Inspiring Quotes: February Edition

"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve… You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.


"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

-Albert Einstein


"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."

-Eric Hoffer


"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

-Edmund Burke


"Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime."

-Dale Carnegie


What do you think? Do you like these quotes? What are your favorites? Do you have favorite quotes you would like to share?

Great Bible Stories: Moses, part 2 (Exodus 2:11-4:17)

When we last left our friend Moses, he was being raised as the adopted son of the pharaoh's daughter. Even better, his own mother was being paid to be his nurse. Things are going beautifully for Moses.

But not for long...

Goodbye, Egypt
One day, once Moses is grown up (although the Bible doesn't say how old he is at this point), he goes out and he notices that his own people are being persecuted by the Egyptians. Specifically, he sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Exodus says, "He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand." (Exodus 2:12)

So now Moses has killed a man, but he thinks that no one knows about it, until he tries to stop two Hebrews from fighting and one of them asks him "...Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" (Exodus 2:14b)

So now Moses realizes that people know about what he did to the Egyptian man, and he has to flee Egypt. He goes to Midian, where he finds refuge with a group of shepherds and marries one of their daughters.

Moses is Called
So now, it's time for God to call Moses to action...with a burning bush!

While Moses is pasturing the flocks of his father-in-law, a bush bursts into flame. And then God speaks to him, telling him that he has heard Israel's suffering and is sending Moses to rescue them.

Now, Moses doesn't believe this right away. He protests, "...they will not believe me or listen to my voice (Exodus 4:1)". So God gives him powerful signs to use to convince the Egyptians: a staff turning into a snake, Moses' hand turning leprous, and Nile water turning to blood.

And then...Moses has one more complaint. He is worried that he is not eloquent and can't convince the Egyptians. God provides Aaron, Moses' brother, to do the speaking for him.

It looks as if everything is falling into place!

What We Can Learn

• God will tell you where you need to be and what you need to do. He will always be there to guide you according to His plan, just like He did for Moses. So He will guide you...
• ...But you can't be totally passive! Trust is vital. God is not going to magically get you where He wants you if you just float along waiting for Him to do things in your life. You have to actively listen for His voice and trust that He knows best for you.

Part 3 will be coming soon!

What do you think? Do you like the lessons I've drawn from this part of the story? Are there any that you would add?

Surviving Public School: Simplifying Your Morning

So, you've managed to drag yourself out of bed at a reasonable time. Now what? How do you get through everything you need to do for the day in the time you have, and what exactly do you need to do in the mornings?

Get Up in Plenty of Time
This may sound like a no-brainer, but you need to work out your routine ahead of time and figure out how much time it will take you. That will tell you when you need to be up. If it turns out that it's something ridiculous like 4:00 AM, maybe it's time to rethink your routine a little bit.

Have a Devotional Time
This is the most important thing you can do to start the day off on the right foot. What I do is listen to worship music first thing in the morning, then just sit up in bed and work through my devotional process. If you do this, keep your supplies right on your nightstand so they are ready in the morning.

You can include a devotional book, journaling, scripture memory, prayer, or just reading the Bible. Keep it simple or do a lot. Do a fifteen-minute devotion or an hour-long devotion. Just do some kind of devotions in the morning to get your day going.

Consider Exercise
Now, I'm not saying that you need to go run five laps in the dark at 5:30 AM. What I am saying is that getting your body moving a little bit in the morning will help you wake up.

Since I do ballet, I have a routine of stretches and exercises that I go through in the morning to help me wake up and get my body stronger at the same time. You could just do some pushups and sit-ups, stretch, or do some yoga. It can be long or short, but some exercise will help you wake up in the morning if you've been feeling really groggy.

Quick Breakfast Ideas
Here are some breakfast ideas that are quick and easy:

• Toast with peanut butter or another nut butter
• Scrambled eggs with cheese
• Fruit and yogurt
• Smoothie, if you don't have younger siblings that could be woken up by the blender :)
• If you're really pressed for time, take a granola bar in the car with you

Packing Your Backpack
Make sure you leave enough time to carefully pack your backpack with everything that you will need for the day.

