Music, Books, and Jesus

          I started going to church when I was in fourth grade. In my first Sunday School class, I received my very first Bible – The Adventure Kids Bible. I didn’t know it at the time, but that was where my faith journey began. In a few short months I was baptized and continued to grow in my faith by attending Vacation Bible School in the summer and participating in children’s sermon on Sunday mornings. Now, I look back to my beginning days and see just how much my faith has grown as well as all who helped me be where I am today. As I continue to increase my faith I have discovered a few different methods, specifically in three areas of my life: music, books, and Jesus.

          If you ask me what my favorite songs are, my response would probably be a long list of Casting Crowns, Hillsong United, Skillet, TobyMac, and basically any artist on K-Love. Ever since I started listening to K-Love and Air 1 on the radio my morning routine has been energetic rather than slow moving. By listening to encouraging songs, I discovered a new outlook on life – joy, happiness, love, and faith. Currently, I have 110 songs on my playlist which includes a variety of upbeat and contemporary Christian music. Without music in my life, the faith I have in Jesus would not be the same. I hope you take the 30-Day Challenge listening to only Christian music for 30 days. I promise, it will change your life.

          Reading is a wonderful tool to pass time, in addition it draws the reader into a fairytale, mystery, or horror story. My first Christian book, Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury, came as a suggestion from my mom. Immediately, I fell in love with her stories and still continue to read them when I have the chance. Recently I have read some of C.S. Lewis’ books including Mere Christianity. If you are a book lover like me, I encourage you to find a Christian author that writes in a genre that interests you. Then, take a week to read a few of their books and see how your life changes.

          Jesus – Our Lord and Savior. King of Kings. Lord of Lords. Emmanuel. Honestly, I know that listening to music and reading uplifting stories is a great way to keep me encouraged throughout the week, but without a daily devotional or reading of His Word my week is not complete. Without Jesus, my life would not be worth living.

          My advice: find your passion. Then use your passion to inspire and teach others about the love of Jesus. Due to Casting Crown’s passion of making music, I am inspired daily which in turn I have started this blog to hopefully inspire one of you.

I would love to hear from you on your passions and inspirations. Feel free to comment or email me at biblesandbackpacks3@gmail.com

 

XOXO

 

Ashley

Not Just Small Talk Anymore

            A man by the name of C.S. Lewis, whom I find exceptionally inspiring, once said, “When I have learnt to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now.”

          At first glance it seems shocking and even harsh… loving someone more than your significant other? However, I believe he’s exactly right. Relationships today can seem caught up in silly mind games and attempting to steer clear of commitment, while making an effort to “win” even the most insignificant arguments. Do you truly believe that’s what God has in mind when he tells us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind?” Followed by “love your neighbor as yourself.” It’s no coincidence that God tells us to love himself first, and then love our neighbor. We are called to love God above all else, that’s why it comes first. Then we are commanded to not just love our neighbor, but love him/her as ourselves. (That means love them A LOT).

          So what is love? Love is a “profoundly passionate affection for another.” Did you catch that part in the middle? A passionate affection. Passion, as in a powerful and compelling emotion, and affection as in gentle and caring. Since when did the term “love” get twisted into meaning the above description of trying to “win” and have the upper hand? Since when did love turn into avoiding commitment? The term itself directly implies not just any commitment, but a deep and purposeful one!

          Here’s where I think C.S. Lewis hit the nail right on the head. When you learn to love God and form a relationship with Him, you acquire a whole different perspective on life, friendships, and yes, even love. Believe it or not, the Bible has some great relationship advice. Don’t just take my word for it though, go ahead and check it out for yourself!

          I speak from experience when I say having Christ at the center of your relationship makes ALL the difference. Suddenly it’s not about trying to win, or worrying whether your honey might find someone better when they hit up that party this weekend. It turns into something much, much more meaningful. Small talk turns into deep and purposeful conversation. Worrying fades away and is replaced by complete trust. And putting yourself first turns into wanting what’s best for the other, even when it may not seem to be best for yourself. It’s rather astonishing what can come from trusting in God and letting things fall into place. I’m challenging you to take the wise words of Mr. Lewis and apply them to your life. I think you’ll find the outcome to be utterly extraordinary.

