Amanda's Corner

I read a devotion a couple weeks ago that really touched my heart. It comes from the book, "A Word to the Wise" by Paul Chappell. I strongly recommend this book! The following is my interpretation of this. Enjoy. Leave comments and suggestions for other blogs down below!

The washing of hands is a universal cleaning tactic to help prevent germs from getting us sick. Washing our hands is removing a "bad influence", which is germs, from our lives. 

As Christians, we need to remove the bad influences that are in our lives. Whether it be a sinful habit, an ungodly friend, ungodly boyfriend or girlfriend, whatever the case may be (you know what it is in your life, as I do in mine). Proverbs 25:4-5 reads, "Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness." Satan loves to see when we allow wicked devices into our lives, they keep us from fulfillng the will of God, which is exactly what Satan wants. The apostle Paul warned the church at Corinth, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."

Sick people that are contagious don't get well by hanging out with other people who are ill. Instead, the infect the healthy people with their disgusting illness. The same goes for sin. People that are living in sin, and are open about their sin need to be rooted out of our lives. Amos 3:3 reads, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" The old saying, "Birds of a feather walk together" isn't just for kicks and giggles. It really is true. I know I'm only 18, but I've learned A LOT about weeding people out of my life who aren't serious about their walk with God.

Word to the Wise: When you remove wicked influences from your life, you are preparing for greater usefulness for God.

I hope that this blog has been an encouragement to you as it was to me!

Have an awesome day today lovelies! Remember to follow me on social media and to add me on Snapchat! Thanks to those who have done so! ��

Love, Amanda ♡

In this blog, I'm going to share my testimony; what God has done in my life. I feel like God has blessed my life in a great way!

I was born on April 1, 1997 in Beckley, WV. When I was born, I weighed 4lbs 10.8 oz and was 17 1/2 inches in length. I was a tiny little thing. I was born 3 weeks early. I was born with three holes in my heart, along with a blood clot in my umbillical cord. I had tubes, IVs, ventilators, attached to me like crazy. Miracle after miracle happened. I was supposed to have open heart surgery, but the doctors said that they were sure that the holes in my heart would fill up. My platelet count was low several times, doctors had police runs to Virginia to get platelets for me. As soon as the policemen would arrive, my platelet counts were back to normal again. (Side note, that doesn't just happen guys. God was working in my life as a newborn. How awesome is our God?!) 

I grew up in a Christian home. My mother and my father are saved Christians. I grew up being in church Sunday AM, Sunday PM, and Wednesday night. My mom and my dad were divorced when I was two years old. My mom was a single parent from the time that I was two until I was seven, when she married my step-dad. I love my step-dad so very much. He treats me like I was the child that he never had. They were married on May 1, 2004. I was the flower girl. ��

I made the most important decision of my life when I was seven years old, on August 1, 2004. I knew that I was sinner and I was in need of a Savior. I told my mom that I wanted to get saved and accept Jesus into my heart so that when I died I could go to Heaven. I could show you the exact spot that I bowed my head and my mom lead me to the Lord. In that second, Christ came into my seven year old heart and cleansed it from the darkness of sin. 

Being saved doesn't mean that once you accept Christ, life is going to be rainbows and butterflies and frolicking in the meadow. Life is life. You're going to have problems in life. 

Probably, the most difficult thing I have ever had to go through was when my dad passed away. (I know I have mentioned doing a blog on this particular topic, which I promise I am on it like white on rice.) My dad died on Friday, September 20, 2013; he was 47 years old. My dad passed away from MRSA from a brown recluse spider bite. His death was very sudden. I remember when we got the call from my Uncle Matthew, my dad's brother. He called at about 6:30 Friday morning. I didn't know it was him at the time, because I just had gotten up and was getting ready for school that day. To be honest, I didn't care who was calling because I was tired. My mom took me to school that day. She told me that she was thankful that I had my nose in my phone the entire twenty minutes to school, because she couldn't hardly look at me (I didn't know that my dad had passed away at this point in the day). I will never forget when my parents told me that he had passed away. I was sitting at my desk doing History homework. My mom came in my room, sat on my bed, asked how my day was at school, the whole mom thing. Then my step-dad, Todd, came in my room and said that they needed to tell me something. I didn't know what it was, so I was like oh okay, what is it? He came over so me, put his hand on my shoulder, and said with big, heavy tear-filled eyes,"You're dad passed away this morning between 4 AM and 6 AM." My heart sank. I couldn't even cry within the first 15 seconds, which felt like an eternity. I finally put my hands in my face and started bawling crying. I couldn't believe that he was gone. I walked over to my mom, who was on my bed, and hugged her and cried for about 45 minutes. My mom asked me if I was okay, and I said," God will never give me a trial that He knows that I can't handle." I knew that God was in control. I couldn't even be angry with God about taking him home, because I knew that I would see him again; VERY SOON. 

