The Sanborns » Faith

2011′s Resolutions or Goals

Becca — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 18:25:41 +0000

Last year I didn’t really bother with resolutions or goals, other than doing Project 365. I figured, I had the 101 in 1001 days list, so I decided to just stick with it.

I’m still working on that list, but I thought I’d lay out some goals for this year.

Read my bible daily – It’s something I struggle with and want to do better. My goal is to read daily, or as much as possible. I hope this becomes a habit as it has been in the past.
Read through a couple’s devotional with Gray – We have a couple’s Bible so I’d like to do this daily as well. We’re going to set aside a time of the day that works for both of us and keep to it.
Exercise 3-4 times a week – I have no plans for any races at the moment, although I’d like to do the Middle half again in October. My current plan is to stick with my workout Wii games. I just bought the Zumba for Wii and it’s pretty awesome so far. We also just bought an Xbox with Kinect so I’m sure those games will be fun.
Read for pleasure – I know this may seem silly, but I have a stack of 20 books beside my bed, not to mention 40 on my kindle app. I’d like to read for at least 15-30 minutes each day, if not more.
Drink 8 cups of water each day.
Blog 2-3 times a week about something besides photos and weight loss – When I did my year in review, I realized that there wasn’t much to choose from, except in November. While I can’t say I’ll blog every day, I want to make more posts that are interesting.
Eat healthier – We’ve made the switch to gluten-free and I now have several cookbooks that give me options for more than just the same meals over and over. I’d like to meal plan according to what we need to eat… aka the food pyramid. I need to start planning our meals to make sure we’re getting the proper nutrition.
Date Night – I want to set aside time as a couple each week to do something together… whether it’s watch a movie, play a board game, go out, whatever it is… it would just be the two of us.

I may add to this list as I think of it, but this is just a start of what I’d like to carry out this year. I think this first semester of school will be tough because I’ll be starting clinicals and I’ll be working on Saturdays. My days are going to be harder but I’m sure I can adjust. I just need to make the important things of life a priority, which means I’ll have to stay away from the internet more, or at least be more productive with my time on the internet.

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These are the Moments

Becca — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:58:09 +0000

Last Saturday, in the midst of car troubles, Gray and I went to Teresa’s wedding. Teresa was my RA (Resident Assistant) my Sophomore year in college and she was also my bible study leader that year.

The first time I met Teresa was after a very long car ride with my parents. I walked inside the lobby of Wood/Felder and was greeted by Teresa, with a smile and well, extreme happiness. I was very overwhelmed by her presence and joy and thought to myself, “Wow, she is happy!” My mother even made a comment on how happy she was, which is saying a lot because those of you who know my mother well, know she is just a happy person.

Later that day… or the next day, it’s kind of fuzzy now, I was leaving my dorm room when Teresa stopped me and introduced me to Trina, who is was diagonally across the hall. I remember Trina and I were both hesitant because we didn’t know each other, but it is kind of funny to look back on my memories to that moment.

Teresa went out of her way to get to know me. Somehow she talked to my roommate, Mandy, and discovered we would both be interested in a bible study. I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t that into it back then… and we (Mandy and I) forced each other to go to the first meeting. It turned out that Trina was there, along with Shellie, Candi, Amy, and Shannon. Apparently my first impression of the group was good because I kept going… and something happened…. I grew in my faith.

Sophomore year was my renewal in many ways and when I look back, I am extremely thankful that Teresa was there. Even though I grew up in church, it took a sweet girl like her to show me what it truly meant to walk in Christ and I will never forget her and what it all meant to me. She inspired me so much that I became a RA for the next two years because I wanted to make an impact on my residents. I know I was far from the example she set forth, but I can rest easy knowing that I did have an impact on some of mine.

I cried at her wedding. It wasn’t a blubbering by any means, I just teared up but it was just so nice to see her finally so happy. There is so much more I could say, but for now, this is all.

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Post tags: bible study, college, Our Wedding, ra, Teresa

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He is risen, indeed.

