"Jesus answered 'Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This and the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the law and and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands." -Matthew 22:37-40
It is apparent throughout all of God's word that he wants us to have relationships. He wants us to love one another whether we want to or not. It is hard to love your enemies, however, I have found in the past few years that loving your "enemies" creates a more positive flow in your relationship or acquaintance with that person. To me, that is carrying God's undconditional love to daily life and I think that is something people have shyed away from.
It has never been too important to me to choose the people I surround myself with based on their faith. I have been through a lot in the past year and that has caused me to hang around people who share the love of God that I have, with me. People who pray for me and I can talk to about it, and it has truly affected my life.
There are three areas I believe we as believers can create faithful relationships in to truly focus our lives on the faith and Lord that we worship:
Family
Friends
Relationships
Now obviously, you cannot pick your family, however, each person in your family has an influence on all of the others. Going to church on sundays, I used to sit by my friends or the youth group. Recently I began sitting next to my parents and not only has it made me pay attention more during the sermon, but it creates this understanding within our family that we have never had before. Just sitting next to my parents while worshipping and listening to the word being taught to us has opened so many doors in our relationship. We talk about the bible and the stories and interpretting things from all of it. We can talk about the things going on in our lives and how God is using those events to shape us and bring us closer to him. It's a very cool dynamic that I cannot believe we never had before but it makes sense.
I highly encourage that if you do not have that sense of faith between you and your family members, just read a bible story together once a week or start praying more than your usual grace at dinner time. The people you call your family are the ones you will always run to in life and it is important to have that understanding between all of you.
Never, and I mean NEVER have I put my faith as a priority in choosing my group of friends. I have recently started attending Club 121, the christian group at my school and I do not think I have ever fit in and been so accepted into a group of people in my life. I felt a little nervous going in to my first meeting by myself with out anyone with me but by the end of that first morning, I knew I had made new friends with people I truly wanted to be around. The girls in my small group that day were ones I know I can go to and pray with or ask to pray for me. I will certainly be there for them and I cannot think of a better explanation than our love for Jesus Christ and our passion to serve him and let other kids our age see what great things he can do. I've see posts on facebook and twitter recently stating that a mutual hatred of one person brings two people together. I cannot even believe it when I see it but all I can think is "why can't the love of 5 other people bring you together instead?" The love of God has brought me to some girls and guys in my life that I would not have connected with otherwise and that scares me.
Putting my faith in my friendships is something I will definitely be making sure I do from now on throughout the rest of my life. I believe that spending my time with people who share a lifestyle so important as my faith with me is the most important thing I can do for myself.
I am not sure where God is going to take me in life or what I will be doing just next year but one thing is for sure: I will never settle for less than a man who has accepted Jesus Christ into his life. Before now, having a boyfriend who shares social values or political values has always been important to me. But dating someone who does share the same faith as me is one of the most important things in my eyes. Even just being in a high school relationship, it has completely changed the way I see life. How do I want to spend the rest of my life? This can go back to both the family and friends ideas. Being friends is always a great start to a relationship and as long as you do have that shared belief between your friends, your relationships will be just as successful. As I get older and begin to plan out ideas for my future, I realize that I want to get married and raise a family and I want to base all of that on the word and bring my family up with the lifestyle of a follower of christ and having a partner who believes that as well as or more than I do is the #1 key in my book.
These three areas are such huge parts of our lives. I have thought about this post for quite a while and believe that I have given all the ideas I can. Changing these three areas of my life have not only brought me closer to God, but to the important people in my life and have made me an overall happier person. Share your faith with the people you love and the love can only continue to grow.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Happiness
I know what you're thinking about the title of this one: so original, right? Well, I did not know what else to call it. There are so many things relating to our happiness these days, it's so crazy. Our home life, our love life, our friends and our jobs. It's all what makes up our life and ultimately, it determines how happy we are. At least, people let it determine how happy they are. What I have realized, is that some people around me are just intensely negative about almost everything. It makes me wonder why they are so unhappy. Is their home life really just that bad? How jealous of everyone else do you have to be to honestly hate your life that much? It is something I go through life everyday feeling curious about. I want to know more about that person and figure out what I can do to make them happier.
It makes me really sad to see people around me in such a hard place in their lives. I am a naturally happy person and with some recent things going on, I have come to realize what unhappiness can feel like and that sense of negativity has even come out in me a little bit when I am having a bad day.
Like I talked about in my last post, God's plan for us is much higher than what we could ever dream of ourselves. This is not about us and what we don't have. This is about us and what we do have, what GOD has blessed us with. This is about everything he has done for us and everything he is going to do for us.
