New Look!

Ben and I are celebrating our 2nd anniversary a little early this year – basically because we have a hard time keeping secrets from each other!
Ben surprised me with my own DOT COM status and hosting! (Or as Ben likes to call it, “the gift of web presence.”) I’ve been so excited about this new domain that I’ve been working on it all weekend re-branding, writing posts, and more.

He knows me so well. So grateful for a husband who supports my passion to write, code and design – even if it is a little nerdy. He even animated an awesome promo video for social media and gave me a mini photo shoot. Best. Husband. Ever.

Check out my new website:

SYDNEEPEACOCK.COM

Happy reading!

20 Life Hacks Learned in Married Life

Since being married for only two years, I’ve had to figure out a lot of things for the first time – mostly with cooking (since I didn’t do much of that before), but a few other things too. You will probably find these silly, but maybe (hopefully) you will appreciate some of my new found discoveries, too.

1. I don’t cut my strawberries anymore. I get a straw, stick it through the strawberry from bottom to top and the nasty stem-part pops off!
2. When it’s too cold outside to grill, I make my steaks and burgers in the oven – and I think they taste even better!
3. I have no patience for cooking potatoes in the oven. (Does anyone have time to wait around for an hour+ for dinner anymore?) So I wrap them up in foil and stick them in the crockpot on low all day. They’re ready when I get home!
4. I soften my butter by putting it in a cup and setting it on top of a warm stove while I’m preparing other things.
5. The key to cooking rice on the stove without it sticking to the pot is mixing in a chunk of butter and not lifting the lid for at least 20 minutes.
6. It’s actually possible to make a perfect, yellow omelet in the oven with a greased cast-iron skillet in just 5-6 minutes.
7. Setting a wooden spoon on top of a boiling pot of water will keep it from overflowing onto my stove.
8. My ice cream scoop doesn’t get ice cream stuck all over it if I dip it in warm water before scooping each scoop.
9. I make tea in the coffeemaker by running hot water through the coffeemaker into a pot with tea bags dangling in the water.
10. Homemade whip cream tastes way better. I just pour some whipping cream and powdered sugar into a bowl while mixing it with a hand mixer simultaneously. So fluffy!
11. I eat my berries with a toothpick so I don’t have to clean silverware or stain my fingers.
12. I fold my sheets and then stick them inside the matching pillowcases to keep the sets together.
13. Amazon Prime and Target REDcard make my shopping experiences so much easier.
14. Slicing up a little bit of fruit and cucumbers to put in water is an inexpensive way of serving refreshments to guests and making them think you’re fancier than you really are.
15. Buying bulk paper towels, toilet paper, plates and cups twice a year from Sam’s keeps us stocked for the entire year.
16. The step trashcan is God’s gift to cooks with their hands full.
17. Ikea silverware lasts longer than the expensive silverware we got as wedding gifts.
18. When going to a party, the key to giving a great gift is packaging it creatively – it’s half of excitement for the other person.
19. Spending time with Jesus each morning puts me in a much better mood for the rest of my day.
20. Keeping a magnetic notepad on my fridge has helped me to remember what I run out of, and better ensures that I restock it when I go to the store later that week.

I’m sure the list will continue to grow! Thanks for reading. :)

Tropical Smoothies from My Kitchen

In high school, I applied for a part-time job at Tropical Smoothie. I wanted to be a cashier, but had no idea that on my first day (and for the rest of my time there) I’d be sent to work in the kitchen instead.

Instead of getting a cool flip-flop t-shirt, I was demoted to wearing a purple Hawaiian-flowered button-down shirt that swallowed me. Oh, and it also had an enormous, colorful parrot on the front and backside. And BOOM – I became the festive-dressed girl behind the counter making everyone’s smoothies.

I did not enjoy the job at the time, but who knew that it would benefit me later? I know how to make some really good smoothies now! Ben gets so excited when I whip out the blender…even if it is obnoxiously loud. =D

So I thought that I’d break up the “green smoothie” trend with some good, old-fashioned, sweet, fresh-fruit smoothie and dessert smoothie recipes. Plus, its not officially fall until September 22, so we can still appropriately indulge!

Here’s one of my favorites:

Strawberry-Kiwi Smoothie

1 Serving

What you’ll need:

• Blender
• 1 tbsp turbinado
• 4-5 pieces of cubed ice
• 1 c defrosted strawberries, with the juices, or 1 c fresh strawberries and 2 tbsp water
• 1-2 fresh kiwi, peeled and sliced

1. Throw your ice in the blender, and then pour in turbinado. Shake it around and then place it on the blender.
2. Put your fruit in and put the top on.
3. Blend!
4. If your machine stops blending well, take the glass container off the blender, and while holding the top, shake it. Then place back on blender to blend again.
5. Add a little bit of water if you want your smoothie to have a thinner consistency.
6. Pour it in a cup, stick a straw in it, and enjoy!

*For sweetest results, use defrosted frozen strawberries with juice.

Stay tuned for a few more smoothie recipes!

Are you living in a false sense of reality?

Did you know your social media news feeds are being rigged?

I read an article not too long ago about how social media, primarily Facebook, filters our news feeds. The things we post, the things we "like" (affirm), any of our activity on Facebook is remembered and used to generate content in our news feeds that is generally in line with our personal preferences and opinions.

For instance, if you're openly Christian, then you're probably going to see more Bible verse posts, posts about faith, pro-life posts or church posts.

If you're openly gay, you might see more posts of people who share the same lifestyle, news that promote equality, or sites that offer jobs that don't discriminate.

If you're in college, you might see posts about campus life, classes, music app updates, Buzzfeed lists or popular YouTube videos.

Basically, the posts you see largely cater to your life stage and lifestyle. Unfortunately, the way this system filters our feeds can affect how we view people, life, society and culture.

On Instagram and Twitter, we can choose who we follow. If we don't like someone's posts, we can easily "unfollow" them. We filter through who we want to keep up with and what we want to know. And this can also tailor our outlook on life.

