Praise the Lord!!

Just wanted to let everyone know quick that my uncle is better now, and almost back to normal. Thank you to everyone for the prayers, and don't stop!!

Praising the Lord,
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Truth indeed

I've been kind of convicted about something lately... After some shocking news I wasn't expecting that sort of upset my world, it made me rethink how real my God is to me.

My uncle has been going through some hard times and has lost a lot of his memory. But even through this time when he can't do anything for himself, and he is confused about so many things, he is still true to his God and is never confused about Him. His God is so real to him, and I wonder about myself?

Am I really trusting in God so thoroughly that nothing that comes up in my life can drive me away? When I lay all my hopes and dreams at His feet, am I doing it with every intention of leaving them there, or am I doing it just for show? Is my God really real to me?

Is what I do so that I can brag about how close I am to God and how much I love Him? Am I really living what I say I am or am I two different people?

Here's a poem that's been in my head the last few days.


A Better Plan


I laid my hopes and dreams at His feet
I told Him I'd do whatever He willed.
But when it came right down to it
I wasn't really sure that I would.


I told Him I'd give Him my all -
I left my heart in His hands.
But I didn't really know if I'd live it out
When the time came I didn't understand.


He took everything that I'd laid at His feet
And told me it wasn't His best.
He said all my plans and hopes were wrong
And my dreams didn't show any trust.


He threw them all out
And gave me something new.
Saying, "You need to learn to trust in Me.
I want to have all of you."


I don't know why He took them away
I don't know why it wasn't His plan.
But I trust that He knows what's best
Even when I don't understand.

Make today count!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

I'm finally here... :)

I just wanted to let everyone know before I head for bed that I'm finally in California!! God greeted me with a major emotional shock, but by His grace and strength I'll make it through.

Please continue to pray for my uncle. He's doing better, but its tough for everyone involved.

Make today count!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

On my way!!

Just had to post quick while I have an internet connection... We're a third of the way to CA!!

Make today count!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Soundtrack of my heart

Here is the song that best describes how I feel today.....


Make today count!!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

A Gratitude Attitude and a Lesson from a Refrigerator

I got a quote from a friend recently. It was:

"What if all you had tomorrow was what you thanked God for today?"


I been thinking about that...... and the fact that we take so much for granted. Here in America we have so much to be thankful for, and I wonder if we ever even realize that. Our refrigerator went out not too long ago, and we've been having to truck things back and forth from downstairs all the time. We think its such a hassle, but honestly, only a small population of the world even has a fridge, let alone two. So, is it really a hassle?


The other thing is, every thing we have, and I do mean everything, is a gift from our Heavenly Father. So do we thank Him for it? Not just the big things like salvation and the miracles He does every day, but the little things too. Like a refrigerator? Like electricity? Running water? Clothes to wear? (or if you're like me, too many clothes....) His Word? a church to attend? what about those things?


Does it ever cross your mind to thank God for those kinds of things? How really thankful are you?

What if all you had tomorrow was what you thanked God for today?


Make today count, and be thankful for it!!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Gracious living..... at home?

I've been noticing lately how I talk to and about my family vs the way I treat my friends. I'm ashamed to say that there are ways that I treat my friends better than my own family... Its been convicting to listen to how I speak at home, and how I conduct myself. Why is so hard for us to be kind to our family, when we love them more than the friends that we are gracious to?


I think the real reason for it rests in the fact that we become careless with how we live, and we don't appreciate the people around us like we should. We become calloused to the things that they do for us, and we cease to really appreciate what we have been given. We see so easily the faults in others, but we are blinded to the real failures in our own lives. 


This has been especially "rammed into my head" these days, because I will soon be leaving my family and I will definitely miss them! Sure, I will still keep in touch and all, but it isn't the same. A friend of mine recently mentioned that he didn't think I would come back home after the first year. I'm sure he is wiser than I am, but I do wonder if that could be true. I know that I'm ready to be on my own, at least for a bit, but I also love my family very much, and I don't know that I'm ready for 100% independence.


Appreciate what your family does for you, even if it doesn't seem like much. Think for a second, where would you be without them?


Make today count!!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

A mission field for me?

Been kind of thinking lately about college.... shocking, I know, since I'm leaving in 8 days to go there ☺. But seriously. Its a big step in my life and sometimes I wonder if I'm ready for it. 

