Love is...

 

z

{. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 .}

z

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

For the past 24 hours, I have been meditating on what "Love is". If God is Love, and we as Christians are called to be "Christlike", then shouldn't these characteristics of love be overwhelmingly present in our lives?

So many times I find myself dwelling on how an individual wronged me, sometimes feeling jealous towards someone, or just not joyful. I'm slowly realizing how much effort I have to put into changing the way I think and live my life. It's not going to happen overnight, and it's definitely not going to be easy.

I have been blessed with several mentors that have encouraged me, prayed with me, and supported me over the past few years. As I look at how they live out their lives, I begin to see a pattern. They know what {LOVE} really means. They have a love that runs so deep withing that it's unhuman like. I desire to live a life like them, having a positive outlook on life, always willing to serve, and being an encouragement to each individual I come in contact with.

They didn't just magically get to that place in their life where they could give up so much of their time and self. They spent time on their knees seeking God's will for their life, allowing others to invest in their life, while also investing in their marriage and their relationship with Christ. They are true Proverbs 31 women. I'm only starting my journey on becoming a Proverbs 31 woman. 
 
Each day, I'm shown just how minuet and un thought out my plans are. I really have no idea what I'm doing. I have no idea what's on the horizon, but I have a hope and a trust that only comes from above. Now I need to be the one to take the first step and learn from the one who knows it best.

Just like in the movie, Julie and Julia, Julie learns to cook from the master, Julia Child, the one who knows it all. Shouldn't we be seeking help on how to live a godly life from the Creator? Yes, there are books and mentors who can help along the way...but shouldn't our main guidance be from the one who knows it ALL? I want to learn to love from the God who IS Love, and I want to learn how to be a Proverbs 31 woman from the Creator.

All I can do is seek, pray, and allow HIM to work within

me, preparing me for HIS amazing plan.

Patience of a remote control

"Patience is a virtue" Ugh, I hate that phrase!!!

Or, maybe I hate that I need more of it... 

 

I've always used an analogy for my patience, or should I say lack there of. You know when you start a movie and have the opportunity to select a scene on the menu? Well let me just tell you how amazing my life would be if I had that! I would love to be able to go and take a sneak peak on where I would be in my life in say, 5 years. Wouldn't that be amazing if you could just skip or fast forward through a rough time? Or pause or even rewind when something amazing happens?? (I've had this view long before the movie "Click", I think they stole it from me ;))

 

Now let me clue you in on a few things that never crossed my mind that would require patience. I have no idea where I dreamed up what I thought was a no brainer check off list to complete in less than a month...

1. Buy a car,
2. Find a job
3. Make new friends (my age/stage of life)
4. Get connected in a Community Group
5. Rent an apartment/place to live
6. ........
7. ........

Funny how EVERYTHING on that list is still unchecked... maybe God's showing me that I don't really know what I'm talking about, that I don't really know what's best for me? I guess I still need to learn about that thing called "letting go, and letting God". But then that thing called patience comes back into play. I'm not patient enough to just sit and give up my control. I want things to go my way, after all, I know best, right???

Hmmm...NOPE, definitely not.

 

I went from working 3 jobs, being a youth leader and full time student...then I moved...

BAM!!!!

It's like I'm starting all over again. I have a wonderful and amazing support system here as well as family and friends back in California. Goodness, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, which is probably a good thing or I wouldn't have trusted that God had a plan.

 

Now that I'm here, I wouldn't change a thing! Everything that I've gone through has brought me here. It is very hard being in this place right now, but the cool thing is that I know that I'm where I'm supposed to be, even if it isn't easy. It's encouraging to know that there are people who have walked the same walk. Actually, there are so many people that I know and run into here that moved from California. They all have a similar story, similar feelings, and a similar outlook on life. I just wish that things could speed up and that I could start crossing things of my list already! ...and there it is again! I'm brought back to that thought that "I (still) DON'T have it under control!"  That's where I'm going to stop, and be S.T.I.L.L..............

 

"Be still in the presence of the Lord,

and wait patiently for him to act..."

...{Psalm 37:7}...

 

It takes a child

Something became quite clear this morning as I sat and played with "Batman", a bright playful 3 year old who I get to hangout with weekly.

