the Cure, the Key, the Answer

Proverbs 3:7-8
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

Fear the Lord. You read a verse in Sunday School that says to "fear the Lord" and then your teacher asks you what that means. "Well you aren't supposed to be afraid of God; it means to honor and respect Him." While I do believe that fearing God does mean to honor and respect Him, I also believe that we should also have a healthy fear of Him if we are living in sin. When we sin, we are sinning against the Creator of the Universe, God Almighty, and that should induce some fear. I think that helps us not to sin. Because sin isn't as tempting when you know the consequences.

Do not be wise in your own eyes. That's a hard one. As Christians, it's easy to think of ourselves as "higher" or more "righteous" than others. Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, "Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous." We are all sinners; all in need of a Savior. I am just as bad any as any other person.

Shun evil; any and every hint of it. We are to keep ourselves pure and as sinless as possible. As children of God, we should not allow any kind of evil in our life. In forms of books, music, movies, friends, blogs; we are to purge that get rid of all of it to bring ourselves closer to the Lord.

The benefit? Health and nourishment to our body. God is serious and practical. When you are humble, fear the Lord, and shun evil, you stay away from harmful things. God says not to defile our bodies; our temples. When you do that, you won't get into drugs, alcohol, sex before marriage... and you will be healthy. I love that God is like that! He is so smart and He knows what He is talking about. God doesn't tell us to do things that don't make sense. He instructs us through His Word that is practical and for our good. The answer, the key to a long, fulfilled life is obeying Christ and His Word. What an amazing God we serve, who loves us enough to show us Truth.

In His Love,
Jessica

This is an awareness test.

Hey girls! There are a bunch of changes happening at iheart right now! We are SO excited about it. Be looking for a new template and some awesome new posts! :)
I hope ya'll watch this video, it really shows how we sometimes can't be aware of things:

Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

Would you allow a stranger to take a glimpse inside your heart? What would they find? Jealousy, anger, deceit, hypocrisy? Maybe that is not all they would find. Perhaps love, patience, compassion, and mercy would be mixed in, but the sin would be overpowering. We can fool people. It is easy to make people believe we have it all together, even to make them believe that we are nearly perfect. Only the Lord knows the nasty attitudes inside your heart. He is the only one that can change them. You may be able to fake the actions, to look like you are what you say, but only Christ can make it genuine, take away the sin. Let Him in your heart and allow Him to do some cleaning.

Revelation 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

John 14:3

My aunt passed away last week. She was only 47 years old. She didn't die from natural causes. She died because of addiction- addiction to alcohol. What breaks my heart is that she didn't overcome and let her drinking problem beat her. It took over her life. What started out as as little bit became more and more and finally way too much. I loved her. I cannot believe she is gone. I can clearly picture her in front of me right now. To me, what I find most sad is that she could have accomplished so much more in this life had she not had an addiction. She was a beautiful lady with a heart that longed to do good. However, God could have used her in more powerful ways if only she had said no to the devil. Through this dark hour my heart is very heavy for my uncle and cousins. They lost their wife/mom and even though she hurt them because of her disease, they loved her. Satan did not win this battle because I believe my aunt is in heaven rejoicing with Jesus. Through all this I have learned that addiction is strong, but you can't let it beat you. God's plans are so much higher than that. My aunt will be missed and was loved by my family.

John 14:2-4 (New International Version,
2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

Favorites: Christmas Music

It's Christmas time! (: This is definitely one of my favorite times of the year. The cozy warm fires, freezing cold weather, hot delicious coffee, school break (yes!), and time celebrating with my friends and family about the birth of our Savior. It's such a beautiful time and I enjoy making special memories with my family. What I really love is turning on the radio and listening to some Christmas music! Who doesn't? Here are some of my favorites Christmas tunes right now. (;

How Many Kings? -Downhere

Do You Hear What I Hear? - Third Day

While You Were Sleeping - Casting Crowns

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Casting Crowns

O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Casting Crowns (I really like them, ok?? :)

Carol of the Bells / Sing We Now of Christmas- Barlow Girl

Drummer Boy - Jars of Clay

Joseph's Lullaby - Mercy Me

I Believe - Amy Grant

When Love Came Down - Point of Grace

One King - Point of Grace

Enjoy! (:

The little, annoying, obnoxious things. (Sound like your sister?)

Dear Lord, my mission today is to serve you in everything I do. Please test my faith and put me in situations that will require me to act out my faith and obedience to you. As soon as she stepped out of her room, she was presented with a list of chores from her mother and bombarded with annoyances from her siblings. She meant the prayer she had prayed just minutes before. Couldn't they see she was on a mission? Today was obviously not the day for petty problems; she did not have the patience for them; she was going to do something great for God today.

Before you serve God in big things you must be diligent in the small. I have prayed this prayer many times. The thing is, when we ask God to test us, grow us, stretch us, He will often do it with the little things, such as a boring school project you have to complete, or your pestering little brother. We have to make it through the small before we can take on the big things!

