Only three weeks of school left for me! To be completely honest, I'm ready to be done. I can't give up on school quite yet though, because I have standardized testing next week and finals after that. And then, summer and freedom!
What Happened
- I got to go back to dance this week after my toe was broken!! Even painful pointework felt good after several weeks of no dancing; do any fellow dancers know what I'm talking about?
- No school on Memorial Day...always nice :)
- Lots of time to read...also always nice.
What I Like
- This incredible song that my chorus is singing at our concert next week. Go listen to it right now (hint: the best part starts halfway through the song).
- Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer, a quick but emotionally compelling novel about a sixteen-year-old waitress and her aunt, a cook, who come to work at a diner in a quirky small town. The twist is that the owner has cancer...and he decides to run for mayor. Such a good book!
Some Thoughts
As summer approaches quickly (and for some of you it's probably already here), I have a challenge for us all. Don't waste your summer.
It doesn't matter what you do, and it can certainly be enjoyable! All I mean is that summer is not meant to be three months where you watch TV and YouTube and surf the internet all day.
Read some good books if you don't have time during the school year. Get a job. Do a summer camp or workshop that fits your goals. Get in some quality time with family, train hard for a sport, volunteer somewhere. Learn a new hobby or skill.
Try to plan ahead of time what your goals for the summer are and how you are going to achieve them. That way you will be less tempted to resort to technology to entertain you for the next few months.
Join me in attempting not to spend my entire summer online. Will you accept the challenge?
At church on Sunday, someone mentioned something that I thought was a great tip for changing the way we look at things in the Christian life.
It's very simple.
Instead of thinking that you have to do something, think that you get to do something.
So...
Instead of "I have to dress modestly", think "I get to dress modestly to honor God and my future spouse."
Instead of "I have to be thankful", think "I get to be thankful for all of the gifts God has given me."
Instead of "I have to be patient", think "I get to be patient to show God's love to others."
Instead of "I have to read the Bible", think "I get to read the Bible to be encouraged and learn more about my faith."
Do you get the picture?
If we made an effort to think like this, it would have a radical effect on our happiness. You can apply this in every area of your life, not just your faith, and watch your attitude improve.
Will you give it a try with me?
"I'm not handicapped. I don't need you to push the button for me."
Those were the words I overheard as I packed up my backpack after school. And they got me thinking. Because those words basically translate to, "If I can do something myself, I don't want help with it."
That mindset is stopping any desire to serve others in its tracks. And that isn't a good thing.
Called to Serve
As Christians, we are called to serve others. Jesus showed this clearly when he talked about the two greatest commandments: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind...You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39, boldface added).
God clearly doesn't appreciate selfishness; he wants us to show love and kindness through serving others around us. This can take many different forms; the important thing is that we as Christians are striving to serve the people around us in any way that helps them.
"I Don't Need Help."
But sometimes, our efforts to be of service to others are met with the words, "That's okay. I can do it myself." People feel that we are implying that they are weak or incompetent if we offer to do something for them.
This is not true! Offering to do an act of service to someone else is not implying that they can't do it themselves. It's simply saying, "I care about you, and I want to show you that by doing this for you."
I think this mindset is a huge factor in the death of such values as chivalry, selflessness, and consideration for others. Because when you try to do something nice for someone and they respond with, "Thanks, but no thanks," that doesn't exactly inspire you to keep trying, does it?
Our Double Responsibility
So, as Christians, we have two responsibilities:
1) to actively look for ways to serve those around us, and
2) to accept the service of others when they try to do something for us.
We have to be willing to let others help us if they offer! Don't discourage their efforts by responding with, "Thanks, but I can do it."
So remember that just as you are called to serve others, you are called to let others serve you. Don't jump to conclusions about their motivations, assuming that they don't think you are capable of doing it, but rather assume that they simply want to show you that they care through their actions.
What do you think?
- Have you had an experience where someone didn't accept your act of service? How did it make you feel?
- How do you respond when people try to serve you in some way?
- How can you do better, both looking to serve others and allowing others to serve you?
Just read this quote on another blog and had to share it with you! It really got me thinking!
Cell Phone's Vs. The Bible
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones?
What if we carried it around in our purse or pocket?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we turned back to get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to the kids as gifts?