• Your planner
• Your homework
• Your pencil case
• A book, if you want
• Your phone/iPod
• Makeup for the girls if necessary
• Snack and water bottle
• Don't forget your lunch or lunch money and P.E. bag if you need it!

To Shower or Not to Shower?
Ah, the big question: should you shower in the morning or at night?

Answer: if you are a hopelessly groggy person in the morning, a shower can help wake you up. If you want to get up as late as possible, shower at night to save time. Personally, I shower at night, but do whatever works for you.

For Girls: Outfits, Hair, and Makeup
And...now for the girl stuff. Girls, we take even more time in the morning choosing what to wear and getting our hair and makeup perfect. So how can you make this less stressful?

• Choose your outfit the night before!! This will prevent early-morning drowsiness from causing you to go out of the house in something totally unwearable :)
• As for actually picking an outfit, make sure you consider the weather and your activities for the day before you pick one out.
• Do something quick with your hair: I would recommend that you wash it at night to save time. That way in the morning, you can just brush it or do a quick ponytail, braid, or bun.
• If you don't wear makeup, your routine will be that much easier. If you do wear makeup, try to keep it really simple.  This will different for different people; just make sure that you can do everything pretty quickly (i.e. if you're really bad at eyeliner, don't wear it to school, but if you can throw some on pretty quickly it's fine). And remember that natural is beautiful!

I hope that these tips help you with getting ready quicker and making your mornings more relaxed!

What do you think? Do you like these tips? Are there any of your own that you would add?

Do You Have True Beauty?

It seems like every girl these days is obsessed with looking perfect. Even if you think this isn't you, you probably have at least some interest in looking good. I know that I've always been fascinated by beauty products and have a love for lip balm, gloss, and color (I have way too many!).

That's not a bad thing in and of itself, but we have to be careful about the heart attitude behind the time and effort that we put into looking good. It can easily become an obsession that distances us from God and becomes more important to us than our relationship with Him.

Let's look at what the Bible says about beauty:

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
-Proverbs 31:30

"Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear--but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious."
-1 Peter 3:3-4

The Secret to True, Lasting Beauty
In Proverbs 31, we learn that beauty will not last. This is something you see every day--people get old. No matter how proud you are of your hair, your lips, your waist, or whatever else, someday it won't look quite as attractive as it does right now. And if you don't know what true beauty is, you will look in the mirror and be dissatisfied with what you see staring back at you.

The secret to lasting beauty can be found in both of these verses: "a woman who fears the Lord" and "a gentle and quiet spirit". A girl who loves the Lord with her whole heart, soul, and mind and is actively striving to live a life for Him will be more beautiful than the most gorgeous girl who has not given herself to God.

Think about it--attractiveness, at its very core, means that other people want to spend time around you. That's not always dependent on physical beauty. Aren't the people you want to be around the ones that are nice, funny, or always make everyone feel good about themselves?

The girl who loves God and wants to serve Him will have a certain inner beauty and moral strength that will set her apart from every other girl. That is true beauty, and that will last.

Is it wrong to like looking pretty?
It's not wrong to like pretty things, doing your hair, or buying new makeup. It's just important that what you wear and look like is modest and always honors God.

It's also important that you not let your love for beauty become more important than your love for God. Focus on developing a gentle and quiet spirit and a love for God that will never fade.

What do you think? Do you think you are unhealthily obsessed with beauty? How can you develop the kind of beauty that never fades?

3 Things I Learned from Lord of the Rings

Warning: The following article may contain spoilers. If you have not read or watched Lord of the Rings, read at your own risk.

Lord of the Rings is one of my favorite books (and movies). It is such a wonderful story of good triumphing over evil, and let's face it, there's some pretty epic characters thrown in there too!

Tolkien claimed that he put no symbolism whatsoever in his books, but that hasn't kept people from trying to come up with some allegorical meaning for his story. Symbolism or not, there are still some pretty important lessons we can draw from this amazing trilogy.

1. Loyal friendship is beautiful.
Frodo and Sam's story is such a beautiful picture of complete loyalty to one another. Sam ends up carrying Frodo most of the way up Mount Doom at the end; if that isn't loyalty, I don't know what is!

This kind of friendship is so scarce in real life, it seems. But when you find that friend who seems worth it, hang on to them, because there are few things more beautiful than the deep friendship that Frodo and Sam had.

