I Am Doing Just Fine...Or Am I?

Hi everyone,
Have you ever gotten stuck in a rut? You hit a plateau in your life and things are just pretty much routine? A pattern where you think you are doing just fine? I mean you are surviving right and getting along fairly comfortably? You are pretty confident that you are generally a good person, perhaps who is generally willing to lend a helping hand to others. You don't go out and do anything blatantly immoral or intentionally set out to stir the pot and cause strive with someone. You're confident in your salvation but living under the guise of  just a good person living a good life for the most part and that is "good" enough for you.
So I have a confession to make...plenty of times I have been that person. And lately God has convicted me with a sense of urgency on how dangerous this mindset can be. My personality generally by rule tells me to  "blend in", "don't make waves", "don't do something that will cause people to stare at you"...for the most part I like to be on the low key of things and pretty content to fly under the radar. Not that it is bad to have a quieter personality as a constant "look at me" attitude can be a detriment to your character, but what I have particularly been feeling lately is that when our spiritual lives are in this camouflage focus, it can be very damaging and not just only to ourselves but to others as well.
I have been thinking on the late Billy Graham's life lately. Irregardless of what you think personally of the man's life and ministry, we can all agree he had a major impact in this world. A legacy that continues even beyond his life on earth. It is amazing the amount of people he spoke to and reached in his lifetime. I just want you to remember one particular thing that I will touch on later...no matter what you think about his ministry, he "sowed" the seeds, and God is the one who "grew" the harvest. As the Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers..." (ESV)  No matter how many people actually took Mr. Graham's messages to heart and made a life change, it doesn't matter in the sense of he was not in charge of that, God was. It simply was His job to preach the Word of God with the platform that God gave him and He was faithful and did. God brought the increase. Mr. Graham did not blend in by any means when it came to his spiritual beliefs. People who are non-Christians even know who he was and what his message was about. Which leads me to ask the question...do people know without a doubt who you are? When you meet people, how quickly would they figure out that you are a Christian? Would it be evident or would they even be able to tell? Am I embodying Matthew 5:14-16? "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." I have asked myself these questions as of late.
As a Christian are you blending in as simply a good person on a plateau in life? Have you reached this point where you are basically saying this is as good as it is going to get so I am fine with who I am right now? I mean I am better than so and so, and I know I am going to heaven so that makes me A-ok. You think that you are doing all these good things and going to church every Sunday but during the week you are just skating through on what is "okay" or passible. Honestly God has brought me to guilt over this. I have unknowingly convinced myself that as long as I am doing daily bible devotion, trying to memorize Scripture, praying, and trying be kind as whole, that I am doing just fine and that is all to be expected out of me. And the answer is no! When I die, I don't want to remembered as merely a good person who loved God within the four walls of her house but left it at the threshold when she walked out the door. I want to be remembered as someone who used ever last ounce of strength in me for the benefit of God's kingdom in private and in public. I want Him to push me to be something beyond my limited vision for myself. I need to feel uncomfortable and convicted because I need to wake up to His calling instead of being content to blend in with the crowd. I believe it is such a tragedy of being mediocre and just getting by in this life when there is so much we could be doing.
And something that I have realized is this...people are always watching you. When people see in general that you are different than the norm and especially once you claim to be a follower of Christ, they watch, even if you don't think they are. Just as little children watch and mimic their parents, people continue to observe those around them  even as they grow older. Honestly, I think we underestimate the effect we can have on other people's lives. The power we have to be either a light or a hindrance, an encouragement or a stumbling block. The power to encourage people towards the truth or away from it. Sometimes we might, but most times we will never know what impact we have left in people's lives, we will never know what our words may have meant to someone, or how our acts of sacrifice and kindness may have touched someone. But I believe God uses that to remind us, that our knowing is not what it is about. It is not about our own edification or knowing how people feel about us. That could either give us a big head or discouragement. (Romans 12:3) It is about the purpose and motive in our hearts to do all that we can for His glory and honor. And to me that is true love for our fellow man. That we love them enough that we care more about their needs and eternal decision than we do about being loved equally in return. That is radical love and I want it. I want the world to see that I am different not because of anything that I have done but because of all that He has done. I want them to not see me but to see Him in me. All good that comes out of me is from Him. Apart from Him my life has no purpose and I can do nothing without Him. How many times have I gave in? How many times have I walked away? How many words I have held back because I was afraid...but afraid of what? Reputation can always be marred by human opinions. But your character speaks for itself. We need to be real and acknowledge to others we do still have our struggles, but at the same time apologize when we have failed and commit to becoming better. We need to strive every day to go above and beyond the status quo. We need to not neglect the gifts that God has given us. (1 Peter 4:10, Romans 12:6-8) There is only one of us in the whole world and God has given us a job to do and that job does not end until we draw our last breath. We cannot get caught up in the lulls of life and we cannot waste our time on this earth. Now the devil will feed us lies that tell us that we are only one person and that we cannot make a difference, and it doesn't matter but trust me we can! "...For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20 I can't imagine that Billy Graham had any idea of what his decision to follow Christ wherever He led would become. Remember our job is to "sow" the seeds and "water" them. God will do the rest. But if we sit back and just say that we are doing good enough then I am afraid we are missing out on God's best. He wants to use us in mighty ways, but unfortunately I feel very few actually take that calling or stick with it. These are hard times in our country right now, full of division and strife and the world is watching on. How are we going to react? Are we going merely just survive, look at each other and expect the other to make the first move, or take up the gauntlet and be a light in the darkness? God needs our best, not our "good enough". He wants to continually work in us and grow us. We need His fire back in our hearts to reach out to those around us and to starting speaking the words that need to be heard and doing the things that need to be done. We need Him to break our hearts for what breaks His. Now this doesn't mean that everybody is meant to speak in front of thousands of people at one time in a stadium and believe me that is OK! Maybe it is speaking to that one person in your neighborhood, church, or work who really needs some encouragement. Maybe it is reaching out to the youth in your community who are to become the future leaders of this country. Maybe it is speaking with tough but compassionate love to someone who is making bad choices and are on the path to self destruction in their life. Maybe it is simply standing beside someone in a difficult time. One thing I am learning is that nothing we do for others is insignificant. The smallest gesture can occupy the largest part of someone's heart. We can do all the bible studies in the world, donate money to every mission our church is part of, pray elaborate prayers, and have our private time every day with Him but if it doesn't drive us to do anything in response then what purpose are we really serving? Let His words drive us to our knees in prayer and then rise up, take up the cross and start walking. "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:17-18 (Really encourage you to read the whole passage verses 14-26) Let people know without a doubt who you are and what you stand for before you even speak a word. Let them look at you and see Christ in you. Let them watch you and want what you have found in Him. Leave a legacy that doesn't die with you but lives on in the hearts and minds of others. "And when we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!"

