God's Love

I’ve recently been praying for clear direction on God’s plan on some things, and praying my desires and plans would be removed.   Through this time, I admit I’ve questioned how to discern the Lord’s presence or leading in my life.  I don’t know if I can even put into words what I mean by that…but let me share a story of how God answered these prayers in a big way…

Some of my friends call me “Martha” because I LOVE being domestic, especially cooking and baking!  I knew going into my job, that for the year I wouldn’t have a kitchen to cook or bake.   There is a toaster, microwave, and toaster oven in the cafeteria that residents (and us interns) can use.  I’m amazed at some creations people have used the toaster oven for, and really wanted to try to learn.  However, I kind of forgot about the toaster oven and wanting to bake in it, mainly because on an interns income (or lack thereof) buying a toaster oven pan was not a higher priority than necessities like shampoo.  So, I’m learning to be content, and grateful for the cafeteria food.   However, I’ve been having a REALLY HARD time lately not being able to cook or bake.  I find myself longing for a kitchen! 

Well, last weekend my cousin wanted to take me and my 2^nd cousin’s girlfriend shopping.  We went to a mall with Crate and Barrel, my favorite store!  I know Crate and Barrel is at this mall, but didn’t think anything about it….until we were near the store and I just sensed I needed to go in. 

Now, let me take a moment to explain that two weeks before, after church I passed by a Pier One, another store I really like (the merchandise but not the prices!).  I haven’t been to Pier One for a REALLY long time, so I thought I’d stop by and take it in (not buy anything) as I had time to kill.  As I pulled into the parking lot, I could hear Pastor Shawn’s words during the sermon “Flee Temptation.”   Oh, but really…I was going to leave my purse in the car and just look.  “FLEE TEMPTATION” came again.  So, I did a u-turn in the parking lot and drove away from temptation.

However, this day God had a different plan and purpose.

So back, to Crate and Barrel.  I asked if they minded if we went to Crate and Barrel real fast.  You have to realize though, I had NO reason to go in that store.  For those who’ve never been, C&B sells home stuff.  I have NO NEED for any of that stuff right now, nor anywhere to store it…much less money (again shampoo ranks higher).  However, I really sensed I should go.  As we walked toward the store, I remember a passing thought of “I wonder if they’ll have anything for a toaster oven."

The three of us went in the store, and walked around looking at a few items.  I remember asking if we could go to the back area of the store, but I really had no idea why.  All of a sudden, I had this idea that I should buy something for myself for Valentine’s Day (which by the way, I don’t even like V-day but that’s a whole different topic).  Not that I have to have something tangible to look at to know God loves me, but I wanted something I could look at and be reminded of God’s extreme love for me in a BIG way.  I wanted it to be practical.  My cousin laughed as I headed straight for the kitchen section!  Of course, because that is ME!  I picked out a small cutting board, one thing we could use in our room (cutting things in your hand is a little tricky!).  Just then, an employee walked by and I found myself asking if they had any dishes that could be used in a toaster oven.  I don't even know where the idea came from.  She took me to the porcelain dishes, and showed me a few that could work.  All of a sudden, she told me they also have a toaster oven set, and it’s on sale (bonus!).  We walked over to another area, and there it was – 

SWEET!!!!  It’s a Toaster Oven set with a cooling rack, cookie sheet, brownie cake pan, and cupcake pan (which was the decision maker for me because I love making cupcakes)!!!!

(Easter cupcakes I made last year.)

To top it off, it was on sale for a price I could manage!!  I was so excited!!!  I felt like I could run 10 miles, I was so happy!!  Now I can be more of who I am, who God created me to be!  I can now cook and bake!  I can have some sanity back for the next 7 months while still living at The Crossing! 

I realized I was able to sense the Lord’s leading in multiple ways, His provision in helping me be who He created me to be, and His love pouring out to me!  More than that, I now see, I just need to relax, trust God knows what I need and when, and He will direct…I just need to be ready and continue to walk in faith and obedience!

