Girls
for
Jesus
In toip Ippue:
She is Watching You
Homemade Tootsie Rolls!
DIY Doodle Mug
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Food for Thought -
When your Sitting in Gods Waiting Room . . . . . . . She is Watching You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
May Your Life Preach More Loudly Then Your Lips
When Gods Not on Your Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIY and Recipes -
Homemade Tootsie Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D.I.Y. Doodle Mug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Extras Laugh.Out.Loud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . 4-7 . . . 12-15
s . . . 20-21
. . . . 26-27
. . . . 10-11
. . . . 18-19
A Note From The Author Hello, I’m so excited to be finally publishing this issue of Girls for Jesus!!! Incase you didn’t know, Girls for Jesus for has a google+ page. So if your online you might want to check! :) Also I’m looking for a writer to write a devotional column! Ages 13-20. If you are interested in helping out please email me at girlsforjesusblog@gmail.com and tell me a little bit about yourself and why you want to write in the column!
-Latisha . . . . 23
find us on...
She want to be like
You I pulled into a car wash the other day to use the vacuums and couldn't help but hear the loud rock/pop music coming from the SUV next to me. I looked over and saw a lady vacuuming out her car, with what appeared to be her three-year-old-daughter sitting in a car seat.
I smiled at the little girl and waved. She returned my wave and gave me a sweet, innocent smile. It was impossible for me to avoid hearing the lyrics of the loud song as we vacuumed our cars side by side. The song was about partying, being sexy, having sex, drinking, and a whole bunch of other explicit things. I was shocked that a mom would play such loud, inappropriate music in front of her own daughter. seemed to be enjoying the music. I glanced over at the mom again to see if she looked concerned about the sexualized lyrics pumping through her car. She wasn't fazed a bit. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying it.
I wondered if that mom even realized what she was doing. I thought mothers were supposed to protect and guard their kids from stuff like that. I left the car wash feeling sad for the mom and the little girl. I knew the mom had no clue about what kind of atmosphere she was raising her little daughter in, and I felt sad for the little girl for having to endure such explicit content. That scene was heavy on my mind as I drove home.
or not, younger girls are always watching us. When we are around them, they are observing our actions, speech, clothes, and more. No matter how old you are, you have a curious audience.
Don't you remember how intrigued you were by older people when you were a kid? I remember thinking teenagers were the coolest people in the world. I couldn't wait to be one when I grew up. I remember watching what the girls wore, how they did their As I thought about what had just hap- makeup, and what they acted like pened, I felt a small voice inside me ask around their friends. The crazy thing is, a probing question. What kind of exam- most of the older girls I watched had no ple are you being to the little kids in idea I was observing them! your life? Are you doing anything that could lead your little brothers or sisters My question for you today is the same down a wrong path? one I asked myself after I left the car wash that day. What kind of example “Most of the girls I are you being to the younger people in your life? Do your clothes, actions, watched had no idea I speech, and media choices encourage was observing them� the younger generation toward godliness? Is there a habit or behavior in I was immediately reminded of how im- your life that you wouldn't want a portant it is for me, as an older person, younger girl to copy? Jesus had strong to be careful of the things I do around words for anyone who led a younger younger people. Whether we realize it person astray:
"Whoever causes one of these little ones Christ what a godly girl looks like. who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fasThere are little eyes upon tened around his neck and to be drowned you and they're watching in the depth of the sea" (Matt. 18:6).
night and day. These little eyes upon you take in every It's a serious thing to cause a younger person to sin as a result of your actions. word you say. There are litAccording to God, It not something tle hands all eager to do we should ever take lightly (i.e. millanything you do; and a little stone). Take some time today to examgirl who's dreaming of the ine your actions, and ask God to show day she'll be like you. — you any areas you may need to change. Kimberly Sedlacek As older girls, we have the privilege and responsibility to show our little sisters in
Don ‘ t
so that others
can see you, shine so that others can see through you. -C.S Lewis
Homemade
Tootsie Rolls
½ cup honey ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted ¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted Pinch of salt 1 to 1 ¼ cup instant non-fat dry milk powder In a large bowl, combine honey, cocoa powder and vanilla using a whisk. Add the melted butter and whisk until well incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar and pinch of salt; whisk again until well combined. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the instant milk powder ¼ cup at a time until a dough forms. When you can no longer stir the mixture with a spoon, knead it with your hands. Keep adding in milk powder until a firm dough forms. You may not have to use all the milk powder. The finished dough should be firm and a little sticky but not so sticky that you can’t handle it. Roll the dough into a ball and place on waxed paper lightly sprayed with cooking oil or coated with butter or vegetable oil. Let dough rest uncovered on the wax paper for 5-10 minutes. As the candy stands it will relax from a ball shape into a disc. Cut candy into ¾-inch strips and then into 2-inch lengths. If candy sticks to the knife, spray it with cooking oil or coat it with butter. Cut wax paper into 3 ½ x 5 inch pieces. Wrap candies with the wax paper pieces. Store candies in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving. Makes 22-24 pieces
When Your Sitting in God’s
Waiting Room Waiting is my least favorite thing to do. Who invented waiting anyways? Worse yet, who invented the “waiting room?” Essentially, it’s a room to tell you:
“It’s not your turn yet….we have no place for you, so you’re stuck here. Waiting. Yes, we know this room is a bit rigid, but we keep it that way on purpose so it stays clean. Perhaps if no one is comfortable enough to even breathe here, we won’t have to clean it that often…”
Ok, maybe those thoughts only belong in my head and not anyone else’s, but certainly you can attest that the world is full of unhappy waiting people. What happens if the car at the
front of the line doesn’t go as soon as the light turns green?
