The World Race: United States edition

For those who are around me, they have constantly heard me talk about The World Race. It is a missions trip that lasts 11 months and you go to 11 countries. I literally pour over the current (or past) World Racer's blogs. I know, slightly creeperish. I have memorized names by reading their blog entries so when I talk about it with people and they say they have a friend on there...I know the name. Oh yeah...the guy with the red hair who lives in michigan and has 5 brothers and sisters...I know him! Yeah...I know I need help. It is my deepest prayer and desire to go on the trip. Lately, God revealed to me through a friend that my passion for international missions is not something that isn't of Him. He put that desire there and has huge plans for me. Can i hear a AMEN! AAMMMEEENN!!!! Hearing that, I knew that what I thought about my future, what I thought was going to happen, is going to happen. Not necessarily the world race, but I am going to be a missionary internationally. I am going to be a missionary. That is my job title. Missionary of the LORD! Can i hear a AMEN! AMEEENN!!! Because of my heart for other cultures, it has been hard keeping my soul content at being in the United States. To create a passion for what God has called me to do here. I am a k-life leader and lead two 7th grade girl bible studies. I LOVE these girls as if they were my own. I have a passion for telling them about Jesus. For coming up beside them and carrying them through the awful awkward years of middle school. I can't be letting my mind wander, or my heart, to places that are not here and now. God put these girls (something He also revealed through my friend) in my life specifically so that I can speak truth into their lives. I want to give them a joy that only Jesus can provide. So, WHY am I looking towards the future! If I can't focus on what God has given me here and now, how will I be able to ever do that even overseas? There will always be something more "exciting" in the future. Contentment is the main word. I need to be content.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God"- Philippians 4:6
or how about when Paul says...
"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content....In any and EVERY circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM WHO STRENGTHENS ME."- Phil. 4:11-

What I like most about that sentence is that Paul says "I have learned..." He's HUMAN! woah. Just like I am learning and will continue to learn, the fullest way and to my full potential that I can serve the Lord is to be content. To be not anxious.
My best friend Becca said that I should treat my time hear as The World Race: United States edition. It may not have all the languages and different smells as other countries have, but I can make it as fun and exciting as I want it to be! I can serve God here too! I am here in the United States for the Lord and to serve Him by serving my girls. I mean hey...I get adventure out of being with them. I have been Aladdin, played countless games of Murder in the dark, been glittered upon, been treated like a jungle gym, talked about the latest boyfriend (which seem to come and go every week), and most of all talk about the awesomness of God. Uhh...sounds like the World Race to me!

dawn of the present

So, I am sitting here in Memorial Union (surprise surprise) at 7:01 a.m. Now, those who know me are thinking, "What is she doing up that early? How did she part with her pillow?" Well, the answer is, I neglected my pillow last night and decided to stay up all night. All NiGHTER WAHOO!! COLLLEGE!!! I sat in Pershing all night slaving over my psychology book when I would rather be salivating all over my pillow. Don't worry there is a point to this...I think. There might be. I plead the sleep deprived excuse if this is absolutely idiotic. Anyways, as I stuttered out of Pershing at 6 in the morning, all I could think of was to get to Memorial as fast as I could because 1. it was FREEZING 2. I was tired and 3. did I mention HOW COLD IT WAS!? For some reason, maybe because I was slightly delirious, I started to ponder over where I was going in my life. What I had to do. Take notice that all is said in a future tense. The Lord really brought this to my view as I walked, teeth chattering, to Memorial. I have been looking to the future waaaay to much. Gotta get my Gpa up (future). Gotta study abroad (future). Have to do well on this test (usually tests, FUTURE). I have turned into one of this rushing through life sort of persons! I have constantly looked to what I HAVE to do, forgetting that I need to dwell in the present as well. I feel that God is present. I mean I say this because of course He will and forever be in the future. However, we can't ever plan God. We can't plan what He will do, what He SHOULD do. We can only look at the now with the Lord. That is what I mean He is a present God. In looking into the future, I have failed to focus on what KNOWS the future...the Lord. UHHH HELLOOO SAMANTHA!!!! WATCHAAA DOING??!!! Yeah that was basically what my head screamed. It could have been God but I like to think that He would be more quiet. haha! Oh and after this wonderful epiphany of a moment, God asked me to dance....in the middle of Lowry. Yeeeaaaahhhh...did I mention that our God is a mysterious God? So I mean who am I to say no to the Being who CREATED the world. Yep, I danced amid a backdrop of the beautiful purple and pink sunrise. I think I felt angels dancing too. :) Now, the dancing wasn't David-dance-your-clothes-off kind of dancing. It was more of a sway and toe tap little ditty. Oh, the day when I won't feel self-conscious. Anyways, I hope there was a point. Oh, and I told God that He can dance with me at sunSET...I will NOT be getting up any time soon to dance with Him at sunrise. HEEECKKKK NOOO!!!!

