New blogs

Hey, here are some new blogs for y'all to check out!

*Musings of a Twig --musingsofatwig.blogspot.com (a friend)

*Comforts of the Heart --comfortsoftheheart.blogspot.com (sister...her travel blog)

*Stepping Heavenward -- heavenly-steps.blogspot.com (ME!! My travel blog!)

*The Left Behind -- theleftbehindgirls.blogspot.com (Bug and little sis...the ones not traveling the globe :D)

read em, enjoy em, laugh and cry! :)

-becca

Nobody breathe

Whatever you do, don't breathe, or this may not work any more!! For some beautiful reason, we are now able to post. Let's hear it for Bug and Becca's blessed computer!! :-D Which FINALLY decided to be agreeable!
Well, there is so much to catch up on since the last post. Life has been moving along, slowly at times, but as of late it has been FLYING by at an alarming pace. My sister leaves for her study abroad program in about 15 days. After that i'm sure time will slow down, then speed back up again as I get ready to leave.
I can't think of anything brilliant to say, but still, I shall post regularly now! Yay!

blessings,
-Becca

Na 2007

Hey everybody,
Holly posted a few days ago about the New Attitude Conference sermons that you can download for free. I would highly recommend doing so. I finished the last of the 7 sermons yesterday. They are SO amazing! I took tons of pages of notes, and I know I will refer to them often. We all can grow in the area of discernment.

Well, I finished my first final this morning. Only ONE MORE then i'm done with highschool for good! It's so weird to be thrust into a completely new peer group. Sometimes weird peer group, sometimes veiwed as rebellious, sometimes seen as the bright young generation that will change this country. For better or worse, i'm not really sure which. If most college age students are like those here at this college, we should be afraid. Very afraid. This generation is turning out weak-spined, politically correct, liberal, tolerant adults. Besides the fact that 95% of them smoke and drink, never you mind how old they are. Underage drinking doesn't matter once you are in college. You're an adult once you start calling your teachers "Professors" and you are automatically mature once you can walk out of class and never return any time you wish. Nobody cares about homework, and only once during the term does every single student enrolled for the class actually show up. And that's final's week. Ipods and cellphones get more attention then the lecture does. "Do as little as possible. Just enough to get by" is probably the motto of this generation. Forget learning. Forget applying yourself. The reason you are in this class is to squeeze out a C if possible. Since when did a "C" become a passing grade? In highschool, tears and frustration followed receiving such a low score, but now it's become the goal for most students. Forget the "A". And the "B". What's the lowest score I can get and still pass? A "C". So students spend more time figuring out how little they can do, then on homework. Ok, you can skip 5 classes, not turn in 6 homework assignments, and bomb at least 2 quizzes, and you've got a pass. Yay. Welcome to college.

-becca- ;-)

Have you been walking on a surface that’s uncertain

Have you helped yourself to everything that’s empty

You can’t live,

This way too long,

There’s more than this,

More than this

Have you been standing on your own feet too long

Have you been looking for a place where you belong

You can rest,

You will find rest

Let this old life crumble,

Let it fade,

Let this new life offered be your saving grace,

Let this old life crumble let it fade,

Let it fade

Have you been holding on to what this world has offered

Have you been giving in to all these masquerades it will be gone,

It will be gone

Are you carrying the weight too much,

Are you running from the call

New Attitude Conference

I’ve never been…but I plan to go someday! The New Attitude Conference is a weeklong conference started by Joshua Harris for Christian teens and young married couples. This year the conference was attended by 3,000 people this last week! Well, you may wonder why in the world you even CARE about this, but….*drumroll*…ALL of the lectures during this conference are FREE to download! I highly recommend you do so…I downloaded all of them and have already listened to three! They’re very powerful, let me assure you! The topic for the seminar was “Discernment”. The list of speakers and they’re topics are as follows:

Joshua Harris: Discernment

Mark Dever: Discern Your Doctrine

Albert Mohler: Discern your Culture

C.J. Mahaney: Discern Your Heart

Eric Simmons: Discern the Grey matter

John Piper: Discern what pleases God: Himself

John Piper: Discern what pleases God: Personal Obedience

C.J. Mahaney: Discern how to Apply

All of these men are strong, godly leaders…Their messages are right on! You can download the messages here: http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2007/05/new-attitude-messages-available-for-dowload/
However…since I know it takes forever to download all of these messages I am willingly offering to burn anyone a CD if you want one….Just leave a comment or drop me an email and I’ll get you a disk as soon as possible! (Tips Accepted) ;)

In Christ-

Bugz

<"...But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I've lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him. I want to know Him!">

Emotional Purity I

Today we start a new topic under the “guys” series. A very important topic. If you’ve never considered the importance of emotional purity then listen up. As girls we are more naturally dependant than guys. However, we tend to throw that dependence in the wrong direction, namely, at guys. How have we become dependant? I can come up with many ways, but I’d just like to highlight this one: We become dependant on guys when we let our worth be founded in them.

Our emotions and feelings aught to be grounded upon the knowledge that we are created and loved by GOD… NOT that you have a string of guys who are head-over-heels-for-you. Is that your identity? Is that where your worth comes from? Sadly, many girls cling to that as their confidence. “I must be okay because so-and-so likes me…” But what if no one seems to appreciate you? Let me tell you what happens….if your confidence and security is founded on the recognition of guys and not on God then you’re in for trouble. Why? Simple fact: Girls go frantic if they are not loved. We were MADE with that inner NEED to be loved. However, if we search for it in the wrong places, desperation hits. Girls destroy themselves with eating disorders and other frenzied attempts to somehow be WORTH something if they feel they are unloved!

