Bible Coming To LIFE!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story of the great flood, it is a very old story about a man named Noah who was the only person on Earth, literally, who did what was good in the eyes of God. God was displeased with the world He created and the evil people who lived there, so He told Noah to build an ark, a GIANT boat, in preparation for a big storm that was coming. 

God was going to make it rain! 

Not only that, but He was planning on flooding the entire planet. God simply told him that He loved him and that Noah would need to prepare. 

Unlike many of us, Noah got straight to work building the ark with his sons. Though the task at hand seemed ridiculous and impossible he was obedient. Noah didn't wait for a sign, he didn't doubt that it would rain so profusely, he didn't try to convince others that he was right; bottom line is that Noah did not WASTE TIME!

 

When God asks us to do something, we tend to procrastinate, or ignore the task all together. We think, "God would never talk to me." or "Why in the world would He tell me to do that?" The truth is, He talks to all of us everyday. We should open our ears to listen, not just hear, and once He reveals our destiny to us, we need to get started! 

A few amazing people are doing just that in Williamstown, Kentucky. The makers of the Creation Museum are working on constructing a life size Noah's ark! Their goal is for the Ark to stand as a reminder of the biblical story of Noah. Soon, we will be able to know how hard Noah and his family worked to do the same thing thousands of years ago with the guidance of God. 

Finally, we will be able to witness what happens when we fully commit to our calling from God!

Good Cop, Bad Cop

On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner died in Staten Island, New York, after a police officer put him in a chock hold. The tragedy was caught on tape, and Eric Garner was heard repeating the phrase "I can't breath" until he lost consciousness.

 

On August 9, 2014, 18-year-old Mike Brown was fatally shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. His sudden death, at the hands of a law officer, caused violent protests.

Those are only two examples of the slew of negative stories regarding police officers in recent Media. It seems that people are being influenced to believe that all cops are violent, racist, selfish monsters who couldn't care less about the safety and well-being of the community. This new anti-cop mentality is causing people to act out all around the country. They are "taking matters into their own hands" by murdering innocent men who bravely put on their uniform everyday with the goal of protecting absolute strangers.

The deaths of those men were a terrible tragedy, as are all untimely deaths, and the men responsible NEED TO BE held accountable. It is important that murderers learn the value of ALL human life. 

 

On December 20, 2014, uniformed police officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were fatally shot in their squad car in Brooklyn, New york. The double murder is still currently under investigation. 

The belief that all police officers are evil is ridiculous. 

All police officers are human. Are all humans racist? No, right? Therefore, we have reason to believe that not all cops judge others by the color of their skin. In fact, most police officers take their oaths very seriously and are just as appalled as the rest of us by what happened to Eric and Mike. I do not want my son to grow up thinking that he cannot turn to a police officer in an emergency situation.

No wife/husband should have to worry that their spouse is not going to return home simply because he/she wears a uniform and a badge. No child should be told that their mother/father is in heaven because of someone's ignorant vendetta against the police. 

Once again, I encourage everyone to start thinking for themselves. 

Is it simple to make a difference! 

All you really need to do is be respectful and know your rights. This goes for police and civilians alike.

Value EVERY human life!

The Story of Christmas Lights

Christmas lights are beautiful!

We can all agree that they have become the signature to any ideal celebration! 

For many Christians, a lit Christmas Tree symbolizes the light of Jesus shining in the darkness.  

But have you ever wondered why people decorate trees, or anything for that matter, with string of tiny colorful light bulbs?

It is speculated that Martin Luther was the first person to decorate an evergreen tree with candles. He was walking home one night and found himself fascinated but the way the stars twinkled through the evergreens. He chopped down and mount an evergreen in his home, and glued small candles to the branches to share the magic of the stars with his family. 

The tradition caught on and soon everyone was decorating their trees with tiny lit candles. Because of the extreme fire hazard, most people did not light their trees until the night before Christmas. 

Since then, Christmas lights have had major developments. 

In 1882 Edward Johnson wired red, white, and blue bulbs together and put them on his tree. His idea was a step in the right direction, but the bulbs were expensive and they had to be wired by a professional electrician. 

