This has thus far been a very forgettable adventure so far.  I don't know how to put it best, but God and I have had a lot of struggling to do.  I have not been so great at spending time with the One who loves me most.  I mean, it hasn't been for awhile since I've posted.  I have to say I was still reading and doing devotionals until this past year I'd say.  I haven't been very dedicated.
And since I have not been dedicated I believe this world has put certain areas of my life on hold until I have a very good reason to move forward. 

In the Bible, there are several stories of people who have been at a stand still because of their lackluster relationship with God.  They and God had some things to deal with first, before they could make their destiny known to the world.  Elijah, Moses, Joseph, all of the Jews with Moses for that matter.  I mean there were many more!  Jonah. 

I do feel like I'm in the pit of a whale's belly right now.  Or stuck in the desert (dessert?) somewhere just waiting for direction. 

I need to begin reading again.  I just haven't made it a priority.  I have begun to make prayer a priority.  So that's a step right? I'm sure that soon my priorities will return roaring with a passionate desire to soar above all wordly things. 

So in the meantime, any prayers will help.  Immensely. 

Samson

This Sabbath was simply amazing! Could not have been a better time with God. I ended up focusing on Samson this past week. In Patriarchs and Prophets, Ellen White summarizes the story of Samson magnificently. She draws out multiple points that are insightful and timeless. I have always felt that if something is truly impressed by God than it should be able to transcend across generations of society.

So in this adventure, an Angel of God comes down to Samson's mother and informs her that she is to have a son. She is to eat healthy and only clean foods, she cannot drink, and when her son is born, she is not to cut his hair. Samson's future consisted of dedication to God and God was going to work through him to free the Israelites from the oppression of the Philistines.

When she told her husband, he was quite frankly itimidated by such a great responsibility and asked for clarification. The angel comes back and repeats what he said before and assures them that they will do good if they follow the guidlines of temprance and self control.

This made me think of the great responsibility people take on when they have children. God has called all of us to a special purpose in our life with Him. How scary it must be to new parents when they think of how long their child will live outside the protection of home! It must also be an intimidating task to think about the fact that how one raises a child at home affects their entire spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being for life!

I don't know about any of you, but that makes me think twice about whether I would be ready or not to do such a thing anytime soon!

A really cool thing that I noticed is how Ellen White impresses upon us the great importance of prenatal care! Back in Bible times, the human DNA was less effected by sin and one probebly could drink and do other things while pregnant and the child would be born physically normal and healthy. Physically! As for the child's chemical makes up, when one thinks of the gazillion things that need to function perfectly to be perfectly healthy and well, something slowly started to degenerate.

The reason we today are in such a 'weakened' state is because of the sinfulness of generations before us. It is no lie when Ellen White and the Bible tell us that our sins will be passed down to our children. Children inherit our habits, temperments, and capabilities. Children's chemical and genetic makeup also orginiates from us and choices that we make in regards to how we treat our own bodies. Crazy hey?!

Well, Samson comes. A healthy baby boy! How proud his parents are! Then harsh reality hits as Samson gets into the Adolecsnse phase of life.

He is passionatly lustful towards women. He hangs out so much with friends that Ellen White actually goes as far to say "HATE God". Little by little we find Samson comprimising himself to sin. The story progressivly turns from what should be exciting and glorifieying to God, to sad and depressing for Samson.

Samson loses his backbone and compromises his character. He marries a woman who is not the same faith. He makes several more passionately bad decisions and we find him finally hanging out with Delilah.

The Philistines, by this time, are thirsty for revenge and talk Delilah into finding out the secrets of Samson's strength. Well, we all know the rest of the story. Samson weakens his will to avoid mockery.

Side note for all you young people, if anyone says: "If you really loved me you would" Is not in love with you. LOVE has clear clear boundaries, and it does not involve lowering your values or compromising your character! People who really know how to LOVE have learned when to walk away and when to say no!

Back to the story. We now have a bald,blind, and weak Samson condemned to hard physical labor. What's amazing is the imagery behind this illustration! Samson's strength did not come from his hair, it came from his relationship and dedication to God. His long hair only REPRESENTED that relationship.

The symbolic answer that he gave to Delilah was: I lose my strength when I cut off my dedication to God. By telling her about his hair secret he was giving up the bond between him and God! So, when Samson turned from God, He had to leave. And thus went the strength.

Then the imagry about Samson blind, weak, and in bondage. How blind and weak we are when we submit ourselves into the prison of our sins! How badly God wants to deliver us from there! In fact, he never intended us to end up in that sad sad place! It's the choices we made that brought us there!

God followed and forgave Samson the whole way, until Samson did not want Him to anymore. It took that extreme turn in situations, plus some good time for Samson to renew his dedication to God! And when he did WOW!!! Samson killed more Philisteans through his death than he ever did in his life!

