Make Me a Do-er.

The other night, I read James 1. It's one of my all-time favorite Bible chapters, so if you haven't read it...seriously, go do it.


The part of that chapter that really, really stood out to me the other night was verses 22-25.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. {James 1:22-25 NIV}

Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action. {James 1:22-25 The Message}

And that's when it hit me: I want to be a do-er.


A mover and a shaker. 


A person could read the entire Bible through & listen to sermons galore but never really do anything in the end.


Doing is so important to me. Actually doing something matters.

You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. {Matthew 7:16 NLT}

Actions speak louder than words, it's true. Anyone can say they want to do something great for God, but how many actually do?

I'm so guilty of "letting the Word go in one ear and out the other". I'll read a Bible verse and think, "Wow, I just love this!"...but if I never actually make use of what it says, what was the point?

I like to think about doing. I like to write about doing. But I really don't "take action" very often. Or ever.

The Bible is supposed to be a manual for a life. The stuff written in it tells us how to live. Not how to write/talk/dream about living, but how to actually do it. And that's what God intended. For us to actually do the things He calls us to.

So... today, I'm calling you to action. Whatever you feel passionate about, DO it.

 The dictionary has 2 definitions for doer:

1. One who does something: a doer of evil deeds.

2. A particularly active, energetic person: a real doer in party politics.

Whatever you feel like your purpose is, live it out. Be energetic & truly passionate about it....it's your purpose, after all. Maybe you feel called to take action for orphans {see another verse from James 1...verse 27}. Maybe you simply want to take small steps everyday to become more like Jesus. That's something. Maybe your calling is to do something huge, maybe it's to do something small. I don't know, and it doesn't matter.

The Bible is full of calls to action. Make a difference for yourself, your community, and your kingdom by taking one on. Make a difference in this world. Be the change you're wanting to see {because yes, with God, you have that kind of power}.

Whatever it is, just do something. Start today, right now.

Be the doer God created you to be.

Orphans in the Bible.

There are 147 million orphans in the world. 147 million. Which is 147 million too many. But...what can we do about it? Today, I wanted to take some time to focus in on what God says about orphans. Here is my list of the top ten orphan related Bible verses.

1)."Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." {James 1:27}

2). "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." {John 14:18}

3). "It is not the will of your Father that one of these little ones should perish." {Matthew 18:14}

4). "Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me." {Matthew 18:5}

5). "You are the helpers of the fatherless." {Psalm 10:14}

6). "He defends the cause of the fatherless." {Deuteronomy 10:18}

7). "You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child." {Exodus 22:22}

8). "A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God sets the lonely in families. {Psalms 68:5-6}

9). "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." {Luke 18:16}

10). "Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." {Isaiah 1:17}

God calls us to take action for orphans. To help, defend, love, and seek justice for them. To be the change
they need. There are many ways to make a difference for orphans; you don't have to adopt at all! You can donate, fundraise, or even simply share and spread the word to help orphans find their forever families. If God hasn't put the plight of orphans on your heart yet, pray about it. Make it happen. Be a light to the world and do something {no matter how big or small} for orphans.

{Check out Reece's Rainbow, my very favorite orphan ministry, for many ways to make a difference in the life of an orphan.}

 

{linking up for Top Ten Tuesday at Many Little Blessings!} 

 Blessings!

 Sydney

Because you only get one today...

Happy Monday! 

What kinds of feelings does that little six letter word, "monday" stir up in your head?

Dread? Unhappiness? I-want-to-skip-the-next-five-days-and-have-it-be-saturday syndrome?

More than likely.

Trust me, I've never been a big fan of Mondays. I'd much rather have a Saturday...or at least a Friday. 


...but...

God created Monday's for a reason. And that reason wasn't so we'd have another thing to despise.


If we hate all Monday's, then by the end of our lives, we will have hated roughly 1/7 of our lives. And that's not counting the Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other day in our lives that we just want to tell to go away.


That's such a waste.

Sure, everyone has bad days. I have my fair share. :)  We're only human. The thing that's important is not to let our calendar dictate our happiness.

Ever since 7th grade, I've had a hand-made poster featuring a certain quote on my bedroom wall. It says,

"Each day is a new life. Seize it. Live it!"

and those, my friend, are 10 words to live by.

Everyday is new. It's fresh. It's chock-full of potential. And if we throw our day in the trash can before it even begins just because it happens to start with an "m" and come before Tuesday, how much potential are we throwing away?

Life's an adventure. A  rollercoaster. That's never going to change. Wouldn't you much rather be riding that rollercoaster and experiencing the ups & downs, highs & lows, & all around excitement that rollercoaster gives you than just sitting on a park bench watching all of your friends live life in all it's glory while you chant your "Mondays-are-horrible" mantra?

There's nothing sadder than a life where you just exist. Just get by, get through, without any passion for what you're doing. Everyone exisits. As long as you're breathing, you'll always exist. But everyone doesn't really live. Live. Experience the thrill of life.

and that's so important.

So today, on this beautiful day, live. Get out there. Change your attitude. Go to work/school and do your work with a smile on your face. Take a chance. Dive in.

Today could just be any ordinary day, forgetten by the time the next Moday rolls around.

Or...today could be extraordinary. It's your choice. You make today, and tomorrow, and the day after that exactly what you want it to be.


Cultivate a life worth living.

Today is your one and only February 20th, 2012. It's special in and of itself. And tomorrow, February 21st, 2012? Next Monday, February 27th, 2012? They're only coming along once, too.

If the cure to cancer is discovered today, it'll be a day for the history books. Otherwise, it'll be a day tucked under the rug, just like any other day.