Finally, in 1917 Albert Sadacca decided to make the lights multicolored. He started a company called NOMA Electric Company, with his brothers Henri and Leon, which soon became the largest Christmas lighting company in the world. They used a new invention where the string of lights could be plugged in to a wall socket. 

In the 1960's the lights we all know and love became popular and are similar to the lights we use today. 

Minus the LED of course. 

Merry Christmas! ;) 

ISIS Recruiting Teens

For those of us praying for peace in Syria, things have not improved by much, if anything they have worsened. The city is now a completely inhabitable ruin, and the fighting continues to rage on each day. 

The problem is that most of us are unaware of what ISIS even is. 

It stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Their goal is to create an Islamic state across Sunni areas of Iraq and in Syria. ISIS is the group of Islamic terrorists that have taken over much of Syria, forcing thousands of innocent people from their homes and murdering hundreds more.

What is worse is that they are beginning to recruit teenagers and young adults all around the world. They have propaganda in an estimated 23 languages so far, and the CIA has detained 15 teenagers in airports who were on their way to Syria to their "rightful place" with ISIS.

This group in KNOWN for being ruthless. They posted the graphic beheading of American captives publicly online, expressing no remorse. 

So, how are they getting youth to join?

Through effective social-media campaigns that promise devout Jihad spouses, and a home in a true Islamic State where they are free to devote their lives entirely to their religion and their God. 

The video looks a little something like this:

Let's not be so naive. 

Spread the word to everyone you can and inform them of the evils that ISIS has committed so that NO MORE youths are encouraged to join such a horrible group! 

Ignorance can infect an entire generation if we are not careful, knowledge is the only cure. 

6 Things to Consider When Expecting...

So, you found out you are expecting a child!

Congratulations! 

Babies are the most wonderful little creatures on Earth, as you will soon discover. 

But, now what?

Maybe, you don't really know that much about pregnancy or parenthood, or maybe, people have shared a few specific details from their personal experiences. Maybe, you have done a lot of research and you know everything about what  happens to a woman's body during those 9 months. 

While it's important to know those things, there are somethings that you will only come to understand throughout the pregnancy. 

It is an uncomfortable time for some women, very uncomfortable. But for others, it is easy and it feels very natural. That is why I advise you to never compare your pregnancy to someone else. Every woman is completely different from another therefore the same goes for pregnancy. 

Know that you have options. Everyone can tell you otherwise, but it is your body and only you know what is ultimately best for you. It is an enormous responsibility to have some one around who depends on you for everything. 

Make sure you are willing to love some one more than you love yourself.  Being a parent is the most selfless thing you can ever do.

You will need a lot of emotional support. You need some one around who will try to understand what you are going through, to pamper you, and tell you how amazing you are for carry a life into the world. Make sure you find that person! Or make sure you are that person!

You don't have to take everyone's advice. Everyone will have something to say to you about what you are going through. They all think that their way is the best way. I think that your way is the best way. God blessed us all with children that only we know how to deal with specifically. 

The most important thing is love. LOVE LOVE LOVE! If you are nervous about how you will do as a parent, just love them. For who they are, for everything that they are, and make sure that you let them know it!

There's No Place Like Space!

 

Humanity's unquenchable thirst for knowledge has led us to countless discoveries and achievements. It led us to discovering new species' of life, sailing the oceans to different lands, and most recently, landing a probe, Philae, on a comet in Space! 

Though it may not sound like much, this latest accomplishment will help scientist learn more about the origin of comets and how that origin relates to the home we call Earth. Most comets are composed of dust and ICE. As you know, where there is ice, there must have been water, and where there is water, there must be life!

Hopefully, the new discoveries will help us decode some of the mysteries of God and it will help others realize that there is no such thing as coincidence. I believe that purpose comes from something, and everything has a purpose. 

The purpose of the Earth is to sustain human life, but what gave the Earth that purpose?

If everything has a beginning, even beginnings, then how would we ever find out what the beginning of everything really is? 

UNLESS, there is something out there that has always been.

Not an exception to the rule, the creator of the rule. 

The origin.

Whatever happens, whatever you believe, one thing is certain; History has been made in our generation yet again, and it is something that we should all be aware of!

