To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances; To seek him, the greatest adventure; To find him, the greatest human achievement." -St. Augustine
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
What will you have to give to your husband?
Imagine this (Yes, it is ok to close your eyes and go into la la land!)…. It is your wedding day! You are marrying the perfect guy; just the one God had planned for you! The wedding is over and the wedding night is about to begin. You have always thought of yourself as a “good” girl. You never had sex, did drugs, or drank alcohol. Although there seems like there is something missing. It is nothing big….. Just something deep down doesn’t feel right. You are missing something. Something just isn’t what it is supposed to be…. *Come back to real life!* What do you think is possibly missing? It wasn’t anything like a loss of virginity. What is it? This is how I imagine emotional purity effects people. Is it terrible? No. Although it is just a little nagging thing that you wish wasn’t there. How can you change it? I say it often…. Now is the time to determine your future! The good and bad choices that you are making now determine what your future will look like. Back to the wedding night though… will you just have what you happened to save, the left overs or will you be able to deliberately be able to say, “I saved everything for YOU! I loved and respected you even before I knew who you were!” I’m not sure about you, but I’m here to tell you that I want to be able to say that I purposefully waited and that although I made mistakes I did my best to respect you even before I knew who you were! The questions still is though…. How can we do that? How can we purposefully wait? For each girl it is different. Although one of the main ways I think of it is when a girl doesn’t just date for the fun of it. She only dates guys that she could see herself possibly marrying one day. If we were honest this cuts out most guys. Another way is not just doing your best to remain pure by not having sex. Remaining pure with a purpose… knowing your boundaries and not pushing them. One last way, why wait until you know who he is to tell him that you love him? Take time now when you are feeling all alone to tell your future love how you are waiting on him and love him! Write him letters, poems, whatever you want! On valentines when you do not have a date or even when you do, write the future love of your life a valentine’s card! When you want to tell a guy you love him think about it… and wait! Write your future partner and tell them of how you reserved those precious words for them. Wouldn’t you melt if on your wedding night your husband presented to you letters that he had been writing for you long before he ever met you? I know I would! Your husband may not be as emotional about it as you would, but I can almost promise you it would mean the world to him!
JEN
JEN
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Karissa's Heart!
I'm sure many of you have read this before, but I wanted to share it anyways, cause I was encouraged by it. Now, Joshua Harris writes a "Guy's responsibility" and a "Girl's responsibility" and I am going to share both, cause I think they are both good. :) (Note, I am writing it straight from the book, so it is from Josh's "viewpoint." :))
Make the purity of others a priority:
One of the best ways to maintain a pure life is to watch out for the purity of others. What can you do to protect your brothers and sisters in the Lord from impurity? What can you say to encourage them to keep their hearts set in the direction of righteousness?
The support and protection you can provide to same-sex friends is important, but the protection you can give to opposite-sex friends is invaluable. When it comes to purity in relationships-both physical and emotional-girls and guys usually trip each other up. Can you imagine the righteousness that could be born if both sexes took it upon themselves to watch out for each other?
Let's look at specific ways this can be accomplished.
*The Guy's Responsibility*
Guys, it's time we stood up to defend the honor and righteousness of our sisters. We need to stop acting like "hunters" trying to catch girls and begin seeing ourselves as warriors standing guard over them.
How do we do this? First we must realize that girls don't struggle with the same temptations we struggle with. We wrestle more with our sex drives while girls struggle more with their emotions. We can help guard their hearts by being sincere and honest in our communication. We need to swear off flirtatiousness and refuse to play games and lead them on. We have to go out of our way to make sure nothing we say or do stirs up inappropriate feelings or expectations.
A good friends, Matt Canlis, modeled this idea of guarding a girl's purity in his relationship with Julie Clifton, the woman to whom he's now married. Long before they began pursuing marriage, both felt deeply attracted to the other. But during a certain season, God made it clear to Julie that she had to focus on Him and not be distracted by Matt.
