Ever notice how convenient our culture has become? This seems to be a great thing; however, if we really think about it, it encourages our impatience. The Bible tells us to be patient and wait upon the Lord. Psalm 37:7: “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.”

In today’s culture, we can easily get caught up in getting what we want, when we want it. One popular car commercial states, “I want it all, and I want it now.” As if that’s okay. If that’s what we want, then it’s normal and we should get it. Yes, it’s nice that we don’t have to wait days for the mail to come to hear from a dear friend––we have email. We don’t have to wait for a late friend to show up for a date––she can call or text us and tell us she’s on her way. We don’t even have to wait long for dinner, since everything can be pre-packaged, and if we really want to, we can just zip through a drive-thru on the way home. No waiting.

But how patient does that make us? How impatient does that make us when God doesn’t do what we want right away? His timing is perfect. “For He says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you’” (2 Corinthians 6:2). In this busy world, where we are tempted to think that we deserve whatever we want, and we should get it the second we want it, we need to remember that only God can see the big picture, and that many times, by our waiting, He is growing us and preparing us for His work.

By Lisa Grimenstein

It’s easy to get so busy and caught up in our own lives that we can forget to help others around us. I suggest committing to do one kind thing for someone every day. The concept is old, but it’s still a good one! Once you begin to get in the habit of helping others, you’ll find the opportunities come easily, since you’ll be looking for them, and many kind deeds can be accomplished in just a few minutes.

Kind deed ideas

1) Let someone go ahead of you. If you’re waiting in line at the store with your arms full of items to purchase, and there’s someone behind you with just a few things, let him go first. You’ll only have to wait a few extra minutes, and it might make his day.

2) Straighten up something. Maybe the living room is covered in a younger sibling’s toys––put them away! Or load the dishwasher, or put toiletry items in the bathroom.

3) Speak to someone new. The new girl in your youth group or at school may need a friend, so be one! Go up to her and start a friendly conversation. You may end up making a new friend.

The possibilities are endless! Pray that God will open your heart to helping others; then have fun serving Him by doing a kind deed every day for someone else (Matthew 25:40).

By Davonne Parks

Lime Ricki’s special offer for Pierce My Heart readers expires today.  Just enter the coupon code HEART10 at their checkout before midnight and you will automatically receive 10% off your entire purchase!

– Davonne Parks

“’If’ is a big word,” was the reply I received in a text message from an acquaintance, upon my asking of different “what if” statements. I stubbornly hit reply, ready to come back with something clever, because I was frustrated. Then, I paused. I canceled the reply, and reread the message. “If” is a big word … Something struck me each time I re-evaluated it. I’m doubtful the person meant much by it, but the statement has embedded itself into my thoughts, and often comes alive again.

More often than not, I get anxious about “what ifs.” No matter the occasion, I can always find something to “what if.” It’s not that I am a pessimist (far from it); it’s simply that I want to prepare myself for not-so-good outcomes or instances. What if I don’t pass chemistry? What if I never find a good husband? What if something happens to my parents? We could what if ourselves all day long! Although I still let these thoughts creep in at times, I strive to give my cares to Him, and let Him take all my worries away (1 Peter 5:6-7).

It’s human nature to worry, but because we are under God’s care, we have no reason to worry! Nothing good comes from worrying (Matthew 6:27), and we can go to God, in prayer, with all of our troubles (Philippians 4:6).

So then, what if we tell our concerns to Him, stop worrying, and focus on doing the work of a Christian––for Him––instead? We are told that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard [our] hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6b). As we think of peaceful things, many of us imagine a beach with calm waves, a wooded area surrounded by wildflowers…or, even waking up on a snow day and realizing we are out of school! Each of us has different things that give us a sense of happiness and security. But if we allow God to take complete control, the peace we will receive is so awesome and powerful that we cannot fully comprehend it. God is truly so good.

Don’t stress; don’t worry––just take each day He gives you, let Him take control, and find true peace in Him!

By Hannah Smith

There’s a song about restoring our souls, and the first verse goes like this:

Restore my spirit, Lord, I need restored.
My heart is weary, please help me, dear Lord.
I stand in need of more strength from Your Word,
Renew my love, rebuild my faith,
O restore my soul.

