2011. woah.

2011. let me say it again, two-thousand-and-eleven. this is honestly a year that I have looked up to forever. The year I graduate, the year I turn 18, the year I'm an adult.. but now, I'm looking at it with a new perspective. This year will be a year of growth. I am in between deciding what college I want to go to, where God wants me, and drawing close to him amidst the times where i want to make my OWN decision in that area or  rather having him lead me when I'm indecisive. How do we know what's right? Ya, I know what is "right" in the eyes of my parents, myself, and human being, but is what is 'right' necessary 'good?'... talking with a friend the other day, i was reminded of that. God knows what's going to happen, and whatever 'happens' is out of his plan; therefore, it is good. HE is good, and that is all that should be glorified/amplified in our lives.

^ random seriousness, but it's something that has stirred in my heart all year. I am a semester away from being out of high school, and getting into the 'imma-college-student-real-world-business'.. and the level of trust in God and his plan is something that I have never experienced in my life as much as I have this semester. Having confidence in HIS goodness, and the power that that has to affect my decisions has been beyond impact full.

a good message (litterally)

PHILIPIANS 2---> message version.    ***focus on 12-13, but this version is my favorite.

 ^1-4If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.  ^5-8Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
 ^9-11Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

 ^12-13What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.

sigh no more.

seriously love this vid. great reflection of how we look upon ourselves and how God looks upon us. what a difference.


[sigh no more | a reflection of beauty] from JJ Starr on Vimeo.

thank you. feliz navidad.

thankful for these insane people in my life.

i <3 christmas music videos.

Great.

"It is about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. God made man small and the universe big to say something about himself."

This is one of my favorite quotes. I live my life as if Im significant... and while at some points the world would consider you/me to be significant, our purpose is not to portray that. But it is rather to amplify God's greatness. (amplify has become one of my favorite words if you wanted to know).. but seriously, I can not tell you how many times i am confirmed by my own achievements. I confirm myself that I am "liked", that im "pretty" or whatever else seems cliche, solely based upon if people tell me Im significant. Focusing on the greatness God, and the less(ness) (not a word) of myself is impossible because of how imperfect we are, but having the mindset and the willingness to consider ourselves as someone who "falls short" is important. heisgreaterthani.

freakin excited for Christmas

fun fact: the song "jingle bells" was originally made for Thanksgiving. good.



thats a wrap (ing paper).

love regardless.

Loving regardless is something I strive to focus on. I'm imperfect; therefore, "striving" for it gets ruined by distractions, but God's perfection covers for that. This concept of being joyful goes hand in hand with love. Having a willingness to love  God and love people can only be reached through a kind heart and a joyfulness that come solely from the lord. Something that I will never take forgranted was when a friend told me to 'love w/o expectations.' Hearing that, I kind of shrugged like what the heck do you mean by 'expectations', but really thinking about it made realize how much i expect something back with the love i give. Being nice in the hallways, holding a door open, or whatever it is can be self gratifying but are we doing it to overflow the love that God gives to us, or just to gratify ourselves expecting something from the people with love on?