A Grateful Heart

Hi everyone,
Got a question for you....would you consider yourself a thankful person? A grateful person? I have generally considered myself as a pretty thankful person until my eyes have been opened I should say lately. And I have found out that I am not near as grateful I should be. I have been trying to read a Psalm about every day and I am currently at Psalm 36. During my reading up to this point I have been noticing a trend with David's writing and that is no matter what the circumstances: good or bad, or what he is dealing with the words "rejoice", "praise", "gladness",  and "joy" continue to come up. Even the times when David is lamenting about how rough his current circumstances are, he still praises God and speak of His goodness.
I have been thinking a lot lately about what makes a life "good". Is it how much we have in our bank accounts, how successful we are at our jobs, how much we have as far as possessions, friends, and recognition in our social circles? Now David's life was not so grand all the time. For as many times there was good there was not so good. He may have slayed Goliath, been king and enjoyed all the benefits that being king brought but he also had his fair share of hard times. He was pursued by Saul who wanted to kill him and lived on the run for a time and he also fell into sin during his reign as king for which he later paid the price. But through it all David managed to praise God with heart of recognition for what God had done for him, even if it was punishment or blessings.
Now I have not been pursued by people set out to kill me or have experienced the luxuries or temptations of being a ruler over a nation, but God is showing me that if a man who went through so much can have such a grateful heart to Him then I need to do some serious thinking about my own heart. Do I really express gratefulness on a daily basis or do I just get caught up in the every day grind of life? When I stop, quiet my mind, and look around, I begin to realize things that I have taken for granted. I  have some how allowed myself to think I  have deserved them because I have worked hard, lived a "decent" life so far and never got into deep trouble. The actual answer is no. Everything I have been given in this life is due to God. Yes, I have worked and saved up for things and accomplished things in my life, but God is the one who has truly guided it all and allowed it to come to pass. Giving me the wonderful godly parents that raised me with morals, truth, and love even when it was hard. The ability to go to an awesome college and grow in my knowledge of the Bible, ministry and equestrian studies. Dear family and friends that have stood by me and been such an encouragement in my life. An awesome job that I love that has allowed me to have a place of my own with my "fur" babies and so much more. Amazing bosses and coworkers who have become my extended family and put up with me. ;) A church family that builds me up. The opportunity to become a small business owner at 24. As I look back everything was guided by God. The pattern of all that has fallen into place can not be by "chance" or "fate" but by His hand.
Now have I always acknowledged this as I should?... no I have not. I have grown complacent, desired the next thing, and taken all that I have for granted. That is somehow a given. And reading Psalms has reminded me that it is not all just a given. As quickly as we can have all these things, they can be taken away in a split second. What we thing we have or what we are going to have, can be changed in an instant. Also if we can't be truly grateful for what we have now, how do we think that something else is going to make us feel that way? We need to open our eyes to blessings all around us. We need to look at our lives with fresh eyes. We need to shut off the world's megaphone blasting of all things we still "need" to possess and look around and see what we already do. The love of our families, spouses, children, the roof over our heads, the ability to pay our bills, food on the table every day, a car to drive, a job to go to, hobbies that we enjoy, pets that bring us happiness, bodies that allow us to get up every morning. Because so many people out there have so much less. So many people out there don't have the abilities we have or the freedoms we have. To sit back at the end of every day and instead of seeing what have and being grateful for it, wishing for and pouting over what we don't is and I am going to be completely honest: downright selfish. And I am going to be the first to admit I have been selfish. I have been blinded to the beauty of the life I have been given and I have not been grateful every day. I have not praised God for is goodness every day because I have chosen to see the darkness instead of the light. I have chosen to believe the devil's lie that I "deserve" more when I don't even deserve God's grace. But if there is something to be grateful for it is this: "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 (HCSB)
God chose us even when He saw the underserving ungrateful sinners we were. He came to give us an abundant life. "A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance." John 10:10 This does not mean that everything will be a gravy train and that hard times won't come, but God wants us to realize all that we have, even through rough times. With Him we are the most blessed people on the face of the earth because we have hope beyond anything we can possess in this world. We have His love and eternal life if we simple choose to accept it and live for it!
Please know that every time we step out your front door it is a blessing, every time we look into a loved one's eyes it is a blessing, every time we receive a paycheck it is a blessing(no matter how many taxes are being taken out ;), whenever we sit down with a full stomach it is a blessing, whenever we receive a text or letter from a friend it is a blessing, when we lay our heads down on our pillows at night in warmth and safety it is a blessing!!
I am asking God to create a heart of true gratefulness in me. I want to take advantage of and enjoy the simplest joys of life. I want to show true appreciation for those around me and in my life. Don't just assume that the people in your life already know it. I am guilty of this because often I am afraid expressing my feelings, that people won't understand. But if this is you, don't be afraid, most people want real not perfect. And if you think that expressing appreciation shows emotional weakness, let me tell you that couldn't be farther from the truth. Take the time to show it, speak it, and live it. Psalm 34:1 says: "I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips." We are to continually and vocally praise our God for all that He is done and will continue to do. "...For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart." Matthew 12:34 This verse is a good gauge for our level of thankfulness. Do we speak with gratefulness or does bitterness come out? What is coming out of our mouths every day to God and to others? Are we truly praising God for what He has done or complaining about what we don't have. Now understand that it is not wrong to desire to better your life and to wish for certain things, but understand there is a fine line between desiring what is truly beneficial or what is actually an idol in our lives. Test it against Scripture. Look at what you already have ask yourself, if I cannot be grateful for what I have now, how can I be entrusted with more?
So just as we are to be continually praising God and being thankful for His blessings in our lives take that as a reminder to be outwardly thankful to the other people in our lives. Don't take them for granted. Tell them how grateful you are for them, spend time with them, send them a text or a letter, do little things for them to make their lives easier, be there for them. Cherish and take care of the possessions you do have, be good stewards of what you have been given or what you are in charge of. Gratefulness is not just lip service, remember it overflows from the heart...it is an action as well. David "danced before the Lord", he played music, he sang. Also it is a great testament to others. So many out there are searching for joy. So many are going through dark times. If they can see joy in our hearts that isn't based solely off of our possessions and status in the world, but off of something greater, that is going to raise questions. A thankful heart no matter what is going on in our lives is going to be eye catching to people. For those of us who have been blessed with a relatively "easy" life up this point we'd better be humbled and use our thankfulness not as a flag to be waved in front of those who are struggling, but as a call to share our good fortune with others. We have a job to do and I pray to God we don't waste what He has given us. Those who are currently struggling very real, very ugly, battles right now: God loves you beyond what anyone could do for or say to you in your current situation and He can create joy out of nothing if you seek Him. Don't take my word for it, take His.
So we all have a choice. To be grateful every day of our lives and express this gratefulness or to let the day to day routine numb us to the blessing that life is. The devil seeks to blind us from the beauty, the hope of this life;  may we not let him win. Join me by getting into the Word, studying what it means to have a truly thankful heart and what that life looks like to the world. It will take time and yes even a certain amount of discipline. In a way it is a habit that must be created if it not something we do already on a daily basis. Make the time to spend even if it is just one minute a day, to reflect and thank God for what He has given you or done for you. I think you will realize quickly that a minute doesn't become long enough and my hope is that we will grow into continually praising Him for is goodness, mercy, and grace in our lives all the day long. In the words of one of my favorite hymns from Frances J. Crosby, who I may add became blind shortly after birth: " Perfect submission, all is at rest. I in my Savior am happy and blest. Watching and waiting, looking above. Filled in His goodness, lost in His love. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long; This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long." It honestly brings me to tears, imagining a woman who went her whole life without seeing the things that we enjoy in this beautiful world, praising God completely when she could have very easily chosen to be bitter. Now that is a heart of true and pure gratefulness. That is a heart I want, how about you?

