Today I felt God leading me to write about a topic that is not necessarily popular in the Christian community. As Christians and as people in general especially in American culture, we often strive for fulfillment and completeness even within the context of marriage or within a relationship. It is ingrained in us from the time we are young that our ultimate fulfillment in life is within a marriage and that it is only then that we will feel satisfied and complete. We have this romanticized view of marriage as if once we achieve it that we will no longer feel loneliness. We see this played out from childhood, the idea that we are a princess or a damsel in distressed who spends her time pining away until the prince rushes in to save her and that once he does she will live happily ever after. Ladies, this simply is not the truth.
The truth, however unpopular it may be is that marriage is not for everyone, and nor should it be. Often Paul’s letters addressed an issue the churches were going through or a question they had asked him. At the time of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, there was a famine in the land making it difficult to find food and to provide for their families. The people began asking if they should leave their spouses or their fiancés in order that they might fend for themselves and find sustenance or if people who were unmarried should seek out a spouse. Paul makes it clear that the words he gives to the church are not a divine revelation or a command, but simply sound advice. However, in 1 Corinthians 7:25-27, Paul says “Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.” Paul claims that people should remain as they are, that they should not seek to leave their spouses or to forsake the commitments they had made to each other, but that if they are single, it would be wise to remain so for the present time. Now, this passage is one that is difficult to apply to our own lives since we find ourselves in a different situation than the church in Corinth; however, it does bring up a truth that, while subtle in this section, becomes clearer as Paul goes on. Paul makes it clear that there are circumstances in life where we should not marry but that if you chose to marry, you have not sinned and by the same token if you do not marry you too have not sinned. The truth is that marriage is not and should not be our ultimate goal in life because it will not bring us fulfillment and meaning that we desire. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 says, ”What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.” Paul makes it clear that our time on earth is short and this world with all its treasures and desires, all its hopes and dreams is passing away. In fact, in Matthew 22:30 Jesus claims that, “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.” Jesus makes it clear that marriage is not forever and it will not exist in eternity. While it is clear that those people we love and even our spouses will be in Heaven as long as they have put their faith in Jesus, and we will certainly still love them, even more since we will be capable and will love them with a perfect love, we will love every person with this perfect love and as such marriage will not continue or be present when we go to Heaven. The interesting claim that Paul makes it that “from now on those who have wives should live as if they do not…” (1 Corinthians 7:29b). Paul is not saying that if we are married that we should ignore or forsake our spouses, but that we should begin to view relationships in light of eternity. While marriage is temporary, God is forever. Our commitment in life is to God first and should always come first. Doing such does not make us a bad wife or a bad girlfriend, on the contrary it makes us a better wife or girlfriend because when we are walking with Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and make us more like Him, we find that we are more loving, more giving, more forgiving, and more peaceable than we ever could be on our own. But we should love God and be devoted to following Him and walking in His ways far more than we ever are in love with a spouse. In our culture we find that people run after romance and relationships in an often idolatrous manner and seek after all these things to find wholeness and to make us complete. Even in the church, marriage is often talked about as though it will bring ultimate fulfillment and that once in marriage we will finally be complete and be able to do what God has called us to do. But the thing is that if marriage was truly meant to complete us, than Jesus Himself, the most complete and the most fulfilled man to ever walk this earth would have been married in His time here. We tell each other that if we just believe hard enough, or trust God’s plan, or whatever it is that He will bring us a man. We even tell each other that we should not worry because God has someone prepared for us and that He will bring someone into our lives, but ladies this is not necessarily true, in fact it is a disservice to each other to talk in such a manner. Singleness is not a curse and it is not a lowlier or less honorable state, and for some it is right for them to remain single. While a married or dating person is concerned with how they can please their partner and thus their interests are divided, a single person is in the unique position to concern their affairs only with the Lord’s. As Paul writes, “An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:34-35). So girls, my challenge to you is this—if you find yourself to be single, I encourage you to make the most of your singleness. Take the time you have been given to pursue Jesus and to grow in your depth and knowledge of who God is and to find your ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction in the only One who can truly make you complete. Colossians 2:10 “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.” Xo, Victoria :) Happy Valentines Day to you all! I have finally gotten around to posting this, and I hope you can find a movie or two here that you can snuggle up on the couch with a blanket and enjoy.
