Be Patient, Don't Settle For Less

The phrases “God will provide someone for you,” “Be patient, God has someone special planned for you,” and so on, are not phrases that are easy to understand and digest when you are wrapped up in full emotions for someone, especially if those feelings have been running full speed ahead for a year. It's hard to be constantly told that, especially if in your mindset, the one that you want, is the one that you think God has provided for you. The thoughts of “Who could possibly be better than this guy?” “How will I ever love anyone else again?” “Maybe if I pursue him, eventually he'll fall into my trap...” ring out in your head everyday because in your tiny little minds, this is the way that things should go, this is what God wants of course! And then sometimes you get a smack in your face, and your stubborn self realizes, Nope, actually, God DOES have a better plan for me, someone out there for me, and patience is the key.

A friend once told me in the midst of one of my many guy crises, to be patient and let the guy that God has planned for me to have, to come woo me. I was like...naaaaa I don't need or want to be wooed, I just want to go and get the guy. I'm going to be bold and win his heart. Those are the words of someone who is really impatient. But finally after chasing after in my mind many crushes who didn't want anything to do with me, and falling for in reality two boys who also had interest, being the pursuer just isn't fun anymore. I thought, okay God, it's time to listen to what You and my friends have been trying to tell me, and sit and be patient, besides, this will be more fun!

God meant for us to sit and be patient and wait for His direction and what He has for us. We are always trying to run so far ahead of God, that we end up trying to settle for less than what God has for us. It's hard not to though, it's hard to sit there and relax, especially when you think that nothing can be better than what you have. I was so blinded by love that even when this guy told me he didn't feel the same way about me, I tried to hold on to some bit of hope because I didn't think that God could bring me any better. But then God smacked me in the face and I realized that I want all of what God has for me, and I don't want to settle for less. I want to be pursued by the man that God plans for me to have, the one who truly will, no matter how hard it is for me right now to realize it, be better than all the other guys in my life.

Being patient is hard, and sometimes God has to smack us around a bit before we finally listen to him and sit down and be patient. Don't settle for less because of your impatience. Hang in there, ask God to help you to trust Him and truly be content, because in the end, it really will be worth it all.  

Valentine's Day, it doesn't have to be a day for just couples

Valentine's Day, that Hallmark holiday celebrating everything that is pink and red, candy hearts, and gifts that show your love interest just how much you love them, is right around the corner, literally. It's the favorite holiday of those who are in a relationship, and the most despised by those who aren't. It also takes away from what love really is.

Who says that on this holiday that comes around once a year, it's only enjoyable if we have a boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife to share it with, or its only enjoyable if we get flowers, gifts, and dozens of cards. See that mindset makes love materialistic, and it also leaves out the enjoyment we should get from God's love, the only love that is really true. On Valentine's Day, we tend to feel the most loved by the most gifts that we receive, and by being in a relationship and therefore having a special date planned. And if we don't have these things, seeing them in the other's around us tends to fill us with anger and jealousy. God doesn't even seem to come into the picture, even to the Christian. Now that's definitely a problem.

You know what, God is Love. And although we should acknowledge that on every day of the year, you would think that on this day celebrating love, we should probably think about God's love. God's love is the greatest love that there is. It is the most true, it is the most lasting, it is the most beautiful. And it's there and available for everyone. We shouldn't overlook this. I've heard the phrase "I hate Valentine's Day because I don't have someone to love" or "Nobody loves me". That is a huge false statement right there, because we can definitely love God for all that He has done for us, and He definitely loves us back more than anything, more than we really deserve. So don't forget about the One who never forgets us.

I don't think Valentine's Day is evil, I just think it has gone astray from what it probably really meant. It's good to show love to your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend, or romantic interest, but remember that gifts aren't really true signs of love. Also remember, that other people can be shown love on this day,and love comes from other places and in other forms. Remember that God loves us as well! Let's love everyone this year, real true love, not the "love" that comes from giving a gift, but true love. And let's not stop with just Valentine's Day, lets love people all year round.

