Will Our Generation Speak?

Almost two years ago, I received a copy of an INCREDIBLE book at a revival meeting in our church. The book was written by Grace Mally, which instantly intrigued me because a few years prior I had been involved with a Bible study (called B.R.I.G.H.T. Lights) for girls by Grace's big sister, Sarah Mally.

As I got deeper into the book, I was burdened to start a group study on this book and how we needed to get the gospel out there. But I was 16; what could a starting high school senior do? I had no idea how to start a Bible Study! 

But God's will prevails. I purchased a case of the books, and started a group among my friends of our homeschooling group. While the study itself only lasted about 4 weeks, due to holidays and my crazy school schedule, the time we had was definitely a blessed time.

Will Our Generation Speak? Is full of encouraging testimonies and great ideas, 

as well as resources to get you started!

Now this isn't an ordinary book. Will Our Generation Speak? is a challenge, a call to us as sons and daughters of the Most High God to bring others to His everlasting truth and life. I mean, Jesus told us that we are the light of the world! We are the ones to bring His love to all the nations! 

I'm really super excited about this book all over again, and have the flame in my heart once more. I am hoping to start an open group Bible study, much like the young adult group that I go to on Thursday evenings here in Tennessee. It isn't solely for the people that go to church at the host church: It is for anyone you want to bring, despite what denomination they are, or whether or not they even go to church, or if they're married, etc. But I can tell you this: it is a beautiful time of fellowship in Christ!

So my hope and prayer is that God will continue to lead me where He wants me, down to the exact times and dates that are in His plan! 

If you all don't mind praying for me, I would SOOOO appreciate it! 

Love you all!

XO, Shelby

Week 7 of Project Leap of Faith

Ok, now that I am SO late, here it is.

Here we are at week 7.

7 of the best weeks of my life.

It seems like the closer I've gotten to the end, the faster time has gone. I'm really not ready to leave. The blessings I've received in the short time I've been here. From playing second mommy to sweet little girls, all the way to being a Kitten Daycare!

I'm so excited, this Tuesday (Week 8) our new Ruby girl is coming!! Another exciting event coming up is the mega Potter Birthday Bash next weekend. We're basically celebrating all of the birthdays (and my grandparents' anniversary!) over Labor Day weekend, meaning I'll get to see my sweet family again! (:

The kittens have officially opened their eyes, and are as cute as can be! They turned a week old on Tuesday, and are more than double the size they were when they were born.

ALSO. I MADE A THING FOR LUNCH. AND YOU HAVE TO TRY IT. It was a Trim Healthy Mama S meal, and SOOOO worth it!! I heated a bit of red palm oil in a cast iron skillet, and heated some red pepper flakes, garlic, and celery seed in it for about a minute. I then added fresh okra (I just sliced about 5 pods into rounds) and 2 VERY small tomatoes (1 green, the other yellow, sliced and halved) and let them cook down until tender. I then added some of Mrs. Campbell's famous One Pot soup (which is just a basic vegatable soup with a few leftovers added to it-sauteed squash and a few pieces of broccoli that were too little to put in seperate containers) and let everything cook down. 

Oh. My. Word. Yeah, it was good. Finish it up with a summery twist on Good Girl Moonshine (add about 3 tbsp lemon juice to the original recipe), and you have one amazing meal. AND it's healthy. But anything you cook in red palm oil will probably end up tasting amazing soooooo....

Anyway, I went to the young adult Bible study group with my dear friend Meadow last night, and it was SO encouraging. A great reminder that when we pray, we need to go deep! We aren't talking to air! In Daniel 2, we see that Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (AKA Shadrach, Meshach, and Obednego) had a prayer meeting when they found out about the king's latest decree (v.18). Daniel trusted God to answer right away, he didn't falter and say "Oh, hey God, if you could, um, maybe give me an idea of what to do... maybe, that'd be cool..." No. Daniel asked God, BELIEVING God would give him an answer right away. And then, when God provided an answer, Daniel so deeply thanked God! (v. 20-23)

I believe that if we are specific in the things we pray about, God will reveal to us and bless us for it, becuase we are showing trust in Him. We are believing that He is listening and hearing what we have to say, and the Lord will bless your faith. 

