People are Priorities

Don't you love it when God is obvious?! I get butterflies when I know He is speaking to me and reveals a piece his plan for my life. I had a moment like earlier last week, and I knew something great was going to come out of it.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am goal-oriented and have a hard time saying no. I don't enjoy being busy and having limited free time, but I feel like I let people down if I don't agree to help them out. Which means I end up committing to 10,000,000 different things and don't have time to sit down between 6 am and 10 pm.

I have 25 minutes on Tuesday between practices? Sure, I'm free! 

15 minutes open on Saturday before I work? No problem!

Overtime, I've learned to perfect and plan my schedule down to the exact minute. I've mastered time management (although I'm still working on arriving places early) and use every second of the day I'm provided with. And when an unwanted or unexpected interruption occurs, it throws me off.

I don't like it at all. And I get annoyed.

Even if it's something good, like a friend asking to meet for coffee or a phone call from my mentor. It wasn't scheduled into my day, it wasn't expected, and now I have to rearrange my plans. Ugh!! God, why me? I'm don't have time for this.

What's wrong with this picture? First of all, there isn't any time set aside in my day to spend with the Lord. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God." While this verse doesn't mean we have to stop everything we are doing and pray on our knees for an hour, I find myself thinking I can "be still" while doing three other things at the same time. It's important to set aside distraction-free time to spend with Jesus every single day, no matter how little that time may be.

One of my all time favorite Judah Smith sermons is called "It's Easy to Be Mary When You're Not Martha." Judah talks about how we can't drop everything and sit at the feet of Jesus because, well, life happens. We have floors to clean, bills to pay, homework to do, laundry to fold. It's easy to be calm, relaxed, and spend time with God when we're not the ones with all of the responsibility.

More often than not, I remind myself Martha. I am so caught up and consumed by all of the details that I forget the true purpose behind everything I'm doing and who I'm doing it for. I find my joy in checking off to-do lists and shaving off a minute of my time on the treadmill instead of delighting in the Lord like it says in Psalm 37:4 (Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.)

Secondly, I want become the type of person who would welcome a stranger into their home with a warm smile and a friendly attitude. Hebrews 13:2 reminds us this: "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without even knowing it." In other words, I want to receive these distractions and interruptions in my day with a enthusiastic attitude, thankful that God has given me the opportunity to spend time with that specific person.

The older I get, the more I realize how important people are. How important love is. When you're too busy trying to please others and do all the right things, trying to put on an impression that you're perfect and good at everything, it's exhausting. I know because I've been there, and I'm still there. I have gone so far deep that I've valued getting a perfect score on a math test and volunteering at five different church events in one month over spending time with my friends and family. I've poured myself into so many different things - all good things - but I'm empty. I'm realizing I can't do it all and I'm going to have to make decisions on how I will spend my time in this life.

Coming back from winter break, I was relaxed, spending more time reading my Bible, and ready to take on a new year. Once school rolled around though, I was focused and back in high-stress mode. I knew I wasn't going to spend the last year and a half I had left at home busy, tired, and alone. I was ready for my cup to overflow again. So little by little, I've been cutting back on the things I'm involved in and spending more and more time investing in people.

As the Message Translation puts 1 Corinthians 13:7, we are bankrupt without love. God is love and shows his love to us through having relationships with others. I don't want to look back on my life and only have a list of mediocre achievements to take pride in. I want to reflect on the times I spent laughing with my family, doing outrageous things with my friends, the deep talks I had with the people who mean the most to me, and the special, intimate moments I had talking to Jesus.

Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. I believe it's important to volunteer in your church, and I also believe setting goals are crucial if you want to be successful in life! A focused mindset comes in handy when I'm studying for tests and choreographing cheer routines. But when we place too much of our value and worth in anything other than Christ, we are going to run ourselves crazy and end up broken back at the feet of Jesus - right where he wants us to be.

So if you're tired of being busy and not having time to spend with those who really matter to you, take the first step and give something up. Your gain will be far greater than your loss.

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige

Dressember Campaign

Hello friends! I am very excited to share with you about the Dressember Campaign I am participating in and how you can be a part of combating human trafficking. This is a part of my platform for the Miss Kansas' Outstanding Teen pageant, which you can read more about on my website, Journey to the Crown.

About
The Dressember Foundation uses fashion to advocate for women who've been exploited for their femininity. In 2009, founder Blythe Hill was just a college girl who wanted to create a personal style challenge by wearing a dress every day during the month of December. A huge hit, her idea spread like wildfire and the possibilities seemed endless for where Dressember could go. In 2013, Hill began to give Dressember a purpose by partnering with International Justice Mission to raise money for anti-trafficking. In the year of 2014, Dressember raised $465,000 with 2,600 participants. Their message is continuing to reach others and a global movement is underway. (Facts from Dressember Website; dressember.org)

Dressember + You
You can help support my platform and the Dressember Foundation by:

1. Participating in the Dressember Campaign by creating a page, raising money, and wearing a dress every day during the month of December.

