Stress AFTER finals?

~Tuesday Thoughts~

So, it's finals week. 90% of the people between 18 and 23 are extremely stressed, and the other 10% are already done. I've had a crazy couple weeks, with a paper due last Monday, last Thursday, and this Tuesday, along with a number of tests. But now I am nearing the end of the semester - only one more final left and an easy one at that.

I've done a lot of stressing this semester. Way too much. But it's interesting that in these early moments of feeling free from school for more than 3 months, I am still anxious. I am still stressed almost every moment I am not doing something productive. It is more than just a school thing now. And it's annoying like crazy. Because, yes, some stress is useful and pushes you to do things. But there is also stress that is anything but!

"“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”" Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

What have you been stressing about lately? Share below any instances where God helped you through it!  

The hurt feelings that I muffle

~Saturday Stories~

The blue I see in the sky, Lord,
They say I have that in my eyes
But when I look into them, Lord,
I just see the pain and the hurt

The hurt feelings that I muffle
The broken stories I shuffle
Around so nobody will hear them
So nobody will see me torn

The "A"s in my GPA, Lord,
They say reflect my hard work
But when I look at my resume, Lord,
I just see useless unappreciated work

The hurt feelings that I muffle
The broken stories that I shuffle
Around so nobody will hear them
So nobody will see me torn

The time on that clock, Lord,
Says I run fast and can do much
But when I see that time, Lord,
I see the time that I waste beating myself up

The hurt feelings that I muffle
The broken stories that I shuffle
Around so nobody will hear them
So nobody will see me torn

Let me open up, Lord,
You know how hard it is
Where I am, Lord,
And everyone seems to have
Bigger problems than me, Lord,
So I shut my mouth up
And don't speak out loud, Lord

Let me open up, Lord,
You didn't make this path for me
To travel all alone, Lord,
You said You'd never leave me,
So just let me open up and be healed, Lord
There are people who would listen
But I bottle myself up, Lord
I say my problems don't matter
While I fail at solving them all, Lord

Lord, just let me open up
Heal me by Your grace
Let me taste Your love
Let me feel Your peace
I can't solve my problems,
I'm the epitome of weak
But You have my hand
And You can heal

You can heal

I'm doing well?

~Saturday Stories~

I'm doing well.
What about you?
School is pretty good;
The homework load okay.
I have a couple papers due,
But it's all manageable.
Made friendships over the summer;
Continued them in the fall.
Roommates? Roommates are good.
We get along well, yes.
Just "As" and "Bs"
I probably get more sleep now
Than I did last year.
Work is manageable.
Finances look okay.
Church is supportive.
All's good, right?
Right?

If on the outside everything looks good,
That doesn't mean I feel good.
I can smile to you
And cry five minutes later.
Don't just ask me questions.
Look into my eyes,
Spend time with me,
Pour into my life.
Then feel free to ask me questions.
And pressure me for honest answers

Scheduled chaos

~Tuesday Thoughts~

A lot of us have either started or are about to start school or college. And that's a huge change from the somewhat-slower usually-more-fun three months of summer. There are earlier wake-ups, more scheduled days, and homework-filled evenings. While on paper it might all look neat and organized, we all know how chaotic it'll feel for the two weeks that it takes us to readjust to the new normal.

I want to encourage you - and myself - that amid this chaos and confusion we can also often find laughter and hearty congratulations on a job well done. We can look at our grades and sometimes be happy with them. We can look at something we've been training in and realize just how much better we are getting to be in them. We can spend incredulous amounts of time laughing with friends we wouldn't get to see if it wasn't for school.

So, let us enjoy this reunion of schedules and chaos. And let us do all we're supposed to. And let us do it for God's glory.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

The Blind Side

~Monday Movies & Music~

He doesn't have a place to stay, so she lets him in. But well-known designer Leigh Anne Tuohy can't help thinking it was a mistake. What would the homeless Big Mike do in a huge house where she lives with her husband and two kids? And how come, once he's inside, he's changing her life more than she is his? 

The Blind Side (trailer) is a pretty amazing movie full of serious topics: family relationships, academics, living in the slums, and reaching the poorer. It's about the change one can make on another's life. How when one tries to bless someone else, he gets blessed in return, more than he ever thought possible. It's a story that's not sugar-coated but brings amazing hope and inspiration.  

