Faces of God

If only pictures did justice on how precious the people of Haiti are; God is present and God is moving in Haiti. The power of prayer is HUGE- keep praying and enjoy looking at the beautiful faces of God.












I wanted to save the picture above last for many reasons. To me, this picture describes perfectly my trip to Haiti. Not only did I latch onto the children there (as much as they did me) but I latched onto a beautiful spirit and long life friend. I went on this trip not knowing a soul, as did everyone else, and I would not have done it any differently. I met Lauren Phillips on my way to Haiti in the Miami Airport. Our spirits immediately clicked- in so many ways! She is absolutely the most encouraging woman of God I have ever met my age. She has such a radiance of God flowing off of her and you can't help but want to be close to her (even in a tiny bunk bed when its 100 degrees and the AC isn't working!) Lauren has a love for children and a love for what Christ has called us all to do. But not just any kind of love, it is a love like Christ has for us- an unfailing, never ending, passionate love. I am so touched by this beautiful girl and I know God has placed her in my path for a reason. We have shared so many laughs, so many tears, and so much sweat (literately!) As Lauren would say, "God has a plan for our lives- don't run from it, but embrace it!" Such sweet words from a gorgeous soul. Thank you, Lauren, for all you have done in my life in such a short time. I cannot wait for our friendship to continue.......forever!

Healing Haiti

Wow! Where to start?

The people of Haiti are just like you and me; they have a house, a family, and basic needs such as food, clothing, and water. The difference is they are struggling DAILY to have these needs met. They can barely survive and can barely afford anything. Some are late on rent, some are starving, and some are searching through trash and rubble just to find something that they think they might need. Rice and beans are a daily ONE time meal; not like the three huge course meals we get every single day (plus more). Clean water is scarce throughout Port au Prince, so seeing people trying to feel up buckets in the dirtiest rivers is normal. Some kids go to school, if they can afford it, while others are already working on the streets at the age of four. Almost every family had a member die in the earthquake and most of those people were the males that supplied the money and support, while other men just left their families, not wanting anything to do with them.

While I was in Haiti I was able to work with places that prepared children for adoption, an orphanage that deals with sick and dying babies, a church that delivers water filters to people in need of clean water, and build strong, Godly relationships with people that will last a lifetime.

I was so stuck in my American bubble, so comfortable in being who I was that is blows my mind to realizing how blind I was to what the world really looks like. God has so graciously opened my eyes to seeing things I only thought I knew about. My heart is broken and I am just in shock that our brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering as much as they are. If I feel this way I can only imagine how our Father God feels.

Christ has called us in James 1:27 to “visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” The word visit means to go to and stay with (a person or family) or at (a place) for a short time for different reasons. God wants us to just give our time and our love to these people, whether it’s overseas or in your back yard. God has placed those people around you for a purpose. My prayer for you and me is to first of all, seek Gods word and see what He says about the poor, the needy, the orphan, and the widowed. Next, to pray over what He wants you to do about it and to then take that next step of faith by getting out of your comfort zone and completely entrusting Christ with your life because ,after all, we are all called to “deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him daily.” (Matthew 16:24)

Once again, thank you. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate your help, whether it was financially or with prayers. God is so good and has an amazing plan for our lives. Don’t run from it, but embrace it.

With all praise and glory to God,

Amanda Woodruff

Waiting here for You

"Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the good that endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you" John 6:27

God's answer to our prayer is to just sit down and believe. Without Him, we have nothing- we are so sinful and so weak and so deceived, yet God can overcome ALL of that. How beautiful is it that our Father looks with us with love and delight, despite all of our evil ways, and loves us, HIS BRIDE, as He loves His son. That is breathtaking for me to imagine. I can't explain how this fulfills my hearts deepest desires and my true acceptance with God. I pray that God will not let a day go by without reminding me of this and to make me independent because I am so worthless without Him.

