The Chase: Who are you chasing?

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight." ~Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
question to think about and a question from the book: Who are you chasing?
The Chase: Trusting God with your Happily Ever After is by Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky. Kyle is a recording Christian artist and Kelsey is a talented actress who has been in the movies The Heart of Christmas and War Room. She also has a greeting card and gift line out, with her mother Karen Kingsbury, called Possibilities.
I had the pleasure of meeting Kelsey, Kyle, Karen, and a lot of their friends on a cruise in March of 2012. They were so sweet and Kyle and Kelsey set a great example of a engaged couple chasing after God.
I want to share what people are saying about their book The Chase.
“My friend Kelsey and her husband Kyle have written an inspiring and encouraging book about relationships called The Chase. Filled with stories from their own love story as well as their journey toward it, this book is informative and fun too! A must-read for single girls looking for a God-honoring relationship!” - Rebecca St. James, Grammy and Dove Award-winning recording artist and author of One Last Thing

“Kyle and Kelsey are a joy to know. They are genuine, sharp, fun-loving, and committed to chasing after God! They choose to live courageously in this generation. I encourage you to get to know them too through their inspiring story.” -Pam Tebow, speaker and mother of Tim Tebow.

“I'm so excited to read this book by my sweet friends Kelsey and Kyle. Their love story is beautiful, and their relationship is an inspiration of what it means to truly cherish each other!” -Francesca Battistelli, Grammy-nominated Christian music superstar

“Kyle and Kelsey have been friends of mine for several years. I love their passion for God, for family, and for young people. I believe this book will bring truth and light to readers and remind them of God's perfect plan for life.” -Britt Nicole, Grammy-nominated artist

“I have watched Kyle and Kelsey chase after God and I have seen His plans for them unfold like the most beautiful story. Now it’s your turn! If you get one book for your daughter this year, get The Chase!” -Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author.

Okay, now I want to give you my thoughts on part of The Chase. The Foreword in the book is by Karen Kingsbury and I had the privilege of hear some of the stories she shared in person. The part that really shows me that God is in the center of every love story is when she shares that, while on her honeymoon, she and her husband prayed for their future children and their spouses. They prayed this on August 1, 1988 and on that day Kyle Kupecky was born! WOW!

In the Prologue we read about what lead to both Kyle and Kelsey writing letters to their future spouses when they were thirteen. The answer? Godly people and parents in their lives. We also get a glimpse of what life was like for each of them growing up during their teenage years. Finally, we get  glimpse of the day they met and what they want us to take from this book, that Jesus is the only one worth chasing after!

I can't wait to discuss more of this book with you in the following weeks. But until then, I'll leave you with the question asked in the Prologue again: Who are you chasing?

To order your copy of The Chase: Trusting God with your Happily Ever After and to learn more about Kyle and Kelsey, visit their website here.

Under Construction: college life

took this while the sun was rising on the way to school.

        

I should've known that I would end up writing a "back to school" post. I have written a post about my college experience every time classes start back since I've had this blog. I didn't think I would this year, but here I am again, three days late, writing about my classes.

First, let me tell you what I am taking this semester.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I take English 112. It's pretty much a class that teaches you to interpret literature and write about your thoughts with facts to back up said thoughts. My first paper is on why The Crucible should be taught in Sociology. It's the next step in becoming a writer for me.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays I take Physics, which is a class I am surprisingly enjoying and I have a great teacher in. I'm so thankful for the help that my teacher gives me and that he cares whether or not I truly learn Physics! I also take a Humanities class called Human Values and Meaning. I find the class interesting, but my teacher does not believe Christians should be allowed to give their opinions. Every religion is important but Christianity in her eyes. I have a Bible verse that comes to mind every time I'm in that class. It's Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." (NIV).
I'm still working at the pregnancy center. I still love the work that I do and I am so thankful everyday that God put the opportunity to work there in front of me. I have another great opportunity that I get to share with you! I was picked to be a part of the Street Team for a book called The Chase: trusting God with your Happily Ever After by Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky. My book came in the mail today and I can not wait to start reading this book and to write about it on this blog! If you want more information on this book visit Kyle and Kelsey's website.

Kyle and Kelsey's book

Finally, the last thing I want to share with you is how this blog post got its title. Every morning on the way to school, and sometimes on the way home, I have to wait in the worse road construction traffic I have ever seen. Today I realized how that road construction compares to my life right now. I'm in a chapter of my life where I am still under construction. I'm having to realize what's important to me and how to stand up for my beliefs but still be a godly Christian woman. There are days when it is hard, but I'm so thankful that I am "under construction".

Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible- part 8

This is my grandmother who's a good example of a Proverbs 31 woman in my life.

