Beautiful - by Bethany Dillon

Beautiful
{by Bethany Dillon}
I was so unique 
Now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it's killing me

Does someone hear my cry?
I'm dying for new life

I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful

Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won't you help me back to glory

I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful

You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear You say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful

Have you ever....

....felt like you weren't beautiful? Felt like you weren't good enough? Felt like you're going through such a rough time you're sure you're never going to get through? Felt like hurting yourself would be WAY better than hurting someone else? Physically, mentally and emotionally?

There have been many times in my life when I felt the ways that I listed above. And if you are being truthful with yourself, I know that you have too. Sometimes it's hard to admit that we're angry, we don't want to tell anyone what's been going on in our lives, don't want to even think about what we're doing to ourselves.

I found a verse in 1 Corinthians that has really helped me through the times when I didn't feel good enough. Didn't feel like I was doing what was right; felt like the outside of myself wasn't good enough. God tells us that our body is His temple. One that we should respect, for Him. He bought us with a price and we should be able to learn to live with the outside of ourselves as we do the inside. I know that at times that can be hard, we all struggle with the fact that we think we're not pretty. Don't all girls go through that....like every day of their lives?
This is not the thing that we should be dwelling on. We should be dwelling on making our insides better and eventually that will go through to the outside, making us even more beautiful than we were before.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says: "Do you not know that your body is a temple 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 body."

~Ashley

More Beautiful You

One song that has spoken to me greatly as I've gotten older and faced the struggles that so many girls face is Jonny Diaz's song, More Beautiful You. I appreciate this song from a guy's perspective, encouraging girls that the way they are is beautiful, and not to settle for lies from Satan and the world telling them they're not good enough. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, with a poignant message that I believe every young woman needs to hear.

Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazine

Says she wants to look that way

But her hair isn’t straight, her body isn’t fake

And she’s always felt overweight

Well, little girl fourteen I wish that you could see

That beauty is within your heart

And you were made with such care, your skin your body and your hair

Are perfect just the way they are

There could never be a more beautiful you
Don’t buy the lies, disguises, and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you



I'd encourage you to hit play on the video, sit back, close your eyes, and let the words sink into your heart. Remember that God is amazed by you. He died just so He could be with you...and He loves you more than words can describe.






So turn around you’re not too far
To back away be who you are
To change your path go another way
It’s not too late you can be saved
If you feel depressed with past regrets
The shameful nights hope to forget
Can disappear they can all be washed away
By the One who’s strong can right your wrongs
Can rid your fears dry all your tears
And change the way you look at this big world
He will take your dark distorted view
And with His light He will show you truth
And again you’ll see through the eyes of a little girl



If there's one thing you take away from this part, I want it to be this:
God made you to fill a purpose that only you could do...
...so there could never be a more beautiful you.


~Kylie

Announcing....

Hey, girls!

Ashley and I are very excited to tell you our news. We've decided to launch a whole "new" edition of BIC. Beautiful in Christ is now going to be a magazine! Instead of getting one article every few days you'll get quite a few articles every two months. We have a ton of great articles lined up and I can't wait for you all to get to read them! It's going to be amazing!

Some of the things we have planned are devotionals, beauty articles, fun reviews, short stories, and more! We're already working on our summer issue, which will release sometime in late June or early July, so check back then!

Also, feel free to comment or email us with your email address so that we can let you know when we put the first issue out.

Until then, rejoice in the fact that you belong to the King of Kings!

~Kylie
on behalf of Ashley S., Suzanna, Ali, Natalie, & Ashley H.

Changes

Hello to all you beautiful girls out there.

Sorry we haven't been posting - we've been going through some changes with the way we're posting, and we're working on some more exciting things that could happen, that will keep you coming back to this blog. 

We will start posting again regularly in the beginning of May, so that we have time to figure out what is going to be happening and how it will all work.

Be sure to check back in May!


~Ashley S. and Kylie
Suzanna and Ashley H.

Book Review - The Storekeeper's Daughter

A typical day for Naomi Fisher consists of taking care of her siblings, cooking, and taking care of her family’s big farmhouse. You’ll often see her dressed in a simple gown, with her hair tucked up in a neat bun beneath her headcovering. She’s more often than not making a snack for her brothers who have just come in from working in the fields, or playing with her younger brothers and sisters. Believe it or not, Naomi isn’t found in a historical fiction novel. You can find people like her in the 21st century, because she’s Amish.

I read about Naomi in a fictional novel by Wanda E. Brunstetter, called The Storekeeper’s Daughter. It’s the first in a series called the Daughters of Lancaster County, also by Wanda E. Brunstetter, and I’ll be reviewing this book today.

