Verse of the Day:
Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but the woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
When I was in high school I never felt the need to look excessively nice. I wore a little make up to school and got dressed up some days, but I remember the majority of the days I was okay with rolling out of bed 15 minutes before school started and going in my sweatpants. Then I came to college. People DID care about what they looked like. A lot. They put more makeup on for class than I did for prom. They didn't wear sweatpants to 7:45 a.m. class. Instead, they got up at 6:00 a.m. to pick out the perfect outfit FOR CLASS. All of the sudden I felt this pressure I'd never felt before to look really 'put together' on a daily basis. And soon I was paying much more attention to my outward appearance than my inward appearance.
Sometimes we get caught up in what other people and society tell us we should care about and we spend valuable time worrying about what we look like and how others perceive us. It's hard to think about now, but our bodies are aging every single day and someday we will grow old. The things that are going to define us won't be our clothes or what we look like, but the kind of person we are, the good deeds we do, and our faith in God will be things that stick with us forever.
The Simple Truth: Focus on things that will withstand the test of time. Try to focus as much time on your spiritual appearance as your physical appearance.
Pray:
Lord, help me to remember that the things that define me aren't the things in my outer appearance. Remind me everyday to take time to work on who I am as a person and to grow to be more like you. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers -
K
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Hard Work Pays Off
Verse of the Day:
2 Chronicles 15:7
But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.
I'm in Mock Trial at school. (Okay, I realize that it's super nerdy, but it's awesome) Last year we had an awesome team. We had 5 seniors who were just Mock Trial studs and really knew their stuff. We always won our competitions with them and last year we made history at my school when our Mock Trial Team made it to state for the first time. We were all so excited! We ended up getting 4th place in the state competition, something we were really proud of. Then those talented seniors graduated and we thought all hope was lost.
This year, we started mock trial with only three returning team members out of 12. We were really nervous, but the new people were so dedicated! They got all of the rules and objections down, and I remember thinking to myself "Wow, we're actually not that bad!" A couple weeks ago at practice, our advisor asked us if going to state was something we were shooting for again, and we answered in a resounding YES! We wanted to prove something to ourselves -- that hard work could pay off. And it did pay off! Today, we had our determining meet that would potentially bring us to the state competition again. And we won! Our hard work truly did pay off.
This is kind of like our relationship with God. If we work hard at it, we really are going to see some really great results. We will be rewarded. The commitment is hard, but it will pay off. Have courage to keep your relationship with God up. Work hard at it, and God will give you great things.
The Simple Truth: Hard work pays off in our relationship with God. Never give up.
Pray:
Lord, sometimes it is hard to keep faith. Sometimes it's hard to work hard at building a better relationship with you. Help me understand that if I commit, great things will happen.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
2 Chronicles 15:7
But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.
I'm in Mock Trial at school. (Okay, I realize that it's super nerdy, but it's awesome) Last year we had an awesome team. We had 5 seniors who were just Mock Trial studs and really knew their stuff. We always won our competitions with them and last year we made history at my school when our Mock Trial Team made it to state for the first time. We were all so excited! We ended up getting 4th place in the state competition, something we were really proud of. Then those talented seniors graduated and we thought all hope was lost.
This year, we started mock trial with only three returning team members out of 12. We were really nervous, but the new people were so dedicated! They got all of the rules and objections down, and I remember thinking to myself "Wow, we're actually not that bad!" A couple weeks ago at practice, our advisor asked us if going to state was something we were shooting for again, and we answered in a resounding YES! We wanted to prove something to ourselves -- that hard work could pay off. And it did pay off! Today, we had our determining meet that would potentially bring us to the state competition again. And we won! Our hard work truly did pay off.
This is kind of like our relationship with God. If we work hard at it, we really are going to see some really great results. We will be rewarded. The commitment is hard, but it will pay off. Have courage to keep your relationship with God up. Work hard at it, and God will give you great things.
The Simple Truth: Hard work pays off in our relationship with God. Never give up.
Pray:
Lord, sometimes it is hard to keep faith. Sometimes it's hard to work hard at building a better relationship with you. Help me understand that if I commit, great things will happen.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Healing
Verse of the Day:
Hebrews 12:12-13
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of place, but rather healed.
