2012

Hi friends! (Picture me waving and smiling to you) 


New Years.... I'm going to jump right in.


What is that for you!? Is God giving you a new vision? Calling you to scary and trying places? Opening your eyes to the broken and alone? Pushing you to try new things, meet new people, or step out in new ways with your faith? I certainly hope so.


Here is what is on my heart for you, whoever is reading this- it's for a reason (whether I know you or not- God will use it I pray): He is so big and so good and He wants to bring you into a new joy that you've yet to know. Take the leap with Him. Trust your convictions. Speak in love without hesitation, it is always worth it. Say sorry. Just LOVE those you encounter in whatever way that works. Okay!?


As for me, I am eager for what God is going to do this year. In a new place. A new job. A new marriage. A new everything. Is that scary? Yes. Is it sometimes overwhelming? Of course. Do I often second guess our decision? You bet. However, is God distant from me (us) in this time? Never. He is so present. He is the comforter. 


A good friend reminded me (after some discussion and reflection since moving) about the Israelites in the desert and how many times they looked back in longing to Egypt, to their imprisonment, and asked God to take them back there. BACK TO ALL THAT ENSLAVED THEM! The fear of what was ahead. The fear of truly trusting the God who answered their cry to get them out of Egypt. It is scary to trust God when our human eyes and hearts cannot see what lies ahead. It is scary to rely on God to make the way, thinking we can do it better. It is easier to look back, and see comfort and ease, and seek that. But to do so, is to miss the promise land. To do so, is to turn from the call God put on my heart that brought me (us) out to Washington in the first place. To do so is to ignore the dreams he gave me of those I am teaching right now. And so I will run. I will run towards what it is he has for us. I will run ahead and focus my eyes on the Lord and His perfect plan- replacing distractions with prayer and study. That is my goal. Here are a few ways I intend on doing so this next year, month, day, hour, minute, second!


1. Unplug. Over and over God has been calling me to unplug myself from so many distractions. Convicting me to turn my eyes from status updates and photos of other peoples lives, and focus on living the life He wants for me. He convicts us all in different things, and you may think that is not very big, but for me, it is a time sucker that takes away from better things.  My friend Alex wrote a great post on what he calls, "technology idolatry" and it hit me. God had been convicting me for a while that I need to put His word and worship before signing in to facebook, twitter, blogs, or tv. Read his blog if you'd like to read what he wrote HERE. I don't know for how long, and I am not going to set numbers to any of these goals, I trust God will let me know when I am ready.


2. Serve. Jesus came and he served. He served all those he encountered. He served the loved, the poor, the lonely, the hated, the broken, the mean spirited, the doubters, and his own family. My goal is to live this year (and all those after) as a reflection of Him, the servant. Working to live a life less focused on my immediate "needs" and as an outpour of God's love to the needs of others. How? It can be anything really. What does it seem like the lady crying on the bus stop needs? A hug? A hot meal? A kind smile? I'm not sure- I probably won't know- but I know that if I earnestly seek God and ask Jesus to give me the spirit to teach me daily, He will provide just that.  "He must become greater; I must become less." - John 3:30  I posted last week from a blog Kisses for Katie, on living life "bent low" and that is my second goal. If only you could see the tears I cried as I read her post and felt the joy that God wants to bless me with as I seek Him, and serve Him, bent low. Loving others and showing them the love of Jesus. There is something overwhelming about reading the words from a stranger across the world, that reflect the longings of your heart. Incredible. Go HERE to read that post again- but please don't stop there, read on and on. 


3. To love myself. Now this may sound conflicting with the previous goal. But I do not think I can do the other without loving who God made me to be. Trusting that the lessons, failures, successes, and convictions He has given me are exactly what He wants them to be. Learning to trust that I am His precious, cherished one. That means believing that I am strong enough to do what He has called me to. That means shutting out self doubt, image, materialism and adding courage that is founded in the word. It means creating a healthy lifestyle to take care of the temple that is my body. It means putting aside things that will ultimately leave me empty; gadgets,   jewels, junk, that will rust and fade in time and focusing on the truth that brings freedom and joy. By loving who God has made me to be (and made you to be) I will be a better agent of the gospel. As I learn to better love myself, I can certainly hope that God will show me how to better love my neighbor. Which is what He wants from me above all else. To love those all around me, my neighbor, as myself.  


I don't like to starve, so God help me find ways to feed the hungry.
I don't like to be cold, so God help me find ways to bring warmth.
I don't like to feel alone, so God help me bring comfort.
I don't like to hurt, so God help me bring your healing.
I don't like to be without you, so God help me bring your word to those in longing.


I can feel it in my core that God is going to use me (as He has before) in new ways. Calling me to obedience. Calling me to feed off His word daily. Calling me to be satisfied in Him. Pray for me along the way. Pray fro Kevin too- as he puts up with my new ideas and wild journey. Pray that we have a shared vision of this new life we are building up here. Thank you for sharing in this journey with me.  As for the little resolutions I have... here are a few....


1. Run a half marathon/be in good overall health
2. Begin and finish applications for grad school
3. volunteer somewhere with teen mothers
4. volunteer with a church high school group
5. minimize my closet to 100 items or less (yes this is a real problem for me)
6. If I can't pronounce it, don't eat it
7. craft once a month
8. say thank you to every soldier in uniform that I encounter (that may sound corny, but I never have the courage to do so because I almost cry every time and I get too embarrassed) 
9. Cut out soda completely ( I am a caffeine free diet coke freak)
10. Read God's word and have a quiet time daily. 


Thank you for reading. This was a long one- but don't think it will be the last long one anytime soon! God is on the move.