Soon

Soon and very soon
My King is coming
Robed in righteousness
And crowned in love
When I see Him
I shall be made like Him
Soon and very soon

Soon and very soon
See the procession
The angels and the elders
Round the throne
At His feet I lay
My crowns my worship
Soon and very soon

Soon, Hillsong

Sometimes I forget how soon I will see my Savior. Very soon, I will be in Heaven with my King; sooner than I really think. Taking that into perspective... I have less than 100 years left on this earth. Am I ready? What will I have to place before my King? Each of us who have accepted Christ as our Savior will go to Heaven, but only some of us will have crowns to lie at His feet. Your salvation isn't in peril by your works here on this earth, but your works do affect what you lay before God's throne. I know I don't want to stand in front of the Lord of the universe empty-handed.
What will I bring Him? Is there anything in my life that I have done that brings Him glory? Looking back at my life right now, I don't have much to give Him. Yeah, I've read my Bible, prayed... all the usual stuff. But have I seriously made a difference in this world? Have I really devoted my all to Christ? Has anything I've done brought Him infinite honor? Have I taken credit and praise when I should have given it all to God? Have I neglected opportunities to share God's love? Considering all that makes me want to drop any useless, worldly obligations or desires I've ever had and give all my attention to the Lord. I want to bow before my Father's throne and say, "I surrendered all to you, Lord. I didn't waste my life; I made a difference for You; because You are worthy."

Revelation 4:10-11

They lay there crowns before the throne and say:

"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for You created all things,
and by Your will they were created
and have their being."


In His Love,
Jessica

Lord of All, Being Throned Afar

by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Lord of all being, throned afar,
Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Center and soul of every sphere,
Yet to each loving heart, how near!

Sun of our life, thy quickening ray
Sheds on our path the glow of day,
Star of our hope, thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night.

Our midnight is thy smile withdrawn,
Our noontide is thy gracious dawn,
Our rainbow arch thy mercy's sign;
All, save the clouds of sin, are thine.

Lord of all life, below, above,
Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,
Before thy ever-blazing throne
We ask no luster of our won.

Grant us truth to make us free,
And kindling hearts that burn for thee,
Till all thy living altars claim
One holy light, one heavenly flame.

My Comforter

Jeremiah 8:18 (New International Version)

18 You who are my Comforter in sorrow,
my heart is faint within me.

Girls, my heart is heavy right now...my aunt passed away this morning.
I'm sorry this is short, but I honestly don't have the words to say anything else.
Please pray for my family.
Love y'all!
♥♫•Madison

Not what they thought.

They were looking for a King, coming with wealth and riches; but instead, a meek and poor child was born to them. They expected a man with strength and power, yet they were given a helpless baby. God's chosen people had expectations for this King that was to come save them. They were so caught up in their own desires and premonitions that they didn't even know their own Savior when He came to them. Sometimes I wonder if it is not the very same way with us.
So often we ask God for something, and we expect that very thing to happen. Yet our dreams and our ways are nothing compared to God's. His plans always far exceed anything we could conjure up. From a materialistic and human point of view, a humble, lowly baby was not anything close to a Savior for the Jews.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NLT) says: "Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God."

Jesus was everything our world doesn't put value in. But He was everything we should put value in. Our Savior came to this earth as a mere human. He came and worked as a carpenter; a mediocre job. He gave up His royal throne in Heaven. Christ gave up never-ending praise from His angels, to live a humble life as our Savior. He died a despised and lowly death, given to the worst of men, so that we might have everlasting life with Him! The Lord died to pay the sins of this world, for you, for me, and for everyone on this earth. If we only accept Him and His gift of eternal life, we can spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

Although many people did not recognize or accept the fact that Jesus had come to them as a baby, there were also those who did. Just think of the people who did recognize Jesus; who did pay Him the honor and tribute He deserved. How blessed they must be because of that! Wise men, held in high esteem, came and bowed down to a child, because God Almighty said so. They brought Him gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh. Shepherds, told by angels that the Son of God was born, gave Jesus glory and praise! What a wonderful experience it must have been to actually see Jesus.

What we expect is not always God's plan. But sometimes, the unexpected is far more amazing and perfect than anything else.

Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.


Your Sister in Christ,
Jessica

Good is always legal.

Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
--Matthew 12:9-12

Go

John 3:19-21
¹⁹This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.


Our world loves evil. Most intents and motives are to influence us for bad. If you flip through channels on the TV, almost every commercial has some sexual, perverted message that it is trying to get across. I think that sometimes we forget that we are in a real battle for our life. Satan and his demons try so hard to get a hold of us; to tempt and influence us to do the wrong thing. But we have to stand strong. The reason that it is so important for us to daily be in God's Word is because it makes it so much easier for Satan to manipulate us for his purposes if we aren't. I don't know about you, but I don't want to go into my daily battle without any sort of defense. If I'm going to be in a battle, I want to be prepared. I want to have my sword and my shield. If we are fully armed with the Word of God, and shining His light, the devil will not be able to stand against us. I want to go out into this world radiating the truth of Christ in the darkness! I know I can do it, and I know you can too. If God is for us, who can be against us?

In His Love,
Jessica

Jesus Christ: best friend

My best friend's name is Jesus Christ.

He is the only one who will always be there for me.

He is planning my life so specifically.

He knows my every thought and hears my every prayer.

He is the only one who can make me complete.

He picks me up when I'm broken.

He's my refuge when there is danger.

He never leaves me- not for one moment.

He touches my heart in ways only he could do.

He loves me even though I'm unlovable.

He cares about my emotions, no matter how crazy they are.

He takes care of me and will never let me down.

He crys when I cry.

He rejoices with me when I'm happy.

He will always be there with open arms.

He never lets up and never backs down.

He will never leave me alone.

He gives me the choice to choose him.

He gives me freedom.

He givers me confidence throughout his word.

He lifts me up with his amazing care when I am at my end.

