"Hooking up" with God.

So there was this girl that had this guy friend. And this particular guy friend would text her on the weekends wanting to do stuff and hang out, but during the week he would forget she existed. This went on for 4 weeks. The guy friend would beg for another chance, she'd give it to him, and then he'd go on about his business after they hung out. Every week he would ditch her. Every weekend she would give him another chance.


Let's just say God is the girl in this situation and we are the guy. Isn't that what we too often do to Him? On the weekend we realize Sunday's approaching so we start thinking more frequently about God. Then we come to the realization we've been putting Him off the week before; not even caring if we spend any time with Him. So, on Sunday we fall back in love with the God who loves us unconditionally.
Then the week begins and we slowly push Him away, just like every other week. Until the next weekend comes along and we again realize that He is what we're yearning for.


I don't know the remedy to this problem. I just know that we need to be aware of it if we're guilty of doing it. I know I have been before and I will be again. I think that realizing it's a problem is the first step though. Allowing God to help us fix it is still to come.

Are you "hooking up" with God on the weekends, or do you have a passionate continuous relationship with Him?

The 411

I haven't posted in a while and this blog will attempt to explain why... while explaining a lot of other stuff going on in the life of Sarah.


So! First things first - things in my life are changing, changing, changing. And with change comes some shock and some chaos and some mistakes. And in my case, all of that happened.

I realized about 2 weeks ago that I was trying to give too much of myself in too many areas of ministry. Mostly because I always tell people yes. Who knew that could be such a problem? Too much of a good thing?! WHAT?! But yeah. That happens. And that's what I did. So instead of being involved with WIRED, the church drama team, AWANA, Sunday school, and BCM, I've lessened my load. I now will help with AWANA when needed and back away from BCM. A lot of people may think that it's me backsliding, but it's not. I'm actually cutting back on my areas of ministry so I DON'T backslide! Lately I've been so bogged down with things I HAVE to do... that I've forgotten about longing for and wanting a relationship with my God. I've had Him shoved down my throat in so many ways, that I really just stopped caring about my own quiet time and my own personal relationship with Him. So that is changing. Instead of constantly going and going and giving and giving, I'm going to start feeding myself again. Just so you know - that's going very well at the moment.

Also, I have a hectic schedule anyway. With my mom going back to work in October, I'm going to have to start cleaning around the house more and more again. I used to clean every day and it looks like that's what I'm going to be in for in the next few weeks. Not only will I have house things to do, I'll also have schoolwork, church activities I'm participating in, and oh wait... Sarah wants to have a life too!? Wow. Asking WAY too much! Haha. But yeah. So point being - if you think I am... I'm not backsliding. I'm just stepping back, evaluating my circumstances and lifestyle, and changing it to revolve around God and not the other way around. If that makes sense.

Also, I'm still going through friend and non-Christian bubble shock. God has still been teaching me that I need to befriend those that aren't too strong in their faith, but He's also showing me how important the ones who are strong are as well. Like Courtney C. I miss her so much because of how much she helped me grow and how much she still helps me grow. God is really using this time apart to help me appreciate her more. I'm doing more and more things with not-so-strong Christians, and that's awesome. I love being able to be a light into their lives. It makes me feel like I'm glorifying God and I really just want people to look at me and think of Him.

But of course, with all good things... come bad. And with my stepping out of my Christian bubble, I got attached to a person I shouldn't have... and to put it bluntly I lived and I learned. I started putting my hope into another person instead of into God and I'm trying my best to allow God to fix what I screwed up with Him.


So this blog is kind of random. And sporatic. But, that's what I'm going through... and random and sporatic is what it feels like. I don't know what's going on half the time... I'm just trying to let go and allow God to show me what He's doing and what I should be doing.

Livin' on Love.

"I've learned by now to be quite content, whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much; with much as with little." Philippians 4:12

This verse has been applied to money, to things, to friends, to happiness, and to many other things. I, however, like to think of it as things going my way. And lately I have learned to be quite content in any circumstance God gives me. I'm content with whatever trial I go through or mountain top I bask on, because I know it all comes from God and it all has a purpose. I'm learning to be happy when nothing goes my way... and when everything's going my way. After all, it shouldn't be my way anyway - it should be God's. He knows what He's doing. So why worry about it?

The title of the blog is a song that comes to mind when I hear this verse. - "Livin' on love, buying on time. Without somebody 'nothin ain't worth a dime. It's like an old fashioned story book rhyme, livin' on love. Now it's sounds simple. That's what you're thinkin'. But love could walk through fire without blinkin'. It doesn't take much. You get enough, livin' on love."

Now that song is obviously about loving a person... but I like to think that it can be about loving God. When we love Him dearly, we don't need anything else. We've got that love. Without Him "nothin' ain't worth a dime." So like the verse says, we should be content no matter what we go through, because we've got God. We've got Love.

When God Writes Your Love Story

"But have you ever thought of your heart as a treasure every bit as valuable as your physical purity? Have you ever felt the pain that comes from casually giving away your heart? From pouring all of yourself into someone, only have to have that precious treasure thrown to the ground and trampled on?"

You better take off your shoes 'fore you come in my house!

First BCM meeting at Coker tonight. I must say, Dizzy Felkel did an amazing job. God has some awesome things in store for him and BCM this year, I'm sure of it! There were 30 people, which was a huge surprise because the average for last year on a good night was around 14. And with this being the first night, that was super encouraging.

