Ali Ballweg

I’ve really been missing having a photography class.  I miss the challenge of being creative to complete an assignment.  So… I’m inviting all of you to give me some “assignments” of sorts.  It can be anything.  Just something that will get me out there shooting and being creative.  You can either post a comment with your suggestion, or e-mail me at alison@alisonsue.com since my comments don’t seem to be working for some people.  Thanks everyone!  

Oh and I’m going home this weekend so expect some awesome fall colors from Devil’s Lake and some cute pictures of my little cousins. 

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”  -Philippians 2:1-3

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.”  -Philippians 2:14-15 

We are to serve others without complaining.  How simple it sounds but how stubborn we are to actually do it. 

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”  -Philippians 3:7-8 

Because it requires giving things up.

“By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us.  And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?  My little children, let us not love in word or tongue, but in deed and truth.”  -1 John 3:16-18 

Not just saying we’ll give them up.   Or just feeling bad for those who don’t have anything or anyone.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  -James 1:27 

 But DOING something about it. 

We are called to help those in need.  I’ve been feeling a pull on me to do more about this and at the moment I’m not sure what to do with it.  But I do know this: God loves me and I am to show that love to others, no matter the cost, and He will help me in that mission.  And He’ll help you too.  

As a start, I recently sponsored a child through World Vision (www.worldvision.org.  I’d encourage you to consider doing the same.  If financially that is not a viable option at the moment, then be praying for the children and their families.  We have it so good, we can’t forget about those that don’t.

God Bless :) 

So today I made Jenna and Abbie come with me to the little lake today to get some fall picture colors… but sadly I didn’t really get any.  These are the few decent pictures that I did get.  Oh and no I don’t know that couple.  I was being a creep, felt like I was the paparazzi chasing Bennifer- haha. 
      

The first thing that needs to be completely and fully grasped is what Jesus Christ did for us- He gave up His life through suffering on the cross so that we might have eternal life.  Just think about the magnitude of that for a minute… How amazing!  I feel that many people take it for granted and go on with their normal lives just throwing God into the mix every once and awhile so that they can say they are Christians and are going to heaven.  In fact, that used to be me.  But just take a look at 1 Peter 4:1-2…

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.  As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.”

Jesus lived completely devoted to God, even to the point of being humiliated and killed on the cross.  Why?  Because He knew He was only this world for a short amount of time and ultimately because He trusted God.  Jesus set countless examples for us to follow, but this is the most important of them all- to surrender your whole life to God. 

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”  -Luke 9:24 (NIV)

Which means:

“Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead.  You’re not in the driver’s seat- I am.”  -Luke 9:24 (The Message)

“Leave the irreparable past in His hands, and step out into the irresistible future with Him.”  -Oswald Chambers

“You cannot stay the way you are AND go with God.”  -Henry Blackaby

Surrendering to God means all of the above and so much more.  It means changing your thoughts, actions, motives, desires… completely everything and letting HIM have control.  This is what I’ve been doing and why I’ve been changing.  My life is not my own.  I am not living for this world; I’m living for my Prince.  You may be questioning how I’m able to do so- the keys are faith, trust and joy.

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”-Hebrews 11:1

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path’s straight.”  -Proverbs 3:5-6

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”  -Pslam 16:11

Even though I can’t see God I know He’s there (“We live by faith, not by sight” -2 Corinthians 5:7) and I know that I will only have full eternal joy, peace, and life if I trust in Him.  Suffering will still come, but with God on my side I can find joy in it.  That sounds ridiculous, but it’s true.  God is the only one who can fill me with complete joy and peace.  NOTHING in this world could take His place.  Two last verses to think on… Please let me know if you want to know more or if I can be praying for you in any specific way.

“Acknowledge the God your Father and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.  If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”  -1 Chronicles 28:9

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  -Romans 12:2