And what happens if the cars in the drive thru start to get backed up?
Why do grumpy faces generously appear in certain stores that start with W and only keep one register open during the day?
The human race just might be called a “race” for more than one reason- we want to move on to the next thing. We don’t enjoy waiting, we don’t want to wait, and especially if the circumstances are beyond our control.
No, truly, there is nothing like waiting on God.
I’ve learned, and am still learning, that waiting on God to work in our lives doesn’t have to be the frustrating, blow-your-hair-out-of-your-face-withyour-bottom-lip deal that we make it out to be. Now as I said, I’m STILL learning how to love waiting on God, but here are 3 reasons I believe the Bible teaches that God places us in the “waiting room.”
1. God alone knows when we are ready for the answer for which we’ve been waiting. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17
If I gave my 12 year old son a car for his birthday this year, what would happen? A. Something horrible because he’s not qualified to drive it yet. or B. He would have to sit and stare at it because he’s not qualified to drive it yet.
God knows when we are ready for the answer for which we are waiting. He wants us to be equipped for the answer He’s giving and He knows how hard it would be to sit and stare at the answer while we continue to work on our qualifications.
2. God wants to be our Strength in the waiting. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! - Psalm 27:14
What we perceive as “waiting” is actually His wooing! Through the process of the wait, we have the privilege of learning how to rely on Him. We build our strength in the Lord through the waiting process. Standing poised at the edge of an opportunity, with a ready ear for the captain’s word to move, requires more character and strength than barging ahead on our own. Standing still, listening to His voice, having our hearts
open to His Word- these “waiting room” activities are carving and toning our spiritual muscles
3. God wants to give us something far greater than the gift of an answer. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Ps. 37:4 I love to receive gifts from my husband. We rarely give gifts to each other for various (ahem, 7) reasons, (known as children.) But you know what I enjoy WAY more than a gift from my husband? The gift OF my husband.
You see, God wants to give us the answer we’re searching for, dreaming of, longing after…but He really wants to give us something much, much bigger than that gift. He wants to give us Himself. He longs to draw us close in a relationship with Him, so deep that we will forget all about that answer we are anxiously waiting for. Because we have found the answer in Him.
God wants to give us the answer we’re searching for, dreaming of, longing after…
So how do we begin to enjoy waiting on God? We can advance no further or deeper into the holy place of God’s presence to wait on Him there, than our heart is prepared for it by the Holy Spirit. – Andrew Murray By making the choice to allow His spirit to work in us. To move our thought patterns toward His desires. To know that every single minute of every day that we are in the “waiting room,” He’s not waiting. He’s preparing our hearts for the right direction.
What we perceive as “waiting” is actually His wooing!!
La
augh.Out.Loud. Q: What happens if you eat yeast and shoe polish? A: Every morning you'll rise and shine!
Q: Why did the belt get locked up? A: He held up a pair of pants.
Q: How do you make a tissue dance? A: Put a little boogey in it!
Do you have a favorite joke? Or maybe you have several. Either way if you wouldn’t mind sharing it please send it to girlsforjesusblog@gmail.com. Thanks!
