Hey, everyone! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! Today is Sunday, and that means a new week has officially begun. Regardless of what this upcoming week has in store for you, Sundays are a time for us to relax, recharge, and start off our week strong!
Positive affirmations are the perfect way to make sure your week is productive. And if Thanksgiving is coming up where you live, I’m sure we could all use a little bit of self care before the holiday season comes around!
Here are 25 fun, relaxing, and positive affirmations to help you start your week! Let’s get this party started!
25 Positive Affirmations to Begin Your Week
1. This week will be better than the last/ the best one yet!
2. This week, I will take time to recharge.
3. I am grateful for today, and I look forward to the week ahead of me.
4. I chose happiness today.
5. I am confident in the abilities that God has blessed me with.
6. This week, I will achieve my goals.
7. I am positive and creative.
8. I am enough, this week and forever.
9. I can handle whatever this week throws at me.
10. I am blessed.
11. My self-confidence is at an all-time high!
12. God is with me: there’s nothing I can’t do!
13. I will not allow anything to disturb my peace.
14. Many good things will happen, this week.
15. I am capable of doing great things!
16. I choose success and the work that will get me there!
17. This week is my time to shine!
18. I am unique, and proud of it!
19. I am exactly who God made me to be, and I will let my light shine, this week!
20. I will grow stronger every day, this week!
21. Today, I’ll take time to take care of myself.
22. Today is the new day that God has made!
23. My life has a purpose and a meaning.
24. Today, I chose healing.
25. This week will be a blessing in my life and the lives of others.
Whether or not it’s actually Sunday, for you, these positive affirmations are a great way to boost your energy level and make your week even more productive! And saying kind things to ourselves is one of the key factors to doing great things! I encourage you to try out these affirmations for yourself, and see just how positive your week can be!
Please tell me down below in the comments, which one of these encouraging and inspirational statements did you like the most? I would love to hear from you!
Have a happy and healthy rest of your day and/or night! God bless you all, and I will catch you next time! Peace in! ♡
Go ahead! Spread the word of ♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ to others:
Hey, hey, hey, everyone! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. And no, we are not dreaming; it’s really already November! To be honest, October was like a fun roller coaster ride, for me. It was super fun, but it also went by crazy fast.
Either way, I really enjoyed myself, last month, and I’d like to share some of my experiences with you guys! So without further ado, let’s get into the October ’22 monthly wrap-up!
My Life
It’s been a while since I’ve given you all an update on my fitness journey. While I’ve been a little slow lately when it comes to walking outside three days a week, me and Goodmommy have been finding other creative ways to get some exercise. We’ve even been following along to workouts that we find on YouTube. At first, it took some adjusting but now I look forward to adding more variety to my fitness routine!
I bought tons of books this month (and I even posteda large haul on most of the books I got, which you can view HERE.) Thrift stores–or more specifically, a nonprofit named Goodwill–are officially my go-to when I’m looking for new, affordable books. And believe it, or not, I’ve layed my hands on some really awesome finds! Keep looking out for some more book reviews, in the upcoming months!
I officially started National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo, and so far, I’ve added nearly 2,000 words. I plan to write about 50,000 words by November 30th. Is it a crazy goal? Maybe a little bit. But I’m so stoked about my new story, and I can’t wait to read the finished product.
Experimenting with photography is another thing that I’ve been working on. Lately, I’ve been working with capturing different angles and objects (such as trees, or the sunset) as well as looking at different perspectives to capture a shot. I think that October might be my best month this year as far as my photography goes, because I took quite a few gorgeous pictures!
This photo is definitely one of my faves :> All Rights Reserved.
Books I Read
While I’ve bought a lot of books, this month flew by so quickly that I wasn’t able to finish any of them. But, there are a few that I started, so I’ll be sharing a brief review of my first impressions of each one. However, you may look at my more in-depth opinion in my last book haul. Let’s go!
The Next Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjamin — Basically, this novel that I found at The Dollar Tree (yes, you heard correctly) is intriguing and confusing at the same time. It’s about a small school that consists of grades 1-8. It takes place in a class of 11 students–also known as the entire 7th grade–who idolized their classmate Paulie Fink. It’s kind of at a stand-still right now. Like, I know what’s happening but I don’t know what’s happening. Either way, it seems like a pretty fun book, so I’ll likely get back into it when I’m not so busy.
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Book I by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kirberger — honestly, Goodmommy was the one who ended up picking out this book for me. I really love the originality that it includes with a variety of true stories, poems, and other types of creative writing by teenagers and adults about their teenage years. There’s so many lessons in this book that I think that any teenager could learn/benefit from!
Savvy by Ingrid Law — to be honest, I couldn’t have read much more than 20 pages of this one (if that many) but it’s probably because beginning took a long time to get off the ground. Everything was so slow paced that it kind of lost my interest quickly, which was suprising because its one of my new books that I was the most excited about. But considering that it’s just the beginning of the book, I’ll get back into it eventually to see if things get more exciting.
Better with Butter by Victoria Piontek — Out of all the books that I’ve read this month, this one has got to be the cutest! In a nutshell, it’s about a shy girl with anxiety who gains confidence when she saves a baby goat named Butter. So far, the beginning of this novel has been pretty promising, and I’m super excited to see where this story goes next!
All Rights Reserved.
