Modesty is something I often wonder about. Every part of me believes that how you respect your body shows a reflection of who you are on the inside. As a girl I struggle to know the lines sometimes of where something becomes immodest. It's certainly not an excuse by any means though.
Credit goes to my friend, Jennie, for introducing me to this site. Check it out!
http://www.therebelution.com/modestysurvey/
-This site was a survey given to Christian guys ages 12 & up on the topic of modesty. They surveyed on approximately 148 questions that give a slight idea into the minds of guys, and the daily temptations they face concerning modesty for women. Girls, I highly encourage you to check it out. It's pretty eye opening.
What does God have to say about this?
"Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity." 1 Timothy 5:1-2
-Honestly there is something about this verse that makes me want to read it over, and over, and over, and you get the idea. The thought of treating older men and women as my father and mother, and younger men and women as my brothers and sisters is such a brilliant way to put it into perspective, and such an incredible call from God. Not only does He call on us to treat them as mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, but with absolute purity- meaning not looking on others with lustful eyes, or causing others to look at you with lustful eyes.
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
-Our bodies belong to God, and in order to redeem them He payed a price that was irreplaceable- the blood of His own son, so we could possibly be set free from bondage! The Holy Spirit resides in the center of a believers heart! He lives within us! When we dishonor our bodies, we aren't the only one it affects, it affects our pure, and holy Creator also. Should we not respect our bodies, and make it a place of luxury for him to reside?
Sisters in Christ, I encourage you to pray for your brothers in Christ that they may be able to keep their hearts pure. Dress modestly. Support them. Have their backs!
Brothers in Christ, I encourage you to pray for your sisters in Christ that we would respect our bodies the way Christ has intended us to do. Fight the temptation. We love you. We look up to you!
More thoughts to come as I'm jumping into the book of Job this month! I can hear God emphasize what I need to hear. It's a sweet melody to my ears. :)
Friday, March 4, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Aquire the Fire, Bible, and Prayer. Some thoughts.
Acquire the Fire.
I won't lie. It was probably the best weekend of my life. The valley that I've so long been walking through, had now come to the beginning of the real climb of the mountain. I can't wait to see the view, but for now I am going to enjoy each step I take to the top. The worship, the concerts, the fellowship, and the unbelievable presence of God has me floating on the clouds. It was the extra spark to the fire that I have been thirsting for for the last while. Thank you God for the answered prayer.
For this month I'm reading through the book of Acts. There are 28 chapters, 28 days! It seemed perfect to me! Just some food for thought ten minutes of reading the Bible a day will be WAY more affective then the extra ten minutes you'll gain by not reading it. I promise.
Another thing that's been heavy on my heart lately has been prayer. I just want my conversation with God to be completely continual throughout the day, but with that a friend has been heavy on my heart lately. They are such a huge blessing, and influence on me so I plan to for the next year to pray for them everyday. I encourage anyone who feels called to do this for one of their friends to do the same! I'm very excited for this, and I'm overly excited to see the plans God has for their life!
I won't lie. It was probably the best weekend of my life. The valley that I've so long been walking through, had now come to the beginning of the real climb of the mountain. I can't wait to see the view, but for now I am going to enjoy each step I take to the top. The worship, the concerts, the fellowship, and the unbelievable presence of God has me floating on the clouds. It was the extra spark to the fire that I have been thirsting for for the last while. Thank you God for the answered prayer.
For this month I'm reading through the book of Acts. There are 28 chapters, 28 days! It seemed perfect to me! Just some food for thought ten minutes of reading the Bible a day will be WAY more affective then the extra ten minutes you'll gain by not reading it. I promise.
