Negativity -Mia

              Hi friends!

              I hope you all had a good week! Finally, summer is (fully) here! I’m not going to lie- I’m so glad the academic year is done! Summer and all of its fun activities are finally here!

              But don’t you hate it when sand gets in your shoes at the beach? Don’t you hate it when your ice cream cone melts down your hand, and it’s chocolate, so it stains your favorite white capris? Don’t you hate the long lines at literally everywhere? Don’t you hate sunburns (if you don’t tan, like me)? Don’t you hate it when you planned something outside, and it rains?

              Don’t you hate it when people are negative?

              We all have those brief moods when we hate the world, and we’re all grumpy from time to time (especially after just waking up!). But I’m not talking about the occasional bad mood that dissipates in a few hours; I’m talking about the pessimistic outlook 24/7. We all know people who are this way- hey, I won’t lie; I’ve caught myself being this way before too. Those people are- let’s be frank- not so pleasant to hang around. The ones who just won’t even return your smile- they can be a real pain sometimes.

              But before we go off on a rant criticizing them, let’s make sure we aren’t being hypocritical. Most of these people we immediately deem as “Johnny Rainclouds” (one of my all-time favorite quotes- thank you, everyone who recognized that movie!) are people we just ran into off the streets. They aren’t people we know; they’re just random strangers most of the time- isn’t that true? And if we don’t know them, then how can we rightfully judge their character, especially if we’re just in contact with them for a few minutes? Most likely, you just caught them on a bad day.

              They’re probably people just like us- they have their bad days and their bad moods. No matter how nice it would be, it’s defying reality for someone to be kind to everyone all the time. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try, but we all slip from time to time. And how much harder is keeping up that good mood for someone who doesn’t know the wonder and love and grace of God in their everyday life? Sisters, we know God personally, and that gives us joy. There is a difference between joy and happiness, but joy makes happiness so much sweeter and definitely easier to come by.

              We’re lucky- God is there to help us through those bad days. There are some people out there who don’t know him, and they don’t have that comfort. Perhaps instead of mentally deeming them a pessimist to avoid, we could go out of our way to be nicer to people like that. I know that’s a very hard thing to ask- I don’t have very much patience for perpetually grumpy people either- but imagine how they would feel when you return their frown with a smile and a kind gesture! I’m talking hold the door for the frustrated mom with four kids to corral, or let the person who just finished their shift take the place ahead of you in line, or bring a co-worker a fresh cup of coffee- it doesn’t have to be big. More often than not, those little things are the ones that really make someone’s day. In fact, just asking to pray for someone can be so much more effective than you’d guess. Because if you were the one having the bad day, wouldn’t you like for someone to give you a little break?

               “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them (Matthew 7:12 ESV)”- we’ve all heard the “golden rule” ever since we were little kids. This is definitely a great place to apply that verse, but it’s also a great time to apply another as well- Matthew 5:16. This verse says to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (ESV).” Chances are, these total strangers probably don’t know the Heavenly Father that we do. And that’s a huge reason to have a bad day.

              When we’re kind to the negative people out there (so few are- face it, we like to avoid them), they can see a little bit of God through us. Our kindness may cheer them up or it may not- sometimes you can never tell what affect you have on someone- but hopefully, our act will leave an impression on them. And here’s another bonus- when we do nice things for other people, we’re cheered up too (that’s basically scientifically proven. Or, well, close enough)!

              Ladies, we’re going to have bad days. It’s inevitable. But we’ve got our relationship with God to help us through those times. As for all the people out in the world who don’t have that relationship, you might be the only exposure to Christianity they’re ever going to have (for the record, I’m 99% sure I quoted that from someone way smarter than me…). Let’s make it a good exposure, shall we?

              This week, let’s give people the benefit of the doubt and meet their frown with a smile. 

              Never doubt the power of a smiley face!

                    Mia 

Character Sketches With Kat: Rhoda

Hello Beautiful Ladies!

