"inexhaustible grace for an exhausted world."

     Last night I went to bed relatively early, hoping to catch up on the sleep I have not been able to get this week. But I couldn't sleep - exams were stressing me out. I felt sick and shaky. So my mom, being the superhero she is, gave me some homeopathic medicine (homeopathy FTW) and spent a good 15-20 minutes finding me a sermon that she liked for me to listen to. It's one by Tullian Tchividjian from this year's Liberate conference. 

     I may have started listening to it stressed out and nervous, but by the end of it I was completely relaxed. In this sermon, Mr. Tchividjian talks about "Inexhaustible Grace for an Exhausted World," a concept I have heard many times. I know that I need grace. I know that I can't do anything in my own strength, and I know that I don't have to. But there is something about the way he preaches that really hit it home for me. I realized things at 1:00 last night that I never realized before. And I was blessed. I'm taking on these last two days of exam with all the power of God in me because that sermon reminded me that I don't have to be anything without Jesus. He is where my identity lies. Not in my achievements. Not in how hard I study or when I get my exams done compared to everyone else in my school. Not in my grades. NOT IN MY GRADES. 

     I was able to identify with a lot of the struggles Mr. Tchividjian talked about in his sermon. I realized that I am exhausted - physically, emotionally... spiritually, even - and that it's okay because there is more than enough of God's inexhaustible grace. 

     It's a little over an hour long, but I encourage you watch it if you get the time. It really is incredible. 

It's Vimeo so I'm not sure how to share the video directly on here but here's the link: http://vimeo.com/87839633http://vimeo.com/87839633

Happy Thursday. It's almost the weekend. :)
s

P.S. Audrey Assad came out with a new EP, "Death, Be Not Proud," a few days ago. You really should check it out. :) 

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

s

God's own fool

     This song is a song that my dad used to play for me, and I used to listen to it all the time. I just recently heard it again and was reminded not only of how much I love it, but how much truth it holds. I have been reading 1 Corinthians lately, and these parts of that book made me think of the song:

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 

1 Corinthians 3:18-20

 "God's Own Fool" by Michael Card

  

Lyrics: 

Seems I've imagined Him all of my life
As the wisest of all of mankind
But if God's Holy wisdom is foolish to men
He must have seemed out of His mind
 

For even His family said He was mad
And the priests said a demon's to blame
But God in the form of this angry young man
Could not have seemed perfectly sane

When we in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
When we in our weakness believed we were strong
He became helpless to show we were wrong
 

And so we follow God's own fool
For only the foolish can tell-
Believe the unbelievable
And come be a fool as well
 

So come lose your life for a carpenter's son
For a madman who died for a dream
And you'll have the faith His first followers had
And you'll feel the weight of the beam
 

So surrender the hunger to say you must know
Have the courage to say I believe
For the power of paradox opens your eyes
And blinds those who say they can see

When we in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
When we in our weakness believed we were strong
He became helpless to show we were wrong

So we follow God's own Fool
For only the foolish can tell
Believe the unbelievable,
And come be a fool as well

s

Jesus is loving Barabbas - a Judah Smith video

     My sister showed me this video last night and it brought me to tears. It's so beautiful and true, and it reminded me of the truth of the cross in a way I didn't know I needed. Please take eight minutes to be blessed by this. Judah Smith is a dynamic and gifted speaker, and the graphics of the video help to intensify the message. For this reason, I suggest you view it in Youtube so that the screen is bigger. :)

-Sarah :)

P.S. My spiritual life has been a whirlwind lately. So many new things that God is introducing to me! I'm not sure I will be able to share them all; I'm afraid of coming across as confusing and I don't want to lead anyone astray. But I hope that I will be able to put some of my thoughts in order enough to give you a couple of posts soon. I haven't blogged in exactly a month! :P

save your life - newsboys

     Do you have any friends or family members who are not Christians. I do, and as a Christian myself, it's hard when I can't seem to get through to them about the gospel. I don't want to shove it down their throats and give them this big long list of what they're doing wrong, but I want them to live free of condemnation. The best thing to do is to pray for those people in your life who aren't saved, and also to be a light in the way you live. 

     This song by the Newsboys, though, kind of sums up what I (and I'm sure many of you other Christians) feel like saying to those unsaved people in my life, "I love you, and I want you have eternal life in heaven. Just... please! Believe! This is the truth!" Enjoy the song. 

 

I don't know why their skin changes color... it's weird but the song is good. Haha. :)

Lyrics:

Dear Friend,
You've been trying again
Doing whatever it takes to fit in
Falling for the lies of the world
You tell me you'd pay anything just to not hurt
What you want, I ain't got
What I have, can't be bought

There's something better I can give
If you surrender you will live
Just gotta taste and see it's good
I'd make you see it if I could
It's gonna save your life, gonna save your life

Dear Friend,
I'd be lying to you
If I told you this road that we travel would be smooth
Sometimes, you just wanna give up
Trying, and trying, but nothing is ever enough
Chasing things, but what for? (what for?)
You've seen it all, but want more

There's something better I can give
If you surrender you will live
Just gotta taste and see it's good
I'd make you see it if I could
It's gonna save your life, gonna save your life

I can see now you want this
And you know that you need this
Get away from the darkness
Get away from the darkness

I can see now you want this
And you know that you need this
Get away from the darkness
Gotta know who Christ is

There's something better I can give
If you surrender you will live
Just gotta taste and see it's good
I'd make you see it if I could
It's gonna save your life, gonna save your life

(Nothing better than this life) It's gonna save your life
(Nothing better than this life) It's gonna save your life
It's gonna, it's gonna save your life 

-Sarah :)

P.S.  "And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." -Matthew 28:18-20

 

fiery trial - part 3 (if You want me to)

     Here's a video of one of my current favorite worship songs - If You Want Me To, by Ginny Owens. Please listen and be encouraged! I always am when I listen to it. This video has the lyrics in it so that you can follow along if you'd like. Also, at the end of the video, there's a section of Isaiah 43 that is one of my favorite "trial" passages.

-Sarah :)