Day 15: God has a purpose behind every problem

God allows troubles in our lives to shape us. (God ALLOWS pain He does not CAUSE it) This is because circumstances develop our character. Not all problems are equal in size, but all are significant in God’s growth process for his children. None of my problems could happen without God’s permission, but he intends to use it for good.

John 16:33- These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

1. John 16:33 : John 14:27
2. John 16:33 : John 15:18ff
3. John 16:33 : Matt 9:2
4. John 16:33 : Rom 8:37; 2 Cor 2:14; 4:7ff; 6:4ff; Rev 3:21; 12:11

He also knows that in our weakness, we must turn to Him for strength. Our most profound/ intimate experiences of worship will likely be in the darkest of days: broken hearted, abandoned, out of options, pain filled- this is when we no longer have the energy for superficial prayers. Problems force us to look to God and depend on him instead of ourselves.

Psalms 34:18- The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Your circumstances are temporary, but your character will last forever!

Romans 5: 3-4- Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

*Romans 8:28- And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.*

Keeping Romans 8:28 in mind, the bible does not say “God causes everything to work out the way I want it to.” Nor does it say: “God causes everything to work out with a happy ending here on earth.” The events in my life “work together” in God’s plan. In A Purpose Driven Life, Rick warren compares various life events to the ingredients of a cake. When baking, you must mix flour, salt, raw eggs, oil, sugar and so on…. Eaten individually, these ingredients are pretty distasteful but combined they are delicious! If you give God all the distasteful experiences of life, He will work them together and create something good.

“For the good”- God Does not promise that everything in life will be good; He uses the bad to become good. One perfect example of this is the family tree of Jesus. In Christ’s lineage, there are 4 women listed:

1)   Tamar- seduced her father-in-law to get pregnant

2)   Rahab- a prostitute

3)   Ruth- Not even Jewish/ Broke the law by marrying a Jewish man

4)   Bathsheba- committed adultery with David, which resulted in her husband’s murder

Although this family tree did not have the best reputation, God brought good through their lineage.

1 Peter 1:7- These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

However, problems don’t always produce what God intends. Many people become bitter, rather than better and never grow up. In order to build character, we must respond how Jesus would. The secret of endurance is to remember that your pain is temporary and the reward is eternal!

2 Cor. 4:17- For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

James 1:2-3- Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

God tells us to give thanks IN all circumstances, not FOR all circumstances. We should thank him for using our pain to fulfill his purpose.

Jer. 29:11- For I know the plans I have for (INSERT NAME),” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper (NAME) and not to harm (NAME), plans to give (NAME) hope and a future.

We will all go through dark tunnels, some longer than others, but God will always provide a light at the end. It may seem like the tunnel you are currently in has no end, this is Satan robbing you of the Hope the Holy Spirit brings. However, we allow Satan to win when we lose focus. During these times of darkness, our faith/ quiet times/ fellowship/ prayer act as our “flashlight” to find our way out of the tunnel. Don’t allow Satan to steal your “spiritual flashlight- your hope.” Instead, thank God for using this dark tunnel to build character, and ask him to guide you through it!

A common tunnel many young people go through is the tunnel of uncertainty. None of us know what the future holds and that can often be scary. Those of you who read my last entry know that I am about to enter an extremely new territory. I am not only making a career change, but also moving a completely new city. I have never truly lived on my own or so far from home. I am pretty certain that I will have to go through several “dark tunnels” to adjust. But I am confident that there is something GREAT at the end of them, and I am excited to see what God has in store!

Today’s challenge: What tunnels are you currently walking through? Are you allowing God to provide you with a “spiritual flashlight?” or has Satan taken it from you? Ask God to give you the strength to get through, we cannot make it on our own.

I also encourage you to connect with someone you trust. This can me a mentor or a close friend, but tell them what you are dealing with and ask them to pray for you. It is amazing what the power of prayer can do! Also, Christ puts people in our lives for comfort. When we open up to someone, it often helps us let go of pain & keeps us accountable.

Spiritual Growth in the City :)

Spiritual Growth= replacing lies with the truth. To be a healthy disciple for Christ, we must feed on God’s word. (This should be our very first priority!)

John 8: 31-32 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

How do I make spiritual growth my #1 priority?

