By: Chris V It's so hard to believe it's only a few days until we reach December! (And only 27 more days until Christmas!) For me, I know that I can easily lose sight of the reason for the season (Jesus Christ) with all of the stress and busyness that comes with the Christmas season. Can you relate? That's why we made a (free!) December Bible Reading plan (which can be found, downloaded, and printed out below). Regularly reading your Bible can keep your heart and mind more focused on Christ, so I want to challenge you to set aside some time each day to get into God's Word and spend time just focusing on Him. No phone. No interruptions or demands. Just time with God. Read each section in your Bible (shown on the sheet) for each day of the month. I hope you take some time during this holiday season to reflect, rest, and celebrate Jesus's birth, death, and resurrection for all of us because of our sin. Dig deep into the reason for this holiday season!
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By: Chris V Sometimes, it's really hard to feel thankful. (Especially when everything this year seems to have gone wrong!) It's definitely not easy to "Give thanks always..." like the Bible commands us to in Ephesians 5:20 when things aren't going the way we want them too and/or are going through various trials in our lives. But we want to follow commands that the Bible tells us, right? God has blessed us with so many things: each day we live, the technology you're using to read this post right now, and most importantly His grace, mercy, and love He has shown us by sending His Son Jesus into the world to take the punishment (God's wrath) that we deserve for sin. (To learn more about this, check out this article by John Piper here.) So how can we portray our thankfulness for what we have? How can we possibly become more thankful for the things around us? Check out the four ideas below: 1. Pray A Prayer of Thanks Praying to God and thanking Him for what He has provided and given you is a great way to give thanks and praise to God! We see David do this throughout the Psalms. One of my favorite Psalms to read/ pray to God is Psalms 138, where David thanks God and praises Him for the faith, strength, and provision he (David) has. I highly encourage you to read this psalm this Thanksgiving, along with Psalms 136 and Philippians 4. 2. Make A List of Five Things You're Thankful For This is one thing I do every day to try to keep my mind and heart thankful. I have a notebook that I write down five new things I'm thankful for each day in, and overall, it has made me thankful for the people, places, and things God has given me. After I'm done writing down five things I'm thankful for, I pray over those five things and thank God for them. 3. Thank others for what they do Are you thankful that your mom makes dinner for you, or that someone helped you with difficult work? Maybe for the person working the drive-thru at Chick-fil-a? Tell them thank you! (And be sure to thank God for that person He put in your life too!) 4. Be ThankFul For The Little Things It sometimes seems easier to be thankful for only the big things, right? Things like a new car, family members, and somewhere to live are all amazing things we definitely should be thanking God for! But what about the smaller things we often take for granted in everyday life, like each breath that God gives you (Ezekiel 37:5, Job 33:4). Thank God for all the small (and big) things in your daily life! Give Thanks And Praise To God this Thanksgiving. Psalms 150:6 says "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!". One way we can praise the Lord in our daily lives is through giving thanks to Him for the blessings He has given us. Take a moment to pray and thank Him for the blessings and people He has put in your life.
We want to hear from you! What are five things you are thankful for? What are other ways you can be more thankful in everyday life? Tell us in the comments section below! By: Chris V One of the ways I LOVE to serve the body of Christ is by sharing the gospel with others! Sharing the gospel is an important part of the Christian life because it allows others to hear about the good news, our hope Jesus Christ. The Bible even commands us to share the gospel in Mark 16:15 (NIV): "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation". How exactly do we proclaim God's Word to the world? One way we can do that is through evangelism, which, according to Dictionary.com, is "The preaching or promulgation of the gospel...". So, how exactly can we evangelize in our day to day lives? Check out these five ideas below: 1. Share The Gospel With a Friend Sharing the gospel with a friend is an incredible way to share your faith (and for them to get to know you!). Now, some of you may be thinking, "Wait Chris! What if my friend doesn't want to be friends anymore once they find out I'm a Christian?" or "What if I'm not popular after this friend tells other people I'm a Christian?" If we were having coffee together right now, I would pull out my Bible and turn to John 15:18-19, which says "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you...but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you". This verse may not sound super encouraging at the moment, but let me ask you a question: is your friend and/or popularity more important than your faith and love for Jesus Christ? Is it worth denying Jesus, your Savior to "fit in" with the people around