We all have a list of goals. Whether they are life goals, or goals to get through each year, we set goals so we have something to strive for, to plan for, and ultimately, to celebrate. Making goals is like trying to plan our lives out. Although it sounds like a good idea, in reality, it is pointless. Here's why: God has created us for a specific purpose. Our purpose is our life plan. In making goals we must look at it in the same light. God is our goal. He must be. Why strive for anything else when God is the goal we should be striving for. This is why we can't look at our relationship with God as something that is effortless and something we do not have to work towards. We should not look at it as something we have earned. Because God is our life goal, our relationship with Him is something we must work hard at everyday of our lives. It is taking up our cross daily to choose to follow Him. Everyday we must surrender our lives to God so that we remind ourselves He is the goal and He is the prize. The best part is that it's a goal we will one day get to celebrate... for eternity.
Remember: God is the goal.
In what areas in your life is it difficult to let God be the goal?
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
HEART
When I recommitted my life to Christ and surrendered all that I am to Him I wasn't sure where to go next. The journey of surrender was its own path that led to my decision to fully surrender. So then, what comes next after getting to the point that we offer our lives to God? We must live as Jesus lived. We must have a heart like Jesus. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).
After surrendering I did not know that I needed to live as Jesus lived. I guess I just thought life would look different since my goal was different now. Luckily, because God is a powerful God, He used my struggles and challenges to completely break my heart. He did not simply restore the heart I had, but shattered it so that He had to rebuild it. He built my heart with His love and His grace and gave me a heart to serve. What better gift could I have received from my Creator? Just as His son came to serve, I am called to go and serve. I was saved by our mighty God so that I could go and serve His people, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. How are you living as Jesus lived?
After surrendering I did not know that I needed to live as Jesus lived. I guess I just thought life would look different since my goal was different now. Luckily, because God is a powerful God, He used my struggles and challenges to completely break my heart. He did not simply restore the heart I had, but shattered it so that He had to rebuild it. He built my heart with His love and His grace and gave me a heart to serve. What better gift could I have received from my Creator? Just as His son came to serve, I am called to go and serve. I was saved by our mighty God so that I could go and serve His people, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. How are you living as Jesus lived?
Sunday, November 6, 2011
COMMUNITY
I'm starting to get it. The importance of community, that is. The fact that when two or more are together worshipping God, He is present. I get that community does not just mean people in a common area, but that it means accountability, loving in action, encouraging, and walking through life together. So, I'm learning.
The community of leaders I am so blessed to serve alongside of at Grace Fellowship Church is what it is all about. I've searched for community in many ways. I have searched for it in groups of friends, I have searched for it in family and in relationships, and I have even denied the fact that I need it. "I". That is where I had it all wrong. What community will I find on my own? Seek and I will find. Seek God's purpose and His will and He will bless you with a group of faithful believers to walk through life with you and grow alongside of you. God gives us community, we don't do it for ourselves.
The community of leaders I am so blessed to serve alongside of at Grace Fellowship Church is what it is all about. I've searched for community in many ways. I have searched for it in groups of friends, I have searched for it in family and in relationships, and I have even denied the fact that I need it. "I". That is where I had it all wrong. What community will I find on my own? Seek and I will find. Seek God's purpose and His will and He will bless you with a group of faithful believers to walk through life with you and grow alongside of you. God gives us community, we don't do it for ourselves.
ENDURANCE
I wouldn't, by any means, consider myself a runner. But I run. As in not often, but once in a while. When I was struggling with depression the only thing that could get my mind out of the dark was to run. When I started running my endurance was very low- I started off running only one mile. Over time, with consistent effort and a determination, I began to see my endurance progress. Before I knew it I had reached my goal of running 5 miles. That same week I was able to run 6.5 miles. My endurance had never been so good. I saw something good come out of something bad.
This morning I ran and I realized my endurance was, again, low. I struggled with the 2.6 miles I ran. I have not run in a while and the lack of consistency showed.
As I ran. my inability and struggle reminded me of my faith. I try to see the big picture. I see the mileage, the destination, each stride as one giant course. My job is not to see the big picture. My job is to take each step and push forward. It is not to create my destination but to endure the journey. I am not supposed to know the course I will run, but to trust in God's plan. When I try to see the course and how it maps out I am playing God. He sees the bigger picture, not me. He sees the road map and the destination. I am here for the journey.
My run made me realize that my endurance in my faith is low. Just as I have to work every day at running a little bit further to reach my goal, I must also work in my faith. I must commit to renewing my mind each day to get one step closer to the bigger picture. If all I want is to see the bigger picture then I will miss each stride. Each stride that can represent an opportunity to share my story, to serve in youth ministry, to grow in my faith and make it my own. When my vision is set on the destination I forget to endure the journey. To strengthen my faith's endurance and to work at it every day until the day I reach my end point, until the day I reach my destination. God has a plan, a map for my life, and I have to work every day to let him guide me. I cannot just wake up and run the race. I am not able and I am not ready. Every day is an opportunity to strengthen our endurance, to grow in our faith, and to let God reveal our road map.