I LOVE MY JESUS!!!

Fall time! hey fall please redeem yourself...

SO, it is officially October 1st. Fall has occupied the lovely state of missouri for about, i would say, a week. The leaves are colorful, scarves have emerged, and steamy cups of pumpkin spice lattes are floating about. Yep, FALL! So far, there have been some definate great/bad moments. Yes, I know. How can there already be moments in only a week? Well, for those who do not know me, WELCOME TO THE LIFE OF SAMANTHA!! My life goes at the speed of a cheetah on a sugar high. The sunnyside (or should i say the scarves, lattes, and colorful side) of life consists of the fact that I have joined K-life. I am now a jr. high leader and it is simply GLORIOUS! I have finally found something that i have a passion about during school. Going to klub, which is tuesdays, rejuvenates me. It is what keeps me going. I get to be totally ridiculous, totally unreserved once a week. You know what I love...I love that I am now friends with people that my friends at CRU do not know. I have finally stepped outside. This is MY thing. Anyways, now for the bad. I'm not going to go into it because I do not want to depress those who read this.
1. I already failed a class. Yes. I know. It was a month and it was totally stupid.
2. I got told that I look like I am about to cry all the time...WHAAAATTT??!!! I am very joyful. Where is this crying business at? haha!
3. There was this whole scandal with my kamp. It was reeling.

Although there is alot of bad moments in the first week of fall, I have high hopes that fall will redeem itself. I am not a lingerer on the past and the bad moments. Bring on the scarves, lattes, and crunchy fall leaves!!

my identity

So recently, I have been starting to get into finding who I am. I have also been studying the totality of who God is. We all generally understand and follow 2 Gods....We know the God who can smite us and then we know the God of love. It is really hard for a person to combine the two and understand the whole Almightiness of the Lord. Not that we are meant to. But a person can try. :) So i wrote this...Its not any good. It was during one of my quiet times.

Thats My KING!

I am Samantha Lou Owens. I am a big boned, ghetto booty, beautiful young woman. I walk to my own rhythm. I sing to my own song. My laughter strikes the air often. Joyful is my dance. I am a lover, a fighter, a hugger. Smiles are my favorite. But most important of all of who I am…I am a follower of my Jesus, true King of the Universe, Creator of all things. That is my identity. THIS is who I am. All the things that come from me is the result of my Lord. I laugh because He brings me happiness. He brings me joy in the little things in life. Green tea. Heart earrings. Fuzzy socks. Sunshine. Little things that no one ever notices. Everyday, He repeatedly captivates my heart. He woos me until I am utterly and completely in love with my God. He knows my heart, every nook and cranny of its complicated depths. That is my King! He sees my every desire before I even know what it is. He put the passion for international places, for people who are different then me, for loners, for the broken, for the suffering, inside of me. He delights in making me smile. I can only laugh at myself when I am anxious. Anxious about my future, about the unknown looming in the near distance. You see, my King knows. My life, my future is known by my Father. He gave me the eyes to see the depths of people’s hearts. To see past the “okay”. To see how they truly are. Isn’t my Lord creative? Isnt my Lord loving? Isn’t my Lord protective? So, when I think of who I am, of everything that makes me, it all comes down to one statement. I am the daughter of the Lord God Almighty.

for laughs!

Mourning of the Trees

And I am TEEELLLINNG YOU!!!

My future kid will dance like this...


Lip syncing is SO in right now.

high off of life!

Rise up believers!

God is so amazing! He made the earth, sea, our complex minds, the air that we breathe. I feel that we realize this, but we fail to reach the total understanding of how HUGE our God really is! Of course, we cannot ever because our minds are to small for the total picture of Him. Recently, I have been hit with a new realization of how awesome the Lord really is. Guys...he is capable of anything. ANYTHING! ANYTHING! He has the ability to perform the impossible. You who are reading this know the word impossible, but do you really understand the depth of the word. HE, our Creator, has the ABILITY to perform the IMPOSSIBLE! As in things that should not, beyond our wildest imagination, ever happen!