I have this friend who broke his arm a few years back playing football. He got a cast for it and it started to heal, but then he was acting dumb around his friends and ended up hurting his arm even MORE. Then he had to stay in a cast for an even longer period of time, prohibiting him from playing the sports he loves. If he would have been patient and taken the right care of his arm, everything would have healed and he would have been back playing sports in a matter of weeks.
Relating this to God. (Man, that line never gets old) Sometimes we may have problems in our relationship with God. We may not be as strong as we could. Sometimes, we're completely broken inside, and instead of trying to fix it, we mess up even more. God wants us to recognize when we are broken and to take the right steps to get better. If we make sure steps to get better and to fix our relationship with God, we will be healed. The best part about it is that God WANTS us to get better and he WANTS to help us. Cool.
The Simple Truth: In order to be healed, we gotta fix what's wrong, not make it worse.
Pray:
Lord, when I am broken inside, help me to turn to you and not to something else that will make my problems worse. Help me become strong and have a wonderful relationship with you.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Hebrews 12:12-13
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of place, but rather healed.
I have this friend who broke his arm a few years back playing football. He got a cast for it and it started to heal, but then he was acting dumb around his friends and ended up hurting his arm even MORE. Then he had to stay in a cast for an even longer period of time, prohibiting him from playing the sports he loves. If he would have been patient and taken the right care of his arm, everything would have healed and he would have been back playing sports in a matter of weeks.
Relating this to God. (Man, that line never gets old) Sometimes we may have problems in our relationship with God. We may not be as strong as we could. Sometimes, we're completely broken inside, and instead of trying to fix it, we mess up even more. God wants us to recognize when we are broken and to take the right steps to get better. If we make sure steps to get better and to fix our relationship with God, we will be healed. The best part about it is that God WANTS us to get better and he WANTS to help us. Cool.
The Simple Truth: In order to be healed, we gotta fix what's wrong, not make it worse.
Pray:
Lord, when I am broken inside, help me to turn to you and not to something else that will make my problems worse. Help me become strong and have a wonderful relationship with you.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Monday, February 21, 2011
Children of God
Verse of the Day:
Matthew 18:3-4
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the humble position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
I nanny a 2 and a 4 year old in La Crosse. I have been watching them a few days a week for the past year and they are always very entertaining to me. They are at ages where everything is new and fascinating. The other day, the 2 year old sat for 5 minutes playing with the garbage (one that you push a button and it pops open) because she was absolutely AMAZED by it. These kids trust the world in a way that doesn’t seem rational to me. They don’t know people can be bad, they make new best friends everyday on the playground, and they never lose sleep over gossip, lies, or betrayal. And they know God in the way that God is talking about in this verse. Once, my friend Elicia who also watches the kids was with them and had on a cross necklace. The 4 year old pointed at her necklace and said “Jesus died on the cross for my sassy words.” Simple as that. No overanalyzing it. No claiming that he’d never done anything wrong. Just knowing that God died for US. Sometimes we get too caught up in everything that is going on in our lives and we forget the simple pleasures God provides us with every day. God loves when we are willing to follow Him, learn all we can about Him, and rely on Him for comfort and support.
The Simple Truth: Through the eyes of a child, the world is a simple and amazing place.
Pray:
Lord, thank You for all the little things You give me and show me on a daily basis that I so often overlook. Help me to approach the world more like a child – with a humble heart, an innocent mind, and a servant’s hands. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Friday, February 18, 2011
Being Thankful
Verse of the Day:
Psalm 4:1
Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
I think we could all use a lesson on being thankful from this little girl.
Thank You God
Happy Weekend!
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Psalm 4:1
Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
I think we could all use a lesson on being thankful from this little girl.
Thank You God
Happy Weekend!
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Giving Everything
Verse of the Day:
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Okay so I know I relate a lot of stuff to God about my singing experiences and voice lessons and stuff...but really that's where I make a lot of connections! So, yet again, I have ANOTHER connection. Bear with me :)
I was at my voice lesson the other night, and I just wasn't singing very well. I don't know why. It just didn't sound very good and I wasn't hitting notes I usually can hit. Then my voice teacher said "Lauren, just give everything you've got and you'll hit that note!" I didn't think he would be right, but when I put everything toward hitting that ONE NOTE I hit it! And it felt so good!
