"Spiritual" Activities

"The Lord said to Moses, 'Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy."
-Leviticus 19:1-2

Have you noticed how some activities seem more spiritual, more sacred than others? Singing hymns, teaching church school, or preparing a care basket for a sick friend - all of these seem exalted.

But what about when you drive to the gas station for a fill-up? Or when you count up coupons to the clerk at the supermarket? Or while you're waiting for the salesperson to wrap what you've bought?

We do it all the time - separate "religious" activities into one group and "regular" into another. But Leviticus 19 addresses that problem. In one verse Moses says, "Do not steal," yet the next verse states, "Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen" (Leviticus 19:10). Again he says in one verse, "Love your neighbor as yourself" and the verse following, "Do not mate different kinds of animals" (Leviticus 19:18-19).

Why didn't Moses group together all the spiritual activities and leave those nonessential things for another chapter? It's no mistake that God spoke these commands in one breath, mingling "spiritual" and "nonspiritual." In God's eyes, all of life's activities are sacred.

God wants you to understand that all life is spiritual; all of life's activities come under His domain. How you "tend your vineyard" and how you talk to the shop assistant. How you "mate animals" and how you treat your neighbor. Everything you do can be a way of worshiping the Lord. Remember that, the next time you wash dishes.

Dear God, I want to view everything I do as a way of worshiping You. Remind me that every activity is spiritual in Your eyes, no matter how small or insignificant it seems.

Taken from Diamonds in the Dust. Copyright © 1993 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Used by permission. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Little Known Lyric...

Why am I smiling
And why do I sing?
Why does September
Seem sunny as spring?
Why do I get up
Each morning and start?
Happy and head up
With joy in my heart
Why is each new task
A trifle to do?
Because I am living
A life full of you


~Singin' in the Rain~

:)

Hate... But Cling to What Is Good

Hate... But Cling to What Is Good

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."

-Romans 12:9

Christians have a great deal to fight against these days: Pornography. Corruption in government. Abortion. Homosexual rights. Euthanasia. Humanism and secularism in schools.

But our campaigns simply can't be aimed at what is wrong in our society. We can't rebuke evil, expose the works of darkness, and simply stop there.

Rather, God calls us to lay down our lives for the people behind the issues we support. Heroism is an extraordinary feat of the flesh, and campaigns are occasionally won that way. But not people. Holiness is the only power that not only defeats darkness but changes our lives, including the lives of those behind the issues we oppose.

That means praying for the pimp who exploits wayward teenagers on the street. It means interceding for the homosexuals who march against city hall for sexual civil rights. It means campaigning in prayer for the pornography mongers. It could mean connecting with the director of a nearby abortion clinic, or contacting a government leader who's on the "take," and letting them know you care about their spiritual needs. It could mean taking a right-to-die advocate out to lunch to discuss life worth living.

Fighting and winning a campaign may bring one personal glory, but fighting for souls in prayer and winning them to Christ brings glory to God.

Approach problems in our society with a Romans 12:9 frame of mind. Hate what is evil. But, in prayer, love the individuals behind those hateful issues. As Jesus said, bless those who persecute you and love your enemy.

Oh Lord, I confess I am so critical of so many wrongs in society, but I don't pray for the people who perpetuate the wrongdoing. May my love be sincere and may You use my prayers to win those people to You.

Taken from Diamonds in the Dust. Copyright © 1993 by Joni Eareckson Tada.

Dad's Brownies

A father of some teenage children had the family rule that they could not attend PG-13 or R rated movies. His three teens wanted to see a particular popular movie that was playing at local theaters. It was rated PG-13.

The teens interviewed friends and even some members of their family's church to find out what was offensive in the movie. The teens made a list of pros and cons about the movie to use to convince their dad that they should be allowed to see it. The con's were that it contained ONLY 3 swear words, the ONLY violence was a building exploding (and you see that on TV all the time they said), and you actually did not "see" the couple in the movie having sex - it was just implied sex, off camera. The pros were that it was a popular movie - a block buster. Everyone was seeing it. If the teens saw the movie then they would not feel left out when their friends discussed it. The movie contained a good story and plot. It had some great adventure and suspense in it. There were some fantastic special effects in this movie. The movie's stars were some of the most talented actors in Hollywood. It probably would be nominated for several awards.