Well….good news…those feelings of despair are completely unnecessary. It is simply essential that you look in the right place. Don’t look to guys to satisfy your need for love. Look to God! He MADE you and LOVES you! But we all know that…right? Or is that assurance simply something you hold in your head and never let it reach your heart? Can you really say with confidence that it does not MATTER what guys think about you because the love of the LORD JESUS CHRIST is sufficient?
Ladies...STOP trying to fulfill your need for love in the acceptance of guys! God is all you need. He is your portion. He has enough love and more to fill your every longing. During these years as teenagers we are setting the pattern for the rest of our lives. Make it your habit to go to God FIRST. Don’t search after the praise of men….I can promise you, you will come up empty and be more desperate than before.

I know most of you reading this blog are strong Christian women. However, this is an area where we all struggle. If you do struggle with seeing your worth as only what guys make of you, remember: Christ loved you enough to die for you. He bought your soul. He ransomed you from eternal death. He granted you everlasting life. That’s a bit more than any guy I know can claim! Wouldn’t you rather have the everlasting, unending love of the King of the Universe? HE is worthy of your heart. Anchor your confidence on that rock!

God bless!
Bug

P.S. I apologize for slipping away from posting as often as I should…I hope you will find it in your worthy hearts to forgive me!

Elisabeth Elliot

I have begun reading "Passion and Purity" by Elisabeth Elliot. The least I can say is that it has impacted me greatly. Every chapter has revelations to me and lines of profound wisdom.

"The greater potential for good, the greater the potential for evil."

The more I studied this statement, the more real it became to me. In severely wrong situations there is a greater potential for standing out in your firm beliefs. When there is a chance for you to shine in your moral beliefs and stand firm in your spiritual convictions. There will be hard choices to make. There will be a great potential for evil. But where there is evil, there is also a chance to do good. There is a chance to be faithful. When such a situation arises...what will you do? Will you realize your options and take the rough but rewarding path? Or will you ignore the ability to rise above the struggles? The choice is solely yours!


Bethi

Psalm 18:28-36

One of my favorite Psalms in the Bible

"You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
My God turns my darkness into light.
With Your help I can advance against a troop;
With my God I can scale a wall.
As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a sheild for all who take refuge in Him.
For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength
And makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
He enables me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for battle;
My arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You give me your shield of victory,
And Your right hand sustains me;
You stoop down to make me great.
You broaden the path beneath me,
So that my ankles do not turn."


Psalm 20:7-8
"Some trust in chariots
and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm."


blessings,
-becca

plans, nerves, and prayers

So perhaps you all want to know how my plans are going for Germany thus far! We will get back to EVERYBODY posting (hint hint, byrde and bug) and continuing w/ the topic of emotional purity probably sometime after the weekend! :-)
The other day I went to AAA with my dad to purchase my plane tickets and get some info on safety issues, best routes to take, possibly buying a Rail pass, etc. It all turned out to be way more confusing then I thought it would be. For those of you who don't know, I am going to a Bible school in Germany for 6 months. I have never flown before, much less gone on a trip completely alone. Purchasing tickets has proven to be very complicated because I have to be at the school at a certain time, not a day before or after. We are discussing the various cities I could fly into, whether Zurich or Berlin or Munich or some other place. Whether to take a continous flight just to save me the trouble and nervousness of changing planes. Whether to purchase a Rail pass with however many days I need it for, which is very hard to determine, since I have no idea what I'm going to be doing over Christmas break. Whether to buy a one way ticket because I may go on to England for the duration of the school year, or a round trip ticket. There are so many things to consider, and so many things I could worry myself over. To be honest, there is not a day that goes by where I don't think about how in the world I'm going to make it to school safely. And whenever I see a plane fly by overhead, I think to myself, "that will be me in 4 months. Flying off into the great unknown." :-)
You could pray for me, that I will remain sane and be able to make all the necessary decisions in a timely fashion.
And I have to make tons of packing desicions as well. Which laptop to take, which camera to take, how to keep everything safe as I jump from plane to train to ferry to bus, and all the traveling on the weekends. How to pack all my shoes (lol), winter clothes, church clothes - (including really nice ones for the banquets), and all my CDs. ;-) I may just have to purchase an iPod. hehehe. And all the different money issues, credit cards or travelers checks or such...and then safe places to keep all of that while I run around. Ah.
ok, enough of that. I AM really excited, don't get me wrong!! it's just all very overwhelming! ;-)

Well, back to our AMAZING topic next week!
blessings,
-becca-

Quote

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph,

is for good men to do nothing."

-Sir Edmund Burke

indoctrination

This has nothing to do with our little series that we are going through right now, but I just have to post about this. Today in Psychology class we watched a video about the Project Laramie (look it up). It is basically about gays and how they are so discriminated against, etc. I am so boiling mad right now I could hit something. After the video was over, the proff opened it up to class discussion. More then one student quoted the Bible about how God is love and all these hate crimes are really coming from "religious" people. Hence why i'm so mad. :)
I can practically garauntee you that none of the students in my class had ever even read the Bible once. Or if they had, they just picked out the verses they wanted to pay attention to.
Yes, God is love.
But I guess they didn't read any verses about God's wrath.
And hell.
And God's jutice.
And holiness.
And how the wages of sin is death.

Christians could be coming up on some major perrsecution. We have to stand up for what we believe, no matter what the cost.
We are to be loving, kind, and compassionate, but do not tolerate sin.

-becca-

Chivalry is dead...

...and women killed it.

Let's be honest. The sore truth that chivalry is dead isn't just the guys fault. We ladies have contributed to it as well. From not acknowledging kind acts that are done for us, or refusing to let them be done to us altogether, we are sending a message that we don't need gentlemen to be chivalrous.

I can't read a man's mind, but I know what goes through some girls heads when they witness a guy being nice to another girl. Come on now ladies, let's be honest. Sometimes we go "Awwww, that's so sweet!" But other times we say, "He must really like her." *whisper* "They must be sweet on each other." Or, "He only does that for her, what a jerk." Now tell me what guy wants to bring about those kinds of reactions when he does something nice. They have to be careful that their actions aren't all towards one girl, but they have to spread it around evenly, or we flip and pout and gossip.

