Shame and fear are two of the biggest obstacles to confessing our sins to other Christians, or even simply to God. We are all broken people, but to admit that reveals our weakness and imperfection. In addition, we fear being judged. The church should be the safest place for people to confess, but too often we don't feel safe confessing there because we're afraid we will be rejected.

As we choose to practice the discipline of confession, we must remember that the shame and fear we experience simply are not the truth. Both are diametrically opposed to what the gospel is. The Scripture is truth. Grace is truth. So as difficult as it may seem, we have to do the opposite of what our fear tells us. Fear wants to keep the bad things hidden and encourages us to live with shame, lacking purpose, holiness, and purity. But that's not what God intended for us.

Although the fear that holds us back from confession isn't going to go away, we can still act courageously. Confession doesn't ever get easier, but it does become more natural as we begin to experience the fullness of God's forgiveness and grace.

The point of confession and spiritual self-examination isn't, thankfully, just to beat ourselves up and feel guilty. Confession is a way of naming the problem, admitting it, and saying, Look, there's this mess, Lord, and I'm not going to clean it up on my own. I'm not able, nor am I entirely willing, to let go of these things without some serious divine assisstance. We confess our sins, receive absolution (forgiveness), and seek to make things right. The spiritual discipline of confession is a way of counterforming the self - of rightly forming the self.

That said, it can be dangerous to become scrupulous - obsessed with scrutinizing our sin. We should not fall into a works-righteousness approach to faith. But the opposite danger is to neglect sanctification, because we've overemphasized justification: "Oh, you're justified; oh good, you're done. Now you can sit on the couch and relax." Justification is the beginning of the project, not the end.

As we make progress in our spiritual lives, we see how deeply the things we're struggling with are rooted. Sanctification implies that progress isn't only possible but also expected, and that becoming more and more like Christ is both a journey and a destination.

When people say camp I usually think of fun activities, relaxing, and good times with friends, and while all of that was definitely a part of my few spring break days at Camp Eagle with my church group, an even bigger part was an attribute we discussed pretty often, and that was discipline. We talked about the importance of spiritual discipline and just taking time to sit and be in awe of God's presence. Meditation in Christ is key to really hearing what God has to say to us. Too often we get caught up in all the noise of the world: constant busyness, everybody needing something from us, always feeling the need to talk. But why don't we ever just simply sit and listen? So many times we feel the need to hear God's voice in the wind or feel it in the breeze, but what if He is trying to speak to us in the silence? On our first day at camp, we all did this activity in which we went into a tiny little tunnel that was pitch black and everyone had to be lead throughout this obstacle course type thing with basically zero light. So as we're finding our way through it, the points in which we were most successful were when there was quiet. In silence there was a better communication, and when we let only one person talk rather than everyone, it made it easier for us to find the way because there was only one sure voice to listen to rather than many different ones shouting different opinions of how to get out of the maze. I feel like it's the same way with God. There are moments when a conversation back and forth is great, but there are also times when God just says, "Be still, my child, so I can show you." I was spending some time reading my Bible and as I was reading a verse in Psalms, I realized that it said "Selah" at the end of the verses every once in a while. So I looked it up and discovered that it was used as a type of musical interlude and means to stop, be silent, and just listen. Exodus 14:14 says, "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." There is something so comforting about knowing that when you just sit in silence and hand all of the mundane things of this world to God, He promises us that He will take care of it for us in His own timing. Camp was full of a lot of amazing memories including jumping off of a cliff and standing around a bonfire singing together, but God also revealed a lot of neat things to me. It takes practice and discipline, but when you take the time, a lot can be heard in the silence, you just have to be willing to stop and listen.