Our True Love

Hi everyone!
So I have been pondering about this post for a couple of weeks now. It is February and if you have turned on the TV, listened to the radio, walked into a store, or basically went anywhere, then you know the big deal about this month: Valentine's Day. Now as a single gal it is no secret Valentine's Day is not exactly the one I look forward to every year. Being completely honest I have been on both sides of the spectrum...well both polar opposite sides of the me plus zero spectrum. Feeling sorry for yourself and wondering where you went wrong, to disdain for anything romantic and "true love is dead" mentality. But I have to say this year is different...and no this is not the part where I make some grand announcement about some great guy I have met. I am still unattached as they come, but let me tell you I have discovered my love life. This past month I have been discovering more about someone who has been in love with me before I was even born. Someone who knew what I would look like, what my personality would be, what my gifts would be, what my hopes and dreams would be, what my weaknesses would be, and what my struggles would be. And through the struggles I have faced in the past few weeks that have led me to face some insecurities in my life, I have experienced what I would call nothing short of "TRUE love". Can I tell you more about this dream date? They "know me" and "understand my thoughts", they know my habits, likes and dislikes and "my ways", they know my mind and what I want to say before I say it, they will "hold on to me" no matter where I run when I am afraid (And believe me I am good at running away), their thoughts over me are more than I can fathom, they "outnumber the grains of sand", and when I wake up they are still there. They never leave me when I mess up and fall short. They don't let me push them away when I feel not good enough. They love me no matter what. Sounds like the traits many of us desire in a significant other right? Loyalty, honesty, understanding, forgiveness, and encouragement. Now who is this amazing person? Well He is better than any mere human being. He is our God and Savior Jesus Christ. The other day I read Psalm 139 which is the chapter to which I referenced above in italics. When I read it, I had one of those revelation moments and honestly I lost it. Psalm 139 is not considered by most biblical scholars to be a love letter to us, but I felt as if I was reading one and it broke me. All I have ever wanted is to be understood, for people to take the time to get to know me, know what I like and don't like, know what makes me smile and laugh, be there for me when I am hurting and when I am happy, to love me when I mess up and to never give up on me. And here I was reading these words: "Lord, You have searched me and know me." (vs. 1) The word "know" as been used in the Bible to refer to the upmost level of intimacy. The intimacy that is found in marriage relationships, to truly belong to someone body and soul. "You understand my thoughts from far away". (vs. 2) He understands me in a world where I often feel as if no one does and when sometimes I can't even understand myself. "...Your thoughts...how vast their sum is! If I counted them they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake I am still with You." (vs. 17,18) He is thinking about me all the time and never leaves my side.
This caused me to really ponder about the upcoming holiday of Valentine's Day. I mean there is a reason why even as early as January 2nd we are bombarded by hearts, cupids, chocolate, flowers, cards, and everything sappy and romantic. Because people crave it. There is reason why jewelry stores really push ads during this time, why about every store has a Valentine's section, and why kids pass out valentines at parties at school. Because love is a big deal to people. Human nature craves to be loved, understood and appreciated by people. We want to be worth something and we try to find that validation from people. Now we also know how that can goes as well. Broken hearts, binge eating discount chocolate, sitting on the couch watching chic flicks with a box of tissues...and I digress...but anyway Valentine's Day can be one of the happiest and saddest days of the year for people. Now I can also go on about how I don't really get the Valentine's Day hype because why should we choose just one day out of the year to do something "extra" special for our significant others. I mean shouldn't that be something you do more often than one day a year? But I think the root of this holiday comes from our simply desire to be wanted by someone. For us to be the center of someone's universe even if it just for one day.
If only everyone could realize what I am starting to realize in my thick skull. ;D That we already are the center of Someone's universe. The Creator of the universe. He is so deeply in love with us that knew us before we were even born. He created us in our mother's womb (Ps. 139:13) He watches all that we do and protects us. He loves us so much that He gave up His son for us even when we were underserving. (Rom. 5:8) Honestly let it sink in that a perfect God can love us that much when a human being can walk out on us for almost anything now days. This world has turned love into a game, a fake reality show, a money making scheme, when the whole time God is standing waiting for us to figure out he isn't leaving when we run out of money, lose our job, don't go to the gym or the salon every month, or more wrinkles start to show. When things get tough and our ugliness and sinful nature comes out He doesn't run away. He sometimes has to show us tough love but He helps us through it even when it's hard. We have been accepting the world's cheap imitation of love and missing out on the real thing.

