Fearful Friday

Black Friday (who came up with that name, anyways?) - a day that hundreds of thousands of people look forward to each year.  In fact, apparently there are more people that look forward to Black Friday than there are to Thanksgiving, because Black Friday sales now begin on Thanksgiving day.  Though I'm not talking about the fear of the LORD today, I thought it was a fitting day for "Fearful Friday" --- because I know it is kind of scary out there today, with all the people set on getting the best deal possible.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying Black Friday.  Some people like the adrenaline rush and excitement of being in the "first 100" to get something at a super discounted price.  As we all well know, some people even camp outside a store for days and weeks prior to make sure they get what they want!  That's not my style at all; but I am participating in an online Black Friday sale myself (with Origami Owl), and I have already asked the girl doing it how I can be sure to be in the "first 10" who order so I can get a prize :D

It is just sad, though, how focused our current society is on stuff.  Don't get me wrong; God gives us things to enjoy on this earth, and He is pleased to make us smile with things.  I am just seeking to exhort us today to not be so caught up in stuff that we forget to put some money towards the things that will last.

So, in closing:

- When is the last time you put a few dollars in the offering plate from your own money?

- When is the last time you paid for a friend to participate in an outing because you knew she could not really afford it?

- When is the last time you tithed?

- When is the last time you set aside money to use for church activities?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 28, Colossians 4

Thankful Thursday

As the song says: "...there's so much to be thankful for."  Happy Thanksgiving, my Beautiful Girls!  There are countless things we can thank God for today.  Yes, perhaps every last member of our family will not be present at the Thanksgiving meal; maybe we won't get to be with our parents on this special holiday; maybe we even have to work when so many people get to relax today.

But - let's not think about what we can't do - let's think about what we can do!

- We can breathe.

- We can eat.

- We can rejoice in God's goodness.

- We can sing.

- We can laugh.

- We can say "Happy Thanksgiving" to someone.

- We can sleep in a safe place,

- We can choose from 5 different things to wear just for one outing.

- We can worship God in freedom.

- We can minister to others.

- We can feel the sunshine.

- We can hear the birds.

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." 

1 Chronicles 16:34

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 27, Colossians 3

Wonderful Wednesday

As Thanksgiving approaches, I thought it fitting to take a couple days to celebrate what we are thankful for.

Besides today being "wonderful" because you are off of school :) --- how is our Wonderful Counselor proving Himself in your life today?  What Name of His can you celebrate Him with?

As I write this, I realize anew that today God carries me through even when my heart is overwhelmed (Psalm 61:2).  He is ever my Comforter, my Strength, my Joy, and my Faithful One.

What about you?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 26, Colossians 2

Time On Tuesday

Today's challenge is really quite simple.  What are you making time for?

If we have time to check our Facebook notifications, we have time to read the day's Proverbs.

If we have time to text people, we have time to talk to God for 5 minutes.

If we have time to scroll our newsfeed and catch up on what people are doing, we have time to reach out and touch someone's life on purpose (without using technology to do so).

If we have time to think about what we wish in our life were different, we have time to make a difference in someone's heart.

If we have time to go hang out with our friends, we have time to go to church when there are church services.

What am I making time for today?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 25, Colossians 1

Modesty Monday

Over the past couple years I have challenged our group with reasons why we should dress modestly.  There are still some things I know some of you girls do not understand about modesty, and why it is such a "big deal"...and in time, I will spend time with you personally to help shed the light of Christ on those things for you.

Today, though, I want to challenge you with a thought:

What reasons do you have for dressing immodestly?

It's not a question I want you to answer publicly.  This is a question I want you to ponder in your heart today.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 24, Ephesians 6

Favorite Friday

"You're my best friend!"  "I'm so glad ______ is my best friend!"  "She's my best friend!"

It kind of makes me laugh to see how many "best friends" someone has.  I mean, think about it; one day you see a girl say "John is my best friend".  Then, a couple days later, she is out with the girls and she posts a picture captioned "out with my bestie, Susan!"  This scenario is then repeated the next time she posts, with a completely different person, of course!  The reason I chuckle is because "best" is an absolute adjective; it indicates that one thing/person is better than all the rest.

Don't get me wrong; I have many, many ladies and girls who I consider very close friends.  Mrs. Kim is one of those ladies!  My sister India is another one.  However, I don't categorize my close friends in order of importance; I don't show favoritism.  When I was a young girl, my mother actually kind of discouraged India and I from having "best friends" because she was wise enough to recognize that labeling some people as "best friends" and some not opens the door for hurt feelings.