It's basically the same thing as committing to not watching the news. Crazy enough, in college (although I was a journalism major), I preferred not to keep up with local news. I lived in Memphis, one of the most dangerous cities in the USA, and frankly, I chose not to watch the local news because I wanted to live in blissful ignorance of what was really going on around me.

But I realize now that I was being selfish and close-minded.

I understand that it's important to keep up with what's going on – not just in nearby areas, but everywhere. I think this is important especially for Christians to know what's going on, and how to respond. By simply tuning into social media on a broader level, we can become aware of what's going on in our world, and our own posts and presence can surprisingly make a big difference. Here are three things we ought to keep in mind:

#1 We should be culturally relevant.

If we block out the world, how can we change it? Find out what's trending, what's viral, what people are really talking about. Then line it all up with Scripture, and ground yourself in God's Word (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Romans 12:2 says "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." So basically, we should be in the world, but not of the world.

Plus, if we are staying culturally relevant, we can more easily relate to people who don't believe in Jesus, and form relationships we wouldn't have been able to otherwise. All of this may ultimately help us with the mission of effectively and lovingly sharing the Gospel. Here are a few account types I have thought of that might help us stay more current:

• People We Know on a First Name Basis (Remember those old friends from high school and earlier? We may not see them every day in person, but this helps us remember how we can pray for them more specifically – even if they don't know it.)
• Culturally Influential People (examples: Jimmy Fallon, Ellen Degeneres, Justin Timberlake, Kim Kardashian, Oprah, Lebron James, etc.)
• Well-known Publications (examples: Time, New York Times, CNN, The Onion, Huffington Post, Gizmodo, Wired, Ted Talks, The Thought Catalog, etc.)
• Christian Influential People/Organizations (examples: John Piper, Lecrae, doctrinally-sound well-known churches, ERLC [Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC], Dr. Russell Moore, World Magazine, etc.)

#2 See People as God Sees People.

God exhibits extreme patience and understanding toward us. It's hard to comprehend because we can have such a difficult time with having patience and being understanding toward others. Thankfully, God shows us grace and mercy every day, and is so patient with every person (2 Peter 3:9). And that is a great example of how we should be toward others.

When we see people's angry, negative or unbecoming posts pop up on our news feeds, instead of loudly exhaling and checking "unfollow," we can pray for them. Life is hard without Jesus. We need to have compassion for those who have not yet come to believe in Him. We can't expect non-Christians to retain Christian values. To them, it's just a bunch of rules with no meaning. Life is also hard for Christians who have chosen not to walk in the Spirit. It is human nature to fall away if we're not grounding ourselves in His Word every day. As the church, we are to encourage each other toward Jesus, and be at peace with everyone. And we can do this with our social media presence.

#3 We have an influential voice online.

We can be encouraging and real online. We can be relevant and understanding toward others, speaking the Truth in love. Everyone has access to read what we post. We must be mindful that everything we say can affect someone else. And we need to always be prepared to make a defense for the Gospel (1 Peter 3:14-16). Let's share our joys and sorrows tactfully. And lastly, let's choose our words carefully – as we should at any other time – remembering that we must maintain a good reputation because we represent Christ (1 Peter 2:12).

Be the light in your friends' news feeds. You just never know who's reading. :)

$5 Dollar Prayer Cards Sale!

Looking for a great gift for your married or engaged friends–or maybe even yourself? You might like these "Praying for My Husband Prayer Cards."

I designed these cards because I've learned that the best thing we can do as wives for our husbands is to pray for them. Here's what you need to know about this particular pack of cards:

Pattern Sell-out
This is the last time I'll be selling this pattern, so they are on sale! You can buy them in a pack of 5 for just $5!* You'll get an assortment of different Scriptures. Each card has a short and sweet prayer on the back that you can pray over your husband each day.

How You Can Use them
Put them in different areas of your house, use them as bookmarks, give them out to others or keep them in a stack where you pray daily and just flip through them every morning or night.

About the Cards
These cards are printed on quality 16pt premium paper, which is thicker than cardstock and does not bend easily. I love that they're glare-resistant, so you can read these cards in any lighting with ease. The paper is soft to touch and the colors are ultra-vibrant. They also come in simple, unique gift wrap and are ready to be given out as gifts as soon as you get them!

You can find these in my Etsy shop.

*Shipping is $1.

Christian Genocide is Real

Yesterday morning I was reminded that we need to be praying for the horrible situations going on in Iraq today. So often we get tied up in our own lives and forget to think about the people outside of our busy, American lifestyles.

Christian persecution is happening right now in Iraq. Children and families are getting beheaded for believing in Jesus. Believers in Christ are faced with the "option" to convert to another religion or accept death.

When I hear about these horrible things happening, my defenses quickly go up and it is easy to become angry with those who are brutally murdering my brothers and sisters in Christ.

But I realize that these murderers are just ordinary people who have given their lives to a false doctrine and are blinded to the Truth. And I recognize that both parties need our prayers and God's help. The persecuted need protection, relief and to find their strength in the Lord. And the persecutors need their eyes opened to the Truth of who Jesus really is so that they can come to repentance before it's too late.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” –Matthew 5:43-45

If this is the first you have heard of this, please watch this video, Christian Leader: ISIS beheading children.

Praying for God's people,

What Motivates Your Work?

"Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven." - Proverbs 23:4-5

This verse stuck out to me when I was reading through Proverbs last week. It got me thinking about what motivates us to work the way we do. Why do we think we have the job we have? And what goals do we have career-wise?

We seem to live in a workaholic culture where wealth is the ultimate goal. People step on other people to get ahead. Some people slave away in college for those degrees that will hopefully bring them wealth in the future. We lose sleep, and we even cut our time with Jesus short (or forgo it altogether) to make time for more work. Or maybe we work at places that we don't even enjoy working at, but it pays well. I'm sure there are a hundred different scenarios I could list.

