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Thursday, November 30, 2006
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Keys...
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The key to my heart is with the words that you speak. If you say the right words you may just unlock what's really in my heart. 
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posted by Samantha Louise
3:35 PM
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hi samantha! how are you doing? nice blog.. i'll try my keys maybe if it might fit.. :)
may i know your email?
im wilard.
johnyob@hotmail.com
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Wednesday, November 29, 2006
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Adventure...
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 As a child the adventure would always be in my heart. Each morning that I would wake up I would be excited to think what adventure my imagination could conceive. I would open my eyes slowly, hoping and wishing that perhaps I was in a far away place. Only to be disappointed with the familiar blue walls of my room. Disappointment wouldn't remain long though, as I would quickly get ready for the day, open my front door, take in a deep breath, close my eyes, and step into a new world.
One day it could be the jungle.
The next it would be the Sahara desert.
At one stage my neighbour and I would be pirates searching for the hidden treasure, and we built a "ship" for our ocean. In other words, we nailed planks of wood onto a tree and pretended we were sailing the high waters.
However, there came a time in my life, one I would not forget, my imagination no longer had to run wild... because I walked into an environment where reality was the adventure. Memories that would never leave me.
My parents packed our suitcases and we were off to Fiji.
Whenever I hear the word "Fiji" I do not think of "honey moon" or "family holiday".. instead I can hear the sounds of laughter as a child, the smells I learnt to love, and I remember the excitment as I pretended to be "Island girl". It was a small island that my family chose to holiday on- but to me, it was greatness.
The barefoot adventures began. I would run away from the grip of my parents and roam the island, leaving the "holiday" spot and hiding behind villagers huts to see what I could find. One particular day I found a small island, a short 1km swimming distance from the current island that we were on.To me it seemed like bliss. It had a soft glow to it; it was heaven. I looked around me to see if anyone was watching, and once all was cleared, I quickly dived into the warm tropical water.
Fully clothed.
As soon as the water hit my body I felt the greatest sensation of being alive. The adventures that I always dreamt of were right in front of me. My heart pounded faster as I swam further away from the island we were occupying. Each time I took another arm stroke in the water I felt as though I was leaving a life behind and about to begin a new one. Even the fish that were touching my body could not deter me from my greatest moment of escape.
At last I reached my destination. I clammbered out of the water and rested on the sands shore. The beauty around me was breath taking. To me, I felt that this was the reason why I was alive, why I existed. Looking around I found giant sized sea-shells, an array of colours. I looked up at the coco-nut trees a nd the fallen coco-nuts resting on the islands grass. It was moments like these that I wished I had paid attention when the Fijian boy was trying to teach me how to crack open a coco-nut. I picked it up and tried to pift it away. That's when the hut to my right caught my eye... I crawled over to a near-by plant and hid, and I realised I was sitting on the island where the resort workers would live. Licking my salty lips and brushing the hair away from my eyes I began to form a plan that would be the beginning of a changed life. Confidently I stood up and took one bold step towards the hut. This was it. This was the moment I had been waiting for. Marching towards the hut I rehearsed what I would say, a smile began to part on my lips.
"Bula!" I exclaimed, as a Fijian teenager opened the door. His pearly white teeth shone in the sun as he greeted me. It must have been the teeth because suddenly I was full of nerves and began to stutter.
"Uh.. uh.. hi... so, you see.. I was just in the area..."
He looks at me as though I was some crazed lunatic. Looking back I figured it must be strange to open your huts door to a nine year old white girl.
I couldn't finish my sentence... I wanted to so badly. I wanted to blurt out that I was going to move in with them, that I felt that I should live on this island and become a Fijian like the rest of them. But as I met my destiny face to face I realised the stupidity of my thinking.
Immediately I dashed away, dived back into the tropical ocean and swam back to my "holiday" island. Swam back to my family. Swam back to my life in Australia. My heart dying, adventure leaving, thoughts telling me that I was "stupid".
Childhood imaginations and adventures left me that day.
Yet now, as I'm maturing into a woman, I can see how God never let the 'adventure' leave my heart. The adventure is still in me.
But now I live my adventures for God. |
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posted by Samantha Louise
11:24 PM
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Wow! And doesn't life make a whole lot more sense when we live for Him and not for us!
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Tuesday, November 28, 2006
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Not giving up...
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I'm at a place in my life where I know that I need God. That if I try and do this thing called life on my own, I would fail. Fall to a heap. Crumble.
Today at work I went for a walk to clear my head. The events of the days are cluttering my mind. It's difficult to focus. I was walking along and my heart was crying out to God. The familiar voice of God began to encourage my spirit. Each step I took I could feel the strength of God infililng me. He spoke. And it was powerful. The spoken Word of God can change a man in an instant. God's first words were to create, not to communicate. God created in my spirit today a sense of encouragement, He lifted me up, reminded me I was called to be a warrior.
