Sharing The Amazing Things God Has Done In My Life!!

As of the moment of posting this, I have 69 drafts, some of them barely worthy of sitting down to write a full-length post about! But right now, it seems so much more important to share with you all some of the amazing things that God has been teaching me in my life!

Lesson #1 – Give Him the glory; it always works!

Recently I had all the end-of-year activities – piano and voice recitals, a piano exam, last lessons, and, of course, many performance opportunities in my faith community! Sometimes our focus is entirely on ourselves because we’re so worried about making a mistake or missing a line, and yet, I long to have my performances reflect God’s grace in my talents and not just my own strength. I noticed a cockiness in my first performance this year that hindered my ability to fully give God the glory for the performance, and I want to continue to seek His help.

You know what the best part about not focusing too much on ourselves? When we focus on making ourselves look good, we all know the precariousness of that position! What with the nerves and butterflies, its a 50/50 chance whether we’ll even look decent! BUT, when we seek to make known God’s name and fame, He always ends up looking good!

Lesson #2 – He is SO faithful.

I have been going through the process of applying to go to a certain (amazing) camp this year! I just love the community there and the way the people are so real and so on fire for their faith! Through a lot of dialogue and connection with staff, friends, and prayer support from my faith community, God has shown himself so faithful in orchestrating it all in the most wonderful way, better than I could ever have imagined! Through the decisions of others, and my at-times blindfolded commitment to my convictions, and in spite of incredible odds, I have been given this amazing opportunity to serve as a cabin leader this summer!

This process was not without its moments of doubt, stress, stretching, and uncertainty, but in the end, I would gladly do it all over again for the triumph and gratefulness of seeing God’s ability to give me a beautiful gift in what will be such a joy to me this summer!

I had to take certain really tough steps, pray some really tough prayers, and give up some really tough feelings, but God worked through everything. EVERYTHING.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good^, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28, ESV

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Lesson #3 – There is meaning in all parts of the Word of God.

Has anyone ever read the book of Obadiah? Its a short book, one chapter long, and directed towards the judgement of the Edomites. Not a very uplifting message – but yet, after reading it as part of my Bible reading, I still felt as though I had done something meaningful; like just picking up and reading the Bible, no matter how melancholy the message, has a purpose.

So many people and situations have recently convicted and reminded me of the importance of spending time in God’s Word. Especially the below verse from Amos, which really pierced my heart to think of just how desirable the Word of God is, and how much we as modern youth take it for granted.

““Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.”

Amos 8:11-12, ESV

The next verse says that beautiful young women and strong young men will faint from thirst; the thirst for the Living Water of God’s Word. If only we always held the Word in such high regard that our time spent within its pages was such a treasure and a priority to us! Thank God that He is patient with us in our seasons of ability and that His faithfulness is far more steadfast than our own.

I challenge you all to delve into the freely given water of God’s word for your sustenance; to take advantage of the wonderful gift we’ve been given by having the Bible at only a flip of the page away, or a click of the mouse. How blessed we are to be given the privilege of feasting at His banquet on this earth!

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I hope y’all found something to treasure in this post! I am so grateful for all God’s been doing and teaching me, and I want to hear about your lives – what is something that is so amazing you just have to share it? How Has God been working? Tell me all about in the comments, or shoot me an email through my contact page!

Have an amazing day, friends!

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Start-Of-The-Year Goals Recap!

Hey everyone! *hopefully my voice didn’t echo in emptiness, because I sure missed interacting with y’all in the past several months! I’ve been an absent blogger recently and I’m excited to get back into it again! Now Imma end this cuz I think its getting too long! 😝*

I hope your goals were smashed and bashed in the last couple months, and that you’ve had an amazing start to the year! I’m checking in again after a long absence, sore in the arms and the legs and the abs and … you get the point! (Note: This post was written earlier in March! 🤣)

The last couple days have been amazing! We’ve gone to the ski hill, and I tried snowboarding both days (hence the soreness!) Although I really wanted to try, I was apprehensive about falling, but God carried me through and helped me on every run! 🤣 I can officially call myself a very beginner snowboarder.

We also saw some friends there that we haven’t seen since last year, and it was awesome to talk with them again! Previously, I had observed that at this ski hill, the “snowboarder culture” is really cold, sprinkled liberally with profanity and with skilled teens, but not a lot of kindness. This year, I’ve observed more people talking to each other – the good snowboarders even talk to the girls who are learning *raises hand shakily*, and help the little kids out. I’m not so intimidated by snowboarder culture anymore!

Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev on Pexels.com

Life has been crazy. My projected graduation date has swung from spring to next winter to a big fat question mark. I’ve been wrestling with my perfectionism and I gotta say, I need to work out more, because Perfectionism’s muscles are getting a little too strong for me! It’s also been tough to balance out my priorities with my “to-dos”, especially when every day I only feel more like I’m backsliding in my tasks.

But when I was feeling my lowest, I was blessed by the appearance of several blog posts, from some amazing bloggers.

1. “What Is Success?” from Laurel Jean

2. “Just Keep Trusting” from Keziah

3. “All I Can Say” from Alicia Marentette

All three posts were exactly what I needed. Laurel reminded me that our success should not be of this world, but for the kingdom of God, and that THAT is the purpose of my life. Keziah reminded me that God deserves our trust, not just because He holds our life but because He can do anything and His plan is better than anything we can imagine on our own. And Alicia reminded me that I am powerless to change what drags me down, so putting my life in His Hands is my only option for a life fully dedicated to Him.

I can’t fix my problems or my struggles, but God can.

So it doesn’t really matter whether Perfectionism has bigger muscles than me.

God’s muscles are bigger.

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The moment you’ve all been waiting for … MY GOALS! 😅 So without further ado, behold my goals for January, February and March, smushed together!

1. Start and stay on track with Grade 12

2. Begin preparing for my first History term paper

3. Learn three songs from my piano repertoire

4. Study James, Ephesians, Philippians, and portions of Exodus

5. Use essential oils more often

7. Write letters and emails to all the waiting friends! XD

8. Work really hard on piano scales

9. Get a jump rope from Crossrope! (SO. EXCITED!)

My goals for the last three months went excellently!

