Protecting Love

 (picture from the movie One Night with the King. You can buy the movie here.)
Happy Valentine's Day!
 I have been doing a 13 day study on the book of Esther through She Reads Truth​ and I read something that got my attention and is perfect to share for Valentine's Day.
"The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden." ~Esther 7:7
Okay, I know you're probably wondering why I'm sharing this verse about a king being angry, but just hear me out. Esther had just reviled to the king that she was a Jew and that Haman was trying to kill her people. I believe the king was upset that Esther had kept her heritage from him for so long, but he was more upset that his right-hand man had used him and was trying to kill his wife and her people.
So what does this have to do with Valentine's Day and love? I believe the reason the king got up and went outside is because he loved Esther so much he wanted to guard her heart. I think he didn't want to scare her because she saw him get mad, maybe yell and throw a few things. I believe he didn't want her to think he would ever hurt her, emotionally or physically when he was angry. I believe he wanted her to know she could tell him anything, yes he might get mad, but after he cooled off he would be there for her. The king loved Esther enough that he didn't want her to see him as anything but the gently husband she needed. To me this is a big sign of true love and a sign of a godly man.
Also through this study, I think the feast in the end of Esther, Purim, happened on Valentine's Day! I did some research and the month of Adar is possibly in February. So, I've made Hamantaschen and Kreplach for Valentine's Day. Here's the recipes:
Hamantaschen Recipe
Kreplach Recipe
Finally, I want to share this music video because it fits my life on this Valentine's Day:

Again, Happy Valentine's Day!

A Photo A Day Challenge

 

Well, it's the last post of January 2015! On January 1, 2015 I started taking a picture of myself everyday and posting it. I'm not taking these pictures to "show off" or however someone might want to word it. I've been taking these pictures to inspire me on my journey to a healthier and happier me. I took the idea from pinterest to take a photo everyday for a year. I'm curious to see the changes I'll see come December 31, 2015. So, I thought I'd finish the month by revisiting my New Year's Resolutions and report on how I'm doing with keeping them.

1. Be a better Christian. I've been doing the Bible study Faithful One by Amy-Jo Girardier. It's on 1 & 2 Thessalonians and it's been a great study! I highly recommend it! I've also been reading His Princess by Sheri Rose Shepherd and it's great too! Also, I really recommend the free app and/or website She Reads Truth.

2. Do better in school. God has really guided me since my classes started back on January 7th! The biggest blessing is how He has given me a great math teacher and has helped me really understand math!

3. Get more serious about my writing. I have. I've mostly been writing fanfiction on Wattpad, but it feels good to just be writing again!

4. Relearn an old hobby. Unfortunately I haven't stuck to this one. This does not mean that I'm just going to mark it off the list. This means that I'll strive to work on it next month.

5. Eat healthier and exercise more. I have been doing this and I feel so much better! I learned earlier this month that I have low Vitamin D. So I've been taking vitamins to help, exercising almost everyday and really trying to find healthier snacks and foods!

6. Live more in the present than the past. Wish I could say this one has been the easiest, but I would be lying. This has been the hardest one for me and I have days where the past is all I think about.