my testimony

I have grown up always aware and in full knowledge of what Jesus did for me. And from a very young age I have been very sensitive To doing what God wants me to do and nothing else. I had a lot of Godly examples in my life especially early on, and even though we went through a time of trying different religions, I still look up to several different people from that time of my life that really had a heart for God. 

My testimony is more or less coming to the beliefs I have now, which was a long and winding road! When I was about 6 we moved from NE to MO for a church our friend said we needed to see. This church was a place where a lot of ex-amish people congregated and they all hold onto a lot of those same beliefs. Our family went there for a while and it really brought them away from what they had first learned about God, we started dressing (and etc) to make us appear more righteous and although we may not have fully believed everything these churches taught, we still tried to fit in and go along with it. We went to several different churches, most of which we would wear head coverings and vest dresses and never cut our hair and etc. For awhile I think we were just searching for what was truly right, and we kept thinking that we had to "make" ourselves holier to be able to go to heaven. After a long time of going to different churches and a lot of studying things out, to sum it up, we realized that we can't make ourselves righteous, only god can, and that a lot of people who believe in those churches are self righteous. A lot of people have taken the Bible out of context, which is why we were so lost for awhile! But we can find everything the Lord wants us to know if we just truly search out the scriptures.

I have come to understand and believe that Jesus has completely covered us with His blood shed. He has paid for our sins in whole and we can't make ourselves more righteous by covering our hair, or not wearing buttons on our clothes. Only He can make us righteous, only He can make us perfect and whole! And when we put our trust in Him and truly strive to follow His word, those good fruits will come out and show in our life!! I believe the most important thing is the condition of your heart when it comes to living for God, not if you wear skirts or don't cut your hair. Is you heart modest? If so it will come out in your actions, including how you dress! If you are striving to follow Jesus with your whole heart then it is going to show in your life. And that's what I hope people see in me!! 

What do you hope people see in you? What is your testimony?

realness + [a lot of stuff is going on] THOUGHTS ON MATURITY AND WHAT IT MEANS.

day 1

to

day 365 

sooooooooo.

hi.

*deep breath* 

Lots of things are going on right now. some not-so-nice things yet life still goes on. I'm having a super hard time believing the  little man is already 1 year old....he's such a little cheeser. <3 <3 He has grown and changed so much in the last 365 days. it's just crazy. 

So have I. so has every single person in our family. So has every single person in this world. We all grow and change, and sometimes I'm excited to grow more but other times I just want to stay young. [haha more on this in a min]

but anyways. on to the realness.

It's kinda just like..out of nowhere there's all this stress. And it loads up and then before you know it you just feel helpless and like you're gonna cry all the time. 

I mean, for the most part...my life is awesome! we have friends over and I slept over at my besties house and we eat good meals and all these little things that just sound amazing and fun and wonderful and they are. 

But then there are some big things..difficulties, hardships, stresses. (ugh i feel like i'm using that word a lot) And those things just seem to drain the joy out of things. Not everything..but sometimes it feels like it. 

what is there to do though? I cannot help any of these things. All i can do is pray...and I ask that all of you would do the same for our family. It's an unspoken prayer request..so if you could please just pray for us- our whole family in general then we'd appreciate it so much. <3 <3  and I'm sorry for not doing more 'life posts'. Here lately  it's just been easier expressing myself in the poems i write in my journal, so I'll just post something really quick. I haven't actually taken the time to sit down and write like this in a little while. :| 

y'all are awesome. I hope you  know that i really think that you are awesome. ;D 

..................................................................................................................

M A T U R I T Y.

Growing up I often wondered what it'd be like when I was finally 'mature'. Little did I know what maturity even was. Maturity is the state of someones attitude. How they think, how they act. 

There are soooo many different levels of maturity it seems- there is grown-up stuff and then stuff that is more simple like being responsible and sensible and all that.

Let's get one thing straight here. I'm not really 'tall'. I'm really only 'tall' bc my older sister of 9 years is short. (We're the same height now) There are so many 12 year olds that I know that are super tall...like 5'8 tall!!! And sometimes I feel like that just somehow means they are more mature then I am, or more whatever then I am. But this year I've learned that it depends on the persons attitude, and that it takes a lot more of an understanding of the world and different humans to be mature.

