I have always loved Christian music! This isn't easy to say but even as a kid when everyone was so amazed with the New Kids on the Block I was listening to Ray Boltz and Amy Grant. When I was in High School my friends and I didn't go to the Mariah Carey concert but we went to Point of Grace and Bebe and Cece Winans concerts. The same goes for now, my radio is always turned to Klove (or the Sports Animal during football season:)). Well, there is a song that is always on and we even see in church that moves me every time and there is one specific line in the song that has a way of bringing me to tears...
"My heart will sing no other name, but Jesus"
I think it gets me every time because that is where I long to be, but not yet there. You see, my heart sings a lot of name besides Jesus. And the one it sings more than any other is Sarah. It sings Sarah when I am selfish. It sings Sarah when I am self-serving. It sings Sarah when I am prideful. It sings Sarah when I have self-pity. It sings Sarah when I doubt. It sings Sarah when I worry. Can you relate?
I have had some pretty intense Dates with Jesus this week seeking his help, wisdom, comfort etc. and what I found was I was seeking answers not seeking Jesus. I was seeking answers when the answer was Jesus. When we seek Jesus we find comfort. When we seek Jesus we find the help. When we seek Jesus we find wisdom. Psalm 105:4 says, "Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him."
One of the people that knew this better than any other is John the Baptist. He could have lived for himself yet he wore clothes "woven from coarse camel hair." He could have lived for himself yet he ate locusts. He had disciples of his own that even came to him and said "everybody is going to him instead of coming to us" and he replied, "I am not Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.....therefore, I am filled with joy at HIS success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."
He had a heart that sang no other name but Jesus...not even his own.
My heart will sing no other name, but Jesus
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
I Hate to Lose!
Can I just say...I hate to lose! It doesn't matter if I am playing candyland with my 2 year old, wii tennis with my 7 year old, or racing my husband on the scooters...I hate to lose. Then you throw in that I am a wife of a football coach and a chaplain for a softball team....there are times I am not sure if my heart can take it...all because I hate to lose. Can you relate? May be yours isn't sports maybe you can't stand not having the best cupcakes at the school, or you have to be the best dressed at every event, or your house has to be the cleanest in the neighborhood or you feel you just have to be the best in everything all day everyday. We all have our areas where we hate to lose and it gets exhausting and hopefully this blog post will encourage your heart and give you the opportunity to breathe.
I was reading twitter posts of people I follow and I read this quote that was made by CS Lewis, "Don't let your happiness depend on something you may lose." Wow! How powerful is that? AND how true is that? We base so much of our happiness on things that we may lose and probably will at some point. Jesus says it this way, "If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it." The ONLY true happiness is when we lay down our own desires, plans, dreams, and pick up the relationship with Jesus that will never go away. When we focus our time and efforts on being more Christlike, when we do lose those things we still have love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Because lets face it, we will lose. We will lose games, but we still have the love and joy of Christ. We will lose the cupcake war, but we still have the love and joy of Christ. We will lose our youthful looks, but we still have the love and joy of Christ. We will lose, but we will win with Christ.
Believe me when I say, this is the easiest message for me to type, but the hardest thing to live out. I am not saying I am going to like to lose, but I am truly praying and asking God to help me lose my lifestyle so that I can gain his. I want my joy to come from the giver of life, not the scoreboard at the end of the day:)
I was reading twitter posts of people I follow and I read this quote that was made by CS Lewis, "Don't let your happiness depend on something you may lose." Wow! How powerful is that? AND how true is that? We base so much of our happiness on things that we may lose and probably will at some point. Jesus says it this way, "If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it." The ONLY true happiness is when we lay down our own desires, plans, dreams, and pick up the relationship with Jesus that will never go away. When we focus our time and efforts on being more Christlike, when we do lose those things we still have love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Because lets face it, we will lose. We will lose games, but we still have the love and joy of Christ. We will lose the cupcake war, but we still have the love and joy of Christ. We will lose our youthful looks, but we still have the love and joy of Christ. We will lose, but we will win with Christ.
