tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851590349368197982024-03-04T21:01:51.868-08:00Thoughts with No PenniesSarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-19922860850056283592016-05-12T20:15:00.001-07:002016-07-13T10:20:57.771-07:00Learning the Hard Way These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of emotion. My father, passed away unexpectedly on April 6th. We moved up to Michigan 3 days before. I've wanted to write so much, so badly. Yet, though I had so much to say, I couldn't find the right words. I started several times to write a post, but it was too personal to share. I poured my heart out into words that expressed everything from emptiness, to anger, to joy, to guilt. I'm not normally an emotional person. I tend to keep things inside and expose them to a select few. This though, has broken me. I never could understand how someone could just tear up and start crying in front of everyone. Lately, it is hard for me to understand why people aren't crying with me. My dad was one of my best friends. I miss him terribly, yet time goes on. The world continues to spin. My children continue to grow. Time stops for no one.<br />
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In this post I'd like to share some things I've learned from this tragedy in my life.<br />
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1) Family is family, and friend are friends, but the people that step up, to hold you up, in these times are something special. Be one of those people for someone. When the dust settles and the people who were there at first are gone, be the one that sticks it out.<br />
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2) It's never too late to start getting to know and love people you wish you'd gotten to know before. You never know how long a persons time on earth will be. We all have relatives or friends that we wish we had taken the time to know better. Now is the time.<br />
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3) Be ready to meet God. We'd all like to think we have plenty of time. Some of us won't.<br />
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4) Your possessions and money don't go with you, so invest in souls.<br />
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5) God has a plan. It's not your plan. As much as you'd like to think you've got your plan in place...you don't.<br />
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6) Write down the good memories, so others will be able to meet the one you lost, in a way. My father will never be a great-grandfather, but I want his great-grandchildren to know who he was and how amazing he was. <br />
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7) Death comes to us all. It is the only thing in life we can be certain of.<br />
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8) Farther along we'll know all about it. Farther along we'll understand why..... If not in this lifetime, then after.<br />
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9) Tell the people you love, that you love them. Say "I love you" often.<br />
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10) Forgive. Whoever hurt you gave you the pain you have. It is yours now. You can choose to let it go, or you can choose to hang on to it in hopes that someone or something will take it for you one day. Forgiving someone is one of the most freeing things you'll ever do. I'm so grateful that my dad and I had nothing to forgive when his time came.<br />
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11) Don't waste time. It's such a gift. God gave us the gift of time so we would have time to come back to Him. Don't let your time run out.<br />
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12) You aren't strong enough. Lean on God and the people he places in your life.<br />
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13) Pray often.<br />
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14) Some things we will not understand until we meet Jesus for ourselves.<br />
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I've learned so much over the past few weeks. I've learned to humble my heart a lot more, and to let go of more.<br />
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I've found myself more motivated than ever before to do the work we came here to do. We moved here to save souls. I have the beautiful hope of seeing my father again one day and worshiping our Heavenly Father with him for eternity. I want other people to have that hope. I want others to know that death is not the end for those in Christ. Don't put your faith in the preacher, the church, or the teachers, because all those things are human and humans are imperfect. Put your faith in God. Be what God calls you to be despite the odds. We must go on with our lives though it seems things are falling apart around us. There is work to be done, and only God himself knows what precious time<br />
we have left. Use it wisely.Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-4784865617400872322016-03-31T20:27:00.005-07:002016-03-31T20:27:58.407-07:00On our way to spread some seeds. It's time. Our things are packed. I'm a mix of emotions. Happiness, urgency, exhaustion, pain, hope, and joy just to name a few. My life has been a blur these past few weeks. My dad has been in the hospital for over 2 of those weeks, and he's still there. My heart has been on a crazy ride. I've been packing, home schooling, ill, sitting at the hospital, cleaning, hauling, laughing, crying. I taped a picture of my 'son', Mohammed, to the inside of my bible to remind me of why I'm doing this. My heart longs for him to know and obey the gospel. His people, and culture have forever touched my heart in deep and complex ways. So, it's time to get busy for God.<br />
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We will be starting this adventure being self-supported. We have hopes that along the road we will be privileged enough to have sponsors help support us so we can focus more on the ministry. Andy will have his plate quite full between working full-time, ministering, and earning his degree in biblical studies. I will be teaching our kids, working with the Arabic women, helping to care for my father, and working if necessary. <br />
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We will not be going into this blind or alone. We will be working beside a dear brother in Christ, who has already started this ministry. He knows the intimate details of the culture and religion, as he is from the middle-east and was Islamic. He has such devotion to and passion for the truth. His heart wishes to see his people saved. All of us are motivated by love. With all the hate being thrown by people, and the fear of the Arab community, God's truth and love are desperately needed on both sides. Yes, the acts of terror carried out by extremists are horrific, but it only fills me with more urgency to snatch their souls from the fire. Just think of the amazing things that could be done if we love with the love of Christ!<br />
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My heart is so full of hope. It's rather funny when I consider it. I'm not a trusting person. I don't discriminate, because I don't trust anyone (except a *very* small circle of people). I believe that most people's intentions are not good. I find myself trying to figure out if people are being genuine, even on the smallest things. Yet I have such a deep desire to love, and show God's love. I suppose it's my way of going into things expecting to be hurt, but doing everything I can anyhow. No, it's not just you, this really does sound crazy! I do believe though, that everyone has good in them, you just have to dig for it sometimes, but it's there, just waiting to be free. I also KNOW that Christ died for every human. Every single one. No exceptions. We need to look at people this way. Our enemies? He died for them. Our friends? Them too. Neighbors? The person that cut you off in traffic? That relative you can't stand? The car thief? The person at work that drives you crazy? Yep, all of them. Even you. Even me. As Christians it is our job to let those who don't know that Christ died for them, learn that he did. They need to know that they are loved and precious to God. Not all will except, or even care. Very precious few will. For those few though, they need the chance to hear. Hope of heaven is not to be taken lightly. Forever is a long, long time. So, it's time. <br />
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<br />Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-14746049236532768692016-03-08T18:23:00.000-08:002019-07-15T21:01:43.009-07:00Going undercover<br />
From the title of this post you may get visions that I'm going to talk about going undercover, as in being a double agent, or my secret spy life. Not quite that fun or glamorous. I'm going to address a topic that will step on toes, make some outright angry, and probably open me up to the firing squad. Honestly, I’m ok with that. What could cause so much trouble among Christians as this? The idea of head covering. I can hear the gasps already.<br />
The first time I came across the passages in 1 Corinthians 11, I was a young teen. The verses intrigued me. It seemed such a simple, straight forward command, that I began to ask questions. First, I inquired of my parents. They did their best to explain why we don't practice head covering today, but suggested I speak to the minister of our congregation. This minister very simply explained that this was written to the people of Corinth, and it was not meant for us. So I asked, why this principal didn't apply to other scriptures. For example, why are women not to have authority over a man (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Did this mean I could be a song leader, minister, elder? Couldn't the same idea he used to explain head covering be used to explain away similar things? If this was true, why did we still obey the other commands and not this one. He was quick to point out that in 1 Timothy 2:13-14, it referred to the "creation order", a timeless principle that validated this command in his opinion.<br />
It just didn't make sense to me. It seemed so simple when I read it. I was reminded that I was young and still learning, and to leave the explanations to the leaders. Defeated, and confused I took their word for it. Still, it poked at me from the corner of my mind.<br />
Through the years I heard several explanations, ranging from your hair being a covering, to it was because the priestesses of Aphrodite in Corinth would shave their heads. I also got a lot of people that told me that in 1 Corinthians 11:16, Paul dismissed the practice of head covering if it caused contention. That was one of the hardest walls for me. Why would Paul spend so much time explaining all of this to just dismiss it. It didn't seem logical. I had so many questions. Why do men still uncover their head before a prayer? I felt like we were being luke warm and obeying half of a command.<br />
I was also told on a few occasions that covering my head would make me look Islamic and that would be a sin, because I was to "abstain from the very appearance of evil". Really? This was possibly one of the silliest explanations I received. Muslims also pray, does this mean I would be following Islam if I prayed? <br />
There was also the ever popular, “it only applied to the culture of the time.” Since when did God ever command his people to conform to the culture? That didn’t make sense either.<br />
No matter the explanation I got, when I tried to use their logic for not obeying head covering on any other topic (such as baptism, authority, worship.....etc.) they wouldn't stand for it. How interesting.<br />
Finally, awhile back I decided I was going to study 1 Corinthians 11 along with my husband and we would have to come to a conclusion using only the word of God.<br />
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So we began.<br />
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First we looked at verses 2-3. Right here it referred to that " creation order" that I'd been told wasn't there. So, if the lack of creation order was an argument, it was now void. Then we came to verses 4-6 and noticed some versions used the words 'wife' and 'husband' and some used 'woman' and 'man'. So we looked up what these Greek words meant and it turns out that it can mean woman or wife, and the other can mean man or husband. So, it would seem that it didn’t matter if someone was married or not. Verse 9 seemed pretty straight forward. Verse 10 we found interesting. We never really came to a solid conclusion after days of research on what this verse means, other than I don't need to know WHY I need to have a symbol of authority on my head because of the angels, but I do. Though I did find lots of interesting theories on this matter, nothing was concrete. Verses 11+12 were a comfort to me. Men and women can't exist without each other. I have a role. Verses 13-14 seemed pretty straight forward as well. They seemed to be rhetorical in nature. Then we got to verse 15. Does this mean my hair is a covering? It didn't quite make sense when we looked at the verses together. So we looked back at verse 6 and replaced "cover" with "hair". It did not work. So we investigated the original text and discovered that they were 2 different words meaning two different things. Hair was no longer an explanation. Then we got to verse 16. It really did seem like Paul was dismissing everything he had just said. We read it over and over. We studied it inside out and upside down. Then we decided to read it as though we had no preconceived ideas on what it meant. Suddenly, it made more sense than ever. "If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God." Wait.... What if Paul is saying we don't participate in acting contentious? What if, in fact, we have been taking this verse out of context this whole time? Whoa. Even if this weren’t true many versions read “we have no other practice “. Check it out for yourself.<br />
