teenLife ladies

Happy Birthday, Ashley!

2009-06-30T22:23:00.001-07:00

Today is Ashley's birthday and she is 15! Here's a great big birthday wish for you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ASHLEY!

I just wanted to take a moment to say how much I appreciate Ashley. She is one of the most sincere girls around. She is also a true friend.

Ashley, you are such a blessing to me on a personal level. You have faithfully for months now text me everyday to see how I am doing. You have prayed for me and my health consistently for some time now. Thank you for being so faithful to me. I truly appreciate it.

Ashley, you also have a servant's heart. You are always willing to help out and do what needs to be done. And, you don't do what needs to be done to just get by. Rather, you do it with style and go the extra mile. I remember asking you to set up the doughnuts for class one day and you served them on a silver platter and made everything look so nice.

I look forward to watching you continue to grow in the Lord. You have come so far in Him. Never forget your confidence must be in Jesus Christ and in no one else. What He thinks of you is all that matters. May God bless you abundantly this 15th year of your life!

Love,
Sis. D

Twitter

2009-06-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed the new Tweets from Sis. D on the right side of the blog? Now I can update you through texting.

You can follow me through this blog or Twitter and know what I'm doing throughout the day. I can send you a quick word of encouragement, a scripture, or a funny in just a short text and it will post right here on our blog. Now how cool is that?

Stay tuned here for my blogging and my tweeting!

Love,
Sis. D

Congratulations, Graduates!

2009-06-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy time for all of us lately. And, one of the main reasons is school. Finally, school is over and summer vacation is here. And, here's a great big shout out to our graduates!!!

Congratulations to Christina and Elycia who graduated from junior high school Wednesday, June 10th. Your in the big time now! You are officially High Schoolers now! WOW!!!

Congratulations to Brooke and Priscilla, who graduated from high school Thursday, June 11th. I'm so proud of you two. Hard to believe your mandatory school years are behind you. Now its up to you if you go on for more schooling. And, I believe both of you are. Last I checked Brooke is thinking about going into nursing and Priscilla is thinking about being a dental hygenist.

The coolest thing about the two of you though is that you are seeking God's kingdom and His righteousness first. You won't go wrong putting Him first. In doing so, God will order your steps and you won't be one bit disappointed with His plans for your life.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,

And He delights in his way.

Psalm 37:23

I'm so proud of all of you! Congratulations!

Love,
Sis. D

Where Do I Find It?

2009-05-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

Brooke left a comment on the "Challenge" post and was wondering where she could get the book we are going through in class. I'm not requiring everyone have their own copy but if you want your own, here are some ideas of where to find it.

The book is called Set Apart Femininity by Leslie Ludy. It appears to be out of stock at Borders in Sand City. I'm thinking you are going to have to order it if you want it. There are several places you can get it.

You can either have a store order it for you and pick it up when it comes in or you can order it online. I know The Carpenter store in town will order it for you as will Borders. You can actually order it on http://www.borders.com/ and pick it up in the store.

You can also order it at http://www.cbd.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/ or your favorite book store online.

Let me know if you have any trouble getting the book.

Love,
Sis. D

Happy Birthday, Allena!

2009-05-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Allena's birthday. She turned 15! I didn't have access to my computer yesterday so I was unable to post my birthday wishes for Allena until today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALLENA!

Allena, I have been so impressed with the commitments you have made to the Lord in the past year or so. Your tenderness to the Lord and His word is praise worthy. I have watched you go from resisting the things of God to whole-heartedly embracing them. According to your own testimony, your classmates have noticed and commented on the changes you have made in your life. Well, I have noticed too. And, I am blessed watching you grow in the Lord. It is beautiful to watch you develop your own relationship with God.

And, I would be remiss if I didn't mention your flair for fashion! It is always fun to come to church and see what you have put together this week. You have a real eye and knack for fashion. I love you dearly and I'm so glad you are a part of our teenLife group.

I trust your birthday was wonderful. And, hopefully you got those cowboy boots you wanted!

Love,
Sis. D

The Challenge

2009-05-07T11:45:00.001-07:00

Wasn't Sunday's class AWESOME? Are you up for the challenge God is giving you? I am!