Series I Watched
One of my favorite series ever is The Mysterious Benedict Society, which is an exclusive series on Disney+. It’s about a group of smart, yet neglected kids who make a band of do-gooders to save their city from a conundrum called the Emergency. To me, this series is the perfect mix between adventure, mystery, fantasy, and the wholesome friendships that dominate a film. And what’s even cooler is that they just released season 2!
It’s been a long time since I’ve binged-watched this series, but I recently took a dive back into That’s So Raven. I think most teenagers and young adults can agree that it’s probably one of the most nostalgic sitcoms of the 20th century. While Raven’s Home is a decent sequel, I don’t think it compares to the original.
I have a lot of Disney Channel shows that I really love, but one of my ultimate favorites is Good Luck Charlie, just because it’s such a wholesome and quirky show. No matter how much I see the episodes, they never fail to make me laugh 100 times over.
Occasionally, I also tend to watch the show Walk the Prank. In about the 3rd or 4th grade, I used to watch this show almost every day after school. And while I don’t watch it all that much now, it’s really nice to look back at it when I need a little laugh. There’s something about childhood shows that’s just so comforting.
All Rights Reserved.
My Favorite Posts of the Month
I wrote and published a total of 13 posts, this month! Hooray! I’m honestly not mad at the number, because I think every single post I made was super good, and that’s what matters most as a writer! While I loved all the posts that I published in October of 22′, there were a few that stood out to me:
And that was the monthly wrap-up of October of 2022! Hopefully, you all enjoyed seeing the highlights of last month for me. Please comment down below, which post of mine last month did you enjoy the most? Also, what was YOUR favorite part of last month?
Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you all and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡
Go ahead! Spread the word of ♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ to others:
What’s up, everybody! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen!
If you haven’t already heard, National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo fo short) starts on November 1st … and that means that it’s time to write a novel! In case you aren’t familiar with NaNoWriMo, here is the official website’s description of their Young Writers’ Program;
National Novel Writing Month is a fun, empowering approach to creative writing. The challenge: draft an entire novel in just one month. For 30 wild, exciting, surprising days, you get to lock away your inner editor, let your imagination take over, and just create!
Our Young Writers Program supports under-18 writers and K-12 educators as they participate in our flagship event each November, and take part in smaller writing challenges year-round.
In other words, NaNoWriMo is a writing challenge–both for adults and kids/teens in the Young Writers Program–to reach a personalized word goal by writing every day until November 30th! No editing or revising; just writing.
I’ve “participated” in this challenge for the last couple years, but I’ve never actually gotten my project off of the ground. However, this year I’m planning on writing a 50,000 word novel, starting on Tuesday! Ambitious, right? But don’t be fooled; I didn’t decide to do this challenge unprepared. Today, I’ll be discussing some of the ways that I’ve been preparing for National Novel Writing Month! Let’s get started!
Established my goals for the challenge
For me, NaNoWriMo is an opportunity for me to write everyday, quit worrying about making my writing perfect, have fun, and produce a novel in the process. Although my blog has significantly increased the amount that I write, NaNoWriMo will push that to the next level, and I think that my word goal will really challenge me to increase my writing skills and hold back on my perfectionist ways. The challenge is really all about having a good time doing what I love to do; write. So that’s something I plan to keep in mind throughout the entire process.
Made a schedule (sort of)
Okay, so I haven’t made a schedule where I’ve figured out the exact dates and times that I will be working on my novel; after all, every day is different. But I do know that in order to reach my word count goal by the end of November, I’m going to need to write 1667 words every day. That means that even if I can’t write that many words on a day that I’m busy, I could make up for it on a weekend or on a day when I don’t have much on my schedule. Having an idea of how much you need to write to reach your goal–in baby steps–is super helpful to break down the task in front of you without it being too intimidating.
Gotten to know my characters
In the novel that I am almost done with drafting, I pretty much dove into the writing process with the idea and built on that from there. And while that was fun to try, that project has been at a stand-still for a while, now. Since writer’s block is not really an option when you have 30 days to write a novel, I did a little (no a LOT) more planning this time around. For each of my characters I filled out a questionare on who they are, what they like to do, where they live, their personalities, etc., and I think that really payed off. Now, I can picture how each of the characters look in my head, and I have a better perspective on who they are as individuals. And considering that characters are one of the most important parts of a story, that will be super helpful for me, later on.
Established my setting
Usually, settings aren’t something I do a whole lot of thinking about when I get an idea for a story. Like with my characters, I kind of go where the plot wants me to go. But this time, my novel takes place in a magical kingdom split into 4 (meaning there are four pairs of a king and queen.) Each kingdom has their own customs, geography, and citizens with their own personalities and behaviors. Therefore, establishing my complex setting for this story was a crucial part of making my novel’s first draft as well-executed as possible.
Prepared small rewards with my family
Right after I decided to participate in NaNoWriMo, I made sure I discussed it with Goodmommy. She was so supportive that she even purposed that every time I write 5,000 words toward my goal, she’ll give me 5 bucks! And every 25,000 words, we’ll go out for ice cream! Awesome, right?!? To be honest, I think getting family support and small rewards to look forward to will make NaNoWriMo so much more fun!
