There's no doubt of this: ALL girls are worth waiting for

by Morgan

When I sat down and wrote my first purity blog, I was skeptical and overall terrified. 

Purity has always been a touchy subject with me, not because I'm afraid of it, but because I don't always have the answers I want to have. 

When I was told blogging about purity would be a smart idea for me, I wasn't even positive of where I should start and what words I would say. Like I said before, purity is a touchy subject for me because I am a strong believer that everyone is worth waiting for, and I'm not sure what would be the simplest way to put that.

After writing that purity blog, I felt called to share my faith in that way with younger girls and even older women. I believe that God calls me to do things I'm not very comfortable with because I grow by learning and sharing. 

I cannot stress enough that everyone is able to be pure, whether it's sexually or being made new. God's kingdom keeps growing, and we all deserve the opportunity to come to know Christ and His pure heart. 

It's true: You ARE 'worth more than gold'

by Morgan

1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” 

The past couple years of my life, I’ve leaned on a God who I’ve never leaned on before. I’ve loved a God who I’ve never loved before, and I’ve trusted in a God who I’ve never trusted in before.

Before I became a follower of Jesus, I lived my life on a bad road. A road that would lead to misery, heartbreak, and disappointment. A life I would never wish on anyone. How I saw myself back then, and how I see myself now are so different. I used to see a cute boy and think he was “the one." I wanted that label that made me popular, and I honestly thought sex was the way to get it. 

The attitude I had about sex and boys changed dramatically in the sense that I now see myself as worth it. I see myself as God’s prized possession, because I know I am. And I know you are. 

I struggled with purity and being pure. I struggled with knowing what being pure even meant. When I think of pure, I don’t think of “waiting till marriage” as much as I think of Matthew 5:8 that says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” 

Do I think waiting to have sex until marriage is a good idea? Yes, I do.

I think you are worth waiting for, too, and even if you haven’t waited, God still can make your heart pure and can make you new. He can make all things new. 

I’ve done things in the past that I regret, but I see God in all those things now. I see my life as His life, because He made me and created me. He knows the mistakes I’ve made and the mistakes I will make, but it’s never too late.

Being pure is something I always wanted. Little did I know, God already made me pure in heart and now I can see Him. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s never too late to turn back around.

God’s arms are wide open, and He’s waiting for you to run to Him. Britt Nicole’s new song says this “So hold your head up high, it's your time to shine, from the inside out it shows, you're worth more than gold." 

This is how God sees you, worth more than gold.

Not just a random act of kindness

by Morgan

     When you get to a point of feeling relaxed and comfortable in your walk with Christ, it becomes less and less fulfilling and less and less glorifying to God. 
     These past couples weeks, I’ve felt relaxed and comfortable with where I’m at. I started going through the motions instead of getting something out of what I was doing. To say the least, I started to feel alone in my walk. 
     A couple nights ago, my friends and I made plans to go out to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings for a post-prom fundraiser. My friend Kayla and I felt obligated to go, since our parents were in charge of the whole thing. I also had been praying and asking God how much my limit was on going out, instead of staying in and building the relationships with my family, especially my little sister. I truly believe that I felt obligated to go because God was going to put something or someone in my path to turn me back to Him. 
     Before my friends and I ate, we prayed — as we always do. We prayed for continuous nourishment and strength with the essential tools God provides for us. We, too, prayed for the relationships He has given us and guidance in our everyday life. 
     We then ate our food and talked about random things that were going on in our lives and just caught up on things we don’t get to talk about as much anymore. 
      While we were waiting on our check, the waitress came up to us. She informed us that someone saw us praying before we ate and paid for our check. My reaction was just as you all would think. I got the chills and prayed. I then realized that God reminded me I’m not alone in my walk with Him, nor will I ever be. He reminded me that although storms and troubles may come, He will always be there to calm down the storm for me. He controls all things. He is in charge of all things. 
     We will have doubts along the way, and we will stumble, but God catches our fall. He has caught mine several times, and I know He is always right there with open arms, waiting to catch yours.
     "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen." – Philippines 4:19-20. 
     God will exceed all the needs we might have. If we’re feeling lonely, He will hang out with us. If we are feeling down, He will lift our spirits back up. If we think we are failing, He will help us succeed. God never fails. 

