeps her alive.

Well, it's what I believe.

2007-11-22T00:20:00.001-05:00

War... it's a touchy subject to a lot of people, and some don't like to talk about it. I'm here to tell you though, that it's not just going to go away. So many people think it's retarded and useless, but I'm here to tell you that it is necessary. Without war, Nazi's would probably be controlling Europe, America wouldn't be so united, integration would have never happened, and America would not be the Land of the Free. The war today is to protect the nation we live in because prejudice is too high in society. It's to ensure that we can be safe! Granted the past has given way to prejudice now, but it's history. Countries don't like one another and part of it is from war, but it's suppose to happen. People fight over right and wrong everyday, good and evil. The bad in this world is the absence of all that is good. If you say that war in the past was okay and that the war that we're fighting now is wrong, then you're a hypocrite. War is ugly and bloody, but we're fighting for what we believe is right.

A little Advice

2007-11-18T22:03:00.000-05:00

This is for the girls, please read it all.
We all know that 75% of the time, it seems that most guys are really perverted. Don't you find yourself asking "Why are guys so perverted?" I know I do ALL the time. Part of it is from the media, but us girls play a big part in it too. Most of us think we dress and act perfectly fine and that we're all that a million half caf double mocha lattes. But did you ever think that how you dress and act gives way to guys being so perverted? Sometimes they can't help it, they just happen to be pretty visual. Sometimes it's not easy for them to keep their minds out of the gutter because of what girls wear. A lot of girls dress half-dressed, wearing things that make other girls blush! Don't you wish some guys would treat you with more respect?It's hardly fair of girls to make guys have to take cold showers all the time. A t-shirt from Stand-True Ministries says "Modesty Honors Beauty" and I totally believe that. Beauty should come from who you are inside. I know that it's really dark in squishy in there, but I'm talking metaphorically. And you probably hear that all the time, but it's true. Do you want a guy to like you because you have big boobs or because you have an awesome personality? I'm going out on a limb here and thinking you want them to like you for your personality? Matthew5:8 says "Blessed are the pure at heart, For they shall see God." Girls, you make it hard for guys to stay pure at heart when you advertising what your momma gave you. Take my advice, cover everything up you don't want your great great grandma seeind and you'll be good. Respect guys and keep their minds out of the gutter. Please don't dress and act in ways that are going to make them stumble.

Your awesome sister in Christ,
Emily

No excuses for a chosen people

2007-11-16T18:10:00.000-05:00

Throughout history and nowadays, many Christians are discouraged because they think they're not worthy of God. The truth is, we're not. Not even close to being worthy, in fact. But here's a little tidbit of coolness: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" -1 Peter 2:9. Basically, we are God's people and he wants us to turn our lives over to him. John 3:16 says this, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him should perish but have everlasting life." It's for real, God loves us that much and wants us to be happy and have eternal life. It's your choice, God doesn't want to make us into puppets. A lot of people are going to offer up excuses as to why they can't praise God or spread his word a lot like Moses and Jeremiah did at first. But if you put God in control, he's going to help you. He's not into leaving you a flopping fish on the banks of a river. Jeremiah 1:4-9 goes like this: "Then the word of the Lord came to me saying:
'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born a sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.' Then I said: 'Ah, Lord God! Behold I cannot speak, for I am a youth.' But the Lord said to me: 'Do not say, "I am a youth," For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do Not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,' Says the Lord. Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: 'Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.'" You see, God is going to to help us to witness to others, he's not going to send you out without helping you! It doesn't matter how young you are at all! You're God's chosen people!!! "Get out and do what we were meant to do"-Super Chic[k]

Lets get rolling

2007-11-13T19:24:00.000-05:00

Switchfoot one wrote in the song Meant to Live "We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves?" That's exactly what I want you to think about. In this day and age, we're told to conform and be like everyone else because individuality isn't the norm. While we tell people to be individuals, we shove trends and idea's down each others throat. Many of us refuse to let anyone be different because it goes against the grain. So many people have lost themselves because they want to be liked by certain people, and they can't figure out who they are anymore. I'm asking you to swim upstream and to be your own person. You don't need to wear Hollister or dress all in black to have friends or to be liked. You need to show your true colors, and let people see who you really are.
"You were born an original, don't die a copy." - Some icon. What we were put on this earth for wasn't to degrade other people, but to help each other. There so much more to life than who Hillary Duff is going out with or the latest eating disorder. Do you want to look back on your life and see a life of good or a life of confusion and sorrow?

Warm and fuzzy feeling?

