Passion by Stryper

So Far Gone - Thousand Foot Krutch

SaveSaeed: Jay Sekulow

Help save Pastor Saeed! Sign the petition HERE

Shabby Apple Giveaway!

There is a giveaway over at Young Homemakers! If I won this is what I would want to get!!

 

Go HERE to enter!!

Help Save Pastor Saeed Abedini!

Sign the petition and help save American Pastor Saeed Abedini! 

go to SaveSaeed.org.

The Lost Valentine

This is such a good movie!! I cried like a baby lol

                                                

SaveSaeed

                                             Sign the petition to help Pastor Saeed!!

What I Wore

Sweater-Borrowed from my Mom

Skirt- Thrift Store

Belt- Thrift Store

This isn't a very good picture that I took with my cell phone, but I didn't have

 anyone to take it for me.

I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed day!!

Ria

What I Wore

I know I said I wanted to blog more, but I have been crazy busy!! 

I thought I would do a what I wore post today! 

I hope you all enjoy!! :)

Shirt: Christmas gift from my sister

Skirt: Thrift Store

Leggings: Walmart

Legwarmers: Kroger

Boots: Walmart

These legwarmers are the first ones I've ever owned and I LOVE them!! They are so warm!!! 

I will try to post again soon!! Blessings! :)

Ria

1.16.13

(picture found on google.com)

 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be know unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace will be with you.

-Philippians 4:4-9

Currently reading with my devotions:

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis

Currenly reading with my small group:

Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy 

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!!

Ria

 

Guest Post by Lauralea from Of a Single Heart

Big Enough to Worship

"If God were small enough to be understood, He wouldn't be big enough to be worshiped." - Evelyn Underhill

Over and over in the Bible, God proves His sovereignty. Would you set a bush on fire to speak to your servant? Would you destroy demon-possessed people with a massive flood? Would you let an underdog slaughter a giant? Hmm. Let's try the New Testament! Would you feed 5,000 people with one lunch? Would you walk on water alongside the disciples boat to prove your power? 

Would you die on a cross?

Humans didn't understand then. We humans always think we have it all right, and when God "wrecks" our plans, we whine. Most of us would be ashamed to admit this, but we whine LOUDLY. 

 Moses complained that he wasn't the man for the job. Noah probably wondered what rain was, and how much longer he would have to build the boat. David was bold in battle, but he was surrounded by doubtful brothers who told him he was insane to go out alone. The disciples were literally living with Jesus (in case you missed it, Jesus is God), and they still wanted to spend 1 year's worth of wages on food for the 5,000 people waiting to eat. They thought Jesus was a ghost when he walked on water. Obviously, God's ways are not like ours. 

He's...God.

He has remarkable purposes and plans that blow our minds. The bush, the flood and ark, the underdog, the lunch, the walking on water incident... all lead up to the impossible possibilities of glory for the Lord. And yet, instead of worshiping Him, we find that we're doubtful. We become skeptical of whether or not things are going to be okay. 

-The disciples didn't understand when Jesus, (who had just fed 5,000 people that afternoon,) walked on the water. He climbed in the boat and the storm stopped. Yet, their "hearts were hardened". 

-The Israelites had many tangible forms of God's provision and they still complained and hesitated to do the next thing. They waited around and did things the hard way over and over and over and over. 

- Moses shifted blame, didn't follow directions, and tried to cover up things His way. He even saw the face of God and had a shiny face for awhile afterward. Yet he still fought God's plans and tried to do it his own way. 

Don't laugh! We're not any better. We don't see how God is doing good things the very minute it gets harder. Have you lost a job? A loved one? Are you waiting on something to come that doesn't seem possible? Are you hesitant to do what you feel lead to? Do you doubt that God can DO things? I'm sure the answer is yes to more than one of these. 

We want to know. We want to see results. We want to understand everything that is happening. 

Jesus died an unjust, cruel death to bring about justice and goodness for the whole world. He died to save us. We may not understand everything "terrible" in our lives, but we can be assured that He is sovereign and that He IS working for good. 

How could we have faith if we understood everything God was doing? We would cave in under stress trying to carry out supernatural pressure and holy plans. We aren't holy. We are human. God uses us in spite of us- He doesn't need us. But he wants us. He knows we would never be able to follow His directions if we knew all He would have us to accomplish in a day. Life is a mystery. Deuteronomy 29:29 says: 'The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.'

Mysteries keep us in suspense, with baited breath, to see the outcome of a story. In God's grand story of humanity, we can expect everything to work out for good. Just how it will all happen is what takes faith. Don't seek to understand, dear sisters! Seek to do the next thing in front of you. Seek to have faith in the mysterious and good God we serve.

all things work together for those who love HIM!

