I need Jesus just as much a Miley Cyrus does.

I'm sure by now that you have all heard the news, yesterday Miley Cyrus performed at the the VMAs and it is safe to say that her performance was very... raunchy. If you haven't seen the performance I don't suggest that you go see it, it is not worth your time, it is better to be "out of the loop" than to have this image in your mind. I don't want to get into details about the performance and I don't' want to glorify what she did but I do want to bring up some thoughts that I had after seeing this video.

When I heard the news of Miley's performance I was overwhelmed with many different emotions, but the strongest feeling was the need to pray. Not just to pray for the people who saw the performance, not just for Miley's heart broken family but for Miley. I remembered who I was before the Lord got a hold of my heart, I remembered the pain I felt, my need for acceptance and attention.

Then I was reminded

I need Jesus just as much as Miley does and so do you. I have sinned so much more than I would ever want to admit. My lies put Jesus on that cross. My envy put Jesus on the cross. My hate, anger, lust, and disrespect put him on the cross. I am a horrible sinner, but we have a great God who forgives and that is how I can call myself a new person who has started with a clean slate.

I am challenging myself and I want to encourage you all to do the same--
When you see a link, video, or photo of Miley to pray for her rather than share the link. If you find yourself having a difficult time praying for her remember who Paul was before he encountered God.

"For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to [fn] me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone" Galatians 1:13-16 

With Love,

Noelia

In the Potter's Hands

I am in awe of God's love for us. My mission trip to Nicaragua was over a month ago but God is still teaching me so much from the trip. When I was in Nicaragua we visited a potter's house, he was incredibly wise. The potter showed us/explained the process of creating a beautiful piece of pottery. 

First the clay is found in the darkest parts  of the Earth. To the normal eye this clay is nothing special but the Potter sees its potential. 

He picks out the impurities so it can be prepped for molding.   

Once the clay is ready to be molded the Potter rolls it into a ball and sets it on the wheel then he begins. 

The Potter told us as he molds the clay he can feel the impurities that are left in the clay... and they hurt his hands.

If there are any impurities left in the clay he cannot mold it in to his masterpiece.

So he will pick out the impurities and start all over again.

Once he has molded the clay the Potter checks it for impurities and picks them out.

And fills the wholes that they left behind.

Once the pottery is ready the Potter beings the last step before the fire, he paint the clay

Once the pottery has been placed in the fire it can't be changed.

And if that clay still had impurities it will show. There is no taking it back, the potter no longer has use of it.

As great as all of the previous information none of it changed my life like this next part did.

 The potter grabbed a piece of work that he had  molded, destroyed, remolded, picked, filled, and painted and dropped it on the floor. The moment the fragile piece of clay hit the floor it shattered. The whole group sat in total silence. We didn't understand why a potter would let his work of art fall a break. Before we could lose hope the potter told us clay can be molded, destroyed, remolded, picked, filled, and painted but if it has not faced the fire the potter can still use it.

The potter then picked up broken piece of painted clay and told us that he could take the clay and start the process all over again. It can be made new. 

I don't know about you, but I am a piece of clay that has been molded, destroyed, remolded, picked, filled, painted and broken. If you are feeling discouraged, if you think that the Lord cannot use you I am here to tell you that you are terribly wrong. The world may see a broken piece of clay but God sees your potential.

Something to remember:
Saul caused many followers of Christ to die, and at what some people would call a low point God changed his life and molded him into something totally new. Don't forget that Paul faced many trails in life after that, but God gave him the strength and many lives were changed because of the many times Paul was "remolded".

With love,

Noelia

Have times really changed?

I've heard so many women get excited over this poster popping up from time to time on the internet. 

They demand that "curvy women take back the media!" 

But here is the harsh truth :

Advertising wasn't any better then than it is now. 

If you haven’t noticed the times haven't really changed. Women are still being pressured to look a particular way to please others. As women we appreciate this poster now because most of us look like the thicker girl but imagine how women that looked like the thinner girl felt. 

They felt like they didn't look good in a bathing suit

They felt like needed to change how they looked. 

They felt like they are weren't good enough. 

Sound familiar?

The only difference with society now is that women are being told to lose weight rather than gain it. Rather than telling women how to look we need to teach them how to be healthy rather than “beautiful”. This picture shows us that what society considers beautiful is ALWAYS changing, but being physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy will always be a winning situation for women.  

All women wear their weight in a different way. Stop trying to look a particular way and work to be a healthier version or you

Get the facts on Eating disorders and dieting
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-facts-eating-disorders

With love,

Noelia

Being honest.

“If I’m not pointing people to Jesus then I’m wasting my life.”

—	Aaron Gillespie

I've been doing some self examining lately, and I've found some really upsetting things. It is no news that I moved to Virginia to attend a Liberty University this January. Well like everyone else here I've been taking some bible classes and I get so much work in these classes it isn't even funny. Sadly with all of the homework I get in these classes I've noticed that when I am out of these classes I don't want to talk about the bible, Jesus or God because I just want to get away from my homework.

Now I am not saying that I need to be throwing bible verses around at all times but being honest here being a Christian became a bit of a burden to me and that is never okay. I've allowed school to take away my joy of spreading the gospel from me and I don't want that. The whole point of all this homework is so I can learn to apply the bible to my life. I moved to Virginia to learn more about God and about who I am in him so I can give all of me to his's kingdom. It is such an honor to be a child of God, it is a blessing to spread the news of a savior to the outside world and even more so in America where I am not being killed or tortured because of my beliefs! I have become such a spoiled American Christian and I am the person that I cannot stand. 