I have nothing against a hard worker. In fact, I admire people who work hard and always appreciate those that take their jobs and education seriously. It is important, and I wholeheartedly support anyone who is meeting their deadlines, making good grades and learning more about their field of wholesome, educational interest.

But the point I'm trying to make is that if our motivation is always money, then our attitude will always be bitter and self-centered. The verse above says that wealth "suddenly sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven." And its true. We see in the tabloids, the news and even personally that whenever we have an abundance of wealth that we hold on too tightly to, it just seems to dwindle and disappear. It leaves us frustrated. We feel entitled because "we've worked so hard to get it!" Some may see this as a curse, but it just might be a blessing.

Jesus said "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:25).  And this is so true. We end up depending on ourselves instead of God, because we think we can buy everything we need! We forget about God, and we think only of our agendas. We toil away, no matter what it costs (relationship with God, family time, friendships, integrity) to attain that wealth. And sometimes, it can feel like it pays off, but only temporarily. Wealth goes as quickly as it comes, and you end up feeling empty inside. And there is a reason for this!

God does not want us to be independent from Him. He wants us to rely on Him, to trust Him in all circumstances, and not to see our work as just our source of income. There's more to it than that. We work with people and as Christians, we have a God-ordained purpose and burden to share the Gospel with those that don't yet know Him. God uniquely places each one of us in work environments to glorify Him. Look around your workplace. Are you surrounded by people who don't believe in Jesus? YOU could be their only source of light in the darkness of their lives. Do you work with or under someone who makes shady deals and treats customers or companies unethically? Maybe God has put you there to take a stand, make a difference and be someone who encourages and influences them positively. Has God given you a highly influential role in a company? Use it to glorify Him!

Wherever we're working, we are to work for the glory of God. We don't have to just work on staff at churches to do this – we can glorify God anywhere! God has given all of us unique talents that are specifically meant to point back to Him, the Creator of all things that are good.

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31

Each day, when we get up for work, let's pray to be less selfish. Let's pray for God to lead us in everything we do. Let's pray for God would show us why we have the job we have. Let's pray that God would give us wisdom and that we would not fall in love with the ways of this world.

And a good rule of thumb: don't ever go into work without praying over the day first.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..." - Ephesians 6:10-18

Have a great day at work!

A Woman Who Fears the Lord is to be Praised

God Stands Forever

Hebrews 13:8

He Cares for You

God is a Refuge for Us!

Scripture iPhone Cases

Stand out among the crowd, encourage others and encourage yourself by getting one of these cute iPhone cases designed by yours truly!

Right now I have 3 to choose from, but should be adding others very soon. These are so fun to make! Check them out and get one of your own by clicking on the pictures below.

Protect your iPhone with a one-piece, impact resistant, flexible plastic hard case featuring an extremely slim profile. Simply snap the case onto your iPhone for solid protection and direct access to all device features.  

Price: $35

Free iPhone Backgrounds!

Yay for free iPhone backgrounds with Bible verses! I designed these for you to download for a sweet, summery touch and great reminder from God's Word for your iPhone. Choose from the two below:

4 Pinterest Boards You Shouldn't Have

God has laid this on my heart a while ago, and I'm finally getting around to writing this. I really enjoy Pinterest. It's like this gold mine of awesome ideas that are all in one place that I can organize by category. I am on it ALL THE TIME. Behind the Bible and creation itself, it's my one of my greatest resources of inspiration for my designs, and even for my interior design at home. Pinterest makes me ambitious, too. I've been encouraged to sew, paint and cook. Oh my! I learned how to cook–literally–from recipes on Pinterest. I don't even use cookbooks.

So obviously, if anyone's an advocate of Pinterest–it's me. But I wanted to address a few things that I have felt important–especially for single pinners. I'm writing this solely to challenge your perspective, and certainly not to judge or condemn anyone.

#1 Don't Plan Your Wedding
If you aren't engaged yet, it might be a good idea to not even create a "Wedding Day" Pinterest board. Unless you're aspiring to go into the profession of wedding planning or photography, it's just not a good idea. Girls have a tendency to be very imaginative, and detailed planners. But as a good reminder, a wedding is really not about those decorations, bridal colors, dresses or what chalkboard phrases and fonts you want to use. It's about a covenant bond between you and your husband before God in the presence of your loved ones. When you think about marriage and your future wedding, do so with a Gospel focus instead. A wedding is a picture of the covenant between the church and Christ (and it's also an opportunity to share the Good News with guests that may never set foot in a church on a Sunday morning.)

#2 Don't Plan for Your Future Babies
If you're not married, then you might want to think twice about having a "Baby" board. I can't tell you how many girls I have seen and talked to who would rather be a mom first than a wife. I understand that women are born with maternal dreams and instincts – some more than others. And there is nothing wrong with that! God has uniquely wired us to care for and love little ones, and children are most certainly a great blessing. But if you're single, don't skip ahead and live for the day that you'll become a mother. Enjoy each moment in between! And when you meet that special guy you are going to marry, he is going to want you to love him for him – not what he can give you. It is so important to love your husband first (but second to Jesus, of course).

#3 Don't Pin Celebrities
I've noticed that some people have "Beautiful People" boards or "Celebs." This is one of those boards I cannot completely understand, but can figure it only as a form of idolization. As Christians, we are to live and strive to be like Jesus. But instead, some of us get caught up in idolizing these celebrities that we see in movies and TV shows. We want to look like them, be like them, wish we were famous. It isn't healthy to compare ourselves to others. And it isn't healthy to want to be like someone who is of worldly character. And being married to a photographer/designer and being a designer myself, I can assure you that all those photos you're pinning of these famous people are not their true image. Each person has been heavily Photoshopped and the makeup has been caked on about 20 times. I watched Ben touch up some people who have asked for "heavy photoshop" in the past and it was unbelievable to see the transformation. So don't believe those photos–the majority of them are lies. On the flip side, single girls who are pinning celebrity guys–why? What good does it do you to lust after famous men whom you will most likely never have a relationship with? And really, does that even show any respect to your future husbands, and most importantly, God? No. It doesn't. Don't fall into that trap. It doesn't lead anywhere good.

