Overcoming Evil in Moments of Weakness

I was sad today.

I don't know why.

I have no reason to be sad at all.

All of my friends and family are healthy. Everyone is safe.
I'm healthy. I'm safe.

At first, I thought, "Maybe I'm lonely..."

Yes. Maybe a little. But youth group is tomorrow. My siblings will be home from school in a couple of hours. I have no reason to be lonely. And God's here. He always keeps me company. For crying out loud, I spent nearly an hour socializing with a classmate today. We both live in the same state and plan on meeting in person soon, so I pretty much just made a new friend today! So how is it that I'm feeling lonely?

"It's cold."

Yes. But a sweater can fix that. And the fireplace is on.

"It's too quiet."

I normally like quiet. What is wrong with quiet? And as I said before, my siblings will be fixing that in a couple of hours. :)

So why am I sad?

What am I longing for?

What's going on?

God's here. He's with me. He's keeping me safe, keeping me healthy, allowing me to breathe.

I'm in a warm and loving home.

All is very, very well.

But I still feel empty.

"So what lie am I believing here?" I asked God and my heart.

I have nothing to worry about right now, grace is abounding all around me, it's beautiful (and yes, cold) outside.

Is it guilt? Shame? Envy? Unrighteous anger? Lack of self-esteem? Fear?

I don't know.

There's always a battle between good and evil being fought around us. Evil can stir up feelings of sadness and self-pity even when everything in our heart and soul is screaming God's words that all is well.

Did you know that evil can even mess with us physically?

I've had backaches, pains, and toughest of all, headaches that have been extinguished by prayer and staring demons in the face saying, "Go away. In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to stop and leave!"

Yes, you and I have the authority to do that. Isn't that awesome?

I must warn you, though, evil doesn't always decide to obey you. That's when you pray for God to send angels and to use HIS power to help you conquer evil in that moment.

My headaches and backaches tend to go away after that.

Seriously. You need to try it sometime.

So here I am, fighting this battle occurring in my mind. I'm taking my own advice, commanding the evil forces to depart from me. And praying for angels to surround me. Declaring that I break all agreements with the enemy, that I repent and commit to follow the truth that comes from God. And finally, praying for the Holy Spirit to come into my head, heart, and soul to overcome emotions and feelings of pity and sadness.

And you know what?

He does.

GREAT NEWS!!!

You guys....

Just....

As some of my friends would say: "alksdjflsjdfal;jdlfja;lskdjf"

Or if you are more of a visual person...

Roll the clip:

Other reactions include:

Really?????

Get. Out!!!

NO WAY!

I mean, just...for real?

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!

*Squealing like a little girl*

...wut.

WOOHOO!

Thanks for walking with me down Happy Reaction Lane, and welcome back to VH.

Why am I so excited you ask?

WE WON ANOTHER AWARD!!!!!

Roll the clip again:

Sorry, I just really love that clip. :) Haha.

It's called the Liebster Award: 

Isn't it preeetty? :)

The Liebster Award is an award for encouraging readership and followers for new bloggers.

These are the 5 rules for accepting the nomination:

1. Thank the wonderful, awesome, amazing blogger that nominated you.

2. Answer the 11 questions that the nominator provided.

3. Nominate 11 other bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

4. Post 11 different questions for the nominees to answer.

5. Contact your nominees to let them know that they've been nominated for the award.

Lois, you're the best! Thank you SO much for nominating me for the Liebster Award (as well as the Versatile Blogger Award) and as always, best wishes to you on your blog: You, Me, and a Cup of Tea. It's definitely one of my favorites.

Now here are the answers to your questions:

1. Who's your favorite author?

Oooh, that's a tough one. I really enjoy C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen, and John & Stasi Eldredge. I can't really decide between the three. C.S. Lewis writes great fiction as well as nonfiction books that really make me think; Jane Austen writes beautiful stories that are almost like fairytales to me; and John & Stasi Eldredge have written excellent books that have shaped my worldview and spiritual walk.

