New fave car

This post is just to say that my new fave car, specifically, is the Holden Commodore HSV GTS 2012. It is still a Holden Commodore, but like I said, this is my specific favourite car.

                    

Back to Life Album

Hey, I just wanted to let yous know about an album. This really great artist i know (my Dad, :)), has released a new album and I love it. Yes, it is bias, but it truely is! It is avaliable on iTunes. His website is http://namarcacorowa.weebly.com/ . You should just listen to some of the songs. You can listen to bits of songs on the website. Now, look, I'm not trying to sell my dad's songs, but they really do mean something (the songs).

Anyway, I'm proud of my Dad. I love him!!

Is the Bible Relevant?

Do you find that the Bible is relevant to you, as a 21^st century person? Perhaps you think that it’s a bunch of fairy tales. Or maybe you believe that what happened in the Bible did occur but it’s not relevant to your life today. Research says that to many youth who really read the Bible for what it is, have had a good change to their lives. Youth say that to those who truly read the Bible, they will find the relevance of it in their lives.

The Bible has answers to most questions asked by teens, you just have to know where to find them. For example, one girl asked, “Is it okay if I want to be thin?” Sure it’s okay, but it’s not okay to go crazy with exercise and starve yourself because them you can get distracted from stuff that matters most. God made us, “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). If God loves us the way He created us, then shouldn’t we accept ourselves if the Creator of the universe loves us the way we are? Being content with how you look relieves you from much stress and strain from trying to look like everyone else.

Believing that what the Bible says is true, makes you feel secure. Today, teens are really struggling with life, and many of them resolve problems by self-harming, many committing suicide. Statistics show that suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15-24 years olds, and the sixth leading cause in 5-15 year olds. People choose to end their lives because they don’t think there is anything worth living for, life gets too hard for them. The only way we can get through this life is by Jesus Christ!

To be close to Jesus is also being close to God. The Bible says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) Reading the Bible gets you closer to God. Getting closer to Him means He gets closer to you, and therefore being with you and helping you through thick and thin, happy and sad. God helps and guides you through all times in your life, if you let Him.

As you can see, God is The Way for all. The Bible is God’s love letter to you, to everyone. For sure the Bible has God’s angry moments, and the moments when He destroys people, but the only reason for that is because of the complete disobedience and full rebellion to follow Him. The main message of the whole Bible is Jesus Christ. Jesus died so we can be reconciled with God and be forgiven. We can now come to Him with all our problems, temptations and hardship and He will help us through all. I cannot word my thankfulness to God for showing me His unfailing love, nor can I say how much a need Him – my relationship with Him. The truth is God’s wants you, but the question is, do you want Him?

By Amariah Corowa

Persuasive Text/Book Review

This is a persuasive text I made up, and is also kind of a book review on "God's Smuggler" by Brother Andrew.

Do you ever wonder if what is in the Bible is true? Ever ponder that God’s amazing provisions for His children are just stories? You may recall the story in the Bible about God feeding and clothing the Israelites when they were in the wilderness. There is also the story where God provided protection for Esther the queen, when she opposed the king. Remember these aren’t just stories, they are true. I believe that God’s purpose for me involves Vanuatu. I believe that I am to help the poor and needy there. To get food and clothes and other necessities to them, of course you need money. Quite a lot of money. God has provided money for all those things already just recently. He cares about giving small needs, just as I should care. Just as we all should care. Brother Andrew in ‘God’s Smuggler’ knew that his Christian purpose was to get Bibles into communist countries. God provided Andrew for all that he needed. Andrew knew that Bibles, the books he had taken for granted, were in demand. That realisation opened the door to his Christian purpose.

