When God Closes Doors (Sleepless Night)

The Greatest Test of All: Are You Willing?

Lessons From the Story of Abraham and Isaac

So, Tuesday night my youth group left for a missions trip to the city. I was super excited knowing that we were going to be helping people - I mean, I've volunteered with veterans and at food pantries and stuff, but I'd never gone on a missions trip! We were going to be taking the Gospel to the streets, giving people that "cup of water" in Jesus name that the Gospel talks about; washing the feet of people who never would have dreamed of having them washed and holding children that longed to be loved. And I was going to get the opportunity to share the Gospel with all of my friends at my side, which in theory is like the ultimate awesomeness for a 16 year old girl with a passion for Jesus.

But, things turned quickly. It all really started when I was loading my stuff into the trailer, when I stepped out of my car with my bags in tote I began shaking. I ignored it. Later, my duffel bag and backpack were in the car and I had my purse slung over my shoulder, and I couldn't even hold that without trembling. I still ignored it. When we got to the church where we were staying, we had our set-up time and our orientation meeting where we went over the rules and such, then we got to do a Bible study. We met the pastor of the church we were staying at along with his wife - and he was an exceptional man! They were such exceptional people! They have done literally so much work in their community for the Lord that it is amazing! And to think that they would open up their church to us for the whole week? They have such giving, welcoming spirits!

Then our group leaders gave us the rules. After we heard said rules, I think that half of the girls on my team were shaking in their shoes. Putting it into perspective here - I think we had all known that we were going to be facing people with extremely rough lives. But, very few of us had ever really prepared ourselves for it in a realistic way up to that point. I knew we were safe in the church, but that didn't make this whole thing any less of a new experience for me. We certainly weren't in Kansas anymore.

I will admit, I'm not afraid of the city. There was also a good deal of mixed feelings spurred from all of the scary scenarios I was now aware we could face. But, I was still willing and excited to do all of this knowing that we were going to face it all with God's word in hand. I was excited to meet the children especially and just love on them, because I knew a lot of them needed to be loved on and shown the compassion of Christ. But, something I did discover is that I am somewhat of a suburban cupcake, I guess (NO not cupcake as in the southern term of "attractive woman," or "stupid teenagers engaged in folly flirting." Cupcake is my adjective for "overly sweet, petty, silly, sheltered, dilly-dallying avoidant people, etc.") And I need to learn how to rough it a little better.

See this cupcake? It's easily eaten because of how sweet it is. And it is rather tasty. But on the missions field, you can't just be a sweet cupcake. Oh no. (Here comes my Olympic-coach-like pep-talk. I think I hear Eye of the Tiger playing in my head as I write it) Cupackes get eaten alive in battle! Not unless they are tougher than most other desserts. They have to keep their sweetness so that they can have compassion on the helpless - but they have to have enough zest to stand up to hardship. That's why I've come to the personal (not set-in-stone or anything; just my personal opinion here) conclusion that Jesus wants to make us into Tobasco flavored cupcakes. Sweet enough to love on people but spicy enough to tough it out with passion and truth; no flip-flopping in our faith.

Anyway, if I want this to make sense despite my weird cupcake analogy; I should probably actually go back to a week and a half ago when I actually decided to go. When I heard we were going, I actually wasn't sure about it all. There was apprehension at first, because I honestly didn't get very much detail about where we would be going or what we would be doing until much later except that we were just going to the inner city. When I got the details, I still couldn't stop playing devil's advocate in almost every discussion about the whole thing.

"What if ______?" "What happens when ______?" "Are you sure we need to ______?" You get the picture. As cautious as I was about saying yes or no, I prayed about it and felt really led to go. Like, not just a petty feeling - it was like all out radical excitement about it in those few days before we went. I then started preparing for the thing like I prepare for Christmas (maybe even more so...) I was getting Bible verses ready to share and working with my Kid's Praise Team on the songs we were going to do with the kids (we had to trim down our song list drastically...because due to our massive enthusiasm we had to trim down our list from 64 to like 4 or 5.) I went out to Dollar Tree and bought so many stickers and pencils to share with the kids we met and got to know that I had to carry them in an extra bag. Things turned quickly from being an "I don't know" to a resounding "YES!"

Then we got there, and that brings us back into the main part of this story. After our rules orientation and our group leaders scared us into staying safe; all of the girls went back to our rooms and talked until we went to sleep. Getting ready for bed, we all talked about how different this was from what we had all expected and brought the "What if" and "What happens when" factors back into our conversations. We talked about a lot of things, of course. One of them was even a conversation about how bad it would be if any of us just left in the middle of it all. Just left. It's ironic that we had that conversation, because I would end up being the one that did. And I beat myself up about it, no doubt.

When the girls all went to sleep I was laying there awake for hour upon hour trying to catch some of the sleep that they were getting. It didn't happen. I lied there with my eyes closed for 2 1/2 hours not get any sleep at all as I tossed and turned until I went to go get one of our female chaperones. I was in a pool of cold sweat and my whole body was aching at that point. I also couldn't sleep because I could feel my heart pounding so hard (not fast, just really really HARD) that it was shaking my whole body. But, when I went to the chaperone I realized that there was honestly very little that could be done, so I went back to my room and started sobbing. I was gong to be up in less than 3 hours, I realized; trying to stay diligent in the 107 degree weather as I played with children up and down the playground. And, seeing I was having an insomniatic night as it was - I probably wasn't going to be able to get to sleep after that. 

It wasn't really the sleep that I was upset about. That was really my turning point, because I realized then at that moment this wasn't going to work. I had known I was getting sick beforehand but I just dismissed it; and I knew now that it wasn't meant for me. It was almost a spiritual sense I had that God was doing this because he was taking me out of here and putting me elsewhere. You'd think I'd be really sad about it - and believe me, I was - but more than anything else I was annoyed and frustrated to think that he would bring me that far and I wouldn't even get to see the first day of this. So, in exasperation I started to cry. My friends all woke up and gathered around me and comforted me until I stopped crying; something I am astounded by the kindness of and thank them for their willingness to do at 4:00 AM. 

Two hours later, everyone else was sleeping but I still hadn't at all. Alright so - I am notorious for being that one person who just can not sleep in a room unless it is below 70 degrees and with cold air blowing all over me; and the room we were in was on the warm side. But, I wasn't just being a wimp here - I didn't expect it to be a 5-star hotel! I really was starting to come down with something, and it is doctor confirmed now. At 5:15 in the morning I got up from my pool of cold sweat and called my Dad to see what should be done. I ended up having to have him come and get me so that I could see what was wrong with me. And when he came to get me in the morning, I still didn't sleep until I got home. For the last couple of days I've been exhausted and aching. We went to the doctor yesterday and I got to get some friendly little needles stuck in me so that I could have blood work done to find the root of the problem.

Anyway, where does this all fit in? Well, I was really upset when I left. That's a bit of an understatement. I got home and when I woke up from my 7 hour nap I was incredibly depressed. I am still upset. I had to leave my team - and now I probably seemed like a terrible wimp to everyone for having to go before we even started. After all, Jesus was more than just achy when he carried the cross. I was really wanting to go back; operating under the idea that as soon as I got this junk taken care of I could go back and help people with the rest of my team. The human part of me honestly wanted to go back and make every scenario in my head line up with that I was going to get magically cured with some miraculous, fast-acting medication and be able to go back and be Wonder Woman for Jesus.

 Well, it's now the second to last day of their work. After I had the doctor's news that he needed blood work to see if it was serious, it was just confirmation of what I had already felt in my heart but didn't really want to accept. I knew now that I wasn't going back. I kept on asking God why this could happen at first - why would he call me to do something if I would only be sent home? Why would he open this door only to close it?

In the midst of these questions, God brought a wonderful person into my life that helped open my eyes to what he was going to teach me through this. Wednesday night, my Mom got my depressed self out of bed and told me that she was going to take me to meet with some people up at the church where they hold the VBS-style Bible tournament that my brother goes to sometimes. It's a special thing where the kids answer bible questions and get prizes like snow cones and lollipops, etc. He really likes it! Seeing this happened to coincide with the Wednesday that my youth group was out of town and the church had theirs going on, I decided to drop by.

