Need a little hope?

I just finished a book! Don't you just love finishing a book? I love it when I finish a book. I feel so accomplished, especially since most of my life, reading has been a struggle for me. It may have only been about 260 pages, but hey it was a book! Anyway, I'm sure you're just dying to know what book I read. The book is called "Fools Rush In" by Janice Thompson. I was browsing the free books (nothing's better than free!) on my Nook and came across this one. It's a romantic comedy about a wedding planner from Galveston who has yet to find her own true love. The book tells a story of how the wedding planner, Bella, stumbles upon something different. It was cute and witty, but there was a reoccuring theme for the book that I really enjoyed...hope. 

Credit janicethompson.com

Bella's Italian family hangs onto this one phrase whenever they face obstacles..."finché c'è vita, c'è speranza." Don't worry I'll translate for you..."as long as there is life, there is hope." I don't know about you, but I think that's deep! "As long as there is life, there is hope." This one statement got me thinking.

In the Bible, John 14:6 says, "I [Jesus] am the Way, the Truth, and the Life..." You see where I'm going? Jesus is life. We find life in Jesus. So as long as we have Jesus, we have hope. No matter what. As long as I'm keeping Jesus in the center of my life, I will always have hope. This may not seem to be a revolutionary thought to you, but it is to me. 

Of course, I've always known that I find life and hope in Jesus, but I guess this fictional book made me think of it in a different light. With Jesus there is always hope. If I am living for Jesus, I have hope. So it seems simple to me, if you feel hopeless...seek Jesus. He is the only source that can give you life and hope. Nothing else can give you hope. Worldly things will fade away, but Jesus is eternal.   Presidents, jobs, and money can't give us hope. 

Jesus is the only source that gives us eternal hope.

Today's scripture for read-your-Bible-in-a-year plan is Mark 15-16.

Have a wonderful day!

DIY Halloween & Fall Decorations

As I was looking around the house, I realized that we don't really have any fall decorations. So thanks fellow crafty bloggers, I learned how to make decorations out of books!

All you need is...

• Books (paperback preferably)
• Hot glue gun
• Construction paper
• Stick (for pumpkin)

How to make Jack-o-Lantern:

• fold first page back to the spine, halfway and crease...continue with each page
• fold front and back cover to spine & glue covers to the spine
• Cut out shapes for eyes, nose, mouth and glue

How to make pumpkin:

• Draw a pumpkin shape on book
• Cut pages with scissors (I used exacto knife) (about 15 pages at a time).
• Once all pages are cut, glue a small stick to the spine
• Pull front and back cover together and glue.
• Fluff out pages to resemble pumpkin and add ribbon to your pumpkin (or whatever else you want to add)

These crafts were fun, easy and free! However, the pumpkin was a little time consuming. Have fun and happy fall!

So much to talk about...choices, choices, choices!

I have so much I want to write about it! Don't worry though, I'll try and limit myself. I don't want to bore you with a novel, but sheesh, there's so much to write about!

So I've been reading a lot the past 2 days (because I haven't felt like doing anything else). These are the 3 things I've read: my Bible, "His Princess: Love Letters from Your King," and "Sincerely, Jesus". Man, God has given me some good stuff to read, let me tell you. "Sincerely, Jesus" is by Edward Goble (I got it free on my Nook!) and it is about the letters that Jesus wrote to the seven churches listed in the book of Revelation. Although the letters were addressed to these seven groups, Goble explains how Jesus is talking to us, too. It's a short read, filled with historical information and tons of Jesus' promises for us that relates to our daily lives. I'm so glad I found it and look forward to reading it again. "His Princess: Love Letters from Your King" is by Sheri Rose Shepherd and is a devotional book that is in the form of letters from God. It is beautifully written for any age. So many times I finish reading a chapter/devotion in tears. Lastly, today's reading for the year long reading plan was chapters 7-8 in the book of Matthew. Out of these 3 books, God has filled my head with so much to write about! I decided to write about the reoccuring theme of the 3 books...choosing the right path.

I don't know about you, but I'm not real good at making decisions. I don't know if it's because I doubt my discernment or I just don't like making decisions. I've realized though lately that as long as I'm focusing on God, His will for me, and obeying Him; I can't go wrong. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes through the father except me" (John 14:6).

Matthew 7:13-14 says, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." So you may be wondering, "What's all this gate talk about? I haven't went through a gate."   Well, if we look at John 14:6 again, we know that Jesus is life, therefore, to go through the "narrow gate", all we have to do is believe and follow him. The wide gate is what the rest of the world goes through. If you want life, you want Jesus.  Simple as that. But you may be thinking, well I'm living and I don't need Jesus. The truth is, when we don't have Jesus we don't experience what true life is and we definitely don't get to experience eternal life.  Basically, if you want destruction (which I don't see why), go through the wide gate. Do what everyone else is doing. I know it may be the easy thing to do, but is it really worth it? If you want life (sounds so much better than destruction), go through the narrow gate - Jesus.

Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." When we are walking on the narrow way, following Jesus, we are able to figure out what God's will is for us. Decision making becomes less complicated. It will still be hard at times, since we are competing with the world and our fleshly desires so we must choose Jesus' path everyday. Like I've talked about before, it becomes easier when we use our faith in the reward God has promised us. Goble says in "Sincerely, Jesus", "Sometimes the footing is tricky because there is an enemy lurking in the shadows who will do anything to get you off the path." Satan wants us to do the things that everyone else is doing, so he is going to work his butt off to tempt us, but keep in mind when we follow Jesus' path, we recieve life. All Satan can offer us is destruction, but Jesus offers us eternal life. That should be a pretty easy decision right there...who are you going to choose? Do you want destruction or life?

Let Jesus be your way...your truth...and your life. When our faith is in Him, choosing which path to take becomes simple.  Proverbs 4:26-27 says, "Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil."  Goble says, "When we repent and place Jesus in the central place of honor and love in our heart, He will be our strength and energy for life. (p. 51)" When we start to slip off the narrow path (and it will happen, but don't freak out!), all we have to do is  refocus our eyes on the "way" (Jesus). Choose the narrow gate. Choose the narrow path. Choose life. Choose Jesus. It's worth it.

 

Today is the day that we choose a new bible verse to memorize, mine is Romans 12:2. Let me know what verse you are memorizing by leaving me a comment!

Also, are you joining the read-your-bible-in-a-year plan? Please let me know if you are! Today is Matthew, chapters 7 & 8.