enjoying every step of the journey

My clothes are dry. I turned the dryer on again just to be sure. It is cold outside and I am in my prayer room, which just so happens to be the laundry room.  I suppose, if I am to be completely honest, this is the real reason that I turned the dryer on again. *chuckle*

There is a globe on the laundry room shelf, which is right above the laundry detergent. I also hung some butterflies from the ceiling to make the laundry room more inviting. I am under the opinion that butterflies make everything more lively. Sometimes Often, I approach life like a kid and it comes out in a few of my interior decorating choices. Enough about that. I would like to share with you something that I have been learning.

Lately I have been learning about the importance of embracing the process. Like most kids, I look forward to being “grown up.” I have heard many wonderful things about the future and feel ready to be there, but I am in the present.

Life isn’t just about the finish line, it is about the journey. Thus, after a friendly reminder, from a dear spiritual mother of mine, I have decided to embrace every step of the journey. This is what success looks like. It looks like recognizing the gift in front of you and doing it with your whole heart. Right now, for me, embracing the process looks like sitting in my laundry room to spend quality time with God, because I have lots of time at my disposal. It also looks like being intentional with the people that are around me, investing in the internship that I am apart of, and folding the freshly warmed pile of laundry that is now getting cold beneath me. What has God placed in front of you?

In this season of my life, I have lots of free time and I want to use it well. I want to enjoy the time that I get to spend with God and let it leak out onto others.  I don’t want to miss out on one step of the journey. It would be like getting married without having any recollection of the past. It would be a shame to marry a stranger. I want to have a rich history in God that exemplifies psalm 27:4, and I want my life to inspire others to do the same. I want to know and love God.

A few days ago, I was dreaming. I was imagining myself in some far off country doing some crazy things for Jesus. I was imagining the most audacious miracles and unbelievable testimonies that I could think of. I am still dreaming those dreams but I am realizing that, in the end, I don’t want those crazy things without the one I love standing beside me. I want to know Jesus and be passionate about Him. This dream I can take with me in every season of my life. It will never get old and it will always leave me feeling fresh and very much alive. His presence leaves me breathless. It is what we were made for. We were made to live under His smile and in His most glorious presence.

I recently listened to a wonderful sermon, by Banning Liebscher, about embracing the process. In this sermon he says something simple yet profound, “You can thrive, instead of just survive, in a season when you just say okay to God and embrace the process.“

Some things in life can’t be rushed. A razor-burn free shave is one of them. Our history with God is another. So, I don’t know about you, but I am going to embrace the process and live fully in the season that God has me in today. It is not up to us to decide what we learn in each season. After all, we are the student, not the teacher. So I am handing over the reigns and fully accepting the challenges that are given to me in this season. I am saying okay to God. I would like to learn the first time around by being fully engaged in what the teacher is saying and doing. You?

Yes, there are incredible things ahead, but this is true for the present as well. I encourage you to embrace what is in front of you and thrive in the process.

peace of mind and heart

“I am leaving you with a gift- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, BUT I will come back to you again…” (John 14:27-28. emphasis added)

Did you catch that? Jesus gave us such a precious gift- peace of mind AND heart! It truly is a gift that the world cannot give! When we receive this gift, it leaves the world to ponder its source. Amidst the storms of life we are able to utilize this gift. Peace of mind and heart are our portion in Christ.

I think that part of this peace comes from the knowledge that Jesus is coming back (vs 28). We can rest in promise of Jesus’ return and revel in the understanding that Jesus sent us an advocate, the Holy Spirit, to live inside of us forever (he will never leave us)! What a beautiful truth. If it hasn’t hit you fully yet, don’t worry, because the Holy Spirit leads us into ALL truth (John 14:17).

You have EVERYTHING you need in Christ. You are fully equipped, because you have the Holy Spirit living inside of YOU! Yes, YOU. This is good news! If you are having a rough time and find yourself a bit stressed out under the pressures of life, take a second to be still and ask God to reveal this truth to your heart. Ask Him what it means to have the Holy Spirit as your comforter and advocate. Ask Him to show you what it is like to live in His peace. It is a free gift and it is yours to receive.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. TRUST in God, and trust also in me. There is MORE than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going…” (John 14:1-4. Emphasis added).

Happy Valentines! Rest in the peace of Jesus today! There is NO LACK in the kingdom. So, if you find yourself dateless, you can trust God to provide one amazing spouse for you at just the right time. :) All the “good ones” aren’t taken. God knows you well. hehehe. So, enjoy this beautiful day! Today is the BEST February 14, 2012 that there will ever be.

love encounters (person to person)

“…So now I am leaving you with a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” – John 13:34-35

Love is supernatural.  It is so supernatural that it has the ability to transform individuals and, in doing so, prove to the world that there is Someone beyond themselves. Love, in action, elicits a response.

While simple, this verse got me thinking about a few things (feel free to ask yourself the same questions):

Is my life a manifestation of God’s love to the world?

Do I intentionally love the people that God places in front of me? What would that even look like?

How much does God love me (this question will help the previous questions)?

I don’t know about you, but I am getting pretty pumped about learning more about love. *wink*

“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Eph 3:18-19).

