Awakened Awareness...

UPDATE:


Ezra 8:23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.


This is what I want to proclaim over all of you who have joined me today! I believe that even before we knew we would be here together on this journey, God had and has a plan to show Himself mighty to each of us. I can't wait to hear how He works in you and in your situations today and in the days to come. 


Have a blessed time in Church. 


Love you, 


Sara
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I want to encourage you today to be inconvenienced for the sake of others. 


I have been sitting and reading story after story of people desperate for hope. It dawned on me today that although I feel hopeless to help, I can do something. On Sunday the 28th I am committing to fast for 24 hours (starting when I wake up) through Monday morning. I would love it if you would join me. I know I know...it's so inconvenient...but when you start to read the stories from the links below...you will see why. 


Please take some time to post sites you know of, or tell me in the comment section about someone you know that needs prayer and why. THEN, if you have committed and feel lead to join me on Sunday, please let me know. 


I believe in fasting. I KNOW it works. PLEASE forward to everyone you know. Let's make this big! Let's spend 24 hours being inconvenienced for these people and approach the thrown of the Father and seek out a miracle from Him. 

Is your Grime Bleached?

I was cleaning my sink this morning...it's white...has to be bleached a LOT...when I noticed the cup in my little drainy thingy was gross...so I decided...I'll BLEACH that too! So I did...I bleached the grime in that thing so good you could barely notice it was still in there, but it was. Then that got me to thinking...what grime in my life has been bleached but not scrubbed away? 


I think it's normal for all of us to have areas in our life we struggle with. We pray over them, ask the Lord to search our hearts and minds and rid us of our grime. In some cases He does in ways we will never forget...and I mean NEVER...and in other ways...we ask, and we bleach...but we don't REALLY want the scrub. We're not willing to get our muscle in it and scrub the livin' daylights out of it so we can be rid of it once and for all. Just bleach that grime...no one will notice it's still there, and I MIGHT pretend it's not there either. 


In my reading this morning I came across Proverbs 20:30, it says this: Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.  I kind of giggled and then said 'Amen'. This is the muscle that cleanses our soul! What I have learned is either I will have the strength to stay in the word and expel my life of the grime...and this is the easy way...OR...God will purge my inmost being with that 2x4. THAT hurts! Not very encouraging is it? Well how about this:


WHEN we've finished this race, cleansed of our grime and all...and we will...this is the glory that awaits us (and gives my heart such comfort)



Revelation 19:7-9
 ⁷Let us rejoice and be glad
      and give him glory!
   For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
      and his bride has made herself ready.
 ⁸Fine linen, bright and clean,
      was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
 ⁹Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."


I don't know about you, but I can't wait for that fine linen - BRIGHT and CLEAN. 


I love you all,


Sara

Holding on to sand...

I'm not going to lie. I've been stressed lately. I have been fighting a battle for a long time with other people's perceptions and keeping idols where they shouldn't be kept - a lot of times those idols live in how I'm viewed. There are other things too though...like the more tangible things...this economy is killing us right now and it's time to make some decisions. The hard ones. The ones that change the course of your life...or maybe not. MAYBE...what I'm holding on to is not THAT big of a deal. MAYBE it's like trying to hold on to sand...

If I picked up an arm full of sand and squeezed it with everything I had, that would be the equivalent to what life is like in the world of material possessions. Not only are we cautioned about building our house on the sand...but we're also told to store up our treasures in Heaven (thank you Amanda for reminding me). How eternally appropriate: Matthew 6:19-20 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

I'm not sure what battle you are up against today. I wish I could pray all of your pain and my pain away quickly...but that isn't 'of' this world. We live in the fleetingness of this place and everything about it is temporary...unsettled...unnatural...all I can say is I'm so grateful Heaven awaits us. So grateful.

Unchanged in the world of His mystery

Holds the treasure our Father secures

Finding peace in the sea’s of His mercy

Let the waves wash my pain off His shore

This world I know all too well now

And it’s shadowed by mysteries above

This agony my day brings to find me

Is eased by the hope of His love

Rest in eternal redemption

Swim in the oceans of grace

Where no pain and sorrow will find me

Only the smile on my sweet saviors face