To seek and save

~Friday for Friends~

"All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”" Luke 19:7 (NIV)

"Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”" Luke 19:9-10 (NIV)

These verses are from Luke 19, which, among other things, shares with us the story of Zacchaeus. I love this passage. I love how it speaks of God's mission while showing a clear example of that mission. Jesus was here to seek and save the lost. And now that we have been saved, there is no better mission than we can try to be a part of. 

Here for a reason

~Monday Movies & Music~

“Here for a Reason” is a reassuring song by Ashes Remain. Here are the lyrics.

Seriously, if God didn’t have a purpose for us, do you think we would still be here? He has plans for us – for each and every one of us.  

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Making a difference

~Tuesday thoughts~

 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)


Today I explored this great website, Teens Interceding for Orphans. Leah E. Good shares practical ways we, teens, can help orphans even though we can't adopt yet and we might not have that much money.

Also, though I haven't read it yet, there's a book called Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris.


God had given us these teenage years, so instead of just waiting until we're older we can really do something with them.

With the Lord's help, we can change the world one prayer or quarter or blog post at a time.

Do check out Teens Interceding for Orphans. What is a way you can or already do change the world? Remember, baby steps can add up to something great.

Worth the Wait by Laura Jackson

Typical Ellie: As the flat iron worked its magic, she planned the coming days. Homecoming was only three weeks away and, like the rest of her life, she wanted it to be perfect.

Ellie Lansing has the perfect life: a good family, an understanding best friend, but most of all an awesome and loving boyfriend. And then it comes crashing down. Her mom gets cancer and her oh-so-amazing boyfriend turns out to be not so amazing. What did she do deserve this? She always followed all the rules and this is where they got her. Didn’t God owe her an easy life?

The idea of Worth the Wait is interesting and practical for many Christians, teens or older. Ellie learns that following the rules does not guaranty you an easy life. She also discovers how great God’s plans for her are, even if that’s not what she had planned. I appreciated that sex before marriage was always shown as the wrong it is.

Another great part of the book was the mission trip that completely changed Ellie’s perspective on the world. Personally, I think that the book would have been a lot more pleasant if there was more about that and the youth group and at least a little less about Dylan. Also, a prologue would help the readers grasp just how perfect Ellie’s life used to be and thus appreciate the vastness of the changes.

Worth the Wait is good read that leaves you wondering: “What will the second book be about?” The second book in the Waltham Academy series is Worth the Time.

For more on Laura Jackson, visit her blog and Facebook page. You can also find her on Twitter and Pinterest.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, which I have written.

God's purpose for you

Hi, all! Check out Relevant Magazine's post about knowing God's purpose for your life.

Really, God's mission is SO much bigger than ours. And God has us where we are for a reason. We might not have all the answers, but we can know and serve the God who does.

P. S. Join me in beings thankful this month with the "Thankful April" project. You can start any time you want.

God has plans for all of us

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I need to remember that God has plans for me, good plans. I was stressed on Monday because my parents brought up the ACT and another pretty big test (that I have to take this year). I'm still a sophomore, but... it gets stressful. Here's my one-sided point of view (my parents would probably say something completely different): I feel like I have to do perfectly and that requires lots of studying. I wonder if I'll ever get another free minute or not until I pass the test. I cry because I feel like too much is being asked of me. Then I sit there feeling not-so-smart to say the least, as my dad lectures me on how there will be more tests in my life and I need to get ready and not cry. I try to stop my tears. I get annoyed that Mom and Dad say they'll help, although before they didn't follow up too well on promises like that. I try to not go crazy when I learn that there's trigonometry or whatever on the ACT. Then I go to my room. I sit down feeling useless. I enjoy making a schedule for studying (I just like planning things like that).I try to not think about how much work I'll have to do on later days. I sigh.

Guess what I forgot? That God will be with me. Through the whole process. I am not alone and He will give me strength.

How about you? Has something stressed you lately? Did you remember that you are not alone or did you get all those emotions boiling before you remembered? Please comment.

Dedicating talents to the Lord

I'm so glad for communions. It's a time when I can slow down and remember the remarkable thing Christ has done for me: He died and rose.

For me it's also a time to dedicate my talents and desires to Him. I want to write. I love to look back and see the stuff I've written. I want to be published someday. It's something I really want and need to constantly give back to the Lord. It can happen only if He wants it and I want Him to have the praise. I need to remember that. Communions are great reminders.

How about you? What talents has God given you? Do you give them back to the Lord?