Abby & Anna

2008-04-23T01:25:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here :)

So today I did a whole piano book, 30 or 40 something pages!! But it was all stuff as easy as marry had a little lamb so don't think I'm great or anything. haha.

Lets see its 1:30am... and here is your random post of the night (and a picture :)

Music makes me happy, when I'm sad or anything playing the guitar or piano just makes everything seem better. Well as long as I don't judge myself or start to feel bad that other people in the house can actually hear the nastyness I'm playing. haha.

Oh!! I should ask you a question... but you don't need to tell me the answer I want you to just think about it. What makes you happy? Where does your joy come from? What makes you feel better when your down about something?

Of course playing the guitar or piano isn't the only thing that makes me happy or have joy, there are a lot of other things. But that's all that needs to be said for now...

Hey

2008-04-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

First I'd like to say, congrats to Anna for writing! YAY! I thought I'd post this scripture that really helped me:

Romans 8:38-39 NIV:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God; not angels or demons, not the present or past, not height nor depth, not even life or death. Definitely not sin. Honestly, no matter where you are, or what you're doing, God loves you. No matter what. There's no way that you're excluded from this; God loves you unconditionally. Meaning that it doesn't matter what you think, or what you're doing, God will love you today, tomorrow, next year, forever because nothing can separate you from the love of God. And that's the honest truth. It's as simple as that.

Have a great week!

2008-04-14T22:57:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here, sorry I know I haven't posted for along time so here's a post and a picture I took (not really any good but whatever).

Psalm 34:13

keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.

There are so many words available to use when your talking to someone you can hurt them, help them, or just about anything with the words you speak. So how have you been speaking to people lately?

I think we all have trouble at some point or another with this. But if lately you have said somethings that your upset about don't beat yourself up about it everything will be ok. "Put your hope in God" (Psalm 42:5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God...), you don't have to be amazing or whatever its OK to make mistakes just learn from them and move on, just like they said in the movie Meet The Robinsons "Keep Moving Forward!".

so now with nothing left to say i'll leave you with this THE END haha and I hope your having a great week so far. Oh and WHOA this blog was started over a year ago... Just have to say great job ABBY!

Lemonade

2008-04-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

I just found this song by Chris Rice, and I love it. It's called "Lemonade"; It just makes you think of summer doesn't it? Oh and by the way, I've decided to revamp the playlist. There will now be some new music (including this song). WOW I just found a fan-made video for this song, and it's HILARIOUS! hahah!

And while I'm at it, I might as well post another sweet song by Chris Rice; this one is "When did you fall", and it's super romantic. I actually like this song (surprisingly), and I hope you will too. Just to let you know, it's going to be hard to find a fan-made video for this sing that isn't weird, so sorry. YES! I found a live performance that isn't too crazy. ^_^

Money as Debt

2008-03-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

I felt it was important to post about this video that Anna found; it's about how money is created by debt. I for one didn't know anything about this; I'm not quite sure what to believe about this, or what can be done to fix it. Anyways, I wanted to get the word out about it, just in case other people didn't know about this like me.

The video is called "Money as Debt", and it was made by Paul Grignon; it's 47 minutes long, but I think it's worth watching. So if you have an hour to spend, watch this movie.

Other than that, nothing is really new in my life; I'm excited about all the good weather (I couldn't believe it when it snowed again; I was so disappointed), and I'm hoping (as usual) that spring has finally come. I might be getting my own room, which is really exciting to me (I was going to have my own room before, but it fell through). It will take a lot of work, but I'm delighted at the idea of my own space. Maybe I'll post pictures of it when the room is finished.

Thoughts

2008-02-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

I'm posting again! Right now I'm fascinated by flowers; I don't know why. I've never really been big on flowers. They all seem to stink to me. But somehow right now, they're amazingly pretty. I finally realized that my favorite flowers are cherry blossoms; it's kind of common, but at least it's not roses. At this very moment, I feel in a Tulip mood. I found this picture of some tulips that I find beautiful.
Look at that! Isn't that amazing? Oh. I guess I'm soo ready for spring!! Hahahaha! I see that's what it is; I really REALLY REALLY want spring to come! So I guess for now, pictures of flowers and grass will have to be enough.

These are cherry blossoms; aren't they awesome? It helps that their background is a clear blue sky. MAN I want spring!! I literally want it to rain; I almost never want that. I think that has something to do with God; recently I've been enjoying everything more. I just enjoy my own hobbies more, and I like stuff I didn't like before. It's nice. And as my first picture of flowers I put sunflowers!! I think they might be my second favorite flower. Again, really common, but oh well. ^_^

Back again....

2008-02-25T07:02:00.000-08:00

Wow, it seems that even though we're not really writing on here, we still have readers! And since we still have readers, I felt an obligation to keep writing. I think I'll add a play list too.

Sooo, since I last posted I've been going to ballet class, doing school, hanging out with friends, and I went to a basketball game. Oh wait. And I turned 16, and got stuff for Christmas. ^_^

Finally the weather is getting warmer; I honestly thought it was going to snow right through to June. Oh, and my sister Sam went to Guatemala for 2 weeks and just got back. And my brother J went to Mexico; He's back now too.

