Motivation

        
         To be honest, I haven't been feeling very motivated lately. That would explain the extreme lack of posts. I've just kind of gotten caught up in my normal life doing normal things during my normal week. I haven't been feeling especially inspired to write on the blog. Frankly, I have been lacking motivation. Can anyone relate? I'm not very proud of myself in this respect because I believe that motivation is something that you can seek, you don't have to just wait around for it to pop up on your doorstep.
         So, instead of waiting for some motivation, make things happen. This may require working hard when you don't want to, or persevering in inconvenient times. These things don't sound like a lot of fun, but the reward is. You just have to stop thinking about the results you will get "right now" and start thinking about the long term results that are so much more rewarding than your momentary comfort. So, get out there and make things happen!

-N

Day 42

    Wow, I haven't blogged in forever.  I don't know about you, but I've been really busy.  The free time I have I tend to use doing things I want to do.  I don't take time to pray as much. I hardly stop to read my Bible even in my free time.  I let myself get carried away with all the stress and worry and schoolwork and due-dates, and when that's all done I get carried away with the stuff I want to do.  Sometimes I'll think of my Bible, then tell myself I'll read it later since I'd rather do something else, or I just started doing something.  I start to put a bit of distance between me and my schedule and the things I want to do, and God.
    Does this sound anything like your life right now?  This is how it is for a lot of people.  We don't prioritize what should really be our main priority, building our relationship with God!  We let ourselves forget God and focus on our schedules, our lives, the things we want, instead of focusing on God's schedule, the ways we could be impacting other lives, what God wants, for us and everyone else.
    I'm preaching to myself, too.  I find myself in this position too many times.  We all do at some point, but that's not the part that matters most (not that that doesn't matter).  What really matters is what we do to get out of the situation.  We can choose to do nothing about it, or we can make the time.  And that's what I'm challenging everyone who reads this to do.  Get up a little earlier to read your Bible and spend time in prayer. Maybe stay up a little later. Whatever it is that you need to do to get yourself back in your Bible, building that relationship with God.
    Try to spend time with God at least 4 days this week.  Next week, or maybe next month, try for 5 days.  If you want, just jump right in and try for every day each week.  If not, work your way up to that.  Make God your priority.


                                                                                          -T

Day 41

    "Why fit in when you were born to stand out?"  

 

-Dr. Seuss

     When I came across this quote earlier this week, it really stood out to me because isn't this exactly what believers should be doing, standing out? God calls us to stand out from unbelievers, being kinder, less judgemental, and so on.
     The thing is, once we accept Christ, we will never fit in. For some of us, that may be scary, but think about it this way; If you fit in, you will not make a difference. Not fitting in should be something to be happy about, because we have given our lives to God. We want to be standing out for God, changing, and saving, lives. We will not be like other people because before God, we didn't have a purpose, but once God comes into our life, we are given a purpose.
     If everyone fit in, then no one would ever be saved. No one would ever have the courage to tell anyone about God because they only wanted to be like everyone else. So, thank God we have people willing to stand out.
     Standing out for God comes at a price, though. You will have people who dislike you, don't understand you. There will be obstacles. But God calls us all to do it. He wants us to be bold, take a leap of faith, and see what we can do.
     Maybe for you that means moving across the world, leaving everything behind, to help fill a need that has been laid on your heart. Maybe it means speaking to your high school sports team about God. Maybe it's just talking to that awkward kid that everyone avoids.
     You might lose a few friends, but following God comes at a cost, a cost that not everyone understands. But, you will be doing what God has called you to do, therefore fulfilling your purpose in life. Wouldn't it be great to get to heaven and have God slap you on the back and say, "You did good, kid." That sounds a lot better than having to make up an excuse for not doing it like, "My friends would laugh at me."
     Standing out for God is a hard choice to make, but there's no confusion on what the right choice is. I have made my choice. What will you choose?

-N
We've passed the $700 mark!
    

