Make it Matter

It has been about a year now since our dream was born, so I wanted to take the time to share with you some of our history and to encourage you to make a difference in your community.

About a year ago Tori and I found an article in Brio magazine, a magazine published by Focus on the Family for teen girls. It was called Make it Matter, and it featured Natalie Grant and some things that she was doing to "Make it Matter". There was also an opprotunity for girls to write in and share what they were doing to make their lives matter. So, even though we knew that we would be too late to submit it as a contest entry, Tori and I decided that we wanted to find something that we could do to make our lives matter.

Our idea was to minister to kids living in single parent homes. It has been amazing to see how the mission has stayed the same over the past year, but the dream has changed several times. While we are still working on what our exact means of ministry will be, our heart is still in the same place.

I wanted to share with you a quote from the article. "She (Natalie Grant) is striving to make her whole life matter. 'When I was in high school, I was consumed with blending in instead of doing stuff to stand out and motivate people,' She says. 'I really regret that. I wish I'd been consumed with standing out to make a difference.'"

Find something that you can do to make your life matter. You won't regret it.

Putting Pride to Death

Today, once again, I came up against a tough issue. My pride. Honestly, it is so hideously ugly, yet I rarely try to fight it! The question for me then becomes... How do I rid myself of it? I can't love me and serve me while claiming to love and serve Jesus. It just doesn't work!

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3&4

Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. So if I say no to pride and offer to load the dishwasher, I take a step. If I say no to pride and pick up a piece of trash on the sidewalk, I take another step. If I say no to pride and ask my mom how I can help her, I take a step. Eventually looking to other's interests becomes easier and even joyful! And in the process, I move farther toward my ultimate goal: becoming the image of Jesus Christ.

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5

And, I'm proud to say, I am almost completely humble! Just kidding. I still have a long way to go, but I know that I don't have to do it on my own strength. How about you? Will you take steps today to say no to pride and become more like Christ?

Painful Prayers

As I was praying today, I prayed a painful and potentially dangerous prayer. "Lord, break my heart with the things that break your heart." I can't even begin to see or feel all of the things that break God's heart. But when He does give me just a slight glimpse of some of the things that break His heart, I find myself completely overwhelmed. Wanting to weep for the state of our society.

However, one of the many wonderful things that I have found out about God is that he gives us so many wonderful promised. In Matthew 5:4, Jesus says "Blessed are those who mourn, for THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED" (caps added, sorry, there were not italics). When we find ourselves mourning for the way things are, we can know that we will be comforted.

Random Rambling

Well, I must apologize for the lack of blogs recently. See, I have been mentaly bloging quite often. However, somehow my brain waves didn't make it all the way to the internet... Oh well. So, I decided to blog something that you can actually read for a change.

For those of you considering insanely long road trips, I suggest that you fly instead. I really don't mind driving most of the time, but this past Sunday my family spent 16.5 hours in the car (that time did include stops, but still...). Then on Monday we spent about 10.5 hours in the car. It was actually worse than the first day, because I was so sore. However, we did eventually make it to my grandparent's in Nebraska. But, enough about me.

As I was checking all of the wonderful blogs I read, I found this amazing post! This was written by one of the speakers at the camp that I go to every summer with my church. She is an amazing woman of God, and I recommend her entire blog. Rather than annoy you with more of my ramblings, I will give you the link. Learning to wait: http://bethbrawleytaylor.blogspot.com/2009/07/learning-to-wait.html. Enjoy!

We're Back...

Sorry about not posting for almost a month. We've been busy. However, Bethany intends to post a lot the rest of the summer (I'll be busy).

I wrote this "definition" for a contest. There are 15 winners, and the prize is an autographed CD by Jonny Diaz (who wrote the song "More Beautiful You") and a one year subscription to Susie magazine. Ten of the winners would have their definitions in the magazine, and one grand prize winner (chosen randomly) would be given an iPod Nano. All you have to do is send in your definition of beauty.

I had written and edited my definition several times, and sent it to my friend to see what she thought. I had already pasted it into the submission form and was just waiting for Bethany to reply to the e-mail. Well, when she finally did, she broke the news to me. Floridians can't enter! Oh, well. At least I have a blog post now. Here's what I wrote:

What makes a person beautiful? I myself had to think quite a bit before I could answer. My conclusion is, someone who’s filled with the fruit of the spirit.

Someone who loves as Jesus loved. Is filled with spiritual joy. Makes peace. Waits patiently. Always looks for opportunities to show kindness. Does good in other’s lives. Is firmly grounded in their faith. Is of a gentile spirit. And finally, someone who uses self control in their actions.

In my opinion, that’s what makes a person beautiful. And if you’re that lovely inside, who cares what you look like on the outside?

(Copyright © Tori Tj)

The contest ends on the 30th of June. If you want to enter, just go to the magazine website.

Tori

What If?

I was thinking the other day, and I started wondering... What if?What would happen if the church were to arise and take her rightful place? What if we lifted the name of the Lord as a banner over our city? If we said “no more.”? What if we actually tried to make a difference? If we firmly took hold of every promise that God has given us? If we found our confidence in Him? If we stopped looking to the ways of the world? If we took a stand for truth?



What if enough of us took a stand that we could turn our nation back to God? What if loving God and turning souls to Him was all that really mattered to us? What if we were to turn from our sins and confess Jesus as Lord? What then?


Would it make a difference? Could you be the one to make the change? Are you willing to hunger after God for all that you’re worth? Would you devote your life to something this big, focusing on a heavenly reward? Make the change. Stand for Jesus.



Romans 12:2 ~Do not conform any longer 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. (NIV)



1 Peter 1:14 ~As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (NIV)



Bethany:)

Where We've Been on the 'Net

I decided to copy a favorite blog of mine, and show you "A trace of where we’ve been on the web this week:"


Please Pass the Tie-Dye If we are all fearfully and wonderfully made, why dress up? Why wear makeup? Why wear matching socks? Read on as Beauty From the Heart's Hannah Farver shares her thoughts on the subject.


Covered While reading one of our favorite blog/webzines, Crosseyed, we found this article about how big Jesus' sacrifice for our sins really is. We know you already know everything there is to know about it already, but this article puts a new light on the subject, and is worth a few minutes of your time.

There Will Be a Day A blog post inspired by Jeremy Camp's song of the same name. It discusses Heaven and having an eternal perspective. We found this on Bloom!, the blog we got this posting idea from (though we don't plan on doing it weekly).

Others May, You Cannot We read a post on the blog "Whatever Is," which really inspired us. It was an excerpt from what we thought was another's blog. But when we looked for the blog so we could just link you to it, we found that it was an excerpt from Buell H. Kazee's book Faith is the Victory. So, now we're just linking you to "Whatever Is."

Hope these posts are encouraging and inspiring,

Tori and Bethany:)