Naomi, her father, and her siblings have been living on their own since their mother died in a tragic accident. Now it’s Naomi’s responsibility to care for the family, and help her father at the family’s store. This is very stressful for her and leaves no time for any socializing. Naomi is convinced she will grow up an old maid. That is, until Caleb Hoffmeir comes along…

However, soon Naomi’s world is turned upside down, when a simple oversight turns into a huge problem. One mistake becomes irrevocable, and her life is changed forever. The stress begins to wear on her, and Naomi realizes that the only one who can fix her problems is God.

Overall, I really liked this book. At first the writing style was hard for me to get into, but I was soon caught up in the intriguing plot and lives of these characters. I really loved reading about Naomi Fisher and the other characters in Lancaster County, and I think Wanda E. Brunstetter did a fantastic job of weaving this story together. The characters were relatable, the story was interesting, and the message was wonderful. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.


~Kylie

Verse of the Week

Sorry that we haven't been posting the last couple of weeks. Every time one of us has something to post - we get behind schedule, and then don't ever end up posting on this blog. We're all sorry, and we'll be sure to be consistent from now on. :) 

Easter is coming quickly. I can't believe that April is here, and with it, Easter. Wow. Easter is a big thing for our family - seeing as it's the day to celebrate Christ's death and resurrection. 

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

 Romans 1:4-5
And Jesus Christ our Lord was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.

I hope that everyone has a great Easter, celebrating the resurrection of Christ, our Lord. :) 

~Ashley  

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord...

 I really liked Ashley's devotional earlier this week. It was very thought-provoking, and very to-the-point. I'm so thankful for Jesus' amazing sacrifice. To think that my King would die for me... it is almost beyond my comprehension.

This verse makes me happy. It reminds me of how awesome God is. We're his children, and He loves us so much! Never ever forget that!

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:10-13

~ Kylie

Jesus Saves

Kylie and I had been talking about ideas for our devotionals - and this one came up a while back. I'm sorry I wasn't able to post this yesterday, but by the time that I had gotten a chance to get on the blog - it was late, and I didn't have a lot of time to think about how and what I was going to say.

I grew up in a Christian home - where I went to church every week, and learned all the things I could about my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

I asked Jesus into my heart, when I was five, but didn't understand fully what He had done for me, until I was older - and able to more fully comprehend why He did these things for me. I still am not sure that I can understand WHY He did what He did - I just know that He loves us more than we can ever even imagine. 

I'm sure you are all familiar with the verse:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."John 3:16

I learned this verse when I was really young - and have used it a lot. It's definitely one of my favorite verses. 

This verse is pretty much the salvation message wrapped up in one sentence. But the whole situation is WAY more than that. 

God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth, so that HE could save everyone from their sins. Anyone who wants to be saved - can be, because of God's great grace.

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" John 1:12

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

~Ashley

How He Loves

This is my all time favorite song ever, and I thought it was really suiting to talk about God's absolutely amazing love!!! 

How He Loves Us - David Crowder Band

Verse 1
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane,
I am the tree
Bending beneath,
The weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me.
Chorus
Oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how he loves us,
How he loves us so.
Verse 2:
So we are his portion,
and He is our prize. 
Drawn to grace by the redemption in his eyes.
If love is an ocean we're all sinking.
So heaven meets earth like a loving first kiss,
and my heart turns violently inside of my chest.
I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about, the way,

Chorus
That He loves us. 
Oh how He loves us.
Oh how He loves us. 
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves
He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves


-Ashley H

Review of It Is Well by Kutless

Last weekend, my mom, a friend and I went to a Casting Crowns/Kutless and Caleb concert. It was probably the most fun I've ever had at a concert - because, we got to meet all three bands before we watched them perform live.

Here is a picture of me, with the lead singer from Kutless. 

I have recently begun to love the CD "It is Well", by Kutless. They usually sing more rock-hard songs, that are fun to listen to - but this CD, is a Worship Album.
On the CD - are 11 songs - some that are covers - for example, "God of Wonders". 
Like I said - Kutless is more of a rock-hard band, that sing fast-paced songs - but this CD has slower songs on it - that are quite easy to catch on to - and learn the words to. 
I got this CD only a couple of days before we went to the concert, and I'd already had most of the songs part-way memorized, so it was awesome to see them done live.
"What Faith Can Do" is my favorite on the CD. The song talks about unwavering faith, so matter what God might throw at you.
"Everybody falls sometimes, gotta find the strength to rise, from the ashes, and make a new beginning." 
"I've seen dreams that move the mountains, hope that doesn't ever end, even when the sky is falling, I've seen MIRACLES just HAPPEN, silent prayers get answered, broken hearts become brand new. THAT'S WHAT FAITH CAN DO!"