you? (Check out Peter's story about denying Jesus in Luke 22:54-62.) I don't think fleeting popularity is worth it- do you? 2. Speak Up In Class If you're like me, speaking up in class to share your faith in Christ may be a bit terrifying! Don't worry- God's with you every step of the way! Joshua 1:9 (NIV) tells us "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go". If something said in class goes against what the Bible says, speak up! Share your faith in Christ with your class! One "classic" example of this is when learning about things like evolution and/or the big bang theory in science class. Oftentimes, you hear of students speaking up about their faith and how they believe how the world was created as told in the Bible (Genesis 1-2). I think that there's nothing wrong with that- it brings glory to God! Keep in mind, though, to respect your teacher and other authorities when doing so (Romans 13:1-2). 3. Hand Out Tracts To Others While this idea can be a bit awkward, it is definitely worth it! Sharing the gospel with complete strangers is BY FAR one of my favorite ways to evangelize. One of the number one things I hear from other people is that they have no idea what to say. Don't worry- the Holy Spirit has your back! In Luke 12:11-12 (NIV), we're told "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say". One final thing: safety is key. When sharing the gospel, make sure you're doing so with a group of others. Also, ask your parents before doing this and make sure they are comfortable with you talking to complete strangers. 4. Invite Others To Church And/Or Your Youth Group Taking someone to church/ youth group with you is a great way for them to hear the gospel! That person will also be able to see what it's like in a Christ-centered community, and may be curious to learn more! (Note: Be prepared to answer questions about why you do things like communion, pray, etc.) 5. Follow God's Commands We are told actions speak louder than words- and that can sometimes be true! When you follow and obey God's commands in the Bible, you are glorifying Him and modeling what Christ looks like. When you avoid sinful activities that go against God's Word, people may start wondering what's up and what makes you different from others. (And that's a good thing!) You have incredible opportunities to share your faith with others just by the way you act. It may open doors to share your faith with unbelievers! Pray For Courage Sometimes, evangelism isn't the easiest thing to do- in fact, it can be quite terrifying! Don't listen to that fear! Go to God- He promises to be with you and give you the strength you need (Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 28:7). Be like the believers in Acts 5, where they pray "And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness" (Acts 5:29). This week, I want to challenge you to pray for courage to share the gospel with others. Who knows? God may use you to bring someone to Him through Christ!
We'd love to hear from you! What are some other ways you can evangelize to others this week? Tell us in the comments below! By: Julianna Driving to church the other night, I found myself mesmerized by passing windows. Intact glass. Buildings that stood undamaged, reflecting the evening sunset. There was something almost creepy about how normal everything looked. Around every corner, I was expecting to see the burned-out remains of an apartment, or shattered glass and disheveled siding of an office building.
Tuesday morning, I logged into my computer to start my communications job for Horizons, an international ministry to Muslims headquartered in Beirut. About an hour in, a coworker messaged the team and asked if any of us had been paying attention to the Middle East staff chat. A few minutes later, my messages starting blowing up with pictures, videos, and long strings of Arabic punctuated by emojis. That morning, 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut’s port, killing 154, injuring over 5,000, and leaving 300,000 Lebanese and Syrian refugees homeless. Over the course of the week, I found myself immersed night and day in the event as our ministry scrambled to put together a relief effort, communicate with donors, and publish the hundreds of pictures, videos, and testimonies coming in from our staff on the ground. Though 6,754 miles away, the explosion felt close to home. These were my brothers and sisters and coworkers in Lebanon, Charbel, Samir, Rezan, Boutros, Patil, people who’s stories I’d read, pictures I’d seen, and a few of whom I’d met over online conference meetings. Now, they found themselves caught amidst shattered glass, rushing a dying brother from hospital to hospital, and getting desperate calls from traumatized children wondering where dad was. They were on the streets, handing out sandwiches to the homeless and wounded, cooking up hot meals, and opening up damaged ministry centers to homeless Muslims. I was on the verge of tears most of yesterday morning as I sorted through photos and a story sent in from a field worker. The blackened buildings, lines of motor bikes with injured weaving their way to the hospital, and helpless victims covered in glass and blood were too close to home … too unexplainable … too heavy. And yet, there was beauty as Christians stand in the gap and bring Christ’s love to lost and hurting people as they have throughout all of history. I still smile as I imagine grandfatherly Samir waltzing into