50 States

Last week I had the joy of having to memorize all 50 states, their capitals, and locations. It was difficult at first but I made up random ways to remember them. 50 states in the United States. Are you teaching people about the gospel throughout your state?? If not one Christian teaches anyone else in the whole United States how will the people in other locations ever learn about the Bible? We are told to go out and teach in the Bible. Now I'm not saying everyone will be missionaries or travel the country teaching but how about walking across the street and inviting someone to church? Someone had to teach us and it's our job to each others. I would hate to know that someone didn't make it to Heaven because I failed to do my job as a child of Christ and teach them. I just wouldn't be able to bear the thought. People are always looking for an excuse to talk to someone why not stop looking for excuses to use to talk to them and start discussing the Bible? Why not stop inviting people to go to the mall or movies and invite them to go to church with you? Why not stop putting off conversations about the Bible and questions that people have and just face them? We don't like people to call us cowards or think of us wimps but we act like it. We are always too scared to talk about the Bible because we  think we will look like freaks or weirdos. Seriously there will always be something weird about you. I don't know what your weird thing about you is but one of my weird things just happens to be I'm a 17 year old girl and I like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It is seriously sad when we are so scared about being seen as weird and would rather talk about everything else in the world but the Bible just to keep things "right". There are people in some countries who die everyday because they are Christians and they teach the word and praise God. While we sit around in a "free" country with freedom of religion in all 50 states and we struggle with sharing our faith. We need to get our priorities straight and fix this problem we have with teaching others the Gospel!

Girls Night at Faulkner University

Friday night we loaded up the car and headed to Montgomery. We were on our way to Faulkner University for a girls night. There was about 12 girls that showed up for it. We had a theme for the event. It stated "Two are better than one...a cord of 3 strands is not easily broken." We got to paint this theme on a canvas any way we wanted and spend time with each other. We had devotionals and watched a movie. Yesterday before we left we even got a "car tour" of the campus. I had so much fun and I'm sure everyone else did to! I was nervous about going but now I'm really glad I did!!

God Is On Your Side

Recently i have had really bad anxiety problems and have been stressing about everything going on. I have felt alone and lonely and like nobody cared. I didn't think I could talk to anyone. Then I remembered when everything is going wrong God is still here. No, you can't see him or hear him but you are able to talk to him. When you have stuff going on and you don't know who to talk to just pray to God about it. He gives us plenty of help in the Bible. No matter how bad your life seems to be he is here for you. No matter how bad you messed up he loves you and will forgive you. It's just up to you if your going to use it or not and make a change. 

Happy New Year

Well hello 2015 bye bye 2014. In about a year I will be getting ready to graduate.  It seems so unreal. One of my New Year Resolutions is to do good in school to make it to my senior year. Did you make a new year resolution? Are you going to actually follow through with it or give up a quarter of the way? Every year people make resolutions they plan to keep but never do. People are always saying "I'm going to eat healthy, lose weight, work harder, be a better person." How about being a better Christian? It isn't just a new year for worldly people but Godly people as well. We should worry less about how much weight we are going to lose, what kind of fruits and vegetables we are going to eat, how hard we are going to work, and how much of a better person we are going to be and more about being a better Christian. Being a better Christian should be the most important resolution of all.

Donuts

Thursday night I worked at the Birmingham Zoo for the Zoo Light Safari. We got done around 9:30 and when I got in the car I was starving and freezing. My mom had a box of donuts in the car so that's what I ate.  On our way home we were at a red light and this man was standing in the middle of the road with a sign that said "Starving, give food". This man was homeless and didn't have anything to eat. We stopped and gave the man the box of donuts. Yeah it was just a few left but he was so appreciative of them. I understood how cold he was I had just been outside myself for 5 hours but he does that everyday and night. The poor man didn't even have any food. People always see homeless people on the street and say oh they aren't that bad off they could go get a job and do better. Nobody ever stops to think maybe that person doesn't have any one to help them. They might not be able to go get a job. People are always afraid to stop because they think if they give them money they will just go buy drugs then why not go buy them food. Stop judging people just because they have different circumstances then you and are under different conditions then you are. Some people actually do appreciate your help and want better for themselves.  It broke my heart seeing that man outside in the cold hungry. I wish I could have done more for him. I know he was grateful for the donuts and I hope someday I can help that man again. I wish the best for him and everyone else who is homeless with no food or anything to drink or with no warmth.  It wouldn't kill you to give them food every once in a while. God gives us food everyday without complaining so why do we have to complain about giving other people food who need it.

Santa Claus

In four short days kids all over the world will wake up early in the morning to see what they got for Christmas from Santa. Some will be satisfied with what they received others mad because they didn't get exactly what they wanted. Some times in all of the chaos of the Christmas season and in the anxiety of worrying about what presents you will receive we forget about our everyday Santa Claus.....God. God gives us presents every second of the day. No the presents he gives us aren't wrapped in paper and put under a tree and given to us on December 25. They are given to us in a different way.  God gives us the gift to wake up every day, have food on the table, have good health, a loving family, and so much more. During this season we are so worried about "Santa" but what about God. We don't have to write him a letter for him to know what we need and want.  He automatically knows and gives to us as he sees best. God is constantly watching you not just one time of the year to see if you are naughty or nice but constantly.  You don't have to leave him cookies, because his  cookies are when you praise him and honor his commandments. The milk is when you are baptized and remain a faithful Christian.  He doesn't have to come down a chimney he can come any way he wants with angels not reindeer.  How about thanking God a little bit more for being our everyday Santa and the one time a year Santa a little bit less.

