Two posts in one day!!!!

Quit laughing... it isn't funny! Yes, I haven't been seen in a month and now I'm on the second post of the day. But I'm pretty sure you wanted to hear this poem. And if you didn't... well, kudos to you! Go ahead and just stop reading this and do your laundry or whatever else is so vitally important and fascinating... :P

Here you go :) Its my latest one, and also one of three I've written since I've been at college.

The Note

I opened up my mailbox.

It was just like any other day.

There were some clouds, some happy times

And often, I didn’t know what to say.

I gave a heavy sigh

And looked down deep inside.

There was a small white envelope

With my name on one side.

It was a very simple note

Plain printed in bold, strong hand.

There was a smudge in one corner

That I don’t think was planned.

I wondered who in the world

Would leave this note for me?

I didn’t know who it could be from

And I wondered, “What could it be?”

So I broke the seal and tore it open

And a card fell from inside.

On the front was a simple flower

But it was my favorite kind.

 I thought “It must have been someone

Who knows me pretty well.”

How they would know to pick my favorite flower

Was more than I could tell.

I picked up the card

And set the envelope aside.

The emotion and nervousness

Was more than I could hide.

I looked both ways

To make sure that no one could see.

But there was not a soul

And I was as alone as I could be.

I opened the card

And I read the first line.

It held my own name

So I was sure it was mine.

I recognized the handwriting

And my heart started to race.

I could hardly sit still

In the same place.

My eyes whizzed through the letter

And this is what I read:

“I know you wouldn’t expect this from me

But it just had to be said.

You are one of my best friends

And I hope that will always be the same.

You brighten a room by walking in,

And I smile when I hear your name.

Please don’t ever change

And I know that I like you.

Will you be my friend forever?”

And there was a signature too…

It was yours!

And my heart was touched.

No one else’s words

Could ever mean so much.

It was just a simple note

But it thrilled my heart.

I knew that a special friendship

Had just had its start.

Make today count!

Always,

~ Amanda ♥

*cringe*

*peeks around the corner to see if anyone is watching her*

*gulps*

*steps out from the long-time shadows*

Voila! I am back! Lol, I'm sure you are wondering where in the world I went. And I'm not going to give you the same old excuse that every college student keeps under their hat about being insanely busy. Sure, its true, but who really wants to here that AGAIN!?!?! So yah, let's just say I have a life and this hasn't been a huge part of it lately.

So what to actually tell you.... There really isn't a whole lot of news that is well..... newsy! I'm not in a relationship, and NO I don't want to be, and NO there is not anyone that I'm interested in. So there, now that we've got everyone's biggest question answered we can move on to more important things.

Like........... umm.......... yah............ well...................

Wow. My life is so busy and yet its boring? Certainly not. God is working in amazing ways on this campus, and this is certainly (and more certainly than ever) where God wants me. Its so amazing every day in chapel because I've never been so convicted by every single message that I hear. In the past, not every message I heard would move me, and in my heart I kind of made fun of those who went forward or applied every message to their life. But I know now how wrong I was to think that way. Every time the Lord speaks through any of the godly men who speak here, it is exactly what He knows I need to work on, and it is something He has specially prepared for me to hear.

Isn't it amazing how God can speak to everyone at the same time, and yet it is exactly what each one needs to hear? Isn't He an Amazing God we serve?

And He is soooooooooooooooooo good to me and in reality, to everyone and in everything. He is in control of every part of our lives, and it is our mistakes or unhappiness with His plan that cause problems in our lives. One thing that He has really been convicting my heart about lately is the fact that I need to be thankful in all things.

Thanksgiving was not too long ago, and I had a really nice time with my family. It was fun and a huge blessing just to spend time and gain wisdom from my uncle and aunt. But it taught me something more. God places things in our lives that we see as bad things, or as trials, as something going wrong. However, He has prepared each one specially for us, and knows that that trial will bring us to Himself. When we come to the end of ourselves, we find Him waiting with open arms and willing to help us whenever we ask.