Feast on God's love, His truth, and the beauty of His words:

• He loved you and chose you before the earth was created (Eph. 1:4)
• Even though you were intentionally fighting against him as his enemy, he loved you and intentionally died in your place(Rom. 5:10)
• You have been completely absolved of all your sins, even those you have yet to commit (Col. 1:14)
• The record of all your sin has been obliterated (Col. 2:14)
• The record of his perfect life has been applied to you (2 Cor. 5:21)
• His Father has permanently adopted you as a beloved child (Eph. 1:5)
• He has placed his Spirit within you as a guarantee that you will persevere (Eph. 1:13)
• He is guarding you every moment of every day (1 Pet. 1:5)
• He is faithful to care for you even in the midst of trials (1 Cor. 10:13)
• One day you will take your first step into light, and that eternal journey will bring you more joy and blessing that you can ever imagine (Ps. 16:11)

Sit down; eat, drink, and believe.
"I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" John 6:35

Are you like Mary or Martha?

I'm always in a rush. A rush to school, to work, to work out, to tan, to eat, to do homework before its due the next night......

This morning I woke up late because I was tired from staying up the night before doing a last minute book report due before 8:30 AM the next morning. I rushed around to get ready and go observe for 4 hours at an elementary school, then I knew I would have to rush straight to work shortly after I was done observing. While I was sitting in class, observing these precious 2nd graders, I thought to myself of everything I have to get done today......class, work, grocery store, tan, work out, eat, pick my sister up to run errands.....the list went on and on. I was starting to stress myself out and worry like I promised myself over and over I would not do.

Out of some miracle, I actually got home a little earlier than expected, just enough time to eat and pick up around the house. As I was starting to put up the dishes a crystal clear thought ran through my head about the story of Mary and Martha.....for those of you who don't know the story, let me lay it out for you:

Martha and Mary offered hospitality to Jesus. Mary sat and listened to him as he talked, but Martha objected to the fact that she was left with all the work. Jesus told Martha not to worry about small things, but to concentrate on what was important.

"As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

Convicting enough? Sure was for me. God brought my own sin before my eyes and brought me to my knees. Sometimes we tend to get a little aggravated when our own parents call us out on a lie or on some sort of action we did that was wrong, but the older I get, the more I realize how incredibly thankful I am for that kind of love. Not only will our earthly parents point out our wrong doings, but our Heavenly Father convicts us of our sins in order for us to run straight to Him.

So what did I do? I slammed that dish washer door shut and came into my bedroom and cried out to my Father. He longs for that kind of relationship where we just can cry out to Him. We don't have to go into some deep, meaningful prayer just to cry out to our God. Repeating His name over and over and over is just as important to His heart than anything else.

God reminded me that I need to quit being in such a rush; to take one day at a time and to see His beauty and grace through every bit of it. That's true love. That's everlasting love.

God is still in control. Even when we seem far off from His will, we aren't. Just look beside you. He is right there, holding our hands every step of the way. Listen to Him, praise His name, glorify Him in everything you do. And when you seem to get off track, remember that He is only a cry away.

What a blessing......thank you Lord, thank you.....

Winter Snow

Could've come like a mighty storm
With all the strength of a hurricane
You could've come like a forest fire
With the power of heaven in Your flame

But You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

You could've swept in like a tidal wave
Or an ocean to ravish our hearts
You could have come through like a roaring flood
To wipe away the things we've scarred

But You came like a winter snow
You were quiet
You were soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Oh, no, Your voice wasn't in a bush burning
No, Your voice wasn't in a rushing wind
It was still
It was small
It was hidden

You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Falling
To the earth below
You came falling
From the sky in the night
To the earth below


(Praise our Father for His beautiful grace and mercy)

My soul cries out for You

"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:26-27

Where to start? Since I can remember I have always had a passion to be with kids. I was never sure exactly how- maybe I wanted to be a housewife and have 5 kids, maybe I wanted to be a teacher, or work in the hospital with sick kids. It wasn't until this past year that I knew exactly why God had laid this feeling and desires in my heart. I have a calling to go help children overseas. I know this for a fact. God has spoken to me over and over and shown me what He wants me to do. But now it's all up to me to complete God's works He has for me. Easier said than done....