He gives me wisdom.

He saved me from the pit.

He never goes on vacation.

He has blessed me beyond measure.

He loves me even though I'm a sinner.

He have up his life for me.

He and I get to spend the rest of forever together.

Now THAT is what I call a best friend!

Your sister in Christ,

♥♫•Madison

A post from my mom...:)

Hey Girls!

The other day I stumbled across a letter my mom had written me a couple years ago. It made me cry and it was so sweet! :)
I was really touched by it and thought I'd share it with y'all.
Consider this a post from my mom! :)

Madi,
This morning I pondered the scripture found in 1 The. 5:16-18,
"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Hmmm....be joyful, pray always, give thanks in all circumstances. Paul wrote these words inspired by the Holy Spirit. We know that Paul knew bad circumstances. He was beaten many times, once they thought he was dead, jailed, shipwrecked. He knew cold, hunger, hate. Yet- he knew to have victory he had to choose to be joyful, praying continually, and give thanks. How is this relevant in your life? Well, again and again you will have opportunity to apply this principle. We know in Romans 8:28-29 God says, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose." What good might become of your trials? We don't know for sure. Perhaps he is working humility in you. Perhaps he is teaching you to not worry about pleasing man. Maybe he is teaching you contentedness. God also uses things in our life so that we can empathize (identify) and comfort others. He also has reasons that we might never know or at least not until we are in heaven. But his word is clear. Be joyful, pray continually, give thanks. Be exhorted and encouraged!
You are a daughter of the most high God! The only true God!
I love you,
Mom

I'm Thankful

a warm home
cloudy days
sunshine
rainbows
flowers
forgiveness
restoration
best friends
brothers and sisters in Christ
cinnamon
pumpkin pie
laughter
pillows
rest
unconditional love
photography
comments
a loving family
coffee
cars
sweatpants
cozy fires
chocolate
a good book
cookies
writing
warm vanilla sugar candles
puppies
dr. pepper
salsa
balloons
fuzzy socks
and my Savior, who died on the cross to pay for my sins. Who gave up Himself so that I could spend eternity with Him. More than any other thing on this earth, I am thankful for the gift of salvation and peace that comes through Christ Jesus our Lord.

What are you thankful for?

Psalm 100

¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
² Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Happy Thanksgiving, girls! Have a wonderful day enjoying time with your family, good food, and thankfulness to our magnificent Creator God.

In His Love,
Jessica

Give Thanks

Ezra 3:11
With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD:
“He is good;
his love toward Israel endures forever.”
And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

Maybe this Thanksgiving you could be thankful for more than just the great food and material things. Be thankful for God, His love, and His blessings.

Recipe: Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Looking for something delicious to make this Thanksgiving? This recipe is easy and oh so good! Enjoy! (:









Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Whipped cream, (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Our Story-

Everyone has a story.
And each story shows his glory.
Not one life is the same.
Because we all have different names.
We all have a specific purpose.
That goes deeper than the surface.
Sometimes it's hard to find.
But we know we are one of a kind.
God choose us to fulfill his plan.
And we know in the end we can.
In his hand he holds the pen.k
And we know with him we will always win.
He lovingly wrote our story.
And he alone deserves the glory.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Exodus 9:16
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

Not Me

I might not seem like a very independent person. I have never really had a desire to live by myself. I like people. I love being around my family and friends. However, I can be kind of proud. I want to be able to do things and say, "Hey! Look what I did!" Sadly, that has sometimes transferred to my Salvation. I think, "I accepted Christ" "I repented of my sin" "I am following God" "Look what I have done". It's sad, really, because that, that is wrong. The one thing I can take credit for is sin. I am a sinner. The truth of the matter is, that is all I have done. Christ accepted me! Christ is living through me! Christ saved me! I am so in awe of the Lord. He chose me when I still thought I did not need Him. He is so worthy, I just want to shout it to the world. The Lord of all Creation has chosen me. He has chosen you! Isn't that amazing news? Praise Him today for all He has done.

Romans 5:6-8
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Titus 3:4-6
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 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 of by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Pure thoughts

You can't think two things at once.

It isn't possible to think about two things at the same time. You can't be thinking about trying drugs and how big God is at the same time. This is a good thing for Christians because when we are tempted with bad thoughts we can quickly replace that thought with the word of God! It doesn't matter what you are struggling with- it could be thinking about addiction, judgemental thoughts, a crush, or jealousy. Whatever it is you can toss that thought out the window and replace it with God's truth.

We should be having the mind of Christ, filled with pure thoughts and emotions. We can control our thoughts- no matter what Satan tells us.

Romans 15:5
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,

1 Corinthians 2:16
for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Putting on the mind of Christ, we are ready to face each challenge with confidence and truth.

Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

Never Let Go

Joshua 23:14
You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.