2. What is your favorite book?

Besides the Bible, I'd have to say that Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is my favorite book, because it's written by one of my favorite authors, and it has really great messages about important lessons in life. Thinking more about why I love this book so much, I should really write a book review in another post, because I don't have enough room to write about it here. To be continued!

3. Why did you start blogging?

A couple of reasons. First, I wanted to have a place where I could share thoughts, opinions, and life updates with friends, family, and classmates online. Secondly, I saw that a lot of my classmates in my online school program had a blog, and it greatly appealed to me. I also knew it could help improve my writing, which I have always enjoyed doing.

4. What is your favorite TV show?

I can't pick just one! My favorites are The Cosby Show (re-runs), I Love Lucy (re-runs), and The Mentalist (not a re-run!). I don't usually watch anything else.

5. What is your favorite movie?

I really like "The Blind Side," "Pride and Prejudice" (Yes, the Keira Knightley version, don't judge me!) and "The Princess Bride." I'm also a sucker for most Disney movies. :)

6. What is your current school status?

Approximately 6 1/2 weeks left until I finish my junior year of high school!!!! Yipee!

7. Peanut butter or nutella?

Nutella. Definitely nutella. Moving on...

8. If you could go on your dream vacation and money was no object, where would you go? 

First I would go on my church's missions trip coming up to Hungary, and then I'd probably explore the rest of Europe, as well as New Zealand.

9. If you could read a book for the first time again, what would it be and why?

I'd probably choose "Epic" by John Eldredge. It was the book that I read before I was baptized (that was 7 years ago yesterday!) and I've grown so much spiritually since then, that I wonder what it would be like to read that book again as if it were the first time.

10. What is your favorite book to movie adaptation?

This took me a while to think about, but one of my favorite book to movie adaptations is "Hoot." The book written by Carl Hiassen won a Newberry Honor, and the movie was directed by Will Shriner, and starred Logan Lerman. It's a great story about a high school teen boy who moves from Montana to Florida and ends up saving a population of endangered owls. I strongly recommend both the book and the movie.

11. Do you like tea?

Of course! My favorite tea is combining Country Peach Passion and Raspberry Zinger (they are both from the Celestial Seasonings brand) and adding stevia. 

(In my best impression for an Academy award winning actor reading off a list) "And the nominees for The Liebster Award are..."

1. Rejoice Always by Sarah Berry

2. The Hill Country by Moriah Robinson

3. Serendipity by Alicia Lewin

4. Emily is Smiling by Emily

5. Country Girl's Daybook by Iris Hanlin

6. Positively Ducky by Karen

(I could list 6 blogs, but not quite 11.)

Here are my questions for you, nominees:

1. Who are your heroes?

2. What is your favorite Bible verse?

3. What is your favorite quote?

4. What is/was your favorite class/subject in school (college courses count!)?

5. What is your favorite part about blogging?

6. Coffee or Tea?

7. On-stage plays or Movies?

8. If you could listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?

9. If you were a book character, who would you be?

10. What is the highest-priority item on your bucket list?

11. What is the best blog post you have ever read or written yourself?

I will be sure to contact the people on the nominees list, just in case they missed this post. 

Thank you to all readers who encourage me to keep this blog going, and therefore make it possible for me to have won an award today. :)

Question for the Reader: What has been your favorite post on this blog?

"Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act." --Psalm 37:5

Where I See Myself in 19 Weeks (and How You Can Help!)

A few months ago for the 30 Day Blog Challenge (which I still have yet to officially finish....sorry), I answered the question: "If I could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?" My answer was Europe.

But I have a confession to make: that was the general answer.

Every summer at my church, several people in the congregation go on a mission trip to an English camp in Eger, Hungary. For several summers, I've been dreaming about going to Eger with my church. Here's what has usually gone through my head: "I really hope to go there someday," or "I can see myself going there in the future." But more recently, I've been praying very hard about it, and the monologue in my head has turned into: "I'm ready to go to Eger this summer. And it's only 19 weeks from now. I'm sure I'll get there soon."