I hope you all are doing well! It's a beautiful Monday morning here on the coast. It's also Memorial Day! It's a great day to remember the service that has been done for our country and the lives that have been laid down for us. Continue to pray for our country and our soldiers as they make sacrifices every day to keep us safe.

Today I'd like to have us look at Acts 12. I would hope you all read the entire chapter, but the character I will be talking about is only found in verses 13 through 17. Imagine you had just heard that your brother was being held in prison for something good. Let's say he was just walking out in the street, handing out Bibles to the homeless (this is only an example..) and the police decided this was unacceptable so they arrested him and took him in. And let's say that only a week before, someone from your congregation had been arrested and sent to prison for life for the exact same "crime." What would you do?

Something like this happened to the early church who knew Peter. And you know what they did? They got together to pray. They gathered at the house of Mary (John Mark's mother) to pray continually that Peter would be saved from the hand of Herod who had killed many of those who belonged to the church. After killing James, Herod had arrested Peter and was holding him prisoner.

If you've ever been in a scary situation and felt what it was like to pray together, you know how incredible that is. But these early Christians witnessed something even more incredible: as they were praying they realized the answer to their prayers! Peter came to the door, asking to be let in. Rhoda heard the knock at the door and went to see who it was. I imagine her reaction was much the same as mine would have been. "He's here!! I have to go tell the others!" She saw with her own eyes the answer to the prayers she had just been praying with her brothers and sisters in Christ. Is that not just incredible??

Everyone thought that Rhoda was crazy, but someone else went back to let him in. They all were beyond grateful to see Peter. In fact, they were so grateful that Peter had to tell them to quiet down so he wasn't caught. See, here's the thing: Rhoda was so excited, but no one believed her. Did the fact no one believed her mean she was wrong? No. Was she wrong for being excited? Clearly not because everyone else was excited too when they saw him. Sometimes we, like Rhoda, are given an opportunity to glimpse something good before everyone else is. Sometimes we will see something exciting and other people will think we are wrong, but that can't stop us.

For example, if you see someone changing for the better, you may see a glimpse of the strong Christian they are being molded into. Other people may look at you and call you crazy. They might say things like, "They're not who you think they are. They won't ever get better." or "She isn't good enough. She won't ever be good enough, don't even worry about her." But did Rhoda falter in her knowledge that it was Peter behind the door? Did she start to question herself? She didn't. We shouldn't either. Maybe we are wrong. Maybe my best friend won't change his ways. Maybe that girl at church really won't become less shallow. But we shouldn't be afraid to give them the chance if we see potential in them. Sometimes people just need one external force to reinforce them. They need one person to believe in them so that they see their potential. I know this isn't what Rhoda did exactly, but doesn't the same idea apply? I'm striving to be like Rhoda. I shouldn't be talked out of something just because someone else doesn't see what I see.

Sisters, I can't tell you how much I love you all! I love writing for you and I love that you read my words. I pray that your weeks are all blessed!

I love you with the love of the Lord
Kat

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you... These things I command you, that you love one another." John 15:12-15, 17

Gifts -Mia

              Hi friends!

              Memorial Day weekend is here! And that means hectic traffic, busy restaurants, and lots of lobsters pretending to be people (such as I will be if I forget my sunscreen…). And it also means family events and fun times and food! Oh, glorious food… barbeques, fish fries, cookouts… It seems like I’m forgetting something (not the mustard- I have that, I checked).

              And I think it’s something we all forget, all too often. But luckily, the very name of the holiday reminds us- Memorial Day. That’s what it’s really about. But… memorial of what?

              Gifts. We’ve all received them from time to time. They often come wrapped in colorful paper, but I’ve learned that they best ones usually don’t. People worry about getting the perfect gift for a birthday or Christmas or an assortment of things. But do you know what the best gift a human can give another is (in my opinion)?

