This is a poem thingy that I wrote back in January..strangely enough, while I was working 2 jobs. Anyway...I just came across it tonight and it really ministered to me. Let it do the same for you!
God says:
I just want you to settle down so that I can give you what you need
I want you to lay aside your weights and put it all on Me
I am your Supply, providing your every need
You have to settle down so that I can give you what you need.
My response:
Provider, Provider, You meet my every need
Provider, Supplier, to You alone I cling
Provider, Supplier, my very Source indeed
Provider, Provider, You are all I need.
Freely You've given and freely You meet
My every circumstance with the provision that I need
How could I look elsewhere or look inside of me
When You're the Source of everything good and You have more than all I need!
If I can trust You to forgive me
If I can believe You for grace
Then I can know that what Your Word promises me
Is mine in so many ways
So I trust You to give it to me
I know it's already done
I believe Jesus paid a price for me
And provides all my needs according to His riches and glory!
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Everybody Needs Lovin'!
Love is the key to everything. I know a word and it's the most powerful word ever spoken, written or said. It's a word that's even more powerful than "faith". A word that's more powerful than healing. A single word that can turn someone's life completely upside down and even turn the world on it's axis. A word stronger than any man, any force and any belief or idea. 4 simple letters yet one complex meaning. It's a word that can do more good in someone's life than prayer. This marvelous, great word that I speak of is the word “L-O-V-E...LOVE!” Love can change anything. Love is what can make you a success or a failure in dealing with people. Love is the key that will open the hearts of the most hardened lost sheep. And love always, always, always, ALWAYS wins! People need to know that they are loved. People need to understand what the true church is. Too often have we pointed our fingers and told people how wrong they are and yet not done it based on love. And this, my friends, should not be so! I feel that maybe we’ve made the mistakes as believers, newly re-born and experienced alike, of addressing others with EMOTION rather than compassion. We hear a wonderful sermon that encourages us and pumps us up and we’re ready to just reach out to every single person we see out there! Over time, however, that just stops happening. Why is this? Let me suggest to you that we have fallen in love rather than grounding ourselves in it.
There is such a drastic difference between falling in love and growing in love. One is unstable and flighty, based solely on emotions or shallow inhibitions. The other is grounded, rooted and creates an indestructible foundation. This applies to romantic relationships as well as the relationship with our Father and, in the context of this writing, our relationship with the world. You see, Jesus never FELL in love with us. If He had done so, His sacrifice on the cross would have been a bust. He WOULD have, in fact, called down legions of angels to His rescue. No, you see, Jesus GREW in love with us. I have no doubt about that. No, there isn’t a scripture that says “And Jesus developed a love for the world over time.” Nor is there one that says “God so loved the world after an enduring process of creating and getting to know everyone.”
No, you see, we can see the results of the fact that God grew in love with us simply b/c He has never left us, forsaken us or done ANYTHING to punish us when we so justly deserved it! He fully embodies love. He IS love. And love does NOT bring calamity, sickness, poverty or hurt in order to punish, correct or even teach someone. Period.
Jesus was always showing the will of His Father by His actions. Every time He encountered sickness, He ministered. He payed attention to financial issues and ministered about those things as well. He was all about love, love, love! Love was His mission and the very foundation of EVERYTHING that He ever did on this earth as a man. And now that mission has been served to us, His followers. We are to be all about love, love, love. No, we aren’t to love this world’s ways or the moral decay that only grows day by day. No, we aren’t to support contrary lifestyles and belief systems that are enmities of the Word of God. But we are to reach out to this world, selflessly, giving all that we can give to make a difference. How do we do this? Love.