While I have many dreams and wishes for my future, I am also learning how to love right now. Because once upon a time, right now was my future. When I was in middle school, I couldn't wait to be in high school. Now that I'm in high school I can't wait for college and marriage and whatever it is that God has planned for me. But why not be content with right now? I can dream on and dream on and believe me I do. But do we all really have dreams? When people used to ask me what I wanted to do with my life, I didn't really have an answer. I still don't really. I don't have a big dream or anything "major" I want to accomplish. People always assume I'll become a pastor or president or missionary or start an organization or discover something (or something else epic and along those lines - you get the point). But I think there is also biblical precedent for just trying to live a godly life, walk closely with the Lord, and teach about His goodness. Now I know this does include achieving dreams such as loving my future husband and family well, showing kids God's love through teaching, and serving my community. But my dream is so much more than a husband and kids and a future career. What am I about? I'm about what God is about. His wish is my command. The thing I long for most is to be the truest example of Proverbs 31:25 - "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh without fear of the future." It's not an awful world out there, but it's a world. There is hurt and brokenness, and I want to be a light so bright that people simply have to stop and ask, "WHERE in the world is your source of hope and light?" so that I may simply say, "My savior, Jesus Christ". Something I have learned over the past three years in high school is that the world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. There are enough women of fame and fortune; we need women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity. THAT is where I want to be in ten years from now. Married to the love of my life, raising a family, showing God's love to people by doing what God gave me talent in, and simply just bursting forth with, "All praise be to You, my Lord!" I look forward to the day when I can look back and see the godly women I had in my life and say, "Look at what can happen when God places a positive influence in someone's story. A girl who never believed in herself, a girl with a faith the size of a mustard seed, has changed for the better; that small faith grew to move mountains. Praise God."

Yet another wonderful year has passed us by, just as time tends to do, and now we slowly cascade into a wonderful new surprise that is 2014. New Year's resolutions have been made, kept, unkept, forgotten, pursued, encouraged, culminated, and so much more! The view of the year depends on an individual and their heart, but one thing that does not differ among us is the newness. The freshness. The very pure essence of January 1st. While it has passed and been forgotten already, a hope in a new year lingers still. 

And so it begins.

- Rachel Jenkins <3

*BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT IS A SWIMSUIT NOT A DRESS! AND IT'S ADORABLE!!! :)*

Summer has officially rolled around and I am ready to begin basking in everything it has to offer me; opportunities, relaxation, unforgettable memories, and everything else it will entail! However, summer means swimming and swimming means the need to find the perfect swim suit. And while this may not be a problem for other girls and is not something often thought about or brought up, this summer God really struck a nerve with me on a certain topic...modesty.

As summer swoops in, I think we can all agree that the majority of girls we see are in a bikini anywhere that there is water. Originally, I had planned to be in the exact same; summer bikini and ready to join the rest of the group. But then something felt wrong. Now don't misunderstand, I don't hate two piece swimsuits. And I do believe that it IS possible for some of them to be decent! In fact, there are quite a few out there that I think are cute and would love to wear. I tell you this not to confuse you about where I stand on swimwear, but to show you that dressing modestly is a sacrifice. It's not always easy, fun, OR popular. I would love to be able to relax at the beach with a bikini. I think they're cute and not as much of a hassle as one pieces/tankinis. Price wise, two pieces are MUCH more convenient, and while swimming, extra fabric on tankinis can be bothersome. However...

I CHOOSE not to wear bikinis simply as a sacrifice to guys around me. Now this may sound overly arrogant and conceited, but please bear with me. So many excuses are often used for immodesty, one of the most popular being "Guy's just have an imagination, it's not a girl's problem". Simply put, I think that's a stupid and naive way to look at a situation. Part of it IS our problem. The way we dress impacts those around us, ESPECIALLY guys. Personally, I don't want to be seen for my butt, legs, stomach, chest, or any other part that I could choose to expose. I would much rather be known for my smile or God-loving personality. Yes, guys should be able to control their imaginations and look past our bodies. They should work on respecting girls and searching for someone for reasons that aren't physical. But it can be a struggle for them, and it's vital that we as girls make it an easier thing to conquer.