Hopefully this week you've been thinking about the areas God may be wanting you to recklessly abandon for HIM. I am confident the Lord will amaze you with the plans and purpose He has for your life. It is up to you if His purpose for you is ever fully recognized or accomplished.

Please be prepared to share in our next class what the Lord has been speaking to you. And, if you're thinking, "Well, Sis. Manley, I'm not hearing Him say anything". No worries, keep listening. I have a hunch He will say something to you.

I mentioned it Sunday in class. I do believe God is calling all of you to a reckless abandonment to Him. The questions remains. Are you up for His challenge? I hope your answer will be without hesitation, "YES".

You won't want to miss a single class as we go through Leslie Ludy's book Set Apart Femininity. I encourage you to purchase a copy of your own. Read it, highlight it, write notes in the margin, and most of all, apply it to your life. I'm looking forward to the great things He has in store for us.

Love,
Sis. D

Where and Who is "Mr. Right"?

2009-04-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

Not all of you may be worried about "Mr. Right" right now. Some of you may be very worried about him. But this I know, ALL of you will be at one time or another. So given this is a common concern for young women, here's ONE of my thoughts on the matter.

Have you ever heard of Sadie Hawkins Day? Do they still have the Sadie Hawkins Dance at school? Well here the interesting history of it. I copied the following from Wikipedia:

Original story
The 1st Sadie Hawkins Day
In Li'l Abner, Sadie Hawkins was the daughter of one of Dogpatch's earliest settlers, Hekzebiah Hawkins. The "homeliest gal in all them hills", she grew frantic waiting for suitors to come a-courtin'. When she reached the age of 35, still a spinster, her father was even more frantic - about Sadie living at home for the rest of his life. In desperation, he called together all the unmarried men of
Dogpatch and declared it "Sadie Hawkins Day". Specifically, a foot race was
decreed, with Sadie in hot pursuit of the town's eligible bachelors - and matrimony as the consequence."When ah fires [my gun], all o' yo' kin start a-runnin! When ah fires agin - after givin' yo' a fair start - Sadie starts a runnin'. Th' one she ketches'll be her husbin." The town spinsters decided that this was such a good idea, they made Sadie Hawkins Day a mandatory yearly event, much to the chagrin of Dogpatch bachelors. In the satirical spirit that drove the strip, many sequences revolved around the dreaded Sadie Hawkins Day race. If a woman caught a bachelor and dragged him, kicking and screaming, across the finish line before sundown - he had to marry her!
Sadie Hawkins Day was first mentioned in the November 13, 1937 Li'l Abner daily strip, with the race actually taking place between November 19th and November 30th in the continuity. It would prove to be a popular annual feature in Li'l Abner, and a cultural phenomenon outside the strip.

In popular culture
Capp's creation captured the imagination of young people, particularly in high schools and on college campuses. In 1939, only two years after its inauguration, a double-page spread in Life magazine proclaimed, "On Sadie Hawkins Day, Girls Chase Boys in 201 Colleges" and printed pictures from Texas Wesleyan. Capp originally created it as a comic plot device, but by the early 1940s the comic strip event had swept the nation and acquired a life of its own. By 1952, Sadie Hawkins Day was reportedly celebrated at 40,000 known venues. It was a female-empowering rite long before the modern feminist movement gained prominence. It became a day-long event observed in Canada and in the United States on the Saturday that follows November 9th. Outside the comic strip, the practical basis of Sadie Hawkins Day is one of simple gender role-reversal. Women and girls take the bold initiative by inviting the man or boy of their choice out on a date - almost unheard of before 1937 - typically to a dance attended by other bachelors and their assertive dates. When Capp created the event, it wasn't his intention to have it occur annually on a specific date, because it inhibited his freewheeling plotting. However, due to its enormous popularity and the numerous fan letters he received, Capp obligingly made it a tradition in the strip every November, lasting four decades.
In many localities the tradition continues. Many U.S. high schools, especially in the
south and midwest, hold Sadie Hawkins dances, as do some Canadian high schools. The dances are characterized by girls taking the initiative, and couples wearing matching "farmer" clothes and rural attire to the dance. The dance is also occasionally called "WPA" (Women Pay All) or "Turnabout," in which girls invite boys, pay for dinner, dance tickets, etc

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like every day now is Sadie Hawkins Day. It is the girl who is initiating anything romantic with a boy. It is the girl who is doing the pursuing. It is the girl who is calling the guy. It is the girl who is asking him out for a date. It is the girl who is paying for dinner. It is the girl stating her intentions to the guy. It is the girl saying "I love you" before the guy does. It is the girl who is proposing marriage.

