Missions and Prayer

{photos I've collected for my missions prayer board so far...}

Missions and prayer have been heavy on my heart lately. This summer I’ve made it a priority to spend time in prayer consistently. I’ve been challenged to truly commit to praying for those I’ve told I’ll pray for and for those whom God places on my heart. I want for people to know that when I say I will pray for them they can count on me to intercede on their behalf.

I've been thinking a lot about my personal friends living overseas. These thoughts spiraled into thoughts of my own desire to teach overseas one day…a dream that is wedged deep in my heart. Those thoughts led me to think about missionaries around the world. The believers who are sharing the Gospel in nations around the globe in a multitude of ways. I’m so thankful I come from a church that is heavily missions minded and I’ve had the privilege to hear stories upon stories from missionaries over the last few years. They always stir my heart!

Since I can’t physically go overseas at this time, I want to actively be lifting up missionaries around the world and the nations that they are laboring in. In order to be intentional about this, I’ve gone through my planner and assigned every week until the end of the year a specific country. Each week, I’m going to commit to praying for that country. The nation. The people. The missionaries living in that country. Etc.

This week I’m praying for Japan…a few facts about the nation:

-Population is around 126 million

-Nearly 80% live in cities; around one-fourth of the population lives in or around Tokyo

-Religions: 84% are Buddhist/Shinto/New Religions; 15% are Non-religious; 1% are Christian

-About 70% of churches have an average attendance of less than 30 people

-Much of the nation remains unresponsive to the Gospel…many want to worship the way that their ancestors have for ages

There is so much more to this country than just cherry blossoms and Mt. Fuji. I’m lifting up this nation to the Lord this week. There are not any restrictions to witnessing or preaching the Gospel in Japan! The doors are wide open for ministry and I’m praying for a vibrant and biblical church to rise up.

Are you interested in hearing about the countries that I’m praying for each week or even joining me? If so, I would love to share from now on!

Encouragement

I’ve only been blogging for two months, but I’ve grown to love this creative outlet. I love having a space to write and share pieces of my heart. I love sharing snapshots of my life. I love knowing that I’ll be able to look back to see how I’ve grown and changed. But, what I’ve come to love most is the community of women I’ve been able to connect with. I’ve been so encouraged by other young women who share parts of their heart and life as they follow hard after Jesus. Although we haven’t met in person, their stories have spurred me on. Whether it has been through sweet messages or exchanged emails, friendships have developed. I know we would talk for hours if I were able to meet one of these ladies for coffee one day…

I want to share the blogs of a few ladies who have been such an encouragement to me this summer with the hope that you’ll be uplifted as well.

I want to start with Katie from Hope Engaged…



This girl is incredible! I’ve been SO encouraged and challenged by Katie. She radiates joy and the love of Christ through her blog! Her love for the Lord and people is genuine and I always look forward to her posts to see what she will share. I hope that you’ll head over to Katie’s blog and spend time reading through her posts! I promise you won’t be disappointed. Also, be sure to read her love story…I can see God’s hand on every detail and it reminds me that the beauty of God scripted love stories is unsurpassed. Just another reminder to wait on God!

Next is Tiffany from The Wandering Theologian…



Tiffany and I have exchanged emails consistently over the course of the summer and I’ve loved developing a sweet friendship with her. She recently graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and is days away from moving overseas for a year to teach English. Such an exciting journey! If you want to know more about her journey, you’ll have to hop on over to her blog and say hello.

Then there is Jenna from Dearest Love…



Jenna is a young second grade teacher living in Atlanta. Her blog is full of inspiration and all things lovely. She has encouraged me in many ways through uplifting blog comments and messages we’ve exchanged here and there. Jenna has a tender heart for the Lord and that shows through her posts in an honest and vulnerable way. One of my favorite posts was her reflection of her first year teaching. I encourage you to not only read that post, but to explore her other posts! I guarantee that her blog will become a daily read of yours as well.

Next is Natalie from Heart Stirrings…



Natalie is a girl after my own heart and I know we must be kindred spirits. Not only is she an education major, coffee addict, Gilmore girls and book lover, but she is after the Father’s heart. Her posts are always founded on Biblical truth and point to the Gospel while covering modern issues. She’s also really funny and her posts have caused me to laugh out loud. Natalie was one of my first blog friends and I couldn’t recommend her blog more!

Finally, Allie from Sequins & Faith…



Allie currently lives in Canada, but is getting ready to move to Australia to attend Hillsong College. What an adventure that will be! Allie is an incredibly photographer and has a gift for writing. I soak up the wisdom she shares in her posts and she radiates Jesus. She has a way of communicating her heart through her writing in such a unique way. Her perspective on issues is really neat. I would recommend that you take time to discover her blog! It won’t be time wasted as her words always point back to the Father.

There are other ladies who have blessed me that I did not highlight above. I simply wanted to point you in the direction of a few godly women whose stories and passions have resonated with me.

Let's Get To Know Each Other

I discovered a new blog, Create Like Crazy, this morning and snagged the idea for this post from her. She created a list of random facts about herself to use as an atypical "about me." I loved what she shared and was inspired to create my own list...

