I couldn't have said it better myself!

"My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me? Why do you remain so distant? Why do you ignore my cries for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief.

YET YOU ARE HOLY. The praises of Israel surround your throne. Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. You heard their cries for help and saved them. They put their trust in you and were never disappointed.

But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, "Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the LORD save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!"

YET YOU BROUGHT ME SAFELY from my mother's womb and led me to trust you when I was a nursing infant. I was thrust upon you at my birth. YOU HAVE BEEN MY GOD FROM THE MOMENT I WAS BORN.

Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me. My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls. ...


Then I will declare the wonders of your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among all your people. Praise the Lord all you who fear Him! Honor Him, all you descendants of Jacob. Show Him reverence all you descendants of Israel. For He has NOT ignored the suffering of the needy. He has not turned and walked away. He has listened to their cries for help.

I will praise you among ALL the people; I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you....They will hear about everything He has done."

This is Psalm 22, or most of it rather. David speaks so well, so I thought I'd share it. God has never failed me before, thus I will continue to praise His name for all eternity.

Thoughts??

Full of Laughter!

Go here if you need a smile!

http://svt.se/hogafflahage/hogafflaHage_site/Kor/hestekor.swf

And yet another song!

"Even though the journey's long, and I know the road is hard,
The one's who's gone before me, will help me carry on.
After all that I've been through, now I realize the truth,
And I must go through the valley to stand upon the mountain of God."

Chorus to Mountain of God by Third Day

Words that Mean so Much!

By Your Side-Tenth Avenue North

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life


Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

Ever Wonder Why??

This is the first year I've ever made a "New Year's Resolution"--not that I'm opposed, I've just never found one for me. Well I decided I'd read the Bible from beginning to end. I was reading Genesis and it made me wonder why God chose the Israelites for His "people". They really were a bunch of screw-ups who never trusted God to do what He promised and ALWAYS took things into their own hands. 

But then again, I guess we're not that different. As His "people" now, we mess up and ALWAYS take things into our own hands. I can think of story after story just in the past week where I have done things on my own rather than waiting for God to do what He promised. 

So as a part of my New Year's Resolution, I've decided to learn from the Israelites and I'm going to start trusting that God will do as He has promised in my life. Join me!! 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." --Jeremiah 29:11

New Times

Here's a post to "catch up" on life. :)

1) Started a new job in December and I LOVE IT!! Title: Media Distribution Specialist. Yes I am a specialist. Description: I make ANY DVD that LifeChurch.tv uses, more or less. I adore the people I work with and this is where I want to work for the rest of my life.

2) Started a new semester of school this week, and I enjoy all my classes, except for maybe one. Personal Finance (the one I'm not sure if I like). Not big on finances and investments, and such. Speech--always one of my favorite classes. Philosophy--I'm a little tempted to become a philosopher instead of "communications" but I refuse to change majors. Communication Theory--oddly enough, it's pretty fascinating (I'll keep you posted as to what this class actually involves). Organizational Communications--I really like my teacher, but still not clear on what I'm majoring in. :)

3) Decided to read the Bible from beginning to end this year. I've read it all the way through, but never from Genesis to Revelation. I'm really enjoying that!


What's new in your life??

Quote for thought

There's a difference between being successful and being significant. The significant ones are never forgotten!


Will you be successful or significant?

The Law of Sacrifice

(From the Leadership Bible--I think it's one of the 21 Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell)

Some of the saddest words in Scripture occur in Genesis 6:6. "And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth and was grieved in His heart." It saddened God that every human being except for Noah's immediate family would have to be destroyed. He loved the men and women whom He had created to be like Him, those who were to rule the earth and reflect His glory. 
God determined to start again, even without a guarantee that the survivors and their descendants would do a better job of following Him. God made a covenant with Noah, giving up His right to ever again flood the earth to cleanse it of sinful humanity. Noah gave up everything He had accumulated in his long life in order to start over: SACRIFICE ALWAYS PRECEDES SUCCESS. 

They had to give up to go up.

God Always Has A Plan. Always.

It's amazing how hard that is to forget. God always has a plan. Always. Even when we mess it up and make things difficult, He still has a plan. Why do we act like He doesn't know what's going on and He's not really in charge? He's already mapped out our ENTIRE lives, why don't we just trust that? 

