I saw this article on Yahoo and thought it contained some great tips for you young ladies about taking care of your skin. Hope you learn something new :)
Despite our efforts to achieve glowing, flawless skin, many of us are making mistakes that stand in the way of the finest potions and lotions. Here, the biggest mistakes women are making with their skin, and the fixes to set things right. Gorgeousness, here we come!
Mistake: You're not wearing sunscreen every single day
We are all sick of hearing this advice, but dermatologists are probably just as tired of repeating it. This is the single biggest mistake most of us are making with our skin, and there's no need: it's an easy gaffe to fix.
The Fix: You know it already: Wear an SPF lotion or cream with broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection every single day. But why every day? While UVB rays are strong in summer, UVA rays stay the same year-round. "If you go outside to shovel shovel snow on the most overcast day of the year, you're getting the same amount of UVA as if you were on the beach during the summer," says Dr. Jeannette Graf, a Board certified, clinical and research dermatologist. Slather up, whether or not the sun's out.
Mistake: You think the SPF in your powder is good enough.
We love a time-saving double duty product as much as the next lady, but this kind of two-fer just doesn't cut it. Why? Because dotting foundation on to even out skin tone or sweeping a powder across the t-zone simply isn't a generous enough application to offer real sun protection.
The Fix: "You really need to use an SPF cream or lotion," says Dr. Graf. In the winter, wear a moisturizer with SPF, but "during the summer you really need to bump it up and use a real sunblock that doesn't have any other ingredients but sunscreen and antioxidants," advises Dr. Graf. "You need that extra protection."
Mistake: You pick and squeeze.
We've all been there––it's just so hard not to!––but it's a habit that's not doing anything to help. "When you have a pimple under the skin, there is absolutely no way that you are going to be able to do anything about it in terms of squeezing," says Dr. Graf. "Nothing will come out and nothing good will come of it if you touch it." That is, unless you call scarring a good thing. (Nope!) Another mistake? Using a warm compress to draw out whatever is in there. That just expands the irritation even more, explains Dr. Graf.
The Fix: Apply an ice pack, suggests Dr. Graf. The cold will help constrict the blood vessel and could help make the blemish smaller.
Mistake: You over-dry your skin.
It's the battle of the blemish, and we're all just trying to use our strongest artillery. But this plan of attack actually backfires. Over-drying the skin creates irritation and redness, and what's worse, dry skin leads to clogged pores. Keep this up, warns Dr. Graf, and "you're actually going to get more breakouts and more clogging."
The Fix: Take the path of moderation and lay off the full-on product offensive. You might need to try using your acne treatments every other evening or only a few times a week.
Mistake: You treat your entire face like it's a problem area.
It's like trying to use a chainsaw to shape your eyebrows. While you might have a few oily areas, like across your t-zone, you don't need to treat your entire face with products formulated for oily skin. When you treat combination skin like an oil slick it leads to irritation. And you know where irritation gets you––more clogging and more blemishes.
The Fix: As adolescence turns into adulthood, what was once oily skin is more often combination skin, explains Dr. Graf. Evaluate your skin type and treat it accordingly, whether you're dry, oily, or somewhere in between.
Mistake: You only protect your face from the sun.
Since we're trying to protect ourselves from the signs of aging, it makes sense that we'd focus on putting our best face forward. But as Dr. Graf warns, "one of the biggest places I see aging is on the chest." Also scary: covering up with clothing isn't much help. "A white t-shirt gives you an SPF of about 5," explains Dr. Graf.
The Fix: Any day you're going to be outside for a prolonged period of time, apply sunblock from head to toe, not just on your face and exposed arms and legs. Don't forget your ears!
Mistake: You're religious about using oil-free or non-comedogenic products.
Women with oily or blemish-prone skin have been taught that these words are the preventative gold standard for a break-out. In fact, many of us won't buy products that don't boast these terms on the bottle. But we might want to think again. "The terms non-comedogenic and oil-free are not FDA-approved terms. That's really just a selling point," explains Dr. Graf. The terms date back to the 1950s when beauty products used industrial-grade mineral oil that could break you out. "Today's mineral oil is a totally different cosmetic grade and is not going to break you out."
The Fix: If you're someone with oily skin who lives in fear of a break-out, you should use a pH-balanced foaming cleanser on your face, and you might want to add in a silicone-based powder or gel, suggests Dr. Graf. But you don't need to rely solely on products billed as oil-free or non-comedogenic. Seek out products you like, regardless of meaningless marketing terms.
