Faithful Fridays ~ It's Good to Be Alive.

Hi, everyone!  :)  It's time for Faithful Friday!  Sorry I missed out on it last week, but it was the Friday after Christmas and we were out of town.  I'm ready to get right back on track!  :)

I know I haven't really taken time to give you guys a 2013 post, but I felt like I needed to share this today.  I have two posts coming up for you, one of which is a photo shoot and the other my 2013 post....I'll get to it!  ;)

Faithful Fridays is a weekly "meme" hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians could have one day out of the week (Friday) to share something from their Christian walk on their blog.  If you'd like to participate, write your post, grab the button from the Faithful Fridays page on my blog (so that it will link back here), and come link up at the bottom of this post!  :)

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Do you ever feel like you're just surviving?  

I think it's especially common for teens that are trying to live their lives for Christ.

You know, we try and try and try and we watch this part of our lives and we keep an eye on that part and we try to balance it all out but in the end we can't keep it all together and all our efforts just seem to fall apart and you end up in this place where you just don't like yourself.

Speaking from experience here, folks.  This is something I deal with quite a bit.  My mom says I'm hard on myself, and that might be true, but I just really want to feel like I'm being a good Christian and keeping things in check.

And I have a hard time with that.  One or two wrong things--whether they be thoughts, something I say, something I do, or whatever--can bother me all day and make me feel heavy-hearted.  I just want to live a good life, do okay as a Christian, at least! I think.  I want to make it through my teen years unscathed and still a God Girl!  One of my worst fears is drifting away from God.

I won't take it for granted

I won't waste another second

All I want is to give you 

A life well lived to say

Thank you!

-"Good to Be Alive" by Jason Gray

And when we mess up and start worrying about these things, we start feeling like we're worthless and no one really likes us, and we don't like ourselves.  And I think it's important at that time to just step back, go somewhere quiet where we can rest, and take a minute to remember God's love for us and this great gift of life He's given.

I wanna live like there's no tomorrow

Love like I'm on borrowed time

It's good to be alive

God loves me with a love that is increasing and overflowing.

-1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

The Lord directs the paths of the godly.  He delights in every detail of their lives.  Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

-Psalm 37:23-24

Another thing to think about is that you might be trying to fix yourself...on your own.  And that's just not possible.  You have to have God's help.  A prayer, a whisper of "Jesus, I trust you, please help me," lifting your arms in worship and surrender....it can put things into perspective.  

God, I can't do this on my own.  I need Your help to stay on the narrow road.  Please help me.  I love You and I trust You!

Whenever you surrender the most precious areas of your life to God, it's like trading in a pile of worthless pebbles for a truckload of precious jewels.  

-Leslie Ludy

Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me.

-"One Thing Remains" by Kristian Stanfill

I have one last thing for you guys....it's definitely something to think about and keep in mind as you examine your life.

Let go of all things that don't bring you closer to God.

God bless you and have a great day!  :)

Joy :)