Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Detox of Life!
As many of you may know, the season of lent is approaching, and in light of actually thinking about what would bring me closer to my purpose, and farther from my temptations/distractions, I would like to discuss "Detoxing Our Lives".
On average, we could say that most young people spend 15-18 hours awake each day. Now, of those 15-18 hours, how many are spent literally wasting time?? With today's iPad's, iPhones, iPods, portable gaming devices, Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, Twitter, etc., even time that is meant to be reserved for school, is wasted. All of these distractions are temptations of our time, and our character. Do we tell mom we're studying late, so we can stay up and catch up on the Pretty Little Liars series? Do we cheat ourselves, and God, by not fully applying every ounce of our attention to our school work, during class time? Are our minds constantly wandering to the cyber world, because we feel it's so much safer, than the real world? Who/what are we truly worshiping? One heavenly God, or thousands of mind warping, materialistic gods?
What recently brought this problem to my attention, was actually.... me. That's right! My life has really been screwed up by 'distractions'. For me it's: friends (who aren't the best influence in my walk with God), Facebook, Netflix, movies/dvds, junk food, and bad music. When my life really starting going south, and I began to feel spiritually, emotionally, and physically weak, I began to wonder, "What am I really doing with the life/time God has given me?" For many years, I thought I was living an 'okay' life. I had friends, fun, and lots of down time. It wasn't until I was able to start truly feeling the effect of these on my life, that I freaked out! I was killing myself, and throwing away everything God had given me, all because I was following the lead of the media, and my friends, being apathetic towards life, and just flat out lazy! Relationships with my family deteriorated, and I started to see the world from a sad, self-worshiping, point of view. It was literally DEPRESSING!
As the lent season of 2012 began to roll around, I started thinking to myself, "If this season is meant for recognizing the sacrifice Jesus made for us, by sacrificing His life, shouldn't I give up these things that have become my life, and my distraction/disgrace toward Him?" I began to think of all the things I might ACTUALLY GET DONE, with these negative distractions gone... Test taking back to a regular schedule, my driver's license, weight loss, family time, quiet time with/for God, faith strengthening, and maybe even become fluent in Spanish! Ha, ha! All those things, versus what I had allowed myself to become!?
After considering all I could get done, I thought of all I would be giving up... that was my comfort zone, my life, my routine... how scary would it be to walk into the darkness of change, and not know what was beyond each step? All the cravings to return to familiar shores, all the temptations, all the torment.... was it worth it? When I take a step back, and see who/what I've allowed myself to become, I say, "yes! It is worth every moment! It certainly won't be easy, and there may be days where I fail epically, but I know that God will see my repentance, my hope, and my effort to be a better person for Him, and He will lift me up, and give me the strength to finish the 'race marked out'."
If you're out there tonight, looking at your life, and wondering where it first started to slip, know that it's never too late. Until your final breath, you have the opportunity to change who you choose to be, and to strive to live differently. It won't be easy, and the devil will pursue you, but you will cry out, "Get behind me, Satan, for my hope rests in the Lord, God, Almighty, and you shall have no power over me, for God is on my side, and He alone remains forever in control!" So dig deep in your hearts, find what's hurting you today, and 'cut it out' of your life for good. I know that we can do this, but our strength must be in the Lord, our wonderful Father in Heaven, who will catch us when we fall, and cheer as we start to reach the finish line!!
God bless you, and your searching!
~ Clay
On average, we could say that most young people spend 15-18 hours awake each day. Now, of those 15-18 hours, how many are spent literally wasting time?? With today's iPad's, iPhones, iPods, portable gaming devices, Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, Twitter, etc., even time that is meant to be reserved for school, is wasted. All of these distractions are temptations of our time, and our character. Do we tell mom we're studying late, so we can stay up and catch up on the Pretty Little Liars series? Do we cheat ourselves, and God, by not fully applying every ounce of our attention to our school work, during class time? Are our minds constantly wandering to the cyber world, because we feel it's so much safer, than the real world? Who/what are we truly worshiping? One heavenly God, or thousands of mind warping, materialistic gods?
What recently brought this problem to my attention, was actually.... me. That's right! My life has really been screwed up by 'distractions'. For me it's: friends (who aren't the best influence in my walk with God), Facebook, Netflix, movies/dvds, junk food, and bad music. When my life really starting going south, and I began to feel spiritually, emotionally, and physically weak, I began to wonder, "What am I really doing with the life/time God has given me?" For many years, I thought I was living an 'okay' life. I had friends, fun, and lots of down time. It wasn't until I was able to start truly feeling the effect of these on my life, that I freaked out! I was killing myself, and throwing away everything God had given me, all because I was following the lead of the media, and my friends, being apathetic towards life, and just flat out lazy! Relationships with my family deteriorated, and I started to see the world from a sad, self-worshiping, point of view. It was literally DEPRESSING!
