When Change Happens...

Wow... I think I took the whole "Missing In Action" thing to a whole new level. It's rough people! Why can't I seem to post on here anymore? I literally have like 60 posts awaiting publication, but I can't seem to either post them or finish them and post them. Goodness Gravy!

Well, how is everyone? If you're still reading this blog... Congratulations! I honestly can't believe it. But... Good for you! You're a true inspiration for me on never giving up on people.

So, I honestly just wanted to pop on here and let everyone know that I'm not dead, and I didn't fall off of the planet (trust me, it's not possible but somehow I'd find a way). I also wanted to just share with you all how thankful I am for change. I mean... kinda thankful for change, but even more thankful for my Jesus bringing me through all of the change in my life. It's pretty amazing!

I think most everyone can say without a doubt that they are not the same person they were at the beginning of the year. Right? I mean, whether you've grown physically, mentally, or spiritually... you've grown! And you can't grow without some change being thrown in here and there.
This year I've felt a lot of change in the air. But, I'm so thankful to have that change, for without it there would be no maturity sprouting within me.

I wanted to encourage you and let you know that change happens! Now, that's not encouraging for those of us that don't appreciate change... But, there's more!

Change happens.

Yes!

But God never changes.

Think about that for a second! It's really profound.

I was realizing the other day that I can't change God. He is no different now than when I wasn't here. When I sin, it doesn't change how He views me, or how He views the world. His plan is still the same. Before I was born, He loved me. When I was lost in my sin, He loved me. When I surrendered myself at the foot of His cross, He loved me. Right now, He loves me. Tomorrow, He will still love me. His purposes will still be the same tomorrow as they have been since 1865 or even 189 A.D. I can't change any of that. But, the best part is...

His love is perfect!

His purposes are good! 

He is good!

When I think of the change in my life, I can usually point to a specific person in my life that brought about that change. It could be myself. It could be Phillip down the street (sorry Phillip). We're human and we change. But how often can I say that change was good? Or how often can I say that change didn't affect me in a negative way? Rarely. -Like I said... I really don't like change.- But it's brought me so much comfort to know that my God will never change, and He is always the same! Not a soul can change that, and no greater comfort can be found in the midst of a turbulent twist in life.
My God Is Good, And He Will Never Change!



“Of old, You founded the earth,And the heavens are the work of Your hands.  “[y]Even they will perish, but You endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing, You will change them and they will be changed. “But You are [z]the same, And Your years will not come to an end.

Psalm 102:25-27




I find so much encouragement in this truth! Whatever change comes my way, I can trust my God to be good, faithful and never changing through it all!

What a peace fills my heart as we prepare to take on a new year that is bound to be filled with lots of change. ☺

Now, before I sign off... I figured it might be wise to give an appropriate farewell just in case you don't hear from me in the next three years. 

So, Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

And Happy Thanksgiving for 2021! 

So, until next time, I pray you're finding Fulfillment, Everlasting Joy, and overwhelming Peace this Christmas season and on through the next year.

~Makayla ♥

Weird Update...

Hey all!

So, if you've noticed on the left side of this page there is a bunch of different links you can click on to go to a collection of posts that I've put under those labels. Anyways, you may have received a bunch of emails from this blog saying I've posted multiple times today. It's wrong. Hahaha! I was just going through my old posts and making sure they're all under the correct labels. It sent out some of my old posts as if they were posted today. Urrg!😛

I'm so sorry to junk up your inboxes. I wasn't aware it would do that. So, just carry on and ignore them.

Makayla ♥
*Edit: I think it only sent out one old post. So hopefully you don't have a bunch of emails clogging up your inbox. Whew! Lol! 