Many of the members of their Christian church had even seen the movie and said it wasn't "very bad". Therefore, since there were more pros than cons the teens said they were asking their father to reconsider his position on just this ONE movie and let them have permission to go see it.

The father looked at the list and thought for a few minutes. He said he could tell his children had spent some time and thought on this request. He asked if he could have a day to think about it before making his decision. The teens were thrilled thinking; "Now we've got him! Our argument is too good! Dad can't turn us down!" So, they happily agreed to let him have a day to think about their request.

The next evening the father called in his three teenagers, who were smiling smugly, into the living room. There on the coffee table he had a plate of brownies. The teens were puzzled. The father told his children he had thought about their request and had decided that if they would eat a brownie then he would let them go to the movie. But just like the movie, the brownies had pros and cons.

The pros were that they were made with the finest chocolate and other good ingredients. They had the added special effect of yummy walnuts in them. The brownies were moist and fresh with wonderful chocolate frosting on top. He had made these fantastic brownies using an award-winning recipe. And best of all, the brownies had been made lovingly by the hand of their own father.

The brownies only had one con. The father had included a little bit of a special ingredient. The brownies also contained just a little bit of dog poop. But he had mixed the dough well - they probably would not even be able to taste the dog poop and he had baked it at 350 degrees so any bacteria or germs from the dog poop had probably been destroyed.

Therefore, if any of his children could stand to eat the brownies which included just a "little bit of poop" and not be effected by it, then he knew they would also be able to see the movie with "just a little bit of smut" and not be effected.

Of course, none of the teens would eat the brownies and the smug smiles had left their faces. Only Dad was smiling smugly as they left the room.

Now when his teenagers ask permission to do something he is opposed to the father just asks, "Would you like me to whip up a batch of my special brownies?"

Testing...

Well, in the last week, I have gotten a deep bruise in my thigh, been eaten alive by mosquitoes, and messed up my back. The blessing in these things comes in how they happened I suppose...

I bruised my thigh helping my mom clean my great-grandfather's apartment, but I'm so glad he is living (he's almost 93!) and we can serve him in this way.

I was eaten alive by mosquitoes while pushing swings and singing songs with the most adorable children, and I wouldn't trade that time for anything.

I messed up my back while moving things into my new apartment (old microwaves are heavy!), but I am so grateful for God's provision of this new place to call home.

So, take that, satan!
I still have the JOY of the Lord, and you aren't going to steal that away from me!

Sidenote: I find it quite humorous that in the Bible Reading Plan, I begin reading Job today.


Training has been difficult to fit in with this crazy time of moving, but honestly, I feel that the Spiritual lessons I have learned this week about God's might will truly help me in the race. Besides, all that packing and moving up and down the stairs counts as cross-training, right? :P

I'm headed out to Colorado today for the Set-Apart Girl Conference with Eric and Leslie Ludy. Needless to say, I am thrilled. This was such a great experience for me two years ago, and I am looking forward to seeing how God is going to use this in my life this year.


"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. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield."
~Psalm 5:11-12~

Week Zer0

Well... here we are almost at the end of what I'm calling 'Week Zer0".

One of the many lessons I learned from Kung Fu Panda that there is indeed a Level Zer0. I think that in this level, we discover that we know nothing. We can do nothing on our own without God's strength and guidance. I am sure I will be reminded of this many times throughout this training process!

With a bit of research and help from family and friends, I have committed to the following two plans:

The Training Plan
The Eating Plan (Top Two Tiers)

I have a feeling that it will be easier to stick to 'The Training Plan' than 'The Eating Plan', but then, I must remind myself that these two will work together to strengthen my body for the upcoming race. In addition to these plans, I am striving to be more focused in my spiritual life... for without His strength, I am like a limp glove with no strong hand to fill it.

