Finding Meaning In His Word! (+ July Goals!!)

Hey everyone! Is it not amazing to see flowers everywhere and be able to run barefoot? I am loving the spring/summer vibe that has found itself a home where I live! Golden hour is beautiful and warm again, and it lasts for a looong time, both in the morning and at night! Looking out the window is an adventure every time!

Its kind of like the way we feel when we’re really working on our relationship with the Lord. We feel uplifted, refreshed, and we want to read the Bible and illustrate verses and sing worship songs all the time! But when it settles into a less exciting routine, we become a little less passionate, a little less committed; and of course, then the dog days set in.

I’m not saying that we should always be on the “mountain-top”! Its wonderful there, and those times are amazing and special, but they don’t always last. The thing that lasts, is the love that is steady and calm and TRUE.

I’ve been challenged by several people recently (including my amazing friend Keziah in this post ♥), that the Word of God is not a part of our day that we need to just get through. We need to treasure it, make it THE most important part of our day! No matter how busy we are, reading the Scriptures and seeking our Father’s voice in His Word is more important than any exam, job op, or get-together. And the love of the Bible and the just being there to spend time with God, is part of what it means to have that long-lasting love, instead of just the wonder of the whirlwind romance.

This is totally not something I am perfect in. I have just been realizing it, little by little. Pursuit of God through His Word, combined with prayer, is our way of connecting with the Creator, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. But we all need His strength to hold us up in the spirit, keeping us from our fleshly desires to just laze through church and the motions. Being a passionate believer requires supernatural strength and wisdom, and praise the Father, He is willing to give it in abundance!

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

James 1:5-6, ESV

“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:29-31, ESV

HIS STRENGTH AND HIS MERCY, EVEN IN OUR YOUTHFUL FAILINGS, IS MORE THAN WE COULD EVER IMAGINE.

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And now, onto the May Favorites …

• coming to value the power of prayer more than ever before
• going out of my comfort zone and talking on the phone with people
• wearing shorts and not being cold! *jaw drop*
• watching The Chosen with brothers!
• babysitting and writing a book with two precious girls
• wondering why my arms hurt, and realizing that lifting heavy flower baskets was what did it!
• singing with thirty youth and young adults, voices lifted high
• commiserating with a fellow exam-taker about our nervousness
• to-do lists that take up a whole page, messy and in different colors and styles of writing, complete with varying levels of legibility.
• my crazy awesome Dad goofing off in the car and making us almost wet our pants laughing in the backseat!
• writing a song with a picture as a prompt
• staying up late, and going to bed early
• a nerve-wracking piano recital and wobbly arms
• wearing white pants at the piano recital, which made me feel like a bit of a rogue because they frequently change color based on the wearer’s care! XD
• a friend not recognizing me at an event because I curled my hair!
• the hilarity of six people eating ice cream at 9:30 at night, sharing three spoons!
• The Word of God – living and active.

And now for the June favorites …

• practicing piano like a maniac!
• hangin’ out with homeschoolers
• fireworks for some extremely belated birthdays!
• GOING TO THE BEACH!!! (Okay, it was a lake, but I liked it!)
• brunch with a couple other families, which turned into a huge unrelated project and games time!
• a girls grad party with a bunch of my sweet friends, that was such a blast!
• putting on my carpenter’s hat and building stands for said party!
• emailing people 🤗
• babysitting and playing goofy games with two-year-olds
• my first voice recital (at which I stood too close to the speaker and the mic didn’t work, but I couldn’t tell! I could see my family in the audience gesturing that they couldn’t hear, and I just kept singing! 😝😭 It went otherwise well, though. 🤣
• fencing with a friend and strategically figuring out how to fit six people on one quad!
• swimming and dying and swimming and half-dying and swimming and not-dying-any-more 😂
• learning that I aced a piano exam (despite shaky arms and the miles between heaven and earth, God worked miracles!)
• finished reading one of my teensy little books I seem to have acquired … and almost completely forgot about the rest. *facepalm*

And now …. JULY GOALS!!

1. Search high and low to find a pumpkin pie recipe for my Dad!
2. Spend four hours each morning on high school work.
3. Lane swim at least twice a week (with my crazy lane partners, aka brother(s)!)
4. Finish reading the prophetic books, Obadiah to Malachi, and read all the “writings” books, except Psalms! (That, my friends, is reserved for August, when I will be the coolest counselor you have ever met! 🤣)
5. Attend Staff camp! WOOOHOOO!!
6. Take my final lifeguarding course! (Hence the swim practice!)
7. Get a tan. (True, I have burnt many times trying for this goal, but we shall see this summer whether new strategies will succeed or not! I just hope this doesn’t affect my outgoing personality … you know what they say, “Once burnt, twice shy.” 😝🤣

HOLD UP! MAKAYLA’S GONNA BE A COUNSELOR?!