God tells us over and over to drop what we have that's so meaningless and to care for others and love them the way He loves us. Whether that has to do with giving away more money, spending more time with the homeless and poor, or spreading the gospel in places that forbid it all. It's all about obedience. Why can't God be enough for some of us? Why do we feel more comfortable in our American bubble with all our money and homes and warm beds than go out and love on these poor innocent people who have not even half of the things we are blessed with here in America. God has given us the life we have, we should be so thankful, but we should also be willing to give it ALL right back. We don't deserve ANY of this. But because God is so faithful, so loving, so caring, so amazing, so perfect in every way possible that we are able to receive His undeserving grace and mercy.

We weren't placed on this earth to enjoy all the worldly materials possible or have the most romantic relationships between one another you could ever imagine......those are just bonuses God will bless us with IF we follow His word and IF we live according to His will. No that doesn't mean showing up the church every Sunday morning or Wednesday night that the doors are opened- it means developing a TRUE, DEEP, and MEANINGFUL relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ.

So in saying all of this, it is through my relationship with Christ that He has opened my eyes to letting me see exactly what it is He wants me to do with the gifts He has blessed me with (for now at least!) Isn't that something else amazing? God could completely change our path that He is leading us on to something totally drastic and different. And maybe those transitions are hard and we don't understand, but He is building our character and teaching us things through those moments that we would have never realized otherwise.

For now, all I'm asking for are deep, sincere prayers. Pray that God continues to break my heart for what breaks His, pray for God's touch, pray that I allow God to take complete and total control over my future and these situations coming up, and most importantly- pray for others. God has promised us that He will take care of us and I have complete faith in that. God is constantly creating us into something new. He never fails.....He is always right....

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." Luke 21:33

You've been warned

This morning I was reading in James 3 about wisdom from above. I was going to only read that certain chapter in James but the more I kept reading and investing my heart into God, the more my interest was being drawn into more and more of James. I read in James 4 about warning against worldliness and this is what God brought to my attention...

I remember always thinking it is okay to watch certain movies and listen to certain music; that God really doesn't think it's that bad, but the truth is it IS bad. I am conforming myself to this world and not to God's kingdom. I am becoming a friend of the world and making myself an enemy of God. I know I am by no means perfect, but I should constantly be striving to become more like Jesus every single day. In James 4 it repeats itself over and over by saying such things as DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU- SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD, RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU- CLEANSE YOUR HANDS, PURIFY YOUR HEARTS, HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD, AND HE WILL EXALT YOU.

Why aren't these promises enough for us? We can sit here all day long and say amen to all of those things, but we DO NOT live by any of this. We are lukewarm Christians and God tells us that he hates lukewarm Christians- that He will spit those out of His mouth.

What if God was a lukewarm God? What if God only halfheartedly loved us?

Next time we turn on the radio and hear people singing about sex and drugs and alcohol, lets think a little bit about how God feels about our hearts being exposed to that mess.

God loves us for who we are, but that doesn't mean that we can continue to be that way.

Here is something to think about:

“I hear religious minded people say all the time with good intentions. ‘God will never place a burden on you so heavy that you cannot possibly carry it.’
Really? My experience is that God will place a burden on you so heavy that you cannot possibly carry it alone. He will break your back and your will. He will buckle your legs until you fall flat beneath the crushing weight of your load. All the while He will walk beside you waiting for you to come to the point where you must depend on Him.
‘My power is made perfect in your weakness,’ He says, as we strain under our burden.
Whatever the burden, it might indeed get worse, but know this-God is faithful. And while we change and get old, He does not. When we get weaker, He remains strong. And in our weakness and humility, He offers us true, lasting, transforming, and undeserved grace.”

-Greg Lucas