1)Christmas Cards by Katerina Borets

 

Katerina Boretz is a painter and recent"teacher of the year" from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. 

25)Grace "The Art of Saying Yes"

How many times do you say ‘No’ a day? How many times do you say ‘Yes’ a day?

A while back, I was reading Sadie Robertson’s Book Live Original.  I don’t think I’ll ever forget the main message: “Imagine what would happen if You just said yes.” In the book, she recalled an entire day where her grandfather said yes to every question asked him.

When I first read it, I thought “That seems kind of silly.” Yet the longer this thought has been in the back of my head, the less silly it becomes and the more intriguing it is. How different would your life look right now if you’d have simply said “Yes” more? Would you have a completely different job? Be married? Be dating? Live in a different state or even country?

I know that there are times we must say no, I myself often have to! I’m not telling you that you should say yes to every single question asked you throughout your entire life.

But I want to challenge myself.  Maybe to say yes to every single thing asked me for an entire day. I think in the near future I’ll do that, and then record my results here.

How often do you say yes to you?

I often times say no to myself, and that’s probably a good thing concerning a piece of cake or expensive boots. Quite frankly sometimes it’s exhausting to have so much self control. For instance, I got my hair cut this weekend! I took a total of six inches off, so it’s not like I went to a pixie cut, but it’s a pretty big adjustment for someone who’s had hair down to her waist for 2 years. Though it may sound silly, it was not easy making the final decision to cut it.

I really despise making decisions. Big or little, I overthink it and generally give myself a headache. But you know what? I’m actually starting to slowly get better.

How?   I’ve started saying “Yes” to myself.

“What if I cut my hair? Would it look good? Would people like it? Would I regret it? Should I spend the money?” I found myself freaking out about it, so I just said yes. I just did it, I asked myself, “What’s the worse that could happen?” and went for it.

On a more serious note, in August I took a position at a camp I’d never been to. I didn’t know a single soul there. It was honestly the first time I really did something all on my own. All of my previous endeavors someone I knew had done them before me. I knew what to expect.

But this time I was all on my own.

It was big and it was scary, and I could have just said no and played my life on the safe side, but where’s the adventure in that?

Instead of saying no, I simply said yes.

It did end up being quite intimidating: my stomach hurt for the first week I was there because I was so stressed out trying to learn everything and make good first impressions. However, as the days and weeks passed, I became adjusted and able to relax. The months then flew by and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I enjoyed my time at camp: waking up everyday looking forward to going to work is an amazing feeling! In the end, I’m so very glad I didn’t play it safe.

When I find that I have a difficult decision ahead of me, I try to breath and imagine, “If I say yes, what’s the worst that could really happen?” If the result isn’t catastrophic, I generally go for it.

Do you have a big decision coming up? I would encourage you to say “yes” and see what happens!

Are you stuck in a rut, a boring life routine? Maybe seek out a decision to make. Change things up, that job you’ve always wanted? Go apply! Dream vacation? Put away a little money each paycheck! Always wanted to dye your hair? Go to the store and buy a box of color!

You got this. Just go for it. You never know, simply saying “yes” could be the best decision you ever make.

That’s what life’s all about in my opinion: jumping in, trusting God, and seeing what happens.

Happy Adventuring!

~Grace

Grace is a young blogger, camp counselor, and adventurer from Southern Michigan.  She's passionate about horses, writing, tacos, camp, Jesus, and Jeeps.  

Check out her blog @ theadventuresahead.com.  

24)Zulfira Saniyeva: Two Original Christmas Songs

1-я Рождественская--Зульфира Саниева

The song is in Russian.  The chorus goes like this:  

White snow falls

The birth of Christ has come to us

Once again, a candle is lit inside our hearts

The Christ considered you and I as friends

All that was has passed

The earth embraces him warmly

What are you waiting for?

Come close

And find eternal life 

Праздник Рождества--Зульфира Саниева

Also in Russian.  This one goes like this: 

We always celebrate the birth of Christ

Soon and very soon 

He's bringing his joy on New Year's

Once again, the kids at home believe in miracles and presents in the morning

And we also as children renew our faith 

The kingdom of God is coming soon

We'll enter in with Jesus Christ 

Christmas!  Christmas!

Happiness and joy He brings.

Zulfira Sanieva is a singer-songwriter from KZ.  She loves life, God, and music.   

23)Billy Lie: Holiday Photography from Japan

"Humble yourselves, therefore, before God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."  1 Peter 5:6-7


Billy Lie is a photographer from Surabaya, Indonesia living in Tokyo.  He likes traveling and photography, and inspiring and blessing others through it.  Check out more of his work on Instagram @billylie08.  

22)Jamie Musselman "Christmas for Life"

In the beginning, I made a choice

Choosing to ignore God’s voice
Time after time, you’d think I’d learn

The reward for the shortcut of sin is a burn

Again and again I choose my own way

I lead myself further and further astray

I take what I can to fill in the hole

That overwhelms the depths of my soul

And when I’ve done all I can to cope

I sense  there might still be hope

He's here:

That mysterious baby under a star

Two thousand years, seems so far away

That His short life should affect us today

And there’s nothing that we can do to repay

That radical love of our Father and King

He chose to leave his paradise throne

And as a homeless rabbi, Earth’s streets to roam

And looming before Him, there stood a cross

For our gain would be the result of His loss

In light of this, what am I to do?

Called to do more than just sit in a pew

Called to live by His example

To demonstrate His love, so ample

Remember that Christmas is not just a day

It brought us the truth, the life and the way

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jamie Musselman is a visual artist and painter from Indiana.  Check out more of her work at RedBubble or watch her draw on Youtube.  

21)Kendall Faust "Between Lions and Men"

Name: Kendall Faust

Birthplace/Current City: Pensacola, FL

Prime Occupation: Videography Fun Fact: Could consume crawfish everyday.

Music: https://soundcloud.com/kendall-faust

Creative Video: https://www.youtube.com/user/fundementia

Professional Video: https://www.youtube.com/c/kendallfaust

20)Joanna Marshall "Healing in the Drips"

Freedom doesn’t come

In an instant.

It doesn’t come

Like a reality show makeover

It comes slowly.

One chain link breaks after another

One burden removed at a time

Unsteady and slow.

Miraculously healing

The starved soul.

One painful conversation

Steeped in prayer

Brings a moment of joy.

To later be reminded

Of a bigger scar

A wound carved deep.

The rain just keeps drizzling.

Dripping relentlessly.

Agonizingly eroding.

Saturating this cracked ground.

Drip

      Drip

            Drip.

These flood waters

Are here like snails

With leaden feet.

The floods run deep.

Uniting with a spring

In the depths of the soul.

Not stretching apart.

But stitching together.

These flood waters

Knit together with the spring

Form a new path

Washing these wounds.

Saturating and cleansing.

Freedom doesn’t come

In an instant.

It comes in a drizzle.

A slow drip.

Joanna Marshall studies math education at Purdue; she enjoys snapping photographs, chatting in Spanish, and poeting in her spare time. Check out more or her work at her website, poetryandphotographybyjo.weebly.com, or follow her on Instagram @someone.gave.me.a.camera.