Yes! In August I will be away from home in some beautiful gorgeous place where I go to this cool unnamed camp, and I will tell you all the deets and learning lessons when I come back! (As you should have grown to be used to by now! 😂) I am so excited for this opportunity, and so grateful to God for this blessing that He’s given me!

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And that’s it! Tell me, y’all – how do you find passion in reading the Word of God? And relating to goals, what is one of the most exciting things you’re doing this coming month? Do you have any sensational summer plans? Chat with me in the comments!!

Y’all have an amazing day now, you hear?! 🤣

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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!

Spring and Summer Bucket List!

Heya everyone! Are y’all ready for spring? I AMM!!! (Not to mention summer … *barely restrains myself from screaming* Okay, I’m settling down, don’t worry … XD

The first time I saw a blogger’s bucket list was Ainsley Beth’s Summer Bucket List, which totally inspired me to start one! I am so excited to finally be posting this, hopefully y’all can draw some inspiration from this and I can refer back to it to see how much I actually got done!

• go backpacking in the mountains
• go hiking several times
• practice and play volleyball with friends
• picnic at the beach
• host a party and invite all my friends that I never see XD
• go camping with my girlfriends
• sort out old toys
• wear zero make-up (sunscreen? It’s optional!)
• apply for an internship
• take a night walk through a city
• legit just sit down and watch a sunrise .. and a sunset!
• don’t be afraid to talk to people … introduce myself in a friendly and confident manner, and ask them about themselves.
• go horseback riding
• learn to dance *covers face*
• build a night bonfire on the beach
• sit on swings and talk with friends
• take a kayak trip
• get to Lesson 100, Grade 11
• write rock, country, pop, and worship songs (2 each, all with a unique melody) and six non-lyrical tunes
• organize my blogging a bit more, divided into my three blogs
• read allllll my electrics books (I think there’s about … 30?)
• go on a solo hike
• bake something I never have before (like a lemon meringue pie …)
• go berry picking
• do fireworks … just because!

Here on, my bucket list consists of some things that are snitched from Megan’s 50 Things To Do This Spring! 😜 Go check it out, its an amazing post! 🤗

• Walk first thing in the morning
• Make smoothies
• Go to a farmers market (yesyesyes!!)
• Braid my hair with flowers in it (I have never done this, but now that Megan’s inspired me to, I’m going to have to try it! XD)
• Do a field photoshoot

Well, that’s it for now! (Maybe I’ll come back and add more later, haha! I hope you all have an amazing spring, and an amazing summer, and an amazing day, and an amazing week … and an amazing life! Just be amazing, okay? XD

Motivation To Help You Stay Strong Through The Rest Of The School Year!

“Hail, the end of the school year! All salute!!”

I am so excited for spring and summer! As the snow melts into the ground, I am inwardly bouncing around just thinking about wind in the trees, sun on my back … yep, this is the good life!

One thing is a little difficult … coming back to earth to think about school, and finishing up the grade! Most of us are going to take a summer break, and for those of us who are, it can seem like that break is sure a long time in coming! But there are a few things that we young people can keep in mind when eagerly anticipating the end of the school year.

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It’s not just about finishing up school. There is a lot more to it than that. Just think about it … why are pretty much all of us are getting a little demotivated with school or feeling overwhelmed with the amount of end-term work we have?

Because the issue is not only external – what we are struggling with is PERSEVERANCE.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”

Hebrews 12:1

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Romans 5:3-4

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

James 1:2-4

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

2 Peter 1:5-7

So, although you might have thought that this whole motivation thing was only about school, it’s not. Its also about perseverance – finishing what we’ve started – running the race set before us – building character – and “faithing it” throughout life.

So, let’s have perseverance.

Let’s remember to live FULLY.

We’ve committed to this school year – let’s finish it strong!

Our parents are counting on us – let’s make them proud!

Some of us are graduating this year – make this a month that YOU are proud of!

And most of all, let’s make God proud!! Let’s show Him how grateful we are for the blessing of education, by making the most of every moment we have (even if it is a difficult subject or topic!) Let’s not drag simply because our stagnant natures want to slack. Let’s motivate ourselves! We can do this!

And finally, as one of my friends says …

“You can do it! You can do it! You can do it! You can do it!” (By the way, you CAN! 😉)

(Disclaimer: None of these pictures are mine. All credit to creators and owners.😊)

I hope these quotes and my words inspired you to keep going strong throughout the next month or two of school! What are all of y’all doing for summer break?