Although Matt didn't know this at the time, he made it his priority to guard Julie's heart during this time of waiting, even though he felt personally drawn to her. Matt controlled his desire to flirt with Julie. He passed up opportunities to spend time alone with her, and when they were in group settings he refrained from singling her out and focusing too much attention on her. He avoided doing anything that would make it harder for Julie to focus on serving God.
This season didn't last forever, and eventually Matt and Julie became engaged. I had lunch with both of them a few weeks before their wedding. Julie explained how grateful she felt that Matt had enough maturity to put her needs above his own. By making her emotional and spiritual purity a priority, Matt helped Julie focus her mind and heart on God. If Matt had acted selfishly, he could have distracted Julie, and ruined what God wanted to accomplish in and through her life.
What an example of brotherly love! I want to weep when I think of the many times I have neglected my responsibility to guard girls' hearts. Instead of playing the role of warrior, I played the thief, stealing their focus from God for myself. I'm determined to do better. I want to be the kind of friend to whom girls' future husbands could one day say, "Thank you for standing watch over my wife's heart. Thank you for guarding her purity."
*The Girl's Responsibility*
Girls, you have an equally important role. Remember the wayward women (from Proverbs)? Your job is to keep your brothers from being led away by her charms. Please be aware of how easily your actions and glances can stir up lust in a guy's mind.
You may not realize this, but we guys most commonly struggle with our eyes. I think many girls are innocently unaware of the difficulty a guy has in remaining pure when looking at a girl who is dressed immodestly. Now I don't want to dictate your wardrobe, but honestly speaking, I would be blessed if girl's considered more than fashion when shopping for clothes. Yes, guy's are responsible for maintaining self-control, but you can help by refusing to wear clothing designed to attract attention to your body.
I know that the world tells you that if you have a nice body, you should show it off. And we men have only helped feed this mentality. But I think you can play a part in reversing this trend. I know many girls who would look great in shorter skirts or tighter blouses, and they know it. But they choose to dress modestly. They take the responsibility of guarding their brothers' eyes. To these women and others like them, I'm grateful.
"And let us consider how me may spur one another on toward good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24). It's time to start seeing other people's purity as our responsibility.
The Beauty Of Purity:
In closing, let me ask you this: Can you picture it? Can you see the beauty of purity? And if you can, will you fight for it in your own life, as well as in the lives of others?
Yes, it requires work. Purity doesn't happen by accident; it requires obedience to God. But this obedience is not burdensome or overbearing. We have only to consider the alternatives to impurity to see the beauty of walking in God's will. Impurity is a grimy film that coats the soul, a shadow that blocks light and darkens our countenance. God's love for the impure does not cease, but their ability to enjoy this love does. For in our impurity we are turned from Him. Sin and its defilement are never found hear His throne-they can only gain advantage when we turn away from His radiance.
Turned from God's presence we are completely unprotected from the marauding destruction of sin. Without purity God's gift of sexuality becomes a dangerous game. A relationship devoid of purity is soon reduced to nothing more than two bodies grasping at and demanding pleasure. Without purity, the mind becomes a slave to depravity, tossed about by every single craving and imagination.
What will it take for us to see the beauty of purity? Purity is the entrance to the splendor of God's creation. "Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart..." (Psalm 24:3-4). Purity ushers us into God's presence. "Blessed are the pure in heart," Christ said, "for they will see God" (Matthew 5:8). Only the pure may see His face. Only the pure may be vessels of His Holy Spirit:
Do you see the beauty and power and protection of purity? Do you want all this? Do you ache for it? Are you ready to deny yourself the pleasures of the moment to live a pure, God-focused life? May your love for Him fuel a lifelong, passionate pursuit of righteousness. (I kissed dating goodbye, by Joshua Harris, pages 97-101)
I am also going to write out a poem that was found in the book as well. I really liked it. :)
Wow! That's the kind of man I'm going to be looking for, and what I am going to "require of him" as it says! :)
I hope you all have a wonderful Christ-centered week.
In Christ,
Karissa <3
www.SetApartGirl4Christ2.blogspot.com
P.S. If you havent checked out the winners read a post down and see who won the contest! Thanks to all who entered!! :) -JEN
Make the purity of others a priority:
One of the best ways to maintain a pure life is to watch out for the purity of others. What can you do to protect your brothers and sisters in the Lord from impurity? What can you say to encourage them to keep their hearts set in the direction of righteousness?
