Image above taken from the Baptist Hymnal that we use at my church. If you'd like more information on the hymnal, feel free to drop a comment or send an email.
Lamentations 3:23 What a wonderful thing to know that God never changes. The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His faithfulness is what holds us together when our lives change. What are some changes you've had to adapt to, good or bad? - losing a job/loved one - having a family - moving into a new house - physical/mental issues - financial trouble We could go on and on about the changes that take place; even our song mentions that even our seasons take their course, but God is still faithful. God still displays His magnificent power regardless of our situations. Because of God's faithfulness, we were saved by the blood of Jesus. Because of God's faithfulness, we can approach Him with boldness, knowing that He will answer in His own goodness. How has God been faithful in your life?
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Image above taken from the Baptist Hymnal that we use at our church. If you'd like more details on the hymnal, feel free to drop a comment or send an email.
Psalm 84:11-12; Isaiah 50:10 As someone who personally enjoys the invitation, or altar call, at the end of each service, a certain joy fills my heart when we sing this particular song. It's a reminder to us that the only way to truly be happy in the Christian life is to trust God and simply obey; quoting Dr. Charles Stanley, "Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him." Obedience to God is more than an outward display of action. Obedience should come from the heart; it should be done out of our love for God and fellow human beings. If we are doing it out of a sense of duty or "because it's the right thing to do", our heart isn't in the right place. Another aspect is trust. Trust is vital in any relationship and our relationship with God is no different. Obedience without trust is merely religion. The last stanza of this song is thrilling. It's a promise to us that one day we will be rewarded. One day we will "sit at His feet". What a day that will be right? Let's heed the words of the hymnist "Never fear, only trust and obey". Image courtesy of the volunteer photographers for Pixabay.
Scripture Reference - 2 Corinthians 13:5 Okay class settle down, it's test time! No just kidding. No graded exams going on today, however, I'd like to challenge you to really take today's study seriously. I am going to take my notes from a sermon by Charles Stanley, and you are going to "examine yourselves". Are you as close to God as you need to be? Is there something God's been dealing with you about? I invite you to take a close look at seven habits that every Christian should be practicing daily, and regularly checking in on. The twist? I'm going to turn them into actual challenges. Don't worry, I'll be doing it too! Note: You can start with one, or you can do all of them. Just have fun with it. Challenge 1: Pray. What's one small thing that you can pray about? Is it the salvation of a loved one? Or maybe you just need help with a test at school. Whatever it is, the first thing you need to do is talk to God. Don't get on the phone; don't rant on Facebook. Talk to God first. It should be as natural as breathing. Challenge 2: Trust/have faith in God. Do you trust God with every aspect of your life? Could you look Almighty God eyeball to eyeball and tell Him "Here's my life. It's yours"? Let go of whatever it is you're worrying about and thank Him that He's able to take care of it. Challenge 3: Meditation on the Word of God. I'm not talking about reading a feel-good Scripture before running out the door with Junior in one hand and a coffee in the other. I'm talking about really delving deep into your Bible and allowing the Holy Spirit to renew your mind (and your energy). God made time for you; why not make time for Him? Choose your favorite book of the Bible and try to jot down any lessons that you may have learned. What better way to know the Lord than through His Word? Challenge 4: Obey God. Oh dear...I've struck a nerve. But it's biblical truth. Obedience is key; in fact, the book of James tells us that without obedience, our faith is worth absolutely nothing. We can perform every ritual in the Book of Common Prayer, serve at every church function, and visit every shut-in in the community, but if we are not obeying what God is telling us to do, our works will burn. It all goes back to meditating on His Word; that's how we know what He's telling us to do. Challenge 5: Depending on the Holy Spirit. How many of us would rather get an instant sermon or Bible study to teach us than to sit quietly and rely on the Spirit to teach and provide? I feel