How many things are you working on by yourself?

     by Morgan

      Walking down the hallway before our big game, all you could hear was, “The girls basketball team is going to lose so bad tonight! “ 

     We were all use to it, considering we heard it all day, so we realized we didn’t have anything to lose. “Go out there and make this game a trending Twitter feed tonight, “said our coach before we ran out.

     10.6 seconds left in the 4th quarter, and we were down by 1 with a score of 62-63. Our coach called a timeout to give us a play to run to get back up by one or two. The crowd was going crazy, and there was arguing going on back and forth between both sides.

     Abby threw the ball in to Lauren, who passed the ball to Sydney to make the winning shot. Right after that happened with only 1.6 seconds left, Mt.Pulaski’s coach called a timeout to make a sudden come back. They threw the ball, and it touched Kami’s hand and the time ran out. Nothing but loud noises and shouts filled the gym as we told the opponent, "Good game."

     You may be wondering how this has anything to do with being a Mighty Strong Girl, or what it even means to be a Mighty Strong Girl for God. A couple years ago, I would be asking myself the same question, and I would sit there until I figured it out MYSELF.

     Have you ever had a time where you couldn’t do something, or figure something out and you wanted to do it all by yourself until you got the right answer? That’s where this basketball game and being a Mighty Strong Girl for God comes in to play.

     Being a Mighty Strong Girl for God means you devote every day to the Lord. It means you die to yourself because alone you are not strong enough to accomplish anything. I have realized that you may pull one way, and God may pull the other, but He will always pull you back in. You should never try and do things alone. Let God in and let Him be in control of your life. 

     Just like a relationship with God, a basketball game is a two-way street. You lean on your teammates when you aren’t strong enough to make a shot, or make a stop. Every day you should lean on God to strengthen you and provide all the essentials to lead a mighty strong life for Him.

Resolve to trust God; commit to Him

By Morgan

New Year, new start, new goals. We all have things we want to accomplish in the New Year. Some people want to be happy, stop smoking/drinking, make relationships better, etc. What is your goal for the New Year?

I’ve always wondered what others made their resolutions to be. I’ve even wondered why resolutions and why not commitments? 

I have a friend who once told me that she doesn’t make resolutions. When I asked why, she replied, “Because I trust God enough not to make a resolution.” My whole outlook changed whenever I heard that.
       
This coming year, I’m going to make a commitment to God. I’m going to trust Him even when the tides come. I’m going to show others their true identity and beauty inside and out. God has a huge plan for me and every other Mighty Strong Girl out there. His love and guidance is the perfect gift for the New Year.
     
My commitment to God is to show others everyday how much their Heavenly Father loves them. Will you make it a commitment too?
     
In the most recent Mighty Strong Girls magazine, I read Lisa Rigoni's "Fit in His Foundation" column. It gave plenty of tools to reflect over 2012 and plan our future in 2013. I answered the questions her four main points asked and realized a lot about my faith and my walk with Christ. 

Even if we committed to doing something last year, God still gives us strength to make it a goal and try to finish it this year.  I really enjoyed her quote: “Life can change in a matter of seconds…take care of yours and thank God for it.” 

Our God doesn't make mistakes

by Morgan

There are certain things in life you can't escape, and there are certain problems in life you can't run away from, but there is one certain thing in life that keeps you going.

It's not a cell phone, or an idol you worship; however, it's a loving God who endures forever. A God who no one can compare to and a God who doesn't make mistakes.

There are tons of people in this world who idolize money, fame, beauty and appearance. We all have appearances. Appearances are what someone looks like on the outside and not necessarily what they look like on the inside. Most humans think their outside appearance and what the world classifies them as is the most important thing. I used to look in the mirror and say to myself "Why can't I be beautiful, and have the perfect body and the perfect lifestyle?" I sometimes still look in the mirror and wonder why I feel so ugly on both the inside and the outside. 

But, I've realized something. "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair the and wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the invading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." - 1 Peter 3:3-4

Two years ago, I was a mess. I looked at myself as a girl who would never fit in. A person who would have to go to extremes to feel important to the ones around me...especially my peers. I found myself in a sticky situation on a couple snow days we had back in 2010. I made myself drink and drink and drink until I was finally in. I could finally be considered a cool high schooler who people wanted to hang out with. Not only did I drink, but I made decisions I wouldn't have made if I lived in the same body I live in now. I let my parents down, let myself down and let my God down.