 Okay, well - my Mom sort of pushed out of bed that evening. (She's had to do that a number of times when I get depressed. And for that I mostly always end up thanking her.) The whole way there I was complaining "Mom, I don't want to go. I'm upset. I'm tired. I'm sick. I had to leave my team this morning. Blah. Blah. Blah." But when I got there, my apprehension went away. Even though it may not be my home church, I can see that God really wanted me there at that moment. The youth were all so nice to me and the group-leaders were just so filled with God (which is truly a rarity that I don't often see when I visit different churches.) The message that night was just meant for me. It was a really broad one about a lot of different scriptures but with the focus of staying strong in Christ through the trials and disappointments of our life and on through the school year.

The woe of my disappointment fresh on my mind, I shared it with the group and was encouraged. The woman who was helping lead us shared an insight that I know was from God - that the reason things worked out the way that they did could have very well been an Abraham and Isaac situation. In the book of Genesis, Isaac was Abraham's promised son. He was born to Abraham and his wife Sarah when they were well into their old age (Sarah was 90, Abraham was 100!) Not only was his conception and birth miraculous, but they had also waited an exceptionally long time for their son to come after he had been promised. They had to wait so long, in fact; that long before he came they were impatient and decided to take matters into their own hands. So, as you can imagine; Abraham was overjoyed about every part of his son when he came and beamed with pride at his boy all throughout his growing days.

Most of you know the story of when Abraham was called to sacrifice (yes, SACRIFICE) his son Isaac. If you don't, I'll outline it for you here. God called out to Abraham one day and told him to go onto the mountain and sacrifice his prized son - his most prized possession - to him as a burnt offering. Mainly, he was asking Abraham to kill his son for him and then burn his body. This sounds incredibly harsh, I know. I bet it was difficult for Abraham too. But, God is God. Abraham realized that, and he notoriously loved and wanted to honor the Lord with all of his heart. So, he took his son onto the mountain without hesitation and walked with him to the place where we was to kill him. But, just before he was going to plunge the knife into his son's heart - an angel of the Lord appeared and stopped him.

"No, no Abe!" I can just see it now. "Don't actually kill him! This is just a test! God is happy, you're obedient. I know you fear him now. Look, there's a sheep right over there!"

Then right after the angel stopped him, a ram just happened to get his horns stuck in the bushes beside them; conveniently becoming the desired sacrifice instead. God closed the door for him to sacrifice Isaac - although Abe was pretty sure it was what he absolutely had to do in order to obey his God (although he also had faith that the Lord would provide something else to sacrifice as stated in Genesis 22:8) and he opened the door to something else for Abraham to sacrifice instead.

Because Abraham demonstrated that he was obedient enough to do the hardest thing ever - sacrifice his one and only son (with Sarah, at least) - God saw this and was pleased with Abraham enough to spare Isaac for the reason that his father was obedient. Then the Lord calls out in a grand way and declares to Abraham a very suspiciously Messianic sounding prophecy....;)

"I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and you have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed because you obeyed me." Genesis 22:16-18

Perhaps it's like that with this. When God closes a door, I know he will open another. I've seen him do it a number of times, but never quite like he has now. Maybe God was sending me on the missions trip to see if I would truly say "I will go! Send me!" But, perhaps my sickness was the closing of that door and the opening of another. Maybe there's some divine protection he had over me when he carried me elsewhere - just like he had divine protection over Isaac. He never wanted anyone to be harmed by his will. After all, his plans are to "prosper us and not to harm us." (Jer. 29:11)

I know for one thing that God HAS used me this week in a way I could not have been if I was still with my group. I met some people who were in need of love and building-up in their walks with Christ, and I can see that God really is working in that. I've felt the tug on my heart to start an all-girl Bible study for the younger gals in my neighborhood a lot like the one that Katie started at her house a few years ago. We saw so many  radical things happen within that, I just cannot put it into words. Almost instantly God has begun opening those doors by bringing girls into my life from around the area who are truly aching for that kind of fellowship; some who don't have a lot of Christian friends themselves or are even the only Christians in their families. I don't know what he has in store, but we'll see.

Though, I still ache for my team and wish I could have gotten the opportunity to do the things we were planning on doing; to look into the faces of the precious, hurting children we were going to play with in the mornings and to wash the feet of the homeless the way that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as he humbled himself even though he was the Highest King. Even if I am not with them this week, I know that HE IS! Prayer is a very strong tool and weapon, and I trust that God has used my friends this week in ways they will not be able to explain when they come home. As disappointing as the things of this life can be, when God is working in them I cannot be unhappy with the outcome. It's just where he steers us instead. There will always be places that God wants to use you, even if it's not where you think.

If you have something in your life that you get your hopes up about that falls through; whether it be a job you thought you had, a test you thought you must have done so well on, or a mission that you thought God was going to use you to complete - don't lose heart. God is with you in all of your failures and disappointments - and perhaps what's going on right now for you isn't either of those at all! Just take a little bit of time and prayer, and God will open your eyes to see the bigger picture of what he wants you to do. There will ALWAYS be work for you to do in his kingdom. Sometimes he might be calling you to accomplish his will, and other times it might be a lot like the calling of Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. God could be calling on you to see if you're truly willing to say "Here I am!" But, sometimes that's all that he needs to hear from us. Then he will use us for bigger plans than we could ever dream of!

For all of the doors he closes, there will always be doors that your Heavenly Father opens. Not because this life is perfect or meant to be prosperously happy; but because he loves you and wants what's best for you. And what's best for you is his will. No cupcakes allowed.

Genesis 22:1

Sometime later, God tested Abraham. He said "Abraham!"

"Here I am," he replied.

"Don't Judge...Because You're Next."

Shattering the Walls That Keep us From Experiencing Love

"Judged not, for you too will be judged."

It is one of the most commonly quoted verses in all of Christianity and even goes far beyond the faith spectrum. There is no book or verse number with the quote, because it comes up all over the New Testament. But, I can tell you with 150% certainty that Jesus said it. He said it in Matthew 7, and also in Luke 6. The early church had its butt kicked a number of times over it too, because in several Paul's (and a good deal of the other guys said it in theirs too) letters to the churches there is a constant reminder that they should get along with everyone, accept Jew and Gentile, and mainly that they just shouldn't judge.

But as much as that verse is relevantly used, it's also irrelevantly abused.

In my generation, it's used as an excuse to do many bad things. Come on, you know the things I'm talking about. How often have you heard it said that "I'm saved by grace, so I can do whatever I want," or, "Well, your Jesus says not to judge. So don't judge me and live your OWN friggin'/**** life!" The common misconception here is that because Jesus says to work out your own problems before you pick at others, that equates to people who are actually ashamed of what they are doing underneath it all (whether they are in denial over it or not) saying that Christians have no right to tell them that the way they are living their lives is wrong.

So basically, it's often just a ploy used by unbelievers to justify their unbelief. (Even though the whole reason someone would cherish that verse would be because they believed it - leading to it being a complete irony anyway.)

Well, I have some words that might shock you here:

The most judgemental people in life are often the ones who constantly believe they're being judged.

They're often the ones who wall themselves off when others want to help them because they're so hardened by their experiences that they don't think (or want to think) that anyone could help them. They might be stuck in a hard place, so they decide they want to live by their own rules and don't like thinking that anyone else could have something to say about it. They're the ones constantly on the defense; the ones who feel the need to always defend themselves and the choices they've made in utter anger with the world even when they're standing in a quiet room and no one has said anything about them.  They're so used to the idea that the establishment (and the God of that establishment) is at war with their ideals that they automatically assume that they will be judged harshly.