My mother taught me growing up that good girls don't call boys. Good girls don't declare their intentions in hopes of building something more out of the relationship. Good girls don't ever ask a guy out on a date. Good girls don't ever propose marriage or even bring the subject up first. In a nutshell, good girls should NEVER be the pursuer of a guy. I know that sounds really antiquated and old fashioned. But there is so much wisdom in this kind of teaching.

It is in the base nature of every man (unless he has been stripped of his masculinity and thoroughly feminized) to be a "hunter". When you are the pursuer, you are going against the very natures God created in men and women. It also goes against the roles God intends for men and women. Scripture teaches us that men are to be the leaders in our marriages.

No wonder when women get married, they are frustrated because their husband won't take leadership in the marriage and in the family! He has been "trained" from the very beginning that this girl is going to "take charge" and LEAD.

When you are tempted to be the pursuer, ask yourself this question: Do I really want to be doing this my whole life? Remember, what habits you establish in your dating, become the habits you live with in your marriage.

Still not convinced? Still think, "Well this is one of those areas where Sis. Manley is just showing her age!"?

He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from
the Lord. ~Proverbs 18:22

Notice scripture doesn't say "SHE who finds a HUSBAND..." It is God's plan for a man to pursue a woman and claim her for his bride. And when he does, he will receive favor from God. When you are the aggressor, you are robbing the man of the favor God wants to bestow on him for finding a wife.

I know this sounds very Neanderthal, but it is God's way. You are the prize to be won and it is up to the guy to win you. Don't make the prize so easy to win. In doing so, you only cheapen your value and worth in the eyes of your man and you rob him of God's favor.

God's way takes the pressure off of you. You don't have to find "Mr. Right". You just need to be a woman worthy of winning and God will grant a good man the favor of you for his wife. Letting God have control of this area of your life is another act of your submission to Him and trust in His purpose and plan for your life.

So, ladies, don't be a trinket from the Dollar store but rather be a precious jewel from Tiffany's. Any man can scrounge up a dollar from the coins in his car. But it takes a hardworking, prudent man who is willing to earn and save enough money to buy a precious jewel from Tiffany's.

Don't give yourself away so easily. Mr. Right will find you one day and he will be favored by God.

Love,

Sis. D

A Warm Fuzzy

2009-04-22T14:40:00.001-07:00

I know it has been some time since I last posted here. As you know, I was really sick last week. Thank the Lord, I am feeling back to myself this week.

I want to thank all of you for praying for me. The Lord heard you and answered. Also, thank you to all of you who checked in on me last week.

Ashley, thank you for so consistently checking in on me. Your daily texts, words of encouragement and the reminder that everyone was praying for me was salve to my spirit.

Priscilla, thank you for the lovely flowers and get well card. You made my day!

I am humbled by the love you showed me during that week. Your simple acts of love and friendship meant a lot to me. I think most of you know how much I love you and want to see you succeed in life and most importantly, God's kingdom. If you don't, let me tell you now, "I love you and I pray the best for each of you."

Sometimes we need to stop and have a few warm fuzzies with each other. This is one of those moments. So as you read this post, let the warm fuzzies envelop you. Aaahhh, doesn't that feel good?

Love,
Sis. D

Youth Convention

2009-04-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many of you are planning on attending Youth Convention this year, but if you are a bit undecided, let me help you out.

Youth Convention (YC) has always been around Spring Break. From the time I turned 12, I started going to YC every year. Some years I went with my youth group, some I went with my friend and her mother, and some I went with my sister. It never mattered who I went with, it was always a lot of fun.