The support and protection you can provide to same-sex friends is important, but the protection you can give to opposite-sex friends is invaluable. When it comes to purity in relationships-both physical and emotional-girls and guys usually trip each other up. Can you imagine the righteousness that could be born if both sexes took it upon themselves to watch out for each other?
Let's look at specific ways this can be accomplished.
*The Guy's Responsibility*
Guys, it's time we stood up to defend the honor and righteousness of our sisters. We need to stop acting like "hunters" trying to catch girls and begin seeing ourselves as warriors standing guard over them.
How do we do this? First we must realize that girls don't struggle with the same temptations we struggle with. We wrestle more with our sex drives while girls struggle more with their emotions. We can help guard their hearts by being sincere and honest in our communication. We need to swear off flirtatiousness and refuse to play games and lead them on. We have to go out of our way to make sure nothing we say or do stirs up inappropriate feelings or expectations.
A good friends, Matt Canlis, modeled this idea of guarding a girl's purity in his relationship with Julie Clifton, the woman to whom he's now married. Long before they began pursuing marriage, both felt deeply attracted to the other. But during a certain season, God made it clear to Julie that she had to focus on Him and not be distracted by Matt.
Although Matt didn't know this at the time, he made it his priority to guard Julie's heart during this time of waiting, even though he felt personally drawn to her. Matt controlled his desire to flirt with Julie. He passed up opportunities to spend time alone with her, and when they were in group settings he refrained from singling her out and focusing too much attention on her. He avoided doing anything that would make it harder for Julie to focus on serving God.
This season didn't last forever, and eventually Matt and Julie became engaged. I had lunch with both of them a few weeks before their wedding. Julie explained how grateful she felt that Matt had enough maturity to put her needs above his own. By making her emotional and spiritual purity a priority, Matt helped Julie focus her mind and heart on God. If Matt had acted selfishly, he could have distracted Julie, and ruined what God wanted to accomplish in and through her life.
What an example of brotherly love! I want to weep when I think of the many times I have neglected my responsibility to guard girls' hearts. Instead of playing the role of warrior, I played the thief, stealing their focus from God for myself. I'm determined to do better. I want to be the kind of friend to whom girls' future husbands could one day say, "Thank you for standing watch over my wife's heart. Thank you for guarding her purity."
*The Girl's Responsibility*
Girls, you have an equally important role. Remember the wayward women (from Proverbs)? Your job is to keep your brothers from being led away by her charms. Please be aware of how easily your actions and glances can stir up lust in a guy's mind.
You may not realize this, but we guys most commonly struggle with our eyes. I think many girls are innocently unaware of the difficulty a guy has in remaining pure when looking at a girl who is dressed immodestly. Now I don't want to dictate your wardrobe, but honestly speaking, I would be blessed if girl's considered more than fashion when shopping for clothes. Yes, guy's are responsible for maintaining self-control, but you can help by refusing to wear clothing designed to attract attention to your body.
I know that the world tells you that if you have a nice body, you should show it off. And we men have only helped feed this mentality. But I think you can play a part in reversing this trend. I know many girls who would look great in shorter skirts or tighter blouses, and they know it. But they choose to dress modestly. They take the responsibility of guarding their brothers' eyes. To these women and others like them, I'm grateful.
"And let us consider how me may spur one another on toward good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24). It's time to start seeing other people's purity as our responsibility.
The Beauty Of Purity:
In closing, let me ask you this: Can you picture it? Can you see the beauty of purity? And if you can, will you fight for it in your own life, as well as in the lives of others?
Yes, it requires work. Purity doesn't happen by accident; it requires obedience to God. But this obedience is not burdensome or overbearing. We have only to consider the alternatives to impurity to see the beauty of walking in God's will. Impurity is a grimy film that coats the soul, a shadow that blocks light and darkens our countenance. God's love for the impure does not cease, but their ability to enjoy this love does. For in our impurity we are turned from Him. Sin and its defilement are never found hear His throne-they can only gain advantage when we turn away from His radiance.
