Divinely Appointed

Hello!
This is dedicated to the same friend who wrote the last post "How to Save a Life". She truly is my divinely appointed friend.
May this make you think,
Jen

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It's the friends you have not the successes that you are given, that give the world color and make the flowers bloom. They make the long winding road straight. And there is that one friend whom you know was sent to you by God, else they would have checked out long ago. Instead, they held on even tighter, made the sun shine brighter, and put the world back into its orbit. It's because of them that you are who you are today. God sent them on a special day long ago; and we will never let them go. No matter if we live a thousand years without them for they are divinely appointed friends whom we always have in our hearts.

How to Save a Life

Hi!
This was written by my BFFTLEEAD (Best friends for totally like ever even after death) Abby Petree. She is an awesome writer and an amazing person and I am so blessed beyond comprehension to have her in my life. I thank God for her. I love my little sister in all but blood.
May this make you think,
Jen
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*Note: this is based off of How to Save a Life by The Fray
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How To Save A Life*

This is how to save a life    

Wrench the knife out of their hands                  

Wrap your arms around them

Tell them you need them

 Wrench the knife out of their hands

 Fight the tears

Tell them you need them

Say you couldn’t live without them

Fight the tears

Touch their face

Say you couldn’t live without them

Love them

Touch their face

Wrap your arms around them

Love them

This is how to save a life

No Extra Parts

I am a daughter of God. A lamb of the Lamb, and a cub of the Lion. Yet why am I so afraid? Why am I so broken? Why do I feel unloved when I am the sister and co-heir of the One Who a Took My Place?

Why do we live in such a broken world? This is because this is where we are needed. We each are here for a reason. Yet why do we never feel like we are enough?

This world is broken. And sometimes, broken pieces don't always want to admit that they are broken. And then they try to break those who have been fixed. Being a Christian doesn't guarantee an easy life. In fact, it guarantees one that is constantly uncomfortable. But it is always, always full of purpose.

And each purpose is different. And not all the reasons are known. But never forget that you are here for a reason. And we all share one common purpose of living. And that is to be for the glory of Him who is greater than all things.

"I'd imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured, if the entire world was one big machine, I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too." Hugo Cabret, from the movie Hugo

My Life is not Mine Own

Hi!
I'm sorry it's been so long but school has been irritating me with homework. I hope y'all enjoy this!
May this make you think,
Jen
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Staring straight ahead at the King's face, not daring to look away. Never to move, never to back down. Never to shout, never to whisper. Never to get angry, never to get sad. The only thing on her face being a veil of calm.

The King was unnerved by the fact that this was his daughter, twenty years later. Unnerved by her defiance and her tranquility. "Come Daughter, let us make you into the Princess you were always meant to be."

Bowing her head in respect, she followed him. Always ten steps behind him, never speaking unless spoken too. She had all the decorum of a princess, but her walls were high and thick. She wasn't what the people needed.
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This had been five years ago. The Princess of the small nation had shown her true colors as a fierce warrior with a kind heart. A gentle and quiet spirit that was pleasing to all who knew her. Prized by many men, she rejected them all saying, "My life is not my own. When the right man comes for me, I shall know for I will have no doubts about his character."

When the feast of Beltane came, she was shocked by the practices of her country. Extremely pagan and devout to their false gods she knew them to be, but this feast opened her eyes to just how much her country needed a guide. They had strayed so far from the path, and it made her want to weep.

So she started leaving the castle late at night and visiting those in the jail cells accused of crimes they didn't commit. She sat and listened, and offered passages from what the orphans, the widows, the prisoners, the poor, and the needy came to call "The Book".

As her father got more and more ruthless in his hunt to eradicate "magic", she started to stand on the side of the accused. The turning point for the whole kingdom was when she stood in front of her father whom she knew to be too blinded by grief to see the truth, and defied him on behalf of an eight year old blind girl.

"You know that she has not done these things Father, she can't even read, much less a complex book of spells."