Day 40

    If the world ended today, would you be ready? Do you know where you would go, what would happen next? What would happen to your family and friends? Are you prepared?
    A lot of times we forget that the end of the world could be tomorrow, or even today! A lot of times that's reflected in our lifestyle.
    If we really lived like tomorrow isn't guaranteed, you would really be able to tell the difference between the people living for themselves and the people living for God. But the thing is, we as Christians are supposed to live our lives that way. We are supposed to be prepared for the end of the world and prepare others for it too. We really are supposed to live like there's no tomorrow.
    So why don't we try to. This week, I challenge you to live like there's no tomorrow. After all, that's how we should be living anyway.

                                                                                         -T
   

Day 39

    If we don't praise God, the rocks will cry out. Think about that.
    Imagine it's just a normal day, not much is going on, and your kind of bored. Then, all of a sudden, the rocks outside the window start singing. Singing rocks! How amazing it is that God can make the rocks cry out!
    We are made to glorify God. That's why we are here. That is our purpose. That's why God created mankind. If we aren't fulfilling our purpose, the rocks are going to do our job. That to me is both amazing and a little scary.
    I find it amazing that God can do that. How cool would it be to see and hear the rocks singing! But it scares me too. If Jesus said this, does that mean that there will be a time in the future when no one will be praising God?
    We as Christians are God's children. We are the people who have realized that we are not our own, we can't be good enough to reach God, We need Jesus and are here not for ourselves but to praise Him! If we aren't doing that, what good are we? It is our job to praise Jesus Christ because He died for our sins on the cross so we can be with Him when we are done in this world and we were created to praise Him.
    Even if that wasn't the reason we were created, that doesn't mean we can be silent! What Jesus has done for us is so great that we should never stop singing about what He's done, never stop praising and glorifying Him.
    We as Christians know our purpose. There are so many people out there looking for exactly that, purpose. We have purpose, so why should we ever stop living it out? Why should we ever stop sharing our knowledge of our purpose? There is no reason!
    I will never let the rocks sing while I can do anything about it. I know my purpose, I know why I'm here, I know what Jesus has done for me, so I will not be silent. None of us should be. So let's shout out God's praise every second of every minute that we can, whether through our actions or our words, and never, ever be silent. Never let the rocks cry out.

                                                                                           -T

Day 38

     Death. Maybe you've experienced it personally, maybe not, but we're all familiar with the concept.
     I recently learned of a girl my age dying. She didn't die of a disease or an attack, she died of a fluke accident. No warning, no preparation. She passed out at her school, and never woke up.
     This really got me thinking. What if I died today? What do I have to show for my life? What if God asked me when I was going to tell that one girl about Him, and I told Him I was going to get to it next week?
     You see, life is precious because it can end at any time, so we can't wait to start making a difference, we have to start now.
     What if that one friend died? You know, the one who you never told about Jesus. For the rest of your life, you would have to live with the fact that you didn't tell them, and now they are stuck in Hell, forever. Suffering in endless, eternal pain, because of you.
     Maybe it made sense to you at the time. You didn't want to ruin the friendship, make it awkward. You wanted everything to be okay between the two of you, nothing tense.
     But in the end does it really matter? Is God going to judge you by all the awkward moments you cause? No, God is going to judge you by all the lives you did or didn't save.
     So reach out to that one friend, not tomorrow, but today, it might be your last chance to save them.
     Also, if God sent His only, perfect son to die for us so that everyone could be saved, do we get to pick and choose who deserves to go? Should we not tell someone just because they're a little strange?
     Everyone on this earth is God's child, and He wants them all to be in Heaven with Him. So, it's our job to tell everyone, not just the people we think will listen. Everyone. That means that girl that no one will talk to. That means that guy that everyone is scared to talk to. EVERYONE!!!
     Jesus talked to the outcasts, and loved them when no one else would. That means we should too. You may be the only friend that outcast has, and you may be the one who leads them to Jesus. But it's your choice. What will you choose?

