victoriously freed

Well, it's official y'all, I have officially declared my major!  I am extremely happy, happy, happy, and want to share this exciting news!  By the time I graduate from Motlow State Community College, I will be graduating with an A.S. in Sociology and an A.A. in Psychology.  With also having completed some classes for my future minor: Physical Education.  

This makes me super excited because I'm one of those people who works best with an end goal.  Yes, I did pick up extra classes and it may take me longer to graduate, but I'm okay with that!  (and, so is my mama.)  By having this end goal in mind, I am working towards my goal: being a teacher and a coach!

I have found [one of] MY motivation[s]!

With every paper, test, and assignment, I know that I am one step closer to my end goal!

So of course, I have to ask you a question now!  Ready?

What motivates you?

Everyday, what motivates you to get out of the bed in the morning? What motivates you to get through the day?

You sure can't deny the fact that you have a motivation.  It's what helps us get through the day, but it can be different for everybody.  We all have worldly motivations like coffee, food, money, success, etc... But y'all, we should also have spiritual motivations to!  The ultimate one of course being getting into Heaven!  Everyday when we wake up, that's a gift that the Lord has given us.

Even the simple motivation of making it to tomorrow should be enough to make it through a bad day. 

When it comes to assignments, projects, and other things like this,  the Lord specifically tells us to do all things unto Him.  Knowing that as His children, we should be motivated to do everything as unto Him!  I mean, how could that be any more clear?

So, I challenge you to find your motivation outside of just worldly things.  I pray that the motivation to serve the Lord with your all is a motivation that you have!  Trust me, that doesn't always happen, life is rough and we get disappointed, but stay motivated and keep pressing toward that final goal!  You get to decide that goal though.

Speaking of motivation, I need to get motivated to finish this Psychology paper.. So, on that note, y'all have a great night!

Recently, I was a part of a group discussion where we were talking about how The Lord had sent Haggai as a messenger of hope after a group of the Lord's people had gone astray and spent many years wasted.  And, how, finally, these people could spend their years wisely after having wasted so many.

Well, this immediately got me thinking.  What is a wasted year?  And how can we consider any year in a person's life to be wasted?  It's definitely not that I disagreed with this idea, I just couldn't completely agree without thinking about it a little bit more.

Since I'm all about definitions, the definition of the word wasted is:

1  :  not used, spent, etc., in a good, useful, or effective way

So yes, I guess that if your years aren't spent in an effective way, they are wasted, but this still just bugs me.  So, the rest of this post is strictly my personal opinion.  It is neither correct, nor incorrect.  It is just my opinion and thoughts on wasted years.

Y'all, we ALL sin.  Yes, all of us.  Even the person you see to be the most Christ-like person.  Everyday we make a decision on how to live that day.  We-as humans-choose to sin on a daily basis.  It's in our nature.

But what makes us each different is how we decide to learn or grow from our sinful choices.  If we choose to remain the same, living in the same sin, then yes, I guess the years are considered wasted as long as you don't learn from the decision.

HOWEVER,

if you, after the sin, learn and grow from the bad decision, this is not a wasted moment.  Sometimes, in order to grow, you have to fall first.  I'm definitely not saying that you should go out and make a bad choice, I am saying however, that sometimes in life we get so caught up in ourselves that we don't see our own faults.  Instead we judge the people around us, when in reality, we are the one who is not following His will.  

So what will it take for us to learn that we need to change?  That is different from person to person.  In the words of a very wise father, "It's okay to fall, just don't stay fallen."  

Once again, I'm not suggesting you "fall", but I am saying that if you fall, DON'T STAY THERE.  His grace will cover you and you can come running back into His open arms!

So basically, I do not believe in wasted years, if you learn from them.

Y'all, the best thing I can say here is:

If you continue living in the same sin, you are at risk of wasting years; BUT, if you learn and grow spiritually after living in that sin, you are not wasting years , you are growing and learning from your mistakes.  Choose wisely in your everyday lives, it's your choice alone, so what will you do?

To waste or not to waste, THAT is the question!

Hey there, y'all!

I realize that today is Tuesday, but I still want to share a new song with you today.  Especially since I missed Music Mondays yesterday.

I truly believe that music is so very important, so once again, get ready for some awesome music!

Today, I want to share with you a song that I discovered recently while listening to Pandora.  Dave Barnes is the original singer of the song God Gave Me You.  His voice is amazing and his songs are amazing too.  The song that I have recently fallen in LOVE with is Carry Me Through.  Between the lyrics, the beat, the melody, and the vocals, it would be difficult not to love this song.