YC was held in Bakersfield. It would begin on Monday night and would end on Friday night. We would go and stay the whole week. We would have church every day and every night with about 5,000 teenagers! In addition to church, we would just have lots of good fellowship. It was awesome! I liked YC so much that when I got to be too old, I chaperoned. That was fun too! I have a lot of wonderful memories from my days at YC.

Now YC is held in Stockton. It begins on Wednesday night and ends Friday night. Since your Spring Break was last week, our youth group will be going on Friday night only. I know for those of you that go, it will be AWESOME! You don't want to miss it.

If you are still uncertain, click here http://www.wdyouth.org for the Western District Youth website.

If I get to feeling better, I'm going to be there. I hope to see you there.

Love,
Sis. D

"I PASSED MY TEST"

2009-04-07T08:59:00.001-07:00

Sis. Manley, what are you talking about a test? Don't you know it's Spring Break and we aren't taking any tests?

"I PASSED MY TEST :)" Well, that's exactly what the text read that I received from Priscilla yesterday afternoon.

CONGRATULATIONS, PRISCILLA!!!

She passed her driving test! Now she can officially drive herself. I didn't have any doubt you would pass.

Make sure you get around to congratulating Priscilla. This is one of life's big milestones!

Love,
Sis. D

Let's Go Shopping!

2009-04-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

It's time for our annual Spring Break shopping trip. We always have such a great time and I trust this trip won't be any different.

We will be going to San Jose on Friday, April 10th for a round of Nordstrom Rack and Valley Fair! I hope all of you can make it. If you have never been on one of our shopping trips, please plan on going this time. You will have FUN!!!

I will have letters for your parents this Sunday. If you are under 18 years of age, please don't forget to bring your medical release form with you on Friday.

We will be back to the church by 6:15 PM with time to freshen up physically and spiritually before our Good Friday Communion Service begins at 7 PM.

There are few better ways to bond with your girlfriends than shopping with them! I look forward to bonding with all of you.

Love,
Sis. D

April Fool's Day

2009-04-01T13:14:00.000-07:00

Today is the day for playing tricks on everyone and hoping you are able to fool others with your pranks. I looked up the history of the day and it seems no one really knows how the day got started. There are a few different opinions and none of them are considered viable by historians.

Well I don't know the origin of the day but I couldn't help but think about all the verses in Proverbs that make reference to the fool or foolish one. Have you ever noticed how often the fool is mentioned in that book? Proverbs never makes the fool look like anyone I would want to be. There are a few verses I want to bring to your attention today in honor of April Fool's Day.

The way of the fool is right in his own eyes,

But he who heeds counsel is wise.

Proverbs 12:15 NKJV

Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment,

But a man of understanding walks uprightly.

Without counsel, plans go awry,

But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

Proverbs 15:21-22 NKJV

Today's post is just a reminder to all of you that not seeking counsel in your life is foolish. Scripture declares that one who does not seek counsel is a FOOL. Basically when you decide to not ask for advice in your life, you foolishly think you have it all figured out. Whatever you think on a matter is "right in [your] own eyes". Proverbs 15:21 says such a person is without discernment (the ability to determine right from wrong). Verse 22 lets us know that without counsel the plans we make will fail. It is in the "multitude of counselors" that "they are established".

Do you want to be successful in life? I think all of you would heartily answer, "YES". If so, then establish a pattern of seeking counsel in your life. There is not a major decision in my and my husband's life that we don't seek advice from someone who is wiser or more experienced than us. Notice I said, "wiser and more experienced than us". It is crucial that you seek advice from someone who has been around a lot longer than you. Remember from And the Bride Wore White the criteria for a mentor? She needs to be M.O.R.E.

Making right choices (living righteously) in her current life

Older and wiser

Readily accessible so she can watch you and you can watch her

Excited to burn for you

I realize this was the criteria for a mentor but I think it a good guideline when looking for someone to seek counsel from concerning your life.

Over the next few years all of you will be making decisions that will set the course of your life. I admonish you to not be a FOOL and think you have it all figured out and you don't need input from the "old people". Be WISE and seek advice from others who have walked the road before you. Believe it or not, we actually know a few things. And, that's no April Fool's!

