Tag: Christian blogger

Observing Two Sentence Stories

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Hey, everyone! This is Princess Q’Zion and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. Today, I decided to get creative and do something a little different. I found an old post that I did a little over a year ago, in which I discussed a technique that I had learned in Creative Writing Club: two sentence stories. And I even listed a few that I’d written on my own during the 15-minute exercise that we did during the meeting.

If you’d like to view my first post about two sentence stories, please click here.

I had such a blast writing about them last time that I decided to do a follow-up (or shall I say, continuation) on two sentence stories and how you write them. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

What is a two sentence story?

I recall this being my first thought when I’d first discovered two sentence stories, and I’m assuming it was yours, as well. So, let me break it down for you. They’re basically short stories of pretty much any genre that are written in only two sentences. Most commonly, they are meant to have a funny, surprising, or unexpected twist in the last sentence to add a satisfying ending to the mini-novel.

They’re really awesome for anyone going through writer’s block in the sense that they make you use creativity. After all, it’s not always a simple task to write an entire story in two sentences. But with a little creativity and originality, they can be super satisfying to put together.

Tips — How to make two sentences count

Now that we all know what a two sentence story is, it’s time to dive into exactly how you can write them. Here are a few of my tips for how to make the two sentences count!

  • Make it simple – If you’re a writer like me, it can be tempting to want to stretch the story as much as possible. But don’t overthink it. It is called a two sentence story for a reason.
  • Use personal experiences as inspiration – As for what I can tell, it is so much easier to write a story in two sentences when they’re about something funny or memorable that I’ve experienced. Not only does it make them less of a struggle to write, but a lot more relatable, as well.
  • Go with the flow – When trying different writing icebreakers like two sentence stories, sometimes it’s best to just jot down whatever comes to mind. You can always go back and make edits later, but the whole point of short stories are to practice and have fun!

My original examples

Two sentence stories are such a blast to write. To help any of you who have never heard of this writing exercise until today, I decided to write a few more two-sentence stories of my own. I wrote a total of four in a few minutes of brainstorming, and I have to admit that I’m super happy with how they came out. Hopefully, you all enjoy them, as well.

Since this is my personal writing that I posted on my personal blog, it is considered my property. Therefore, please don’t claim it as your own or use my writing. This is just me sharing my writing experience with you, for reading purposes only. Thank you!

Hello Sun — I go for a jog in the sun on a cozy, summer day. It feels like God is smiling down on me.

What They Once Were — Some adults say they don’t like children. And I’ve always wondered “What were they 40 years ago?”

Phone Screen — I stare in agony as my phone slammed to the ground, it’s sparkly pink and blue case all I can see, before I pick it up and turn it around, my heart skipping a beat. Finally, I exhale: no cracks.

Words — What are words? They’re just swords tossed around.

Book — A good book is like a best friend. It’s there whenever you need it.

Okay, is it just me or does it make you feel accomplished after you’ve written a good short story? Two sentence stories are one of my favorite writing techniques to get my mind going, and hopefully you all enjoyed learning what they’re all about. Please let me know if you’ve ever heard of a two sentence story before today as well as which one of my two sentence stories you liked the most.

Have a fantabulous day, everyone! God bless you all, and don’t forget to smile! Peace in! ♡

My favorite aspects of autumn ♡

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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 ♡

Graphic Novel Review: Guts by Raina Telgemeier

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BOOK INFORMATION

Publication Date: September 17, 2019

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Category: Middle Grade (MG)

Pages: 224

Publisher: Graphix

SYNOPSIS

A true story from Raina Telgemeier, the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning author of Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts!

Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her mom has one, too, so it’s probably just a bug. Raina eventually returns to school, where she’s dealing with the usual highs and lows: friends, not-friends, and classmates who think the school year is just one long gross-out session. It soon becomes clear that Raina’s tummy trouble isn’t going away… and it coincides with her worries about food, school, and changing friendships. What’s going on? Raina Telgemeier once again brings us a thoughtful, charming, and funny true story about growing up and gathering the courage to face — and conquer — her fears.