Listen, Love, and Enjoy!

Have a blessed Tuesday, y'all!

Today, as I was sitting in church, I was flipping through the pages of my old bible.  To my surprise, a dollar bill almost fell out.  

This definitely caught my attention as I thought to myself:

How and where did this come from?

I turned the pages a little more to reveal the entire dollar bill and it's location.  It's cozy little home was in the book of 1 Corinthians where Paul is writing to the church in Corinth giving advice to the problems they were encountering.

That's when I remembered the reasoning behind this:  

If someone were to pick up my Bible, flip through the pages, looking for something, what would I want them to find?

That's why the dollar bill is there, to draw attention to a specific passage in my Bible.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.  To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.  I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in it's blessings.  

This is what I want people to find underlined in my Bible.  This is one of the many truths that I find SO VERY IMPORTANT.  This is what I try so hard to do, but fail to achieve so often.  This is how I want to live my life, being all things to all people to try to win some for the sake of The Gospel!

Personally, I believe the words that Paul writes right here should be practiced by every child of The King.  How else will we be able to win the lost if we don't join them?  I'm not saying to join in the actions, but if you don't talk to them, how will they learn?  How will they learn about the One who sent His Son to die for us even though we are sinners?  

What I am saying is that you can use any situation to witness.  The gym. The store. At school.  At the park.  ANYWHERE you go, you can share His light.  And that is what we are called to do, as His children.  We are called to share Him with everyone we meet.

One example of this for me:

Because of this verse (and other reasons) I now have not one, but two , tattoos.  And let me tell you, they are awesome.  I do not regret getting them.  They are one way to witness.  My first tattoo is on my shoulder.  It consists of a simple feather and the word Refuge.  Since this is not a very normal tattoo to see, I get to share my answer whenever people ask me what it means.  My answer?  "He will cover you with His feather's, and under His wings you will find Refuge. . Psalm 91:4"  

Every time I get to share that simple meaning, the Scripture, I get to share His Words.  After all, the Bible is God speaking to us.

Y'all, nobody on earth is guaranteed another second.  So don't waste the ones you are given, use the days you have to share Him with those who may not have another night on this earth.  We are all promised an eternity somewhere.  Heaven or Hell.  What we do with our lives will ultimately decide our eternity.  And how we share Him with others may help decide their eternity.

So let me ask you this, of all the Scriptures/Pages/Places in your Bible, where would you keep a dollar?

 

"Babe, if I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd put U and I together!"

Some people will hear this as just another stupid, cheesy pick-up line.  However, others may find this to be charming enough to actually work.

What do you think?

Would this work for you?

What does it take for you to fall for someone?

Is it their looks?

Their smile?

Personality?

Character?

What would it take to make you fall head over heels for someone?

If you are someone who really feels like they have to be in a relationship at all times, then it probably won't take much to get your attention.  But, guess what.  I have some good news for you again:

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP TO BE COOL OR POPULAR OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU ARE STRIVING FOR!

 

Your self-worth is not--that's right, it's NOT--found in how many boyfriends or girlfriends that you have had.  Your self-worth is so much more than that, y'all.

Ladies, let me tell you, it doesn't matter how many guys you date, because one day, the Lord will send the right guy for you.  Your Prince Charming!  Your Knight in Shining Armor! 

You deserve nothing less then a prince, because you are a princess!  And you are a princess because your Father is The King of Kings!  Never forget that!

Guys, the same goes for you too.  It's doesn't matter how many girls you date, the Lord has already picked out the perfect gal for ya!  The one whom you will always love and cherish.  And you will know her when you see her, because the Lord will reveal His plan to you.  Keep your standards high and don't settle for someone who is not right for you! 

If God has already set aside the right significant other for you, why keep looking?

It's okay to keep looking, but know you don't have to do the work.  Just wait and watch and listen and be ready for the moment when He tells you it's time.

One final thought, sit down and actually write down a list of qualities you find important for your spouse-to-be.  It doesn't have to be a long list, but if you actually write it down, you can visualize it better.  Once you have that list, don't settle for anything less.  (Unless of course you are looking for Spiderman or Barbie.  I'm sorry to have to tell you, but they're not real.)

Happy Monday, y'all!

It's a new week and a new post.  Today, I want to try something new: Music Mondays.  Every Monday, I will [try] to post a new song, or song lyrics, that has meant something to me.  A song that I want to share with you!

To start this off today, I want to share with you a song that means a lot to me at this moment.  One of the reasons this song means so much is because of a year old volleyball injury that just doesn't want to heal completely.  It's words like these that just help to remind me that no matter what is going on in my life, internally or externally, He IS in control.  And even though something as simple as a volleyball injury may not seem like much, this song helps to remind me that there is something much greater going on through all of this.

