Seasons Change

     You know, it's funny; I look back at where I was last year, and so much has changed since then. I look at my life here in Ohio, and stare in awe at the wonders God's done in my life. 

     It was a year ago, when Josh wrote a guest post on my blog, found here: http://daughterofdestiny-generation78.blogspot.com/2014/10/guest-post-surrendering.html

     Many of you may not know, but I help take care of an elderly lady just down the street from me. I take care of her, right now for one day a week, from 7:30AM-5:30PM. Mary White (Mrs. White) tells me so many stories of her and her husband. She's 92, and has 5 generations of children/grand children/great grandchildren/etc...! When I look at Mrs. White, it's very clear that she's a Christian. For her, being a child herself was just yesterday. She has so many wonderful stories, and many stories when she had to lean on the Lord for complete and full guidance. Seasons change, and she got older. She fell and broke her hip in June, and ever since then, it's kind of been down hill with constant pain, and medications. But through it all, she still finds words to praise God... and to pray. Praying is never her last resort. We pray before each meal together. When she's worried, she'll offer a prayer up to God.
      Seasons change, and one day Mrs. White will no longer be on this earth, but with God. I can't help but wonder, what kind of a person I'll be when I get old. Will my husband and I have many children, and grandchildren? Will we be healthy? Will we read the Bible and pray all the time? I pray that we will! It seemed like it wasn't that long ago that I had my "sweet 16" birthday. I didn't want to get married anytime soon. In some aspects, I wanted to stay a child my whole life. However, God has other plans. God changes heart, and with time, God changed my heart. I longed to have a husband and children. I had the image that we'd have many children and sit down in the living room with our Bible's in hand, doing devotions, together, as a family.
     Now look at me?! I'm married! I got married at 22, and I pray to God that He'll bless our home with many children in the years to come.
     So, seasons change, and so do we. I need to remember to praise God in each season of life... even in the not-so-great-times. I'm reminded of Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8, 11, 14 "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.  He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him."

Love Story Guest Post

Hey ya'll! I had the opportunity to write a guest post about Josh and I's love story and courtship. Head on over to: http://thelongwaytogo.com/josh-and-caitlins-love-story/
to read all about it, and be sure to take a look at their blog as well! :) 
http://thelongwaytogo.com/

Why You should keep Hoping for Marriage

Great post from Suzanne, please read!
Keeping hope alive as a single can feel like a struggle. But what if the struggle is the whole point? 

It wasn't her words that caught me off guard. It was the way in which she said them. Resigned cheerfulness. "Well, I'm glad I won't have children," she said lightly, taking a sip of coffee. "Too many things in the world to worry about. God knows I couldn't handle it."

My single friend's admission that she had already given up on having children — at age 31 — surprised me. As we talked more, I realized something: Sometimes it's easier to embrace an unwanted outcome than to keep hoping for God to fulfill long-held desires.

Around that same time, another single friend told me, "It hurts to keep hoping. Part of me just wants to give up on marriage and get on with making my life as good as possible without a husband." I think a lot of singles feel this way. What does it matter if I want to be married if that's never going to happen? I might as well quit torturing myself by hoping for it.

Hope Is Not Lost

I was 30 when I met my husband and 31 when I got married. In retrospect, that doesn't seem very old to marry. But at the time, it felt as if I had been waiting forever. Some of my friends are in their late 30s and 40s and still unmarried; I can only imagine the temptation to pack up shop and embrace "Plan B" — life without marriage.

Here's the thing: Giving up on a godly desire (when God hasn't obviously taken that desire from you) is a form of escapism. Rather than sitting in the pain of unfulfilled longings — continuing to hope that God will come through for you — you take the less painful route of "choosing" the alternative. It's a way of taking back control — a defense mechanism of sorts. And though that illusion of control (who are we kidding here) can be comforting, it shortcuts the joys of giving God complete control of your life.