Overall, this CD is awesome - great songs, great band. 
~Ashley S

Serving others

Hey, readers!
 I hope everyone is having a good evening. Just thought I would say that I am having a great one.
 Church tomorrow at 10:00, and I am going to be a 'greeter'. I'm not sure if your church has greeters or not, but our's does. If you don't know what the heck a greeter is supposed to do, well, they get up early and head to church to wait at the door, open the door, say 'Hi! How are you doing?' and hand a bulletin to everyone that comes into the church. Don't forget! You need to smile LOTS when you have this job. So don't forget to load up on the caffeine before you leave the house, or stop at your local Starbucks and pick up a grande quad half- caf espresso macchiato with whipped cream and caramel sauce.
 Anyways, as I was quietly preparing myself for the hospitality job (and the macchiato) I was flipping through my bible and came across this bible verse about serving others:
 Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
 Matthew 20: 26-28 NIV.
I don't think I'll be needing to give my life as a ransom for ANY tomorrow morning as I hand out bulletins and shake hands, but I can serve others with a smile and maybe hope they don't think I'm psycho from the dilated eyes and run in the opposite direction of our church. So if your local paper or news channel mention 'Crazy Church with Overly-Caffeinated People' you'll know that I made an impact while greeting.

God Loves You

God loves you.

Those three words are so powerful! They have comforted many in times of trouble or need, and have often brought about the conversion of ordinary people. We hear it so often in our Christian society. Although the words have not lost their meaning, some people don’t fully understand what they really do mean. Of course we know that God loves us, but how much?

Well, first of all, the Bible tells us that God is love. That concept is probably hard to grasp, but what I believe it means is that God has so many different facets that we will never understand Him all. His love is so deep, so undescribable, and so eternal, that we won’t be able to understand it at its fullest either—and that is just a portion of him!

However, when Jesus was hanging on the cross to die, the weight of the world quite literally on his shoulders, we were able to glimpse just a bit of how much God loves us. He loves us enough for Him to come down on a little baby, and live in this world of sin, so that he could die on the cross many years later and take away the sins of all mankind—past, present, and future.

This month, and for the rest of the year, I hope you will remember the truest love there could ever be, and share it with others.

{This post was originally published in Kids of Faith Online Newsletter.}

Spring Cleaning

If you're anything like me, you can't wait for spring to get here! I've been missing the warmth and growth that spring brings... which isn't good, considering we have another load of snow on the way!

I got in the mood to do some spring cleaning anyway, so I've been doing some blog maintenance over here on BIC. One thing that's changed is something I'm really excited about... I reformatted The Writers page. Now it's a little cleaner, and more organized. You can now view a snippet of our bios on the new page, and once you click "read more", you'll be taken to our own individual bio pages. I wanted to make it a little more straightforward, so it's set up in a way that's easy to navigate. So head on over to the new Writers page, and let us know what you think!

Come back on Tuesday as we kick off our March posting schedule!

Heart of Worship

One of my favorite songs to play on the guitar is "Heart of Worship." It has great lyrics, and I love the tune of the song. 

When the music fades
And all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

I'll bring You more than just a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus

Its all about you
Jesus  






~Ashley S.

Recipe - Delicious Buttermilk Pancakes

Today I wanted to share you a recipe for buttermilk pancakes that my family absolutely loves! This is enough for one serving, but it's best if you double it, because they taste so good!

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups buttermilk OR 1 cup vanilla yoghurt (plus 1 cup milk)
2 eggs
3 T oil
3 T sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt

Directions: Mix into pancake batter, then cook them like you would regular pancakes.

I hope you enjoy this yummy recipe! I'm sure that it will be a family favorite - it is with my family!

Verse Of the Week

Hey you guys!
First off, I’d like to express how absolutely thankful I am to be writing on this blog! It’s such a blessing, and I hope to be able to bless others too.
Psalms 139 is absolutely my favorite chapter in the Bible…hands down. One year, I had to memorize it for school, and the impact of it really stuck out to me. I don’t think I’m going to put the whole Psalm down here, but if you’d like to read it in your Bible that’d be absolutely amazing! However I will hit my favorite parts of this chapter, because it changed my life.

Psalms 139: 1-4
O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

This is just amazing to me! We all know God is seriously busy. As I write this there are exactly 6,986,427,230 living and breathing on this planet where we live. It’s hard to imagine that God knows everything about us when there are so many people in the world. But the awesome part is that He can! He knows exactly what we’re going through…He knows where we are at all times. He even knows our thoughts. And it just gets better.
Psalms 130: 5-10
You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

Jonah tried fleeing from God. That got him absolutely nowhere-well, to be technical, it got him trapped in the belly of a whale. Charming, right? Basically, the above verse is telling us in a kind way, that we can never escape from God. Many have tried. All fail. God is there for us at all hours of the day, and we just can’t escape from a love like that!
Let’s skip down a bit to my favorite part!
Psalms 139: 13-16
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Insecurity is a part of life! I don’t know one single girl that hasn’t woken up on an average morning, looked in the mirror and wished she could change something about herself. But this verse has really helped control my insecurities because, whether I like how I look or not, God created me just the way I am. Before the foundations of the world-before anything else came to be-He took thought for me, and designed me in His own image. He planned my whole life story, right then and there, at the very beginning. Ladies, I hope you read this verse, and no without a doubt, that God absolutely loves you just the way you are!

