The Love Challenge

I prayed a bold prayer.

Lord, let me share Your light, make an impact on and off campus for You, and take every opportunity to love and serve others, for Your glory.

On the first day of this college semester, I took on a challenge. I asked God for His divine help in sharing His love and light this semester. I asked Him to move through me and use me to make a difference at His will, for His glory. This is a bold prayer, especially for a quiet eighteen year old girl like me. However, I learned from my experience throughout high school that I didn't want to keep to myself anymore and live a life of going through the motions. I didn't want to just attend school for the education and work myself to the extent that I miss the amazing opportunity God has placed before me to love His creation.

So, as I began my first semester as a full time college student, I was determined to change my mindset this semester. I decided to take the challenge of intentionally loving and serving others. It started with surrender. Then, as God has been placing opportunities across my path, however small they may be, I have been able to take on this challenge.

I'm not doing anything that big or noticeable. My heart just yearns to change this world, but one girl like me cannot do it on her own. However, making a difference in just one life is one step closer to a changed world. Just one smile, one hello, one conversation, one act of service (even just holding the door open), could make an impact that is beyond what I could ever imagine. It sounds simple, and it doesn't sound like I'm doing much. And maybe not. But I believe that God can use even a smile to brighten up the day of a person who is hurting. Just one conversation could encourage someone in whatever they are facing. Just my own personal Bible study with a few friends, even without the group increasing in size, could inspire or encourage just one person walking by.

I long to be an example of love in a world of hatred and discrimination and judgment and evil. And I believe it starts with being intentional with the small acts of love.

God has been getting me through. He is helping me overcome my shyness, so much so that I've been become the most outgoing that I've ever been in my entire life. However, I've also made mistakes. Some weeks, I forget the challenge. Fear overtakes me, and shyness slowly starts creeping back in again. I forget to take advantage of the opportunities God lays before me to love.

An overload of guilt overtakes me later, as I begin wishing I could go back and redo the day over. But it's during these times that I'm reminded to take on the challenge again. That it's not too late to start spreading His love again.

Whatever you're doing, wherever you are, with whoever you're with, you can make a difference in the lives of others. It starts with taking on the challenge of intentionally loving and serving others, and asking God for His help.


He can use even a smile and a wave to flip a day around. He can use the smallest act of service for Him to change the world.

Just a small act of kindness can make a difference!
Will you take on the Love Challenge?



James 2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself', you are doing right.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else...

Already at Work

...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31



 

In the midst of the waiting season, God is already at work. He's going before us, paving the path. He's shutting doors that need to be closed and pushing open doors that need to be opened. He's stirring in hearts, moving in lives, and making the way for victory. He hears every word of every prayer we pray...even when it feels like He's nowhere to be found.

His movement may not be noticeable right now. This waiting season may seem like it's never going to end. Life may seem as if it is never going to change. God's voice may seem silent and our prayers unanswered. 

But don't give up! The second you pray a single word, God hears. He's already at work. He begins to open and close doors, move in lives, and make straight the path.

And it may never make sense. Why we went through what we went through. Why God seemed to disappear when life was at its worst. Why we're having to wait for such a long period for whatever it is we're waiting on.

We don't see the big picture. But God does. He knows what is best for us, even when it may never make sense to us. His purposes and His plans are greater than we can ever imagine. When we don't see a purpose, He sees purpose. When we don't see a plan unfolding, He sees a plan that has been so carefully drawn out, so thoughtfully designed. 

You may wonder why God has you where He has you. You may wonder why God hasn't revealed to you what to do next. You may wonder what God is doing, as the people in your life move in and out. 

We don't always see a purpose accompanying the people, places, and events surrounding our lives. But God does. He's gone before us, He stands behind us, and He's always by our side. 

In the waiting season of my own life, God has been opening and closing doors, faithfully answering my prayers yet still not clearly showing me what to do about certain things at the present time. However, He's been reminding me to trust in His timing--His perfectly designed timing. He's been asking me to seek Him.