Think about it. Say you are the hurting person in this scenario. You've been hurt by countless people, you've made mistakes, you've been cheated, lied to by people...etc. All of your life you've heard people go on and on about Jesus and morality and sin and death...and by now you've made so many of the decisions that those same people in your life would consider "wrong" that you're downright sick at any mention of it. Maybe you've been taken advantage of by a guy. Maybe you tend to enjoy drugs more than the speaker in your Elementary School D.A.R.E. program would have ever hoped you would. Even though your family has never really gone all Westboro on you with flaming speech and picket signs - the one, caring conversation they've ever tried to have with you about your problem offended you to your core. Why? Because deep down inside, you know that where you are now isn't it. But, you'd still rather justifying it than figure something else out. You'd rather have anything than the life that they have. So, you get defensive and fight back.

Your parents see that there's no use - so they give up their attempts to help you and watch you fade away sadly as they continue to plead on their knees. Or maybe it's the opposite scenario. Maybe your parents were never there. Maybe they let you go out and experiment with things - and maybe you got hurt. Since no one ever cared to stop you - you need someone to blame for your brokenness, so you blame the world and you blame God. All the while, you try to compensate for your pain by diving deeper into the darkness that you had fallen into before. When someone tries to help you, they will only be shunned away. You have heard that God is a father; someone filled with compassion and forgiveness. But, amongst all of your confusion - the feeling that stands out the most in your life right now is anger. Who else is there to blame but God? Besides, this whole "love" thing has never been for you anyway. Your bridges have been burned, and you decide to accept it with bitterness and turn to blame the entire world for what happens to you in life. So, you build a wall around yourself, prepare to be in a constant fight with your inner demons, and believe the whole world is out to get you because of it.

There are also the people who paint on happy faces and say "Jesus" on Sunday mornings - the ones that quote that same scripture whenever they see someone struggling - and yet underneath it all they still judge others with words that burn. They say "God bless you!" And they wish you well when they pull out of the church parking lot, but if someone insults them or something important to them they can respond with everything from a snarling glare to some choice words that go something along the lines of "How dare you insult me you *****! I am a ****ing gift from God! You're an ignorant ******!"

Put yourself in their shoes. Here you are, sitting in the pew on Sunday dressed in a pretty pastel pantsuit. Your grandmother sits next to you fanning herself with her church bulletin while wearing a large-brimmed hat. The thing is so big you could stuff a bowl of fruit in it. Everyone around you is dressed pretentiously, operating under the motto that "The Lord wants us to look our best." Somehow that motto makes sense to you even though Jesus was actually a homeless guy who didn't have much more than the cloak on his back. The pastor is getting into it, but you're not really sure what he's saying. You can only pick out a few words, namely "Jesus," "Sin" and "Hallelujah." Beyond that all you really notice is that he is bald and covered in sweat.

The organ suddenly strikes a tune and you're dismissed. Another family comes up to you and invites yours to an elegant lunch at a classy restaurant. Their daughter is very nice, though shallow. She often takes you shopping with her to buy prada handbags. At lunch you thank God for the $200 meal and express your thanks in tremendous, wordy blessings. Five minutes later you are sitting across from your friend discussing the ugliest looking guys at school and this new girl who seems incredibly trashy. As you gossip, something weird happens. I just got out of church, you think, isn't that kind of a place where people go not to be judged? Oh well, you're not a pastor. For crying out loud, church is just something everyone does around here. It's to be cool and classy and seen by your friends while you uphold tradition, right? No. But, this person doesn't accept the truth. They would rather believe those things and continue living the way that they do; making it a cultural fad that you do once a week over something that would actually involve giving up all of your selfish desires and handing them to the "big guy in the sky. "

Neither of these kinds of people have accepted God into their hearts - and both of them share something in that as different as they may seem; they are both in clear denial of the fact that Christ died for them.

How is that so? The person who is closed off is living as a runaway. They attempt to reject that Christ could love them, because in their hearts - although they may not ever express it - they don't feel that they are worthy of being loved. They think that they have a pitiful life here, but that it's all they can depend on because they don't feel worthy of anything else. The second person is someone who is also in denial. They paint on a smile and offer up a big heaping plate of southern hospitality when it involves others looking at their lives - but when it comes time to let God examine their lives, they run as well. Christianity is just a name to this person. Jesus is just a nice Easter/Christmas/Mother's Day story.

As you read this, you must think it's a flaming judgement to put these people into groups. But, it's not. Why? Because although I can see that there are clear wrongs within these types of attitudes, it doesn't change the fact that I'm about to tell you this: you and I are no different from these people. Not by a hair, smidgen, inch, kilo, or cup. In fact, you are that person. You are both of those people. We are born the same. Mankind is born with a tendency to do bad things. We stain ourselves with the things we do. I stain myself with the things I do. But we know that there is hope in Christ that we can be made new and experience what it is actually like to be loved.

Isaiah 1:18 says:

"'Come now, let us reason together,' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be made as white as snow. Though they are scarlet, they will become like wool.'"

Let me be clear: Jesus will not judge you in the way you think people will. And any TRUE Christian will know from HIS example that we are not to judge anyone by their past, where they were born or who they were born to, by the way they look or talk or the mistakes they've made.

The people God redeems are not angels. The saints were sinners. All of them. The most prominent figures in the bible were not perfect. Noah got drunk and cursed his family, yet God still called him "the best man living among the people of his time." (Not to mention saved his whole family from complete obliteration.) Abraham tried taking God's promise into his own hands and screwed up a good deal of his family life in the process. Rebekah was willing to favor one son over the other. Jacob was a deceiver. Moses had anger issues (leading him to smash the Ten Commandments and have to go all the way back up the mountain and ask God for copies.) Rahab was a prostitute. Ruth was an impovershied, childless widow who came from a land looked down upon by the Israelites. Esther was an orphan. David was an adulterer who made sure that the "other guy" died in battle so that he'd never find out about it. Solomon had an obvious problem with women and extravagance - not to mention, Solomon also evidently concluded through much of his writings that he thought life was pointless, useless, and meaningless (though there is a greater point to it than just that.)

Continuing:

Matthew was a tax-collector (basically an ancient IRS agent.) Peter had loyalty issues. Mary Magdalene was possessed, and had likely "gotten around" quite a lot before her walk with Jesus. John and James thought they were macho-men, had some ego issues and probably a whole lot of ADHD. Their mom somehow had the bright idea that Jesus should put her sons in charge of well, everything in existence. Zaccheus was short, and he was also an ancient IRS agent. Martha was a worrier. Lazurus was dead. Paul murdered hundreds of Christians. The list goes on and on and on. But, no matter who they were - God loved and used them all. Even those among the most hated of their day (like Matthew, Mary, and Zaccheus) were valued like jewels to God. And so are the beaten, used, and abused people of our own time.

As Christians, we have no right to judge someone who God is using. Jesus hung out with a band of misfits. He touched the untouchable, talked with those who were not allowed to speak for themselves. He took the people who sought him and made their lives new. Many of those people who were renewed became his disciples; but there's more to it than that. Even after they were made new by Jesus (in all of his perfection) they still struggled with judging others. For some reason, Nazarene Jesus had really bad customer service. Every time he went somewhere and did something miraculous; it seems that half of the time the disciples shooed everyone away beforehand. You'd think they would learn to just let Jesus be Jesus and heal who he wanted - but one after the other, when people came to them asking for serious healing they would just say "Go away."

Then Jesus would rebuke his customer service team, heal the person they had tried to trun away in love, then give his staff a good stern talking to (that they never really seemed to learn from.)

Though they were also sinners, they had their egos get in the way a lot. And we are a lot like that. Often times, we forget the simple truth that we're all born as sinners and that life has its own unique struggles for each person to face. It is said that once you dehumanize someone, it's easy to hurt them without feeling apprehension. Well, once you forget that you are human too and are on the same level as they are; it's easy to judge the other person.