3 Tips to Keep the Winter Weight OFF

Yeah, it's that time of year again. We are putting away the bathing suits and busting out the sweat pants and leggings! We are finally stepping away from the scale and hiding that extra chub under giant comfy sweaters. 

But wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to get back in to shape come summer 2015? Imagine a world when you look good in a bathing suit ALL YEAR! 

With these simple tips, you can enjoy this holiday season and still avoid falling out of love with your beautiful body! 

1. Toasty Workout! - In some places, I'd imagine that it is getting in to the "Too Cold" temperatures. Too cold to go out for a jog, too cold to take the kids to the park, too cold to enjoy the outside world, just TOO COLD! When the threat of frost bite seems too high, you don't have to risk it. Here is a secret you might not have known; there are hundreds of free full length workout videos on YouTube! And the best part is that there is an excellent variety to fit different needs. Whether you like Zumba, Krav Maga, Belly Dancing, or Weight lifting, I guarantee there is something for everyone. Find a quiet, private place (like your room) and get physical! 

2. Portion Makes Perfect - You might have heard of the healthy alternative to all of the yummy holiday snacks that are floating around this year, and if you are anything like me, that is simply NOT an option. Everything tastes better with an extra scoop of butter, am I right? So, instead of eating cinnamon spice celery sticks, eat whatever you want, just be mindful of how much of it you are eating. If you must try everything this year at Thanksgiving, again like me, try 2 bites of everything and then go back for you favorite. And since you're trying one of everything, you might want to hold off on that second piece of pie. Food for thought. (get it?)

3. Get a dog! - I love animals, but dogs are my all time favorite. No animal will make you feel as loved and welcomed and needed as a dog. Yes, they need you to love them back, and care for them, and most of all, they need you to walk them. A dog will force you to brave those "too cold temps." and by taking them out to do their business, you will receive some much needed sunlight and a breath of fresh air! (Don't only get a dog for this reason though, get one because they are AWESOME!)
But seriously, go outside every once in a while to change your body out of that comfortable sitting position you find yourself in throughout most of the day. Sometimes it is easy to forget that we have legs too!

REAL Proof That God Exists

From the time that I found out I was going to have Nico when I was 18 years old, all I did was worry. People tend to make the mistake of assuming that because a girl is in her late teens, she is more mature in her ability to deal with the situation. 

I assure you that I was not. 

Pedro was unemployed, I only had a part time job, we were living in my mother's house, we were not married, and I was only in my second year of college. I honestly thought my life was over. I would have to quit school to get a full time job to be able to afford a place to live and all the things that a baby needed. Now, I realize that I should have had more faith, but I couldn't see past the things that society had told me about teenage mothers my entire life. 

I was terrified. 

But, Jesus really did come to our rescue. I don't mean that I prayed and some how found the strength, (it took MANY weeks of prayer for that to come) I mean that He literally rescued us! Real time, in our tangible world, He was doing things for Pedro and me that we could physically see! 

First of all, we found out about my pregnancy around Christmas time. What a wonderful present! 

Then, around the time of January, my mother received a large payment of back child support owed from my father, and she gave Pedro and I enough of it to get married and have a mini honeymoon in Disney World! 

AND, she agreed to pay the rent of our apartment if I agreed to stay in school and graduate! (I already had a full scholarship) 

Almost immediately, upon returning from our vacation Pedro found a secure full time job, and I with my part time job, it fit our needs almost perfectly! 

And on top of all this STILL God was working in our lives. As if all of that wasn't enough, He sent us absolutely EVERYTHING we would need for Nico for free! 

The clothes, the lotions, the books, the furniture for his room, the toys, the bottles, the bathtub; we did not need to buy diapers for Nico for the first 3 months of his life! It was incredibly mind blowing to me how He was there for us, even when we had such little faith. 

The most recent donation!

 

Amazingly, even now, He is still showering us with love and gifts. 

We STILL have not had to buy any clothes for Nico, over a year later! As he grows, generous loving people give us clothes that have been lightly used and that are in almost new conditions! Pants, shirts, sweaters, jackets, hats, socks, even shoes!

He even sent it to us according to my style taste! Look at how CUTE this outfit is!!

