Turn Your Eyes

Hey guys! Its been a while, but trust me, I have not just been lazing around ignoring my deeper thought. No, I have just been extremely busy with moving halfway around the world. But this experience has afforded me with a few thoughts.

Months ago, when I first started trying to plan my move, I was stressed. This was my thought process. I would like to point out some key words. Those would be: I, plan, my, and stressed. Ha! Really, this is what I thought. And unfortunately, this is what a lot of people think like.

Let me explain. I lived in Romania last year for about 2 1/2 months. I LOVED IT! And while I was here, God hooked my heart on the high school/collage age youth. My plans went out the window. I dropped out of school when I moved back to the States and started working for Starbucks to save up money in order to move back. I felt very strongly called to Romania and I was and still am certain that that is where God has called me for the time being (whether that be an extremely long time or a relatively short time).

So I was moving. I was working. I was planning. I was trying to prepare myself. I, I, I... Me, me, me... and I was stressed, stressed, stressed. Though I didn't show it, or maybe I did, I was exhausted from worry and stress and unknowns. Then God convicted me. I don't remember how, but I know He did. I realized that my focus should not be on the planning. It shouldn't be on providing for myself. It shouldn't be on the money. It should be on Jesus. I should be focusing on and following God as closely as I can, so that He can lead me and take me where I need to go.

We as humans try to control to much of our life. And where does that get us? Anger, depression, work-aholicism (if thats even a word), stress, exhaustion, business. If we have all of those things going on in our life, how much time can we possibly be spending on our relationships with Christ? How can He be completely in control of our lives and us be completely out of control? It isn't possible. Obviously, he isn't at the wheel. We are.

God promises us a life of freedom. A life of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Do any of those sound like a depressed, stressed, tired, workaholic. Please, say no. If you say yes, then we have other issues here.

My point is, we should primarily be focusing on Jesus and He will make the plans for us. He will take us where we need to go. It may not be the plan we would have made for ourselves, but it will be the best thing that ever happened to us. There is a saying. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." Well, I told him mine, and he laughed hard. However, just because he laughed doesn't mean I wasn't doing the right thing. I was just plugged in to the wrong outlet. I had my eye on the wrong goal. Keep your eyes on Christ and he will work together for the good of those who love him, and are called according to his purpose.

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

• Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
  Look full in His wonderful face,
  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
  In the light of His glory and grace.

St. Patrick

So today is St. Patrick's Day. The day where people wear green and pinch those that don't. The day where Irish heritage is celebrated and shamrocks are everywhere. It is also a day that the namesake and history of is often forgotten.

Brief History: Patrick was a kidnapped from Britain when he was 16 (which was around the 5th century) and sold into slavery in Ireland. After 6 years he escaped and made his way back to his family. Once back in Britain, he joined the clergy and then decided that God was calling him to take the gospel back to Ireland. So he set out and began his missionary work in Ireland. By the 7th century, St. Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland.

The history of this day makes me wonder about our willingness to listen to the calling of God. Are we willing to follow God and his plan for our life even when it makes us uncomfortable? SurelyPatrick was not planning on returning to Ireland when he escaped slavery, but when God called he listened and obeyed. Manyof us listen to God's voice, but few of us actually obey. There is a difference. We have all been wounded by people, whether it be emotionally, physically, verbally, etc. We have all been hurt. But sometimes it is the people that are the hardest to love that need it the most. And sometimes it is the hardest to talk to that need to hear the good news the worst.

God does not intend for you to live a comfortable life. He told us to "take up our cross daily and follow him." The cross is not comfortable. God is calling you to step out of your comfort zone. He could be calling you half-way across the world, or He could be calling you across the street, but he is calling you. Will you merely listen and stay put? Or will you listen and obey?

Patrick listend and obeyed. Look how God used him. So... what will you do?

Fruit

I love fruit; the sweet, the sour, the bitter. I love it all. There are so many different kinds, different tastes, different textures. I love walking through a garden or and orchard and seeing the fruit on the plants and trees. Picking it and eating it all at once is amazing. It tastes so good. But i can't tell you how disappointed and how saddened i would be if I was able to walk through an orchard but found no fruit. Nothing to eat. The trees not producing what they are supposed to produce. I would want nothing to do with that orchard.

Are we producing the fruit that we as Christians are supposed to be producing? There are so many different people in the church. Different races, backgrounds, different family traditions, different ways of worshiping God. But we are all supposed to produce the same fruit. Every Christian should be showing the fruit of the spirit and the fruit of new believers through evangelism. When God walks through the garden of His church does he see trees bursting with luscious fruit or does he shake his head in disappointment? Are we, as the church, bearing fruit?

Glory In the Highest

God's glory is all around us. It is in the trees, rocks, grass, sun, flowers, rivers, rain, clouds, the faces of the people around us, and the wind that blows through our hair. He is incredible to encounter, but impossible to see unless you look for him. His beauty and power is awe-inspiring. Every time I look around me i can not stop thinking about how beautiful this world is, how glorious and powerful God must be, and how beautiful the world to come will be. Can you imagine? the glory that we see here, on this earth, will be nothing compared to that which we will see when we see God face to face. Then we will sing to our Lord, "Glory in the highest!"

Isn't God Great

As we drove into the Transylvania Mountains, in central Romania, today, I could not help noticing how beautiful God's creation is. The majesty of the mountains. The clear blue color of the sky. The vibrant colors represented in the numerous flowers. The strength of the old trees. The joy in the faces of the people around me. And the feeling of awe that I can experience just looking at the world in which God has placed me. Wow. God is so good, so creative, so powerful, so awe-inspiring. What a beautiful savior? What an imaginative creator? What an awesome God? How can people look at the world and say that it was a mistake. There is too much obvious planning, order, and love that went into this earth. Way too much. God is awesome. And that awesome, powerful, imaginative God made us, loved us, and wants us to love him. Isn't God great?

Sing O My Soul

So much can be expressed through music. What a wonderful gift? We can convey joy, thankfulness, sadness, patience, and love through the lyrics of a song, or simply by the music that we make. Though God has blessed some of us with better voices than others, God still encourages us to make a joyful noise unto Him. A noise is not always pretty or "Grammy" material. But a joyful noise made to give God glory always brings Him joy. So, "Sing o my soul!"

Peace Like A River

Peace: freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility; mental calm or serenity

The Bible says, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts in Christ Jesus."

So why are so many of us frightened, nervous, anxious, upset, unsure, overly cautious, angry, sad, and bitter. Is it because we don't let Christ Jesus guard our hearts as we try and do it ourselves? How is that working for you?

"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul."