2013

Howdy y'all! Happy New Year! I started out thinking that this post would be about some highlights of the past year, but I think I'll take a less conventional approach...

A lot can happen in a year. I can say that with the utmost certainty, but even though there has been many changes in 2013--some good and some bad--I am sure that they all happened in order to grow my heart.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
{James 1:2-4}

A year can bring a lot of change, but its up to you to decide if you will let the change effect you. People say all the time that everything happens for a reason, and that is true, but I'll be the first to admit that sometimes its really hard to actually believe that.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I get mad and tell God that a situation cannot have a silver lining, but of course it's kind of silly. I can't tell God anything! He knows what he's doing; he has a mysterious plan that no one knows, and I think that's what makes people mad. We want instant gratification; we want to know what is happening, when something is happening, and why.

As mad as I get sometimes I know that everything DOES happen for a reason. The twists and turns in my life only make me cling tighter to God and the people he has placed in my life.

My challenge for you is to be strong this new year. Take every challenge head on, and know that God is going to be there every step of the way.

I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
{Isaiah 46:4}

His...

I am beyond blessed to have such amazing women of God who continually pour their heart and love for God into my life. They have shown me what it truly means to live for God. Their wisdom and strength and passion for speaking into youth girls amazes me.

Now I'm sure you're thinking "great story, Daylie! We love hearing about your life, but how does this apply to me?"

Well here's how: no matter how young you are, you are incredibly strong women of God. You are His daughters, His princesses, the apples of His eye. You have strength beyond measure because you are one of HIS! Those women that I was describing up there...they aren't all adults! Some of those amazingly gifted women of Christ are my age!

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and laughs without fear of the future.
{Proverbs 31:25}

It seems that this is the mantra of every Christian woman. And sure, its quoted a lot, but its truth is profound! Because you are His child, His prized possession, you are powerful beyond measure. Your power is one of love, grace, knowledge, and truth. You are the superwoman of God's kingdom.

Is this sinking in yet?? I hope so! I will shout it from the rooftops that "YOU ARE MAGNIFICENT!" if that's what it takes to get you to hear me out!

I know sometimes we don't feel magnificent...we feel small, inadequate, unworthy, unappreciated, unloved, lonely, or just plain sad. Just because you feel this way doesn't mean that is who you are! The Devil will whisper in your ear that you're unloved because he sees that you are; you are loved beyond measure! But he doesn't want that...he wants those feelings of doubt and insecurity to creep up and consume you!

Is this getting deep? Should I slow down? Ok...got it! Let me end this on a high note. You are precious. You are loved. You are enough. You are worthy. You are appreciated. You are powerful. You are the child of the most high God. And is that doesn't make you feel like you can conquer anything...I don't know what can.

Underdog

I was an only child for almost five years, and I hung out with adults all the time. I guess those five years really impacted me because as a 16 year old I'd almost rather hang out with adults. Does that sound weird? It's not to me!

Some of the people that I love most in this world are adults, some really amazing friends of mine are adults! You know what makes these adults special? They don't treat me like a teenager; they talk to me like an adult, and that makes me feel really good! They don't look down on me, doubt me, or judge me because I'm only 16. They love me, have serious conversations with me, and trust me.

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity
{1 Timothy 4:12}

The Bible tells us that even though we are young, we can accomplish some pretty amazing things. We aren't stupid or unable or too young. We are the future of Christ's church, and as such we are called to be examples to those around us.

My favorite thing about us teenagers is that we're seen as the underdogs! Nobody really thinks that we can accomplish much, but they are wrong! We have the chance to surprise them, prove them wrong, and give them a newfound respect for teens. We can do so much more than people think. We're pretty gosh darn great.

God has blessed us with special and unique gifts, and it is up to us to use them to glorify Him. If we do, we are doing exactly what God designed us to do--bless, encourage, and love others. I can't stress enough how important YOU are! Don't let adults tell you that you can't because you definitely can! You have so much more power than you think, and you have to know that!

Don't go through your teenage years in the background because you feel like you can't do something worthwhile. If you're a wallflower you're going to miss you on the amazing things that God wants to do with your life!

Before I publish this I want to get sappy: thank you to those who don't look down on me, who treat me as if I have something to offer, who love me like crazy, who trust me secrets and keep mine, who bless me every single day, who call me on their way home from work, and take me to dinner, who let me pay for their frozen yogurt, who sit in the car with me for an hour just to chat, who tell me that they love me like a sister, who hold me when I cry, who laugh with me when I laugh, and who pray for me when I feel like things can't get any worse. You are why I'm writing this, and why I continue to believe that I can do anything.

