Who I am in Him

Today is one of those days when it is hard to write inspiring and joyful material. It is one of those days when it is hard to fake a smile to those around you. It is one of those days when I just want to sit in silence in prayer, but sing worship at the top of my lungs. It is one of those days when it feels like the weight of the world is sitting on your lap.

It is one of those days when you are so glad that you were just reminded 24 hours prior that you are a conqueror in Christ. I am so glad that I was reminded that I can and will overcome what seems impossible to overcome.

I am an overcomer. More than conqueror. Because Christ said so.

"What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all-how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"-Romans 8:31-32

"Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"-Romans 8:35

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."-Romans 8:37

" I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world."-John 16:33

"In your strength, I can crush an army; with my God, I can scale any wall"-Psalms 18:29

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war the way the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish strongholds and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obediant to Christ"-2 Corinthians 10:3-5

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."- 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world"-1 John 4:4

So I guess on the days, like today, when I feel the weight of the world, I just need to remember the one who is NOT of this world, but who created this world. I need to conquer the enemy that is attacking me and run to the one who has overcome all things and therefore because of my love for Him will help me to overcome as well.

He is faithful. He is beautiful. He is Christ my Lord.

What I Like About You

Blogging for me, has become so much more than an online journal for the public. This is what I like about blogging...

• It requires more creativity and thought than just journaling
• Comments! I love comments! It's like getting presents!
• The connection with friends and family that are not close. I like knowing that they read and talking through this medium.
• The community of bloggers is inspiring.
• Sharing information. I am able to share things I learn and causes I care about.
• Purposeful living. I don't want to share things with my readers that probably don't matter and so it reminds me to do things worth writing about. Live on purpose!

Blogging has become one of my favorite hobbies. I didn't start out very strong, but I feel like I have gotten better. There are days when I don't want to write and more recently I have tried to push through the lack of motivation and writer's block. It is when push through that I usually feel the best.

What are your hobbies?

Another Angel Sent to Heaven

I read their blog today and it absolutely B.R.O.K.E. me to pieces. This mom and dad is facing one of the saddest tragedies. AAHH! I am such an empathy that I was just in tears when I was reading through her blog entries over the last few days. Less than a week ago their entire world was turned upside down. They lost their precious angel so unexpectedly.

These are the times that do not make sense to me. I am mad for them. You can't help but ask why in the world God would do this. Today they are in need of so much prayer as they lay their daughter to rest, their 4 month old daughter. I pray that God shows them his purpose through this awful time. I pray their faith stays strong and that God's grace shines. I pray for peace and healing.

Don't take a single breath, loved one, or interaction for granted today.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."-Isaiah 41:10

Reading Obsession

I have always been a reader, for as long as I can remember. Sometimes, though, I go through these reading addiction spurts. Is spurts a word? Anyway I go through these times when I want to read everything in sight. My sisters used to make fun of me because I would spend hours in Barnes and Noble just walking around staring at books. I think I was waiting for the moment when I had finally stared long enough that I would just start absorbing the words of the book I was staring at. It never happened, but that would be really cool!

Currently, I am in one of those phases. Phases is a better word, I will stick to that. The last time I went through this phase was in November. I went to the library and checked out 10 books! I have read 1 since that time and they are due back in a month. Since I will be so disappointed if I return those book without even looking at page one, I have a goal to get through most of them before their due date. The hard part is I also have about 5 other books that I am really into right now. Allow me to share.

Heaven is For Real

I saw this one yesterday at Hastings and immediately bought it on my Literati as soon as I got home. It was cheaper that way. I am so excited about this book. It's about a boy who at 4 years old went to heaven during an emergency surgery. He sat in Jesus' lap and angels sang to him. He met his miscarried sister that he never knew about and his great grandpa who had died 30 years before. It is a true story.







Wrestling with God

I mentioned this one a couple weeks ago. Its all about growing close to God through the tough stuff in life. I am about half way through it and I love it! I just get distracted to easily by other books.