God's Word is full of abundant promises to us as believers. His promises bring hope, refreshment, and joy to our lives.
As I was reading through the book of Joshua, I couldn't help but be touched by this verse. It says that none of the many promises the Lord gave the Israelite people failed. Not one. Every one was fulfilled. How awesome is that? Sometimes it is hard for me to fully comprehend God. As it should, considering I am a mere finite human, and God is an all-powerful infinite being. I know He is faithful, but actually reading a real historical account of God's mercy and faithfulness to His people just makes it all the more real to me. I find it simply amazing that we serve a God who is beyond all things and has never broken a promise.
I know that I, in my few years of life on this earth, have broken numerous promises to people. Sometimes even the smallest things... like promising to fold the laundry and then not doing it. Jesus never did that. When he told His mother He would clean their home, He cleaned it. When He promised to be back home before 10pm, He was back home. Look at what an impact that has on us as His children. We know that our God is trustworthy and faithful. We know that the Lord will never fail us. None of His promises will ever let go of us. That is something we never have to fear or worry about, because we know that God will always fulfill His promises!
Just as that verse shows that Christ always keeps is promises, it also reveals to us something that we, as His children, have to work on. We are to pattern our lives after Christ, which means keeping our promises, so that we become trustworthy and faithful. When someone sees a characteristic of Christ in you, they are drawn to you and open to what you have to say. That provides such a great opportunity to share your faith with them! The Lord never lets go, and neither should we.

In His Love,
Jessica

P.S. We would love to hear from you!! Please check out Becky's post here, and leave us a comment or shoot us an email telling us what you would liked to see improved here on iheart!

Talk to us.

Changes have been in the working here at iheart for some time now (and still are). We are making improvements as we see fit, but we want to here from you. Leave a comment or send us an email telling us one thing that would improve our ministry to you. What would draw you back to the site? What should we post more about? Let us know! iheartministry@yahoo.com

Some encouragement for today:
Job 37:5-God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.
God is working in your life even today!

Quotations: True Beauty

"If a soul has any beauty, it is because Christ has endowed that soul with His own, for in ourselves we are deformed and defiled! There is no beauty in any of us but what our Lord has worked in us."

~Charles Spurgeon

Trials

Hey Girls!

As I mentioned in my last post I'm going to be talking about how through our trials and our pains, God makes us strong.

My pastor preached on this a couple Sundays back and I was so amazed because that was exactly what I was going to post about!:)

Recently a boy I knew committed suicide. His death affected a lot of people, including me. However, even though his family and friends are walking through pain right now, God is going to use it to make them stronger. Who knows? Maybe he is using this time in their lives to show how big and great he is.

All I know is that we have a amazing God and he is there for us throughout whatever trials we walk through.

These verses really do most of the talking:

Romans 5:3-5 (New International Version)
3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.


James 1:2-4 (New International Version)

Trials and Temptations
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.


1 Peter 1:6-7 (New International Version)
6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Your sister in Christ,

♥♫•Madison

Lifting holy hands: the importance of worship.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. --Psalm 95:6-7

Sometimes I seem to forget that God's salvation in by grace through faith, and nothing of my own work (Ephesians 2:8). Worshiping the Lord helps to put this into perspective. If worship isn't a part of your quiet time (or you don't have a consistent quiet time) I encourage you to start today! There are so many benefits of meeting with the Lord daily. He is just waiting to fall in love with you! Turn on some soft worship music, and meditate on it or sing quietly with it. Our King deserves all our worship for His splendor and majesty. Will you give it to Him today?

Fantasy or Reality?

Disappointed. When I allow myself to fantasize and dream about something and then it doesn't happen, I'm disappointed. I'm frustrated. I just want to go have a pity party in my room, ignore my family, and be upset.
That is exactly the reason why we can't dream. Us as girls have this wonderfully unique talent of dreaming. And I can't say it's one of our finer talents. (;
As we sit conjure up scenarios in our head about that really cute boy at youth group, all we are doing is setting ourselves up for failure. We set expectations for these people and things we fantasize about and usually they don't measure up to that dream. Most of the time, that boy is not going to come up to you and tell you that your new sweater is really cute. Even though you totally bought it so he would notice!! Am I right?
Contrary to what our so-called heart's desires may tell us, God says that we are to meditate on Him and His Word, not that conversation you had with that cute boy.

Psalm 119:15
I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.

Psalm 119:27
Cause me to understand the way of your precepts,
that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.

Psalm 119:48
I reach out for your commands, which I love,
that I may meditate on your decrees.

If we reach to the Lord for the fulfillment of our desires, we will not be disappointed by Him! God's ways and thoughts are far superior to any of ours. As easy as it is for us to allow our imagination to run wild as we drift away to sleep, we cannot stay pure and devoted to Christ when we do that. Meditate on the glory of our Savior, and let God handle all those other situations in His time.

In His Love,
Jessica

Lilies Among Thorns Magazine

Here at iheart, our goal is to encourage you, but also lead you to other sources of encouragement! One of these sources is Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Here you will find advice, movie reviews, poems, fiction, posts on music, fun articles, and spiritual encouragement, all based on God's word. The fourteen girls on staff here do a fabulous job with every post. Go check it out! http://www.liliesamongthornsmagazine.blogspot.com

Refreshments anyone?

Proverbs 12:18
The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

There are so many verses in God's word that talk about your words and how you should and should not use them. This verse especially made me think about how I use my tongue. Reckless, rash words hurt people. So what happens when you speak with thoughtful, encouraging words? It makes them feel loved, wanted, and uplifted. It brightens their day and their outlook on life. So why don't we do that all the time?

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Have you ever thought that when you aren't encouraging, even if you aren't being discouraging or negative, you are disobeying God? I had never really thought about that before until just recently. But just think, when we are focused on Christ and other people, making an effort to smile and say a few uplifting words, it helps us not to think negatively about people or wallow in self-pity. However, when we live our life without seeking to encourage one another, it is so easy for us to fall into sin. It is so much easier to say something about that girl's weird dress, or ramble on about your awful week, when you are ignoring God's commandment to encourage each other! That is how Satan gets a foothold into our lives. He sneaks in through those little cracks in our life, where we aren't quite fully obeying God, and wreaks havoc in so many ways. Don't allow that to happen! Be an encourager; allow the Lord to use you! Philemon 1:7 says that when we love and encourage one another, we are like a breath of fresh air. We refresh the hearts of fellow believers when we obey God and diligently seek to encourage each other. And with all this fresh air blowing around, we can influence so many people for the Lord!
Have a wonderful day!

