Digging Deeper Roots

I wake up in a cold sweat with a tear-stained face. 3 AM is becoming more and more familiar. Anxiety has started camping out along the river banks of my stream of thought and his double-decker RV isn’t leaving any room for Peace & Calm to take a vacation. So what’s a girl to do? I can’t exactly wake up the roommates for a midnight chat; none of us get enough sleep as it is. So I do the only thing I can comprehend to do. I write.

As I scratch line after line into my small notebook by the light of the low-lit lamp in the living room, a woman’s words haunt me “You want to be an author?” “What are you going to do if you don’t become an author?” At the time, I kindly replied that I hoped to go to seminary and potentially serve in a church or in Young Life, but now at 3 AM the only thing that can come to the forefront of my mind is “I have no FREAKING idea.” Can’t a girl  turn 20 without the weight of the entire world being thrown on her shoulders? Last time I checked, I was just trying to pass World Civ 261!

The clock rolls around to about 4:15 AM and Anxiety is still setting up camp. He’s got the fire going and I swear he just invited Fear and Anger over so they can all roast marshmallows. This is getting ridiculous. My journaling begins to fade into what looks more like my prayers. Sweet Jesus, I whisper, what am I supposed to do? Where is your will in all of this? How am I supposed to become this successful and adventures woman of faith when I am too dang scared of graduation day. School is safe. School is good. I can handle school. But life?! You want me to start preparing for life?? But HOW?

Anxiety begins to subside. In the midst of my prayers I can grab onto the hope of Jesus. I begin to see the sunrise and decide I need to try and catch a couple more hours of sleep. As I head to bed I realize I have no idea what lies in the days ahead. But I do know I believe in a God that can do immeasurably more {Ephesians 3:20}, and I believe that same God is a faithful God {1 Cor 1:9}, and I believe that He is all-knowing {1 John 3:19-20}. So as I pull up the sheets I pray, Holy Spirit cling to me and hold tight because trees dig deeper roots in the midst of a storm, and I want to be rooted in Your will.

- Sarah.

But What About Jesus?

So my last blog post was right after my birthday. And it breaks my heart to realize I have written five or six drafts since then, but this is the first moment I was able to take a deep breath and actually write. I have still been writing, but not necessarily the way I love. I’m the head of the blog for a non-profit organization called Speak Now. I’ve talked about it several times here, but if you haven’t had the time. CHECK. IT. OUT. I love the heart of the organization and the cause and everything. Mommy and I take turns posting on the site. Our posts go up twice a week, and I’m gonna be real. You don’t want to miss out. Here’s the link: SPEAK NOW.

My only issue is that I can’t talk about Jesus on the blog. Ellie Coburn, who is a good friend and the CEO and Founder of Speak Now (and only 17. My WORD this gal is awesome!!) is a Christian and I know her heart seeks after the Lord, but she believes we can’t encourage women while preaching about Jesus too because it scares off a lot of our followers. And I see her reasoning and respect that decision. It’s not a coincidence though that almost all of our board of representatives are Christ followers. Jesus is working here. So if you wouldn’t mind, join me in prayer that my secular words can reach out to these souls and show them Jesus.

And this kind of brings me to what is most heavily on my heart these days. The prayer I have so repeatedly prayed and the ache in my soul just keeps asking… WHERE. IS. JESUS?? I do not doubt The Almighty One and I don’t question The Author of Time, but this world is just so lost and so empty. I feel like my actions over this school year have been so of the flesh, and not of my God. So in humble conviction I hit my knees whispering… Where is Jesus??

I looked around my school’s campus as the school year came to a close and just asked… What is all this for if not for Jesus?

Looking through this building and through the bustle of the backpacks and said… But why are we working if not for Jesus?

I earned straight A’s this semester making my sophomore year GPA a 4.0 ——> Praise the Great Lion of Judah! But what are all my efforts for if not for Jesus? Why do I study so diligently about meaningless pieces of history or write essays about forgotten pieces of literature instead of studying and writing about the gospel. isn’t THAT the story that needs to be told and told again?

So for now, I will just keep on keeping on. Seeking His Goodness in this world of sin and darkness. Attempting to be a beacon of light in this dark and empty place.

Life Lessons with a side of Urban Air

Oh. My. Good. Gracious. I am 20!! 20?!?!?! What?