Mistake: You're over-exfoliating.
Quick science lesson: Over the course of 28 days, the bottom layer of your skin––the basal layer––migrates toward the surface of your skin. When it gets there, it dies. Enzymes in the dead skin cells then cause the dead layer to fall off. That natural process is called exfoliation. Got it?
"If you see a 3-year-old child, that process is working perfectly. As we get older, that's not working as well. Why? Because the enzymes in our skin require hydration and moisture in order to be activated. When we lose that natural moisture over the years, our enzymes don't work. We have that dead skin cell layer that hangs on, and we need to remove it. That's why we use exfoliators."
The Fix: Steer clear of harsh scrubs and exfoliators like BuffPuffs, which can break blood vessels, and apricot scrubs, whose needle-sharp pits will break your skin and cause redness. At home, "using a peel kit or microdermabrasion kit is great. Using it every single day is not," says Dr. Graf. Any deeper exfoliation should be done in the care of a skin care professional, she says.
Mistake: You're using the right products at the wrong time.
You've got an all-star line-up of retinols, sunblock, and microdermabrasion kits in your medicine cabinet. But when you use your products is as important as what you're using. "Everybody's using the kitchen sink in the morning," complains Dr. Graf. Retinols are light-sensitive, so using them during the day isn't such a bright idea.
The Fix: "You want to use protective products in the daytime," says Dr. Graf, so slather on sunscreen twenty minutes before you leave the house. At bedtime, bring out the big guns, like exfoliators and retinols, "when your skin's natural circadian rhythms renew themselves," explains Dr. Graf.
Mistake: You use products with gold or metal in them.
It might seem super luxe to use creams flecked with gold, but you're better off keeping your money in your pocket. "They can cause contact dermatitis and there's no evidence that they do anything except drain your wallet."
The Fix: When you feel like splurging on a rich potion, pick something that smells divine or has a luxurious texture––but is free from any precious metals.
Mistake: You go to sleep without washing your face.
We've all been there: You get home late and can't quite muster the energy to wash off the day or your makeup. (And waking up looking as "done" as Kim Kardashian can seem kind of screen goddessy.) "A lot of people will go to bed with makeup on. And a lot of people who don't go to bed with makeup on won't wash their face in the morning," says Dr. Graf. Both are big mistakes.
The Fix: Wash your face morning and night.
Mistake: You don't give your skincare products a chance.
We live in a quick fix world, so when we don't immediately see results from a new skin care regimen, we can get frustrated and give up. We then bounce from product to product, trying to find the magic potion.
The Fix: Exercise some patience. We take multivitamins, Dr Graf explains, knowing they're good for us, even when we don't see results. Sometimes you have to give your products the same measure of faith. "When you're using a skincare product, don't be so hard on the product. Understand that it's doing something for you." And that means waiting more than two days to see a difference––more like four to six weeks.
Amberly
Taken from Yahoo article: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/mistakes-youre-making-with-your-skin-that-you-might-not-know-about-2474092/
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Happy Easter!
We are busy preparing for our church Easter drama and the youth trip to Holiday Youth Convention. It's going to be a busy, but awesome, weekend around ALC!
This time of year, we get so busy planning for programs and family visits and tend to get consumed with new clothes, etc., but this year, let's try to keep in mind the resurrection we are celebrating! 2 Corinthians 2:13-15 says "We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, "I believed it, so I said it," we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up..." That's exciting!!
The resurrection of Jesus, so many years ago, gave us hope that nothing could ever take away! Hopelessness and despair are prominent in the world right now...there is turmoil all around. But those of us who know God have, as Peter said, "a lively hope!" We have hope that life in this world is only temporary. We have hope that mistakes and sins will be forgiven. We have hope that He is coming again. We have hope that there will someday be a new Heaven and a new earth and that the Kingdom of God will reign. This wonderful hope is not found in our own abilities or our own goodness...it comes through the hope we were given when our Savior rose from the dead and shortly thereafter gave us the plan of salvation.
I hope all of you have a wonderful Easter!
XOXO,
Amberly
This time of year, we get so busy planning for programs and family visits and tend to get consumed with new clothes, etc., but this year, let's try to keep in mind the resurrection we are celebrating! 2 Corinthians 2:13-15 says "We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, "I believed it, so I said it," we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up..." That's exciting!!