Because when we place our hope in the Lord, when we completely seek Him during the waiting season, our strength will be renewed. Our patience will be restored. The fire in our hearts for Him will be revived. We will discover this newfound strength, this freedom, that can only be found through Jesus Christ. Such a strength allows us to soar like an eagle, to run and not grow weary, to walk and not be faint. This strength is where we find peace and joy and an energy that can only come from Jesus.

I still don't know all the answers, but I do know this: God is working. I don't know what the next steps are, but I do know that He's already making straight the path. In the meantime, I'm going to strengthen myself in Him in the season He's put me in right now. I'm going to find my energy and joy and peace and full strength in Jesus, even when college life has been giving me five to six hours of sleep a night and things get stressful. And oh, has He given me energy! It's been unreal.

I'm going to seek Him with all my heart in the waiting season.  

He's already at work.

Life Is Full Of Transitions

Life is full of transitions.


As soon as we get comfortable, as soon as everything seemingly starts to appear firm in its place, things change. We meet new people. We begin doing new things. New opportunities come. Maybe it's a switch in job, a switch in school, or a switch in home. Or maybe it's something you'd rather not lose or gain. Maybe you wish things could be like they once were.

Or maybe you're like me and just finished high school. My life is nothing less than a major transitional period right now. Tomorrow is the first day of college, and while I'm so grateful to have this opportunity of a college education and to be able to stay at home for the next year in order to finish up at the college I was already attending during my high school years (I was a dual enrollment student), life is still hard. This is a period of change, of growing up, of becoming independent.

I'm excited for this change but I'm also nervous. I wish life would slow down a little. I wish I could take a breath and experience life as it is right now, but things are just moving so quickly that I feel like it's easy to go through the motions and never really experience life at its fullest.

But as much as I wish life would slow down, life is life. It's full of transitions, it's full of unexpected situations and circumstances, but it's also full of opportunity. 

So, as I transition into this next part of my life, as I hope to grow into this woman that God intends for me to be, it is my hope and my prayer that I not only watch out and embrace opportunity (as the Lord surely has good plans and opportunities coming in my life!), but that I keep the foundation of my life in the only One who will never change.

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Jesus said: Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. (Matthew 7:24-27)

In a life of transition, when everything is seemingly moving and changing at a speed so fast, Jesus says to build our "house", our life, on the rock. Jesus is the Solid Rock, the firm foundation. He will not change. Building our "house" on the "sand" (whether it's for fame or popularity, wealth, success, relationships, or anything else we may live life for) will just lead to an eventual crash.

In a life of transition, Jesus will not change. 

So as I walk into college tomorrow, as I finish up one of the best, relaxing summers of my life as a high school graduate, as I continue to face this transitional period of my life...

let Jesus be the foundation, the one thing who will not change. Let me embrace the opportunity and the plans He has for my life and let me be willing to grow into this woman that obeys and honors Him in all things.



Life is full of transitions. 

But Jesus? He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

To Live Like A Cell Phone

The day begins. After a long night of being plugged into the wall, my cell phone is fully charged and ready for the day ahead. It's a daily activity that must be done. As we all know, once the battery has lost complete charge, the phone turns off. It reaches a point of complete shut down.

Via Wireless Revolution

Oftentimes, I spend way too much time on my phone during the day and before long, it dies much earlier than planned. Overworked and used more than it should've been, it only lasts a few hours before it quits. It was in one of these moments that the Lord revealed this truth to my life.

You see, just like anything else in life, cell phones only have battery life for so long. Whether it's nonstop work for several hours, or off-and-on throughout the day, the phone will quit at some point. And cell phones aren't the only examples. Cars must be refilled with gas, because at some point, they run out and will quit working. Even the light bulbs in our bedrooms won't last. Eventually, we have to replace, or the rooms lack light.