2. Even the underdog can do great things.
In the course of the story, Merry and Pippin go from being the comic relief characters, not really capable of anything heroic, to helping kill the witch-king (Merry) and saving Faramir from his father's suicidal plans (Pippin).

God has a plan for even the one who seems the least likely to do great things, and we just have to trust that He knows what He is doing.

3. It will sometimes be a long and hard journey, but good will always triumph over evil in the end.
We have to hang onto this truth in our Christian walk: no matter how hard the journey, it will always come to an end. God will ultimately triumph over Satan and the struggle will be over.


What do you think? Do you like Lord of the Rings and the lessons I've drawn from it? Are there any you would add? Are there other books/movies you would like to see me do this with? Tell me in the comments below!

Great Bible Stories: Moses, part 1 (Exodus 1-2:10)

Remember Joseph? Today I want to talk about another Bible story that flows straight from that one.

By Genesis 50, things are looking pretty good. The Israelites are settled in Egypt, thanks to Joseph. Joseph has forgiven his brothers and everyone is thriving.

We then get to Exodus. We learn that the Israelites have multiplied greatly in Egypt, and then we learn that there is a new pharaoh, one who wasn't around at the same time as Joseph and is afraid that the Israelites will become too powerful. He commands that all male Israelite children shall be put to death so they will no longer be able to multiply and spread.

A New Baby
And then, there is a specific Israelite woman who gives birth to a son. She manages to hide him for three months, and then she finds another solution:

"When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank." (Exodus 2:3)

At first glance this seems crazy. Who puts their baby in a basket and floats them away down the river? But this woman knew that it was either this or let her child be slaughtered by the Egyptians. At least this way, he had a chance of survival, slim though it may have been.

And then we see that God was working.

The daughter of Pharaoh happens to come down to the river to bathe. She finds the basket, guesses that the baby is an Israelite, takes pity on it, and decides that she wants to keep it.

And that's not even the best part, because now she needs a nurse for the baby. And Miriam, Moses' sister who was watching from a distance, offers to find a nurse. She gets her mother, so Moses' mother gets to keep her baby after all, and get paid for raising him. It doesn't get much better than that.

What We Can Learn

• God has a plan. No matter how crazy what he is asking you to do may seem, there is always a reason for it and he will work everything to fulfill his plans for you.
• God will always remember his people. Even if it seems that he has forgotten you in a time of trial, he will always be there for you and help you.
• God is protecting you. In dangerous situations, he will watch over you and bring you to safety if it fits his purposes.

I will hopefully continue with this series next week or the week after and we will learn more from the story of Moses, which is so jam-packed with amazing miracles and truths about God that we can't cover it all in one post!

What do you think? Do you like this story? What other lessons do you think can be drawn from it? What other stories would you like to see?

Can Christian Girls Wear Pants??

The great debate of whether or not Christian girls should wear pants...it's a highly subjective question with no clear answer in Scripture. So what's a girl to do?

Obviously, if your parents only allow you to wear skirts and dresses, then that's what you wear. But if you are able to decide for yourself?

First of all, remember that in the Christian life, this is an external thing. This means that it isn't worth spending a lot of your time and energy on. The more important things to focus on have to do with your internal personal journey of faith.

Second of all, wearing pants is mostly an issue of modesty. So, if you feel that pants are modest, that's your call. Like we talked about in the modesty series, you should have your own personal rules for what you feel is and isn't modest.

The other issue that could come up with this is the command in Deuteronomy 22:5, which says "A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak..." This isn't necessarily saying that it's bad to wear pants, just that you should make sure your outfit is still feminine (i.e. you should not be able to be mistaken for a boy).

Then there are questions of practicality, which leans heavily in favor of pants, especially in the world we live in.  I mean, how do you wear skirts when you're biking or doing other active things like that?

So, after all of this, here are some guidelines if you do decide it's okay to wear pants:

• Make sure the pants are structured enough to be modest; NO leggings as pants!
• If they are really tight, be sure to wear a shirt that is long enough to cover you. (Skinny jeans are up to your discretion.)
• Try wearing pants that have more feminine styles, like white jeans or flowered shorts.
• If you are wearing more androgynous-looking pants, wear a feminine top or add feminine details like jewelry, hair accessories, or painted nails.

