From my heart

To become a born-again believer in Jesus Christ is very easy. We all want freedom, we all want for someone to break our chains of sin. But the life of a born-again believer is anything but easy. It can be simple in the fact that we live by the Word of God and the leading of His Spirit...and our hearts desire is to serve the Lord. But I wonder how many people think being a Christian means to be "perfect" with no problems or struggles?

My Life with God has been a beautiful masterpiece full of bright colors. But it has no straight lines, the shading could be fixed and you sometimes have to take a step back to really see how magnificent it is. I have some spots that have thicker paint...other spots that are barely covered. But all together...it's the start of something great. He is still holing the brush, and He continues to change the colors sometimes, but I know He has a vision...an end result that will tie it all together.

Some days I feel like I'm tired of the same color, I just want something different. Sometimes He's been doing so much that my canvas is soaked! Other days, He waits for the paint to dry before He adds another coat.

Right now, it seems He's waiting for some parts to dry before He covers them and adds more colors (you know when you add too many colors to already wet paint, it all ends up black! LOL). I don't know about other believers but drying can sometimes be painful (like being in the desert). I went through most of my life thinking that if I just made more rules for myself and kept telling myself I was "fine" then I would be flawless. Truth is...I can't save myself. Ha, I can't even heal myself. I've tried all the medicines in the cabinet. I can't do it. I can't fix me.

I know the only thing that works. Catch is...sometimes it might take longer to heal than other times. You just have to keep applying it. And that thing that works...that thing that heals...that thing that fixes...is prayer. Heart to heart communication with God, with no "I'm fine's".

Prayer is not just for saying "thanks" to God. It is so much more than just that. See, God isn't going to sit there and just heal us without us giving Him what is broken. He isn't pushy like that. He doesn't heal us just to heal us, He does it because He loves us. And since He loves us, don't you think He wants us...all of us?
Yet, we find so many people still lost out there because they think they have to get "perfect" before they pray.
Last time I checked Jesus came because we NEEDED Him...He came to cover our sin...not to cover our "perfectness"...that just wouldn't make sense.

And we always need Him...meaning we will always be having issues, problems, struggles etc.
So why do we pretend everything is "fine"? Like no one else has problems.
Yeah, name one person who doesn't. I sure have not met them.

I was praying today about some things that are heavy on my heart and some things that I need to change in my life (before God can put another coat on). I was on my knee's crying to the Lord and I said "I feel so alone"...but then God reminded me that I'm really not.
God didn't send Jesus because we were perfect, but because we were messed up, and we still are, and we STILL need Him. Everyday. All the time. We just can't do it without Him. None of us can.

But satan wants us to think that we are "alone" and that no one else has problems...because then we think we don't deserve God. Um...did we EVER deserve Jesus. NO!
And the truth is...you are not alone.

Peter wrote letters to the church (us) to encourage them on how to live for the Lord...
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers (and sisters) throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings" 1 Peter 5:8-9

Then James wrote to the twelve tribes...
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" James 5:16

Are we willing to do this? To admit that each other is not alone, and to pray for each other and to confess our struggles to our brothers and sisters so that the enemy won't have an opportunity to "devour" us when we are down?

I am so happy I talk to people I'm close to about things I am going through..."as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" Proverbs 27:17...sharpening doesn't always "feel good"...actually most of the time it hurts...but it makes me sharp...even if some little pieces need to be cut off.

I pray you would seek help (not because you are "crazy"...but because you are *gasp* human). Ask God to put people in your life that will give you good counsel, and that maybe you would help too...iron sharpens iron...vis versa too.

I'll leave you with some more encouragement from the Lord that I am also applying...

"My Princess...
I want you to be content

You were given My peace when you let Me into your life. It is possible, My princess, to enjoy your life with a peaceful mind and a contented heart. You have so much to look forward to when you're settled in your heavenly home with Me. But for now you must remember that nothing you buy or collect will calm your spirit or soothe your soul like I can. You came into this world with nothing, and that is how you will leave it. Let Me do more than give you the good gifts this life has to offer. I will give you a place of peace, decorated with delight and filled with memories that will be more cherished than anything this world has to offer. So let Me be your treasure, and I will give you a rich life that will become more beautiful than anything money can buy.
Love, Your King and your Contentment"
("His Princess" Sheri Rose Shepherd)

Peace be with you as you pray, talk and follow God with all your heart :)

"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part One" [Mandy's Review]

On Friday I saw Breaking Dawn Part One with a friend. I went in expecting to have to close my eyes during the honeymoon scene and needing some kind of reminder of reality once out of the theater. To my surprise, it felt like any other movie.