1. I have a habit of reading the last page of a book early on.

2. I'd rather go to the mountains than the beach.

3. I can never settle on what my "dream" grade level to teach is. Just when I fall in love with the little ones (K-2nd), I develop a love for the older kids (4th/5th).

4. Only two books have made me cry; Redeeming Love and A Thousand Splendid Suns.

5. I've kept a journal consistently for the past three years.

6. I write letters to my future husband that I'll give to him once we're married.

7. A large majority of my clothes are from thrift stores.

8. Peanut butter M&M's are my downfall.

9. Driving with the windows down while singing along to my favorite songs is a stress reliever for me.

10. Tulips are my favorite flower, but gardenias are a close second because of their smell.

11. I could listen to (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding over and over.

12. I truly don't know what I would major in if I weren't pursuing elementary education. I'm a huge (future) teacher nerd.

13. I lived in Tallahassee until I moved away for college. I don't ever plan to move back.

14. I blog stalked for two years before I started my own. I've grown to love this creative outlet and community of women I've "met."

15. I love my middle name, Grey. I wish I had never stopped being called Samantha Grey when I was seven or eight.

So, there you have it...a hodge podge of random facts about me. If you decide to make your own list please share it with me!

Candid Moments

I was looking through the photos I have saved on my computed and I realized that I have lots of candid photos. These moments make me smile and flood my mind with memories of the moment they were captured. Some are as recent as this summer while others date back to my sophomore year of high school. I hope you enjoy these!

This was taken on my 16th birthday! My birthday was during the same week as youth camp and I was thrown a surprise party after service that night. It was completely unexpected and I promise you that I was much happier than I look!

I know this looks posed, but I assure you that it's not. I don't have the slightest idea how we all managed to have these faces...I'm in the middle on the bottom (if you couldn't tell).

This one is posed...it's the picture that we were aiming to get above. I only included it to show that the picture before was indeed a candid. 

I can't help but laugh at how crazy I look in this one! I was having a little too much fun in a bounce house when this photo was captured.

This one was taken during a lunch period...it was either 11th or 12th grade. I love all the different facial expressions.

During a field trip to Skate World, I let one of my second graders hold my camera for a while. She captured this one of me and three of my sweet girls skating around the rink.

I ADORE this picture. One of the best parts about my externship was the friendship I developed with the student teacher, Joy. We forged a friendship during the time we spent together with our class of second graders and we still talk today! This photo was snapped during her goodbye party and it's completely candid. It looks staged, but it's not. (Side note: Joy teaches middle school in La Paz, Bolivia now and you can check out her blog here.)

This was taken during a picnic last fall at the start of my freshman year in college. It was a gorgeous day spent with new friends...I'm the one in the red dress.

Earlier this summer, I went thrift shopping with my parents. At one store, I found my dad dozing off in a recliner...I guess we went to one too many stores for him! As soon as I was about to snap the photo, one of his eyes opened. Stinker!

Oh, my mom makes me laugh! We went to Dollywood earlier this summer and she attempted to entertain me as we waited in line. In result, I captured this.

I already shared these photos here, but I just wanted to share this one again. It's purely candid and makes me smile at how silly we look!

These were taken the same night as these. My mom had control of my camera and many candids were taken. These two make me laugh because of how goofy I look and I can't remember at all what I was trying to explain to her. I was very intent though!


Practicalities and Promises

Last night a thunderstorm swept through my area. As evening closed in the rain steadily started to pour. The lightening lit up the sky and the thunder seemed to shake the earth. I grabbed a throw blanket and went out to sit in one of the rocking chairs on the front porch to listen to the rain. It was dark (well, in between lightening strikes) and chilly.

As I sat there, my mind started to race with anxiousness. I go back to school in two weeks and I need a job. I've started to fill out applications and I’ve let my worries trample my faith. It’s difficult enough finding a job in this economy, let alone in a college town. I’ve spent too much time this week worrying about if I’ll be able to land a job. I realize how trivial this is compared to what other people are facing and I’m so thankful that I don’t have a husband or children dependent on me. I have very supportive parents, but the fact is I need a job and this waiting period is hard.

I decided to spend time in the Word and I opened up to the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:38-44).

“Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

Jesus commanded that the stone covering the tomb entrance be removed…Jesus had no doubt that He would raise Lazarus from the dead. What stuck out to me was Martha’s response to the Lord. Instead of doing what He said, she rambled on about how rotten the tomb must smell. After all, Lazarus had been dead for four days already! Her response seemed logical, but she had forgotten what the Lord had promised. I was struck with this thought:

I diminish God’s promises when I become consumed with practicalities…believe in faith.

I’ve been doubting His promises by focusing on logistics! Some of my thoughts this week have been similar to these…”I won’t get hired anywhere.” “Why would they hire a young college girl without any experience?” “I won’t find a job that I enjoy.” “There are so many others seeking a job and I won’t stand out.”

Instead of trusting that God will provide, I’ve allowed practicalities to fill my mind with doubts. I don’t want to diminish His promises, so I’m changing my attitude from here on out. I refuse to let these toxic thoughts consume me!

I'm not sure what you're facing today, but I want to encourage you to have faith in His promises. Don't let the practicalities of how it will work out cloud your mind.