This picture is from a torch walk I went on last year at our youth group retreat. It was an awesome thing to go hiking in the woods with these burning torches being the only light to our path. It totally reminded me of this verse;

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Ps. 119:105

Seventeen

So, tonight is the last night I get to be sixteen years old, because tomorrow is my birthday! We don't have any big plans, but I am looking forward to it.

God has blessed me in so many different ways in the last sixteen years I have been alive. I am so thankful for His loving hand in my life. Without Him I would certainly be a mess! He has been so patient with me. I have been so unfaithful at times, but every time I come back to Him, He embraces me with His amazing love and mercy. I am so thankful for my Savior!!! He is my refuge, my stronghold, my friend, my love, my joy, my everything!! Without Him I am nothing.

God is so good. I want the rest of my days to be spent in living in joy for Jesus my Savior!!

A Mirror for His Glory

"It is only when the waters are perfectly still that they can reflect the glories of the heavens. It is the same with us. Only when our minds and hearts are restfully focused on our Prince can we become reflections of His strong, steady, and unshakable peace."
-Leslie Ludy

This fall I had the opportunity to go flying in our friend's small plane. I had never been in a plane before so this was quite the experience for me. I was completely awed by the things I saw from the airplane! Everything was tiny and adorable! But I must say that my very favorite thing to see in the little landscape beneath me were the tiny silver lakes and ponds. The were like looking at little mirrors sweetly placed in different places around the land. When you flew over-top them you could look down and see them reflecting the clouds in the sky. It was beautiful! But, when the wind would blow and the lakes would become all stirred up you couldn't see the clouds anymore. And it seemed to lose it's charm.

I want my life to mirror that of my King's. I don't want to become so self-focused on the temporary storms so that I stop reflecting His glory and power.
And just like a lake catches the light and sparkles, I want my life to catch God's light and I want to sparkle for Him. But it is a hard thing to do. There are distractions of every kind. And the Enemy of our souls is always there to bring doubts and fears, rebellion and unforgivness, or just about anything else to distract us from God's goodness. We have to keep the eyes of our hearts purposefully fixed upon our Lord. And when things do get hard we have this blessed assurance:

"For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted." -Hebrews 2:18

God is ready for us to come to Him when things are getting rough. He longs to comfort you with His love. What an amazing God we have!!

So, my question for you: What are you reflecting? Are you a mirror for God's glory? Or do you worry and fret over your troubles so that you can't sparkle for Him?
It is a question I have to keep asking myself.

The Sweet Charm of Anne and Gilbert

Totally one of my favorite stories of all time! And I like the movie equally as well!

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light so shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16