Anyways, just a little update; I'm going to make an effort to continue writing on here.

The spawn of someone or other........

2007-12-03T00:02:00.001-08:00

ah. This girl right here. This, seemingly innocent girl, is, in fact, a very angry hostile beast. Oh sure, she'll let you pet her; she'll let you hold her, and even maybe kiss her head. But if you dare pat her head, or touch her paws, you'll get it in the face. Trust me, I know. >_<

What does this little evil creature have to do with anything? Well, just that we (some of us) believe that God gave us this animal, since she too was free (as were all our other animals), so we should try harder to get her to be nice and act nice to our other pets. She has had a hard life, it's true; she was attacked by other cats, and had a string of careless owners before she came to us. It's understandable, really, the way she acts when you think about her life. My only point is, God can help you with the little problems in your life (like an evil cat) and can turn that situation from being a real pain in the face (again trust me on that >_<) to a real joy to have around. For instance, Buttons (yes, that's the beast's name) has been getting better with our dog marty, and she doesn't beat up our other cat (pardalis) as much as she used to. She's learning not to scratch us (although I've learned to put her down if it looks like she has evil intent in her eyes) and to be more polite.

So, in closing, don't let the little situations discourage you; God will help you with even those. He cares about everything, right?

Music!

2007-11-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

So as you can see, posting has taken a nose dive. Because we're busy with other stuff, Anna and I have decided to each post once a month. I might post a little more than that but maybe not.

Since I last posted I've found another song that I really like. I also went to the Bears game (what that has to do with music is beyond me); it rocked, of course (even though they didn't win >_<) and I can't wait to go again. But right, this post is about music and not sports!! Here are two songs that I really like. The first one is East to West by Casting Crowns, and the second one is What if His people prayed which is also by Casting Crowns. Also, I thin these are fan videos and not the real music videos, but I couldn't find the real music videos, so sorry. Here they are:

And here is What if His people Prayed. I love this song even though it's really old. I think it's got a nice beat. Oh and this too is a fan video.

I'm posting!!

2007-10-02T23:24:00.000-07:00

HI!! I'm back!! No, I haven't been anywhere fun, it's just that normal life has gotten the best of me, so I stopped blogging. It wasn't intentional.

What have I been up to lately? Good question. I've been trying to do cartwheels and handstands in my backyard. I'll admit it, I've been falling alot, but every once in a while I do a good handstand, and I've been getting pretty good at cartwheels. I wish I could post the hilarious videos that I made of my attempts, but my parents don't support that, so I can't. Oh well. It was indeed, hilarious, because it's more like a outtake reel than a successful video. Many times I fell on my head or oh my shoulder, etc. Very painful, very funny.

Yeah, it might be a while before I can do a one handed cartwheel, but hopefully not long!! I don't really know what this picture is for; it kind of looks like an advertisement for Ipod. Well, if it is, it works cause I REALLY want an Ipod!!

Man, I can hardly keep my legs straight, much less bend them is cool positions! Oh well, hopefully that's not far off either. Anyways, maybe I can convince my mom to let me post my vids (don't hold your breath). More later.

2007-09-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

anna here :)
John 15:5 (New International Version) I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

The key to not quitting is simply to keep doing what you are doing no matter what life throws at you may be in a season of amassing resources, educating yourself, serving someone else’s dream, or taking action. Whatever season you are in, do it with all your energy. Don’t set the cruise control. Do it purposefully, one step and a time, and don’t quit. - Reaching Your Dreams By Tommy Barnett

2007-09-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Anna here, I hope you had a good week!! So here is another picture :) and I'm just going to put it with that verse because I was thinking about it last night.

Proverbs 3:5 (New International Version)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

Hello!

2007-09-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

Well it seems to have been a long time since I've posted. Sorry about that. School's started for me, and so far it's been good. I might even stretch to say it's been sorta fun. The only newest thing that's going on in my life is my pets. No, we haven't gotten a new animal, but I was realizing what a blessing animals are.

Whenever my dog Marty(shown below) sees me crying, he'll come up to me and wag his tail and lick my hand, and somehow it's really comforting. My cat, Pardalis, on the other hand, (who is highly selfish) will allow me to hold him (sometimes) and even that's a comfort. On a VERY rare occasion, Pardalis (as shown above) will jump up on my bed and meow in my face. And just holding him really calms me down.

So I guess I just want to take the time to thank God for my pets; they've really helped me through alot of rough times. It's fun to know that God knew that we'd love animals. Unless, of course, you're frightened, or allergic to animals. In that case they can be your worst nightmare and a danger to your health. >_< P.S. But remember that God is our greatest comforter, and He can comfort us more than a dog or cat could. ^_^

2007-09-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hey anna here!!
"Successful people do not have less challenging lives than those who do not succeed. In fact, they may go through even greater challenges. What causes the separation? Successful people respond to difficulties differently." - forgot who sorry

1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

2007-08-28T14:29:00.000-07:00

HEY ANNA HERE!!! O yea, I'm a little hyper so we'll see how this turns out. Sorry I'm a day late.

