Guest Blogger: Counting Your Blessings

**First I want to send a huge thank-you hug to Joy. She is SO kind to let me post on her blog and I am overjoyed to share my heart with you today. Thank-you Joy!**

First off, my name is Emma and I blog over at Rescue the Orphaned. 

Today I want to share with all you lovely readers about I struggle I know everyone has. Being genuinely thankful for the numerous blessings God has bestowed upon us. 

I know I, and probably most of you, take for granite so much of what I have. My family, my home, my friends, my life. I know when we have to come up with something we are thankful for it is usually one of those. But are we truly thankful?

We identify those things as things we should be thankful for. However, I don't think we are thankful from the heart. Even now, I can say I am not truly thankful. I see everything that I have been blessed with but from the  heart, i'm just like, "Yep, I've got house, and a nice family. Thanks God." How pathetic is that?

Think about the last time you just sat and thanked God for every moment he has blessed you with. When did you last thank him for dying for you? When did you think about every little thing that has an impact on your life? 

Two years ago our dishwasher broke. I am the dishwasher. For two weeks I had to wash every single dish by hand. When we got a new dishwasher, Boy! Was I thankful for dishwashers! Funny though, a month later I was back complaining about having to put dishes into the washer. 

A dishwasher isn't the greatest example, I know. However we think, "Once something is taken away, we become thankful for it." This is true at the moment, but most of the time we forget the lesson once we have our blessing back.

I have seen poverty from a car window, train, and bus. I seen cardboard huts called homes. Beggars lying on  streets in rags. For the moment I felt pity, and sorrow. Here in America, my home, I am so selfish. I live in a beautiful home, I have a bedroom all to myself, clothing on my body, and I find reasons to complain. "I have nothing to wear." "My bedroom is too small." "My room is too cold."

What does it take to be truly thankful?

Obviously we need God in our lives. Without him it's impossible. We need to truly seek him everyday, and ask him to help our hearts be thankful. We are human, sinful creatures who are hopeless. Only a loving God and Father can love us each and everyday despite our ungratefulness.

Source: all-things-bright-and-beyootiful.tumblr.com via Emma on Pinterest

**Thanks for letting me lecture you all, but truly this is a me thing. I am guilty of everything I talked about! I the Lord spoke something to you through me! I'd love for you to visit me at Rescue the Orphaned! ~Emma**

Faithful Fridays ~ Beware of Christians

Hi, everyone!  :)  It's time for Faithful Friday!  :D

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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So, a little while back, I mentioned a movie/documentary called Beware of Christians.

This movie is about four college Christians that go on a trip to Europe.  They visit England, France, Spain, Germany, Hungary, and more.  The mission of their trip?  To compare routine Christianity in America to Jesus' actual teachings.

Now, at first, this may seem like any other documentary.  But it's not.  I promise.

It's packed with so many truths and ideas to think on and ponder that you want to watch it several times to keep getting what you can out of it.  And I love that!

There are also funny (hilarious) parts sprinkled (dumped) all in the movie.  

And just know right now that you can go watch it on Netflix Instant Stream at any given time.  Just sayin'.  

So, these four guys from Texas, Will Bakke, Michael Allen, Alex Carroll, and Matt Owen, grew up in the kind of "average Christian way"...they went to church, they called themselves Christians, and so on, but they later realized that they weren't doing something right.

So they decided to put all of their preconceived ideas about Christianity that had been put into their heads growing up to the side and began studying God's word and having conversations with others around the world and looking at the differences between American Christianity and true Christianity, and looking at how people view American Christians.

They touch on everything--the stuff you think you know, the stuff that no one wants to talk about, and they're really honest.  They talk about money/wealth/poverty, the church, entertainment, materialism, sex/relationships, and our overall identity as Christians.

And guys, this movie is something that will make you realize that even if you think you've corrected all or most of your "religion" tendencies and turned your faith into a relationship....you might be wrong.  This movie is convicting.  It holds a lot of truth.  It'll make you think.  It'll put things into perspective.

I watched it by myself, then we watched it as a family a little while back, and then I watched it again yesterday.  And it hit me with a few more things.  It's just something that you'll keep coming back to.

I think this verse kind of sums up the movie (to me).

