A few weeks ago I did a book review of "He's Making Diamonds" by S. G. Willoughby. Today, I have a wonderful announcement! Our guest author is none other than Sara Willoughby herself! AND if you head on over to her blog R5:3-5, you'll find that she's completely revamped her site! In honor of the new website, she's also holding a giveaway, so if you're interested in that, check out her new site at www.sgwilloughby.com and you can enter to win a copy of "Fierce Hearted" by Holley Gerth! Now, without further ado, here are three truths about storms in life.
3 Truths About Storms In Life I used to live in the lighting capital of the world. I loved thunderstorms. Still do, actually. The way the lighting lights up the sky, forever unpredictable. The thunder rolling across the sky from far away, or booming right above you so it shakes the house. There’s just something about thunderstorms that make you feel small. That make you realize how awesome and powerful and majestic the One who created them is. But the thing is thunderstorms can be beautiful, but they can also be scary, and rightly so, because not only are they majestic, they are dangerous.The gusting winds can tear things apart, the pounding rain can cause floods, and the lighting can kill you. I still love thunderstorms, but I’ve learned that storms in life can be a lot harder than real storms. The tend to last longer than the typical afternoon thunderstorm. They also affect us where it hurts most: not only physically, but mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Today I want to share three things about thunderstorms that also apply to life-storms.
I don’t know what storm you are going through in life right now. Perhaps you are even between storms. But hang on to these truths. The storm will end. The storm is not without a purpose. And the storm glorifies God if we choose to let it. Storms can hurt. But good can come from them too. About the Author: S. G. Willoughby is a seventeen-year-old girl with Lyme disease, toxic mold poisoning, and MCS. Currently, she resides in Arizona with her parents and two siblings. In her spare time she loves to write, read, and have adventures. You can find her at her website, she writes at FoundWhoIAm, and Th!nk Magazine.
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This last week at youth group, our youth pastor asked us, "How would you introduce Jesus?" He then asked us to write down our responses, and I thought I'd share mine:
Do you like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Well, I do! I just love a good old PBJ with some nice, creamy peanut butter and good old strawberry jelly. But here's the thing - I don't like the crust. Well, I'll eat it if it's honey wheat bread, but if it's whole wheat... ew. All those grains are so dry, it just tastes too healthy, I can't take it! I'm just trying to relive my good old kindergarten days, and these little grains are ruining my vibe! Well, have you heard of a guy named Jesus? Now he's the kind of guy who eats the who PBJ, even the crust. He doesn't care about the little grains. He doesn't even care if it's crunchy or creamy peanut butter, or whether it's grape or strawberry jelly. He eats that entire sandwich, and he enjoys it. You know, Jesus is the same way with people! He loves them, no matter what. He doesn't care about who they are, what they've done, what sins they've committed. He loves them, and he loves them even with the grains on the crust. And he loves YOU too, whether you're crunchy or creamy, strawberry or grape. Because that's who Jesus is - the ultimate PBJ lover. A couple of months ago, I had the amazing opportunity to go to the Amazon jungles of Brazil and hang out with some friends of mine who are missionaries on the river. It was a wonderful time, full of fellowship and fun. Though I have tons of great memories from the trip, one moment in particular has stuck with me.
I went with one of my missionary friends I was staying with to visit a nearby village. Afterwards, we came back to the village where he and his wife lived, and since it was a particularly hot afternoon, I decided to take a quick jump into the river. After my little swim, I got out of the river, onto the dock, and headed up to the house. As I climbed ashore, I got mud all over my feet. Now, the mud there is a little different than it is here. The mud here is more water than dirt, so it washes off quite easily, but the mud there is just wet clay. It sticks to you, it’s slimy, and it’s just downright nasty. Of course, I had this mud all over my feet, so I waited outside the house so as not to get everything inside dirty. All I needed was a towel to dry off, and I could take care of the mud myself with a bucket of water. Instead, my friend grabbed the hose and started washing my feet himself. I don’t mean that he just held the hose and I rinsed my feet under the water. No, he got down on his knees and washed my disgusting, slimy, ant-bitten, blistered feet. He didn’t have to, but he did. I was perfectly capable of doing it myself, but he served me. It wasn’t just an act of service, though. It was a display of love. Love is service. It’s sacrificing your own comfort and preferences for others. By simply washing my feet, my friend was showing that he loved me. Jesus of all people washed his own disciples’ feet. In a world that tells us that we’re the most important, and encourages selfishness, I’m encouraging you to be selfless. I’m encouraging you to serve, to love, and to sacrifice your comfort for others. It doesn’t have to be a huge thing, either. Sometimes, it can be as simple as washing feet. Hey guys! I didn't write my usual two posts a month last month because I was actually out of the country. I was on a mission trip for two weeks, smack-dab in the middle of the Amazon jungle! I had already been to Brazil last year in June with a team, but this time it was just me and my friend Rebekah. In June, we were visiting two villages a day, providing medical care and a vacation Bible school program. The rest of the time, we were traveling down the river on a big boat, where we ate all our meals and slept in hammocks on the top deck. But this time, I wasn't on a boat with a group. I was with my friends who are missionaries stationed in a village on the Uraria river. I stayed in their house, helped them with little jobs around the village, and went along with them whenever we had church services in any of the surrounding villages. It was an amazing experience that I'll never forget. Below is a slideshow of my trip. Enjoy!