Be Still

Sometimes, we have to do things that are really hard in order to open ourselves up to bigger and better things; we have to close one door, so that God can open another. I had to do that recently, and it wasn't fun, but when is it ever fun?

Now I won't go into detail, but the gist is this: I had to close a door, a door that I've been scared to close for awhile, and I wonder, why did I wait so long take action? The answer is... I was (and still am) terrified. I'm scared of the unknown; I'm scared because I don't know what God is going to do, or how long it is going to take. I'm scared of being lonely, I'm scared that things won't get better.

When I look toward the future I see that closing that door was the easy part, the hard part is waiting. I'm not patient. I want instant gratification. I want everything to be amazing and wonderful and perfect. But even though that's what I want, that's probably not how it's going to go down. God does not work the way I want which, if I'm completely and absolutely honest, aggravates me! I want things to happen when I'm ready for them to happen, when I feel like it's time.

My sense of time is completely different from God's sense of time. He does things when He thinks it's best for me. When He knows I'm ready. And that may be tomorrow, that may be next week, or that may be next year. I don't know, and that's what I'm scared of...but if I really want him to do something in my life, I guess I'll just have to wait.

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."
{Exodus 14:14}

That's exactly what I need to learn to do: BE STILL. Be still and wait, be still and be content, be still and be trusting. The Lord is fighting in my favor; He's working it all out for my good, and I just need to be still. And boy, that is definitely a challenge, and I'm going to have a work really hard at waiting, and there will be tears, but God is going to make things so good, and if that's what I want then I'm happy to wait.

Enough

Whew! I have so much on my mind...where to start?

Ok, we'll start here: first of all...thank you! Thanks for clicking on this page and reading my random thoughts that decide to come spilling out through my fingertips, and onto this screen...it means a lot.

Second: Do you ever feel like you have no idea what you're supposed to do? Do you ever feel like even if you thought you knew what you wanted to do you weren't smart enough, or skilled enough, or patient enough to do it? I've been feeling like that lately. I'm a junior in high school, and that means one thing...college. You'd think I'd be really excited, being out on my own, making my own choices, not having my parents to tell me what to do, well, I couldn't feel further from that. I'm scared out of my mind. And I'm not exaggerating! I am legitimately terrified; I'm scared of being on my own, and making my own choices, and I'm scared of not having my parents around to tell me what to do! But most of all I feel inadequate. Inadequacy is defined as:

"...not enough or not good enough: failing to reach an expected or required level or standard."

I hate it that I feel this way. It's horrible, and untrue, and sad. I know I'm adequate, but sometimes it is hard to believe that when so much is on the line...I mean, college is a HUGE deal! But I know that I am good enough, I am enough, and this is how I know:    

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
{I Corinthians 3:16}
     
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
{Psalm 139:13-14}

So, now matter how huge your feelings of inadequacy are, just remember you are enough--you are good enough, smart enough, enough. And that's all you need to be. I promise.

Masterpiece

I've had my worship music on repeat all day today, and I'm glad I have because some lines are really standing out to me...one in particular:

"Your love for us a masterpiece..."

That line has so much in it, and only now do I realize it! God is the Creator of the universe, he created the stars and the planets and the oceans and every living breathing thing, and yet he loves ME! He loves me whether I talk back to my mom or yell at my brother or fail my math test. In the grand scheme of things I am a pin prick on a pin prick, but he takes as much time loving on me and forgiving me, as he did in creating the heavens! That's amazing; sometimes I don't think I'm worth that much attention, but I'm SO WRONG!

"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart..." Jeremiah 1:5

Did you catch that? Even before I was a thought in my mom's mind, God knew me. He knew what I would look like, sound like, act like, and he set ME apart. He set YOU apart too; you are God's masterpiece, your life is His work of art, your entire being was specifically formed by God's own hands, and that's pretty cool. The hands that made the earth that you are standing on, made you too. And those same hands will continue to push you along, and they will be there to pick you back up and dust you off when you fall.

One of my favorite songs in the song "Tapestry" by Hillsong United. The entire song talks about how our lives are "a tapestry of grace..." Our lives are meticulously knitted together by God himself, and he is still weaving. He's carefully constructing our lives, and though it will get messy and knotted up...He keeps on weaving--He's weaving his masterpiece, and it's gonna get a little crazy, but He's not one to let a job go unfinished. His grace never ends, it never gives up, and just because we mess up doesn't mean that He is done. His plan is amazing, and it's a mystery. We don't know how it will turn out, but if we put our trust in him, and believe that he knew how it was going to turn out even before were formed, I think that everything will be ok.

Let God...

