Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years and was able to enjoy time with their loved ones. As we go into 2015, I have decided to revamp The Worthy Girl's Guide, though you might have noticed from when I originally began this journey that my tune has changed over the course of the past year. Here's why:
I originally decided to start The Worthy Girl's Guide with the intent that it be solely health based with the emphasis being on the importance of spiritual health. However after a few months into blogging, I realized that God had a greater purpose for me and I felt that He was weighing the message heavily on my heart that I needed to put all of my emphasis on Him. I could hear Him saying to me, "the world has so much noise about how to live a healthy lifestyle and not enough noise about Me".
Though I am no Bible expert and I'm certainly far from perfect, I am a Child of God who struggles and sins daily; but because of The Worthy Girl's Guide, I have been able to face and overcome many challenges this year simply because of the accountability I've felt through this endeavor to stay true to the woman I want to be in Christ- which means failing countlessly but getting back up and finding a way to start anew, which is what I plan to continue to share with you. So, though I still feel it's important to share the Word of God as it pertains to body image and health and wellness, I feel even more strongly that it's important to share the Word of God as it pertains to all areas of our lives because let's face it- our struggles are not one dimensional and we NEED God in ALL of them. Since I had pretty much forgone the original topics of this blog months ago, not much will change with the content you see on Facebook or in the blog itself; I just felt it necessary for my own growth to address the change in my heart officially (even if it's just me who sees this).
I hope you all have a wonderful 2015 and enjoy the "new" Worthy Girl's Guide!
"Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Saturday, October 18, 2014
I'm a Christian
We live in a world where saying, "I'm a Christian" comes with many consequences. Some of us are scrutinized for every choice we make, as if we're suddenly supposed to be without sin just because we define ourselves with these three words; while others around the world are beheaded for refusing to deny their faith in The Lord. So how in the world are we supposed to live unashamed by our faith, when the world is constantly throwing insults and forcing our hand into going along with things we simply don't believe in?
It'd be easy to simply run and hide; to worship in secret and in shame, to laugh or agree with immoral things despite having conflicted feelings in our hearts. I have struggled this with this all too well throughout the years. It started in my freshman year of high school. My mom, little brother and I all belonged to a great church and I decided to join the youth group. If you've ever seen any Hollywood flick based on a high school scenario, they more often than not include so called, "Jesus freaks". Out of fear of being cast into that role, I often hid or felt ashamed of the friends I made through church and I slowly but surely distanced myself from the youth group, until I was a part of it no more. Though my faith in God never wavered and I always believed in Him, I couldn't bring myself to stand up for what I believed in, in public so I put on a different persona to please others.
This carried on for several years and filtered into the early stages of my adult life. At the ages of 18through 20, I went through a very difficult time. After 26 years of marriage, my parents had divorced and in one year's time, they both had remarried. Both of my stepparents are wonderful people and I love them both very much but at the time, it was a very difficult pill for me to swallow and accept. In the midst of it all, I had also broken up with my high school boyfriend, moved into my own apartment and lost my little dog (my only true companion during a time of such heartache). I was very much struggling to find out who I was, especially in my relationship with Christ, and I lashed out often in many ways. Though I knew who God was, I believed in Him wholeheartedly and I really loved Him, I still wasn't letting my life shine for Him, out of fear of being outcasted by my peers. I knew that my actions weren't exactly in line with what I believed in and that made me afraid of being judged if I were to admit my beliefs to others. I could already hear their scrutinizing questions, "If you're such a good Christian, why do you do this, this and this?" So I often downplayed my relationship with God, despite feeling guilty for denying Him.
After having gone through such a difficult turning point in just a few short years, I really began to lean on my relationship with God more than ever. So when I met my now husband at the age of 21, I decided that I was just going to be who I was, without fear of what he might think of me. In doing so, I began to unmask the shame of who I was in Christ.
When we got engaged a few years later, I was faced with deciding just how much my faith meant to me. In planning our wedding, I was put in a situation by voices outside of our relationship to essentially choose what mattered most to me- marrying the man of my dreams under circumstances that I wholeheartedly did not believe in or making the choice to stand up for what I believed in, and potentially sacrifice my chance at marriage. When it came down to it, I chose the latter, unafraid and unashamed. Of course I never wanted to hurt anyone or push an ultimatum on my fiancé, but I realized that I could no longer live a lie; that Christ had way more significance in my life than simply doing something out of fear of rejection from others. I realized that God's opinion of me mattered infinitely more than those around me.
