Time to Restore

I wrote this post on the way to Tennessee last weekend.  This Sunday our lesson was pretty much along the same lines.  I don't think that was an accident, I think it was God speaking.

Time to Restore

I'm a computer tech.  One of the chief complaints I hear from people is that their computer is "running slow".  You see, after a while your computer can get so bogged down with unimportant things like old files you've downloaded, documents you created and no longer need, old programs you installed, and junk files, that it just can't work efficiently or properly. Sometimes you even have a virus you accidentally downloaded, or a corrupt file causing problems.  Sometimes you even download what you think is a helpful program that ends up being a Trojan horse, delivering malware to your computer which can cause serious security issues. The way to fix these issues varies from running anti-virus software, to physically searching for and deleting the bad files, reinstalling the files that have become corrupted, cleaning up the registry, updating the drivers and sometimes the only thing you can do is to just restore the whole system back to the factory settings.  In other words, start over from the beginning, wipe it clean.  With a clean start their computers usually work just like new, happily humming along, speedy & efficient, getting the job done.
People are a lot like computers. We can get all bogged down with daily struggles.  We get sick. We get slow. We stop doing the job God put us here to do in an efficient manner because we can't see past the clutter of junk we fill our lives with.  Things we thought we needed, that we thought were important, that we thought were good, but turned out to be a Trojan horse filled with disappointment and misery.  It's time to get rid of all those junk files, viruses & malware.  In other words, it's time to lay down your differences, forget what's not really important to the Kingdom of God, lay aside selfishness, throw off the warm blanket of ambivalence, forgive, & WAKE UP, it's time for a FULL SYSTEM RESTORE!!  What we've been doing is no longer working.  Beating a dead horse does you no good.  It's still gonna lay there and be dead. It is time to come together as God's children and make a new plan.  It doesn't matter if you've never done it that way before!  Imagine what the world would be like if no one ever tried anything new. We've been sleeping.  Lulled to sleep by satan's sweet song of complacency....comfortable.  Our church should be full! But it's not. You want to know why?  Brace yourself...it's because we....don't....care.    We don't care!!!  If we DID care, if we DID forgive, if we DID serve, if we DID make a new plan, if we DID love, if we DID wake up.....our church couldn't hold all the people!  So, let's put in that restore cd.  Let's get back to the beginning.  Let's start off in a new direction, with purpose, with love, AWAKE & ready to serve and ready to do whatever it takes to bring people to Jesus in 2014.  WHATEVER IT TAKES, whether we've ever done it that way or not.  Are ya with me?

If you are, then right now decide a place you want to plug in and get started. What's your gift? What's your talent? What's something you enjoy? What's something God has been speaking to you about?  WAKE UP, GET UP, AND DO IT!!

Need ideas??
A/V ministry needs camera operators - training provided
Adult Choir needs singers - 18 and up - we REALLY need men!
Nursery - we need reliable, loving care givers - grandmas & grandpas welcome!
Children - we need energetic people, 18 & up willing to work with our children.
Helping Hands - anyone willing to help with odd jobs at church members homes.  These are those who cannot help themselves & whom we are commanded to take care of.
Welcome Center - we need people who love to smile & welcome people in the Welcome Center, and other key locations.
Coffee Ministry - we need people to help prepare the coffee & greet people at the coffee center.
Prayer Warriors - we need everyone to be prayer warriors, but also need a special group who are willing to pray for the requests brought forward on Sunday mornings, and at other specified times.
Ushers - we need men to be ushers on Sundays. Training provided!
Homebound Ministry - we need people willing to go visit those who are homebound during the day on a regular basis.
Hospital Visits - we need people to visit members when they are in the hospital.
Couple Care - we need older, experienced couples to mentor younger or recently married couples, especially those who reach out for help.
VBS - we are always in need of VBS Workers, every kind of job. Volunteer ahead of time!
Youth - we always need volunteers for the Youth Ministry. Come hang out with them, chaperone events, bring snacks, just be there for them. Be a mentor! You're never too old!
Sanctuary - we need volunteers to pick up old bulletins, straighten the hymn books, make sure the pencils are sharp & there's plenty of envelopes.
Write cards- birthdays, anniversaries, illnesses, loss of loved ones, encouragement....there's a million reasons to send someone a card or note to show them someone cares.

It's time to reboot, restore, and get busy for God!
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1 Peter 4:10
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.

Philippians 2:1-11
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

Col 3:23:
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

No Excuses...

We've been studying Joseph in our Life Connect sunday school class at church.  Today we studied about how dyfunctional Joseph's family really was.  His father Jacob, lied to his father Isaac and cheated his older brother out of his birth right.  He had children by many different women.  He showed favoritism towards his son Joseph which caused his other sons to all hate Joseph, conspire against him, and sell him into slavery.  How messed up is that?  I've heard this story over and over but today something new struck me.  You see, there are no perfect families.  We've all got a certain amount of dysfunction going on.  Even in the most loving families things go wrong.  Over and over again God proves that no matter what you've been through, no matter what you've done wrong, no matter what someone else has done to you, God can still use you.  God can still turn it around for good.  I don't know about you, but this is an encouragment to me.  We may be imperfect, but God loves us anyway, and He can use us to touch other's lives.  He can turn our mess into something good.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk 

Abraham was too old

Isaac was a daydreamer

Jacob was a liar

Leah was ugly

Joseph was abused

Moses had a stuttering problem

Gideon was afraid

Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer

Rahab was a prostitute

Jeremiah and Timothy were too young

David had an affair and was a murderer

Elijah was suicidal

Isaiah preached naked

Jonah ran from God

Naomi was a widow

Job went bankrupt

John the Baptist ate bugs

Peter denied Christ

The Disciples fell asleep while praying

Martha worried about everything

The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once

Zaccheus was too small

Paul was too religious

Timothy had an ulcer...

AND Lazarus was dead!