              Blood. I know it sounds weird, but if you really think about it, it is the very definition of the most selfless gift one could give. Leviticus 17:14a says “For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life…” When you put it like that, it’s pretty obvious- blood is the gift of life. I’m not saying all of this to campaign for the Red Cross blood drive, but I do have the highest respect for blood donors- they saved my dad’s life, and they save countless more every day. If you want to give blood- please do it! It’s a very selfless act that saves lives, and you have my undying admiration for sacrificing for that cause.

              But blood donors aren’t the only ones who give the gift of their own blood. Memorial Day is a holiday dedicated to honoring the soldiers who have given their lives for our country. These people have given the gift of life and freedom to us, and they deserve our respect for being so willing to sacrifice everything for people who often aren’t very grateful for their service. Soldiers give the gift of their blood to us for our protection and freedom. They may not save lives by directly transferring their blood, like the blood donors, but they save millions from the annihilation and desolation of war.

              These people all give the greatest gift they can. But God can give an even better gift- eternal life! You see, Jesus gave his blood as a gift to us as well, and as 1 John 1:7b says, “…the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” He sacrificed his life for every one of us, sisters. I know we’ve all heard it many times, but take a moment to think about how AMAZING that is! Very few people in life would die for another- perhaps if the “other” was a parent or a child or a spouse or a best friend, if anyone. But Jesus died for everyone in the world- everyone who ever was or will be. That “everyone” includes people who hate Him, people who scorn Him, and people who don’t even know who He is. But Jesus gave the gift of his blood- eternal life and cleansing from sin- to all of them and to us as well.

              Freedom is not free, and neither is eternal life. But they are both gifts given to us- gifts paid for with blood. So this Memorial Day, let’s not get so wrapped up in the barbecues and cookouts that we forget what the holiday is really about. Let’s take this holiday to honor not only all of those brave men and women who served our country but also Jesus, who gave His life for us as well.

                    Let’s never forget the sacrifices people have made to give us that gift of life. Especially not the sacrifice of the One who gave us the greatest gift of all.

              Let’s keep our military in our prayers this Memorial Day. And enjoy the barbeque!

                    Mia

The Power Is In Your Hands -Mia

              Hi friends!

              I’m so glad to finally be back! Sorry for the wait; finals week was a nightmare! While I’m on the subject, I’d like to thank Kat for something she did for me on Friday. Around noon, I had basically hit an all-time low during my study time. And then she texted me out of the blue, asking if she could pray for me about anything, and that totally made my day!

              Sisters, you know how it can be. Sometimes you just feel like you’re alone and forced to  take care of things yourself. Now, there’s so much teaching about “God is always with you!” that we’ve learned to know better. Sometimes that feeling of being alone is still there, but most of us aren’t shy about taking a moment and sending up a quick prayer anytime we’re feeling down. Prayer is always an open avenue, and it honestly does make you feel better to take a moment to pray- just try it!

               So for a lot of us, prayer isn’t a problem. Maybe we don’t pray about every single problem we have, but if you asked us, we would say we have a fairly healthy prayer life.

              But let’s think this through. We may have a great one-on-one prayer life with God (by one-on-one, I mean we pray to him about our own issues), but what about our fellow Christians? In James 5:16, we are told to “pray for one another, that you may be healed… (ESV)” and in Galatians 6:2, it says “bear one another’s burdens… (ESV)” But, and let’s be honest here, how often do we do this?

              I’ll be honest- when I think about it, it seems kind of awkward to just text someone and ask for prayers with something, especially if, in my mind, it’s a “small thing.” And it shouldn’t be that way. I know that my Christian family would gladly pray for anything I ask them to do, and I shouldn’t feel awkward about asking for prayers. Because seriously- if the issue is important enough to be on your mind, it’s important enough to tell God about. He doesn’t view anything as “no big deal;” He’s happy whenever you come to him with problems, no matter how “small.”