Outlined my plot
Finally, I outlined all of the major events of my plot. At first, I wasn’t planning on doing this AT ALL. But I’ve had a pint full of motivation lately, thank God, so I ended up going for it. Now that my plot outline is complete, it will most likely save me from running into writer’s block halfway through November. And as a writer, that’s almost always something to celebrate.
By now, I’m quite sure you guys can already tell, but I’m super stoked to get involved in the hype of NaNoWriMo. Although I realize 50,000 words is a pretty steep goal for my first time doing this challenge, I’m more than confident that I can reach it! Please tell me down below, are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? If so, what are some things you’re doing to prepare? And if not, have you ever heard of National Novel Writing Month?
Have a happy and healthy rest of your day, everyone! God bless you all and I’ll catch you next time! Peace in! ♡
Go ahead! Spread the word of ♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ to others:
Hey, everyone! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. Although for many of us, fall is still here (and as gorgeous as ever) it won’t be long before winter starts creeping in to try to steal the spotlight. Cold weather might make it easy to want to do nothing but snuggle up on the couch and sleep in. But, autumn is such a beautiful–and not to mention super fun–time of year; there’s so much to do! So it only makes sense that we make the most of all that autumn has to offer.
Today, I’m sharing the ultimate list of things to do when you’re bored in autumn. And I’m positive that with these tips, you’ll never be bored in the fall, again! So without further ado, let’s get started!
Visit a pumpkin patch – If you ask me, pumpkins are the classic symbol of autumn and its beauty. So what better thing to do this fall then run through a pumpkin patch? You could even carve the ones that you pick once you return home.
Bake an apple pie – The sweet, sugary essence of a homemade pie is perfect for that homey feel that fall is all about. Therefore, any fall dessert–including apple pie–is the perfect way to spend some time with an indulgent treat as your reward.
Take photographs – From the fierce yet comforting colors, to the way leaves drift to the ground, October and November have got to be some of the most gorgeous months of the year. And getting a few breath-taking shots can help you savor all of your fall memories for a lifetime.
Rake the leaves . . . and then jump into the pile! – Okay, so maybe doing a chore is not the most fun thing to do when your bored. But I think most of us can agree that during the fall, there’s an exception. So after you’ve rounded up all the leaves that have scattered across your backyard, take a dive in! Just make sure you’re prepared to rake the leaves all over again.
Go camping – The weather in autumn is the perfect mix of summer and winter; it’s not too hot and not too cold. And that means that any activity involving the outdoors is perfect for this time of year! Camping is a fantastic example!
Run a 1k (or a 5k if you want to be daring) – And speaking of the outdoors, some tasks are a little more challenging than others, but even more so in the fall. Running a mile (or maybe even 5 miles) is the perfect way to challenge yourself on a fall afternoon.
Knit a scarf – Whether you knit often or you’ve never tried it in your life, a warm scarf is the perfect way to prepare for the late autumn and winter months. Although knitting can take time and patience, a handmade scarf can make for a great autumn souvenir.
Drink hot chocolate in front of your fireplace – On the days when it’s a little chilly outside, sweet, warm beverages (including tea, coffee, and of course hot chocolate) are the perfect way to keep yourself warm and cozy. And I heard that if you have a fireplace, drinking hot cocoa is a next-level experience!
Go to a corn maze – Although I’ve never went inside one myself, I’ve heard that for many people, corn mazes are the perfect way to tease your brain, run around in circles, and make everlasting memories while doing so. And if you ask me, that makes a corn maze just the right place to go in the autumn.
Get cozy with your comfort novel – For all my bookworms out there, no fall activity compares to snuggling up on the couch with your most comforting novel in hand.
Have a fall movie marathon – Most people have at least one favorite movie that they watch every fall. Why not make a compilation of all of your favorite movies to watch in autumn, and have a movie night with your family and friends (or independently, if that’s what you prefer?) You may even find a few new movies to add to your favorites!
When autumn comes around, there are so many things to do it’s nearly impossible to be bored! And with the endless amount of fall activities (some of which I’ve stated here today) I hope you’ll be able to make this autumn your best one yet! Please let me know in the comments, what are your favorite things to do outside in the autumn. Also, which idea on this list did you like the most?
Have a happy and healthy weekend, everyone! God bless you all and I’ll catch you next time! Peace in! ♡
Go ahead! Spread the word of ♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ to others:
Hey, everyone! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen!
Writing a novel is one of the most rewarding things one could do as a writer. You put your ideas, creativity, and time into a story and your hard work payed off; what a feeling! But the thing is, how can you know what that’s like when your stumped on what you want your novel to be about?
Brainstorming the conflict or plot of your own story can be intimidating to think about, but there are so many ways to get your creative juices flowing and your fingers typing. We just need to use our imaginations. With these easy-to-follow yet effective tips, you are likely to come up with a fresh, awesome story idea in the blink of an eye. Let’s get started!
1.) Think about a story that you want to read, but hasn’t been written.
If you’re a writer and a bookworm, like me, its likely that you’ve come across many awesome novels. But have you ever thought about a story that you’d love to read . . . that hasn’t been written, yet? Whether this is a random thought or a new discovery, there is always an awesome story that hasn’t been told. And since this idea hasn’t yet been taken, it could be the perfect starting point of your very own story.
2.) Write a novel with a spin on a classic story.