2007-11-10T15:35:00.000-05:00

There are just some people in life that make you feel really happy even when you're feeling down. Maybe it's a friend or someone in your family, but they just make you smile and laugh. That one of my favorite things, when someone makes me smile after I've been crying or something. It somehow takes that horrible feeling away, even just for a little while. When someone tells you that they love you (and they really mean it), doesn't that make you feel good? You may tell people that you don't care if they care about you, but I think everyone acutally does care, even if a little bit. In fact, if no one else cared about you, Jesus would. Heck, he DIED for you. If that's not caring... I don't know what is. When you feel like giving up because everyone seems to have deserted you, remember that Jesus cares about you. Whoever you are, know that I care about you too. You're my brother or sister in Christ and you're flippin awesome. God made you for a reason, and if he didn't care, you wouldn't exist. He knew that you would make an impact on this world, big or small. Don't EVER think that no one would care if you were gone, because believe it or not, people would be devastated. Okay, if you ever buy one CD in your entire life, I think you should buy We Can't Stand Sitting Down by Stellar Kart. The third track is called "Me and Jesus", give it a listen. That CD helped me through some tough times when I got it, and maybe it will help you. Remember, you were created with care by God.

Dude, you have a cheerleader!

2007-11-05T18:12:00.000-05:00

Open your bible, go ahead. Read the first thing you see and try to connect it to your life. It works for me, even if not for you. Bad example. I don't know if this works for everyone, poop. ANYWAY. I stumbled upon this little goodie when I flipped open to the book of Daniel. So this guy (Daniel...) is all like this in chapter 10:16-17 "And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke saying to him who stood before me, 'My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. For how can this servant of the lord talk with you, my lord. As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breathe left in me' " Honestly, that is one of the only verses I've read in Daniel, so I'm hazy on what's going on. You're totally might be thinking "Hypocrite" but oh well. ANYWAY. I think we all feel like the sometimes, like we're not worthy of anything. Especially not worthy of the grace which God has given us. We see things that make us so sad, and we just feel like poop about it. We beat ourselves up about everything! Verse 18-19 says this: "Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said 'O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be with you; be strong, yes, be strong!' " God is ALWAYS there. When we're feeling downright awful, he's there giving us encouragement. I know how it feels to want to give up, but God is like a cheerleader for us! Seriously, if you had someone following you around giving you encouragement, do you think you'd be more brave? It's how it goes when we turn our lives over to God. It's is so SPIFFY. So when you want to fall, be strong as God wants us to be.

And the lies just tumble out

2007-11-04T19:47:00.000-05:00

Lying is the easiest thing to do. It gets you out of a tough situation. It hides your emotion. It makes your life seem OK. I realized earlier how easy it is to lie. My sister had yelled at me about something, and it just added to the pile of hurt on my heart. I just went to my room and cried and cried. I came out and my other sister asked me if I was okay, and I said that I was and that I was just tired. The moment I said it, I wished I could gobble those words back up. I want to tell people that I cry every night, but I don't want to be repeating the past. It's the same thing over and over. We just cover things up in lies, and sometimes we start to believe them. The truth gets buried in lies, and it's hard to find sometimes. Try to tell the truth, even if it hurts or if it seems inappropriate. The truth is always better, it sets things in the right direction even if it seems to mess things up at the moment. I have a t-shirt that says this: 'Truth is not Relative. Truth is Truth.' Think about it. I'm going to challenge myself and you not to lie for 24 hours. Think it sounds easy? Try it. It could be one of the hardest things you ever do.

Who am I?

2007-11-03T14:45:00.000-04:00

I was watching One Tree Hill with Mandy just now, and it was an episode about the person you're defined as. A lot of us have a someone inside of us that we want to get out. Your guess is as good as mine. You have to take the mask you've been hiding behind off, in my opinion. Let everyone see the person you really are! I know that sometimes it's hard to figure that out, it took me years, but you have to define yourself. Some people are going to label you, and you have to take that label off and put your own title on yourself. Each person has a mix of ingredients, if you will. Maybe you're quirky, geeky, a jock, popular, or a loner. Who do you want people to see? Some outer shell or what's on the inside.

