A Freeing but Growing Experience

 

I am reading a book called Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy. I had just finished reading the book Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris and then I asked my sister if I could read the book I got her for Christmas, Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy. She didn't care that I did, so that is the book I picked up. It is so interesting to me how God seems to put these books in the order he wants me to read them and they somehow flow together...It has happened before. Reading the Do Hard Things book got me ready to do the hard things I needed to do while reading Authentic Beauty. :)

So far I have found Authentic Beauty to be a very good book. It is one that really makes you look at your spiritual life; where you are at in your walk with Christ as well as seeing how you can improve it. Personally for me, I saw some areas that I had sinned in way back when and never really taken care of those things. I believe that is probably part of the reason that I felt like I haven't been growing spiritually like I could have been. I have asked God to bring to mind any other areas that I haven't taken care of and as he does that I pray forgiveness for them and repent of them. It is a really freeing experience. I know there are some things that I still need to take care of but I am ok with it. God is walking with me thru this process and it is definitely worth the time and effort it takes.

It has been a growing experience for me so far and I am hoping that the more I read the book, that God will continue showing me things that I need to do. You might end up hearing more about this book as I read it. If you ever have a chance to read this book...do. It doesn't matter if you are older or younger I think it could help women of all ages :)

Here are some more links from The Christian Pundit about modesty:

http://thechristianpundit.org/2012/10/03/what-modesty-looks-like-12/

http://thechristianpundit.org/2012/10/04/how-christian-modesty-acts/

Doing Hard Things, Sexual Godliness, and It Matters Whom You Marry

I found this site, The Christian Pundit, today. This is the first post, It Matters Whom You Marry, I read on the site and after I read it I wanted to see what else they had. I have been reading some of the material on there and wow...very inspiring! If you have a chance go check it out. It is very worth the time it takes to read some of their stuff. I was checking out their posts under the Marriage section and they have a lot of good posts. The ones I read were about sexual godliness in two parts. Here are parts one and two. I am so glad I found this site.

Another site that is worth checking out is The Rebelution and the guy's book Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. I just finished this book and it was a great book to read and I recommend any teen (and adult) to read it. My cousin told me about it and had lent it to me. It made me see that we teens (as well as me) sometimes think oh we can't do this or we can't do that because we are to young or to small, or any other excuse we can think up. The hard things are different for each person but that is the neat thing because we are all different but yet we can work together and often our differences compliment each other. Not always but often they do :) I really appreciated the message these guys brought out in their book and would definitely recommend it.

All Things Work Together for Good

 

There are times when you feel like the trial in front of you is bigger than what you can handle. You know what I am talking about, we've all been there. When you are in the center of that trial it seems like you are never going to see the end of it. That is when you have the choice of either continuing to struggle on your own or ask God for help (if you didn't before)! I know we often wait till we are in the center of a trial till we ask for help.

 

Over past year I was felt like God was throwing lots of random trials at me and I felt overwhelmed. But you know, the reason I felt overwhelmed is because I wasn't allowing God to be in charge and when I handed my problems to him, my life was so much easier. Oh, my trial didn't vanish instantly away but once I handed it to God I wasn't worrying about how I was going to handle it. I also was filled with peace even though I was in the center of the "storm". To me that is the most awesome feeling..having peace in the center of turmoil. Looking back I see why God placed those trials in my life and I am thankful he did. He was cultivating me in his "greenhouse" getting ready to plant me in the next season in my life.

 

The trials also helped me see areas that I personally needed to work on in my life as well as seeing areas I need to work on in dealing with my family and people outside of my family. I know there are trials ahead but the one thing that gives me peace is the fact that God is in control and he knows the reason he is bringing each thing into my life ultimately for HIS divine purpose!

Identity Crisis

 

Here is a link that is worth checking out http://youtu.be/BTx5tjNQEvw. I haven't really done any deep checking into everything that he says but I do agree with a lot of it that is for sure! Very interesting and causes you to think!!

Fools for Christ's Sake

 

Are you willing to be considered a fool, in the eyes of the world, for Christ's sake? Am I? By being fools for the sake of Christ, we are truly being wise.

