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You are here: Home / Archives for spiritual stuff

spiritual stuff

Thankful Thursday

November 8, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

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  • I’m actually thankful for the time change this week and that I’m up at 7:10 and that gives me time to have a devotional in the morning and actually get clothes and makeup on before I take the kids to school.
  • I’m thankful God was able to use our guest speaker this week who lost several friends as a teenager to comfort our youth last night who lost a friend in an accident this weekend.  That’s not a coincidence.
  • I’m thankful for my girls this week as one turned another year older and one will in a few weeks.
  • I’m thankful for my job and the ability to stay home with the girls.
  • I’m thankful God is moving people in our youth council.  Not to say I’m ecstatic a couple is gone.  I’m just thankful that means He’s preparing us for the right people to do some great things.

Today, as I did last week, I just feel that "life is good".  And it feels great.

Filed Under: blog stuff, spiritual stuff

Results of tonight’s meeting

October 26, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

Can I just say that tonight was nothing short of miraculous?  I mean, really.  We had our youth council meeting tonight that I was literally crying over  Wednesday because I was so nervous about it.  Phone calls and emails and conversations were flying everywhere all week about it.  But let me tell you, God was all over tonight and there was such a sweet spirit among us that I would have never guessed could happen. 

Last night as I was praying about this, I just felt God calling us to be compassionate.  I started looking up verses about compassion and I found this verse in Nehemiah 9:17 But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. and just felt it was what we needed….being gracious towards them, compassionate and slow to anger.  And it happened tonight.  All of our anger was gone.  We were gracious and compassionate towards one another.  We didn’t point fingers and slam each other for past wrongs.  Yes, we did admit and talk about that things had gone wrong.  We didn’t gloss over the fact we had issues.  And I wouldn’t even say we started with a clean slate and forgot about the past.  I think we built on the past.  We realized where we had gotten and how but because we all looked to God to heal this, I think he changed our own hearts and not each other to see each other in a different light.  I think we all just wanted to not put our differences aside but bring them to the front and deal with them. 

I can honestly say I feel free walking out of that meeting.  No sideward glances.  No rolling eyes.  No beating heart.  No anger.  No hurt.  No distrust.  Will it always be this way?  Not if we work together long enough.  But I really think we have realized if we get knocked down, we can get back up again.  Just like Toby Mac talked about in that video I posted a few days ago.  We’re going to disagree.  Over and over and over again.  But the true test of a friendship or team is can it make it past that?  Somehow tonight we did. 

Everyone could sense the tension was gone and we had a great time.  We talked about the youth and laughed about who was dating who and shared who was struggling and then all of the sudden, we had something in common. The youth.  That’s what we’re there for.  To lead young people towards Christ and help them live that out.  We all have a part and we need everyone. 

I was dreading tonight but I know God worked a miracle in our hearts tonight.  We do have a rocky past and that will never, ever change now but I can say for right now, we are united.

Filed Under: spiritual stuff, youth group

Not a great day

October 24, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

This afternoon particularly was rough for me.  There’s been another meeting scheduled with our youth council for this Friday and I started completely stressing about it.  By the time Scott got home right before 5, he found me in a pool of tears on our bed.  Not a great welcoming back home.  But I say that to say this.  God answers prayers.  I’ve been so hopeless with our situation and all of the leaders being able to get along and I just have been begging God to show us the right thing to do.  I don’t know if I have my permanent answer but for today, right now, a weight was lifted off.  I don’t feel the anger, stress and worry that I felt this afternoon and it is many thanks to our pastor that showed this video during his guest-speaking sermon tonight in youth group.  But more than that, many thanks to God for giving me what I needed when I needed it.  I have no idea what Friday will bring but at least I’m going into it with the proper attitude.

If you know anything about Contemporary Christian music in the past 15 years or so, I’m sure you’ve heard of dc Talk or Toby Mac.  This video features dc Talk members Michael and Toby talking about their friendship.  It spoke volumes to me about our youth council and that there’s hope.

The video is kinda long at 10 minutes so if you don’t want to watch it, the best part is the last minute or two of Toby talking.

P.S. Kevin and Toby are still HOT!

 

Technorati Tags: Toby Mac , Michael Tait , dc Talk , friendship

Filed Under: spiritual stuff, what i did today, youth group

Small voice

October 15, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

The Holy Spirit speaks in a very quiet voice.  Sometimes I hear him ask me to do seemingly important things and others seem small and insignificant.  Today was one of those small things but it made my life easier. 

I got both the kids dressed and ready for school and Scott was helping them get strapped in.  I sat down in the car and all I could “hear” was “Go check the girls’ calendars!”  I was thinking, oh, who cares if they were supposed to wear green today, I already have them dressed.  But His voice was insistent so I said to Scott, “Hang on, let me check their calendars so I can see if I’m supposed to bring anything today.”  I ran in and guess what the calendar said?  “No school today.  Teacher workday.” 

