The world seems so much more magical when it's cloudy/rainy, doesn't it?

THE DRESS IS BLUE AND BLACK NOW GO GET YOURSELF A LIFE PEOPLE

this is depressing

T-2hrs33min

Hey so here's my howrse account: TheGreenSaguaro

resist temptation

1. Be on your guard. Expect temptation. Benjamin Franklin was wrong when he said, “In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.” There’s at least one more certainty: temptation.
2. Hit back at temptation quickly. The biggest danger in temptation is entertain­ing it-wallowing in it and telling yourself how much fun evil is-instead of dealing with it. It’s like playing with a lion cub. It might be fun for a while, but it soon grows up, turns on you, and tears you to pieces. Notice that the account of Jesus’ tempta­tion in Matthew 4 seems to indicate that he responded to each temptation quickly ­as in immediately!
3. Submit to God. You are wise to get to your knees and submit control of the situation to God. It’s not enough to tum from the temptation-you must also tum to God. Tell him about your temptation and ask him for the help he is willing and able to offer: “Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).
4. Resist the devil. Once you recognize a temptation and ask God’s help in over­coming it, put your running shoes on and get out of there! Resist and rebuke the devil, and claim victory in the name of Jesus Christ.
5. Say thanks. And once God has helped you overcome, don’t forget to praise him for keeping his promise, because “he will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

(http://www.josh.org/resources/daily-devotional/todays-youth-devotional/)

James 4:7-10New Living Translation (NLT)

7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

""The Lord help us!" he soliloquised in an undertone of peevish displeasure, while relieving me of my horse: looking, meantime, in my face so sourly that I charitably conjectured he must have need of divine aid to digest his dinner, and his pious ejaculation had no reference to my unexpected advent."
-Wuthering Heights

This is my favorite quote from this book!

Gratitude to Old Teachers

Robert Bly

When we stride or stroll across the frozen lake,
We place our feet where they have never been.
We walk upon the unwalked. But we are uneasy.
Who is down there but our old teachers?

Water that once could take no human weight-
We were students then-holds up our feet,
And goes on ahead of us for a mile.
Beneath us the teachers, and around us the stillness.

1 Corinthians 13 New Living Translation (NLT)

Love Is the Greatest

13 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages[b] and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10 But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.

11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.[c] All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

even if we live the most influential lives this world has ever seen it's worthless without the right motive - love

love is bearing with one another and truly caring about them

Romans 1:16-17New International Version (NIV)

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[b]

This verse is talking about how we have to stand up for what we believe in so others can believe. Then v17 is about how we are saved - righteousness by faith.

NOTE:

"There are five distinct words here. When “affect” is accented on the final syllable (a-FECT),

 it is usually a verb meaning “have an influence on”: “The million-dollar donation from the industrialist

 did not affect my vote against the Clean Air Act.”

Occasionally a pretentious person is said to affect an artificial air of sophistication.

 Speaking with a borrowed French accent or ostentatiously wearing a large diamond ear stud 

might be an affectation. In this sort of context, “affect” means “to make a display of or deliberately cultivate.”

Another unusual meaning is indicated when the word is accented on the first 

syllable (AFF-ect), meaning “emotion.” In this case the word is used mostly by 

psychiatrists and social scientists—people who normally know how to spell it.

The real problem arises when people confuse the first spelling with the second: 

“effect.” This too can be two different words. The more common one is a noun: 

“When I left the stove on, the effect was that the house filled with smoke.” 

When you affect a situation, you have an effect on it.

Less common is a verb meaning “to create”: “I’m trying to effect a change in the way we purchase widgets.” 

No wonder people are confused. Note especially that the proper expression is not “take affect” but

 “take effect”—become effective. Hey, nobody ever said English was logical: just memorize it

 and get on with your life." (http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/affect.html)

The stuff in your purse? Your personal effects.

The stuff in movies? Sound effects and special effects.

“Affective” is a technical term having to do with emotions; the vast majority of the time the spelling you want is “effective.”