Becca — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:27:15 +0000

Yesterday was the first time we’d been to church on a Sunday in months. It’s not exactly that we chose to skip because of not wanting to go, school has put a lot of pressure on us, especially on me, and I would get so anxious Sunday morning about the impending test on Monday that I just couldn’t bring myself to go to church, knowing I’d be distracted during the sermon, thinking through what I’d been studying.

So yesterday I was really excited to be in Memphis for Easter and to experience a renewal. I’ve been in a funk spiritually this semester, probably because I haven’t been in the word or worshiping. You never realize how church does help you until you aren’t able to attend. Now, I will say that the Sundays we were not able to attend were very beneficial for our marriage. We felt it was the only day that we could kind of relax, even if I was studying a lot.

So back to yesterday, I really enjoyed it. I need to be reminded that I don’t deserve salvation, but God loved me enough to send his son to die for my sins, current, past, future, all of them. I know it’s very easy to forget that sacrifice but I’m very thankful for Jesus and what he did.

I kept seeing people posting about how if Jesus truly died and rose, it makes all the difference. It really does, because there are so many false religions that preach very similar ideas to Christianity, but they aren’t the truth. None of them have a savior who died and rose again, none. You can’t have Christianity without Christ and you can’t have true Salvation if the Savior never died and rose again.

Anyway, enough of the religion, I truly enjoyed yesterday and it re-ignited the spark I’d been missing. I’m finding myself wanting to read my Bible and it’s been a long time since I could truthfully say I did. I’m realizing that if I truly want to walk in the way God wants me to, and follow his lead, I’m going to need some help from him. If I find myself being comfortable with my current life, I’m not following after him. I once heard someone say that if you are uncomfortable with how your life is currently going, you must be on the right path. God doesn’t want us to live comfortably, he wants us to follow after him and do his work, and his work is never comfortable.

There I go on the religion again… heh.

I woke up this morning with a renewed sense of purpose. I feel well rested and ready to take on the world, which is good because I have to tackle some problems today so I can register for classes tomorrow, sigh. Other than that, life is still school and thankfully in a month I will be done, at least with school for the semester.

© Becca for The Sanborns, 2010. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: christianity, church, easter, religion, spirituality

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Becca — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:35:47 +0000

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Merry Christmas!

Becca — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:20:38 +0000

It’s Christmas Eve and I’m sitting at my parent’s house, listening to the wind outside. It will probably not be a white Christmas for us, more like a rainy and wet day instead. We will be eating brunch with my siblings and their spouses/kids tomorrow and then heading out on the trek towards Memphis for part two of Christmas.

I’m going to start working on a New Year’s resolutions post, but first I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. We are so blessed and fortunate to be able to celebrate such an amazing thing as the birth of our Savior.

I get a little ruffled at Christmas because I tire of all the Santa talk. I bought presents for my loved ones because I simply, love them. I like to see them happy on Christmas when they open something I picked out for them. The truth is, I don’t want my kids to grow up believing in Santa to be real or the big deal. Will my kids learn about jolly old St. Nick? Yes, but he won’t be anything more than a fictional character based upon a generous old man who did great things in Europe. I love Santa movies, but I love even more the real story behind Christmas.

Anyway, I hope you are your family have a wonderful, merry Christmas!

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Post tags: Christmas, Jesus, presents, savior

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Bible Study: Seeking Him

Becca — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:19:04 +0000

I was asked to lead a bible study for Cru on campus this semester. I was very involved with them as a student (the first time around) and was flattered they thought of me! I met with an old bible study leader of mine, Jenny Rone, who is now the Women’s ministry director at my church. She suggested a few bible studies and I ended up choosing one titled “Seeking Him.”

I originally wanted to do a study called “Gospel Transformation” because it was my favorite study as an undergrad student. This one has turned out to be a lot like it, so that makes me happy. The study focuses on revival in your heart and community. I’m liking it so far, and it helps that the girls I’m leading are pretty awesome.

Every time I open this study, it kicks my butt, in a good way! There are so many times in which I am prideful and sometimes you have to read it before you realize how often it happens in your own life. I’m so quick to judge others when I’m just as bad, if not worse!

I’ve always felt like you get more out of a bible study by leading it and this is no exception. I’m loving what I am learning and I hope I can keep applying it to my daily life.

