Seasons of Growing

When I was a little girl, my goal in life was to be happy.  But what does being happy mean?  Does it mean getting your own way all the time? Does it mean having a fancy car, or a large house?  Does it mean having the job that you've always dreamt of?  As a child I correlated happiness with smiles and laughter - who wouldn't? Children are literal thinkers. It's hard to be happy unless there is something tangible right in front of you.

As I became an adult the description of being happy changed. It certainly didn't change over night, that's for sure! There were several, several seasons of learning and growing that had to take place in order for me to know what true happiness was.

The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:1 "A Time for Everything -  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."  The Bible also says in Peter 3:18 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."  To me, these verses say there is a season for everything and while your going through those seasons, you need to grow in the Lord Jesus Christ.  

So, that's what I've been doing; learning and growing in him, through the seasons. Absorbing as much knowledge as possible, like a dry sponge thirsting for water. Except I'm not thirsting water, I'm thirsting him.  Matthew 5:6 says “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

But one thing is true, life is hard - really, really hard!  Sometimes people have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning.  Some people have a fear of going to their day job and getting that project done by it's due date. Some yet yearn to have a baby, or hope their child can get through the bullying they're experiencing at school. Face it, life is difficult!  But, it can be bearable if we guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 states "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  So, basically we need to not worry, pray about it, be thankful, and God will give our minds and hearts peace! This is great news, we don't have to go through this hard life alone! How great is that?!

So, what is my description of being happy?  It's love!  The love God has for me and I for him, my relationship with Jesus Christ, my beautiful family, and my wonderful friends.  It's a feeling of self gratification when I help others. The bible says in Luke 10:27 "And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."  So, happiness is not a car, a house, a fancy job, money, or having everything we ever wanted. No, it's so much more - it's LOVE that can never, ever be bought!

Even during the trials and tribulations of life, knowing that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have our lives all under control, is beyond comforting! He's got us in the palm of his hand!

I leave you with with this last verse - John 10:27-30 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

May you gladly endure your own seasons of growing - God bless!

Welcome!

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Welcome to my blog!

Quite a few years ago I became a Christian.  Looking back I realize it was at a designed time, according to God's plan.  Boy am I am truly grateful that I did, as I was not aware of the trials and tribulations that stood before me at that time - do we ever?  I felt I had already endured so much in my short years growing up, how could I possibly endure more!  What I didn't realize at the time - he was establishing my path to prosper me, not to harm me, to give me hope and a future.  He is doing this for each and every one of us.  It's a gift given to us by our Creator, our heavenly Father.  How great is that?!  

I still remember the first time I stepped into that little church with so many unfamiliar faces.  They were all friendly, kind people who I felt were all staring at me.  Of course they weren't but I felt my sin was written across my face for all to see.  I still feel that way sometimes - it's called being human! Sometimes, I can easily get into a state of self pity and feel sorry for myself for awhile.  When I do, I have to be aware that the devil loves this and wants me to remain in that place.  Spiritual warfare is all around us.  Being cognitive of it and resisting it is a daily task for me.  I would guess this to be true for many Christians.  

So, when I feel like this I have to pray.  I am a visual prayer.  I have to imagine things.  It's like a movie playing in my mind.  I visualize myself packaging up my sin or anxiety in a beautiful box and handing it to our Creator.  He's magnificently beautiful; all white, with long hair and a long beard, white as freshly fallen snow.  He wears a white robe and is tall and large as the oldest redwood tree in the Redwood forest.  After all, he holds the whole word in the palm of his hand!  My package is usually wrapped in shiny silver paper with a red bow wrapped around it.  I can imagine handing it to him and asking him to take away my guilt, shame and anxiety.  He is always smiling with the brightest red lips and eyes that make you think of the bluest ocean imaginable.  He is so kind and loving, taking my sin and forgiving me.  After that I imagine sitting on his lap or at his feet.  He is huge; so, I take up a spec of space.  I continue my prayer asking him to help me sin no more and to find peace.  Although at times, I feel I may do this over and over again, eventually I am able to give him my sin.

Sometimes, my guilt will linger like a black cloud.  So I pretend that God is throwing all of my guilt and sin into the ocean. The Bible says in Micah 7:18-19 "...He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.  He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot.  You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."  How cool is that?! Isn't it ironic (or part of his design) that scientists have not been able to get to the deepest part of the sea?! I find much comfort in knowing that my sins are long gone.

I am so grateful to the one who made this possible, the miraculous Jesus Christ, son of God! The Bible says in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world. that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."  Jesus Christ, came to this earth to live a sinless life and died on the cross; so, that when God looks at us, he sees nothing but wonderfulness and beauty through Jesus!  I for one am truly grateful for this gift!  He died on the cross so we could have a relationship with our Creator!  Not to mention, we get to have eternal life - to me, that is just awesome!  No words on earth could describe my joy for this gift!  The Bible says in Hebrews 8:12 "For I will be merciful towards their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more. 

WOW!!!!!  So even though I hold on to my sin, God's already forgiven me because of Jesus and I have eternal life!  It doesn't get any better than that!  This gift is for everyone too - not just me.  Again - AWESOME!! 

I am grateful that I walked into that little church and endured a lot of growing pains in my walk.  For if I didn't I wouldn't have been given the idea to start this blog.  I started this blog to share my journey.  My journey that I have in faith, hope, and love.  My hope is that out of my experiences, you will be able to have a journey of your own or to give you hope in your already existing journey.