Honoring Parents

Hey Girls!
Today I'm going to talk about honoring our parents. Sometimes as teenagers we think we know it all and parents just don't understand. However, God placed our parents in our lives because he knew we didn't have it all figured out and needed someone to help guide us. He calls us to honor our parents and love on them.

Deuteronomy 5:16
“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Definition of Honor: 1. High respect, as that shown for special merit; esteem.

When God calls us to honor our parents he doesn't mean sometimes or only when they are right. He means ALL THE TIME....as in it's not even an option. No, our parents aren't always right, they are sinners also. However, we need to honor them in all circumstances just as we strive to honor our Heavenly Father. Our parents have the best in mind for us and never wish to hurt us. Even though sometimes it doesn't seem like it, they are FOR us and not against us. Jesus laid down his life for us, I think the least we can do is follow his command of honoring our parents and treating them special.

I hope this post encourages you and continue honoring your parents! :)
Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

Quotations: Live

Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow.

~Theodore Epp

Flawless...Perfect...

Proverbs 30:5-6
“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar."

2 Corinthians 4:2
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

In order to share our faith and stand up for Christ in this world, we have to know God's Word. If we don't know exactly what the Bible says about everything, it is so easy for Satan to distort and confuse us about the truth. There are so many different religions and denominations, and it can be difficult to discern what is truth, and what is a distortion of the Word. Sometimes the kindest and most generous people don't really know the truth and don't have a true relationship with Christ. You can't just believe what I tell you, or what your pastor tells you, or what your best friend tells you. You have to know what God says. I can promise you that I will do my very best to share with you God's Word just as it is, but at the same time, I am not perfect. And the only real truth that you can accept for yourself is the Bible. I would strongly encourage you girls to memorize and meditate on certain verses that define your faith, and what God says about issues that you deal with regularly. Are you around people who think that there is no God? or people who believe you can earn your way to Heaven? Look up verses that address those issues, and memorize them. Prepare yourself to share what God really says in His Word. I know it may seem like we have talked about this a lot before, but I really do believe that as Christians it is our responsibility to fully know what we believe. God wants us to search and meditate on His Word, and if we ask Him, He will reveal His truth to us so that we can share our faith with others.
Have a wonderful day! (:

In His Love,
Jessica

We are Righteous!

Hey Girls!
Yesterday at our church service my pastor talked about righteousness. As soon as we accept Jesus into our heart, we are completely righteous with God. There isn't anything more we could do to become more righteous. Once we are Christians, we can walk through this world guiltless because Jesus took away all our sins.

It is done and taken care of!
Lots of Christians go through life trying to get righteous by doing things like going to church, serving others, and spending time with God. Sometimes we think, "I can't pray for this certain area in my life to because o gosh I didn't have a quiet time this morning!" This mindset is completely wrong. He died on the cross for us and all of our sins- past, present, and future.

Before we accepted Jesus into our life, we were completely unrighteous. However, we are now RIGHTEOUS WITH GOD! How amazing is that? It's by the work of the cross that we are declared righteous.

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Romans 9:30

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;

Your sister in Christ,

♥♫•Madison

Forgiveness

A few days ago, I was evaluating my heart and cleaning out the sin I found there (using Leslie Ludy's great resource). When I got to the part about harboring unforgiveness, my conversation with God went something like this:

"You need to forgive her. "
"Me? What? Who? Her? I was never angry with her."
"Forgive her."
"Um really, I have."
"Forgive her."
"Ok, so maybe I am a bit hurt. But she doesn't see what she did. She was rude, she embarrassed me, she ignored me, and cut me off."
"Haven't you done that to me?"

The Lord got me with the last one. I had been angry with someone else about the same things my Savior has forgiven me for. He forgave me, but I didn't want to forgive my friend. It reminds me of the story of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18.

After talking through it with God (ok, resisting Him for awhile), I finally forgave my friend. Let me tell you, it was amazing. I didn't realize how holding unforgiveness in my heart had affected basically all of my life. I am still hurt, but I don't have to dwell on that anymore. When you give it up to God, it's so freeing.
One of my favorite songs lately has been 7x70 by Chris August. Whether you come from a truly broken home or not, all of us have brokenness in our lives and our families. Forgiveness from the heart can set us free.

