The past couple of days have been a blast! I got to hang out with a few of my friends in between work. On Friday, I hung out with Sarah, Natalie, and my sister Abby. We went to see the movie "The Ultimate Gift". (If you want to know more about the movie, click here name to see Sarah's review!)
Tonight, I was invited to go see my friend Rebecca perform in a swing dance competition. I left work a little early, got lost about six different times, and used up all my cell phone's battery life getting directions from my dad, but I managed to get there before the competition started! All the craziness of getting there was SO worth it. Not only is West Coast Swing awesome and highly entertaining, but everyone was nice as nice as they were extremely talented! On top of that, Rebecca and her partner won first place!! =D
But all of that fun got me thinking. Friends are important. They can either pump you up or bring you down. So I'll ask you: Who are your TRUE friends? Do you have anyone in your life that you talk to about silly and life changing things? Can you share your heart with the people you hang out with?
I've been having a really good year. 2006 and 2007 have been filled with new friends and reconnecting with old friends. The Lord has brought people into my life that support me and challenge me. I can't just say or do any old thing anymore without having a bunch of people ready to hold me accountable!
If you don't have any friends you feel comfortable opening your heart to, remember you can always talk to God. He'll listen to you, just the way that a friend does. He wants you to share yourself with Him like that anyway!
John 15:15 "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Growing Up
Well, I finallly did it! I cleaned out my Bible. I've had this pink NIV since I was eight and it's always been my favorite. Even though I like the other translations, the NIV is so easy to understand. During times when I'd be struggling with something or other, that little pink Bible always held something that would touch my heart and turn my thoughts towards God. But that was part of the problem.My Bible was STUFFED. Crammed to the gills with papers, phone numbers, notes, outlines, a couple photos and even recipes! Over the years, when something would bless my heart, remind me of God's love, or even seem like something that would be powerful in the future, I got into the habit of saving it. And God used those notes! There were times when I'd flip open my Bible and discover the exact encouragement that I needed.
Unfortunately, I began to notice that I couldn't flip to a verse without stuff dropping out. So I put all the notes that I wanted to keep in a special box until I can transcribe them. Hopefully, my Bible will last longer; plus, if anyone wants a killer recipe for loaded oatmeal cookies, I know where find it!
Saturday, March 17, 2007
My Current Favorite Song
Hey All!
I've had to do a lot of driving recently, so I get to listen to a LOT of Klove radio. =) They were playing this one song by MercyMe that expresses almost everything I've been feeling towards God. It's become my current favorite! When I told my sister, it turned out that this song is old!! Hee hee, I guess I'm not up with the times. Oh well.
I've posted the lyrics since I don't know how to post song clips. I hope you enjoy it!
MercyMe - Here With Me
From the album Undone
I long for your embrace
Every single day
To meet you in this place
And see you face to face
Will you show me?
Reveal yourself to me
Because of your mercy
I fall down on my knees
And I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I’m lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love
You’re everywhere I go
I am not alone
You call me as your own
To know you and be known
You are holy
And I fall down on my knees
I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I’m lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love
I surrender to your grace
I surrender to the one who took my place
I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I’m lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender…
I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I’m lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love
Label: Integrity Music
Label: Integrity Music
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Tackling the Spirit of Abandonment
John 14:18 "I will not leave you as orphans: I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."
This morning, as I got ready to attack the day, I kept mulling over the above verse. It's in John 14, where Jesus tells His disciples that He's about to go away, but not to worry. He goes on to tell them about the things that they have to look forward to in heaven and talks to them about the true way to show that you love God. Then He reassures them again about His leaving.
"I will not leave you as orphans-"
That was the phrase I kept hearing in my mind. As I stewed, I thought about something. In the world today, there is definitely an "orphaned spirit" or a feeling of abandonment. It is something that a lot of young adults struggle with.
Lying on my bed, staring at my digital clock, I decided to break it down to extreme simplicity. What is an orphan? Now there are some of you saying, "DUH!" and making rude jokes, but bear with me. I'm going somewhere, I promise!
An orphan is someone without:
~A protector
~A provider
~A teacher
~A leader
~A comforter
Do you feel like you are missing a few of these things? Do you find yourself telling yourself "I don't need anyone to look out for me" or "I can take care of myself"? Do you feel like you are lacking direction? When you cry, is there someone to hold you?
I'm not asking these questions to depress you. I'm asking these questions because I want you to think about what Jesus said. He promised that He wouldn't leave you. Even if you don't have anyone to look out for you, you can have Jesus as your source of comfort, direction, provision, and protection!
Verse 20 "Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."
Makes you think of a pregnant woman, right? A pregnant woman provides everything the baby inside her needs. The baby is cradled. The baby is fed. The baby is protected. Everything that the mom has, the baby shares in. He gets nourished right when she gets nourishment. I've been told that the baby actually thinks that his mom is an extention of himself!
