Faithful Fridays ~ The Sock that Hung Out on the Dryer.

Hellllooo, people.  :)  How are you guys today?  No, really, I want to know.  Tell me in a comment below what you've been doing today!  :)



Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special 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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One of my main jobs around the house is taking care of laundry.  I was folding clothes the other day, and (pardon the OCD coming out in me), I came to having two white socks that weren't quite exactly the same.  One was a little shorter than the other.  They could have gone together, I suppose, but it wouldn't have been a perfect match.
Now, I had a bunch of stuff piled up on our dryer waiting to find a match or a place, and I was tempted to just throw those socks together and get them out of the way, but I decided to leave them both on the dryer and see if their matches came along later.

So they hung out on the dryer for a day or two, and then sure enough, on one of the next loads I folded, once I got around to it, the correct match came up and they all lived happily ever after.  :)
What's my point?  It may seem silly, but because those socks sat around on the dryer for a little bit and waited for their perfect match, they ended up finding that match and living happily ever after.
Life is a lot like that.  Especially with the whole dating and finding a husband thing.  It's a messy business, all right, because of the way the world does it these days.  People jump at the opportunity to go for a relationship with any guy or girl that seems remotely attractive or a good match for them, instead of casually getting to know the person first and waiting for the perfect match--because they're too eager to have a boyfriend or girlfriend for whatever reason.  
Am I saying that you're going to find a perfect person?  Of course not!  No one's perfect. 
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." -Romans 3:23
But God does have a will set out for your life, and He offers it to you quietly--not trying to push it down your throat, but wanting you to choose it--and it includes the right match for you.  
People are desperate to jump into a relationship.  Why?  They don't seek God first.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." -Matthew 6:33
God brings satisfaction over everything else.  Sometimes we have to quiet ourselves and really seek God's face to find that satisfaction, but it's there.  And we won't find it in any relationship or status or object.  
So, be patient.  Be encouraged!  God has a plan for you, and He also will give you satisfaction while you wait, if you'll just seek Him.  
God bless you guys and have a great day.  :) Joy :)
P.S. - There's a Disney post in the making, and some photography coming over that!  :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Even in the Storm.

Hi, everyone!  :)  I'm here for Faithful Fridays...a day late, because our weekend has been action-packed (I'll be back to tell more about that soon), but I'm here!  :)


Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special 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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I've been dealing with some stuff emotionally lately, and it's felt like a stormy kind of time in my walk with Jesus, but I've been reflecting on just how good God is, even in our storms.
"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble, He cares for those who trust in him," -Nahum 1:7
He's answered so many of my prayer requests--even just the little ones.  For instance, before we went to Disney World, we prayed that my daddy's knee problems wouldn't hold him back from being able to do things--and it didn't!  He had issues with it, but he was still able to get up and go to the parks each day. 
He made pretty much my every little dream come true when I met Peter Pan.  You guys may not understand how much that means to me.  God cares about the little things--He orchestrated it perfectly for me!  :)
I got to take part in a swing dance flash mob--something kind of big for me because a flash mob video was what got me interested in swing dancing, and I've always wanted to be part of one.  
Another thing--I'll be honest here: I tend to live in a little bit of fear of having a pancreatitis episode flare up on me any time I have something big coming up that I'm looking forward to, because that's happened before.  Last February, I went into the hospital right before my Chinese New Year performance was supposed to happen, and I wasn't able to make it.  I've had a lot of things to look forward to lately--Disney World, the Reset Movement concert, the swing dance flash mob, and going to the carnival with some friends last night.  And God has kept me well and healthy so that I could go and enjoy them all.  
And I'm really thankful that for all of that.  :)  

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28
So, my point is that I'm really thankful that God hears me and answers my little prayers even in my stormy times--and I want to acknowledge that.  And, God does care about the little things that matter deep down inside your heart.  He knows all about you, everything inside and out, every little nook and cranny of your mind.  Don't let that scare you--the awesome thing is that He loves you more than you can imagine, despite what He sees--good and bad.  And he cares about those dreams you have--big and small.  Bring them to Him!  :)
God bless you guys and have a great day!  :) Joy :)

Fathful Fridays ~ Remember.

