Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Update: What Jesus is doing in my life!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Co Hostin' Wildcard Wednesday! :)
Welcome to Wildcard Wednesday!
The name of the game is #wildcard
Stakes: A special PRIZE will be up for grabs the last week of each month
Your link ups each week are your entries
Example: If you link up your blog, bloglovin and twitter you will have 3 entries each week
Disclaimer: You MUST be following your hosts in order to win
Winner of the September #wildcard {Won A $20 Giftcard of Choice}:
Rules of the Game:
1. Follow all your hosts
and co-hosts
2. Grab our button for your post so that
others can join in the fun
3. Link up using your Blog URL, Bloglovin' URL & Twitter
4. Visit at least 3 other blogs
5. TWEET about Wildcard Wednesday using #wildcard
Tweet
5. TWEET about Wildcard Wednesday using #wildcard
Tweet
Now make some new friends :)
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Saturday, October 12, 2013
discontentment in my singleness
Hi blog friends! How are the each of you doing? I really am missing this little blog of mine lately. This has been such an exciting season for me in my life, with so many new changes and experiences.
Today however, I didn't come here to talk to you about my teaching experiences so far or anything like that. I came here to talk with you about why I really don't like being single. In fact, I'm completely open to admitting that If I had to choice given to me by God right now, I would be already married with a family. The closer I get to Jesus, the stronger the desire in my heart becomes to be in a relationship. I read an article the other day from a Christian blogger who I could really relate with on her discussion of singleness. She said, "If the myth were true that God only blesses you with a spouse when you learn to be content in your singleness, than I would have never gotten married, because frankly–I was not okay with a lifetime of singleness. I wanted to be married!"
Thats about how I feel right about now in this stage of my life of being single. The funny thing is too that the closer I get to Jesus, the more opposition I face from the enemy through him trying to do anything he can to make me give up on waiting for God's timing to meet my future spouse. I had the hardest time this week with a situation like this. I'm sure many of you Christian ladies can relate. In one of my classes, there is a very very very attractive guy, who happened to already give me his number and wants to start hanging out right away. I absolutely know without a doubt in my heart that God certainly does not want me hanging out with this guy, because He is not a believer & most importantly is not following Jesus. But it's still down right hard to just say no. There is an overwhelming desire in my heart to just give up and start a relationship with this very attractive guy, but I can't. I know its not what God wants me to do.
I have been in similar situations like this before, but this one honestly is the hardest one yet, and I don't know why. Maybe its because I've become the closest I've ever been to Jesus in my life, and the enemy wants nothing more than to lead me astray. Whatever the reason is for this time around being so hard, I know that I can't give up. I have to stay strong, and trust with my whole heart that God has an amazing, Jesus-loving, attractive husband out there waiting to meet a girl like me.
The author of the article I mentioned previously also said a couple other things about being single that I could really relate with. She said:
"It’s okay to struggle through singleness, but it’s not okay to stop living life because of it."
"It’s okay to be discontent through singleness, but it’s not okay to let that discontentedness rob us of our very lives."
These are facts that I know to be true. I know that its okay to struggle with being single and to be discontent through this stage in my life, but I also know that I can't allow my discontentment to keep me from living my life.The struggle through my singleness is normal, but its not normal to allow my struggle to become a stronghold.
So my beautiful friends, do you feel the same way I do right now about being single? Let's not give up, and lets keep pressing forward. God has an amazing plan for our lives beyond our imagination, and I can't wait until the very day until I meet my future husband face to face.
"Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. if one person falls, the other can reach out and help."
Ecclesiastes. 4:9
Love always, Jess
P.S.- For those of you wanting to read the article I referenced throughout this post, click HERE!! I promise you'll be encouraged beyond belief. I was truly blessed through reading this post and many others on her webpage.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Co-Hostin for Wildcard Wednesday!
Welcome to Wildcard Wednesday!
