Faith as small as a mustard seed

It’s been since May readers. I have been busy lately but enjoying every second of it. A few days ago, I was in the grocery store and came across mustard seed in the seasoning section. It was a reminder of the verse in the bible. Matt 17:20 says: He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” A mustard seed is very small. In life, there are many mountains that come our way. Some can be small, when others seem difficult to move. Nothing is too big for our God. Whatever is impossible in our eyes is possible with God. God knows what is going to happen today, tomorrow and yesterday. He is in complete control of our life. It is our human nature to want to be in control. Many times we try to take control of a situation when it only will make things worse. We have to learn that God is in control and he always knows what is best even when we don’t understand. I wanted to share a story that I read in my devotion yesterday that spoke to me. One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided since the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. So, the farmer invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed shovels, and began to shovel dirt into the well. All the other farm animals were very upset about this, because the donkey was their friend. But they discovered there was nothing they could do to help him. At first, when the donkey realized what was happening, he cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well, and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off, and take a step up on the dirt as it piled up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well, and trotted off! In life we have things that may try to weigh us down. We have to learn to let them go and understand that those things are small compared to the power that we have inside of us. God wants us to give all our problems to him. Trust that the Lord knows best no matter what. When we learn to not worry and trust in him, we can live a life full of joy.

Patience and Waiting...

Patience and waiting both go hand in hand. In order to wait for something you have to be patient. What is patience? Dictionary.com defines patience as an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay. The willingness to suppress restlessness let that sit in for a second. So in order to have patience we have to put an end to being restless and anxious all the time. We have to stop worrying about what tomorrow brings. I heard the following saying the other day: Worrying is like a rocking chair- it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” God knows the desires of our heart. Why should we worry about what is ahead of us? As humans we want things to happen instantly. We don’t like to stand in long lines, we want our food fast... etc. I think Americans now day don’t understand patience and waiting because we are not use to it. Back in the olden days, they understood it more. They had to wait for the harvest, drive a long distance to get to the nearest store. We take for grant the things we have today.

How many of us like to wait for something? Not me. What is fun about waiting? Nothing at all. I think that patience and waiting is when I grow closer to the Lord though. I realize that I have one of two options: I can choose to worry about why I am still single or I can embrace it and realize that it is all part of God’s plan for my life. I told someone the other day that I don’t think God will bring someone in my life until I completely surrender it all over to God. I think so many times I try to tell God how I want things to happen. When God is telling me, Savannah your plans don’t even compare to the great plans that I have for you. Total surrender, why is that so hard? I think because we realize we can’t control what the outcome will be. As a Christian, we aren’t in control of what happens in our life. He already has it all planned out, we just need to trust him more and stop trying to tell God how we want things to be.

What makes waiting so difficult? Waiting means we must be still. I have trouble just being still. At home if it’s really quiet in the house, I will turn on the radio because I can’t stand for it to be quiet. When it’s quiet, I start to think and allow my mind to worry about things. This week, I need to embrace the quiet. I am going to allow the quiet to be time that I pray and be still. I really like this quote by Joseph Campbell: “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” Whatever it is that you are waiting for, let go of the life that you have planned. The life we have planned can’t even touch the plan that God has for our life. Letting go isn’t easy but the reward will be far greater if we do.

Love is more than just a feeling...

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the work love? Some would say that feeling you get when you see someone you really like. Love may be that feeling you get when you kiss someone. Love is that physical attraction you have for someone. I think that our society has love all wrong now days. I think that before you love someone there has to be a time when you didn’t love them. Love is not something that can just happen overnight, it takes time. In this post, I want to just share some thoughts that I have heard in the past few weeks that have really stuck with me.

Loving people will involve risk. It is hard to love again when you have been hurt so many times. I know personally in my life there are times that I have duck taped my heart back to together so tightly so that no one can get in. Love is risky; when you love someone you can’t just say it though. Love is an action. I want to share a quote from one of my devotionals this week, “Love doesn’t just happen to you. Love is a choice and it represents a commitment.” We have taken the word love so lightly at times. Love is something that is deep and represents a commitment. You are probably thinking right now well if love is a commitment and it involves risk, then you better count me out then. People become scared when you use the word commitment. Why is that? I think it could be they realize that once they make a commitment, it means that it no longer is about them. When you love someone you are committed to be there for them no matter what.