In His Love,
Jessica

He is there through the pain!

"I know Your ways
Know Your plans are higher
I know You’re good
Your love remains
Troubles come
Oh my soul bless my Father
I know Your thoughts towards me
Are peace"
Found Me- Youth America


Hey girls!
In a couple posts back I talked about how in control God is. Well, this post is going to be similar! :) :)

As I mentioned, I've had trouble letting go of a person. Well guess what? God has been greatly using this experience to better me and others. Yes, it's hurt me, but I've been able to help at least 5 other girls feeling the same as me. I've come to realize how big and MIGHTY my God is. For the past four months my heart has been aching and depressed because of this person. But I've hit the turning road and I feel SO MUCH BETTER!:)
I thank and praise God because I am now stronger and am closer to him. At first I didn't handle my situation well- I was mad at God and cried every night. Then one day I realized how stupid I was being! There were millions of people actually in pain and here I was, moping because of a person! Sure, what I was feeling was real and hard, but hey guess what? I'm not called to sit around and cry about what happened, but to praise my Father and search his will! No, things did not get easier after I this realization, but I did completely turn around my attitude. Every time I in any way thought about this certain person, I prayed for him. Soon, my thoughts started coming less and less. As I learned to properly handle my situation, God used me to bless other people and draw closer to him.

So girls, no the road isn't going to be easy. People will come and go in our life and there isn't anything we can do about it but trust God. Everything is in his plan and for his ultimate purpose. On our own we can't push past the pain- that is why we need to draw close to the Lord.

Here is a part of a poem I wrote about my experience:
"My only hope is that God will draw near.
And understand my pain and my fears.
Maybe when all this is done.
I can look to the One.
And sing praises to my King.
Because he took care of everything!"

In my next post I'm going to talk about how God is making us stronger through trials (basically the part 2 of this post!)

Your Sister in Christ,
Madison

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Galatians 6:7-10

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all the people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

In Training

1 Timothy 4:7-8
...Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

I love to play the piano. I can sit for hours upon hours losing myself in the music. Sometimes when I'm looking up new music to play, I stumble upon a video of someone playing the piano that is just extremely talented at what they do. Their fingers fly over the piano faster than I can watch and I think, "Wow, I wish I could play like that." But as much as I want to be able to go sit down right now and play my piano just as well as them, I can't. Maybe someday I will be able to play that well, but it would take abundance of training and practice. Those talented pianists didn't just sit down one day and start playing like that. It took them years and years of diligent training to become the accomplished pianists they are today.
It's the same way in our spiritual life. You don't become a Christian and then automatically know your Bible cover to cover. You don't become a believer and immediately become the most profusely, literate preacher in the world. You start out like a young child that still needs milk and soft food. You aren't ready to be a teacher or a leader; yet. It doesn't mean someday you can't be all those things and more, but becoming a righteous woman of God, takes time and diligence. Just like Becky talked about yesterday, we have to be diligent in everything. When we persevere through those small things, and continue to build ourselves up and push ourselves to become more like Christ, we will make a difference and we will become a strong child of the King. Our relationship with God doesn't grow if we don't challenge ourselves to do more. We do not become great without any motivation or passion on our part. We can do amazing things for Christ, but it takes time, effort, and devotion to Him. Refuse to be the average, everyday Christian and allow God to cultivate righteousness and godliness in your life.


In His Love,
Jessica

Diligence

I have been learning recently just how much I don't know. I have no idea what God holds for my future. Some times, that makes it hard to live today. It seems like day in and day out I do small things that won't really matter in five or ten years.

1Timothy 4:15
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.


Hebrews 6:11
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.

We are called to be diligent in the everything, including the little things. When we work at something everyday, no matter how small, we will be able to see our progress! Wouldn't it be great to look back one day and say, "Wow! I didn't think anything would come from that, but look what has happened!"
Be diligent today, even when it doesn't seem worth it.

Searching.

Ecclesiates 3:11
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

Every nation, every race, every king and slave have all wondered if there is something more to this life. Some have found the true purpose- serving King Jesus and living a set apart life; others have made or thought up alternatives that seem to fit their personal lives and schedules. Even if you just briefly examine history, you will see that religion, gods, or God Almighty, have been major influences in people's lives.
The exceptionally interesting thing is that God wants people to search for the Truth. He placed the thought of eternity, and what happens to us when we die, in our hearts so that we can find out for ourselves what the point of living is. There are so many people who have tried numerous things to fill that gap and answer that question of eternity. But there is only one thing that fills that hole and desire in our life. So many people in this world who are searching for the truth, and it's our job to share the truth that we have discovered! Even if some people seem to be hard-hearted and completely against the Lord, don't give up hope in them. Everyone is searching, and everyone needs to hear the good news of Christ.

In His Love,
Jessica

Our God is GREAT!

Have you ever just thought about how in control God is?
He is so amazing!
Even though you may be going through hard times, God has got it all in his plan in purpose. This is so significant and powerful to me.
He's got the whole world in his hands and he isn't letting us go!

