Fleeting Are Our Days..

I keep telling my self I want to get a tattoo saying something something like "all flesh is grass..." because I know every time I were to look down and see it, peace would rise up in me. When I remind myself of the ever sobering truth that all flesh is grass and that our days here on earth are simply fleeting and nothing more than a vapor, it makes me happy. To most people, this reality might make them scared. But for me, it could not make me happier. It's like God left us this promise so that we would never take our earthly life too seriously, because it is here today and gone tomorrow. All we are called to do is to know what God is telling us to do and to do it. We, myself included, get so wrapped up in what we are supposed to do because society said so or family members that we respect tell us to do. But whatever happened to such a great fear for the Lord that we don't care what anyone else says? Where is the confidence in what God is calling us to do? And I'm not just talking about the "big stuff," like the Lord told me to move to Africa. I'm talking about the day in and day out simple acts of obedience...will we listen then despite what other people are doing or saying? The fact that our human bodies are simply the shell we are living in until we reach eternity should motivate us and convict us to live our lives differently. We should give all and expect nothing in return. Let go of any bitterness. Forgive. Move on and keep moving. Never look back. Let go of control. Release your grip on everything you think you are entitled to. Trust God. He holds your world. Jesus never answered to anyone except the Father. He was misunderstood, hated, despised; but to Him it was all worth it if it meant being close to the one who gave Him abundant life. We too should live this way.

I will climb this mountain with my hands wide open

Let Him be the only one that defines you and everything you do. Nothing else matters!

He gives and takes away

Most people don't like hearing this truth about God because they believe that if He is really good, then He wouldn't take away. The Lord and I have been having discussions about this truth for months now and I've come to learn that when He takes it is so that He can give. In a season where it seems like a lot is being taken and changed, I know it is because He has greater things for me to enter in to. Now, that is a good God! Nothing belongs to us. I like to think of it like renting a car. When we rent a car, it is almost like we are more carefree. We feel more free to go more places and do more things because we know that car actually doesn't belong to us. Now don't get me wrong, we are still called to be responsible and good stewards, but we cannot live our lives like anything is ours! We are here today, for a moment, and then gone the next! I would much rather live like I know that is true instead of living with such a tight grip on everything and getting confused the minute God changes something or takes it away. If we know it did not belong to us in the first place, then when He takes it away, it isn't as hard. That's freedom. Freedom to live and to love with everything, with no reservations.

The Winds are Changing...

I haven't posted in a while, but I thought this was as good a time as any to catch up. How ironic is it that just as the seasons are about to change, so is everything in my life. If I'm honest, the last few months I have been kicking and screaming and throwing fits inside because I have had no idea what has been going on in my life. I've felt so out of control, unable to grasp anything. If anyone knows me, they know that I have this need (or maybe just a want) to know what is going on...always. But that's just not how God works. He is more concerned with a heart that trusts Him and knows Him more because of it. Back in 2013, God spoke to me and said it would be the year of suddenlies-and that proved to be true. Who knew that 2014 would be the year of change. And not just change like most people think, but radical, seemingly out of control change. Things are happening in my life that I never thought would, and yes, I get angry about it sometimes, but deep down I know that unexpected is the best thing to expect. The places I'm going and the things God is taking me through I cannot do alone, so I know it is from Him. My parents recently sold their house, my job has been ever changing, I'm almost done with school, my finacee and I are about to move 2,000 miles across the country and chapters from previous books are being closed in both of our lives. It could not be more obvious that God is transitioning us. I know this especially because I want to give up all the time. That's the enemy's way of distracting us so that we don't enter into what God is doing. But now more than ever I know we must strengthen our feeble knees and run the race He has set before us. We must be strong-and that can only happen with God. My patience has been tested more than ever lately. Dalton and I are about to get married, my sister lives out of state, we are investing time in future things when we already have enough on our plates right now. Trying to balance family, church, wedding planning and still be intentional with each other can become difficult, because we just get tired. Although impatience, lack of peace, tiredness and frustration are evident in my life at the moment, I can say that excitement trumps all of these. This last year has been a season of preparation, and just like a kid getting ready for a big camping trip who can't sleep the night before, I am trying to not become restless in the waiting. It's easy to become overwhelmed, but the Lord said to set your mind on things above, and that by worrying we do not add anything to our lives. What I have been discovering is that you cannot control anything, and sometimes my passion gets in the way of this truth. More than ever I am so desperate for the Lord to bring breakthrough, comfort, joy and peace into my life. Trusting him is the safest place I can be, so that is what I have chosen to do. Sure, I might stumble sometimes and grow weary and weak, but that is when His strength is perfect-when I surrender and say I have nothing without You. So here's to the changing seasons, the changing winds.. I trust you Jesus.