1)      I must accept the authority of God’s word

The bible must be the compass I rely on for direction. When I have an important decision to make, I need to turn directly to the word for answers. Through meditating on scripture, my head and my heart will be following God’s direction. The decisions I make will align with Christ when I am devoting my time to him and my first priority is to please Him.

Troubles often follow selfish choices. When I base decisions on culture, “everyone else is doing it,” or reason “logical”, or emotion “feels right.” When I am not diving into the word, I tend to makes my own choices based on feelings. When I have to decide, “What is the right thing to do,” I need to look and see what the bible says. 2 Timothy 3:16

2)      Incorporate the Truth (the Word)

I must fill my mind with the word so the Holy Spirit can transform me. In a Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren shares 5 ways to approach biblical teachings: receive it, read it, research it, remember it, and reflect on it.

When we feel that we are not learning or growing spiritually, we may need to check our attitude. God can use anyone or any circumstance to teach us when we have the correct mind set. So often I get wrapped up in myself: my schedule, my time, my worries…. At the end of the day I am “too tired” to open my bible and spend some time with God. But somehow I find myself plopped in front of the TV for an hour or so before turning of the lights and hitting the pillow. So why do I think I do not have enough time when I choose to waste several minutes of the day filling my life with worldly/fictional shows. I am only robbing myself of the Joy God has to offer me. All he asks is that I give him a small part of my day.

“We can’t watch television for 3 hours, then read the bible for 3 minutes and expect to grow.” -Rick Warren

I have never actually read the entire bible cover to cover, so how can I say that I agree with 100% of God’s word, when I don’t even know what 100% of the word says? If I was to devote about 15 minutes of each day to reading God’s word, I could read the entire bible in 1 year.

Deuteronomy 17:19- It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees

3)      Apply the Principles of His Word

God calls each of us to be “doers” of the word not just believers of the word. Satan does not mind if we go to church or read our bibles if we don’t apply what we learn. We are only blessed by DOING!

James 1:25 But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
John 13:17- Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
We often avoid doing (the application part) because it can be painful. “The truth will set you free, but first it may make you miserable!”-Rick Warren

*Today’s Challenge: Write out an action plan: “How will you become a doer?” This plan needs to be personal, practical, and provable! Commit to spending X amount of time in the word each day or week.

Answer: What has God told me to do that I have been avoiding? Or what is it God wants me to do? If you do not know what the Lord is asking you to do, it is even more important to devote yourself to His word. If you are actively seeking Him, He will reveal this to you.

In my last entry, I shared that Christ had opened some big doors in my life & that I had some exciting news. Over the past 3ish months, I have felt very complacent, I do not have any complaints but I had a burning inside me that God had something else planned for my life. I began to pray that the Lord would show me where He wanted me and what he wanted me to do. A few weeks later my mom asked if I wanted to go with her to New York (and that she would pay for my trip) so Duh, I wanted to go. While I was there, I couldn’t stop wondering… what would it be like to live here? keep in mind I had no intention of moving... only visiting. I have always been in the “comfort zone.” I went to private school, then Texas A&M and then back home to Houston (living with mom and dad). Had I ever taken a risk? Ever stepped outside that comfort zone bubble of mine?  After spending a weekend in the City, I told my parents that I wanted to do something new and asked them to start praying that God would open the right doors.  I currently work for El Paso Energy (oil & gas) as an SCM Specialist. For those of you who know me… that is not the job you would expect. I can really see myself in events, fashion, PR, or marketing. I love talking to people and being creative… So where better to look than New York? But I really struggled with the thought of leaving my friends, family, & co-workers. Still, I ended up going back to NYC for an interview & the very same weekend the announcement was made: “Kinder Morgan bought out El Paso” meaning my job was no longer secure and things were going to change.

The day after that news hit, I got an offer to intern with a new company located in the middle of Manhattan! I called my cousin Allison to tell her the news and she extended an offer to live with her. (until she moves back for school) What to do? This is all happening so fast? Do I really just leave? Last Thursday evening I met with my dad to discuss my options and once I had his blessing, I knew I had to go… I have never ever in my life felt so at peace. I am actually really nervous and excited, but I am so peaceful that this is absolutely what I am suppose to do. I don’t know if the internship will turn into the job of my dreams 3 months from now? (although I hope it does) But I know for certain that God has me going up to New York for a bigger purpose than I know. I am so excited to see what He has in store!