2. Donate money to my Dressember page here.

3. Purchase the Dressember Dress of 2015 here.

4. Promote Dressember on social media! Use the hashtag #DressemberKS so we can see the difference Kansans are making!!

Thank you for your support of me, Dressember, and the fight for justice against human trafficking!

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige

Christmas Crown + Advent Thoughts

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Which to be honest is kind of freaking me out a little! It seems like in the blink of an eye it went from 70º in September to 20º in December. Things haven't exactly slowed down for me like I anticipated, but I am learning to balance school, activities, friends/family, time to rest, and hobbies, with Jesus at the top of the pyramid. It's been hard to set blogging aside this fall because it's one of my biggest passions, but it's something I had to do for my sanity. I am determined to relax and get back to writing this winter.

I shot with the incredibly talented Pam Weaver yesterday, and as chilly as it was, the lighting was perfect. I snagged this holly crown from Forage Floral before her maternity leave after seeing it on her Instagram page! Red lipstick, a boho dress, flower crowns, and a gorgeous setting all wrapped into one made this one of my favorite shoots yet.

Holly Crown: Forage Floral, Dress: American Eagle (last year)

Recently, I've started a plan on the Bible App called "Rediscovering the Christmas Season." As someone who has grown up in the church and read about the Birth of Jesus year after year, I think it can be easy to lose our child-like wonder about this miraculous story. First of all, Jesus was born to a teenage girl-- a girl who was younger than I am now, which is hard to comprehend. And not just any teenage girl, but a virgin?! Seriously, our God is so creative. He loves to throw plot twists in the middle of situations to teach us more about him and keep us on our toes.

Because the Inn was all booked up, God decides to have Jesus, (the King the whole earth has been aching for!!!!) be born in a manger. While we don't know if this was in a barn, a cave, a shack, or elsewhere, it was definitely no Independence Inn (I never thought I'd see the day I would be cross-referencing Gilmore Girls and the Bible, haha) Living in Kansas, I've seen my share of barns and places where livestock are kept. The stench is atrocious and you can't walk four feet in any direction without stepping in cow patties, but I'm sure the holy moment of the Messiah taking his first breath took precedence over these un-ideal conditions.

Photography by Pam Weaver Photography

Typically when I think of the word 'advent,' thoughts of lighting the colored candles at church and reading corresponding scriptures flood my mind. I want to challenge you (and I am challenging myself, too) to dig deeper into the Christmas Story and spend time thinking about what Advent really means. Here's an excerpt from the Bible plan I mentioned earlier:

"The Hebrews looked forward to the coming of a Savior or Messiah - the First Advent. Now, we are waiting expectantly for His return to sweep His bride off of our feet - the Second Advent. The Church has been waiting for Him to come back from the moment He left the first time."

Let's rekindle the anticipation of Christmas; because we are reminded of Jesus' coming long ago, and we yearn for our King to return again.

His Biblical Beauty,

Paige

Grow Where You're Planted

I was born and raised in the same small town my entire life.

To give you an idea of just how small it really is, our population is around 3,800 and I have 57 kids in my graduating class. What we consider "fun" on Friday and Saturday nights is driving around listening to the radio and going to Applebee's. Talk about living the dream! Don't get me wrong - small down life isn't terrible, but I don't want to spend 70+ years of my life living in the same place. I feel blessed to have been raised in a safe, cozy, Christian community where everyone is like family, and my roots will forever be planted here. Still, God has wired me a with a sense of adventure and I think in my case that means I will end up moving away after high school and follow Jesus wherever he takes me.

Because my future plans are beginning to come into focus, it's difficult for me to sit still and realize I still have two years left here. Patience is something I struggle with on a daily basis anyways, and I have a feeling that's something God is in the process of modifying. Again, I know high school 'goes by way too fast' (or so I've heard), and I'm trying my best to savor it, but it's tough when I feel like there's not much left for me here other than my family and friends. Until that day comes when I pack up my bags and turn the page in the next chapter of my life, I am determined to look on the bright side and grow in my hobbies, friendships, and faith.

I do not believe that circumstances in our lives are merely coincidences strung together, but rather events that are all a part of God's plan for us. As Jesus followers, we aren't guaranteed an easy or a painless life. For some people following Jesus means their lives may even become more challenging, but Job 1:21 says "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, but blessed be the name of the Lord." This means there's probably going to be some rainy days, months, weeks, or even years throughout your lifetime. Guilt, debt, anger, divorce, anxiety and death can all get the best of us at times. Despite the trials we will face, it's during those rainy seasons where we have the opportunity to grow the most. In life, it's not always the problem itself that defines us but how we handle the problem. My advice? Give whatever it is that's raining on your parade over to God and let him take care of it. (After all, I think he knows a little better than you and I do.)

It can be equally as hard to grow in the sunlight. Right now, I'm in a particular stage where the clouds have rolled away and I'm learning to be content; embracing my time in the sun with the Son. Judah Smith speaks on this topic in his sermon 'Instagram Isn't Real' and how attractive a content person really is. I want to be so in awe of Jesus' love and grace that I don't even have time to glance at my neighbor and envy what they have or who they are.

