The Proverbs 31 Girl Is...Gracious

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." (verse 26)

You might know a girl who seems to radiate kindness to everyone, wherever she goes. She probably has a lot of friends, and always knows exactly what to say to make them feel better. She remembers everyone's birthdays and always gets them a present. And she probably seems much more beautiful than the girl who is always gossiping and being mean.

How can you show this kindness and wisdom in your own life?

• Don't talk constantly just for the sake of talking. The Proverbs 31 girl always speaks wisely. She thinks about the repercussions of what she is about to say before she says it. Is it kind? Is it necessary? Would it be better left unsaid?
• Do your best to remember people's names and greet them with a smile. It makes them and you feel good.
• No gossiping! You should be trustworthy and people should not feel like you are the right person to share juicy gossip with.
• Show the same kindness to everyone, no matter their age, race, or any other factor.

What do you think? Do you like these tips? What would you add to the list? 

Surviving Public School: 11 Ways to Get Up on Time

It is very, very hard to get out of bed at 5:30 AM. If you have to get up this early also, I feel your pain. There is no feeling more wonderful than that of there being a school delay and getting to snuggle back into your blankets after the alarm goes off and go back to sleep.

I am still experimenting to find ways to improve the ease with which I get out of bed in the morning, but I have gleaned some tips that I would like to share.

The Night Before

• Plan your day. Even if you aren't super-organized like me, getting your daily schedule out of your head and onto a piece of paper will help you sleep better. Whether this means jotting a to-do list on a sticky note or crafting an elaborate, prioritized to-do list or schedule, you will go to sleep faster if you don't have your to-do list floating around in your head.
• (Girls) Lay out your outfit/hair/makeup supplies. Congratulations, now you can bump your alarm clock forward five minutes (or ten, depending on how long you usually spend on this...). It will save you massive time in the morning if every piece of your outfit and all of the beauty supplies you need are ready to grab.
• Take a shower. This will save you boatloads of time in the morning as well.
• Make sure your alarm is set for the right time. And then double-check, because nothing ruins a morning faster than waking up 30 minutes late and realizing your alarm clock was set for 5:30 PM instead of 5:30 AM. 
• Go to bed at a reasonable time. Depending on your body clock and whether or not you are a morning person, I would say no later than 10:30 PM. So don't start watching Netflix at 9:00! If you need to, enlist your parents to keep you accountable with this.

In the Morning

• Listen to music. This is my favorite tip; it really works!! Start your day by listening to a few songs, still laying in bed. It makes you more likely to start your routine on time if you don't have to get up immediately, and the music will help wake you up. (Tip: if you go to sleep again really easily, turn your light on while you listen to the music so you stay awake.)
• Turn the lights on all the way. If it's still dark when you get up, turn your light on all the way immediately. If it's light, open the blinds. This will help wake you up.
• Splash your face with cold water. It's a guaranteed wake-up call. 

In the Long Term

• Rethink your morning routine. If it's taking you more than an hour to get ready for school, consider why. Should you shower at night? Are you constantly losing your homework? How can you shave your routine down to give you more time to sleep?
• Keep to a consistent bedtime. Even on weekends, if you can. If your body knows when to go to sleep and when to wake up, it will adjust accordingly and be easier.
• Get a new alarm clock. If your alarm sound annoys you, it will make your morning bad. Get a clock with an alarm you like, or try a radio clock.

Getting up will always be hard, but hopefully these tips will make it slightly easier for you!

What do you think? Do you like these tips? Do you have any that you would add? Share in the comments! 

Teachings About Trials

When a hard time comes along, it can be tough to still believe that God is in control of all things, all the time. We ask why He would allow such things to happen in our lives if He truly loves us. This is dangerous territory to get into; it can lead to brushing off God's sovereignty or even ceasing to believe in Him.

So, what does the Bible say about trials?

"He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity."
-Job 36:15

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."
-1 Peter 4:12-13

Why do we face trials?
To draw us closer to God.
It can be hard to remember God when everything around you is going just fine. So often we forget to give thanks during the good times, but when a trial comes along we are driven to our knees begging for help.

The hard times in our life are God's way of reminding us that He is there for us, "opening our ears" to hear His voice if we have been ignoring Him.

So, how can you get through it if you are facing a hard time?

• Do devotions regularly. This will be super-encouraging to you during a time of difficulty. Read your Bible and memorize Scripture that relates to the problems at hand.
• Prayer is your secret weapon. Pray often, whenever you need to, whenever you are in the thick of a difficult thing you need help with. 
• Try journaling to get your thoughts on paper and help sort yourself out. Save the journal, and years later you can look back and thank God for how he got you through the tough times and grew your faith in the process.
• Talk to someone. Whether your parents, an older sibling, or a friend, just having someone to help you work through problems with sometimes makes all the difference. 

What do you think? How do you deal with hard times? Do you like these verses? Do you have suggestions to add to my list? Tell me in the comments below! 

A Story of Jekyll and Hyde

It's the classic story of a dual personality: Dr. Jekyll is a respectable man by day, but at night he becomes Mr. Hyde, the evil murderer.

Most of us are familiar with this story. But have you ever thought about whether you might have your very own dual personality story going on in your own life?

Many of us have two ways of acting: how we act with our friends vs. how we act with our family. How we act at church vs. how we act at school. And the list goes on.

But it shouldn't be this way! We should act the same everywhere, no matter who we are with. Here's how to fix this:

• Examine your own life. Do you act the same way everywhere? Or do you play the pious churchgoer with people from church and the cool rebellious kid with people from school? Are you super sweet to your friends while being a brat at home?
• Pay attention to how you act for several days and start making an effort to act in a God-honoring way everywhere. Of course, some things will differ based on who you are with (like how formally you speak), but your essential personality should be the same everywhere you go.

What do you think? Is this a problem for you? Have you ever thought about it this way before? How will you make an effort to change it? 

Picks of the Week: January 23, 2015

Happy Friday, everyone!

I thought I would share a few favorites with you:

• This blog, http://appletreesandpumpkinseeds.com/, has been started for a school project by someone I know. It's similar to this blog, so check it out! 
• I reviewed the God Girl Devotional last week. It's working really well for me, so girls, consider trying it out for your daily devotions. 
• I'm currently reading The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. It's a fantasy series of of five books, a classic good vs. evil setup. The writing is wonderful and the story and characters are engaging. If you enjoy fantasy, it's definitely something you should read! 

How has your week been? Do you have any favorite books, movies, or websites you would like to share? 

Great Bible Stories: Noah and the Flood (Genesis 6-9)

Noah and the flood is one of those classic Bible stories that you hear about from the beginning of your life. Noah's Ark toys, puzzles, and books abound in Sunday School nurseries. I think this inclines us not to take this story really seriously, but this is a mistake.

Have you ever actually read the story in the Bible? Like many, when you read the actual story it's not all of the happiness and butterflies they make it out to be in Sunday school. The real story of Noah is a story of God's righteous anger on the world and the way he destroyed it, completely, saving only one man and his family.

The Story
Genesis 6:5 says, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth...and the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth..."

The story begins in a bad place. Man has multiplied on earth, and God's people are marrying into the families of unbelievers. There is great wickedness, and God is preparing to wipe out the whole world.

But there is one man, Noah, who is righteous (Genesis 6:9), and God spares him, instructing him to build an ark. Keep in mind that this is the middle of the desert; there would have been no reason to build a boat. Noah was probably ridiculed by his neighbors, but he kept steadily on in spite of this.

God spares Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives, and two of every animal on the land. And then the floods come.

"The flood continued forty days on the earth...and all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind."

This is a horrific scene: everyone and everything, drowning in this terrible flood of judgement that God sent.

The Good News
At last, the flood subsides, and Noah is able to send out birds from his ship to find land. Once on land, he builds an altar to the Lord and makes a burnt offering. God promises that He will never again curse the land with such destruction.

"I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."

And this is part we all know: God sends the first rainbow as a sign of His promise to Noah.

What We Can Learn 
So what can we learn from this incredible story?

• God is just. He will punish the wicked, but He will always spare the righteous, like He spared Noah. His judgement is perfect, unlike the flawed judgement of human government and law. 
• God is faithful. Genesis 8:1 says, "But God remembered Noah and all the beasts...that were with Him in the ark." God will never leave us. He guides us everywhere, at all times, and He always keeps His promises. 
• Evil will ultimately be destroyed. Satan can never prevail against God. Evil will always be destroyed in the end, and truth and right will prevail.
• Do what God tells you to even if you are ridiculed for it. Sometimes what God commands will seem crazy, like building a boat in the middle of the desert, but there is always a good reason for it. You may be made fun of, but never, ever stop believing what he tells you.

What do you think? Do you like the story of Noah? Have you ever read it in the actual Bible? What do you think of the lessons I've drawn from the story? Tell me in the comments below! 