Lastly, let’s read the last two verses which I hope will help balance things out for you!
Psalms 139: 23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

So far, the verses I’ve highlighted, have talked about a one-sided relationship-all that God can give to us. But now, the whole Psalms is swapped, and turned into a prayer, asking God to search us and know our hearts, and to help us live Godly and holy lives. This is a prayer that I’ve begun to pray myself, every night before bed, searching myself and asking forgiveness for anything that may need to be addressed before I fall asleep! I hope you guys will try this too!

Overall, Psalms 139 captures God’s expansive love for us! He thinks we’re beautiful, He knows where we are every second of the day, He protects us, and He wants us to live holy lives before Him!
When you get the change, read the whole Psalms and enjoy!
Have a blessed day!

~Ashley H. 

What it really means to worship God

Hey, all you beautiful young women reading this blog!
 You are so amazing, and I'm not saying that just because you're reading this blog. Well, that has something to do with it, but it also has to do with the fact that you are a strong Christian young woman growing to be a great woman one day. You are beautiful.
 And thank God for that, because there is a lot of girls out there that are beautiful on the outside, but just one big, black chunk of coal on the inside.
 Anyways. The church that I go to has an awesome worship group. We have a bunch of guitarists and a couple drummers and quite a few singers. Only one pianist, but either way, my worship team rocks. I absolutely love their choice in music they play and I absolutely love the fact that when they play I feel like I can freely worship God how I want. And maybe that has to do with the fact that our church is small, and I know everyone in my church, so I really don't worry about what people think or anything.
 The church that I go to is inter-denominational. If you don't know what the heck that means, it means that we're not Catholic, or Methodist, or Lutheran, or Amish. We're just a bunch of Christians getting together to worship God and grow spiritually. So, our worship isn't just kneeling down on one of those kneeler-down thingies in cathedrals; our worship in our church is whatever you want to do. If you want to kneel down, you can. But we don't have one of those kneeler-down thingies, so you'll have to make do with the floor.
 Mostly our worship, though is raising your hands, singing along to the worship leader, sometimes jumping, or crying, or praying out loud. If you don't like it; well, I'm sorry. I do like it. I've grown up around people worshipping like that, and that's the kind of worship I want my children to grow up around.
 Worship to me is whatever you want it to be. It could be something average like singing in your church choir, or it could be you going out, sharing the love of Christ to a bunch of people in Africa.
 My ways of worshipping God are things like talking to Him every day, singing some awesome songs that He puts on my mind (or maybe they just get stuck in my head. Either way...) and just by doing little things like that. On Sundays when I go to church I worship Him by singing, clapping my hands, raising my hands, and sometimes wiping snotty noses and singing along to 'Jesus loves me' in the nursery.
 I think everyone has different ways to really worship God.
 What it really means to worship God is all in your heart. I think if you are in church one Sunday and your arms seem to feel like they now have helium in them, and they want to float to the top of the ceiling, it might be God encouraging you to lift 'em up.
 If you're at a Family Force 5 concert and you feel the urge to hit the floor and bust a couple moves for Him, it might just be God. Here's what Soul Glow Activatur has to say about all of worship:
"It's being able to get out there and dance and being able to let loose and worship God in a way that's crazier than normal. It's not just singing or raising your hands, its moshin' it's jumpin' up and down. It's your body. If your temple is this, get it going. Sweat it out a little bit for Jesus Christ...it's a lifestyle."
 Worship how you want. Sweating is all cool, if you want to go breakdancing on some cardboard go on ahead, I'll watch you make a fool of yourself. 
 But I really have to say that Soul Glow has it right. Let loose and worship Him. Man I wish I could have the right words to say like HE does...jeez, he just basically blew this whole entry out of the water. I really like that quote, as you can see. It's kind of hard to even think of anything else to say. Thanks A LOT, Soul Glow...you ruined my whole blog entry!!
 =D
Thanks for reading,
 ~Suzanna

The Bible

For this week’s follow-up, I decided to post a quote, since we haven’t ever done that on this blog. Last night, I was skimming through The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer – a book that I have heard is exceptionally good, and one that I plan to read. I stumbled across this quote, and thought it would perfectly complement Ashley’s devo last week.

So, without further ado, is A.W. Tozer describing the Bible in his own words.

The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into him, that they may delight in his presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts. – A.W. Tozer

Isn’t that a powerful description of the Bible? I love it, and I think it sums up the purpose of the Bible completely. What does this quote mean to you? Leave a comment and let us know!

Adjusting

We just heard from one of our contributing writers, Natalie - who told us, that because she is so busy during the school year, that she won't be able to write with us until summer. We are greatly disappointed, but we understand why she isn't able to stick it out. 

