She Speaks!

This weekend, I will be attending the She Speaks conference in North Carolina. Talk about nerves, excitement, anxiety, and flat-out hurry-up-and-get-here anticipation!

I know God wants me at this conference; He has great things in store for me over the coming weekend.....but my stomach is in knots over the "what ifs". What if I'm horrible? What if I'm really not cut out for a career in speaking? What if I'm really not a good writer? When these silly fears raise their ugly heads, I must remember that I KNOW beyond a shadow of doubt that God has called me to this place.

He set me apart before I was born....and ever since I was a young girl, I have known there were books and words and a passion for writing deep within me. I don't have to be little miss perfect speaker or writer at this conference.
I just have to show up with my heart for Jesus, and He will teach me. He will give me the words to speak - HIS words, not my words.

The Lord is full of compassion, and I can just picture Him kind of laughing at my finite perception of the gifts and talents He has given me. What a wonder He is...and what a silly girl I am at times. To even think that He won't equip me to flesh out the skills He has given me. Not for my own glory, but for His glory alone.

Psalms 25:4-5
"Show me Your way, O Lord. Teach me Your path. Guide me in Your truth and teach me. For you are God, my Savior; and my hope is in YOU all day long...."

Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow! I'm praying He will just knock my socks off this weekend....and that He will fan the flame of the Spirit in the depths of my soul!

Carrying My Water Pail of Significance

In the fourth chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman as she is walking to a well to get water. In this exchange, Jesus tells her that if she only knew who she was talking to, she would be asking Him for water instead.
Relatively baffled, she counters his statement by basically asking who he thought he was thinking his water was better.
Jesus goes on to say that He offers living water.....a bubbling spring water that quenches your thirst forever.

This all looks like a simple exchange between an ordinary woman going out to fill up her bucket with water and an ordinary man asking her for a drink.
What she doesn't realize initially is that this man is the Savior of the world, and He is offering her a lifetime of satisfaction.

How often am I like this woman....going about her daily business (or busy-ness), when I am confronted with Jesus' offering. I am a sucker for "ordinary" water; water that truly doesn't satisfy the longings of my heart.
Just like the Samaritan woman, I start the day with an empty bucket that I seek to fill with the things of this world.
At one point or another in my life, there have been numerous items that have filled up my bucket: things like designer clothes, purses, shoes (because if I look good....I feel good, right?); magazines (images of the ideal body...again, if I look perfect, I must be...); awards from my job to symbolize my "worth" in achievement; food (which I have used to comfort my empty heart); and even my husband has had his place in that bucket.

NONE of these things can satisfy me. Sure, they aren't necessarily "bad" things; yet they are not sources of everlasting contentment. The pseudo-wholeness they give me does not last. The good news (the GREAT news) is that in Jesus Christ, I have been given the Holy Spirit....the LIVING WATER that quenches my empty soul. His Spirit lives within me every moment of my life, and when I recognize that my craving is misplaced unless fulfilled in Him - life is so much sweeter.

There is a song I love that depicts my feelings perfectly:

Who can satisfy my soul, like You
Who on earth can comfort me and love me like You do
Who could ever be more faithful and true
I will trust in You, I will trust in You, my God

Who can satisfy my soul, like You
Who on earth can comfort me and love me like You do
Who could ever be more faithful and true
I will trust in You, I will trust in You, my God

There is a fountain, who is a King
Victorious warrior and Lord of everything
My rock, my shelter, my very own
Blessed Redeemer, who reigns upon the throne, oh yes

There is a fountain, who is a King
Victorious warrior and Lord of everything
My rock, my shelter, my very own
Blessed Redeemer, who reigns upon the throne

Who can satisfy my soul like You
Who can ever comfort and love me like You do
Who could ever be more faithful and true
I will trust in You, I will trust in You, my God

There is a fountain, who is a King
Victorious warrior and Lord of everything
My rock, my shelter, my very own
Blessed Redeemer, who reigns upon the throne

While I would love to sing this to you.....I think you would get distracted by my off-tune high-pitched voice. You get the point, though.
Nothing on this earth can satisfy our souls like our God. No one can love us like He loves us. What a relief? This truth is enough to make me want to ditch that bucket for good!!

Isaiah 55: 1-2
"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come by wine and mile
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare!"

Psalm 63:5
"My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you."

Miscellaneous-Randomness

Wow I cannot believe it is already July! We have such a busy summer that I'm sure it will be Christmas before I can take a breath. Maybe I exaggerate just a bit.

We have Kathryn with us until early August, and she will be staying with Luke during the day for all of July. This has worked out so well because (1) Luke adores his big sister and doesn't want her out of his sight and (2) for the last few weeks he has become very frustrated with going to Miss Dorothy's everyday. Dorothy has been absolutely a wonderful blessing to our family over the last three years, but it's almost like he's bored over there.
Anyway, Kathryn needed a job so there you have it. She is the official Luke-sitter.

Larry, Kathryn, and I are all going to UM Army (a Methodist Habitat-for-Humanity-type program)the week of July 12. Kathryn is none too excited to give up her cell phone and spend the entire week with virtual strangers, but I have faith that once she is there - she'll have a ball. Larry and I went together two years ago, and although we had no idea what we were getting into - we LOVED it.
I am praying that Kathryn's relationship with the Lord would just blossom during this week......and that the experience would light a fire in her heart for Jesus.

I will be going to a writer's conference at the end of July. This is something I am both excited and nervous about. It will be my first one ever, and I'm not quite sure what to expect. But I do know that God put this conference on my calendar - so it will be a great opportunity to meet other aspiring authors, make new friends, and grow as a writer.