Relating this to God, sometimes we don't give everything to God. We might give him some of our worries or some of our anxieties about certain things. When we do that, sometimes we're not pleased with the outcome. If we give God all of our worries, all of our hopes, dreams, fears, happiness, think of how much we will get out of it. When we put everything we have toward building a stronger relationship with God, we're gonna get it. And it's gonna feel so good!
The Simple Truth: If we give everything to God, He'll do great things for us.
Pray:
Lord, help me to give everything to You, not just some of the things in my life. Help me to realize how powerful and great You really are. Amen.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Okay so I know I relate a lot of stuff to God about my singing experiences and voice lessons and stuff...but really that's where I make a lot of connections! So, yet again, I have ANOTHER connection. Bear with me :)
I was at my voice lesson the other night, and I just wasn't singing very well. I don't know why. It just didn't sound very good and I wasn't hitting notes I usually can hit. Then my voice teacher said "Lauren, just give everything you've got and you'll hit that note!" I didn't think he would be right, but when I put everything toward hitting that ONE NOTE I hit it! And it felt so good!
Relating this to God, sometimes we don't give everything to God. We might give him some of our worries or some of our anxieties about certain things. When we do that, sometimes we're not pleased with the outcome. If we give God all of our worries, all of our hopes, dreams, fears, happiness, think of how much we will get out of it. When we put everything we have toward building a stronger relationship with God, we're gonna get it. And it's gonna feel so good!
The Simple Truth: If we give everything to God, He'll do great things for us.
Pray:
Lord, help me to give everything to You, not just some of the things in my life. Help me to realize how powerful and great You really are. Amen.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Reflection
Verse of the Day
2 Corinthians 3:18
All of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord - who is the Spirit - makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
One of my closest friends at school is named Allie. We actually only met early last year, but we hit it off right away. Soon we were hanging out a lot outside of school and becoming better and better friends. We realized we had a lot of similarities - we were both elementary education majors (so we had most of our classes together too!), we both came from families of all sisters, we were both strong in our faith, we both loved country music, the list goes on and on. And the more time we spent with each other, the more similar we became. Now we get mistaken for each other by professors and when our classmates see one of us without the other the first question they would ask us was 'Where's Allie/Kristy?'. We're pretty much like a package deal these days.
Relating this to God (I'm stealing that line from Lauren. ;) ) the more time we spend with God, the more similar to Him we become too. We start to speak gently and positively to people like He would want us to. Our attitudes and motives become more pure. The things we do to serve others aren't thought of as burdens but as acts of love. Overall, we gain more Christ-like qualities.
The Simple Truth: Spend some time with God, He might rub off on ya.
Pray:
Lord, help me to want to spend more quality time with You. I want to become more like You everyday I live. Thank You for showing me how to lead a faithful life. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
2 Corinthians 3:18
All of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord - who is the Spirit - makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
One of my closest friends at school is named Allie. We actually only met early last year, but we hit it off right away. Soon we were hanging out a lot outside of school and becoming better and better friends. We realized we had a lot of similarities - we were both elementary education majors (so we had most of our classes together too!), we both came from families of all sisters, we were both strong in our faith, we both loved country music, the list goes on and on. And the more time we spent with each other, the more similar we became. Now we get mistaken for each other by professors and when our classmates see one of us without the other the first question they would ask us was 'Where's Allie/Kristy?'. We're pretty much like a package deal these days.
Relating this to God (I'm stealing that line from Lauren. ;) ) the more time we spend with God, the more similar to Him we become too. We start to speak gently and positively to people like He would want us to. Our attitudes and motives become more pure. The things we do to serve others aren't thought of as burdens but as acts of love. Overall, we gain more Christ-like qualities.
The Simple Truth: Spend some time with God, He might rub off on ya.
