A thought

Every two weeks I go to a speaking group called Tecorians and this is one of the Christmassy thoughts I had to do, I really like this one:

Blessed is
The season which
Engages the whole
World in a
Conspiracy of love.

-Hamilton Wright Mabie

-Blessings Tiffany

New button on the sidebar--finally! :)

Well, yes...I've been working on it on and off ever since we first got this blog up and going. Ahem, yes. That is a while. And I'm just slightly embarrassed about that fact. Anyway, here it is, in all it's glory:


Yup, very simple. Check the page out, though if you want to read the magazines! (you've probably read all of them, but they're there for reference, anyway!) Excited to see where this magazine is going next,

P.S. Did you notice that we changed our pictures on the sidebar? :)

A Worry Box

This post came from The Pursuit. (you can read another one from that website here) It was originally posted on August 3, 2011. Used by permission--thanks, Ariel!

Hey Girls!

Ahh...the summer is counting down! Well, hopefully you're all enjoying it.

Anyway, I was on vacation with my family at a Christian family camp in NH. It's absolutely beautiful and refreshing. They have activities for the teens, and one day they split up the guys and girls and had devotions. Most of what they talked about was the same old stuff you hear all the time. But one thing struck me: our leader was talking about anxieties and worries and how they don't honor God. She said that she has something called a Worry Box. Let me explain.

Nope! You don't have to be fancy.

She keeps a small, decorated box on her desk with a particular Scripture that comforts her written on the outside (for instance Matt. 6:25-34). She keeps a pen and paper inside it. Whenever she becomes worried, anxious or stressed out, she writes the issue down and puts it inside the box. By doing so, she gives each concern to God and trusts Him with the result. After that, she doesn't allow herself to worry about that issue. Instead, she simply reminds herself that it is already in God's hands.

I love this idea! But what if I expanded that idea to something called My Thought Box. You see, I also struggle with worrying, but my bigger problem is my thought life. I am constantly fighting a battle to think pure thoughts and not let the Devil speak lies into my mind. So, for me, writing down anything I'm struggling with in my mind and putting that in a box (i.e., visually handing it to God), would be even better!

This is by no means a magic fix. And there is certainly nothing wrong with simply praying or journaling about your concerns...I do this as well. But for those like me who are very visual, this can be a great way to hand over worries and concerns to God. I can't wait to try it!

Megan

Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93+@+verizon.+net. (take out the "+'s" to email her)

Unfailing.

"God never said the road would be easy but he also said he would never leave you nor forsake you." ~Unknown

Today's story: Lessons From The Crypt, by Chris Jackman. Be sure to read all four pages--they're worth it!!! 

Have a blessed day, and trust in His Unfailing Love!

~Esther~

Pictures Source

Be watching for another post Sunday!!!

The Only Way Things Will Get Better (Part 2 of 2)

This is continued. Read Part 1 here.

The Mule and the Horse

Once upon a time in a land far removed from here stood a mule and a horse in a meadow filled with luscious grasses and sparkling waters. Neither animal had much to do so they both ate and drank to their hearts content. The mule told the horse that this was the life to live. There could be nothing better. The horse just neighed and kept eating. Eventually the day came that the stream dried up and the grass turned brown and inedible.

The horse knew enough to trust that his owner would soon come to care for him. The mule, on the other hand said he knew of another pasture where the water always flowed and the grasses never withered. He was desirous to seek it on his own. The horse, being the wiser of the two tried to stop his companion. He ran ahead of his friend and blocked his path. But the mule, being stubborn and bull headed simply lowered his head and butted the horse out of his way.

In short order, the animals owner did arrive. He called his horse and his mule. Only the horse responded. The mule had set out on his own search. The farmer told his faithful horse that he would lead him to a pasture where the waters never stopped flowing and the grasses were always green. “But you must follow me closely. The trail is narrow and twisted. The mountain on one side is steep and the valley floor is far below. Follow in my steps and you will arrive safely,” said the farmer. The horse recognized that he would soon be in the place the mule had described.

As the path grew narrow and dangerous, the horse was careful to step exactly where his owner lead him. And indeed the way was treacherous. Only the careful leading of the wise master kept them safe from sure destruction. Often the horse wondered how the mule could possibly find his way—or arrive safely to the place they were headed. At long last, the path once again descended into a valley. Indeed it was flowing with a continuous stream of living waters. Indeed the grasses were the lushest, richest, greenest grasses the horse had ever seen. But there was no mule to be seen.

Days passed and the mule never arrived. Weeks went by and still no mule. One day the horse was munching his grass close to the foot of the mountain which the treacherous path had circumvented. He absentmindedly bumped into an old leather bag laying on its side. There lay the mule, in the green pasture where the water never stopped flowing and the grass was always green—but life was not in him. He was broken and torn and withered and dead for the path had not been kind to the feet of the unsuspecting fool of an animal.

Often we see what we think is the right path to take. We may attempt to venture that way. But the Lord always puts blocks before us if it is not His way. He will not allow us to wander in our own ways without first attempting to turn us from our error. We have a choice. We can go God's way and live, or we can go the way of the fool and risk certain death.

Are you a mule or a horse?

Will you follow your own paths or let God be your guide?

Is your total trust in Him?

{words credit}

The Only Way Things Will Get Better (Part 1 of 2)

“Having faith in God is the only way things will get better.” ~Unknown~

Matthew 15:28, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.”

1 Peter 1:7-9, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

1 Corinthians 15:14-17 “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

1 Peter 1:3-9, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

“No matter how tough it gets in the journey of our lives or how lonely we may think we feel, there is always God’s presence, in every step of our life to guide us through life’s storm.” 

~Kemmy Nola~

“There is something you can’t fix, can’t heal, or can’t escape, and all you can do it trust God. Finding ultimate refuge in God means you become so immersed in his presence, so convinced of his goodness, so devoted to his lordship that you find even the cave is a perfectly safe place to be because he is there with you.” 

~John Ortberg~

“Faith don’t come in a bushel basket, Missy. It come one step at a time. Decide to trust Him for one little thing today, and before you know it, you find out He’s so trustworthy you be putting your whole life in His hands.”

~Lynn Austin~

Strength of my heart, I need not fail,
Not mind to fear but to obey,
With such a Leader, who could quail?
Thou art as Thou wert yesterday.
Strength of my heart, I rest in Thee,
Fulfil Thy purposes through me.”
~Amy Carmichael~

“…You say to God, ‘I have never seen you provide for me.’
God says to you, ‘You have never trusted Me.’”

~Corallie Buchanan~

“We must cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. But this kind of trusting doesn’t come naturally. It’s a spiritual crisis of the will in which we must choose to exercise faith.”

~Charles R. Swindoll~

“I had no real communication with anyone at the time, so I was totally dependent on God. And he never failed me.”

~Diet Eman~

“Dedication is writing your name on the bottom of a blank sheet of paper and handling it to the Lord for Him to fill in”

~Rick Renner~

…and next Sunday, come back for Pt. 2! (it’s a story!) :D Don’t worry, it’s scheduled. So it should be on time! ;)

P.S. I'm sorry I haven't had time to post; I hope you can forgive me! Thanks for your patience.

A story [couldn't think of a title]

I am feeling a bit guilty of not having written anything by myself for here. :-\
So here is my first story hope you like it...

She sat on her bed, glaring at the mirror, at the slightly upturned nose, and at the plain, faded blue-grey eyes that were staring back at her. The ugly face that only hours before had seemed lovely, breath taking and enhanced by layers of makeup. It was her last try at being beautiful, her last attempt at being stunning but it was all in vain. Her eyes travelled down to her dress's plunging neckline - even that hadn't been enough to keep someone's attention.
All the words of self assurance had faded at the party door. All the work gone into preparing herself seemed worthless, no one had given her a second glance. She had spent the rest of the evening leaning against a wall and trying to lose herself in her wine glass, all the while painfully aware of the other, prettier girls swaggering about in shorts and t-shirts, evoking large amounts of attention. The depth of her abandonment pierced her like a knife.
So here she was in her room wishing she could stay here forever; away from disapproving crowds, locked behind this door; where she could be safe... ugly... and dreadfully alone.


                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bethy too looked in the mirror.
She tore off her covering and swiftly unbound her hair. As the locks fell about her waist, she grabbed the back section of her dress and pulled it tight so every curve of her body was accentuated.
Maybe people would look at me if my dresses were tighter, she thought looking at the figure reflected back at her. She looked away; it was wrong to unveil herself to just anyone. Her gazed turned back to the mirror. Maybe her future husband - who ever he was- would wake up and see that she was, well a woman. No! she exclaimed backing away from the mirror, it was wrong to act so selfishly, to be a stumbling block for others.

Yet some part of her still screamed out in pain; somewhere deep down this pretending that beauty didn't matter was killing her. Her heart was still crying out, "Do you like me, do you like what you see?"


The ache for beauty isn't contained by the girls in makeup and towering heels. It is a world wide search.

Haven't you ever wondered of you did a little bit more, people would notice you?
Well, have you?
Have you ever wanted to be known as pretty -even just for a while?
I have. And I'm sure deep down you have too;
Every girl wants to be a blooming rose, that is gasped over by others.

Just as every boy wants to be known as strong and courageous.

But imagine if someone said to you;

The look in your eyes... has stolen my heart.

What would you do? I'm sure you'd look round pretty fast to see who had dared.
But imagine being called that -really imagine; stop reading if you have to... what would it be like...
Imagine being called that, not because you'd done anything or worn anything... Just because you are you...

What would you think/say/ do if Jesus said that to you? What would you do/think/say if said that He had? What would you do/think/say if I said it came straight out of the bible? Pause and have a look at Song of songs 4v9... Did you know that this book portrays Jesus' love for his bride? For You. Love as powerful as death.. [songs 8v6-b]

God delights in you! Y.O.U


Love and blessings Tiffany