But then what is judgement? Is judgement steering someone off of the wrong path? Is it telling someone in a mad rush to turn around because they're about to walk off of a cliff? NO! That's not judgement. That is wisdom. If someone is about to walk off of a cliff and you think that telling them "turn back! You're about to fall to your death! I'm SERIOUS!" is judgemental and that you shouldn't do it; I would ask you to seriously reevaluate what you call logic. Judgement is looking down on someone because of some defining quality that causes you to feel uneasy. Since we're all born looking each other straight in the face as equals (as hard as it might be to accept it) judgement can be defined as something that occurs when you decide to stop seeing a human being on your same level.

Now, there's a difference between seeing someone as a cherished, worthwhile human and accepting the bad things that they do as alright. In fact, loving someone because you see them the way that God sees them - as people who are valued - should make you want to reach out to them and tell them that there is a better way. Not that they are terrible or horrible or hell bound - but that you love them, and you know that they are made for better lives than the ones they are living; and that they can find that in the love of Christ.

Ironically enough, it is those people who have been judged and gone wayward that judge the most. And we've all been judged, and we have also passed judgement ourselves. The thought that someone is trashy and ugly is a judgement just as much as the idea that someone will hate you just because they "don't understand you." If you don't have Christ, you don't have forgiveness. You've been both of the people in the above examples. You've taken things for granted and been a fake. You've also been closed off from the love of others in a desperate attempt to justify the self-reliance that you blame on the "judgement" of other people. You have been that person, and I have been that person too.

If you can connect with any of those analogies at all, know that there is grace in Jesus. If you've been saved but are struggling, pray that God will give you the same eyes to see people that he has. Read about the life of Christ and take from his example how you are to treat others - because Jesus didn't hang out with people who were cool or liked. But he didn't care about those factors - he loved them. If you have been hurt by someone and are putting up a personal wall; know that the people who have hurt you are not the kind of people that true Christ followers are to be. There are Christians who are good, caring people who look with the same Christ-eyes that I mentioned earlier. In fact, all of us Christians are called to do that. Those who don't could either be struggling with their own insecurities or are just big fakes. If you have intense pain in your life that has caused you to build walls; seek God. What he will ask you to do may not be easy - he wants you to open your heart - but if you want your struggles to be overcome, ask him in. He will shatter them.

We're all human, and we've all got a lot to learn. But no matter who you are or what you've done or are going through; Christ cherishes you and made you unique and wonderful. Life isn't about going to church so that you can be "religious." It's about walking with Jesus Christ and letting him have you as his child! Open yourself to his love and give it a try. He wants your heart so that he can heal it - not harm it. But, it's not an easy road. You have to be willing to let him change you.  You can't keep on living in the meaningless, empty ways that you do. It can be hard to give up our idols, but when you trade something meaningless for true joy; it's like trading plastic party beads for a real pearl necklace. Sometimes what he want might seem scary - but in the end it is worth it. All you have to do is ask.

Summer Beauty Tips

Crazy DIY Spa Tips for the Summer!

Quick fixes and fun at-home spa treatments that seem crazy, but actually work.

First of all, I wanted to say that even though this is called "beauty tips," keep in mind through this whole thing that beauty is within. It cannot be found through expensive creams and hair care products, through looking older or younger or changing the size of your jeans or the color of your hair. The kind of things mentioned here will only "pamper" or "beautify" in a temporary way. Beauty isn't even the right word to use for it, though the English language really stinks at having a variety of words for things with multiple meanings; so that's why I decided to stick with this as the title.

The bible tells us in 1 Samuel 16:7b that: "The Lord doesn't look at the things that man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

In the New Testament, women who were new believers were specifically told to not take pride in elaborate braids and hairstyles, fancy clothes and jewelry that distract others from the main purpose of God living through them. That doesn't mean that it's sinful to dress up for a special occasion or bathe so that you can smell nice. But, we are told as girls of God that we are not to find our "beauty" in those kinds of things. They shouldn't make us who we are.

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

These are good if you need a fun activity for a sleepover, a quick fix for a painful pimple or bruise or if want to experiment for fun with different ways to moisturize your skin or hair. These are "quick fixes." But, you should never find your happiness in a "quick fix." You can only find it in the pure, lasting joy that comes only from Jesus Christ.

These are like baking tips. And I'm pretty sure most of you know not to build your life on baking tips.

So, now that you've been warned; without further a-do I would like to present you with a few summer "beauty" tips that may seem a little unconventional but work really well if you're in need of help with a pesky pimple or simply want to dry your nail polish a little faster without using industrial-grade chemicals. And for the most part, you can find most of the necessary ingredients no further than your kitchen!

Spa parties. Practically the epiphany of all things female. And, who can deny that it's fun to put cucumbers on your face?

Hair

• Washing your hair in cranberry juice boosts shine and gives vibrant color to redheads.

• Avocado has been used as a conditioner by the native peoples of Central America for many centuries and still is widely used all over the world as a hair moisturizer today. Use it a couple times a month for strong, healthy, shiny hair.

• Egg whites are also well-known conditioners for the hair and were used back in the day to wash hair too (yes, I know it sounds crazy. Using eggs to wash your hair.) Egg whites are also said to be good for the face as well. If you want to use them in your hair, apply the egg whites liberally throughout your hair and let it set for about 15-20 minutes or longer. Then rinse it out with COLD water (or else you'll wake up and find scrambled eggs in your hair the next morning.)

• Coconut milk is a nourishing conditioner for those who have medium-thick to thick hair. People with thinner hair can use it as well, but be careful not to use too much. Also try a product with coconut oil (or the real deal) if you have naturally curly or wavy hair.

• Mayonnaise is a good hair mask. Smear it all throughout your hair, clip it in place at the top of your head (if your hair is long) and secure it in place with a shower cap or saran wrap. Leave it in for 30 minutes to an hour. (It's also a good treatment to suffocate lice. Though, to do that you have to leave it in for at least 4 hours.) 

• Lemon juice and tea work well for oily hair. It is harsh enough to take out the oil but won't wreck the PH balance of your scalp. (Yes, your scalp DOES have a PH balance.)

• You can also use lemons to give yourself blond highlights (never tried it - but apparently it works according to my once-hairstylist mom and the McDonald's frozen lemonade AD campaign)

• If you find yourself battling with frizzy, untame hair - rinse it in unflavored club soda (seltzer water.)

• When towel-drying your hair, it works best to use a microfiber towel made specifically for your hair (got mine for $1 at Dollar Tree) or even a cotton T-shirt. Using traditional, coarse towels can make hair frizzy. If you use microfiber or a t-shirt, it can give your hair a natural shine! But, if you must use a regular towel, never ever rub it around your scalp to dry it. This will cause it to become frizz city!

• If you want your hair to be less frizzy, it's still okay to grab the blow-dryer. Just don't nuke it with heat until it's dry. Turn it on the low setting, or dry it on the cold setting if you have one. It's alright to use heat to style your hair - but a cool setting will make it shinier and healthier and healthy in the long run!

• It is well known that washing your hair in cold water makes it shinier. But, warm water should be part of the process too. Rinsing your head in warm water before shampooing opens up the hair follicles and makes it easier for your shampoo to do its job and remove all of the dirt and grime in your hair. Follow up afterwards by rinsing the conditioner from your hair with cool or cold water. This causes the hair follicles to close and "seal in" the moisture of the conditioner. Rinsing out your conditioner with cold water makes your hair shinier, more easily styled, and less frizzy.

• Have a fly-away? You don't need fly away cream or gel. It sounds crazy, but it's a tip I learned from my cousin when I was really little and has been working every since: LOTION. Yes, that's right. Lotion. Use a small amount of lotion (the dime to quarter size amount you would use to moisturize your feet or hands, depending on how much hair you have and how thick the lotion is, of course) and rub it between your hands. Run your hands AROUND (not on) your hair. Take your hands and run them up and down the length of your hair from about a half-inch away from the actual thing. That way it's not actually touching your hair and won't cause it to become greasy, but will still do its job by smoothing out frizzy strands and flatten cow-licks.