(Workout Update; This is the update y’all have been waiting for! I alluded to this in a previous life update post, and I’m finally sharing my new workout obsession; jumping rope! (I realize that jumping rope hasn’t traditionally been seen as a “workout”, but from the research I’ve done and from my experience regarding the actual workout intensity, jumping rope has been the workout I like best and enjoy consistently. Instead of forcing myself to jump rope, my biggest hurdle has been to find time, and with my newly developed plan for my morning routine (more on this in a future post!), I’ve been finding it a lot easier to stay productive and focused on my day, yielding more time to do things like jumping rope!) The 1000x Skips Challenge I referred to in my December Goals post, was simply to do 1000 skips per day for a month, and while I did not actually DO the 1000 skips every single day, I am very glad I set that goal and that I now know that I CAN be consistent with a workout when I really like it!)

And some of the wonderful things that happened in the past two months …

– writing four songs at 3:00 AM

– went skating several times!

– went snowboarding/skiing several times!

– baked a ton

– wrote letters (and emails!)

– eating a cast-iron skillet cookie

– listening to Jeremy Camp’s music

– THIS SONG!!! (To the fans of “For King And Country”, you’re welcome!)

– using an amazing bible verse desk calendar – the encouragement is sometimes just what I needed!

– ate a perfect oatmeal cookie

– got an awesome facial!

– having fun sketching out dress ideas

– enjoying listening to my brothers talk

– enjoying hanging out with my wonderful family!

– jumping (with my friend Crossrope 😝) and learning tricks!

– meeting new people at the ski hill

– read “The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People” (by Stephen Covey), and began reading “How To Stop Worrying And Start Living” (by Dale Carnegie, one of the best authors ever!)

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This month, I want to utilize a lesson I learned from snowboarding; When you fall down, embrace the pain. Then, get up. And move on with the help of God and the people God has put in your life.

Thanks y’all so much for stopping by to read the blog! I hope you enjoyed! Tell me; what is one of your goals this month? Do you make monthly goals?

What Were My December Goals! (+ Inspiration)

Hel-lo, every single one of you awesome people! I can hardly believe its winter again, back in the school routine, back in the chilly frost, and, of course, the eager anticipation of hot chocolate and apple cider! I can say it with a vengeance, especially because we had a beautiful summer and fall where I live, and I enjoyed it so thoroughly that its time for me to enjoy winter just as thoroughly! 😄

I’m so excited to be all cozy in the house while the snow falls outside; to learn beautiful new music on the piano and write songs of God’s faithfulness; to curl up with the Bible and notebook and delve again into the Word; to work hard in this season of work in the hopes that something beautiful and successful will come of it; to give encouragement to others who are in the dumps or struggling; to write letters and emails galore (always at the top of my to do list *cough cough*); and to learn and grow as much as is humanly possible!

I’ve got a set of new goals (following a friend’s advice and prompting questions.) I hope to focus on my favorite hobbies and interests, an idea previously unheard of for me. XD Its my last year of high school *fingers crossed* and so I want to narrow in on a couple of my subjects so I can be a master in them by the end of the school year. I’d love to improve and become more dedicated in my piano, writing, bible study, outdoor leadership, and home-making skills. While I’m going to be studying a lot of different subjects, I hope to become better at these skills because they’re universal, and preparation for life and for the opportunities I hope to take advantage of someday.

Also, my friend Allie over at “The Art Of Blooming”, made a post this month, challenging her readers to make (and smash!) some goals, and promoting a giveaway that she’s hosting! I decided not to participate in the giveaway, but I did make this goals post! (I loved Allie’s goals, because they show a real heart for the future and a commitment to what matters most; loving God and loving people (Danny Gokey, anyone?) So please be sure to check out her post here and make a goals post, if you’re a last-minute kinda person!)

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Can you believe its 2022? Can you believe that some of us are fast-approaching graduating? I’ve thought back to my notebook pages where my little seventh grade self planned out my entire high school math curriculum. I shake my head now, because I didn’t follow that plan! In fact, my plans have often changed regarding curriculum, but for the better, every time.

Its easy to see why we change plans. Maybe a course was too much for us, so we switched to one with a lighter workload. Maybe we wanted a challenge, so we sought out an adventure. Maybe our convictions held us back from doing something we wanted to do, or pushed us towards something we wouldn’t have otherwise chosen. Such is life; we are always changing, always growing, but still staying true to who we are and what we believe.

Photo by Aleksey Kuprikov on Pexels.com

What is not so easy to see, is why God changes our plans. Sometimes, we’ve dreamed and thought and prayed, but it just isn’t possible or scripturally supported. We work hard and have a goal, but our convictions and values clash with those of this world. Its easy to be tempted to give up on values to get what we want, to compromise just this once so we can touch the sky …

But eventually you’ll fall back to the ground again, and then comes another opportunity for compromise. And another. And another. And with each compromise, you lose yourself and become someone else.

So don’t compromise. I know its hard not to be able to do something you’ve forever dreamed of, or to give up something you’ve always loved. But if taking the pleasant path means going against what you believe, then I’d suggest that what started out looking pleasant, might turn out to involve a lot more heartache than you’re anticipating.

So don’t compromise. Follow the light. Walk the narrow way. Don’t give in to the temptation to conform. Because we are not called to do what we want. We are called to be different.

” I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

~ Romans 12:1-2, ESV

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How have all of your goals been doing, my people? Recently, I finished my term papers for Grade 11, and I am so psyched about that!! I just started Grade 12 and have been really enjoying the amazing subject matter in my Grade 12 courses from the Ron Paul Curriculum, an awesome liberty-minded online homeschool curriculum. I highly recommend it for those who are considering homeschooling, and who are able and willing to do college-level work! I’m currently taking American history, American literature, and Government. (Take a wild guess where my interests lie! 😉)

I’ve also been loving every snowfall (It doesn’t make the weather any colder, it just makes the scenery more beautiful! 😂 I’ve also been baking and cooking often, and learning a lot about the art of making food. I’m so grateful to my mom for training me and showing me everything I didn’t know!

So what were my December Goals? See below!