Why don't you just praise God today for who he is and what he is doing in your life?


Nehimiah 9:5
“Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

Psalm 95:3
For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.

Psalm 77:13
Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?

Psalm 71:19
Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?

Deuteronomy 7:21
Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.

TO YOUR ALONE BE THE GLORY, O GOD!

Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

Halloween.

It's always been a source of conflict and confusion for Christians. Should you take part in it? Or not? Most people know by now that Halloween has evil, pagan roots. Would you want to "celebrate" something evil? Dressing up in cute, fun costumes may seem harmless, but did you know that in the beginning days of Halloween people dressed up to blend in with the demons and spirits? Creepy, huh? Halloween is a great chance to witness to people. If your church hosts something or hands out tracts, take part in it! If you decide to do something else, really think about your choice. Are you reflecting Christ, or evil? Also, think about the people you will be with. Will they encourage you to make Christ-like choices?

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

I've recently been finding out how in control God is in my life. He puts me through certain things so that he can be glorfied and so I can learn to trust him. When he shuts a door I know he is opening another. Recently, my heart has been breaking because he has shut a door. At first I didn't take it well and was mad at God for taking away an important relationship. Now I realize that even though it's hard on me God has opened other doors. What do I know? He may open that certain door later on in my life. All I know is that I can trust him with my heart- I know he will take perfect care of it. I smile as I read my journal because I look at how much good has come out of my once hard times and difficult situations. I sit here amazed at his power and divine glory. Understand I can come to him when I am broken, I take heart an don't feel as heavy. This is all in God's plan, he is making me stronger. Even though I hate it he has done all this for a specific purpose. He will be here through this all with open arms. Though my heart may never let go of the sweet memories, with his help I can push past them.


Revelation 3:7-8 (New International Version)

To the Church in Philadelphia
7"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

Your sister in Christ,

♥♫•Madison

On your knees

In the midst of all the business of life, sometimes it's easy to neglect God when it comes to our prayer life. At night as you fall into bed, you say a quick "thank you Jesus for so and so and such and such" and then crash and enjoy that much needed sleep. Or you take time to pray, but while you are praying you get distracted thinking about that essay that's due tomorrow and the music you need to practice before lessons. Honestly, I struggle with that so much. Sometimes life just feels like a whirlwind and you need 10 more hours everyday to get everything done.
Something that has really helped me is spending time on my knees in prayer. Literally getting down on my knees and coming before the throne of my Savior. It makes such a difference to talk to God in that position. There is nothing to distract you from Christ, and it is very humbling to come before the Lord on your knees. Maybe today as you are rushing to get everything done, you can take just 5 minutes to talk to your Creator and give him the time that He deserves.

Psalm 5:7
But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.

Psalm 95:6
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

Psalm 138:2
I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.

Open Eyes

Open the eyes of my heart Lord, won't you open the eyes of my heart?

1 John 3:18
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.

Lord,
I come in contact with so many people who are just in need of love. Some are your children, some are not. Please open my eyes to see the hurting people in front of me and show me how to reach out to them so that you may shine.
Your daughter,
Becky

This is my prayer today. Perhaps you could make it yours as well.

For 100 years?

Genesis 6:9-14
This is the account of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. ¹⁰ Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. ¹¹ Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. ¹² God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. ¹³ So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. ¹⁴ So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.

Noah was on a mission from the Lord to build an ark. Most of you know his story backwards and forwards, but I find it particularly compelling to picture yourself right there with Noah. Think about what it was really like for Noah to build this ark. He was ridiculed, excluded, and shunned for 100 years. Can you imagine what that was like? That would be so hard to persevere and endure through day by day. But with the help of God, he was able to complete the ark and save his family.
Have you ever thought that God has an ark for you to build? He does. God has a specific "hard thing" for each of us to go through. But here's the thing to really think about, would you persevere for 100 years? How would you react to being the odd guy out for that long?
Girls, no matter what God has chosen for you to do, you have to be ready and willing to hold fast to your duty. If you are going through something hard right now, even if it seems miniscule compared to what Noah went through, take heart! You have God on your side. He strengthens us to complete our tasks and maintain a willing heart to obey Him.

2 Samuel 22:33
It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.


In His Love,
Jessica

Holy, Holy, Holy!

Revelation 4:8 (New International Version)
8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."

Make it a priority.

I had less than 5 minutes of free time this morning, and I choose to read the passage below. Although it was somewhat hurried, I was very convicted. Make time with God a priority when you are busy.

Colossians 3:1-15

		If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
		Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
		For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
		When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
		Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
		On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
		In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.
		But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
		Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
		and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
		Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
		Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
		bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
		And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
		And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

World-Changer

What is your purpose for being here on this earth? Why has God put you here? maybe just to live life and have a good time? Or is there something deeper and better? God has created this world and everything in it for his glory. He has made you and me to fulfill his call and give him all honor. We are made to save lives and be missionaries. It's not our job to sit at home all day and do whatever WE please. Our job is to get our of our comfort zone and do whatever HE pleases. Anyone can live life normally and sit around and watch TV. It takes a world-changer to live out God's plan. We are missionaries called to train up "disciples of all nations". Maybe your a little skeptical about this. Maybe your not sure that being a missionary is God's plan for your life. NO, your wrong. We are all called to be missionaries- no matter where we are at. You could be a girl in a school with a million other kids, you could be a stay-at-home mom, or you could be a reporter giving local news. It doesn't matter where you are at in life, YOU are called to be a difference maker. You are a fighter and wherever you are at is your battlefield. Yes, God does has specific purposes for us. But there is one clear purpose for us all: to be missionaries and life changers. WE want our lifesong to be one He smiles at.