MY TAKEAWAYS

I remember the moment I got the first two editions of this triology, Smile and Sisters, when I was nine years old. To make a long story short, I fell in love immediately, and I still re-read them every now and then to this day. On a recent trip to Barnes & Nobles, I finally got my hands on Guts, a highly-anticipated graphic novel for all of Telgemeier’s loyal fans–and let me tell you, it was all worth the wait! Guts is an absolute masterpiece!

At the beginning of this gem for tweens and teens, Raina (who is the author when she was in 4th grade), catches the stomach flu that had been spreading in her family. And when her stomach problems continue, she develops the fear of getting sick and throwing up (emetophobia) to the point where she is worried about catching something from her family and classmates. Eventually, her family signs her up to see a children’a therapist, and she progresses throughout the story learning how to face her fear while making new friends along the way.

Raina is such a quirky, fun, and relatable protagonist, so its not hard to take a liking to her character within the first few pages of the story. She seems like someone that I would’ve liked to be around back in elementary school. And believe me, having the protagonist be someone who I actually like as a person is critical to me when I read a novel for the first time.

While I thank God that I’m not a victim of anxiety, there are so many young people who struggle with their mental health, even if they fear something small like the dark or going to the doctor. Stories like Guts are not only relatable to a large range of audiences, but they also teach us that while fear is a normal feeling, we shouldn’t let the things that scare us take over our lives. And like any trial, fears can be conquered.

Like always, the vibrant illustrations on each page of this masterpiece illuminated the story, making it that much more entertaining for readers of all ages. Even though the topic of mental health among youth was discussed throughout the course of this story, the funny, light-hearted moments within the book didn’t fail to put a smile on my face.

Overall, Guts is a must-read for bookworms–and even non-bookworms–of all ages! I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it!

Rating: ★★★★✯ (4.5/5 stars, 5 being the best of the best)

Recommended Age: for readers 9+

I’ve got to admit that I am very pleased with Guts. It was one of the three books that I got for my birthday, earlier this week, and I’ve got to admit that I made some pretty good choices. Be on the look out for the book reviews for the other two novels of my choice; they’re coming soon!

If you haven’t read this book already, I hope my opinion will encourage you to give it a try! However, if you already have this book in your collection, tell me your thoughts on it in the comments!

Have a wonderful rest of your day/night, everybody! God bless you all and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡

6 Things I Love to Do on the Weekends [REPOST]

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A/N~Hey y’all! It’s Q’Zion! My goodness, was this Friday busy for me. But thank God that I have a three-day weekend since the 5th of September is Labor Day! Anyway, because tonight is the start of the weekend for me, I though I’d repost this list of things that I like to do to make the most of the end of each week. I hope you all enjoy it! ♡

Let’s face it–we all sigh with relief when we go home and/or get finished with work on a Friday. We have a whole 2 days ahead of us to relax and enjoy our weekend. Personally, I’m a HUGE FAN of my weekends, and I do as much work as I can throughout the week to make the most of every Saturday and Sunday. And since the weekend is coming up, I thought it’d be a cool idea to share some of the ways that I like to spend my short vacations. So what are we waiting for? Let’s get into it! 

⒈ Go to a Library ♡

Okay, so this one may be a little obvious since most of my followers know how much I love to read. However, reading is one of my favorite activities to do on a weekend. I have a whole 48 hours to start a new book or maybe even finish one that I’ve been procrastinating, for some time. Don’t you just love that feeling when you sat down and finished a book that you haven’t picked up in a while? I sure do!

⒉ Binge My Favorite TV Show ♡

Throughout the week, it’s easy to forget about some of my favorite TV shows, or simply replace watching them with schoolwork, family time, and the occasional naps. When the weekend comes along, I usually spend a couple hours catching up on the new seasons of the shows that I love. And if a new movie just came out on Disney+, it’s not a surprise if we have a family movie night, too.