I've been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born
These walls have seen me happy
But most of all they've seen me torn
They have heard the screaming matches
That made a family fall apart
They've had a front row seat for the breaking of my heart

Seven times seventy times
I'll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way
Seven times seventy times
There's healing in the air tonight
I'm reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I remember running down the hallway playing hide and seek
I didn't know that I was searching for someone to notice me
I felt alone and undiscovered
And old enough to understand
Just when I'm supposed to be learning to love
You let me down again

I lost count of the ways you let me down
But no matter how many times you weren't around
I'm alright now…cause
God picked up my heart and helped me through
And shined light on the one thing left to do
And that's forgive you, I forgive you

Seven times seventy times if that’s the cost I'll pay the price

--Chris August

"Forgive as Christ forgave you"
In Him,
Becky

Broken.

Have you ever just wanted to fix something that is just un-fixable? Sometimes I get so frustrated with this world. There is so much hurt, so much pain, so many things that are broken and can't be fixed. I wonder why we are even here? What's the point? Will life always be like this? Children who don't have parents who love them, women who are abused by their husbands, abortion, exploitation, broken marriages, people who have no regard for life, people who are just hurting. It is so sad to see such awful things in this world.
I've been really frustrated this week. Frustrated with all the sin and pain in this world. But a song came to my mind that filled me with peace and hope.

There Will Be A Day by Jeremy Camp

//I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that tries to grab
The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth
That we will enter in this rest with wonders anew

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering

There will be a day with no more tears
No more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place
Will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we'll hold on to you always//

You see, I can't hold on to this world. This isn't all there is. But you know what the totally incredible thing is? There will be a day, with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears. A day when we will see Jesus Christ, in all His glory, face to face. Our life on this earth will always be full of imperfections and pain, but we have something marvelous and perfect to look forward to: Heaven. That is a promise I will forever hold onto... a promise that gives me hope and joy every single day. Until that day when I see Christ, I will fix my eyes on Him, and the glorious place that awaits me in Heaven.

Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.

In His Love,
Jessica

Happy Birthday Becky! :)

Happy 16th Birthday dear friend!
I hope this next year is a wonderful time for you as you enjoy some of the freedoms and fun of 16. :) I dearly treasure our friendship and our window jumping, people watching, video making, bulk food buying, four wheeling adventures! ;) I pray that you will grow closer to your Savior and continue to live out His plan for your life this coming year. Have an amazing day!

Love you,
Jess

School....can I get an UGH?!

I don't know about you girls but I've recently been feeling a little(ok...at lot) run down by school. I have doubts and worries and sometimes think, "gosh will I pass my SAT?" "will I even graduate??!?" School makes me so super busy that sometimes I feel likes it's all I do. I've even caught myself thinking, "what in the world is the point of school anyway??" No, school isn't easy or fun and most of us don't like it. However, we need to learn because school teaches us so many interesting things! Also, getting up early and spending time learning keeps us from being lazy and bored. To make it in the world with a good job, you need to be always on your toes and always on the lookout for new information. The most successful people I know are the ones who are most dedicated. Take for example my grandpa. He gets up at 3AM every morning and goes to work. He is so dedicated and focused it's kinda creepy. Everyday he goes to bed at 8PM. He reads his Bible and prays every single day, never missing a beat. He has only missed three days of work(just because he was sick) ever since he started his firm(it's been about 35yrs). He is my example of dedication. I know that it may seem extreme to a lot of your girls(and it is), but this is what we should be striving for.

It's not going to be easy, but we should be pushing for excellence.


Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.


Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

Facebook

Hey Girls!
I recently got a facebook and I've come to realize how addicted people get!

I mean really? The average person spends an hour on facebook A DAY. That's just crazy. Because of these crazy statistics I have set up some rules for myself on facebook:

1. I only spend 15 minutes on facebook a day except on the weekends

2. I only add people that I know personally

3. I only "update" my status unless it's actually news or an encouraging thought.

Yes, these "rules" are pretty crazy...I know that. However as I've thought about it, I realize that all those hours I'm spending on facebook? I can spend with my Lord and Savior. How much more would I get out of the time I spent with Jesus than on facebook?

Joshua 1:8 (New International Version, ©2010)
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Today I challenge you to make a list of "rules" about your time on the computer and spend that time learning more about God.

Your sister in Christ,

♥♫•Madison

Giving Everything

What would it be like if God asked you to give up some of the excess "things" that you have? The things that aren't really necessary for your daily life?

Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China, did just that for the Lord. He went above and beyond everything God asked, and His close and intimate relationship with the Lord was proof of that. Hudson knew God was calling him to China. In preparation for the hardships to come, he gave up his soft feather bed for hard, bare boards. He gave away many things that weren't essential, however I'm sure enjoyable, to his life. He began a strenuous exercise program in the cold, to prepare his body for the task at hand. Hudson translated words from the Chinese bible into English, and learned Chinese all on his own. He lived on a diet of 1 loaf of bread and 2 apples a day because money was tight, in order to pay for proper medical training to go to China.

He didn't just do the bare minimum. He gave God His best, his first fruits, his everything. Reading through his biography and the story of his life is inspiring. It's amazing to think of all he did for the Lord. This full-fledged obedience to Christ was not momentary. He was in it for life. Quite honestly, our life is not for anything else besides serving God. Hudson Taylor found the true meaning and purpose of life. That man found true blessing and joy in life, through obedience to the Lord.

Sometimes it's good for me to give myself a wake up call. It is wrong of me to get too attached to my worldly "stuff". Because that's all it is; just stuff. I always have to be okay without those things, because they are fleeting and not worth all my attention.

Matthew 5:19-20 says: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

God didn't give me breath and life of this earth to enjoy my iPod and new clothes. Those things do not last. Clothes wear out, fade, and rip. iPods break, fall into toilets... (maybe happened to me.... :P) or there is just something "newer" and "better". As nice and fun as those things may be, it's not where our true treasures are. Our treasures come from a life abandoned and surrendered to Christ. A life truly lived for His glory. I'm trying to make a concerted effort to not put so much worth and focus on such worldly things. Satan wants nothing more than to slip into our lives and make us discontent with stuff that doesn't matter. Turn your focus to Christ. Make an effort obey Him in everything. In doing that, we will all live the same kind of blessed life as Hudson Taylor; a life that radiates obedience and glory to God.

In His Love,
Jessica

Keeping Me Guessing

And I don't know how the story ends
But I'll be alright 'cause You wrote it.
I don't know where the highway bends
But I'm doing just fine.
'Cause You're in control
Even when I don't know
Where my life's gonna go
You're keeping me guessing.

Chorus from Francesca Battistelli's "Keeping Me Guessing" (From her album My Paper Heart)

I know I feel confused sometimes about where my life is going to go. God is constantly keeping me guessing. You might not know what is going to happen next, or the direction your life is going to take, but trust the Lord! He's in control, even though He may be keeping you guessing right now. Is there anything you are seeking God's plan for right now? Please email us and let us know so we can pray for you!

In Him,
Becky :)

Giveaway Winner!

Hey girls!
The winner of the oh so fabulous book Start Here, and $10 to her store of choice is....

Samarah!

Yay! :)

We will be getting in touch with you as soon as we can. :) Be thinking about where you want that $10 from...

Thank you for all you guys who entered!

---

“When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

~Psalm 118:5-6

Giveaway ends- tomorrow!

Hey girls! (:
Don't forget that our giveaway ends tomorrow, 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). Spread the word! (: The winner will be anounced on Tuesday.
Have a wonderful evening!

Finding Comfort and Shining your light

Hey Girlies! :)
I don't know about ya'll, but life has been so hectic around here lately! I'm starting up my photography business and I've been so busy with all that! I took team basketball pictures yesterday and I was SO nervous! I tend to kinda clam up when I am nervous and get very quiet. Yesterday I asked God before I took my pictures to give me courage and a sane mind. Even though I was still a little freaked out, he definitely answered my prayer. I know he is always there with me through all my crazy moments.
I was out of my comfort zone and in that moment the only comfort I had was God! I know that as crazy as my life gets and as nervous as I get, God will always be there to comfort me.

2 Corinthians 1:3 (New International Version, ©2010)

Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,

Today(because I'm taking more pictures!)I asked God to let me shine his light for all to see. I may be nervous, but I want to be a friendly, outgoing person. I want to demonstrate Christ....no matter how crazy I may get. :)

Matthew 5:16 (New International Version, ©2010)
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

I pray that you find Christ as your comfort and when you find his comfort, you're able to shine with his light for all to see.

Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

Word of Encouragement

Isaiah 14:24

The LORD Almighty has sworn,

“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,
and as I have purposed, so it will happen."

What an amazing promise we can take to heart today. Our God has total control. No matter what life may bring our way, we always have the assurance that the Lord has everything purposed and planned, and as He says it, so it will be.