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1. Play the piano every weekday, at least 45 minutes. Learn “Reiterstuck”, “Dance of the Marionettes”, and “In the Evening”.
2. Take care of my skin.
3. Go hiking!
4. Start – and rock – Grade 12!
5. Answer emails faster!
6. Start a 1000 Skips Challenge! (More on this in a future post …)
7. Bake pie every week! 😉
8. Rock everything! XD

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May we all live life a little slower, more appreciative of the beautiful blessings hidden in the cool morning air, in the hoarfrost on our skeletal trees, in the feathery snowflakes falling from the sky, in each foggy breath we exhale. May we work hard, leaning on His strength and doing our best when we ask Him for success and a clear head. May we stand in child-like wonder at the sound of voices lifted up in praise, at God’s promises in His Word, at the love He shows us every day through our families and friends!

I hope you all enjoy your winter! Have an amazing day!! 🤗

Psalms + Proverbs – Part One: Psalms – Collab With Joy from Discipleship With Joy!

During the month of July, I made a goal to read all of the psalms and all of the proverbs! (And Joy, from Discipleship With Joy, @discipleshipwithjoy.com, joined me!) Until things got really busy, I didn’t understand others’ surprise when I told them I was planning to read 5 psalms + 1 Proverb a day. But life resumed, as life always does, to be busy, busy, busy!

Although it took me a couple days into August to complete reading the Psalms and Proverbs and taking notes, I’m so glad I made that goal and completed both books of the Bible! They provided much-needed inspiration, comfort, and wisdom for various situations over the month of July.

But enough introduction! Joy and I are excited to announce a collab post; but not only one collab post, but two collab posts! Each of us have picked our favorite verse from each Psalm (and Proverb!) and are here to share them with you all! Some of these verses are special to me personally; some of them are saddening and thoughtful; some of them are beautiful or poetic; but all of them are meaningful.

Today’s post(s) contain our favorite verses from the psalms; hope you enjoy!

Be sure to also read Joy’s post here!!! She’s put together a lovely compilation of her own favorites that you will not want to miss! Be sure to follow her blog as well, especially if you’re into meaningful and thought-provoking content on writing, musicals, and the Christian life!

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PART ONE – THE PSALMS

“For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

Psalms 1:6

“I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” ~Psalms 2:7

“But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.” ~Psalms 3:3

“How long, O you sons of men, Will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness, And seek falsehood? Selah.” ~ Psalms 4:2

“Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.” ~ Psalms 5:8

“Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O Lord—how long?” ~Psalms 6:2-3

“The Lord shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.”

~ Psalms 7:8

“For I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have established.” ~Psalms 8:3

“And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”

~ Psalms 9:10

“Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more.” ~ Psalms 10:17-18

“In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”?” ~Psalms 11:1

“The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” ~ Psalms 12:6

“But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.” ~ Psalms 13:5-6

“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.” ~ Psalms 14:7

“Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.” ~ Psalm 15:1-2

“Guard me, Oh El, for I have taken refuge in You. I have said to YHVH, “You are YHVH, I have no good besides You.”

~ Psalms 16:1-2

“Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip.” ~ Psalms 17:5

“It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.” ~ Psalms 18:32

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” ~ Psalms 19:14

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” ~ Psalms 20:7

“For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.” ~ Psalms 21:7

“All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You.” ~ Psalms 22:27

“He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” ~ Psalms 23:3

“He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully.” ~ Psalms 24:4

“Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.”

~ Psalms 25:7

“Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip.” ~ Psalms 26:1

“Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.” ~ Psalms 27:3

“To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock: Do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.” ~ Psalm 28:1

“Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” ~ Psalms 29:2

“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” ~ Psalms 30:5

“Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!” ~ Psalms 31:19

“I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah. For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him.” ~ Psalms 32:5-6

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” ~ Psalms 33:6

“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” ~ Psalms 34:4

“Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.”

~ Psalms 35:1

“For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.” ~ Psalms 36:9

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” ~ Psalms 37:23

“Those also who render evil for good, they are my adversaries, because I follow what is good.” ~ Psalms 38:20

“I said, “I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.” ~ Psalms 39:1

“I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.” ~ Psalms 40:8

“By this I know that You are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me.” ~ Psalms 41:11

“Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me.” ~ Psalms 42:7

“Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle.”

~ Psalms 43:3

“For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them.” ~ Psalms 44:3

“Listen, O daughter, consider and incline your ear; Forget your own people also, and your father’s house; So the King will greatly desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, worship Him.” ~ Psalms 45:10-11

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” ~ Psalms 46:1-2

“For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.” ~ Psalms 47:2

“For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide, even to death.” ~ Psalms 48:14

“A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.” ~ Psalms 49:20

“But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you?” ~ Psalms 50:16-17

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart – These, O God, You will not despise.” ~ Psalms 51:17

“But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.” ~ Psalms 52:8

“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.” ~ Psalms 53:6

“Voluntarily I slaughter to You; I praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.” ~ Psalms 54:6

“He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me.” ~ Psalms 55:18

“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?”

~ Psalms 56:8

“I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations.” ~ Psalms 57:9

“So that men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth.” ~ Psalms 58:11

“I will wait for You, O You his Strength; For God is my defense.” ~ Psalms 59:9

“Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless.” ~ Psalms 60:11

“From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” ~ Psalms 61:2

“God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.” ~ Psalms 62:11

“When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.”

~ Psalms 63:6-7

“All men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing.” ~ Psalms 64:9

“You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; The river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it. You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth.” ~ Psalms 65:9-10

“For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.” ~ Psalms 66:10

“Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us.” ~ Psalms 67:6

“Your God has commanded your strength; Strengthen, O God, what You have done for us.” ~ Psalms 68:28

“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.” ~ Psalms 69:30

“But I am poor and needy; Make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.” ~ Psalms 70:5

“O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.” ~ Psalms 71:17

“The mountains will bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.” ~ Psalms 72:3

“My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

~ Psalms 73:26

“The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have prepared the light and the sun.” ~ Psalms 74:16

“But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.” ~ Psalms 75:7

“When God arose to judgment, to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. Selah.” ~ Psalms 76:9

“I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, and my spirit makes diligent search.” ~ Psalms 77:6

“When He slew them, then they sought Him; And they returned and sought earnestly for God. Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer.”

~ Psalms 78:34-35

“Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are appointed to die.” ~ Psalms 79:11

“Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!” Psalms 80:3

“I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” ~ Psalms 81:10

“Arise, O God, judge the earth; For You shall inherit all nations.” ~ Psalms 82:8

“Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O Lord.” ~ Psalms 83:16

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Your highways are in their heart.”

