Journaling

Get Away and Draw Near

bible, christian, Christian lifestyle, encouragement, lifestyle

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you...“

– James 4:8 (ESV)

The story of Jeremiah is quite a sad one when you dive deep into it. Jeremiah, a prophet of God, spent forty years desperately trying to save his fellow Israelites from the judgement coming. But they would not listen. He spoke with the authority of a messenger of God and even then, it was not enough to persuade the Israelites to give him any attention. Why were they so resistant? Well, the Israelites had an idolatry problem. Yes, the same Israelites who were lead through the wilderness seemingly forgot about the glorious God who freed them and traded Him in for countless other random deities. Appalling and heartbreaking, am I right?

Oh but wait. Giving one’s attention and heart to something besides God actually sounds oddly familiar. Maybe it’s your phone. Or your job. Or your friends and family. Whatever it is, I am sure you can pinpoint an area of your life that you have become slightly obsessive about. Though, the tricky thing about that is how easy and un-sinful it can look.

Hanging out with friends is not a sin, rather it is encouraged. It is how you spread God’s love. Being on your phone or social media is no crime either. It is a great way to stay connected with others and share your life with people too far to see often. And working has been a thing since Adam and Eve. God called them to tend the land since their creation. So what makes these activities dangerous, and really anything else capable of stealing your attention, is that they can so easily become an idol in the mask of a blessing. One of the greatest ways I have seen God’s goodness is in the stories of those around me. But that does not mean they ought to take the place of the one giving the blessing.

Much like the Israelites, we can get so captivated in the blessings God gave us that we make them our idols. In their case it was the beautiful land of prosperity that started it all. But instead of depending on some old prophet like Jeremiah to whip us back into shape, we have the privilege of the Bible at our finger tips.

Just yesterday I spent a few hours at a park in hopes to get away from the crowd and business of school and to honestly just soak in the presence of God. After getting sprinkled on by the rain, I was forced to move my settling under a tree. I never sit under trees because of my fear of spiders jumping on my head. So in order to make the best of it, I laid down and stared at the branches above. At first, I did this with the intent of being prepared to run the moment I catch a glimpse of one of those disgusting eight legged creatures. But as I leaned back and was listening to worship music, I realized how cool the tree looked from underneath.

The branches intertwined in a messy, yet beautiful and supportive way. They provided the perfect formation to hold one another up while producing a fantastic shelter from the rain around me. And then it hit me.

Not a branch, but a good word from the Lord.

Those branches went in a million different directions, but when the time came, they fulfilled the purpose of producing shade and shelter. It was a mess, made perfect by it’s creator. The tree, with respect to the authority of God, allowed it’s every move to be obedient and available for whatever use God had intended for it.

Very often I find myself in the same situation as this tree. Crazy, going a million different ways, uncertain of where each branch of life will end up. But there is a difference between us. The tree submits every part of itself to God’s direction, and I sadly, do not. Instead of seeing scripture as my modern day Jeremiah, promoting a lifestyle centered on worshipping God alone, I take the blessing God gives me, and like the Israelites, I turn away and watch as my life branches out in a terrible mess following the unstable pursuits of my fleshly heart instead the wise provision of God.

And I realized in that moment, the longer I live a life idolizing those things around me, when the time comes for God to use me like He used this tree for a perfect shelter, I will not be ready. My branches will be too far to block the rain or shield the sun.

So my dear friend. Will you get away from the world promoting idolatry like the Israelites, trading your glorious God for temporary things, and will you instead, draw near to God so He can reveal the beauty He wants to make with your life? Please do not wait for a Jeremiah to convict you. Get away and draw near.

Ruthless Faith

bible, christian, Christian lifestyle, encouragement, lifestyle

As I sit in this middle row seat of a plane and stare out into the night sky after a two-day conference that I thought would make me feel exhausted from being rushed and packed to the brim with the late night and early morning schedule, I find myself in the completely opposite position. I feel relaxed, restored, and refilled. Don’t get me wrong, I was expecting to be filled by the Christian speakers, but the filling I thought I’d receive was more knowledge and discipline based versus the wisdom and…conviction, yes, but also encouraged fullness I feel now.

