JenieBlog

Today’s Lydia

Jenifer Flinton — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 05:17:29 +0000

Most people are familiar with the story of Paul and Silas.. the one where they are thrown into jail for casting out demons from a girl and then cause an earthquake by worshipping. Yeah. The story is a great example of how powerful worship is, but have you ever taken the time to read about what happened just before and after that?

There was a woman named Lydia. Acts 16 tells us that she was a seller of purple. Purple represented royalty at this time, so she must have been pretty well off to have the honor of selling the fabric. And, that’s great, but the bible also points out that she was a worshipper of God.

Now, Paul and Silas weren’t stupid. They went to Philippi to specifically find a place to communicate with God. They sought out this place and found a group of women by the river. Although it only says that Lydia was a worshipper of God, it’s easy to imagine that all of the women, who were there hanging out by the river on a hot sabbath day, had gotten away from their responsibilities to spend time with other women in worship. It says that she was touched by Paul’s message and baptized with the rest of her household [which must have included the other women sitting by the river with her because mostly only the women of the family spent time together]. It is here that she invites the two men to stay with her opening up the famous story of Paul and Silas.

But, her story doesn’t end here. After Paul and Silas are led out of jail, they immediately return to Lydia’s house. So, the two men had this awesome worship experience that led to this huge earthquake and chose to return to this worshipper of God’s house. They went back to encourage the men of the city. So, to elaborate, Paul and Silas felt comfortable bringing Spirit-filled moments into her home and confident in her ability to be a good hostess.

Keep in mind, it is called Lydia’s house, not Lydia’s father’s house or Lydia’s husband’s house. The house was her own. She was a worshipper of God who earned her own living and invited men of God into her home. That woman must have been one huge influence in her community. The men of God met in her home.. so, they knew where it was. Meaning, she was a cultural influence. She made her own living.. she was strong and independent. So, she was a economical influence. Also, she sold purple, so she must have been a political influence. And, she was a known worshipper of God, therefore she had a spiritual influence.

I would love to have that sort of influence.. Cultural, Economical, Political, and Spiritual? Talk about one strong (seemingly single) woman. Could each of us be a present-day Lydia? I think so.

the body

Jenifer Flinton — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:53:15 +0000

so, i realize that i haven’t written in a while. figured i would update. =] i was on this website called memberhub reading through some of their blogs. it’s a website created for social networking among churches and to assist groups in getting organized. recently, my youth group invested in this website, so i figured i’d do a little digging. clicked on the link churches and saw a link through the words, “the body”. i’m a little nosey, so i clicked and it brought me to this passage.

1 Corinthians 12

Spiritual Gifts

1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?

20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it,25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

it was a nice reminder of everyone’s different niches in ministry. in my group, Janelle Painter does phenominal at administration, Billy Hartz is the everything tech guy, Ali Rivera can pull games out of her butt on the spot.. i can’t imagine if the three of them suddenly switched responsibilities. could they function, of course, but would it run the best it could? oh, heck no.

and we’re having a few changes this year in our ministry. people are transitioning in and out of authority in places, leaders keep coming and going. it’s like one giant toss up for this new bridge year and i’m excited for us to be used in the way God wants us to be.i have the privilege of running the administration aspect of the bridge elmora again this year. i’m excited for the increased organization that Janelle so amazingly offered each “administration-prone-leader”. as a team, we’re getting more organized thanks to her brilliance. we know who’s biologically and/or spiritually cut out for what job. and i’m extra excited to see everyone’s gifts put to “good use”. =]

sunburn

Jenifer Flinton — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:10:44 +0000

so, i went to the beach at Ocean Grove this past Tuesday to hang out with one of my best friends, Melanie Lamoreaux and to see Hillsong United. it was an awesome day. we got to climb all over rocks and take photos and everything. then, the concert was awesome. saw Alex Recarte, Jorge Gonzalez, Jesus Torres, Raul Hernandez, Manny Ayales and Jasey Bedoya, among others. It was really something to see so many people worshipping God together. I couldn’t help but to smile. =]

but anyway, during the day Melanie and I tried tanning. this was an EPIC FAIL. we both have excruciating sunburn. i haven’t left my house for the past two days.. skipping out on both fellowship group AND worship practice. this is a HUGE deal. i NEVER miss Bridge-related stuff.. i even go when i have something contagious. O.O [don't tell Pastors Kevin and Sarah Becker on me]

so, i feel entirely TOO pitiful. even my twitters are all depressing and it’s driving me nuts. >:[ i would totally be okay if it wasn’t on the back of my stupid KNEES. i can’t bend my legs without tears streaming down my face. and, i will admit, i don’t have a very good pain tolerance, but this is RIDICULOUS. i’ve certainly had sunburn before, but nothing this brutal.