This study had taken us several weeks, picking things apart, and questioning everything.<br />
We had arrived at the conclusion that I should, in fact, be covering my head. Now that I had reached this conclusion, I didn't know if I liked it. I didn't WANT to cover my head. I wanted to do cool things with my hair and get complimented. I wanted to hear how pretty my hair was, and make it just so to make me look ‘good’. I had to face the harsh reality that my hair was a big source of pride and vanity for me. Ouch. Pride is such a bitter pill. I loved my sassy hair. I liked looking like I was punky and full of sass. Realizing that I was now facing this reality, I was a little hesitant. What?! I tried to go through and prove all the things I'd been told before about these verses as right. What strange creatures, we humans. Yet, I could not prove anything right other than the conclusion that I should obey the command and cover my head.<br />
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So I did.<br />
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Since I've started covering my head, I have had a few interesting discussions with fellow Christians. Most of them are vehemently against it. I am not here to judge others and how they choose to do things. I have chosen this as my way to honor God. Many tell me that it was cultural and doesn't apply today. Yet, I'd like to know, where do they draw the line? When is it OK to say something was cultural and when is it not? We need to be consistent in how we interpret scriptures. I've had some well meaning friends ask if I was trying to get ready for my work with the Muslims by covering my head. Never mind the fact that I had been doing it long before we decided to enter this ministry. I have also been asked if I know what those verses "really mean". Let me assure all who stumble upon this lowly blog, that I am fully aware of what I'm doing. I've tested all the possibilities. I don't cover my head to make others feel bad, or to make myself better than others. I only do it because I believe that it is what God has commanded me to do. It is terribly unpopular in our culture.<br />
As I conclude this, know that I realize many will disagree with me. My intent is not to argue. I quite simply wanted to give my reasoning. My heart has never been as free as when I realized I was obeying God. This is not oppression. This is freedom. Freedom in Christ and his commands. It hasn't been easy, and I don't like doing what's unpopular, but I do love doing what is commanded of me. We are never once called to be happy (not to be mistaken for joy), comfortable, or to understand God's ways. His ways are higher than ours and his thoughts higher than ours, are they not? More than anything, I hope you'll be curious and explore for yourself.Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-17376756614023912522016-01-22T07:18:00.000-08:002016-09-02T16:50:06.430-07:00Submit....if you dare. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ephesians 5:22-28 ESV</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> If you ever wanted to stir the pot, present the above verses to someone- just about anyone. The first reaction I hear from people is something negative about submission. In our culture, we want to be leaders, and strong ones too. Submission is for the weak, and the ones who are spineless. We are all about women's rights and being equal to men. We are so set on proving that we can be more than merely submissive, that we have lost what these verses are talking about. We tend to shut down and start thinking of arguments as soon as we hear the word 'submit'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> We are losing our identity as women, and the unique creatures God made us. In a world where the difference between genders is becoming more and more blurred, we need to define ourselves as God would define us. Don't misunderstand me. I don't mean that to be a woman you must wear flowers, and sip tea from delicate cups while being the picture of gracefulness. We have our own unique personalities, and I understand that. I personally, enjoy power tools, working in the dirt, and strong coffee. This, however, doesn't mean I'm less of a woman, and any less accountable to submit to my husband. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Now before you get fired up and start writing angry things in the comments, hear me out. First, let's look at these verses. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Wow! The depth of love that they are commanded to love us with! </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The guys are being given a pretty high standard here. Christ loves His bride so much, that he gave his life for it!</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Husbands may not always show the love they are called to, but we aren't perfect on our end either. They are not being given permission to belittle, harm or look down upon their wives. I think we often picture a husband degrading, commanding, and belittling when we think of submission. Yet, this is not the way God intended it to be. Submission also doesn't mean sitting quietly in a corner with your head hung down, and having no voice of your own. However, one must have humility, self-control, and kindness to submit. It involves listening, praying, and being servant-minded. Submission is a choice, a privilege, an honor. I truly believe that. It is meant to be an act of love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Believe it or not we are all submitting to something already. What?!? But you're so not the submissive type, right? We might be submitting to sin or selfish wants without realizing it. We submit to Christ or the world.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are to submit to our husbands, <i>but </i>we are both to submit to Christ. Men and women alike, are to <i>submit </i>(there's that pesky word!) to God. Should we not submit to the Lord? Should we not yield to His will? We don't like the idea of yielding to anyone or anything. We want freedom, and we want it now. We are patriotic, and believe that all people have the right to be free, and they do. Yet, none of us are truly free unless we submit to Christ. If we don't we are slaves to sin. We are all submitting to something, and a servant of a cause, even if we don't acknowledge it. Consider these verses:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> "What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,[a] you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Romans 6:15-23 ESV</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I think the majority of us can safely say that we indeed want to submit to Christ. So, when it comes to submission to husbands, why do we get hung up on it? I firmly believe that it is our culture. It is viewed in such a negative light that the positives are drown out. Yielding to the will of our husbands, does not make us lesser Christians. We are equal in our Christianity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Galatians 3:28 ESV</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 Corinthians 11:11-12 ESV</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> We are all equal in the fact that all are equally able to receive God's mercy and Grace. Women don't receive less grace, or a smaller reward for faithfulness. God's love covers us all equally. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> There is great beauty to be found in submission. God made me a very strong (can you say STUBBORN??) woman, and learning to yield to my husband (or anyone for that matter) and allowing him to truly be the head of our household, has been a hard-learned lesson. I want to control things, and assert my opinion <i>over </i>his. Oh, I still give my opinion, and as a wonderful leader of the house (and amazingly patient man), my husband takes into careful consideration the things I've said. Usually we reach a decision together, but occasionally, I have to yield my will to his and trust that God is leading him to make the right choices for our family. Ultimately, submitting to our husbands is equipping us to submit to God. Very rarely, I strongly disagree with his decision, I go over his head and bring my petition before God. If my husband doesn't move, I have to have faith that God has His reasons, and things will work out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I've come to learn that submission isn't for the weak. Rather, it is quite the opposite. It takes a strong woman to yield. To go against the norm in our society, and be viewed as taken advantage of, unintelligent, and ignorant, is tough. It takes a lot of faith, and humility. God has given us a wonderful opportunity to shine in this. We can take this task and use it to learn how to better serve our Lord and submit to His will. We can still serve in unnumbered ways, without being a man (A topic to be covered in a later post?). We can encourage, love and be a helper to our husbands, so that they can fulfill their role in God's kingdom. What a responsibility we have! I want to be like my Lord and be a helper to all I meet, but especially my husband. I was made for this.(Gen. 2:18) What a privilege to be his helper. God designed things the way he did for a reason. Perhaps it's time we put our faith in His design. </span><br />
<br />Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-13771331612396820772016-01-07T20:57:00.001-08:002016-01-07T20:57:27.105-08:00A Thought on Prayer I have blogged about prayer a few times before. I really can't believe how often we overlook and under utilize this amazing gift. Prayer works, plain and simple. It heals, helps, and guides. It's not the prayers themselves, no. It is the one we are praying to and through that is the action behind the words.<div><br></div><div> Some time ago I jotted down a poem about prayer. It was one of those things that just seems to come straight from your heart, without hesitation. I would like to share my poem with you now, and hope it touches your heart in some way. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> One night I lay upon my bed,</div><div>speaking my prayer within my head.</div><div> Letting thoughts wander and fall,</div><div>forgetting that I was speaking to God at all. </div><div><br></div><div> Snapping back to my unfinished prayers,</div><div> I was so weary from the day with all of its cares. </div><div> I was too tired to speak aloud my praise</div><div>to the one that has numbered all of my days. </div><div><br></div><div> Unable to focus on what my mind tried to speak, </div><div>without even knowing it, I drifted to sleep. </div><div><br></div><div> I saw before me a man on his knees, </div><div>weeping and praying and begging, 'Lord, please'. </div><div> I thought to myself of how nice it must be, </div><div>to have a life so easy and simply just free. </div><div> For how else could this man get down this way, </div><div>Unless he had nothing better to do with his day.</div><div><br></div><div> My heart was too cold to hear the words that he spoke.</div><div> Then I looked in his eyes and his heart just...broke. </div><div> </div><div> A friend kissed his cheek and he was soon led away, </div><div>I started to realize who I'd just seen pray. </div><div><br></div><div> He walked to a place where he was beaten and scourged.</div><div>His flesh was torn up as he lay on the floor. </div><div> Then I saw him hanging on that crude, man-made tree, </div><div>gasping, bleeding, dying, and..... Praying.....for me. </div><div><br></div><div> I fell to the ground and wept bitter tears, </div><div> angry with myself for all my past selfish years.</div><div> My savior prayed with all of his heart,</div><div>my prayers were sad, broken and falling apart. </div><div><br></div><div> I rolled over and awoke, lying in my bed, </div><div>where I'd fallen asleep during the prayer I'd said. </div><div> I got out of bed, and knelt on the floor, </div><div>Praying for forgiveness and so much more. </div><div><br></div><div> So, now before I crawl into my bed, </div><div>and let thoughts of the day start flooding my head, </div><div> I get on my knees and speak to my Lord. </div><div>After all, isn't it only part of what Christ died for?</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Prayer is such a privilege. As busy or hard as we say our lives are, I truly believe that we make time for what is important. If we don't have the time for our Lord, maybe we need to step back and look at what we ARE making time for. </div><div><br></div><div> My heart is convicted to be better in my prayer life. Join me, and let us praise our God everyday, and approach his throne with humble hearts. </div><div><br></div><div> Love, Sarah</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> </div><div> </div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-7556516591468232722016-01-02T09:35:00.000-08:002016-01-02T09:35:37.349-08:00An open letter to right wrongs.Dear people in my past (both distant and recent),<br />
