K-Love Fan Awards

I'm so excited for the K-love fan awards this weekend. I couldn't go because I'm still in school, but I'm still excited that I could listen to it on the radio. If you don't know what it is, it is an award show where the fans of K-Love can vote on who wins. K-Love is a Christian radio station, it in my opinion it is the best radio station around. So if you have time this weekend, tune in to the awards. You can listen to it on the radio, or listen online at K-love.com (I'm going to be glued to my computer this weekend.)
P.S. I want Casting Crowns to win best group, and artist of the year.

Growth via Inspiration

Everyday we are learning something new, and we don't have to necessarily have to be in school. And everyday we have an opportunity to grow. To become a better writer, you practice writing. To become better at playing an instrument the you practice. But you can also become better by getting inspiration from others. We can learn what works and what doesn't works, and we can try to apply it to what we do. If it works, then it can give us more motivation to try and use the same method in what we are doing. If it doesn't work, then we can move on and try something else. and once we are done with what we are doing, we can compare ours, to the one we got our inspiration from, and see if you succeeded, or if you should try again.
My favorite band is Casting Crowns for many reasons. One of the big reasons is that they can write really meaningful songs. My favorite song is "Every Man" and one of the newer songs that I like is "City on the Hill." Now these to songs have different meanings, but they have the same style format. The last time that the chorus is played, they change a few words, and by doing this they gave the last chorus more meaning, and it brings the whole song together. In "Every Man", Casting Crowns changed two words in the last chorus. The last chorus went from "Is there" to "There is." This is significant to the song because the song goes from asking questions, to giving the answers to the questions. This helps translate the meaning of the song to the listener. There listener may be asking "Is there hope for me?" and the last chorus says "There is hope."
In the song "City on the Hill", Casting Crowns changed the pronoun, instead of flipping two words, but it brings the same value to the song. The song is formatted to be a story , about a city on the hill. So the first few times through the chorus, Casting Crowns use "They". In the last chorus,  Casting Crowns changed the pronoun to "We". This draws the listener in to the fact that the story isn't just a story, but it is our own lives.
I love to write poetry, and I'm always looking for different styles for my writing. So I took inspiration from these two Casting Crown's songs, and tried to write a poem. I soon found out that it is hard to write a poem so that at the end all you do is change a few words. But I did it, and through the process I became a better poet and writer. I know it isn't much, but I pray you enjoy the poem I wrote, and please leave comments on how well I did. And I also linked the two songs so you can hear the whole song. Please Enjoy.
"Every Man" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCx5t-GamwY>.
"City on the Hill" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7MC2wu49Cw

Seeing Me

I'm the girl in the corner,
With no one to talk to.
You have all you buddies,
And you act like you don't know me,
and I'm fading inside.

Can you see me?
A person to talk to
In this crowed room.
Can you be a gentleman?
Can you take an interest in me,
Cause I need some one.
Can you see me?

You look my way,
And I just smile.
You head my way,
And my knees go weak.
As you take my hand,
And lead me to the dance floor

You can see me
A person to talk to
In this crowed room.
You can be a gentleman.
You can take an interest in me,
Cause I need some one.
You can see me.

Source: 
"Every Man Lyrics." Youtube. AmyRosetheEchidna123, 8 Sept. 2008. Web.
Crowns, Casting. "Casting Crowns - City on the Hill (Animated)." YouTube. CastingCrowns, 11 Sept. 2012. Web

Responsibility

Today's youth are lacking communication skills that are important in life. I know I'm lacking some. Many teens are use to text talk and emoticons. Also, teens are use to talking over a computer and not necessarily caring about a person's feelings. It's easier to to take responsibility for our words when we say them face-to-face then when we talk over electronics. With electronics, you can't see how the person who is receiving what you are saying reacts. It is less clear to see if you hurt a person, and say you're sorry.
Another problem teenagers face is they don't know how to effectively communicate when they are face to face. Many are either passive, or they are threatening. When you are passive, then you don't really get your input in and you are stuck doing what everyone else tells you to do. If you are threatening, then most people will become defensive, and you create more arguments. But if you assert yourself, but not in a threatening way, then it is easier to get your point across, and to compromise.
Compromise is key too. You can't always have your way. You need to let some other people have a turn to do what they like. This may come as a shock to some, but the world doesn't revolve around you. So it would be nice if you could give up just a little of what you want to do and compromise and let someone else choose the activity.
I was bored in class one day when I wrote this poem, and I thought that it could be useful to help to make my point clear. The first two lines is the speaker taking responsibility for what they have said. The rest of the poem is the speaker talking to someone who needs to change their behavior. You can see that the speaker isn't threatening the other person, but the speaker is taking a stand on how they feel. In the last line of the first stanza, the speaker is compromising with the other person, by saying that the person doesn't need to be perfect, but the person needs to change some of their behaviors. I pray you take this poem and apply it when you speak. (And no, this doesn't mean you have to say everything in a poem.) Please Enjoy!

