Lets do this...

Its 4:00 a.m. and once again my brain won't shut off and I am up. There are few times its just my body being restless but most of the time its my silly brain and that "thinker" switch that I can't seem to shut down at times. Often in moments such as this I find that the Lord is trying to tell me something but the busyness of the day has muffled His whispers and caused me to be distracted from His words, so instead at 4 a.m. with minor distractions I can quiet my heart before Him and almost hear Him say "finally, geez."

As all of you are aware the Summer Olympics have been running continuously since Thursday's opening ceremony in London. Growing up I remember watching bits and pieces of the Olympics but for some reason this years games have me hooked. Even Macie has been hooked and every spare moment we get to sit our family is glued to the t.v. watching the games. There have been many upsets and unexpected victories. From Michael Phelps losing the gold, Lochte swimming to break the world record, Jordyn Wieber losing her spot on the all around Gymnastics finals and Kazakhstan taking the gold in the Mens Road Cycling Race. Growing up I did cheer leading and a little gymnastics but only to learn to tumble for Cheer leading so it was very insignificant compared to the extensive hours and hours of training and preparation that takes place for the Olympic Games. As a little kid we hall have dreams we aspire to be, Doctors, Singers, Astronauts and even Olympic Gold Medalist. Its amazing the to me how much my dreams have changed, some based on circumstances but alot because of the way God has removed the veil from parts of my heart and opened new passions inside. I may never be an Olympic Gold medalist but one thing I am confident in is the victories that each day hold because of Christs faithfulness.

Its no secret the continued health battles we have faced over the past 2 1/2 years. After being pretty sick and having a dangerous infection last week in my bloodstream I am once again reminded of Gods faithfulness. Unfortunately the health battles have become the norm for us but God continually reminds me that each and every fever, medication, hospital stay, test, infusion, and infection has been met with Victory. This week I have the privilege to go with some friends to a leadership conference in Alabama. Physically I know it will be challenging but I am confident that its going to be amazing because of His promises. Yesterday I kept hearing Him whisper in my ear "I did not give you a spirit of fear but of POWER." Each day is a victory in my life, each day is a reminder of His faithfulness and power. Although my circumstances can be overwhelming I know God is not surprised one bit by them and will continue to walk with us each step of the way.

I am praying for continual victories this week. Victories physically, emotionally and spiritually. I am praying that our hearts would be open to allow Christ to invade every single crack and crevice and place inside us a spirit of POWER and PASSION for His purpose. Break our hearts for what breaks Yours Jesus and remove the chains from anything that holds us back from your freedom. Place within us a dream and confidence that whatever You have called us to You will equip our bodies, minds and spirits and fuel that dream with a passion that is only from You. We are so excited and ready to rock, lets do this team!

Stuck....

So this is my second blog post for today. I started another one earlier this afternoon aimed in a totally different direction and for some reason God insisted I change paths, in fact I don't even know where the other one went its disappeared into a black hole in internet land somewhere! So with a little resistance and few words here it goes.

Lately its been difficult for me to blog as much as usual I guess I'm in a quiet "Amber" period. I have shared before that I go through times where I get quiet and do more thinking and less expressing. I am a thinker, not super smart/genius kind of thinker but I evaluate things to the core. Nothing is simple in my brain but instead I look at every possible aspect of a situation and play out 10,000 different scenarios or ulterior meanings behind them. This can at times be my worst enemy but the Lord is refining this area of my life and using it for good and gaining insight at times God is trying to teach  me something and share those truths with others.

