Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Psalm 25:4-5--

Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me...

For the past week I've been dealing and really struggling with my decision of what I want to do as a career for the rest of my life. This is really hard for me to choose because I really have no clue what it is I want to do. I had a mental breakdown yesterday once I got home from class. I was so happy and joyful on my ride home but once I stepped in my room and looked at all of the work that needed to be complete by Sunday I just freaked. I blew up at my mom and continued to be in that mood for almost the whole night. I even woke up feeling kind of on edge still. Anyways, I received a daily devotional from one of my friends' mother in the mail a few days prior to this breakdown. I looked at it and was grateful for it but thought to myself, "When am I really going to read this?". God knew exactly when. :) This morning I got up and ate breakfast and came back to my room and sat down at my computer. I wanted to do my daily Bible reading and journaling, but I almost felt like it was pointless today because I thought I wasn't going to get much out of it. To my surprise I definitely did. I decided to pick up that Daily Devotions I received a few days earlier and flipped to March 30th. Guess what the title was??? "Decisions, Decisions, Decisions"! How ironic and perfect! Amazed? I know, right. Me too! I read the words that were there and felt the presence of God and His guidance. In this study it talked about how we have so many decisions to make but the really tricky and big ones should go through a process before we make out decision. Here's the outline God tells us to do as followers:

1. We should do our research. We need to know the options and what we would be getting ourselves into before we just go ahead and answer. Proverbs 18:13- He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him. That's the truth there. I've made many decisions in my past and even to this day without researching it or anything. Most of them did bring me shame or they just didn't work out. 
2. We should definitely talk to God. I know how hard it can be to talk to God sometimes, especially since you can't see Him physically and He doesn't always answer right away, but we really need to take to time to talk to Him and tell Him everything. He will answer but we need to be quiet as well to listen for His guidance. Psalm 37:23- The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. God really does delight in your steps. He wants you to be successful, but only according to Him way, not the worldly way of success. Talk to Him and give Him your time. He wants to hear your voice. :) 
3. We've got to be open to new ideas. Being stuck in the familiar will only hinder us as we try to grow in our walk with Christ. I tend to get in a mind-set and a way of thinking that is routine and it does hinder me a lot of times; I still struggle with this. remember things won't change completely within a night or even a week. It takes time, patience, and hard work. In order for God's plan to be successful we need to be open to change and new ideas. God likes to help us grow and stepping out of your comfort zone is definitely one of those times where He likes to help. Remember though, He's always there with you through everything. 
4. Lastly, we should not only seek God's advice but also that of trusted friends and family. God placed those people in our lives to help us out; to act as a visual/physical body of Himself. Talking with friends and family will help you vent, get new perspectives on the decision you've got to make, and give you many options and opinions, but Let God direct your path. You can listen and take their advice to consideration but God has the ultimate advice to give. :) 

I'm so blessed by God. I woke up feeling kinda crappy but now I God is talking to me and showing me what to do in order for me to know what to do. He is helping me. I've been waiting for this day, to know what to do. Thank you, God! Start today with these simple steps. It'll help you, I promise. Take your time, talk, listen, and change. Good luck with your decisions. I hope you have a great journey to it. 

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Praise God!

Music is a deep emotional stimulant for me. Music definitely moves me in multiple moods. One minute, I can be screaming with joy and the next, tears are crashing down my cheeks. To me, when someone says to worship the Lord, my mind automatically connects to music and dancing/clapping. There's so many ways to worship God but music is the biggest in my life. So, I put a playlist together for ya'll. These songs are so inspiring, uplifting, teaching, sorrowful, prideful(in a good way), filled with happiness; all of the above. God is so miraculous and I love music, especially when He's involved! :) Hope you enjoy(and take time to listen to these songs) (: and have a fantastic week! Be a light to others...they'll appreciate it!

Playlist: LONG LIST! lol I can't help it :)

Show Jesus- Jamie Grace

God Girl- Jamie Grace     <----- One of my faves!

Sovereign Hand- Abbi Walker

This Little Light of Mine- Addison Road

What Do I know Of Holy- Addison Road

Amazing Because It Is- The Almost

Your Love- Brandon Heath

Courageous- Casting Crowns   <----- LOVE!

