Who Am I? Part 3: 1st and 2nd Corinthians

Hey, it's Kate here!

So, its been a few weeks longer than promised since my last post, but everyone else's were so good I hope you didn't even notice :)

What's been going on in my life.... hmm... Well, I'm going to Rio Rancho High School every day now for the first 3 periods so I can take Art, Drama, and Women's Choir! It's so much fun.
I'm also in my school play "Almost, Maine", and our one act "Andromeda's Galaxy". Auditions went well, but since I'm new I am just an understudy for one of the Characters in Almost, Maine (Which means I am guaranteed at least one performance) and I am a baby named Darla in Andromeda's Galaxy. Both are great parts considering its my first time there, and it is likely people will drop out of both plays so I might get an even better part after all.

Let's see, last month we talked about our identity without Christ (click here) and what John and Romans have to say about our identity in Christ (and here). Now we're going to see what 1st and 2nd Corinthians have to say- which are 2 of my favorite books in the Bible by the way.

First Corinthians 1:2 say that we have been sanctified- the dictionary says that to ‘sanctified’ means “to give something holy status; to free someone from sin; to bless something; or to approve something.”  That means you are holy, you have been freed from sin, you are blessed, and God approves of you.  It’s awesome that in one word God tells you that you are all of those things.

Verse 3 tells you that we have been placed in Christ by God’s doing- many hear the Word of God but only he can open your heart to believe it.

A friend once expressed a worry to me- she said “What if I’m not one of God’s chosen?”  In other words- what if I’m not meant to go to heaven?  Well, let me tell you, if you ever ask yourself that question you have already answered it.  I’ll clarify that- the simple fact that you care about being his child means you are one.  There is no need to worry- God has placed that desire to be with him in your heart, and that means you belong to him.

The second half of that verse says that Christ is now our wisdom from God, our righteousness, your sanctification (there’s that word again), and our redemption.

Have you ever had some piece of wisdom that you couldn’t have known?  I’m not talking about fortune telling or hunches- I’m talking about that advice you gave to your friend that was just what she needed to hear.  Jesus is our wisdom from God, he gives us understanding and knowledge that can surpass our own, and it can really be a relief to be able to rely on his understanding instead of my own.
1 Corinthians 2:12 tells us that we have received the Spirit of God into our lives so that we might know the things freely given to us by God.  It is an extension of what 1 Cor. 1:3 said, it also means that we now can know what’s right, and what God has given us in his love.

1 Corinthians 2:12 tells us that we have received the Spirit of God into our lives so that we might know the things freely given to us by God.  It is an extension of what 1 Cor. 1:3 said, it also means that we now can know what’s right, and what God has given us in his love.

Verse 16 says that we have been given the mind of Christ.  When we truly reside in him, we no longer want to sin.  Actually, it doesn’t mean that we will never ever want to sin again, but that we will be able to resist sin better when we rely on him.

Chapter 3, verse 16 and chapter 6, verse 19 says that we are a temple of God; he spirit dwells in us.  This is an extension of the last verse- his spirit dwells in us, and sin does not.  6:17 follows the same theme- we are joined to the Lord and we are one spirit with him.

1 Corinthians 6:19 and 6:2 say that we have been bought with a price; we are not our own- we belong to God.  That price was Jesus’ life- we should be more than grateful to live for him.  And remember- the only person’s opinion that should matter to us is his.

2 Corinthians 1:21 says that we have been established in Christ and anointed by God- we are special to him, we are set apart and are loved immensely.

Chapter 2 verse 14 says he always leads us in his triumph in Christ.  When we trust in him, he leads us to his triumph- which isn’t always our version of triumph, but it is always better.

Chapter 5, verses 1, 4, and 15 say that since we have died to this world, we no longer live for ourselves, but for Christ.  Like I said before, we should be thrilled to live for him- he saved us and died for us, and we owe him absolutely no less.

Verse 17 declares that we are a new creation.  This one means a lot to me, because it means that my past mistakes don’t affect me or define me- that person is dead, and I am a new person.

Verses 18 and 19 announces that we have been reconciled to God and that we are a minister of reconciliation.  That means we have been brought back to God, we are no longer separated from him, and that it is our mission to witness to others.

To close, I just wanted to say that I hope this impacts you as much as it is impacting me.

So what verse or point stood out the most to you? Let me know in the comments!

5 Reasons Why I Enjoy Camping!

                    
                                           
                                              

 Hi guys this is Bailey for my first Blog post!
I went camping two weeks ago with my cousins and my family so I decided for my first blog post I’m going to write about 5 Reasons Why I Enjoy Camping.

