Renewed

Today, I did basically nothing.

I relaxed. Something I realize I don't do enough of. 

In the busyness of life we forget how important rest is, we forget to slow down and enjoy the quite moments in life.  

I truly loved every minute of today.  I slept in late, read my devotion while drinking coffee, reorganized some things, laid in bed with my adorable little kitty, Sunny, and watched a movie with my wonderful father. 

I honestly can't remember the last time I had a day such as this.  

No where to go, nothing to do, no reason to put actual pants on ( I definitely spent my day in sweats). 

While yes, I most assuredly could have spent my day cleaning, worked out, or done who knows what else, I know I made the right choice to do what I did today.

So why is rest so vital to having a happy life?

It is so crucial in order to renew our minds, bodies and souls.  

Everything in this world can wear us down, set traps in our mind, exhaust our bodies, and we both know how easily the devil can plant doubts to ensnare our souls to be his.  

So rest, relax, and renew yourself.  

Even our Creator rested. 

"And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, 

and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 

So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, 

because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation."

Genesis 2:1-3

If God saw the importance of rest, wouldn't it be just ridiculous for us to ignore it?

Last time I checked we were created in the image of The Lord, so we need to remember to allow ourselves to rest.  That is how we were made, work was created to glorify Him, but in order to work in such a way, we must be renewed.

Remember to stop, cherish the little moments, eat a piece of chocolate, take a bubble bath, listen to music, dance alone in your bedroom, sing at the top of your lungs in your car, watch the sunset, read the word of life often, pray always, and seek the King of Kings in all areas of your life.

Start Each Day Renewed. 

Willing

It's incredible how quickly life can change.

How your feelings can change. 

How everything can change.

 "I will hold to a standard of Grace, not perfection. 

For it is by Grace we have been Saved"

Have you ever been so unbelievably hurt and angry at someone that you don't even know how you would react if you saw them?

I was in that place for that last 2 months, so hurt and confused by this persons actions that it turned to  anger towards them.  Well, I saw them last night and the moment I walked in and saw him (well there goes not trying to be specific about it being a guy... oh well) I couldn't be angry anymore.  I have never been one to give someone a second chance if I am hurt, never one to quickly forget when a person has hurt me, but with this one, I can't help it.  It is so strange to me that my heart is so open and willing to give him so much grace, but it is.  

I guess that is how it is with God, our Abba Father.  No matter how greatly we have hurt Him, no matter how badly we have betrayed Him, He is always there with an unending amount of grace and love to bestow upon us. 

What have we done to deserve this kind of unconditional love from the creator of the universe?  I certainly have nothing that I can lay at His feet in hopes of being worthy of such mercy.  I guess that is what is so amazing about Him, we have nothing to offer Him and yet He is jealous for us, He wants our hearts and love more than anything.  

A few years ago, I was in a car accident, I have no clearer memories than those of the moments following the impact.  It was like everything was happening in slow motion, like the liquid flying through the air inside the car was not liquid but solid round bubbles of jelly (imagine how liquid looks in outer space, that's exactly how I remember it).  That moment seemed like it was never ending.  Think of the utter silence as your ears try and recover from the sound, the feeling in your lungs of suffocation from all the smoke filling the enclosed area, the panic in your heart as you realize your door won't open.  

I can honestly say that in that moment, I have never felt further from God.  As the days passed after, I became angry, questioning why this had happened to me, fearful to go outside, crying at the sound of the trash collectors simply because of the loud metal sound.  I wondered why someone who loved me so much would let such a terrible thing happen to me, how could He let me feel so alone, allow this unrelenting fear into every aspect of my life all because some guy made a misjudgment on making that left turn.  

It took awhile for me to even start thinking about God after that, I simply put Him completely out of mind.  But you and I both know, that He knows our thoughts before we even think them, so He waited patiently as I tried with every cell in my body to resist Him and the truth I knew already knew.  

I knew that at that moment of impact, I had never been closer to meeting my true Daddy, never closer to going to my real home.  He has never been with me more so than in that exact moment.  

Realizing that if I had swerved one more foot, I would be dead right now.  Literally being 12 inches from death is an experience I hope I never have to have again. 