From that point forward, I felt a renewed sense of dependence on God and of courage and confidence in who I am in Him. I also realized that being a Christian doesn't mean that I have to adhere to the world's stigma or judgment- that I am supposed to be without fault and sin and that I beat people over the head with a Bible every chance I get; that I have the right to suddenly judge others or that I'm somehow better than the nonbeliever sitting next to me. It doesn't mean that I live a boring and mundane life, that I can't go out with friends and have a few drinks or gamble in Vegas because I have to stay home and pray; or that I am without troubles.
Being a Christian does mean though that I don't have to be ashamed because He bore all shame, that I don't have to fear rejection because He was rejected; that I am made right in His sight. I can stand up for what I believe in, unashamed, because of who He is.
I am now unashamedly a Jesus freak.
"From now on, don't let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus." Galatians 6:17
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33
"Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Do not be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows if widowhood. For your Creator will be your husband; The Lord of Heaven's Armies is his name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth." Isaiah 54: 4-5
"If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved." Romans 10: 9-10
"So let's not get tied of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." Galatians 6:9
Saturday, October 11, 2014
If There's a Will, There's a Way
If there's a will, there's a way. A phrase we're all too familiar with. I've experienced this saying many of times but never have I been hit as hard with it as I was recently. I'd like to say that in the past year, my husband and I have been through so many changes but that time frame would be an overstatement. Really, in the past five months, we've had a whirlwind of changes; changes that we didn't choose to make but rather, were made for us.
Beginning at the end of May, my husband lost his job. It was devastating, to say the least. Anyone who knows my husband, knows how passionate he was about his job, so we were both hit very hard with the reality that his dream of being in this one specific career was over. Because of the nature of my husband's career, every plan we ever made for our life together was based on whether or not it would work well within the realms of his job. We planned everything around it- when we would get married, our move to Houston, when we would attempt to buy a house, and most importantly when we would have children.
Prior to the loss of my husband's job, earlier in May I decided it was time for a change and I chose to change jobs. Since my husband's job at the time was so demanding, I made the change in part so that I would have the freedom to care for our family whenever the time came. Leaving my job was an extremely difficult decision to make, if not the hardest one. I loved my career but I did what I felt was necessary for us by taking a position at a friend's company in a field I had never worked in before. The craziest part of both of our careers ending was the timing of it all- my husband lost his job four days before my last day at mine. While I had the opportunity to stay, I had already committed to leaving and I really felt in my heart that it was the right thing to do for the time being, the real reason yet to be known to me.
Looking at this situation and the details of how our careers both ended, there was no other explanation than this being the kick off of, "if there's a will, there's a way."
Though we no longer had the constraints of planning out the details of our life around a specific schedule, we weren't necessarily in a position to have the freedom to do whatever we wanted. Being that our lives had done a 180, we realized that we had to trust God and whatever He was trying to accomplish with us. Not to mention, my husband still had to find a job so whatever plans we wanted to make had to take a back seat to that factor. Thankfully within a month or so, by the grace of God and with the help of our friends, he came to work for the same company that I was now with.
With the cloud of his needing to finding a full time job beginning to slowly lift, we decided to pursue our plan of homeownership. Though we were still really struggling to adjust to our new life and we still had many financial concerns (not having health insurance being the biggest concern of all), we decided to press on, believing that this would relieve the financial tension of paying sky high rent. Plus, our lease was up soon and one of our goals in buying a house was so that we could move on to having babies. With our dreams in mind, we, along with our awesome Realtor, poured our hearts into our search. (By the way, if you've never seriously house hunted, consider yourself lucky. It's probably one of the most stressful tasks EVER!)
In the midst of attempting to purchase a home, I felt a strange sense of desire to return to my previous job. Only a few months had passed, but I really felt that God was telling me that it was time for me to go back; that whatever He needed me out of there for was done and I could return to doing what I love. So I made the decision in early August that after we closed on a home at the end of September, I would return to my career in early October.
Also in early August, which you may remember from my last blog, we took a little time off from house hunting to take a vacation to Colorado. Our trip was amazing! Probably one of our most memorable ones yet, for this very next reason- the day after our awesome hiking trip in the Rocky Mountain National Park, I found out I was pregnant.
