Actions can speak too.

So once more I really love my friends. They're so cool and understanding. Katherine, Erika, Shawna and I have started to read James together every Monday. I'm super glad that Tyler has joined us and I'm hoping he will continue and more will come to join.

I go to youth group every Sunday, church also. I go in knowing I am a Christian and I do have faith, but I don't always come out letting everyone else know that I am. I make many mistakes that I regret later on. I've learned to show my faith not just inside church or youth, but also outside. Not just by words of comfort, but by actions. Like what Phil said, "Follow what you believe in and don't try to be two people to please others and to fit in." I think this is very vital and I totally agree but I also find it's very hard. It's hard to go against the flow when dealing with non believers. He also quoted, "We don't show Christ by business, we show it by relationship." Christ is to be spread out but not by sales. The best way to spread Christ is through relationships with people and by showing them that you care. Also what Phil said, "People don't care if you know, they want to know that you care." Does it matter to have all the materials in your head and be able to say it to someone, but not use it? "Don't honor with your lips, but honor with your lifestyle." To have faith, actions need to follow. Be used by God, someone who can be leaned on, be a role model, be more like God. BE A TREE! I'm learning, it's a maze, it's complicated, it's commitment and devotion, but it's worth it.

^'14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. '

-James 2: 14-18

"⁶Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷We live by faith, not by sight. ⁸We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."

- 2 Corinthians 5: 6-10

oh & HAPPY BIRTHDAY JALANI BOBO

One Step Closer

One of my goals is to stay positive as challenges come at me. One step closer to being more like God. I've learned that the way you act around everyone else affects them. If I'm not in a good mood and I throw negativity at people, it tends to set other people in a bad mood and vice versa. So now when i throw negativity around as a habit of nature, guilt always comes along. Guilt of displeasing God. I'm now more aware of what I do and say. Trying to make simple positive changes on people.

When I do something good, whether it's saying something nice to someone or doing something small. I tend to want other people to see me and I guess I look for a reward by impressing others. Today is Sunday and I learned that my goal shouldn't be impressing others. Pastor Russell gave the example of people who attend church, some who take time off their Friday to clean the bathrooms of the church. People don't see them clean the bathrooms, so who are they impressing? No one is watching, but God. I shouldn't have to do good things to impress other people, but God. My goal isn't to have a list of good things and put check marks on them once I complete them, my goal is simply to be more like Him.

A Miracle.

One of my mom's friend started talking about his past, which lead to a car crash he was in. Him and his friend were drunk and decided to drive. At 20 years old, I think they would have thought to put seat belts on, but didn't. His friend drove to on coming lane and the hospital is where they ended up. His friend died, but he lived. Doctors didn't expect him to live because of the condition he was in, but he did. He told us it took him about several months to learn how to walk, talk and be active again. A long time of thinking followed after that. He thought of why he lived, and his friend didn't. He then gave faith in the Lord a chance and realized that God had a plan for him.

I'm not sure why this story had an affect on me because I've heard story after story about miracles, but this is another reason to fear God. He does what he wants and He has plan.

PS; HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANTONIO AGUILAR! (Has nothing to do with the blog)

Days like these.

I hate those days that feel pointless, unworthy and nothing. It's those days that you have nothing to look forward to or nothing to be excited about. I wake up in the morning feeling lazy and tired. Nothing is there to encourage me to get up in the morning for excitement of a new day. Because in the back of my head, I'll be doing the same exact routine; wake up, shower, bfast, school, sports/clubs/meetings, home, homework, online, read book/bible, devos, trumpet/guitar, sleep. I get so bored easily, it's ridiculous. School is great, but I want it to be over. Summer please come.

All I can think of is to stay positive. Frustrations shall not take over. And in the bright side, I have great friends that make me laugh all the time. I just have to get an off week over with, one day at a time and to learn from it. You know what's even greater than that? Having God in mind all the time, to help me contain my emotions and to always go back to him in need of help.

Living on His Word because He is Everything

One of my goals is to read the Bible and do devos more and more. I love reading the Bible now, when I have the time, it's great. I'm learning so much and growing more and more. I love using soap and actually writing my thoughts down. Reading the Bible helps me to be more understanding and more kind. It helps me to be more patient and it has really interesting stories that I never thought would be in the Bible, which is cooler than beans.

SOAP; scripture, observation, application and prayerrr (:

"Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

- Matthew 4; 4

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."