LORD, I give my life
A Living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be your hands and feet

So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You
Lifesong- Casting Crowns


Matthew 28:19-20 (New International Version)
19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Your sister in Christ,

♥♫•Madison

Reap what you Sow

Galations 6:7
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Many of us have heard the verse above many times: a man reaps what he sows. Sow good things and you'll be fine, right? But we never really think about what happens when you sow bad things. You see, often times we leave out the first part of that verse: God cannot be mocked. And for a Christian, that should make a huge impact on how you live your life. Because you cannot live in continual sin, mock the Lord, and be okay. James 1:15 says, "sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." For a Christian, we have a very high standard to live up to in comparison to those who do not know Christ. Those unbelievers await a judgment at the end of time, and we are released from that judgment by the blood of Christ. However, we do have consequences for our sin right now, and sometimes it leads to literal death. If you are blatantly sinning over and over and over again, you will reap what you sow. Think about Lot's wife, when she looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah when God explicitly told her and her family not to. She was killed; turned into a pillar of salt. Saul, king of Israel, continually lived in jealous sin, and even went so far as to consult a witch. His life ended as well. God cannot be mocked.

This post isn't to scare you into thinking God is going to kill you for not cleaning your room when your mom told you to. But I want you to really think about your life. Are you living in sin? Is there something that you are repeatedly struggling with? You can overcome that! If you turn to the Lord, and come before Him with a contrite and repentant heart, He is not going to turn you away. There will always be something you can work on, because we will never reach perfection here on this earth and we will always face the temptation to sin. Ask God to make you more aware of your sin, and then make a real effort to combat it! Identify the sin, and then attack it- with scripture, prayer, accountability, abstinence; whatever you are struggling with, there is a way to defeat and conquer it.

So what do you sow? Are you sowing sin? Or are you sowing something that will lead to a bountiful harvest glorifying our King?

In His Love,
Jessica

Dreaming

I'm naturally a daydreamer. I concoct crazy scenarios in my head, and nothing every happens as I plan it, because it is just that--a crazy scenario. Daydreaming is something you need to watch for. It can make you very disillusioned with your life. When you come up with a plan that seems like the absolute best for you, it is hard to accept God's plan for you, the real best thing. However, we do need to look forward to eternity with Jesus. Focusing and dreaming about that will give us purpose and hope.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Always

Life is full of decisions and paths that every one of us have to make a some point. We all have different desires as to what we want to do with our life, and sometimes making those decisions is really difficult.

Psalm 121:7-8

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Knowing that God has promised to guard and watch over my life forever is so reassuring. I know that whatever I do and wherever I am, God will be always right there with me. His promises are so beautiful because I know that He will keep them. He is faithful to us until the very end.

Psalm 139:1-3

¹ O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

In His Love,

Jessica

Attitude of Christ

Ever just feel...moody? Maybe your happy one minute and really depressed another. Sometimes it's hard to keep a happy face when someone said something that annoyed you or your mom got mad at you. However, we have a choice to have a good attitude. We always have a choice to what our attitude will be when we will feel sad. Everyone has a bad day every once in awhile, but we have to choose top to a smile on our faces.

Philippians 2:5 (New International Version)

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:


This is the day the Lord has made and we need to be glad and rejoice in it! :)
Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:3-12

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Modesty

Modesty. What a tough issue in our society. It’s so often overlooked. Why is that? Why don’t we care anymore? Although I don’t have an answer, I do have a solution.

1 Timothy 2:9-10
I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for woman who profess to worship God.

This verse not only means dress modestly, but also dress in the fullness of the Lord. Now, don’t understand me wrong, I’m not saying you can’t wear braided hair or pearls, I’m saying we are supposed to dress in a way pleasing to God. We want people to be able to see God through our hearts. He made each of us special in our own way. It's a shame to ruin his workmanship by dressing immodestly.

God really doesn’t care what you wear, as long as it’s pleasing to him. He probably isn’t up in heaven thinking, “Oh my that shirt looks adorable on her today! I wonder where she got it!?” It’s important to look cute and be well dressed, but there is no reason to go overboard.

Why do we deliberately try to show off our bodies in an unpleasing way? There are a number of reasons, but I’ll name a few.

1. Popularity

Sometimes we’re more popular if we dress immodestly. Often girls think that if they dress a certain way they will have more friends and be liked more. Honestly, our number one priority should be to be popular with God!

2. Insecurity


We sometimes feel insecure. It’s happened to me and I bet it’s happened to you. We dress immodestly because we feel that it’s the only way to gain friends and boyfriends. If we dress inappropriately than we feel better about ourselves. However, this good feeling only lasts a short time and we will soon realize our sin.

Have you ever thought about how guys see modesty? I know from experience that they really appreciate modesty. It helps them keep their thoughts pure and have a clean heart before God. Girls, one of the reasons we need to dress modestly is for the sake of guys! I do it to honor my future husband. http://therebelution.com/modestysurvey/browse

Don’t be drawn to dressing like the world because you think you will get more attention from guys. It may be true they notice you more, but I'm positive they aren't thinking pure thoughts when they see you dressed inappropriately. They definitely aren't thinking “That girl is so nice, kind, and sweet!” No! Instead they are drawn to your body. The guys you want around won't be the guys that appreciate you dressing immodestly.

