God's plan is worth it.

Hello readers!

   I know I promised updates before school began but it didn't happen and I apologize. But here is something that I have been praying about the last few weeks since my last post. Is the struggle worth it?  When God gives shows you His plan, it requires effort and sacrifice on our part to follow it through. But here’s what God has shown me: all the effort is worth it.

Every minute of lost sleep is worth it.

Every ounce of energy is worth it.

The time you sacrifice with friends and family is worth it.

The hours of prayer over that thing is worth it.

Every minute you have to force yourself to spend working on that God-given purpose is worth it.

Drinking so much coffee that you don’t ever think you’ll sleep again is worth it.

Giving up your time is worth it.

   How many characters in the Bible had to press forward to follow God's purpose? They had to persevere, keep going, making sacrifices, live through the ridicule, etc. But, they knew that following God was the plan. Jesus told us "Do not be afraid; only believe." (Mark 5:36b, NKJV)

   When God shows you “the thing” that He has for you, do not let fear hold you back because you find that there is a deep set drive and passion within you that you cannot ignore. It’s the thing that forces you to stay up late. It’s the thing that your mind constantly returns to in the middle of the day. It’s the thing that you cry out to God about. It’s the thing that takes precedent over yourself. 

And it is worth it.

~Abby

Grateful.

Hello readers!

     Can you believe the summer is almost over?! Classes start for me next week and I have mixed emotions... but I have a few more posts planned before they start  and I plan on updating as I can! But the main purpose of this post was to say thank you.

     This summer, I've been attempting to follow the Lord's leading in regards to this blog, and this included taking the time to actually write down things that He laid on my heart. The response has been small, but God has been constantly showing me that it's not the number of reads, but the people behind those reads. If even one person has been blessed or encouraged just once, then I am doing the right thing.

     Which brings me to my point... the last post, which you can read here, was read over 100 times! That was not my doing, nor Kristen's (read the post if you haven't already!). It was a simple trust that God would use those words for His glory. Are the reads nice? Absolutely! But that's not the point. Like I said before, the purpose of this blog is never to put the focus on me or what I say, but rather to point others to Christ. 

     I read something recently that said "Be obsessively grateful." So that's what I'm doing today. I am thankful for my readers, no matter how few or how many. I am thankful for the support I have received in regards to both this and many other projects in my life from family and friends. I am thankful that God allows me to use this little corner to bring glory to His kingdom. 

     What are you grateful for today?

Blessings, 

~ Abby

Allowing Change

   What makes someone a "great Christian?" Think of someone you would consider a great example of Christ. Do they have any combination of the following characteristics:

loving

wise

patient

gentle

open-hearted

willing

humble

caring

dependable

kind

discrete

truthful

available

sincere

gentle

generous

   Do you think that the person you're thinking of achieved all or some of those characteristics overnight? Absolutely not. We receive Christ in a moment when we accept His forgiveness. He begins to immediately work on those things in our hearts that do not reflect Him, but it requires a little effort on our part. We do not become a "great Christian" without sacrificing things in our lives and striving for that Christ-centered life.

   In Romans 12, we are called to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." (v. 1, NKJV) which includes our minds and our hearts, not just our physical bodies. Christ works in our minds and hearts, making them holy and acceptable like Himself. If the Creator of the universe sent His Son to save this group of dirty, sinful people, shouldn't we give our lives back to Him? God is waiting for us to turn to Him and say "Take what is holding me back from giving You my all. Change me completely." Jesus has a beautiful and fulfilling gift of a life with Him, but we have to accept it and the changes it will make in us.

   So... change scares me to a certain extent. I like having a plan, being organized, knowing what's coming up next so when one day (fairly recently, by the way), I felt the Lord telling me that He was changing me, I kind of freaked out a little bit. He wanted to redo me to become more and more like Him but I would have to allow Him to have that control, not knowing what was coming up next. It terrified me, but... I knew I had to: there was a deep, burning desire within me. I was scared, almost petrified. But I realized that if I wanted to be a "great" Christian, it would take a great sacrifice. So I told the Lord "Yes, change me. Go ahead. Take control and begin to change me to be more like You."

Best. Decision. Ever. 

   Yes, it's terrifying. Yes, it seems uncertain. Yes, I don't understand. Yes, I still struggle. But it's fine... God's got me, my family, my friends, my future, etc. Sure the change is still scary and different, but in so many good ways. I'm still me, but I am becoming a more Christ-like version of me. He has placed within me this incredible desire for more of Himself within my soul. When I first began to notice a difference, it almost blew me away. There is a satisfaction and peace in Him that I am finding. I want to read my Bible more. I want to pray for people daily. I want to encourage others and spread His love more than ever. Any opportunities He gives, I want to take, even if they scare the living daylights out of me.

   Nothing in this world can compare to the incredible life in Jesus. Anything this world offers cannot compare to that moment when you realize Christ is all you ever want. You may still love those things and talk about them, but they don't hold a piece of your heart anymore... that's where only Jesus resides. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2 (NKJV).

   But......

