Putting on the Full Armor of God

You've heard it before... "put on the full armor of God". But, what does that really mean?  Are you supposed to dress up like a knight and walk around in a suit full of metal? Today, we're going to break down Ephesians 6:10-18 and talk about what it really means to put on that armor of God each and every day.

Ephesians 6:10-18
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.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. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."

Well, that might be a lot to take in.... so let's take it verse by verse. 

Ephesians 6:10 

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power."

Here, we are seeing the most basic (but often the most difficult) of requests: be strong in the Lord. Don't let the devil come and take over, yet stand on the rock. When you are lost and don't know where to go to, turn to JESUS. Lean on Him and know He will care for you.

Ephesians 6:11

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes."

He is now preparing you for what is coming in the next passages. Put on the armor of God. Not half of it, not one toe, not one finger- the whole armor of God. By doing this, we can stand against the devil and his wicked ways because we are armed and ready to fight. 

Ephesians 6:12
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Okay, so "our struggles are not against flesh and blood". What does this mean? This means that, while you think your struggles and temptations are just human nature, that might not be entirely true. The devil has control of us- or, at least he's trying to get it. Our main struggles are good vs. evil. Although we may think the person who is anti-life is our main enemy, or the murderer is our enemy, it is not the case. It is the wicked and evil powers that this person has fallen for. It is important to realize that these powers are strong, conniving and powerful. Instead of judging or hating these people we see as our enemies, we should pray for them and be the light they need to bring them to Jesus.

Ephesians 6:13
"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."

Because we just learned that it is not flesh and blood that is our enemy but evil powers, we need to also learn how to fight against these things. This verse gives us all the reason we need to put on the armor of God. When the day of evil comes, putting on the armor of God will allow you to stand your ground. If you have on the armor you can fight the evil. Just like in war, when he jabs you with his sword, you will have the protection there to prevent it from breaking your skin and hurting you.

Ephesians 6:14
"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,"

Now, we are starting to talk about what the armor of God entails. In this verse, we see two pieces: the belt and the breastplate. The belt of truth: Listen to the one and only truth- that of which is written in the Bible. Do not compare yourself to the lies of the world but rather the truths of our God. The breastplate of righteousness: have a good heart- be humble, caring, nice and thoughtful in all your actions. Do not be cold or mean to others. Stand up for what you believe in.

Ephesians 6:15
"and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."

The Bible is so detailed, that it even tells us what to put on our feet. Isn't that amazing?! Put on your feet readiness.. this means being ready to do what God calls you to do (yes, we all have a calling/purpose). If He convicts your heart to go one way, go. Be ready to up and leave at any moment. 

Ephesians 6:16
"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

In battle, the shield might be one of the most important items you could have. (but, remember, the armor is not complete unless you have everything) First off, what is "faith"? Faith is the knowing and belief that God will keep His promises and do what He says He will do. Faith is having confidence and trust in God. Therefore, the shield of faith deters the devil. You know that The Lord has promised to care for you and will protect you. When you feel sin and temptation creeping in, hold up your shield of faith and stand firm against it. 

Ephesians 6:17
"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

The helmet is also a hugely important piece of the armor. The helmet of salvation is knowing and remembering that Jesus Christ died for your sins. With that knowledge, you can defeat anything. 

Ephesians 6:18
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."

This is the final piece of armor: prayer. The Lord is asking us to constantly be in prayer for ourselves and others. He wants to have a relationship with us, but how can He if we don't talk to Him? He also wants us to pray for others. There is power in prayer and we must acknowledge this. 

Every morning you get up, you must put on the armor of God. We will be tempted each and every day by sin. We must do what we can to fight it. This means staying in faith, being humble, praying for ourselves and others, believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins, being happy and content during the storm and trusting that God will fulfill his promises to us.

So, when you wake up, whether it be by praying, reading your Bible or listening to 5 hours of sermons, don't forget God because He didn't forget you. 

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Proverbs 31: 25-26

"Strength and honour are her clothing and she shall rejoice in the time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Proverbs 31: 25-26

These two verses are among my favorite. They are what I strive to be. In two sentences, it sums up what a strive for my life. Let's break it down.