No more excuses now!! God can use you to your full potential. 

Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

Dealing with Difficult People...

As a Christian, how are we supposed to “deal” with difficult situations or difficult people? Usually our first reaction is to try and “get back” at the person or persons that caused our grief to begin with.  We feel like we need to make them pay for what they've done.  But the way God wants us to react is completely different, and doesn't come naturally.  We want the person who has wronged us, or someone we love, to be punished.  We want vengeance, but God says vengeance is His, and His alone.  We are to “love each other like members of our family”, “bless people who harass us” and “be the best at showing honor to each other”.  We are to never “pay back anyone for their evil actions with evil actions” or “try to get revenge for ourselves”.  God wants us to defeat evil with good. 

Romans 12:9-21Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good.  Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord!  Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer.  Contribute to the needs of God’s people, and welcome strangers into your home. Bless people who harass you—bless and don’t curse them.  Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying.  Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else. Instead, associate with people who have no status. Don’t think that you’re so smart.  Don’t pay back anyone for their evil actions with evil actions, but show respect for what everyone else believes is good.  If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people.  Don’t try to get revenge for yourselves, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. It is written, Revenge belongs to me; I will pay it back, says the Lord. Instead, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. By doing this, you will pile burning coals of fire upon his head.  Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.

God also wants us to forgive each other.  Sometimes, well, a lot of times, that’s easier said than done.  Holding on to a grudge, and to anger, only weighs your heart down.  Forgiveness is a choice, and it’s not for the sake of the one who wronged you.  It’s for YOU. 

Colossians 3:13
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

I didn't write this so I could point a finger at you or anyone else.  I didn't write it because I thought you  needed to read it.  I didn't write it so that we could all think of people whom we believe “need” to read it.  I wrote it because God put it in front of me today, more than once, and said Amy, YOU need to remember this.  So I thought I’d share it, just in case you needed it too.  Blessings!

How Will You Be Remembered?

As I sit here at home, recovering from a minor surgical procedure, I'm wishing I could be with my sweet husband who had to fly home to Tennessee because his sister passed away unexpectedly.  My surgery was already scheduled and didn't need to be delayed.  I am so thankful for the wonderful friends I have here in Wilmington who have been so willing to take care of me and the boys while Scott is away.  His sister Beth was only 46 years old.  We went to High School together.  I knew her long before I ever knew Scott.  She had a very tough life, but this one thing I do know, she really loved her big brother and her nephews.  It's made me reflect on my own life, and how I will be remembered. Will the life I have lived point others to the love and salvation in Christ?  I jotted down some things I'd like to be, that I strive to be.  I don't always succeed, but I do try.  God's not done with me yet! These are also things that I truly hope I have instilled in my children.  So here they are, in no particular order.  I hope in some way this touches others lives as well and makes them think about what kind of legacy they will be leaving behind.

Honest - to remember the value of honesty, that honesty and trust go hand in hand.  Once trust is broken, it's nearly impossible to get it back.

Kind - everyone appreciates kindness.  Saying please and thank you, holding a door for someone, helping when they drop something, making eye contact and smiling, and having a good attitude.  Do your best to show kindness in every situation, wherever you go.

Compassionate & Empathetic - showing real concern for others suffering, and acting on it, being sensitive, warm & tender, helping another person who cannot help themselves. Understanding & identifying with another's suffering, listening and comforting them.

Forgiving - forgive others when they hurt you.  You don't really know the path they walk, the things that cause them to act the way they do.  Pray for your enemies, that God would help you to love the unlovable.  Carrying around a grudge is like carrying a huge boulder around YOUR neck, not theirs.  Refusing to forgive only hurts YOU.

Patient - Being impatient with people is an immediate turn off.  It makes you seem like an insensitive jerk.  Think about how you would want to be treated in a similar situation. Take a deep breath, understand that God has probably delayed you for a higher purpose. Look around and see what that opportunity might be.

Persevering & Brave - keep on trying, don't quit.  Work hard, despite difficulties, in spite of

opposition.  When you fall down, get back up, dust yourself off, and keep on going.  Be a good example to those around you.  Failure only happens if you quit trying.

Positive in Attitude - to be encouraging, to see the glass half full instead of half empty, to look on the bright side of life and find humor in my daily struggles, to stop complaining and look for the good in situations and in people.

Respectful - to receive respect, you have to give it.  It cannot be demanded any more than you could demand someone to love you.  It is something that is earned by exemplifying all of the above traits.  

Proverbs 20:11 - "Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right."

In short - Live your life in such a way that if someone were to speak badly of you, no one else would ever believe it. 

And finally a quote from one of my favorite people:

"Leave everything you do, every place you go, everything you touch, a little better for your having been there." ~ Julie Andrews

Oh no you didn't......Oh yes....I DID!