Gazelle's Baby Steps and 37 other Things Dave Ramsey taught me about Debt

Jon Acuff is hilarious and this book is awesome. I have gotten through most of it already since I bought it on Saturday. The chapters are short and super easy to read, not to mention funny. The title pretty much covers the content of the book.







Stuff Christians Like

Another Acuff book. This one is based off his blog. I just started this one last night, but it too is hilarious. I have heard great things about this book. More to come!










OK so I guess that was only 4 but there was another book at Hastings that I saw yesterday that I will probably pick up shortly. Oh AND Pioneer Woman's new book just came out about her love story with her husband and I am dying to get that one too!
What are you reading? Has anyone read Sheet Music?

Be Blessed!

My Life is Forever Different

Today has changed me. If you are friends with me on facebook than you know it was no secret what my day consisted of...The Dave Ramsey Live Event. I volunteered for three reasons: I love volunteerism, I love events of that nature, and I have drank the Dave Ramsey Koolaid. When I first found out about the event just a short 3 months ago I knew I wanted to go. My immediate thought was, "I COULD VOLUNTEER!!" Then I would get to be there, but also be helping, which is awesome!! I signed up to volunteer and got the message that I was on the waiting list...a waiting list?? I thought for sure I was out. Well about a month ago I got the email saying I had been picked to volunteer. I was beyond excited!! At that point I had no idea what I would experience today.

As I am most days, I was running late. I was flustered because I showed up about 30 minutes late. Everyone was so nice anyway. After 2 hours of setting up and product training the doors were ready to open. I must also mention that Dave and his daughter Rachel both went around and shook hands with every volunteer in the arena during that 2 hour period. How cool is that? People poured into the arena with excitement and lots of buzzing. There was a pre-show that included Jon Acuff, more about him later, Rachel, and the VP of their publishing company, Chris Locarto. Finally, at 1pm it was time for Dave's appearance. As he entered they had the lights going on and off, everyone was cheering, it was loud and I was lost in the moment. I was overcome with emotion. I was covered in goosebumps. I could not help but say a prayer in that moment to thank God for this experience.

Dave spoke for 5 hours to a crowd of 10,000 people about becoming debt free. His passion is indescribable. The love for the people that's lives are changing is amazing. He kept it funny and entertaining, while getting a very clear message across. Normal is broke. Here are some other notes I took from the day.

1. Stupid people are broke and people get offended when you mess with their stupidity.
2. If we were doing math we wouldn't have debt.
3. God's not mad at you. You entertain him.
4. One definition of maturity is learning how to delay pleasure.
5. Prayer REALLY works.
6. Normal is broke. Be weird.
7. Live like no one else now so you can live like no one else later.

I honestly could go on and on. There was so much to take away from his lessons I could not keep up. During breaks I got to do what I love and that was serve people. I got to sell Dave's products for less than retail and people loved it! I got a hug from a stranger because I chased her down after she left her FREE deluxe envelope system sitting on the table. I got to help in the start of people changing their lives. It was incredible.

At the end of the day my heart was filled with so much joy and inspiration I could hardly contain it. Obviously, I felt the need to come home immediately and write it all down. I called Zeb and talked for probably 5 minutes straight about it without stopping once. I worshipped Jesus the whole way home for the experience and everything he has done in my life to bring me to this point. The people that work for Dave are incredible as well. They are servants for the Lord and they show that in their work. Again, I could go on an on.

Here is what I hope you take away from this though, find freedom in your life. I want you to find the financial freedom that so many have already found through Dave's practical steps, but before you can do any of that you must find freedom in your savior. And when you do your life will be forever changed.

Finally, because I believe in the things that Dave Ramsey is doing and the lives that are being changed I have a giveaway! I am giving away Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover book. This is the perfect book to start out on if you have never heard of Dave or even if you have and just want to see what it is all about! So here is how to enter:

1. Post a comment below about what gets you excited, restless, passionate, etc.

2. For an extra entry into the contest share this post on Facebook or Twitter.

I will randomly select a winner Monday morning. Contest ends Sunday at Midnight!