She will be coming back in the summer - and she is under 'guest writer' on the Writers Page 
Until then ~ we are soon going to be welcoming a new addition to our Writer's Team - Ashley H. 

We hope it won't be confusing to have two Ashley's...we're going to make sure you know 'who is who', so that you don't wonder which Ashley wrote which post. 


We will be thinking up a new schedule for the spring and we'll get back to posting regularly in a couple of days. 


~The Beautiful in Christ Team
Ashley, Kylie, & Suzanna

Guys Are Waffles, Girls are Spaghetti - by Chad Eastham review

Hello, readers!
 Suzanna here.
All day today I have been sick. I got the flu... :( That goofy little bug seems to be all over this time of year.
  I decided I'm going to review the cough drops I've been using. They're called Halls Refresh and I'm sucking on the juicy strawberry flavored ones right now. I think they taste pretty good-
 Kidding. I'd never do that. I promise.
As I'm sitting here on our big comfy couch, with my pajamas on... I decided I'd review the book I'm reading right now. I'm not sure if that's the right way to review a book; one you haven't even finished; but I thought I'd give it a try.
 The book I'm currently reading is 'Guys are Waffles, Girls are Spaghetti' by Chad Eastham and Bill and Pam Farrel.
 I am over halfway done with the book, and I started it yesterday. All of Chad Eastham's books seem like quick reads, -unless it's just because I've been lounging, reading all day today.- Either way, I like those types of books. I think it also helps that Chad Eastham is the most amazing author I have ever...uh...read?! Not sure what word I should've put there. Anyways. I really like the way he approaches and tackles the different hard subjects that he discussed in the book.
 If an adult (well...I know Chad Eastham is an adult, but bear with me here) would have attempted to write this book, I think it would have stunk. Chad seems mature enough to encourage us teens and discuss the topics in book like a youth group leader, yet also talk about them like a big brother would. The way he delivers each and every chapter is so warm and humorous, yet also very honest and raw.
 Chad did such a good job writing this book. I absolutely love it.
 I like how it's written for both guys and girls.
 Seriously, there's not one part of the book that I haven't 100% enjoyed.
From what I'd read about the Guys are Waffles, Girls are Spaghetti book I thought there would've been more sections or parts written by Bill and Pam Farrel, but there's not that many sections, actually.
 Anyways, the book is great. I absolutely love the book. Good job, Chad, Bill and Pam!!

Reading Through the Bible in a Year

Last year, a couple of my friends and I, decided that it would be fun, if through the whole 2009 year, if we could read through the entire Bible in a year.

One of my good friends, Sam, came up with a schedule to do so- and we started reading on January 1st.

It took me a while to actually get used to reading my Bible every day - or, as I did it, every evening, before I went to bed. It became a habit, after only a couple of weeks - and I am glad to say - I only missed two days of reading, because I was sick. Those two days were quickly caught up- and I was soon back in the swing of things.

Reading through the Bible in a year, made me feel a whole lot closer to God. I felt that reading the Bible - and actually learning what it said in it, definitely gave me a better meaning of God's love and forgiveness toward His people.

My life has changed since I've read through the Bible. I'm doing it again this year - only with a Chronological Bible - that my Grandma had sitting at her house. This way, I get to read the events in the order that they actually happened.

I think that it's a great challenge - to read through the Bible - and I think that every Christian should take that challenge.

Read through the Bible, learn what it says. There is no other way to learn and understand what God is trying to tell you, unless we read what His word is telling us.

I challenge each and every one of you to try to read your Bible every night. Whether it's a chapter, or two chapters, or in some cases of the short books, a whole book of the Bible. Don't overdo it - because then it'll get old pretty fast - set yourself at a good pace, and try to learn what that part of the Bible is trying to teach you.

And pray. Definitely pray. Reading through the Bible is good - but prayer is also essential.

So, as a closing - I'm going to share a few of my favorite verses that I've discovered in reading the Bible through the year:

Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.

Phillipians 4:13 For I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

And of course - the well known:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

If you have any questions about my reading through the Bible in a year - or about the schedule I used - you can comment, and ask, or email me at : jesusismyprincecharming@hotmail.com

Happy (By Ayiesha Woods)

Happy lyrics:
No record deal, no dream fulfilled, no three minute video
No catchy jingle, no big hit single playing on the radio

Can make me happy
Can make me feel the way you do
Can make me happy
I wanna make you happy too

No flashy cars, no movie stars, no man, woman, boy or girl
No fancy things, no diamond rings, nothing in the whole wide world

Can make me happy
Can make me feel the way you do
You make me happy
I want to make you happy too
You make me happy
You make me feel the way I do
You make me happy
I wish the whole world knew you too

No I cannot count the ways you have made my life so blessed
All I know is that you came and made beauty of my mess
*Chorus*

