Beauty Tips (No, I'm Not Kidding!)

Beauty Tips
By Audrey Hepburn

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figures, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.

Girls of God

Okay, well, I'm starting another blog!!! I'm not abandoning this one though, I hope to be on here more than ever! But, I really felt God called me to this. You can read the story of how I came about starting it at the blog. The address is: https://girlsofgodthewebsite.blogspot.com. I hope you'll come over and see me!
And, I'm not doing this blog alone!!! I asked Meggy T (https://mt-thoughts.blogspot.com) to help me on this blog, and I think it will be great! Meggy is a God-driven teenager (slightly older than me) who has a great heart for God, and a desire to do his will. So, go on over and check out the blog!!!!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!

In youth service tonight, we had two pray to recieve Christ!!!! They were both highschooled young ladies. Please pray for them, that they would stay strong in their faith, and for it not to be an emotional decision, but a heart decision. And, thank God for choosing to bless us this way!!!! Ptl!!!!!

Is He REALLY Enough?

If you listen to Christian music, you know who Chris Tomlin is. For those who don't, he wrote How Great is Our God, Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone), Enough, Indescribable, Holy is the Lord...And tons more. But, tonight in worship, we sang Enough. The gist of the song is that God is enough for you. But, during the song, I was thinking, "Is he REALLY enough? Could I live without everything but God? Is he truly all I ever want?" Well, sadly, I can't say that he is all I want in this life. I have my desires, that probably aren't God's. But, sadly enough, people don't think God is enough for them. They look for satisfaction in fame, money, love, recognition, work, food, and many other things. But, these things are all temporary. They don't last. In fact, the only thing that does last is God. God is the only thing that has always been and will always be. He doesn't have a beginning and he doesn't have an end. That, in and of itself, is hard to wrap my mind around. I can't imagine anything that didn't ever begin or end. Everything I've ever known on this earth has a beginning, or has ended. Except God. The same God who will always be is telling you that he wants to be all you want. He wants to be everything you need. He wants you to know that whether you realize it or not, you are completely dependent on him. He is enough. Let's look at a few examples in scripture, to see how God truly provided everything for people.
Abraham: God sent him away from his homeland, yet he never suffered materially. In fact, he depended on God and he didn't let him down.
David: He knew he would be King someday, but he didn't want to push it. He knew that God would put him there in the right time.
Jeremiah: Even though he was thrown in a cistern, he knew God would use him in some way.
Mary: She was just a young teenager, but she knew she could depend on God during her unexpected pregnancy.
Jesus: He never went without prayer, because he knew it was vital. He trusted God.
Paul: Although shipwrecked three times, snakebitten, and thrown in prison numerous times, he knew God wasn't through with him yet.
I could go on and on, but those are just a few. But, my point is this. God was enough for them, in their lives. He is enough for you. You just have to wholly trust on him, and believe.

Note:Posts

Well, as you may have noticed, I haven't been blogging much lately. And, my blog was messed up for a couple of days. Well, I think I fixed the blog and then changed some stuff. But, the reason I haven't been posting is this, my life is very hectic, and also, Blogger has been messing up on our computer. I don't know when I'll be able to post, but when I'm able, I'll try to. Thanks for your patience as I try to fix this!!! :)

God Gave Her the Gift of...Encouragement

I have a lot of really good friends. But, I have a few who are really special. One of them has the special gift of encouragement. She seems to know just when I'm down, and sends something encouraging, whether it be a good job, or a long email about how glad she is we're friends. I truly appreciate what she does.
Barnabas, in the Bible, means "Son of Encouragement." And he truly was an encourager. The gift of encouragement is given to all, yet few use it.
Everyone loves to be told something nice. Even the meanest person you can think of has some good quality. So many times we're down in the dumps and all we need to lift us out is a kind word. Think of how you would feel. Think of what you would want someone to say to you.
Be an encourager. Use the wonderful gift God gave you and tell someone today how wonderful they are to you.

But, I Just Can't See Him Working Here

In the movie Facing the Giants, (which I highly recommend) Coach Taylor says to Mr. Bridges. "But, I just can't see him working here...." Mr. Bridges replied, "Coach Taylor, I heard a story once about two farmers. There was a drought. Both prayed and asked God for rain, but only one prepared his fields. Which one are you?" (or, something to that effect)
So many times in my life I can't see what's going to happen next. You tell God, I'll trust you forever, and it's similar to jumping of a cliff and not knowing how high it was. Then, you suddenly find, that God is holding you in his hand, and promises to never let you go. God has a plan for your life, but a lot of the time it is just so hard to see. The phrase "You can't see the forest for the trees." is actually more profound than you think at first glance. Just wrap your mind around that for just a minute. Sometimes we're in God's plan so that we can't even see us.

Honestly, the Isrealites make me laugh when I read about them. I'm just saying that from our point of view they look, well, unintelligent. We can't see it as they truly saw it, or we might make the same choices. But, the Israelites knew God had a plan for them. Why else would he bring them out of Egypt? But, time and time againt they chose to rebel against God. If we truly want what God wants, we will try to stay in the word, and close to him, and know that he will bring it all about in his timing.

