Happy Birthday, Jane Austen!

Yep, that's right, the world was blessed by the birth of Jane Austen on December 16th, 1775!

Are you a fan of Jane Austen novels? Here's 3 fun facts about my love of Austen:

#1 - Before I was old enough to read Austen, I was watching the film-adaptations of her novels. My favorite was the 6-hour long version of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth; my family would watch 1-hour a night together :)

#2 - My favorite Jane Austen novel is sort of a tie between Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park, with Northanger Abbey in a slight lead. These are less-known novels by her, but they are both so amazing! Northanger Abbey makes me laugh so hard, which is something you don't always find in these romantic fictions. I relate in different ways with the different characters, which makes these books a joy to read.

#3 - This past summer, I had the most fun watching Jane Austen's work come to life in modern-times on Youtube! The Lizzie Bennett Diaries are such an amazing creation, and right now you can also watch Emma Approved on Youtube as it comes out.

So, as you go about your day, grab some dessert and wish Jane Austen a "Happy birthday!"

What is your favorite novel of Austen? Are you doing something to celebrate her today?

It's a Good Morning!

The Bible

Psalm 139:3
"YOU see me when I travel and when I rest at home. YOU know everything I do."

Psalm 139: 9-10
"If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there YOUR hand will guide me, and YOUR strength will support me."

GOD is faithful. It is such a comfort and encouragement to read verses like these while I am far from home. I don't just know that HE is near me from reading the Bible, though. Through taking care of me, providing for me, blessing me with an abundance of friends and people who love me here, HE continually shows me day by day that HE is right by my side every step of the way. GOD is awesome, guys! I hope these verses are an encouragement to you too. No matter where you are or what you are going through, GOD is right there by your side. Here's another one:

Lamentations 3:23
"Great is HIS faithfulness; HIS mercies begin afresh every morning."

Now, the fact that this verse comes up in a book of the Bible called Lamentations is amazing to me. The whole book of Lamentations is about the Israelites lamenting that they are being punished, and yet a whole section of chapter 3 is all about how they know that GOD is still faithful too them. GOD's promises never fail, and we know that HE is faithful to us too, in every situation whether joyful or grief-filled. I love that part of the verse where it says that HIS mercies are new each morning. Isn't that great to know that when you wake up in the morning, HE is right there to get you started on a fresh new day? In the Bible study I am doing from Beth Moore, she made a point a few weeks ago that stuck with me: The Israelites were given manna (bread from heaven) each morning, but they had to go out and gather it right away or it would disappear when the sun rose. In this same way, we are given mercy from GOD each morning, but we must go out and gather it up. We must take hold of the mercy HE gives us instead of trying to make it on our own. I have to remind myself this, and I even wrote in my Bible next to Lamentations 3:23: I must gather what GOD provides; it is partially my responsibility. Don't lay in self-pity! Gather HIS mercy!

If you are waking up right now to start your new day, this is for you! GOD bless your new, mercy-filled day :)

Inspiration. Motivation. Discipline.

Here is my wish for your day and your life, written beautifully by the author of todaywasmeaningful.wordpress.com.

`and while you are here, on this earth, i hope you make someone smile.  i hope you forgive someone when it’s the hardest thing to do, and i hope you say you are sorry when you’re wrong.  and with the time you are given, i hope you find the things that you love and spend it with people that help you to become a better person.  i hope you say ‘i love you’ every chance you get, and i hope you wear that expensive perfume you’ve been saving up.  and in the amount of hours.minutes.seconds. you have, i hope you take risks, go on adventures, and eat good food. i hope you laugh until you cry and dance even if you don’t know how to.  i hope you help when you can and that you replace quick judgments with attempts to understand. and with your time, i hope you find yourself trying new things and growing in whatever way that you can. i hope you change someone’s life and find the one thing you are really good at.´

I pray that each of your days is filled with knowing how much God loves you. That you will fully understand His Truth, His Strength, and His plan for your life. I hope you are able to spend each day sharing the joy that fills you with those around you, and that you will be a shining light to all the world. I wish for you a life that is filled with meaningful days, and that you will seize every opportunity, and not just that, but that you will create opportunities to help others and bless their lives. That your life won´t just be about you. That it will be about all of God´s creation, all of His children, all to His glory. 



This next month is a month of Thanksgiving. Since I am in a country that does not put such seasonal significance on helping others, giving thanks, and sharing what we have been blessed with, I am reminded that this must not just be an activity that we focus on for 2 months out of the year. People need to be shown God´s love 365 days of the year. As you go about your day, keep your eyes open for ways to help everyone; they are each someone that God created with love and purpose. Stop and give your boxed lunch to the homeless guy on the street. Smile at the janitor; ask him how he is doing...be genuinely interested in his life. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Say good morning (or gunaydın) to your neighbors. Strive to be a friend who is always opening your home to others. Share what you have with others. I don´t just say this to motivate you; I say this to myself as well. Many days I fail to take opportunities to make that day meaningful for someone else. I don´t want a single day to go by that I do not take full advantage to love everyone around me. 

In this day and age, we have so many open ways to help people around the world, people we will probably never meet but who can greatly benefit from us sharing our blessings. Keep your eyes open for these opportunities; you may forever change someone´s life forever. You may just be the action that is needed to show them that someone out there cares for them. 

www.gfa.org
www.samaritanspurse.org
www.asourown.org
Scarf project (not too late to sign up!) - http://stayathomedaughter.com/ktil/
libertyinnorthkorea.org

Have a great weekend and make today meaningful!