~ Psalms 84:5

“Yes, the Lord will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway.” ~ Psalms 85:12-13

“Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.” ~ Psalms 86:11

“His foundation is in the holy mountains.” ~ Psalms 87:1

“My eye wastes away because of affliction. Lord, I have called daily upon You; I have stretched out my hands to You.” ~ Psalms 88:9

“For You are the glory of their strength, and in Your favor our horn is exalted.” ~ Psalms 89:17

“Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.” ~ Psalms 90:15-17

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.” ~ Psalms 91:14

“For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.” ~ Psalms 92:4

“The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, than the mighty waves of the sea.” ~ Psalms 93:4

“Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence. If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.”

~ Psalms 94:17-18

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” ~ Psalms 95:6

“Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.” ~ Psalms 96:3-2

“Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” ~ Psalms 97:11

“The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.” ~ Psalms 98:2

“Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called upon His name; They called upon the Lord, and He answered them.” ~ Psalms 99:6

“Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.” ~ Psalms 100:2

“I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.” ~ Psalms 101:3

“My days are like a shadow that lengthens, and I wither away like grass.” ~ Psalms 102:11

“Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.” ~ 103:20

“May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the Lord.”

~ Psalms 104:34

“He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, and they inherited the labor of the nations.” ~ Psalms 105:44

“Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles, to give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise.” ~ Psalms 106:47

“For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” ~ Psalms 107:9

“Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies.” ~ Psalms 108:12-13

“I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.” ~ Psalms 109:30

“The Lord has sworn and will not relent, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” ~ Psalms 110:4

“He has declared to His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.” ~ Psalms 111:6

“Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.”

~ Psalms 112:4

“He grants the barren woman a home, like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!” ~ Psalms 113:9

“Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.” ~ Psalms 114:7

“May the Lord give you increase more and more, you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” ~ Psalms 115:14-15

“For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.” ~ Psalms 116:8

“For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” ~ Psalms 117:2

“Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.” ~ Psalms 118:25-26

“How can a young man cleanse his path? By guarding it according to Your word.”

~ Psalms 119:9

“Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue.” ~ Psalms 120:2

“The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” ~ Psalms 121:8

“Where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.” ~ Psalms 122:4

“Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.” ~ Psalms 123:2

““If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, Then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us.” ~ Psalms 124:2-3

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.”

~ Psalms 125:1

“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” ~ Psalms 126:5

“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” ~ Psalms 127:1

“Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.” ~ Psalms 128:1

“Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; Yet they have not prevailed against me.”

~ Psalms 129:2

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord, more than those who watch for the morning – Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.” ~ Psalms 130:5-6

“O Israel, hope in the Lord, from this time forth and forever.” ~ Psalms 131:3

“Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy.” ~ Psalms 132:9

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” ~ Psalms 133:1

“Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord!” ~ Psalms 134:1

“For the Lord will judge His people, and He will have compassion on His servants.” ~ Psalms 135:14

“To Him who led His people through the wilderness, for His mercy endures forever.” ~ Psalms 136:16

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion.” ~ Psalms 137:1

“In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.”

~ Psalms 138:3

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

~ Psalms 139:23-24

“I said to the Lord: “You are my God; Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.” ~ Psalms 140:6-7

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.” ~ Psalms 141:3

“Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me.” ~ Psalms 142:7

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah.” ~ Psalms 143:5-6

“Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle – My lovingkindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and the One in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.”

~ Psalms 144:1-2

“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.” ~ Psalms 145:18-19

“Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” ~ Psalms 146:5

“The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.” ~ Psalms 147:11

“Both young men and maidens; Old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven.” ~ Psalms 138:12-13

“For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.” ~ Psalms 149:4

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise YHVH!”

~ Psalms 150:6

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Whew! There we are!

This past month-and-then-some journey through the Psalms really cemented my knowledge of these beautiful songs to God. I enjoyed putting some of them to music, studying some more in depth, and enjoying finding some favorite verses all over again! I really felt a theme of “drawing closer” throughout my reading – drawing closer to His kingdom by seeking to walk His Path, drawing closer to more godly knowledge by staying in the Word, and drawing closer to Him through prayer and petition. I’m so grateful I attempted this goal!

(Be sure to stay tuned for Joy’s and my next posts in this mini-series: Our favorite verses from the proverbs! I love the proverbs so much, not just because they’re inspiring, but also because they’re practical in our lives, from faith to everyday choices that reveal our faith to the world.)

Until next time, y’all! Have an amazing day! I’d love to know what you’re favorite verses from the psalms are; which ones speak to your heart right now?

My Experience With The Bronze Medallion And Bronze Cross!

During the first full week of July, (as many of you know), I took two swim courses, called Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross, both falling under the banner of the Red Cross. To dispel the suspense which I’m sure you all are experiencing, as to whether I passed or not …

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I passed!! 😂 But for more information, be sure to read til the end of the post!

Day 1

Arrival. We covered some pretty basic stuff, like the introduction of the handbook. XD My friends were praying for me, and I am so glad they did, because prayer is really what got me through the stress and uncertainty of not knowing whether I was capable of finishing. I certainly had a healthy dose of self-esteem, but I knew I couldn’t do it on my own.

One aspect of the first day which I didn’t expect was the Fitness challenge, which (for Medallion) consisted of 6 lengths of head-up front crawl. I’ve got three words for you all: Ow, my neck! After being thrown off that dramatically, and having a long break, I did my endurance swim in 16.5 minutes, the shortest period of time I’ve ever completed it in. But, I still needed to work on it, to get it done in 15 minutes.

As a homeschooler, I’m not used to the classroom relationships between teens. But in a room filled with ten teenagers, (including my brother), most of them being your average secular teen, (or your average secular Christian), it was a totally new, but still fun, experience.

I made a new friend (we’ll call her Tasha.) Thank Yah for Tasha, because it was so nice to be able to discuss the Bible and our faith, and even to pray together, because we both believed in the One True God. Throughout the week, we shared wisdom and experiences, and Tasha, if you’re reading, thank you so much for being a friend, not only in name, but in deed! 🤗

Today was so much fun; meeting new people, learning new material that I already half-knew, and realizing just how short life is. At the beginning of the week, I already knew how much I’d miss the fun people and the challenging activities we did.

