Are You Changed....Or Just Adding?

What a week it has been! I am back in school, so that is why I haven't been blogging as much. I apologize! Yesterday at church we talked studied Ephesians 4:17-32. The whole chapter is in regards to the changes you go through once you repent.

When you repent from your sins, you can't just look immediately in the mirror and say "hmm, I don't see anything different!"

When you repent, you are turning away from your sins. Which ultimately comes from the inside. You don't sin unless you think about it...which is inside.

When you confess your sins, God accepts you and his goal is to change you to be as Christ like as you can be. However, he can't do it on his own. You need to help.

How much time do you spend on Facebook?
You need to spend AT LEAST that much time in the Bible.

When you get dressed to go out at night, do you look in the mirror and have question whether or not your top will cover everything?
If you have to question what you are wearing, then you know it isn't appropriate.

When you speak...do your words build people up?
Cussing is a sin. Your words should be full of grace.

When you repent and turn from your old sins, you are supposed to turn from your old ways.  Put on the new clothes and the new life. You can't stay in your old clothes with your old life.

The title of this blog is "Are You Changed...Or Just Adding."
Are you changing your life for God? Are you trying to be more Christ-like in your everyday activities?
OR
Are you keeping your old ways and just adding God into your life?

"Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy." --Ephesians 4:21-24

All that God wants is for you to turn away from your sins. Clean your mind and body from ungodly thoughts and doings. Take off the old and put on the new, once and for all.

The Biggest Complaint

I always have a hard time "not complaining" about things. Don't get me wrong, I am a very happy person. It is just the little things that get me a little heated. 

I think the thing I find myself complaining about the most is school. I go to a year round school. Even though it is summer, I am in school. 

This morning I decided to search the top ten biggest things people complain about. School wasn't in the top ten! Of course I found many lists and they were all different...but what I calculated to be the biggest complaint was betrayers. 

Then I got to thinking, when you meet someone you have 7 seconds to make a good impression. IT IS YOUR responsibility to keep up that good impression. 

If you had the mind set that every time you have an encounter with someone, even if you have met them, it should be like a first impression, then we wouldn't have betrayers. 

However, people like to judge. People like to spread rumors. P E O P L E. L I K E. D R A M A. 

Being a teenager, I have been able to realize why people like "drama" so much. 

It is because the attention is on you.

What if everyone had their attention on God? 

You know, gossip is a sin. 

If we all had our attention on God, people couldn't spread rumors or create drama. 

You know, judging is a sin. 

If we all had our attention on God, people couldn't judge one another. 

Don't you think we would all be a lot happier if we lived through God's light? 

Yes, God does put you through hard times. But he promises a light at the end of the tunnel....if you stay faithful to Him. 

My challenge for you this week is to NOT COMPLAIN. Your life will be much happier. Even if you are going through a rough time, God is there to help you. Turn to him for all of your needs. 

My good friend, Lauren North, posted this the other week:

"If you are going through a rough time, remember... YOU ARE GOING THROUGH IT."

Always remember that if you stay strong in HIM, you will see light at the end of the tunnel. Don't gossip or betray someone to get the attention on you. You already have God's attention....that should be enough. 

"Broken" Hollywood

When you hear about teenage celebrities, you usually hear about how messed up they have become.
Drugs.
Alcohol.
Shop Lifting.

And the list goes on.

Yes, there are the celebrities that work for charities and don't stray from their moral compass...but why don't we hear about them?
That is because in this world scandal is what sells.

That is the main reason I want to be in the entertainment industry is because I want to spread my light. God's light.

I know for a fact that the only reason I am happy is because I am at peace with my life. Even when I see things shaking or crumbling, I am still at peace. I know that God is putting me through it to make me stronger and learn from it.
I want others to feel that peace and to be able to smile because they know that they can't control a single thing in their life.

When I go into an audition or into a pageant, I always say, "God already knows how this will turn out."

The best piece of advice I can give you on "finding peace" is to relax and look at the roof over your head. Look at the food on your plate. Then thank God for another day of breathing!

Don't give into the things of this world. They won't make you happy and they will ruin your reputation just like the teen celebrities. No matter how much more popular it will make you, it will make those kids think you are something....you know you're not.

Be smart. Be Christ-like.

Friday Night

Friday nights are my favorite. No, I don't spend it out on the town.

Every Friday night is youth group at my church. From 6-8 I am able to spend time in the most peaceful building, praise and worshiping our Creator, and being around my brothers and sisters.

Yesterday our message was on priorities. Our speaker kept reflecting back on "the biggest rock in your life".

What is your biggest rock? What SHOULD consume most of your time? What/who is most important to you?

For me personally, my biggest rock is God.

Then you work down the list of what is next and so on.

We only get 24 hours in a day. The worst part is, we never get those seconds, minutes, or hours back. We need to spend them wisely, with our big rock the center of our days.

What if your mom died driving home from work tomorrow and today she asked you to go to the store with her? You said no because you wanted to video chat with your friend.

In my mind, anyone could die tomorrow. That is reality. Who is more important? A friend you have known for a few years and once you are out of school you most likely won't talk to again? ........OR your mom. Who gave birth to you. Has spent the last 17 (for me) years having you being the focus of her days. The one who after you graduate from high school will still be there.

You need to look back on who/what is most important in your life and treat them/it like it is that important.

Our speaker last night shared this:
"Rocks are like priorities. Only so many rocks can fit in a jar. Only so many activities can fit in a week. The issue isn't prioritizing your schedule, but scheduling your priorities."

Put the big rocks first.