Hi, everyone!  :)  It's Friday again! 

My Friday today is pretty different from last Friday.  :)  Last Friday, I had been at home, not doing much.  But this Friday, we're in Alabama, visiting family....after a concert.  :)  The RESET Movement came to a town about four hours from us on Wednesday and my parents were oh-so-kind enough to take me.  And guess who came with the RESET Movement?!  Rend Collective and Morgan Harper Nichols!  I have *loved* Rend Collective's music for a while and was so, so, so excited to see them...they didn't disappoint.  :)  I had heard Morgan sing with her sister, Jamie Grace, but hadn't heard any of her own original songs.  I'm so glad she was there, because she's made a new fan out of me.  :)  Her song "Let Everything" is awesome! 

I also got to hear other artists--Matt Gilman, Lacey Sturm, and spoken word poet/rapper Propaganda.  :)  It was an amazing night!  I also got to meet the artists afterward.  I got to talk with Pat and Chris from Rend Collective for quite a while (with some online friends who I finally got to meet)!  It was an overall amazing night.  :)  God is good!


Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special 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! :)   ************************************************************************   Something I've been thinking about, and that was mentioned at the concert, is remembering what God has done for you.    I mean, we say that we know God's done a lot for us, but do we ever really think about the recent, powerful things He's done that just totally gave us what we needed when we needed it?   I've often wished that I could be given such a mighty sign from God as the sea being parted so that I and my people could pass through on dry land, then letting it go again to crash down on our enemies--wouldn't that have been amazing?!    The Israelites were shown amazing signs like this over and over again, and yet again and again they turned from the Lord.  How could they do that?!   But sometimes we do that.  God does something for us and works things to our good, just as He promises, and reveals Himself and lifts us up out of our despair when we need it.....and then we forget.    We need to keep going back and reminding ourselves of everything that God's done for us.  We need to remind ourselves of all that He's brought us through and all the times He's fulfilled His promises to us.    The Israelites used to put up piles of rocks so that every time they passed by it and it stuck out and made itself noticed, they would remember what God had done and re-tell the account to themselves and to their children and grandchildren.  I think that's a pretty awesome idea.  We don't need to ever forget what God's done for us!    "Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since." -Joshua 7:26   So, if you're going through something, or you're confused, or scared, or unsure, or even if you're not and you're just sitting there and you're perfectly content, remind yourself of all the things God's done for you, all the times He's brought you through and fulfilled His promises.  It does a soul good.  :)   God bless you guys and have a great day!  :) Joy :)   P.S. Linky isn't working for me right now, so if you've participated in Faithful Fridays, please let me know in your comment!  :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Feel it or Not.

Hi, everyone!  :)

Gosh, it's been a while, hasn't it?  We had SO MUCH fun at Disney World.  Best vacation ever.  We miss it...still recovering!  :)  Hence my late Faithful Friday post.  Oh, well.  Better late than never, right?


Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special 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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Feelings are funny things, aren't they?  God gave them to us.  They're built into us.  Part of us.  But I think after the fall of man and sin entering the world, they have become really, really twisted.  
Here's the awesome thing: God isn't human, so He is not bound by feelings at all.  Feelings don't change Him.  They don't change His word.  They don't change His promises!
Read that again.  Isn't that great to know?  God is constant.  
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."   -Hebrews 13:8
The same love that we feel when we are on top of the world is the same love that is still there for us when we are down in the dumps and feel abandoned by God.  His promises are still the same to us.  Our feelings don't change that, and we can still hold onto those promises, even if it doesn't change how we feel.  Feelings don't change our relationship with God.  He encourages us to pour out our feelings and thoughts and worries to Him.  When you made that choice to trust in Jesus, you were locked into His love for life.  You've got the maker of the universe looking out for you!  That's the awesome thing about our God.
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." -1 Peter 5:7
That's faith.  It's trusting in God, even when you don't feel like it, even when you don't see it....you trust.  It's a choice you make.  Love and trust aren't feelings, they're choices.   
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  -Hebrews 11:6
So whatever you're dealing with, whatever sea of emotions or thoughts or worries you're being tossed around in, just lean on Him.  Bring it all to Him, regardless of how you're feeling.  He can take it.  He will take it.  He is your God!
God bless you guys and have a great day.  :) Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Truth.