Amongst all the hardest changes these past few months, this news was most definitely the biggest and most shocking. As hard hitting as it was, I couldn't help but realize that it finally all made sense what God was trying to do. He was trying to get us where we needed us to be, so that this baby could be. Though having children was always part of our plan, with everything that passed, that plan was pushed further and further down the line to where it almost seemed as if it would never happen. There was always some reason why we couldn't have a baby yet. At first it was that we needed to own our own home; then it was, we both changed jobs, we don't have health insurance, and finally, we're simply not ready yet. The excuses were relentless, which made me sad. All I could do was pray about it and so I asked God a month or so before I found out that I was pregnant that, "if there's a will, let there be a way. When the timing is right Lord, bless us with a child." He answered a lot sooner than I had anticipated!
Needless to say, it was still stressful after finding out about my pregnancy but we both had to put our hope in God and believe that He clearly has plan for this baby. In doing so, God has allowed everything to fall into perfect place by opening the door for me to return to my old job sooner than I had planned and He has since provided us with a place to live. Though the dream of homeownership hasn't come true yet, our new place is perfect for our life right now. There's still so much for us to figure out but if there's a will, there's a way.
Of the greatest things I've learned through this, it's that God does not let your excuses stand in His way. No matter how hard you try to push back, you can't stop what God has already decided. We often don't know where He's taking us but His plans for us never fall through; and if we're willing to give our life up to Him and ask Him to lead the way on His time, He'll make your path clear.
"In my desperation I prayed and the Lord listened; He saved me from all my troubles" Psalms 34:6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to Him and He will make your paths straight" Proverbs 3:5-6
This morning, as I was thinking of what to write, this song inspired me to tell you my story-
Sidewalk Prophets- Help me Find it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsjZ94K7UQs
Beginning at the end of May, my husband lost his job. It was devastating, to say the least. Anyone who knows my husband, knows how passionate he was about his job, so we were both hit very hard with the reality that his dream of being in this one specific career was over. Because of the nature of my husband's career, every plan we ever made for our life together was based on whether or not it would work well within the realms of his job. We planned everything around it- when we would get married, our move to Houston, when we would attempt to buy a house, and most importantly when we would have children.
Prior to the loss of my husband's job, earlier in May I decided it was time for a change and I chose to change jobs. Since my husband's job at the time was so demanding, I made the change in part so that I would have the freedom to care for our family whenever the time came. Leaving my job was an extremely difficult decision to make, if not the hardest one. I loved my career but I did what I felt was necessary for us by taking a position at a friend's company in a field I had never worked in before. The craziest part of both of our careers ending was the timing of it all- my husband lost his job four days before my last day at mine. While I had the opportunity to stay, I had already committed to leaving and I really felt in my heart that it was the right thing to do for the time being, the real reason yet to be known to me.
Looking at this situation and the details of how our careers both ended, there was no other explanation than this being the kick off of, "if there's a will, there's a way."
Though we no longer had the constraints of planning out the details of our life around a specific schedule, we weren't necessarily in a position to have the freedom to do whatever we wanted. Being that our lives had done a 180, we realized that we had to trust God and whatever He was trying to accomplish with us. Not to mention, my husband still had to find a job so whatever plans we wanted to make had to take a back seat to that factor. Thankfully within a month or so, by the grace of God and with the help of our friends, he came to work for the same company that I was now with.
With the cloud of his needing to finding a full time job beginning to slowly lift, we decided to pursue our plan of homeownership. Though we were still really struggling to adjust to our new life and we still had many financial concerns (not having health insurance being the biggest concern of all), we decided to press on, believing that this would relieve the financial tension of paying sky high rent. Plus, our lease was up soon and one of our goals in buying a house was so that we could move on to having babies. With our dreams in mind, we, along with our awesome Realtor, poured our hearts into our search. (By the way, if you've never seriously house hunted, consider yourself lucky. It's probably one of the most stressful tasks EVER!)
In the midst of attempting to purchase a home, I felt a strange sense of desire to return to my previous job. Only a few months had passed, but I really felt that God was telling me that it was time for me to go back; that whatever He needed me out of there for was done and I could return to doing what I love. So I made the decision in early August that after we closed on a home at the end of September, I would return to my career in early October.
Also in early August, which you may remember from my last blog, we took a little time off from house hunting to take a vacation to Colorado. Our trip was amazing! Probably one of our most memorable ones yet, for this very next reason- the day after our awesome hiking trip in the Rocky Mountain National Park, I found out I was pregnant.