So this week, I ask that each of you set aside some time in your day, free from obligations and distractions, and give yourself over to God. Talk to Him. He is your Dad, after all!

Hope you guys have a great week! I'm still currently trying to finish writing Day 3 of 12 Things a Christian Shouldn't Do, but I somehow have misplaced my notebook with all of my notes... SO. That must be posted ASAP! 

Xoxo, Shelby

Day 2-Far From Worthless! (Believing You're Worthless)

Day two. Now, how are you handling the title? Show of hands, how many instantly thought ‘oh great, another pep rally speech’, or maybe ‘but I don’t have anything to offer God, so I must be worthless...’?

Be honest now. I’m going to be more open in these next few posts, share how God has overcome each of these things (and is still overcoming!) in my life, day by day.

So, now that I’ve beaten the honesty thing into your heads, I shall begin.

YOU ARE NOT WORTHLESS.

Simple as that, you’re not. Dear ones, we are each so precious, so treasured by God. I mean, come on, He formed us in His hand! He was so abundantly giving with His mercy, He loves us so much, that God made us alive, despite being dead in our sins and wrongdoings. His grace was so extravagantly given that God sent His very own Son to die in our places, to take the full punishment and wrath we deserve.

Do you really think that He would have done that for some worthless, useless piece of trash in the corner? No. Because you are worth so much more than that.

Psalm 139 tells us that He ...formed our inward part, and knitted us together in our mother’s womb. (verse 13, paraphrased) Guys, God saw our unformed being (verse 16). He has known each and every day that we have in our lives-from the moment of conception to the day we take our last breath-even before we existed on earth.

Do you understand your worth yet? Ok, maybe you’ve just said no. Here’s one last thought I’m going to leave you with.

God created you in His image.

You are so beautiful and so perfectly made, made in our Heavenly Father’s image! (Yes, I’m also preaching to myself haha!) What is standing between you and the acceptance of this new concept?

Right now, if you have anything in your life(TV shows, magazines, books) or anyone (friends specifically, or coworkers) that makes you feel any less than you are, GET RID OF IT. Delete Facebook or Instagram, get a different job, stop looking at those magazines, don’t hang out with those people you’ve labeled friends! Maybe try to get into a ministry at your church. help out in the nursery, or maybe become a Sunday School teacher’s assistant. Try to help with the youth programs your church may have, or maybe start your own! All you have to do is take that first step. Just a reminder, the #1 thing you can do is give your life and your worth over to God. Do it and watch His hand move in your life, in incredible ways!

XO, Shelby

Day 1- No Turning Back (Looking Back At Our Past)

Picture Found Here

Wow, it’s day 1 and I’m already hanging my head in shame!

I’m sure almost all of you have heard the expression “You can’t move forward if you’re always looking back”; It certainly is true. While it is wise to learn from past mistakes, we shouldn’t dwell on them and make them an idol in our lives. (Yes, even mistakes can become an idol!)

Your past no longer exists. It is forever gone, covered by the perfect blood of Christ. Isaiah 43:18-19a is a WONDERFUL reminder of what God is doing in us, stating that  we should Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing... (ESV) This is also repeated in the New Testament, in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

The old has passed away. Let that sink in for a moment. We don’t have a reason to keep looking back, because those things are GONE! When we accepted Christ into our lives, believing that He is the true Son of God, all of our sins were covered with His Blood.

Yes, we still do need to repent when we sin, and we need to forgive those who hurt us, but when we forgive, we have to let go. We can’t keep a dead weight around. Holding on to past hurts and grudges will only hinder us from obtaining the magnificent love and rewards our Heavenly Father tries to shower us with.

So today, I want you to take that dead weight, the burden that you’ve kept, and I want you to give it up to God. Right now, release the things in your past that you keep looking back at, and feel His freedom flood into your life. God’s grace is enough to cover it, to release you from it’s hold, and to help you forgive both others and yourself. You must forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. (Philippians 3:13- read 14 for extra encouragement!) You can do it, I know you can!