Prayer

*Don't forget to enter our giveaway!*
Abraham's servant prayed and God led him to a wife for Abraham's son. (Genesis 24: 12-14, 18-19)
Samson prayed and regained his strength. (Judges 16:28-30)
Hannah prayed and received a son. (1 Samuel 1:9-20)
Nehemiah prayed and received help from God. (Nehemiah 1; 6:15-16)
Jonah prayed and was saved from the fish. (Jonah 2)
Paul and Silas prayed and were released from prison. (Acts 16:25, 36)

Countless men and women in the Bible prayed and God answered their prayers in mighty ways. Does it seem like God doesn't answer your prayers, even in small ways? I believe that prayer is a spiritual discipline that is greatly overlooked by the Christian church today. Often we are told to pray, but not how to pray or what to pray for.
We must pray with faith (Matthew 17:20).
We must pray for God's will to be done instead of our desires to be met (Matthew 26:39). Since Jesus is fully man, His human nature resisted suffering on the Cross, but since He is also fully God, He knew it was necessary. God's will, although it may be difficult, is always best.
We must pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17). If you ask God for a thing in prayer, you cannot expect it to happen right away. We must pray until something happens. When you continue to pray for something, God teaches you to be patient, He may show you what you are praying for isn't necessary, and He often changes your heart so that your requests align with His perfect will.
If you have trouble praying or your mind wanders easily, consider writing prayers in a prayer journal or using the simple acronym ACTS.
A doration (Praise God for how amazing He is)
C onfessing (Confess your sins to God)
T hanksgiving (Thank God for His work in your life)
S upplication (Present your requests to God, you might notice that they change a bit after worshiping and thanking Him!)

How has God answered your prayers lately?

This Year Will Be Different

None of us know what the future holds, but we can know the One who holds the future.
This year, ask the Lord what He wants YOU to do. We can all sit and think about some kind of new year's resolution, but a lot of the time, we don't follow through with them. Nothing in our life really changes for the better. Maybe the reason those things aren't happening is because it's not what God wants us to be focused on. Maybe instead of thinking of something that WE want to do this year, we could think of something that GOD wants us to do. We don't know what this future holds, and ultimately, the only way to have the best year ever is to follow the One who knows what our future holds; who has completely control over it all. If we all choose to passionately run after Christ, 2011 will be a year of great revival and salvation in this world.


Micah 6:8
"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."


In His Love,
Jessica

P.S. (don't forget to enter our giveaway!)

Building Up

Hey Girls! How do ya'll like the new template? Isn't it just amazing? Becky did a fabulous job and I'm so proud! :) Make sure and enter the awesome giveaway, it's definitely worth it!

Today I'm going to talk about building up with our words. Recently I've been noticing that I haven't been building people up when I talk to them. Usually, I'm just joking around and being sarcastic. However, comments such as: "Why are you standing by me again?!?", "Why are you following us around?", "You just live and it bothers me!", or "Could you please just go away?" aren't exactly words that I can hear Jesus saying. I never really mean anything when I say things like these comments, but the person I'm talking to doesn't know that! They are thinking inside their head, "Ugh why did I have to mess up again? Now she doesn't like me!!" As girls, we often joke around with our friends and its all fun and no one's feelings get hurt. However with guys (and some girls!!), it's different. They take everything we say literally and it hurts their feelings. As godly young women of God we are called to build up a STRONG generation of godly young men. We are NOT called to be putting them down and make fun of them!

Ephesians 4:29 (New International Version, ©2010)

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

From now on, I'm going to be conscious of what I say and try and make sure it's God-honoring. This doesn't mean I won't joke! It's ok to laugh and have fun....just not to put other people down. I'm going to be throwing in compliments to my guy friends, "Thanks so much for opening the door for me!", "Hey that was sweet of you to stick up for your sister!", or "Wow your smart!".

It's not going to be easy, but I feel God has called me to do it. Will you join me? Let's do this together and bring up a godly generation of young men.

Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

Happy 2011!!!

Happy New Year!! How do you like new template?
In honor of the new year, and the new changes here at iheart, we are having a giveaway!
I'm sure most of you have heard of the Harris boys, Alex and Brett, and probably even read their book, Do Hard Things.
We are giving away the sequel to Do Hard Things, Start Here. If you haven't read it already, it is an inspiring book that leaves you motivated to get out and do something great for Christ.
In addition to this awesome book, we are also giving away $10 to a store of your choice!
To enter, leave a comment below telling us something random about yourself! :) Don't forget to leave your email so we have a way to contact you when your name is chosen.

Additional entries:

• Post about this giveaway along with a link back to iheart!
  Comment below with a link to your post.

Winner will be chosen on January 10th using random.org.

Good luck!! :)