⒊ Go to Church ♡

One of the perfect ways to start my week and be refreshed before school starts on Monday is fellowshipping and learning the Word in the House of God. Praise and worship, seeing my family and friends, and socializing with other believers is always a blessing and one of the best parts of my week. It makes me feel happier and closer to God when I listen to His Word.

⒋ Fun in the Sun at the Beach or Pool ♡

Due to COVID-19, it seriously has been a while since I’ve went to the beach or the pool. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that I love changing into my bathing suit and having some fun in the sun. Since spring is here, and summer is not too far from now, it’s the perfect time of year to hit the beach and go for a swim.

⒌ Bake a New Recipe ♡

Although I don’t get in the kitchen often (at least not to cook or bake) Friday nights and weekends are the perfect opportunity to learn a new recipe and spend time with Goodmommy. For me, cooking can be so relaxing and satisfying. The fact that you can whip up some ingredients, place it in the oven, and take it out to see a masterpiece is always super rewarding. Especially when you get to eat your creation, when your all done.

⒍ Have a Picnic ♡

Is it just me, or does this remind you of that one scene from Tom and Jerry? LOL 🍓🍉🌭🥤

Honestly, I’ve only been to a picnic once in my life, as far as I can recall. But I must say that I love to eat in nice weather, especially in a screened-in patio or on a balcony. You get to admire the sunshine while eating your lunch. Picnicking seems to be pretty similar and great for spring time. Especially on a weekend!

Weekends are a time for us to take a break from work and school and focus on family and the hobbies that we love the most. Therefore, we might as well make the most of every second. Hopefully, this list gave you some inspiration for how you can spend your short vacation.

What are some of your favorite ways to spend the weekends? Feel free to comment down below.

Have a beautiful weekend, everybody! God bless you all, and I will catch you next time! Peace in! ♡

It’s National Photography Day | Here’s what I did to celebrate ♡

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A/N~Every photograph that is present in (and on top of) this blog post, was taken by me, and therefore each of these photos are my property. Please do not redistribute or use any of my photographs for any reason. Thank you, and enjoy the post! ~ Q’Zion ✨

Guess what, y’all: today is Friday. Hallelujah! I hope you all have had an amazing week! You know, there’s something that I realized earlier today: it’s been a while since I’ve practiced my photography. And by that I mean have an entire photoshoot, like I usually do on the rare occasions that I go out of the house. But then I found out that today is both World Photo Day and National Photography Day!

And since most of you know that I have fell in love with photography ever since studying it in my Visual Art class, last year, I decided to take a few photos outside to celebrate. What can I say? It was absolutely gorgeous outside, this afternoon. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite shots that I took today. Enjoy!

What’s funny is that I took a majority of these photos whilst Goodmommy—my grandmother and guardian—was driving. So although the diagonal line in this photo wasn’t intentional, I have to admit that I don’t really mind it.

Landscapes in nature are some of my favorite things to photograph. I think that when it comes to the outdoors, there’s so much variety when it comes to lines, shape, and color. There’s literally an opportunity to take a great photo at every corner. It just takes a little patience and the speed to snap your shot at the perfect moment. I thank God that in half a year, I’m already seeing some improvement.

I’ve got to admit that I’m absolutely in love with this one! The clouds and sky have been so pretty lately. Plus, the color from the flowers are just right to add a little brightness to the photo! God definitely had everything arranged perfectly for me, today! Thank you, Jesus!

Me and Goodmommy like to change the wreath on our front door every season or upcoming holiday. I’ve got to admit that this one is one of my favorites. Although, purple, pink and blue are my favorite colors—especially when they’re all together—so I may be a little biased.

Although the shot of these bushes are probably the most simple out of all of these photos, I really like it for some reason; the way that the leaves are two colors gives a really cool effect! I guess that just goes to show that sometimes, the most simple things in life can be the most beautiful of them all.

Alrighty, so those were some of my favorite photos that I took in celebration of National Photography Day and World Photo Day of 2022, and I have to admit that I’m super happy with the results! Hopefully, you guys liked them, too!

Which one of my photographs in this post did you like the most? What’s your favorite thing to take pictures of? Also, what did you do to celebrate National Photography Day—if you knew about it before now? I would love to read your responses in the comments!