May your Life Preach More Loudly Then Your Lips As I sit here writing from a tiny cafe on the corner of 7th & 35th Ave. in New York City, I recognize the power of perception. I hear stories of a supervisor who asks his employees to stay until 7pm yet leaves the office at 4:45pm. The mother who scolds her children for making noise but obnoxiously demands a hotter cup of coffee from the barista. Have you seen these people? Of course you have. We are those people. We famously live lives that screams “Do as I say, but not as I do!” Whether you’re a child, employee, or colleague, double standards – observing others who preach with their lips, and not with their life – always feels like betrayal. Great leaders work vigorously to match their intentions with their results. They do not expect behaviors from others they cannot perform themselves and they work hard to monitor the balance of, life and lips. Today, take a moment to perform an inventory of your inconsistencies, screen your behaviors,
Taken from: http://dalepartridge.com/may-life-preach-loudly-lips-2/
Do.It.Yourself
Supplies: - Plain white or light colored mug - Paint brush or sponge - Masking tape - Porcelain paint (I used Martha Stewart’s Glass Paint )
Step 1: Decide what you are going to write or draw on your mug. For simple patterns like the one pictured, use the tape anywhere you want to remain unpainted. Make sure the tape has no wrinkles or bubbles. Step 2: Paint your mug. If you’re using tape, be sure to cover every un-taped spot. It is best to use only one coat of paint. If you must, you can spot-paint a second coat. Step 3: Let it dry for 2 hours.
Step 4: Remove the tape and touch up where needed. Step 6: Leave to dry for another 2 hours. Step 7: Put the mug in the oven BEFORE you turn on the oven. The mug needs to heat gradually with the oven. Then set your oven to 350 degrees. Once the oven has reached 350 degrees, bake your mug for 30 minutes. This step is very important and will seal the paint to the mug. Step 8: Hand-wash the mug and enjoy! (Your mug will also be top-shelf dishwasher safe. So if you wash it make sure you put it on the tops shelf in your dishwasher! :D )
Wh
On
hen God is not
Your Team
Did you ever read those choose-yourown-adventure books?
Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. When pride creeps in, we can fight back by thinking of and serving others.
After reading a scenario, you got to choose between two options. Option A would take you to a certain point in the In this passage, James is quoting an Old pages ahead, where you would be asked Testament verse found in Proverbs3:34: to choose your direction again. Option B He mocks proud mockers but would take you somewhere else in the shows favor to the humble and pages. The plot unfolded based on the oppressed. choices you made.
Allow me to present a version of choose As hard as it is to believe, this verse is saying that God offers those with a pride your own adventure. problem a dose of their own medicine. Option 1: God gives you grace. He shows In contrast, His favor is reserved for the you favor. He is for you. humble. Option 2: God mocks you. He works against you. He is not on your team.
Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, but thinking of
This is a no-brainer! None of us would yourself less. choose God's frustration over His favor. We would never pick God working First Peter 5:5 says something similar: against us instead of God working for us. In the same way, you who are While it is crystal clear that God loves younger, submit yourselves to you (Ps. 103:17) and that He wants to be your elders. All of you, clothe for you (Rom. 8:31), the Bible also menyourselves with humility totions that it's possible for God to work ward one another, because, against you. Check out James 4:6: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." If pride is the problem, humility is the solution. I've heard it said that humility God resists those with a pride problem. isn't thinking less of yourself, but thinkInstead of cheering them on, He takes a ing of yourself less. When pride creeps stand against them.
in, we can fight back by thinking of and serving others.
takes to make that happen . . . If you love to tell the world about your achievements and awards, but I'm going to go ahead and assume that hate to tell the world when you mess you don't want God to work against you. up . . . (Me neither!) That means we have to You might have a pride problem. get serious about uprooting pride in our Can I tell you a secret? We all struggle lives. with pride. But when pride rears its ugly head in my life, I remind myself of the What is pride, exactly? It's exalting ourconsequences. I can seek to exalt myself. selves above God and others. It's living I can pretend that I'm the center of the like we're the center of the universe, not universe. I can act like I've got it all tothe God who created the universe. It's gether. But when I do, I am choosing the any attempt to spackle over our flaws to wrong adventure. make ourselves look perfect instead of using our flaws to point to a perfect God will work against me when pride is God. Practically speaking, pride might left unchecked in my life. He will offer look like this in your life. me a dose of my own medicine, and I
If you'll do whatever it takes to be the most noticed, most applauded, most well-liked girl in school . . . If you feel competitive or slighted when others do well or receive gifts . . . If you refuse to acknowledge your own sin . . . If your response to wise correction is anger or rebellion . . . If your actions are motivated by what's in it for you . . . If you've built a profile of yourself online that doesn't match the real you . . . If you really, really, really, really want to be noticed and will do whatever it
can be assured that I will not like the taste. Though it may not feel like it, this is loving correction. I was made to give God glory (Isa. 43:7). His opposition to my pride is a reminder that this old world was meant to revolve around Him, not me. How about you? Do you want the opposition that comes with pride? Or would you rather have the favor that is a promised by-product of humility? Have you ever felt like God was working against you? Is there evidence of pride in your life?
This story was taken from: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=2232