I have surrendered my life to the Lord to go wherever He wants me. Sometimes I feel that He has called me to the mission field, and truly, if He saw fit to send me there, that is one of the highest honors and privileges I can think of. To serve my King somewhere I've never been before, and to be a testimony for Him everywhere I go, even simply by the way I live, is the desire of my heart.

You know what? He has sent me to a mission field! Its somewhere that I've not lived before. Its a new life and a new set of people that I've never reached out to. I will be a living testimony of Him just by being there and definitely by how I carry myself and how I act and treat others. 

This mission field isn't another country. I'm not learning a new language, and I will still have the same "comforts of home" so to speak. But I am leaving my family, my home, my church, my friends and all that is familiar to me. I'm stepping out into a new life that is completely different. A different "family", different friends, a different atmosphere, and many new responsibilities. Its a test of who I really am. And sometimes I wonder if I'm ready for it.

The only thing that will be constant and always the same? My God. And knowing that, I'm literally smiling at the thought ☺. He will always be there for me, and no matter where I go, He will bring the right people along to be there for me, to guide me, and if He knows better than that, He will always be there for me Himself! What an awesome, amazing thought! The God of the universe, that controls everything we know, and so much more that we don't, will always be there for me!!!!!!  He cares enough about me to take time to mold my life and shape me into the person He wants me to be. 

But it also comes with a responsibility. He's taking the time for me, but am I taking the time for Him? Am I letting Him mold my life and shape me? Am I giving Him everything and surrendering to Him day by day? I fall so short of where I should be in my walk with the Lord. So far from what I want to be, and the closeness that I long and yearn for. Its been a huge challenge to me whenever I start thinking about a "special someone" or my "somedays" to turn my thoughts instead on the One that can fill my life right now. He is the only One that can make me truly content and happy, and if I'm not satisfied with Him now, I won't ever be satisfied, no matter what relationship or situation I am in.

So I'm heading to my mission field, and as I think about it, my God has truly given me the desire of my heart. He's made me a missionary for Him. I will give all I have to what He has called me to, knowing that I will be happy there because that is where He has placed me. 

Make today count! It's all you're guaranteed.

Always,

~ Amanda ♥

Making history in Iowa....

Thought I'd give everyone an update on what I've been up to lately... This blog may change somewhat to keeping up with what's going on with me, since I'm leaving for college in a week and a half. But we'll see what happens...


I've been really busy preparing for college shopping, packing, and registering. Its been hectic but fun!! And I still managed to find time this last weekend to go down to Iowa with a bunch of other people to volunteer for Michele Bachmann. She had only been in Iowa for a month vs multiple years for other candidates, but the straw poll was on Saturday and she needed a push. So about 50 of us went down there to do phone banking and help her get ready. 


We surpassed all the goals that the campaign staff had set with things they wanted to have done. Then we all helped out in the actual straw poll on Saturday. 


And she won!! By just a small margin. Apparently, we pushed her over the top. She was the first woman to ever win the Iowa straw poll!! So no matter what her political future holds, we were a part of history! 


It was a valuable experience, and a fun one too. I really enjoyed hanging out with everyone in the down times, and working with them as well. I will never forget it!


Now on to finishing up stuff to get ready to leave. I can hardly believe that the day we leave is almost here!!!!


Make today count!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Bury My Heart On The Mission Field, Lord

Found this song the other day, and can't get enough of it now... Speaks to my heart every time. I'll even provide a link you can listen to if you'd like. :) 

Bury My Heart On The Mission Field, Lord

A young girl weeps in a far distant land.

She has no one to show her God's love;

No mother or father to wipe away the tears.

She's cries out in the night alone.


Bury my heart on the mission field, Lord

I'll go to dry that young girl's tears

I'll serve You no matter where the path may lead

Lord, please bury my heart.

A mother grieves for her starving child.

She has no shelter from the cold.

Earthly provisions will ease their suffering

But who will feed their empty souls?

Bury my heart on the mission field, Lord.

I'll give the gospel to these suffering ones.

I'll go wherever You want me to go.

Lord, please bury my heart.

Will you ignore these lost souls in the night?

Can you hear their pleading cries?

They're begging for someone to show them the way.

We must go before another one dies.

Bury my heart on the mission field Lord

These distant voices won't fade away

I'll do Your will no matter the cost

Lord, please bury my heart.

I'll do Your will no matter the cost

Lord, please bury my heart.

Lord, I give You my heart.

Make today count!

Always,

~ Amanda ♥