Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Are Goals Really Important?

Hey, Gabriel Girls!  Happy New Year! Hope you all had a great Christmas!

 It’s that time of year again when people talk about setting goals. What about you? Are you a goal-setter? If not, why not? If so, how do you set goals?


Why are goals important?

 Imagine trying to play basketball without a hoop. Or golf without a hole. Or running a race without a finish line.  

 A life without goals is pretty much like the examples above.

 If you don’t set goals, you will be aimless and you won’t accomplish much. Worst of all, you may miss the destiny God has for you.

 So, how do you set goals? And how do you know which goals to set?

 I set goals in seven areas of my life, based on my priorities:  spiritual growth, mental growth, physical health and fitness, marriage, family, writing, and church family.

 Each year, during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, I spend time with the Lord reviewing the past year and setting goals for the new year.

 When setting goals, think about the most important areas of your life: your priorities. Then set goals in each of those areas.

 When setting a goal, it helps to write it out like this:  Goal #1: To grow closer in my relationship with Jesus by spending time listening to Him and writing down what He says to me.

 Most of us have dreams, but the difference between a goal and a dream is that a goal is a dream with a date on it. The date represents the basketball hoop, the golf hole, the finish line.

Of course, we don’t know what life will bring, but setting goals can help us plough through whatever life brings. When we set goals, we have a destination.  When taking a trip, most people know where they want to go. 

 The Bible tells us that where there is no vision, people perish (Proverbs 29:18). Vision here means revelation knowledge of God’s truth both in general and for your individual life.

 To live a full life, you need to have a vision for your future. To have a vision for your future, you need to think about and set goals. To set goals, you need the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

 Remember this: If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t like where you’ll end up. So set goals, trusting Holy Spirit to lead you as you follow Him. 

 Please leave a comment below and share some of the goals you’ve set for 2016. Thanks! :)

 _______________________________
If you enjoyed this post, please tell your teenage girlfriends about the Gabriel Girls. Thanks!
_______________________________________________
Copyright 2015 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

To Become a Gabriel Girl, you need to qualify as follows:
  • You need to be born again. This means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life.If you don't know how to do this, click here.
  • You need to have a desire to tell others about Jesus wherever you go and whenever you can.
  • You need to commit to following Jesus by reading the Bible and praying every day and by obeying Jesus' command to love Him and to love your neighbor.
    ____________________________________________________
You can find me on the following Social Media Venues:
Amazon Author Central: www.amazon.com/author/maryanndiorio
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Wednesday, December 16, 2015

How Can I Know If Something Is True or Not?

Hey, Gabriel Girls!

 Do you ever get confused by the many differing opinions about things like abortion, sex before marriage, homosexuality, transgenderism, etc.?  Do you ever wonder who’s right and who’s wrong? Or even what’s right and what’s wrong?

 If so, you are not alone.


We live in a world where a philosophy (a way of thinking) called relativism prevails. What is relativism? Relativism is a way of thinking that says that the truth and morality about something is decided by the individual person not by a common standard.

 For example, you’ve probably heard someone say, “Abortion may be right for you, but it’s not right for me.”  Or maybe you’ve heard, “What’s wrong with sleeping with my boyfriend if I love him?”

 The problem with relativism is that it is based on a lie. The lie is that each of us is our own god, and each of us can decide for ourselves what is right and what is wrong.

 But there is only one God, and He has already decided what is right and what is wrong. His decisions about right and wrong are found in the Bible, the only standard of truth.

 God’s truth is called Absolute Truth. That means it never changes.  It is the same for everyone, everywhere, all the time.  It is the standard of measure by which we determine whether an action is moral or immoral.

 Let me give you an example. When my husband hangs pictures for me, we don’t always agree on whether or not a picture is hanging straight. So, in order to determine the truth about the straightness or crookedness of a picture, my husband gets out his trusty level. A level is an instrument that tells you if something is straight or not.

The level is always right. The picture may look crooked to me, but the level tells me the truth.

 It is the same with a way of thinking. We may think it is true, but if it doesn’t agree with what God says in His Word, it is not true.