Turned from God's presence we are completely unprotected from the marauding destruction of sin. Without purity God's gift of sexuality becomes a dangerous game. A relationship devoid of purity is soon reduced to nothing more than two bodies grasping at and demanding pleasure. Without purity, the mind becomes a slave to depravity, tossed about by every single craving and imagination.
What will it take for us to see the beauty of purity? Purity is the entrance to the splendor of God's creation. "Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart..." (Psalm 24:3-4). Purity ushers us into God's presence. "Blessed are the pure in heart," Christ said, "for they will see God" (Matthew 5:8). Only the pure may see His face. Only the pure may be vessels of His Holy Spirit:
Do you see the beauty and power and protection of purity? Do you want all this? Do you ache for it? Are you ready to deny yourself the pleasures of the moment to live a pure, God-focused life? May your love for Him fuel a lifelong, passionate pursuit of righteousness. (I kissed dating goodbye, by Joshua Harris, pages 97-101)
I am also going to write out a poem that was found in the book as well. I really liked it. :)
Man Enough To Answer
"A Woman's Question"
Do you know you have asked for the costliest thing
Ever made by the Hand above?
A woman's heart, and a woman's life-
And a woman's wonderful love.
Do you know you have asked for this priceless thing
As a child might ask for a toy?
Demanding what others have died to win,
With the reckless dash of a boy.
You have written my lesson of duty out,
Manlike, you have questioned me.
Now stand at the bars of my woman's soul
Until I shall question thee.
You require your mutton shall always be hot,
Your socks and your shirt be whole;
I require your heart be true as God's stars
And as pure as is heaven your soul.
You require a cook for your mutton and beef,
I require a far greater thing;
A seamstress you're wanting for socks and shirts-
I look for a man and a king.
A king for the beautiful realm called Home,
And a man that his Maker, God,
Shall look upon as He did on the first
And say: "It is very good."
I am fair and young, but the rose may fade
From this soft young cheek one day;
Will you live me then 'mid the falling leaves,
As you did 'mong the blossoms of May?
Is your heart an ocean so strong and true,
I may launch my all on its tide?
A loving woman finds heaven or hell
On the day she is made a bride.
I require all things that are grand and true,
All things that a man should be;
If you give this all, I would stake my life
To be all you demand of me.
If you cannot be this, a laundress and cook
You can hire and little to pay;
But a woman's heart and a woman's life
Are not to be won that way.
Wow! That's the kind of man I'm going to be looking for, and what I am going to "require of him" as it says! :)
I hope you all have a wonderful Christ-centered week.
In Christ,
Karissa <3
www.SetApartGirl4Christ2.blogspot.com
P.S. If you havent checked out the winners read a post down and see who won the contest! Thanks to all who entered!! :) -JEN
Friday, May 20, 2011
The winner is.... :)
I printed out each name, shuffled them, and....
I begged my brother to draw 3 out....
And he did....
The winners are....
Rose, Karissa, and Hopeful Romantic!!
Congratulations!!!
Btw, on the table he where i was taking these pics were these beautiful flowers i got the other day! They are like a week old and still gorgeous!
Congratulations to our winners!! :) Thank you to all who entered!!
Btw, we arre all praying for your prayer request!
JEN
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thought Filled Thursday!
Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout!
One last day to sign up for the give away! Check out the post before this one if you would like to enter!! :)
JEN
One last day to sign up for the give away! Check out the post before this one if you would like to enter!! :)
JEN
Friday, May 13, 2011
A NEW GIVEAWAY!!
Hey gals! So here is another opportunity to win some fun things! :) I have had the opportunity to write for a Teen Girl's Magazine and we are giving away 3 free subscriptions! This is an awesome magazine! There are a few different ways you can enter! Please comment and let us know which ones apply to you! This contest will run for a week and then I will comment on your blog saying if you have won or email you, whichever you prefer!