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Post tags: bible study, nabopomo, seeking him

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The one where I explain what I believe

Becca — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:50:02 +0000

I don’t normally talk much about my faith in this blog. It’s not because I’m scared to or afraid I will offend someone, I just forget. I’ve forgotten a lot lately and that’s when something radically changed in my life. You see, I used t be heavily involved in a ministry for college called Campus Crusade for Christ. The name itself gives you the idea that we would run around, burning and killing people if they didn’t come to Christ. Totally opposite actually. Cru (the short name) is a non-denominational organization, meaning that anyone denomination (Baptist, Methodist, etc) of Christianity can come and worship. In fact, we actually preferred you come if you weren’t Christian at all.

This brings me to another point, the word Christian bugs me. I follow after Jesus, the son of God, but the word Christian has been given such a bad name. People label themselves as Christians but do not follow after Jesus Christ nor do they live life like he did. I am definitely not a good example of a Christian because I fall from grace every day.

Anyway, this could go on and on… but the point is that although I do consider myself a Christian, I don’t like to use the term because a lot of bad ( as well as good) is associated with it. Instead, I consider myself a follower of Jesus.

Gray and I attend a non-denominational church called Fellowship Bible Church. Some people would consider the denomination “Bible church” but I prefer non-denominational. Whatever. It was started in Little Rock, AR and slowly spread throughout the South. I love it. The style is different from the Southern Baptist church I grew up in. We attend a Sunday morning service but there is no Sunday school for adults, only the kids. The kids service goes on while the main worship service is going on. I actually teach the 3 year olds two Sundays every month and I love it. Instead of Sunday School, we have community groups. Those occur bi-monthly and are usually pretty small, 6-8 couples at max. Gray and I have been in the same community group for over a year now and are finally feeling like we belong.

Although the church doesn’t have a service besides Sunday morning, they do offer other venues. For example, at least once a month they offer an equipping session which is sort of like Sunday night classes. It is over a hot topic of today’s society and informs and equips the body to use tools for evangelism. Most recently there was an equipping seminar over stress and anxiety.

This summer the church is offering two bible studies for women only. I had the choice to choose between Esther (Beth Moore) or a study of the book “Having a Mary heart in a Martha world.” I chose the latter book because I didn’t really want a Beth Moore bible study and although Esther is a motivating book in the Bible, the other choice was better for me.

Oh it is better for me.

I’ve only read two chapters and I’m already so aware of how I’ve pulled myself away from God. It’s not as though I turned away from God, because I haven’t, more so I’ve just not put an effort into the relationship. Yes, I truly consider that in order to get the most out of being a Christ follower, I must put an effort into my relationship with God. It’s an area that gets put to the back burner most days but it really needs to be a priority. When I make it a priority my day is so much better and I’m such a different, better person.

So I started reading the bible study and realized how far I’ve let myself slide. I’ve become selffish, controlling, and irritable, just to name some of what I’ve realized. The first step to fixing all of that is to realize that I’ve been them. I’ll be the first to tell you that I have an issue with judging people. I constantly tell myself that I should not judge because I’m the same way, but it doesn’t stop me from judging in my head. I’m learning that gossip is not good, and I really should just be telling God what I think so that he can knock me on the head and tell me, “Uhm, you’re the same way, remember?”

SO yeah, when I went to the bible study I was nervous. I’m not really into going to women’s events if I dont know anyone. It make me uncomfortable not knowing anyone, it’s awkward.

I was so thankful that a woman from my community group was at the bible studyand immediately felt better. I learned a lot that night, but mostly that I am totally not alone when it comes to the issues I face. For every question I answered, there was at least one other woman who was struggling with wanting to control, feeling as though God wasn’t there (even though we know he is), and just feeling inadequate.

So if you struggle in those areas, know you aren’t alone. God knows we can’t be perfect, that’s why he sent Jesus. I am so thankful for the grace he gives and I honestly pray that if you don’t know Him, that you would come to know him. My life is so much more peaceful knowing Him and I’m a much better person in general when I spend time with Him.

© Becca for The Sanborns, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: bible study, church, Jesus, religion, Southern Baptist

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