When I think about being able to run 13.1 miles by September 18, I'm not quite sure how I will do it. That's the beauty of this whole project. This is a completely impossible task for me, Elise Ivey, but the beauty comes in this:


"...for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me... my flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
~Psalm 63:7-8, 73:26~

The First Step...

Anytime you begin a journey, you must begin with the first step.

In my case, the first step was filling out a form with my name and address, putting in my t-shirt size, and guesstimating how long it would take me to run exactly 13.1 miles.

No, I can't run 13.1 miles NOW, but I am going out on faith. I'm trusting in the strength of the One who has all Power, and I'm embarking on a journey with my Lord.

On September 18th (about four months from today), I will wake up for my first day as a 23-year-old, and I will go to bed having run a half marathon.

Wow. Just typing it makes me feel crazy enough to be committed to the insane asylum!

That's all for now. It's time to go run.

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Just a bit from my devotions this week:

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

~v. 1 ~
"So then, men out to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God."

-Servants of Christ
-Entrusted with and stewards of the secret things (revelations) of God
-Secret Things= things human wisdom cannot discover, but that are revealed by God to His people

~v. 2~
"Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."

-We must prove ourselves to be faithful with this entrustment of these revelations of God

~v. 3~
"I care very little if I am judged by you or any human court; indeed I do not even judge myself."

-We should care very little about what others think, say, or do in their judgments
-You cannot even judge yourself

~v. 4~
My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me."

-We are guilty of the judgment of others
-Only the Lord can be the Judge

~v. 5~
"Therefore, judge nothing until the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time, each will receive his own praise from God."

-Judgment is not my task
-Wait on the Lord and His perfect judgment
-God will bring these things to light (not my job)
-Motives of the heart will be exposed (motives are judged)
-True praise comes from the Lord, not from men

Vampire Craze - Taken from the Revive Our Hearts Blog

Unless you've been living under a rock, you already know that the Twilight sequel, New Moon, was released in theaters Friday. News organizations nationwide reported sell-out crowds at local theaters. Thousands of fans camped out for hours to stake out their seats for the heavily hyped movie premiere. Experts are reporting that New Moon is now the number-one advance ticket seller of all time. In other words, it's a mega-hit! It's more than a blip on the landscape of culture. It's more like a bombshell, and young women are among the series' biggest fans.

Because I care so deeply about pointing young women toward God's truth, I couldn't let this movie premiere go unaddressed. I know it's controversial and I know, because I've blogged about Twilight in the past, that my stand on the series doesn't make me the world's most popular blogger. But I also know what's at stake. These aren't just books. New Moon isn't just another hit movie. We need to talk about it.

Proverbs 4:23 warns, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

What we allow into our hearts and minds will impact us. As I've researched New Moon and heard about it from countless young women in my sphere of influence, it's clear to me that this movie and the rest of the Twilight series are designed to pull at your heart strings.

People magazine released its "Sexiest Men Alive" issue last week. An entire section of the magazine was dedicated to "Vampires to die for." Twilight star Robert Pattinson topped the list. Stars from the hit vampire shows The Vampire Diaries and True Blood were also featured. All three series have this in common—they're centered around male characters who are dark, brooding, and dangerous.

Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder offered this explanation for the phenomenon: "The mythology behind vampires has never really gone away. It was always there. Now you have this market for it because I think they're fun. They're powerful. They're sexy. They're dangerous. They're beautiful. Something draws you to them . . . The girls like the bad boy."

Vampire Diaries co-executive producer Julie Plec offered this spin: "You want to believe there is so much going on behind those eyes. You want to believe that they have epic amounts of knowledge and soul and spirituality and intelligence lurking behind those eyes. And in real men, you don't often get that. So in a vampire, just by definition, you are getting the bad boy with the brain."

