A long-awaited update..

     It's been a while since I have posted. It was a very busy last semester of undergraduate classes at college. I had my nursing capstone class which was when I got work alongside a nurse and get a feel for my upcoming career. It was all very exciting. No finals this semster as I only had one other class. Another thing that happened was a new friendship with a wonderful young lady who is a child of God as well. It has been such a blessing to me.

     Since the first of December I have been doing a devotional that was written by Ann Voskamp (and in case you don't know who that is, just look her up by clicking here).  It has been a lovely study and such a joy to unwrap God's greatest gift for us.  The tree is up and decorated. We light delicious smelling candles up every night, all around the house.  It has been a great start to the Christmas/Advent season.

A re-post of a some other posts...

All day I had been wondering about what to post, and then it hit me! 

I decided to make a list of some posts that I have recently read, and then share them with you.

You could read them all at once or one every day or not at all (but then there's no learning which is not cool)

1 - Why Not Pursue Him? (loved this because I believe that young men should be initiators and leaders in relationships, yep that's a lot of pressure) = http://www.truewoman.com/?id=1639

2 - Potential Boyfriend or Forever Brother?? = http://paulawrites.com/2014/03/11/potential-boyfriend-or-forever-brother/

3 - Self-esteem VS. Christ-esteem (written by lovely Leslie Ludy) = http://setapartgirl.com/leslie-ludy/blog/04-14-14/self-esteem-vs-christ-esteem 

4 - True Wisdom  = http://setapartgirl.com/devotional/04-12-14/true-wisdom

5 - How will He notice me if I Don't flirt? = http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=2225

6 - Idle Chatter VS. Godly Edification = http://setapartgirl.com/leslie-ludy/blog/04-22-14/idle-chatter-vs-godly-edification

I really hope you enjoy these posts..God Bless you all!

(I will write my own post when college classes finish..pray for me on upcoming finals)

Thoughts...on protection!

     This afternoon I was checking my emails...and one caught my eye. It was from the blog Lies Young Women Believe, a blog written by a group of women, mostly for an audience of young ladies (such as myself). This past week they have been writing the posts all on guys. The author of the posts is actually Dannah Gresh, who wrote get lost (the book which my last post was written on). Today's post struck me the most...

     It is based on the question: Does He Protect Your Purity? I can't answer the question right now, because I haven't met my prince yet, but in the future I'd like to think that the answer would be YES. Dannah talks about sex trafficking and rape in this post and at first I wondered what she was getting at.   

     Dannah then writes something that explains where she is going with all this sad talk about the disrespect of men who rape girls. "God's very definition of sex transcends the physical act and emphasizes the emotional knowing and exchange of respect that is the essence of His intended design." Real men respect women. Some men don't like the idea of protecting women and frankly, I don't know why. As a christian brother, you are supposed to step up and protect and respect your sisters. No matter what girl/woman you face you're supposed to act in integrity. But, we can't leave women out either. As christian sisters, we are to respect our brothers and future husbands with modest clothes and a modest attitude, which includes how you present yourself. If you would like to view this post please follow this link: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=2023.
     So sisters, next time you think about the young man you gave your heart to...ask yourself if he protects your purity. And brothers, remember "Real men don't buy girls...they protect them." "Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other." - Romans 12:10 (NLT)  

     A part of my personal life does tie in: Currently my family supports a young girl named Sabani, who is from Odisha. She resides in a place called House of Refuge, which is run by a missionary family. House of Refuge  is a place for girls only, who are poor and unable to get an education through their families. Since they are poor they are also in danger of being sold into sexual slavery or prostitution. One of the saddest things is temple prostitution (to read an article about this click here). 

Brilliant Blog Bouquet Award!

I have recently been awarded the Brilliant Blog Bouquet Award, but not just by one person. I've been doubly blessed. The two who awarded me were Naomi Lee and Sara-Jayne. You gals are awesome! 

I've never recieved a blog award and two in one day was just an unexpected blessing!

Rules:

Put a link to who gave you the award

Post the award to your blog

Answer the questions

Choose 5 blogs to receive the award

Let them know you've awarded them

Questions: 

1. If you could have a "flower pen name", what would it be?

Well, thats a great question..haha. I think I'd love to be called a Lily (from the botanic name Lilium). I have always loves lilies. They have a fragrant smell and are tall, reaching for the heavens. Since they have two sets of three petals, it represents the trinity virtues (Love, Faith, and Hope). The Lily also represents purity, innocence, and piety. 

2. What is your favourite (we spell ‘favourite’ different in Australia) ever Bible verse and why?

Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." I love this verse because it assures me that God is always with me and will help us in times of trouble. 

3. What are the blogs that inspire you most?

I am inspired by lots of blogs. I have only been blogging for about three years, but I follow a lot of blogs. There is a list on the side panel of my favorites. 