"Strength and honour are her clothing"

In today's society, this can be hard to hear. But this is saying it doesn't matter how you are dressed. You can have on the oldest, most worn clothing but that doesn't matter. It's about your strength and honour and confidence that should spew out. Who needs the newest clothes when you have God? I believe this verse also plays on being modest. Never should we show off what God has given us ladies in an immodest way. This is an unpopular idea today, but a woman should be properly clothed in modest clothing. Everything about us should be God like- even our clothing.

"She shall rejoice in the time to come"

Why be worried or sad about tomorrow when you have an amazing God on your side? He cares for you and loves you- He holds your future. Nothing you can do or say will change what the future holds- so be happy about it and know that whatever happens is God's will. 

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness"

Above all, don't speak ill of people. Be smart. Have common sense. Be kind. When you open your mouth, think of what God would want you to say. Uplift others, don't bring them down. Do and say to others what you would like to be done and said to you!

Today, I Sinned...

Yep, that's right. Today, I sinned and today, I hurt God. What did I do that was so horrible, you may ask? Well, it doesn't really matter what I did, does it? All that matters is that I hurt HIM. I disappointed HIM. But, today, there is something I can be sure of:

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

So, really, what did I do today? Well, let's see. First off, I had negative thoughts. I spent time thinking about things that were not constructive in pleasing my Lord. I thought about the way people looked, or the way people acted. And, while we are to judge people in accordance to their Christian walk, I had no right to have those negative thoughts. 

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Second, I worried. I worried about school. I worried about my friends. I worried about the past. I worried about the future. Hey, I even worried about the present. I'm a natural basket case. This is something that I struggle with, but I know that only through the blood can I be sure that whatever fate is in store for me, I am safe and sound. No matter what, worrying really isn't going to change anything. Because what will be, will be. If it's meant to happen, it will. So, can we really justify WASTING our time (that's right- wasting) with worry?! The time is going to pass, so we might as well spend it focusing on what we can do to glorify His name rather than our silly thoughts and worries. 

I could pick many verses in The Bible on the topic of worry, but this is by far my favorite:

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:24-34

God does not want us to hurt. He does not want us to let Him down. But, unfortunately, it's something that happens all too much. The devil is a sneaky creature, constantly trying to trick us, but if we stand firm in Jesus, the devil will lose.

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7

We sin on a constant basis. We may not think that a little negative thinking here or a little worry there can actually disappoint God, but it does. Thus, it is important to remember that you are letting Him down. If you want to really put your mind to use, go to Him in prayer and ask Him to help you. Read scripture. Learn about what The Bible says about worrying and negative thinking. And, if you find yourself doing it, repent.

Being Blessed

Each and every day when I wake up, I realize how truly blessed I am. I mean, first of all, God woke me up today, right? He allowed me to have at least a few more hours of life on this planet, right? He keeps my heart beating and my lungs working and my eyes blinking, and every other intricate part of my body working, right? It is not until we start to realize that being blessed doesn't only mean we have a "good life". If you are alive, you are blessed. So many (and I have definitely been guilty of this, too) think that they are only  blessed if they get that new car they wanted or if they get that promotion they've been wanting. But this just simply isn't the case. And, once this is realized, life become even more amazing.

Make sure you are constantly thanking God for your life- not just for the things in it.

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A Christian in College

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"It's like being a cat in a room full of dogs."

Well, that pretty much explains it. And I could leave it at that, but I won't. I will be starting my senior year in college this fall (yay, me!!),  but let me tell you- it has been HARD. And let me just say this before I continue....you hear all of those statistics about how so many people lose their faith and walk away from the church, but I am so proud to say that I actually found Jesus while I was in college. I guess I'm an exception, but I feel like this is important for you to know before reading the rest of this. And that is because I used to be one of those "secular students". And by secular, I mean wordly, not focused on God and letting the devil take hold of me. This all changed dramatically during my sophomore year of college (yeah, that's a different topic) and, after that, I started really understanding how wrong the average person's "college life" is.