HOW TO TELL IF SOMEONE IS MATURE.

• They don't easily get offended: when you are mature and confident about yourself, you don't often get offended. You can just shrug a rude comment off or agree with yourself that this person just hasn't got common sense.
• They are responsible: Being all considered grown up comes with A. LOT. of responsibility.  Even so..if you are mature you can take it with a smile instead of dragging your feet. ;)
• They know when to speak and when to listen: Now we all make mistakes...I make heaps and heaps every day. But if someone is mature they will know when to just hold their tongue. Plus sometimes it's better like that..." Don't speak when you're angry or you'll make the best speech that you'll ever regret." (at least the random quote was something like that :'D )
• They have a common-sense: By this I mean that they know things that are happening in the world...someone that is mature isn't ignorant. And they can usually put 2 and 2 together. 

so yup. There's my 'little' rant for today!!! Hopefully I'll be posting a video sometime here soon!! =D I'd love to chat...talk about weather or your thanksgiving or music..lol!! Whatever ya want! XD

Oh and THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU AMAZING 55 FOLLOWERS!!!!!!! like WOW i can't even right now. All of y'all are just they absolute best!!!! I'm so happy that you've all joined me on my quest of sorting out life xD <3 <3 <33333 thank y'all so very much. 

Do you like poems or life posts??

What does maturity mean to you?

thanks in advance for any prayers y'all, Jesus hears 

all of them. xx

4 years in Christ || JESUS COULD COME BACK TODAY + Luke 21: 25-26

September 5, 2017 marks 4 years since I've been born again. 

That day was amazing. I went under the water and came up a new person, I was made new in Christ! My heart was soaring. Jesus is so good. 

Giving my testimony

Being so overwhelmed with what Jesus did for me

Since that day I have grown so much, witnessed so many miracles, and been astounded with Jesus' amazing grace. His mercy and love is truly unending. 

.......................................

Texas was just hit with a hurricane and Houston is underwater. 

Fires are raging in California, Washington, Montana, Idaho, and I don't even know how many more states.

The hurricane headed for Florida is the biggest they've seen, and a CAT 5.

Africa is poverty stricken.

The Mark of the Beast is coming. (more in another post)

Iceland is aborting all babies with Down Syndrome, no matter what.

Earthquakes have been more frequent.

the heavens are being shook.

Look at Luke 21: 25+26. 

In verse 27 it starts mentioning the coming of the Lord. After saying "There shall be signs in the sun and the moon, the sea and waves roaring."

Look at everything happening in the world, people blaspheming God, turning what he has created to be right into something awful.  And so much more. Things are happing that the Bile said would happen. 

No one knows. No one will ever know. (as it says in the Bible) But we must be ready. It's not a joke, and the fire of hell is very real, and worse then any fire in Montana. 

My friends, I'm posting this because I care about you. If your heart isn't ready please turn to Jesus and trust in Him. 

And if you want to know more about God's grace please email me. {{paigespages04@gmail.com}}

Job summed up + Gods unfailing mercy 💗

I read through Job in April, and as always it amazed me!! Yet, I wondered about something, so I read it and re-read it, and found my answer.

"Why does everyone always just note everything good about Job...He actually cursed Jesus!!"

So, I was thinking about this so often, and talked with Mom about it. 

1. Read the start and ending, the first 4 chapters and the last chapter. Those are the only chapters actually showing that Job was praising God.
2. Everything in between is his grief, his utter awful depression. But of course that normal because HE LOST EVERYTHING! But I still wondered why people never brought up that he grieved for like, 35 chapters. 
3. But then I read the very last chapter again, and a smile spread across my face. There it the ending, Job repents. And God STILL forgives him..after all his curses and depression. Because yes, I know, he said "He gives and takes away, blessed be the Lord" - But people made it all about that, and not about how the Lord forgives him. 

<3 <3 <3

those evenings

"Those evenings" 

a poem written by Paige Lavay

The sky was a perfect shade of blue.

My bare feet against the cool grass.