              (As a side note, there’s one thing everyone needs to know that we don’t seem to stress enough: YOU ARE NOT WASTING GOD’S TIME. He loves you because you are His child, and He is glad to hear from you.)

              No matter what the issue, big or “small,” you CAN pray about it. You can pray about anything. And you know what the best thing is? “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:16, ESV).” I really love that verse, and I really love the way it’s worded in this particular version. Our prayers have power. They can accomplish things- things that seem nearly impossible. And that’s the thing- if one person’s prayer is powerful, how well would the combined prayers of so many other fellow Christians work? And not only are the prayers effective, the encouragement that comes from sharing your problems with your Christian sisters is absolutely AMAZING.

              We shouldn’t be afraid to ask for prayers, but beating each other to the punch and asking each other for prayer requests is even better! Not only do we grow closer “bearing each other’s burdens,” we will also remind each other that there are people out there who still care. Let’s face it, sometimes we feel alone, and we forget that we have sisters who are there for us.

              Let’s not allow people to forget that. This week, let’s remind people that they are never alone.

              When all else fails (and before), pray!

                    Mia

Character Sketches with Kat: Hannah

Good evening beautiful ladies!

I have a confession to make to you all... I did something silly! Haha. Okay, are most of you familiar with those character quizzes you can find online? Things like, "Which Star Trek: Next Generation character are you?" or maybe even, "What is your spirit animal?" Well silly me, I decided to take one of those quizzes. It's obviously kind of fake (or a lot of fake), but sometimes it's just fun to see what characters you may be like. The quiz I took told me that I was like the woman of the Bible, Hannah. According to the quiz result, I am perseverant, patient, I never doubt God's abilities and in the face of bullying I prayed fervently and was eventually awarded. I may be one or two of those things, so I was pretty excited about this! But once I got to thinking about it, I really didn't know much about Hannah.. I knew that she had a child after praying to God for a really long time. But aside from that, I didn't know much so I decided to learn more. 

First, I had to find where Hannah was in the Old Testament; that led me to the book of 1 Samuel. I read her story and immediately felt sorry I hadn't known her better already- she is so inspiring! Hannah was married to a man named Elkanah who loved her very much. He cherished her even though she was unable to provide him with children. However, Elkanah was also married to Peninnah who did provide him with children of her own. Elkanah was sure to take care of Hannah even though she was barren but Peninnah, out of jealousy for Elkanah's love, would taunt Hannah year after year. Eventually, it got to the point where Hannah would cry the whole time they were out to make their yearly sacrifices and she would not eat at the feast for their family. (1 Samuel 1:1-7)

Elkanah was worried about Hannah in much the same way that many men today worry about the women they love. He wanted what was best for her, he wanted to treat her right and he desperately wanted to help her. He couldn't understand why he wasn't good enough for her and she still wanted a child. And in the situation, I think Hannah responded the same way most women respond in times like this: she wouldn't talk to him or tell him what was wrong. (1 Samuel 1:8-9) Verses 10 and 11 say, "[s]he was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, 'O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head'" (ESV).

Hannah made a pact with God just as so many people today try to do, especially in movies and on TV. But I think Hannah was different. You see, Hannah had been fighting this for years. Also, Hannah loved God with her entire heart; she loved God more than she loved her husband (which should be the case anyways). (1 Samuel 1:19-20) Something else I think it important to note, Hannah did not ask for her blessing out of selfishness. Eventually, Hannah was awarded for her strength, her love, and her servant's heart: God allowed her to have a son whom she named Samuel. And when she was given the blessing she asked for, she continued to act selflessly for what she'd been given. In 1 Samuel chapter 1, verses 22 and 26-28, we see Hannah using her blessing (her son) the way she had promised she would. 