Hi, everyone!  :)  Friday has rolled back around, and I am super excited.  Why?  Because we're leaving for Disney World TOMORROW.  Yes, that's right.  :)  Luke and I are first-timers, and it's been over twenty years since my parents have been.  We'll be leaving tomorrow morning and won't be coming back until next Saturday night.  So, I won't be hosting Faithful Fridays next Friday.  If you're on Instagram, you can follow our trip there.  :)

Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special 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! :) ************************************************************************* I'm taking a Bible apologetics class right now with our homeschool group.  It's so refreshing to be able to learn about how the Bible just totally makes sense with what we see in the world.  We have the same evidence as evolutionists and atheists, it's just that we're pushed around and we don't think for ourselves and dig into God's word, which should be our foundation.  So much of the "evidence" that evolutionists find supports and confirms the Bible more than anything else.  We do have a logical reason for believing in our faith and we shouldn't allow others to tell us otherwise.
"But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." -1 Peter 3:15-16 God's truth is truth, whether or not we believe it.  Right and wrong is right and wrong, even if the whole world says it's otherwise.  Truth doesn't change.  Majority doesn't decide truth.  Feelings don't decide truth.  Truth decides truth.  We have to stand on God's word as truth.  We have to use God's word as the glasses through which we see the world.  Our foundation.  Our core.  Our everything.  It's solid and wise.  It won't disappoint.  Read it, study it, know it, pray it, believe it, stand on it, act on it.  Live it. God bless you guys and have a great day.  :) Joy :)

The Thing About Modesty.

Hi there!  :)  It's time for Faithful Fridays!

Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special 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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Something that's kind of been on my mind and heart is modesty.

And not in the way you think.  I'm sure I've talked about modesty before in some way, and there are tons of posts about modesty in the way we dress and act.  So much so, that I think sometimes in our own little Christian circles, we feel more pressure and judgement on the side that's telling us to be modest in our dress than from the side that's pressuring us to dress skimpily for attention.  Do you know what I mean?

Different people have different ideas of modesty--kind of like how in the church, we have different denominations and variations of beliefs.

These things in the church aren't salvation issues most of the time.  But still, we get crazy over this stuff.  We get in fights, hold grudges, even split off into other churches because of these minor issues.

And within the circles of Christian girls and women, some of us do this over modesty.  We silently (or maybe not so silently) intimidate, belittle, and shame each other if we don't wear skirts or if our shorts are too short or if we don't wear a tank top under our blouses.  And it's not really that it's really immodest--we know when something is truly immodest.  It's that different people have different ideas of "exact" or "true" modesty, and we try to push them on each other.  And it results in people feeling judged and intimidated.

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

-Proverbs 31:30

I don't know about you, but sometimes I get so tired of people pushing modesty articles in my face and discussing hemlines and routines and rules.  And then there's the polls and the opinions and the videos where they get guys to come in and talk about how they can't stand it when a girl wears this or that.

Modesty IS important--that's for sure.  We don't want to be careless with what we wear.  But we also don't need to let these things divide us and rule us and get in the way of making Jesus first.  It doesn't need to be blown up into a big, over-the-top, life-ruling argument.  We have to keep things in proportion and keep our priorities straight.  We have to keep ourselves from getting a judgemental, "I'm-more-modest-than-you-are" attitude.