-Leave a comment saying that you'd like to enter. = 1 entry
-"Like" Girlz 4 Christ on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Girlz-4-Christ/116828111717843) =2 entries
-Go to Girlz4ChristMagazine.com (http://www.girlz4christmagazine.com/apps/prayers/) and leave a prayer request. (Copy and paste what you wrote on the wall in your comment so that we can pray for you too!) = 3 Entries
-Post about this giveaway on your own blog (give us the link)." =3 Entries
- Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page (Give us the link) =3 Entries
I'm super excited about this!! Hope you join the fun! :)
JEN
-Leave a comment saying that you'd like to enter. = 1 entry
-"Like" Girlz 4 Christ on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Girlz-4-Christ/116828111717843) =2 entries
-Go to Girlz4ChristMagazine.com (http://www.girlz4christmagazine.com/apps/prayers/) and leave a prayer request. (Copy and paste what you wrote on the wall in your comment so that we can pray for you too!) = 3 Entries
-Post about this giveaway on your own blog (give us the link)." =3 Entries
- Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page (Give us the link) =3 Entries
I'm super excited about this!! Hope you join the fun! :)
JEN
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Awesome poem!
When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven."
When I say..."I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.
When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.
When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth itl.
When I say..."I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain...
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.
When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner Who recieved God's good grace somehow!
I'm whispering "I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven."
When I say..."I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.
When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.
When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth itl.
When I say..."I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain...
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.
When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner Who recieved God's good grace somehow!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Courting vs. Dating??
So, the question is often asked, "Should I court or date?" This can be a very opinated topic and many people feel strongly one way or the other, but hopefully this post will help you see that it is not one or the other, but that it is about the heart. Each person has a different idea of courting. Some are more conservative and some are not. Some have a conservative idea of dating and some do not. Each persons’ idea is different. By Webster’s definition....
Dating: To have a date with
Courting: To engage in social activities within seek of engagement.
I will be honest with you girls from the beginning... I have no problem with a girl dating a guy (I've done it myself), but I'm also very pro courting. What is the difference between the two? The main difference I see is that courting has the main purpose of leading to marriage where dating is often get together and break up the next day. My personal stand on this whole issue though is it is not what you call it, but how you handle it! I've known people who courted who got into just as much sin as people who dated did. I've also known plenty of people who dated who had a completely God honoring relationship. So, it is not about what you call it that makes one better than the other. It is how YOU act that makes the difference. It is often said that when dating you have more time alone and this can be true. Does it have to be though? Couples who are courting also have many opportunities to be alone. It is up to the couple to choose whether they take those opportunities or not. Do courting couples often stay further away from sexual sin? Some do and some don’t. It is the same exact thing with people who have dated.
Now I’m sure I have some of you pretty upset seeing that many of you have parents who only allow courting and that’s all you've ever really been allowed to do. That is great! Go thank your parents for that! My whole point in this is to make you realize that it is not what you call it that makes it ok or not it is what you do and how you act that makes it ok or not! Just like going to church doesn’t make you a Christian, courting does not make you pure. Also, to any parents who read my blog.... Just b/c your child courts and does not date, this is not an "I'm safe from anything happening" Seek God.... See what HE wants you to do! It may be date, court, or somewhere in the middle! As I’ve said time and time before, you know where you struggle and if dating causes to many temptations then do not do it!
I do believe that courting has one VERY strong pull and that is that it generally is wayyyyyy more focused on marriage. I see girls who date guy after guy and it becomes nothing for them to break up and a broken heart almost becomes nothing. is this the way it is suppose to be? NO! Dating was never mentioned in the Bible. The purpose of dating is to find the one and only man you will marry. I am not for any other kind. It is not ok to date just for fun... dating is not a game. This is where courting generally helps cut down on the breakups and in the long run saves many broken hearts.
Girls, talk to your parents! See what they think about it. Maybe you feel that dating is ok, but they do not. This is when you have to choose to obey them even if it isn’t what you want to do. They have your best interest at heart and they know you better than you think they do. Trust and obey them b/c I promise you that if you go behind their back and date a guy God will not bless your relationship.
Praying for you!
JEN
Dating: To have a date with
Courting: To engage in social activities within seek of engagement.