4. If you and your friends could visit any country in the world, where would you go?

hmmm..I don't really know. I have always wanted to visit England, but not London. I want to tour the English countryside  with the various castles, estates, and manors. Germany would be nice too, since that's where all my grandparents originally came from. 

5. If you have one, feel free to share your testimony as to how you became a Christian.

I grew up in a christian home, loved by everyone around me. Every year of my life I've been going to Pilgrim Camp in upstate NY. I was saved when I was In the cottage, at the age of 5. I knelt before the altar and asked God into my heart. I knew God loved me and existed and all, but I knew I needed something more. So, at the age of thirteen I was baptised and that night while singing "I surrender All" I found it: a peace which I had never known. It flooded my soul. My baptismal verse was Isaiah 41:10 (what a coincidence) and before I fell asleep that night I prayed it and memorized it. My savior has been so good to me my whole life. I have had ups and downs in my journey, but he still loves me just as much as always. With his help I'd like to become more like a lily among thorns for him, my fragrance helping draw others to him.  

5 blogs to receive this award from me:

1.  Britt (an amazing girl..who helped me update my new blog design)

2. Laura (the first blog I ever followed..and she is a great friend)

3. Bethany and Johanna (a beautiful blog all around..with great book reviews..)

4. Hallie (a very honest blog by a daughter of the King)

5. Laura (a true princess (in mud boots), heir of the infinite King)

[Grace left a comment below that she doesn't do blog awards anymore so I will give award #5 to another blog owner. Thank you Grace for being honest. I still LOVE your blog. :)]

About Me! (a photo linkup)

I play the violin and I like listening to music...

Love the smell of Lilacs...

I'm a twin...

There are hundreds of languages, but a smile speaks them all..

I love Golden Retrievers..

A Giveaway!

A friend of mine is doing a giveaway, feel free to enter in: 

http://kindredgrace.com/how-sweet-the-light-might-taste/

God's Beauty...

I went to a friend of a friends blog (http://jeremyparish.blogspot.com/2013/02/picture-post.html) and saw these beautiful photos. They captivated me right away, so I combined my favorites to make my own picture/background for my computer screen. 

Let's hop over to "My Journey Thru"...

So, I was reading posts from my friends that I haven't read in a while mainly because of college. I thought this post was amazing, so I'm going to share it with all of you. May it bless you as it blessed me. :-) 

http://my-journey-thru.blogspot.com/2012/12/pure.html

Frame it! Friday!

Not really from this week, but I'd like to share this anyway. My family is going on vacation to the finger lakes. I would love if everyone prayed for us as we travel and have a great time in God's creation. 

The original Frame it! Friday post...click here...

A post to think about..from LYWB.

The Real Deal: What True Womanhood Is All About

Have you ever thought about what it means to be a young woman? I'm not talking about a young woman the way the world defines it, but the way God does. After all, He created women, so He should know!
This summer I spent a weekend searching God's Word for the answer, as I'd been asked to give a talk to some teens on "biblical womanhood." Last week I shared part of that message with you—how true womanhood is not being a Mix & Match Girl, Marathon Girl, or Monument Girl.
Today, I'd like to share with you what a true woman is. These are the three bottom-line answers I arrived at. For starters, let's get this clear: true biblical womanhood is about so much more than the length of your shorts or how long you had your quiet time this morning or the way you interact with guys. Don't get me wrong—dressing modestly and reading the Bible and interacting with guys with purity are all important—but it's possible to do all these things and miss the main point entirely.

1. Biblical womanhood starts in the heart. I remember the day, years ago, when this truth hit me. I wrote in my journal:
I wonder if my most precious possession is my heart. I have never really considered that. God is always talking about Israel's hearts as the thing He desires them to obey Him in and to surrender to Him. And in Proverbs 4:23 it says, "Guard your heart, for out of it flow the wellsprings of life." And God says love Me with all your heart in Deuteronomy 6:5. God most definitely wants my heart. I don't think I've ever given Him my heart: my emotions and longings.
How about you? Would God say about you, "She honors me with her lips, but her heart is far from me"? If so, would you give Him your heart today? That most precious part of you?
Something I've learned the hard way is that God won't be satisfied with part of us or most of us. He wants all of us, beginning with our heart. And biblical womanhood doesn't start on the outside, but works from the inside out.

2. True biblical womanhood flows out of a personal, growing relationship with King Jesus.
Second Corinthians 3:18 tells us that the way we change is by looking at Jesus:We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.
So the important question is, how do we look at Jesus? Simple. In His Word, the Bible. I love it when Jesus says to the uber-religious guys, "You search the Scriptures because in them you think you have life, but you do not know that they point to me." And in Luke 24:27, Jesus is on the road with two men and it says, "And beginning with Moses [the author of the first five books of the Bible] and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."
So the question is, are you spending time every day looking at Jesus in His Word? Listening to His voice? Building a relationship with Him—like you would with anyone else—by spending time with Him, just you two? He is the only one with the power to transform you from the inside out into a fully alive woman.

