happy monday to everyone

Today was a good day.

     I wrote a speech last night at 1:00 a.m. this morning and consequently only got about four hours of sleep. Needless to say, I thought it was going to be a rotten Monday. But God loves me a lot and I guess he felt like giving me a good Monday instead. :)

one | this video made me laugh today:

two | I gave aforesaid speech today in rhetoric class and it went really well :)

three | remember when I said I was failing chemistry? well. well! today I checked my grade and I have a B. (!!!!) suffice it to say that rarely in my life have I been this happy. you would've thought I had just been accepted into my dream college or something - I was telling everyone!

     I hope you all are having as great a Monday as I am, but if not, I hope you will be able to see the good in it anyway. And here's to a better Tuesday, yes?

 "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."   

 Philippians 4:13

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compassion

     I saw somewhere that "compassion is the gift you give to yourself."

I have just embarked on a journey which I hope will be long-lasting and fruitful. I signed up to sponsor a child with Compassion. Compassion is an organization that "releases children from poverty in Jesus' name." By sponsoring, I can help one person across the world be free from poverty! How amazing is that?

My family has sponsored with Compassion before, but I was too little to really get into it - writing the letters and all that. I didn't feel the longing to help quite as much as I do now.

For the past three years or so, I have been pondering this on and off. I was at a Starfield concert, and during the concert the band talked about how they sponsored kids with another program (I forget which one, but it's basically the same thing as Compassion). They showed a video of them in other countries with these kids, and it moved me. I wanted to be part of it. I wanted so much to accept a packet with a child's picture in it when they handed them out at the concert, but I didn't have any income back then (or at least, not enough to sustain a sponsorship). I tried to figure it out, but it just wasn't working. I was young, and my parents weren't sure I was ready to do that kind of thing. I kept thinking about it, though.

About a week ago, it entered my mind again. Sometimes if I was bored, I would go on the Compassion website and see if there were any kids who had my birthday (tell me you wouldn't do the same thing! Haha). I started looking at all of these kids who were just like me, but in worse circumstances. Right now I get a pretty significant amount of money coming in because I teach private violin lessons, so I thought... maybe this is possible.

I felt called to sponsor a girl my age. I wanted to be her friend; to sympathize with her, to be someone who understands where she is in life, even if I can't identify with everything she's going through. I looked at the girls my age on the website. There were twenty-six, and I wrote all of their names down in my journal. I prayed through them so many times, asking God to bless all of them and to tell me which one was for me. My heart was full, thinking of all of these beautiful girls that I could possibly befriend as their sponsor.

A couple days later, I told my parents that I wanted to do this, and they were (are!) extremely supportive. My mom prayed through the list of girls too, and the next day I had narrowed it down to five that I felt God wanted me to consider especially. It didn't take me long to select the one girl I would sponsor. I felt so close to God and to her at that moment.

I had to wait until I had enough money to start the sponsorship, and it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I knew that she wouldn't be sponsored by someone else if God really wanted me to have her. If she was taken before I could sign up, I would know that God wanted me to select another.

But I was sure that she was the one.

Last night, I finally had enough money to sign up. Shaking with excitement, I went to the website and clicked "select this child" on my girl's profile. Then my internet crashed.

No big deal. I'll just reload the page.

I went to the page again, and saw a message that said something like: "This child has been recently sponsored. We would love for you to pick another child to release from poverty!"

My heart sunk down into my socks.

Pick another child?

But she was the one! 

Shaking, but now with disappointment, I went to deliver the news to my parents. They couldn't believe someone had taken her in the split second that I had left the webpage. I tried refreshing the page and everything, but it still gave me that message. I cried a bit on my mom's shoulder before I started to feel more peaceful about the situation. My dad said to check the website in the morning, just in case it was a mistake.

Later that night, I checked again (just to see... I don't know. I was hoping).

She was there.

I clicked on her picture, and it took me straight to where I could put in all of my information to sign up to sponsor her.  

Praise Jesus! 

Apparently, when I had clicked "select this child" it had reserved her, so that when I went back it looked like someone had taken her. It was really me, though. :)

The rest is history. I signed up, and I should get the information about how to write letters and stuff really soon. I saw God so much throughout this week-long adventure: he showed me which one out of twenty-six to sponsor. He provided the money. He tested my faith when it looked like he hadn't saved her for me. But he had! And now I have someone who I hope will be my good friend in time to come.

Because when you show compassion to someone, it doesn't just bless them. It blesses you too. I know this girl will help me more than I can imagine.