Have an amazing weekend, everyone! God bless you all and I will catch you later! Peace in! ♡

I attempted to make TWO positive affirmation collage boards . . . ♡ [REPOST]

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A/N~Hello, everyone! It’s Q’Zion here and welcome back to my blog. One of my favorite posts on my blog is the one where I show you all the process of how I created these two positive affirmation collage boards. Considering that a lot of students have gone back to school, or will be going soon, I know that there are many kids out there who are in need of some encouragement. Hopefully the positive messages on these collage boards will do just the trick. Enjoy this repost! ♡

I have completed about four craft kits by Creatology, all of which I purchased at Michaels, my favorite craft store. As my older followers probably know, I have fallen in love with the craft kits by this particular brand, and I make sure to buy a new one every time I get the chance. Approximately 2-3 days ago, me and Goodmommy saw some more cute Creatology kits right before we got to the registers.

The kit that ended up catching my eye was these two ADORABLE positive affirmation collage boards!

The way that this kit in particular differs from the other Creatology kits that I’ve purchased (and loved) is that it doesn’t include any paint. Instead, it has tissue paper and decorative stickers as the main mediums, which I was a little skeptical to work with for the first time, mainly because of the translucent paper. However, you’ll see later on that I was pleasantly surprised!

Least me say that this kit is LOADED with nice quality supplies. It even came with a ‘supplies included’ list on the back of the box. Overall, it provides 2 card stock boarders, 2 pieces of chipboard, 4 acetate sheets, 1 mirror sticker, 10 paper stickers, 3 glitter foam stickers, 2 colors of yarn, 35 adhesive gems, 180 pieces of tissue paper in a multitude of colors, and an Instruction sheet.

All I needed to complete the project that was not included was scissors and a glue stick, both of which were easily accessible.

Obviously, the kit gives you more than enough supplies, which I found really helpful, especially if you want to give your piece some extra details. I was even able to save some for a possible future project like this one.

The very first step was to add your multi-colored tissue paper in a mosaic design along one of the acetate sheets. I found this step really interesting, considering that you had to work with the rectangular shape, and the arrange the colors to get them to match the border color.

Considering that the one above was for the pink border, I tried to use more hot pink, yellow, and orange to make the color pop!

For the blue boarder, I used more blues, whites, and light pinks to give the piece a more mellow and relaxed feel, since that’s the emotion that I tend to associate with the shade of the blue boarder.

It’s really cool how the two color schemes of the collages have a different vibe about them, despite the fact that I used the exact same colors, LOL.

Afterwards, I glued the side of the acetate paper without the tissue paper on to a piece of chipboard. On top of the tissue-paper-covered acetate, I glued the card stock border of the desired color.

For the final step of assembly, I punched out the two holes at the top of the piece for my string.

After the assembly of each collage was complete, I added the positive affirmation stickers to each. For the pink, I used the 3D sparkly stickers. For the blue, I used the huge star mirror sticker. As the finishing touch, I applied the jewels along the cardstock boarders of each college. And voila! These two masterpieces were complete in only 120-150 minutes.

What can I say? I’m a fast learner! 😋💖🎨

I honestly don’t know what to say about these except that I AM IN LOVE!!! What I appreciate the most is the amount of short positive affirmation messages. Me and Goodmommy decided to hang them up in my room so that I can see them every morning and remember to believe in the princess that God has called me to be.

Every finishing detail was spot on, and I can’t wait for my next kit by Creatology! Each one is getting better and better! To see my other Creatology kit posts, please click HERE.

LET’S CHAT~Have you ever hand made a collage? If so, what did you use to make it (photographs, digital photos, newspaper, etc.)?

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everybody! May God bless every single one of you! Peace in! 💖

A True Friend – Words of Wisdom #20

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Proverbs 18:24 -- New International Version (NIV)
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

There are many precious relationships that we develop in our lifetime. But one of the most precious of them all are our friends. Although no friendship is perfect–and like all relationships, have their ups and downs–true friends are there when you need them. They’re people who make us laugh, who we go to when we’re feeling down, stay with us through thick and thin, build us up, and bring us closer to God through their everlasting love.