- 1 John; 1-5

He is everything in the world. He made us and provides for us. He is everywhere and He has all the power. He is always with us ready to help us if we come to him. Light keeps living things alive and the darkness has not seen the light yet.

Relationship vs Religion

One Sunday afternoon I went to church and I was introduced to relationship not religion. I realized that it shouldn't be about religion, it should be about your relationship with God. Before that Sunday, I always told myself that I was Christian and to be honest I totally went against Catholics, not the people, but the religion. I totally know now that it shouldn't be about religion. I learned that I can't label people. I thought that if you read your bible and went to church, you were set. Now I know that there's more than that. It should be about if your a follower of God, if you have faith and if you are a believer. Your relationship with Him should be greater than the religion labeled on you. I learned that it's about spreading His name and to let go of everything to give to Him. I call myself a Christian because I gave myself up to Him, because I have faith in Him and I believe but being called a Christian doesn't mean a lot to me, having the relationship with Him is what means more to me.

I've grown so much. I love doing devos when I can; I love youth group and worship. I still have a long way to go, but I'm sure matured and even more educated. I'm only 15. I'm not always right and I make mistakes, but this is my opinion.

Sorry, but no.

I never knew why people went into relationships or what we call dating now. I never understood why someone would put themselves into that spot of drama. I always asked why do people say "I love him/her so much. I don't know how I would be w/o her/him" as a 14 year old or younger. I found it ridiculous how my classmates would act like their world was going to end w/o a certain someone. I didn't understand it at all. I never said anything though, even though I really wanted to shake them and tell them, "um you're 14 years old, I don't think you guys are going to get married, STOP crying, you have other things to worry about in life." Of course I went through crushing, liking someone, drama, but when a question was asked "Would you go out with me?", it was always a no. For other people it was an easy yes, which I also didn't get. Maybe I was scared of commitment, but how come no one else seem to see what I saw?

I know that people just want to be loved. They want to be assured that if someone loves them, they would go out. It seems like "Going out" was a permission to hold hands and kiss. Hey, I might be wrong but that's how I perceive it. I learned that everyone loves that feeling of someone being there for them, those dang butterflies. That was what I was missing. I still don't like dating, but I sure miss the feeling of someone being there for you. I love being single, it's fun, great, FREE, but those butterflies could come once and a while.

Love is not a feeling or emotion. If you truly love someone you would do the highest good for that person.

You should read, "Don't take love lying down." by Brad Henning. I haven't read it yet but I read sections of it. It's quite good and he's super funny.

Nothing but the Truth.

I love truth circles. It's such a great environment of reassurance and trust. It's not only eye opening but it's a great way to vent and help other people. I truly love truth circles because it brings you closer to people and it helps you understand peoples actions.

I think the best way to know someone is to know their past and history. I believe people are the way they are for a reason. I use to judge people by just saying, she's/he's annoying etc and as I matured, I realized that was not right. Now I know that people are the way they act because of their background. It helps me to be more understanding and not judgemental.

Hey Soul Sisters!

So yesterday was great even though I wasn't able to go to K.ryns house (katherine) until like 7 or 8. It was super fun; I love my friends and I'm so blessed to be surrounded by them. They're like my sisters!!

So I shared a story to them that I learned from a few days before. I was at a basketball game, not playing because of my back. But one of my friends nose started to bleed and to be kind I helped her out by getting her tissues. I felt like such a nurse to be helping her out. Yeah I know right? IM SO COOL! (: So the next day I told my sister and the first thing she asks me was if I was wearing gloves. In the back of my head I knew I should have been wearing gloves, but I wasn't. She gave me a lecture saying if you want to be a nurse you have to know that you can't put your life in danger to help someone else. Moral of the story in that event: wear gloves when dealing with blood (: That's not the only thing I learned though. You can't help others if you can't help yourself. I've heard of this before, don't know where but I have and it says a lot. There's people who love to help other people, cough cough me. BUT you can't give something to someone if you can't give it to yourself. ex. I don't think people could be nice to someone if they can't be nice to themselves. I can't solve other peoples problems or help them if I don't work to solve mine. I don't want to go into to much details, but it's something to think about.

Something New

So my English class uses this blogger site to blog about our books and I didn't see how useful it was. Then I saw Jessica Andrukat's site and decided to make one! She's so inspirational yeeah? So, I'm going to try to do real blogging and not like tumblr.