Howdy and glad you stopped in at Jesus' Little Cow-Hide Booted Wrangler!


All young people that follow Jesus are His knights for Truth. We are all created by the One true God of the Bible, the one that made you and me!
This is a blog that expresses the joy that I have in Jesus!

Please stay and read.

There's much to laugh, smile and enjoy about here!:)


I'll be praying for you...my future husband=)

Outside Lookin' In. I choregraphed my dance try-out to this song! my fav. of Lori's songs!:)

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Listen Like a Baby

If you come to the point where you don't know WHAT to think,
then simply come to the cross and cling to what you DO know...


"Jesus loves you"

"You're gonna be okay, because He's gotcha' "

"He's your keeper"


Sometimes you just have to shut up the endless questions and voices by listening to one, baby simple truth.


Hey there bloggers!!!

Today is VERY sunny and wonderful!!!

Today I was reading in Ephesians 2 and how God makes YOU ALIVE, though WERE once dead in sin, now you are ALIVE in Christ Jesus!  You are a NEW creation!


Friday, March 20, 2015

Dear You that Struggles with Anxiety,

Dear You that's struggling with anxiety...and it feels like you will never be able to breathe again,


Sometimes, with my extremely crazy STINKIN' OVERTHINKIN' brain, I just need to stop and think logically...

Because really what it boils down to is ME CLAIMING TRUTH AS A  DAUGHTER OF GOD.


You see, before you become a Christian, before I became a Christian, I had a general idea of Right & Wrong, because God writes His Law on each human heart to know that...

But you see, though, yes, I maybe was a good little girl on the outside, on the inside, I was a "white-washed" tomb, and had the potential within me of a little murderer.  Is is that too harsh?  Well, reality is, no, because all of us our sinners and our hearts are utterly wicked & deceitful before Christ comes and sets us free in salvation!!

BUT NOW, as a daughter of Jesus Christ, AND BUT NOW, if you have trusted Him to save you, because by His mercy He showed you that even the "little sins" were worthy of your judgement...

Then guess what you got??

You've got the POWER OF THE LIVING GOD LIVING INSIDE OF YOU!!!!!

You see, I feel like, in fact I KNOW that, a lot of times now as a daughter of God I begin to think...

"Oh no...oh no...okay Sam, here it goes.  This Christian life is up to you to wing it, better get it right.  You don't wanna mess up!"

But that was me BEFORE I was saved!  It was all me wingin' it, and it's only by God's grace that I wasn't worse off, because whew!  It's a scary place to be when you're wingin' it on your own!

But oh the SWEET awesome truth to KNOW that AS HIS DAUGHTER, MY LORD JESUS KEEPS ME, He holds me tight, HE guides my every step, thought, word & deed with His beautiful love He has for me!!

Isn't that a sweet, beautiful picture??


So for you that struggles with anxiety, or is having a tough time reigning in the wild horse of emotion & fear, (because trust me, I've been there...)

CLING TO JESUS, because as His Son or Daughter, YOU ARE SOOO SAFE!!!=)

Love!
Sam

Who's with Me?

Dear Friends!=) Hey there! It's Samantha again,

I wanted to start something that I thought would be really great for whoever would like to join...
Usually it's easy to post just about anything, but I was wondering...what if we started something that was more than just good...but something great?
Which is why I'm starting a Book Discussion for whoever wants to join!

The book is: The Cause Within You (by Matthew Barnett)
I read this a while ago, but recently my Mom just finished reading it (again;) and reminded me just how amazing/inspiring this book is.

Book Summary: "We are all searching for hope, meaning, and purpose in our lives. Yet you might be surprised that you already hold the key to your life's cause--a unique passion & calling that God has designed just for you & placed in your heart.

And you can start living it out today."
So I thought this would be a really awesome book that I could begin (again;) and also see who else is up to the challenge to read it with me,
And would post what takeaways/tidbits you got from it on the comments of this post...

So what d'ya say? Are ya up for the challenge?
Who's with me?=)

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Dear Single Friend, (part 2)

Hello again ya'll!
Just wanted to say that I felt like I needed to say that to all my friends that have maybe thought, "Man, what if I've already given myself away?  I've already had sex outside of marriage!  It's too late for me to live for God!"

I understand that reality is, not every person reading this post will have kept themselves physically pure for marriage.  That's just reality, life.  Maybe you were raised in a home that wasn't Christian, or maybe you were and that was the reason you rebelled,

Or whatever.  Let me say this, your past is NOT your destination!  God says that if you "confess your sins, HE IS FAITHFUL & just to FORGIVE you!!!"  (1 John 1)

Today is a new day.  You may have messed up in the past, but that's beside the point.  The point is, you can go to God because the blood of Jesus is ready to wash you of all your sins, and He will wash you of ALL your impurities and you can begin to live for Him today:)

Dear Single Friends!

Who are all my single friends out there?!  Well, this little letter is to YOU.=)

Lately, I've been thinking a lot on how much I desire to some day get married to a young man that loves Jesus, and have lots of babies!  (Yes, that sounds silly, but it's true!=)  That EXCITES me!)

I've always had a dream to have a family, but the other night the desire to someday become a Mom was strengthened when I dreamed I was actually 6 months pregnant!  It was the weirdest, strangest thing...because it felt so real!  You know how you will sometimes have those dreams that you think are so real, that when you wake up, you have to almost pinch yourself?  This was one of them!

But I just remember the feeling in my dream of being pregnant, the strange feeling that I was carrying a little life inside of me.  It was so sweet and beautiful that I was almost sad when I woke up to find out it was all just a dream.  I awoke with a new resolve that if I do nothing else in this world but raise a bunch of sweet babies into godly men & women for Jesus, then my life has been full!!  (Course my husband and I would raise them together, with my husband leading.=)


But that can sound all sweet & cute for a blog post, but what about reality?  What about the NOW that I have to deal with?  What about when a guy asks to have a relationship with you and you know you're not emotionally & spiritually mature & ready for one yet?

Or what if you think you are, but your parents don't think so?  Or what if you see your friends around you dating & seemingly having such carefree, wonderful times of self-fulfillment with their boyfriends and you just have to watch from the sidelines and kiss your Bible?

What then?

I know.  It's tough.

But, ya know, I know God is making something beautiful in me.  I know that He's painting a masterpiece out of the broken, messiness of my weird life...I just know He is.  He has been, and He will continue to.

I may not understand why I can't date now and some of my acquaintances and friends can,
and I may not understand why it seems like some people just do whatever they want and they don't have any consequences,
In fact, have you ever wondered..."WHY DO I EVEN TRY?"  Ever felt like the hopelessly perfect little Miss or Mister Goody-Two-Shoes?  And others made it clear that you were, too?

It FEELS hard to live for Jesus when everybody else seems to be conforming, conforming, conforming, and you try to transform your mind and say "no!"  It feels tough!  I know how it feels!

But what it really comes down to is me.  It comes down to my personal decision if I will obey God today and His will for me, and submit to His will by asking for His forgiveness for whatever I did that day, and trusting Him again,

Or disobeying my Savior that died for me so that I could live in obedience, and face the consequences.

As God's daughter now, I DON'T WANT to disobey Him!  He's changed my heart.  So it's just constant, quiet, humble surrenders every day.  It's me "decreasing and HIM increasing"!

Easy?  God never promised easy.  Worth it?  You kidding me?!  Worth me saying "no" to sex and unhealthy relationships now, so that the first time I say "yes" is on my wedding day to my husband?  Knowing that I had kept my heart tucked away just for him?  Not perfectly by any means!  But me knowing that the struggle of obeying God over self was worth it.

Because the joy that will come that day that I walk down the beach... =)

Sky blue and lilac-colored flowers tucked in my hair, a long, white shimmery veil covering my face,

My creme-colored satin wedding dress adorning my body, a bouquet of real flowers in my hands,

The shimmer of my lips from the lip gloss, ready to kiss my beloved whom I waited for,

The sparkle of joy and gratefulness in my eyes that no one can dampen,

My bare toes warm in the sand,

The ocean lapping beside me,

My loved ones, my friends, my family, watching on in teary awe,

The eyes of my beloved locking with my eyes as I walk toward him,

Though a bit frightened and maybe even still feeling a little unprepared, we both know we are ready,

The cry of the seagulls overhead,

The backdrop of the rosy sunset behind us,

WILL ALL BE WORTH the wait now...



So be encouraged single friend!  "Don't be conformed to this world...but be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of your mind!"  (Romans 12:1-2)  Because when you keep getting more and more transformed,

You won't believe the butterfly you became on that day!!


Sunday, March 8, 2015

 Dear friend,
Today, just being honest with you, I have struggled with trusting my Savior.  Oh how precious He is to me!  He MUST BE everything to me!  He MUST BE everything to YOU!

Lay your fears, your doubts, your pride, your sin, your messy, bloody soul & self, your rotting, decaying body and mind down at the foot of the cross and

LOOK UP!!!

It's gonna be okay...I must always remind myself that, and you must, too.

2 Corinthians 4:16 tells you today,

"Don't loose heart, for though your outward man is perishing, your inward man is BEING RENEWED DAY BY DAY."

I'm not some amazing person.  God is amazing.  He MUST BE my all!  He MUST BE YOUR ALL!!  The ONE you turn to, the One you run to, cry to, CLING to!
I'm preaching to MYSELF guys!  Don't feel bad!  Just SURRENDER to Him.

You ARE all right if your in His arms.  Don't you see?

Psalm 91 tells us,

"Because YOU have taken refuge in ME (Jesus)...I GIVE MY ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU, to KEEP YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS, IN THEIR HANDS THEY SHALL BEAR YOU UP."

Either you will believe that right there, or the lies that lead to death.

It's gonna be okay.  Just KNOW that.

Love you guys,
Sam

It is Well with My Soul, by Chris Rice

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Standing Where You Know It's Solid

Clinging to the Cross


Your reality is Christ.  Just being real with ya'll here.

Yours and my reality  is God and what He has told us.  Everything else in this world changes and can change and will change...but God NEVER EVER changes and HIS WORD doesn't change!

REALITY IS:

You were made with a purpose.

You can trust God and stand on His Truth to get you through the storm.

You will be held responsible for what you did with YOUR life, not anybody else's.

YOU CAN stand on Truth.  It's just a constant reminding yourself what Truth is, and then, no matter what you're feeling, just banking on it.

Clinging to your Jesus...

and never EVER letting Him go.

Or, better put,
Clinging to the fact that HE NEVER EVER LETS YOU GO.

 

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

The Locket



Have you ever worn a locket with that special someone's face tucked carefully inside?  Have you felt safe, or even more loved...when you wear that locket?

Let me say this...it's special to be liked by someone.  It's even more special to be loved by someone.  Though it's exciting for me to look forward to the day when I will have that "special someone" that I can call mine, the young man that will sweep me off my feet and make the stars in my eyes burn brighter,

You know what makes you feel the specialist?  You know what gives you the GREATEST fulfillment & hope & feeling of love in your life?

It's KNOWING that JESUS is thinking of you now, and that He loves you.

Yep. 

That's it.

He loves you.

And He has knows your face...every detail.  Even the little things that most people don't know about you...the way one ear may be a little higher than the other, the way when you smile how you only have one dimple, or how when your sad, you try to cover it with a fake smile...

He knows your face.  And He knows your name.  You are not a mistake...He knew the exact day you would be born, and He knows the exact day that He has planned for you when your time here is complete.  He has a purpose for your life...and He wants to have your heart.  He has you close to His heart, and He longs for you to love Him back.  It's like...Jesus is in love with you, He loves you so so much, but you are unaware of His love...

He just wants you to know that you're loved...

 And to keep Him close to your heart...like He does with you.




It's your dash...

Decide today who you are gonna be...


Decide today what the DASH of your life, the dash that equals the life of each person on their tombstone, is gonna be remembered for...


Decide today your future...that's the only reality that you can control...yourself.


Tomorrow, our family will visit my great Aunt's funeral.  She was near ninety, and lived a long, full life filled with quiet service to her Lord.  What will you be remembered for?  Will you remembered for your love for others?  Or your love for the Lord?  Or how you impacted people with truth?  Or how you never gave up even when you were tossed and tormented so badly that at times, you felt like you were going to die? 

Will you be remembered for your courage to face the Goliaths in your life and take responsibility for your life? 

Will you be remembered for...


For being a person that DID SOMETHING THAT MATTERED...??

It's up to you...

It's who you choose to be...

TODAY.


Dear Victor in Jesus,




I understand if you've had a hard day...

Know that I'm praying for you.  If today was one of those days, I'm here to tell you it's gonna be okay.

I've realized, it's tougher for me to run from Jesus & believe the devil's lies when I've tasted His truth...

then it is for me to trust my Savior & love Him today.


You're gonna turn to something in your time of deepest need...

Just turn to Him.


Run to Jesus Song by Chris Rice

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Dearest You,





Have you ever felt so alone that you just cried and cried...even though you knew you were wallowing in self-pity?  Have you ever been felt so afraid that you feel caged up?  Or caught?  Or trapped?  Trapped in...bondage to...fear??  Whatever fear that may be for you? 

Jesus has something He wants to tell you and me today, (look at Romans 8:15 for the exact reference)

"For I did not give YOU a spirit of fear to be in bondage again

But I have given you the Spirit of ADOPTION by whom YOU cry out, "Daddy!  Daddy!"