So, all it takes is eye contact and a nice 'thank you', or when he offers to help carry something, let him. Even if you think you can handle it, let him be a man and help you! It's easy...and fun!! :-)

And PLEASE do not think that if he helps you, he is madly in love. ;-)

-Becca-

Quote

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

~Audrey Hepburn

I really liked this quote. I'm not sure why - but it really caught my attention. Although I believe Audrey Hepburn meant this in a very secular way, I immediately viewed it in a very special way. It is true that it is always valuable to see the good in others first and foremost. Ephesians 4:29 (Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.) whole heartdely agrees with her statement about speaking only "words of kindness." However I know not how she meant her last phrase: "...and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." However, for me as a Christian, this statement holds a great and completely true statement. We never walk alone. Christ is always present. Never does he leave us, nor forsake us. Our God, who is SO mighty to save, is always there. He never leaves us. Never forgets about us. Never overlooks us. Never. Our prays never fall apon deaf ears. We can approach this horrid and sin-infected world with that comforting knowledge. "Sin no longer has a hold on me, for I have been bought with the blood of Christ!"


<>Byrde<>

Silence

Okay, this is a really random post, but I can't think of anything else to write about. And, since I'm here in the lab, I might as well post something! ;-)

Silence...the lost art of the century. I don't know about you, but I like listening to music and so does the rest of my family. We have music playing in the bathroom as we get ready in the mornings. We have music playing in the kitchen to entertain us while we do the dishes. We have music playing in the living room, for just random occasions. We have music playing in the car, the radio or CDs blaring country music, rock, or pop. Conversations take a back seat to the throbbing bass, as nobody wants to shout over the loud music. Conversations halt abruptly when a favorite song starts playing on the radio. When talking ceases, up goes the music.

Turn off your radio. Your iPod. Your CD player. Just be silent for just a few minutes during the hustle and bustle of your daily life. Take time to listen to God and to talk to Him. Talk to other people. Converse. Or just be silent. Enjoy the scenery when you drive. Think about Scripture as you do the dishes instead of that Chris Daughtry song that just started playing on the radio. Engage in normal human conversations with no background music. What a novelty!

God speaks to us in the silence of our hearts.

-Becca-

Distortion of Beauty

Society these days has set a standard for beauty that very few women can acheive without killing themselves in the process.
You must be size 0.
Or, even better, -10.
It doesn't matter if you puke after every time you eat,
Or if you just don't eat at all.
Skinny is beautiful,
No matter what the cost.
And it's not just the ladies who have been given a harmflul standard. Pump yourself full of steroids, men. The more muscles the better. Your shirt has to stretch over your muscles, and you must be taller then me. And we aren't the only ones who have to be skinny. You must be just as slender as me, but don't let your ribs show, cuz that ain't sexy.

How in the world did this happen? How come young girls especially are being forced into this mentality that skinny=beautiful? What happened to God's perfect design and that He made you just the way you are?
"Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder, and the One beholding you has tailor made you to His liking."
And that is all that matters.

Don't let the world's standards for beauty influence you. All those emaciated models out there aren't real. They are a figment of America's mind. And you must fit that imaginary ideal, or you are worthless.

Everyone has something they don't like about thier body.
"My legs are too fat."
"My nose is too long."
"My hair is too frizzy."
"My lips are too thin."
So we cake on the makeup. Layer after layer. I've heard that guys don't like women wearing lots of makeup. But you know what? Who are we trying to be like? Those sexy models who all guys think are hot. And we want to be hot too...in the eyes of men.

We forget the eyes of God. Please, please, please, do not forget HE made you the way you are. HE made your legs that way (you can excercise), HE made your nose that way, HE made your hair that way (you can wear hair gel), and HE made your lips that way too! Amazing, isn't it?

Keep pressing onward, and forget the world's standards! You are beautiful in God's eyes.
~becca~

Respect 2

Okay, so I finally am able to post!! YIPPEE!! I'm actually in my college's computer lab right now...I got an account set up and everything. yay. SO, I'll try to post at least 2 times a week. ;-) It's better then not at all, right?

I'm going to take off from Bryde's post about respecting guys. It is so important not to look down on them, as she said. I think an important part of that is not ratting about them or talking badly about guys to your girlfriends. I know this is supposed to be a post about singleness, but it is so important for when you are married, or in a relationship. DO NOT talk badly about them behind their backs. Or, for that matter, don't gossip at all. It's that easy, but so crucial.

And another thing, guys really do have feelings. Just like you, words hurt, but just because they don't get as emotional as you, does NOT mean that you aren't hurting them. Don't ever say, "Take it like a man", or "He can handle it, he's a guy." It may be true in some cases, but seriously. Just don't do it. :)

I would post some Scripture verses about gossip, but I don't have my Bible with me. Look up some passages about gossip. And ladies, Let's control our tongues!! :-) Our biggest weakness, no?

~becca~

Singleness: Respect

Respecting guys. Hmmmm...I guess I'm getting tired of hearing: "MEN!" or "Guys - they're such idiots!" Seriously, when did woman ever get elevated above men? Often in Junior High guys really DO seem like jerks. But aren't we also? Maturity is the same for girls as it is for guys. However, most scholars say girls mature faster, that doesn't mean that girls mature FURTHER, just FASTER. If they annoy you, give 'em time. They'll grow out of it. If not, then you know they aren't worth spending time with. Girls have their problems too, if a guy annoys you, take a second to look at yourself and realize that you do stuff that he doesn't like too! Maybe he thinks you talk too much, or have this super annoying giggle, or always agree with people. Girls are made to compliment guys, let's not get all wrapped up in somehow thinking we are better. We need to respect guys!


Just some things to think about...
Byrde

Be Thou My Vision

This is one of my favorite Hymns! Take a second to think about it!

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.