That is the vision that I have for my relationship with Jesus. He feeds me. He protects me. He cradles me in His arms and dotes on me. Everything that He has, He has given to me. Because He lives, I also will live! And not the "scraping along, making it day to day" living! No! This is the Son of God talking; when He says I'll live, He means I'll live the abundant life!
As I was growing up, I struggled with feelings of loneliness and abandonment. Don't get me wrong, I have GREAT parents. It's just that the devil is real, the devil is a liar, and sometimes he had me conned. So seeing that God was looking out for my welfare had a big impact on my heart. He loved me and He never left my side. There were times when I didn't let Him help me or comfort me, but in the end, my Father always got His message of love through.
I want to leave you with this verse. It's in the same chapter, so if you wanted to study John 14, I highly recommend it. (Even if you've read this chapter a lot, read it again. The Holy Spirit can show you another side of these verses and bless your heart.)
John 14:1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."
You are not alone. You are the focus of Someone's love and sacrifice. I'm praying that the Lord will help you to more fully understand this!
Love ya,
Samantha
This morning, as I got ready to attack the day, I kept mulling over the above verse. It's in John 14, where Jesus tells His disciples that He's about to go away, but not to worry. He goes on to tell them about the things that they have to look forward to in heaven and talks to them about the true way to show that you love God. Then He reassures them again about His leaving.
"I will not leave you as orphans-"
That was the phrase I kept hearing in my mind. As I stewed, I thought about something. In the world today, there is definitely an "orphaned spirit" or a feeling of abandonment. It is something that a lot of young adults struggle with.
Lying on my bed, staring at my digital clock, I decided to break it down to extreme simplicity. What is an orphan? Now there are some of you saying, "DUH!" and making rude jokes, but bear with me. I'm going somewhere, I promise!
An orphan is someone without:
~A protector
~A provider
~A teacher
~A leader
~A comforter
Do you feel like you are missing a few of these things? Do you find yourself telling yourself "I don't need anyone to look out for me" or "I can take care of myself"? Do you feel like you are lacking direction? When you cry, is there someone to hold you?
I'm not asking these questions to depress you. I'm asking these questions because I want you to think about what Jesus said. He promised that He wouldn't leave you. Even if you don't have anyone to look out for you, you can have Jesus as your source of comfort, direction, provision, and protection!
Verse 20 "Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."
Makes you think of a pregnant woman, right? A pregnant woman provides everything the baby inside her needs. The baby is cradled. The baby is fed. The baby is protected. Everything that the mom has, the baby shares in. He gets nourished right when she gets nourishment. I've been told that the baby actually thinks that his mom is an extention of himself!
That is the vision that I have for my relationship with Jesus. He feeds me. He protects me. He cradles me in His arms and dotes on me. Everything that He has, He has given to me. Because He lives, I also will live! And not the "scraping along, making it day to day" living! No! This is the Son of God talking; when He says I'll live, He means I'll live the abundant life!
As I was growing up, I struggled with feelings of loneliness and abandonment. Don't get me wrong, I have GREAT parents. It's just that the devil is real, the devil is a liar, and sometimes he had me conned. So seeing that God was looking out for my welfare had a big impact on my heart. He loved me and He never left my side. There were times when I didn't let Him help me or comfort me, but in the end, my Father always got His message of love through.
I want to leave you with this verse. It's in the same chapter, so if you wanted to study John 14, I highly recommend it. (Even if you've read this chapter a lot, read it again. The Holy Spirit can show you another side of these verses and bless your heart.)
John 14:1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."
You are not alone. You are the focus of Someone's love and sacrifice. I'm praying that the Lord will help you to more fully understand this!
Love ya,
Samantha
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Isaiah 54
I've never before realized how personal God is. He answers us so personally. He's not out there, floating around, busy with so many other things that He barely has time for us. He's right here, nose to nose with us, and He cares.
Last night, I was so troubled. I couldn't go to bed for a long time. I spent a long time on the floor just crying out to God. This morning, I didn't get out of bed until I had spent some time just praying. All day I've been kind of going through the motions, just watching for where God's answer was going to come from.
When I got home from work tonight, I was looking through my mail and I found a letter from Kenneth Copeland Ministeries and they included some scripture cards. There was my answer! Every scripture touched that sore spot and was like water. This one really spoke to me though:
Isaiah 54:11-13 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundation with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
Amazing.
Last night, I was so troubled. I couldn't go to bed for a long time. I spent a long time on the floor just crying out to God. This morning, I didn't get out of bed until I had spent some time just praying. All day I've been kind of going through the motions, just watching for where God's answer was going to come from.
