Here's what makes me angry more than anything: Christians often put so much effort into non-Christians that they often neglect their very own brothers and sisters in Christ. Now hear me out, it's so awesome to see people being the hands and feet of Jesus! That's exactly what we're called to do, and it encourages me SO much to see people accept Jesus into their lives!!! I love seeing God work! But here's the thing that we as Christians often do...we invite them into our family, they accept the invitation, and then that's it. Okay! Our job is done! Now go fend for yourselves! Umm...NO!!!!
I have been noticing this a lot in the Church. If a Christian asks a question, like, "How do you know God is real?" because they're beginning to have doubts, other Christians shake it off like it's nothing because this person has already accepted Jesus. Guys, if you do that, we're going to lose a lot of people. I've asked the question before, and I've gotten responses like "I've seen too many things to not believe" or "Jesus is proof"...those answers don't satisfy me. Sorry, but I want to hear the stories, hear the testimonies, hear the proof. Not just some one sentence answer because you don't feel like dealing with my crap. What if I went home and burned my bible, said, "Screw this" and killed myself? That opportunity would've been ruined. A lot of us ruin opportunities. I do too.
I am honestly so tired of feeling like my own family of believers doesn't care about me. And this isn't a me-me-me post, because if I'm feeling this way, then how many other people feel this way? I can deal with this, I'm used to being alone, but for the sake of the other believers that feel like this, we need to fix this huge problem. It is a huge problem when I feel like my work is more of a family than my church. It is a huge problem when I'm scared to ask questions with other Christians because I don't want them to think negative things about me. It's a huge problem when I cry because of the words of another believer. It's a huge problem when I doubt my faith because of another believer.
You know what guys? I'm tired of it. Your first priority is always God. God is our Father. We are his children. We are all brothers and sisters. We need to be there for eachother with love, support, trust, strength, encouragement, truth. We need to reach out for and be there for our brothers and sisters who are struggling. We need to take them seriously. If they say, "I don't know if God is real." We should in no way assume that they'll get over it. Never assume someone will "get over" anything. Soon, they will have a knife to their wrist. They will have a bottle of pills. They will have a gun. They will drink alcohol to drown the pain. They will. Why do you think God gave us eachother? So we could hold eachother up in times of weakness! So we could have little slivers of him here on this earth.
Don't ignore your family in Christ, guys. Don't take them for granted. They are a gift, and we should always treat them like that.
I love you, family.
Ariel
December 25, 2011
December 3, 2011
"Beautiful" Sin
I had a dream last night, and I woke up very confused as to what it meant. Obviously, I asked God. The dream was that I was marrying one of my friends, not anyone whom I'm close with or anything, just someone I talk to occasionally. But the twist was that it was a girl. I was marrying a girl, and I'm a girl. And so I was getting everything ready, we were so happy, and I was putting my dress on and veil and everything, and we were at the alter. There were just a bunch of faces I recognized from school but no one I really knew. I came in and stood in front of the pastor, but I stood too far away, so I had to go closer. I looked down and my beautiful white dress had turned into this grey, ugly dress that was coming apart. I realized while I was dreaming that I was marrying a girl, and that this completely went against everything I believed. I didn't know how I got to that point in my life, I felt like I had gotten in way too deep to get out now, and I felt like if I did not marry this person I would be letting everyone down and not be able to go on with my life, knowing what everyone thought of me.
Then I woke up, incredibly confused as to why I had just dreamt that, as it made no sense whatsoever. So I prayed, and everything kind of came together and made sense. A lot of sense. This is what I realized from this dream:
Me marrying one of my friends is like sin. It made me happy at first, and everything was so good with it in my life. I felt on top of the world, that it had made life better for me. A lot of the dream had to do with pressure. These people at my wedding were all staring at me as I came down the isle, and from that I got this: I care too much what people think. I feel like every one's watching my every move, and I feel like I have to be perfect. And so when I stood too far away from the preacher, I screwed up, while everyone was watching. Then when I saw my dress had changed, that part of the dream meant that I saw my life change. I saw this "beautiful" sin in my life start to show it's true colors. The dress tearing was like my life falling apart, and I kept having to try to pin it together so that no one would notice. Then this big realization at the end of the dream, the realization that I had gotten in so deep and felt like now I was in that "relationship" with sin for the rest of my life, that's exactly how I've been feeling lately. In the dream I started thinking about all of the stuff that would be better if I would just say "no" to marrying that person, but that little, weak voice inside of me kept saying "but I just can't do it". With all of those people there, watching me, I just couldn't bear to think about what they would think of me, even if I would be unhappy for the rest of my life, I couldn't just break out of it for fear of what would happen next.