This morning I ran and I realized my endurance was, again, low. I struggled with the 2.6 miles I ran. I have not run in a while and the lack of consistency showed.
As I ran. my inability and struggle reminded me of my faith. I try to see the big picture. I see the mileage, the destination, each stride as one giant course. My job is not to see the big picture. My job is to take each step and push forward. It is not to create my destination but to endure the journey. I am not supposed to know the course I will run, but to trust in God's plan. When I try to see the course and how it maps out I am playing God. He sees the bigger picture, not me. He sees the road map and the destination. I am here for the journey.
My run made me realize that my endurance in my faith is low. Just as I have to work every day at running a little bit further to reach my goal, I must also work in my faith. I must commit to renewing my mind each day to get one step closer to the bigger picture. If all I want is to see the bigger picture then I will miss each stride. Each stride that can represent an opportunity to share my story, to serve in youth ministry, to grow in my faith and make it my own. When my vision is set on the destination I forget to endure the journey. To strengthen my faith's endurance and to work at it every day until the day I reach my end point, until the day I reach my destination. God has a plan, a map for my life, and I have to work every day to let him guide me. I cannot just wake up and run the race. I am not able and I am not ready. Every day is an opportunity to strengthen our endurance, to grow in our faith, and to let God reveal our road map.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
EDIT
It may not feel 100% right, and it may not even be your idea, but I find that the things I feel God is tugging at my heart to do, are the hardest things to do.
For example, editing my life. Not editing my closet, or my pantry, or even my junk drawer(s). Those are easy. I'm talking about editing my relationships, my actions, my words. Even in a time when I felt like I was dealing with enough on my plate, or that I didn't need to edit that aspect of my life, God showed up and told me to do it anyways.
Here is what happened. I asked. He answered. Now, I didn't know that He would actually decide to answer that question in that way, but He did. Loud and clear.
I told myself that the year 2010 was going to be about me perfecting my relationships. Quality not quantity. I wanted to focus on the important people in my life and invest in my relationship with them. 2010 turned me upside down, flipped me over, and had me standing on my head before I could even think about letting my feet touch the ground. Needless to say, it was an eye-opening year that lead to me opening my heart.
Looking back 2010 focused on my relationship with God, or lack thereof for that matter. I realized that the relationships I had with friends and family meant nothing if God wasn't first. I can only say that I found the strength to edit my relationships through knowing that my relationship with God needed the most mending. Through editing my life in the most extreme ways I ever have I can finally say God is becoming my number one priority.
Small and BIG ways I've begun to edit my life:
- letting go of a relationship
- telling a good friend that if I wanted our friendship to continue I had to break her from my life in this moment
- expressing to one of my friends that it is hard for me to keep my faith in God alive when I surround myself with non-believers... by the way this friend is a "barely-there believer"
- bars
- clubs
- beginning to journal
- choosing happiness (because it was no longer a guarantee)
- taking courage (honestly and whole-heartedly)
- PRAYER!
- READING MY BIBLE
- Most importantly: Talking about my faith, because when you talk you learn, and quite possibly someone else is learning too!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
ROOTED
I've been praying for months about this very night.
The night that I knew would be the first night of a journey through which I will change more so than I ever have.
Tonight I started my Rooted group at Mariners. It was completely what I had expected in the most unexpected way. I assumed I would be placed in an all girls group of 20 somethings. I was wrong. Although I am in a group of all women, they range from 22 (me) to a woman who is coming up on her 58th wedding anniversary. What I had expected was there - a group of people who showed up to grow. To learn. To discover. To soul search. To cling to community. What I didn't expect was the group of women I found myself sitting with. These women whom I connected with on so many levels after just one hour of getting to talk.
It was scary. It was nerve-racking. It was raw. Most importantly, it was real, and the women were real.
Just one hour. That's all it took.
I know these next 10 weeks are going to bring a change about in me because I can already feel it. Rooted has already begun to stir my soul.
I know I signed up for this 10 week journey expecting it to be a catalyst for life change. While I will get what I expect, I know I will get it in the most unexpected way. . . God's way.
The night that I knew would be the first night of a journey through which I will change more so than I ever have.
Tonight I started my Rooted group at Mariners. It was completely what I had expected in the most unexpected way. I assumed I would be placed in an all girls group of 20 somethings. I was wrong. Although I am in a group of all women, they range from 22 (me) to a woman who is coming up on her 58th wedding anniversary. What I had expected was there - a group of people who showed up to grow. To learn. To discover. To soul search. To cling to community. What I didn't expect was the group of women I found myself sitting with. These women whom I connected with on so many levels after just one hour of getting to talk.
It was scary. It was nerve-racking. It was raw. Most importantly, it was real, and the women were real.
Just one hour. That's all it took.
I know these next 10 weeks are going to bring a change about in me because I can already feel it. Rooted has already begun to stir my soul.