We were created for hope. Scripture abounds with verses that entreat the believer to be filled with hope (Romans 15:13 is one example). It's the reason a multi-billion dollar advertising industry exists. What do commercials offer us? Hope. When we quit hoping for a God-given desire, we deny a piece of how God created us and rob Him of the opportunity to glorify himself by meeting our needs.

Psalm 37:4 has become a sort of anthem for singles. It says, "Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." To me, this verse always felt a little like a spiritual performance test. Was I still single because I was not delighting in Him enough? But I don't think that's the point. The point is that a relationship with God in which I feel delight in Him leads to godly desires within me, the kind He wants to satisfy.

Voices of Hope

As I asked singles (and those who married after a period of extended singleness) about the benefits of keeping hope alive, answers ranged from, "It simply feels better" to "I don't want to have regrets later" to "It's attractive to others." A few responses stood out to me. Here are their stories:
Continue reading at: http://www.boundless.org/adulthood/2015/why-you-should-keep-hoping-for-marriage?

Beauty-who defines it?

     My almost 17 year old brother, wrote this paper on beauty for school. I loved it so much, that I wanted to publish it! He explains who defines beauty so perfectly! Enjoy! :)
Beauty and the supernatural

Could beauty directly correlate to something supernatural? If so, what does beauty look like? According to what societies have been saying for the past few centuries, beauty is based on or associated with pleasure. Beauty is either subjective or objective.  If someone were to say that beauty is subjective that means that beauty is never stable and based on opinion, but if beauty is subjective, it seems pointless to even use the word. However, if beauty were to have any meaning, it would have to be objective. To say it is objective means that there must be a standard that everyone must agree upon. Standards that everyone agrees upon are nearly impossible unless there exists  a supernatural being or God that created beauty, which means that true, unchangeable beauty is objective. Objective beauty can be seen through personality, nature, art, etc. however, man sees this beauty subjectively, because it is human nature to see things as subjective, but ultimately beauty is still objective.

In order for something to be beautiful, there has to be a God because beauty is ultimately objective. Assuming that beauty is objective there also must be truths about what is beautiful and what is not. Richard Swinburne says that “If God creates a universe, as a good workman he will create a beautiful universe” (Swinburne). However, if there were no Creator that created the universe, there is no reason to assume that the universe is beautiful. If there is no Creator or God that created beauty, how does one know what is beautiful? Some might say that it is whatever society creates it to be. This argument could go several ways; however, if society creates what is beautiful, good, true, etc. then that person would be putting their faith in humanity as the ultimate source of knowledge to create definitions of what is beautiful. If this is the case, how does an individual know that beauty is actually beauty? What if “beauty” is really pure ugliness and vice versa?  If there is no supernatural being that creates what is good or beautiful, than humans can only have theories upon what is beautiful, good, or true. Beauty must be obtained from what is good or true. According to Joe Puckett, “beauty touches our emotions in ways that others cannot.” He goes on to say that there must be a God that made “beauty to experience the aesthetic power of the world around us” (Puckett 98). There is a story of Einstein proving to a professor that cold, darkness, and evil are only the absence of heat, light and the love of God. There must be a God that exists and creates beauty. Beauty relates to God because God is beauty.

Within the early nineteenth century, Einstein created a formula in math that was originally m=ec^2 that later turned to e=mc^2. What this formula did was to show how mass was created by energy. It would take a tremendous power of energy in order to create the universe's mass and that energy lies within God. Energy is everywhere and makes up everything which would in many ways explain the way in which beauty relates to God because energy is abstract just like beauty. If God is real, there must be a soul and spirit within an individual's body that shows forms of human beauty.

When humans look at beauty, most of the time it is attributed to what is on the exterior. However, beauty goes beyond the surface and lies within a person's characteristics. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (The Bible). It is through a person's spirit that people can see what is good or beautiful, these different forms of beauty, according to Galatians 5:22-23, are “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” This is how true beauty should be looked at. However, society has made beauty into something that pleases their senses or “flesh” which, in many cases, are ugly. Generally, society is not grateful for what they have which causes them to want more of what is beautiful in their eyes. C.S. Lewis points out in Mere Christianity that “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world” (Lewis). True beauty can only be found through a supernatural being or God. Beauty that man creates causes many people to want something more which only the Creator can fulfill and that is the point of Lewis’s quote.