• Most store-bought shampoos contain harsh sulfates (ammonium laureth, ammonium lauryl, etc.) Sulfates are surfactants that are used to make the soap lather once it hits your scalp. They can actually be good if you're trying to strip your hair - but using them on a regular basis like most of us do can cause hair to be dried out, weaker, frizzier, and generally damaged. It's a good idea to invest in a not-so-expensive sulfate-free shampoo. I use the Coconut Milk line from Organix (because I'm pretty much obsessed with the smell of coconuts) and it works great! Pantene and Aveeno also have their own sulfate-free lines now. If you must continue to use your regular shampoo, it's a good idea to take a break from it every once in a while and condition-wash your hair (washing your hair with conditioner just as you would with shampoo) or to replenish the moisture with a hair mask. Below is a recipe for a hair mask that will help nourish your hair, and you can find many of the ingredients in your home!

Hair Mask Recipe for Strength and Shine: For shiny, healthy hair you can make a homemade hair mask with avocados, egg whites, olive oil/coconut oil, coconut milk and honey. The main ingredients that you will need are avocados and egg whites. The rest are optional but will further boost your shine! The amounts depend on how much hair you have. I have very long hair, so I normally use two avocados and that will be the amount I put in the recipe. You can add or take away however much you need:

2 avocados

1 can of coconut milk

1 or 2 egg whites

1 tbsp of olive oil or coconut oil (you can use both, but split the amounts in half.)

1 tbsp of honey

Shower cap (if none, a hair towel or t-shirt you don't mind getting dirty will do.)

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl until they are well blended together except for the coconut milk. Try to get as many lumps out of the avocado as you can (they make a big mess in the shower) but don't stress it if there's still some left over after stirring. Add as much of the can of coconut milk as you feel you need, just make sure that the mix remains of a thick enough consistency to spread it onto your hair like butter. Stir again until the coconut milk is mixed well with the rest of the mask. Then, ready the batter and step into the shower. You can lightly shampoo and/or condition your hair if you like. Once you're ready, turn off the shower (or at least step out of the way) and liberally coat the mask over your hair from the roots to the ends. Then, do whatever is necessary to make sure that your hair stays in place (long hair can be secured in a plastic clip) and place your shower cap or hair towel over your head. Leave it on for at least 30-45 minutes, then rinse it out, preferably with cold water and a mild shampoo if necessary.

Skin

• Putting ice to an area of your body that has just gotten bumped or hit will prevent it from turning into a nasty bruise. Usually it will lessen the size and cause it to heal more quickly, other times it will prevent a bruise from forming all together. The science behind it all lies in the chemistry of what hot and cold do. Cold causes things to constrict, and hot causes things to expand and relax. That's why the doctor tells you to ice a sprain, it helps to constrict things underneath your skin and make swelling go down. BUT, in order for this to work on your bruises, you must ice the injured area immediately within a few minutes of getting hit.

• Toilet seat covers make good oil-blotters in times of emergency. Sure it sounds weird, but you might thank me later.

• Sticking your face in a bowl of ice water shrinks pores and helps remove oil from your face. It's also said to brighten your complexion.

• Eye drops can make an excellent spot treatment if you wake up with a new pimple. They reduce redness and help the painful swelling that some pimples present to go down. Simply apply the over-the-counter eye drops to the inflamed area (A.K.A. smear it on your pimple) and then take an ice cube and apply it to the area for a few moments.

• Putting on petroleum jelly after shaving your legs can provide intense moisturizing. Personally I find this works better than a lot of other lotions I've tried, and it's super cheap and simple to do. It's also good for hangnails and calluses (a piece of info I can thank the lady at the local nail salon for telling me when she became appalled at my various hangnails.) Just make sure that you're not sensitive to petroleum jelly before you put it on, because many people have allergies to that and other petroleum-based skincare products.

• Mixing a small amount of sugar with just a smidgen of honey and even some olive oil makes a great lip-exfoliator. Lip exfoliator? Yes, lip exfoliator. Take a bit of this mixture and apply it to your lips like a lip-balm, then rub them together to exfoliate off the dead skin. This is an awesome thing to do when you have really chapped lips. And, it's 100% edible. (Gasp! That's why after I eat sour-patch kids my lips feel so soft! ;D)

• You can use egg whites as a face mask to tighten your pores and firm your skin. Bonus: If you use 2 egg whites and 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt (either regular or Greek) you will have a wonderful, soothing face mask!

• Rub a lemon wedge over your face if you want to brighten your complexion. Just make sure not to over-do it, otherwise it will result in irritation

• This long-time remedy of chicken-pox and poison ivy irritation is also very good for your skin. Taking an oatmeal bath soothes things like those mentioned above, and helps with dry skin and sunburn. It will nourish it and make your skin come out softer. Also: If you mix one serving of plain, (though it's alright if it's the store-bought instant kind; it will be a bit sticky but it's not impossible) cooked oatmeal with a small amount of milk - enough to nourish the skin but not so that it looses its thick consistency - you can wear it as a face mask for 10 minutes to moisturize and exfoliate your skin.

• Mixing brown sugar (and a bit of regular sugar is alright too if you want to mix it in) and a bit of olive or grape seed oil makes a fantastic scrub for the skin. I used to make this scrub all of the time and put it in jars to give as gifts to my parents. If you want, you can add coffee grounds. These are another great exfoliant that when added to your mix can make it go a longer way than just using the sugar. You also can use honey for added moisture, and just a dash of vanilla extract will give it a serious coffee-shop smell.

• Cat litter is apparently made of the same clay stuff as $200 spa facials. Just make sure that you get all natural, unscented...and most importantly unused cat litter. And look for "100% natural clay" or "sodium betonite clay" on the label. Those kinds are made from clay that is dried into small pellets that I suppose would turn back to their original, clay-ish (there's no adjective to describe it) form when wet. Take a couple of cups of the stuff and wet it, then put it on your face. (This has to be one of the most outlandish seeming ones on the list, but I told you that even though some of these were crazy that they worked. About.com doesn't lie. Well, alright, it might be; but if this mask is everything it's supposed to be...I think I might try it.)

• Taking a bath with Epsom salt will help make your skin soft and also helps to provide you with your daily magnesium intake! Yup, that's right! The magnesium in the salt will absorb through your skin. You know what they say, "if you wouldn't put it in your mouth, don't put it on your skin!" Although, most of us cheat and put a bunch of garbage on our skin anyway. Like cat litter.

• Green or black tea bags can be just as good for dark circles and puffy bags under the eyes (if not better than) cucumber wedges when made damp and frozen/chilled before placed over the eyes

• A mashed banana and a squirt of honey is an excellent facial moisturizer. Just don't forget to wash it off after a few minutes (because it will be obvious that you're wearing a banana if you don't.)

• Olive oil makes a great eye make-up remover! So does baby oil (which is mainly mineral oil.) NEVER apply it to your whole face, and NEVER leave it on if you use it anywhere other than your eyes. There's a 90% chance that it will result in a breakout if you do. But, it still works great for stubborn mascara.

• Rubbing alcohol is a good treatment for occasional pimples if you only get pimples occasionally/have less severe acne. Just remember to apply it directly to the pimple and with discretion, otherwise you could dry out other areas of your face (thanks to Katie for the tip.)

• Washing your face twice a day is good for some people, but will cause other people to have skin that is over-dry. If you wash your face twice a day, consider using a more mild soap for the morning (unless you have severe acne or your dermatologist/doctor says otherwise) and a more potent one for the evening if your acne is moderate. Or you could just use a mild soap in general. It all just depends on your skin. If your acne bothers you, make sure you see a doctor. Many primary care physicians and even a lot of pediatricians treat acne now with medication, so it's certainly something worth looking into.

• Use sunscreen! Please use sunscreen! Changing your skin by tanning will do nothing for your health. Some unprotected sun exposure is actually said to be good for your vitamin D intake, but only up to about 15 minutes a day and certainly not during the hottest part of the day or on the hottest day of the summer. They say that after 5 sunburns your risk of skin cancer goes up drastically. I'm not doctor, but I would advise that since it's summer and the sun is high in the sky; WEAR SUNSCREEN! And reapply often to prevent a burn, especially if your sunscreen is of a low SPF or is not water-resistant or sweat proof and you have been sweating. It's also a good idea to wear chap stick with sunscreen in it, because your lips can and will get painfully burned if exposed to the sun!