Love,

Sis. D

Happy Birthday, Jenika

2009-03-31T15:31:00.000-07:00

During the time of our media fast, Jenika celebrated her 18th birthday! I wanted to take a moment to say,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JENIKA!

Jenika, it has been such a joy to have you in our teenLife group. I admire your guts to go against the flow. You have always struck me as someone who is not afraid to be different. Not just for the sake of being different, but for the sake of doing what's right. That is not easy to do in these times.

I love that you are such a deep thinker. You don't just readily accept what other's say until you have thought it through. It is because of this that you provide such depth to our discussions in the classroom. You are the one who usually just says what everyone else is thinking. Thanks for that boldness and honesty! It makes for great dialogue and discussion.

I will never forget the shoebox gift you brought me one Sunday morning. Your tenderness before the Lord is admirable. Be cautious to not let life harden you toward the things of God. Being tender before Him will always take you far in Him.

I hope your birthday was great! I'm sorry this post is so after the fact but I know you understand since I have been offline for a season in my consecration to the Lord. I'm praying all the best for you!

Love,
Sis. D

Making Room for God

2009-03-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Wasn't last night's service AWESOME? I am accepting the challenge God gave us in that service. Yes, we have been on a media fast, but it hasn't been a complete abstention. I am going offline for our week of prayer and fasting.

From Thursday, March 19th to Thursday, March 26th I will not be posting on this blog. I will not be checking email, any of my blogs or responding to texts. I am still available by phone and when you see me at church.

I want to clear out anything that might be making it difficult to hear the voice of God in my life. I pray you will join me in this fast from technology. Let's continue to humble ourselves with prayer and fasting. I am confident we will find the Lord is a lot closer to each of us than we even realize. I just want to make sure I don't bury Him beneath all the distractions of technology.

Let us enter into this week of fasting and prayer with humility and expectancy. I fully expect God to be in our midst in a more powerful way than ever before. I can hardly wait! It is going to be GREAT!!!

Love,
Sis. D

I Came Expecting It!

2009-03-17T09:04:00.001-07:00

I wanted to share a little bit of wisdom from my 5 year old.

Sunday morning service was awesome and powerful. During the time of prayer and worship before the preaching, Jessica leaned over to me and this is what she said:

Jessica: Mommy, do you know why this is such a great service? I do.
Me: You do? Why?
Jessica: Because I CAME EXPECTING IT TO BE GREAT!

Now how can you argue with that logic? It is simple yet profound. So today I challenge you to start expecting great things. Especially when you are getting ready for service tonight. Begin to meditate and think on the great things you are expecting to occur in service.

Come expecting a move of God and I have a hunch you won't be disappointed. If you're not so sure about all of this, just ask Jessica!

Love,
Sis. D

Happy Birthday, Priscilla

2009-03-17T08:54:00.000-07:00

I wasn't any where near my computer yesterday so I wasn't able to post a great big birthday wish for Priscilla. So here it is a day late!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRISCILLA

As I'm sure most of you know by now, Priscilla's parents bought her a car for her birthday. What a HUGE surprise! I am so excited for you.

Priscilla, you were just barely 12 when I moved here. It has been a joy to watch you navigate your teen years. You have done it well. You have grown into a lovely Christian woman. And, I do mean a Christian. (Those of you who know Priscilla, you know I am telling the absolute truth when I say she is a Christian.) It has been so exciting to watch you grow spiritually. Your zeal for the Lord and passion for His kingdom is contagious. Keep up the good fight!

Love,
Sis. D

Follow Your Heart

2009-03-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard someone say, "Just follow your heart"? I'm pretty sure we've all heard that a time or two. What exactly does that mean? Basically when someone says that or lives by that statement, they are doing whatever seems right to them or whatever they WANT to do even if they KNOW it is wrong.

I am reminded of two passages of scripture when I hear that statement. I want to remind you of them today lest you find yourself being deceived by such sentiments.

The heart is deceitful above all things,

And desperately wicked;

Who can know it?

Jeremiah 17:9

This verse reminds us that even our heart can deceive us. If we just follow our heart, it can lead us into deception. This is why you see people do things you never thought they would do. Somewhere along the line their heart became the guage for right and wrong.