Please be praying for me these next few months. Although this is exciting, it will also be hard. I am leaving my “comfort zone” saying goodbye to all my dear friends and heading to a foreign city. Goodbye Houston… Hello New York!

Day 13: "Follow Me"

Spiritual growth is not automatic, it takes an intentional commitment. Discipleship begins with a decision.

Matthew 9:9- As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

Disciples choose to follow the Lord without hesitation. Christ’s disciples did not understand the implications of this choice, they simply responded to His invitation.

 “Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you make. They can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way, they will define you!” ~Rick warren

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

When Paul says “work out” he is talking about our responsibilities and when he says God “works in” he is referring to God’s role. God’s spirit works with us, not just in us. God has given me a new life in him and I am responsible for developing it!

In order to embrace change and allow Christ to teach us, we must change our thinking. In Rick Warren’s book, he gives the example of a speedboat on autopilot. This boat is set to go east but for some reason you decide/feel you should reverse the direction you are going and head west. There are 2 ways to go about this change of direction. 1) You can physically force the wheel in the opposite direction and overcome the autopilot. If you chose this method, you will eventually become weak and tired and the constant resistance will eventually cause you to let go of the wheel. This is what happens when we try to live our own way. We can create a short-term change, but it creates constant stress because you fail to deal with the root cause. 2) The second method is- Change your autopilot. Change the way you think!

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Change always starts internally through our own thoughts. We first think something which determines the way we feel and then leads to our actions.

Ephesians 4:20-24 But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

How do we do this? How do I think like Jesus? First, I need to stop thinking immature thoughts (self-seeking). Thinking of myself before Christ and before others is the root of all sinful behaviors! Second, I need to start thinking maturely. Mature Christianity is a lifestyle: “Our deeds must be consistent with our creeds.” Rick Warren

Romans 8:5- Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

In my last entry, I asked all of you to pray for me as I have been struggling with a really big decision. During the past few weeks, I have been spending more time in the word and in prayer than ever before. I have really felt the Lord tugging on my heart. He has always asked me to lean on him for comfort and now that I have decided to obey and completely trust him, He has cleared some exciting yet scary paths. After much prayer, family counsel, and internal debate with God, I have decided to take a HUGE leap of faith. I have never done anything this exciting or nerve raking in my whole life. I don’t know how I am going to get through this or even if it will work out, but I do trust that God has something amazing planned for me and that he is about to radically “rock my world!” (haha) In my next entry I will share what this exciting news is… but I want to meet with my close friends to share the news with them first. For now, please pray that God continues to give me a peace about this decision. I do know God has reason for everything and that through this life changing event I am about to face, I will have to fully let go of autopilot and let Him be in control.

Today’s Challenge:
*What areas of your life need to be “radically rocked?” In what areas of your life do you need to stop thinking “My way,” and start thinking “God’s way?” It may be something small or something big, but I challenge you to think of one thing you need to let go of and allow Christ to control!

Day 12: GO FOR IT!

“There could never be a more beautiful you. Don’t buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through. You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do. So there could never be a more beautiful you.”

Colossians 1:15- we look at this Son & see God’s original purpose in everything created.

Of all creation, only humans are made “in God’s image.” All people, not only believers, posses part of the image of God, but this image is incomplete due to the sins of the world. We will never be and can never come close to being God or even “a god.” Every time we try and control our own circumstances, we are trying to become our own god.

Ephesians 4:22- “But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.”

God’s goal for your life is NOT comfort, but character development. Rick Warren shares in A Purpose Driven Life, “Every time you forget that character is one of God’s purposes for your life, you will become frustrated by circumstances!”

Life is NOT all about me… its not all about you. I exist, you exist for God’s purposes!

Philippians 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

When we choose to Obey the Lord, then we will unlock His power. God waits for you to act before he can begin his work through you! Don’t wait to feel powerful or confident, trust Him and “GO FOR IT!”

During the past few weeks, I have had a lot on my mind. I am struggling to make a really big decision…. I feel like there have been 100000 signs pointing in 1000000 different directions. I am not sure which way to go. After doing my devotional this morning a huge part of me says GO FOR IT! But I am waiting for a peace from the Lord, that this is his guidance. My challenge to you today is to allow God to give you the courage to do something radical and trust him, but make sure you are following his will. Do not be rash, but grab on to the Lord for the right answers. The right thing isn’t always the easiest, but in order to know what the right thing is, we MUST LISTEN.

