At the Feet of Jesus

Why is it that we can give God our "everything" yet still hold on so tightly to that one thing that binds us? I mean, think about it, theoretically, if you were in chains and it was holding you back from freedom, would we sit there and clench tightly to those chains? What if someone came and had they key to unlock the hold it had on us, all the chains fell to the ground, and we were deemed free? Would we say, "NO! I will stay here and hold these chains up so that they appear to be holding me back because that is what I am used to?" NO, we would run, dance, and skip for joy. So why in life when Christ has come and set us free from ALL our sins and trials, do we hold onto them? He wants to carry our load but we do not have enough faith to allow Him.

We are merely humans, we cannot carry this load alone, this we know, however we try to say "Here God, you take this, and this, and I'll hold onto this one because I don't think you can handle it, but you can have this." Our God is the God of the universe, He spoke and made the sun rise, the hung the stars with nothing but words. But I always find myself holding onto the one thing that I want to control. And if we aren't careful that thing we want control over, will soon control us.

Tonight at C4 (A college ministry I attend) Tyson, the leader, spoke about how Abraham trusted God so much that he would give up his only son because God had commanded him. He sacrificed the thing he loved for the one he loved. Now, I can't think of anyone who God's asked to give up their child as an offering, and if He did, they are probably sitting in a cold, hard, jail cell somewhere. But what about the little things, what about our diet, our friends, our job, our time, our relationships, our want for a relationship, our worship? These things are so small in the grand scheme of things so why can't we let go? You see, it is because we are controlling, selfish, doubting humans, that have no faith in the God who saved us. We instead cling to these things and obsess until we stress over them, but guess what!? It doesn't change the outcome one bit. Why? because we are NOT in control, GOD is! So no matter how much we try to say we are in control, or act like we are, we have NOTHING to do with the outcome of trying situations and the only one who can change the outcome is the one who created it.

During Worship I experienced God in such a way that it, physically, brought me down to my knees. I was convicted that I haven't given God my worship, I mean sure, I worship Him at church, in the car, or even in the shower through song, but worship as a way of life? No, I hold onto worship so that when it is convenient for me I can pull it out, get that spiritual high and then tuck it away till I need it again. But our lives should BE worship. We should worship God the way we clean the floors, or how we make dinner for the family, or the way we greet costumers at our work place. It all boils down to this, if we would just give God our heart then everything else would fall into place. Our friends, relationships, worship, fears, doubts, everything would follow.

So tonight, as I lay down in my comfy bed, I am going to make a vow to not hold onto my fears and worries about the future and what is to come. I am going to give God my heart and only worry about Worship, as a way of life, and eventually, everything else will fall into place. I am done obsessing until I stress over things I have no control over. I have fallen down, and I lay my worries, fears, hopes, and dreams at the feet of the only one who can control them, at the feet of Jesus.

Snowed in, in the South

Well, it has been a little while since I have written a post. But since today I am stuck inside because of our southern "Blizzard" I guess I will take the time to fill you all in on my life.

Lately I have been overwhelmed with the holiday season, traveling home to see my family and all the hectic events that come with it. Besides that, I haven’t really known whatto blog about. My life has consisted of small things that pile up into a heap of “to do’s” on my list, things such as; changing my residence, switching all my license plate and license to North Carolina, getting things around to take State Boards (which my written happens a week from tomorrow…PRAY FOR ME!) and getting back into the swing of things. Don’t fret though, even with all ofthese things cluttering my desk my brain has been free to think….well almost. :)

I’ve never really liked making New year’s resolutions because I feel as though very few people ever stick to them. I personally believe that they are empty promises to our-selves, and God, that are rarely ever followed any actions. That is why this year I made a resolution to NOT make a resolution. Now that one I can keep! I don’t see the need to make a “resolution” to dosomething, instead we need to just do it and take life a day at a time. I believe goals are good to set however, resolutions are saying, “I AM going to do this” instead of “I’m working TOWARDS this.” That is why I am setting goals. This way I will have something to work towards and can embrace the journey along the way instead of wanting so badly to be at the end of this Journey.

This same theory caries over into our spiritual lives aswell. I find in my own life that many times when I am discontent with where I am in my spiritual walk instead of embracing what God is doing in my life, how he is shaping and molding me, or teaching me patience, I begin to yearn for the future. I begin to yearn for the end of my journey. I close my eyes and heart to what God’s plan for me is, now in this very day, very minute.

This year I have decided to embrace where I am in my journey, in life, in love, in friendships, and in my spiritual walk. This journey is where God has me. This journey is my own. This journey is my destination.

Here are just a few pictures of how we do it here in the South when there is a "Blizzard" and a couple differences between the North and South!

One. Instead of a snow mobile or even a 4-wheeler southerners use a tractor!

Two. When southerners hear about a few "flurries" the shelves in the canned food isle's at the Local Harris Teeter are BARE!

Three. The one time it does snow in the south, regardless of the fact that they are ecstatic to go outside, it takes 3 hours to get outside because no one knows where to find the proper attire for snow playing.

Four. They care more about what they look like while sledding than how cold it is out.

Five. Only in the south do you find facebook blown up with pictures of every flake of snow that has fallen from the ground.

Six. In the north, at the crack of dawn with the first sign of snow, we hit the roads to find an empty parking lot for doing donuts, in the south, there wont even be a single set of tracks on the road until after 11 am.

Seven. In the south, Rain boots are also considered snow boots.

Eight. In the south if it snows in the morning, no worries it will all melt by dinner time.

Nine. In the north when we come home to a foot of snow we have an hour school delay the next morning, in the south when there is a dusting of snow, they cancel school for a week.

Ten. There is nothing more amazing than seeing the smile on a little southern girls face when she sees snow beginning to fall, up north, when the children sign snow you'd thing you just grounded them for life.