Saturday, May 26, 2012

Who I Want To Be... The Best

My desire is to be the best woman of God I can be. Perfection is what I will strive for. 
I want to be the best wife to my husband. Making sure that he is fully satisfied in every way possible.
I want to be the best mom to my children. Making sure they have everything they need and some wants even.

I know that God is molding me to be my very best. He is making something very beautiful.

God can do the same for you. Open up your heart to Him.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

It's About Legacy

Today's message at church was about "Legacy". Then when my family and I sat down for lunch my dad asked me a question. He asked, "Sarah, what kind of legacy are your mother and I leaving you?" Of course being caught off guard and not expecting that question I didn't have an answer. I have however spent the rest of the afternoon/evening pondering my answer. 

From the time I was six days old I have been in church. My parents were very much involved and I too would be involved along with my younger sister and brother. Mom and Dad taught us plenty: from right and wrong to staying faithful in what we said we would do. Has it been easy? No... and that goes for both parents and children. 

Some other things that they are teaching us is to work hard. Do your best and give it your all even when you don't feel like it. This, I'll admit, has been a slow lesson for me to learn. They have raised us to fear God and to respect those around us.  This just doesn't go for church either. It goes also for school, work, miscellaneous events...anything we set our minds to do.

I do believe that my parents are leaving a great legacy. My dad not being raised in church, he has come such a long way in the Lord. One thing that I remember us doing as a family was to pray as a family. We would sit in a circle, hold hands, pray for one another,  and other family needs. I know that we are all adults now and we all have busy schedules, but I sometimes I miss that. I have taught myself to pray and read my Bible even when I don't feel like it. We should still make the time to pray as a family. This doesn't mean that we don't pray as individuals, but actually sitting together and praying. I know that's one thing I would want my children to learn and do. 


I want to teach my children and help them grasp the importance of leaving a good, healthy, God filled legacy.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Jesus Wept

The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, "Jesus wept." A significant meaning with just two words. When we find this scripture, we find it the story of Lazerus. He has died and Jesus weeps for him; He weeps with his family. I truly believe that this was a family that Jesus could count on, they would be there. Maybe they even shared some laughs, some tears, jokes, etc. But when I see those two words, many thoughts come to my mind. Does Jesus still weep? I ask this because even though He is now in perfection, His church and Bride is not yet. We mess up. We hurt. We  cry. Does Jesus weep when we weep? So many struggle with sin, does Jesus weep with us when we are sorry. He knows our hearts intentions. When our hearts break, does His? He carried the ultimate burden and that was carrying the cross that would bare our sin and shame. I'm someone that if I get teary eyed, more than likely I will just let my tears fall. Crying is apart of life; its emotion. 
Jesus at one point was human. So therefore He had the physical ability to cry. I know that when we get to heaven there will be no more crying, but does He still weep? God sees my tears. I can't see His, but I know when I do something wrong I hurt Him. It's not like I wake up in the morning planning to screw up my day. I love the Lord and He loves me. 

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Boaz

It is my pleasure to introduce to you a man whose name is unlike any other. The character that he possesses is very hard to find in a world filled with greed and unrighteousness. This man shows full potential; he is within the very heart of Christ Himself. Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you, Boaz.

We first met Boaz in the Bible, found in the book of Ruth. Let me share with you a few characteristics about Boaz. A landowner, business man. Boaz is known to be the kinsman redeemer. He is well known (famous) in and around his community and more than likely, his state. He is of great wealth. He would help out any one who needed a shirt on their back, needed a meal or meals to eat, etc. He was a giver. Boaz was very protective of whatever belonged to him, especially when it came down to his wife. He even rebuked people that made even one insult towards her.

I tell you this because I can not wait to meet and have my own Boaz. I remember this like it was yesterday, but on Good Friday 2012, at a Ladies' Foot Washing it was spoken over me that my Boaz was coming and coming soon. To be quite honest, since then, I haven't really thought about it. However, it came to my curiousity that I wanted to know who the "real" Boaz was. Wouldn't you? So I researched. Trying to keep myself occupied with other things is not easy, but its also not difficult. God has blessed me with a part-time job that is cooperating with my dual school schedule. I baby sit about once every other week, so you can say that I do keep busy. There is no time to really think about the husband subject. However, he has been on my heart for a couple of days now.

There is only time that I can remember dreaming about my wedding. It was around that I also received the "Boaz" word. I wish that I would dream about the whole day. I even wish when I saw a face in my dream that I could remember his features: like the color of his eyes and the sparkle of his smile.

