Life Lessons from The Bachelorette

I've always loved hearing stories from people about the ways the Lord reveals Himself to them in the little things in their life. It blows my mind how He works in random ways, but to be honest, I get a little jealous when it doesn't happen to me. Well, God decided to change that recently while I was watching The Bachelorette…and it was pretty crazy!

Let me explain…

This season, the bachelorette Desire has been very open about her feelings for one guy, Brooks. She admitted her feelings for him were far beyond the ones she felt for the other two men left in the competition. However, he also happens to be the only guy left who won’t profess his growing affections to her. He finally realizes he did not share the intensity of the feelings she has for him and chooses to leave the show. Des is understandably heartbroken after pursuing a guy who failed to provide her the affirmation she longed for. Meanwhile, two men have openly expressed their growing love for her and she remained blinded to the beauty of their genuine feelings.

Are you seeing the parallels yet?

We are uniquely formed by a craftsman, not just made by a mold in a factory. God knows how I work. He knows my thoughts, desires, & needs. He is invested in me beyond how anyone else can be. And yet, I still avoid Him who desires me intimately, and I continue seeking after things that cannot reciprocate or fulfill me. Even the people I care for most in this world cannot match the fierce passion the Father has for me, and they never will. Like Des, I so easily long for affirmation in people or things and ignore the One who was waiting there for me the whole time.

Now, obviously I know that the two remaining men in the bachelor are not comparable to the Creator of my heart, but it was amazing the parallels I saw through this situation. We live in a fallible world with fallible people, but an infallible God is there waiting for us to return to Him. I can be so stubborn to the free gifts of life & love that Abba offers me. He formed me with exactness. He knows what makes me tick, and offers comfort to my pain. God, the Creator of everything, created me with intention broad enough to be used for His glory, and intricate enough to be precious in His eyes.

Today, I am amazed at the ways God is choosing to reveal Himself to me, but I am also overwhelmed by His passionate pursuit of me. I need to get out of my “Brooks complex” and open my eyes to the Savior who consistently reveals His perfect love for me. Sisters, God is good and He is pining after you. Invite Him in & experience the beauty of His love!

...and yes, I watched The Bachelorette.

- Sarah

The Girl Behind the Blog: Encouragement

Hello friends!

I’m back linking up with Ashley & Nadine for this month’s vlog. Hope you enjoy!

The Girl Behind The Blog- Encouragement
Time limit: Vlogs should be 2-3 minutes long
Introduce yourself and your blog
What is something that encourages you in the blog world?
What is something that always encourages you in real life?
How do you go about encouraging the people you love?

Here’s the link to the ever-so-lovely Samantha I mentioned. Stop by and say hello to her :)

- Sarah

Hi. I do, indeed, still exist.

So thus begins the post where I talk about how I haven’t been around these here blog parts for (almost four) months. Whoops. Time has really just slipped away. Instead of writing it out, I decided to vlog about it and externally process…because that’s just what I do best :)

Enjoy!

- Sarah

Good

Today is the one day of the year labeled with that adjective. An adjective so very overused in our society, used to describe a wide variety of things in this world. But this good is not of the world. Honestly, I feel like good doesn’t even begin to carry the weight and importance of this day. Jesus died. He died an embarrassing, agonizing, and unimaginable death. The Father actually turned His back on the Son. That is something incomprehensible to us as humans. And, you know what, praise God for that! Praise God that we never, ever have to understand the darkness of God turning away from us.

Sisters, this truth is so, so good. Jesus was not weak and He was not murdered. His powerful love was the cause of His death. It was that love, not nails or Roman guards, that held him to that cross. Can we just stop for a second and think about that? When Jesus was given the option to save His life or ours, we were chosen. Woah. That is why we can turn a death into a celebration.

My heart is so full as I am trying to process all of this. Throwing aside the cookie-cutter crucifixion story and starting to break down the cold, hard facts of Jesus’ death, I am overwhelmed with emotion. It is all so raw, and yet the grace behind it is so sweet.