All us girls love a good chick flick to cry or relate to, but in our generation most of them are infested language and sexual influence, which sadly, is Hollywoods main goal. But, that doesn't mean there aren't still good romance movies out there. Let us glorify Him in all that we do and say, by guarding what we watch. Lastly, these movies are made even better combined with some hot tea, cocoa, coffee, popcorn, a jar of nutella, chocolate chip cookies, or smoothies! Go all out and treat yourself. CLEAN ROMANCE MOVIES these movies have no sexual immorality or language 1. Tangled 2. Beauty and the Beast 3. Love comes Softly 4. Fireproof 5. Ella Enchanted 6. When Calls the Heart 7. Little Woman 8. Frozen 9. Aladdin 10. The Princess Diaries 11. One Night with the King 12. Anne of Green Gables 13. Sense and Sensibility 14. Emma MOSTLY CLEAN ROMANCE MOVIES these movies have no sexual immorality but do include some language 15. Pride and Prejudice 16. Ever After: A Cinderella Story 17. Enchanted 18. Roman Holiday 19. Letters to Juliet Please let me know what movies you love and which I didn't include that you all love! I hope this gave you an idea of what to watch today, enjoy! xoxo, Merritt Today we are blessed to share with you a partnership with TheLightBlonde, an online clothing store. The owner, Ali is a woman passionate about Christ, and creates adorable tops with phrases we know you will love, including "God is Greater than the Ups and Downs" on the shirt I am wearing. This outfit is perfect for those slightly warm slightly cool days that we seem to have been having here in California. During the shoot I ended up taking my jacket off, to prove my point. The shirt is one of my new favorites, not only it's message but the soft comfy material and the design. The slogan, God is greater than the ups and downs, is applicable to most any Christian's life. I myself, can look at this statement and look back at my life, and see it very clearly. Throughout the years, I've learned a lot more about my faith through tough situations than any other situations. God has shown me that He is greater than any problem or challenge I have come across or are yet to come across. This daily reminder is often so vital and important for people to hear. This shirt is a conversation starter. A simple, "What does your shirt mean?" could be the perfect leadoff into a faith based discussion with a nonbeliever. Outfit Details skirt // nordstrom's bp jacket // brandy melville shoes // converse shirt // the light blonde buy it here: http://www.thelightblonde.com/collections/frontpage/products/god-scoop-neck-tee?variant=963060511 Today we want to introduce to our good friends Libby and Erika, otherwise known as TheChristianGirls. They are two fabulous friends who run an Instagram (@thechristiangirls) and are the creators of Girl Talk Magazine, an online magazine for teenage girls that covers relatable issues such as Self-Worth and Encouragement. Their recent article features our group, and how we use social media for good! It was super fun getting to work with them! Check out the article here:
https://thechristiangirls.wordpress.com/2015/02/07/sharing-christ-through-social-media/ If you want to check out the girls and what they're all about, here are the links to their social medias + blog! b l o g : https://thechristiangirls.wordpress.com i n s t a : @theChristiangirls t w i t t e r : @LibbyErikaTCG p i n t e r e s t : @theChristiangirls w e h e a r t i t : @theChristiangirls head on over to their medias and show them some love! They are super hardworking girls we are proud to know! hi, friends! here is our newest installment of our monthly calendar designed to help you be organized and purposeful with your daily Bible readings. enjoy!
Okay, confession time. We are all huge readers when we get the chance! But let's face it, all the "good" books out there are either horribly murderous and gross or highly inappropriate (we are not shaming you if you read these, we just believe they are not fit for us). We don't wanna be stuck with some lame book for ten year olds either, so we've put together a list of books for a variety of types of teenage girls, from books about makeup, to love, to our faith. These are our top reads!