Love is the answer to just about every single difficult situation you face. When it comes to dealing with religious individuals that neither think they have an issue nor want to listen to anything you say b/c they have it all together, love is the key to breaking through. When it comes to dealing with that abusive spouse, relative or other person in your life, love is the ingredient that will drop them to their knees. When it comes to dealing with the most hardened heart, love is always the way in. You can’t look at the circumstances, however. I’ve been that guy that was so hard and non-receptive of anything even REMOTELY Christ-like. Love broke me down hard. God had placed individuals in my path that simply ministered to me with love. They showed they cared. They would tell me they cared. One brother, in particular, embraced me with a gentle hug whenever I lost my best friend and just told me, “I love you and I’m praying for you.” Wow! What a difference that made in me! I hated that guy...I think he knew it...but yet still. And then another dear brother reached out to me in homeroom one day, in love, and just ministered words of love to me about my situation at that time. I left school that day, went to my room, hit my knees and just BROKE before God. I knew these guys were Christians because I saw the difference in their conduct in mine. So their words drilled through my hardened heart every time they spoke to me because they always spoke to me from the position of love. Love always, always, always, ALWAYS works!
So where do we get this? HOW can we grow in love rather than wrapping ourselves up in “the moment” of this letter and going by emotional response? Let me suggest that we get that love from spending time touching our Father’s heart. When we spend time with our God in loving fellowship and spend time in His Word as if it’s the only “meal” at the dinner table that we will have that day, we break before Him. And when we break before our God, He fills in every single crevice with Himself. The deeper in love with God our Father that you are, the more love you are going to exude as you walk amongst the people that don’t yet know Him. And let’s not forget the power of the precious Holy Spirit that dwells in us either! Praying in the Spirit (praying in other tongues) releases the full plan of God in your life. When you pray in an unknown tongue, your spirit, your inner man, the REAL you, communicates DIRECTLY with God, though your understanding is unfruitful. When you pray in the Spirit, you pray out the perfect plan and will of God in your life. And also, when you pray in the Spirit, you edify yourself. You build yourself up, getting everything that you NEED in that moment. And FYI...you don’t even have to wait for some “feeling” to come upon you before you begin to pray in other tongues. The Holy Ghost is a gift that lives inside us and if you’ve received the baptism of that precious, Holy Spirit, you can put that gift to use anytime...and it’s STILL as the Spirit gives utterance! Praise God for the Holy Ghost!
So spend time with our Father. Love on Him, sing to Him, speak to Him like you would your dearest sweetheart. Spend time in His Word...crave it like you do your favorite meal...and as you read it, enjoy it as you would that favorite dish. Pray in the Spirit and know that everything you need is being represented in that precious time. And watch the difference in your life and the impact that your life will make from this day forward in the world around you.
I love you guys! If you have questions or comments, I welcome them!
There is such a drastic difference between falling in love and growing in love. One is unstable and flighty, based solely on emotions or shallow inhibitions. The other is grounded, rooted and creates an indestructible foundation. This applies to romantic relationships as well as the relationship with our Father and, in the context of this writing, our relationship with the world. You see, Jesus never FELL in love with us. If He had done so, His sacrifice on the cross would have been a bust. He WOULD have, in fact, called down legions of angels to His rescue. No, you see, Jesus GREW in love with us. I have no doubt about that. No, there isn’t a scripture that says “And Jesus developed a love for the world over time.” Nor is there one that says “God so loved the world after an enduring process of creating and getting to know everyone.”
No, you see, we can see the results of the fact that God grew in love with us simply b/c He has never left us, forsaken us or done ANYTHING to punish us when we so justly deserved it! He fully embodies love. He IS love. And love does NOT bring calamity, sickness, poverty or hurt in order to punish, correct or even teach someone. Period.
Jesus was always showing the will of His Father by His actions. Every time He encountered sickness, He ministered. He payed attention to financial issues and ministered about those things as well. He was all about love, love, love! Love was His mission and the very foundation of EVERYTHING that He ever did on this earth as a man. And now that mission has been served to us, His followers. We are to be all about love, love, love. No, we aren’t to love this world’s ways or the moral decay that only grows day by day. No, we aren’t to support contrary lifestyles and belief systems that are enmities of the Word of God. But we are to reach out to this world, selflessly, giving all that we can give to make a difference. How do we do this? Love.