From fairy tales, to fables, to the bedtime stories that every kid grew up reading, we’ve all had our fair share on classic, timeless stories. People are used to hearing them be told a certain way, but the perfect way to spice things up is to retell one of your favorite fairytales with a special twist. Although this can be a risky topic for a story, if it is well executed and thought out, it could make for a fantastic novel.
3.) Try the ‘words in a jar’ method.
This might sound a little confusing, so let me further elaborate. The ‘words in a jar’ method is when you put a bunch of words in a jar that you’re interested in, curious about or like to read about. Some examples are rollerblading, magical creatures, France in the early 1900s, factories, Columbian culture, etc. Then, you pick out three random words and try to make a novel idea out of it. You may not be crazy about every idea, but you could also find something that you really love. Either way, this method is perfect to get your brain . . . storming when you need some inspiration.
4.) Use the genre that you like to read.
Let’s face it, if you like to read realistic fiction, you’re probably not going to be as familiar with the fantasy genre. Although writing a novel in a genre that is newer to you can make for a fun challenge, its not the most practical for a well-developed story. The books that we read are a representation of what we like in literature. Therefore, what makes more sense than to write in the genre that you like? If you write a book that you are already passionate about, then your readers likely will be, too.
5.) Create a character based off of you or someone you know.
Characters are like the building blocks of a Lego wall. They are the people that your readers relate to, participate in dialogue to move the plot along, and portray the theme that you want your novel to represent. And making a character from scratch is not always a walk in the park. Therefore, using an experience of yours, or basing your character off of you or someone you know well (with their permission, of course) can be a good solution. If your character has a similar personality to you or a friend/family member, you can already have a sense of who they are and what they believe. Besides, writing is even better when we include the ones that we love.
6.) Just write.
Although all of these activities can be life-saving in the writing world, sometimes nothing beats facing writers block like the old fashioned way: just writing. Even if you jot down the first thing that comes to your mind, random ideas could turn into a bestselling novel; just like every single good book of the past. All we have to do is sit down, open our laptop, and write.
Finding an idea for a novel can be harder said that done . . . but with fun, creative ideas like these, it can be another challenging yet rewarding writing task that can lead to a one-of-a-kind story. Please tell me in the comments, what are some other ways that someone could find an idea for a narrative? Also, which of these tips did you like the best or find the most helpful?
Thank you all so much for joining me, today! God bless you all, and have an amazing rest of your day! Peace in! ~ Q’Zion ♡
Go ahead! Spread the word of ♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ to others:
Hey, hey, everybody! This is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen.
There are so many aspects to being healthy . . . not just how much exercise you get or how healthy you eat. Are those things important? Absolutely! But a healthy body is not the only factor of a healthy spirit. That’s where mental wellness comes in. While this is a major topic on my blog, I realized that I’ve never directed a post about positive mental habits for fellow Christians. But that changes today.
As followers of Christ, there are so many ways to please God. And one thing that I know God wants is for us to be healthy–mentally, physically, and spiritually. And implementing healthy, productive habits into our daily lives to boost our mood and gain a sense of self worth is perfect for maintaining mental wellness and deepening our relationship with our Heavenly Father, in the process. Today, I will be listing a few ways that we can do so, with a scripture representing each point. So without further ado, let’s get started!
Practice Gratitude in all Circumstances
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
For me, showing gratitude as a Christian is not simply just being thankful. It’s showing appreciation–through our actions, thoughts, and words–that God has loved us enough to bless us with salvation (eternal life) and all the other people and blessings that put the icing on the cake. While anyone can practice gratitude, it’s even more critical that we practice this lifestyle as followers of Christ.
By acknowledging the things that we are blessed to have, even in the moments where everything isn’t going our way or we don’t feel our best, we can build on our relationship with God as we give Him glory for all that He’s blessed us with. And the best part is, when we show God that we are thankful, He can (and will) bless us with even more than what we have now. What an amazing Father we serve!
Communicate with God through Prayer
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
– 1 John 5:14-15
Praying should be a no-brainer for all followers of Christ. Some people say that they are happier when they spend time with their family and friends. And while our loved ones are all wonderful gifts from God, it’s important that we take time everyday to communicate with the Lord, as well, with the power of prayer.
One of the most common questions that I see about prayer is simply “How do you pray?” Well, the simplest answer to that is have a conversation with God. That could be in the form of thanking Him (another great way to express our gratitude), asking Him for what we need, asking for forgiveness, and even using memorized scriptures to strengthen our conversations. Praying doesn’t have to be difficult, in fact. Even “Thank you, Lord” is a prayer.
Instead of thinking of praying as a daunting task (particularly for new Christians) think of it like this: God has given us the gift of being able to speak to Him whenever we’d like. We can get to know more about Him and better our spiritual and mental wellness while doing so. And when we decide to take that opportunity, we are taking a huge step towards becoming the best people that we can be; both as people and most importantly, God’s children.
Get Your Exercise
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
– 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Although they are most often separated as two different topics, our physical and mental health are more connected than some may realize. For example, if you eat an apple everyday, you will most likely have lower hormone fluctuations (meaning less mood swings) and a boosted mood. While on the other hand, too much stress can suppress one’s immune system and make them more susceptible to diseases.
