Things that make me go "Ugh!"
Sunburn On Your Soul
Summer is coming and the temps are rising. As the sun comes out so does the sunblock- well at least for those of us who are smart enough to pull it out. I am sadly not one of those people… Recently I was at a car wash for a friend from 10:30 in the morning until 5 in the evening, and you guessed it I did not wear sunblock all day! Worst mistake.
Two weeks later and I am still molting like a snake.
Sunburns are a painful fact of a bad decision. A decision not to protect our delicate skin. As I was sitting is service feeling like a lobster and burning up a thought crossed my mind… Sin is like a sunburn on our souls….
Here are the 3 basics to obtaining and healing a sunburn on your soul.
1. Sin the Sunburn
At first being outside in the sun is all fun and games. You dont feel like your burning and you continue on like there is nothing wrong with the fact that you are frying like a french frie. Much like sin. In the midst of sin you feel pleasure. In the moment its nice, seems fun and you dont always see the damage happening on the surface. It is not until after the fun has ended that you realize, “Hey! I hurt!” Just like sin. We enjoy the ride but trip down the steps when trying to deboard the train.
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 1 Corinthians 15:56 (NIV)
It is the law of God not to sin and when we do it leaves a scare on our souls. The sting of death. The pain of a sunburn.
2. The Bible the Aloe Vera
How do we heal a sunburn? The most common way of soothing a sunburn is Aloe Vera. Applying helps pull out the heat and take away the sting. Just like the Bible. The Bible is our tool here on earth from God himself to teach ourselves the law and learn to walk in the path of Jesus. When we sin God tells us to forgive ourselves so he may forgive and repent in our way. Where do we learn this? The Bible! Our “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” Applying the Bible to our lives is like applying Aloe Vera to our sunburns. It pulls out the sting and shows the truth and helps us heal our ways.
May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. 1 Kings 8:58 (NIV)
3. Jesus the Sunblock
How do you prevent getting a sunburn in the first place? By wearing sunblock. Jesus is our sunblock to life. He protects and heals. We all know Jesus was sent by God to be perfect and to die on a cross for all of our sins. He protects our souls from our darkest faits. He loves us so much that we can journey away from wrong doing and protect our souls from burning. Use Jesus like you use sunblock. When you are in a hot situation apply him to yourself as a whole.
God so loved the world he sent his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have enternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and bask in his grace. He loves us and does not want to see us scare our souls. Be careful when you put yourself in the heat of things. And my friends as summer approaches take my word, and dont forget to apply your sunblock!
Always,
Deanna
This Means Life…
What does this mean to you? Old… Stale… Moldy…
For about 925 million people of the 6.8 billion that occupy this planet, this means life.
If you woke up healthy today you are luckier then 1 million people who will pass away this week. If you wake up to a roof over your head, clothes on your back and food in your belly, then you are more blessed then 75% of the world. If you are reading this message right now you are more privileged then 3 billion people who can’t.
As Americans it is so easy to take everything we have for granted. Most of us do not know what it is like to go hungry. Most of us do not not know how it feels to freeze overnight with no shelter. Most of us do not know what it is like to come down with even the common cold and not be able to get better because of malnutrition. For those of us Americans who do know how this feels we have put ourselves in that position by choice.
America is the land of opportunity. We are constantly handed things on silver platters and still think we have it bad. We do not realize that there is a very large world around us that suffers everyday. Not every homeless man has the choice to catch a bus and stay in a shelter. Not every child can go to a food bank and get a meal.
In other countries they are not given these alternatives. They must survive on the hope that things may be different some day. Sadly the hope that the life they live may not be very much longer…
What does this mean to you? Hope… Forgiveness… Resurrection..
For many this means life- Eternal life. A life that is never ending and to the fullest. It does not bring bread to the table but it brings hard working men who work for the bread. It does not put a roof over the heads of our families but it is a hedge of protection.
For many this is also a symbol of judgement. Hypocreicy, slander, and hate. This is the symbol of a “religion” that claims a Holy and Forgiving God with people who do not take a second glance at the dirty and the broken.
Instead of being a beakin of light, it is a road block at the end of the tunnel. Instead of being a compass pointing to peace it is a reminder of crime.
Why today do we use this a weapon? Why have we forgotten what took place on a hill just outside of Jerusalem? Is it no longer important? Is it that it no longer applies to us?
Has man sinned so much we have out-grown the capacity? Has man rotted the world down to the feeble core and dug a hole to deep to be filled? Is it that…
“No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (Acts 15:11 NIV)
We. Are. Saved.
Some live pay check to pay check- they cant afford to give away food. Some are mentally or physically ill and cannot work. But of the 34% (about) of believers, who prays for the weary everyday? Who shares God’s word and speaks with holy lips? Sixty-six percent of this world is spiritually famished and parched. They long for an answer.