Just now I was looking through my sermon notes from 4/21/12 I found this: Love is an action that leads to a feeling, not the opposite. This past week I found the same words love is an action. There is no accident that I was supposed to hear that twice. If you were to tell me that you loved me but you never showed me that you loved me. I would probably have a difficult time thinking that you truly loved me. You can’t just say things; you must put into practice what you are saying. Even as Christians, anyone can say I’m a Christian, but your actions need to show that you are.

I had more to say in this blog until I started typing. I think it’s because I know that loving someone will involve risk and I have a difficult time accepting that at times. I do know that when you love someone you care about them so much and would do anything for them. A year ago, I loved someone so much; I showed them every day that I loved them by my actions. Just because that person is not in my life anymore doesn’t mean that I don’t love them. I will always love them because it wasn’t just a feeling that I had toward them. One last thought before I go, Pastor Ed made this statement this morning: The inside is way more important that the outside. I know that I may be a little picky in the type of husband that I want one day but I know that it’s ok. I want someone to see the big heart that Savannah has on the inside and treasure that. Looks will fade away, people get old and gray. However, when you love someone unconditionally you won’t care how they look; it’s the heart that matters. At the end of the day you want the person who loves you through the good and difficult times. Real love.

I will listen to his voice..

Well, it’s been another one of those emotional roller coaster weeks. I have gone from smiles and tears in just minutes apart. The good news is that my Savior has not left me for one second. He has been with me through the hard times this week and the easy times. Friday morning, my best friend Amy had brain surgery. I knew that it was in the Lord’s hands but the human in me was worried. She was in ICU for a few days. She is in a room now. I am so thankful that we serve a mighty God. He always takes care of his children. I went to see her again today. She seems to be doing better today; she still has a long recovery time though. Amy is such a strong woman; she has been through so much yet still smiles.

Yesterday was Easter. I went to my dad’s church for sunrise service and regular service. Dad had to work at the fire station yesterday so we went to see him yesterday afternoon. Easter always reminds me that we serve a risen savior! He is always near to the broken hearted. God’s plan for our life is far greater than the plans that we want. It is so hard sometimes to wait and have patience. Everyone will always tell you that’s God’s timing is always perfect. Sometimes we want to hurry up his timing and make our own decisions. What a mistake that can make sometimes. Twila Paris sings a song called I Will Listen, I just wanted to share a few lines from that song:

This Is the Faith
Patience to Wait
When There Is Nothing Clear
Nothing to See
Still We Believe
Jesus Is Very Near
I Can Not Imagine What Will Come
But I've Already Made My Choice
And This Is Where I Stand
Until He Moves Me On
And I Will Listen to His Voice

Could It Be That He Is Only Waiting There to See
If I Will Learn to Love the Dreams That He Has Dreamed For Me
Can't Imagine What the Future Holds
But I've Already Made My Choice
And This Is Where I Stand
Until He Moves Me On
And I Will Listen to His Voice

It has been one of my favorite songs for a few months now. It reminds me that we have to listen to God’s voice. When things get hard and difficult we just have to trust that he knows what he is doing. We have all of these dreams for our life that we long to see happen. But God says child my dreams for your life are so much better. He knows our deepest desires and thoughts. When we don’t know what we don’t know what to pray the Spirit intercedes for us. Don’t shout me down now. If we would only trust him and give him all our dreams, what a difference it would make in our life. God is in control of our life anyway. He knows what he is doing. We see the past and the present; however Jesus sees the future that we cannot see.

So whatever you are going through this week, know that God is there. He already knows all the details that will happen this week, nothing catches him off guard. If only we would give him our dreams in exchange for his. We need to learn more to just listen to his voice and know that he knows what he is doing. Sometimes when things happen we want to know the Why?, How? We don’t need to question the why, we just need to trust that our Savior is sovereign and he will never leave us. Luke 18:27 says: Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Nothing is impossible with God. He has great plans for our life, listen to his still small voice this week.