I've been going through a lot of difficult stuff lately. I feel like this thing that I'm in is eating me alive. I want to say no, but there's that little voice telling me that I can't. This dream, in strange ways, is reflecting where I am in life right now.
This needs to end. I need God. I need him. I can't keep living like this, in this sin. Please pray for me, guys. I love you all.
God bless,
Ariel
Then I woke up, incredibly confused as to why I had just dreamt that, as it made no sense whatsoever. So I prayed, and everything kind of came together and made sense. A lot of sense. This is what I realized from this dream:
Me marrying one of my friends is like sin. It made me happy at first, and everything was so good with it in my life. I felt on top of the world, that it had made life better for me. A lot of the dream had to do with pressure. These people at my wedding were all staring at me as I came down the isle, and from that I got this: I care too much what people think. I feel like every one's watching my every move, and I feel like I have to be perfect. And so when I stood too far away from the preacher, I screwed up, while everyone was watching. Then when I saw my dress had changed, that part of the dream meant that I saw my life change. I saw this "beautiful" sin in my life start to show it's true colors. The dress tearing was like my life falling apart, and I kept having to try to pin it together so that no one would notice. Then this big realization at the end of the dream, the realization that I had gotten in so deep and felt like now I was in that "relationship" with sin for the rest of my life, that's exactly how I've been feeling lately. In the dream I started thinking about all of the stuff that would be better if I would just say "no" to marrying that person, but that little, weak voice inside of me kept saying "but I just can't do it". With all of those people there, watching me, I just couldn't bear to think about what they would think of me, even if I would be unhappy for the rest of my life, I couldn't just break out of it for fear of what would happen next.
I've been going through a lot of difficult stuff lately. I feel like this thing that I'm in is eating me alive. I want to say no, but there's that little voice telling me that I can't. This dream, in strange ways, is reflecting where I am in life right now.
This needs to end. I need God. I need him. I can't keep living like this, in this sin. Please pray for me, guys. I love you all.
God bless,
Ariel
November 19, 2011
Go.
My best friend is pregnant. My other best friend is dealing with CFS and her mother's pregnancy and her father's in jail. Another one of my friend's is dealing with an eating disorder. Another one of my friends is dealing with constantly being made fun of. Another is trying to get her life back together but life constantly is trying to beat her back down. Yet another is dealing with a broken home. Another is the only Christian in her home.
I am so blessed. I love my friends dearly. I love them so much! I don't know what I would do without them, to be honest. I love them in all their imperfection. They are so precious.
If you live in this clean, white little room where you unlock the door for your friends who have no obvious problems in their lives and you just stay closed off in this sheltered little place...shame on you. Shame on you, Christians who do not go out and be the hands and feet of God, like he called you to. Shame on you, Christians who do not go out and be the voice of God. Shame on you, Christians who think you are better than everyone else. Shame on you, Christians who can take part in making fun of someone else because that will boost your social status. Shame on you, Christians who do not talk to your Savior!
