2 Things I Learned From My Breakup

After next week, I will be a college sophomore. I have experienced more, felt more, and learned more in these months than I have in any period of my life thus far. Attending a university has made me look at the world in a completely new way -- and I'm hoping that as these changes occur, I am learning to look at things in a more godly, objective, and compassionate way. It's been a long time since we last spoke -- I know I'm terrible, forgive me -- so here are two life-changing discoveries I made this school year. Share your own in the comments!

7 Bible Verses to Start Your Week

Need a quick pick me up? Grab a highlighter and mark these verses in your Bible to get you focused on God this week.

Rest in the Lord today.
They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:30-31)

Modesty: It's Not Just About the Clothes

Blogger and longtime GFG reader Rebekah shares her thoughts on the importance of modesty -- inside and out.

3 Questions for Any Bible Study

Studying the Bible can seem like a daunting task. There are so many pages -- where do you begin? For Bible newbies or anyone who needs some direction, here are three simple questions that will get you on the right track and help you understand how the Bible applies to your life.

A New Look at Christmas

You're probably familliar with the story of Jesus' birth: baby Jesus is born in a manger and grows up to save the world. But the real Christmas story began in Genesis at the fall of man.

Faith Friday: Knowing When to Listen

Today's culture encourages people to speak their mind more and more. While this is good, listening has become a lost art. According to the Bible, if we focus on listening, we will have less focus on anger. Sound good? Keep reading.

Faith Friday: Dealing with Insecurity

Deni Kiara shares her struggle with body image and reveals how God turned it around.

Faith Friday: 10 Encouraging Bible Verses for Your Week

Need some end-of-the-week encouragement to get you through the weekend? Here are some inspirational Bible verses to reset your focus on God.

Faith Friday: Dealing with Change

A lot can change in a year. You can lose people you love, build new relationships, and be tested in ways you never thought you would.

Faith Friday: 7 Things God Hates

Remember Miley Cyrus' song "7 Things"? The pop singer sang an angry list of the "seven things I hate about you". God also has an issue with the things we do against Him, but behind his "7 Things" list is a message of truth and a promise of blessing.

Q&A: Messing Up

Q:  How many times can I mess up before God doesn’t forgive me anymore?

Bullied for Your Faith?

Dear Melissa,

I'm getting bullied at school for my faith. What should I do?

5 New Ways to Connect with God

Having trouble focusing on spending time with God? Here are some ideas to renew your spirit and revamp your daily quiet time.

A Guy's View: What Guys Want in a Girl

Zachary, 21, reveals what guys really want in a future wife.

           

 I was asked recently what a Godly man finds attractive, or rather what he looks for as he seeks a wife. This is obviously a loaded question because we are all so very different; both men and women. There are, however, a few things that hold true for everyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ. Here is what the Bible has given us, as men, to qualify “an excellent wife.” This list is pretty crazy but it is so true.

How to Overcome Sin

Sin is a tough word. It makes some people think of a preacher yelling about how sinners go to Hell, but sin is so much more than that. It's something rooted so deeply inside of you that it was in your heart the moment you took your first breath. It's the thing that binds you to this world instead of to God. It's the thing that can separate you from the person you are and the person you want to be. If sin has such a strong hold over us, how can we escape it?

Why Should I Read the Bible?

Why is it important to read your Bible every day? Our minds are focused on so many things throughout the day that reading the Bible can seem like more of a chore than a desire. How can you make time for reading the Bible? What more can you learn from it? If it was written so long ago, how can it still be worth anything to you today? How are you supposed to focus on God's word if it's so...boring? Those are all valid questions, and I want to help you find the answers you need.

Tests, Worries, Mongols, and Why God is Not a Vending Machine

I have a question for you: Is it ok to ask God for help on a test? Specifically, the World History AP exam that I am taking tomorrow that deserves a bit more studying than I've put into it?

Melissa: Dear God, I love you.
God: That's great. I love you, too.
Melissa: Does that mean you'll help me on my test tomorrow?
God: You're funny.

Melissa: If you don't, I won't get college credit. Which means I won't be  successful in life. Which means I'll have to join the circus or something to get money for food. Which means I won't be able to change the world, adopt orphans, and serve your kingdom...all that good stuff. You don't want that, do you?

God: Quit blogging and go study.

I'm fairly certain that's what God would say to me right now. Not that I haven't studied. I have doodles of soldiers, kings, and Queen Elizabeth all over my notes, outlined in pink scented highlighters. But I can just picture myself sitting in front of the test tomorrow....

Melissa: Hey, God. You created the Mongols. What influence did they have on the culture of Southeast Asia?

God: I'm gonna go with C.