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I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I let my pride get in the way. I'm sorry that I hurt you. Even if I don't know that I did, or if I was too stubborn to admit my faults. If I've done anything to taint your view of what a good Christian should be, have mercy.<br />
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I come to you today tired of my mistakes and realizing that, I'm human, and fall short. I am a work in progress. I will be until the day I die. I will trip, and stumble. On my way down I may reach to catch myself and end up giving you a black eye.<br />
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With my birthday quickly approaching, I reflect back on the time that has passed. I realize I've not been the best I could've been. At times, I've been deplorable. My apologies to you for any wrongs I've committed against you. By God's grace and mercy, I've found my path.<br />
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Pride is a great tool of Satan. It goes hand in hand with justification. Oh, the dangers of being able to justify anything and everything! Humans are experts in the area, are we not?? At times I've told myself that I shouldn't apologize because it was <i>your </i>fault. Or I hadn't <i>really</i> done anything wrong. There is also the classic, "I'll just stop talking to you and pretend it didn't happen". I can be a coward!<br />
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I also owe apologies for, poking my nose where it didn't belong, judging, being stubborn (not in a good way), and letting you down. I've been immature and impatient. I have misjudged your motives, been cynical, and honestly been afraid to let you get close and open up to you.<br />
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I'm trying my best to follow Gods plans for my life and realize that He really does know what he's doing and doesn't need my "help". I apologize for being who I was. I'm changing though, and always striving to be moving in a God-ward direction. God really can take the biggest disasters and polish them up and make them beautiful and useful. I'm learning what it means to fully commit.<br />
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So here it is, staring you in the face. I'm asking you to forgive me. I learned a couple of years back, when someone hurts us, the hurt is ours. We must choose what to do with it. We cannot sit and wait for an apology. The hurt is ours to make into something healing or something destructive. I've forgiven the ones that have hurt me. I feel convicted to extend an open apology to those I may have hurt.<br />
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I'm placing my heart out here for you. I want to be more like my Lord everyday. I want you to see that I stumble, but also that God's grace picks me up and I move forward.<br />
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Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-57176462329551560542016-01-01T07:33:00.002-08:002016-01-01T07:33:27.616-08:00This day. This day. If I can make it through THIS day.<br />
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"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own troubles." Matthew 6:34 ESV<br />
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Life is a complex series of twists, turns, surprises, disappointments, joys and troubles. Anyone out there feel your chest get tight or that sinking feeling in your stomach if you try to think beyond today? I do. I try hard to apply the above verse to my life.<br />
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There have been days when my worries have taken me all the way into my children's adulthood! I have to snap myself out of it and remember that the bible tells me I can't accomplish ANYTHING good by worrying. (Luke 12:25) Nope. Notta. Nothin'. Zilch. Zero. Zip.<br />
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Events in my life have underscored the above truths. Worry is a poison. It is what I like to call a "justifiable sin"in our world. Not that it's truly justified, but we've made it socially acceptable. Shame on us. We are becoming more and more acclimated to our own standards rather than God's. We worry about every little thing. It's interesting that in a world so full of technology, it only seems to multiply the things we can worry about! We live in a world of information overload.<br />
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I'm actually learning (slowly) how great of a peace it brings to "let go and let God". Truly, it is. I used to worry so much more. I used to believe that I was a bad person if I didn't worry about everything. Not joking. Who's going to balance the nations budget? What if that comet coming towards our solar system hits Earth and we go into an ice age? What if someone steals my identity? What if my child isn't potty trained before college?? So many possibilities to worry over! Now when I say worry, I want to make it clear that I understand that there is a different (it's a fine line) between concern and outright worry.<br />
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The strange thing I've found is that I really have some things to be concerned about right now, and yet I honestly feel more at peace than I have in a long time. I've had a surprising amount of people tell me their worries about our upcoming journey. Where will you get money? Will you have enough? Where will you live? Won't it be dangerous? What if you regret it? What about the kids education? What if you have health problems? What if it doesn't work? On and on and on the questions/worries go! While I don't have answers to all of these, I have some answers. More importantly though, I am trusting God to help us figure it out. We are going to work hard and fully commit our lives to the kingdom. I believe that things are going to be difficult but so very worth it. God is faithful, is He not? He has is eye on the sparrow, knows how many hairs are on my head and watches over us all. I am willing to take risks in this life, because I know what is waiting after this life is passed.<br />
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Worry is lending tomorrow's possible problems today's time and energy. Guess what? We don't get that time and energy back. We must not squander these! What peace and freedom there is in letting God take control! We can do our part, and once our part is done we must be willing to hand it over. I encourage you to read Mathew chapter 6 and take it to heart. Meditate on God's word. God is so faithful, yet we want to put Him in a tiny box and do it ourselves. It won't work. God will not be contained.<br />
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This week I challenge you to something difficult but rewarding. Every time you find yourself worrying over something beyond your control, pray. Say a prayer and let God know you're handing your worry to Him. He WANTS you to take your burdens to His feet. At times I visualize wrestling a black cloud, stuffing it in a box and physically laying the box at the feet of my Lord. It can be a very powerful image if you really put your heart into it. Now, when Satan tries to entice you to take control of the worry again, remind yourself that it's not yours to fret over. I know this all may sound cheesy, but it really helps me. I find myself asking, "100 years from now, will this matter?". "I gave this to God, it would be rude to take it back!" It sounds crazy, I know! Just give it a shot. Just one week, try to be aware of your thoughts. It will be tricky, but I think you'll enjoy the results.<br />
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We are God's people! Are we not supposed to be shining examples of his love? Consider the possibility that at the root of worry is fear. What have we to fear? According to the world, there is much to fear. I do not serve the world though. In 2 Timothy 1:7, we are reminded that God did not give us a spirit of fear. We serve an almighty God, and it's high time we acknowledge how awesome<br />
our God truly is.Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-38449447428464325612015-12-21T20:02:00.000-08:002015-12-21T20:03:35.172-08:00The Plan In response to my post from yesterday, I thought today I would focus on giving everyone a glimpse of what our plans (dreams) are. Some people have questioned whether or not this truly is our intention. I assure you, we could not be more determined. You have to have goals. Our primary goal is to save souls, as every Christian's goal should be. Our goals are at the mercy of the will of our Lord. We want to do his will, not ours.<br />
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Right now we are planning on moving to Taylor, Michigan just outside of Dearborn. Our target moving date will be in April 2016. We have plans to sell our house and most of our belongings before or shortly after the move. For the start we will be living with my parents (in Taylor) which will be a wonderful financial advantage for starting out.<br />
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We will be worshiping and working with the Sunset church of Christ in Taylor, MI. Please check out their website for details on their good works. This congregation has a ministry to the Muslim community up and running, headed up by a wonderful man named Wissam. A major part of the work we will be involved in is teaching Arabic men and women to read and speak English. This is a wonderful way to build relationships. You can read about Wissam's efforts in the Christian Chronicle publication. I could fill pages with my admiration for Wissam and his desire to share the gospel, but my words would fall short and not do justice. I will try to find a link to the article featuring his work for the Lord and post it here. Until then you can "google it". ;-)<br />
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While we are there we will be working on several levels. Long term, we want to help plant a congregation in Dearborn, MI. In the meantime we plan to build relationships with the Muslim community and work with the ministry already started. While all of this is happening my husband plans to get a degree in biblical studies.<br />
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This is by no means the entirety of our plan. This is simply to offer you a glimpse of our intentions. We are working with our home congregation (East Allen County Church of Christ) as well as Sunset Church of Christ to get details worked out. As more details become available I will happily update my blog. Andrew and I also plan on opening a (joint) Facebook account within a couple weeks so we can better inform everyone of our journey to follow where God leads. Oh, don't worry, you'll still get the gory details on my blog as well as the occasional dose of humor. I'm sure you were worried about that (can you feel the sarcasm??).<br />
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I pray that God will bless you all. We're in this together.<br />