 

1. When I Wake up 
When I wake up I feel so much more refreshed and ready to start the day than on a normal day. Then I go outside and smell bacon and pancakes which is normally something my family has when were going camping.

While I'm outside smelling breakfast I look at the beautiful scenery that God has created for me. I love to see how wonderful my Creator is, He makes me smile!

2. Hiking

I love hiking because I  just get to walk and talk the entire time. I get to see God’s beautiful creation and it just shows me how much he loves me. Another reason why I love going hiking is because my dog Elsa gets to go with. She enjoys the hike and sometimes goes a little too fast! Then we will go back to the RV and she will go right to sleep because she has had so much fun.

3. I get to Play Games

I love to play games so whenever my family goes camping I make it a priority to bring along a few. One of my favorites to play with my cousins is “Werewolves of Millers Hollow”. I also like to play games when going camping because it’s one of my favorite things. Another one of my favorites is “Phase 10”.

 

4. I get no sleep

Now I know this probably sounds weird but what I mean by that is that I go to bed late. Then I wake up early like any other day. But because I went to bed so late I feel like I got no sleep. But because I'm camping I don’t care.

 

5. The road trip

I really like to go camping in my family’s RV because I get to go on a road trip. Now if you know me you would know that I absolutely love road trips. I get so many things done like schoolwork (because I’m homeschooled), Etsy projects etc. And I'm always  super excited about where I'm going.





Check back with us next week for Kate’s post!

 Do you have any favorite things about camping? Tell us in the comments!

 

12 Things Disney Taught Me

This is Julia for my first Blog post!!

I am a Disnerd. If you met me, it would be completely obvious. Even in the profile you can tell! I’m constantly wearing Disney t-shirts and randomly quoting and bursting into song. So I’ve decided to round up my favorite quotes, lessons, and sayings from the awesome Disney movies we know and LOVE!

1.       “They need a hero, Bolt, someone who, no matter what the odds, will do what’s right. They need a hero to tell them that sometimes the impossible can become possible if you are AWESOME!”

-Rhino the hamster     -Bolt

There is almost nothing to add to this. Be a hero, do what’s right, be awesome.

2.       “Ladies don’t start fights, but they can finish them!”  

-Marie   -The Aristocats

Don’t underestimate what a lady can do. Just because they seem dainty and fragile doesn’t mean they can’t stand up for themselves or others.

3.       “The seaweed is always greener in somebody else’s lake”

-Sabastian   -The Little Mermaid

No matter how cool your stuff is, somebody always has something cooler.      

4.        “Go, live your dream”

-Hook-handed thug   -Tangled

Just go.

5.       “Scary monsters don’t have plaque!”

-Mike Wazowski   -Monsters Inc.

The most practical Disney lesson; if you want to be the best version of you, brush your teeth.

6.       “This much I know. If you are what you eat, then I only want to eat the good stuff”

-Remy    -Ratatouille

You tell ‘em Remy!

7.       "No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true."

-Cinderella

Keep on believing!

 

8.       “Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind . . . or forgotten”

-Lilo   -Lilo and Stitch

Hold on to the family you’ve got.

 

 

9.   "You're mad. Bonkers. Off your head... but I'll tell you a secret... all of the best people are."

-The Mad Hatter    -Alice in Wonderland

  You are not too weird. If you’re weird I won’t judge you . . . I’m probably weirder.

10.   “Just keep swimming”

-Dory   -Finding Nemo

Life isn’t all that grim! Just keep on swimming.

11.   “I never look back, darling! It distracts from the now.”

-Edna    -The Incredibles

This quote is self-explanatory. But, who knew Edna was so wise!

12.   “Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.”

                           -Walt Disney                          

 

Do you have a favorite Disney quote, lesson, or saying? Let us know in the comments!!

 

 

An Etsy Shop & a Name-Change

Hey guys, it's Kate!

As you may have noticed, our blog has undergone a few... modifications. Mainly, a name change. We were One Little Spark, but there were complications.

Me, being a little absent-minded and not great at planning ahead, forgot to actually reserve One Little Spark as an Etsy shop name. So we had to change it. Four Little Sparks was a good, quick solution, and I have to say, I like it more than I did originally.

So for two hours Emma frantically changed all of our social media info and created a new email while I recreated our One Little Spark logo and banner as Four Little Sparks.  Thankfully, it all worked out.

And, as of today, our Etsy shop is officially open and has four items up- one from each of us! I listed homemade Harry Potter-style Magic Wands, Emma listed an Ariel/Little Mermaid-inspired coffee cozy, Bailey listed her rainbow loom Owls (and they're super cute!), and Julia listed a very, very soft, blue loom-knitted scarf (with tassels!).

