"A New Thing"

Since before Brandon and I got married in August, I have been in a very dry wilderness spiritually.  I have not felt much at all.  If I feel anything it's anger, sadness, depression, etc.  Basically I have not felt the love, joy, and peace from the Lord.  Therefore trying to GIVE love/joy/peace is impossible.

With that in mind, I'm going to mention a few things that happened since I was born before until now.  Since I was born my mother would pray for my sister and I.  She prayed that no matter what happened to us, that the Lord would "keep us for himself".  A few months ago a prophecy was given to me.  I am terrified to receive something false so it was very hard for me to receive it.  I tested it and tested it and it came out to be truth.  In that prophecy the Lord said that I was about to go through a time that would test my faith and faithfulness and it was necessary for me.  He also said that he would keep me for himself.  Not long after that things got worse and worse.  I felt so very distant from the Lord.  My faith was definitely being tested as the Lord said. I cried out multiple times with feeling like I was getting no where.  My whole world was completely shattered because I did not feel the closeness with the Lord and it seemed no matter what I did, it didn't help.

This past Sunday, I was talking to my sister in-law about this whole thing again.  Some how we got on the subject about how the Lord would speak to her in the middle of the night.  Like how the Lord would speak to King David early in the morning.  He would wake her up and speak to her.  She asked me, "Have you ever had to get up in the middle of the night needing to use the restroom?".  I said yes. She said "That may be the Lord trying to speak to you".  So the next night, what do you know, I wake up needing to use the restroom.  So I go in the living room and ask the Lord, "Ok, what do you want to tell me Lord?".  I felt the Lord say, "I may have nothing to say, but I am testing your obedience". I randomly opened my Bible anyway and read what I saw and got nothing from it.  So, I took it as a test.  This happened a few days ago.  Then Tuesday night, I awake again the middle of the night to go to the restroom.  I went back to our room, got my little reading light and the Bible.  Opened it randomly, and what do you know, it was right where I had left off the night before.  So I start reading.  And this is where I see...

¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
   Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? 

(How awesome is this?!  The Lord directly speaking to me!)

I am making a way in the wilderness
   and streams in the wasteland. 
²⁰ The wild animals honor me,
   the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness
   and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
 ²¹ the people I formed for myself 

(the exact words of what my mom prayed for me every day  and the prophecy)   that they may proclaim my praise.

 ²² “Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,
   you have not wearied yourselves for^[c] me, Israel.
²³ You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,
   nor honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with grain offerings
   nor wearied you with demands for incense.
²⁴ You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me,
   or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins
   and wearied me with your offenses.

 ²⁵ “I, even I, am he who blots out
   your transgressions, for my own sake,
   and remembers your sins no more. 

The Lord brought me back to vs. 25 which was what our teacher at church was speaking about this past Sunday.

The Lord has not ever used a piece of scripture so DIRECT to me and the situation.  Praise the Lord!!!! Thank you Lord!!! You are faithful and true!

Today's thoughts...

Please pardon my lack of plotting skills.  I love to write, however I am not very good at it. Please bear with me... I know this is all scatterbrained, but the truth is I AM scatterbrained.


My whole life I have struggled with frustration, lack of care and emotions, anger, selfishness and laziness.  

Why this has come on so heavily and is so hard to overcome? 

It is because the enemy knows me like the back of his hand and will do anything to destroy me and take my eyes off of Jesus and the enemy is VERY diligent.
 The Word says 

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Cor 10:13)

 So, that leaves it to making sure that I remain to have faith in the Lord at  ALL times.  However, something here recently has helped me keep that little bit of faith, is a word that a brother of ours said. 
 He came to me saying he had a word from the Lord for me. My mind came to a screeching halt.  


For quite some time now I have been terrified of receiving something false that would injure my relationship with the Lord.  And this has definitely been a time of testing and being in dry and barren places in my life and I have struggled so much to even hear the Lord's voice. I know that He is always there.  Therefore I know that I have done something to put a barrier between us.  As we all are so very good at.  With all this in mind with the places I have been with the Lord I don't, by any means, want to take just anything any one says knowing that God is the only perfect one, and that men have flaws. 


 I still don't know why the Lord has let this test come upon me this past year, but I know that there will be times of refreshing.  It's hard for me to view the Lord as a merciful, loving God.  I feel as though I'm just waiting for God to say "Depart from me, I never knew you.  You worker of iniquity," because I "just can't get it right".  I know, mentally, that the Lord is merciful and the enemy is trying to discourage me by using the Bible and twisting it to make me beat down on myself. Truthfully sometimes it is very hard to distinguish the Lord's voice from the enemy's.  


Ezekiel 18:23 says 

"Do you think I like to see wicked people die?" Says the sovereign Lord." Of course not!! I want them to turn from their evil way and live."  