I'm going out on a limb.  I'm just gonna walk right out there to the tip of it.  Scott & I have been on a church staff for about 26 years now.  We've been around the block.  This isn't our first rodeo, as they say.  So when I say what I'm gonna say, I say it having had years of first hand, front line experience.  When something happens at church that you personally dislike or don't agree with and then you get angry and decide to quit everything and leave, who do you think you are hurting?  You aren't hurting the person or people you disagreed with.  They probably don't know or possibly don't care.  You ARE hurting yourself.  You ARE hurting God's church.  You ARE hurting your church family.  I know all about getting "fed up".  I know all about being "talked about".  I know all about being "the last man standing".  I know all about "disagreeable people".  Been there.  Done that.  Bought a million T-shirts.  If you quit now....you are letting satan win.  Plain and simple.  There, I said it....yep, I walked right out there on the very tip of that fragile limb and said it.  Let me tell you what I'm gonna do.  I'm NOT letting satan win!!  I'm NOT quitting!!  I REFUSE to let satan have his way.  I CHOOSE to forgive anyone who has hurt me.  I CHOOSE to let it go and give it to GOD.  He is the only one who has any business carrying that burden.  He is the ONLY one who has any business judging the hearts of others.  Not you, not me....God.  God sees the master plan and He holds the future in His hands.  He knows what tomorrow holds.  He already knew about what we are going through right now, and He is busy working in and through it my friends.  It's not your job to walk away when the going gets tough.  It's your job to stand up WITH God and go about His work more fervently than ever!  If you throw it all down and walk away, you are essentially throwing it down at God's feet and walking away from the work He asked YOU to do.  God works ALL things for good.  We HAD to go through EVERY bit of this in order for GOD'S plan to come about.  All of it, the good parts and the bad parts.  He's not just working in one person's life here....He is working in ALL our lives, weaving it all into a beautiful tapestry, one thread at a time.  You and I have no right to judge how or why He's doing it the way He is!  Listen, the only thing God is concerned about right now is whether or not YOU are gonna fulfill your part!  We've got to stop pointing at the splinter in our brother's and sister's eyes and get the plank out of our OWN!  What are you doing?  Where are you going?  Stop....Listen to God....and get back on track.  Stop letting satan pull you away from God's work.  Satan is having a party right now.  He thinks he's winning.  What he doesn't know is that Pastor Chuck & Raquel are doing God's will!  They are going to go to Brazil and they are going to win thousands to Christ!  They are going to change village after village.  They are going because GOD has called them to go and He used circumstances in their lives to show them the direction He wanted them to go!  It had nothing to do with you, with me, or with anyone else!  It is what GOD wanted to happen.  Who are we to question His actions or how He did it??  It had to be this way because that is how GOD wanted it to be.  Scott and I have actually been in a situation like this before.  We were "the last ones standing" on a staff in Tampa, Florida many years ago.  It wasn't easy.  As a matter of fact, it was one of the most difficult times in our lives!  Our boys were very small and I didn't work outside the home.  Scott was NEVER home because he was doing practically every job in the church.  It was very hard and I remember wondering why God would put us, and that church, through such a difficult time.  Perhaps it was to prepare us for this?  Who knows.  My beloved friends, you have got to get your focus back on what is important to God, and that is doing HIS work.  It's not gossiping about what's happened.  It's not seeking revenge on anyone you feel is responsible for our situation.  It's not holding grudges and despising your fellow church members.  It's not quitting and walking away.  You have no right to say that you can't stay in a place as long as this person or that person is there.  How are you any better than anyone else?  How is your sin any better than someone else's sin?  To God it's all the same.  He loves every single one of us lowly, dirty, unworthy, unwilling, whiny, sinners.  He looks at us through Jesus' blood and to Him, we are ALL His beloved children!  Now, I feel that tiny tip of a limb I've walked out on shaking a bit and it may be close to breaking so I'll step back now.  But know this, I love this church, and I'm not backing down to satan.  Even if that means I offend someone by saying so.  So let's get our eyes back on Jesus, pick up what we've thrown down, and get back to God's work.  It's not a sin to be angry.  But allowing anger to cause you to sin is a different story.  Carrying around grudges and anger towards someone is like taking poison and expecting it to kill the other person.  It only hurts you.  I challenge you this very minute, right where you are, to CHOOSE to forgive the ones who have hurt you or made you angry, no matter what they've done.  Forgiving them doesn't let them off the hook, it's not YOUR hook my friend.  It's God's.

Proverbs 24:10
If you faint in the day of advesity, your strength is small.

James 1:2-4
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

2 Chronicles 15:7
But you, take courage!  Do not let you hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.

1 Peter 4:12-13
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.

To Love & to Be Loved...

More frequently than not, my morning reading hits circumstances in my life right on the nose.  This morning it hit these circumstances right in the face.  Our church has been, and continues to go through, some very rough times.  Though I don't always understand why or how these things happen, I do know that God does allow circumstances to happen in our lives, good and bad, in order to help us grow into what He wants us to be.  It's our choice whether we allow God to mold and shape us through these circumstances.  We can choose to become bitter and hard and ignore what God has planned.  We do have free will to resist.  I fully admit to trying to do it my way many times, but it never turns out like I've planned.  Being a computer geek, I often turn to my computer and Google to help me find specific bible verses to deal with certain situations.  I type in, What does the Bible say about this.... What does the Bible say about that... and up pops the verses I was trying to find.  Today, at a loss for how to cope, I typed in, "What does the bible say about coming together.", and I was taken to 1 John 4:7-21.  I sometimes find a scripture that has so many commas in it that I lose the main point.  Does that ever happen to you?  I mean I know it's hiding in there somewhere in that beautiful King James verse, but for the life of me cannot separate it all out into something my brain can comprehend.  It's at those times that I turn to The Message.  It's a translation that speaks in modern day language, and although some may think it's not quite a accurate, it does hit the nail on the head 99.9% of the time.  Pay close attention to verses 11-12 and 20-21.  Those hit these circumstances we face right on the nose.  So here it is below.  I'll let it finish up this blog post because, I couldn't say it better myself.
Blessings.

1 John 4:7-21
The Message

God Is Love

7-10 My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.

11-12 My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!

13-16 This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He’s given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. Also, we’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.

To Love, to Be Loved

17-18 God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.

19 We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.

20-21 If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.

A moment to reflect...