The scripture that tonight's lesson came from was Exodus 3:1-6 which talks about Moses and the burning bush. For those of you who don't know that story - Moses is hanging out taking care of his father-in-law Jethro's sheep out in the desert. He stumbles across this burning piece of foliage - which #1 in the desert it's pretty weird to see random bushes anyway, and #2 it's even weirder to see burning random bushes. So Moses is like what the junk, I'm sure. Then this bush starts talking to him and proceeds to tell him to take off his shoes because he's on holy ground.

Have y'all ever been to someone's house like that before? Where they've been like "you betta take off yo shoes 'fore you come in my house!" Well, I haven't but I know other people have. So you do it as a sign of respect and as a sign of humility. You're doing what they've asked for whatever reason they've asked. Well Dizzy talked about a couple of things we can learn from this passage.

1. If a burning piece of foliage is speaking to you, there's a good chance it's God.
- God speaks to us all in different ways. Sometimes we are too stubborn to hear. Sometimes we aren't surrounding ourselves enough with Him, so when He does speak, we don't recognize the sound of His voice. Point being - listen for God and His calling. Can't go wrong there.

2. When God tells you to do something, there's a good chance He knows what He's talking about.
- When God told Moses to take off his shoes, it was because Moses was on "holy ground." Not many people know what that means. The phrase "holy ground" is used when referring to the presence of God. If God is at work... if God is speaking to you... you're on holy ground. No, you don't necessarily need to take your shoes off. But maybe you do. Maybe you just need to kneel before Him. Maybe you need to fall flat on your face acknowledging His reign over you and your life. Whatever you feel needs to be done, do it!


The main message Dizzy was trying to get across was - God's going to work. He's going to talk to us, He's going to guide us... if we let Him. We have to give Him that chance. We have to give Him that authority in our lives. Moses did what God asked. He recognized it was God, and he acted. We need to stop being so absorbed in ourselves and our own lives that we forget about God and we stop looking for Him.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13

Bursting my bubble.

Courtney went off to college in Virginia.
Holly has a boyfriend that takes up a considerable amount of her time.
Zach isn't coming around as much as he used to for various reasons.

Well boo! I've been having myself a pity party lately about all of this. I pretty much lost 3 of my best friends within a month of each other. Well, at least that's how it felt. I know Courtney is where God wants her to be, I know Holly and I still hang out, and I know Zach has legitimate reasons for not coming to Hartsville as much. But still, it's stressful not having the encouragement I'm used to! Courtney, Holly, and Zach were the main people I discussed God with. We had many spiritual conversations that got me thinking and kept me growing.

There are all those verses about iron sharpening iron, friends sticking closer than brothers, etc. So I thought to myself "what am I supposed to do now?!" Then I read something. I'm not sure where I read it. Maybe it was tonight while I was at WIRED. But it said "bursting your Christian bubble" or something like that. And I realized that's what I was doing. I'm used to having my perfect little Christian friends around me that are open with their faith. It made being a Christian easy.

But now that those people aren't as intensely woven into my life anymore, I find myself hanging out with people that I normally wouldn't have. I find myself befriending those who may not go to church or even believe in God. Isn't that what we're supposed to be doing!? It's like I had some epiphany tonight... but it's an epiphany I should have had a long time ago. Having Christian friends is an awesome thing - you NEED them! And I still have Courtney, Holly, and Zach - as well as Courtney Sims and Casey.

So instead of being depressed because I'm losing touch with all of these awesome friends, I'm becoming excited that God has given me the chance to grow closer to others. Casey and I spend more time together than we ever have before - Courtney Sims and I have weekly lunch dates and various spontaneous activities together. And not to mention Taylor! We're starting to hang out and talk and get closer as well. Though there are many more, the three of them have had a profound impact on my life already. God has used them to speak to me and show me what I'm made for instead of what I thought I was made for. I've gotten back in touch with the Sarah that God intended. Courtney, Holly, and Zach didn't take away from that - they added to it as well. Without them I wouldn't be who I am today, and without them in the future, I won't be who I know God has made me to be.

I do miss them terribly. I'm just beginning to see what God is doing in this situation. He's freeing up a lot of my time so that I focus on Him, myself, others, and my family. He's allowing me time that I can grow closer to Him by quiet devotions. He's showing me that I shouldn't only spend time with the church going Christians of the world. And He's showing me that I have some awesome friends - whether I realize they're there or not. I love you all. :]

Should you start bursting your Christian bubble?

He's alive.

"I remember drifting off to la-la land as Bob shared how his 'gorgeous blonde' gently touched his hand after she found a grammatical error in the opening line of his essay. I was physically present with my college buddies at that plastic table, but my mind was on another planet. For the first time in my life, I was beginning to realize that if God's plan and purpose for my life really was marriage, then the person I was going to one day marry was most likely somewhere on this great big planet. And right at that moment she was doing something! I was swallowed up in one gigantic thought: She's alive!" - When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric & Leslie Ludy

Whoaaa. No I haven't thought about that before. I mean, if I'm being creepy and imagining myself marrying one of my friends or a guy I saw last weekend, then I think about what they're doing. But when it comes to the person God actually has for me, I don't think about the fact they are actually here and alive and doing things. My husband could be sleeping right now. He could be reading right now. He could be playing Yatzee right now. He could be with another girl right now, which I will deal with later.
But I really never thought about that. The person God has for me could be looking up at the same clouds I do every day. They could be wondering what I'm doing. They could be reading this blog. I think sometimes we get so caught up in the here and now and the people we see immediately in front of us, that we forget the person God has for us could be somewhere else on this planet. I look around and I see the guys that I know and I think "They probably aren't the ones for me." But you know what? Someone out there is. And I should be actively praying for that person in general and for his relationship with God. Have you ever taken time to pray for your possible spouse? Sit back and think about them. Wonder what they're doing. And pray that they are loving and adoring the same God you are.