Coffee & Cocoa Facial Mask Recipe (For all Types of Skin): Thanks to About.com, I found this awesome recipe for a skin mask for any type of skin from oily to dry. If you have super dry skin you can substitute the dairy for an oil of some kind, and if you have oily skin you can add lemon juice to gently reduce the amount of oil in your skin.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. finely ground espresso or coffee beans (The author says that they use their own grinder, but already ground coffee and even instant coffee work too.)

4 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (Your basic Hershey's is perfect here!)

8 Tbsp. of dairy product. Choose whole milk, heavy cream, yogurt (must be unflavored!) almond milk or coconut milk. Use less dairy if you like a thicker paste. Substitutions are allowed: Try an egg instead of dairy if you are an egg mask lover, or substitute oils, such as olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil or almond oil if you have dehydrated skin. If using oils, halve the amount or it will be too runny.

2 Tbsp. honey (if you have dry skin) or lemon juice (if you have oily skin)

Grind your coffee/espresso beans into finely chopped grounds that will easily form a paste but will NOT scratch you up (that's never good.) Mix the coffee grounds and cocoa powder in a bowl, then add the dairy product slowly until a smooth paste forms and continue until it is of the thickness that you like. Stir in the honey (the author suggests warm honey) and then apply the finished mask to a clean face and neck. Let the mask dry, then a few minutes later gently begin to pat it off with a wet wash cloth and splash your face with warm water if necessary (be careful NEVER to scrub it off as the grounds could scratch your face.) Store leftovers in the fridge.

For this face mask recipe and many more you can go to:

http://beauty.about.com/od/homemadefacemaskrecipes/r/Coffee-And-Cocoa-Facial-Mask-For-All-Face-Types.htm 

Nails

• Did you know that dipping your nails in cold water 30-45 seconds or more after they've been painted helps them to dry faster? The colder the water, the faster they harden. So, the next time you polish your nails keep a bowl of ice water with you for a quick dry! Works best if you keep your fingers dipped in the water for about 20-30 seconds, or until they are hard enough.

• Dipping your nails in vinegar works similarly to the cold water, though it can be done in conjunction with the first for a very sturdy, quick dry. Vinegar helps the polish to adhere to your nail better. Try dipping your nails into the ice water first, and then into the vinegar and back into the ice water again. This worked well for me.

• If your nails are free of any polish, you can make them look clean and fresh by using baking soda and a lemon wedge for a bright, white look at the tops.

• Did you know that if you wait for your nails to dry and dip them in rubbing alcohol, you can transfer the ink of a newspaper or magazine clipping on to your nail? This is the technique used to make the popular "newspaper nails," nail art design.

To do the "newsprint nails" design: paint on a coat that is a light color. I mean, VERY light. You can do either white or light grey, or another of your choice - just be warned that dark colors will cause the "print" to not show up very well. Wait about 10 minutes for it to dry, because transferring the ink while it is still gunky will result in the polish being smeared off. Then once your nails are fully dry, take a clipping of either a magazine or a newspaper that has clearly seen, bold print. (Something that I like to do is print out bible verses and transfer them onto my nails as the design!) Soak the clippings in rubbing alcohol and/or dip your nails into rubbing alcohol also. Then take the clippings - print side down - and FIRMLY press them to each of your nails for about 30 seconds each (or as long as it takes to transfer the ink) and swiftly but carefully pull each strip off afterwards. The ink should now be transferred to your nails for a "newspaper" effect. Wait a few minutes for that to dry, then finish it off with a clear top coat to prevent smudging, smearing, and to give it a really shiny effect when dry.

I will admit, it can take some practice...I know it took me a lot of trial and error (and even now it only works for me about 80% of the time.) Even if it smudges or doesn't transfer well at first - don't give up! And, a tip: Make sure that you're using new, completely unexpired rubbing alcohol. I've made the mistake of using some old antiseptic before, and the ink didn't transfer at all.



Great Books for God Girls!

10 Books That can Change a Chick's Life!

In this day and age, the media throws a lot of messages in our faces (as I've mentioned before) in the form of TV, movies, and also in the form of print. I cannot count how many girls I know who are bookworms! I am somewhat of a bookworm myself. So often, we're looking for just the right book to read - but end up settling on something that might be less than wholesome because it has good reviews, accolades, is popular or has a "good story despite all that 'other stuff.'"

Well, have no fear! There are lots of great books out there for Christian gals like you and me. I've compiled a list of a few great books that have personally impacted my life, and they will no doubt impact yours as well! You can simply Google most of these or look them up on Amazon if you're interested in buying it. Some of them are fiction, and others are non-fiction; in any case, if you're looking for a good read or a great gift for a bookworm-friend - take a look at this list!

#10. Pure: A 90-Day Devotional for the Body, Mind and Spirit by Rebecca St. James

 

This devotional is utterly packed with relevant and deep heart-stirring devotions that will inspire you to dedicate your life to God and wait for your future husband. Of course, I'm not exactly a "devoted," devotional-reader (I almost always find it near impossible to keep up reading the same devotional every day at the exact same time for more than three days.) But, I still read through the devotions in a more all-at-once sense. Either way you choose to go with it, this book amazing!

As a lot of you probably know, artist Rebecca St. James dedicated much of her young life and career to promoting purity. Her ministry as a young adult caused many young girls to be inspired and turn their hearts and minds to Christ. Now she is happily married, and a true testament to what a wonderful gift it is to save our hearts for the right person by waiting! This book reflects that passionate attitude no less!

#9. Email from God for Teens by Claire and Curt Cloninger

This was one of the first books that I read as a Christian, and it truly allowed me to see my worth in the eyes of God. It's not exactly a devotional, but if you want to make it a part of a devotion time the short passages make great ones. If you're looking for something uplifting that will remind you of God's plan for your life and his love for you as HIS prized possession and child - this is a wonderful read. It's like reading a novel full of love notes from God with scripture to go along with it!

#8. The Carter House Girls Series by Melody Carlson

See? I'm not just talking about apologetics books and devotional diaries here. The Carter House Girls Series is a great read for any teen girl who is looking for a dramatic series that they can get into that doesn't have the garbage that a lot of other YA fiction has. The main character DJ is a sporty, down-to-earth teenager struggling to find herself after her mother's death. As a newly orphaned teenager she finds herself living with her rich, supermodel grandmother in Connecticut who opens up her home as a boarding house to five girls who vary in personality.  DJ must learn to live alongside Taylor, Kriti, and Eliza - three girls whose wealthy pasts make them strikingly similar to her grandmother herself; and Casey and Rhiannon, the two girls who come form less-than wealthy families and are staying as her grandmother's "charity cases."

If you've been looking for a Christian alternative to books like The Clique or Gossip Girl, you're in luck. These books have the same level of drama as a show on The CW, but through masterful storytelling these characters each embark on a journey of faith towards Christ. It does touch on heavy topics as the main message of faith is told in the series through characters that come from broken home lives. Due to the heavy nature of some of the topics touched on I would recommend that girls read these books who are 13+.

#7. Brio Girls (Focus on the Family)

This one isn't actually a YA novel, but I'm including it for any younger readers who are looking for something to satisfy their "tween" appetite. Anyone remember the Brio Girls books or magazine? If you do, you're awesome! The magazine is no longer in publication, but when I was a younger preteen (now they call them "tweens" I suppose) they impacted me in a huge way. A long time ago, there was a series of books that came out aimed at preteens with a God message at their heart. They're by several different authors and about several different characters, but all in the same series and were published under Focus on the Family. If you want a good description about what they're specifically about, I honestly can't give you that detailed of an explanation because all of the books are about a different character. Think of it as the Christian Babysitter's Club. Only, there's no babysitting. At least, I'm pretty sure that there's not ;)

Seeing that these are more geared towards preteens, I'm not recommending it for people who are above and beyond the "tween" age. If you are or know a younger tween who is looking for a great read, by all means let them know about this series! I can assure that they are written with God's word in mind and will leave a lasting mark on their hearts.