For those of you who are my friends, I am asking that you keep me in your prayers during the next few days as I am looking to God for wisdom. This has been my prayer for the past month, “Lord, make my desires come from you. I want what you want for my life. I am choosing to serve you and go/do/be where, what, & who you want me to be. Give me your wisdom and strength!” 

Day 11: Fellowship

“You were created to belong, not just believe. “

You were created for a specific role (purpose); however, you will miss that purpose if you are not connected to others: Relationships.

*You will discover your roles through your relationships with others!

Life is meant to be shared through fellowship. Real fellowship is more than casual conversation, it is experiencing life together. True fellowship is usually better in smaller groups. Rick warren relates the church to a ship and a “small group” is your lifeboat.

Matthew 18:20- For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
So how do we create real, genuine fellowship?

1)      Honesty:

We must face the truth even when we would rather ignore it. So often, fear prevents us from confronting others about a problem. If our small group is suppose to be our lifeboat, we must be able to address all situations, even those that are uncomfortable. We do not want to create tension in our “safety zone.”
Ephesians 4: 14-15 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
Many small groups remain superficial because they are afraid of conflict.

2)    Humility

We need to think of ourselves less but not less of yourself. Focus on others!

3)    Courtesy

Learn to respect our differences and become patient with those who irriatate us. Instead of thinking “how far they have to go” start thinking about “how far they have come through their pain.”

4)     Confidentiality

GOD HATES GOSSIP!!!! Proverbs 16:28-Troublemakers start fights;
   gossips break up friendships.
Our purpose is to build each other up, not tear down. If you don’t have something nice to say about someone or a situation, ask God for help to view them through his eyes.
When a brother or sister in Christ trusts you with “private” information, it is extremely important to keep it private. We are not suppose to judge them when they come to us, but love them through it!

5)    Frequency

We need to be spending “real” time with each other. “Real” time encouraging one another, listening and encouraging, offering support, laughing and honoring the Lord!

In Rick Warren’s book, he gives 9 characteristics of fellowship:

·         Authenticity- True Feelings

·         Mutuality- Encourage

·         Sympathy- Support

·         Mercy- Forgive

·         Honesty- Truth

·         Humility- Admit weaknesses

·         Courtesy- Respect differences

·         Confidentiality- NO GOSSIP

·         Frequency- make your small group a priority

If you are not involved in a small group, I strongly encourage you to join one. This past year I have been in a few small groups. These groups varied from 5-10 girls. I am currently in one with two very dear friends, kim and Lindsay. I feel like I can trust these two girls with almost anything, and I hope they feel the same way towards me. I really enjoy meeting with these two ladies each week as we share our struggles with each other I instantly feel better. As humans we were not made to keep our emotions to ourselves, we long to share them. It is best to share your deepest struggles in a group like this, one that is private, small, and will encourage you through the pain.

Outside these two women, I have several godly women in my life who I can turn to for support. Majority of these ladies have become my friends through my involvement at Second Baptist Church. My challenge to anyone reading today’s entry is:

*think of your “life boat” of friends. That small group you can go to when times get rough. Can you 100% trust these people? If you are struggling to think of at least 3 or 4 individuals I STRONGLY encourage you to get plugged in somewhere.

Day 10: Blessed to be a Blessing

“Your grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your grace is enough for me
God I see your grace is enough
I'm covered in your love
Your grace is enough for me
For me.”  –Your Grace is enough lyrics

Yesterday I went running at memorial park, this song came on my Pandora radio. As I listened to the words, I kept thinking Is God’s Grace really enough for me? I have heard this song many times and sang along to it at church during praise and worship. I have never stopped to ask… Do I really believe what I am singing? Does my life reflect this? If His grace is enough, if that’s all I need all that matters… then why do I worry or complain about the various things in life? If I am truly seeking God and patiently waiting for his guidance in my life, should I have desires for anything other than him?

"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him" (Psalm 37:5-7)

If we are truly delighting in Him: Putting our faith in God and obeying his commands, then YES! God will give us the desires of our heart; however God’s timing is not our timing. Also, when we are seeking Him, we need to ask that the Lord changes our desires if they are not from Him. Not everyone will receive desires such as a luxury car, a six figure salary, fancy clothes, or a nice vacation home. These things are worldly possessions and will never fully satisfy our hearts. When these things become the desire of our heart, we will never be complete; there will always be something else we want. The “desire” will never be filled. However, I do think God blesses his children and if blesses us with something nice we should realize it is a blessing from God and it is only temporary, it should not consume us.