To add to the random-ness of this post, I have to mention our favorite tv shows this summer. I am such a sucker for the Bachelor/Bachelorette, and I'm getting frustrated with Jillian because she can't see that Wes is a loser. You are obviously lost if you don't watch the show, but trust me. Wes needs to go.
We've also been watching America's Got Talent. A co-worker of mine, Sarah Golden, auditioned in Houston and actually made it to the semi-finals in Las Vegas. I got to go to the taping (and sit on the second row catty-corner to the judges!!) so we have to watch to see Sarah....and of course, to see if I made my national television debut.
Kathryn went the day after I did (they had multiple tapings), and she was on tv last night! There was a pretty good shot of her near the beginning of the show last night.

Our Fourth of July should be relatively un-eventful. Kathryn will be going to her mom's for the weekend, Larry is playing in a golf tournament tomorrow, and Luke and I will swim, hang out, and possibly shop. Although I'm positive Larry will be utterly disappointed if he misses a shopping trip. That's what he gets for golfing. :)

I'm assuming you all have had enough rambling from me. So that's all I have.

Love -
Amy

Scripture Memory Round 12

Wow - I cannot believe it's already time for the 12th verse of 2009. That means we are already halfway through this year. Time SO flies, and I have to wonder at what I have accomplished thus far in 2009.
I truly want this to be a Jesus year....a year of surrender, and a year that the Holy Spirit fills me up richly with His abiding, truthful presence.
For much of this year, I have felt out of control. There has been so much uncertainty with the economy (which directly affects my 100% commission job); I have started a new business (Scentsy); and I have been working on a book proposal, a 10-minute teaching, and a 700 word article for a writer's conference I am attending at the end of July.
The one thing I have to remember when the world is spinning around me, is that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. There is nothing under His authority that is out of control. Perhaps the reason I feel so overwhelmed is because I have not surrendered to His authority with some of these situations. How I long to automatically give everything to Him before I am even out of bed in the morning.
What would my life be like if I did give every piece of me to Jesus? I do know that when I do, I am not only filled with His love and peace - I experience a weightless joy.
So here is my verse for Scripture Memory #12. This is a prayer of David that I want to meditate on over the next two weeks......and I pray this becomes my soul's own joy.

"O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek You;
my soul thirsts for You,
my body longs for You,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

I have seen You in Your sanctuary
and beheld Your power and Your glory.
Because Your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify You.
I will praise You as long as I live,
and in Your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise You.

On my bed I remember You;
I think of You through the watches of the night.
Because You are my help,
I will sing in the shadow of Your wings.
My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me.

They who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.
They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.

But the princess (that's me) will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God's name will praise Him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced."

~Psalms 63

AMEN!!

Scripture Memory Round 11

Here is my 11th memory verse for 2009!!

Just look over the fact that I never posted verses 8,9, and 10. I did them....just failed to post! :)

Ephesians 6:14-17

"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

How to be Obsessed

If obsession was a character trait which one should aspire towards, I could teach the class. If it was a commendable attribute, I would be like Solomon composing the Proverbs.
My mind never stops. Short of being diagnosed as Obsessive-Compulsive, my personality snatches onto many things and tosses thoughts back and forth in my mind like toddlers playing ping-pong. I'm not sure that is the greatest analogy, but you get the point.
I make lists (yes, obsessively..); I say my plans out loud over and over; and I DWELL on something until I can put it into its proper place in my thought closet (at which time, I take it out and try it on again numerous times).

Sounds like fun, right? That's hard to admit, but I am often a prisoner of my own marathon mind.

Not only do I obsess, I am prone to addiction. When I get that one thing in my mind, it doesn't let go. God's Word tells me that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So my plan for the next few months? I'm going to find out what that means for me. I am going to dive into the meat and bones of Scripture and find answers for my life.

I need it. I need the healing power of God's Word. I don't even feel embarrassed to have this blogged to the world (well, not that the whole world reads this humble blog of mine!!) because I am convinced that I am not the only one whose mind is a raging motor speedway of racing thoughts.

So no, just in case you are wondering - I'm not having a nervous breakdown. At the moment, my mind is actually in a rare state of peace. I just want answers. I want freedom from this mind of mine -- and I will seek the Lord wholeheartedly until I find what I am looking for.

Dear Jesus - thank You for the amazing brains you have given us. I even thank You that mine has the ability to operate at high speeds :)
I know that I am not the only one of Your children who suffers from a tyrannical mind sometimes, Father. I plead with You to show me in Your Word what the solution is. Give me Your Spirit of Wisdom to discover life-changing (mind-numbing??) TRUTH. In Your marvelous Name I pray - AMEN.

Cluster of Random-ness

Rush, Rush, Rush. That's all I have done for the past two weeks. Jumping from here to the next thing to the next thing. And now, I'm at home in bed instead of at my Discipleship Committee meeting at church because I'm just plain run down. T-I-R-E-D

I haven't even had TIME to post, even if I had a minute to think about what to post. Am I whining? So be it.

Larry is out of town for work this week, so I am home with Luke (who insists he is sleeping in Daddy's place tonight). He's in the kitchen right now with his easel, simultaneously acting the role of Boots (Dora's sidekick...for those who don't know), coloring/drawing monsters, and bothering the cats. How can a 3 year old multi-task so well? I suppose he has learned from his mommy.

We are meeting Larry in Oklahoma this weekend, and we're going to see his mom for Mother's Day. I can't wait to be away from the house this weekend.....where the only responsibility will be making my bed in the mornings (and, if I'm truthful, Larry will handle that task!).

This post was rather pointless, but I wanted to prove that I was still an active blogger. To whom I was trying to prove that point is yet to be determined - but whatever.

So now I'm going to watch American Idol and go check on Luke's artistry. Apparently he just drew a picture of me......

Blessings!
Amy