Dandelions blowing in the breeze.

I wonder why we have it so good

when so many others don't.

And I feel so blessed.

Looking at the full moon,

I know He is there, He has a plan.

A plan He wants me to fulfill.

Everything around me echos His Glory.

Those evenings that no one,

not the best poet- no one, 

could ever put into words.

Because God is like that.

wordless

*nervous laugh* ...

That was my first ever poem that I wrote just a few days ago. *cringes* I KNOW, it's awful and I'm not sure if I like the ending. plus it's so common, like a poem that anyone can write. Mom inspired me to write a little poem, at least give it a try, cause she thought I could do it. 

okay but really! Some nights are really like that!! Those peaceful wonderful, amazing evenings when you just feel God all around you. They are  wordless. and I'm so greatful for this wonderful world He gave us!!

p.s. I know I said my next post was a surprise, but I haven't gotten everything together yet, so just a little while longer!! Ash needs to get pictures of ..*something*... and then I'll upload them and get it together. But Ash is barely ever here, so it's kinda hard working around her work hours. But soon peeps!! soon.

---> things to be thankful for <----

💗 There is so much to be thankful for, that I don't even know where to start!!

always being able to remember those first precious moments with Micah <333

waking up and talking to this sweet girly

 

marshmallows...because who isn't??!!

beautiful evenings watching the sunset

^^My amazing Mom <33

playing sports at church on a hot day 😄😍😎😊

finally getting ALL the puppies gone...WOO- HOO FINALLY FREEDOM!!!!!

everything blossoming <3

these two because they're just the bestest. <3333

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR??

xD

If Jesus Came to Your House

If Jesus came to your house

to spend a day or two,

If He came unexpectedly

I wonder what you'd do.

I know you'd give your nicest room

 to such an honored Guest,

And all the food you serve Him

would be the very best.

And you would keep assuring Him

your glad to have Him here,

That serving Him in your own home

is joy beyond compare.

But when you saw Him coming

Would you meet Him at the door,

with arms outstretched in welcome

To your Heavenly Visitor?

Or would you have to change your clothes

Before you let Him in,

or hide some magazines and put

The Bible where they'd been?

Would you keep right on saying

the things you always say?

Would life for you continue

Ads it does from day to day?

Would you sing the songs you always sing

and read the books you read,

and let Him know the things on which

your mind and spirit feed?

Would you be glad to have Him meet

your very closest friends?

Or would you hope they stay away

until His visit ends?

Would you be glad to have Him stay

Forever on and on,

Or would you sigh with relief

when at last He was gone?

It might be interesting to know

the things that you would do,

if Jesus came in person

To spend some to with you.

                                            -Lois Blanchard

*What would you do*

limitless

Have you ever thought about how limitless some things are? Just look around you, and you will see the limitless power of Jesus!

lim·it·less-
without end, limit, or boundary.

I have been reading, "Life without Limits " and it is so inspiring, and even eye opening! It got me to thinking about what is limited, and what isn't.

His power.
His grace.
His mercy.
His love.

These are all limitless. Isn't Jesus amazing? How He keeps loving us, He keeps forgiving us, and He keeps waiting, and wanting us to turn to Him! He is waiting for all of us with open arms! It is never to late to come to Christ, no matter what we've done!

Isn't it great that we can give our limits to a God who has none!

we are just one strand.

Think of a rug. One of those big gorgeous colorfully weaved, beautiful rug.
That is like God's plan. One day, he will show us the whole picture, but for now, we are just one strand, in that big beautiful rug. Just one strand.
His plan is best! My saviour doesn't make mistakes!
God can do anything-except... fail!
      "Acknowledge Him in all thy ways, and He shall direct thy paths. "
Proverbs 3:6
       "God is my strength and power; He maketh my way prefect. "
2 Samuel 22:33

Trust him, surrender yourself unto him. Life is a gift and we could lose it at any time. Start living your life as though someone is always watching you, because Jesus is! Be thankful. Rejoice in everything! And one last thing. Always be a little kinder than necessary!

I hope you all have a great weekend!
Christian love,
Paige

 These are two of my favorite pictures!