Pray:
Lord, help me to want to spend more quality time with You. I want to become more like You everyday I live. Thank You for showing me how to lead a faithful life. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Tipping God
Verse of the Day:
1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
A lot of us go to restaurants. After we eat, we pay the waiter or waitress for their service. It is an automatic thing for us to do. It’s usually about 15% or more of the total amount that the food bill comes out to and we leave it on the table for the waitress to find after we leave the restaurant. We do it as a way of saying "thanks" to the people who do service for us.
How often do we ‘tip’ God for His service? Obviously we can’t pay God with money, but we can ‘tip’ Him daily with our time and with our talent. Stop and think of how much of your day is devoted to God. God does a lot for us! He deserves all the tips in the world. But what can you do TODAY to give God a little bigger of a ‘tip’? Maybe it’s an extra 5 minutes of prayer before bed. Maybe it is signing up to teach religious education classes at church. What can you do to show God that He’s doing good service for us? Better yet, how can you make it an automatic thing, just like leaving tips for waitresses?
The Simple Truth: We automatically leave tips for the people who give us service. We need to do the same for God!
Pray:
Lord, help me to give you a good ‘tip’ every day with my time and talent. Help me to let you know I appreciate all You do for me. Amen.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Monday, February 14, 2011
In the World, Not of it
God has blessed me with so many wonderful people in my life. One of these people is Alyssa. She is my roommate and one of the most beautiful people, inside and out, that I have ever known. Alyssa has such a love for Christ and an amazing passion for people, especially people in other countries who don't have the opportunities we have here in America. I am so lucky to have her in my life and she has changed the way I look at so many things in this world. God has her doing big things in her life and I can't wait to see what they are. Keep this girl in your prayers! Anywho, she's guest blogging today. :)
Verse of the Day:
Verse of the Day:
Romans 12:2
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
We live in a world that puts more faith in our failing economy than in our Savior. A world that would rather sing songs of discrimination than songs of praise. It’s all so tempting to lose ourselves in the customs of this world but I’d rather live for what’s pure and true.
During my run this evening my beautiful friend Cherie and I were made an observation of how many billboards we were passing with the simple purpose of trying to persuade us to buy unnecessary items. As I reflected on Romans 12:2 I couldn’t help but think about today’s culture and the customs of this world. Hollywood is filled with glitz and glamour, the quality of life (for many) is determined by how many things one owns, and money is the driving force of actions. How beautiful is it that as Christians we have something much more valuable, promising, and true. We have the love of Christ and he has a plan for my and your life that is indescribable through words. We don’t have to look any further than the promises in the Bible to know that if we let him into our life and let him direct it we will live a life full of love and a life that is pleasing to Him.
The Simple Truth: Jesus is love.
Pray:
Lord, I pray that you continue to transform and mold me into the person that you created me to be. I want to live only by the plan that you have mapped out for my life because your plan is more beautiful and perfect than anything I could ever dream up.
I am so blessed to have this girl as one of my best friends.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Happy Valentine's Day! Hope you spread some love! :)
Friday, February 11, 2011
Grudges
Verse of the Day:
Leviticus 19:18
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.
I've had a super stressful week at school. For those of you who don't know, I'm kind of a crazy person because I'm involved in way too many things for my own good. I was at work getting everything ready for our big semi-formal dance coming up tomorrow night. Every day, it seemed, something would go wrong. One day someone forgot to sell tickets at lunch. The next day someone messed up all the money in the cash box. The next day we ran out of dance tickets, and there were crying girls and upset guys who didn't get their tickets.
Throughout all of those little mishaps, someone was always responsible. I was just so stressed, I took it out on everyone around me. I acted pretty selfish, not thinking anyone's problems even COMPARED with mine. I got really mad at this one guy over something really stupid. I was holding grudges. I wasn't thinking about anyone but myself.
After I got some sleep and all of the problems got fixed, I looked at things from another perspective. I tried not to think of just me. And guess what? Things went a lot smoother. Holding grudges did nothing to help my situation. Getting mad at people didn't fix the fact that someone messed up the money. Once I got past that and learned to look what it'd be like in other people's shoes, I got so much more done.
The Simple Truth: Holding grudges will do nothing. Look at things from others points of view and you'll be able to see what really matters.