But here's where the problem lies: I am an achiever. I don't mean to sound like I'm boasting about my strengths or talents, but instead to express the vicious cycle I'm stuck in: setting goals, reaching them, and never being satisfied. There is always something else to work for and look forward to. Let me tell you, this comes in handy when I'm doing my homework or have deadlines of some kind, but for the most part it's pretty draining. For years I couldn't wait to be a high school cheerleader. Now I'm here and already thinking about moving away and going to college. When will it ever be enough, Paige?! When will you ever slow down and be satisfied? There are so many people and places and opportunities God has positioned in my life for a reason. I don't want to wake up one day and realize I never appreciated them because I was too busy dreaming about the future. Because someday the present will be the past, and the future will be the present, and I won't know what difference I've really made throughout the last 50 years of my life. Matthew 6:34 reminds us to 'not worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will bring its own worries.'

I never want to be too comfortable where I am and always want to stay on my toes, waiting for God to use me - even if it's in Small Town, USA. Whether this means you are a busy mom tired of the same routine, a broke college student searching for your calling, or simply a person who is feeling like they're not living to their full potential, trust me - our God has you exactly where He wants you and has not forgotten about you (just look at Jeremiah 29:11) Continue to pursue Jesus, love people, and you'll be amazed at how your life begins to bloom.

As for me right now, I guess that means I will do my best to thank God in the sun and in the rain, soak up His word, and enjoy the little time I have left in this town until He's ready to transplant me somewhere else. I will do my best to grow where I am planted - and where I am is a pretty good place to be.

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!" -2 Peter 3:18

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige

They'll Know We Are Christians By Our __________?

Most of the time when I'm jamming out in my car, I listen to modern Christian artists like For King & Country, Rend Collective, Lecrae, and Switchfoot. During church services, I like singing songs by worship groups like Hillsong United and Bethel Music. But hymns seem to have a power that sweeps a wave of peace and nostalgia over the congregation; breathing truthful words into their lives. It Is Well, How Great Thou Art, Victory in Jesus, and Be Thou My Vision are timeless, beautiful melodies sung with lyrics directly from scripture.

One of my all-time favorite hymns is 'They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love.' Here are the lyrics:

{We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,

And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,

And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land,

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

We will work with each other, we will work side by side,

We will work with each other, we will work side by side,

And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride.

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,

And all praise to Christ Jesus, his only Son,

And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one.

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.}

Take a moment to think of words non-believers typically use to describe Christians:

Judgmental. Hypocrite. Goody-two-shoes. Ignorant. Pushy.

Yes, some of these can be accurate at times, but is that really what we want to be known as?

You see, Christians have gained a bad rep -- especially in America. We are known as stuck-up, snotty, church-goers who think we are better than everyone else. How did that happen? How did our image get warped into something so unlike Jesus and His followers into something more like the Pharisees they were trying to witness to in the first place?

The truth is we all mess up and fall short, and that's okay. Jesus saved me once and continues to save me each and every day. Being a Christian in high school, I've noticed it's easier for others to point out my mistakes just because my faith is a big part of my life. They have this idea in their heads that I'm not allowed to mess up or make mistakes. And honestly, it goes both ways. On a day when I've let my guard down and the enemy creeps in, it can be easy to plop myself on a pedestal and point out other people's flaws. But let's take a little trip back to our first grade Sunday School class and see what Jesus' #1 command was while teaching on earth: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Take it a step further and read from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:43-48 about loving your enemies.

Compassionate. Brave. Faithful. Welcoming. Peaceful. Forgiving. Humble. Loving.

These are the people we have been called to be; no exceptions, no excuses. So how do we make this right and reshape not just our image, but our hearts?

It's simple. Love. Love ALL.

Love the Mennonites, the Methodists, the Nazarenes, the Baptists, the Catholics, the Presbyterians, the Lutherans, the Mormons, the Buddhists, the Hindus, the Agnostics, the Jews, the Muslims and the Atheists.

Love the Canadians, Koreans, Cubans, Germans, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Americans, Iranians, Indonesians, Egyptians, Brazilians and Mexicans.

Love the liars, the cheaters, the murderers, the gossips, the robbers, the alcoholics, the drug users, the idolaters, the molesters, the adulterers, the prostitutes, the pornographers, the homosexuals and the divorced.

Love the bitter, the jealous, the angry, the hurting, the lust driven, the selfish, the haters, the bullies and the greedy.

Love the rich, the poor, the fat, the skinny, the tall, the short, the loud, the quiet, the funny, the serious, the ugly, the beautiful, the athletic and the clumsy.

Love the black, the white, the red, the yellow, the brown, and a combination of all of the above.

Love all.

It can be little things like smiling at someone on the street or asking the clerk how their day is going. Carrying someone's groceries to their car or helping that girl who's struggling in your geometry class with her homework. Praying for the unfair boss who laid your brother off and the lunch lady who's husband passed away. Writing your friend an appreciation letter or baking your grandma some cookies. Traveling halfway around the world to hug a child and give them clean water. It can be simply telling someone you love them, but for goodness sakes, do something! Show some love!! Someday, someone will ask why you do all of these nice things and you'll be able to reply, "Jesus." 

Let God's love radiate from the depths of your soul and be amazed. Soon, they'll know you by your unconditional love for others. They'll know what we believe and who we represent. They'll know we are Christians by our love.

"By this everyone will know you are my disciples if you love one another." -John 13:35

His Biblical Beauty,

Paige

Porn, Love, and Valentine's Day

Hey y'all!! It's Valentine's Day weekend and love is in the air.

So today, I am going to talk about love.

And porn.

And how Porn Kills Love.

Yes, I know it's a little uncomfortable to think about. Even more uncomfortable to talk about. But the time has come for someone to speak out. So I volunteered :)

One of my main arguments against pornography is obviously because God tells us it's a sin. Matthew 5:27-28 says "You have heard that it was said, 'You should not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a women lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." To look at porn is to lust; and if you don't want to have that lust in your heart, then why are you looking at it?

Whether you're a Christian or not, it's simply morally wrong.

One of my favorite non-profit organizations is Fight the New Drug. Their mission is to educate people on the harmful effects of porn. How awesome is that?! If you're not already convinced porn is harmful, take a gander at FTND's shocking facts:

1. Porn Harms the Brain.
-It rearranges your neuron pathways by releasing a rush of a chemical called dopamine, causing viewers to become addicted to porn.
-It affects your behavior as viewers become numb to violence and other things they thought were disgusting/immoral before.
-The addiction can grow stronger as viewers find themselves looking for more and more porn to satisfy their "needs."

2. Porn Harms Your Heart.
-It can hurt your relationship with your partner as they feel they are being compared and not good enough for you.

-The more someone invests themselves in porn, the harder it is to love a real person.

-Viewers often become so obsessed with porn that they miss out on real relationships.

-Porn is a complete lie and leaves viewers disappointed when their own lives don't live up to their expectations.

3. Porn Harms Society.

-Many people have attempted to "normalize" pornography by saying it's a natural thing all men do.
- Porn can tear apart families when one of the parents struggles with an addiction.
-Porn often depicts women being mistreated, whether it's in the form of physical or verbal abuse.
-The actors/actresses in the making of porn are often threatened, raped, drugged, abused and trafficked.

My friends, we can be the generation to rise above this. To say this is NOT okay, this is NOT normal. We are better than this.

Over the past few months, controversial articles about the upcoming movie "Fifty Shades of Grey" have flooded my Facebook newsfeed. I didn't really give them a second glance until the movie trailer appeared as a sponsored tweet on my Twitter feed. Knowing nothing about this sick and twisted story at the time, I watched the trailer.

I wanted to sob and puke out my guts.

Is this really what our world is coming to? I had heard the term "mommy porn" used to describe the book and it made me think...I'm 99% these women would be completely against their husbands watching online porn, but what justified their reading this book and obsessing over this nasty, down right inappropriate film?

Whether you'd like to admit it or not, porn is a growing issue in our society. We no longer live in an era where the only place you'd be able to find porn is in a Playboy magazine you stole from the drugstore. Now, anyone is able to access it anytime, anywhere. Porn isn't new, but the way we are approaching it is. Here's the deal:

It's not too late to mend the wound porn has slashed in our world.

While we can't reverse the damage, we can help those who have been exposed break the addiction and prevent others from trying the drug. One positive thing about our society is people are no longer afraid to speak out about things that matter. I'm reminded of Echosmith's song "Come Together." It goes like this:

{We've got hopes on the horizon
We can't stop from climbing the mountain
We're sick and tired of keeping silent
We are, we are, we are...
We are gonna come together}

I recently downloaded the 'She Reads Truth' app and fell in love. Right now, the SRT community is studying the book of Esther (one of my favorites!!) I am reminded of Esther's God-given courage to speak up for what she believed in. This inspired me to do the same in my own life.

I encourage you all to come together, step outside of your comfortable little box and share the message that PORN KILLS LOVE.

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, and you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" -Esther 4:14

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige

It's Just the Beginning, This Isn't the End...

I log onto Facebook last night.

It's all over the place.

"Friends are friends forever,

If the Lord's the Lord of them

And a friend will not say never

Because the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go

In the Father's hands we know

That a lifetime's not too long 

To live as friends..."

I know exactly what this means. These are the lyrics to a song I hold near and dear to my heart from Camp Lakeside church camp. Some of us started at Rap n' Rhythm in 5/6 grade, and moved up to Sports Camp from 7-9 grade. We were a team, a family. We stuck together. And now one of us is gone.

I loved that camp more than any other place on earth. I didn't have many friends back home, and those people welcomed me in as one of their own. Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to go to Senior High camp this past summer because that conflicted with my mission trip. But that proved to be an amazing experience for me, just like camp was those five years. I would love to return when I get a chance, whether it be as a camper or counselor.

Another reason camp is such a special place to me is because that is where my life was saved. I had been dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts for ten months or so. I knew I had no choice but to tell someone. I was running out of options, running out of time, running out of hope. On the night of communion, I pulled aside my counselor Hannah and poured out my struggles. She had no idea; no one did. From the outside I looked like the happiest girl alive, but on the inside I was fighting to survive. My two team leaders, Hannah and Joe, helped me out so much from that point on. Hannah told my mom about what I was dealing with and helped me get the counseling I needed. But the counseling didn't save my life...Jesus did. Hannah and Joe were just the two angels who helped me realize I needed something greater--rather, someone greater.

That was the year I met him. We were on the same team together, the Red Rampaging Rappin' Romeos. His laughter was contagious, his smile lit up the room. He was my date to the camp dance....

I'm not sure why sometimes it takes a tragedy to open people's eyes. You never know who could be trapped in a dark place. One of my daily prayers is that God would give me His eyes to see those who are hurting and the courage to do something about it. I wish I could've done more to help; sent an encouraging message and tell him how much he is loved. Let this be a reminder to us to our words for the good. You never know who's life you might save. 

We love you. Sending love, prayers and support to your family.

This isn't the end, it's just the beginning. Stay strong.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." -Matthew 11:28

His Biblical Beauty.

Paige

FREE {2015}

Top: American Eagle Cardigan: Kohl's Jeans: American Eagle

What an awesome year 2014 was. Despite challenges and heartache, the Lord has proven to always be faithful. I struggle to count the blessings God has given me but strive to remain humble and thankful.

And what an incredible adventure this little blog of mine has been! I can't believe it's already been one year since I first launched the site. I had to laugh a little when I looked back at my first post and compared it to my posts now. The perfectionist in me wanted to center and resize the photographs, fix the words spacing and delete the post all together. But I think it's an accurate representation of what God is doing in our lives daily -- reshaping and molding our hearts to look more like His.

I used to try to come up with a few New Year's resolutions, but they never worked for me. Being a high school student, I tend to think of the new year starting in August when I return to school rather than in January. This year, I decided to choose one theme word for 2015, an idea that is growing popularity across the country. My word? Free.

Free from sin.
Free spirited.
Free from your past.
Free to love.
Free to worship the King of kings.
Free to be yourself.
Free will.
Free from addiction.
Free to share the good news.

Throughout the year, I will be writing several posts including my opinions about these topics and my journey to becoming totally, completely, utterly free. Join me.

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free." -Galatians 5:13

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige

A Little Longer...

This morning as I was getting ready for church, I had a little jam session to Bethel Music's album You Make Me Brave (Live). One of the first songs that came up was called "A Little Longer." Read the lyrics for a second...

{What can I do for You, What can I bring to You

What kind of song would You like me to sing?

'Cause I'll dance a dance for You, Pour out my love for You

What can I do for You, beautiful King?

'Cause I can't thank You enough

'Cause I can't thank You enough

All of the words that I find, and I can't thank You enough

No matter how I try, and I can't thank You enough

What can I do for You, What can I bring to You

What kind of song would You like me to sing?

'Cause I'll dance a dance for You, Pour out my love for You

What can I do for You, beautiful King?

'Cause I can't thank You enough

'Cause I can't thank You enough

Then I hear You say

You don't have to do a thing

Just simply be with Me, and let those things go

'Cause they can wait another minute

Wait, this moment is too sweet

Would you please stay here with Me

And love on me a little longer

'Cause I'm in love with you

So I'll wait here at Your feet, it's where I want to be

Your voice I'll follow

Jesus You are everything to me

And I'll pour out my life, worship at Your feet

Love on You a little longer

'Cause I'm in love with you

I'm in love with you}

Now as I've mentioned before, it is so important to take that daily time to spend with Jesus. To calm your spirit, to listen for His voice, to pursue Him in this never-ending love story. The lyrics that stuck out to me were in the bridge: "You don't have to do a thing, just simply be with Me, and let those things go, 'cause they can wait another minute, wait, this moment is too sweet, would you please stay here with Me, and love on me a little longer?"

Wow.

For me, this truly hit home. If you don't feel the Holy Spirit trying to send you a message just by reading those lyrics, I recommend you listen to the song and see what happens. Even with Christmas being right around the corner, it can be easy to get stressed and forget who we're even celebrating. 

A few weekends ago I went to SDYC (Southern District Youth Conference) with my church. The worship was great, the speaker was fabulous and I had an awesome time digging into God's Word. But as always, life gets busy and a few days later I was back in the swing of my schedule living life as I had before. 

So often we find ourselves making excuses about why we don't have time to read our Bibles. There's laundry to do, tests to study for and bills to pay. In the end, is all of that really going to matter?

Don't get me wrong, I understand we all have tons of responsibilities and commitments we need to keep up with and I'm not saying it's alright to neglect them. I am saying we need to remember this life isn't going to last forever, and when we stand before the throne on Judgement Day we aren't going to be thankful for the time we spent obsessing and stressing over cleaning the house and acing that biology test...

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." -Colossians 3:2

This also reminds me of a sermon Susie Shellenberger preached this summer while on my mission trip in Costa Rica. It was called 'Clear the Stage', discussing how idols are still present in our lives today even though they don't usually take place in the form of golden statues. Here are some of my favorite lyrics from Jimmy Needham's song "Clear the Stage":

{Take a break from all the plans that you have made

And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper

Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak

And pray for real upon your knees until they blister

Shine a light on every corner of your life

Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open

Then read the word and put to test the things you've heard

Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken}

I challenge you to take 30 minutes this week to spend quiet time alone with God. I know this will be difficult with Christmas presents to buy and finals to study for, but you can do it! :) Let those small chores and worries go; they really can wait another minute. This life will only last so long, but the special time you spend with Jesus is priceless.

His Biblical Beauty,

Paige

Book Review: The Bronze Bow

Hola, everyone!! School has occupied most of my time lately, and although I enjoy school I have to admit some of my studies are rather dull. In my World History class, we were required to choose a historical fiction novel at the beginning of the semester to write a report on. It could be from any time period on any topic which left the door wide open. Originally, I had planned on reading a selection from one of my favorite eras, the 1940s. For whatever reason, I changed my mind and decided to take a deeper look into the life of an average person during Biblical times -- and I'm sure glad I did.

Meet Daniel bar Jarmin, he's not your average Jew. As a young boy living in a Galilean village, Daniel’s father and uncle are publicly crucified by the Romans. His uncle did not have enough money to pay taxes, and his father had helped him escape - only to be caught later. Too devastated to carry on, his mother passed away a mere three weeks later. 

Those events gave birth to a hatred so passionate and so deep, Daniel went away to live in the mountains with a group of Zealots. For five years he was trained to hunt and kill not only animals but people as well. Rosh, the leader of the band, encouraged the men to steal whatever was necessary to make themselves stronger to fight, even if it meant hurting their own people. 

One day Simon, an old friend from the village, makes a trip up the mountain to alert Daniel that his grandmother is dying. Returning to the community for the first time in five years, Daniel discovers he must stay and take care of his younger demon-possessed sister, Leah. Simon is kind enough to let Daniel take over his blacksmith shop while he goes to follow Jesus. Later on, Simon becomes one of the twelve disciples and is known as Simon the Zealot. 

This was the turning point in the story where I truly became interested because Daniel goes to hear Jesus preach and describes his presence. It continues on to show Daniel’s journey fighting the Romans, learning to love others again and deciding to follow Rosh or Jesus. 

As one can imagine, an epic plot like this must be paired with a number of complications along the way. Joel, Daniel’s best friend, is captured by the Romans and must be rescued back. Thacia, Joel’s sister, and Daniel have a romance. Leah secretly becomes friends with a kind Roman soldier. Daniel must give up all that he’s worked for to follow Jesus or suffer fighting in a war he can never win. 

Overall, I highly recommend The Bronze Bow to all readers and especially to believers like myself. Speare’s descriptions of Jesus gave me chills as I felt I was actually there in the story looking at him. Based off the first third of the book, I wasn’t quite sure if I would enjoy it but was hooked about halfway through. I believe it is important for me to learn about the history of my religion and fascinating to get an average person’s perspective of Jesus. This book truly impacted my view of what life was like for an average Joe during Christ’s ministry. Between the strictness of the Roman rule, how people dressed, the religious traditions, and countless other details included, I gained a new understanding of the lifestyle people lived during that time period. Even though we can read stories about Jesus’ ministry in the Bible, it was compelling to hear how his teachings affected those around him from a person in the crowd’s point of view.*

*I had a good laugh after rereading/editing this post because I copied and pasted most of my report here for the review, bahahaha!

His Biblical Beauty,

Paige

Testimony Tuesday: Sarah

*This is a new segment on my blog I am excited to introduce! I was able to meet Sarah when she transferred schools, and we have become best friends! If you are interested in sharing how God has impacted your life, feel free to contact me.

My name is Sarah and I was lost.

I'm a teenage girl who has grown up in a Christian home all her life. Going to church three times a week and being actively involved, I have always been labeled as a "goody goody" pastor's daughter. Although church is a great place to get closer to the Lord and fellowship with others, I don't believe attending makes you a Christian. That's why when I was seven years old, I accepted Christ into my heart and started to live my life for Him.

Beginning my freshman year of high school I was approached by unkind people who wanted to break my spirit and I wasn't sure why. I was confused why God was putting me through this, after all I had obeyed and loved Him all my life! I began to blame all of my problems on God, not realizing he wouldn't give me anything I couldn't handle. I faced pressures from others trying to sway my beliefs and kill my values. These came from bad influences through friendships and relationships. I started to notice my passion for Jesus dwindling and knew there was a serious problem. After the first semester I was given the opportunity to transfer schools, which soon blossomed into a blessing. I have been able to meet other Christians who are pursuing God just like I am! Since this transition, I've noticed my faith has strengthened and my joy has overflowed.