100 Ways: Modesty and Memory

Today I'm continuing with my series 100 Ways to Live for God. You can find last week's post, where I talked about reading your Bible every day and not handicapping yourself with crippling thoughts, here.

If you attempted either of last week's tips, how did it go? Which did you do, or did you try both? Do you think you did them successfully this week?

Here are two more to inspire you this week.

1. Dress modestly.

This especially applies to girls, but it can be for boys too. Start making an effort to be sure that your clothes would be pleasing to the Lord. People will notice this more than anything else and it could give you a chance to witness to teachers or peers!

• Go through all of your clothes. Try them on if necessary. Get rid of anything that is too short, tight, low-cut, loud, or anything else you find immodest.
• Every time you get dressed, ask yourself "Is this something I would wear if I was going to lunch with Jesus?" If not, maybe it's time for you to reconsider your outfit!
• Girls, I have more tips here, here, and here.

2. Start memorizing Scripture regularly.

This is one of the most important things you can for yourself. If you have God's word hidden in your heart, it won't matter if you have a Bible with you or not. When you have a low moment, you will be able to comfort yourself with the Word. 

It doesn't matter how you go about it as long as you find a method that works for you. Try writing it on sticky notes and posting them around your room, repeating the passage over and over until it's ingrained in your memory, or making up a song to remember it. If you're really ambitious, you could even memorize a whole book of the Bible! (Start with a shorter one, like 2 John or Jude). Check out this article for more tips.

Good luck this week!

What do you think? Do you do these things already? Will you try these tips this week? 

The Proverbs 31 Girl Is...Generous

You probably have something that you collect, maybe consciously, or maybe you don't even realize that you're collecting it. For me, it's books. And shoes. And more books.

The point? You probably have way too much stuff, which can be a handicap.

Proverbs 31:20 says, "She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy."

Generosity is about giving things away. This doesn't have to be physical things, either. It could be your time or a skill you know how to do.

Don't Become the Next Mrs. Scrooge
Generosity is important on many levels. First of all, there are needs. If you have the capacity to meet those needs, then they should be met.

Second, have you ever noticed how being generous makes you feel? If you give something away, it makes you feel good about yourself. It boosts your confidence and makes you happy, and that's always a plus!

Having too much stuff can become selfishness, then stinginess, and can end in you becoming the next Mrs. Scrooge. Nobody wants that.

How to Start Giving Away

• First, if your church takes an offering, make a point of putting a little bit of whatever money you earn (allowance, babysitting money, etc.) in the offering plate on Sunday. 10% is the standard amount, but a little less or more is fine. This is a good, easy way to start being generous.
• Clean out your stuff and find things that you no longer need or want. Donate it to a charity or sell it and donate the money.
• Generosity isn't limited to stuff: you can give time too. Volunteer at the homeless shelter, animal shelter, or local library. Help out around the house. Help a friend with tasks. Stay after school to help your teacher clean up the classroom. 

As you can see, it really isn't that hard to start giving away a little of your time or money.

What do you think? Do you already do any of the things above? Do you have any other suggestions? Tell me in the comments below!

100 Ways: Bible and Belief

I mentioned last week that I would be beginning a series titled 100 Ways to Live for God. Well, according to promise, here is the first installment in what will probably be a very long series.

The idea here is that I give you two or three things at a time so that you can focus on those things in the week until I post another part to the list. That way you aren't overwhelmed with 100 things at once, because that would be a bit much.

So, here are items 1 and 2.

1. Read your Bible every day. 
If I haven't already made this point enough, reading your Bible consistently is one of the best things you can do to deepen your faith and improve your life. That's why it made the top of this list. If you get nothing else from the list, at least begin doing this.

Some tips for you:

• If you can't bring yourself to get up in time to do devotions in the morning, try starting your day by listening to worship music for five or ten minutes.  When your alarm goes off, you think, Laying in bed and listening to music won't be so bad.  The music keeps you from falling back asleep, and you get some extra time to cuddle in your blankets. Usually by the second or third song, you are ready to begin the day. It's a win-win. 

• Find a devotional book that you really enjoy. If you know exactly what you will be reading during your devotional time, you're more likely to actually do it, and if you have a book you enjoy, you will look forward to it more. For girls, the book I'm using right now is Devotions for the God Girl by Hayley DiMarco, which I reviewed on Friday. 

• For more tips, check out my post on Bible reading, here. Also check out my Bible study series for ideas on where to read.

2. If you catch yourself thinking "I'm just a teenager", "I should have fun now while I'm young and work later", or anything else along those lines, stop immediately!

