Lion King 3D

Today, my Mom, Sarah Grace, Nathan and I went to see Lion King in 3D in theaters. =) It was one of my sister's favorites when we were little, so I've seen it like 1000 times, but it was still awesome. :)  It's crazy how your perspective on things changes so much as you grow up. The really scary scenes don't seem quite so scary. And the super long songs, don't seem quite so long. But my favorite part of the movie will probably never change. What is my favorite part? Uhhh, the part where Pumbaa is so clueless when Nala comes and finds Simba...and when the crazy monkey hits Simba with his stick. ;) Seeing it again brought back so many happy memories: family safari nights with the opening song as background music; the Disney ASO concert when the awesome guy and African choir sang the songs so perfectly; the science lessons about fire and rain in close succession actually being good for the plants; and just remembering being together watching laughing and having fun as kids. =) Ahhh, it was fun. :) "They just don't make kids movies like the used to..." *shakes head* I feel old. ;)

What was your favorite movie when you were little? =)

Oh and I'm currently hooked on The Piano Guys music...it's awesome. :) 

Stop this one at 3:15...the blooper reel ruins the effect of the beautiful song....

It's obvious where this one ends and the advertising starts. ;)

::20 Questions::

Ok, so I know that I'm really late with this, but here goes! =)

1: A favorite book.

     ~The Bible, and Paperdoll: What Happens When an Ordinary Girl Meets an Extraordinary God by: Natalie Lloyd =) It will change your whole perspective on life, God's love for you, and the story of the Woman at the well. :)

2: A favorite quote.

     ~ "It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."

3: A moment you wish you could relive.

     ~ May 27, 2011, mid-morning, at the end of Brett Harris's session at National Convention, when so many people cried out "Jesus Christ is Lord" in one resounding praise-filled voice. Gives me chills. God is so good. Really, to relive that whole morning and afternoon would be fabulous. ;)

4: Five things you couldn't possibly live without.

     ~ my Bible, my sister, my guitar, pen and paper, and God

5: An item off your Bucket List.

     ~ successfully fly a kite, on a gorgeous breezy beach day

6: A photo of you taken over ten years ago.

     ~ Sarah Grace on the left, and me on the right. Aren't we cute in the matching dresses Mom made us? =)

     

7: A photo of you taken recently.

8: A guilty pleasure.

     ~ Hershey's Bliss Chocolate with Raspberry Filling :)

9: A vacation you would like to take.

     ~ I want to go to France, and Italy with my sister, and I want it to not cost any money. ;)

10: A person you admire.

     ~ This is feeling repetitive... My sister, Sarah Grace is a person I greatly admire. She is real, genuine, sincere, gorgeous, honest, fun, hilarious, and a wonderful woman of God. She always brightens my days and inspires me to live better. :) 

11: Your dream job.

     ~ My dream job is to teach second graders in a title one school. I want a huge class full of children who need love, and need to know God, to teach and love on. :)

12: A hobby of yours.

     ~ My newest, and most favorite hobby, besides Good News Club, is playing the guitar.  =) I'm teaching myself and loving it. 

13: Something you know you do differently than most people.

     ~ I do most everything differently than most people. I hear myself talking in my head when I think or read, I like to sing tenor better than alto or soprano, and all my dreams seem to be crazy adventures. :)

14: A website.

     ~ teenpact.com Check out a state class or an alumni event, you won't regret it! =)

15: A way in which you want to be remembered.

     ~ I want to be remembered as a girl who encouraged often, gave more than took, and loved her God so fully and completely that His will always won over hers.

16: A recipe.

     ~ Recipe for Beauty: "For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her hands through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you'll never walk alone." ~Audrey Hepburn

17: A childhood memory.

     ~ I was about seven years old and my family was over at our best friend's house to play. My friend and I decided to climb the tree in their front yard for the bazillionth time. It was the kind of tree where there aren't limbs remotely close to the ground, so they had pounded nails into the trunk for "steps." He climbed up first and then I followed. When we finally decided to climb down, I froze. For some reason I just couldn't take that first step onto the nails! We ended up having to scream for our moms to come out of the house to help us. After much convincing and manipulation I jumped into my friend's mom's arms. Later that afternoon my mom was thanking my friend: "Chandler, thank you so much for staying up in that tree with Hannah while she was so scared, that was so kind and gentlemanly of you!" He promptly replied, "Well she was in the way, I couldn't get down!!!" Our families are still close friends and we can barely get together without this story being re-told...it always gives us a good laugh. =)

18: What you'd do with 10,000 dollars to spend in one day--no charities, gifts or college funds.