When I got home from work tonight, I was looking through my mail and I found a letter from Kenneth Copeland Ministeries and they included some scripture cards. There was my answer! Every scripture touched that sore spot and was like water. This one really spoke to me though:
Isaiah 54:11-13 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundation with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
Amazing.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Battling Disappointment
What do you do when you come before the Lord expecting something and get nada?
Case in point was my Sunday morning service. We had an AWESOME praise and worship service. It was one of those times when I could totally forget about everything but God. I began to feel so favored, so happy! Not that I'm chasing the "feeling" or "the goosebumps", but since it was there, I was appreciating it. Then, when Pastor Joe stood up to speak, he said that the Lord had changed the plan for the service at around 11pm the previous night! (That's always exciting to hear!) I was completely ready for the sermon!
The speaker replacing Pastor Joe for the service was amazing! The material was powerful, the presentation was attention grabbing, and the anointing was present! But for me, it fizzled three quarters of the way through the sermon!
Craziness! The logical part of my brain began to reason things out. “Maybe you haven’t understood the message yet! Or, maybe Sam, this wasn’t a message that was meant for you! Maybe you were just supposed to be here to help set up and talk to people-”
But I wasn’t in the mood to be reasonable. Heaviness settled over my heart, and I just felt sad. I didn’t even know where to look. One of my friends gave me a hug and asked me if I was alright, and I had to say I didn’t know.
Disappointment is something that everyone experiences every now and again. But, biblically, it isn’t something that we can say we experienced at the hands of God.
Matt. 7:7
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Num. 23:19
“God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
God has a responsibility to give to those who ask, open to those who knock, and reveal Himself to those who seek!
So how does that affect Sunday? As I drove home, I’m sorry to say I just stewed. I didn’t ask God for help. I didn’t ask Him what had happened. I didn’t even openly accuse Him. Instead, I turned away from Him. Yup, gave Him the ol’ silent treatment.
Had God let me down? Had He promised something I hadn’t received? If EVERY TIME I seek Him, He promises to be there, then what happened?
I’ll tell you what happened. There was a battle in the sanctuary. The enemy stepped in and suggested something and I accepted it. I swallowed the lie. What was the lie? “God’s not here for you today, Sam. You came expecting Him to be here with something special for you today, and He was only bringing things for some of His other children. You’re here because He wants you just to serve today.”
Do you see what a whopper that was? But I took it as gospel, and left the sanctuary. I rejected the idea of going up and getting prayer, because this service wasn’t about me, and the minister wouldn’t have anything for me. I left whatever God had for me and I didn’t pursue it.
Disappointment is a lie. When invited to indulge, you can refuse with all the passion you can muster! Even if you’ve left Him and left the thing you wanted behind, remember, God can and will restore. He will return to you the things the enemy stole from you through lies and deception.
I started this entry not knowing how it would turn out. I had the idea that I’d suggest seeking God a little bit further and keeping after the expected revelation, gift, healing, touch, whatever. But God changed this message.
If there is something you are expecting from God, don’t take no for an answer. Don’t get nervous or self conscious. Be the child who just knows Dad brought her something! God isn’t like the earthly fathers who think they’ve spoiled their children enough! Even Jesus said it; “-I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Hebrews 11:6 says “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
I had one out of two done! I came believing that He exists! It was the second part I fell down in.
I don’t want to pretend that I have all the answers. I don’t. OFTEN, I look around and realize that I’m in a mess and the way there was paved by good intentions. But more and more and MORE, God has been showing me that I don’t have to be so concerned with appearances. If I muddle it up, oh well. I still want to follow Him and that’s enough! God can work with that.
Maybe that’s not religious enough for some of you, but again, oh well. We’ll see where I end up!
God bless you!
Samantha
Case in point was my Sunday morning service. We had an AWESOME praise and worship service. It was one of those times when I could totally forget about everything but God. I began to feel so favored, so happy! Not that I'm chasing the "feeling" or "the goosebumps", but since it was there, I was appreciating it. Then, when Pastor Joe stood up to speak, he said that the Lord had changed the plan for the service at around 11pm the previous night! (That's always exciting to hear!) I was completely ready for the sermon!
The speaker replacing Pastor Joe for the service was amazing! The material was powerful, the presentation was attention grabbing, and the anointing was present! But for me, it fizzled three quarters of the way through the sermon!
Craziness! The logical part of my brain began to reason things out. “Maybe you haven’t understood the message yet! Or, maybe Sam, this wasn’t a message that was meant for you! Maybe you were just supposed to be here to help set up and talk to people-”
But I wasn’t in the mood to be reasonable. Heaviness settled over my heart, and I just felt sad. I didn’t even know where to look. One of my friends gave me a hug and asked me if I was alright, and I had to say I didn’t know.
Disappointment is something that everyone experiences every now and again. But, biblically, it isn’t something that we can say we experienced at the hands of God.
Matt. 7:7
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Num. 23:19
“God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
God has a responsibility to give to those who ask, open to those who knock, and reveal Himself to those who seek!
So how does that affect Sunday? As I drove home, I’m sorry to say I just stewed. I didn’t ask God for help. I didn’t ask Him what had happened. I didn’t even openly accuse Him. Instead, I turned away from Him. Yup, gave Him the ol’ silent treatment.
Had God let me down? Had He promised something I hadn’t received? If EVERY TIME I seek Him, He promises to be there, then what happened?
I’ll tell you what happened. There was a battle in the sanctuary. The enemy stepped in and suggested something and I accepted it. I swallowed the lie. What was the lie? “God’s not here for you today, Sam. You came expecting Him to be here with something special for you today, and He was only bringing things for some of His other children. You’re here because He wants you just to serve today.”
Do you see what a whopper that was? But I took it as gospel, and left the sanctuary. I rejected the idea of going up and getting prayer, because this service wasn’t about me, and the minister wouldn’t have anything for me. I left whatever God had for me and I didn’t pursue it.
Disappointment is a lie. When invited to indulge, you can refuse with all the passion you can muster! Even if you’ve left Him and left the thing you wanted behind, remember, God can and will restore. He will return to you the things the enemy stole from you through lies and deception.
I started this entry not knowing how it would turn out. I had the idea that I’d suggest seeking God a little bit further and keeping after the expected revelation, gift, healing, touch, whatever. But God changed this message.
If there is something you are expecting from God, don’t take no for an answer. Don’t get nervous or self conscious. Be the child who just knows Dad brought her something! God isn’t like the earthly fathers who think they’ve spoiled their children enough! Even Jesus said it; “-I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Hebrews 11:6 says “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
I had one out of two done! I came believing that He exists! It was the second part I fell down in.
I don’t want to pretend that I have all the answers. I don’t. OFTEN, I look around and realize that I’m in a mess and the way there was paved by good intentions. But more and more and MORE, God has been showing me that I don’t have to be so concerned with appearances. If I muddle it up, oh well. I still want to follow Him and that’s enough! God can work with that.
Maybe that’s not religious enough for some of you, but again, oh well. We’ll see where I end up!
God bless you!
Samantha
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Ireland, Here I Come!
^_^
I'm back! It's been too long, but I'm here now!
As I looked back on 2006, I realized that 2006 was probably the best year of my life. It was a wonderful thing to realize! So much blessing, so much revelation...God has been very good to me. But even as I thought about that, I felt the Lord pointing out something to me.
Let me preface with a story. For Christmas this year, my fabulous older brother bought my sisters the Nintendo Wii. They were screaming and jumping around and hugging everyone, and it was so much fun to watch them! They were so excited and happy I found myself feeling a little jealous! I was like, "Lord, why is it that birthdays and Christmases aren't as exciting to me anymore?" I didn't really expect a response, so I was surprised when these words just dropped into my heart.
"Sam, it's because you don't ask for big enough stuff."
Wow. How many times do we miss out on the excitement and adventure, simply because we have taught ourselves to be satisfied with "just enough to get by"?
God has been showing me in so many areas of my life that I don't depend on Him enough! With all the beautiful growth in my life, you'd think I should be satisfied, right? Wrong!
The bible says that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we could ever ask or think. One of the names of God is El Shaddai or "more than enough". God wants to pour out His love, guidance, and provision on our lives.
So to practice trusting God for bigger, I'm going to start dreaming again, and for Christmas next year, I'm asking for a trip to Ireland!
God bless you!
Samantha
I'm back! It's been too long, but I'm here now!
As I looked back on 2006, I realized that 2006 was probably the best year of my life. It was a wonderful thing to realize! So much blessing, so much revelation...God has been very good to me. But even as I thought about that, I felt the Lord pointing out something to me.
Let me preface with a story. For Christmas this year, my fabulous older brother bought my sisters the Nintendo Wii. They were screaming and jumping around and hugging everyone, and it was so much fun to watch them! They were so excited and happy I found myself feeling a little jealous! I was like, "Lord, why is it that birthdays and Christmases aren't as exciting to me anymore?" I didn't really expect a response, so I was surprised when these words just dropped into my heart.
"Sam, it's because you don't ask for big enough stuff."
Wow. How many times do we miss out on the excitement and adventure, simply because we have taught ourselves to be satisfied with "just enough to get by"?
God has been showing me in so many areas of my life that I don't depend on Him enough! With all the beautiful growth in my life, you'd think I should be satisfied, right? Wrong!
The bible says that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we could ever ask or think. One of the names of God is El Shaddai or "more than enough". God wants to pour out His love, guidance, and provision on our lives.
So to practice trusting God for bigger, I'm going to start dreaming again, and for Christmas next year, I'm asking for a trip to Ireland!
God bless you!
Samantha
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