Day 28: Is it gossip or isn't it?

Today's reading — Proverbs 16

What do you do when others gossip? I mean really, tell me what you do by commenting below. It might help another girl! 

I hate gossip. But it hasn't always been that way. In fact, it took me a long, long time to recover from this addiction. That's right, gossip can be ADDICTING! 

And exhilerating. Because finding someone who is equally aggrevated by someone's sinful behavior is like winning a scratch-off lottery ticket. Once you start scratching, you just want to keep buying them. We Christians like to call this type of gossip "venting" and dismiss it as healthy. It's like therapy, you know! 

But check out Proverbs 16: 28....

A perverse woman stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends. 

My daughter read me an American Girl story on this subject not long ago. One girl in a dance class thinks another has stolen her prized locket. She confronts a mutual friend, who tries to talk her friend into having a discussion rather than accusing the girl. In many instances, she gets sucked into the gossip and doesn't stand up for the girl. Even she is in doubt of the truth with all the lies and gossip swirling around. Eventually the girl has to move to a new school because the one girl doesn't stop making her life miserable. In the end, the girl who was the confidante realizes that she might have picked the wrong girl to befriend when the other girl finds the locket in the bottom of her dance bag. 

Sometimes it's hard to avoid gossip. Other times, it's hard to discern what is and isn't gossip. Is some second-hand information OK to share with a friend you are trying to protect? Perhaps rumors that a boy who professes to be a Christian is really looking to take advantage of girls? If you share that information with a friend is it gossiping? 

I think it's important that no matter when or how we speak, we carefully contemplate our words and question our own motives. Are we looking to stir up dissension? Do we know that's the consequence? How would you feel if you were the person on the other end? 

{praying for discernment}
Amy

Day 26: Act out your anger

Today's reading — Proverbs 14

My morning devotion — delivered daily to my email in-box (you can sign up to have ours sent to your email, too!) was all about anger. Then I opened up Proverbs to our place today, and guess what? 

It seems today's theme is anger. 

So let's chat. What makes you mad? Bullying? Gossips? Peer pressure? Ungodly behavior among your friends? 

Anger....well, I don't necessarily think the emotion of anger is a bad one. It's what you do with it that can cause you to stumble and sin. 

Take a look at how it's discussed in Proverbs 14. 

From verse 16, it's clear that hotheaded and reckless behavior are considered foolish. But the wise fear the Lord and "shun evil."

Later, in verse 22, it says that if you plot evil you will go astray. So it's unwise to use your anger to do "bad things." 

But I believe you can take the anger and use it for good — developing a plan for love and faithfulness, also from verse 22. 

As I write this, it kind of reminds me of Mighty Strong Girls. It's pretty easy to get mad when you think about how girls are portrayed in the media as sexual objects, how they are shoved into a box with all the expectations and stereotypes for our gender, how they are second-class citizens. It's angering to learn about how prevalent female genital mutilation still is in most African nations. It's downright disgusting that many women are pressured to have abortions or even kill their newborn babies — simply because they are girls. 

Most people believe these facts justify a plan for evil against those who would commit such atrocities. But God. He says NO. He says make a plan that is written in love and faithfulness. 

So instead of attacking the enemy, Mighty Strong Girls is attacking the problem by offering a positive alternative. We aren't the only one. There are so many wonderful organizations doing great and awesome things out of love and faithfulness to help girls RISE UP!

My dear girls, you can do this with the anger in your lives, too, no matter the situation. Pray about it. Think about it. Don't be hotheaded and act out your anger with immediate hatred. Instead, take that energy and pour it into something positive. Be the change you want to see! 

{xoxo}
Amy

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.