"God has already seen every adverse circumstance we will soon encounter--no matter how great or small--and He has THE way planned for escaping it. And, even more thrilling, often the thing that looks like an abortion of God's plan actually ends up being the road to its fulfillment if we stay in obedience and free from offense...The dream or vision will probably happen differently from how you think, but His word and His promises WILL NOT FAIL. We only risk aborting them by our disobedience."--The Bait of Satan

1 Corinthians 10:13 

The things I learn from movies...

"Never say goodbye, 

Because saying goodbye means going away,

And going away means forgetting."

--Peter Pan

Beth Moore--how does she know?!?!

I just finished my second Beth Moore study (first-Daniel, second-A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place). If you have never done a Beth Moore study I would recommend you do one!! I also started an official job at LifeChurch last week. I must say I love it!! But one my first day, the day I tested, and my first interview, I was scared out of my mind. Let me just take a paragraph from Beth Moore, then you'll understand....

"Have you found yourself on the brink of the place for which God has long been preparing you? A location? A place of service? A circumstance? A position? Something for which you sense He has been preparing you for a long time?"

(obviously, being offered this job was the start of my hopeful career...I've been in prep for YEARS!!)

"Now that you see God fulfilling His promise you use you and have through excruciating preparation toward that end, are you filled with fear? An overwhelming feelilng of unreadiness? A sudden emotion that this may not be what you wanted? A little sorry you volunteered to go wherever and do whatever?"

Yep, that's what was going on inside of me. Now, I'm not emotional (or a feeler) but every time I thought about this, my heart cried out in fear. Tears would come to my eyes as I thought about everything I had done and all the expectations people ALREADY had for me. I was terrified I would fail. And fail miserably at that.

BUT I haven't. There are days when I am extremely unqualified to copy DVDs, but (here's the last portion of the paragraph)

"God will deal with those feelings and will bring them to a place of dismissal if you confess them to Him and invite Him to give you the courage to accept His personalized plan for you."

Now trust me when I say, only God could have put things in order for this. Everything happened at the right place and the right time. This is His plan, not my own. (Who'd a thought I wouldn't work in LifeKIDS first?)

I would encourage you to give your fears and thoughts to God as you stand in His purpose. He will deal with those issues, just make yourself available!!

Surely We Can Change

Surely We Can Change--David Crowder Band


And the problem is this
We were bought with a kiss
But the cheek still turned
Even when it wasn’t hit

And I don’t know
What to do with a love like that
And I don’t know
How to be a love like that

When all the love in the world
Is right here among us
And hatred too
And so we must choose
What our hands will do

Where there is pain
Let there be grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Help them be brave
Where there is misery
Bring expectancy
And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Something

And the problem it seems
Is with you and me
Not the Love who came
To repair everything

And I don’t know
What to do with a love like that
And I don’t know
How to be a love like that

When all the love in the world
Is right here among us
And hatred too
And so we must choose
What our hands will do

Where there is pain
Let us bring grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Let us be brave
Where there is misery
Let us bring them relief
And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Oh surely we can change
Something

Oh, the world’s about to change
The whole world’s about to change

Revealed!

1) What's my real name? Amanda

2) Where did I graduate high school? Edmond Memorial (Go Bulldogs!)

3) Was I a valedictorian? No, not even a Salutatorian, thanks to 8th grade math, physics and calculus

4) Where do I go to school now? UCO!!!

5) How long until I'm finished? 3 semesters, 1.5 years (plus some summer school)

6) What is my dream job? LifeKIDS!!

7) What reality show do I want to go on? Amazing Race!! (and I expect you all to watch it when I go on it!)

8) What is my favorite thing to do? (just wanted to see what you guys came up with--watching football was a good choice)

9) How do I "de-stress"? I bake--cookies and brownies!

10) What's something I may not know about you?? Those are some great answers!

Way to go! You guys did pretty well!

Pop Quiz!!

Just how well do you know me? Here's a few questions, let's see who knows the most!!
We'll start easy...