     ~ I'd buy a whole new wardrobe, a nice camera, a new phone, and I'd take a tour of the US visiting friends. 

19: A random fact about yourself.

     ~ I have a mental 'Bucket List' that nobody really knows about, and I have sung and spoke over the radio before. :)

20: Hopes, Dreams and plans you have for the next 365 days.

     ~ I hope to: graduate from high-school, continue teaching Good News Club, go on a missions trip, learn to play my guitar better, staff with TeenPact (or at least attend more TeenPact events), develop a deeper relationship with my Father God, and learn to love/see people the way God does.

20 Questions...

Here are 20 questions I plan to answer over the months of July and August. =)

1: A favorite book.

2: A favorite quote.

3: A moment you wish you could relive.

4: Five things you couldn't possibly live without.

5: A thank you letter to someone who has changed your life.

6: A photo of you taken over ten years ago.

7: A photo of you taken recently.

8: A guilty pleasure.

9: A vacation you would like to take.

10: A person you admire.

11: Your dream job.

12: A hobby of yours.

13: Something you know you do differently than most people.

14: A website.

15: A way in which you want to be remembered.

16: A recipe.

17: A childhood memory.

18: What you'd do with 10,000 dollars to spend in one day--no charities, gifts or college funds.

19: A random fact about yourself.

20: Hopes, Dreams and plans you have for the next 365 days.

Comment with your answers if you'd like! 

A New Beginning, and a Few of My Favorite Things =)

My initial reason for starting this blog was to reach voters in a student election I ran in during the Spring Semester of this school year. The election is now over and I've decided to take this blog in a little bit of a different direction... I re-designed my page and now I'd like to in a way just start over by telling you a little bit about myself. 

I am 17 years old and I live in Georgia. I like: spending time with friends and family, reading, shopping, babysitting, teaching Good News Club, coffee, chocolate with raspberry filling, jelly beans, cherries, listening to music, studying History, attending TeenPact events, smiley faces, the beach, singing, laughing, cooking, baking, and playing the piano and guitar. I am a senior this year, and I plan to pursue a degree in elementary education. I have an amazing older sister...I have no clue what I'd do without her! I also have a pretty cool little brother. My parents are just the best ever and I know my family will always be there for me.  

God has blessed me greatly and I'm so excited to have this blog where I can share with you about His blessings and the things He is teaching me. 

=) 

my sister, me, and my mom (L-R)

The Gospel

Allow God to take over your whole life and you will be Ready for Anything He calls you to do. He is able to do anything He wants without us, yet He chooses to use us, if we will let Him. Our God has done so much for us, what an amazing privilege He gives us to serve Him. Please take the time to watch this. It's totally worth the 12 minutes.

God's Love

I heard someone talking on the radio recently about the night when Peter denied knowing Jesus. He pointed out the fact that the Bible says that Jesus turned and looked at Peter. We may wonder why Jesus didn't ask Peter to testify on His behalf, ask him why he was denying and abandoning his Lord, or just bring him back to his senses.

When you think about it, since Jesus knows everything, He realized that if He spoke to Peter, Peter's cover would be blown. The people who had been accusing Peter of knowing Christ would be proven right, and Peter proven a liar. He saw Peter in his worst moment, as he made one of the worst choices he could ever make, and helped Him.

Jesus never changes, so, He still sees us in our worst moments and reaches out to us. He does not condemn us in our struggles, but desires to lend us aid.

"And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly." Luke 22:61-62

Requirements and Reminders

To be Ready for Anything requires:

-Viewing God correctly. He is almighty and always working for our good, and His glory.  Everything we encounter was either caused by God, or allowed by Him--everything that touches us has been sifted through His nail-scarred hands.

-Trusting God with our deepest desires. He never dangles our desires out in front of us teasing us like we would our dog with a treat. We need to realize that He is always working for our good and turn our desires over to His management. He can handle every aspect of our lives perfectly and is waiting for us to simply place it in His capable hands.

-Realizing that He already knows us completely. He knew every little thing about each of His children before they were born. He keeps a special journal about each of us in Heaven where He records every detail about us. He knows our biggest fears, greatest victories, toughest struggles, burning passion, and deepest desire. He deeply enjoys spending time with us and hearing us describe our day to Him. He will never tire of hearing about the mundane events, the tragedies, or the adventures we encounter. He will never love us less for our confessing our sins to Him. He already sees it anyways...