This was me on the day I was born… Daddy holding me. Man this is cute.

I was reminiscing about my previous years of life thus far (like I usually do on my birthday) and I have decided a couple things.

{1} I have become my mother. I cannot deny it anymore. Seriously. I couldn’t find my coffee for like 20 minutes today and then I found it in the microwave. Which for those of you who may not know, that is a classic Kim Moog move. It was so funny and it made me realize it was inevitable that I would become her. And I am ok with that.

{2} I am LOST without Christ. And I would say I have known this for a while, but the older I become and the longer I have been a Christian; I am realizing this more and more. While it is my 20th birthday, it is almost my 4th birthday in Christ. And it was’t until the other day that I realized I am just a baby in all of this. It’s ok that I don’t have everything right. It’s ok that I still struggle with even the most basic of devoted tasks and disciplines in faith. I keep TRYING and I keep FAILING and God keeps FORGIVING and REDEEMING. His love amazes me more and more each day.

{3} Friends are worth keeping. I would say my 19th year was a lonely lonely year. A hard year in school, a hard year emotionally, and just an all around tough year. But it also was filled with so many blessings. And as it came to a close God started to remind me that maybe the reason I am so lonely is because I felt like I wasn’t worth friends and friends weren’t worth me. I didn’t want to be around people. But the Holy Spirit whispered softly to me, that people love me. And I love people. I am a people person that tried to live life independently and isolated and that isn’t how God made me. I desire intimate relations with people and friends that want that connection with me.

{4} I want to BE somebody. I think I have spent such a large portion of my life trying to become someone special that I wasn’t willing to live my life as the special person I am. I have this NEED to make something of myself in order to make my parents and friends and the LORD proud, but I’ve come to face the facts. I already make them proud. I AM somebody. Maybe one day I will become a famous author or someone who gets to travel the world teaching the Word and spreading the gospel like Beth Moore does, but maybe I am supposed to be a loving mom, friend, wife, sister, daughter, who teaches the word and spreads the gospel in my own backyard. You know? The gospel is just as POWERFUL on 1633 Hart Rd. Knoxville, TN than it is in Kenya or England or Australia. We will just have to see where God takes me. I am willing servant of the Lord.

Anyways… I just wanted to share these thoughts. The “new and improved” 20 year old Sarah thinks these things and I needed to write them down so 30 and 40 and 50 year old Sarah can go back and laugh at herself and reminisce on later birthdays. I hope you enjoyed these thoughts as well and maybe they shines some light on situations for you too.

Also… here are pictures from my birthday. It. Was. Awesome.

Over and Out. – Sarah

{Guest Post} Salvation vs. Sanctification

Our guest blogger today is my very own Mommy! She is the CEO and founder of Focused Creative Energy, a published author in financial assistance (check out her book and E-book here), she is a mother of three, and a wonderful wife. Besides all of that she is also the leader of a small group at her local church, North Point Community Church. This post is about an experience she recently had with her group of girls!

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I am a leader of a group of 9^th grade girls at our church, and a few weekends ago we went on an awesome retreat where we talked about our relationships with our friends.  On our retreat in October, we had talked about our relationships with God.  This is the conversation I had with my girls after that retreat:

On Saturday night after session, we talked a little bit about the difference between Salvation and Sanctification; and I said that there are two parts of your relationship with Christ.  The first, Salvation, is when you accept him as your Savior.  The second, Sanctification, is when you accept him as your King.  The process of Sanctification also means that, as you grow in your relationship with Him, you will look more like Christ.  More and more you will begin to be a reflection of Christ to the people around you.

In Mark 12:28-31 it says,

^“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Jesus told them of all the commandments that Moses had given them, there were two that were the most important: Loving God with all their strength, and Loving their neighbor as themselves.

SO….If all you do is concentrate on those two things: Loving God (point towards the sky) and Loving each other (point at your two best friends on either side of you), what does that make your reflection to the world look like?  Hopefully, you will see that it starts to make you look more like the cross and more of a reflection of Christ to the people in the world around you.

