Getting back on track

I know it has been a long time since I have added to this site and I want to apologize. I am hoping to start fresh here and begin utilizing this as a place for encouragement! If you have any ideas or topics you would like to study, be sure to email me or post a comment on this page! You can reach me at
becomeatitus2woman@gmail.com

or

nicholsleigh@gmail.com

Are you a half-full or half-empty?

"I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances."- Martha Washington

How true is that quote from Martha Washington! If someone were to describe you today, would they say you were positive or negative? Hmmm....I hope that made you think. What about your friends...would you say some of them are positive people--finding good or opportunity in things we may consider "bad" or are they negative---putting people down or even themselves! Now don't get me wrong, there are some things we should have a negative attitude against (sin), but what I mean here is that you are always the Debbie Downer---grumpy!

My grandmother used to always say to me that a bad apple always spoils the bunch. That applies here too! When you surround yourself with those who possess negative attitudes, what do you think is going to happen to you? What if you are the problem? Do you think people want to be around that? SAY NO TO DRAMA!!

Sunday night Wilson pierced my heart with the words he spoke to us. I can't even begin to tell you how much I needed to hear that. He brought us back to Numbers 13 and 14 with two very positive men: Joshua and Caleb. Moses and Aaron had brought the children of Israel to a great land--one that flows with milk and honey (13:27). But there was a problem--the people whom dwelled the land were STRONG and LARGE! The men that had spied out the land complained to Moses and Aaron because they didn't think they could overtake the giants! They even stated: "Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt (14:3)?"

YES, YOU DID READ THIS RIGHT! THEY WANTED TO GO BACK TO EGYPT! They weren't seeing the opportunity that God laid in front of them. They weren't relying on God to get them through this...except for Joshua and Caleb.

But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of their land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them." (14:6-9)
The Lord is with us....how true is that! Did the children of Israel think that? No! So, they ended up being attacked by the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in the mountains pushing them back as far as Horman (14:45) all because of their negative attitudes!

Is that true for us today? You bet! What about when your parents ask you to do your chores? Or what about doing something for the older generation? Or what about even going to church? What is your attitude like? Do you see everything as half-full or half-empty?

As I close these thoughts, I have a passage I would love for you to read each day this week. What better thoughts than to know who is for us and who will never leave us!

Romans 8:31-29
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us form the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? As it is written: For Your sake we are killed all day long: We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

To think, Paul...a man who was put in prison, beaten, persecuted....wrote those inspired words. As much as he struggled with and he still looked at the positive side!

Little Red Box

This week Cason Lane is holding our VBS. I LOVE VBS! I love hearing the little children sing their simple songs that teach amazing lessons and seeing the excitement they have all because they are there to learn more about God's Word. What I can learn from their enthusiasm!

One of my all time favorite VBS songs happens to be "Little Red Box." Look at the lessons we can learn all from this simple song!

If I had a little red box to put my good friends in,
I'd take them out and play with them and put them back again.
Look at the advice we get from God's word dealing with friends or friendship:

• Make no friendship with a man given to anger,nor go with a wrathful man,or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself.Proverbs 22:24-25
• Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls for he has no one to help him up.Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
• This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:12-15
• A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.Prov 17:17

I didn't even begin to touch what is in God's Word about friends/friendship. Does it matter who your friends are? Do they make good choices? Are they rubbing off on you for the good or for the "not so good." Look again at John 15: 12-15. Are you friends with the best friend you could have in the WHOLE WORLD??

If I had a little red box to put my enemies in,
I'd take them out and pray for them and put them back again.
Look at Stephen (Acts 6:8-15, 7:1-60)..this is one of the stories we are studying just this week!
Here is a man that was full of faith and power and did great wonders and signs among the people so that they would know this was of God (v. 8) but ended up being accused of blaspheme. He continued to teach...staying steadfast in his faith...even though he knew he was facing a "tough" crowd that eventually stones him to death. But you know, the story doesn't stop here. As they were stoning him , he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." (Acts 7:60) WOW! Do you do that for your enemies? Do you pray for them? Do you ask God to forgive them? It is HARD to! Someone crosses you, you don't want anything to do with them, right? But is that what we are taught? No, and we had an even greater example of this when Jesus died on the cross because what did he say? "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (Luke 23:34)

If I had a little red box to put the devil in,
I'd take him out and beat him up and put him back again.
Peter warns us in 1 Peter 5:8 about the devil. "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
Read what I mentioned before in the Shield post:
WOW! Is God your shield? Everyday we are faced with temptation. I recently read in a book that the devil has over 27 names in the New Testament. Does that not scare you? That sure doesn't sit well with me. We are up against an enemy who is always lurking over our shoulder. Jesus even calls him the wicked one (Matthew 13:19), the enemy (Matthew 13:39), Beelzebub (Mark 3:22), strong one Luke 11:22), murderer (John 8:44), father of lies (John 8:44), and prince of this world (John 12:31).