Day 2

Today was a low point for me. I was frustrated with myself, discouraged because my time for the Endurance Swim still wasn’t where I wanted it – where I needed it – to pass. But I knew that if, after all the prayer, after all the effort, if I simply gave up and told God “If you don’t help me, I can’t do this”, then I didn’t really care that much about it. And I DID care about it – so I kept praying. “God, if you don’t help me, I can’t do this … BUT, I won’t stop trying, just in case You DO want me to pass this.” 😉

Day 3

Today was the complete other end of the scale. I had a blast.

Reason #1 – No Endurance Swim. 😂

Reason #2 – We got to do Rescue Evaluations, my favorite part! Adrenaline, skill, and lifesaving? Yes please!

We’d covered CPR and AED throughout the week, and today we performed in-water rescues. I might be an anomaly, but I actually L.O.V.E.D. doing ANY kind of rescue. Sure, I got nervous and doubted my skills, but it was honestly comparable to going to a summer camp.

Day 4

Today we worked on spinals with the pool manager, and did our endurance swim for the next level. I FINALLY NAILED IT! Congratulate me. *Kidding!* 🤣 Seriously, I was SO relieved and grateful to God! As I came up from the next lap I heavily breathed out “Thank You, God!” All the other non-Christians around, probably heard … 😉

Then, of course, there was a TON of eggbeater. I can’t remember too much else about today, so I’ll skip to …

Day 5

We did rescues alllllll day! (Of course, I was ecstatic!) One of the rescues, the submerged rescue, we rehearsed at the beginning of the day, since everyone was new to it. Being on the bottom of the pool isn’t my favorite thing ever, but it went off smoothly and I was so glad. Of course, you know I passed!

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I was confident for this course, but I felt unsure of whether I could make it. I haven’t succeeded so exponentially in something I was unsure of, for quite a long time, and this really boosted my personal confidence in hard work, mental toughness, and, of course, prayer.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com

During the beginning of the week, before things got more hectic, I chose to spend about an hour in the morning reading the Bible, singing, and praying. I am so glad I was able to do that for at least two mornings during the week, as it fulfilled and prepared my heart, and strengthened me before the stress really ramped up. I am absolutely grateful for the strength I was given to complete this course and have so much fun while I was at it!

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I loved the course, and, although how much fun you have depends on your personality and upon the pool you go to, I would definitely recommend other teens who love swimming or fitness, to take this course. My greatest recommendations to those who plan to do the Bronze Medallion or Cross, would be the following;

• Book lane swims at least four times in the weeks leading up to the course. You’ll want to be sure you can complete the time swim qualifications for your area, so see if you can also speak to the lifeguards about their tips and recommendations. I found that the lifeguards at my pool are friendly and helpful – some of them my age are also pretty easy to talk to. Don’t be shy, most people love to be asked for advice!
• Pray about it. The best thing you can do to conquer something difficult, is to ask the One who can do anything, to lend you His strength for a week. 😉

Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com

• See if you can obtain a copy of your state or province handbook, and study up a bit before hand. I had planned on doing this course earlier this year, and so I have had my friend’s book in my possession for months, occasionally studying the book. This prepared me more than anyone else in the class, because I already knew the general ideas, the must-dos, the CPR, the carries, and other aspects presented in the course. If you study beforehand, you will not only be able to answer every stumping question, but you’ll feel more comfortable and familiar with the material in what is, for many, a whirlwind course.
• Relax, make friends, and have fun! Whether you’re in a classroom or a pool all day, try to establish good relationships with your torture buddies! During lunch break, my brother and I were able to have some great conversations with the others in our group, getting to know them better, and also, making it less awkward to be spending entire days with them. I miss many of them already. 😉😆
• Practical Tips: Drink a lot of water – Hydrate!! You’ll be in the water most of the time, so it can seem weird to think about needing to drink it, but you will likely be working hard and needing to replenish your water store. Also, bring enough light snacks – nuts, fruit, veggies – in addition to your lunch, to keep your energy up without getting lethargic.
• Practical Tip: Bring at least two towels! I searched up “tips for taking Bronze” before taking my own Bronze, and was surprised to see this as a tip – but it made sense, especially as I observed what happened during my turn at the course! This doesn’t have to cause extra laundry – I just air dried my towel(s) overnight. After all, it’s just chlorine! XD

I hope these tips and my sharing my personal experiences have helped y’all in deciding whether you’d like to take the Bronze courses! Let me know in the comments what y’all have been up to lately – how’s it been? I’m glad I’ve been able to give you a bit of an update on my life, since I’ve been MIA for so long! XD Have an amazing day, everyone!

July Goals + Inspiration!

Well hello hello everyone! HOW is it already July?!

I’m excited to start this new month and even more excited that I’m actually getting my goals post out in time! YES!! What have y’all been doing in the last … few days? 😂 I’m keeping cool during the heat wave in my area and doing some school to finish off the last day of June! Farewell, beautiful June! *gets sentimental* But hell-lo July! *spirit revives*

Is anyone else craving some rich spiritual meat right about now? Me too. I don’t consider myself a provider of wise words that satisfy, but perhaps my thoughts on this first day of July can be somehow beneficial to my readers and encourage them in some way! 🤍

Lately I’ve been thinking about my future a bit (as mentioned in this post). I found an amazing verse that helps me in the stage I’m in, as a teen girl with fewer responsibilities than a career-woman, wife, or mother. While I’m here in my current phase, with certain responsibilities as a daughter, I’m curious as to what I can do right now, for the future ahead. Within Ecclesiastes, (a book some believe to have been written by Solomon, the wisest man in the world,) is a little jewel that gives me a bit of relief.

“Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.”

Ecclesiastes 2:24, NKJV

Although this certainly relieves pressure, we do carry a certain responsibility during the teen years. Near the end of the book of Ecclesiastes, there lies an encouraging yet sobering message.

“Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,

And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth;

Walk in the ways of your heart,

And in the sight of your eyes;

But know that for all these

God will bring you into judgment.

Therefore remove sorrow from your heart,

And put away evil from your flesh,

For childhood and youth are vanity.

Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,

Before the difficult days come,

And the years draw near when you say,

“I have no pleasure in them.”

