Politics: Thoughts on Hilary Clinton & The Benghazi Case

Note to the Reader: I was catching up a bit on the news today (which is something that I'm finding more and more important as an 18-year-old registered voter and American citizen, even though I've never really discussed it on this blog), and I saw the headlines for Hilary Clinton on trial for the Benghazi case. My first thoughts were, "Thank you, God, finally this is being addressed!" However, I've been hearing some aggressive comments against Hilary Clinton and I wanted to write these thoughts down and share them with whoever wants to read them. Since I haven't posted in a long time, I thought that even though it's political, something written on this blog is better than nothing. Let me know if you'd like to see more posts like this, and feel free to comment your thoughts on this. Thank you, and enjoy!

The media is exploding with news on Hilary Clinton and the Benghazi case today.
There is strong evidence that Hilary Clinton royally messed up, that she did something selfish which resulted in the severe harm and death of many good people and their families.
On the other hand, I don't think any person has gone through life without doing a selfish thing that severely hurt (or, on a rare occasion, killed) someone else. I've probably done several selfish things in my life that hurt people--LOTS of times.
Hilary Clinton is no exception to this.
Here's the thing: she may have messed up, but that doesn't mean she should be hated. And I'm not talking about the cultural meaning for hate, (e.g. "Don't be such a hater!") I'm talking about the hatred that is outright wishing harm upon someone else. I know plenty of conservatives and liberals who absolutely hate Mrs. Clinton. 
By the way, this is coming from a Republican here. I'm not trying to defend any selfish actions that have caused the death of others, just to be clear. 
I just want to say this: There is no one--not liberal, conservative, Democrat, Independent, Republican, male, female, American, or non-American who is better than Hilary Clinton, and Hilary Clinton is no better than anyone else.
A lot of people are saying that it's people like Hilary Clinton that are killing America. From my perspective, I think it's the attitude that people are better than us or that we're better than everyone else that's really destroying the world, not to mention the hatred.
Public service announcement: It's a 100% guarantee that hate is NOT going to make this nation better. Love your neighbor--because he or she is just like you: full of a past with mistakes and regret, but also full of potential for a hope and a future.
God's grace is open for everyone--even Hilary Clinton.

Questions for the Reader: What are your thoughts on Clinton and the Benghazi Case, and/or the email scandal? Any thoughts on the 2016 presidential election in general? Any thoughts on Paul Ryan becoming the next Speaker of the House?

"Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

--Romans 8:33-39

Welcome, 2015

Today I'm still reflecting on 2014. I know I should have done that yesterday, but I don't think it's ever too late to reflect.

Here's what I learned in 2014:

• I learned to be more responsible. It's okay that I'm becoming an adult--adulthood is HARDDD, but it's beautiful. Have I mentioned that I'll be eighteen in only 6 days? (See this post for more about what I learned in becoming an adult.)
• I learned to forgive and to love. I know that these sound like easy things to pick up, but I realized this year that I had no idea how DIFFICULT it is to really love the people around you, and to forgive the people who have affected your life for the worse, big or small. I also learned how to love and forgive myself, which I had to do before I ever accomplished this with anyone else. I learned that I was a little worse for wear, that I still had a lot of hurt that God's been trying to walk me through, and that if anyone is worthy of listening to for opinions and advice, it's definitely God. He taught me how much worth I have and that it's not about who I have been before or how other people around me have done things that hurt. I'm defined by who I am in God's eyes alone and how I interact with Him.
• I learned how to be honest about who I am. I learned that even though I'm a messy human being, it's okay to embrace that messiness. I can do hard things. I can make the right decisions. I can do as I ought. I can do my best without worrying how I'm going to be judged by others. All of these things in the end glorify God, and I was never expected to be without mistakes in the first place. When God said "Be perfect as I am perfect" I believe that he wanted us to do our best. To give our 100%. Just show up. Pray. Love. Forgive. Rest, knowing that you gave it your all and asked God to make up for what you inevitably lacked. Ask for his forgiveness (and don't forget to forgive yourself) in the ways that you will inevitably mess up. Ask God to help you learn, help you forgive, and ask Him to still love you and forgive you. That's perfection. It's knowing that because of God's grace, we are able to be His children who do as we ought. "All beautiful you are my darling, there is no flaw in you." We're flawless because we're His children who have accepted Him. (See this post for more about what I learned in being honest.)