thus, this blog. i need to feel SOME connection to the outside world. i’ve been at home watching CSI and refusing to move. this had better heal faster. =[

senioritis, blackberries, and glasses

Jenifer Flinton — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:15:07 +0000

so, my senior year of high school, i honestly didn’t have a problem with the whole senioritis thing. now however, i believe it has caught up with me.. which honestly is quite awful due to the fact that it’s my last semester at middlesex county college and i should really be doing amazing. heh. i’m passing, obviously. i wouldn’t let it get THAT bad. but, i’m not liking the serious lack of motivation. i don’t want to be a teacher anymore.. which sucks, because for the first time in my life, i have absolutely no idea what to do with myself. the only thing that is keeping me attached to anything is the Bridge. it’s really scary.

on the bright side, i got a blackberry. my sister wanted my old phone because the blackberry was “too complicated” in her words. i like the complicatedness of it. =] so, we swapped. it’s the curve and a very pretty silver color. <3 its becoming my new best friend.

another bright side, i got glasses. some of you may know that i’ve had them in the past. i first got them in 5th grade. i didn’t wear them at all. then, i got them again in 7th grade. I refused to wear them then too. this time, they actually help me see instead of only making me nauseous. i think ill keep them for a while. plus, this time they’re dark brown and green. and since green is my favorite color, i’m rather emotionally attached already.
unfortunately, they kind of clash with my pink hair. but, that will be changing soon. i plan on re-dying it. soon. im starting to hate the brightness.. and the fact that i have almost NO clothes that match it. i’ve been sticking to all whites and blacks. and honestly, they get old fast. i’m thinking burgundy. i’m going to have to call bethany for help. again. ha.

pink hair

Jenifer Flinton — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:12:01 +0000

so, sunday night, me and bethany decided to dye our hair fuschia. and, might i add, i adore it. bethany’s is underneath her hair. mine’s all streaked through it. in fact, i think i’m going to cut my hair to compliment the color cause my current style doesn’t do the color justice. haha. my mom hates it. my sisters aren’t too fond of it either; though, shelly said it looks good straightened. so, i guess for now, i’m going to have to straighten it all of the time. i’m not gonna lie, it’s definitely pink. like i wont be able to get away with wearing anything red for a while. but, that’s okay. like i said, i’m happy with it. =] here’s a picture in all its awesomeness. <3

Retreat 09. Stand. Let Nothing Move You.

Jenifer Flinton — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:01:54 +0000

   the retreat this year for the Bridge Youth Ministries is going to be awesome. =] everything seems so much more put together than years in the past. im excited to actually have responsibility this year, versus the icky situations of retreats past.
   i’m in charge of creating the devotional. wee! i haven’t finished writing it yet, but so far it’s going great. it’s going to be a total of eight days, and i already have days one through three complete. this year, there’s a steady theme throughout the devotional, whereas in the past, that hasn’t always been the case. it’s based on a short story that every child in america probably knows by heart, so the youth can relate to it. it’s really a great concept. jose castro came up with it and i simply elaborated on it. i think he’s secretly a genius.. he just doesn’t know it. haha.
   i also received the privilege of having my hand in worship and worship stations under janelle painter, drama under kalinna rodriguez, and name tags and retreat packets under billy hartz. worship and drama, i’ve helped with in the past, but worship stations and everything with billy, not so much. so, i’m excited for both the new experiences, and the reminders of the past.
   this year, hopefully, we’re going to be in a new building for everything that the group does together. it’s a chance for new memories, new experiences, and new rebirths. it’s the highlight of my year for sure, and i’m dreading when it’s going to be over. it’s stressful and crazy and it proves to me that i’m supposed to be here, with these kids, with these leaders. i wouldn’t change the choices i made to get here for anything.

fusion’s masquerade ball

Jenifer Flinton — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:38:22 +0000

i’m so excited for Fusion’s Masquerade Ball. here’s the information:

Fusion’s Masquerade Ball
Saturday, May 30 2009
7:00-11:00pm
$35/person
must wear a mask! [one may be purchased at the door for $12-35 ]

contact me for more information

i’m actually selling some of my jewelry there. my style’s trendy.. so my stuff is out of the box. but hey, my sisters wear it. and as teenagers, they’re the most critical people i know, so it must be kinda sorta cool. =] maybe i’ll post some of my stuff on here at some point. i don’t know. i will put one pair of earrings i made for myself, though.. only cause i’m wearing them right now. haha. they’re green, by the way. oh, and i made a necklace to go with them, but i haven’t gotten a chain for it yet.
.