-Seeing that God can be our closest friend. He will still be a listening ear when all others go deaf, an awake adviser when all others sleep, and a friend when all others forsake. He will never walk away, ask us to keep the details to ourselves, quiet down about the obsession, or give the "I don't really care" smirk. He always cares, wants to hear, and comfort us in our needs and joys. What a friend we have in Jesus!

Being Ready for Anything is a wonderful place to be. It is a place where your heart is constantly overflowing with joy over what God is doing. A place where Scripture pops into your head in distress. A place when God is what you derive your rush of happy and is who you pour out your crisis to. He can be your all...if you will but surrender everything to Him, and follow where He leads.

My Passion: Good News Club

Several years ago I felt that God was calling me to surrender to full-time service...but I don't really know what He has planned for me yet. I'm trying to rest in the fact that surrender is my part and He will lead me every step of the way. It's hard waiting though...being Ready for Anything is difficult. The journeys He takes us on are sometimes dangerous and exciting, but they are always fulfilling.

I've been working with other staff at a Good News Club for nearly two years now. If a kid is in a title one school it generally means that their family is very poor. Many of them come from broken homes or they live with only one of their parents. I've heard a lot of really sad stories in my time there. The kids are very needy of someone steady, constant to love them as they are in their lives.

We go in every-other Friday afternoon for three hours and teach Bible stories, take prayer requests, sing songs, eat snacks, play games, learn memory verses, hear missions stories, and give a full blown invitation every time--all right in the public school building. It's an amazing outreach that I'm so blessed to be involved! Good News Club is a ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship. God has saved around 50 kids there in the last year and a half. :) It is amazing to see the work God is doing in this school. It's the most exciting thing I've ever done! Talking to kids about God and telling them about His amazing love for them and seeing them grasp the weight of their sin and His suffering for them is the greatest blessing in the world. God has given me the opportunity to counsel several children throughout this year leading seven or eight to Him and answering questions about baptism and name calling too.

The kids come consistantly and participate heartily showing that they enjoy Club. They don't come just for the little debbie cake, juice box, and game...they come because they want to know Christ. These children are thirsty for the Word of God. Please join me in prayer for them!

I love working with kids, and I think God wants me to become a teacher in a title one school! Through Good News Club I have realized that Public Schooling will always be around (unless we re-write the U.S. Constitution) and Christians might as well make it the best place possible for those dear children and their parents. I'm thinking after I graduate next year I'll start at a college close by to earn a teaching degree! I'm really excited! Even though talking about God in the class-room is illegal loving children and being a constant figure in their lives is not. I would encourage you to find out if there is a Good News Club you can become involved in, in your community. Check out CEF's website (www.cefonline.com) to find a Club near you. God is at work through this ministry. Leading kids to Christ is the most exciting and fulfilling thing I've ever done. I can't wait to see what all God does in hearts and lives in the school system.

To Whom Should We Be True?

Happiness, sadness, anger, fear, love . . . . these are feelings that all humans experience at some point in their lives. Emotions can be depended on too much or too little. We also need to rely on instincts. Beyond that we must remember that instincts and emotions are unreliable and we should rely on God for guidance as well. In his statement, "Above all else, to thine own self be true," William Shakespeare hints at an important balance that must be made in life: using God-given instincts and emotions as well as relying on God for guidance.

It is true that our culture emphasizes feelings, only, for the basis of making decisions. This fact makes balance difficult to reach. Also, ambitions and interests are formed from strong emotions. It is clear that emotions, and instincts, are important, but by themselves, both can be unreliable.

Instincts are important for avoiding danger. If children had no instincts, there would be no end to burnt fingers. Instead, after the first encounters, little voices inside advise against touching the stove again. We call these instincts. They make people recoil in fear at the sight of a snake or bear, or avoid running out in front of cars. They fuel our desire for love and comfort. Instincts are an underestimated and crucial part of life. They are not to be ignored but also not to be placed in importance above all else.

Emotions can help us connect with life. Interests and emotions fuel desires to spend time or money on a project. Although emotions are critical to understanding our interests they are also unstable. Yet, as humans, we use our emotions as a basis for life decisions: what car to buy, what school to attend, who to go out with, and more. We decide almost everything by how it makes us feel, happy or sad. We forget that life is not all about being happy. It is about serving and growing closer to God. It requires storms, sad times, and unpleasant circumstances to live life and also get to the indescribably joyous ending at His side. Emotions should not run our lives, but they should not be absent either.

Christians have a third and perfect source of guidance: the Holy Spirit. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He gave every Christian a special gift of a perfect Friend, Guide, and Helper. In John 14:26 Jesus told his disciples: "...the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." This third Person of the Trinity indwells Christians and turns weakness into perfection. Christians should make communication with Him key in their decision-making process.