If I had a little red box to put my Jesus in,
I'd take him out and never put Him back, and never put Him back again.
Have you put on Christ? Look at Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:6, 26-40. An angel speaks to Philip telling him to go to the road between Jerusalem and Gaza and he did without arguing. There he finds a eunuch in a chariot reading from the book of Isaiah (53:7) and he asks him who Isaiah was talking about. Philip begins to teach him about Jesus. The eunuch knew from Philip's teaching that he needed to be baptized so as they came upon a body of water, he asked to be! Philip then said to him, "If you believe with all your heart you may," and what did the eunuch say? I BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD and he was then baptized!


All these lessons we learn from one simple song...I have a challenge for you this week. Take the song "This Little Light of Mine" and see how they apply to your life, much like "Little Red Box."

This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine, let it shine all the time let it shine.

Don't let Satan (blow) it out, I'm going to let it shine. Don't let Satan (blow) it out, I'm going to let it shine, let it shine all the time let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, NO! I'm going to let it shine. Hide it under a bushel, NO! I"m going to let it shine, let it shine all the time let it shine.

Perseverance-The Story of Mordecai

Have you ever had just one of those weeks where:

• Nothing seems to go right
• You don't feel like you are accomplishing anything
• You are just "down in the dumps"

I had a word jump out at me while studying for a bible lesson this past week: PERSEVERANCE.

Dictionary.com defines it as steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

One of the characters in the book of Esther had to persevere through many challenges. Look at Mordecai. He overcame so many difficult times in his life.

1. He had to raise his cousin's daughter (Esther 2:7).
2. He had to watch Esther being taken to the women's quarters so she could get "beauty preparations" so that she "might" become queen (Esther 2). I would be nervous about this...a household...full of women wanting to become queen...no telling what could happen in there!
3. Mordecai discovered a plot in which two of eunuch's at the gate wanted to lay hands on the king. He had Esther inform the king in his name and wasn't given anything for it! Talk about a blow to your ego! But, did he let that bother him? (2:17-23)
4. Mordecai wouldn't pay homage to Haman, which made Haman mad! So, Haman was filled with wrath and decided to destroy all the Jews! Read 4:1-4 in Esther! This upset Mordecai so much that he tore his clothes and put on the sackcloth and cried out in the midst of the city! I think he was under some distress...but did he stop here? NO! He had a plan....Read on in Chapter 4 to find out what it was!

Mordecai never stopped persevering! Troubles came his way, but did he ever stop loving the Lord? Did he ever stop believing in what the Lord could do for him such as saving his people? Mordecai ends up getting the king's signet ring and appointed over the house of Haman since Haman was hanged for plotting against the Jews. (8:2). Keep on keepin' on just as Mordecai did!

In the Sermon on the Mount we learn about the virtue of persevering. In Matthew 7:7-11, we are taught to Keep on Asking...Keep on Seeking....Keep on Finding!

Jesus teaches also teaches us about persistance in a couple of parables.

• Parable of the Persistant Friend (Luke 11:5-8)
• Parable of the Persistant Widow (Luke18:1-8)

Read over those this week...when you are thinking that you can't go on, remember, you aren't alone in this! Make God your life and not part of your life! He wants control!

When Life Hands You Lemons...Make Lemonade

Last week I shared with you some thoughts of King Xerxes and Queen Vashti from the book of Esther. We found out that Queen Vashti didn't do as King Xerxes wanted and now we no longer have a Queen...
UNTIL Chapter 2 of Esther.
Here is a summary (Read in Chapter 2:1-4)

• beautiful young women are to be brought into the women's quarters under the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch
• BEAUTY preparations are to be given to them--you know like what we might buy at a store--facials, ect.
• The young woman who pleases the king will be queen instead of Vashti

Sounds simple, right? Umm...that sounds like a place full of CHAOS to me! The show "The Bachelor" isn't anything new is it? That plot happened years AGO!!

So how does Esther fit into the picture? Read verse 7 of Chapter 2 and you will find out a TON of background knowledge on her. "And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter."