"Daughter, this is just a trick to befuddle your mind. Stand down."

"Please Lord," She prayed. "please, don't let this little girl die for something she didn't do." And overcome with love for this scared child and her frightened people, she knew what God wanted her to do. Still, she was frightened.

"Lord please, I don't want to do this. Please take this away from me. If there is any other way for my father to see-". But she knew. There wasn't. And bowing her head in prayer one final time, she stood by her words. "'My life is not mine own.'"

Slowly she walked to her brother and his servant and handed his servant "The Book".  "Please, use this to continue." And the servant nodded, knowing exactly what she had to do, and not liking it one bit.

"I love you Sister." She smiled sadly at his name for her. "I will see you again in heaven." With one last hug, she walked back over and took the little girl's hand.

Squeezing it, she took the same stance she had years ago. "My life," she spoke clearly and slowly to annunciate her words. "My life is not my own. It belongs to God the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. And He has delivered my life into the service of our people. And I can't let you do this to someone so innocent. I can't let you kill innocent people. So pass your sentence, my lord, but your sentence will be upon both of us."

Gasps filled the room.  "You can't mean that, little sister!"

She glared at her brother. "I can and I will. I will not allow another one of my people to be murdered by their own king who is blinded by his own grief. Not while I am alive. And if I die, I die. My life is not my own."

And blinded by grief and rage, he sentenced the girl and his daughter to the pyre. And the nation wept for the loss of their gracious princess. And as the King died, the prince claimed the raids and burnings to be over. And the kingdom of pagan worshippers slowly turned to God. Not all at once, and not everyone, but many of the people did, including the Prince, now King, and his manservant/best friend.

And as the Manservant and Prince-King died in their final battle, they were welcomed home by the little blind girl and their sister. "Welcome home, my brothers."

No Need To Change

Dear My Strong and Courageous Brothers and Sisters in Christ who are struggling with the world's view of you,

You have no need to change who you are. You have not changed who you are because you are still beautiful, strong, and courageous. You have only become more mature, and in a way, even more beautiful inside and out.  I don't see your screw ups, I see you as God sees you: absolutely 100% who you were made to be and absolutely perfect like our Father in heaven. God sees you as His kid; therefore by default you are my family. I see who you are turning into, not your worst day. You are not defined by who you were before Grace got a hold of you and knocked the door down. You are defined in Christ. That is who you are: the child of the Living God, adored, loved, and cherished by Him Who Is Greater Than The World. 

I love you,

Your sister,
Jen

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This is dedicated to my little sister, you know who you are. Thanks for putting up with me for all these years. Love you!

What Do I Do Now?

Hi!
This is dedicated to one of my very best friends and my little sister. Love you sis. 
May this make you think,
Jen
My friend asks me, "So what do I do now?"

And I pause in my texting, and think for a moment. And all of a sudden I am typing with words coming from no where, and I can't stop typing. And I realize that I am not texting my friend. God is. These blogs that seemingly come from no where to help and inspire you are not me speaking to you at all. They are God speaking through me.

So this is my response. "Oh Tanya, my little tigress, God is so great. And once you can let Him take control, the ride is easier to handle. Why does God perform miracles? He gives them to me everyday. We have new mercies every day. I ask God for a purpose, and He gives me one, right here. Right here. My writing skills? To inspire others. He gave me a gift to see into the minds and hearts of others to tell them what they need to hear. Tanya, we have little miracles, that lost book now found, that one paper missing, that man who randomly pays for your English report and walks out right after.* God is right here, in these very words: I am not speaking to you, God is. The words at the tip of my tongue that I thought were for Chase were not, they were for you. He is here, just bask in His love. And you will realize that that is all you need."

"Thanks Jenny."

"I didn't say a word."

And it's true. I did not say a word. God did. Words, thoughts, feelings, insight into people's hearts, that's what I was given.

"Thank you."

