First of all I would like to thank everyone who entered my photo challenge!!! It was such a blessing getting more than 1 entry =P I hope to have many more in the future! =)
{Now that my Oscar acceptance type speech is done =P} On with the entries!
God is so good! I am crying with joy right now, just, because...I can feel His presence.
It is such an amazing feeling to know that He is with you!
To know that He is here...right now...at this very moment!
There are times when I feel like I could just burst with joy.
You know the feeling where you want to just start singing "for no reason". Ahh, but we do have a reason. We always have a reason to feel joyful! We have His love, His peace, His hope...and His joy inside of us!
I feel like I could just go dancing around, but I'm sure the people below us {I live in an apartment} would prefer I did not...
There is nothing that compares to the overwhelming sense of joy and peace as when you've just come out of a trying time spiritually.
I realized a couple days ago, that my life had been sorely lacking in prayer... I started feeling moody, and dare I say...purposeless. Ahh, but He is so faithful. Even through that, I knew He didn't leave me. No, He carried me! He ministered to me in ways that only He can.
It is so wonderful to know that we have freedom in Him! Freedom that lifts us above the chains of this world and lets us soar above.
Freedom that give us the ability to run to His arms whenever we feel weary.
That was my problem. I was feeling weary and instead of running to Him, I tried to be a "big girl" and take care of myself. I know better...you'd think I'd learn my lesson... Maybe one of these days I will.
But that is the past. And the present is me running full speed ahead, toward {not away from} my Abba Father's outstretched arms.
There I will stay, surrendered, tucked under His wing, in the palm of His hand. Resting, trusting, listening, praying...in His embrace.
Au Revoir...Until next time.
Many Blessings! =)
Tiffani
Everything in this post is Copyright Tiffani-Joi. Please email me at TiffaniJoi143@gmail.com to ask permission before using any part of this post or any pictures. Merci! =)
Love this song, and I thought it was perfect for today =)
"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
~ 1 Corinthians 13:13
I've never felt like I've missed out on anything on Valentines Day, because I didn't have a date. Valentines Day has never been a reminder that I'm "alone" =P
In fact, its quite the opposite. My Valentine is always with me, and loves me unconditionally, despite my many, many...many faults. He is patient with me, He gives me joy and peace that cannot be contained. He always listens and is always on time...it's my watch that is unreliable. =)
He doesn't wait until a certain holiday to give me gifts...He blesses me every day. He has written His name on 'my paper heart'. {And yes, I have just burst into song... =P }
Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.
Since I was really young, my mom has always talked about how unconditional love, keeps no record of wrongs. (1 Corinthians 13:5) Our Abba Father and our Savior Jesus showed us the greatest example of unconditional love that the world has ever seen...and ever will see!
We are promised that if we, but ask with a truly repentant heart for forgiveness, He will grant it to us unconditionally. He loves us that much!
I will never understand why He loves me. Sure I could rattle off a couple "good points" about myself, but...
"...For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
~ 1 Samuel 16:7b
And the honestly the only good thing in my heart is Jesus. Period.
Although that does make me wonder again about why Jesus would even consider coming into my heart...
The only answer that comes close to satisfying me is:
"8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?"
~Matthew 7:8-10
We are His children, and He tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)
It all comes back to His unconditional love for us. The love that we don't deserve. The love that He freely gives, when we ask.
I pray that you all had a blessed Valentines Day.
Au Revoir...Until next time.
Many Blessings! =)
Tiffani
What you've read in this post is Copyright Tiffani-Joi. Please email me at TiffaniJoi143@gmail.com to ask permission before using any part of this post or any pictures. Merci! =)
Tee hee...I'm laughing at how silly my thoughts are at the moment. I'm nervous about writing my first post for 2012... =P That's why I've been putting it off.
My Abba Father has been showing me so much in these past few months, weeks, days, hours even.
I'm beginning to fully realize...realize even more that our God is always ready and willing to show us new things about Him. He's always ready to wrap us in His warm and comforting embrace. He's always ready to listen and interrupt us if necessary. He's always there to wipe away the tears that we let escape.
I'm the one holding everything back. I'm a girl, standing in front of a bridge--a narrow bridge. There's no way to 'go around it.' Jesus one step ahead of me, reaching out His hand, encouraging me, beckoning, calling out to me to join Him, follow Him step by step. I've followed Him this far on our journey and this is just another bridge I need to cross. But it's not "just another bridge." This bridge, just like all those in the past, will be a new experience for me. I will grow in and through Him. I will learn more about Him and myself. And I'm standing there...waiting for Him to do something... To "give me a sign" to move in a certain direction...
