"Let Go and Let God" --- we've all heard this phrase before. We have all either rolled our eyes at whoever said it to us, or we've embraced the meaning and ran with it. I used to roll my eyes. I used to hate it when people told me to let go and let God. What does that even mean? How can I let go of something when I have it all figured out?
Well, let me tell you... I didn't and don't have it all figured out. This past week I've realized so many things about myself that I really didn't want to know. Katie is not perfect (shoot). Katie is not strong (dang it). But God IN Katie is perfect... God IN Katie is strong. I like to control my plans and have everything all figured out in a neat and orderly fashion. When something really stresses me out I usually wait until crunch time to figure it out (I work best under pressure) and come up with a plan of action. I hate being stressed and freaking out. Some people who only see me in a class room setting would never believe that.
I struggle with the tendency of being perfect. If I don't reach that goal, then I've failed and take it very personally. I realized this past week that I cannot do things on my own -- although I tried with all of my might. I felt like I was on the very edge of a cliff, someone was going to push me over and I had no way of stopping them. So much was going on that I tried to plan and schedule and control everything myself. I freaked. I was weak. But you know what, our God is made perfect in our weakness.
His peace, His love and His mercy flowed down like refreshing water on my soul this week, reminding me of how loved I am, how precious and important I am. It's easy to forget that... at least for me it is. Verses like Philippians 2:14, Philippians 4:13, and Philippians 4:6 came racing through my mind one day at 4:30 in the morning. I am usually passed out at that time, like any other normal person, so for my brain to even be thinking at that time is a miracle in and of itself.
I refused to complain once this week. Holy cow. Talk about an attitude adjustment. An inner joy that just seeped into my heart and could only be from God stayed with me all week. Yes, as Christians there will be mountain highs and valley lows, but we can make it a conscious decision to choose joy. Complaining takes that joy away and the opportunity to praise God in everything is stripped from us.
I choose joy.
I will always choose joy... even in the hard days.
Now think about that phrase "Let go and let God" one more time. Does it still make you roll your eyes? Jesus came to Earth to DIE for you. Why would He leave you now in the midst of your struggles? Let go of complaining and controlling. Let go of planning and organizing. Let go... and let God. Give everything up to Him and watch Him work things out for you. Will you embrace this and run with it?
I'm telling you friends, it's the most freeing feeling ever! I know there will be days when I go back to my natural Katie self... but God IN Katie is what I strive to live like everyday for the rest of my life.
Choose joy. You never know who all you can be impacting just by the attitude you portray through out your day. Don't worry or fret. Don't complain or control.
Let Go and Let God.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
I Wish...
Ok, so every summer I create my favorite thing in the entire world... my summer reading list. I've found that once I started college, my precious reading time was kidnapped by studying and projects and work. But the wonderful thing about being a student is, let's face it, summer. I wouldn't be able to live without time to read my books. Old and new.
Well, I just finished a new book Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers. If you haven't read it, I highly suggest you do. I won't give away the details, but I will say that it's about five unlikely women in the Bible who God chose to do extraordinary things through. She has a follow up book about five unlikely men in the Bible who God chose to do extraordinatry things through also (that one is also on my list).
Ever since I was little I have been lost in my imagination, creating stories of my own, getting lost in a story and really growing to love the characters like they're my own family. This can be good and bad. Good because if it's a really good book, it makes me evaluate my life and usually my relationship with God. Bad because I'm not 100% here when I'm in a middle of a book. Ask my parents and brother... they're lucky I remember anything that is going on in real life because I'm so entranced with what's going on in my own little fantasy.
Well, this book that I just finished was one of those that just jostled my whole perspective. I realize that it is a historical fiction book, but still... it COULD have happened. We never know. All we know are the facts that were given to us in the Bible, but Rivers fills in the missing pieces, and I couldn't help but wonder... this could have happened. One of the stories in the book was about Mary and her life as Jesus' mother. How cool would that have been? To be the mother of Christ? Well, after reading the story through Rivers' eyes, I think that Mary had a pretty tough life. Growing up with all of her loved ones not believing how her son came to be... not believing that her son was the Messiah. How heartbroken she must have felt to know the Truth, but watch as her loved ones went about life not believing.