Sometimes, it can be hard to evaluate whether our friendships are truly genuine. What is a good friend? And furthermore, what can we do to be a good friend? Well, the Bible covers everything that we need to know in life, and the subject of friendship is no exception.

August 7th, also known as National Friendship Day, is a day for us to celebrate some of the most special people in our lives. Therefore, today’s episode of Words of Wisdom, we will be discussing the subject, “What does the Word of God define as a true friend?” Let’s get started!

The Bible says that true friends:

  • Stick closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24)
  • Pray for their friends (Job 42:10)
  • Encourage and build up one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
  • Do not associate with gossip. (Proverbs 16:28)
  • Forgive one another (Colossians 3:13, Proverbs 16:28)
  • Love each other at all times–even through conflicts. (Proverbs 27:10)
  • Are a positive influence (1 Corinthians 15:33)
  • Bring out the best in each other. (Proverbs 27:17)

As you can probably tell, true friends are very hard to find. Therefore, it can be tricky for some people to tell who their real friends really are. Keep in mind that we shouldn’t create unrealistic expectations when looking for a friend–like us, they are people who make mistakes. That’s why sometimes, breaks are needed in a friendship.

But at the end of the day, as we continue to study what the Lord says in His Word, as well as seek Him for help when we need it, then the people who are our real friends–and how we can be better friends–will begin to become clearer.

So my final words are, friendships are one of the most precious gifts from God. And friends come in many shapes and forms–take family members and pets, for example. But we should absolutely never forget that there is one friend of ours that we have that never makes mistakes.

And that person is God himself.

I encourage you to take some time today to thank God for being a friend, and for considering us a friend of his. Also, please reach out to the people in your lives who have been true friends to you. Let’s all strive to be a better friend after the reminder of National Friendship Day.

Have a fantabulous rest of your day everyone! God bless you all and I will see you all next time! Peace in! ♡

My Blogiversary: 1 Year with WordPress!!! ♡

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What’s up, y’all! It’s Q’Zion, here, and welcome back to my blog! On August 1, 2021 I was a soon-to-be eighth grader who was looking for a way to share my writing with the world. I didn’t exactly know what to expect from having an entire website to oversee. In fact, I wasn’t even for sure if I would genuinely like blogging. But it turns out that the same day I started my blog was a day that I discovered a new passion of mine; using my writing to inspire others.

Now I’ve been blogging for a whole YEAR (a year and 2 days, to be exact.) And I can’t thank God enough for putting me on this journey.

While this past year has flown by in a lot of ways, I think I’ve learned a lot in this 12 months, as well. Blogging has taught me a lot about patience, perseverance, and commitment, considering that while many people think it’s a simple job, it also takes work and a willpower to keep pushing. I want to thank God, my Goodmommy, and each and every one of my followers who have walked with me on this journey. I pray that I will continue to inspire others in my writing in a way that gives God the glory. From the beginning, that was my goal, and it still is to this day.

In celebration of this important milestone, I’ll be doing a little reflection on the past year of my blog, as well as my plans for the future. Let’s get started!

Last Year’s Statistics

113 Followers (111 WordPress, 2 Email) — Honestly this is such an awesome achievement for my first year as a blogger–seeing my community and audience grow is such a blessing!

367 Blog Posts — It turns out that I’ve been blogging for exactly 367 days–every time I didn’t post for a day, I’d make up for it and write two posts the next. I’m just thankful to God for giving me the strength to be so consistent.

1225 Likes — Out of all my stats, this has got to be the most mind-blowing! This is definitely much more than I was expecting, but I’m so grateful!

208 Comments — One of the most significant improvements on my blog is that now comments are much more common! It feels awesome to be able to communicate with my family, friends, and fellow bloggers through my website.

Will there be any Major Changes?

