All I Need

   It's a pretty cloudy and dismal looking day outside. However, it is warmer than it has been in a while and the hope of spring is in the air. I love spring. I love how everything comes alive after being dead all winter. I love how the dirty snow melts and uncovers the green grass beneath it. I love how the bare branches of trees begin to grow leaves again. I love how the birds sing and the sun shines brightly above, revealing all the beautiful creation below. To me spring is refreshing and a sign of restoration. It is a lovely time of year.
   Today I am reminded that God is all I need. During this busy week and at different stressful times in my life, I too easily forget that the things of this world do not hold any significance compared to my need for Christ. So many different distractions call our names every day, wanting our attention. We so often shift our gaze to these things and give them our time. I put aside my time alone with God to get things done, but these things don't fill me up at all. Instead, they leave me feeling empty or disappointed.
  It has taken me a long time to figure this out and I'm still on the journey; I will be for the rest of my life. But lately it has become so clear to me that the things that I put my time and energy into are the things that I consider important in my life. No matter what I say is important to me, my actions will clearly show what I value to be important in my life. I've been shaken by this reality at times. I've realized how much time I've put into senseless and worldly things. I've also realized how these things only bring a temporary happiness, but God's love for us is never ending. We have the gift of eternal joy in Him.

   I am being shown more and more every day my need for Jesus. As I spend more time with Him, He is reassuring me that He is all I need. The doubts, worries, fears, and expectations I have in this life are nothing in Him. He has overcome them and will show me the way when I am lost or confused. If I seek Him with all that I am, He will be there to love and guide me. He will be there to show me that despite what the world says I need, He is my supply. 

   When we live confidently in the fact that God is all we need, we are free to live a life without dependency on the world or its opinions of us. God's opinion is the only one that matters and He tells us that we are His children. He loves us more than we can comprehend. We are redeemed. We are His and we have a purpose on this earth because of Him. 

God's Light

   Today as I was walking back from class, I realized how fast I was going and wondered to myself "What's the rush?" I am so blessed to be here and I find myself too often just quickly going one place to the next without any purpose. I slowed down and made the decision to enjoy my walk back. As I walked around puddles that the melting snow was making on the sidewalk, I was reminded how spring is on its way. The sun shone brightly above me. The refreshing air reminded me to take a deep breath and remember that God is in control. 

   I was really convicted by the message in chapel today. This week we are going through a series titled History. We've had different people come in and tell us their testimonies. Through these stories, it is evident how God is working through everyone and how all our stories point to Him. Today the woman that spoke talked about how she had been in bondage to her past. She felt chained down by the hurts and darkness of some of her past decisions and situations. She told us about how God has broken those chains and how He has revealed His purpose for her life to her. She also discussed how, for many years, she pushed any anger, grief, or sadness down deeper, not wanting to look at it or deal with it. This only caused bitterness within her and random bursts of emotion, that come along with many unanswered questions and uncertainties attached to it.

   As she spoke, she told us about this dream she had. It was very encouraging to me. She told us how in her dream God was walking with her down a dark hallway and there were dark rooms off of the hallway. As they walked, God turned on the light in each room, exposing what was inside. Each room represented a painful situation or experience she had faced in her past. As God exposed these memories to her, she was able to grieve them in a way that she never had before. She was able to admit to the heartache and hurt that she had experienced, instead of trying to hide it or bury it. The darkness of her life was being overcome by God's light. She was being given purpose to a life that she thought was only good for going through pain and hurt, but now she is sharing her story with others, encouraging them by her testimony. She is now spreading God's light to this fallen and darkened world. God is using her times of trial and pain to show others God's hope and love for them. 

   At the end of her story, she encouraged us to let God shine His light into the dark, painful rooms in our lives. As hard as addressing those hurts is, it will be so freeing. God will heal us and renew us. We no longer need to live in our shame and guilt because we are new in Him. God wants to use us to share His good news with others, to encourage others through our stories and experiences. He calls us to be a light in this fallen world.

   God is with us always, even through the difficult times. He never leaves us, but is right there beside us; brushing away our tears, holding us in His arms, and loving us unconditionally. He wants to shine His light into our lives so we can be a tangible example to others of His faithfulness. Through doing this, we will no longer live lives led by guilt and shame, but rather have lives filled with hope in Jesus Christ and the purpose He gives us.

God's Timing

   It's the week before mid-terms so there are a lot of different things to complete and accomplish before my spring break next week. It'll be nice to have that time at home with my family and friends, but there are so many things that need to be done before that. I have been constantly seeking God for strength and motivation in all aspects of my life. When we become tired or weary, God always provides us with exactly what we need. He takes away the stress, the anxiety, and the worry. He is there to support us and hold us up when we can't stand on our own.
   One thing that I'm learning more and more every day is to trust in God's timing. He has a perfect plan for each of us that is unfolding before us every day. I can too easily fall into believing the lie that I have my life under control and can do what I want when I want to. However, through different experiences, I've learned that this only leads to brokenness and disaster. We are only human beings and can only see a small portion of God's complete plan for us. We don't know what the future holds. We often question why we have to go through painful situations, but we don't know how that experience will impact our futures or other people's lives. We can't see the whole picture; we only see a sliver. We need to acknowledge this and trust that God has each and every situation we are challenged with in His hands. 
   God has a purpose for everything we face, everything we go through. His timing is perfect. He allows things to happen when they do for a reason. He loves us more than we could ever comprehend and cares for us deeply. God is powerful and He is aware of our struggles in this area. He knows we become impatient and we question Him, but He is steadfast and just. He promises us that He is in control and we have no reason to worry. He asks us to loosen our tight grip on our lives and surrender to Him. 