The name of the game is #wildcard
Stakes: A special PRIZE will be up for grabs the last week of each month
Your link ups each week are your entries
Example: If you link up your blog, bloglovin and twitter you will have 3 entries each week
Disclaimer: You MUST be following your hosts in order to win
Winner of the September #wildcard {Won A $20 Giftcard of Choice}:
Rules of the Game:
1. Follow all your hosts
and co-hosts
2. Grab our button for your post so that
others can join in the fun
3. Link up using your Blog URL, Bloglovin' URL & Twitter
4. Visit at least 3 other blogs
5. TWEET about Wildcard Wednesday using #wildcard
Tweet
5. TWEET about Wildcard Wednesday using #wildcard
Tweet
Now make some new friends :)
Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest
Friday, October 4, 2013
Guest post: Tessa Hall from Christ is Write
Hi blog friends! Today I am very excited to welcome new author Tessa Hall from Christ Is Write onto the blog. Tessa contacted me awhile ago about posting on my blog and I am SO happy she did! Jesus's love shines right through this girl. Be sure to check out my guest post HERE on Tessa's blog that I shared recently about how God changed my life! Welcome to my blog Tessa, and please take it away! :)
-Jess
Tessa Emily Hall is a 19-year-old author of Purple Moon, her YA Christian fiction novel to be published September 2013 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She is also the editor over the faith department for Temperance Magazine, a column writer for Whole Magazine, a contributing writer for More To Be, as well as the PR for God of Moses Entertainment. Other than writing, Tessa enjoys acting, music, Starbucks, and her Teacup Shih Tzu—who is named Brewer after a character in her book, as well as her love for coffee.
Website: www.tessaemilyhall.com
Blog: www.christiswrite.blogspot.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/tessaemily Facebook: www.facebook.com/tessa.h16
Q &A with Tessa!
What inspired you to write “Purple
Moon”?
I wanted to write a
character-driven story about a teenager who has fallen way from the
relationship she once had with God after her dad kicked her and her mom out of
the house. In the story, Selena is forced to leave her apartment in NY and stay
with her snobby cousin in Lake Lure, NC while waiting for her mom to get out of
rehab. It was initially inspired by the song “By Your Side” by Tenth Avenue
North, as well as the skit that many churches have performed to the song
“Everything” by Lifehouse.
In
what ways can you relate to your protagonist, Selena?
Even though Selena has
a completely different past and family situation, I did incorporate a little
bit of “me” in her. For example: she’s passionate, a dreamer, an artist,
somewhat of an introvert, has the same style as I do, a romantic, and loves
coffee a little too much. I've also given her some of my flaws. However, when I
wrote “Purple Moon”, I mainly tried crafting Selena in a way that I hoped many
teenagers would be able to relate with—whether they share the same backstory as
she does, possess many of the same qualities, or are experiencing some of the
same struggles that Selena deals with in “Purple Moon”.
When
did you start writing Purple Moon, and how long did it take?
I started writing the
first version of “Purple Moon” when I was fifteen. When I was sixteen, I
completed the first draft and landed a publishing contract with Lighthouse
Publishing of the Carolinas. It’s difficult to pinpoint how long it took to
complete “Purple Moon”—the more I learned about the writing craft, the more I
continued wanting to go back and rewrite the story or add a few changes.
However, I have finally reached a point where I am happy with the story and
can’t wait to get it in the hands of my readers.
What are you working on now?
I just completed my
second book, “Unwritten Melody”, which is going to be a stand-alone novel. As
of now, I am brainstorming and beginning to write the first draft of “Fallen
Leaves”, which will be the second book of the Purple Moon Series and a
continuation of Selena’s journey throughout the next season of her life. I am
also going on a blog tour this fall and will continue to write the teen column
for Whole Magazine.
What do you hope to accomplish in your
writing career?
I hope to never stop
writing, whether or not that includes having my work published or seeing my
name on the best seller list. I hope to never stop encouraging
people—especially teenagers—to follow their dreams. But more than anything, I
hope that my stories will represent the power of God’s unending love and His transforming
grace. That’s my number one goal, my number one reason for wanting to pursue writing
for the rest of my life.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Co-Hostin' for Wildcard Wednesday!
Welcome to Wildcard Wednesday!
The name of the game is #wildcard
Stakes: A special PRIZE will be up for grabs the last week of each month
Your link ups each week are your entries
Example: If you link up your blog, bloglovin and twitter you will have 3 entries each week
Disclaimer: You MUST be following your hosts in order to win
Winner of the September #wildcard {Won A $20 Giftcard of Choice}:
Rules of the Game:
1. Follow all your hosts
and co-hosts
2. Grab our button for your post so that
others can join in the fun
3. Link up using your Blog URL, Bloglovin' URL & Twitter
4. Visit at least 3 other blogs
5. TWEET about Wildcard Wednesday using #wildcard
Tweet
Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest
5. TWEET about Wildcard Wednesday using #wildcard
Tweet
Now make some new friends :)
Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest
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