Here's where my spiritual antenna starts to perk up. As young women everywhere choose between Team Edward and Team Jacob and as over 5 million viewers tune in weekly to the vampire shows I mentioned above (for comparison, that's equivalent to the population of Scotland), I can't help but wonder if this fascination with the dark, dangerous, bad boys featured in these series is fitting for girls and women who love Jesus.

First Corinthians 13:4–7 says this, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Galatians 5:22–23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

I've always seen these passages as a great barometer for choosing a fella. These are the qualities that I would advise Christian young women to look for in a man—patience, kindness, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness, self-control. This is what we should be drawn to. We shouldn't link our lives with those who are envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, concerned with keeping score. It isn't wise to form emotional attachments with a guy who delights in evil.

I've seen firsthand, in my own life and in the lives of so many young women, the train wreck that occurs when we're drawn to bad boys. I know the pain that can occur in real life when girls link their lives with guys who are dangerous, brooding, dark, and unpredictable.

That's why I can't help but see New Moon and the rest of the vampire craze for what it is—dangerous! It isn't wise to buy in to the fascination with these characters who are "sexy" because they are dark. Remember the warning in Proverbs, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

As New Moon rises to the applause of our culture, I have to ask, are you guarding your heart above all things?

Parakaleo

"Therefore, I urge (parakaleo) you, brothers,
in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God—
this is your spiritual^a]"> act of worship.

Urge.
'Parakaleo'.
-To call to one's side
-To admonish, exhort
-To console, strengthen
-To comfort, teach, and encourage

Urging. Calling. Comforting. The words that Paul is writing here to the church at Corinth are just as applicable to our lives now as they were to the Corinthians then. Paul is encouraging us here (because of the great and abundant mercy of God) to present ourselves as a 'living sacrifice'.

The Corinthians no longer had to make animal sacrifices. The blood had been shed on the cross of Christ to cover all sins...past, present, and future. So what is Paul saying here?

Paul is saying, give it ALL. Sacrifice is no longer a ritualistic ceremony of bloodshed that must be done in order to bring forgiveness of sin. The living sacrifice mentioned here is to give over our lives in obedience to the Lord. It is an act of worship... of submission to the wisdom of the God that we serve.

...do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—
His good, pleasing and perfect will."
~Romans 12:1-2~

As Christians, this is our calling. 'Do not conform', 'be transformed', gain knowledge of Christ to 'test and approve what God's will is— His good, pleasing and perfect will'. We don't blend in with the world... and we shouldn't. We have been called to be non-conformists that will, through studying God's Word, be transformed by these God-breathed words:

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness..."
~2 Timothy 3:16~

Lately, I have felt convicted about how I spend my time. You can tell a lot about ones priorities through taking a quick peek into their Day-Planner of Life. Is the day spent in prayer? Studying the word? Wow... imagine what 'training in righteousness' can take place through daily study of God's Word!

On the flip side, is the day spent mindlessly surfing the internet? Planting and harvesting crops on Farmville? Updating a twitter or status to fill in your peers in on your fickle mood? Hmm... I wonder if my status will really effect ones day, or if my attitude towards them will have more of an impact?

I am no Greek scholar, but I am developing a passion to learn more of 'the Greek' or 'the Hebrew' in order to get a fuller understanding of the Word of God. To my fullest knowledge and understanding of this word, I believe I have a sudden sense of God's parakaleo— His urging to come alongside Him, learn from His wisdom, and be empowered by His strength.

I am going to be taking a bit of a sabbatical from a few of the distractions in my life (including facebook). You can still reach me via email, but it may take longer than usual for me to answer.

I restate this here as a bit of a reminder to myself:

"Therefore, I urge (parakaleo) you, brothers,
in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God—
this is your spiritual act of worship..."

Asking the Wrong Question

Tonight, I found myself rather weary as I sat on my couch after a physically and emotionally exhausting day. As I typed up music therapy notes, studied random countries on a map, and tried to comprehend scientific formulas, I began to ask myself this question:

How much of this do I really need to know?
Can't I just kinda... skim it over and be okay?