"They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity." Ephesians 4:18-19

 A lot of kids think that going to college is going to be so fun. Not because they are going to be filling their minds with new material and information, but because they get to be away from their parents and on their own and without any restrictions. And, frankly, most KIDS go crazy once they hit college. Many drop out because they didn't prepare for learning, just for parties. Some stay in school but make the lowest grades possible just to get by, because they are more focused on the parties and events.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think participating in events (if they are appopriate) in college is wrong. No, I encourage these things. But that all depends on if you can handle it. It's important to remember that classes come first and if you can't join that club because you'll have to skip class, yeah- don't do that. Don't even think about it. I am a student ambassador for my school. This entails giving tours to people looking at the campus. This takes a lot of time. But, I only do it because I know that I can handle it and balance it along with my other needs.
But, back to the main point here. What I'm trying to get at is that it's really difficult to be a Christian in college and maintain your faith. Each and every day you have to fight temptation and walk past inappropriate situations and circumstances. But, I truly believe that after the 4 (or 5, or 6, or however long it takes) years are over, it makes you that much stronger. After I was saved, I thought "there's no way I can do this. I can't be a true Christian and still be in college." But, then my attitude changed. And now I think of it like "hey, there all these people here that are lost. They either left the church or they were never in it to begin with. And I actually have the possibility to help here." Yeah, that's right- help. 

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3

As a Christian, you should be ministering to everyone around you all the time. This includes when going to school. Now, I'm not telling you to go around shoving the Book down people's throats. No. BUT. People notice things. People notice how you dress, how you act and what you do. By not dressing immodestly, for example, like so many other girls do in college (you know, the booty shorts and super tight shirts) you're already standing out. And this isn't a bad thing. You should strive to be different and to be a guiding light everywhere (in this case, in college) and never want to lower your standards just to fit in with the other people. 

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." Psalms 20:7-8

You Have Brought Me Back To Life

 

Really reflecting today on how amazing my Creator is. I thank Him for who He is. His caring and loving nature. No matter how many times we turn away from Him, He's right there waiting for us with open arms. The God who created everything....the big things....the small things.....He cares for it all. Every human heartbeat is controlled by Him. Every creatures breath is controlled by Him. Every gust of wind.......that was Him. I will never be able to fully show God how much I love Him. Nothing I ever do will be enough. And He's ok with that. We just have to surrender our lives to Him. Put Him first. And the rest He will effortlessly and beautifully take care of.

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.
Psalms 34:8


Check out this song by Hillsong Young & Free. "Back to Life"

Seek HIM First

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

This is a verse we, as Christians, hear all the time. We hear it in church, we hear it at home, we hear it in movies and we even hear it in songs. But, are we really listening to what this simple verse is telling us?

Let's break it down so we can fully understand what we are being told.

"Seek ye first"- This is pretty simple. Here, we are being told that we are to do this first. Not second or third or fourth. We are to make this a priority in our lives.

"The kingdom of God"- Here, we are being told what exactly it we should be seeking. We should be seeking God. His kingdom. And what exactly does "kingdom" mean? Well that can be easily defined also. A simple Google search for the definition of kingdom tells us that it is defined as "A realm associated with or regarded as being under the control of a particular person or thing." Well, since God is the controller of everything, this becomes pretty straightforward. 

"And his righteousness"- this is the second thing we are told we should be seeking above all else. You can find this righteousness through Christ himself. This is the state of moral perfection. And, it should go without saying, that this is impossible to accomplish without Christ himself & having faith in God. 

"And all these things shall be added unto you"- this is my favorite part of the verse. This is the reward we will receive for following His direction and Seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. "all these things" is everything we could ask for. These are our rewards.

So, all in all, this verse could very well be one of the strongest rules we could receive from The Bible. We need to let the things of this world pass us by, and not get caught up in them. We need to seek God first and foremost. And then, only then, will everything be added unto us. 

I'm From the Country and I Like It That Way

I'm proud to say that I am a country girl. I can go out wearing jeans, a tshirt, and boots and feel more confident than if I were in a dress. Taking a walk in the woods or riding fourwheelers in a big open field is more fun to me than actually going out. Don't get me wrong, I love going shopping and going to dinner every now and then. BUT being a country girl is just how God made ME. It’s like I can’t help it. I love my dogs, I love being at the barn and smelling that “barn” smell and I love taking my fourwheeler through a big mud hole. I just love being outside in general. I am a Vitamin D junkie. I can never get enough of the sun. Sitting on the porch in the evenings with my bible and notebook is one of my absolute favorite things. While I can talk to God inside just as good as I can outside, being outside for some reason helps me think better. Playing my guitar sitting on the swing helps me really clear my head. Takes away a lot of stress. I also want to mention how much I love having a long driveway. If you have read any of our previous blogs, you may have read the one titled “Working Out And Eating Healthy:)” I talked about how I like to run. Well, I actually run down my driveway. It’s so open and spacious, not like being at the gym on a treadmill. On an episode of Duck Dynasty, Willie and Jase were outside talking about going to the gym. And Jase replies “This is God’s gym!” That couldn’t be any truer. If I could reach out to anyone that suffers from depression, I would tell them to go outside. Get involved with activities that are outdoors. Nothing takes away sadness more than some good ole Vitamin D. Enjoy "God's Gym". I'm so thankful and grateful that I live in the country. My childhood was a blast. From rolling out a big piece of tarp to make a slip n slide to jumping on the horses bareback...I can say I was blessed with some fun childhood memories. Sitting in the driveway making mud pies and getting lost in the woods and in the corn field, are things I will treasure for the rest of my life. God placed me here. For a reason. And I am so happy that He did.

 

                           

Summer Reflections.

Here it is the beginning of August.....wow how time flies. Am I the only one who gets that bittersweet feeling when the summer is coming to a close?.....sigh. Anyways. These are some of my summer reflections and things I want you to know :)


1) Time is a precious gift. Don't wish it away. Stop being in such a hurry all the time. Enjoy every moment. Yeah that probably sounds cliché. It's true. We spend most of our lives wishing time would speed up so we can get to where we want to be in life. God has a purpose for ALL times in our lives. Even those times that seem so insignificant. "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven"- Ecc 3:1

2) God is in full control of our lives. BUT we make our own decisions. God does his best to keep us on the highway, but we are in control of the steering wheel. "The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."- Isaiah 58:11

 

3) Quit playing it safe. Quit staying in your comfort zone. So you're scared to go out into the world? No worries. God has you in the palm of His hands. And nobody can take you away from Him. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9

 

4) Be confident in who you are. Walk out into the world knowing that Jesus died for YOU. And he still would have done it, if you were the only person in the world. You are a daughter of a King. You are precious and special to Him. "A woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." -Proverbs 31:30




5) Without spending time with God and talking to him (daily), you are not going to have any kind of direction. You will be overwhelmed and all over the place. So if you aren't grounded and standing firm in your faith, you will make stupid decisions. Take some time out of your day to show Jesus you really want to walk like him. "Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge"-Proverbs 23:12

Letting The Past Go

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Letting the past go is one of the hardest things we can do. The past is like a chain dragging us down each and every day. Remember that time you did that one thing when you were 12? Yeah that haunts you still to this day and you're 20. I have personally struggled for a long while trying to figure out how to let the past go. But then one day I woke up and I realized " hey, God loves me and there's nothing he wouldn't do for me. So why am I sitting here pouting about something that happened so long ago?" It was then that I realized that there really was no need to worry over the past.

"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 3:13-14

It's important to realize that the past is the past and that you're not really living in the moment if every living second all you are thinking about is something that happened such a long time ago. God wants us to give all of our cares to him. And this is something that we have to remember. I'm not going to say it is easy, because it's hard to get out of those chains that are weighing us down. But we need to remember that the past is exactly that-chains. How do you expect to live in the moment and live everyday to the fullest if you're constantly reminiscing about what you have done and what you have been through? Think about that for a second. Here are some tips on getting over the past:

1. First and foremost I'm going to tell you to read the Bible. The Bible tells us multiple times not to worry and to give our cares to God.