Those that have dates, a special person to share the day with, expecting the arrival of magnificent gifts, thats great, enjoy them! But spread your love out to others, and give praises to God for the love that He shows you as well. And those that are dreading tomorrow, don't. Treat it as another day of the year, and love those around you and give praises to God for the love that He shows you.

I don't have a date this year, I've never had one. Never gotten the opportunity to share this day with a wonderful boyfriend. But that's okay, and I still love Valentine's Day. Because I get the chance to especially love on my friends and family, and this time of year, they seem to really need someone to lean on, support them, love them. So I'm honored to be able to do that. Even if candy and stuffed animals aren't involved. I'm excited to spread the love. And I'm even more excited to give praises to God, because I know that God loves me so much, much more than I deserve!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

30 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31


35 "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked." Luke 6:35


8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins" 1 Peter 4:8


7" Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7

When Life Is Full of Speed Bumps

Trials

That's a no fun word, that's one that no one wants to hear. And no one wants to hear the words struggles, troubles, speed bumps, road blocks either. We want our life to run smoothly, and something we just don't understand when it doesn't. Well we may have the head knowledge of knowing that life, especially the Christian life, is not going to be easy. But can we really say that we know it as heart knowledge too?

So these last couple of weeks have been super hard for a lot of people, for various reasons. It's been tough as a friend to watch as those closest to me got handed trial after trial after trial. Some of my friends were used to it, some were not. And I guess my heart broke more for those who weren't used to being hit back to back by unfortunate circumstances. My heart broke, because it was these who asked the question “why” more than anyone.

I hate the question “why” when it comes to God. God why did you do this, why are you doing that? And while I know I say the word too, I hate it. I hate it because it is shows us faltering in faith. See this is another head knowledge, heart knowledge issue. We know in our heads that God is using all things for our good, but sometimes we don't always feel it in our heart. We think, if God is so incredible, if He is so good, then why do these things happen to us. I think its dangerous to think along those lines. God is great and wonderful and He loves us more than we deserve. And we just got to learn, that somethings that He does, we aren't always going to understand. That's one of the things that makes Him incredible, He's indescribable. If we knew everything about Him, everything that He was thinking, all of His ways, then we wouldn't be as in awe of God.

Trials have a purpose. They are to shape and mold us into the masterpiece that God wants us to be. Trials chisel out the bad things, they cast out the impurities, they help us to grow and mature because as one quote says, God loves us too much to let us stay the way that we are. There's no doubt that trials hurt, but they are a necessary pain, just like when you get surgery.

Why do we get surgery? To fix a part of our body that's not functioning properly, to take out something that is harming us, to make us better in some sort of way. Surgery hurts, but the doctor doesn't perform surgery because it hurts, he doesn't do it to harm us, he doesn't do it for no reason. He does it because he needs to, to make us better.

God is the doctor in our lives, and when we have trials and troubles, its like he's performing surgery. He does it because He knows we need it, to help us to become better. Yeah it hurts, yeah it sometimes takes a while to heal, but in the end, we come out of it more healthy than before, in the end we realize how necessary it is.

Trials suck, and sometimes we just can't see how on earth they are going to bring any good at all. But trust in God, trust that He knows what He's doing, because He definitely does. And yes its painful, but just because its painful doesn't mean we can't lift our heads up high, and put a smile on our face knowing the other blessings that God has given us. Look back at all the times that things haven't gone your way, you made it through it, you always do. God never gives us more than we can handle, and if you are feeling like you're overwhelmed, look at it this way, God trusts you so much, that He gave you a really big task. Isn't it incredible knowing that God knows you can handle it, that God believes in you so much, because God does. God isn't trying to drown us with all these troubles, He's trying to develop us.  