When William Shakespeare said: "Above all else, to thine own self be true," he hinted at an important issue. Although emotions and instincts can be given too high of an importance in our lives, they are important to help us connect to life and avoid danger. In addition, Christians are subject to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When we allow God to rule and reign, the perfect balance between the three will be reached.

Quotes =)

I love basically any kind of quote. :) They inspire me, teach me, stick with me, and make me laugh. :) Here are some of my current favorites.

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell." ~ C.S. Lewis

"There is no end to the things you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit." ~ Author Unknown

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” ~ Dr. Seuss

"Live every day as if it's your last, because one day you'll be right."

"Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there."

"The important thing is this:  To be able at any moment to sacrifice that which we are for what we could become." ~Charles DuBois

"Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak.  Sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go." ~Author Unknown

"The future lies before you, like paths of pure white snow.  Be careful how you tread it, for every step will show." ~Author Unknown

"The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do."  ~Author Unknown

"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."  ~Author Unknown

"If my life is once surrendered, all is well. Let me not grab it back, as though it were in peril in His hand but would be safe in mine! Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of me now." ~Elisabeth Elliot

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.” ~ Dr. Seuss

I hope you liked at least one of these, if you didn't, please don't hate me for this post. ;)

Time...

Does what we do with our time really matter? Are adults serious when they reflect on the time gone by and urge us to not waste our youth? How much does time really matter? Time is a gift from God that we should use responsibly: serving, leading, making an impact, and getting to know our Creator.

The world will try to tell us that what we do doesn't really matter that much. They say we have our whole life before us and we should just be happy, and have fun. They also tell us that since we are young we should wait to have an impact on society. Young people get stuck in a man-made time called "teenage-years" where there are little or no expectations of them. Although, we do have all the days God gives us before us, if we flitter the days away doing nothing of real value we are not being good stewards of God's blessings.

Life is for service. Service to our parents, siblings, friends, peers, authorities, and most importantly God. Exalting others, putting yourself lower than them and acting as their slave is one way to serve. We should choose to become less so they can be more. Honor, respect, initiative, and servant-hood could be synonymous to service. The Bible says that those who serve will be exalted in Heaven: "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first." Matthew 19:30

My Mom has always told me and my siblings from the time we were very young that if she couldn't trust us with the small things, she couldn't trust us with the bigger things. This is true of service and leadership. If I can't be content with helping by taking out the trash, then I will never be truly content with leading or being in charge of big jobs. Seeing ourselves as key parts of a bigger plan and learning to do without the spotlight are huge lessons on the path of learning to lead.

God wants to spend time with us. We can learn so much by praying to our Heavenly Father. He wants us to cry out to Him in our distress, call to Him for wisdom, lean on Him when we need a friend, let Him lead us, read His Word, and seek to know Him with our whole hearts. "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 Knowing God is like any other relationship. It requires communication, trust, and love. James 4:8 says: "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." We have a promise that God is willing and waiting for us to know Him, but we must seek Him out.

These are just a few ways we can use our time responsibly. Learning to serve, lead, make an impact, and know God are all my goals. May I challenge you to make them yours?

Hi!

I thought I should explain my current obsession with Ready for Anything. Not only is it my campaign slogan for the TeenPact National Convention election, in which I am running for Representative, but it is a way of life, and my personal goal.

Being Ready for Anything includes being surrendered to God in every area of my life. It's letting Him have complete control and following Him where ever He leads. It means handing over the reins to my figurative buggy and letting Him drive it wherever He wants. 

To be Ready for Anything means to be braced for a journey that will be challenging. It's not always easy to give up our will for the will of the Father, but it is necessary for living within His plan. The Christian life is like scaling a mountain range, with endless peaks and valleys.

We can rest in God's complete control and trust Him for the strength we need. When the Israelites were about to leave Moses and journey on with Joshua as their leader, Moses told them to: "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Deut. 31:6) This was a crucial time in the Israelites' lives. They were headed into unmarked territory, towards wars, and following a new leader. What a scary time that must have been, but even so, they were told to be strong, have courage, and fear  not! Why? Because God was going before them, would be with them, and would NEVER, EVER forsake them!!! This was true for the Israelites, and it is true for us. We can have courage and not fear because OUR GOD is with us. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and His promises never expire. What a comfort this is as we embark on our journey following Him.

May I challenge you to surrender everything to God and make being Ready for Anything your personal goal?