My mind then began walking along the track of "What would I have thought if I lived back then? Would I have seen a child or a King?" and I stopped what I was doing and said, "I have no idea". Think about it. Really think about it. It would have been weird. But then, I started thinking, what if I knew the Truth from the beginning like Mary and Joseph did, and I had the priviledge of watching Jesus grow up. I know He was fully God, but He was also fully man. I'm just overwhelmed by the thought that Jesus was a kid just like us, but He was perfect. He probably never fought with his siblings, never back sassed his parents, always wanted to do His Father's will. What a perfect example. I realize we can't be that exact same way and resist temptation everytime we are tempted, but we can surely try. Jesus was tempted the same as us, but He resisted every single time. I wish I could have seen Him grow up. That in itself would have been a miracle to witness the Lord growing up. But one day, I will see Him face to face and I can ask Him all the questions I want. Let me tell you, I'm excited. :)
This book was just another eye-opener to me that I may think I'm a good person, but really, I'm a sinner. I NEED Jesus every second of every day to help me live life according to His will. My heart is overflowing with gratitude and praise for what He did for us on the cross. I can't imagine the turmoil he went through on earth seeing how we are living in a world full of sin, yet claiming to be doing God's will. Every day is a struggle, but with Him to walk right next to us, we can get by with mercy and grace and strive to do the will of God as He did when He walked this earth.
Read the book. It's so good. It will give you a new perspective about how ordinary people did extraordinary things.
Well, I just finished a new book Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers. If you haven't read it, I highly suggest you do. I won't give away the details, but I will say that it's about five unlikely women in the Bible who God chose to do extraordinary things through. She has a follow up book about five unlikely men in the Bible who God chose to do extraordinatry things through also (that one is also on my list).
Ever since I was little I have been lost in my imagination, creating stories of my own, getting lost in a story and really growing to love the characters like they're my own family. This can be good and bad. Good because if it's a really good book, it makes me evaluate my life and usually my relationship with God. Bad because I'm not 100% here when I'm in a middle of a book. Ask my parents and brother... they're lucky I remember anything that is going on in real life because I'm so entranced with what's going on in my own little fantasy.
Well, this book that I just finished was one of those that just jostled my whole perspective. I realize that it is a historical fiction book, but still... it COULD have happened. We never know. All we know are the facts that were given to us in the Bible, but Rivers fills in the missing pieces, and I couldn't help but wonder... this could have happened. One of the stories in the book was about Mary and her life as Jesus' mother. How cool would that have been? To be the mother of Christ? Well, after reading the story through Rivers' eyes, I think that Mary had a pretty tough life. Growing up with all of her loved ones not believing how her son came to be... not believing that her son was the Messiah. How heartbroken she must have felt to know the Truth, but watch as her loved ones went about life not believing.
My mind then began walking along the track of "What would I have thought if I lived back then? Would I have seen a child or a King?" and I stopped what I was doing and said, "I have no idea". Think about it. Really think about it. It would have been weird. But then, I started thinking, what if I knew the Truth from the beginning like Mary and Joseph did, and I had the priviledge of watching Jesus grow up. I know He was fully God, but He was also fully man. I'm just overwhelmed by the thought that Jesus was a kid just like us, but He was perfect. He probably never fought with his siblings, never back sassed his parents, always wanted to do His Father's will. What a perfect example. I realize we can't be that exact same way and resist temptation everytime we are tempted, but we can surely try. Jesus was tempted the same as us, but He resisted every single time. I wish I could have seen Him grow up. That in itself would have been a miracle to witness the Lord growing up. But one day, I will see Him face to face and I can ask Him all the questions I want. Let me tell you, I'm excited. :)
This book was just another eye-opener to me that I may think I'm a good person, but really, I'm a sinner. I NEED Jesus every second of every day to help me live life according to His will. My heart is overflowing with gratitude and praise for what He did for us on the cross. I can't imagine the turmoil he went through on earth seeing how we are living in a world full of sin, yet claiming to be doing God's will. Every day is a struggle, but with Him to walk right next to us, we can get by with mercy and grace and strive to do the will of God as He did when He walked this earth.
Read the book. It's so good. It will give you a new perspective about how ordinary people did extraordinary things.
Friday, February 10, 2012
We need the Church
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty proud to be apart of the body of Christ a.k.a. THE CHURCH. There have been a couple videos going around like rapid fire on facebook about not needing the Church because it's so corrupt. About loving Jesus but hating the church. At first I avoided watching those videos because I thought they were going to be a waste of time. But one day I decided to watch one. I will admit, the guy in the video was very compelling and had a creative way of telling us what he thought. But the message did not stir my heart strings. As I thought about it, I was a little offended and upset at what he ultimately had to say.
