Philippians 2:3-4 New International Version (NIV)3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Try to think of all the things in life to be thankful for….the truth is, there’s probably too many to count. And thank God for it.
Every second, minute, hour and day on this Earth is a blessing from the Lord. But the thing is, it’s one thing to be blessed, and it’s another to use your blessings to bless others.
How can we spread God’s love if we do things hoping for a selfish outcome? In order to be His examples as His children, we should be on the lookout for how we can invest in others, just like God has invested (and continues to invest) in us.
God may show us something or put something in our lives not only so that we may be blessed, but so that we may use it for His glory by doing something kind in the interests of others.
Keep in mind that blessing people is different from letting others take advantage of you. While giving is always a blessing from the Lord, the truth is that there can be people who we may encounter in life who might try to take advantage of our kindness. And if you ever encounter that type of person, always know that its okay to distance yourself from them, if needed. You don’t need to try to be friends with everyone in order to be respectful and kind towards them.
That being said, if you have extra food, why not give it to people who need it? If you have a day(s) on your calendar that are empty, why not take the opportunity to volunteer? If you feel really good today, why not show a smile? And if we can pray for our friends, why not pray for our enemies?
Genesis 12:2-3 New International Version (NIV) 2 I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.
Being a blessing can come in many forms– a smile, a prayer, a hug, or even a few words of encouragement can do the trick. Even when you can’t do something big, do something small. It’s little things that add up.
The more God blesses us, the more we can be a blessing. So who has God placed in YOUR spirit to be a blessing to today?
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Hey, everyone! In honor of Good Friday–a day of remembrance and appreciation for what Jesus did for us–I will be reblogging a poem about the Prince of Peace today. The title that popped in my spirit was Whom Shall I Fear. It’s a poem based on Psalm 27:1, about how with Jesus, everything and anything is possible.
I hope that this poem will inspire you mightily. Enjoy!
Whom shall I fear?
When You are the Lord of lords, and the King of kings
You are good and Your mercy endures
As your many angels sing
Whom shall I be afraid?
When You are my stronghold and my refuge
You’re always by my side
And I can’t deny that you always pick me up, at the oh-so-perfect time
Why shall I be wary?
When You are a promise keeper; You speak truth with your words
No love of any kind compares
To how Christ loves the church
Who am I to You, my Heavenly Father?
I’m the apple of your eye
A branch of the vine
You set me free and made me Your daughter
Who can come against me?
When You have won this battle
Before any hand can touch me
No matter where I travel
So, whom shall I fear?
When You are the leader of the world
The many boys and girls
And pure white pearls
Thank You, Jesus
I know this to be true
Because of who You are, there’s nothing to fear
Hence, my godly fear for You
- Whom Shall I Fear, Written by Princess Q’Zion on March 21, 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Overall, I had a lot of fun writing this poem. What I love about poetry is how you can use words to paint a picture. It’s almost like a painting, but you decorate the canvas with your words instead of art supplies. Plus, any creative platform that allows me to talk about the goodness of God is one that I favor.
Thank you so much for reading! Have a beautiful day, and God bless you all!
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First of all, let me say that I love you, and I know what you’re facing: I was you. While I’m not that much older than you, and I still have much to learn, I hope that you will read these words with an open heart. God has given me lots of wisdom, and like you I am learning every day. I still have things that I need to do and I still have imperfections. But through it all, God has always been there for us, and He always will be. This is the advice that I have for you.
Just be you. I know that you may look in the mirror and see imperfections. But God says that you’re beautiful, inside and out. Even with your flaws, you are the apple of His eye. Don’t ever look in the mirror and wish you looked like someone you’re not. From now on, when you look at your reflection, say “If God says that I’m beautiful, then I think so, too.” The more you say it, the more you’ll believe it. Just shine. Be the the light in the darkness that God chose you to be.
