Do you ever wonder what good can come out of a bad day? Have you ever thought that God has a purpose for your bad day? Honestly, I didn’t even realize that God could use my bad days for His glory! I didn't even think that that was a thing. But my views changed a few weeks ago, and I'm glad it did.
My sister and I went to a sports park with our Youth Group not long ago. We couldn't wait to go *homeschooled kids feeling like we have some freedom*. Once we found out that we were going, that was all we talked about. We hoped there would be lots of fun, games, socializing, laughing, talking, food, crazy moments, and even more laughing. But with all of this clouded excitement floating around in our heads, little did we know what God had in store for us on that scorching hot, Monday afternoon. After about an hour, my sister and I were the only youngsters left by the picnic tables. You might be wondering why. It's because everyone else went to go swim and play on the water slides. Not so secret anymore confession: I don't know how to swim. I've never even really played in the water, come to think of it. There's no particular reason why. I remember feeling so left out, embarrassed and annoyed with myself. I remember shedding a few tears and thinking “I shouldn’t have come. I should have just stayed home.” At that point, it was like I just had to know how to swim or else life was pointless, and the end of the world had come! I can laugh at myself now for seeing how funny my crazy exaggerations were, but it wasn’t funny then. I was allowing the enemy to take over my thoughts and put myself down. I was discouraging myself, comparing myself, and taking in all the lies. But after my sister and I tried to cope with the situation (thanks to my mom’s text messages) by playing soccer and volleyball, some of our leaders who stayed behind invited us to sit with them. Was it a curse? Serendipity? Nope! It was a blessing! And you know what? That's when we started to have a great time! We played Kings Corner, ate some secret cookies that no one else knew about, and conversated about theology. Yes, theology! Hanging out with my leaders is what encouraged me the most. They challenged me to grow deeper in my faith. It's still an ever so present memory plastered onto my brain. After coming home, shedding some more tears, and talking to my mom, I realized that that was God’s purpose for the day. What happened on that day, was His plan and it was perfect. Like Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'" It took me a while to realize the good in my "bad day." And sometimes it still hurts. But it's about learning to accept the place where God has you and, being okay with it; even in the uncomfortable, frustrating, and challenging times. In the end, it will be good! I grew up in many ways that day. I look back at that day and know that that day wasn't so bad after all. It was a good day. Thank you, God! Peace-Love-and-Joy, Grace
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So, as you know, I walked you gals through the basics of starting a Devo Life last week. Today, I'm going to give you gals some ideas on how to make reading the Bible easier. I know that it can be a pain to pick a book of the Bible and stick to it. I feel that way sometimes too. Here are some ideas to help:
So, I love music! I like being able to jam and dance around to it. I like being able to sing and spin to it. And I like being about to listen to new music all of the time. I've been following the Christian band Willow City (formerly known as the Four Proches) for quite a while now. The band released their newest album on June 29th, and it has been a joy to listen. I like that they are not only a country-folk band but that these four siblings are everyday people who enjoy the life that God has given them. They write about their small-town life in Texas and different little nuggets of truth that we should remember as Christians. Their lives are such an encouragement to me during every transition of my life.
I highly suggest that you check out this sweet country band of four siblings. You will be in for a treat! You can find their album on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and their website (For a physical copy). But if you're like me and can't get enough of their music, they are always doing covers of songs on their YouTube channel. By the way, my favorite songs on this album are All Over The World, Brand New, and Hometown Sign. Check them out if you get the chance and tell me what you think! I hope that you enjoy this band just as much as I do! Again, I highly suggest that you give them a listen! So, why do you listen to music and who are your favorite Christian music artists? Peace-Love-and-Joy, Grace After choosing to pursue a deeper relationship with God last year, I've learned so much about Him. And boy, it has been a beautiful journey! For a long time, I have wanted to write a post about starting a Devo Life. But after lots of daily practice and seeing a big difference in my life, I now feel that I can share it with you gals! So, let's go!
Have you ever felt like your life was just plain pathetic? Have you ever felt like your life was just sad? And all you want to do is talk to someone and cry for a while? And eat lots of cookies? I've been feeling like this lately, and it's hard to deal with. Your mind goes everywhere, you're either mad or sad all the time, you continually complain and are sometimes ungrateful for what you have, and you envy someone else's "perfect" life while yours continue to frustrate you. So, how do you get over this feeling?
Sometimes, I ask myself “what if.” Now, don’t get me wrong. I love my life! From the people to the things I get to do to my relationship with God, makes my life feel awesome. But sometimes I ask myself, “What if my life was different? What if my life was so different that I could do so much more for God?”
To think that God is crazy awesome and amazing is beautiful! He's got this love that never ends. He's got this never-ending comfort that He gives us 24/7. He's got these giant arms that are always ready to embrace us. He's got this desire for us to want to be close to Him. Once we realize how awesome He is, it's so easy to want to love Him back. And we get the chance to. Thank you, Lord! Peace-Love-and-Joy,
Grace Choosing to embrace God’s love or a random guy’s flirt, is a choice that I’ve had to make since guys started noticing me. I would be out with my mom and sister when a handsome fellow would come along. He would try to flirt with me from a distance by winking, waving, or smiling at me. Those kinds of moves would make any girl go crazy, am I right? But here’s where we have to pause, take a deep breathe, and think. How should I respond to this as a Christian gal? How do I remain focused on God when I want to replay those moments in my head? I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and I have some things to say!
Hello, Lovely Ladies!
It's another day, another chance at life! I found these encouraging posts on Instagram the other day, and I just had to share them with you gals! I hope these posts help you to get through the rest of your day or week or month! Happy Summer gals!
So far, I am actually enjoying my summer vacation! I have been able to relax, catch up on some TV shows, and most importantly, sleep in! I didn't realize how much I missed sleeping in! But honestly, I can only take so much free time. I know that's a little weird coming from a teenager, but I do really like school. And it’s not just because I’m homeschooled! I just simply enjoy learning and being on a schedule. But enough about that. It’s summer! School is out and everything that isn't school related is in. |
GraceJust a 16-year-old homeschooled gal, trying to live a lifestyle that honors and glorifies God. Categories
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