Idk... maybe it's good. Maybe it's horrible

2007-11-02T17:50:00.000-04:00

Light a fire and watch my heart glow
If you never jump, you'll never know
Up a slippery slope is my chosen way
I might fall more than once, maybe twice in a day
When I fall, there will be a hand to hold
"It'll all work out" is what I'll be told
Even when I want to lay down and die
As my heart heaves each time I cry
I know I'll eventually be happy again
I only wish I could tell you when
But a fire is lit, it makes my heart glow
If I dare to jump, I'll finally know

A needle in the haystack of life

2007-10-31T22:46:00.001-04:00

There are sometimes when I want to jump out a window, walk out in front of a moving car, or sometimes just to slam my head into a wall and hope I don't wake up. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way, but I feel so alone at the same time. Nothing seems to go right and all the things I love are 750 miles away. Sometimes I wish someone would just shoot me so I don't have to deal with this stuff anymore. But then I think that it would hurt so many people if any of that were to happen and how God has a plan for my life. I got this E-mail that said that sometimes it seems like God gives you stuff you don't need. But God knows exactly what you need and he would give you anything you don't. Sometimes it looks like it's wrong, but in reality it's right. You have to search for the light through the darkness. It may be one teeny tiny speck of light, but you'll eventually find it. Sometimes it could take days, weeks, or months. As long as we look for the good, things get better. If you feel like giving up, think about others and think about the good that is somewhere inside you and around you.
"You're invincible until God is through with you"- Justin Lookadoo

A shoulder to cry on

2007-10-25T17:28:00.000-04:00

She looks to the ground as people walk by
With stares of pity and a heart on the floor
She just wants to go home
To live freely and to fly
To be not afraid to live or to die
Only few people her know her by her heartS
he wishes everyone could understand
The pain she felt when taken away
She hurts to much and she can't even say
What is on her mind, the pain that blinds
That she would rather be anywhere but here
Even to die

I'm here to say that even the strongest people need help sometimes. It's like the Roman Empire, it was great for a long time, but it eventually fell. To stay strong all the time is sometimes a lot to ask for. When someone needs you, be there for them. Don't think that you have better things to do, because the best thing you could be doing is talking to them and helping them out of the hole that they're in. To have friends, you need to be a friend. Friends help each other out when you feel so much pain, when you feel like dying. Without them, I don't know where I'd be right now. Be thankful for the people in your life, don't ever take them for granted.

A smile from you makes the sun shine on a cloudy day
And makes all of my troubles melt away
When you smile, you seem to glow
And I have yet to see that face go
When times are hard, you look to the Light
And you fight the bad with all of your might
I wish I could always be just like you
And to be not afriad to smile true

Don't you dare judge me

2007-10-20T16:09:00.000-04:00

Today's generation, in my opinion, is the most judgemental. We're separated into cliques and we don't like anyone that's a little different. If they can't be just like us, we don't like them. There's something majorly wrong with that, but I'm as guilty as the next person. Mathew 6:21 says this: " Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use it, it will be measured back to you" Nobody wants to be judge. If you do... that's kinda weird. If you don't want people to judge you, quit judging them. God is the only one that can judge accordingly, he's the only one you should listen to and all. That jerk who is surrounded by 15 other people and calls you all of these name... they don't matter. God has even told us in Mathew 10 that persecutions are coming. In verse 26 it says that "Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known" God knows their hearts, and he knows yours. Whoever said that words will never hurt you didn't really know what they were talking about. Being judged hurts. But God is there to help you out when you out after words are thrown around. He's always there.

Eggs.... yes eggs.

2007-10-16T18:08:00.000-04:00

A week or so ago, I was sitting in Biology doing a lab called "Psychedelic Milk" which has nothing to do with what I'm going to tell you. But everyone knows that you need a setting. So somehow, we get on the subject of Easter eggs and how the color somehow makes it on the inside of the shell. Haven't you ever wondered how that is? It's because the shell has pores. The yolk of the egg is the chicken, right? Wrong. The whites of the egg are actually the beginning of the chicken! I was totally surprised 'cause it was just plain weird to me. But the yellow part of that egg is where the little chicken white thingy gets energy and all. It's not connected to it's Mamma like we are, ya know? Bet you never thought of that. The chicken thingy pulls stuff from the yolk to live and develope. The chicken kinda becomes what was in that yellow gunk. That's how people should be. Our inside should match our outside. I don't mean we should be all squishy and slimy on the outside. I mean that who we are inside should be projected outward. Thinks tend to go askew when who were are inside is totally different from how people see us. You need to together. Like the egg, we need to become one whole person with one personality. If you have a multi-personalities... pull yourself together... When you act different then how you feel... think eggs. Whatever is inside needs to be part of who you are, whether you like it or not.

It's kinda neato

2007-10-12T19:08:00.001-04:00

"For everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,

And a time to die;

A time to plant,

And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill,

And a time to heal;

A time to break down,

An a time to build up;

A time to weep,

And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn,

And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones,

And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace,

And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain,

And a time to lose;

A time to keep,

And a time to throw away;

A time to tear,

And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence,

And a time to speak;

A time to love,

And a time to hate;

A time of war,

And a time of peace."