a Beirut bakery, boldly sharing the gospel, and finding himself with 1,000 loaves of free bread to contribute to the sandwich project. I write today not to make a point but to ask a question: “How do we respond when something so tragic happens to brothers and sisters in Christ, and yet life goes on as normal here?” I’m not arguing that I should feel guilty that I’m not there helping to clean up the rubbish. That’s not where God has me. Right now God has me here, in my little country town in Colorado. The people God has sent me to minister to aren’t trapped under buildings and dying from glass injuries. They’re neighbor girls, middle-school church kids, and teenage girls who just as desperately need to know and live out the gospel as Muslims in Beirut. I write today not to make a point but to ask a question: “How do we respond when something so tragic happens to brothers and sisters in Christ, and yet life goes on as normal here?” I’m not arguing that I should feel guilty that I’m not there helping to clean up the rubbish. That’s not where God has me. Right now God has me here, in my little country town in Colorado. The people God has sent me to minister to aren’t trapped under buildings and dying from glass injuries. They’re neighbor girls, middle-school church kids, and teenage girls who just as desperately need to know and live out the gospel as Muslims in Beirut. Yet, the explosion has given me a bigger picture. “Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?” (Amos 3:6). God is doing something so much larger in the global church, larger than a devastating blast, larger than politics infringing on freedoms, larger than my life problems that can seem so big at the time. Even through tragedy, He is at work glorifying Himself. Christ be magnified, Julianna P.S., if you are interested in learning more about the relief work Horizons is putting together, you can read more about it here. It has been amazing to see the global church come together to support relief! This post originally appeared on Julianna's blog, Whole Hearted, at https://juliannawrites.blog/2020/08/08/shattered-glass-stories-and-sandwiches/ By: Chris V Nowadays, finding good, solid, Christian friends can be hard. It's tough not to want to go straight to the first person who seems interested in being your friend! (Trust me- I've been there.) But did you know that it's super important to choose good friends? Choosing the right friends during the middle school, high school, and college years is a crucial part of your life that can affect your lifestyle and relationship with God. Why Should I Find Solid Christian Friends? Sometimes, we wonder why it's important to become friends with solid Christian believers. First Corinthians 15:33 tells us "Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals". Think of this example: have you ever stood on a platform? Have you ever been pulled down from a platform? If you have, you'll know it's a lot easier to be pulled down from the platform by a person than to pull a person up onto a platform! It works the same way with your friends: it's a lot easier to be pulled into some of the habits, whether good or bad, your friends have rather than pulling them into your habits. For example, if you have a friend who parties a lot, chances are you'll get stuck in the same habit (and possibly a lot of trouble!). On the other hand, when you find a Christian friend, there's more of a chance that you'll be going to church, reading your Bible, and fellowshipping with other believers more often. What is a Good Friend? When you think of a good friend, what do you think of? Maybe you think of someone who sticks by your side no matter what, or someone who you stay up late talking to while sharing secrets and snacks. But when we look at the Bible, what is a good friend? According to Proverbs 27:9 says "Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of the friend comes from earnest council". We are also told in Proverbs 27:6 that "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy". A good friend will be honest with you for your good, even if it might hurt a little. Also, we see in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 to "...encourage one another and build one another up...". Not only will a good friend point out things that may be harmful to your Christian walk, but they will also encourage you! Finally, in Proverbs 17:17, we're told that "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity". This verse shows that a good friend will stick with you through everything out of love. These are just a few of the examples of what the Bible says a good friend is; check out your Bible to find more! (I recommend starting with the friendship of David and Jonathan, which can be found in 1 Samuel 18:1-5 and 1 Samuel 20.) The True Friend You may know my best friend in my life, and he may even be your best friend too: Jesus! John 15:15 tells us "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you". Our fully God and fully human Friend laid down His life for us so we could have salvation from sin, which is one of the greatest things you can do for a friend (John 15:13). But that's not the end of the story! Jesus also rose from the dead, conquering death and and showing that God has power over death. (You can read the full story in Matthew 26-28, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, and John 18-21.) If you haven't yet, I hope you'll get know Jesus through salvation!
