Be Thankful In All Circumstances

A few weeks ago my little sister was memorizing this verse,

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Since we homeschool together, as in the same room, I couldn't help but over hear her going over her verse several times a week. She has memorized it and now, so have I. 

It wasn't until yesterday that I really thought about the verse and put it into practice. After I had finished reading the Bible last night I came to the computer to blog hop. I found the living room in a disarray. Building blocks were all over the place, storage bins and other miscellaneous toys were scattered on the floor. The evidence of a toddler at play was clear as day... even though it was night time already. I am the type of person who cannot sit down until every little thing is put in the right place, so imagine howI felt at the mess before me! I set out to hastily put things away and midway into the process Genesis' memory verse popped into my mind. 

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

I began to recite the verse until my task was complete and in a jiffy I was finished. I began to mediate on how I am thankful for my little sister. I am thankful for her sweet words and her kind gestures, like when she brings me pretend yogurt during homeschool or gives me a sticker when she thinks I've done my work well. I am thankful for when she tells me she loves me and that I'm the best. 

instagram : kianna_rose

I realized that this is God's will for me right now. He has called me to be a good big sister to a little girl who is just too cute for words. He has called me to help her and watch out for her. He has called me to be her friend and I highly resolve to do and be just that!

I decided that, from yesterday and on, I was going to exercise thankfulness for all of God's blessings, even those in disguise.

Score Thrifty: Washi Tape + Braided Bracelets

I love good deals! Whether I'm shopping around Target or hunting down the perfect find at my local thrift store, my eyes are almost always peeled, looking for something #scorethrifty. Hannah Sandersfeld inspired me to share my #scorethrifty deals and without further ado...

Now the regular price for this washi tape was $2.99. 

It was 70% off at Target and I snagged it for just $0.88! 

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These bracelets are regularly $3.95 each (so for two it's $7.90) at H&M and they were on sale for $1.00 each.

On top of that, there was a BOGO (buy one, get one free) going on and instead of $1.00 each, they were $0.50 each!!! 

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Pinking sheers of a super fun project I have planned... FREE!!!
And I obtained these by "dumpster diving"... don't judge:)

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As soon as I saw this vintage copy of Little Women, I knew I had to have it.

At my local thrift store, books are 90% off the retail price and on half-price Wednesdays they are 

50% off the already low price. This book cost me $0.40! 

I bought this book a while ago...but just had to share:)

I love the frayed cover...

and the brown edges.

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Now these are one of my favorites!!! At Target, a box of 20 striped paper straws sell for $3.00 but they were 90% off making them $0.30!!! Score!!!

Aren't they super, duper cute?!?

I also got a ton of really cute gift bags at Target for $0.09-$-0.18!!! Those bags were on clearance for 90% off. #canigetawootwoot?!? 

What are some of the #scorethrifty things you've scored recently?

18 Inches

Do you know that 18 inches is the distance between you brain and your heart? 18 inches. The length of a ruler and then some. Yeah, I didn't know that either until Thursday service, during the preaching.

That fact I just shared with you may seem to have very little importance but I've discovered that it could radically change the course of your life and where you will spend eternity.

The Bible tells us in Romans 10:9

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

I want to be saved, don't you? This verse, like many others, clearly spells out what we must do to be saved. We must confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts. Why do you think the author says "believe in your heart" instead of "believe in your mind"? Oftentimes, we, as humans can over-rationalize and over-think everything. With our natural eyes, we cannot see God and doubting His existence could take us down a terrible road. Instead, we are called to believe in our hearts by faith. If we believe in our hearts, instead of our minds, we can exercise faith in Jesus and after exercising that faith, it will come naturally to take God's Word for what it is: truth!

I want to encourage you: believe in your heart. Don't let doubt cloud what you know is true about God's Word. Don't let the length between your over-annalyzing mind and your believing, faith-filled heart disqualify you for the prize which is eternal life in heaven with your Heavenly Father!

Book Review: Unbreakable

About The Book:

Gentle and unassuming, Hope Kauffman has never been one to question the traditions of her Mennonite upbringing. She quietly helps her father run Kingdom Quilts and has agreed to the betrothal he arranged for her with the devout but shy Ebbie Miller.

Despite the attempts of Hope and other Kingdom residents to maintain the status quo, changes have already begun to stir in the small Mennonite town. The handsome and charismatic Jonathon Wiese is the leader of the move to reform, while Ebbie insists Kingdom must remain true to its foundation. When Hope's safety is threatened by a mysterious outsider, she can't help but question what she's always been taught about the Mennonite tradition of nonviolence.

As it swiftly becomes apparent the threat Hope faced is only the beginning, the town that's always stood so strong finds itself divided. With tensions high and their lives endangered by an unknown enemy, will Hope and the people of Kingdom allow fear and division to break them or will they draw on the strength of the God they serve?

My Review:

Allow me to begin this review by stating that Unbreakable was such a joy to read! Its flow, characters, suspense and romance challenged that of it's prequel Inescapable and in my opinion surpassed it completely.

Nancy Mehl did a phenomenal job weaving the Mennonite code of nonviolence into this book. She presented both sides of the argument and with characters who exercise "trusting in God" in different ways, I enjoyed looking at the debate from two distinct points of view.

I was also pleased at the level of spirituality I found when reading Unbreakable. It shows how truly devoted some people are to their faith, despite the fact that the world around them is changing. Each member of the community is bent on doing exactly what God wills them to do and I found such a demonstration of complete surrender to Him encouraging. Another encouraging aspect of the book was an illustration of the biblical call to "turn the other cheek." Doing so shows humility and full dependence on the Lord. Can I get an amen?!

The characters in this book were appealing, relatable, and intriguing. I felt that I could relate to Hope's indecisive spurts, not in the aspect of choosing a husband but when it comes time to make difficult decisions for myself. Ebbie Miller is one of my all-time favorite characters! Though I imagine him to be slightly nerd-ish and nasal, his character and personality reflect that of Christ. I was touched by Eddie's unconditional and unwavering love for Hope. 

In my experience, stories told in the first person point of view are sometimes more difficult to read, as I discovered when reading Inescapable. But, the first person writing here didn't hinder my reading experience; I think it improved it in allowing me to go "inside" of Hope's mind and understand her thoughts and actions

I give Unbreakable 5 out of 5 stars! The suspense was gratifying and constantly leaving me "over the edge." It kept me guessing and at times holding my breath. This is a story that will keep you turning pages until the end and leave you wanting for more! Characters with heart, soul, and relatable flaws allow the reader to connect. And who couldn't love the little town of Kingdom or the poor dog who immediately grabs your heart?

I received this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my unbiased, honest review.