Skip to main content

Challenge Accepted!!!

New year, new blog design, new challenge!

When I got back from Uganda, God really put a whoopin on me. For those of you who have no idea what I mean, it's when He begins to show you things about yourself that can really hurt to see.  But the bible says that he loves those he corrects so the whoopin ends up being something you are thankful for because it helps you get to that next level of knowing him. It helps you become a better person, even though the process can be a little painful.

Kenny Chessor preached about the process at this years youth conference and he said some amazing things.
1. The process protects - You shouldn't venture into something before you're ready.  You wouldn't give a 13 year old the keys to your car no matter how much they beg and plead.  Sometimes God doesn't give us what we want because he's protecting us from ourselves.  The timing isn't right.  Unprocessed ministries are dangerous.

2.  The process produces - The process produces self control.  It produces knowledge.  The process produces in you what you will need to become what He calls you to be in the right time.

So many times I've asked God why? Why hasn't XYZ happened, or why can't I go here or why can't I do this, or why is he or she doing XYZ and I'm just sitting here asking why?  (Come on now, be honest. No one wants to admit that we look at others and ask why but we do.  It may not be the right thing to do, you know - because we aren't supposed to compare ourselves with each other - but confession - I have done it and I'm straight up wrong for it.  But I'm admitting it and moving on). And when I got back from Africa he answered those whys for me.  I have been using those whys as a wedge between He and I.  I have been focusing too much on the results of living for God and not the producer.  My focus has been so much on the why that I forgot about the who.

Yeah.  Not exactly the easiest thing to swallow but thank God he stopped me before it was too late.

Although the process is necessary, I got caught up in it.

My focus this year is simple - HIM!  My only goal is Him! To know Him, to know His ways, to understand His word, to learn what pleases Him.  To be 100% sold out to Him, not the things of Him.  It's like dating someone for what they can give you, not for who they are.  I want to know all that He will reveal to me.  I want to become like Him and follow Him and learn His voice.  It's not about a ministry, it's not about a calling, it's not about a religion.  It's about Him.

So my challenge to you this year is this---we all question or worry about something.  What will others think if I ____?  What does He want for my life? What is His will?  How do I pray?  What church should I go to?   The real question to ask is How well do I know Him?  How is my relationship with Him?  Do I really KNOW Him?

The answers to the last few questions are all that really matter.  Because when you truly know Him and know His voice, all those other things will figure themselves out.  When you know him he will teach you to pray, he will lead you into the perfect will for your life, he will show you the truth in His word, he will lead you to the right congregation of believers that you can do life with.  Relationship with Him is the beginning of it all.

I challenge you this year to pick up His word and read it.  Start in the New Testament and work your way to the end.  Take time out of your day to stop and just talk to him.  Talk to Him like he's your best friend.  That's what prayer is.  It's a dialogue with Jesus.  Start asking Him to direct your thoughts and your decisions.  Let Him be a part of every minute of your day.  Be mindful of Him.

I am taking this challenge and devoting more time to getting to know Him.  And I know that through this, those whys will get answered even though they will no longer be the most important thing in my life...HE will be.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What are we listening to?

I recently purchased this book called Women of the Word which was recommended to me by a friend.  It's a year long devotional of 52 women in the Bible.  I'm on week one and God is already using it to teach me.  EVE WHAT GOD SAID:  You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die. WHAT EVE TOLD THE ENEMY GOD SAID:  We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, "You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and  you must not touch it,  or you will die." WHAT THE ENEMY TOLD EVE:  You will not certainly die,  for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. First -  Eve added to God's word. Second - so did the enemy. Seeing this leads me to ask two questions: 1. How of...

DO NOT LEAVE ME ALONE!!!

Lord, use me.  A prayer I've prayed a million times.  But lately I've been doing some soul searching, or rather God has been telling me about myself. (Don't you love when he does that.)  I've always wanted to be used by God greatly.  I've said that I've surrendered all, sang the song a million times, and just turn around to pick up all the junk I've laid on the alter for the 15th time that month and try to figure out this "surrendered" life I'm supposed to lead.  I've tried to map out how he can use me, where he can use me, and what he will have me doing.  Well let me just tell you folks, my head has been stuck in the sand for many years.  Now don't get me wrong, I've always wanted what God wanted for me and although I've put up a fight for a few things, I usually give in, hang my head like a little girl, and say "You were right all along and I should have listened the first time."  Why do us girls always try to figu...

From Choctaw to Uganda

So I'm just going to warm you in advance that this post will be mushy and sentimental.  Ok..you've been fully warned. :) This year's trip to Uganda will be much more special in one particular way…i will be sharing it with someone who is so dear to my heart.  We aren't the type of people to sit and talk about how we feel to each other or to tell each other what we mean to each other but I knew that at least one of these blog posts would be dedicated to her.   See, this girl has gotten me through some really hard times in my life.  She is a friend, a family member, and most of all my sister.  Growing up, I had to go through things that thankfully most children that age never have to experience.  I had a very sick little sister who was in and out of the hospital many times during my childhood.  During those hospital stays, I would live with my grandmother.  This girl stuck by me through it all.  I don't know if she really understood what her pre...