And He is always there. He never forsakes us.... Isn't that incredible? We can know that no matter what we are going through, and no matter what He has brought in our lives, we are being better prepared for Heaven someday, and to serve Him here on this earth now.

God is so good, and a close walk with Him is truly the sweetest thing on earth. A Christian's heart should and will suffer when he loses fellowship with His Savior. Our God is everything we need, and oh, how much we forget that, and how often we try to do things our way.

So yes, my life has been busy, but through it all, my God is there, and He is taking me through whatever He has for me. I am content to walk with Him, and truly, more than content, because for me it is a privilege to serve the King who loves me and gave His Son for me.

I hope that through the busyness of the Christmas season, you still walk in step with your Lord. He takes the time to love you and guide your life, but any relationship will die if it is only one-sided.

Give God the glory and thanks for everything in your life, even what may seem like bad things. And always, live life on purpose. It isn't an accident that we are here. :)

Make today count!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Yes, I'm still here....

I know you're probably all wondering where in the world I went... Well its a long story.....

Ok so its not a long story. Its called a week-long module that took up all my free time and then mid-terms!!

What's new? Glad you asked!! I'll fill you in ☺.

1. I love all my friends! The Lord has changed my heart in the way that I see each one, and eliminated the friction between some of them. I am praising Him greatly, because I hate drama and stress between friends.

2. I got a new job! I walked on campus this semester not knowing how long I would last, because I didn't have a job and didn't have enough to pay the whole semester of school bill. But I got a call the day I arrived that informed me I did! I was so blessed and thankful to have one at all. It was working in the on-campus coffee shop, which was weird for me, since I had no experience at all in food service. But I was thankful and did the best I could with the job the Lord had given me.
And then I found out that I was moving! I was moving to the office, to the very job that I had originally applied for! I love it and I am just so blessed and thankful for everything!!

3. God has renewed my call to the mission field! This week is Missions Conference here, and it has been the best thing I have experienced in a long time. I loved the Virtuous Woman conference/module, and grew a ton in a week. I love each service at North Valley, and every chapel is such a blessing and time for spiritual learning. This campus is a gift from God, and it is a privilege to be here! But over all, Missions Conference is my favorite part. I have known I was called to be a missionary for several years, but I convinced myself that God could not use me, and I was also distracted by things in my life. In short, I wasn't listening to God's call, and I have gotten that all squared away with Him now. And let me tell you, its the best and only way!! I'm so glad I did!

God is soooo good, and I haven't even started explaining all the ways He has showered His favor and grace upon my life. I love Him so much and owe Him my all in everything I do!

May you seek to serve the Lord with everything you have. He is in control of your life, and you owe everything  to Him! ☺ Give Him your all, and He will multiply it to reach so many.

Make today count! That's why God has given it to you!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Diesekting some verses

Ok, your first question is probably "why in the world did you spell dissect so oddly?" Well, I'll tell you. I couldn't remember how to spell it, and so I just totally demolished it beyond recognition. ☺

Now that we've got that out of the way, we can get down to the real reason I decided to blog today. Ok, so not the real reason, because the real reason is that I felt guilty because I haven't posted anything for a while. So, how about we talk about the almost real reason that I am blogging on this lovely night. (And it is lovely. Everyone says its cold, but that's because this is California, and they don't know what really nice weather is even all about!)

I thought I would share with everyone some misc thoughts from my devotions and the chapel message today. Both were really a blessing, and they kind of tied together. Isn't is amazing how God works in such amazing ways to speak to our hearts? What an absolutely amazing and incredible God we serve. ☺

I decided to start reading 1 Corinthians today, after I was finished with the Proverb of the day (which, btw, was also a blessing, I just chose not to talk about that now.)

So, after skimming the first few verses, they seemed to be just leading into the rest of the chapter. Knowing that it is mainly an introduction, I decided it would be ok if I just skipped over that, and I wouldn't really miss anything after all.... right?