How about you? Who has blessed you recently? Who have you blessed?  

Keep spending time with friends

~Friday for Friends~

Now that it's summer, we might be investing a crazy amount in our friends. Or perhaps, since we don't see them every day, we kind of forget about them. There's a ton of things to do, isn't there? And it's kind of hard to schedule a day with two people free of the million things the summer is full of. I would like to encourage you - and myself! - to keep spending time with our friends. 

And, if nothing else can work at all, let us at least try to say what Paul and Timothy told the Philippians: "I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3 (NIV)

God has blessed us so much with the friendships we have! Let us keep the ones that encourage us in our walk with Christ. 

How about you? Have you been spending time with good friends? When was a time you were particularly thankful for friendships? 

Change is coming -fast!

~Tuesday Thoughts~

The school year is nearing an end, and about 25% of all high school kids are getting ready for a huge change: college. So many teenagers also have different changes looming on the horizon. For me, change is a pretty hard thing. And sometimes I wonder how I can ever pass a new challenge, whatever it is. But I know one thing - God has seen me through hard times before and He will continue to do that. Amen! 

""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.”" Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

How about you? Is a change coming up for you? What is a change that you have lived through with God's help? Please share! 

The center of our lives

~Tuesday Thoughts~

Sometimes we get so burdened by all the things we need to or want to do. Seriously, it's crazy. Homework, sports, perhaps a job, time with family, at church, etc., etc., etc. Sometimes, wrapped in all this "essential" stuff, we forget WHO we are doing it for. Or, perhaps, we're not even trying to do it for Him. The song "All Eyes On You" by OBB speaks of who should be at the center of our lives: God. Amen to that!  

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

God, help us live for you!

A reason to fight

~Saturday Stories~

You go to school, 

You come back

Five hours of homework 

In your backpack 

And you try to smile at Dad 

When he asks

How you're doing 

Cause you don't want him to know that

Life sucks at the moment 

And it all seems hopeless

And you're putting up a fight 

But don't remember what the point is 

And you're tired of the pain

And you're tired of the bruises 

And the pills in the cupboard 

Get more and more use now 

Might've not hit rock bottom

But it's worse than normal 

And you're trying to find a reason 

To live until tomorrow

Look up now, look up now

There's a reason to fight

There's a reason to hope 

There's always, always a reason to go on

There is Someone to hope in 

There is Someone to trust 

Not sayin' life will be perfect 

But it's better than what you've got 

There's a reason to fight 

Look up now, look up now

You go to school, 

You look around

Five hundred lost kids 

Milling about  

And you smile at Dad 

When he asks

How you're doing 

Cause you want him to know that

Life's awesome at the moment 

And it all seems hopeful 

And you're putting up a fight 

But you know what the point of is 

And you're tired of the pain

And you're tired of the bruises 

But you know the One 

Who'll help you stop using 

Might not be extremely happy

But it's better than normal 

Cause you've found a reason 

To live until tomorrow 

Look up now, look up now

There's a reason to fight

There's a reason to hope 

There's always, always a reason to go on

There is Someone to hope in 

There is Someone to trust 

Not sayin' life will be perfect 

But it's better than what you've got 

There's a reason to fight

Cause we've had our low spots 

We've all had our dark days 

We've all had our storms 

That didn't seem to pass away. 

We've all had our nightmares 

We've all had our hearts split 

We've all had a time 

When the devil seemed to win 

But. Now. We. Know.

There's a reason to fight

There's a reason to hope 

There's always, always a reason to go on

There is Someone to hope in 

There is Someone to trust 

Not sayin' life will be perfect 

But it's better than what you've got

There's a reason to fight 

There's a reason to hope 

There's always, always a reason to go on

There is Someone to hope in 

There is Someone to trust 

Not sayin' life will be perfect 

But it's better than what you've got 

There's a reason to fight 

Talk to God about it!

~Tuesday Thoughts~

Family 

Friends 

School

Sports 

Theatre

Etc., etc., etc. 