This question seemed vaguely familiar in my mind, but I couldn't quite place it. As my 92 year old great-grandfather would say, 'then, the light lit'.

It's that age-old relationship question. The 'how far is too far' question that all Christan teens seem to ask as they begin to notice that cooties really aren't so bad.

How far is really too far?
Can't I just kinda... play it by ear and see what happens?

Do you know what I realized?
The two questions have the same answer.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
~1 Corinthians 10:31~

In what stuff?
Whatever we do.

How much of it?
All of it.

How is God glorified?
By our half-hearted attempts at 'skimming by'?
Or by us doing all of whatever we do for His glory?


So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
~Galatians 5:16-17~

A Lesson from a Railroad Spike

I have to remind myself each and every day to give everything over to the Lord. Just like I was reminded this week on my morning run...

I was running down the railroad tracks near my apartment and almost tripped over a large, rusty, railroad spike. As I picked it up and turned it over in my hands, the words of Jesus came to my mind: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mark 8:34).

'But Jesus', I cried... 'It is so hard. The cross is so heavy. How can I, who am so very weak, carry such a huge burden? Why would you want me to struggle underneath such a cumbersome load?'

Almost instantly, the Lord brought another Scripture to my mind: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30)

Wow.

Jesus does command us to take up our cross each day, but then He tells us to come to Him with our burdens! He also says that we can learn from Him and find rest for our souls. What a blessing that is to my heart.

Soaring

God has been so faithful! I found out this past week through some test results that I have had Mono since early May. I can't believe how much strength God has/is giving me to make it through this sickness. I just returned from a blessed vacation with my family. It was a time of renewal, closeness, and relaxation. It was much needed for my family and it was a blessing for the four of us to be together... it's quite rare these days.

This vacation gave me some time to reflect on some recent happenings in my life. The majority of people I have met at my 'new' college have told me time and time again that I am too idealistic, have the standards of a perfectionist for my future mate, and that I will possibly remain single my entire life.

Here's my honest response to them and to the world:

I do have ridiculously strong ideals, Jesus Christ set/is the perfect standard, and if I remain single my entire life to bring God glory and to further His kingdom, then so be it.

I cannot consent to creep when my heart's impulse is to soar. I want to soar. If this means that my life will be lonely, if I live it for Christ, then I have succeeded.

Your Gift

Since sex is desirable, why not have sex?

God wants you to be a 'Lady of Purity' because He wants to protect you from the consequences that sex before marriage brings. These consequences can be physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual.

Have you ever secretly opened a Christmas gift before Christmas Day, then rewrap it and put it back under the tree? How thrilling and exciting it was when you first saw the surprise! But what about the 'big day' when the gifts were supposed to be opened for the first time? Where was the excitement when you opened your gift? The gift did not seem quite as special because it had already been opened for the first time.

Each woman receives one 'first time'.

One first kiss. One first night.

One first chance. One.

God desires for your precious gift to be given to a committed lover who will cherish, keep, and protect you in the bonds of marriage. God wants you and your gift to this man to be treasured and cherished, not perceived as something to be conquered and trampled upon.

"Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."

~Song of Solomon 8:4~

Chose: Him or What He Can Give?

Many seek God, but only for His hand. They don't want God as much as they want something from God, such as a man, happiness, or a family. This impure search for God is limited to what you can get. It is more of a self-love than a God-love. This seeking will end in misery, not in the union of love you desire. God knows your motives. To grow in your knowledge of God, you must seek God correctly, which means you must seek God with a pure heart.

A woman with a pure heart for God does not focus on what He gives, but delights in who He is! She seeks God's face, not just His hand. Would you want someone to say he loves you just so you would do something for him...? (I know I would never desire this!)

Singleness does not have to be a 'curse'. Singleness puts you in an advantageous position because, more than likely, you will have much more time to seek the Lord than you will ever have if you marry. Just remember, to find God, you must seek Him with pure motives. Seek Him for who He is, not just for what He can do for you.