There are different levels of beauty such as, natural beauty that God creates and there is beauty which are products of man. However, products of man that are “beautiful” can be seen in a subjective sense because man makes the beauty rather than God. For instance, when humans create art whether pictures or cars, their art could be seen as subjective. No matter if man creates beauty, it still has to relate to what is good which ultimately means that beauty is objective. The nature of the flesh within a human has a  subjective nature even if there is a standard of beauty. This is because man is not perfect to understand what is truly beautiful. However, no matter what, beauty is objective which means that it does relate to God

Can beauty directly correlate to something supernatural? It can and this beauty can be seen all around the earth and the universe. Beauty must be objective and, therefore, relate to God who made all things. Normally, a man looks at beauty through subjective eyes because he has no sense of what true, objective beauty is. This beauty can be seen in the spirit of an individual and also can be seen through the good characteristics. Beauty can be seen as subjective, but ultimately beauty is objective. Those who say that beauty is ultimately subjective are in many ways putting their trust in humanity for the source of all knowledge. Therefore, beauty directly relates to God and this is because God is beauty.

Guest Post: Surrendering

Today's Guest Post was wonderfully written by Joshua Narwold! I hope you enjoy reading it just as much as I did! Enjoy!

When we pray, it’s natural to ask for the things we want; and the Lord loves to bless His children. How do we react, though, when His answer is “no”—or even “not yet”? Unbelievable as this may be when we recognize God for the all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful being He is, it’s often easier for us to trust our own vision for the future than to step out in faith and sacrifice that vision to Him.

Not long ago, as a man in his mid-20s with a renewed desire to serve the Lord, I couldn't help but feel as though I was “behind” somehow. I’d had a (somewhat blurry) image of what I wanted, which included the “right” job and marriage to a beautiful, godly woman; but I’d expected to have those things already, and I wasn't getting any younger.

Through a providential series of circumstances that tested my faith and brought me low, God revealed the true state of my heart. My life had always been in His hands, but only if it matched my expectations. I had tried to plot out my future without truly surrendering it to Him, and I had virtually nothing to show for my efforts.

For the first time, I began to acknowledge the very real possibility that His plan might look different from the “perfect" picture I had in my head. I continued to ask for specific blessings but no longer assumed that it was in my best interests for Him to answer as requested. I asked Him to reveal His will for my life rather than simply giving me the things I thought I wanted.

That’s not an easy transition for any of us to make. It takes trusting someone we can’t see with a future we don’t know; and at least for me, that kind of trust doesn't come naturally.

The words of Matthew are a comfort: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself” (6:33-34). The Lord knows what we need and is faithful to fulfill those needs (Ps. 23); and when we accept Him as the author of our story, He begins to draw our desires closer to His perfect plan.

These things take time; and even as the Lord sanctifies us in this area, we will continue to struggle on occasion with surrendering our every desire to Him. In history, this struggle is probably best represented by the biblical story of Job. If anyone had reason to doubt the power or goodness of God, it was this man; he’d had nearly every earthly blessing stripped from him as if in a moment. Listen, though, to the words our Lord as He put it all in perspective for Job:

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (38:4-7)

I’m sure Job shouted for joy as the Lord not only restored his blessings, but doubled them. May we do the same as we experience the hand of God moving in our life; and may we ultimately say with the psalmist, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever" (Ps. 73:25-26).

Mother's Need Help! - Guest Post

Today we have a guest post from Ashley. Before I post what she wrote, I would encourage you all to think about it as you read it. I myself, am a mother's helper, and it has been such a joy to see the way it bless's the children as well as the moms and dads. So, without further ado, here is Ashley's post. :)

Mother's Need Help!

