01.29.08
2008 Focus
Ok, so I realize that January is almost over and I’m just now posting my 2008 focus. (I can’t believe January is almost over already!). Anyway, God has once again been pressing things into my heart that I’m supposed to be focusing on in the next chapter of life. This year I don’t think it’s come with quite the organization as last year, but here it is - in no particular order.
Paying off debt, should have those cc’s paid off in the next few months. YEAH!
Ministry:
Worship Team - I love that God uses me for this purpose. I feel so fulfilled, and so used.
Small Group - I’ve recently taken over leading full time, and so far it’s going well. I LOVE the girls in my group. I love how they dig into God, and His word.
Coffee Shop - So much fun, and God has really blessed me through some relationships from serving there on Sunday nights. I’m looking forward to how he’s going to continue to use me in these relationships.
Downpour - this one is new. Westside is starting a young professionals gathering. There aren’t hardly any details to speak of yet, but I’ve full on committed to pouring myself into this. It’s much needed, I’ve been praying for it. So I’ll keep you posted about that one.
Kickboxing - well the focus really has nothing to do with kickboxing, although I have started taking a class again. (You know it’s a good workout when you get in your car and you’re not sure you have enough muscle strength left to drive yourself home.) No the real meat of this focus is the people, and the one person in particular that I’ve already met. Getting to know people in a real and genuine way, and hopefully being able to invite them to church and introduce them to Jesus. Oh how I love Him.
I know He also wants me to focus on Him, just Him, spending time with Him. It’s no coincidence that I don’t have TV right now. (Well I have a TV, but I can’t justify paying the $50 for cable, so I consequently get no channels). It is a challenge to spend my down time curling up in God’s lap, and getting to know Him better.
I think that pretty much sums up the things that God is pressing into my heart, and in a lot of ways I think a more general theme is to not waste my singleness. God has so much for me right now - I want to be used to the fullest, I want to know Him to the fullest. I don’t want to be wasteful with where God has me right now. He has a purpose in it.
I’m loving the Hillsong United song “None But Jesus” right now. Lyrics never have the impact by themselves as they do in the song, so try to go out and listen to it. But since I can’t post the song here, here are some of the great lyrics.
There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praiseIn the chaos, in confusion
I know You’re Sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your willWhen You call I won’t delay
This my song through all my daysAll my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope, all of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord Forevermore
Oh such great words! There is no one else for me. None but Jesus. Crucified to set me free. Now I live to bring Him praise.
01.23.08
Help me decide what color
Ok, I’m going to be getting a new phone, but I can’t decide what color to get. It’s the Palm Centro, and it comes in three different colors. They all have a little bit of shimmer to them. Tell me what you think…
Black
Red
Pink
I’m leaning more towards the black or red, but haven’t ruled out pink. I’m not good at these kind of decisions, so help me please.
01.22.08
Some Thoughts on Forgiveness
Last spring I wrote a few posts on forgiveness, you can find them under the forgiveness category if you want. I was going through a journal that I was using at the time, and found some notes I’d written down when trying to process through things. I thought they might be good to share. I basically started by asking myself some questions. I’ve listed the questions and my answers at the time here.
1) Q. What do I have to loose if I forgive? A. Nothing.
2) Q. What am I afraid of if I forgive? A. I’m afraid that if I forgive I have to be willing to reconcile. I’m afraid that if I forgive I’m opening the door for them to hurt me or someone else again. I’m afraid I’m letting them get away with a lie now.
3) Q. How does forgivness or non-forgiveness change the potential for my fears to be true? A. It really doesn’t.
4) Q. What’s the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation? A. There is a big difference. Forgiveness is letting them off the hook. Reconciliation is mending the relationship.
5) Q. Is forgiveness equal to dropping my guard? A. No.
6) Q. What about a practice run? i.e., I choose to forgive, if it doesn’t work out after a little while I take my forgiveness back. A. Hmm, don’t know that it could hurt anything to give it a try.
Looking back it’s interesting to see my thought process being so far this side of the decision to forgive. I forgave and never looked back, and I’m so thankful that I did. It has been so freeing for me, and I hardly think about everything that I was struggling with then anymore. I think some key things for me to realize were in those questions that I asked myself. Just realizing that holding on to unforgiveness didn’t help any of the issues I was worried about at the time. I wasn’t doing anyone any good to be holding on to it. I needed to let it go, and let God deal with everything I was worried about - they were His problems to solve anyway, not mine.
Just thought I’d share in case someone else can get something out of all of that.
01.21.08
It’s the little things
Some little things that are giving me a lot of joy right now.
1) Putting on clothes that I just took out of the dryer. yummy! (I know not the appropriate word, but it’s the one that always comes to my mind.)
2) Our administrative user name for our blog at work is honey, cause I work at Honeystreet. I love that when I log in it says “Hi, honey” up in the corner of the admin screen.
01.17.08
Question…
How do you tactfully deal with the one friend that everyone seems to have that doesn’t understand that those email forwards shouldn’t be sent on? Seriously, I get a couple a day from one person in particular… I don’t understand what’s going on in their head? Do they really think that everyone in their address book wants to know?