 

So as you listen to this song, please don't just hear the song, but actually, truly and understand listen to the words.  Whatever it is that you may be going through today, just remember that He is there with you and will continue to be beside you every step of the way.

Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly) By Sanctus Real

-Y'all have a blessed day!

Recently a well-known band released a song entitled ‘What Makes You Beautiful’.  This song states what they consider to be beautiful. 

But what is actually considered beautiful?  What actually makes us beautiful?

 Every time we turn on the television, look in a magazine, or get on a computer, we are hit with the overwhelming characteristics of what Hollywood considers to be beautiful.  But, remember, the definition of the word beauty can be different.  How so? And what is beauty?

1)      The quality of being physically attractive

2)      The qualities in a person or a thing that give pleasure to the senses or the mind

So yeah, I guess we could end with that.  That is the “technical” definition of the word beauty. But instead of ending it now, let’s make things a little more personal.

Ask yourself:

What do I consider to be beauty? To be beautiful?

Is it weight? Height? Skin color? Eye color? Hair color? Social status? There are so many things that we could add to this list.

Now ask yourself this:

What am I willing to do to achieve this status?  This status of being beautiful in my own eyes and in the eyes of others?

Please, answer that question genuinely.

It’d be pretty difficult to try to keep up with the new trends every time they change. So guys and gals, DON’T KILL YOURSELF to try to fit in with the world. 

It’s not worth it.

 And if that isn’t good enough news, guess what: THERE IS MORE!

His name is Jesus.

And He doesn’t see you from man’s view point.  The view point that doesn’t even matter.  He sees you from the inside.  He looks at yours heart.  That’s some great news ladies and gentlemen.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

The next time you are getting ready for school, work or Wal-Mart, when you look in the mirror, don’t think about what you look like on the outside.  But instead, examine your heart.

Because, in the end, that’s all that matters.

You know those songs that you hear and right away, you immediately are happy again?

You know the ones with the crazy lyrics?  Or the lyrics that just say exactly what you are wanting to speak at that moment?  

Well, tonight I want to share a song with some lyrics with you that will make you smile.  I understand that it's a little lengthy, but I promise, you will be happy you listened.

Enjoy!

______________________________

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 Y'all have a blessed night!

Hey there y'all!

Before I begin talking about anything special, I just want to tell you a little bit about myself and why I am doing this blog.

First:

Who am I?

I am Elizabeth Grace Kinser, but I go by Beth.  Or whatever name you can come up with from Elizabeth.  I am an 18 year old college freshman with the dream of being a teacher and coach.  I attend Motlow State Community College where I am currently undecided in my major.  I graduated in May of 2013 after having been homeschooled for 12 years.  When it comes to my college major, I know what I think  I want to do with my life, but I am just trying to figure out how to get there. 

If you were to meet me in person, I would hope that the first thing you would notice about me is my love for my Savior and Lord.  He IS the most important person in my life.  When I was only 5 years old, I accepted Jesus as my Savior.  Since then, I have made more mistakes then I can even began to tell you..BUT, (yes, that's a big but),  no matter how much I mess up in my life, I am continually forgiven by my Father.  My "religion" is not a religion, it is a relationship with the only One who can save me.

I also absolutely LOVE sports.  I mean, I really, really love them.  All of them.  I love to play sports and watch them.  Which also makes me a really competitive person.  Competitiveness is good and bad: it helps me achieve goals that people don't think I can achieve, but it also means that I push myself a lot.  I have played competitive sports for 13+ years, soccer being the first.  Throughout the years, I have played soccer, basketball, gymnastics, softball, and volleyball.  Volleyball was and is my favorite though.  I was even so blessed to be able to be the first homeschooler in Coffee County to play volleyball for the local public high school.  Talk about one amazing opportunity that helped shape me into the person I am today.  It's amazing what one year can do to impact a person!

So, that's basically part of who I am, I'm sure there will be more to tell you along the journey, but for now, I will leave it at that.

Second:

Why did I start this blog?

Because my life is a journey that I want to share with others.  No, it's nothing that unique or special, but it is the life that I was given and I want to share that with you.  The Lord continually reveals Himself to me in so many ways that are so incredible and I want to share that with you, with people, with anyone, with everyone!  Why not share when He has given me these opportunities?  I honestly don't know what this blogging experience will be like, but I want to give it a try. 

So, basically, if you choose to read this, this blog about my life, you will be reading about:

The Life of a College Student Seeking Him