How interesting that slow is so foreign to me. As I sat at the conference and watched the “quick thirty minute break” become more like a forty five minute intermission, I realized that when there is fruit being produced, like there was in the deep conversations being had between the hundreds of sisters in Christ, rush and hurry becomes so distasteful. Yet it was how I lived out almost every one of my days.

It is in this moment that I realize what it may take to not just decently defend, but to attack and overcome the lies of the enemy.

Ruthless faith.

Scripture tells us that’s the devil watches and prowls around us like a vicious lion staring at little Bambi after a hot summer day and a growling stomach. So if the enemy tempts, plans against, and attacks us ruthlessly, is the only way to claim victory to be ruthless back?

In Exodus 3, God gives directions to the Israelites on how to literally “plunder” the Egyptians. Sounds pretty ruthless to me, but if it’s from God, we should consider why it was necessary.

The Egyptians were initially living right beside the Israelites without an issue. That was until they began growing (aka. fulfilling Gods promise of becoming as numerous as the stars). When the Egyptians realized the power of the Israelites numbers, they began enslaving them. Hmm. Sound familiar?

When we begin pursuing God’s will in our lives, it is not uncommon that we also begin facing some pretty harsh attacks from the enemy. And sometimes, he will do it in the most subtle ways possible. It starts with a busier schedule, a sickness, or maybe a big fork in the road with no clear direction. Whatever it may be, it is intended to distract you from God.

So how exactly does God guide the Israelites to respond to such a ruthless attack? Well, as we see in verse 22, He calls them to plunder. But not in the way you may be thinking.

When God says “so you shall plunder the Egyptians”, He first says, that because of the hardship their enemy will give them, He will stretch His hand over them and drop some miraculous wonders. So if this was in a step order; step one is to step back, listen, and watch God as you invite Him into your circumstance.

Once He claimed to take the first action, He promises redemption and provision in verses 19-20. So here’s your second step; pursue a confidence in God’s faithfulness through reading His word, praying, and replacing your doubts with His truth. You cannot have faith in the promises you never read about.

And the last thing God says to do in order to plunder the enemy is to walk out in faith. He calls the Israelite women to wholeheartedly trust that He has brought compassion into the Egyptians hearts and because of that, He tells them to boldly ask those Egyptians; not for water or something understandable like some new sandals for the trek their about to make. Nope. God tells them to ask for silver, gold, and clothing. Crazy, I know. But there’s your last step; walk boldly in the promise of God, even when it seems insane and unlikely to lead to success.

That my dear friends is how you ruthlessly plunder the enemy. Empty yourself in humility and replace your doubt, anxiety, loneliness, depression, pride, and fear with a confidence in Christ. Listen intently, wait on your cue, build up a truth-centered faith, and walk confidently in the faithfulness of your all-loving God.

If there’s anything I learned on this trip, it is how easy we let the enemy fill our lives with distraction after distraction in the mask of productivity. I experienced fruit during the slow…something I was always taught was impossible. Now I can never look at my days the same after getting a glimpse of freedom.

How bad do you want to live in the way God intended you to? Be ruthless, but ruthlessly biblical.

Freed From The Lie Of Comfort – Stopping Fear from Being Your God

christian, Christian lifestyle, encouragement, lifestyle

 “And Deborah said to Barak, ‘Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?'”

Judges 4:14

Debora was a prophetess and judge in the Old Testament. One day, she confronted a man named Barak, asking why he has yet to make a move after being promised victory over a battle. In response, Barak said “if you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” Deborah knew the importance of obeying God and the power that followed His promises…so she went.

