Pretty Much Addicted (again)...

The other day, I was randomly inspired to turn on some Bethany Dillon! A few summers ago I found myself quite addicted to her music, it's pretty amazing and solid. Well, I am at that point again. I basically can't wait to wake up in the morning and hit play on the laptop while I am in my apartment. When I am in the car, the cd(s) plays. When I am in a public place and have access to my computer, the ear buds find their proper position. I am hooked...again. God is good....

Exodus - by Bethany Dillon

Come, come fallen ones
Dance in the healing stream
He has faithfully kept you
Brought you out of captivity

Rejoice, rejoice with all your hearts
Sing Him a new song
That’s heard high on the windswept mountains
It will resound

Lead, Lord, with unfailing love
Those that You have ransomed
And we will sing out as we go on
Our God is faithful
Our God is faithful

Reflect, reflect on all your days
You weren’t so free then
Once you were all called slaves
But now, blessed children

Move, move your feet
Dance before the Lord
On to the Promised Land
On to your reward, sing

Lead, Lord, with unfailing love
Those that You have ransomed
And we will sing out as we go on
Our God is faithful
Our God is faithful

Our enemies are at the bottom of the sea, our enemies
Our enemies are at the bottom of the sea, our enemies

Lead, Lord, with unfailing love
Those that You have ransomed
And we will sing out as we go on
Our God is faithful
Lead, Lord, with unfailing love
Those that You have ransomed
And we will sing out as we go on
Our God is faithful
Our God is faithful
Our God is faithful
Our God is faithful

Convicting Resolutions...

Yesterday, when I woke up, I just knew it would be one of "those days." Girls, specifically those about my age or older, you know what I am talking about. Just one of those days when getting out of bed really only makes things worse. Why?! Well, for some reason, I ran across a verse days prior in Proverbs 18, and when I woke up yesterday, that verse was screaming loud in my ear and it just put me in a bad mood! Ha. Verse 22 states, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." Now, I know you ask, "Why, Sarah, did this verse make you mad?" Well, daggum, some days I just wake up and think to myself "I WANT TO BE FOUND!" But, rather than just go back to bed, I continued with my day. And praise the LORD!!

Later that afternoon, I started a new book that I actually got for my birthday, but have not yet had time to read, The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards by Dr Steven Lawson. Now, Jonathan Edwards has always been one of my favorite men of the faith. And I have done a few studies on him, but this book, I must say, is exceptional!! But, the LORD used my time in this book yesterday to put quite the conviction on my heart regarding the aforementioned complaint! While reading some history on the life of Edwards, when telling of his death, just months following the death of his son-in-law, his wife, Sarah, wrote a letter to their daughter, who had now lost her father and husband. Sarah's words are compelling and challenging. For one, what does a mother say to comfort her daughter in the the loss of the 2 most important men in her life, all the while Sarah is grieving the loss of her husband. These are her words...

"My very dear child, What shall I say? A holy and good God has covered us with a dark cloud. O that we may kiss the rod, and lay out hands upon our mouths! The Lord has done it. He has made me to adore His goodness, that we had him so long. But my God lives; and He has my heart. O what a legacy my husband, and your father, has left us! We are all given to God; and there I am, and love to be."

Umm, HELLO!! Did you catch that. In the midst of great grief, Sarah Edwards proclaims that her heart belongs to the LORD!! Wow! What a thought. There are days that I wonder what the prolonging may be. Then, there are moments like these, when I sit on my couch and read such truth, that I remind myself how stupid I sound! Do I want to be found? Well, sure. But too often I forget that I have already been sought out! The LORD has my heart, and should He see fit to share it with someone else, well in His timing it will be perfect. I mean, I didn't even have an opportunity to discover Edwards' resolutions before the LORD used his dear wife to convict my heart. Pray for contentment. God is, in fact, great.....

Peace of Mind...

And the peace of God, which surpasses
all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7

Hello all. (I am not thoroughly convinced yet that there are many, or any for that matter, of you, other than my mom who is and will always be my biggest fan, that actually still read this, but I will proceed just in case.) It’s Monday, June 1, and as I type this I am still jobless and relentlessly looking. There are tons of resumes and applications with my name on them within a 5 mile radius of my apartment and yet, I sit and wait for the phone to ring. And it frustrates me. Please continue to pray that the LORD will provide a job for me in the very near future. While I trust Him, I don’t think my bills or the companies that expect those bills will accept that as payment. I have just never found it to work that way.

So, I will, in about one hour, make one of the biggest decisions of my academic career and I have quite the peace about it. About 3 posts ago, I expressed to each of you that I was on the threshold of officially applying to the AU Social Work program. That official application process consisted of several letters of recommendation, a 4-page personal statement, and a formal interview. I also listed several ways that each of you could be praying for me specifically within the process of application. Well, the Monday after returning to Auburn from my short vacation home, I turned in all my paperwork and the following Tuesday, I completed my formal interview with my departmental advisor, Angie. For the most part, the interview went quite well. I was challenged on several of the questions, one in particular (ask me about it if you want to know), but I stayed true to myself and the feel like I honored the LORD in my answers and attitude. At one point, I was even given an interview “gold star” because I answered a very hard question with complete honesty, which Angie went on to tell me was quite contrary to how most students would answer. She was impressed that I had the audacity to be honest when I knew it was the exact opposite of what she wanted to hear. Praise the LORD that He gives grace for the moment to reveal Himself through my character. All I want to do is honor Him. And I feel that I made that quite clear in my interview.

With all that said, today, I feel the LORD leading me to now officially withdraw my program application and finish my degree in Sociology. I know what you are all thinking. And the answer is no, to all! No, it will not extend my time at Auburn. I can complete my degree in 6 classes, and will still graduate in May because this degree does not require an internship for graduation. And no, I don’t feel like I am making a big mistake. I feel that the LORD has prepared my heart to make this decision and that it is not a rash choice. Late Wednesday night, I just couldn’t rest my heart on the matter. I did a little research and a lot of praying, over the next 4 days, and I honestly feel this is the LORD. I have said in weeks past that I don’t really know what the LORD is up to, but I feel like He has started preparing me for something big, and I truly believe this may be part of that. I don’t know that I have ever felt this “unanxious” regarding such a huge decision in my life. He has really provided quite the peace about it and I am ready to trust His leading. And last, but not least, no, I do not know what I will do with a sociology degree. I do know that I can do essentially the same thing with a degree in sociology that I could have done with a degree in social work, I just won’t have a BSW behind my name. This opens opportunities in social services, public relations, business administration, etc. (Plus we all know that I really hope I don’t have to use my degree a whole lot in my life, that is just not the desire of my heart!) Either way, pray for continued peace. Pray that, above all, my eyes and heart will stay fixed on Him.

There are other things in my life. To which I will not discuss on this post, that you can each be praying about. I may post on that later, but don’t count on it at this point!! (Sorry, some things just need to remain a mystery!) But you can be praying for clarity in those aspects. Pray that the LORD would guide my heart and mind in the way He would have it go and that I would accept that as good and follow His leading faithfully. Thank you to each of you for your commitment to me. I am blessed. God is good…

For God is not a God of confusion
but of peace...
1 Corinthians 14:33