Roxie

This dog is pretty much my most favorite. Ever.

 

MOST precious.  JUST sayin ;)

Christmas toys…

I love people.

I love children.

I love a smile.

I love to serve.

and I love the God that created them all.

As a little Christmas tradition, I joined Lewis Blanchard and others from Executive Marketing and we took hundreds of toys to children in the projects around town. To those less fortunate than us. So many kids with so little. Little clothing. Little food. Little opportunity. Little futures ahead of them. SAD. I merely find it sad that I can travel around the world and within few miles of my house, see similar poverty. There was one family in particular we served… a lonely mother and her two small boys, who look so satisfied with nothing but incredibly excited for a new toy. We gave the children something of their choice and kindly they said thank you and began to walk off. Their mother, just as humble as could be, said thank you. She stated that those kids never get any attention, not from anyone… and that we were a blessing and sent from God.

The rule was one toy per child until all the toys were given out. Well we had been to all the places we planned on going so as all the children were breaking open their toys and share what the received, we began to give out another toy to those who wanted another… Which of course way everyone! The mother held back her boys as the others ran up, so I grabbed all I could hold in my arms: trucks, puzzles, cars, crayons, whatever! and I walked over and told the boys to stand still because we had a lot of toys to carry and I had to place them just right in their arms… and as I did the mother began crying. She was so thankful and grateful that we provided something for her children for Christmas because she simply couldn’t afford it. We hugged and wished each a Merry Christmas… and as she walked away she said to her boys, “Now son, this is what love looks like.”

Love. So precious. Faithful. True. Kind. Selfless. Hopeful. Perseveres. Never Fails…

My Lord is gracious. He is rich in Love. He is good to ALL…

Step out of your comfort zone and serve someone you wouldn’t normally serve. Watch and feel what God does in your heart & soul. Its contagious.

Laminin

 

I love this…

Mercy...

Here I am a sinner

Broken and in need of You

Take my life and wash my fears away

For You are the Great I AM

Rest assured, I feel Your hand

Holding me until the darkness clears

A Father to the fatherless

Redeemer of my soul

My Life is Yours forever

I want the world to know

Your mercy saved me

Mercy made me whole

Your mercy found me

Called me as Your own

Here I stand a child of Yours

Broken and in need of You

Break these chains and wash my guilt away

Healer of my brokenness

My weary soul will find its rest

You are my strength, the lifter of my head

You're greater than my yesterdays

You hold me close today

You're the Lord of my tomorrows

My heart will always say

You're greater than my yesterdays

You hold me close today

You're the Lord of my tomorrows

My heart will always say

You called me as Your own

You called me as Your own

Thank You for Your mercy

Thank You for Your mercy

You called me as Your own

Your own

Thanksgiving...

Oh how I love the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. So many things to be thankful for! I love this season of life that I am in and what God is doing in my heart!

Thanksgiving morning it is tradition for us to go deliver meals to those who are less fortunate than us. With my mom being a home health nurse and the with the people she takes care of, you can bet that she will do her best to make sure people are not without. This is something we have done since we were kids, and every year I see something worse than the year before that makes me feel so helpless and selfish all at the same time. And every year I come away with a greater love for people and a deeper passion to see not only this city, but our world changed.

As the day went on we had dinner and did family things as well as finished decorating for Christmas. As mom and I were organizing the chaos it brought back so many memories... Of what once was our typical American family of 4 and us being kids.... my amazing grandmother being the creative decorator that she was.... but also making new memories :)

My grandma has been a florist her entire life. Decorates everything for every occasion. We have had many laughs about her around the dinner table and sat back and watched as she did her thing time and time again. The little things we take for granted. This is the first year my Mema hasn't had any part in our Christmas decorating and it made me stand still in my tracks when my Mom uttered, "I wish Mom was well enough just to sit and watch us do what she loves to do".... It happened to be one of those moments I wanted to curl my skin inside out because it made me that sad.

For some reason, my entire life I felt as if my grandma would live forever. That she would walk through my life with me as she has the past 25 years. She definitely has been through the good, bad and ugly and is a walking example of what God's grace looks like. She is a true, faithful, strong woman of God. She's lived with and she's lived without. Never given up, doubted and has always trusted God. She's never held a grudge, never been unforgiving or understanding. She's smart, beautiful and precious in so many ways.... and so close to going to be with Jesus. I have to smile and just imagine what that day will be like for her because there is so many she loves who will greet her.... but so overwhelmingly distraught of the thought of her not being here for me to run to on those days... I use to call her when I was soo young to come get me from day care, I ran to her house when I was mad at my parents when I was in grade school, I escaped to her when I was in high school and having every issue a girl my age had, and even in college when I was confused at life and had my heart broke in a million pieces. She always had a way of telling me everything I needed to hear and a prayer to encourage me to keep going.

Now she can barely move, feed herself or smile. I miss her and she's not even gone. I wish I had of taken more time with her to cook, to go to her land and go fishing, wish I would have planted more flowers in her garden and tomato plants with her, and stayed awake a minute longer when she scratched my back, or decorated a million more Christmas trees, and had just a few more talks on her swing on her back patio.......