Amongst all the hardest changes these past few months, this news was most definitely the biggest and most shocking. As hard hitting as it was, I couldn't help but realize that it finally all made sense what God was trying to do. He was trying to get us where we needed us to be, so that this baby could be. Though having children was always part of our plan, with everything that passed, that plan was pushed further and further down the line to where it almost seemed as if it would never happen. There was always some reason why we couldn't have a baby yet. At first it was that we needed to own our own home; then it was, we both changed jobs, we don't have health insurance, and finally, we're simply not ready yet. The excuses were relentless, which made me sad. All I could do was pray about it and so I asked God a month or so before I found out that I was pregnant that, "if there's a will, let there be a way. When the timing is right Lord, bless us with a child." He answered a lot sooner than I had anticipated!
Needless to say, it was still stressful after finding out about my pregnancy but we both had to put our hope in God and believe that He clearly has plan for this baby. In doing so, God has allowed everything to fall into perfect place by opening the door for me to return to my old job sooner than I had planned and He has since provided us with a place to live. Though the dream of homeownership hasn't come true yet, our new place is perfect for our life right now. There's still so much for us to figure out but if there's a will, there's a way.
Of the greatest things I've learned through this, it's that God does not let your excuses stand in His way. No matter how hard you try to push back, you can't stop what God has already decided. We often don't know where He's taking us but His plans for us never fall through; and if we're willing to give our life up to Him and ask Him to lead the way on His time, He'll make your path clear.
"In my desperation I prayed and the Lord listened; He saved me from all my troubles" Psalms 34:6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to Him and He will make your paths straight" Proverbs 3:5-6
This morning, as I was thinking of what to write, this song inspired me to tell you my story-
Sidewalk Prophets- Help me Find it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsjZ94K7UQs
Friday, September 5, 2014
The Rocky Mountains
A few weeks ago, my husband and I traveled to Denver. During our time there, we ventured out to the Rocky Mountain National Park for what we thought was a short hike with our friends, Jennifer and Justin. Due to the recent floods that destroyed much of the area, we found ourselves accidentally on an expert level trail up a mountain. Too prideful to back out, we decided to give the hike up a shot, thinking the entire trip would only be 3 miles round trip (haha). We told ourselves that if we were too tired, we'd turn back before reaching the summit, though I think we all had the same mindset that we couldn't just turn back!
The trail started out fairly easy. The air was crisp and the sounds and smells of nature were indescribable. Life felt truly easy. But as we hit 1/3 of the way up, the altitude began to hit me BADLY and it only intensified as we progressed. As we reached halfway up the mountain, my head began to buzz and my hands began to sting with pain, but I reminded myself that there was no way I was going to turn back after having made it this far. I was determined to make it to the top, even if it killed me (I swear it almost did!) In taking breaks every quarter of a mile (or probably more so every tenth of a mile), I was able to take in all of the astounding views that surrounded us. It was as though every step we took provided a new wonder to marvel at! I was breathless, not just from the altitude but from the sights that surrounded me, and we weren't even to the top yet.
As we inched further and further, the task of simply breathing proved to become more difficult the higher we got. Not knowing how I could make it any farther, I began to pray my way up- "Lord, please give me the strength to make it to the top. I know I can do this with your help!" In my struggle to carry on, I was reminded of two scriptures- "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak". I repeated these scriptures and prayed to myself over and over again, all the while taking the time to look around to enjoy the perfection that surrounded us, thanking God for revealing just a few of his mighty creations to little old me.
At last, we finally hit what we thought was the top of the mountain. The terrain was smooth and flat and we were all rejoicing for the even territory. We laughed and cracked jokes up until we reached the only sign we had seen since we began our trek, which read, ".2 miles to summit" and was followed by a set of stairs that seemed to have no end. WHAT?!? Seriously?! Hadn't we just reached the end? This can't be serious? Stairs after all this?
As frustrated as we all were, we were more determined than ever to master those stairs! I'll be damned if that .2 miles wasn't the most difficult task for me to accomplish thus far. It wasn't the physical aspect of climbing them that killed me, but trying to overcome my failing breath, decreased lung capacity and the mental instability I felt. It was nearly debilitating. Alas, we reached the peak!