This led to to another realization. It doesn't have to do with killing people, but it does have something to do about death. I want to stretch myself far and say: Sometimes in our life we feel like we may not be making much of a difference in the lives of others....... However, I wouldn't be surprised if God uses our death to make the biggest impact in teh lives of others. He does not want to do that of coarse, it's actually the path we choose/chose as a race. Samson's life was supposed to be one of glory and exaltation to God! How different a path Samson chose.

The other point I learned is that God will always fufill His promise to use us, as long as we let Him. He never left Samson, even when Samson left Him. I bet during Samson's time in prison God was with him, just whispering. That blessed assurance that He will never leave us is sooo cool!

And lastly, my favorite point. We many a time mistake passion for a strong character. This is where we see sooo much hypocricy! One can be passionate about good things, but if we don't develope a good character our passions seep out to more negative areas of our lives. Most likely someone who is passionate about great things is also passionate about certain temptations! Beware!

Acting on passion alone leads us to satisfy our imediate needs all the time. I have found many people passionate about God, and they will come and preach a great sermon and then be gone faster than you blink! Yes, they can make an impact, but the character development that keeps that person around for awhile to follow through with leading people to Jesus is even more valuable!!

Like I was telling my boyfriend, who loves cars. Passion is the spark plug. One can have a million spark plugs and it will not get you anywhere unless you have the engine to connect it to!

And that's Samson. All summed up. I hope whoever reads this enjoys some of my insights, and at the very least decides to read Patriarchs and Prophets by Ellen G. White, along with the NIV Bible.

Have a wonderful week!

Sara Sue

The Plan of Redemption

You know how when one has lots and lots of things to do, they can find anything else to do except what they are supposed to? Well, I am guilty as charged when it comes to this. The events of these past few months have been indescribably overwhelming, so much so I have come to the point where I, at times, choose not to face this overwhelming reality! So many due dates. And I have to say, this job I get less appreciation than at the SNF. Sad really, but true. I work so hard for these kiddos only to get pushed around and snapped at by advocates and parents.

Shame really. But oh well. I guess I need to bring myself to the understanding that there are some things that I will never understand until I am a mom. And there are some people who don't care...sad to be said. But if everyone cared then there would be no need for advocates. It just gets hard to care when I am the one who does care...and get's blamed for 'not caring'.

Isn't that way with God though? I can't even count the number of times I have not appreciated Him in the way I should. I have snapped at Him. I have accused Him of not caring. He still keeps doing His job though. Doesn't quit. He hasn't quit on us since the beginning of time. Amazing.

I have not been successful in writing on this blog often. However, my success is reading this book and writing about it period...(or three in this matter)

I think I will work hard to step it up a notch after the summer. Chapter 4 "The Plan of Redemption" An interesting definition for the word 'Redeem'..I suggest you look it up in the Merrium-Webster dictionary. As I read down the definitions it shook me. God, Jesus, paid the price equal to my debt. The life of Jesus is equal to my debt in sin. Soul shaking.

All of Heaven's singing stopped. Only a still somber silence took its place. There seemed no hope for man kind, heavens' favorite creation. As woes from Heaven reached up to Jesus He felt 'infinite compassion'. "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it" an immeasurable amount!

Praise God for the plan of love. When it was presented to heaven no living creature could sing for joy. Ellen White even says that God the father struggled to make this sacrifice. All of heaven made the sacrifice. How powerful is that?! What a contrast Jesus was going to have to make. What a destiny!

I am most certainly going to write more on this chapter. But I want to say a few things here. Last week...Sunday around 1pm to be exact. A great friend of my brother's passed away after being in a motorcycle accident...

I have come to learn and appreciate this great sacrifice that all of heaven made on my behalf, your behalf, my brother's behalf, and Nate's behalf. Nate was a fun young guy. He and Erik had so much in common. How cruel that sin took him away 13 days after his 22nd birthday.

Was it supposed to be? Maybe..who knows? I am only happy that Love allowed Jesus to pay our dues so that we may find ourselves with Him happy again. I need to go to bed, and I have noticed that my writing is reflecting that.

So if you read this, catch up on Chapter 4 in Patriarchs and Prophets. I promise you will not be disappointed. And let's talk about it together. After all, that's what this blog is intended to start!

Continueing the journey...