In the Bible, Jesus commands us to be a part of the body. We need fellowship with a local church. It's healthy for our relationship and growth with Christ. Now, granted there are some pretty corrupt churches out there, but just because some of them are does not mean ALL of them are. We are human, we sin, we will mess up, but that's the beauty of God's grace. He redeems us and uses our mistakes to make good (if we so choose to let Him). The Bible talks about Jesus' Bridegroom, how He will come back for His church. In the New Testament, he had Peter start the church... so if He did that, why would we have the audacity to say that the church is a bad thing?
Hmmmm....
Another thing that is popular is "Jesus is my religion" or "I love Jesus, but hate religion". Well, newsflash... loving Jesus automatically puts you in a religion. Religion is not a bad thing. We are called to be Christ-followers (CHRISTIANS). When we let the fundamentals and nitty-gritty stuff about religion get the best of us and control us, well that's when we start having problems. Jesus needs to be the center of our lives and the focus of our day. Our love for Him should overthrow any complications we have within the church, but unfortunately because of our sinful nature, we still have problems with that.
Watch this video and see what you think. Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus: Spoken Word.
Again, he was very creative and compelling in his speech, but ultimately I do not agree with him. We need the church. We need to be surrounded by believers to help build us up and encourage us in our walk with Christ. We can't be alone in our growth because how do we know how much to grow? We need others to help us and we will get that in the church. No, it's not perfect. But it is what God gave us to sustain us until His return.
In the Bible, Jesus commands us to be a part of the body. We need fellowship with a local church. It's healthy for our relationship and growth with Christ. Now, granted there are some pretty corrupt churches out there, but just because some of them are does not mean ALL of them are. We are human, we sin, we will mess up, but that's the beauty of God's grace. He redeems us and uses our mistakes to make good (if we so choose to let Him). The Bible talks about Jesus' Bridegroom, how He will come back for His church. In the New Testament, he had Peter start the church... so if He did that, why would we have the audacity to say that the church is a bad thing?
Hmmmm....
Another thing that is popular is "Jesus is my religion" or "I love Jesus, but hate religion". Well, newsflash... loving Jesus automatically puts you in a religion. Religion is not a bad thing. We are called to be Christ-followers (CHRISTIANS). When we let the fundamentals and nitty-gritty stuff about religion get the best of us and control us, well that's when we start having problems. Jesus needs to be the center of our lives and the focus of our day. Our love for Him should overthrow any complications we have within the church, but unfortunately because of our sinful nature, we still have problems with that.
Watch this video and see what you think. Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus: Spoken Word.
Again, he was very creative and compelling in his speech, but ultimately I do not agree with him. We need the church. We need to be surrounded by believers to help build us up and encourage us in our walk with Christ. We can't be alone in our growth because how do we know how much to grow? We need others to help us and we will get that in the church. No, it's not perfect. But it is what God gave us to sustain us until His return.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Are you for real?
Have you ever had one of those days where you feel totally drained and don't know what to do with yourself? Well, today was one of those days for me. I spent all weekend working on homework. I just wanted to rip my books apart when I finally decided to stop working. Sometimes I just get into these super productive moods (granted most of the time it takes awhile to actually get IN to the super productive moods -- but once I'm in them, there's no turning back). I don't know. It was just an off day.
I decided to re-read my earlier posts and talk with my dad, but I still had this weird feeling. I wanted to grab that rubber band and snap myself again to get out of this weird attitude. In one of my classes the professor made us take a personality test. The results of mine did not surprise me one bit, in fact it was pretty creepy how accurate they described me. But in doing this test and having my prof talk constantly and in depth about it, I have become more aware of the people around me that have layers. You don't get what you see. That bothers me. A lot. I think I'm a pretty straight forward person, but I'm not going to tell you my whole life story the first time I meet you. I want to get to know you first and really know if I can trust you with my feelings, dreams and goals. There are some people, especially on this campus, who put up a front and show people what they want to see. Regardless if they like you or not.