Filed Under: spiritual stuff

The way, the truth and the life

October 5, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

For some reason, I can’t get this verse out of my head.  I’ve been thinking of illustrations I could use to explain it, Powerpoints to use, drawings to draw, clipart to use but nothing yet has settled in my mind. 

But the thing I keep thinking about is the “the” part of that verse.  In English the word “the” means one.  Yes, pretty basic English there I’m sharing.  But Christ is reiterating the fact that He is THE way.  THE truth.  THE life.  He’s not a way to get to God.  He’s not a truth of the universe.  He’s not a little bit of life.  He’s it.  He’s the I AM.

When someone starts talking about their religious beliefs or their inner strength, all I can think of is this verse.  His words echo in my head, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”  He’s not just what I’ve chosen.  His words are not arbitrary ones that I’ve picked to believe.  He’s not one of the ways I find life.  He’s not just mine.  He is THE way. THE truth.  THE life.

Filed Under: spiritual stuff

Looking for a little peace?

September 30, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

Last night Scott and I had to get ready for Sunday School and youth bible study tonight.  I normally teach Sunday School but was really tired last night and not up to studying.  I asked Scott to do Sunday School and he said sure as long as I did the bible study.  No other leaders were going to be there so it was up to us.  Fine, that gave me another afternoon to prepare.  Lately we’ve been using the Youth Link song sermons.  I stopped by the youth room this morning to look through the book and pick a CD to take home.  I mentioned hearing the song East to West last week on the way home and was pleasantly surprised to see this song as one of my options. I barely looked to see how the lesson was laid out and took it home.  Honestly, I didn’t think the lesson did justice to the song and taking what’s been on my heart lately and tying in what our speaker from Wednesday spoke about, I came up with my own thing.  I’d like to share it but it’s going to be long…it took about 45 minutes to get through.  So if you’re up for it…read on.

[Read more…] about Looking for a little peace?

Filed Under: spiritual stuff, youth group

Thankful Thursday

September 27, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

I can’t seem to pass up doing this one as I have so much to be thankful for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • I’m thankful for good friends. I was reminded again on Tuesday night at that lovely 3. hour. Pampered Chef part at D’s house how much I love that girl.
  • I’m thankful for God’s provision once again as my FIL had successful surgery on Tuesday morning on his knee.
  • I’m thankful for God’s providence and peace in a situation like this.  I’ve been praying all week for them and it just breaks my heart.  The baby had the same condition J&J’s baby did last year.  They are clinging like crazy to God and I’m just glad they have Him for that.
  • As much as I complained this week, I AM thankful for what a wonderful job I have.  I get paid well, stay at home with my kids, work part-time and have great benefits.  Can’t ask for more really.
  • I’m thankful for other Christians who have the same goal as me–to actually follow Christ.  From a pastor who shared from his heart to a youth member willing to take care of the little things to one willing to share secrets on saving money at the grocery store.

It always seems like I could keep going on and I love the reminder how blessed I am!

Filed Under: blog stuff, spiritual stuff

Go!

September 24, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

Yesterday we had a guest speaker at church.  He was a director of missions from some county in NC.  He was a fantastic speaker.  He kept your attention, had good stuff to say and was quite entertaining.  I know that probably shouldn’t be on “the list” of what makes a good pastor, but it helped either way.  I wanted to share the four games he said people play in church and then the four things that people can do after they quit playing games that will make a great church.

Game #1 – Blame game.  It’s always someone else’s fault when something doesn’t go right. 

Game #2 – Excuses game.  We always have an excuse.

Game #3 – Power game.  It was almost funny when he said this, you could hear the oh’s coming from people across our congregation.  This one stabbed us in the heart.  That is one of the main problems in our church.  Someone gets put at the head of the committee and they say “It’s mine.  mine. mine. mine!” in a four year old voice.  That was funny when he said it, but honest to God, that’s the way people act.

Game #4 –  Procrastination – I’ll get saved…tomorrow.  I’ll go visit them..tomorrow.  I’ll start reading my Bible…tomorrow.  We all know how that one goes.

And once you give these games up…you should take these steps taken from Matthew 9:35-37:

#1 Go!  – Jesus went and never stopped.  He got out and talked to and touched the people that no one else would.

#2 See! – When you go, you start seeing and you can’t see until you go.  When you start seeing people, you start seeing the needs of people.

#3 Compassion – When you go and see people in need, you automatically develop compassion for them.  Anyone that has been on a missions trip can attest to this.  There’s no way to describe that feeling of what you see when you went. 

#4 Pray – When you go and see the needs of people and develop this compassion for them, you will pray.  Pray like you never have before.  And prayer moves mountains.  He fills needs and moves other people to go!

This was a very condensed version of his sermon…unfortunately none of the funny stuff included, but it really touched me yesterday.  I have all these grand plans in my head and yet I procrastinate and never go.

Filed Under: spiritual stuff

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Hey! I'm so glad you're here. I'm Amy, working mom of 3 in the Southern suburbs. I love Jesus, my family, books, chocolate and coffee. I write about faith, parenting, adoption, marriage, fashion, and design. Read more here

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