                          

• Peter's Mother-in-law: Not much is said about this woman other than the fact that when Jesus met her she had a fever and was so sick she had to stay in bed. What speaks volumes of her character is the fact that family members beg Jesus to heal her and Jesus does. Also, as soon as she is healed she gets up and starts waiting on the people in her house! I think that is a Proverbs 31 woman if there ever was one! (Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:30-31; Luke 4:38-39).
• Lydia: This woman listened to Paul and Silas who were sitting in the streets talking about God to anyone who would listen. Lydia already worshiped God and God opened up her heart and she received the salvation message. Her and her household were baptized and she invited Paul and Silas to stay with her family. Then when Paul and Silas got out of prison, Lydia held church in her house so they could continue to preach. (Acts 16:14-15, 40).
• Lois: Grandmother of Timothy, who was a young man who did mission work with Peter. Lois passed on her Christian faith to Timothy and helped mold him spiritually. Lois was a spiritual mentor and, through Timothy, she impacted tons of lives. I don't think this woman set out to bring glory to herself. I think she just wanted her grandson and other young people of the faith to be on fire for God so she spent time with them to train them and love them! That's a Proverbs 31 woman! (2 Timothy 1:5).
• Eunice: She was Timothy's mother. She was the daughter of Lois. She passed on her Christian faith and helped mold him spiritually too. In Acts it tells us Eunice was from Lystra and that she was Jewish but her husband was Greek. The fact that her husband was Greek is a big deal because back in this time, the Greeks did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah so God really did use Eunice and Lois to teach Timothy about Him. What a great honor! (Acts 16:1; 2 Timothy 1:5).
• Anna: She was a prophetess who lost her husband after seven years of marriage. Instead of being bitter towards God, Anna went and served at the Temple. The Bible tells us that she was faithful to God and worshiped the Lord night and day and fasted and prayed. When Anna was 84 she got to see Jesus as a little baby when Mary and Joseph came to the temple to sacrifice. God allowed Anna to know that this little baby was the Messiah and Savior. This woman was a Proverbs 31 woman when it came to worshiping God. (Luke 2:36-38).
• Elisabeth: She was a descendant of Aaron, the High Priest, and her husband Zechariah served as a priest in the temple of Jerusalem. One day her husband came home not able to speak and Elisabeth found out it was because the angel Gabriel appeared to him and gave the news that Elisabeth would have a son n her old age and he would grow up to be the man to prepare the way for the Messiah. The Bible says that Elisabeth and Zechariah were righteous people in the Lord's eyes because they stayed faithful to Him even in the hard times. (Luke 1:5-25, 39-80).

A guide to the month of August

        

We have this hope as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure. ~Hebrews 6:19
As I am writing this I can hear the relaxing sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. This moment makes me feel the closest to God. When I am in awe at the masterpiece He has given me to enjoy and then I realize He has given it to me to enjoy because I am His greastest Masterpiece in His eyes! Wow!

My family and I left late Tuesday night to head to the beach. The car ride was uneventful. But tge first hotel we went to, the one we booked, was not a good hotel and it was obveous we could not stay there. It was two in the morrning and the man working the desk was very kind and helped us fined another hotel. By the time we got settled and could go to sleep it was four in the morning, but God provided for us.

My cousin, who is only four months older than I, came down the next day. I was happy just being with my mom and dad, but i havent seen my cousin in months! I was happy that I would get to spenlld some time with her. We all have pretty much been poolside this whole trip. I would sit and read "Summer" by Karen Kingsbury and when I got to hot I'd get in the pool for awhile. We've walked along the beach and took tons of pictures. My cousin even cut my hair short, once is a drastic change for me. 

We've made memories that will last a life time. And in every memory I have seen God's hand at work. It's amazing! I had to share my thoughts on this trip. And now I'm ready to let all of you know what is to come this month.

On August 8th I will be posting the second chapter in the "See You Soon Cinderella" series. In this post I will be writing about the life lessons I think a person can learn from the movies "Cinderella Man", "Ella Enchanted", "Ever After", "A Cinderella Story", and "After The Ball." 

On August 15th I will be posting about some more women in the Bible and what we can learn from them. We will be starting on tge New Testment women on this day.

On August 22nd I will be posting about some more Cinderella themed movies and tge life lessons each ond has to offer. These will all be the singing movies and all of this is leading up to the book and actual Disney Cinderella movies.

On August 29th I will be posting about some more women in the New Testament of tge Bible and what they teach us. I just love studying these women and seeing how Gkd is working in all their lives!

Finally, on September 5th I will post another "list" of sorts about wha g is to come that month.

See all of you next Saturday! God bless!