Now based off of this revelation, this has led me to a new outlook on Valentine's Day. Each and everyone of us is created uniquely by God. We have "been remarkably and wonderfully made". (Ps. 139:14) We all have our different personalities, characteristics, quirks, and talents that make us unmatched to any other person in the world. There is only one YOU in this world and there will never be another one exactly like you again. So the comparison games MUST stop and believe me it isn't easy but we can do it. Acknowledge that when God looks at you and sees you for all that you are: the good and the bad, the strengths and the weaknesses; He still LOVES you. Now this also means that He loves you enough to show what you need to work on as well. He loves you enough to push you towards His truth even if it isn't comfortable at times. We must recognize sin and flee from it. Now days people will walk away instead of showing someone they love them enough to push them towards godly excellence in their lives so do not take godly chastising lightly. Be grateful He loves us enough to chastise us when we are in the wrong.

Also Valentine's Day has become just one of the many days I have decided to celebrate a God who created me in His image, who loves me enough to tell when I need to straighten up and who encourages me every day when I need it. I want to celebrate the God who loves me more than any human being ever will. I also want to celebrate all those in my life who have loved me, stood by me and been an encouragement to me. Valentine's Day is generally been viewed as mainly for couples but I think there are many of those in our families and friends who deserve our wholehearted thanks for sacrificing for us and being there for us when we needed them. Show that you appreciate them and their love for you. If you are single go out with other single friends or a family member whose spouse has passed away.
And lastly, instead of dwelling on a relationship that I may not have, I want to take the time to show my fellow man that I care. There are of course different kinds of love and what we show to our spouses and family are not the same as what we show to everyone we just meet, but we must recognize that every human being has a purpose and has a need to be loved. So many of them don't know God's love or they feel completely lost. We need to be the one who shows them a glimpse of God's love. A simple act of kindness: opening the door for someone, a smile in the checkout line, a "how are you" to a random stranger who doesn't expect it, patience with someone who is struggling. Everyone needs to know that they are loved beyond compare by God. I have been doing an experiment lately and trying to becoming better at showing godly compassion to others I come in contact with and I am honestly surprised at the results I get. I hope to share more about this in a future post, but the main point that I am trying to get across and I have been writing a book to get to is: Valentine's Day I have decided does not have to be just for those in a relationship and those who are can do so much more.
For those of us who are in relationships and maybe even more so for those of us who are not, we should take the time to recognize the greatest love of all. The love our Heavenly Father has for us and how we should respond to that. If you truly love someone what do you do? You usually spend time with them, think about them often, try and do things that make them happy. Do we do these things for the One who loves us unconditionally? Or do we put Him off for just one day of the year? Do we tell Him we are too busy or we can't do that because we might have to sacrifice a little something? How can we expect to fully love our spouses or potential future spouses if we can't even take the time to love the One who gave everything for us? I personally want to fall in love with my God more and more and fully put on the true meaning of love before I have a plus one because I want to give him my all. Therefore I need to make God my all.
Instead of focusing on what earthly love we do or do not have, maybe we should spend more time on reading about His love for us and how we are to share that love with others. Love is to be selfless. Maybe we should work on putting on the characteristics of love in our hearts than expecting to receive it all the time from others. Or maybe we should stop lying on the couch thinking that we have some disease that makes us unlovable and start living as people who have a faithful God. (Jer. 31:3) Whether or not you are single or attached this Valentine's Day put on a mindset that you are very much loved by the single most important Person who could ever be in your life. He is our Valentine and our True love. Only until we are able to be loved by Him can we truly love others. Let people see the joy in your life as you let God's love pour through you and out of you. Let that be you mission. Go out on a date with God this February 14th. I know I am and I am excited. Strive to "know" Him better and better each and every day beyond that. It will be so rewarding, trust me I can feel it!

"For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" Romans 8:38-39 (HCSB) 

Running the Race

Hello everyone,
So yesterday with Brooklyn, my mom and I went on a dog hike/scavenger hunt put on by our local state park. It was a great way to get out in the middle of the winter slump and enjoy time in the woods with four-legged friends. Throughout the park on trails there were markers that you had to find worth different amounts of points. Whoever at the end of the day had collected the most points won a prize at the end. Now my mother and I figured this would be a pretty simple task as we walk regularly at the park, until we got our map and realized that almost every trail in the park had these markers on them and we only had about 4 hours to get as many as we could. Now we really wanted the prize(free year park pass) and we decided we were going to do our best to come in first. It was funny because this casual day of hiking turned into two woman treating it like it was the Amazing Race and we had to strategize and maximize our time to get to our goal. This was pretty serious business and we got really into it! By the time it was all said and done we hiked on six different trails and covered just about 9 miles with Brooklyn towing me along towards the end. We were utterly exhausted and my legs have never been so sore, but at the end of the day we won our prize! But I got to admit going to the park to hike doesn't sound so grand right now, haha!

