waiting...yet still pursuing

i have realized how crucial it is to be steadfast. to keep stepping forward. to go forward in the dreams that God has graciously put in me. to not give up even when it may take a little bit longer for them to come to fruition. 

the culture we live in continues to push us to believe that we have to have it right now. it's what i call a "microwave culture". we want whatever it is in a matter of seconds. we don't want to wait. we have become impatient in every sense. 

but to the contrary, there is a beauty behind waiting. we have to trust that what we are waiting on, will come. and even though we may have to wait, we must not give up on what we hope for. we must not give up on our dreams. visions. hopes. passions. those have to be in the very center of our waiting. they are the backbone of why we wait. 

sometimes when we have to wait on things, we tend to forget why in the world we are waiting in the first place. we then tend to gradually lose our vision. our passion. our purpose. our reason why we are where we are.

i'll be honest and tell you that the past few weeks for me have been extremely busy. and even though the things i have been a part of are all good, in the midst of it, i asked myself these quesitons: am i still pursuing my dreams? or did i get tired of waiting and give up? am i too distracted with what i am presently doing? and why am i not still actively stepping forward? where am i in the process? 

i have found that i am in the waiting process of God fulfilling the dreams He's put in me. they are clearly still a part of me. and so even though i am ready to walk through every open door, i must wait. the waiting process prepares you for things you don't know yet. it's a refining process. it's a beautiful way the Lord ask me (asks you) to trust Him even more. trust Him with every dream. every vision. every desire. every hope. every step. every moment i (or you) wait on Him to prepare me (you) for the next season of life. and as we trust Him, we must confidently take a step in that direction.

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out it's roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." 

Jeremiah 17:7-8

i have found that writing out my hopes & dreams show that they are still present & active...

• i hope to spend a significant amount time in africa this year and in the years to come. serving with others, but also loving on the precious children of God and serving the people of another culture.  (i am hoping/planning on doing exposure trips with 2 different organizations at the end of this summer!! :) )

• i hope to live among those of a 3rd world country. to immerse myself with their lives. to do life together. to learn from each other.  

• i hope to be married someday and become a mother. to raise up children to passionately follow Christ.

• i hope to be voice that God uses to encourage others. to challenge. to build up. to speak truth over.

• i hope to write a book someday. even though i don't know what all that entails, i hope to write it out and share God's story in my life, as well as be a voice for those on the other side of the world.  

questions that pull

what is your dream? not your dream job. but what do you hope for most? 

what would be impossible by human hands, but only possible with God bringing you through? 

what is your passion? what drives you? do you wish you were doing something else instead of doing what you are doing now? why aren't you there yet? 

why aren't you living out your passion - your dream?

what would mark you with significance? 

what would make the most impact on people around you? 

and what would make the most difference in people when God calls you home? 

this past week i have either heard sermons (from louie giglio at passion city church). had conversations with dear friends over skype. and had my eyes opened a little more to the reality of it. the questions above have been ones i have just passed on by without letting them take root. maybe because it's fear. fear of the truth. fear of recognizing and acknowledging where i am. it could also be my lack of confidence in knowing what the answers are to the questions. i have easily side-stepped around the answers by the usual "i don't knows" and "i'm not sure". it's become a habit. one that i want to change. one that will take time. one that i need some accountability with. (to those who have already challenged me in this..thank you!)

answering questions like those above head-on are heavy. they certainly challenge me right where i am at this moment. and even though it may strip me of pride. of what i think i know. it's good. it's hard. it's refining. and i need that. i need refining every day. it's one action that is necessary. it must happen. our God is so gracious that He loves us enough to refine us a little each day. He wants us to want Him. and in everything i do. everyday. the purpose in that very activity is to glorify the Lord and bring honor to His name. and instead of letting the day pass by, why not stop. think about what will be the most significant thing you will do today? or what can you do in order to make it significant? 

have you thought about it? what will be your way of impacting someone?

may this spur us on even more. may this be the first step in changing our communities. our culture. our world. 

please share your thoughts. your ways of becoming countercultural. and how we together as a church body can all be significant. i am beginning this process as well. everyday i am learning more. 

dream. pursue. and be all to Him....for He is ALL to Us,

joy.

some thoughts...

You have been CALLED.

called to live for a specific purpose.

to live for something and someone much greater

than we can even imagine.

for we are now living for the one who first lived for us.

we have been called to live according to HIS purpose.

to be conformed to the likeness of Christ.

he has set us apart. he has justified us.

he has glofied himself in us.

the choice is now ours.

will we, in turn, live for HIM?

will we die to ourselves and choose christ?

he chose us without hesitation and loved us without reservation.

nothing held him back and nothing ever will.

Without Reservation:

wholeheartedly. unreservedly. without qualifications

fully. completely. totally. entirely. wholly. unconditional.

Jesus IS enough for you.

he satisfies your desires.

he provides for your daily needs.

he exceeds expectations.

HE alone is God.

there is no one like him. and there will never be anyone like him.

he chose us before creation. to live for him and

bear his name with boldness.

he has given us the tools to live in righteousness.

he has plans for us. plans of using us to glorify him.

he doesn't need us.

but we need HIM.

he is might to save.

he is the one who gives and takes away.

he is the one i follow close behind even if it gets hard.

for he warns us that the road will be difficult.

but isn't HE worth it?

he has to be worth it. no matter the cost.

for he is the one who gave up his life

so that we could live.

so no matter what may come.

we must say...

blessed be YOUR name O Lord, blessed be YOUR name.

what a God we serve who exemplifies loving without reservation.

may our life be lived in this same way...

loving the Lord with all that you are. holding nothing back.

It's Necessary

The time spent behind a desk, starring into a computer screen for hours upon hours to achieve one thing. That one thing could be a project, locating information about a child, or simply sending an email. All these things are necessary for me each day. Each day I wake up and spend my day striving to make things better. Not just for myself, but for kids 10,000 miles away. They need me to spend these necessary hours so that they may have LIFE to the fullest. This picture became so clear to me that it's absolutely necessary for me to doing what I'm doing everyday. I may not see the reward on this side of heaven, but God sees the work that is being done for HIS kids. 

"God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and 

the LOVE you have shown HIM as you have helped HIS people 

and continue to help them." 

Hebrews 6:10

Necessary: 

not to be avoided. inevitable. absolute. essential. required. 

needed. not backing away. vital for the fulfillment of a need. 

Although it's necessary to do the work here. In our culture.

 In our country. It's also necessary to go. 

Go to the places you may not think is possible.

 Go to the areas that are uncomfortable. 

Go to the unreached people groups in the world. 

Go because its not an option. 

Go so that HE may do HIS work through you. 

Go so that God may use you as the 

ONE NECESSARY THING. 

 A voice for HIM and of HIS word. 

To be HIS hands and feet. 

To be a part of HIS story. 

The story of redemption, restoration, 

and being made NEW in Christ. 

His story is of LOVE. 

And HE has chosen YOU to be a part of it 

and to dwell with HIM in HIS house forever.