At over 10,000 feet in elevation, my heart rejoiced and tears filled my eyes. "I can't believe we made it!", we all said to each other. I can still feel my breath escaping me, not from the altitude but from the realization of the beauty that which engulfed all four of us. The view from the top was by far the most miraculous thing I had ever seen in my entire life. It literally felt as though we were the only four people left on the entire earth. There was not a sound to be heard other than that of our voices. Reliving the memory brings tears of elation to my eyes and words and pictures can't even begin to describe the essence of it all.
Sadly, the trip to the top came to an end and it was time to tackle yet another obstacle- making it safely to the bottom before dark, before the black bears began to make their appearance for the night. Ugh, seriously? Can't someone just pick us up and fly us down? Of course not, that'd be too easy!
One might think that the hard part was over when we reached the top and going down would be child's play, but that one is wrong! Not to mention, the guys (my husband being one of them) thought it would save us a great deal of time to scale down the mountain, instead of following the switch backs the whole way down. Well, needless to say, they were right but that's not to say that accomplishing that last task was not the most terrifying physical obstacle in my life. Despite my convictions, it had to be done simply for the sake of not being left behind to be eaten by a bear.
As we scaled down the mountain, the views still proved to be astonishing! I was amazed as I looked around and thought, I am literally sitting on the side of a mountain, surrounded by God's artwork. It was remarkable.
6 miles and 3 1/2 hours later, we finally made it to the bottom. We all exhaled a sigh of relief as we painfully yet joyfully stumbled back to the car. Behind us was a mountain, that we just climbed to the top of! What a day! Emotions filled my heart and I was overwhelmed at what we had all just experienced- physically and mentally.
Through my Rocky Mountain adventure, I feel as though God revealed so much to me on a deeper level than I could have ever imagined. I've heard it all before but to experience it first hand was more than I bargained for when we decided to climb a mountain that day. God never promises us that the journey to the top is going to be easy. Sometimes in life, when we think our struggles are over, we're faced with challenges greater than the ones we've already come through. But it is by God's mighty strength that we can and will prevail through each and every obstacle we face. But God doesn't want our lives to be all about simply making it through our daily struggles. He wants us to take the time to bask in His glory, to take the time to look at all the wonders He has made just for our enjoyment, and to be thankful for ALL that He has provided even when we're facing struggles that physically take our breath away and seem too big to overcome.
If you think the Rocky Mountains are the most beautiful sight to have ever been seen, or any other wonder of the world that God's created, think again. You are God's true masterpiece. You are the one He takes the most pride in. And that alone is the most humbling, overwhelming thing I took away from this experience. How amazing!
Thank you Jesus.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Radical Discipleship
This past weekend, I visited Journey Fellowship in Llano, Texas, where I heard a sermon about Radical Discipleship that I thought would be perfect to share in part on The Worthy Girl's Guide.
What do you think of when you hear the term radical disciple? When I heard the term for the first time this past weekend, I though of someone who takes following and serving God to a completely unmeasurable and unattainable level, something that I could never do. Throughout many times in my life, I have struggled with not feeling good enough in one area or another. When it came to serving the Lord, though I knew God loved me, I never felt that I was good enough or qualified to do something completely insane for Him. After all, I'm just a normal girl who loves Jesus but also struggles daily to stay on the straight and narrow.
Time and time again, I would hear sermon after sermon on how important it is to step up to the plate and give back to the Lord and His church by serving. When I would hear these sermons, my mind would wander to the extreme ends of the spectrum on how I could do something amazing for God. I would ponder becoming a missionary overseas, starting my own charity for abandoned animals, joining the praise and worship team at church; you name the stereotypical extreme way and I considered it. But as ideas would pour into my mind on how I could serve the Lord more radically, the passion and qualifications to make it happen were lacking.
I came to realize that I was looking at things from a selfish, worldly perspective. Though I was looking for how I could ultimately serve God, I was looking at how I could serve so that I could be more confident in the way that God sees me. I wanted God to see me as an extremist for Him; to see that I'm good enough to do whatever it is that He wants me to do for Him. I wanted His approval to be a radical disciple for Him in the most extreme of ways. I wanted Him to see that I was qualified and to give me the spiritual desire to live out these services so that I could prove it to Him.
In Mark, chapter 5, we meet a man who Jesus cast a demon out of. The man, completely changed by Christ, begged Jesus to let him come with Him and His disciples. "But Jesus said, 'No, go home to your family and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.' So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them". (Mark 5:18-20 NLT).
