Biblical Principles to keep in mind when voting.

Tomorrow is a big day for us Americans. A day that will determine the future of our nation. A day that brings a lot of anxiety and dread along with it. Election day. its key to remember we are not only voting for one person but for their policies and their team's values.

   This year, like four years ago seems so daunting and scary. But as Christians there are some things we need to keep in mind when voting. God provided His word for us as a guide on how to live and it is truly applicable to the voting process too! So, let’s get into it!

 

Loving each other

John 13:35

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

 

1 John 3:23

And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.

 

Matthew 22

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

 

   These verses tell us that as Christian’s we are to love each other. This means despite our differences. Four and eight years ago, the two main parties were very hateful towards each other before and after the election and this year will be no different on the whole but we as individuals can choose kindness despite the outcome. Don’t say hateful things about the party you are not in.

 

Being set apart

   As Followers of Christ, we are called to be set apart from the world and its choices. When the world is making bad choices we have to stand in the gap and make the better choices.

Colossians 3

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives.

 

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

 

Matthew 7

13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to Hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.

14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

 

Sanctity of Life

Genesis 1

27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them.

 

Psalm 139:13–18

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

 

   How incredible that the Maker of the galaxies, the oceans, mountains and valleys, volcanoes and canyons made us with such care and intention! Every single detail about you and every other life was hand crafted and He thought you were good enough to keep. That is so precious and beautiful!

   I don’t normally speak on my personal views on the lgbt+ community and I’m not going to now, but one thing I will say is I think it must break God’s heart to see children choosing to get physically altering surgeries. With or without parental consent. Kids aren’t fully developed enough (mentally or physically) to make such life altering decisions. They need to be protected from toxic drugs and surgeries until they are old enough to choose that fully understanding the repercussions. Not told who they were made to be isn't good enough.

   I know one of the biggest debates in this election is the topic of ab0rt!on. The verses above prove that God values that life no matter how small...He made life after all. We are called as Christians to protect those who cannot protect themselves. There are exceptions to the laws against such a procedure in many states and that is great but also its not our right to take anyone else’s life.

 

Corruption & False Teachings

   There is a ton of this going around these days. Words get twisted and religion is used as a weapon against us, so it’s always good to be aware of what’s true and know how to spot the wolves in sheep’s clothing. you can always tell by a person's actions if they are legitimate or not. Are they treating others with respect? Are they protecting the weak? Are they slandering their opponent? Are they implementing Christian values? There is no denying that there is corruption within our government. Now is the time to get back on track!  

Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

"I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt!"

 

1 Timothy 4

1 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.

2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.

 

Matthew 7:15

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.

 

I want to close out with this simple statement.

As Christians, this world is NOT our home. We are ambassadors of The Kingdom of God. Meaning we should hold fast to biblical values and principles and not be swayed by pretty lies and the venom this world is spewing. So, do your research on policies and laws these candidates want to put into place then go out and vote how Jesus would want us to.

<3

Sincerely,

Sarah

All scripture is from the NLT version 

A word on the Christian’s mindset in times of darkness.

 Dear Heart,

    There’s no denying the world has gone to Hell in a hand basket, as they say. It’s hard to see people making bad choice after bad choice and the consequences (or lack thereof) being so different for different groups. Injustice, racism, hypocrisy, terrorism, lies.

It’s no secret the Bible has told us that these things were coming. It’s a sign of the times.

It’s easy to let the negativity of the world get to us. We can’t ignore any of it but there are some things we can keep in mind to ease the blow while we pray and work for change.

As followers of Christ, as God’s children, our homeland is Heaven! No nation on this one meager planet should have a hold on us. 

1 Peter 2:9 Tells us who and what we are truly as followers of Christ:

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light;

———————————————————————

Sometimes I feel homesick. Ever since I was a child I’ve painfully longed for another land, I found some comfort in the world of Narnia. I looked for that sense of Home in fantasy novels and movies/shows but as I got older I realized the only reason I found any comfort in Narnia at all was because it was a mirror of the Bible/Jesus. I swear my soul remembers Heaven even though my human brain cannot.

If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.

—C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

———————————————————————

You don’t have a soul, you are a soul, you have a body. —C.S. Lewis 

As a Soul given back over to God, we become ambassadors of Heaven. That’s our homeland. A place of immense love, peace and praise for our King. We are not of this world. The Bible tells us so many times not to dwell on or conform to the world. To store our treasures in Heaven instead. In these evil, dark times let’s keep looking up, let’s keep spreading the love of God and His word. Don’t morph it to fit your human/worldly beliefs. We have the love and power of the highest, most powerful supernatural being on our side. 