1) What's my real name?
2) Where did I graduate high school?
3) Was I a valedictorian?
4) Where do I go to school now?
5) How long until I'm finished?
6) What is my dream job?
7) What reality show do I want to go on?
8) What is my favorite thing to do?
9) How do I "de-stress"?
10) What's something I may not know about you??

I'll answer later this week!
I've got finals this week, and a job interview on Tuesday!!

We Give You Praise by Delirious

When the road is rough and steep 
And it leads a heart to weep 
There's an ocean of tears 
That you've held through the years 
But we're not stopping here 

On this long and winding street 
Will You guide these weary feet 
Every step that we take 
With our hearts full of faith 
And we're not stopping here 

Together we are stronger 
So put your hand in mine 

We give You praise 
We give You praise 
And the King of all the earth 
Has saved us from ourselves 
We give You praise 
We give You praise 

Through the avenues of time 
Here You meet me where I am 
We walked with glory and pain 
And You’ve broken the chains 
So there’s no stopping here 

Glory, we sing glory 
We sing glory 
In the darkness where You shine 
Let it shine, let it shine

Peace

Here's a text I received the other day. Thought I'd share it!!

Peace--

It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. 

Peace.

Pull Me Out

If you've never heard of Bebo Norman, I would suggest you listen to some of his songs. They are simply amazing. Here's his newest hit, what can I say other than it's great!

Bebo Norman - Pull Me Out
From the album Bebo Norman

So tell me now, when does this start feeling like I understand 
Everything I’m dealing with, first I was young, now it’s all just happening 
What about the way I said that made you turn around 
And shake your head like I don’t even know what I’m asking for 

This could be all about just letting go 
This could be all about just holding on 

Chorus: 
I can’t get my feet off of the ground 
I wanna run but I don’t know how 
Can you reach down here and pull me out, can you pull me out 
I wanna scream but there’s no sound 
I wanna fly to you somehow 
Can you reach me here and pull me out, can you pull me out, yeah 

Remember when I was young and hungry, I could take it in 
Without much money, I had nothing at all but dreams and time to kill 
Now I feel like I’m treading water and I’m hardly real 
I’m just trying harder to make my way on the earth by standing still 

This could be all about just letting go 
This could be all about just holding on 

Chorus: 

Not a moment too soon 
You will be my rescue 
But tell me how long will it take 

Chorus: 

I can’t get my feet off of the ground 
I wanna run but I don’t know how 
Can you reach me here and pull me out, can you pull me out 

I can’t get my feet off of the ground 
I wanna run but I don’t know how 
Can you reach down here and pull me out, can you pull me out, yeah 
I wanna scream but there’s no sound 
I wanna fly to you somehow 
But you reach me here and pull me out, oh you pull me out, yeah 

Irish as Barack Obama?

Happy 19th Taylor!

Today is one of my best friends birthday! Taylor is turning 19!! (Can I just say that by this time of the year, I start to feel really young because all my friends have birthdays so much earlier than me). So Happy Birthday dear neighbor!! Hope it's a special one!!

 

Declare your pick!

Today is Election Day. I'm so excited to vote, yet terrified as to what the outcome might be. In spirit of our Nation (because my pride may not last much longer) I thought I'd blog on the National Anthem and some of it's history. If you are anything like me, knowing the history of ANYTHING always makes life more interesting. ;) 

During the War of 1812, on September 13, 1814, Francis Scott Key visited the British fleet in Chesapeake Bay to secure the release of Dr. William Beanes, who had been captured after the burning of Washington DC. The release was completed, but Key was held by the British overnight during the shelling of Fort McHenry, one of the forts defending Baltimore. In the morning, Key peered through clearing smoke to see an enormous American flag flying proudly after a 25-hour British bombardment of Fort McHenry. He was so delighted to see the flag still flying over the fort that he began a poem to commemorate the occasion, with a note that it should be sung to the popular British melody "To Anacreon in Heaven."

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that it be played at military and naval occasions. In 1931, the Star-Spangled Banner became our national anthem.

Some of you may not have known this hasn't been our National Anthem wasn't apart of our nation since its founding, just since 1931!!  Now doesn't it have so much more meaning?!? And to close our lesson, I brought the words. Soak 'em in. It may be a while before we get to sing this with pride again...

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight;
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?