Now people who know me really well, know that my mind likes to process and dig out meaning beyond the face value of most things.  For example, a horseback ride is not just a horseback ride for me and a hike is not just a hike for me. It is an event that triggers deep thoughts, often spiritual thoughts about life and the world around me. So this day was not any different. As I have thought more about it more, a verse came to my mind. "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it." 1 Corinth. 9:24 (ESV) In this verse Paul is not actually talking about a physical race like in the Olympics but is referring to the spiritual race of the calling of Christ. Even though what we were doing was not an actual foot race, it was a "race" against the clock to see what all we could get accomplished and how far we could go before time was up. I relate this to our spiritual life. We gave a goal, a prize, that we want to reach before our life. For our physical race we had to have our gear: appropriate clothing and shoes, map, snacks and anything that helped us on our hike. In the same way we have to have our salvation, the Holy Spirit, the Bible and other things to help us on our spiritual journey. During the hike because we wanted to win the prize of the park pass we had to strategize and maximize our efforts to accomplish what we needed to. Sometimes that meant changing our original plans due to unforeseen circumstances. In the same way in our spiritual walk, we need to think about the best way to accomplish our calling from God and follow His "map" the Bible, but understand that sometimes things will not always go according to our plan. Therefore, there will be times where we will have to adjust and refocus on what He is asking of us. Despite the things that distracted us at times on our hike we kept our goal in focus which kept us driving on productively. "So I do not run aimlessly..."   1 Corinth. 9:26 Even in our spiritual lives the things that seek to distract us must be overruled by our focus on the prize so we are not "running" in circles but actually getting closer to our goal. Now I want to be clear, this does not mean that everything is a rush in this life and that we neglect to take the time to grow in the ways we need to. We had to stop on the trail and make sure that we were writing down our markers correctly otherwise they would not have done us any good being wrong. In the same way, if we want to succeed, we have to take our time to make sure we are stopping to do what God asks of us along the way so that when we get to the end we have truly accomplished His calling. Not in our frenzy to be super-spiritual Christian who is more deserving and above everyone else.
Now what exactly is this spiritual prize? I believe Paul states it best in Philippians 3:14: "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward calling of God in Jesus Christ." The upward calling that ultimately leads to our home in heaven with our Lord and Savior. This is the greatest prize we could ever run after. God's calling in our lives is so important and I have realized just as we were so intent on earning our earthly prize yesterday, I need to take that same fervor towards my spiritual race. I need to have the same determination even when I getting tired and "sore" to keep on pressing forward towards what will make it all worth it. ..."forgetting what lies behind and straining toward to what lies ahead." Phil. 3:13 We have to learn from and move on from what we laid down in our past, what Christ has forgiven us from. We have to move on from what trips us on the trail. We have to put off our sin. We have to carry on with a desire in our hearts to be the best we can be for what God is calling us to do. There are things in my life that have been weighting me down and preventing me from "running my race" to the best of my ability. Weariness has clouded my vision at times. I want to throw those things aside and keep going even when it is hard, even when it seems all uphill, and even when I am exhausted. And honestly, it makes me wonder as Christians, how would our lives be different if we started chasing after our calling with as much fervor as we do for the physical trophies in our lives, the job advancements, the recognition of others, and the success of those we see in magazines? If we put that much effort into reaching God's goals for our lives how much different would our spiritual life be? I think we would be much more joyful and fulfilled. So as I am sitting here resting my aching muscles but feeling satisfied at the accomplishment, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to get to heaven and rest my soul for eternity as I sit at the feet of the Father: my ultimate prize and my ultimate treasure, satisfied I gave everything I had. Let us get into His Word and run the race with the determination to see His face and to hear a job well done.

"Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight , and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1

Stress Less, Be a Tree!