He is always ready to speak to me.
All I have to do is ask.
Why don't I ask more often??? Why don't I listen more often???
Maybe you ask the same questions... All I can say is that I can't change what I haven't done in the past, but I can change whatI will do in the future. It's a New Year's Resolution, so to speak... =)
So no matter how many "forks" in the road there are, no matter how I look at it, there is only one direction to take... The one that my Savior is standing in front of. And it's my fault for being the one who's closed her eyes, expecting to 'stumble' onto the right path or eventually find it on my own.
So to be honest...I don't exactly know where that path is going to lead me...and when those "forks" come along, I most likely won't know which one leads where. But whichever path He is in front of, is where I want to go.
I just got a flash on the animated Disney Peter Pan movie. When all the "Lost Boy's" are following John (with his top hat and umbrella) singing "We're following the leader, the leader, the leader. We're following the leader wherever he may go." Along the way they go through tall grass (the tops of heads and that umbrella bobbing up and down), over a hippopotamus (I think)... *giggle* *sigh*
That's how I want to be, following Jesus (not oblivious to my surroundings =P). Joyful, worshipping, willing, determined, without any doubts or reservations.
I long to see my Shepard face to face... To feel His touch... To hear His encouragement... To sing His praises... To dance in the warmth of His light... To be still in Him...
My dad just said something the other day... He didn't make it up...and I'm not who the first person to say it was...
If there were no problems, there could be no miracles.
Feel free to read that a couple times...I did =)
I pray for there to be an abundance of blessings in your life! I also pray that through those trials that you're facing, that our Abba Father would perform miracles for you. That you will grow in and strengthen your relationship with Him.
"Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." ~ Psalm 106:1
Au Revoir...Until next time!
Many Blessings =)
Tiffani
Everything in this post is Copyright Tiffani-Joi. Pleas email me at TiffaniJoi143@gmail.com to ask permission before using any part of post or any pictures.
My prayer is that on this Thanksgiving day, we are reminded of the abundant blessings the Lord has provided us with!!
I pray that the Lord will give us opportunities to talk about Him, while we are with family and/or friends who might not be believers yet!!
I also pray that our time will be blessed with wonderful fellowship & praise to our Abba Father!!
There are so many verses that I wanted to write down about "thanksgiving," but here are my top four:
"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms."
~Psalm 95:2
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."~ Psalm 100:4
"6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it[ with thanksgiving."~ Colossians 2:6-7
"2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of..." ~ Colossians 4:2-3
Au Revoir...Until next time.
Many Blessings! =)
Tiffani
P.S. I would LOVE to hear how you all celebrated Thanksgiving, so feel free to comment away!
Everything in this post is Copyright Tiffani-Joi. Please email TiffaniJoi143@gmail.com to ask permission before you use any part of this post or any pictures.
Am I going to do it? Yes, I am! When I am I going to start? On Sunday! Will you join me?
I am going to to start reading the Bible in a year. When I was about 10 yrs old my mom and I went through the whole Bible chronologically. But I'm very sad to say I haven't done it since...
I always seem to get stuck in the Gospels, the Psalms, Proverbs, Romans, Galatians, Revelation... BUT, I know how important the whole Bible is...so am going to change that!
So, why am I starting on Sunday & not today? Because, I wanted to invite all of you to join me...and I thought I'd give you a day to decide. I will be posting this weeks reading tomorrow, so be looking! =)
This is how its going to work... Every Saturday I'll be posting next weeks reading. That way we can all stay accountable to each other & focus on just the next week, instead of thinking, oh my! A year is sooooo long. =P We will be reading the Bible in a unique way. We'll be reading 2 books at a time. Either a New Testament book with an Old. Or an Old Testament book with Psalms.
I was going to read it chronologically again, but I thought this would spice things up a bit. And give us good breaks between some of the "slower" books.
It's my prayer that along the way you will be posting (if you have a blog) or commenting on mine (or even better, both) about the amazing things God reveals to you!
I am super excited (if you couldn't already tell). I know that the Lord's hand is upon us all.
Dear Precious Heavenly Father,
We come before Your throne of grace & ask that you give us the perseverance to read through the whole of Your Word! I ask that you bless each of us who are going to be embarking on this incredible journey. I pray Lord, that You would reveal to us, those things that You know we most need to hear right now Lord.
Abba Father, I am so excited & I pray that You would ignite us all even more as we get into Your Word. That You would allow us that time of quietness with You, so that we can listen more closely to what You are saying.