I want to cut layers into my hair without changing the length! #thestruggleisreal

Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:19

No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

1 John 4:12, NLT 

So if we love each other, the world will be able to see God through us. Life goals

Reposting this because of recent events (#HisNameWasZander, #HerNameWasLeelah)

I'm a Christian. I am not shamed for being a straight Christian girl. If someone tells me they're not straight (LGBTQ), I'm not going to treat them any differently, and I certainly won't shame them. I definitely don't agree with them, but they deserve the freedom that I have been given. Just because I eat meat doesn't mean that I hate on vegetarians. God calls us to love one another, and their sexuality is something that they can work out with Him on their own. It is not my place to judge. =)

And if people don't agree with my viewpoint, well, okay. I don't need everyone to agree with me, I just have to believe what I feel God wants me to.

ADDENDUM: It is my calling, however, to share the love of God with those who haven't had the opportunities that I have. I believe that relationships should be one guy and one girl, but again, it is NOT my place to convict or judge. But I will not hide my faith because another doesn't like it. It's about getting along with each other  and planting seeds so maybe one day everyone can experience the awesome hope that I do... ya know?

Forgot about this

I should probably explain why I keep posting little devo things.

It's because I often forget to do my devos, so by posting them on here, it make me actually have to think about it instead of just skimming the page. In addition, I always have a hard time finding ones that I like online (right now I use josh.org's daily youth one), so for anyone who wants it it's here =P

Just so y'alls know

Matthew 7:13-14(NIV)

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

I know this will be controversial, and I'm sorry, but it's in the Bible (Romans 1:16)

Jesus is the only way to heaven - there aren't any back doors or "Good People Free Passes". He died for us - imagine if God then let just anyone live eternally after all Jesus suffered. Our responsibility is to make sure everyone knows so that as many people as possible can be saved! God doesn't want anyone to die, so he's giving us grace and time to spread the good news. (1 Peter something)

OWL CITY CONVERSE

I was bored so I made myself some Owl City converse!

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

John 13:34, NLT

John 3:7-8
"...'You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind[e] blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

We aren't going to fit in here if we're truly born again. The world won't be able to figure us out! A man I respect very much once told a story (I don't remember if it's true, but it's certainly stuck with me!). He said that once their was a country that was stricken with poverty. The Christians of that country and the neighboring one got together and started a feeding system. The ruler was shocked by their actions and said, "They're not only feeding their own, but ours too! I hate them! They must go - it's my responsibility to do that!" (Paraphrased =P). So the citizens had no clue where the Christians had come from or where they had gone, but they had made such an impact on the citizens' lives that the country eventually pulled itself out of debt and poverty. That's our job - be so loving that we impact this world just by living.

#DIY Deodorant

So today I'm going to show y'alls how to DIY your deodorant. Now I know what you're thinking, "But I don't have any chemicals or any of that other science-y crap I saw the last time I looked up how to DIY my deodorant!" Two things. One, why are you googling diy deodorant in the first place (besides to find this awesome tutorial)? 0_o Two, that's okay - you don't need it!!

SO.

Materials:

• Deodorant
• Sharpie
• Your Fingers

Procedure:

• Take the deodorant in your hands. Examine it. Note its texture, shape, size, smell, temperature... You can even taste it if you want, although I don't recommend it.
• Next, uncap your Sharpie. Repeat the examination on the Sharpie.
• Peel the label off of the deodorant using Your Fingers. 
• Rub all that deodoresidue off. 
• Finally, decorate your deodorant with the Sharpie. Write, color, anything you want!
• Optional: Use many colors of Sharpie to  enhance the DIY experience!

When you're done, your final product should look something like this (sorry mirror image):

I'm in a minimalist mood, so mine just has the flower and the words "Anti Stink Stuff"

NOTE: In case you haven't realized, this tutorial is a joke. I don't own Sharpies or Secret or Your Fingers.

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. Proverbs 16:25

We need to follow God instead of our own perceived great ideas
We need to avoid sin
Truth is NOT relative

we are more than conquerors 

When Lorelai goes to the hospital with Christopher and Sherri...

ALL THE FEEELLLSSS

I plucked my eyebrows and they hurttt now

I'd never done it before I think I failed

This was a heart-shaped ring pop...
Now I think it's more the shape of my heart.