It’s okay to have just a couple friends, because sometimes “friends” can be the same people who will try to take advantage of you in your highs and abandon you in your lows. However, through it all, God is your friend. You are your friend. Goodmommy is your friend. And you might even meet one or two more friends along the way~but don’t rush it. For the Bible says that a friend will stick closer than a brother. And considering that we have a great little brother already, I know that can be pretty hard to beat, LOL.
Keeping the peace is more important than being right. I know that you’re a perfectionist. I am, too. Naturally, we want everything to be perfect all the time. Sometimes, we might think that something isn’t fair or that someone owes us an apology. We might think it in our heads. But a rule to always remember is avoid speaking everything that pops up in your brain. Every thought isn’t meant to be spoken. And if you ever need guidance, pray about it. God will tell you what to do. He’s good like that.
Don’t compare yourself to people. There will be times where you may look at someone else and think that they’ve got everything together. They may always have the biggest smile on their face. They may be popular. They may be pretty. They may be rich in money and jewels. But never forget that sometimes only God knows what’s happening beneath the surface. Rich in money is far from the same thing as rich in peace, joy, and love.
Stop worrying about what other people think about you. What do YOU think about you? What do the people who love you for who you are think about you? And most importantly, what does GOD think about you? What does He call you in His Word? These are the voices that you should listen to. The rest is nothing but background noise.
Let God fight your battle. Life might not be easy in every moment. You may need to make important decisions, and sometimes you might not know what to do. If and when these moments come, be still and listen. Let God fight for you, because He’s already won this battle. Some of the trials that we face are simply a test, where God is asking us “Will you keep your faith in Me?” In everything, God is able. And in His timing, the perfect timing, every season will pass. And with each season, God will make you stronger in Him.
With lots of love,
– Your future, teenage self ♡
If you could say anything to your younger self, what would it be?Feel free to share your thoughts in the chat. I’m super excited to hear from you!
Thank you all so much for reading! Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you all! ♡
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Hey, everyone~Happy Monday! ❤️ Since today is World Poetry Day, what better way to celebrate than to write a poem? The title that popped in my spirit was Whom Shall I Fear. It’s a poem based on Psalm 27:1, about how with Jesus, everything and anything is possible.
I hope that this poem will inspire you mightily. Enjoy! ❤️
Whom shall I fear?
When You are the Lord of lords, and the King of kings
You are good and Your mercy endures
As your many angels sing
Whom shall I be afraid?
When You are my stronghold and my refuge
You’re always by my side
And I can’t deny that you always pick me up, at the oh-so-perfect time
Why shall I be wary?
When You are a promise keeper; You speak truth with your words
No love of any kind compares
To how Christ loves the church
Who am I to You, my Heavenly Father?
I’m the apple of your eye
A branch of the vine
You set me free and made me Your daughter
Who can come against me?
When You have won this battle
Before any hand can touch me
No matter where I travel
So, whom shall I fear?
When You are the leader of the world
The many boys and girls
And pure white pearls
Thank You, Jesus
I know this to be true
Because of who You are, there’s nothing to fear
Hence, my godly fear for You
- Whom Shall I Fear, Written by Princess Q’Zion on March 21, 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Overall, I had a lot of fun writing this poem. What I love about poetry is how you can use words to paint a picture. It’s almost like a painting, but you decorate the canvas with your words instead of art supplies. Plus, any creative platform that allows me to talk about the goodness of God is one that I favor.
Thank you so much for reading! Have a beautiful day, and God bless you all! ❤️
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At times, it can be a little difficult to find a genuinely good movie as a Christian teen, or even a Christian, in general. As followers of Christ, we want something that will teach us life lessons about God’s glory, grace and faithfulness, all while giving us characters that allow us to see parts of ourselves, experiences that we may have faced or be facing, and a plot line that keeps us on the edge of our seats
Watching movies that can teach us about the Lord are always worth a watch, but there are many films that attempt to do so, only to produce a boring result. Yes, we are Christians. And that being said, we still want to see impactful movies that replenish our want to know more about our Heavenly Father.