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Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-37489334408142004552015-12-20T12:51:00.002-08:002015-12-21T14:41:02.249-08:00Now, more than ever. <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Recently my family decided it was high time we stopped dreaming of doing mission work and started DOING it. We found ourselves realizing that there are certain things one can never wait to be "ready" to start (can you say parenthood??), because as much prep as we may do there are some things you must simply learn by doing. Now, that being said, there is something to be said for preparing, we must do what work we can on our end, and trust that God will do the rest. God gives every bird it's food, but he doesn't throw it into the nest. We can prepare to the best of our abilities, yet we will never be "ready". It has been said that God doesn't call the equipped, rather he equips the called. My family and I feel we have been called. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It has long been a desire of ours to share the gospel in places others may not be willing to go. At first our hearts were led to consider Alaska, but the great amount of financial help we would need was overwhelming. Then, quite suddenly, a situation came to our attention a couple months ago that had been staring us in the face all along. God likes to do that. He takes something that has been right under your nose the whole time and give you a gentle nudge and "ahem". I can just imagine God shaking His head and thinking "it's about time!". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The situation that we have chosen to be involved in is in the Dearborn, Michigan area. There you'll find the greatest population of Muslims outside of the Middle East. This all came to our attention before the horrible acts at Paris and California. Did these acts change our minds? No, rather it has strengthened our resolve. We have had an Islamic young man living with us for nearly a year now. He is here to learn English, and he has showed us his culture, and his heart. We've fallen in love with him. He has also opened our eyes to a great need. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> As Christians we are to love. Love unconditionally, love relentlessly, and love fearlessly. I for one, am ashamed by the amount of fear the Christian community has poured out recently. If we look at 1 John 4:18 we see that there is no fear in love. Then we can look at Matthew 10:28, and see that we should not fear those who can harm the body. The amount of "concern" for our physical safety in this endeavor has been a bit frustrating. I will not deny the fact that there are Muslim extremists out there that want to destroy Christians. I don't have my head buried in the sand. I'd like to say though, that I do not fear death! Physical death will come to all, but I find a peace that passes all understanding in knowing that I have spiritual life everlasting. We should love our fellow man and show them the light of Christ in our actions, lives, and words. If the fruits of a Christian life are fear, racism, hate, and anger, then I think we need to take a good look at ourselves and realize that maybe we are not doing the work out Lord would have us do. Do we need to ignorantly turn a blind eye to what is sin? No. But can we take a moment and reflect on Romans 5:8? Christ died for us WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS. Christ died for ALL. Our fellow humans, be they Islamic, Buddhist, or atheist, Christ died for them. We need to share this good news with them. It is both our responsibility and privilege. There will be many that reject Christ, I am well aware. Yet we need to share and shine the love of Christ to everyone. If you are a human being, then you have been created by God and He wants to share His love with you. Are we or are we not to share the good news with ALL nations? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So, now, more than ever, I want to show the world what God's love can do. At a time when people are withdrawing from sharing the love of Christ with the Islamic world, I want to stand up, and stand firm for the cause of Christ and love everyone I encounter along the way. Won't you love too? </span>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-1962930261927011182015-12-08T21:14:00.005-08:002015-12-08T21:14:57.327-08:00Opinions on the loose! It's been awhile. I have been going through a time when I find it so difficult to share MY thoughts because there is an overwhelming number of thoughts on the web. It's staggering. Why would my tiny little cyber voice matter? Would it even be heard? Would I be adding to the chaos, rather than helping to sort through it? These are all questions that I've wrestled with over the past year. I LOVE writing. Particularly about spiritual matters. However, I've been uncertain about whether or not I should. I became so disheartened by the masses of people asserting undue levels of aggression in various blog comments. Not on my blog, but in just about any other comments feed. Every place I turned people were arguing, and over such petty things! I didn't want to be fueling a fire by throwing one more opinion on the heap of blogs.<br />
I want very much to consistently write things that make people think, and encourage them. Yet, I was overwhelmed by the amount of information around me. How could I write something on a blog when there where probably 100 other blogs out there that said the same thing mine did. Though the months pass and I don't write, I think about writing almost every day. Maybe, just maybe, there is a reason for this. Perhaps I should not let the months pass again without writing. Maybe......Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-79698816196478274292014-09-29T19:40:00.001-07:002014-09-30T20:16:08.787-07:00Twisted Truth<b><i>"Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability." (2 Peter 3:14-17 ESV)</i></b><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> The past few days I have been reading and re-reading this passage. To me it is one of this passages that must be read slowly and digested bit by bit(nom nom). It's a little meat, not milk. Truly, I've been reading the entire book of 2 Peter over and over (does that make it a 're-Peter'??). It is a book of caution. We all need a little (or a lot) of caution from time to time. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> The part I want to focus on in this post is what I have typed up (copied and pasted 'cause I am a cheater cheater pumpkin eater). Please note that in this post all of my ADD comments will be held within parenthesis. ;-) </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> In the above passage, it is said that what Paul wrote can be hard to understand. Now he didn't say it's ALL hard to understand, but he did say SOME of it. I, personally, am willing to admit that some of it is indeed difficult to grasp.(Can I get an Amen?) some of the words Paul wrote, while still meaningful to us, weren't aimed to us and our culture, and therefor, make it difficult to make sense of it. This does not necessarily make what is said, or the message behind it, irrelevant. </div><div><br></div><div> </div><div> The Gospel itself, and it's message, is beautifully simple. It is meant for all people to understand, regardless of how much bible knowledge they have. There are many things that are tricky to understand though and are often referred to as "grey areas". </div><div><br></div><div> </div><div> We don't like not understanding something. We REALLY don't like believing that there are some things beyond our understanding. And we REALLY REALLY don't like to think that something is over our heads. (No, Really.) In our culture knowledge is prized and sought after. People's worth is sadly, often based on how much they 'know'. </div><div><br></div><div> </div><div> What do we do then when we encounter something in the Bible that we do not understand? More often that I'd like to say, I see people contorting the text to fit their believed meaning. It is an easy thing to believe something and then find words to prove it. We can take scripture out of context and make it seem like it's a perfect support for our claims. If we don't know an answer, we come up with one. We speculate and theorize the truth right out of things. If we seek truth, we will find it. However, we must approach the difficult stuff with patience. We may not understand RIGHT NOW, but God will reveal it to us in His time, as we continue to seek. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> We are told to "prove (or test) all things..." in 1Thes. 5:21. I urge you all to search the scriptures with an open heart to see what the bible has to say. Don't just believe someone because they "know" more than you. Find things out for yourself. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> How can scripture be twisted? If it comes from God, can't we just have our own take on it? Um, no. We cannot impose our meanings onto Gods words. We must be very aware of the fact that Satan knows the scriptures as well (if not better) than we do. What?? Oh, he does. I'd like to call your attention to Mathew 4:1-11. The recording of Christ being tempted in the wilderness. In this passage, Satan himself quotes scripture. How's that for tricky stuff? If you don't already, I encourage you to pray for God to protect you while you read the Word. Pray for understanding, and untangled, untwisted, truth. </div><div><br></div><div> </div><div> Is there anyone else out there that kind of gets a shiver (my grandma used to call a shiver a pea-willy) when you think of Satan knowing and quoting scripture?? (Looks for hands) Good, I'm glad I'm not the only one. Praise be due to our Lord for protecting our hearts from this. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> Now, let's look at the last part of the 2 Peter passage. Here it is said that we have a jump start on things. We, armed with knowing things will get twisted, can be on our guard. The best defense is a good offense. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. All the same basic idea. We must be on our guard, and ready to test everything. When we honestly seek the truth, God is faithful to reveal it. As far as some things go though, we need to accept that there are things beyond human understanding. For these we must rely on faith. Never stop seeking truth though. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> I encourage you to read 2 Peter for yourself. Pray for God to guard your heart and reveal truth. May we never be comfortable enough to stop growing. </div><div><br></div><div> </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> <br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-39780526356387593712014-09-09T11:15:00.001-07:002014-09-09T11:15:50.396-07:00MackenzieMackenzie is a 12 yr old girls who struggles with several health issues. The most glaring at this point, is she needs a new heart. Please go to FB (I am not on FB), if you have an account and visit her page and read her story. The page is titled "Kenzie's Krusaders". <div><br></div><div> It is in the times of crisis and great need that people show their true colors. Kenzie is a trooper. In the face of what would cause many adults to bemoan their trials, Kenzie marches on. </div><div><br></div><div> Please pray for this wonderful girl and her family. I know this post is brief, but it gets the job done. </div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-27837297097868160152014-08-22T12:53:00.001-07:002014-09-30T18:42:10.341-07:00The balancing act Let's see how writing a post while falling asleep goes. I may have to fix it later so it makes sense! Here we go! <div><br></div><div>So much of what we do is balancing. Or at least we try to balance a lot in life. Food; portion and type. Family; correction and compliments. Time; work and home. Life; have to's and want to's. The past; mercy and justice. And on and on it goes. Finding and maintaining balance is more difficult in some areas than in others, but it's all a struggle. <div> </div><div> Now while you ponder those for a minute let me tell you something that I've been wrestling with. Just hang tight with me, it'll tie in. </div><div><br></div><div> When did the church become so inward focused? When did we start to think that people had to check off a list of requirements before being involved? When did we forget that Christ sat and dined with sinners? Why do we take "misson trips" to another city but don't reach out to our own? When did the church become a business? My questions are endless. </div><div><br></div><div>We've lost touch with search and rescue. The misson of the church seems to be turning into seek and destroy. We've lost the ability to love people to Christ. Beating someone with a bible doesn't work, trust me, I've been on both ends. </div><div><br></div><div>I really believe that the church is having "relationship issues" with God. Who's fault is it? Well....he's perfect...so that doesn't leave many choices, does it? Do we really have a relationship? We know rules and regulations inside and out and some are purely tradition that we've etched into law. When did we turn a place of meeting into a temple? Have we become Pharisees? Do we know about God, but not KNOW God? </div><div> So many times we sit and judge and wag our heads at those seeking God. Pure God, not what we've made him. They come and sit in service feeling akward and heavy, hoping to see people (heaven forbid) full of joy in worship. Not looking at their phones, continually checking the clock or singing like their voices are weighed by thick mud. Praying to catch a glimpse of grace and mercy from Gods people.