-N

Day 37

    There are times in life when we wonder if it's worth it, we question what we believe in, we don't know what the point is anymore. We want to escape, to shut out the stress and the pressure. We want out of our situation.
    We wonder why we're here at all, if it's all a lie, what you can trust, who you can trust. We feel insecure, unsure of ourselves, alone.
    I don't know what you're going through personally, but I know that there are people out there who need help. Need an escape. Need hope.
    I know where you can find it.
    You can find it in Jesus.
    He says it's okay to wonder if it's worth it, okay to question what we believe, okay to question what the point is, that's how we find our purpose. It's natural to want an escape from the pressure and stress, God will provide it.
    We're here to serve God, for He created us in His own image, and glorify Him for all He's done. Sometimes we are told lies, but Jesus will reveal the truth. You don't have to feel insecure or alone, Jesus is always with you, even when you don't feel Him there.
    Serving God is worth it, believing in Jesus is the best thing that can ever happen to you. Our purpose is to glorify God in everything we do. He is our escape.
    We all want hope deep inside, hope for a better place, for love. We all need hope, and find it in Jesus, for Heaven is our better place and Jesus our greatest companion, pouring out love like He did that day on the cross. There's no greater love than His love for us. That gives me hope. It's your choice whether or not you will let it do the same for you.

                                                                                           -T

Day 36: What If

    What if you had the opportunity to save a life. Would you? What if someone told you that you do have that opportunity. Because you do, more than you would think.
    What if you tried to bring a friend to church every Sunday, or maybe every month. What if you tried to tell three people a year about Jesus, or maybe just one. What if you lived a life that was so different from everyone else, a life that Jesus shines through, every day. Imagine what could happen. Imagine how many lives we could save.
    What if you put aside a bit of money every month for charities or missions. What if you set aside a little bit of time for service projects, maybe just one a year. Imagine the things we could do.
    You can save a life with a little bit of money, you can save a life with a few words, you can save a life with an invitation, you can save a life with your lifestyle. It doesn't take much.
    A lot of times we think we can't do much to save a life. A lot of times we think we're too small or insignificant to be of much help, if any. A lot of times we think we can't impact the world. A lot of times we're right. But that's only because we tell ourselves we can't. We feel alone, but we're not. God is always there. We think we can't do it because it's true, we can't.
    God can.
    Too many times we forget that. We tell ourselves we're alone, so we believe it. We let the devil take a grip on our lives. A lot of times, we are our biggest obstacle. We think we can't be forgiven for what we've done or feel alone and deserted. But it's not true. And while we focus on that, we can't focus on others. We can't focus on serving. We can't focus on God.
    What if we believed in God instead of trying to believe in ourselves. What if we told ourselves we're not alone. What if we told ourselves, I can't, God can. What if we looked for chances to save a life, and acted on them. Imagine what we could do. What God could do.

                                                                                         -T

REMINDER!!

Be sure to look back at previous posts. Sometimes we add to each others posts or change them. Sometimes you might miss some. Thank you for reading! God bless!

Day 35: Hands and Feet

   
    If you're reading this, you have a decision to make. We're starting a movement, and we want you to be a part of it.
    The movement is called Hands and Feet. Our mission/motto is "Working to fulfill our purpose as the Body of Christ". Under that are three main goals:

