New Year Revelation

Recently I conversed with my pastor for a brief moment in which he reminded me of how far I have come from the journey I have endured. This morning I recalled our encounter. 

Over the past 24 years, I have felt small, lonely, unloved, forgotten, ashamed, broken, ugly, and different. Despite what I have gone through and the experiences I have had, I am not that person anymore. I have experienced life. Here are a few truths I have discovered. 

I am healed and made whole.

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. 

Isaiah 58:12

I am made new because Jesus came and gave me life.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 

2 Corinthians 5:17

I am chosen.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a hold nation, a people belonging to God. 

1 Peter 2:9

He is for me.

If God is for us, who can be against us. 

Romans 8:31

I can do good.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. 

Ephesians 2:10

I am not of this world.
I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world and more than I am of the world. 
John 17:14

I am loved.

For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, 

not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you. 

2 Corinthians 2:4

He has won.

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. 

For the Lord is a God of justice. 

Isaiah 30:18

Be encouraged, dear ones, to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. Ephesians 3:18-19

365 days.

Wow. I almost feel like this post is similar to a January 1st New Year's Resolution. Luckily, it's not because this is something I don't think many people have done or been able to stick with for a whole year.

I have spent the last 365 days finding different ways I am thankful. While most of them have been about people, we have so much to be thankful for, even the little things that occur in our every day routines. It has definitely been one of the more challenging and rewarding things I have ever done in my life.

Through this experience I have realized that we have more things to be thankful for than we can count. I quickly learned that the 30 days of Thankfulness in November, where this all began, wasn't long enough for all the blessings I have. Not that 365 days is either but it definitely allowed me to become more aware and to "count my blessings".  

In my final year of college, God used this project to prepare me for overseas. Often times we only think about our material possessions when we are thankful. Third world countries don't have these luxuries so their blessings look a lot different than ours. When I reflected on my days, I really tried to find non-physical things that I had discussed with someone that day or thought about unlike days prior. It definitely took some work on my part to seek out unique things that we don't usually recognize.

Honestly, there is something every minute of every day to be thankful for. We have life and love, what else do you need? I've heard the saying "What if we only wake up with the things we thanked God for yesterday?" We'd never be able to sleep! Here's my challenge to you, whether you make it public or not, every day seek out that one thing that made today different than your normal routine. Be it good or bad, thank Jesus for it.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances; 

 for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

This is our life and we have so much to thank God for all He has given us. I cannot believe this year of public thankfulness has come to an end. Thank you for all your encouragement along the way because God used it to keep me going and pushing forward to complete the whole year. Here I am, a college graduate, living at home, almost 24, but these things don't have to define me because Jesus is so much greater than our human identities.

Iron sharpens iron.

This weekend I have been able to get away from my "regular" life to turn my focus onto other things that I usually don't stop to think about. It hasn't been what I expected or anything short of a simple life transformation but what I'm learning is that I need to be made new in my character and the way it reflects the Father's love. I often use sarcasm as a way of humor with truths that I struggle verbalizing in plain conversation. It tends to be hurtful and something that I don't think about until it's been pointed out. While this is a good realization to have, it's a hard one to accept and do anything about to bring change. 

My prayer is for you all to be able to refocus, somehow, in whatever that looks like for you, if it's what you need. It'll be life changing. In my case, thankfully, I have found someone who can be a mirror for me as iron sharpens iron. It's a blessing and something I don't thank God enough for. 

My future career.

          My has it been a long time since I have posted an update on my life. 

Wow where to begin. 

Well it has only been about a month and a half since graduation 

and I have been enjoying life so much! 

          

Mostly I've been working on campus at the Teaching Research Institute. I got the job back in December and I am in awe of how much of a blessing it is. I get to work with amazing people who care about me as a person, what I think and are curious about where I am going in life. Now this last part would make things so much easier if I spent more time hearing from the Lord and researching where I would like to go.

Not everything in life is go, go, go. Sometimes you need to wait on the Lord about the plans He has but I think this time in my life is to be spent blazing my own trail and trusting that He will guide me. Many people have been asking, what kind of career I am going to pursue with my degree and I usually respond, "Oh I'd like to travel". They kindly say back, "Oh yes travel while you're young". But the difference between them and me is traveling and international missions will be my career. Maybe that's how I should respond, "Missions". Hmmm, all I know is the Lord has something for me 

out there that cannot be obtained in here. 

I feel as thought I would suffocate were I to stay in Monmouth, Oregon, the United States because, for the most part, our way of living is similar across the board. Achieving "the American Dream" and being content with an 8-5 job five days a week. Not me. Maybe when I'm older I would settle down here but I don't see that happening for a long time coming. My heart is out there where the rest of the world resides. Enjoying simpler things like truly trusting that the Lord is going to provide for all my needs living of little and having peace about all of it. There is so much to be learned from the rest of the world and I feel as though it's all at my fingertips, just waiting to be "chosen". 

But where to choose?

 

This is about as much of an update as I have for you. 

Like I said, I need to be focusing my attention on researching countries and hearing from the Lord before I can say my future career because it's out there in some country. 

(Wouldn't it be cool to see all the countries?)

Challenge accepted that He will be guiding my feet while I blaze a new trail. The world awaits! For now, I will leave you with these Proverbs found in chapter 16...

v.3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

v.9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

"There are some people who are totally unemployable in the spiritual realm. They are spiritually feeble and weak, and they refuse to do anything unless they are supernaturally inspired. One of the worst traps a Christian worker can fall into is to become obsessed with his own exceptional moments of inspiration. Those times are entirely the gift of God. If you make a god out of your best moments, you will find that God will fade out of your life." -My utmost for His Highest

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:2, 5 NIV)

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11 NIV)