Believe me when I say, this is the easiest message for me to type, but the hardest thing to live out. I am not saying I am going to like to lose, but I am truly praying and asking God to help me lose my lifestyle so that I can gain his. I want my joy to come from the giver of life, not the scoreboard at the end of the day:)
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Best of Me
I realize I confess a lot on my blog and today is no different...I guess I hope that in someway God will use my stories to get through yours. I read one little verse that hit me like a ton of bricks.
"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce." Proverbs 3:9.
The part that hit me and made my mind race was..."honor the Lord with the best part of everything. The questions I started asking myself were "who or what gets the best part of me?"..."who gets the best part of my time?" "who gets the best part of my patience?" "who gets the best part of my attention?" I humbly had to admit that it wasn't the Lord. I often give him the leftovers. There are even times in my quiet times with Him that I have also planned the next days activities or this weeks family meal plan. So where does my best go? The ironic thing is my best goes to the ministry I have been given and the family I have been entrusted. For you it might be your work outside the home, or your kids, or your friends, or your tv, or your workout schedule. None of these are bad things, but when given our best time, attention, effort will always keep us from being our best for which God has called us to.
God knows that without giving Him our best then it is impossible to be the best at all he has called us to be...wife, mom, sister, friend, minister etc. It is all a reminder, once again, that I am called to "Be still" and sit at the feet of Jesus so that I can serve as the body of Christ.
"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce." Proverbs 3:9.
The part that hit me and made my mind race was..."honor the Lord with the best part of everything. The questions I started asking myself were "who or what gets the best part of me?"..."who gets the best part of my time?" "who gets the best part of my patience?" "who gets the best part of my attention?" I humbly had to admit that it wasn't the Lord. I often give him the leftovers. There are even times in my quiet times with Him that I have also planned the next days activities or this weeks family meal plan. So where does my best go? The ironic thing is my best goes to the ministry I have been given and the family I have been entrusted. For you it might be your work outside the home, or your kids, or your friends, or your tv, or your workout schedule. None of these are bad things, but when given our best time, attention, effort will always keep us from being our best for which God has called us to.
God knows that without giving Him our best then it is impossible to be the best at all he has called us to be...wife, mom, sister, friend, minister etc. It is all a reminder, once again, that I am called to "Be still" and sit at the feet of Jesus so that I can serve as the body of Christ.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
My Word for 2012
I have a confession...I am a fixer. Can you relate? I am the person that likes to "fix" the problems. When my kids come to me with a problem...I figure a way to fix it with a kiss or bandaid. If my husband has a problem...I figure a way to fix it with a letter or scripture. Being in ministry, People come to me daily with their problems and I immediately go into "OK, lets come up with a plan and see if we can fix this thing." It is my way of controlling the world in which I live in because if I can control it then I can fix it and everything will be ok. I don't like seeing people hurt and/or in pain so the easiest thing to do is try to fix it. Well, over the past couple of months my heart has been so overwhelmed and broken with all the problems I can't fix....like the pain my friend is going through in her marriage and nobody even knows it or the friend who is struggling with the most likely death of her TWO children or the girl that has struggled with years of abuse and the only way "she feels" loved is in the arms of another girl and on and on....
Well, I was laying in bed crying out to God about how I could help or "fix" them...I finally looked up and there on my wall were the letters I had put a few months back that read..."Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
First, he calls us to "Be Still"...not do more...not serve more....not fix more but be still. Why? Ask Mary and Martha (Luke 10). I have always felt bad for Martha because all she wanted to do was serve. There is nothing wrong with serving in fact, we are called to serve. Jesus himself said, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and and to give his life as a ransom for many." What Martha was doing wasn't wrong she was just doing it in the wrong order. We are suppose to sit then serve. Sit at his feet so then we can serve. Sit at his feet so we know how to serve. Sit at his feet so we know when to serve. My prayer times were so filled with praying for the needs of other people that I forgot to just sit and marvel and who He was. I forgot to sit and be filled up. I forgot to sit and just "be still."
