Tough Love

I am going to write more about this but here's a review of it! Last week in Reality Check, we talked about Tough Love. Tough love is confronting someone when they are messing up because you care about them. It's not about what you can get out of the deal or to make them feel bad. You are telling me their misktake (gently!) because you really do love them. If you have friends who are making poor choices, please do talk to them about it. Just 1. don't condemn them! 2. tell them gently 3. be honest 4. do it because you want their best!!

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus...

The night before we left for Italy, we have a commissioning ceremony. After the session, the Italy team gathered around a cross with a light on it outside. If you looked around, you could seen hundreds of glowing lights and many crosses. One of the members of our team, Tony, couldn't come with us to Italy (because of passport problems) and he talked a little that night. He talked and then suggested we sing the song, "I have decided to follow Jesus." So there on that beautiful night, voices raised, not to each other, not to other teams, but to Jesus. "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back..."
The Christians in Italy so serious about what they believed and I encourage you all to be the same. I encourage you all to follow Jesus, no matter how popular to unpopular it is, no matter how easy or hard it is, how joyful or painful it is. I got to see the coliseum in Rome where thousands of Christians were slaughtered like animals and it screamed yet you could only hear it if you were silent for one, "It is worth it!"
I think, even though we might already be Christians and live in Christian homes, we have to decide for ourselves if we want to follow God. Not because our parents do, our youth pastor, our friends do, but because we want to. I recently had that choice to make, did I really want to follow Jesus? I didn't want to make it hastily. Without God though, I would only live for myself and have no greater purpose. And I needed Jesus' love and assurance. I wanted Him! I didn't just need God; I really wanted Him. I encourage you to make this choice. I think that the best thing in the world is having Jesus love you and want a relationship with you!

Love-Notes from Reality Check

My youth group just started a series about love from the love chapter in the Bible. So one of the things I am going do do weekly on my blog, is to post notes from the lessons and change them some. So, I hope you guys enjoy this series because it's already started off great for me!
First, read 1 Corinthians 13.
-Only speak loving about people and don't gossip! Don't gossip but also don't let people gossip to you (gossip is speaking mean of other's or spreading something that's not true. Sometimes it's hard to know if something is gossip or not!). The people you want to talk mean about or punch in the face, they are made in God's image and God loves them just as much as He loves you!
Why Love is So Important:
1. More than noise (resounding gong or claning cymbal-not very pleasant!)
-You have to do everything in love or else it doesn't matter! Love is what makes a picture whole, complete. If you don't have love, your actions are worthless.
2. Don't be immature
You can always grow up and mature more. And don't justify your actions. Love with no excuses! Don't judge someone by their talents and weaknesses. If your pastor isn't a good speaker, it doesn't really matter. What matters more is what he's saying!
3. We see poorly (vs. 12)
We don't understand everything that happens were on earth and we never will. We might not "get it" when someone is hates us or ingnores us but God's going to make every wrong right. We don't have to do it here on earth. Instead, we just need to love other's. God's going to make it straight, no one slips past him.
A final couple things for you! Check out Galatians 5:6 and the last verse in 1 Corthians 13-love is the most important!

Changes to Stand Alone?

Hello friends,
Hope everything is going well with you! Are you doing anything big this coming week? Is there anything you girls think I should change about this blog, add, take away, things I should post about, a question corner, update more often, etc? Go ahead and throw it out there! That'd be amazing to know. I am going to try to do some changes to it (though I'm not sure now) and if you have any ideas, just comment or email me!
Thanks for reading my blog.

NO EXCUSES!

In the book of Galatians, it talks about about not adding or taking away from the gospel. To borrow my youth pastor's words, don't make excuses. Don't read a verse about respecting your parents and then say, "But you don't know my parents." Don't read about praying for those who hate you and say, "But so and so doesn't count." When the Bible says 'obey', than obey! IT WAS GIVEN TO US AND HAS ALL AND JUST WHAT GOD WANTS US TO KNOW!! It's dirrectly from God and that's what he wants us to know. Don't add or take away from it! Also, remember the Bible isn't about rules and not what to do. Sometimes we make Christianity all about "789 things not to do". Follow Jesus because we LOVE him!

Friends are so precious!

Me and my amazing cousin, Will.
Danae and me

I love Laura so much! She's amazing, too.

Liz is funny, real, incredible, and everything else!

I am so thankful for my friends! They are amazing people who help me more than they know. I love them all so much! Thanks you for being my friend, girls!!

Don't take your friends for granted. At the same time, keep God as your

number 1 friend and I promise you that He is the best friend ever! I love you, Jesus!