A Power Outage of the Soul

Rain drizzled outside, gray clouds hung low on the horizon, a cold wind blew, and the power went out. I couldn't turn on the lights, the water ran cold, and the only source of a clock I had was my cell phone. As I sat on my bed in the afternoon dimness I thought, "It's amazing how a little electricity outage can mean so much, how it can inconvenience us so easily." We live our lives depending on technology, digital media, and the assumption that when we flip a light switch; the light will come on. I sat thinking about our dependency on modern conveniences when a new thought came to my mind; do we depend on God as much as we depend upon electricity?

I am afraid that I have often suffered a power outage of the soul. Those times when I didn't ask God what I should do, those moments when I acted too rashly, and those days when I did my own thing; I shut out the voice of God. The vibrancy and brightness that comes from a heart that is leaning wholly on the Lord was absent. This, essentially, was the lack of electricity in my soul. It pains me so much to say it, but I didn't miss God as much as I missed the heat and lights. I had difficulty thinking of what I could do without real electricity but I didn't seem miss the electricity of my soul. That's just what Satan wanted. He didn't want me to miss my Power supply.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. -John 15:5

Yesterday I had to re-evaluate my dependency on God. The fact is, it should be easier for me to give up warm water and lighted rooms than it is for me to give up a close fellowship with my Savior. Instead of wondering what I can do without visible power I should ponder what I cannot do without spiritual power. If I am only relying upon modern inventions to see that I have a successful day, then I have succumb to a power outage of the soul. I thank the Lord for the power failure that made its way to my neighborhood and I thank him for showing me my own failures through it. It is my prayer that the spark of being surrendered to my Savior would never be squelched in my soul.

"Give me the love that leads the way, the faith that nothing can dismay, the hope no disappointments tire, the passion that will burn like fire; Let me not sink to be a clod: Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God."

-Amy Carmichael

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Do What You Must Do, God

In my life I have never faced what I faced in the past few months. The disappointment has, in some instances, been more than I thought I could battle with. Succeeding after a struggle and then having everything result in a failure is hard to deal with. Yesterday I felt like I had been handed a balloon only to have someone say, "Oh, we failed to tell you that you can't keep it. Here's the pin to pop the balloon with."

I know what it is all about. The answer is simple but the remedy is not so easy to swallow. All the sadness, the uncertainty, all the questions; they are here for one reason and one reason only. It's about Jesus. He knows that I won't necessarily grow within my comfort zone. So he gently pushes me out onto the sea but he doesn't take his hand off of my shoulder as the waves come and toss my boat about. I need to grow and I must let go. All the hopes, all the dreams, and all of the desires that I had for myself are laid down. My will must be broken to be God's will.

Lord, change my heart from deep within
Purify me once again
Renew my mind to love Your truth
Make me more and more like You.

Lord, cause my will to choose Your ways,
in each temptation that I face.
Until Your glory's shining through,
make me more and more like You.

More and more like You...
More and more like You...
...do whatever you must do, to make me more and more like You.

That's the prayer of my heart right now. "Do whatever you must do, to make me more like You." Drag me through the fire, Lord; but go with me. You can let the wind buffet against me but Lord, don't let it push me over. Break my will and bring me closer to you, King of Kings. Do whatever You must do, Jesus. I will keep going day by day. The stosms will come as I walk through the valley and the sun will break as I scale the mountain. God is with me and I can carry on.

*Listen to More and More Like You by clicking here.

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God Always Answers

Many years ago I heard this story during a sermon. I've never forgotten about it. God always answers prayer even when we think that he doesn't. The story is below.

The Soldier and the Spider

Author Unknown

During World War II, a US marine soldier was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades.

Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed.

As he waited, he prayed, "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen."

After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close. He thought, "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this one." Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave.

As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.

"Hah," he thought. "What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor."

As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while.

"Lord, forgive me," prayed the young man. "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."

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Essential Accessories for Spring

The stores are stocking new accessories for Spring and I couldn't be happier. Cute scarves, hats, and jewelry adorn the shelves but before you buy, be sure to consider stocking up on the essential accessories that you can pair with anything.

1. Chunky beaded necklaces with bows added to soften the look are a popular trend this season. I happen to have a couplt of necklaces like this and they are very versitile! The one below is available at Old Navy.

2. Coral is a color that is trendy this season. I love this adorable charm bracelet from Aeropostale. Since the bracelet is small you can layer it with a cute bangle bracelet to add more interest.

