Trust in God!

Last night I had a strange dream. It was a scary yet interesting dream. The dream was in a post
apocalyptic, world ending setting (kinda like the novels, The Hunger Games and Divergent. One scene I remember so vibrantly was when my family and I were in an large office like building. We were surrounded my people who were dressed in navy blue prison scrubs. All of us were separated into 4 lines. In front of us there was a stage and on the stage were 4 yellow horizontal lines. There were workers were giving the prisoners papers about their future/present occupation. When the worker gives the prisoner their paperwork, they have to determine whether is accurate or not. If the person gets it right then they go to heaven and if they get it wrong then unfortunately, they go to hell. It felt like an EXTREMELY stressful test, because paperwork was the main point on where you spent your eternity! I know this was a very strange. But if you keep reading then you will eventually find out where I am going with this. Ahem...*clears throat because this a long weird story*. My grandma was also in my dream which was strange, but anyway she was the first person of the family to cross the yellow line and transcend into heaven. After that other people were either transcending up or going down. Soon I became afraid because I was doubting my decision. The rest of my family were quick to choose their correct papers and I was the only one left. I remember trembling and crying because I didn't trust my instincts. Then a Bible verse came to my heart which is "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding." (Proverbs 3:5) Suddenly,I realized that I needed to trust in the Lord and not my own insticits. After I understood that I soon chose the right paper and transcend up in heaven. That's the end of my dream because my mom woke me up, LOL! I think God gave me a message through my dream, that I needed to trust in him. Then I will be on the right path.

*I challenge to talk and pray to God about your trust relationship with him!*

Have you ever had a dream with a message? If so, please share it in the comments! (only if you want to though) 

I will soon post pictures from my trip. Thank you all for being so patient!

-Gracelyn Lives

Family Matters

Family is very important. Right? This question is very powerful that is why I decided to dig a little deeper on the concept of family to shift our thinking in a more contrastive view. I interviewed different family members about this profound topic and heard some interesting answers. Read below and maybe it will shift your thinking:

Question 1
What is the meaning of family?

Dad: "It is an organic unit consisting a husband, wife and children that loves, shares, corrects,  rebukes, encourages, and combines together to spread God's kingdom on the earth."

Mom: "Family is being loyal, treating others with respect, and will not do anything to cause harm. Family is the representation of love. When you love someone you want to help them not harm them"

Grandma: "Family means so much to mean; words cannot express. Families show love and support one another no matter what the differences are."

Me: "The meaning of family to me is a personal, emotional, and spiritual pact that God has chosen for us."

Sister: "Family isn't just bloodline, but the people that you love and have a spirit connection. Or your family in Christ".

Brother: "I think family means hope and love."


Question 2
Why do you love your family?

Dad: "I love my family because God gave me one in spite of me, my past, my failures, and saw me and my potential to help raise and nurture the next generation."

Mom: "I was created to love. The Lord put love in my heart. It was a simple choice."

Grandma: "I love my family because God is love! God gave me love for my family."

Me: "I love my family because they support me and more importantly introduced me to Jesus Christ."

Sister: "I love my family because I know that they will always be there for me and have my back. They will always support me through thick and thin."

Brother: "I love them because we protect each other a lot. I have great parents and sisters. They love me for me."


Question 3
How has your family made you the person you are today?

Dad: "My family was my biggest supporter, encourager, and motivator for excellence and to life a godly life."

Mom: "They played a part in every area of my life. My family influenced my decisions. I do things based on my life for my children."

Grandma: "The Lord made me who I am today! My family also supported me."

Me: My family has introduced me to Jesus Christ, given me values, and pushed me to do my absolute best."

Sister: "They raised me with their values and they taught me lessons through what they have experience in the past."

Brother: "My family has made me the person I am because they showed me love, took care of me, and helped me."


Question (more like a statement) 4
Describe one fond memory you had with your family.

Dad: "Here is one good memory: My family and I traveled to Tennessee and stayed in a beautiful log cabin. When we drove back home we unexpectedly took a different route on the Smokies Mountains and stopped, took some pictures, play with the snow, and just enjoyed each others company."

Mom: "When my family and I took an adventurous road trip from South Corolina all the way to Washington D.C." 

Grandma: "Just going to church with my family and the beach were great memories. Also visitng friends and relatives were also fun."