When I first met "Batman", you could see the frustration creep across his face as he would try to explain something, but it was near impossible to understand. He knew you didn't understand if you would asked him to repeat what he had just said. Then one day last week he told me that it was "is khweer owesite" (clear outside). I had a difficult time figuring out what he was trying to tell me. He caught on that I didn't understand, walked to the window, and started explaining that there's no rain, and the sun's shining. He knew that what he had said the first time didn't make since to me, so he tried a different approach.

Today it happened once again. He was introducing me to his stuffed horse. He said the name and I tried really hard to make it out. Before I could ask him to say it again he ran to his toy box. In my head I'm thinking, "Gosh, that's not like him, he must be really frustraded with me if he's going to dart out of the room!" Before I knew it, he was back with a toy car in hand. I then began to see what his little brain was up to. He lifted the bottom of the car up towards my face. I leaned down to read what his little finger was pointing at. The name of the car was "Lightning". All of a sudden it clicked, the name of his horse was Lightning! He knew that no mater how hard he tried to pronounce the name, I wouldn't have the ability to hear it the way he wanted me to. He had a plan to teach me the name in a new way, and it worked.

That's when it hit me. God tries to guide us and speak to us, but sometimes our senses aren't trained to understand it. He has to approach new ways of getting our attention, and even then, we may not listen to what He is saying. It took little "Batman" to show me that maybe I need to be a little more attentive. God could be showing me that He's opening a door, but I choose to be oblivious, then it takes something a little more deliberate and straight forward for me to understand.

{Matthew 13:12-17}

"To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, for they look, but they don't really see. They hear, but they don't really listen or understand. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,

  ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears; because they hear. I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn't see it. And the longed to hear what you hear, but they didn't hear it."

This is my prayer today;

that my eyes would see & my ears would hear.

Content as an Antique

Today I had the opportunity to attend an antique show. Little did I know the depth of such a simple question dancing around in my head as I walked through the show. "Where does the value in an antique come from?" Now I'm left with more questions and a desire to know more. As I walked through the show, I noticed how much hard work and craftsmanship was put into each unique piece. Constant thoughts subconsciously spun in my head:

 

"Is my generation going to leave something

of value for use in the future?"

 

"How can we feel comfortable underpaying

factory workers in foreign countries for

the newest style or technology?" 

 

"What happened to the families that were glued

together with their faith, love, and values that resulted in discontentment and wastefulness?"

 

It's sickening to see how far we've come from the days where our great grandparents treasured life and valued what really mattered. Maybe it's the technology that has taken us from being content to being distracted and distant. Don't get me wrong, I know there are still those amazing families out there today that have their feet on the right path. And I also know that not all past generations had those values...but all in all, this generation just isn't like past ones, we always seem to be looking for something more.

 

So why IS an antique so valuable? Maybe because of the secrets it keeps. Maybe the sweat and tears poured into it. Or maybe just the fact that we have something to hold onto, a hope that we can have the content lifestyle like the generations before us. There is value tied to an antique not just because of it's age, but because of what it meant to the beholder. I know I want what they had. A life where I am content with what I have, an overflowing faith, and a support system of loved ones surrounding me. The past generations have left an outstanding legacy, now it's my turn to make a decision.

 

• Will you decide to be content?
• Or will you allow yourself to get swallowed up in the world's way of doing things?

 

"Keep your lives free from the love of money

and be content with what you have."

...{Hebrews 13:5}...

Just the beginning...

Well, I've always had it in the back of my mind to start a blog...no that's a lie. I've never thought of the starting process, just somewhat of the finished product. But maybe that makes sense since my top strength is Futuristic. Now the Activator in me is taking charge! So let's get started shall we?

Just a few months ago I traveled here to Nashville to help out with a benefit concert for a friend, Emmett, who is battling Esophageal Cancer. And just a shy 6 months later, here I am, a Tennessee resident for 2 months!

The dream started over 5 years ago when I had the opportunity to serve as a concert merch volunteer at Cornerstone Fellowship. From the beginning, I knew that I had a passion for selling merch. I loved the atmosphere and the interactions with the fans, band members, and other individuals who I worked along side. However, I never knew that it would be more than just a dream. So ever since that first visit in August of 2010, I knew that God had much bigger plans than I could ever dream up. Now after 2 separate visits to TN, a ton of support from friends & family, and a faith in the God that holds the universe, I'm home in Tennessee!

With doors continually opening and closing, this is simply the beginning of it all!

"I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you."
{Psalm 32:8}