1. To serve others.
2. To reach out to everyone that we have the chance to.
3. To share Jesus' love with everyone.

    There are so many opportunities out there that we allow to pass by. As part of the Body of Christ, we should seize every opportunity that comes our way, whether it's helping to build wells in Africa to doing the dishes without being asked, from serving overseas to sitting next to that lonely kid at lunch. There are so many chances out there to show God's love, to serve others, to reach out, to make a difference. No matter how small it is, it matters. And if it matters, we need to do it to the best of our ability.
    I sometimes struggle with that, as I'm sure all of us do. I feel like the little things don't really matter. They don't always feel as rewarding as other things, but that shouldn't matter! We aren't supposed to do it just so we can feel good about ourselves or earn bragging rights, we're supposed to do it because it's what God commands us to do.
    Just because you don't feel called to do a certain thing doesn't mean you shouldn't do it! It's not about that! If you feel called by God to do something, don't ignore it (but don't do it if it goes against the Bible or tells you to do something crazy that could hurt you or someone else in some way, that isn't God), but that's not the reason you should or shouldn't do something that that you have the chance to do.
    That's what Hands and Feet is about, serving God by serving others, never letting an opportunity to serve and/or glorify Him pass by. Jesus said in Matthew 9, "The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few." We are the workers. The harvest is all the opportunities to serve and lead others to Christ. There are more workers now than when Jesus said that, but there are workers that don't do much to bring in the harvest.
    There's a song by Casting Crowns called If We Are the Body. It says "If we are the Body, why aren't His arms reaching, why aren't His hands healing, why aren't His words teaching". The song goes on to say more about how the body isn't doing what it should be doing. It gives examples of opportunities some Christians have to reach out and serve and share God's love, and how they instead are being judgemental and mean, or just ignoring those opportunities.
    We are commanded to be different. We are the Body of Christ, The Children of God, The Kingdom of Heaven. So we need to show it. And we need to show it in everything we do.
    Join our movement. Tell other people about it, do whatever you can to serve, to reach out, and to share Jesus' love with everyone. Never let an opportunity pass you by. Do everything to the Glory of God, no matter how big or how small, as we work to fulfill our purpose as the Body of Christ.
    So will you join?

                                                                                             -T
   


   

Day 34

Today I stumbled across this poem about abortion by Sarah Ann:

Wait and please just think about this
You will never feel your baby’s kiss
Or be able to touch her silky soft hair
Abortion is murder, but you don’t care

You made a mistake when having fun
But why must your baby be the one
What did she do to deserve this death
You killed your soul, taking her breath

A sweet child's face you will never see
A wonderful mother you will never be
You will never feel her tender touch
Or have the chance to love her much

Another murderer is what you would be
We all know it; it is just too plain to see
When she first tries to open her shut eyes
You will muffle out all of her loud cries

Your baby deserves a whole life to live
Something like this I will never forgive
And you will never sing a lullaby song
Killing an innocent is just plain wrong

     I couldn't agree more with this poem, and every time I read it, tears invade my eyes. I just can't understand how our society thinks it's okay to kill babies, and yet it is horrible to kill once the baby is outside of the womb. No matter how I try to see it, it just doesn't make sense to me.
     Abortion is murder,and there's no other way to look at it. Yes, it could make life easier for you, and it gets rid of an inconvenience, but it is wrong.

Psalm 139:13-16 says,

For you created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
When I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
Were written in your book
Before one of them came to be.

     If God knit every baby together, even in the mother's womb, do you really think He would approve of you destroying it? If God has personally written out all of our days for us, would He want us to be killed before we could experience even one?
     According to this link, almost 40% of teen pregnancies end in abortion. This fact completely overwhelms me. 40% of God's perfect creations, who haven't sinned once in their short lives, are murdered in teen pregnancies. The bible says that God has a plan for every child before they are even born. Do you think it is His plan for them to be murdered?
     If you are thinking about abortion, think about the life your child will never live because of your selfish choice. Think about how you are destroying God's perfect creation. If you really think about this, you won't murder your child. If this post saves even one child's life, I will rejoice.
-N

    I too feel that abortion is wrong,  that all life is precious wether it has taken a breath outside the womb or not, but if you have had an abortion we don't judge you for it. God is always ready to forgive, all you have to do is repent and ask Him to forgive you.
    That doesn't justify anything, it doesn't mean we can screw up as many times as we want to and then tell God "I'm sorry, please forgive me!", but it is reassuring to know that God will always forgive us so long as we forgive others, repent, and ask.
                             
                                                                                         -T

Day 33

     Yesterday, as I was reading Matthew 4, verses 18-20 really stood out to me:

     As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fisherman, "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men. At once they left their nets and followed him.