   God's timing is perfect. Every situation, experience, and interaction we have has been planned by Him. There is a reason behind why everything happens when it does. This is difficult because we like immediate results and we want answers right away, but God's timing is not ours. His timing is never late or early, but right on time. Instead of worrying or anticipating a certain outcome, let go of trying to control the results and trust God with the situation or issue. When we give our lives to God, He revives us and reassures us that He is in control.  As we trust in God's perfect timing in our lives, we will be filled with His peace and His purpose for our lives will become more and more evident to us. 

Simplicity

   Today is Monday...another week is about to unfold, waiting for us to experience and enjoy. I went home this past weekend to work, so my Grandpa drove me back to school this morning. I was blessed by his good company, conversation, and wisdom. I enjoyed listening to his stories and taking in his insight on different things. What a wonderful blessing family is. You can learn so much from each other and can be such an encouragement to one another as you continue on this journey of life. 
   I'm realizing what a blessing simplicity is. I am the type of person who likes to make plans and have different things going on. I feel like I'm wasting time when I'm not doing something or when I have a day go by where I had nothing planned. However, I'm learning that as much of a blessing as being social and having plans is, it is also just as much of a blessing to slow down and enjoy the simplicity of life- the small things that we usually miss because of the busyness of our lives. Sometimes, it's the small things that can make the biggest impact on us and our lives. 
   God is showing me that I can find joy and peace in these simple things, such as a sunrise. It happens every day, but when we take the time to take in the beauty of it and the fact that God created it, it's not just a sunrise anymore but a reminder of God's presence and power. God's creation is so beautiful and it radiates His beauty and majesty. A blanket of freshly fallen snow, the calmness after a violent storm, or a person's smile as you walk by them, all these things happen often but when do we stop to appreciate them as the gifts God intended them to be to us, to remind us that He is the creator of all things?

   The picture above is the background on my computer. I have to use my computer for school work every day and it is a constant reminder to me to seek God's joy in the ordinary circumstances of this life. Whether it's through a conversation you have or a sunset after a long day, remember to slow down and be blessed by these experiences. Not every day here on earth will hold some magnificent event, but every day we have the opportunity to experience God's magnificence. It's being able to be content with the ordinary things in your life and to be able to appreciate the gifts that they are to us. We can learn so much about how to be thankful for what we have by doing this.

  God wants us to experience Him and be in fellowship with Him every day of our lives. One way He is revealing this to me is by teaching me to be thankful in every circumstance of life, in the extraordinary events and in the simplicity of every day moments. Through doing this, I will be filled with His overflowing joy and will be able to live more purposefully as I learn to enjoy the simple gifts that God has blessed me with. 

Each Day

   Another morning, another beginning to another day is before me. It's exciting to wake up and think about all the things that are waiting for me to experience each day. It's reassuring to think that everything that will happen has been planned out by my Father. Each experience, situation, and interaction is all part of His plan and purpose for my life. When I look at each day with this perspective, I find that I realize the significance and the blessing of each day that I'm given. I am reminded that I have a reason for being on this earth and that I'm not guaranteed another day. Each day is a gift from God to us and He asks us to live fully, one day at a time.
   However, some days I wake up and I'm tired or I'm not looking forward to the events that are to take place that day. Even though, I may not see much meaning or purpose behind what I'm doing that day, God has a plan. We can't see the full picture, but God can because He created it. He knows why everything happens and the significance every interaction has to the purpose of our lives. 
   I often find myself looking to the future and thinking that when I am this age or in this situation, then my life will have significance and I will be able to make a difference. But God doesn't want us living in the future or waiting for what we consider perfect circumstances. What if those circumstances we want never come? Or something we never expected comes into our lives and changes the course we thought our life would end up on? All we know is today. We know that we have been given today and we can make a difference right where we are in life, no matter what the circumstances are. 

   Today isn't just another day; it's a gift from God to us. He has a reason that this day is in our lives. He has given us this day with a purpose in mind. He desires for us to share His love with others, to share His good news with people, and to live this day completely in surrender to Him. He has good plans for us and when we put our trust in Him alone, each day will begin to have significance to us because we are living for something greater than ourselves. Today isn't just another day. It's a chance to make a difference and to grow in our love and adoration of our Savior. Today has a purpose. 

