The Sacred Claim

Check this Video out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX1iDtsAMHE

The Wife of Noble Character

A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her

And lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm,

All the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax

And works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships,

Bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still dark;

She provides food for her family

And portions for her servant girls.

She considers a field and buys it;

Out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She sets about her work vigorously;

Her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable,

And her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff

And grasps the spindle with her fingers.

She opens her arms to the poor

And extends her hands to the needy.

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

For all of them are clothed in scarlet.

She makes coverings for her bed;

She is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Her husband is respected at the city gate,

Where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them,

And supplies the merchants with sashes.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

She can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,

And faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;

Her husband also, and he praises her:

“Many women do noble things,

But you surpass them all.”

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

But a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her the reward she has earned,

And let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

PROVERBS 31:10-31

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God intended us to carry his image to the world as women, through our feminine hearts, as women who are glorious, fierce, strong, tender, and beautiful.

In every fiber that makes up the fabric of our faith we are tempted to doubt God rather than believe that his heart is good, that his heart is for us.


Oswald Chambers

Don't let your mind become the 'devil's playground'.

If our hopes are being disappointed just now, it means that they are being purified. . .One of the greatest strains in life is the strain of waiting for God.

The meaning of prayer is that we get hold of God, not of the answer.

You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.

It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him.

The proof that we have the vision is that we are reaching out for more than we have grasped. It is a bad thing to be satisfied spiritually.

[a real woman]

…is glad she’s a woman and rejoices in her femininity, expressing it through her attitude, appearance and bearing. (1 Timothy 2:9-10)

…does not wallow in self-pity or make a habit of voicing complaints, but radiates cheerfulness and joy. (Proverbs 15:15, Proverbs 17:22)

…appreciates her father’s protection, and respects and submits to his authority. In so doing, she is preparing herself to exercise the Biblical role in her relationship with a possible future husband. (Ephesians 5:33-6:3, 1 Peter 3:1-2)

…is trustworthy and gains the respect of those around her. (Proverbs 31:11)

…restrains herself from listening to, or participating in gossip, but instead speaks with wisdom and discretion. (Proverbs 11:12-13, 22, 20:19, 3:11)

…encourages and builds up those around her instead of criticizing and tearing them down. (1 Thessalonians 5:11, Ephesians 4:29)

…seeks to make God her number one desire and the Lover of her soul, knowing that only He can fully satisfy. (Psalm 73:25, Psalm 63:1)

…uses her years of singleness to seek and serve God without distraction, and is content to leave the details of her future to Him. (Psalm 73:25, Philippians 4:11)

…does not relate to members of the opposite sex in a flirtatious or forward manner, but instead saves all her passion for her future husband. (Thessalonians 4:3-8, Proverbs 6:25, 1 Corinthians 7:1)

…holds her virginity before marriage sacred and will not compromise it for anything.(1 Timothy 5:22)

longing for more

"My heart cries out for more than just enough...

to escape a fiery hell.
to be saved from God's wrath.
to call myself a Christian.
to manage my guilt.
to get a ticket to heaven.
to squeak through heaven's gate.

I long for more than just the bare minimum God has to offer.
I long for more than what the average Christian seems to settle for.

I long for everything God wants to give me."

...:::authenticity:::...

After making many scrapbooking and crafty projects, I decided to take a bit of a turn and try something new. I've never made jewelry in my whole entire life, and looked at many pictures to get an idea of how jewelry is made- especially necklaces and earrings. So I would have to say that I did pretty well on my first necklace, pictured below. I know the wiring and loops aren't perfect...but what is the fun and vintage feel about a necklace being perfect? I think it is gorgeous though, and is definitely my style. I will keep practicing and learning new tricks while buying new stashes of beads, supplies, etc.

This is my new line from my.creations; introducing "authenticity".

{new products}

Wooden blocks made from old wood scraps transformed into home decor.

[Old Hymnal pages; decoupage; glue; pearls; 3-D letters; sand paper]

[glue; scrapbooking paper; sand paper; decoupage; snow glitter; flowers; buttons; letters; yarn scraps]

[glue; 1907 music pages; vintage fabric; vintage buttons; gold and black chalk; pearls; decoupage; letters]

**All available @ http://amandalarsen7.etsy.com

...:::'he chooses, calls, and picks':::...

"O Great God who chooses me
Who calls to me and picks me
Who looks past all of the things that others see
Those things that cause them to pass me by.
O Great God who chooses me
Who calls to me and picks me
Even when I am running from you
Even when I am hiding from you
Even when I dont want to be found.

O Great God who chooses me
Who calls to me and picks me
Who invites me into the work of eternity
after I have turned away yet again
Who comes to me after i have messed up yet again.
O Great God who chooses me
Even after i have chosen my will over yours.

I come knowing full well that I will still fun sometimes
Knowing in my heart of hearts that i am not
strong enough
or patient enough
or brave enough
or confident enough
to continue to go where you are leading
But knowing that-beyond all reason-
You are the great God who chooses me
Who calls to me and picks me
And right now, in this moment I lift my life to you in worship and in praise.

O Great God who chooses me
Who calls to me and picks me
Today I choose YOU."

///preparation///

I'm going to Africa! Yet, it still feels like a faded dream in the future that will never get here. But as I have looked at my Christmas Break and everything else, time goes so fast. I've been thinking and pondering about what will all go on next summer and everything that I will get to experience. I've been getting to know my teammates more and more through our blogs which is really exciting and makes me feel so anxious to go! I really hope we all connect well. I would assume that because of what we're doing- the Lord's work, that we will become like sisters and brothers in a flash. And I hope and pray this is what happens.

As I have read all our expectations of what we want to happen as a result of this missions trip, I realize that we are all connected even though we are complete strangers. It fascinates me extraordinarily of how God prepares many hearts for one goal- one mission. It's absolutely amazing and it has completely taken over my mind. As for me, I want to be completely broken through all my pride and selfishness and rebuilt and made new through my teammates and the Swazi people. I hope God uses- wait, I know God will use us. I hope we will make a difference and make a big impact on each other.

It's even still really hard to explain myself of what I desire in such an experience. So if I dont make sense, give me a break! :D