Whomever believes that a spiritual walk can be easy is completely off base. At least that's what I've decided. I need more prayer in my life. I am feeling like reading this book is forcing me to comprehend things that I hardly understand or fathom. I have to say that it has led me through many emotions. One of which right now is frustration, just because after I read sometimes I am just thoroughly exhausted. Mentally speaking. Ellen White can have really complex sentences and thoughts sometimes. It can be difficult. However, I think my vocabulary is improving. And two, I think that I am actually developing more patience and better people skills. Who would have thought it would come from reading this most mornings. Not me. However, I really think it's just a little diet with God when I can.
'When I can..' is not where I want to be in my spiritual walk. This past week I prayed for God to wake me up. Just so I could read or pray. He woke me up around 2-3 am a few times. Sometimes He let me sleep. I have to say, last week was a difficult week.

Moving on...'The Temptation and the Fall. I think it is an interesting perspective that Ellen White suggests that Satan was moved by envy. The reason he wanted to see the human race fall was because deep down inside he recognized what he had lost and wanted us to be there with him. Never thought about it that way.

So Eve left Adams side. Lesson learned here, two are more powerful than one. I am learning the meaning of this two better than one lesson. Think about it. It's not that Eve left Adam's side. It's that when she left Adam's side she was able to wonder and ask the 'Why' questions about God's law in her head. A couple is supposed to be each others spiritual accountability partners. Not being cohesive spirtually as a couple actually impedes one's relationship with God!

She came upon a talking Serpent. Key word Eve talking... It said that had the fallen angel stood before her in reality she would have been terrified. However, the fact that a beautiful serpent was only talking actually excited and amused her.

Eve! Please! And thus, the challenge was presented to woman. "If God is so loving, as He says, then why won't He let you eat the fruit of this tree?" "Did you ever think it's because He wants to hold it over you? To always be above you?" "He does not want you to be above Him!"

Oh the jealousy in those very statements. Those words dripped with a clear venom that stung the heart of Eve. Her brain must have went numb. She ate the fruit. And she got Adam to eat the fruit.

Ellan White talks about how the devil leads us into sin by manipulating us to think that we are embarking on a new field of knowledge. This is officially THE oldest trick in his book...and it still works! I have friends who think that being part of the church is shallow minded...it's not 'deep'. Just as my friend who felt evolution being spoke into action by God was 'deep'. These other friends believe that filling their minds with 'new' experiences drugs, sex with multiple partners, or atheism is 'deep'. Following the doctrines and beliefs of a church is completely shallow. I know someone who once said the C.S. Lewis and his book "The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe" was a cliche and taboo story. It was boring and all who thought it was so great were disillusioned. A GREAT classic! Essentially a story pointing to the sacrifice and Crucifixion of Jesus! The war against evil! Good triumphing sin! How is that shallow? I have no idea...because I haven't embarked down that 'path of enlightenment'.

It's just like the Greek philosophers stating that the soul is separate from the body. That it doesn't matter what one does to the body as long as the soul is pure. Sound familiar still? There are many activities that lead us down that path of 'enlightenment'.
I really need to go to bed now. I think that God understands this is a very long chapter with many thoughts. I will blog more another time. I pray that someone out there is inspired to read more about this like I am. Who knows right? These days we all need more God in our lives.

Signing out and headed to dreamland!

Goodnight!
Sara Sue

So behind...

It has been so long that I have written. Work and life just catch up with me. I am slightly stressed all the time. I just want to relax and have fun. Doesn't seem to be much time for that even! I have been reading my book though. Not as faithfully as I should. I have been considering just giving up the idea all together. However, that would not be healthy for me spiritually. I guess the best I can do is enough for now and I will try to do better each time. The whole point of this is to create some type of healthy habit and see how I read effects/affects me and my daily life.

I don't remember where I left off. I am thinking it was at the origin of sin or why sin was permitted. Something along those lines. The very beginning...go figure. Well, I guess the next step is the creation.

Awhile back I had a friend who I spent a lot of time with. Up in Northern CA a fellow travel therapist and I would go on hikes and multiple adventures see all that N. CA had to offer. It was beautiful.. He is a Unitarian. For some reason I cannot fully comprehend his religion. Please, do not think I am at all judging or saying it's a bad religion. I am just not able to understand. It was like specific beliefs based around ambiguity. It was like saying there was something...but not really believing in it. He was very sceptical about a lot of things, and the Bible was only a book of stories to learn from. Like Moby Dick, or some other great classic.

Anyhow, he laughed while I talked about the creation to him.

"Awww Sara, you believe that stuff?!" It was the first time I had been outright challenged about my beliefs. I mean...Ya, I believe it. To sit there and explain why is a whole completely different story. As I stuttered and tried to explain something I have just stepped out in faith to believe, I realized...maybe I should ask the questions!

I retorted with a "Well, what do you believe.?" He came back with some answer how maybe a 'higher' being spoke evolution into existence. It was an interesting theory...
"So you're telling me...that an all powerful 'thing'...spoke evolution into existence? Like he didn't even think of us? However we came out is how He wanted us to be? It didn't matter if we were all ugly and hairy like apes? HE would let us start out in a degrading position of a mere animal and then upgrade to sinful human? WOW!