1. True Beauty - Carolyn Mahaney 2. Free to Be Me - Stasi Eldridge 3. The Mother Daughter Book Club Series - Heather Vogel Fredrick (title may sound lame but it is the best book series I've read to date!!) 4. A Beautiful Mess Photo Inspiration Book - Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman 5. Breaking Free - Beth Moore 6. Can Man Live Without God - Ravi Zacharias 7. Live Original - Sadie Robertson 8. The Daily Face - Annmarie Tedler 9. Christy Miller Series - Robin Jones Gunn Hey guys! About a year ago I started following a great community @socality (on instagram) and since then they have challenged me to be greater than I ever thought I could be. I absolutely love everything they do and in honor of their one year anniversary I'm creating a campaign to help raise 11,111$ to build one well! I invite you to help attain my personal goal, and donate, and learn more about what Socality is and does.
To learn more about this, check out my personal account @dinelianoel or check out this link: my.charitywater.org/live-authentic thank you for your support! I was reading my Duck Commander Devotional the other day, and this particular devotion struck me hard. I wanted to share this with all of you in hopes of it inspiring someone else.
"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty." - Philippians 4:11-12 These days there are so many things to have! Phones, tablets, iPods, online shopping. The world is literally at our fingertips. it's easy to be discontent with our lives. Early Christianity experienced tremendous growth without the aid of technology. Many of those Christians were murdered, persecuted, hunted, and even forbidden from gathering together, so they had no church buildings. They had no cars, computers, or phones to make their secret meetings easier, and many of them eventually lost their lives because of their faith. How dare we be discontent with our soft lives and freedom to worship? God tells us that He is in control of all things, that we should be happy with what HE gives us. We are sinners, and truly deserve nothing. God, in His perfect grace and mercy, gives us every moment and every breath. Prayer Lord, help me to see that You have given me all I need and more. You are my sustenance, You quench my thirst and ease my hurt and hunger. Help me to be content with the life You've graciously given me. Through Jesus I pray, amen. - Alex Robertson Mancuso ((All rights of this writings and prayer go to the Robertson Family and the Duck Commander Devotional. My personal use of this was to share and inspire others, I take no credit. )) love, claire As you know, we've had some changes in members recently, and we miss them all dearly. Jenny wrote you all a little message from her heart, and here it is from her to you.
"Leaving the Eight Girls of Faith makes me so sad, but I know that God has closed this door and is leading me in another direction. Being a part of this amazing group of girls has changed my life in ways I can't even explain! I'll always be thankful to God for letting me be an Eight Girl of Faith. " - Jenny Follow her on @christiangirls and @justjenniferlynn to stay in touch with this very special girl. Here's the downloadable January Bible Reading Calendar. EGOF makes their own monthly calendar that helps our readers stay in the word of God and give them a guidance to discover some truly amazing scripture that opens eyes to the true life of a Christian. We make these with all our own images and editing. hope you enjoy! Challenge: print out an extra copy and mail it to a friend! Let us know if you complete the challenge by emailing us and we will email you back a special surprise! xo, EGOF
We often get the question of what chapter or book of the Bible we suggest reading. Here are five books of the Bible that are very interesting reads and are good books for people who are interested in the Bible or Christianity.
Ruth- not only is this a sweet story about a family, it is a story about the blessings the people in this family receive when they stay faithful and true to God. Romans- this is my ultimate favorite book of the Bible. It has so many great truths and describes what is necessary to follow Christ and to achieve God's grace. Colossians- because it's Noel's favorite, duh! (but seriously, you should ask Noel why it's her favorite book -- we're not really sure) Proverbs- proverbs is a book full of comparisons, following the pattern of "what happens if you are bad" and "what happens if you are good", basically showing you the choices in life and the affects of those choices. It also contains the famous Proverbs 31, which is about the kind of true Holy woman God wants us to be. Matthew- if you are looking to read the story of the gospel, this is the book I recommend. Any of the four gospels are great, but personally, Matthew helps paint the image of Christ in my mind the best. It has a great version of the Sermon on the Mount and portrays Jesus's parables in a way I understand. Stay tuned for more Five... for a Fab New Year! XOXO, EGOF
We here at Eight Girls of Faith want to wish you the happiest of holidays and the warmest wishes on this special date. We are embracing the true reason for the season and hope you are too! May God continue to bless you throughout the end of the year and into all the years coming! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!