Love is the answer to just about every single difficult situation you face. When it comes to dealing with religious individuals that neither think they have an issue nor want to listen to anything you say b/c they have it all together, love is the key to breaking through. When it comes to dealing with that abusive spouse, relative or other person in your life, love is the ingredient that will drop them to their knees. When it comes to dealing with the most hardened heart, love is always the way in. You can’t look at the circumstances, however. I’ve been that guy that was so hard and non-receptive of anything even REMOTELY Christ-like. Love broke me down hard. God had placed individuals in my path that simply ministered to me with love. They showed they cared. They would tell me they cared. One brother, in particular, embraced me with a gentle hug whenever I lost my best friend and just told me, “I love you and I’m praying for you.” Wow! What a difference that made in me! I hated that guy...I think he knew it...but yet still. And then another dear brother reached out to me in homeroom one day, in love, and just ministered words of love to me about my situation at that time. I left school that day, went to my room, hit my knees and just BROKE before God. I knew these guys were Christians because I saw the difference in their conduct in mine. So their words drilled through my hardened heart every time they spoke to me because they always spoke to me from the position of love. Love always, always, always, ALWAYS works!
So where do we get this? HOW can we grow in love rather than wrapping ourselves up in “the moment” of this letter and going by emotional response? Let me suggest that we get that love from spending time touching our Father’s heart. When we spend time with our God in loving fellowship and spend time in His Word as if it’s the only “meal” at the dinner table that we will have that day, we break before Him. And when we break before our God, He fills in every single crevice with Himself. The deeper in love with God our Father that you are, the more love you are going to exude as you walk amongst the people that don’t yet know Him. And let’s not forget the power of the precious Holy Spirit that dwells in us either! Praying in the Spirit (praying in other tongues) releases the full plan of God in your life. When you pray in an unknown tongue, your spirit, your inner man, the REAL you, communicates DIRECTLY with God, though your understanding is unfruitful. When you pray in the Spirit, you pray out the perfect plan and will of God in your life. And also, when you pray in the Spirit, you edify yourself. You build yourself up, getting everything that you NEED in that moment. And FYI...you don’t even have to wait for some “feeling” to come upon you before you begin to pray in other tongues. The Holy Ghost is a gift that lives inside us and if you’ve received the baptism of that precious, Holy Spirit, you can put that gift to use anytime...and it’s STILL as the Spirit gives utterance! Praise God for the Holy Ghost!
So spend time with our Father. Love on Him, sing to Him, speak to Him like you would your dearest sweetheart. Spend time in His Word...crave it like you do your favorite meal...and as you read it, enjoy it as you would that favorite dish. Pray in the Spirit and know that everything you need is being represented in that precious time. And watch the difference in your life and the impact that your life will make from this day forward in the world around you.
I love you guys! If you have questions or comments, I welcome them!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Content
Let me first define this word "content": adj.- in a state of peaceful happiness. verb- to satisfy; accept as adequate despite wanting more or better. noun- a state of satisfaction.
I don't know that I've EVER lacked transparency in regards to my hopes and dreams; my aspirations and desires. I've mentioned before that I developed a desire for a wife and family at a VERY early age. I used to draw pictures of myself at that age with my wife and kids. At the age of 3...yes, new readers, 3 years old, I began to look forward to and desire a family. I know. That's kinda weird and almost not even believable due to the age BUT my mom can vouch for me here. The point is...I've been looking for that "other person" pretty much my entire life in some form or fashion. That's really kinda scary, ya know. But the scariest part about it is that I NEVER even realized the error and imbalance in this until just last week!