It all comes down to this: most of us know when something is immodest.  So if you think or feel it isn't, don't wear it.  Bottom line.  Get advice from your parents.  Beyond that, things like whether or not we wear skirts or earrings or shorts or whatever isn't really important.

We get so wrapped up in these issues that we forget what a big part of modesty is about--inner beauty.  And if we're too busy haranguing each other over what we wear, aren't we forgetting about that?

"Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

-1 Peter 3:4

Girls, we have got to stick together.  Being a girl is hard.  Being a teenage girl is harder.  And being a teenage girl trying her best to follow Jesus with her whole being is the hardest.  But we can do it.  Just lean on Him and let everything else fall under that.

Don't let side issues distract you from keeping your eyes on Jesus.  He doesn't want us to let these things get first place in our lives above Him.  Lay away all the small, petty issues and seek Jesus--He has such a high plan for you!

God bless you guys and have a great day!  :)

Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Don't Judge Yourself.

Hi, everyone!  :)  Sorry I'm a bit late today.  We got up this morning, packed, and finished school so we could head off to spend our weekend in Alabama with family again.  :)


  Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special 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! :)   *******************************************************************************************************   Do you ever evaluate yourself?   Do you evaluate your relationship with the Lord?  Your walk?  Your thought life?  Whether or not you're being a good Christian?    I know I do.  I guess I'm trying to keep a check on my heart and the condition of my relationship with the Lord, but I worry myself into a tizzy.  I start to feel guilty and anxious a lot.  I don't feel close to the Lord and I feel like it's completely my fault.    But it's not my job to keep tabs or pass judgement or evaluation on myself or others.  The same verses in the Bible that talk about not judging others apply to judging ourselves and judging situations and relationships.    Here's the deal:   It is by grace alone that I have a relationship with God.  Not in my own strength.  Not in my own will or power.  All grace.  It was a gift, and a mavelous and mind-blowing one at that.   So, my job is not to work tirelessly at my relationship with the Lord, trying to grow it in my own strength, but simply to draw near to Him and know that only His grace and His word and His power can pull me closer to Him and keep me there.    "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." -Ephesians 2:8-9   "'I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." -John 15:5   "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." -2 Corinthians 12:9-10   So today, if you're judging yourself over something, just step back and give it a break.  Remember that you are weak, but He is strong.  You can do nothing on your own, but in His strength you can do all things.
Relax and rest in His grace.   God bless you guys and have a great day.  :) Joy :)  

Faithful Fridays ~ Amazing, Incredible Love

Hello there, everyone, and happy Friday!  :)

Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special 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! :) ************************************************************************** I don't know about you, but I have some days when I just feel like everything I do is wrong.  I keep making mistakes and losing my self-control and I get so frustrated and disappointed with myself that I just can't stand it.   When I have these moments...and hours...and days...and weeks, I have to remind myself to stop and remember a couple of things.   1. Regardless of whether I feel it or not, God is standing right there with me, offering His hand to me, waiting to help me get back on my feet.  I just need to get away from all the stuff and seek Him.  I need to pour out my heart to Him, read His words, and find refuge in Him.  

2. Often, I'm not doing as bad as I think I am.  I tend to be really hard on myself.  I think we're all like that at times.  We want to please God, and we don't give ourselves room to fail sometimes.  I'm not saying that we should accept sin in our lives or make excuses for ourselves--of course not!  But we have to remember that we are going to mess up sometimes, and that if we realize what we've done and repent and ask God's forgiveness for it, He is so quick to pick us right back up and His forgiveness is instant--Jesus already paid the price.  God's love is so amazing.  It's incredible.  Incomprehensible.  No matter how many times we fall and mess up, God is still standing right there, waiting for us to reach up to Him with a repentant heart.  He's standing there saying, "You know what?  You can do this.  Just get right back up."  Even when we feel like we're just the most messed-up people and we'll never stop making mistakes, He's reminding us that His love is eternal and that it never stops.  It keeps on.  
3. This too shall pass.  This is something my mama says all the time.  Often the things that we see as big and threatening and scary are not as big and bad as they seem.  And they will get better.  These problems will pass away.  Besides, God is bigger than any problem we could ever have.  Isn't that just the most comforting thought ever?
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." -Psalm 68:19
God's standing there, waiting for us to give up our worries and anxiety and problems.  He's the God that takes the burdens off our shoulders.  So just stop, get on your knees, and give it to Him.  
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7
God bless you guys and have a great day!  :) Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Why Pray?