If girls (and guys) slowed down for a minute to take a look at all of the blessings in their lives, the world would be a spinning rock of positivity in space. Happiness is something that is purely self-inflicted, it is something we must not only strive to have, we must embrace it and become it. True happiness is shown by being a beacon of God's light and love. By spreading your joy and what he was and is and is to be, is all it takes.
I understand having your world fall apart around you. It has happened to me, trust me. We have all had our fair shares of tragedy in our lives. But the minute you stop waiting for things to get better and start making the best of the cruddy situation you're in, your life will instantly change for the better.
So...NO MORE COMPLAINING! NO MORE BOOHOOING! and, STOP BEING JEALOUS.
Just be you, through and through. You are a princess to everyone who loves you and a role model to those who see you pick yourself up when all hope is lost. God loves you, listen to him and you may hear happiness calling.
It makes me really sad to see people around me in such a hard place in their lives. I am a naturally happy person and with some recent things going on, I have come to realize what unhappiness can feel like and that sense of negativity has even come out in me a little bit when I am having a bad day.
Like I talked about in my last post, God's plan for us is much higher than what we could ever dream of ourselves. This is not about us and what we don't have. This is about us and what we do have, what GOD has blessed us with. This is about everything he has done for us and everything he is going to do for us.
If girls (and guys) slowed down for a minute to take a look at all of the blessings in their lives, the world would be a spinning rock of positivity in space. Happiness is something that is purely self-inflicted, it is something we must not only strive to have, we must embrace it and become it. True happiness is shown by being a beacon of God's light and love. By spreading your joy and what he was and is and is to be, is all it takes.
I understand having your world fall apart around you. It has happened to me, trust me. We have all had our fair shares of tragedy in our lives. But the minute you stop waiting for things to get better and start making the best of the cruddy situation you're in, your life will instantly change for the better.
So...NO MORE COMPLAINING! NO MORE BOOHOOING! and, STOP BEING JEALOUS.
Just be you, through and through. You are a princess to everyone who loves you and a role model to those who see you pick yourself up when all hope is lost. God loves you, listen to him and you may hear happiness calling.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
He's there for a reason
So I know I haven't posted in a while but lately I've been realizing things in my life that I want to share with you! Today I want to talk about how we live our lives and who is in control.
Job 11:13 (NLT) says this: "Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer."
I think a lot of times in the modern world we live in we tend to lose sight of our role in our own lives. We see what we want and we do whatever we can to make sure we get it. Even if that means putting God's plan out of the picture completely. What we don't understand most of the time is that the plan God has for us doesn't even compare to what we think we want. To get the full of effect of our Lord and his plan for us, we must surrender every aspect of our lives to him, and he will take care of the rest. This means giving him all the good things we want to control, and giving him the pain and weakness in our lives.
A pastor explained it to me like this once: When we worship, we spread our hands open to show our full surrender to God. But some people have their fists clenched tightly, not letting anything go. Some people have their hands half way open, but that is no better than clenching a fist. Giving everything to God is the only way to go.
There are three main things that we choose to control which distance us from God's vision.
1. Getting the material things we want
2. Deciding which relationships are best for us
3. Who/What Idols we worship
I'm not saying it's a bad thing to work towards buying a new car or working harder to get a raise at your job. Those things are actually very positive. However, when it comes to getting what you want, do you want it for the right reason? Are you doing the right, honest things to get there? And did God lead you to this? Is he approving and encouraging of your decision? When it's in God's plan for you to be somewhere or doing something, an incredible feeling will overcome you and you will know.
Being in high school, I understand that relationships betweens friends or couples can fall apart in a heartbeat. Maybe it was not God's will for you to be friends with certain people or be in a certain relationship. Or maybe you and a friend or you and your boyfriend don't understand how much you truly mean to each other, so you fall apart and God wants you to reconnect again. He does things in a wierd way sometimes but the result is never short of amazing.
I just recently went through a test of a friendship when I heard things about a friend who was trying to sabotage another relationship I have. It helped me realize where God wanted me to be and who he wanted me around.
When it comes to worshipping God, we know that there is only one of him. He does what is best for us and sent his son to die just so we could be saved! It still amazes me every time I think about it. Naturally, we should repay him by following him daily and doing what he asks of us in his word. But again, being in the modern world we're in, we tend to pay more attention to who we follow on Twitter than who we follow in our faith. Sure, it's impressive that you know everything about every single One Direction member, but do you spend as much time learning about God and his love for his followers as much as you do your favorite band or TV star? We have to step back and put our priorities in order everyday. Spend time with God when you wake up and before you go to bed. Listen to Justin Bieber's new song after you've connected with the man who saved you. Turn to him throughout the day with prayers and praises, it's the least you can do for the big guy who holds the pen to the story of your life.