I wouldn't change anything if I could. Because through it all, God's been good. ♡♡

Thank you all so much for reading this blog. I pray that it has been an encouragement to you. Stay tuned for my next blog. 

Love you all. 

Amanda ♡

1. My name is Amanda Nicole Lester.

2. My birthday is April 1, 1997 (which makes me almost 19).

3. I was born and raised in Beckley, WV (I still live here lol).

4. I am a born again Christian.

5. I still live with my parents.

6. I am single. I have been single since late September 2015.

7. I am a pianist. I have played the piano since August 2006.

8. I'm an only child. 

9. I was saved on August 1, 2004 when I was 7 years old.

10. I have a dog and a cat.

11. I am attending college to become an Occupational Therapist Assistant.

12. I am a mad Snapchat addict. (username: amandanicole_15)

Anything else you would like to know, comment them down below!!!

Love, 

Amanda. 

February 14th, more affectionately known as Valentine's Day. There are several feelings about Valentine's Day. If you're married, engaged, in a dating relationship, or have a crush on someone and they have no idea, Valentine's Day is a time of love, kissing, chocolates (can I get an AMEN!), flowers, and proposals. 

What if you're single on Valentine's Day? Who is going to tell you that they love you, buy you flowers, buy you chocolates and watch chick flicks with you?! Of course your parents are going to, which is so cliche. But I know that is not the same as hearing "I love you" from a significant other. What plunged me to write a blog about Valentine's Day, is having seen several of my friends, who have boyfriends, engaged, etc, it kinda made me feel like the following,"Well, I see that she is out with her boyfriend of 4 years. What am I doing? I am sitting on my bed, watching Duck Dynasty, and doing homework. What a life I am living." 

For those of you reading this that do not know me personally, I had a boyfriend of almost 3 years. He and I started dating when I was in 10th grade and he was in 11th. We were young and immature as most kids are at that age. We dated from November 5, 2012 to September 29, 2015. I learned a lot in the almost 3 years that we dated. The reason that we broke up, is that I had prayed for several months about my relationship with this young man. I knew it wasn't the Lord's will for us to continue dating. I don't know if we will get back together in the future, that is in God's hands. 

Having only been single for a few months now, Valentine's Day is really odd for me right now. It's just weird that I haven't bought my significant other a gift yet; I then remember, "Oh yeah. I don't have one of those." 

If I can give you any word of advice about being single, it is to don't complain about being single. Shortly after I broke up with my boyfriend, my former youth pastor encouraged me with a verse. He gave me the reference, told me to look it up, and that he would be praying for me. It was Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV, which reads,"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." I realized that I just need to live the rest of my teenage years with a BANG. Be an influence to the younger generation. He(God) will make everything beautiful in His time. I realize now that as much as it hurt for me to break up with my boyfriend, I am in the will of God and I have never been happier! 

All in all, you will see hundreds of mushy posts about how happy your friends are with their relationships, etc, etc, etc. Just smile and remind yourself, "I am alive. God is still on the throne in heaven. I may not have a significant other at this moment, but I will." Just be patient!

Look up Psalm 37:7 KJV. 

Have a great weekend, lovelies! Stay tuned for my next blog!!!

Love, 

Amanda. 

Hello, welcome to Amanda's Corner. I am Amanda Lester. I was born on April 1st, 1997 in Beckley, WV! I am currently 18 years old. What I have planned for this blog is talking about girl stuff! I am an Independent Fundamental Baptist, which means that I believe in the fundamentals of the Baptist faith. I believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I am a single young lady, which makes my life a little more interesting; though not really at all. I will post more about that if it is requested. 

If you all would like to read about any stories or life experiences that I have had and how I handled it, which you are currently going through and don't know how to handle it. I will be more than happy to tell you how I made it through. Keep in mind that how I do things may not work for you.

Until next blog! Be sure to follow me on social media.

-Amanda