Guest Blog: A GENERATION IN MOTION

My friend Melissa is a true child of God.  She has known her struggles, defeated them, and gives the glory to Christ for giving her the blessed life that she leads.  I am so fortunate to know her.  We shared mutual friends at the University of Alabama and at the end of our stint there, we finally met and became friends.  I look up to her in so many ways.  She is a natural beauty and her charm is full of love and grace.  I am glad God put her in my life as a mentor, a Christian friend, and role model. 

Her heart is full of service for others and she praises the Almighty.  There is no other woman more beautiful than one that puts Christ first in her life.  Melissa is an inspiration and I thank God for putting her in my life.  She has been so kind to guest post for me -- she's a blogger of her own -- and she is sharing what great (and sometimes bad) the techno era can be for the modern-day Christian.  Please take the time to read this... it is full of God's spirit and realness.

Meet Melissa:

A big hello to everyone in the Baily blog world! My name is Melissa, I'm a graduate from the University of Alabama, which is where I had the pleasure of meeting Baily. I graduated with a degree in apparel design & besides my love of fashion I also am incredibly passionate about leading the world to the truths & beauty of this life. It was earlier this week when I received a extra special gift from the one of a kind Baily. When she asked me to be a guest blogger on her blog it just made my day! Not only is Baily one of the most talented writers I know, she is also a true gift from God. There are so many people out there that are struggling with the same issues & it takes someone like Baily who can really make a difference in others lives. The way she goes about sharing the struggles & triumphs of her life is absolutely beautiful. Everyone needs someone to relate to & Baily has given the world just that. In my guest blog I will be sharing with you my take on the lives of todays youth & fill you in on a great opportunity these kids have to gain inspiration & do what our awesome God made them to do. Thanks for reading & thank you Baily for shining your light bright & being an inspiration to all!

Generation in Motion

So, let's talk about generation Z. You know, the ones who can talk, walk, text, & listen to music gracefully all at the same time....the ones also known as the I generation (internet or instant generation)....Yea, they’re pretty cool. You see, for these kids convenience is a way of life, as they walk around holding the world in their pocket....anything is just a click away. What makes this generation different from any other is the fact that for the first time in history these school kids have the opportunity to connect with the world 24/7. They go to school 5 days a week surrounded by fellow teens, influencing each other throughout the day, connecting on a personal basis with people their age all living in the same world. But as the school day comes to a close they don't just say goodbye until tomorrow like the rest of us remember from our school days....they pick right back up where they left off and start connecting through the cyber world of social networks. This generation has all the resources needed to reach out and make a difference. That's why I truly believe that

to make an impact on the world around them. I mean think about it...they can go to school already knowing what kind of day their friends had the day before and what mood they might be in at first period....based on their Facebook status of course. They have the opportunity to get an inside look into the lives of their fellow classmates. They live and breathe other people’s lives & know who is in need of a little encouragement. Even though this type of communication is not healthy for their young minds it has given them the platform to reach out and the opportunity

out there for all the world to see. It is at this age that what your friends are doing and saying actually has the most effect on what you want to be doing and saying. This generation was given a resource called technology that can be used one of two ways....for good or for evil. Many of these young souls are in constant exposure to the realities of this world as like I said before...they are holding the world in their pocket. This generation wants to be seen and heard.....as they have made it very clear in their growing array of reality shows about let’s see here......Everything!!! I think it is great that MTV is creating shows that our youth can relate to & allowing young people to share their struggles but at the same time I find much of the content of these shows extremely inappropriate for such young souls. Many teens are lost in their everyday struggles and turn to the media as a source for the answers to their troubling questions. Wouldn't it be great for this generation to really be awakened from their fast paced lives and realize that God has the answer to all their questions. Wouldn't it be great if they stopped using Google to look up the answers and started actually looking up to the God above who has all the answers that are guaranteed to be the right ones. We need to do whatever we can to supply this generation with the tools they need to successfully reach the world around them. We need to make it our priority to transform our youth into leaders. They are the generation that can take can take the love of Christ and the message of hope and truly put it

On the weekend of July 28-30, Church of the Highlands of Birmingham, Alabama will be holding its annual Motion Student Conference. With the theme this year being “Awake My Generation”, students from all over the United States will be given the tools needed to do just that. I cannot think of a better way for our youth to spend their Friday and Saturday night than to be gaining valuable knowledge and truths about the life God created them to live. Each and every one of them was born into their generation for a specific reason, making them a valuable resource for our future. God is calling this generation to wake up and shine their light for all the world to see. They are the generation in motion, and they are awesome! xoxo  -Melissa

Melissa is such an amazing girl.  Check out more about Generation in Motion by visiting the link below. You will be moved and feel God's spirit at work in today's youth.