Daily Dose Of Encouragment

                                          "To whom then will you liken Me, 
                                 Or to whom shall I be equal?" saith the Holy One. 
                                              Lift up your eyes on high, 
                                       And see who has created these things, 
                                        Who brings out their host by number; 
                                              He calls them all by name,
                                            By the greatness of His might,
                                            And the strength of His power; 
                                                   Not one is missing. 
                                              Why do you say, O Jacob, 
                                                  And speak, O Israel:
                                         "My way is hidden from the LORD, 
                                    And my just claim is passed over by my God"? 
                                       Have you not known? Have you not heard? 
                                              The everlasting God, the LORD, 
                                        The Creator of the ends of the earth, 
                                                Neither faints, nor is weary. 
                                           His understanding is unsearchable. 
                                              He gives power to the weak; 
                        and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 
               Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 
                              But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; 
               they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary;
                                            and they shall walk, and not faint."
                                
                                                        Isaiah 40:25-31

Happy Palm Sunday everyone! I hope this post finds you all well and in good spirits. 
I know I haven't posted on here for a while, but I just felt like popping on here and sharing these verses with you.
The Lord is so good. These verses just remind me that our God is indeed the great and powerful Creator of the universe, yet He cares for even the weak and lowly sinners. To the ones who have no strength, He gives His unimagineable strength. The ones that cannot walk He carries. He loves the unlovable. He forgives the unforgivable. The transgressions of the ones who have transgressed the most He casts into the deepest of seas. 
I am that unlovable one. The one without strength. The one who cannot rise. The one with the most transgressions. 
And yet, there is hope for even me because of the Blood of the Lamb. Because of Jesus' love for me, I am the one the Lord looks upon and gives strength. The one the Lord raises up with a strong arm; forgiving all transgressions. Praise the Lord! 
This Palm Sunday I am reminded of the goodness of the Lord. Just thinking of what was to come for my Savior fills me with sadness and yet with great hope. I cannot imagine what He must have felt in the weeks leading up to His death, but I can tell of the great peace and rejoicing that fills the hearts of all saints forevermore because of His great kindness to every person. To that one searching soul He has brought peace and rest. I pray you feel that peace this coming week and are able to rest in the grace of our Savior. 

I hope you're having a great start to your week.

Makayla ♥ 

P.S. This song is so good!

 

Ya'll... It's Christmas!

   So people... It's Christmas! Can you believe it?? I'm still recovering from Thanksgiving! Jk.
But really though. This season has been a complete blur for me. (I think most of my family can agree...) ☺

   But, even though I can hardly keep up with the craziness of this time of year, I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and an even better New Year!

  I'm so thankful for all of you in my life, and I'm glad you've decided to follow this random blog of mine... (I can't believe you actually enjoy reading about me and my life.) All the same though, thanks for being a part of my 2016 and helping to make it great! I really do appreciate all of you!

  I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and don't forget to take the time to remember who and what the Christmas Season is all about. Jesus!

  Also, take the time to enjoy and appreciate the people the Lord has put in your life.

  The Lord is at work always, and I'm excited to see what lessons He wants to teach me, and the adventures He'll take me on in the coming year.

  Thank you, holy Jesus, for being born into a world full of unholy sinners so you could save us all. Thank you for your amazing love, mercy, and grace. May I always be thankful for such gifts. ☺

Merry Christmas everyone!

Makayla♥

Daily Dose of Encouragement

Hey everyone!

So, I just wanted to share with ya'll a chunk of verses from Psalm that have been on my heart lately... I hope you feel a blast of encouragement like I did. ☺

 "You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
    The LORD is righteous in all His ways, 
     Gracious in all His works.
    The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
      To all who call upon Him in truth.
    He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
      He also will hear their cry and save them."
                                           ~Psalm 145:16-19

Amen!

Hope you're all having a wonderful start to your week!

Makayla♥

I'm Thankful For...

*So... I actually started this before Thanksgiving... but, it obviously didn't get posted in time... So! Here is my Thanksgiving post... a few days late! ☺*



Well... It's Thanksgiving.

And of course, it's time to sit back and count all of our many blessings.

I have to say, I'm am completely amazed at how utterly and truly blessed I am. I have so much to be thankful for, and that is why I'm going to share with you all Seven things I'm thankful for this year. 

1. My Family...

 I think I can always say that I am truly thankful for my family. We do life together. I think that speaks for itself. So, to all of my amazing family reading this, I'm so thankful for you! Thank you for loving me and putting up with all of my craziness... 😜

2. Friends...

You know... the type if people who really make life flavorful. I'm so grateful for all of my amazing friends who are so supportive and loving. Most likely, if you're reading this, you're a friend of mine and I'm so thankful for you! 