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.

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

The writer of Ecclesiastes warns us that if we go ahead and follow our heart, God will judge us. He admonishes us to root the evil out of our hearts. Notice to follow the heart is to be immature. A sign of maturity is the understanding that the heart is not always right and that it is wise to uproot the evil from our hearts. Do you want to be a mature adult? Put this wisdom into practice in your life.

Remember we are all going to be judged by God. Knowing that, why not make sure you are following God's Word and not your heart? Now doesn't that just make good sense?

Love,
Sis. D

Happy Birthday, Brooke!

2009-03-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

Well it seems I missed Brooke's birthday yesterday. Thanks to Elycia's blog I realized it was her birthday. So here's a great big shout out to Brooke.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

I hope you had a great day. You are an amazing person and I'm so happy to count you among the teenLife ladies. We are all very happy you are a part of our family.

Love,
Sis. D

Exciting News

2009-03-11T16:35:00.000-07:00

The Salinas High Bible Study being taught by our very own teenLife ladies Priscilla, Mariah and Jenika went GREAT today.

Priscilla called me today to tell me they had 14 students in attendance. 14! Did you read that right? 14? Yes, 14!!!! That is great news!

Keep up the great work, ladies. May God continue to give you favor in your high school and may you reap the rewards for your labor in His harvest.

On another note, Sis. Eva called me today to report her mother is doing well. The surgery went well. Let's continue to pray for her speedy recovery. Also, please keep Sis. Eva and Sis. Elsa in your prayers. They will be traveling to see their mother tomorrow. Pray the Lord gives them a safe journey. Also pray that they will be a blessing to their mother and God will use them to let His light of love shine more brightly into her life.

Also, keep Bro. Raul in your prayers. He underwent hernia surgery today. He is doing well. Pray for his speedy recovery too.

God is continuing to do great things in our midst. I am so excited He is using all of you to accomplish His purpose.

Blessings to all of you!

Love,
Sis. D

Prayer Request

2009-03-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

Good morning, Ladies.

Today I would like for you to pray for Lizzy's and Mariah's grandmother, Mrs. Hernandez. Yesterday she went in for a routine colonoscopy. After the test, she had an air bubble that went through her intestine and caused a rupture. She underwent emergency surgery last night to repair the rupture.

Please pray that God will give her a speedy recovery and that there would be no more complications from any of these procedures. Pray for a complete restoration of her health.

Also remember her family in prayer. This is a stressful and anxious time for them. Pray that the "peace of God" that "surpasses all understanding" would flood their hearts and minds during this time.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplications, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Love,

Sis. D

Incredible YOU!

2009-03-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

We live in a culture that puts a premium on looks. Just take a look all around you and you will see how important our looks are to ourselves and others. We are subtly and not so subtly told what is beautiful. And for most of us, we just aren't quite measuring up. Even those we think fit the description of "beautiful" have something they don't like about themselves.

Today I wanted to remind you that the Word of God says in Psalm 139:13-14,

"For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother's womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well."

Now, I know some of you are thinking, "You got that right, Sis. Manley, I am 'fearfully' made". The word "fearful" here is not scary! The Net Bible translates it like this: "I will give you thanks, because your deeds are awesome and amazing." We are to view our bodies as something that fills us with awe and respect for God's amazing and wonderful creation.

The psalmist says "And that my soul knows very well" Do you really believe your body is "awesome and amazing" - "fearfully and wonderfully made"? Too often we are intimidated by our own perceptions of our physical beauty to really accomplish what God has planned for our lives. We stop short of accomplishing great things because of our own insecurities. I realize we have insecurities that are beyond our physical appearance but that is for another post. Today I'm talking about physical appearance. Is your non-Biblical view of yourself getting in the way of what God has planned for you?

The Net Bible translation goes on in verses 15 - 18 to say,

"My bones were not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret

And sewed together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw me when I was an unborn fetus.

All the days ordained for me

Were recorded in Your scroll

Before one of them came into existence.

How difficult it is for me to fathom Your thoughts about me, O God!

How vast are their sum total!

If I tried to count them,

They would outnumber the grains of sand.

Even if I finished counting them,

I would still have to contend with You."