Even though some things definitely don’t seem worthy of God’s attention, they are! They are completely worthy of God’s attention because they matter to His children. In the book ‘God’s Smuggler’, Andrew had to rely on God for all his needs. Starting out in a big, new city, he was a young, poor man. On page 78 of ‘God’s Smuggler’ Andrew says, “Toothpaste tasted good, new razor blades shaved quicker – but these were luxuries, not necessities. I was certain that should a real Need arise, God would supply it.” God provided Andrew’s food and money, but Andrew didn’t have enough money for small luxuries such as shaving cream and toothpaste. Luxuries that he tried not to worry about. Thinking lovingly and caringly for His new child, God allowed money to get into Andrew’s hands to buy those little luxuries God otherwise would not have bothered about. We undoubtedly think that God shouldn’t be irritated by some of our small troubled circumstances, but He does care about them. He wants to help. God loves us even if we don’t love Him back. 1 John 4:10 says, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us.” It’s sad that we think we can do everything on our own, and that we don’t need God’s help. The truth is we all need Him, whether we think so or not. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5. God knows what we need and we need Him so He can help us in the way we should go.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11. This is proven true in ‘God’s Smuggler’. Andrew had a man that wanted to give him driving lessons. At first Andrew didn’t want to accept because he thought that he would never have the need for a car. The man pushed him into teaching him to drive, and soon after, Andrew was given a car! God knew, that’s why He wanted Andrew to learn to drive a car. That car drove him across country boarders, tens of thousands of kilometers. In Matthew 6:34 Jesus says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Andrew, eventually, cared only about the task at hand, learning to drive. We all worry about things that might not even happen. We ought to focus our attention on what is currently on our hands, then worry about what’s next, when it comes.

God is the One who attends to all our needs. In ‘God’s Smuggler’ millions of people needed Bibles and God provided them. God had Andrew deliver Bibles to where they were needed. Andrew needed Bibles, transportation, money, and safety. God provided for all these needs. God just wanted Andrew’s full commitment and above all his obedience to listen. Andrew had many times when he thought he couldn’t do something God wanted Him to. Of course he couldn’t do it! No one can get Bibles across communist boarders. No one can be known about and still slip in under the radar. No one can acquire tens of thousands of Bibles and get them into to needy hands. No one can blind the seeing eyes. Andrew prayed, “Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture that I want to take to Your children across this border. When you were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, You make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see.” (page 117) Only GOD can do that! Humans are nothing without God! Without God, no one would live! Without God, evil would rule everywhere! Without God, everything would be dead! But, there is a God. A holy, sovereign, almighty, gracious, merciful and loving God. You have possibly heard the scripture verse “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have ever lasting life.” That is a wonderful scripture, telling of God’s amazing love for us. Another verse of God’s love and provision is in Romans 5:8. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That is the biggest provision God ever gave. His Son.

Like many youth today, Andrew was not a Christian. He never wanted God. He partied, got drunk, all of what God did not approve of. But God turned his life around, and Andrew became a strong Christian. Youth people can easily think that God wouldn’t forgive them of their sins if they wanted to change their life. Do not fear! Look what God did for Andrew. He worked through a man who used to never want to know Him. He changed a man who was of the world. Andrew helped me to see how much we need God and I believe you will see this too. God helps in big ways and in the outwardly small ways. God provides for those who follow Him, resulting in those who follow their Christian purpose. You KNOW that God will provide everything if what you are doing is His purpose for you.

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Philippians 4:19

What did you think?

Facts About Me. :)

Okay, here goes. I should have done this at the start of my blog, but, honestly it never crossed my mind to post some facts about me. But anyway, this is me.

#1. I am Christian!

#2. I am from the land down under. Australia! Yes!

#3. My favourite colour is purple.

#4. My favourite type of snack food is savoury. I love chips. Hot and packet-ed. And I love chocolate! Who doesn't? You know, I couldn't name ALL the food I love. I'll just say that I love food.

#5. I am the oldest of four children

#6. When I get older, I want to get married and probably have 4 children.

#7. I love Mini Coopers, although I would not want to own one. Too expensive.

             #8. My dream car is this type of Holden commodore. . No harm in dreaming though, right?

