Things Just Got Real

So, for awhile now I've felt God impressing on my heart to share a little about my faith story on this little corner of the web.  I prayed a prayer years and years ago, giving my heart to God.  Fast forward to about a year and a half ago, when I knew a little more about what that prayer meant...  I prayed it again.  This time with a little more understanding and more a mature sincerity, and this time I added something to it.  I am a serial planner - Spot on type-A, if you will.  My whole life, up to that point, had been spent making plans and subsequent time lines to accompany those plans.  As my own 'due dates' came and went, I started realizing that it wasn't my plan that mattered.  So, I prayed that same prayer again and added in there an additional promise to God - that He would get my whole life and, in return, whatever He asked of me from that point, I would follow.  I would be His number one willing and faithful servant.  The most willing and faithful servant you ever did see.

He impresses something on my heart,  I obey.  Simple as that. Things just got real up in here, y'all.

I am absolutely positive that this little corner of the Internet has a wide range of readers.  Some of you, like me, were raised in Christian households from birth.  Some of you may have come to know Christ later in your lives.  I'm sure there are even some of you out there who completely deny God's existence.  And that's okay.  That's the beauty of this.  None of us are the same.  I respect every one's beliefs, regardless of what they may be.  I'm glad you're here!

However, if you fall in that last category, I especially hope you'll listen to what I have to say.  And that you'll do so with an open heart.  I respect your beliefs, but that doesn't mean I agree with them.  If you're here to read about a little Christian girl who believes we are all going to Heaven regardless of our beliefs, you're in the wrong place.

This blog is not for you. 

You might actually want to stop reading right now.

{But I hope you'll keep on!}

Maybe you've never had anyone sit down and share The Gospel?  And, in case that's true, The Gospel is what us Christians like to call The Truth.  About God.  About faith.  About Jesus and his life on earth.  His resurrection.  Heaven and hell.  You know, THAT Truth.  Or, if we are getting completely gangster with this...  DA TRUFF.  If that's you, then without overwhelming you entirely, I'm going to give you my own little personal slice of my Gospel story.  Buckle up.

Maybe there are some of you here who know me from college?  Heck, we may have probably partied in college!  If that's you.... Yes, I'm the same girl.  We probably took a shot together at Papa's or played flip cup or tailgated or stayed out way too late.  Maybe all of the above?  Oh Lord, don't even get me started on college stories!  If that's you, and you're not well on your way to your own spiritual journey, you're undoubtedly mumbling things under your breath about how "fake" and "hypocritical" I am.  All at the same time, I hate that for you and I get why those thoughts are crossing your mind.  But I'm so glad you're here!  Stay awhile :)  We will reminisce some other time...

Maybe you fall under none of these categories, and you're only still reading because you're a regular here and you appreciate my typical, humorous and silly posts?  I'm so glad you enjoy!  I'm going to get a little serious with this one.  The silly will ensue in the not-so-distant future.  Promise!

Regardless of who you are or why you're still reading, if I knew all of you in real life, this is the part where I'd invite you over to my house.  I'd ask you if you liked something to drink.  Henley and Harlow would be scuffling at your feet and begging for your attention.  We'd hang out in my living room, and I'd tell you this story of sorts.

I'd tell you how, ever since I gave my whole life to God, nothing has been the same.  I'd explain that it's the best decision I've ever made.

Ever.  That's big.  If you've not made that decision, I hope you will consider it.

Maybe you'd ask me questions about the God I serve?  Or how I know He's real?  Or maybe you'd have questions about all these 'crazy people' who call themselves Christians?  Trust me...  I'll be the first to admit that I totally understand that some of the people out there giving Christianity a bad name are people who call themselves Christians.  And, if you've not been raised in Christianity, I can definitely see how that could be confusing.

That's the beauty about giving your life to Christ.  You don't HAVE to be perfect.

Let me reiterate...  TO BE A CHRISTIAN, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

There are plenty of holier than thou people all runnin' a muck out there....  Seemingly sinning constantly, and all the while calling themselves Christians.  Do you know what those discrepancies mean?  They mean that you're HUMAN.  And that's okay.

You know the beauty of it?  You can be perfectly imperfect and make all of these mistakes, but God still thinks you're perfect.  He made you in His image.  He gave His life for you.  How awesome is that?!

The other really beautiful thing is the concept of forgiveness.  Let me spin it this way...  I know we've ALL had "that" guy in our lives.  The one who did stupid things and hurt our feelings.  Sometimes we wished he'd go play in traffic.  Heck, if you haven't had "that" guy, then you've SURELY had "that" girl friend.  Girls are mean, y'all!  Maybe she called you fat behind your back and it got back to you.  Or she bought that great shade of lipstick or new perfume or pair of shoes that you just bought and then she went and told everyone that you "copied her."  Think junior high.  The struggle is REAL! 

Now, don't tell me you've never forgiven someone who has hurt you like that.  Don't tell me that you didn't see the light and come to forgive that mean ol' nasty boy.  I'm sure that you remember how badly you were hurt.  And how difficult it was for you to cope with the idea of forgiveness.  I'm sure that, no matter how long ago it was, you still remember those feelings like it was yesterday.

