Stella's Word of the Week: Joy

I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Have you been counting your blessings this holiday season? I sure have! This is my very first Christmas and I'm excited! From what I've seen, there are a lot of people who forget the meaning of this time of year. Christmas shopping can be annoying, planning for parties and guests can be stressful...but in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Christmas, don't forget the reason we celebrate! Jesus is the reason for the season. Yes, it may be a redundant statement, but it's true! Your word this week is joy! Have JOY this Christmas! Why? Because we are celebrating the birth of a very special baby. If Jesus wasn't born, you and I would be in big trouble. But He was, and because of His birth, we have eternal life and grace that is very much undeserved. Don't lose sight of Jesus this Christmas! When the roads turn to ice, the Christmas cookies get burned and you don't get everything you want for Christmas...just keep right on smiling, because the JOY of the Lord is our strength!

Stella's Word of the Week: Thankfulness

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Were you thinking wise thoughts last week? I hope so! This week we have a brand new word. Since Thanksgiving is just a few days away, I thought the word Thankfulness was appropriate. It's important to be thankful all year 'round. There are so many things that God has blessed us with. This week as you celebrate Thanksgiving, remember the word 'Thankfulness' and rather than pointing out the things going wrong in your world, think about the things you've been blessed with. A thankful heart is a happy one!

We're All a Little Fruity

My mommy thinks it's fun to dress me up in cute outfits and take my picture. This particular outfit is one of my favorites. I haven't tried strawberries yet, but I hear they're pretty tasty. Even though I've never had one, I love this costume because it reminds me of a passage in the Bible. A strawberry is a fruit. Did you know the Bible talks about fruit?

Galations 5:22-23
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Just as a vine produces fruit when it's alive, we also produce "fruit" when we're alive in Christ. These are the fruits we should be producing. When you look at a fruit tree, it's easy to identify what kind it is based on the fruit that's hanging from it. People who look at us should be able to tell we are Christians by the fruit in our tree - in other words - by the actions we take and the attitude we have. If you're not producing the fruits listed above, maybe it's time to dig into God's word and water your tree! ;)

Living Water

 

I love playing with empty water bottles. I like the crunchy feeling of the plastic. When I play with water bottles, it reminds me of a passage in the Bible that talks about "living water". In John 4, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. He asks for a drink and they start talking. In verse 13 Jesus says -

(John 4:13-14)

 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Have you ever been so thirsty that nothing quite satisfies your need as a great big glass of water? When my mommy takes me on walks, she always needs a bottle of water because exercising makes her thirsty. She doesn't want soda or juice, because those drinks aren't as satisfying as water. Jesus is the same way. We can search after other things to satisfy our thirst, but when we drink the living water, we will never be unsatisfied again. If you're feeling a little dehydrated, pick up your Bible! That's where you'll find the living water. Think of it as your personal water fountain, just waiting for you to take a drink! ;)

 

Strength in Numbers

This is my cousin, Violet. We spent the day together a few weeks ago and went to the pumpkin patch. I love spending time with my friends! Did you know that the Bible talks a lot about friends? Making friends and showing love is an important part of being a Christian. The Bible tells us that there's power in numbers.

Matthew 18:19-20
 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
  
Praying by yourself is an important thing to do, but it's also important to pray with friends. When you have a serious issue that you're feeling anxious about, grab a couple friends and pray! We serve a mighty God who wants to hear from us! Sometimes the support of another friend is just what we need to help us feel better! 

 

Stella's Word of the Week: WISDOM

It's Monday and you know what that means! A new word for the week! I hope you succeeded in your weekend challenge of showing love to some one. This week's word of the week is Wisdom!

James 1:5
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

Wisdom is a vital tool. The Bible talks a lot about the wise man verses the foolish man. I don't know about you, but I would much rather be a wise man than a fool! As always, what you decide to do with this week's word is up to you. You can pray for wisdom, read about it or whatever God lays on your heart!

Stella's Weekend Challenge!

Happy Friday! I hope you've been having a great week and that you've remembered to think about this week's word of the week. (Love) Along with that, we're also starting a new thing called "Stella's weekend challenge". Every Friday I will give you a challenge to do over the weekend. So your challenge for this weekend is to use this week's word and put it to practice in some way. Since this week's word is LOVE, I want to challenge you to find a way to love some one this weekend. You don't have to make it a huge ordeal. It could be as simple as saying "I love you" to some one. :) There's your challenge for the weekend! Have a wonderful weekend and I will see you on Monday!

