6th Day of Christmas

Hey Guys, here is a super cute and easy Christmas DIY that can be a gift or as personal decoration!

First you will need a mini red candle. 

This apple pumpkin candle smells amazing and was only $0.99 on Black Friday at Walmart. First, take of the sticker. I placed it on the bottom of the candle so the person receiving it would know the scent and brand. 

Next, cut a strip of black construction paper out. Make sure it fits around the candle. Secure it by glue or tape. 

Then you are going to cut out a rectangle of yellow felt or construction paper. (I used felt) cut out a rectangle in the center of the previous rectangle to creat the belt buckle look. Finally, glue the belt buckle on top of the black piece of paper. Ta-da! Finished! 

Christmas Devotion: 

Luke 2:15-20 "And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they saw it, they made known concerning the saying which was spoken to them about this child. And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them." 

Angels appeared to the shepherds and told them the good news of Jesus Christ. They went to the stable where Jesus was. IMMEDIATELY after the shepherds saw Jesus they went proclaiming and praising God. The told everyone who would listen about the Messiah. I often think about my life and what I've accomplished. I believe that if I would be more like the simple shepherds that I would accomplish so much more in the name of the Lord. Merry Christmas!

5th Day of Christmas

Hey Y'all! For the 5th day of Christmas we will be sharing the true meaning behind the 12 days of Christmas!

This time of year we here the song "12 Days of Christmas" all the time. Almost to the point where it becomes annoying. However, there is so much more to the song than a partridge in a pear tree. Here are the true meanings: 

The lyrics to this well known song were used to teach children church doctrine during the 16th century in England. Everything was symbolic and had meaning. 

1st Day of Christmas: a Partridge in a pear tree. A partridge is a small bird. It symbolizes Jesus sent from heaven to earth. {See John 3:16} A partridge is known to be willing to fight to the death of needed to defend its children. Its willingness to die is the tie to Christ. The pear tree is the symbol of the cross. {See John 10:14-15}

2nd Day of Christmas: Two Turtle Doves. In ancient and olden times, many Jewish families gave turtle doves as offerings and tithes to the Lord. The two turtle doves reminds of the sacrificed offered for Jesus by his parents, Mary and Joseph.  Some say that the two turtle doves also represent the Old and New Testament.

{See Luke 2:22, 24}

3rd Day of Christmas: Three French Hens. During the 16th century, only the rich could afford French hens. These three expensive birds are the representation of the three gifts of the magi: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. All three of the gifts were very costly and valuable. 

{Matthew 2:10-11}

4th Day of Christmas: Four Calling Birds. The calling birds symbolize the four gospels and their writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Their writings spread the news of Jesus Christ. 

5th Day of Christmas: Five Golden Rings. Gold rings are very valuable. The rings in the carol symbolize the first five books of the Old Testament or the Torah : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy. These books are highly valued and important to believers of God.

6th Day of Christmas: Six Geese a Laying. Many cultures use eggs as the symbol of new life. The six geese a laying reminds us of the 6 days of creation found in Genesis 1. 

7th Day of Christmas: Seven Swans a Swimming. The seven swans represent the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. Baby swans change from "ugly ducklings" to beautiful birds. Christians change and grow through the the Holy Spirit. {See Romans 12:6-8}   

8th Day of Christmas: Eight Maids a Milking symbolize the teachings we call the Beatitudes. Christ taught about them from the Sermon on the Mount. {See Matthew 5:3-12}

9th Day of Christmas: Nine Ladies Dancing are symbols of the Fruits of the Spirit. Just like the ladies dance with joy, we to can be full of joy when we live by the fruits of the spirit. {see Galatians 5:22-23}

10th Day of Christmas: Ten Lords a Leaping symbolizes the 10 Commandments. Lords were men who commanded people's obedience. {see Exodus 20:3-17}

11th Day of Christmas: Eleven Pipers Piping represents the 11 apostles chosen by Jesus who whole heartedly followed Him. We to should be disciples following the Lord praising Him with great joy. {see Mark 3:16-19}

12th Day of Christmas: Twelve Drummers Drumming. Drummers make a loud beat and steady rhythm for marchers to follow. The apostles creed set forth beliefs that Christians believe. In the Apostles Creed there are 12 vital points made.  

2nd Day of Christmas

Hey guys! For our second day in our 12 Day  of Christmas series we are doing a SUPER cute, crafty DIY. We will be doing TWO Christmas centerpieces that are super cute, festive, inexpensive, and fun! In addition to the centerpieces, we will have a Christmas devotional. Hope you enjoy!

First take a glass bowl of some sort. It can be decorative or plain. Add as many round, ball ornaments as will fit  comfortably in the bowl. If possible, add a variety of colors or textures. Finally, add a simple Christmas wreath around the bowl. Place on a table and its complete!

Upward view^

Side view^

"Normal" view ^


First take a wicker "plate" or some thing similar. Next, place a glass vase in the center of it. Preferably a wider vase as we are putting things into it. Then, take a festive candle (I chose a silver sparkly one) and set it inside the vase. Finally, add either a simple Christmas wreath or a fake berry wreath like shown in the picture around the vase. You can find these at any craft store during the holidays. Set it on a table and its complete!

