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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

"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

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

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!

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

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

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.

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

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

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