#4 Don't Let Quotes Replace Your Quiet Time
Several of us have a "Quotes" or "Bible Verses" board. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But I want you to examine your heart as you read this. When you are in times of doubt, fear, anxiousness or depression, do you find yourself searching desperately through the quotes section for something to "hold on to?" Do you look for quotes you can relate to, quotes that can give you temporary relief? Maybe even some of them are Bible verses and you store them away. I just want you to look at what you're doing. Are you turning to Pinterest instead of God for comfort in your darkest times? Do you want temporary relief or ultimate peace? Don't forsake your time with God and jump into your day, and then scroll through Pinterest quotes later. It doesn't work that way. In order to have a relationship with God (just as you would in any relationship with anyone), you must spend time with Him. And that means reading your Bible and praying. And it's really helpful when you can start your day off in doing that. I can speak from personal experience that my days go a lot smoother, my tone is a lot nicer, my perspective is a lot less selfish, and my attitude is much better when I have spent time with the Lord first.


I want to leave you with some encouraging verses:

Contentedness
"But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. " - 1 Timothy 6:6-9

Seek His Righteousness First
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." - Matthew 6:33-34

You Can't Even Imagine the Great Plans He Has for You
"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him." 
- 1 Corinthians 2:9

God Can Change Your Plans
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." - Proverbs 16:9

Just Delight Yourself in Jesus

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act." 

- Psalm 37:4-5

SydneePeacock

I'm Back!

Long time, no post!

I want to be so good about blogging and I get excited every time I think about it, but finding the TIME to do it every week was hard. The first half of this year has been a whirlwind, with my husband graduating from seminary, getting a job full time (working with me!), and moving to a different part of Texas...amongst graduations, Bible studies, road trips, training new employees–life can be exhausting! Whew!

Thankfully, though, it has slowed down a little, and I'll be able to write and design some more in my free time this summer. :)

Over these past few months, I have been inspired by many things around me, and can't wait to channel that inspiration into some of my Etsy designs and posts.

Lately, I've been looking for art that will spice up our new apartment. I want to put up nicely designed Scripture art, but everything that seems to be available in that category is either (in my opinion ;D) antiquated color palettes and fonts, too busy or not the size canvas I want.

Then the obvious occurred to me: I'm a designer – I can make my own!

So I did a few pieces and thought I would offer them to you in case you were running into the same problems I was. :)

Above are the two canvas art pieces that I have available in three different sizes and six different colors. I wrote the words by hand so they're completely unique from anything you'd find out there on the internet or in stores. If you have some good verses you want to see on canvas, leave me a comment!

Have a happy day!

DIY Easy Hand Lettering

Trendy hand lettering is so popular these days and it looks so nice! You see it on the chalkboards at fancy coffee shops, or maybe even on your packaging when you order something from Etsy. How do these people do it? True, most of them are EXTREMELY artistically talented. But for those of us that don’t have a steady hand for those beautiful swooping strokes and glyphs­–I have a solution.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• A computer with Internet Connection & Photoshop, PowerPoint, other desktop publishing program or Word*I used Adobe Photoshop to create my lettering, but I know that you can do similar techniques in PowerPoint!
• A printer you can print to
• Tracing Paper
• A #2 Pencil
• Nice paper, wrapping paper, envelope, etc.
• A sharpie
• Acrylic paint of your choice

First you’ll need to pick out some fun fonts. Here are a few of my favorites and fonts you have seen regularly in popular product ads, restaurants, your favorite stores, etc. The following fonts are safe to download onto your computer and install in your font book.

SCRIPT:
Mission Script
Lavanderia
Leckerli One
Channel
Big Surprise
Wisdom Script
Impregnable

SAN-SERIF:
Blanch
Arvil
Bebas
For more fonts, try dafont.com.

Pick ONE script font and ONE san-serif font and only use those two. Too many fonts in one piece will look messy. Open up either PowerPoint or Paint and arrange your words the way you’d like them to be on your final piece.

Make all of your text BLACK.

Once you are done, select every text box and FLIP horizontally, so that the words are backwards.
When you’ve arranged everything and flipped your text, PRINT!

Then, get your tracing paper and place it on top of your print out. Use your sharp #2 pencil to trace the lines of the font. Make sure your lines are VERY DARK.

When you’ve finished tracing, it’s time to transfer the trace to your final piece. Get your paper that you’d like to have your final words on and place it under the tracing paper you just used. Make sure that the tracing paper is flipped over so that the words facing you are not flipped any more, but are readable.

Then get a pen edge or something small and hard to go over the lines you just traced. You want to trace the lines just as you did before. Don’t scribble over the top of the entire thing you traced, but purposefully trace each line so that the transfer will turn out correctly.

Once you’re done, you can lift up your tracing paper and see your fancy text! You’re almost there!
Lastly, get your sharpie and color in what you’ve traced so that your font will look solid. For extra flair, I added a shadow to my words using bright acrylic paint and small paintbrush.

Let dry, take a breather from all that sharpie smell and then admire your work!

As featured on Biblical Woman.

DIY Polka Dot Walls

Looking for some different ways to spruce up your living or office space? Try decorating your walls! There are more options out there than just paint and wallpaper these days. Get creative!

My personal favorite: Polka Dot Walls

This is a great option for any room in an apartment or an office space because they’re easily removable with no residue or marks. I just recently dressed up my office walls at work with GOLD polka dots and I’m really liking it!