That’s exactly why I will be listing 5 faith-filled movies that every Christian teenager (and family) needs to watch. Make sure you grab those tissues, because some tearjerkers are present.
5. Summer Snow (2014)
Summer Snow is about a little girl named Halle, along with her newly-single father, her older teenage brother , and her older sister who was recently engaged to be married–all of which are adjusting to life without their mother and wife, a woman of faith who recently passed due to cancer. This is easily one of the best Christian movies that I’ve ever watched. The acting in this film is incredible, and the theme about faith in God develops steadily throughout the whole film. Everything in this movie makes it a must-watch for viewers of all ages.
4. Facing the Giants (2006)
Quite a few years have passed by since I’ve watched this one, but I do remember really liking it and appreciating the message about how through our faith, God can help us face the giants; the struggles that we may face. The protagonist is a high school football coach who uses his faith to battle the giants in his personal life and that of his students.
Not to mention that it is directed by the Kendrick Brothers, who make some of the most amazing films for believers. Me and Goodmommy–my grandmother and guardian– have a place in our hearts for a number of their movies, including “War Room” “Fireproof” “Courageous” and another that I will be listing later on. Facing the Giants is a sweet and heartfelt movie with a thought-provoking lesson that can last a lifetime.
3. Raising Izzie (2012)
First off, let me say that I am loving the diversity of this film–movies about adopting orphaned children, especially children of a different race, tend to catch my attention. A little girl named Izzie and her older sister, Gerty, are adopted by a couple who can’t conceive. When the wife, who is also Gerty’s teacher, learns about their situation, she convinces her husband to adopt the two girls, only for the loving new mother to enter a coma.
This movie is very realistic with some of the characters who are struggling with faith and others who have an undying faith in God. The whole story is extremely family-oriented with a strong example of sisterly bonds and an entertaining plot to keep you at the edge of your seats.
2. Miracles from Heaven (2016)
Oh my Jesus! Let. Me. Tell. You. This movie deserve 1,000 awards, because it is everything that you could want in a Christian film. The little girl is named Anna, who has recently contracted a seemingly incurable disorder that prevents her from properly digesting food. After surviving a head-down fall inside a tree, Anna retells the story of how she took a visit to heaven. Her family is soon shocked to see that she is suddenly showing signs of healing from her condition. This whole movie will make even the strongest people cry, both with sadness and joy with its theme that God is a miracle worker. And the best part…it’s a true story.
1. Overcomer (2019)
I watched Overcomer with Goodmommy just weeks after it was released for my birthday…and we both absolutely loved it. Recently, we rewatched the movie, and our opinions still stand. Like I recently stated about another movie on this list, one of my favorite elements of this film is the diversity and amount of representation. It is centered around Hannah Scott, a 15-year-old girl with asthma who is an aspiring runner. Highschool basketball coach and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, soon begin to train Hannah for the biggest race of her life.
This has got to be my favorite movie by the Kendrick Brothers; it’s almost as if they get better and better during each release. The acting is spot-on, with a performance that is bound to make you emotional. Hannah is a wonderful lead and example for teens and kids of all ages with her love for the Lord as she evolves throughout the movie. Overcomer has converted non-believers to Christianity, and I can’t deny that it’s a movie that everyone should see. Believe me when I tell you that you won’t regret it.
I hope that you enjoyed reading this list of Christian movies for all teens and families. Sharing my faith with others is always a blessing, and watching movies centered around Christianity is one way to grow our relationship with the Lord. These films are definitely top-tier, and I pray that they fill your heart with a growing faith and love for God.
Question of the Day: Have you ever watched any of these films? If not, do you have any family-friendly Christian movie recommendations for me?
Thank you so much for reading! Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! Always remember that God is love! ❤️
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March 8th is also known as International Women’s Day: a day to acknowledge women and girls, God’s creations, as well as their contributions, progress, advances, and value in today’s world as we know it. Although every day is International Women’s Day, this is yet another opportunity for us to come together and celebrate each other, just as we are, in love.