I hope this helps you to decide for yourself what your opinion on this topic is!

What do you think? Do you wear pants? Why or why not? Can you think of any more guidelines to add to the list above?

100 Ways: Prayer and Purpose

I'm continuing my series 100 Ways to Live for God today. The last few times we talked about reading your Bible, memorizing Scripture, and more. Today I want to give you two more tips for Godly living.

1. Pray without ceasing.

You can find my original article about this topic here.

Prayer is such an important part of our daily lives as Christians. Without it we would not be able to develop a personal relationship with God. Prayer should make up an almost automatic response to things in our lives, whether they are bad things happening or good things that we need to be thankful for.

2. Trust God's purposes.

God is doing something with your life. He has a perfect plan for you, and you are exactly where you need to be right now to have that purpose fulfilled. Trust in Him and believe that He knows what He is doing,

If you haven't already, commit your life to God. He will take it somewhere wonderful! See this article for more on this topic.


What do you think? Have you used the other articles in this series? How is it going? Will you try to use these tips in your daily life?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful week and will enjoy this holiday weekend. I have lots of great posts planned for the coming week, including investigating the Bible's teaching about beauty and digging deeper into the story of Moses.

Take this day to relax with your family and just enjoy the love you share for each other. And always remember that God's love is steadfast and everlasting, and will never let you down!

Should Christian Teens Date?

This is a question that will almost inevitably come up in your high school years, and that is especially relevant around Valentine's Day: should you, as a Christian, date in high school?

This is not an easy yes-or-no question, and there are a lot of grey areas. For this reason, I don't want to give a definite answer, but just outline some of the pros and cons to help you decide for yourself.

Pros

• It is fun and helps you feel as though you 'fit in' and are getting a 'normal teen experience'
• It gives you experience with a romantic relationship that you can then carry with you into the real world
• If your boyfriend or girlfriend is a Christian, it gives you someone to encourage you in your faith and keep you accountable (although friends work just as well!)

Cons

• If your boyfriend or girlfriend is not a Christian, there can be pressure to relax your moral beliefs and standards
• It is entirely possible to go too far with the physical side of the relationship
• You will most likely experience a painful breakup at some point

So, how can you decide what is best for you? If you do date, set standards from the beginning. Let the person you are dating know your religious beliefs and what is okay/not okay with you and your parents. If possible, date a Christian with a similar moral compass, and don't be afraid to end a relationship if things seem to be going too far. 

It's really just a matter of listening to God's voice in your life. If it seems like he sends just the right person at just the right time, it might be a signal that dating is okay for you right now. If, on the other hand, a relationship ends or a door closes suddenly, it could be a sign that you need to take a step back for the time being.

And remember, you don't need a boyfriend or girlfriend to feel 'complete' and you shouldn't feel worthless if you don't have one. Ultimately, the only one who can make you complete is God. If you feel that the person you're dating is beginning to take His place, it's probably time to stop. 

What do you think? Do you date? What are your opinions on the matter? Can you think of any more pros/cons to dating in high school? 

The Proverbs 31 Girl: Conclusion

Today I am bringing the Proverbs 31 series to a close. Over the past few months, we have examined verses of Proverbs 31 and learned how to bring them to bear on our lives today.

• We saw that a Proverbs 31 girl is trustworthy and doesn't gossip or share other people's secrets.
• She works diligently and cheerfully on all of the tasks that she is given.
• She trusts God to bring her husband to her at exactly the right time and is already praying for him.
• She is a hard worker who goes after her goals.
• She is generous with her belongings and her money.
• She radiates kindness to everyone and always thinks before she speaks.
• She knows how to take care of other people.

If you even try to incorporate a few of these qualities into your daily life, you will be well on your way to blessing your husband someday!

This Valentine's Day, even if you don't have a date, recommit yourself to preparing yourself to be a good wife to your spouse in the future.

What do you think? Did you enjoy this series? Do you have any future series ideas?

4 Verses About God's Love

Ah, February. The month of roses, chocolate, and romance. As Valentine's Day is this Saturday, I wanted to do some posts centered around the holiday this week.

