She approached me today as I sat on campus reading an online article on my laptop. She asked for an interview as a member of a Christian ministry to try to find ways to better connect with students.
Little did I know that she would be a wonderful blessing for the day.
She asked me what I believed, which I didn't have any problem disclosing. She was very kind and welcoming. We began to talk about when I became saved and I explained to her my transformation. I always feel so high sharing my testimony.
She is an older lady, who is gorgeous by the way ;-) , so she is able to share much wisdom to young people. She shared with me a few of the young men and women she has ministered to and I understood how she was a catalyst for that change that they needed.
Once some time ago, Gladys ministered to a young girl. The girl came back to Gladys a full year later to tell her that she finally understood what she was trying to tell her a year before. This reminded me of myself.
I told Gladys that any and all wisdom that is shared with young people, or generally unsaved people, will typically go in one ear and out the other. With me, after I became saved, so many things finally made sense. The Bible, the pastor, Christian books, Christian friends, conflict, disappointment. I wasn't recieving any new information, it just didn't click coming from other people. It didn't click until God said it to me.
The wisdom that was being shared with me prior to giving my life to the Lord would sound logical at the time, but it wasn't until I was older that I realized that I didn't truly understand it because I wasn't applying it in my life.
So as Gladys spoke about her life since being saved, she spoke amazing truth and wisdom that was from God into my life, and as I listened I realized that none of it would have made any real sense to me at 17 years old- or even at 21. Anything my mother said or teachers or even my Christian friends, didn't get through to me because God had to get through to me first.
I can't wait to speak with Gladys again. God always brings people like her to come sit down next to you at the right moment.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
WHAT REALLY MATTERS: You and the world---Or you and the Lord?
The best way for me to connect with someone is when he or she is honest with me and when I'm honest back. Speaking truth into someone's life from my own testimony is a way I want to be able to give someone else insight to a situation he or she may be going through as well. So let me open up...
I have insecurities.
I want to be liked, I don't want to be alone, I want what society considers happiness. Why? A Christian woman who knows the love of God and how incredible He is still gets caught up in the things that don't matter. How is this so?
The fact that I'm only human sometimes doesn't sound like a good enough answer because a human can over come insecurities like this. The point is that I'm a human that is a work in progress. I have faith that I will be a stronger woman who only thinks about what matters.
I'm a person who wakes up every morning and thinks about God. I picture Him watching me wake up. It's just me and Him. I begin preparing for a day that I hope brings a smile to His face. I don't want to disappoint Him. I don't think about the people I'm going to encounter or be in contact with. My first thoughts aren't about impressing them. But, sometimes my day may turn into suddenly caring about what someone will think of me once I come into contact with him or her. Now it's not just about me and God anymore. I've made it about me and the world. I'm comparing myself to it, trying to compete with it, wanting to be included and accepted in it. The worse part of it is that if I'm not liked or appreciated by the world, I come down awfully hard on myself. I'm aware that this is true insecurity. This is NOT who I want to be. Nor is it who God wants me to be.
True PEACE, true HAPPINESS, true UNDERSTANDING of myself and everything around me that matters comes from lining my life up with the word of God. This is something that I know. So why do I fail to apply it sometimes? It's not an easy task, although it's the only thing that makes sense.
Me and the people in this world, whether friends, family, future spouse, don't matter as much as me and the Lord. When it really comes down to it, my relationship with the Lord is the only thing that matters. My loved one's (or strangers, aquaintances, classmates, co-workers) opinions and thoughts about me and my life can't be what I base my attitude about myself and my choices on. I should be confident about myself and my choices because I live a praying life. I try to pray before I make a decision. *Seeking the Lord's guidance and understanding for myself.*
In whatever I do, I have to always make sure that I'm bringing honor to the Lord and that the people surrounding me are as well. If they are not, I must share the Lord's wisdom with them, or remove myself if they do not welcome it. I must also remove myself if I'M the one not honoring Him so that I can figure out how I can do so.
Everything I need to smile everyday is written in His word. If I follow it, He'll smile everyday too.
I have insecurities.
I want to be liked, I don't want to be alone, I want what society considers happiness. Why? A Christian woman who knows the love of God and how incredible He is still gets caught up in the things that don't matter. How is this so?
The fact that I'm only human sometimes doesn't sound like a good enough answer because a human can over come insecurities like this. The point is that I'm a human that is a work in progress. I have faith that I will be a stronger woman who only thinks about what matters.
I'm a person who wakes up every morning and thinks about God. I picture Him watching me wake up. It's just me and Him. I begin preparing for a day that I hope brings a smile to His face. I don't want to disappoint Him. I don't think about the people I'm going to encounter or be in contact with. My first thoughts aren't about impressing them. But, sometimes my day may turn into suddenly caring about what someone will think of me once I come into contact with him or her. Now it's not just about me and God anymore. I've made it about me and the world. I'm comparing myself to it, trying to compete with it, wanting to be included and accepted in it. The worse part of it is that if I'm not liked or appreciated by the world, I come down awfully hard on myself. I'm aware that this is true insecurity. This is NOT who I want to be. Nor is it who God wants me to be.