Tonight at my church’s Good Friday service, we finished the sermon of Jesus’ death with this song. As I sang, I stood there in tears. The words spoke straight to my core. Every line I sang, I became more aware of what Abba did for me, and how utterly undeserving I am of His pardon.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that left Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

But friends, these are not words of shame, they are words of healing. Words of hope, that His wounds paid our ransom. We are free! This is why Good Friday is good. God’s perfect love was consolidated into the single most powerful act of love in history. The Father sacrificed His son. Jesus bore every sin known to man and faced spiritual separation from God. All so that we never have to. It is unfathomable, but it is true.

My prayer is that we can rest in His freedom, that we praise the one who paid our debt and raised us from the death!

The Girl Behind the Blog: Your Inner Foodie

My last GBTB was back in December when I talked about holiday traditions, so I figured I  would join back in today for this month’s prompt. Well, and it talked about food. I sure love me some food.

I’m linking up with Ashley & Chelsea for this month’s prompt. Please ignore my awkwardness….or embrace it, that’s what I do ;)

The Girl Behind The Blog- Your Inner FoodieTime limit: Vlogs should be 2-3 minutes longDo you have a food philosophy? (gluten free, vegan, whole foods, whatever is easiest, kid friendly,etc)
If you could only have two foods for the rest of your life, what would they be?
Do you have a favorite food blogger or place for inspiration?
Share a favorite recipe or link with us!

Recipes:
Orange Bow Knot Rolls (add 2tsp orange zest to the milk mixture for the dough, and 1tsp zest to the icing)
Hershey’s Chocolate Cake
Mrs. Field’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (add 1/4cup of oil with the butter)
Now, I want to leave you ladies with the most nourishing food I know:

”’For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.’ Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.”
                                                                                                ~John 6:55-59

Live Life: Give

This week’s Live Life challenge is to give. My first reaction….I’m a broke college student, I’ve got nothing to give. Silly Sarah…

When I began thinking of what I could give, I tried to think about what I hoard the most in my life. I wanted to give up what I am idolizing, so that I can use it to further God’s kingdom instead of my own. Once I had this mindset, it was clear what I needed to give. My Time.

Time has been a tricky thing this semester, between school work, Eboard responsibilities, and trying to have a social life, I’ve gained a very selfish and skewed viewpoint of my time. I’ve began to think of it as my own. I wake up, give God a few minutes of my time, go to class, go to the gym, do homework and hang out with friends. Its become monotonous and routine. And I can honestly say that the time with God I’ve listed has not been priority. I could easily sit hear and complain that I just need more hours in the day, but in reality I need to reevaluate my priorities. I have realized this week how closed off I’ve made my schedule to actually let God use me.

This week, I’ve been challenged to rearrange what my days look like. I’m choosing to get up earlier to work out before class. This gives me time to grab coffee or a meal with people in my life that I feel God has called me to invest in spiritually. I’m setting aside more time to spend in His word and in prayer, so that my strength can be rooted in Him. I am starting my homework earlier so that I can have a more fruitful Sabbath.

My time is not my own. It is the Father’s gift to me. It is what I am choosing to give & release this week, for His kingdom to come.

What do you feel God calling you to give?

Live Life: Pray

Last week, I committed to limit my time with social media for Lent. It was surprisingly easy to do. I have only been checking Instagram and Facebook once every night (besides my Sabbath this weekend). I have seriously felt so free and at peace about it, it’s cool to see the it is all truly just excess.

This week’s Lent challenge is prayer. The tagline in my email notification read “Do you ever feel frustrated with prayer?” Ummmmm, it’s like they were writing directly to me. Lately my quiet times with God have been so methodical: bible, journal, pray, done. I've just felt disconnected, like there’s a wall between God and I. The most humbling part, it’s not God’s fault….it’s my attitude. I've been turning my prayer life into a wish list again. When it comes down to it, I've forgotten the reverence behind prayer. I've ignored God’s sovereignty.