Be blessed.

Fruitful Fridays

Source

This weeks thoughts are a tad scattered...bare with me.

I took on anti-wedding week in order to breathe. It had become all I was doing recently. It turned out to be wonderful. I was able to enjoy a valentines night with Zeb without a single talk of wedding stuff. I think he enjoyed it too. I have also been able to focus on helping him with post wedding stuff such as finding an internship and achieving career goals. Being a bride that others can tolerate is hard work. Speaking from experience, I never have the intention of making it all I do, but when it is my reality it is hard to not do. Does that make sense?

There is this friendship that means so much to me. This person was an important influence in my life and it kills me for some reason when I think about where we stand at this moment. This has consumed both my thoughts and prayer life lately. I want to go back to where we were before everything changed. Then I ask myself why it matters so much when I have lots of friends that do really care about me. Why do I need (or feel like I need) this 1 friendship above all the others?

I have found a home in Oklahoma and I like it here. I feel comfortable in this small town, with my small group of friends, and my small church. I can't help that I have become a small town girl. Since I have been in anti-wedding mode and future looking mode I have thought more about how sad it makes me to think about leaving. I don't know when we will leave or where we will go, but I know I am not prepared for it. Not at this moment. So I pray that God will adequately prepare me for that time and that His good plan will take over my selfish desires.

So whats going on in your life this week?

p.s. 5 months ago on this day my future was forever changed when Zeb Austin decided he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and I agreed. I am thrilled to follow thru with that promise in a short 91 days.  

Taken for Granted

Last night I had a small emotional fit. OK, maybe a rather large one, but I can justify this. Between working out to get my body in a healthy form again, selling everything I can in my apartment, and balancing life with two jobs, wedding prep, and marriage prep, it just all caught up to me. Thank goodness Zeb can be patient with me. I said some words to him that I should not have in the heat of the moment. I apologized and then prayed after he left for help from the only one who truly can save me.

This morning I stumbled across a blog of a married couple. They are raising money for adoption. They have been trying for years to get pregnant and it hasn't worked and they feel God has led them to this place. Yesterday I found another blog. This one was for a 20 year old girl who just found out 2 months ago that she has the rarest form of ovarian cancer. She has lost all of her hair and is going through intense chemo right now. A friend of hers has started a business in her honor called Jars of Love. A few weeks ago I was made aware that a previous supervisor of mine had a baby boy last year who is now facing severe complications. The hospital bills are astronomical and they need help.

Those are justifiable reasons for small or large fits. My petty problems are not. My problems are not means for harsh words towards the ones I love. So this morning I was hit with the realization of how much I take for granted. I was changed by these stories and reminded of how blessed I really am. I was challenged to rely more on my creator rather than myself. And then I read this:

"...Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: they do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest"-Luke 12:22-26

True Joy

Source

Last night Zeb went on his first night flight. He flew to the OKC Will Rogers airport in the dark. He did not do it alone, his instructor was with him, but he mostly flew it alone. I was so excited for him to get to do this for two reasons.

1. He is one step closer to getting his private pilots license.
2. He was so excited about it that it made me excited for him.

When he returned from flying he was a completely different person than when he left. He was hungry, but not grumpy. He was tired, but not irritated. He was silly and playful. Then I realized something. This boy LOVES to fly. Flying brings him true joy.

I cannot even begin to describe the way it makes me feel inside when I get to see Zeb so excited about his future career. He talks about it with excitement. He has goals in his life that he didn't have prior to starting this path. As his future wife it thrills me to see the joy it brings him. True joy is so hard to find in careers these days. When I see his it inspires me to want to find that as well.

Today I am thanking God for the work he has done in mine and Zeb's life as individuals and a couple.

What are you thanking God for?