Being a teenager in high school will never be easy. Life will never be easy, if I said it was I would be lying! You will face problems and temptations, challenges and uncomfortable situations, but God will be right there by your side the whole time. Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." I can reassure you that I am nowhere near perfect. There have been times I have strayed so far from God I thought for sure I was lost. After all, a God so magnificent doesn't have time to waste on me! Fortunately, I was proven wrong. He fought long and hard and one day, finally found me. God told me not only am I forgiven, not only am I loved but I am HIS CHILD! Let me tell you a secret...you're His child too. Stop running away from Jesus and return home. He will welcome you, his beloved child, with open arms.

My name is Sarah and I have been found.

Make Your Monday Extraordinary

Good morning everyone! I know what you're thinking, it's Monday and time to start all over again...

Now you probably said that with a negative tone. Try saying it extra enthusiastic.

"IT'S MONDAY! I get to start all over again, yay!!!"

Remember, God woke you up this morning for a reason and with a purpose. Now go figure out what that reason is!

I have to admit, I wasn't too thrilled about leaving my warm bed and dragging myself to school this morning. But your attitude affects how your whole day will go. So smile, turn on some Rend Collective and do a little dance. You're free!

This was a video they showed my first night of FUAGNEM on my mission trip training. It's an awesome reminder of what God has called each and every one of us to do! Take the time to watch this and hopefully you will be impacted and inspired just like I was.

"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." -Romans 15:13

His Biblical Beauty,

Paige

Take Time to Refocus

School has started and we have settled down into a routine once more. This can be a good thing, but can tend to lose our "fire" and passion for God that we had time to develop and nurture over the summer. Even though we may not have as much time devoted to growing our relationship with The Lord, it doesn't mean it has to suffer. What do I recommend? Setting aside time at the beginning and end of your day to refocus.

Time to declare to God "I'm here and willing to serve; use me!"

Time to desperately pray for a loved one who is sick.

Or simply time to thank Jesus for all that He's done for you.

God gave us all different looks, different personalities, different lifestyles and different styles of worship. For example, someone might connect to The Lord by hearing a powerful sermon. Another person might hear God's voice as they are writing poems about His love. I personally am overwhelmed with the Holy Spirit's presence while listening to worship music. I started getting up for school 20 minutes early so I could have time to pray and start off my day right. I am one of the busiest people I know, so I promise you can fit it into your schedule whether it's 10 minutes or an hour. Here are some ideas for spending quiet time with God:

Listen to worship music

Read your bible

Start a prayer journal

Listen to a sermon

Read a daily devotional

Pray on your knees and focus as hard as you can

Write poetry

Doodle

Go on a quiet bike ride

I believe reading your bible should be one of the biggest priorities in your day. I would get out my bible for church and youth group, but it went back in the same spot until the next Wednesday or Sunday rolled around. One of my favorite things about the bible is that it has something for everyone! Action, drama, romance, comedy....and eternal salvation. 

"He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'” -Psalm 46:10

His Biblical Beauty,

Paige

Back to School, New Perspective

Well Biblical Beauties, August has finally come and it's time to go back to school. Most kids are dreading it while most parents are anticipating it. I don't mind school, but who really wants summer to end? In light of all the heavy things going on in the world lately, I have decided to approach the upcoming school year differently.

A couple of weeks ago I was reading my devotional written by Susie Shellenberger and Kristin Weber (I highly recommend this book to all teenage girls!!! I love my copy) and the topic was praying for persecuted Christians. It was something I had thought about before, but not deeply. After all, it's hard to imagine when we are blessed to live in a country where we can worship our Father freely! Hearing news of what has been going on in Syria, Iraq and other countries around the world breaks my heart. The fact that children's futures are being stolen from them and faithful Christians are being tortured in horrendous ways just doesn't seem fair, does it? We take so many things for granted each day. Going to church every Sunday becomes a habit. Instead of listening to what your pastor has to say, you're thinking about your plans for the rest of the week. You start to grumble to yourself because the worship team is singing too many songs and your legs are tired from standing. It's the little things we don't appreciate, but what if it was all taken away?

There's lots of kids who joke about how they would love for their school to be blown away by a tornado or for something drastic to happen so they wouldn't have to go anymore. I'm not saying joking around is a bad thing, I do it all the time! But if you really stop and think about what you're saying and how you would feel if it actually did happen, I'm sure you wouldn't think it was all that funny after all. What if a group of strangers came in and said you weren't allowed to go to school anymore? I'm sure your initial reaction would be "Wow, these people are my heros!" Until you find out they're making you leave the country, or worse - taking you to be killed because you had a bible with you.

This is the reality for many Christians all over the globe. They are fighting for their faith each day, praying with all their strength asking God to spare their lives. Honestly, if someone approached you with a gun pointed at your head asking if you were a Christian, would you have the faith and strength to say yes?

Luckily, this is something we don't usually have to deal with in the United States on a day to day basis. I believe God has placed me in a country where I can worship Him freely so I may strengthen my faith before I go out to put it to the test. So this year, I am challenging myself and all of you to live your life for Christ. Don't be afraid to tell others about Jesus, His love and what He did for you. We live for Him because He died for us. Pray for those being persecuted. Do everything to the best of your abilities and put 100% into everything you do, whether it be school, work or sports. Do it for those who can't. Because someday, we might be put in that same position.