I know I signed up for this 10 week journey expecting it to be a catalyst for life change. While I will get what I expect, I know I will get it in the most unexpected way. . . God's way.
Monday, March 21, 2011
TREASURE
Mike Eerie spoke at Mariners Church in Irvine this past weekend. I went to the Saturday night service where the attendance seemed sparse compared to usual, but the Holy Spirit seemed alive. It was a bit ironic in that Mike spoke about treasure.
The irony lies here: I attended the service alone, and showed up to a church far less full than usual, to be told that my prayer should be for me to realize that Jesus is the treasure in this life and I should use all of me to gain all of Him. It doesn't matter who I am there with, or how many seats are taken up, as long as I see Jesus as my treasure, and then, and only then will my heart be full.
A humbling realization, especially since I'm gaining back that sense of independence I've longed to be okay with again. I realize now I must be careful when structuring this independence. I cannot be independent in me, but find my independence by being dependent on God.
This independence will look something like this: I'd much rather sit in an empty church glorifying my treasure, than sit in a room full of people glorifying ourselves.
Through my dark time I've come out on the other side faithfully listening to God telling me to edit my life. Edit #1: Making Him the treasure my heart desires.
The irony lies here: I attended the service alone, and showed up to a church far less full than usual, to be told that my prayer should be for me to realize that Jesus is the treasure in this life and I should use all of me to gain all of Him. It doesn't matter who I am there with, or how many seats are taken up, as long as I see Jesus as my treasure, and then, and only then will my heart be full.
A humbling realization, especially since I'm gaining back that sense of independence I've longed to be okay with again. I realize now I must be careful when structuring this independence. I cannot be independent in me, but find my independence by being dependent on God.
This independence will look something like this: I'd much rather sit in an empty church glorifying my treasure, than sit in a room full of people glorifying ourselves.
Through my dark time I've come out on the other side faithfully listening to God telling me to edit my life. Edit #1: Making Him the treasure my heart desires.
Friday, March 18, 2011
PURPOSE
Do me a favor. Close your eyes and picture this. Picture our God creating a purpose, so meticulous and so incredible that only one person could master this purpose. This purpose intended for just one. Now, take this purpose and imagine God creating a special person intended for this particular purpose. A person designed so critically for this purpose. Designed exactly for it.
God creates a purpose, and then designs us for that purpose. It is not the other way around, and it is not a set of "X" purposes for a set of "Y" people. It is God's will for our life to carry out this one purpose.
God creates this purpose to be mastered by each one of us. A purpose we are unable to do alone so that through accomplishing this purpose God's glory shines through. God blesses each of us so He may bless others through us. It is not the individual doing the work, but God using the individual to do His work.
Let Him use you.
God creates a purpose, and then designs us for that purpose. It is not the other way around, and it is not a set of "X" purposes for a set of "Y" people. It is God's will for our life to carry out this one purpose.
God creates this purpose to be mastered by each one of us. A purpose we are unable to do alone so that through accomplishing this purpose God's glory shines through. God blesses each of us so He may bless others through us. It is not the individual doing the work, but God using the individual to do His work.
Let Him use you.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
CHANGE
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I signed up for the Catalyst West conference. The only thing I knew going into that conference was why I was there. I had just come out of a very dark time in my life, one of the most difficult yet. I was there for God. I wanted to hear from Him, to get direction from Him, and to see how He was going to work in my life. That's why I was there. For me.
That's not why God had me there.
Through this conference I realized how disconnected I am in a faith I thought I lived my life for. How far from obedient I truly am, and yet had no idea. There is a purpose for me, designed specifically for me, and I don't have the slightest clue of what it is...yet.
I wanted this conference to enlighten me and give me that "good Sunday church feeling", you know the one I'm talking about. Although it exceeded my expectations in that aspect, more importantly, Catalyst changed my life. Catalyst encouraged me to change how I am in the world, but also how others in the world view me. I am ever-changing, but more radically, forever changed.
God brought me through my darkest time to see the light so I may be a light to others. If this blog could help at least one person see the light, and see the goodness of God, then it is well worth it.
I am committed to seeking a God-driven life as I yearn to be an obedient follower of Christ.
That's not why God had me there.
Through this conference I realized how disconnected I am in a faith I thought I lived my life for. How far from obedient I truly am, and yet had no idea. There is a purpose for me, designed specifically for me, and I don't have the slightest clue of what it is...yet.
I wanted this conference to enlighten me and give me that "good Sunday church feeling", you know the one I'm talking about. Although it exceeded my expectations in that aspect, more importantly, Catalyst changed my life. Catalyst encouraged me to change how I am in the world, but also how others in the world view me. I am ever-changing, but more radically, forever changed.
God brought me through my darkest time to see the light so I may be a light to others. If this blog could help at least one person see the light, and see the goodness of God, then it is well worth it.
I am committed to seeking a God-driven life as I yearn to be an obedient follower of Christ.
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