I began reading a book one day that I REALLLLLLY didn't wanna read but had been feeling in my heart for the last 4 months that I really should. Like...REALLY should. Anyway, I kept ignoring it and kept on reading all my other books that I'm reading until one day I just decided to surrender to that little unction to read. See, I realize something now about being led by the Spirit of God that I was never really sensitive to before. Often times when the Holy Spirit is leading you, He kinda just keeps "bringing it up" inside you, so to speak, like a constant urge or unction to do something, repeating over and over and over again like a broken record. Now, He also leads by peace and not by pressure, so it'll never be an instance where He is PUSHING you to come to a conclusion, make a decision or act...there'll just be a sort of "peaceful urgency", if that even makes any sense to you. So anyway...I was led to buy this book in the first place. I had picked it up and put it down many, many times before and FINALLY just decided "What the heck? Maybe I should read this so that I can more effectively minister to other single peeps." And once I got home and realized that I'm NOT gonna be getting to minister to singles as I thought I would, I just kinda pushed it aside and continued trying to ignore that leading. Until last week.
I read this book in one sitting. I don't blow through books in a hurry, mind you. I prefer to study books as I read them, underlining, highlighting, circling, re-reading certain portions...I really prefer to process books rather than just read them. I couldn't put this book down, to be honest with you. You know why? Because it seemed that the book was written JUST FOR ME!
*I'm not really here to push a book to you but if you ARE interested in it, it's called "Single and Loving It!" by Kate McVeigh and if you wanted to find it, you could probably find it on Amazon or something. I actually bought it at Rhema's bookstore before coming home.*
During my reading of this book I both laughed (cuz she is one funny lady, I tell you) and cried. I wasn't crying because I was sad or because I had something in my eye or even because I was thinking about that ending to "Old Yeller". No, I was crying because my heart had become broken over the one relationship I had taken my main focus off of. I had placed my heart's desire on a pedestal just above my Father. I had, without even REALIZING it, placed MORE importance on whoever He had for me rather than enjoying what I already had with Him. See, He had romanced me better than any one ever has or could or will. At one point in my life, I realized that and spent hours a day with Him. As time went on and as life happened, as relationships came and heartbreak happened, I neglected the ONE relationship that promises to NEVER end and never cause a negative sense of heartbreak. He SO LOVED me that He gave everything, JUST to capture my attention. No romantic comedy, no graphic love story and no individual relationship can even COMPARE to that! Period.
So I began to weep, openly...I cried like I've not cried in years. You know that cry. The one where your back heaves and ho's and your cries are more closely related to that of a newborn baby rather than a grown man (or woman). I cried and I repented because I had ceased to be content in every tense of the word with my relationship with my Heavenly Father; my Precious Jesus. Sure, it's an emotional song...but romance, whether Divine or earthly is an emotional thing...but I can hear, even now, the worship song "Arms of Love" in my head and it just makes me tear up as I type this blog.
Big deal. I'm a single guy in ministry. Doesn't mean I'm not WHOLE! Big deal. I'm not at the place in life that I always thought I would be by this age. You know what though? I'm so happy! I've not taken such delight in JUST seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and taken such joy in my relationship with an Eternal Romancer in years! It feels so good to be back on track, you know. I'm TOTALLY happy being a single guy right now. Do I STILL want a wife and family? You bet I do! But, my goodness, what is that in comparison to the most important relationship anyone can have anyway? The promise of God's Word is so very simple and SO very true: HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART! Psalm 37:4 But the first part of that verse is the key..."delight yourself in the Lord".
Kate McVeigh says this in the book, "The bigger your dream is, the greater the foundation that has to be laid." It's not such an issue of time, really though. It's an issue of just making the most out of this season in life! Preparation time is NEVER EVER EVER wasted time! And if you're single, this is the BEST time of your life! Why can't we adopt the mindset that we are going to take advantage of this season by preparing ourselves for our future and our mate? This isn't a dull, boring, sad time! This is a time of opportunity and promise!
So how do we prepare? GET BUSY! Get busy becoming who you want to be in life. Get busy becoming the quality of person you hope to end up with in ever capacity: physically, mentally, spiritually, financially, etc. Get busy focusing on other people instead of just yourself! "What you make happen for others, God can make happen for you." Look at Ruth for an example of that! And finally..."Seek first the kingdom of GOd and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 The great part about that verse is all the stuff Jesus covers at the beginning of that chapter and how He deals with worry.
