101 Posts {A Giveaway!} CLOSED

Guess what?!

This is my 101 post on my blog!

Since I have reached 101 posts, I decided to host a giveaway! How does that sound?

What am I giving away this time?

The new book, Jesus > Religion by Jefferson Bethke along with a $5 Starbucks card!

For those of you unfamiliar with Jeff, he is the mastermind behind the viral video Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus. In the video, he basically compares religion versus following Jesus. 

A few months after he debuted his video, he began writing the book Jesus > Religion. He turned his 4-minute Youtube video into 200 pages worth of information explaining how following Jesus is greater than practicing a religion.

I had the opportunity to read the book before it was released and loved it! Below are a couple of my favorite quotes from the book.

“That’s the truth with God’s grace. It’s not that we are holding on tight in hopes to not be seduced by our old life and sin, but rather it’s that God’s grace is so sweet and precious it compels us to stay with it. Grace is better music than sin.”

Did you catch that? "Grace is better music than sin." 

Grace meets us where we are and takes us in just as we are. Because of that truth, we should be compelled to stay with Grace and not fall back into sin. 

"No matter how we come to Jesus—whether we are coming to him for the first time or finding our way back to him after faking it, or even if we have tried to be righteous by adding our own rules to the Bible—we are all in need of his grace and truth."

Honestly, that is just a taste of the many truths talked about in the book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has questions about following Jesus or who wants to know more about the Jesus they follow!

Currently, you can order the book from Amazon or you can find it at your local bookstore! Right now, if you buy the book from Target, you can score some pretty sweet swag! {Details here.}

If you would like to win Jeff's book via the blog, here are the ways you can enter...

How to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Comment below and let me know where you like to read a book! (Mandatory Entry)

2. Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest. (Leave a separate comment for each entry.)

3. Follow my blog. (Leave a separate comment.)

4. Tweet, Facebook, or blog about the giveaway. (Leave a separate comment with a link to the tweet/post for each entry.)


Giveaway Rules: 

1. Must be a U.S. Citizen

2. Must complete the mandatory entry.

3. Giveaway will close on November 13th at 11:59pm CST.

{Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated to write this post. However, I did receive a book to review and one to giveaway to my readers. All my opinions are my own. I love Jesus. }

Relationships with Guys {Part 3}

Are you ready for the final part in this series on Relationships with Guys? I know you have all been anxiously awaiting for this one!

As we move into the last point, let's not forget that making Jesus #1 in your life and having girlfriends is just as important. Honestly, the first 2 points are good and should be practiced in addition to the third point.

So, are you ready?

Let's do it.

* * * * * * *

3. Let them be Guys.

I don't know if you have ever seen this video from Blimey Cow, but I encourage you to watch it before you read any further.



Did you catch #2?

Give Him Some Space. 

That can also translate to Respect His Life.

* * * * * * *

We, as girls, have a tendency to talk. A lot.

I know I love to talk. And on top of loving to talk, I really love having deep conversations with people.

While talking isn't necessarily a bad thing, it can be if you talk to much.

Proverbs tells us that "where words are many, sin is not absent."

As a result, we have to be careful in how much we talk and what we talk about.

So, how does this apply to guy relationships?

Take a minute and evaluate how much time you spend talking to guys and what you talk about with them.

I know for me, I realized I didn't have strong enough boundaries when it came to talking with guys.

I began to reevaluate my conversations and interactions with the guys in my life.

I remember asking the question, "How can I allow the guys in my life to be the initiators? How can I allow them to be the guys that God has created them to be?" 

The LORD brought a few things to mind and, as a result, I have created guidelines that have helped me in my guy relationships.

{Disclaimer: I don't believe this is right for everyone and I have made a few exceptions. I believe the LORD convicts us in different ways so, it's totally up to Him and not me to tell you what you need to do.}

{a.} I don't text, call, or talk with a guy every single day.

I just don't.

It's so simple.

Okay, maybe not that simple. It was a struggle for me when I first created the rule.

But, I just told myself that it's okay if we didn't talk everyday. I mean, if we did that all the time, what would we have left to talk about? 