One of this week’s challenges is to pray in a format similar to the Lord’s prayer. This structure opens with adoration for His power, and the supplication is not a selfish one. It’s to see His kingdom come. His will be done. What does that mean? It’s not about me. My mission is to see His kingdom come in my life, and on my campus.

So this week, I’m devoting time to converse with my Savior, intimately. I want to set aside time each morning when I wake up, and right before I go to bed to come God to listen and speak. I am also praying over this prayer, my personalized version of Matthew 6:5-13:

”Our Father, you are good and powerful and worthy of my praise. You provide for me beyond compare. Lord, I pray that your will be done on this campus. That your kingdom come at BU. You are my strength & my power. Remind me that you are my source. I pray against selfishness & pride. You are good and your plan exceeds my own. May I be constantly humbled to do Your will this week. Thy will be done. Thy kingdom come.”

February Cara Box Reveal

I am quite excited to link up at Wifessionals for this month’s Cara Box reveal. This month’s theme was the ultimate date night (inspired by her #clubsexy date she planned for her husband). I sent a box to Alyssa at A Latte Love, so stop by her blog to check out what I sent (fun fact, our boyfriends have the same name)! I also had the privilege to get the most wonderful box from Jessica at Sprinkles Make Everything Better. You should go send these ladies some love!

I was seriously so excited to see what Jessica was going to send me. I told Jessica that my ideal date is just chilling out with some snacks and maybe a movie (honestly it’s the easiest date as a college student). Jessica took this idea and exceeded my expectations!



The first thing I saw was this adorable checklist that correlated with each gift se packed:


Here is each gift (except the date book I forgot to picture):
{caution tape to decorate, make up to get pretty, Mrs. Doubtfire (a childhood favorite of mine), m&m’s and gum to snack on, and some muffin mix I’m dying to try}



I cannot get over how much thought Jessica put into this, down to the wrapping and note she wrote…everything was so good! Thanks again Jessica!!!
I totally recommend participating in this link-up, it is so much fun!

Life Lately

Oh gracious, this semester has become a busy one. As many of you may know, I’ve given up social media during the day…but that has not made my schedule any less hectic. Honestly, I’m happy I've made that commitment because I am starting to realize how unnecessary all of it is. Anywho, I decided to stop by and give you a glimpse of my life lately. Whelp, here goes:

My Valentine’s creations this year {please note the corny card I made….that’s what happens when I’m dating a math major}

~My weekend consisting of crafting some sweet jerseys for my friends’ intramural basketball team
~Part of my morning routine, cereal & a to-do list
~Rocking my new mustard pants…I’m in love
~New running shoes, which have been put to good use this week
~De-licioussssss cupcakes that my suitemate brought back from her trip home. So so good!!!

And last, but definitely not least, this past Friday at InterVarsity we listened to my friend give her testimony about how she’s been transformed in college. Afterward, we invited everyone up to write how they want to be transformed. Here are the cool responses we got!


I hope you all had a swell Thursday!

Live Life: Fast

Week one of the Live Life challenge is focusing on fasting. This is the aspect of Lent I am most familiar with. Growing up, I always heard my friends talking about how they were giving up sweets or tv or something for the time of Lent. Many of them did so begrudgingly, so I never understood the point. But this year, I wanted to fast with a purpose. The point of fasting isn’t to just give something up, it is to examine the aspects of your life that distract you, specifically from God. Immediately, one thing comes to mind. Social media.

I am overly attached to this. I wake up in the morning and immediately check Facebook, Bloglovin’, and Instagram on my phone. Periodically throughout the day I do the same. The last thing I see before I go to sleep is my screen. It seriously a problem. I am starting and ending my day with the world. I distract myself from boring lectures with virtual updates. And yet, in the midst of it all, I devote maybe 15 minutes solely to my Creator. 15 minutes. That’s 1% of my day. 1% to the One who gave me life and everything I have. That’s pretty darn embarrassing.