3. How Beautiful is this scarf from American Eagle? I'm pretty sure I'm going to splurge and buy it. Scarves are fabulous to pair with a solid colored blouse or a tee shirt. You can dress up anything if you have a cute scarf!

4. Wearing a hat might be a bold fashion move for me but I think I may try it. New York and Company has this feminine and cute one that I like. The great thing about hats is that they are practical (they keep the sun out of your eyes) and they add a little something extra to your outfit.

5. Don't forget sunglasses! Grab a pair that work well with your face shape and hair color. The glasses below are available at Khols.
Those are just five essential accessories that every girl should have for Spring. Leave a comment with your tips and ideas for building a great wardrobe!

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Bloom! Staff Behind the Scenes Link Up

For a while now I have been a staff writer for the Bloom! Magazine. Currently Bloom! is doing a behind the scenes even in which staff members share a bit more about their lives. I decided to do it and share my peak here on my blog. If you haven't subscribed to the magazine be sure to do so-it's free! Click here to go to the website and click here to go to the Bloom! Magazine staff blog. You can find us on facebook here.

1. Your blogging name, age/birthday, location, and Bloom! staff position.
Here in the blogosphere I go by the name of Elizabeth J. but trust me, I do have a last name. I live in the south but I wouldn't call myself a country girl at heart. On June 28th I will be 19 years old. I would love to live in a larger city one day. Sometimes I like to hear the noises of the city. Currently I am a writer for Bloom! Magazine and I enjoyed it greatly. KyAnn is great to work with and she does a fantastic job coordinating and putting together everything for the magazine.

Below is a picture of me. I snapped it right before I posted this so I apologize for such a frightening image. LOL.


2. How many siblings do you have and what are their names/ages?
I have six siblings who range in age from 21-3. Yes, that's quite and age difference and yes, we have the same parents!

3. How are you educated (homeschool, private school, public school, etc)?
I have had the great privilege of being homeschooled along with my siblings.

4. What denomination of Christian are you? What are your personal Christian beliefs, in a nutshell.
Denominationally I am a Baptist but what matters more than my denominational affiliation is my affiliation with Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus Christ came to earth in the flesh and was wholly God and wholly man. Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. There is but one way to receive eternal salvation and that is by placing your faith in Christ.

5.What are some of your hobbies - such as sports, musical instruments, artistic talents, etc.
Music is my passion; my hobby. Since I was seven years old I have played the piano and this September will mark 12 years of music studies. I have played the violin for three years and I absolutely love it. I play the violin in a youth orchestra and I also participate in a violin ensemble.

6. Describe your personality in a few sentences:
I have always been a leader and I will always try to lead to the best of my ability. I am driven to succeed and working diligently is very important to me. I am loyal to the people and causes I believe in.

7. Do you consider yourself more of a girly-girl or a tomboy? Or somewhere in between?
I definitely lean more toward the girly-girl category but I'm not all about pink and rhinestones. I like classy and sophisticated with a refined edge. I think Audry Hepburn had impeccable taste.

8. Picture yourself ten years from now. What will you be doing, where will you be living, etc?
Ten years from now I hope to have graduated from college with a degree in English and a minor in music. I would love to work as a book editor or work for a professional publishing firm. I would like to live in a nice city with historic building and a professional atmosphere. If God chooses maybe I'll even be married. Only God knows what a decade from now will hold for me.

9. What is some of your favorite books? Favorite movies? Favorite foods?
I love Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper and I enjoy reading books by Eric and Leslie Ludy. Of course, I love to read the Bible and classical literature. My favorite movies include all the Jane Austen movies as well as some modern titles and I adore The Young Victoria movie. I don't live to eat but I do love a delicious bowl of broccoli cheddar soup, a perfectly grilled steak, and chocolate in any form.

10. What got you interested in becoming a part of Bloom?
When I was little I would write poems and stories in journals. I guess God knew that I would one day want to be a writer. That was what interested me in writing for Bloom! Writing for the magazine gave me a good cause to contribute to and offered me the chance to do what I love-write.

11. What's one way - or more - that you've been blessed, inspired, and/or challenged through becoming a part of Bloom?
Through being on staff at Bloom! I have seen how Christian teens are dedicated to producing a magazine that stands out and is of a quality that they can be proud of. Sure it's a free magazine but you wouldn't know it if you saw it on a news stand. The caliber of the staff is excellent and I know that they really care about reaching others.

12. What is your favorite thing about Bloom! as well as one thing you would like to see improved behind-the-scenes?
I love working on the staff and I get excited when it's time for the next issue to be released. I can't think of anything I would change but I would love to see more readers join our magazine!