Can you not give it to them?..
For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:15 NIV)
Take up your cross. Stop letting the world perish. Let it be a sign that the Lord our God is with us, wherever we go.
Love always,
Deanna
Taming Your Tongue- Guest Post from Nicole
Have you ever wished you never said or done something? If your like me, I do things like this all the time- even if I don’t realize it- and sometimes you can’t take it back. On the lucky occasion you can you should try to make it right. We should not need to make things right. We should try hard to not have to regret anything and sometimes it is challenging. Sometimes we do or say something without thinking, we end up regretting it in the end- either a few minutes later or a few years later- but eventually, regretting it none the less.
These things you regret are called sin. Sin is when you do something wrong in God’s eyes. Sometimes, when someone sins they believe God is no longer with them. Just because you sin does that mean that God is not with you anymore?
No! Jeremiah 51:5 says “The Lord God All-Powerful did not leave Israel and Judah, even though they were completely guilty in the presence of the Holy One of Israel.”
Even though they did wrong God was still with them. Sometimes when you sin you need God even more then you think. Go to God and ask for forgiveness. Admit your wrong doings and forgive yourself. If you try to say sorry and move on, but the world chooses not forgive, accept it. At least you went to God and asked for his forgiveness- which is what counts.
I know how hard it is to try to not say something. I will regret it in the end, especially when I know I was mad. I went from being an only child to having another adult, a ten year-old and a one and a half year-old in the house and having to share a bathroom with them. It was a hard transition, but so far I have lived almost seven months with them. I have said some things I have regretted but I have tried to think through a lot of things before I say them and I have prayed and asked God to help me. I have been getting better but I knew I needed to take the step and ask God to help me.
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech… 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)
If it wasn’t for God I would probably be regretting a lot of things I have wanted to say. It is hard to try to control what you want to say to people but you CAN help it. All you need is to pray and talk to God, friends that will support you, and you need to try.
Have a blessed week!
Nicole
Note from DJ
Holding our tongues proves to be a problem for everyone. Especially for teens. Its almost like second nature for us to talk back, “diss” people and not control what comes out our mouth.
It is important to control what you say. Hurting people with our words is not something God sent us to do. We cause pain and disrespect. When you find yourself caught in the middle speaking out, stop a moment and bite something. You will get weird looks- believe me- but you will keep yourself from hurting others.
Watch what you say this week. Keep a log of every time you catch yourself talking back, or being rude. At the end of the week go and see how much you almost said and how much trouble you saved yourself. Send in an email and let us know!
Overcoming My Ant Hills
Oh ya. You see it. Just sitting there, a coned shaped mound in the middle of your yard. You get an erge… you want to kick it. Blow it to pieces and watch the little bugs scury. Everyone knows the temptation. Its to hard to resist.
How many ants do you think are in there? 1,000?
Do you think they bite? (Ouch!)
They will just build another hill… More to kick in.
Ya! I’m gonna kick it.
WAIT! Hold your foot right there, now look again- this time I want you to think. Think real hard- your still thinking ‘kick’ I can hear it. Ease up. Its not just a pile of dirt, its a home. Individual little lives.
How do you think you would feel if some giant came up and kicked right through your life, and to make it worse, enjoyed doing it? It would not make any one person very happy. Think of this giant as temptation and that hill you want to crush is your life. Every little ant inside represents a piece of who you are. You see Bobby there, he is school, and Joe, thats family. The hill is the mold that holds it all together in one piece.
Everyday we are faced with temptation of all sorts. It rocks our worlds and it enjoys it.
At first, when we see temptation we think “Oh… that kind of looks fun.” Then we step in, enjoy it a little and keep going for more. When we come to a realize what we are doing, we are already in to deep and need help getting out. Its like seeing a bucket and testing whether or not your foot will fit- and you get stuck. You stomp around with the bucket wrapped around your ankle.
I am faced with so many temptations, and they are so hard to be strong through. OH! Like all those times I see the cute shoes at the store. Or when there is that last cookie in the cupboard. I even struggle with harder things, like lieing sometimes, and at one point, stealing. When I was a little girl I had a big battle with theft. I used to take things from all over. One time I even tried Target, but I got caught. Man oh man did I learn that lesson. I am glad I wasnt reported- I was only 6.
I, to this day, have not taken another thing. It is something I chose to ask forgiveness for and move past. God gives me mercy, and love and trust.
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” -Mathew 26:41 (NIV)
Thinking back on it now though, these are all things that could have hurt my life. Made my family and friends not trust me. Being banned from stores because of my criminal record.