Many times God blesses us so that we can bless others. I have been really convicted lately to give back. The bible instructs us to tithe and give to those who are less fortunate. I will be the first to admit that I struggle with this. It is hard to give your hard earned money, but I do believe that act of selflessness is rewarded! If I chose to bless others not only with my time, but also through monetary measures, God will bless me in return. I need to stop being so greedy and realize that everything I have belongs to Him. Although I may work for my paychecks, God has blessed me with a job and it is not my money, it is His! *My Challenge to myself- How/where am I giving back? This week I am going to give to someone or something other than myself!

Acts 20: 35 “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Luke 6: 38- “Give, and it will be given to you.”

Proverbs 11: 24- “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.”

1 Corinthians 16: 2- “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”

Deuteronomy 15:10- “Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”

Proverbs 3: 9-10- “Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.”

“The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” 

~ Albert Einstein

Day 9: The Second Purpose of Life: Loving Others

Galatians 5:14- For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

So we know that the #1 purpose of life is to worship God; the second purpose of our life is to LOVE OTHERS.

John 13:34-35 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."

Jesus tells us that we are to love others as a witness. In today’s world, there are so many people turned off to Christ because we (His followers) have failed to show others love & compassion. I don’t blame them, if I had not grown up in a Christian home, I wonder if I may think Christians were hypocrites? When you tell someone you are a Christian, you are automatically held to a higher standard, people will watch what you say and do. If we truly love others, we see everyone as a child of God. If we took a step back to examine someone’s situation, we may realize that those least deserving of our love are often the ones who need it the most. However; we are human, it is difficult to love at all times…. We cannot do it, unless we ask for God’s help.

Those who are at war with others are not at peace with themselves.
- William Hazlitt

“The point of life is learning to love.” –Rick Warren

For me, it is easy to say something nice to someone or tell them that I love them, but God tells us that true love is in our actions and TIME!

1 John 3: 18- Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Time is something everyone values. Once it is gone, it is something you can never get back. When you give a friend your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that can never be returned; Time is the most valuable thing you can give someone. I am really good at expressing my feelings and telling others I care about them, but time is not my strength. I am guilty of keeping too busy of a schedule and not putting relationships first. “Busyness is a great enemy of relationships!” –Warren The best expression of love is time!

Proverbs 3:27- “Never tell your neighbor to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.

Today’s Challenge: Think of someone who you may not be very close to or maybe someone you have recently had a falling out with.  Talk to that person today, reach out and form a new friendship, or mend an old one. Invite them to lunch or church and ask God to show them His love through your actions. 

Day 8: Friends of God

James 4:8- Draw near to God and He will draw near to you

God wants us to develop a friendship with him; He created us for companionship. In order to become intimate friends with him there a few things we must do:

1)      We must be honest with Him:

God wants us to be frank and share our true feelings. If you are frustrated or in disagreement with something in your life, TELL HIM! When we try to cover our true feelings, we often become bitter and bitterness is one of the greatest barriers to friendship.

In Exodus 33: 12- 17 Moses is frank with God. He tells God “If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans.” Moses was considered one of God’s closest friends and even he would get frustrated. But God would respond to Moses because Moses was honest.

V. 17: God said to Moses: "All right. Just as you say; this also I will do, for I know you well and you are special to me. I know you by name."

God longs to have a connection with each of us. He wants us to talk to him. We can talk to him about everything; in fact He wants to hear about everything. I often wonder how my mother has put up with me all these years with all the insignificant things I tell her about or complain about, but to her those things are significant. Most parents want to know every detail of their child’s day because they have an unconditional love for their child. This is how God feels about you!

The book of Psalms is full of doubts and fears combined with praise. David says in Psalms 142:2 “I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him.”

2)      Obey in Faith:

We should not feel like we have to obey out of obligation, but rather we should obey out of love. God gives us daily instructions and we must obey him because we love him.

John 15: 14- “ You are My friends if you do what I command you.”