As the lent season of 2012 began to roll around, I started thinking to myself, "If this season is meant for recognizing the sacrifice Jesus made for us, by sacrificing His life, shouldn't I give up these things that have become my life, and my distraction/disgrace toward Him?" I began to think of all the things I might ACTUALLY GET DONE, with these negative distractions gone... Test taking back to a regular schedule, my driver's license, weight loss, family time, quiet time with/for God, faith strengthening, and maybe even become fluent in Spanish! Ha, ha! All those things, versus what I had allowed myself to become!?
After considering all I could get done, I thought of all I would be giving up... that was my comfort zone, my life, my routine... how scary would it be to walk into the darkness of change, and not know what was beyond each step? All the cravings to return to familiar shores, all the temptations, all the torment.... was it worth it? When I take a step back, and see who/what I've allowed myself to become, I say, "yes! It is worth every moment! It certainly won't be easy, and there may be days where I fail epically, but I know that God will see my repentance, my hope, and my effort to be a better person for Him, and He will lift me up, and give me the strength to finish the 'race marked out'."
If you're out there tonight, looking at your life, and wondering where it first started to slip, know that it's never too late. Until your final breath, you have the opportunity to change who you choose to be, and to strive to live differently. It won't be easy, and the devil will pursue you, but you will cry out, "Get behind me, Satan, for my hope rests in the Lord, God, Almighty, and you shall have no power over me, for God is on my side, and He alone remains forever in control!" So dig deep in your hearts, find what's hurting you today, and 'cut it out' of your life for good. I know that we can do this, but our strength must be in the Lord, our wonderful Father in Heaven, who will catch us when we fall, and cheer as we start to reach the finish line!!
God bless you, and your searching!
~ Clay
Thursday, February 9, 2012
When the World Says You Can't....
When the world says, "You can't!" That's really the devil saying, "I hope she doesn't!" :)
Saturday, February 4, 2012
College Plus!
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Boys will be Boys... So What should You Avoid?
Hey girls!
As many of you know, girls can be vicious, at times. Many are wonderful, as long as you are on their side, and some are genuinely sweet. If you are like me, you may have morphed over to hanging out with 'the guys' more often than, 'the girls'. Lol!! Well, if you have, I feel your pain, and I understand why you might think that, by hanging out with guys, you will get the best of mostly everything! Sadly, I had to learn my lesson the hard way. So here is my article to you, my fellow young women, on how to keep your actions in check for God, your friends, and yourself. :)
For years now, I have been one of 'the guys'... in theory, that is. About 75% of my friends are male, and for a long time, I thought I was living the life. Coming from an area of competitive, backstabbing, girls, I felt that, by hanging out with guys who would never be my competition (and don't seem to be interested in cat fights) I would be 'playing it safe' for myself, and my happiness. There were so many pluses to hanging out with 'the guys'! I could wear sweats/bball shoes, play catch, or a game of three on three, and most importantly, there was NO CHICK DRAMA WHAT-SO-EVER!!! :D For a long time, I thought I was in heaven. Going to the movies with four guys, versus one = SCORE for my ego!!... Having close friends, of the opposite gender, to discuss relationships with = SCORE for my ability to understand guys better... and finally; Being able to feel accepted, and safe, with a group of people I truly felt good with = a boost to my happiness. :) Through it all, a few warning flags went up, whether it be in discussions, or change in attitudes, but I ignored them, hoping to keep what I had going for awhile. Sadly, I finally discovered why male/female friendships can be SO complicated if you're not careful, or you let your guard down.....
Of the four, or five, different times I have tried the whole 'one of the guys' things, my predicament in the end has persisted. Eventually, somewhere along the way, a conversation is going to be hindered by your presence, an activity cancelled because they want to keep it literally just 'the guys', or a friendship will begin to develop into something else... for one of you. Although the first two items on that problem list can make you feel bummed, like you are holding those friends back, the final item can literally ruin your friendship with the whole group. Eventually, either you, or one of your guy 'friends', is going to start seeing someone in a different light... the crush light. :/ When that happens, it's down hill from there, unless you are both on the same page. Sadly, because you joined the group to be a friend, that doesn't always mean you were accepted for that purpose. The reality of it is, girls were never meant to be 'one of the guys'. :( If you are like me, and you hoped that would not be the case for you, hope again, because it does not change based on the person. No matter what, we were created to be attracted to the opposite sex, and if you mix those genders on a 1:5 ratio (or anything where you are outnumbered, and it's not a GROUP of evenly proportioned friends) things WILL end badly. You may have a few weeks of un-awkward down time with 'the guys', but you, as a young woman, are testing yourself, and those around you. Bottom line, guys are great, and they can be amazing friends, but we cannot allow ourselves to enter an outnumbered group of 'friends'. For our sake, and for the sake of those we encounter, we must display choices that follow after our faith. We, as young women of Christ, should never enter a situation that we secretly know will either tempt us, or the people with us. Now, I am not saying that, by entering an 'evenly proportioned' group, things will change. NOT AT ALL!! Ha, ha! Again, we are human, and we were designed to be attracted to the opposite sex, but by entering an evenly proportioned situation, your image as a young woman is not as hampered, your temptation is not as great, and your safety, and ability to blend with everyone, increases with 'non-coupled' events.
As far as girl drama goes, high school does not last forever, and eventually you can get out into a MUCH bigger world, to find some true, humble, Christian, young women to surround yourself with. Until then, devote your time to your church, or community. Find ways to get yourself out of tempting, or dangerous, situations. When you are hurting, or scared, find someone who is feeling even worse than you, and serve them. In this, you will make your Heavenly Father smile, and put your soul to rest. :) Imagine each young man you come in contact with, as someone's husband someday. May your behavior mirror what you would prefer the young women, in your future husband's life, to behave like.
Press on, ladies!
Clay
As many of you know, girls can be vicious, at times. Many are wonderful, as long as you are on their side, and some are genuinely sweet. If you are like me, you may have morphed over to hanging out with 'the guys' more often than, 'the girls'. Lol!! Well, if you have, I feel your pain, and I understand why you might think that, by hanging out with guys, you will get the best of mostly everything! Sadly, I had to learn my lesson the hard way. So here is my article to you, my fellow young women, on how to keep your actions in check for God, your friends, and yourself. :)
For years now, I have been one of 'the guys'... in theory, that is. About 75% of my friends are male, and for a long time, I thought I was living the life. Coming from an area of competitive, backstabbing, girls, I felt that, by hanging out with guys who would never be my competition (and don't seem to be interested in cat fights) I would be 'playing it safe' for myself, and my happiness. There were so many pluses to hanging out with 'the guys'! I could wear sweats/bball shoes, play catch, or a game of three on three, and most importantly, there was NO CHICK DRAMA WHAT-SO-EVER!!! :D For a long time, I thought I was in heaven. Going to the movies with four guys, versus one = SCORE for my ego!!... Having close friends, of the opposite gender, to discuss relationships with = SCORE for my ability to understand guys better... and finally; Being able to feel accepted, and safe, with a group of people I truly felt good with = a boost to my happiness. :) Through it all, a few warning flags went up, whether it be in discussions, or change in attitudes, but I ignored them, hoping to keep what I had going for awhile. Sadly, I finally discovered why male/female friendships can be SO complicated if you're not careful, or you let your guard down.....
Of the four, or five, different times I have tried the whole 'one of the guys' things, my predicament in the end has persisted. Eventually, somewhere along the way, a conversation is going to be hindered by your presence, an activity cancelled because they want to keep it literally just 'the guys', or a friendship will begin to develop into something else... for one of you. Although the first two items on that problem list can make you feel bummed, like you are holding those friends back, the final item can literally ruin your friendship with the whole group. Eventually, either you, or one of your guy 'friends', is going to start seeing someone in a different light... the crush light. :/ When that happens, it's down hill from there, unless you are both on the same page. Sadly, because you joined the group to be a friend, that doesn't always mean you were accepted for that purpose. The reality of it is, girls were never meant to be 'one of the guys'. :( If you are like me, and you hoped that would not be the case for you, hope again, because it does not change based on the person. No matter what, we were created to be attracted to the opposite sex, and if you mix those genders on a 1:5 ratio (or anything where you are outnumbered, and it's not a GROUP of evenly proportioned friends) things WILL end badly. You may have a few weeks of un-awkward down time with 'the guys', but you, as a young woman, are testing yourself, and those around you. Bottom line, guys are great, and they can be amazing friends, but we cannot allow ourselves to enter an outnumbered group of 'friends'. For our sake, and for the sake of those we encounter, we must display choices that follow after our faith. We, as young women of Christ, should never enter a situation that we secretly know will either tempt us, or the people with us. Now, I am not saying that, by entering an 'evenly proportioned' group, things will change. NOT AT ALL!! Ha, ha! Again, we are human, and we were designed to be attracted to the opposite sex, but by entering an evenly proportioned situation, your image as a young woman is not as hampered, your temptation is not as great, and your safety, and ability to blend with everyone, increases with 'non-coupled' events.
As far as girl drama goes, high school does not last forever, and eventually you can get out into a MUCH bigger world, to find some true, humble, Christian, young women to surround yourself with. Until then, devote your time to your church, or community. Find ways to get yourself out of tempting, or dangerous, situations. When you are hurting, or scared, find someone who is feeling even worse than you, and serve them. In this, you will make your Heavenly Father smile, and put your soul to rest. :) Imagine each young man you come in contact with, as someone's husband someday. May your behavior mirror what you would prefer the young women, in your future husband's life, to behave like.
Press on, ladies!
Clay
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
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