Our bodies are yet another blessing from the Lord. And the functions of our bodies that seem as simple as walking and breathing are miracles. And because our bodies are such gifts, we’ve got to do what we can to keep them healthy. Exercise (preferably 30-60 minutes a day) is the perfect way to release happy hormones (therefore making you feel more relaxed and accomplished) while keeping our physical health in check. But, even if you get bored during your next jog, you can always play some of your favorite gospel tunes to add worship to your workout!
Understand Who You are In Christ
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
– John 14:27
Having a sense of confidence is something that anyone can struggle with, including God’s children. But the thing is, when we take a look into God’s Word, we notice that throughout the entire book, He is constantly telling us who we are to Him: the apple of His eye, forgiven, loved, saved, strong, made with a purpose, wonderfully made, and worthy to have a happy, eternal life.
While self confidence is something that can take time to build, we can’t help but be grateful when we receive all that God has called us to be. So whenever you need a little bit (or a lot) of encouragement, take time to study who God says you are. Because at the end of the day, that matters WAY more than what anyone else thinks/says about you.
Mental health is critical in our day to day lives, and we should all take time to make sure that we are taking time out of each day to maintain a happy, healthy, and godly state of mind. Hopefully, these simple yet life-changing habits will help you do just that. Please tell me some of your healthy habits (as a Christian) that you do to maintain mental wellness. Also, were any of these tips eye-openers for you?
Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you all and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡
Go ahead! Spread the word of ♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ to others:
Hey, y’all! This is Q’Zion, and welcome to my blog, The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! ♡
Spring, summer, fall, and winter. The four seasons. Each one is unique in their own way; their own special events, holidays, traditions, and other characteristics that make up 1/4 of each year. While I love each one for their own reasons, autumn and winter have always had a special place in my heart. And since we’re practically in the middle of fall (already, I know) I want to explain some of the reasons why autumn is one of my favorite seasons. So without further ado, let’s get this party started!
1.) Warm and cozy colors
There’s something about medium green plants transforming into gorgeous orange, golden rod, and burgundy leaves as they float to the ground that’s so satisfying. All seasons have an aspect of nature that makes them unique, but the eye catching colors of autumn make the season stand out like no other.
2.)The spectacular weather
For me, warm weather is the least desirable weather to have. I mean, I’d rather be a little chilly than sweaty and uncomfortable, do you know what I mean? And while I love summer and winter, with both of those seasons, you either get one or the other side of weather. But when autumn comes around, the temperature is the perfect combination. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just how I like it.
3.) That homey reading atmosphere
By now, it’s no secret that I’m a big fan of all things literature. I’ll do it just about any place, at any time of the day, and obviously in any season. But there’s something about fall vibes that makes me want to read even more. And any bookworm who has spent a fall night cuddled up on the couch with their favorite snack and a comfort novel knows what I mean.
4.) One of my favorite holidays – Thanksgiving
I wouldn’t be the same person if it wasn’t for my awesome family. And during the holidays at the end of the year, we always partake in the tradition of having family gatherings, as often as possible. Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity for me to recap what and who I’m thankful for and blessed with, eat mouth-watering food, and do all the other autumn things I love with the people I love. There’s not many things in this world that are better than that.
5.) Photography is thebomb.com
Photography is one of my other hobbies that I don’t talk about as often, but I adore taking photos of sceneries, especially in the afternoon or just before a sunset. And if we’re being completely honest, autumn’s gorgeous colors makes it the perfect time to go on a photography splurge.
6.) The yummy food
Technically, the comfort of fall horderves goes hand-in-hand with Thanksgiving, but I still wanted to include it because autumn is certainly not the same me without them. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy eating a soup, a piece of turkey, or a pumpkin pie on an autumn afternoon? (Seriously though, I’m super curious!) Autumn food is definitely another thing that makes fall like no other.
7.) Napping paradise
As I mentioned earlier, the weather in autumn is as close as it could get to perfect. The sun isn’t usually out too early (or too bright, when it does peek out from the clouds) which makes it easier to take a power nap or sleep in without feeling like you’ve missed out on half of a day. And since I’m homeschooled, I take quite a bit of naps, so that’s a bonus!
8.) Simple and chic fashion
When it comes to fashion, I am all for finding outfits that are both stylish and comfy. And from classic cardigans to knee high boots, there is so much wiggle room to play with when it comes to autumn fashion.
9.) The decorations
From pumpkins, to candles, to fairy lights, to throw pillows, there are so many creative yet comforting ways to decorate for fall, both on the inside and outside of our homes. I think that autumn decor is the perfect way to set that homey, timeless vibe inside your home, which is perfect not only for fall, but also the preparation for the transition into winter.
10.) Being outdoors
When it comes to autumn, doing any fun fall activity outdoors just makes my day. There’s so much to do this time of year that it’s hard to make an excuse not to go outside. And with the awesome aspects of fall (many of which I have mentioned in this list) it’s kind of hard to do nothing when there’s so much fun we can have right outside our door.
Most of the time, it would take longer posts like this a little while for me to configure. But when it comes to fall, there is so much to love that it’s easy to find reasons why it’s so amazingly great! Please tell me YOUR favorite season(s) down below in the comments? Also, what’s your favorite aspect of autumn and/or the season that you like the most? I’m looking forward to everybody’s responses!
Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! Don’t forget that regardless of what you may be going through, we are all beautiful and wonderfully made. And that’s something we can all be thankful to God for! Peace in, y’all! ~ Q’Zion ♡
Go ahead! Spread the word of ♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ to others:
Hey, everyone! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome back to my corner of the Internet! Oof, I just realized that it’s been 5 days since I last posted. I’m so sorry, y’all: it’s been a really busy few days! But thank God I got through it with flying colors! And I’m back with my monthly wrap-up of September of 2022.
Today I’ll be discussing some of my favorite moments from this month, with some of the novels I’ve finished and films I’ve watched sprinkled in between. Okay, okay–enough of the chatter. Let’s get started!
My Life
My birthday was this month, and I’ve got to say that it was the best birthday ever. (But just wait until I say the same thing next year.😂) My favorite gift was probably my second ear piercing! I got my first one when I was a baby, so being able to experience getting a piercing for the first time was an experience that I’ll never forget. You can look at my 2022 birthday post here!
I realized that in the past few months, I’ve been reading (and actually finishing) more books! In fact, ever since I joined Book Club last year, I feel like I’ve started getting into the swing of things again when it comes to reading every month. And that’s a huge relief, because I could never imagine my life without books!
Goodmommy and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen, this month. As part of our fitness journey, we’ve been experimenting with flourless cookie recipes, and so far we’ve made peanut butter cookies, dark chocolate oat cookies, and fudge chocolate cookies, which were made from hot chocolate mix. While the peanut butter cookies were my favorites, they were all fun to bake and taste!
I’ve had at least one club meeting for each of my clubs now (which are Creative Writing, Glee, and Teen Driving Club). Even though most of the clubs are way different then what I was anticipating to join, this year, I couldn’t be happier with my choices! They make school days so much more, eventful, if you know what I mean.
Books I Read
Guts by Raina Telgemeier (link to review) – I’ve been a fan of Raina’s books since I was eight years old, and after finally getting my hands on the triology of her Smile series, I have to say that it didn’t disapoint. From the protagonist’s quirky character to the elementary school nostalgia, this book is the perfect gift for any tween or teenager–not to mention the perfect new addition to my growing graphic novel collection.
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullay Hunt (link to review) – Although I love to read more than most things in this world, I’m hard to impress when it comes to giving a book five stars. But Fish in a Tree is one of the few novels to win that award. From the lessons of friendship, self-esteem, and being yourself, to the character development, iconic quotes, and heartfelt moments, this novel is officially one of my new favorites.
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks – I don’t want to reveal too much about this one because my review on it isn’t out yet . . . but this was SUCH an inspiring book! Zoe reminded me so much of myself, and the pace of the story was just right to keep things moving without being hard to follow. It’s so hard to believe that this was Janae Marks’ debut novel. In fact, her second novel, A Soft Place to Land, is now on my TBR (to be read) list!
Movies That I Watched
An Unlikely Angel – This film was such a beautiful reminder and demonstration of how God gives us second chances. Overall, there were a lot of funny and tense moments in this movie–a bit of an emotional roller coaster for the protagonist as we follow her on her journey to learning how to be a mother. If you’re a Christian who likes sweet movies that are perfect for family movie night, I would highly recommend watching this film on Pureflix.
The Mystery of Her – To be honest, I was really excited to watch this movie as soon as we turned on the trailer. And for the most part I liked it . . . that’s kind of all I’ve got. This film was about a teenage girl who tries to find herself after loosing her memory in a car accident. At first, it was good, but it slowly became more and more confusing. The end was pretty open, so it kind of left it up to you to imagine how the girl’s story ended. Not my favorite kind of ending, but it was an okay movie overall.
Grace Unplugged – This. I absolutely LOVED this movie. The main character, Grace, is a newly-eighteen-year-old girl who dreams of becoming a pop star–like her father, who was a rock star that threw away his fame to sing at their local church. I really appreciated how this movie showed young audiences–especially Christian teens–what it means and looks like to go down the wrong path. But there were also some amazing characters in the film that helped Grace get back on track with pleasing the Lord–and finding herself in the process. This film is definitely a must-see for any Christian teen/young adult.
The Way Home – To be honest, I didn’t watch the first half of this movie because I was busy watching YouTube videos and playing Roblox lol, but the second half was super emotional and pretty good, overall. And considering its about a community working together to try and find a missing two-year-old I expected that from the beginning. The ending was super heartwarming, and the fact that the film is based on a true story made this movie that much sweeter.
My Favorite Posts of the Month
So, we wrote a total of 11 post this month, 12 including this wrap-up, and I’ve got to admit that although I didn’t post a lot, I’ve written some really awesome posts, this month. I think I deserve a little self-pat-on-the-back. Anyway, here are some of my favorite posts of the month.
If you’d like to check out all the posts that I’ve written, this September, please checkout THIS LINK!
I hope you all enjoyed reading what I was up to for the entire month! Overall, I really enjoyed myself these past thirty days, and I pray you all have, as well. And speaking of prayer, please send your prayers for all the victims of Hurricane Ian around the world. Your kind thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
What were your favorite parts of this month? I would love to hear your responses in the comments!