Filled With Joy

   Well it's Friday; another weekend is ahead of us to enjoy. I traveled back home this weekend. I'm looking forward to some time with my friends and family. The snow was coming down heavily earlier today, but it was also super peaceful. As I walked to chapel this morning, the snowflakes slowly fell onto my head and filled my hair with sparkling snowflakes. It's so fascinating to me when I can see a single snowflake. They're so beautiful and each one is unique! God is such an awesome creator! 
   Today I am reminded of the joy we have in Jesus and the strength and security it gives us. When I think of being joyful, I always think of being extremely happy or excited. However, the joy that God fills us with is much deeper than just simply feeling happy. It is being content in every circumstance. It is when you are at that point of experiencing His true peace, even among troubles. The joy of the Lord gives us hope and courage in all situations.
   When we completely surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ and submit our lives to Him, He has the power to give us this true joy. The circumstances in our lives are never perfect. There is always something that we would rather not have to be dealing with or a situation that we would rather not be in, but when we are submerged in God's grace and love, we will experience joy even in these times. 
   God is the only way for true joy in our lives. So often we search for this joy in other places, all the wrong places. We look to people to please us or affirm us, to give us security. We look for our talents and abilities to bring us fame or happiness. We expect so much from the world, yet the happiness we experience here is only temporary. The good things we experience here on this earth will come and go. 

   

   When God is our source of joy, we will always be able to experience true joy. The joy of the Lord brings us life, determination, and strength. It is more than just a feeling, but a prospective and a way of living our lives. The joy of the Lord is deep in our hearts and when we have it, it is hard to contain. God wants us to share our joy with others, telling them about His promise and spreading His love. With joy in our hearts, we will have the strength to seek God's purpose for us.

Hope

   "And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You." - Psalm 39:7

I came across this verse this morning and have been meditating on it a bit today. It brought me great reassurance and peace. Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. As I was thinking about what this verse means to me, I came to the realization of how often I put my hopes in the things of this world. I somehow expect for this world to meet my desires, but it's the exact opposite. This world will only disappoint and break us when we put all our hope in it. 

   God is the source for the reason we have hope. Without Him and what He did for us, we wouldn't have anything true to put our hope in. The world has a way of distracting us and pulling us towards desiring the things of this world. We so often put our hope into things around us or the people around us, expecting them to be able to satisfy us. A lot of hurt and brokenness are caused and experienced when we do this. We expect so much from this world and then get disappointed when it lets us down. 

   It's at moments like these that I realize how much I am in need of something more, something greater. I realize my need for a Savior. I find that my greatest desire is to be able to put my hope in something that will never fail me or let me down, God. He will give us everything we need and treasure our desires, hopes, and dreams. What a wonderful thought it is to think that we are each made by God's hands and dreamed up in His heart. The world's ways are judgmental, hurtful, and can cause us to doubt ourselves, but God tells us we are cherished and loved.

   Sometimes we can very easily lose hope. We experience a certain situation or circumstance and because of the hurt it causes us, we give up. We wonder where God is in the midst of our pain and heartache. We have questions and uncertainties. The thought of being hopeful seems distant. God knew we would experience many trials in this life, but He has promised us that He is our hope. Despite our circumstances and the changes around us, He is our rock and will stand firm during the storm. 

   God is love. God is truth. God is hope. When we surrender our lives to Him and stop putting our hope into the superficial things of this world, but instead in God and the plans He has for our lives, we will be blessed. God desires our hearts and to give us each the security and hope that we so desperately search for. He will fulfill His plan in our lives and point us to the purpose He has given each of us as we go forward, confident in His hope. 

Author of Peace

   Wednesday, it's the middle of the week. At this point in a week, everything is in full swing and it is easy to become overwhelmed in the midst of all the deadlines and commitments. Sometimes I'm tired after the first couple days of a week, so it's difficult at times to gather motivation and strength to complete the rest of the week strong. However, God has been showing me what a blessing each day is. Instead of thinking about the whole week, He has been reminding me to focus on one day at a time. This way I will be able to enjoy each day and experience the fullness of it.
   One thing I have dealt with at different times in my life is confusion. It's a tough emotion to deal with because there are so many other feelings that come along with it, anger, fear, or sadness. When we are confused, it is easy to get mad at God or blame Him for not giving us the answers. I have learned that it's during these times that God has taught me to trust Him and be patient. Many of the circumstances we live in are confusing and often times we don't know a lot of the answers, but God does.
   God did not promise to give us all the answers, but He does promise us that He has a plan and will guide us through every circumstance that we face. When we become confused because of a situation or outcome, instead of becoming frustrated and worked up, God beckons us to Him. He desires to give us peace and restoration. Many things in this world can cause us to wander away or become distracted from these truths. By falling into the world's patterns, it will only lead us farther and farther from our Lord and the clarity that He brings to our lives. 

   God doesn't desire for us to live a life led by confusion, uncertainty, or doubt. He has given us a purpose to live. We all have been given different abilities, ideas, and gifts that God created specifically for each of us. Instead of allowing our lives to get weighed down by the different pressures and things we face in this world, look to Jesus. He is an author of peace and desires to restore our hearts. When this world seems to be more than we can handle, just remember that God has already overcome it all. When we lose our way, He will direct us back to Him. When we are troubled, He will bring us comfort. When we are broken, He will renew us. He will substitute our pain with healing, our heartache with revival, and our confusion with peace. 