After looking at different how-to sites, Pinterest and photos, I figured out a more cost-effective way make a lot of dots of my own without having to go to Etsy and pay $20 for 10 dots. This is not my original idea, but this is how I went about the process of making pretty gold dots:

1. I bought a Martha Stewart circle cutter. You can get these in any craft store, or Amazon.
2. I bought gold metal foil contact paper. I got mine from Interior Place. They have all kinds of different colors and patterns!
3. I got a kitchen cutting board I didn’t care about and rolled out a foot of contact paper at a time and taped it (with the side with no color facing up) to the table and cutting board so that the contact paper wouldn’t slide or roll up on me when I was cutting. (The contact paper is packaged like wrapping paper and comes in a tube.)
4. Slide the circle cutter’s measuring latch to what you want the diameter of your polka dots to be. With the Martha Stewart circle cutter, you can make circles as big as a foot in diameter. (I did 5 in. and I am really pleased with how it turned out.)
5. Then following the directions on the circle cutter, place your tool on top of the contact paper you’ve taped down. Press your palm firmly in the middle of the circle cutter and press gently (GENTLY is the key) on the part that has the blade and make a complete circle. You can go over it twice without it stripping the paper.
6. Then you should have a perfect circle! Now go make some more!
7. Next, I placed sticky notes wherever I wanted the circles to be. This was helpful because I was able to step back and look at the placement before I put the real deal on the wall.
8. Lastly, replace each sticky note with a polka dot and admire your handiwork!

*If you have a more textured wall, make sure you really press down and smooth out the wrinkles when placing the dots on the wall. I did mine on a medium-textured wall, and they are staying up great!

If you’re looking for another way of dressing up your walls, I also recommend looking at Stikwood to make your own wooden pallet-like wall. There are several tutorials to make one with an actual pallet, but I think Stikwood offers a safer and cleaner-looking alternative (with no splinters or rough patches! I think they might be lighter in weight than actual wood planks.). Similarly like the tutorial above, you can just peel and stick them on the wall! I’ve seen some pretty cool stuff done to half bathrooms and even large dining room walls and fireplaces with Stikwood. So, check them out if you’re going for more of a farmhouse look. I read somewhere that West Elm uses Stikwood for their store design. Pretty cool!

Have fun dressing up your walls! 

As seen on Biblical Woman.

Freebie Friday: Free Desktop Wallpapers

Sometimes it's just great to have a cute, patterned desktop wallpaper with a Bible verse on it.

Here are two I'm using right now and wanted to share them with you! :)

Happy Friday!

<3 Sydnee

Click on the photos below to download the large version of the desktop wallpaper.

Ephesians 6:7-8

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

How I Study the Bible

There are several devotionals out there, Bible Study plans, online, printed and even on your iPhone these days. But which one do you choose to go with? And which one will be most manageable to stick to for a whole year?

Here's what I have found that works really well for me. And if you haven't really been reading regularly and want to, I hope this post will motivate and encourage you to make it a daily priority.

Before reading the Bible, I always say a short, simple and sweet prayer, asking for God to help me understand His Word so that I may internalize it, remember it and be able to accurately explain it to someone else. I ask for His wisdom, and that the time I spend in the Word would be free from distractions.

Then I open my Bible and start reading!

Last year, I went pretty general and just chose a book in the Bible and stuck to reading it until I finished it. But before I began reading the book I chose, I would familiarize myself with the background of the text, the time it fell in relation to Jesus' time on earth, the culture and current issues that were popular in society, and the overall themes of the book. I find the ESV Study Bible very helpful in filling in these gaps. It'll provide you with a short amount of commentary that covers each of those things I listed. I find it very helpful to understand what's going on in the lives of those I'm reading about before I just plunge into the Scripture. :)

Basically from there, I just read however much I wanted each time. Sometimes it was a chapter, sometimes it was only 10 verses, and sometimes it was several chapters. It's up to you. But through the entire time of reading, I would pause on certain verses and underline them, write in the margins, read some commentary to really understand what a verse was saying, and sometimes I would stop and pray the Scripture I was reading. The point is not to cover a lot of ground and "finish a book" like you would for a school project, but to really mull over and wrestle with the text. If you understand it, you'll remember it. So really try to see what it's saying, don't just skim. You'll be amazed at what the Lord will show you–even in the texts that seem mundane or repetitive. There is a reason why all of it is in there for us to read today.

Another plan that I am going through again this year is The Chronological Bible. Mine is the NIV/1984 version. (Be careful about NIV versions. Make sure that if you ever get NIV that it's the 1984 year and not 2011+. The newest version is not true to the original language and meaning.) It may be best if you print out a Chronological Bible Study plan from online and just read through it in the ESV Study Bible.

What I love about the Chronological Bible is that the books are not arranged in canonical order (like how they are arranged in standard Bibles), but instead are arranged in chronological order, according to the time that these events happened in real life. We don't know for sure if all of the books are in chrono order the way they have them (like Job), but it's a pretty good set up for helping you really understand and read the Bible through as more of a story. Through this set up, you can more easily make connections and see how God has woven in central themes of love, light, sacrifice, etc. throughout the book consistently. You begin to recognize the foreshadowing of Christ's coming all throughout the Old Testament, and you begin to realize why certain things happened. It's really, truly amazing to read it this way.

My first time reading through the Bible was through the Chrono Bible, so I wanted to do it again this year. And I'm loving it even more this time around! I love how the plan is separated. It takes about 10-15 min to read each day's text, which is manageable for busy people and people who are just starting out. ;)

This year I am also reading a little commentary alongside in the ESV, and reading some John Piper sermons in alignment with the prescribed passages. I highly recommend this! It'll just help God's Story all come together even more for you.

So there you have it! That's how I study it. Not sure if it's the right way or the best way, but it sure does help me to understand God's Word, stay disciplined in reading it everyday and brings me closer to Him, which are all things that I need.

My Story!

So this is me.

For 11 years I was my parents' only child. I was always super close with them, and we did EVERYTHING together. Then along came my cute baby brother and my sweet baby sister, and we still did EVERYTHING together. I learned how to take care of them, I even named my sister, and I think this is how I really started to learn first-hand the importance of being selfless and caring for other people. (I wasn't great at it, but I've been figuring it out ever since =D).