Christmas Devotional:

"Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more." -Grinch (Dr. Seuss)

Dr. Seuss had  lot of hidden meanings in his work. This particular quote is just one example. Our society is so focused on gifts, decorations, and the busyness of the season (none of which are necessarily bad. However when they become a higher priority than Jesus it is.) to pay attention to why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. Jesus's birth is just the beginning of an amazing story! Christmas is more than what comes from a store, it's about Jesus. Never forget the amazing things He has done! Remember, CHRISTmas begins with CHRIST. It's easy to get caught up in the season, make sure to take the time to focus on God and His word this Christmas.

Treasured

Malachi 3:17- "On the day when I act," says the Lord Almighty, "they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him."

        In this verse, Malachi quotes God. God says, "On the day when I act." This phrase is referring to Christ's coming earth for our salvation. In a way, the previous phrase can be replaced with, "On the day when Christ comes, they will be my treasured possession..." We know that Christ has already come to earth and sacrificed His life for us. Therefore, when we accept Jesus's gift of salvation we become treasured in the eyes of the Lord. Isn't that amazing?! The creator of the universe sees us as treasure and as valuable! Some translations have the word "jewels" in place of treasure.Not only does God view us as treasured, He does this thing I like to call the "Great Exchange" I was at a conference and it was described like this: Jesus took ALL of our sins and in exchange He gave us His perfection! When that happens, we become perfect in God's eyes. We become TREASURED!
        Matthew 6:21 says, "Where your treasure is, your heart will be also." If God considers us His treasure, then His heart is on us. We are where God's heart is! God's love is on us! I think that is amazing! NEVER forget that you are loved by an amazing God.This is always a verse I turn to when I'm questioning my value or worth. For it clearly states that God considers us as TREASURED and that is something we should always rejoice and praise Him for! If you want to read more about what defines your worth and your value, we wrote an article on it a few months ago. You can check it out HERE

Thank you for checking out this blog post! Please share and follow us on Instagram and Pinterest.

Walk the Talk

Hey guys! This is a collab w/  @godsgotyouinhishands on Instagram! Their account is absolutely amazing and I'm completely in love with it! Y'all should totally go follow them if you're not already! 

❖

❖

Many people claim to be Christians. However, not many of those people act like it, they don't walk the talk. Now, we are not expected to be perfect. However, we should strive to be like Christ in all we do. How do we do this? By acting on our faith! Many people say, "Well I believe in God. Isn't that enough?" Here comes the hard truth, it's not. This topic is discussed in James 2:14-26. It says that even demons know who God is! That faith without good deeds is dead. Another thing people say is, "God accepts me as I am, so it's ok." Yes, while God does accept you the way you are, He loves you enough not to let you stay the same. While believing God is important, it doesn't end there! You have to change your actions! To fulfill God's plan for each one of our lives we must act upon our faith and and pursue becoming more like Him. Remember, Jesus died for you in public, so don't live for Him in private. Let's begin to "Walk the Talk"

••••••••

James 2:19-20 “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?”

James 2:26 "Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”

Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent!

Hebrews 13:16 -And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

This week I took the PSAT. As I'm sure many of you did. However, if you didn't, let me inform you of what happened.       Before the test actually began, you had to fill out about 9,000 pages of information about yourself (totally not exaggerating). One of the boxes asked for your religious preference. There was this super long list of religions, denominations, a space marked "none", and "other". There was also a space marked, "Don't wish to give info" or something like that. That space really made me think. Have we become so ashamed of God and the Bible that even on a test we are afraid to proclaim Jesus? There is a scripture that I turn to whenever I feel like stepping back and hiding. 

.     Acts 18:9 -"One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent!" This is such a powerful verse that convicts me often. When I feel myself shirking back instead of standing up, I remember that even if people judge you, which they will, even if people hate you, mock you, and turn away the truth, they are not turning away us, they are turning away, judging, hating, or mocking God.       Matthew 10:22 -You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  This verse clearly tells us that we will not be accepted by everyone. Just the other week people were shot and killed at a college in Oregon from standing up for Christ and saying "Yes, I'm a Christian." You can see in America alone that being a follower of Christ is not a popular choice. However, being Jesus wasn't popular either. In fact, HE WAS KILLED! FOR YOU! Let that sink in. If Jesus Christ would die for you, shouldn't it be a joy to proclaim Him to the world?  Psalms 96:2 -Sing to the LORD; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.  

       Here's another verse that convicts me personally to live a life free of fear and shame. It's a very popular verse that many followers of Jesus have taken as their personal testimony. However, when things happen it's sometimes hard to stand by our convictions. Remember, if you don't stick to your values and beliefs while tested, they are not values or beliefs, they're hobbies. 

Romans 1:16 -For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

Are we an ashamed people? Are we afraid to stand up for Christ? Think about what you just a read over the next week and look for ways in which you can stand up and not be ashamed. Again, never forget the words of Luke in Acts, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent!" Thanks for reading! -Maddie 

How to Fight your Battles

Everyone you see is struggling with something. Weather its a relationship, money, friendship, physical/chronic pain, loss of a loved one, self-worth, ect... we all hide our struggles differently. But its all about how you act when you go through them. During times of hardship a lot of people fall into depression. The estimated amount of people who have depression in the world is 350 million. That is a lot of people who struggle with depression. People who have hard times going though trials often feel like they are alone, that no one understand what they are going through.