So, keep these things in mind. We are just passing through. This is temporary. This life is but a blink in time. Take heart in that and have courage, Dear Heart. 🖤

Sincerely,

Sarah -🖤-

————————————————————————

Music to fit the mood:

Where I Belong— Switchfoot

Sign of the Times— Harry Styles

Oh Boy— Merriment

Paralyzed—Jamie Bower

This is Home—Switchfoot 

Say!—Lilito

Creature— Half•Alive

Only Hope—Switchfoot 

Hope for it— Cimorelli 

Solar Eclipse 2017

This was the single most beautiful thing I have and will ever see. I am so, so blessed to have been in the path of totality! It was truly a humbling and magical experience. 

It was so brief, but will stay with me forever. Stars and planets became visible in the shadow of the Moon during totality. The entire world around us looked just like it was sunset, with the horizon lit aglow all around the perimeter of the Moon's shadow! The earth before and after looked as if I were wearing lightly  tinted brown sunglasses and the temperature dropped a good bit too! It felt so otherworldly and full of God's pure creativity. 

Please give ThroughTheRough.blogspot.com or AskSeekKnock on Instagram credit if reposted. 

The Moon, closing in on totality, caused the sun to look like a crescent Moon!

And a couple with the color changed just for fun!

While these above are gray they're actually the most true-to-color we saw today!

I used the white florescent light setting to cause this blue effect.

Unfortunately, all the solar lenses were sold out, so I had to have someone hold the glass

from a welding mask over the telephoto lens.  I love the blue effect though,

I think it makes the pictures look more out-of-this-world!

Camera: Canon Rebel T2i

Lens: Vivitar telephoto lens 

ISO: 100

Shutter Speed: varied between 2000 and 4000 (4000 mostly)

Thanks so much for visiting my blog! If you have any questions feel free to comment!

Sincerely,

Sarah

Lets talk about hair color.

Okay, this is going to be more of a rant than anything. When is anything on here not a rant though? So, Lets talk about hair dye first...rant later! You've been warned! lol!

Over the past 5 or 6 years I've been dying on and off! First it was just a blonde streak for a few years, it was super fun and was a way for me to just be a little different from typical girls my age. It became my signature thing I guess. Then I dyed that blonde streak purpley-pink with crappy Splat! (Please don't ever use Splat.) 

Splat over bleached streak.

   When the Splat washed out I maintained the streak for a year or more and eventually let it grow out. From there I went red! Red has been my go to for so long now and I will forever love it. I was supposed to be a redhead. God just accidentally forgot that when He made me. lol. I had red for a while in my bangs and underneath but that wasn't enough. (If you dye, you get it.)

Professionally dyed fringe and and underneath.

   So, through Sherri Dupree-Bemis I discovered Special Effects and got myself some Burgundy Wine, it was the first time I dyed my entire head a different color and let me tell you I had never in my life felt more beautiful or unique than that first time! 

Special Effects Burgundy Wine over brown, unbleached hair.

   Pretty much since then it has been a red or brown color. (Red meaning anything from Magenta to orange. Also green for a month or so. And black for a while!) I've dyed it on and off many times with different box dyes. L'Oreal is my favorite by far.Over the past few years its been really back and forth until December 2015 when I went back totally red again within the past 2 years! Feria colors are awesome but my all time is HiColor HiLights in Magenta for dark hair! This one requires a developer which lightens the hair but isn't nearly as harsh as bleaching the hair and you can tell no difference in texture after using. It's rather gentle!

 HiColor HiLights in Magenta over dark brown hair.

Honorable mentions...

          Enchanted Forest, Manic Panic                 I totally can't remember what dye this was

Clockwise over the past year! Starting with December, 2015 and ending with today, November, 2016!  So many fun shades in the red family! 

AAANNNNDDDDD......Currently! 

(Special Effects, Virgin Rose and HiColor HiLights in Magenta.)

But here's the thing. I and others I know have been relentlessly hair color shamed (Even by their family members or church members. Which is the saddest thing.) for having an "unnatural" hair color. Newsflash babes! Blonde highlights or low-lights aren't natural either. We all like dying! and that's okay!

I feel most like myself and most confident about myself when I have red hair. It makes me feel pretty and like a freaking mermaid princess and I kinda love seeing that in the mirror! My hair in no way shape or form alters me as a human being. Or anyone else for that matter. My hair is just that MY HAIR. No one else has the right to tell me or anyone else what to do with their body other than themselves. God doesn't care if you dye your hair. Its not wrong or harmful to anyone.