It's Friday again!  :)  This has been a full week--our first week of school!  More on that coming in a later post.  :)


Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians could have one special 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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Today I'm going to be doing something a little different from what I usually do. 
Bible is a subject for us in homeschooling--that's one of the may things I love about it.  Couldn't really do that in a public school, now could you?  :)  This year, our curriculum has given me some great Bible books to start off with.  One of them is a 40-day devotional by John Devries called Why Pray?

I'm only five days in, but I already love it.  It's hit on some great points.  I wanted to share some of what was written for the third and fourth day, because it really made me think.
Everything from this point on in italics is from the devotional book.  :)
Day 3 Prayer is Holding Hands with God
Prayer is not the ultimate program by which we get God to do things out way.  It's like the act of a little child climbing into the lap of the Father and putting his hand on the hand of the One who is driving.  And it's more.  It's something far better--this mysterious relationship that is so much more than a means to get what we want.  We were made and redeemed to pray.  Prayer is a relationship in which we first of all recognize who God is and how greatly He is to be praised (see Psalm 48:1).
"Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain." -Psalm 48:1
And prayer is the means by which we do that.  All of our communication with God is prayer.  In prayer we are enfolded into God, and God is enfolded into us.  It's like this: when God made us, he made us in His image.  This means, among other things, that we "look like" or resemble God in striking ways.  
Let's imagine that your left hand represents God and your right hand represents you.  The two hands look like each other, but they're not the same, are they?  Similarly, while we may look like God in some ways, as His image bearers, we are not the same as God.  We were made to bear God's image so that we might "fit into" God.  You can picture this by fitting your hands together with your fingers interlocked and your palms open.  Only human beings, who were made in God's image, can "fit into" God in a way like this.  No animal or other creature can "fit into" God.  Something happened, though, in the way we fit into God.  In our picture of the hands fitting together, think of the right hand becoming infested with thorny burrs stuck between each finger.  The right hand has to be separated from the left hand, of course, because the "fit" is too painful.  The right hand symbolizes us, and the burrs symbolize our sin.  When Adam and Eve sinned, the pain of sin separated their "fit" with God.  As long as sin remained, they could not be joined together with God.  
Now, if we are that thorny right hand, there's no way for us to pull out those thorns!  A right hand cannot get thorns out of itself.  It needs the help of the left hand.  So it is with our sin and us.  And that's exactly what God has done.  In mercy, God freed us from our thorny sin so that we could fit together with Him again.  God did this by sending His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, to take away our sin and give us new life.  Think of the crown of thorns Jesus wore on the cross.  Just as that crown was pressed upon His head, so our sins (thorns) were laid upon Him.  
Hold your hands in the traditional way of folding hands in prayer.  Think of your left hand as God and your right hand as yourself.  Every time you pray, you are enfolded into the very heart of God.  This intensely close, intimate relationship is the deepest and most profound relationship any human being can have.  It is for more intimate than any relationship we can have with another person.  
Prayer is a dependent relationship with God in which I am enfolded into Him.
I love that analogy of the thorns--it really brings me back to being thankful for the amazing sacrifice and mercy God's given us.  

