Quotes That Caught My Attention

So I peruse a secret website every now and again for random quotes by some of my favorite Christian authors, and lately here are a few that caught my attention:

"We must take the initiative to restore peace. Jesus taught that it makes no difference whether you have wronged your brother or he has wronged you. Either way, you are always responsible to initiate efforts toward peace (see Matthew 5:23-24 and 18:15). If we are serious about intently pursuing peace, we won’t be concerned about which of us is the offending party. We will have one goal: To restore peace in a godly manner. Unresolved conflict between believers is sin and must be treated as such; otherwise, it will spread throughout the body like cancer until it requires radical spiritual surgery. Far better to deal with it when it is easily contained." -- Jerry Bridges

"Earth has nothing more tender than a woman’s heart when it is the abode of piety." -- Martin Luther

"Accordingly, we never find the apostle drawing a depreciated picture of woman; every allusion of his to the believing woman is full of reverent respect and honor. Among the Christian women who come into Paul’s history there is not one who is portrayed after this imagined pattern of childish ignorance and weakness. The Lydia, the Lois, the Eunice, the Phoebe, the Priscilla, the Damaris, the Roman Mary, the Junia, the Tryphena, the Tryphosa, the “beloved Persis” of the Pauline history, and the “elect lady” who was honored with the friendship of the aged John, all appear in the narrative as bright examples of Christian intelligence, activity, dignity, and nobleness." -- Robert Lewis Dabney

"Our relationship with our fellows and our relationship with God are so linked that we cannot disturb one without disturbing the other. Everything that comes between us and another, such as impatience, resentment or envy, comes between us and God. These barriers are sometimes no more than veils – veils through which we can still, to some extent, see. But if not removed immediately, they thicken into blankets and then into brick walls, and we are shut off from both God and our fellows, shut in to ourselves." -- Roy Hession

"Your words and the manner in which you speak are critical to harmonious relationships. As you learn to speak the truth in love, you must also determine when to speak, how to speak in an edifying manner, and to whom you should speak. The power of your words is enormous, and they also show the condition of your heart. Even your idle words will be accounted for in theday of judgment." -- Biblical Counseling Foundation

"If (God) is on the throne of our hearts and in control of our lives – then all our human relationships will be positively affected… Instead of looking to our relationships for what we can take from others, we will begin to see relationships in light of what we can give. Finding our own deepest need met in our relationship with God, we will be free to be used by Him to meet needs in others." -- Eddie Rasnake

"A vital Christian, radiating that hidden beauty of the heart, is more attractive to the right sort of Christian man (the only kind you want) than the raving beauty who is hollow within. A woman who is developing her domestic abilities, who is reasonably attractive, and who is a vital Christian in her own right is an irresistible person." -- Jay E. Adams

What Every Girl Should Know About Herself

My Mom recently bought me a book by Holley Gerth called "You're Already Amazing" and I admit, I'm reading it!  I say that because those of you who might know my Mom, know that she buys me a lot of books that I rarely get to read.  Between being a full-time Reporter, a graduate student at Liberty University, riding horses, and being involved at church it's A LOT on my time.  But, I'm glad I've made time for this one.

I was particularly moved by one excerpt in chapter 1 of the book, that reads this:

 ~ "It's time you knew you're amazing." ~

You smile, laugh awkwardly, glance at the ceiling. "I know, I know," you reply. "So kind of you to say."
I respond, looking at you more intently.
"I mean it's time you really knew. And there's more....

- You're not only amazing.
- You're enough.
- You're beautiful.
- You're wanted.
- You're chosen.
- You're called.
- You've got what it takes....not just to survive but to change the world.

By this time your fingers are wrapped around your coffee cup.  You stare down at the bottom of it, focused on the emptiness, wondering why these words are so hard to hear.

Finally, you ask, "Who told you that?"
And I respond, "The only One who really knows - Someone who loves you."


I was so moved by this, as I believe these are things, we as women, we forget about ourselves - or sadly, we honestly have never heard it.  These words have never reached our ears by anyone leaving us feeling unnoticed or worse, like we aren't worth it.  But there is Good News - God knows you.  He knows you better than you know yourself, better than anyone else for sure.  And He believes all this about you and more.  He is crazy about you, so much so that He laid down His life for you.

Girls, maybe you've heard these words a time or two by a man in your life who decided not to stay for good? And what I believe most don't realize is that men don't get to say these things to a feminine soul and just leave.  When they leave, it completely invalidates what they've said to make you feel amazing, beautiful, wanted, chosen.  This is because a man who believes you are amazing, beautiful, wanted, and chosen isn't going to leave if he believes these things - the mere fact of him leaving shows he doesn't believe himself if he says these things.  Words and actions are powerful.  Actions have to back up words in order to make them believable, to prove and validate the words as trustworthy.  Only a fool would leave a woman who he truly believes is amazing, beautiful, wanted, chosen, and called into the kingdom of Christ.  But, there is again, Good News!