Above All Things

   It is another beautiful morning. The sun is shining super bright and the sky seems extra blue. It's still very chilly, but even so, it's very refreshing and God's beauty radiates from the whole scene. It seems that every morning when I wake up, my mind races through the day's events and all that needs to be done. Sometimes I become excited for the day and sometimes I feel stressed thinking of all that needs to be accomplished, but one thing is certain: God is above it all.
   The world and its circumstances have a way of bringing us down. We are burdened by our mistakes. We feel weighed down by problems and we are weak. Sometimes, it feels overwhelming and we don't know how to work through the problems. We get caught up in trying to fix situations on our own and lose sight of God. At times like these, we feel alone and far from God. 
   God guarantees that we will face problems in this life, but He also tells us that they must not become our focus. When we feel like we are sinking in all the circumstances around us, we are to call out to Him and He will draw us back to Him. He will restore our hearts and give us peace. Even if we have to call to him a thousand times a day, He tells us not to be discouraged. He desires for us to seek Him and realize our need for Him. He knows how weak we are and He promises to meet us right where we are, no matter what the circumstances.
   God asks us to bring our problems, hurts, and pain to Him. He will relieve us of these things and renew us. He loves us more than anything and desires for us to cling to Him through every obstacle that comes our way. He has already overcome every trial, every fear, and every uncertainty we will every face. He is above all things.

   Our future is an unknown place to us and can be intimidating at times. It's difficult to keep going forward after being pulled down or tripping over an obstacle, but God promises to help us up, dust us off, and continue with us on the journey. He desires to give us the peace and freedom that we so desperately seek. He can take away our pain and renew our hearts, our spirits, and our purpose in this life. He is above all things of this world. 

Identity

   It has been a couple days since I wrote last; life decided to become busy with lots of homework and studying lately. However, it is really nice to sit down and take this time now that the tests have been taken and the papers have been turned in. Today continued the busyness, but it was a good day. I am very thankful for the people God has placed in my life and the strong friendships and relationships I have with them. I have been very encouraged lately by the support and love of the people around me. Through them, I have experienced God's love as well. 
   As much as I enjoy people and the blessing that they are in my life, I have found that I struggle with wanting to win people's approval. I want people to approve of me, my appearance, and what I'm doing. I want to be well-liked and I find myself getting my identity from the people around me rather than in Jesus. It is so easy to let people's opinions about me control my thoughts, actions, and how I view myself. It's not healthy and is very exhausting because it is obviously not possible to please everyone. 
   As I have come to this realization about myself, I have learned the importance of seeking God. Whenever I have a negative thought about myself or a doubt about my identity, God reminds me that I have an audience of only One; turn to Him. He reassures me that I am His child and my identity is in Him and Him alone. It is easy to compare ourselves to the people around us and feel that we are not good enough. Whether it's comparing our abilities, talents, or appearance to someone else, we are not living in the freedom that God created us to live in. He made us the way we are for a reason and in His image. When we compare ourselves or get discouraged because we think something about us isn't right, we aren't being thankful to God for the uniqueness and the amazing qualities He has put in each of us.
   When we go through these times of doubt and uncertainty in our identity, God calls us to Him. In Him, we will find our identity. We will find peace, hope, and encouragement. I always get so excited thinking of the day that I will meet Jesus face to face. He will welcome us with open arms and we will have eternal life with Him in Heaven. There will be no more discouragement, anxiety, or fear. We will be in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

   As difficult as the trials of this world are, God is always there for us through every circumstance that we face. When we are searching for our identity and unsure of who we are, God reassures us that He will put purpose into our lives and that our identity is in Him. 

Renewed

   Today is Friday; another week has passed and another weekend is before us. What a gift it is to be able to have a couple days to refuel and refresh before going into another week. This day is absolutely beautiful. God continues to amaze me through the beauty of His creation. As I am writing this, I'm on the fourth floor of one of the buildings here on campus; overlooking the snow covered grounds below. My school is located on a lake and with the weather being as cold as it is the lake is frozen and snow-covered. The sun is shining down brightly on it, making the whole scene sparkle. There is no way to look at a scene like this and doubt that there is a God. His fingerprints are all over it. It is absolutely breathtaking. 

   This morning, we had praise chapel. I always look forward to that time each week to be able to put all other tasks and distractions aside to be able to truly worship my King. I have always enjoyed singing and worship, but throughout the past year, especially, I have realized how powerful worship is. It's not just singing melodies and harmonies; it's a time of surrender and complete adoration for my Lord. The work done in me is truly amazing. It's not just about which song we're singing; it's about the message and the meaning of the words. It's not about me and my worries, but what God has done to overcome them. It's not about worrying about what the people around me are doing, but about a time of focus, just between God and me. 

   As I was singing this morning, I felt God reassuring me that I am renewed in Him. The world has a way of distracting us and bringing us down. We are easily weighed down by burdens and past mistakes, but God has redeemed us from them all. When we say we are new in Christ, yet dwell on past hurts or sulk in bitterness, we are denying that what God said is true. He has completely forgiven us for all of our sins and struggles, past, present, and future. He has not only forgiven us, but has also removed our sin from us, as far as the east is from the west. He asks us to live in His light, with a renewed spirit and heart. 

   God overwhelms me with His mercy and grace every day. Each day, we can live in such a way that others won't be able to help but notice that something is different in us. We won't be weighed down by the ways of the world, but instead have faith in what is unseen and will continue on this journey in step with our Creator until we are called home. We are a new creation in Him. Each of us has a specific purpose to fulfill that no one else can. God created us each unique and desires for all of us to experience renewal in Him.