WRONG! Every word of God is pure and perfect and needful. So I got convicted about that and decided to start over at the beginning. Nice way to start devos eh? With conviction! ☺

So on to verse 1 I went. It reads: "Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,..." I read it. And then I read it again. And I thought... "what in the world am I supposed to get out of that?"

And then it proceeded to hit me!! Paul was called to be an apostle, and God called him "through the will of God." Forgive me, I'm not really a Bible scholar, just a student. And to me, that means that God called him while he was doing the will of his Father. In other words, God cannot call anyone that is not already in HIs will. If I'm looking for the call and the touch of God in my life, I have to already be doing His revealed will, and what I know that He has for me today. But I wondered, am I? There we go under conviction again... I know that too often (and if it only happened once, wouldn't that be too often?) I'm just doing my own thing and then confused why God isn't using me. *face palm* It really isn't that difficult to understand, if I could just get it.......

Ok, so moving on, I came across verses 5-9. Here it says that we are enriched by Him in all utterance and knowledge. Every moment that we spend with the Lord increases the richness of our walk with Him. We desire to walk with Him is in direct proportion to how much time we already spend with Him. And it isn't just in what we say and do, it has to reach all the way down into our heart.


When people see how much we love the Lord, and how close our walk with Him is, the testimony that they've heard about us will be verified by how we live our lives.
When we are in the will of God, and walking with Him consistently and faithfully, His Holy Spirit will confirm that in our hearts. And He will confirm it until the end of our life, so that we will be blameless before Him.
God is the standard of faithfulness that we must all strive to reach. And He's the one that called us to be in fellowship with Him in the first place. 


How I hope that my walk with God will draw others to me. I don't want my attractiveness to come from my personality or anything about me, but from the Lord's spirit shining through me. 


I hope that if you actually took the time to wade all the way through this book, that somewhere along the way you have received a blessing from it. I truly hope so, since that is in reality, the only reason I have this blog!


Make today count! You aren't guaranteed tomorrow, and until you can be faithful in today, God won't give you anything more!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Thirsty, but for what?

There was a message in chapel the other day about being thirsty, and how God will satisfy that thirst when we are hungering for Him.

But we have to actually be thirsty for the right thing. Just desiring anything, or following our own will and desires above what God's will for us actually not going to help us out any in the long run. We have to correctly desire what He wants for our lives, and want His best before He can fulfill our desires. If we are truly inside of His will and living in step with Him each day, our desires will match up with what He knows is best for us.

I want God's will for my life to be first and foremost and in the front of my mind all of the time. I want to love Him totally, and I want Him to have all of my heart.

Make today count!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Finally understanding

I came to college knowing that it was the Lord's will for me to be here. There was no doubt in my mind that this was where He wanted me, and I would only be happy right here, right now.

But I still couldn't help wondering why He wanted me here. I knew that He did want me here, I just didn't know why.... I was trusting Him, and I knew that He would take care of all the details involved.

But now I know. ☺ In a service during Pastors' Conference, He spoke to my heart. The speaker said that for a lot of kids that come to Bible college, they go from being a big fish in a small pond to a small fish in a large pond. And sometimes, He is just trying to humble us so that He can use us. I know that is true for me, and it is a lesson I needed to learn.

I'm so thankful for the grace of God and how He is leading me in school here. I am happy here, as much as I miss everyone back home.

Please keep praying for me, and thank you for the blessing you are!

Make today count!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Understanding the will of the Lord

The Lord has been working on me the last few days about His will for my life and my desire to understand everything that He wants for me right now. And you know, it isn't always His will for us to understand it all in the beginning. Sometimes we just have to trust Him and step out in faith, believing we'll understand later on.

I think of the people in the Bible that didn't understand how the Lord was leading them a certain direction or why. But every time He had a plan and a reason for it, and every time, it was His perfect will, if they were just willing to follow it completely and trust in Him.

Makes me think....... Am I following God's will for my life right now? Am I living in step with Him every day, and living as I know that He wants me too? Is He the real and true King of my life? Am I living FOR Him every day?