Maybe the reason why I keep looking back on 2014 is because it was kind of a train wreck that I can't look away from. 2014 was probably one of the hardest, yet most beautiful years of my life. It really demonstrated what it means for God to make beautiful things out of the ugliest of messes. 2014 was that disastrous train wreck that showed the ways where I was weak, but it also showed me the ways in which God is strong...and beautiful and wise and perfect and loving. And it showed that He can make me all those things too.

Therefore...

Welcome, 2015. Maybe you're an oncoming, ugly and beautiful train wreck just like 2014. But maybe you're a Christmas present that I wasn't expecting. Maybe you're like a giant fortune cookie that gives me a ton of advice or encouragement that I need. Maybe you're like a roadmap that will show me where I need to be going and the steps that I need to take to get there. And maybe you're a travel guide that shows me just how beautiful each of those places on the map really are if I decide to see them in person.

Dear God, 
I pray that 2015 is like all of these things. I know that I'll have a few train wrecks, but will you help me learn from them? Maybe it'll be like spring, where all of the flowers are ruined by pounds of snow from winter and they'll grow again when the sun warms the ground. 
Will you give me fortune cookies that have encouragement and wisdom and gentle reminders--and yes, even hard, painful, killer reminders? 
Will you be my roadmap--a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path--guiding me where I need to go and the steps I need to take to get there? Will you also be my travel guide and point out the ways in which this life is so beautiful and breathtaking, which I often forget to appreciate? 
2015 is no longer the future. It's the present. And you, O Lord, are the hope for the future. A gift full of bright beginnings with grace and love.
I'm ready for another year, only because you're here to help me through it--just like you were always here to help me through the last one.
Just one more question before we go. Am I still young enough for you to hold my hand?
Amen.

Delight

"Bliss."
1. supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment
2. (Theology) the joy of heaven
3. heaven; paradise

Synonyms: joy, happiness, delight.

(From http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bliss and https://www.google.com/search?q=Bliss+definition&oq=bliss+definition&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j0l5.4998j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=91&ie=UTF-8)

"Better is one day in your courts

than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

the Lord bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

from those whose walk is blameless.

Lord Almighty,

blessed is the one who trusts in you."

--Psalm 84:10-12

I used to think of bliss as a distraction from the important things, but really, bliss is that place one step away from experiencing heaven. 

Bliss happens when you delight yourself in the Lord.

I read the passage above this morning in my quiet time, and this part stuck out to me: "no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless...blessed is the one who trusts in you."

God really does love His children. He doesn't spoil them, but He surely likes bless them...just because. 

For example, yesterday, while I was walking my dog around in my backyard, I saw that my favorite tree had almost lost all of its leaves. Looking down, I saw a multitude of beautifully colored leaves and collected a few:

 

Aren't they lovely?

They remind me of how beautiful God is and that while the world is constantly changing, there are still things that never change like beauty, love, truth, and goodness. 

My point is: delight yourself in the Lord. 

God gives blessings everyday, but it's hard to always recognize them. That's why it's so important to be on the lookout for the things that will catch your eye. They just might be presents from God telling you that He loves you and thinks you're amazing. :)

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." --Psalm 37:4

The Season of Change is Coming Soon

I was just thinking a minute ago about how seasons sometimes have subtitles.

Winter: the cold season and the season of Christmas, the new year, and even Valentine's Day. (A thought just occurred to me about Valentine's Day. It is a holiday in which we celebrate love, but we celebrate it in the middle of winter--it's cold, nasty, and difficult. Doesn't that in and of itself represent what love is all about? How love is about caring about someone or wanting the best for them, even when it's cold, nasty, and difficult?)

Spring: the season of new beginnings, life, and resurrection. (Obviously, that would be why we celebrate Easter in this season, but we also celebrate Mother's Day, and late into the season, we celebrate Father's Day. We celebrate the lives of those around us in the spring.)

Summer: the season of EXTREME heat, and the season of rest. (I find a lot more pictures of the beach and vacation articles on Pinterest during this time of year, don't you?)

And finally...

Autumn (I like the name autumn better than fall!): the season of change and color.

Autumn is not here yet, but it's coming soon. (Did you know the autumnal equinox is next Tuesday?)

I always think that this time of the year is strange--when we are all ahead of the autumn season. School has started, so all the parents and students are saying, "It must be fall, since we're getting into the school routine and starting sports [and other extracurricular activities]." I have even seen Halloween decorations and specialty costume stores put up. My grocery store is covered with candy bags decorated with spiders and ghoulish faces on them. Halloween commercials are now found on every television channel.