Day 4 Prayer is Filling the Gas Tank
Imagine that it's Sunday morning about ten minutes before worship time at your church and that I'm going to be preaching there.  You notice me pushing a big old car down the road.  It dawns on you that I am the guest preacher, and it's clear that I'm never going to arrive on time.  I'm right in front of an open gas station about a five minute drive from the church and I'm passing the station!  You slam on your brakes, hop out of the car, and ask me, what's the matter?  Why are you pushing your car?  I brush some perspiration off my forehead and reply that my car happens to be out of gas.  "Why, then, are you pushing it past the gas station?" you ask.  "Push it into the station, and fill it up!"  "But," I protest, "I don't have time to stop for gas.  I have only ten minutes left to get to church.  I can't be distracted by anything.  I must be on my way!"
My reply is so foolish that it's hard to comprehend.  No one in his right mind would be too busy to fill up if he were out of gas.  No one would push his car pas ta gas station because he was in a hurry to get somewhere.   Think of this illustration whenever you want a good example of a prayerless Christian.  The vast majority of Christians in our society claim they don't have time to pray.  But that excuse is as senseless as my saying I don't have time to stop and fill my gas tank.  Prayer is the relationship in which we stop, right where we are, and are filled with the Holy Spirit.  Without Him we can do nothing.  "Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unlesss you remain in me" (John 15:4).  Just as a branch apart from the life of the vine is fruitless, so we are empty apart from the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.  
Prayer is not a program but a dependent relationship upon God, through which we are empowered and filled by His Holy Spirit.
Prayer is so crucial to our lives and our relationship with our Savior.  And it's such an awesome privilege to be able to go before the Maker of everything in all creation and talk to Him like we would our father our friend.  Because He is our Father and our Friend!  And yet, sometimes, we underestimate prayer, let it fall to the side, and act like it doesn't hold much importance.  But it so does--a lot!  Prayer is our lifeline to God, it's how we connect and feel His presence oftentimes.  
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." -James 1:6
"Is anyone among you in trouble?  Let them pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let them sing songs of praise.  Is anyone among you sick?  Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord." -James 5:13-14
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." -James 5:16
Prayer is important and prayer is powerful.  It's kind of one of our main love languages to God and His to us.  Take advantage of this amazing gift God has given us, to be able to talk to Him, day in and day out, wherever we are!
God bless you guys and have a great day.  :) Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Bad Company Corrupts Good Character?

Hello, there, everyone!  :)  I'm back after missing a week of Faithful Friday--again, sorry about that!  :)

Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians could have one special 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!  :) *********************************************************************** If you've grown up as a Christian, you've probably heard a lot about how bad company corrupts good character and we have to keep ourselves set apart from the things of this world. And that's completely true!  We do have to be careful.  We don't want to be careless with what we feed in to our minds.  Who we hang out with does affect our mind and we have to keep our guard up.  Most of us shy away from the "weird" people.  The ones that have a bad reputation or look like trouble or fit all the criteria of "one of those people," an "outsider." I do this.  It's much easier to just scoot away and not talk to these people rather than reach out of our comfort zone and be the way Jesus was.   But easy and comfortable is not what we're called to be.  Jesus was perfect; He didn't sin, so obviously when He hung out with "sinners," He didn't have to struggle with temptation.  But because Adam and Eve sinned, we have that temptation.  Does this mean that we should just live in our own little righteous bubbles and not reach out and make any kind of difference?  Noooo.   Do we really feel like we have a choice?  Really?  Because I think the Bible is pretty clear.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  Your neighbor is everyone.  Your neighbor is your mom, your dad, your sibling.  Your neighbor is your best friend.  And your neighbor is also that weird girl that no one talks to and that one kid that just gets on your last nerve.  Your neighbor is your rival and that one girl that is just plain mean.   "While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?'" -Matthew 9:10-11
Jesus dined and sat and talked with sinners and "tax collectors."  Ouch.  Tax collectors were the guys that everybody hated.  They were rotten, lying, cheating scoundrels that not only gathered up taxes from the people for the government, but stole extra for themselves.  The Pharisees looked at these people with scorn and disdain.  Jesus treated them like normal people and loved them.   Now days, we have our own sort of "tax collectors."  Whether it be based off of appearances--baggy pants, piercings, tattoos, all black clothes--or the people that have a reputation for being disruptive, disrespectful, or just bad kids.  There's this group of people that we just shy away from. But we don't get to choose who to love.  Jesus has been clear--we are to love everyone.  Our family, our friends, our enemies, and everything in between.  