Another thing that's been heavy on my heart lately has been prayer. I just want my conversation with God to be completely continual throughout the day, but with that a friend has been heavy on my heart lately. They are such a huge blessing, and influence on me so I plan to for the next year to pray for them everyday. I encourage anyone who feels called to do this for one of their friends to do the same! I'm very excited for this, and I'm overly excited to see the plans God has for their life!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
It's Almost a New Year! :)
Well I hope everyone is having a great Christmas season, and break from school! :)
It's almost a new year! I'm sure everyone is pulling out their notebooks to start making new resolutions last minute. What I never understand is why does it have to be a new year in order for it to be a new start? What's wrong with a new start or a change in July, or April, or November for that matter? Anyway, I encourage you to find places in your relationship with God that need to be worked on, and make that a point of focus! For example if you don't find yourself getting into his word set a goal to read just a couple minutes or a chapter a night. Make a goal to set aside some time to just talk to Him, or if something is getting in the way of your relationship with Him try to slowly tear down the brick wall. Ask God what He wants. Make a change. :)
Grow. Love. Die daily to self.
More later. :)
Be blessed!
It's almost a new year! I'm sure everyone is pulling out their notebooks to start making new resolutions last minute. What I never understand is why does it have to be a new year in order for it to be a new start? What's wrong with a new start or a change in July, or April, or November for that matter? Anyway, I encourage you to find places in your relationship with God that need to be worked on, and make that a point of focus! For example if you don't find yourself getting into his word set a goal to read just a couple minutes or a chapter a night. Make a goal to set aside some time to just talk to Him, or if something is getting in the way of your relationship with Him try to slowly tear down the brick wall. Ask God what He wants. Make a change. :)
Grow. Love. Die daily to self.
More later. :)
Be blessed!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
An Answered Prayer. A Rededication.
Today November 28, 2010 I rededicate my life to God.
It's a good day, and I'm ready for the new beginning God has offered me.
About two years ago, with the help of an incredible friend, I had realized that living my life for God was more then going to church on Sunday. I then too started understanding that there is no in between, and that I was either going to be on fire for God and trust Him, or lay Him on the back burner and figure things out for myself. I had realized it meant dedicating my life to God. I wasn't willing any longer to settle for what I had been settling for. I had felt that everything I had gone through was like a roller coaster. (Yes, I know cliche.) That the intensity would just build from there. This last summer I'd say that my relationship with God had hit the peak. It was at the top of the roller coaster ride. There was no school drama, no friend drama. I was able to attend a National Youth Gathering in New Orleans, and also a three day camp of Fellowship of Christian Athletes Leadership Camp. I had plenty of time to read my Bible, go to church, pray before bed, talk to Him throughout the day. It was all good. I was satisfied, and the most content I've ever been. The last few months the feeling of being content started to fade as my time with Him started slipping away. School started going. I started becoming stressed. I filled up my schedule with school, friends, sports, and I left the little bit of time I had left over to spend it specifically with God.
Lately I've been starting to feel alone, and worthless. The more I accepted the feelings the more lies I felt Satan would throw at me, and the more I was willing to accept each one, so this morning on the way to walking into church I prayed silently to myself asking God if He could show me a miracle, and let me acknowledge it as Him. The service continued with some worship songs, and then lead into a solid message. Let me just tell you right now that Pastor Steve's messages are GREAT. The message today was about dying daily to yourself, and being thankful. It discussed that no matter what situation you are in you have a million blessings to be thankful for, and it talked about how many blessings we overlook and how many we believe are deserved. The message also displayed the idea of giving up something for yourself, in the end, to bless someone else. In also in a way reached out the point that the world doesn't revolve around you, it doesn't revolve around me, and it won't ever. Following the message Pastor Steve had us stand up. We began praying prayers to ourselves, and he prayed his prayer for us out loud. He asked that anyone who was hurting, or who felt that they haven't been where they needed to be with God lately that they would raise their hand while our heads were bowed. He'd take a while acknowledge who, and then continued asking the question in hope that those who needed the courage to raise their hands would. I prayed to God that I had been feeling very far away from Him, and if I was one of the people who needed to raise there hand then Pastor Steve would ask once more. Of course Pastor Steve did. I still didn't have the courage to raise my hand, so I promised once again to God that this time if he asked again I would raise my hand. Again still no courage, the final time I promised God I would do it, and again Pastor Steve asked the question. I then raised my hand and quickly put it down after he made the acknowledgement of those whose hands were up. I had thought that raising my hand and surrendering to myself was all I needed to do- to admit to myself that I wasn't in the place I needed to be with God. Pastor Steve then continued by calling us up to the front of the church so they could lay hands upon us and pray for us. I continued standing in my place