What are we coming to, guys? What is Christianity coming to? The word "Christian" has little to no meaning anymore. We throw it around like it's useless. When this word came to be, it was to identify people. Kind of like people from Canada are called Canadians, or people from America are called Americans, people from Australia are called Australians, people who followed Jesus Christ were named Christians. People who went out and preached about God, brought others to Christ, praised God, prayed, read the bible, healed the sick, prophesied, spoke in tongues, people who went out and were the hands and feet of Jesus Christ and followed where he led. And now, in 2011, what is considered a Christian? Someone who says, "I believe in God." Or maybe even someone who puts on the facebook profile page that they're a Christian. That's probably the most aggravating thing I see, is looking at someone's bio on facebook and seeing under Religious Views "Christian", meanwhile you see them at school and they're swearing or talking about how much fun they had drinking and partying on the weekend or they're using God's name in vain. Are you serious? I would love for these people to really come to Christ! But guys, seriously, it's time to rise up. This generation is the generation that will show people the power of our God like no one has seen before!! I believe that full well, there are people prophesying this like crazy. We are the generation that will rise up and proclaim the name of Christ.
I love you brothers and sisters, but now is the time to stop hiding away in your perfect little container that you've pushed yourselves into. It's time to step out, step up, get in there, and get your hands dirty. Go feed the homeless. Go give a prostitute a bible. Go tell your friend who cuts their wrists that you love them. Go take someone who doesn't ever get a break out for dinner. Go write an encouragement note to someone who is under appreciated. Go. Just go! Go out and show the crazy love of the Father to this world that is desperately in need of it!
I love you guys.
God bless,
Ariel
I am so blessed. I love my friends dearly. I love them so much! I don't know what I would do without them, to be honest. I love them in all their imperfection. They are so precious.
If you live in this clean, white little room where you unlock the door for your friends who have no obvious problems in their lives and you just stay closed off in this sheltered little place...shame on you. Shame on you, Christians who do not go out and be the hands and feet of God, like he called you to. Shame on you, Christians who do not go out and be the voice of God. Shame on you, Christians who think you are better than everyone else. Shame on you, Christians who can take part in making fun of someone else because that will boost your social status. Shame on you, Christians who do not talk to your Savior!
What are we coming to, guys? What is Christianity coming to? The word "Christian" has little to no meaning anymore. We throw it around like it's useless. When this word came to be, it was to identify people. Kind of like people from Canada are called Canadians, or people from America are called Americans, people from Australia are called Australians, people who followed Jesus Christ were named Christians. People who went out and preached about God, brought others to Christ, praised God, prayed, read the bible, healed the sick, prophesied, spoke in tongues, people who went out and were the hands and feet of Jesus Christ and followed where he led. And now, in 2011, what is considered a Christian? Someone who says, "I believe in God." Or maybe even someone who puts on the facebook profile page that they're a Christian. That's probably the most aggravating thing I see, is looking at someone's bio on facebook and seeing under Religious Views "Christian", meanwhile you see them at school and they're swearing or talking about how much fun they had drinking and partying on the weekend or they're using God's name in vain. Are you serious? I would love for these people to really come to Christ! But guys, seriously, it's time to rise up. This generation is the generation that will show people the power of our God like no one has seen before!! I believe that full well, there are people prophesying this like crazy. We are the generation that will rise up and proclaim the name of Christ.
I love you brothers and sisters, but now is the time to stop hiding away in your perfect little container that you've pushed yourselves into. It's time to step out, step up, get in there, and get your hands dirty. Go feed the homeless. Go give a prostitute a bible. Go tell your friend who cuts their wrists that you love them. Go take someone who doesn't ever get a break out for dinner. Go write an encouragement note to someone who is under appreciated. Go. Just go! Go out and show the crazy love of the Father to this world that is desperately in need of it!
I love you guys.
God bless,
Ariel
November 17, 2011
Funny
So, I figured I would share a few moments I had on a youth retreat this past weekend. It was so much fun. I was actually considering not going, but I am so glad that I went. I'll be sharing what I learned at the youth retreat soon, but for now, I just thought I'd share some of the "oiii" moments.
This was fantastic, just because it was so unexpected! Scott's sitting down eating lunch, and this other guy comes up and pours a pitcher of water on his lap. So good! So Scott went and changed and then...
I got him! Ha ha! I went and shoved ice cream in his face. He had been threatening me for weeks to throw me in the lake (in Canada...in November...), so I figured if he was gonna throw me in the lake, I might as well have some fun.