</div><div><br></div><div>We love to let Satan get the best of us, don't we? He keeps us busy focused on the politics and details. I frankly don't care if clap in church or not. Or if you pray sitting, standing, or kneeling. Or if you have a power point or use hymnals. We cannot see the forest for the trees and are losing the battle because of it. Can we compromise truth? Not an option. But God be praised, it is possible to present truth in love. Without judgmental glances and upward tilted noses. </div><div><br></div><div> When was the last time we decided to go sit and visit with the people we felt weren't up to "the standard"? God sent his son for everyone didn't he? We were all lost at some point, and many of us keep getting lost. Yet, we cannot bring ourselves to reach out. Why? Now, don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm not expecting us to spend every moment of every day standing on a street corner with a mega phone. I'm just asking you to get your hands dirty. Learn to love people as they are; flawed creatures, seeking mercy. If we can't love people as they are, then we can't love ourselves, because we are all flawed, are we not? Anyone out there want to cast the first stone? </div><div><br></div><div> Now this is where it ties in. I want a <i>relationship</i> with my creator (see post before last for more on this). I want to know, love, and praise him with everything that I am. BUT, I don't want to ignore the reverence that is due. I dare not stuff God in a cute box to carry in my pocket. No. I want to be in awe of His Majesty and holiness as much as I want to be held in his arms. I don't want the church to make Christ so human that he's no longer God. I don't dilute what he is with false labels and expectations. Holiness is something our culture is quickly losing understanding of. But I don't want him to be untouchable as only God and not any part human. So untouchable that I may as well not try to reach out to Him. It is a very delicate and difficult thing to balance.</div><div><br></div><div> Most of my life I've been fed a steady diet of fire and brimstone. I've been fed impossible standards that left me wondering why I even tried. Grace and mercy were only for the worthy. You had to prequalify to recieve hope. I learned to fear God, but feared Him so much that I didn't know how to love Him. We <i>can </i>show both reverence and love. </div><div><br></div><div> Then we have the other end of things where God is only love and fluff. It is not so, friends. God is a jealous, powerful, unchanging God, and he has the power to condemn our souls. We can't even fathom his power. </div><div><br></div><div> You see how we must wrestle with this? How we must seek to balance? We need to focus inward to keep the church strong, but not so much that we forget our main purpose is to reach out. We need to be in the trenches with people when they are in a battle so we can help them out. Not sitting on the sidelines listing all the reasons they are there because of their own doing, or how they will figure it out on their own. Wouldn't it be sad if Christ did that to us? </div><div> </div><div> We also need to find a place where we can love God, and still fear his Holiness. What's more, is we need to do this without compromising the truth. </div><div><br></div><div> Right now, I am one who is seeking. I am in the deep trenches and trying to survive. It is a lonely place. People look at me from afar and spin tales of "what went wrong". I make mistakes, and continually need Gods grace. I'm trying. </div><div><br></div><div> Don't lose heart. There is hope for us all. Salvation is not unattainable. We can correct our corse, and learn to love the way Christ loves. We can stop the petty bickering and focus on what God wants us to focus on. We can open our doors and be examples of truth in love. We are not alone in these efforts. God knows we are not perfect, yet we seem to think everyone should be. He expects us to try, and not give up. The only perfection we achieve is by accepting the blood of Christ in baptisim and letting Him wash us daily. Gods grace perfects us.</div><div><br></div><div> Together, let's look around us to help the hurting. Let's get our hands dirty and make ourselves uncomfortable. Nobody is beyond hope, not even me. </div><div> </div></div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-13916623846955574452014-08-03T07:35:00.001-07:002014-08-03T07:38:24.136-07:00Our criticsYou know, it's funny how often I think about my blog, but how little I write in it. An idea comes to me, and I want to write about it, but dismiss it as not "blog worthy". We are our harshest critics, are we not? <div><br></div><div> Right now my daughter is learning this sad truth. When we see it in those we love, it looks so much more menacing. She is 12, her body is changing, her thoughts are evolving. And in a world prolifically portraying unrealistic expectations, it will lead to a skewed reality. Even as an adult, I have to constantly remind myself that images are altered and most of what we see simply isn't true. Sometimes, I wish we lived in a world with no mirrors. Girls spend precious time in front of them criticizing the beauty that God himself formed to be them. </div><div><br></div><div>It's an epidemic. I even find myself caught up in the sad side of being critical of people! We are much too easily decieved, and ensnared. </div><div><br></div><div>Sitting in the church foyer I hear women discussing their dissatisfaction with their bodies. We must stop. We have to set an example. We have to learn to love our bodies if we are to teach girls to love theirs. You know as well as I do that we can talk until we are blue in the face....but if we don't BELIEVE what we teach....it is all for not. </div><div><br></div><div>I've actually started seeing a counselor for my body/food issues as well as past problems. I'm trying to seek help to get fixed. It's a big, scary step. But in my heart I know it will not only help myself, but my family as well. We try to fix everyone around us, but it's often too uncomfortable to work on our own issues. For the longest time, I felt it was selfish to work on my problems. What I've come to realize is it is actually the opposite. Working on my problems better equips me to handle other problems, and help others, in ways that weren't possible before. </div><div><br></div><div> My prayer for my daughter, and all girls, is that they may see themselves as God sees them. As something priceless, beautiful....loved. That is my prayer for all of us. </div><div><br></div><div> Once I went to a ladies retreat where the speaker talked about how much it bothered her when her "roots" showed and how she didn't want to even go to an even because of it. She did say she ended up going and felt silly for it. What have we become? </div><div><br></div><div> Ladies, let us shed this vanity. Let us wrap ourselves in the light of our Lord and let His true beauty be ours. </div><div><br></div><div> Now, don't go crazy on me, and tell me we are supposed to become Amish-like. In a way though, I think they have something right. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look nice. But it is a fine line we walk between wanting to look nice and making our bodies our god. Do we spend more time on our physical bodies, than on our soul? Let's step back and look around us. </div><div><br></div><div> If you are reading this, know that I am praying for you. It's a long fight, and we are all in it together. </div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-26120433029921029032014-07-10T21:25:00.000-07:002014-07-10T21:33:02.641-07:00Not the end. <br />
If there is one thing I don't like it is good-byes. Yet, who does? The ones you enjoy are called "good riddances" (is that even a word??). While I have had a few of those come knocking on my door, those aren't the ones I'm talking about. I am talking about good-byes, farewells, etc. Good bye is a part of life. It marks the end of something. It comes in many forms and starts from childhood. We say goodbye to a special pet when it dies. It could be as innocent as losing our favorite blanket. That sense of loss comes many times in our lives and will come even more often as we grow older. The goodbyes become more difficult as they are often eternal as we grow. We grow and watch our friends pass on, family pass on, and people we looked up to pass on. Death is viewed as the final farewell. Yet, is it really?<br />
<br />
I was speaking with a friend a few nights ago, someone I admire and love, who is suffering many serious health issues. We reminisced about years gone by for a few hours. Recalling all the people that have passed through our lives, and where they are now. We also talked about how simple the love of Christ is but how horribly complex it is made in the hands of men. We laughed about old pranks and cried about old friends. God brings people together in Christ in an extraordinary way.<br />
<br />
There have been people at Bible camp, who I have worked along side with for a whole week. Eating together, sleeping in the same room, praying together, singing together, bonding in fellowship. The very next week they died in a tragic accident. I had no idea that when I said goodbye that Friday night at camp, it would be forever.<br />
<br />
After talking to my friend that night, I was home in the quiet, darkness, when I decided something. I'm done with good-byes. I even said it aloud, as if I was telling everyone. I don't know if my friend will be on this Earth next year or not. When he does leave, I will not bid him farewell. I will whisper in my heart, "I will see you later." Goodbyes mark the end of something, and he will be only touching the beginning. He told me to read psalm 126, as it was close to his heart. I read it. I hope when you read it, and meditate on it, it will bring you peace.<br />
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I have realized this; for my family in Christ there are no goodbyes. I will, however, see them later. When the clouds roll back and Christ calls us home, I'll see them. When will that be? Later. Could be 5 seconds, could be 5 centuries, but it will be later. In that moment all the petty things people argue about, and fret over, will be gone. Politics gone. Pride gone. Selfishness gone. Lies will be swept away and truth will be revealed. Our hearts will rejoice and it will be the best family reunion ever.<br />
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Let us all decide to live our lives so that we don't ever have to say another good-bye.<br />
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I'll see you later,<br />
SarahSarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-86797133804912436862014-07-07T21:31:00.001-07:002014-07-07T21:57:46.299-07:00Out of the darkA still, small voice. That's how God rolls. Sometimes he needs to smack us in the face. Other times he calls us to be still. Still in ways I've never been still, until now. <div> Letting go of the past. Not living my life based on what others think. Seeking God above all else. Raw, passionate pursuit. Being at a point when you really are ready to let God take control...because you have nothing left in you. </div><div> </div><div> My heart and soul ached with longing to shed my pain and despair. I lost my passion in Gods work. People around me seemed to have no joy in God. The kind of joy the world can't understand or take away. I wanted joy in God. </div><div> </div><div> I started withdrawing from people. I wanted and needed time to focus on God. I needed to spend time not worrying about keeping up appearances or maintaining shallow relationships. I had no fight left in me. I felt as though my heart had burst and it's pieces scattered to the four winds, and there was no hope of getting them back. </div><div><br></div><div> I swallowed the jagged pill of pride and had to admit that I had been living my life the way I thought everyone else wanted me to. Following family traditions in faith and life. I knew it was time to step back and evaluate my faith and core beliefs. This, I will tell you, is not for the faint of heart. </div><div><br></div><div> For so many years I've felt focused on the do's and don'ts of Christian life. You know, rules. What makes me right and all else wrong. Ah, the grand delusions. Though I've spoken of grace and mercy, and of Gods love, I'd never really felt it. Not like I wanted to. No matter how hard I tried, I felt as though heavens gates would never let me enter. I had no real relationship with God. I was too afraid of Him. Afraid of the rejection I was sure I would recieve. One discovery I've made in my soul searching, is God's grace really is sufficient. Really. Once I began to believe this, I started letting Him closer. Fear has been swallowed by adoration and love. I am not saying I don't have a healthy fear of God, I'm saying that I've stopped being afraid of Him. I'm letting go of my hypocrisy and letting God pour out his love, grace and mercy. </div><div> </div><div> In this time of searching, I've started to find joy in God. It is beyond the vocabulary of humans to try and describe it. I wish it upon all of you. </div><div><br></div><div> I tell you all of this to tell you something else. The past few months, while I've questioned the very things I believe, I have not felt as though I should write. I wanted to find my way out of the darkness so I could tell you what I found in the light, and what I felt in the dark. In the past 3days I've had a few people ask about my blog. I believe that in those questions was the still small voice telling me that it's time. It's time to start sharing you're struggles and victories once more. </div><div><br></div><div> So, here's to the God of the impossible. The God of the great and terrible storms, and gentle nudges. I'm back. </div><div><br></div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-23795938406063431862014-03-12T10:50:00.001-07:002014-03-12T11:31:56.987-07:00RegressionThe world we live in is full