DAY 11: Honor Genesis 31:38-42

Hey ladies!

I hope you all are having a wonderful Thursday! I just had registration for next semester's classes and it went really well for the first time ever! I'm still in shock. I know  a lot of you will be hearing back from the rest of your schools tomorrow, good luck and remember it is all in God's hands! :)

Today's topic is honor. Let's look at the passage:

"I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you."

First let me give you all a background of what's going on here. So here we have Jacob, Esau's brother.We know that he took Esau's blessings and leave, and is sent to Laban... and then he marries Rachel and Leah, he has a lot of children, and his share of the flock starts to grow, all while Laban's starts to decrease. Laban is basically annoyed at all the success Jacob is having, and Jacob notices and just wants to leave. 

Are you ever guilty of "just getting by"? Do you study just enough just to pass your tests? Keep your room clean enough so that your mom doesn't call in the exterminators? (<tehehe me!) Show just enough respect to your parents? Give God just enough attention each day? What would happen if, like Jacob, you went above and beyond what was expected of you? Your efforts may not get noticed (then, again they might!) What's most important, however is that God would see your efforts and be pleased.

What do you guys think?

Anne :)

DAY 10: Gratitude Deuteronomy 8:10-18

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord you God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down. and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lord your God, for i is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today."

It is so easy to take things for granted. Do you make friends easily? Are you musically or athletically gifted? Straight-A student? Remember all of your gifts come from God. How about a cool car, sweet cell phone, cute clothes? Don't let the gifts distract you from God, the Giver. Before you get all hung up on how great you are, remember that every good thing you have or do is a gift from God. If you have time take a look at James 1:17 and thank him!!!

Have a good day!

Anne :)

DAY 9: Generosity Exodus 35:21-22

"...and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. All who were willing men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds;  brooches, earrings, rings, and ornaments. They all presented their gold as wave offering to the Lord."

Being the TWAMP (typical William and Mary person) I am, I looked up the definition of genorosity. Webster defines it as the habit of giving freely without expecting anything in return. It can involve offering time or talents to aid some in need, It is sometimes equaled with charity and virtue, and it "is widely accepted in society as a desirable trait."

Imagine this: As the offering plate passes, one girl rolls her eyes and resentfully throws in some spare change. A few rows behind her, a second girl silently thanks God for all he's given her and then gives back to him generously. Which gift pleases God more? The Israelites loved the Lord so much that they gave generously toward the building fund. And not just their extra money or some loose coins they dug out of the couch. No, they gave their best and were glad to do it. Which kind of heart do you have stingy or generous?

Sometimes it is hard for me to give open-handedly... but even if you think you don't have much, you can always find someone who has less. And there are many ways to be generous, you can volunteer at places, or donate clothes to the salvation army or goodwill. Don't wait for someone else to meet the need. Get out there and do it!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a good one!

Anne

DAY 8: Friendship Genesis 14:14-16

Hey ladies!
I hope you all are having a wonderful Wednesday!

During the last devotional "30 Stories of Love and Friendship" we looked at this verse.
We said that a good friend is there when you need her. When you are sad, she hugs you and lets you cry. When you fail, you know that she loves you anyway. And when you're in trouble, she runs to help without caring that it costs her time and energy. As soon as Abram found out about Lot's capture he jumped into action. Abram did not wait to see if someone else would save Lot, and he did not care if he had to risk his own life.

Even though they were in their, "give me some breathing room" time, Abram still saved Lot.

We talked about how good friends are a reminder of God's love for us. And how God doesn't just love us because we're lovable or because we make him feel good, it is because He is love.


What are your thoughts?
Anne :)

DAY 7: Forgiveness acts 7: 59- 60

“While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was there giving approval to his death.”

Wow! Intense, right? Put yourself in Stephen’s place for a minute. He locked eyes with his murderers as they pounded his body with stones. Yet, he asked God to forgive them. How is this humanly possible, to forgive someone for something so heinous? It is only possible through Jesus, the one who did it first. Even in dying Stephen followed his Savior’s example. God can transform your heart and your attitudes in ways that might seem impossible to you now. Next time you really iching for revenge, remember that after everything we've done, and everything we're probably going to do, God has and will forgive us.

~Anne

DAY 6: Faith Psalms 138:8

"The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever- do not abandon the works of your hands."

Hey y'all!

I'm feeling really southern today! It's because I went to Jamestown (yes Pocahontas Jamestown Joy!) the other day... and almost everyone there had a southern accent it made me really jealous!