“Great opportunities may come once in a lifetime, but small ones surround us everyday.” ~ Rick Warren

God treasures simple acts of obedience. Obedience is the most favorable action to God. (look up 1 Samuel 15:22)

3)      Value what He values

We (every single person!) is who God longs for! More than anything, He wants His lost children found. If we have Gods values, then we want every lost person to be saved.

“Friends of God tell their friends about God.” ~ Rick Warren

4)      Desire a friendship with Him more than anything!

This is the most important of them all! If we desire a relationship with Him above all else, then the other three will be easy. We must ask that God make this desire stronger than any other.

“If you’ve just been going through the motions spiritually, don’t be surprised when God allows pain in your life. Pain is the fuel to passion- it energizes us with an intensity to change! Your problems are not punishment; they are a wakeup call from God.” –Rick Warren

Day 7: Letting Go

Shaking and Shaping:

Today’s focus is on Hebrews 12. This chapter talks about hardships.

Verses 7- 11: “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?  If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

God allows events to shake us up in order to shape us. I was talking to my dad about this the other day and he had an interesting observation: The difference between shake and shape is only one letter. Just like in the alphabet, the k always precedes the p. Although there is little difference in the spelling, Christ’s shaking has a much different outcome than the worlds. In Christ, the K always leads to a beautiful P. (shaKing to shaPing) In the world, the K leads to a different P… Pain. (shaKing to Pain) As Christians, we must allow the shaking of this world to lead to the shaping of Christ. If we let our struggles shape us, we will be excited when our world begins to shaKe because we will know that shaPing is coming!

In order to allow God to shape us, we have to surrender. In this competitive world, it is often difficult to surrender. We are taught at a young age to never give up, in our minds, surrender is the same as failure.

The bible tells us to surrender:

Romans 12:1- Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship.

Rick warren talks about a genuine surrender in A Purpose Driven Life. “Genuine surrender says, Father, if this problem, pain, or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose in my life or in another’s, please DON’T take it away.” This type of surrendering takes maturity!

Everyone will eventually surrender to something: a relationship, material possessions, careers, children, drugs… there is an endless list of this we make idols. Or we can choose to surrender to Christ.

“You are free to choose what you surrender to, but you are not free from the consequences of that choice.” –Rick Warren

Luke 9: 23- He said to all of them, “Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses every day, and follow me.

Today’s Challenge:

Ask yourself, what am I trying to control, what am I holding on to? Am I allowing the shaking of this world to cause me pain? Or am I allowing Christ to shape me?

Whatever you are holding on to, give it to God. You may have to ask him to give you the strength to let go. If you want to be free of pain, you must trust Him to take care of you!

Day 6: Worship- It is More than a Song

1 Corinthians 10: 31- So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, you should do it all for God’s glory.

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus

~The Heart of Worship

1)     Continually:

As believers we are called to give God glory in ALL that we do. (Yes in ALL that we do!) If I stepped back for a moment and examined my life (or even only today) could I say EVERYTHING I have done was for the glory of God? No! of course not, I am not perfect and I am a sinner. So am I saying that everything not honoring the Lord is a sin? Well, Yes. The Lord created us to be fully alive! Just as he created birds to fly and fish to swim, He created us to live. I can bring glory to God by going for a run, by cooking dinner, or by laughing with a friend. The Lord did not make us to be robots, He wants us to live and enjoy life. He created the beauties of this world to enjoy. As long as Christ is in the center of our lives, our daily activities can honor him.

“Do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you; Cause He made you to do every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face And tell the story of grace with every move that you make And every little thing you do” –Steven Curtis Chapman “Do Everything”

Psalms 147:11 says the Lord is pleased with those who worship him and trust his love.

Worship should not be “part of your life” Worship should “be your life!”
Psalms 105: 4- Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.

2)    Spending Time with Him

 “I saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not, how much I might serve the Lord, how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished.”

– George Müller

Jesus died so that we could be friends with God. God wants so badly to be your friend; your best friend! The veil in the temple symbolized our separation and when Christ died, this veil was split, meaning we can have direct communication with God. He wants us to have a personal relationship with him and this requires spending time with him. How many “close” friends do you have that you never talk to? I am assuming the answer is none or very few.

Romans 5:11- So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

There is no one and nothing that will make you happy- only Jesus can! So we should want to spend time with him.