 

 

XOXO

Mary Kate

Songs of the Week

Drops in the Ocean By: Hawk Nelson

When I first began listening to K-Love my faith grew within a few days, more than it ever had in the past. I heard Drops in the Ocean and immediately fell in love with the song! As Hawk Nelson describes the love Jesus has for us it is a constant reminder of His love and the vastness of it. Nelson mentions how God is on our side and will never be against us, meaning not that He will never disagree with our choices, but instead reminding us that He is always looking out for what is best. The amount of "drops" in the ocean is endless, just like God's love for His children. Jesus is the only person who we can fully give our faith in and know that good will come out of it. He reminds us constantly in His Word of His love and grace. Hawk Nelson does a fabulous job of describing the love of Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

On Fire By: Sanctus Real

On Fire is a slower song, very much like a worship song, however the message behind the lyrics is encouraging to all Christians. Being on fire is where you don't care about how you look, but care more about how you are worshiping the Lord. Going to church on Sunday morning was the most exciting moment of the week, whereas we tend to fall into a routine. I personally remember a time when I was so excited to go to church, I would talk about it on Friday night. During the worship songs I would sing my heart out, even if I sounded a little flat. However, in recent weeks, that enthusiasm has declined. My Bible reading is more of a weekly activity rather than a daily one. Although we all have fallen into the routine stage, we have a Savior who is more than willing to help us get out of it.

 

 

I hope y'all take some time to watch the music videos of these songs, I promise that they will encourage and uplift you in some way.

 

XOXO

 

Ashley 

Everyday Angels

Following Easter and the story of the resurrection, I’d like to take the time to give a quick shout out to those lovely beauties we call angels. They did a lot to communicate with Mary and the Disciples during such an emotional time! So here’s to you, angels, keep on doin’ you. Literally translated, the word “angel” means “messenger.” That’s exactly what the angels did-they were messengers, there to communicate the fact that our Christ is risen and there’s no need to cry and mourn.

    Everyone has angels in their lives. In fact, you can probably think of a few people that serve as “messengers” of hope, love, and encouragement in everyday life. Even during our darkest moments, when all hope and positivity seem practically destroyed, our own angels dance their way into our lives and help lift our spirits and encourage us to grow out of the darkness. They’re like fairies, sprinkling pixie dust to eliminate the despair and gloom of our lives. they remind us that there’s a life much greater that awaits us, and that no matter what, the God of the universe loves us. Despite your faults and failures, you are loved. Our own angels may be in and out of our lives for merely a brief moment, or they’ll serve as relationships that last a lifetime. Nevertheless, their impact is substantial. Who are the angels in your life?

XOXO,

 

    Mary Kate

Movie Review: Passion of the Christ

We all know the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and ultimately resurrection, but as children the horrific pictures and videos are hidden from us. This past weekend, as Good Friday approached, my youth group decided to have a movie night. I was warned beforehand about the graphic images and was advised to bring a box of tissues. However, no advice could have prepared me for what I saw. In my head, the crucifixion was a beautiful scene where Jesus gave his life to save us. In reality, it was a gruesome day filled with sorrow and despair.

Until seeing The Passion of the Christ, I never fully understood the pain that Jesus endured, just to save us. Personally, I cried throughout the whole movie. Mostly from the realization that Jesus literally went through worst death possible to save me. I am not perfect in any way, I make a lot of mistakes, and yet He loved me enough to die. It’s hard to wrap my head around sometimes.  Even if you feel like you at rock bottom, don’t forget that your Savior, already defeated the war.

These past six weeks, my church has done a series of sermons regarding the seven words of Jesus on the cross. I never thought about analyzing what He said in much detail because it didn’t seem like there was more than the few words. Throughout the series, I learned that Jesus sent a message of hope and love while He endured the flogging, the beating, the crown of thorns, and the cross. Not once, did He think about Himself, but rather He thought you. He knew that by going through with this pain, He could save all of His children. He bared through all of it, for you.

The Passion of Christ, opened my eyes to see the reality of crucifixion. As the movie drew to a close, I was completely speechless. I had absolutely no words to describe how much I was affected by the movie. I still think about it today and can’t fully explain to you the depth of appreciation I have for my Savior. My relationship with God grew tremendously in two hours, more than it has in a long time.

I challenge you to take two hours this week and watch Passion of the Christ. Warning: You are going to cry, and it’s okay. The movie is VERY graphic, but you need to see it. The crucifixion is sugarcoated in church, because it’s hard to talk about the amount of pain He went through. The Passion of the Christ does not sugarcoat anything. This movie will change your life.

 

XOXO
            Ashley