Tis' the Season for CHANGE

Christmas is in a few days. I absolutely love Christmas: a time for laughing, family, good food, rest, and just happiness. I have a hard time coming to the realization, though, that in America, it becomes more of Stuffmas, Materialmas, Giftmas, things of that sort. It makes me so angry sometimes how we as lambs belonging to the shepherd forget the shepherd and just stray away to go our own way, I do this all the time. We forget the TRUE meaning of Christmas. I know we as Christians are constantly reminded of how Christmas isn't about the gifts, but about the giving and OUR SAVIOR'S BIRTH, but do we really listen? I feel like sometimes it goes in one ear and out the other. This season, I have had a passion to be a blessing to others. The Lord is turning my thoughts away form stuff, and toward Him. I am figuring out that true blessings COME FROM BLESSING OTHERS. We are all called to bless one another, to let the blessings God gives us flow through us to someone else. I'm not saying that receiving a gift on Christmas is a sin, all I am saying is that it is so much more of a blessing TO GIVE TO THOSE IN NEED THAN TO RECEIVE. My mom and I recently went shopping for two angel tree Christmas children. We picked two little girls and gave them a Christmas. It only took JUST A COUPLE OF HOURS to give two little girls a Christmas. I had such a feeling of joy when we were finished. Believe me when I say that I know funds are tight in some families, but taking away from yourself to give to others is a true gift, the best gift of all in my opinion. So this Christmas, think about how the SAVIOR OF MANKIND came into the world, and that is the reason for the season.
"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21)
Blessings,
Abbie

Getting Started

Hi, I'm Abbie Whitehurst. This blog is so me and my "co-writer" Kendall Luna can share our thoughts about America, how were blessed, how others aren't, and how we as teenagers can TAKE ACTION to essentially CHANGE THE WORLD with the strength of our Lord, Jesus Christ, wait rewind, CHANGE THE WORLD? yes, that's exactly what you just read. Just because we are high schoolers doesn't mean we can't do something. I find myself sitting here, thinking about my blessings: family, friends, school, athletic abilities, home, car, and so on and so forth. Lately, I have been utterly repulsed at the materialism I see in the world around me. Of course it's inevitable, and of course people choose to ignore it but WHY? I don't fully have an answer for that one. All I know, is that I have a Savior that has redeemed me FROM MYSELF."For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life"(John 3:16). Without Him, I am nothing. He is the reason for my life. I am here to serve Him. His name? Jesus Christ. He is longing for a deep relationship with you. Now that you've read this, you are probably thinking...psshh...this 14 year old girl...change the world? PA-LEASE. But really? If you could end world hunger, would you? If you could give clean drinking water to those in need, would you? If you could provide shelter to the homeless, would you? If you could end the orphan crisis, would you? Those four questions are God's questions. He's calling out to us saying: "My good and faithful servant, I need you to help". We are put on this earth to serve HIM, to praise HIM, to glorify HIM through our actions. We are His servants. We are His pride. So today, I encourage you to take a step back and ponder your blessings. Think about all you're blessed with, and how you can be a blessing to others by just taking the first step and saying: " Jesus, SEND ME, I am willing to go where you call me, LEAD ME"."Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."(Matthew 25:40)
Blessings,
Abbie