Hi everyone,
I want to talk about something that I have struggled with this week. And that is stress. My hope is that this can be an encouragement to all of you out there who are over-thinkers, have the over-achiever syndrome, perfectionist syndrome or just have a tendency to over-stress in general. I am a perfectionist in the sense I don't expect others to be perfect but somehow I expect myself to be. I am the one who puts completely unrealistic expectations on my shoulders and growls at myself when I can't reach them. I am the millennial, who honestly loathes being a millennial at times, because of the modern day stereotype and who tells myself that I have to be like people who are 20+ years older than me. I put pressure on myself to be like people who have had many more years life experience and knowledge than me and when I obviously can't be at that level I get frustrated with myself and feel useless. I want to do and learn all these random thing that people my age aren't particularly interested in (Example: I've decided I want to have my own house built someday, therefore I need to know everything about building houses and being my own contractor...yeah I'm odd I know ;) but often I place a burden on myself because I feel that I have got to learn these things not just because I want to, but because I have to prove myself as being "older" than I am. I often do this at work and I struggled with it a lot this past week because I interact mainly with people who are quite a bit older than me on a regular basis. So I've put this cross on my back that I somehow have to handle it all as if I have to prove my value to everyone. And at work this week a lot of things got thrown at me and instead of running to God with my worries and concerns I let stress build up until it spilled out. Then afterwards, I really felt like the immature millennial stereotype that people like to throw out there. That is not how I want people to see me. I want to be knowledgeable, mature, and capable but I need to not take things to the extreme. And I am not a 45 year old. I am a 24 year old surviving and learning in the position I have been given and that is OK! I can strive to be the best I can be for my age but to compare myself against those who have lived longer, worked longer, faced more challenges, and have had more time and experience is completely unfair and literally exhausting! Plus it is not what God wants me to do. He wants me to be confident in the way He made me and in the way He is growing me. He wants me to use what I know so far to help others. Stress is not to be in the equation. Simply striving to be the best you can be for His glory and not to prove that you are worthy to other generations is what should be happening. Stress is defined as "tension" and "pressure" that cause strain and insecurity in the human mind. It prevents you from being your best. It is worry that overtakes your confidence, your joy, and your vitality.
This morning at church it was amazing because every time, the message seems to be exactly what I need to hear. Today the main text was from Psalm 1:1-3. It explains the man who does not follow the path of the wicked but yet: "...his delight is in the Lord's instruction and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." (vs.2-3 HCSB)
Now I don't know about you but I want to be like that tree! In Jeremiah 17:8 it has the same analogy where the tree "doesn't fear when heat comes and its foliage remains green." The heat came this week and I withered. These verses reminded me of what happens when we do not stay deeply rooted in scripture and prayer and begin to replace God's opinion with the opinion of others. None of us are useless irregardless of where we are at in life. Everyone's story is different and everyone is at a different point in their lives. You don't have to be like everybody else. You don't have to be in this mad dash to always prove that you are worthy of the position that you are in at work, or that you deserve to be someone's friends or that you get noticed by someone. Of course we must strive to be our best but realize that you were chosen for a reason and that there is always room for improvement and it's not a bad thing! 2 Peter 1:1-11 is an excellent passage about to grow in faith like that beautiful tree by the stream. God has given us everything we need for this life to be achievers through His knowledge and understanding. By this "He has given us very great and precious promises so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in this world because of evil desires." (vs. 4) We need to stop relying on our own knowledge and start digging deep into His. We need to stop stressing over the world's approval and seek His in our day to day life. We need to bear fruit and put on His characteristics. (vs.5-7,Galatians 5:22-23) These things will prevent us from being useless (vs.8). And these things will be joy and blessings to our lives. 
When we seek after these things and study His words day and night, it will slowly start block the stress and concerns. They will still keep coming but you will become stronger and better at tossing them up to God and walking on rather than breaking down. But you have to be enveloped in His truth continually and it just so happens that the very days I stray away from my time with Him, the frustration begins to be build until things begin to spill out. This is not the fruit we want to show people. We do not want to be "blind and shortsighted" (vs.9) We want to be the tree that is deeply rooted, getting life constantly from the stream(the Father) and that despite drought, scorching heat, or storms stands calmly and confidently with sweet evidence of God's greatness. That is what people will notice regardless of age and experience. Because if we strive to be what God wants us to be we will receive the greatest acceptance we could ever ask for. "For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplied to you." (vs.11) We don't have to be a perfectionist for Christ. He has already paid the price because there is no way we could be perfect enough to deserve eternal life. We don't have to over-think is love for us. He simply does despite if we were born knowing how to automatically run a business or not. ;) We don't have to prove that we are good enough for Him by all that we do for our age. We will never be deserving but He died for us anyway.
Join me in trying to stress less and rest more in the Lord's truth. I want to get that joy back. Grow in knowledge and experience and don't take your age either young or old as a curse. Don't let doubts creep in and the devil speak lies to you. When ever those thoughts come in I have decided to make it a point to pray in those moments whatever I am doing. Do fight against the enemies attacks instead of giving in to them. Become the person who stands calmly no matter what chaos is going on in life. Know that you are not alone and also that there are always those in life that have much harder things to deal with. When you fail pick yourself back up, apologize to those around you and learn from your mistakes. It is not always going to be easy but commit to standing the test of time hand in hand with the Lord and be that tree flowing with life.