#9. I am learning Spanish. I pray that soon I will be able to speak fluently.

#10. I would rather dogs than cats. Sorry to the cats lovers, but they are just so creepy!

#11. My favourite music artists are tobyMac, Jamie Grace, Colton Dixon, Francesca Battistelli, Royal Taylor.... let's just say I have a whole LOT of favourite artists.

#12. I love to read. Unfortunately I am running out of books in my libraries. Almost all of them are not for a Christian girl to read. I have started to buy a couple of books off the internet.

#13. We have a pet albino ring-neck parrot, 13 chickens, 3 ducks and 3 miniature goats.

#14. I love drawing.

#15. My favourite top two movies are:
1. God's Not Dead
and 2. The Adventures of Tintin; the secret of the unicorn

And..... I can't think of anything else to say.

Can You Be Good Without God?

Are people born good, or is it something we learn? Are we ever really good? In the Bible God says only He is good. So, can we be ‘good’ at all?

On our own? No. We cannot be good. I hear you ask “But what about all those people who give millions of dollars to the poor? Or, what about the people who give their lives for ours in war? The question is not “Aren’t they doing good?” but, “For what reason are these people doing good?” Superficially, it may look as though they are acting out of the love in their hearts. Maybe they are. Unfortunately, some people do ‘good’ because they want people to praise them. They want to be a hero in human eyes. They want to be recognized. It is true that doing good can make you feel happy. Why does doing good make you feel happy? Because it’s right. Why? Because God made us in His image, and God is good and righteous.

If we were made in God’s image, and we are supposed to be good and righteous, why do we do bad? Good question, simple answer. Free will. God has free will, so when He made us He gave us free will. Regrettably, our first humans, Adam and Eve, gave into temptation and, using free will, they chose to disobey God. The first sin. What they did has effected all of the human race. So, now we are born into sin. Yes, the babies that are born are innocent but they aren’t good. They are born into a sinful world by sinful parents. You could say that sin is in our blood. It’s in our genes. That’s why we cannot be good. Only God.

In our humanness, goodness is impossible. But with God goodness is possible. In the Bible, in Ephesians 2:8-10 it says, “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God—not by works, so that no one may boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We were created to do “good works” in Christ. We weren’t made to do good works for ourselves, but for God and in God. Notice that the scripture also says God has already planned the good works for us to do? He has planned them, but it’s our choice to whether or not we want to follow what God has planned for our lives. Because we are born in sin, our pride wants us to do things our way, by ourselves, for our own praise. That leaves us not following God’s plan. We have to set aside our pride and selfishness, which we can only overcome with Christ, and push to follow God.

True goodness done by humans is possible. It is possible because God has allowed it to be possible with Him. Only Him. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13.

By Amariah Corowa

This is an argument that I created.

What do think? If you do no agree with me, tell me why. Or if you think you could add something, what would it be?

:)

Short story--Miranda's War

Miranda's War

I didn’t want to say goodbye. I love him and the uncertain dangers ahead for him scare me. I have always suppressed my feelings for him and have learnt to hide my love. Now that the war has come to take him away, I don’t know how to show him I care.

Miranda’s thoughts were interrupted as Emily, her best friend, poked her in the arm with a knitting needle.

“Are you listening to me?” her friend queried.

“Sorry, no.”

Miranda and Emily were sitting under the big apple tree beside their childhood playhouse. Both young women were quietly reliving their days as children while knitting socks. The woollen socks were for Stephan, Emily’s brother.

“I said, remember when Steve never let us sit on the top branches?” Emily asked.

“Yes. He used to be so bossy about it!” Miranda laughed in reply.

Emily sighed. “He was, but I’d give anything to have him back.”

The day seemed long as Miranda fixed on her nightcap and got into bed. She stared at the wooden ceiling above and listened to the wind outside. She shivered and snuggled under her blankets.

“What are you doing right now, Stephan? Are you cold or warm? Laughing or crying? Do you miss me as I miss you?”