Make today a day for your history books. Tomorrow too. Be intentional about life, the choices you make, the way you live, and the people you live with. Live like there's no tomorrow, because you never know when there won't be. Make every single day count.


Live today, friend.

{How's that to get you out of your case of the Monday blues, if you had them?}

Blessings!

Sydney

You're Loved.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. {John 3:16}

Happy Valentine's Day, sweet friends!

Valentine's Day isn't a day just for married couples. It's not a day you need to hide from! It shouldn't make you sad, it shouldn't make you angry,  it shouldn't compel you to tweet about being "forever alone".

No matter who you are, or what your life is like... Valentines Day should be a day to celebrate.

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. {1 John 4:8}

You are SO loved. SO loved. You have friends who love you, family who loves you, and then you have God...who adores you, and pretty much thinks you're the best thing since sliced bread. Actually, He thinks you're way better than sliced bread.

 We love because he first loved us. {1 John 4:19}

So... today, make the choice to be happy. To be loved. To spread love to everyone around you. It starts with a smile or a sincere "how are you?".

Let all that you do be done in love. {1 Corinthians 16:14}

Make Valentine's day a day to spend with God, loving Him and realizing the true depths of His love for you. Read 1 Corinthians 13! Go out with your girlfriends for dessert and celebrate being exactly where God wants you to be in your life. Celebrate love. Any love.

You only have one Valentines Day 2012. Find out what your purpose is for today and get to spreading love!

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. {1 Corinthians 13:13}

love,
Sydney

Why New Year's Resolutions don't work.

Everyone loves to make New Year's resolutions.

For most people, the resolution is something like, "get in better shape.", "go to the gym more often.", "read the bible more often.", "improve {insert skill of choice}." or something very similar.

On January 1st? People are ALL OVER IT. They're working on whatever their goal is, and they're so pumped about it! They're year is starting off amazing!

but... by March 1st, people are most likely to look at you and say, "what new year's resolution?".

I haven't really made all that many new year's resolutions in my life. Actually, I think this year was the first year I really got into the resolution thing.

and you know what?

it's January 18th, and I haven't kept up with a single one of them. Actually, I don't think I even STARTED a single one of them.

Writing my many goals out 10 days before 2012, I was SO pumped about it. I wanted new year's to start right then so I could get started on all of it!

But on new year's day, I was so not motivated to do anything with my goals. {Actually, a good part of new year's day for me was spent freaking out over something I didn't need to be freaking out about, as is typical of me, but that's for another post.}

At first, I felt guilty. I told my self I would make up for it and do double the work on my goals the next day, but I knew I wouldn't actually do it.

Almost 3 weeks into the new year, though, I'm not a bit guilty. and if you haven't been so successful with your new year's resolution, you shouldn't be either.

I have one word for you. It's the KEY to why people can never follow through with their resolutions all 365 {or in this year's case, 366} days of the year.

determination.

D.E.T.E.R.M.I.N.A.T.I.O.N.

did you catch that?

You see, it's hard to keep up with your goals. It takes hard work. You have to be motivated. You have to have the right mindset. You have to have a reason for wanting to do it, a plan, and determination.

In today's world, the only core reason we have for making new year's resolutions is because everyone else is doing it. It's a "thing".  a movement, if you will. it's popular.

When I came up with my goals for 2012, I did it because that's what people do. I had been thinking to myself, "well, everyone is making resolutions, and I want to make some too! This is going to be fun!"

I actually had a lot of things stored up for new years. Being the procrastinator that I am, I put everything off. So, in October, when I was thinking of goals I had or things I wanted to accomplish, I told myself to just wait until new years.

because that's when you make resolutions. it just is. and I'll be more successful if I do it then.

Listen:: New Year's Day is just the first day of a new year. It comes around every 365 days, but so does April 23rd. Don't get me wrong, I love New year's and I'll always think it's exciting, but when it comes down to it...it's just a day. January 1st will never make you any more motivated than July 17th or any other day of the year does.

The calendar can't do that for you. YOU have to motivate YOURSELF.

You wouldn't jump off a cliff just because everyone else is doing it, would you? So why make a resolution for January 1st just because everyone else does it?

Resolutions are personal. We create them to better our personal lives and health. *News flash*: You can go on a diet and be successful if you start on May 3rd. don't start it on the cliché day just because. If you're seriously motivated to do it then, and you have your plan, then okay. But if you're just trying to go with the crowd and you think you'll be successful because of the day you started your diet, I'm sorry, but it's not going to happen.

January 1st sounds good because it's a clean slate. a new beginning. but here's an idea:

everyday can be a clean slate.

every minute can.

The beauty of our lives is that no one had to wait a single second to do anything they want to do. We are in control of our lives. So if you want to do something, commit, make a plan, and DO IT. It doesn't matter what the calendar says. Throw the calendar out the window, in fact.

You have to cultivate determination inside yourself. It's not going to work to just say, "I'll start doing this on 

New Year's without a plan or anything to drive me towards completing this thing because it's a good day to start a resolution".

I encourage you to step away from that mindset.

When you look up resolution in the dictionary, there's nothing about January 1st in sight.

Think about your goals, pray about your goals, write out a plan for accomplishing your goals, and start your goals when you are ready to tackle them. because that is the time you will be most successful.

Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion.  You must set yourself on fire.  {Arnold H. Glasow}

Give up on the January 1st thing. That is soooo 18 days ago. :) Light a fire within yourself. Internal motivation, baby.

Because guess what? At the end of the day, success IS success. No matter what day you start, no matter what day you end.

Blessings!

Sydney