I've been trying to do random acts of kindness lately. I want to bless others with my random acts of kindness, but so far it hasn't just been blessing others.
Today, our neighbor was trying to mow with her two year old on her hip. Her husband wasn't home from work yet, and since she had no one else to watch her daughter, she had to mow with her. Obviously, this wasn't easy looking. I volunteered to watch her daughter in their fenced in backyard while she mowed the front yard. I had limited time to clean my room before some guests came, but I knew it was much more important for me to bless someone else than to have a perfectly clean room. The little girl instantly latched onto me, and I spent the next hour playing peek-a-boo, teaching how to blow dandelions, smelling flowers, and dancing with a two year old. Throughout the hour, I smiled more than I had all day and truly delighted in being in the presence of a little one of God's. I started off trying to bless someone, but God had a different plan. Instead, He decided to make me the person who was the most blessed. Random acts of kindness can definitely bless people, but I’ve found that it also blesses the person who does it.
Kayla Joy
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
Heart Shaped Reminders
Things are constantly changing in this world, but God's love never will. And He has amazing ways of reminding us of His love once we've forgotten how amazing it is. Don't take His love for granted!
Kayla Joy
Boldness
I scribbled three words down on a piece of paper, "Encouraging, boldness, and prayer". I decided that I really needed to work on all three, and I promised God I'd try to do better with them. Little did I know, God had decided to let me work on one faster than I was expecting!
Fast forward a week: I'm asked to present at a Christian club at my school. I'm in an online school, so I wouldn't actually see the other students--I'd simply talk on the mic and read out loud my presentation. The group wasn't that large, around 20 people, but I was terrified!
I can't be bold by myself--I wouldn't have it in me. Without God, I definitely wouldn't have been bold enough to present. Thankfully, I wasn't without God. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." When you realize that you can't do something on your own, remember that you're not on your own.
Kayla Joy
Fast forward a week: I'm asked to present at a Christian club at my school. I'm in an online school, so I wouldn't actually see the other students--I'd simply talk on the mic and read out loud my presentation. The group wasn't that large, around 20 people, but I was terrified!
I can't be bold by myself--I wouldn't have it in me. Without God, I definitely wouldn't have been bold enough to present. Thankfully, I wasn't without God. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." When you realize that you can't do something on your own, remember that you're not on your own.
Kayla Joy
Sunday, May 6, 2012
More Than You can Handle?
"God doesn't give you more than you can handle."
Where in the Bible does it say that? We've all heard that phrase before, but it's actually not Biblical based. Because let's admit it--we've all been at a place where we've told God, "I just can't handle this anymore."
Sometimes God gives us more than we can handle on purpose. Why? So that we realize we can't handle it, and realize that we need some One greater to, because we surely don't have it in us. Instead, the saying should be switched to, "God doesn't give you more than He can handle."
Kayla Joy
P.S. Sorry for the few blog posts! I've still been trying to figure out the new format!
Where in the Bible does it say that? We've all heard that phrase before, but it's actually not Biblical based. Because let's admit it--we've all been at a place where we've told God, "I just can't handle this anymore."
Sometimes God gives us more than we can handle on purpose. Why? So that we realize we can't handle it, and realize that we need some One greater to, because we surely don't have it in us. Instead, the saying should be switched to, "God doesn't give you more than He can handle."
Kayla Joy
P.S. Sorry for the few blog posts! I've still been trying to figure out the new format!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Impatiently Being Shaped
"Oh come on! I already let it rise for an hour, surely it doesn't need another hour of rising..." I reasoned to myself, while watching the bread dough rise for the second time. That's when I decided it--letting bread rise was overrated. I wasn't patient enough. I threw the pan of bread in the oven, set the timer, and made it just in time to hop on an online class connect. Thirty-five minutes later, I pulled my bread out of the oven. My flat bread. My incredibly flat bread. Maybe it is important to let bread rise after all...
As you can see, I'm not a very patient person! Whether I'm waiting for bread to rise, or wanting God to hurry up with His plan for my life--I'm not patient. Even so, patience is important. While we're impatiently waiting to be used, He's still shaping us. He does have a plan. His plan just involves different timing than us. Which is okay, considering that His timing is perfect! Be patient with God's perfect timing--He's still shaping and lovingly molding you into the person He wants you to be, and He's using you while He shapes you.
Kayla Joy
As you can see, I'm not a very patient person! Whether I'm waiting for bread to rise, or wanting God to hurry up with His plan for my life--I'm not patient. Even so, patience is important. While we're impatiently waiting to be used, He's still shaping us. He does have a plan. His plan just involves different timing than us. Which is okay, considering that His timing is perfect! Be patient with God's perfect timing--He's still shaping and lovingly molding you into the person He wants you to be, and He's using you while He shapes you.
Kayla Joy
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Motherly Examples
The devotional story on Mother's Day for the May Newsletter at my church!
“Don’t pick that up--you don’t know where it’s been!” Sayings such as this are common for a mother to say, and sometimes quite annoying for a child. But, without it, how bizarre our world would be! Without mothers, we’d live in a world where: monkeys jump on the beds and break their heads, we forget to wash our hands after using the restrooms because our mothers didn’t remind us, and our eyes, without our mother’s gentle warning, would be constantly frozen from us crossing them so much.
Without our mothers, how would we ourselves know how to be mothers? Proverbs 31:10-31 says, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Granted, that’s quite a few verses, but each one of them contains such a strong image of a good wife and mother.
Mothers set examples for us to follow once we become mothers. I know my mother has certainly set a beautiful example of being a mother to me--what kind of example of a mother will you set for your child?
Kayla Joy
“Don’t pick that up--you don’t know where it’s been!” Sayings such as this are common for a mother to say, and sometimes quite annoying for a child. But, without it, how bizarre our world would be! Without mothers, we’d live in a world where: monkeys jump on the beds and break their heads, we forget to wash our hands after using the restrooms because our mothers didn’t remind us, and our eyes, without our mother’s gentle warning, would be constantly frozen from us crossing them so much.
Without our mothers, how would we ourselves know how to be mothers? Proverbs 31:10-31 says, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Granted, that’s quite a few verses, but each one of them contains such a strong image of a good wife and mother.
Mothers set examples for us to follow once we become mothers. I know my mother has certainly set a beautiful example of being a mother to me--what kind of example of a mother will you set for your child?
Kayla Joy
Monday, April 9, 2012
Thankful In Everything
I sat down and watched the water gently lap against the dock. It was a beautiful week in Michigan, where I went for my spring break, and I was sitting by a lake, having devotions. The dock swayed ever so slightly with the current, and I brushed hair out of my face as looked around the beautiful lake and thanked God for creating it.
It's a lot easier to feel thankful for something when you're looking at something beautiful. If you're sitting at a dock by the lake, as I was, it's so easy to look around you and feel genuinely thankful to God for creating such a beautiful sight. On the contrary, if you're taking doing the weekly garbage can pull around to the curb, it's not so easy to look around you and be thankful to God for creating the world. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Whether you feel genuinely thankful or not, God deserves the praise. Don't give Him thanks only when you feel like it, give Him thanks always, in all circumstances.
Kayla Joy
It's a lot easier to feel thankful for something when you're looking at something beautiful. If you're sitting at a dock by the lake, as I was, it's so easy to look around you and feel genuinely thankful to God for creating such a beautiful sight. On the contrary, if you're taking doing the weekly garbage can pull around to the curb, it's not so easy to look around you and be thankful to God for creating the world. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Whether you feel genuinely thankful or not, God deserves the praise. Don't give Him thanks only when you feel like it, give Him thanks always, in all circumstances.
Kayla Joy
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