Me: "One memory I remember was when: My family and I would be on a road trip at night and mostly everyone was asleep except me and my father. Gospel music would play softly in the background and for some reason I would feel close with my family, warm, cozy, and safe from the mayhem of the outside world."

Sister: "I remember when we got our first dog, Princess, and we played with her in the living room. That was really fun!"

Brother: "I remember a memory when my sisters and were little and our parents were playing with us in the family room."


*Now that you read some intriguing answers and descriptions. I challenge you to answer these questions yourself and even maybe interview your family members like I did.*

I learned some key points like....

1. everyone can benefit from having a family
2. everyone has fond memories from their family
3. most everyone has experienced love from a family member
4. God gave us families for a reason
5. everyone wants and needs a family
5. family is VERY important

-Gracelyn Lives

How to Ditch the Cliques

Yesterday I just got back home from an 11 hour flight from Athens, Greece to Frankfurt, Germany then to Atlanta, Georgia. Tomorrow I will write about all the stuff that happened in Italy, then the next day Greece. Anyway, the trip was fun and I learned a lot of interesting things during the past 10 days. But I will tell (actually write) about that topic later. I have never been out of the country, or an airplane before, and been on a trip that long. This trip really opened up my eyes and I feel more well rounded. My mother and I went to Greece and Italy with my school, Georgia Cyber Academy and EF (Education First) tours took care of everything. It was an really awesome trip because we had such an amazing experience and tour guide. Other students and teachers also went on the trip, since all of the kids (and me)  goes to a cyber school (a public school but on the internet) we haven't seen anyone in person, so we actually "met" everyone at the airport. At first I was a little nervous because I did not know any of the students and my roommates who I would be sharing a hotel room for the next 10 days. Thankfully, I got great room mates. Some students went on the trip by themselves and they did not know anyone personally.
I like to study people and their behaviors, so I definitely noticed the characteristics of my classmates. At first everyone was shy and nervous which is reasonable because we did not know anyone. But soon people started meeting others and everyone was friendly. After the 2nd or 3rd day, we all got adjusted to our environment, surroundings, and people. But during this trip I learn how cliques/groups are started because unfortunately, I was in it. Ahem... *sighs* (because this is a hefty explanation). Initially, everyone was nice to each other felt included and important. But when we got used to everyone cliques began to form. In my opinion, cliques are formed behind the scenes and the key ingredients are judgement and gossip. Here's a deeper explanation:

When Person A dislikes or judges Person B's actions or behavior, Person A can talk about how he doesn't like Person B to Person C which causes gossip. Gossip always leads to separation and judgement leads to a wrong perspective of the person's view point. Both ingredients lead to cliques. 

When a person talks bad about someone and judges them, often the person will choose not to be around them and stay with people they like. Orignially, I thought that cliques just happened and they couldn't be controlled but I learned how they are created during this trip. The kids started judging others and talking about them to their friends which caused them to separated. In the beginning our bond was strong but later on in the trip the bond became weaker. I think their is a connection with elementary school and middle school. Everyone is friends or colleagues with each other in elementary but cliques begin to for in middle school. Maybe younger children did not have a full understanding of judgement, but I am going to move on so I can get to the point. Before I said I was apart of the whole mess and I was. At first I communicated to everyone because I accepted everyone, but soon I saw their behaviors in a different light. Suddenly, I did not want to be around them anymore because I judged their actions and behaviors which caused my relationship with them to weaken. Unintentionally, I began to reject the person. Rejection is like a karma. If you show some rejection to a person they will probably try to reject you all together first because they do not want to be hurt. I didn't understand why others where rejecting me but then I realized that I showed some rejection to them first.
Fortunately, my mother and God taught me how to solve this problem. Drum roll please!!! Which is..... To love others the way they are and pray for them instead of judge! One morning I was in a sour mood because I saw something I did not like from a friend. My mom told me that I had to release the anger because it really wasn't worth it. I can't control people's actions and I cannot be moved by their decisions. In fact, Jesus already knew that Judas was going to reject and betray him but he still showed him love in spite of Judas' wrong doings. I believe that if everyone loved the person for who they are and not their actions and prayed for them instead of judge them. Then it will be easier to ditch the cliques and soon more people's self esteem and confidence can be lifted up. Since most people wants to be loved and be cherished, this method is possible because it can benefit everyone. I am extremely thankful that I learned this lesson because I can prevent rejections towards others and my self.