Whenever someone is deathly ill (again, especially in movies and on TV) it seems like these prayers, "God, if you would just _____, I would _____ for the rest of my life!" are the ones that take place. Many times, these prayers are not answered the way the prayer is asked for. Other times, the prayer is answered as hoped, but the pray-er doesn't hold up "their end" of the bargain. I don't know which situation makes my heart more sad- the desperate one-time prayer, or the broken promise after the prayer is heard. Our faith is not a code of morals, it is a lifestyle. Our prayers should be daily, not in life-or-death situations with strings attached. 

Hannah was rewarded for her prayer, but it wasn't simply because she prayed when she was hurting. It was because she had already proven herself worthy and God saw in her heart that she would continue to prove herself worthy. Of course we can all change for the better- we can receive the blessings we need to serve the Lord. But we need to prove we are ready first. A parent would not hand their 10 year old child the keys to their car, nor would they hand the keys over to a 16 year old who doesn't follow the rules. They hand the keys over to responsible children who are capable of using the car the way it needs to be used. Was it easy for Hannah to not have children? Certainly not. Did she enjoy being put down by Peninnah year after year? I am sure she didn't. But she handled those things as a servant of God and He saw that. Once she used God's blessing the way He intended for her to use it, God continued to bless Hannah (1 Samuel 2:21).

Very honestly, I'm not much like Hannah. I have a quality or two that she has, but I'm not quite there yet. But after studying Hannah, I do hope to have her heart. I hope to be the servant she was and have the same kind of heart that God saw in her. Although the quiz was watered down and wasn't really right about my similarity to this Bible character, I certainly hope to grow to be like her. I'm praying for you all this week!

In sisterly love,
Kat

"'There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed...He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail'" (1 Samuel 2:2-3, 9; ESV)

Life and Lemonade -Kat

Hello sisters!

It's been a busy week! I don't have a whole bunch of time to talk right now so I just wanted to make a brief post. Mia has been working so hard on school, she hasn't had the opportunity to write yet. I am so thankful to have a partner who takes this seriously and she has been so helpful to me. I decided to post for her this week so she doesn't have to add this to her list of stresses!

Just a few things I wanted to let you all know: my hope is to post as regularly as I can. My wish is to post Monday mornings. Mia has been posting a lot on Thursday, so I think that Monday and Thursday are the best days to catch up with us! As always, we greatly appreciate any, and every, comment! I have been running through a few ideas for future posts and I think I've decided to start a series called Character Sketches with Kat. Basically, I'd like to talk about some of the admirable people of the Bible. I know many Bible stories, but there are many I don't know well enough. My hope is that by studying these people together, we can all get to know some of the amazing people of the Bible. I'm undecided on the number of people I will outline, or who all of them will be. If you have any suggestions or any people you'd like to hear or learn more about feel free to drop us a comment in the comment box under this post or any of the Character Sketches posts.

Boy, summer is right around the corner! I can practically taste the lemonade on my lips and feel the sticky ice cream melting down my chin. As the school year comes to a close for many of us, let's keep trekking. Don't get discouraged, you're almost there!  Keep studying and working hard and try to remember that many people are really struggling right now. Send out an encouraging text message to a friend. Praying for our friends may be one of the best things we can do when they're dealing with stress. I may not know math well enough to help my friend Jed study, but I can definitely pray for him to find peace and that his hard work will be rewarded. Don't be offended if your best friend in the whole world ignores your text at 9 o'clock in the evening, she is still your best friend. As always, we (me and Mia) are so grateful for each and every one of you. Just remember who loves you. :)

(Hint: It's God. God loves you. :) )

Good luck ladies!
Kat

A Lesson in Young Age -Kat

Hello again!

You all don't know me too well, but you may have picked up on (it's okay if you haven't! :) )the fact that I'm a pretty mature young woman. My mom likes to call me an "old soul." Do you guys know what that means? It's sort of hard to explain, but basically it means that my personality (or my "soul") is wise and mature beyond my years. My interests, my values, and some of my choices in friends fall outside the social norm of an average teenage girl. I don't act like an old lady nor have I been through a lot of life experiences, but I understand life and I understand situations that many people my age don't.