"I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus." 1Corinthians 1:4

2. Pray. Praying is one of the most important things you can do. Praying allows us to have a relationship with God and allows us to hear what God wants us to hear.

“When you pray, rather let your heart be without words then your words without heart. ” John Bunyan

“Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.” John Bunyan

3. Realize you are a new creation once you've been saved. God tells us that when we are saved, we become a new creation. Our past is behind us, and we have a new starting point in life.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2Corinthians 5:17. 

4. Talk to friends and family. If you feel like reading the Bible and praying isnt enough (which it really should be), resort to talking to your friends and family about what is really bothering you. Chances are if If know you well enough they will know that something is wrong with you long before you talk to them.

In my opinion, praying and reading your Bible are the very first things you should do. God is always there for you 24 /7. And He is always wanting to help you and listen to you. He doesn't want you to be shackled down- that's the devil working. Don't give the devil those powers. Remember, God loves you with all He has.

Life Is More Peaceful When You Forgive.

 

Have you ever kept dwelling on the things that people have done to you? It doesn't matter if it happened 5 or 10 years ago....you just can't let it go. You still think about it and still get a little angry over it. I have been doing that. I had a list, yes, a list in my mind of 6 people I needed to forgive in my life. That shouldn't happen. We shouldn't put it off to forgive them some other time. Don't get me wrong. It does take time to forgive people. But when a list starts to form, that is a problem. So let me tell you what I did to let these things go. First: I wrote down the name of the person I needed to forgive. And what they did that hurt me. Next: I prayed and asked God to help me forgive them and let it go. I talked to him about each one and vented as to why I kept holding on to it. I even admitted to God that it would have been less hurtful had I put more trust in him for certain situations. I did all of this for each person. I took each slip of paper with the person's name on it, and after I had talked to God and felt ready to let it go.....I put it in the paper shredder. Yes... you can laugh. How dramatic. But hey. Those negative feelings I have towards those people are GONE. The more you hold on to things, the more they get in the way. The more they continue to resurface. Sometimes, God can't bless us the way he wants because there is something in the way...preventing us from receiving that blessing. Looking back on my life, I remember times when God has given me instructions on what he wanted me to do. But you know what. I usually only heard step 1 because there was something in the way that kept me from hearing step 2. I don't want to miss out on the blessings God has for me!!! Especially if it's because I don't forgive others!! We need to give people some slack.....and I feel like a total hypocrite for saying that. Because I sure haven't done it. We are all born sinners. We either know better, or we don't know better. We all fail. Forgive Forgive Forgive. What a RELIEF it is to let things go. Life is more peaceful this way.

Verses on Forgiveness.

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.-Matthew 6:15

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. -1 John 1:9

Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.-Luke 23:34

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.-Ephesians 4:32

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you must also do. -Colossians 3:12-13

Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." -Matthew 18:21-22

But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.-Psalms 130:4

 



Envy, Jealousy, and Covetousness.

-Envy- the desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable attribute belonging to someone else

-Jealousy- feeling resentment because you feel like you deserve something more than another

-Covetousness- desire for another's possessions

    Envy is something that makes us act CRAZY. Just look at the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis Chapter 4. The Lord was pleased with Abel's offering because he "brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat". Cain though "brought an offering of the fruit of the ground". The Lord was most pleased with Abel. Why? He offered his best to him. Cain didn't. So Cain gets all mad and jealous because the Lord respected what Abel brought instead of what he brought. AND GOES AND KILLS HIS BROTHER YALL. That's what jealousy does. Makes you go crazy. If you don't get it under control, it will control you. Let's try to keep these envious feelings in check. Think about this next verse A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones. Proverbs 14:30. It really is a rotten, bitter feeling. You want so bad to be like someone else, look like someone else.....that it takes over your life.

