Happy Birthday Jesus

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Thank you for coming as a man to live and eventually die for me!

Things Promised

I have been reading a book called Money Possessions and Eternity by Randy Alcorn for the Antioch Project that I am starting in January but doing my reading for now. 

What is the Antioch Project you ask?? Good questions... I would be asking myself the same thing if I didn't already know. Well the Antioch Project is a five year intentional ministry training program offered by the Hope Global Network for those who believe God is calling them to vocational ministry or key lay leadership roles. One key thing that makes this training different from say going to seminary is that the Antioch Project using not only classroom training but also hands-on, character shaping and leadership skills forming training through personal study, hands-on training in ministry and mentoring/coaching in ministry. 

You should look into it here!!

Back to the book. In chapter 11: The Pilgrim Mentality, he makes such a simple but mind blowing statement about not being at home in this world. "Abraham didn't know where he was going but he knew with whom he was going. He was able to live in this world and not receive the things promised knowing there was an eternity in which promises would be fulfilled and a city awaiting him as far superior to an earthly city as its Architect and Builder is superior to men (page 164)." 

I do not know where my life is going to end up 40 years from now and I have not be promised anything specific from the Lord at this point in my life but I do know just like Abraham that I am on the journey with Jesus. 
When I read those two sentences I immediately thought of getting married someday. What little girl doesn't dream of getting married to her knight in shining armor one day, it is ingrained into us as young girls. Now as I have gotten older I have learned that Prince Charming does not exists outside of Disney and I can not hold on to a promise that has never actually been made to me (I do not know if this is something the Lord is going to grant me) but getting married is a desire of mine and I know that He wants to give us the desires of our heart (Psalms 37:4). The sections that I underlined was the kicker. Am I able to be completely content in this world knowing that marriage, children, etc. might not come BUT someday eternity will fulfill me far more than I ever could have thought??? 

How _______ is that to grasp? The things of this world: getting married, family, friends, love, joy, and the things we accumulate can never satisfy us like eternity with God will one day. Am I living by faith in God and not the things that I have or might have in the future? I want to sit here and be able to write that I would be content and OK in the life if I did not get married and that my desire is just that a desire BUT sadly I think for a long time I have expected that one day I will get married and have a family. I date with the expectation that God will allow one fellow to stick around. I don't think I have ever really thought about the fact that I could NOT get married and be single for the rest of my life.... WOW! What a simple and real revelation!! 

I AM NOT PROMISED A HUSBAND! 
I am promised that God is going to love me and be by my side for the rest of my life and into eternity, how is that not better than a husband! 
I will wait and let God do it for me and if a man is part of "it" than I will be happy not happier but just the same 'ole happy that Jesus makes me everyday!

Just that Name

"When I wake up in the Land of Glory

And with the saints I will tell my story

There will be one Name that I proclaim"

The Only Name by Big Daddy Weave

I am so amazed at God's love for me. Seven months ago I graduated from the University of Oklahoma and thought I would be moving to California at the end of the summer. God has directed my life to a different path and I couldn't be more grateful. I am so happy to say that I am now a Staff Professional at Terracon Consulting in Dallas. After months and months of applying and searching for a job God has given me one that I am very excited about. Thank you to all those prayer warriors out there that prayed with me through these last few months. I am very grateful!!

I am just in awe of the faithfulness of my God. Like it says in Luke 16 "Whoever can be trusted with little can also much trusted with much..." I have seen this become reality in my own life. I have not been perfect by any means but have just tired my best to honor and glorify The Lord with my life. I believe deciding to stay in Fort Worth (which was only possible by God's grace) was the start of God doing some amazing things. This allowed me to then trust enough to deal with and process through some past hurts. I decided to become a member of a church I didn't think I would come back to. My next step was to make sure I was continuing with my life long training and so I committed to The Antioch Project (a ministry training program through that very same church I became a member of) which I will start in January. I didn't always have the best attitude about my present situation, I was working at Bath and Body Works and living at home (two things that were not on my radar back in May) but I learned more and more what it looks like to live out 1 Corinthians 10:31 with a right attitude.

I have prayed many prayers over the last seven months, not all of them I have gotten an answer for yet but one I have: I prayed that God would give me a job by the end of the year and His timing is perfect December 11, 2013 I got my offer letter. It is so amazing to see the God of the Universe work in our small lives and give us our hearts desires. He could have waiting until January 1st to give me a job and He still would have been praised.

I truly believe that my new job is a blessing and reward from Jesus for being faithful, available and teachable! I knew that staying positive and trusting who was in control of my life was going to be better in eternity than worrying and doubting the place God had me in.

There is only one name that I can give all the praise to for helping me through these last seven months and that is Jesus Christ. I am so incredibly blessed and can not wait to start my new job!!