There was a couple in the Bible who played favorites.  Isaac and Rebekah each had a favorite son; Isaac loved Esau, while Rebekah loved Jacob.  If you read about them in Genesis, especially chapter 27, you will see how this favoritism destroyed their family relationships.  There are other examples in the Bible that show us how favoritism leads to so many negative things.

Today's exhortation is this: don't play favorites.  There's nothing wrong with having close friends - friends are gifts straight from God!  However, seek to treat all your friends the way God would - with love, respect, and kindness.  In so doing, you might just protect yourself from hurt feelings, too!

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 21, Ephesians 5

Thoughtful Thursday

On "So Blessed Sunday" Pastor Stockton talked about excellency in all things.  I wrote in my sermon notes, "Less than excellency - is that how you operate?"  That sermon really convicted me.

You see, I am someone who is a strong believer in giving my very best, especially things I do for the Lord's work.  I will work until a job is done to make sure it actually is completed.  I will not start a task if I think I don't have time to do it properly right then.

But, when Pastor was preaching about excellency, the Holy Spirit was speaking to me.  He was bringing to my mind so many areas of life where I am not really striving for excellency - my daily walk with the LORD, my position as "keeper of the home", my witness to the lost around me, my focus on others rather than myself, my care of every aspect of my Thirty-One business...I think you get the idea!

Am I doing the bare minimum?  Am I doing the same thing I've always done, satisfied that at least I'm doing it?

Excellency.  Something to think about.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 20, Ephesians 4

Why Wednesday

We are part of Lock Haven Baptist Church.  As I mentioned a few days ago, most of us go to church, and specifically a Baptist church, because our parents bring us.

...but why are we called Baptists, anyways?  Why is that important?  So many churches today don't use the word Baptist anymore...in fact, many churches have names like "The Cross" or "The Way" or other such generic, non-churchy terms.  Why do we still say we're Baptists?

The simple answer is this: Baptist churches are churches that choose to follow the Bible exactly, as closely as they know how.  Ever since Jesus walked the earth and started the church, there has been a continuation of churches (examples in the Bible: the church at Ephesus, the church at Antioch, the church of Thessalonica, etc) who preach Christ the same way Jesus taught His disciples to.  Through the years these churches were known by many, many different names...but eventually, the name "Baptist" stuck because other denominations recognized that Baptists do baptism differently than they did.

Certainly, other kinds of churches may believe some or even most of the things we do.  However, independent Baptists are the ones known for holding to all of the same teachings Jesus instituted.  We choose to follow the Bible in Its entirety, not just the parts that we think are important enough to follow.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 19,  Ephesians 3

Time On Tuesday

Are you taking time each day to read your Bible?  Are you making time each day to pray?  Even if you do not read our blog every day, I sincerely hope that each one of you are making and taking time to spend with God.

...and I want you to realize that I have to do the same thing.  Life doesn't slow down once you graduate college, once you have a husband, or once you have your own place to live.  Oh, no.  I learned a long time ago that I can't wait around for time to be on my side.  I have to order time to be on my side like I would order a hired servant.  Does time dictate to you what you'll do each moment, or do you take control of your time and tell your time what you're going to do with it?

We all have days where we waste time...maybe even weeks.  I know I've had times like that in my life, and even still I find myself wasting time when I could be doing something prosperous.  But, wasting time should not be a regular thing for the child of God.

If you have trouble making sure you spend time with the LORD each day, here are a few helps to establish in your life, one at a time.  These things would help keep you on track:

• Give your cell phone to your parents when you go to bed and don't take it back until you have spent time with God the next morning. (And if your cell phone is your alarm, I can assure you that your parents will gladly buy you an alarm clock if you tell them what you're doing!)
• Commit to stay off of social media - texting, Instagram, SnapChat, Facebook, Kik, etc - until you have spent real time with God each day.
• Do not read anything each day until you have read your Bible.
• Our church's weekly prayer list is in 7 sections.  Pray for one section each day of the week.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 18, Ephesians 2

Mindful Monday

One time when I was a teen, I was standing with a couple of my friends at church, just hanging out after service.  An adult walked by us with a brown paper bag that obviously contained a glass bottle...and, if you're aware of how liquor is usually packaged to-go, you would know why this sight obviously caused us all to do a double-take.  Thankfully the adult assured us that it was just soda, but one of my guy friends piped up - "but....'abstain from all appearance of evil'!!!!"