So was thinking that for today I'm not just going to post about what's going on with me, I'd like to get to know you! So if your Reading this blog comment tell me something about yourself. I'm very interested in what's going on with you. (of course you don't have to if you don't want to but it would be cool.)

And... here is another picture... :)
I hope you have an AWESOME week! Love ya! ~Anna :)

Music makes it happen

2007-08-27T17:20:00.001-07:00

So this week I've been helping my sister Danielle make a mix CD of christian music. That got me thinking about christian music and how many different versions there are out there. Here are two of my favorite songs.

This one is called " A million voices" and it's by BarlowGirl. This is a video from the IGNITE concert, and the funny thing is, I was there at the concert, right up there in the mosh pit!!! It was pretty fun too. Anyways, this was the only one of this song that I could find. Sorry about the quality.

Now this is a song by Scott Krippayne and it's called, "I'm not cool". Again really bad quality (and it's a sonic the hedgehog music video!) but I like the song so I decided that it didn't matter! I like it cause it's funny and true.

2007-08-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here!! So yup, more pictures because again I don't have anything to say. But this time its four pictures!! Lol.

Alright I hope you have a GREAT week!! :)

Hi there!!

2007-08-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

Here I am, right on time!! Unfortunately, I have nothing new to report, so I decided that I'd leave you with another one of my favorite Christian songs!! It's by Barlowgirl (hee hee ^_^), and it's called "one more round". I love it because it's a catchy tune, and because it's a good message!!

P.S. I love the video for this (it was the only one I could find!!) I LOVE CONVERSE!!!

2007-08-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here!! With another picture main point with me putting up only pictures all the time is I have nothing to say right now. And this is all I can show you. lol Well I hope you have a GREAT week! Love ya!! :)

Hi!

2007-08-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

Hey all, it's Abby! This week has been REALLY exciting for me because I've been planning for my future! On Tuesday, my mom and I sat down and talked about my options for college, and if I should even go. What we decided was that I should look into going to college, and see what happens from there. I'm really excited because I've always wanted to go to college, but I wasn't sure if that's what God wanted me to do. But then my mom gave me some AWESOME advice; she said that God gives us the desires of our hearts, and if you desire something ALOT it's probably a God-given desire that you should go for!!

So this week my mom and I are going to start looking at colleges!! I think I'll major in interior design, and minor in dance (unless the school doesn't have a dance program). It's such a great feeling, when you really want something, and you have the chance to get it!

2007-08-06T23:54:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here!! So I have no idea what to post today so here is just a picture. :) I hope you have a GREAT week

2007-07-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here!!! I'm one day late and another Monday has gone by! The weeks go by so fast when you look back at them.

So today I'm going to put up Philippians 4:6-7 (New International Version)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

YWM

2007-07-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hey what's up, Abby here. So yesterday was our twice a month young women's group. Basically, it's where girls from our church come together and get mentored by sarah barlow, rebecca collins, and my sister sam. Last night was really good; rebecca taught on worship and how God deserves all the praise that we normally give to other things (like celebrities, our work, problems, etc.). We had a really good praise and worship time and then finished it off by breaking up into small groups. The leader of my small group is sarah; she also talked on worship and how important it is to spend quality time with God. Overall it was a really good meeting. I really enjoy our young women's group; it's a nice way to get to know the girls in the church while learning about God.

2007-07-23T23:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here!!! Guess what another Monday has past... :) Well I hope you had a great week last week!!! It was alright for me forgot what happened but it was good I think. LOL!!

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8 (New International Version)

Isn't that awesome!!!

OK well don't really know what else to say... But I'm trying to get better, I will be soon. I hope you have an AWESOME week! LOVE YOU!! :)

2007-07-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here!! :)

Isaiah 53:4-6 (New International Version) 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Water parks rock!!

2007-07-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

Well, this week has been really fun! On Wednesday, my cousin invited my brother J, my sister Danielle, and me to Magic Waters. Magic Waters is a water park near us; it has tons of slides, a wave pool, and a ton of other cool stuff.

So we left the house at 10:35 and spent pretty much the whole day at the park! It was so much fun! I've never been to a water park before, so I was kind of nervous, but I had a ton of fun! The first ride we went on had a really long line, but waiting was so worth it! It was definitely the scariest ride at the park and the most fun! I was so sore on Thursday though; all that walking and swimming was a good workout. I am really looking forward to going back there again!

See that huge ride in the background? Yeah, that's the first ride we went on. Definitely scary, and definitely fun! I can't wait to go back!!

2007-07-10T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here!! I hope you have had a great week so far! :) sorry yup I'm late. and I don't know what to say so here is a picture of a flower that I took, its alittle werid but yea. I hope you have a GREAT week!!