This was no easy battle. During this time, the Isrealites were being pursued by a man named Sisera and his great army. But to Deborah, she was willing to get involved because of her confidence in the Lord’s faithfulness. He promised to make a way, and she had full faith in His word.

Long story short, after a miraculous battle that not one of Sisera’s men survived, Sisera took His last breath as a woman named Jael, hammered a tent peg through his temple. Graphic, I know. But if you can manage to look past the gory ending of this story, you will see three people who stepped out of their comfort zone and one amazing God who has yet to break His promises.

Barak: a man whom hesitated because of his unbelief, yet eventually stood strong against an army that logic would claim he had no chance at beating.

Deborah: a woman who believed in the promises of God and carried the burdens of her friend because of her faith in God’s guidance.

Jael: a woman whom knew the Lord’s people have been hurt and the man guilty of doing so was about to get away, so she stepped out, risking her reputation and her own safety for the sake of protecting the people of God.

More often than not, I feel as though we look at Barak, Deborah, and Jael as people with a unique bravery. As God calls us to new assignments we hesitate, move slowly, or refuse to make a move until it is forced upon us. When we find comfort in a circumstance, people, or thing, it is not common to want to give that up. I too, find myself exhausted of change, leading me to hold tightly to any breeze of comfort that passes my way. To the world, it is a beautiful thing to get to the point in your life where you can claim “you’ve made it”. But to God, that belief is the beginning of your self-imprisonment.

Last year, college was not a place I would consider joyful or beneficial. I struggled a lot with making friends, finding jobs related to my major, and building connections with teachers. So as this summer went along, I was convinced this year would be exactly like the last. As the days got closer to moving back on campus, I began to tell myself, “expect nothing different. This is just the life of an introvert.” But oh boy, was that a lie from the ruthless pit of hell.

Reading into stories like this one in Judges, God has begun to show me what it means to truly be free. Spoiler alert: it is found far beyond the walls of your comfort zone. We serve a God of new beginnings. What that means is that we no longer have to rely on the things of this world to bring us identity or security. God promises to be by our side in any and every circumstance. When we decide to become a child of God, a new seed is planted in us.

So this week I aimed to make things different. Waking up at seven o’clock in the morning to read my Bible before my day starts was not easy or comfy, but I wanted the discipline it produced. Going to my teacher after class and asking to meet for coffee and talk about how God lead her to where she is now nearly made me sick, but I wanted to know the peace and joy she gained over her career that sounds a lot like my dream. And accepting invites to hangout with a bunch of people I barely knew made my little introverted heart extremely terrified, but I wanted the to know the love and community God says is found in fellowship with others.

Was I tired of doing things alone most of the last few months? Not really. But I was a little tired of not seeing much fruit for God being produced. My comfort in the countless days alone gave me the idea that because I felt “good”, I didn’t need to change. But that is not how God calls us to live life.

The people in the story mentioned before stepped out in different ways. But what I want to focus in on is that they stepped out in ways that were unlike their norm for the purpose of bringing God glory.

It is not always easy to want to make a change in your life when the waters finally feel settled. But I think about the way God calls us to be anything but lukewarm in our faith. The moment we begin believing our life is “good enough” is the moment we stop expecting God to do wonders. It is only through stepping out in confidence of His power to remain unpredictable that we are truly available.

The last thing I want to live like is someone who thinks life is really about themselves. Although I am not a huge fan of change, it wasn’t until I forced myself to remember God’s promises and desire for obedience that I could walk through the muddy pit of fearing discomfort. In my living room reading just after sunrise, in class, and with friends, I pushed myself to do the unpredictable with an expectancy for God to do the same. Not because I think I deserve it, but because I know He already took care of my future and the only way I can live out His plans to the fullest is by living boldly with that trust.

Believe me. I know it is not easy to step out of your comfort zone. But as a witness to the goodness and faithfulness of our ever-present Father…there is no way I would ever want to go back to being surrounded by the walls built out of the lies of comfort.