Temptation will take the rug up under you and make you fall. It will not care, or choose to say sorry, only leave its consequences. I urge you to look at your ant hill. Overcome your giant and embrace the strength God will grant you to just walk away. Your flesh is weak (Romans 8:3) but God is all mighty. He has given you grace to flee temptation.
Do not take something fun at the moment, only to get your foot stuck in a bucket. Do not give in to an impulse, only to rebuild what has fallen.
Love Always,
Deanna
When Your Head Hurts, and You Wonder Why!
So that one thing is clear- I am not clumsy, I am only giving the floor a hug because people are always stepping on him.
Ok, so I lied. I am extremely clumsy, but hey a lot of people are- just in case you dexterous people do not know what I am talking about- Being clumsy is: lacking dexterity, nimbleness, or grace.
All of us have been in a situation where we have tripped on some uneven pavement, knocked over a glass of water while reaching for another object, and even running into a really clean door here and there. (You know who you are.) I have moments all the time. This past evening I was having fun with my family listening to music and dancing. I made an unwise decision, got down on my belly and started flipping around like a worm. Yes, I did the 1980′s “funk period” dance move and it did not end well. Today I am paying for my lack of common sense with a lump on my head and a headache. In case you cannot put two and two together this worm hit her head on the hardwood floor. Sometimes I doubt I will ever make it thru this life in one piece.
Being clumsy is nothing to be ashamed of, it happens to everyone. Some studies say that being clumsy affects social abilities, phyisical wellness and many other factors. I tend to disagree. Being clumsy is a characteristic of someones personality. This trait may one day help somebody they meet in the future. How so you may ask. Bumps and scares and bruises leave people wondering, wondering leads to questions and quetions lead to conversations. There is a reason you have a bruise on your knee, a cut on your finger and a lump on your head. The reason? Psh! Like I know, but what I think is, God has a plan for me to maybe one day accidently run into someone- in a clumsy fashion- and help them. It may even be that someone will run into this post and really need to hear about my being clumsy. Honestly, I have no idea. I am 100% sure though that God always has a plan or reason for all my mishaps.
And on my own, I’m so clumsy But on Your shoulders I can see I’m free to be me and You’re free to be You. -Francesca Battistelli
If you are someone who is clumsy, whether it be physicaly, or you are having a hard time in life. Always remember ‘though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.’ (Pslam 37:23-25 NIV)
You are likely to leave this world with a bunch of physical and emtional scares, but they paint a picture of who you were. Go out into this world and stumble down your path in God.
Love always,
Deanna
Wait Training
Are you ready to pump some iron?! Come break a sweat with my new 10 minute workout that will get you pumped and trim!
1. You will never feel better in your entire life! Guaranteed
2. I hope you know I am just kidding.
I do not have a new physical workout that will get you into shape for the beach this summer, but I do have a great new way to train yourself in- Purity.
1. Learn what purity is
2. Talk to an adult
3. Get into God’s word
What do we do today in a sex-aimped society? This weekend I attented a wonderful conference called Culture Rock. Culture Rock focuses on the main points of how teenagers should treat purity in a sex-aimped society. Now, I KNOW this is an extremely uncomfortable topic- remember though the welcome did mention some “embarassing moments”- but it is extrememly important. If you have never heard God’s word on sexual purity then please keep reading.
When I walked into Culture Rock Saturday I was not expecting anything that I heard. In most situations people are to shy to sit down and explain what purity is and why it is so important. One of my favorite things said was by an author and abstinence speaker, Greg Speck. His words of humorous wisdom were “Sex, oh my gosh sex. It is great! BUT teenagers, it is a gift and idea of God! Do not abuse it!” Yet, we do just that. We abuse sex. It was meant to be an emotional and physical bond between two happy people in a marriage. Not stupid kids running around thinking it is the coolest thing. Of these teens 8,000 will get a disease every 24 hours and 2,700 girls will get pregnant. One-third of these pregnancies will end in abortion. Only 5% is intented and the other 95% are a mistake. Think about it. Do you want to be just another statistic?
That boy who sits there and tells you he will love you if you “fill his needs” is only going to leave your side. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10) The bible is telling us that you are getting a very special thing taken from you.
I want to be clear, I am not judging anyone who is not a virgin anymore- it is not my goal. What you should know is that there is still an abundant amount of grace waiting at your door step if you choose to except it. For the next six weeks I ask you to join me and my reading of a book called Sex: It’s Worth Waiting For by Greg Speck. I will not be talking about purity in my posts for the next 6 weeks but I will be adding summaries of my reading and I ask you to either pick up the book yourself or just read my sum-ups. I cannot answer all your questions- afterall I am still so young myself- the best I can do is give you some personal perspective.
Wait until your married and I guarantee you will not regret it. Give it a shot, anything can happen.
Love always,
Deanna
Links:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/12457-teen-pregnancy/