For the most part, I tend to keep my website the same–in terms of content and appearance. But this next year I plan on doing a few more posts about nutrition and health. I’ve also been thinking about doing monthly wrap-ups, where I give an overview of some of the highlights of each month (what I’ve read, where I went, my progress in school, etc.)

The most major change that I think I will put into place once I get into school in a week is how often I post. Instead of posting daily, I’m considering creating new content every 2 days, which is about 4 times a week. Not only will this give me more time to focus on school and come up with new content, but it will also allow me to work on adding new content to my YouTube Channel, most of which will likely be tutorials and reviews for Rainbow Loom, as well as some other Roblox and lifestyle content.

Goals for Next Blogiversary

By August 1, 2023, it’s my goal to have reached at least 275 followers on my blog! I can’t wait to see my blogging community grow as I continue to stay consistent with creating awesome content for you all!

Once again, a huge thank you to all of you for pressing the “SUBSCRIBE” button on The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! I’m so thankful to God that I have made it to this blogiversary, and I pray for many more wonderful years of blogging filled with inspiration, growth, and lots and lots of love.

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! See you next time! ♡

8 Wellness Tips for a Healthier (and Happier) Lifestyle

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What’s up, everybody! This is Q’Zion, and welcome to my blog! I hope all of you are enjoying the prime of summer!

As you all know, we recently entered the month of August. But did you know that the 8th month of the year also promotes wellness in our everyday lives? If not, then today’s the day! In honor of National Wellness Month, I have created a list of 8 simple tips to help us live our happiest and healthiest lives possible. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get this show on the road!

1. Start your mornings with something productive

The morning is one of the most important times of the day; it’s a time for us to get our gears moving and create a fresh start for a brand new 24 hours. After we finish our regular morning routine, we might as well do something to boost our energy. Stretching with some yoga poses, finishing another chapter of your new book, and learning a new language are a few options. You never know–after you begin to start your day doing something you love, you may even become a morning person.

2. Go outside and get some sunlight

Exercise is just as good for our minds as it is beneficial for our bodies. And that means that it’s one of the best ways to maintain a healthier lifestyle. A quick jog around your neighborhood or a local park is a great way to enjoy what nature has to offer while burning a few calories, before dinner. What’s not to love?

3. Eliminate negative self-talk

Wellness isn’t technically something that’s hard to achieve–but the progress starts with us. In order to transition to a state of better mental health, our mindsets have to be a reflection of that. This means that in order to make the progress that we want, we’ve got to be kind to ourselves by promoting positive words in our heads everyday. It’s much easier to reach a goal when we use our inner voice as an outlet of encouragement, rather than negativity.

4. Get a green thumb

Have you ever heard that people who garden tend to be happier? Well, then that is in fact correct. Multiple studies have shown that plants have a way of helping people feel more relaxed and content, similar to the effects of riding a bike everyday. Plants can even help increase concentration, your ability to breathe, and quality of life. So taking up the hobby of gardening might be a good idea to consider.

5. Creatively eat more fruits and veggies

Although we’ve all heard it thousands of times, we really do need to get our daily intakes of fruits and veggies. But just because we want to make an effort to make our diet more nutritious, doesn’t mean that we can’t have fun while doing it. Feel free to experiment with creative–and delicious–ways to eat healthier. Fruit smoothies, colorful salads, and veggie casseroles are a few tasty ways to spice things up in the kitchen.

6. Create something

I don’t know about you, but it always feels good when I take some time out of my day to be creative. There are so many options for what you can make–whether it’s a few quick doodles, a portrait, a paper craft, or even your own book. All it takes is a little imagination, and thousands of productive possibilities are within our reach!

7. Make sleep a priority

One of the things that we all need everyday is our beauty sleep. Without it, there’s no way that we could get through each day. So even if you find yourself busy as a bee, make sure that when your work for today is done, you get your 8 hours. This way, you can put just as much energy in the work that tomorrow has in store, and feel great while doing it.

8. Stay hydrated

The golden rule to a healthy lifestyle is to keep water in our systems. Not only does water reduce the risk of a large number of diseases, but it also does the basic job of maintaining high energy levels and keeping our brain functioning at its best. Considering all it’s benefits, drinking water is definitely a goal that we should all commit to.