Received Sunday (Yesterday) 

 

I am sharing this testimony for the benefit of anyone who believes that Jesus is only an abstract idea. 

I want people to know that being unable to see Him, doesn't mean He can't see us! People think that God is far away in heaven, or that He has left us, but He hasn't, and I am giving you real live proof that He never will. 

If you ever doubted that He cares about us, this should put those doubts to rest. If He did this for me, He will do it for you. 

Why?

Because He loves us all the same, and He wants to bless us, even when we resist His love!

White Rhinos

In case you have not heard, there are now only 6 White Rhinos left in existence since the death of a 34 year old male rhino on October 17. Once those 6 rhinos die, the African White Rhino will be extinct, meaning that there will be no more rhinos in the entire world. 

This means that Nico will only hear the stories of how there was once an animal called a rhino. 

This means that he will see them in pictures and be told that they aren't any more rhinos left.

This means that when he visits the zoo with his class, there will be no rhino exhibit. 

How many more species are we going to kill off before we realize that soon there will be no animals for the future generations to learn about or discover? 

How long before we learn to coexist with the animal kingdom for their benefit? 

Good bye White Rhinos! 

Let's not let this happen again.

College For FREE..... in Germany!

 I bet a lot of you got excited when you read the first half of that heading! Of course upon reading the rest of the heading, you were disappointed fairly quickly, unless you live in Germany! As if they didn't already give us a reason to love them by introducing Oktoberfest to the world, now they have completely abolished University tuition fees. That's right! 100 percent free, for local and international students! No full-ride scholarship required!

 

College prices were already considerably lower than the outrageous prices in the United States,($1,200 vs $25,000 - $60,000) but students were still upset. They, much like myself, believe that if their country was going to prosper, everyone should have the right to a higher education.

The accumulation of knowledge leads to improved problem solving skills, higher tolerance for personal differences, improved decision making skills, and higher paying jobs for anyone who is willing to put in the work. It would also encourage high students to graduate because they would have the realistic hope of being able to receive a higher education. Studies show that people who have been to college have higher self esteem, self respect, and self value. 

My only question now is, when is this going to happen in the United States? When are we going to decide that no one should be able to put a price on education? 

No one should be turned away from the opportunity for a better life simply because they cannot afford it. 

When is the United States of America going to realize that people are worth more than money?

3 Tips to Keep Baby and Yourself Flu Free!

Its that wonderful time of year again; cold and flu season! The runny noses and cranky toddlers lets us know that winter is on its way. With so many on her little friends sick at church, day care, preschool, etc. it seems impossible to keep your little one from coughing this season. These simple little tips will keep you out of the medicine isle this holiday season. 

1. Wash their hands and yours whenever you get home. Little kids LOVE water. They love to play in it and jump in it and swim in it, the only thing they might not like about water is taking a bath! Transform their love of all thing aqua in to a healthy habit! As soon as you get home from wherever, take your little one in to the bathroom and thoroughly wash your hands together. This prevents the spreading of germs from the outside, and contaminating your personal space. Try not to have too much fun, water fights are common! 

2. A table spoon of honey with cinnamon on top at bed time. Not only is this a sweet treat your kid will actually look forward to, honey is one of the most power natural medicines. Cinnamon's essential oils and honey's enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide qualify the two "anti-microbial" foods with the ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi. Read more about it here!

3. Eat more fruit! Fresh fruit contain naturally high amounts of vitamin C and they are tasty! Try having fresh fruit salads with yogurt for breakfast and dessert. For snack, peel an orange together, or  cut up a yummy cantaloupe! Who says melon is only for the summer?!

Spend more time cuddled by the fire with a good book this year, and less time blowing noses!

What "They" Don't Want YOU to Know

Today's pop culture has a problem of perspective. The world is trying to convince us to live for ourselves. Messages like "Do what makes you happy." Are accepted and shared and encouraged over and over again. 

But what happens when "what make you happy" is destructive to yourself or others? What if you like to cut yourself? What if you like to shoot BB pellets at animals?
If the message is, "do what makes you happy" then what makes those things wrong? Who then gets to decide what is acceptable and what is not?