Was the man any less radical of a disciple for Jesus simply because he was not called to physically follow Christ in the ways that Matthew or Paul had been? Absolutely not! He simply was called to be a radical disciple on another level that Jesus saw fit for him individually. Though the man's call to serve had been different, it was not any less important than that of the Apostles' services for The Lord. The man wasn't invited to join the Apostles but he was called and qualified by Christ to serve, and he did it with just as much passion and ferocity.
In order to be a radical disciple for Christ, we have to stop looking at the self satisfying, extreme ways in which we can serve, and rather look at how God wants us to serve Him. It may seem as simple as praying for your friend, giving your personal testimony for Christ, or just by showing lovingkindness to a stranger, but these acts are not simple to God- they are awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, radical acts of service to Him. You have already gone to an unattainable, unmeasurable level by choosing to follow Christ. Now it's time to allow God to show you what extreme, radical service He has called and qualified you uniquely for.
It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 NLT
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 NIV
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up heir cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life, will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it". Matthew 16:-24-25 NIV
What do you think of when you hear the term radical disciple? When I heard the term for the first time this past weekend, I though of someone who takes following and serving God to a completely unmeasurable and unattainable level, something that I could never do. Throughout many times in my life, I have struggled with not feeling good enough in one area or another. When it came to serving the Lord, though I knew God loved me, I never felt that I was good enough or qualified to do something completely insane for Him. After all, I'm just a normal girl who loves Jesus but also struggles daily to stay on the straight and narrow.
Time and time again, I would hear sermon after sermon on how important it is to step up to the plate and give back to the Lord and His church by serving. When I would hear these sermons, my mind would wander to the extreme ends of the spectrum on how I could do something amazing for God. I would ponder becoming a missionary overseas, starting my own charity for abandoned animals, joining the praise and worship team at church; you name the stereotypical extreme way and I considered it. But as ideas would pour into my mind on how I could serve the Lord more radically, the passion and qualifications to make it happen were lacking.
I came to realize that I was looking at things from a selfish, worldly perspective. Though I was looking for how I could ultimately serve God, I was looking at how I could serve so that I could be more confident in the way that God sees me. I wanted God to see me as an extremist for Him; to see that I'm good enough to do whatever it is that He wants me to do for Him. I wanted His approval to be a radical disciple for Him in the most extreme of ways. I wanted Him to see that I was qualified and to give me the spiritual desire to live out these services so that I could prove it to Him.
In Mark, chapter 5, we meet a man who Jesus cast a demon out of. The man, completely changed by Christ, begged Jesus to let him come with Him and His disciples. "But Jesus said, 'No, go home to your family and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.' So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them". (Mark 5:18-20 NLT).
Was the man any less radical of a disciple for Jesus simply because he was not called to physically follow Christ in the ways that Matthew or Paul had been? Absolutely not! He simply was called to be a radical disciple on another level that Jesus saw fit for him individually. Though the man's call to serve had been different, it was not any less important than that of the Apostles' services for The Lord. The man wasn't invited to join the Apostles but he was called and qualified by Christ to serve, and he did it with just as much passion and ferocity.
In order to be a radical disciple for Christ, we have to stop looking at the self satisfying, extreme ways in which we can serve, and rather look at how God wants us to serve Him. It may seem as simple as praying for your friend, giving your personal testimony for Christ, or just by showing lovingkindness to a stranger, but these acts are not simple to God- they are awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, radical acts of service to Him. You have already gone to an unattainable, unmeasurable level by choosing to follow Christ. Now it's time to allow God to show you what extreme, radical service He has called and qualified you uniquely for.
It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 NLT
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 NIV
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up heir cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life, will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it". Matthew 16:-24-25 NIV
Saturday, July 26, 2014
In a World that Demands a Plan, Trust in His Plan
"For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile." Jeremiah 29: 11-14
As Christian's we are taught in many areas of the Bible that God knows His plans for us and that we are uniquely made and therefore, His plans for each of us are also unique. We have been given this verse among many, many others through this guide, so to speak, that was divinely written for us so that we can navigate through all of life's obstacles and find our way. We are taught many things by God in the Bible, such as that we are saved by grace and not by our good deeds, that as previously mentioned God has a plan for each of us, and who can forget, The Ten Commandments among many other commands that we are to abide by as followers of Christ, such as to love one another unconditionally as Christ loved us. The Bible truly is a guide to life's struggles and troubles but it is also a guide to redemption and a reminder that there is a better way to live our lives simply through Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father.
