Complete in Thee | No Missing Pieces

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"

Colossians 2:8-10 

My dad has been preaching through the book of Colossians on Sunday mornings, and yesterday we were in chapter 2. 

As Christians, we need to be aware of all  the false doctrine that our world is consumed by.

 Many religions, always have something more that needs to be done whether it's good works, or "that's what we've always done" (traditions), the list can go on. 

 If Christ is in me, and I am in Christ, then there is nothing more I need. To use the saying my dad used yesterday, there are no missing pieces. By believing that God sent his Son to die in my place, I am complete in Christ! 

One of my favorite songs is written below:

1. Complete in Thee! no work of mine May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine;

Thy pardoned blood hath bought for me, And I am now complete in Thee. 

2. Complete in Thee, no more shall sin, Thy grace hath conquered, reign within;

Thy voice shall bid the tempers flee, And I shall stand complete in Thee. 

3. Complete in Thee each want supply and no good thing to me denied; Since thou my portion, Lord, wilt be, I ask no more complete in Thee.

4. Dear Savor! when before Thy bar all tribes and tongues assembled are, Among Thy chosen will I be, at Thy right hand, complete in Thee!

Chorus: Yea, justified! O blessed thought! and Sanctified! Salvation wrought!

Thy blood hath pardoned bought for me and glorified, I too shall be!

Lyrics by: Aaron R. Wolf

~Autumn

New Years Post | Caitlyn

Well, since all the other girls stated that the New Years post was my idea, I figured that I should probably write one.:)

So much has happened to me over this last year. It's absolutely incredible. I had so many opportunities to learn and grow, especially this summer. I also went to the summer camp in West Virginia, and I was able to attend my church's missions trip in August.

I think the biggest thing the Lord taught me was how to forgive.

Now, I'm normally good with most people. I like to make friends and enjoy being around people as a whole. But over the course of the last year or so, the Lord allowed quite a few people into my life that I did not get along with...to say the very least.

As the months past and it got no better, I questioned God more and more about why he had brought these people to my life. I was even a little mad at Him, but no where near as mad as I continued to get at these people. I questioned and I questioned and He answered me so many times, through preachers and devotion books, but I refused to take these answers; they weren't good enough to take away the feelings that I had toward these people. Deep down, it was almost fun having someone to hate. It was a new feeling for me, and I didn't know how to control it. So I just let it be. And my hatred and bitterness started to consume me.

But the time that broke through to me was at our church's ladies conference. The speaker said that there was a lady from her church that had stolen something from her, and she really struggled with it. Every time she past this woman's house, she would look at it and think "thief." The Holy Spirit would convict her that it was not right to think about her that way, but she would only tell herself that it was true. The woman was a thief. But one day, she was hit with the realization that, though it was true, - God had a better truth. The best truth. And Jesus had died for this truth. If Jesus could die for her sins, then she could forgive the thief. She said that now, when she passes the woman's house, she doesn't think "thief," she thinks "forgiven."

God showed me that I can't see all the pieces of the puzzle. But He can. He knows why He brought those people into my life, and He knows why He did, even if I do not. And I don't need to. All I can do is forgive and allow God to do the rest.

I get along quite nicely with some people on my "dislike list" now. But I wouldn't if I had not listened to God. Always listen to him. He knows best. I look forward to what He will teach me in 2015 and I'm glad now for what He taught me in 2014.

-Caitlyn

New Years Post | Carissa

Caitlyn had the idea to do a New Year's post, so here goes! There were a bunch of things God taught me in 2014.

In February, my family and I went to the Victory conference at Falls Baptist Church in Menominee Falls, WI. One of the messages that really spoke to my heart was about surrender. Although I had surrendered my life to God before, I realized that surrender was not a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but something you do everyday of your life.

In May, I got the chance to see our friends Charis and Caitlyn!! We had an amazingly awesome time at the Ladies Retreat and possibly a little to much fun! I'll spare you the details of our hide-and-go-seek on all four floors of the hotel;).

In July, I was able to go to Teen Camp at Wildwood Christian Retreat. It's an amazing camp and I made a lot of new friends and decisions. Like Autumn said, you never know how many friends you're going to make or how God can change your life through the services.

School started in September (when my little sister Amarisa was born) and thus began a super busy school year. I'm a junior this year and I'm also going to take a college class this semester, so I squeezed as much school as possible in the last semester.

One of the main things that God has taught me this year is that He is faithful. No matter who leaves, what changes, or what happens, God never leaves, never changes and is always in control. I can trust Him no matter what!

This summer I'll have the opportunity to work at Camp Joy. I can't wait to see what God has for me in this new year!

