Tuesday, May 14, 2013
A peak into my Vacation
So, I have been having a busy week! We went to my brothers graduation on my birthday-Go Philip! We cheered loudly as he walked across the stage. However we were in very uncomfortable seats. Brooke, Benjamin, Faith and I had to sit in the wooden "bleachers". They were actually wooden benches with not much room to spare. The guy behind me kept banging his knee into my back. Not exactly the massage I was hoping for ;). Note taken-we were squished and uncomfortable through a two hour ceremony. Oh well. We ate delicious Pappa Johns pizza with my aunt and uncle (they came for the graduation). Then we ate Oreo Dessert and when my aunt and uncle left (later than expected) we got to watch the first half of the Hobbit. Yay! Sad, only half-but Yay! :) This is probably boring if you are reading this right now, but oh well, you are the one who chose to read it ;). I have not had much time to write on here or read or do anything else leisurely because we have been doing stuff with out pause. We went to Silver Dollar City yesterday all day. That was fun. The bad parts were the following: Stinging ants during lunch, soaking on me during the Lost River, taking forever to dry out, and sore feet. The good parts were the following: Getting to ride the new Outlaw Run, getting a funnel cake at the end, Hanging around people I like, not getting sun burnt, beautiful weather, not a TON of people, not being overly hungry, having someone to go on roller coasters with, and that about sums it up. A pretty good day with the good things out weighing the bad. Then we went to a place called "Danna's Barbecue" for dinner. It was awesomely yummy! I of course got...A plain hamburger and it was delicious! It was a nice friendly little restaurant. One of Philip's friends came with us back to our condo (He is very nice and is actually Philip's best friend) and we had oreo dessert again and then watched the rest of the Hobbit (Philip and his friend left before we watched it). That sums up pretty much all we did. I probable won't get to write for awhile, but if I do I will tell you about all the "scary" things that I will have to do.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Jess, a little idea
Dear friends,
Lately, my heart has been really heavy about some topics. We're all teen girls here, and I know for a fact that each of us is struggling in some area of our life. In Galatians, Paul talks about carrying each other's burdens. I don't mean like legit stressing over something 24/7 and losing sleep over a situation someone has brought to you...I mean coming together as sisters in Christ and asking for prayer, asking for an ear to listen and encouragement. So..this is my little way of saying that whatever it is..whenever it is, let us be open to one another.
My really close friend and I have recently been struggling with similar things. A little while ago, we just kind of stopped and asked "why aren't we doing something to help each other?" And that's just it. We all struggle, why not help each other, relate to each other and encourage our brothers and sisters through Christ? We sort of created this "accountability" system. Every day we text, call, e-mail, snail, mail..whichever we're in the mood for, and ask "so hows this going?" or "have you been in the Word today?" This is something very near and dear to my heart, and I just felt like sharing with you all. If this interests you, or you wanna talk about it..pray about it, shoot me an email or if you have my number text me! I believe that we need to be keeping each other accountable, encouraging our friends in the right direction God is pointing us in.
I love you all so much!
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." -Ephesians 3:14-21
-Jess
Lately, my heart has been really heavy about some topics. We're all teen girls here, and I know for a fact that each of us is struggling in some area of our life. In Galatians, Paul talks about carrying each other's burdens. I don't mean like legit stressing over something 24/7 and losing sleep over a situation someone has brought to you...I mean coming together as sisters in Christ and asking for prayer, asking for an ear to listen and encouragement. So..this is my little way of saying that whatever it is..whenever it is, let us be open to one another.
My really close friend and I have recently been struggling with similar things. A little while ago, we just kind of stopped and asked "why aren't we doing something to help each other?" And that's just it. We all struggle, why not help each other, relate to each other and encourage our brothers and sisters through Christ? We sort of created this "accountability" system. Every day we text, call, e-mail, snail, mail..whichever we're in the mood for, and ask "so hows this going?" or "have you been in the Word today?" This is something very near and dear to my heart, and I just felt like sharing with you all. If this interests you, or you wanna talk about it..pray about it, shoot me an email or if you have my number text me! I believe that we need to be keeping each other accountable, encouraging our friends in the right direction God is pointing us in.