GOD IS AWESOME!!!

                                   

http://www.motiononline.tv/what/



don't forget to visit and FOLLOW Melissa's blog as well...

I promise, you'll love it!

LEARNING to LOVETT

Thanks Melissa, you are the best!

peace and love

baily

He knows when I am lonely

I’m sure everyone, at one point or another, has felt the way that I do today.   Today I thought long and hard about the difference in feeling lonely and being alone.  You'd probably agree that these two things are very very different.  You see, I look at "lonely" as a feeling, not always a circumstance.  Because the most lonely I've ever been is not when I've been in isolation - sure, those are some pretty down and out days when I don't put myself around others and experience the joy of company and conversation.  But, what I mean is that the hardest type of loneliness is when you are surrounded by people but you don't feel like they understand you or you don't know how to portray what's in your mind and in your heart because you fear that they just won't get it.  And then there is the other kind of lonely when you have someone in your life that does "get you" but they remove themselves from you without much explanation.  Certainly not the explanation or compassion that you'd think a relationship filled with "I love you's" and "You're the best thing that ever happened to me" comments would deserve.  Today, I experienced both of these feelings of loneliness.  It's not my family's fault or my friends' fault that I feel lonely at times.  It is just part of us.  We are supposed to feel loneliness to a certain extent, in my opinion, so that we know the happiness that comes from others - like friends and family. 
My loneliness today didn't last for long, though.  Something really "God-sent" happened to me - which I know was a blessing for being so disciplined in my prayer and quiet times lately.  First of all, let me tell you something exremely weird - I haven't cried.  Someone I loved dearly and considered my best friend turned their back on what a wonderful relationship we had, and I haven't cried.  This is weird because I am a girl who FEELS.  I have super-emotions!!! I am a giver, a lover, a fighter, and I DO NOT believe in giving up on someone that you share so much with.  So for me not to cry, I am astounded (in a really good way) by my strength and dignity I have shown.  But, I still hurt on the inside.  I still wonder "why" and think "I never thought someone so gentle and that adored me SO much would just quit on me" but I somehow manage not to let it get me down or keep me down for long.  I turn to the one thing that will NEVER forsake me, never give up on me, and never ever ever let me down.  His promises are kept, no matter what and he never ignores me!!!

I am so glad I have a personal relationship with the Lord.  I'm free of worry and anxiety and sadness when I look into His Word and read the beautiful truth.  That there IS A PLAN FOR ME, there is a future for me, and there is a God who I can count on while I seek this plan and future. 

So, when I started feeling misunderstood, misinterpreted, and misjudged and when the feelings of lonely starting creeping in, I opened up my book case and grabbed a wonderful devotional, "Do You Know Who I Am?" by Angela Thomas.  I kid you not, I opened the book and turned right to this page...

It was an absolute reminder from the Lord that He knows my pains, He knows me weaknesses, He knows my heart's desires.  After I sat there and took a break from my 'project' I was working on and read this chapter that I just happened to open the book up to, I took in the awesome feeling of relief and felt so many worries just fade away.  I know that I will have lonely days.  I've experienced things in my life, like the fire, that few people will understand (and that's a good thing, I don't wish that upon anyone) and I know that life is an individualistic journey and we all are different - which can sometimes make for feelings of not fitting in, feeling left out, being rejected, being sad, and being misunderstood - but I also know that the Lord will not put any type of feelings, or any circumstance, or any tragedy in our lives without also giving us the strength and ability to handle it.  That's why I was meant to open the book up to page 111, Ch. 7 titled "Do You Know I Am Lonely? He is Here." 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

By reading that and praying for God to help me with my loneliness, I was able to turn the pain and sadness of being lonely into a feeling of solitude. Solitude is a word intended to express the glory of being alone.  I enjoyed this quiet time... the silence, the stillness.  I was calmed... because I know He loves me, He cares for me, and He is always here. 



peace and love

baily

God will honor the woman who faces her

 loneliness and then decides to live with integrity.