Put yourself in a guy's shoes. I once heard this kind of temptation compared to exercise. Exercise, for the most part, is an important thing that girls try and maintain. We want to stay healthy and are often working on getting fit. We work out and stay away from unhealthy foods as much as possible. ALL of our willpower is used to NOT eat the perfected chocolate cake that sits on our counter. Now let's say that someone picked up this chocolate cake and followed you EVERYWHERE, 24/7 with it, and keeps reminding you it's there and how absolutely delicious it is! We can never get away from it, it's always right there, tempting us by smelling all ooey-gooey and chocolate-y! Most of us, myself included, would break down right then and there and eat the cake. And we would probably continue to break down and keep eating cake because it is continuously there and constantly tempting. Our exercise goals would be instantly depleted and we would consistently allow ourselves to keep falling back to temptation.

This is how I imagine it to be for guys. It's easy to not look at a girl's physical appearance when they aren't exposing it, but when girls are walking around with barely anything on at the beach or pool (or even just in the general public)...well that's a game changer! Guys can never get a break from all the immodesty, even if they ARE trying to see past all the bodies to find the smiles and beautiful personalities. I'm not giving them an excuse or saying that it's completely the female population's fault. Because it's NOT. But...

How hard is it to not wear a bikini, or to just cover up when you're deciding what you're going to wear for the day? Yes, sometimes it might be a little disappointing. You might also have to save a little more money for that slightly more expensive, cute (yes, cute ones do exist) one piece swimsuit. But honestly, is a little disappointment and a little extra cash really that hard to swallow? Especially when the purpose of all these things are to strive to fufill a God given responsibility! I think it's time to ditch the skimpy swimsuits, earn some self respect (not to mention the respect of others), and help our brothers in Christ.

P.S. - It really is possible to look good in a one piece/tankini! If you don't believe me, check out www.reyswimwear.com and see for yourself! :)

You are more than your outer display, and you are enough in God's eyes and in others'.

- Rachel Jenkins <3

I was sitting down today and thinking about the fact that it's only the second day back to school from a two week break and I already feel as if I never even left! So it got me wondering...

Now that I've been creating and conjuring all day, I'm on a roll and can't stop! So here's another DIY for you guys! It's really simple and doesn't require going out and buying things. Here it is:

A Little Christmas Inspiration.

You'll need:

-Scissors

-Yarn (or any string of any kind)

-An empty can (I reused a can that used to have tea in it)

-Sharpie

-A small square of paper (I used a sticky note)

-31 quotes that you love! (one for each day of December)

STEP 1: Take your empty can and decorate it however you'd like! Festive, plain, vintage, anyway you want. Mine has rainbow duct tape and an R on the lid (for Rachel). Nothing fancy, but it makes me smile. :)

STEP 2: Cut your 31 quotes into little strips and cut 31 pieces of decently sized string (my string was about 7-8 inches long). There are 31 because it's one quote for every day in December!

STEP 3: Take each quote (one at a time) and roll it. Once rolled, take a piece of string and tie it in a bow around the quote.

STEP 4: Once all the quotes are tied and wrapped in little bows (I chose red string for festivity), place them all in your decorated container and seal it up!

STEP 5: Now take your small square of paper (I used a little sticky note) and write with your sharpie (or any color pen you prefer) "Christmas 2012". I then punched a hole in the corner of the sticky note, and put string through the hole. I then tied it around my container.

STEP 6: Place it on your desk or somewhere you can access it easily every day. Now every day of December, when you wake up or when you go to bed,  you open it up, take one of your quotes out, read it, and become inspired. <3

P.S. - Don't throw your quotes away or lose them, because on New Years I plan on posting another DIY and it involves your quotes!

Hope you enjoy this! I know mine will be my motivations to get through the rest of the year 2012 and reminders of why I love Winter so much!