13. What brings you inspiration?
Standing outside when a summer storm is brewing on the horizon and listening as the wind kicks up and rustles the leaves is a moment that inspires me. There is something in the power of the storm that brings me back to the power of God.

14. If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? Who would you take with you and how long would you stay?
I adore classical literature and the authors who penned those masterpieces. I would love to go to England and walk where Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, and a host of others walked. I really want to visit Stratford On Avon. I think it would be fun to visit Ireland and Scotland as well.

15. What's your favorite dessert/treat?
Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory! I love all of the delicious flavors. If I can't have cheescake I'll take chocolate but cheescake has first priority.

16. Coffee, tea, or soda?
I don't drink coffee and my family doesn't drink soft drinks often so I would say tea. There are so many tasty teas. I love cranberry tea and the simple Earl Grey. Give me a scone with a cup of tea and I call that just lovely.

17. What's your favorite color combination? Or combinations? ;-)
I love classic black paired with yellow, blue, and pink. Cream and brown is also another one of my favorite color combinations.

18. What's your favorite time of year? What about least favorite?
Spring is so beautiful and alive, it's my favorite season. Winter isn't my thing. It's cold and dreary and eventually I get tired of seeing snow.

19. Would you rather have one very close best friend or a group of close friends?
I have a group of close friends so I guess that would speak for itself.

20. Who is a role model for you in your life today (could be your mom, grandma, family friend, celebrity, etc.)?
Hmm...definitely my mom. I would say that I look up to Christian women who have successfully raised families and changed their world through their children.

21. Share a favorite quote or Bible verse. Why is it your favorite?
Jeremiah 29:11 is my life verse. I love how God tells us that he is going to take care of us not matter what happens. He has a plan and purpose for our life and that is a beautiful thing.

22. What is one thing that you've been trying to accomplish in 2011?
That is a hard question to answer. There are so many things I could say but I guess the number one thing would be that I would grow to be more like Christ.

23. What is one way (or more!) that you are trying to strengthen your relationship with Jesus right now?
Right now God has been showing me that I need to trust him more. This May I will, Lord willing, graduate from high school and that will bring new challenges and new blessings. God is teaching me that all things happen for his glory and our good.

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Mercies Anew

Mercies Anew

By Bob Kauflin

Every morning that breaks
There are mercies anew
Every breath that I take
Is your faithfulness proved
And at the end of each day
When my labors are through
I will sing of Your mercies anew

When I’ve fallen and strayed
There were mercies anew
For you sought me in love
And my heart you pursued
In the face of my sin
Lord, You never withdrew
So I sing of Your mercies anew

And Your mercies, they will never end
For ten thousand years they’ll remain
And when this world’s beauty has passed away
Your mercies will be unchanged

And when the storms swirl and rage
There are mercies anew
In affliction and pain
You will carry me through
And at the end of my days
When Your throne fills my view
I will sing of Your mercies anew
I will sing of Your mercies anew .

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The Shell

Braces, glasses, and bangs contributed to the awkwardness of my early middle school years. While I have never been a nerd or an extreme introvert I did struggle with feeling out of place. I didn't smile at people I didn't know and I tried to avoid making eye contact with adults. I wasn't personable at all. My mom told me that I needed to be more friendly because I was coming across as cold and in some cases, even rude.

The shell that I was hiding in was fear. I could be in my shell and never be bothered. I could lock myself away from others by avoiding them. I was terrified of what people might think of me if I let them in. There was a man I knew who would always say to me "Aren't you going to smile? Aren't you happy?" I would stare at him and muster a smile but inwardly I was annoyed. I thought I was fine as I was but I knew I wasn't happy. I was fearing man and I was not having faith in God. I cared more about what everyone else thought of me instead of caring most about what God thought of me.

I'm not quite sure how it began. Maybe it started when I got a copy of The Girl in the Mirror devotional for my eleventh birthday or maybe it just began when I gave up. The shell began to crack ever so slightly. I could hear God telling me beautiful things.

"....I have loved you with and everlasting love."

"....Fear not for I am with you."

"....Man sees the outside but God sees the heart."

The love of God was like a chisel that chipped away at my fear, my shell, and kept on going until I, like a newly hatched baby bird, broke out into the sunlight. The fear of others was gone. The rays of light illuminated the darkness and I could smile. I could be me outside of the interior that had attempted to hold me back. I was free to be myself; the one that God created for his glory. I could flourish on the wings of his beauty and grace.

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