#6. Diary of a Teenage Girl by Melody Carlson

This is one that I'm guessing you've probably heard of. If not, that's okay! I know I've included another series by Melody Carlson, but these books here have touched many lives and I just had to include them. I've actually not read the whole series, but I remember reading at least 3/4ths of the first book a very long time ago before getting distracted and moving on to something else. (Yes, I do have attention-span issues.) I've heard so many people rave about how good these books are, and I do have to agree that Melody Carlson is a great author. Diary of a Teenage girl basically is what the title says it is. And, it certainly doesn't lack depth. The series Caitlin O'Connor  through her High School years and through her life all the way up until she gets married. As we read through Caitlin's struggles and her journey of faith, girls can identify with her as a person and see her struggles and triumphs reflected in our own walks of faith. Definitely something worth checking out!

#5. The Christy Miller Series by Robin Jones Gunn or pretty much anything by Robin Jones Gunn.

My word, if there's any series that every young girl should read it is this one. It was one of the things in my early walk with Christ that influenced me the very most to make the decision to remain pure and it really ignited my flame for Christ. Sure, I guess some people could call it just "another cheesy Christian novel," but I don't think so; and neither do several thousand other young women all over the Internet who say the same thing. If you are between the ages of 12-112, read it! Honestly, I think the best time to start them is around 13-15, but just about any age in the preteens-teens will do. The first novels hit on all of the issues that a High School girl might face in her family, friends, and school as a Christian.

As Christy walks with Christ in the series, she learns lessons about her family, faith and purity. And as cheesy as it sounds; when reading it as a teenager you'll be able to relate to the main character as she goes through similar trials and triumphs that you are right now. If you come across a difficulty in your first job, have a bickering family member, or are beginning to tackle your fear of driving - Christy will tackle those fears with you. And as for the romance aspect - there's a lot of it. From book one to the very last, you will fall in love with the same character that she does ;)

In the first books of the series, Christy goes through all of the typical adolescent drama - but in later novels (such as those in the College Years) heavier topics such as the romance in her young adult life are explored. More than anything else though, these books are a wonderful Christian love story.

Let me put it this way: if you read it, you'll be praying for your "Todd" in no time ;)

Also: If you fall in love with these books, you'll certainly enjoy other spin-offs in the series such as The Sierra Jensen Series and the Katie Weldon books. She also writes some great fiction for older adults and even some wonderful nonfiction such as Praying for your Future Husband (a book that I've personally been looking forward to reading for a long time!)

#4. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

Alright, I admit that most of you were half-expecting that this one would show up on the list. Even though, it's not a fluffy chick novel it's definitely something that every Christian should read at one point in their life or another. Personally, it gave me historical basis for the story of Christ and reaffirmed my belief in my faith. This is a great read if you're looking to witness to someone, if you're a logically minded person looking for answer, or if you're just someone wanting to reaffirm what they believe.

 Also: If you want another great apologetics book by Lee Strobel that will give reason to not only believe in the historical Christ but also give evidence as to why Christianity would the the legitimate answer to the question of faith, you may enjoy The Case for Faith.

#3. Jesus Freaks: Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus by DC Talk & Voice of the Martyrs

Jesus Freaks has to be one of the most influential books in my testimony apart from the Bible itself. I know I've raved about all of these a million times, but this book is awesome. Man or woman, girl or guy - every Christian who wants to know the true meaning of being a Christian in a hostile world needs to read this book. It is sad, but riveting and awe-inspiring. It is one of those books that makes you want to stand up and well...do something.

One of the very special things that this book has been in my walk was a means for the girls in our youth group to come together the first time. Right after my friend Katie took me to her youth group for the very first time (check out the first blog for my testimony) we were talking about the sacrifices that a Christian has to make in their walks with Christ. I mentioned that I had checked out Jesus Freaks from the library and talked about one of the stories I had read about a Christian who had died for their faith.

Our middle school obsession was of course the song "Jesus Freak;" to which we would always crank up the volume on our stereo and head bang for 4 and a half minutes.

So, upon hearing this, her response was literally:

"There's a book?!?!?! We have to start a bible study and read it together!"

So we did, and almost every girl from our youth group came. It was the first time we all came together, and one of our friends that had been coming to church with us was impacted in a great way and eventually became a Christian as a result.

This book is literally heartbreaking, but it is a book that compels you to act on your faith and stand strong whatever the consequence.

#2. Authentic Beauty: The Shaping of a Set-Apart Young Woman by Leslie Ludy

This book is probably one of the top ones I will always recommend that teen girls read before they go into High School. When I read it, I made the decision to not only remain abstinent for my future husband but to live my life in a pure way. All of the stories in the book point towards Jesus becoming that Prince Charming in our lives that every girl has always wanted. It teaches girls to seek the Lord earnestly and follow his plan and uphold his standards for their lives so that they may be the beautiful, royal women that they were created to be. The words are a true inspiration and motivation to be a girl of God! It's a wonderful read for all girl bible studies, for your own devotional time, or just something to read in your personal time.

Personally, I think it's a great read for girls before they enter into High School. I read it the summer before my 8th grade year, and it equipped me with tools I could use to stay strong in Christ through that year and on through High School. There are some heavier topics, so it might not be appropriate for gals who haven't yet been exposed to the pressures of being a teenager or entering into High School.

IF YOU ARE FEMALE, READ THIS BOOK!

Also: Take the time to visit the official website of the ministry the author has for young women. There's an online magazine specifically for you! www.setapartgirl.com


And now...for the one you've all been waiting for....

#1. The Holy Bible

Let the cheesiness of me making the Bible #1 on this list ensue. Just kidding, I'm not ashamed! And neither should you be! Let's face it, of all the books in the world there will never be anything like cracking open God's word. It is the guide to our lives and the tool for our survival in this crazy world as Christians. So, curl up with a nice cup of tea or lemonade, open up the Word and soak it in like a sponge! Always remember to let your life be led by the words of this book above all others so that your lives can be beacons of Christ's wonderful light!


 

When choosing things that you read, watch, and listen to; always keep this in mind:


"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Philippians 4:8

Fairytale Endings

Once Upon a Time...

God Made us to be Warrior Princesses

Alright, so it might not be in the same family as entertainment like Fireproof or Facing the Giants, but I just have to blurb about it! A show that I and many of my girlies at church adore is ABC's Once Upon a Time.  Even before it came on, we were wildly excited to see our favorite childhood stories come to life. Ever since the debut, my friends and I have been hooked!

It's a show full of twists and turns in the plots of the stories that we already feel we know so well. A lot of them are also twists that feel very modern (I'm underlining for emphasis in case you haven't noticed.) Since the very eve of Once's success, there's no doubt that television and movie studios in Hollywood have jumped on the fairytale bandwagon so that they can appeal to this very lucrative and growing cultural obsession.

Notice that I didn't say new. It's not a new fad. Fairytales have been part of our culture and many others for centuries. When you look at the older ones and then at others from all around the globe, one can't help but wonder how they could all follow a similar storyline. There's usually some hopeless person or a princess in peril, and then through all of the trials that a seemingly unbreakable curse can present good triumphs in the end (usually through a shiny knight riding on a white horse.)

Though, lately I've been seeing less and less of the white horse outcome. Most of the time good still triumphs, but there have even been a few modern retellings in which the outcome is simply dark. It makes me wonder what's happened to the hope we used to see in the overcoming good of these stories! It seems that even in the tales that little girls know so well, modern retellings sometimes portray the complete opposite message that they originally did.

Nowadays, I see more messages being thrown at us that look like this:

"Chivalry is dead. Don't expect a white horse romance."

"Expecting that you'll find a Prince Charming is naive and impossible."