Lately I have been in a frustrating place, I feel almost selfish for sharing because its not an earth shattering tragedy kind of difficult place but instead a great but confusing place. I have been praying for some time now specifically for God to reveal direction to me in my life as far as specific areas to serve and His calling for my life. There are definitely areas I am passionate about but then I struggle with knowing if its something I like or if its God's will? Does anyone else know what I'm talking about? It's a confusing place because at times you get this crazy awesome confidence in the strengths and abilities that Christ has given you and then I believe Satan comes in and causes you to doubt. Last weekend I was involved in a class that took a Spiritual Gifts Assessment and I remember taking another one 8 years or so ago but its amazing to see how much has changed.
So I took this assessment last weekend that reveals your personality traits and Spiritual Gifts and this is helpful in pointing you in a direction where God can take those strengths and use them to its full capacity. The test was exciting but also confusing because now I'm really in a place where I need direction and a little push from God to get me going. Maybe the problem though isn't that I need a shove from God but that I need to take what He has tried to show me time and time again and move forward with boldness and trust? We are so stubborn as humans sometimes, we ask God for direction, we ask Him for answers and then He gives us clue after clue but yet we expect a plane to fly over our heads with a giant banner trailing behind. He can point us in the right direction time and time again but if we don't have the boldness to step forward when He calls then its for nothing. Today I am praying not only for clear direction but also for boldness that I would not trust in my human abilities and strengths but God's capabilities and faithfulness.

No greater love....

"I want to sit at Your feet drink from the cup in Your hands, lay back against you and breathe feel Your heartbeat. This love is so deep its more than I can stand, I melt in Your peace its overwhelming."

A worship song that particularly has always had a special place in my heart for the depth and beauty in which it creates. This week Dr. Steven Manley an Evangelist has spoken at the NCO Camp Meeting on what it means to have true intimacy with Christ. Its something that far surpasses anything I have ever tried to wrap my mind around. As the words poured from his mouth Wednesday evening simultaneously an unveiling took place upon my heart. We often think of our relationship with God as another friendship or even acquaintance but what I'm discovering is an even deeper level of love with Christ. Goosebumps and excitement spring forth within my soul to think that I could be so mesmerized and in love with Christ, but the greater joy is that He could be so awestruck and in love with me.

This type of  relationship with Christ is so personable and intimate that you are molded together with Christ. Its about removing any separation and  taking down the concept of self and instead becoming interwoven with the body of Christ. Its allowing yourself to become so saturated with Him that your mind thinks as He thinks, your hearts beats to the melody of His passions and desires, you are the skin that covers His weary body and its no longer you but Christ through you. This closeness emits the light of Christ in the darkness and seeps from every pore in your being. This type of love is a meshing with Christ, a closeness to Christ that has no line of divide from us to Him, no beginning nor end but a mere continuation of Him through us. This type of intimacy isn't a choice or option but a matter of desperation and survival. This type of intimacy doesn't improve our quality of life it's the only mode of survival. Although we are so undeserving of even sitting at His feet or serving such a majestic creator the beauty is that He allows us to be involved in a love affair with Him.

Its more than I can fathom that the God of the universe who breathed life into being wants to have a relationship with me. He wants me to pour out my dreams, passions, hurts, fears, hopes and dreams as He listens with anticipation and compassion. He wants to be molded with me as one so that together we can serve the hurting and broken. He wants to be the feet that leads us through this broken world as we are attached as the hands apart of one body. The sweetest and most comforting words is that although I am messy, broken and unworthy He still loves me.

Jesus I will never be able to begin to understand why You choose messy, broken, sinful and imperfect me to love each day. I never imagined years ago that the path in life I was following would lead me to You but oh I stand amazed and grateful. I want to be so close to You that your desires are my desires, your passions are my passions, and your love is the nutrients that run through my veins and drive me to keep fighting each day. Thank You Jesus for loving me and for redeeming my story. I stand amazed in Your presence, I stand overwhelmed by your peace, I stand in awe of Your goodness, that Jesus You could ever love me.

A time and season for everything....

"To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance" Ecclesiastes 3:1-3. Seeing the temperatures in the 90's for the past week has been rough. I'm not a fan of the extreme heat and when it comes down to it I could live without snow also. When the new seasons begin its nice to have a change in pace but after awhile the newness wears off and I get antsy to move on. Although it would be nice to live somewhere with mild temperatures all year long I am starting to embrace the importance of the seasons and the meaning behind each one. 