In Him,
Byrde

21 Ways to Comfort the Hurting

After the tragedy at Virginia Tech yesterday, one of my favorite bogs, Girltalk, linked to an article by John Piper. Piper wrote this article after the attacks on Sept. 11. Its title is: 21 ways to help the hurting. I thought this was a very effective outline to help reach out to people who have been hurt by tragedy…True, not many of us know anyone who was directly affected by the shootings, so just file this list away in your mind for the time when you CAN use it!

1. Pray. Ask God for his help for you and for those you want to minister to. Ask him for wisdom and compassion and strength and a word fitly chosen. Ask that those who are suffering would look to God as their help and hope and healing and strength. Ask that he would make your mouth a fountain of life.
James 1:5. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
Deuteronomy 32:2. "May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distil as the dew, as the gentle rain upon the tender grass, and as the showers upon the herb."
Proverbs 13:14. "The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn aside from the snares of death."
2. Feel and express empathy with those most hurt by this great evil and loss; weep with those who weep.
Ecclesiastes 3:1. "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven . . . A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. . . . A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing."
Romans 12:15. "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."
3. Feel and express compassion because of the tragic circumstances of so many loved ones and friends who have lost more than they could ever estimate.
John 11:33-35. "When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and said, 'Where have you laid him?' They said to Him, 'Lord, come and see.' Jesus wept."
Luke 19:41-44. "When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, 'If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.'"
Luke 7:11-17. "Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd. Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, 'Do not weep.' And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise!' The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, 'A great prophet has arisen among us!' and, 'God has visited His people!' This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district."
4. Take time and touch, if you can, and give tender care to the wounded in body and soul.
Matthew 8:14-15. "When Jesus came into Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him."
Mark 1:40-41. "And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, 'If You are willing, You can make me clean.' Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him."
Luke 10:30-37. "Jesus replied and said, 'A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, "Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you." Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?' And he said, 'The one who showed mercy toward him.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Go and do the same.'"
5. Hold out the promise that God will sustain and help those who cast themselves on him for mercy and trust in his grace. He will strengthen you for the impossible days ahead in spite of all darkness.
Psalm 34:18. "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Isaiah 41:10. "Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."
Psalm 23:4. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
2 Corinthians 1:8-9. "We do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead."
6. Affirm that Jesus Christ tasted hostility from men and knew what it was to be unjustly tortured and abandoned, and to endure overwhelming loss, and then be killed, so that he is now a sympathetic mediator for us with God.
Hebrews 4:15-16. "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted [or "tested" which makes the application larger!] in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Isaiah 53:3-6. "He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him."
7. Declare that this murder was a great evil, and that God's wrath is greatly kindled by the wanton destruction of human life created in his image.
Exodus 20:13. "Thou shalt not murder."
Genesis 9:5-6. "Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man's brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man."
Deuteronomy 29:24-25. "All the nations will say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this land? Why this great outburst of anger?' Then men will say, 'Because they forsook the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.'"
8. Acknowledge that God has permitted a great outbreak of sin against his revealed will, and that we do not know all the reasons why he would permit such a thing now, when it was in his power to stop it.
Deuteronomy 29:29. "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law."
Romans 11:33-37 "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."
9. Express the truth that Satan is a massive reality in the universe that conspires with our own sin and flesh and the world to hurt people and to move people to hurt others, but stress that Satan is within and under the control of God.
Job 1:6, 12, 21-22; 2:6-10. "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. . . . Then the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.' So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD. . . [After losing all his possessions and his ten children Job says] 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD. Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. . . . [After a second meeting in heaven] the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.' Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. . . . Then his wife said to him, 'Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!' But he said to her, 'You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?'"
Job 42:2, 11. "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. . . . Then all his brothers and all his sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the LORD had brought on him.
Luke 22:31-32. "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
2 Corinthians 12:7-9. "Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me - to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."
Compare the following two perspectives on the cause of Jesus' death.
Luke 22:3-4 "Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them."
Acts 4:27-28. "Truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur."
10. Express that these terrorists rebelled against the revealed will of God and did not love God or trust him or find in God their refuge and strength and treasure, but scorned his ways and his Person.
2 Thessalonians 3:1-2. "Finally, brethren, pray for us . . . that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith."
Galatians 5:6. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love."
Galatians 5:16. "Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."
James 4:1-4. "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
11. Since rebellion against God was at the root of this act of murder, let us all fear such rebellion in our own hearts, and turn from it, and embrace the grace of God in Christ, and renounce the very impulses that caused this tragedy.
Proverbs 3:5-6. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight."
Psalm 9:10. "And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You."
Psalm 56:3. "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You."
12. Point the living to the momentous issues of sin and repentance in our own hearts and the urgent need to get right with God through his merciful provision of forgiveness in Christ, so that a worse fate than death will not overtake us.
Luke 13:1-5. "Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, 'Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.'"
Revelation 9:18-21. "[As a judgment of God] a third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. . . . The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols . . . and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts."
Revelation 16:8-9. "The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory."
13. Remember that even those who trust in Christ may be cut down like these thousands who were in New York and Washington, but that does not mean they have been abandoned by God or not loved by God even in those agonizing hours of suffering. God's love conquers even through calamity.
Romans 8:35-39. "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, 'FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG, WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.' But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
14. Mingle heart-wrenching weeping with unbreakable confidence in the goodness and sovereignty of God who rules over and through the sin and the plans of rebellious people.
Lamentations 3:32 "For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion According to His abundant lovingkindness. For He does not afflict willingly Or grieve the sons of men."
Genesis 45:7 [Joseph said to his brothers who sinfully sold him into Egypt] "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance."
Genesis 50:20 [Joseph says to his fearing brothers] "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive."
Other texts on the absolute sovereignty of God over all things: Ephesians 1:11; Isaiah 46:9-10; Lamentations 3:37; Amos 3:6; Proverbs 16:33; Exodus 4:11; 1 Samuel 2:6-7; 2 Samuel 12:15-18; John 9:2-3; James 4:15; 1 Peter 3:17; 4:19; Matthew 10:29.
15. Trust God for his ability to do the humanly impossible, and bring you through this nightmare and, in some inscrutable way, bring good out of it.
Romans 8:28. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Lamentations 3:21-24. "This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The LORD's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I have hope in Him.'"
2 Corinthians 1:8-9. "For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead."
2 Corinthians 4:17. "Momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison."
16. Explain, when the time is right, and they have the wherewithal to think clearly that one of the mysteries of God's greatness is that he ordains that some things come to pass which he forbids and disapproves of.
The clearest example is his ordaining that his Son be killed.
Acts 4:27-28. "Truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur."
See the Appendix titled "Are There Two Wills in God? Divine Election and God's Desire for All to Be Saved," in The Pleasures of God (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Press, 2000), pp. 313-340.
17. Express your personal cherishing of the sovereignty of God as the ground of all your hope as you face the human impossibilities of life. The very fulfillment of the New Covenant promises of our salvation and preservation hang on God's sovereignty over rebellious human wills.
Mark 10:24. "The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, 'Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' They were even more astonished and said to Him, 'Then who can be saved?' Looking at them, Jesus said, 'With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.'"
Jeremiah 32:40. "I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me."
Hebrews 13:20-21. "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."
18. Count God your only lasting treasure, because he is the only sure and stable thing in the universe.
Psalm 73:25-26. "Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
19. Remind everyone that to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21-23. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. . . . I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better."
2 Corinthians 5:7-9. "We walk by faith, not by sight - we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him."
20. Pray that God would incline their hearts to his word, open their eyes to his wonders, unite their hearts to fear him, and satisfy them with his love.
Psalm 119:36. "Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to gain."
Psalm 119:18. "Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law."
Psalm 86:11. "Unite my heart to fear Your name."
Psalm 90:14. "O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."
21. At the right time sound the trumpet that all this good news is meant by God to free us for radical, sacrificial service for the salvation of men and the glory of Christ. Help them see that one message of all this misery is to show us that life is short and fragile and followed by eternity, and small, man-centered ambitions are tragic.
Acts 20:24. "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God."
Titus 2:14. "[Christ] gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."
Philippians 1:21. "To live is Christ."
~God Bless~
Bug