Yet, when I look outside at my backyard, the tree is still green--not a hint of orange, red, or yellow. All the bees are buzzing around flower bushes, the sky is still as blue as a robin's egg, and it's 86º at only one o'clock in the afternoon.

Autumn usually means that I don't have to see ants crawl into the side of the house. It means that I get to enjoy how the wooden fence in the backyard gets wet, dark stains from the hundreds of raindrops and how the cold foggy mist feels on my face after a rainstorm. It means that I can wear sweaters, scarves, fuzzy socks, boots, and blue jeans every single day of the week, and so will everyone else I know. It means that I can bake pumpkin bread with chocolate chips and drink caramel apple cider at coffee shops. Autumn is the season of reading books next to a fireplace, sleeping with extra blankets, and enjoying comfortable walks outside, knowing that it won't be too hot or too cold.

No wonder we are all ready for the fall...but it's not here yet!

Right now is the season of patience. It's the season where farmers are preparing their fields knowing that it will rain soon, and there will be plenty to do when harvest comes. Right now is the season where everyone wants something in their lives to change, and they anticipate it wholeheartedly.

It reminds me of the seasons of life we have with God. How we impatiently anticipate a change that God is about to grant to us, but He hasn't quite decided to do it yet. It's that difficult season of waiting.

Right now in my backyard, it's still extremely hot. The tree is still green, even though I really want to see it turn orange and red. I likely won't see the flames blazing in the fireplace this evening, and I didn't notice any fog or mist in the atmosphere early this morning.

But I know all of those glorious things about the season of change are coming. I trust God that He's going to give us those gifts...in a little while, but not quite yet.

What do we do in a season of patience? What do we do when we're waiting on God to bring change into our lives?

We pray, we breathe, we worship, we meditate on God's Word, and we take in the gifts that He's already given us for right now.

I heard this at church yesterday: waiting on God is not necessarily the same as waiting in line. It's more like how you want a waiter to serve you when you are at a restaurant. Waiting is the act of serving God, not a lack of action on God's part.

The gifts that I can appreciate about my backyard right now is that the tomato plant is still producing yellow and red cherry tomatoes. The tree may not be orange, red, and yellow, but throughout the summer, I've seen it in dozens of shades of bright and dark greens. I've seen tons of squirrels and birds visit the tree and appreciate it more than I have. I have enjoyed the feelings of putting my hands in cold water, and seeing how my face looks when it's sun-kissed.

I still anticipate, but I can still appreciate. And that is the beauty of patience, even when I long for the season of change.

"O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.'" --Isaiah 25:1, 9b

Saying Good-bye to Peter Pan

I have a confession to make: I get upset, tired, and angry from time to time.

The other day I had a heated discussion with my mom (ok, it was more of a one-sided rant) with me going on and on and on about how terribly miserable I am and how difficult my life is. (I'm sorry to admit that I say stuff like that.)

Then my mom said three words that no child in the history of mankind has EVER wanted to hear from a parent: "Then move out."

I froze. "What?"

"Move out." She went on to say that she didn't exactly mean "Pack your things and get out of this house right now if you don't like it here. Good luck making it on your own." She didn't mean that at all.

She meant that I am pitifully dependent on my family...for pretty much everything.

I'm seventeen, and my habitat has been about the same as it has been since I was ten years old. My parents drive me everywhere, because I do not have a license. I can't go anywhere without having a family meeting and looking at our entire schedule. I can never say, "Hey, I'm going out of the house for a little while," unless I'm going to walk the dog, go for a run, or ride my bike...in the neighborhood.

I hardly ever go anywhere by myself because I usually go to events that my parents have planned for the whole family. Probably the only places that I go voluntarily are the gym, the library, school, church, and youth group. But then, I can't go to any of those places (except the library) without someone driving me (and then a family member usually attends those places with me). I'm at home a lot because I haven't been getting a driver's license so I can go to community college or get a job so I can make friends with classmates and co-workers.

This is my life right now, and the truth is: I've never really been bothered by it until now. I've always been comfortable following my family around like a dog on a leash, being driven everywhere, never having to worry about leaving the house.

My entire life is the definition of DEPENDENCE when my growth as a teenager demands that I find INDEPENDENCE. This doesn't mean rebelling against my parents, it doesn't mean "looking out for #1," or deciding that I'm right and everyone else is wrong.

It means deciding how I want to make an impact in the world, making decisions for myself, learning my own life lessons, and taking steps toward surviving as an individual under God...leaving childhood behind and becoming an adult.