Blessings,

Kim Moog

A Christmas to Remember

The lights were dark in the sanctuary. Candles were aflame in various parts of the room, and the pastor called forward all who had been saved, came back to Christ, or had been baptized this past year. I don’t like alter calls and I do not like walking to the front of a church when you feel like the world is looking at you. And in that moment, fear took over me. I whispered to Mom if I should walk to the front. After all, I was baptized in May of this year. The moment was overwhelming. She replied, “You can if you want to,” and without thinking my feet began to carry me. They took me down the stairs as tears streamed down my face and I sang “Oh Come All Ye Faithful.”… The tears started rushing even harder. “I am not faithful,” I thought. “Not even close. After all I’ve done. After every mistake. I am the least of these.” None of these people should be looking at me or the small light that shined oh so brightly in the terribly dark room. But something inside me made me desire the light. My maternal instincts made me clasp my hand around the flame, not daring to let it burn out. I walked back across the room and up the stairs to my seat with my family. The whole time allowing the tears to pour and the light to shine.

Because that is what Christmas is all about. The people of the world were so UNDESERVING of a Savior. So UNPREPARED. So UNWORTHY. Yet God sent His Son. He sent HIS ONLY SON knowing we would hate Him. The children He loved Oh so VERY much, would reject His most precious gift to us. So we stand once a year, in a large sanctuary, and the Elders pass out candles, and we all sing, and we all remember the little babe. We remember the humble mother, the doubtful father, the dirty stable, and the UNPREDICTABLE, IMPOSSIBLE, yet REMARKABLE birth of the baby who came to save the world.

This Christmas I encourage you to remember. Remember the gift that came. And to remember how much love God MUST have for us, in order to give us His Son. I wish you the Merriest of Christmases, and the Happiest of New Years.

- Sarah (:

P.S. If you missed my Baptism video. Here’s the link!

Divine Instances of Vulnerability

Over the past several years I have come to realize that God creates within us divine instances of vulnerability for His purpose. A Divine Instance of Vulnerability is when a person is so consumed with the mightiness of God in a mere second of ultimate realness that they are quite literally overwhelmed. The only way such an instance can occur is by the person practically getting taken by surprise by the Lord Himself. You see, you cannot prepare your heart for such an instance. It just happens. You are taken aback in awe of the Mighty One, because He is loving enough to desire such a closeness with you that He will demand it from your very being. In the end, the LORD sought out your heart and purposefully grabbed hold of its nakedness at the perfect moment to influence your life and your relationship with Him exactly as He has intended it to be from the very beginning of time.

- Sarah (:

A Published Author At Last!

Ladies and Gentleman I am officially a published author. SAY WHAT??!?! Yes. Me. Sarah Rachelle Moog.

My poem was published is the BeYouGirl Magazine. You can check out the link to the magazine here. Here is a picture of the magazine page and below is the poem that was published in the magazine!!

I am so excited for this day!! I am SO blessed by the LORD Almighty and His grace and His heart. He truly gives me the desires of my heart. Praise the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.

Me, My Faith, and I

To call faith a roller coaster ride,
Is to undermine its impact.
The strength of a teenager’s faith,
Is like a very doubtable fact.

Those with faith try to understand,
We want the shack on the rock.
But our actions turn out looking,
Like a boat tied to a dock.

I know I am not alone in this,
This feeling of deep confusion.
I just know I am over it,
I want my heart to make a decision.

I want to represent my Father,
Make the Lord proud.
I want to stand and proclaim Him,
In front of an enormous crowd.

I am simply sixteen,
And ignorant I am sure.
But I feel forgotten and lost,
I’m on the wrong side of the door.

At church I praise and sing,
To the best of my ability.
And still my heart does question,
My tempered soul’s morality.

So today I proclaim, my friends,
I know my imperfections.
I recognize my faults,
And my mislead direction.

Today I ask you to acknowledge,
That I really do try!
But we are taking it day by day,
Me, my faith, and I.

by: Sarah Moog

{If you were wondering} This poem was written in August of 2009. Shortly after my mother’s accident and at the early early stages of my walk with the LORD. It was around 2:00a.m. if I remember correctly and it seemed that all hope was lost on so many different levels. These were the words that poured out of the depths of my soul and through the ink onto the page. I submitted it to BeYouGirl because my previous boss, Mrs. G, encouraged me to do so! Who knew that lonely night in August would be redeemed into this. Only God Himself, of this I am sure!