-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

That's my favorite Bible verse. It's kinda self explanatory. I'll leave it for you to interperate. But it's one of the best things I've ever read. It fits my life, and I think many others.

I love 4 year olds

2007-10-09T21:14:00.001-04:00

I was over at my Aunt and Uncle's house today, and me and my cousin are playing hide and seek, Which is pretty amazing with her. :D But the last place I hid was under the bed. They looked everwhere else, then Kate just leans over and goes "I found you!" Then she crawls under the bed with me telling me that I should take a nap because it was cozy under there. Then she asked me if I was going with Mandy to live with my Dad in Kentucky. I explained to her that my mom doesn't want me to live with my Dad, and that I didn't know why. Kate said that I should be able to, and that she wanted me to be happy. I wish other people could have to view of a four year old. When happiness was all that really mattered. If she wants me to be happy, then why doesn't my mother who has a much more complex mind than my cousin. I love Kate so much. She understands me more than my mother, which may seem strange. I say be like a 4 year old, and value happiness more than your prejudices.

Put on the Armor of God

2007-10-04T17:35:00.000-04:00

So I'm sitting in my HOPE (Health Opportunities thru Physical Education) class reading my Bible and all. In 1 Thessalonians, while searching for the "Pray without ceasing" verse (1 Thess. 5: 17 if you were wondering) I stumbled across this: "Let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope and salvation"- 1 Thessalonians 5: 8. That's some pretty sweet stuff there. Without faith, love, hope, and savlation... we don't really have anything. Those things sustain us and help us to carry on with our lives. Those are the building blocks of all we have, Jesus is our foundation. If you believe in God, those things are kinda nessasary in my opinion. You haveto have faith in Him, You have to love Him and one another, you have to have hope for everyone and believe that you can help, and lastly you need the salvation given to us through Jesus Christ. It's pretty neato if you ask me. All of that protects us from the hate of this world, it helps us work through all of the bad stuff that happens. It's your choice to put on the armor, God's not going to make you. Remember that God's armor is always there to protect you.

It's doing nothing for your soul

2007-10-03T23:04:00.000-04:00

Okay, the other night I was looking for something to wear, but all of my jeans were dirty from my lack of laundry washing... So I go to my sisters room to borrow something. She's like a twig, but all of her jeans are my size, because she's weird like that. Anyway, I found a great pair of jeans that would go over my big hips. BUT... I bend over to pick something up... and the seat of those jeans ripped. A hole about the size of my hand too. Now that makes a girl feel big. You might be wondering why I would tell you this, since it obviously is kinda embarrassing.... I don't really care. I spent a good hour calling myself fat and wishing I was a size 4 instead of a size 9. It was bring me down in all ways: Spiritually, physically and emotionally. Then my sister who was reading a Justin Lookadoo book read a Bible verse he put in it. Romans 8: 16-17. It talks about how we are children of God, and so heirs of God. Since he is the King of Kings... we must be princes and princesses. And when princess rip their jeans, the king makes it okay. And then no one really cares. If you make a big deal out of ripping your jeans, then everyone else does. But calling yourself fat really isn't solving anything at all. It's hurting you, in fact. God made you a certain way, and he love you no matter what you look like. Psalms 139 13-14 says this: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well" God created you as a work of art, and calling yourself and others fat and stuff like it is making fun of his creations. True beauty starts in your heart. Faith makes you a beautiful person, inside and out. And God's love makes your beauty glow. He looks past whats on the outside to our hearts. So even if its a rip in your jeans because you have a big butt or if it's a zit in the middle of your forhead, remember that you are loved always by a King and a Father.

They don't call it the Golden Rule for nothing.

2007-10-02T21:25:00.000-04:00

The easy definition for empathy is having compassion for others. We should be required as human beings to have it, but it's a choice we have given by God. So many people really couldn't care less about what they say about others, or how they treat them. You want people to treat you with respect... am I right? It goes both ways though. Mathew 7:12 says: "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" It's the Golden rule. You have to treat them the same way you wanna be treated. So if you're treating them like poop... they're gonna do the same. Poop for poop. But if you're being the better person, maybe you should let them know. Be like "Hey, I treat you good, so what's your deal?" they could tell you... but more than likely they won't, so some prayer about this couldn't hurt. Maybe they treat everyone like that because their life at home is all icky... it happens, so pray for them.
Maybe you like totally dislike the person. I know how it goes... take my word for it. Luke 6: 27 says this: "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you" That's totally deep. God wants us to love everyone, and have compassion for everyone... even that chick at school who keeps making fun of your shoes. Or that guy who keeps calling you scrawny. Do nice stuff for people... it could change their life.