Chapter Two: Stay

      "I'm hanging on to a hope I don't remember. I'm 21 and life still hasn't come together. Stay, stay with me. Don't leave me all alone picking up the pieces. My heart can't bear you leaving. Just another night of feeling so alone. There's nothing for me without you. Where was I before I knew you? I AM YOURS!" ~"Stay" by Lexi Elisha.

                                    

Well, the first chapter to this story is Chapter One: My feet are bruised but they'll follow where You lead. This is the second chapter of my story. Over the summer I have forgotten about the dream God has placed in my heart to help others. I haven't done my volunteer work like I normally do. And though I have traveled many places this summer, I haven't had the courage to tell others about God on my trips.

To be completely honest, I've gone what some would call "lukewarm" in my Christian walk. The Bible says "So, because you are lukewarm- neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth." ~Revelation 3:16. I don't want to be this kind of Christian and I don't want to be a disappointment to God. I had to get to a low point in my life to realize I needed that fire in me to be blazing again.

The Bible says "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans." ~Psalm 118:8 and "Do not put your trust on princes, in human beings, who cannot save." ~Psalm 146:3. Yesterday, on the way home from Tennessee, I realized I had been putting my faith in people close to me instead of God. Needless to say, these people let me down one by one until I felt completely alone. I don't think these people meant to let me down, but I think it was all a part of God's plan to get me attention. The Bible does say that God will take away what we worship instead o Him. Sometimes a relationship can turn into what we are worshiping instead of God.

I'm getting back into my routine of spending time with God, my heart is slowly being mended back together and the fire in my soul is starting to blaze again.

I haven't set out and conquered the world yet. But I am still a work in progress and, Thank God, He is still working on me. More "chapters" of my life story will be shared with you as they are revealed to me. God's timing is PERFECT!!

Other Women of the Bible- part 6

                                              

(picture is from the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC)

Today I finish writing about the women of the Old Testament in the Bible. There are thirteen here I had missed, who I think are important to talk about. Some of these women have long stories in the Bible and others only have a verse or two. But each one can teach us something and were important to God.

• Milkah: Wife of Nahor. She would have been Abraham's sister-in-law. She must have been a woman of Godly character because the Bible always listed her when listing Rebekah's family lineage. (Genesis 24:28-61).
• Judith: She was a Hittite and the first wife of Esau. She is mentioned in an interesting place in the book of Genesis. She is mentioned while Esau and Jacob are fighting. Rebekah mentions how miserable she is with her daughter-in-law. I think she is mentioned here to show that when you marry someone you marry their family too.
• Basemath: She was a Hittite and the second wife of Esau. She is mentioned in an interesting place in the book of Genesis. She is mentioned while Esau and Jacob are fighting. Rebekah mentions how miserable she is with her daughter-in-law. I think she is mentioned here to show that when you marry someone you marry their family too.
• Mahalath: She was Ishmael's daughter. She was the granddaughter of Abraham. She isn't mentioned much in the Bible, but she is mentioned during a time when Esau had heard that his parents were not happy with his Hittite (Canaanite) wives. Esau went to Ishmael and asked to marry Mahalath. I think her small story is a way for God to show us that when we marry a person we marry their family and we need to be on the same page. (Genesis 28:6-9).
• Asenath: She was an Egyptian and her father was the priest of On (Heliopolis), the chief centre of Ra the sun god. I always wondered about her faith. She grew up worshiping these gods and goddesses that could not help her and her father was a priest. Yet she marries a man, Joseph, who fears and worships the One True God. Her husband is a living testimony of how God works in His childrens' lives and that He is real. I wonder if she accepted the True God because of her husband and that's why they raised their children knowing God. (Genesis 41:45, 50-52).
• Elisheba: The daughter of Amminadab, which puts her in the family tree with Ruth (Ruth 4:20). She married Aaron and I wonder if she helped in the "ministry" of the "church" with Aaron. (Exodus 6:23).
• Shelomit: Her son blasphemed God and he was brought to Moses. Shelomit did the right thing by bringing her son to Moses, but I wonder if her son blasphemed God because he had heard her do so or she didn't teach him that it was wrong. I think we can learn that it is tough being a parent by knowing her story. (Leviticus 24:11).
• Cozbi: She was a woman of corruption. The Israelites were suffering form a plague and one of the men bring her into the camp in front of everyone. While he is sleeping with her, one of Aaron's sons kills both the man and Cozbi. The plague stops. I don't know why Cozbi had to die. But I do know she was showing great disrespect to God by coming into the camp at all, but especially being there while the people were grieving. She was a woman who did not fear the Lord. (Numbers 25:6-9)
• Abishag: She comes into the story during a horrible family feud. King David is an old man who is about to die. His son Adonijah is disrespecting him by deciding that he is going to be king next and he starts acting like a king before David is dead. David planned on making Solomon king though. David is also in a fragile state where he can not keep warm. So his attendants pretty much find a nurse for him. That nurse is Abishag and she apparently did her job, of keeping the king comfortable during his last days, very well. David did not have a sexual relationship with her. She was just his nurse and I think that speaks highly of her character. (1 Kings 1:1-4).
• Zeruiah and Abigail: These two women are the sisters of King David. Zeruiah's sons fought in David's army and Abigail's son was part Ishmaelite. They are mentioned in the family line of Judah. (1 Chronicles 2:16-17).
• Sheerah: This woman is mentioned in one verse in the Bible. But it is the placement of where she is mentioned at that gets my attention. She is from the tribe of Ephraim and her father was ether Ephraim himself or Beriah. She is mentioned in the family line as being the person who built three towns, Lower and Upper Beth Horon and Uzzen Sheerah. She was a working woman and important to Israel's growth. (1 Chronicles 7:24).
• Zeresh: She was Haman's wife. She advised him to make a pole to hang Mordecai on and supported him on his plan to wipe out the Jews. She was obviously a wicked woman and I think we can learn about what a heart that doesn't have God, but hate in it looks like. (Esther 5:14; 6:13-14).
• Lo-Ruhamah: She was the daughter of the prophet Hosea and his wife, who was a prostitute, Gomer. God told Hosea what to name her and her name meant "not loved". God chose this name not because He didn't love Lo-Ruhamah, He did love her, but because her name was proof that God meant what He said to the Israelites as a whole about not showing love to them anymore and forgiving them. God used her to show that names have a special meaning behind them. I don't know who she grew up to be, a woman like her mother or a woman who followed God like her father showed her. I can't imagine what it was like for her knowing what her mother did for a living. But I do know God loved her and gave her the perfect name. (Hosea 1:6-8).