Today, I’m letting go of my recent past choice and deepest regret, and I’m taking on God’s covering of mercy and love.

I will be praying over each of you! Let me know if you have a specific prayer request, down in the comments (:

XOXO, Shelby

Week 6 of Project Leap of Faith

Here we are at week 6. You know how I was complaining about how little time I had here, and how I wish I had more time? My wish has been granted by God! He saw my desire, and He has blessed me with the opportunity to stay another two weeks! I’m so excited!

This past week has been somewhat adventurous. I’ve continued making prayer boxes, made Watermelemonade Slush (Note that I did tweak the recipe a smidge-stevia in place of sugar, no mint, and I froze until slushy style!) for the munchkins, drank too much Good Girl Moonshine and played with big kittens. ALSO, THAT LITTLE CAT THAT I FELL IN LOVE WITH HERE HAD HER KITTENS YESTERDAY!!! Four tiny, furry little jelly beans of cuteness! (Yes. I will get a photo as soon as Little Mommy Shadow feels comfortable with me coming near them.)

It’s been quite rainy the past few days, but not too rainy to enjoy the life of a Rubies Girl! We’ve been staying busy (and trying to stay out of trouble haha!)

I’m sorry this post is going to be so short, But there’s so much I still have to finish! I have 6 BLOG POSTS WAITING FOR INTERNET TO POST. JUST 1 MORE DAY GUYS!

Haha I’ll post up a special one just for you guys tomorrow (:

12 Days, 12 Things

Hello everyone! I just HAD to share with y’all something that I found on Facebook. If you read my LAST POST, you’ll see the link :)

The article, 12 Things a Christian Shouldn’t Do, TOTALLY spoke to me. Every little thing on that list was something that I REALLY struggle with, so I’m breaking each of the things down into a lesson point/blog post.

For 12 days, you and I will work on these together, and start seeing ourselves the way God sees us as His children: perfected in His Son’s Blood.

Now these posts are meant to encourage and inspire you in your spiritual walk, not discourage you and make you feel as though you aren’t good enough to be God’s child.

I just want you to know I’m learning this right alongside you guys haha!

So yeah! One of the next post starts Day 1: No Turning Back: Looking Back at Our Past. I hope you enjoy the next few posts, I pray that you all will be blessed and encouraged, and may you continue to keep your mind focused on God’s will for your life no matter what you’re doing!

XO, Shelby

Week 5 of Project Leap of Faith

Welcome to Project Leap of Faith week fi- Wait a second. Week FIVE???? like, 5???? Nononononono, time is NOT supposed to do that. Like yesterday I was writing week 1… *sobs hysterically*

My time here has been INCREDIBLE. I could never ask for better family-away-from-family, and all of the new friend I’ve met. I’ve experienced family reunions, birthday parties, weddings. I’ve met other girls who are so much like me, and girls who are my opposite (yet we just somehow *click*).

Rashida and Jack are Officially Married!

This past Saturday was my dear friend Rashida’s wedding. After several rainy days leading up to the wedding, we woke up to stunning blue skies and a cool breeze. Everything was beautiful. The bride was beyond stunning. The vows were sweet and strong. And the reception… The dancing was amazing. I have never danced as much as I did Saturday night. It was midnight before we sent the bride and groom off.  It was so perfect, so beautiful, and definitely an unforgettable experience. I made so many new friends, one in particular I grew close to, even though we didn’t have a lot of time together. If you’d like to meet Keturah, check out her blog keturahskorner.blogspot.com !
I was doing the math today, and I have 3 weeks and 3 days before I'm supposed to go home. I don't know how I'll be able to handle it. It will definitely be VERY hard. Today at work, I made Prayer Boxes for Mrs. Campbell's next retreat. I'm hoping to start working on a blog post about Prayer Boxes and how to make them (with pictures!) soon. It's super fun, and would be such a special craft to make with your whole family. (:

Well I'm off for now! About to start on a new blog series that was inspired by a post that I found Here (:

See you for now! Xoxo, Shelby