Face Lift

Today I gave my blog a much needed face lift. I was pleased to find that blogger has updated much of their features since the last time I did any design work on the page. This made the process much more enjoyable.



Valentine's Day was a good day. I was so happy to find a little note tucked in my Quizno's shirt from Zeb. Those are my favorite. After I got off I was surprised with a picnic in the living room of my apartment. It included a delicious bottle of wine, smoked cheese, crackers, hummus, and roses. It was simple and perfect. I will include a picture of it tomorrow.



I am working on a project in my free time. It may or may not last, but for the time being it is very exciting. I will be sharing it with all of my readers soon because I will need help from some of you.



Today I will be having lunch at Red Lobster with my love all because of these two people. They had a giveaway on their blog two weeks ago and I won a $25 gift card! Thank you so much Megan and Brandon.

Fruitful Fridays

This weeks thoughts...

I am not sure when I realized this in my adult life, but over the last few years I have come to know that I can be a messy board of many people and ideas. I tend to look for others for advice and counsel often. I enjoy conversation that stimulates me in a thoughtful manner. The crossroad I have come to more recently though is becoming who I was created to be. I have found myself asking when I will find my identity rather than the identities of many wrapped up in one.

In high school I would drift in and out of healthy, working out stages. Post high school I became rather addicted to working out. In my most recent years I have gone back and forth. In the most recent weeks I have become addicted again. I was blessed with a body that must be cared for in a delicate manner or it will become a rather large blob. I wonder how I can find the balance of working out and not overeating.

As I have gotten closer to being married, I have somehow found myself surrounded by more married couples. I believe this is a gift sent from above and I love it. I enjoy interacting with married couples both old and young, via social networking and in person. I can usually always find one of two things during the interaction; something I would like to adopt for my marriage or something I would like to avoid at all costs. I recently had a conversation with a friend about marriage and she told me that her mentor told her that she tries to never say no to her husband. Now that is a challenge! Since I have heard that it has been on my mind so much. I have found myself searching the Bible for more guidance on being the submissive wife God intended me to be.

Those are the things lingering in Sasha's mind this week. I think Friday's will become my thoughts of the week day.

What has been on your mind? Any thoughts on what I have been thinking about?

Happy Valentine's weekend!

I Believe That You Matter

Today is a special post dedicated to the things I believe.

I BELIEVE that love exists and can last forever

I BELIEVE my God is a healer, forgiver, savior, and is greater than anything I will ever find on this earth.

I BELIEVE relationships with others can make or break a person

I BELIEVE serving is powerful beyond words

I BELIEVE laughing till your cheeks hurt should happen more often

I BELIEVE a puppy and a child can change your whole world in a single interaction

I BELIEVE in crying until the pain goes away

I BELIEVE there are some friends that should have been family

I BELIEVE family should be valued

I BELIEVE the words "I am proud of you" are not spoken enough

I BELIEVE a book can take you on a wonderful vacation

I BELIEVE humility is a beautiful thing

I BELIEVE passion is an overused word and underused motivator

I BELIEVE there are men that love their bride the way Christ loved the Church

I BELIEVE coffee shops were created for conversation more than coffee itself

I BELIEVE that there is still so much good in the world despite what the news portrays

I BELIEVE that lives are changed everyday

I BELIEVE that inspiration comes from the smallest people with the biggest hearts

I BELIEVE in you

What do you believe in?

Drifting

I think I may have mentioned this a few weeks back, but I started a couple reading plans on Youversion at the start of the year. You know how everyone starts with a resolution of reading their Bible from cover to cover and they get through Genesis and then life happens and they forget about it? Well I guess I had jumped on that bandwagon only I was focused on the New Testament. I had always read bits and pieces of the New Testament, but never the whole thing. So I started this reading plan that takes you through the New Testament in a month. I am not sure why I chose a month other than I guess I was just anxious to read it all and a month was the shortest time there was. I must have forgotten that just because you choose the reading plan, doesn't mean that you will make the time to do it. And you have to make the time to do it or it defeats the whole reading plan idea. The reading plan keeps going and me? Well I just keep putting off.