- Sarah (:

Singing More than A Song

Sitting alone in my room I softly sing praises to the Almighty One. I hum, almost to myself, but not in declaration of His Holiness. The words roll off my tongue and I continue to work on my to-do list for the day. It seems that I am absently living for Christ rather than whole heartedly worshiping. It seems that I have allowed my mind to know the words so well that they have lost their meaning. So where is my heart? Is it in the right place for being subconsciously praising Jesus? Or is it in the wrong place for singing mindlessly? When do the words become praises? When do songs become rejoicing?

These are the things that I struggle with. I cannot find the balance between the necessities of life and the obligations I must hold myself to, and finding the time to praise and worship my Jesus. I know I can set aside 30 minutes a day or even an hour, but is that fair to Him? The Creator of Life? The Author of Time? Doesn’t he deserve MORE? How can we not just fall to our knees in worship at all hours of the day? Since when did the latest episode on T.V. take precedence to the Master of ALL?

Now I attempt to find a way to do both. To walk throughout my day with the attitude of praise in my soul. Not just singing the words because I like the tune, but reaching into the depths of their meanings and finding worship there. Praying continuously as I walk to class. Finding moments of silence and filling them with cries of thankfulness to the One Who Paid It All. I attempt to form conversations around Him rather than around the score of the UT game. Or even to ignore the gossip on the street, that my flesh so desires to listen to, and replace that noise with hymns of salvation and victory.

Wholeheartedly living. That is where I attempt to stand today.

- Sarah (:

Speak Now.

How do I even begin a blog post on something so dear to my heart?  Honestly. I am not sure…

Speak Now is an organization that began a short while ago that came from a dream that began a long time ago. Our mission is Women Empowerment and it all began with one girl’s heart and a Mighty God.

Today was our first day on the brand new site and it is BEAUTIFUL!! So many hands went into this day and so many prayers, thoughts and ideas! We launched today, but the movement has been an ongoing mission. Good news is, this is still just the beginning of what God is going to do through these ladies!

I am on the Speak Now team specifically through the Educate Team. I will be posting on the site on Wednesdays. I share the head of the Educate department with Olivia. There will also be guest posts that occur!

So I encourage you to click on the links and check out the movement. See how magnificently God works!  See how He strings people’s passions together in such an intricate way to create an environment of 20 women willing to sacrifice part of their lives and their time in order to grow and take community with women and girls all over the world and to show them just how WONDERFUL they really are!!

To the Speak Now site: 
http://www.wespeaknow.org

To the Speak Now Facebook page: (FOR EVERY LIKE FROM YOU, WE RECEIVE A DIME FROM OUR SPONSERS.) 
https://www.facebook.com/womenspeaknow

To my page about Speak Now: 
http://sarahmoog.wordpress.com/speak-now

To the Educate program on Speak Now: 
http://www.wespeaknow.org/search/label/educate

So please, if nothing else, join us in prayer. That God’s hand is in this movement and organization, that we encourage and love girls through Christ; but above all that we passionately chase after The Lord’s will for us!

- Sarah (:

I’m Not an Olympian

There are strong women in the world and women empowerment is something that has always been strongly on my heart. Especially since I recently joined the Speak Now team (more of this to come.) Our society encourages and demands women to be independent and strong and brave. The Olympics finished tonight and America had hundreds of strong female athletes take to their skill and show the world they were the strongest they could be and they claimed gold medal after gold medal after gold medal. And I can tell you I am so proud of these women it’s not even funny. #TeamUSA

But I want to ask the question that has brought me to my knees this evening. Is it so wrong to be weak? Is it socially unacceptable to “not be ok?” People ask “How are you?” Do they WANT me to explain that my heart is aching, it is being torn in two by the people I love the most, that my heart and mind battle it out hour after hour as I try to ignore the yelling of my soul so that I can continue with my day to day activities? Is it OK to cry in front of others? Openly? Honestly? Even if you KNOW what you are about to say is going to be rejected by 95% of the population in front of you? How does a woman handle such an emotion?

So I guess what I am trying to say is that for most of my life I take pride in being the super woman. I go to extreme lengths to make everyone proud but today I will not. Tonight I am going to admit that I am not always strong. I’m not always the best. And I most certainly do not have the emotional strength of an Olympian.

- Sarah