Hey, all!
 Suzanna here.
These lyrics are so...well...happy. Believe me, I am not a big get-up-and-groove kind of person, but the beat and sound of this song made me want to dance when I listened to it.
 The cool thing about these lyrics is that it's saying that nothing on this earth matters. not fancy stuff, or how famous you are, or anything. The only thing that matters is God, and His love for you.
 I don't ever listen to Ayiesha Woods, but I came across this song and it's pretty cute.
I have to be honest, I think the lyrics speak for themselves! I really can't think of anything to say about them other than, God makes me happy. Whenever I think about Him I get the smiles, and I just want to go sing Him a love song, because I'm truly in love with Christ.
 Here's something I want you to do tonight. When you pray, thank God for the things that make you happy. Maybe it's a best friend, or climbing trees, or your dog! Whatever it is; thank God for it, and if your dog is what makes you happy, go give him a massage.
Thanks for reading!!

Ginger Crinkles

I don't know about you, but when this time of year comes around, my mouth simply waters whenever the thought of these delicious ginger cookies crosses my mind. They have just enough crunch and spice to make them a perfect treat during the winter months.

Ginger Crinkles 

2 cups of whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon baking soda 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1-1/3 cups sugar

3/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup light molasses

1 egg, slightly beaten

***

1) Preheat oven to 350*

2) Sift flour with baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnaomn, and ginger; set aside

3) In a large bowl of electric mixer, at medium speed, gradually add 1 cup sugar to shortening, creaming until very light and fluffy-about five minutes-Blend in molasses and egg

4) At low speed, beat in flour mixture just until well combines, scraping down side of bowl with rubber scraper. Refrigerate 1 hour.

5) Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in remaining 1/3 sugar

6) Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let stand for 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool.

                      Makes about 4 dozen 

Joy

I loved Kylie's previous post on joy! I loved reading through it, and trying to understand what JOY really means.
 I think that happiness very much ties in with being joyous, but I think that it's a lot more than that. 

Psalm 118:24 - "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." 

Proverbs 15:13 - "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit."

Isaiah 55:12 - "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."

Nehemiah 8:10 - "Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'" 

The last verse that I posted there, was one that Kylie also posted. I love that verse. The JOY OF THE LORD is my STRENGTH!

If you would like...leave a comment and let us all know one thing that really makes you happy! We'd love to know!

The Joy of the Lord

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10, emphasis mine)

No doubt you’ve heard this verse. I know many people who count it among their favorites, and I’ve heard the last part quoted many times. Today we’re going to take a closer look at what that phrase means.

First of all, what is joy? Well, according to my big blue Webster’s dictionary (that’s probably similar to Suzanna’s dictionary), this is the definition of joy:

Joy – n; 1. a feeling of great pleasure or happiness that comes from success, good fortune, or a sense of well-being; 2. something that gives great pleasure or happiness.

It’s from an Old French word that means “to rejoice”. Rejoicing occurs a lot in my life, especially when I receive something that makes me happy. I'm sure you've experienced joy many times. I think that the joy of the Lord may be bigger and better than any form of earthly joy.

I also believe that God Himself is joyful, and rejoices often. One of my favorite representations of Jesus is a picture we have hanging in our upstairs hall. Jesus’ eyes are smiling, and His mouth is open wide with laughter. It’s a beautiful picture of the delight God must feel in His children, and the joy that He wants us to have.

God knows that when we have His joy within us, it will refresh us and bring us life. When we have the joy of the Lord, it’s also a form of supernatural strength that can only come from Him. His joy goes beyond circumstances, and it will never run out. Most of all, we can rejoice because we have been saved by Christ Himself.

So how do we get this joy? Well, I would start by asking the Lord to give you His joy. I’m sure He will honor your request. Start tuning into Him and what He says. I get a lot of joy from my relationship with Him. And maybe try to find joy in everyday occurrences. You never know what might surprise you.

We've a Story to Tell the Nations!

(Matthew 28:18-20)
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' "

 We've a story to tell to the nations

That shall turn their hearts to right

A story of truth and mercy

A story of peace and light

A story of peace and light

For the darkness shall turn to dawning

And the dawning to noon-day bright

And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth

The kingdom of love and light 

                                                                                      -H. Ernest Nicol-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpXb61sgE0g

(Acts 6:4)
"But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 

 ~Natalie~

Review of "Play On"

Track Listing:

1. Cowboy Casanova
2. Quitter
3. Mama's Song
4. Change
5. Undo It
6. Someday When I Stop Loving You
7. Songs Like This
8. Temporary Home
9. This Time
10. Look At Me
11. Unapologize
12. What Can I Say (ft. Sons Of Sylvia)
13. Play On

Cowboy Casanova:

I had heard this song many times before I got the CD. I didn't really like it at first, because I'm not big on country sounding like rock music. And this song sounds more rocky and hard than most country music.

In this song, she's warning other girls about this guy - who is what she calls a "Cowboy Casanova". 

"He’s the devil in disguise ,A snake with blue eyes." 