     It's important to be content with what God has given you. Don't make another person feel bad for the things God has given them. And don't wish you had something different either. After all, everything we have in life is from God. Be content. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. Hebrews 13:5. This is definitely not something we want to hear. I sure don't like to hear these things. We don't want to really admit we are jealous or envious. Because that makes us look weak. But know that God forgives us of our sin. For you Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Psalms 86:5

10 Things I Love About Being A Southerner

So I'm originally from California (well, I moved here when I was 6). And now I live in the south. Most people think I'm crazy for loving it here (those people being those that live anywhere else), but I LOVE it here! And I just have to share this with y'all. Here are some of the reasons why:

1. It doesn't get extremely cold here.

Ok. Seriously. I can't stand the cold. I'd rather it be hot. I mean, at least there is sunshine! Well, there's sunshine in the winter too but it's not the same. I just get so depressed in the winter! I love the summer so much more. And in the south, we have legit summers! 

2. SWEET TEA 

I love me some sweet tea. It's amazing. And in places like California, they don't even have sweet tea! I went to a Mexican restaurant in Cali once and asked for some sweet tea. The waiter looked at me like I was crazy and I had to get unsweet and put a packet of Dixie Crystal in it. THAT'S NOT THE SAME!! Here, you can walk into literally any place and get some sweet tea!

3. No crazy traffic. 

Well, I lived in LA. And I know this isn't entirely true of all the south. But even where there is traffic in the cities it's so different. Seriously. It's not the crazy bumper to bumper, waiting in line for 2 hours to get 5 miles kind of traffic. I don't know what it is. Maybe people are just nicer here. Oh wait, that's my next topic!

4. People are nice. 

People really aren't all that nice in other parts of the country. I do have to say that it's amazing how people in the south will help you and be there for you and watch out for you (most people) and in other places, you just flat out can't trust anyone. But ok, seriously, you drive down the road and people you don't even know are waving at you. At first, it was kind of weird. But now, if someone doesn't wave, well THAT'S weird.

5. People say "Y'all, Ma'am and Sir".
This may sound silly, but I love this about the south! People in other parts of the country get mad if you call say "yes, ma'am" or "yes, sir". They think you are calling them some type of old. And they think saying "y'all" is ignorant. But Y'ALL. It's not ignorance, it's not calling somebody old. This is our culture down here. People call me (a 20 year old) "ma'am" and I never think they are calling me old. And I say "y'all" all the time. It's not being ignorant, it's just the way we do things down here. 

6. When it snows, we actually get to enjoy it.
Ok, I get this is like if it gets hot up north or something and they have to cancel school. But,  I love the fact that when it snows, we get days off. We get snow days, the way they were supposed to be. The whole town shuts down. And while that probably sounds really silly to people who get snow a lot (it sounds silly to us that you would close down because it's too hot), I think it's a great quality of the south!

7. Sonic & Waffle House.
Do ya'll know what these places are? Ok, well if you don't, the minute you see one on your lovely trip to the south, STOP and eat at them! They are delicious. That's really the only way to explain it. Sonic is a drive in, and Waffle House (while they do sell amazing waffles) has that amazing greasy (and bad for us) food we all love!


8. Southern Food.
This kind of goes along with the last thing, but southern food is amazing. That macaroni and cheese, fried chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy- YUM. Do I need to say any more?!

Honestly, I don't know if there are red dirt roads in other parts of the country. I'm guessing the soil isn't the same elsewhere as it is here, so places don't have the red clay like we do, but I haven't driven across all 50 states looking for these things. But seriously, red dirt roads are a landmark of the south. Driving on some back country road, in a pickup truck, and there being nobody around for miles. I love that.
9. Red Dirt Roads.

10. We love God.
I guess this is just a small town, southern thing. But, in a town with like 100 people, you can expect to find at least 4 churches. That's just how it is. We love us some Jesus. Now, I don't know if it's a seriously good thing that there are so many churches (what's wrong with just one?), but I think it's a strong testimony that we are a God-fearing culture. And, being a Christian, it makes me extremely happy to be a part of this culture. And, also, people are more accepting of Christians in the south. There isn't that much persecution of Christians in the United States, but I feel like we have it pretty good in the south compared to some of the bigger cities in this country.

Salads Of The Week!