some conviction there! That is why patience is one of the key fruits. He wants us to build our patience by relying on Him. He wants us to simply listen and not try to "figure it all out". Challenge 6: Give to God and to others. Ouch, there's another nerve. This isn't just talking about money folks. This is talking about giving back to God the talents and the time that He's given you. Use it to glorify God and to serve others as a way of what? Obeying God! If He's telling you to sing a song this Sunday? Do it! It'll bless someone. If He's telling you to call a church member, you better do it! Give your best; not the leftovers. Challenge 7: Forgiving other people. You may say, "But you don't know what he/she did or said to me! They don't deserve my forgiveness." Imagine if God said that about you. Imagine if God said "No son, don't die for that person. Look at the sins they committed against me." Paints a different picture doesn't it? Think about it this way; holding a grudge in an unforgiving spirit only puts you in bondage, not the other person. You are hurting yourself and quenching the Holy Spirit. Wow! Are we convicted yet? I hope you find some of these helpful in your walk with the Lord. Can you think of anything else? Here is a list of Bible verses to go along with the challenges. Prayer (Mark 1:35-37) Trust/Faith (Psalm 103:19, Proverbs 3:5-6) Meditation on the Word of God (Psalm 63:6-8) Obey God ((Deuteronomy 27:10; Deuteronomy 28:1) Depending upon the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) Giving to God/others (Luke 6:38) Forgiving other people (Ephesians 4:26-27) Image was created and edited in Pixlr.
My hobbies include (but are not limited to)... Music. Music has always played a huge part in my life. My love for music led to my being able to lead worship and record a CD. Piano, organ, and guitar are the three instruments that I love most. I'm hoping to strengthen my lungs for a beautiful set of bagpipes one day. Writing. One of the best ways for me to express my creativity is through my writing. Whether it's here on the big blog or sharing fandom content on other social media, it's a way to stretch out my feelers and see what kind of worlds are in my head. One of my current projects is a story about a warrior in a land called Calastasia. She meets dragons and a royal family, amongst other beings and things. Writing tip: Feeling uninspired? Find soundscapes or background music related to what you are writing. You'll find the inspiration very quickly. Reading. Diving deep into someone else's world via book has always been a joy. One of the inspirations for my Calastasia story is a book by T.A. Barron. Even non-fiction, such as my Bible and Christian growth books, is a great source of relaxation and I can always count on feeling energized and ready to tackle the day and/or evening. Beauty. Whether I am watching YouTube tutorials or recreating a look on myself, I am bound to feel accomplished. As a licensed esthetician, I also enjoy educating people about beauty and skincare. One of my long-term goals is to have a beauty room set up like my beauty queens Jaclyn Hill or Shannon Harris (shaaanxo) and kick-start my channel again. My massive makeup collection should showcase my obsession. Tell me in the comments below what your hobbies are or what you'd like to start doing! Image courtesy of the volunteer photographers for Pixabay.
Yesterday, you saw my very boring morning routine. Today you are going to see my very boring night routine. I'll admit, there's really nothing special, but maybe you can incorporate something into your life. As one of my favorite beauty bloggers says, "And without further ado, let's get started". 1) I try to wind down around 8pm. I'm very laid back most of the day, but running a blog and several social media sites on the side can be very tricky and time-consuming. And depending on the day, I may be running around preparing for church or helping my family with something. 2) My version of relaxing varies; it ranges from a warm bath to re-watching a Supernatural episode on Netflix. But I do have to find that moment where I can finally let go. More recently I've been into meditation and yoga. 3) If I'm feeling bored, I may pull up my blog or projects and do some light work. I tend to enjoy mindless tasks when I'm trying to wind down. This is usually when I munch on my favorite snacks and/or sip on water. I'm trying to make it a habit to stop drinking coffee between 5-6pm. 4) Since I don't really have a set bedtime (bad habit I know) I listen to my body. Sometimes I get tired at 11pm and other times I'm up til 3am. What are your favorite ways to relax in the evenings? Enlighten me in the comments below. Image courtesy of the volunteer photographers for Pixabay.