of all kinds of advances, devices, and gadgets. Smart phones are held by the rich and poor alike. Facebook accounts are the main way to stay in touch or communicate. How many times do we pull out our phone just to glance at Facebook, or check our email. We are losing our ability and the skills to communicate with each other face to face. Not only that, but it seems each problem we "fix" creates its own new set of problems. We have so many time saving devices that we've become lazy and have to make time to exersize because we just don't move around like we used to. <div><br></div><div> Now I'm not at all saying advancing is bad. Advances in medicine are amazing! I love my washing machine, too! I don't see me parting with that anytime soon! :-) Yet, I look around at parents and children alike on devices. I do believe that there can be too much of a good thing. I also feel we need to step back and evaluate what these things are really adding to our lives.....as well as what they are taking away. </div><div> I tell you all of this not to be accusational, as I am as guilty as any. Rather, I tell you because I have decided to regress. I'm not going Amish or anything, but I'm taking small steps to make a big impact. First, I DELETED my Facebook account. Deactivated? No....deleted. It is the most freeing feeling. I was always getting frustrated with things on there or people. I sat on there wasting time reading about other peoples lives. To stay in touch with people now I have an email address, and a phone. When people think about deleting their account they get a sting of panic. How will I keep in touch with these 649 people? What about posting pictures for relatives? What about being encouraging to people who are down? Well, honestly, I don't <i>want</i> to keep in touch with all those people. I mean do we need to be in touch with our high school classmates -x girlfriends -cousins-mom? Um no. I really think our society has become addicted to it or dependent on it. For family, I keep in touch the old fashioned way. The vast majority of your "friends" on FB, really don't care what you have to say about what you are eating or how you slept, or that headache you've got, or the new diet you are trying. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> Our world is becoming more and more detached from those directly around us. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">How many of us actually know our neighbors? I think we could do so much more good if we paid attention to our direct environment. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> It was hard at first. I'd look outside and want to post something witty about how much I hate the snow. I wanted the little bit of attention it would get. I wanted to know how many likes I would get. Admit it, we all want to get those "likes". We want to post a pic of us posed just so, and hope someone will compliment it. We've all done it. I know some of you are thinking, that you can use Facebook to encourage too. I agree, you can, to a degree. But from someone who suffers from depression, and would post about being sad or down....it doesn't really help. What does help? My friends that are physically here. God will guide us to the right people, and he doesn't need Facebook to do it. There are plenty of people hurting around us that we just need to find. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> For <i>me</i> leaving Facebook has helped me to deal with my complaints instead of putting them out there for people to fuel my fire. It has helped me to actually <i>call</i> people to see how they are doing. It has been amazing. I feel like instead of having hundreds of "friends", I'm actually building relationships. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> I don't expect you to read this and delete your account. I would be happy if people just stepped back and became aware of what is around them more. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> I am also considering going back to a flip phone. My smart phone can be helpful, but I need to exersize more restraint and not pull it out every 5 min. Speaking of phones....think you aren't addicted to your phone? Try going 12 hours without it. Try leaving it home while you go out for the day. Studies have shown that we have built a phsycological dependency on our devices and we can actuall display some withdrawal symptoms when our devices are with held from us. It's funny, because I sit here and get a panicked feeling if I think about not having a cell phone at all. How would I get directions? How would I get help if I broke down? Well, both cases are pretty rare, but what did we do BEFORE cell phones? We managed. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> Like I said I'm not being accusational, as I'm guilty. Try remembering life pre tech, go without for a day. It might help you see something new. It's just my thoughts, and nobody gave me a penny for them. </span></div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-77274046241246076322014-02-24T21:02:00.001-08:002014-02-24T21:02:52.199-08:00MIAIt's been a few months. I haven't been absent from this blog for such a stretch....ever. I've been working on myself. I'll admit I've wanted to write on more than one occation, but the motivation wasn't there. The motivation to simply exsist, teach my kids, and keep the laundry and dishes at bay, or at least try. <div> This winter has been relentless. Every winter I struggle. It's more than vitamin d can fix, trust me. People who normally think I should be able to truck through winter, are feeling the winter blues. Hopefully it serves as an eye opener. </div><div><br></div><div> In December I hit an all time low. I'd never felt so low. Try as I might, there was no motivation to do more than was required of me. I was tired all the time. Felt like I was dying inside, but had no idea what to do. I swallowed my pride long ago and started taking anti-depressants. Well, I ended up speaking with a Dr and even went through some group therapy. My medication had stopped working and I needed to make a switch. </div><div> I can't tell you how thankful I am for that pill. It doesn't make me a zombie, or emotionless. It lifts the great fog of depression so I can me me and feel my emotions as they should be felt. Why is it that we are so afraid of deppression? Why do we feel the need to hide it? Why do we deny ourselves the freedom treatment can offer? In a word, I think it is summed up as pride. A very wise elderly woman once told me that if everyone knew what everyone else struggled with, the world would be a better place. Can I get an amen?? </div><div> Think about it. We are afraid of what people will think of us. Or we've convinced ourselves that it's ok for SOME people to need treaemt....but certainly not us. Nope, we like it here in the city of denial in the house of dillusion. </div><div> I also hear people use the old, "if you had enough faith" bit. Pause for a moment with me while I roll my eyes. Obviously, these people have never read through the psalms. Uh, yes, David had some pretty dark stuff in there. Or what about Job! We look up to Job as a pilar of strength and faith, and yet in the midst of his tragedy he wished he'd never been born! Depression happens! </div><div><br></div><div> Some don't like the idea, and think...why me? Why do I have to depend on a pill to be "normal"? Because depression is an illness. I'm sure people with diabetes and several other diseases think the same thing. </div><div><br></div><div> So something I'd like to work on, is breaking down some of these walls. I want to teach others that stigma sucks. That we need to take care of ourselves and be gentle with all people, because we don't know their story. Be more brave with your story, someone out there needs to hear it. I want to show that you can be a faithful Christian, and struggle with depression. </div><div>God is amazing.</div><div> We are never alone. </div><div>Remember this. </div><div><br></div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-92109079246763391862013-10-17T08:23:00.001-07:002013-10-17T08:23:25.130-07:00Seasons of life The change of seasons is upon us. Here we are in the fall season. Today it is cold, grey, and very wet outside. <div><br></div><div> I simply cannot watch the changing of the seasons without reflecting how they are so much like the seasons of our lives. Right now I am in the summer of my life. My children are young, our lives are busy, I'm fully grown and hopefully producing fruit. </div><div><br></div><div> Spring time. A time of newness, energy, and life. This is my children's season. They are still young and growing. There is still innocence and purity. The springtime is the best time to plant seeds. How true this is of the knowledge we place in our children. While it can be planted later in life, the ground is most yielding and furtile at this season of life. We must take advantage of it and plans seeds of Gods word, kindness, and truth. Sadly not all seeds will germinate. Even with careful tending these seeds can die. Yet, they have no chance of growing if they are not planted in the first place. </div><div><br></div><div> Summer time. I am in the season of summer in my life. Business, fruitfulness, tending gardens, long days, joy and light. Oh, and thunderstorms. :-) Summer is often the season we look back on and long for during the cold days of winter. When there were great days that seemed they would never end. When thunderstorms would come and cause fear and threaten us. But we feel clean and renewed after the storm passes. So true of the storms of life as well. There are times on these summer days when we long for winter. Yet the ones sitting in winter long for just one more day of summer. Children laughing and arguing, places to go, people to see, friends to meet, and battles to fight. </div><div><br></div><div> The season of Fall. This is the season I see my parents in. They have the joys of seeing the fruits of their labors. Fully grown children and young grandchildren. Life has been long enough to appriciate the colors changing all around them. Life is quieting down a little. The days are shorter and sometimes they can be gloomy. There is still so much life in autumn. A new kind of life. In a way it is like a second spring. We, summertime people look on at the color, beauty and full maturity of fall with awe. Fall is a time of gathering fruits of the harvest and reflecting on the work of spring and summer as you look on to winter. </div><div><br></div><div> Winter. I see this in my grandparents. The life of winter is quiet and lonely. There are a few who fight the cold and make us see the beauty in winter. Winter brings sleep, hibernation, and reflection. I see people in their winter longing for the days of spring and summer when so much lay ahead of them. Many of their friends and loved ones have already fallen asleep and await the eternal spring awakening. We summer people can bring warmth to the winter. Let them know you care. Some defy the winter and go out in the cold and show us the little things that there is still much joy to be found in. Winter is a season of wisdom. All the seasons have passed and there is so much knowledge there. Soon the winter ones fall asleep and will be awakened to an eternal spring. Eternal spring. Doesn't sound so bad, does it? </div><div><br></div><div> Make the most of the season you are in. Plant your seeds, tend them, watch them bloom. And do not fear winter, because winter brings spring. </div><div><br></div><div> </div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-42720323778301410902013-09-28T06:56:00.001-07:002013-09-29T05:52:17.789-07:00Why do I home school? I have been asked this question a few times. Some asking out of honest curiosity, while others wanting to know why I've chosen to "do this" to my children. Let me start by saying home schooling is <i>not</i> for every family. I have nothing against people who send their kids to the school system. It is each parents responsibility to choose what is best for their family. That being said, I will tell you why I choose to home school my children. <div><br></div><div> It allows us to focus learning on God. The world today is so lacking in basic biblical knowledge that it is sad. It is the foundation of life. I've had people tell me that it is horrible that I keep my kids home to "brainwash" them with religious falsehoods. I choose not to let them be "brainwashed" by the world, thanks. I want my kids to learn what purity is, and that a lot of what goes on in the world is NOT ok. I want them to know that they are more than products of a pile of ooze millions of years ago. No, they need to know that God created them, and every fiber of their being, and that he did so with a purpose, because he loves them. They need to know that no matter how bad this life may get, what awaits them is going to be worth it. </div><div><br></div><div> I love the freedom of allowing my kids to pursue their interests as school subjects. They learn so much more! I love that we aren't tied to a building. We can go visit family and take school with us. My daughter can pursue her passion for ancient Egypt, fashion design, and animals, and my son