I ask this all in Your Son, Jesus' name.
Amen!
Au Revoir...Until next time.
Many Blessings! =)
Tiffani
Everything in this post is Copyright Tiffani-Joi. Please email TiffaniJoi143@gmail.com to ask permission before you use any part of this post or any pictures.
I know, I know! I'm supposed to be putting the finishing touches on my guest post for Purity Week at HisHandmaiden.com...and I am. But it's also Halloween...
I just want to share about the cutest little kids that have come, shyly knocking on our door.
I'm talking about the little girls under 5, dresses like butterflies & princesses. The little boys dressed like Superman & Star Wars rangers.
So innocent! Their eyes a little afraid as you first open the door, but their fears melting as you put a handful of tootsie rolls & skittles into their little pumpkin shaped bag. Although I like to think I'm spreading as much joy & smiles as I am candy. =)
The cutest little, "thank you", and wide smile as they run away to show their mom their new goodies with squeals of delight.
I can't help but smiling as I close the door. Wondering if I'll see them again next year, if I'll remember them next year. Will I be here next year? Or will I be in a new neighborhood with new little kids? Oh well, it doesn't matter.
I just wanted to let you into my mind for a little while & give you a glimpse of the joy that I'm receiving tonight. =)
Au Revoir...Until next time.
Many Blessings! =)
Tiffani
PS: Whether or not you like Halloween, please know that I'm not trying to promote or bash the day. I'm simply speaking of the precious little kidlets! =)
Everything in this post is Copyright Tiffani-Joi. You must ask permission before you use any part of this post or any pictures.
You're the defender of the weak, You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles
Everlasting God ~ Christ Tomlin
Everlasting: enduring through all time; perpetual; lasting til the end of time.
Above is the Webster's dictionary definition of Everlasting. Those are all true of God. And yet, He is even more than, just everlasting. Because He was here before time even began! And He will still BE, after time has ended.
Everlasting: Alpha & Omega; ever was; ever is; ever is to come; infinity; no ending
The above is the definition I thought of while think about our everlasting God.
Have you ever tried to think about God's existence? How He created time? And that there will be a time where there is no time? I guess that last one doesn't really make sense.... There a will be a "no time" when there is no time anymore.
We will not be bound to seconds, hours, days, years. We will be with God forever.
That is so beyond my comprehension... My mind keeps trying to compare "forever" with something that I do comprehend. I've been alive for 16 years.... So 16 years times...times what? Times...infinity! Which is yet another word I cannot even begin to comprehend.
At first its a bit frustrating... But then these thoughts comfort me...
It gives me joy that my God understands the things that I don't!
It gives me joy that I'm not the one "in charge"!
It gives me joy that I don't have to understand everything!
It gives me joy that my God is merciful enough to allow me to live in 'time' that I do "understand"!
It gives me joy that my God is so complex!
It gives me joy that even though He is so complex, He loves me!
It gives me joy that even though He is so complex, He invites me into His embrace!
Our God is so good. I know that even though I pray for wisdom, He won't reveal knowledge to me that I can't handle. He understands, because He created. And that...gives me joy!
Au Revoir...Until next time.
Many Blessings! =)
Tiffani
Everything in this post is Copyright Tiffani-Joi. You must ask permission before you use any part of this post or any pictures.
Chorus: Children of God, sing your song and rejoice
For the love that He has given us all
Children of God, by the blood of His Son
We have been redeemed and we can be called
Children of God
Children of God
Bridge: We are the saints
We are the children
We've been redeemed
We've been forgiven
We are the sons and daughters of our God
Third Day ~ Children of God
Album: Move
Why is it that we as humans are so focused on ourselves all the time. Maybe not all the time...but most of the time... I find myself thinking about me, so often. My problems, my dreams, my life....
NO!!! It's NOT about me.... I live solely, because of my God, my Savior Christ Jesus, & my Helper who lives within me. I called Him, mine, just now.... But that's is not how it is.... I live for Him, I am His alone, He is all that matters. No matter how "big" my "problems" are, they are NOTHING compared to what the biggest problem is...my sin. No matter how "big" I think my "sacrifices"are, they are NOTHING compared to the greatest sacrifice of all. No matter how "important" I think my opportunities are...NOTHING is more important than living for my Savior.
But why is it that we as humans are so forgetful of those facts? Sin. Our flesh.