As mentioned, God has a unique plan for each of us. Though all of our plans are supposed to end with the same result, the Bible doesn't tell us exactly what our individualized plan is. It doesn't directly say to you, "Hey Amanda, you need to quit your job and go work for your friends' company." Unfortunately, though it does serve an astronomical purpose on how to live life, it just doesn't blatantly tell us what decision we should make or the details of the obstacles and struggles we're going to face. We really have no way of knowing what our life is going to look like tomorrow. Also unfortunately, this world we live in teaches us that WE have to have a plan for everything in life and it starts pretty much from the time we're born through basically the day we die. Here's a brief outline:
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Where do you want to go to college?
What career do you want to pursue?
When are you going to get married?
When are you going to buy a house?
When are you going to have a baby? (And then once we do have a baby, we're forced to plan their lives for them!)
How many kids do you want to have?
What's your 5 year plan?
What kind of health insurance do you want to purchase?
What kind of retirement plan do you want to enroll in?
When do you want retire?
Do you have life insurance?
Where do you want to be buried when you die?
I'm pretty sure you get the point that this world we live in practically forces us to make plans for our lives every. single. day. whenever we don't even know what tomorrow is going to bring! It is exhausting and frustrating. It seems as though no matter what stage in life we are in, we are faced with making a decision or a plan on how we are to proceed in order to get where we want to be. I am running out of breath and feeling tired even just reading those questions back to myself as I type (sigh)....
I am currently in the buying-a-house-having-a-baby stage of my life. I've found that the most frustrating part of this whole decision making is the pressure to have a plan and to make the right decision. It's almost as if you can't fulfill any plan in life and have just a moment to enjoy it before moving on to the next one and that sucks, quite frankly. And how do I know this is the right next step or which house is the right house? I know, I know, it's going to be an exciting time for my husband and I but it's also a very stressful time because well, we have to plan. What area of town do we want to live in? How much can we afford? How soon after do we want to try to have a baby? (Sigh... again.)
The bottom line is that every day we have to make decisions and choices whether we want to or not but it doesn't have to be as overwhelming as you may plan for because I believe God wants us to have a plan on how we're going to get on His plan . And in doing so, He'll take care of the rest. Here's how: we have to plan that we are going to remind ourselves that God is in control and allow Him to be; Plan to not worry about tomorrow, because it's not promised; plan to pray to Him, to seek Him and to trust Him to guide us in making the right choice, that He knows the plans He has for us and the desires of our hearts.
In a world that demands a plan, trust in His plan.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
As Christian's we are taught in many areas of the Bible that God knows His plans for us and that we are uniquely made and therefore, His plans for each of us are also unique. We have been given this verse among many, many others through this guide, so to speak, that was divinely written for us so that we can navigate through all of life's obstacles and find our way. We are taught many things by God in the Bible, such as that we are saved by grace and not by our good deeds, that as previously mentioned God has a plan for each of us, and who can forget, The Ten Commandments among many other commands that we are to abide by as followers of Christ, such as to love one another unconditionally as Christ loved us. The Bible truly is a guide to life's struggles and troubles but it is also a guide to redemption and a reminder that there is a better way to live our lives simply through Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father.
As mentioned, God has a unique plan for each of us. Though all of our plans are supposed to end with the same result, the Bible doesn't tell us exactly what our individualized plan is. It doesn't directly say to you, "Hey Amanda, you need to quit your job and go work for your friends' company." Unfortunately, though it does serve an astronomical purpose on how to live life, it just doesn't blatantly tell us what decision we should make or the details of the obstacles and struggles we're going to face. We really have no way of knowing what our life is going to look like tomorrow. Also unfortunately, this world we live in teaches us that WE have to have a plan for everything in life and it starts pretty much from the time we're born through basically the day we die. Here's a brief outline:
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Where do you want to go to college?
What career do you want to pursue?
When are you going to get married?
When are you going to buy a house?
When are you going to have a baby? (And then once we do have a baby, we're forced to plan their lives for them!)
How many kids do you want to have?
What's your 5 year plan?
What kind of health insurance do you want to purchase?
What kind of retirement plan do you want to enroll in?
When do you want retire?
Do you have life insurance?
Where do you want to be buried when you die?