The resurrection of Jesus, so many years ago, gave us hope that nothing could ever take away! Hopelessness and despair are prominent in the world right now...there is turmoil all around. But those of us who know God have, as Peter said, "a lively hope!" We have hope that life in this world is only temporary. We have hope that mistakes and sins will be forgiven. We have hope that He is coming again. We have hope that there will someday be a new Heaven and a new earth and that the Kingdom of God will reign. This wonderful hope is not found in our own abilities or our own goodness...it comes through the hope we were given when our Savior rose from the dead and shortly thereafter gave us the plan of salvation.
I hope all of you have a wonderful Easter!
XOXO,
Amberly
Friday, April 15, 2011
Easter Fashion!!!
Since next weekend we will be at Holiday Youth Convention, this is the last Friday to talk about Easter fashions before Easter! I know many of us will be wearing Biblical costumes Easter Sunday morning, BUT we can dress up in our new spring fashions at HYC! Here are a few tips for your Easter clothes shopping:
1. Easter Hats
Hats come in and out of fashion, but Easter hats are here to stay. Celebrate springtime with a beautiful new Easter bonnet or wide brim straw hat! These might be in a natural hue, or a soft pastel color. If a hat is too much, you could try an Easter headband for an understated version of the same look. Lace, ribbons, feathers, and flowers are all used to add panache to Easter hat styles.
2. Easter Dresses
Nothing says spring like a beautiful new Easter dress. As the weather starts to warm up, women throw off their coats and celebrate the sun! Traditional Easter dresses are white, red, or navy. White is the color of purity and new beginnings, and red represents the blood of Christ. Girl’s sailor dresses are usually navy, and they are a favored style of Easter apparel. The usual sweet springtime hues of pink, purple, yellow, and green are also beautiful choices for your Easter dress. This year, nude and taupe colors are all the rage, so you may even try a beautiful linen taupe dress like this one:
3. Easter Suits
Sometimes, Easter is the time for a new suit! Your closet probably already has the standard black and navy suits, so try a new hue for spring. Khaki or taupe, maybe a cute white with navy pinstripes, or a solid white suit are all perfect choices for Easter clothing. Or, you could opt for a more casual and comfortable linen Easter suit.
4. Easter Shoes
New shoes are an Easter Sunday tradition for many. Many women often select white heels, and men can’t go wrong with a pair of wing tips or oxfords. Black or white patent leather mary janes are a classic Easter shoe style that goes with any little girl’s outfit. This year, you absolutely cannot go wrong with a pair of taupe pumps! I love these from Macys:
And - they're only $39.99!
5. Women’s Easter Accessories
Last, but certainly not least, don't forget to make sure your purse matches your Easter outfit!!!!
Happy Easter shopping ladies!
Amberly
*All photos courtesy of Macys.com.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
It breaks my heart when I see young ladies consumed with Hollywood...when I hear them talking about how they have to get home to watch Teen Mom or American Idol like the world will end if they miss it. As I sit here and ponder the News as of late my heart becomes heavily burdened. People like Charlie Sheen and Lindsey Lohan are constantly in the news. I shudder when I see headlines about actresses' cellulite and pictures of them at the beach with their families. I would be devastated if someone plastered pictures of me in a bikini on the covers of magazines and then talked about how ugly my thighs are! Can you imagine? No wonder all of these rich and famous people don’t seem to be holding up too well. I wonder if there isn’t some common denominator between these troubled souls. How could those who have so much fame, talent, and not to mention enough money to purchase for them their every object of desire, be so self-destructive? I can’t help but think of the fates of those such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Kurt Cobain, whose status of fame may as well have been elevated to sainthood. And then it hits me, what if the common denominator is not solely their individual self-destructiveness, but what if it includes the destructiveness of American Idolatry?
It seems to me that idolizing a human being isn’t just unhealthy and destructive for the one doing the idolizing, but also for the one being idolized. If there is any truth in this notion, namely, that it simply is not healthy (or to use politically incorrect language, it is simply morally wrong) for a person to be worshipped and idolized, then the American population is partly to blame for the broken state and the troubled fate of so many bold and indeed talented souls. Can we not appreciate a person’s talent and beauty without obsessing over what they wore at the Oscars or what person they are dating this week as opposed to last week? Is any single person worthy of this excessive attention or infatuation?