I think I've just been noticing this and realizing how our generation is huge in tolerance. We just go with the flow with everything that's going on in the world. We go to a school where drinking is the "in" thing... so we drink. We go to work where it's ok to cheat on paperwork... so we do it. Despite our true beliefs and morals. Acceptance is the key word here. That is so frustrating to me I can't even stand it. Why can't we just all be ourselves. May our yes be yes and our no be no. I'm sick of people telling me one thing and then the next day doing something totally different. I want to get what I see. I want the real person to talk to me. No games. No trying to figure out what you really believe.
Have you ever thought that?
Yes, I have been blessed beyond measure for the people that God has placed in my life. I have great friends who show me their real selves, and I love them dearly. I thank the Lord every day for placing them in my life. Let's go out and be transparent with people... show them the love of Christ they need to see. We can ALL work on that -- every day -- every minute -- every second. Let's change the world, but first we need to be R E A L.
I decided to re-read my earlier posts and talk with my dad, but I still had this weird feeling. I wanted to grab that rubber band and snap myself again to get out of this weird attitude. In one of my classes the professor made us take a personality test. The results of mine did not surprise me one bit, in fact it was pretty creepy how accurate they described me. But in doing this test and having my prof talk constantly and in depth about it, I have become more aware of the people around me that have layers. You don't get what you see. That bothers me. A lot. I think I'm a pretty straight forward person, but I'm not going to tell you my whole life story the first time I meet you. I want to get to know you first and really know if I can trust you with my feelings, dreams and goals. There are some people, especially on this campus, who put up a front and show people what they want to see. Regardless if they like you or not.
I think I've just been noticing this and realizing how our generation is huge in tolerance. We just go with the flow with everything that's going on in the world. We go to a school where drinking is the "in" thing... so we drink. We go to work where it's ok to cheat on paperwork... so we do it. Despite our true beliefs and morals. Acceptance is the key word here. That is so frustrating to me I can't even stand it. Why can't we just all be ourselves. May our yes be yes and our no be no. I'm sick of people telling me one thing and then the next day doing something totally different. I want to get what I see. I want the real person to talk to me. No games. No trying to figure out what you really believe.
Have you ever thought that?
Yes, I have been blessed beyond measure for the people that God has placed in my life. I have great friends who show me their real selves, and I love them dearly. I thank the Lord every day for placing them in my life. Let's go out and be transparent with people... show them the love of Christ they need to see. We can ALL work on that -- every day -- every minute -- every second. Let's change the world, but first we need to be R E A L.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Execpect the Unexpected
So, I wake up this morning and the sun is shining. I can't believe that it is 55 degrees out today! Sometimes, we just need to thank the Lord for the pleasant, unexpected surprises that He gives us. I hate winter. The only time I can accept the cold, snowy weather is the week before Christmas, but then not a day after that wonderful holiday. It seems like we just by-passed winter this year. Fine by me!!
Today I just could not stop smiling. I don't know why. It was like all this energy was waiting to burst out of me. It was just a grand day!! I love people: meeting them, getting to know them, and cherishing moments with those I already know. Laughing is one of the biggest parts of my life, hopefully people don't see me as cranky because I would not like that!
I don't really have anything to say other then ENJOY LIFE! God's presence is so real and well, present. (I had to :) ). I can't wait to see what He has in store for me and my family and friends. I've been struggling with completely being ok with handing over my future to Him, but lately it's been good. Worrying all the time about my future was not cutting it for me. I finally realized that living my life day by day is good, and FUN! Yeah there are crappy days, and days where I just want the world to end, but everyone has those unfortunate ones.
Well, I can't even come up with a coherent thought, as you can tell by my complete rambling. I think all the caffeine from the coffee I had earlier today is getting to me. Note to self: Stop being addicted to coffee.... HAHA! Yeah, like that's gonna happen.
Good night friends, dream pleasant dreams, and be excited for the lovely future God has in store for you and the loved ones in your life. :)
Today I just could not stop smiling. I don't know why. It was like all this energy was waiting to burst out of me. It was just a grand day!! I love people: meeting them, getting to know them, and cherishing moments with those I already know. Laughing is one of the biggest parts of my life, hopefully people don't see me as cranky because I would not like that!
I don't really have anything to say other then ENJOY LIFE! God's presence is so real and well, present. (I had to :) ). I can't wait to see what He has in store for me and my family and friends. I've been struggling with completely being ok with handing over my future to Him, but lately it's been good. Worrying all the time about my future was not cutting it for me. I finally realized that living my life day by day is good, and FUN! Yeah there are crappy days, and days where I just want the world to end, but everyone has those unfortunate ones.