True Love

Seeking God is very similar to developing a friendship. You talk a lot, you listen, you write each other letters, you think about each other, you find out what the other like and does not like, and you try to do things that please that person. The more time you spend together, the more intimately you know your friend. And the more intimately you know your friend, the greater your love will be. It works the same way in your relationship with God.

Jeremiah 29:12-13 promises that those who diligently seeks God with all her heart will find Him. "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Your heart is the key to devotion to God. A halfhearted search is not sufficient. This means you cannot seek God while you do your own thing.

Is God demanding too much to require that you seek Him with all your heart? No way!

Giving Christ your heart means you are not free to give it away to other things or people that come into your life (in idolatry). Devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ is giving everything or nothing at all. Your devotion to Christ must be a serious commitment.

First Love, Divided Love

Jesus, who so often says 'whoever loves Me...' and asks 'do you love Me?' is concerned about our LOVE! He is concerned about a special kind of love. It is the love which is showed in the relationship between a bride and her bridegroom; that is, it is an exclusive love, a love which places the beloved, the bridegroom, above all other loves, in the first place.

As a Bridegroom, Jesus has a claim to 'first love'. He who has loved us so much wants to possess us completely with everything we are and have. Jesus gave Himself wholly and completely for us. Now His love is yearning for us to surrender ourselves and everything that we are to Him, so that He can really be our 'first love'.

So long as our love for His is a divided love, so long as our heart is bound to family, possessions, or the like, He will not count our love to be genuine. Divided love is of so little value to Him that He will not enter into a bond of love with such a soul, for this bond presupposes a full mutual love.

Because our love is so precious to Jesus, because He yearns for our love, He waits for our uncompromising commitment.

A Need, A Right, A Completion

Every single woman must at some point come to grips with the fact that not all women will marry. Marriage is not a need, though God chooses to let marriage meet some needs a woman may have. Marriage is not a right, though God chooses to plan marriage for the majority of women. Marriage does not complete a person, though women who properly marry find that marriage rounds out some of their weaknesses.

If marriage were a need, right, or completion for women, then all godly women would marry. There are many examples of true, God-honoring women who had no earthly mate but were still 'Ladies of Patience'.

Don't let your impatient longings rob you of the life God wants to bless you with as a single woman. Realize you do not need a marriage as a right, relinquish this right so it will not keep you from God's fullest blessings. God knows what is best for you. His timing is perfect and He will take care of His 'Lady of Patience'.

Back to the Basics

May we go back to the basics for just a moment? What is a conviction and how does one develop biblical convictions? A conviction is a standard that serves as a springboard for your choices. Consider where your standards in the area of relating and dating originated. Are your standards based more on Hollywood's terms of love and romance, or have you allowed God's Holy Word to shape your perspective?

The 'Lady of Conviction' gives the Lord permission to renew her mind on a daily basis. She spends time searching the Word of God for standards that will guide her safely to God's best. She has surrendered her mind to a new persuasion: God's perspective on love and romance. The convictions that she establishes (based on the Word) allow her to resist being squeezed into the mold of this world.

She is a non-conformist in the Biblical sense. As stated so clearly in Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- His good, pleasing, and perfect will".

These standards and convictions are something that you should be willing to share with others despite what they may believe or say against you. When your mind is surrendered to God, you don't have to worry about what others think of you or your standards.

Your Destiny

Do you think your ideals and standards are too high? Do you feel the pressure to compromise and settle for the generic version of life? Ruth lived in an era that was exactly like the modern America. Judges 21:25 describes the era in which she lived: 'In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own eyes'. We too live in a culture where it seems that no one fears God and people just 'do their own thing'.

You, like Ruth, will be greatly affected by your choices. Ruth's wise choices allowed her to break a godless family cycle and begin a new cycle that the Word of God triumphantly records. God has not changed- and neither have men. The high standards in God's Word are not irrelevant, but completely applicable to finding God's best for Your life.