You've seen it before. A mom in the grocery store with four toddlers. Most of the time she doesn't get very many groceries. 

Why? Most mom's with small children don't like to go shopping with their little ones. Mom's need help. It's just a plain fact.

Last year I started to be a mother's helper. You know, someone who spends the day with a family and just helps however she can. Doing laundry. Watching the kids. Making lunch. These are some of the things I did. And lots of the time it wasn't easy.

Being a mother's helper also allowed me to develop good relationships with mom's that I wouldn't have if I hadn't first been their mother's helper. Be prepared to have good conversations. I'm not very outgoing around adults but once I got to know these ladies I was a lot more comfortable around them and I was also more open to talking and sharing. This put me in a great position to receive biblical mentoring which is what the Bible talks about in Titus 2:

"That they (the aged women) may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2: 4-5

Being a mother's helper is a great way to watch older women (well, older than us) in the home. It gives us as young ladies a good example to follow.

 I have to say, there are a lot of things you can learn from being a mother's helper. Here's just a few:

1. You get to see how other families run their household.

2. You get to interact with younger kids who aren't your siblings.

3. You get to learn to serve in another household.

4. You learn how to ask questions.

And that's not including how much you will bless the mom you help! So let's look at these close up.

You get to see how other families run their household.

How do they fold their clothes? What cleaning products do they use? When do they normally eat lunch? All of these questions will be answered when you step into their home and start to get your hands dirty.

You get to interact with young kids.

We tend to be a little short with our siblings, you know? But when we're with other kids who aren't our siblings we tend to have a lot more grace. Young children look up to older friends so it would mean the world to them if you just took a minute to spend some time with them.

"And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them." Matthew 18: 2

You learn to serve.

In my house I may just do something that needs to be done, but in someone else's house I'll be more reluctant. Most mother's aren't going to give you a list at the front door to tell you everything you could do. Some mom's will ask you while others will just expect you to play with the kids, but part of blessing mom's is doing the things they won't have time for in their busy schedule or maybe even giving them time to run an errand by themselves or take a nap.

"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Mark 10: 39

You Learn to ask Questions

This is a big one. I'm a very shy girl and sometimes I'll hesitate to ask about something. But, again, part of blessing someone else is doing the job right so they don't have to do it over later. So ask questions. Mom's won't get offended by simple questions.

You probably know a young mother with a couple toddlers that could use some help. Offer to spend the day (free of charge) just helping her with whatever she needs. It might not be easy but it's worth it.

The Perfect Work of Patience

This post was written by Bethany Carson over at: http://todaylibertyordeath.blogspot.com

"Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." --James 1:4

Patience is not a virtue easily acquired.  James tells us that the trying of our faith worketh patience.  God has given us many promises, some of which may seem impossible.  He promised Abraham when he was nearly 100 years old and his wife Sarah was 90 that they would have a son.  Was this humanly possible?  No.  But they believed God, and with God all things are possible. 

It's easy to have faith right after a promise has been made, but 2 or 3 years later it can be hard to still have faith.  Two thousand years later we are still waiting for Jesus to fulfill His promise, "Behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me."  That seems like a long time to wait, but I'm glad He waited for me.  2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  But the day of the Lord will come!  God keeps his promises.  

One example my father uses is this:  If I promise you that I will take you out to eat tomorrow, is there anything you can do to make sure I fulfill my promise?  You can remind me, but there's no way you can make me keep my promise.  Keeping my promise is my job, not yours.  If I don't keep my promises, I'm a liar and a bad person.  The same works with God's promises.  He has promised, and "God is not a man that he should lie."  God will perform what He has promised.  We must believe Him, trust Him, and patiently wait for Him to fulfill His word.

God's plan for creation and for our lives is perfect.  We need to have faith that all things will work together for our good as He has promised.  

As Hebrews 10: 35-38 says: Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry...The just shall live by faith."