Hi there! It's been a while since I've really taken the time to write what's going on and just write. But, I have a couple of minutes and a lot running through my mind...and I wanted to share with you a website that I think has the potential to change your world. It's linked in the title above (right click and open it in a new window or tab), so feel free to visit it. When we lived in Redding Scott & I found Dr. Carlson's ministry ~ at that time called "Family Life" ~ and we knew we had the desire to live an intentional life with what we have, what we're doing and with what God calls us to. I have to be honest and say we haven't done that. Scott & I are truly different thinkers so trying to get us both on the same page takes a tremendous amount of effort that (after work, kids, and ministry) just is sometimes not there. We have implemented some things at different times in our lives, though, and I have to say those were times when we saw the greatest fulfillment in our lives. SO...all that to say, "understanding an intentional way of living is really worth it."
What makes me think about this today is the culmination of the last few days/weeks in my life. I am at a place in my life where I am realizing God has called me to something that is rather scary. It requires me to accept who I am in HIM and to let go of who I've always been told I was, thought I was, or found my worth in. That's not easy. In fact, it is at times downright terrifying. I am finding my faith being tested in a way I never have before. Even when I was pregnant with Sophie I relied on the whisperings of my Uncle Jim saying to me over and over again, "you made a mistake, you're not a mistake (repeat)" I never fully accepted how fully loved I was by the Creator/Savior of the world. Having to accept that requires me to let go of all expectations of others. It requires me to look at life with new eyes ~ His eyes. It requires me to step out of my comfort zone and truly walk what I have said to so many over the years ~ "You were made for a purpose. If you don't live in that purpose...pursue the call He has on your life...it will be your one true regret. He won't love you any less, but, in a very significant way, you will be committing the sin of disobedience."
And so I am constantly singing the song from "Santa Claus is Coming to Town:" Put one foot in front of the other! And soon you'll be walking out the doo-oo-or! Put one foot in front of the other...." As I open up my box of fears to my friends and they kick me in the pants and affirm what God has given me to do I find the need to share my struggles so that maybe, by God's grace and mercy, He will use my words to encourage someone who reads this to do the same in their lives.
I was just writing on my other blog and ran across this entry: http://tbds.blogspot.com/2008/12/john-1513.html . There are times I find that what I write in hopes of encouraging someone else are words I will need to read and heed as well. So it is with this passage. To accept a love so deep and wide and amazing is difficult knowing myself the way I do. Yet in truth I must.
And so I am packing up a manuscript and sending it to a friend who has agreed to read it. I don't know what will come of it. She may very well say I don't have what it takes with that one, but I have to do what I know He is calling me to do.
What is He calling you to do? Are you noticing a lot of people lately commenting on something you do or have the ability of? Has He given you the opportunity to unwrap a talent you never thought He could use just so you can open up a relationship with others and share His glory? That's what it's all about, you know. It's not about being so tremendous as Me or You. It's about bringing glory to God by being unashamed of being who He made you to be.
When we were in Southern California recently we met with some friends of Scott's from college at a park for a picnic. Scott & I met them there and Steve & Jileen (his sister and her husband) brought the boys with them since we were in LA for our anniversary. When we got there the kids were all playing and it was a beautiful sunny day out. I looked for Micah and found him in the middle of it all swinging on the swings and having a blast. After a hug and a quick conversation he wanted to get back to it. In looking for Caleb I found him playing independently (it sounds so much nicer than "by himself") completely content to be doing what he was doing. I walked over and said, "hiya, Handsome." He looked up, smiled and said, "Mom? Do you think it's one of my gifts that I'm okay to be who I am and I don't get embarrassed about that?" I have the same reaction now as I did then. Tears kinda sprang to my eyes and a lump formed in my throat as I smiled and said, "I think that's a pretty incredible character trait to have, Bud, but we'll have to talk about what are gifts, what are character traits, and what are talents." He grinned and said, "okay? Now?" So we went for a walk and talked about how God created us for a purpose and how He has given us each something we are able to do that will bring glory to Him and increase His Kingdom as we keep our eyes focused on Him and continually grow in our relationship with Him. That time was a gift to me because of the depth of the conversation with my grown-up 9-year-old, but I had no idea that God would use that time to affirm what I had been hearing from others in the words of my son who started out a sentence with, "you know what, Mom? I see one of your gifts, too...." I had to stop walking and stare at him for a moment as I realized my son had just spoken truth into my life.
Who's speaking truth to you? What are you hearing? Make 2009 the year you're finished living as if you're going to die someday and make it the year you're going to make your life really count. Make it the year you allow God to instill in you the depth of love He has for you as you live the life He has created for you to live! Give the glory to the One who allows you breath and LIVE!!
If you'd like to follow this part of my journey it will be on yet another blog... href="http://www.spurinklings.blogspot.com" This is actually an old blog for me as I created it a few years ago when I was doing cards based on Hebrews 10:24. It only seems appropriate that a blog created to spur people on to touch and change lives for Christ would be used for this purpose. I'm putting one foot in front of the other and I 'm going where He's calling me to go...would you like to join me? I hope so! Happy New Year!
No comments:
Post a Comment