Y'all....  God deals with that every single day.  EVERY. DAY.  We mess up, and He's right there to forgive.  Heck, He's even helping you THROUGH the struggle and then finds it in His heart to forgive our transgressions.

That is just incredible to me.

That He loves us enough to find it in His heart to forgive me over and over again.  No matter how imperfectly perfect I am.  No natter how bad I mess up.  No matter what, my Father loves me and forgives me.

He can do that for you, too!  He WANTS to do that for you.

I'll be the first to admit how difficult it was for me to come to the point of praying that prayer a year and a half ago.  God hated to see me struggle, but it's what had to happen in my faith journey.  I was hurt.  I was broken-hearted.  I was resentful.  I was unhappy.  To the outside world, I was none of those things.  I think I put on a good front.  But I couldn't take it anymore.  Something in my soul ached and I needed someone to take the burden.  I'd been raised in church and I have a mama who, still to this day, wakes up every morning and spends time praying over whatever I've got going on for that day.  I know I'm blessed by that.  I went my whole life professing that I was a Christian.  But no amount of a fervent-in-prayer-mama was going to guarantee my everlasting walk with God.  I had to take responsibility for that.  It had to be a daily thing..  Not a "I'm a Christian today because I feel like it, but tomorrow I think I want to live in sin and then do this all over again the next day" thing...  I'd been through struggles, but I came out on top.  I was hurt by friends, hurt by boys, hurt by family.  I felt neglected and, at times, like I wasn't worth much.

But do you know what?  God got me through it!  He showed me how wrong I was, and that I WAS worth SO much to His Kingdom.  He loved me enough to pull me through my struggles and my broken hearted tears and my feeling of betrayal. He loved me enough to hang on and not give up on me.  That is plenty of proof for me that He exists.

Now, as a practicing Christian who puts my walk with God number one in my life, I just can't fathom how people deny His existence.   Have you seen a sunset lately?  Have you contemplated the depth and power of the ocean?  Have you witnessed the power of love?  Because if you have, I just don't understand how you could experience any of those things and claim that there isn't a God.  You are wrong, and I ache for your soul.  Open your eyes to life's simple pleasures.  Hear the beauty in a piece of music.  Close your eyes and let the sunshine hit you in the face.  Take a long drive during the fall.  Bask in the beauty of our world and recognize all of the blessings you've been given.

You see, I truly believe that God has a purpose for all of us.  You may not think you're the prettiest girl or the most fashion-forward or the most career driven.  But God thinks you're pretty fantastic.  And if He can take a wounded soul like mine and turn it into one that wakes up every day seeking God's will in her life, then He can do the same for you.

It's not always easy.  It's not like I wake up every morning and sing Amazing Grace ten times a row in the mirror while simultaneously reading the Bible and practicing my scripture memorization.  No, no...  Please do not be mislead.  {Gangster translation: Don't get it twisted.}  I still have times where I ask God what the heck He's thinking letting me not find a husband and have a gazillion babies before age 25.  I see things He's doing in my life and wonder how He thinks that's an answer to my prayers.  I pray and pray for things and sometimes find myself throwing in that prayer a little "any day now, God."  But each time, without fail, His plans are better than the ones I could've ever made for myself.  The line in that country song that says "if you want to hear God laugh tell Him your plans"...  Yeah, those songwriters knew their stuff.

If I've said it once, I'll say it a thousand times....  There is nothing more perfect for your life than coming to the realization that God has control of your life.  He's got your back.  He's got a plan.  We were each brought on this earth to fulfill a purpose.  Maybe you'll fulfill yours through career success.  Maybe yours is touching the lives of others through volunteerism.  Maybe you have siblings who look up to you and that's your legacy.

While I may not arise every morning singing the chorus of Victory in Jesus, all I know is that every day I wake up asking God what I can do to bring glory to His Kingdom that day.

Am I perfect?  HECK NO.  I sin.  All.  The.  Time.  Do I have everything figured out all of the time?  Goodness, no.  The biggest journey in my faith walk was letting go of making sure everything was figured out all of the time.

But God thinks I'm pretty rad.  He thinks enough of me to open doors for me that I never could've opened alone.  He thinks enough of me to make sure I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food in my belly.  Since I've completely immersed myself in God's will for my life, I've not wanted for a darn thing.

God thinks I'm rad.

And He thinks you're rad, too.

If you've gotten nothing else out of this, I hope you get these few things.

I hope you understand that you're beautiful.  God totally thinks so.  Respect your body.  Demand that others respect your body.  Maintain your body, as it is a temple.

I hope you understand that God wants to help you with whatever struggles you've seen.  Whatever regret you're holding onto.  Whatever doubt you're carrying.  He wants you to let HIM carry those.  To take the burden off of yourself.

I hope you understand that God wants great things for your life.  That He's got plans for you that you could never imagine.  And He is just waiting to unveil those.  But he needs you to be an obedient servant, first and foremost.

Giving your life and plans to God is by far the best decision you will ever make.  I know that, most of the time, I'm goofy and silly on this blog.  But when I started it, my purpose was to glorify God through it.  That's my life's purpose:  to glorify God in everything I do.  I hope you'll ask questions.  I hope you'll be curious.  I hope you'll take a chance and see what God's will for your life looks like.  I promise it'll be worth it.

What on earth are you waiting for?!