Here's some info about the English Camp that our church missions group will be going to:

The campers in Hungary are people my age: mostly teens, but specifically, they are young people from the ages of 12 to 21, and a lot of them don't know Jesus because of the gypsy cultural influence in their community.

When I think about my own life and background, I know that I am very blessed. God worked in amazing ways so that I could have several opportunities to know Him more. But then, there are plenty of kids out there who don't have the same background as I do, and while God has a perfect plan for them, I know that I can use my gifts and abilities to help them find out what theirs are in order to serve God, too.

I have three objectives in going on this trip:
1) To share the gospel by way of getting to know the kids and sharing my testimony with them.
2) To teach teens about a language that they are interested in, which also happens to be my native language: English.
3) To get to know the teens in order to establish friendships with them, so that they can get better at their English by communicating with a native speaker such as myself, also, so that they can know more about American culture as I also get to know more about Hungarian culture, and that they may be led to Christ by the example of all the missionaries coming to the camp.

Here's the downside: this trip costs money. In order to raise enough, I'm going to need some help. If you are interested, here is a way to start:
Buy a t-shirt! White Fields Community Church (the church I attend), for the very first time, is selling t-shirts, and all of the proceeds go to missions. Plus, they come in multiple different sizes and colors! If you're interested in buying one, check out this link: https://squareup.com/market/white-fields-community-church (P.S. All you have to do is click on whatever colored shirt you want in the middle of the page, pick the size, and buy it! Careful, though, at the bottom of some screens, you might find ads that say "You Might Also Like," which don't belong to the church.)

Within the next few weeks/months, I'll probably come up with some more ideas for people to help, but for now, if you have any questions, please let me know, and please consider buying a shirt for the missions team! :)

Another way to help in a big way is to pray. Here is a list of things that I'll need to prepare for this trip, and a list of things that the camp and the missions group will need prayer for, as well.

Please Pray for Me as I Try to Accomplish These Things in Preparation for the Trip:

• Applying for and getting a job in the near future
• Getting my very first passport, and making sure preparing to fly overseas goes smoothly
• Preparing my heart and mind to be a useful missionary and to help the missions team

Please Pray for My Church, the Camp Leaders, and the Future Camp Attendees as Camp is Coming Soon:

• All of the other people on the church missions team will have their hearts and minds prepared to minister the camp attendees in the way that God sees fit
• The camp leaders will have clear minds to have as much prepared that's necessary
• The future camp attendees will have open ears, minds, and hearts to learn English in a way that is the least frustrating and most beneficial to everyone
• Many of the future camp attendees will come to know more about Jesus and accept Him as Lord of their lives

I hope that I will be able to go, but in the meantime, I'll be praying that this missions trip goes according to God's plan, and turns out wonderfully, with or without me. If it is the Lord's plan that I go this year, please pray that I'll be able to use my gifts and experiences to minister in a way that is pleasing to God and brings more people to Him.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support!

Don't forget to check out the link above for a t-shirt! :)

Questions for the Reader: Have you ever gone on a missions trip? What was it like? Do you have any advice about missions for me? Do you have any advice about traveling out of the country?

"For, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!' But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed our message?' Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: 'Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.'" --Romans 10:13-18

The 30 Day Blog Challenge, Day 17: I'm Not Perfect

Prompt: What is the thing you most wish you were great at?

I've learned recently that our culture rarely values this important definition of love: to be willing to drop EVERYTHING in order to be there for that person, whatever is on his/her mind.

In answer to the question: I wish I could be great at loving everyone around me, and displaying that through a strong relationship with God.

I'm not always good at maintaining my relationship with God, and each time I fail to live for the Lord, I find that at the same time, I don't maintain good relationships with others.

I know that I'll never be 100% perfect as Jesus was, but I know that one of my responsibilities as his child is to do my best to reflect His image. Furthermore, I know that I have a chance at becoming like Him because He made my record of sin completely clean. So, even though I mess up a lot, Christ made it so that I can still build up my relationships with God and others.