This goes back to my first post on 1 Timothy 4:12. You are not "just a teenager". You are capable of great things, and if you think these thoughts you only handicap yourself! Post a sticky note to your mirror with 1 Timothy 4:12 on it. Write "you can do amazing things" on a notecard and tape it inside your binder. Do whatever it takes to remind yourself that being a teenager doesn't mean that you can't make a difference. Believe in yourself!

What do you think? Do you like these tips? Do you plan to try them in the week to come? Let me know in the comments below! 

All Have Sinned (Romans 3:22-24)

"For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

This verse presents a classic duo: the bad news, followed by the good news.

The Bad News
The bad news is this: being a Christian doesn't mean you are suddenly perfect. No distinction means that everyone is in the same league: just because you are a Christian doesn't mean you are not a sinner.

Everyone falls short of heaven on their own: left to ourselves, there is absolutely no way we could live a good enough life to deserve heaven. That's the bad news.

The Good News
Now for the good part. While being a Christian does not mean that you are suddenly deserving of heaven on your own, being a Christian does mean that God has given an amazing gift to you. We have been justified by His grace through Christ.

We do absolutely nothing to deserve this; Christ paid for our sins so that we can go to heaven because He deserves heaven. 

What does this mean for you? 

• You are not better than other people because you are a Christian. It's hard not to be judgmental of others who are living in an obviously anti-Christian way; try your best! You are just as much a sinner as they are.
• Don't get hung up on trying to do everything perfectly, because it is humanly impossible. While you should strive to follow the Bible as much as possible, you will make mistakes. There's a reason Jesus came; you don't have to constantly beat yourself up over them.

What do you think? Do you like this verse? Do you have a verse you would like to see featured? 

The Only Kind of Public Image You Should Care About

The population of the world is about 7, 217, 048, 650 and growing every second! (http://www.census.gov/popclock/) And guess what else? Every single one of these people is made in the image of God.

Is that amazing or what? If you need proof, it's right there in Genesis 1.

Even Distorted, a Mirror Still Reflects! 
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:26-27)

True, after the Fall the image became distorted and ruined. I have heard it compared to looking in a broken mirror. But a reflection in a broken mirror is still a reflection!

So think about this the next time you are tempted to criticize or degrade someone else, whether silently or out loud: that person is made in God's image, and they are just as precious to Him as you are. Isn't that enough reason to show them God's love?

What do you think? Is this mind-blowing or what? Will you remember these truths the next time you are tempted to be mean to someone who is different from you? Share your thoughts below!

Book Review: Devotions for the God Girl

I received a devotional book for Christmas called Devotions for the God Girl by Hayley DiMarco. I started using it at the beginning of the year and so far it has been a great book.

The book is divided into 365 one-page devotionals going in chronological order through the Bible. Each day starts with a Bible verse and then there is a reading by the author of the book that draws a lesson from whatever Bible story the verse comes from.

The very first thing you read is an introduction, challenging you to spend half an hour with God every day. The book poses this challenge:

"If you think you are too busy to spend a half hour with God, make a list of everyone you spend more time with in conversation during the day and list God below them...Give your time to him and watch how it impacts your day and even your life." 

The devotionals are well-done and bring up many excellent, thought-provoking points. It provides a direction for my Bible reading each day so that I'm not tempted to skip because I don't know what to read. Since starting this book, I have been getting up fifteen minutes earlier then usual to have more time for devotions; I didn't think I would be able to do this but it's actually going pretty well!

What do you think? Would you use this devotional? Have you used it before? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Introducing the Great Bible Stories Series

As January is now in full swing, you already know that I am introducing several new series of articles, such as the 100 Ways to Live for God I mentioned earlier this week. Another one of these that I will be beginning is Great Bible Stories.

I think we all grow up hearing some Bible stories and there are some that we don't really know exist. I will be covering mostly well-known ones with some lesser-known stories, showing you how amazing some of them really are when you get past the fact that you have heard them since you were two years old.

I am definitely open to suggestions of stories I should cover, so feel free to comment below!

What do you think? Do you like this series idea? What are some stories you think I should cover?

The Proverbs 31 Girl Is...A Go-Getter

There's a stereotype of the typical teenage girl. She is always reapplying her makeup, wears super-tight clothes, and squeals at the sight of dirt. She is lazy and doesn't want to work.

What's wrong with this picture?

Many things are wrong with it, but today I want to focus on the laziness factor. You see, Proverbs 31:16 says "She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard." The Proverbs 31 girl is

• a) Not afraid to get her hands dirty doing work that could be considered menial;
• b) Willing to achieve her goals with hard work and determination. 

