A Whole New World...

"To live is so startling it leaves 

little time for anything else." 

~ Emily Dickinson ~ 

A Thought for Today

"If you want to lift yourself up, 
 lift up someone else.”

~ Booker T. Washington

Chewing on this food for thought, 

Thoughts on Confidence

Self-confidence can often be taken as arrogance. Yes, pride can wiggle in and pervert our sense of self BUT - listening to that inner voice and knowing what you believe is not pride, or arrogance. It is a confidence that children of God are called to because of our identity in Christ.

I really like what Jane Austen had to say about this:

“We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.”

As a Christian woman, it is wrong for me to allow poor self-esteem (or arrogance for that matter) to get in the way of living.

Thank You for the Pain

I think that we grow the most through pain. When your world is completely shaken and everything seems to be broken, you can either morn over the shattered pieces, or see it as a clean foundation for something new. Everyone has experienced heartbreak in some form, so I know I'm not the first and I won't be the last, but I through it all I've grown and learned things that I never would have otherwise.

At the beginning of the summer I felt as though every area in my life was crumbling. I felt helpless and lost, but through this I saw areas in myself where I wanted (and needed) to grow. I made a promise to myself that when I went back to school in the fall I would not be the same person that I was before. I set goals and gave everything over to the Lord so that he could work in me.

My main goal for the summer was to grow in my relationship with the Lord. During the school year I had slipped, and really desired to get back in tune with Him. Beside this, my goals were not major or life changing, but simple things that I put on paper and accomplish.

Here are a few of them:

• Plan a bonfire (Check! Though it rained and we never had a campfire, I had friends over in anticipation of one)
• Work Out Regularly (Of course 'regularly' is a relative term)
• Get Involved in Ministry (I've been a leader in the youth group and have had an opportunity to really bond with some of the girls. Plus, I just got back from an incredible mission trip)
• Read a Book or Two (Finished "Angels and Demons" and am now skimming another novel)
• Scrapbook Sophomore Year (This is coming along nicely)
• Either to See One Friend a Week OR Do Something Special For One Person (Its been wonderful)

Now August and the end of summer is staring me in the face and I realize, I am a different person, but not in the way I thought I would be. When I was bitter and angry and hurt I looked at changing external appearances and actions. But when you give that up, something much better happens inside.

Sure I got a great haircut and a couple cute outfits, but I fell like the Lord has given me an entirely new outlook on life. Through ministry I have learned what it feels like to be selfless and give everything for Him. I have placed new value in who I am and what He has created me to be. And I can't wait to see what is in store for the years ahead.

There is a new Sarah bursting onto the scene who is confident, spontaneous, independent, and full of life. She is ready to dive full force into the future. To take risks and live vivaciously. There is so much that the world has to offer, and so much I have to offer the world. As I stand here looking forward there are so many opportunities and I am quivering with the anticipation of finding out where I belong.

Sure there are bad days, but I am thankful for them. I still battle bitterness and the wounds haven't completely healed - but today is a good day, and I will rejoice in it.

Truth is Relative

Is there really such a thing as truth?
Wow, I know, that’s a deep question to begin a blog post with, but it’s something that’s been in the back of my mind for a couple weeks. Can we really pin down what truth is?

According to Dictionary.com, Truth is defined as an “agreement with a standard” or “a verified or indisputable fact.” The definition gave the example of mathematical principles. The standard that 1+1 = 2 is a truth that is universally accepted.

So why am I rambling on about math problems? Well, for one, I promised to rant a little in my posts, but mainly it’s because of this nagging suspicion I have that maybe people are not adding correctly in their daily lives.

My whole thought process started after several conversations I had. Each instance was totally unrelated. These friends seemed to think it was okay to act differently around different groups of people. I immediately questioned how honest they were being if they put on a different face depending on their environment.

One response really caught me off guard. They reasoned this was okay because this was who they “really were” and showing “different sides” to different people was okay. “I’m just being genuine with everyone.” Sure, you’ll get to do everything you want to do, unfortunately when you’re running with two totally opposite crowds, this argument doesn’t hold any water. It only ends up hurting others.

So what is truth? If you tell one thing to one person and something different to another – it doesn’t add up. 1 + 1 will never ever ever equal 3 or 11 or 789. Something has to be wrong. One option is not the truth.

Truth is not dependent on our thoughts and emotions.
It is a constant, like that math equation or primary colors. It can not be changed. So its time for all of us to get our heads out of the sand and face reality.

Thanks to those of you out there who do like with integrity. I value your friendship!

And if I just rocked your world because you just realized that 1 + 1 doesn’t equal 3, maybe you need to do some serious thinking about a way to make what you say and what you do add up. I have every confidence that this is something that can be achieved.

Seeking Truth,