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 – 12:1, NKJV

There are ways that in my heart I long to follow. There are desires I have that are unfulfilled as of now, and dreams that may never be fulfilled. But as the verses above show, we have a responsibility to remember that while we pursue our dreams, we pursue them in a way that honors God and His plans for our life. May we pursue our future in a way that let’s our light shine as a witness to the world.

Additionally, I’d like to encourage all of you to let it go, if you’re feeling overwhelmed. I believe that our Father wants us to do His Will with ALL of our hearts, not grudgingly because we think we should. So if you feel guilty, pressured, or uncertain, my friends, just cast your cares and burdens on our Father, and He will give you His perfect yoke, which yields freedom and peace.

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”

Psalms 55:22, NKJV

” ‘ “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” ‘ “

Mathew 11:28-30, NKJV

(These three songs are some of my favorites! Listening to these songs would be a big favor to your musical ear! XD)

Alrighty, let’s get into July Goals! see below! 👇🙌

THEWILDFIREGIRL.WORDPRESS.COM

#1 Drink in the sun, but stay wise! (The last few days I swam outdoors, but I wasn’t very careful about applying sunscreen, so right now my face and arms are .. unbelievably red! So, going forward, I’m going to treat my body with a little more TLC when in the sun!)

#2 Swim at rivers, lakes, dugouts, wherever I can! I need practice in order to complete my next goal ..

#3 Pass my Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross. (I have never been a competitive swimmer so I’m a little intimidated by the idea of timed swims. I’ve been praying so hard that I’ll be given strength and energy to pass!)

#4 Hike two related trails *hopefully!*

#5 Read one Proverb and five Psalms a day (This will enable me to get through the books of Proverbs and Psalms in one month, without burning out, especially throughout the week of the Bronze courses.)

#6 Wake up at 5:30 so I can train for volleyball before the day gets hot! (And, of course, to give me an incentive to wake up earlier!)

#7 Get to lesson 140 in school, 29 lessons in both subjects.

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My own pic! (drinking sunlight counts as a drink, right?)

So there we go!! A little inspiration for the month ahead, my goals, and some pretty pics! What thoughts are running through your mind as July shines down into your backyard? Do you have any goals you’ve got planned to smash? I’d love to hear about it all, down in the comments!

Farewell my friends, and we’ll hopefully talk again next time!

June Life Update!

Hey everyone! I hope you’re having a fabulous day! If I haven’t talked to you lately (even if I HAVE talked to you lately XD) tell me how you’ve been!! I’d love to know what y’all have been enjoying (and thinking about) lately! 🤗 And of course, if you don’t comment, I’ll just look at who liked my post and come ask you myself, “so, what’s up?” XD

How have we come to the end of June and I have STILL not posted my goals? *brain blows up* Well guys, I have a lot of posts in drafts but the time doesn’t feel quite right to post them yet. Suffice it to say though, I hope to be on here a little more in the near future. I haven’t given up on y’all! 😂 So I thought I’d do a little “life update” post to update y’all on my June goals, plans for July, and bucket list status!

Although I didn’t complete all my May goals, I worked at them and learned a lot of huge lessons over the month of May, like realizing that I’d like to spend more time reading the Word, and I’ve been working on that during this past month of June. Even if its just a couple chapters a day, going forward, I think that it will be key for me to make time for reading the Bible, but not put pressure on myself to complete a certain number of Bible books per month. Even though that can be fun in it’s own timing. 😂

And, here are my May favorites! (Plus some all-time favorites that I’ve been wanting to share for some time! XP)

• Some articles, here and here, from my friend Noelle over at “A Rose For The Lord”! I really loved these posts and found them inspiring and fun, so be sure to check them out at Noelle’s Christian life-style and love-style blog!
• My friend Keziah’s podcast, which already has several great episodes. I’ve really enjoyed listening to it while doing chores! She has some really great thoughts and tips for us Earth-dwelling and Bible-believing teenagers!
• Going hiking!
• Singing and playing guitar in a worship session.
• Redoing my bedroom! (Don’t worry, I WILL eventually post on this! 😜)
• This post, by Tanyaremkiv. So good.
• Finding a poem I’d begun writing a while ago (to my great joy and thankfulness! I’ve been scarred for life by the loss of a ton of files, so I was really grateful to find at least one of my literary flights and make it intact!) 
• Allie’s blog! Allie is just a barrel full of fun and passion! Check out her most recent “get to know you” post here!

This month of June, I wanted to keep my goals simple. I only had a few things that I really wanted to accomplish during this month, so I thought I’d focus on those, and on recuperating and getting my strength back up for school in the Fall!

• Go hiking
• Help lots of people with gardening!
• Practice volleyball
• Cross a TON of stuff off my bucket list.

And, like perfection, it happened! But of course, there are still three days left in June, so maybe I can try to “redo” some of these! XD

School

First of all, now that it’s the summer before my last “first day” of school, I’m really stressed and nervous about getting the appropriate coursework done before graduation next spring … I’m considering doing Government, American History, American Literature, Chemistry, Trigonometry and Calculus, studying Electrics modules, studying Piano, and trying out for the volleyball team. *wipes beads of sweat just thinking about it* As a homeschooler, (and this might be most homeschoolers’ experience,) I have been pushed to the limit academically before, but I never had to spend much TIME on it. It was difficult mentally, but it never took me long to complete assignments or essays.

Now that I’m working on Grade 11 coursework, I’m overwhelmed by things that shouldn’t seem so insurmountable. It will take a lot of committed work to attain the educational goals I’m aiming for.

Update of how my Summer Bucket List is coming along …

• Hiking … twice!
• Lots of volleyball!
• I have not worn make-up in months. It’s Insane.
• Talked to people! *fist pump* That is, talked concisely and maturely. 😉
• GOT TO LESSON 111!!! 🎉🥳
• baked a couple things I never had before …
• made smoothies (this took SO much work … 😜)
• I have studied three of my electrics modules! Only thirty-six more to go! XD

Personal + The Bible

Lately, I’ve been thinking a LOT about the future, and what I’ll do in my future. I know that everyone has a different path, and I’ve been seeking God’s Will in this, by praying and asking Him to reveal my steps. It’s so hard. And its also really hard. Did I mention its really hard? XD Another burden that I’m struggling to bear, is knowing that as I seek God’s Will, there will almost certainly be things that I don’t want to do. There might be so many of them that I’ll wish I hadn’t prayed. But, according to the book of James, I have a responsibility to pray for wisdom, in faith, and to follow through on the directions God gives me.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

James 1:5-8, NKJV

One of the things that I am SO grateful for is that I am blessed with a supportive family. My parents love me in different, but complementary ways. My mom is always ready to listen, and my dad always says the right thing. (Oh, and not forgetting my brothers, who are brutally honest, but can be very sweet!) Put them all together, and I have the most amazing support group ever! XD Seriously, I have been given so much peace whenever I’m feeling really stressed, by talking about it and getting my family’s advice and encouragement on what I should do, what steps I should take … AND, by just not thinking about it! I try to do the best I can with what I’ve got going on right now, and not worrying about the future.