Friends, this is a terrifying mission to accept.

Do you know how birds learn to fly? Young birds spend the beginning of their lives being fed by their mother and never leaving the nest. All they know is that tiny confined space consisting entirely of little sticks, cotton, and leaves. All they know is life with the other birds in their family. When the bird is ready to fly, do you know what happens?

It's quite fascinating: the mother starts to push her child out of the nest. And I don't mean a little shove to say, "If you want, you can go." No! I mean, the mother flaps her wings uncontrollably, kicking and pushing that little bird out of that nest. That's not saying "Hey, if you want, go ahead." That is saying, "Go. Go. Go now. GO! Fly, it's time. Right now. Ready, go!!!"

You know how that little bird responds at first, "What are you doing? Stop! It's too high! I can't! Please, I don't want to go. I'm scared!" Then finally, the mother gives one last push, and this story can have one of two endings: 1) either the bird decides not to fly and falls to the ground, hopeless, and in a lot of cases, dead; or 2) the bird starts to flap its wings and flies away--it soars in the air, leaving its dependence on its family behind, and discovering independence.

The process of independence is a little different for human beings, because leaving the nest and growing up doesn't traditionally happen within a few minutes. One thing I do know now is that I have to stop refusing to grow up, like Peter Pan. It's a great thing to accept adulthood--after all, most of my life will be spent as an adult--that is, if I decide to leave childhood behind. I think growing up will be a great adventure--an adventure that Peter Pan was too afraid to experience.

It will probably be another year or two before I leave my parents' house. I still have to graduate high school, I still need to get a driver's license, I still need to get a job, and find an ambition with which to glorify God (some people call that pursuing a career, but I think an ambition is more than that [this topic may be another blog post in and of itself]).

Now is the time where I begin taking the steps to accepting the challenge of growing up. It's the time where God writes the final pages of this first chapter of my life. Now is when He helps me figure out what's next.

Yes, the words "move on," "move out," "time to grow up," and "leave the nest" are terrifying.

On the other hand, I hear these strong words from God and the people who are ready to support me and cheer me on as I accept the daring challenge of grasping independence:

"You are ready. It's time to fly."

 "For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a 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. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

--1 Corinthians 13:9-13

Photo Credit: http://cartoonsimages.com/sites/default/files/field/image/waltdisney.jpg

Letter to the Readers: Another Blog!

Hello readers, and happy summer!

I have an announcement to make. You may have noticed another tab on the top of the page labeled "Victorious Notebook."

That, friends, is my new blog!

Victorious Notebook is a "spinoff" blog for my reading and writing projects, which I want all of you to be a part of. The first post explains everything, so if you're interested in following the blog, please go to the link at the top of the page and read the post titled, "Welcome to Victorious Notebook!"

I'm very excited to have another outlet for writing, and I hope that you will enjoy it too.

Thanks!

--Hayley

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

Carry On, Warrior

It's February 6th, and some of you are probably wondering where the monthly resolutions post is. Instead of making the goals that I normally do, I realized an overall life goal that I think is more important to focus on for now.

More than ever, I've felt the pressure about answering the questions: "What's next? What am I going to do in my life? How can I do something that can benefit the world and glorify God?"

I'm feeling the pressure of these questions mostly because it's registration time, which means that I need to be thinking about what classes I need to be taking for my senior year, which makes me think about college and beyond.

...and it's scary. Very scary.

Then I saw this video with my mom two nights ago: a TED Talk from Glennon Doyle Melton about what she learned about herself, the world, and superheroes at a mental hospital:

One quote from Glennon's blog stuck with me:

"The world doesn't need more 'strong' superheroes hiding the truth of who they really are beneath the capes of perfection, shame, cruelty, snark, addiction, or apathy. We need more plain old 'weak' people who are brave enough to come out of hiding. We need more messy, honest, fully human beings who will volunteer to tell the truth about who they are--who will live shamelessly out in the scary, messy world. It is braver to be Clark Kent than it is to be Superman. Carry on, Warrior." 

I was in my Omnibus class this morning after pondering these things, and the teacher asked if anyone would like to write on the board, basically acting as secretary, taking notes of what was being discussed. After several moments of silence, I decided to be the one to raise my hand.

Who knows why, but right then and there I got the exact encouragement I needed. One of my classmates immediately called me "Hayley the Brave."