I'm pretty sure you get the point that this world we live in practically forces us to make plans for our lives every. single. day. whenever we don't even know what tomorrow is going to bring! It is exhausting and frustrating. It seems as though no matter what stage in life we are in, we are faced with making a decision or a plan on how we are to proceed in order to get where we want to be. I am running out of breath and feeling tired even just reading those questions back to myself as I type (sigh)....
I am currently in the buying-a-house-having-a-baby stage of my life. I've found that the most frustrating part of this whole decision making is the pressure to have a plan and to make the right decision. It's almost as if you can't fulfill any plan in life and have just a moment to enjoy it before moving on to the next one and that sucks, quite frankly. And how do I know this is the right next step or which house is the right house? I know, I know, it's going to be an exciting time for my husband and I but it's also a very stressful time because well, we have to plan. What area of town do we want to live in? How much can we afford? How soon after do we want to try to have a baby? (Sigh... again.)
The bottom line is that every day we have to make decisions and choices whether we want to or not but it doesn't have to be as overwhelming as you may plan for because I believe God wants us to have a plan on how we're going to get on His plan . And in doing so, He'll take care of the rest. Here's how: we have to plan that we are going to remind ourselves that God is in control and allow Him to be; Plan to not worry about tomorrow, because it's not promised; plan to pray to Him, to seek Him and to trust Him to guide us in making the right choice, that He knows the plans He has for us and the desires of our hearts.
In a world that demands a plan, trust in His plan.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
Sunday, July 13, 2014
The Glimmer
When God is trying to prepare us for something greater through our times of struggle, it's hard to be patient along the way while waiting for Him to reveal His plan and take us where He wants us to be. Just this weekend, my mom said to me that sometimes she wishes Jesus would just sit down and have a cup of coffee with her and tell her what His plans are. Though that would be incredibly awesome, I don't think one cup would be enough time for Him to explain all of His plans, unfortunately. However, I think it would be enough time for Him to tell us that sometimes we are so anxious to get to where we're going that we don't stop to take the time to enjoy the scenery along the way while we wait, even while we're struggling.
It's easy to want to jump to the next chapter in order to avoid the struggle it's going to take to get where God wants us to be. This is something that I have been really struggling with lately and the uncertainty of what's next has made it hard for me to focus on the desire God has already placed in my heart with The Worthy Girl's Guide while I wait for the next step. Truth be told, The Worthy Girl's Guide is one of the few plans in my life right now that hasn't fallen through, so I know that in my hard of hearts I have to enjoy the scenery along the way in a majority of ways, one of which is continuing to spread His love to women of all ages, shapes, sizes and walks of life through this blog.
As you may have noticed, a lot of my blog posts are based on my current experiences. One thing that I have always wanted to convey in addition to the principle that God loves us unconditionally and unfailingly is that I, just like everyone else to walk this earth, struggle despite having a personal relationship with Christ and despite knowing His word and believing in His promises. Some days I struggle more than others and some days I feel invincible and stronger than ever. I have never wanted my blogs to make anyone feel inadequate and I have never wanted to seem superior to others, as if I have overcome all obstacles thrown my way and that every day I feel close to God because not one of those statements are true. Recently I realized that it has been only on my strong days that I have felt the most inspired to write, as if my burst of strength has brought me through to the other side of my current struggle that day, week or month. So if you're like me and have been wondering why it's been over a month since my last post, it's because I have been struggling and couldn't find a way to write a positive blog about coming through a struggle when as of right now, I can only see a glimmer of the light at the end of the tunnel during this tough time. While I'm not one for airing my dirty laundry on the Internet or for seeking sympathy online, I thought it was important that I write this blog to you because even though I don't have all of the answers on why we face certain struggles, I have faith and hope in someone who does and I have realized that, that is all I really need to in order to keep moving forward.
So my message to you today is this, no matter your struggles and no matter your uncertainty of how you're going to pull through whatever challenges you may be facing, know that you're not alone; God knows our struggles before we ever face them and it's because of this that we have already conquered and come out on the other side. That, Worthy Girls, is the glimmer of light that leads me on my way to the end of the tunnel; all I have to do is keep following the glimmer by holding tightly to my faith and the desires He has already placed in my heart, all while taking the time to enjoy the scenery along the journey.
You who have shown me many troubles and distresses will revive me again, and will bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Psalms 71:20 NASB
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