BEE a Team!

Have you ever heard a swarm of bees in their nest? It's a loud and powerful noise. Bees do an important job for our environment. Imagine if a bee had to do all the work on its own. That would be very hard and would end in disaster. Just like bees work together, we should work together too.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 -

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

There may be times when we are at odds with those around us, but it's important to stick together. As Christians, we are all working toward the same goal. You may have times when you get stung, but if you stick it out, the end results are as sweet as honey! ;)

Say What?!

I'm a baby, so that means a lot of strange things get put into my mouth. I love chewing on anything and everything I can get my hands on. Did you know that we're supposed to be careful about what's in our mouth? The Bible talks about our words.

Ephesians 4:29 -
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Wow, that's a pretty powerful statement! It definitely makes you think twice before you open your mouth. So, just like I need to be cautious about the things I put into my mouth, we all need to be extra cautious about the words coming out!

I've Got Peace Like a River

I love my sleep. Sleep can solve a lot of problems, but sometimes I find it hard to sleep. When my mind is wandering and fears are flooding my spirit, it's hard to have peace. Have you ever tried sleeping when you're not at peace? It doesn't work out too well. What does the Bible say about peace? It says a lot. But my favorite verse on the subject is

Philippians 4:7
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I am in awe every time I read this. Think about it. The peace which transcends all understanding. That means it's SO peaceful that we can't even fathom the feeling. So God's telling us right here that even when things are a mess, even when the storms are raging and we are beside ourselves, we can still have peace! I like to picture an umbrella. The wind is blowing, the rain is falling, the thunder is crashing...but God is our umbrella that protects us from all of that. Do we still see the storm? Yes. In fact, you might even be in the middle of it. But if you have your umbrella of peace, you're not going to get wet! ;)

LOVE

Hello friends! It's been a little while since I've posted and I apologize for that! Things have been a bit hectic around here, but I'm back and ready to share God's love with you! We're going to start something new called 'Stella's Word of the Week'. Each Monday I will post a new word. This word will be one that is found in scripture. What I want you to do is think about this word all week long. This week's word is - LOVE.

Love is mentioned all over the Bible, so I'm not going to give you a long list of every verse that mentions love. What you do with the word of the week is entirely up to you. You can make it a part of your devotion time where you look up verses with this word or you can make a goal for the week to show extra love. What you do with it is between you and God.

When I hear the word love, my mind goes immediately to the "love chapter" (1Corinthians 13). Love is a very powerful thing. It says in the Bible that God IS love. How cool is that?! If we show love, then we're being like God. That's definitely something I want for my life! So, there you go, your word this week is LOVE. Think about it, read about it, live it. LOVE!

Patience is a Virtue

 

This picture was taken when I was really little, but I'm still as picky about my eating now as I was then. When I'm hungry, I want my food NOW. I don't like to wait. If my mommy or daddy don't get my food fast enough I throw a fit. That's not very Godly is it? Sometimes we have to be patient when we're waiting for what we want.

Psalm 37:7-9 Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.


Waiting for God to act doesn't always happen when we want it to. As human beings we want fast results, but sometimes God's plans for us take time. It's worth the wait, because God's plans are always so much better than our own!

~*Later Days*~

Soak Up the Son

 

This is me all dressed in my beach outfit. There's a popular saying around summer time. I hear a lot of people talking about "soaking up the sun".  In fact, there's even a song about it. This got me thinking. We should be soaking up the son. The SON of God! :) There's one particular man in the Bible that comes to my mind when I think about soaking up the "son". David was a man after God's own heart.

In Psalm 63:1-8 David says -
"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you;
your right hand upholds me."

Now that is a man who is wanting intimacy with his creator! When I think about what it means  to "soak", I think of a sponge. We should be like sponges, soaking in the word of God. David couldn't get enough of God. He said he thirst for God, he LONGED for God. We should be soaking in the word of God so much that we over flow. What are you waiting for, go soak up the SON! :)

~*Later Days*~

Draw me close to YOU

 

My daddy is very proud of me. He loves to hold me and love on me. Much like an earthly father, God loves to love on us too. A good earthly father desires a relationship with his child and so does God.