Take away the strange fantasy of Vampires and Werewolves and you have your typical fantasy-relationship movie, full with what girls want to hear, temptation, passion and a little twist in there to keep you on the edge of your seat. However, just like some fantasy-relationship movies it has scenes of partial nudity and of course the "bed scene".

Should we watch this movie?

I would not recommend teenagers watch it!

It seems harmless, but like the majority of Hollywood's productions these days, they create a picture of a relationship that does not exist (and never has). Even at my age of 22 it is hard for me to take captive my thoughts after a movie like this.

In my other posts I've been going over the subject of "are we guarding our hearts?". This post I believe will keep with that theme.
There is no way we can change the media and what movies are going to be produced, but what we have the power to change is if they influence us or not.

Parents need to realise the power movies have on their teens outlook on love and romance. No matter how much you talk to them, it is easier as human beings to go by what we see.

The twilight books were written to whisper in the ears of women's desires, mainly in their 20's all the way to mid 40's. The Saga exploded and teenagers wanted a piece of the desirable invisible pie too. I wanted it too. It took me weeks after seeing the first one to tell my head that this type of relationship NEVER DID and NEVER WILL happen.

I do not recommend this movie for teens because in teen years they are still building their "world". How they see things. What they think of love. Their perspective on faith and religion. And what type of mate they will pursue.

How do I know this? Because I was a teenager and I had teen friends. Glad we cleared that up! LOL ;)

The things teens should be reading and watching and listening to should be REAL things. The best alternative to Twilight that will help your children have a better perspective and view on love is YOUR OWN LOVE STORY. In my last post I talked about honesty and sharing things with others so they may benefit from the lessons you learned. Do you want your child's desires to be based on fantasy, or reality? Are you making an effort to explain and show them what real love is? Or what a real relationship (that takes work) looks like?

DON'T LEAVE IT UP TO HOLLYWOOD TO SPEAK TO YOUR KIDS!

Don't let them be influenced by a girl who can't commit to a guy.
Don't let them think there is an Edward somewhere out there who has been waiting hundreds of years for them.
Don't let the media tell them that guys should fight over them.
Don't let your boys feel in competition with a vampire and a werewolf.
Show them what true strength is.

Bring them back to the Word of God.

Love stories are in there!

Let God use your story to teach them.

Don't neglect their hearts.

Don't put your precious children in the pig pen.

Teach them to cherish their purity.

Teach them to wait for the Lord.

Teach them to guard their hearts, even when it is hard.

I would tell people my age to be careful.

Just like the teenagers we are vulnerable to be "woo-ed" by this fantasy relationship that does not exist. There are so many people our age who are lonely and dissatisfied with where they are now (including Christians). What are our desires based on? When we watch movies, do we take them for reality?

This movie is not reality. There is no such thing as vampires and werewolves. There is no Edward, there is no Jacob. And you are not Bella. You are better.
This story is make-believe. The relationship NEVER happened and it NEVER will. If you are going to watch this movie, or any other relationship movie...keep in mind...that it is fake. Don't give yourself false-hope.

The movie...as a movie.

The Acting was okay. You can definitely tell that Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner have learned a lot in acting and they are applying it. I personally think that Kristen Stewart "over act's" almost like someone who is just starting out (I think she did great in "Panic Room"). But I am not one to say anything because I know nothing about acting other than being in the audience LOL.

The Picture was amazing. The wedding took my breath away. They should have played different music when she came down the isle, maybe they wanted to steer away from the "traditional" wedding music. I would have liked to have seen more of them exploring the island during the honeymoon. It looked like they had the WHOLE island to themselves for like 2 weeks!

The Story-line was easy to follow (for someone who has seen the other ones) and they took their time on the wedding and honeymoon and then the baby. You didn't feel like you were "missing out" on parts of the story. Though I felt like the baby part was drawn out.

The Ending was so great...it kept you on your seat but it didn't hurt to leave. You kind of knew what was going to happen and I left wondering what else they could fit in Part Two because it seemed like it ended well. At least where other movies end completely! lol.

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I hope you enjoyed my review and that you gained something from it. If you have questions, I will try to answer them.
These are my thoughts, but I seek God's Word in all things. It is my goal to guard my heart, to honor God and to obey Him. I pray that He would direct you on what is best for you. This review is not just for Twilight but all fantasy-relationship movies.

May we all stay in reality soaked in God's wisdom. :)