As we begin to talk about faith, ask yourself, are you a dreamer or a drifter? Do you dream big dreams for your future (“cough” lizzy and I’s plans for our children lol) or are you just drifting along through life? Either way, it’s reassuring to know that God does have a purpose for you and he will fulfill it. You may have a lot of questions about your life right now. I know for me, it’s been hard to figure out what God’s plan is for me right now. I worked through high school so I could get into a good college an now that I am here, I feel like I took a step backwards. I’m one of those people, as you all know, who plans obsessively! I actually enjoy planning obsessively, so much that when things don’t go according to my plan I freak out! I used to have really bad stress attacks back in the day but those have gone away. The future may always seem mysterious, and you may wish that God would just give you a few clues sometimes. The reason why my attacks have subsided is because I’ve tried to put claim in the promise that even though I don’t know what the future holds God does. And because he is all powerful, we can trust him. He’ll take care of the rest.

I don’t know if you guys have taken learning tests in school where they tell you what your learning style is. I am a visual and tactile learner, which means I learn by seeing and doing. To say “apart from me there is no God” is easy, and I understand that God is God, and I am not. But sometimes, especially with my personality it’s hard to deal with the fact that God has the right to call the shots in my life because he’s the “Potter,” and I am the” clay.” The clay doesn’t get to say, “AYO POTTER! I wish you made prettier… I wish you gave me different parents, Potter…. I wish I lived anywhere but here!” The clays job is to trust and submit to the Potter. God knows what he’s doing and he’s shaping you and me. Trust him with the outcome.

What do you think?

Have a good day!

Anne :)

Prom Wishes

From Mr. G~

Ladies of TAG - I wanted to let you know about Prom Wishes, an event at the Dulles Town Center on April 9 where prom dresses are made available free of charge to local high school girls.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4v7nMJTBHE0M2E0MjJiNDEtY2Q5MS00ZDVjLWJmMGItZjRkYjFjMjcyYzlk&hl=en&authkey=CPOZ1d4I

http://www.jwcl.org/calendar/events/prom-wishes

(If you have old formal dresses in good condition that you would like to donate, there is information about that as well.)








I've volunteered at Prom Wishes in the past, and it is a lot fun! If you're interested, let me know, I can give you contact information.

DAY 5: Courage Esther 4:15-16

"Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: GO, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done. I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

Happy Wednesday Ladies!

To start off our conversation on Courage, what do you think courage is. I know for awhile, my definition of courage was made by the Wizard of  Oz and the Cowardly lion.

Courage is, "the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face a difficulty, danger, pain, etc.; without fear; bravery."How courageous are you, on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as courageous and 1 being wimpy)? Esther risked her whole life to go before the king and speak on behalf of her people. Which is basically a 12 on a 10 point scale. I know that most of us have not (may not) had (have) to  risk our lives to prove our courage. But you might have to do something outside of your comfort zone- like speaking to your friends about God or not giving in to peer pressure even though everyone else is.

Are you courageous enough?
Have a good day!!
Anne :)


ps if you need a study break... this video is so adorable!

DAY 4: Confidence Isaiah 32:17

"The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever."

Confidence is the one thing I wish I had all the time. For me, it seems to come and go as it pleases! Do you ever wish you felt more sure of yourself? More confident? Maybe you decide to do something about it and get a little more assertive- at school your friends notice that you've started sportin' a little attitude. Problem solved? Tehehehe nope! That kind of confidence (talking louder, being a sassafras, and trying to get noticed) is just on the outside, and it doesn't last. Hence my come and go problem. Real confidence comes from righteousness, as this verse tells us, God's righteousness, at work n our hearts. Real confidence comes from depending on him and not you. And nothing can take that kind of confidence away it's yours forever.

I feel like another reason I have issues with confidence is because I look at "self confidence" as a good thing, a lot of people do. But that's not really how God wants you to see yourself. Eeek, I have to be careful how I word this, cause I don't want you guys to misunderstand. God doesn't want us to be insecure and unsure. But he does want us to find our confidence in him and in what he can do in and through us. There is a very big difference between having confidence in yourself and having confidence in God. In Genesis 41 Joseph recognizes this. He knows that his ability to interpret dreams come from God. When you rely on yourself. you'll only go so far. But when you rely on God, there's no limit to how far you can go!

Have a good day!

Anne

DAY 3: Comfort Zephaniah 2:5

"Woe to you who live by the sea, O Kerethite people; the word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, Land of the Philistines. 'I will destroy you, and none will be left'"

Let's add versus six and seven too.

