Calling, Purpose, and the Mundane

It was like God purposefully brought it all together for my good, for me to become my best. I love that I serve a God that refuses to allow me to be complacent, that wants me to be better, more content and even provides the tools that I need to get there AND ON TOP OF THAT- It is not I that changes me but Him! He does it, I need him to do it, I just follow along and love him, and seek him, and he does it!

Why am I so excited? Well, Resolution #1

"I DO SOLEMNLY RESOLVE to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it.  I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment."

Since I began this journey, which actually began 2 weeks ago, I have read through the chapters for Resolution #1 and while doing so have not been alone. I have been sharing my thoughts with my husband, spending time seeking God for guidance, and trying to make the resolution everyday in the current season of my life. I have heard God say so many things but want to narrow down what he has taught me which can all be summed up by this exerpt- blog post by Amy Carrol….

“Every diaper changed, every knee kissed, every book read, every late night listening, every dying to self, every lesson plan made, every story crafted, every presentation made, every meeting attended, every spreadsheet created, EVERY THING...

It all counted.”   

The words spoke to me like never before and for the first time, I felt so understood, so set free, so content in saying that “this is where am I and I am only here to grow into that woman that God has called me to be, to step into that calling(s) that God has placed on my life. It could all be summed up-Contentment.

I have said it before, I have not arrived. Going from being that woman of discontentment and stepping into that woman of Contentment, meekness, joy in the midst of it all will take some time…BUT, I now have something to look forward to and as I am in the seasons that are not what I would have asked for myself, I can embrace that season expecting and anticpating that it all counts. That all of it is for my good and as I change and grow, I am becoming more of who he wants me to be, stepping that much closer to carrying out the callings that he has placed on my life! So exciting! Yet, so challenging. Yet so right!

1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)- ^“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

*Encourage you to check out this blog post and do the reflect and respond located at the end.

Exerpt from Amy Carrol’s  Blog-Unfolding . Full blog can be found at - http://www.proverbs31.org/devotions/unfolding-2012-04/

The Resolution-Let's Do This!

My husband and I have been so blessed lately to bless some other couples with some great marriage strengthening resources. Before getting one particular resource for the women, I wanted to check into it myself. I never want to pass on something that I have not first experienced. So, here I was with a book by Priscilla Shirer- The Resolution for Women. I had 2 weeks (in my mind) to read it and pass it along.

YEAH RIGHT! Within the first paragraph of chapter one, I put the book down and thought to myself. Awesome, she gets me. Then I share this thought with my husband who so eloquently challenges me with a question that had me wanting to toss the book at his forehead (yeah, the conviction was that strong). Then I hear God speak to me in a way he always does-"he's right my love." Urgh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I read on and Priscilla confirms a fear of mine that I hoped would pass me along unlike it had in my family...I have a problem with being content especially in my current season. I am always looking forward to the next season, the next job, the next financial breakthrough, the next car, the next year, the next the next the next. I needed to learn to be a woman of contentment and thus RESOLUTION #1...

"I DO SOLEMNLY RESOLVE to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it.  I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment."

Over the next few weeks (there goes my goal of finishing in 2 weeks) I plan to spend time reading through each of the book's short 2-3 page chapters (there are about 3-4 per resolution) and see where it takes me. In the end, I expect to have not already arrived to that place of being that Perfect wife, mom, daughter of a King-have to be realistic here BUT I do expect/anticipate a better me-a better wife, a better mom, a better Daughter of the Most High God!

It's time to be that Courageous Woman of God that I am called to be...

The Journey Begins....

Check out the book trailer....http://www.goingbeyond.com/store/books/resolution-women

It's Time!

In scriptures it talks about Christ and what he went through in the Garden before enduring the cross, how difficult it was for him. It was so difficult that scripture tells us that he sweated blood. I don't know about you but I have surely never sweated blood. I have had my share of panic attacks back in the day but sweating blood-never! I've seen my body react to stress in negative ways-yes but never wiped blood from my brow because of what was lying ahead of me.

Have you? Have you ever gotten to the point, waiting on God and enduring so much in the wait that you began to sweat blood? Or, did you give up before you even got to that point. Threw in the towel and said, "you know what? this is too much." If we are honest, at some point or another, we each have. Big or small, some of you have threw in the towel too early, stopped praying for the person in your life that needs a relationship with Christ, gave up on a dream because the cost was too high, stopped being obedient in an area of your life because you couldn't see the purpose in it any longer (why where you still here waiting, being obedient, giving it your all and not seeing what you wanted to see come out of it just yet).

I challenge you to examine those areas in your life, those dreams deferred, that person that you prayed for so diligently one week and then just stopped slowly over time. Did you give up too soon? Were you supposed to simply reexamine what God told you intially and meditate on that? It is so much easier to throw in the towel then to face the reality of ourselves, our situation, or fears. Pick up today where you left off and remember that there was one before you that knew what it meant to go through and he is there with you giving you everything you need to get through this time.

It's time!

Happy Easter Everyone!