Have a beautiful and blessed day, everybody! God bless you all and have a splendid weekend! ~ Q’Zion ♡
Go ahead! Spread the word of ♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ to others:
Hello, everyone! This is Q’Zion, and welcome back to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! Being a part of the blogosphere is like a dream for those of us who love to write, inspire, and create. But when many bloggers make the decision to create a website of their own, there are a few common mistakes that I have noticed being repeated.
So whether you’re a beginner blogger wanting an overview on what to expect or a more experienced content creator needing some blogging advice, these common mistakes to avoid that I have noticed myself and other awesome content creators make is for you!
Not Having a Clear Purpose or Audience
For my fellow teen bloggers, it can be easy to create a blog just for the fun of it! I often see new bloggers post a bunch of random–but really entertaining–posts with little repurposed content or common topics. And while displaying our personalities in what we do and post is important, it’s also crucial that we have an idea of what audience we’d like our blog to reach or resonate with.
E.g. when you choose the name and major topics of your blog, you want to make sure that what you’re posting will appeal to your target audience–whether that be people in a certain age group or with similar interest as you.
Lack of Consistency
Not having a blog post schedule has got to be the largest–and most common–mistake that I’ve seen within the blogging community. At first, some new bloggers will post excellent content every single day . . . and then they’ll disappear for a month. Trust me, I understand that some things come up in our lives, such writer’s block or a lack of motivation, that can make it difficult to keep posting content. But at the same time we have to remember that the only way to get our blog to grow is by being consistent. Posting only two days a week can do wonders for a blog’s traffic–all we have to do is show up and stay committed!
Grammatical and/or Punctuation Errors
Alright, I’ve got to put my hand up on this one. While writing the first draft for a stellar blog post, it can be easy to accidentally miss a letter or type a word twice. You see, the fact that we make simple errors like these is not the mistake; it’s when we make the errors and fail to revise them. Re-reading your blog posts aloud before you introduce them to the public is the best way to avoid grammatical mistakes. You could even read them aloud to a second person to catch errors you may miss and get a second opinion. Either way, revision is one of the keys to making every post the best that it can be.
Not Engaging with their Audience
It’s not uncommon that I’ll see 3-5 comments underneath a blog post . . . and all of them are by fellow bloggers complimenting the writer’s work. Thanks to the wonderful invention of notifications, we get a message every single time someone comments on our posts. And since one of the main goals of most bloggers is to build an audience, its important that we show our appreciation to the supporters that we already have. Not only will your viewers appreciate it, but you could even make a few new friends along the way.
Creating Extremely Short Blog Posts
Another common trend that I’ve seen going on, especially within the last few months, is bloggers making five- to twenty-word posts about five times a day. And all they do is tell their viewers good morning, afternoon, or night.
It’s always nice to greet your viewers before you get into the topic of a blog post, and short posts are acceptable now and again (especially on holidays.) But you want to make sure that you’re not just posting to post–after all, we want our readers to see our effort when they look at our blog. Not a bunch of short spam posts piling up in their email.
Choosing Quantity over Quality
When you create your blog, it’s easy to want to post every single day to get your website out there! But when you’re posting five times a day, it can become a challenge to give every single post your all. Therefore, even if you can only create one post a week on your blog–that one, well-written post is probably much better than five rushed ones.
Not Using Attention-Getting Blog Post Titles
Ahh~titles. They’re the first thing that anyone who stumbles upon one of your posts will see–alongside your images when viewers are browsing WordPress Reader, which are also very important. Therefore, it’s important that you add relevant, fun titles to your posts that get the main topic across and grab your viewers’ attention. There are a lot of great bloggers and posts out there: that’s why we need to use our titles as a strategy for convincing our viewers to click on ours.
So, those were some of the most common mistakes that new bloggers make, and I hope each and every one of you got something positive out of it! Also, I’d like to know, what are some common mistakes that you notice and/or made that I missed here? And if you’d like, is there any advice that you’d like to give to other bloggers to prevent them from making that mistake? Feel free to share your responses to these discussion questions in the comments!
Have a beautiful and blessed day or night, everyone! God bless you all and I’ll see you next time! Peace in! ♡
Go ahead! Spread the word of ♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ to others:
As I mentioned in my last post, a special day was right around the corner that I wanted to share with you guys. And that special day was (drumroll, please) my birthday! I know that I say this every year, but me and Goodmommy had such a blast, and I still can’t hush up about how hyped I am.
Even though birthdays come back every year, they’re a really big deal. It’s not just a day about you, but also a celebration of the beautiful and wonderful gift of life that God has blessed us with. Life has it’s ups and downs for everyone, but the fact that we are still breathing is a blessing within itself. In reality, every day is worth celebrating.
Sending time with Goodmommy is always a blast, and I want to share how we spent our special day with all of you, as well! Okay, enough of the chatter, now! My 2022 birthday post is a go!
Our first stop was probably one of my favorites out of the whole day; and it was only just beginning! We decided to stop at Claire’s to do something that we’ve been talking about for years–getting my second ear piercing! And considering that Claire’s has been known for piercing ears for decades—or 40 years, to be exact—we thought it would be a great place to get the job done.
I actually got my first ear piercing when I was a few months old, so I obviously don’t remember anything from that experience–though Goodmommy’s retelling of my baby-self’s reaction always makes me giggle. As a result, I never knew how it felt to get your ear’s pierced before my birthday, so I was naturally a little nervous. But considering that I handle shots so well, I knew that this was going to be a walk in the park.