And then...just after lunch, I heard we were taking the group picture by the lake. "Oh, crap!" was my exact thoughts. I was still confident though, that he would not throw me in the lake. So we took the picture.
And then he threw me in the lake.
Ha. What a weekend! Funny thing is, I didn't even get sick. I went into the dining hall after, and our hosts were my "body guards" because my auntie works there and knows them. The guys found it funny, and the girl gave me a hug, she felt so bad! Ha, it was a great weekend.
God bless,
Ariel
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| My cousin, Scott, decided he wanted to wear a onesie. I decided to document this. |
 |
| Prank #1 |
 |
| Prank #2 |
And then...just after lunch, I heard we were taking the group picture by the lake. "Oh, crap!" was my exact thoughts. I was still confident though, that he would not throw me in the lake. So we took the picture.
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| Just brutal! He put me down gently, and then he pushed me. |
Ha. What a weekend! Funny thing is, I didn't even get sick. I went into the dining hall after, and our hosts were my "body guards" because my auntie works there and knows them. The guys found it funny, and the girl gave me a hug, she felt so bad! Ha, it was a great weekend.
 |
| hahaha after the lake! We love eachother. |
Ariel
October 21, 2011
How Great?
I find Jesus himself just so amazing. I love reading the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) because you see how Jesus acted, who he is, how he treats people, his morals. Jesus says that you can't see God, but he is exactly like him. How privileged, how blessed are we that we get to see right into the Father's heart? That we, as humans, got to experience his tangible love? And compassion? And grace? And forgiveness? We got to see our Lord with our own eyes! I often imagine seeing Jesus in the distance, and running at full speed towards him, and hugging him. That is truly the greatest thing that I want, is to hug him. I can't wait until the day that I do.
I love reading in John 8...these religious nuts want to stone a woman to death for committing adultery. You know what Jesus says? "Anyone here who has never sinned can throw the first stone at her." [John 8:8] Wow. Like a punch in the gut, eh? It just shows you how compassionate he is. Jesus is the only person in that group of people who had never sinned, and even he did not throw a stone at her. We serve such a compassionate, loving God. He protects us.
How many of us have wondered why God's put us in the circumstances he puts us in? I've wondered that countless times. Or rather, not why he puts me in it, but why he allows it to happen. This verse shook my world: "Jesus answered, 'It is not this man's sin or his parents' sin that made him blind. This man was born blind so that God's power could be shown in him.'" [John 9:3] God's power can and will be shown in my circumstances. I believe that full well! I'm comforted by the fact that all things work out for the good of those who love Him [Romans 8:8]. God can take your crappiest situation and turn it completely around, using it for the greatness of his kingdom! I love that! Jesus does not take joy in our trouble, though. I want to get that across very clearly. "When Jesus saw Mary crying and the Jews who came with her also crying, he was upset and was deeply troubled.....Jesus cried." [John 11:33&35] This was after Lazarus died. Jesus knew that he was going to use this for his good. He knew that he would raise Lazarus from the dead and many people would be saved through this miracle. But did that take away the pain and sadness? No. The emotions that we feel, God feels them ten times more strongly. When you cry, God cries. When you're laughing, he's laughing. When you're filled with joy, so is he. When you're angry, God is too. He's our father. What father wants their child to hurt? So even though he knows his plan, he knows how he's going to use these horrible things that happen to us, he still feels pain, he's sad for us, he's angry for us, he feels our hurt. I love him.
I read this verse last night: "I tell you the truth, whoever believes in me will do the same things that I do. Those who believe will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you so that the Father's glory will be shown through the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it." [John 14:12-14] We have the power to do miracles. By Jesus saying that we will do the same, and even greater than he did, he's saying that we have the power to make the blind see, make the deaf hear, raise the dead, speak with authority! He has given us power!! This is just incredible to me. To think that I, this 16 year old in a small town, have been given the authority to perform miracles? Wow. Wow! I am just blown away by God's goodness. I love him so much!!!