James 4:8
"Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

God wants to be the love of our life, but he can't be if we're living in sin. Like it says here, we have to get rid of the sins in our life that are keeping us from having intimacy with our heavenly father. Imagine how much an earthly father loves his child. God loves us MORE than that! That's a lot of love!

~*Later Days*~

Show Some Love

 

This isn't a very appealing picture of me. I was upset here. Did you know that sometimes things that we say to people can upset them? We need to be very careful what we say. The Bible talks a lot about loving your neighbor. Here's a verse you may be familiar with -

Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Showing love to people is so important that it comes second only to loving God. That's pretty high on the priority list! Loving people isn't always easy, but it's important! The more we love God and the closer we are to him, the easier it will be to love others. So if you're struggling to love someone, you might start with loving God. He'll help you with the rest!

~*Later Days*~

Planting a Seed

 

My mommy loves to put big flowers on my head. I guess part of being a girl is getting to wear bows and frills, but you know what I think of when I see these flower headbands? I think of the seeds it takes to grow a flower. Flowers don't just appear, they are grown from tiny seeds. The Bible talks a lot about seeds. My favorite passage about the importance of seeds isn't just a passage, but a parable told by Jesus. It has great meaning that we can all learn from.

Luke 8:4-15

"While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:  “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.  Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” His disciples asked him what this parable meant.  He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’ "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.  Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.  The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."

 

This is a great reminder to stay focused in our walk with God. Sometimes things can get difficult, but it's so important to trust God and to draw close to him. If you keep doing that, by the end of this life you'll have a beautiful garden with all the seeds you've planted! And that's something to be excited about!

 

~*Later Days*~

Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone

 

Just recently I started trying new foods. I don't care for peas too much, but I'm liking green beans. Trying new things can be scary sometimes. It's easy to stay in our comfort zone, but when we refuse to do things that are a little scary, we can't grow. God calls us to step out of our comfort zone and walk by faith. The Bible talks about many people who walked by faith, but one that comes to mind is Noah. In Genesis 7 the Bible tells us that God asked Noah to build an ark for his family, because God was going to send a flood that would destroy the earth. I'm sure Noah felt way out of his comfort zone when he was building a boat for a flood no one believed was coming. He probably felt pretty silly at times. God calls us to do things that we may not feel comfortable doing, but blessings come when we obey him. I may not like eating baby food, but I have to learn to eat it or I will never grow big and strong. I can't survive off of my mommy's milk forever. The journey God calls us on might be scary, but God's plans are always the best plans. So step out of that comfort zone and try something new!

~*Later Days*~

God's Working

 

When I was born I had to lay under special lights with a blindfold on, because I was jaundice. The lights helped me get better, but I had to sleep in this clear box in the nursery of the hospital. This was a hard time for my mommy and daddy. It was hard for me too, but I had to do it or I wasn't going to get better. Sometimes in life we have to go through things that are hard in order to reach the other side. The things we go through make us who we are.

Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Sometimes we can't see God working. You may feel like you're going through trials for no reason, but God always sees the bigger picture and His plans are good, even if they don't seem to be at the time. When you face trials, remember this verse. God works for the good of those who love him!

~*Later Days*~

Walking with God

This is a picture of me when I went on my first walk with my mommy and daddy in the park. Going for walks is fun, but sometimes you don't know what to expect. My mommy won't take me for walks when it's raining, windy or cold. Did you know our spiritual life is a walk too? In our spiritual walk we can face unexpected obstacles. Sometimes it can storm during our walk with God and other times it's bright, sunny and everything's great. One thing you can always count on during your journey as a Christian is that God is your walking partner through the whole thing.

Deuteronomy 31:6
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

It says it right here! You are not alone! God hasn't left you to finish the walk by yourself, He is right beside you holding your hand and helping you take the right path. His plans for our lives are always good! (Jeremiah 29:11) So keep walking and don't give up, because God is on your side!

~*Later Days*~

Gone Fishing

 

These are my buddies. We love to play together. Being with my friends reminds me of a verse in the Bible.

Matthew 4:19
"And he said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Now this may seem kind of weird seeing as we can't literally fish for people, but what Jesus meant here was that we're supposed to bring people in. What do you do with a fish? You reel it in. Just like a fish, we're supposed to 'reel in' people into the kingdom of God. That's our purpose here on earth. So what are you waiting for? Go cast your line!