2007-07-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

Hi. Um. ^_^ Well, it's been two weeks. I'm really sorry, this week has been super busy and super fun! My fourth of July was awesome!! I went to a church party at a church member's house. It was really fun! Everyone played volleyball, ate food (it was a cookout), and talked. My favorite part was when the teens and some of the younger kids played capture the flag. That was so much fun!! I love that game, and I've always wanted to play it, but I've only played the video game version. One of the best parts was going to see the fireworks at the end of the day. That was amazing!! I used to be frightened of fireworks (I can't remember why), but thankfully I'm not anymore, and I was able to fully enjoy the show.
The fourth of July has always been a favorite holiday of mine. Not just the games, the friends and family, or the food, but really the history that comes along with this special day. One always gets so patriotic around this time of year; thinking about the people who fought to keep us free just makes you proud to be an American! God has blessed this country is so many ways! And you know what, God continues to bless this country every day. I know that we have our problems in this country, but if we heard all the great stuff that God has been doing half as much as we hear the bad stuff, we'd be thrilled.

America is a great nation, and I'm proud to be a part of it! Have a good week!! :D

2007-07-02T23:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here! I hope you had an AWESOME weekend!!! :)

here's a little bit from two books I have read.

Reaching Your Dreams By Tommy Barnett

Dreaming takes courage to break free of the past failures, satisfaction, and fears.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey

If you base your identity on having friends, being accepted, and being popular, you may find yourself compromising your standards or changing them every weekend to accommodate your friends.

I'm not sure

2007-06-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

Hey!!! :) sorry about last week.

So...

Deuteronomy 5:7-8 (New International Version) says: You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

Anything can become an idol. (computer, TV, anything, anybody) The question you have to ask yourself is, I'm I putting this (thing or person) before God?

Do you have any idols or do you always put God first?

Sad to say I put stuff before God and its not good... So if you have things that you put before God lets together surrender them to God right now. Ask God to help you to keep Him first in your life, and to know what to do. Also if your having trouble with something in your life just ask God for help He loves you so much! And He'll never forget You! He wants to be your best friend!

So lets say right now if you met someone that loved you so much that they would die for you, wants to be your best friend, thinks that your SOOO AWESOME, believes that you can do whatever you want to do and MORE then you can imagine, and is with you telling you right now "YOUR JUST SO AWESOME!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!" NO WAY would you not want to be that persons friend!! Well guess what there is someone just like that, GOD!!!! :) He is waiting for you!! Don't you want to be His friend?

:) OK well that's the end of my post. I'm very sorry if I said some stuff in the wrong way, leave a comment if you have anything to say I'm very interested to reading what you have to say on this subject. LOL wow um... yea whatever subject this way I don't know. I was just typing not really thinking about what I was saying so um.. yea I hope you have a GREAT night or day!!! :)

2007-06-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Ok so it's saturday. Um, yeah. Well, in my defense, a certain friend of mine -->
(ahem) hasn't posted either! So there!! Ok so since this week I have no idea what to post about, and I really don't have time (sorry!!) I'm going to do post a video!! (haha, sam, I learned how to!! >:P ) It's a song that really has helped me to just keep my eyes on the prize. I hope it encourages you too!! It's called the Blessing by John Waller :D see ya soon!! P.S. the video only has music, no pics or anything!! sorry!!

Dream on!

2007-06-14T21:00:00.001-07:00

Ok! I remembered just in time!! It's 11pm right now, so if I type fast, I'll be done before it's Friday!! >:)

This week I got this great idea to start a future plans book! Basically it's where you write all your future goals and dreams! For instance, I looove all kinds of different languages, so in my future plans book I've been writing down the different languages I want to learn, and strategies on how to learn them more efficiently and quickly.

You can write down anything; countries that you'd like to see, skills you want to acquire, businesses that you'd like to start, etc. Just let yourself be creative and let your mind flow! I always like to develop the idea and give myself a few ways to accomplish it! Sometimes I set a date for when I want to have accomplished the goal, but other times it's just nice to give yourself all the time you need! Especially if it's like "get married"; I don't think I can say "oh, I'll set that one for next week" >_<

Ps 37:4 - Show Context

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

And now I'll end this post with scripture:

Jer 29:11 - Show Context

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Heb 12:1 - Show Context

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

P.S. The above picture I got online. It's a bridge in Surrey, England. Siiighh...England....siiighh..

don’t quit

2007-06-11T20:14:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here!! :) I hope you had a great week!!

Here is part of Reaching Your Dreams By Tommy Barnett:
The key to not quitting is simply to keep doing what you are doing no matter what life throws at you may be in a season of amassing resources, educating yourself, serving someone else’s dream, or taking action. Whatever season you are in, do it with all your energy. Don’t set the cruise control. Do it purposefully, one step and a time, and don’t quit.

Who can measure the faithfulness of God???

2007-06-07T18:10:00.000-07:00

YAY!! I remembered!! WOOOHOOOO!!! ahem... <:D Now what to post about?!?! <:( Ok well, this week has been a really big learning experience. For all of you who don't know, my recital for my hip hop class is coming up really soon and as most of my friends know, I've been super nervous. It will be my first time on stage, and I really don't want to mess up. So this last Monday I went to my hip hop class and worked with the rest of my class on getting the timing down. Let's just say I came away feeling really depressed and scared. My teacher said that my insecurity was holding me back from doing really well. I was super bummed because I already knew that and I was hoping that she hadn't noticed. I've seemed to always have a problem with low self esteem, and it really disturbed me to realize that it's really been hindering me.