I found this video today, and I could not stop smiling!!! How great is our God?! Oh! He is so, so, so good. Words can't even describe. I feel like I've fallen in love all over again. Listen to those people sing. Look at their faces. See them raising their hands in ultimate surrender to God! I just love this. This was the absolute best way to start my day. Her prayer is my prayer.
Have a blessed day!
Ariel
I love reading in John 8...these religious nuts want to stone a woman to death for committing adultery. You know what Jesus says? "Anyone here who has never sinned can throw the first stone at her." [John 8:8] Wow. Like a punch in the gut, eh? It just shows you how compassionate he is. Jesus is the only person in that group of people who had never sinned, and even he did not throw a stone at her. We serve such a compassionate, loving God. He protects us.
How many of us have wondered why God's put us in the circumstances he puts us in? I've wondered that countless times. Or rather, not why he puts me in it, but why he allows it to happen. This verse shook my world: "Jesus answered, 'It is not this man's sin or his parents' sin that made him blind. This man was born blind so that God's power could be shown in him.'" [John 9:3] God's power can and will be shown in my circumstances. I believe that full well! I'm comforted by the fact that all things work out for the good of those who love Him [Romans 8:8]. God can take your crappiest situation and turn it completely around, using it for the greatness of his kingdom! I love that! Jesus does not take joy in our trouble, though. I want to get that across very clearly. "When Jesus saw Mary crying and the Jews who came with her also crying, he was upset and was deeply troubled.....Jesus cried." [John 11:33&35] This was after Lazarus died. Jesus knew that he was going to use this for his good. He knew that he would raise Lazarus from the dead and many people would be saved through this miracle. But did that take away the pain and sadness? No. The emotions that we feel, God feels them ten times more strongly. When you cry, God cries. When you're laughing, he's laughing. When you're filled with joy, so is he. When you're angry, God is too. He's our father. What father wants their child to hurt? So even though he knows his plan, he knows how he's going to use these horrible things that happen to us, he still feels pain, he's sad for us, he's angry for us, he feels our hurt. I love him.
I read this verse last night: "I tell you the truth, whoever believes in me will do the same things that I do. Those who believe will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you so that the Father's glory will be shown through the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it." [John 14:12-14] We have the power to do miracles. By Jesus saying that we will do the same, and even greater than he did, he's saying that we have the power to make the blind see, make the deaf hear, raise the dead, speak with authority! He has given us power!! This is just incredible to me. To think that I, this 16 year old in a small town, have been given the authority to perform miracles? Wow. Wow! I am just blown away by God's goodness. I love him so much!!!
I found this video today, and I could not stop smiling!!! How great is our God?! Oh! He is so, so, so good. Words can't even describe. I feel like I've fallen in love all over again. Listen to those people sing. Look at their faces. See them raising their hands in ultimate surrender to God! I just love this. This was the absolute best way to start my day. Her prayer is my prayer.
Have a blessed day!
Ariel
October 20, 2011
Imagine That
This song just gets me so pumped up. Every word of it is true for me. I know that God has so much more planned for me than what I'm seeing right now! I will say this, though: God, you are absolutely crazy, but I love you for it. Ha, I have no clue what he's got up his sleeve for me. I think he's going in one direction and then he 180's it and veers the other way. It's interesting, I must say. Even now, at 16, I'm starting to get a little taste of his plans, and the fact that what he has planned for me is so much greater than anything I could ever plan or imagine for myself.
I never would have guessed that I would organize bake sales. I never would have guessed that I would begin to organize a concert and have phone calls from booking agents in Tennessee! I never would have guessed that I would help teach a kindergarten class. I never would have guessed that a bunch of youth leaders in town would know my name and say that I'm going to go so far in life. I never guessed that I would be apart of a fashion group. I never ever ever would have guessed that I would have the life I have. How many 16 year olds can say that they've done all these things?? Not many. God is doing big things. I know it, because Satan has tried with the hardest stones he can throw to knock me down because he knows that God is going to use me for huge things! How dare he try to stop God's plan for my life?! You know what? Game on, buddy. God has fought for me time and time again, and I love him to death. He literally fought for me, he told me. And I can feel him protecting me when Satan wants to attack. Psalm 91:4. I love him, so much.