At the age of 12, I came to Christ. I don't have a super-interesting testimony, no moving "prodigal son" type of story. I actually was just a very anxious kid, and I remember 7th grade being a very overwhelming time for me. I was so worried about having no friends and passing pre-algebra. :)

One evening, everything came crashing down emotionally for me in my 7th grade mind, not having any friends, not having the "right" binder that would supposedly help me get better at pre-algebra, etc. It was really stupid when I think back on it, but I guess when you're that age, little things are big things. :) In the middle of my anxiety freak-out, my dad scooped me up and shared with me wonderful news of Jesus Christ and Him coming to save me. I don't remember exactly what he told me, but I knew that I needed Jesus in my life and I had felt emptiness for a long time.

I had heard about Him in church, but it always was a little over my head. But the Lord had been working on me–ever since I started taking piano lessons. And we ended up going to the church that my piano teacher went to. I remember getting baptized at Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church in Allen, TX Dec. 12, 2003. It is such a great memory for me.

Life changed for me drastically. I remember my mom even saying that my eyes looked "lighter, happier" than they used to. I had a different outlook on life. I had hope and best of all, I had Jesus. And nothing was ever that bad anymore. I started making more friends and I would try my best to share Jesus with them, but I didn't really know how to. No one ever taught me.

And that's kind of where my spiritual journey stayed for a while. I didn't go to any kind of Sunday School at the time. I was so shy, and didn't like to leave my parents at all. And maybe my parents told me this and I just never quite understood, but I don't really remember anyone telling me the importance of spending time in the Bible everyday, how to read the Bible or where to even start, how to pray privately or out loud, how to share the Gospel correctly, or any kind of definite spiritual disciplines. (This is why today I strive to help newer Christians specifically know that these things are important and this is also why I have this blog and my Etsy.)

I got distracted somewhere between 7th grade and high school. First it was really nerdy things, like web design. At 12- and 13-years-old I taught myself how to make websites from scratch using Microsoft FrontPage, reading all kinds of tutorials on HTML and CSS (and my dad also helped me with a lot of this because he knows HTML really well). I also taught myself Photoshop, Corel Draw, Jasc Paint Shop Pro, and animation. (So funny to see where I am now and how God used this). I had this website called, "Sparklerules.com." =P

I had hundreds of hits a day. I had a prayer chain, and people from all over the world would send me prayer requests and each night I would pray for them in the best way I knew how. I kept a running list and would print it out each week. I made graphics for people and offered tutorials on how they could make their own sites.

Then high school rolled around, and I immediately figured out web design was not "cool." I went to high school at the time when Jessica Simpson was an icon and it was supposedly attractive for girls to be "dumb." So I let smart things go, and got all obsessed with being in the cool crowd, shopping and all things materialistic.

But God knew that was not a good idea for me. So he moved me from all the Dallas malls and bad influences by moving my family to Tennessee. I remember feeling like it was the end of the world for me, leaving my friends and all. But it ended up being the best thing.

Of course, I found my fair share of trouble in Tennessee too. My focus wasn't on God, but boys and friends. I was heavily influenced by the media and felt like I had to have a boyfriend. So I went from one to the next, treating them horribly and only caring about myself and my status. The entire time throughout high school though, I felt God tugging at my heart, and He protected me from the crowd that drank alcohol, did drugs and slept around. I never abandoned my morals on any of those things, and despite my superficial mindset at the time, I was still very cautious. My parents raised me to be a good girl and made it very clear how dangerous it was to be a part of that kind of crowd. I was a people-pleaser, and I especially wanted my parents to be proud of me. That was very important to me. But I never really thought about "pleasing God." I don't think I understood that concept completely.

Senior year of high school, my whole world kind of fell apart when the guy I had dated for over a year broke up with me. I remember I really liked him, but I think what I liked more than anything was the status I thought he gave me. He was on the football team, everybody liked him and I guess I had a lot of pride in that. But, I needed all my pride and everything that was important to me that was distracting me from God in order for me to completely come back to Him. When that happened, I started a habit of praying each night for a really long time, and reading Proverbs and Psalms over and over because I knew that I needed wisdom, help and healing. But even then, the rest of the Bible was this big, huge unknown book that I didn't even attempt to crack open and read outside of church. It was so thick–it was overwhelming, and I had no idea what to read first.

In addition to all of that, God also helped me to figure out what I wanted to do as a career that year: advertising, graphic design, writing – something media related. I had the opportunity to write for the school paper and serve as their photographer. It was a blast and I got to have some good conversations about Jesus with a few of the lost kids in that class.

Things got clearer for me spiritually when my family and I started going to Bellevue. I started to understand what the Christian life was about, and Bro. Steve Gaines taught it in such a way that I could really apply His Word to my life. We became members there right before I went to college. And at that time, I was all signed up to go to Baylor in Waco, TX. But God had other plans.

I don't know if Bro. Steve usually does this, but he took the time to personally visit our house and welcome us as new members to Bellevue. And he encouraged me to go to Union University. And basically because our Pastor told us to go there, I wanted to go there because I thought he had it all together! :)

So I did. I went to Union, and there I met two of my bridesmaids and the sweetest friends, and even my husband. Of course, I didn't know that at the time. Freshman year was a busy year for me. I joined Kappa Delta Sorority, reluctantly at first, only for it to be one of the greatest experiences I had in college because I met some of the greatest girls and it's there that I began to dabble in leadership, as well as t-shirt and graphic design. It also got me out of my comfort zone, gave me more confidence and I did things I thought I'd never do (like be on a stomp crew, for example!).

But because Union was a small campus, sororities and fraternities seemed to rule, run and section off the campus. (I hear that that's not what it was like on the independent side, but I only knew my side of things. :)) Everyone had labels and I didn't like that too much. And it also meant that everyone knew everyone. And because it was a Christian college, it just seemed like everyone was looking for their wife or husband right off the bat. I remember thinking it was so weird, and marriage was not even on my mind. I hadn't yet figured out how to process that idea yet. I was too excited about just being in college and studying advertising.

