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Intro:

First of all... to the few people that read this blog... i'm so sorry i have not been keeping ontop of this.. i've been lazy... and busy... and just whatever the past couple months, but now that everything is back to the normal school routine, everything is a lot more smoother... and absolutely wonderful.

This summer my soul was kind of down in the pits.. i wasn't excited and enthusiastic about spiritual things (due to some sin in my life). I did want to get back up on my feet, but not completely... and my whole heart wasn't there. As September was quickly approaching i was scared that i wouldn't have the spiritual strength I needed to start school in the fall. I was scared i lost the mindset and energy i had earlier in the summer towards going into the public school system as a christian. About a week and a half before school started i started praying my little slefish heart out that God would radically change my attitude and that i would regain the relationship i had with Him.

I had no idea about it, but God was changing my heart while i was praying, and through the encouragement of my amazing, faithful christian friends I once again found the love of Christ lavished on me. I'd like to say i'm back to normal again now, in every way... and even better.

When people ask me how my first week of school went i say "Great!" It really is such a blessing and i had no idea what i was missing when i was homeschooling... though, this couldn't be a more perfect time to go back to school.

I'm more mature, and i can handle a lot more of everything (than i would have in gr. 7).. and my attitude.. well, i don't even know where to begin. I don't know how to say this without sounding selfish, but i'm the luckiest person in the world cuz i'm going to that school. It's not the school.. its not the teachers or education, and its not even the friends that's there.. its the attitude and enthusiasm God daily places in my heart with more and more love as He gives it.

I find it so incredibly amazing how i can minute-ly (if thats a word), openly present Jesus Christ in my words and actions- in front of hundreds of kids! How cool is that?? You say, "but Courtney, not everything's always going to be sunny and joyful." - that is so not true! Haha.. If i can be joyful in the happy times... what gives me the excuse to be unhappy in unfortunate times? What excuse do i have when i'm staring sin in the face? You and i both know very well of the consequences if i walk down a road of sin ... Why go there? And why even think about making a decision.. just say no! Never think for one moment that you don't have the ability to have victory over sin... no matter how strong the impulse is to do what everyone else is doing.

If your heart is not with Christ's you may find it harder... and you may even find yourself living two lives. With Christ... life is always on the sunny side of the street, even if you are going through the hardest times.. its remarkable how God can continually give you a glowing heart full of peace & joy. I OFTEN find myself humbled at how great our God is... that He is able to keep me calm when someone is putting me down and keep my mouth from retaliating or thinking sinful thoughts.

Looking Through My Eyes:

My approach to the public school system as a believer in Jesus Christ...

1. Make sure my heart is where it needs to be in order to be a sucessful Christian in a body of unbelievers.

2. Daily honor my father and mother, and most importantly, God. (Don't be the teenager the world creates).

3. Be emotionally seperate from the student body. Do not think like the world, do not act like the world, do not look like the world. Despise the pride of life, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes.

4. Honor your teachers! I know this is kinda cheesy... but always smile =]. Shine for Jesus. Do your best... do all your homework, take responsibility and care. I find this one very important, cuz in class... kids can be little jitter boxes...... speak only when spoken to. If you know the teacher or person in higher authority would not appreciate it, don't bother doing it.

5. Be punctual, be consistant, and don't be afraid to proclaim His name. With every appropriate opportunity i get, i try to somehow fit a part of the gospel into my schoolwork. It makes it so much more exciting that way because i'm writing about something i'm passionate for.

6. Be calm and mysterious (l0l). Don't get anxious about anything. [Philippians 4:6- "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."]

7. Constantly be talking with God. Thank Him, praise Him, and ask Him to help you whenever u need it. He's not gonna bite you and he's not gonna run away if you ask him a big favor.

8. Analyze the wordly lifestyle and compare it to scripture. Do not buy into anything anybody says before coming to your Father first.

9. When you see someone who's hurting or in need. Talk to them. Look through eyes of love, not contempt. Be gentle... and even quote the appropriate scripture... and pray for that person. Your own personal testimony is a great tool to lead someone to Christ.

10. The 10 Commandments. Live them out.. show yours peers that your priorities and wants are different than theirs. Materialism is not your thing.

11. This one is very important to me.. treat everyone equally. Do not show favor or hate to anyone and never speak badly about someone. Keep your promises, be faithful, and maintain a Godly reputation. Strive for purity in everything.

12. Make every situation an opportunity, whether its good or bad. How you handle it will show your character. Resist temptation. Let that situation be an opportunity to shine for Jesus. Live like Jesus did.

13. Everything is beautiful! That statement speaks for itself. Like Starfield so perfectly said it...

"Everything is beautiful, Even when the tears are falling, I don't need a miracle to believe, Even in the crashing down, I can hear redemtion calling, and everything is beautiful to me."

14. Join The Rebelution.... a teenage rebellion against low expectations. I found this article this week i love "how they do.".... http://www.therebelution.com/about/rebelution.htm

1 Timothy 4:12...

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

So, that's my update for this fall. I'm so glad i could finally just sit and write with no limits. Praise God for giving me the words. Me is happy =D God bless. Please pray for me and my walk with God, as well as my witness in the school. Thanks!

In Christ,

Courtney <3