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Mathew 6:31-34, NKJV

Of course, the Bible has been so helpful to me in this search. Striking a balance, doing what God wants me to do as well as taking the initiative, taking tiny steps while looking up at Him every once in a while to make sure I’m going the right way, is SO difficult, and I think is the MOST difficult when the only specific and definite life direction I’ve ever received from him is what I’ve read in the Bible, which applies to everyone generally … but its not so clear what the Bible has to say on the specific details of my future career. #stillpraying

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During the first whole week of July, I will be taking an intense lifeguarding class which has minimum fitness requirements far beyond what I am used to. I’m not too concerned about the head knowledge testing but have been praying over the approaching class. It lasts from 9:00-5:00. Monday to Friday. 😳 So yeah, for a week I essentially have a fulltime and part-time job. *tosses math book in the trash* *for now*

I’ve also got high hopes for more hiking, beachgoing, and maybe even some kayaking. I’ve been realizing more and more, that its so hard to “plan” a summer as one kid out of four siblings, with lots of work and chores also begging for attention, and trying to arrange schedules, but it has also been amazingly surprising how my parents have planned so much fun stuff that I already wanted to do, so I’m feeling the blessings! XD

I’m not going to share too many specifics, since I’m planning to make a “July Goals” post pretty soon, so stay tuned for that! For now, I’ll just say to all of you who have made it this far, thank you so much for caring enough about me to read this long (and probably confusing!) post! Your support and friendship means so much to me! 🤗

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I hope this gave you a bit of a window into what I’ve been doing lately! I’m going to leave y’all with a song of the day, one that I immediately enjoyed the first time I listened to it, and one that is so encouraging and amazing! *keels over* Anyways, hope y’all enjoy! See you next time! 👋

May Goals + Inspiration!

Hello everyone! It’s May, and it feels so good to be back on the blog! My break was so amazing, and I learned so much through it!

But first, a recap …

Most of my goals from April were routine-based, and I was surprised to find that I’ve been doing really well with all the goals! Currently, I’m reading through Numbers, am on Lesson 52 in History and English (woohoo!), and I have a way better morning routine! Lately, I’ve been doing my schoolwork at the kitchen table, which has been an interesting switch and a bit of a jump start to help me get into the mindset of “okay, I’m working on my new routine now!” XD

• Finish History and English Lessons 50-80.
• Finish reading through Numbers and Deuteronomy, and then read through Joshua, Judges, and then my very favorite book, Ruth!
• Get through 5 Math “Lessons”.
• Walk every morning (every morning I have off from work)
• Add affiliate links to my website. (I made a website!! (With a lot of help from others, including time-generous friends!) On it I’ll be posting articles related to the Ron Paul Curriculum, and why you should sign up! Here I go sounding like some internet freak who just wants to make a buck, but seriously y’all, I’ve been recommending this curriculum even before I got my affiliate website set up. It may not work for all students, but it sure has a lot of advanced and interesting courses and materials, and I definitely recommend checking it out!)
• Practice piano for 1 hour, 5 days a week.
• Nitrotype. Every day. 10 min. *sighs the greatest sigh in the existence of the universe* If you know me personally, you know that I have an extreme non-like for video games. Nitrotype, however, is what my family recommends for my, shall we say, less than satisfactory typing skills. 😉 So, its car-racing I go … but only as much as I absolutely, positively must. *sighs an even bigger sigh*

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I’ve got a lot of goals this month! Never mind the busyness of life, or the unexpected day to day happenings, now I’ve got personal and educational goals than before! I guess this is where my word of the year comes in … Determination. And that’s part of where my motivation post (read it here) will come into large play this month, because not only am I lacking motivation, I am also feeling procrastination – a lack of desire to do the work in order to succeed – which is a killer of hopes and dreams and everything in between.

In addition to that, I’ve also been feeling a lot of pressure coming at me, career-wise. Well-meaning people asking me what I want to do after high school, telling me to go ahead, that God would keep me from that which wasn’t his Will … but that doesn’t sit right with me. I feel a pull to do something I don’t want, and every time I read a passage about surrendering my life to God, I feel as though I haven’t yet.

I’ve found myself wishing and wishing that God would somehow yank me out of the now and place me into the then. Impart His Will without me having to worry about whether or not I’m doing the right thing. But God doesn’t impart His Will without consent. We each have to CHOOSE our way of life, and try our best to align it with what God has said to us all that He wants us to do, and what He wants us specifically to do, personally. So, that part of my life (my future) is kind of “on hold” right now, and while I’m thinking and preparing and praying and waiting for a sign, God is still preparing me for His Plan. I just need to trust Him.

So what does the Bible have to say about these struggles; not knowing where you’re going, and procrastinating in carrying out the steps? I found plenty of sayings in Proverbs which really seemed to hit the nail on the head.

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

Proverbs 16:9, NKJV

“Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”

Proverbs 16:3, NKJV

“There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.”

Proverbs 19:21 NKJV

“But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.”

Isaiah 32:8, NIV

” For as he thinks in His heart, so is he.”

Proverbs 23:7, NKJV

These verses serve to remind me that my thoughts are powerful, that God’s plans are better, and that, in time, all will be resolved. But, as I’m sure many of y’all know and understand, it’s still hard! 😌

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(I know, really motley bunch they are, don’t judge! XD)

That’s it for today, everyone!! What are some of your May goals? Have any future/life advice for me? And, most importantly, how has God worked in your life recently? Feel absolutely free to share in the comments below!

I’m Going On a Blogging Hiatus!