My Mama

My mama is my best friend. I can talk to her about anything and she's always here when I need her. Yeah we might not always get along but that's just because we are that much alike. When I have band concert she's there, softball game she's sitting on the bleachers cheering me on. Test coming up she helps me study. Lads to Leaders speech practice she helps me practice. God has blessed me with an amazing godly woman as my mom. I hope when I get older I am a strong person with a kind willing heart just like she is. My mom might be a single mom but there isn't anything I go without if I need or want. If she is able to get it for me she will. She's the greatest role model I could ever ask for. I don't know what I would do if God hadn't put her in my life and honestly I don't want to find out.

UAB Honor Band

This past weekend was the UAB honor band for high school. I was chosen to participate in it. Thursday we had auditions to be placed in a band and a certain chair. I was 5th chair Gold band. I was so excited because my band director was my old band director Mr. Wright!!! We learned 4 songs in just 6 and a half hours. we had practice Thursday night, Friday, and a little bit on Saturday. I love doing UAB honor band. It's a great experience for anyone to be apart of. It helps you grow as a musician and make friends. You meet people from all over. This weekend there was this girl in the same band as me who lost her mom Friday during practice. She had the courage to come back to practice and even come to the concert yesterday. While you are at honor bands you get to meet people who can have an effect on you. I know that girl sure did have one on me.

Samantha Mahoney

Samantha is an 11th grader at Clay-Chalkville High School. She plays the saxophone at her school. This weekend when we did UAB honor band we were put in the same band. On Friday during practice she received a phone call that I know changed her life forever. When she got the phone call she left practice about an hour and a half later she came back. After lunch we found out her mom had just died from kidney cancer. Samantha came back and finished practice. Yesterday at the concert she came and performed knowing that's where her mom would've wanted her to be. We played a song called Chrous Angelorum. Samantha announced this song and dedicated it to her mom. Chorus Angelorum is a song about death. Samantha is a strong young lady who influenced me a lot this weekend. We didn't really get to talk but I know if we had we could have been really good friends. She was a influence on me without even realizing it. I wish the best for her and her family. My prayers are with her through this difficult time and I hope yours will be also. It is going to be a difficult road ahead for her and her family but with the prayers of everyone and the help of God everything will be okay. Now is the time where she is going to need her band family, UAB honor band family, actual family, and friends the most. I know I will never forget the courage of Samantha. It has impacted me forever.

Christmas

Christmas is in 2 weeks!!!! Can you believe it!??????? Everyone is making list for things they want, making plans for what they are going to do, and plans about who they are going to spend it with. During this season it is supposed to be a time of giving and spending time with your loved ones and people are forgetting that. We get mad when we don't get exactly what we have on our lists but think about the people who don't recieve any gifts. Think about the people who don't have any family to spend Christmas with. Not everyone is able to celebrate Christmas. The soldiers over seas being thousands of miles away from their families but we're worrying about what we are going to recieve and if it will be better then everyone else's presents. Personally I do even care about getting presents I just love spending time with my friends and family, looking at all the decorations and lights, decorating the tree, and seeing everyone happy. What are your priorities at this time of year?

Black Friday

This past Friday was the yearly day some dread while others like...............Black Friday. It is always after Thanksgiving. This is one of the things that don't make sense to me. How are you going to be "thankful" for everything you have but then the next day you are willing to fight someone just because of a good deal. I mean just because your parents might have taught you to work for something you want but that doesn't mean to start throwing punches because someone got to a certain item before you. There is something called walking away and get the item later but to fight for an item is really kind of childish. We teach little kids not to fight over toys but then people go and fight over a item that is "on sale". Trust me if you got to fight for an item it's not worth it. Go home and get it some other time.

Having Surgery

Tuesday I am having surgery. I really hate the idea of being put to sleep. I have been dreading this day for almost a month now. I'm fine with going to sleep willingly but when it comes to medicine putting me to sleep I start getting scared. One thing I have to remember like so much other people is that God will be with us through times like this. If you get scared or worried God is there. Don't think you can go through with something hard God will be there. You have to turn to God when things get rough or scary. He will be there for you watching over you making sure your okay.

Feeding the Homeless

Yesterday I went with my best friend to feed the homeless. We fed about 75 people. They were all so sweet and appreciative. It was just a little thing we did but they loved it. There are a lot of people out in the world that are homeless or don't have food. We need to help these people as much as we can. God helps us all the time. Why not share our blessings with other people? Some people don't know how to ask for help so it's our job as Christians to help people when we see them struggling or going with out. We shouldn't fuss or complain about it. We should be happy we are given the opportunity to help someone else.

Nationals

Well the band just got back from the High Step Marching Nationals. While there we won several trophies. The award we are most happy about is being the Champions. We competed against other bands across the country and we are the best. We are extremely grateful that we won again this year and have directors,parents,family, friends, and teachers that come out and support us. 

Preparing

I am in the band at my school. We are going to the National High Stepping Competition this weekend in Atlanta. We have to practice everyday and try our hardest on order to do our best. We as Christians also have to prepare for Christ to come back. There will be a day when we have to answer for our sins. We have to prepare our selves for the day that Christ comes back and determines whether we go to Heaven or Hell. How are you preparing for this?

Being Tired

Yesterday we had a band competition in a city that is almost 2 hours away from our school. We didn't get home until around 11:30-12:00 in the morning. We were so tired but at 7 o clock Sunday morning we were up getting ready for church. If you can stay up or out all night whether you had a choice or not you can make it to church the next day. If you have something planned and you know you won't make it to church the next day because of it then you need to make sure you either schedule your plans for sooner  or get home a little bit earlier.