~*Later Days*~

Beautiful You

 

My mommy entered me in a Beautiful Baby contest this summer. I was contestant number five. My mommy got really excited about showing me off, but we didn't care if I won or not. She told me that I will always be the cutest baby in her eyes. Being in the contest got me thinking. We all want to feel beautiful. There are many people who become victims of abusive situations because they were searching for some one to love them and make them feel beautiful. We don't need to find our value in man. Man will always let us down, but there's some one who won't. If we find our value through God, we will never end up disappointed.

Isaiah 43:4
"Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life."

God's love is shown throughout the Bible. Our value to Him is priceless! He gave the only son he had in exchange for us! If you ever question your self worth, all you have to do is look to your creator. He thinks you're pretty special!

~*Later Days*~

God's Protection

 

This is my car seat. Sometimes I get irritated being strapped down, but the purpose of a car seat is very important. It keeps me safe. I don't have to be scared when we're driving somewhere, because I know my car seat will keep me from getting injured. It may sound funny, but God is kind of like a car seat. We will most likely have unexpected accidents that happen in our lives, but just like a car seat, God keeps us safe even when our lives are a wreck. My mommy reads a chapter of the Bible to me every morning. It talks all about God's protection.

Psalm 91

 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.^[a]
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust."

 

Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

 

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“Because he^[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.

 With long life I will satisfy him

and show him my salvation."

 

It's a bit long, but it's so good to hear! We all need a little reminder of God's protection. I hear this passage from my mommy every day and it never gets old. We serve a great God. So even if you're life is a wreck right now, just remember you're sitting in God's car seat. He won't let you die in the crash.

 

~*Later Days*~

 

 

 

Keep Your Spiritual Eyes Open

 

I love to sleep! Other than eating and playing with my mommy and daddy, sleeping is my favorite thing to do! Did you know that we can be asleep spiritually? Physically sleeping can be a great feeling, but sleeping in our spiritual walk isn't a good thing. The Bible says -

Matthew 24:42
"Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming."

This verse doesn't mean to physically stay awake forever. That would be hard! It means to keep our spiritual eyes open. We have to be prepared for the day that Jesus comes back. We can't be sleeping in our faith. We have to live each day knowing it could be our last one here on earth. There are still a lot of people who don't know Jesus, so it's our job to reach out to them and serve like Jesus did! If you feel yourself getting sleepy in your faith, just remember a daily dose of Jesus will keep you going.

~*Later Days*~

Be True to YOU

 

You may think I look pretty adorable in this little get up, but I think I look ridiculous. Have you ever seen a baby dressed like a hoodlum? No, because it's not in a baby's nature. There are a lot of people in the world that dress a different way to impress other people. Sometimes I look at famous stars and I want to dress exactly like they do, but my mommy reminds me that God made me as me. I shouldn't try to be anyone but myself. The Bible says -

Psalm 139:14
"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."

Genesis 1:27
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

We were each designed by God in our own unique way. I look really silly dressed like this, but my daddy looks great! That's because God made us different. It's easy to look at other people and want to be like them, but if everyone was the same that would be pretty boring. You're an original creation, so embrace it!

~*Later Days*~

Wisdom

 

My mommy calls me her little Coo Coo Owl (don't ask me why). That's why she got me this outfit with an owl on it. Do you know what owls are known for? A lot of people refer to owls as wise. My mommy must have a thing for owls, because she also calls my grandpa the 'wise old owl'. The Bible talks a lot about wisdom.

Proverbs 19:20
"Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise".

Proverbs 16:16
 "How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!"

James 1:5
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

Wisdom is priceless. It's amazing the amount of wisdom older people have. I've noticed in most cases, the older you are, the wiser you become. But be cautious, because the Bible also talks about being foolish. Some people live their whole lives and don't learn a thing! Being book smart is great, but God calls us to be wise. How can you gain wisdom? First, ask God for it (like mentioned above in James 1:5) and secondly, read your Bible! The book of Proverbs is a great place to learn about wisdom! Maybe some day you will have the nick name 'wise old owl' too!

