Some days I sit and just think, process, ponder. For those who know me well, they know I am a processor, I rarely react immediately, it takes time, I hold things inside, I mull over them, I let them simmer in my mind, and then I react. Daily, I listen to my athletes; they truly think they are invincible, that what they are doing will not affect the rest of their lives. They do not realize the consequences of their actions, good or bad. I have heard it said that it is not until we are in our mid to late twenties (roughly 26) we are able to truly and fully understand the repercussions, the consequences to the decisions we make. Looking around society today, I would like to push this age even further into the early thirties. Just like it takes times to grow and mature physically, academically, emotionally, mentally, it takes time to grow spiritually. To grow physically, we have to eat the right foods, exercise, take care of our bodies, we do not starve ourselves of the nutrients we need. If we are hungry, we eat, if we are thirsty we drink. To grow academically, we must apply ourselves, study, have an innate desire to learn and to become better. If we study, we will do well, if we want to learn, we will find ways to learn, if we want to become better, we seek out those in our professions who are better. We do not starve ourselves of learning experiences if we desire to grow academically. To grow emotionally and mentally, it takes years for our brain to fully develop, it takes experiences and situations, it takes life happening, and it takes us as individuals learning our weaknesses and working through them, developing better coping skills, better decision making abilities. We can not hide from trials, joys, hardships, good times, life happens and we grow from it. And spiritually, the one area that matters the most is the one area that is neglected the most. If we want to grow spiritually, we must hunger and thirst after the Word, after the Truth. We can not replace time in the Word with time with others who are godly. We can not replace conversation with the Father, with conversation with believers. We can not replace time of rest with time of busyness. If we claim we do not have time for the Father, time for the Word, then we are too busy doing and not being. For all the others (physically, emotionally, mentally, academically) to fall into place, we must first be focusing on growing spiritually. And I am preaching to the choir.
They say age is but a number, and that it is, to an extent, but I also would like to counter and say that age is more than a number. With each year that passes, others should be able to look at our lives and say, she is different, she is maturing, she is changing, she is wiser, she is producing fruit abundantly, she is hungering after righteousness, the joy of the Lord is her strength. We should feel "older" we should feel different. Where I was at 26, 28, 30, is different than where I am at 33. With each year that passes, my passion for the Lord should be greater than the year before.
So as I sit here, mulling over the past, these life lessons are what the Lord has shown me throughout the last few days:
1. My life should be uncomfortable. It will be uncomfortable.
2. I choose each moment of each day if I will live in joy.
3. I choose through each circumstance the attitude I will demonstrate.
4. My life will not be easy.
5. I will suffer, sometimes daily.
6. I will struggle, sometimes for a while.
7. We hurt the worst the ones we love the most.
8. What dominates my thoughts will dictate my behavior.
9. Fill my mind with lies, I will believe the lies. Fill my mind with Truth, I will believe the Truth.
10. I choose the thoughts I let fill my mind. I also know the Truth my mind should be filled with.
11. My life (now) will never be like it was (in college/in my early 20s) and that is OK.
12. Life changes as we get older, accept the changes, and stop trying to hold onto the way things were.
13. How many times do we say, "when I was in college? when I lived in China? when I was living in Virginia?" Fill in the blanks with your own words....Life changes and it does not mean it has to be bad, accept the changes, and stop trying to hold on to the way things were.
14. If I live focused on the past (the past good and the past bad) I will not see the blessings of the present and future.
15. What I seek, tells me who I am. Am I seeking others or am I seeking Him?
16. Not everyone we come in contact with is meant to be a close friend, but we are meant to be Christ to them. Find contentment in what you have been given not in what you think you need but do not miss opportunities to serve and love. It is OK if everyone is not our friends, we are meant to serve all, not best friend all.
17. He does not desire for us to be alone, but remember He did go alone into the desert, He did go alone to pray, He did withdraw alone from the crowds. There are some seasons in life we are meant to be alone.
18. Follow Christ's example, He had Peter, He had James and John, He had his 12, and then He had the multitudes. Yet He served all, He loved all.
19. True friends are rare.
20. There is a friend who will stick closer than a brother.
21. There is such a thing as a best friend forever. They are rare, but they do exist
22. Relationships are messy but they are a mess worth making.
23. I must lay down my desires for the desires of others.
24. My journey is my own journey. We are not all cut from the same mold.
25. I am single, I am in my thirties, there is nothing wrong with me, I am not going to sit around dwelling on what I do not have, I am a daughter of the King, He is my portion, I am living my life in abundance, He knows my desires.
26. I have found the answer to being content, whether in want or in need, HE is where I find contentment and my JOY is found in HIM not in marriage, not in children, not in my profession, not in my friends, not in the things I do not have or the things I want or the things I do have!