Despite our original plan to get the silver cross, we decided to get a stainless-steel star after the reccomendation to get a smaller earring. And I immediately fell in love with the results–it’s small, sweet, and simple. I can’t thank Goodmommy enough for getting me my second piercing! In fact, I loved it so much that I may even get another one, in a few years.
My reaction to the first piercing; it burned for about a minute, but I only felt a little pinch, as expected.The finished product! I couldn’t be more obsessed! 🙂Me cleaning my ears for the first time. I was a little confused about the steps at first, but once you get the hang of it it’s pretty simple.
Before we left our house, Goodmommy shared with me that she was contemplating taking me to a surprise destination for my birthday celebration, and I was over the moon to find out that it was Barnes and Nobles–my favorite bookstore.
If you’re a frequent visitor of my blog, you already know how I feel about books. And what I really appreciate about Barnes & Nobles is they’re variety–not only with the genres of their books, but with the types of items that they sell, too! As soon as I saw on a sign that the Young Readers’ section was upstairs, we took a ride on the escalator and searched around the entire second floor.
After a few minutes of searching, I finally found the section in question, and I couldn’t have been more excited by the shelves of novels that stood before me. I really love how this section in particular had literature that varied from pictures books to upper-middle grade, which makes it appropriate for a large range of ages.
We ended up purchasing three awesome novels–one of which was a graphic novel–for about ten bucks each. Another one of them was on my TBR (or to be read) list for this year, so I was super grateful for the opportunity to finally read it! Oh, and don’t worry, y’all; I’ll be posting all the book reviews for each one soon. ;))
So, I’m a firm believer that birthday’s don’t have to break the bank. But a simple piece of cake is always nice. And that’s why our next stop was no other than The Cheesecake Factory. Now, in case I’ve never mentioned this on my blog, cheesecake is one of my absolute favorite desserts, and we hadn’t had a slice for like, two years. So as anyone would assume, I was greatly anticipating eating a slice.
Me and Goodmommy are on a health journey, so it was a little shocking–to say the least–to see the amount of calories in a slice of each cheesecake. Seriously though, one slice is like half of the calories for the day! And although all of the options looked absolutely delicious, we both decided to stick with the classics–a slice of Cheesecake Factory’s original cheesecake.
After we saw the fact that it was a full house inside the restaurant, we decided to eat our delicious treats in the car. But I didn’t mind, at all; we had a close up view of the entire food court section of the mall!
To all of the cheesecake fans who don’t think they’d like the plain original, I’ve got to press the fact that The Cheesecake Factory knows what they’re doing. The piece of cheesecake had the perfect amount of sweetness, and the soft texture of the cream cheese melted in your mouth with the perfect serving of sour cream to eat with every bite. What can I say? If you’re looking for a tasteful—and delicious—dessert with fewer calories, the Classic is probably the way to go, in my opinion.
While that sweet surprise was absolutely delicious, we wanted to work off some of those calories. So we ended up making our last stop at Celebration Station, which is this amusement park full of rides (go-karts, water karts, roller coasters, etc.) and an arcade.
After entering the building, we decided to buy a couple hundred coins and explore the arcade. It was actually my first time ever visiting this place, so when I looked it up and saw the booming reviews, I was really anticipating exploring. And trust me, it didn’t disappoint!
What I find so captivating about arcades are all the bright lights. As someone who’s naturally attracted to colors, I got excited by seeing the games. There were so many games to play. And I have to admit that most of them are super addicting!
Me playing a creative game that tests your reflexes. I had a lot of fun with it!This is a piano game where I had to press as many correct keys as possible in 40 (ish) seconds. I loved it! Here’s just a cute pic that Goodmommy took when we first arrived.
One of the first games that I played was a massive claw machine that was full of large bags of 5,000 tickets. I tried it about three times, and I got a good grip on all three tries. But as always, the grabber didn’t seem like it was strong enough. Boy, I would’ve really loved those tickets; just imagine the prices I could’ve won.
After about a half hour of exploring, we decided to check out the additional games located upstairs, and Goodmommy’s eyes lit up when she spotted two huge pool tables. She’s told me several times how she used to play pool years ago, but I never had the opportunity to play pool with her. That is, until my birthday.
At first, I was struggling with getting a good grip on the pool stick, but eventually I got the swing of it, and I was able to hit the balls. Practice makes improvement!
But honestly, seeing how happy it made Goodmommy to play a game of pool with me is what really made it all worthwhile. Just look at her!
Finally, here’s a quick selfie of me to get a closer look at my outfit. Goodmommy did such an awesome job on my hair, didn’t she? She really made me feel special on my special day, and I am forever grateful to her for that.
I have to admit that this birthday was genuinely the best that I’ve ever had. Sure, I say that every time my b-day arrives, but my 2022 celebration is going to be hard to beat. I thank God for letting me and my Goodmommy having such a blast! I hope we get to make many, many more blessed birthday memories together, for many, many, many, many, many more years to come!
What are some of your favorite that you’ve done on your birthday? I would love to read your responses down below in the comments.
Have a beautiful and blessed day, y’all! God bless you all, and I will see you all next time!
Thank you, Lord, for another happy and blessed birthday! In Jesus’ name, Amen. ♡
Go ahead! Spread the word of ♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ to others:
♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ 