Be still...and know that I am God

 

{photo credit goes to my sister Mary!}

 

  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.--John 14:27

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.--Isaiah 12:2

 

  On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 

“Peace be with you."--John 20:19

 

 

The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.--Numbers 6:25-26

Learning to Love....

{photo credit}

It's easy to judge. It's easy to point fingers and say, "How dare you?!?". I know this all too well. I know how easy it is to allow yourself to fall into that "holier than thou" way of thinking. I am a friendly person, but I have the tendency to be critical. I have been guilty of talking about people behind their backs....of being two-faced at times.

Now, some might say that this is just part of being human. But I refuse to allow my human nature be an excuse for my sin. And that's what it is, it's sin. As ugly as that may sound, it's true. 

God has really convicted me of this. He has shown me how it's wrong to tread down this path, even if the person may deserve it (in your mind, anyway!). He has shown me my need to repent and begin living like Jesus.

As a Christian, I am called to love people as Jesus did. That means not judging them. That means loving them where they are in their lives. That means not focusing on the ugly parts of their lives.

This DOES NOT mean condoning the sin. This does not mean approving of sin that might be in that individuals life, but it does mean accepting a person as they are. It means that you realize that like you, they are not perfect. It means overcoming that Pharisee outlook. It means ridding yourself of the "Thank God I'm not like them" attitude. Because, guess what, you and I are sinners too! We are redeemed sinners, but sinners none the less. 

Once again, love and acceptance does not mean ignoring the reality of sin. We cannot do that, because if we disregard sin, we disregard our need of a Savior, and goodness knows we CANNOT do that. 

What we can do is surrender ourselves to God and tell Him to use us to touch others. Truly loving people means that we are allowing Jesus to lead us to people, love them, and testify His love to them.

Give me Your eyes for just one second

Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the once forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see...

-Brandon Heath's "Give Me Your Eyes"

Always Remember...

This One's For the Girls...

Dear Girls,

I read "Lies Young Women Believe" several months ago, and it truly touched me. It blessed me in so many ways and made me realize that admist all the insecurities I'm facing, I'm not alone. I'm not the only girl feels lonely, or feels like there's something wrong with her cause she doesn't have a boyfriend. I'm not alone in thinking that I'm not good enough, that I need to try harder, perform better, and then people will love me more. I'm still dealing with a lot of issues, but it feels positiviely liberating to know there are other teen girls out there who are dealing with these exact same problems. I highliy reccomend this book to teenage girls. You will be blessed. Promise.

For more information on "Lies Young Women Believe", check out their blog by clicking  here. Also, please take a moment to watch this video. What authors Nancy and Danneh have to say is so true....something every teenage girl in America NEEDS to hear.

 

 

Emily



Here We Are...

Dear World,

Hi there! I’m sorry it’s been such an incredibly long time since you’ve heard from anyone here on V.O.T.I. Olivia and I are both still alive…just extremely busy. This summer has been rather crazy for both of us, and blogging has not been part of our schedules.

But here we are now…summer is over and fall schedules are in full swing. For many of us, that means SCHOOL! Yep, like it or not, it’s here. And as terrible as it may seem, it is indeed a necessary evil. You may not think you’ll ever need to know what an infinitive phrase is, or why in the world you need to learn algebra (and I’m with ya! :P), but as Christian students, we need to be giving each and every subject our all. History, Math (whatever kind you’re taking), English, Science, whatever it is you’re taking, give it your 100%! Why? Remember, we’re supposed to be doing ALL to the glory of God, and yes, that includes your school. That means not slacking. That means studying even when you don’t feel like it. That means paying attention in class. That means striving to do the best you can. Not so you can get a better grade than someone else. Not so you can feel good about yourself. Not so your parents will be proud (although that is always a nice thing!). But because you want to glorify God in all that you do. Bringing glory to God doesn’t mean going out and accomplishing some incredible feat, it means giving your all at whatever He has called you to do.

Always remember, peoples, you are where you are for a reason. God is not a God of chance. He has a purpose for your life. It’s your job to find it, live it and give God the praise for it. Go out and give that algebra test your all. God out and be a shining light amongst your fellow student. Go out and do something for the glory of your Father!

Love,

Emily

P.S-Also! Always remember the fabulous opportunity God has blessed us with to witness His truth to others! Live a life that points others to the Lord. Live in such a way that others see something different. Live a life that showcases Jesus Christ and his divine Truth!

“And I pray that they wills see, more of You and less of me! Lord I want my life to be a song You sing!”-Casting Crowns “Until the Whole World Hears”

Are Ya Comfy?

“If you're not in your comfort zone, then you're probably growing. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”—Caleb Grimm.