Who Am I?

IN CHRIST

I AM ACCEPTED:

I am God’s child. (John 1:12)

I am Christ’s friend. (John 15:15)

I have been justified. (Romans 5:1)

I am united with the Lord, and I am one spirit with Him. (I Corinthians 6:17)

I have been bought with a price.  I belong to God.  (I Corinthians 6:19, 20)

I am a member of Christ’s body. (I Corinthians 12:27)

I am a saint.  (Ephesians 1:1)

I have been adopted as God’s child. (Ephesians 1:5)

I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit.  (Ephesians 2:18)

I have been redeemed and forgive of all my sins.  (Colossians 1:14)

I am complete in Christ.  (Colossians 2:10)

I AM SECURE:

I am free forever from condemnation. (Romans 8:1,2)

I am assured that all things work together for good.  (Romans 8:28)

I am free from any condemning charges against me.  (Romans 8:31f)

I cannot be separated from the love of God.  (Romans 8:35f)

I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God. (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22)

I am hidden with Christ in God.  (Colossians 3:3)

I am confidant that the good work that God has begun in me will be perfected.

(Philippians 1:6)               

I am a citizen of heaven.  (Philippians 3:20)

I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. 

              (2 Timothy 1:7)

I can find grace and mercy in time of need.  (Hebrews 4:16)

I am born of God, and the evil one cannot teach me.  (1 John 5:18)

I AM SIGNIFICANT:

I am the salt and light of the earth.  (Matthew 5:13, 14)

I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life.  (John 15:1, 5)

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.  (John 15:16)

I am a personal witness of Christ’s.  (Acts 1:8)

I am God’s temple.  (1 Corinthians 3:16)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God.  (2 Corinthians 5:17f)

I am God’s coworker.  (1 Corinthians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 6:1)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm.  (Ephesians 2:6)

I am God’s workmanship.  (Ephesians 2:10)

I may approach God with freedom and confidence.  (Ephesians 3:12)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  (Philippians 4:13)

A Hug

A hug…seems like such simple a word...such a simple act, yet can make a huge difference for someone.

After experiencing a rough week, I still had to work this past Saturday morning and later in the afternoon.  I was already going to Aurora for work in the afternoon, so I decided to visit a church I wanted to try out in Aurora that night instead of Sunday morning.  Seemed a practical way to save gas money…yet God had reasons why He led me to this decision.

As I walked into the Worship Center at the church, I was welcomed by an older lady who asked me if I could use a hug.  Perhaps I had this look on my face that said, “I’ve had a rough week, today I had to navigate my way here since the interstate was closed with an accident, and I’m exhausted from having worked all day.”  I call it my  “I’m overwhelmed with all the transition/adjustments look” which in some ways I don’t like and wish I could hide it, but in other ways I’ve found it to be a great asset as people seem more willing to help you.  I don’t know why this lady asked, but she did!  I was surprised and told her sure!  After we hugged, I let her know this was the first time I’d been to this church.  Her face brightened as she told me she was even more glad I was there, and proceeded to tell me she loved her church and why. 

As I sat waiting for the worship service to begin, I thought about how that hug encouraged me.   Here I am in the midst of strangers, a strange place…okay everything strange right now, and then someone I don’t even know would want to give me a hug.  In the moment of the hug, it seemed that all the stress of the week just disappeared. I felt like I was in a safe place, somewhere I could just come and be with God and everything else could just disappear (for now).

I thought back to memories of the morning, when I was working with the youth in the Bronco Room.  Several kids came up to me and gave me a hug.  In my three weeks of working, I’ve had a hug here or there from a kid, but this particular morning, it seemed to be “the thing to do.”  I didn’t think much of it then, other than to give these kids a hug.  All of a sudden that evening, I saw things in a different light.  The kids I work with also live in a strange place (many of them have moved many times), many of them go to a different school (if they go to their old school, they have to take different transportation to get there)..they too are experiencing hard times.  Perhaps a hug for them, is just a stable thing that says “someone cares” and is a chance for a little bit for life to just say “It will be okay” or “This is a safe place.”