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

-Hebrews 12:1-2

Beware of Christians encourages us to drop all of the "religion" and rules and routines and appearances and everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles....because first of all, those things are not what Christianity is about, and second of all, if we're supposed to be shining a light, well....we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses (the WORLD), and guys, one of the most common things people say about Christians is that we're hypocrites or that we judge.  

Let's walk the talk--you can talk about your faith, but just make sure you walk it out.

Because I think we can say that at least half (or maybe more) of American Christians today have forgotten what it means to really be a Christian--a follower of Christ.  They've stopped picking up their crosses and following God.

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
-Luke 9:23

But maybe there are those that don't really know what it means to be a Christian. 

Have you ever realized, when sitting in church, that the way some pastors introduce the most important thing ever--salvation through Jesus Christ and the life of following Him--is just...incorrect?  I've heard it done plenty of times.  The pastor explains that there is a heaven and a hell and everything...and he says that all you have to do to go to Heaven is say a prayer.  And to somebody new that just comes and sits in church, that sounds great.  Like, "Oh, wow, all I have to do is say a prayer and I'm a Christian and go to Heaven?  Awesome!  I want to do that!"  

And yes, to have the assurance of going to Heaven when you die, you must turn from your sins, believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross for your sins....and then give your life to Him.  But that last part is taken so lightly!  Guys, becoming a Christian needs to be a big decision.  You need to be in it 100% or nothing.  You need to completely hand your life over to Jesus and want His will in your life completely.  It's no little thing.  It's the most important decision you'll ever make!

We're always told to beware of the bad things and people in the world--the sin--and that's really important...but we need to also beware of the people that claim to be Christians but aren't living their lives sold out as followers of Jesus.  And we need to beware of becoming that type of person.

God bless,

Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Running the Radical Race

Hi, everyone!  :)  It's time for Faithful Fridays (and I'm actually writing my post early on Thursday night this time!  Woohoo!  :D)!  :)

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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Different people come to Jesus at different times and in different ways.  A man may go through a good portion of his life without Jesus and finally come down to his wire after losing everything and realize that there's a God that loves him, a God he needs.  A young woman may come back to the Lord after falling out of His will many years before.  Some, like me, come to know the Lord when they're small.  I was five.  But it wasn't until maybe two years ago that I really started realizing what it meant to really follow Jesus.

And so I'm in this place when I'm eleven or twelve, making a decision to really follow the Lord and just completely give my life to Jesus.  

And between some rough times, that promise has strengthened.

But, guys.  It's soooo hard.

It's so hard being a teenage girl trying to take up the cross daily and radically follow Jesus.

Because that's what we're called to.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

-Hebrews 12:1

We all know that growing up is hard.  Especially the teen years.  Because when you're kids, personalities and looks and backgrounds and faith doesn't really make a difference; you're all kids and you all play together.  But when you get older, people start changing.  The people you used to be best friends with become people you can't stand to be around.  Your childhood fears are exchanged for different fears, perhaps more scary.  Your priorities change.  You change.  Opinions you had when you were a child become a thing of the past.

And I get so scared sometimes that I'm going to fall into the way of the world, the pattern that almost all teenagers in America take.  That is one of my worst fears.  It may seem a bit silly, but it's true.  And that's probably saved me from a few things and done me good.  

Growing up as a truly Christian teen girl (or guy) is one of the hardest things in the world.  Ever!

You're probably going to get made fun of.  You're going to "miss out" on a few things (but those who don't take this narrow road miss out on so much more, believe me), or so the world will tell you.  You're going to get downtrodden and discouraged.  You're going to cry.  You're going to get angry.  You're going to have hard times and you're probably going to really not like yourself at times.

It's going to be hard and you're going to feel like you're just barely surviving and just barely making it.  

But you're also going to experience this amazing closeness with God.  This joy.  This peace.  This love.  This patience (okay, I haven't received that yet).  It all comes from this incredible relationship with the God of the universe.  You actually get to feel Him speak to you.  You get to read His word.  It's wonderful and amazing and incredible and like nothing anywhere else, ever!

And at the end of these hard years, you're going to look back and be like, "Man, that was awesome."

We're called to be radical.  That's what picking up the cross daily and following Jesus means.  You have to deny yourself.  Denying yourself means putting Jesus in front of yourself.  And it's hard.  Really.

"Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"

-Luke 9:23

I used to read that verse and feel kind of...vague.  And hazy.  It didn't quite pierce my brain like it does now.  God speaks to us about different things at different times.  I used to try to kind of literally listen to God when I was little, but I think I realize now that when God speaks to us, a lot of times it's a slow understanding He brings onto us.  An understanding of what He's trying to get through our thick skulls.  It's kind of like a quiet nudging.

Now, when you think of being a radical Christian, you might get the wrong idea.  Like the so-called "Super Christians" that memorize entire books of the Bible and always wear skirts and head coverings and are extremely strict.  

And that's not it.  

Hey, if you can memorize entire books of the Bible, please come over to my house and TEACH ME HOW.  Because that's great.

And God calls some of His daughters to dress differently than others. 

Each of us have our own paths that are different and yet similar in a curious way.

They're all about Jesus and radically following Him and putting ourselves to the side.

Throwing off all the distractions--our friends, the computer, the phone, fashion, makeup, appearances, material things, fame, money, and all the rest of the worldly things we come across--all the things that hinder and the sin that so easily entangles.  Because sometimes, even though we kind of try to stop sinning, we don't really do our best.  We kind of voluntarily let ourselves fall into this trap over and over again and feel miserable about it yet keep doing it.  I say this because we need to know that we cannot be perfect because only God is perfect and we will sin sometimes, but we need to do our best and try really, really hard not to and to not make excuses for ourselves.  Do not let that sin so easily entangle you!

So, I hope you got something from this today.  I guess my last point is that we need to throw off all this stuff and just focus our eyes in straight ahead and run a radical race to the finish line, where God will be waiting to escort us to our house in Heaven.

We're called to be radical.  We're called to run a radical race.

What's Been Happenin'

Hi there!  :)

How has your week been so far?  Good, I hope.  :)  I'm just popping in to share a little of what's been happenin' around here.  :)

On Friday, we met my aunt and my cousin, Trey, and his wife, Shauna, rode home with us to stay for a few days to celebrate their fifth anniversary.  Happy Anniversary, guys!  :)

Since Saturday, when we ate out at Applebees to celebrate, we have....

-Sadly, found out that evening that my mama's cousin had passed away due to a heart issue.  We'd appreciate your prayers.

-Gone to my first Chinese dance class of the semester on Sunday afternoon and received my costume!  :)

-Visited a local candy factory/store and collected on some goodies, then headed to the antique gallery near us.  The weather started getting icy and it was really cold, so we came on home to get cozy and play Marco Polo and Hide and Go Seek in the dark.  ;)

And today we watched Uncle Nino and now we're going to just relax for the rest of the day.  :)

So, as I was surfing through Pinterest today, I decided to share some of my favorite pins.  :)

Isn't this skirt just so pretty?!  I love hi-lo skirts, but I don't want the hi- part to be too high.  I just love the style and color of this one.  :)  I also really like the chevron skirt below....

We watched Beware of Christians a few days back...guys, this documentary/movie is just awesome.  Four college guys decide to go to Europe to get away from all the routines and rules of American Christianity and really examine their faith and what it means to be a Christian--a follower of Jesus.  It's radical.  It makes you think.  It gives you a new perspective.  We really recommend it!  You can watch it on Netflix instant stream.  :)

This quote by Charles Stanley speaks volumes.  It really reminds me of what it means to wait in purity for the husband or wife God has for you.  

Isn't this ring cute?!  It would make a great ring for any day, and I think it would be a neat purity ring.  :)

I was told the other day that I look like Mary Bailey from It's a Wonderful Life (especially my eyes).  What do you think?  :)

Isn't she a cutie?!  She's from Thailand.  :)

See what the little girl's doing, how her fingers by her head look like horns?  There's this video we have of me when I was about four or five, dancing to a Shania Twain song, and somehow I created this dance that we now call the bull dance...I had my fingers up by my head like the little girl above and was scraping my foot against the floor like a bull at a rodeo.  When I saw this picture, I had to show my mama.  She says I was thinking Asian even then.  :)

There are no words to describe that little writer's nook.  It's just....awesome.  :)

And finally, Blimey Cow.  Because they're awesome.  In case you don't know, Blimey Cow is a channel on Youtube made by two hilarious brothers, Josh and Jordan, Josh's wife Kelli, and their sister, Amy.  Their videos always have a little sarcasm, a good bit of truth, and a lot of funny.  :)  I also would like to add that they are Christians and were homeschooled.  :)  So, go look them up.  Now.  Go.  Go!  Now!  :)

And that is all for now.  I hope you guys enjoyed this little rambling post of mine.  :)  Thank you for making it to the bottom!  :) 

God bless you and have a great day!  :)

Joy :)

2013 is Here!