Quote

This is an excerpt from a sermon by John Piper called The Beautiful Faith of Fearless Submission. It is more for married women, but I think there is something for all of us to learn! And might as well start learning to submit now, because as we all know, it is no easy task to learn!
“The deepest root of Christian womanhood mentioned in this text is hope in God. “Holy women who hoped in God.” A Christian woman does not put her hope in her husband, or in getting a husband. She does not put her hope in her looks. She puts her hope in the promises of God. She is described in Proverbs 31:25: “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.” She laughs at everything the future will bring and might bring, because she hopes in God. She looks away from the troubles and miseries and obstacles of life that seem to make the future bleak, and she focuses her attention on the sovereign power and love of God who rules in heaven and does on earth whatever he pleases. She knows her Bible, and she knows her theology of the sovereignty of God, and she knows his promise that he will be with her and help her strengthen her no matter what. This is the deep, unshakable root of Christian womanhood. And Peter makes it explicit in verse 5. He is not talking about just any women. He is talking about women with unshakable biblical roots in the sovereign goodness of God—holy women who hope in God.” –John Piper
blessings,
~becca~


http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2007/2088_The_Beautiful_Faith_of_Fearless_Submission/

Trust

Trusting God -

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5
The Scriptures are replete with references and admonishments to trust the Lord. Psalms and Proverbs especially abound with the righteous casting their reliance upon God as an example to all of us: Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him (Ps. 2:12); Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord (4:5); [L]et all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice (5:11); O Lord my God, in Thee do I put my trust (7:1); And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for thou, Lord, has not forsaken them that seek Thee (9:10); O Thou that savest by Thy right hand them which put their trust in Thee from those that rise up against them (17:7); As for God... He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him (18:30); The Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants: and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate (34:22); Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (37:3); Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass (37:5); It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes (118:8-9); Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help (146:3); The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe (Prov. 29:25). Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him (Prov. 30:5).Since the references to trusting in God are so abundant, might it be that a good portion of our personal tribulation, trials, setbacks, confusion, lack of peace, and misdirection is stemming from a lack of trust in the Lord? The Scriptures tell us that it is far better to trust in the Lord than to rely upon anything else. We cannot trust in ourselves. We cannot put our trust in man; and we certainly cannot rely upon our own understanding. In all our ways we must acknowledge Him, and He shall bring things to pass as well as direct our paths.For our study, we will focus on the relying upon our own understanding. In the modern era of American material comfort, this is our more likely stumbling block. Our tendency is to lean upon our own understanding, and this temptation is perfectly reasonable to "rational" man.Everything we encounter in life appears to operate and function by some kind of law or system. We have absolute confidence that the lights will turn on when we flip the switch; that our clock radios will awaken us; that our cars will start; that other people will try to be as considerate as we are; that Winter will follow Fall; that our hearts will beat; our eyes blink; and that everything eventually goes on sale! In short, life appears routine and regulated in every aspect. We only get bent out of shape when those natural processes are interrupted.It's very easy to lose sight of the absolute control of God in all things when the world appears to operate automatically. This was Israel's danger when they entered the Promised Land. God warned them that after they labored hard to build houses, plant vineyards, and harvest the land, they would say to themselves: "My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth" (Deut. 8:17). Since their provision would no longer be falling out of the sky like the manna they would be tempted to think their provision came only by the sweat of their brow.But God was clear to Israel in stating the true source of all that they would inherit: "[T]hou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth" (Deut. 8:18). The Hebrew word for power being used here is kowach and it means force, vigor, or capacity to produce. Our ability to produce anything; whether it be cars, food, highways, houses, families, wealth, art, etc., is all derivative of God Himself. It is in Him that we live, move, and have our being (Acts. 17:28).If we were honest with ourselves, we would admit that we are very much like the Israelites who forgot the source of their wealth. It's not that we cease to love God, or lost our desire to serve Him. It's that we still accept a very "natural" way of looking at the world. We still assume a very natural order that seems to operate outside of God. We therefore tend to pray more when the natural order stops operating according to our liking. When the system breaks down, we feel we need God to do something "super-natural", i.e. God has to step in to help out the natural order.However, the world does not work that way. In fact, the Biblical writers provide us a much different picture of the way the world works:
He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate -- bringing forth food from the earth: These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. Ps. 104:10-14, 27-30