When I heard 1 Timothy 4:12 at camp last summer, I really understood why being an "old soul" may not have been as bad of a thing as I originally thought it was. This verse reads, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (NKJV). Verses 13-16 following this quote are also important, as Paul gives Timothy tips on how to be an example, but maybe first I should give you all a little background on Timothy. Until recently, I never really knew who Timothy was. I'm still no expert on his life, but I have learned a few things about him over the last few weeks.

First, Timothy was raised under the example of his mother and grandmother who both feared God; Paul believes that Timothy's strong faith came from the examples of these women (2 Timothy 1:5).

Second, Paul worked a lot with Timothy and considered him to be "like a son." This can be referenced in several different places, but his referring to Timothy as "a true son in the faith" (1 Timothy 1:2) and "a beloved son" (1 Timothy 2:1) seem to do the point justice. In Philippians, Paul compares his relationship with Timothy to that of a father and a son (Philippians 2:22).

Last, Paul says that Timothy, unlike most other people who could lead the church in Philippi, was concerned with the things of Christ Jesus rather than his own interests and would care for them (Philippians 2:19-23). You see, Timothy wasn't as old as Paul, but Paul had every confidence in Timothy's ability to lead the church.That's why he wrote those words to Timothy, encouraging him to be bold in his youth.      (1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.")

I know, that is a lot of background knowledge. But here is what I want you to pull out from all of this. While I may be young, there are others of you who are younger. I urge you to stay strong in your faith, even in your youth. Paul trusted Timothy with a lot of responsibility even though Timothy was young. I have been guilty of using the excuse that I'm too young; but Timothy is our example. Timothy wasn't too young, and neither are any of us. Paul asked Timothy to be an example, and we should be striving to do the same. When you sit in on a youth class and all the other kids are laughing, talking, texting, and doing other disruptive things in class do you join them? Is sitting in the youth class an excuse to act like a child? It shouldn't be.

As youth, we should be an example to the children below us and sometimes even to the adults above us. When I visit other congregations, I am very rarely impressed with the youth classes. I love the youth classes at my home congregation because they're built in an environment where we as youth are held to a standard. We are all expected to grow in our faiths. We are all expected to ask questions and make comments. We are all expected to hold each other accountable and pick each other up when we need to. Please don't expect anything less from yourself. We are in a world that wants the youth to be without responsibility. But a youth without responsibility will lead to a working class without responsibility: parents, teachers, doctors, and eventually retired senior citizens without responsibility. Hold yourself to Timothy's standard and you will reap the benefits of your hard work.

Keep me in your prayers as I strive to live up to Timothy's standards. I love you all! Have an incredibly blessed week, sisters.

Kat

Ctrl -Mia

              Hi friends!

              Mia here- nice to see you again! This past week, I've been gearing up for finals and majorly stressing out about that (if you feel the same way- check out Kat’s most recent post here. It honestly helped me out a lot), and I discovered something. I hadn’t had much free time, and I was going into serious computer withdrawal. I know- that statement really made it sound like I have no life. Not true, my friends. I’m still breathing. But I do spend a fair amount of time on my computer, writing and such.

              But today, while I was waiting for it to power up, I noticed something that I never really paid attention to before. There are these two little keys on either side of my space bar labeled “Ctrl.” I don’t use those keys much, and I’m ashamed to say it took me way longer than it should have to remember what they were used for. Okay, I’ll be honest, I’m still not sure what their actual purpose is (I’m not a tech wiz in the least), but I know the “Ctrl” stands for “control.”

              Control. That word has an assortment of connotations- some things associated with that word are good, and many, many more are bad. For example, having a dictator in control of your country is not necessarily a good thing, but having control of your vehicle while it is in motion is very, very useful (unless you like using trees and buildings and things as means of steering). What about having control of making decisions for ourselves? That’s a nice freedom to have, isn’t it? God blessed us with a free will, and although some people use that to do stupid things, others can do a lot of good with the control to decide for themselves. It is not something anyone wants to give up.

