Brokeness and Sunsets!

Lately I’ve been talking with a friend who is going through some amazingly hard times in his life. His future has totally changed and he has lost a big part of his life. As I talk with him though there seems to have such a peace about what he’s going through. He even says to me that “If all of this wouldn’t have happened some of the greatest things in my life right now may have never happened.” He has had a great support group surrounding him and he has turned to God amidst all this adversity. He knows that all of this is happening for a reason and that even though it’s hard there has been some great beauty brought forth from it.

The way he is handling all of these oppressions reminds me of a sunset.

Even though the sun goes down and loses its heat, it brings beauty to the sky around it. It’s a much prettier sky when the sun is setting than when it is at its highest point. That seems to be the case for my friends as well. Even though this isn’t the highest point in his life and he isn’t feeling that “hot”, he is leading a much more beautiful life in Christ.

I hope that the pain you are experiencing in your life will become as beautiful as the setting suns sky. That you will see the positive things in your life each and every day. That you would turn to the Creator of your life for the answers that are missing in your life. That you would never give up on life. That you would allow the people in your life to help you get through whatever it is you are going through.

You are not alone!

Let your pain turn into a beauty that the world can’t ignore.

My Flag is turning WHITE

Lyrics to Surrender Saved My Life :
I have had enough,
buying ashes with my love
I don't need this
I'm pursuing counterfeit
I'm worth so much more
than this
I don't need it
I don't need it

My flag is turning white
I need Your hope tonight
For the first time
Surrender saved my life

When will all this end?
Must I open up again?
I don't need this
Healing hurts a little more, but I'll be stronger than before
Yeah, I need this,
I know I need this

Keep my eyes focused, You are the long run
There's no time for giving up
We'll make it
We'll make it

Surrender Saved My Life [This Beautiful Republic]

I just did one of the hardest things I may have ever had to do. I forgave someone who wronged me. It was eating me up inside. For a couple of years I have thought that I had fully forgiven this person, but when I took a step back I realized I was just saying that I forgave them, in a very weak attempt to make myself believe it, in hopes that some day it would become reality. Today is that day. But I couldnt just tell myself that I forgave this person. I had to tell the person. I had to write them a letter/message/note whatever you would like to call it, and I told them that although they hurt me, I was forgiving them. I couldn't let what this person had done have control over me any longer. I have found freedom through forgivin someone else. I know that this journey may still be rough, but with God as my strength I can make it. I waved my white flag high and proud today to surrender this situation to God.

Is there someone you need to forgive today?

Ephesians 4:32- Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you.

be blessed. bless someone.
Amanda

so whatcha think?

So how about this for a logo?

Little Things

This last week I've been challenged to help others I wouldn't normally help. I can sense the Spirit pushing me to do this or that, and every time I get that feeling I start to think, "I can't do much for them. There's such a need, but I can't do much for them." I start to feel like I can't do anything for this cause of that cause because I can't completely make their problems go away.

But then these last couple of days I've been challenged to think about the little things. I was challenged to think about how if we all did something small there would be great change in the world. We don't all need to be doing these huge things that take up our whole lives. Think of how much we could effect the world if we all did things in our own community that would bring glory to God. Even if it is just helping out in the nursery at your church or making cookies for an elderly couple that you know.

All God needs is our obedience to make a difference in this world. Are we going to obey God's call to us as believers to be a light to this dark world???

I would suggest you all check out this amazing organization that is bringing everyone together in making a difference in this world. Check them out. They've been such an encouragement in my life and I'm sure you'll be challenged as well.

http://www.i-heart.org/


Just Being Honest,
Joe

Let's change the world.

I'm finding it hard,
hard to take
Mistakes we have made
Ignoring the ones
that we hold dear
Out of selfishness

All these things distract
our eyes and steal our time

Why do we keep fighting, but saying everything's alright?
We all see the same things why can't we stand side by side?
United together, we can change the world

I'm learning to take the smallest steps, and making a way
Can You take anymore?
Can You stand by while our world crashes down?

Be the spark,
forsake your pride,
set things right

Why do we keep fighting, but saying everything's alright?
We all see the same things why can't we stand side by side?
If we have each other, we can change the world

Change The World- This Beautiful Republic

This song says so much. I feel like today, as a day that the world mourns the death of two great american icons, today is a day that gives me even more passion to change the world. The death of Michael Jackson has made me wonder how many celebrities truly know who Jesus is and what he did for them. I am fairly certain that Michael Jackson did not know Jesus, but I can't know for sure, only God knows that. But the thought of a man who revolutionized the music and dance industry and culture completely, spending a Christless eternity just really saddens me. His death makes me wonder, how many people in this country and in this world have put Michael Jackson before Jesus. As I watched the news today I saw Michael Jackson fans gathering outside the hospital where he was pronounced dead, I saw people gathering at his home, I saw people gathering at his childhood home, I saw people who literally worshipped this man. There were people talking about the impact that Michael Jackson had on their lives. It made me wonder what it would be like if we could or even would talk about Jesus on television or the radio like these people were talking about Michael Jackson. On a couple of radio stations the DJs were having a time where they opened up the phone lines for people to call in and tell stories about how Michael Jackson and his music had affected their lives. What if we sent videos to the public tv station or called into the secular radio station to tell them about how Jesus has affected our lives... they wouldn't play it. Our country and our world has our values and morals all backwards. We as the general public or general society worship people who woship things. When that happens, we begin to value the same things that our idols worship. Things like money, pride, power, and appearance.

Can You take anymore?
Can You stand by while our world crashes down?