Well I'm going to tell you a secret.....

you are not alone

there is someone who has felt all of the emotions that you have ever felt in your life

plus everyone else that has ever lived

and he did it all because he loves you

and everyone else in the world

if you were the only person left on the earth, he would come back and pay the price again just for you.

his name is Jesus.

He lived a perfect life. Always serving others and teaching the gospel to everyone he met, if not by words then by actions. He died for me, you, and everyone else who has ever lived. He did it because you and me are imperfect humans. He willingly volunteered to die for the whole world so that we can have eternal life. He bled from every pore, was nailed to a cross, spit upon, and was despised by many.

But he did nothing to deserve it.

But he did it anyways because he loves us.

God only put us though things we can handle. And whenever we fall, he is always there to pick us up. And when we fall short, he still loves us. If he didn't then why would he send someone to suffer so much for us? He is always there 24/7. He will listen. Sometimes it may feel like you are talking to a brick wall. If it does, then talk out loud. If you fight all of you're battles on your knees, then you will ALWAYS come out a stronger, better person.

He is always there. The only question is will you be there?


- Ashley

Don't Follow Your Heart

"Follow your heart" 

We have all heard that phrase many times. We see it all over Pinterest and Instagram; we are constantly surrounded by people telling us to "Follow our heart". If I could only give someone one piece of advice, it would be: "DON'T FOLLOW YOUR HEART!"  Let's look at the first of many scripture verses in this post:  Jeremiah 17:9- "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"  Notice it says 'the heart is deceitful'. Our hearts can betray us. Our hearts are emotional, we need wisdom as well.

      As Christians, we shouldn't be following our heart, we should be following the convictions of the Holy Spirit.  1 Chronicles 16:11 says,  “Search for the LORD and for his strength; continually seek him.”

1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;”  This is saying that we do not belong to ourselves, therefore we should be following God's heart, not our own. For God has more wisdom than anyone can imagine.     

     Most teenagers hate depending on people. They don't like the idea of not being able to do things themselves (me included!) They want to be independent and make their own decisions. Read this quote by John Bevere, "When we invite the Holy Spirit into our decision making processes, He will ALWAYS bear witness through the peace of Christ Jesus."  While the overall first impression of following our heart sounds okay, it's not. Here's the tough truth: When you follow your own heart, it's saying that your priorities and what you want in life is higher than God's priorities and His will for you. Ouch. That kinda stings, but we often do just that, often without meaning to! Continuing off of that, By following our heart, we are turning against God and living a life self-focused instead of Christ-focused.

     Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Now this is not saying that God is a Genie and will grant you any wish you want. No, this verse is saying that if we truly delight in the Lord, what we will want is what God desires and wants for our lives. Remember, God wouldn't withhold something good from your life unless there is something better waiting for you.

     John 16:13 has a great message, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

When you place your trust in God, the Holy Spirit will guide you and help you with discernment and wisdom. 

     I know this post is getting long and I'm almost done. I feel very strongly on the topic of fully surrendering yourself to God and His wisdom so I want to help others the best I can. William Booth said this, "The greatness of a man's power is in the measure of his surrender." Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When we live by the convictions of the Holy Spirit and strive to do the will of God, IT WILL SHOW! Acts 1:8 stated that when we have the Holy Spirit we will be witnesses to the people around us. And as followers of Christ (not our own hearts and desires) being examples and living a life as a testimony to God is something we should all strive to do. Your life is your ministry. Thanks so much for reading this post! Remember that while we see only a part of a simple sketch of our lives, God sees a mural full of paint and color. He knows what's best, lean on Him and trust Him with everything. -Maddie

What Defines Our Worth?

This is one of my favorite poems. It is by Erin Hanson. Not only is it one of my favorites, it has popped up in my life over 7 times in the past 3 days, between social media and Pinterest. So I concluded that it was a prompt from God to write about this topic. -Maddie

      The big question is "What defines our worth?"  That question is a very very very important question to know the answer to. This poem talks about our worth, how it's not surface level. It says that we need to look within. First lets talk about what our worth is NOT found in. Girls, our worth is not found in what people think of us. Our worth is not found in our appearance. 1 Samuel 16:7b says, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Our worth is not found in our popularity, or how many followers/friends we have. Our worth is found in God. Only God can give us our worth. NOTHING ELSE CAN. "The number of followers we have does not make you better than anyone else. Hitler had millions, Jesus had 12."

        As girls, we often feel the need to prove our worth to the world. However, this doesn't make one bit of sense. Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

We don't need to prove our worth to the world, because the world can not add one ounce of worth to our lives. Our worth can only found in Christ. 

       So when you are feeling looked down upon by others, or feeling worthless, don't feel that way! Why? Because your worth is not defined by human standards.  Your worth is defined by Christ Jesus.

 Always remember this:  

"Your value doesn't decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth."