Live God...

Ephesians 5:1 Imitate God, therefore in everything you do, because you are his dear children.  (NLT)

 

I am going through a spiritual journey right now that I am asking God to really open me up to whole heartedly.  If you have never read the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan I am recommending it now!  A couple of girlfriends and I were supposed to have read it earlier this year but never got to it.  I was planning on taking the book with me to Australia and reading it there but decided not to put it off.  I am so happy I did not put it off anymore.  I really enjoyed the book in its entirety.  I have gained better insight about myself and my life as it is, was, and what it should be.  It may be too radical a book for some people but I really don't think that it is and appreciate the personal examples the author uses for a reality check. 

 

A part of my leaving the USA for a bit is to get away from personal influences that greatly impact my day to day.  By leaving I'm creating a more vulnerable situation for myself where I have to rely on God.  I'm potentially going to be out of my comfort zone but will never be out of his range.  One of the passages in the book discusses the author in college and the professor asking the students, "What are you doing right now that requires faith?"  That hit home for me for the obvious reason of my upcoming trip being a faith walk.  I am preparing myself as well as I can but only God knows what I am walking into.  As I am now and as I've lived, my personal life has been too comfortable for me to have had to rely on God like I should.  "God doesn't call us to be comfortable.  He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through."  So as much as I prefer to feel safe and protected, if God's kingdom needs to be advanced then I'm going to need to get over myself YASAP (yesterday as soon as possible).

 

I am beginning to look at my Australia trip through a new lens.  Beyond simply taking a break from social work and being refreshed from my 3 years of physical, emotional and spiritual drainage, I hope to come out of this with a better concept of God.  I didn't think that it could get any better, happier, more exciting but it has.  As I pray more and prepare myself mentally I am also taking care of myself spiritually.  Thanks to you all that are praying, a revelation is taking place in my life :-)

 

Especially created for me by my friend Monica for my 26th birthday. 

(the price tag is a joke from a story I told her and does not reflect an actual price lol)

7/6/13 :-)