We'll each put up another one in two days and continue like that until all of our listings are up, and then we'll put up new listings as they are ready! Hopefully, we'll have at least one new item every month.

Thanks for reading, and check us out on Etsy!

Please comment anything you'd like to see us put on our Etsy!

Where Is God When I'm Worried?

Where is God When I’m Worried?

 

Hey, this is Emma, here with my first blog post!

This past weekend we met with Kate, Julia and the rest of their family to go camping. We grilled out, swam, hiked and me and Kate slept under the stars. Well, until we realized that sprinklers were going off across our campsite. Luckily, we didn’t get wet!

We decided to go hiking on the second day, and so we all loaded up in my family’s RV.  I was sitting with my back to the windshield, but all of a sudden, I heard the adults talking in sort of panicked voices. About a minute later, we were all rushing out.

My dad had driven into a parking lot, not knowing that there was a little dip that we had to drive over. In a regular car, that wouldn’t have been a problem. But of course, things are always a little different when driving an almost 40 foot RV.

The back of our new 3 month old RV got stuck on the top of the dip. My dad couldn’t back up, and he couldn’t drive forward.

So we all were panicking.

 I didn’t want to hear people arguing, or freaking out. I’ve got a very active imagination, and when something like this happens, I almost automatically think the worst. “If he back up to much, he’ll end up in the lake” “If he drives forward to much, he’ll hit those cars” “If he gets stuck, we would have to call a really big tow truck”.

So I grabbed my 2 year old sister Violet, and sat down on a curb. I started praying instantly, hoping that someone would come along and help. One of the things I like to do when something like this happens, is to sing some sort of worship song. They usually calm me down, and a lot of times, it’s like a prayer.

I sat there, softly singing Oceans by Hillsong, which calmed me down just like I expected.

And when I went back over to the RV a few minutes, they had some other guy helping them, and some idea that seemed like it would work. Now, of course, this was exactly what I was praying a minute ago.  I thanked God, and a few minutes later, the RV was backed out safely.

 So where is God, when things don’t go as you expected? Or when your mind is full of worry? He is right there, waiting for the correct moment to reveal Himself.  Sometimes, this is right away, sometimes He takes His time. But when He does show Himself, it is amazing, and right on time.

 Several times in my life, I’ve been stressed out about something, or I didn’t understand something and was upset at God. A few days or months later, I realize Gods greater picture.

I remember last fall, I was really upset. When I was 13, I decided to save my first kiss for my husband. Then, at almost 16, I was feeling like there was no hope of finding a guy that would do the same. I had never met anyone at all who had the same ambitions as me, much less a guy.  So that night, I prayed and cried and asked God to help me endure this season of waiting.  Then, the next day at youth group, my youth pastor told us that she was saving her first kiss.

I was so overjoyed! God answered my prayer in one of the best ways possible! I went home that night, with a new sense of determination. I was going to wait, and God would be with me.  

There have been several times when I felt confused and didn’t understand why God would allow that to happen. I still don’t. God never leaves though, and His plan is always perfect, even if we don’t understand.

One of my favorite verses is Matthew 6:34. It says “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself”

God knows how your whole life will pan out, but he also knows how you’ll overcome all the obstacles that cross your path, whether great or small.  He knows how tomorrow will be, just as he knows how your last day will be. There is no need to worry, for you are in the palm of His hands!

 I’ll be back next month when it’s my turn again, and I’ll be looking toward then! Comment below your favorite verse about worrying, or your story about God’s timing. 

Love, Emma

Who Am I? Part 2: John and Romans

Last week could have been a bit of a downer, but when you look at it, it really is a good thing, who we are without Christ. Because knowing who you are without Christ gives you humility and helps you remember that you need God.

But now we get to look at the New Testament and what it says about our identity in Christ.

Romans 8:16 and John 1:12 says that I am a child of God. And that you are too. The verse in John says that all who believe in Christ are the Children of God. I don’t know your story, but some of you who read this have had a bad family life, an abusive or absent father, or likewise. Well, there’s good news for you- the moment you became a Christ follower, God became your dad. And let me tell you, he is the best dad there is. He will never let you down (although sometimes is seems like he did), and he always, always, knows and does what is best for you.  Period.

John 15:15 tells us that we are Christ’s friend. And, you know, sometimes I could use one of those.

I moved recently, and let’s just say it’s been hard to make new friends. And sometimes I just really need a friend and I praise God that he is the best one around. He listens, he doesn’t judge, he never forgets, he is never too busy, and he gives the best advice ever. And if he ever seems too far away, don’t be discouraged, just seek and ye shall find.