Miranda prayed a silent prayer to God, asking Him to keep Stephan safe. Her weary eyes drooped and she was soon left to dream.

Miranda was washing the breakfast dishes when Emily burst through the back door in tears.

“Why Emily!” Miranda exclaimed, drying her hands on her apron, “Whatever is the matter?”

Emily say down heavily in an armchair and sobbed. She held out a crumpled telegram. Miranda took it and opened it. Once finished reading, she looked at her friend with tears in her eyes.

“Oh, Emily.”

Miranda pulled her friend to her feet and hugged her tight.

“Not knowing where he is right now is worse than knowing where he was headed.” Emily wailed. “And they aren’t going to even look for him. They know that if he chooses to come home, public humiliation will be all the punishment he needs for going missing!”

Missing? thought Miranda, How can he be missing? Where is he?

Miranda finished writing, put down her quill and reread the short note she’d written to her parents. Satisfied with the note, she propped it on the kitchen table. Miranda slipped into her jacket, picked up her bag and quietly moved out the back door. Silently, she tried to ready her horse, Fally.

“Shhh, Fally. It’s okay boy.”

Miranda jumped onto Fally and rode into the cool, dark night. The note Miranda had left for Emily was beside her parents’ note and she hoped her parents would give it to her. As Fally settled into a rhythmic canter, Miranda wondered whether leaving to find Stephan by herself had been a good idea. However, being the determined girl she was, Miranda did not turn back.

It was midday, two days after she’d left home, when she finally saw the soldiers’ camp where Stephan had last been. Women who weren’t nurses were forbidden to enter the camp. Thinking quickly, Miranda remembered her cousin at that camp. He had said to her that if she ever needed him, she could go to the outskirts of the camp at sunset when he came out every day to get water. Miranda would have to wait five hours for her cousin, but it was a wait she was willing to accept .

After tying Fally to a tree, Miranda snuck off to the camp’s entrance to meet her cousin. Upon seeing her, her cousin looked around then casually walked towards her. Then coming closer, he exclaimed “Miranda!” After greeting each other, Miranda told her cousin what she doing.

Finishing her explanation she added, “So, can you tell me where he went?”

Her cousin shook his head soberly. “Not really. All I can say to you is he headed south along the coast. I think he might have been heading back home.”

Thanking her cousin, Miranda made her way to Fally.

“Come on Fally. Let’s go find Stephan!”

Approaching her home town again, Miranda sighed sadly. She had searched everywhere she thought Stephan would be. He had never been the best at playing hide-and-seek, and Miranda had thought it would not have been that hard to find him. From the soldiers’ camp to home, she had looked in every cave and abandoned house she could find. Making her way to the local beach, she had a brainwave. The underwater cave that she used to play in with Emily and Stephan, had always been his favourite place. Excited she galloped another hour south. Once she arrived near the cave, she got off her horse, tied him up, and walked towards the cave. She jumped into the ocean and swam under water and into the cave. Popping her head up, she caught a mouthful of water. Coughing and spluttering, Miranda climbed onto the reef rock.

“Miranda?”

Alarmed, Miranda looked up. She saw a man in a very wet soldiers’ uniform.

“Stephan?”

The man stood up and walked over the rocks to her. Miranda smiled and hugged him tightly.

“What are you doing here?” Stephan asked in a husky whisper.

“Finding you.” Miranda replied. “I thought you might’ve been here!” With tears rolling down her cheeks she added, “We all thought we’d never see you again.”

Stephan sighed and let her go. “You can’t tell anyone you found me.”

“What?”

“They’ll send me back. Truth is, I’m…” Stephan took a deep breath, “I’m terrified to leave for war.”

Miranda could hear the embarrassment and the fear in his voice. She didn’t know what to do. Stephan’s family would be so relieved to know how and where he was, yet, if Miranda told them, they would tell everyone.

“Well, what should I do?”

Stephan held her hands. “Stay with me.”

By Amariah Corowa