Spreading the love at the Washington Monument in DC Thank you King Travis Clothing. :)
Life as Usual Amazes Me
So life has been crazy as usual. The past two weeks have been nothing but work, band rehearsals, chorus rehearsals, mpa’s for both jazz band and chorus, and band concerts. My last MPA is for Wind Ensemble this weekend thank goodness.
Yesterday, I got to sit down after church and really spend a moment with God. I was reading my bible and stumbled upon 1Samuel 16:7. It reads:
“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
I feel as though if the people of Earth actually grasped onto this idea of looking into the heart than to outwardly judge, maybe we wouldn’t be in the many struggles we are in today.
There’s a little food for thought for you. Hope you indulge and enjoy.
:)
My Next 21 Days
So, starting on Sunday, I’m fasting.
The definition of “fasting” is:
“to abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, esp. as a religious observance.”
I have chosen to fast for 21 days as a chance to get even closer to the Lord. This experience is one that I am looking forward to and I just cannot wait for it to start.
Their are types of fasts you can do if you want:
1. Daniel Fast- this is one of the most commonly referred-to fasts; however, within this fast, their is room for broad interpretation.
Daniel fasted at two different times in the bible. In Daniel 1, he only ate vegetables and water, and in Daniel 10, he basically stayed away from rich foods (choice foods), no meat or wine as well.
The basic foods you can eat in a Daniel fast is:
1.Fruits
2.Vegetables
3.Whole Grains
4.Nuts and Seeds
5.Legumes (A seed, pod, or other edible part of a leguminous plant used as food)
6.Water (spring, distilled, or other pure waters)
7.Quality oils (olive oil, etc)
8. Tofu, salt, soy products, etc.
2. Juice fasts are also well known. It is as it sounds, you drink fruit juice, vegetable juice, or water instead of solid foods. Most people include whey protein into the liquid.
3.Water fast, again, it is as it sounds. You drink nothing but water.
4. And their is the total fast, which is when you do not eat or drink anything. This is a type of fast you can only do for a very short period of time.
I have made my own plan of fasting since this is my first time.
Here is my plan:
1. I’m going to give up bread. This means bagels, pizza, muffins, and cookies. This i’m going to do for 19 days. (Probably will end up being all 21 days since I’ll just forget about bread)
2. For 5 days, I will not check my Facebook.
3. For 6 days, sorry, I will not be using Tumblr. :)
4. Their will be 3 days where I will not use the internet at all.
5.For 4 days, I will not watch television.
6.For 4 days, I will not drink soda.
7.For 5 days, I will not have any sweets.
I know it is not the conventional fast, but I think I can do what I have planned. And I know that I will gain an even more deep, spiritual relationship with Jesus my savior. :)
Randomness
Pick 10 artists that you love before reading the questions.
1. We The Kings
2. Hot Chelle Rae
3.The Downtown Fiction
4. Katy Perry
5. Adele
6. Damien Rice
7. Jason Aldean
8. Luke Bryan
9. Paramore
10. Day Of Vengeance
What was the first song you ever heard by 1 & 6?
1. Check Yes Juliet
6. 9 Crimes
What is your favorite song of 5 & 10?
5. Someone Like You
10. How Sweet the Sound
What kind of impact has 1 and/or 9 left on your life?
1. You can hit the big time even if you live in a small town
9. Don’t be afraid to be loud and party
What are your favorite lyrics of 5 & 8?
5. “You know how the time fly’s, only yesterday was the time of our lives.”
8. “I don’t know what road we’re on or where we’ve been from staring at you. All I know is I don’t want this night to end.”
How many times have you seen 4 & 7 live?
4. none sadly
7. none very, very sadly
What is your favorite song by 2 & 6?
2. “I Like it Like That”
6. “9 Crimes”
Is there any song by 3 & 8 that makes you sad?
3. nope
8. “Faded Away”
What is your favourite song by 1 & 9?
1. I truly cannot pick, I love them all
9. “Let the Flames Begin”
When did you first get into 2 & 7?
2. When I went to a concert in July
7. The first time I heard “Amarillo Sky”
How did you get into 3 & 9?