Love

   Well, today is Valentine's Day, a day that people express their love for each other through lots of chocolates, cards, and roses. I have nothing against this day at all, in fact, I find it rather sweet, but I do feel like too many people get caught up in the catchy phrases of the Hallmark cards and the stuffed pink bears to be able to really focus on what true love is. This day reminds me how easily love can be confused with infatuation and affection; people too easily fall into believing that love is based on a feeling rather than an action. 

    "But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." 

 -Romans 5:8

     I read this verse this morning and it reminded me how God has shown us the purest and most self-sacrificing love. He knew we would deny Him, fail Him, and fall away from Him at times, but He still willingly died in our place anyway. His love for us is perfect and even though we let Him down often, His love for us will never change. 
  God tells us how we should love one another. These verses are very common and many people have heard them said over and over, but they are a good reminder to all of us about what true love looks like. "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away."
-1 Corinthians 13:4-8
   Love is not about fulfilling our own desires, but serving others. It's not about what we want, but what we can give. It's not a feeling, but an action to show that we care for someone beyond our self. True love doesn't give up when circumstances become tough, instead it perseveres. It rejoices in the truth and holds onto hope. 

  As we continue going about our lives, may we remember this example of true love and strive to love those around us with these standards. God sent His only son to die because He loves us so much. As we seek God's purpose for our lives, may we have softened hearts so God can transform us and renew our spirits. May we also experience God's true love so that we can love others because He first loved us. 

Humility

   I am so excited for spring! Today is absolutely lovely. The weather is so beautiful. I was able to wear my spring jacket today and I really enjoyed being able to take my time walking around campus rather than hurrying to get out of the cold. As I was walking, I felt enveloped in God's presence and delighted in the beauty of His creation around me. I found myself in awe of God and His magnificence. His creations are beautiful and when I take the time to slow down, I realize how blessed I am to be surrounded by His beauty everyday through the nature around me and the people I interact with. God is great and He is reflected in even the small things. He is capturing my attention and my heart to begin to take notice of these things so I can experience Him more fully every day.

   God is teaching me what it means to be humble. Even though I have experienced times of hardship, I have also gone through times where I have felt overwhelmed by God's blessing. I have realized how fortunate I am to be in the place in life that I am. Even though I face trials and obstacles at times, I have been immersed in God's blessing through it all. However, sometimes we forget that these blessings are gifts from God and, instead we become focused on ourselves. 

   During the times in our lives when things are going really well, it is easy to take God's blessings for granted and rather just as a way of life. It's not until we go through a trial or something disrupts this, that we realize how precious God's blessings are. God has been teaching me to have a humble spirit. He has been showing me lately the many blessings He has lavished on me and my life, but at the same time, He is teaching me to have a thankful heart and be humbled before Him. 

   We can easily become proud and selfish when we focus on all that we have in our lives and how it makes us appear to others, instead of thanking God and being humbled before Him as we realize all that we have is a gift from Him. When we fall into the lies of the world and begin to get our worth from what other's think of us, we become self-centered and lose sight of God's truth. 

   God promises to extend His grace upon us when we submit our lives and humble ourselves before Him. This is a lesson I know I'll be learning for the rest of my life. It is so easy to become focused on ourselves and our achievements rather than giving God the glory for what He has done in our lives. God is showing me that by living a life with a humbled spirit, I will be shown grace and mercy. I will view the world differently and continue living out God's call on my life as I pursue the purpose He has for me. 

Voice of Truth

   It is such a beautiful winter day. The sun is shining bright, making the snow sparkle. The air is a bit chilly, but mostly refreshing. The sky is bright blue and there is barely a cloud in the sky. It's another day and another chance to live a day emerged in God's love. One thing God has been reassuring me of lately is how deeply He loves me for who I am. He created me unique from anyone else with purposes that only I can fulfill. He created me in His image and He loves every part of me.

   It's easy to have doubts and to question your self-worth, especially when there are so many expectations set out for us by the world's standards of what true beauty is and what our purpose in life should be. It's easy to lose focus on God and hard to hear His voice when there are so many other voices calling our names. So many different things fight for control over our minds and hearts. It is so important to be able to discern God's voice among the rest of them. 

  We too often try to please and obey these various voices calling our names. We find ourselves exhausted and running in circles as we slowly let these voices control our actions and take over our lives. This results in a frustrating pattern of living. We become confused and have trouble deciding what is the truth and what is a lie. 

  God asks us to walk closely with Him each moment of our day. He will give us the direction and clarity we need. He will give us the counsel and wisdom we so deeply desire as we go about our lives. He asks us to not worry, but enjoy His companionship and all that He offers us. God asks us to refuse to listen to all the other voices, but to listen to His. He speaks truth in love and promises guidance and protection over us. 

  When we find ourselves questioning our self-worth and our identity, we too easily slip into the patterns of this world and trying to meet its standards. This will only leave us feeling defeated and worthless. God tells us that He loves us for who we are, not for what we do. Nothing we do will ever change how much He loves and cares for us. We don't need to earn His approval or His love- He loves us no matter what.

   As you go about your day, focus on God and His truth. Listen to His voice and tune out the distracting voices of this world. As we do this, we will be able to walk in God's truth with confidence and dignity. We will be secure in our self-worth because it is in Him. His truth will give us purpose and a hope to hold onto as we go forward in our lives. 