So, I went home and talked to my mom and my sister Sam. They both said that I should trust God and give over the whole performance to Him. I already knew this, but it's always good to hear it again. What you have to realize as a Christian is that Satan will always be testing you, seeing if you really believe what you're saying. I was saying at the beginning of my dance class that I'll just trust God about my whole dance routine, but then as it got closer and closer to the dance date I got more and more nervous.

No I'm not saying "just trust God" because even though that's totally correct, I've already said that in other posts! What I'm saying is, be consistent. Stick with it. Don't give up. I'm back to believing God and I'm trusting that I'm going to do well in the show; let me tell you, I don't feel half as nervous as I did before. I just feel calm now. I have little bouts of nervousness, but I just bind them and say "Nope, I'm going to do well in the show and I'm not going to be nervous". It works, trust me. Don't let yourself fall into doubt and unbelief.

Ex 14:13 - Show Context: Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.
2Ch 20:17 - Show Context: You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.'"
Job 11:15 - Show Context: then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear.
Ps 20:8 - Show Context: They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.

Pr 10:25 - Show Context: When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
Isa 7:9 - Show Context: The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah's son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.'"
1Co 15:58 - Show Context: Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1Co 16:13 - Show Context: Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
2Co 1:21 - Show Context: Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,
2Co 1:24 - Show Context: Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.
Ga 5:1 - Show Context: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Eph 6:14 - Show Context: Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
Php 1:27 - Show Context: Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
Php 4:1 - Show Context: Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!

Sorry about all the scripture!! I just couldn't stop posting one more!! ^_^ These are really good! So be consistent. Don't give up. You totally feel worse when you stop believing God, and I know that I feel better when I'm trusting God. Just think on the faithfulness of God, and all the stuff He's done in the past for you!

De 7:9 - Show Context: Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
De 32:4 - Show Context: He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
2Sa 22:26 - Show Context: "To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
Ps 33:4 - Show Context: For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

Ok, those are the last scriptures I'm putting in this post, I promise!! Now for my last sentence in this post: God is faithful. Period. Ok that was two sentences, so what! >_<>

If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat

2007-06-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

Hey! Anna here : ) I’m so sorry I forgot the password last week so I could not post. lol! OK so before I start this post I would like to say WOW Abby your doing an amazing job I really enjoy reading your posts!! :)

Alright so I don't really have anything to say, so here is some stuff from a book I'm reading. If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat – John Ortberg:

See a middle-aged man who spends his nights sitting in front of a television set watching whatever sport happens to be on cable. He was once all fired up with bright plans for the future and strong yearnings to make his mark on this world. But somewhere along the line all the fire went out and he settled for comfort. His dreams were sacrificed to a La-Z-Boy and flickering images on a screen. He is the story of unrealized potential.

This is a way that leads to stagnation-unrealized potential, unfilled longings. It leads to a sense that I’m not living my life; the one I was supposed to live. It leads to boredom, to what Gregg Levoy calls the common cold of the soul.

To sinful patterns of behavior that never get confronted and changed,
Abilities and gifts that never get cultivated and deployed –
Until weeks become months
And months turn into years,
And one day you're looking back on a life of
Deep intimate gut-wrenchingly honest conversations you never had;
Great bold prayers you never prayed,
Exhilarating risks you never took,
Sacrificial gifts you never offered
Lives you never touched,
And you’re sitting in a recliner with a shriveled soul,
And forgotten dreams,
And you realize there was a world of desperate need,
And a great God calling you to be part of something bigger than yourself-
You see the person you could have become but did not;
You never followed your calling.
You never got out of the boat.

There is no tragedy like the tragedy of the unopened gift. Garrison Keillor tells a story called “A Day in the of Clarence Bunsen,” about an older man who realizes the years have slipped away and his life has missed something. Clarence goes to see Father Emil at Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility for some advice, Normally Clarence goes to the Lutheran church, but he wants a second opinion. When that doesn’t help, he walks past his old school and climbs the hill overlooking Lake Webegon, where he and his friends played as kids years ago, While he is reflecting on his life, Clarence hears some kids coming up the path. For some strange reason he runs ahead of them and climbs an old tree he remember from childhood. The kids stop right under his tree; they know he’s around somewhere but don’t think to look up. Clarence knew that if he dropped down on them or even yelled “Ha!” they would jump out of their shoes. He watches them so full of excitement and life, and thinks to himself,

I wish I could be like that. I just seem to go through life with my eyes closed and my ears shut. People talk to me, and I don’t even hear them. Whole days go by, and I can’t remember what happened. The woman I’ve lived with for thirty-six years, if you asked me to describe her, I’d have to stop and think about it. It’s like I’ve lived half my life waiting for my life to begin, thinking it’s somewhere off in the future, and now I’m thinking about death all the time. It’s time to live, to wake up and do something

And he jumped and yelled, “Hayee!” Oh, those boys exploded out of there, like birds. And he yelled, “Haah!” And then he said, “Ouch! Ouch!” They came back to where he was sitting and asked, “You all right Uncle Clarence?” He replied. “Yes, But go down and tell Mrs. Bunsen to bring the car up to the gravel road. I’ll meet her by the mailbox,” He crawled a hundred yard over to the road. She picked him up and didn’t ask what happened… This is the tragedy of the unopened gift: It’s as if I’ve lived half my life waiting for life to begin, thinking it’s somewhere off in the future. As Thoreau hauntingly put it, “I did not wish to live what was not life.. I wanted to live deep and suck all the marrow of life.”

