Purpose Archives - Page 2 of 6

Discerning the Will of God.

February 25, 2013 By: Sarah Leff1 Comment

Hello! Hope you all are having a great Monday so far! Mines been kinda hectic, but overall not too shabby. James and I both had most of the weekend off, which was super nice and very relaxing. We had a chance to walk by Grapevine Lake near one of the marinas—something we’ve wanted to do for a while, and even made a trip to Trader Joes [the best store…ever]. Overall it was a great weekend, and I’ll try and post some pictures later in the week from our adventures:)

Anyways. This morning I was reading in Romans, and I came across a familiar verse from Romans 12…

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2

I’ve read this verse many times—even memorized it back in the day. But, for some reason it really stuck out to me this morning. As I was asking God what he wanted to speak to me about concerning this verse, I began to see the words in a new light—different from the past times I have read them.
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The Problem with Instant Gratification.

February 21, 2013 By: Sarah Leff1 Comment

Hello! Hope you all are having a great Thursday so far. I’m a little off in my days this week—I keep thinking today is Friday for some reason. Bummer. Anyways, I was reading in Genesis this morning again, and came across something I thought I would share. Remember the story of Jacob? How he worked seven years for his wife Rachel, only to be given her sister, Leah, instead? And then, he had to go and work another seven years to finally have Rachel? That’s fourteen years! That’s a long time.

“So Jacob server seven years [plus another seven] to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.”

Genesis 29:20

Romantic, right? But, while it may have only seems like mere days to love-crazed Jacob, it was still fourteen total years before he received what he desired most in the world—Rachel.
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Hold on to His Promises.

February 19, 2013 By: Sarah Leff1 Comment

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday! Hope you all are having a great day so far. Woke up to a text from my mom this morning saying that it’s snowing in Grand Rapids (MI)…needless to say I was a little jealous. Although it is sunny here and going to be in the sixties, I still miss my cold snowy winters. I heart snow. Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to make do with the sun for awhile:)

This morning I was reading again in Genesis, and came across a well-known story that really spoke volumes to me today. The past couple of weeks have been a bit rocky for me. It was great having my family here, yet it was so sad to see them leave. I feel kind of stuck where I’m at in life, and it has caused me to be discouraged. I feel as though God has promised me so many things, yet nothing really seems to be happening. Sad, discouraged, frustrated. Ever felt that way before?
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Waiting Patiently.

February 18, 2013 By: Sarah Leffcomment

Good Morning! How is your Monday going so far? Mine has been going well—I have the day off work, but lots and lots of errands and things around the house to get done today. Fighting hard to be productive, if you know what I mean:)

Anyways, I thought I would share a Psalm that I read this morning. It was written by David during a difficult season of his life, and his words really stuck out to me this morning…

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrows in my heart? How long will my enemies triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.”

Psalms 13.
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Stuck in the Past.

February 15, 2013 By: Sarah Leffcomment

Hello and Happy Friday! Hope you all are having a great day so far. It’s kinda gloomy here—definitely a good day to cuddle up with a good book and a warm kitty:) This week has been crazy busy for some reason, so I am definitely looking forward to the weekend. Although I wish my family was coming to visit again, like they did last weekend. Ah well, I’m sure we will all see each other again soon. How about you? Any fun plans for the weekend?

Thought I would share something I read from Genesis yesterday about Lot and his family, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. When Sodom was being destroyed, God rescued Lot’s family. As they were hastily leaving the city, God’s messengers told Lot’s family not to look back on the city or they would surely die. Seems like a simple command, but unfortunately, Lot’s wife decided to look back…

“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Genesis 19:26
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No Excuses.

February 8, 2013 By: Sarah Leffcomment

Hello and happy Friday! Seriously, how is it Friday already? This week has flown…probably because I’m so excited to see my FAMILY tonight! My parents and brother are flying in for a visit tonight, and I can’t wait to see them. Yay!

Anyways, I don’t have too much time, but wanted to share something that I read this morning from Matthew. In Matthew 4, Jesus begins to call his disciples into fulltime ministry with him. Now these disciples had other jobs prior to Jesus. They had family commitments. They didn’t really know Jesus all that well. They were probably afraid. I’m sure they were at least a little nervous. They had a whole arsenal of excuses that could be used to get out of following Jesus, yet they chose not to sue any of them. They simply dropped what they were doing and followed him. They didn’t let fear of the unknown or the comfort found in their current position deter them from reaching their true destiny—to become Jesus’s disciples. To change the world.

How often do we become so comfortable with our current surroundings that we lose sight of our true callings in Christ? If God were to call us into a different profession or even a different region, how hard would it be for us to simply drop what we were previously doing and follow his lead? I’m going to guess it would be challenging to say the least. We need to be more like the disciples. We need to be willing to go wherever and whenever God calls us. Taking that leap of faith into the unknown may sound scary at first, but in the end it will all be worth it:)

Just something I was thinking about while reading this morning. Well, I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. I’ll be back on Tuesday, hopefully with some more updates:) God Bless!