Brandon is constantly on my case (thank you Brandon) about downing myself, hating myself, and thinking the the Lord wont accept me. I am very grateful for it my hubby's persistence.  I would be in a much worse place with out him pushing me.


The point of all this is to state where I am currently... 


Statement: 


I am tired and worn out.  I can't rely on myself.  I can only rely on the Lord's faithfulness.  Though the world may teeter and totter and I may as well, our God is an EVERLASTING God who does not grow weary.  I must abide in the vine.... Ok, Sarah, abide in the vine. Abide in the vine.  So hard... Lord help me.


Until we meet again,
Sarah

Proverbs 31:10-31... A woman who fears the Lord

An excellent wife who can find?


The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.


She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.


She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.

She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.

                               She rises while it is yet night

      and provides food for her household

  and portions for her maidens.

She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.


She opens her hand to the poor

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.


She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.


Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.










She makes linen
garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

                             and she laughs at the time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.


She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

"Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

Hmmm, a bio... what to say, what to say... My name is Sarah Elizabeth Shook; recently married to Mr. Brandon Dean Shook.  Brandon and I being together is in the Lord's gracious will.  Despite our blemishes and hick-ups in life, God chose to reach into our lives and lead us to each other.  I am 20 years old and my desired profession is to be stay-at-home wife and mother; helping my husband by running the house and also with my little shop on Etsy called LostInIvorySeas, click here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lostinivoryseas.  I am very much still in diapers as a shop owner, but I will get better slowly. 

I work currently at a local veterinary clinic, so I am an animal lover.  I prefer the outdoors such as: bike rides, camping, walking, tree climbing, swimming, and exploring!  I prefer explore the outdoors than explore a television or computer, however I do love an occasional good clean movie(BBCs, Hot Led and Cold Feet, Megamind, It's a Wonderful Life, etc) Ever since I was a child I had a hard time focusing and enjoying a book.  You could say I,m not a book worm. I do love learning, but I have a hard time getting into a book.  The only one I really like diving into would be the Word of God.  I feel like if I'm going to invest the time to read I need to read something that is living and active and something that wont return void.  The other books that interest me are geographical books, cultural books, history books, etc etc. I don't much like fictional books.

It excites me going through our (Brandon and I) journey of marriage.  

We are only 5 months in so we are still newlyweds :) Of course it seems like we have been together forever.  The Lord has taught us so much already.  Brandon is a wonderful creation.  He is kind of a gentle ox. He wont show his strength, but oh my goodness he surprises me sometimes.  I don't think I have ever met someone so humble and faithful.  Fun fact: we have practically the same hair.  Both long, dirty blond, and curly.  Many people say we look like brother and sister.  I don't really see it, but oh well.  Brandon has a wonderful sense of humor.  He will practically do anything to make me laugh... I mean ANYTHING!

This section is devoted to our son... Peri.

Oh the story of Peri... Peri was dumped at the clinic I work at when he was just a couple months old.  He walked up dragging his back legs.  We found a scab on his left shoulder and you can feel a pellet under his skin on the right shoulder area, so we suspect that he was shot and it resulted in paralysis from his shoulder blades down.  We couldn't find anyone to take on this little guy that we found, and if no one took him we would have to put him down.  So........ I took him. He is not able to go potty on his own, so I have to help him. He uses the potty just like us :) He acts like he doesn't depend on me, truly he would not be here if it weren't for me.  I just see it like how so many youngsters are with their parents.  He thinks he can rule the world, but really he can't even go potty with out my help.  Silly silly Peri. He has such a cute personality.  He acts like he doesn't care about what we are doing, but you will always find him in the same room as you.  He loves Brandon so much.  I get jealous sometimes. Oh and by the way I got the name Peri from Paraplegic. Some find that funny some find it sick.  Take your pick.

My maiden name is Blake, I love my Blake family.  My sister, Kristen, is married also.  Now my dad keeps bugging us with wanting grand-kids.  "In due time, dad, in due time".  My sister and I are so much alike.  People say that we don't look alike, but they can tell that we are sisters because of how we act.  Movie quotes make up 75% of our sentences.  Jumping around acting like mohicans. Accents are our favorite.  My mom is wonderful, such a wise woman she is.  My dad is the most kid-like out of all of us.  Always making a joke, or comeback. Goofy goofy goofy.

I am a big fan of diy's and hand making things, so you might see how to make things or recipes on my corner of this blog.  I love to laugh, so you might hear some stories of the day to day funny's of Brandon and me.  I so very much desire to be a God fearing woman as described in Proverbs 31.  I want to have "willing hands" to be of service to my family and anyone that the Lord sends my way. I hope you enjoy my little spot in this blog.