-Rachel Jenkins <3

Holidays are here and I've already began scavenging for ideas of what kind of festive things I can make (food-wise). If you've been looking as well, LOOK NO MORE! Because I now present to you, some of the tastiest and simple-not to mention adorable-Christmas treats you will ever see!

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer Candy Bars <3 (This idea was inspired by the wonderful blog: Hungry Happenings)

You'll need:

-1 Hershey's Milk Chocolate Candy Bar per reindeer

-2 squares of caramel per reindeer

-2 candy eyes per reindeer*

-1 red Peanut M&M per reindeer (Red Hots or just red icing also work)

-Kitchen shears (scissors)

-Optional: A leaf shaped cookie cutter (or use your kitchen shears)

*For the eyes, you can go out and buy some 1/2 inch royal icing eyes or you can just draw a black pupil usuing a food coloring marker (or black icing) on any small white candy (I suggest Smarties seeing as it's the easiest and looks the best).

Hey Few Who Read My Blog!

            So sorry for the lack of activity lately, but as usual, things have been insane! For the longest time now I've been meaning to get on here and rant and rave about all of the wonderful, passing seasons, but time has slipped by like a wet dolphin...(strange analogy, but oh well. Dolphins are great.) Anywho! In case you haven't stepped outside or looked at a calendar recently, winter is here and things are beautiful! People's spirits are up and insipiration and creativity are floating in the air with the clouds. It's dense and heavy and I love that I can feel it everywhere I go! And speaking of inspiration, I recently got an email from Ted Dekker (an author whose books are just truly masterful) and his words really hit home for me. Maybe I'm just in a mood in which I take everything extremely to heart, but either way I really loved what he said. He spoke of how we often forget who we are, why we love to live, and what should truly fulfill us, a place of thought in which I constantly find myself living. One of my favorite things he said was "There are times when the challenges of living in this world feel like more than you can bear. When nights all alone in your bedroom seem to turn your heart into a stone. When the mirror tells you that you're not good enough; when the words of even the most well-meaning say you never will be. The 'law' of this world tries to keep you trapped in its prison of condemnation, but in truth, that law is now dead and you are made whole, with more beauty and power than you can possibly imagine. We are one who's been rescued out of the law of sin and death and made whole, now, as you are, a new creature in Christ. You just forget it, all too often, like me." How true and beautiful is this? (P.S.-Check out his page on Facebook and look at his new book. If you're interested, you can sign up to be given his new book that's coming out for free! All you have to do is 'like' his page and give him your email!) Anyways, what he said really took me on a wild ride from the mind of madness into the heart of mystery and love. It helped remind me that the world is just brimming with beauty and power!

            On a different note, 'tis the season to be jolly, and I can't wait! The decorating and craft making has already commenced, and I don't plan on stopping! Later on I plan on putting up some DIY's I'm doing to brigthen my room with a little more Christmas, so keep checking up on my blog to see what I have in store! It's gonna be great!

I hope everyone is having a blessed December, and may your month (and life in general) be filled with love, joy, peace, and all of that good stuff! -Rachel Jenkins. <3

P.S.- Here's a picture of Ted Dekker's new book he's giving away for free, Identity. It's book one in his new series, Eyes Wide Open. Enjoy!

Sorry for all the silence around here lately! This summer decided to splurge itself upon me at very last minute. I haven't even had enough time to sleep, let alone come up with a blog article that actually makes sense and is decent! I suppose partial reason for the quietness on my blog has also been because I get a little lazy on my spare time... :) Anywho, school begins tomorrow and needless to say, I'm completely unprepared...it's not that I don't have the supplies or the work done or the outfits picked out, it's that I'm not ready to say goodbye to the beauties of summer and the smiles it brought. <3 However, I plan for this upcoming school year to be fantastic and full of adventure, dreaming, and everything else you can think of! Hold on to your hats ladies and gents, I feel some sophomore year winds brewing and they're about to strike hard and blow us off our feet! Au revoir, summer! See you in a few months! -XOXO Rachel Jenkins. :D