     They left their nets at once. Not after they had caught their fish, not after they got everything in order, at once. They were fisherman, so they were probably catching their food for the next few days or weeks, but when Jesus told them to follow him, they left their food and obeyed without hesitation. They had faith that Jesus would take care of them, and he did.
     So, this got me wondering that if I was in that same situation, would I have dropped my nets and followed. I would like to say that I am completely sure that I would, but, to be honest, I don't know. I don't know if I would be able to let all of my fish go away without catching them. I don't know if I would be able to trust that God would provide for me.
     It's difficult when you know that you have to give up everything for God but you still find yourself clinging to the little security you have. I know God will provide for me and take care of me, but there's still that part of me that wants a back-up plan, just in case something goes wrong. But God never goes wrong.
     I know that when I am in God's hands, he will take care of me like the perfect Father He is. When you get scared and want to have a back-up plan for God, just remind yourself that He doesn't fail. He is perfect.

Prayer: God, help me to be like Peter and Andrew. Help me to have faith that you will take care of me and provide for me. Help me to trust in you. Amen.
-N

I am excited to announce that we received 4 views from Thailand this week! Another country reached through the blog!

We have also received 900+ views:
USA 785
Russia 62
Canada 18
Germany 10
Ukraine 8
United Kingdom 4
Thailand 4
Romania 1
Singapore 1

Day 32

    This past Sunday at church, we were watching a short video/lesson. At one point it showed a poor community here in America. It was talking about how you don't have to go overseas to be a missionary, how there are plenty of opportunities all around if you'll just look for them. I'm not saying being an overseas missionary is bad, I feel called to be one, but it got me thinking.
    It made me think that there are tons of people living in horrible conditions, and plenty of people who aren't. And that made me think, "Why am I in a position that those people would give anything for, and not poor or starving or sick. Why did God let me have wonderful opportunities and food and resources and medicine and not them?"
    And this is what I believe to be the answer. I am in this position so I can help those who can't help themselves, to be part of the body of Christ, to change lives, to help save souls. To provide love to those who never new such a thing, to give and renew hope in those who have none left or never had any at all. I am here to serve.
    That doesn't explain exactly why I'm in this exact position, only God knows that. But realizing this has made me want to serve more, to do all I can and more, because I'm in this position for a reason. And the whole reason I'm here at all is to glorify God, and that is exactly what I want to do.
    For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life in Christ Jesus. John 3:16.
    That's probably a mix of a few versions, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is that God loves you so much that He sent His only Son to be born on Earth, live a perfect, sinless life, and then die on the cross, a death for criminals, as a sacrifice for all the sins of the world that ever have been or will be made. He was whipped and spit on, mocked and forced to wear a crown of thorns on His head. He was forced to carry His own cross but was too weak to do it, so another carried it for Him. He was nailed to that cross and died with the weight of all our sins on His shoulders, and He didn't even have to. At one word the angels would have flown down and rescued Him. He could have destroyed His enemies with a simple thought, but He didn't. Because HE LOVES US.
    And that is why I will serve and use the position God has given me to lead others to know about, trust in, and follow Him.
    What about you?

                                                                                          -T

Day 31

     In the last paragraph in Day 30, I confessed that I was not reading my bible as often as I should, and I would like to elaborate on the importance of reading your bible.
    In most cases, God doesn't talk to His children verbally, or through dreams, or through a burning bush. This may make you feel like God has abandoned you or He just doesn't care. Perhaps He's too busy with his other children to worry about you. Does that sound right? Wrong.
     God loves each one of us just as much as He does another. He has undying love, so much so that He knew He had to make a way for His children to know what He expected from them. He also knew that they needed a way to know that He cared. So, He wrote the bible. Alright, so He didn't physically write it, but He wrote it through His children. They could never have written it themselves, or do anything else for that matter.
     So, when you read the bible, you are reading what God wrote to you, like a big love letter. You learn more about God, and therefore build a better relationship with Him. You can't have a close relationship with someone you know nothing about.
     I challenge you to read seven chapters of the bible a week. That's only one chapter a day! If you find yourself forgetting what you read about, take notes. If you think it's boring, read harder. The only way to have interest in God's word is if you are specifically looking for what he is trying to teach you. Let God teach you. Be that student that always has their hand up to ask a question. Then, let God show you the answer.
-N