To learn more about knowing Jesus, check out what Unlocked, a teen outreach of the Keys for Kids Ministries, has to say here. We'd love to hear from you! Do you have a good friend? What are some of their qualities? Tell us in the comments below! By: Chris V I love to read; one of my favorite activities during the summer is knocking out a very long reading list! Sometimes, though, finding books to read that are pure and God-honoring can be hard! So, I've made a list of five Christian books I love to read over and over again that have challenged me and brought me closer to God (and make great additions to summer reading lists). Enjoy! 1. Girl Defined By Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird In today's culture, finding out how to live God's design for womanhood can be tricky! Girl Defined is an amazing book that goes over God's design for women and what a successful woman looks like in God's eyes. It also goes over God's design and purpose for femininity. Pick up a copy from your library or on Amazon here. 2. Lies Young Women Believe By Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth and Dannah Gresh Have you ever believed a lie? (I know I have tons of times!) In the book Lies Young Women Believe, Nancy and Dannah go over twenty-five commonly believed lies among Christian young women, ranging from lies about God to lies about your future. The book also goes over how to combat the infinite amount of lies Satan throws at us. Get a copy from your library or on Amazon here. 3. Loved Defined By Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird Are you single or in a relationship and struggling to navigate your love life? Then this book is for you! Love Defined unpacks God's design for romance and has biblical truths in every chapter to help relationships (and future relationships) put God first. Check out the book on Amazon here or at your local library! 4. Backwards Beauty By Jessie Minassian This culture is full of lies about beauty, from body size to eating habits. In Backwards Beauty, Jessie goes over ten lies teen girls are most likely to believe about beauty in today's culture. (Along with this book, I encourage you to check out the Dove model evolution video here.) Get a copy to read on Amazon here or from your local library. 5. Let's Be Real by Natasha Bure In this book, Natasha Bure goes over living a real and honest life. From faith, to guys, to conviction, Let's Be Real is full of tips on living an open, real, God-glorifying life. Check out this book from your library or on Amazon here. We want to hear from you!What are some of the books on your reading list for summer? Let us know in the comments below!
By: Guest Blogger~ Kylie Odetta Hi guys! I'd like to thank Kylie Odetta and her wonderful manager, Lori Hinze for sharing this story of hope during a time full of fear and anxiety. If you're struggling with depression and anxiety, I highly encourage you to tell a trusted adult and check out the resources at the bottom of the post. I hope you guys enjoy Kylie's hope-filled story (and be sure to also check out her video at the bottom of the post)! - Chris V :) Two years ago I found myself sitting on the curb in the back of a restaurant parking lot… numb, lifeless, feeling like I’d rather die. I had driven there to meet my parents for lunch but I couldn’t even bring myself to walk inside because I couldn’t fake it anymore. I couldn’t muster up enough energy to face another human being and chat like everything was normal. My parents eventually came outside looking for me and found me sitting there - a shell of myself with no hope, no life in my eyes. They practically carried me into the car and drove me home as I wept. You see, by the time I reached this moment, for three months I had been battling crippling, debilitating, soul sucking, identity stealing, anxiety, in the form of intrusive thoughts. Nowhere was safe because even my own mind, my inner world, was against me. I felt like I couldn’t escape and the more I focused on trying to rid myself of this anxiety, these demons in my mind, the more intensely I suffered. Slowly, I lost my confidence, my hope, my identity, my sanity, my personality. But my story doesn’t stop in the depths of the dark. When we got back to the house that day, I opened up to my parents about the extent of what I’d been going through and my journey to healing began. I went to a therapist, I did my own research on cognitive behavioral therapy, I went to different ministry nights, I prayed and I begged God for help, but I didn’t feel like I was making progress. I would have a few hours of distraction and then everything would come rushing back. I had experienced anxiety for most of my life but didn’t necessarily know how to describe what I was feeling. I had also followed Jesus for most of my life but didn’t really understand the extent of his power and ability to save until I came face to face with hopelessness. The end of my ability to save myself had been reached and so in an effort that felt like “this is my last shot”, I clung to the words of God - praying that He wouldn’t let me down but feeling like in some ways maybe He already had. On a retreat of sorts, at a close family-friend’s ranch in North Carolina, I vaguely shared what was going on with my