Faithful Fridays - Favorite Scriptures

Hi everyone!

This will be a quick post because Mr. Chuck and and Ms. Kim are here visiting us.  Mr. Chuck and Ms. Kim are the couple that adopted their little girl, Shiloh, from Luke's province at the same time we adopted Luke.  We were the only two families there at the time and we became really close friends!  Shiloh is a darling 3 year old little girl (turning four in November).  Mr. Chuck and Ms. Kim also have a beautiful six year old little girl, Dakota.  I tell you, I'm having too much fun doing Dakota and Shiloh's hair, putting perfume and nail polish on them, and dressing them up with jewelry and purses...I think they love it, too!
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I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day of the week (although I don't think we should keep it to one day) to share something about our Faith--a prayer request, praise report, something God has laid on your heart, etc.  If you would like to participate in Faithful Fridays, just type up your post and grab the above button for your post.  Please link up to my blog in your post and then, once you have published your post, please come to my blog and let me know in your comment that you participated. 
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Have you ever come across a verse in the Bible that just sort of jumped out at you?  Maybe something that makes you say, "Wow, that's a really good verse!"  I wanted to share some of my favorite verses with you today. 

So God created man in his own image,
   in the image of God he created him;
   male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:26-27

Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
   children a reward from him.
  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
   are sons born in one’s youth.
  Blessed is the man
   whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
   when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Psalms 127:3-5

God sets the lonely in families,
   he leads forth the prisoners with singing;
   but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

Psalm 68:6
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That's it for today!

God bless you!
Love,
Joy

~ What ~

Happy birthday, Mama!

So what is this 12 year old, brown haired, brown eyed girl all about? 

First of all, I'm a Christian.  You might say that I'm crazy about God.  I actually became a Christian when I was five.  BUT, I just recently began acting like one.  Before, I was basically like all the other girls my age.  Don't get me wrong, I was a good person, but I wasn't a Christian person.  There's a difference.  I talked about boys, text-talked, emailed and texted ridiculous forwards, and I was sort of a typical tweenager.  And then we went to C*ina.  I cannot thank God enough for sending us to C*ina.  Not only did we get the most beautiful little boy on earth, but I was changed.  I actually got what my parents had taught me for all of my eleven or twelve years.  It sank in.  I went all out for God.  The reason for this change after C*ina?  That will take a whole other post.  That post will be titled ~Why~. 

I love my family. 

My mama is my all-out best friend (besides God).  I tell her everything.  I cannot live without her!  She holds the whole family together.  She's raising me up in the Lord and encouraging me to live for Him in everything that I do and say.  She is completely selfless, thoughtful, and compassionate.  She's understanding and so wise!  I treasure her words and most of all I treasure her. 

My daddy is super supportive and teaches me how to do a lot of things.  He's a wonderful Daddy and he's very godly.  He's super smart, too.  He keeps us laughing!  I'm so thankful for his working so hard.  Otherwise, Mama would have to work and I wouldn't get to be homeschooled and spend time with her.  Daddy knows a little bit about everything and he never gets tired of answering our sometimes endless questions.  He's always ready to give hugs! 

My older brother, Colt, is so musical.  He can play the guitar, bass, drums, and some on the piano.  He can also sing really well!  We're all proud of him.  He's a hard worker and he's an entertainer.  It's fun to have him around!  He's twenty-two so he's not home very much, though. 

My younger brother, Luke, is three.  I adore Luke.  I admire him.  When Luke was a few days old, he was abandoned.  He was sent to an orphanage, and, at a few months old, he underwent surgery on his back.  Just shortly afterward, he was placed in a foster family.  He lived with this foster family until he was 27 months.  At that point, he was moved back to the orphanage because it was just a month after that we came to get him and take him home and love him forever.  But, before we could go home, we stayed in three hotels, rode three airplanes, and rode a train.  Then we came home.  But how did Luke know we were home?  How could a two year old go through so much grief without hating someone?  Luke doensn't hate anyone.  He is an extremely lovable, polite, and pleasant little boy--he keep us laughing!  He's super smart, too.  Again, Luke doesn't hate anyone (I'm not saying he loves everyone he meets, but he doesn't hate anyone).  He is very secure and speaks English very well to have been here in America only one year.  What I ultimately have to say about Luke is that he is beautiful--inside and out. 

I love C*ina.  I want to go back so much!  I like the culture and the history and I love the children.  The people there are wonderful.  I think that God gave me the desire to work in C*ina.  I would like to work in an orphanage there.  I have a dream of taking kids in off the street, feeding them, bathing them, and letting them sleep in my bed and live with me for as long as they like.  I would, of course, stay in constant contact with my parents through email and S*ype.  I also have a dream of walking through an orphanage and picking up kids from cribs one by one and just loving on them!  I know that may be a little unrealistic, but I would love to do that!

I love reading and writing.  I like words and the sound of words--words like accomplish, polish, cinnamon, vanilla, spicy, and lavendar.  I love sharing a book with my mama. 

Some more things about me: I'm taking Chinese classes every week.  My favorite color is blue.  My favorite songs (at the moment) are two that I've heard on K L*ve (my favorite radio station--Mama and I turn this on every time we get in the car)--This Is the Stuff by F*ancesca Ba*tistelli and I Love the Way You Hold Me by Jamie Grace.  My favorite sport is probably soccer or baseball. 

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:27 NIV

And that is, in a nutshell, what goes on in this 12 year old's head. 

P.S.  Today is my beautiful mama's birthday!

Mama, you are my best friend!  I love you so much!  Happy birthday!  Thank you for always leading me in the Lord and giving me your awesome advice and wisdom!