The Well- Casting Crowns

Wedding Day- Casting Crowns

Want To Be Real- Chris August

Canyons- Chris August

I Will Follow- Chris Tomlin

Jesus Messiah- Chris Tomlin

My Chains Are Gone- Chris Tomlin

What Love Looks Like- Dara Maclean

Captured Me- Flame

Free To Be Me- Francesca Battistelli

Letting Go- Francesca Battistelli

Eyes Wide Open- Jars of Clay

There Will Be A day- Jeremy Camp

Your Love Never Fails- Jesus Culture

Dearly Loved- Jimmy Needham

Control- JJ Heller

What Love Realy Means- JJ Heller

I Refuse- Josh Wilson

Faith Don't Fail- Joy Whitlock

Here- Kari Jode

Steady My Heart- Kari Jode

Blessings- Laura Story

This Is The Day- Laura Story

Healing I Your Arms- Luminate

This Is Love- Luminate

The Motions- Matthew West   <---- great song! 

The Story of Your Life- Matthew West

These Hard Times- Needtobreathe

God's Not Dead- Newsboys   <----------- Faveeeee!

Learning To Be The Light- Newworldson

True Love- Phil Wickham

Heaven Fall Down- Phil Wickham

Treasures- The Rocket Summer

Make A Move- Royal Tailor

The Fight Song- Sanctus Real

Healing Begins- Tenth Avenue North

You Are More- Tenth Avenue North

Love Is Here- Tenth Avenue North

(p.s: I LOVE Tenth Avenue North!)

Revelation- Third Day

Love Pursuit- V. Rose <----- MUST LISTEN!

Cry Holy- V. Rose

Not So Average- V. Rose

Lead Me To The Cross- Hilson United

Good Morning- Mandisa

Stronger- Mandisa

Hope ya'll enjoyed these as much as I do! Peace, love, blessings :)

Muahhhhh,

Sam <3

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You're Not An Outcast

Good evening :) I hope that you feel God's presence in your life this week. Look for the positive out of everything you face whether good or bad; God is teaching us through all aspects of life.

This is a little look in to the life of an outcast in Jesus' era and how He loved her any way.

John 4:1-26 talks about the Samaritan woman and Jesus when He asked for a drink at the well. Jesus was a Jew and it was not heard of when a Jew would talk to a Samaritan and especially a man to talk to a woman. Woman were inferior to men back then and the men didn't even talk to their own mothers or sisters in public. Anyways, Jesus asked this lady if He could have a drink from the well but she was astounded that He was even speaking to her in the first place. At that point Jesus already knew that she was immoral, having 5 husbands and the one she was living with now was not even her husband. He wasn't there to judge her or kill her for her wrong path of life; He was there to tell her of the great mercy and love of God. He was ministering to her, showing that He actually cared and disregarded the immoral acts she had done in the past. He revealed Himself as the Messiah, offering forgiveness, redemption, and a new life. As she drank from His cup of living water, she ran back to Samaria without a second thought and proclaimed the Messiah had arrived. The people of Samaria eagerly yearned for the living water of Christ after the Samaritan woman shared what had happened to her. God uses us, even if we think we are broken and unworthy. He has a purpose for every person on earth. Whether you are like this Samaritan woman, with several husbands/wives or you're living with a man/woman and he is not your husband/wife, God still loves you with all of His heart. He is wanting to use you to further His Kingdom and to proclaim the Good News.

God is working in our lives and wanting to be near us each minute of the day. He has a plan for us. No matter what we've been through, done, or thought about doing; He is still there, waiting. Take the next step and say hello back to Him as He knocks on the door to your heart. You are loved with out end.

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Beauty Has No Definition

First off, so sorry for not posting earlier this week. I've been extremely busy. Hope you have a great weekend and feel God's love and beauty around you. Just take a look outside and see the positives through everything. :)