~Carissa:)

Ask any questions you may have at Girls Inspiring Girls.

New Years Post | Charis

Wow! Another year has past! I cannot believe that it's 2015! I might be able to remember to write the date with 2015 and not 2014 by next year...maybe. :)

Anyway, my incredible friend Caitlyn (who also posts on this blog) came up with an amazing idea! She suggested that each of us writers for Not I But Christ write about some things we learned in 2014. When she first said that, my first thought was "I might finally finish writing this by 2016," but I obviously finished it before that happened. ;) 

Many doors were opened within 2014 for me, but I'll only mention a few. First, after going to Teen Camp II at Camp Joy in Wisconsin, I was able to work in the kitchen there for two weeks. It was a huge blessing and I made many Godly friends that I have stayed in touch with throughout this first semester of school. I was able to play volleyball for Laingsburg Christian School and I'm enjoying being a part of their girls basketball team as well. 

I got two jobs in December, one of which is teaching violin and voice at Laingsburg Christian School. This has been such a huge blessing already in 2015. Also, for my 16th birthday that was in November, my family decided to take me on a late trip to Disney World in Orlando Florida. 

Although a lot of changes occured, the Lord taught me alot in 2014. One thing that He taught me was to trust Him. Not just in some things, but in everything. Not with the little stuff, but with the big stuff too. When I try to do things my way, it never works, but when I let God take control and do things in His time, it is so much better in the end.

Not only do I need to trust Him to fufill His promises, but I need to rest in Him and not worry about it. I am the type of person that worries about EVERYTHING. School, music, sports and much more. Learning to rest in God was not easy, but my relationship with Him is so much better because of it. 

I learned alot in 2014, but there was no possible way to get it all down on paper. So as an ending, I want to ask for prayer. Pray that I will learn more and act on what I learn in 2016. Pray that I will be a shining light for Christ. 

~Charis 

New Years Post | Autumn

I never used to understood what people meant when they said, "The year just flew by!" But it's already 2015!!!!!! So now I can say, 2014 really did go fast!

Caitlyn had the idea of having each of us write some kind of a New Years post, and to be completely honest, my first thought  was “ UGG that sounds like work! What in the world do I say??” But after I thought about it and started to write it down, there were many things that happened last year. 

One of my favorite times last year was getting to see two of my friends that I don't get to see alot, Charis and Caitlyn, at a ladies retreat our church held. We had so much fun! 

In July, I was able to go to summer camp at a small camp in West Virginia. I love camp, not just for the games and new friends, but also because I never know what incredible things God will do through the preaching, both in my life and in so many others. I made several new friends last year, and although most of them live out of state, I am thankful that God put them in my life!! 

A huge answer to prayer was that God provided the money to start piano lessons for the first time. It was always my dream, but I never thought it would come true. I also had the privilege to start teaching violin in the fall. 

And just a little side note, my baby sister was born in September and she's the cutest baby ever! I'm just a bit biased ;) 

School has started back up at my house, and I will be finishing up my senior year of high school, and starting college classes in the next couple weeks. It's a little overwhelming, but it's exciting at the same time! 

God has taught me so many things, but probably the main thing is that He is always in control. There is no way I can do anything on my own. Believe me, I've tried it, and it doesn't work! 

One of my mom's sayings is, "You just take today, not tomorrow, but today. And when it comes to tomorrow it will be today." It took a couple times of her saying that for me to actually understands what she meant. I need to be in the very center of God's will today and I don't need to worry about school, church ect. It's a moment by moment thing, daily trusting in God, trusting that He's completely in control of my life. 

So this year just pray that others will see Christ through me and that I will be a testimony for Him. 

I am very excited to what God has in store for me in 2015!

~Autumn

The Valley Of Decision

As teens, we are going through a time in life where we will make many decisions. We will choose either to obey God, or disobey God. We will decide  what stands we will make for Christ. We will make choices about jobs, schools, friends and churches. The question is, how will we make those choices. Based on the Bible and the Holy Spirit, or based on what our flesh wants?

In my youth group's Sunday School Class, we have been going through the book of Joshua. This week, we were in chapter 8. Chapter 8 is the moment in time where the children of Israel conquered Ai. After we went through the exciting way that Israel beat Ai, we talked about where the children of Israel ended up after the battle. 

They were in between two mountains. The Lord said in verses 33 and 34, "And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law."

So, the children of Israel were in a valley of decision: should they follow the Lord and reap blessings, or follow their flesh and reap cursings? 

We often feel stuck between two things, but the question is how to we make our decisions? 