 So the next time you are wondering if something is right to do or not, check with God. Find out what He says about it in the Bible. Then do what He says!
_______________________________
If you enjoyed this post, please tell your teenage girlfriends about the Gabriel Girls. Thanks!
_______________________________________________
Copyright 2015 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

To Become a Gabriel Girl, you need to qualify as follows:
  • You need to be born again. This means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life.If you don't know how to do this, click here.
  • You need to have a desire to tell others about Jesus wherever you go and whenever you can.
  • You need to commit to following Jesus by reading the Bible and praying every day and by obeying Jesus' command to love Him and to love your neighbor.
    ____________________________________________________
You can find me on the following Social Media Venues:
Amazon Author Central: www.amazon.com/author/maryanndiorio
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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Do You Struggle with an Eating Disorder?

Hey, Awesome Teens

Today we’re going to talk about a topic that often lies hidden for a number of reasons, including denial, powerlessness, and embarrassment.

 Did you guess what it is?  It’s the topic of eating disorders.
So, why should we talk about eating disorders? Because eating disorders affect teenage girls all over the world, including Christian girls.  And because the problem of eating disorders is an extremely serious one that, in many cases, is life threatening.

 First off, what is an eating disorder? An eating disorder is a habit of eating that is abnormal or harmful to the human body.  Notice the word habit.  An eating disorder is something that has become a habit and that has taken control of your life.

 Why do eating disorders develop? Here are a few key reasons:

 1) Fear of losing control.  Eating disorders usually develop when a girl fears losing control of her life for whatever reason. Perhaps she lives in a family that is out of control. Her life is filled with strife, abuse, or conflict that she feels powerless to stop. So, her only way of coping is to find an area in her personal life that she alone can control. Eating is such an area.
2) Fear of not measuring up. Today’s culture bombards us with false images of what the “perfect” girl should look like. She should be pencil-thin, beautiful, and brilliant. If she does not meet these false standards, then something is wrong with her.

 3) Fear of man. Those with an eating disorder look to people for approval instead of to God. They derive their sense of worth from what others think of them instead of what God thinks of them.

 At the root of all eating disorders is a lie. A girl with an eating disorder does not see reality correctly. She has a perception problem and does not see herself as she truly is--beautiful in God’s eyes. She sees only a distorted view of herself.

 For example, a girl with anorexia will look in the mirror and see herself as overweight. This is a form of deception that Satan uses to destroy. Remember: Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
A girl with an eating disorder has a perception problem. 
She does not see herself as she truly is--beautiful in God’s eyes. She sees only a distorted view of herself.

If you are struggling with an eating disorder, there is hope for you. Here are some steps to take:

 1) Renounce Satan’s hold on your eating habits in the Name of Jesus.

 2) Repent of believing Satan’s lie that you are not good enough, pretty enough, or smart enough.

 3) Repent of trying to control your life in a harmful way through disordered eating. Give Holy Spirit total control over your life.

 4) Seek the help of your pastor, a trusted Christian adult, and/or a professional counselor.

 5) Trust in God’s grace to deliver you as you focus on Jesus, not on your problem.

 Many girls have overcome serious eating disorders with the help of God. You can, too!

 ______________________________________________
Copyright 2015 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

To Become a Gabriel Girl, you need to qualify as follows:
  • You need to be born again. This means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life.If you don't know how to do this, click here.
  • You need to have a desire to tell others about Jesus wherever you go and whenever you can.
  • You need to commit to following Jesus by reading the Bible and praying every day and by obeying Jesus' command to love Him and to love your neighbor.
    ____________________________________________________


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Friday, December 4, 2015

Are You Spiritually “Street-Wise”?

Hey, Gabriel Girls! 

 Today we’re going to talk about being “street-wise”.  If you live in the city, you know what that means. To be street-wise means to know how to handle yourself in a rough neighborhood or situation.


Being street-wise, however, has a special connotation for the follower of Jesus Christ. To be street-wise in a spiritual sense is to know how to handle yourself when the devil attacks you.
The Bible says this in I Peter 5:8: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

 The first thing we have to realize in being spiritually street-wise is that Satan is always looking for ways to attack us. He hates us because we love Jesus. He “prowls around like a roaring lion” looking for someone who will fall into his trap so he can destroy that person.

 For this reason, we have to continually be on the alert. We can never let our spiritual guard down because the moment we do, the devil will attack.

 So, how do we stay alert? Here are a few powerful ways:

 1) Read your Bible every day. Study it. Think about what you read. Apply it to your life.

 2) Talk to Jesus all day long. Keep a running conversation going with Him. This is called “practicing the presence of God.” Tell Jesus everything--your fears, your failures, your hurts, your concerns, your joys, your successes. Everything!  He loves to talk with you. Ask Him for wisdom in dealing with every situation. He loves to give you advice. 