Kind of bleeds over into other areas of our lives too. I think a lot of girls that make the decision to save themselves completely for "the one" and not just physically but in mind and spirit and emotionally too, are really actually missing the real will of God for their lives. I have chosen that, but the Lord has spoken to me the last couple days and made me rethink who I'm really saving it all for. Shouldn't I be saving myself for the King of my life, even if I never do get married? He will always be with me, and even though I don't always understand His will, He always has a perfect plan that He will lead me in, if I just trust and follow Him.

So how's God's will for your life? Is He the Lord of your life? The message tonight in the service was about serving the Lord with our whole heart. Does He have all of your life? Are you doing what's right, not just because it is right, but because you love Him wholly?

The Lord is doing a great work in my heart and life in this place, and I am so thankful that He has brought me here. I can honestly say, there is no joy like that which comes in wholly following the Lord!

Make today count, and give the Lord everything!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

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 ♥

What are you living for?

You know, sin can certainly be fun. It so often seems exciting and adventurous, and something that will be cool to get away with. Our fleshly, worldly heart loves this kind of fun and seeks to convince us that its ok to do just once, and we won't get caught.


But even though its fun for a while, or exciting, it always ends up hurting us in the end. The smallest things (or so we think) often have large consequences that follow them. One little choice today could change the rest of your life. And the thing is, we don't even know when those choices come!! We don't know what today, could change our future.


Every time we choose to sin, even for a little bit, or just a fun little thing, its gonna hurt us down the road. Oh, the pain may not come for a long time, or it may be immediate. But it will come. I promise you that. The Bible says in Numbers 32:23b: "...be sure your sin will find you out."


Whether the consequences of your pet sin (and we all have them) find you out now, or sometime in the future, be sure that God won't let you get away with it forever. Maybe you'll even make it through your whole life without anyone knowing what you really struggle with. But even if you do, in Heaven you will be found out.


So why choose sin? Why let it ruin your life? Its not going to pay. It may be fun for a time, but it will always catch up to you. What choices will you make today to change your future? Will they be choices to forsake sin and do right, or will you choose the pleasure of sin for a season?


Sin is always fun for a time, but it will always hurt you in the end.


Make today count, but live for tomorrow!!!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Thanks to all

Just wanted to say thank you to all for praying for my cousin that had heart surgery this week. We are going to visit him tomorrow and I can't wait to see him!!! 


It means a lot to have so many friends that I can send a prayer request to and know that they will respond. 


Thanks again and praise the Lord for His mercy and grace and for the friends He has given me :)


Make today count!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥

Weeds

I was weeding the garden today and thinking about how much gardening is like our spiritual life with Christ.

Especially in regards to the weeds. Weeds are a nuisance in a garden and can easily be compared to sins in our lives.


- Weeds in a garden zap the life out of the plants around them. They not only block them from the sun, they take the moisture and goodness intended for the plant and use it for themselves. Just like sins in our lives. They zap the life out of our walk with Christ. They take our time, and use our life and energy for things that are worthless and useless, and then we don't have the time to serve God.


- Weeds also stunt the potential life of the plant. If the plant is deprived of sunlight and nutrients, it takes away what the plant could have been someday. Even if the weeds are taken away, it still is never going to be what it could of been. When our walk with the Lord is deprived, we lose step with God and backslide. The Christian walk never stands still. Its like paddling a canoe up a river. If you stop paddling, you don't just sit there, you go backwards. You have to keep paddling just to stay in place, and paddle even harder to actually go anywhere. If we stop growing, we backslide. Its one or the other. And every time we backslide, we lose ground. Once we lose it, we can never fully regain the ground we've lost. We can never be where we would once have been.


- When the ground around a plant is saturated with water, its not only good for the plant, it also makes the weeds easy to pull up. When we are saturated with the Word of God in our lives, not only is it good for our growth, it makes the weeds and sins in our life easier to get rid of. Things that God wishes us to remove from our lives seem much less important and easy to get rid of when we are close in step with Him.


Don't let the weeds of sin choke your spiritual potential!! Be everything that God wants you to be, today! 


Make today count!
Always,
~ Amanda ♥