It makes me sad to realize that sometimes I need such a large wake-up call to realize when I'm starting to think about me too much. I know I'm never going to be perfect, but I want to be. I want to live like Jesus lived. I strive to be like Him. And when I fall short...I'm disappointed in myself. Until I realize why I fell short.... I thought I could do things on my own. Not consciously, but the result is still the same...
Yet, the Lord is merciful. He has given us the Helper. He gives us subtle & not so subtle reminders about Who is really important. He gives us second chances again & again & again. Sometimes I wonder, Why in the world does my Abba Father love me so much?
But then I receive an answer. Amazing & miraculous as it is! Because I am His child first...& then He is my Abba Father...my Daddy. The BEST Daddy! (John 1:12) With unconditional love that cannot even be described. Mercy that abounds & follows me all the days of my life. Love...God loves me! He loves you! He encourages us, He's our biggest cheerleader!
Psalm 95:6-7, "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. 7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand."
I am His sheep, & He is my Shepard. I am to follow Him, for He knows the Way. (John 14:6)
Daddy, I wish there was a better word than 'thank you'!! Thank you doesn't come close to being enough. Even if I praised You constantly, 24/7 for the rest of my life, You would still be worthy of infinity times more!! Please, Father, help me to daily surrender to You! To let You lead me, without any "help" from me. Please make it exceedingly clear when I'm speaking too much or not listening enough! Help me to always trust You, especially when the road gets rocky & I can't see the 'big picture'. Father I pray for those who are reading this right now. That You will bless them abundantly!! That You will fill them with Your overwhelming peace, joy, & love. Father, You know our hearts...You know how much we long to serve You faithfully. Continue, please to teach us Your ways & how to better serve You & Your children. I ask this all in Your Son, Jesus' name. Amen!
You've just had a peek inside my mind. My thoughts are all over the place. And they move so fast... I'm a girl...so that explains it. =)
I really do hope you are blessed by this. The Lord has had this "topic" pressing on my heart for a while, & I think tonight...or rather this morning....He has let it all pour right out.
One last thing before I go. I love 1 John 3:1-3, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."
Au Revoir...Until next time.
Many Blessings! =)
Tiffani
I got a new ring three days ago. I love rings that won't turn my finger green! (And not just, because they don't turn my finger green. =) ) I also love them, because I hardly ever have to take them off. I'm not very good at remembering to take rings off....I've had to throw quite a few away, because of it. BUT the point is I got a new one.
Ta Da (in a sing-song-y voice):
Walk By Faith
I love unusual rings... Rings with writing on it (especially when it's a Bible verse!!) Like my new one.
2 Corinthians 5:7
The funny thing is, that I've been wanting another ring. My mom & I went to our local Christian Book Store three days ago. I always look at the jewelry...especially the rings, but I never see anything I like. (Usually because they have very few to choose from.) But this time, they had a lot to choose from. And this one caught my eye, even though it was "trapped" inside one of those locked cases.
Anyhoo, a lady unlocked the case, so my mom & I went on the search for a ring that we liked. We found a couple, but they were the wrong size... 'Oh bug!' BUT I still had my eye on the above ring. And at the very end of this one row, we found one that fit! I was quite pleased!! =) This particular style of ring happened to be the only one in my size. Amazing!
I love rings that are unusual, because they can be great conversation starters. I've had people comment on my "twisty ring" before. And I'm able to explain that its a Bible verse.
They're also good reminders for myself. My "twisty ring" says: "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalms 19:14
"For we walk by faith, not by sight."
Something I am continually working on. =)
If you have any interesting rings, jewelry etc... I'd LOVE to hear about them!!
A couple weeks ago my mom & I had a girls day out...and we went to this tea place called "Paris In A Cup".
It is soooooooooooooo cute & the food is excellent. Love, LOve, LOVe, LOVE that place!!!! I can't wait to go back!!! Here are some pictures:
My Napkin
3 Chocolate Mousse
Moi et la Tour D'Eiffel
Pear Bread Pudding
...And Two For Tea
To-Go Boxes
Muffins
We realized after we had eaten, that we didn't get any pictures of our actual food. Oh, well, I guess we really have an excuse to go back now. =) *giggle* *giggle*
I thought I'd just share some things that have been going on in "my little corner of the world".
Congratulations to my grandparents (in case you were wondering...it's my mom's parents). They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last month. But we just had the party for them last Saturday. I'll post some pictures later.
It was so much fun! Hearing my grandparents reminisce about the "good old days". Things like riding their bicycles for miles, (no cell phones, no predetermined destinations) & their parents-never for a minute-worried about where they were. Seeing all their friends that they've had since junior high & high school. It was fun to see my grandparents so happy. =) I don't know when I've ever seen them smile...or cry so much in one evening.