"If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us. As it is, there's not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we're not much to look at.
We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus' sake, which makes Jesus' life all the more evident in us. While we're going through the worst, you're getting in on the best!
We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, "I believed it, so I said it," we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God's glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!
So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. " (2 Corinthians 4:7-18 The Message)
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posted by Samantha Louise
3:35 PM
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hi Louise, if that's your real name :) nice blog!
So what's going on? first a myspace page, now a blog. I think you're turning into a bit of a geek :)
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Worth it?
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I would be lying if I said it was easy. It wasn't easy. My body is exhausted, my emotions are running high and spiritually I feel dry. But I will push on. You know that it is worth it when the 12-year old girl grabs you by the arm, tears in her eyes and says "It is because of you that I know God..."
Or when the young 14 year old who has had a hard heart all year, never responds to anything, holds onto you crying as you tell her that God will be her father, that although she never had a father, He will be her Father and He will love her as His daughter. You know it's worth it when the man of God, who the whole world is praying for, steps onto the platform and encourages us to "Keep on standing".. declaring these words as he pushes past all physical sickness, you watch as something switches in your young people and the lights come on that now is the time to stand, now is the time to fight for their friends. The fight was hard, lack of sleep didn't help, muscles are sore and tired... but gosh, it was worth it.
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posted by Samantha Louise
11:46 AM
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Friday, November 24, 2006
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Battle field..
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It's time to step out into the battle field.
My heart is pounding fast, my palms are sweaty- I know that the next few days of war will be significant.
Am I ready? I don't feel ready. But since when do we base such importance on feelings... ?
My sword has been sharpened and polished. It glistens in the sun. I'm ready to use it as a form of attack against the enemy. My helmet is firmly on my head, ready to take captive of any thought that comes against me. I have my shoes on, my battle shoes! Ready to walk into any situation, to change the atmosphere, to carry peace. I have my breastplate on and belt fastened around me. Yes, I am ready. The King has prepared this armour especially for me, how could I not be ready?
The weekend is going to be powerful. Slaying demons, in my King's name. Seeing bondages broken, in my King's name. Releasing captives from prison, in my King's NAME. And seeing these freed people step into all that God has for them.
It's time to go to war.
It's time to go to youth camp.Labels: Used by God, Young People |
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posted by Samantha Louise
10:07 AM
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Thursday, November 23, 2006
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Green-eyed-dirty-blonde-haired girl
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It's the green eyes that got me. Freckles on face. Dirty blonde hair. Smirk on face. Clenched fists.
She was small in stature but tough in heart. Walls around. Cold stares. She had a world that refused to let anyone in.
Yet, there was something about her.
I watched her across the school yard as she pushed a peer. Laughed at her. And tried to pour noodles down the young girls back.
Yes, this green-eyed-dirty-blonde-haired 13 year old; she was a character.
I say, HI. She says, BYE.
The following week...
I say, HI. She says, GET LOST.
Another week goes bye...
I say, HI. She says, I TOLD YOU TO GET LOST.
A breakthrough in this pattern was needed. So I did only what I knew how. I got on my knees and I prayed. All week I prayed for green-eyed-dirty-blonde-haired 13 year old. Cried for her. Fought for her.
A week later...
I say, HI. She says, Hey... been looking for you.
I look at green-eyed-dirty-blonde-haired 13 year old and smile. She sits down and stares back at me, sadness in her big green eyes.
I say, You've had a tough week haven't you?
She says, How'd you know?
I say, I prayed for you.
She says, You prayed for me?
I say, Yes ofcourse I prayed for you I care about you.
She says, Nobody ever cares about me.
I say, God does.
Two months on and we come to yesterday.
Green-eyed-dirty-blonde-haired 13 year old skips up to me, big smile on face, green eyes shining life.
She says, HI.
I say, Hey... been looking for you.
She says, You been praying for me?
I say, Always.
She says, I started praying this week.
I say, You did?
She says, Yes... you inspired me. You cared for me. Now I want to pray. I want to know God.
Labels: Used by God, Young People |
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posted by Samantha Louise
3:26 PM
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here we go.. your first comment.
Wow to this! I'm part of the youth team at my church and it's encouraging to see how much being you, being nice to kids can make a difference.
(and it'd be a good idea to enable 'non-blogspot' comments and turn on word verification so you don't get spammed) :)
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Awesome testimony! Thanks so much for sharing what a good spur!
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World of blogging...
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Years ago I embarked on an adventure at Opendiary.com ...
After a fall in which I choose not to remember, I promised myself that online journaling would never be an option.
Yet, once again I have fallen prey to this online world and I have succumbed to the temptation of what we will call blogging.
And the journey begins...Labels: blogging |
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posted by Samantha Louise
12:31 PM
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hi samantha! how are you doing? nice blog.. i'll try my keys maybe if it might fit.. :)
may i know your email?
im wilard.
johnyob@hotmail.com