The Bible Challenge: "But When YOU Pray"...

We live in a very broken world. Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but on Sunday I had LifeGroups and I get most of my blogging done at night, on Monday I was tired, on Tuesday I was tired and had History class, and today, I was at the Cleveland Clinic.

It's been busy. Back to my point:

We live in a world where there are thousands of poor people in the ghetto and living in cars. I know what the ghetto must be like, (ever been downtown anywhere?) although I've never exactly LIVED in my car. I'm a very fortunate child, unless you count the V.A. as a bad luck charm.

At the clinic today, there was a lady in a wheelchair, and she was [obviously] in deep thought. On her way to the computer, when she could've been in a HORRIBLE mood, (actually, she really wasn't in the BEST mood) she said 'hi'. Very nice.

Poor (not really, I mean, she's at the Cleveland Clinic!) lady, in a wheelchair with MS. So, what can a 5'8", seventh grade, Christian-living, ELEVEN-year-old do? Well, I can pray.

I'm just a volleyball-player. Just a gymnast. Just a girl. But every PERSON is unique. I, am VERY unique. I LOVE $95 perfumes, (Coco Chanel oil perfume... yeah, it's my mom's... SHH!) I love to strut the sweatpants, I can't get enough of rue21, I'm taller than 100% percent of the girls my age that have been to the WP hospital, yet I still shop at Justice.

What can I do with my uniqueness? It usually builds a talent. My talents:

-I like---love---to SING!
-I can write, the best thing I'm good at.
-I can sew my own top.
-I can make you LAUGH!
-I'm weird. (But that's good!)

So, I'm one girl. But, I can pray, but wait!

Matthew 6:1-4, 6
Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from Your Father in Heaven.
So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in FULL. But when YOU give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you... When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen.

This reminds me of TWO songs:
-"Secrets"-onerepublic
-"Bugler's Dream/Olympic Anthem"-Some kind of Philharmonic

You don't have to not let other people see you pray, but just don't make a huge deal like "I'm gonna speak in tongues as loud as I can so that everyone will think I'm a great person". Tongues come from the Holy Spirit, so I really hope no one starts speaking French for no reason.

It reminds me of "Secrets" because it says:

"I'm gonna give ALL MY SECRETS AWAY..."

I honestly LOVE that song. Especially the cello and violin and "...got no shame, got no family I can blame..." I LOVE ONEREPUBLIC!!!!

It reminds me of "Bugler's Dream" because it says don't announce it with trumpets and well... the anthem IS trumpets.

("Secrets" is not on the playlist due to it not being Christian. The Olympic song is the last song on the Mixpod.)

So, when you pray, (we're having a prayer challenge soon! It'll be seventy days of prayer.) go in your room and don't make it--- just make it discreet.

So:
-Walk in your room
-Close the door
-Grab your Bible
-Read
-Praise God
-Admit sins
-Request
-Thank him (aka doing your P.A.R.T.)

Not so hard! Just pray! No need to lie to yourself, no need to keep secrets from yourself. I was listening to "The River" (Only in Columbus!) and this song came on like this:

He was pierced for our transgressions
He was crushed for our sin
The punishment that brought us peace
Was upon him.
And by his wounds,
By his wounds,
We are healed.

As long as you remember that Jesus died for us, popularity isn't the big deal that much! And, people don't have to think you're amazing right now, they just need to know you're living your best life. We're all equal in Heaven, so what people think? Not so much of a big deal.

"What can wash away my sin? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS."