Do Something

Here is a song by Josh Wilson called I Refuse which tells us to not just sit around and do nothing.

Sometimes I
I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone's all right
When no, they're not
This world needs God
But it's easier to just stand and watch
I could say a prayer and just move on
Like nothing's wrong
But I refuse

Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh I could choose
Not to move
But I refuse

I can hear the least of these
Crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet
Of You, O God
So if you say move
It's time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do
And show them who you are

Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh I could choose
Not to move
But I refuse

To stand and watch
The weary and lost
Cry out for Him
I refuse
To turn my back
And try and act like all is well
I refuse
To stay unchanged
To wait another day
To doubt myself
I refuse
To make one more excuse

Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh I could choose
Not to move
But I refuse

I refuse
I refuse
Yea

Also here are some cool websites that give you some great ideas for service projects!

http://www.worldvision.org/

http://www.hoopsofhope.com

http://www.showhope.org/OrphanCare/MariasBigHouseofHope.aspx

http://leelandonline.com/

http://www.sparrowclubs.org/

http://www.dosomething.org/

http://www.zachhunter.me/#/lc2lc

I hope this encourages you to do something to help others around you!

A Beautiful Song: Crazy Beautiful

Here is a song I was listening to on Air1 this morning. It is such an encouragement when you are feeling all alone or that you aren't accepted. This song reminds you that it only matters what God thinks about you.

Everybody’s been there everyone’s the same
but mostly we don’t care isn’t that a shame
We bring us down face after face
the inside is beautiful but the outside we want to change.
We want to change.
Whoa you’re oh so beautiful, you don’t need anyone’s approval
You’ve got to believe in your self you know you are
You’re crazy beautiful
Well every new year you say your gonna change
From the way you live to how much you weigh,
we don’t want to change.
Whoa you’re oh so beautiful, you don’t need anyone’s approval
You’ve got to believe in your self you know you are
You’re crazy beautiful
Take a look it’s all around you
See the world from different views
The way you shine from the inside
I know with out a doubt
It’s more than what you’ll be
In the world’s eyes.
Whoa you’re oh so beautiful, you don’t need anyone’s a approval
You’ve got to believe in your self you know you are

You’re crazy beautiful

Enjoy!

A Little Bit of Encouragement

Here is a little bit of encouragement for all of you!

Exodus 23:2 Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.

John 15:18-25 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Hope your encouraged!

Jealousy: The Green Eyed Monster

When you hear that someone else you know is doing something without you, and with someone else, do you ever want to scream, "It's not fair!"? When you feel like that, it is a warning to yourself that you are sinning in jealousy.

I am writing this post because I am being attacked by the Green Eyed Monster. I am feeling jealous because there are two girls doing something that makes me wish I had someone to do the same thing with.

I decided to look at some verses to see what God tells us about jealousy.

Psalm 78:58
They angered him with their high places; they aroused His jealousy with their idols.

Psalm 79:5
How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire?

Psalm 78:58 and Psalm 79:5 talk about how God is angered by our idolatry of others and things. His jealousy is aroused when we make other things or people more important to us than Him. Since He is a jealous God, He burns with anger for our total attention. He is jealous for us. We can understand this better, when we struggle with our own jealousy. But this does not give us permission to be jealous.

Romans 13:13
Let us behave decently........and not in jealousy.

Romans 13:13 talks about how we should behave decently. It goes one to describe jealousy as an indecent act. While the Lord has the right to be jealous for us, we are not to behave with jealousy in our hearts.

After reading these verses, I prayed and asked God to help me to get rid of my jealously! If you ever are feeling jealous, think of these verses.

Yummy Strawberry Tea

Do you ever just want a good cup of tea? Well I have the perfect homemade tea. It is called strawberry tea. The great thing about this tea, is that it is great cold or hot!

Ingredients:

1 dozen frozen strawberries

1 tblsp. of sugar for every 2 strawberries(splenda if desired)

4 cups water

Instructions:

1. Place strawberries and sugar into food processor. Thaw strawberries until tender.

2. Blend strawberries and sugar until texture is like a mushy sherbert.

3. Stir strawberry blend into a heat proof pitcher of 4 cups of boiling water.

4. Let steep or 15 minutes.

5. Pour through a mesh sieve until pulp and seeds are mostly gone.

6. Server cold or hot.

If you make this, I would love to know what you thought of it. Leave a comment or email me at real girls becoming at gmail dot com!

A Trio of Reviews

So, you are thinking of something to read for your devo time and you just can't figure out what you want to read, what do you do? Do you just pick up your Bible, flip through it, and effortlessly find something to read? Or do you just go and do something different? Well if your having this problem, or just need a new devotional, here are some great books, including a Bible!

The first book is called A Girl of Beauty, by Carol Fiddler. If you have read any of my other posts you probably have heard me reference to this book. A Girl of Beauty is a book focused on building character in girls like you and me. There are 19 devotionals in this book and each has a couple of questions asked, a spot for further study, and a spot to write down your thoughts. If you would like this book you can go to amazon.com.

Next, is a 90-day devotional called What's a Girl to Do?, by Kristi Holl. This book focuses in on finding faith in everyday life. Each devotional has a Bible verse to start it off, then a devotional, some questions, a prayer, and a "more to explore," where you can find other verses to go along with the theme. If you like this book, and want another one like it, you can go to faithgirlz.com for more books.

The last one, and the best, in my opinion, is the Bible. You might be thinking, "Leah what is so great about this Bible? Isn't it just as good as another other Bible?" This Bible is called the Parallel Study Bible. It has the NIV version and The Message combined. It is great for when you are reading the NIV version and you don't understand what they are talking. All you do is just look to the opposite page and it has the Message version. If you want this Bible, you can go to zondervan.com or find it in a book store near you.

Hope you enjoy!