Paul's first letter to the Corinthians shows us that the Corinthian society had the same problem. (Follow the link to find out what made Corinth like us) 

They were all about gaining knowledge and wisdom, but they were not focusing on the right kind of philosophy. They had no idea how to fulfill their needs, so they looked for pleasure in all the wrong places. In 1 Corinthians 2:8 we see that even most leaders of the ancient world were lost.

If you continue reading 1 Corinthians 2 you will find the key to the fulfillment that we have all been looking for. The greatest thing about God is not heaven or all of the blessing that he can give you. It is the fact that he chose to reveal himself through Jesus. He could have left us to our sin. If he had this world would be a much darker place. But because he didn't, ALL things work together for good. 

Even things that we don't/can't/won't understand. 

We can see evidence of Him and his love for all livings things all around us through nature and we can see examples of His greatness and power through the Universe and laws of science.

The fact is that God wants all of us to know Him like He knows us. He wants us to accept the gift of salvation and be filled spiritually. 

He wants us all to experience the peace and rest that we can ONLY find through Jesus. 

Because He loves us, He gave us free will. He wants us to come to Him because we want to out of love, not because we have to. He gave each and every person on Earth the freedom to make a choice.

Now that you know the truth, what will you do about it?

Beautiful Revolution: Hong Kong

ITS TIME FOR A REVOLUTION!! 

At least some people have the courage to stand together peacefully and demand to be given rights they deserve! 

Isn't it a beautiful thing when youth comes together to do something positive to help their country!

  

I just can't believe that we are living in a time of monumental and radical historic events such as this one. 

  

Yes, this is history in the making, this is what we will tell our grandchildren, this is our world NOW!

Thunderclap!

Click Here to THUNDERCLAP!  

I need your help everyone! I have been so blessed to have developed so many supporters in such a short amount of time; I cannot even being to describe how grateful I am. 

But when I started this blog, I had a few goals in mind. One of them was promoting my writing so that people would be more interested in and aware of my first self-published book Liars Like Me. It worked, but not as well as I hoped so I am trying to do things that will promote it even MORE. 

Enter Thunderclap! 

Thunderclap is an AMAZING website that helps ordinary people get extraordinary promotion and the best part is that is is all 100% FREE!! 

All I have to do is raise 100 supporters in 19 days! 

Click Here to THUNDERCLAP!  

All you have to do is click on the link at the top of this post, and then click the BIG red button that says support with Facebook, Tumblr, or Twitter! It is that simple! By doing so, you will brings us on step closer to the goal and soon more people than I could have ever imagined will know about the book! 

Click Here to THUNDERCLAP!  

If you feel like going above and beyond those easy requirements, you can also copy the link in to your Tumblr, Facebook, or Twitter status and share it for all your friends to see as well!  

Please show your support and help my dream come true! 

You will never be able to understand how much those 2 clicks will means to me!

I would also like to quickly thank, Carmel, Emily, Chris, Lucia, and Amanda for being the first to support my goal. Thank you so much guys! You really put the friend in friendship! =D

Click Here to THUNDERCLAP! 

When Parents Turn to Murder: Issy

When I began to read the article on The Daily Beast about a mother, Kelli Stapleton, who tried to kill her autistic daughter, Issy, my first thought was, how could any mom feel such strong feelings against their own child? Strong enough to want to murder them? Even in the most extreme case, I feel that the love that a mother has for her child is strong enough to overcome any desire to murder anyone for risk of losing that child. 

In this case, people were upset because Kelli was being understood by Dr. Phil as he interviewed her trying to gain perspective and insight. 

Issy Stapleton has autism, and her mother was feeling overwhelmed. She was at the end of her rope, but does that really excuse what she tried to do? No. 

I do not know what it is like to have a child with autism, because I have never gone through the experience. But I have know many people with autism. 

My first encounter was when I was in the 6th grade. There was a red headed boy named Carl, who was a little different from the other kids. I noticed that he did things differently, and he interacted differently. A lot of my friend made fun of him, or tried to avoid him, but I was curios and sympathetic. I talked to him and often sat at his table in class. As a result of that, my teacher would often place him with me during group activities because I was more sensitive to his condition (which I was unaware of at the time). It was not until we were doing a science experiment that involved a golf ball that I truly understood that he had a disability. We had a disagreement regarding the next steps that should be followed and he ended up throwing the golf ball at my hand. I was upset, but more than anything I was confused. Finally, the teacher pulled me aside and explained to me that Carl has autism and that he thinks differently than everyone else, because of that he dealt with things differently and sometimes irrationally when he did not know how to express himself. 

