Friday, September 20, 2013
ALL in...100%...Committed
Was just thinking of a quote tonight ..."Wherever you are, be all there". Jim Elliot quoted that and I've repeated it numerous times throughout my life since I first read it, but I was thinking tonight-how many times do I actually apply it? Being ALL in, 100%, Committed to the Lord right where He's put me. I've rebuked the children of Israel over and over in my mind for complaining about bitter water right after God parted the Red Sea, but often I do the same-complaining about God not working the way I want after He's blessed me with so much already. It's a short and hopefully sweet thought, but how my attitude would turn if I looked at the currently "bitter" water from the reflection of the Red Sea. It seems to me it's just another way for God's glory to be seen, so I think the issue is how willing am I to wait and let God work...I can say it, oh how I can say it, but Lord, help me to LIVE it.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Walking by Faith
I haven't written on here in a little while to my shame, but I need to update :)
So, I turned 24 in November and I've really been praying that this year of my life would be a year that I wouldn't just make more temporal goals, but be a year marked by a SPIRITUAL difference. I had a wonderful Christmas break in which the Lord really spoke to me about a lot of things, but put in my heart above anything the resolve to see His hand in my life! So, I came into this new year with the goal of ACTIVELY LOOKING for the hand of God. It seems I look so intently towards everything He hasn't given, and it's time I started focusing on what He HAS given me.
I've seen His hand actively in a lot of ways, and will record them throughout, but tonight specifically in my heart the Lord has been impressing me to write about His teaching me to yield. I'm at a place in my walk with Him where He no longer removes things that He does not want for me, but instead leaves the choice with me. He says to me, "This thing that is in front of you is good, but it is not BEST." It's like Uriah...when David brought him home from the battle and allowed him to go home to his wife, instead he stayed at the palace gate. It wasn't wrong for him to go home, in fact it would have been good-but instead he chose what was excellent, which lead to David's sin being found out! Now there is a incredible man of God! I stand in the same place, and I want my life to be marked by excellence, not just "getting by".
Well, as He's been teaching me this yielding and trusting, He's coupled with it the necessity of not only hearing His voice, but heeding to it. I was praying over Christmas break about business card needs for the Academy, especially a print sponsor who could print them for free for us! I prayed about it but the Lord really convicted me over Christmas that my prayer was lacking footsteps; I was praying but had already shut down the possibility in my mind, so I hadn't even gone out. Well when I got back, the Lord kept pressing it on my heart, so I made a list of 7 print places and got in the car with my GPS and headed out. I started typing in the name of a very large and reputable local print place, but my eyes saw the "Faith Printing Co" at the top of the page and I believe the Lord said, "Go there first". After a couple minutes of trying to reason my way out, I agreed and typed in the address but couldn't find it. The building was non existent lol, so I drove on and started talking to the Lord saying "Why would you send me to this print place if it's not even there". I kid you not, the Lord said back to me, "Look at the paper", so I looked at the address and I had typed in the wrong street haha. I laughed and apologized and went on my way lol.
When I got to the print place I went in and asked to speak to the manager/owner about business cards and long story short, he was unable to meet so she told me to leave my advertising information, and once again the Lord said, "Ask for a meeting time". I asked if I could schedule a meeting, and she had me start filling out my name and number and available times, when I heard this voice from the back room say, "I'm not busy", and a very nice older gentlemen popped his head out from around the corner and said "Come on back!".
He met with me for about 30 minutes and took all my information down, and told me when I got back to send him my files and they'd see what they could do for me! I talked to the Lord all the way home lol, thanking Him first of all then praying every minute that His hand would be seen and He'd help me to trust Him. I had 6 other print places listed to visit but He told me to go back to the building, so I did. I emailed all the designs that afternoon, and with every attachment hearing that awesome line from "Facing the Giants"..."You prayed for rain, now prepare your fields to receive it."
Well, several emails and phone calls later, I was confirmed yesturday that they will be printing all of our staff/manager business cards for free in exchange for advertising and they will be ready by the end of the week!
I wavered back and forth on typing this because I thought "No one cares about my design praises" lol, but it was a time that my eyes have seen the Lord's hand, and I never want to forget THOSE moments- the "Faith Printing" moments in my life that teach me to do just that-WALK BY FAITH! By God's grace I will.
So, I turned 24 in November and I've really been praying that this year of my life would be a year that I wouldn't just make more temporal goals, but be a year marked by a SPIRITUAL difference. I had a wonderful Christmas break in which the Lord really spoke to me about a lot of things, but put in my heart above anything the resolve to see His hand in my life! So, I came into this new year with the goal of ACTIVELY LOOKING for the hand of God. It seems I look so intently towards everything He hasn't given, and it's time I started focusing on what He HAS given me.
I've seen His hand actively in a lot of ways, and will record them throughout, but tonight specifically in my heart the Lord has been impressing me to write about His teaching me to yield. I'm at a place in my walk with Him where He no longer removes things that He does not want for me, but instead leaves the choice with me. He says to me, "This thing that is in front of you is good, but it is not BEST." It's like Uriah...when David brought him home from the battle and allowed him to go home to his wife, instead he stayed at the palace gate. It wasn't wrong for him to go home, in fact it would have been good-but instead he chose what was excellent, which lead to David's sin being found out! Now there is a incredible man of God! I stand in the same place, and I want my life to be marked by excellence, not just "getting by".
Well, as He's been teaching me this yielding and trusting, He's coupled with it the necessity of not only hearing His voice, but heeding to it. I was praying over Christmas break about business card needs for the Academy, especially a print sponsor who could print them for free for us! I prayed about it but the Lord really convicted me over Christmas that my prayer was lacking footsteps; I was praying but had already shut down the possibility in my mind, so I hadn't even gone out. Well when I got back, the Lord kept pressing it on my heart, so I made a list of 7 print places and got in the car with my GPS and headed out. I started typing in the name of a very large and reputable local print place, but my eyes saw the "Faith Printing Co" at the top of the page and I believe the Lord said, "Go there first". After a couple minutes of trying to reason my way out, I agreed and typed in the address but couldn't find it. The building was non existent lol, so I drove on and started talking to the Lord saying "Why would you send me to this print place if it's not even there". I kid you not, the Lord said back to me, "Look at the paper", so I looked at the address and I had typed in the wrong street haha. I laughed and apologized and went on my way lol.
When I got to the print place I went in and asked to speak to the manager/owner about business cards and long story short, he was unable to meet so she told me to leave my advertising information, and once again the Lord said, "Ask for a meeting time". I asked if I could schedule a meeting, and she had me start filling out my name and number and available times, when I heard this voice from the back room say, "I'm not busy", and a very nice older gentlemen popped his head out from around the corner and said "Come on back!".
He met with me for about 30 minutes and took all my information down, and told me when I got back to send him my files and they'd see what they could do for me! I talked to the Lord all the way home lol, thanking Him first of all then praying every minute that His hand would be seen and He'd help me to trust Him. I had 6 other print places listed to visit but He told me to go back to the building, so I did. I emailed all the designs that afternoon, and with every attachment hearing that awesome line from "Facing the Giants"..."You prayed for rain, now prepare your fields to receive it."
Well, several emails and phone calls later, I was confirmed yesturday that they will be printing all of our staff/manager business cards for free in exchange for advertising and they will be ready by the end of the week!
I wavered back and forth on typing this because I thought "No one cares about my design praises" lol, but it was a time that my eyes have seen the Lord's hand, and I never want to forget THOSE moments- the "Faith Printing" moments in my life that teach me to do just that-WALK BY FAITH! By God's grace I will.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)