In Romans 1, the apostle Paul condemns the human race for suppressing the truth of God; he says that we should have seen God’s invisible attributes through that which is displayed in the created world. He goes on to declare that we didn’t honor God, but exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man. We failed and continue to fail to rightly credit the Creator, and instead we worship and serve the creatures that He has created. When we gaze upon the beauty or marvel at the talent of another and we fail to recognize that it is God alone who is the author and the source, we are not only lying to ourselves but we are doing a great disservice to our fellow man.
To have the American masses track your every move, fall at your feet, and even scream and shed tears in your presence—knowing all the while that you yourself are subject to the same kind of sickness and eventual death as the common folk—may be flattering for a moment, but in the end it is merely isolating, oppressive, and repulsive. Our obsession with the rich and famous places them in an impossible position, for there is only one name under heaven that is meant to be adored and there is only one being who will not be destructed by our worship. There is only one who remains pure and holy despite His glorious, incomprehensible, inevitable, and yes, eternal fame!
God doesn’t have an emotional need for our worship. Believe me, he gets plenty of it! For even the angelic beings shouted as they watched Him place the stars in the sky and even now as I, a small speck on this globe, push buttons on a key-board, the entire heavens and earth declare of His glory! It is He who measured the waters in the hollow of His hand. It is He who weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in a pair of scales. To whom then shall we liken God? Or what likeness shall we compare with Him? We Americans, like the craftsmen of old, are guilty of seeking out and fashioning for ourselves meaningless idols—we create them, we gaze upon them, we place hope in them, and then we condemn them when they don’t deliver and meet our needs and expectations. At the end of the day, idolizing a person is as futile as worshipping a wooden statue, for both are corruptible and they shall both return to the dust. God alone is incorruptible, and not only does He alone deserve man’s worship but He is the only being who is not corrupted by man’s worship! He is the one who reduces powerful rulers to nothing and makes even the judges of the earth meaningless…truly, He merely blows on them and they wither.
So I, a Christian who is guilty of standing in the checkout line reading the latest People magazine, and I, who have possibly spent hundreds of dollars on InStyle magazines, join my voice with the prophet Isaiah, “who shall we liken God…who shall be His equal?” And I am revitalized by the answer to this rhetorical question: "no one." "Let us lift up our eyes on high and see who has created the stars…for He calls them by name and because of the greatness of His might and the strength of his power, not one of them is missing." (Isa. 40:26)
So then, I dare us (indeed I dare myself) - don't stop to read the latest magazine or watch the newest episode of that favorite sitcom - if we haven't first taken time to pray and read our Bibles. Let's strive to put no other thing before Him.
XOXO,
Amberly
It seems to me that idolizing a human being isn’t just unhealthy and destructive for the one doing the idolizing, but also for the one being idolized. If there is any truth in this notion, namely, that it simply is not healthy (or to use politically incorrect language, it is simply morally wrong) for a person to be worshipped and idolized, then the American population is partly to blame for the broken state and the troubled fate of so many bold and indeed talented souls. Can we not appreciate a person’s talent and beauty without obsessing over what they wore at the Oscars or what person they are dating this week as opposed to last week? Is any single person worthy of this excessive attention or infatuation?
In Romans 1, the apostle Paul condemns the human race for suppressing the truth of God; he says that we should have seen God’s invisible attributes through that which is displayed in the created world. He goes on to declare that we didn’t honor God, but exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man. We failed and continue to fail to rightly credit the Creator, and instead we worship and serve the creatures that He has created. When we gaze upon the beauty or marvel at the talent of another and we fail to recognize that it is God alone who is the author and the source, we are not only lying to ourselves but we are doing a great disservice to our fellow man.
To have the American masses track your every move, fall at your feet, and even scream and shed tears in your presence—knowing all the while that you yourself are subject to the same kind of sickness and eventual death as the common folk—may be flattering for a moment, but in the end it is merely isolating, oppressive, and repulsive. Our obsession with the rich and famous places them in an impossible position, for there is only one name under heaven that is meant to be adored and there is only one being who will not be destructed by our worship. There is only one who remains pure and holy despite His glorious, incomprehensible, inevitable, and yes, eternal fame!