Getting Out Of The Boat
1. What’s your boat? Where is fear or comfort keeping you from trusting God?
2. In what area do you need discernment to know to know if you’re really being called to get out of the boat?
3. What’s one risk you can take in your life that could help your faith to grow:
a. Stand up for a value you believe in during a tough conversation?
b. Express affection ever thought it may be hard for you?
c. Take on a challenge that you know will stretch you?
4. What’s one failure from your past that haunts you? What trusted friend can you share it with as a step in robbing it of its power?
5. Where are you in relation to Jesus these days?
a. Huddled in the boat with a life preserver and the seat belt on
b. One leg in, one leg out
c. I’m walking on the water-and loving it
d. I’m out of the boat-but the wind looks pretty bad

With all boldness...

2007-06-01T21:16:00.001-07:00

AAAAAAAHH!! I'm so late with my post, I know!! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!!! <:( It's been a SUPER busy week!! Sunday I got back from my 2 week vacation to Nevada! It was very fun and a very educational experience! While I was there I went to the valley of fire, the grand canyon, a ton of museums, and I spent most of my time there swimming at the hotel pool; that rocked >:D

One of the things I learned there was life changing. We went out the Nevada to be there for my uncle and aunt's 50th wedding anniversary. While we were there we got to see our cousins and second cousins that we hadn't seen in 10 years!! We were definitely nervous about seeing them again, but once the initial shyness wore off we had the best time! By the time the first visit was over we were close friends! And over the next 9 days that we were there we spent almost every day with them!

On the night of the anniversary dinner, our second cousins decided to spend the night in our room with us ( us being me and my 2 sisters). We all stayed up really late talking about God that night. When we were talking I just felt the draw of the Lord on me to invite my two cousins to receive Jesus as their Savior. I was really nervous, but just when I was thinking about backing down I heard a small snippet of a verse in my head (also the title of this post). It was like God leaned over and whispered in my ear "With all boldness..." and at that moment I had the confidence to go forward. I could see in my cousins eyes that they had been looking for God, and were hungry for Him. When I did ask my cousins they readily said yes!! My sister Sam prayed with them and we gave them advice about getting a Bible and plugging themselves into a church so they can have support system! It was one of the best days of my life!

What I learned from that is that at the time that you need to step out, God will give you this confidence, this boldness. Sure, I was nervous, but I also felt that I could most certainly do this. God was right there with me and my sister helping us to say the right words. At the time I wasn't sure which scripture it was that had the words "with all boldness" in it, but it could have been any of these:

Ac 4:31 - Show Context: And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
Php 1:20 - Show Context: according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Ac 4:29 - Show Context: And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness,

4:30: while thy stretchest forth thy hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus.

Ac 28:31 - Show Context: preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him.
2Co 7:4 - Show Context: Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying on your behalf: I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction.

Next time that you're in a situation where you just feel sick with nervousness, turn to God and ask Him for extraordinary boldness and unshaken confidence. The word of God (as seen above) says that God provides boldness. Just believe that and stand on that.

Hope this helps!! Have a blessed week! Maybe I'll be on time next week eh? maybe? PLEASE HOPE HOPE HOPE HOPE ahem I mean...... >_<

Abby

Dare To Dream

2007-05-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here!! :) I hope your all having a great week so far!!

OK... So I just started reading Dare To Dream By John C. Maxwell for school. So this is alittle bit of the book.

U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt said: Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to tank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

Someone once said, “Don’t let yourself be pressured into thinking that your dreams or your talents are not prudent. They were never meant to be prudent. They were meant to bring joy and fulfillment to your life.” What’s the worst thing that could happen if you peruse your dream and don’t achieve it? You could be where you are now. What’s the best thing that could happen if you pursue your dream and don’t achieve it? You could find yourself in new territory on the threshold of a new dream.

Battle Cry

2007-05-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

Hey! Anna here :)
I hope your all having a great day!
These two videos are from the Battle Cry's podcast.
Battle Cry is with Teen Mania Ministries
www.battlecry.com

Don't you like me????

2007-05-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

YAY!! I remembered that today is the day I have to post!! Aren't you proud of me?? ^_^ Actually that's what I'm going to be talking about today: looking for confidence and acceptance from others. >_<

Now for me, this area can present alot of problems; if I think that anyone ever has even the slightest problem with me, I tend to feel unhappy and distressed. So I was just praying and thinking about confidence this week, and I realized that I should find my self-confidence in God!!

And one of the ways we can do that is by reading what the Bible says about us:

Psalms 144:15
Blessed are the people of whom this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.