Refining Fire

February 6, 2013 By: Sarah Leff1 Comment

Good Morning! How’s your Wednesday going so far? Mines been pretty good so far. I didn’t have to work early this morning, which is always an added bonus:) Anyways, hopefully you are noticing some changes around the blog this morning. I know, I know, it looks pretty primitive right now, but it’s getting there. I didn’t want to take a long break from posting to give the blog a facelift, so you’ll just have to bear with me as I make the changes [as quickly as possible]. So far, I’ve switched from blogger over to wordpress, but am still working on the cosmetic details:) I promise it’s gonna look awesome when it’s done! [Side note—please let me know if there is anything you can’t see, or if you find links that don’t work, etc., etc. As previously stated, I am not the best with technology. More of a work in progress…so yeah, just let me know if you see any glitches on your end.]
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Forever With Him.

February 6, 2013 By: Sarah Leff1 Comment

Good Morning! Wow it’s been a little while since my last post…I apologize. Seriously though I’ve been working on updating the blog, and for someone as technically confused as me, said updating is a lot of work! Slowly but surely you will see some improvements coming soon:) Anyways, how has your week been so far? Mines been pretty low key—getting excited for my family to come and visit us this coming weekend though! I haven’t seen them in months, so needless to say I am a little excited…! Can’t wait to show them around Dallas, and just hang out/catch up. It’s been WAY too long.

In other news, I was reading in Genesis a few days ago about Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden when I came across this verse…

“And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”
Genesis 3:22
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Faith in God’s Abilities.

January 29, 2013 By: Sarah Leffcomment

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday! Hope you all are having a great day so far. It’s supposed to be a stormy day here in Texas—I’m just a little excited about that. I may or may not like storms a little too much:) Anyways. I was reading in Daniel again this morning, particularly the chapter where Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace for not worshiping the king’s golden idol. When the king told them what was about to happen to them [aka being roasted to death in the fiery furnace] this was their reply…

“Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Daniel 3:16-18

When pressured to deny God, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego chose faithfulness—regardless of the outcome. Notice how the said God was able to save not that he definitely would save them from death by blazing furnace. They knew God was able to save them, yet they didn’t base their faithfulness on whether or not he would in fact save them. They trusted him to rescue them, but were determined to remain faithful even if he didn’t.

God doesn’t have to prove himself by rescuing us from our circumstance in order to merit our faithfulness. If this were the case, why would we need faith? Instead, we need to be faithful regardless of the outcome of our circumstances. After all, our eternal reward in Heaven is much greater than anything we could receive on Earth.

What about you? Are you going through a difficult situation in life? Remember, have faith regardless of what the outcome may be. God has a perfect plan for your life—even if you are having trouble seeing it clearly right now. Just have faith.

Well, I’m off to run some errands, etc. Hope you all have a great day! God Bless:)

Emma.

January 17, 2013 By: Sarah Leffcomment

Good Morning, and Happy Thursday! Again, this week has flown by, and I am left wondering how in the world it can already be Thursday. Ah, well. Last night I had to work late, so it felt good to sleep in a little bit this morning. Now I am happily cuddled up on the couch with Samson…great way to start the day! I don’t have too much time this morning, so I’ll get right down to my reading from this morning.

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:31

I’m quite certain I’ve shared this verse on my blog before, but today it has some special significance. Not only is it one of my favorite verses, but it was also a favorite verse of someone who died three years ago today. When someone close to you dies, especially someone so young [junior in college] life begins to look a little different through your eyes. You begin to see things through a new lens, or perspective, and its inevitable that you will be changed in some way. I don’t pretend to have been one of her best or closest friends—one who was hurt much deeper than I to be sure—but I am confident that I was changed my the circumstance of her death.

To be brief—life is a gift. Treasure it. Enjoy it. None of us knows the number of our days. Make the most of every moment and every opportunity given to you, and never put off pursuing the dreams God has placed in your heart. Emma was such a loving, caring, compassionate, joyful, bubbly and passionate woman of God. Someone who I truly admired—even if I never had the opportunity to tell her that in person. She lived life with a purpose, and she loved God deeply. If you knew her, you would agree that the world could use more people like her today.

So, live life with purpose and passion, pursuing the dreams God placed in your heart. Life is too short to be doing anything other than what God intended and planned for you. Take hope, courage, and have faith in the Lord. Lean on him always and he will lift you up.

Emma and I at a sailing event.

Thank you Emma for teaching me so much about life. You may not be here with us today, but I know you are in a much better place, looking down on us from above.

Hope you all have a great rest of your day…God Bless:)

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