When we focus on our relationship with our Creator first, we become satisfied in the revelation that we already have everything we could possibly need in Him. Don't give me that line that you need a wife. You DESIRE a wife. You DESIRE a husband...but you do NOT need her/him! You've already GOT all you need in Him! And He is oh so aware of your wants for physical contact with another person. Just look at Adam. He was a busy joker tending to the garden and walking with God in the cool of the day. He had a relationship with God that only Jesus can parallel. And yet as Adam was faithful tending to all those things and finding himself content in all that he had and, no doubt, realizing just how complete he was with his Creator, God took notice and said, "You know...it's not good for man to be alone." So He caused Adam to rest it up a bit and then created for him his lady.
Don't tell me that God is unaware of that desire! He just desires and DESERVES to be the FIRST relationship that we long for! Period! And when we focus on that, we realize that we don't HAVE to be desperate about finding someone else. Is God not capable of bringing people into our lives? He doesn't need our help. Dating sites serve a purpose...but likely not a Godly one! Sweatin' every chick you see for her number or for a date might seem alright at first...till you realize that you just overlooked that woman as a sister in Christ and neglected to FIRST nourish and cherish a friendship with her. No, I'm not saying you shouldn't date. In fact, that's something fun that I think singles SHOULD do because you can AT LEAST develop a really fun friendship with someone, even if the romance never develops. Hey ladies...Ruth didn't find Boaz....Boaz found Ruth! I'll end with this quote from the book. "God knows where you are, and He can cause your path to cross with the one He's chosen for you. The best place for you to be is serving God faithfully in your local church, being about your Father's business."
I get it now. And I'm so stinkin' happy with my Father and His business! That other stuff will be great too...but it will never fulfill me like what He's called me to do will...and a woman will NEVER satisfy me like He does. "Keep your focus on Him and everything else will fall into line. You don't have to go looking."
I love you guys and trust that this ministers to you just as much as it did to me.
I don't know that I've EVER lacked transparency in regards to my hopes and dreams; my aspirations and desires. I've mentioned before that I developed a desire for a wife and family at a VERY early age. I used to draw pictures of myself at that age with my wife and kids. At the age of 3...yes, new readers, 3 years old, I began to look forward to and desire a family. I know. That's kinda weird and almost not even believable due to the age BUT my mom can vouch for me here. The point is...I've been looking for that "other person" pretty much my entire life in some form or fashion. That's really kinda scary, ya know. But the scariest part about it is that I NEVER even realized the error and imbalance in this until just last week!
I began reading a book one day that I REALLLLLLY didn't wanna read but had been feeling in my heart for the last 4 months that I really should. Like...REALLY should. Anyway, I kept ignoring it and kept on reading all my other books that I'm reading until one day I just decided to surrender to that little unction to read. See, I realize something now about being led by the Spirit of God that I was never really sensitive to before. Often times when the Holy Spirit is leading you, He kinda just keeps "bringing it up" inside you, so to speak, like a constant urge or unction to do something, repeating over and over and over again like a broken record. Now, He also leads by peace and not by pressure, so it'll never be an instance where He is PUSHING you to come to a conclusion, make a decision or act...there'll just be a sort of "peaceful urgency", if that even makes any sense to you. So anyway...I was led to buy this book in the first place. I had picked it up and put it down many, many times before and FINALLY just decided "What the heck? Maybe I should read this so that I can more effectively minister to other single peeps." And once I got home and realized that I'm NOT gonna be getting to minister to singles as I thought I would, I just kinda pushed it aside and continued trying to ignore that leading. Until last week.
I read this book in one sitting. I don't blow through books in a hurry, mind you. I prefer to study books as I read them, underlining, highlighting, circling, re-reading certain portions...I really prefer to process books rather than just read them. I couldn't put this book down, to be honest with you. You know why? Because it seemed that the book was written JUST FOR ME!