So if you want to experience…

the blessing of being a blessing then serve others. Take the first step in building new friendships.

the confidence in your identity then lean into who God says you are through the renewing of your thoughts AND your actions.

the wisdom of God then reach out and find mentors, therapists, counselors, etc. and be consistent in that relationship.

discipline for God then force your actions to reflect that desire in your heart to obey those Christ-centered goals.

Freedom is what is found at the end of your comfort zone. Do not underestimate the wonders of the God. He is the same God who claimed victory over Sisera through Deborah, Jael, and Barak. Do not wait for a Deborah to confront you about your stillness. God made promise after promise to you about joy, hope, salvation, love, peace, etc. Until we become truly available to the endless possibilities God could do through us, we will always be tied down by the manipulative chains of “comfort”.

God’s Beautiful Symphony – Wait On Your Cue

Christian lifestyle, encouragement, lifestyle, Worship

“He has made My mouth like a sharp sword,
In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me;
And He has also made Me a select arrow,
He has hidden Me in His quiver.”

Isaiah 49:2

I read this verse the other day in my devotional and I thought it was pretty cool. But it wasn’t until I watched the sunrise the next morning, that it really hit me.

The context of this verse is Isaiah prophesying the word of the coming Messiah, aka Jesus. So yes, technically this verse is not about us, however, as I read in my devotional, I was able to see how we too can have this same mindset when it comes to our unique purpose.

It is clear that we all have different plans in life based on our different aspirations, circumstances, and interests. But have you ever wondered if you got to the field too late? Like there are already so many talented people doing the same thing you thought God “called” you to? And maybe God no longer has a need for you to enter the game? Yeah, well same.

But then there was the sunrise. As I sat in that sand, still rubbing the tired out of my sleepy eyes, I finally saw it. I saw this verse come to life right before me as I watched God’s beautifully orchestrated creation take turns in doing what God called them to do.

The waves were calm, barely crashing as the horizon began to light up. As a bright light filled the background of the light blue sky, the clouds began spreading out, making their glorious appearance from the edge of the sea stretching out to the top of the sky like a flower blooming ever so gently. And just as the sky began getting brighter, the clouds parted and made way for the rising sun. As it subtly moved higher and higher, it began lighting up the water, clouds, and awestruck faces of those watching it. And just when it seemingly reached a resting spot, the waves began their roaring as the light glistened off its surface.

And just like that, all of creation was working in unison to glorify God in their own unique ways. Each one, waiting for their cue from their creator and once directed to go, they held nothing back.

Far too often I see christian’s viewing one another as competition. And sadly, I catch myself doing the same as my doubt in a future of writing overwhelms me the moment I see another faith-based author rising in the ranks. But God tells us that we were each uniquely designed for His glorious plans that He created before Adam’s first breath.

So my dear friend. As we replicate the life of Christ and share His love to the world, we ought to replicate His mindset as well. Jesus was confident in who and what God called Him to be and do. But He was also humble in His waiting. He did not allow the waiting to make Him weary. Instead, He used that time to ensure He was prepared as an arrow available for its archer.

We see it in the life of Jesus. We see it in the beauty of creation. And we ought to strive to see it in ourselves. Humility in knowing our place, but confidence in knowing our God and His perfect timing.

If the waves roared, the sun rose, the wind blew strong, while the clouds covered the entire sky all at the same time, it would be quite chaotic. The waves would distract the watchers from the rising sun behind it. The wind would throw sand around in a messy manner. And the clouds would cover the sun trying to push through their thick and fluffy bodies. It would begin to look more like a hurricane than a sweet sunrise.

When we try to rush God’s cue for us, the beautiful symphony He is orchestrating will turn into a hectic disaster and result in only our hurt.

You are loved beyond measure. And if God cares enough to organize the plans of the clouds, waves, and sun, then He most certainly cares enough to organize the plans for your life. Like Jesus, you too have a unique purpose that God prepared before time began. It may not be to save the world like Christ, but it is definitely important enough to wait on His guidance.

