Friday, October 17, 2008

The Anthem of Amber Nicole Smith

I could live life alone and never fill the longings of my heart, the healing warmth of someone's arms. And I could live without dreams and never know the thrill of what could be with every star so far and out of reach. I could live with many things and I could carry on, but...

...I couldn't face my life tomorrow without Your hope in my heart I know, I can't live a day without You. Lord, there's no night and there's no morning without Your loving arms to hold me, You're the heartbeat of all I do...I can't live a day without you!

I could travel the world, see all the wonders beautiful and new, they'd only make me think of You. And I could have all life offers, riches that were far beyond compare to grant my wish without a care. Oh, I could do anything and I could carry on, oh yes, but if you weren't in at all...

...I couldn't face my life tomorrow without Your hope in my heart I know, I can't live a day without You. Lord, there's no night and there's no morning without Your loving arms to hold me, You're the heartbeat of all I do...I can't live a day without you!

Jesus! I live because You live! You're like the air I breathe! Oh Jesus! I have because You give,you're everything to me!

...I couldn't face my life tomorrow without Your hope in my heart I know, I can't live a day without You. Lord, there's no night and there's no morning without Your loving arms to hold me, You're the heartbeat of all I do...I can't live a day without you!


Copyright 1999 - Avalon - Can't Live a Day - from In A Different Light

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Last night at UCF, I wish hit hard.

Almost everywhere we have gone to church lately, they have talked about or sang about (or both) how it has to be all about God - even down to chapel at school. Lucke 14:25-35 has been a hot topic among some of us because at the Church at Brookhills a few weeks ago, Dr. David Platt preached on that text and in chapel yesterday, the man spoke about it (I was not there but I heard all about it). Verse 26 says, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple."

A lot of people are taking this to the extreme and the biggest is laying down relationships with the opposite sex, rather it be just friends or dating. When I first started hearing about some of the boys doing this (because the girls were so not doing it) it really bothered me because I thought they were going to the extreme but last night, at UCF, I was informed otherwise.

Chuck, the worship leader at UCF, got up to close the service out and told us all to bow our heads and hold our hands out in front of us. Then he told us to lay something there; something big. Not something that we had with us but something that we were holding onto; something that was big in our lives that we just needed to get rid of and that was something that we worried about. He listed off things like getting married, having children, relationships, or something that we did not have a lot of control over right now.

At first, I put my dreams there.

My dreams of touring the country ministering to thousands of people through human video and dance and winning thousands to Christ. But the thought of marriage crossed my mind so I changed it up.

I put my dreams of getting married and adopting (or having) children there. Those are two of my biggest dreams, probably bigger than that of ministering the gospel to thousands. It's true that I have no idea where God is taking me with my ministry but I cannot put my flesh wants in front of my spiritual wants. I have to keep my dreams in order and fulfilling God's purpose for my life is number one.

While we were "laying down" our somethings (LOL) the band did a song and I assume the title is "All I Need is You" because that was all the chorus said and it was a truly amazing song.

Sitting there, giving my biggest dreams over to God, I began to cry and felt an amazing weight lift off of me. Since then, I have been in a amazing mood. I gave one of my biggest burdens over to God and it's a amazing feeling to not have it anymore.

I don't care that I've never had a boyfriend and I don't care that I may never have one. God knows what is best and when the time is right, it will happen. If it never happens, I'll know that either (1) it wasn't God's plan or (2) there is a guy walking the earth who made one of the biggest mistakes of his life by passing me by.

One of my favorite songs over the past few months has been "It's All About You" and it's by a praise band from a church out in California - it says, "It's all about You! It's simply Your name! Your love has found me, and I'll never be the same! In all that I do, in all that I say, let it be about You! All about You! Jesus!" There is another song that is by Misty Edwards, it's called "My Soul Longs for You" and the beginning simply says, "My soul longs for You! My soul longs for You! Nothing else will do! Nothing else will do!" There are so many songs that we hear on the radio on a daily basis that are about Jesus being all we need and Him being everything and it has been going on so much that Dana and I talked about it this morning. I told her I believe it is because there is such a urgency in the Spiritual because Jesus is coming and He is coming soon but there are so many complacent Christians and so many people that it is all about them and not about Him.

It's time for us to realize that it is truly all about God.

Lakewood did a song a few years ago and the chorus is rather simple to remember because all it said was, "It's all about You! It's all about You! It's all about You...Jesus!"

Please make sure that it's all about Jesus in everything you do! Don't let it be about you.

Much love and many blessings,
Amber ;)

P.S. "This world has nothing for me...I will follow You!"