I finally have a moment to sit down and reflect on all the events of the last couple of weeks.  In trying to gather my thoughts as to what I’d like to say and to whom, it all still seems to be a big jumble.  So, I decided to just go ahead and start writing and see if anything intelligent comes out!  These past two weeks have been filled with so many big emotions...excitement, stress, elation, exasperation, enjoyment, exhaustion, anticipation, love, amusement, discovery, patience, impatience, appreciation & hope.  I have come to a point of being a bit numb from it all!  Not in a bad way...just in a completely, thoroughly exhausted kind of way.  But boy was it fun!  Trying to come up with an adjective to describe how I feel now is impossible.  I am so very, very thankful to God for bringing such a wonderful, sweet, beautiful, Christian, young woman into my eldest son’s life.  I prayed for her before I knew her.  I prayed for her when he was just a baby.  I knew she was out there somewhere, but I had no idea how their lives would eventually cross.  There are many reasons why God brought us to Wilmington, but this one, this particular reason, is absolutely the best by far!  Not only did we gain a daughter (finally!!), but we gained a wonderful extended family in the Turkals!  We are so very blessed to be close friends with Ann & Mark, and to say Alex’s brothers are stoked about having Sam as their brother-in-law and Laura as their sister-in-law would be an huge understatement!  Wow!  God is good!!  Now as I start packing up Alex’s room, it hasn’t quite hit me yet that they are moving so far away.  But, thankfully these days we have the internet, skype, facebook and texting to keep up with each other.  Unlike when I did the same thing nearly 26 years ago when I got married and moved to Ft. Worth, TX.  I’m very excited for them!  I know God has some wonderful things in store for them, and I can’t wait to see what He’s gonna do!  Thank you to everyone who shared in Alex & Laura’s coming together.  Thank you for sharing in their big day, whether it be with your physical presence or your prayers and well-wishes!  God used all of that to bring these two extraordinary people together and changed all our lives for the better!  And now...on to the next adventure!  Please keep us all in your prayers as we them up and move them to Columbus, OH in about 10 days!  

Genesis 2:18 - "The Lord God said, "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Are You Disciplined?

Discipline....a word that many of us equate with punishment or consequences.  Yet, it also has another meaning.  When you say a musician or singer is very "disciplined", it means that they study and work very hard at what they do.  Most of us can say we are "disciplined" in something.  Perhaps you are a very disciplined teacher.  Perhaps you are a very disciplined runner, or physician, or student.  You could even be a very disciplined video game player, although I don't recommend wasting all your time doing that. Some people have made a career out of testing video games for companies, and surely they must be disciplined in the art of video gaming to do so.  So, at what are YOU disciplined?  What do you spend most of your time doing?  What are you perfectionistic about?  For me, I'd say my list is rather short.  There are very few things I'm perfectionistic about, unless you count the way I fold towels, but perhaps that's just more obsessive compulsive than disciplined.  I could list singing, parenting, my job...but in the long run those things are not the most important.  What I really want to be disciplined at is showing love, encouraging others, helping others, and giving joy to others.  As I think about it, all those things can be accomplished simply by being "disciplined" in God's word.  If you let His words truly sink into your soul; if you let His words truly become a part of who you are, understand them for yourself, believe them to be true, and have faith that what He said, He will do, then all those other things will fall right into place.  When you are disciplined at something, you are confident, strong and secure.  Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all were confident in showing love to each other, strong in encouraging each other through the tough times, and so secure in the joy of the Lord that it just oozes out of use and infuses everyone we touch?  That's the kind of discipline I long for, the kind that continually brings me closer to my God, the kind that can set me free from the worries of this world, and enable me to accomplish more than I ever dreamed.  Which leads me to a  favorite quote from one of my favorite people..."Discipline gives me the foundation that leaves me free to fly.  If I really know what I'm doing then I can soar."  ~ Julie Andrews

Let that be my goal, to be so disciplined in God's word and ways, that I am set free to soar, to do and to be all that He wants me to do and be.

^{Joshua 1:8:8} Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

I'm Cracked!

I goof up.  I make mistakes.  I make bad decisions.  I say the wrong things.  I’m flawed, cracked, imperfect, scarred.  It’s not a matter of if I will let you down, but when.  Knowing all that, God chooses to love me anyway, completely and without condition and, He’s forgiven me completely.  I have a clean slate.  Therein lies my hope, my optimism, my reason to forgive the flaws in others.  Sometimes, for a moment or two, a cloud moves over my vision, and I lose sight of this hope.  It’s at those times I need the ones who love me most to help me find it again, to sweep away the clouds and find the sun (or the Son) on an otherwise gloomy day.  God puts those people in my life for that very reason at the perfect time.  He knew that, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t be happy, smiley and optimistic all the time.   He certainly knew I wouldn't be able to behave myself all the time!  Some days it’s more of a struggle than others, but I am profoundly grateful for the blessings He’s given me.  I am very aware of how blessed I am.  I have a husband I love beyond measure.  A Godly man, who is gentle and kind, sweet and funny, and my very best friend.  I have three boys who have turned into wonderful, talented, dedicated, Godly young men.  They make me realize there are at least three things in this life I’ve done very well!  I have music, a true gift from God I believe, and it often is the only thing that carries me through a gloomy day.  My entire life has been filled with music, every kind it seems, and though it hasn’t brought me fame, it has brought me so much more.  I have loyal friends who love me warts and all.  Some who have been more like family, and carried me through some of the darkest days.  Some I’ve known for many years, some I've only known a short while, but are not any less a part of my heart.  God has blessed me beyond measure.  These blessings can’t be bought, yet they are worth far more than anything money could buy.  So remember, when I do goof up, if I disappoint you in some way, I warned you it would happen.  But please do try to remember that I am trying.  God is still working on me, and He will be until the day I see Him face to face.   I promise until that day to do my best to keep my eyes on the Son, push away the clouds when they get in your way, and give you a smile of encouragement.  I thank you in advance for the days you need to do that for me.   It is my goal in life, although I do fail at it miserably sometimes, to be an encouragement to others and to give them a smile when they need it most.   If you're reading this, SMILE!  God loves you….even when you goof up!!  J

·      **   I have no idea what provoked this blog today.  I've not made anyone mad (that I'm aware of), or goofed up today (yet).  God just put it in my heart and out if flowed through my keyboard.  It often happens that way and I am always profoundly humbled and grateful when He chooses to use me in that way.  I hope that it touches the ones who needed to hear it, whomever and wherever they may be! 