Pray:
Lord, when I am frustrated with other people or situations, help me to not hold grudges and to look at things from their point of view. Help me to realize that it's not all about me.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Jonah and the Whale
Verse of the Day:
Jonah 1:3
But Jonah ran away from the LORD...
Okay, so I got an email with this video in it. This little girl is AMAZING. Her story telling abilities leave me in awe every time I watch it. She rocks. I'm sure you all know the story of Jonah and the Whale, but if not this is a great way to learn about it. And if you already know it, you'll see it differently after watching this.
The Story of Jonah
The Simple Truth: You can't run from God. ; )
Pray:
Lord, help me to know that whatever task you give me is what I'm supposed to be doing. Show me the way to fulfilling Your plan. You are a great God. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Jonah 1:3
But Jonah ran away from the LORD...
Okay, so I got an email with this video in it. This little girl is AMAZING. Her story telling abilities leave me in awe every time I watch it. She rocks. I'm sure you all know the story of Jonah and the Whale, but if not this is a great way to learn about it. And if you already know it, you'll see it differently after watching this.
The Story of Jonah
The Simple Truth: You can't run from God. ; )
Pray:
Lord, help me to know that whatever task you give me is what I'm supposed to be doing. Show me the way to fulfilling Your plan. You are a great God. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Opportunity
Verse of the Day:
Colossians 4:5
...make the most of every opportunity.
I just started a mentorship program with my school. Basically, for the next 10 weeks I get to follow around someone doing their professional job and get a feel for what it'd be like. I'm going to be mentoring with a music therapist and I'm really excited about it, but I'm also very nervous. Today, I had an interview with him and met him for the first time. I had no idea what to expect! I was nervous, wondering if he'd even be willing to be a mentor or want to work with me. Right before I met with him, I decided this was a significant opportunity and that I needed to put my heart into it to get what I wanted out of it.
Even though I didn't even get to follow him around as a music therapist, I got a lot out of our hour interview because I put a lot into that opportunity to meet with him. I asked all the questions I needed and didn't hesitate to share my fears and my excitement. As soon as I was open, he was too, and we both got a lot out of the meeting.
Relating this to God, ( I use that phrase a lot don't I) :)) there are so many opportunities to get closer to God. Some of them we pass up or don't even see all together. Make the most of every opportunity God throws at you. And when you take up that chance, put whatever you've got into it. You'll get a lot out of it in return.
The Simple Truth: God throws opportunities in our lives and it's up to us to make the most of them.
Pray:
Lord, help me to make the most of every opportunity and to recognize chances to get closer to you. Help me through new situations that might scare me. A to the MEN.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Colossians 4:5
...make the most of every opportunity.
I just started a mentorship program with my school. Basically, for the next 10 weeks I get to follow around someone doing their professional job and get a feel for what it'd be like. I'm going to be mentoring with a music therapist and I'm really excited about it, but I'm also very nervous. Today, I had an interview with him and met him for the first time. I had no idea what to expect! I was nervous, wondering if he'd even be willing to be a mentor or want to work with me. Right before I met with him, I decided this was a significant opportunity and that I needed to put my heart into it to get what I wanted out of it.
Even though I didn't even get to follow him around as a music therapist, I got a lot out of our hour interview because I put a lot into that opportunity to meet with him. I asked all the questions I needed and didn't hesitate to share my fears and my excitement. As soon as I was open, he was too, and we both got a lot out of the meeting.
Relating this to God, ( I use that phrase a lot don't I) :)) there are so many opportunities to get closer to God. Some of them we pass up or don't even see all together. Make the most of every opportunity God throws at you. And when you take up that chance, put whatever you've got into it. You'll get a lot out of it in return.
The Simple Truth: God throws opportunities in our lives and it's up to us to make the most of them.
Pray:
Lord, help me to make the most of every opportunity and to recognize chances to get closer to you. Help me through new situations that might scare me. A to the MEN.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Good Deeds
Verse of the Day:
1 Timothy 6:18
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
I came home last night to my roommate having a really bad day. It was 11:30 p.m., she had been in class all day, then worked until 11, she had 2 papers to write before class in the morning, and about 10 other things that were stressing her out. I felt so terrible for her, but I also felt like there was NOTHING I was able to do to make her day better. I talked to her for a while and once she felt a little better about all she had to do, I went to bed. Our schedules are pretty opposite, so I didn't see her during the day today but I kept thinking about her, praying for her, and hoping her day today was better than yesterday.