3. The good old USA

Yes, I know there is a lot of controversy over the election and all sorts of crazy things going on right now... But I can truly say that I am extremely thankful for America! I'm also thankful that we have  a democracy and that we can vote our leaders into office. God Bless America!

4. Police...
These days, no one seems to be able to realize just how hard a Police's job is, and they seem to want to do everything they can to make it even harder. But, I hope I'll always be the first to say, "Thank You!" I'm so grateful for the safety and order Police bring to our society. Thank you to all of the Police who get up in the morning and get ready for work, knowing that it could be the last time you do so. I appreciate everything you do... Your good deeds do not go unnoticed. 😊

5. Teachers... (Yes... This includes you, mom.) 😉
I'm so grateful for all of the teachers in my life! Whether you teach me piano or how to properly do a water bottle flip... I consider you my teacher, and I appreciate what you do! I'm so thankful people are willing to teach me new things! So to all you teachers out there... Thank You!

6. My Church...
I am so thankful for my church and all of the amazing people who challenge me to grow spiritually! I'm also thankful to go to a church that takes God's Word seriously. As the years go by, I see more and more churches turning away from solid biblical truths, and it makes me even more grateful to go to a church where God's Word is God's Word and not something that should be taken lightly or tampered with.

7. Jesus Christ...
I am increasingly grateful for My Savior and what He's done for me and the rest of the world. I really can't explain in mere words what He means to me. All I can say is... Thank You, Jesus! Without you, there would be no blessings to count this Thanksgiving... or any year for that matter.

      Well! That concludes my list of things I'm thankful for. Of course, there are many more things I could've added... but, I just wanted to share a few specific things. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and don't forget to eat a lot of pie!

Cheers!
Makayla♥

Book Signing...!!!

 Hey Everyone!

So! As you can probably guess from the title of this post... I went to my first Book Signing! *Claps obnoxiously for ten seconds*

If you've visited some of the other pages on this wonderful site you've probably come across a list of my favorite books... Well! *Drumroll* Friday night I got meet the wonderful Shannon Messenger! (Author of the 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' series)

These books are some of my favorites! They've got plenty of adventure, action, and all kinds of crazy stuff that keeps you interested. Shannon Messenger just released her fifth book in the series and has been on tour as a result, so, I was super excited when she announced that she would be coming to Minnesota!!

Anyway! I was surprised at the way it turned out... As I said before, I've never been to a book signing before, so it was a new experience anyway... But I guess I always imagined a HUGE restless crowd waiting in line to get their book signed... Now don't get me wrong, there was a decent size crowd, but they had lots of chairs set up so people could sit while they waited, and they had everyone grab a ticket so you knew when it was your turn. Then they had a Q&A when Shannon got there so it seemed a little more like you were getting to know more about her and stuff about the books. Overall, it was a pretty cool experience!

Bailey and I were super excited to meet her!

  We were the last people to meet her... Which was worth it because we got to talk for like ten minutes and she gave us the last of her posters and stuff. So that was super cool!
So! Yeah! That's just a random thing that happened that I thought was worth blogging about!

Hope you enjoyed!
Makayla♥

Verse Of the Day...

Hey everyone!

I'm back with a quick verse to hopefully encourage you as you go about your day.

   "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over
        the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?
     He does not retain his anger forever, because He delights in mercy.
     He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities.
       You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."
                                                     
                                                          ~Micah 7:18-19

And here I am, yet again reminded of God's great love for us. Who can understand why God would choose to love us? Why would he choose to set us free from our bondage of sin? Why would He allow us to cast all our guilt and shame upon Himself? Why would He care enough to allow us to thrust His precious Son into death so that we could be thrust into life?
I can say with absolute certainty that it's not because we deserve it. There is absolutely no reason we should inherit such a wonderful Salvation.

So what is it? What changed God's mind? Or rather... Who?

                                                             Jesus did! 

