What Do You Want For Christmas?

Today in my P.E. class, my teacher told us to shout one thing we wanted for Christmas after we completed an exercise.

Friend 1: A prostitute!
Friend 2: A pole!
Me: KITTENS!!!

The funny thing is that THEY looked at ME like I was the weird one! I'm not saying that all three if us didn't laugh extremely hard afterward, but what kind of sick people are they?!

I need to rethink some of my friendships.

One more semester... One more semester... One more semester...
Rachel

I Don't Even Know How to Do This

The good news is that I'm making new friends at school. The bad news is that I'm making new friends at school.

PE class is where I have made the most friends. Yes, friends I see outside of school, friends I text, and friends that come up with silly nicknames for me. It's great to know somebody has my back in that scary school.

It's just terrible because several of these people don't know my Jesus. These people come to me for advice, and I haven't the slightest idea of how to advise them because they aren't Christians! I'm caught feeling guilty because I can't tell them what the Word says because I'm afraid they won't understand.

It's like we are speaking two different languages. I don't even know how to help someone who doesn't know Jesus.

A Frustrated Rachel

When does it end?

I'd like to make an understatement here: I miss my old school.

Everyday is just the same at my new school. I'm getting so caught up in the repetition of things. Change is starting to become getting a Starbucks after school instead of a Pepsi freeze. Honestly, I am so tired of it.

On the weekends, I splurge by going to my old school's football games on Friday nights. I've enjoyed going to them to support the players, see my friends, and visit old teachers. It's with them that I feel the most like myself.

I am trying to be content with where I go to school, but it's the most difficult thing. I don't know if I'm just a weirdo who can't let go of the past or if it really is as bad as it seems. 

All I know is that I am tired of school. I've become physically ill from being so stressed out all the time and from a lack of sleep. I've developed several migraines over the past two weeks, and I pray that this does not become a regular thing. I'm behind in my Calculus assignments because I had to take a silly high school exit exam that only took me one hour and the rest of the class four. I am just so done. 

Rachel

Cell Phones Rock

Cell phones are one of those controversial items that can definitely lead someone down a road filled with drama and the wrong idea about what social networking really is. They can become an idol and be put as a priority where they don't belong. They can lead to temptations and may cause people to stumble.

Don't let them do that to you because cell phone are so cool guys.

I'm laying in bed at night, and I'm thinking, "I wanna listen to some music." Whip out the cell phone. Phil Wickham Pandora station? I think YES. I hear some song lyrics, and I think, "That sounds like this verse I read..." Bam. Logos Bible app. But oh no! This section of the Word is just touching my heart right now, but I'm slowly drifting to the state where I am so tired I cannot comprehend what I am reading. That's no problem for the YouVersion Bible app - They have it all on audio! Hear something you just need to share it with your friends? Twitter and Facebook are tools to share the Word of God RIGHT AT YOUR FINGER TIPS.

Of course, nothing will ever beat locking yourself in the bathroom with your journal, three versions of the Bible, a Bible dictionary, and concordance for a solid 2-3 hours, or having a deep, theological conversation with your friend at Starbucks when you just need to share what God's been doing in your life... but why not use our cell phones to glorify the Lord? That is what we were created to do... Yes, we can bring Him honor with our technology.

Praise God. Let the use of my cell phone be pleasing in Your sight.
Rachel

Mercy Triumphs

I've been participating in a Bible study at my church called James-Mercy Triumphs, and as you can infer by the name, it is about the book of James. It's written by a fabulous lady, Beth Moore. Girls, if you are looking for a deep Bible study, I suggest getting into one of hers! This Bible study is kind of filling the void my Bible classes left me with. It is theologically packed. We look at Greek and Hebrew translations, and I love how she relates James's teachings to those of Christ and Old Testament. It's amazing. I'm learning new things about my God, about history, about James, and about myself. I just wanted to take a post to brag a little about this study and to encourage everyone to be digging in the Word daily. I can't wait to apply what I'm learning to my everyday life.

Find what gets you pumped to read the Word, and chase it.
Rachel

Awesome

A conversation about church I witnessed between an acquaintance and a couple other people.

Girl 1: Never go to church. Last time I went, the priest guy told me I was going to hell.

Girl 2: I used to go to church...

Girl 1: Never go again. Those are scary people!

Girl 2: I used to believe in God... When I was little, prayed every night asking him to keep my parents from breaking up.

Guy: What happened?

Girl 2: My parents got a divorce. He didn't answer my prayer; that's why I don't believe in Him anymore.

Girl 1: That sucks!

Girl 2: Nah, it turned out to be a good thing. My Dad was abusive to my mom...

...Nope, I do not see God's hand of protection over you and your mother in that situation at all. (Sarcasm to the max)

Found this to be a good reminder that although God does not say "yes" all the time, we can cast all our anxieties on Him through prayers, and He cares for us.

Today and forever I'm grateful that our Lord is greater than human and that we cannot fathom His greatness; that his plans are so awesome that at times we cannot understand them.

How great is our God?
Rachel

Body Image

I'm very conflicted at this point in time.

In my english class, we are using the topic of "body image" for our synthesis unit, which ends in writing a synthetic essay about, yes, body image. I understand that this appears to be a popular subject among high schoolers.

I suppose I'm not your average senior in high school because I really don't care what I look like.

I rid myself of a negative body image several months ago when I had this crazy epiphany: I'm striving to be more like Christ everyday. Christ loved everybody. God saw it all and"said, "Not too shabby!" (He really didn't say that. I was just trying to be witty.) If God made us wonderfully, then he made me wonderfully. I'm wonderful just the way I am. My body is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. There must SOMETHING good about it, right?

My perception of my physical appearance is a positive one. Yes, sometimes I have thoughts like, "Why did my sister get all the legs in my family?" or "Man, if I could have her closet, I'd def be looking spicy." BECAUSE I'M A GIRL. Cute clothes are a weakness, and it's a fact that I am shorter than my little sister! It's not that I think I look fat in certain clothes, or that short is bad. I'm not worrying constantly about these things, and if I do begin to worry, I know the Lord is just waiting to help with my burdens.

With that said, how am I supposed to write a paper on a topic that doesn't resonate with me or my beliefs? I'm so stuck in my state of mind. I'd make a terrible writer.

I'm so sorry to anybody out there struggling with a negative body image. May be you could call me up, we could talk about it, you could be assured of your value and beauty, and I could understand this topic a little better.

Rachel