Spring ’09 Semester

Jenifer Flinton — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:57:35 +0000

  so, i just had my first day of this year’s spring semester at middlesex county college. it was… interesting to say the least. i guess i’ll go through my day just because i rarely update.. but, i wont mention my professors names cause i don’t want to cause problems incase they regularly check google for people mentioning their names.
  my history professor’s completely crazy. he raves about ufos and u.s. government conspiracies. i have that class with my friend, liam mcnamara, though. so, we’ll either both find another class together or stay there and laugh our way through it. that class is from 12:30-1:50 on tuesdays.
  my next class is biology. that professor is awesome. he’s originally from ghana, so his accent is amazing. plus, he gives no homework and sounds like he is going to be incredibly fair. and, the girls at my lab table are all sweet. i made friends. =] yay. first day and new friends. that class is from 2:00-3:50 on tuesdays.
  my final class for the day is forensics. not public speaking.. crime scene investigation. talk about the wrong class for me. haha. but, it’s fine cause i’m taking it with liam’s mom. =] and, apparently we’re not using real blood. the only thing i think i might get sick during is watching a live autopsy. fortunately, it’s recorded, not in the flesh. heh. but, the class seems genuinely interesting. we’ll get to investigate pretend crime scenes and everything. i’m excited to do fingerprinting. yay! analyzing. <3
  the rest of the week should be fun to see what each of my classes are like. i’ll update maybe. =]

thanksgiving

Jenifer Flinton — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:52:22 +0000

this year, these are the three main things i have to be thankful for. =]

1. God
He has brought me through SO much this past year. things have been difficult, but He has ALWAYS been there.. picking me up and putting my broken pieces back together. i’m thankful that He never gives up on me.. even though i mess up pretty badly.

2. my family
this is the first year that i’ve come to truly appreciate my family.. not just my parents, grandmother, and little sisters, but also my aunts, uncles, and cousins. they have become an essential part of my life. our relationships, though incredibly complex, are completely irreplaceable. i can honestly say, i don’t know what i would do without them all.

3. my friends
this past year, i have made new friends, grown closer to current ones, and met up with old ones. it has been AMAZING. i have so many people who care about me and who i could call if i ever needed. we’ve gone on camping trips and out for coffee. hiked into the middle of woods and had sleepovers. gone to beaches and taken crazy photos. worked at renaissance faires and gone to a bed & breakfast. we’ve laughed, cried, screamed, vented, beat up on each other, and given lots of hugs. it has been one CRAZY year, but i’m so glad they were all an intricate part of it.

Twilight

Jenifer Flinton — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:49:50 +0000

I started reading four books by Stephenie Meyer. The saga includes Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. Seriously, I haven’t been this obsessed with a series or the characters in them since Harry Potter. I honestly think this obsession might top my Potterism. The books are about a family of vampires and one human girl’s journey to inevitably become one of them. It’s kind of creepy, but I completely relate to Isabella Swan on too many levels. I think that’s what makes my Cullenism top my Potterism. haha.

The saga is written almost entirely from her perspective. You read how she feels about Edward Cullen, Jacob Black, and the entire Cullen family, and how their different way of life doesn’t scare her at all. She’s awkward and shy, hates being in large crowds, and doesn’t understand what Edward sees in her. She loves quickly and completely with no restraint. She is abandoned and hurt, but still remains steadfast. She’s brave despite her fears and honest to the point of self-sacrifice. She encompasses all I strive to be, and all I am but wish I were not. We even share the same nickname, Bella.

Each book is a little under 800 pages. I read each book in well under eight hours. I pulled all-nighters, think about the characters constantly, and I seem to relate everything in my life to that story. I hear songs and I’m reminded of them, hear conversations and have flashbacks from scenes. The story has been my safe-haven from my world for a while now. I’m really pissed that I finished them, but I knew it was unavoidable, really. I hope Stephenie Meyer writes more stories. I will most definitely be reading every single one of them. I think I may be slightly obsessed. =]