Of course, I had to slide some Bible scriptures in here. It’s always nice to hear some words of wisdom. Here are a few empowering Bible Verses about women and their strength in the Lord. I hope you enjoy! ❤
Proverbs 31:26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
Luke 1:45 "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
1 Corinthians 11: 11-12 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Last but not least is the poem that I wrote today for (and to) women and girls around the world to read with loving and hopeful hearts. I absolutely LOVE poetry, so it’s always exciting when God gives me a new idea to write something new. All Rights Reserved.
Some may think we aren't strong enough That we must be stout to sit at the front end But that's far from the big picture, you see What they may break, we can mend
For although we might not have muscles That can strike the hardest of steel We do have the mentality and grace To love, to nurture, and to heal
Love that's true, love that's real Love that's in a home cooked meal A hug and a kiss to seal Love that no one can conceal
And, yes, we are feminine But that doesn't mean we're weak We come in many shapes and forms And even when we're silent, we speak
Sure, we are different; Me and you aren't the same Nor our backgrounds, hometowns, and kin Nor our names or our frames But no need to be disdained
Let's come together Celebrate each other Love one another As we would a sister or brother
For, although we’re not the same At the end of the day No one can take away our love Because love always wins And we’re all sisters beneath the skin - Words for Women, Written by Princess Q'Zion on March 8th, 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Thank you all so much for reading! Please take this time to share your gratitude to all of the wonderful, strong, and powerful women in your lives who are always there; every step of the way. I definitely thank God for the woman of God that He’s put in the place to raise me with Him. And you see, that’s what this day is about–appreciating the woman who have treated us with kindness and passed their wisdom from the Lord to the next generation.
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Happy Happy Tuesday, everyone! I hope you all are doing fantastic! ✨
So, as you know, I got my new Betta fish, Peace. He’s doing absolutely amazing, and I wanted to give you guys another update on him. If you’ve been reading my most-recent content, you probably saw our set up for Peace’s fish tank. While the castle was a very beautiful addition, we wanted to switch things up for Peace and buy him some new decor.
And, you probably guessed by now that it looks absolutely stunning! Well…I’ll just let you guys see for yourselves.
This morning, Goodmommy went to Petco to get this really cool realistic, rocky background to tape to the back of the tank, this cool pink and green glow-in-the-dark synthetic plant and a new house with Archangles (from the Bible) carved on the outside. As soon as we added all the ne decorations, Peace immediately started to check everything out. He’s so inquisitive and always wants to know what is going on.
I was somewhat surprised to see how quickly he went inside his new house, though I’m glad that he seems more energetic then ever. He already has a few favorite spots.
He was so excited that he didn’t even notice his food that we put in his tank. Thankfully, we were able to feed him after he explored everything and calmed down a bit.
Fun fact: Bettas love food, and Peace is no exception. He literally swam to the very top of the tank once we opened the lid to feed him his pellets.
It was super heartwarming to see Peace’s response to his tank. Honestly, we do spend quite a bit on him, both in time and money, but it’s all worth it. He really is such a sweetheart and I thank God for placing him into our lives. It makes me happy to see Peace happy and healthy.
And no—Peace is not spoiled.
He’s loved. ❤️🐠💙
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1 Peter 2:21 NIV (New International Version)
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
Today while I was completing a critical thinking lesson, I learned about integrity. Of course, when you read this word, integrity, the second thing that might come to your mind is honesty, which is a great way to simplify the definition.
Integrity is when our values and our actions align. Read that again.
As I advanced deeper into the lesson, it really hit home in relation to our actions as followers of Christ. Writing about the goodness of the Lord and sharing the Good Word with others is always an amazing thing, and I commend anyone who does so. But, this is not the only part of being a Child of God. It is absolutely a blessing to be able to share His Word, but the real question is if what we write aligns with our actions.
As God’s children, what are we doing when we aren’t writing about His Word? Does what we do in our everyday lives correlate with what our values are as followers of Christ? I think these are super important questions that we should all ask ourselves throughout our lives.
This is not to say that we’ve done everything right–we have all fallen short of God’s glory. However, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try our very best to live our lives according to our values in Christ, for when we become saved, we are redeemed. We abide in God as He abides in us. Every second is a second chance, and we can make the choice to do better and be better in the Lord’s eyes.
In order to please God, we need to fear Him, know Him, obey Him, seek Him, study His Word, be a cheerful giver, and follow in His footsteps.
Does it take some effort? Absolutely. And is it worth it? You bet!
Living for Christ is the best decision that I have made, and I am super grateful that I am being raised by God himself and a wonderful woman of God, my Goodmommy. When we think about how good God has been and is being to us, we can’t help but want to be like Him.
He truly is a miraculous and amazing God.
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I was recently contemplating some new ideas for how I could promote my blog I knew that I wanted to do something virtually since my blog is online. I looked up articles sharing some ideas, and I finally decided to start with social media.
A little while ago, I had made an Instagram account (mostly to support Goodmommy, my grandmother and guardian, and her business account.) Suddenly I realized that it would be a perfect way to promote my blog.
On my Instagram account @princessqzion, I provide a short snippet of a majority of my posts, as well as some occasional pictures from my daily life. Not only is this account to help new people find out about my blog, but also for you guys, my current followers.
If you forgot to read my blog post from the previous day or you’d simply like to see what I’m up to, my Instagram account provides quick and quirky reads explaining what my most recent blog posts were all about. The account even provides a link straight to my blog in my bio and story.
Here is the gallery of my account. Each picture is a link to a post. Enjoy! :>
Following me on my Instagram–and on my blog, if you haven’t already–would mean so much to me. Blogging has now become one of my favorite hobbies, and to be able to spread God’s Word and God’s love with my love to write and inspire is such a blessing!
Thank you so much for stopping by. Y’all have a fantabulous week! Peace in! ✨
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Happy Saturday! If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, then you might be aware that I shared what I got for Christmas of 2021 (post link here). To be honest, there are still a couple of items that I hadn’t used, at this point, so I wanted to change that, today.
One of my favorite gifts from last year was this “Drawing Techniques” art kit. Inside it provides a book of instructions about different types of pencils, focal points, lighting, shading, value, and the list goes on.
It also gives step-by-step instructions for how you can draw realistic portraits that vary from fruit to flowers to animals to people. It also includes a variety of pencils, a kneaded eraser, a sketchbook, a fineliner, charcoals, and more! As soon as I opened this gift from the wrapping paper, I knew that I would definitely put it to good use.
Suddenly it dawned on me that it’s already February and I haven’t completed any of the sketch tutorials. So today, I reviewed the tools, materials, and basics at the beginning of the book, and moved on to the first drawing section: still lifes.
The beginning still life was one apple in 3 different positions. I had never drew a still life before (aside from 3D shapes for math class) so I thought this would be a great way to practice my ability to create realism in my work.
So, here is the basic sketch. It was very interesting to use 3 different pencils (you will see the different shades of pencil in the finished product) to create dimension and make the apples look like they are round.
Afterwards, I followed the guide in the instruction manual (basically the images) and started shading in the apples to add a little more depth. I must admit that it was a little tricky to draw 3D objects on a 2D surface, but it was a challenge that I quite enjoyed.
And voilà—here is my finished product. I must admit, I think I did a pretty good job for my first time ever drawing a still life. If this post gets enough likes (I’ll say at least 3-5) then I think I’ll makes my products from this art kit—and maybe even some personal projects—for you all to view. Please follow me if you’d like to see more of my art in the future.
Question of the Day: Have you ever photographed, painted, or drew a still life? If so, did you like the experience? Please comment down below.
Thank you so much for reading! Have a beautiful and blessed day, y’all! ✨
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♛ The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen ♛ 