 3) Stay away from people and places that will draw you away from Jesus. The friends you choose to hang out with will either draw you closer to Jesus or away from Him. The Bible says this about friends: "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character”' (I Corinthians 15:33). So choose your friends wisely.

 If you follow these three tips, you will be spiritually street-wise. 

 In Matthew 10:16, Jesus says this: "Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” Most Christ-Followers focus on the second part of this verse. But the first part--“Be as shrewd as snakes”--is equally important, if not more so, because Holy Spirit states it first. To be as shrewd as a snake means to be spiritually street-wise.

 Finally, remember that our Lord is always with you to help you in every situation. When you don’t know what to do, ask Him. He will gladly show you the way. After all, He is the Good Shepherd.

 NOTE: I would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment in the box below. Thanks! :)

 ______________________________________________
Copyright 2015 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

To Become a Gabriel Girl, you need to qualify as follows:
  • You need to be born again. This means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life.If you don't know how to do this, click here.
  • You need to have a desire to tell others about Jesus wherever you go and whenever you can.
  • You need to commit to following Jesus by reading the Bible and praying every day and by obeying Jesus' command to love Him and to love your neighbor.
    ____________________________________________________
You can find me on the following Social Media Venues:
Amazon Author Central: www.amazon.com/author/maryanndiorio

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Monday, November 30, 2015

Boys! Oh, Boy!

Hey, Gabriel Girls!

 For those of you in the United States, I trust you had a great Thanksgiving Day. For those of you in other parts of the world who read this blog, I trust you are all well and growing in Jesus.

 Today we’re going to talk about a topic that is on almost every teenage girl’s mind: BOYS!

As we approach the teen years and beyond, the subject of a relationship with a young man becomes increasingly important. Why? Because God has designed life to be this way. For His purposes, He created us male and female. He put into each one of us an attraction to the opposite gender so that one day, we would find that special person of His choice and get married. Why? For many reasons, not the least of which is so that we could cooperate with God in creating eternal souls for His family.

 God’s heart is to have a big family! He is all about relationships, and our lives should also be all about relationships.

 God made us to be social beings. Some of us are naturally more social than others, but all of us are social in some way.

 So, when it comes to guys, there is a lot to think about. Here are some tips I’ve gathered over the years from my own teenage years, from raising two beautiful and amazing daughters to womanhood, from being a grandmother to four lovely little girls, and from talking with countless teenage girls and guys along the way:

 1) First and foremost in developing good relationships is your own personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the foundation for all of your relationships, including marriage if God calls you to that state. 

 2) Remember that there are differences between gals and guys. The differences are not only physical; they are also mental, emotional, psychological, and even spiritual. Guys relate to God in a different way from the way girls relate to Him. If you have brothers or guy cousins or friends, ask them about how they relate to God.

 3) Pray for your future husband. It is not too soon to start. 

 4) Make a list of what you are looking for in a guy. Remember to focus on the most important things, like his commitment to Christ, his values, his character. You will discover that time changes looks. Handsome hunks eventually become haggard with pot bellies and bald heads. So don’t place your focus on the things that disappear. Place your focus on the things that last.

 5) Realize that there is a huge difference between a “male” and a “man”.  Look at the chart below:
MALE
MAN


Is out only for himself.
Desires the good of his beloved.
Focuses only on the physical, outward appearance. Neglects the inner places of his heart.
Spends most of his time developing his relationship with Jesus.
Cannot wait for sex. Accuses a girl who denies him as not loving him.
Would never have sex before marriage. He respects God's command and honors the girl he is dating by refusing to harm her in any way--spiritually, morally, and physically.
Lacks commitment. If he doesn't get what he wants, he leaves.
Totally committed to a lasting relationship with the girl he loves.


As you check out the guys around you, keep the chart above in mind. Then trust God to bring across your path--in His timing--the man He has chosen for you.

 ______________________________________________
Copyright 2015 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

To Become a Gabriel Girl, you need to qualify as follows:
  • You need to be born again. This means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life.If you don't know how to do this, click here.
  • You need to have a desire to tell others about Jesus wherever you go and whenever you can.
  • You need to commit to following Jesus by reading the Bible and praying every day and by obeying Jesus' command to love Him and to love your neighbor.
    ____________________________________________________
You can find me on the following Social Media Venues:
Amazon Author Central: www.amazon.com/author/maryanndiorio
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