I had to run some errands today and passed by the candy isle at the grocery store. Cookie Dough Bites caught my eye... 'Elicia loves these!' I thought. I threw them in my basket and checked out. When I got home I wrote a little note to her and put that and the candy on her bed. Elicia got home from work a little while later, and I actually forgot I had even put the candy in her room. She talked to us downstairs for a while and then went up to her room to go to bed. Soon after, she ran out of her room laughing and thanking me over and over for the candy, the note, and for just plain old thinking of her. She seriously just came in my room 30 seconds ago and thanked me again. It made me feel so great that I was able to impact her day so much JUST by writing a simple note and getting her her favorite candy.
The Simple Truth: Our SIMPLE actions can turn someone's day around. Small actions speak in big ways.
Pray:
Lord, help me to notice when those around me are in need of something. I know that I won't always be able to provide what they need, but help me to remember to pray for them and help them in simple ways. Keep my focus on how great it is to constantly serve others. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
1 Timothy 6:18
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
I came home last night to my roommate having a really bad day. It was 11:30 p.m., she had been in class all day, then worked until 11, she had 2 papers to write before class in the morning, and about 10 other things that were stressing her out. I felt so terrible for her, but I also felt like there was NOTHING I was able to do to make her day better. I talked to her for a while and once she felt a little better about all she had to do, I went to bed. Our schedules are pretty opposite, so I didn't see her during the day today but I kept thinking about her, praying for her, and hoping her day today was better than yesterday.
I had to run some errands today and passed by the candy isle at the grocery store. Cookie Dough Bites caught my eye... 'Elicia loves these!' I thought. I threw them in my basket and checked out. When I got home I wrote a little note to her and put that and the candy on her bed. Elicia got home from work a little while later, and I actually forgot I had even put the candy in her room. She talked to us downstairs for a while and then went up to her room to go to bed. Soon after, she ran out of her room laughing and thanking me over and over for the candy, the note, and for just plain old thinking of her. She seriously just came in my room 30 seconds ago and thanked me again. It made me feel so great that I was able to impact her day so much JUST by writing a simple note and getting her her favorite candy.
The Simple Truth: Our SIMPLE actions can turn someone's day around. Small actions speak in big ways.
Pray:
Lord, help me to notice when those around me are in need of something. I know that I won't always be able to provide what they need, but help me to remember to pray for them and help them in simple ways. Keep my focus on how great it is to constantly serve others. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Monday, February 7, 2011
Renewing My Faith
Verse of the Day:
Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
I'm almost positive anyone who reads this blog knows all about Summer Fest and all of its wonderfulness, but if not, check it out - Summer Festival.
Anywho, I went to Winter Festival this weekend. On Friday, even though I really did want to go, I couldn't help but think of all the other things I could have or should have been doing instead of taking a weekend away. Even as I was driving there I couldn't get my mind off these thoughts. Finally I arrived at where camp was being held. I took out my phone to let people know I was there and realized I had no service. At first this panicked me, but in the end it was one of the greatest blessings of the weekend.
As soon as I got out of my car and started talking to all of the people who are involved in Winter Fest, my worries were out the door. They are absolutely some of the greatest people I know and definitely some of the most fun people to be around. The campers arrived and my attitude improved even more. We went to club and worshiped our amazing Lord with song and dance and heard some wonderful words from a speaker. I knew that was exactly where God wanted me to be this weekend. The rest of the time continued on like that... Great worship, amazing talks with amazing campers and staff, words being spoken right to where my heart was at, and no connections to the outside world.
And then as it always does, the end of the time came too soon. I had to leave these great people and this inspiring atmosphere and go back to the real world that I wasn't prepared to face. Even though I could have used a couple more days of camp, God gave me exactly what I needed this weekend to feed my spirit and renew my faith in Him. He gave me a reality check of what is important in my life right when I thought I had it all figured out.
The Simple Truth: God knows what you need even when you don't and will provide you just the right amount.