What appears to be as natural as springs flowing or grass growing is really the power of God sustaining all of creation. This is the heart of why the Scriptures encourage us to trust the Lord. If there is no "natural order" per se, wouldn't it be wrong to trust in it? If the natural world is directly controlled and sustained by God, wouldn't it be proper to trust in Him?This is also why you cannot lean upon man, princes, or your own understanding. Not yourself, not other people or leaders, nor anything else can possibly sustain us since they themselves are sustained by God. All things work together for His good purpose (Rom. 8:28), and He works all things after the counsel of His own will (Eph. 1:11). Nothing under heaven can stand on its own. Even gravity and every other so-called "law of nature" is simply the consistent way that God operates the world. To think otherwise is to move toward deism, i.e. the belief in the existence of a supreme being who does not intervene in the universe.Living a life of trust in God requires a simple practicality. First, it begins with viewing the world Biblically. We have to embrace the Scriptural testimony -- despite the way things appear -- that the world does not run on its own steam, but is sustained in all ways by God's active will. Second, we must train ourselves to "dis-trust" our own understanding. If you want to doubt something, doubt your own interpretation of your circumstances. This does not mean we turn our minds off. We need our "understanding" to do everything from a math problem to cooking dinner. The understanding we don't lean upon is our tendency to view the world unbiblically.Lastly, we must learn to stay our minds upon God. This is the ultimate expression of trust:
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. (Isaiah 26:3-4)
By staying our minds upon the Lord we are taking them off ourselves, our circumstances, and the natural order. Isaiah said to trust the lord "forever." The obvious meaning here is that trusting God is an eternal practice, and one that we should get used to sooner rather than later.Things You Can Do:

1. Ask God to teach you about trusting Him.
2. Start viewing the world as "un-natural" -- meaning "God-controlled." You can do this by reading and meditating on chapters like Psalm 104.
3. Start training your mind to stay upon God. The more you're thinking about God, the less you're thinking about your circumstances. Again, this is the greatest expression of our personal trust in God.


God Bless,
Bug

Singleness III

Contentment -

This post really could apply to all areas of life, but I think it is a major part of being single! It is so hard to always be content. We strive every day to be joyful in our circumstances, and not pout, whine, or hold a pity party for ourselves. Let’s look at what the Bible has to say about being content.

Philippians 4:11-13 says, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

So, what is the secret that Paul has found? I believe the answer lies in the passage above.

Philippians 4:4-7 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Consider also the last sentence of the previous verse I quoted: I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. What’s the secret? Remembering that the Lord is near, He is our sympathetic high priest, and we can rely on Him to give us strength through every circumstance. So why be discontent? Have you not been given everything through Christ? Discontentment is a very serious issue, and one of the biggest things I struggle with. Discontentment is really saying this to God:

My plans are better then Yours.
I want to do things my way.
I’m sick of waiting for the plans You have for my life, I want them now.
I do not trust that You have a better plan for me then I could ever come up with.
I am forgetting that RIGHT NOW is part of Your plan for me.
I want to hurry up, skip this season and get on with life. God, speed up. I want You to do things in MY time, not Yours.
I’m forgetting to look at how I can grow NOW, bless others NOW, mature NOW, be close to You NOW, but I want something else.

In this case, something else is a husband. A boyfriend. A companion. Those who are discontent in this area are looking RIGHT PAST our Savior, the Lover of our Soul, the Treasure of the universe, and saying He is not enough. He isn’t enough to satisfy our souls. He isn’t enough to fill us with contentment and joy.

Let me balance this out a little so you do not think I am against marriage or anything! Marriage is God’s beautiful design. Don’t get me wrong. I want to be married someday. I want to have a husband and a wheelbarrow full of kids. But, I am way too young. I’m not even out of highschool, let alone mature enough to make a wise choice about marriage or be ready to have a family. It is good to have goals in life, to have dreams, and aspirations. But I caution you, do not be too focused on tomorrow that you lose sight of today. TODAY is the day God has given you. You may not get tomorrow. You may die before you even finish reading this post. Morbid, but true. You are never guaranteed another breath. Imagine you die, go to heaven, and God says, “What did you do for Me on earth?” What will be your response? Will you only be able to say, “I dreamed about all the plans You may have for me, Lord.” Will you say, “God, I saw why you had me where You had me, the timing was Yours, and I used it to glorify You. I didn’t worry about the future, but I remembered that You still sit on the throne and that whatever I go through, I can do all things through You, who strengthens me.” Now, you may not know why God has you where you are right now, but you don’t need to know all His plans to give Him the glory, or to make the best use of your time.

So, I urge you, dear sisters in Christ, stop worrying. Stop being discontent. Praise God in your circumstances. Remember that CONTENTMENT IS THE ESSENCE OF SPIRITUAL BEAUTY!!! There is nothing more beautiful or more glorifying to our Lord and Savior, then a heart that is complete in Him. A soul that alone desires Jesus as our heavenly Treasure. Don’t forget your Treasure! Don’t scorn it and say it isn’t enough.