Side Salad.
-Romaine lettuce
-Fresh cucumbers
-Grape tomatoes
-Italian dressing

 

Super Veggie Salad.
-Romaine lettuce
-Cucumbers
-Grape Tomatoes
-Carrots
-Cheese
-Italian dressing

 

 

 

 

 

Caesar Salad. And yes that chicken wrap was delicious. lol

Tan Time Reflections.

As I lay outside, I can't help but be totally relaxed while enjoying God's beautiful creation. I spend a lot of time out here thinking, praying, AND getting a tan... (hehe). So many times I've sat out here and questioned God's who, what, when, where, and how for my life. It's so important that I talk to God constantly or I will start getting extremely overwhelmed. Satan will creep in and make me doubt that God even cares about my life. I'm sure that most of you reading can relate to the struggle I have. That struggle is the future. The unknown. Not knowing how my life is gonna be later on down the road. A lot of people's advice may be: "go read some bible verses for some encouragement" Listen. That's easier said than done. No matter how many times you may read a verse, you have to believe it in your heart for it to have any kind of effect on you.
     In your early twenties, you start wondering things like "Am I everrrr going to get married" "Will I everrrr have kids" "Will I everrrr get the job that I've been dreaming of since I was 5". As far as the marriage thing goes...I don't doubt that it will ever happen for me. I just question whether it will be with someone that I sincerely, truly love and that I didn't settle for, just because I wanted to get married and not be single anymore. And from there, I'm afraid I will have kids with this man that I won't really be in love with. Children can pick up on these things. You can't fake love y'all. I want to be so in love with the person who I share my life with. Think about it. You have to be around this person ALOT. lol It's not like having a relationship where every time you have a fight, you take time apart so you can give each other "space". To be honest that scares me. Knowing that they only way out is......gulp...divorce. And that is way too complicated. And God hates it. That's why I want to make sure I marry the man who God picked out for me. Does he only pick one??? I don't think so. I believe he gives us options and it's up to us to choose(free will), but I also believe he has one that is considered the "best". Young and old married couples I've talked to always have the same answer. They knew he or she was God's best. That God made that other person specifically for them. Which is why I think it is silly to continue going out with or dating someone you have absolutely no chemistry with. You know you don't see a future with them. But in the back of your mind...they meet all the requirements you look for. Christian. Has integrity. Kind....etc etc. So you convince yourself maybe over time something might develop, and you end up forcing yourself to make it work. God has to be all up in a relationship for it to be successful. I want to be reassured every day when I wake up next to a man, that God is the reason we are together. And I'm tired of Satan trying to convince me that I have to settle for every guy I meet. See...Satan wants you to be the farthest from God's will as possible. So being in a relationship with someone that isn't part of the "plan" makes him happy. He wants you to be disappointed and emotionally exhausted. This situation I just described can be totally flipped around though. You meet a guy who is so attractive and charming. Because of these traits, you overlook and accept things that you shouldn't. For example: he treats his mama like dirt, he cusses, he drinks, he does drugs, he's gets angry over the littlest things......he says he loves God, but the way he lives his life doesn't show it one bit. Granted people can change. But I really believe God will change a person BEFORE he gives them to you. That's not your responsibility to change them either. But you still think you can. And while trying to change the guy, he drags you down with him. I remember years ago when I was still in youth group, my youth pastor gave an example of what happens when two unequally yoked people get into a relationship together. Imagine you're standing on a chair. You are trying to pull the other person up with you. But it's hard. Almost impossible. The other person tries to pull you down.....easy. And I'm not just preaching to everyone else. I'm preaching to myself because I've been there. And been dragged down. And been out of God's will.

I've come to the conclusion, that if something is meant to be it will be. Having the husband, kids, and job that you want will happen. BUT in God's time. Not ours. Psalms 18:30 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. Now it's easy to understand that first part. But the second part of the verse....one word catches my attention. Purpose. I want my relationships, friendships, and job to have a purpose. So that's why I really believe (my opinion) that God gives us the desires of our hearts (Psalms 37:4) if it has a purpose and is aligned with his will and plans. Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and wait on God. Because......If we hope for what we do no see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance(Romans 8:25).

And lastly. We can rest in this.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)