By the end of the first year of college though, I had grown tired of the way people were at Union and how small Jackson was, AND I missed my family A LOT. I would go home several weekends in a row because I wanted to be with them. I finally decided that it was best for me to go to school at the U of M so that I could be with them and also attend Bellevue.

This is when I really began to grow. I used the leadership skills I had learned from Union and put it to good use at my new school. I got really involved in media and journalism clubs, decided against being involved in a secular school's sorority, and focused on studies, family and Jesus. I made a habit of reading my Bible every night, and it was through Bellevue's "Chronological Bible Study" that I first read through the entire Bible in a year. I even had the opportunity to intern in the Communications office there and learned SO MUCH about how a church functions, and the importance of church communications. It was there that I really started developing what I wanted to do with my life after graduating college.

As I grew spiritually, God started putting me in situations where I had the opportunity to share my faith with unbelievers. I made opportunities for myself to have the topic come up more naturally with those I was in class with by covering my planner covers in encouraging Bible verses, writing verses on my hand and making it very clear on Facebook that I was a Christian. Through that, I had a lot of unique opportunities to talk with people about Jesus and plant seeds, and even through a complicated situation at the time, was able to help someone older than me come to Christ.

At the end of my junior year of college, through a very random, but God-ordained series of events, began talking to and eventually dating Ben (my husband now) who was living in Fort Worth at the time. Through months and months of skyping, phone calls, letters, roadtrips halfway and all the way, we dated and fell in love! And through our relationship I grew even more in my faith. Ben was the most encouraging, godliest guy I had ever known in my entire life. I kept wondering if he was really real, but each day he never changed, just got better! It was so surreal. (It still feels like that now!!) I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it. :)

I had to wait a while before I met Ben, but God truly blessed me with the best husband in the world and I didn't do anything to deserve him. He loves Jesus and has a perspective on life that we all should have. I look up to him and want to be like him. And on top of all that, he's funny, understanding, thoughtful, romantic, protective and SMART, so so smart. And he's CREATIVE, and everyday is an adventure with him. I'm so thankful that I am the one that got to marry him on that beautiful last day of summer, Sept. 21, 2012 on a ranch at sunset in Texas. Our wedding was small but perfect. And we even had Mexican food and sweet tea (my favorite.) ;)

Stepping out on faith, I moved to the unknown world of Fort Worth to live in Seminary housing. God blessed me with my dream job of working as a Full time Graphic Designer at a Bible-believing, Jesus-focused church. And He even blessed us with a stray chihuahua to be our pet (I have always wanted a chihuahua)! And now, we even get to work together. I really don't know if it gets any better than this. :)

So those of you who are younger, I want to encourage you with this: GOD HAS SUCH AN AMAZING PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE. You just wait!

And for those of you that know me know that I didn't do anything to deserve all these blessings.

I'm so thankful that God has been so patient with me and still is. Each day, I learn more and more about how wonderful He really is and how undeserving I am of His love. I just hope and pray that he'll use me somehow, even if it's just in a really small way. 

10 Promises to Overcomers

Happy Freebie Friday!

I was reading through Revelation in my ESV Study Bible, and stumbled upon a quick reference chart that depicts 10 Promises to Overcomers. I decided to put it to a quick, fun design for you to print out and have as a helpful reference!

Click here to download.

If you are looking for a good Bible to study with, I definitely recommend the ESV Study Bible. It's so helpful and breaks down all the verses you might have trouble with, and includes John Piper's sermons and countless resources and charts for you to better understand God's Word. What I love about the ESV Study Bible is that it has an online version, that allows you to record all your notes, digital highlighting and you can open it up from any device, whether on the ESV app or on any computer when you log in to your account!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Your Spiritual Diagnosis

I could be the only one that does this, but I have the WebMD app. It can be dangerous. If I feel any kind of cold, headache, you name it coming on, I immediately go to the app and use their symptom checker. I diagnose myself with all kinds of crazy issues and my husband thinks I'm ridiculous. :)

And sometimes that symptom checker works really well, but most of the time it doesn't really have that accurate of results...they're pretty broad and list hundreds of possible cases you might have. You could be achy and have a headache with all kinds of diseases and sicknesses, but you can't always pinpoint what's actually wrong with you.

BUT, did you know that you can accurately pinpoint your closeness to God? Are you feeling spiritually dry and you don't know why? Give yourself this spiritual diagnosis and see where you're at in your relationship with Him:

1. Do you spend time in the Word each day for a quality amount of time? Do you make it top priority?
2. Do you spend time in prayer with God each day, throughout the day? Do you make prayer to Him a top priority?
3. Do you thank God each day for His Son, whom He sacrificed so that you could have a personal relationship with a perfect God, even though you're still a sinner?
4. Do you recognize the blessings that God gives you and thank Him for it?
5. Do you feel instant conviction when you sin?
6. Do you ask God for forgiveness of your sin?
7. Do you ask forgiveness from others you've sinned against before asking for forgiveness from God?
8. Do you desire to love your enemies?
9. Do you desire to talk about Jesus without being ashamed or guarded?
10. Do you enjoy worshiping with your church family?
11. Do you tithe at least 10 percent of your income to the Lord each time you are paid?
12. Do you desire to serve the Lord in your church?
13. Is your attitude positive and uplifting toward others?
14. Are you dependent more upon God than you are on yourself?
15. Do you have a genuine love for God's people?
16. Do you trust God's will for your life?
17. Do you have a desire to share the Gospel?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, then it shows what areas of your spiritual relationship with God that are lacking. Pray about these things, and ask God to help you in these areas so that you can be a more mature and equipped believer. A Christian's whole life purpose is to serve God. That's the agreement you made when you chose to become a Christian. It is a privilege to serve Christ.

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Matthew 16:24

Praying that you have a strong relationship with Him,

Free Prayer Card Giveaway!