The next time I write about women in the Bible it will be about the women of the New Testament. I can't wait to dive in and learn the lessons these women can teach us! A Cinderella post will be up next Saturday!

A letter from a 21-year-old "Good Girl..."

        

Today should be a post about a book I am reading. But because I have been busy and have been traveling, today's post is going to be a personal letter from me to you. I hope you enjoy.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.'" ~Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV).

This has been my favorite Bible verse for years. But I am just now starting to understand what it truly means. Today I want to share about what it's like to be 21, because it's different than being 13, 16, 18, or 20.

At 21 there are more doors opened for you. You are an adult at 18. But 18 is like having a driver's permit, there are things you still can't do. 21 is like you have your driver's license. You can do everything like get a cabin on a cruise ship, get a hotel room, and, what is most associated with being 21, you can drink.

I feel like now that I am 21 I should know where I'm going in life and what I want. When I was little I thought I would have been dating a guy for a year or two by now and we'd be talking about marriage. I thought I'd be done with college and working at the job I always wanted. Not still working in my associates degree and still single.

I never thought I'd get to travel and see as much as I have. And to be so close to my family. Plus only having one friend I can really rely on.

I know where I stand about drinking. It's wrong to drink if you're not of age because the Bible tells us to obey authority unless the authority goes against God (Romans 13:1 and Acts 5:29). The drinking age is not going against God. When you are 21 it's okay to have one drink here and there. Just don't use drinking as a crutch to get away from life. Don't get drunk because the Bible tells us to be of sober mind (1 Peter 5:8) and to not be a drunkered (Ephesians 5:18).

I learned quickly that no matter how strong you are the world, and the devil, can try to influence you and take over your life. Just like with a new driver that has their license, it's so cool to let people know that you're 21 and to be able to do all these things you couldn't before. But you have to stay connected to God or your life will snow ball out of control.

Also, a lot of people my age are getting married or engaged. Some people have kids and are starting families. It's really hard not to compare yourself to the people around you. I've often wondered if I should be worried about the fact that I'm not thinking about marriage and starting a family right now.  But then I remember that all of that is what society says you should do and that each person is different.

I have prayed to God and asked Him to not let the desire of wanting a boyfriend and relationship take center stage in my life. I've even prayed not to have feelings for a guy until God is ready for me to settle down and be with my future husband.

It's okay to be single and independent at 21. After all, each person is different and God's plans are not our plans (Isaiah 55:8). God's plans are 100 times better!