So how do we handle this situation?  We go into it with the mindset of being Jesus' hands and feet.  That's the mindset we're supposed to have with everything, anyway.  We aren't to join people when they start doing or saying things that aren't godly, but we aren't supposed to judge or reject them, either.  

"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

-Colossians 4:6

So yes, bad company can corrupt good character.  But maybe good company can corrupt bad character?

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God bless you guys and have a great day.  :)

Joy :)

Faithful Friday ~ You're an Overcomer.

Hi, everyone!  :)  It's time for Faithful Fridays again!  It sure rolls around quick, doesn't it?  :)

The crazy thing is that when Mama and I sat down to write our posts today, neither one of us had shared our ideas with each other.  Mama casually mentioned a Bible verse, and I said, "I'm using that verse!"  And then we discovered that our posts were titled almost the exact same thing.  I guess this post needs to get out there today!  ;)

Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians could have one special 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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Life is hard.

That's just the truth, and that's the easiest way to put it.

We are going to to go through things that just put us in agony and heartache.  Whether it be our fears, our circumstances, a sickness, the loss of a loved one, problems in a relationship, our temper, our job, our self-image, or whatever, we're going to have some problems in this life because of sin.

And so you start to think, "Well, what's the point, then?  Why even try?  Is that all I have to look forward to in life?"

But God has promised that we can overcome this stuff in Him.



We are incapable of seeing things the way God sees them.  He sees the entire big picture of our lives and the lives of others, from the start to the finish, and everything before, after, and in-between.

We are only capable of seeing things up close.  We judge situations by our feelings.  We feel alone and like this problem is never going to end, so we believe that.

I believe that.

It happens to everyone.

But we can't continue to go by our feelings.  I know that I say that a lot, and I'm preaching to myself here, but it's so true.

God has promised so many times that He is with us, that He will never leave us, that we'll never be alone.  He's promised that we can do this thing with Him, that He can give us life and help us overcome this stuff.

"The thief comes only to kill and steal and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full."  
-John 10:10

"for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
-2 Timothy 1:7

"No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.  As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."
-Joshua 1:5

Wow.  Moses went through some stuff, didn't he?  He was ordered (along with thousands of other baby boys) to be killed as a baby.  Then, his mother had to give him up to the pharaoh's daughter to save his life.  When he got older, he had to choose between a life of luxury and doing the right thing by joining his people and enduring persecution with them.  He choose the right path (which is usually the hardest path, and it was), and he was definitely persecuted for it.  He had to lead the Israelites and put up with their whining and complaining and doubt.

But God was with Him.  He never left his side, and none of Moses' problems ever lasted forever.

God says that His strength is made perfect in our weakness.  So, we don't have to be ashamed of our weaknesses and faults and flaws and problems, because God can use all that for His glory.  He can work it into His glorious plan for our lives.  We don't have to be ashamed or upset about our fears and failures, because God says He can make up for it in our lives with His strength!

We may not understand how in any way on this earth this problem will turn out for good, but God knows.  It may be to help someone else.  It may be to learn a lesson.  It may be to bring us closer to God.  And it may be none of these.  It may be to show us that He's going to be there, even in the worst times.

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
-2 Corinthians 12:9

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
-Genesis 50:20

God's love is perfect.  We don't have to be self-sufficient and independent and deal with stuff ourselves.  Our God is the God who can take the weight off our shoulders.  He says that His burden is light.  By giving up our struggle for self-sufficiency and trying to do it on our own, we can find freedom.  We can lean on Him and find rest, comfort, joy, protection, and contentment.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.  For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."
-1 John 4:18

God promises to help us through the storms of life.  Whether He stops the storm or comes to you in the middle of it to wrap you in His arms, He's going to be there.