The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. - Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV

Jesus Christ Himself will never leave you, He will always stay.  Everyday.  You can wake up to the Lord everyday and know that YOU are wanted - just as you are, He chose you, He called you to be with Him forever and will stand with you forever, He thinks you are amazing (Zephaniah 3:17), He sees you as nothing less than absolutely beautiful (Psalm 45:11), and He knows every little detail about you - and He can't get enough of you.  What a King!  Jesus knows you are worthy, but more importantly, we are worthy because of Him!  Jesus IS just that into you!

So, if there is a woman in your life who you think deserves to know she is wanted, she is beautiful, she is already amazing, she is enough, she is called by Christ, and she has what it takes - let her know. And let her know, more importantly, that this is Christ's view of her and that He is just crazy about her!

Story of Ian & Larissa

Should I ever have the honor of serving the Lord as a wife, I hope to exemplify this kind of sacrificial and honoring love to my husband:



...May we all have a "board of gratefulness" in our lives, and understand that love is selfless to the core. It's not what is best for me, but what is best for those you love - and for God. A love that brings Him glory and exalts His name will never go unnoticed, as this beautiful couple has shown.

You don't leave the one you love in a time of challenge and suffering, instead, that's when God opens the door for you to be His hands and feet the most. I'm inspired, and pray God will use me for His glory. I pray people will know I am a Christian by how I love.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. - John 13:35, NIV

Meet Jonathan

After a long and tough week, I was laying on my bed scrolling through photos on Instagram using my cell phone and I read a message that perked up my weary heart. You see, I’m a huge fan of Compassion International and they have a team of bloggers and sponsors traveling throughout Tanzania this week uploading photos, writing stories, and posting it all on social media. The photos I saw on Instagram were posted by Compassion International, with two smiling little boys from Tanzania and it said, “Always have hope!”

Amen! Let me introduce you to someone who has made a massive and profound impact on my life….

Jonathan Dominic Mayala is 11 years old and lives in Tanzania. He lives with his grandma, while his dad is a farmer and his mom works sometimes. Jonathan loves animals and he sends me pictures he draws of zebras, giraffes, and lions. Jonathan has a beautiful smile! Jonathan enjoys singing songs, playing marbles, and playing games with other children. Jonathan also loves playing soccer and hide-n-seek. Jonathan washes dishes as part of his family chores, along with carrying water, cleaning, and running errands. Jonathan’s favorite bible verse is about honoring thy mother and father! Jonathan regularly asks me to pray for him, and to pray for his studies in school. I get Jonathan’s report cards on a regular basis and it helps me to know how to pray for him.

Jonathan is my sponsor child. On March 24, 2008 I made a commitment to sponsor Jonathan through Compassion International for a monthly fee which helps with his schooling expenses, his health, his family’s needs, and also with food. Jonathan and I exchange pictures every so often, and I cannot tell you the joy it brings me to get his letters. I see God working in Jonathan’s life, and I can see God using Jonathan to work in the life of others. I wish so badly that I could tutor Jonathan one on one myself, but I do not live in Tanzania – I live in Washington, DC. I would love to adopt Jonathan, but he has family who loves him and I am certainly in no financial position to welcome a child.

As we approach mother’s day, I am reminded of this verse:

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. – James 1:27, NIV

How has Jonathan impacted me? Aside from being a child I pray for, I see his joy and hear his little heart poured out onto his letters as he tries to learn English. I hear about his aspirations and even little things like his favorite food is rice and beans. I get to be a part of his life, one life. I get to love him - even if from a distance, and he gets to love me. This little person, prays for me. It was Mother Teresa who said:

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” – Mother Teresa

While Jonathan is only one, I know that God can do great things through the life of just one. I love children and hope to have my own someday, and I certainly hope to adopt someday as well – again with hopes of making a difference in the life of a child, if God should grant me the blessing. We all may not be able to feed, love, want, or care for a hundred kids, or even 10 kids, but we can make a difference for just one. Isn’t that part of loving your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31, NIV) – a commandment of the Lord?

I don’t get to come home to little arms and little hands wrapped around my neck each day, nor do I get the privilege of cooking bite size meals for little hungry mouths each night. I don’t get to hear the “I love you” from a little voice, nor do I get any kind of flowers on Mother’s Day. I don’t get to read children’s bed time stories to a little one at night, nor do I get to shop for little shoes to put on little feet. I don’t say this to solicit pity for not being a mother, but I say this to understand the blessing of a child – and how just one child actually changes YOUR life. So often, I think we as adults believe we are the ones making a difference in their life, and we do, but let us not forget the massive difference these little people make in ours.

“People who really want to make a difference in the world usually do it, in one way or another. And I’ve noticed something about people who make a difference in the world: They hold the unshakable conviction that individuals are extremely important, that every life matters. They get excited over one smile. They are willing to feed one stomach, educate one mind, and treat one wound. They aren’t determined to revolutionize the world all at once; they’re satisfied with small changes. Over time, though, the small changes add up. Sometimes they even transform cities and nations, and yes, the world.” – Katie Davis, mother to 13 adopted orphans and missionary in Uganda

Will you let a child come into your life and change your heart?