New design

Hey everyone,
For a while I've been thinking about changing the background here. Then I was prompted to by someone else. So after a bit more thought, I did. What do you think? I took the picture of the flower a few months ago myself, btw. Do you think it's more professional? I felt the old one was quite immature, the blog of a seven year old. ;)

I also moved to Disqus. What does everyone think of that? It's what they use at the Rebelution, and I find it really nice, so far.

Also, I'm very sorry about how much I've been slacking off on posting lately. I will try my very best to do it more regularly.

Let me know what you're thinking and how you like it! :)

Brookie

Attention Seeker

So, just recently I've been convicted. I was reading through blog posts and going through my G+, when I started getting a little jealous at how many comments everyone was getting, and how many friends everyone has. I thought, they haven't been on here as long as me, and look how popular they are. What are they doing right? What am I doing wrong? Then I started thinking of ways I could get people's attention. Maybe more posts? More of my sappy life? Oh wait, I don't have a sappy life...

Then it hit me. What am I doing? What am I trying to do? Are these thoughts glorifying God?

Obviously not. I mean, does God care how popular we are? Or how many likes and comments we get? No. But he does care about our thoughts, feelings, and actions. My thoughts and feelings where not thoughts of truth, love, or anything that the Bible teaches us to think about.

I wasn't thinking of ways to bless others. I was being selfish. How can I gain? How can I get more friends? How can I get my name around the block? Can you say, 'Me monster?' Ugg.

I'm going to try to obey this verse now though. And when thoughts of jealousy and loneliness plague me, I'll think on these things.

"Finally, brothers, 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 ESV

It's Time

It's that time of year. The time of year when people make resolutions that most likely won't ever happen. The holidays are slowing down, and people are getting back into their old patterns. The time that I avoid talking about new year resolutions cause I never even make lists. I always feel like I'm doing something wrong by not writing up one.

So I've decided, I'll make a short, sweet, and somewhat easy one. ;P Like resolutions are ever easy.

Writing:
Finish the first draft of Trio of Light
Finish the first draft of another WIP

Home and Family:
Be nicer to the sibs
Be more helpful around the house
Get in shape

Faith and school:
Finish ten books of the Bible
Learn Spanish and Quenya
Read at least 55 books
Read fifteen non-fiction books

So yep. Short and somewhat sweet. :) Good luck to the rest of you on your resolutions! :)

The Lyric Medley Tag

Rules: 

Thank and link back to the person who tagged you.

Make a collage that represents your taste in music (or, if you don't feel like it, you can use mine) to go along with your tag post.

List 10 song lyrics (along with song titles and artists) and their genres to go with an emotion/scenario (you can come up with your own or use the ones that the person who tagged you used).

Tag at least 5 bloggers.

Thank you WildHorse for tagging me! :) And Rcubed, I just learned!

Anthem Lights, Francesca Battistelli, Tenth Avenue North, TobyMac, Colton Dixon, the Newsboys

As you can see, I love my Christian music. I feel so much closer to the artists this way. :) 

1. Song that makes me want to cry:

Beautiful, Beautiful by Francesca

Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me, all that I need
You are so beautiful, beautiful

2. Song that I play on repeat:

 On Top of the World cover by Anthem Lights

‘Cause I’m on top of the world, ‘ay
I’m on top of the world, ‘ay
Waiting on this for a while now
Paying my dues to the dirt
I’ve been waiting to smile, ‘ay
Been holding it in for a while, ‘ay
Take you with me if I can
Been dreaming of this since a child
I’m on top of the world.

3. Song that makes me feel calm:

Beloved by Tenth Avenue North

You're my beloved lover
I'm yours
And Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
My love it unites us and it binds you to me
It's a mystery

4. Song that makes me feel rebellious:

Titanium cover by Tyler Ward

You shout it out
But I can't hear a word you say
I'm talking loud not saying much
I'm criticized
But all your bullets ricochet
Shoot me down, but I get up

5. Song that makes me want more of God:

More of You by Colton Dixon

More of You
Less of me
Make me who I'm meant to be
You're all I want all I need
You're everything
Take it all I surrender
Be my king
God I choose
More of You and Less of me
I need more of you
More of you

6. Song that makes me feel battle-ready:

Tonight by TobyMac

We wanna rise,
We wanna touch the other side
(It starts tonight!)
We wanna soar
We wanna reach right out for more
(Cause it starts tonight!)
We wanna rise,
We wanna touch the other side
(It starts tonight)
We wanna soar,
We wanna reach right out for more
(Cause it starts tonight)
Tonight tonight
Tonight tonight tonight
Tonight

7. Song that make me want to dance:

Shake it Off cover by Anthem Lights

Can't stop, won't stop moving
It's like I got this music
In my mind, saying it's gonna be alright
Cause the players gonna play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate
Baby I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake
Shake it off

8. Song that makes me wistful:

Somewhere Over the Rainbow by IZ

Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me

Oh, somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly
And the dream that you dare to,
Oh why, oh why can't I?

9. Song that makes me happy:

God's Not Dead by the Newsboys

Our God's not dead he's surely alive!

He's living on the inside

roaring like a lion!

10. Song that reminds me of summer:

No Man is an Island by Tenth Avenue North

                                                 

                                                  No man is an island, we can be found
                                              No man is an island, let your guard down
                                                You don’t have to fight me, I am for you
                                                 We’re not meant to live this life alone

I nominate:

Rcubed
Moriah Faith

Elizabeth Sullivan
Alyssa Monk
and Trent Blake
 

Changing the World guest post by Moriah Faith

First off, I want to say that I really appreciate Brooke for giving me this opportunity to share some things I've had on my heart. 

Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to change the world. 

I remember when I was 4 or 5, after hearing about Christians in other countries who were killed for believing that Jesus was the Son of God, I scribbled a note in the back of my tiny bible that said "Jesus is the Son of God. Moriah wrote this." I wanted to be willing to die for my faith. I wanted to use my entire life to change the course of this world. 

I know that may seem a little far fetched but I wouldn't be surprised if some of you have had dreams that big too. So today I'm going to give you just a Reader's Digest version of how to change the world in three easy steps.

To start, you need a launchpad. For most of us who have grown up in Christian homes, that launchpad would be our family and church. For others it may be something else. But we all need to get that encouragement from somewhere, even if it's just the word of God. It only takes a spark to get a fire going, but kindling is pretty important too. 

I'm personally in awe of the fact that God gave me strong Christian parents who have homeschooled me since day one and provided so many opportunities for me to grow. I can't speak highly enough of their devotion to raising my siblings and I to love and honor God. 

Another thing is the amazing blessing of living in a country where we're allowed to worship our God and teach others about Him. Yet too often we take for granted our freedom of religion and freedom of speech by shutting up about our faith for the sake of "political correctness" (more on that later).

The second step is to develop our God given talents in order to serve as a functioning member of the body of Christ. To do this we must first find our gifts. 

You may have lots of gifts but find one thing that you enjoy doing, you're good at and that can help others in some way. It's a plus if this gift includes directly interacting with people you may not know. 

Once you've got that down you have to make a plan on how to use it. For instance, I love writing. It's obvious. I write all the time about all kinds of things. I can use that gift to write blog posts, write letters to people and encourage them with my words. There are countless ways to use a simple gift like that. 

When you have put your plan down on paper of what your gift is and how you want to use it, give that to God. The bible says that when we devote our plans to God, He will give us the desires of our hearts. That would be awesome! But we have to totally submit it to Him if we want it to go anywhere. You see? If I have my own little agenda behind it and just want God to bless it, that's not enough. My life has to be His project. That's total submission.

The last step is to actually go out there and change the world.

Once you've found your niche, got your plan, given it to God and you have His blessing, it's time for the rubber to hit the road. So here are a few quick tips...

Don't be afraid. Things will come against you. You may have someone in your life who is discouraging. Don't listen to lies from satan saying that you're not good enough or strong enough for God to use. Just a quick read through the bible and you see tons of stories where God used people like the humble shepherd David, a teenage girl named Mary, a horrible guy named Saul who later became the apostle Paul and helped change the course of the 1st century for Christ. It's people like you and me who end up making history.

Be confident and bold. This means taking risks. You may have to risk your reputation by skipping part of your sport season to go on a mission trip. You may risk being a little short on cash to help out someone in need. You may have to risk seeming politically incorrect sometimes. I don't know what it might be for you but following Christ and doing His will often calls for desperate measures and because our relationship with Him is worth it, we won't think twice.

Most importantly of all, stay humble. I can't tell you how many Christian people have set out to do great things for the Lord only to get caught up in pride and the selfish desires of the flesh. The bible says that God humbles the proud but exalts the humble. With each step you take forward, give God the glory and devote your future to His mission. 

I hope this has encouraged you today! If so, don't forget to like, comment and subscribe. 

God bless and have a fantastic week!

Blessings,

Moriah

 

Thank you, Moriah! :) If you would like to know more about her you can find her links below.

Brooke

Moriah Faith is a 16 year old Christian homeschooler who blogs at The Damsel's Retreat {thedamselsretreat.wordpress.com} where she encourages young women in their relationships with Christ and others. On top of that she enjoys running, photography and graphic design. 

Gravatar - Flickr - Pinterest - Google+
 

Do Life Big by Jamie Grace

I gotta slow down,
Stop for a second,
Take a look around,

And I gotta take time,
To hear that little voice inside,

Saying I came to give you life,
So spread your wings and fly,
I've got a secret to share,
You are enough to change the atmosphere,

So go and do life big, big
I wanna do life big, big

Break out them blue skies,
I can feel my heart beating inside,
Yeah, it's like a new day,
Woke up to hear You say,

I came to give you life,
So spread your wings and fly,
Now go and show no fear,
You are enough to change the atmosphere,

So go and do life big, big
I wanna do life big, big

Oh, I wanna love, wanna give every day I live,
I wanna do life big,
I wanna love, serve, and give every chance I get,
I wanna do life big,
Oh, I wanna love, wanna give every day I live,
I wanna do life big,
I wanna love, serve, and give every chance I get,
Oh I wanna do life
I wanna do life big, big

I wanna do life big, big
I wanna do life big, big

I wanna love like You,
I wanna give like You,
Oh, I wanna do life big,
I wanna serve like You,
Lay down my life like You,
I wanna do life big...

I wanna do life...
I wanna do life...
I wanna do life big.
I wanna do life...
I wanna do life...
I wanna do life big.

 

We don't have 900 years to live like Methuselah. It goes along with 'Tonight', we need to make a difference, and we need to do it tonight. We can't live our lives being average. Now, I'm not saying just being a stay-at-home mom, or working in an office is average. I'm saying that acting like what you do is unimportant is average. We need to everything so that God gets glory for it. And He isn't going to get any glory when we take the easy way. :) So do life big!