Day 30: In God's Presence

    Yesterday, I just got back from the best summer camp in the world: Crossroads Summer Camp. It was an amazing experience! N and I went with our church and had so much fun. At the first session, 35 people came to Christ, and that hadn't even been a full day! So many people were saved that week, it was amazing! This is a link to the website, Crossroads. 
    The last night session was the best by far, I really felt the presence of God. It made me want to get in His word and stay in it. It made me want to do everything possible to spread the gospel. It made me want to do everything I possibly can to help the Kingdom and have no doubt that I could do it. And that feeling can only come from the presence of God.
     That doesn't mean I'll always feel Him, there are plenty of times when I don't, but that doesn't mean He's not there beside me, guiding me through every step of the way. But to feel Him like I did that night set my heart on fire for Him, and I want to keep it that way. I know N felt it too, and so did one of our friends, H. We cried and prayed together, but not because we were sad. We cried because we were amazed and thankful and in awe of the presence of God.
     All that reminded me of what God can do, how He can use anyone or anything for His glory, and how much He loves us. How much He loves me.

    And that's my heart.

                                                                                         -T

     As T said, we just got back from Crossroads Summer Camp. Not only did we have the opportunity to bond with and learn more about friends, but we were able to bond with and learn more about God.
     One thing that Clayton King, the founder and president of the camp, said was "You are not worthy, but you are not worthless." This really stuck with me because I know that whatever I do, I will never be worthy of God's grace. The only requirement of receiving God's grace is to see that you need it, and I need it so badly.
     It breaks my heart to know that while I am sinning, God is saving. His children sin against Him, hate Him, turn away from Him, but He still loves them. He still reaches out to them, always ready to forgive. All we have to do is ask Him into our heart, and He is there.
     On the other side of what Clayton said, we are not worthless. Would God send His own perfect son to die for a bunch of worthless beings?
     We are here to serve God. Clayton said it like this, "God is the head, He makes the calls. We are the body, we do the work." I am willing to work for God for the rest of my life, do huge, incredible things for Him, but Clayton made it clear that we need to start small. We need to start by honoring our parents, picking up trash for people, doing our chores without being told, we start by serving others. When we serve others, we serve God.
     As more proof that we are not worthless, Jesus prayed for us.
     John 17:20 says, “I am praying not only for these disciples but for all who will ever believe in Me because of their testimony.”
     Every time I read this, I have to re-read it. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, prayed for us. We are not worthless.
     Once we accept Jesus in our hearts, we don't just stop there. Christianity is more than just getting into Heaven and out of Hell.  We were made to serve God, and God will show you how to serve. It might not be clear now, but it will be eventually. Jesus will not give you anything you can't handle. Whatever Jesus tells you to do, you will be able to do it, it just might not be as easy as you want it to be.
     The last day of camp was very emotional for me. I went to the alter to pray with T and H, and we clung to each other and literally cried a puddle. I don't know how long we stayed there, but it was time well spent. I have never felt God's presence so strongly. All of us had become aware that we weren't reading our bible as often as we should, and we decided that we were going to hold each other accountable for reading our bibles. We need to dig into God's word to know what He expects from us, and learn more about him. I am very glad that I went to Crossroads, and I will definitely be returning. The messages taught there couldn't have come at a better time.

-N

     I am also very excited to say that we have received 11 views from Russia and 4 from the United Kingdom (UK) this week. We have possibly impacted 15 people overseas, just this week!

Day 29: Passed Halfway Point!

     That's right! We have officially passed our halfway point to our goal of $1,000. We are at $620. That amount of money can save 62 souls, or save 42 lives. That could also purchase 6 house kits, or 13 farms kits. Before we know it, we'll be at $1,000. I have to, again, express my wonder and amazement at the power of our God. We have only received money from the people in our little town and our family. Imagine what God could do if we spread it around even more.
     Keep in mind that this is all happening in God's power, not our own. God has broken our hearts for these people, and made us determined to help. If God has called you to the same cause, you don't have to get in contact with us, just go to the Samaritan's Purse Website and donate online.
-N

Day 28: 4th of July

Happy Independence Day, America!

