Whatever it takes 2.

  So, in the begining of the summer, in one of my blogs titled "Whatever it Takes", I talked about a specific prayer that I prayed to start the summer off with.  That prayer was "Whatever is takes, make me like Jesus."  Little did I know what the ramifications of that seemingly small, seven-word prayer would be.

  Telling God, telling Jesus, to shape you and mold you into the vessel that He wants to be is always a dangerous prayer.  This prayer give God permission to do whatever He wants and molding and shaping an individual isn't a pretty process.  Before gold is refined, it just isn't that pretty and it needs to go through fire/the furnace to be purified and draw all of the impurities to the surface.  The finished product is a beautiful thing, but the process of getting there is a narrow, hard path.

  I've mentioned in previous blog posts that this summer has not been easy.  It hasn't been.  God has tested my faith, my patience, and my trust in Him and His plan.  I feel like in my heart, with each thing that has happened, I can hear God saying, "Will you still follow me, Sarah?  Will you still do whatever it takes to be like Jesus?  Are you truly willing to be my disciple and trust me?"  And, although sometimes begrudgingly, I have said "Yes, Jesus, I'm not turning back."

  This summer has been beautiful.  I have seen God work in my life and the lives of others and use my life to impact those around me.  I have witnessed Him continually draw out impurities in my life and sow seeds of faith and trust in Him, which is something that has been really hard for me in the past.  I have seen my Hero rise to the occasion and rescue me.  He has never dissapointed me or abandoned me.  Even when on the surface, it has seemed like my world was falling apart, He was really holding it together.  He sees the unseen and His plans and ways are ALWAYS higher.

Isaiah 55:9 says "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." 

1 Corinthians 1:25 "For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."

  We can always trust in Him and His plan, always.  He is our Savior, Father, Redeemer and Friend. 

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Psalms 27:33-34  The Lord directs the steps of the godly.  He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

   I really have the ladies from the leadership team on 5-1 on my heart as I am writing this.  Guys, this is hard, it is so unexpected, shocking, and painful, but we don't always have to know why, we just need to say, "Yes, Jesus, I trust in You."  There are so many things in life that we don't "get".  Sometimes I think about Heaven, and I think it would be so cool if when we get there we play a video and see all that God was doing behind the scenes of the things we will never understand on earth.  I know His plans are best and He wouldn't have let this happen if it wasn't His will.  It is still so hard, but we just have to trust in His perfect love for us.

  This is a simple song that I learned as a little girl.  It has been on my heart, so I will close with the first verse of it.

I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus,
no turning back, no turning back.