Week 38: A Week to Claim a Breakthrough

Hey, friends! Welcome to Week 38. First I want to give you an update on my life: The study I'm going through which is "A Call to Die" (see week 37) is going very well. I love it. I highly recommend it to anyone out there who is ready and willing to get closer to God, to do some serious soul searching, and to be challenged in a hard but amazing way.

Since this is the first time that I've made a big move like this, from Chicago to Boston, I really have nothing to compare it to. I find myself still missing home, wanting to go back, yet knowing that God has me here for a reason and that I need to trust Him. It's a crazy battle, believe me. I think about my friends Lisa, Amber, Rebecca, Meghan, Colleen, Everett, and a ton of other people who have made big moves, so I know that I'm not alone in that. Still the days are so up and down that sometimes I think I'm crazy! Plus, things are a little chaotic here with my bosses being sent to another Salvation Army and random other happenings that aren't ideal. I've been fighting off some depression and have fallen into it for a bit, but I see God slowly dragging me out of it, and I'm so grateful. It's one of those things where I know that no matter how lonely I get, God is with me, but sometimes it's hard to take that and have it be enough. I know that I try to be satisfied with junk and not God, and that will never work. Day 14 of my study was called "Too Full to Eat?" It was this eye opening chapter that God used to move me to action. I will summarize for you:

There is this guy Chris who served at The House of the Dying in Calcutta. Basically, Chris and the team went out onto the streets, picked people up who were dying, and brought them to this home where they would have a place to die with dignity. The workers loving and gently cared for these people. Chris would do just about anything, but he really didn't like to take out the garbage. These bags of garbage contained clothes stained with rotten flesh, hair shavings, used syringes, and scraps from the previous night's dinner. The first time Chris took out the garbage, kids came running up to the bag, tearing it open to look for scraps of food. And the kids at the food. Out of the disease filled garbage bag.

Gross, right? And that was only a summary...any way, the point was this: David Nasser writes, "Disturbing image, isn't it?! But in all honesty, how far are we from this spiritually? Can you see yourself feasting at the dumpster of this world?" Quite convicting, huh? We eat this "rotten food" every time we let ourselves be polluted by sin, by watching things we shouldn't, by gossiping, by putting others down, and "every time we try to put other things in God's place in our hearts." Needless to say, I read that day's chapter and couldn't help but to change some things in my life.

I woke up the next morning and went to work out. I am eating right, and I've decided to do my best to go to God for everything- when I'm upset and just want to go home, when I am lonely, when something great happens.

I know that a big part of me coming here to Quincy was so that God could really work on me, and believe me, He's been doing a lot. I refuse to leave this place without soaking up everything that God has for me here. I refuse to leave here and not go back home a transformed person. This summer is going to be a breakthrough in Amanda Keene's life. And this week, I am claiming that. With God's help, sin will be uprooted and thrown out and will be replaced with joy! I will walk in obedience which will lead to victory and freedom! The words of the song "Freedom" which Tanesha would sing at In-Fyuz keeps running through my head...

"I wanna lift my hands higher than before
I wanna love you more than before (oh!)
I wanna worship deeper than before
I've gotta shout louder...(oh!)

No more shackles, no more chains, no more bondage
I am free, yeah
No more shackles, no more chains, no more bondage
I am free, yeah
No more shackles, no more chains, no more bondage
I am free, yeah"

Oh, friends....just wait for it- I can already feel it....

This week is simply going to be moving forward with these changes, getting back on God's track for my life, and claiming that breakthrough in my life. As always, prayers are very very appreciated.