A Lesson I Am Learning...

Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the father but is of the world. ~ 1 John 2:15-16

God has been showing me lately how many things in life can easily distract us from Him. Although those things might not be considered "evil", it is also important to consider whether it brings us closer to God or not. Does it glorify Him? Are we keeping our eyes fixed on the One who truly matters, or are our minds constantly reflecting on the things of this world? The truth is, many of us become so incredibly desensitized by the world that we fail to see the worldly things that consume us from day to day. Trust in God and never be afraid to give up anything for His sake. Remember that whoever trusts in Him will never be put to shame. :)

~Zoe

"When Rose Allison had left the schoolroom, Elsie got up from her desk and knelt down with her Bible before her. In her own simple words, she poured out her story to the dear Savior she loved so well, confessing that when she had done right and suffered for it, she had not endured the injustice. Earnestly, she prayed to be made like the meek and lowly Jesus, and as she prayed, her tears fell on the pages of her Bible. But when she stood again, Elsie's load of sorrow was gone, and as always, her heart was light with a sweet sense of peace and pardon."

~excerpt from Elsie's Endless Wait

One of the things I always find amazing and inspiring about Elsie in the A Life of Faith series is her ability to take any insult or injustice with incredible humility, patience, and peace.

However, she could not do it alone. As you saw in the excerpt above, she leaned on the Lord for all of her strength and peace.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3)

It seems like no matter what happened in Elsie's life, she always desired and tried her best to be like Christ, who was mocked and treated horribly... and yet He did not say a word.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)

This is something I have to work on every day. Sometimes, honestly, it is so difficult not to open my mouth and say something I know I shouldn't whenever someone says something about me that isn't true or teases me. It isn't always easy to lay down our pride and have a gentle, quiet spirit and be meek and lowly like Jesus; but, if we are willing, He will mold us into His image and make us who He wants us to be.


~Zoe

P.S. If you have never heard of or Read the A Life of Faith series by Martha Finley, I highly recommend them. They are definitely some of the best books I have ever read!

Do you see the meaning behind Jesus' words?

Hi. As you can tell from the title, I am going to post a verse that has a meaning that is rather hard to see. I had never given the verse much thought, until one day I was flipping through John and my eyes fell on this verse:

John 12:23-24
Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."

Read it carefully. But not too hard. It may take a few minutes, days, or even years for it to click. It took me a long time...but when I read it that one time, everything just clicked. There is a meaning behind Jesus' words...and it is very cool!
-Ellie