can fully explore his love of building, and designing. We are talking history, science and art right there! I guide their learning within their interests so I can be sure they are learning well. </div><div><br></div><div> We get time to be a family. Life is so busy and people hurry everyplace. My kids don't have to spend their evenings swamped in home work. We get to do things together. I go to work a lot of evenings, but it gives them quality dad time when I'm not there. Dad time and family time are rare things in our world. </div><div><br></div><div> I homeschool for social reasons. What?? Yes, you read that correctly. I tire of the same question: "What about socialization?" My children get much more positive social interaction with peers and those above and below their age level. I do not think 25 other 7 year olds are who I would like teaching my 7 year old how to act. They do have friends and are both involved in extra curricular sports/activities. Am I sheltering them? Yes, to a degree, I am. I want them to develop into confident, well rooted individuals. I feel they need to know where they stand before they can stand firm. I want them to not be bullied, or picked on for obscure reasons. They know this stuff is out there. I see no constructive reason that them missing out on it everyday will hinder their emotional growth. People have asked me how I can deprive my daughter of going to prom. Seriously? I wasn't aware that prom was such a key factor to my child's education, life, and well being. I guess I missed the memo on that one. Teaching them at home allows us to let them focus on learning, and having fun. Not worrying about being made fun of. </div><div><br></div><div> I choose to home school because of all these reasons and then some. I have been entrusted with a great responsibility-my children. There are days when I <i>can't</i> imagine doing anything else and there are days when I <i>want</i> to do anything else. There are ups, downs, and corkscrews. I'm far from doing it "right" or perfectly. I can do so much better than I am, I'm sure. Yet, I feel this is the path God wants me on. </div><div><br></div><div> Homeschooling is a journey, not a destination. For <i>my</i> family it is the best choice. I am thankful for our freedom to do this. I realize that there are people out there who may use this freedom inappropriately, but the good ones far out number the bad. You can't judge the many, by the few. </div><div><br></div><div> I could go on and on about the many reasons and describing them in great detail. However, I feel that this is sufficient in giving people a good picture. I hope this helps to answer questions and encourages those who already home school. Life is diverse, and so are we. </div><div><br></div><div> </div><div><br></div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-37435852629282537602013-09-07T21:25:00.001-07:002013-09-12T22:28:03.461-07:00Here is your information overload. A few posts back I said I would begin answering questions on my blog that were emailed to me. <i>Sarahbeth.sparkle@gmail.com</i><div>Well, I did receive a few questions. However, they were so personal in nature I didn't wish to publish the answer. So, keep the questions coming and I'll do my best to answer. If the person asking wishes me to write an answer publicly I will. </div><div><br></div><div>I received a great response to my last post. In this entry I'd like to tell you all of a few of the resources that I've found. I'm not perfect, and fail at many things, but I try to do my best, and pray Gods mercy will fill up my great lack of...everything. </div><div><br></div><div>I hope that these help you and inspire you to try to learn more and teach more. </div><div><br></div><div>First, there is an amazing blog, <b>hands on bible teacher</b>, that is full of amazing ideas and methods. I HIGHLY recommend this. Another good site is <i>currclick.com</i>. It is full of great print outs (some free, some not) and some lesson plans. </div><div><br></div><div> I have also had great luck with lap books. If you aren't sure what they are, please "google it". It is a LOT of fun for kids. I google bible themed lap book ideas and get a ton of information. </div><div><br></div><div> If you are looking for a traditional curriculum, I also have a few recommendations. We have used Christian light publications. It is very thorough and accurate. I learned a lot going through it with my kids. </div><div> </div><div> Rod and staff publishers also have good stuff. They are very conservative in their views, and most of the illustrations depict Amish and Mennonite if that gives you a gauge. It is good stuff though. Lots of pure bible information, especially Old Testament. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> I really really enjoy finding curriculum and putting it together into lessons. If you too, are demented like that, you can find all kids of random information online that you can put together yourself bit by bit. I sadly don't always have the time that I want for it. </div><div><br></div><div> One of my favorite bibles for kids to use (and even adults if you need to brush up on your bible stories) is <u>the Action bible</u>. It's a giant comic book that is very accurate with its stories, in my opinion. It is great to sit down as a family and go though it story by story. Who doesn't like comics? You, in the back, put your hand down. </div><div><br></div><div> What I do not recommend doing with kids is reading straight through a bible. I mean, it's all pretty interesting until you get to numbers. Even most adults stall out Numbers. It's like reading the never ending story problem. Don't do it. You as an adult, I believe, should read the Bible cover to cover. When you do this (trudging through the book of numbers) you get a better sense of the completion of the bible and how it is so intricately connected from start to finish. </div><div><br></div><div> Right now with my own kids, I'm doing something with them together and separately. My 11 yr old is assigned a daily devo to read and write in a prayer journal about. My 7 yr old is working on memorizing the books of the Old Testament and praying. Together we work on memory verses. We are also going through the major stories in the bible right now. They learn different things from the stories, even though we do the same story. For example, we are going through the story of creation. My son is working on memorizing what was created on what days with little projects and worksheets. My daughter is looking at it from a creation vs evolution prospective and digging deeper. </div><div><br></div><div> Now, allow me to give a disclaimer here. I want not a soul to think I've got this all figured out and do it perfectly. If you envision us all getting up at dawn with cups of hot tea sitting at desks studying hard as we are all dressed like we are going to church, you are so very very wrong. Allow me to paint you a more accurate picture. It is 11 am and My son, still in his underwear, is crashing matchbox cars on the floor while I try to read the bible lesson. I tell him to focus, and he laments. So I let him continue, as long as he can tell me what I've just said (which he always can and it drives me nuts. But he learns while moving, I think). My daughter is laying sprawled on the couch chewing gum and doodling. We try to say a prayer and the dogs suddenly think its time to play, which cracks the kids up and they start giggling. Some days I feel like they learned nothing and others I feel like they are hanging on my every word. I feel that that is why we do more than just read. We do worksheets and projects too. We also hang charts and draw pictures. For those days when the story seems to float over them like a cloud, it helps the information to stick.</div><div><br></div><div> Finally, don't hold yourself back. If you feel like you need to know more before you teach your kids, don't. Learn together. Let them see you making discoveries in a Gods word, so that they can be eager to make their own. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> </div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-82772671396824675402013-09-05T07:58:00.001-07:002017-01-20T15:22:13.365-08:00A dull blade for battle.I'm going to start you off in this post with some interesting math figures.<br />
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The average child in America spends 6 hours a day in school for 180 days per year, for 13 years. So 6 x 180=1,080 hours per year. Then 1080 x 13= 14,040 hours per child for k-12. Now, this is an estimation on time spent, so don't get your knickers in a twist. We won't count hours spent on projects, homework, etc. Like I said, we are using basic numbers here. </div>
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Now I will give you a new set of numbers. If your child attends Bible class every single Sunday for a year and classes are an hour of instruction, that is about 52 hours per year. Let's multiply that from the time they are born until they are 18. So 52 x 18=936 hours in 18 years. That friends, is less than the amount of time spent in one year of school. So we wouldn't quite have graduated Kindergarten. If you want to add in an hour long bible class for every Wednesday night in there it would be roughly a total of 1872 hours from birth to 18 years....not quite enough to pass first grade. </div>
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Those numbers make you think. I understand that your child may spend more than that per week in the bible and I also understand that I am lumping things together and not dividing learning into subjects when I do the estimates for a school year. Yet, even with those things it is nothing short of shameful. Would we send our kids into the world with less than a 1st grade education? Certainly not! Then why do we think its ok for their knowledge of the Bible to be so sparse? We are sending our children to battle with blunt blades. How effective can this possibly be? </div>
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It might be argued that the children learn the Bible by watching you live it. While that is a noble idea, and there is something to be said for making your actions an example, I wonder if you would let them learn math by you living it. A lot of people use math more often than the Bible during the day and would still not find it acceptable. Can we learn how to build a rocket by seeing one launched? We need basic knowledge that is steadily built upon. </div>
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If we do want to talk about examples, let's look in the mirror for a moment. When was the last time your kids saw you sit down just to read the Bible? Or pray when it wasn't a meal? We must practice what we preach! Bible stories used to be common knowledge, even among non-church goers. Most of it has all but faded away from common knowledge. Most people I talk to about reading their Bible insist that it's just too difficult if a book, and they'll just trust a preacher to help them out with questions. Preachers can be wrong. They are human. It is OUR responsibility to study and sort truth from fiction. Look at acts 17:11. Personally I love to question everything and I even enjoy a good debate now and then with reasonable people. You learn so much by questioning. </div>
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Currently we live in a world where anything and everything you ever wanted to know and learn is at your fingertips.....except things like, compassion, honesty, and common sense. I think that some part of us feels we can look up what we need to know, when we need to know it. While that might be great for finding a recipe, it is not the same as having the knowledge tucked away in your heart. What is tucked in our hearts shows through in our everyday lives. </div>
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We are also a busy society. We profess to put God as #1, yet we talk to Him rarely and know so little of His letter written for us. I wonder how it would go over if we used the same level of "#1" with our spouses. I picture it going over like a pig without wings. I pray that if we find time for soccer, dance, piano, movies, and baseball practice, we can find time for teaching our children the word of God....and ourselves for that matter. </div>
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We are all in this. Our culture doesn't want us to teach our children all this "god stuff". I've been told more than once that I should expose my children to everything and let them decide. More importantly, Satan doesn't want us to teach our children. Satan likes a nice, dull blade. </div>
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Don't know where to start? There are so many curriculums and programs out there, that it's crazy. Ask for help or suggestions. You don't have to spend money or get fancy. You have options, you just have to be willing to try something new and maybe even step outside of your comfort zone. <br />