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Making Time for Your Best Friend

Being silly is what we do. #matchingjackets #bonnieclyde #dannyandsandy #benandsydnee

In the midst of this crazy life, you need to make sure that you guard and protect your time with your husband. I feel like I keep seeing married couples who don't really mind being away from each other all the time. Now it may just be that they let on like they don't care or they really just don't value spending lots of time together.

I feel like I'm often alone on this topic. Maybe it's because Ben and I dated long distance and never had a normal dating period of time before we got married. I'm not sure. But still, I'm pretty sure that wanting to hang out with your husband a lot is a good thing. :)

For us, life can get REALLY busy really fast. With both of us being in ministry, we have to give the majority of our time to other people. Being a graphic designer, I'm more behind the scenes, but Ben is on the front lines when it comes to ministry. He's teaching kids, interacting with them, going to all the youth events – all in attempt to win more young people to Christ. And I 100% support him in that. I try to be right there alongside him when I can, but there are times when I can't because I also have my job to do.

Working at the same church, Ben and I have the privilege of going to work together 5 days out of the 6 day work week. It's GREAT. We share a desk. We collaborate over ideas, agree to disagree on design techniques, teach each other new things (because he's also a graphic designer), and go to lunch together. And while that may seem like a lot of time, we STILL want more. But just time to focus on each other–not to be preoccupied with other things. Ben's my best friend and we just love being together. And I think that's a very good thing. :)

But I also do believe in a space too, but not too much. We need (ideally) an hour or so to spend completely alone with the Lord first and foremost. But for me, if I have too much space all day or all week, I fall into my old habits of being completely independent. And I don't like being that way, and I know I'm not supposed to. Ben and I have also noticed that when we are away from each other for too long, we start getting in arguments all because we're frustrated that we couldn't be with each other more. It's really quite ridiculous. So our best option, most of the time, is to just stick together. We're a pair! We don't like to be separated. :)

So with that being said, go make time for your husband (if you have one) and have FUN! And enjoy that time while you can because life is just SO short! So be sweet and love each other. :)

Your Words Can Have Eternal Consequences

Have you ever gotten stuck behind a driver who had a bumper sticker on their car that was bashing a political figure? Or maybe you've seen someone negatively rant or post degrading pictures of/about a celebrity, political figure, or someone you know personally on Facebook, Twitter, a blog, etc.? I've noticed that a lot of people get generally annoyed by these comments on a day-to-day basis. 

But let's get a little more personal. Maybe there is someone in your class, neighborhood, church, school that you particularly do not like, and choose to complain and talk negatively about them with your closest friends, family...or just everyone?

I know that girls, especially, have a tendency to talk about others. We're interested in people's lives, relationships, and we just seem to talk to and about people all the time. We don't always talk about others badly, maybe most of the time it's good. But I've noticed throughout life that this is just something ladies seem to gravitate toward in conversation.

If you are or someone else is a Christian, and you/they are talking negatively about others (regardless of whether or not the people you are talking about are Christians) I must tell you that it is not okay. Even if you're talking about others with those you are close to, or with those in your family, it is not okay.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29

Paul, the author of Ephesians, advises us to only speak that of which is good for building others up so that those who hear it will be encouraged by what you're saying and your integrity. Because Christians represent Christ, on a broader scale we should embody the the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) so that we may win more people to Christ just by our conduct.

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:12

This can be a struggle for all of us at times, especially if we have been wronged or hurt by someone or if they hurt someone we love. Pray to Jesus about this if you're struggling with this. Ask Him that He would help you to have this kind of mindset and heart-attitude:

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Colossians 3:12-13

Loving the Helpless

"Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the LORD;
exult before him!
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation."
Psalm 68:4-6

Surely I'm not the only one who is noticing the increase in various types of media covering world causes, great needs and promoting "doing good."

I think it's because people like to get behind a cause; because it feels "good" to help somebody. So people from all walks of life are going to soup kitchens, giving money to the homeless guy on the corner, giving their time to tutor kids and more. We see all these marathons raising money for cancer patients and people with incurable diseases. We see it all the time.

But as Christians, we must remember that we have something even BETTER to offer than money or food.

I'm not saying to not give to those in need, because I think it's a great thing. I just want to challenge us to go a little further.

The video above was really inspiring to me. Pastor Lee of Kindred Image is a great example of how we should be caring for the needy, and specifically in his case – the fatherless, the orphan.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
James 1:26-27

What I love about Pastor Lee's vision and what he's doing for these orphans is that he's not only caring and providing for them, but he's trusting God to provide, and leaning on His wisdom to care for these children. And more than that, he's helping kids that were either destined to die or live a life of prostitution and emotional heartbreak, with a Christian mindset. He's sharing the Gospel with these kids, he's teaching them about Jesus and the salvation we have in Him, and he's a living example of God's love and adoption. You can read more about this ministry and Pastor Lee's story here.

'Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.' (Jesus said this to the woman at the well.)
John 4:14

When I saw that video, I was reminded that whenever we're helping the poor, fatherless or widows, we need to not only be meeting their physical needs, but the ultimate need of their soul primarily. What help are we if we only give them temporary relief from their situation? If we tell them about Jesus, we're sharing with them the GOOD NEWS of eternal relief from the struggles of life, hope for the future, and purpose for their lives.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20

So the next time you find yourself in a situation where you're helping another, don't forget to ask if they have Jesus, and just maybe you will have the chance to bring the light of the Gospel into someone's very dark world! :)

Oh, and one more thing. My husband, Ben, has instilled this point of view in me, which is this: whenever you have the chance to lead someone to Christ, if you are able, you should take the responsibility to disciple that person to lead a life that is in line with Scripture. That means teaching them the importance of immediate baptism, a quiet time (spending time in God's Word everyday), memorizing Scripture, praying to Jesus and how to go about sharing their faith with other lost people!

(Don't forget that new Christians don't just fall into how they're supposed to live. They have to be taught spiritual disciplines or they will never grow into a mature believer. So the goal here is to not just make disciples, but to help them grow into mature believers who go and make more!)

May you be praying for the helpless and unloved, and for opportunities to make the ultimate difference in their lives,