He was exactly right.  Sometimes we wonder, "is this really wrong to do?  Why is it SUCH a big deal?"  It's easy to get caught up in all the reasons that something is "no big deal".  However, that simple verse covers the bases --- because God uses the word "all".

What are some other examples?

...when that Christian song's music sounds no different than a worldly song's music.

...riding alone in a car with a guy.

...being in a room alone with a guy.

...hanging out with people who are known for habitually doing wrong things.

...sitting in a way that makes guys look twice at you.

...pretending to cheat on a test just to make your friends snicker.

"Abstain from all appearance of evil." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:22

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 17, Ephesians 1

Faith-Works Friday

"But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." ~ 2 Timothy 3:15, 16

Most of us have been in church since we were little girls - perhaps even since we were born!  Likewise, most of us have spent a great deal of time under the preaching of God's Word because of our parents/authority figures bringing us to church.  In a sense, we go to church because we are brought to church.

Several of you are either already in or are quickly approaching adulthood.  My challenge to you is this: is your faith really yours, or is it just your parents'?  Will you continue to do those spiritual things your parents taught you to do, or will you eventually become a "hit and miss" church attender?  Will you walk with the LORD on your own, or will you choose to live without His blessing on your life?

Church attendance is not the only thing about our Christian walk, that is for sure.  I am just using that as one example of the many things that we are "made" to do as girls growing up in church.  So, think about it - is God important to you because He is yours, or is He just kind of part of your life right now because He is important to your parents?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 14, Philippians 4

Thankful Thursday

"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks." ~ Ephesians 5:3, 4

The verse I want to focus on is verse 4, which starts at the word "neither".  It is so, so easy to get in trouble with our tongues.  We say something "funny" without first considering if it is more hurtful than humorous.  We talk about evil things that other people participate in without realizing that we are just polluting our own hearts by thinking about it.  And, I am pretty sure we are all guilty of talking as if we know it all about something, only to find out later that we were completely wrong (yeah, that is totally embarrassing!).

God names off all these things He doesn't want His children accused of participating in, and then He says one thing that SHOULD be named among us - giving of thanks.  So simple, yet so profound.  

Would people label us as thankful girls?  That's what God desires the world to see in you - a grateful heart.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 13, Philippians 3

Walking On Wednesday

"Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying." ~ Romans 13:13

"Let us walk honestly..." - that's pretty easy to understand.  If we have a habit of living life how we want though, it might not be so easy to live out that statement.  But you know what?  Today is a new day; today is a new opportunity to glorify God with our lives!

One of the reasons our walk is so important is that the younger girls in the church are watching us.  I have seen it happen time and time again that they fix their hair "just like __________" or put an outfit together just like __________ would wear.  Besides these more obvious ways the younger girls mimic us, they are listening closely to what we say and how we say it.  They are watching when we disrespect each other or get too comfortable with the guys...and then they do the exact same thing we are doing.

Wouldn't it be great for the younger girls to mimic the way we glorify Christ?  This will be possible only when glorifying Christ is on our minds more than other things are.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 12, Philippians 2

Tribulation Tuesday

The struggles of life are real.  What may not be a struggle for you might be a struggle for me.  Something that you battle on what feels like a daily basis may not be something I feel troubled by.

Today, though, I want us to consider: those things that get us down, that weigh heavily on our hearts...are those things situations that we brought upon ourselves?  Are they circumstances we are allowing to continue in our lives?  We are pretty quick to call something a "trial", and we are definitely quick to blame Satan for the situation we're facing.

But what about acknowledging that the problem might have started in our hearts?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 11, Philippians 1

Mindful Monday

Do you respect those in authority over you?  Your parents, your grandparents, your choir director, your Sunday school teacher, your college professor, your boss at work?

One important thing to respect is our authorities' time.  My direct authority is my husband; therefore, I do everything within my power to make sure that when he is home from work, I can spend time with him...I make sure I have the meals ready on time for him...I make sure his clothes are ready for work or church so he can get out the door on time...I do what I want to do while he is at work so that when he is home, I can do what he wants to do.

Do you respect your authority's time?  When your dad asks you to be ready at 9:30 to go somewhere, are you ready and waiting by 9:28?  When it's time for something at church to happen, whether it be a music practice, choir rehearsal, or the church service, are you there before it starts?  When Pastor opens the Word to preach to us, are you giving an attentive ear to the preaching time?  Do you heed the schedule for your classes each day? 