And just remember that you're an overcomer in Him.

You're an overcomer
Stay in the fight 'til the final round
You're not going under 'cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when he reminds you
That you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer
-"Overcomer" by Mandisa

I write to you, dear children,
    because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
    because you are strong,
    and the word of God lives in you,
    and you have overcome the evil one.
-1 John 2:12-14

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God bless you guys and have a great day!  :)
Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Shine

Hi, everyone!  :)  I'm sorry that today's Faithful Friday post is late--we had friends over yesterday and I never got around to writing my post.  But I'm here today!  :)

Remember me mentioning that my computer was down?  It's fixed!  Thank You, Jesus!  Time to get back to writing and blogging regularly.  :)

Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians could have one special 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!  :) ************************************************************************** I think a lot of us want to feel special.  We want to feel unique.  We want to shine.   And people encourage us to do that, right?  You can't watch Disney Channel for thirty minutes without hearing a repetition of "be yourself," "shine," "be original," and on and on. But in that, I think we lost sight of our true identity.  Our identity is not in ourselves, it's in Jesus and how He's redeemed us.  Outside of that, we are nothing.  And when we get so wrapped up in ourselves, we forget that.  We get so focused on shining in our own light that we completely miss the point of our lives!  

A beautiful sight on the way home.  :)

The reason for our very existence is to glorify and worship Jesus.  To shine for Him.   Don't shine so others can see you.  Shine so that through you, others can see Him.   -C.S Lewis Be a lantern and let God put His light in You to shine before others.  He's given you this salvation and faith....why hide it? In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:16 God bless you guys and have a great day!  Thanks for stopping by!  :) Joy :)

Faithful Fridays ~ You Are Wanted.

Hi there, everyone, and welcome to Faithful Fridays!  :)

Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog.  I made it so that Christians could have one special 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, Christian singer Dara Maclean came out with a new song recently called "Wanted."  And it's just so beautiful.  

From the day you were born and took your first breath,

you opened your eyes and in came the light.

He was watching you.

But all of your life, you couldn't shake

the lies in your head, saying you're a mistake.

But you were made

by a God who knows your name.

He doesn't make mistakes.

Long before we were born, God had us on His mind.  Most of us don't know this.  We don't know that since the beginning of time, the Maker of the universe has cared about us.  We don't realize that He loves us.  We don't realize what He sacrificed--WHO He sacrificed--for us to have the choice to live a life with Him.  

A lot of us go through life basing our value and worth on what other people think of us.  We end up feeling hurt and alone and worthless.

You are wanted.

To every broken heart, He stands with open arms.

You are wanted.

To every searching soul, look to the rising sun.  

If you're lonely, hurting, gone too far,

to the outcast, you come as you are,

for you, you are wanted.

You, you are wanted, you, you are wanted.

You, you are wanted.  

And we will go on in that cycle of putting ourselves down and feeling like we have no worth until we realize that we are so incredibly loved and cherished and wanted by a God who sacrificed His Son to have us know Him!

And isn't that amazing--that the God of everything, the King over all, wants us?  He doesn't need us.  And we most certainly don't deserve His love--not on our own.  But He picks us up, dusts us off, and loves us.  He makes us worthy.  He values us.  

And until we're ready to come to Him, He stands there with open, inviting arms, waiting for us to run into His loving presence.  

Let this be the day that joy takes the place of all of the years

that shame tried to steal away.

He is calling you.

Lift your eyes to see His face.

Come run into the arms of grace.

You, you have been marked, you're set apart.

And He calls you His.

So you don't have to search, don't have to look

for where you belong.

You are wanted.  

And though so many of us spend so much time in our lives looking for where we belong, where we fit in, where we have worth, and where we are wanted....we don't have to look, because God has already established that for us.  

We are His.  

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God bless you guys and have a great day!  :)

Joy :)