March 2015 – Joy Skarka

How to Write Your Testimony

/ Christian in College, College, How to Share Your Faith, Resources, Your Story / 2 Comments

Every Christian has a powerful redemption story. God can and will use your story to bring him glory. Your story is your most powerful resource for sharing the gospel with the people around you. That is why it is so important to write your story in a way that is easy to understand and that explains the gospel. This post will help you do just that.

I’ve heard people say that their story is not powerful because nothing “bad” happened to them. I want to encourage you that every story is powerful. You went from death to life when you accepted Jesus as your Savior. When you made that decision, the power of the Holy Spirit was given to you. This is the same power that resurrected Jesus from death. Now, that power is inside of you, and because of that fact your story can change lives and bring others from death to life.

Every time we tell our stories we give honor and glory to God. Our story is the story of how God rescued us, saved us, redeemed us, and forgave us. Our story is a story of hope. It’s our first person account of how our lives have changed. And retelling of your redemption story reveals God’s character. Sharing our stories glorifies God because we are giving Him the credit and acknowledging His work in our lives.

We have to be ready to give our story at any moment. The Bible tells us – to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15). How can we be prepared? We need to write out our story and practice sharing it. In the moment, it is easy to get jumbled up, flustered, distracted, and off point. This could distract, bore, or confuse the person you are trying to share the gospel with. We have powerful stories, so we want to maximize the potential and give God the glory.

To help you write your story and to prepare you to share at any time, answer the questions below. Work through each question and then combine them into your story. Add transitions so your story flows. The best stories have conflict, plot, climax, and resolution – your testimony of how Jesus changed your life is no different. (more…)

Live on Purpose + Make it Happen Book Review

/ Book Review, Goals, Resources / 2 Comments

In Make it Happen, Lara Casey shares 5 ways to create a life of purpose and make it happen. What is your “it”? Maybe you have a goal that you have never been able to reach or a dream you have kept locked away – now is the time to make it happen.

Lara’s steps towards making it happen are not only practical, but very encouraging and thought provoking. I want to share with you her 5 steps and then a few of the thought-provoking questions that I loved most from each step. Believe me, her book is filled with hundreds of other questions that you will want to process though. (more…)

Your Story Matters – The Power of Your Story (Part 4)

/ How to Share Your Faith, Your Story / 2 Comments

Have you ever doubted if God will use your life for his good? Have you worried that your life would not leave a lasting impact on eternity? I want to encourage you that God’s plans are bigger than anything our tiny human brains can imagine. God will use you and your story to bring him glory.

Months ago, I wrote a series called ‘The Power of Your Story’. This series included powerful messages about how God can use our broken lives for his redemptive purpose. I thought I was done with this series, but then God showed me another story in the Bible that preaches this theme. This story is about a person who encounters God, shares his story with another, and then gets to watch a relative go from death to life. (more…)

Introducing Jumonville Christian Camp – Our Newest Ministry Partner

/ Jumonville Summer Camp, Resources / Comments Off

Can you spot me in the photo above? I’m rocking the tie-dye shirt on the right. This throw-back photo is almost 7 years old. 7 summers ago I spent a week at Jumonville Camp and left forever changed. That summer would be my 4th and last summer going to camp. Now, I would do anything to be able to spend another week at summer camp.

Jumonville Camp has impacted my life and faith in many positive ways. That is why I am so excited to have this organization partner with JP Ministries. In this post, I want to introduce Jumonville and share their heart and vision. Once a month for the next 6 months, we will share stories about how Jumonville changes lives, why you should send your child to camp, and why you should consider working on staff for Jumonville.

For more information about Jumonville, check out their website and Facebook page or watch the videos below. (more…)

To the Praise of His Glory! FREE Art Print Download

/ Art Printables, Resources / Comments Off

Hi friends! You made it through half of the week! I think this deserves a little celebration. To celebrate, I’m giving you free downloads for art prints I created in teal and gold. I couldn’t decide on a color, so I’m giving you both!

Use this art print to remind you to take the time to praise God for the good and the bad. If you’re having a hard week, praise God for how he is molding and shaping you. If you’re having a hard time at work, praise God that you have a job. If you have relationship conflict, praise God for all the people that love you that he has placed in your life. (more…)

8 Ways to Live Set Apart in College

/ Art Printables, Christian in College, College, YouTube Videos / 3 Comments

In case you missed my interview last night with She Is Set Apart ministries, check out the YouTube video below. Tierraney Richardson, from She is Set Apart Ministries, and I discuss how to live set apart in college.

Transitioning from high school to college is a major change. New place to live, new friends, new classes, independence, and freedom. You have the freedom to do anything and be anyone you want. This freedom can lead to brokenness if you choose to follow the world instead of God. I hope to encourage you to live set apart in college.

http://youtu.be/jM0zxaL7cF0

You have a choice – will you follow Jesus in college and live set apart or will you follow the world?
Will you turn to Jesus to find acceptance or will you turn to peers?
Will you put Jesus first or will the busyness of classes and your desire for success take over your life?

Will you live set apart?

She Is Set Apart ministry’s founder, Tierraney Richardson, actually guest posted on the blog last summer! Here is her post if you would like to read more about her story and singleness: She Is Set Apart by Tierraney Richardson.

If you liked this video, be sure to pin the image below on Pinterest and share it with a friend in college!

What a Godly Man Looks for in a Godly Woman – A Man’s Perspective

/ Christian Dating, From a Man's Perspective, Guest Posts, Knowing God's Will, Singleness & Dating / 28 Comments

How many times have you talked with your girlfriends about your perfect guy? Whether it is hair color, height, or personality, we all have preferences. Maybe just like me, you have a list of qualities that you would love to define your dream man. But maybe our long lists of descriptions are causing us to miss the big picture.

As we women look at our long lists, we start wondering, do guys do this too? If so, how will we ever compare to his dream woman?

Let’s get a man to answer this question.

Sam Eaton, guest blogger, gives a humorous spin to our lists. When I first read Sam’s post, I laughed, chuckled, smiled, and nodded in agreement. His words are spot on. Let’s let him answer the question.

What a Godly Man Looks for in a Godly Woman – A Man’s Perspective

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God is Love + Random Journal Day

/ Love, My Guest Posts / 6 Comments

Take a peak into my journal as I join Random Journal Day, hosted by Enthusiastically, Dawn. This month I got the chance to be the Featured Journal Keeper and share 8 simple steps explaining how to journal scripture. You can read the post here and link-up your own journal entry.

Our journals are filled with beautiful stories of God’s redemption in our lives. I fill my journal with prayers, God moments, and scripture. Want to know why you should journal? Read more here.

Let’s peak into my journal!

Read how I journaled through scripture, specifically 1 John 4:8, to better understand God’s love. (more…)

March 2015 archive

What a Godly Man Looks for in a Godly Woman – A Man’s Perspective

Let’s peak into my journal!