So where are you? You resting easy, or are you challenging yourself on a daily basis to rise above your level of comfort?  Maybe you want to start growing, but you’re not sure where to start.  Maybe you think you’re where you need to be and have no desire to leave your lil’ zone.  For both situations, I encourage you to PRAY! Take your thoughts to Jesus and ask Him to direct your thinking!  Ask Him where you can be growing, how you can grow and opportunities to grow.

Maybe you’re not comfortable working with kids….challenge yourself! Go and help out in a Sunday School class. VOlunteer in your church nursery. You may think you’re helping them out, but you’ll see growth in your own life. You’ll learn long suffering!

Maybe you don’t feel comfortable sharing your faith….challenge yourself! Start small by leaving tracts at dr. offices or resturaunts, and then start handing them out (if this freaks you out, just grab a friend! way easier to do scary things when yuu got a good buddy with ya!).

Maybe your unsure why you believe what you do. Maybe you’re scared you don’t know how to explain your beliefs….challenge yourself! Take a Christian Apologetics class! Get your hands on some good books (and your Bible, of course) and begin some soul searching.

Maybe you feel uncomfortable around senior citizens….challenge yourself! Find a nursing home in your area and volunteer. You don’t have to do anything major-just show up and spend some time with someone. Read aloud to them. Play a board game. Talk to them. Listen. It may be fairly scary at first, but keep in mind, they were once you. You will one day be them. Treat them as you hope someone will treat you when you come to this season in your life.

So go on! Get out of that comfort zone! Begin living a life that is constantly growing. Allow God to use you, and He will have you accomplishing great things!

"Can't Get Over You" Anthem Lights

        

Anthem Lights are on my "new favorites" list, and a LONG time ago, I posted Anthem Lights' song "Outta my Mind" you may recall. They are amazing!! This is their hit song "Can't Get Over You," and I thought that I liked it when I heard it on the radio, but now I LOVE it!!! =) God has gifted this group with not only great voices to bless other people, but also the ability to write amazing lyrics.
  God Bless them!!

~Olivia~

  
                                              

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!! =)

 Happy Mothers Day to all those mothers out there!! Just a reminder to say happy mothers day to not only your mother, but any mothers that you come in contact with. The job that they do every day is something that only they can do. Let them know that they're special, and that they're thought of, and that you appreciate everything that they do for us on a daily basis. 

  

  ~ Mom, thank you for your relentless dedication to making sure that we get to where we need to be, that we have everything we need for school, and clothes; for driving us a half hour away almost every day for soccer, and basketball practice; for making us food everyday, for being my teacher, for being a mentor, and friend; for being inspiration, for all the shopping trips to make sure that we have what we need, and for everything else that you do on a daily basis that we can't. But most important, thank you for being a light, and imitator of Christ. Thank you for always pointing me in the right direction - towards Jesus Christ. Your example as a follower of Christ, a Godly wife, and a loving, caring mother is priceless, and I will cherish you always!! ~

Thank you!! Happy Mothers Day!!

~Olivia~

Ps. 37:1

Prayer...

Hey everyone,
  I was wondering if you could bless me by praying for me. On Saturday I go to take my SATs, and as you may know, it is a long, draining process that I'm not looking forward to. I'm trusting GOd, and I know that I'll probably do well, but its just the thought of having to be timed, being in a classroom with other students, and never having done that before that makes me nervous. Not to mention, as my dad said "No pressure or anything, Liv, but if you do well on your SATs, you will most likely get some scholarships that you will need for college." And yes, I need scholarships.
  So this is a big deal to me, and my family, so if you could pray for that, it would be very much appriciated!! Thanks guys!! =)

~Olivia~
Ps. 37:4

Praying for Opportunities!!...

WOW, its been awhile since I last posted anything. =( Sorry about that. 

   Ok, I just wanted to update you a bit of what my family and I will be up to the next month or so. My younger brothers, Collin (11), and Cian (9) play on on a Little League baseball team, and my dad is head coach for the next four years. Because of this, I am going to be keeping book, which I am rejoicing about because I love baseball, and working with the boys!! 

   This season my family is looking, and praying for opportunities to share Christ with the boys on the team, and their families. Please pray that we come across opportunities, and when they come that we would be bold enough to speak out for Christ. There are so many hurting families that need to hear the gospel, and need hope. And we as Christians have the hope, and peace that passes all understanding.

   So that is our mission throughout this baseball season. Again, please pray for my family as we interact with many families - that we would share the gospel with them, and impact them for Christ.

~Olivia~ 

"And He said unto them, 'Go therefore into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed, and been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned...'"  

Mark 16:15,16