friend, Joy. She gave me the advice to speak the word of God out loud over myself every morning and as many times a day as I needed. She believed that the power of life and death was in the tongue - that declaring the truth over myself and pleading the blood of Jesus over my mind would begin to replace the lies and thoughts I currently lived in, until I saw myself as strong and free again. This practice of retraining or “renewing your mind” through positive affirmations and in this case, scripture, is biblical, it is scientific, and it seemed worth a try. When I first said those few timid words out loud, I felt silly but desperate. As I began to do this more and more, day after day, week after week, I noticed something within me changing. The words “I was not given a spirit of fear but I spirit of power and love and sound mind” repeated out of my mouth so many times a day that I lost count. The words “Rejoice! Again, I say to you rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident for the Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything but in everything present your requests to God and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” became my heart’s cry. But none of these words would hold any authority to be claimed as true or possible for me to believe if I didn’t trust who said them. God is someone I think a lot of people are afraid to talk about in culture today because people are afraid to have different opinions and beliefs. I will admit that even I have felt that way before, many times. But the simple fact is that my story is not complete or full of redemption without Him. The way I see it, all of creation: skies, oceans, birds, volcanoes, complex humans… it points and shouts and dances towards a creator. It’s wild that we’re here in the first place and so in my mind, for a God in which everything is possible, raising a man from the dead is surely possible too. The ripple effect that this one man, Jesus, had and still has on the earth and culture today is too massive to be dismissed. Therefore, if God is real and resurrection is possible and the widespread imprint He has made on the world is any case for believing, He might be able to be trusted, He might be who he really says he is. Now, the reason I believe in Him goes beyond this and is coupled with the very personal experiences I have encountered with Him through this battle with anxiety and throughout the course of my life. So to continue the story… I had enough faith to try out his spoken word over my life and as I replaced untruth with truth, I was able to face the thoughts and anxieties in my mind. I was able to watch my body and my spirit rise up to meet the beautiful truths that He spoke over me. I was able to “take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ”. I literally would mentally wave hello and goodbye to my crazy thoughts, accepting that they would come and then that they would go. I was only able to do this because I no longer feared that they were true. What anxiety does is it latches onto a thought and then spins that thought into oblivion because it is afraid of it. When I started to lose my fear because I knew who I really was as a strong, confident, surrounded, fought for, and victorious daughter of God, I was able to overcome what had crippled me. But let me assure you that my progress was not linear. It did not come in a perfect moment of relief but rather a long, daily battle, of fighting to hold on to the truth and to my identity in God. A moment along the way to restoration that I remember vividly was when I was sitting with my head in my hands during a worship song and God gave me a vision of hope. I was running in a field and I was running as fast as I could go but there was a thick, black, roiling, cloud of darkness, following closely behind. It was about to catch up to me and overtake me when I tripped, thinking this is the end. Instead, Jesus was all of the sudden at my side, picking me up and pushing my back, helping me run the rest of the way. As we ran together, him supporting my every step, the darkness could never reach us. I saw all of this and heard the simple statement “run after me”. I share this vision to tell you that I, Kylie Odetta, could not save myself on my own. But with the absolute help and saving grace of Jesus, his closeness, his truth, his power given to me - I was able. He has already overcome death and every demon, darkness, anxiety, or depression that we could ever face. He has given us the victory over them as well. This vision was a major anchor for me in my fight and it is indeed a fight. Our part, my part, was and still is to stay in the fight, stay in the race, and allow the God of this universe to fight alongside me and on my behalf when I can’t seem to take another step. When we fight, we can’t lose. My new song “Roots & Petals” is the first one that I wrote as I was coming out of this battle with anxiety. It still rings true. It’s about the fight for life, for joy, for peace. We all grow weary, none of us exempt or alone in our suffering, yet each of our lives is worth living. Looking back I am able to see ashes traded for beauty and I just want whoever is reading this to know that whatever battle you are facing - there truly is hope. Anxiety and depression and abuse don’t get to mark you for the rest of your life. Your mind is entirely retrainable in it’s patterns. It’s magnificent and it’s my very own testimony. 