*I'm not really here to push a book to you but if you ARE interested in it, it's called "Single and Loving It!" by Kate McVeigh and if you wanted to find it, you could probably find it on Amazon or something. I actually bought it at Rhema's bookstore before coming home.*
During my reading of this book I both laughed (cuz she is one funny lady, I tell you) and cried. I wasn't crying because I was sad or because I had something in my eye or even because I was thinking about that ending to "Old Yeller". No, I was crying because my heart had become broken over the one relationship I had taken my main focus off of. I had placed my heart's desire on a pedestal just above my Father. I had, without even REALIZING it, placed MORE importance on whoever He had for me rather than enjoying what I already had with Him. See, He had romanced me better than any one ever has or could or will. At one point in my life, I realized that and spent hours a day with Him. As time went on and as life happened, as relationships came and heartbreak happened, I neglected the ONE relationship that promises to NEVER end and never cause a negative sense of heartbreak. He SO LOVED me that He gave everything, JUST to capture my attention. No romantic comedy, no graphic love story and no individual relationship can even COMPARE to that! Period.
So I began to weep, openly...I cried like I've not cried in years. You know that cry. The one where your back heaves and ho's and your cries are more closely related to that of a newborn baby rather than a grown man (or woman). I cried and I repented because I had ceased to be content in every tense of the word with my relationship with my Heavenly Father; my Precious Jesus. Sure, it's an emotional song...but romance, whether Divine or earthly is an emotional thing...but I can hear, even now, the worship song "Arms of Love" in my head and it just makes me tear up as I type this blog.
Big deal. I'm a single guy in ministry. Doesn't mean I'm not WHOLE! Big deal. I'm not at the place in life that I always thought I would be by this age. You know what though? I'm so happy! I've not taken such delight in JUST seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and taken such joy in my relationship with an Eternal Romancer in years! It feels so good to be back on track, you know. I'm TOTALLY happy being a single guy right now. Do I STILL want a wife and family? You bet I do! But, my goodness, what is that in comparison to the most important relationship anyone can have anyway? The promise of God's Word is so very simple and SO very true: HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART! Psalm 37:4 But the first part of that verse is the key..."delight yourself in the Lord".
Kate McVeigh says this in the book, "The bigger your dream is, the greater the foundation that has to be laid." It's not such an issue of time, really though. It's an issue of just making the most out of this season in life! Preparation time is NEVER EVER EVER wasted time! And if you're single, this is the BEST time of your life! Why can't we adopt the mindset that we are going to take advantage of this season by preparing ourselves for our future and our mate? This isn't a dull, boring, sad time! This is a time of opportunity and promise!
So how do we prepare? GET BUSY! Get busy becoming who you want to be in life. Get busy becoming the quality of person you hope to end up with in ever capacity: physically, mentally, spiritually, financially, etc. Get busy focusing on other people instead of just yourself! "What you make happen for others, God can make happen for you." Look at Ruth for an example of that! And finally..."Seek first the kingdom of GOd and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 The great part about that verse is all the stuff Jesus covers at the beginning of that chapter and how He deals with worry.
When we focus on our relationship with our Creator first, we become satisfied in the revelation that we already have everything we could possibly need in Him. Don't give me that line that you need a wife. You DESIRE a wife. You DESIRE a husband...but you do NOT need her/him! You've already GOT all you need in Him! And He is oh so aware of your wants for physical contact with another person. Just look at Adam. He was a busy joker tending to the garden and walking with God in the cool of the day. He had a relationship with God that only Jesus can parallel. And yet as Adam was faithful tending to all those things and finding himself content in all that he had and, no doubt, realizing just how complete he was with his Creator, God took notice and said, "You know...it's not good for man to be alone." So He caused Adam to rest it up a bit and then created for him his lady.