The next verse (John 15:16) reveals that we have been chosen and appointed by Christ to bear his fruit. That’s just a fancy way of saying we’ve been chosen to live like him, but the meaning is clear. In the Bible it also says you “know a tree by the fruit it bears”, and what it means is this; you can tell who a person truly serves by his actions. (Check out the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:19-23)

Now, it may seem like a lot to try to live like Christ- he lived a perfect life, after all- but Philippians 4:13 declares that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Living like Christ comes one step at a time.

Romans 3:24 proclaims that we have been justified and redeemed.  But not of our own means, no, no, no. But by the grace of God.

Have you ever gotten up early in the morning on gone for a walk while the rest of the world was still waking up?  Or sat on the porch and watched the sunrise with a hot drink and a prayer in your heart? Or maybe you’ve risen out of your covers like a dead man come to life in the middle of the day after going to bed at 2 and laying there until 4?  At any rate, there has probably been a time in your life where you’ve felt that you were literally breathing in God’s grace.  The world so bright (possibly blindingly bright), the air so fresh, and your body, heart, and soul so rested. Well, every day God’s grace is completely new, and so are you. And you are redeemed.

Romans 5:1 tells us some of what the last verse said- we have been justified, completely forgiven and made righteous, and am at peace with God. Basically, this says that we have a clean slate- with God and everyone.  All my sins are off the table- poof! Gone. Forever. Yes!

Hey you- yes you! Can you hear me? God does not have a bone to pick with you- he doesn’t want to punish you or put you down. You are at peace with God and he with you.  He wants to build you up and love you and teach you. Amazing, isn’t it?

Next- Romans Chapter 6- is full of Good News. Verse seven declares that we have been freed from sins rule. We are free! I don’t know about you but that word- free- makes my want to shout for joy. But then again, this whole thing makes me want to celebrate- I’m not under sins rule! No more lying, addictions, secrets, shame, greed, anger, any of that! Satan has no hold over me. Isn’t that something worth celebrating? I think so.

Verse 18 and 22 tell us that we are slaves of righteousness and slaves of God. I can hear what you’re thinking- being a slave is not something to be glad about. But you’re looking at it the wrong way- Sin was a horrible master, no freedom, all punishment, all shame and manipulation with promises of riches, pleasures, and happiness. And the slaves who actually get those things are brought down by emptiness and aimlessness and are trapped by their riches or pleasures. But God, oh he is a good master. He is full of love, understanding, forgiveness, freedom, grace, and true joy. He doesn’t promise the easy way, but he promises the fulfilling and purposeful way. God bought us from sin with a price, his sons life, and we should be more than happy to give our lives in service as a thank you.

After, Romans 8:1 says that we are forever free from condemnation. There isn’t a whole lot for me to say on this, just that I am overwhelmed with gratitude when faced with this. I am free from being condemned, I am no longer judged, I am clean. Verse 17 says that we are heirs of God and a co-heir with Christ- and our inheritance is the kingdom of God, everlasting life, never ending joy and peace, unfailing love, and so much more.

Romans 15:7 may hit home the most for me. It says the Christ has accepted us. Plain and simple. Nothing we’ve done could’ve made him do it- he simply did and it is the most amazing thing.

God, the creator of the universe, the maker of everything, knows everything you’ve ever done or thought, and he accepts you. You don’t need to care what others think- the most perfect being ever has accepted you.  In eternity, you get to sit at the ‘cool’ table. Nothing could be more precious or awesome.

What verse(s) meant the most to you? Let us know in the comments!!

Join us next week for part 3!!

Kate <3

Who Am I? Part 1: Without Christ

In the past year, I’ve learned a lot about my identity with- and without- Christ.  And he is still teaching me today.

It sort of started with the Matthew West song “Hello, My Name Is”- I found strength in that song, and it was just a fun song in general.

But what I had to learn first was who I am- or was- without Christ.

In John 4:10b, Jesus says that he is the living water, in John 6:35 he tells us he is the bread of life, and in John 14:3 he says he is preparing a home for us in heaven.

And without God we don’t have any of those things- and you know what that makes us?  Homeless, hungry, and thirsty.  Sure, we have physical food, water, and shelter- but without God we have none of those things in eternity.

Without God we are also broken, dirty, sinful, wounded, lonely, and desolate.

But thank the Lord he didn’t stop there- he sent his son to save us, to heal us, to clean us, to commune with us, and to fill us up.

I am lower than low without Christ, but that shouldn't discourage us- in fact it should teach us humility to remember that we are nothing without the God we love and serve.

And who are we when we are in Christ?  Come back next week to find out J

Thanks for reading!

With love, Kate