As I am now sitting through another snow day, I lay back and wonder. I wonder what I would be doing right now if I didn't get that text to attend Christ in Youth. I wonder what I would be doing if I didn't find that friend who stuck by my side no matter the time or day. And I wonder what I would be doing if I didn't have such a powerful, loving God who couldn't watch me go another day without being hurt and hurting myself. All the thoughts I used to have are now thoughts I rarely have. All the time I wasted on getting approval from society, was all the time I wasted not ministering to one of my friends or family members.

The great thing about God is that He doesn't let us fall. He sees what society and magazines have done and how much of an impact they have on teenagers like myself. God sees that you are hurting and He can't bear it any longer. Run to his arms, because it's not too late, nor will it ever be. You're beautiful and wonderfully made. God WILL continue to use you even if you think the path you have taken won't be accepted. If I have learned one thing these past couple years, its that there's always a Savior to guide the way. "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. " - Acts 3:16.

Don't go one more day. Turn to Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Who do you give credit to?

We were down 56-51. There were ten seconds left and when I hit my three pointer, my coach called a time out. After the time out, the clock was slowly running down and my teammate hits another three to help us successfully beat a team that’s got a lot of talent.

 

For the next couple weeks, I was so happy we won because of all OUR talent and strength. We, as a team, did it. 

What’s wrong with the last sentence? Everything! First off, we don’t have any strength or talent without God graciously giving it to us. For the past three years I didn't see that it isn’t my strength, or my teammates strength, but my Heavenly Father’s strength!

 

As a Junior this year, I’ve decided to put my pride behind me and fully trust God on and off the court. Why do something when I’m giving the credit to myself? Doing that is like getting an A on a test and cheating off my neighbor to get it. It’s not my credit, but I’m going to play it off as if it is.

 

I’m getting prepared for a big year of basketball with my team. I’m practicing, running, and eating healthier…wait, who am I kidding? I love food, and I won’t give that up unless God asks me too. As I was saying, I’m giving it my all this year. I’m trying to be a witness to my team and my competitors.I thought to myself, "How do I do that without telling them about Jesus during the game? I got it! I’ll write verses on my shoes." I kept replaying this is in my head and realized that Jesus comes first… Always!

 

I wasn’t sure what verses to use, but two jumped out at me. "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is my strength of my heart and my portion forever!" - Psalm 73:26. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” - Philippians 2:3. 

I proceeded to write these verses in sharpie on the back of my shoes to remind myself and the others around me that all the glory goes to God!

 You might be wondering how this has anything to do with a Mighty Strong Girl, but I’ll just come out and tell you that my place to mentor and show who Jesus is, is on my sports teams. God gives us unusual places to be a witness, but it’s important that you are obedient to everything He calls you to do! Swallow your pride and listen for God’s calling in your life.

Examine yourself from a new perspective

by morgan

We all have people we look up to. They could be your parents, super heroes, celebrities or someone close to you who has had a big impact on your life. There are some people who might even look at a magazine and see a pretty girl and say, “I look up to her because she is beautiful! “ I’ve heard many of my peers who will compare themselves to ladies on television or in magazines.

I used to always want to match up to whoever everyone thought was pretty. I wanted to be beautiful in the world's eye; God’s eyes didn’t matter to me. 

Why do we do that to ourselves? 

Is it because society has brainwashed us, or is it because people tell us we don’t fit the world's standards? What people thought used to get to me because I wanted to be perfect, but is there really such a thing?

In my eyes, a role model is someone you want to live like. A role model challenges you to be a better person. 

I was once told that you should make someone’s ceiling your floor. Those words have stuck with me to this day. When someone dies and you see where they lived at, you should want to start from where they left off and continue on the legacy.

“You have younger eyes watching you!" This is a phrase I am constantly hearing from the very person I look up to. 

How true is that? Whenever you are doing something, who are you giving the glory to? Are you giving all the glory to you, or are you giving all the glory to God?

Once I realized how true that statement was, I started living in a way that was glorifying to God and everyone around me. When I think of someone as a role model, I think of faith, hope and love. I want others to look up to me, and see who I live for and where my happiness comes from. I want to watch others grow around me, and I want to watch them give the glory to God in everything!

My goal is to leave a legacy that most don’t understand. I want to watch others test my faith, and I want to stand up for what I know is true. I don’t want others to look up to me because they think I’m good at sports or pretty. I want people to look up to me because I’m a good Christ-like example of what God wants from each of us. 

Are you a good role model? Would you want others to look up to you as you are right now? How can you change that today?