Goodness, I thought, what a name. Surely I don't deserve it, just because I raised my hand to volunteer. Royalty, knights, and saints deserve those names, but surely not me. 

And it wasn't until just now, as I'm writing this, that God reminded me that as a child of the One, True King, it's ok to proudly wear a name like "Hayley the Brave."

TO BE CLEAR: I'm not saying that I want all my friends to now call me something that formal on a regular basis, because I like the simple name of "Hayley" that I have now, and it would be weird to be called that all the time.

All I'm trying to say is: I think all of us are more qualified to wear names like "Victorious Heroine" and "Hayley the Brave" if we decide to be a Clark Kent instead of a Superman, to be honest, kind, loving, and gracious, to be a warrior fighting against the "capes" and worldly temptations, and to represent and glorify God in all these things, as well as helping and encouraging others to do the same.

Now that's a resolution.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak." --Ephesians 6:10-20

November Report Card

Sorry it's been so long since I posted, everybody! 

To sum up what's been going on lately, I had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends, and have been catching up on A LOT of homework (by a lot, I mean waking up at 7am on a Saturday). 

I think it's about time I gave a report card for November Resolutions, wouldn't you think so? To be honest, I'm not excited about sharing the results. Last month did not go very well goal-wise.

1. Drink at least 6 glasses of water everyday: F
Poor planning on my part. I shouldn't have expected to set such a high goal for myself and immediately develop the habit within the month. Studies show that it takes about 21 repetitions of the goal to form a habit. This would take up the entire month in and of itself. 

2. Practice 120 minutes a week: F
Same story here for the most part, with an addition of laziness.

3. Blog at least twice a week: A+
I did pretty well on this one. To post twice a week means 8 posts in a month, and I made 11, so I'm letting myself pass this one, even though there were times where I posted three times a week, and sometimes didn't post at all in a week, or only once.

4. Monastic Project: D-
I've been focusing on other subjects, and I need to have this all done by Wednesday. I think it's doable.

5. Catch up on Omnibus Reading before Thanksgiving: C
I'm not all caught up, but now I have a workable plan to be all caught up by the Semester reading due date. 

6. Finish the 30 Day Blog Challenge: B
I AM SO CLOSE!!!! Only 4 more posts and then you guys will never have to see the inconsistent "The 30 Day Blog Challenge" titles on Victorious Heroine ever again!!! Unless of course I do another 30 day blog challenge in the future... Could you guys tell me if you enjoy those?

7. Teach Youth Group: A+
All went well. I made a power point slide (at a youth group meeting, I know, but it worked!) and talked about what it means to have a true friendship with God. 

8. Schedule/Plan/Organize More Often: C
Ahem. No, not exactly. My dad just said the other day when my mom was pretty much making fun of me for not knowing where a certain location was, "You don't plan ahead very much, do you?" I shook my head so that he'd leave me alone, but I have tried very hard in the past to plan ahead, but when it comes down to the most important things like making sure I set my alarm before I go to bed, or charging my phone, or remembering where the car was parked in huge parking lots, or keeping my school binders up to date: I fail. A lot. On the other hand, I'm good at keeping things like my school notes organized (and I even came up with a better system for note-taking), and I even utilized Google Calendar a lot more than I ever have. So overall, I'm beating myself up a lot, but I need to. Because I know that if I don't beat myself up now, then I'll be even more beat up by my life years from now from not developing the habits I should have been developing now.

9. Cut YouTube time on Tuesdays and Sundays: F
There was maybe one Sunday where I was able to refrain from YouTube for the most part, but this was a goal that didn't take off.

10. Health: D-
I've been taking walks at school, but to be honest, I could be doing more exercises and walks more often. I've learned that "I don't have time to exercise" is a horrible excuse. It only takes 10 minutes to jog a mile, and it only takes 5 minutes to do a few strength training exercises with dumbbell weights. 

Overall Grade Average: C-

Frankly, I'm surprised I didn't get a lower average! The numbers seem to have granted me mercy somehow.

Important Life Lessons Learned in November:

• Lots of perseverance, lots of hard work, lots of repetition and help from the Lord create good habits.
• If you want something done, don't be lazy. Laziness is no excuse for an incomplete task.
• If you learn to love something about a task, it makes the task so much easier and fun to do.
• Timing is important. Always make a plan and stick to it, but don't procrastinate or take more time than you truly have to get a job done.
• Building a friendship (especially with God) takes a lot of constant practice. Any kind of relationships never take a holiday.
• Sometimes when it looks like you're about to drown in quicksand, you're only going to drown faster if you try to get yourself out on your own. Ask for help, and the problem will likely be resolved much faster and more efficiently.
• It's good to take breaks, as long as they're reasonable and aren't breaks from taking breaks. Breaks are for those who have actually broken a sweat and accomplished something truly worthwhile.
• Plans are so much better than spontaneity. Even if they're not as fun on the front end, they will always have better results in the end.
• Doing something small is better than not doing anything at all.