     Much love & blessings,

     Amy

__________________________________

·     ** Romans 5:8 –
“But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

26 years later....

This particular blog post has been a while in the making.  I'd say, about 26 years or so.  That's how long I've been in the Ministry with my husband...the first year as an engaged couple and the next 25 years married.  Yes, he's the one with the title, he's the one listed as the Minister of Music, but we are, and always have been, in this together...a team.  And, once we added kids to the mix, they too became a part of the "Ministry team".  I know when I became a Minister's wife, I really had no idea what I was in for.  I had some lofty ideas of how it would be.  Boy were they wrong.  Don't get me wrong, I've loved almost every minute of it, but it has been absolutely nothing like what I thought it would be.  I want my words to cause you to stop and think.  I'm giving you a glimpse behind the curtain, so to speak.  Being in the Ministry, we're up there in front of you, week after week.  You see us each week do what we do for the church, whether it's preaching, or leading the music, or performing it, and you have a perception of who we are and what we're like.  Unless you are a very close friend, those perceptions are based on just what you see up there in public.  It's a huge responsibility really, knowing that people are looking at you, your attitudes, your actions, your moods and making an assumption on who you really are, what you're really like.  It's a tiny bit like being famous, so to speak.  We are not by any means "famous", but a lot more people "know" us, that we actually know personally.  It gives you the feeling that you're always being watched, judged, even when you don't know it.  I'm not complaining, so don't get me wrong.  I cannot image being truly famous and never having a moment out in public to just be anonymous.  We're in a  small "fish bowl" thankfully, not the public aquarium!

What I'm trying to say, and being way too wordy in doing so, is that "this ain't no piece of cake".  Our goal is to do our very best, to be a good example in all situations, even when we don't know someone is looking, and to show the love of Christ to everyone we come in contact with.  We do not always succeed.  We make mistakes just like everyone else.  We fall down.  We get discouraged.  We get angry, and frequently frustrated.  We don't always feel like smiling or being nice...that's just life....but we do try.  There's not a single minister, or minister's family, on this earth, that doesn't deal with these same things.  So, the next time you are tempted to talk badly about the ministers in your church, I want you to stop and think for just a minute.  This man God has appointed to minister in the church has given up a "normal" life to do this job.  What has this man and his family given up you may ask?  Most don't get to live in their home towns, near the families.  They raise their kids far away from their Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles & Cousins and only get to see their own parents a couple times a year.  They give up any real negotiations on salary and benefits to take care of their family, because most churches take offense to a prospective minister even asking how much the job pays. Would you take a job that you knew didn't pay enough, didn't provide adequate benefits for you, much less your family, caused you to have to pay huge amounts of self-employment taxes, yet expected you to be the best dressed person at church, drive a nice car and live in their neighborhoods?  No...I dare say most of you wouldn't.  Who in their right mind would?  A Minister, that's who.  Why?  Because God has called them to do so.  There are very, very few churches out there that actually take care of their staff the way they should.  I'm not saying that the church should pay them big $$, so they can live in luxury.  There are basic things a church should do for their Ministry team.  They should pay them enough to live relatively comfortably in today's economy.  They should provide both health & dental insurance benefits for them and their family.  They should pay at least half of the enormous self-employment tax that is levied against ordained ministers.  And finally they should contribute to a retirement fund.  This is something many of you expect from your employer.  This isn't anything extravagant.  I can honestly say that of all the churches we've served in, only one has ever taken care of us this way.  I've heard people say, "Well MY employer doesn't take care of me.  Why should YOU get taken care of that way?".  That kind of attitude is exactly what is wrong with churches today.  The church is called to a higher standard.  We are not to be like the rest of the world.  We are to be the finest example of love.

Your minister's entire family is affected by how he is treated.  Don't whisper and murmur behind your pastor's back!  Don't block every new idea he brings before you because "you never did it that way before" or because you "don't like him" or you "are afraid of change" or you're just plain ol' grouchy & bitter.  STOP and THINK.  What is the church there for?  Is it so that YOU can be happy in your own protected little world where nothing ever changes?  Or is it there to reach OUT to a lost world and show them the UNCONDITIONAL LOVE that is in a relationship with Christ?  HOW can you show them that, if you cannot even show it among yourselves?  HOW can you expect anyone to look at your life, and how you treat your MINISTERS, and expect them to want to know the God you say you serve?  So, what can you do to show love to your Ministers and their families?  Pray for them daily.  They face just as many difficult issues as you do each day.  Love them.  That seems simple, but it seems to be one of the hardest.  Love them by actually getting to know them, and by taking care of them & their family.  A well-loved, prayed-for, Minister can concentrate better on doing God's work in the church and the community, instead of constantly worrying how he's gonna pay the rent, get his kid's cavities filled and fix his beat up old car.  It's biblical.  Just read 1 Timothy 5:17-18 or 1 Corinthians 9:14. Support them.  That also seems like an easy thing, but for some people it's not.  Your pastor is going to have new ideas, he's going to want to try new, biblically based things, and if all you do is constantly resist his efforts, well eventually he may just stop trying.  That is the sign of a dying church my friends.  If you wall yourself off from the outside world, cater only to your own needs and wants, and you don't try anything new to reach the lost, your church will DIE.  There are thousands and thousands of dying churches out there today.  Churches that haven't had one person baptized all year.  Churches that have zero young people attending.  Folks, if you don't have any young people in your church....your church is going to DIE.  They are the future, not the enemy.  Embrace them.  Remember what it was like to be young!  Be good examples for them to follow, not bitter, old grouches they want to avoid....but that's a blog post for another day!  In closing, I just want to say that, for me and my family and my minister husband, we cannot imagine doing a different job.  We are all in this together, for better or for worse, and we have experienced both in church.  It's not a job for wimps.  In my eyes, Ministers are Super Heroes!  Able to SMILE in the face of hurtful words, able to PREACH God's word in the face of sin, able to SING His praises in the face of adversity, and able to STAND against satan's attacks.  I leave you with this....if you would just pray for your Ministers and their families, love them and take care of them, come along side them with a willing heart and cheerful attitude helping them bring the lost ones home, support their new adventures in ministry instead of resisting, and really get to know their hearts for God, then that church you belong to would bloom, and grow, and thrive and reach the lost in record numbers!  The only thing holding it back....is your willingness to serve cheerfully along side your Ministers.

