Bad at Blogging

I knew I would be terrible at keeping up with this blog. Even with all my free time, I still don't come to it! When I randomly decided to like 3 seconds ago, I wasn't even quite sure of what the blogging website was called! Ah. Bad. Sorry guys, good thing I don't live an interesting life huh?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!! My family and I had a wonderful day of being at peace and basking in the Lord's presence. Christmas this year for me was kind of a day of growing up. I love the Christmas (and the non-stop shopping) spirit, the atmosphere is so fun, and I do love receiving gifts (who doesn't?!). When my brother Chase and I went downstairs Sunday morning to see what Santa had brought, there was a "smell" of disappointment in the air. Money gets tighter and tighter every year for us and sometimes the gift giving isn't as "big" as we think it should be. It was if Chase and I assumed we did not get ENOUGH. This was a big wake up call for me. How dare I be disappointed in receiving PRESENTS (tangible, pretty gifts) on Christmas morning!?! This thought sat on my heart all day. After enjoying the presence of my family, I went up for my quiet time. I felt God telling me that He is enough. His PRESENCE in my life is the BEST PRESENT I could ever, ever ask for. He saved my life, He rescued me! When His sweet Son came to be born to die for me, I received then and there MORE THAN ENOUGH. Jesus came to be my WONDERFUL counselor, MIGHTY GOD, Everlasting Father and Prince of PEACE. Woooooe! In my Savior I have all of these great, necessary, essential things to life. God revealed to me Christmas day that life is not about gifts and earthly treasures but it is about basking in His presence, glorifying and living for Him, LOVING and THANKING Him. Life is about going out and spreading His name, saving His people, bringing hope to people and glory to the Lord; being His hands and feet.

This leads me to the burden on my heart. After realizing how selfish I had acted Christmas morning, I came to the conclusion that I am mighty blessed. I have a supporting family and loving friends. I am receiving a college education (at a great school). I have clothes on my back, food to eat whenever I feel hungry and money to spend. I have a place to sleep (two places, actually). And on top of all of these essentials, I get to enjoy luxuries like football games, new presents and toys, family trips and heated seats in a car. I have more than I could ever need or want. With this obvious conclusion being made, I realized I am not being the Lord's hands and feet in the frivolous way in which I should. I have so so much. It is not fair that I get to turn down a $4 bottle of water to go for the Coke instead. People do not even have CLEAN WATER to drink out of a tap. It is not fair that I get to play on my Mac computer and iPhone and complain that they're not the NEWEST versions. People do not even know how to read or write. I could go on and on. God has placed the burden on my heart to help others. He has been stirring my heart to do mission work and to spread His great news. The Lord has cried out to me and I cannot sit on the sidelines anymore. God has called me to spend my money in ways that glorify HIM, in ways that help HIS CHILDREN who are in need. He has called me to spend time with the needy. God is especially increasing my desire to spend time with orphans: my passion has always been children. My desire to help babies and children who have no love is at an all time high. I know I am to spend my time, money, energy into helping the broken, hungry and "unloved." I am strongly praying about where God wants me to go, when and how it will be covered (I ask that you, sweet friends, will be praying for me, too!). I am truly thankful that God has put me at peace and has stirred my heart for something greater than pleasing myself. I am also SO much more thankful that Christ was sent to be born at this time 2000 odd years ago. I am so thankful that He is here to comfort us. I'm thankful that He died so I could spend eternity thanking Him, glorifying Him and living with Him! God is good.

I want to end this on a happier note. God is so awesome and so worthy to be praised. It is such a blessing to be a child of God and able to spend time worshipping Him and basking in His presence! Yesterday in the car, I heard these lyrics: "You've gotta believe that you're someone worth dying for." I'm sure I've heard this song a million times and hummed along, but yesterday, as I sat in week after Christmas traffic, these lyrics struck me so hard!! The Lord loves us SO much with so much power. He made the gesture by sending His Son that we are WORTH dying for. How amazing. Whenever you are down, whenever you don't feel good enough, whenever you're left out...remember that. You may never, ever be good enough for this world or anyone in it (because you're not OF THIS WORLD) but YOUR CREATOR, our Mighty and Everlasting Father said that you are worth everything. To Him, you are worth fighting for. You are worth leaving perfect Heaven to come to this awful, sinful world for. To our Lord and SAVIOR, you are worth DYING FOR. How awesome is our GOD?!! This is such good news to me. For me, I love rejoicing in the fact in how much God loves me...I love giving that love back to Him! I hope you find as much comfort in those sweet lyrics as I did.

I love you all. Praying for you and your struggles. Remember that if you're reading this, you are extremely blessed, even when Suzy Q gets a cooler David Yurman ring than you. Remember how much God loves you and that you're worth dying for you. XOXO!

"For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6

"Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." -2 Timothy 3:12

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -Matthew 6:19-21

"And He said to all, 'If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?'" -Luke 9:23-25