Don't let trials drown you, because that is not what God's trying to do. Instead, lean on God, go to Him because His arms are wide open and ready to guide you through. Count your blessings, it should feel you with joy all the wondering things that God is doing in your life, all the wonderful things that God has given you. Don't forget about those. And it's okay to feel hurt, to feel pain, but don't keep yourself from healing. And when you feel like you can't do much more, remember Isaiah 40:28-31

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Treating others as brothers and sisters

Coming off of hearing news that was kind of heartbreaking, last night, a good friend of mine shared a really good Bible passage with me that really hit me hard. Now, to be honest, normally when I am in the beginning of feeling pain and hurt, the last thing I want is advice, or really anyone to say anything. In the beginning, I just want a listener, and I definitely do not want someone to preach at me. But I'm glad that my friend still shared this verse, this idea with me, because it definitely convicted me in more ways than one, and definitely set the wheels in motion for my life to turn around and head back up.

My friend brought up 1 Timothy 5 where it is talking about how to treat those in the church. It's a passage that is mainly directed at teaching pastors, but still, I think some of it really applies in my life right now. I think it's safe to say that even if we aren't pastors in a church, we should still treat others as this passage suggests.

So here's the deal. The bad news that I had received earlier, was one of rejection from a boy that I really cared about so much, for quite a long time. I'm now put into a position where I don't know quite what do to, how do I treat him now, how do I move on? All of these questions and more just spring up in my mind. How do you stop loving someone that you loved so much? Now here's the key that my friend brought up: instead, love him as a brother.

Now the actual verse in the Bible says “Treat younger men as brothers” and it is like I said, in a passage that is giving direction to pastors. But I read this passage as one directed to everyone, saying treat men as brothers, and as the passage in the Bible goes on to say, treat elder men as fathers, treat women as sisters, and older women as mothers. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and we should love each other as such.

Now, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will transforming my romantic love, into love that a sister gives to her brother, will be accomplished in that time. That's going to take a while, as I heal and get things back to normal. And spending so much time with this boy right off the bat is definitely not going to help the process. But with a little space, time, and God, I think one day I will be able to say that I love and cherish him as a brother.

Now that passage solved not only that issue, but another as well. I may have had lots of love for this boy, but I didn't have much love for anyone else. Earlier in the year, God started putting on my heart that I need to be more loving and compassionate to everyone, even those who are hard to love, which is my weakness. This passage reminded me that I need to get back to work on that, and loving the people around me as if they are my brothers and sisters, even those who I definitely do not get along with.

Dear God, my prayer right now is that you will help me to love those around me as You would have me love them. To cherish them with all of my heart, and brothers and sisters, because we are all united, as brothers and sisters, under Christ. Help me to remember that, even in times when it is difficult to be loving.

“1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” 1 Timothy 5:1-2

New start

I'm entering into a new chapter of my life right now. God has shut a door on me, but opened another, offering me a fresh start, and a new direction. It's a new day, a new week, and I feel as if I am a little bit of a new person as well with a new outlook on things. Maybe that's what God needed from me by shutting this door, so I'm going to continue on, and see what God has in store for me!

This blog is going to be much more different than the one I had previously. This blog is much more focused on God as I rededicate my life to Him, and learning what is His will in my life. This blog is my outlet for sharing with others, or maybe just myself, about what God is teaching me each day. Every experience in our day to day lives, God is using to shape and mold us into the person that He created us to be. The things that He uses to shape us can be as simple as touching us with His God's beautiful creation as we gaze out the windows, or as complex as a trial that we are currently going through.

My goal is to feel God's presence in everything that is around me, more than I ever have before. I want to be so in touch with God, so wrapped up in His arms, and I'm hoping that this new journey of stopping my fast paced life to sit down and really think about the wonderful ways that God is working in my life, will help me reach that goal.

So people experience God the best through nature, some through music, others still through poetry. And while I do experience God through all of those and more, the thing that really gets me connected, is talking to myself, talking to my self about what is going on in my life, and ultimately ending up in deep prayer, and that is what this blog is for.

You're welcome to come along for the ride. I hope this blog can be as encouraging to others as it definitely will be to me!

=)