She is an a beautiful young woman whose parents have passed away and she has been raised by her cousin...Sounds like she has been thrown a LOT of lemons in her life hasn't she? Have you ever had something happen to you that has changed your entire life--loss of family member or friend, a move, divorce, an illness, break-up of boyfriend or you and a friend having a falling out? How do you deal with it? Were you as easy-going as Esther was?

Esther gained favor in the eunuch's eyes (verse 9) as she lived in the women's quarters. Did it say how...no, but do you imagine it was just with how she looked? Probably not. If someone gains "favor" in your eyes it probably isn't just with the outward beauty, but also the inward! The eunuch gave her "extra" beauty preparations and the best place in the house!

**Verse 10 we see something...Esther had not revealed her people or family because Mordecai didn't want her to..What does that mean? Well, she was a Jew. REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT LATER ON IN THE BOOK! Tuck it in the back of your memory!!**

We see in Verse 11 that Mordecai loved her as his own daughter! He was pacing back in front of the court of the women's quarters to learn what was happening to her. I think if I was Esther's guardian I would be doing the same thing! She is living in a place with a TON of girls getting beauty preparations for over a year so that they can be presented to the King and gain favor in his eyes so the next queen can be named...You know what happens in a place where a bunch of females are---you know there are more than likely going to be problems!

So, here comes Esther's turn to be presented to King Xerxes...Do you think she was nervous? I imagine she was! But, she went into the king and requested nothing except what the eunuch had advised and she obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her. Not only them, but who else loved her more than all the other women? The KING!! And the crown was placed upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti! (2:15-19)

Esther had already dealt with a lot in her young lifetime---more than most of us could even imagine....but did she "hate" the world due to the circumstances that surrounded her? NO! It sounds like she took the lemons and made lemonade with them. She relied on God through everything...and we will see that even more as we continue through and see what other lemons were handed her way.

Remember Isaiah 41:10: Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous Hand!

No matter what you are dealing with, God is with you! He will never leave you! Trust Him! Turn the "bad" things in your life to something that is GOOD! Maybe you can help someone else who is dealing with something that has troubled you!

Think Before You Speak or Act....

I want you to answer the following questions...Don't worry..they aren't hard...Answer them TRUE or FALSE.

1. Thirty minutes is too long to wait for a table at a restaurant.
2. You get irritated if a friend takes too long to text you back.
3. Waiting at red lights drives you crazy.
4. You tend to think through all the alternatives when making decisions.
5. When you shop, you buy the first pair of jeans you like instead of looking around more.
6. You can't stand commercials when you're watching TV, so you either change the channel or use your DVR to fast-forward through them.
7. When you finish a test, you turn it in only after you've double-and triple-checked your answers.
8. You can recall a bad-hair phase that resulted from a spur-of-the-moment decision you made to cut or dye your hair.
9. You look for the shortest line at the checkout counter and race in front of others to get there first.
10. You prefer to read the novel rather than watch the movie based on it.
(taken from Esther-The Role of a Lifetime)

Hmmmm....How did you do? Did you answer true to most of these or false? Look more specifically at questions four, seven, and ten....If you answered false to these I think we can assume that you do things in a hurry. Is that a bad thing? Well, not necessarily, but SOMETIMES being hasty can cause some real problems...

I have been doing a study on the book of Esther..WOW! I am so intrigued by what this book has to offer us as women...yes, you are considered a woman :). For the next few weeks the plan is to look at some things brought to my attention by reading this amazing book in the Old Testament. So, grab your Bible and come study!

Can you think of a time you were in a hurry and forgot something of importance and had an embarrassing moment? I received an email from a friend a couple of weeks ago that is a nurse. She has three kids and obviously a crazy lifestyle. She went to the hospital to make her rounds and after she completed them she looked down at her feet...What did she find? Well, she was wearing two different tennis shoes--they were both tennis shoes, just not matches. Did this hurt anyone....NO ONE but maybe her, but sometimes our actions have impact on other people's lives--and sometimes that isn't a good thing..