Have you ever chased happiness?

     We all have struggles we have to face. Some are bigger than others, but they are usually a learning factor in our life. God never promised us a perfect life; He just promised us a life with Him and a life of love. Every struggle, heartache or loss we have, God is right there with us. 

     From my seventh grade year to my freshmen year in high school, I wanted to fit in. I wanted to hang out with the cool kids, go to all the parties and disobey my parents for the satisfaction of getting a laugh out of it. During the winter of my first year in high school, I made a decision that hurt everyone around me, a decision I would regret. I went to my friend’s house, and had a party with a couple of other friends. I made choices most kids make. However, I didn’t want to be like other kids. For the next year, I felt like I’d let myself, my family and my Heavenly Father down. 

  The summer between my freshmen and sophomore years, I was invited to a Christ in Youth conference with my church! A lot of my friends were going and they wanted me to have the experience they did. I was very open-minded and knew that what was supposed to happen would. While there, I heard a couple voices. One was from God, and the other was from Satan. At first, I had a hard time distinguishing them, but once I figured it out, I knew my life would change! I got home and knew that all the temptations I had left with would come back if I allowed them to! At first I did, but I had a friend who pushed me to be a better person, and a friend who realizes what true happiness means. She is a friend who cares more about my eternal life than my earthly life. I never noticed love like that before, and I knew if I felt good about that love, then the love of Jesus Christ would surpass all understanding. 

  A year later, and I’m on the pursuit of happiness. I am living a life for Jesus. I’ve learned that it’s not my life, it’s His. It’s not my kingdom I’m furthering, it’s His. Reading the bible, going to church, and praying daily will strengthen your relationship with God, but once you realize it takes more than that to live a full Christ-centered life, you will be filled with more joy than you could imagine. You’ll have a happiness that surpasses all understanding -- the happiness of Jesus Christ. 
     You may have a horrible past, and you may have made a lot of decisions that weren’t pleasing, but Jesus says you’re never too late, I’ve always been here waiting for you with open arms.  You can change your life right now and experience the world in a whole different way. Once you take those steps to being a better person, you’ll realize how special and important you are in the King’s eyes.  “He must become greater I must become less." (John 3:30)

Your prayer life is the sum of your investments

By Morgan Wells

“Basketball practice is going to be hard today!” 

Those are the words I heard from my peers at 3:08 p.m. one day during sophomore year. It was a routine for us. Getting yelled at and expecting a hard practice. 

My coach used to say, “What you put into it is what you’ll be sure to get out of it.” 

Those words have stuck with me since that day. Since then, I’ve grown and realized he wasn’t being mean at those hard practices, he was just showing us what hard work looked like and how it pays off when you play a good game. 

Everyday Monday-Friday, I get up, take a shower, eat breakfast, brush my teeth, and get ready for school. Most days, I wake up early and have time to kill. Could I watch music videos on TV, get on social networking sites, or fall asleep for a couple more minutes? All of those ideas sounded perfect to me until I heard a voice. A voice that most ignore, and I won’t lie,  I have my selfish moments where I listen to myself and the world around me instead of that important voice. 

This voice is easy to hear if you’ll listen closely, and really acknowledge the importance of it. The voice I heard on the morning of Sept. 4 changed my whole vision of the world around me. I felt comfortable with my relationship with God, until He said, “If you feel comfortable, you’re doing something wrong.” 

“I’m reading my bible, worshipping, and listening to a sermon every morning before school,” I told Him. “What else can I do?” 

“Morgan, you say you’re going to pray for that one person, but why aren’t you doing anything else about it?” 

I was always told that prayer was the only thing you could do for someone, but I realized this morning, prayer is the first step to everything. You pray before you go to bed, start your day, or even before a sporting event. 

I pray because I need God’s strength before I can do anything. I need God to give me a good night's rest, I need God to give me a good day, and I need God to give me the strength to conquer any game, test, or relationship. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.(Proverbs 3:5-6)” 

I put all my trust in God when I was saved on Aug. 7, 2011, but I’m learning each day you may have doubts, you will think your falling, and you will blame God for things you can’t control. It’s not about how many times you think you will fall down, but rather how many times you trust God to have your back, and know that He will always catch you! 

Your heavenly Father loves you more than you’ll ever known. Whenever you’re willing to give your life to Him, you’ll realize He already gave His son’s life for you. 

My coach was right, what you put in to something is what you’re going to get out of it.