To all the people who have told another person what color their hair color should be: YOUR OPINION OF SOMEONE ELSE'S HAIR//BODY IS IRRELEVANT. It is no ones place, right or business telling another human what color they think looks best or what they are doing wrong with their body. Also comments on pictures when a person has colored hair stating "Oh I liked natural color better." "It was so pretty the other way" that's rude and irrelevant to the picture. Hateful "suggestions" disguised as a compliment are not nice. They're rude. 

Why on earth would anyone bully others for what makes them feel beautiful? How could someone tell another person to change the thing that makes them feel best about their self? That's messed up! Its no different than telling someone they are over or under weight and would look better if they lost weight, or gained it! Or if they would just get braces, or just clear up that skin and get contacts...bullying is bullying!

So, the next time someone shames//bullies another person for having colored hair, I hope the judgmental comment, text or verbal vomit will be deleted and//or ignored. So, save your breath haters. Your opinion about you is the only one that will ever matter!

To the other ladies who dye, keep doing you. Don't let the cruel haters who tell you how to look get to you. Your opinion of you is the only relevant one! You're beautiful! go got that rainbow hair! go blue, go red! Do whatever makes you feel like a mermaid unicorn princess!

Edited because my wording was offensive to some before. This is NOT jab to anyone in particular and should not be taken as such! Body image shaming in any way is not nice and that includes hair, that's all this was meant to say! <3

xoxo,

Sarah

A Lesson from Narnia.

Hello all! 

   I was listening to the audio book for The Horse and His Boy a while back and a part of chapter eleven really hit me hard. It was where the main character, Shasta met Aslan for the first time, take a look at this portion of the chapter...

"I do think," said Shasta, "that I must be the most unfortunate boy that ever lived in the whole world. Everything goes right for everyone except me. Those Narnian lords and ladies got safe away from Tashbaan; I was left behind. Aravis and Bree and Hwin are all as snug as anything with that old Hermit: of course I was the one who was sent on. King Lune and his people must have got safely into the castle and shut the gates long before Rabadash arrived, but I get left out."

And being very tired and having nothing inside him, he felt so sorry for himself that the tears rolled down his cheeks.

What put a stop to all this was a sudden fright. Shasta discovered that someone or somebody was walking beside him. It was pitch dark and he could see nothing. And the Thing (or Person) was going so quietly that he could hardly hear any footfalls. What he could hear was breathing. His invisible companion seemed to breathe on a very large scale, and Shasta got the impression that it was a very large creature. And he had come to notice this breathing so gradually that he had really no idea how long it had been there. It was a horrible shock.

It darted into his mind that he had heard long ago that there were giants in these Northern countries. He bit his lip in terror. But now that he really had something to cry about, he stopped crying.

The Thing (unless it was a Person) went on beside him so very quietly that Shasta began to hope he had only imagined it. But just as he was becoming quite sure of it, there suddenly came a deep, rich sigh out of the darkness beside him. That couldn't be imagination! Anyway, he had felt the hot breath of that sigh on his chilly left hand.

If the horse had been any good - or if he had known how to get any good out of the horse - he would have risked everything on a breakaway and a wild gallop. But he knew he couldn't make that horse gallop. So he went on at a walking pace and the unseen companion walked and breathed beside him. At last he could bear it no longer.

"Who are you?" he said, scarcely above a whisper.

"One who has waited long for you to speak," said the Thing. Its voice was not loud, but very large and deep.

"Are you- are you a giant?" asked Shasta.

"You might call me a giant," said the Large Voice. "But I am not like the creatures you call giants."

"I can't see you at all," said Shasta, after staring very hard. Then (for an even more terrible idea had come into his head) he said, almost in a scream, "You're not - not something dead, are you? Oh please - please do go away. What harm have I ever done you? Oh, I am the unluckiest person in the whole world!"

Once more he felt the warm breath of the Thing on his hand and face. "There," it said, "that is not the breath of a ghost. Tell me your sorrows."

Shasta was a little reassured by the breath: so he told how he had never known his real father or mother and had been brought up sternly by the fisherman. And then he told the story of his escape and how they were chased by lions and forced to swim for their lives; and of all their dangers in Tashbaan and about his night among the tombs and how the beasts howled at him out of the desert. And he told about the heat and thirst of their desert journey and how they were almost at their goal when another lion chased them and wounded Aravis. And also, how very long it was since he had had anything to eat.

