More than I want or need

All of You is more than enough for all of me For every thirst and every need You satisfy me with Your love And all I have in You is more than enough You are my supply My breath of life And still more awesome than I know You are my reward worth living for And still more awesome than I know All of You is more than enough for all of me For every thirst and every need You satisfy me with Your love And all I have in You is more than enough You’re my sacrifice Of greatest price And still more awesome than I know You’re my coming King You are everything And still more awesome than I know More than all I want More than all I need You are more than enough for me More than all I know More than all I can see You are more than enough for me Enough by Chris Tomlin I got to see Chris in concert last night, and it was amazing. But what was even cooler than the little bit of the concert I saw was hanging out at the merch booth. I volunteered to help out, and ended up working hard selling t-shirts, cds, and books. The other volunteers and Chris' merch guy, Greg, were awesome. We had a blast just hanging out. Of course the concert was really awesome, but at the end of the night I had more fun talking to all the folks at the merch booth. I love selling t-shirts. And even packing up was fun. But what I guess I really learned was that living this Christian life often isn't about the times of worship, or when you're in church, but about simply being around others who are living it out. I've been thinking a lot about fellowship, and last night really enforced what I was thinking--how important it is. So go out there and spend time with people. Laugh, have fun, and relax. Segobe, Sarah

Just as I Am

Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need in thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, thy love unknown hath broken every barrier down; now, to be thine, yea thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Behavior or reality?

Life is so much more than just our behavior. So why do we treat Christianity like it is simply behavior modifications? I see people all around me thinking and acting like Christianity is a series of check boxes. "Didn't kill anyone today? Check. Didn't cuss today? Check. Let someone pull out in front of me? Check. Didn't watch any bad tv shows? Check." You would think that if Jesus wanted Christianity to be a checklist, he would have given us one. But he didn't. So what is Christianity? Well, it's a relationship. It's a living, changing, intense relationship between me and God through the grace of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is Jesus. Nothing more and nothing less. I live like everyday things are reality. But they aren't. The Gospel is my reality. Jesus is what keeps me alive and sane. And that's what my life should reflect. If you're married, you aren't going to go around flirting with everyone. My actions aren't a checklist, they're a result of this relationship. It is His love that compels me. Toittazqueh, -Sarah P.S. Happy 18th birthday to one of my best friends, Rachel!

Life is good.

I came to a stunning and shocking realization today, minus the shock and the stun. As I was in church this morning I realized that life doesn't suck. And as I was putting together a little art project today, I realized life doesn't suck. Now that may seem like a stupid thing to realize, but as a teenager, life is very dramatic. Very "oh, life stinks, we all are living this empty existence" stuff. Looking back at my poetry, I see a lot of "I am trapped in my sin, I am trapped in my own selfishness" etc. And I mean a whole lot. But now I realize that I'm content. More than that, I'm happy. I couldn't figure out when recapping my year what was the biggest change. What I mean is that I realized what I had learned, but besides "trying to live it", I wasn't sure how I changed. But now I realize that I'm a lot happier now. As the old Coca-Cola commercials said, "Life is Good". Sapaul, Sarah

God really does answer prayers...

As most of y'all should know, I want to be a youth pastor. It's what God has called me to do, and it's where I know God wants me. I've known since I was 11. And as you also proably know, this is my final semester at home--I graduate high school in May and then am off to college somewhere! What you may or may not know is that I've been at the same church my entire life. I've never left, and I love my church. I am so thankful that I was brought up in a solid, Bible-based church with such an amazing pastor (Not only are his sermons applicable, he is one of the most intelligent men you will ever meet). I really just love all the people and the leadership and everything. In April, we will be having our 5th Youth Sunday. We had 3 with our old youth pastor, and this is our 2nd with our current youth pastor, BJ. When we had our old youth pastor, I preached a sermon in youth group that I really felt God was laying on my heart (I was in 9th grade I think). It was definitely exciting and really felt good. Looking back the sermon was really bad and not truly theologically accurate (It wasn't wrong, it just wasn't the best way to approach life). Well, I've definitely grown spiritually, as a leader, and my theology definitely has grown (become more Biblically accurate). One thing I have always wanted to do is preach in main service at my church. This being my final semester, I know that the chances of me getting the opportunity after this are very, very low. I had really been praying recently, pouring my heart out to God, telling Him how much I wanted to preach the sermon at this last Youth Sunday I'll be involved in at my church. I want to give something big back to the church that I've been raised in. I want them to know why I love God so much, and I just desperately wanted to do it. The chances of me getting the opportunity, well, as my best friend said "an impossibility". There was just a lot of issues standing in the way. And about 2 years ago I had another sermon I really wanted to preach in youth group and I kept giving copies to my youth pastor and he said it was good and that he'd look at it and we could discuss it, and then we never did. That went on for about a year and a half. So if he was seemingly reluctant to let me preach in youth group, preaching in regular service probably was not likely. But still I poured my heart out to God. I had a reassurance that He knew my heart, and He knew my desires. I knew that I couldn't bring it up with my youth pastor--I had to trust it with God. Well, tonight I had a meeting with my youth pastor and my best friend (and co-drama leader) to talk about Youth Sunday, our drama team, and the Battle Cry event the church is planning on going to. It was really nice, talking about the various things, and then suddenly out of the blue he says to me: "And I was wondering how long it would take you to get a sermon together". I FLIPPED OUT ON MY INSIDES. I seriously was about to cry on the inside and blabbered or something like that. I actually had a sermon that I have all the main points for, I was having quiet time and one came to me the other week, plus the one I never did in youth group, and I could make a sermon in less than a day, but since he was talking about Youth Sunday in April, I said "a month I guess" and mentioned that I had two. I couldn't look over at my best friend because I knew we'd have a "moment" about it, and we needed to stick to business. Then he said: "Ok. Just start getting something together and let me know when you get done. I don't really know where all that came from, I just sort of started thinking of it this week..." and then we went on to something else. It wasn't a yes, I know that, but it was a very, very definite maybe!! I'm so freaking happy that I serve such an amazing God. I want to be mature about this, but my insides are screaming "God did that! Look HOW COOL IS THAT? He KNEW my desires, and when I prayed about it He TOLD me He was in control and then He SHOWED me He is in control! Thank You God!" Even if it doesn't happen, it is such a great thing knowing that God cares and is in control. Seavas, Sarah