What would it take for me to look at a complete stranger and ask “Do you need a hug?”  How could one simple hug make a difference in somebody’s life, giving them a perhaps much needed dose of encouragement?

A hug….a simple way of extending God’s love to those around us.  

Will you be willing to extend God's love today...all by the simple act of a hug?

My thoughts to Welcome You!

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."  Psalm 139:13 NIV

When my parents decided to name me Sarah, they were starting a legacy.  My legacy really started way before that, as God first thought about me and was creating me before my parents even knew me, much less were thinking of my name.  My parents decided to name me, Sarah.  Sarah means "Princess."   Well, HOW APPROPRIATE!  My parents prayer and most important desire was for me to have a personal relationship with the Lord, to know God - THE MIGHTY KING.  They wanted me to be a child of The King!  While I accepted Christ as my personal savior when I was 5 years old, my faith really didn't become my own until between 2nd semester of my senior year of high school and on into my freshman year of college.  My faith really took off my sophomore year of college, and has grown since.  I am A DAUGHTER OF THE KING!!!


This past February (2010), I sat in a group of ladies and my perceptions of comments these ladies were saying, was hearing that unless one is married they are not complete in Christ.  I disagreed, I still do.  I left this conversation questioning a lot of things, discouraged, beat up (or really down)...just not in a good spot.  Now satan, wanting to take this conversation and try to mess me up, kept hitting me with thoughts, questions, and still not in a good spot.  However, I KNEW the truth and battled back with TRUTH of how this concept of not being complete in Christ because I'm not married was not Biblical and how my identity is in Christ.  The battle went on in my mind.  Being much stronger, the Lord also blessed me with great friends (AB, LM, CB, DO) and my mom and sister who spoke truth and walked this path of struggle with me.  In the end, God's truth remains strong and I know that I am complete in Christ.  No man, no job, no hobby, no friend, NOTHING can make me complete - only God can.  I am A DAUGHTER OF THE KING, I am chosen, I am loved, I am forgiven.


Little did I know what was coming in the next few months...God knew though.  He knew being so strong on the truth that I am complete because of Him would become such a strong foundation for what was coming in the summer.  In June, I would be hit with HARD news - choices of friends - of people I looked up, respected, trusted, loved, and were role models to me.  I wondered whom I could trust.  I wondered who people really were.  I wondered what happens that people can't be real, that who I thought these people were weren't really who they were at all.  God brought me to a place where I KNEW I could trust Him, He would never leave me nor forsake me, He was my foundation, I was complete because of Him. 


The summer continued...one rough thing after another.  These are the words I wrote to a friend to explain the best I could on what life was like: 
"This is how I feel - falling on my face on pavement while sprinting...and as I slowly start to get up, being slapped in the face again only to be knocked back down...and repeat...repeat each week for 9 weeks...yes that has been my summer. While it may not sound like fun, if you let God use these times and seek Him in the midst - well you can see beauty out of ashes...really! I'm NOT saying I haven't had struggles, just saying that I'm determined to let God rule over this and not me, my emotions or thoughts, or other people. It's been a summer full of losses and grief...but God has continued to remain faithful and stable. Life can literally crumble around you, but God doesn't. Some days I hate it, some days are hard...but God has never left me and has continued to work on me. I admit, I have had days where I wanted to run away yet how does that allow God to work in the midst of the ashes...and am I trusting Him in the midst of the situation or my emotions/thoughts instead?"


In the midst of this though I had SWEET times with the Lord!  What an incredible blessing!  I reflect back, and look at how grateful I am that God loves me SO MUCH, for the HOPE I have through HIM, for how I am complete in HIM, and how THE KING cherishes this little Princess!!


And so, this is the start of my journey in blogging the journey of "A Daughter Of The KIng!"