(Other) Women of the Bible & Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible-Continued

    

It's been 8 months and 3 days since I wrote about the Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible and Other Women of the Bible series. Here's the posts in the series so far:

Proverbs 31 Women in the Bible-part 1

Proverbs 31 Women in the Bible-part 2

Proverbs 31 Women in the Bible-part 3

Proverbs 31 Women in the Bible-part 4

Other Women of the Bible-part 1

Other Women of the Bible-part 2

Other Women of the Bible-part 3

Other Women of the Bible-part 4

Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible-part 5

Other Women of the Bible-part 5

Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible-part 6

I am going to be starting these series back up in June. I am going to be using my Bible as a reference, of course. I will also be using She Reads Truth's Bible study "Women in the Word" and the American Bible Society's book Women of the Bible: Heroines and the Lessons They Can Still Teach Us. I have really enjoyed doing these and I'm so excited to be able to start it back up this summer!

So far the women I have written about are: Noah & his sons' wives, Sarah, Hagar, Rebekah, Shipharh & Puah, Moses' Mother (Jochbed), Zelophehad's Daughters, Rahab, Aksah, Deborah, Jephthah's daughter, Ruth, Hannah, Abigail, Shumannite woman, Eve, Lot's wife, Keturah, Leah, Rachel, Bilhah &Zilpah, Dinah, Tamar, Potiphar's wife, Zipporah, Miriam, Jael, Abimelek's killer, Samson's pagan bride, Delilah, Micah's mother, Levite's Concubine, Wives of Benjamin, Samson's mother, Naomi, Orpah, Michal, Bathsheba, Tamar, Rizpah, Queen of Sheba, Widow at Zarephath, Medium of Endor, Wise woman of Tekoa, Solomon's pagan wives, Maakah, Jezebel, Athaliah, The Adulteress woman in Proverbs, Gomer, Esther, Jehosheba, The Psalms girl, Song of songs woman, Jerobom's wife, the prophet's widow, Naaman's maidservant, Huldah, Vashti, Job's wife, Job's daughters, The Daughters of Jerusalem, and Mary the mother of Jesus.

I'll do a small refresher course next Saturday and then Saturday, June 6th I'll start back on the series. I hope you all enjoy it and thank you for coming along with me on this journey through the lives of these women!

Other Women of the Bible- part 5

 

Jeroboam's Wife: (1 Kings 14:1-18) Probably worshiped other gods like her husband did. She tried to deceive a Prophet by disguising herself. She received the news that the kingdom would be taken away from her family and that when she went back home her son would die for the evil she and her husband had committed. I believe she was heartbroken about her son and she realized that God was in control. Unfortunately, she had to be completely broken.

The Prophet's Widow: (2 Kings 4:1-7) I don't think she doubted God. I think she knew God sent Elisha right when she needed Him to and her sons were saved!

Naaman's maidservant: (2 Kings 5:2-3) This unnamed girl was a great example of being a light in everyday life! She knew of Elisha and she helped Naaman to head in the right direction to be healed! Everyone can take away the lesson that God can and will use you in everyday life!

Huldah: (2 Kings 22:14-20) There are three important aspects to her character here. She was bold. She didn't sugarcoat God's Word. She offered hope and a sign of renewal. We can learn to be bold when speaking about God from her! (Source: Extraordinary Women of the Bible Lessons to guide Your Life.)

Vashti: (Esther 1:9-22) Vashti was having her own party as her husband had a  party too. She disobeyed the king and got replaced as Queen. I think what a person can lean from her is to think before you speak and seek wise conceal.

Job's Wife: (Job 2:9-10) She didn't build Job up. She actually told Job to curse God so that Job would die! I think she is a great example of what hopelessness looks like.

Job's Daughters: (Job 42:13-15) It was unusual for them to get an inheritance and their names were meant to mean the most beautiful things.

The Daughters of Jerusalem:(Song of Solomon) They symbolized people who work hard. They also symbolize someone who listens to godly advice and know that they are loved by God.

My Proverbs 3 Women of the Bible series and my Other Women of the Bible series will continue into the New Testament and I am really looking forward to studying these women and writing about their legacies! ~Brandi

Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible- part 5

Wow! This is the last installment of the Proverbs 31 Women in the Bible where the Old Testament is concerned! I've really grown in my faith while doing this series and the "Other Women of the Bible" series! So, let's look at some great role models of strong, Christan woman virtue.

Jehosheba: In 2 Kings 11 we meet this loving aunt. She risked her life to save her nephew from her mother. Then, she acted as his mother and raised him to know and worship God. He became a righteous and God-fearing king because of this!

Esther: Well, the whole book of Esther is about this young woman who was an orphan who became a Queen. With her trust in God, she saved her people from being completely wiped out! Her courage is outstanding and so inspirational!

The Psalms Girl: Okay, so I know most of the book of Psalms was written by David. But the book of Psalms has comforted me on a daily bases. Therefore, I like to believe there is a Psalms Girl in all of us. A girl who runs to God about everything and loves to praise Him!