2 years later and although moments of anxiety may pop up, I am living confidently, empowered, and anxiety free in Christ. My therapist explained our thought patterns as marbles being dropped onto a tall pile of sand… over time, after dropping a marble in the same spot for so long, a path is created. For me, I had been creating pathways for anxiety my entire life until they almost sent me over the edge. But although it can be difficult and it often takes time, new pathways can be created. We can replace the lies with the truth, the fears with courage, the doubts with faith. And when our thoughts turn into thorns, as sometimes they will, we must know deep in our bones who we are: strong, loved, well-able, children of God. We hold the power to overcome anything because of a God who has proven his love for us, a God to whom everything is possible. Xoxo Kylie Odetta www.kylieodetta.com P.S. - No matter what you face, know that you are wanted here. There are people who love you, a God who cares deeply for you, and an inner strength that you have yet to discover. There is also absolutely no shame in seeking help. Please reach out to a loved one or a healthcare professional if you need to. Your life is worth living. Check out Kylie's story behind her song "Roots & Petals" here: If you're struggling with thoughts of anxiety and depression, we recommend calling:
By: Chris V Over the last few weeks, countries have gone into quarantine because of Covid-19. Schools, businesses, churches, and cities have shut down to avoid spreading the virus. If you're anything like me, you may be kind of bored by now and ready to do something! So, here's a list of six screen-free ideas to pass the time under quarantine! 1: Read Your Bible Sometimes, it's hard to find time to get into God's Word in this busy culture. But if we don't get into the Word, how do we learn about God and how He wants us to live our lives? Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work". Not only that, but Matthew 4:4 says, "But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God'". We need the Bible to help guide our lives God's way (Psalm 119:105). Try getting into the Bible while you're stuck at home! Start from the beginning (Genesis) or choose a book of the Bible to read through! 2: Bake Some Treats Yesterday, I made a pan of brownies with shredded coconut on top! (Check out the recipe here.) There's so many great things you can bake, like cookies and muffins (if you're able to get ingredients from the store). Look through some cookbooks to get ideas. Bonus points: Make something with your family! The culture is often busy; we sometimes don't see our family members as often as we should (considering most of your immediate family is in your house)! While your family is stuck in the house, make the most of your time together. Trust me, it's worth it! 3: Read A Book Books are a great way to pass the time! Even though your local library may be closed, check out different bookshelves around the house! (You could even read a few magazines.) Try reading some Christ focused books! Some suggestions I recommend are Crushed: Why Guys Don't Have To Make Or Break You by Jessie Minassian, Let's Be Real by Natasha Bure, or Lies Young Women Believe and The Truth That Sets Them Free by Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth and Dannah Gresh. These books talk about problems that us teen girls struggle with, and are focused on the gospel. Try reading a book today! 4: Do A Craft There's something exciting about doing a craft. Folding paper into a swan, using paints to make a landscape dream, creating a card to give to a family member or friend... there's so many things you can do! For me, crafting is also a stress-relieving activity. Over the last few days, I've tried to knit a headscarf using red yarn. Maybe you could try a craft too! Check out some DIY crafts here. 5: Listen To Christian Podcasts/Music The Bible commands us to focus on "...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8). Shouldn't we want to listen to listen to Christ-centered stuff encourage us to focus on Him? There's tons of Christ-centered podcasts to listen to out there! (You can listen to ours here.) A few good ones are Revive Our Hearts with Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth, Ask Pastor John with John Piper, and 30 Minutes With The Perrys with Jackie Hill Perry and her husband Preston Perry. If you're more into music than podcasts, that's okay! Try listening to this Christian playlist on Spotify. 6: Take A Walk It's no fun being stuck inside, so spend some time out in God's beautiful creation! Take a moment to look at God's creatures, trees, and rivers. (You could even go out in your yard at night to look at the stars!) Be sure to keep the social distancing recommendations (6 feet) when passing by other people to avoid getting and spreading the Coronavirus. With social distancing in mind, enjoy the outdoors and fresh air! We'd love to hear from you! What have you been doing while under quarantine? Do you have any activities that people could do at home? Leave ideas in the comments below!