Yes, my friends! As simple as it sounds, it's true! Jesus died for us all! Because of Him we can enter into heaven with the blood of Christ sprinkled upon us, securing us a place in heavenly paradise for all of eternity. All we have to do is Believe. Believe that Jesus paid the ultimate price for us. Believe that He rose from death and raised us into life with Him. And by accepting Him into our hearts, we are allowing Him to take control of our lives and shape us into who He wants us to become.

Just remember, no matter what you've done...  God's mercy is greater! 


Here's an amazing song I heard recently. Please listen! ☺

Cheers!

Makayla ♥

How to make Kettle Corn (Super Easy)

Hey ya'll!

So, I don't know about you... but Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks. I love that crunchy, buttery, salty yumminess that nothing but popcorn can satisfy. 
Of course, Popcorn that is salty and sweet is even better!  So, I decided to share a recipe I found recently for Kettle Corn. It's super fun (and easy) to make, and it's even more enjoyable to eat.

Makes 6 to 8 servings (About 10 cups)

What You Need

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons oil (Coconut Oil, Canola Oil, or another vegetable oil... I used Coconut Oil.)

1/2 cup corn kernels

1/4 to 1/2 cup white granulated sugar, to taste

1 teaspoon salt

Equipment:

4-quart sauce pot with lid

Long-handled spoon for stirring

Instructions

1. Warm the oil: Pour the oil into the pot and drop three kernels of corn into the pan. These three kernels will be your indicator for when the oil is hot. Cover with the lid and set over medium-high heat.
   
   
2. Add the corn kernels, sugar, and salt: Use 1/4 cup of sugar if you like slightly sweet kettle corn and more if you like sweeter. Quickly stir everything together to coat all the kernels and replace the lid.
   
   
3.  Shake the pan occasionally as the popcorn starts to pop, and then more frequently and vigorously as the popping increases. Rest the pot on the burner every few seconds to maintain the heat.
   
   
4.  Some wisps of steam toward the end of popping are normal — don't confuse this with smoke! However, if you smell smoke, stop popping and proceed with the next steps.
   
   
5. Remove from heat when popping slows: When you hear the popping begin to slow, 1 to 2 seconds between pops, remove the pan from heat. Don't wait for every kernel to pop or you'll end up burning the popcorn; as soon as you think it might be starting to slow down, take it off the heat. Total popping time is about 2 to 3 minutes on my electric stove.
   
   
6. Cool the Popcorn: Let the kettle corn cool for at least five minutes — the popcorn will crisp as it cools. Eat immediately or store in an airtight container for several days.

Recipe Notes:

• Kettle corn with other sugars: Kettle corn is usually made with plain old white granulated sugar, but this shouldn't stop you from experimenting! Try any other granulated sugar, or experiment with liquid sweeteners, like honey and maple syrup. I used Coconut Sugar and I loved the taste! ☺

Does anyone else like Popcorn as much as I do? Let me know!

I hope you're having a wonderful week!

Also, don't forget to get outside and enjoy the last of the fall colors before everything is covered in snow... !

Cheers!
Makayla♥

Just some thoughts...

People... The new school year is slowly coming upon us. (For some, it's already started.) What shall we do? I can't believe it's already so near! It feels like just yesterday we were looking forward to last year's school year!

Just think, we only have four more months in this year left. *Jaw drops* It's mind blowing!
But! I am determined to enjoy every moment while it's here.

We went to the State Fair the other day! I've always loved the fair... but, Oh Boy! There were a LOT of people! It seemed busier than ever the day we went!  But still, we went and had a great time! Ate a lot of fried food, walked until we couldn't walk anymore... The usual!
 Does anyone else have a tradition of going to the Fair every year? I'd like to know!

Just a question... Am I the only one who thinks this weather has been strange? One day it feels like it barely hits 50, and the next day it feels like someone dumped  a truckload of water into the air and turned on a heater!☺

 Anyways, I just had to bore you with that little spur of randomness. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things... Blog wise.☺

Oh! If you have a minute to listen to this song... Do! It's amazing! 

 

Until Next Time,

Makayla♥

Roadtripping...