I would guess mindless things or maybe we would share too much of our hearts. 

Truth be told, there are times when I will go 2-3 months without talking to a guy and it's perfectly fine. 

And it's even better because then we have more to talk about when we do have a conversation.

And quite frankly, I think I have the best guy friendships because of that decision I made 3 and half years ago.

{b.} I don't friend request guys on Facebook, start a casual conversation with them on social media or text them first.

Friend requests on Facebook and letting them start the conversations are a great way for me to allow the guys in my life to be the initiators that they were created to be. 

I read a quote from Leslie Ludy's book Answering the Guy Questions that basically sums up my belief on this decision.  

"Taking the initiative with a guy, even in the friendship stage, can be dangerous. God designed men to be leaders, the initiators, and the pursuers in male/female relationships. If God desires the friendship to happen, He is perfectly capable of moving on the guy's heart to take the first step and reach out to you."

That doesn't mean I never talk to him, I just give him some space. Like Jordan, from Messy Mondays, is talking about in the video. 

If I do start a conversation with a guy, it's usually about a particular subject – school, theology, an event, or maybe a technical problem. This allows for the conversation to be a guided conversation and not a, "I-don't-really-know-where-I'm-going-with-this-conversation-but-I-just-wanted-an-excuse-to-talk-with-you." 

Does that make sense? 

If not, let me know in the comments or message me and I will try to clear things up for you!

* * * * * * *

So, for this week's challenge, I would encourage you to ask the LORD how you can let the guys in your life be the initiators they were created to be!

It might be something completely different than mine and that's okay!

I promise, if you ask the LORD, you will not be disappointed. 

Relationships with Guys {Part 2}

So, last week we talked about how making Jesus #1 in your life will help you in other areas of your life – especially guy friendships!

This week, we're going to talk about one of my favorite things to do - Making friends!

Making girlfriends, that is.

2. Create a group of Girlfriends.

I cannot stress enough about the importance of having girlfriends.

You need girls in your life that will build you up, encourage you in your walk with Christ, and will call you out if you're headed down the wrong path.

I love this quote from a book titled, Every Teen Girl's Little Pink Book on Girlfriends.

"Time passes. Life happens. Distance separates. Children grow up. Jobs come and go.
 Parents die. Colleagues forget favors. Careers end. 

But...

Girlfriends are there, no matter how much time and how many miles between you. 

A girlfriend is never farther away than needing her can reach. 

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, your girlfriends will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. 

Sometimes they will even break the rules and walk beside you–or come in and carry you out." 

{Author Unknown.}

Guy friends can't offer you the same support girlfriends can give you. 

That's why having girlfriends is so important - they can speak your language.

Girlfriends understand what you're walking through as they can identify with the emotions that you're feeling.

– They will give you advice that points to Christ.

– They will help you fight a battle you are currently facing.

– They will encourage you to do greater things for the glory of God.

– They will lovingly steer you in the right direction when you're headed towards destruction.


Guy friends can't understand you.

Why?

Because guys don't have a female mind. And, as a result, they feel awkward.

Yes, the guys in your life will try to help you. But, honestly, it's just not appropriate to pour your heart out to a guy who is only your friend.

Think about it.

Would you want your guy friend sharing his heart with you? Or would you want him sharing it with his guy friends?

I would want my guy friends to share their hearts with the guys God has placed in their life, not me.

You can still have meaningful conversations with guys, but just not as deep as when you're talking to your girlfriends.

My challenge to you this week is to look for ways to encourage & cultivate friendships with the girls God has placed in your life!

And, if you are having trouble finding God-honoring girlfriends, ask the LORD to bring girls into your life that honor Him and encourage you in your walk with Christ!

He is more than willing to answer that prayer!

* * * * * *

Do you currently have girlfriends in your life? If so, how do they encourage you? How do you encourage them?

I'll be back next week for the last installment in this series! {Part 3}


{Side Note: I HIGHLY recommend that book I quoted from earlier in the post. It's so helpful as it teaches not only how to make girlfriends, but how to be a good girlfriend.}