Well, I can't even come up with a coherent thought, as you can tell by my complete rambling. I think all the caffeine from the coffee I had earlier today is getting to me. Note to self: Stop being addicted to coffee.... HAHA! Yeah, like that's gonna happen.
Good night friends, dream pleasant dreams, and be excited for the lovely future God has in store for you and the loved ones in your life. :)
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Beauty
Today, I am talking to the ladies of the world.
Ok, men, you should probably listen too.
Ladies: How many times have you felt like the world was judging you based on your looks? Let me guess. A million kagillion times! With today's society, it's hard not to feel crappy about yourself. Hollywood throws all these picture perfect models in our faces with the expectation of the rest of world to become just like them. Size 00, perfect complexion, certain styles, certain skin tone ... the list goes on and on. I'm a girl, so I understand the overwhelming pressure to fit in and look model perfect to get a guy's attention. But guess what. WE DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE THAT WAY. Live a healthy lifestyle, yes. But don't starve yourself just so you can fit in that pair of jeans. Don't wish you had a certain body type and beat up on the one that God gave you. Who says what body type is the type to have? Embrace yourself and get comfortable in your skin. I can't stress that point enough. You are who you are for a reason. God does not make mistakes when He creates something. Honor your body, live a healthy lifestyle, but do not wish for something you do not have. That's coveting (which is a whole new topic).
Men: Encourage your woman. Give her the confidence she needs to get through the day.
Ladies: True beauty comes from the inside. I have read so many articles/books/blogs about beauty, and I just can't seem to understand why it is so hard for us to really grasp that concept. I realize that talking about this topic is like beating a dead horse, but I believe that it is one that we need to hear every single day. If a guy does not treat you with respect or dignity, he's not worth it. It's no wonder girls feel like they have to measure up to something more. Most men in this generation do not know how to truly pursue/encourage a woman. So we fall back and try to impress them by being someone we are not -- Hollywood. Forget Hollywood. It's not real life. We are real life. The pictures they show us and the models they come out with are so fake it makes me sick. Why do we want to be like that?
Men: Tell your girl that she's beautiful. Because you mean it. Because you see her for who she is on the INSIDE and not only what she looks like on the OUTSIDE.
Ladies: We girls need to take a stand and get comfortable in our very own skin. You are not a mistake. You are beautiful. God loves you deeply, and I believe it crushes Him when we think of ourselves as ugly, or a waste of breath. He wants to tell us daily that we are cherished and beautiful -- We just need to be willing to listen and believe Him. Will you accept the cup that He has given you? He loves you!!
Men: Thank you for helping us.
Know & believe this truth TODAY! -- click to watch
Ok, men, you should probably listen too.
Ladies: How many times have you felt like the world was judging you based on your looks? Let me guess. A million kagillion times! With today's society, it's hard not to feel crappy about yourself. Hollywood throws all these picture perfect models in our faces with the expectation of the rest of world to become just like them. Size 00, perfect complexion, certain styles, certain skin tone ... the list goes on and on. I'm a girl, so I understand the overwhelming pressure to fit in and look model perfect to get a guy's attention. But guess what. WE DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE THAT WAY. Live a healthy lifestyle, yes. But don't starve yourself just so you can fit in that pair of jeans. Don't wish you had a certain body type and beat up on the one that God gave you. Who says what body type is the type to have? Embrace yourself and get comfortable in your skin. I can't stress that point enough. You are who you are for a reason. God does not make mistakes when He creates something. Honor your body, live a healthy lifestyle, but do not wish for something you do not have. That's coveting (which is a whole new topic).
Men: Encourage your woman. Give her the confidence she needs to get through the day.
Ladies: True beauty comes from the inside. I have read so many articles/books/blogs about beauty, and I just can't seem to understand why it is so hard for us to really grasp that concept. I realize that talking about this topic is like beating a dead horse, but I believe that it is one that we need to hear every single day. If a guy does not treat you with respect or dignity, he's not worth it. It's no wonder girls feel like they have to measure up to something more. Most men in this generation do not know how to truly pursue/encourage a woman. So we fall back and try to impress them by being someone we are not -- Hollywood. Forget Hollywood. It's not real life. We are real life. The pictures they show us and the models they come out with are so fake it makes me sick. Why do we want to be like that?
Men: Tell your girl that she's beautiful. Because you mean it. Because you see her for who she is on the INSIDE and not only what she looks like on the OUTSIDE.