God, I Will Go Wherever You Want....Except There!

So many times we tell God we'll follow him forever, and wherever he wants us to...Except for that one place. Think of the worst place on Earth and then imagine God telling you to go there! Wow! How many would actually go?
On the way to the Promised Land the Israelites sent out spies into the land of Canaan. Eight of the spies came back with the report that the people were giants, and there was no way they could conquer it. Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, brought back a good report about the land. They acknowledged that the people were big, but they knew with God on their side they could win. The people went with the eight spies report and decided not to go into the Promised Land. They later repented, but it was too late. They had to wander in the desert for forty more years.
Looking back on it, the Israelites don't look too bright. There was a wonderful land waiting for them, and they didn't take it because they were scared. How many times have we missed out on what God truly wanted for our lives, because we were scared? How many times has something wonderful been prevented because we didn't think that it was the best thing for us?
We have to have faith and step out and do what God wants us to do. But, we have to make sure that it is truly God speaking to us. I'm not saying go jump off a cliff because you think that God wants you to. Pray, seek scripture, and then step out in faith.

In His Steps By Charles Sheldon

I recently read In His Steps by Charles Sheldon, and really enjoyed it. This book is (as the publisher says) a novel, but not to be read as such. It is to be read with prayer, and thought.
This is a powerful story of Raymond, a small town in America, where many people decide to do exactly what they think (can interpret from scriptures and wise teaching) Jesus would do in their shoes for a year. You follow all of the characters as some fall, some continue, and the town changes- and with the town, follow the impact as it spreads. I highly recommend this book to any person at any age (though some very young readers may have trouble understanding and reading the whole book).

But, many thoughts crossed my head while I read this book, and thought about what it meant for my life. What would Jesus do if he were here, in this situation? It is a question I think every person needs to ask themselves. So many times, we are simply following our own inclinations, and God cannot use us as he would wish. We need to simply let go of the control panel, and let God take us where he will. But, asking yourself W.W.J.D.? (What Would Jesus Do?) will change your entire life, your aspect on things, and the way you handle certain situations and people. As simple a question as it is, it can change your life. So, today, ask yourself: What Would Jesus Do?

Refreshment By Elisabeth Elliot

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed(Prv 11:25).
"If you...satisfy the needs of thewretched...the Lord will satisfy your needs" (Is58:10,11 NEB).

Do you often feel like parched ground, unable to produce anything worthwhile? I do. When I am in need of refreshment, it isn't easy to think of the needs of others. But I have found that if,instead of praying for my own comfort and satisfaction, I ask the Lord to enable me to give to others, an amazing thing often happens--I find my own needs wonderfully met. Refreshment comes in ways I would never have thought of, both for others, and then, incidentally, for myself.

Lord,
be as the dew to me today, as You were to Israel, that I may "flower like the lily"(Hos14:5 NEB).

*This is from Elisabeth Elliot's book: A Light For My Feet

P.U.S.H.

I actually got this off of Kaitlin's blog (http://missionamare.blogspot.com). But, it is well worth reproducing here. This is a great reminder. Read on!

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing it with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing signs of discouragement, the adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's weary mind: "You have been pushing against this rock for a long time, and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it." Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.
These troubled thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. "Why kill myself over this? I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that wil be good enough." And that is what he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord" he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do which you have asked. Yet after all this time, I have not even been able to budge that rock. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to my with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are calloused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move the rock."

At times when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what he wants, when actually what God wants is simple obedience and faith in him...By all means exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves mountains.
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P.U.S.H (Pray Until Something Happens)
When everything seems to go wrong,...just P.U.S.H.
When the job gets you down,...just P.U.S.H.
When people don't react the way you think they should,...just P.U.S.H.
When money is short and bills are due,...just P.U.S.H.
When people just don't understand you,...just P.U.S.H.
When the pressure of school is too much,...just P.U.S.H

Sing 'Em...Mean 'Em

I love to sing -though I'm not good at it- but, lately, I've noticed some things. On Sunday mornings I sing in the choir, and I look down at all the people from the choir loft. The expressions are funny- some blank, some asleep, but there are a few who seem to be worshipping and awake. But, most don't seem to mean what they sing. Do you?

It wasn't until lately that I actually started noticing the words, and what they meant. I mean, I sing along with the radio all the time, but I sing and don't pay attention to the words. We need to either mean the words we sing or don't sing at all.

Why? Well, just singing meaningless words doesn't give glory to God. But, if you sing worshipful lyrics, and really mean them, you are glorifying God through your songs. And, you don't have to just sing three hymns in church on Sunday-you can sing all the time. The Bible says, "Let my mouth continually sing your praises." (or something to that effect). We don't have to sing all the time, but when we do, let's sing for God's glory.

Just a Quick Update on the Easter Program

Ok, well, yesterday I said that we had a total of five saved. Last night at the Easter Program, we had a full house, and had to set chairs up in the aisles!
Anyways, last night we had two saved and eight recommitments to Christ! PTL!!!!
That makes seven decisions and over twenty recommitments!