"I do not call you unfortunate," said the Large Voice.

"Don't you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?" said Shasta.

"There was only one lion," said the Voice.

"What on earth do you mean? I've just told you there were at least two the first night, and-"

"There was only one: but he was swift of foot."

"How do you know?"

"I was the lion." And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued. "I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."

"Then it was you who wounded Aravis?"

"It was I"

"But what for?"

"Child," said the Voice, "I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own."

"Who are you?" asked Shasta.

"Myself," said the Voice, very deep and low so that the earth shook: and again "Myself", loud and clear and gay: and then the third time "Myself", whispered so softly you could hardly hear it, and yet it seemed to come from all round you as if the leaves rustled with it.

Shasta was no longer afraid that the Voice belonged to something that would eat him, nor that it was the voice of a ghost. But a new and different sort of trembling came over him. Yet he felt glad too.

The mist was turning from black to grey and from grey to white. This must have begun to happen some time ago, but while he had been talking to the Thing he had not been noticing anything else. Now, the whiteness around him became a shining whiteness; his eyes began to blink. Somewhere ahead he could hear birds singing. He knew the night was over at last. He could see the mane and ears and head of his horse quite easily now. A golden light fell on them from the left. He thought it was the sun.

He turned and saw, pacing beside him, taller than the horse, a Lion. The horse did not seem to be afraid of it or else could not see it. It was from the Lion that the light came. No one ever saw anything more terrible or beautiful.

Luckily Shasta had lived all his life too far south in Calormen to have heard the tales that were whispered in Tashbaan about a dreadful Narnian demon that appeared in the form of a lion. And of course he knew none of the true stories about Aslan, the great Lion, the son of the Emperor-over-the-sea, the King above all High Kings in Narnia. But after one glance at the Lion's face he slipped out of the saddle and fell at its feet. He couldn't say anything but then he didn't want to say anything, and he knew he needn't say anything.

The High King above all kings stooped towards him. Its mane, and some strange and solemn perfume that hung about the mane, was all round him. It touched his forehead with its tongue. He lifted his face and their eyes met. Then instantly the pale brightness of the mist and the fiery brightness of the Lion rolled themselves together into a swirling glory and gathered themselves up and disappeared. He was alone with the horse on a grassy hillside under a blue sky. And there were birds singing.

- The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

This part of the book really resonated with me. It reminds me of this verse in Job,

God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. - Job 37:5

Now, think of what you just read not as a child's fairy-tale but as your story. Think of yourself as Shasta, and Aslan, the lion, as Jesus. It may seem silly but go ahead and try. Just like Aslan pushed and tried Shasta, Jesus is pushing us, His daughters and sons. 

When Shasta thought he was just going through the hardest time of his life, being chased, dealing with grief, fear and burdened with so much responsibility it was Aslan pushing him toward a goal. And in the end Shasta found out who he really was and found his place in the world. He became a Prince! 

You too, may be going through hard times right now, I know I am! But I have learned from this that God is ever pushing me toward what He has in store for me and that is greatness. All of the trials and stress I am under, or you may be under is all for a purpose. For a long time now I have told people who are struggling this: God knows what He is up to, even when we don't.  


Thanks for reading,
Sincerely,
Sarah 

Setting The Mood For Writing.

For me to write is a big deal, it's got to be in a specific setting and environment to set the mood!! So today I thought I would just let you all into my creative writing head space for a bit!

There are a few MUSTS for me when it comes to the ideal writing environment 

First up would HAVE TO BE.......COFFEE!

I absolutely have to have coffee to write.

I can't focus without it! Lol!

The second thing is a chilly room!

I love the cold, it makes me feel emotions better.

Which sounds so bizarre, I know, but still!

A cold room is a must! 

Which leads us to three, the actual room!

Third, is a good room!
 And for me that is our home office!

It has a wall lined with shelves,

two large windows that let in nice

natural light and the giant desk, 

making it the perfect room!

Fourth would be an overcast or really rainy day.
The way the clouds can mute colors around me really
helps me to be less distracted and rain is always soothing, amiright?

Fifth would be peace and quiet!




And lastly would be candles! 
More specifically, Autumn scented candles! 
Pumpkin and Cinnamon are my FAV!!!

Praise God for the person who harnessed the scent of Autumn!

Those are my main musts for the ideal writing day! tell me yours in the comments!

Thanks for reading! :)

Sincerely, Sarah 

Baxter and Clouds

Saw the most beautiful clouds this evening and had to

photograph them. Then it rained really heavily!

Also saw this beast.

<3