              We don’t like it when things are out of our control. You know the feeling- there are times when it seems like you’re just along for the ride, whether you want to be or not. If you’re lucky enough to have never experienced that feeling, let me tell you- it’s not pleasant. As human beings, we like to have at least a little bit of control over our surroundings. We like to be able to decide when we want to turn off the hot water in the shower, rather than having it shut off on its own and being drenched with that burst of cold water that makes one hop around like a penguin and scream. We like to have leverage whenever a group is deciding what movie to go see at the theaters. These things are somewhat petty (I won’t say completely petty, because hot water is very important to someone in the shower…), but isn’t it true that we feel this way?

              Sometimes it will feel like life is out of control. We can’t deny this, sisters- we’ve all been there, or will be at some point. The status quo will change, and sometimes the odds won’t be in our favor. That’s just natural- it’s just life. Doesn’t make it any more pleasant, but that’s just the way it is. Fortunately, God can and will help us through these times. 1 Corinthians 10:13b says “…God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape…” (ESV) Temptations, troubles, worries- God will help us get through all of them! In reality, the feeling of “lack of control” is just an illusion; God is in control of everything.

              And you know what? All those little mundane things we can (normally) control, like what clothes you put on in the morning and how much salt goes on your onion rings and the volume of the radio- I think God might’ve given us those things to help us too. When the world is crashing down around me and life feels out of control, I take great comfort in controlling those little things. Maybe I’m just weird, but those things remind me that things will eventually sort out, and everything will get back to normal.

              And sometimes we just need that little bit of control. Sometimes we just need a hug. Sometimes we just need to be told that things will work out and that all will be okay. And when people tell you that, as a Christian, you can be sure they aren’t lying. You see, Romans 8:28 also tells us that “…for those who love God all things work together for good…” (ESV) Although- and I know we’ve all thought this way at some point or another- things may seem hopeless at times, God promised us he wouldn’t just leave us hanging. We aren’t promised an easy life where everything falls into place, but we’re promised help and a happy ending (you can’t get much happier than Heaven, right?).

              This week (and really, always), let’s keep that happy ending in mind!

              Keep calm and trust God,

                    Mia

The Struggle Is Real -Kat

Dearest sisters,

I am overjoyed to write to you all today. There are times in life when we reach low points, and there are times when we reach high points. Today I've reached what I believe to be a relative high point. There have been a lot of changes, a lot of plans to be made, and a lot of high stress situations. Although most of those things aren't gone, I had an incredible time at a banquet last night with my family. My church family and my blood family were there to celebrate me and my friends. There are times when we reach a point where we forget who we are, who we matter to, and how much we have accomplished. Those times happen to me far too often. But I think I have learned something about myself in that process.

There are always going to be hard times, and in every hard time people will say, "Everything is going to be alright; you can't worry yourself too much." We take those words in and process them, analyzing what it means so we can sort through the situation. Unfortunately, it's common for us to come to the conclusion it means that the future will be better. Things will get better when we have money, when we have a job, when we have a boyfriend or a husband, when we move out of the house, when.... You get the point. There's always a catch or something to work for or something to look forward too. But lately, through all the hard times and the frustrations and upsetting situations, I've finally learned that chasing after "what will come" doesn't help as much as I always thought it would. In Ecclesiastes, the term "chasing after the wind" is coined. It's an idea that once I read the book, I really couldn't move past. How often do we wait for things to get better? We wait for life to get easier, to slow down, to be enjoyable; but how much time is wasted in an attempt to wait patiently for life to _______?