3. They were in the same concert as Hot Chelle Rae and We The Kings and I loved their sound
9. My friend Michelle got me into them by blasting them in her car.
What is your favourite song by 3 & 4?
3. Thanks for Nothing
4. Tie between Teenage Dream and Last Friday Night
What is a good memory concerning 1 & 10?
1. I was at my bible study leaders house, and his brother is Travis. In the middle of the lesson, Travis walks in and my friend Mieka starts freaking out. She was like, “Hey, you’re the lead singer of We The Kings. And Travis replies, “No I’m not!” And after that, he starts talking about how he got into a fight with his credit card company over the phone. And my friend Brittany states, “Well, I guess it’s true that red heads get angry very easily” And we all bursted out laughing.
10. I got to see and meet them at my youth group Overflo Student Ministries! :D
Is there a song by 2 and/or 7 that makes you sad?
2. “Bleed”
7. “Why”
This is so far my favorite episode of Kings Carriage. I just about died when I saw the Cheetos bag! XD
My Testimony
My life up until now was not necessarily a bad life. I was brought up in a Christian home. We always had food on the table, clothes on our back, and a roof over our heads. I grew up in the church that my parents had married in and became very involved. I started by attending Sunday school, then acolyte (lighting the candles: when you bring the light of God into the holy house), then volunteering in the outreach program, starting a youth group with the five kids in the church, ending the youth group when the other four graduated, and then sang in the choir for 5 years. I had always been told that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the light. Even though I believed it, I couldn’t quite grasp the fact that someone that I had never met loved me, found me beautiful, and knew of me before I was even thought of.
I started going to Overflo Student Ministries May of my freshman year. My friend had been inviting me for weeks so I decided to check it out. I hadn’t been to a youth group since middle school because I hadn’t found one that fit me. The youth group I went to while attending the one at my old church was full of kids who in my opinion really were just there to be with their friends and goof off. And the one at my old church was very serious and it seemed more like school than a youth group. The difference between those groups and Overflo is that I felt welcome the moment I stepped foot on the property. A man by the name of Taylor was the first one to greet me when I walked into the doors of the building.
When the service started, I was enticed by the upbeat worship songs the band sang. The only worship songs I had heard before were more melodic and easy listening. These songs made me dance and feel more like I was at a party with my friends. Then David began to speak, and I was hooked. He brought the word of God better than any other pastor I had ever heard. Even though I loved this place and I felt that I was growing in my walk with Jesus, I felt like something was missing.
On October 2nd 2010, that void was filled. We were doing a series called, “Girls Gone Wild: Bible Style” and David was telling the story of “The Sinful Woman”. Before we started this series, I was struggling with my self-esteem, keeping a huge secret from my best friend Reine about problems at home with my sister that had been going on for months, and knowing if I was truly loved. As David went through how Jesus was with the Pharisees having dinner when all of the sudden, a woman who has lived a sinful life, comes into the house and begins to weep at Jesus’ feet. She dries his feet with her hair and then pours her alabaster jar of perfume on his feet; leaving her sinful life behind.
As I listened to this story, the tears were flowing from my eyes like streams of sweet release. The pain I had bottled up from months of hearing my parents fighting, my sister fighting with my parents, and me just sitting in my dark room in isolation, was finally coming out. When I heard this line of the scripture, I couldn’t hold it in anymore: “Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” At that moment, I had a feeling of love fill my heart that I had never felt before. A weight was lifted off my shoulders and I felt fully loved for the first time. When David said “If you decided to give your life to Christ tonight, please stand, we want to celebrate with you”, I stood up with the mite of the Lord within me. Afterwards, I told Reine everything that was going on, I started attending Connection Group at Taylor’s house, and I gained a support system that I love so very much. I have never been this happy in my entire life.
Today, I strive to live the John 10:10 life:
“The thief only comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)”
I continue to grow in my walk with Jesus and I am hungry to learn more about him. I try my very best to get into the word everyday and live the way Jesus would want me to.
My Lord loves me for all that I am; he knitted me together in my mother’s womb and finds my beauty captivating. The Lord is my rock, and I am forever his.