with no anticipation of moving to the front of the church. I opened my eyes looked up and notice him looking at me. He said "Young lady in the back (me) would you please come to the front so we can pray for you?". I began to walk forward to the front of the church, and stood next to some others who were feeling the similar things I had. Pastor Steve called up some of the members of the congregation willing to pray over us individually. Pastors Steve's wife, Trish, walked up to me, and placed her hands upon my shoulders. She asked me "Have you accept Christ in your life yet?" And I replied with a "Yes." She began praying over me, and I could feel Christ enter my heart overwhelmingly. She then asked me if I had accepted the Holy Spirit in my heart, to which I replied "Yes." again. As she continued praying I could hear God reminding me that I didn't have to feel alone, and that the world will never be a place to satisfy the things that I longed for. That the very place that I needed to be was hand in hand with Him, and He called me back to Him with open arms.
That was His miracle. The miracle of Him excepting someone worthless, and undeserving of His love. The miracle that He would except me back into His loving arms. The miracle of an answered prayer, and because of this my life doesn't have to go back to being to same it can move forward changed.
It's a good day, and I'm ready for the new beginning God has offered me.
About two years ago, with the help of an incredible friend, I had realized that living my life for God was more then going to church on Sunday. I then too started understanding that there is no in between, and that I was either going to be on fire for God and trust Him, or lay Him on the back burner and figure things out for myself. I had realized it meant dedicating my life to God. I wasn't willing any longer to settle for what I had been settling for. I had felt that everything I had gone through was like a roller coaster. (Yes, I know cliche.) That the intensity would just build from there. This last summer I'd say that my relationship with God had hit the peak. It was at the top of the roller coaster ride. There was no school drama, no friend drama. I was able to attend a National Youth Gathering in New Orleans, and also a three day camp of Fellowship of Christian Athletes Leadership Camp. I had plenty of time to read my Bible, go to church, pray before bed, talk to Him throughout the day. It was all good. I was satisfied, and the most content I've ever been. The last few months the feeling of being content started to fade as my time with Him started slipping away. School started going. I started becoming stressed. I filled up my schedule with school, friends, sports, and I left the little bit of time I had left over to spend it specifically with God.
Lately I've been starting to feel alone, and worthless. The more I accepted the feelings the more lies I felt Satan would throw at me, and the more I was willing to accept each one, so this morning on the way to walking into church I prayed silently to myself asking God if He could show me a miracle, and let me acknowledge it as Him. The service continued with some worship songs, and then lead into a solid message. Let me just tell you right now that Pastor Steve's messages are GREAT. The message today was about dying daily to yourself, and being thankful. It discussed that no matter what situation you are in you have a million blessings to be thankful for, and it talked about how many blessings we overlook and how many we believe are deserved. The message also displayed the idea of giving up something for yourself, in the end, to bless someone else. In also in a way reached out the point that the world doesn't revolve around you, it doesn't revolve around me, and it won't ever. Following the message Pastor Steve had us stand up. We began praying prayers to ourselves, and he prayed his prayer for us out loud. He asked that anyone who was hurting, or who felt that they haven't been where they needed to be with God lately that they would raise their hand while our heads were bowed. He'd take a while acknowledge who, and then continued asking the question in hope that those who needed the courage to raise their hands would. I prayed to God that I had been feeling very far away from Him, and if I was one of the people who needed to raise there hand then Pastor Steve would ask once more. Of course Pastor Steve did. I still didn't have the courage to raise my hand, so I promised once again to God that this time if he asked again I would raise my hand. Again still no courage, the final time I promised God I would do it, and again Pastor Steve asked the question. I then raised my hand and quickly put it down after he made the acknowledgement of those whose hands were up. I had thought that raising my hand and surrendering to myself was all I needed to do- to admit to myself that I wasn't in the place I needed to be with God. Pastor Steve then continued by calling us up to the front of the church so they could lay hands upon us and pray for us. I continued standing in my place with no anticipation of moving to the front of the church. I opened my eyes looked up and notice him looking at me. He said "Young lady in the back (me) would you please come to the front so we can pray for you?". I began to walk forward to the front of the church, and stood next to some others who were feeling the similar things I had. Pastor Steve called up some of the members of the congregation willing to pray over us individually. Pastors Steve's wife, Trish, walked up to me, and placed her hands upon my shoulders. She asked me "Have you accept Christ in your life yet?" And I replied with a "Yes." She began praying over me, and I could feel Christ enter my heart overwhelmingly. She then asked me if I had accepted the Holy Spirit in my heart, to which I replied "Yes." again. As she continued praying I could hear God reminding me that I didn't have to feel alone, and that the world will never be a place to satisfy the things that I longed for. That the very place that I needed to be was hand in hand with Him, and He called me back to Him with open arms.