By: Chris V Lately, whenever I turn on the news or look at social media, I see stories about Covid-19 (a.k.a. Corona virus). There are people that are currently worried about this new virus. Lots of Christian are wondering how to respond to this outbreak. Are you? I know I have! Let's take a look at what God's Word, the Bible, has to say: But First... Before we look at how to respond to Covid-19, lets take a look at what it is. You may be thinking something along the lines of, "Why? It's a disease that seems to come from nowhere." While that's true, there's something the Covid-19 also is: the result of sin. Remember in the beginning of the book of Genesis where Adam and Eve sinned? Genesis 3:8-11 says, "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”'. Eve had been deceived by the serpent, who twisted God's words into a lie. That resulted in Adam and Eve eating the fruit from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This brought sin into the world, which brought brokenness, sickness, and death. Covid-19 is one of the results of the Fall in the Garden of Eden, along with murder, stealing, other types of viruses and disease... the list goes on and on. The good news is, Jesus came to conquer sin and death through dying on the cross! Revelations 21: 1-4 says, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more... And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning , nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away"'. Jesus's death on the cross took on God's wrath that was meant for us, and Jesus conquered death and sin by rising from the dead on the third day (see Matthew 26-28, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, and John 18-20). That means everyone who believes in Him will get to spend eternity with Him in heaven, and as the promise in Revelation says, there will one day be a new heaven and earth without sin and death! The epidemic of Covid-19 won't last forever (like any other virus). It will one day be gone, like the rest of the results of sin. How Should We Respond? Throughout the ordeal, you may not know where to turn. (Some sources of media may not be the best source to get your news from. For news about Covid-19, check out the CDC and the World Health Organization.) But, there is always someone you can turn to, no matter what: God. God cares about you! First Peter 5:7 says "Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you". Another verse tells us that, " Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). Cast your fears and anxiety on the Lord, whether it's about Covid-19, school, or anything else! God cares about whatever it is, and He will give you peace. Also, we should trust God through this! Psalm 62:8 says, "Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us". God is our refuge at all times; He knows what He's doing. There is nothing that is out of His control. God's Got You Even when the world feels out of control, God's still in control. He knows everything that's going on; His plan is perfect. Matthew 6:34 says,"Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble". We don't need to be in fear of Covid-19 because God's got everything under control; it's under His Soverienty (That doesn't mean there won't be sickness and death during this time of trial; John 16:33 says, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."). Instead of having fear about Covid-19, trust that God has everything in control, and cast your fears on Him.
For more on this topic, check out what John Piper has to say on Ask Pastor John here. What are some ideas you have to help others while places are shut down (babysitting, shopping for someone, etc.)? Share in the comments below! By: Chris V Recently, the blog for A Message for Christian Girls made a top ten Christian girls' blog list. As I looked through the list, I noticed several of my favorite blogs. After seeing the list, I realized that I should share more Christian girl resources with you guys (you can find some here too). So, here's my top four favorite Christian Girl blogs (in no specific order): 1: Lies young Women Believe (LYWB) This blog goes through - you guessed it! - lies us teen and college girls believe. I love how each blog post is super encouraging for whatever season of life you're going through, from relationships to devotion time. The blog posts are writing by older Christian women who even write about things that they have gone though and what they've learned over the years. The blog also points back to the Bible, what God says, and the freedom you can find in Christ through salvation. (Check out John 3:1-21 and Luke 22-24!) Check out the blog here! 2: Girl Defined The Girl Defined blog is filled with concepts that point to being a Godly woman and God's design for women. Bethany and Kristen pull from their own life experiences and thoughts to write about things that girls of all ages struggle with, like modesty, guys and media. They also take guest blogs, which gives you insight on the Christian life through some of the reader's experiences. The blog mainly focuses on relationships: how to stay pure in a relationship (take a look at 1 Corinthians 6:18-20. Staying pure in a relationship is important!), how to have God-glorifying relationships, etc. Try reading a few of their blog posts here. 3: Ask Jessie Do you ever have questions about a topic? Maybe how to deal with a guy, get along with an annoying family member, how to have a great relationship with God, etc. This blog is a Q & A, full of questions answered by Jessie Minassian, author of Crushed: Why Guys Don't Have To Make Or Break You. Not only might she answer a question you submit, she also answers other girls' questions too! If you have a question about something, check some of the other posts to get a possible answer! Check out the blog here. Why is it important to listen to the wisdom of older women? Titus 2:4-5 says that older women should "...train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled". There's so much you can learn from older women! 4: Dannah's Blog I was super excited when I found out that Dannah Gresh had a blog, which you can find here. While some posts are more geared towards moms, there are some posts that us teen girls should definitely read. Some of these posts talks about sexual purity, which is big in today's culture. The Bible commands us to "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body" (1 Corinthians 6:18). Another thing the blog talks about is modesty, which is another big thing in today's culture. I definitely recommend her blog; it's a good read! What do you think? Yep, there are a LOT of awesome Christian girl blogs out there, so I could have totally missed something! What do you guys think? Are there any blogs I missed? What are your top four? I'd love to know! Share in the comments below!
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