Job 11:13 (NLT) says this: "Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer."
I think a lot of times in the modern world we live in we tend to lose sight of our role in our own lives. We see what we want and we do whatever we can to make sure we get it. Even if that means putting God's plan out of the picture completely. What we don't understand most of the time is that the plan God has for us doesn't even compare to what we think we want. To get the full of effect of our Lord and his plan for us, we must surrender every aspect of our lives to him, and he will take care of the rest. This means giving him all the good things we want to control, and giving him the pain and weakness in our lives.
A pastor explained it to me like this once: When we worship, we spread our hands open to show our full surrender to God. But some people have their fists clenched tightly, not letting anything go. Some people have their hands half way open, but that is no better than clenching a fist. Giving everything to God is the only way to go.
There are three main things that we choose to control which distance us from God's vision.
1. Getting the material things we want
2. Deciding which relationships are best for us
3. Who/What Idols we worship
I'm not saying it's a bad thing to work towards buying a new car or working harder to get a raise at your job. Those things are actually very positive. However, when it comes to getting what you want, do you want it for the right reason? Are you doing the right, honest things to get there? And did God lead you to this? Is he approving and encouraging of your decision? When it's in God's plan for you to be somewhere or doing something, an incredible feeling will overcome you and you will know.
Being in high school, I understand that relationships betweens friends or couples can fall apart in a heartbeat. Maybe it was not God's will for you to be friends with certain people or be in a certain relationship. Or maybe you and a friend or you and your boyfriend don't understand how much you truly mean to each other, so you fall apart and God wants you to reconnect again. He does things in a wierd way sometimes but the result is never short of amazing.
I just recently went through a test of a friendship when I heard things about a friend who was trying to sabotage another relationship I have. It helped me realize where God wanted me to be and who he wanted me around.
When it comes to worshipping God, we know that there is only one of him. He does what is best for us and sent his son to die just so we could be saved! It still amazes me every time I think about it. Naturally, we should repay him by following him daily and doing what he asks of us in his word. But again, being in the modern world we're in, we tend to pay more attention to who we follow on Twitter than who we follow in our faith. Sure, it's impressive that you know everything about every single One Direction member, but do you spend as much time learning about God and his love for his followers as much as you do your favorite band or TV star? We have to step back and put our priorities in order everyday. Spend time with God when you wake up and before you go to bed. Listen to Justin Bieber's new song after you've connected with the man who saved you. Turn to him throughout the day with prayers and praises, it's the least you can do for the big guy who holds the pen to the story of your life.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Update and Recharge
Whoa! I just looked at my stats page and the last time I posted was November 5th. Exactly three months ago. I have to say I have missed it very much, and I'm ready to come back to posting regularly. Posting on my blog is something I believe helped me become closer with God in our relationship. Whatever made me have a break in blogging, it must have been silent. Maybe it was that it was the holidays and I had too much going on, or maybe it was that God focused me elsewhere, there's definitely more I needed to be focused on for a moment. That's what I'm going to talk about today.
The past three months are no a blur to me. I can't even begin to explain what has gone on. In November, my grandmother came home from Florida for Thanksgiving and my mom revealed that she was planning a birthday party for me and needed my help!
In december, I began my relationship with my lovely boyfriend and had that birthday party I was talking about, which I'll get to later. I turned 17 and had a lovely christmas with my family. However, the two weeks before christmas were a bit rough for our household. We got some sad news about an illness to an immediate family member and a very inspiring and loved family member went home to Jesus. So needless to say, it was hectic and a little devestating if you ask me but we're getting through it together.
In january, I rang in the new year sitting on my couch by myself, but it wasnt as awful as it sounds. I started the second semester of my junior year (3 semesters left, whoo!) and looked at more college letters and campus visit invitations than you could imagine.
So now that you're informed on my life, like you care, now is the real deal. Ready? I want to talk about my past posts and get ready for the future of my blog. It's about to get real.
Remember my first post? About being a young girl and growing up, wishing I was perfect. It's a difficult thing for girls. Some people say that girls need to get over it and "Put their big girl panties on." But that just means they've had it too easy to understand. God made you for a reason, don't forget that! He will never put you through something you can't handle. Take time to yourself and talk to God, he's listening I promise.
Once you find yourself and establish a strong relationship with the big man upstairs, be a role model to someone else. Help them in their walk with christ. You might be helping them a lot but in the midst of being there for someone else and mentoring them, try to see how helping someone else is also helping you, trust me it will.