Recently, I've come to realize the full extent to which I am blessed. Sometimes it's super easy for me to forget all the good when I feel completely consumed by the bad, but more often than not, I realize that all of the nasty stuff that goes on with me pales in comparison to all of the AMAZING blessings I have received. I have never seen God work in such crazy ways as I've seen these past few months; however, God throws the occasional curveball, and that seems to really send me spinning. I know that God does everything for a purpose. Even in the midst of difficulties, God is working it all out for my good. I recently had someone sit in my car with me for an hour while I cried about the bad, and she told me that God was going to do something good through it all. And after that conversation I realized that I had just been crazy blessed by God! Even though I was complaining about some things that seemed really awful, I just had someone sit in my car with me and listen to me sob about it! And I realized that God was doing something really good right therein that situation. I am blessed because even though bad things happen, God makes EVERYTHING work out for my good, and he brings people into my life to help me through it, and I may not see it at the time, but when I pay attention to how God works for me, it makes me feel all the more loved, cherished, and adored by Him. Sometimes I feel inadequate and small, and I cry and ask God why He's letting these things happen to me. And it's as I type this that I think I can begin to formulate an answer...he is allowing these "bad" things happen to me, so that I might be able to open up to whatever amazing things he has in store. Sometimes God needs me at my weakest in order for Him to do what he needs to do, and that's ok. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for good not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Everything God does is in my best interest, not to make me suffer, and I'm continually learning that. But for now I'm going to let go and let God--let God bring people into my life, and take them away, let God lead me down one path even if I thought the other was better, let God speak to me, and be willing to listen.

On coming out of your comfort zone...

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge fan of change. For example, my parents decided to switch around some furniture in our house...let's just say I wasn't a fan. I got a nervous and anxious and really upset! And that was just about a couch!

But it really is hard to adapt to change or come out of your comfort zone. I am a very outgoing person, but even I struggle with making new friends, it's even made me nervous to go to a youth retreat. I don't know what to talk to people about and I get all shy and awkward. Like recently my family and I went over to some friends' house, and they have kids around my age. I was really nervous about hanging out with them! I wanted to make a good impression, and I wanted them to like me! I felt the need to act a little different, dress a little different, and talk a little different. But it wasn't so bad! The girls turned out to be really sweet and I really liked them!

You are growing and changing a little bit every day, every hour, every minute, even every second! As you grow you're going to be become a newer and different version of yourself, but every bit as wonderful! But every day you grow, you become a little bit more brave or strong. Even though I was super nervous about meeting new people, I just jumped in! I trusted that God was going to be my rock.

Nerves are what hold people back from being or doing something incredible! Maybe I should take that step and be brave. Who knows? Maybe an act of stepping out of my comfort zone will lead to bigger and better things for me?

I'll leave you with this:

"Some changes look negative on the surface, but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge."
-Eckhart Tolle

Let's get acquainted...and more :)

Hey guys!

Welcome to my blog! If you're teenage girl...well you've come to he right place! I'm here to chat, give advice, answer questions, and be a friend :) Now, first things first...I'm a girl and I have girl problems and sometimes I need to vent! This may be where I do it! You can vent too! So don't be alarmed if it feels like I may need medical help due to uncontrollable ranting, I'm fine :)

I want to share a tiny experience that has grown into quite a large problem. I've never been obsessed with boys, like ever! Sure, I've had crushes, but nothing that ever consumes my life...until about a month ago! This is where it get's tricky ladies...this boy is cute, funny, loves God, and did I mention cute? Well I crushed hard! I would say "fell," but I didn't really fall...I crushed. I was consumed by this feeling of...well I'm not really sure what the feeling was, but it consumed every part of me! I was worrying about how I looked, how I acted, how I talked, and I was convinced that I needed to change every aspect of myself in order to be good enough for him. You know what's funny? After our first meeting, we never talked! So this is where you say, "Daylie! Get over it! Nothing can happen if you never talk!" and I would say, "You're right!" But it wasn't until about an hour ago that it actually hit me.

There is ONE guy out there for me. God has been preparing me for him, and vice versa! Everyday he is growing me as a woman in Him so that I may be the perfect wife. The man that I have will love me unconditionally, he will kiss me even when I look gross, he will hug me even when I say something stupid, he will help me raise our children to love God. I'm excited to meet this guy! He sounds perfect! And he's ALL for me!!! I don't have to worry about changing myself for a high school boy because high school boys can be idiots! And don't get me wrong! It's OK to put on makeup and get dressed up and do your hair! But do it for yourself; don't do it for a guy. So ladies, take my advice...wait. Be still and wait, and let God do his work! It will happen just at the right time; it may not be when you want it! But when you meet that special guy, you'll look back and say, "wow! This is what God has been doing all these years!" and you'll feel extremely blessed.