Later on in middle school, I met another kid with autism. Him name was Brandon. I was interested in him because he was cute and funny. Sure he was a little different, but the curious thing about Brandon was that I had no idea that he had autism until he actually told me. Which didn't really change how I felt about him. Of course I never said anything about my little crush because I was a shy kid, but we remained friends and still talk occasionally on Facebook to this day. 

My point is, the solution to autism is awareness. People fear and reject what they do not understand. I am not saying that Kelli was not doing the best that she could, but there is always another way to deal with a person in that situation. Sometimes, instead of trying to pull them into our world, we should try to step into theirs.

Also, don't try to kill your child! Never ever! If you feel overwhelmed, like you don't want to deal with them anymore, there are plenty of other things you can do. Adoption, foster care, leaving them with a responsible loving family member. All are much more SANE alternatives than trying to kill yourself and your kid.

You can watch part of the episode below and decide for yourself. 

How Students REALLY Feel About Group Presentations

 

For the love of GOD, if you are a professor and you are reading this, please please please please please STOP giving your students group projects. PLEASE!

Okay, maybe that is a little unreasonable. But it seems like for the past 4 years I have been forced to work with irresponsible and selfish people who either leave everything for the last minute, or who skip out on their part of the project only to leave me to finish all of the work. The funny thing, is that most professors do not care, and insist on making it a group grade anyway. 

First of all, if you are professor know this, WE PREFER TESTS!!!!! 

I understand that you get tired of lecturing the class. Sometimes you want to just sit back and watch a nice presentation, but it is NOT our job to teach our fellow classmates. Nor do they care about what one another has to say. They only care about their grade and how they are going to do when they stand up to present. If they are paying attention, 9 times out of 10 its due to common courtesy.

Now, because teachers and professors are probably NEVER going to stop with this, no matter how much we INSIST that we hate it, if you are in a group to do a presentation or project,  BE CONSIDERATE! 

Do not procrastinate of the your portion of the work. Why? Because, something could go wrong, you won't have time to fix it, and someone will have to fix it for you because they don't want you to drag their grade down. Do what you have to do, as soon as possible. We all are busy, we all have priorities and things that we need to get done. That being said, respect the time of your group members. It is not fair to thrust your responsibilities on someone who has responsibilities of their own.

When you leave your group hanging, they get stressed, overwhelmed, frustrated and angry. Which is completely understandable. We ALL know how hard it is because we are ALL going through it. Let's work TOGETHER, instead of for ourselves. 

People are counting on you.  

DO NOT LET THEM DOWN! 

A Perfect Marriage

When I walked in to the marriage seminar "Modern Family" hosted by Calvary Chapel Puerto Rico, taught by Pastor Dan Crespo, I had one question on my mind: Is it possible to have a perfect marriage? After almost five hours of note taking, what I learn was absolutely mind blowing.

The example that most of us have had tells us that the answer to this question is no. It seems like most of our generation's parents divorced (including mine) or never even got married in the first place; a good majority of us Millennials came from a single parent background. As I talk to my friends and listen to their thoughts and opinions, I have found that a lot of them do not believe in marriage and see no point in saying "I do" to legally and financially bind themselves to another person forever.

But, there is so much more to marriage than money and paperwork. There is something so gratifying and comforting in knowing that there is a person who will love and support you unconditionally. Marriage is about finding a partner who will trudge through difficult situations by your side, and who will also be there with you creating the best moments of your lives. It is about finding your best friend, a person who cannot live without, a life long companion. 

No marriage is perfect, but every marriage can be fulfilling in every possible way.

In order to achieve harmony and blissful joy we first have to understand the purpose of marriage (to be one with another) and the purpose of life (to be one with God). You don't believe me, read Genesis 2:23-24, and John 14:1-4. You see, by focusing on pleasing God, we will ultimately please each other and our selves. 