Psalms 5:12
For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield

Psalms 34:19
A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;

Psalms 32:1
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered

Romans 8:37
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

As you can see, the Bible says that we're conquerers, we're blessed, and we're righteous!! And God is the only one who can, and will, accept you just the way you are and love you inspite of your faults or problems!! That's why we should look to God for acceptance and high self-esteem; because He's the only one who can give us exactly what we need! God will always think well of us!

So if you find that you have low self-esteem, or you realize that you look to others for confidence, stop, and start looking to God! How? By reading what the Bible says about you and believing it!

Hope this helped! Have a good weekend!

Abby

P.S. Oh yeah and by the way I'll be out of town from the 14th to the 28th so I won't be able to post!! <:( sorry!!!

Habits

2007-05-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hey!!!! Anna here. Today is a great day lets make the most of it!!

So I’ll be talking about Habits today!! They can make you or break you.

Let’s discover what habits we have, and which ones we need to change.
Questions to ask yourself:
1.What are my bad habits?
2.What are my good habits?
3.Which habits take me away from my purpose in life?
4.Which habits bring me closer to my purpose in life?
5.How is this habit helping me?

Now if your like me then you discovered TONS of bad habits you have lol : ).

Lets start changing the bad habits into good habits today! Don’t waste your time, your never going to get this time back! And you can do it!!!

Philippians 4:13 say:
I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].

Now What habits do you need to change?

Ok that’s great!! Let replace these bad habits with some good habits.

What kind of habits will bring you closer to who you are called to be?

Start making these habits. Make the plan and start changing your life for the better today! You know you want to and You know you can!

It most likely will be very hard but remember, you can do it with God’s help!!!

So what are you waiting for GO FOR IT!!!!

Turn it up!!

2007-05-03T21:10:00.000-07:00

Ok well today is the day that I'm supposed to post; at least I'm timely today! ^_^ The only problem is that I don't know what I should post about. So I'm just going to start typing and see what comes out, mmk?

It's amazing how much music can effect your mood isn't it? I remember that when I felt sad or angry, listening to certain types of music (which will remain nameless.. >_<) would either help me stay in that mood, or help me feel even worse. But what I realized was, I never seem to remember that music can also help put you in a really good mood; even help you to come out of a bad mood. I know that music helps you also to praise God.

Psalms 87:7
At all the festivals, the people will sing, "The source of my life is in Jerusalem!"

Psalms 92:1
It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High,

Psalms 95:2
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

Psalms 98:4
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;

Psalms 108:1
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

I've found that listening to cheerful music helps me to stay focused on God, and not get sidetracked but despair, anger, or depression. In a way, it helps me to do what God wants, because I'm not bogged down in fear, doubt, or worry (especially if I'm listening to a really good christian song).

So my advice for you iiiis: try to listen to more upbeat, uplifting music this week!! Perhaps you'll find that you're less depressed, or more productive!

Have a good week!! ^_^

Abby

Lou Holtz

2007-04-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here, sorry I don't know what to post about again so here is a quote i like. :) I hope you have a great day!!!
“Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”-Lou Holtz

Lean on me!!

2007-04-26T09:57:00.001-07:00

Ok so today is Friday....uh, yeah no excuse there. All I can say is sorry!! and hope that you'll all share some grace with me >_<. And speaking of late posts, Anna and I have decided to post on different days; from now on, Anna will post on Mondays and I will post on Thursdays. Any questions? No? Good. Moving on then. Well today has been a really busy day for me; Fridays at my house are always cleaning days; vacuuming, scouring, dusting, etc, etc. And as I was vacuuming today, God just reminded me that I need to lean on Him. So many times I find myself leaning on my own strength to get the job done; but that's not what God wants, and that's not what's best for me. After a long day of leaning on myself I find that I'm tired, drained, and unhappy. The Bible says:

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

2 Samuel 22:33
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.

Exodus 15:2
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.

1 Chronicles 16:11
Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

Normally when I realize that I've been leaning on my own strength, I stop and tell God that I need His help and His strength. I say, "God, from here on out, it's up to you; this situation is yours to take care of; I'm leaning on you." And you know, it really works!! I find that I have more energy, and I don't end up fatigued and unhappy! So this week, if you find yourself leaning on your own strength, stop and give the situation to God!

That's all for now!! Hopefully next week I'll be on time!!

:)

2007-04-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

Cover your mouth!!!

2007-04-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Ok so I know it's Thursday and I was supposed to post yesterday, but Wednesday was really busy for me. Hope you can forgive me for being late. >:I

So this week I've been learning about watching what you say. Sometimes what seems like a joke can turn out to be a really rude and cutting comment. It's ironic because I started to read one Psalm and one Proverb each day, and Proverbs always has something about watching your mouth.
And now that I think about it, so does the Psalms!

Psalms 15:3
...and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,

Psalms 34: 13
keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.

Psalms 37:30
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.

Wow these are all Psalms >_<. Let me put in a few Proverbs.

Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Proverbs 10:31
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.

Proverbs 11:12
A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.

I've also been learning about humility; aka, when you say something hurtful or rude, you have to be willing to say your sorry (no matter how embarrassed or self-concious you feel!)

Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 15:33
The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 22:4
Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.

Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Titus 3:2
to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

Wow these verses are really great!! I hadn't heard of alot of them!! Ok, so the next time you find that you've said something you shouldn't have, repent, ask God to forgive you, and ask that person to forgive you!! What I always try to remember is, everyone goes through the challenge of control their tongue; and God will help you along the way!!

Have a great day!! Sorry for the late post!

Abby ^_^

Write the vision

2007-04-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

Hey anna here :]

Habakkuk 2

(New American Standard Bible)
2-3Then the LORD answered me and said, "Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run. "For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.

(The Message)
2-3And then God answered: "Write this. Write what you see.Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming.It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie.If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time.

(King James Version)
2-3And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Lost and Found

2007-04-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

Well it's Wednesday, which means it's my (Abby) turn to post. mmk.

My brother Jeremy once told me that I was very good at making sound, snap decisions; that I could change my course in a matter of seconds to match God's course. I looked back on this today, and realized that in the past few months satan had convinced me that I had lost this ability; that I couldn't force myself to make the right decision on the spot. I just realized what a lie that is; I aquired that ability and I still have that ability.

What is satan lying to you about? What has he convinced you that you're incapable of or have lost the ability to do?

And how do you know if it's satan telling you a lie, or just God bringing something to your attention? Well, I've noticed that when it's the devil talking to me, he makes it sound like it's my voice saying this (example "Gee, I guess I'm just not good at this..."), whereas when God talks to me He says "You" and not "I".

I know it's satan lying to me when I feel limited, trapped, or like there's absolutely no way out. I know this isn't God because the Bible says:

2Cor. 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Also, when God's trying to make a change in you, He won't make you feel overwhelmed, or like there's no solution to this problem. He won't make you feel condemned.

Romans 8:1 (NIV)
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

I hope this helps!!

Switchfoot - This Is Your Life

2007-04-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hey Anna here, so here is my sunday post! :)

Boredom kills

2007-04-04T14:26:00.001-07:00

Ok so today is the day that I’m supposed to post. Yay. Nothing really amazing has happened to me this week, although I did learn an important lesson. What’s that lesson, hmm? Well, last Sunday I decided to spend the entire next week at home, hanging out with my family. I had become so busy with friends and my dance class that I hardly ever got to see them, and I knew that wasn’t right.

The only problem with this plan is that one of my sisters is busy for most of the day at college, the other sister is busy with work, and my brother is busy with college AND work. So where does that leave me? Sitting at home, feeling completely bored.

And now comes the realization; when boredom consumes you, DO NOT TURN ON THE TV!!! It really does zap all your creative juices out of you, and you come away feeling lazy and drained.

Now I literally feel like I can’t think up a single fun thing to do, and I KNOW it’s that stupid TV’s fault!! How can I be bored when I have 100s of books that I haven’t read lying around, a cat and dog that I could play with, and…umm.. DANG I can’t think of anything!!! See what I mean? NO CREATIVITY!!!

But maybe it’s just that you get more boring as you get older? I mean when you’re little you can play with Barbie dolls, GI Joe (which is NOT a doll!!!), and a variety of other toys. I remember only a few times in my childhood when I was truly bored. I think that as we get older maybe we allow different things to swallow our imaginations and take away our creativity.

So the instruction of the day iiiis: TV is evil!!! Don’t watch it!! But if you must, watch only an hours worth!!! OH! And don’t let anything zap your imagination or your creativity!! Got it? GOOD!

Throw away your unwillingness

2007-04-01T21:29:00.001-07:00

Anna here
You have something in your life that calls you to your purpose. What is that thing? You should spend time with God to get the revelation. God has a calling for you; you are called to do something great. Find out what that is! Spend time with God to find out your calling in life; take a couple days just to pray. And I know, you may say you don't have time but this is your life we’re talking about; make the time!!! You need to know what you’re called to do. So pray; find out what God’s plan is for you!!! Take the time!!

But you may have an unwillingness to follow Gods plan for your life, you may want to be in control of your own life. But really, think about this; do you want your own little plan for your purpose in life, or do you want to do what the creator of heaven and earth called you to do for your purpose in life!! God has this amazing plan for your life! Don’t just settle for your own plan; go for Gods plan with all your heart!! Throw away the unwillingness; DON’T throw away Gods AMAZING plan for you! Commit your heart to God.

So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time. 1 Kings 8:60-61 (New International Version)

But it takes trust; you have to trust God. So lay down your plan and seek God to find out what God’s plan is. God’s plan for you is bigger then you can ever think of. Trust God!

In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD. I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. Psalm 31:1-8 (New International Version)

If you’re having trouble getting started, just take the first step and keep moving closer to God's calling for your life. Just do it! The first step most of the time is the hardest so get it over with and just go for it!

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]. Philippians 4:13 (Amplified)

Welcome!

2007-04-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

above is Abby..........................above is Anna
We will be posting! I hope you all enjoy Reading our thoughts and other random stuff!! I hope you have an awesome day/night!! We will be posting like two times a week!! Abby will be posting on Wednesdays YAY!!! and I will be posting on Sundays! :)