True PEACE, true HAPPINESS, true UNDERSTANDING of myself and everything around me that matters comes from lining my life up with the word of God. This is something that I know. So why do I fail to apply it sometimes? It's not an easy task, although it's the only thing that makes sense.
Me and the people in this world, whether friends, family, future spouse, don't matter as much as me and the Lord. When it really comes down to it, my relationship with the Lord is the only thing that matters. My loved one's (or strangers, aquaintances, classmates, co-workers) opinions and thoughts about me and my life can't be what I base my attitude about myself and my choices on. I should be confident about myself and my choices because I live a praying life. I try to pray before I make a decision. *Seeking the Lord's guidance and understanding for myself.*
In whatever I do, I have to always make sure that I'm bringing honor to the Lord and that the people surrounding me are as well. If they are not, I must share the Lord's wisdom with them, or remove myself if they do not welcome it. I must also remove myself if I'M the one not honoring Him so that I can figure out how I can do so.
Everything I need to smile everyday is written in His word. If I follow it, He'll smile everyday too.
Monday, August 29, 2011
My Fiance
When I speak of my fiance, I want you to feel God in my words. Sensing that the Lord's presence truly lives in him, lives in me and in our relationship.
When I speak of my fiance, I want to share the wisdom of the Lord; what God has taught me about love and how to love unconditionally.
When I speak of my fiance, I want to excite you about your future; that you too can experience a spiritual connection with another human being. I hope a smile comes to your heart from the honesty, compassion, and kindness that you hear me speak of.
When I speak of my fiance, I want you to appreciate our struggles because you know that we are strong enough and God-fearing to be solution oriented in our conflict. The respect and patience that I speak of would be a standard to emulate.
When I speak of my fiance, I want the gentleness to be palpable, the knowledge of the Word to be apparent, the yearning to be Christ-like to be very clear.
When I speak of my fiance, I want you to anticipate meeting him. I want you to walk away from our conversation happy to know that someone like that exists.
When I speak of my fiance, I not only pray that you meet and marry a person like him, but that you and I can strive to possess the same qualities as him.
When I speak of my fiance, I want to share the wisdom of the Lord; what God has taught me about love and how to love unconditionally.
When I speak of my fiance, I want to excite you about your future; that you too can experience a spiritual connection with another human being. I hope a smile comes to your heart from the honesty, compassion, and kindness that you hear me speak of.
When I speak of my fiance, I want you to appreciate our struggles because you know that we are strong enough and God-fearing to be solution oriented in our conflict. The respect and patience that I speak of would be a standard to emulate.
When I speak of my fiance, I want the gentleness to be palpable, the knowledge of the Word to be apparent, the yearning to be Christ-like to be very clear.
When I speak of my fiance, I want you to anticipate meeting him. I want you to walk away from our conversation happy to know that someone like that exists.
When I speak of my fiance, I not only pray that you meet and marry a person like him, but that you and I can strive to possess the same qualities as him.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Different hearts, different paths, one God
I have several difficult things that I have to encounter in life as all people do, but one particular thing that stands out is having to let go of certain people in my life. When you start on a different path that people who are close to you refuse to take, those relationships are bound to break. Because those relationships are breaking for God's purposes, it's okay. And while I do want what He wants for me, that means that I may have to be alone for a while-and maybe that's the scary part. However, it leaves me excited to go out and surround myself with other Christians who are filled with the same passion and spirit that I have. People who ALWAYS focus on purpose, not just when they feel like it.
When I get on the phone to talk to girlfriends I no longer gossip and discuss things that could be potentially hurtful to others. I used to listen to the gossip and even request it. And when I was to be an ear for one of my friends, I would give them cliché, worldly advice that ultimately didn't help anyone. Now when I give Godly advice, it falls on deaf ears.
I do want to have a heart to continue to minister to others and not avoid one of God's purposes for my life. This is why I have held on to my long time friendships up to this point. I also want to be able to hear from the Lord when He says “Enough. This season is over.” I’m continuing to do my part, and pray that this can become a conversation that is always intriguing to my loved ones. It’s the most important thing and the only thing that can change a heart.
I do want to have a heart to continue to minister to others and not avoid one of God's purposes for my life. This is why I have held on to my long time friendships up to this point. I also want to be able to hear from the Lord when He says “Enough. This season is over.” I’m continuing to do my part, and pray that this can become a conversation that is always intriguing to my loved ones. It’s the most important thing and the only thing that can change a heart.
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