3. A biblical woman says, "Yes, Lord" in every area of her life.
How can a woman say "no" to her self and "yes" to the Spirit of God? That's hard! There's really only one way: because she knows Him, so she trusts Him.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a great example of this. Did you know she was probably just a young teen when she said, "Yes, Lord"? You may know the story. An angel appeared to Mary and told her she would have a son—while she was still a virgin!—and that he would be the Son of God.
Her response: "How will this be, since I am a virgin? . . . Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." It was a very scary assignment that meant moving away from those she loved, having her reputation tainted, and having "the sword of sorrow" pierce her heart when her beloved Son died on the cross. But it was also the most exciting, greatest honor. Yes, one that would mean "death" to her in so many ways, but one that would ultimately bring life to billions!
What has the Lord assigned to you right now? Are you resisting Him or saying, "Yes, Lord"?
Okay, now it's your turn. How would you describe what it looks like to be the kind of young woman God designed you to be?

The web link to this post: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=1845

A trip to "Lies Young Women Believe"...

   The recent topic on L.Y.W.B. has been very interesting. And I don't just mean the actual post, but the comments too.  I am going to put three links below, for the latest three posts. You may have a look and feel free to comment! May the Lord bless you..
    ~ http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=1834 
    ~ http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=1835
    ~ http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=1836

An Amazing Post that EVERYONE should read (Male or Female)!

Take a few minutes from what you're doing right now, click the link below, and read this
              wonderful post! It definitely touched my heart, may it also bless you. 

http://thefulltimegirl.wordpress.com/category/purity-is-not-just-physical-um-what-about-him/

Another Giveaway for all to enter into..

There is a blog that I follow that is hosting a giveaway and you may all go to the website and enter to win. Thank you Bethany and Johanna for hosting giveaways. Lord bless everyone!
http://royal-daughters-of-the-king.blogspot.com/2012/01/janurary-giveaway-petal-jewelry.html

A Free Giveaway! from a wonderful blogger...

A girl that I met on blogger is hosting a free giveaway for a beautiful scarf! If you would like to enter into the drawing, then follow this link!
http://daughterwithavision.blogspot.com/2011/11/giveaway.html?showComment=1322097230536

Another day with God beside me...

This is a photo of the main building (Kellenburg) of Molloy College (the college I attend)!

I'm sitting in the newest building waiting for my next class to start and I'm reading all the wonderful blogs that I follow. All of them are such a blessing! Keep on writing...

A quote that blessed me today was said by C.S.Lewis: 

"We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. 

The world is crowded with him. He walks everywhere incognito."

Whats your thought on this quote? Leave a comment below....

The Rebelution Survey on MODESTY

I was just reading the modesty results from the Rebelution survey... It definitely gave me some great pointers..on what real purity is and how to dress and act without attracting ungodly men.
I wish I could go unto each of the young men who participated and say thank you!
I don't get a lot of insight in my church because there aren't a lot of teenage boys in my church, so it was very helpful!
If you would like to visit these results go to: theRebelution.com and click on the modesty surgery ad on the right side.

Modesty - LYWB

I follow a blog called www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com. It had a post on modesty today and I wanted to share it with all of you...

Isn't modesty the guy's problem?

Myself posted by Erin Davis on 05/05/11

When I was a young woman, I often dressed immodestly. I wasn't driven by a desire to draw attention to myself. In my case, my clothes were immodest because I was clueless.

Throughout high school and college I didn't understand that being modest meant more than covering up your belly button. More importantly, I didn't understand why modesty mattered because I didn't have a firm grasp of how my immodest clothing was impacting my Christian brothers.

If you're a little like me—you don't understand why modesty matters, you don't know for sure if your clothing is modest or not, and you don't fully grasp why what you wear matters to the guys your around—consider this a wake-up call. After reading this post and watching the video below, you will have to face the fact that what you wear matters and that immodesty is truly everyone's problem.

Sometimes when I speak or write about modesty, girls feed me this line: "I can't help it if a guy pays attention to me or my body. If my clothes make him stumble, that's his problem, not mine." If only it were that easy. The reality is God has connected us to our Christian brothers through the body of Christ. In His Word He makes it very clear that if you are doing something that trips up the people around you, you are in the wrong and the responsibility for their struggle rests on your shoulders.

In Romans, Paul offers important advice about how we should relate to each other. He was specifically writing to address the topic of food, but the principles certainly apply to modesty. To help you apply the meat of these passages, I have replaced references to food with references to fashion. Pay close attention to Paul's words. Ask yourself what these passages reveal about why modesty matters so much.

"Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you [wear], you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your [clothing] destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of [what you wear], but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of [fashion]. All [clothing] is clean, but it is wrong for a person to [wear] anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to [dress to impress others] or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall" (Rom. 14:13–21). 

(The movie above is really for girls though)