Ask Ainsley

Ask Ainsley
Ask Ainsley is when readers ask questions and Ainsley answers them. Hope these answers help. -Ainsley
Q: Dear Ainsley,

My family is going through a hard time right now with money problems. Also, my step-dad had a stroke and his whole right side is paralyzed from the top of his head to all the way to the tip of his toes. It’s just very hard for my entire family. Do you have any advice?

-Th!nk Reader

A: Dear Th!nk Reader,

The best thing to do is know that God has a plan for all of this. Jeremiah 29:11 says:”For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. They are plans for good and not evil, plans to give you a hope and a future.” This doesn’t mean that everything will turn out good.You may not understand why this is happening now. Just think that God could be protecting your family from something even worse. I know it’s pretty hard to be grateful when you feel miserable.But the Bible also says to rejoice in everything. Also pray. It will help, God will give you and your family ‘a peace that surpasses all understanding’ as philippians 4:6-7 NIV says, ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’Have you movie Soul Surfer? Well in the movie even though Bethany lost her arm, she will still say today that she wouldn’t change anything because she can see now that God had a plan. Because of her injury she has been able to reach many people. Just remember that God may not reply to your needs right away. God loves you, In the Bible it says, he will not let you suffer any more than you can bear. 1 Peter 5:7 NIV says:Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

-Ainsley

Dear Ainsley,

Q: It’s not fair,a lot of my friends already have phones and iPod touches. I really want them but my parents won’t let me. The only way I can get an iPod touch is if I save up my money. Please help!

-Th!nk reader

A: Dear Th!nk reader,

You may feel a little left out. Notice that your parents aren’t trying to be mean. They do know best and they are trying to protect you. God gave us all specific special parents. Your parents love you and only want what is best for you. Romans 13:1 NIV says:Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. the authorities that exist have been established by God. We may not understand why our parents say things but God has put us there as their children and given them to us as authorities in our life.Ephesians 5:21 NIV says: Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Remember that parents are all different. All families use their money and time in different ways. When you look around you,your friends may not be able to some of the things that you are able to do. I know that at least one other person your age doesn’t have a phone or iPod touch. Remember, there are people all around the world that don’t have air conditioning, clean facilities, and toilets that flush. Those people are actually more content than most people since they don’t have a lot and they are grateful for what they have.So be grateful in everything you do.

-Ainsley

Q: Dear Ainsley,

In your magazine you have a page with hairstyles on it. It sounds really cool; but… doesn’t the Bible say that we shouldn’t wear jewelry and do our hair and stuff?

-Th!nk Reader

A: Dear Th!nk Reader,

Yes, you’re right. Both in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and 1 Peter 3:3 say stuff about that. 1 Timothy 2:9-10 says: I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, But with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. I think that these verses are not trying to ban jewelry completely, but instead we should be modest and maybe in the culture back then it wasn’t being very modest to wear those things. We should also not worry about what others think about us. Instead, we should be concerned about what God thinks about us. Think about it… whose opinion is better? God’s? Or people’s? God made us all beautiful and Jewelry and stuff won’t make us anymore beautiful in God’s sight. Instead to make us more beautiful in God’s sight we need to have a Quiet and gentle spirit. I also I think that these verses are trying to tell us not to put things before God that do make us closer to him. Meaning that we shouldn’t put doing our hair or clothing before God. Th!nk’s mission is to put God,than others before ourselves. It may be hard to do that, but it’s what God wants us to do. So I think it’s fine to wear jewelry and do our hair, but don’t put it before God.

~Ainsley

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