Trust...

Well, it’s been over 2 months since my last blog post. A lot of big changes have happened in my life since my last blog. In my last blog, I told the story of 3 frogs sitting on a log, one decided to jump in, how many were left? There were still 3 because that frog only decided to jump in. Sometimes in life, God calls us to take a leap of faith and trust him even when we don’t understand. I felt God telling me that auditing was not what I was supposed to do the rest of my life. There was something else he had planned for me, if I would only trust him. I am going to be honest with you, it was a big step to make. It is always difficult when you can’t see what’s ahead and you don’t really have a plan. It’s our human nature that tells us that you always should have a plan in whatever you do. So, I took the leap of faith and decided to quit my job as an auditor. 2 weeks after I left the CPA firm, God provided me a job in Mobile back home closer to family and church. It was one of the biggest decisions of my life, I can now say with full assurance that it was the best decision I could have ever made. Sometimes trusting the Lord in the unknown can be difficult but he will never fail us. He never promised that we would not have difficulties and hardships. He did promise that he would never leave us nor forsake us. I am so thankful for his love for me.

What does it mean to fully trust the Lord at all time? A definition that the dictionary gives of trust: a dependence on something future or contingent: Hope. I really like that definition because that is exactly what trust is. When we put our trust in the Savior, we accept that fact that we don’t know what the future holds but we Trust Him. So many times in my life I have not fully trusted the Lord in a situation. As humans we think our plans are better than his. When all along the way, he had something greater for us. I can say will full assurance that the job that I have now is only because of God. I had to take the first step. I had to trust that he had a plan for me. He would take care of all the details of when, why, how. I just had to take that first step. I know that when I accepted Christ. I had to take the first step and believe. The rest was history. I remember the night that I got saved. For the first time in my life, I went to bed that night with the peace that passes all understanding.

One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 3:5 it says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight.” It doesn’t say to trust the Lord with half your heart. No, ALL your heart. In life we should go to our heavenly father with any problem we have. He understands and knows us better than anyone. He loves us so much; he only wants what is best for our life. He wants us to completely put our trust in him. Wither it be in a big decision or relationships. Every day I realize how deep the Fathers love is for me.

There is a song that helps me with trust. It’s called No Matter What by Kerrie Roberts. My favorite part of the song is: “When I’m stuck in this nothing-ness by myself, I’m just sitting in silence, there’s no way I can make it without Your help, I won’t even try it. I know You have Your reasons for everything, so I will keep believing, whatever I might be feeling, God you are my hope, and you'll be my strength.” We can’t make it through life without Christ by our side. There have been times that I have tried to make a decision in life on my own… That was a bad idea. He is our hope and strength in anything we are facing. He only wants what is best for our life. Sometimes when we can’t trace his hand, we have to trust his heart. He seems the master plan. Put your trust in the Lord this week, not in man.

Hello, 2012...

Well, 2011 is gone and now it is 2012. I can’t believe it is here already. Where did all the time go? It feels like yesterday that I was posting a blog about the upcoming year of 2011. 2011 was full of joy, laughter, heartache, tears and trials. Through the difficult times I learned to trust in the Lord and know that he holds me in his arms and he knows what he is doing. There’s a country song by Martina McBride called “A little bit stronger.” When you love someone that you cared about so much, it takes time. It takes time till you finally are ok and are able to keep going on with your life. That’s enough about the sad parts that went on during 2011. The good things in 2011, I have some amazing friends. I don’t know what I would do without them. I know that I say that all the time but it’s the truth. They really are the best support team any girl could ask for. I have gained some new friends this past year that I am looking forward to spending more time with.

I was looking back a few years, to some of my old new year’s resolutions. These are just a few that I found: exercise more, to get a job in my field, a place of my own, to take one day at a time, not worry as much, to live life to the fullest, be a better friend, and learn to cook more. I can say that some of those goals I accomplished and some of them I didn’t. I have learned in life, you have to take one day at a time. You don’t know what the future holds. Most of the time, if you do try to make too many plans for the future, then when those plans are crushed you are left heartbroken.