The second part of that verse reminded me that He is God and I am not. I was never intended to save anyone from their problems or even fix their problems. That is a weight I was never intended to bear. I was trying to be what only Jesus can....their Savior. We are not called to fix problems just LISTEN and point them into the direction of the ONE who can....Jesus. He is God, comforter, leader, provider, healer...ALL that we need.
So....My word for 2012 is Still. When there is a need...be STILL. When there is a problem...be STILL. When I am angry....be STILL. When I am overwhelmed....be STILL. This is not going to be easy for me, but in the words of Bethany Hamilton,"I don't need easy, I just need possible."
I would love to hear your WORD for 2012!!
.
Well, I was laying in bed crying out to God about how I could help or "fix" them...I finally looked up and there on my wall were the letters I had put a few months back that read..."Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
First, he calls us to "Be Still"...not do more...not serve more....not fix more but be still. Why? Ask Mary and Martha (Luke 10). I have always felt bad for Martha because all she wanted to do was serve. There is nothing wrong with serving in fact, we are called to serve. Jesus himself said, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and and to give his life as a ransom for many." What Martha was doing wasn't wrong she was just doing it in the wrong order. We are suppose to sit then serve. Sit at his feet so then we can serve. Sit at his feet so we know how to serve. Sit at his feet so we know when to serve. My prayer times were so filled with praying for the needs of other people that I forgot to just sit and marvel and who He was. I forgot to sit and be filled up. I forgot to sit and just "be still."
The second part of that verse reminded me that He is God and I am not. I was never intended to save anyone from their problems or even fix their problems. That is a weight I was never intended to bear. I was trying to be what only Jesus can....their Savior. We are not called to fix problems just LISTEN and point them into the direction of the ONE who can....Jesus. He is God, comforter, leader, provider, healer...ALL that we need.
So....My word for 2012 is Still. When there is a need...be STILL. When there is a problem...be STILL. When I am angry....be STILL. When I am overwhelmed....be STILL. This is not going to be easy for me, but in the words of Bethany Hamilton,"I don't need easy, I just need possible."
I would love to hear your WORD for 2012!!
.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Great Expectations
There was a study done by a Psychologists by the name of William Marsten. In this study, Dr. Marsten asked 3,000 people "What do you have to live for?" What he found was that 94% of the people were living for the future. Some couldn't wait for a vacation...Some couldn't wait until their kids went to college....Some couldn't wait until they could retire....Some couldn't wait to get married....Some couldn't wait to have kids. We go through our entire lives waiting for what might happen. When we are 10 we can't wait to be 13...When we are 13 we can't wait to be 16...When we are 16 we can't wait to be 21 and then after 21 we wish we were 18 again. There's got to be more to life than enduring the present to get to the future. Right? If we look to tomorrow, we are going to miss what God wants to do today. Jesus said, "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." (John 10:10NLT) He never intended for us to "just get through" this life so we could get to the next. No!...there is purpose in this life....there is purpose in this year of your life...there is purpose in today...there is purpose for every season of our lives that will lead to a "rich and satisfying life." And it starts with today! In 1 Peter 1 it says "Now, we live with great expectation...". Now not later,but now! We can expect great things from God today because of what He did for us yesterday. It's time to live life to the full...today!
I encourage you...stop looking for your purpose in tomorrow and ask God what His purpose is for you today...because tomorrow never comes.
Have a great week!
I encourage you...stop looking for your purpose in tomorrow and ask God what His purpose is for you today...because tomorrow never comes.
Have a great week!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Retweet Please?
Hello my name is Sarah Roberts and I am Twitterholic. Not really, but I do love me some twitter. I love posting what God is doing in me and through me, funny things my kids say, and how I love my Husband. lol I also like following people that inspire me, provide wisdom, or just make me smile like Pastor Steven Furtick, Sheila Walsh, Elisabeth Hasselback etc...Each time I get on my twitter there is one thing that jumps out at me each and every time and it really bothers me. They are the people begging to get a "retweet" from someone famous. Now, I am not talking about those who are trying to get the word out about a sick child or a certain cause. No, I am talking about the people who constantly ask movie stars, athletes, and even well-known pastors to simply retweet them. It bothers me because I feel like they are looking for validation that "they are somebody" if only a famous "somebody" would acknowledge their existence.