Blessings,
~Gretchen~

Singleness II

The Curse of Singleness Part II

While you might have laughed at the absurdity of the title, there are many Christian girls who do view singleness as a curse. Unfortunately, most of us single gals fall into this class. Admit it…how many of you girls have ever thought that you would just love to get this part of your life over, get married, have kids and live happily ever after. Yup. I thought so. Most of you have wished that. If you haven’t already…you will.
Thankfully, God did not stick the singleness season into your life for no reason. As with all things, God has the perfect plan. These years of our lives are THE MOST important. Why? Because they shape us into the women that we will be for the REST of our lives. We have these years to be taught and trained and whipped into the women that will make godly wives and mothers in the later years. How many of you have been somewhere in public and seen a young couple or family and thought that you would want to be just like that 10+ years down the road. We all have dreams or desires for the future and singleness is our training ground to work towards those dreams.
There are several key areas that we need to focus on as godly ladies so we can be women that honor God in the future.
1) Realize that God has a plan for you. Your times are in HIS hands. Every minute of your life has been planned down to the slightest detail. Please don’t waste your life wondering when Prince Charming will show. If he does come, he will come in God’s timing…..not yours.

2) Make God your center. God is training your for His work….Strive to become the woman that He desires you to be. Do you have a picture of the wife/mother you want to be? Take steps to become that….You don’t suddenly become patient, loving or compassionate when you get married….That is only the product of long years that you’ve shed blood, sweat and tears. It’s better to learn that BEFORE you get married…not after.

3) Don’t give your heart away to another. Your affections belongs to your future husband…anyone else who takes it is merely a thief. Here’s a good piece of advice: Treat EVERY man as ANOTHER woman’s husband. Would you flirt with another girl’s husband? Ya, I know….the thought is repulsive, but you get my point. 99% of the guys out there will be married to other women….Therefore, keep them out of heart and mind.

Gals….there is so much more I could say about singleness. If there is one thing that I want you to take away from this is that singleness is essentially your boot camp…Training you to become a godly woman. Make God the center of your heart….Wait patiently for His timing…And keep guys at arm’s length while you fall in love with CHRIST.


(Bug)

Hey ladies! I’m sorry we’ve kinda slipped from blogging right now! I will be posting on singleness as soon as possible; however, I wanted to share something with you first. This has been a very difficult week for me…one of those weeks where God truly tests your faith. During this time my sister at collage sent me this amazing sermon by John Piper, the author of Desiring God. The title of this sermon is “Don’t Waste your Cancer”…Most of us do not have cancer. However, God has placed challenging things into our lives to test us and make us more like Him. Don’t waste this time of trial!! So as you read though this sermon, instead of reading “cancer” think about what God has placed in your life to test you. And thank him for it. These times of testing are meant to CHANGE us…for the better. Don’t waste that opportunity!

Bug


Don’t Waste Your Cancer
John Piper
Desiring God

I write this on the eve of prostate surgery. I believe in God’s power to heal—by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed by God. He gets the glory and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray for healing may waste your cancer. But healing is not God’s plan for everyone. And there are many other ways to waste your cancer. I am praying for myself and for you that we will not waste this pain.

1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.
It will not do to say that God only uses our cancer but does not design it. What God permits, he permits for a reason. And that reason is his design. If God foresees molecular developments becoming cancer, he can stop it or not. If he does not, he has a purpose. Since he is infinitely wise, it is right to call this purpose a design. Satan is real and causes many pleasures and pains. But he is not ultimate. So when he strikes Job with boils (Job 2:7), Job attributes it ultimately to God (2:10) and the inspired writer agrees: “They . . . comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him” (Job 42:11). If you don’t believe your cancer is designed for you by God, you will waste it.

2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). “There is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel” (Numbers 23:23). “The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).

3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
The design of God in your cancer is not to train you in the rationalistic, human calculation of odds. The world gets comfort from their odds. Not Christians. Some count their chariots (percentages of survival) and some count their horses (side effects of treatment), but we trust in the name of the LORD our God (Psalm 20:7). God’s design is clear from 2 Corinthians 1:9, “We felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” The aim of God in your cancer (among a thousand other good things) is to knock props out from under our hearts so that we rely utterly on him.

4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.
We will all die, if Jesus postpones his return. Not to think about what it will be like to leave this life and meet God is folly. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning [a funeral] than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” How can you lay it to heart if you won’t think about it? Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Numbering your days means thinking about how few there are and that they will end. How will you get a heart of wisdom if you refuse to think about this? What a waste, if we do not think about death.

5. You will waste your cancer if you think that “beating” cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
Satan’s and God’s designs in your cancer are not the same. Satan designs to destroy your love for Christ. God designs to deepen your love for Christ. Cancer does not win if you die. It wins if you fail to cherish Christ. God’s design is to wean you off the breast of the world and feast you on the sufficiency of Christ. It is meant to help you say and feel, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” And to know that therefore, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 3:8; 1:21).

6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.
It is not wrong to know about cancer. Ignorance is not a virtue. But the lure to know more and more and the lack of zeal to know God more and more is symptomatic of unbelief. Cancer is meant to waken us to the reality of God. It is meant to put feeling and force behind the command, “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD” (Hosea 6:3). It is meant to waken us to the truth of Daniel 11:32, “The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.” It is meant to make unshakable, indestructible oak trees out of us: “His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:2). What a waste of cancer if we read day and night about cancer and not about God.

7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
When Epaphroditus brought the gifts to Paul sent by the Philippian church he became ill and almost died. Paul tells the Philippians, “He has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill” (Philippians 2:26-27). What an amazing response! It does not say they were distressed that he was ill, but that he was distressed because they heard he was ill. That is the kind of heart God is aiming to create with cancer: a deeply affectionate, caring heart for people. Don’t waste your cancer by retreating into yourself.

8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.
Paul used this phrase in relation to those whose loved ones had died: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). There is a grief at death. Even for the believer who dies, there is temporary loss—loss of body, and loss of loved ones here, and loss of earthly ministry. But the grief is different—it is permeated with hope. “We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Don’t waste your cancer grieving as those who don’t have this hope.