Despite the new great things in your life, there will be the negative points and days you feel down. It's totally normal, it's a teenage girl thing. Give all the pain as well as the glory, to God. Pray and don't give up and the only thing he can do is deliver. He is the main man to go to for the good and bad. When something goes your way, praise him. When something seems totally unfair and wrong, pray to him. Some things may hurt along the way but in the end, who is the one man that is going to matter?
"When life gives you a hundred reasons to be down, give life a million reasons to smile." I love this quote. I think too much these days people are negative about everything around them. They find something wrong even with the sweetest things. People will even complain about about something being too good, just because they're jealous. Remember my three tips to being happy: Do what you have to do, Stop comparing yourself to others, and Be YOU and only you! You don't have time to be someone else...
And when it does come to other people, accept them for being themselves. You may not agree with their opinions or choices but that doesn't mean you should hate. That's what makes us all different, are those opinions and choices. Respect other people because you don't know what's going in their life, they might not have it as easy as you do. So Stop judging and start listening to what others have to say.
The best way to conquer the world is of course through the man who oversees it, God himself. Keep your faith and if you've lost it, pick up the pieces and he'll give you a brand new one. I can not wait to see what God has planned in my life. He promises in the bible that it will be better than we could ever imagine. All of this stuff he's seeing you go through is a part of his plan. Just don't let it drive you away from him. I like to think that Earth is God's science project and he's testing us. Seek him, find him, live by him and you can't go wrong.
He made you a beauty queen and that's all that matters!
Feel free to give me suggestions and comments at: srayburn7@gmail.com
The past three months are no a blur to me. I can't even begin to explain what has gone on. In November, my grandmother came home from Florida for Thanksgiving and my mom revealed that she was planning a birthday party for me and needed my help!
In december, I began my relationship with my lovely boyfriend and had that birthday party I was talking about, which I'll get to later. I turned 17 and had a lovely christmas with my family. However, the two weeks before christmas were a bit rough for our household. We got some sad news about an illness to an immediate family member and a very inspiring and loved family member went home to Jesus. So needless to say, it was hectic and a little devestating if you ask me but we're getting through it together.
In january, I rang in the new year sitting on my couch by myself, but it wasnt as awful as it sounds. I started the second semester of my junior year (3 semesters left, whoo!) and looked at more college letters and campus visit invitations than you could imagine.
So now that you're informed on my life, like you care, now is the real deal. Ready? I want to talk about my past posts and get ready for the future of my blog. It's about to get real.
Remember my first post? About being a young girl and growing up, wishing I was perfect. It's a difficult thing for girls. Some people say that girls need to get over it and "Put their big girl panties on." But that just means they've had it too easy to understand. God made you for a reason, don't forget that! He will never put you through something you can't handle. Take time to yourself and talk to God, he's listening I promise.
Once you find yourself and establish a strong relationship with the big man upstairs, be a role model to someone else. Help them in their walk with christ. You might be helping them a lot but in the midst of being there for someone else and mentoring them, try to see how helping someone else is also helping you, trust me it will.
Despite the new great things in your life, there will be the negative points and days you feel down. It's totally normal, it's a teenage girl thing. Give all the pain as well as the glory, to God. Pray and don't give up and the only thing he can do is deliver. He is the main man to go to for the good and bad. When something goes your way, praise him. When something seems totally unfair and wrong, pray to him. Some things may hurt along the way but in the end, who is the one man that is going to matter?
"When life gives you a hundred reasons to be down, give life a million reasons to smile." I love this quote. I think too much these days people are negative about everything around them. They find something wrong even with the sweetest things. People will even complain about about something being too good, just because they're jealous. Remember my three tips to being happy: Do what you have to do, Stop comparing yourself to others, and Be YOU and only you! You don't have time to be someone else...
And when it does come to other people, accept them for being themselves. You may not agree with their opinions or choices but that doesn't mean you should hate. That's what makes us all different, are those opinions and choices. Respect other people because you don't know what's going in their life, they might not have it as easy as you do. So Stop judging and start listening to what others have to say.
The best way to conquer the world is of course through the man who oversees it, God himself. Keep your faith and if you've lost it, pick up the pieces and he'll give you a brand new one. I can not wait to see what God has planned in my life. He promises in the bible that it will be better than we could ever imagine. All of this stuff he's seeing you go through is a part of his plan. Just don't let it drive you away from him. I like to think that Earth is God's science project and he's testing us. Seek him, find him, live by him and you can't go wrong.
He made you a beauty queen and that's all that matters!
Feel free to give me suggestions and comments at: srayburn7@gmail.com
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