"If I'm not pointing people to Jesus then I'm wasting my life." I don't think Aaron Gillespie could have said it any better. The reason for my life is to continue spreading the news of a savior to the world and I need to remember that. In the same interview Aaron says 

"Google says this: 40% of Americans will die of cancer. But The Bible says that the wages of sin is death and that’s a cancer that 100% of all humanity will die of. And our goal and our job and our cause is to cure people of that cancer that is sin and when we forget to do that it’s literally like a man hiding in his house that had the cure for cancer for twenty years and is hiding it. It’s a criminal action and it would be super, super, super, huge immediate swarm if someone had the cure for cancer and didn’t tell. Can you imagine what it would be like? This guy would be ostracized it would be insane. We have the cure for something that is way more deadly and how often is it that we hide the cure?"

Interview with Aaron Gillespie

Now if that didn't hit you like a sack of bricks, I have no idea what will. I urge you to read this interview, it has really encouraged me and I hope it will do the same for you.

With Love,

Noelia

Ladies,

Most of our lives we've been told to dress modestly so we can find a nice young man but what do you do when you never find a nice young man?

We slowly allow ourselves to dress on the "bold" side, gradually forgetting what we have been taught as young girls. We start to seek attention from guys because we've learned to find value in our looks and relationships. We are pressured not only by magazines, television and ourselves but we are pressured by family members asking at every stinking family event if we have found a husband yet. When you dress to impress a man you are not only making an impression on him but you are making an impression on every man who is around you, that includes the young and older ones. 

Now I wouldn't be telling you if this didn't happen to me. I've never been the type to dress immodest because I grew up in a christian home and never wanted to be that girl that the guys gawked at. But there was this summer shirt and it was just so cute and it made my stomach look so slim and I just had to wear it... the only problem was it was a little low cut. I ran to the store to buy a few things for my parents and as I left an older man made a commented and after that I realized that I'd rather wear turtle necks for the rest of my life than feel the way I felt today.

"Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious."

1 Peter 3:3-4

Beautiful ladies I am here to remind you that your value is not in your looks but in the one who created you. He loves you so much and wants to protect you. Don't let the world change you because the truth is it almost never happens over night, it is always a slow process. 

I just want to leave you with one of my favorite verses.

" Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised."

-Proverbs 31:30

With Love,

Noelia

Flesh and Fruit

I've been super busy here at liberty so I don't get much time for blogging, but I've been starting my days a bit earlier so I have a small amount of time to blog! :)

I've been working on my application to become a prayer leader and in the application it ask you some basis questions about Christian beliefs and ask for scripture to back it up.  So I've been doing some extra studying and searching in the bible these days and I came across Galatians 5. 

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told [you] in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those [who are] Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:19-24

I saw this and it really made me think to myself what do I have more of in my life works of the flesh or fruit of the spirit. I think it is good to evaluate yourself every so often (better daily) and think what do I need to work on. You know :)

Just a little thought I figured I'd leave with you all.

Till next time

With love,
Noelia

Always

al·ways

   [awl-weyz, -weez] 

adverb

1.

every time; on every occasion; without exception

2.

all the time; continuously; uninterruptedly

3.

forever

4.

in any event; at any time

http://dictionary.reference.com/


And if you are young and "hip" you may say

always
	a (insert bad word) long time, sometimes for all eternity http://www.urbandictionary.com

Now I've been feeling pretty off these past few weeks, I couldn't really focus on anything, school, photography, friendships, I couldn't even finish a text conversation with most people. This also included the already difficult task of focusing on my relationship with God. A few days from now will the the 3rd anniversary of the night I decided to start all over again, the night I said God its real this time I promise. I haven't gone back on that promise, yes I can be selfish, rude, forgetful, hurtful, distracted, lazy, emotional and just human but I don't let it stop me. Two things I have learned in the past 3 years 
1.I will fall and have to can get up but I cannot get up on my own. 
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever- present help in trouble. 
God is here to help us, he doesn't sit back and laugh at us in our troubles... he listens for us to call for help.


2. I will not always feel like doing the whole God thing.
So like I said today was a off day for me but I thought hey maybe reading my bible will help me out a bit. (sounds cheesy but that's how it happened.) I went to blueletterbible.org and I had no idea what verse to look up and I really didn't feel like it I just knew it could help. I was surprised to see that they started a blog and I knew that would be a good place to start. 


Their blog was on rejoicing in God ALWAYS. 
Eh okay whatever I read the verse they had listed 
Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice."


I really wasn't in the mood for this church stuff but I kept on reading anyways. The blog gave us a few reasons why Paul repeats himself in this verse. You can go read the blog for yourself but reason 2 really hit me. 
Reason 2 was To suggest the difficulty of continual joy.
Here's the Blog
Paul knew what he was saying, he understood that the world will try to steal our joy. We MUST understand that life can get difficult and make us want to lay in bed all day and have a bad attitude but that will make us more miserable.  Rejoice ALWAYS, not rejoice when you have a good day. Rejoice every time; on every occasion; without exception; all the time; continuously; uninterruptedly; forever; in any event; at any time.


Sounds like a lot of work, so whats the good news?  
There is a God who has so much more planed for us than we can ever imagine.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."


with love,
Noelia