Do they not know that the God of the universe who loves them? Do they not know there is a specific purpose for their lives that is greater than being retweeted by Kevin Durant? Do they not know they were created by God for God? Do they not know they may feel like they have been overlooked by man, but have been handpicked by God! The thing is I know these things, but sometimes I forget...can you relate? We may not be asking for a retweet, but we still search for validation in other ways. Maybe yours is....You can't say no because you don't want to let anybody down. Maybe you are the one that is always going above and beyond for that extra pat on the back. Maybe you feel like you can't speak up about your faith because you don't want to feel the rejection from people. Maybe you have to have the perfect look with the perfect body to feel accepted by people. If you can relate to any or all of these.....
I want to encourage you with the story of David (1 Samuel 16:). God told Samuel that the next King of Israel was at the house of Jesse. As Samuel looked at each of the tall, dark, and handsome 7 sons of Samuel, he said (vs 6) "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him" for anyone would have picked these men of great features and stature. They were impressive to the world's eyes. But God said (vs 7), "Do not look on his appearance or on his height of his stature, because I have rejected them. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons and Jesse said yes, BUT he is the youngest and is keeping the sheep....aka....Yes, but you surely you don't want him he just tends sheep....he's just a little guy. They brought David in and God said (vs 13), "Arise, anoint him, for this is he." The one the world overlooked is the one that God chose. Isn't that great news?!!!! When you feel like you have been overlooked by the world, all you have to do is look at the cross and know you have been chosen by God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16. And once you realize that you have been chosen by God...you need to know that you have been chosen for God. There is something that God wants to do through you! "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6
Consider this blog post your retweet from God....that he is acknowledging you...that he does love you...that he does see you....and he has chosen you...and there is something he wants to do through you!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!
Do they not know that the God of the universe who loves them? Do they not know there is a specific purpose for their lives that is greater than being retweeted by Kevin Durant? Do they not know they were created by God for God? Do they not know they may feel like they have been overlooked by man, but have been handpicked by God! The thing is I know these things, but sometimes I forget...can you relate? We may not be asking for a retweet, but we still search for validation in other ways. Maybe yours is....You can't say no because you don't want to let anybody down. Maybe you are the one that is always going above and beyond for that extra pat on the back. Maybe you feel like you can't speak up about your faith because you don't want to feel the rejection from people. Maybe you have to have the perfect look with the perfect body to feel accepted by people. If you can relate to any or all of these.....
I want to encourage you with the story of David (1 Samuel 16:). God told Samuel that the next King of Israel was at the house of Jesse. As Samuel looked at each of the tall, dark, and handsome 7 sons of Samuel, he said (vs 6) "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him" for anyone would have picked these men of great features and stature. They were impressive to the world's eyes. But God said (vs 7), "Do not look on his appearance or on his height of his stature, because I have rejected them. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons and Jesse said yes, BUT he is the youngest and is keeping the sheep....aka....Yes, but you surely you don't want him he just tends sheep....he's just a little guy. They brought David in and God said (vs 13), "Arise, anoint him, for this is he." The one the world overlooked is the one that God chose. Isn't that great news?!!!! When you feel like you have been overlooked by the world, all you have to do is look at the cross and know you have been chosen by God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16. And once you realize that you have been chosen by God...you need to know that you have been chosen for God. There is something that God wants to do through you! "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6
Consider this blog post your retweet from God....that he is acknowledging you...that he does love you...that he does see you....and he has chosen you...and there is something he wants to do through you!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!
