I just got back from Florida, where I went to my cousin’s wedding and stayed with my grandparents. Usually when I see my grandma and grandpa, I‘m not able to have a lot of quality time with them because the rest of my family is there – the hustle and bustle keeps us all busy.  But this time I had four days alone with them, and got to know them better than I ever have before.  I went grocery shopping with them and looked at old photos with them.  I took a walk on the pier with my grandpa, checked the mail with my grandma, listened to their stories, concerns, and prayers, and laughed at how my grandpa accidentally fell asleep in church.  My grandma’s eyes welled up with tears when I left, and I am so grateful that I got to spend such quality time with them.

When I was on the plane, I decided that I would write them more. Getting the mail is an important part of my grandma’s day, and to get a card or a letter from her grandkids would no doubt put a smile on her face.  I have come to face the fact that they are getting old, and I want them to know how much I appreciate them every chance I get.

If your grandparents are still alive, I’d encourage you to got out this weekend and find them a nice card or write them a letter.  We often take grandparents for granted.  Showing the love of Christ by remembering them is a beautiful thing.

Have a great weekend!

Michelle

My heart is broken for the girl that cannot receive love.
Whose father wasn’t the spiritual leader in her home.
Whose brother never held her face and told her that he loved her.
Whose guy friends never protected her.
Whose mother never told her she was beautiful without the clothes and the make up.
Whose friends never told her of her true beauty.
Whose spiritual family never told her of her true value.
Whose best friends never prayed for her.
Whose spiritual leaders never called her to a higher standard.

She was never told she beautiful, she was never told she was special.
She was never told she was unique, she was never told she was worthy.
She was never told that she was loved, and that same love she never found.

And so, she searches on.

Who will find her, who will save her, who will love her and take her home?
Will she settle for less?  Will she search for more?
Will she live in the darkness?  Will she live in the light?
Will she be a slave?  Will she ever be free?

How did she get here?  How did this happen?  And whose fault could it be?

I am guilty.  You are guilty.  We are guilty.  She is guilty.

But she is innocent.  Because He is innocent.  Because she is His.  And He is hope.

Hope for freedom.
Hope for beauty.
Hope for protection.
Hope for acceptance.
Hope for honour.
Hope for grace.
Hope for worth.
Hope for a special place.
Hope for today.
Hope for tomorrow.
Hope forever.

Hope for love.

Got an awesome email over the weekend from my dear friend Alex.  Part of it was too good not to share with you girls…I hope she doesn’t mind!

(As you know) I was dating God for a year.  Well yesterday was my one year!! SO crazeh but SO great. I love God so much and he is providing opportunites to encourage me and others to become more godly even when I don’t “feel” like it. This world has so many pressures but with Gods help I am slowly escaping them, like the pressure of the media, needing a boyfriend to be secure, etc. God is just teaching me to trust Him. I just encountered a struggle and all God said was to trust Him, “just trust me, just trust me” He would keep saying. and its actually insane how faithful he was to that. I couldn’t have gotten thro it without Him, and he provided just what I needed to get through! I am learning everyday and am excited for a new stage of my relationship with God. Through dating Him, I became much more confident in myself and in who I am. I am really excited to see what God has in store for me in the next few months!!

It PUMPS ME UP that there are young women who live like this. It’s totally goes against what the rest of the world is doing.  It’s absolutely counter-culture, and completely life-changing.  Alex- I’m SO proud of you, you’re (probably literally) 1 in 1000.

Has anyone else ‘dated God’ for a while?  What was the experience like?  Was it worth the time and effort?  Any tips/suggestions/ideas on how to make the best of it.

I came across this quote at the beginning of the week and it has been on my mind ever since….

” Christ cared about  the simple dignities. He stopped to talk to those others walked past. He loved the seemingly unlovable, touched the untouchable, and died for the unfaithful. His love went beyond His own to the unknown.”

It has challenged me to think, “How does the way I live, on a day to day basis, compare to this?!”

2 Corinthians 5:20 says that we are ambassadors for Christ - His representatives. Meaning, since He is no longer physically on the earth, we are the ones that serve as an example -to the world- of who He is.

It’s so easy to fall into a rut of loving those in our “circle of comfort” - friends, family, co-workers. But what about that person who gets on our last nerve? Those who don’t met up to our standard of living? The stranger on the street?

Over the weekend, I challenge you to examine the circle of those you love and extend it.
Befriend the friendless. Acknowledge the ignored. Step out in LOVE.

Jess

This Week’s ‘That’s What He Said’ comes from the alway hilarious Caleb Teeple.  But this time, he’s being very serious.  Great advice from a godly husband.

I think the one thing that really needs to be reaffirmed for girls is that the world we live in is screwed up and its value system is in direct opposition to the Kingdom of God.

This is highly evident in how girls in our society are constantly told that their value comes from their physical appearance and sex appeal, when the truth is that God values each of them equally and loves them with an unconditional love that is better than anything they can chase after in this life. I guess you could extend that to say (in a more quotable form)…

“Stay away from any guy who feeds you the lie that your value is intrinsically tied to your physical appearance and what you can offer them sexually.”

Caleb