The Kid You Can Be

I'm here to say I'm sorry,
Sorry for all I have said.
Your job is harder
Then what I know.
I know you are not perfect.
No one is...
    Still

It would be nice,
If you stopped the drugs;
If you stopped the parting;
If you stopped this image,
And go back to the kid
I know you can be.

You don't need all of this,
Too be cool.
You just need you friends and family.
So I ask you please,
Go back to the kid
I know you can be.

Worth

Teenagers feel like the need to be worth something. When we don't get what we want, then many turn to dating, or drugs, or popularity. The thing is, all of what we are trying to find our worth in is only temporary. You don't need to go looking for worth in people or things. You might feel good when you get you the worth you are looking for, but when that fades away, you will feel worse the before. Then you repeat the cycle, every time feeling more and more worthless. If you find your worth in God, then you will always feel that worth. He is never changing, and to Him you are worth something. For example, I don't need to go looking for my worth in the number of views I get on my blog, or how many friends I have, or in my grades. I find my worth in God, and that is enough to get me through each day. I wake up knowing that I'm loved, and that I am worth something. To many teenagers in today's society, they wake up feeling like they have no worth. Then they struggle through out the day trying to find that worth. When we find our worth in God, then we don't have to go throughout the day looking for our worth. So I ask you, where are you finding your worth today?
A song that I love that really touches on this is "You Are More" by Tenth Avenue North. The part of the video that I love is seeing the chalkboard get washed cleaned. We don't have to worry, because God has wiped our slate clean. I pray that you enjoy the video and you can take something out of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwtcwQwgdsA

Source:
"Tenth Avenue North - You Are More." YouTube. TenthavenuenorthVEVO, 10 Nov. 2010. Web.

Love For Others

As the body of Christ we are called to love one another. It's easy to do when we get love in return. But we won't always get that love, and we are still expected to give love. This can be hard. If someone punches you in the face, our first instinct is to fight back, but that is not what God told us to do. In Luke 6:29 says,  "If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, don't stop them from taking your tunic." Jesus is telling us not to retaliate. If we do retaliate, then that makes us more like the world, and less like Jesus.
Luke 6:27-28 says"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." So if it was hard enough, not to retaliate, but we also have to love the person who punched you.  I'm not saying that you have to be best friends with that person, but you have to respect them. Sometimes, all somebody may need is to know that they are not alone in this world, and that someone does care. That can be as simple as saying "Hi" to someone in the hallway. We never know how big our actions can be for someone else.

Potato Chips

My Grandma sent me this story, and I found it so inspirational, that I just had to share it. Enjoy!


Potato Chips - Precious

Take 60 seconds to read this wonderful story. It will give you time to settle your brain, gather your thoughts, calm down and finish your week

off on a positive note.

Potato Chips

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where

God lived, so he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato chips and a

six-pack of root beer and started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting

in the park, just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him

and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root

beer when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him

some chips. He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him.

His smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he

offered him a root beer. Again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted!

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a

word.

As twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up

to leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned

around, ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. He gave him his

biggest smile ever..

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his

mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him,

"What did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could

respond, he added, "You know what? He's got the most beautiful smile

I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home.

His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked,

"Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied "I ate potato chips in the park with God." However, before

his son responded, he added, "You know, he's much younger than I

expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word,

a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring,

all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into

our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime! Embrace all equally!

Have lunch with God.......bring chips.

 

God still sits on the throne. You may be going through a tough time

right now but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He

can.

Keep the faith!

 

What If

Growing up, many teenagers want to feel accepted by their peers. When they are not accepted, they try to change themselves so that they can be accepted. Girls more often than boys, will starve themselves just to be as skinny as the girls in the magazines. Others will get depressed when they can't live up to the expectations of society, and commit suicide. In today's society it is hard to find someone who loves them self for who they are, when everywhere you look, people are telling you that your not good enough. Your not good enough if your not skinny, if you don't have the right clothes, if you don't have the hottest guy, or the most money.
But God created us to be perfect. He created us in his image. He made you perfect for his plan, and his plan alone. He has a plan for you, and maybe that plan couldn't been done if you were someone else.
I was sitting in the halls waiting for school to start, and just started to write. At the end God gave me a true story that so many teenagers go through everyday. I'm not saying that you will instantly fall in love with yourself, but slowly and slowly you will build up yourself esteem. Please Enjoy!

What If

Today my English teacher told the class that we were going to have a timed writing. And the topic of our writing was “What If”. The teacher said, “Go” and everyone started writing. Except me. I stared at my blank page wondering what I could write about.

I looked over to Angelica. She already had a page written in her flowery hand writing. She had a perfect body, perfect hair, and a perfect smile. I began to write, “What if I could be like Angelica, always poised and perfect? What if I could be as confident as she is?”

I quickly crossed that out because it made me look weak. I then turned to Johnny. He was always saving the environment, and helping any where he could. I started writing again, “What if I could be like Johnny, always saving the environment? What if I got awards for my help in the community?”

I crossed it out again because this time, what I wrote made me seem like I don’t care. Lastly, I turned to Sue, who had all the guys. She could date anyone she wanted at a snap of a finger. I started writing again, "What if I had a boyfriend like Sue? What if a guy paid special attention to me? What if I loved him back?"

 

I crossed that out too, because I was looking pretty pathetic. Then the teacher started collecting papers. I couldn’t turn my in with crossed out writing on it, so I scribbled something down real quick. I handed the paper in, and the teacher looked at my messy paper and my one sentence in disgust. But I was proud of what I wrote.

“What if I could love myself as I am?”

Words

The words that we say have a big control over our lives. They tell us the who, what, where, when, why, and how we do what we do. But how are you using your words? Are you using them to build people up or are you tearing people down with them. "Words" by Hawk Nelson puts the use of our words with their lyrics. My favorite lines are "Words can build you up. Words can break you down. Set a fire in your heart or put it out." The words we use everyday can bring life or take life. If you bully people with your words, you may lead them to commit suicide. If you encourage someone who is down, you might prevent them from committing suicide.
Encouraging words are very important when you talk. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." When you encourage someone, you aren't only helping the person who received the encouragement, but also to those around listening. They will look at you differently, then the rest of society. This could then give you a chance to share the gospel with those around. So watch what words come out of your mouth, because it could either positively or negatively affect the people who your talking to, and the people around listening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anVweXDcxhA

Sources:
True Images Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007. Print
Nelson, Hawk. "Hawk Nelson: Words [Official Lyric Video]." YouTube. Hawknelsonmusic, 26 Nov. 2012. Web.

But God's My Only Hope

Let me start by saying, I am not a people person. I'm not good at talking to other individuals, which leads me to having a limited amount of friends. Most of my friends don't text much, and I don't have Facebook or Twitter, so we don't talk much outside of school. This is fine with me, except for when I need to talk to someone, and no one is there.
Everyone goes through a point where there is no one to turn to when you need it the most. This can lead us to go looking for someone who we believe will always be there. Most time we find either a boyfriend or girlfriend, and slowly it becomes an unhealthy relationship. We depend so much on them that we can't do anything without them. As this typical story goes, you either go farther then you wanted with your relationship, or they break up with you and you don't know what to do with yourself. Either way, you end up at the same spot when you started the relationship, but you feel much worse. This could lead you to doing drugs and alcohol, or cutting yourself, or hurting yourself in any other way.
There is a way to talk about all your problems, and feelings of loneliness. God is always there and he is willing to listen to you any time of the day. Hebrews 13:5 says "Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, because God had said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" God will never leave you so you always have somewhere to turn that's not a relationship, or material things.
Last night, I watched a movie with my family, and after a movie I love to talk about the movie and my thoughts on it. I normally do this with my best friend, but it was late at night and I needed to shower and go to bed. So as I was in the shower, words popped into my head, which turned to phrases, and then a poem. It's about how lonely we feel when we are standing in the rain alone, and how we search for someone to carry us out. But God is the only one who will always carry you out of the storm. People can be there to help, but God does most the heavy lifting. And he may not immediately pull you out, but while you are in the storm he will protect you.
So here is the poem I wrote in the shower, and yes it is this short, but I don't need too much to get my point across. Please enjoy!

 

But God's My Only Hope

 

Here I am standing

In the middle of the rain.

I'm stuck all alone and

There is no escape.

I'm searching and seeking

For someone to carry me out,

But God's my only hope.

 

Source:

 True Images Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007. Print



Hello, My Name Is

So I was listening to K-Love this weekend, and I heard the song "Hello, My Name Is" by Matthew West. I instantly feel in love with the meaning of the song. My favorite line from the song is "Hello, my name is child of the one true King." Instead of being named for your mistakes, or your failures, you can be recognized as a child of God. When you place your faith in God, you become His and you are no longer named for what you have been or done. It doesn't matter if you were a drug addict, or if you were abused, or if you just give up on life, give your life to God today and you will be known as His.
The lyric video for this song is very well done. I thought it was creative how they used the name tags that say "Hello, my name is" as a place to write the lyrics down. So please watch because this song and video inspired me, and I pray that it inspires you. And remember, when you give your life to God, your new name will be, "A child of the one true God." Please Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuJWQzjfU3o

Source:

West, Matthew. "Matthew West - Hello, My Name Is (Lyric)." YouTube. MatthewWestVEVO, 22 Mar. 2013. Web.