Now I believe in natural selection. God did not start that though. That was sin, however I do think that God planned for animals and people alike to adapt and change as to handle the harsh sinful environments we live in.

Falcons now dive from sky scrapers. Finches beaks narrow or get wide depending on food availability. Slow prey animals are weeded out and those with the faster genes create even faster offspring. It all makes sense that way. However, let me be a fool for God and say...

I love the fact that God created man. That He took the time to think about us, and make us in his own image? Did you know that no other created being is His image? It's just you and me?! How valuable do you feel now? How can you NOT get so excited! This is even before His plan of salvation! We were the favorite of heaven with angels AND God visiting. All the time!

How AWESOME it must have been to walk physically and spiritually next to God Himself?! Ellen White says that all of Heaven was delighted with the new earth! Clear fresh air. Delicate details! It is so interesting how she also says we try to exclude God from everything here.

If we were to go the the God spoke evolution into existence than it makes us so distant from him that the theory of God cannot even be true.

I am thankful for a God who created me in His image. I am so happy everyday to have a life that God blessed me to have! Even though the earth around me is far from what He intended it to be, I am grateful that the remnants of his creation still exist all around me.

Patriarchs and Prophets

Well, I have been somewhat slacking getting this next post up. I have started reading Patriarchs and Prophets. Chapter 1, "Why Sin was Permitted". I am already beginning to understand that this is not going to be a chapter by chapter experience. There is so much packed into a paragraph that I may have just a small piece to write about.

God has been, is, and will be. That is the first point made in the writings. And it is so powerful to think of that alone. Imagine, we go through our daily routines and for the most part, none of us need to think through every step of our day. We just 'do it'. It's just how 'things have always been'. We are so immersed in habit, such habitual creatures. God is like a habit. He's just always been there and He's always there and will be there. It's no wonder so many of us go through our days not giving Him a thought! I know this is something I struggle with daily, to the point I actually think God steps back a little so I will realize that I need Him.

The second sentence that immediately stood out to me was the one where it says:

"The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness." E.G. White

How seemingly simple the concept of doing out of love. If I look at this with my 'child like faith' glasses, to do just because of love is completely possible. I am a pleaser by nature. I love to make the people I love happy. Just for the simple fact that I love them. How come then, it can be somewhat complicated for me to be in accordance with God's law of love when He asks me for specific things? There are days where I am completely belligerent when it comes to pleasing God just because I love Him?!

I have thought long and hard about this. My realization this Sabbath is that I do not know God enough to REALLY love Him. I was a little ashamed to come to that realization. However, I know that it's easier to want to please somebody once you are acquainted with them and know them well. That's just a fact.

I have always had a friendship with God. However, as I have not done such a great job keeping in touch with some friends here on earth, I have not done a great job keeping in touch with Him.

I do have to say, He's always such a great friend to me, even though I abuse our relationship from time to time. He is always there the moment I call.

I try to do that, even in my sinful state... When I have a friend that doesn't invest in me and then calls when they are in trouble, I do my best to be there for them. In my sinful, I am again ashamed to say that in my sinful state, I sometimes feel a little angry about the fact they never put in what I do...

Imagine, God goes through that every second with each individual on a consistent basis. What a powerful God to keep on genuinely loving even though we are so inconsiderate.

I know what's coming next. It's the part where she describes Lucifer, and how he fell out of sync with the Love concept.

I'm saving it for tomorrow. I am hoping that this project will enlighten me, bring me closer to my creator, and deepen my thoughts as I progress through each section I read. Right now I'm going to pray. I'm going to pray about my relationship, and fully lay out my heart. Tonight I am going to make the commitment NOT to abuse my friendship with God. I will do things out of sheer love for Him, and work hard not to give it a second thought.

Sara Sue Renee Davitt

Revamping This Blog

So, I have deleted all my old entries because I am beginning a very new and exciting journey that I want to share with those who want to read it. Ellen White, a new name to some and old name to others. I have been complacently reading her writings...just here and there. Until today! I had this fun thought. What if I were to read all the books in the "History of Redemption" and write about how it is affecting my spiritual experience! Maybe it will become an inspiration to others who have not really read these books to read and discuss it with me?
I think it's exciting to share all I can about my walk with God. Of coarse if I do this I need to do it correctly, so I will naturally be reading these books along with my Bible. I am very excited about this undertaking because these books are still fairly new to me, and I think it will motivate me to really connect with God and share Him in a way I never have before. So here goes! Right around sunset Sabbath of 1/29/2010.

Sara Sue Renee Davitt