*I challenge you to write down 5 good qualities about a person dislike and try to view them as person God created them to be but not their actions* 


(Look forward to tomorrow and Monday because I will be showing pictures and videos from my trip)

-Gracelyn Lives

Being Thankful

Yesterday during morning devotion, my mother inquired us to think of things we were thankful for. I realized that I had a lot of things to be thankful for. After we all shared our thoughts, I felt more appreciative of what the Heavenly Father has given me. Here is my list:

WHAT I AM THANKFUL FOR:                                                  

1. Having a personal relationship w/ God2. Jesus died on the cross for me
3. My family
4. My friends
5. My pets
6. Having a home
7. The ability to get an education
8. Having dreams and goals
9. Food
10. Clothes
11. Traveling
12. My name
13. My mentors
14. Having my own room                                                                
15. This blog
16. Nail Polish                           
17. Dual Enrollment
18. Books
19. Freedom of Speech
20. Fresh Drinking Water

There are more things I can add to this list, but these are the top 20. The more I write down the more grateful I feel. I am so blessed to have these things. My mother told us (me and my siblings) that if we are sad think of the things we are thankful for and remember to praise God for them. Also I am trying to give more thanks to the Lord because I want to stay humble.

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV

*I challenge you to write down all the things you are thankful for and the praise God!*

-Gracelyn Lives

#HelpGraceGet2Greece please check out my website: http://gracelyn47.wix.com/greeceitalytrip  or donate to my school website: https://personal.eftours.com/secure/make-donation.aspx?poid=DBE569FD&utm_medium=web&utm_source=paxsecure&utm_campaign=fundraising

 Also, please donate so I can go to Greece and Italy this month. My goal is to get 10 people to donate $10 by June 14th! Will you please donate?

Perseverance = Patience

In four more days my mother and I will be getting on a 11 hour flight to Rome, Italy. I am so excited and extremely grateful that the Heavenly Father allowed this amazing opportunity to happen for us. This was always a dream, but I never thought it could come into reality. That was until I learned that perseverance = patience. This obstacle was not easy, and it much harder than it looked. You are probably wondering : Where is Gracelyn going with this? Just keeping reading and I will explain (well write it actually LOL!) Ahem... my mother and I heard about this awesome experience in a kmail (email for my school) and we realized that this could be an amazing adventure. I remember setting the idea aside in my brain thinking: It would be so cool to go to Greece and Italy! But can it really happen?. I soon started to doubt the whole idea and move on. But then when I went to the movie theather with my mom she got an email from the people who told us about the trip. Soon we prayed asking God to do his will silently while the movie was about to start. My mother whispered to me "Remember we can do all things through Christ because he gave us strength (Philippians 4:13)." After she gave me that prophetic message I soon removed all the doubt from my heart and started working towards the goal.
This is how I understood that perseverance = patience. But before I explain let's read the their definitions. Perseverance means steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success and patience means to wait without getting discouraged or upset. Okay now let's move on. It took a lot of perseverance to fund raise for our trip. Honestly, I do not like asking others for money so frequently I wanted to just quit. But my mother and God kept pushing me and reminded me about the goal. We signed up for this opportunity about 9 months ago and it took a whole lot of patience. Perseverance takes patience because you have to wait AND keeping working towards the goal. My mother and I had to raise the money, but also wait. Here is an brief example:

Kendra wants new Ugg boots but they cost $200 and she's broke. She is determined to reach her goal, so she starts a babysitting business and charges $10 an hour. She can only work on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings so it will take a little longer to conquer the obstacle, but Kendra has patience and is willing to wait to get the shoes. Often she would get tempted to spend her money on other things but fortunately she kept her eye on the prize. By the next month, Kendra had enough money to buy the boots! 

Meaningful Questions:
How did Kendra buy the shoes?
Did Kendra give up even though the goal looked too difficult?
Did Kendra get distracted because the goal looked too far away?

Once I personally answered those questions I realized that perseveance and patience went together. Because you need perseverance to not give up and you need patience to not get distracted! I know now that I have to work to conquer the obstacle but I also have to wait for it!