2013 is finally already here!  I really can't decide if it's a "finally" or an "already."  This year flew by so quickly, but...I must have been looking forward to 2013 because it took me no time to get used to writing "13" instead of "12"!  :)

Most people come up with a list of resolutions or goals for the new year...I kind of do that, but I try to stay away from the normal "Lose weight" and "Read my Bible more" type resolutions.  These are my resolutions from last year.  Let's take a walk down memory lane and look at what my goals were at the start of 2012.

This is what I wrote at the beginning of 2012:

And in 2012 I want to:

• Witness more.
• Go on a mission trip to China.
• Read my Bible and/or read a devotional every day.
• Write in my journal every day or every other day, even if it's only a few lines
• Continue volunteering at our local nursing home.
• Pray more.
• Keep working on my book.
• Finish the Green Gables series.
• Be nicer to people that I don't particularly "like".
• Be nicer to people period (Take up Operation NiCE--click HERE).
• Continue to blog 2-4 times a week.
• Spend more time with my family, especially Luke.
• Keep my advocacy website up and running.

Let's see....how many of these did I accomplish?  Maybe about four or five.  That's kind of discouraging, but it happens.

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

-Proverbs 19:21

We can have all these plans and goals and resolutions, but only the Lord knows what will really happen this year.  If we try to accomplish all our goals and do all these things on our own, using our own strength, without God's help....we're going to fail!  We're made to depend on Jesus.  It's our nature, and it is there to bring us closer to Him.  

This doesn't mean that we shouldn't or we can't write down our dreams and plans and hopes for this year.  Just make sure these plans don't take over your life and push God out.

So, I am going to write down things I have done and I am going to write down things I want to do this year....but I'm also going to trust that Jesus has this year under control.  :)

So, I asked my mama what I did in 2012 that was significant.

"Fangirled," she said.

XD  She has a point there, though.  I discovered many new musicians and such that I really like this year.  :)

So, in 2012, I....

• Celebrated my little brother's 2nd Family Day Anniversary!

• Started using my Jesus Calling (for Kids) devotional
• Started reading through the Bible out loud with my family
• Turned 13
• Got two new little cousins
• Discovered Michael Henry and Justin Robinett, thanks to my older brother

Two of the most talented musicians, ever.  :)

• Moved up into 8th grade
• Started taking Chinese language and dance 
• Met new online friends: Emma, Brooke, and Ruthie
• Went into the hospital three times, unfortunately, but met some great friends in the process
• Saw Courageous
• Saw The Avengers
• Saw Captain America
• Saw Thor
• You get the point.  :)

Best movies of 2012, in my opinion.  :)

• Began babysitting
• Opened an Instagram account
• Discovered Blimey Cow  :D
• Learned how to do a back handspring 
• Learned how to dance en pointe
• Finished several journals

And in 2013, I hope to....

• Read my Bible and/or devotional every day
• Memorize more Scripture and KEEP it in my head
• Be a better sister
• Be a better daughter
• Be more responsible 
• Be more patient
• Keep raising money for a trip back to China
• Keep advocating
• Learn Chinese more fluently
• Finish reading through the Bible with my family
• Learn how to do the splits
• Keep practicing pointe
• Keep writing and working on stories
• Continue journaling often
• Keep practicing photography

Apart from this list of particular things I would like to do this year, this is my basic, real hope for tis year.  This is what I really, really want (as I wrote on New Year's Eve).

  I don't have any big goals, but there are definitely some things I want to maintain or do.  I want to stay close to God, and be closer to Him.  I want to try to be more balanced in life.  I want to be more patient and responsible and less selfish.  I want to earn more money for a mission trip to China.  I want to be a good Christian, daughter, and sister.  Happy New Year!

What did you think about this past year?  What are your thoughts on this coming year?

God bless 2013!