=(

JK! <3

1 John 2:1-6English Standard Version (ESV)

Christ Our Advocate

2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoeverkeeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

God:

• keeps his promises
• accepts Jesus' sacrifice instead of looking at our sin

We need to:

• not sin
• if we presume upon his grace, we are not truly saved
• walk with the fervor we had at our "conversion"

OMG

I SHARE A BIRTHDAY WITH SEBASTIAN STAN, WHO IS ONLY MY FAVORITE ACTOR EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I fangirled SOOO hard when I found out... It's not even funny!!

In honor of this momentous occasion, here's some pictures of him:

IHOP unexpectedly sang the birthday song to my sister and she turned bright red!!! It was super awesome!

other things:
krispy kreme gave her a free donut
dutch bros gave her a free coffee


and we sang a few times with awesome cake and ice cream =D

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEMON PANTS

John 1:10-13English Standard Version (ESV)

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[a] and his own people[b] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

God:

• came to our world
• we, his creation, didn't recognize him
• when we did we ignored him
• he had some who believed
• he gave them new life

Worship (a right response to God):

• receive him
• believe in his name
• be born of God
• confess with our mouth
• believe in our hearts that
• he is lord, as in master of a slave
• therefore, we are his slaves but we are bound by love

Money don't mean anything...
no I will never sell my soul for all the money all the money in the world

bananannanannaasssssssssss

And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of theLord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

Best friends!!

"It will be all right.

I will be all right.

It won’t fall apart.

It will be all right.

It will be okay.

I’m okay. Okay. Okay."

-All The Bright Places

#nails

INSPIRATION

REALITY

SOOO HAPPYYYYYY


I finished my dog lessons so I'm an official handler now!!!!!!!!!1

I am soooo busy!!

Up till 2 on Friday doing a presentation, then up at 7 this morning for sister's birthday, then up at 6 tomorrow for brother's flight...

my favorite joke

Once upon a time, there was a huge lever in the middle of  back-country Tennessee. Legend had it that if said lever was switched, it would bring about the end of the world.

Now next to this lever was a one lane road (remember back-country Tennessee here). On the other side of the road lived a good-sized snake named Nate. Nate had always been content to stay on his side of the road.

One day, Nate had the sudden impulse to go check out the lever - was it really as scary as everyone said?? As he was crossing the street, a man in a large Ford comes hurtling down the road. He sees Nate, and he has to make a quick decision - kill Nate or start the end of the world?

Well, he thinks, "BETTER NATE THAN LEVER!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Limitless"

Too young, too old
Too shy, too bold
Too average
To make a difference
The world's too big
And you're too small
If you try to fly
You're gonna fall
They're shouting
But we won't listen

We are limitless, limitless
Limitless, limitless
The power of love
Alive in us
Is limitless, limitless
Unstoppable and nothing less
No nothing can hold us down
We're limitless

No more impossible
So much far too difficult
We know that our God is greater
Oh wake up you dreamers
Become make-believers
This is who we are

We are limitless, limitless
Limitless, limitless
The power of love
Alive in us
Is limitless, limitless
Unstoppable and nothing less
No nothing can hold us down
We are limitless

Take away the limitations
When we fix our eyes on You
Flood our hearts with expectations
Lord, there's nothing You can't do

Doubt sees a mountain, no way around it
Faith sees a victory, no doubt about it
Fear sees a ceiling, hope sees the stars
Love be the light inside of our hearts
[x2]

We are limitless, limitless
Limitless, limitless
The power of love
Alive in us
Is limitless, limitless
Unstoppable and nothing less
No nothing can hold us down
Cause we are limitless

Doubt sees a mountain, no way around it
Faith sees a victory, no doubt about it
Fear sees a ceiling, hope sees the stars
Love be the light inside of our hearts
(We are limitless)

Doubt sees a mountain, no way around it
Faith sees a victory, no doubt about it
Fear sees a ceiling, hope sees the stars
We're limitless
Cause You're limitless

John 15:9-16English Standard Version (ESV)

9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.