Wait Upon the Lord

 "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." - Psalm 27:14

   I came across this verse this morning and have been pondering over it throughout the day so far. It is very applicable. I've heard so many times about how I need to trust in the Lord and wait for His timing in my life. However, this is much easier said than done. It is easy to say that you are trusting in God and doing His will when every aspect of your life seems to be going well. It's when the circumstances become difficult and trials come that our trust in God and our patience in His plan are really tested.

   When things are going right, we feel very blessed by God. We feel close to Him and it is easy to be thankful to Him. But what about when circumstances suddenly change and there's a difficult decision to make or obstacle to overcome? What about when relationships have tension or seem to be falling apart? Or when you think about the future and how you're going to be able to handle all that it holds? When you don't know how a certain situation is going to end up and you're losing the strength you need to keep holding on? 

   It is easy to get upset with God during these times and feel distant from Him. I find myself become easily discouraged, confused, and overwhelmed. I also feel frustration because I want to know the outcomes and results now. I want everything to be fixed or put together. But God is showing me that every conflict or hard time I've went through is all part of His plan. He holds my future in His hands and knows how each piece of my life fits together. I can't see the future and this is when my trust in God becomes real. It's hard waiting and we want to have what we want now, but God tells us if we are patient and wait on Him, He will bring us true peace.

 "We have to embrace the conflict God has put in our story. Often times the scenes that we want to skip produces the endings we all love to see." I don't know of anyone who enjoys going through hard times. They bring us pain, grief, and discouragement, but these are the times that bring the most growth. It's during these times that our trust in God is strengthened and our dependency on Him is renewed. 

   We live in a world that is all about doing things quickly and getting things done, but God asks us to slow down, to look to Him and to be patient as He reveals His plan to us while growing closer to Him. Instead of hurrying along day after day doing what we want, He asks us to seek Him and let Him put purpose into our hearts so that we can live every day for Him, waiting patiently upon our Lord.

Freedom

   Today is one of those days where there is no questioning that I live in Wisconsin. It is so cold outside and all I want to do is snuggle up in a blanket for the rest of the day. The snow is coming down heavily and the wind brings me chills. As I'm writing this, I'm sitting next to the fire, cuddled up in a blanket, watching the snow come down. It's peaceful, but I miss the sunshine. It's so cloudy. The trees are bare and the sky is grey which makes for a slightly dull mood, but as my New Testament professor says, "Even though it's cold outside, I hope you all have the warmth of Jesus in your hearts." What a sweetie. :)

   This is a rare occasion for me, having an afternoon alone. Living in the dorms, you're always around someone and there's always some type of activity going on. The past couple of days have been long and as I sit here thinking about another week ahead, I'm already feeling a bit overwhelmed. There are classes to attend, homework to complete, and a schedule to fill. I'm thinking of all the interactions I'm going to have with different people and the energy it takes to maintain relationships and friendships in a healthy way. I have a deep desire to show other's God's love and to live a life for Him, but sometimes I come to the realization just how weak and tired I am to do everything I need to do. 

   While you're living your day to day life, it's easy to get so wrapped up in it that you don't take the time to seek God because you're so preoccupied following your own agenda. When I have afternoons or moments like this when all the busyness around me stops for a while, I realize how much I do each week; each day even. Everything catches up to me and all of a sudden, I feel overwhelmed and tired. At this point, it's easy for me to just want to feel defeated or begin to worry, but God has reminded me of something: I am weak and I will fail many times, but He is strong and He will never fail. 

   He has told us to "Take heart!" God knows how easy it is for us to become burdened, distracted, and overwhelmed by the different obstacles and situations we face in this world. He knows that we are weak and will stumble. He knows that we are imperfect and will be led astray at times. However, He has overcome our burdens, pain, heartache, troubles, and fear. He has overcome our sin and our struggles; our temptations and obstacles. He has overcome it all; we have no reason to worry about the future. 

   Instead, God brings us hope. He brings us restoration and comfort. When the storm is raging around us and we feel lost and alone, He's right there beside us. He gives us strength to face challenges that are yet to come and revival when we go through times of defeat. He showers us with His grace and redeeming love. These are rather easy things to write down and I've heard all of these things before, but to truly live in these truths and live differently because you know you are free in Christ, that is something much more powerful. 

  

   You may be going through a difficult time right now or a hard situation. You may be feeling regret from a past mistake or you may be dealing with a present struggle. You may feel lost. You may feel defeated and weak. God may seem far away to you. But as you face these challenges in your life, hold God's truths close to you. Remember that you are free from all of this when you surrender your life to Him. He will redeem you and will find freedom in Him. 

   As we seek God, He will continue to shape us and mold us into the person He made us to be, truly free and set apart from this world. He desires for us to live a life fully devoted to Him, not tied down by our sin and troubles. As we begin to experience this freedom we have in Christ, we will no longer be controlled by our fear and doubts, but be able to live out God's purpose for our lives. 

  

   

The Blessing of Family

   What a beautiful morning to wake up to! I'm home this weekend, so I am enjoying the time I have here in my house and the time I get to spend with my family. I am so blessed to have the family that I do. We are all so close and I trust each of them with anything. They encourage me and support me. They pray for me and help strengthen me in my faith. I consider my brother and sister my best friends and as I'm growing up, my relationships with my parents have come to the point of friendship as well. They still guide me and give me wisdom, but they are definitely two of my best friends. We have fun together and I always find something to laugh about when I'm with this bunch. They are so great. I am one blessed girl.
   As I reflect on my relationships with my family and everything we have been through together, one word that comes to my mind is grace. I have been shown forgiveness and grace in excessive amounts from my family. They have seen me at my absolute worst and have been with me during the hardest and most painful times in my life, but they have never left my side. It's been a difficult journey at times and I know the future holds more challenging situations as well, but I also know that God has given me a supportive family that will walk with me through it all. God has shown his compassion and mercy for me through them.
  We all have had times in our lives that have been very painful or challenging. We have had times in our lives that we have hurt others or been selfish. It pains me, now, to think of all the ways I have hurt the people in my life that I love the most. It's strange how the people you love the most, also get hurt by you most. You know each other so well and, too often, take them for granted. You get used to seeing them every day and get so caught up with every day life that you forget that these people are God's gift to you.
  You may not have come from a very close family. Maybe the memories you have of your family are not good ones and you have experienced a lot of pain. This world and the people in it will let you down, but I want to tell you that God never will. When this world brings you pain and hurt, God is there to comfort you and love you. You can look to your Heavenly Father and He will bring you peace and restoration. He will fill your life with joy so that you can show other's His love through the way you live your life.
  God has shown me that it is good to slow down and focus on strengthening these relationships. Different people will come and go in your life. You'll meet many new people and develop many friendships, but your family will always be there. I am so thankful for each and every one of my family members. They have each taught me something valuable that I will cherish always.

   My mom has taught me to express my feelings and care for other's hearts. She has encouraged me to be more open with people and to show them God's love and compassion. She has taught me that life isn't all about accomplishing tasks, but valuing people and their hearts. My dad has taught me how to make good decisions. He has guided me, protected me, and confronted me as I've faced challenging situations and has helped me gain wisdom in how to handle them. He has pointed me to Jesus and shown me that my relationship with Christ is the most important thing in my life. My sister has shown me what it means to be strong. Her faith has encouraged me to pursue my own and find my identity in God. She has taught me that it isn't about what the world thinks of me, but who I am in Jesus. She has supported me, encouraged me, and been one of the biggest blessings in my life. And lastly, my brother has taught me to never lose my sense of wonder and excitement for each day. He is always so excited and fully embracing each moment. I can't help but smile when I'm with him. We always end up laughing together and I've had some of my best times with that little bug.
  Family. God has given us these people as gifts. They challenge us, support us, and help us grow into the people God created us to be. As my relationships in my own family have been strengthened, my relationship with God has also grown. I feel at peace knowing that I will always have these people there for me. I feel comforted in knowing that my heavenly Father loves me and has blessed me with these people. As my life goes on, I want to continue to pursue these relationships. So together, we can live a life of purpose, encouraging each other and glorifying our King.

A New Creation

   What a beautiful morning. The first thoughts that went through my head when my alarm went off were: how much I have to do today and how I just wanted to keep sleeping. But I looked out the window, saw the sun rays peeking through the blind, feeling like they were inviting me to embrace this day and all that it contains, starting now. So, here I am. 

   Lately, God has been reminding me often that I am a new creation in Him. I too easily let the world define me. Instead of finding my identity in Jesus Christ, I find myself looking to the people around me and the world around me. Sadly, I have found myself believing the lies that the world tells me about how I need to be in order to be accepted. I have put so much time and effort trying to win the approval of many instead of focusing on the One who has already given me His approval. 

   The world has a way of tempting us, leading us down the wrong path. It seems fun and harmless at the time, but leads to broken promises and damaged hearts. God so desperately desires that we turn from these ways and come back to Him. He knows that we are not perfect and will wander from Him, but He will always welcome us back with open arms. He desires to redeem and restore us; make us new. 

   Through Christ, we are a new creation. Our pasts are forgiven and erased. We no longer need to live a life full of shame, guilt, or regret. There is no reason to keep punishing ourselves for mistakes that we've made because we have been redeemed from them. God knows that it is a process and a journey to move forward when we are struggling with regret, but He promised to help us through it. He promised to guide us and renew us. We have no reason to continue to live this way. God died on the cross, taking the punishment of our sin upon Him, so that we could be a new creation in Him. 

   Life brings us each through different circumstances, but we have all experienced different situations, made decisions, or said things that we wish we wouldn't have. Instead of focusing on how shameful, hurt, or regretful we are about what happened, we need to turn our eyes to Jesus. We are perfect in His eyes. He wants us to know that we are forgiven. We are beautiful. We are pure. We are perfectly and wonderfully made in His image. We are cherished and cared for. We are a new creation, blameless and full of no shame.

   

   God invites us to embrace His invitation right now. Stop looking around us for our identity and worth, but rather turn to Jesus. He will renew our spirits and restore our souls. He will give us strength and courage. He will give us hope in lost circumstances. He will bring us peace in the middle of a storm. When you are too tired to stand, kneel instead. Kneel before God; He will show you what to stand for and remind you that you are never standing alone. When we completely surrender our lives to Him, our past, present and future, He will restore and guide us forward as a new creation. We can live fully in every moment, reassured that God has renewed our lives and given us a purpose for each day.