All in all, other than the tune, I don't think that there is anything really bad in this song - no insinuations or anything like that.

Quitter:

I really don't like this song, and it's probably my least favorite on the CD. It's tune is kind-of boring, and I don't really like the words that are in the song.

"Here's how it goes, Boy meets girl, girl leaves boy, That's all I know, All I've done, All my life".

I think that this song is insinuating that she's had lots of boyfriends, and eventually broke it off with them for one reason or another.

But in the chorus, she's saying how she's met this guy, who makes her not want to be a "quitter" anymore. 

"And make me feel like I never ever wanna give you up, 'Til now, I've always been a quitter."

Mama's Song:

I like this song, other than the fact that it's a pretty slow song, and I like faster songs more. I think, though, that the song has a good meaning - it's talking about how a Mom raises her daughter to be and do what you should.

"You've given me everything that I will need, To make it through this crazy thing called life, And I know you watched me grow up, and only want what's best for me."

Change:

I LOVE this song. It's a slower one, but I really like the message that is behind this one.

"What you're gonna do when you're watching TV, And an ad comes on, yeah, you know the kind, Flashing up pictures of a child in need, For a dime a day, you could save a life, Do you call the number, reach out a hand, Or do you change the channel, call it a scam."

Do you call the number or do you believe that...

"You're just a fool, just a fool to believe you can change the world"
Oh, the smallest thing can make all the difference
Love is alive, don't listen to them when they say
"You're just a fool, just a fool to believe you can change the world"

Undo It:

I will admit that when I listen to this album, that I play this song the most. It's my favorite - but I will tell you, that like "Cowboy Casanova", it has a more rocky and hard sound.

In the song she's talking about how she wants to "undo" the relationship that she had with a guy.

"You stole my happy, you made me cry, Took the lonely and took me for a ride, And I wanna uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it"

 

Someday When I Stop Loving You:

This song is REALLY slow. But I do think that it's a really pretty song - talking about how her guy (I guess it's insinuating husband, but never mentions that), is leaving her, and she's saying that

"I'll move on baby just like you, When the desert floods and the grass turns blue, When a sailing ship don't need a moon, It'll break my heart but I'll get through, Someday when I stop loving you."

It's a love song, and it's pretty, but definitely not one that I listen to regularly, because like I said, I'm more of a faster-song kind-of girl. 

Songs Like This:

I love the beat in this song - but not particularly the message in the song. It's a fun up-beat song that makes you want to get up and dance around the room, with a good friend or two! :)

In the beginning it says:

"Wanna find some boy, rip his heart right out, First man I see, gonna take him down, It ain't the Christian thing to do, they say, But someone, somewhere's gotta pay."

In the chorus it says:

"Even I'm surprised, How easy sweet revenge rolls off my lips, If it wasn't for guys like you, There wouldn't be songs like this."

Temporary Home:

This song is slow and SAD! It's a song with three different 'stories' within it - but with the same idea.

"A little boy, six years old, A little too used to being alone, Another new mom and dad, Another school, another house that will never be home." 

"Young mom, on her own, She needs a little help, got nowhere to go, She's looking for a job, looking for a way out, 'Cause a halfway house will never be a home."

"Old man, hospital bed, The room is filled with people he loves, And he whispers, "Don't cry for me, I'll see you all someday", He looks up and says, "I can see God's face""

 The chorus goes:

"This is my temporary home, it's not where I belong, Windows and rooms that I'm passing through, This was just a stop on the way to where I'm going, I'm not afraid because I know, This was my temporary home."

The bridge - about the old man in the hospital is definitely my favorite part of the song - because he's mentioning how earth is just our temporary home, before we pass on, and as Christians, go to Heaven. I just really think that that's an awesome part in the song.

This Time: 

I can tell you, that I didn't even recognize this song title, when I was looking at the track listing, and figuring out what to write for this review. I don't listen to this one much - apparently!

It has an okay tune, and it's definitely faster-paced than some of the other ones on this CD, but slower than others.

"But I wanna tell you, That my heart is busting at the seams, yeah, And I can't wait another minute, Life is short, love is sweet, Ain't no time like this time baby."

I'm not even sure exactly sure what this song is about - probably since I don't listen to it as much as the others.

Look At Me:

Another song that I don't listen to often - but it has a pretty tune - that's slow, but still pretty.

"I would bet my life, like I bet my heart, That you were the one, baby, I've never been so sure of anything before, You're driving my heart crazy."

I LOVE the harmony in this songs' chorus - it's so pretty, and that's probably my favorite thing about it.

"Darling, look at me, I've fallen like a fool for you, Darling, can't you see, I'd do anything you want me to, I tell myself I'm in to deep, Then I fall a little farther, Every time you look at me."

I'm not exactly sure what I think of this song's message. I guess that I, myself, don't find any bad insinuations in it, but I think that she does say:

"I will do anything you want me to." And I don't really like that about it.