Pray:
Lord, give me opportunities to renew my faith in You. I know that sometimes I feel that I am too busy to spend the time on You that I should, but help me to see that everything else in my life will get easier if I do. You are a great God. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
I'm almost positive anyone who reads this blog knows all about Summer Fest and all of its wonderfulness, but if not, check it out - Summer Festival.
Anywho, I went to Winter Festival this weekend. On Friday, even though I really did want to go, I couldn't help but think of all the other things I could have or should have been doing instead of taking a weekend away. Even as I was driving there I couldn't get my mind off these thoughts. Finally I arrived at where camp was being held. I took out my phone to let people know I was there and realized I had no service. At first this panicked me, but in the end it was one of the greatest blessings of the weekend.
As soon as I got out of my car and started talking to all of the people who are involved in Winter Fest, my worries were out the door. They are absolutely some of the greatest people I know and definitely some of the most fun people to be around. The campers arrived and my attitude improved even more. We went to club and worshiped our amazing Lord with song and dance and heard some wonderful words from a speaker. I knew that was exactly where God wanted me to be this weekend. The rest of the time continued on like that... Great worship, amazing talks with amazing campers and staff, words being spoken right to where my heart was at, and no connections to the outside world.
And then as it always does, the end of the time came too soon. I had to leave these great people and this inspiring atmosphere and go back to the real world that I wasn't prepared to face. Even though I could have used a couple more days of camp, God gave me exactly what I needed this weekend to feed my spirit and renew my faith in Him. He gave me a reality check of what is important in my life right when I thought I had it all figured out.
The Simple Truth: God knows what you need even when you don't and will provide you just the right amount.
Pray:
Lord, give me opportunities to renew my faith in You. I know that sometimes I feel that I am too busy to spend the time on You that I should, but help me to see that everything else in my life will get easier if I do. You are a great God. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Friday, February 4, 2011
Advice
Verse of the Day:
Proverbs 19:20
Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.
I like to give advice. If a friend is dealing with something that they want someone else's input on, I try to be there for them and give them the best guidance that I can. When other people are in bad situations and all we have to do is listen to what is bothering them and give them another point of view or advice on it, we think it is so easy to see the way out of the situation. I know a lot of times when I am listening to someone I am thinking "Well I KNOW if I were in this situation, I would handle it like this and it would totally work out." But then if I ever am in a similar situation, I have no idea what to do. One of the hardest things to do in life is to take your own advice.
God doesn't expect or want us to go through difficult times in our lives alone. He has given us people in our lives who have a way to speak to our hearts using His words. Just talking to people with backgrounds and experiences different than the ones you have can help you to be able to see things more clearly.
The Simple Truth: You shouldn't try to handle life's problems on your own if you feel they are too much for you to handle. Find a Christian friend, mentor, parent, or anyone who you think will have advice to lead you in the right direction.
Pray:
Lord, thank You for not letting me go through any difficult times alone. I know that it is sometimes hard to see my situation and what I should do from the inside. Please help me to be willing to let people in to help me. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Proverbs 19:20
Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.
I like to give advice. If a friend is dealing with something that they want someone else's input on, I try to be there for them and give them the best guidance that I can. When other people are in bad situations and all we have to do is listen to what is bothering them and give them another point of view or advice on it, we think it is so easy to see the way out of the situation. I know a lot of times when I am listening to someone I am thinking "Well I KNOW if I were in this situation, I would handle it like this and it would totally work out." But then if I ever am in a similar situation, I have no idea what to do. One of the hardest things to do in life is to take your own advice.
God doesn't expect or want us to go through difficult times in our lives alone. He has given us people in our lives who have a way to speak to our hearts using His words. Just talking to people with backgrounds and experiences different than the ones you have can help you to be able to see things more clearly.
The Simple Truth: You shouldn't try to handle life's problems on your own if you feel they are too much for you to handle. Find a Christian friend, mentor, parent, or anyone who you think will have advice to lead you in the right direction.
Pray:
Lord, thank You for not letting me go through any difficult times alone. I know that it is sometimes hard to see my situation and what I should do from the inside. Please help me to be willing to let people in to help me. Amen.