These are pretty cool things. However, they can also cause us a lot of stress. It is really amazing that we can go to God with whatever happens to us, big or small. We can bemoan the next test, the nearing production day, or family relationships that seem to never have a breakthrough. God's Word says, 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

How about you? What (if anything) have you been stressing out about lately? Have you talked to God about it? 

"B" is for Bad at Getting into Harvard

~Saturday Stories~

Typical Norie: "This was a common occurrence among the overachievers at King High. None of us could do everything that was expected of its brightest and best. ... I was right in there with them, scrambling to get the A's they were always telling us we had to earn to be worthwhile human beings- or at least to be better than each other."

Anything less than an "A-" is failure. That's what Norie has been told. Many, many times. So when a cheating ring breaks out amid the other overachievers, Norie is stuck. Isn't it okay to get one answer key to a chemistry pop quiz? Especially if the other choice leaves no chance of getting into Harvard?

"B" is for Bad at Getting into Harvard goes way into the pressured-to-be-perfect topic and shows that sometimes being the best isn't worth "whatever it takes." Norie's dad and King High itself create so much competition and stress she doesn't know what to do. At times like that, it helps to get quiet and listen to God. And have a group that supports you and prays with you all the way.

Stress is real. Cheating is real. And there's more that can be done than just ignoring it, or being pressured by it, or letting oneself cheat every once in a while.

B is for Bad at Getting into Harvard is the second in the Raise the Flag series. The first is Don't Count on Homecoming Queen. The rest are I Only Binge on Holy Hungers, Do I have to Paint You a Picture, Friends Don't Let Friends Date Jason, and When Is Perfect, Perfect Enough?.

For more on Nancy Rue, visit her website, Facebook page, and blogs for tweens and teens.

Not an exception

~Tuesday Thoughts~

"Do everything in love." 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV)

How often do we find excuses for this? How easy is it to think that our situation is so hard that this doesn't apply? That other stuff doesn't apply?

Nowhere in the Bible is it said, "Love always but if you're the new kid at school you can take a break." Or "love always but if you're being bullied, then you don't have to." Or even "love always but if you're being killed, you can hate the guy/gal."

Love is a VERY important thing and we, no matter how hard our situations, shouldn't take a break from expressing it.

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19 (NIV)

Loaded down

~Tuesday Thoughts~

With school going full-strength, there are apt to be times where we feel bogged down, sinking under the weight of school, sports, and homework. And we might feel like we don't have time to do the things we want to do.. or time to spend with God.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) says,
^"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Sometimes we need to let go of our anxiety, busyness, and stress and take the time to just be with Him.

How about you? Do you take the time to just be with God?

When Criticism Cuts Too Deep

~Tuesday Thoughts~

Today will be the last in the Starting School mini-series. The first three are "Homework? Maybe later…", "Never quite reaching ‘perfect’" and "But everyone else is doing it". 

Probable everyone has encountered criticism in their lives, be it from friends, family members, teachers, coaches or someone else. And sometimes, granted, we can just shrug it off. “Who cares what Mr. So-and-so thinks?” But most of the time, I think, it cuts… and sometimes deeply.

Maybe we’ve worked so hard on a science project and then a friend comes up and asks what this useless little thing is supposed to be. Or maybe we’ve read everything but the two final chapters in a super-long book, but the teacher only notices what we missed. Maybe we’ve did the best we could in a game and the coach says that “we could have done better.”  Maybe we’ve tried to impress a parent and he/she just says “whatever”.

So what can we do when the criticism stings?

1. Remember God still loves us. He loves us even when we mess up or when others seem not to.

2. Evaluate the criticism. Maybe it’s valid. Could we learn from it and change something for the better?

3. Talk it out. If we can, it’s better to talk through the problem with the other person. Maybe there was a misunderstanding or he/she never wanted it to come out so harsh.

4. Make someone else’s life brighter. Since we already know that criticism hurts, we can use that knowledge for good. Encouraging others is a great thing to do. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

How about you? What ideas do you have on dealing with criticism?  

But everyone else is doing it...

~Tuesday Thoughts~

Two weeks ago the Starting School mini-series kicked off with “Homework? Maybe later…” Last week the post was “Never quite reaching ‘perfect’”.  Today’s going to be about that awful thing called peer pressure. 