There's so much tragedy in our world. Everywhere you look, people are hurting. But we have hope. I don't have the answers, but I just have to trust that something good will come out of tragedy. God is good, and He has a plan for everything, even the hardest times. Where there is pain, He is healing. Where there is suffering, He is refuge. Where there is heartbreak, He is solace. God is good, and he has a plan. God is enough for your pain, your suffering, your heartbreak, your tragedy. God is enough.
I cannot do anything by myself. I'm not strong enough. I am so weak. But I have hope. I have God behind me, guiding me in His ways, and giving me strength to do his work. Where I am weak, He is strong. Where I am empty, He is full. Where I am exhausted, He keeps going. God is enough for my weakness, my emptiness, my exhaustion. God is enough. In whatever circumstance, we can trust God's plan that there is something good to come, because God is enough. Our culture is obsessed with looks. Everybody wants to look the same, and look pretty. We stand in front of the mirror, scrutinizing our face, and everything about us, and either think we’re better than someone else or we’re worse. We either like what we see in the mirror or we can't stand it.
It’s so easy to compare ourselves with others! I struggle with that, and you probably do too. Everyone does, in a way. Comparison is a huge thing that tears us down. And it’s mostly just about looks and outward appearances that seem to matter when you're comparing yourself to someone else. Because anybody can create a fake identity based on the person they look up to and want to be. But the Bible clearly says it’s our inward heart that matters! 1 Peter 3:3-4 Says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles, and 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.” Instead of looking in the mirror and thinking, ‘I wish I had prettier eyes,’ Search your heart and pray, that God would show you what you need to learn. Ask God how you can become more like Him. More kind, loving, gentle, and confident. About the Author: Hello! My name is Nina, and I'm 12. I've been writing for about 3 years, and I also love all kinds of art, photography, music, and going on adventures :) My favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11, and I live in Arizona with my two older siblings, parents, and dog. Before, you were weak. You only relied on yourself. Everything you tried to move wouldn't budge, and everything against you would defeat you in seconds. You couldn't keep up; you were left behind in the race of life.
Now, you are strong. You rely on Him. It is not your strength, but His infinite, mighty power that moves mountains, breaks chains, protects from adversity, and gives you the strength to run the good race. Before, you were weak. Then, He picked you up from the dust. Now, He provides a way. Verses to see: Psalm 28:7 1 John 4:4 Romans 8:28 1 Peter 5:7 Philippians 4:6-7 I have always wanted to do something big for God. My family has been involved with a group of missionaries working the Amazon River. My parents have been on countless mission trips to Brazil, and this year, I was old enough to join them. Throughout my life, it had always sounded so exciting to go to a different country and proclaim His word, but when the time came for me to go, I was scared. I was comfortable with my life, and I didn't want to leave. The trip seemed daunting, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I had yearned my whole life for this moment, but when the time came, I shied away from it.
Thankfully, I decided to go, though I was still unsure. I look back and see that I was scared of the hard work God wanted me to do. But as soon as the work had begun, I was in love. The children were so joyful and beautiful. My new friends on the trip were hilarious, and so encouraging. The language was so beautiful, and as soon as I got home, I booted up my old Rosetta Stone Portuguese program. I was determined that the next time I went, I would be able to speak to the children fluently. God changed my heart in Brazil. I no longer fear sweat. I'm not scared of getting my hands dirty. Because if it's for Him, it's worth it. I was free on the river. I had experienced something I hadn't known before: True happiness. I wasn't truly happy back in America. I was just comfortable. But when I was with God, no matter how sticky, dirty, and muggy the conditions were, I was happy. Once you get out of your comfort zone for Him, everything falls into place. On that trip, I learned a very important lesson: God is the only way to be truly happy. |
AuthorHi, I'm Abigail! Welcome to my blog. Hope you enjoy! Archives
August 2018
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