   

Step By Step

   Today I am thankful. Every morning as I'm walking to class, I say a prayer over the day ahead of me. Lately, I have realized how often my prayers consist of me quickly asking God for things I want instead of thanking Him for everything He has already blessed me with. Obviously God desires for us to take our concerns and thoughts to Him, but it's equally important to take the time to thank Him for all that He has given us too. 

   This morning, I stopped and thought about how blessed I am and how God's hand has orchestrated every aspect of my life. I am abundantly blessed with more than I need. When I take a moment and stop focusing on the obstacles and tasks of the day, but instead praise God for everything He has put in my life and how He has used me to glorify Him, I am filled with His joy. Instead of being weighed down by my troubles and fears, I can walk confidently knowing God has already overcome them. I am able to welcome the day ahead of me and embrace all that it contains because my heart is full and my spirit is renewed in God's blessing.

   We have all faced challenges in our lives. We are faced with different struggles, temptations, and selfish desires everyday. We have times when we wander away from God and need His guidance to put us back on the right path. Sometimes, our doubts, fears, and bitterness can too easily close up our hearts. We need God to renew our spirits. Life can bring us to many different situations; some challenging, some difficult, some unexpected, but God has made us a promise.

  God has promised that we would never walk this path alone. He will always be there with us, every step of the way. There will be moments in life when we feel that God is very close and near to us and then there will be times when we feel far away from God and He will seem distant to us. How blessed we are though to be reassured that no matter how we feel, God is always with us. His presence doesn't come and go based on our feelings, He is constant. He desires for us to go to Him and trust that He knows what is best for us. 

   As we continue to seek God, we will stop noticing how weak we are or how overwhelmed we are because our focus will be on Him. Instead of worrying about what the future holds, we can trust in the fact that God has created each moment we will experience and know that He planned it that way because He loves us and cares for us. He, alone, knows what is best for us and what we need. Even though the future is unknown to us, God knows every detail about it because He created it. We have no reason to fear.

   

   "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation."- Psalm 13:5

God asks us to trust Him with our lives, to put our lives in His hands and know that He has a purpose for each of us. Life can be overwhelming, especially when we start to worry about the future, but God asks us to simply take life one day at a time. 

   Focus only on this day and rejoice in it, knowing that God is walking with you step by step. Don't lose hope, continue this journey. Trust that this path you are walking on is headed for heaven and you can be assured that God is guiding you every step of the way, filling each step with purpose. 

   

   

God's Truths

   Well...here I am again. It has taken me a couple of days to become motivated to start writing again; a couple days ago the blog I had been writing got deleted. I used an old school email to create the blog and the email was shut down because I don't attend the school anymore. I lost the blog along with it. I had only been writing for five days, but it was five days of my thoughts erased and I have been feeling disappointed about the lost words. I was really enjoying sharing my thoughts every day and seeing them written out in words, rather than just a bunch of ideas in my head. It helped me think things through and I enjoyed sharing with others as well. I thought about what to do and came to the conclusion that it would be best to just start writing again right away before I let the disappointment take over too much. So...that is how I find myself sitting here writing again, ready to start new.
   I gave this blog the same name as my last, "with purpose." Since I'm starting over, I want to explain again why I chose this title. I have found that it is very easy to get caught up in the busyness and the demanding schedules of life. We too often become stressed quickly, overwhelmed easily, and focused on tasks that need to get accomplished. There are so many things in this world that want our attention; so many distractions, temptations, and situations that call our name. I find myself going through the motions of each day and too often, not truly living in each moment. A desire that God has placed on my heart lately is to live a life of purpose, to live each day fully and purposefully.
   He has reminded me of His truths. When I become overwhelmed, turn to Him for peace. When I become stressed, go to Him for renewal. When I become tired and weary, He will give me strength. When I feel lost and confused, He will show me the way. When trials come and my faith is tested, He will walk beside me. When I feel sad or upset, He will be my comfort. When I feel unsure of who I am, He will give me affirmation as a child of God. When I find myself going through the motions of life, God will give me purpose and direction.

   

   My mom sent me this picture today, reminding me of God's truth. It is my life verse and something I need to be reminded of every day. They are Jesus' words, "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world." Notice how Jesus didn't say "if you have trouble", but He said "you will have trouble." Jesus knew that we'd experience hardships, but He has promised us that we will not go through any of it alone. He has already overcome the world and all its sin so we can have eternal life with Him when our time here on earth is done. However, while we here, He desires for us to spread His good news, to glorify Him in all that we do, and to live a life of purpose for Him. Because Jesus died on the cross for our sins, taking the punishment we deserved, and then rose again, we no longer need to live a life controlled by fear and confusion. But instead God desires and invites us to live purposefully, knowing that we are redeemed and reconciled with Christ.

   As I continue writing, I want to share God's truths as He places them on my heart. I want to seek God as I continue to desire to live a life full of purpose and passion. As I do this, I want to share my thoughts with others so that together, we can experience the affirmation as children of God, resting in His promises and truths as we begin to live each day with purpose for our King.