I'm leaving the blogging world forever...it's just too much for me, and I can't keep up with it. It's also bogging me down from doing more important things. I really have enjoyed doing it for the short time I've been here, though, and you all have been an encouragement to me. Hope y'all have been blessed! Have fun without me! Bye!

Hehe...did I scare ya? :P I am leaving for a three week vacation on the 28th, so in case you think I've fallen off the face of the earth, don't worry - I'll be back! :) I do have a couple of prayer requests for when I'm gone, though:

1. Pray that we'll have a safe trip- on the way there and back.
2. Pray that we can be a witness and blessing to those around us.
3. Please pray that I will continue to read the Word and pray - it's going to be 10 times harder! Just because I'm on vacation physically, doesn't mean I take "vacations" spiritually!
   
4. That we have a fun time and don't get too stressed out about things.
   

Well, yes and no. I wasn't afraid of the Bible itself or even just reading it. But what I was afraid of was reading it over and over and over again. After having finished reading it through once, it scared me to start reading it multiple times. Wouldn't it become dry and boring? How could I possibly learn something new every single time I read it? I couldn't even imagine reading my most favorite book like that! Yes, I might could do it for awhile, but how droll it would eventually get! But then I realized-I'm talking about the Word of God here! The living, life-changing, inspired words of the living God! What was I thinking?! This was no ordinary book! Whew, some major battles there! But that wasn't the only reason why I was afraid of reading the Bible on a daily basis. Fear of legalism was in my heart as well. I was afraid of getting so caught up in just making sure that I read the Bible, that I wouldn't be growing or learning from the Word like I should be.

For a long while I would read it here and there, but never regularly. Well, if you know anything about God, it's that He doesn't leave us drowning in our fears. He started working in my heart and convicting me that I should start a daily Bible reading. And so I have. He has used some very dear friends to keep me accountable, and He's given me the strength to keep pressing on. I've been finding that instead of the Word becoming dry, it has come more alive. (Not that I don't think that there are still parts of the Bible that seem boring...*wink*...but I'm learning new things that I hadn't recognized from the first time around. And I figure I'll still be learning new things when I get to the 100th time around. ;)) And the legalism? I don't worry about it a bit anymore. There hasn't a day yet gone by where God hasn't shown me a little bit more of Him. So I challenge you. Go out and start those bold readings!

The more you read the Bible, the more you love it; the more you love it, the more you read it. Read the Bible as if God were speaking to you. He is!

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. ~2 Timothy 3:16

A friend of mine wrote this beautiful poem, and I thought it was just too
wonderful to keep to myself! :) I hope you're blessed by it as much as I was!


"My Thoughts Travel a Jeweled Path"
by Allison Kirschbaum

In every mind there runs a road
New-laid when we were born
And through our lives
Each step is paved
With hoarded paving-stones

The fine silt of the roadbed
Is an impressionable mind
And every stone that's laid in it
Is one of just two kinds

There's plain, smooth stones of common make
Of the dullest grays and browns
The thoughts of mediocrity
That chain us to the ground

"Bubble, Bubble, Toil, and Trouble"
Or so the saying goes
And that's all the good you'll ever get
With cheap, plain paving-stones

But the second kind, now that's the stuff
Great men's thoughts walk upon
On the road to Eden's sunset glory,
And the shining-white Zion

They're bright, and crisp, and clear, and pure,
Not common stones, but gems
And it is my hope for every youth
They would pave their minds with them!

The blue sapphires are deep and pure,
Heavy and clear as dew,
They represent the noble thoughts,
The strongest ones, and Truth

And the padparadsha orange ones,
They reflect your fire inside,
Your will, your guts, your confidence,
Your passion, courage, drive!

The crisp, sharp green of Hessonite
Reminds you you're a flower
Planted deep inside God's grace,
And nourished by His power

Good grace and judgment are the lot
Of stolid smoky quartz
Though plain, it tempers other stones
With calmness by the quart!

Ruby Zoisite's creativity,
Those divine sparks inside!
It's zany, bubbling over, vivid!
A thing not meant to hide!

With Direction in its right hand,
And Purpose in its left,
Pietersite is a stone of Choice,
Of Foresight it's not bereft!

Though dull to some, to others plain,
Bloodstone is the rash mind's bane,
A stone of caution, but courage too,
Its subtlety means a safe way through

Amber is the softest stone,
It calls only a tender heart "home",
With time to grow and time to spare,
It frees minds from the world's harsh cares

These are the stones that pave the way
Of those who wish for a glory day
But if you're for God, there's one gem more
Crystal, to open your heart's thick door
It needs to be cared for,
Given time and love,
But it's your only link to your Father above

Though there's not many stones in your road yet, my dear,
I hope there's inspiration for the rest of them here
How I enjoy watching your road's joyful progress,
But when all clothed in stones, how will it be dressed?
In the commonest garb of the slaves and the serfs,
Or jewels, like the paths of God's people on Earth?

Thanks to a certain friend, I now have a new theme!! Don't worry, it's the same blog just a different layout! ;) How do y'all like it?

Anyways, to the topic at hand. The Denver Rebelution conference was really incredible, of course! :) I was very much encouraged and uplifted! One of the things I have been learning and which was confirmed at the conference, was how we should be consumed with God. It is the basis of all hard things, and if you're not giving Christ your all and letting Him lead you, then doing hard things can be pretty useless. So just how hard is letting God take control be? I'm a Christian! Can't be that hard- easy as 1, 2, 3, right? Isn't believing that Christ died for my sins, rose from the grave in three days, and is coming back again enough? Sorry to break the news to you, but that's only the half of it! Believing is the first step, living it, is the next. Ok, no problem, I can do that. I'm not going to get a grumpy attitude when things aren't going my way. Next thing you know, that grumpy attitude is looming over my head, and I just can't seem to get it to go away! I'm going to read my Bible every single day. I find that the precious time I do take to read it is about as good as wasted, since I read one or two quick verses (occasionally!) and then convince myself that that was good enough! What's going on here? I thought I was a new creature in Christ. I think many times we will forget that even when living the Christian life, we need His help! I have to remind myself, "Stop trying to do it on your own, and start asking the Lord to help you!" And, wow, have I been amazed at what God can do, if we only let Him! Of course, I will never be perfect, and it will continually be a constant, hard battle, because my nature wants to rebel against all that is righteous. I think that's one of the reasons why the motto "Do Hard Things" has such an appeal to me- because it helps give me the incentive to rebel against my rebellious, sinful nature.

If you're having a problem, get on your knees and pray. Right now. If you want advice or answers to problems with life, get yourself into the Word of God. Start letting Him take the wheel! Nothing is more hard, glorious, or rewarding! Doing hard things starts with growing in your relationship with Christ, and stretching your boundaries to grow your character. The rest really is easy as 1, 2, 3. :)

...I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. Philippians 3:9