My new life

OK...what I'm about to tell you all may is really exciting for me, but it may be quite a shock to you all! Honestly I'm quite nervous, but here it goes any way! Actually before I tell you all, do you have any guesses? Alright here it goes...

...I gave my life to the Lord at church yesterday :D Are you shocked? Well here's my story:

When I was eight years old on May 2, 2002, I "accepted" the Lord into my heart the same night as my dad. Well I did it to make "mommy" and "daddy" happy. Two months later I was baptized...for the wrong reason too. At nine I gave my heart to the Lord, telling Him to hold it in His mighty hands. To give it to the young man He wants for me at the right time! But my struggles didn't start until I was about thirteen. At thirteen my mom and dad told me that I wasn't allowed to go to the youth group at the church we were going to at that time. Well as you may have guessed I was quite mad, and blamed everyone for it...even the Lord (very mature huh?). Months passed (I had repented already) and my parents told me that they didn't think it was a good idea that I was hanging around the friends I was associating with at our church. OK pause for a moment. The "friends" I had at the time weren't "bad" so to speak, they just weren't the kind my parents didn't want me to have. OK back to the story...well at this time I was secretly dealing with pride and rebellion. So I became extremely angry (inwardly) at my parents, my peers, our pastor (not sure why) and the Lord (this time I didn't repent). Again months passed, I turned fourteen, and was struggling. I had no idea why! We had started going to a new church, and there I met my three wonderful friends. As time went by and I started going to the high school AWANA group, I found my-self struggling a whole lot. I had stopped getting into the word. I was memorizing the verses I needed to know in order to pass the lessons on Wednesday nights, but I wasn't reading the Bible passages to go along with the lesson. I was secretly saying God's name in vain when I hurt my-self. When I turned fifteen things got even worse! I denounced God, telling Him that I didn't need Him, I could make it on my own! I was secretly saying words that I wasn't allowed to say out loud. I had invited a young boy to the high school AWANA group for the wrong reason. Which led me to wanting to give up my goal of purity. I was secretly listening to secular music. And a whole lot of other things! So when I turned sixteen, I started thinking really hard on why I was struggling. I couldn't understand it, when I had denounced Him a year ago my struggles weren't that bad (yeah right!). So yesterday our pastor asked "if you are 100% sure you were going to Heaven raise your hand". I didn't...but I did when he asked "if you aren't sure if your saved, but would like to be, then raise your hand". I did, and a sweet young lady took me to a room, showed me some verses that told me I was not saved, and explained everything to me. Then she asked me if I would like to be saved...and I said yes! It wasn't until yesterday that I realized that I cannot without Him. I needed Him badly! I'm so happy that I don't have to struggle anymore!

And since yesterday, there is a verse I absolutely love, and it is:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new!

II Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

*I pray that you all have a marvelous Monday night!*

Psalm 26

Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.  Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.  I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.  I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O Lord, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.  I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells.  Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.  But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me.  My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the Lord.

God's amazing creation ~ 5

(picture taken by my mom)

"And God said, Let the bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit , whose seed was in itself, after his kind, upon the earth: and it was so.

And the earth brought forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that is was good."

Genesis 1:11-12

Gates of Heaven

"It is none other than the House of God - the gateway to Heaven!"

Genesis 28 :17

I Peter 3:1-4

"In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands, even those who refuse to accept Good News. Your godly lives will speak to them better than any words. They will be won over by watching your pure, godly behavior. Don't be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."

These verses really spoke to me when I read them, mostly because I'm all about wanting prettier clothes than the clothes I have right now, or wanting the jewelry at JC Penny that's like way out of my price range (this want is very, very, very slim, because we RARELY go to JC Penny). I am also constantly bombarded with the thoughts like: I'm not as pretty as the actresses that I see on TV or I don't know how my parents can think I'm beautiful, not to mention God!

I have also been struggling with the gentle and quiet spirit. I am really working on this and constantly praying that the Lord will help me in this area in my life.

Also the verse that says "They will be won over by watching your pure godly behavior..." I wonder what my behavior looks like in the eyes of the young men around me. This section of the passage really gets me thinking. Because I never know if my Prince Charming is watching. I'm sure I struggle in this area as well, I constantly pray that the Lord will reveal any weak areas in my life.

*Hope y'all had a blessed Labor Day*

A sister in Christ and in purity,
Alisha

Isaiah 40:29-31

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.