Don't tell me that God is unaware of that desire! He just desires and DESERVES to be the FIRST relationship that we long for! Period! And when we focus on that, we realize that we don't HAVE to be desperate about finding someone else. Is God not capable of bringing people into our lives? He doesn't need our help. Dating sites serve a purpose...but likely not a Godly one! Sweatin' every chick you see for her number or for a date might seem alright at first...till you realize that you just overlooked that woman as a sister in Christ and neglected to FIRST nourish and cherish a friendship with her. No, I'm not saying you shouldn't date. In fact, that's something fun that I think singles SHOULD do because you can AT LEAST develop a really fun friendship with someone, even if the romance never develops. Hey ladies...Ruth didn't find Boaz....Boaz found Ruth! I'll end with this quote from the book. "God knows where you are, and He can cause your path to cross with the one He's chosen for you. The best place for you to be is serving God faithfully in your local church, being about your Father's business."
I get it now. And I'm so stinkin' happy with my Father and His business! That other stuff will be great too...but it will never fulfill me like what He's called me to do will...and a woman will NEVER satisfy me like He does. "Keep your focus on Him and everything else will fall into line. You don't have to go looking."
I love you guys and trust that this ministers to you just as much as it did to me.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Love and Dating and Their Musing Power (And Ability to Make Me Ramble)
So I'm aware that "musing" likely isn't a officially recognized word or terminology but I had to word it some how. We see it's influence in television, films, music...practically everywhere. There's just something wonderful yet terrifying yet all-encompassing yet mysterious yet magical about love.
No, this won't be my typical blog. This blog has very little to do with religion or with theology or with relationship and fellowship with my Savior. This blog is all about romantic, powerful love and my quest to let it find me. Yes, you read it right...I want love to find me. I've searched high and low; taken many journeys in life in an attempt to discover this ever-elusive...thing. Yes, I've loved, I've lost, I've done it all. Yes, I DO believe in love. And, no, I have not given up on love either.
The last year has been a wonderful journey for me in which I have really come to know myself. It's an amazing thing to take a step back and look at yourself only to realize that you have NEVER really known yourself. It's also not at easy fact to accept considering I've always prided myself on being the most real, genuine, honest and down to earth person anyone would ever meet. Perhaps I was being all of those things to everyone else...except for myself.
I fell in love REALLY hard one time back when I was in college. We started as friends and just fell really hard for each other, or at least I fell really hard for her. I spent a week with her and her family that summer...her dad even gave me "the talk" one day whilst riding around town. We made plans for our future and we just couldn't WAIT to start living out the plan of God together forever! A few weeks after I left her home that summer, she met another boy..kissed him...and a couple years later married him.
So much for that, huh? Where did that leave me? In a broken heap. I turned inward..and stayed that way for many, many years following. In fact, that's been about 7 years ago now...and I've only recently come out of that hole that I buried myself in. So now, like a phoenix, I've risen from the earth ready to burn bright alongside my mate. The problem is, however, that I've forgotten how to make those pure connections with people due to my many years of selfish dating endeavors and playing the field and basically just using people.
Now let's not get it twisted...this is NOT a blog reflecting on my past nor is it a blog seeking the pity of others...I simply wanted to lay just a bit of back story here. Though the things in my more recent past are kinda negative, I've been restored, my broken heart has FINALLY healed (simply b/c I gave that issue to God and let Him heal me) and I've given up my pursuit of immorality to cure all my hurt.
I've watched most of my closest friends get married. In fact, I was in 2 weddings this summer back to back. In recent years I've witnessed nearly all of my single friends meet, court and marry their loves. I don't know if it's the fact that nearly all of these friends have been younger than me that has jarred me or if it's simply the realization that I've placed myself in this position over the years that's caused me to miss out...but either way I'm ready for my time.
The biggest issue that I've discovered is that I have almost always settled. I've been lonely and just so desperate to have that relationship with someone (neither of these are good reasons to date someone, by the way!) that I've, in times past, settled for the first cute girl to come along and show some interest. Then, once in that relationship, I've found myself unsatisfied due to personality clashes, emotional instabilities, intellect barriers and *gasp* even attraction issues. I know, I've likely just been written off as a shallow guy because of that list...but hear me out.