Ladies: We girls need to take a stand and get comfortable in our very own skin. You are not a mistake. You are beautiful. God loves you deeply, and I believe it crushes Him when we think of ourselves as ugly, or a waste of breath. He wants to tell us daily that we are cherished and beautiful -- We just need to be willing to listen and believe Him. Will you accept the cup that He has given you? He loves you!!
Men: Thank you for helping us.
Know & believe this truth TODAY! -- click to watch
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Shalom
Shalom = Peace. What is it like to be totally peaceful? I have no idea. My life is constantly going a million miles per hour. At the end of the day, all I want to do is feel this incredible peace... let's be honest. That only happens a handful of times. Have you ever wondered why our generation is so go-go-go? I can't imagine a life where I just sit around doing nothing, worrying about nothing and just taking it easy.
Life. Is. Crazy.
I realized today that people actually care about other people. (Ok, pretty dumb realization, but that's what happened today). Someone that I do not know spent an hour giving me advice and suggestions on how to run my business. I WAS SO PUMPED! How can we not be peaceful when people really do care and want to help us out? I guess this is just another thing that we need to learn as a society. I need to learn it for sure. I always think I'm insignificant, but then God knocks at my heart and says, "Um, excuse me. I did not make an insignificant being. I never do. You are significant." (Sometimes He needs to remind me of that a lot. :) )
Mother Teresa said, "A smile is the beginning of peace". Maybe all we need to do is just start smiling throughout the day. Even to people we don't like.... smile at them. Even when we do not feel like smiling. Just smile! I have a feeling that peace starts with one's attitude. If you make a conscious effort to have a positive attitude, then you will be peaceful. One of my professors passed out rubber bands to us in class the other day. He said that the purpose of them is to snap ourselves when we catch ourselves having a bad attitude. Let me tell you, that day when I wore the rubber band, my wrist was so red because I was snapping myself so much. It put things into perspective for me. I wasn't peaceful because I let myself go in my bad attitude. And of course, one can only be truly peaceful when they have the love of Christ in them. I can't even imagine what my life would be like without God, when it's this much of a struggle to be peaceful everyday with Him to remind me to calm down.
So my friends, be peaceful. Rest. Smile. Enjoy the day. Laugh a lot. Life will be so much more fun and enjoyable when you learn to laugh at everything (including yourself).
Click here to start smiling :)
Shalom. Love. Joy.
Life. Is. Crazy.
I realized today that people actually care about other people. (Ok, pretty dumb realization, but that's what happened today). Someone that I do not know spent an hour giving me advice and suggestions on how to run my business. I WAS SO PUMPED! How can we not be peaceful when people really do care and want to help us out? I guess this is just another thing that we need to learn as a society. I need to learn it for sure. I always think I'm insignificant, but then God knocks at my heart and says, "Um, excuse me. I did not make an insignificant being. I never do. You are significant." (Sometimes He needs to remind me of that a lot. :) )
Mother Teresa said, "A smile is the beginning of peace". Maybe all we need to do is just start smiling throughout the day. Even to people we don't like.... smile at them. Even when we do not feel like smiling. Just smile! I have a feeling that peace starts with one's attitude. If you make a conscious effort to have a positive attitude, then you will be peaceful. One of my professors passed out rubber bands to us in class the other day. He said that the purpose of them is to snap ourselves when we catch ourselves having a bad attitude. Let me tell you, that day when I wore the rubber band, my wrist was so red because I was snapping myself so much. It put things into perspective for me. I wasn't peaceful because I let myself go in my bad attitude. And of course, one can only be truly peaceful when they have the love of Christ in them. I can't even imagine what my life would be like without God, when it's this much of a struggle to be peaceful everyday with Him to remind me to calm down.
So my friends, be peaceful. Rest. Smile. Enjoy the day. Laugh a lot. Life will be so much more fun and enjoyable when you learn to laugh at everything (including yourself).
Click here to start smiling :)
Shalom. Love. Joy.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Less than Adventuresome
Hello Bloggers, I am welcoming myself into the world of blogging. Many people have told me that I should start a blog, so for awhile I have toyed with the idea of starting one. Only problem is: I have no idea how this works. Or what the heck to write about. So I'm just going to be rambling on and on about pretty much anything that pops into my head.