Sometimes we feel too empty or busy to give to others, and when this happens, we need to think and pray about the reason for that emptiness and lack of desire to serve. Often, the lack of desire comes from having so many activities going on that we fail to take time to renew ourselves.

While Jesus lived His life as a service to others (Mark 10:45), He also understood the importance of taking care of Himself and His relationship with God, as we find in Luke 15:16: “But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”

When you find that you’re unable to give to others with the right heart (2 Corinthians 9:7), make sure you’re taking the time to renew your own spirit. This may mean cutting out an extra activity, turning off the TV, or skipping a night out with friends––just remember that in order to fully renew ourselves, we need to follow our Example, and turn in scripture and prayer to the One who created us.

By Davonne Parks

Now that you’re prepared to clean your room, let’s get started!

The cleaning

Turn on the music you’ve chosen and, if it’s nice out, open the windows. This will help you get in a cleaning mood. Start in your chosen area, and make sure your cleaning supplies are nearby. Pull everything out of your intended cleaning spot. Even if you’re planning on keeping the item, take it off the shelf, out of the drawer, etc. Then clean the area with your cleaning wipes (or if it’s under your bed, vacuum it).

Now it’s time to make a decision! Since everything is already pulled out, you’ll find that it’s much easier to get rid of it––it’s either toss or make a place to put it away (remember that if you put it away, you’re going to have to go through it the next time you clean out your room). If there’s a t-shirt that hasn’t fit you since middle school, put it in your giveaway bag. Shoes that give your feet blisters every time you wear them? Get rid of them! Maybe you have old school papers crammed into a drawer somewhere––glance through them and toss anything that isn’t very sentimental. (Maybe you want to keep that poem or painting, but seriously, who needs a copy of every math test they’ve taken?!) Try giving yourself a limit for sentimental items––for example, “I can keep ten old books”––then get rid of any children’s books that weren’t among your ten favorites. This will help to keep clutter down, and it will make those ten books you are keeping even more special.

As soon as one trash bag is filled up, tie it and label a new bag so you won’t be tempted to go through it. If you’re not sure about something, toss it in your unsure box––that’s what it’s there for! Don’t waste precious time, energy, or momentum thinking about something you can easily do later.

Once you’ve decided what to keep, put the items neatly back into the area you’ve just cleaned, if they belong there. If anything you’ve taken out belongs elsewhere in your room, just put those things on your made bed until you’re ready for them. Now that your designated first place is organized, take a moment to look at it and enjoy what you’ve done! Then move on to the other areas in your room. Work quickly, efficiently, and refuse to get distracted by things you’ve forgotten you have––remember that you can enjoy those items after they’ve been put away where they belong!

Once you’re done cleaning out all areas of your room (including jewelry boxes, nightstand drawers, and dresser tops), neatly put away the items you’ve placed on your bed. This should be fairly easy to do since you’ve already completed the work of placing like items together and organizing everything.

After the clean

Now it’s time for the “unsure” box. Since your room now looks pretty and is well organized, this should be easy. Many of those items you originally thought you may want to keep might now be easy to toss. Go through this box as quickly as you can. If you have to think awhile about whether or not to keep it, it’s probably something to get rid of. Ask yourself if you need, love, or use the item in the box. If the answer is “no,” add it to your giveaway bag. Someone who does need, love, or can use the item may have it.

Go through your organized bedroom with a dusting rag and vacuum cleaner to finish the job––this will give the room a fresh feel and scent in just a few minutes. Put away the items in your last box––the box specifically for items that belong somewhere else in the house. Then, run the trash bags outside and put them in the trash can.

After that, place the giveaway bags in your vehicle (or ask a parent if you can put them in theirs). Then take the giveaway bags somewhere––a woman’s shelter, Goodwill, etc. Try to do this as soon as possible, or the bags may end up riding around with you for weeks.

Now that your space is clean, and you’re probably feeling renewed (Psalm 51:10), stop at the library on the way home from dropping off your giveaway items, then head to your room with your book and enjoy relaxing in your (spring) cleaned bedroom!

By Davonne Parks

Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Spring is a time of freshness and renewal. So let’s refresh our rooms!