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." -Jim Elliot

 

⁹ For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

 ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

 ¹¹ Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place;

 ¹² And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

 ¹³Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

1 Corinthians 4:9-13 KJV

 

In verse 9, Paul talks of the apostles being made spectacles. The spectacle idea here, was not a positive one. Paul applies this idea of being a spectacle, particularly to the apostles, but also to anyone who is a message bearer of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The majority of our spectators are not there to cheer us on; instead, they are throwing out taunts, stumbling blocks and trying to get us to falter.

 

Verses 10-13, are a series of contrasts between the apostles and the proud Corinthians (some of whom were believers) who ridiculed them. The beginning of verse 10 says "we are fools for Christ's sake". The apostles were fools for Christ; this doesn't mean they were really fools, only that they were treated as such because of the way they were living out their lives.

 

In verses 12 and 13, Paul speaks of how they (the apostles) were treated. Instead of returning evil for evil, they returned evil with good. They, like their Master, Jesus Christ, were rejected, defamed, and persecuted. This is something that is hard for us, as humans, to do because our flesh doesn't like NOT being well-liked or popular. But for the sake of Christ, are we willing to be called names and not be well liked? The only way we can be triumphant over our flesh, is to lean on Christ and trust Him. Only thru Him are we able to endure anything that comes our way.

 

May we always want to be fools for Christ, and reap the benefits by one day being able to go home and live with Him in Heaven!

What is Love?

 

Love, what is it? I believe sometimes we can have a very warped view of love. The world has a way of twisting what God is and making it into something that is very superficial. When you think of the word love, what do you think? Do you think of a warm fuzzy feeling or do you think of it as something that is selfless and that is more action than words? First off, what does the bible say of love? In 1 Corinthians 13:3-7 it says and I quote:

 

³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

 ⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

 ⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

 ⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

 ⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 

Whenever I thought of love I thought of how I love my parents, family, friends and God and didn't think of love really more than that. But after reading a book last year, thinking on it the past few weeks, talking it over with a friend, and our sunday school lesson last Sunday it really got me to thinking. Love is such a vital part of our Christian walk. The reason being is that love is God's very nature. We, on our own, cannot produce Godly love BUT we can have God's love only if we allow Christ to live in us and thru us. Oh, sure it won't be easy at first and sometimes it will just plain be hard but it is definitely worth it. Love without God is empty. It will last only for a season but when rough spots come along it will not really stick around.  

 

Love is the opposite of pride. Pride is everything love is not. Love is kind, suffers long (patient), doesn't envy, doesn't flaunt itself or proud, doesn't behave in a unseemly manner, isn't selfish, doesn't get easily provoked, nor thinks no evil. It rejoices in truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endureth all things. Now pride just thinks of itself and no one else. To me it seems like love is tougher than we make it out to be. Love is more than a feeling...God wants us to experience a love that is above and beyond human emotions.

 

I asked the question earlier, if love is more actions than words? If someone says, "I love you" to you but just goes on tearing you down and saying cruel things to you will you think that person loves you? Probably not. Love is not just saying you love someone but SHOWING you love that person. I know for me I struggle with showing people that I love them. Here again, some people are easier to show love to. For most people it is harder to show your family and those really close to you that you love them. Christ showed us the ultimate example of love by coming to earth and dying on the cross for MY sins. THAT is the ultimate example of love.

 

So what got me thinking on love? Well about a year ago I read a book called, Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It got me thinking about what love is and I came to realize that love is way tougher, a lot deeper and just plain more involved than I ever realized before. I haven't read this book since then and I don't really remember a lot of specifics (although I do want to reread it) but the past few weeks have gotten me thinking about love again. A few situations have come up in my life that made me think about how I love, why I love and why sometimes it is easier to love some people than others. One of them being that I met someone that was way different than anyone I had ever met before. I realized I had a choice, I could just love them for who they are and ignore their differences or I could make a big deal out of how they are different than me and then close any chance of ever really being friends and showing them Christ. Another was a person with who I work. I often felt like that particular person didn't like me. Then I thought of love. I said to myself, I am not doing anything or going out of my way at all to make an effort to love this person or give this person a chance. So I decided to make an effort to talk to them and just be friendly. And wouldn't you know, I have been able to have a few good conversations with that person. Just opening yourself to opportunities, even if it means you will get hurt, is a good way to show love.

 

So, when I think of love, I think of something that you do. I think of what Christ did for me and how I can show that love to others.