First and foremost, we want to focus on the most important kind of love there could ever be: the love of God.

So what does the Bible say about this amazing love God has for His people?


"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:8)

"But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

"For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." (Psalm 100:5)

"...God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5:5)


God is Love
We read in 1 John 4:8 that love is a fundamental way to describe who God is. God's very essence is love, and hatred is completely opposed to the truth of the Bible.

In order to know God and have a personal relationship with Him, we have to show that kind of love to others. Only then will we have a true understanding of who God is.

Because God has this love for His people, He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins, as it says in Romans 5:8. This is THE ultimate expression of God's love for us. He sent Christ to die while we were still sinners, completely undeserving.

God's Love is Forever
One of the most repeated truths in the whole Bible is the truth that God's love is steadfast. Almost every verse that mentions God's love calls it "steadfast love".

Steadfast means "resolutely firm and unwavering". This means that no matter what we do or how we sin, God still loves us. It will never leave you like human love can, and that is amazing news.

God's Love Has Been Given to Us
Romans 5:5 says that God has poured His love into our hearts. When you become a Christian, the Holy Spirit changes your heart and gives you God's love.

We are called to share this life-giving love with others! It is, in a sense, a way of giving back for everything God has done for us.


To Do
This week, remind yourself that even if you don't have a date for Valentine's Day, God's love will always be with you. If it helps, memorize one of the above verses.

What do you think? Are you grateful for God's everlasting love? Do you like the verses I chose? Are there other verses you can think of that are related?

Picks of the Week: February 7, 2015

Happy Saturday! I hope everyone had a wonderful week.

Here are a few of my favorites this week:

Song
Live Like That by Sidewalk Prophets: This song by a Christian band has such an inspiring message, asking, "What will people say of me when I'm only just a memory..."

I heard it on the radio earlier this week and it left me so inspired and ready to go out and do things for God. I think we all need songs like that!

TV Show
I was sick a lot this week and turned to a TV show that I discovered through one of my friends: BBC's Merlin.

The story is an unconventional retelling of the stories of King Arthur, following Merlin as a young man when he first arrives in Camelot and becomes then Prince Arthur's manservant. It is never inappropriate and very well made. Highly recommended the next time you need something to watch!

Blog
Fresh Modesty is a blog I discovered fairly recently. It is essentially a fashion blog for Christian young women. I encourage my fellow teen girls to check it out!

What do you think? Do you like the things I shared already or will you check them out now? Do you have anything you would like to share?

Great Bible Stories: Joseph (Genesis 37-50)

Ah, Joseph and his coat of many colors. This is another one of those Bible stories that we hear all our lives and eventually stop thinking about the implications and lessons we can get from it.

The actual story spans twelve chapters at the end of Genesis (chapter 38 is a side story involving Joseph's brother Judah). That's a lot! And there is so much truth about God's love and purposes packed into those twelve chapters.

The Story

"Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more..." (Genesis 37:5). 

Joseph is seventeen when the story starts. He is the son of Jacob, or Israel as he is now named, along with eleven others from various wives. Joseph is the son of Rebekah, Israel's favorite wife, and he is Israel's favorite son.

Israel gives Joseph a coat of many colors, making his brothers jealous. It is now obvious that their father loves Joseph more. To make matters worse, Joseph has dreams of his brothers bowing down to him and tells his brothers about these dreams (seriously, not the smartest move). 

Their jealousy drives them to throw him into a pit, intending to leave him there. They were originally going to kill them, but Reuben, the oldest, convinces them otherwise. Handily, a caravan comes along on their way to Egypt. Judah, the ringleader of this cruel plot, hastily sells Joseph to them in order to get rid of him. 

Then they go home and convince their father that Joseph has been killed by wild animals.

Welcome to Egypt!

Joseph is now a slave to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officers. It seems that things could not get any worse, but then they do. Potiphar's wife gets Joseph arrested for something he didn't do, and he ends up in prison for two years.

While in prison, he successfully interprets the dreams of two fellow prisoners. This leads one of them to remember him when Pharaoh has a dream that no one can interpret. Joseph is released from prison and successfully interprets the dream to mean that there are seven years of plenty coming followed by seven years of famine.

So now everything is looking up: Joseph is elevated to a status only lower than Pharaoh himself and told to oversee the storing of food for the years of famine. He is given a daughter of a priest to marry and fine clothing and jewelry. 

The Brothers Return

With the famine ravaging the land, Joseph's brothers come to Egypt to get food to take home. Joseph recognizes them, but they do not recognize him. After fooling with them a bit, accusing them of being spies and stealing from Egypt (he is human, after all, and probably can't resist the opportunity), he finally reveals himself to them.

Oh, and one of the things he does to test them is threaten to keep Benjamin (his father's other favorite) in custody in Egypt. Guess who offers to stay in his place? Judah, the same one who had the idea to sell Joseph in the first place. He has obviously had a major change of heart. (Genesis 44:18-34)

When he reveals himself to them, they are obviously incredibly scared. I mean, here is the brother who they sold into slavery, in a position to make their life absolutely miserable. But Joseph shows incredible grace and mercy by not being angry with them at all, simply happy to see them, and asking them to move their families to Egypt. 

This is where the classic lesson of Joseph is mentioned: "So it was not you who sent me here, but God (45:8a)". 

What We Can Learn

• God works everything, even evil, for good. Yes, this is the oft-repeated lesson of Joseph, but it is incredibly important to remember when you are going through a hard time. God is ultimately in control.
• You are exactly where you are supposed to be. Whether it seems like it or not, there is a reason for you to be where you are at this exact moment, something that God wants you to do. 
• Forgiveness is a beautiful thing. Think about how much more suffering and unhappiness there could have been if Joseph had decided to be bitter and get revenge. Forgiveness is ultimately the simpler, easier choice.

What do you think? Do you like the story of Joseph? Do you agree with the lessons I have drawn from it? What other stories would you like to see discussed? Tell me in the comments! 

The Proverbs 31 Girl Is...Caring

As a girl, it is likely that you will someday be a mother. Maybe you want to, maybe you don't. But for many girls, the desire to have someone else to take care of is wired into them as much as their hair and eye color.

And this natural ability to take care of others is something that the Proverbs 31 girl embraces.

Proverbs 31:27-28 says, "She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her..."

Even as a teenage girl, you can still show this kind of care for others.

• Do chores around the house to help your parents (and get experience for when you have a house of your own!).
• Babysit for people you know or your own siblings to practice caring for children. Actually play and interact with them, don't just let them watch TV while you surf the internet on your phone. 
• Speaking of siblings, spend time with them. Be their role model. Play with them, give them advice, and comfort them when they are upset.

As you can see, it isn't hard to care for others, even as a teenager when you don't have kids of your own. Pay attention to the needs of those around you and try to meet them when you can. It's that simple!

What do you think? Is caring for others something that comes naturally to you, or do you need more practice? Will you give the tips above a try? 

Patience Is...

Happy February to everyone! It's so hard to believe that January is gone and February is just beginning!  I have lots of great things planned for February, including some posts centered around the upcoming holiday: Valentine's Day.

Today, I want to talk about a character trait that many of us often find ourselves lacking in: patience. Patience can mean many different things. It can mean being patient with the actions of another person or being patient while waiting for an event or special time to come. And it is often very hard.

What the Bible Says About Patience

"Love is patient and kind..." 1 Corinthians 13:4

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness..." Galatians 5:22

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love..." Ephesians 4:1-2

"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains." James 5:7

Patience Is...

• A sign of love toward others
• A fruit of the Spirit
• Worthy of our calling
• Necessary in our walk of faith

Show the World

When we show patience to others, we show that we love them and care about them. We also provide a witness to the world through our love: patience and love are both listed as fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5. 

If people see you showing this kind of patience and kindness to those around you, they will wonder why you are different. It could open up an opportunity for you to share the gospel!

Wait on God

Patience is also necessary in our personal walk of faith, because as a Christian, you are waiting for Christ's return. We don't know when it is, but we have to continue hoping and believing in it, and waiting for it with patience. We know that it is worth the wait! 

What do you think? Is patience something you struggle with? Do you like the verses I chose? Are there others you like that are related to this topic? Leave me a comment!