~*Later Days*~

God of Comfort

 

This is my stuffed giraffe, Jeffry. I cuddle with him when I'm at my grammy's house. I love to hold him close to me, because he's soft and he comforts me when I'm upset. Stuffed animals are very good at comforting. Do you know who else is good at comforting? God is the best comforter there is.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

When we feel peace and comfort through Jesus, we can pass that comfort on to others. It's a great way to share Jesus with those around us. We are all in need of a little comfort now and then. In fact, there's a worship song about comfort too. In the song 'Shout to the Lord' it says "My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength". God isn't just our comforter, he's also our safe haven. He is the one who holds us together when everything else is falling apart. And when the rest of the world sees how we have remained strong during the hard times, we can tell them that it was God who kept us together - our comfort, our shelter.

~*Later Days*~

Set Apart by God

 

This is a picture of me in my mommy's tummy before I was born. Did you know that God already knows us when we're this little? In fact, God knows us before we are even conceived. His plans for our lives exist before we do! How incredible is that?!

Jeremiah 1:5a
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;"

He also says -

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

We all have different stories of how we came into this world. Some of us have birth parents, others were adopted, but we were all created by the same God and none of us are here by accident. We were hand picked by God! So when you're having a day where you don't feel like you have a purpose, just remember you were set apart by the very creator himself!

~*Later Days*~

I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me

 

When I go to sleep in my bed at night, I don't have to worry about anything bad happening. My mommy and daddy have a video monitor in their room that shows them what I'm doing in my bed. They can hear my cry when I'm upset and they can see me to make sure I'm alright. This reminds me of God. God watches over us and he sees what we do. He hears our cries.

Psalm 121 -

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

 

I feel so much peace reading this. Just like when I cry and my mommy and daddy come running, God comes running when we face trials too. He is always there watching over us, even when we don't feel him. I can lay in my crib with total peace, because I know I'm being watched over (by more than just my parents).

 

~*Later Days*~

Rock the Boat

 

This is a picture of me in my little floating boat. I love to play in the water! Floating in my inflatable boat reminds me of a story in the Bible. There was a man named Peter who was also in a boat.

Luke 14:29-33
“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

I think we can learn from Peter. The whole time Peter was walking on the water, he was safe, but then he got distracted by the wind and he lost focus. So many times in our lives we lose focus on Jesus and we forget that he has everything under control. The wind may be blowing and the storms may be rocking our boat, but God will always be our umbrella if we keep our focus on him.

~*Later Days*~

Life is Better with Friends

 

I may be young, but I am quite the social butterfly. This is a picture of me with my three best buddies. God didn't create us to become hermits and ignore the world. We're supposed to go out and make friends! Here's what the Bible says about friends -

Hebrews 10:24-25
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Romans 12:10
"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."

It's a great comfort to have friends. Friends can turn a bad day into a good one. Remember as you go through out your day that God gave us friends for a reason. You may be able to reach some one that no one else can, just by being their friend. Sometimes all it takes is an encouraging word and it can turn their whole day around. When my mommy is sad, my daddy can always get her happy again. I think that's pretty special. God puts people in our lives to be our bright spot. Life would be pretty dreadful if we had to endure it alone, but thankfully God has given us lots of friends to share it with! What kind of friend are you?

~*Later Days*~

J is for Joy!

 

I love to smile! My mommy calls me her happy girl, because I'm rarely ever upset (unless I'm hungry!). Do you know why I smile so much?

Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

Things happen that can make us sad, but we should feel peace in knowing that God is a God of hope. Sometimes it's hard to be joyful living in this world, but even in times of stress we have a reason to be joyful. God is the perfect reason to smile! The Bible also says -

Psalm 5:11
"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you."

In fact, there's even a song about joy." I've got the Joy Joy Joy Joy down in my heart! Down in my heart to stay! And I'm so happy, so very happy! I have the love of Jesus in my heart!"

With God in control, how can we NOT rejoice?? He's got everything taken care of! Now shine that smile for everyone to see and when some one asks you why you're so happy, you can tell them about the joy that only Jesus can bring! After all, if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

The Vanity in Humanity

 

With a face like this I am always attracting attention, especially when my mommy dresses me up pretty. People everywhere are constantly stopping to tell me how cute I am. I'll admit, sometimes it can go to my head. I am after all one very cute baby! However, I have to keep my ego in check if I want to please God.

Proverbs 11:2
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."

I don't know about you, but I would much rather have wisdom than disgrace. It's a great thing to have confidence and to know your true value, but keeping your pride in check is important. Yes, I'm a cute baby, but that's because I was created by God and everything God makes is special. You're special too, but don't let it go to your head!