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

2 Chronicles 15:7 NIV

*I challenge you to choose a goal, work for it, and wait for it!*

-Gracelyn Lives

#HelpGraceGet2Greece please check out my website: http://gracelyn47.wix.com/greeceitalytrip  or donate to my school website: https://personal.eftours.com/secure/make-donation.aspx?poid=DBE569FD&utm_medium=web&utm_source=paxsecure&utm_campaign=fundraising

 Also, please donate so I can go to Greece and Italy this month. My goal is to get 10 people to donate $10 by June 14th! Will you please donate?

Do Something!

Last weekend my sister and I attended a girls retreat called Women Of Virtue Empowered Now (W.O.V.E.N). We signed up to help with their play. Anyway, the play was about young girl seeks the approval of her friends and wants so desperately to fit in. But when she and her friends encounter a homeless a woman on the street, she faces a dilemma. Though pricked in her heart by compassion, she struggles to decide whether she should act on that compassion at the risk popularity among her friends. In the end the girl, does the right thing and helps the homeless lady. She did not let her friends talk her out of helping the homeless woman. Grace did not wait for someone else to do something she did it herself. When I was younger I thought that I had to be an adult to do the right thing. But in 1 Timothy 4:12 it states this, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” In other words, kids and teens can set an example even if they are young.

This is why my sister and I created Teens Help Other People Inc. (TeenHop). We believe that teens (and younger kids) can help make a difference in their community. Let me explain what TeenHop really is. TeenHop is an nonprofit organization that allows teens to volunteer in their community. Our organization was created in 2012 because we wanted to volunteer at an elderly shelter with our

friends. After that experience we had a great time and learned a very valuable lesson that helping others makes us happy and the people we serve happy. Soon my sister and I wanted everyone to experience what it felt to help others so we created TeenHop. We also noticed that some kids our age aren’t really focusing on others and making the world a better place. If you want to learn more about our organization check out our website: www.teenhop.com. Anyway, I am trying to say that anyone can make difference and that I need to stop waiting for someone to fix the problem and just do it myself. That is what Teens Help Other People Inc. is all about. 

*I challenge you to stand up for what is right and do something when a person needs help!*

-Gracelyn Lives

#HelpGraceGet2Greece please check out my website: http://gracelyn47.wix.com/greeceitalytrip  or donate to my school website: https://personal.eftours.com/secure/make-donation.aspx?poid=DBE569FD&utm_medium=web&utm_source=paxsecure&utm_campaign=fundraising

 Also, please donate so I can go to Greece and Italy this month. My goal is to get 10 people to donate $10 by June 14th! Will you please donate?

Offering MY Best!

Yesterday I posted a one of my old research papers because I believed that I didn’t have any good topics to write about and I thought that writing new post everyday was exhausting. I knew that the work really wasn’t my best, but I wanted to just get it over with so I could go to the pool with my friends. The next morning my mother asked me what my new post on my blog was about. I told her that I couldn’t think of any new ideas and just went into my flash drive and found an old research paper. Honestly, I thought that the plan was brilliant, but my mother was very disappointed in me because I didn’t give it my all. At first, I didn’t understand why she was upset with me, but then I remember the story about Cain and Abel. Both brothers were supposed to give an offering to God but only Abel did his best. Cain did just enough and God was disappointed in him. I acted liked Cain yesterday because I did just enough to say I did, but I did not put my whole heart in it. Also, I believe God wants us to apply our best in everything we do because we represent him. So for now on I will push myself to do my absolute best because that is what the Heavenly Father expects. For example, instead of doing just enough when it comes to cleaning, for now I will give 100%! I want to be accepted by God when I give my offering just like Abel. I am grateful that my mother confronted me because this saved me from commotion in the future.

*I challenge you to do your best in everything because God expects it from you!*

-Gracelyn Lives

#HelpGraceGet2Greece please check out my website: http://gracelyn47.wix.com/greeceitalytrip  or donate to my school website: https://personal.eftours.com/secure/make-donation.aspx?poid=DBE569FD&utm_medium=web&utm_source=paxsecure&utm_campaign=fundraising

 Also, please donate so I can go to Greece and Italy this month. My goal is to get 10 people to donate $10 by June 14th! Will you please donate?