"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." - Luke 2:6-7 Love, the girls of Eight Girls of Faith We know the story of Jesus but at Christmas time, we should be reminded of these verses as well!
"Don't cut corners" To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. - Proverbs 21:3 "We praise Him, we belittle others" With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. - James 3:9 "Give to God and His people" If you are righteous, what do you give to Him, or what does he receive from your hand? - Job 35:7 Hope these are a reminder to stay in focus of the Lord this holiday season! Merry Christmas! Wow, Christmas is already here! Its December 17th, and chances are you haven't finished your Christmas shopping! Well we're here to give you a hand with some last-minute gift ideas that your friends and family will actually like! No shipping involved, we have included a list that can be found at the Target (or similar store) near you!
Some of these gifts are for guys, some of these are for girls, some are for both! You figure it out! Last Minute Gift Ideas: - Iphone portable speaker - Devotional book for 2015 (personalized with a handwritten note inside from you) - DVD of their favorite TV Show - ELF Makeup Holiday Kits ( boxes of nail polish and lip gloss for under $10) - A Cute Christmas mug - Portable Phone Charger (they're like batteries that you can plug your phone into) - Fragrance Kits (they have some for guys and some for girls) Our December Bible Reading Calendar is here! Here at EGOF we make a monthly calendar designed to help our friends out and give them an easy guide of what to read in the Bible. This month, all the verses are focused on Jesus, from Prophecies, to who He is, to His birth and some of His teachings. We hope you enjoy, let us know whatcha think! xo, Eight Girls of Faith
Today I wanted to talk about a topic that is very close to my heart because I experience it quite often online. Jealousy and pride.
I own and post on my personal christian instagram, @jesusismysavior_ and have had it coming up on two years now, right before EGOf's next anniversary. I consider myself one of the more original accounts, back when shoutouts weren't the main focus and competition wasn't tough. Over time I've noticed that its become more of a competition for friends and followers and less about spreading God's love, no matter what people say about it. The christian online community has changed drastically and I can't say I love it. Yes there are still amazing people doing amazing things but the focus has completely changed. I don't want to make a direct statement or call someone out, but I will say that I struggle with jealously over certain people on christian insta. I look at some girl's accounts that have gained followers rapidly, post cute Lotd's and never get hate, always overly sweet comments, I look at the close knit groups of girls that compliment and have conversations on every post, and regularly post pictures telling people to follow all of their friends. I look at that and I allow jealously to take over my heart. I wish and I wish and I think about what it would be like if I had people falling over my feet. I also take pride and work hard to have the cutest edits and perfect captions and judge myself based on how many comments I get. I watch my follower count drop a few and wonder what I did wrong. Sigh. This is where I'm wrong. I have to tell myself that I am doing amazing things no matter how many comments or followers I do or don't get. And I do tell myself that. I don't believe it, until God steps in and says, "Look Claire, look what great things you're doing!" This is usually in the form of a sweet comment or DM that says something that makes me realize all over again why I do this. And then the cycle starts over again after a week or so. You know why? Because jealousy and pride are part of life in a world of sin. They shouldn't be, but they are. So lets talk about what they mean and what we can do to prevent them. jeal·ous·y ˈjeləsē/nounnoun: jealousy; plural noun: jealousies the state or feeling of being jealous. pride prīd/nounnoun: pride; plural noun: prides a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired. Jealousy happens when we wish we had something someone else doesn't have, period. This is talked about as the 10th Commandment in the OT, saying "Do not covet what your neighbor has." So this is important my friends. Preeetttyy important. I get jealous when I see skinnier girls, prettier girls, girls with prettier pictures on their instagram, girls with guy friends, the list goes on. But what I have to keep in mind is all the things I do have, a reality check is often needed per say. Here are my three tips or steps to combat jealousy. 