So back to my question: Is it ok to ask God for help on an incredibly significant, life-changing test? I thought I'd consult my Bible on this one.

 So keep this in mind: do not worry in advance about what to answer.... (Luke 21:14)

 If that's not a sign from God, I don't know what is. In all seriousness, though, I'm the one who's taking the test, not God, and it's up to me to come up with a good grade. Yeah, yeah, I know. God never promised us he'd make up for every stupid mistake we've made, or pick up for our lack of study skills. But God did promise us something that can help:

Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. (Matthew 11:28)

So the fate of my grade (and my abilty to change the world, etc.) is in my hands, but I'm not completely alone in this one. I've done the work, so God's got my back. Although that would be SUPER, (hint hint, Lord), God's probably not going to feed me answers or even help me write those three killer essays. But I know that I can count on him to clear my mind, help me focus, and maybe make sure my stomach doesn't growl too loudly during the test. Wish me luck!

Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34)

Author Interview: Sandra Byrd

Grounded in both her faith and craft, author Sandra Byrd uses her talents for writing to inspire and influence tween and teen girls with down-to-earth books about one girl's life in the U.K. Sandra chats with Melissa Renee about her stories and upcoming projects and gives aspiring writers some tried-and-true advice.

When did you realize you wanted to write for a living?
When I was a kid I wanted three careers: to be a hair stylist, to be a waitress, and to be an author. After I mohawked my Barbie I knew I wasn’t cut out for the hairstylist career. I actually was a waitress in a Jewish deli when I was a teenager, and I worked for a caterer. Writing, however, was the real passion. And it stuck.

Tell us about the London Confidential series.
LONDON CONFIDENTIAL, published by Tyndale House Publishers, is a new Tween/Teen series where British fashion, friendships, and guys collide, and where an all-American girl learns to love life and live out her Christian faith. A nub of doubt rose inside me—the kind that popped up, unwelcome, anytime I tried to rationalize something that wasn’t exactly true or right. This time I swallowed it back. I lived in London now. It was time to take matters into my own hands.  When her family moves to London, 15-year-old Savvy Smith has to make her way in a new school and in a new country. She just knows the school newspaper is the right place for her, but she doesn’t have the required experience. Can she come up with a way to prove herself and nab the one available position on the newspaper staff at Wexburg Academy? Along the way, Savvy finds out a lot about herself, her family, and her God and in the process she learns to love life and live out her faith.

Is Savvy’s story connected somehow to your own life?
I moved quite a bit when I was growing up, so the challenges that Savvy faces in relation to that are ones I can relate to as well. I do love London, too! :)

Has Savvy’s story ended, or will there be another installment in the series?
You can find Savvy’s story in four installments: Book 1 – Asking for Trouble; Book 2 – Through Thick and Thin; Book 3 -- Don't Kiss Him Goodbye; and Book 4 -- Flirting With Disaster.

Are you currently working on any other projects?
I am currently writing a series for adults set in Tudor England, called Ladies in Waiting. I have been a lady waiting to write about this time period, waiting for a long time, so I am pinching myself, if you'll excuse the cliché, that it's finally happening! I am so excited about this project. It's a series of three historical books that take place at the Tudor Court. Book 1 is set during Anne Boleyn's reign, and as told from the point of view of her true-to-life best friend, Meg Wyatt. Book 2, Best Kept Secrets, will be set in Katherine Parr's court and features a young woman with a gift of prophecy. Book 3, Queen of Hearts, shows a daring young woman whom Queen Elizabeth befriends, but then who may lose it all. These were strong, educated women that had a major impact on the world and on the reformation. I hope you'll love reading them as much as I am loving writing them. Book 1, To Die For, will release in August 2011.

