faith

Our college ministry, er, young adult ministry (we're trying to not sound so inclusive) had a really good service last night. The topic was on "faith vs. religion" and how sometimes Christianity takes the form of things we "have to" do or else we're not a good Christian. We feel as though Jesus will love us more if we ________ (read our Bible everyday, pray for an hour, etc.). We forget the simplicity of Jesus died for us - end of story. We tend to take on all of problems, feeling that God somehow needs OUR help instead of leaving our worries, needs, etc. with Him. All of this is not faith but religion. Faith in its simplest form is belief. It's knowing what God says and believing He'll do it...because that's what He says.

I'm guilty of trying to "help" God. I get tired of waiting on Him to answer me and try to do things on my own. The only thing this accomplishes is that not only am I tired of waiting but I'm now frustrated because I CAN'T do it on my own. I find that often times I need to do daily (and sometimes minute by minute) surrender my life to God. I have to stop trying to do EVERYTHING and rest in the fact that God is genuinely concerned with me. For me, faith is more than an act - it's a lifestyle. It's choosing to live each day with the confidence that God has a plan, even though things at the moment might not make sense. It's knowing everything will truly be ok. It's whole-heartedly embracing Jeremiah 29:11. It's knowing that NOTHING can separate me from God and seeking refuge in that fact.

move

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin Roosevelt

Fear has a way of paralyzing you, making you want to do nothing more than hide under a rock or cower in a corner, wishing the thing you fear would go away. Staying in the pocket of what's safe/comfortable can be tempting - "nothing ventured, nothing gained." But at some point, we all have to move. You either move forward or you move back, pressing farther into the recesses of what's familiar, what you know.

It's often in our moments of being scared that we exert the greatest strength. Moving when you're scared out of your mind takes courage and will undoubtedly either "make you or break you." Moving when there are countless uncertainties looming in front of you can be overwhelming but by taking that step forward, God will come behind us and alongside, bringing clarity to what once seemed obscure and muddled. So go on. Move.

(this song was playing in my mind as I wrote this...)

attitude check

With my birthday being last week, I'm still going through the motions of adjusting to being a year older. However, what's making the transition easier is that this past week has been filled with so many great moments that I'm eagerly looking forward to what the coming 360 days have in store until my next birthday. It's as if something has been lifted and God is deciding each day "I want to bless you today...and today...and today." Not to say God doesn't bless me each day but it's as though I'm able to see physical manifestations of it more clearly these past few days. Which makes me wonder: what's different? What has happened for me to witness these changes? I always start each morning asking for favor and thanking God for the day but something is different. The cool thing is that once one really good thing happens, that buoys your attitude to believe for something great the next day. This is one of those things where you just give it to God saying, "I don't know what's happening but do whatever You will..." and then He does and all you can say is "wow..."

when i was your age...

One of my co-workers told me this morning that when she was my age, she had her second child. I never know what the intention of statements like this are (I put these right up there with "kids today..."). I'm single and nowhere near having my first child, let alone second - all I could do was smile and walk away. Replies such as "oh, I better get a move on!" or "so you're how old?" would not have been appropriate although comical.

So I'm using my 100th post to not only celebrate that milestone but also a milestone in my own life as I add another year of wisdom to the vast knowledge I already obtain (I just don't always choose to use it). The past twenty-some years have been good but I'm believing for this coming year to truly be the best yet. I'm believing for things I've been praying for to finally come to pass and experience more of what I know God has for me. He and I sometimes disagree on the timing of things (we both think we're right) but I know that His timing is indeed perfect and I think this year I'll be seeing some "finally's" in my life.

dabble

I was talking to a friend the other day and shared how I'm starting to like the word "no." I'm coming to realize it can be easy for us to become so bogged down with commitments that we are barely able to get our head above water and gasp for air. Therefore, we sometimes must say no; something that's hard for my wanting-to-please-others self to do at times. Yet I'm finding there's a freedom in not saying yes to everything. I'm able to pick and choose what I do or don't do - the metaphorical (is that even a word?) ball is back in my court. We simply can't do everything - we all have limits and there comes a time when we have to step back and try to maintain the spinning plates we already have going instead of adding even more. The more you add, the more chance of some falling and shattering on the ground.

Saying all of that to say, we must use some of the God-given common sense He's instilled in all of us when deciding what all we take on. I think it's better to do a few things and be able to devote 100% of your efforts instead of dabbling in far more than that, and giving less than your best. So what are you waiting for? Go dabble (just not in EVERYTHING)...

stuck

I'm experiencing the thing writers rarely speak of for fear of bringing it upon them merely by uttering the words: writer's block. I've tried to make myself write profound, soul-searching pieces of literary genius but it's been the equivalent to ripping off a band-aid: painful and messy. I'm not one who wants to spend word after word, line upon line only taking up space by talking in circles. When the reader is finished, they're left scratching their head and wondering why they just wasted five minutes of their life reading something they'll only forget about in even less time.

I'm in need of inspiration that will help me overcome this present challenge in my writing career. Something that touches me in such a way that I have no choice but to write about it. The words will flow like water upon dry land and I'll be able to step back and amaze even myself at how eloquent it sounds. Now just to unearth that inspiration :-)

that's her

I found this really great quote that I had to share:

“Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep...wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you're in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, who thinks you're just as pretty without make-up on. One who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky he is to have you...the one who turns to his friends and says, 'that's her.'” ~ author unknown

Source: http://www.thinkexist.com/

keep seeking

Received some on-time encouragement today that I wanted to share:

"Sometimes when we look for an answer and maybe we've looked for a long time we begin to get discouraged. This is nothing new and we have to remember that just because we don't find the answer right away doesn't mean that we should stop looking. Keep seeking and God's promise is that we will find the direction that we are seeking for."