God knew exactly who you would be and what you would look like when you were nothing more than a clump of cells in your mother's womb. He saw you before you were born and He already had your days planned and ordered. It is very hard to realize just how much God thinks of us. The psalmist likens it to trying to actually count individual grains of sand. God's opinion of you is greater than all the grains of sand combined. At the end of the day, God thinks you're great!

God thinking you are great may be easier for you to believe than thinking God did a great job on you physically. Remember these verses are in the context of your physical being. They are about your physical looks and physical abilities.

Today I want you to look at yourself in the mirror and find the things you like the most about yourself. After you have identified them, begin the thank God for making you so "awesome and amazing". Now go back to the mirror and look at the things you don't like about yourself. After you have identified them (and be careful here that you don't become overly critical), ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you. And end it all with thanksgiving for His great and glorious craftsmanship in the design of Incredible YOU!

Now put a smile on your face (because that's the oldest beauty secret) and go fulfill God's purpose in your life. Someone's depending on you.

Love,

Sis. D

In the Money!

2009-03-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

A great big congratulations to Priscilla!!! She was laid off in January from her job at Salinas Ford and she just got hired today at Kohl's. Thank you, Lord, for your blessings.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Love,
Sis. D

Humbling Ourselves

2009-03-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Today we are fasting and praying for a spiritual breakthrough in our church. We are wanting to see God do great things in our congregation. We want to humble ourselves before the Lord and submit ourselves to Him. Here's some Word from the Lord for you to meditate on as you go about your day.

5Likewise you younger people submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:5-11 NKJV

Lord, I pray that our prayer and fasting today would be done in a spirit of humility. Please help each of us to be submissive. Lord, we cast all of our cares upon you for your Word says that you care for us. Help us to resist the devil and be steadfast in our faith. And through our time of fasting and prayer, we ask that you would perfect, establish, strengthen and settle each one of us. Lord, we give you all the glory in your precious name. Amen.

Ladies, I pray your day will be blessed as the Lord works in each of you. I'll see you at prayer tonight.

Love,
Sis. D

Prayer & Fasting

2009-03-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

Our church has been in a season of prayer and fasting. As you know, we have an all-church fast coming up March 19th - 26th. Pastor has encouraged us to take a few days before the whole church fasts for some individual time of fasting and prayer.

Priscilla came to me Tuesday night after service and said that you ladies wanted to dedicate a day united together in prayer and fasting. We will be fasting together tomorrow, Monday, March 9th. Prayer is scheduled for 7 PM at the church. I will be joining you in your efforts.

Let's remember a few things collectively in our prayer and fasting tomorrow. They are as follows:

1. Spiritual health and strength for each one of us.
2. Physical health and strength for each one of us.
3. That "the Lord of the harvest would sent forth laborers into the harvest."
4. God would work supernaturally in each of your Bible studies.
5. Each of us would have wisdom that comes from above.
6. God would give us the gift of discernment.
7. Unity among us.
8. That our faith would not fail.
9. Our hearts and minds would be guarded against deceptions that would try to take root.

I'm sure there are many others things we can pray for. These are some specifics I thought of. Please feel free to post in the comments any requests you have for us to pray about tomorrow.

I will see you at prayer tomorrow night. I count it all joy to be linking my faith with yours in this spiritual battle.

Love,
Sis. D

A New Way to Connect

2009-03-07T22:34:00.000-08:00

Hello to all the teenLife ladies of Life Christian Center. I am starting this blog just for you. It is here where I want to encourage you in your daily walk with the Lord. I want to challenge your thinking and ideas about life. I want to warn you against the "fiery darts" the adversary may send your way. In short, I want to help you be the best you can be in the Lord and in life.

"How do I use this blog?" you may ask. Read it, comment on the posts, and point your friends here. It is simply another resource to help you navigate your teen life. FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK and more FEEDBACK is what I want from you on an ongoing basis. Otherwise this just becomes me blabbing out on the world wide web.

Tell me what you think about the design. Does it represent us well? I want your opinions. This is a blog for you.

I hope you are as excited as I am about this new venture. Let this be the coolest place to be online.

Love,
Sis. D