What is a typical day in the life of a writer like?
Coffee. Email. Coffee. Responding to lessons I am reviewing or coaching other writers through their manuscripts. Coffee. Writing for several hours to meet a word count. More email. Coffee.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
1. The first and foremost qualification for being a writer is being a reader. If you don’t love to read – reward yourself with books, talk about books with others, find yourself reading late into the night with a good one – it will be hard to be a writer. A lot of writing structure is assimilated by osmosis – reading.
2. Next, you have to be a dedicated craftsman. Be willing to write and rewrite and rewrite again till you get it perfect. As Michelangelo said, the David was inside the marble waiting to come out. A good sculptor can carve it out of the stone. So it is with a book. The good book is in there, but it must be patiently worked and reworked. Part of the key to this is to not worry about getting it “right” the first time. It won’t be right the first time. The first draft, you’re often just laying out all the pieces on the table and then looking at them to see how they fit together.
I believe that one reason people want it right the first time is that they’re afraid that if it isn’t, they aren’t a “real” writer. Real writers keep working on a book till it’s all the way done. Sometimes I think that computer technology has done a real disservice to writers, because we can type fast, and email, the expectation is that we can create quickly. And that’s not always true. I think that new writers are shocked by the amount of work it takes to write and rewrite a book till it’s “done” too. It’s a hard job with mostly mediocre pay. But the satisfaction of having finished the book and reached into peoples’ lives in a fun and meaningful way is satisfying
3. Find a mentor. There are excellent organizations, the Christian Writer’s Guild is one, that offer mentoring courses. If you don’t want to enroll in a course, find someone who writes and take them out to lunch. Ask them how to begin, ask for tips, ask for anything except the contact to their agent. If an established writer sees you constantly working to better your craft they may be willing to help in other ways. Attending writing conferences is another excellent way to better your skills and make good contacts.
4. Be patient and persistent. Don’t give up. Be willing to start small, and stay there, if that’s where your ministry lies. I’ve written many books, but some of my most satisfying published works are small pieces. One piece I wrote to honor a high school teacher who made a significant impact on the pre-Christian me. Another fulfilling writing project was a small speaking part for a child who didn’t have a place in the church’s Christmas program. Don’t discount “little” ministry, it’s often the very thing the Lord wants you to do.
5. Keep an open hand. Let God put in it what He wants, and take out what He wants.

Besides writing, what do you enjoy?
Cooking and baking, spending time with my family and friends, music, and, of course, reading!

What do you feel God has been trying to teach you lately?
My favorite piece of scripture at any given time is whichever one God is using to speak to me at the moment, because when He does, I know He is attentive to my concerns and hears and loves me in both hopeful and ashen circumstances. He has already prepared a plan and a way.

What message do you hope girls will get from your books?
Be strong and courageous. Dream big. Trust God even when it seems very dark. Love people but don't let them walk on you. Live with joy and faith.

For a review of Sandra's book Don't Kiss Him Goodbye, click here.

Q&A: Doubting God's Call

Would God call me to do something I really don’t want to do?

Sometimes we think that if we give our lives completely to God, He’ll automatically send us to Africa to work in the mission field. That’s not how God works. He’s not out to “get us”. He loves giving His children great gifts. But like most fathers, He knows best!

There are lots of examples in the Bible of God asking people to do something they didn’t want to do at first. Noah probably didn’t want to build a huge boat in the desert in front of all his neighbors. Joshua and his people probably didn’t want to march around their enemy’s city seven times. But guess what? Noah built the ark, saving him, his family, and the animals. Joshua and his army marched around Jericho and the city walls crumbled. God told them to do something “uncool” and not-so-fun, and they did it. Look what was accomplished because they had faith! Joshua’s army overtook the sinful city easily, and Noah saved the animal species and the human race (yeah, you’re a descendant of Noah). Pretty cool, huh?

Every time we choose to obey God, He shows Himself to us in new ways and we get to know Him more. God may call you to do something hard or uncool, but as you obey, you’ll see how amazing God’s plans are.

10 Tips for Journaling with Jesus

Did you know journaling can help you connect with God? Renee Johnson, the Devotional Diva, has been journaling for a long time and wants to share her tips with you!

1. Pick A Secluded Spot. (“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door…Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." - Matthew 6:6).

2. Grab Your Favorite Bible, Devotional, Journal & Pen/Pencil.

3. Pick A Date/Time (Morning, Afternoon Evening, Bed Time).

4. Ask God To Be Your Friend. Replace Dear “Diary” with God. (See: Romans 5:8-11).

5. Discover Your Prayer [Journal] Language (See: Matthew 6:5-15).

6. Use What You’ve Got To Find Something New (Start with writing down a Bible verse from your daily quiet time, then finish by journaling your own personal thoughts).

7. Start With Praise.

8. DO NOT GIVE UP! (See: Galatians 6:9-10 & “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” - Matthew 7:7-8, NLT).

9. Warning: No Guilt. Pick Up Where you Left Off. (Refuse to worry if you missed a day or three).

10. God Will Do What He Promised You! (See: Psalm 37:5 & Matthew 25:23. If you find yourself needing an accountability partner to keep you in check to stay in the Word daily, don’t hesitate to ask a best friend, myself, a mentor or pastor).

Renee Johnson is a spirted speaker and writer to 20-somethings. She is known as the "Devotional Diva" to all her blog readers. Her ministry goal is to challenge you to dig deeper and move forward in your faith. She is the author of Faithbook of Jesus: Connecting with Jesus Daily, a book that will help you connect and chat with God in a relevant way. You can grab a copy here.