We tend to find fault in the way we look, act, and feel. Most of the time we question why we were made a certain way. Questioning yourself on whether or not you are worth more than you give yourself credit is like saying those things are wrong, to God. He is the one that made you, so therefore you are questioning His image of you. We have to remember that God made us in His perfect image. We fell to sin once born on earth but while inside our mothers' womb we were perfect. In the beginning God created us to be perfect but humans failed by means of the flesh/devil. The devil destroys our thoughts of peace and turns them into thoughts of negative and destructiveness. God wants us to think of everything having a positive effect on us. God has called us to treat out bodies with respect and uplift them as if we were offering them as a sacrifice to Him. We are to treat them as precious as a temple of Holiness. I know for me, this is hard to overcome, especially since the world puts things in our minds 24/7 about the definition of beauty. I believe there is no definition of beauty. Beauty to me is one who loves even when they're heart has been extremely bruised or the love you see when a little child hasn't seen her daddy in a long time and she runs up to give him a hug. That is beauty. The world has beauty as being skinny, tanned, beautiful hair, rich, and so on. This is the world's view of beauty and definitely not a view God intended there to be. We do fall sometimes to the ways of the world and give in to things that we think will give us beauty but in the end we realize that those things will not give us the feelings we're looking for. We want to feel appreciated and loved and valued. God is here to give us that. He lets us know He is here with us to wash all of the false beauty away from our lives. He loves us no matter what we look, act, and feel like. He is the one true love of our lives that will never leave us because we don't look a certain way or act a certain way. He is here for us through thick and thin. He turns no one away from his embracing arms. He is reaching out now, to you. All you have to do is accept His mercy and give Him control of your life and you'll be His definition of beauty. I have failed many times, over and over again, but the Lord is ALWAYS there when I need a hand to help me back up and to teach me what I've been missing all those times. He lets me know that He still loves me even after all the sinful things I have done and that He wants better for me. He has blessed me beyond measure and I'm not deserving of any of it, but I find myself enjoying those blessing because He has allowed me to forgive myself for the torture I've put myself through to be the world's definition of beauty. All I really needed to do was put my life in His hands and accept His love, for me to have His beauty in my life. He's waiting to embrace you, so let Him. It'll be an amazing relationship. :)

1 Samuel 16:7-

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

1 Peter 3:3-4-

Do not let your adornment be merely outward-- arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

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Relationships...

It's finally the weekend! Time to sit back and relax a little. This is was God lead me to the other day and I thought I'd share it.

2 Cor. 6:14-18

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? ...Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in the and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Jesus calls us to be yoked with believers when it comes time to date a man or marry that man. Being a believer in Christ consists of having an on-going relationship with God the Father and communicating to him with worship, prayer, reading His Word, and showing or being Christ-like by our actions. Faith without action get's you nowhere. As we begin to think of dating or marrying a man that has walked into our lives we must consider him and his lifestyle. I know the feeling of being so in love with a man that you overlook or say "things will change once this or that happens". Trust me, I have been through my fair share of bad relationships and that is not the case. We need to consider whether or not that man has a personal and growing relationship with our Heavenly Creator. I've come to know that this aspect in a man's life is very important to me and that is what I long for, just as God longs for the same thing for every one of us. If that personal and growing relationship between our dating partner and God is not evident throughout his lifestyle then that is no man for us to be dating. God wants the very very best for us. He really does. Our Lord knows what is best for us and He tells us not to be with an unbeliever for our own good. I grew up in a home where my mother was a believer before my dad. The strife and heartache that went on in the house every week was miserable, both for them and for us children. Once both my parents became believers(after a decade of being miserable) everything changed so quickly. The fighting ended, the yelling matches ended, my dad and mom actually showed that they loved each other and they sacrificed for each other. This is a prime example to myself of what I would look forward to if I were yoked with an unbeliever, even though in the end it turned out good for them but many unequally yoked relationships end in separation and divorce. But as I observe my parents' relationship now, it is something that I desperately want and I know that God wants the same for me and for you. As we have to consider our dating partner we also have to consider ourselves. Are we keeping in the word daily? Is our relationship with Christ showing in a good way throughout our days to those that cross our paths? Before we have a lasting and Christ-centered relationship with a man we must first be in a committed and growing relationship with God that supersedes any dating relationship that we might encounter. God WILL gives us the desires of our hearts but we have to lay our lives down to Him and give up control. Just as Psalm 37:4 tells us, "Delight yourselves in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."For some, it may take a long time for those desires to come forth or it may just be a day or two of waiting on the Lord. Remember that God's timing is perfect. Everything about God is perfect. He will reward you for your faithfulness and commitment to Him. God loves you so much more than any man could. Always remember that what we go through in life is God's way of shaping us into the person He desires us to be. :)

This is a picture my cousin showed me. It's a letter from God to us, women. So precious.

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