I don't want to stand by and watch our world fall apart, watch it crash. Our world needs to realize the power given us through Christ. We as Christians need to live Christ out, especially in times like this. I am not saying we need to shove religion down people's throats, I am saying we need to be the body of Christ. When the body comes together and works together we can change the world. Christ is the head to our body and the head holds the brain. When the body works together that means we let Christ decide what we need to do, we just have to listen to what our brain is telling us and go do something about it instead of just listen. We need to live out our faith; we need to love; be honest with people; share life and care for those who are just going through life with no purpose and no direction.

Be the spark,
forsake your pride,
set things right

Let's change the world... what do you think?

Tonight I begin by praying for the family and friends of Michael Jackson. I also pray tonight for the family and friends of Farrah Fawcett.

Good night my friends.
Amanda

Sleepless Morning (written at 3 a.m.)

As I sit here at nearly three o’clock in the morning I have been laying in bed for over and hour trying to get to sleep. Maybe it is the heat, maybe it is the fact that I slept in until one o’clock this afternoon, maybe it is because my brain just isn’t tired yet, or maybe it was God trying to get my attention. I sat here and many things have gone through my head in the past hour. I thought of the girls I coached in cheerleading at The Potter’s House Middle School last winter. I wondered what they were up to now; whether this summer they are making good decisions. Many of them just graduated from 8th grade and I won’t have another chance to impact their lives, so I wondered if I impacted them at all… especially the girls who quit. From those girls I moved on to the little girl I have been praying for from the orphanage my future roommate is working in, in Haiti. Then I began thinking of Maryann (future roommate) who is currently (at least as far as I know) in a hospital in Haiti. I wondered how her surgery went yesterday, hoping that she is recovering from it quickly and safely. I was thinking about when we will be roommates. The thought of it made me smile. Then randomly I moved on to where I am going to put the rest of my stuff in my apartment when I get it out of storage. That got me thinking about where I am going to get a new apartment when I graduate from Grace next May. Who will be my roommate? Just thinking about that made me realize that although I am unusually flexible with my plans, I still always want somewhere steady to call home. My move out of the dorms officially was actually a really tough decision for me. Room 102 has been my “home” for the last three years (minus summers) and the thought of leaving my “home” is scary for me. But I know that my move to the apartment was a good choice and will serve as a good transition for when I have to actually move away. Another random thing popped into my head though, changing topics in my head; I tried to figure out if the lamp I saw in my friend’s apartment last week had always been there or if it was new, but I know I have seen the lamp before, so I thought maybe it was gone for a while and was back… but why did it matter? Then I thought of my friends Anna and Shelby. I was thinking of memories I have with both of them and how great of friends they both are and how much I absolutely cherish their friendships. Thinking about them got me thinking about all of my friends in general. I thought of how I view my friends. The majority of them I see them as such amazing people and see their strength to get through certain situations. I thought of their ability to deal with the things going on in their life and from where I sit I could see their strength. I thought why would they want to hang out with me? I am so broken. I am so weak compared to them. I immediately looked to my weaknesses, but something about that seemed very wrong to me so I looked at it from a different angle. I had to turn it around and view the situation as if I were not the weak one, but the strong one. Because I am not weak; I am strong, I just can’t always see that. As much as I can sometimes only see my weakness, sometimes I can only see their strength. But we are all broken and we are all strong in our own unique ways. I think that is why we all get alone so well, because in the areas some of us are weak, the others are strong and can encourage and build us up. But I know that none of us could be strong in our own strength. It is the strength of Christ that we lean upon when someone else is weak to lift them back up. Again I thought of things that many of my friends have said to me that have impacted my pattern of thinking or my actions that they probably didn’t even know that what they were saying was being recorded in my mind. I thank God so much for all of my friends. I thank God that I don’t have to go through life alone. I love my community of friends who I can rely on for basically anything ever… I definitely recommend getting together with a group of people to go through life together.

Sorry this was super random. I think I am tired enough now to fall asleep. Just remember you are not alone. Not in your joy and happiness, and not in your struggles and pain.

Have a great night friends!
Amanda

p.s. Something else to think about... What kind of impact can you have on someone else when you tell them your appreciation for the little things they do? What kind of impact can you have on someone if you let them know what they really mean to you and how thankful you are for them? Let someone know today that you appreciate them.

The Two Legged Dog!!!

As I was waiting for my coffee at Bigby with my good friend Amanda we saw this 2 legged dog walk across the parking lot. It was so random, yet it brought such joy to my life. It only had its front legs so it balanced on them and it's butt stuck way up in the air. It was quite an amazing thing to see. The craziest thing was that the dog got around just fine with only its two legs. It's like the dog didn't even notice it had a problem. He just walked around like any other dog pretty much.

As I sat there catching up with my friend I started to think about that dog. How he was just as mobile as any other dog and he seemed okay with only having two legs.
I also pondered how I sometimes find myself thinking that "God can't use me. I'm still really young and I'm not the strongest Christian" I sometimes feel like that dog, but instead of using what God has given me I start to think I'm unworthy.

Do you feel that way sometimes??? Do you feel unworthy of God's love and grace in your life??? Do you sometimes think that you're not good enough to be used by God??? Or that you've screwed up too much for God to use you???

Let me tell you something. You are good enough for God. Why? Because of what Jesus did on the cross some two thousand years ago. He paid the price so that we could be good enough.

I hope that you'll remember what Jesus did you for you and me. And that you'll remember that you are good enough. No matter what you've done God will always accept you :)

Just think about that dog that only has two legs, and he gets around just fine...and so can we


just being honest,
Joe