I love you all so much!
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." -Ephesians 3:14-21
-Jess
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
YBH?
At a youth conference in Branson recently, a speaker was teaching to our group of 4,000 + teens and leaders about his experience growing up in church. You hear a lot of the "Jesus died for your sins, now you need to live for Him!" and "God loves you, you should love God!" along with many, many other common Christian-living cliches. He said that he would write down all of these things people were telling him to do, and underneath them the letters "YBH!" He went on for quite a while, teaching another cliche and then screaming YBH! YBH! YBH! "This is something every teen Christian wants to know. Shoot, every Christian!" We were on our toes...what in the world was YBH?!
Yeah...but how?
"LIVE FOR CHRIST!!"
Yeah, but how?
"It's easy! Just share the gospel!"
Yeah, but how?
"Man, don't take it so hard...just trust God!"
Yeah, but how?
Starting to see a trend? It seems that everywhere we go, people are preaching at us what we have to do. Maybe even why we have to do it. I've even underlined scripture with YBH, tortured as to HOW IN THE WORLD I'm suppose to do it!! Are we suppose to know? Is this some great mystery that we just have to "trust God" with? Some of the sermons at my church I would leave in tears, because my heart was so torn. I didn't want to sound like this person that didn't want a relationship with God. But I was soooooo tired of all of the do this and do that, I just wanted to know HOW. It seems no one can tell you. Any of you out there feel like that? If you're like me...it's almost always.
That's when, (at this very moment to be exact) I was given this "aha!" moment.
And that...though simple..is it!
"Trust God, man!"
Yeah, but how?
I may not know, but He does. Just seek Him, ask for the answer to that, and He'll give it to you.
"LIVE FOR CHRIST!!"
Yeah, but how?
First, you must seek Christ.
A lot of times...I find myself rambling about something that is worrying me. (I'm probably rambling about this...so my apologies if it's confusing.) And I never take the time to bring it before the One who even gave me a mind. Who even gave me life! I find, that if I EARNESTLY seek His face, and ask, it will be given to me.
NOW. Is that an always yes? Most definitely not. But it will be an answer. It may be "Wait, child, just praise Me, and wait." Or it may be "not yet, I only know what your plans are." No matter the answer, trust that His is best.
YBH?!?
I dunno..
...but He does.
Yeah...but how?
"LIVE FOR CHRIST!!"
Yeah, but how?
"It's easy! Just share the gospel!"
Yeah, but how?
"Man, don't take it so hard...just trust God!"
Yeah, but how?
Starting to see a trend? It seems that everywhere we go, people are preaching at us what we have to do. Maybe even why we have to do it. I've even underlined scripture with YBH, tortured as to HOW IN THE WORLD I'm suppose to do it!! Are we suppose to know? Is this some great mystery that we just have to "trust God" with? Some of the sermons at my church I would leave in tears, because my heart was so torn. I didn't want to sound like this person that didn't want a relationship with God. But I was soooooo tired of all of the do this and do that, I just wanted to know HOW. It seems no one can tell you. Any of you out there feel like that? If you're like me...it's almost always.
That's when, (at this very moment to be exact) I was given this "aha!" moment.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
And that...though simple..is it!
"Trust God, man!"
Yeah, but how?
I may not know, but He does. Just seek Him, ask for the answer to that, and He'll give it to you.
"LIVE FOR CHRIST!!"
Yeah, but how?
First, you must seek Christ.
A lot of times...I find myself rambling about something that is worrying me. (I'm probably rambling about this...so my apologies if it's confusing.) And I never take the time to bring it before the One who even gave me a mind. Who even gave me life! I find, that if I EARNESTLY seek His face, and ask, it will be given to me.
NOW. Is that an always yes? Most definitely not. But it will be an answer. It may be "Wait, child, just praise Me, and wait." Or it may be "not yet, I only know what your plans are." No matter the answer, trust that His is best.
YBH?!?
I dunno..
...but He does.
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