Today, think of how blessed you are to live in a free country. You are free to serve God without fear of punishment. May God bless America.

-N

Day 27

This video shows a girl known online as Misselainious. She felt that God was calling her to help orphans in India, but health issues have kept her here. But that didn't stop her from helping them. She wore the same dress for one hundred days to raise money and awareness for these orphans in India. So far she has raised over $58,000. God called her to do something, and she found a way to do it. The one hundred days are over, but she continues to blog on and accept donations. If you would like to visit her blog, click the link above with her name in it. She is the perfect example of how an idea can become life-changing. Misselainious, if you're reading this, we want to say thank you for helping these orphans and honoring God.
-N

We have received 800+ views:
USA 717
Russia 51
Canada 18
Germany 9
Ukraine 8
Romania 1
Singapore 1

Day 26: To Girls

"Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall."   1 Corinthians 8:13 
      This verse illustrates the need to dress modestly. Dressing immodestly causes our brothers to stumble, and we just might cause him to fall. You don't want to cause that by the way you dress, something so easily adjusted. Just pick another outfit. It doesn't matter how cute it is, the only attention you will receive from your brothers will be negative. You want your brothers to respect you as their sister in Christ, not look at you as an item. They will have no respect for you at all.
     More importantly, it will lead your brothers into sin. The way you dress may tempt them to have ungodly thoughts, and thoughts eventually become actions. You may affect the way they think about you entirely. So, every day before you walk out of the house, take a look in the mirror. Put yourself in the shoes of the guys you will come in contact with. Check to  make sure that the way you are dressed is not tempting. That you will actually be able to have a conversation with him with both of you focused on the topic. If your outfit limits your ability to have a focused conversation together, swap it out for another outfit.

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 
1 Corinthians 10:31
     Yes, this includes the way you dress. You can dress in a way that honors God. Think of this every time you look in the mirror at your outfit, "If Jesus was standing next to me, would I wear this?" And ultimately, He is. He is everywhere, all the time. He is right next to you, right now. Remember that whenever your thinking of doing something unpleasing to your Heavenly Father.
-N

Day 25

What do you do when the whole world is working against you? You don't stand a chance, anyway, so why not give up instead of making a fool of yourself? Why not just do what everyone else does? It works for them.
     Because that's not what God tells us to do.
Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will."
If you just go along with what the world does, you are not fitting into God's plan. The world's plan and God's plan are completely different. The world's plan in self-centered and self-serving, while God's plan is selfless and serves others.
If God is the only one on your side, and the whole world is pushing against you, the whole world is incredibly outnumbered by the Almighty God. God is never defeated, he holds no grudges, has no hatred or sin, and will love you forever. So why would you even want to think about taking the world's side?
So what do you do with the world pushing against you? Push back, with all of your might, and let God lead. You don't need the world. You do need God.

-N

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Day 24

    Have you ever felt like you are worth nothing, can do just about nothing, and will never and never have made a difference? Like you're just a walking piece of garbage?
   God thinks you are worth everything in the world, knows you can do anything because He's on your side, and that you can and will make a difference. And He thinks you are beautiful.
   You can do anything with God on your side.Think about that, anything.
   1Timothy 4:12 says, "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." That's a verse to live by, and one of many. It tells us we don't have to wait until we're older to do something great, we can right now! We can do great things, and no one has the right to stop us from helping people, from changing the world for the better, from showing God's love.
   No matter what the world says about you, what you think of yourself, God can use you to change the world because He can do anything.
   He sent his Son, Jesus, the Light of the World, perfect beyond compare, to take our sins and our punishment and die. Because He Loves You.
  And the world needs to know that.
  So what will you do about it?


                                                                                               -T