1. Reality Check We all need one sometimes, lets face it. For example, when I'm stuck comparing myself on christian instagram, I'll often scroll through old photos and look at meaningful and sweet conversations I've had with people. Its always good to let yourself remember to be grateful for all the things you do have, God has given you a hecka lot more than you deserve fyi.. (all of us, not just you aha) 2. Reminder About Others I also tell myself that everyone is jealous at times. The girl who's hair you wish you had, she wishes she had someone else's hair. That girl with not very many friends is jealous of you standing and talking with your bestfriend (sad but true, I've been there guys). It might look like someone's got everything they want, but I promise you t h e y d o n t. Just think about that. 3. Pray about It I know, I know. Cliche Cliche Cliche. Duh duh duh. Well guess why its said in every sermon and every christian blog post to ever exist? Because IT WORKS. God opens up and helps you fix your problems when you open your heart and open your mouth and just talk to him. Just try it. Ask Him to free your heart from it's sins and to cleanse your mind from coveting what you don't have. Thats all for now friends! Tune in soon for part two, when I go deeper into pride and how to handle it. For now, here are some verses to look up on jealousy! Galatians 5:19-21 Proverbs 27:4 1 Corinthians 3:3 James 3:14-15 Exodus 20:17 Proverbs 14:30 xo, Claire Hey friends! Our much-awaited Bible Calendar is finally here! Chocked with hand selected verses just for y o u, it is a labor of love we are happy to share with you! Hope you love! xo, EGOf
Have you heard the song Do Life Big by Jamie Grace? It's all about living life big and for Christ and it really inspires us here at EGOF!
So a couple of weeks ago we asked you guys how you do life big! Here are some of ways your fellow christian teens do life big! “I Do Life Big by encouraging others and being kind to them, whether I truly like them or not!” - Brooklyn “I Do Life Big by helping everywhere and anywhere I can.” - Anonymous “I try to Do Life Big by working hard at whatever I do by giving the Glory to God. {Colossians 3:23} - Natalie “I Do Life Big by doing a photo challenge to find one thing that brought me joy each day, snap a picture, post it and hashtag it to #365joys And my goal is to do it everyday for one whole year.” - Anne “I Do Life Big by doing my best to leave a mark on everyone I interact with. I believe life should be enjoyed.” - Zarita So many people are Doing Life Big! Are you? Here's what the Eight Girls of Faith think about Doing Life Big! “I Do Life Big by reading a lot and spending a lot of time with happy people.” - Merritt “I Do Life Big by living each day like there's no tomorrow and focusing on the lovely things in life.” - Claire “I place the Lord in first place & let him lead my life. I love as much as I can, try the hardest I can, & try to always push myself out of my comfort zone. I completely depend on God to have my life in His control, & I try to be as passionate as I can in everything I do for His glory.” - Diana thanks for reading! Leave a comment of how you Do Life Big below! Sorry our calendar isn't as nice as usual but hopefully you all still enjoy it! If you have any trouble let us know! xoxoxoxxox Egof
Some Scripture to make your Monday amazing!
"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:34 "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all that you hope is in the Lord." - Psalm 31:24 "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you are called in one body, and be thankful." - Colossians 3:15 "In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me." - Psalm 56:11 Today might be Monday, but make this Monday amazing! Show some love, smile, and make today special. Also, its National Coffee Day, which makes this Monday pretty amazing too! :) As a teenage girl, no matter if you're a Christian or not, you're constantly told by the world that you're not pretty enough, liked enough or good enough. Well guess what? God says you are! These are our go-to songs that should let you know that you're lovely no matter what, and that you don't have to listen to the people that bring you down.
The you-are-special-and-loved-and-beautiful-playlist 1. Bloom - Moriah Peters 2. Wings - Little Mix 3. Try - Colbie Calliat 4. Mean - Taylor Swift 5. Salute - Little Mix 6. Every Bit of Lovely - Jamie Grace 7. Little Me - Little Mix 8. Brave - Moriah Peters 9. Fighter - Jamie Grace hope you enjoy! love, Eight Girls of Faith ** disclaimer: Yes, not all of these songs are faith based. We have selected songs that are approriate and uplifting for ladies and we stand by them. If you do not agree with these choices, we respect that but please respect our choice. Thank you!! |