I'm getting excited for our Community Bible Study (CBS) to start again! So far we have 13 (including me), 7-12 graders. My mom is the teacher. =) It's going to be so fun to be in a group with people my own age again.
Last year I was a helper in the K-6th grade class. I had a TON of fun...but it could never take the place of the fellowship, that I missed terribly from my old CBS... With my all-girl group of sweet sisters. (You know who you are =) )
We are studying Revelation this year. I've studied it before, but I'm excited to be studying it again, with a new place, new people, & new spiritual growth!!! I'm just a little bit excited....in case you didn't already notice... =P
I would LOVE to hear what you're studying right now....or if you go to a CBS, what you'll be studying this year!!!
Unfortunately I must go.... BUT I will return!!
Au Revoir...Until next time.
Many Blessings! =)
Tiffani
Ok, so this song is just too beautiful to break up. The main part that I want to talk about though is the first two lines of the song. So simple, but if you think about it...so true. If I had control, (not just the illusion of control), control every single thing that happened in my life, & I was able to redo things that went wrong in my life...would I?
Honestly, there are probably some things I would want to change. I would probably make sure I kept my balance, & didn't fall into the big fountain we had in our front yard; the one that gave me a big, ugly fat lip & black & blue eye so swollen I could hardly open it. Yes, I think I'd like to change that...
BUT, now that I think of it...I was so blessed by my friends during that time, who (even though we were young...& I probably looked pretty weird) showed me such kindness, by telling me I looked beautiful, still asking me over to their houses for "play-dates", didn't stare, but didn't keep their distance. That might not sound it should be a big deal...friends should do that anyway. But for me it was a big deal. I was about 8 years old, & I wasn't a pretty sight...honestly I wouldn't have blamed my friends if they wanted to keep their distance until I was better. But instead, I was extremely blessed, & can now truly sympathize with people who have something deform their face (whether temporarily like mine, or permanently.)
Ok, so...I'd probably still let that happen to me...
But those times where I said or did something to hurt one of my friends. I'd change those times! BUT, if I did, I wouldn't be able to feel the forgiveness I received after apologizing... Forgiveness that reminded me of what my Savior did for me. Reminding me that I'm not going to be perfect, but that I can't use that as an excuse for sinning.
Ok, so...I'd probably keep those times as well...
I guess I'd say the same thing for the times that I wasn't respectful to my parents. I've learned from those mistakes I made...& am getting better & better at keeping my frustration from getting the upper-hand. I also know the importance of parenting, & am storing all this knowledge for when I become a mommy.
So...my list of "Things In My Past I'd Like To Change If I Could"...is getting smaller by the second as I think about it...
The only thing, I still think I'd change was...feeling way under the weather on my 16th birthday...that's just wrong...isn't it? BUT...(you knew this was coming =) ) I guess that did show me that it doesn't matter about growing with age...what really matters is how you grow in the Spirit. Instead of depending on worldly things to give me joy, I should be looking to Him to give me joy. And reminding me not to take for granted the health & especially the life that I have, because there are some children who are sick on almost all their birthdays, with cancers, & tumors. Some children don't even reach their 16th birthday. I really have nothing to complain about, because I have the only thing that matters! A personal relationship with my Abba Father.
I'm not sure how many of you've read that book Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter. But this sound very much like the "Glad Game". Looking for the good out of not-so-good situations...
I know that I won't always see the big picture. But my prayer is that when I do feel discouraged, that I lean on Him who gives me strength. He who does see the big picture & knows exactly whats best for me. I pray that we all trust Him druing these times. Because He will allow us to go through struggles, but--as I've realized--even though we might not be able to see them at first...later we can see the amazing joys & blessings that came from those trials.
I LOVE hearing stories of how the Lord worked something that you thought couldn't get any worse, turn into something great. If you have any stories like this...about yourself or others please share!!
Where love like a river flows, peace like you've never known
And joy never ending lives
And a place where faith can find, hope that will never die
Follow me there, come on, follow me there
Third Day ~ Follow Me There
Album: Move
I've been wanting to write about this for a while now, but I guess I just keep forgetting....
My mom & I were at the post office a couple weeks ago. There was a really long line, but we decided to wait, because my mom had to overnight a package. I don't remember how it happened, but my mom (who is usually social anyway) started talking with the lady behind us. And soon the lady behind her (who I was thinking had a "sour-puss" look on her face) started talking with the two of them as well.