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Do not be deceived into thinking that you know the stories, or know what you "need to know". It is our sword. We need to know it, how it moves, feels in our hands, and exactly how to handle it. There is always more to learn. Always. God will highlight different thoughts at different points of your life. Let God teach you.</div>
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We need to sharpen the blades of our children and teach them how to keep it sharp. Don't let them go to battle unarmed. The world is ready for them, ready to destroy them. They are our children, nieces, nephews....our future. In fact, what do OUR blades look like? This is really about All of us, isn't it? How can we teach our children to sharpen their swords if we don't even know where ours is?? </div>
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Let's get to work renewing and expanding our knowledge and handing it to the next generation as well. Let no one be unarmed. </div>
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Sarahbeth </div>
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Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-3752541716503921322013-08-06T19:09:00.000-07:002013-08-06T19:16:56.619-07:00Open my heart.There is a song we used to sing when I was a teen at camp and it had these words in it;<br />
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"Open my heart to what you know, so I can stretch, so I can grow. My feelings toss me to and fro. Open my heart to what you know."<br />
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At least that is one verse of it. What do those words mean to you? In my head I can hear voices singing the sad slow tune together. To me they remind me of how our hearts are to be open, though it often causes conflicting emotions.<br />
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Have you ever come to something in Gods word when you are studying, or in a class that just makes you freeze? Right now in our Sunday morning bible class we are doing an in depth study in the book of Romans. We have come to content that has a lot of people at a loss. People are frustrated because what we are seeing in the bible is contradicting our traditional thoughts. I am enjoying it immensely. People are getting frustrated with it, but I will tell you that I have seen more actual studying going on than I have in a long time. Whether or not people realize it or want to admit it, this class is lighting fires under behinds.<br />
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Honestly, we all need to step back and ask why we believe what we believe and seek the true answers to these things. I personally have asked people in the past why we believe something and the response I have gotten is, "Because it's the way it has always been." Not. Acceptable. Not even a little. How are we to minister to people about the bible, if we don't KNOW the bible. Do not be fooled. Just because you've gone to church for X years or you think you know all the "stories" doesn't mean you know all there is to know. What you think you know may not even be true. May we NEVER get to a point in our lives where we think we have learned all we can from the bible and we no longer need to study it or believe that we know it all.<br />
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With all of this being said, we are to maintain an open heart when we study. If we don't, then there is indeed nothing we can learn. Personally, I like to pray before I study. I pray for God to guard my heart from letting Satan twist the scriptures and for God to open my heart to Him. I think this is important because Satan knows the scriptures very well, as evidenced by all the times he quoted and misused it when tempting Jesus in the wilderness. <br />
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Does this mean we should believe every new thing we hear? Absolutely not. Should we dismiss everything we hear? Nope. We need to search the scriptures to prove that which is true.<br />
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1 Thess 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good.<br />
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Acts 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; They received the word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so.<br />
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Many times when we are presented with something that contradicts what we have believed, we become defensive and closed up. It ought not be this way. We should approach these things in love and kindness. The word of God is our sword. We must learn it, inside and out. We cannot defeat Satan without a weapon.<br />
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I'm excited about being challenged. but at the same time, it can be an emotional struggle when we wrestle to find the truth. It is hard to hear things that contradict what we have held to as certain truth. I believe, however, it is good for us to be challenged. It keeps us digging deeper into God's word and brings us closer to him.<br />
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God is so good and truth is beyond value. Find the truth. Seek it out and hold fast to it. Keep your heart open, yet guarded. Then ask yourself to prove with scripture why you believe what you believe.<br />
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Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-48903597496967379022013-07-21T20:10:00.001-07:002013-07-21T20:10:07.898-07:00Coming soon! As I have started gathering followers I have been getting emails, and feedback. So, I am announcing that I will start taking questions and topics you wish for me to blog on. I am very excited about this! So, get those emails ready and send them in!<br />
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I will continue to write about topics as they arrive in my everyday life as well. So this blog will be like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get....but it'll be chocolate, so hey. :-)<br />
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This week is going to be a good one!Busy but good. It is VBS crunch time at our congregation! This means that we will be at the building several hours everyday preparing for VBS week. I am in charge of crafts, and we will be making a lot of pieces of the "armor of God." Be prepared for swords, breastplates, and more! I LOVE the fellowship that we get while setting everything up. We sing, pray, joke and work......TOGETHER. Is it any wonder why we are left the examples of the first century Christians spending everyday together? God is good! I get to watch the people around me put their talents into high gear and<br />
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I apologize that this is so short, and not much of an entry, but know that I pray for everyone who reads this. God loves you. I tell my kids, I love you more than you'll ever know...but God loves you even <i>more </i>than that. Take that with you today and remember that you are loved! Happy VBS crunch week!Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485159034936819798.post-18430085982489644742013-07-17T05:10:00.001-07:002013-07-17T05:10:28.093-07:00Parenting 101This past month I've learned that (at least) seven of my friends, acquaintances, etc. are expecting. They are all due around the same time so....maybe it was a full moon?? Or the water?? Whatever the case, it's interesting for me to watch. I'm 30 and had my first child when I was 19 and my second when I was 23. Most of my expecting friends are my age. While my friends were in college, I was changing diapers and fighting to fit a rear facing car seat into my car. They were crazy and hard times. I will admit that I feel I was too young, yet I wouldn't trade it now for anything. God has a plan. Everyday I watch my children grow and watch the plan unfold. <div> Having children makes you keenly aware of how our relationship with God is in many ways. We get the new perspective of being fully responsible for, loving, feeding, guiding, guarding, and teaching a being. Yes, it's very overwhelming, but that's why we need Gods help to do it. </div><div><br></div><div>Now I'd like to address the new parents and parents of young ones with something I wish I'd been told. </div><div><br></div><div>Dear newbies, </div><div><br></div><div> Welcome to parenthood. The most exhausting, crazy, sad, happy, exciting, rewarding journey of your life. </div><div><br></div><div> People are going to give you more advice (and blankets) than you ever thought possible. Some will be good, some will be not so good. The key is to remember that this is your child, not theirs. </div><div><br></div><div> There will be perfect sleepy, cheerful babies, and there will be those who cannot be consoled. With both types there will be nights (oh there will be nights) when you question why you did this, and if you'll ever sleep again and if your baby will ever stop crying. You'll cry while your baby is crying because you are sleep deprived and feel helpless. You'll learn that you can't always make it better, but you can try. There will be times when you question if you are both going to survive this. It's ok to let them cry it out sometimes. Though these nights seem to last forever, it will be soon that they are forever behind you. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't feel like you have to be superwoman. We are human and we all need help sometimes. My daughter would scream for hours every single night. Seriously. Hours. I had nobody near me to ask for help. The good thing is now I can tolerate any screaming or unhappy baby for ridiculous amounts of time (take note of this and put me on speed dial if you need to!).</div><div><br></div><div> Remember that every child is different in every way. They will be different sizes, have different features, different abilities, and personalities. Don't compare your child with others, in good or bad ways. There will be kids who seem to be able to recite the dictionary at 2 yrs and there will be kids who you think will never speak. There will be children who seem to be potty trained from the womb and then those who are afraid of the idea of sitting over a hole til they are 3. Don't worry, they will not go off to college in diapers. </div><div><br></div><div> You'll find that the quiet house is a time to become suspicious rather than peaceful. That nap time is a gift from God, and your house will never be as clean as it once was. Things that come from every part of your baby (mouth, and diaper area) will be on you at some point. Some of them frequently. </div><div><br></div><div> You will question if you were ready for this. The answer is always no. Always. You simply cannot ever be fully ready for this. Parenthood is a learn-as-you-go thing. You can read books and get great ideas and be super prepared, but you cannot be ready. And that is ok. You are also going to make mistakes. There is no such thing as a "perfect parent".</div><div><br></div><div> Kiss your baby as much as you can. Read them bible stories even if you think they can't understand. Pray with them and for them. Teach them who God is and why he loves them. The time you have with them is so short, you have to make the most of it. Watch your baby sleep once in a while. It is one of the most precious things you'll ever see. </div><div><br></div><div> You are about to receive something that will teach you that you may not have really understood love before. That love is much deeper and stronger than you thought before. </div><div><br></div><div> When your child is crying because they don't like something that you are doing for their own good....you'll think of how you cry and fight when God does something for your own good. You'll get a better grasp on the fact that God knows so much more than we do. </div><div><br></div><div> You'll laugh, cry, smile, hurt, and love like you never have before. </div><div><br></div><div> There may be times when you wonder if you *can* love your baby. When my oldest cried all the time, I admit that I had a hard time feeling that "oh look at the cute baby" feeling. There were times when I felt hopeless and exhausted. These feelings don't mean your a bad parent or a horrible person. Find a friend and open up with what your feeling. Never keep it stuffed inside.</div><div><br></div><div> Remember, your baby was assigned to you by God. He knows what he is doing. You can do this. They, and you, will reach milestones at different points than those around you. And teach your kids that you *do* have eyes on the back of your head and that God loves them even more than you do. </div><div><br></div><div> Best wishes to you all! I'm here if you need me! It's going to be so worth it all. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlDUjRSuG1Jd7WF_x6lsb_DqtwQ_a4XGR0OWGLcZIrZQCPpvoSmBq8sZbwVFIJNykuDB4Hb0_9Avcbygnf31kQL8M7wSH4L3073isCBDFmT3j57OdoIqs0I0Jafm53nYKmZ3-dC0vB9q4/s640/blogger-image-814075220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlDUjRSuG1Jd7WF_x6lsb_DqtwQ_a4XGR0OWGLcZIrZQCPpvoSmBq8sZbwVFIJNykuDB4Hb0_9Avcbygnf31kQL8M7wSH4L3073isCBDFmT3j57OdoIqs0I0Jafm53nYKmZ3-dC0vB9q4/s640/blogger-image-814075220.jpg"></a></div></div>Sarahbethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921270249473878093noreply@blogger.com1