Well... I'm back! Finally! (At least for this post...)☺

So, most of my readers know that my family was away on vacation for the last ten days. Well, I've decided to post a bunch of pictures and tell you a bit about our adventures!

The Grand Canyon was our destination, but we ended up seeing many different places.
We took a round about way to Arizona and were able to visit Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Let me just say... It was Amazing!

       At the beginning of our trip, we drove through North Dakota... And it really is flat.

   But the closer we got to Montana, the more hills, and even rocky canyons we saw... We stopped at Teddy Roosevelt National Park (In North Dakota). It looked like a mini Grand Canyon!

 We eventually made it to Montana... And Mountains!

    When we got to Yellowstone, I was amazed at all of the trees and mountains! The trees grew so close together, I'm not sure one could walk through them!

    Old Faithful (one of the many geysers) was a must see once we were there. We also got to see a few other geysers around the park, and some deep holes in the earth filled with boiling hot water, and spewing gases. It smelled like burning eggs... But I guess it was just the sulfur we were smelling.
You had to be careful not to step off of the boardwalk, because you could accidentally step on an extremely thin sheet of earth and go down into a hot pool of water! The Buffalo obviously didn't get the memo though, and you could see their footprints in the hot mud.

                                              (A smaller geyser...↓)

Here is a pool that was filled with Boiling Water... You could see bubbles coming up from the bottom!

   Most of the trees around the geysers and pools were dead...

Old Faithful... It only shoots out once every hour and fifteen minutes or so.

                            
  Just talking a Sunday stroll... In the middle of the road!☺

   Another hole going deep underground... You could hear the gas and water pushing their way out.

A Waterfall... It was absolutely Amazing!

 More Mountains...

We eventually made our way through Idaho, and then Utah. We stopped at The Great Salt Lake in Utah. It was sorta weird... Just a huge Salt Lake! ☺ The only things that live in the lake are algae and brine shrimp (they're REALLY tiny!). The lake shore was covered (and I mean covered) in tiny flies that eat the shrimp and algae. Wherever you stepped a little cloud of flies would shoot up! They were everywhere!

Arizona!! Land of desert, more desert, and... Is that a tree??! Jk... Sorta. ☺
So, I was messing around with my camera and discovered I could switch the setting so that the red in the rock really came out in the pictures. I was pretty excited!

There actually was more vegetation in the desert than I was expecting. There was still a lot of rock and sand, but still, there where a lot of shrub type plants, and more grass than I thought was possible.

The Grand Canyon was Absolutely Gorgeous! When people say that the pictures don't compare... well, they're right! It was so deep and wide and just downright Huge!

 We got stuck in a hail storm on the second day. When it passed us you could see it drifting over the Canyon!

We ended up hiking down the side of the rocks a little ways on one side... which was a tad bit scary to say the least. My dad and I got so close to the edge of a cliff, we could almost see straight down!☺

  We made our way toward New Mexico and ate at a really cool Mexican restaurant in Sedona, Arizona. The view was amazing!

 This hummingbird was just hanging out around the flowers outside...

New Mexico!

 White Sands, New Mexico... You could see were they had used plows to make a road through there!
We got there in the evening the first day, which was perfect! The sun was just going down and it wasn't too hot. We ended up going back the day after... and although the sun was behind the clouds for the most part, when it came out, it came out with gusto!

After White Sands, it was time to head home. We had to drive around seventeen hours in two days to get home. Great Fun! Lol! I actually enjoy being cramped in the car on road trips. It's cozy!☺

We drove through Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa to get home. It was an amazing trip!

People, God is Great. God is Good.
  I am so extremely blessed to be able to go on such an adventure with my family. I'm also extremely blessed to be able to explore God's Oh-So-Vast creation. I'm so Grateful we made it home safely. And, I'm so thankful for Jesus. I was reminded on this trip again and again just how much He loves us. And not because of anything I've done. Just because.☺

I hope you all are having wonderful adventures this Summer. And I hope you catch a glimpse of Christ in this wonderful Season!

Until next time,

Makayla♥

P.S. Shout out to my Dad who drove us all that way! It wasn't so bad... was it? By the way... how much was the coffee bill?☺