My Mema is what I am most thankful for....

The Essential. James

The bible reflects who we should be. Starring at the words will not change your life, nor reading it again and again. The information doesn't transform us alone, but applying the information to our lives will reform us. His word is POWERFUL. Do it.  


"Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life! Even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action." -James 1:22-25

My heart burns for passion as I left church this morning. Challenged. Encouraged. Motivated. So many days we read our bibles, do our studies and have our quiet times. But what percentage of that time do we spend acting out who God truly intended us be. Doing what He said. Being the people He has called us to be. Only by our actions do we show other people who our God really is.

So today I was challenged to change the course of how I do what I hear. Encouraged to love harder. Run faster. Be obedient. To live out what I know is true... for the sake of others. If we can't apply what we learn inside of the four walls of what we call "church" then the sidewalks that lead us there will never be used. Share God's love. People hunger their entire lives for that unconditional, forgiving, unchanging, everlasting, and self-sacrificing love...yet never find it. And today I am more motivated than ever to make the name of Jesus FAMOUS.

Nothing else matters in the long run. He is worthy. My everything. What my heart adores.

"Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing." -Eph 2 

We're All In This Together

"Follow God's example in everything you do. Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins..."  -Eph 5

I went to see the "The I Heart Revolution" film that Hillsong United produced. Amazing. Filmed over a period of several years as they travel across 6 continents 42 nations and 93 cities in a cross-cultural journey of music, interviews and live action documentary as they realise every story of hope, love, loss and sacrifice ultimately points to the one story... the life of Jesus.

So many things we take for granted being raised in America, but in essence poverty is still at our own doorstep. The time has come to stand for what we believe in. Things aren't right... in one moment you have a generation watching tv and playing video games and on the other hand you have children starving, being sold to trafficing or prostitution. They are victums of a conflict that is simply not theirs. 30,000 children will die today because of the lack of food, but Amercia is standing obese. Its not fair. My heart and soul ache at the agony of it all. I want so bad to see life through the eyes of these children, walk in the steps of the people in poverty, I want to laugh with the kids being kids-who yet to know better and that are still full of life and energy. But I also walk with them through the difficulty when they know nothing more than their surroundings. To protect them from slipping into the cycle of the curse. I have seen these things first hand and held them in my hands... and faith without deeds is dead. I want to be a part of the difference.

Justice needs to be established. We live in a nation that is crying out for hope. Its about loving God. Its about being a light in the dark places. Its about being the church. Its about being the hands and feet of Jesus. We are called to a mission to change the world. God is God of the universe. He is what we aren't. He is our freedom. Jesus didn't die to give us religion. Jesus died to give us LOVE.

So don't deny it. We are in this together.

And if the chance arises go see this film..... http://www.i-heart.org/

Exodus 15:13 "With your unfailing love you will lead this people whom you have ransomed. You will guide them in your strength to the place where your holiness dwells."

When God takes me there...

“The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. His covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the Lord. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord:

I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts.
I will be their God, and they will be my people.
And they will not need to teach their neighbors,
nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’
For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already.
And I will forgive their wickedness,
and I will never again remember their sins.”
 
I love when God takes me right where He wants me. There isn't any greater satisfaction that knowing that you heard His sweet voice. I pray that my mind, my heart, my ears and my soul always be open to YOU...
 
He is MY God. I am His people. Bought with grace.
 
<3
 

i love my church

Baptism Service from In Focus Church on Vimeo.

"We know the love God has for us, and we trust that love. God is love. Those who live in love live in God and God lives in them..."

This day- October 4th, 2009- a milestone. Not only for me, but for 22 others and an entire congregation of people. One of the best moments of my life. In my church. Emotional. Breath taking. Life changing. Inspirational. Encouraging. Hopeful. Proud. And will never be the same. I love my church. I loved this series we just finished and it has been such an eye opener for me to see God's face in the local church. I love people. I love seeing Jesus shine through individuals. I love our leaders, especially Pastor Brent and Karla. Their lives are simply heroic.

22 individuals baptized. First being Kaitlyn Wall. Dearest to my heart, made the most important decision of her life. Many tears. Powerful. I pray the blood of Jesus surround her precious soul, her determined mind, her genuine loving heart... for all her days. Thank you Lord for the life you gave in her. May she unleash her will in place of Yours even at such a young age. A leader. Teacher. World changer. May she remain beautiful. Intimate with only You. Lover of life and Your ways. Passionate about her Creator and His dreams for her. Forgiving of the world and the heart ache it will bring. Let her be prayerful at all times. Teachable in spirit and truth. Hard runner seeking God's promises. Loving. Patient. Kind. Grateful. A fighter. Believer. Dreamer. A passionate woman of God.

I won't forget the lives changed on this day. I love my church. My life never the same....

Your grace overwhelms me...

Anybody there?

Hahahaha so guess who's back to blog a while...

You guessed it.... Me :)

Twitter is another fun place you can find me as well... twitter.com/amandadrew... so check it out!