What does it mean "to be one with God"? Read John 17:20-21, Ephesians 13-14 & 2:10-13, Colossians 1:27, and Philipians 3:10-11. As you can see, it is really a lot more simple than people think. The answer is Jesus. In order to be one with God, we must accept that Jesus is God in the flesh, that he was punished and died for our sins, and that he rose from the grave proving that he can conquer anything, even the inevitability of death. To be one with God, we must take up our cross everyday and live with Jesus as our example, trying to be like him in every aspect of our daily lives.

Now you're probably wondering, what does it mean "to be one with each other"? This is where things get a little bit more complicated. Our society tells us that we should worry about making ourselves happy and then worry about others, but in order to become one with someone else we must die to our self. That means that all instead of thinking about what is best for you, you should constantly  and consistently be thinking about what is best for your spouse. Worry about their comfort, their troubles, and their well being. 

This can be a lot more complicated than it sounds, so to help guide us through the challenge of letting go of our autonomy, here are 5 things you need to know that are absolutely essential to achieving oneness with your spouse.

1. Spiritual Companionship.

• Pray together
• This is the most important thing a couple should do! By praying together not only do you grow closer to God as a team, you learn about one another. Listen to what your partner is praying about so that you can understand each others soul and inner most desires. 
• Read the bible together
• Not only is reading to each other incredibly romantic, it will help you both learn about Jesus and grow spiritually by applying what you learn to everyday situations.
• Talk about your thoughts and beliefs about God and His Kingdom, without judging each other, without laughing, and without getting angry about what the other has to say. 

2. Sexual Companionship

• Believe it or not, God actually wants us to be sexually fulfilled (Read Genesis 1:28) 
• That means you must have sex unselfishly and you must never deny sex to your spouse (Read 1 Corinthians 3-5) 
• Talk to each other and be honest about your sexual needs, then reach a compromise, but never assume that your sex life is "good enough". Make sure that BOTH of you are completely satisfied.
• Make out! Remember those times when you couldn't keep your hands off of each other and rekindle that passion! 

3. Emotional Companionship

• This might be difficult, but talk about what makes you happy, angry, and sad, and why. It is vital to know what makes your partner tick, so that you know which buttons to press, and which not to. 
• If you or your spouse finds this impossible it is probably because one of you has a hard heart. There is a conflict that was left unresolved and now you are left feeling hurt, angry, resentful, or bitter. If you continue on with that unresolved problem this is the cycle that you will eventually find yourself falling into: hurt ---> anger ---> resentment ---> bitterness ---> divorce. My advice if you are feeling any of these things is, talk to your spouse and find a way to deal with it and overcome it together!
• Make every single decision together!  Not matter how big, or how small, the more things you confront and deal with together the better.
• Laugh and cry together.
• Read 2 Corinthians 2:4. You should feel for each other the way that Paul feels for the Corinthians. He cries for them and rejoices with them I'm sure, but he passionately admits to them when he is feeling emotional. It should not embarass you because if you can't cry in front of your best friend then who can you really count on?

 4. Parental Companionship

• Be on the same page when it comes to your kids. How many you want, what kind of education they will receive, how you will discipline them, etc., and reach a compromise. It is best to have this conversation a few times before you get married just to be sure. 
• If you did not have this conversation before you got married and reach a point where you cannot agree on something, get a second objective opinion (a mediator) and talk about it until you find a solution. 
• Be 100 percent honest with each other about your expectations and desires for your children. 

5. Recreational Companionship

• Last but not least by far, HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
• Find a common hobby, watch TV together, read to each other; find something to do, anything just do it together! 
• Have a date night at least once a week
• Take little trips together ALONE. Even if it is just spending the night in a hotel room every six months, you will appreciate that special time with each other. 

The most important thing is to enjoy each other. Remember all the reason why you got married, write them down and look at them every day if you have to. But never forget that you married that person because at some point you thought to yourself "wow, I can't live without him/her". 

Fun Fact

Did you  KNOW?!

Goldfish can see both infrared and ultraviolet light!

Don't tap the glass!

 

 Arm yourselves with knowledge, no matter how trivial.