I love Fall and its my favorite of the four seasons. I love seeing the leaves flutter from the trees leaving them bare and exposed. Then Winter takes over for Fall and continues the dying process of the flowers, grass and leaves. In itself winter always seems to be a dreary and long season in which on its own it would be difficult to see the importance but placed between Fall and Spring it fits perfectly. After winter comes my second favorite season and that's Spring. Its always so exciting seeing the beautiful flowers bloom up from the ground and hearing the chirping of birds that have returned and given life to new babies. Then summer probably my daughters favorite season because she loves being outside in the swimming pool as much as possible. Summer is almost a continuation of spring and the rising temperatures take the new sprouting flowers and life to the next level of growth until they reach their potential and need to be pruned in which Fall then steps in. As a whole we can see the necessary cycle of growth, pruning and death that together each season helps with. It's one of those amazing concepts that I just sit back and smile about because God knew exactly what He was doing when He created each of the seasons. 

People go through seasons in life also. There are cycles of physical growth and change as well as emotional and spiritual. We go through seasons in our careers, friendships, finances and relationship with Christ. I am so thankful God knew exactly what He was doing when He created our earthly seasons as well as the seasons in our hearts and lives. Sometimes there will be people come in and out of our lives and although it may be hard there is always a reason and God knows what is best for us and what we need when we need it. Our Churches can also go through periods of transition where the Lord places a new passion or vision on our hearts or we may face periods of growth and change. Or maybe there are things in your life that are causing space between you and God and He wants nothing more than to prune you and remove those things which are causing poison and destruct to you. I don't know what transitions your facing today but I do know we are loved by a God who arranged the seasons perfectly, if He cares enough about the blooming flowers in the Spring you can count on His faithfulness through the seasons of your life. 

Dancing in the rain......

The heat outside is beyond brutal. As I gaze at the thermometer sitting on our windowsill the numbers 102 stare back at me. Other than last weekends storms we really havent had much rain all summer so far. Rain can be an inconvenience but is also necessary to penetrate the roots and cause growth and nourishment. When we first moved into our current house I found a quote decal that was just perfect for our kitchen. The words say this "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass it's learning to dance in the rain." 

So often when storms come we run and hide, we fight the chaos with every ounce of strength we have and instead of embracing it and using it for growth and nourishment we avoid it. The storms in life are unavoidable at times, there will always be painful circumstances, relationship stressors, deaths, financial struggles, and everyday chaos but instead of allowing those difficult things in life over take us and wash over us negatively we can take those painful moments and allow them to prune us and promote growth. Although we may not always understand the storms we face God is bigger than the pain and can use them to bring glory and honor to Him and hope to us. We are loved by a God who is purposful and mighty who is never afraid of our circumstances or sin and instead reaches down in the midst of our storms and changes the noise to sweet music so that we can dance in the midst of the chaos. "You have turned our mourning into dancing, You have turned our sorrow into joy."  

"Hear, O Lord, have mercy and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper!You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,To the end that my tongue and my heart and everything glorious within me may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever." Psalm 30:10-12

Through the love of Christ we can be reminded that happiness is not based on our circumstances but instead the unconditional love and promises of God. Whatever your facing today God is capable of stepping in and fighting the battles for you. "Places where grace is soon to be so amazing, may be unfulfilled they may be unrestored but anything that's shattered and is laid before the Lord just watch and see it will not be unredeemed."

"The enemy wanted to change your destiny through a series of events, but God will restore you to wholeness as if the events had never happened. The triumphant woman locked inside shall come forth to where she belongs. He's delivering her. He's releasing her. He's restoring her. He's building her back. He's bringing her out. He's delivering by the power of His Spirit. The anointing of the living God is reaching out to you. He calls you forth to set you free. When you reach out to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way, His anointing is present to deliver you." T.D. Jakes

Whatever your facing He is there, lay it at the feet of the empty cross, take His hand and dance....

All things together for my good......