"Waiting for the right person is silly, because there aren't any guys like the one you want."

"Marriage is just a silly status. You should try things out beforehand."

"It's every man and woman for himself now. You're nothing special, so learn to take care of yourself."

The list goes on...and on...and on!

It's not that nontraditional twists on fairytale endings are bad - that's actually not what I'm getting at here. I actually love seeing a princess whose character is three-dimensional over one who's just a damsel in distress and in turn is seemingly flatter than cardboard. There's nothing wrong with changing up the ending to Cinderella or Snow White so that the princess ends up saving the day. There's also nothing wrong with making your prince and princess fight side-by-side as equals the way that Prince and Snow do in their fairytale world in Once:

(See? Don't they just look so happy? Like two peas in a pod. Now...to resolve the issue of whatever that big purple cloud does...)

As a little girl, you learn tales like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and look to their triumphing good with a childlike splendour. It's widely said that the magic in these types of tales is one of the things that causes us to grow and have the ability to grasp hope in what we cannot see. I know that when I was little, I looked at the Disney Princesses in complete adoration. Not because I worshipped them, but because I wanted to be a princess. There was this desire inside of me, and inside of every little girl; to become a princess just like they were.

Anyone read the classic, A Little Princess? How about seeing the movie? I remember reading it a long time ago, and I still own the movie. If I recall right, in the movie Sarah makes a very good point in saying this to her abusive headmaster when she was faced with adversity. Even though she was thought an orphan, subjected to life living as an outcast and dressed in rags; she was able to jubilantly tell the woman that she was worth something.

"I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young. They're still princesses. All of us. Didn't your father ever tell you that? Didn't he?"

Hear that? All girls are princesses! And it's no lie that all of us were born to become royalty. But, how can that be? Simple answer: we belong to God! The King of Kings sacrificed himself to make you clean, and he gave himself so that you could become royalty. You are a child of the Most High, and you were uniquely crafted in his image to do wonderful things:

"I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full and well." Psalm 139:14

And, if you haven't already seen that it's the verse at the top of the page; 1 Peter 2:9 tells us that we are not only made for great things - but we're also chosen to be a royal priesthood:

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may call praises of him who called you out of darkness and into wonderful light."

Okay, so you get it now. "Alright, we're royalty. But what does that have to do with my Prince Charming?" I can hear you asking it now. Don't worry, we're getting there.

So, if we're all princes and princesses, what does that mean for you? Does it mean that one day you'll need to be rescued by your future husband on a white horse? Actually...no. "Then what does this have to do with Prince Charming?" You're still baffled, I know.

Well, let's go back for a moment. Think of how Prince and Snow are portrayed on Once Upon a Time. I know it sounds crazy and completely irrelevant to Christianity in any context - but just do it. If you're a crazy follower of the series like me or any of my friends, you'll remember that in every one of the "Snow White + Prince Charming" episodes, the two are always seeking after each other.

In the original Disney cartoon, it was somewhat of a one way street. The Prince has been searching for her valiantly far and wide while Snow is in hiding. There's no evil in that, of course. In fact, it can be seen as an example of how Christ's love for us is far reaching and seeks us out even when we feel we are furthest from it. And on a human level, men should step up and adopt that Christlike attitude. Chivalry is not dead, and it shouldn't be! Men should step up and fight for the women that they love! Girls, settle for nothing less than a man who truly honors you as Christ does!

Though, back to what I was saying: my main point here is that a woman should not sit idly either. We are called as his daughters to pray for that one person and wait for them. And, we are to seek God's will for all of our relationships! I know this is hard news to hear for some, but there are girls (and guys!) who may not be meant to be with someone else at all. That's not a death sentence, either. Paul of Tarsus was pretty happy just knowing that he would have a future marriage alongside of all of his brethren to our Lord Jesus Christ.

That doesn't mean that you should spend your whole adolescence worrying that you're doing wrong dating or courting someone because you might or might not be one of those people. Jesus says not to worry, because the Lord is in control! As his servants, we have to accept that and trust that he knows what is best for our lives, and we must uphold the standards that he has given us! We are to live as if we are expecting Jesus to arrive at our door at any moment, and in doing that we can know in our hearts that we are doing the right thing as "ladies in waiting," for our future spouses.

Simple English answer: Worship Jesus, and NO SETTLING!

The Once characters are very unique in the sense that they both realize that they need each other and are willing to fight for each other whatever the cost. Neither of them settled. They waited for each other and even though there were trials, there was a happy ending. In the real world, Regina (similar to how sin gives us an illusion of what we should do and be) has them under her spell, attempting to make them believe that they should settle for less than each other and preventing them from being who they were created to be.

That is exactly what the world does to us today! Satan has us under the illusion that we should settle for less than God wants, and that we should lower our standards to be "happy." But lowering our standards to less than what God calls for will never bring a lasting joy. Not in the area of our friendships, not in the area of our family lives, in our future marriages or in our faith.

We all know how fairytales end. And just like every other classic, even Regina's illusion can't keep the prince and the princess apart. It's a lot like that for us. Right now, we are fighting against the curse of sin that has swept over our world. We know that Christ's sacrifice for us means that the battle has already been won - and in the end, Christ will triumph. It is said in his word that nothing can separate us from his love. And when Christ comes back for his church, we won't be idle either.

We're actually not even supposed to be idle now (gasp! Big shocker, I know.) The Bible tells us in so many different places that we are not only his bride, but we are also the warriors of his truth. Every man and woman who knows the truth of God's word is tasked with the mission of carrying it into battle. Just like modern tales tend to give their endings a modern twist with a warrior-princess saving the day, all of the people in God's kingdom are called to fight the good battle.

If you're a girl and you have a passion for God's word you're not called to sit as a damsel in distress. Embracing godly femininity is not sitting helplessly as a damsel in distress. Sure, there's things that women are made to do that guys typically aren't. I won't get into that now. But if anyone tries to tell you that as a young Christian woman that you are not meant to do what God has called you to do because of the fact that you are female; they are wrong. Being a godly woman should never be something that limits what you can achieve through Christ.

If you accept the cause of Christ, it says in Ephesians 6:13-15 that we are to arm ourselves with the armor of God. He will make the weak strong, and he will give knowledge to those who had none. The battle is treacherous, but it will be one that we'll continue to fight with truth until the day of Christ's return.

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." Ephesians 6:13-15

In other words, when you enter into the battle, God will make you look a lot like this:

I know, right? Totally awesome.

So, I guess in reading this your mind might be whirling. That's okay. Mine is too. And I also just proved to myself that God's plan has the ultimate fairytale ending; but it won't play out like the typical tale. I'm not perfect at all - and neither are you! But somehow, the most important Prince Charming in the universe has caught sight of us and extended his invitation to become part of his kingdom. I've been seeking him, and you've been seeking him (even if you don't think that you have.) Accept the invitation, and become part of his eternal reign. By embracing his love, becoming godly women, and following where he leads we will fight on his side as warrior princesses. There will always be times when we fall short and feel we can't go on. But our Prince Charming will always pick us back up again. 

We will fight for his truth, and HE has already won the battle!

But what about that white horse?

Alright, I'll tell you now.

Your husband is not on the white horse. It might be a white horse, but not the white horse.

He can emulate the rider of the white horse (and he'd better) but he is not the rider on the white horse.

The rider is perfect and just, and will sweep you off your feet. When he wins the battle, we will celebrate and end this tale with a new beginning. His church will join him in marriage as his glorious bride.

Still haven't guessed yet?

Jesus will be the one on the white horse.

"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war." Revelation 19:11

Girls, never settle for anything less than the man God intends for you. That man won't be perfect, but he will be someone who seeks after Christ and aims to follow him with all of his heart. If there's one word that describes what you should be looking for, it's this:

Christlike.

If you enjoyed this blog, check out this lighthearted video from the makers of Once Upon a Time. If you're familiar with the series, it will probably make you laugh! Remember, don't settle for anything less than your perfect match ;)