*Challenge- Many of us say we are “too busy” running from one thing to the next. I challenge you to get creative. Think about something you do every day, for example driving. Get in your car, turn the radio to KSBJ (or a Christian radio station) now leave it there for the next week or maybe even the next month. KSBJ has been the only station playing in my car for about 4 weeks now. I cannot believe how much this has affected my attitude!

3)    Loving Others

John 13: 34-35- “So now I am giving you 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.”
God tells us that we must love others. He says that by loving others we will prove that we are his disciples. If we do not love others then we are not able to share Christ with other people. We cannot worship God if we do not love others, even those who have wronged us. It is extremely difficult to befriend someone who has hurt you, but this is what we are instructed to do. In fact these are the people who may need a friend the most. I have found that people who say hurtful things about you are actually hurting themselves. Instead of getting even, we should try to understand where they are coming from.

The bible tells us that “a friend loves at ALL times!” It does not say “a friend loves when they are treated well, or when they are loved in return.” No, it says at ALL times. So if we are truly a friend of Jesus, we will love everyone ALL the time, even when they have wronged us. As a result, God will bless us for blessing others!

Day 5: Testing of Faith

Romans 12:2- Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1 Thessalonians 2:4- On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

A test is a challenge to measure your learning, growth, and development. God tests us so that we may grow closer to him. Our character is not only revealed through the passing of tests, but it is also deeper developed during trials. God allows tests in our lives to strengthen our faith. During difficult times we need to dig deeper into God’s promises so we will be able to withstand any challenge thrown our way.  We should be joyful during our trails because God is working on our hearts. Think about some of the greatest testimonies your have heard; I would be willing to bet that the testimonies that moved you included some sort of hurt and suffering prior to salvation. Most great testimonies involve struggles after salvation too. God allows bumps in the road to shape us and also influence others.

Last night my sister and I went to see the movie Courageous. (EVERYONE NEEDS TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!) Towards the beginning of the movie the main character’s daughter is in a terrible accident and passes away. (I do not usually cry in movies, but I was bawling during this one) Although the death of this little girl was a tragedy, her death is what lead to the “Resolution.” (go see the movie and you will understand) through this little girls death, lives were saved, and families were brought together. When we are faced with tragedies, it is difficult to see the bigger plan. God uses painful events to lead to something beautiful!

James 1: 2-4- consider it pure joy, my brothers; whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

The pain of this world is temporary. We, as Christians, are citizens of Heaven, a place where there is no pain. We are cheating on God when we live for the here and now, the temporary pleasures of this world. *Is it possible that God allows pain in our lives so that we do not become comfortable on earth? Maybe he has allowed hurtful things in my life because he wants me to long for what is eternal? It would explain why followers of Jesus experience rejection & sorrow. “We are not completely happy here because we are not suppose to be!” –Rick Warren

James 4:4- you people promised God you would be true to him, but you did not stay true! Do you not know that if you love the world you hate God? Anyone who wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

“If my days were untroubled and my heart always light, would I seek that fair land where there is no night? If I never grew weary with the weight of my load, would I search for God's peace at the end of the road? If I never knew sickness and never felt pain, would I search for a hand to help and sustain? If I walked without sorrow and lived without loss, would my soul seek solace at the foot of the cross? If all I desired was mine day by day, would I kneel before God and earnestly pray? If God sent no winter to freeze me with fear, would I yearn for the warmth of spring every year? I ask myself these and the answer is plain, if my life were pleasure and I never knew pain-I'd seek God less often and need Him much less, for God is sought more often in times of distress. And no one knows God or sees Him as plain-as those who have met Him on the "Pathway of Pain."

-Unknown Author (SkyWriting.Net)

Today’s Challenge:

What is currently causing pain in your life? Can you see how Christ is using that pain in your life for good? If not, begin to pray that He would provide the strength to get you through and that He would reveal the bigger picture.

Today I choose to thank God for the challenges I face, knowing that His plan is better than my own! Thank you Lord.