~*Later Days*~

The Power of the Tongue

 

Have you ever heard the expression "open mouth insert foot"? I know a lot about putting my feet in my mouth. I find them quite enjoyable to chew on, but as a grown up, a foot in the mouth is something we should avoid. It's hard to watch what we say sometimes. The Bible says -

James 3:5-9
^" Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."

Wow! Talk about a wake up call! God sure means business here when he tells us to watch what we say. I don't know about you, but I definitely don't want my tongue to be full of deadly poison. Just remember, our words are something we can't take back once they are said. So take that foot out of your mouth and remember, words are very important!

~*Later Days*~

Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear

 

My mommy and daddy sing a song to me that has the words "Be careful little ears what you hear, for the Father up above, He is looking down with love, so be careful little ears what you hear." The song also says "Be careful little eyes what you see and be careful little mouth what you say" I love this song, because even though it's a kids song, it holds a lot of truth that people of all ages can learn from. It's very important to guard ourselves from bad things. The Bible says -

Proverbs 4:23
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

We must be careful what we watch, what we listen to and who we surround ourselves with. I'm only a baby, but I've already heard my mommy and daddy talking about protecting me from bad things. When we surround ourselves with good things, then we can be used as a great tool by God. So, remember when you're watching your favorite TV show or listening to your ipod, the things we put into our minds are what's going to come out in our words and actions.

~*Later Days*~

Children of the King

 

 

This is me in my princess robe. My mommy and daddy told me that I'm a princess, because my heavenly daddy is the king of all kings. Did you know that we are God's children?

Galations 3:26 -
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.

Being a child of God isn't always an easy road. There are a lot of challenges along the way, but just like a father takes care of his child, God takes care of us too! So get out your crown and wear it with pride because you are royalty too!

~*Later Days*~

God picked you!

 

 

In this world rejection is pretty common. We get rejected from jobs, people and sometimes even loved ones. There is one person who will never reject us. Not only will he never reject us, but he PICKED us! He loves us! You know who I'm talking about? God of course!

1Peter 2:9 -

"But you are a CHOSEN people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Now I don't know about you, but this verse just made me feel way better about life. Knowing that we were hand picked by God, that we belong to HIM, that's the best peace there is! Of all the people that bring rejection, aren't you so glad God doesn't?

~*Later Days*~

Scrub a Dub Dub

 

 

My favorite part about night time is knowing that I get to take a bath. I love bath time! Feeling squeaky clean and smelling like that sweet baby smell - that's the best way to end the day. In fact, bath time reminds me of Jesus. When we go into the bath we are dirty, then with a little soap, we become clean. Jesus does the same thing. He takes all our dirty sins and just like soap, he washes us clean. It says right here -

Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

So when you're feeling dirty and covered with sin, just remember one simple talk with Jesus can wash you clean again. It's comforting to know that we're never too dirty to be cleaned by Jesus. :)

~*Later Days*~

Which Way to the Gun Show?

 

I've gone through a lot of growth since I was born 5 months ago. I'm learning new things every day. Sometimes when I'm trying to get to the next level, I get frustrated. Like the very first time I tried to roll over. That was tough! But you know what got me through it?

Philippians 4:13
^"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

God gives us strength to accomplish things we could never do on our own. I'm living proof of that! I can now roll over with no trouble at all and very soon I'll be crawling and walking with the help God. Pray for my mommy and daddy. Once I start moving, there's going to be no stopping me! :)

~*Later Days*~

It's a love thing

This is my daddy. He sure does love me a lot, but there's something that amazes me about my parents' love for me. As much as my mommy and daddy love me, Jesus' love for me goes way beyond that. Isn't that crazy?! Can you imagine having a God that loves us so much? It makes me smile thinking about it. This is how much God loves us -

1 John 3:1a
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"

John 3:16-17
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

God's love is proven through out the Bible, but these are a couple of my favorite examples. God is not the angry tyrant people like to imagine him as, he loves us so much that he sent Jesus to die just to save our lives! Does that sound like an angry God to you? He showed the greatest form of love that ever existed. Just like my daddy gives me kisses to show me that he loves me, God showers blessings upon us to show his love for us as well. It feels pretty good to have that much love. :)

~*Later Days*~