That means that Christ has given us all the chance to do great things.

Question for the Reader: What do you wish you were great at?

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." --Ephesians 5:1-2

First Blog Award Ever!!!

You guys!!!! I have an INCREDIBLE announcement!
Victorious Heroine got its very first award EVER today!!!!!

How long has this blog been around? 6? 7 months?

That's amazing.

This blog is a baby compared to so many others out there, and yet in its 6th or 7th month it has an AWARD.

So by now you're probably wondering what that award is. It's called "The Versatile Blog Award."

I'd like to thank all of you readers and subscribers for keeping up with my posts that are sometimes consistent, inconsistent, thought-provoking, not-so-thought-provoking, rambling, and hopefully fun to read as well.

But I'd especially like to thank Lois over at "You, Me, and a Cup of Tea" for presenting us with the award. Your blog is inspiring, beautiful, and a treat to read.

The reason I say "us" is because (I know it sounds cliché, but it's true...) I really couldn't write this blog without all of you. It's the comments, suggestions, and thoughts that motivate me even more to write. When I don't write this, I feel like I've let people down. So thanks for sticking with me for the past few months, and reading this blog so far. I appreciate it a lot.

This award, however, comes with a very small price: you have to write something (not too surprising, right? I mean, it is a blog award...).

My prompt is to write 7 things about myself that you might not have figured out by reading this blog. This is going to be harder than it looks, because I share a lot about myself...

1) The arrival of the Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks mark the first day of autumn in my book.
2) I got all caught up on my Pre-Calculus yesterday (it's a much more amazing feat than you might think if you've never taken Pre-Calc.)
3) My favorite T.V. shows are Downton Abbey, The Mentalist, and The Cosby Show.
4) A song I've had stuck in my head recently is "In My Life" from the movie "Les Miserables." No one sings it better than Amanda Seyfried.
5) I miss the beach.
6) I'm an LBD fan (Lizzie Bennet Diaries on Youtube), and I'm super excited for the premiere of "Emma Approved" coming out a week from now.
7) I'm currently reading "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris, "Le Morte D'Arthur" by Sir Thomas Malory, "The City of God" by Augustine of Hippo, "The Consolation of Philosophy" by Boethius, and "Idylls of the King" by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

The next condition for the award is to nominate 15 blogs of your choice for the Versatile Blog Award as well. Here are my picks:
1) Raquel at "God's Daughter"
2) Iris at "Country Girl's Daybook"
3) Lyle and Paige at "...our journey..."
4) Christi at "21 Empire Designs" (Written by one of my friends from Veritas Press Scholars Academy)
5) Anne & Tyler at "Almost There"
6) Sarah at "Camp Girl in the Real World"
7) Emily at "Emily is Smiling"
8) Leighanna Rose at "Fresh Ink"
9) Sarah Thérese at "Footprints on my Heart"
10) Hero at "Heroic Endeavors"
11) Karen at "Positively Ducky"
12) Mae at "Mae Mae"
13) Sarah "Strawberry" at "Rejoice Always" (Written by one of my closest friends online, who also attends Veritas Press Scholars Academy with me)
14) Moriah at "The Hill Country" (Written by my sister)
15) Elyssa at "Popcorn & Purple Ink"

If you have been nominated, the rules for the award are here.

Thanks again to all of you who have made the receiving of this award possible!

The 30 Day Blog Challenge, Day 6: What an Owl Means to Me

It's been a long time since I last posted in the 30 day blog challenge series, and quite frankly, I'm a bit uncomfortable sharing this sad story as soon as I decided to come back to the series, but I think you will like it all the same, and it might even be encouraging.

Prompt: What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?

I thought long and hard about the answer to this question, but I came to two conclusions: first, I am EXTREMELY blessed, and secondly, I could only think of one story that fits the description of the hardest experience, and if I couldn't think of any other one, than I guess that's a great sign to share it. 