I was thinking about Francis Chan's book, Forgotten God, about being emboldened by the Holy Spirit & just talking to people, being friendly, being a mirror of our Savior Jesus. THEN I started hearing what I was sure was Third Day playing softly over the speakers. I was kinda confused, but soooooooooo excited!!! Then when we finally got up to the counter I realized that it was Third Day, but that it wasn't playing over the speakers after all. Someone (who worked there) was playing a radio.
So even though the post office wasn't playing the music, it was still really cool to know that someone working there was a Christian & was allowed to & emboldened enough to play the Christian radio station!!
My dad plays the Christian music station in his office...it's so much fun when I go in to work (once a week), because I get to sing along with all the songs as I'm working.
I pray for the post office person who owned the radio...that he or she will continue to be bold & courageous to play God honoring music...even if he or she might suffer persecution for their faith. Amen!
Au Revoir...Until next time. =)
Many Blessings!
Tiffani
I will be a mirror that reflects your endless love
I will be the hope among the hopeless
Where there is conflict I will be peace
Only by the power of your spirit that's living in me
I will be
Natalie Grant ~ I Will Be
Album: Deeper Life
I don't know about you, but I'm the kind of person, if I'm waiting, either in a line, for my computer to restart, or my food to cook, or anytime when I'm out & waiting for...whatever. I feel like I'm wasting valuable time & that I should be doing something... So I pick up a book (almost any book) & start reading it. Then I started thinking why am I not reading my Bible?
Soooooooooo A couple weeks ago I got a smaller Bible that I can fit in my purse. My other Bible is a huge study Bible...& my purse is already heavy enough with out putting my "sword" in it.
"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" Eph. 6:14-18
So I got a portable Bible, & it's pink!!! I know...so girly, but my choices were quite limited. Black, brown, PINK or go to different version. Here's a picture of it:
But since it is pink, it will probably get more attention. More people will probably wonder what I'm reading, which will open more doors for me to be a witness for my Savior.
So....yesterday was a pretty exciting day for me & my family... I GOT MY DRIVERS LICENSE!!!!!
I'm just a little excited!!!
My mom & I met my dad at a restaurant to celebrate & my dad told me that I could drive home by myself!!!
So here are a couple pics my mom took of me...driving...without anyone else in the car... =)
Moi, driving out of the parking lot...by myself.
Becaue you can't tell...that's moi in the white car...
Moi...driving...with no one else in the car.
So as I was driving home (by myself =) ) I turned on the Christian radio station... (It's called The Fish...isn't that cute!!) Anyhoo, I was listening to some people talking about "adopting" orphans in Africa by donating money. Then the above song started playing. I was so moved by the song...I had to share it all, with all of you.
This song really made me think about my life as I continue to grow, physically & spiritually... Because now that I can drive, in my mind it kinda makes me think ahead, to more possible opportunities to be a witness for my Savior. And I don't want to be a chicken & not talk to someone, when I know the Lord is calling me to do so.
I was in a Theology Book Club for about 2 years...I just had to stop recently. =( Well, one of the books we read was Forgotten God by Francis Chan. It's about the Holy Spirit... One of the points that fascinated me, was that the Holy Spirit is the one who whispers for us to go & talk to someone.
One of leaders in the CBS ((Community Bible Study) that my mom & I go to) had an experienced a little while ago that reminds me of this song. She was running (on a hiking trail) & she saw this teenage girl sitting up a-ways on the hill to the side of her...she kinda waved to the girl & kept running. But then she felt the Holy Spirit telling her to go back & talk to that girl. She admits that she tried to get out of it...she was going to look so silly running back & then trying to clamber up the hill. Besides the girl might not even be there when she went back. Someone else would probably come along & talk to her. BUT this lady is a woman of God, strong in her faith & in the end she decided to go back & talk to this girl.
She talked to the girl for a little while, nothing "miraculous" happened, the girl didn't ask to become a Christian....BUT!! the Lord can use many different people in one persons life. Maybe another person did end up coming by & talk to that girl & because a seed was already planted about our Savior, the girl asked to know more. I can think of many more scenarios that could have happened. But the main thing is, this lady was emboldened by the Holy Spirit & she refused, not to move. Afterwards, even though she probably did look silly, she felt spiritually satisfied, because she knew she heard the Holy Spirit, listened to the Holy Spirit & acted on what He told her to do.
I pray that the same thing will happen to me. That when the Holy Spirit whispers...or shouts for me to do something; that I will do exactly what He asks of me!