I will be honest with you girls from the beginning... I have no problem with a girl dating a guy (I've done it myself), but I'm also very pro courting. What is the difference between the two? The main difference I see is that courting has the main purpose of leading to marriage where dating is often get together and break up the next day. My personal stand on this whole issue though is it is not what you call it, but how you handle it! I've known people who courted who got into just as much sin as people who dated did. I've also known plenty of people who dated who had a completely God honoring relationship. So, it is not about what you call it that makes one better than the other. It is how YOU act that makes the difference. It is often said that when dating you have more time alone and this can be true. Does it have to be though? Couples who are courting also have many opportunities to be alone. It is up to the couple to choose whether they take those opportunities or not. Do courting couples often stay further away from sexual sin? Some do and some don’t. It is the same exact thing with people who have dated.
Now I’m sure I have some of you pretty upset seeing that many of you have parents who only allow courting and that’s all you've ever really been allowed to do. That is great! Go thank your parents for that! My whole point in this is to make you realize that it is not what you call it that makes it ok or not it is what you do and how you act that makes it ok or not! Just like going to church doesn’t make you a Christian, courting does not make you pure. Also, to any parents who read my blog.... Just b/c your child courts and does not date, this is not an "I'm safe from anything happening" Seek God.... See what HE wants you to do! It may be date, court, or somewhere in the middle! As I’ve said time and time before, you know where you struggle and if dating causes to many temptations then do not do it!
I do believe that courting has one VERY strong pull and that is that it generally is wayyyyyy more focused on marriage. I see girls who date guy after guy and it becomes nothing for them to break up and a broken heart almost becomes nothing. is this the way it is suppose to be? NO! Dating was never mentioned in the Bible. The purpose of dating is to find the one and only man you will marry. I am not for any other kind. It is not ok to date just for fun... dating is not a game. This is where courting generally helps cut down on the breakups and in the long run saves many broken hearts.
Girls, talk to your parents! See what they think about it. Maybe you feel that dating is ok, but they do not. This is when you have to choose to obey them even if it isn’t what you want to do. They have your best interest at heart and they know you better than you think they do. Trust and obey them b/c I promise you that if you go behind their back and date a guy God will not bless your relationship.
Praying for you!
JEN
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thought Filled Thursday!
First off, sorry for the delay in post... my grandfather was admitted to the hospital a couple of days ago due to pretty bad pneumonia and I've been staying with him and my grandmother most of the time. Needless to say, blogging was not my top priority! :)
Thought.... If you were to die tonight where would you spend eternity?
With love,
JEN
Thought.... If you were to die tonight where would you spend eternity?
With love,
JEN
Sunday, May 1, 2011
From a broken hearted Alabamian...
Many of you commented on the post before this one and I thank you for that! If you have not read it please go back and do so that way this post will make sense.
It has been a little over 72 hours since the horrid tornado's swept through Alabama and many other surrounding states. I've thought alot about what I was going to write and how i would try to describe the feelings that we all have. I honestly believe that it is impossible to describe. I personally have not been to any of the hit areas (They are still not allowing volunteers to really come in yet. Many places they are still digging through the rubble to look for bodies.), but i have seen multitudes of pictures, videos, stories, and testimonies. We have all been glued to the news as they updated the death toll. Last i heard was for Alabama alone it was right around 300. 300 lives... gone. For me personally it doesn't seem fair. Not that this happened to my friends (Of course that part doesn't seem fair!), but that my house was untouched. Not a single tree down, the lights never flickered, and i still have perfectly clean water ( many parts of the state are having to biol their water if they even have water). It doesn't seem right. Within an hour each way of my home lives of thousands and thousands have been changed forever, yet my life could go on as normal. It isn't right. Moving on though, there is such a sadness in Alabama. Every where you go people are talking about it. Each one of us have friends, school mates, family, and neighbors who's lives will never be the same. At the same time though it is been absolutely amazing how our amazing state/country has pulled together to help out. Unless you are in Alabama you can not fathom the support, donations, love, sympathy, prayers, and just all around God's love that has been shown!! It is so deeply humbling. Companies on top of companies are just giving relentlessly. Power companies for all over the country are coming in. Volunteers from all over the country are just packing up and heading this way. Can i just say... THIS IS A GOD THING! Everyone seems to be giving something. It is utterly amazing. If you know much about football and Alabama you know how big the rivalry between Alabama and Auburn is. Terrible crimes have been committed out of hate for the other team in the past. Although now they are coming together and as one as the body of Christ supporting the hurting. It is such a beautiful thing to watch. If you have fb check out http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Toomers-for-Tuscaloosa/127019264041188 It is a sight started by an Auburn fan to help the Alabama fans! It made me cry just reading everyone wanting to help out!