-Sarah

so many things to think about

     Hi, friends. Haven't written in awhile. It's not that I've been in a spiritual "low" or anything, it's just been daily life. Living, working, resting, movie-watching (a lot of that lately; I saw Monster's University last night and I loved it, haha), and LOTS of reading (for a summer class and preparation for next school year! Ahh!).
     And I've been learning. About life. My outlook on it, what to do with it, and just life in general. I've realized that I tend to look at life in a glass-half-empty sort of way, and I've been praying and trying to live more positively. I've been inspired to go to bed early and wake up early, which... well, it'll happen soon (I hope). ;)
     The biggest thing, though, is what to do. I'm going into my junior year of highschool, and I'm nearing that time when I have to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. I've prayed and thought about it, and I think I have a pretty good plan. But it's funny; as soon as I feel comfortable in this plan of mine, God leaves eleven different ideas for "plans' in my mind. I want to do them all (some more than others), and then I'm not so sure anymore. Plans change, but it would be so much easier if they didn't. It's at this time in my life that I'm reminded to hold on to God and let him lead me wherever he chooses.
     I'm filled with a sort of wanderlust; not just for traveling (although that is certainly there), but also a longing for change. For new surroundings. High school is a blast (if a messy, confusing one), and I don't want it to go any faster than it is. But at the same time... college, and independence are calling me. Being able to drive (I have my permit! So close.) sounds reeeally good right now. I'm in that place that I think all teenagers come to at one time or another; that need for independence and decision-making. I'll be honest, it's hard to have parents telling me what to do. It's this weird mix of being grateful that I have them (because deep inside I KNOW I'm not ready for independence!), and this longing to get out there and do things on my own. I'm so glad that God has given me the ability to be content with where I am right now, without taking away my hopes and dreams for the future. God is good. :)
   
So, in a nutshell, that's what I've been learning about life. So many things to think about.

Sarah :)

I am alive and well, despite the evidence this little blog shows.

     Dearest readers, I have neglected this blog dreadfully. Wednesday after wednesday passes, and there is no verse. No posts in between, either. I still log onto blogger occasionally and looked at the page-views. . . surprisingly, the number still crawls semi-steadily upward. I don't deserve such faithful readers. Haha.
     The truth is, school happens, and blogging doesn't. It seems the two can't coexist. But God has been working mightily, even if I haven't been able to document it here. He's showing his power and strength and faithfulness again and again as I try to cut down on the proverbial mountain of homework looming before me. (As a side note, I like saying that I'm trying to make a dent in a mountain of homework. Because it's like, I do work, and then the mountain gets smaller, but it's like the mountain isn't really there, it's just metaphorical, but I can see the dent that I made, because, you know, I did some work. . . if you understood my thought process there you win a pretend all-expenses paid trip for four to Disney World.)
     So. I can't say when I will get back to blogging, but I will try my very hardest. I think it's safe to say that I'm kind of taking a break. But please! keep checking occasionally to see if I've done anything. I don't want to lose y'all :)

How has God been working in your life? Please tell me if you would. I'd love to hear y'all's stories. :)

-Sarah :)

Post scriptum: I've probably shared this verse multiple times before, but I'd like to share it again because it seems to have become my "theme verse."

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

James 1:5

prayer request follow up

     Praise Jesus! He is so good. My aunt MaryAnn (I mentioned that she was very sick in this post), although she is still sick, is doing much better. The doctors said her healing is a miracle. :) Thank you for all your prayers. God is VERY GOOD. :)

And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

Matthew 4:23

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,  for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

-Sarah :)

a psalm I love

Psalm 40

I waited patiently for the Lord;

    he inclined to me and heard my cry.

He drew me up from the pit of destruction,

    out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,

     making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth,

    a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

    and put their trust in the Lord.

Blessed is the man who makes

    the Lord his trust,

who does not turn to the proud,

    to those who go astray after a lie!

You have multiplied, O Lord my God,

    your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;

    none can compare with you!

I will proclaim and tell of them,

    yet they are more than can be told.

In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

    but you have given me an open ear.[a]

Burnt offering and sin offering

    you have not required.

Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

    in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

I delight to do your will, O my God;

    your law is within my heart.”

I have told the glad news of deliverance[b]

    in the great congregation;

behold, I have not restrained my lips,

     as you know, O Lord.

I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;

    I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;

I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness

    from the great congregation.

As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain

    your mercy from me;

your steadfast love and your faithfulness will

    ever preserve me!

For evils have encompassed me

    beyond number;

my iniquities have overtaken me,

    and I cannot see;

they are more than the hairs of my head;

    my heart fails me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!

    O Lord, make haste to help me!

Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether

    who seek to snatch away my life;

let those be turned back and brought to dishonor

    who delight in my hurt!

Let those be appalled because of their shame

    who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

But may all who seek you

    rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who love your salvation

     say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

As for me, I am poor and needy,

    but the Lord takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

    do not delay, O my God!