9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.
Are your besetting sins as attractive as they were before you had cancer? If so you are wasting your cancer. Cancer is designed to destroy the appetite for sin. Pride, greed, lust, hatred, unforgiveness, impatience, laziness, procrastination—all these are the adversaries that cancer is meant to attack. Don’t just think of battling against cancer. Also think of battling with cancer. All these things are worse enemies than cancer. Don’t waste the power of cancer to crush these foes. Let the presence of eternity make the sins of time look as futile as they really are. “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” (Luke 9:25).

10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
Christians are never anywhere by divine accident. There are reasons for why we wind up where we do. Consider what Jesus said about painful, unplanned circumstances: “They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness” (Luke 21:12 -13). So it is with cancer. This will be an opportunity to bear witness. Christ is infinitely worthy. Here is a golden opportunity to show that he is worth more than life. Don’t waste it.

Remember you are not left alone. You will have the help you need. “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Singleness

To start off our amazing series I'm going to begin at...singleness...the very best place to start. Its where we all start. Probably a place that most of us are still at. Probably the hardest part of female teens is keeping a healthy focus. It's what we were all intended for. Living a life of praise, reflecting our Lord...
I Corinthians 7:34 says "An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit."
Is that not the coolest verse EVER?! I'm lovin' it! Our good friend Bug just showed me that...until then I had never heard it. ha ha! Don't yah love that! :) So, I'm just gonna focus on one aspect of our "single" lives right now. What it should look like. Bug and Becca will hopefully go into more detail there. :)
Well, to begin with...everyone, guy or girl is built with a hole inside them. Yeh, a void. A huge emptiness, a longing. We all don't realize it, we don't understand what this feeling of unworth is, this feeling of unbelonging. Some of us pretend we don't have it, sometimes we disguise it. It's that longing to be loved, cherished, cared about, and deeply and sincerely treasured. We try to fill this hole by anything we can...acceptance, possessions, friends, satisfaction....and love. However, there is only one COMPLETE answer...something that totally fills that hole. Its the only existing puzzle piece that fits. We search everywhere else for the puzzle piece, many of us know what it is. I know you know it! Yup, Jesus Christ...the lover of my soul...your soul! We search for this puzzle piece...it's something we are ALL built to accent perfectly, or better yet. He accents US perfectly. However, we fail to see that. As girls, we look to boyfriends, even Dads to fill this gap. Since we were little we all dreamed of being princesses...growing up someday and marrying the perfect man of our dreams. This permeates our later childhood and teen years as we look to others for this unconditional love. Many don't realize they can ONLY find it in one place, and therefore give up everything searching in places where it will never exist. Heartbreak after Heartbreak they move on...broken. bruised. smashed. torn. crushed. God is the only one who can love us that way, and when we believe that, EVERYTHING changes. He fills that void perfectly. He loves us like no one can....he understands our problems not even the greatest psychiatrist or wisest man on the world could understand, nevermind solve. He heals the wounds others inflict on us. He heals the wounds we inflict on ourselves. TV, Music, Movies, Family, Friends, Magazines ALL tell us we need a boyfriend. If we don't know someone likes us, we feel uncomplete. Unloved, and not worth anything. I know so many times I don't even think of Christ as the sole lover of my heart, he holds the keys, he understands, he loves passionately. He's like no other. Yet, we search for anything else...He seems so distant...so far away, so unattainable. He's near, and He's waiting. Singleness...is complete in Christ. So, our task on hand is to be concerened about the Lord, and becoming more like him. As we wait for our future husband our focus should be completely centered on Him. "Let our eyes be fixed on Him, the author and perfecter of our faith!" He is our focus. As a young woman of God I am devoted to him at this point of my life. That's the only thing. Let's let that be our goals sisters!

In Christ,

Byrde

A Smashing New Series

Today we are going to kick off our new series! For lack of a better title, we are going to call the series “Guys!" We will be discussing young ladies proper attitude towards young men, how to respect them, and act around them. I’m sure sometime through this series, modesty will come up again as the Rebelution Blog has been doing a massive survey of the subject and we may post some of the results as it pertains to what we are discussing. Also, we will talk about singleness and the blessing that it is, and how we shouldn’t be discontent in our singleness. Some other topics that will be talked about: what to look for in a man and keeping emotional purity. These are tough subjects, but we feel that it is important to have a Biblical view about these issues!
Oh, one other thing, Bug and I haven’t been able to access the new blog, so Byrde has been doing all of the posting for us. The amount of post may be somewhat smaller until we can figure out what’s bugging our computer!
Well, I hope you will enjoy the new series!

Many blessings,
~Becca~

Also...

Another note. We are discontinuing the "Thursday Seven," just so you know!
Thanks,
The Blog Committee

Yes, your in the right place

Okay, don't freak out. But we had some technical difficulties with our other site, so we had to change, and now everything is back to normal. We have alot of cool upgrades, but please give us a little time to learn how to USE them. ha ha ha. None of us three are very techy! :) So, grace us some time to find out how to work these new shiny buttons, gadgets, and accessories! ;) Hopefully we will be able to add some cool stuff. Posting may be a little difficult at first, as we learn to use this new program, so allow us some time! ;) Thanks, and hope you all are having an AWESOME time getting back into school.


In Him,
The Blog committee

Appreciate your pets day

Hey...I just made up a new holiday! We are in the midst of planning our next series, so meanwhile, we're just posting random things. I wanted to show you all a glimpse of our pets! Bubbles, I know you will appreciate this. ;)

Here's Callie... She weathers the storms of life by retreating to the flowerpot. hahaha

And the beloved Heidi Fish.... Awwww! :)

I had to stick in a pic of Smee. He's the most motivated guy I know! :)

Bugz

Blog Gals!

We was showing off our rings. ;) Bet you can't guess whose who! :)


~Bug