It all started in the late fall of my 7th grade year. I was the "band geek" who played three instruments and was in more bands and music groups than anyone thought was humanly possible. My friends, my family, and I were all happy and proud of my achievements, but I heard about an excellent opportunity that became my big musical goal at the time: The University of Colorado Middle School Honor Band. So many of the older kids in 8th grade were auditioning and entering this band, and it was my dream to be one of the musicians that made it in. 

One day, my school band director and favorite teacher, signed me up as a candidate for going to a recording studio in Boulder so that I could audition for the CU Middle School Honor Band. He gave me all of the audition requirements for bass clarinet, and all I had to do was buy a music book at my local music store, and practice up until I felt like I could earn a doctorate on the piece. So, I practiced for weeks, right up to the day where I got in my director's pick up truck with my bass clarinet and a few friends who were also auditioning, and drove to the recording studio in Boulder, CO.

At the time, I was nervous, excited, and jittery at the thought that this 30 minute audition in front of my director, my friends, and recording studio producers, playing into a microphone for the judges at the University of Colorado to hear could make or break my dream of entering this honor band I had been dreaming about for months. 

When it came to be my turn to audition, I started to play, and all of a sudden, I realized that one of my keys was not working, and I simply could not play the piece well at all. My director tried to help me fix it, the producers gave me suggestions, and we tried every solution possible, and the bass clarinet would just not play the way that it was supposed to. It was absolutely embarrassing and humiliating that I would not be able to audition or play in the middle school honor band that year. My director had one more suggestion which was to take it in to the repair shop that night and later that week, I could go back to the studio and try to audition again. So I did just that. 

I practiced a couple times more on the day that I got my instrument back from the shop to make sure I would be able to audition. It worked just fine, and an ounce of hope still remained, until...

On the day that I went back to the studio, I was well-practiced and ready-to-go for my audition. I was still upset that it wasn't working the other day, but I tried to forget about it and just play the audition piece to get it over with. All of a sudden, again, my bass clarinet simply would not work. Once more, I tried every solution, praying the entire time, "Please, please, please, I simply must audition! Please make it work!" 

But at the end of the day, I was absolutely devastated. I didn't get to audition that day. It was possibly the most devastating moment of my life, when after trying absolutely everything I could, I still didn't get to audition.

My mom took me out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, and everyone in my family reassured me that everything would be all right, but nothing seemed to make me feel better. On the way home that night, as I was talking to my mom about how disappointed I was, my mom gasped and said, "Hayley, look!" The van's headlights were perfectly positioned so that I could see a big and gorgeous Great-Horned Owl resting on a city sign. This isn't the exact picture, but it's very similar to my memory of what it looked like:

It was definitely one of my favorite moments of my life. It seemed like the owl represented something better than just a cool thing that just so happened on one of the worst days ever. It was an owl that to me, represented how God is bigger and wiser than to "let me" have a terrible experience. Seeing that owl helped me understand that God has His own plans for me, and even though things seem awful in the moment, God is still a God of hope and wisdom that I can't comprehend, and He has great things in store for my life, and the lives of everyone.

The next year, I went back to the recording studio to audition, and I was accepted as Bass Clarinet second chair in the CU Middle School Honor Band. When I auditioned for the Longmont Youth Symphony Orchestra a couple years later, the conductor saw that I had been a member of the honor band, and I was accepted as a bass clarinetist in the orchestra (and I didn't even have to open my bass clarinet case to audition).

I hope this was an encouraging story for you, even though it wasn't exactly a happy story. Remember that God has great plans for you, and rejoice in Him always. 

Question for the Reader: What do you think about owls?

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" --Philippians 4:4

What's New (Literally)

Tomorrow is the first day of school.

I've been preparing for weeks in order to be ready for it, but for some reason, my mind refuses to believe that I'll be waking up at 6am tomorrow, bringing a packed lunch and new binders, and getting ready for my attendance to be recorded. This will continue to be a pattern for the next ten months, five days a week, seven hours a day. Goodness...

I think I might be worried about change. God has been changing everything around me like a storm, and yet a part of me refuses to come to terms with how wonderful it is. I find myself only seeing the negativity of change, and therefore, I'm afraid of it. I can't understand why. Change is a great thing. 

I pray that all of you who might be starting a new school year, or maybe a new phase at work may rejoice in the coming changes of your lives. It's a beautiful thing, and I'm beginning to realize that. Behold, the Lord makes all things new.

Question for the Reader: Do you ever dread the first day of school?

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." --Isaiah 43:18-19

Summer Bucket List Update--8/06/13

I've been scratching off a few more things on my summer bucket list, so I thought I'd give you guys a glimpse on my progress. :)

1. Do a vlog post.
2. Post frequently on Victorious Heroine
3. Get an awesome gift for Father's Day
4. Go to Disney World
5. Take lots of pictures
6. Color in a coloring book or on a coloring page
7. Play in the rain
8. Pick flowers
9. Write some poems or stories
10. Give a person/people a present and/or a care package
11. Wear a sundress
12. Fro yo!
13. Fly a kite
14. Launch a rocket
15. Bake cookies
16. Defeat the summer reading list
17. Create a chalk art masterpiece
18. Sip an Arnold Palmer (sweet tea and lemonade combined!)
19. Blow bubbles
20. Go to the library
21. Play in the park
22. Play hopscotch
23. Play foursquare
24. Game night
25. Fireworks
26. Do something out of the ordinary.
27. Watch movies never seen before and movies that I haven’t seen in awhile
28. Summer of Blimey Cow
29. Listen to BCAN
30. Photo a day challenges
31. Grill out
32. Make homemade ice cream or sorbet
33. Go shopping
34. Eat a slice of watermelon
35. Bowling
36. Get a pineapple dole whip at Disney World
37. Conquer my fears at Disney's Haunted Mansion and Rockin' Rollercoaster
38. Go to the Beach!!!
39. Go to Water World
40. Go on a hike
41. Have picnics
42. Go for neighborhood bike rides
43. Eat a fruit pop
44. Buy a mocha coconut frapuccino (for yourself or someone nearby) This one had to be replaced with a Chai frappuccino, since Starbucks didn't have a mocha coconut frappuccino this summer.
45. Movie marathon
46. DIY crafts
47. Stargazing
48. Water balloons
49. Youth Group Activities
50. Make homemade cherry limeade

Only 14 more to go! (And 4 more on my August resolutions goal.) May all of your summer bucket lists be accomplished as well!!! :)

Question for the Reader: What's your favorite summer tradition?

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." --Ecclesiastes 3:11

The 30 Day Blog Challenge: "Seems Legit"

You know how sometimes you hear people say funny or cute stuff that just works for them, but when you say it, your friends think you're nuts? Maybe it's something like, "Yo," or "Mission Accomplished," or "Seems Legit." It's almost as if we're all walking memes...

This has happened with me recently with the word "awkies." A Youtuber from Blimey Cow, Jordan Taylor uses it plenty on the show Messy Mondays. I think it's so funny, and I've always wanted to get away with using the word. A few situations arose in the past couple of weeks where I finally got to use it! And guess what? My sister said, "Don't say that anymore. You sound ridiculous. That is so not you." So, my first response (like any other mule-headed, stubborn human being), was simply this: "Rawr. Leave me alone." I kept using it a couple of times, and I finally realized that there are some things in life that aren't just a "one-size fits all," free for the taking. Sometimes someone can say or do something that can look adorable, funny, or even intellectual, but it's just not going to work on you. You have to find things that make you unique!

I was thinking the negative version of this about blogging the other day. I thought that my blogging days might have been coming to a close. I wasn't writing very often, I was losing inspiration, and I was starting to lose the spark that I had with it on the very first day I created a blog. It seemed that blogging wasn't something that was working for me.

But today, I found a blog post on Emily is Smiling about the 30 Day Blog Challenge (Coincidentally, a similar post about the challenge where she got her idea from was on a blog called Mae Mae, which I follow as well!). This just seemed like the answer to the writer's block and inspiration problems I've been having. So, I'm putting it out there to say that I'm going to do my best to try this out. I'm not saying this will be the perfect plan that fixes all the problems for me, my lack of inspiration and writer's block, and Victorious Heroine itself, but I think this is a healthy way to start.

To see the prompts that I'll be using to start the challenge, check out this post at Emily is Smiling. I'll be starting the challenge very soon, so stay tuned!

(P.S. An announcement about recent life-changing experiences: I got my braces off yesterday! Feel free to leave comments about your braces stories or your own life-changing experiences.)

Question for the Reader: What do you do to conquer writer's block or lack of inspiration?

"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." --1 Corinthians 13:12

A Promise to Keep: My Favorite Bible Verses That Have Helped Me in My Spiritual Walk, Part I

I made it! Summer is finally here!
I survived exams and I am now on my official second day of summer. Yesterday was an adventure. I got to do some yard work, sleep in, eat gluten-free blueberry pancakes, and on top of that, I performed at a graduation party in my jazz band. It was a great day to start off the summer.

Now, my first order of business here at Victorious Heroine for the summer is to keep a promise that I made a few weeks back. Remember the poll that some of you viewers participated in? Well, there was a tie between two blog titles. The first was "My Favorite Bible Verses That Have Helped Me in My Spiritual Walk." So, I decided to dedicate this post completely to that topic. Since there are so many verses that fall into this category, I'm going to split it up into parts. For now, here is Part 1:

Part I: Verses on Encouragement, Hope, Walking in Faith, Love, and Beauty (7 of the Verses That I Wrote in the Back of My NIV Bible)

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." --3 John 1:4

This is one of my favorite verses because it reminds me that God wants to see me succeed. He's not an evil villain holding the universe together, only to see His Creation constantly fail. He wants to see our faith! This is one of the most beautiful encouragements I ever received.

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength." --Philippians 4:13

I also like this verse because of it's encouragement. I've found that one of my primary love languages is "words of affirmation." I really feel like I can conquer the world when someone gives me a compliment or in some way tells me that I can achieve something or that I did something well. God gives me those all the time, as well as constructive criticism. But if God says that I can do anything as long as He's with me, it goes without saying that my day is made.

"But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, (Paul,) have become a servant." --Colossians 1:22-23

One of my favorite doctrines of my faith is that God is constantly transforming us in our hearts to completion. When I think about where my heart is on several points, and who I am as a person living in a sinful world, I would think that my being is beyond repair and beyond hope. But that's what the gospel is all about! God gives us hope by Jesus's death on the cross, that there may be hope for us and we can have a transformed heart to be completed. What a beautiful privilege that is.

"So, then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." --Colossians 2:6-8

I often take the blessings in my life for granted of being raised in a devoutly Christian family, attending a private, classical, Christian school, and being rooted in a Christian environment my entire life. Some people have given me grief about it: "Don't you want to know what it's like in the 'real world?' Jesus doesn't have to be a part of everything! Isn't experiencing culture important in life?" These comments and questions have led to several of the most awkward conversations I have ever been in, believe me. Yes, I've wanted to experience a more "cultural" environment before. Sometimes I have thought that I've been deprived of the "real world." But I was wrong, because  I didn't realize that if I wanted to see the culture or "real world" around me, all I have to do is walk down Pearl Street in Boulder. Actually, all I have to do is walk outside. I live in the "real world," and there's no way around it. There isn't a Christian environment anywhere that can completely shelter people from the culture and secular environment in this world. Not one. Paul wasn't only talking to those especially "exposed to culture." He was talking to everybody. That includes me, the private Christian school student, my neighbors, my teachers, my parents, my siblings, the people flipping burgers at McDonald's, the rich, the poor, and the actors in Hollywood. Everyone is being spoken to in this verse. The world is surrounded by temptations from the enemy to fall into a false belief that it's okay to be influenced by the "real world." If we fall into that belief, that can lead to being exposed by all kinds of evil and deceptive philosophies which can make us lose our doctrines in the faith at our disposal forever. The point is that while no one can avoid culture, our job is to be confidently firm in the faith, finding our strength in God so that we really can say that nothing can touch us. While evil is everywhere in the world, God's bigger than all of it. We have to invite Him to take His place in our hearts to protect us from evil influence and deceptive philosophies. In my life, I will overflow with thankfulness for all the blessings He has given me, that I have been given the opportunity to be firmly rooted in the faith, as everyone else has been given such a gift.

"...his banner over me is love." --Song of Solomon 2:4b

Have you ever heard that song in Sunday School His Banner Over Me is Love? The first verse goes like this:
"The Lord is mine, and I am His,
His banner over me is love.
The Lord is mine, and I am His,
His banner over me is love.
The Lord is mine, and I am His,
His banner over me is love.
His banner over me is love!"
I always enjoyed that song when I was a little preschooler in Sunday School in the Bible Belt. I remember several hymns and Sunday School songs like that, but for some reason, that particular song has stuck with me especially throughout the years. Perhaps it's because I like to feel safe. When Solomon said that the Lord kept over him a banner of love, I can relate to that. 1 Corinthians 13 says that "Love always protects." Now, love is much more than protection of course, but when I think of a "banner of love," the first thing that comes to mind is protection and rest.

"All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you." --Song of Solomon 4:7

You all probably know what's coming. You all know the stories about girls that believe in the lie  that they have no worth or beauty for a season in their lives. I was one of those girls as well. Many of us get over it though, especially when we realize that God didn't create pieces of junk. He made beautiful masterpieces to bring grace, rest, and life. I love to read that God created me "all beautiful" and flawless, and I think everyone else loves it too.

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame." --Song of Solomon 8:6

I wrote this one down in the back of my Bible, knowing that it was important to me and that I would completely feel the fullness of it one day. I haven't gotten to that point yet, but I'm confident I will. I want to realize the ultimate power that love is, and almost feel it burn like a flame. I haven't reached complete understanding of this verse, but I recognize its importance, and I know that God will let it fully speak to me in time.

Stay tuned for Part 2 in this series! :)

Questions for the Reader: Are there any verses that you know were important to you, but you never fully understood? Are there any verses that have been specifically encouraging to you? In the same way that I think of protection and rest when I read Song of Solomon 2:4b, what characteristic(s) of love do you think of when you read that verse?

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." --Proverbs 18:10

Exam Survival Awaits!

Hi readers!

For those of you who haven't seen it already, here is the link to my very first guest post on Fresh Ink by my blog buddy, Leighanna Rose: http://www.wildflowersinbloom.com/2013/05/how-to-conquer-dreaded-final-exams.html
I hope you enjoy it and keep it as your survival guide to exams.

Good luck in exam weeks everyone! See you on the other side. I hear it's warm, sunny, and peaceful. :)

I pray that you all will joyfully experience the weeks ahead with the rest of knowing that God is active in all situations, even the difficult ones. While exams can be very stressful, don't forget that He calls us to be at rest in Him.

Question for the Reader: Are you ready for summer?

"He says, 'Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." 

-Psalm 46:10-11

Conquering Exams

Hello, readers!

Do you ever wish that you could get through finals week stress free?
Do you ever wonder how you could do better on your finals than how you did on your last midterm?
Do you want to end summer in bliss instead of panic?

Well, I've got a post for you!

My blog buddy, Leighanna Rose, over at Fresh Ink let me do a guest post about conquering the dreaded final exams. Be sure to head on over there and check out her blog! Also, be on the lookout for a guest post with the answers to getting through exam week! :)

Have a blessed day!

Question for the Reader: Is there something that you're having trouble conquering lately?

"But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." --John 4:14