This Lent, I am not trying to achieve a goal, I am trying to transform how my time is spent. I want to live in a way that shows that God is enough for me. My time does not need to be filled with nonsense that won’t matter days, weeks, or years down the road. My time needs to be with Abba, my Heavenly Father. This Lent, I am unplugging social media during the day. I am only logging on briefly at night and on Sundays. My day will start and end with God, and my down time will be spent being intentional with the people placed in my life. My hope is that through this, I will see glimpses of a life lived to the fullest….a life lived for Him.

Live Life

Prior to college, I never celebrated Lent. To be honest, I always thought it was just a Catholic thing. I recently switched churches here at school and started attending an Anglican church. It has been a great experience seeing worship in such a reverent setting compared to the very casual church I’m used to back home. I am still learning a lot about the church and its traditions, but I decided to do Lent this year. I was unsure of what to do or give up, until I talked to my friend Mackenzie yesterday. Mackenzie invited me to join her as she is doing World Vision’s “Live Life” campaign.
Each week of Lent, we will be participating in a challenge hosted by World Vision. Here is the break down:

I am so excited to see how God is going to grow me through these challenges leading up to the celebration of His death and resurrection!
Will you join me?

Friday’s Letters

Dear Anonymous person who put post-its in the girl’s bathroom and lecture halls, you are such an encouragement…made my day. Dear Aaron, I ‘m glad that our biggest fight yet was over a shared froyo creation (sad but true people, we were both quite particular in our toppings choice) Well, it looks like we will be getting individual cups next time…for the sake of our relationship :p Dear snow, I may or may not be super excited to see you right now. I see snow angels in my future. Dear classes, I’m really enjoying you guys this semester, how about you don’t drown me in work though. Dear feet, please don’t blister hate me because I’ve been working out, I’m just being healthy (tmi? sorry…) Dear Sam, well brother, tomorrow you turn 22. Happy birthday broski!

 

{Please note our matching haircuts on the top right…my mother had a great sense of humor, clearly} Also, we obviously enjoyed taking pictures together a lot more when we were younger. Sibling love at its finest.

 

January Cara Box Reveal

This is my second month linking up for Kaitlyn at Wifessionals Cara Box swap. January’s theme was resolutions. I was fortunate enough to send a box to Alexis from the Senior Year Blog (check out what I got her here). I received my Cara box from Taber at Taber Time!. She has some yummy looking recipes on her blog and her pup Fenix is too cute. You should stop by and say hi to these ladies.

Now onto my box!

Taber sent my stuff to stay organized, which is definitely a necessity as a student. I cannot wait to cover my desk with the sticky notes with my to-do’s! She also sent my a mini pedicure set and some nail polish. Because really, what girl doesn’t love giving herself a pedicure after a long day?!?!

Thanks so much Taber, and I’m happy you like your box Alexis!

{Hurry over to Kaitlyn’s blog to sign up for February’s swap!}

Here’s to a New Semester…

Hey friends, I realize it’s been over a week since I’ve written, so I guess I should start by confirming my existence :P I am, in fact, alive. Between visiting friends in Syracuse last week, InterVarsity Eboard meetings on the weekend, and starting class this week, I have been quite busy…in the best sense of the word.

I am currently on day 4 of the spring semester, and I can honestly say I can already feel its going to be a good one. My classes are all a little tough, but all very interesting. My favorite part so far? Getting to sleep in until 9 each morning (and having at least an hour and a half before class). Trust me, after having four 8:30s last semester, this is quite a treat! I love that I can wake up slowly, eat breakfast, and sip tea while I spend time with the Father. It is the best way to start my day.

As I mentioned before, I spent a good chunk of my last two weeks with my fellow Eboard members planning for our fellowship’s semester. I want to start by first thanking each of you who prayed for us as we planned together. It was a lot of work for sure, but God really met me in some sweet ways. I am already seeing what it means to be humbled in leadership, and He is truly beginning to grow me. Besides talking logistics, we were able really focus our vision for the semester. We are so excited to see how God is going to work specifically through small groups to bring more students on Binghamton’s campus to know His redeeming love. Specifically, we prayed hard about a number of students we want to come to know Him in these next months, and we are excited to see 7 meet and accept Jesus. This is more than a number, it is 7 people’s lives transformed by the grace that surpasses all understanding!