Tongues of Men vs. Loving in Action

Hi everyone,
So I was reading the other night and I was reading 1 John. I love this little book; it may be small but it packs a punch. ;) And I read one of those verse that you've read so many times only this time you have a complete light bulb moment. "Little children, we must not love in word of speech, but with truth and action." 1 John 3:18 (HCSB) You know when you watch a movie...it could be some sports movie or a war movie or some crisis moment and there is this person that delivers an amazing inspiring speech that just gives everybody the strength to carry on and succeed? Or this character who declares their undying love and loyalty to someone. Yeah so true confession...I've always wanted to be that person. I've wanted to be the one who boosts the moral of an entire group of people or the one to give a troubled friend just the perfect speech they needed to hear when they were struggling. I like to help and encourage people and many times I thought that giving them the "right" words was the best way to do it.
Once eensie weensie problem....I was not born with a silver tongue. Honestly, I can have the brain of a poet sometimes but somehow in translation it comes out as a bumbled jumbled mess. I have always sat back and watched those who always seem to have the just right words to say, the perfect line, the perfect wit, and felt "I better just keep my mouth shut". And the times when I didn't, I would often regret it because it seemed to come out so flat compared to what I hoped. I have viewed people with the gift of eloquence as the 1st choice as friends, for promotions in social circles and jobs and for leadership roles. All the while forgetting one important thing...that we all have different gifts and that simply is not my gift. (Romans 12:4-8) Is it wrong to have the gift of speaking?.. not at all! It is needed, but what I have noticed is society tends to glorify those who speak with power and grandeur. Pop culture glorifies speeches of characters who express their passion in flowery, poetic prose. Much weight is put onto how you can "talk" your way in or out of anything. You want a job, you have to tell the boss all the things he wants to hear so that you will get hired. Irregardless if they are true about yourself. If you want a particular someone to go out with you, you say whatever you think to flatter them so that they will fall for you. Even if they are really just a conquest or an another notch in your belt. It is very easy to fall into the selfish want of a eloquent speaker. Motives must be examined.
1 John 13:16-18 throws a whole new perspective into view. John puts it into the viewpoint of where the rubber meets the road. If you really want  to make a difference, to help people and show you care and love them, love them beyond words. Love them in action. Not always with a five minute speech filled with what you "think" they need to hear, but in doing. It is easy to get caught up in the "I have to come up with the right words to say" or "what to they need to hear right now to appease them?" mentality. Often times I've found, by the time you come up with what you think is the magical words, the opportunity for you to make a difference is already past. I think sometimes rather we should approach people with the "what can I do for them right now" or "how can I show them I care". Now this approach can be taken to the extreme and that does not mean that buying people things all the time or doing absolutely everything for them is the correct way. And words still need to be spoken but don't let your worry of not having the "perfect" words to say prevent you from letting someone know that you value them and that you understand them. I appreciate words of affirmation just as much as the next person, but what warms my heart most is when people do little things to show that they genuinely care. Anyone can throw words out there and then ditch when you need them the most. Be the person who has the ability to give a kind word but backs it up even more so with your actions. I personally love noticing little details about people. I try to remember things about them and either try to bring those up in conversation or in tangible ways that I can bless them. Find out what people like and talk about those things with them, but also find ways to "show" them that you know they care about those things. Make things that they appreciate, (food is always a good option ;), help them on a project, or simply be there for them to just talk to. I am continually learning that listening is an art form. Something that I have read that I am trying to keep in mind in my interactions with people is to not listen to people as they talk with the intention of replying, but rather listen with the intent to understand that person and what they are trying to say. I think we need to make it important to us to truly listen to people. We live in a day and age where most people don't have the time. You've got your problems and I've got mine and it easier to just look at our phones. But when you stop for a minute or sit down with someone and look them in the eye and truly "see" them, you are telling them that they are worth your time and effort. Talk about them and their passions, take an interest in them. You can put off talking about yourself or trying to "fix" their every life situation as if that was your duty. Sometimes all we can do is be a listening ear, offer our honest advice and pray for them. For me my goal is to be the person that is there for people when they need me. And if that means never having the inspiring word of the day that blows everybody out of the water then so be it because that is easily rooted in my own selfish pride anyway. I want to be content in the fact that they know, no matter what, they can come to me and feel safe to spill their heart and I will listen for as long as they need me to.
Jesus spoke many amazing words this we know, but He also backed them up with action. While He was speaking He was reaching out a hand to the young and old, the broken and hurting, the rich and the poor. Not everyone took that outstretched hand but nevertheless He proved He cared. Verse 17 in 1 John 3 says: "If anyone has this world's goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need--how can God's love reside in him?" We can talk on and on about how we just love and appreciate people until we are blue in the face but if we choose to overlook their needs and walk away then how are we showing true love? Love is sacrifice. Jesus proved that on the cross. It is about putting ourselves aside and uplifting someone else. It isn't about being noticed, heard and admired. It is about showing someone that their life is valuable and precious and not thinking more highly than you out to of yourself (Romans 12:3). Verse 16 "This is how we have come to know love; He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers." Now that is the picture of ultimate love. You want to show someone you truly care, put them first. "Lay down" things for them. I will use this in the figurative sense but also know that just as Christ physically did, literally laying down your life for someone is the most amazing act of love one could ever be called to do. Now many of us will not be called to do that but know that true loyalty is such a precious trait and it is worth pondering about as you never know what life could bring. Understand that words will fade, speeches will be forgotten, but the way you make people feel when they are around you...that can last a lifetime. Don't despair if you don't have a silver tongue. I feel as if I need to tell myself that every day. ;) But rather remember, many people in the bible did not and it was God's words speaking through them and their actions speaking for them. Just think of Moses and Paul. (Exodus 4:10, 1 Corinth. 2:3-5) Both men were not grand speakers by any means and yet God used them to do amazing things, because they were obedient to His call. God spoke through them and He used their weakness in the speech department to show His power and work to those around them. So don't be afraid to speak at all, just know that even if you stumble and fumble here and there, your effort can mean the world to people and it can cause them to wonder about the courage inside you. But don't forget to back it up with action. Simply being a kind face for someone to talk to or shoulder to lean on can be one of the loving gestures they have received in a long time and at times will speak louder than words ever could. Share Christ's love in you but show it as well. That can make all the difference. Come to think of it we are all beautiful speakers saved by God's grace. We just need to understand we can be speakers from the heart and the hands of service just as well. :)

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1 (ESV) 