I cannot wait to see how my life plays out and how God will use me. Am I excited? Yes! Am I scared? Oooh, yes! But I trust. He's protecting me. He's guiding me. He loves me, and that's all I need in my life.
God bless,
Ariel
This song just gets me so pumped up. Every word of it is true for me. I know that God has so much more planned for me than what I'm seeing right now! I will say this, though: God, you are absolutely crazy, but I love you for it. Ha, I have no clue what he's got up his sleeve for me. I think he's going in one direction and then he 180's it and veers the other way. It's interesting, I must say. Even now, at 16, I'm starting to get a little taste of his plans, and the fact that what he has planned for me is so much greater than anything I could ever plan or imagine for myself.
I never would have guessed that I would organize bake sales. I never would have guessed that I would begin to organize a concert and have phone calls from booking agents in Tennessee! I never would have guessed that I would help teach a kindergarten class. I never would have guessed that a bunch of youth leaders in town would know my name and say that I'm going to go so far in life. I never guessed that I would be apart of a fashion group. I never ever ever would have guessed that I would have the life I have. How many 16 year olds can say that they've done all these things?? Not many. God is doing big things. I know it, because Satan has tried with the hardest stones he can throw to knock me down because he knows that God is going to use me for huge things! How dare he try to stop God's plan for my life?! You know what? Game on, buddy. God has fought for me time and time again, and I love him to death. He literally fought for me, he told me. And I can feel him protecting me when Satan wants to attack. Psalm 91:4. I love him, so much.
I cannot wait to see how my life plays out and how God will use me. Am I excited? Yes! Am I scared? Oooh, yes! But I trust. He's protecting me. He's guiding me. He loves me, and that's all I need in my life.
God bless,
Ariel
October 6, 2011
Alien
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| "Fashion Fairytale" or nightmare? It is not even humanly possible to achieve this look. |
I definitely grew up thinking that Barbie was perfect and that I would look like her when I grew up. With the perfect makeup, wearing heels all the time, charismatic, the perfect body. Did any of that happen? Ha! Nope.
Let's dissect this "Barbie's Fashion Fairytale" for a second. First off, do you really think that sparkly pink skin is attractive? 'Cause it's not, not even maybe. Well, I guess if you want to be an alien when you grow up you would have a different mindset. I was looking at this Barbie during work today, and thinking, where do her freakin' legs end?! No one person on this planet has that long of legs. It's just not natural, by far. Oh, and no one's that skinny. You wanna teach your children to be anorexic, then buying them that Barbie is step one. Why do you think so many girls today have so many issues? They have to be skinny because that's what all of society says. And the sick thing is, no one's denying it! Why do we give girls these false beliefs? I don't understand. And now, my favorite part, (I really hope you heard me roll my eyes at this point...) her clothing. *Cough* Slut! *Cough* ...Yeah, 'nough said. Ew. Ew, ew, ew! Any guy, and I mean any guy, Christian or not, seeing this girl walking around would automatically have his eyes boggling and mind racing. Her butt is hardly being covered by that short skirt! And really? I don't think I've ever seen any girl wearing that short of a shirt in public. It's pretty much a sports bra.
This disgusts me. I honestly hope that Barbie somehow gets destroyed, because it is doing no child any favors. Please hear me, girls, when I say this. Modesty is beautiful. You will attract the kind of guy you dress for. And if your boobs are hanging out of your shirt and you have to keep having to pull your shorts down to cover your butt, then you are going to attract a guy who only wants you for your body, and I guarantee it, he will shatter your heart. Any boy who is worth your time will tell you that you look absolutely beautiful when you've just rolled out of bed because he woke you up to surprise you. He'll love you for you, and not for your body. And he'll be looking for a relationship that will last the rest of your lives, instead of a one night stand. These boys are rare, yes, but they are worth it, and you will never regret it. They are out there. God has the perfect one picked out for you, you just have to let him take the drivers seat and lead you to him.
God bless,
Ariel
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