Well, let's look at Esther Chapter 1 to meet a man whose actions set off a chain of events that changed EVERYONE's lives. Who do we meet, but King Ahasueres (yours might say Xerxes). We find out that he was a powerful man. He had everyone under is thumb except for Greece and he was throwing a party...not just an ordinary party, but a party that lasted 180 days or SIX MONTHS!
SIDE NOTE: When we read on in chapter 1 we can really see the decorations because they are described to us: white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver roods and marble pillars, couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble (verse 6)! That sounds like an extravagant place to me. One study I am working on (Esther-Its tough being a Woman by Beth Moore) suggested reading those verses like a movie maker.
The King had a beautiful wife named Queen Vashti. We don't know too much about her, but we do know she was beautiful! The King wanted her to come and show her beauty to the people and the officials (verse 11)--but she didn't want to. She REFUSED! This made the king furious--actually anger burned within him (verse 12). So what did he do? Well, he turned to those close to him to see what they thought should happen to Queen Vashti for her not obeying the king's orders. I love some of the responses from those in his cabinet (read verses 16 to 22)---the advice we receive sometimes should be taken with a grain of salt...
What happens to Queen Vashti--well, we don't know for sure...all we know is that she has been shown the door and is no longer in the picture. Some speculate she was killed, but the Bible doesn't tell us that---Read verse 19---she can come no more before the King and let him give her position to someone who is better than her!

What do you do when someone angers you? Do you turn to people around you like King Ahasuerus or do you turn to the Lord? What do you think you should do first?
I think you should turn to the Lord...talk to him about it. The best way to soften your heart towards someone is to pray. If you need to ask for advice on how to handle a situation to a trusted friend or someone you look up to, that is okay...just make sure you aren't doing it "hastily." Unfortunately for females--gossip tends to be a problem...it doesn't matter your age. When you go to someone and are angry--things come out that shouldn't. Have you ever had an argument with another friend, sibling, or even parent that you said something you wish you wouldn't have? Most of that is done in haste.
Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes (Proverbs 19:2 NIV).
I always heard the phrase "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me" growing up....I don't think that is true at all! It is hard to forget isn't it when someone has said something to you that hurts!
So, SLOW DOWN! Don't hurry! Give it to the Lord before you do something you wish you hadn't!!!

Posting Issues with Email

I want you to know that we are currently having issues with emails being sent to your inbox when a new posting is made. I am currently working on it and hope to have it resolved before a posting next week. Be sure to check the blog because two entries have been made this week : Shield and Are you better than....?

Sorry for the inconvenience!

Are you better than.....?????

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER
by Maya Angelou

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christthat a man should have to seek Him first to find her.

'When I say ..... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'mclean livin''I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.

'When I say ... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say .... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say ... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say ... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain..I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name ..

When I say ... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!


Do you walk into a room, look at others who might be dressed immodestly and think you are better than them? Pride is very deceitful. Satan uses that tool so many times on us! (Proverbs 13:10, Proverbs 16:18, 1Timothy 3:6)

So, how do you perceive yourself as a Christian? Are you a prideful one or do you admit that you can’t be whole without God?

Here are some verses to think about. Grab your Bible and read these humbling words!

• Colossians 1: 15-17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
• Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
• Isaiah 45:12 I have made the earth and created man on it….
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

We were bought at a price! Jesus came and lived on this earth a PERFECT LIFE and died on that cross for our sins. How many times a day are you tempted and fall? EXACTLY….you have no room to think you are better than someone else just because you are a Christian. You would not be whole without Him!

BTW, did you know that the name “Christian” is only mentioned 3 times (Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, 1 Peter 4:16). I don’t think we should take being one lightly.

Shield Thoughts

I started the posting "Shield" on the 5th but decided not to post it until this week. If you are looking for that posting, look below "Do You Pray" because it has a posting date of May 5th since that is when I started it. Sorry for the confusion :).

Do you pray?

I am going to start out this posting with a simple question: Do you pray? Sure, you may around the supper table with your family but I am asking about YOU. Do you have a prayer life? This is something that I think most of us struggle with. I have been challenged by several of my friends, women that I look up to, to work on my prayer life and I want to challenge you. Here are some thoughts I have gathered from them.

Satan sure does a good job of making us think that:

• we don't have enough time
• God won't listen to us
• we can rely on others such as our parents to pray for us
• it is only important when I am struggling with something or before I eat
• or even we don't know how to pray.

Do YOU know the truth though?

1. God is NEAR! Read Psalm 145:18: The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.

2. He hears US! 1 John 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

3. He CARES for us! One of my favorite passages that I meditate on almost a daily basis is 1 Peter 5. Read verse 7...it is in the middle of a complete thought "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (If you read on you can see how the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour--don't let him EAT UP your prayer life!)

4. God GIVES! Matthew 7:7-11 Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

I recently was given an acronym that makes a lot of sense to me about "HOW TO PRAY."

ACTS

A: Adoration-Praise to God: Know God's greatness! Know who he is! I would suggest reading Psalm 18: He is our shield, our Rock, our Fortress. Underline those in your Bible!

C: Confession: Tell God your sins! What a better way to "get those off of your chest" and repent of them!