The Time That is Given Us

Hi everyone,
I am back and ready for 2018. Only this year I am going in with a new focus. It is something that has laid heavy on my heart lately and for what it is worth I want to share it. Choose to take from what you will but please hear me out because this may be the single most important post I ever write.
As human beings we all have two things in common. A common ground that is not divided by race, sex, or religion. And that is two dates: our birth date and death date. Now the time in between can be varied, but inevitably if you are alive and breathing right now as you are reading this, then these two dates are the markers of your life. You have passed the beginning and you are living your life in the between, the "dash". And a dash it often seems like. We live in a world that is so fast paced and we have to have everything right now. There is accelerated transportation, accelerated learning, accelerated communication, heck we even got accelerated grocery shopping now. As children we can't wait to get into high school, start driving, graduation, then comes college, living on our own, graduating college, maybe traveling and then marriage, buying a home, having kids, retirement, traveling again and the list goes on and on until we reach the end. Or is some cases, some of us never reach all of those milestones. Somewhere along the way in our anticipation of what comes next, I think we often forget that our life has an expiration date. That we do not reach all these milestones simply because we "think" that is the way life is supposed to go. We lose people every day and somehow we think could never be touched. "I still have so much do with my life and all these plans I've made". "You have your whole life ahead of you", is the common praise I have heard from people. But really do we? Who is mortal man to say how much time you have left on the life clock? Now none of this is to tell people that they should be constantly worried about when they might die. I do not think death is something to feared. For those of us in Christ it is simply the beginning. Now that doesn't mean we go about recklessly with a death wish but that we simply know that we will be in a far better place than this old world when God says it is our time.
People die from life- long sicknesses and the bad choices they make in life and yet others who are completely heathy are not immune to sudden calamity. Accidents happen every day and suddenly the people who thought they had the whole world ahead of them no longer have that chance. Life is but a vapor, a candle that can be snuffed out in an instant.
Now with this in mind the important part...as if I hadn't touched on it already. But this is the part that I desperately ask you to take to heart. We have a decision to make every day that we wake up to another sunrise. How are we going to redeem the time that we have been given?
Are we going to wake up with a smile on our face because we are alive and breathing or grumbling because we have got to run the "rat race" another day?
Are we going to be happy that we have the capabilities we have when so many others cannot see the sunlight, cannot get out of bed in the morning, or cannot drive a car and go to work.
Are we going to be thankful for our health and strength when so many people go through a living hell of pain every day?
Are we going to be grateful that we have a family to visit with when so many have lost theirs?
Are we going to whine while we are sitting in traffic when there are hundreds of wrecks ever day where people don't survive?
Are we going to complain about our difficult co-workers when we have no idea what battles they may be fighting or the past they may have had?
Are we going to grumble in the check-out lane when we should grateful we even have a place to get food when there are starving people in the world?
Are we really going to complain about our lack of a complete wardrobe, fancy vehicle, latest tech gadgets, and the most beautiful home when so many don't have anything but the clothes on their backs and sleep under a park benches?
Are we really going to pick ourselves apart in the mirror when there are people lying in hospital beds who wouldn't even recognize themselves if they did?
How have we become so vain and conceited when we have so much? How many days of our lives do we spend wishing to be someone else or for what we don't have? We act like life is a curse that we just have to bear. The goal is just surviving. Or on the opposite end, the goal is to live it up and "have it our way", use and abuse people and care less about how it may affect them.

For me it is often frustrating to see people walking around in their own little world without care or regard to their fellow man. It doesn't matter if they hurt him, trample on him, or speak uncaringly to him, as long as they get what they want. And it aches my heart when I think of the times when I have brushed people off, when I have chose to look the other way, to tell myself that I was too busy, that it was not my duty. I have been so selfish at times. I get this picture in my head of standing before God and seeing off to the side all the people God put in my path that  I could have helped but chose not to. They stare at me with hopeless betrayed looks on their faces wondering why they weren't worth my time. It breaks my heart and motivates me to strive harder because I don't want that to happen. (Matt. 25:35-40)
Every life is valuable to God including ours and it is high time we start acting like it. (Psalm 139:13-16) Instead of tearing ourselves down and comparing ourselves to others, we need to make use of the gifts and talents He has given us. Stop micro-managing the face in the mirror. Stop trying to be like in the photo-shopped magazines. Stop getting hung up on the materialistic things. Those things aren't going with us when we die so why do we waste so much time on temporary talk pieces? Why do we stand in places and "show off" our accomplishments like the Pharisees (Matt. 23:5-7) when honestly we lose no sleep in our comfy beds over those suffering in the world. Why instead of our hearts breaking when we see people who have lost their way, we turn right around and just say they are getting what they had coming to them? I am not saying that we should feel guilty for what we do have but we have to realize if we are going to talk the talk we have got to walk the walk. If you need an example try the four Gospels about a man named Jesus.

I say it is time we put the phones down and truly see people, become healthier not so we can look sexy in the little black dress, but so we can use our bodies to the best of our abilities to help others, to love our spouses and families more passionately, to say I love you more often, to shut up and listen more, to turn the TV off and read a book, to learn more so we can in turn educate others, to take a walk in God's creation, to snuggle your fur-babies more(which I may be doing right now as I am writing this ;), to spend time with those we care about instead of throwing money at them, and to give every day the best we got.
Dream big, but put those dreams in God's hands; embrace who you are, but strive to be better and more godly. Sing in vehicle with the stereo blasting, dance in rain, taste fresh snow, enjoy the simplest things in life, laugh at yourself instead of being angry at silly mistakes, find out what your co-workers like and bless them, talk to those around you when you go out and find out what their passions are, compliment someone, mentor someone, let go of petty grudges and forgive because let's face it...no one is getting out alive.
We need to slow down and enjoy every moment. Every breath, every step in this life is a precious gift. And as long as we are breathing we have a chance to make things better. We have the ability to become a better person and to make things right. To turn a sour heart into a grateful one and a bitter word into a cheerful one. You gain nothing from shaking your fist at someone. Instead ask yourself if you have every made a bad choice or mistake? You get nowhere telling yourself that you are just not good enough for something or comparing yourself to someone else. You are miserable when you whine and complain about why you don't have the doting spouse with 2 kids and a house with a picket fence by now. Put yourself in someone else's shoes and take a good hard look. Do some souls searching and focus on how to adorn your character, not your body. (Gal. 5:22-24) Stand boldly for what is true and just and don't put so much weight in what other people think of you. They don't determine the purpose of your life.
And most importantly know your purpose in life and strive to help others do the same. I suggest you question your future; you don't have to fear that last date in your life. If you do then I ask that you turn to the One person who can change that for good. Trusting Christ as your personal Savior of your life and choosing where you will spend eternity is the single most important decision you will make in that "dash" between dates. (Rom. 5-8) Don't take it lightly. Your life will never be the same based off of that decision. Read the Bible and of God's great love for you. He wants you to live this life abundantly and with Him you can face anything with the hope, no matter how bleak things may seem. And whenever we get to the end of this life, death will only be a new beginning to an amazing eternity. Meanwhile we were given this life on earth for a reason and to waste it would be a shame. We never know when we will become nothing but a memory so I urge you, won't you give it everything you got and live for more than yourself? Will you make an impact and be beyond what this world expects? I am tired of wasting time on things that honestly don't matter are you? 2 dates how will you choose to live the in-between?

"So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 (ESV)