"You make all things work together for my good, I will remain confident in this I will see the goodness of the Lord." Two amazing songs that have been stuck on repeat in my head for the past week. I am so thankful for the way that the Lord infuses little reminders in our lives of His unfailing love just when we need them. My head is overflowing with thoughts and my heart aches with a million emotions right now but one thing I am certain as I sift through the chaos is that God is always faithful and that in the moments when I can't even begin to try and understand my circumstances He is there.

I know there are situations in life that are extremely painful, circumstances that all human rationale can't give a why to but even then I believe God is there. There are situations even in my life that I just sit back and wonder what in the world, but then I am constantly reminded that God always works things together for a reason. Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose."


I'm not saying that the hurts are justified but I am saying He always trades beauty for ashes and I believe not one ounce of pain ever goes unused. Maybe its the way I have to think about certain painful things that has happened in my life because to think they just happened and there is no rhyme or reason for them would be completely devastating. Maybe its a way for me to cope with the hurts and to bring some sense of purpose behind the pain but for now I'm ok with that. I love the moments when I am talking with someone or praying for someone and God uncovers little pieces of my story in theirs and shows me how He is using me to help them and I know there have been others that have helped me because of their stories and they have been through similar things that I have.

Today I am trusting that God will take the pieces of my story that are difficult and use them to bring hope and healing to someone else. I pray that God would shine His light on even the darkest corners of my life and use them for good.

Happy 4th of July from The Camerons!!!

2012

 

   
 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

Thank you to all those who fought and continue to fight for our freedom each day in America and praise Jesus for dying on the cross so that I no longer have to be a prisoner to the hurts of this world, by His wounds we are free!!!

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain.After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.^[6]

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.

Historians have long disputed whether Congress actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed.

In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, but another Founding Father who became a President, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831, thus becoming the third president in a row who died on this memorable day. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872, and, so far, is the only President to have been born on Independence Day.

4th of July History & Trivia -Did You Know…

• The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation. The colonists had no say in the decisions of English Parliament.
• In May, 1776, after nearly a year of trying to resolve their differences with England, the colonies sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress. Finally, in June, admitting that their efforts were hopeless; a committee was formed to compose the formal Declaration of Independence. Headed by Thomas Jefferson, the committee also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston and Roger Sherman. On June 28, 1776, Thomas Jefferson presented the first draft of the declaration to Congress.
• Betsy Ross, according to legend, sewed the first American flag in May or June 1776, as commissioned by the Congressional Committee.
• Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776

• The Liberty Bell sounded from the tower of Independence Hall on July 8, 1776, summoning citizens to gather for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.
• June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress, looking to promote national pride and unity, adopted the national flag. “Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
• The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’
• The first public Fourth of July event at the White House occurred in 1804.
• Before cars ruled the roadway, the Fourth of July was traditionally the most miserable day of the year for horses, tormented by all the noise and by the boys and girls who threw firecrackers at them.
• The first Independence Day celebration west of the Mississippi occurred at Independence Creek and was celebrated by Lewis and Clark in 1805.
• On June 24, 1826, Thomas Jefferson sent a letter to Roger C. Weightman, declining an invitation to come to Washington, D.C., to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It was the last letter that Jefferson, who was gravely ill, ever wrote.
• Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826.
• The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence did not sign at the same time, nor did they sign on July 4, 1776. The official event occurred on August 2, 1776, when 50 men signed it.
• The names of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were withheld from the public for more than six months to protect the signers. If independence had not been achieved, the treasonable act of the signers would have, by law, resulted in their deaths.
• Thomas McKean was the last to sign in January, 1777.
• The origin of Uncle Sam probably began in 1812, when Samuel Wilson was a meat packer who provided meat to the US Army. The meat shipments were stamped with the initials, U.S. Someone joked that the initials stood for “Uncle Sam”. This joke eventually led to the idea of Uncle Sam symbolizing the United States government.
• In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal legal holiday. It is one of the few federal holidays that have not been moved to the nearest Friday or Monday.