"The land by the sea, where the Kerethites dwell will be a place for shepherds and sheep pens. It will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah; there they will find pasture. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The Lord their God will care for them;  he will restore their fortunes."

Now for comfort: How do you spell relax? B-E-A-C-H? M-A-S-S-A-G-E? S-P-A? S-E-R-T-A? There's nothing like a good mattress for some quality of sleep. But how about rest from weariness and stress of life? Even the best mattress can't take care of that. Only one brand name provides that type of rest: God! The faithful people of Judah would agree. God promised to give them land and provide for their needs. Now that's quality rest! In need of some genuine rest? Lean back and put the whole weight of your cares on God.

Thoughts?

Have a good day!

Anne :)

DAY 2: Character Leviticus 18:3

"You must not do as they do in Egypt where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices."

God could have decided to just leave his people in the desert so that they wouldn't be tempted by the evil people in Canaan. But God wanted his people to get to live in that Beautiful land, so he brought them there with a serious warning, "You can't do what they do."

I can see this in present day as well. Are you surrounded by people who think and live differently- at school, at work, even at home? God wants you there, but warns, "Don't do as they do" Instead be a light for Christ (I know it can be hard)- it may be the only light those people see.

Let's do some soul-searching! Which do  you think is more important: looks or CHARACTER? Winning the Miss Congeniality award can seem less thrilling than being crowned Miss America (ps congrats Ms. Nebraska). In a day when looks seem to be valued over character many people are tempted to devalue character. But genuine character- inner beauty- never goes out of style with God.

The last thing I want to say about character is something my mom and dad always tell me. "Life is sweet and meant to be enjoyed. And when you are young and have your whole life ahead of you it is especially easy to feel carefree and wild. Fun seems to lie around every corner! But while enjoying all that today holds, it is also easy to forget about tomorrow. You've got to keep up in mind that choices you make today may affect you for eternity. Don't do anything now that you will be ashamed of later. Enjoy life in such a way that you will have no regrets when you come to the end it.

~Anne

NEW COMMENT THING-A-MA-BOB!!!

Hey ladies!

So many of you guys have wrote to me saying that you wished that there was a way for you to comment on the blog without creating a gmail account. Well, have no fear I have found a way! On the top left side of the blog you should see a box entitled, "Thoughts, Concerns, and Prayer requests" it is a chat box that only visitors of this site can see. You just need to write your name (so we know who is talking lol) and your message. I hope it well help us all stay connected and you all will be able to comment with your thoughts on different topics we go over!

I'm so pumped to hear back from you!
Anne :)

My pumped face :)

ps. feel free to test it out!

DAY 1: Beauty Proverbs 11:22

"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout

 is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion."

This verse reminds me of the saying "you  can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig."

What a waste! A solid bazillion carrot gold ring hooked through the snout of a smelly pig. That's how useful beauty is without good judgement to balance it out. Just think about the lies of some of the most beautiful (supermodel and movie stars) in the world. While these chicks look beautiful on the outside, they're often confused and unhappy on the inside. Their beauty doesn't do much but accessorize an otherwise ugly life, as we see is the case with many Hollywood folks. And in the end, even a pig with a nose ring is still just a pig. True beauty grows from the inside out, not the inside in.

True images covenant: A true images girl has Genuine Beauty. She doesn't seek shallow outer beauty; she desires a deep, inner, lasting beauty. (Proverbs 31:30)

It's not telling you to give up your makeup. Believe me, I'm the last one to throw my eyeliner and mascara away.  But to put the condition of your heart first. How does your heart look?

Like Mr. Matt used to tell us: "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting" ~Proverbs 31:30

Think about it, how many eighty-year-old models do you see on magazine covers? Even the most beautiful women eventually gets old and forgotten no matter how beautiful they once were, their beauty just doesn't last. It's fleeting- 'going, going, gone'  You probably spend a lot of time trying to look your best (I know I do). That's fine, but you also need to spend time with God , so that you develop lasting beauty- the kind of character that sets you apart and doesn't fade with time. It gets better and better, making you beautiful no matter how old you are. Did you hear that Mr. Garnier? tehehe just kidding!

What do you guys think?

Anne

30 Days of Genuine Living (again)

Hey ladies,

Due to my lack of technological skills, we are going to start 30 days of genuine living again. Hopefully it works this time.

I hope you all had a wonderful week! For those of you going on the Women's retreat, have oodles of fun!!!

Love,
Anne