27. It is not about me, it is about Him working through me.
28. In order to change my life, I need to change the way I see.
29. My assurance is the blessed assurance Jesus is mine not the blessed assurance man is mine.
30. My assurance lies in HIM alone!
31. My identity is in Christ not in mankind!
32. My boast is in my weaknesses and the power of the cross, not in my accomplishments and the power of me!
33. The Lord is Sovereign, I am not and Satan is not!! The LORD is Sovereign over all!!
I know I am still young in the eyes of many and old in the eyes of others....age is but a number:) But I desire each year, to be different, each year to have those who are around me be able to say she is growing, she is older, she is wiser, she is more mature, she is learning. I want when the Lord has brought my time on earth to completion and He has finished the work He has started in me to say well done, you have fought a good fight, you lost a few battles along the way, you stumbled, you went off the path, but you have stayed faithful. What a journey, 33 years and counting....praise the Lord!
They say age is but a number, and that it is, to an extent, but I also would like to counter and say that age is more than a number. With each year that passes, others should be able to look at our lives and say, she is different, she is maturing, she is changing, she is wiser, she is producing fruit abundantly, she is hungering after righteousness, the joy of the Lord is her strength. We should feel "older" we should feel different. Where I was at 26, 28, 30, is different than where I am at 33. With each year that passes, my passion for the Lord should be greater than the year before.
So as I sit here, mulling over the past, these life lessons are what the Lord has shown me throughout the last few days:
1. My life should be uncomfortable. It will be uncomfortable.
2. I choose each moment of each day if I will live in joy.
3. I choose through each circumstance the attitude I will demonstrate.
4. My life will not be easy.
5. I will suffer, sometimes daily.
6. I will struggle, sometimes for a while.
7. We hurt the worst the ones we love the most.
8. What dominates my thoughts will dictate my behavior.
9. Fill my mind with lies, I will believe the lies. Fill my mind with Truth, I will believe the Truth.
10. I choose the thoughts I let fill my mind. I also know the Truth my mind should be filled with.
11. My life (now) will never be like it was (in college/in my early 20s) and that is OK.
12. Life changes as we get older, accept the changes, and stop trying to hold onto the way things were.
13. How many times do we say, "when I was in college? when I lived in China? when I was living in Virginia?" Fill in the blanks with your own words....Life changes and it does not mean it has to be bad, accept the changes, and stop trying to hold on to the way things were.
14. If I live focused on the past (the past good and the past bad) I will not see the blessings of the present and future.
15. What I seek, tells me who I am. Am I seeking others or am I seeking Him?
16. Not everyone we come in contact with is meant to be a close friend, but we are meant to be Christ to them. Find contentment in what you have been given not in what you think you need but do not miss opportunities to serve and love. It is OK if everyone is not our friends, we are meant to serve all, not best friend all.
17. He does not desire for us to be alone, but remember He did go alone into the desert, He did go alone to pray, He did withdraw alone from the crowds. There are some seasons in life we are meant to be alone.
18. Follow Christ's example, He had Peter, He had James and John, He had his 12, and then He had the multitudes. Yet He served all, He loved all.
19. True friends are rare.
20. There is a friend who will stick closer than a brother.
21. There is such a thing as a best friend forever. They are rare, but they do exist
22. Relationships are messy but they are a mess worth making.
23. I must lay down my desires for the desires of others.
24. My journey is my own journey. We are not all cut from the same mold.
25. I am single, I am in my thirties, there is nothing wrong with me, I am not going to sit around dwelling on what I do not have, I am a daughter of the King, He is my portion, I am living my life in abundance, He knows my desires.
26. I have found the answer to being content, whether in want or in need, HE is where I find contentment and my JOY is found in HIM not in marriage, not in children, not in my profession, not in my friends, not in the things I do not have or the things I want or the things I do have!
27. It is not about me, it is about Him working through me.
28. In order to change my life, I need to change the way I see.
29. My assurance is the blessed assurance Jesus is mine not the blessed assurance man is mine.
30. My assurance lies in HIM alone!
31. My identity is in Christ not in mankind!
32. My boast is in my weaknesses and the power of the cross, not in my accomplishments and the power of me!
33. The Lord is Sovereign, I am not and Satan is not!! The LORD is Sovereign over all!!
I know I am still young in the eyes of many and old in the eyes of others....age is but a number:) But I desire each year, to be different, each year to have those who are around me be able to say she is growing, she is older, she is wiser, she is more mature, she is learning. I want when the Lord has brought my time on earth to completion and He has finished the work He has started in me to say well done, you have fought a good fight, you lost a few battles along the way, you stumbled, you went off the path, but you have stayed faithful. What a journey, 33 years and counting....praise the Lord!
I love your 33 points - much to think on! Well said and with much heart!! Love you!!
ReplyDeleteAmazing, just amazing...what a precious gift the Lord has given you! How blessed we are as you share it with us! 33 points...well said...Love you!
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