I hope this post is more encouraging and inspiring than it is disappointing. :)

Question for the Reader: How do you like the new blog layout for Christmas?

"For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." --Proverbs 24:16

November Resolutions

It's now time for another round of Monthly Resolutions: November 2013 Edition.

1) Drink at least 6 glasses of water every day.
According to health experts, humans should be drinking about 8 glasses of water per day. On most days, I find myself drinking about half of that, if at all. This is obviously not healthy, and I'd like to make that change.

2) Practice 120 minutes a week.
I've found that if I take a discipline and count the minutes that I'm practicing it and make a goal for a specific amount of minutes every week, it works very well for me.

3) Blog at least twice a week.
For obvious reasons. :)

4) Monastic Project
At school, I was assigned a project of reading through 1 Corinthians, and basically having "quiet time" in the morning or the evening and keeping track of what I learn. It's going to take some work, but I'd like to do well on it, and I think it will help me spiritually as well.

5) Catch-up on Omnibus Reading before Thanksgiving.
I'm behind. If I stick with the plan and persevere, I should be all caught up by Thanksgiving Day. What bliss that will be!

6) FINISH The 30 Day Blog Challenge.
What seemed like a simple blog project that would take no more than 40 days, turned into something that has now been unfinished as of about 4 months later. I need to finish this, guys. Only 10 more posts: I can do this.

7) Teach Youth Group
I'm teaching again on the 7th! So excited! Please pray that the Lord uses me to speak His words for what my peers need to hear from Him.

8) Schedule/Plan/Organize More Often
I spent a HUGE chunk of the summer organizing and making routines for myself so that I'd be a mean-green-academic-machine for this school year. Now...my binders are scarcely organized, my textbooks and notebooks are scattered all over the place: my school office, my bookshelves, my bedroom, my home computer area, my backpack...just everywhere. On top of that, I'm hardly ever using my planner (even though my online task list stays up to date) and things just aren't getting done the way they should! I'd like to be able to fix this, so I'll be well-organized when I get back to school after Thanksgiving Break.

9) Cut YouTube Time on Tuesdays and Sundays
Confession: I'm a big fan of youtube videos. I'm not at a point of obsession, but I watch it a little bit more than I probably should. I'd like to start cutting back on the 3-5 minute videos that quickly become an hour-long escapade.

10) Health
I'm trying harder to do more of cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and watching what I eat. I think if I stick to it, it will help me form really good healthy habits for the future.

These are a lot of goals, but I know that some of them will probably be a lot easier than they seem, because I've already gotten a head start in October. Here's to a great November!

Question for the Reader: What is a good habit you're trying to form?

"Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways." --Proverbs 4:26

(Link up to Kelli's She Learns As She Goes)

Photo credit: http://blog.ryanlawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/fallTree.jpg

September Resolutions: Keep It Simple

We all know that according to the calendar of the United States, September is the month in which fall begins: the season of change.

Change has been the roaring theme of my life recently, and I'd like my resolutions for this month to reflect that. I don't want to be a person who is constantly freaking out about things that don't truly matter. Instead, I'd like to bring all of my focus to what matters the most: love. Loving God, and loving my neighbors as much as I love myself (which of course implies that I have some self-love and respect). 
So please do not be surprised that my resolutions have been cut down to the size of a fingernail in comparison to the norm. My goal is to simplify my life to a point where God has plenty of room to work. :)

1. Adapt to changes, even when they're uncomfortable.
2. Keep things as simple as possible--don't add, reduce.
3. Maintain self-respect...without pride or vanity.
4. Love Thy Neighbor: be merciful, kind, respectful, and generous to everyone around you, as well as obedient to your leaders.
5. Love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

These 5 resolutions are not only my resolutions for this month, but 5 things that I intend to grow in myself as I live the rest of my life in Christ.

Not only do I want myself to grow in these areas, but I hope that you may find them helpful in your own life as well.

Here's to the season of change!

Question for the Reader: What season of life do you find yourself in?

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter." --Daniel 2:20b-23