 

 And we know that ALL things 

work together for good to 

them that love God, to them who 

are called according to his purpose. 

 Romans  8:28

(picture credit to google.com)

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 Hebrews 4:12

What I Wore

I think I am going to try to do What I Wore posts on Wednesdays! I love reading What I Wore posts so I thought I would start doing them too :)

Today I didn't have anyone to take a picture of me with my outfit, so I just took a picture of my outfit. Hopefully next week someone can help take a picture!!

I hope you enjoy :)

Skirt: Thrift Store

Hoodie: C28.com

Moccasins: Shoe Show

T-Shirt (not shown): Nashville, TN Airport

My Pets

I thought I would do this post on my pets...and there are a lot of them! (5 dogs and 9 cats...way too many for sure!) :P

 Front-L to R: Molly and McDuff (Duffy). Back: Sassy

 Duffy

 Moe

 Fluffers (named after my great grandmother's cat)

 Snowball

 Oreo (a.k.a. Cookie)

 

 Sassy

 (she is rather chunky! She used to be very thin and active but when my

 Golden Retriever, Buddy, died in 2006 she started grieving and layed around all the time) :(

 Duffy

 Lilly (......"I don't think they can see me!".......)

 ("Ugg. They found me.") LOL

 Sara

 Isn't she adorable?!

 Snowball and Cookie

 Oreo Cookie

Ziggy (a.k.a. Zig Pig, Ziggy Piggy or Pig) :D

Have a wonderful and blessed day!

Ria

Currently Reading.....

All these books should keep me busy for the next several weeks! :) 

I LOVE to read! (I bet you wouldn't have been able to guess though LOL)

Patience

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

 faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 

 Galatians 5:22-23

Patience. What does it mean and what does the Bible have to say about it?

Definition: calm endurance without complaining; steadfastness in the face of trouble;

forbearance; the opposite of hastiness.

Calm endurance without complaining....do you ever struggle with that? I know I do!

Being patient is hard so hard because in our fallen, human nature we are selfish. We want to please ourselves over everyone else. As Christians, God had given us a new nature so we don't have to listen to our selfish desires anymore.

We who are strong ought to bear with the fallings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

Romans 15:1

Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

Proverbs 16:32

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

Colossians 1:9-14 

God wants us to be patient because HE is patient. Pray. Ask God for patience. Don't just ask for patience though; seek God and dig deeper into His Word. Fill yourself with the Lord and patience will also fill you. You cannot be content and have patience if you are not filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Future Post Ideas

In my last post I asked if anyone had any ideas for different posts they would like to see

and my new friend here in the world of blogger, Lauralea, gave me several good ideas! 

I have decided that I am going to start doing at least three posts a week for now (or more if I can).

I would like one of the days to be a devotion about different character traits, a What I Wore day

and maybe a craft (?..still deciding on that one LOL). I want to try to do movie and book reviews and

at least one guest post/interview every month.

Sound like a good plan? :)

Have a wonderful day!!
Ria

Happy New Year!!

I cannot believe that 2012 is over already!! It, as usual, went by WAY too fast!

There have been so many ups and downs, bad times and even more good ones....

I have accomplished SO many goals and set many new ones and learned a lot along the way too.

I feel God has showed me a lot this year, brought me closer to Him, and taught me what it mean to 

be patient and WAIT on His timing. God is good, isn't He??!! :)

I have set a few new goals for 2013.

- Have better time management
-Try to read at least one book a month (two if I can!!)
-Start college full-time
-Do more crafts! I want to try to complete at least one a month
-Exercise more. My goal is to be able to run/jog at least

   3 to 4 miles by the end of 2013!
-Blog more often. If you have any ideas or things you would like to
 read more of please let me know! Your input is much appreciated :) 
-Pray and read my Bible more. Yes, I read my Bible often, but I feel
like sometimes I let my busy schedule get in the way of my devotions.

Do you have any goals for 2013?

Before I go, I would like to share a poem I found some time ago called

The Difference Prayer Makes

I got up early one morning
And rushed right into my day; 
I had so much to accomplish
That I didn't take time to pray.

Problems just tumbled around me, 
And heavier became each task;
"Why doesn't God help me?" I wonder
He answered, "Because you didn't ask."

I waned to see joy and beauty-
But the day toiled on, gray and bleak;
I wondered why God didn't show me,
He answered, "But you didn't seek."

I tried to come into God's presence,
I used all my keys at the lock;
God gently and lovingly chided;
"My child, you didn't knock."

I woke up early this morning
And paused before entering my day;
I had so much to accomplish
That I had to take time to pray.

-Author Unknown

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!!

Ria