I finally jumped back in yesterday. I had left off on day 7 of my reading plan and it had now made its way to day 23. Youversion has this cool thing though where you can select catch me up and it starts you exactly where you left off with a new end date. How cool is that? Then I got to thinking youversion wasn't upset that I had disappeared for two weeks. In fact they had even sent me a reminder last week that I hadn't visited in a week or so and wanted to remind me that they were still there. This whole concept got me thinking about God. Imagine that. But really, that is exactly what God would do. He is always there. He is there when we start off talking to him everyday and have an intimate relationship with him. He is there when we drift. He will sometimes whisper through the Holy Spirit to remind us about His presence. And even when we still blow Him off, He is waiting when we return. He picks us up right where we left off when we drifted as if we had never left, similar to the catch me up button. How cool is that?

All of that to say that I am in standing awe of my God right now. I have spent the last two weeks or so drifting. I have been pre-occupied with the big W, snow, and two jobs that I have drifted. Not so far that I had forgotten, but far enough that I knew I needed a spirit check. So when I returned to the Bible yesterday and prayer it was like I had never left. His grace just fell on me. I surrendered to Him, apologized for my absence, and moved on. Just as He would have it.

P.S. I am reading a book right now titled Wresting with God, which I will definitely do a book review on when I am finished, but there was a couple lines I read last night that I want to leave you with. They are powerful in my opinion.

"Jesus, too, never promises easy answers. He promises the cross, a symbol of the spiritual deaths we have to face over and over as our answers, formulas, and the little Lego houses of our comfortable lives collapse, and we are given the opportunity to surrender to the next step in our journey with God."

I Quit Living in Fear

I live a life of fear and this was confirmed on Sunday when Pastor Craig addressed this area in church. I already knew this going into the sermon so it wasn't as painful when he pointed it out. I knew he was going to be talking directly to me. I really identified with 3 of the 4 areas, but could probably of identified with all 4 if I was really honest with myself.

1. Fear of Loss
- I fear losing my life constantly.
- I fear losing someone in my family.
- I fear losing my future husband one day.
- I fear losing my job.

2. Fear of Failure
- I fear not being good enough to be successful in my career.
- I fear not making my parents proud.
- I fear not being a good enough ________ fill in the blank (sister, daughter, mother, wife, friend, worker) Whatever I am to you I probably fear not being good enough.
3. Fear of Rejection
- I fear important people in my life walking out on me.
- I fear not getting good positions because I am not well equipped.
4. Fear of Unknown
- I fear what the future has in store.
- I fear never finding a job that I truly love to go to everyday
- I fear not knowing where I will be a year from now

I checked all of them except number 3. As I have thought about it more the people pleaser in me really does have a fear of rejection so turns out I am a walking fearful person. Now that I have recognized this lets see what Craig had to say about it.

1. What you fear reveals what you value most.

Ok well I can live with that. I value what people think of me. I value my family. I value my future. What's wrong with that?

2. What you fear reveals where you trust God the most least.

So that is what is wrong with it.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."-2 Timothy 1:7

Wait, but I don't think He gave that to me. Some, like Craig's wife, may have gotten the power of a sound mind, but not this girl. I am constantly fearing things, where did He go wrong with me?

....backup! That is exactly what I was thinking until I realized, he didn't go wrong with me at all. I have gone wrong, when I fear the things of this world rather than the things of the Lord. I have gone wrong, when I think that God does not have it all in control and I will not be taken care of. I have gone wrong when I lose sight of seeking the one who can remove all of my fears and provide me with a sound mind.

"I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears"-Psalm 34:4

And I will continue to seek the Lord and pray for deliverance from my fears. Only the one who created me and gave me this precious and beautiful life can save me from these things.

What do you fear?