There is a biblical saying that our faith can move mountains. Through Christ, we are able to move mountains. You know...those big sturdy , not going anywhere mounds of rock? So, why aren't we out there doing it already? Why aren't we picking a fight with Satan? It is even said in the Bible...
"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith" Matthew 21:22
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13
So what the heck is going on?
One ugly word. Doubt. We doubt. We are hindered from reaching the full capacity of our gifts from God because of doubt. We doubt that God will help us in financial needs. We doubt that God can heal the sick. We doubt that God can perform the IMPOSSIBLE! (Now, some may say to not group the whole group of believers in this, but every single person on this earth has experienced doubt). Now, I am guilty of this as much as the next person is. I am only now seeing how RIDICULOUS it is. I have sat by and said to the Lord, "Why aren't you taking action in the world? Why is there so much corruption? Why does it look like Satan is winning?" Well, DUH! It is because doubt is getting in our way. We doubt, then fear, then hesitate.

Our world needs us to be beacons of light. We are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). The Lord has called us. It is time to get off our thoughts of uncertainty and charge forth with the Lord as our strength and light. He will, through us, do the IMPOSSIBLE! We just have to have faith. Our God is supernatural! He is all powerful! He is the performer of miracles! He has the ability to do the IMPOSSIBLE!

wow, can you even imagine how SCARED Satan would be if only all the children of the Lord threw their doubt away and had faith? haha! He would be peeing in his pants! So, now is the time for us to rise up together! Lets go do the outrageous! :D

I urge you to watch these two youtube videos on the nature of God...AMAZING!

Number 1
Number 2

East to West- Casting Crowns.....Word.

well, i'm sorry for not posting recently. Many things have happened. However, this song is really speaking to my heart so i decided to post it. 

lyrics

changes of the heart.

So January has started off really well. Just a few days ago I got back from Denver, Colorado where I attended a Conference that is affiliated with Campus Crusade for Christ. It was there that God broke me. We were asked to make a list of all the things that we wanted God to do that week. I wrote this down...

1. to forgive one of my friends (who remains unnamed)

2. to figure out what I'm doing with school

3. to break my selfish heart

It seems like it is alot, but you know what IS alot to God. So my main focus was on #1 of the list. I went to 2 seminars that I actually felt like were written specifically for me. The 1st one was a seminar on forgiveness. In there, the speaker gave us a step by step way to forgive someone. I was pumped. I went to Starbucks and sat down with my journal ready to forgive this person. I started to do the steps. As I started to uncover all the dislike and "hate" (i know I did not hate this person) that I had buried a long time ago, the want to forgive started to slide away. I couldnt do it. I returned to the hotel discouraged. Later that week, I got breakfast with 2 of my mentors. I told them what was happening and how annoyed i was with myself for not being able to forgive this person once and for all. Then the bomb hit. They said that I also need to ask for his forgiveness as well. I set standards over him that were not mine to set. That was God's area of expertise. Yeaaahhh....talk about bombshell...I wanted to run...and fast. The last day of DCC I set my eyes forward and went to Starbucks again. (I think that God performs miracles in Starbucks btw...think about all the talks you have had). God changed my heart as I sat there writing. I was able to forgive AND to write him a letter asking for his forgiveness. Yeah that was TOTALLY the Lord because I can definitely tell you that I am not capable of changing my heart enough to forgive him, let alone write him a letter. The glorious feeling of freedom is absolutely numbing. Seriously, my face went numb and tingly...no lie. So check one for #1 on the list. Go GOD! 

The second one now...(I also apologize for how long this is going to be).  School. EW. Recently I have been really unsettled. I just do not know why I am in school. I am a Middle School education major. I do not know why I am because I do not want to be a classroom teacher or a teacher for that matter. I know that I am going to be in ministry because that is what I have a heart for. I love to help people in their faith. I love to give advice. I love to share the word of the Lord. I have been planning on going overseas (and I say planning because God has not given me a clear no yet) as soon as I graduate. However, what am I going to graduate with? I know what I am doing, I just do not know how to get there. I was talking to one of my friends who is now studying abroad in Mexico with my roommate, Becca, and she mentioned the idea of majoring in Spanish. That would be a great idea! I love spanish. I love the culture and I know that I probably will work in a Spanish setting. Who knows. So, right now I am trying to figure out if I want to drop my education major and take Spanish on. Although I dont have a clear answer, I am more clear on the subject then I was before. Go God!

Now, for the selfish part. Lets just say that God answered that area and more...I am not going to go into it that much.

All in all, the beginning of enero has been a wonderful start. What better way to start than by really dwelling in the Lord?