Song of Songs Woman: The book of Song of Songs is a love story. We do not know the name of Solomon's bride in this book. I think she gives the best advice any girl can follow and that is to not be quick to wake up love. Take your time and let God pick the guy and fall in love with each other with Him as the center of the relationship!

I am in love with this series and I'm looking forward to getting into the New Testament soon. I hope y'all have enjoyed this too!

Other Women of the Bible - part 4

The Medium of Endor: She was sinning by practicing witchcraft. She knew she was sinning because she wouldn't do what Saul asked until she knew she would not die. Her shock at seeing Samuel proves that, even though she was suppose to be someone who summoned the dead, she had never had something like that happen to her. We can learn two things from this unnamed woman. First, what sin and disobedience looks like and second, human kindness looks like. When Saul fell to the floor, she prepared the best food she had for him and got him to eat to regain his strength. (1 Samuel 28:3-25)
The Wise Woman of Tekoa: This woman used her acting skills to be very sneaky and dishonest. Joab had asked for her help in playing David's emotions over his son in the way Joab wanted them to go. See, David's son had in exile for three years because he killed his half-brother who raped Tamar (Other Women of the heBible-part 3). David was torn in two. He had a duty as king and a duty as a father that put him in a hard place. This woman went to David with a fake story about her two sons. According to her one son killed the other and was on the run so he wouldn't be killed. David caught on to her and realized that Joab was behind this, but her speech had worked and David's father side won out and his son got to return home. Joab did this because he wanted David's son to take the throne after David. The woman's part in this can teach us what it is like to have disrespect for our leaders and ourselves by telling lies. (2 Samuel 14:1-21)
Solomon's Pagan Wives: Okay, these women aren't talked about a lot in the Bible, but the actions they took had a lasting impact through the rest of the Bible. Solomon couldn't settle for one wife, so he had many. He took wives that believed in other gods. I think these wives were still exposed to the One True God but chose not to follow Him. What's the life lesson here? Even a small decision can have a lasting consequence.
Maakah: Not much is known about her besides that she is the mother of Abijah and grandmother of Asa. However, she did not follow God and her grandson removed her from the position of queen mother and burned her "repulsive images for the worship of Asherah" she had made. (1 Kings 15:13)
Jezebel: A Princess by birth. She married Ahab and became Queen of Israel (1 Kings 16:31). She demanded that her gods be considered as important as God, implying she knew the God of Israel is the True God, and she got her way. She was fortunate enough to have many miracles preformed in front of her by God (1 Kings 18:23-38). But, she chose to still not believe in Him. When her prophets were killed she promised to kill Elijah, God's prophet (1 Kings 19:1-2). She arranged a man named Nabath's death so her husband could have his vineyard (1 Kings 21:7-16)! She also used her power as Queen Mother, when her sons were Kings, for evil. Her own people ended up throwing her to a gruesome death (2 Kings 9:30-37)! I feel sorry for Jezebel, because she had so many opportunities to have a relationship with God. I think her love for power was to strong for her to give in to that kind of love though. It is possible that Jezebel is mentioned in the New Testament though. Revelation 2:20 says: "Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols." Jezebel did make a legacy for herself, but it wasn't a good one. So, think about this, what kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?
Athaliah: All that is said about her is that she was wicked and just wanted power. (2 Kings 11:1-3; 13-16)
The Adulteress Woman in Proverbs: She is unnamed, but she is the opposite of what the Proverbs 31 woman is. She tries to trick people and tempt them into sinning. (Proverbs)
Gomer: She is Hosea's wife. She was a known prostitute and she had no plans of changing. She was married to a man of God and she probably heard of God all the time. She missed out on more than one great relationship! (Hosea)

What God Taught Me On Vacation...