"But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten." -Jeremiah 20:11

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as if working for the Lord." -Colossians 3:23

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige

Book Review: Once Upon a Prince (The Royal Wedding Series)

Because my mother works at a Christian bookstore, (Go check out Faith & Life!) I have a huge pile of books waiting to be read. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love reading! I'm a complete bookworm. However, this summer I haven't had a whole lot of time to dive into a good story. In June, I started a book called Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck.

Mom knows me too well. Yes, I am in fact a hopeless romantic -- I love flowers and chocolate and sweet, cheesy compliments and romantic comedies and happy endings. Just a warning to all those people who don't feel the same way as I do: OUAP is one of those sappy love stories. Honestly, I had a hard time getting hooked until about page 188. That's not the author's fault in particular, I had been reading a few pages at a time and kept having to remind myself what had happened the last time I read a few weeks ago. Once I started reading chapters at a time, I couldn't stop. Yesterday I had about 50 pages left and decided to sit down and finish it off. It didn't take me long at all!! In fact, I don't think I could've stopped reading if I tried.

Although it may seem like your typical romance novel, it has many unexpected twists and turns with a little help from the big man upstairs. The main characters are Susanna and Nate. Susanna lives on St. Simons Island, Georgia and Nathaniel is from an imaginary country in Europe called Brighton. The book begins with Susanna getting dumped by her boyfriend of twelve years and throws all of her plans out the window, making her 100% available to God. Nate is actually the crown prince of Brighton and is preparing to become king as his father is sick. Later on, the two cross paths while Nate is secretly vacationing on the island and Susanna is trying to start her own landscape architect design firm. Nate and Susanna begin to develop feelings for each other, but Brighton has a law that royals are not allowed to marry outside of the country. Will Nathaniel and Susanna go their separate ways, or will the Lord bring them back together? Read the book and decide for yourself! :)

Happy reading my friends! Don't forget to read the most important book of all, your bible ;)

His Biblical Beauty,

Paige

Testimony

Hello Biblical Beauties! Since I have been blogging for a while, I thought I might share my story so you can get to know me a bit better.

I have grown up in a Christian home and am blessed with two WONDERFUL parents. I am an only child and have grown quite close with them. I've always been really outgoing and never get bored. As a little girl, I loved princesses, dressing up, music and crafts. Not much has changed ;) Most of all, I loved Jesus. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I don't remember the exact day when I accepted the Lord into my heart.

Middle school was rough for me. I struggled with others accepting my funky fashion style and enjoying my hyper personality. Singing and theatre wasn't cool, but sports were. I began to distance myself from my friends as I wasn't very good. There was a certain girl who did not like me, and it felt like she was keeping my friends from being with me. As I now look back, I am thankful to her for the pain she caused me because I only grew stronger.  By the end of the school year, I had no friends and was becoming depressed. My family and I also left our church we had been going to for my entire life and my parents for 16 years. That was a struggle that really challenged my faith and brought me down.

That summer did not get any better. I went to weights in the morning, my grandparents house in the afternoon and watched TV in my basement during the rest of my free time. It was an awesome summer because I was able to bond with my family, but lost all connection with my friends whatsoever. I was starting to doubt God, and had thoughts of suicide. One afternoon, my mom and I had a fight and I tried to OD on Advil. I wasn't smart enough to shut the door and my mom caught me before I could swallow any. She was concerned, but thought I was just upset because of the argument.

The end of the summer was coming and soon I would be able to travel to my favorite place in the world - church camp in Scott City, KS. At communion, I felt moved to talk to my counselor Hannah about my problems. We talked for over an hour and decided the next day she would talk to my mom when she came to pick me up. It was really tough admitting all my problems to someone I barely knew, but I will be forever grateful to Hannah because she saved my life. My other counselor Joe was also extremely supportive and I love them both.

I started going to Prairie View in August and receiving counseling, and by October I was "cured." I also started listening to Christian music which kept my outlook on life positive. I'm not saying it was easy, because it wasn't. I struggled a lot and sometimes I still do, but Christ was my motivation and the Lord really changed me forever.

Today, I have been blessed with wonderful friends. I still struggle with self esteem and self-doubt but who doesn't? If God is for us, who can be against us?!

I hope you will be encouraged by my story and it will motivate you to turn your eyes on Jesus and away from all other problems in your life.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything."
-James 1:2-4

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige

Eureka!

This weekend, I was reading the book Get Lost by Dannah Gresh and she said something that really clicked for me. I do not have an exact quote, but it was something like this:

"We all crave unconditional love. The only reason we want it from boys more sometimes is because their love is tangible; we can touch them and hug them and feel them. God's love is much stronger, and we can still feel it - just in different ways."

Wow...

For me, that really clicked.

And that was only the first chapter.

I highly recommend you read this book! Dannah Gresh is a fabulous author and the Lord is using her in awesome ways, as you can see He did this past weekend.

Have a happy Monday!

His Biblical Beauty,
Paige