God doesn’t have an emotional need for our worship. Believe me, he gets plenty of it! For even the angelic beings shouted as they watched Him place the stars in the sky and even now as I, a small speck on this globe, push buttons on a key-board, the entire heavens and earth declare of His glory! It is He who measured the waters in the hollow of His hand. It is He who weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in a pair of scales. To whom then shall we liken God? Or what likeness shall we compare with Him? We Americans, like the craftsmen of old, are guilty of seeking out and fashioning for ourselves meaningless idols—we create them, we gaze upon them, we place hope in them, and then we condemn them when they don’t deliver and meet our needs and expectations. At the end of the day, idolizing a person is as futile as worshipping a wooden statue, for both are corruptible and they shall both return to the dust. God alone is incorruptible, and not only does He alone deserve man’s worship but He is the only being who is not corrupted by man’s worship! He is the one who reduces powerful rulers to nothing and makes even the judges of the earth meaningless…truly, He merely blows on them and they wither.
So I, a Christian who is guilty of standing in the checkout line reading the latest People magazine, and I, who have possibly spent hundreds of dollars on InStyle magazines, join my voice with the prophet Isaiah, “who shall we liken God…who shall be His equal?” And I am revitalized by the answer to this rhetorical question: "no one." "Let us lift up our eyes on high and see who has created the stars…for He calls them by name and because of the greatness of His might and the strength of his power, not one of them is missing." (Isa. 40:26)
So then, I dare us (indeed I dare myself) - don't stop to read the latest magazine or watch the newest episode of that favorite sitcom - if we haven't first taken time to pray and read our Bibles. Let's strive to put no other thing before Him.
XOXO,
Amberly
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
What it Means to be Lukewarm
I've been reading Francis Chan's book Crazy Love. Today, I read a chapter about lukewarm Christians and it really made me think...Has my relationship with God changed the way I live? Do people see evidence of God's kingdom in my life through the way I dress, the way I act and talk, the movies I watch, the music I listen to... Am I satisfied with being "godly enough to get to Heaven?" When we really start reading the Bible, we realize that God doesn't want us to to live for Him merely to escape hell when we die. He wants us to be totally in love with Him and willing to sacrifice to preserve a relationship with Him. I read the following passages about lukewarm people this morning:
Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly. According to Isaiah 29:13, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship to me is made up only of rules taught by men."
Lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church...as long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living.
Lukewarm people tend to choose was it popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.
Lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry because God is going to punish them.
Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for "extreme" Christians, not average ones.
Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion.
Lukewarm people gauge their morality or "goodness" by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that while they aren't as hard-core for Jesus as so-and-so, they are nowhere near as horrible as the guy down the street.
Lukewarm people say they love Jesus and He is, indeed, part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, money and thoughts but He isn't allowed to control their lives.
Lukewarm people loves others but do not see to love others as much as they love themselves.
Lukewarm people will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money and energy they are willing to give.
Lukewarm people think about live on earth much more often than eternity in Heaven.
Lukewarm people are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor.
Lukewarm people do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty.
Lukewarm people are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God.
Lukewarm people feel secure because they attend church, come from a Christian family, vote Replubican or live in America.
Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structed so they never have to. They don't have to trust God if something unexepcted happens - they have their savings account. They don't need God to help them - they have their retirement plan in place. The truth is, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God.
Lukewarm people swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren't very different from the typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn't be more wrong.
Man!!! That stuff is really harsh! The fact is, however, God didn't ask us to follow Him in a lukewarm manner...He said "take up your cross and follow me." He asks for everything and we try to give Him less. Luke 14:34-35 says "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is neither fit for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out." Jesus wasn't making a cute little analogy. He was addressing those who aren't willing to give Him everything, who won't follow Him all the way. Our lukewarm, halfhearted attempts at following Him are useless. When salt is salty, it helps manure become a good fertilizer...encouraging growth all around. When salt isn't salty, its completely useless. Just like lukewarm, uncomitted faith - it can't even benefit manure.
We can't afford to be lukewarm. We really are nearing His return. Its too late to waste time playing games and sitting on a fence. We need to be so far from lukewarm that we are burning up with fire. I would hate for God to look at me on judgment day and say "You would ruin manure!" I would much rather hear "Well done..." Wouldn't you?
Amberly
Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly. According to Isaiah 29:13, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship to me is made up only of rules taught by men."
Lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church...as long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living.
Lukewarm people tend to choose was it popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.
Lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry because God is going to punish them.
Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for "extreme" Christians, not average ones.
Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion.
Lukewarm people gauge their morality or "goodness" by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that while they aren't as hard-core for Jesus as so-and-so, they are nowhere near as horrible as the guy down the street.
Lukewarm people say they love Jesus and He is, indeed, part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, money and thoughts but He isn't allowed to control their lives.
Lukewarm people loves others but do not see to love others as much as they love themselves.
Lukewarm people will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money and energy they are willing to give.
Lukewarm people think about live on earth much more often than eternity in Heaven.
Lukewarm people are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor.
Lukewarm people do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty.
Lukewarm people are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God.
Lukewarm people feel secure because they attend church, come from a Christian family, vote Replubican or live in America.
Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structed so they never have to. They don't have to trust God if something unexepcted happens - they have their savings account. They don't need God to help them - they have their retirement plan in place. The truth is, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God.
Lukewarm people swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren't very different from the typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn't be more wrong.
Man!!! That stuff is really harsh! The fact is, however, God didn't ask us to follow Him in a lukewarm manner...He said "take up your cross and follow me." He asks for everything and we try to give Him less. Luke 14:34-35 says "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is neither fit for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out." Jesus wasn't making a cute little analogy. He was addressing those who aren't willing to give Him everything, who won't follow Him all the way. Our lukewarm, halfhearted attempts at following Him are useless. When salt is salty, it helps manure become a good fertilizer...encouraging growth all around. When salt isn't salty, its completely useless. Just like lukewarm, uncomitted faith - it can't even benefit manure.
We can't afford to be lukewarm. We really are nearing His return. Its too late to waste time playing games and sitting on a fence. We need to be so far from lukewarm that we are burning up with fire. I would hate for God to look at me on judgment day and say "You would ruin manure!" I would much rather hear "Well done..." Wouldn't you?
Amberly
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Roots
One very cool thing I have to mention is that I'm writing tthis blog using my birthday present from my husband! Yes...this is being written using my Samsung tablet and keyboard dock. Sweet!
In other news, I have to go to the dentist this afternoon for a root canal. A couple weeks ago when I went for a cleaning and exam, I was told the swelling around one of my molars was from a nasty infection. Yikes! See I chipped this molar several years ago and it has had a porcelain crown on it since then. It looks like a perfect tooth. However, the dentist said that bacteria had managed to seep in under the crown and now the nerves inside the tooth were infected, thus causing the swelling. I said "ok, but why doesn't it hurt?" Apparently, the fact that there is no pain associated with this is because the roots of the tooth are already necrotic and dead. Yuck! I've been thinking though...how often is this same scenario true with our lives? We look perfectly normal on the outside, but inside we are dying. We cover up our issues with a beautiful facade that looks absolutely perfect but when God examines us under His microscope, He can see that we are filled with dead, necrotic roots. We need to make sure that our roots are exposed and that we don't allow our roots to become so infected that we see the symptoms , but can't find the real issue because we no longer feel pain. Lord show us any underlying problems we may have and heal them. Even though it may take plucking up some of our roots. We need to be whole inside and out...at this point in time, there is really no need in the church for fake, beautiful facades. We need honesty and realness to reach the people around us.
XOXO
Amberly
In other news, I have to go to the dentist this afternoon for a root canal. A couple weeks ago when I went for a cleaning and exam, I was told the swelling around one of my molars was from a nasty infection. Yikes! See I chipped this molar several years ago and it has had a porcelain crown on it since then. It looks like a perfect tooth. However, the dentist said that bacteria had managed to seep in under the crown and now the nerves inside the tooth were infected, thus causing the swelling. I said "ok, but why doesn't it hurt?" Apparently, the fact that there is no pain associated with this is because the roots of the tooth are already necrotic and dead. Yuck! I've been thinking though...how often is this same scenario true with our lives? We look perfectly normal on the outside, but inside we are dying. We cover up our issues with a beautiful facade that looks absolutely perfect but when God examines us under His microscope, He can see that we are filled with dead, necrotic roots. We need to make sure that our roots are exposed and that we don't allow our roots to become so infected that we see the symptoms , but can't find the real issue because we no longer feel pain. Lord show us any underlying problems we may have and heal them. Even though it may take plucking up some of our roots. We need to be whole inside and out...at this point in time, there is really no need in the church for fake, beautiful facades. We need honesty and realness to reach the people around us.
XOXO
Amberly
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