Peer pressure is JUST NOT FUN. When the kids around you are whispering about you-know-what or you see at least half a dozen kids cheating on that test, it’s hard to say “no; I’ll go against the flow”. Pressure can come in different ways: the “everyone-else-is” way or the “you-better-or-else” way or the “if-you’re-my-friend” way. It can be subtle or it can be screaming in our ears. We can be the only ones thinking it or others can be pushing us around.

Whatever way, peer pressure is peer pressure. And the easiest thing is to give in. But we shouldn't.


The Narrow and Wide Gates
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

Through Him we can overcome this problem. That is good news.

How about you? Do you ever want to give in to the pressure? What are some other ways you can think of that peers can pressure us? Do you have a story about how you said “no”? Please share. 

Never quite reaching 'perfect'

~Tuesday Thoughts~

Last week I started the Starting School mini-series with “Homework? Maybe later…”. That was about slacking in our school work and today’s basically about the complete opposite: when we do whatever we can to reach that ‘perfect’ mark that always seems to be a few steps away.

Sometimes that’s me. I’ll try and I’ll try to be ‘good enough’, to be 'better than’, to meet and exceed the expectations that are set for me. If that means not reading that much contemporary fiction for awhile and spending hours reading more serious books, squeezing blogging in as best I can and taking chemistry, so be it. I'll push myself more and more, slack a bit and then I'll push myself harder because I'm afraid I slacked too much. Does that describe you sometimes?

Here's good news people: every once in a while you can relax. It's OK. It's reasonable.

Here's what the Bible says:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV)

How about you? Do you ever push yourself in order to be 'perfect'? What are some verses you can add to these?

Homework? Maybe later...

~Tuesday Thoughts~

Starting School mini-series

In light of the beginning of the school year (hurray! or not) I want to make a mini-series called Starting School for the next four Tuesdays. I hope you who are in school or homeschooling can relate to some of the problems. It would be fun if we could search the Bible for answers together. And if you're already out of school, I hope you can laugh -not too much though- at what we consider struggles and share some of your own experience. So here we go...


It's like 70 degrees Fahrenheit, bright and sunny with a slight breeze. And we're cooped up in school (or our homes) doing schoolwork. Granted, it's fun to meet our friends again and chatter away with them, but it's not fun to be studying the seven world views when we could be out there playing basketball. Or running. Or drawing. Or reading. Who cares about trigonometry of ancient Greece?

It's easy to slack and think that we can catch up later, right? Or to just not do it because "we don't need this in real life". Sound familiar?


"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men," Colossians 3:23 (NKJV)


So... "whatever you do" probably means school too, however unwelcome that idea is. Any suggestions on trying to remember that? Because it can be SO hard sometimes.

Let's try to do everything -even school- like we're doing it for Him.

How about you? Do you have slacking problems? Do you know more verses on doing your best for God?

Overcome: movie

~Monday Movies & Music~

 Colton is the bully of the school, the guy who sticks a knife into a volleyball just to see the players groan, who puts a someone's phone into a mixer for fun.

 But that changes when he's in a car crash.

 He's told he died for a few minutes and then came back. Could God have spoken to him while he was dead? What will it take to ask forgiveness and change?

 Overcome (watch the trailer) was pretty interesting and downright funny at times. But it also discussed serious issues, like not only asking for forgiveness, but making amends.

Fellowship with Christians

Fellowship with Christians is important - really important. Everyday we're surrounded by the world - maybe at home, probably at school, definitely in the media. And we need someone (or someones) to keep us in check, to see that we are still on the path we should be on. We need that reminder that life is about so much more than surviving another day. And we need the encouragement that we through faith can give one another.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 2:42

How about you? Do you have close relationships with other Christians? Do you keep each other in check and support one another?

Love does not delight in evil

 I'm sorry to admit, it's kind of funny when my math teacher gets mad (at someone else,of course). He gets all red in the face and can hardly control himself. And I sit there, trying to not laugh right then and there.

So why am I even saying this? 1 Corinthians 13 says "love does not delight in evil". So we shouldn't. It's easier said than done, I'm sure, but next time my teacher gets mad, I'll try to not think it's funny. :)

Do you think something wrong is fun or funny? Are you planning to do something about it?