Welcome....Here's a glimpse of our happenings!

The verses that have REALLY spoken to me (Sarah) lately....



"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." Matthew 7:24-25



Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. I Peter 5:8-9



From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' Acts 17:26-28



May the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14



So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. Deuteronomy 5:32-33



God, our God, will take care of the hidden things but the revealed things are our business. It's up to us and our children to attend to all the terms in this Revelation. Deuteronomy 29:29 (The Message)

About the Friesen's....

We are Marc, Sarah, Luke, and Kate Friesen. We were married June 5, 2004. We have one son, born July 21, 2008, named Luke Andrew -- now 4 years old. We also have a daughter named Kate Christine -- born June 6, 2012. Marc is working at Cessna as a Senior Accountant, and Sarah stays home full-time with Luke. Sarah also gets to work very part-time at home for Graber Backhoe -- an excavation company AND VERY part-time at our church. We LOVE being a part of Grace Community Church here in Newton, KS. We lead a Community Life Group of other wonderful couples. Marc thoroughly enjoys long-distance running and Taekwondo. Sarah thoroughly enjoys walking -- especially when the weather is nice to take Luke and/or out in the stroller. Thanks for reading our blog!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

The Worry Box....

WARNING! This will be a long post....I hope my loyal readers/followers will see it through to the end. Go on ahead and grab a cup of caffeinated coffee or your favorite caffeinated pop (yep, we say "pop" here in Kansas). You might need it....if you're in it for the long haul.

This post is one I have debated even posting, but I decided to write a bit from my heart...decided to get a bit personal...I'm doing this in hopes of helping somebody else.

Before I get to the point of this post, I must give two points of background information about myself....So, here they go.

1) The summer between my sophomore and junior years in college, a very good statistics professor at Wichita State University helped me figure out that I was very much a visual learner. I was struggling with something in that class. One day, I was down in her office, and she helped me with a visual exercise which in turn very much helped me get through that class with a very decent grade. Since that time (this would've been the summer of 1996), I have used that same technique in many other avenues of life. Yes, I am indeed a visual learner.

I do think that, because I am such a visual learner, sometimes I do struggle a bit with prayer, why I should pray when God already knows what I need/want...In other words, I can't see God. Why do I pray to Him? In fact, sometimes I think that if I didn't see clear evidence of God's creation (people, geography on earth, etc.), I would seriously wonder a bit more.

But, I do know for a fact that God does exist...not only because of His miraculous creation but because of how much my heart has been changed over the years by His Spirit within me.

Also, it clearly states in Hebrew these words....

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

2) I am a worrier. I come from a family of worriers. I have made fun of my grandmother in the past for being such a worrier, though I know that, in this case, the "apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

My husband has told me I worry too much. When I was pregnant with Luke, the nurse-practitioner who works with my doctor told me I was a worrier.

The list about worrying goes on and on and on....

I recently read in a devotion book that "worrying" is a sin because it is clear-cut evidence of disbelief in God.

Whoa! That one sentence hit home to me BIG TIME!

Here's a photo, a self-portrait even, of me this afternoon....It's kind of a weary look. It's a look I think I have quite a bit. I can tell by looking at this photo that I have A LOT on my mind.



*****

O.K., to the point....

This summer, I've been going through this previously mentioned devotional book with a long-distance friend, a blogging friend whom I've actually never met in person (you know who you are -- you live way too far from here, on the east coast).

One of the chapters mentioning creating a "God Box." I've been saying for probably six weeks now that I was going to do this. Though my "To Do" list was quite long today, I did still carve out time during Luke's nap today to actually make this box -- finally.

It's something visual (remember -- I'm a visual person)...It's something that I think could work GREAT with children. In fact, I will remember this for Luke someday if he takes on worrying like me.

This is something I wish I'd thought of for VBS a few weeks ago....One of the lessons was on "giving your worries and cares to God." This would've been a FANTASTIC little visual project for the kids.

First, I took an empty shoebox I didn't need....



Second, I found some wrapping paper I had in my collection. I had this cute polka dot paper....



Third, I taped the shoebox completely closed!!!!



Fourth, I wrapped the shoebox....





Fifth, I took a razor and cut a small hole in the wrapped box....





Sixth, and I know some of you would get WAY MORE decorative and fancy, I took a permanent marker pen and wrote some of my favorite verses on the box....I picked mainly verses about anxiety and worry.

And, on top, I wrote "Not My Will, but Your's."

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. I Peter 5:7



Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7



Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34



Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2



O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to hear my cry. Psalm 88:1-2



And, Voila -- the finished product! It really didn't even take that much time to make.



And tonight, I wrote out several slips of paper for this box....



And tonight, I released several HUGE worries of mine right now to God....



Now, the book (where I got this idea) suggests to NEVER look at these worries/requests again....They're given to God, after all. However, I did date them. When the box is full, and I haven't fully decided on this yet, I may look back. I'd like to see how my worries and prayer requests were answered. I know my friend, Debby, journals all requests and then keeps track of answered prayers. This could be my way of doing just that.

Who knows, though????

At first, when I read about this, I thought it was sort of silly to have a "God Box." After all, God is everywhere -- He's not just in a box. But, after I thought about it for awhile AND I also remembered just how much of a visual person I am, I realized that this was a good idea for me.

It is amazing...I did put some serious things in there tonight. I do feel them lifted off of me right now.

Thanks for reading about something deeply personal to me!

7 comments:

Amy said...

I think this is a great idea, Sarah! I'm very visual, too, so I can understand some of your feelings on this. Thanks for sharing!!

Doug and Sarah said...

This was a wonderful post! I too am very visual and find it hard to understand things I can't see sometimes. I want to make my own worry box! Thanks for sharing, especially something so personal! I love it!!

Kelly said...

I love it. I did this in collage. I had read Francine Rivers Rereeming Love and It has a prayer box in it. This is s great way to remind yourself that "God can do it"

More than just okay said...

I love this idea. Especially the part about taping it completely shut. I tend to give, then take back, then give . . .

Thanks for sharing, Sara. You're one special lady!

Rich and Carolyn Dewey said...

Sarah! What a lovely post and such a worthwhile project!

Thanks for sharing your heart!

Raising Koehns said...

Great idea Sarah! I definitely need to do better about giving my cares to God. What a creative way to do that!

Diana said...

This is wonderful, Sarah! We all struggle with giving things completely to God. You see from the comments just how many of us are right there with you in the same boat. I keep a prayer journal, my way of giving it to God. Thank you for sharing this with us. =)

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