I ask for continued prayer for InterVarsity in these months. This Friday is our general interest meeting, where we will hopefully meet many new faces! During the semester, we will be reading through Ecclesiastes in small groups and also focusing on a series about being “radical” in response to the way Jesus lived. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for our fellowship and for me!
Well, its about time for me to head off to orgo, so I figured I leave you with my life through Instagram (@serogers22) these past two weeks. Enjoy!

A Diplomatic Task

Yesterday during my quiet time I read these words:

I’ve written a post on them before, but they carry more weight each time I read them. I am an ambassador of the gospel. Can we pause and soak in how big of a deal that is?!?

Webster Dictionary defines ambassador in this way:

“1. an official diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government as the resident representative appointed for a special diplomatic assignment
2. an authorized representative or messenger”

If that doesn’t sound legit then I don’t know what does. These words carry such weight and merit. We are given such a powerful and exciting job. Chosen to represent the most prestigious kingdom ever in existence. Woah. My thoughts and actions represent the King.

Ambassadors are not called to stay home, they are called to go out…to represent. The task may be difficult, but they are given a special prize. Diplomatic immunity. Think about it, not only is professing God worth it, but He promises to keep us safe, and His children are offered the ultimate reward: His redemption through the death on the cross.

Friends, do not be discouraged by the world today. We are given a special task by our Father. Go and be bold today!

Great Expectations

My car is packed and I’m gathering the last few things in my room; its official, I’m saying goodbye to my home again until Easter. While school doesn’t start for me until January 28th, I have quite a busy week in upstate New York. This weekend I will be away at a leadership retreat in Saratoga, then I’m making a quick pit stop in Syracuse to visit some wonderful people, and by this time Thursday, I will be all settled into my dorm room at Binghamton.

This coming semester, I have the amazing opportunity to serve on the executive board of my campus’s chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for receiving the position. I am working alongside four other students as we help plan the semester for our fellowship. Specifically, my job is to coordinate the weekly Friday night meetings we hold for a large number of students. Over break I’ve been getting in contact with speakers and all that good stuff in preparation for the spring semester. But this weekend and next weekend, I will be doing a lot of planning with our Eboard as we vision cast for how to grow our fellowship in Christ. We know that God has great things planned for our campus, and I truly believe that we can see lives transformed by His love this coming year.

So friends, I ask for prayer as we are at the retreat this weekend (and our meetings next weekend). Prayer that God will reveal to us the ways He wants our fellowship to work and grow. Prayer that we submit willingly to the ways God is going to mold us and the rest of our chapter. And prayer for my campus. That they return this semester with a curiosity and yearning to know Christ on a deep and personal level.

I have great expectations for these next few days, and I thank you in advance for your prayers!

To Be Honest

I’m going to get real with you people, because well something about a blog post that can be seen around the world just makes me feel candid. I don’t know…it’s true. Anywho, lately I’ve felt a little unmotivated. Break has been relaxing, but the lack of routine has started to pay a toll on some important aspects of my day, namely, my quiet times.

It is frustrating really, I have so much time on my hands, and yet I seem to fill it with anything and everything but Him. Especially after ending my semester feeling slightly drained, I never expected this. I expected to spend my break immersed in His truth, daily being filled and refreshed. But I sit here today, with only a week left, realizing I’ve put God on the back burner.

Why is it that we so easily push aside the One who gives us everything, for the meaningless little things. Ingratitude. Back in November, I wrote this post about how I wanted to start keeping a list of the things I am thankful for. I got a few pages deep, writing down the small things throughout my day where I saw God’s hand. But since I’ve been home, I’ve stopped. I stopped writing things down, but more so I’ve stopped noticing…or paying attention. I’ve become overwhelmed with this relaxation over break that I’ve let contentment come before God Himself. I stopped coming to Him in praise on my own time to thank Him for the ways He is blessing me daily.

As I’ve mentioned before, I am a part of The #SheReadsTruth devotional community. At the beginning of the new year we started a plan called “Fresh Start” that is meant to refresh and prepare us for the work God has planned this year. This past week I’ve fallen behind on my reading. Throughout the day it pops into my head, but I’ve brushed it off to do other things..until yesterday. Yesterday in church it finally hit me, the ways I’ve made time my idol. I was convicted of how I ignored my need for God and wrote off the ways He works in my life daily. So today I sat. I put away all of my media, closed my door and rested with Him in the silence of my room.

This is my confession, of how I’ve neglected the One deserving of all my time. It is my submission, to acknowledge my broken state in need of Him. It is my encouragement, that God gives us unlimited chances, even when we fall away from him.

Today, I am learning.

A Day In the City

One of the perks of going to school in New York instead of staying in Pennsylvania is that all of my Bing friends live in different areas. Ok, maybe that’s not totally fun over breaks, butttttttt it means I can go visit them! And well that sounds just dandy to me. This past Wednesday I had the opportunity to do just that, I went to NYC for the day to meet up with some of my favorite ladies. Granted, I’ve been there a handful of times before, but it was so much fun to go with people who actually knew their way around!

We started the day with some dim sum. Let me tell you about that experience…it was quite hectic. The restaurant was packed and everything happened so fast-paced. Before I knew it we had dishes of food on our table (none of which I could pronounce of course) The food was amazing though! I’ll have you know I tried chicken feet there…that was interesting. After dim sum, we headed over to the Met to be all cultured and such. I may or may not have giggled at a few scantly-clad statues. Next we made a cupcake stop at a small bakery. Fun fact: that was one of my only requests of what I wanted to do in the city. I’m only slightly obsessed with those suckers. We made a pit stop at H&M for some shopping and then ended our day in Central Park.

After two train rides, three subway trips, and blocks of walking, I was definitely pooped that night when I got home. But, it was a blast! I am so happy I got to spend a girl's day in the city, and I cannot wait to do it again!

This One’s for the Girls

No, I’m not alluding to the Martina McBride song…but you are quite welcome, as I’m sure that song is stuck in your head now. I’m referring to some of the lovely ladies God hes placed in my life.

I just came home from my friend Kristen’s house where I spent the night with my closest girl friends. These ladies have been there for me for years, and I love how our friendship has only grown as we’ve matured. I am blessed by the sweet bond we share. We spent the night catching up, eating wayyyy to much food, and just enjoying each other’s company. These girls are great. One moment we can be having the most awkward conversation ever, and then segway seamlessly into the ways we see God challenging us to pursue Him. They are all truly an encouragement for me as I grow closer to Him. Although I didn’t take any photos last night, here are a few pictures of us from the past. As you can see, their beauty is real…both inside and out. Oh gracious I love these ladies!

 

 
(as you can see, we are big fans of tradition…every winter we look at Christmas lights together & every summer we have a Melting Pot date)

I also had my first blog date on Thursday! I first found Samantha from Today I Am over the summer (she was my first follower!) and after talking Samantha for months now, we finally sat down and had a Skype date. It was crazy because I wasn’t nervous at all about Skyping her…I just feel like I’ve gotten to her so well through her blog, emails, and letters. I was definitely excited to talk “in person.” Oh mylanta was it a blast! We literally talked for over two hours (and probably could have gone on longer!) We discussed about school and our futures, laughed a whole bunch, and even discussed accents…it was wonderful. My favorite part of all is that we prayed together at the end. Samantha has the sweetest heart, and such a passion for God. I left our conversation encouraged and overjoyed at the time we spent together. It is truly amazing how God can use this blogging community bring two girls that live almost 11 hours apart together! I am so thankful for this new friendship we are building.

So today, my heart is so full. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the friendships God has placed in my life. Whether it is with the girls who have been there for years, or someone I’ve just known a few months, He has placed such encouraging women in my life that I am so glad to call my friends. There is truly nothing like good quality girl time that is rooted in Him!