 I had no plans of going on vacation with my Nana, aunt, cousin, and uncle last week. My plans changed two nights before we were to leave for Charleston, South Carolina. So, I packed rather quickly, but got everything I needed. So, on Saturday I went and stayed at Nana's so I wouldn't have to get up too early the next morning.
All night one of the dogs barked and kept all of us up! We were all still up by six in the morning, but we kept on having to turn back around because we forgot things. We were finally on the road by ten o'clock. The backseat of my uncle's truck was crammed with four people in it and we had to travel for nearly five hours! I'm sure you can imagine some of the arguments that broke out here and there.
We were all very happy to get to our villa and unload the truck. It took us awhile to figure out bed arrangements because a few people were determined to have everything their way and their plan was not going to work! This problem of who got what bed was settled in about ten minutes. We did not stay in the villa for long, and soon we found ourselves at T.J. Maxx, and two different grocery stores. By the time we had the food we needed and got back to the villa, none of us wanted to see the inside of that truck for at least three days!
The next morning was not pretty. I had a 5:30 wake up call from my uncle to go run with him and my aunt. I ran for as long as I could and then I walked the rest of the miles. My cousin came with us so I had someone to walk with here and there. I did enjoy getting to watch the sun come up (completing something off of my bucket list) and talking to God as I walked. However, this Monday was not going to stay peaceful for long...
Back in the room I was taking everyone's comments to personal and felt like they were saying things that were mean, but they weren't. I buried my head in a book. Then it happened. The one thing that was going to really ruin the peace I had found when walking. I dropped my Iphone 5S, that I had only had for two months in the toilet and ruined it! I felt so sick, so while we all piled back into the truck to go get frozen yogurt, I prayed to God. We ended up in a surf shop and I stumbled upon a quote and I knew it was God talking to me. It said: "Sometimes you have to make your own sunshine." This helped me through the rest of the trip.
The next day, July 29th, we tried to save my phone with a bag of rice, but it didn't work. I got the idea to try and use my tablet for everything, but for the life of me I could not get it to connect to the WI-FI! So, I started worrying about how I was going to blog and get some of my emails that I use for my Bible reading. My Nana reminded me that we did have a computer, so that problem was resolved. I really didn't like the idea of going to the beach or pool because I felt so fat in my bathing-suit, but I finally gave in and went to the pool with my family and had a really good time! A new problem showed up. How was I going to capture memories with pictures? This too was solved by my aunt and we went to Walmart and got me a camera and the things I needed for it. As we were walking on the beach later that night, a verse I had read that morning came to my mind. Isaiah 7:4 "...'Be careful, keep calm and don't be afraid...." I knew God was reminding me He had all of this already figured out!
July 30th met us with rain. So we went to the aquarium. One family member pitched a fit because she didn't get her way, but we all still enjoyed ourselves. I tried some new things, I pet an Alligator, Sting Ray, and a Starfish! My uncle made homemade oatmeal cookies for the first time, I'm glad my Nana was there to help him! I spent a lot of time with my little cousin and I'm so thankful for that time with him! The next day, we went and ate a Poe's Tavern and saw the lighthouse on Sullivan's Island. We also played in a park we stumbled upon. We got back to the villa and it started pouring the rain! My uncle managed to set off the fire alarm from cooking while I was in the shower! Oh, that was an adventure! We all ended the night by watching a movie.  I thought of Isaiah 9:6 "...Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." because those two days had God's handiwork all through them!
A new month started that Friday, August 1st. I went to the beach and had a good time. But soon after my cousin and I really started fighting and argued all day! My tennis shoes and sandals broke! Thankfully, I had bought some flip flops. We went on a ghost tour and then ate seafood. I tried Mahi Mahi and it was really good. Before I fell asleep I heard thunder...
Sure enough, it was raining the next day. So we all went to the Market. We were all arguing with each other a little, so we would go off from each other to look around and come back. I found this beautiful Sweet-grass cross and it reminded me that God was with me and I needed to love like Him! So, for the rest of the day I tried very hard to be kind to everyone because "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1. I ended up crying a little from hurt feelings on this trip, but God comforted me. We left on the 3rd while it was storming like crazy! The ride home wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and I was so happy to finally be home!
So, what I learned on this vacation is that there are always going to be plans that go wrong. Also, it's hard to get along with your family sometimes, but they still love you. You have the choice to let one thing bad ruin your trip or to see the blessing you have got. Also, God is always with you through everything and He is where your true happiness comes from!

Other Women of the Bible- part 1

 

Okay, so I've been doing a "Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible" series. I started thinking we could learn something from all of the women in the Bible. So here is another branch in the "Proverbs 31 Women in the Bible" series called "Other Women of the Bible". We will be looking at all the other women who I didn't put as a Proverbs 31 Woman. Some of these women are good role models and others are not, but we can learn something from them all.

Eve: She was first woman. God made her from the dirt and with one of Adam's ribs. She got to enjoy the Garden of Eden and talking to God. She got to see a time when there was nothing but peace in the world. She made a mistake and sinned by eating fruit from a tree God told her not to eat from. As a result, she and Adam had to leave the garden and live a hard life. She knew how perfect the world was before sin and she had to watch the world become a sinful place. Nonetheless, she was a big part of history! (Genesis chapter two.)

 Lot's Disobedient Wife: Lot and his wife traveled with Abraham and Sarah. Lot picked the land of Sodom and Gomorrah to live because it was the best land. But this land was filled with a lot of sin. God spared Lot and his family. But Lot's wife loved the place where she lived, a place filled with sin, so much that she disobeyed God and turned into a pillar of salt. Lot's wife loved the world more than God.

Keturah: She was the second wife of Abraham and she had six sons with him. At times Keturah probably felt like she could never be good enough. She did have some big shoes to fill after Sarah. But Abraham loved her too.