1. We have a free will. We can choose to do right or wrong. 

2. We are accountable for every choice we make. 

3. Deciding not to decide is still a choice. 

4. You cannot choose the consequences for your choices. 

5. You can't go throughout life without making choices. 

The most important thing to remember about choices is that your life is a sum of the choices that you've made. You will be accountable to God for each and every choice that you make.

~Charis 

Guest Blogger | Hannah Spooner

Waiting on the Lord

Psalm 27:14 says " Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."

I know it can be hard to wait on the Lord for many different things, from a boyfriend, to knowing His will for your life. Believe me when I say, its ALWAYS better to wait on Him. He wants the best for us. Even if you may not know right away what God has for you, don't give up. Keep striving to have a close relationship with God and He will show you His will in His time.You have to realize that God works on His own time and not ours. His timing is better than ours could ever be. 

God is looking for a point at which we become moldable to His will. The problem that most people have is that they are impatient, which means that they think they know what is best, or what needs to be done, when in reality, God wants them to let Him decide what is best.You will never learn when you are trying to do things your own way. Trying to take control of your life is pride. Do you know what pride means? Independence from God. That's a scary thought. I don't know why we think that us controlling our life is better than God's will. 

Giving God the right to be in control of your life is a big step in learning to wait on the Lord. It isn't just about serving Him, its about serving Him in His time. God has us wait so He can be gracious to us. Grace is receiving what we do not deserve. Everything in creation is designed to bring glory to God. Even our trials are to bring glory to God if we will only let them. God brings trials into our lives so that He can comfort us, so we can comfort others, so we don't trust in ourselves and so that we can learn to give thanks in everything. Look in 1 Corinthians 1: 2-4 and 1:9-11.

Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve. Mercy is the companion of grace and is a glorious attribute of God. God allows us to wait so that we will rid ourselves of everything but Him. God wants us to use His Word as a guide for our path. We must wait on the Lord in prayer and belief of the goodness of God.

 ~Hannah

My name is Hannah. I am 20 years old, I love serving the Lord and I believe God called me to serve in full-time ministry. I am learning more everyday about Him and excited to see what He has for my life. I have two blogs of my own! One is a devotional type blog, and the other one is a place where I share my love of photography. You can check them out Here and Here. 

Ask any questions you may have at Girls Inspiring Girls.

Coming Down from the Mountain

Many times, when you are about to go home from revival meetings, camp, or a retreat, the preacher will usually tell you though it is good to be surrounded by godly people and preaching all of the time, you eventually have to "come down from the mountain."

This past week I was at a winter retreat in West Virginia and in those hills, that statement becomes all too real.

Yet, even though I know that I have to, I don't like to come down from my spiritual mountain. I don't want to come back to the "real world." The real world can hurt. The real world is where the devil resides. And in the real world it is hard to live for Christ. Yet often,  we are the very ones who make it so hard.

As Christians, we make it so hard by trusting in our own strength to "do better." When we try in our own faulted, flawed, and fallen selves, we will fail. We will not, and we CANNOT simply "do better." Our strength is only weakness that Satan can use. However, when I realize that to "come off the mountain" and try to follow through with my decisions in my strength is spiritual suicide, I can begin to see that God has the strength that I lack, and He wants to give it to me. All I have to do is ask. He is in our favor and He wants us to succeed. I must realize that "I cannot," but "He can!" And He will, if we only ask.

Matthew 7:7 Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.

Romans 8:31 If God be for us, who can be against us?

-Caitlyn

The Duties Of A Princess

Every girl has a time in her life where she dreams of being a princess. Some want to find their Prince Charming, while others enjoy the thought of living in a castle and having the time of their lives being able to have whatever they want when they want it. Even though being a princess seems like an easy going life, there is much work involved. There are so many rules one must follow to be a princess. 

If you've asked Jesus into your heart, than you have been adopted by the King that rules over all kings. So what does that make you? A princess. You're God's princess, God's daughter and a part of God's family.

Like I said before, being a Princess seems easy, but I have created a list of things that the King, God, expects us to do. And no, I'm not making these up. God gave us a handbook to being a princess in His kingdom. It's called the Holy Bible.  

To Be A Princess

1. You must be kind- "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." 
Ephesians 4:32
2. You must love your enemies- "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" 
Matthew 5:44
3. You must be humble- "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:" 
I Peter 5:6
4. You must know your family history-"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 
II Timothy 2:15
5. You must be a cheerful worker- "And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;"
Collosians 3:23

These are just five of the things that God wishes His daughters to do. Now, you can't depend on doing these five things to get you to heaven! The only way that you can get to heaven is by asking God for forgiveness of your sins. You can't depend on works, you must depend on God. The steps above are only things that God wishes us to do after we are a part of his family. 

~Charis

Ask any questions you may have at Girls Inspiring Girls.