I have started to read a new book regarding God’s will for your life. So far it has really opened my eyes to many things. Sometimes it is so much easier to say that you are going to do something then actually doing it. It reminds me of a story… There were 3 frogs sitting on a log, one decided to jump in. How many frogs were left on the log? Many would say 2, however, there were still 3 frogs sitting on the log. The reason is because that one frog that decided to jump in, he didn’t actually do it. In life so many times we go to church, listen to the sermon and really think it was a great sermon. However, we must apply it to our life.

This moment in my life there are some things that I say that I am going to do and I haven’t done it yet. I have many dreams for my life. What girl doesn’t right? I have dreams to one day having a job that I love, a husband, and a wonderful family. However, I don’t need to be dreaming about the future all the time. I need to give my dreams to the Lord, put them in his hands and not look back. So many times, I have laid my dreams down at the altar, only to pick them right back up. I know that in order to allow God to work in my life, I have to fully surrender. It’s not an easy thing to do. God calls us to follow him, to trust him and to serve him.

As this New Year starts, I am not going to make any new year’s resolutions. Why? Because most of the time I don’t accomplish any of them. This year, I want to just take one day at a time. Allow God to have full control of my life. I know that once I give it all to him, all those dreams that I thought that I just had to have; those dreams will not be so important to me anymore. We are called to be set apart, to be different and to serve him. I hope that you all have great New Year. Remember just take one day at a time.

Giving the Lord everything no matter what..

It’s hard to believe that it’s going to be December in just a few days. Where does the time go? It seems like yesterday it was spring time. Sometimes I am glad that the time went by so fast but others I wish that time could have slowed down. This month was a month I reflected on the blessings in my life. I have so much to be thankful for. I have a wonderful Christian family that loves me no matter what. I have so many friends in my life that I would not trade for anything in the world. I have gone through some difficult times this past year but my close friends were always there to listen and help me get through it. I am a blessed girl to have a great boyfriend. He is always there when I need him and he puts a smile on my face. I may not get to see him as much as I would like. But the times that we do get to spend together are priceless.

Thanksgiving is always hard for me sometimes without my grandpa. I miss him so much. I know that he would be so proud of me. He loved his family so much and they meant the world to him. Sometimes we don’t understand the plans that the Lord has for our life but we just have to trust him. I know that I have written many blogs about how we have to trust in the Lord even when we don’t understand. The other day I was reading some of my older post that I had wrote this year. I found myself saying that a lot. It is a constant reminder that sometimes we have to trust that his ways are better than our ways.

Earlier this month I finished reading a book called “Crazy Love.” It really spoke to me in a big way. It was about living out our Christian life. I think so many times as humans we just wake up and go through our daily routine and don’t look for an opportunity to make a difference that day. As humans we are creatures of habit. I have to admit to you that even after reading crazy love about making changes in my life, I still have yet to fully give it all and make all the changes. Why is it that is so hard to fully surrender? I think its fear of the unknown. I think we begin ask questions like the following: What if means that God wants me to change this in my life? I can’t give that up, it’s too hard. That’s scary; I don’t think I am capable to do something like that?

God has called us to be different. One of my life verses is this: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”- Proverbs 3:5-6. We have to fully trust in him, knowing that he will take care of us no matter what.

One last thing I want to leave you with. It’s a post that I left on a bible study recently on Ruth. Ruth was an amazing woman. I can imagine that she was beautiful but more than anything she loved the Lord with all her heart. My post: “Girlfriends... I don't know about you’ll but this week really spoke to me in many ways. Day 4 spoke about in Proverbs 31 it says that her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. I long to be a woman that seeks the Lord. I think so many times as a single person that we are sitting around waiting on God to send us "the one". When really we need to be serving the Lord and striving to have those traits that special person is looking for in a mate. This week I have realized that I need to be praying more and staying in his word. I am doing Ruth and reading Crazy Love at the same time. In the book Crazy Love it talks about how God wants us to give our all and not be lukewarm. I realized this week that I just need to give all my worries my concerns to God and stop trying to make things happen. When I try to make things happen, it never has a good ending. This coming up week I am going to try to be the one that the Lord longs for me to be.”