When I noticed how patient I had become waiting for life to get easier, I couldn't believe how much time I had wasted. How many times I could have been happy, but instead I was still waiting patiently for life to be fun. How many times I could have told someone what an encouraging friend they were to me, but instead I was still waiting for life to stop feeling sort of lonely. I wasted so much time because I was content to put blinders on and wait for something easier to fall in my lap than what I'd been given. Paul writes to the church at Philippi thanking them for all their help. However, what he says in Philippians 4:11-13, is something I have tried to write on my heart. "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (NKJV). I have known many people to take verse 13 alone and plaster it everywhere. Don't get me wrong, it is a great thing to acknowledge that Christ is our source of strength. But I think people forget what Paul says before it. He had learned to be content in whatever it was life threw at him. He learned that from Christ. Christ was his strength, but he didn't use Christ's strength as means to sit around and complain. He used Christ's strength to overcome those urges to complain. And though I still have work to do, I've gotten so much better.

I am by no means perfect, but life is so much easier now that I'm more content. I really find strength in Christ when I live my life day to day. I find strength when the unexpected happens, I find strength when I'm alone or when I'm with other people, in good and bad, I can be happy. There are fewer distractions and I see things so much more clearly than I ever have before. I know that some of you may have much more difficult lives than I do. You have every right to look forward to the future, please don't think I'm saying it's wrong to struggle with having a difficult life. Just try to remember not to block everything out in an attempt to get through it. Trust in Christ's strength to get you through. As always, know that I love you all. I am available if anyone needs encouragement or help with learning to be content. I welcome comments and would love to hear from you all.

Much love,
Kat

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, not height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39 NKJV

Let it go and just keep swimming! -Mia

              Hi friends!

              It’s me, Mia, again! So, this past week, I was assigned to write a “personal essay” in English class. One problem- I hate writing about myself. I was completely at loss for a topic, until last Sunday night.

              Last Sunday night, a couple of my friends were sitting around talking like we always do, and someone brought up the American flag. They were talking about an art teacher at their school who had her students walk over the flag- walk over the American flag- for an art project. And that struck me as seriously sad. I spent the rest of Sunday night with the depressed realization that some Americans just aren’t patriotic anymore. That really bothered me. If it doesn’t bother you, I won’t judge, but… I also have no understanding of you at all.

              But I had my essay topic. The following Monday, I wrote my essay, but while I was proof-reading it, I realized how pessimistic it sounded. I ranted about the disrespect Americans have for the flag and about patriotism (that’s definitely my soapbox right there, in case you haven’t noticed) and about national pride and about soldiers’ sacrifices. And… I ranted about a lot of things.

              Ranting is good- occasionally. It’s nice to get it all out (boy, am I ever thankful for that pillow. It’s been screamed at and cried into and punched so much in its lifetime…), and from time to time, sisters, trust me- that’s just what you need to do. Let it all out.

              But isn’t it really easy to adopt the “ranting approach”? You know what I’m talking about- the feeling that you have to tell the world just how wrong something is. And most of the time, you’re completely right- the world is very, very wrong. A lot.

              But ladies- stop to think for a moment. Things can’t really be all that bad, can they? I know sometimes it just feels like the world is caving in on you- believe me, I’ve been there too- but in reality… We all keep breathing. We all get up in the morning. We all eat meals from time to time (I’ll be honest with you- sometimes I skip breakfast. And although I’m probably pretty likely to turn into the Loch Ness monster from lack of food, it’s not the end of the world. We breakfast-skippers just get a bad rap sometimes…). We all (hopefully) go to sleep. And then we get up and do it all again. You know how we can do that?

              The grace of God. God is awesome, you know? He created this thing called encouragement. Times can get hard- I understand that, friends. But that’s what your Christian sisters are here for! Encouragement is in this season (and every other season too, for the record)! And let me tell you, encouragement makes the world go round. I’d be a messy pile of depressed without encouragement, and I’m willing to bet at least a few of you feel the same way. But we don’t have to be a messy pile of depressed. We’re here for one another! Let’s start making that known.

              So what’s holding us back? Spread the love! And the happiness and the smiles! Life is good.

         
         
              Just keep smiling,

                    Mia