Peace, love & prayers-
K
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Twice as Powerful as Prayer
Verse of the Day:
1 Chronicles 16:23
Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day
I teach voice lessons. The girl I teach is super smart and very insightful. Today we were working on an English folk song, and all of the sudden she started rambling about how the words of the song were a metaphor for the composer's lost love and how the oak tree in the song compared to the heart of the person who wrote the song. It literally took me a second to figure out that she was even talking about the SONG. I personally had never actually READ the words, I had just sung them. I wasn't concerned on what the words were saying, I was just concerned of what the notes were and when I should take a breath.
My great grandmother always said that "songs are twice as powerful as prayer". I really agree with that, but sometimes I forget to put MEANING behind the words I sing. I think we all do sometimes. Next time you are singing in church or listening to the Christian radio station, THINK about the words you are singing. They are beautiful and really lift up the Lord. Think about what you're singing, and it'll be twice as powerful.
The Simple Truth: Songs are powerful things and really praise God, but sometimes we forget to put meaning behind the words we sing.
Pray:
Lord, help me to pay attention to the words I am singing to You. Help me to lift Your name up so that I may praise you with my music. Amen.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
1 Chronicles 16:23
Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day
I teach voice lessons. The girl I teach is super smart and very insightful. Today we were working on an English folk song, and all of the sudden she started rambling about how the words of the song were a metaphor for the composer's lost love and how the oak tree in the song compared to the heart of the person who wrote the song. It literally took me a second to figure out that she was even talking about the SONG. I personally had never actually READ the words, I had just sung them. I wasn't concerned on what the words were saying, I was just concerned of what the notes were and when I should take a breath.
My great grandmother always said that "songs are twice as powerful as prayer". I really agree with that, but sometimes I forget to put MEANING behind the words I sing. I think we all do sometimes. Next time you are singing in church or listening to the Christian radio station, THINK about the words you are singing. They are beautiful and really lift up the Lord. Think about what you're singing, and it'll be twice as powerful.
The Simple Truth: Songs are powerful things and really praise God, but sometimes we forget to put meaning behind the words we sing.
Pray:
Lord, help me to pay attention to the words I am singing to You. Help me to lift Your name up so that I may praise you with my music. Amen.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
God Goals
Verse of the Day:
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect.
I am a busy girl, if some of you don't know. I tend to get myself super involved and volunteer to do wayyy too many things for my own good. Some days I wake up and set some goals for myself. I ask, 'What will be the focus of today? Will it be keeping up in government class? Or getting everything for student council ready?' I have realized lately that I have not been making it a priority to put God in the center of my days. I have been conformed by the many things that keep me busy throughout the day.
Setting goals is important. I will continue to make goals about the different activities I am involved in every day, but I'm also going to challenge myself to make a goal to pray once a day at a certain time, or to go to church one day a week. Those goals will bring me closer to God, keep me from conforming to the world, and help me keep God at the center of my life. What God goal will you make?
The Simple Truth: It is easy to get caught up in our own worlds, but we need to keep God in the center.
Pray:
Lord, help me to set goals to keep you in the center of my life. Help me understand that the things I do in this world are not what is important. Help me to come closer to you even when I am busy and to set God goals.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect.
I am a busy girl, if some of you don't know. I tend to get myself super involved and volunteer to do wayyy too many things for my own good. Some days I wake up and set some goals for myself. I ask, 'What will be the focus of today? Will it be keeping up in government class? Or getting everything for student council ready?' I have realized lately that I have not been making it a priority to put God in the center of my days. I have been conformed by the many things that keep me busy throughout the day.
Setting goals is important. I will continue to make goals about the different activities I am involved in every day, but I'm also going to challenge myself to make a goal to pray once a day at a certain time, or to go to church one day a week. Those goals will bring me closer to God, keep me from conforming to the world, and help me keep God at the center of my life. What God goal will you make?
The Simple Truth: It is easy to get caught up in our own worlds, but we need to keep God in the center.
Pray:
Lord, help me to set goals to keep you in the center of my life. Help me understand that the things I do in this world are not what is important. Help me to come closer to you even when I am busy and to set God goals.
Let your light shine.
-Lo
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