That was His miracle. The miracle of Him excepting someone worthless, and undeserving of His love. The miracle that He would except me back into His loving arms. The miracle of an answered prayer, and because of this my life doesn't have to go back to being to same it can move forward changed.
Monday, November 15, 2010
I Refuse. (Followup Post.)
Here is kind of a followup to my last post. It's still very heavy on my heart. I ran across a song tonight that felt perfect for it! Coincidence? I think not. God's always at work. :)
I Refuse
Josh Wilson
Sometimes I, I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone's alright
When I know they're not
This world needs God, but it's easier to stand and watch
I could pray a prayer and just move on
Like nothing's wrong
But I Refuse
I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I refuse
I can hear the least of these, crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet of You, oh God
So if You say move, it's time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do
And show them who You are
I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I refuse
I refuse to stand and watch the weary and lost cry out for help
I refuse to turn my back and try and act like all is well
I refuse to stay unchanged, to wait another day to die to myself
I refuse to make one more excuse
I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I refuse
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Fighting for the Broken..
This world is inhabited with sin, but that doesn't mean we should just give up. Sin is here. It'll always be. It is our nature, but the doesn't mean it has to be our way, or our excuse for the way we are. God also gave us a choice. A choice on how we approach and how we handle our sinful nature. Lately I've had a heavy heart about some friends and the people of this world who I feel are lost and broken, who feel lonely and worthless, or just someone who needs someone to love them. It's our time now. This generation, if we all just took one step forward it'd be one giant leap for this world, and I believe we can do it.
Some of the smallest acts can change a person's day. A smile, and a "hello" is all it could take. Don't just sit back and wish. Take action. The change starts with you.
I've been focusing on praying for them, and for the renewing of their heart and soul. I truly believe in the power of prayer. It's strong. It's a step towards action.
Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWQpzKHEwVg&feature=fvw
"Keep Changing the World" with visual.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAtal8ZV6eo
"Keep Changing the World"
Lyrics:
Some of the smallest acts can change a person's day. A smile, and a "hello" is all it could take. Don't just sit back and wish. Take action. The change starts with you.
I've been focusing on praying for them, and for the renewing of their heart and soul. I truly believe in the power of prayer. It's strong. It's a step towards action.
Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWQpzKHEwVg&feature=fvw
"Keep Changing the World" with visual.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAtal8ZV6eo
"Keep Changing the World"
Lyrics:
"Keep Changing the World"
Something here is wrong
There are children without homes
But we just move along to take care of our own
There's so much suffering just outside our door
A cry so deafening
We just can't ignore
To all the people who are fighting for the broken
All the people who keep holding on to love
All the people who are reaching for the lonely
Keep changing the world
Take a look around
Before the sun goes out
What's lost can still be found
It's not too late now
It only takes one spark to make the fire burn
So reach inside your heart and let this be the start
To all the people who are fighting for the broken
All the people who keep holding on to love
All the people who are reaching for the lonely
Keep changing the world
Keep changing the world
I know you see the suffering
How they going to recover when people just look over like they don't even notice them
Everyone whose focusing on ending all this hopelessness
You can change the world by changing who the world is hoping in
I see the sun coming up
It's a brighter day
Let's show the world that love is a better way
So lend a hand join the fight
'Cause time is ticking away
Keep changing the world
I see you changing the world
Step up!