Hey everyone! I want to start this off by saying how much I value you, especially those of you who stop to pop in a comment every now and then! U da best, y’all!

There are some things that I need to work on, and I just need to take a break from blogging to get caught up on a few things. For the next few weeks, from April 15th-30th, I won’t be blogging, answering comments, or reading/liking y’all’s posts … I’m going totally cold turkey! 😂

Not to worry though, I will definitely be back to blog even more! I love this blog and I love hearing your comments. And I will likely continue posting some school essays during my hiatus, so I don’t swamp you when I get back! 😉 I’ll be using this time away to work on school and extracurriculars, and being a better friend, daughter, sister, and believer!

I just can’t bring myself to leave you without giving you something interesting to chew on, though! Here are some great random verses which I love!

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your Word.”

Psalm 119:9

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”

Isaiah 43:2

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we possess, for he who promised is faithful.”

Hebrews 10:23

I’ll be answering comments today and tomorrow, but after that, au revoir, my amazing blogging community! See ya on the other side!!

April Goals (+ Other Thoughts)

Hey Y’all, it’s goal-setting time again!

So, I began writing this in March, and I honestly have to say that I am so shocked that it’s APRIL ALREADY, Y’ALL!! It’s so crazy!! And I figured that its time for me to start telling y’all my goals again, just to keep me more accountable. This last month of March has been SO nutsy. I spent at least 10 days at the local pool swimming laps, which is totally weird because for me, swimming is a chore – I just do it to get where I want to go, then I stop. But I’ve been thinking about moving up and taking some more advanced classes, so I’ve been practicing.

And already, amazing things have come of it!

1. I learned eggbeater!
2. I can swim front crawl without totally dying.
3. I can execute a wobbly, slow, and pathetic wall flip. 👏

But, joking aside, there was one thing that really affected me.

By the middle of the month, when I started winding down swimming, things were getting busy and I decided to only go twice that week. But then, my Mom persuaded me to swim another time that week, so I agreed to do it.

Over the first two days that week, I had met an older woman (in her sixties, probably) in the change room. She is always just finishing up when I get there, so we have a few minutes to chat before we part ways. The first day, she complained to me about how she’d rather swim from 8:00-9:00 AM, as opposed to her 2:00 PM schedule, but the pool wouldn’t let her. I felt badly for her, but of course there was nothing I could do. Then I found out that if she doesn’t swim, her arthritis acts up more for her, which made me feel more sympathetic. But then came Thursday, the day my Mom had convinced me to go on.

I walked in and saw her there, and asked her how her swim had been. She said, “Well, I found out that its possible to cry and swim at the same time!” Oh dear, I thought, that’s awful. (Take note: I have been there, done that, so I knew what she was talking about!) I asked her what was bothering her, and she said it was her schedule again. She even started crying. She was just so frustrated that the pool wouldn’t budge its schedule for her.

You may be thinking, “Well, I do feel bad for her, but she’s overreacting.”

Well, this lady wasn’t just upset about swimming times – she told me that her husband had cancer.

Hold up! Rewind!

It would have been so easy to brush her off as emotional and overreactive, without bothering to dig deep underneath and discover that she was really hurting on the inside, knowing that her husband’s bone tests loomed up on the horizon and waiting to know whether he would live or die … that overwhelmed her, to the point where she broke down about a swimming schedule! Sometimes going through something really tough, makes everything hard!

I was super nervous, but I tried to listen compassionately. When it seemed right, I said, “When I’m really struggling, I usually pray about it.” She said she also did, and I asked her if I could pray for her.

(Now, some of you guys might know, I have been trying to pray more, because I feel like conversation is where relationships start, and I want a deeper relationship with God. So now, it’s a huge leap to tell someone I hardly know, that I will pray for her. So I was super nervous to say it but I felt so glad afterward! And she said she really would appreciate it.)

Looking back, the only other thing I could’ve done better, is to pray with her, right then and there. (Which I didn’t do, I don’t think the thought really crossed my mind fast enough.) I want to offer her love and hope – and saying that I would pray for her was a big step, but now I wish I had taken that other step, just so she’d know that I was REALLY serious – that I DID want to pray for her.

But there’s a limit to every teen’s courage the first time they do something, and I think I hit mine! 😄

But anyway, the point of my telling you this story was that you never know when something crazy and unexpected will happen, and you’ll get to be God’s witness to the world. I mean, I wasn’t even going to GO swimming that day, and SHE didn’t want to go at 2:00! But somehow it worked out that we were both there, at the same time, and that she opened up to me a little about her struggles, and that I had the courage to ask to pray for her. I absolutely did not expect that to be part of my day, but it made it better.

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Mini Life Update: This past month, I finished almost all of my Grade 10 English and History, which I’m SO glad about! I’ve begun Grade 11 English and History (again, with the Ron Paul Curriculum,) and am hopeful to finish those courses by the fall.

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I read my friend Jasmine’s April Goals recently, and they are SO GOOD! I really love what she said, so please go check them out! It’s inspired me to work harder on my own character (and school assignments, of course!), and I’m so excited for this month’s goals!!

• Read the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) again. At this point, having read the whole Bible all the way through (YES!) I’m going to be more focused on really studying the passage, and thinking about connections between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
• Only do what gives me joy, and rejoice about the things I cannot change. Basically, I want to feel good about what I’ve done in the day, so I’ll be really thinking about what matters most to me. And even if I’ve done school and chores all day (which I can’t escape!) I want to be able to have joy through THAT too.
• Get to Lesson 50 in History and English, and Lesson 180 in Business 1. I am so excited to finally be in Grade 11 (after catching up all year! *facepalm*) I, like Jasmine, am determined to get ahead, so I’m going to really work at it.
• Spend more time outside! As its getting warmer here, I am SO. EXCITED. to go barefoot, start running around and playing tag on the ground (as opposed to on top of hay bales, hehe …), and playing volleyball! I have to balance it with school though, so we’ll see how this goes!
• Practice piano five days a week. Self-explanatory.
• Get up early and be productive in the mornings! I unashamedly stole this one from Jasmine (🤣), but I really do need it! My goal is 6:00 or 6:30.

Happy April, y’all!

What are you most excited for in April? What are your goals? What are your big plans for the warm weather? Let’s talk about it! Honestly y’all, please tell me. I need ideas for what to do over the summer! 😄