T: Thanksgiving: Read Philippians 4:6: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made to God. Count your blessings. The book of Colossians has several verses that speak about this (1:12, 2:7, 3:15, 4:2). There is so much that we can thank God for. Look around you (your health, friends/family, praising God for an answer to previous prayers, just being able to be His child, sending Jesus to die on the cross for YOU, and what about the prize of heaven).

S: Supplication: Here is where you give Him your requests. Maybe it is about yourself, your family, your community, your church, the nation, those who aren't Christians, people who are sick that you want to lift up.

How do we put this all together? How do you start? Here are some steps that may help you out.

• Set a time that you want to pray: It doesn't have to be an exact time but make time for God on a daily basis. It might be waking up earlier before school. What a better way to start your day then to spend time with God!
• Make a place to pray. Find you a great spot in your house and make it yours!
• Use a prayer journal or a list. I bought a cute little notebook that has two different sections. I use one section to jot down notes as I am studying God's word and the other section is my "prayer list." I even write down notes or put a check mark when I see that He has answered a prayer about someone or something. There you go--back to THANKSGIVING!

Here are some verses that I really want you to look at over the week:

PRAY:

• ALWAYS Eph 6:18
• IN EVERYTHING Philippians 4:6
• EARNESTLY (serious in intention, purpose, or effort) Colossians 4:2
• BE VIGILANT ( ever awake and alert) Colossians 4:2
• WITHOUT CEASING or WITH PERSISTENCE (persevere) I Thess 5:17, Luke 11:5-9
• WITH CONFIDENCE Hebrews 4:13, Eph 3:11-12
• FERVENTLY (having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm)James 5:16, Acts 12:5, Rom 15:30

God has given this amazing tool! Use it!

Shield

There was a time in the seventh grade that I had an "enemy." She would have her older 8th grade friends wait for me almost on a daily basis threatening to beat me up as I walked from the cafeteria back into the school after lunch. I remember being so scared and nervous about what they might do to me. Fortunately, I had a great group of friends who would form a circle around me and walk me back to school unharmed. That group formed a SHIELD....Now, we all weren't the "strongest" group and probably would have been beaten pretty badly if a fight would have happened, but I felt SAFE and those bullies never laid a hand on me.

You know, David went up against an enemy just like me. If you read 1 Samuel 17 (I strongly advise you to do that), you will see that David went up against a giant! David knew he had a shield protecting him. In verse 37 he states, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." WHAT FAITH HE HAD IN GOD! David went on the field not armored with warrior's weapons but with 5 small stones and a slingshot. Is that all David took with him? NO! He knew that God would provide a shield for him. Did he? YES!

Verses 49-51: Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. Sop David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, ,and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

WOW! Is God your shield? Everyday we are faced with temptation. I recently read in a book that the devil has over 27 names in the New Testament. Does that not scare you? That sure doesn't sit well with me. We are up against an enemy who is always lurking over our shoulder. Jesus even calls him the wicked one (Matthew 13:19), the enemy (Matthew 13:39), Beelzebub (Mark 3:22), strong one Luke 11:22), murderer (John 8:44), father of lies (John 8:44), and prince of this world (John 12:31).

You might find Satan in:

• A movie or television show you are watching. If it has inappropriate scenes turn it off or leave! I strongly recommend you "researching" a movie before going to it. There are websites out there that tell you what all is in a movie in theaters. Check it out and protect yourself!


• A conversation with your friends! Paul warns us to not have "foolish talking or course jesting" in Ephesians 5:4. Once a conversation goes down the wrong path such as gossiping or using inappropriate language or jokes, it is really hard to bring it back to the straight and narrow.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:18 to take the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. How do you do that? Study! Spend time in His Word! PRAY!

I want to challenge you to read Ephesians 6:10-20 (Putting on the Whole Armor of God) everyday this week. What great scriptures we can put in our heart as we face our enemy every second of every day. Let God be your SHIED!

Welcome!

This site has been set up for encouragement for YOU! I will post some short thoughts each week on the blog. You can sign up on the right hand side of the blog to receive updates through your email each time I make a new posting. I recommend that you do that! It's FREE and easy. Type in your email address and press enter. In your inbox you will receive a message in which you will have to verify your email account by clicking on the link...that is all you have to do. Then, each time I make a posting it will come to your email address in your inbox.

I hope that this blog is encouragement to you. It is hard living as a teenager in today's society. I love Hebrews 12:1-2 which is the reason for the blog address and title. My Bible has a subtitle named "The Race of Faith" above it. How true is that! Run your race with endurance and who are you looking at??? JESUS--the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.