Leah: She was Rachel's older sister. She obeyed her father and married Jacob. What was her reward for this? She lived her whole life knowing that her husband loved her younger sister more than her. I can't imagine how that felt! God blessed her though by giving her children. Out of her children came the Israelites line of Priests and the family tree of Jesus Christ.  It's quite obvious God showed Leach how much He loved her!

Rachel: She found her true love in Jacob. But she had to watch as her sister married him first. When she finally married Jacob, she had to split her time with him with her sister for the rest of her life. Then Rachel found out that she could not have children, but her sister could. It had to be hard on Rachel to watch her husband with another woman and seeing her sister's children when she couldn't have any herself. But instead of relying on God she got competitive and caused more fighting with her sister. She played a big role in history and was blessed with two sons of her own.

Bilhah and Zilpah: These two women were the servants of Leah and Rachel. I can not imagine how these women felt when they were giving to Jacob as "wives" just to produce babies! Yes, they were taking care of but it was still probably very hard on them knowing that their children, in the eyes of society, belonged to someone else. I do admire them for willingly doing what Leah and Rachel told them to do and having hearts like a servant. God rewarded them by allowing their children to be a part of Israel's heritage.

Dinah: She was Jacob's daughter. Leah was her mother. Not much is said about her. But the Bible does tell us that she was raped by the prince of the town her family was staying in. The result of this was that her brothers killed all the men in the town. Dinah had to live with what happened to her and probably would not find a husband because of this. I wonder what Dinah was thinking going out by herself. Had she grown up a tomb-boy because of her twelve brothers? Did she think she could take care of herself because, maybe, her brothers had taught her a little self-defense? Ether way, Dinah became a silent victim.

Tamar: She was Judah's daughter-in-law. Her husband sinned and died. Keeping to the law, her brother-in-law married her. But he sins and died. Now Judah did not want to give his other son in marriage for fear of death. But he wouldn't help Tamar by arranging for her to marry someone else. Tamar didn't rely on God and took matters into her own hands and tricked Judah. She kept the family line alive, but we can learn that if God has a plan HE will see it finished. We just need to have faith and not try to fix it ourselves.

Potiphar's Wife: This woman probably had everything money could buy. After all, her husband worked for Pharaoh in a very high position. But maybe she didn't feel loved and cherished. Maybe her marriage was having problems. Potiphar could have been working long hours and not being there for his wife like he should have been. Ether way, what Potiphar's Wife did was not the way to handle things! She found Joseph attractive and she tried to get him to sleep with her. Had she tried this before with other servants? We don't know. But the Bible does tell us that Joesph said no. I believe the lesson we can learn is that no marriage will have a chance of truly being happy without God in the center of it.

To Thaw A Frozen Heart

So I just watched Frozen for the first time on Friday night! Needless to say, I loved it! While I was watching the movie I saw some lessons in it that I really wanted to talk about. So on Saturday night, I watched it again and wrote down my thoughts on the Biblical lessons that the movie could teach someone.

The first thing that caught my attention was Anna's love for Elsa. Anna never gave up on Elsa, she was always knocking on Elsa's door and letting Elsa know she was there for her. I thought of this verse during that part: "'Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.'" (ESV) Also, everything Anna goes through to find Elsa, I thought of all that Jesus went through for us. Finally, the part that really stuck out to me was when Anna was singing to Elsa trying to clam her down and Elsa was consumed with her worry. Jesus stands there during the hard times in our lives and waits for us to take His hand for help.
Second, Anna's personality reminded me of a person who has a relationship with Christ and tries to get to know Him more and more everyday. Elsa's personality reminded me of a person who tries to do everything on their own and doesn't necessarily trust God.
The third thing was, even though Elsa was trying to protect Anna, how Elsa kept shutting Anna out. The thing to remember is don't shut the people out that God places in your life. They are there to help you and are a part of God's great plan for your life.
Now lets talk boys and relationships! Hans represents the guy who is only interested in you because he can get something. Hans wanted the palace and really didn't care about Anna. Also on that note, don't go looking for love. Love normally finds you when you aren't looking for it. Anna and Kristoff are examples of that. Kristoff respected her, cared about her, was truly concerned about her health, and wanted to protect her. The trolls also made a good point that everyone is a "bit of a fixer uper." Also, the first guy isn't always the right guy.
Finally, don't judge someone by their looks. Elsa had a good heart and was trying to protect everyone, but when people found out they thought she was a monster. Knowing that people would judge her made her shut people out and if people hadn't judged what good could Elsa have already done? It's the same way in life. Don't judge a book by it's cover and as the body of Christ we all have gifts that are going to help everyone.
So there are Biblical life lessons from Frozen.