The Work Factor
The thing is, you can't achieve your goals by sitting around thinking about them. The Proverbs 31 girl is a go-getter; she doesn't want to settle for less than the life she wants. And she does the work herself, even the hard or tedious parts (i.e. getting your big sister to do your homework for you is not a good idea).

The verse says, "with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard." The things she has achieved from her hard work give her the ability to press forward with new work and goals. If you always sit around watching TV, this isn't going to happen.

So, how can you start working hard toward your goals and crafting the life you want?

• Actually think about what your goals are. What do you want your life to look like in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? Make a list of everything that comes to mind and narrow it down into specifics.
• Make a plan of things that you can do now to start working toward these goals. Maybe you can't buy a house or travel on mission trips yet, but could you start saving money toward those goals? Can you work harder in school to make sure you get a college degree? Is there special sports training that you need to get onto an elite team?
• Follow your plan! Plans mean nothing if you don't carry them out. Chase your dreams!

What do you think? Do you have goals? What action are you taking now to follow them? Do you have anything you would add to the tips above? 

Introducing 100 Ways to Live for God

In case you are still on the fence about your New Year's resolutions and don't really know where to start, over the next month or two I will be providing a list of 100 (approximately...) little ways to live your life for God. They will be simple changes in your life that you can easily make. There will be something that everyone can do, a mix of bigger and smaller changes.

And remember...you can make resolutions any time (Valentine's Day resolutions, spring break resolutions, birthday resolutions...)!

I hope this inspires you as we begin a new year! 

He Will Never Leave You (Hebrews 13:15)

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' "

-Hebrews 13:15

The two parts of this verse, at first glance, may not seem to relate at all. But, in reality, the two are intertwined with each other. Let's see how.

There are two parts to this verse: a command and a promise. 

The Command
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have..."

We should not be obsessed with money or getting more stuff. That is not what life is about, and it will distract from the more important things, like pursuing Christ. This also includes worrying about money! Trust that God will provide for what you need. If you don't waste money on unnecessary things, you won't have to worry as much.

The Promise
"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

God has promised to be with us always! He will be a faithful friend when all else fails. This is connected to the first part of this verse because if we have God, we really don't need all of those other things that money can buy. He will provide for us, and we can trust in that.

What do you think? Do you like this verse? Do you have a favorite verse you would like to see a Bible Study on?

Top 10 Posts of 2014

As we begin 2015, I thought I would share with you a few of the most viewed posts since I started this blog in October.

In case you missed any, here they are in approximate order of popularity:

Girls' Corner: Modesty, Part 1

Bible Study: 1 Timothy 4:12

Life Lessons: The Importance of Daily Bible Reading

Girls' Corner: Makeup

Book Review: Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris

Girls' Corner: Modesty, Part 3

Life Lessons: Prayer Without Ceasing

Bible Study: Matthew 21:22

Quote of the Week: "I am only one, but I am one..."

Movie Review: Amazing Grace

Book Review: The Hiding Place

If you have not read this, get a copy immediately. It is a must-read for any Christian, in my opinion.

The Hiding Place is the true story of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who was arrested during the Holocaust, along with her sister and elderly father, for hiding Jews in her home. The story that follows is an incredible testimony to God's goodness and power. The faith of these two women in the face of such trouble is absolutely incredible.

The book has story after amazing story of God's mercy and how He can found in every circumstance. It's the kind of book that you will want to read again and again as an encouragement and inspiration to you in your life.

What do you think? Have you read this? Will you read it now? Do you have any favorite books you would like to see reviewed?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone!

I've been kind of off-and-on with the posting during December, but now that things are clearing out and my calendar for January has so much blank space (such a relief!) I will be trying to get back into a more regular posting schedule again. I have lots of great things planned for January! I will be continuing my Proverbs 31 series and starting a new series or two that I hope you will enjoy. I will also be reviewing lots of books :) If you have something you would like me to post on, be sure to let me know!

I challenge all of my readers to begin the New Year on a good foot with the Lord. Read the Bible and pray regularly. Make time in your day to spend with God. Make it a New Year's resolution if you like that kind of thing, but don't let it be a burden! Make your time with God fun; get a devotional book you like, pump up the worship music, and spill everything to God as if He were your best friend (which He is!).

Here's wishing everyone a fun, faith-filled, goal-achieving 2015!

What do you think? What are your resolutions for the new year? Do you have things you would like to see me post on? Is there anything special you are looking forward to this year?