I hope this has helped you in your journey towards seeking Christ!
Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

living sacrifice- but why?

Romans 12:1 (New International Version)
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

I have read this verse so many times, but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I really and truly understood exactly what it meant. Every time I read this I would think, "okay, offer my body as a living sacrifice to God. Got it." and keep on reading the next verses. But I had yet to ask the question why.
Why do I offer my body as a sacrifice? Why should I devote myself to the Lord?

If you read in the chapters previous to chapter 12, the apostle Paul writes about God's sovereign choice to even create us. The fact that He even took the time to decide what color eyes each of us have should make us fall on our face in worship.
God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to take the penalty for our sins. And with a simple plea to Him for forgiveness and faith that He is Lord, you can become His child.
Why should we keep ourselves pure for our future husbands? Why should we abstain from sinful desires? Why should we strive to live a holy life? Because in view of God's mercy, of what He has done for us, how could we not?

Romans 12:1 (New Living Translation)
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

In His Love,
Jessica

Beautiful

And praying that you have the heart to find
Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight
For all the lies you've held inside so long
And they are nothing in the shadow of the cross

You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are made so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His
You're beautiful

--Excerpt from MercyMe's "Beautiful"

This song just recently became my favorite. The world is really just a hard place to live in. We all have days when we feel like no one loves us, like we are nothing. In God's eyes, we are always beautiful. You are a treasured possession like no other!

In Him,
Becky

Restless

Psalm 62:1
My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

It is easy for us to lose our focus; to get so caught up in our own desires and thoughts that we completely lose sight of God.
This weekend, God has really revealed to me that the He truly is my everything and I am absolutely nothing without Him. He is my reason. He is my Hope. I can't express the right words that describe how indebted I am to my Savior. Colossians 1:17 says "in Him all things hold together." He holds my very life in His powerful hands.
I am so unworthy of any consideration from God, yet He has intricately designed and thought out my future.
My soul rests in Christ alone. In nothing else can I put my trust, except my Lord. When all else fails, I know that there is always my God.
These lyrics from the song Restless by Audrey Assad have brought me a lot of comfort these past couple days.

Restless

You dwell in the songs that we are singing
Rising to the Heavens, rising to Your heart, Your heart
Our praises filling up the spaces
In between and frailty and everything You are
You are the keeper of my heart

And I'm restless, I'm restless
'Til I rest in You, 'til I rest in You
I'm restless, I'm restless
'Til I rest in You, 'til I rest in You
Oh God, I wanna rest in You

Oh, speak now for my soul is listening
Say that You have saved me, whisper in the dark
'Cause I know You're more than my salvation
Without You I am hopeless, tell me who You are
You are the keeper of my heart
You are the keeper of my heart

And I'm restless, I'm restless
'Til I rest in You, 'til I rest in You
I'm restless, I'm restless
'Til I rest in You, 'til I rest in You
I wanna rest in You

Still my heart hold me close
Let me hear a still small voice
Let it grow, let it rise
Into a shout, into a cry


Rest in the Lord today; in His grace, mercy, and love.

In His Love,
Jessica

An Abortion Survivor

Happy Birthday!

Jessica,
Happy Birthday compadre!
I pray you have a fabulous day and a great year.
I love you and your vigor for life and your love for Jesus that shows in everything you do.
And...all our pictures and inside jokes.
Keep striving for the Lord!

Love,
Becky :)

Miss someone?

Ever miss someone so much it hurts? As teenage girls, this happens to us a lot. I personally miss about five people in my life desperately. One person in particular I think about practically all the time. It's hard missing people, especially ones your close to. I don't know if y'all remember,but about a year about my best friend moved away and my heart pretty much broke. I kept asking why God? Why would you take a person who means the world to me away? Can't you see your child is hurting? Asking these questions, I found how mighty God is. Sometimes he takes away people in your life you to strengthen you or to bring a new chapter in your life. When I look back at Megan moving I now smile and realize what a greater plan God had. Sure I miss Megan, especially thinking about our amazing time together. However, God has brought a new stage in my life because of her leaving. And honestly? I've had even better times than I used to. Most the time we don't understand why people we love just can't be with us all the time. I know I don't. Throughout this battle of missing someone, I've grown to trust God in his purpose because he is the author of my life story.

Ephesians 1:11 (New International Version)

11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

Your sister in Christ,
♥♫•Madison

Sick?

Luke 5:31-32
Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

There are so many people in our world who are sick. They have no hope, no purpose, and are going to be in Hell someday because they don't know the good news about Christ. We know the answer, the cure, for their sickness. We were all sick ourselves and have been healed by Jesus. So why don't we get out there and tell them the good news- there is hope! there is purpose in this life! Jesus has offered us the gift of everlasting life with Him in Heaven. Don't keep it in; shout it out until the whole world hears that Jesus is Lord!

In His Love,
Jessica

Complaints

Philippians 2:14
Do everything without complaining or arguing.

complain: –verb (used without object)

1.to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault: He complained constantly about the noise in the corridor.

I don't know about you, but for me that hits pretty close to home. Complaining is expressing dissatisfaction or pain? And the Bible says do everything without complaining, in effect don't complain? Wow!

In everything Jesus faced, he never complained; because He knew what he was doing was God's will.

What we face is also God's will for our lives. It's tough, but know that it will work for the best! Face it without complaining!