Why?

I was thinking today about celebrities and philosophy. The question came to mind: why do we praise actors for PRETENDING?
Just a thought.
Love, Mary

Unimpressed…

My sister recently informed me of a disappointing advertisement campaign by one of her favorite stores, Forever 21’s couture line “12 by 12“. The current advertising campaign features a model posing with nude mannequins. It is distasteful and frustrating especially since the store has John 3:16 printed on the bottom of its bags. I hope that if you, too are upset by this, you will send in a comment to Forever 21’s website and tell them how you feel. It’s a free country.

The following is the comment I sent in to the website:

I just wanted to write to express my disappointment with the Twelve by Twelve advertisement campaign that uses nude mannequins. I think that it is inappropriate and uncalled for to feature nudity in/on a store/website that is targeted toward young women and teenage girls. On another note, it is hypocritical for Forever 21 to have John 3:16 on their bag. As long as that verse reference is on the bag, Forever 21, Inc. will be held to a higher standard morally than other stores that do not identify with anything religious. This distasteful advertisement campaign is inconsistent with the values associated with Christianity.

-Mary Alexandra

Reverse Culture Shock

I have returned from London. In short, it was amazing. I shall elaborate at a later time.

Love,

Mary

The Rebelution: in My Own Words

      We live in a world with embarrassingly low expectations for teenagers. The Rebelution is the much needed rebellion against those expectations that bind our strength and our abilities. As young people, we have strength and ideas, but we let the world’s expectations crush our efforts. The Rebelution is the joining together of like-minded teens who are sick of living under these expectations and sick of seeing themselves falling for these lies. Our numbers can stand against the opposition. The Rebelution is the teens who want to follow God’s plan for their lives and give Him glory in everything they do. The Rebelution is those of us who have realized it does not please God to not do our best or to not go above and beyond. We are those who have been convicted. We are those who are willing to fight against our flesh, peer pressure and cultural pressure. We are the few who do not want to waste our lives. Recognizing the value of time, we want to make the best of it. When we fail, we get up again, and again, and again. Our numbers give us strength to go beyond what we imagined. By our numbers, through wise counsel, and if it’s God’s will, we will change the world.

The conference was a blessing and a challenge.

Love,

    Mary

A New Chapter

    Last week I attended the Christian camp Falls Creek. God moves at Falls Creek. Convicted of my complacency and apathy, I felt God wanted me to make a new commitment to live for Him. So Friday, June 20, 2008, I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ. Please pray for me that I will run after Him with all that’s within me and I will make an impact on the world around me!! And not shy away from doing hard things for Him!

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”     Acts 3:19

“He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”    Psalm 23:3

Love, Mary

Whatever is pure…

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.(NIV)” {Philippians 4:8}

If it doesn’t mean to guard what you put into your mind, then what does it mean? I believe it says what it means and means what it says. I don’t think it means to be sheltered so much that you are uninformed. But remember what it says in James (1:27) of true religion: 

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” (NLT)

I think that we need to stand out as Christians. Stand out in our choices for entertainment, how we act, and what we say. I wrote a song about this: “No One Will Find Out”. It is on my music myspace: Mary Alexandra [Songwriter]

Love, Mary

Encouragements and Compliments

Today I received a really great compliment.

“You’re very politcal; first with Huckabee for President, and now with ‘Expelled’”

It was definitely encouraging. One of my goals right now is to speak out and stand up for what’s right. It’s always nice to know that my efforts are noticed.

I purchased two books that I am very excited about on Amazon a couple of days ago:

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex and Brett Harris

Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be) by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck

Those should be some very good reading. I am very excited.

That is all.

Love, Mary

I Don’t Regret

      I don’t regret being sheltered, innocent, and different from this world.  We all know in our hearts and minds that innocence lost once is lost forever; there’s no going back.  An empty, hurting world is out there. It needs to see that there’s another way to other than this emptiness in which they live.  I, myself have been empty. I tried to fill that hole with possessions, which only deepened the hole and made it grow larger. Jesus saved me and filled me. Witnessing has always been hard for me. God’s been working on me. I’m broken because I let one more youth weekend go by, and I left the box “You do the following regularly, witness[_]” blank. God is changing my heart. He’s been throwing opportunities at me, waking me up, preparing me, and setting my head straight. He’s speaking through thoughts swirling and echoing saying, ”if you don’t witness here, how will you there?” ”the great commission includes your Jerusalem: your city, work place, church, wherever!!”     I’m going to London on a “mission trip”, but why wait until training camp to be a missionary? I’m not fulfilling my calling, which is to be salt and light and to share this hope and peace that fills my life. The peace enough to say “we’ll see” so much because I know God has it all planned out. The hope enough to say “I’ll see my Grandma in heaven someday” or ” I know for sure God loves me and has forgiven me.”  “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” [Matt. 5:13]   <><Love. Mary Alexandra