"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." ~ Hebrews 13:17

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 10, Jude (another one-chapter book :)

Feminine Friday

I love Feminine Fridays!  It is just so fun to be a girl - we get to wear pretty clothes, style our hair in attractive ways, accessorize with matching jewelry, accentuate our faces with the makeup of our choice...adorning ourselves is something we all do in our own creative way!

Did you know that the word "adorning" is used in the Bible only in reference to us ladies?  It is mentioned in a verse that is often misunderstood, so I wanted to make sure we all realize what the LORD is saying to us.  Let's look at the passage first:

"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." ~ 1 Peter 3:3, 4

Some people try to use these verses to say that Christian women are not supposed to braid their hair, wear jewelry, or wear fancy clothing (even though apparel just means clothes in general....so that does not even make sense!).  But this is not what God is saying.

What God is saying is that every lady has beautiful things about them; some of us have amazing hair; some of us do our eye makeup "just perfect"; some of us have that coveted hourglass figure.  These things are not bad, and are simply things that define who we are.  What God is saying is that, the most attractive thing about you should not be your body's curves, your gorgeous hair, your captivating eyes, or your winning smile.  The most attractive thing about you should be the light of Christ shining from your heart.

Is your testimony for Christ saying a louder message than your hips are?  Is the way you treat people more beautiful than your tan line?  The most gorgeous girl in the world is only as gorgeous as her heart is.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 7, 3 John

Therefore Thursday

Continuing our word study, I want to talk about the first time in the Bible the word "therefore" is used.

Genesis 2:24 - "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

Therefore - "there for" what?  Read verses 18-23.  Those verses show how God had created a mate for every single creature in the world except for Adam.  God saw that His creation was not complete until Adam had a mate, too.  So, He created Eve - right from Adam's rib!  Immediately when Adam awoke from his deep sleep, he recognized Eve as someone very special.  The very first marriage happened that day in the Garden of Eden.

Then God writes verse 24 and says "therefore...".  Ok - remember: this was in the Garden of Eden.  Adam and Eve were the first parents....they did not have father or mother.  So why did God write this right now?

God said this now to set the pattern for marriage for all of mankind.  Even though He knew that man would eventually mess up God's plan for marriage, He still wanted the entire world to know what He called marriage looked like - and the marriage He performed for Adam and Eve is the reason, the "therefore", for how He expects all other marriages to be performed as well.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 6, 2 John (don't worry, it's just a one-chapter book ;) )

Wisdom On Wednesday

Today I want to continue talking about the many different people in Proverbs.  One thing I pointed out was that the strange woman was a saved woman, although it is also true that the strange woman is not always saved.  However, the realization that the one Solomon was talking about was saved as a young girl is enough to put a fear in me of becoming like her.  I never want to be like her, not ever!

There are a lot of other people in Proverbs, though.  Today, I want us to realize that we are just as capable as they were of being slothful...of being foolish...of being greedy...of hating knowledge...of pursuing evil...of troubling our own house...of believing everything we hear..

...the list goes on and on.

Make sure you read your Proverbs every day, girls...it will help remind you of what happens to those who choose to live life outside of God's boundaries.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 5, 1 John 5

Tongue-Talk Tuesday

Don't you hate a tattletale?  It's pretty annoying when you think you've gotten away with something or glided past your embarrassing moment, only to hear your sister or brother later "tattling" to someone about your mistake.  There's just something so irritating about tattling!

The sermon (that inspired these posts) I mentioned a few weeks ago was called "The Tongue: the Tattletale of the Heart."  Wow - did you ever think of your tongue as the worst tattletale you know?  The tongue is the revealer of who you truly are.  Sure, people sometimes lie and try to talk themselves up good --- but Jesus said "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh" (Luke 6:45).

What is in our hearts comes out in our speech, eventually, in one way or another.  We might be better at hiding it than some, but rest assured - Jesus knows what He was talking about.  What's inside of us does come out.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 4, 1 John 4

Modesty Monday

I'm reading a book about Proverbs 31 right now, and in it, of course, the matter of dress is brought up.

There was a question in there that was so thought-provoking to me; I wanted to share it with you girls.  The question is this: "When was the last time you asked God what you should wear?"  The author then reminded us that God does have a preference...that we should not just wear what we think is appropriate, but wear what He thinks is appropriate.

So, today I'll ask you what the author asked her readers: when was the last time you asked God what you should wear?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 3, 1 John 3