God bless you and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ The Girl With the Servant's Heart

Hi, everyone!  :)  It's Friday...which means it's time for Faithful Friday!  :)  Oh, I also wanted to let you guys know that my 2013 post IS coming...it's pretty much done, but I decided to wait until after Faithful Fridays to post 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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Most of us have read the account of the woman that poured perfume over Jesus, right?

Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.  The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.  She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.  I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

-Mark 14:1-9

So, first of all, Jesus was already in danger of being killed (in fact, He was always in danger of being killed--from the time of birth with King Herod to the time of His crucifixion with the Pharisees), and He goes and has dinner at a man's house.  The man is known as Simon the Leper.  Most people wouldn't want to stay with someone called that, would they?

But Jesus isn't like most people.  No, not at all.

So He's having dinner with the disciples, and this woman comes in and opens a bottle of expensive perfume and pours it over Jesus' head.  That probably makes us cringe a bit because it would be kind of weird to pour perfume over someone's head today, even if they were someone really important, but in that case, it was meant as a gesture of honor and worship.

But then the disciples and the other people around started getting "indignant." 

"This woman could have used the money spent on this expensive perfume to help the poor," they exclaim!  The Bible says they "rebuked her harshly."

Can you imagine how that girl felt?  Like really, I spent all this money and time to show Jesus that I love Him, and you're going to bash me about it?  I don't know about you, but I would feel....injured, upset, disappointed, hurt, and angry.

Their hearts were in the right place, yeah, but...they were also kind of missing the point of this girl's gesture.  She was showing that she was a servant of Jesus.  She was worshiping Him.  She had a servant's heart.

Jesus knew this, and He defended her.  Don't take this the wrong way, helping the poor is extremely important!  But at this time, Jesus was only going to be on the earth for a short while longer.  This woman was showing her devotion to Him.  She was doing what she could while she could.  That perfume cost a year's wages (three hundred denarii).  That's equal to about $50 - $100, and that was a lot back then!

So this woman makes a sacrifice, is rebuked harshly for it, then defended by Jesus, and then, finally, told that what she has done will be told in memory of her....wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world!  And it has been, has it not?

God is faithful.  :)

The girl in that account had a servant's heart.  She just wanted to serve Jesus.

I think it's really important to have a servant's heart.  It's what draws you closer to God and keeps you close.  It's part of being a Christian.  God calls us to be servants.  It's what keeps a friendship or a marriage working.

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

-Mark 9:35

Try having a servant's heart throughout the next few days.  Try really, really hard to put others' needs and wants before your own, and God's desires and His will before your desires and your will.  Just see how it turns out!  :)

God bless you and have a great day!  :)

Joy :)

2013 + My Little Cowboy

Phew.....I'm back!  I promise I haven't forgotten my blog.  Very sorry about leaving....Christmas happened, and then after that, we were out of town for almost a week, and then it was time for New Year's Eve, so...we've been pretty busy.  :)

How was your New Year?!  How did you celebrate?  I'd love to hear about it.  My grandparents came over and we had supper and watched "It's a Wonderful Life" (love, love, love that movie!) and then we played board games, ate snacks, and had our upbeat New Year's Eve music playing to bring the New Year in.  :)  I'm hoping to give you guys a full 2013 post soon.  Very soon.  :)

A while back, I had a photo shoot with Luke.  It was just spur-of-the-moment, but we had fun with it.  He wore a dress shirt, tie, jeans, and his cowboy boots that he's so proud of.  :)  We've decided that the southern cowboy look is definitely his style!  :)

Interesting facial expression, Luke....

And now, for our gag reel....

"Joy!  Joy....I'm going to tell Mama!"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

"AJENNAFENNAFO I'M TIRED OF TAKING PICTURES!"

"You love me and you know it."

This one just cracked me up.  I told him to stand on an old milk can (the big kind) that we were using as a "prop," and he did it, although he was very hesitant.  The first picture shows him being scared and a bit angry, but thinking, "Hey, this is kind of fun!"  In the second picture, he's yelling at me.  And in the last one, well....he was falling....with his tongue out.  Lol!  I did catch him, no worries.  :)

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Well, that's it for today.  I'll be back soon with a complete "2013" post!  :)

God bless you and have a great day!

Joy :)

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 :)