 

praise the LORD

The past few weeks, I have been learning a very important life lesson. I have been learning how to praise Jesus in EVERY circumstance. This is harder than it might sound. You see, I haven’t just been praising Him for the happy things in life. I have been learning how to praise God for the most unusual things. I have praised Him for the unknowns, I have praised Him for little mishaps (like getting lost or being late), I have praised Him for other peoples rotten attitudes, I have praised Him for the awkward moments, I have praised Him when I felt sad, I have praised Him when I felt happy, and I have praised Him when I felt nothing at all. I have been learning how to praise…and it is amazing! While the past few weeks have been extremely transitional, I have felt peace, because through praising Jesus, I have been learning how to trust God even more.

If you are going through some rough things, might I suggest praising God? It may feel funny at first, but He works out everything for our good! Praising Him puts the situation back in His hands. It brings perspective! It will also remind you of the greatness of God in the midst of your circumstance. Go on now… Praise the Lord!

“Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever…” Ps 106:1

elevator

Two nights ago I was on an elevator with my sweet mama. The elevator stopped and picked up another passenger. The passenger was a VERY tall man. He had basketball attire on. I think it is safe to assume that he plays ball. Anyway, the elevator stopped on the 8th floor to let me off and I just KNEW that I was supposed to say something to this fellow. My heart began to pound, I had NO idea what I was supposed to say. A few seconds later I found myself talking to him. I don’t remember what was said exactly, but I do remember saying, “Dream Bigger” as the elevator door was closing. My sweet mama was in the elevator with him a little bit longer and asked if people told him that a lot. Apparently he looked stunned and said, “No mam.” Then my mom pressed him further and asked him what he was going to do with it. She suggested that he should dream big. *smile* While I will probably never see him again, I know that God is pursuing him and I am excited that I got to ride the hotel elevator with this stranger and speak life into his destiny. It is fun to partner with God and love the person in front of you…

little things

I walked into Starbucks for a hot drink and sat down with a warm heart. I wasn’t planning on this warm heart or alone time with God, but God is good at planning spontaneous dates. After ordering my drink, I noticed the girl that walked in. God was highlighting her. He adored her. I felt as though I was supposed to buy her drink. My flesh got nervous… “would she think that I was hitting on her? would it be weird? what if she says no? how will she respond?” I was about to ignore the prompt and sit down, but I found my arms reaching for my wallet and my legs running to beat the cashier from swiping. The girl was shocked. To be honest, I was shocked as well. The cashier was also shocked. There we were, standing there completely shocked. Haha. Finally the lady swiped my card and the girl put back hers. It was a beautiful exchange. I told the girl why I was purchasing her drink and her face brightened, so did the cashiers. The outcome of this simple gesture was interesting. The cashier wanted to bless me. She told me that as long as I was there throughout the night I could have anything on the house. This reminded me of heavens resources. *grin* Then I sat back down with a warm heart and my hot drink.

You can never out give God. Next time you feel the desire to share what you have been given (time, a hug, money, or other resources), I encourage you to do it! There is NO lack in the Kingdom. There is always enough.

 

 

a proper introduction to 2012

From India to Austin, Austin to California and back again, Kansas City to Oregon, Pennsylvania to Georgia, Ohio to Austin, and once again from Austin to California and back again. My year has been full of transitions and my suitcase easily accessible. While I love to travel, it is nice to recollect on the past year with the knowledge that I will be in California for 6 whole months. I suppose I am beginning to feel the desire to nest somewhere….nah. I love travel just as much now as I did a year ago, if not more, but I am in a unique season. While this season is still unfolding, I would like recount the beauty of 2011.

What transpired in 2011 is mind boggling. I had the privilege of going to India, I wrote music and bought a guitar, I moved out of the house that I had been living for the past two years, I graduated from College, I took a road trip to Oregon with my family, I adventured in Pennsylvania, Atlanta, and Ohio, I moved to California, I went to Hawaii with my family, I visited Austin for over a month, and then I moseyed on back to California to greet the blessings and mysteries of 2012. -phew- The lessons I learned in the past year have been priceless. I feel like a different person in the best of ways. I feel more stable, because, through hardships and transition, my roots have grown deeper into the heart of God. I can feel it. I don’t get flustered as easy I used to and I look at the future with such hope. I think this is because, if anything, I have begun to embrace the present. I have been learning how to love what is in front of me (friendships, seasons, living arrangements, places, and even myself). There is something very calming in the fact that there really is “no lack in the Kingdom.” There is also something very secure in the Love of God. He loves me and I know it. I don’t have to earn it. I can’t tell you how many times HE spoke it to my heart, or how many more times I will need to hear it, but I believe it in a deeper way now than I did before. He is my stability. His love has shaken me to the core time and time again and I am left undone. Thus, I look back at the past few years and am amazed. What once seemed annoying or random, now has such purpose and significance. God really does guide the steps of the righteous. He knows my destination and He will bring it to pass. I can rest in the shadow of His wings. He has provided every time I have been in need and He will do it again. This is my journey. These lessons are part of my unfolding story. Banning Liebscher says “The process is the very thing in your life that prepared you for what He showed you…. God shows you and then He grows you.” This is very very true. I know that I am stepping into a new season, but one thing is for sure, I wouldn’t trade my history with God for anything, not even the hard parts of the process or the tension that often presents itself in transition. I see what He has done through the process and I now know the continued outcome of embracing each season.

2012…I welcome you with enthusiasm.