   It would be so easy to let this all slip away. God is never going to let me go, but I could easily let go of Him. There are so many opportunities daily to turn away from this Christian walk and follow the world. I'm not talking about just the larger things, like turning away from our faith and denying Christ. This includes even the small things: role models, types of music, movies/TV shows, daily conversations, things we read, etc. The littlest things make the greatest impacts and those are the things that the devil uses to turn us slowly away from our walks with Christ.

   I'm not telling you to become a hermit and live in silence away from the world, but we have to work at this - if we neglect this gift of life in Christ, it will disappear. Our "Jesus-ness" will fade from our lives. It's like when you spend a lot of time with someone, you begin to pick up on their characteristics. I have a few friends like this: after talking with my one friend who lives down south, I always start to say "ya'll" and everyone knows who I was talking to recently. It's the same with Christ. We ask Him to change us and make our lives more pleasing to Him, but if we don't work at it, it will not last. It requires a sacrifice of time and energy on our parts. It takes work. The reward is worth every moment of effort.

   Look again at the list of characteristics at the beginning of this post. Do you need help with one of the in particular? Do you need all of them? You're in good company. No one possesses every single one, but that's why we need God to continually remake us.

   Lord, change me. Make me more Christ-like. Show me the rewards of the sacrifice. Give a me a deep desire to strive after a life with You.

Blessings,
~Abby

Spirit of the Living God, 

Fall fresh on me. 

Spirit of the Living God, 

Fall fresh on me. 

Melt me, mold me, 

Fill me, use me.

Spirit of the Living God,

Fall fresh on me.

- D. Iverson & L. Alexander, 1997

PS - I apologize for the lack of updates. I was wrapping up a semester by the end of February, then March was ridiculous with work. I will try to update a bit in April. I cannot promise anything as I am starting a new semester tomorrow (actually today), but I will try! 

Busy & Blessed

     It's the most hectic, crazy time right now and not just because of the Christmas season... I realized that when people ask me how I am, I always say busy. I've been saying "Good, busy, you?" for probably the last five years of my life. Maybe it's the just this time in my life, between being involved at church, college, trying to have a little bit of social life, and everything else. Honestly, I'm one of those people who need to be busy because otherwise I am incredibly lazy. So yes, while it's exhausting, I don't think I could not be busy. But that's when this passage comes in as a great encouragement:

Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. ~ Galatians 6:6-10

     While I do not always want to be this busy, maybe this is God telling me that while I can, I need to use this time for Him. Yes, I get stressed out over it all at times, but honestly since I have been listening to the Lord's voice more and more over the lat few months, the busyness and stress has a point. It's not just me making myself crazy. I have this time and I have to use it wisely.

~ Abby

2013!

Greetings! We are already into the second month of 2013! I feel like so much has happened since I last posted!

The new year started out well- friends and family all around! My work schedule has changed very much with lots of different hours. Sometimes it's hard for me to remember where I am supposed to be on that particular day and time! But such is the life of a young adult.

In regards to school- I passed my science DSST test (Environment and Humanity) at the end of January! I would have like a slightly higher score, but I passed and so I was not going to complain at all! God is so good. That test was a breaking point for me. I'll explain later on.

I have now started American Literature. I had taken this test over a year ago, but I needed to pick another test to begin studying and this one looked, once again, fascinating. I have recently fallen back into reading again. I know! I have always loved reading, but life gets in the way and I forgot the feeling of sitting up late at night, curled under the covers with a good book! I am currently reading six (!) different books right now! Some of them are Jane Eyre, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Sons and Lovers, and The Beechers. Some of these I have read but I forgot how good they are. And besides all of this, there is nothing like the smell of a book.

In other news, I have made some important decisions. I am studying Journalism in the hopes of working for a magazine or newspaper. Television isn't my thing. But I will, ultimately, become a writer. It's always been something I like to do. But, quite honestly, I need to write. I don't want to write sometimes, but I force myself because if I don't, I feel like I'm suffocating. I'm drowning. It's my "therapy" if you will.

Okay, enough about that. Aside from my two jobs, church, school, and other miscellaneous things, I've been busy this year so far! But it's been a good busy. I am looking forward to new things, new experiences, starting new friendships, etc, this year! (I'm also giving the blog a "facelift.")

Blessings in 2013!
Abby

Random thoughts...

        I wrote this on the train on Wednesday night but I had no way to post it. I hope you enjoy and I will be posting something about my trip, with some pictures, once I can!

 

          Today on the train going home, I saw two clouds. One was a vibrant, bright, and rich orange color, from the opposite sunset. Quite close to it was a dark, stormy, dreary cloud. They both had these pieces, ends if you will, that almost touched. It looked as if two fingers were reaching, stretching to touch. It reminded me of that beautiful painting on the Sistine Chapel in Italy; perhaps you know about what I’m speaking about. In this unforgettable painting on the ceiling, there is one scene that, I consider the most cherished and valued. God is extending His arm, His fingers trying to seize ours. The man, however, is not so eager: his arm is slightly up and reaching, but not as desperate; he doesn’t see it as precious, what he could have.

           I recalled from this simple illustration how the Lord desires to have a relationship with us as His children and also, of how many times we have neglected and ignored His pleas to become closer. The Lord continues to reach out to us even if we ignore Him and His calling. May we become more sensitive to His calling in our lives, and strive to accomplish what He desires us to. 

See you soon!

~Abby