Life as of Lately | Honest to Blog

Hello Blogging World!

It seems that I've been gone for far too long again, so I suppose we much catch up a bit. So much has happened, especially in this past week. I do not know even where to begin to start. I suppose a review of this week would be quite an interesting story.

Just over a week ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to a church lock-in. I didn't really know what to expect, considering I had never been to one at my new church. Luckily, my friend said that she'd go along with me, so we both experienced it firsthand, together. :) It was my first all-nighter. We played countless rounds of Sardines. Let me just tell you, I know my church way better than I did before! People hid in storage closets, furnace rooms, and everywhere in-between. Even though it was below freezing and windy, we managed to make a camp fire, burning approximately 40 pizza boxes from pizza we have every week.

Huddling around the camp fire

On Monday and Tuesday, I was a nervous wreck. I had two really big tests this week, that I felt like I had to pass. On Tuesday, I took my permit test, and successfully passed. I told one of my friends how nervous I was, and as we were passing a few notes in class :P, she wrote this to me.

"You are going to be fine!"

Has someone ever written something like that to you? I can't recall anyone ever telling me something like that, and I was just so encouraged. This whole week, I was praying my heart out. I was praying about passing my tests, my great, amazing friends, a safe delivery for my neighbor's twins, and other random things. On that Tuesday, when I found out that God answered my prayer, I was just in awe. I cannot describe how excited I was, but not as excited as I was on Thursday.

On Wednesday after school, I took a 95 point, multiple choice pretest. If I scored with an 80% or more, I didn't have to take one of our school's required classes, opening up my schedule for more college classes. Unfortunately, I couldn't find out my score right away, so during lunch the next day, I started walking toward the teacher, and she gave me a thumbs up, meaning that I passed. Yet again, God provided for me. He was with me the whole time. I remember telling myself that if I didn't pass, I wouldn't be sad. Why? Because of this: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). I knew that if God didn't want me to pass, and had better plans for me in high school, that I would have to trust him. That verse, along with this next one, helped me overcome my common nervousness. 

Each day this week has a different story, but one thing about myself didn't change: my smile. When you start looking at the positive things in your life, you realize how fortunate you really are. One of my friends, Megan, and I both said that we just couldn't wipe a smile off our face this past week. We were constantly happy. Despite all of my nervousness, that smile, that positive thing in my life, kept me going. One last thing for you today: It may not seem like God is listening and answering your prayers, but He is. 

Source

By Your Side

"By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North

Do you ever feel alone? Out of place? Like no one is there for you or by you?

I'm sure we've all felt like that before. We feel hopeless. We feel overpowered. We are lonely. 

We don't have to feel like that though, because God is there by our side every step of the way, just as Deuteronomy 31:6 says, "Be brave and strong!  Don't be afraid of the nations on the other side of the Jordan.  The Lord your God will always be at your side, and he will never abandon you." 

God will never abandon you! We don't have to be afraid anymore. We can have courage in our life knowing that God will never leave us. 

"I am the Lord your God.  I am holding your hand, so don't be afraid.  I am here to help you."

Isaiah 41:13

Here that? He is holding our hand. He here to help us. We need not to be afraid. 

"Angel By Your Side" by Francesca Battistelli

I absolutely love that song and I hope it brings you comfort. Would you please pray with me?

Dear God, 

Thank you for always holding me in Your hand. I panic and get scared a lot. Lord, help me get over those little fears knowing that you are there by my side. Amen!

Happy Sunday!

Bible Verse of the Week #30

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is on great worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4

This verse does not means it's wrong to look nice. Don't get me wrong, I love looking nice. This verse was to warn the Egyptian women that would spend hours on their hair and makeup. In the end it doesn't really matter. God wants to see us working on being beautiful on the inside: the beauty that lasts forever.

When I read this verse, I instantly remember that song. It is one of my favorite songs.

Beauty is more than skin deep. Covergirl makeup may cover up your skin and you may think you look pretty, but the truth is, real beauty comes from within. Think of it this way: It is better to be a plain, brown, paper bag present, with a fantastic present inside, than a beautifully wrapped present with nothing, or even nasty things inside. 

Just as C.S. Lewis says, God will make us beautiful in His eyes. He already did, when he made you.

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a sunhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it."
C.S.Lewis

P.S. Today is my baptismal birthday! :)

Bible Verse of the Week #28

Lately, I've been praying a lot to God. There's a certain thing(s) I've been praying for. I've been nervous and been asking for rest. I've been praying that I do well in school and in sports.

I am still nervous and praying more than I {usually} do. The thing is, I can find comfort in knowing that God sends His angels to guard me. Not only that, but the Creator of the universe watches out for ME, Madie. Why am I still so nervous?

I can't answer that question. I shouldn't be nervous, but I still am. When will this nerve racking time stop? There might be a time when I find peace because God listens and answers my prayers, but I won't feel completely perfect, until I go to heaven.

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Please pray for me. Please pray that I can continue to read the Bible to find peace and rest. I'm half way through the Bible, but I need more encouragement now that I've ever needed before. I'm excited about my success, but I want to know more about God and continue to finish the Bible.

Thank you!

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What are you nervous about? What can I pray for about you?

I pray that you find peace in your daily activities.

Bible verse of the Week #27

Joshua 1:5-6
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

Hey guys! I'm sorry that I didn't discuss this verse today. I have a lot of tests tomorrow. Not only that, but I'm also cleaning because I'm having my 14th birthday party!! I'll post pictures when I can!

Bible Verse of the Week #26

"The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." Matthew 13:44 The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

I believe there are two meaning for this verse, at least that's what I came up with. I will only talk about one though.

I think this verse is telling us that the kingdom of heaven is a treasure that has to be found. We have to search the Bible to find clues on "how" to get to/find heaven. I'm not saying that you have to do good works to get to heaven, but you should try you best to follow the commandments.

Here is a great cartoon video!

Let me tell you what I like to do over the summer, when I visit my cousins and grandparents. I love to make scavenger hunts. I cut pieces of 2 different colors of paper, and make clues on them. I put the clues all around the house, inside and outside. After I hid the two sets of clues, the two people, or groups, are supposed to go and find the next clue. When they find the clue that says something like, "Congratulation! Go find Madie...", they come, and find me, hiding somewhere, and I give them a prize.

Now how can we relate that to Matthew 13:44?

We are people that have to search for clues, looking in the Bible. When our time comes, we will receive the eternal give of heaven. What is more valuable than being in Christ's Kingdom? Nothing is more valuable. Believing in Jesus is more important than anything else in this world, because that's how we have eternal life.

Activity from NIV Faith Alive Student Bible: Plan a treasure hunt for your family or friends. Draw a map or write clues. For the hidden treasure, write the words of Matthew 6:33 on a piece of paper and "bury" it. Than talk about what it means to you to be in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Bible verse of the Week #25

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Psalm 23:1 ESV

Lately my class has been talking about this verse in confirmation. Our pastor explains to us that if you are in a hard time, you can get through it knowing this verse. If you are tempted to lie or cheat remember, "I shall not want." There are other examples such as I want a new camera, but I shouldn't want. Jesus is my Shepherd and it won't matter. God provides. He already has a place for us in heaven.

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Some of you may already know this, but I'm going to say it anyway. We call Jesus our Shepherd because he guards up like sheep. We are the sheep. He will come after us if we are lost. He remembers us by name. All of this is so true. Jesus is also called "The Good Shepherd" in John 10:11.

The economy is bad, but we need to remember that Jesus is watching out for us every moment of every day . He provides us with food and shelter and a family that loves us. Isn't that all we need? Think about it a little bit. 

God bless your day!