What if we took it with us when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?
This is something to make you go...hmm...Where's my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing: Unlike our cell phones, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected, because Jesus already paid the bill.
And no dropped calls!
Makes you stop and think, "Where are my priorities?
~Author Unknown
We're 1/5 of the way through this series!! My goal is to finish it by the end of the year, but we'll see if that actually happens.
The books, movies, music, and other media that you interact with regularly have a profound impact on your life. They influence your thoughts, which influence your actions, and affect your faith. That's why it's super important to be careful with the things that you are seeing and hearing. This is what today's addition to the list will focus on.
The Full List
- Read your Bible every day.
- Put a reminder that teens can do great things, like 1 Timothy 4:12, on a sticky note and post it somewhere you see every day.
- Whenever you get dressed in the morning, ask yourself if you would want to go out to lunch with Jesus in what you are wearing.
- Memorize Scripture regularly.
- Make prayer your automatic response to a difficult situation.
- Commit or recommit your life to God and trust His perfect plan.
- Commit your work to the Lord and imagine doing it for Him.
- Speak out as a witness to others.
- Focus on thankfulness and avoid complaining.
- Be selfless; think of others before yourself.
- Go to church and participate in church events.
- Be productive and use your time wisely.
- Be diligent, neat, and thorough with your work.
- Be generous with your time.
- Make sure your speech honors God.
- Show love to those around you.
- Work hard to strengthen your faith and stay close to God.
- Be careful of the way you use social media.
- Don't use your phone when people are trying to talk to you.
- Take a media "fast" once in a while to refocus on what's important.
21. Decide on your standards for media.
Having your own personal standards for media is important. If you know ahead of time what things you are okay and not okay with reading and watching, it will be easier to have self-control when you are tempted.
Start with your parents' standards, and then decide what you are comfortable with. Write it down somewhere. What kind of content in a book or movie will make you decide not to read it or see it? How will you respond if faced with temptation?
22. Make use of online review sites or word of mouth from friends to check content of the things you read or watch before you see them.
There are quite a few sites out there that offer content reviews of books, movies, and TV shows. Do some research and find several that you can use to check book and movie content and see if it measures up to your standards.
If you can't find an online content review, ask around. If the book or movie was recommended to you by a friend, ask them what the content is like. Ask for specifics; people often have different ideas of what "It's pretty appropriate" means. If you can, get several opinions.
I realize you may not be able to do this much research for everything you read or watch (especially if, like me, you read several books every week). If it's an author you've read before or are familiar with, or if the book is a classic, it may not be as big of an issue. But if you're unsure, check before you read.
23. Try to read some solid Christian books that will encourage in your faith.
Amid everything else you read, try to read some Christian books that will keep your perspective in the right place and inspire you in your life of faith. There are many out there; I will share with you as I read more of them.
Also try this page on The Rebelution (hint: read the comments), and for girls, this page on GirlDefined for more book recommendations.
And, of course, if you read an especially good one, please share it with me in a comment! I'm always looking for new books to read!
What do you think?
- Is this an area in your life that needs work?
- What are your personal standards for media? How can you change what you are hearing and seeing on a daily basis?
- Do you have any book recommendations that have helped you in your walk of faith?
P.S. Check out the constantly updated Recommendations page for books, movies, music, and blogs I love!
When it rains, it really does pour...as I have discovered in the past couple of weeks.
I want to start updating you on things that are going on with me, both good and bad, and things that I love. I will try to do a post like this on Fridays. I hope that it will help you get to know me better and see that I am a really real person.
The Good
- Having one day in the week where you're super productive and get lots done.
- Doing a fun project with a friend for school and having a great time putting it together.
- Getting together with family to celebrate a birthday over the weekend!
The Bad
- We can start with the really bad...both of my guinea pigs died. It was very sad and unexpected.
- Having to wear a huge boot because of a broken toe. Yes, a toe.
- Hymns that are sung too slowly at church!! (does anyone else get as annoyed at this as me?)
- Homework, SOLs, and math. Need I say more?
What I Like
- She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall is an incredible story of a teen who was killed in a school shooting because she admitted to being a Christian. Amazing (and quick) read!!