Something my Dad told me is that God WOULDN'T tell me to do something that He WOULDN'T give me the EMPOWERMENT to do!!!  "How can I just go to Him and cry out, 'Daddy!"?, you may ask.  Well, you see, it's not you that does it.  It's the Holy Spirit inside of you...you just can't suppress the Holy Spirit down...

You see, my Dad also said something very profound, and that is, "What He requires of you, He has already given you."  This is something I'm still learning and growing in too, so don't feel like I'm preaching at you.  Actually, I need to hear this myself so I'm writing this to you all, hoping and praying that God works this truth in my own life and heart as well.


You see, let's start off with the Truth.  The reality.

If you trusted Jesus to save you from your sins, YOU ARE a Christian.  It's that simple.  It doesn't matter what you did, didn't do, will do, want to do, don't want to do, YOU ARE A SON OR DAUGHTER OF THE HIGH KING, and HE LOVES YOU AS HIS CHILD.

So, here's who you are:

SAVED from yourself, your past sins, the debt you could never pay up
LOVED by Him
ADOPTED into God's family
FREED from sin
GIVEN a Spirit of power, love, a sound mind, and adoption!  You NOW HAVE THE ABILITY to TRUST JESUS EVERY DAY!!!!!   And if the enemy tries to tell you, "Oh well, how do you think you can trust Jesus?  I mean, wouldn't that be in your own strength?  How can you just choose?"

Come back at the devil with THIS REALITY:

"Get BEHIND ME devil!  Because I KNOW that I am God's child!  And Jesus has, (according to Romans 8 and other verses!) ALREADY GIVEN ME a Spirit of adoption, HE'S ALREADY GIVEN ME FAITH, so THAT'S HOW I can CHOOSE to TRUST JESUS TODAY!  Because the Holy Spirit is INSIDE OF ME, and I HAVE THE ABILITY NOW to run to JESUS, to CLAIM TRUTH, TO FIGHT THE LIES, TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE LIES, and to STAND VICTORIOUS!!!"

Because...IT'S NOT ABOUT ME and my strength and ability, it's about the ABILITY and STRENGTH JESUS HAS GIVEN ME BY MAKING HIS HOME INSIDE OF ME.  Make sense?  

I don't NEED to be "STRONG ENOUGH" to COME to Jesus!   All I do is SURRENDER my heart to Him AGAIN (because if you're His child then you've already done it  at least once before!) and BELIEVE what my Savior is telling me, because I HAVE ALREADY BELIEVED HIM FOR MY SALVATION, 

WHY CAN'T I BELIEVE WHAT HE'S PROMISED ME FOR TODAY???

So dearest you, 

you that feels unworthy,

you that feels guilty,

you that feels hopeless,

you that feels FEELS FEELS !!!!


JESUS IS YOUR STRENGTH!  He IS your hope!  He doesn't ASK anything of you that He HASN'T ALREADY GIVEN YOU!  

And here's something else you must know.  You ready?  Here's reality, okay?  No feelings, no emotions knotted up with it, just hard core REALITY.

Because YOU ARE HIS CHILD, JESUS IS NEVER GOING TO STOP CHASING YOU.  So, you can do one of two things.

You can either do it the hard way and trust in your own feelings and emotions and make your learning experience a lot more prolonged,

Or you can admit that "Okay, yes Jesus, you got me.  You're right!  I'm yours."  And then He just picks you back  up and sets you back on the narrow road.  It's that simple.

He just wants your heart...that's it.  And it's never too late to give it back up to Him.  NEVER EVER.  

So dear you,

YOU CAN GO BOLDLY to the throne of God, not because you have this amazing ability to believe God, or because you have an amazing amount of faith, or because you tried and tried really hard and so then you earned a certain rank in the Christian walk and now you can go to Him,

NO!  You can go to Jesus RIGHT NOW because when God looks at you when you go to His throne, He doesn't see you any more!  He sees the ONE YOU ARE TRUSTING!  He sees the ONE THAT TOOK YOUR PLACE.

He sees THE ONE that loved you so much that He temporarily gave up His place as a Son of God, so that YOU COULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE GOD'S CHILD, TOO.

So don't you EVER EVER EVER let the devil tell you WHO YOU ARE, because He is a liar, and deceiver and destroyer and a BIG FAT PHONY!   He is afraid that if you truly come to the point of realizing YOUR IDENTITY in Christ, that you will KICK HIS BUTT!!!!
 

And it's true!!  Because when you come to that realization point, YOU WILL!


Dearest you,

You will. 










"Now, therefore," Says the Lord, "Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping.."

"Now, therefore,"  Says the Lord, "Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping.."
Joel 2:12