Where do we get the idea that it's OK to settle for something less than what we REALLY want? Is it NOT OK to have standards or something? I mean, seriously, I've dated some really pretty girls...but I've realized that these same girls aren't the best that I could do either. And I just don't see what's wrong with that realization. I DO believe that there is SOME woman of God out there that embodies everything I want in a woman...a great personality, reasonable emotional stability, intelligent (both naturally and spiritually) and out of my league gorgeous. I've never really pursued any woman like that before. Sure, I've known many women that would fit all of those things and then some...but I never even TRIED with them (other than the chick from college). So I've adopted a new philosophy on dating..and it's the same philosophy I have when it comes to everything else, really. I'm looking at over-all quality. When I purchase something, I don't buy the cheapest thing...I buy what will give me the most long-term return for the highest quality. Why shouldn't I seek a relationship in the same fashion?
I know that some in the Christian circle will view this blog and preach at me that I should "just wait on the Lord and He will provide and bring her unto you" and all that stuff. I don't disagree with that totally, however, I live in a natural world where not EVERYTHING is spiritual. Beyond that, is it NOT my job as a man to be the pursuer of a woman?? I'm aware that I'll likely get rejected many times over...I've always pursued the ones that I KNEW I'd have a shot at. But I'm ready to be brave now and actually go for what I desire rather than what could just be served to me on a silver platter.
So women of God of the world...this is your served notice. If you match any of the above listed criteria and you are NOT afraid of being a pastors wife or if you believe that you are called to be a pastors wife, I'm coming for you! No, I'm not looking to play the field...I'm not looking to date as many women as is possible in search for "the one". I'm not even looking to get married. What I REALLY want to find is that friend...that mate...and I want to woo her and court her and show her that Hollywood doesn't have the corner market on romance. I learned romance from my Father in Heaven...the Greatest Romantic one could ever know.
The end...for now.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Friday, October 17, 2008
Yes you can!!
I want you to know that you CAN do anything!
I want to tell you that anyone that has ever told you that can't LIED to you!
I want to let you know that with the Greater One living inside of you, you are unstoppable!
I want you to know that anyone who programmed you to believe that maybe you can't b/c of this or maybe you can't b/c of that...they were mis-informed! They didn't know what you are capable of. They didn't know that you can tap into the very power of God Almighty and live from the inside out!
The world doesn't understand that it can't stop you. The world doesn't know that it can't hold you back. The world doesn't know that it can only slow you down when you allow it to do so.
The enemy knows what you're capable of. The enemy comes to steal from you those dreams that God has given you and placed inside of you. The enemy has come to kill those hopes and dreams that you have inside of you. And the enemy would even KILL and DESTROY you if he could. Here's something else that the enemy knows, though. he CAN'T do it!
YOU have all power and authority in Jesus' Name even on your weakest, sickest, brokest, laziest, most careless day!
It's time we rise up and understand who we really are! We are, indeed, the sleeping giant, the church of God, chosen and set apart for the works of His kingdom at THIS VERY HOUR!
It's time to rise up! It's time to let go of all the lies of the past. It's time to let go of all the things that so easily beset us and PRESS ON! It's time to adopt a NEW mindset, the mind of Christ, and refuse to give up, refuse to give in and refuse to be stopped!
You can do anything! You can't lose! You weren't called out of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son to lack, suffer or live in defeat!
You were made for this time! You were made for this hour! You were made to raise the dead! You were made to heal the sick! You were made to sing new songs!
You were made to go forth and conquer! You were made to bind up those who are hurting! You are ANOINTED!
You were crucified with Christ and yet you no longer live but Christ lives WITHIN you!
Vow this day to go on with God! Vow this day to rise up and do everything God has called you to do! Vow this day to be who He has called you to be!
Because THAT is the only purpose we were created for...to be who HE has called us to be.
Glory to God!
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