Today, I realized that I am prone to being less than adventuresome. I have no sense of adventure whatsoever. Why is this, I wonder. I was talking with a friend today, and she mentioned that she wanted to go camping. My immediate thought was, "Wow. My idea of camping is in the hotel across the street from the campground!" I sometimes think that skydiving, climbing a huge mountain, traveling around the world in 80 days, trying to figure out time travel, being stuck on a magical island running for my life away from mysterious people that I would call "The Others" -- (ok, maybe not that one so much) -- would be so fun! But then I get real for a microsecond and say to myself, "Please Katie, you wouldn't do any of that if someone paid you a bazillion dollars!" It's just not my personality.
Why is it do you think, that people get scared of doing something incredible for once in their lives? I know I get scared A LOT! The craziest thing I've ever done was write my name in wet cement. (I thought I would get in serious trouble if I got caught. Baby steps...) Who cares what other people think? Life is about living it to the fullest and making every single second count. God wants us to enjoy this life (within His guidelines, which He clearly writes out for us in the Bible). Yes, it can be scary, and no I have not grasped that concept yet. But He does not want us to live in fear, or hold back all that we can do for this world because of that fear. I once heard of a guy who hitchhiked from Tennessee to Colorado by himself. What?! I would never do that. In fact, I know I would get lost, starve, and then die. I know I would not enjoy that at all. But that was his adventure, and he glorified God throughout the whole thing. He made memories that would last forever.
I dare you to live your life to the fullest. God does not want us to live in fear, but to live for Him and do wonderful things in His name. You can do crazy fun things and still proclaim the Gospel of Christ to those who need to hear it. Look at Tim Tebow. He is the ultimate example. He pursued his dream, achieved it and now continually gives all the glory to the Lord. Think about how many people he has impacted because of not being afraid and constantly being on an adventure. Now don't get all crazy on me, but learn to live a little outside your comfort zone. I need to. Who knows, maybe I'll finally grasp this concept and my adventure will be achieving my little girl dream of impacting the world by being a part of Disney's creative team! (Hey, a girl can dream...)
Tell me about your crazy adventures, either that you had, or that you would like to do. Life is short. Go for your dreams and don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it. You can do all things through Christ you strengthens you!
Today, I realized that I am prone to being less than adventuresome. I have no sense of adventure whatsoever. Why is this, I wonder. I was talking with a friend today, and she mentioned that she wanted to go camping. My immediate thought was, "Wow. My idea of camping is in the hotel across the street from the campground!" I sometimes think that skydiving, climbing a huge mountain, traveling around the world in 80 days, trying to figure out time travel, being stuck on a magical island running for my life away from mysterious people that I would call "The Others" -- (ok, maybe not that one so much) -- would be so fun! But then I get real for a microsecond and say to myself, "Please Katie, you wouldn't do any of that if someone paid you a bazillion dollars!" It's just not my personality.
Why is it do you think, that people get scared of doing something incredible for once in their lives? I know I get scared A LOT! The craziest thing I've ever done was write my name in wet cement. (I thought I would get in serious trouble if I got caught. Baby steps...) Who cares what other people think? Life is about living it to the fullest and making every single second count. God wants us to enjoy this life (within His guidelines, which He clearly writes out for us in the Bible). Yes, it can be scary, and no I have not grasped that concept yet. But He does not want us to live in fear, or hold back all that we can do for this world because of that fear. I once heard of a guy who hitchhiked from Tennessee to Colorado by himself. What?! I would never do that. In fact, I know I would get lost, starve, and then die. I know I would not enjoy that at all. But that was his adventure, and he glorified God throughout the whole thing. He made memories that would last forever.
I dare you to live your life to the fullest. God does not want us to live in fear, but to live for Him and do wonderful things in His name. You can do crazy fun things and still proclaim the Gospel of Christ to those who need to hear it. Look at Tim Tebow. He is the ultimate example. He pursued his dream, achieved it and now continually gives all the glory to the Lord. Think about how many people he has impacted because of not being afraid and constantly being on an adventure. Now don't get all crazy on me, but learn to live a little outside your comfort zone. I need to. Who knows, maybe I'll finally grasp this concept and my adventure will be achieving my little girl dream of impacting the world by being a part of Disney's creative team! (Hey, a girl can dream...)
Tell me about your crazy adventures, either that you had, or that you would like to do. Life is short. Go for your dreams and don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it. You can do all things through Christ you strengthens you!
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