The Years Ahead...
There's a restlessness growing inside of me. There is a desire for more, to be used up, to make a difference, to please the Lord. Steve and I were talking a few days ago about how I believe our "20's" are our "training days". These are the days for learning about who Jesus is, what living for him looks like, how we can be effective and what truly matters in this life. More and more I find myself devouring books either written by radical women of faith or about radical women of faith. I feel a stirring in my heart and am expecting whatever it is God is stirring up to break wide open sooner than later. I have no idea what God is calling us to. He hasn't made that clear yet... but I know some things for sure...
1. If my marriage isn't strong everything else is a waste of time.
2. He calls us to live a simple life. -> if my life is consumed with things, status and a desire for more then I am not following Jesus' example.
3. He is calling us to be parents to the forgotten, lost, lonely and broken. -> I know in my heart we will have a lot of kids one day. I know in my heart it will not always be easy. I know in my heart nothing worth having is easy.
4. He is giving us a new home, one that is larger than we think we need. -> God is moving us.. that is CLEAR. I'm (im)patiently waiting to see how he is going to use the extra rooms.
5. He is giving us songs so we can encourage and call others to praise Him.
6. He is chipping away at my American idea of Christianity. -> it's not about a building, it's not about a style of dress or worship, it's not about a program or a time of fellowship. Those things aren't horrible or even bad but if it's not about stripping away my sinful nature so that I reflect more of Him then it's just a distraction.
7. My heart is broken for how I miss the point more times than not. -> God and I are wrestling and beginning a conversation about how I live where he has put me and serve him so that it's not me who is praised but him. It has to be about him.
I woke up this morning and wrote out a schedule for today. After my quiet time my plan was to head out to the gym and then get a ton of errands done. Well it is 12:30 now and I haven't left the house yet... God had me sit and listen. I found a video last night of Katie Davis and David Platt. Both of these people challenge me WAY more than is comfortable. I saved the video to watch "later" since it was an hour long.. but this morning I just felt God tell me "slow down, watch this. The gym will be there later and I'm teaching you right now." So I sat and I watched.
As I watched that familiar stirring in my heart rose up and started churning away. What do you want me to do God? What is my life about? Why am I in America and not Africa? Why do I have so much and others have nothing? These are questions I will continue to wrestle with... the plans he has for me are good though (Jer. 29:11) and I know that his word is the lamp for my feet (Pslm 119:105). I know he will restore the wasted years the locust have eaten (Joel 2:25) and he will set the lonely in families (Pslm 68:6). I have so many promises from this amazing God that I serve. It doesn't mean it will all happen when I want it to but change is definitely happening in my heart!
Here is the video, I've also put it below. I highly recommend watching it! You will laugh and it will also challenge you that there is a better way than buy, buy, buy! There is a way where you make a difference and want for nothing... serving Jesus.
1. If my marriage isn't strong everything else is a waste of time.
2. He calls us to live a simple life. -> if my life is consumed with things, status and a desire for more then I am not following Jesus' example.
3. He is calling us to be parents to the forgotten, lost, lonely and broken. -> I know in my heart we will have a lot of kids one day. I know in my heart it will not always be easy. I know in my heart nothing worth having is easy.
4. He is giving us a new home, one that is larger than we think we need. -> God is moving us.. that is CLEAR. I'm (im)patiently waiting to see how he is going to use the extra rooms.
5. He is giving us songs so we can encourage and call others to praise Him.
6. He is chipping away at my American idea of Christianity. -> it's not about a building, it's not about a style of dress or worship, it's not about a program or a time of fellowship. Those things aren't horrible or even bad but if it's not about stripping away my sinful nature so that I reflect more of Him then it's just a distraction.
7. My heart is broken for how I miss the point more times than not. -> God and I are wrestling and beginning a conversation about how I live where he has put me and serve him so that it's not me who is praised but him. It has to be about him.
I woke up this morning and wrote out a schedule for today. After my quiet time my plan was to head out to the gym and then get a ton of errands done. Well it is 12:30 now and I haven't left the house yet... God had me sit and listen. I found a video last night of Katie Davis and David Platt. Both of these people challenge me WAY more than is comfortable. I saved the video to watch "later" since it was an hour long.. but this morning I just felt God tell me "slow down, watch this. The gym will be there later and I'm teaching you right now." So I sat and I watched.
As I watched that familiar stirring in my heart rose up and started churning away. What do you want me to do God? What is my life about? Why am I in America and not Africa? Why do I have so much and others have nothing? These are questions I will continue to wrestle with... the plans he has for me are good though (Jer. 29:11) and I know that his word is the lamp for my feet (Pslm 119:105). I know he will restore the wasted years the locust have eaten (Joel 2:25) and he will set the lonely in families (Pslm 68:6). I have so many promises from this amazing God that I serve. It doesn't mean it will all happen when I want it to but change is definitely happening in my heart!
Here is the video, I've also put it below. I highly recommend watching it! You will laugh and it will also challenge you that there is a better way than buy, buy, buy! There is a way where you make a difference and want for nothing... serving Jesus.
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