To all the people who are fighting for the broken
All the people who keep holding on to love
All the people who are reaching for the lonely
Keep changing the world
The change starts with you? Are you ready?
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Pounding. Pressure. Sweet Escape?
Pound. Pound. Pound. Do you hear that? Can you feel that?
I do. Everyday. This earth- it's like a battle field. No place is safe except for the welcoming place of the arms of God.
Judgements, and lies. The world feeds off them. They're everywhere. I hear them, I assume them, I believe them, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Even the simplest lies are destructive, and I suppose in every way that's the point. It's Satan's purpose to shrink us in anyway that's possible, and to make us numb to our very own Heavenly Father.
I encourage you to take a look at what you surround yourself with.
Music. Tv. Books. Advertising. Media.
Just standing in line at the stores I notice so many magazines with covers that advertise how to loose weight, or what movie star is in love with another. To me it's so frustrating to see, but to authors it's their selling point. They're filled with lies. Yet they capture us! I learned recently in a Bible study that models have almost unrealistic diets. It also said that the average model weighs 23% less then the average women on the streets, and that this has led to two-thirds of underweight twelve-year-old girls to consider themselves "fat". To me that is so unreal. There's no purpose to it. It's a lie that Satan feeds to us- that we can never fit to the standard of this world.
Truth:
We are perfect and like in God's image.
To me that sounds great, but yet that doesn't even seem to have near of an impact as the earth does on pressuring us to dress a certain way, be a certain weight, to drink, to just go with the flow.
My question to you is-why? Why buy the lies? Why let go of the Truth?
We hear the lies, but how can we recognize the lies if we can't first know and recognize the Truth?
Keep your ears open to our Heavenly Father. Talk. Listen.
Read your Bible. The book of TRUTH. It's filled with everything. The more engulfed I am with mine I realized the more I can recognize God working in my life, and the more I can differentiate the lies from the Truth.
I do. Everyday. This earth- it's like a battle field. No place is safe except for the welcoming place of the arms of God.
Judgements, and lies. The world feeds off them. They're everywhere. I hear them, I assume them, I believe them, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Even the simplest lies are destructive, and I suppose in every way that's the point. It's Satan's purpose to shrink us in anyway that's possible, and to make us numb to our very own Heavenly Father.
I encourage you to take a look at what you surround yourself with.
Music. Tv. Books. Advertising. Media.
Just standing in line at the stores I notice so many magazines with covers that advertise how to loose weight, or what movie star is in love with another. To me it's so frustrating to see, but to authors it's their selling point. They're filled with lies. Yet they capture us! I learned recently in a Bible study that models have almost unrealistic diets. It also said that the average model weighs 23% less then the average women on the streets, and that this has led to two-thirds of underweight twelve-year-old girls to consider themselves "fat". To me that is so unreal. There's no purpose to it. It's a lie that Satan feeds to us- that we can never fit to the standard of this world.
Truth:
We are perfect and like in God's image.
To me that sounds great, but yet that doesn't even seem to have near of an impact as the earth does on pressuring us to dress a certain way, be a certain weight, to drink, to just go with the flow.
My question to you is-why? Why buy the lies? Why let go of the Truth?
We hear the lies, but how can we recognize the lies if we can't first know and recognize the Truth?
Keep your ears open to our Heavenly Father. Talk. Listen.
Read your Bible. The book of TRUTH. It's filled with everything. The more engulfed I am with mine I realized the more I can recognize God working in my life, and the more I can differentiate the lies from the Truth.
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