BOOM.

The enemy only fights against things that advance the Kingdom. And this week especially I have felt him fighting me. So that only means one thing. Be warned family, friends, and anyone else I’m about to be connected to. Our worlds are about to be rocked. BOOM.

Let's Get Real

            Let me preface this post by saying that regardless of how I feel about this when I finish, I WILL POST THIS. With that being said, I’m going to be more vulnerable in this post then I’ve possible ever been. As I enter this next season I have to admit that I’m scared. Like the kind of scared where I’ve cried myself to sleep more than once this past week. What am I so scared about, you ask? Well lets get this over with.

1.      That I’ll lose touch with friends I have in Boone. This isn’t number one for no reason.

2.     That I’m underestimating the “job” that’s ahead of me.

3.      That my family won’t entirely be fans of the me that I’ve become while I was away

4.     Making new friends

5.      Getting connected (like REALLY connected) in another church

6.     That I’ll be seen as the same girl that I was 5 years ago

7.      That I’ll get complacent and not keep pursuing my dream

8.      All the alone time I’m going to be having

9.     That any broken relationships are beyond mending

10.    That too much will be asked or expected of me

I could name other things, but what’s the point. The purpose of me telling you my fears is not to get sympathy or to make you worry in any way. This post is actually kind of selfish and more of a pep talk for myself than anything. I want to look back at this post in 3 months and laugh. I want to look back and be able to check off all 10 of these things as things that I’ve been able to overcome. I know that I will undoubtedly face all of these and more unexpected challenges BUT I know that my God is greater and that this is something that He’s called me to do. I am a conquer and I am an overcomer. There is not an ounce of slacker in me. I will succeed. I’m a daughter of the King of Kings and that means that His blood is in me. His blood covers and protects me from my “fleshly” fears. With Him I cannot fail. 

Relationship is the Key

            Well here’s where I would apologize for blogging so much but if I did that then I would breaking rule number 23 from my previous post, so i'll try to at least keep it short J. ANYWAYS. I just had a great conversation with a different friend (who’ll remain nameless…for now) and I had to share some of it.

            In light of the recent bombings in Boston it got us thinking about what causes people to do something like that. It’s really easy to hate the person, people or organization behind this act of terrorism, right? By no means where they right to do this. But what caused them to get to the point in their life that this was a result? It breaks my heart. I really think that all of these bombings, school shootings, movie theater shootings, etc. can be solved with one thing. No I don’t think that taking away people’s guns are the option. I also don’t think that letting everyone have a gun is the option. It’s something MUCH simpler than that.

Relationship.

Think about everyone that you encounter daily. You have a gift every morning, an opportunity to be a turning point in the day of anyone and everyone that you come into contact with. They can walk away from you feeling better or worse, it’s totally up to you. I think about the bombings and different shootings and my first thought is always, “How did it get to this point?”. Where were that persons friends and family? How did they not notice any dramatic changes? If they did notice then why didn’t they say or do something to help out? With all that being said I’m in no way putting the blame on friends and family BUT at what point are we as believers going to accept some responsibility? Wouldn’t it be awesome to know that YOU were the reason that stopped someone from taking all those pills, or you were the voice on the other end of the phone that changed someone’s mind in taking a gun into a school, or you were the last stop for someone that had decided that morning to take their life and changed her mind? It all starts with a conversation. You don’t have to be someone’s best friend to know that something is wrong, you may be the one person that they need to make a change. Trust your own discernment throughout your day and just watch and see who the Lord puts in your path.

See I kept it short this time J

Simple Life Lessons (Truths)

I recently had an amazing conversation with a great new friend and I want to share some of the things that we talked about. I think that it'll be helpful for any woman and/or woman going into any form of ministry. I don’t really know the best way to do this so I’m just going to go old school and list them because that is all I have time for right now (in between jobs for the day). So bear with me and hopefully my jumbled mind will make sense to at least one of you J

1.      If I think that God wants me to do something, I just get out in the middle of it and see what happens.

2.     Enjoy where you are, on the way to where you’re going.

3.      You don’t retire from a call on your life.

4.     There is no problem that we have that the Bible doesn’t have a solution for.

5.      It is not possible to be selfish and happy.

6.     Always study scripture for yourself before you study it to share with anyone else.

7.      You cannot have a double life and be effective for the gospel.

8.      You are required to do what He calls you to teach others.

9.     ALL your money is God’s money. (Use it wisely and use as much as you can to help others)

10.    Pray everyday that God would open the right doors and close all the wrong ones.

11.    If it is God, it will bear good fruit.

12.   If God closes a door, don’t try to push it open.

13.    The most important thing is your relationship with God.

14.   No matter how big things get, don’t let it separate you from God.

15.    Live to please God.

16.   If my motives aren’t right, I won’t be able to handle the pressures of success.

17.    Not every opportunity is a good opportunity.

18.    How I take care of myself physically determines how I finish.

19.   Being healthy and feeling good affects my spiritual life.

20.   Following my emotions will keep me from finishing well.

21.   The ones who finish well are the ones who can work even when it’s just them and God.

22.  When God calls a person, the whole family has to sacrifice.

23.   Do not apologize for what you feel God is calling you to do.

24.  Most of life is about the journey, so enjoy it.

I’m sure that there is a better way to have gotten all these points across but like I said I’m short on time and would rather you read and process them sooner than later. Hope you walk away with at least one of these to begin to put into practice. Love you all.