Day 4: More to Life

 “If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can satisfy, we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for another world.” –C.S. Lewis

Nothing on this earth will ever satisfy us. We all have a burning desire in us, a hole that we are all so desperate to fill. Some of us turn to relationships, others to work, or maybe even drugs/ alcohol. Look around you; our world is messed up. You cannot even turn on the radio or TV without hearing about the latest sex scandal, robbery, or betrayal. My heart breaks when I see young people on MTV or celebrity gossip cursing, gossiping, sleeping around, or drinking to an embarrassing state. People who get wrapped up in this world are not bad people; they are lost and seeking comfort. Sadly, they are seeking comfort in the wrong places; they are missing the point: This life is not forever! My pain, your pain, their pain will be healed in heaven. C.S. Lewis said: “God sees two types of people: those who say “Thy will be done” and those to whom God says, “All right then, have it your way.”

This life is setting the stage. What we chose to do on this earth, and who/what we decide to live for, determines where we will spend eternity!

I often find myself worrying about the smallest things. Looking back at some of the things that (at the time) seemed so important, now seem so unimportant. “If Billy bob doesn’t ask me to prom my life is over…. If I don’t get the new Louis Vuitton bag I wont look as cool as Sally…. If I have to spend another weekend without a date I am such a loser.”  Wow… That is ridiculous! Hopefully I never sounded that bad, but I guarantee we can all look back at things we thought we could never live without and realize those things are NOT IMPORTANT!!!! Philippians 3:7- But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless.

“The closer you live to God, the smaller everything else appears.”- Rick Warren

In the purpose driven life, Rick warren relates today as the visible tip of the iceberg. Eternity is what we do not see underneath the surface.

2 Corinthians 4:18- So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The world has come to expect instant gratification. Think about it, If I want to talk to someone there are several different ways to get a hold of that person: call, text, email, skype, gchat… the list goes on.

“I had this guy leave me a voicemail at work, so I called him at home, and then he emailed me to my BlackBerry, and so I texted to his cell, and now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies. It's exhausting.” –He’s Just not that into you

My generation has no clue what it is like to wait weeks to hear back from someone. I admire generations predating even my parents and grandparents… My generation cannot even fathom life before cell phones. I wonder how many friends I would even have if I decided to disable my cell phone number, cut off my email? “Girls, I have decided my life is to hectic… all this noise, I can no longer take it! Here is my address please write soon, can’t wait to hear what’s new in your life!” By the time I got that letter it that news would be ancient! Honestly, what is so important that it cannot wait a few hours, minutes, or even seconds?

“The most damaging aspect of contemporary living is short term thinking.” –Rick Warren

We (especially my generation) need to start thinking Long term and quit focusing on the here an now. Instead of worrying about today, focus on what God has in store for the future. I encourage you to rejoice in what is to come! Although we do not talk every day, my cousin Lindsay is one of my best friends. Every time we talk its like no time has passed, I enjoy the conversations we have and always feel uplifted when our phone calls end. Lindsay recently lost her mother and she is currently working through the pain of that loss. I cannot even begin to compare that pain to anything in my life. My dear friend bailey has also lost her mother. These two dear friends of mine know what it is like to truly lose someone. I am sure they often want to laugh at the things I am upset about in relation to the pain they feel. Death is real to both of them. God has blessed me with healthy friends and family. Death has not become something real in my life and I praise God every day for that. But death should not be looked at as something morbid, but as something beautiful. Rather than being the end of a life, we should look at death as their birthday to eternal life with Jesus! I want the day I pass to be a celebration, because it will be my birthday into heaven! I pray that when someone special in my life passes, God will give me the strength to view it as their birthday, and not a day of death.

Lindsay and bailey, if you are reading this, I want you to know how much I admire both of you for the strength you have shown me!

                 Lindsay and Me                                                       Bailey and Me

Hebrews 13:14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

2 Corinthians 5: 5-7: Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight.

Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin ~Grace Hansen

Today’s Challenge:

Pretend today was your very last day one this earth, what would you do? Now imagine God sends you an email/call/ or text and it says: “Today is your last day and I want you to live it for me.” Now what are you going to do?

Hmmm… Can I do everything God wants me to do in one day? If my purpose is to serve him and share his love with others how am I suppose to live each day? Yes, this is God’s purpose for my life, he wants me to be a living testimony for him, so I need to start today! I may not be able to reach hundreds of people in one single day, but today I can start with just one. I challenge you to think of one person, just one, that you can pray for and show Christ’s love to.  Maybe its someone you don’t even know, someone in your office or someone at your church that you casually pass. Maybe today you should reach out to them, simply say hi and ask them about their day. God does not call us to perform miracles; He calls us to love!