But that is what it took to wake me from the slumber I didn't even know I was in. That's what it took to make me realize that I had to make a choice, I had to pick. 

Was I for Him? Or was I against Him?

I could no longer ignore the decision I had been putting off for years.  There it was staring me straight in the face.

It was like God Almighty was searching to find the answer in my eyes. Like He was holding both my hands in His, looking at me with only the look a father can give his own beloved child.

ARE YOU FOR ME OR AGAINST ME?

I can't say that I recall the exact moment I made the choice, because I don't think it really ever was a choice in my life.  I had grown up seeing His grace, love and mercy.  I think it was just a gradual realization of how greatly He truly love me, how magnificent His faithfulness in my life, how great His mercy is over me, the magnitude of His protection.  

No one is capable of knowing the full extent of how greatly He love us, but I have made the decision I am going to try anyway.  I will search and seek to find out the depths of His love.  

Have you made your choice yet? 

Or is there even really a choice? 

So I think the lesson I have learn today, is to try with every ounce of my being to give others the grace and mercy He has given me, to love others with the love He gives me, to allow myself to be vulnerable even if it means I may get hurt.  I have to be willing to take a leap of faith, I have to be willing not to understand certain things because I know that He has a purpose for it. I have to be willing.

Start Each Day Willing.

With Confidence.

Today was frustrating.  I have decided not to included any facts about my job on this blog, I'm not stupid... I know better than that.  Let's just say it was a long day! 

 

Some days I just need to remember that what is happening now won't last forever.  There is so much in life that seems completely overwhelming, but I truly believe that it is essential to realize that this HUGE crisis occurring momentarily may seem minuscule in the grander scheme of things.  

But it will still no doubt stress us out until we feel completely out of control and like we could pull every single follicle of hair from our scalps and not feel one ounce of pain considering this trial we are currently in the midst of.  So what is the next step? What can we do to maintain sanity? 

Well the answer is simple.

Nothing.

We have absolutely no control over what is happening. Our destiny is predetermined.  God knows the next thought in your head before you even think.  He has written this difficult chapter in your life for a reason and wouldn't allow you this hardship if it would not ultimately bring Glory back to Him.  He wrote this story, He wrote the beginning of your life and He has already written the ending.    

Think about it like this. 

 When a screen writer is formulating the script, he already knows the plot, he know exactly how the movie will begin, what the climatic scene should be, who the protagonist will be, and how the story will end.  Well, God is the screen writer. He knows already.  He knows if you will end up with the guy you think your in love with, if you will land your dream job, if you will travel the world, if you will have the perfect house with the white picot fence.  Your story has been written. 

Worrying and getting angry over your circumstances is like going to the movies and worrying about how you are going to change the end of the movie.  And let's face it, that is just plain silly.  

Romeo and Juliet both die. 

Frodo destroys the ring.

Cinderella gets the Prince.

Harry Potter defeats "He who should not be named."

Dorothy gets to go home to Kansas. 

Should I keep going? or do you get the picture?

The screen play of your life has been written and your the star. Now is just time to sit back and enjoy the show.  Every great movie must have a vilan or two, a tale of heartbreak that results in finding true love, some adventure, or some suspense.  If not for these, what a bore. 

Today is only one scene in your movie.  One small part of the overall story. 

So let's just go with it.

Be confident in the screen writer, I mean it is His job, right?

Start Each Day with Confidence.

Eagerly

This is a new beginning. A fresh start. A new chapter. 

This is me.  I am 21 years young and completely confused on life.  Where to go? Who to be? Who to love? To love at all?  This is a place I will write my thoughts on the experiences I have in this new chapter.  Who knows where it will take me or the person I may be molded into by the things it brings.  

I am choosing not to focus on if one single personal reads this blog. This is for me, for me to look back on and see what amazing things the Lord has done.  I hope that over the next season I learn from doing this and hopefully others can as well. 

So here is the plan:

This blog is titled "Start each day" for a reason. I hope I can learn new lessons on how to start each new day.  So each post will be titled with a word or a way I have learned to start my day. 

Start Each Day Eagerly.