Isaiah 52:7-10
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Listen!  Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy.  When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.  Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.  The Lord has shown His holy power before the eyes of all the nations.  All the ends of the earth will see the victory of God.   

Jarod's Open Door...

This post is a bit of a "way to go" for my youngest son Jarod.  He's 14 and a freshman in High School.  As a minister's kid, he was practically born in church.  He gave his heart to Jesus when he was 4 1/2 years old.  He's always been a little bit ahead of the usual milestones.  I think this is because he's the youngest, and always wanted to be like his older brothers, so he's always been in a hurry to grow up.  He has grown into a fine young man, and we are very proud of him.  Not long ago, we had the opportunity to go out to eat with just Jarod.  The other two boys were busy.  As we had dinner, Jarod told us about his History class.  They had been discussing religions in history and his teacher was trying to describe the different beliefs.  He started out by saying that "Christians believe that if you're good enough, you'll get into heaven."  Jarod started shaking his head and raised his hand and told the teacher that wasn't right at all.  So, the teacher then said, "Ok, explain."  And Jarod.....walked right through that open door without hesitation.  He was able to explain what Christians believe, and share what salvation is with his entire class (and the astonished teacher).  Moving on, the teacher then stated that it was Christians in the Middle Ages that persecuted and put people to death for not believing as they did.  Once again, Jarod raised his hand and the teacher called on him.  Jarod told him that those were not Christians, but rather people who were twisting God's word for their own purposes, calling themselves Christians doesn't make them Christians.  True Christians would never do such a thing.  It was then that the teacher moved his discussion to Catholicism in history, ha ha!  His story really spoke to me, and so I thought it might speak to you as well.  Doors like that get opened to each of us every day.  How many times have we stood there staring at that open door, afraid to even approach it, much less walk through it.  Sometimes we get brave enough to walk up to it and peek in, but rarely walk on through.  I want to be someone that sees that open door, and boldly walks right through it as quickly as I can before it shuts again, because we never know when a door could slam shut and never open again.  Heaven forbid we should miss the last opportunity we ever have to share Jesus with someone.  Even if you walk through it and get thrown right back out, at least you have planted that seed, and can say you tried.  So way to go Jarod!  I pray that you get many more opportunities to share God's word through the way you live your life, your music and by walking bravely through those doors of opportunity when they swing wide open!

Matthew 5:14-16

Good News Translation (GNT)

¹⁴ “You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

THINK before you speak...

Satan loves to use this time of year to cause as much pain as possible.  He uses us against each other, stirring up selfish thoughts, past hurts, or presumed wrongs.  The bible says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”, 1 Peter 5:8.  He loves to turn our thoughts selfishly inwards, and away from being thankful for the loved ones God has placed in our lives, whether by blood or by friendship.  Remember that this season, as you celebrate Thanksgiving.  Make a list of all the things about each member of your family that you are thankful for.  Remind yourself that carrying around a grudge or a hurt from the past only makes YOU miserable.  When you lash out at the ones you love over past hurts, it makes you look like a fool, and makes Satan laugh with delight.  The word of God says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.”  This is how we are to love each other.  So remember this at Thanksgiving and Christmas when you get together with your family and friends, even the ones who get on your nerves sometimes, to love them the way God says to love them.  No, it’s not always easy, but I would much rather bite my tongue and keep from hurting someone, than cause them pain and in the process, Satan joy.  The acrostic below is something I keep in mind when I am hurt or angry, and honestly you can’t get very far down this list when you’re thinking selfishly.  What you want to say might be true...but words spoken in anger are seldom ever helpful, inspiring, necessary or kind.

THINK before you speak.
T - is it true
H - is it helpful
I - is it inspiring
N - is it necessary
K - is it kind

The Message - Ephesians 4:31b
“Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.”

Advice...

My Advice...

If I were to give advice to the young folks in my life

I'd have to start by saying that this life is filled with strife.

It is not always easy, it is not always fair,

and there are times you really wonder, does anyone out there care?

You will fall down, you will get hurt, you will get angry too.

But everything that happens, well, that helps to make you, you!

They say what doesn't kill you, can only make you stronger.

And sometimes you will think that you can't go on any longer.

But listen child, I've been where you are, and there is always hope.

Keep looking up, keep moving on, don't waste your time and mope.

For if you place your hope and trust in God's unfailing hand,

you will get up, you will go on, and once again you'll stand.

The secret to this life you see, is not a secret at all.

It's simply trusting God because He will not let you fall.

There's so much more to life than what you see with your two eyes.

And you might find that what you see will fill you with surprise.

In order to be happy, and fill your heart with joy,

Share the love God gave to you, with every girl and boy.

Giving, caring, loving, sharing, and making someone's day,

will fill your heart to overflowing and that's all I have to say!  

By:  Amy York

He KNOWS me - Do you KNOW Him?

But the solid foundation that God has laid cannot be shaken; and on it are written these words: "The Lords knows those who are His..."


Think about that for just a minute...let it sink in.  He KNOWS me.  The creator of the universe KNOWS me.  The One who hung the stars KNOWS me, and cares about me.  He knows me better than any person ever could.  He knows my every, single thought.  He knows my true nature.  He knows every thing I've ever done, and yet, He loves me anyway.  As hard as it is for a mother to imagine...He loves me even more than I love my own children.  The knowledge that God, Himself, knows me, loves me, cares about every detail of my life, gives enormous hope and peace.  I do forget sometimes and start worrying about things, but then I remember....He knows my name.  No matter what you are going through, whether it be the best times of your life, or the worst, the God of the universe wants you to know that He knows you by heart, that He loves you unconditionally, and His love for you cannot be shaken.  He's always with you...whisper His name...He's as close as the air you breathe...and He loves YOU. 

There is only one way to get to heaven.  ONE.  I'm not being racist, judgmental or narrow-minded.  The bible puts it very simply... "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, Jesus, so that whomever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."  John 3:16 
Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father but by me."  John 14:6
 

Goodbyes...

As a family that has been in the ministry together for 25 years, we’ve said a lot of goodbyes over the years.  They’ve never been easy.  When it’s you that’s leaving, often it’s a little easier simply because it’s tempered by the excitement of a new adventure, a new challenge, and a chance to start fresh and new.  It’s a weird combination of sadness, happiness, excitement and nervousness, all rolled up together.  When you are the one sending someone else off, saying goodbye is a little harder.  It’s not that you feel like you’re being left behind, it’s more the feeling of losing something that you’ve come to take for granted, something that was warm and comfortable and always there.  Now we must get ready to say goodbye to our Youth Minister, James Strickland, and his beautiful wife, Donna, and send them off on a new adventure.  They’ve become more than just friends...they’re family.  I’m at a loss for words when it comes to trying to find a way to say thank you for the friendship, support, love and Godly teaching they have given my family, especially my three boys.  The impact James has had on their lives has changed them for the better, forever.  There are no words to explain to you the blessing of having someone you can completely entrust your children to like James.  When Donna and I first became friends, I shared with her that each time we’d moved to a new church, I prayed that God would send me a “heart” friend, someone I could open up my heart to, and trust.  I have someone like this in nearly every state we’ve lived in, and they have remained my heart friends no matter the miles between us or the time that has passed.  This will be true of Donna and I as well.  I am so very thankful for her friendship, encouragement and trust.  James & Donna, as you set out on this new adventure in life we want you to know that we love you, we are blessed to call you friends, we think of you as family, and there is no distance between us that will ever change that!    

Blessings & Love,
Amy, Scott, Alex, Taylor & Jarod York

Friends by Michael W. Smith

Packing up the dreams God planted,
in the fertile soil of you.
I can’t believe the hopes He’s granted,
means a chapter in your life is through.
But we’ll keep you close, as always.
It won’t even seem you’ve gone.
Cause our hearts, in big and small ways,
will keep the love that keeps us strong.

And friends are friends forever, if the Lord’s the Lord of them.
And a friend will not say never, cause the welcome will not end.
Though it’s hard to let you go, in the Father’s hands we know,
that a lifetime’s not too long, to live as friends.

Endurance

The last few months have been a struggle.  I've really been feeling ragged.  The journey God has laid out for me, and for my husband and children, has never been an easy one.  Don't get me wrong, we are indeed, very blessed in so many ways.  But I'm not gonna lie....the life of a Minister's family is not for wimps.  You have to be very tough, and at the same time very sensitive, keep your anger under control, but not be a push-over....balancing life in a "fish bowl" is never easy.  Sometimes I just want to run up to the glass and stick out my tongue at the world, haha!  But, I know that no matter what I'm feeling, be it exhausted or energized, depressed or encouraged, happy or sad...that I'm not doing it alone.  I have the One who placed every star in the sky walking with me, and if I fall down, He is right there to pick me back up every time.  Sometimes, you go through something that you simply don't know how to handle.  Just remember, if you place your trust in God, He will never leave you and with Him by your side, you can....Endure.

Endurance by: Amy Hartman York

This life sometimes throws things at me I think I can’t endure.
I think I can, I think I can, and then...I’m not so sure.
I try and try and try again, and fall down every time.
I long to just sit down and rest, yes that would be sublime.
But I can’t give up, I must press on, I need to run this race.
Because I know when all is done, I’ll see His precious face.
Yes, when I cross the finish line and my time here is done,
Into His precious arms I’ll walk, the race here, finally, won.


Hebrews 12:1-3

Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won’t let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because He knew that later on He would be glad He did. Now He is seated at the right side of God’s throne! So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won’t get discouraged and give up.

Forever...

This life is but a vapor, you blink and then it's gone. Treat every moment as a gift. Do your best to show love to others, so that when you're gone and they think of you, the memories make their hearts smile.


Forever - by: Amy Hartman York

I’m tempted to be sad and blue
every time I think of you.
Because time swiftly moves along
and soon, I fear, you will be gone.
I find my heart so filled with grief
on thinking you, too soon, shall leave
this earth behind and so me too.
I just can’t fathom losing you.
But then my heart doth smile again
when memories of you begin
to flood my heart and mind, and then...
I realize tho time is swift
I need to treat it as a gift.
And you, indeed, a gift of love
sent straight to me from up above.
So when my heart starts feeling blue,
I’ll simply smile and think of you,
and how your smile lights up my day,
and all my blues will melt away.  
Yes, tho I hope you’ll leave me never,
one day these earthly ties you’ll sever,
Yet within my heart... you’ll live, forever.

Facing a Giant?

Have you ever had to face a giant?   I’ve been there, and I wish I could say that I didn’t run away, but I did for a while.  It was just better, I thought, to run away and not deal with it.  After all, I hadn’t caused it....so why should I be the one to deal with it, to “get over it” and move on?  Yes, it was much more comfortable to avoid dealing with it.  But, the fact was....it was STILL there.  It never left.  Always nagging at the back of my mind as something unfinished, something that should have been fixed.  Maybe not now, but eventually you get to a point where you long for resolution.  You NEED it, even if the result is not what you expected.  I did eventually face that giant head on because I couldn’t stand to be thought of as the one who ran away....the weak, scared one....because I’m not that at all.  I faced it determined that what I needed to do was to simply forgive, because I knew without a doubt that is what God wanted me to do.  It’s a life lesson our children need to learn early.  Face that giant, don’t run from it.  You are a child of the MOST HIGH GOD.  You are not insignificant.  You are not weak.  You are immeasurably important to God and He will never leave your side, even when the going gets tough and you feel like running away.  It’s something I’ve tried to teach my children, and definitely something to think about, no matter how old you are.  Facing a giant brings about character, wisdom, and most importantly of all dependence on God.