UnApologize:

I like this song - probably, like others, because of the faster-paced tune, and how it's got a beat.

""I love you" came flooding out, Couldn't make it stop, couldn't shut my mouth, I felt like a fool when I lied and said I was sorry."

"I unapologize, I meant every word, Won't take back the way I feel about you, I can't unsay what you heard, 'cause you heard me right."

Like some of the other songs, I don't find too much wrong with this song - except...

"Couldn't help myself when you held me tight."

What Can I Say? (featuring Sons of Sylvia):

I love this duet! Carrie Underwood sounds great with the lead singer (his name is Ashley - if you wanted to know. I kinda think the name for a guy is weird, but I like it for a girl! HAHA!)

"Piercing words, eyes are red, Watched your tail lights in the rain, Empty heart filled with regret, I know we were both to blame."

This song, if you couldn't tell, is about a breakup.

"And you should know, please believe me, I've picked up the phone a thousand times, And tried to dial your number, But it's been so long, it's never easy, It's like trying to spin the world the other way, What can I say?"

Play On: 

This is the title track of the CD - and it's also the LAST song on the CD- meaning that if I'm listening to it in order, I don't actually listen to this song often. But I do like the chorus of it - it's like a 'press on even when you don't feel like you want to', kind-of song.

"Play on when you're losing the game, Play on 'cause you're gonna make mistakes, It's always worth the sacrifice, Even when you think you're wrong, So play on."

"Even through a storm on the darkest night, Don't you ever give up the fight. Even when you feel you're all alone."

I really like the message in the chorus and the rest of the song is great as well! I think that it's a great title track - even though I don't listen to it often, I still enjoy it!  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope this review was helpful to you, and if you have any questions about the CD, be sure to leave a comment, and I'll comment you back, with my answer!

:)

~Ashley

Unintentional Witnessing

I don't know about you, but I really enjoyed Suzanna's devotional earlier this week. Wasn't it inspiring? I thought it would be fun to see what God says about being a missionary to those around us, and I found quite a few verses.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:31

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

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. ~ 1 Peter 4:10

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. ~ 1 Timothy 4:12

God has placed us all where we are in life for a reason. Just because we can't pack up and head for a foreign country doesn't mean we can't tell people about Jesus.

I had an experience that reinforced this concept to me a couple weeks ago when I was at the library. While I was waiting in line to check my books out, I noticed one librarian in particular. I heard a quiet voice whisper in my heart, You will share Me with her today.

"What, God? No! You know I've never led anyone to Christ! Much less some random librarian that I don't even know. I can't believe you're asking me to do this," I protested. (Honestly. That is more or less what I said.)

Okay, don't freak out. Just ask her how she is.

I can do that, I decided. I stepped up to the counter and set my books down.

"How has your day gone so far?" I asked, smiling as warmly as I could.

"Good, good," she responded genuinely, her eyes smiling. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," I responded.

"Great. These books are due on January 20th."

God, how am I supposed to lead her to Christ when she's handing me my receipt? I questioned.

You did share Me with her, He said.

It was only when I walked out that I understood. I had shared Christ with the librarian just by noticing her, and by attempting to brighten her day. Suddenly my favorite quote took on a whole new meaning:

“Preach the gospel always – and if necessary, use words.”

We are always sharing our faith, whether we realize it or not.

~Kylie

Modern and Past Missionaries

Well...I was supposed to write about modern and past missionaries, but, me being the rebellious person that I am, I decided I'd just write about modern missionaries.



So, when I think of the word missionary, I think about some adventurous person wearing khaki shorts and a green t-shirt searching for a tribe to preach to through binoculars. What do you picture?


But, the funny thing is that there's another type of missionary. If you are a Christian and you talk to you friends, family, people you don't even know about God, then you're a missionary.


In my big, thick Webster's dictionary (I named it Big Ol' Blu.) the definition of 'missionary' is a person sent on a mission; specif., a person sent out by his church to preach and teach.


The church that I go to have different missionaries come from all over the world to talk about what they do. I think listening to their stories and the ways they live are so interesting. So different from what I'm used to here in America, that's for sure.


And all of our missionaries that visit our church all say that they felt led to go out into the world and preach the gospel. I know God has different talents and things that he gives people, and I definitely don't feel called to be a missionary in Peru, the Phillipines, China. I feel like God is calling me to help the people around me. The people I see every week in town, the people visiting our church.


And maybe one day God will call me to go somewhere exotic or out of my comfort zone to help people become Christians. But for now, I'm just working on the people around me. Because, just like in Europe or Mexico, there's people around, -lots of them, I might add- that need Christ in their life.


So...here's a little challenge; try being a missionary for a day. You might get something out of it; the person you're talking to might get something out of it; or all of the above. The latter would be best...


Thanks for reading. Please take this entry to heart...I know I will!!


~Suzanna