Supplies

To clean out your bedroom, you’ll need several trash bags, a permanent marker, two laundry baskets or boxes, cleaning wipes, and a vacuum cleaner. Label one bag “trash” and one bag “giveaway” with the marker. One box will be used for items you come across that belong somewhere else in the house––instead of wasting time putting items away as you find them, and getting distracted in the process, you can just toss them in the box and put everything away at the same time as soon as you’re done going through your room. The other box is for “unsure” items. If you can’t decide whether to keep or get rid of something, don’t waste time mulling over it while you’re cleaning––just throw it into your “unsure” box ––we’ll come back to this later.

Preparation

Decide where to begin. You can go about this two ways.

One way is to choose the most dreaded place in your room––does the thought of cleaning out your closet overwhelm you? Start there! Maybe it’s a bookshelf that’s full of childhood knick-knacks and books. Or maybe you haven’t been able to see more than three inches under your bed in years. Start in whichever place feels like the worst place. You’ll have a fresh mind to clean instead of being worn out from doing everything else first. Once you tackle that spot, you’ll feel like you can accomplish anything, and the rest of your room will be easy to clean in no time!

The other way to decide where to start is to simply choose a random spot. Maybe your nightstand drawer will be really easy to organize but you just haven’t taken the time to do it. Do that first! If your dresser seems like a good place to begin, do it. The important thing is to start somewhere––it really doesn’t matter where. Just pick a spot, and determine that you’ll stick with it until it’s done. If it helps you to stay on task, set a timer, and try to get done within that amount of time.

You can also choose some upbeat, appropriate music to have ready for the actual cleaning.  This will help you stay motivated to keep moving.

Remember

Keep in mind that like items should be grouped together––all t-shirts get hung up or placed in a drawer. Separating them will just add to a cluttered feeling in your space. If you have a desk, place all pencils, paper, scissors, etc. into a drawer, or corralled with like objects. Put things where they’ll be used. If you put your make-up on at your vanity every day, keep your make-up in a vanity drawer. The easier things are to get to, the more likely you’ll be to put them away when you’re done using them.

Prepare your room and your mind for cleaning today. Tomorrow we’ll post cleaning suggestions.

By Davonne Parks

Go here to read our recent Earth Day article, here to read our article about organic cleaning supplies, and here to read all of our April articles about caring for God’s creation.

Just for today deals

Today only, you can take this coupon to any Walgreens, and they’ll give you a free reusable tote plus 15% off your entire purchase (time to stock up on that summer nail polish!).

If you’re planning on eating out tonight, you can get a free made-from-scratch Strawberry Lemonade from O-Charley’s.

You can take three plastic bottles to any Disney Store today to receive a free gift.

Deals after today

If you’d like something free, but aren’t going out tonight, check out this offer from teeccino.com – just register online and they’ll mail you caffeine-free herbal coffee!

There are free Dave Ramsey events all over the nation tomorrow night (April 23)!  He is a practical financial expert who has great advice to offer, and this will be a great event for anyone who will eventually need to know how to manage money (which is probably all of us!).

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a free bathing suit.  Whether you win or not, you can still get a 10% discount on your entire purchase.  Details are in the article.

If you’re planning on getting a summer job, check out this offer from Office Max – they’ll print 25 copies of your resume for free now through May 30!

Thanks

Thanks Crystal for sharing most of these freebies.

Let’s enjoy and appreciate the earth that God created, not just today, but every day!

– Davonne Parks

Earth Day is on April 22, and while it is good to take care of God’s creation, just as Adam was to do (Genesis 2:15), we also need to know that God is ultimately in charge of the universe: “Yours is the day, Yours also is the night; You have prepared the light and the sun. You have established all the boundaries of the earth; You have made summer and winter” (Psalm 74:16–17).

Many people are concerned about global warming, and the earth burning up, but the Bible tells us otherwise in Mark 13:31–33: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.” God already knows when the end of the earth will be, and it’s going to be when He decides, not at any other time. The earth was always intended to be temporary, not eternal, so if the earth does get warmer (and I think this past winter proved that the earth is plenty cool enough!), it will still be here until our heavenly Father sends Jesus back.

Humans can do a lot, but we do not have the power to make the earth end. That’s a power that God alone possesses. So, this year, instead of worrying about the earth’s future, rejoice in the One who created the earth (Genesis 1:1), and take care of His creation out of love for Him and what He’s made.

By Davonne Parks