"No, I really dont think I was answering you at all, I truly think that God was giving you a miracle, because when you say that, I can't stop the ideas and words and emotions that flow out of me. An unending love that is so deep pours out of me. So in reality, your best friend, is God speaking to you."

And of course, she has to be sarcastic. "Well then thanks God."

I made sure she was just being sarcastic, and then I realized something. "I have never really written stuff like this before and I honestly think it was because I wasn't letting God give me what I needed to say. I was saying no to a gift."

I think she thought it went along with the previous statement so I added on. "I told you. That before when my writing wasn't good and I had nothing to do with my mind, I just let my potential fall. When I finally truly accepted who Christ was, and realized the fact that I get lost, A LOT, I realized that I had been saying "NO!" to a gift from God."

She was quiet for a moment but then asked. "Jen, do you think my writing was a gift from God? I mean I know it's from God but do you think I'm meant to use it how you use it or a different way?"

I had no idea what to say, and in that weak moment, God answered again. "Tanya, I'm gonna come right out and say it. Yes. You are incredibly dramatic, and you have a grasp of emotions much better than I do. So the fact that your writing stirs up emotions, that in itself is making use of what you have been given.

I don't know what you are meant to do. Maybe you are meant to write a play that changes the writing style. I don't know. But I do know one thing, as long as you are walking with Christ, God's plan for your life is going to take off. And it is going to be fantastic.

T, you are a gift from God. Right here, right now. And you wanna know how I know? When you told me that you wanted to be a better Christian, I almost wept for pure joy. Because that was what it was all about."

This was the conclusion of the text messages, but I want to explain the last part before I head off to bed. A little bit ago, she had sent me some texts about the blog entries I had recently posted and the one that made me weep was the one that said it "made me want to be a better Christian".

So I dedicate this to her, and to all those who are struggling to find their purpose. May you all be blessed. And may this make you think,
Jen
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*This actually happened. Each of them did. And to that man, thank you so much. Saved me, he did. 

When I'm Broken

Hey guys!
Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I lost my charger to my iPod which had all my writing on it. I hope this satisfies.
May this make you think,
Jen
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Lyrics belong to The Afters
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I can barely stand right now.
Everything is crashing down,
And I wonder where You are.

I try to find the words to pray.
I don't always know what to say,
But You're the one that can hear my heart.

Even though I don't know what your plan is,
I know You're making beauty from these ashes.

~My knees are week, and my legs tremble,
The earth spins, and shivers make me shudder,
The waves are getting higher,
The air colder,

I never know what to say,
Not even in the brightest day, nor the darkest night,
But in my heart, my voice booms to the heavens,
And it is heard even by the stars

I never know what is in front of me,
And even though I have been burned down to the ground,
You will build me up from the ashes, and make me beautiful
Once again~

I've seen joy and I've seen pain.
On my knees, I call Your name.
Here's my broken hallelujah.

With nothing left to hold onto,
I raise these empty hands to You.
Here's my broken hallelujah.

You know the things that have brought me here.
You know the story of every tear.
‘Cause You've been here from the very start.

~You know what made me who I am,
What lead me to this road,
You know why I cried,
Every single tear~

Even though I don't know what your plan is,
I know You're making beauty from these ashes.

I've seen joy and I've seen pain.
On my knees, I call Your name.
Here's my broken hallelujah.

With nothing left to hold onto,
I raise these empty hands to You.
Here's my broken hallelujah.

When all is taken away, don't let my heart be changed.
Let me always sing Hallelujah
When I feel afraid, don't let my hope be erased
Let me always sing Hallelujah.
Let me always sing Hallelujah.

I will always sing
I will always sing
Here's my broken hallelujah.

~When my hands are grasping
And I am falling through the air
When the ground has given way beneath me
When the world is screaming at me
Yelling "Just let go!"
I will shout to you "This is my broken hallelujah."

When I don't have anything left,
And this world is just making me a mess
Don't let me erase 
The hope that You have given me
Let me always sing
A broken hallelujah~