Monday, November 7, 2011
My biggest struggle
This was a day my son and I had talked about for weeks. He wanted me to bring him lunch from a restaurant and have lunch with him at his school. We finally settled on a day and we were both super excited. He got up that morning (I didn't even have to wake him up) and requested Sonic for our special lunch. I picked up lunch and walked into his school promptly at 11:30 pm. I felt really good about myself as a mom at that moment, but that did not last long. I walked into an empty classroom that was suppose to be filled with noisy 1st graders getting ready to have lunch. It was Empty... except for my sweet Cale crying his eyes out while his teacher is trying to console him. As my heart dropped, I rushed over to him just in time for him to look up at me with those tear-filled eyes and say, "momma, you missed it." I turned to his teacher and asked what time lunch was and she informed me it was 11:15-11:30. I had thought the whole time it was 11:30-11:45. I had crushed my little boys heart into a thousand pieces. I apologized and apologized, but still felt like the worst mom ever. I left the school as I cried and cried! I couldn't believe I screwed this up. And even after he had forgiven me and I took him his favorite lunch later that week...I still couldn't let it go. I couldn't forgive myself. I know you may be thinking "It was just a lunch...he will get over it...it's not that big of deal...you are being too hard on yourself." That is my problem. I am actually better at forgiving others and offering grace to others than I am myself.
For some reason...I hold myself to an unrealistic standard and when I fail...I tend to hit rock bottom. Even though I know in my mind that nobody is perfect, I live my life as though I am going to be the first. I want to be the perfect coaches wife my husband says, "Yep! she is mine." I want to be the mom my kids tell their friends about. I want to be the friend everyone turns to because they know I will always have something wise to say. I want to be the one that young people look up to in their faith and on and on and on. If this is you, you understand how stressful and overwhelming this can be, but once again God has used his Word to offer me HIS PEACE, HIS JOY, and HIS GRACE.
I read this verse today and I was broken, "I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of Course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ." -Galations 3:5
God doesn't work through me because I have obeyed every law...No! It is because I have a RELATIONSHIP with his son Jesus....GRACE
Cale doesn't love me because I do everything right as his mom...No! He love me because I have a relationship with him as my son....GRACE
People don't look up to me because I have done everything perfect on my life...No!!! They look up to me because of my relationship with Jesus....GRACE.
The craziest thing is... I speak on this topic all the time...and it is the area I struggle with the most. I have to remind myself daily and some times hourly....I don't have to be perfect because I am loved by perfection. Honestly, it is my prayer that I can go everyday and 1)not think to highly of myself (humility) because of what I have done and 2) not think to lowly of myself because of what I have done (grace).
Thanks for letting my confess to you today and maybe my struggles will help you get through yours!
For some reason...I hold myself to an unrealistic standard and when I fail...I tend to hit rock bottom. Even though I know in my mind that nobody is perfect, I live my life as though I am going to be the first. I want to be the perfect coaches wife my husband says, "Yep! she is mine." I want to be the mom my kids tell their friends about. I want to be the friend everyone turns to because they know I will always have something wise to say. I want to be the one that young people look up to in their faith and on and on and on. If this is you, you understand how stressful and overwhelming this can be, but once again God has used his Word to offer me HIS PEACE, HIS JOY, and HIS GRACE.
I read this verse today and I was broken, "I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of Course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ." -Galations 3:5
God doesn't work through me because I have obeyed every law...No! It is because I have a RELATIONSHIP with his son Jesus....GRACE
Cale doesn't love me because I do everything right as his mom...No! He love me because I have a relationship with him as my son....GRACE
People don't look up to me because I have done everything perfect on my life...No!!! They look up to me because of my relationship with Jesus....GRACE.
The craziest thing is... I speak on this topic all the time...and it is the area I struggle with the most. I have to remind myself daily and some times hourly....I don't have to be perfect because I am loved by perfection. Honestly, it is my prayer that I can go everyday and 1)not think to highly of myself (humility) because of what I have done and 2) not think to lowly of myself because of what I have done (grace).
Thanks for letting my confess to you today and maybe my struggles will help you get through yours!
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