Pure joy?

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2-3 I totally don't get that verse. I understand it well enough in my mind, but my heart doesn't get it. Consider it pure joy? I don't know about you, but I certainly don't go through life thinking "YAY, MORE TRIALS!". But I read Acts and I see that the early disciples really did rejoice in their sufferings. But why? It develops perseverance. And those people wanted to have strong faith more than anything. They knew that a strong relationship with God, one that grows deeper and deeper, will give you full and abundant life, even in the midst of death and pain and hurt. That's where love is truly revealed to its fullest. And so when they went through struggles they weren't thinking of the discomfort, they were thinking about how it would draw them closer to God. I want that kind of faith. That would be really living. Assudëi, Sarah

A new site

Sorry I haven't been posting much recently. Getting into the swing of things after the holidays will do that to you. This next year I should be posting more frequently. But I wanted to share very briefly a little fun project I've been working on :). As most know, my favorite band is Third Day, so when I had to make a website for my internet class, I decided to make a Third Day fansite. Third Day Fans.Net Hope y'all like it. Serious posting will resume soon. Teanastëllën, Sarah

Wholly Yours

I am full of earth You are heaven's worth I am stained with dirt Prone to depravity You are everything that is bright and clean The antonym of me You are divinity But a certain sign of grace is this: From the broken earth Flowers come up pushing through the dirt You are holy, holy, holy All heaven cries "Holy, holy God." You are holy, holy, holy I want to be holy like you are You are everything that is bright and clean And your covering me with Your majesty And the And the truest sign of grace was this: From wounded hands redemption fell down Liberating man You are holy, holy, holy All heaven cries "Holy, holy God." You are holy, holy, holy I want to be holy like you are But the harder I try the more cleary can I feel The depth of our fall and the weight of it all And so this might could be the most impossible thing: Your grandness in me Making me clean Glory, hallelujah Glory, Glory, hallelujah So here I am All of me Finally everything Wholly Yours lyrics by David Crowder*Band

Today

Today I choose to follow You Today I choose to give my 'yes' to You Today I choose to hear Your voice and live Today I choose to follow You As for me and my house We will serve You As for me and my house We will spend our lives on You Today... Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father Eternal King, Lord of Hosts, willingly we follow Today I choose to follow You Today I choose to give my 'yes' to You Today I choose to hear Your voice and live Today I choose to follow You Today, written by Brian Doerksen and Sandra Gage This is the song I'm currently waking up to in the morning. Besides being a great song to wake up to (some songs just don't work as wake up songs), it really is a great reminder of that my life needs to be lived day by day. Did you make New Years Resolutions? I did. Ok, I'm a sucker, but I did. I have 7 big goals this year. I'm not going to post them here, but the point is that I have to go day by day. Resolutions aren't made for a whole year, I have to make them every day. Veloma, Sarah

Years go by...

There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to rebuild. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to lose. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak up. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. What do people really get for all their hard work? I have thought about this in connection with the various kinds of work God has given people to do. God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, NLT I guess people probably post this a lot around the new year. But for me it truly means a lot this year. As I reflect over this past year, I have grown so much more than I ever could have imagined. I learned more about others, more about God, and more about myself than ever before. It was this year that I learned truly what it means to be free from perfectionism, to be free from legalism, and to be loved deeply by my Heavenly Father. This upcoming year holds a lot of uncertainty for me. I'm finishing up high school, and going on to college. At this point I have no idea which college God wants me to go to, or what He holds for me after that. But one thing I am certain of. God is good. And whether or not He tells me tomorrow where to go, or whether He waits until April 29th, or even if He has some plan bigger than anything I can imagine, I can rest assured that He is good. He may not be safe, but He is good. Alwida, -Sarah