Working towards a healthier lifestyle can be a challenge for some, but with a few simple changes here and there, achieving our wellness goals is a piece of cake. I challenge you all to take the time during National Wellness Month to make a few goals for yourself to pave the way for a healthier, and happier life. Hopefully, these tips were a good way to start your journey!

Let’s Chat~What are some of the methods that you take to achieve wellness? Feel free to share your response down below.

Have a blessed rest of your day, everyone! I’ll catch you later! ♡

Who’s Ready for Highschool? | How to Get Prepared — Reblog

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A/N~ Happy Saturday, everyone! Let. me. tell. you. Today was a busy day, for me. Still, I decided to reblog this super fun post of mine to help out 8th and 9th graders to prepare for high school, since most schools are already/almost back in session. I hope you all enjoy it!

When you’re in 8th grade, it can be a lot to think about your future. It’s the last year of middle school, a.k.a. the time in your life where you start thinking about college and what career you want to pursue, all while trying to find out more about yourself and how you are changing. I know that it can seem like a lot sometimes. However, as a soon-to-be-freshman myself, I’m here to tell you that everything will be okay! We just need to get prepared. And here’s how!

1.) Make Sure You Have a Consistent Schedule to Better Suit the Upcoming Changes ~ Highschool is nothing to be afraid of. Still, it’s a new chapter of our lives that requires preparation. And that means a schedule that will better suit the changes. In high school we will have new classes, teachers, peers, schools and our grades begin setting deeper footprints. This means that we need to make sure that we have routines that will give us plenty of time to stay productive during weekdays.

2.) Pay Attention to Academic Areas that Need Improving ~ Most of us have at least one favorite subject. And along with that, there might be some subjects that you feel like you could improve in. Now is the time to put those feelings into action. If we go through the process of getting more comfortable with the subjects that we need help in, we are setting ourselves up for success in the future and in life.

3.) Maintain Good Study Habits ~ One of the biggest differences in high school vs. middle school is the amount of work. High school is when we really start to prepare for our future, so why not start early? Maintaining positive and stable study habits will help prepare us for what’s to come, making the load lighter when high school is in session.

Recommended Post: How to Stay Organized as a Virtual Student

4.) Ask For Help If (and When) You Need It ~ At one point or another, we’ve all had to ask for help, whether it was from God, a parent, a teacher, a friend, or even our communities. And if there’s any stage in our lives that we need to ask for help, it’s probably now. New stages can be exciting, but for others they can be nerve-wracking. So, whenever you need a helping hand to lay on your shoulder during this time of transition, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Asking for assistance is a skill that we will need to use in all stages of our journeys as people and individuals.

5.) Create an Organized Workspace ~ While study habits are important, the only way that we can study effectively is if we have a constant place to do so. When you come home from school (or when you do your work if you’re homeschooled, like me) it makes it much easier to focus when you have an effective study space to get the job done.

6.) Get Your Priorities in Check ~ Prioritizing what we find the most important in our lives is crucial to preparing for grade 9. Peer pressure is just about everywhere in most public schools, so make sure that you are in check with what and whom you should spend your time. High school is all about preparing for adulthood, and while we still have time left before then, making priorities are a must for another successful school year!

7.) Relax~We Got This! ~ No matter what, remember that as long as you give it your all, you’ve got it together! You are capable. You are smart. You will succeed. You are getting better every day. You got this! Don’t forget to say these things to yourself whenever you need some words of encouragement. We can’t overlook mental health! <33

This guide for How to Prepare for Highschool was such a blast to create! I’m super excited for what high school has in store for me, and I hope that now you are, too. Don’t forget that with effort, the willingness to ask for help, positive affirmation, and academic preparation, high school will be smooth-sailing. All we need to do (besides these tips) is relax and enjoy what’s soon to come!

For more amazing content like this, please follow my blog for notifications every time I post another masterpiece.

Thanks for reading! Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! Peace in! ✨