- This article at Lies Young Women Believe (but written by a guy, so definitely not just for girls!!) about how our phones are our best friends.
- Peter Hollens, an acapella singer with tons of amazing YouTube videos. He does versions of tons of different songs ranging from Over the Rainbow to Beyoncé. Check him out!
Some Thoughts
Since Sunday was Mother's Day, I was thinking a lot about motherhood, and about how many girls and women talk about not wanting kids at all. I think they have totally missed the point!
God designed women to be able to have children, and being a mother is the main task he has for most women. It's a blessing and a gift to have children, and something I have always wanted, so it always shocks me when I hear people talking about not wanting kids.
I'm not saying that women shouldn't have a career at all, but God designed the family and put it in place the way he wanted it to work. Motherhood is so important, and many people have lost sight of that. Mothers have a direct impact on the future in the way they raise their children; after all, they are the future writers and speakers and politicians of the world.
I wanted to write a blog post on this, but didn't get it done, so for the moment this "rant" will have to do. I hope it makes sense, because I'm writing this at 9pm for lack of better things to do (except, you know, go to bed).
Happy weekend!
-Love, Grace
How many hours do you spend looking at a screen per day?
How much of that time is spent on social media, texting, or surfing the internet?
Yeah. That probably got your attention. Even though I don't have an iPhone, I still spend a significant amount of time every day on the computer. I bet those of you with iPhones spend even more time staring at a little screen.
And...living your life online is not the best way to live your life for God.
Here are three ways to turn around the time you spend in front of a screen.
Way #18: Watch your social media.
You can be a completely different person online, and that's not necessarily a good thing. If you're a Christian in real life, you should be a Christian online as well.
Consider getting rid of any excessive social media accounts. Don't feel like you have to have an account with every site; maybe keep it down to the few that you feel are truly beneficial.
And be careful of what you post! Make sure it reflects the person you are trying to become in real life. The good thing about texting and social media is that you can proofread and edit before you post your message. Take advantage of that and use your social media to reflect who you are in Christ.
Way #19: Don't use your phone when people are trying to talk to you.
This is part of showing love to others and making them feel that they are important. Please, please, do not pretend to be listening while actually texting or surfing the Web on your phone. It is incredibly rude.
If someone is speaking to you, give them your full attention. This also goes for activities that you are doing one on one or in a small group. The people around you are loved by God, and it's up to you to reflect that love. Start by giving them your full attention.
Way #20: Take a media 'fast' once in a while to refocus yourself on what's important.
If you feel that no matter what you do you can't get a grip on your media addiction, take a step back. Do something drastic like take a month off from technology or simply designate a day every week or an hour every day where you don't use your phone.
Instead, spend that extra time reading God's Word and communicating with Him to help yourself refocus on the important things in life. Because, after all, phones will break and get lost, but the Word of God will endure forever!
So take a step back. Look at your electronic use, and really consider whether it is honoring to God. Clean up your social media. Make an effort to communicate with real people in real life. And every so often, remind yourself that electronics are not the most important thing in life.
What do you think?
- Are you using social media wisely?
- Are you addicted to your phone?
- How do you need to change the way you use electronics?
- Leave a comment to tell me!
P.S. Check out this related post of mine: Life Lessons: Cell Phone Etiquette
Let's say an unbeliever reads a book/article/blog post or hears a sermon/speech and feels convicted. So they start talking to people, reading more about it, looking for answers...and they come to the conclusion that Christianity is the truth. So they pray, committing their lives to God from this day forward and become a believer.
This person's life has just changed immensely. But at first glance, it might not seem that way...you pray and then you just keep living, right?
Not quite.
Christianity is Not a Free Pass to Sin
Some people might look at Christianity and think that Christians can do whatever they want because God will always forgive them. Not really. The lifestyle of an unbeliever is not going to cut it; here's why.
- Believers are called to live as children of the light and witnesses to the world. This means that we should stand out from those in darkness, because our hearts have been changed. If unbelievers see Christians acting in a way no different from themselves, it won't reflect well on the faith.
- The believer's heart is changed to want to please God. If you are a Christian, you now have a desire to live in a way that makes God proud, and you feel sorry when you mess up and anxious to make things right.
- If you confess your sin and ask God to help you stop sinning, and then turn around and do the same thing again because "God will forgive you", that doesn't really reflect a repentant attitude in the first place. If you are truly repentant, you will want to stop sinning in that way.
Father and Children
Think of it as the relationship between a person and a family member they look up to. That person will ultimately never stop loving them, no matter what. But when they do something that makes that person upset, for a little while they may not speak to each other. Since they look up to this person, they are anxious to do whatever they can to make things right.
The relationship with God is kind of like that. He never stops loving us, but when we sin he it displeases Him. We lose His favor. Because we want to please God, we feel sorry and want to confess and repent to restore favor and communion with Him.
What do you think? Have you believed the lie that Christians can live however they want to? Which of the reasons above seems most important to you? How can you strive to better live as a "child of the light"?
What grade do you have to get to pass a class at your school? At my school, a passing grade is a C. This is so sad, because it shows how low the expectations have gotten in our culture for teens. But you don't have to let the low requirements stop you!
In this chapter of Do Hard Things, the Harris brothers examine the second kind of hard thing: things that go beyond what's expected or required.
"Just Do Your Best" and the Complacency Trap
Have you ever thought about what the phrase "just do your best" actually implies?
"Think about it. This common phrase, 'Just do your best,' actually encourages the opposite. When someone says [it], are you inspired to reach for more? Or does it feel like permission to just get by? We say, 'Hey, I did my best.' But did we really? More likely what we mean is, 'Hey, I gave it a shot, and that'll have to be good enough.'" (page 89)
It is so easy in our culture to be blinded by complacency. If we rise above the low expectations, we are considered to be "above average" and labeled an exception even if we are barely trying. We feel smug and satisfied with what we've accomplished, and don't even realize that our standards aren't as high as they could be.
Three Strategies to Help You
Here are the three tips that this chapter recommends for going above and beyond the expected:
1. Do What's Hard for You
Don't focus on things that are impressive to other people or things that you are good at. Focus on things that challenge you and promote growth in your life, even if no one else sees them.
Take the example of Heather, a teen quoted in the book: "One of the first things that caught my attention was your emphasis on not becoming complacent in our 'excellence'--that it's not enough to impress a society with remarkably low expectations; it's not enough to be a standout in a sea of mediocrity." (page 94)
2. Be Known for What You Do (More than for What You Don't)
Just being a 'good teen' who doesn't do bad stuff like drinking and partying isn't enough. The Christian life isn't just about avoiding the "bad stuff", but about doing things for God. 1 Timothy 4:12 is a good example of this; we are called to not only avoid sin, but "to pursue righteousness in a way that others will want to imitate" (page 98).
We don't want to get complacent in our lives; as they put it, we not only want to survive, we also want to thrive. Just because you aren't headed in the wrong direction doesn't mean you're headed in the right direction. You could just be standing still.
3. Pursue Excellence, Not Excuses
"...we can get so caught up in being the godliest person in our youth group or in earning the Celebration of Excellence for Leadership award that we lose sight of God's standards. We fall short of our true potential because we aimed only to be bigger than the next fish in our small pond." (page 101)
God's standards are unreachable; we will never have the opportunity to stop pursuing growth in our faith and lives. We never arrive, but always try to achieve "greater levels of excellence" (page 103)
They offer some questions to ask yourself that identify complacency in your life:
- What areas of my life do I not care about that I know I should care about?
- In what areas have I fallen short of God's standards and my own potential?
- In what areas have I settled for just getting by when I know I could do better if I really tried?
- In what areas have I decided that things "will always be this way" without ever putting in the kind of effort that really changes things?
Reaching Above and Beyond
The chapter concludes by taking the example of Teddy Roosevelt, a sickly boy who became a great American president.
"Theodore Roosevelt learned the most important lesson of his life as a teenager...'do hard things'. Listen to what he said about what he called 'the strenuous life':
'I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of effort, of labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph.'
"...what would happen if we embraced the values he did--of reaching above and beyond what comes easy? And what would happen if a generation of teens lived that way?" (page 105-106)
So get rid of complacency in your own life and start striving to rise above what's required.
What do you think? Are you reading along? Did you like this chapter? Where has complacency found a foothold in your life? Leave a comment and start a discussion!
If you still don't have the book, get a copy and start reading along!