Let the Lord be your director when everything around you seems to be questionable. Rest in His quiver that He so delicately hides you in as you are being prepared for your mission.

Just a Glimpse – Making Every Bit of God’s Presence Count

Christian lifestyle, encouragement, lifestyle

“Open the Heavens, fling wide the gates now
Unleash Your presence, pour out Your grace
Oh, show me Your glory, the power of Your love
‘Cause even a glimpse is more than enough for me”

– “Things of Heaven” by Red Rocks Worship

This past year I could have really benefited from some big miracles. I struggled in nearly every area of my life to the point where I believed the only way for God to turn things for good would be through a massive, unpredictable miracle. One that was so special and powerful that it would turn my life around 180 degrees. But that didn’t happen.

I suffered financially, emotionally, with anxiety, in friendships, in school, and with a heavy hopeless heart. I never doubted God’s goodness, but I did question if I messed up too far for Him to still care. It was tough.

Eventually, that sense of hopelessness flooded my mind whenever the idea of moving back to school came up. Another change. It was the last thing I wanted after finally beginning to feel a sense of contentment with my sorrow. But the move was inevitable.

So there I was two weeks before school began. Sitting on my bed, in awe of the lyrics posted above that gently hit my heart.

“…even a glimpse is more than enough…”

It was then that things began to click. For so long I was aggravated no huge miracle was happening. I wanted a change that would create in me a joyful heart. I wanted to be able to think about school and making friends with a smile on my face instead of being anxious about all that could go wrong.

But one thing I did not consider was that yes, God is a God of wonders and amazing miracles that could wow the whole world, but that does not always mean that miracles have to be huge. They can be just as amazing, if not more, when they are small and only revealed to yourself. Why? Because a miracle is a glimpse of the power and beauty of our God. It is a glimpse of the abundant love He longs for us to experience.

Sadly it took me months to realize that. But after hearing this song, I still had a hard time seeing where exactly God’s hand was currently moving. So I prayed. I prayed those lyrics highlighted above. Recognizing that I did not fully understand what He was doing, but nevertheless, asking He would somehow show me, even just a glimpse. This prayer reminded me of His consistent goodness while remaining honest in my confusion.

I think it can be so easy to forget God’s way of working because we compare ourselves to those around us. We seek the same blessings that our neighbor gets even though we don’t have the same purpose. God designed each one of us with a unique and individual future. We are designed to use each and every gift and talent for the glory of God. And dear friend, that may look very different than the people around you, and that is okay.

After days of praying this prayer, I started to become aware of how every little thing has God’s hand in it because my life as a whole rests in His palm. The people I was assigned to dorm with this year was arranged by God. The new major I am starting this semester is taught by professors who are madly in love with Jesus. The fact that I am unemployed gives me so much time to be available for whatever God calls me to. The city I live in is filled with people who I do not know, which opens doors for new friendships and the blessing of being a blessing to others. God’s hand is undoubtedly in every area of my life. What a joy that is.

I spent so long trying to either get out of this season or find contentment with living everyday in sorrow. But I am beyond grateful that I stumbled across this song. There is such a beauty and privilege we get as children of God. He is like a Father, seeking only the best for us. Sometimes that means being disciplined or enduring hardships to build an unshakable confidence in His faithfulness.

I wish I could have seen God’s hand giving me glimpse after glimpse of Himself in the last few months. But what a blessing it is to now realize how much power even the smallest miracle can have on our life. I do not have to fear a fall that God promises to catch me from. I do not have to live in confusion and anxiety because of the good and beautiful plans He has for me.

This prayer is something that I still pray today and I encourage you to implement into you daily routine because when we make ourselves available to God, He promises to reveal Himself to us. The second verse after the famous Jeremiah 29:11 states:

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

He delights in being a part of your life. Ask Him to show you how exactly He is doing that and don’t give up until there is not one thing you name that He is not present in.