Noah could have run away when God told him to build the ark.  But he didn’t.
Abraham could have run away when God asked him to sacrifice his only son.  But he didn’t.
David could have run away when he saw the giant.  But he didn’t.
Joshua could have run away when God told him to march around Jericho 7 times.  But he didn’t.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego could have just bowed down.  But they didn’t.

Jesus could have given up, and refused to take the punishment for our sins on the cross.

But He didn’t.   



"Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9, NIV).


By: Amy York

Handwriting on the Wall...

  Several years ago I was involved in a Beth Moore Study about Daniel. Of course the study talked about Daniel's faith and trust in God, and that even when he was in the Lion's Den, he still believed that God would keep him safe.  At this time in my life I was in a Lion's Den.  It was an intensely difficult time in my life and I really, to this day, don't think I have ever experienced such spiritual warfare, or such turmoil and angst.  I don't feel the need to go into detail about it, other than to say that I had been horribly betrayed and mistreated by someone who had claimed to be my closest friend.  During this time, I was given a verse by a friend, who was in the bible study with me, but didn't know what I was going through.  She just came up to me one Sunday and said, "God laid it on my heart to give you this passage.  I don't know why, and it kind of worried me.  I hope you're ok."  I assured her I was doing ok, and took the passage from her.  I didn't read it until I got home.  The passage was Psalm 55.  I won't write it all here, you can go look it up, but it was exactly what I was dealing with and I was floored.  I shouldn't have been, because God has promised to never leave me.  Then, later in the week, when I was at my Beth Moore bible study we read some verses in Daniel 5 which talks about a hand suddenly appearing and actually writing a message from God for the King on the plaster walls.   I commented to the lady sitting next to me that I so wished sometimes, especially at that moment in my life, that God's hand would appear and write on the walls to tell me everything was going to be alright.  Our class then went to the sanctuary to watch the video that always comes with a Beth Moore study.  As the video began, she looked right into the camera and said (and I'm paraphrasing), "Listen beloved sisters, I have a message for you from the most high God.  You may be in the Lion's Den but God is not going to leave your side"....and up there...ON THE WALL of that sanctuary....was Psalm 55!!  My mouth fell open, I came out of my seat and onto my knees, and the tears started streaming down my face.  It was a moment I will NEVER forget, and one I have shared with very few people, mostly because it was so very emotional then, and even now I get teary thinking about it.  Due to circumstances beyond my control that was the last night I was able to attend that particular bible study, but I had heard what God needed me to hear loud and clear.  And you know what?  He did get me through it, and although it was one of the hardest things I've ever dealt with, it made me a much stronger person.  It also solidified my trust in God's provision.  So let me just tell you, like my sister in Christ, Beth Moore, told me that day.....Listen to me beloved brothers and sisters, I have a message for you from the Most High God!  He loves you unconditionally, and He will not forsake you.  He will place your sins as far as the East is from the West and remember them no more.  He will write your name in the Lamb's Book of Life...forever sealed as a child of God.  The life we have on this earth is but a vapor, and then we will enter into eternity.  If you don't know that you know that you know where you will be spending that eternity...don't wait another minute.  If I'm wrong...I've got nothing to lose.  If you're wrong...you've got everything to lose.

By: Amy York

Psalm 55

Who am I?

I was just thinking today about my next birthday, coming up on September 3rd.  I will be turning 45!  I remember thinking (when I was 20 something) how old that sounded, and that it would be forever before I got there, and yet...there it is.  The funny thing is, it doesn't bother me at all!  I have arrived at a point in life where, I am truly happy.  Trying to find the words to explain it, I am at a loss.  I'm confident in who I am, and although I could stand to lose several pounds, I think I look pretty good for my age.  I am truly, extremely blessed with a husband whom I love with all my heart, and with whom I will celebrate 25 years of marriage to this January.  I'm blessed with three of the most amazing, talented sons a mom could ever ask for.  I have an amazing family, wonderful friends, and a job that I love (most of the time, haha!).  It's not been the easiest of roads to get to who I am today.  There have been things along the way that brought me to my knees, to the very depths of the valley.  But God has been with me through it all.  I know there will be even more good times, and bad times, in the next 45 years, but I also know that God will never leave my side.  How anyone could get through life without Him, I cannot fathom.  So as I celebrate being "middle-aged", I want to thank each of you that have had a part in my life, because it is you who have helped make me who I am today.

Who am I?


I've often asked myself
who are you really now?
Can you describe in words
the who, what, when and how?

Of how you came to be
the one you are today.
This person I call ME,
Can I find the words to say?

Well I will certainly try
and start with just a few
words that tell you why
and perhaps give you a clue.

I'm happy, sparkly, sunshine.
I'm pink, and black and white.
I'm peanut butter cracker time.
I'm music, bright and light.

I'm tom boy, and I'm girly.
I'm barefoot all summer long.
I'm quiet, peaceful, joyful, curly.
I'm a quiet thoughtful song.

I'm laughing deep and hearty.
I'm camping, painting, fun.
I'm not the life of the party.
I'm the shy and quiet one.

I'm decent, patient, caring,
I'm polite, and calm and kind.
I'm strong and sometimes daring.
I'm a Christian, by Him designed.

I do not drink, or smoke or...well,
I do my very best
to be a good example
whenever I'm put to the test.

So that is about the gist of it
I've done the best I can do
I hope that explains me a bit
and makes you smile some too!  :)

By:  Amy York


Ephesians 5:1-2
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.