Most morning routines that I've read about or seen on YouTube are aesthetically pleasing. Mine? Not so much. But I'm going to share with you my ideal morning routine when I haven't pressed the snooze button five times. 1) If nature hasn't called by the time my feet hit the floor, I make a beeline for the Keurig. If I don't have coffee, I might make some hot tea. I just know I have to have something to wake me up. 2) Once halfway awake, I try to remember to do something to grow spiritually. Whether it's reaching for my favorite Christian growth book or the Bible, it's important that I stay close to God. If I don't do this in the morning, I do it mid-afternoon. 3a) Around 10am (again this is if I don't worship the snooze button) my computer is usually up and running. This time is generally used for checking emails (let's get real, the only thing I get is spam and updates from websites) and writing here on the blog. I also answer any social media messages. 3b) If you know me on any of my social media, you might be aware of my unending obsession with the Supernatural series. They show reruns from 10am to mid-afternoon, so I spend my time watching it while I'm blogging or working on projects. So, that is my extremely boring morning routine, but it keeps me going. What do you do in the mornings that wakes you up and gets you ready for the day? Image courtesy of the volunteer photographers for Pixabay.
Fear, anxiety, financial distress, bad health, world events...it can all take a toll on us, even Christians. But what do you do when life falls apart? Where do you turn? Where's the hope? It's in Jesus. On April 1, 2018 Christians around the world celebrated the hope that God gave us through Jesus Christ. We mourned because He died for our sins, but then we smiled because He rose from the tomb. That's our hope folks. The cross was not the end. Whatever you have going on...whatever you are facing...the same God that sent His Son is the same God that can carry your load. The same Spirit that rose Jesus from the grave is the same Spirit that dwells in you, and He can and will guide you. Just remember that God loves you. Whatever battle you might be going through, God. Still. Loves. You. Go to Him in prayer and cry out to Him. He is your hope when life falls apart. Image courtesy of the volunteer photographers for Pixabay.
On this blog, I allow my readers to get nosy (but just a little bit though). So I thought I'd share with you some things that I've been up to. Just recently, I received my certificate in English Composition through an online course. Yours truly now knows how to write a thorough research project, perform visual analysis, and write an op-ed. My next move? I might attempt to send an op-ed to the Charlotte Observer. I've also been brainstorming lots of awesome ideas for the blog. I want to branch out, but still keep it Christian-themed. Of course I'm going to keep the devotionals and beauty content; that's what I originally wanted it to be. However, I've been inspired by other lifestyle bloggers to get my feelers out for other kinds of content. I'm also working on a large project that may or may not be finished this year; hopefully it will be but it's taking a large amount of work. I'm writing a story that I will hopefully get to share with the world one day. Along these same lines, I'm getting some ideas for an e-book for the blog. I'm not exactly sure what it's going to be, but as soon as I know, I'll make some small announcements and a few teasers. I am going to attempt to post to this blog every day, or at least every other day, to get it back up and running. If you have any ideas or suggestions on what you'd like to see, please feel free to contact me. I'm always open for new opportunities! Image courtesy of photography volunteers for Pixabay.
Sometimes we as bloggers get stuck in a rut. We don't know what to write about and our inspiration wanes. Then we end up getting out of our routine and post less often, leaving our readers without any content. That's not to say we're terrible writers; we just need a little nudge every now and then. That's why I'm going to give you ten ideas to spark that little creative flame. Never know, I may even use one myself. 1) Your favorite skincare or beauty product(s) 2) What you're currently watching 3) What you're currently reading 4) Favorite bloggers or YouTubers 5) What a day looks like in your own life 6) Routines 7) Share a family recipe 8) Make your own list of "what to blog about" 9) During the holiday seasons, write about what you received or gave 10) If you're a Christian blog, write out your prayers or what you've learned recently in your Bible studies If you are a blogger, what do you write about? Inspire me! |
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