With all this said.... Please pray. Lives all over the state have literally been ripped apart. I know that I have many followers who are from out of state. Please first off pray for use, but also if you would like to send money I can without a doubt get it to the right place to help the victims. Also, there are many people making shirts and bracelets to help raise money for the victims. If you are interested in any of those please e-mail me at jennifer.rochester@charter.net. God is working and I truly believe HE will be glorified through this!! Below are some more pics (Not sure who took them), a few verses that we are all clinging to and a song that has been on my heart constantly!
JEN
It has been a little over 72 hours since the horrid tornado's swept through Alabama and many other surrounding states. I've thought alot about what I was going to write and how i would try to describe the feelings that we all have. I honestly believe that it is impossible to describe. I personally have not been to any of the hit areas (They are still not allowing volunteers to really come in yet. Many places they are still digging through the rubble to look for bodies.), but i have seen multitudes of pictures, videos, stories, and testimonies. We have all been glued to the news as they updated the death toll. Last i heard was for Alabama alone it was right around 300. 300 lives... gone. For me personally it doesn't seem fair. Not that this happened to my friends (Of course that part doesn't seem fair!), but that my house was untouched. Not a single tree down, the lights never flickered, and i still have perfectly clean water ( many parts of the state are having to biol their water if they even have water). It doesn't seem right. Within an hour each way of my home lives of thousands and thousands have been changed forever, yet my life could go on as normal. It isn't right. Moving on though, there is such a sadness in Alabama. Every where you go people are talking about it. Each one of us have friends, school mates, family, and neighbors who's lives will never be the same. At the same time though it is been absolutely amazing how our amazing state/country has pulled together to help out. Unless you are in Alabama you can not fathom the support, donations, love, sympathy, prayers, and just all around God's love that has been shown!! It is so deeply humbling. Companies on top of companies are just giving relentlessly. Power companies for all over the country are coming in. Volunteers from all over the country are just packing up and heading this way. Can i just say... THIS IS A GOD THING! Everyone seems to be giving something. It is utterly amazing. If you know much about football and Alabama you know how big the rivalry between Alabama and Auburn is. Terrible crimes have been committed out of hate for the other team in the past. Although now they are coming together and as one as the body of Christ supporting the hurting. It is such a beautiful thing to watch. If you have fb check out http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Toomers-for-Tuscaloosa/127019264041188 It is a sight started by an Auburn fan to help the Alabama fans! It made me cry just reading everyone wanting to help out!
With all this said.... Please pray. Lives all over the state have literally been ripped apart. I know that I have many followers who are from out of state. Please first off pray for use, but also if you would like to send money I can without a doubt get it to the right place to help the victims. Also, there are many people making shirts and bracelets to help raise money for the victims. If you are interested in any of those please e-mail me at jennifer.rochester@charter.net. God is working and I truly believe HE will be glorified through this!! Below are some more pics (Not sure who took them), a few verses that we are all clinging to and a song that has been on my heart constantly!
JEN
This use to be Full Moon BBQ...
Utter devastation...
Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Nehemiah 8:10b Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
God of this City- By: Chris Tomlin
[Verse 1]
You're the God of this City
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are
[Verse 2]
You're the Light in this darkness
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless
You are
There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
[Chorus]
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater thing have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
To watch a video of it go to... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d61LamkXfwk
Finally the saying, "Quit telling God how big the storm is and began telling the storm how big your God is!"
Seeking the face of God...
JEN
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