Oh how I want to meet him.
I want to introduce myself and give a quirky giggle.
I want us to go on that first date that I actually want to remember, instead to regretting ever going out.
I want him to notice me right off the bat.
The minute he sees me, he'll know! And I'll know!
 (I'm getting all giggly right now)
I shouldn't have to ask and question his faith and walk with God.
I want to hold hands.
I want to talk/text/e-mail each other all the time.
I want to snuggle and cuddle with him on the couch.
I want us to pray together.
I want us to minister together.
Where he goes, I go.

There is so much I look forward too.
I am so grateful to God that He would bless me with man like Boaz.
I know God has the perfect timing and everything.
So I will just keep holding on to the promise of God's word.
Boaz will come!!


Face Your Giants

I finally watched for the first time "Facing The Giants". If you haven't seen it, I challenge you to watch this movie. It's about a man and his wife, Grant and Brook Taylor that both believe that God is capable of working miracles, but are becoming a bit discouraged because for them personally it seemed that God was taking His "sweet" time. The husband, a high school football coach feels like a failure; that he could not be his best. He has never had a winning season in the 6 years of being at this school. The dads of these football players have the idea of replacing him as head coach. The wife wanted something that most every woman dreams of having and being; she wanted to have a baby and to be a mommy. On top of all the frustration, Grant finds out that he is the reason that his wife can not get pregnant. So devastation hits and hits hard.

We also meet some of the players, students of the school. One young man disrespects his father. He does not care what he says or thinks, he will do things his way instead of submitting to his parental authority. Then we meet David. He's insecure about his size. David and his dad are new to town and he finds out that the school does not have a soccer team, but a football. His dad, confined to a wheelchair, encourages him to try-out for the team as a kicker. Then we have Brock, the team captain. He displays an attitude of disbelief and of not having any faith in his team or himself.

There came a point where Grant had to give everything to the Lord. He surrendered. All him and his wife wanted was to see God's favor. Brook would awake from her sleep and find that her husband was not next to her, but just over in the living room, down on his knees praying to God. Then she herself would get out of bed and kneel down beside the bed and pray. They knew that the situation and circumstances were no longer in their hands. It would take a miracle!

If you have seen the movie, we know that there is an older man who roams up and down the school's hallway and prays over each locker. As the scenes move forward, we see faith and hope arise. We salvation take place for the students; there's a revival of prayer. We also see Grant and Brook really set their focus on what's really important. They finally come to the point that no matter what happens they will still love God. A motto from the movie: "If we win, we praise Him. If we lose, we praise Him." No matter what you face and no matter how long you face that giant for, you praise God. He will bring you through and out. 

Doubt, disbelief, and fear are just a few giants that most, if not all, human beings have to face. In fact, if you say that you are a Christian, but have never dealt with any of these emotions, you probably need to examine your walk with God. Being a Christian has its advantages and rewards, but its never an easy road all the time. Just like love, peace, and joyous feelings are real, so is doubt, fear, anxiety, and disbelief. The enemy is real, but so is God.

The entire message of this movie is this: face your giants. In the movie, the giants are represented as the big-to-do, rival football team. They have won the state championship for several years in a row and they remain undefeated. The Giants are the enemy, but God gave the Eagles victory. So in our situations, yes, we have an adversary, but its says in His Word that the devil is defeated!! We, in Christ, have the VICTORY!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

It's Your Choice

We all have a CHOICE.
We all have to make a CHOICE.
Sometimes the CHOICE is not easy.
LIFE isn't supposed to be all peachy.
The roads and paths we CHOOSE will have consequences.

It's a CHOICE to live in sin.
It's a CHOICE to have premarital sex.
It's a CHOICE to have an affair with another man or another woman.
It's your CHOICE to drink the alcohol.
It's your CHOICE to smoke the cigarette.
It's your CHOICE to over-eat.
It's your CHOICE to use profane language.

You have the CHOICE to serve God
But you also have the CHOICE to hate Him.
You have the CHOICE to forgive yourself and others.

You have the CHOICE to get up and praise God everyday!
You have the CHOICE to read the Bible.
The government can not CHOOSE for you.

It's your CHOICE to get up and go to church.
It's your CHOICE to get up and go to work and support your family.
It's your CHOICE to hang out with the wrong crowd and with the right crowd.


There is a famous saying from an old TV show that goes, "The devil made me do it!"
That statement could not be anymore false.
Satan will tempt you, but he CAN NOT make you do anything.
You have the CHOICE to say yes or no!

CHOOSE this day whom you will serve!
 

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

LOVE Yourself

LOVE yourself. This can be a hard lesson to learn. In order though to love others, you must love you. So many people I know who struggle with this. Two reason I hear: Trying not to be self-centered and selfish. Second reason: They don't know how to love themselves. Loving yourself does not need to be a cocky and selfish act. The Bible says that you should love yourself. One of the greatest commandments God gave: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. So I'll say it again: In order to love others, you have to love yourself.