Cell phones, cars, even the light in our homes are not made to last forever. Constantly worked, even these simple, everyday objects need a recharge. They need to be refilled. They need replacement.
Isn't it the same way in life? We may seek to accomplish as much as possible. With a constant busyness surrounding our lives, we hope to do more, more, more, in as little time as possible. Our days are constantly on the go.

Our schedules are overbooked. At first, we may truly feel like we can do it all. Consumed with energy and enthusiasm, we may dive into our busy schedules with success and focus. But before long, we begin to miss out on the small things that matter most. It's not long before our energy begins to decrease and our motivation diminishes. It's not long until we hit the trials and the struggles of life.

We hit rock bottom.

Our battery level is at 10 percent in so much shorter of a time than we ever could have imagined. Overworked and tired beyond measure, our hearts are heavy. We feel as if we have nowhere to turn. Struggles overtake us, and it's hard to see beyond the challenges.

Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30). 
 
We are not called to live in constant busyness, by our own strength, in our handmade overbooked schedules. It's in these times that we begin to live in the motions. And it's in these times that our batteries eventually need recharge. 


Jesus calls us to so much more.
 
When the batteries of our lives are a few percentages away from shutting down, He is reaching out. His hand is ready and waiting. We need recharge, refill, replacement. He brings rest to our weary souls and hope to our burdened hearts. In the midst of tragedy, when we feel as if we're nothing but swallowed up in the hurts and constant busyness of life, Jesus calls us to be like cell phones. 
 
To plug into the wall of His presence.
 
Because when we cast our cares on Him and call upon the name of the One who sacrificed His life for us, we will realize the ultimate care and compassion He has for His children. When we tap into the rest that only our God can give, we will not only be filled with the strength and power that rose Jesus from the grave in the midst of our weakness, but we will find that taking the time to rest can actually be so much more satisfying than working ourselves to the point of brokenness. 
 
We all need recharge, refill, replacement. Hand your heavy heart over to Him, and let His grace consume your worn soul today. 
 
All you who are weary and burdened, come to Him. Tap into the power that only He can bring. He promises rest. And He never fails to fulfill His promises!

Embrace It (My Curly Hair Life)

So, I've had curly hair for all my life. When I was a baby, I was practically bald. Hair eventually started to grow but it was a prolonged process. And when it did grow, it was boy-length even in the first few years of elementary school.

There was a period in my life that I wished to be like every other girl. To have hair that was straight, and long, and would constantly grow.

However, I've come to a realization in the past few years.

Now, I wouldn't want my hair any differently.

Yes, it would be easier and maybe more manageable, even the norm, to have straight hair. But my curly hair is a blessing. It's what makes me...me. People pay money to have curly hair like my own. But most importantly, it's part of God's artwork. When He designed me, He counted every curl that would be on my head. He made them so curly that they would bounce back in place as soon as a single strand was pulled. He saw the curls He had made and said: "Wow. This is beautiful."

And if I were to ever lose my hair, I would be devastated. Completely devastated.

Of course my routine looks different than most people. I can't brush my hair dry. I have to wet my hair using a water bottle every morning, and then I can brush through. I have to use Mousse or there will be frizz galore. My curls have a mind of its own, so I can't exactly plan how my hair is going to look. Humidity and curls don't get along well. Not to mention that the longer my hair grows, the more it curls! So no 'real' haircuts have ever taken place in my entire life. Just trimming the dead ends. For years, my hair has appeared shoulder length, and so it's pretty much always down.

But these are the things that makes me me. These are the things that I would miss if I were to lose my curls forever. These are the things that I'm used to.

I've learned to love and to embrace my curly hair. My beautiful, cute curls. The way they make me stand out. The way I'm instantly remembered by people. The way they bounce and just the beauty of them...all the time.

Whatever makes you you, embrace it. Your hair, your nose, your smile, your body shape, your laugh, your freckles or dimples, your voice--all these things are a part of the great design that the Ultimate Artist thought up.

Don't wish for these things to leave your life. Don't look at your neighbor's grass, because the grass is always going to look greener on the other side. Instead, water your own grass. Begin to see yourself the way that God has made you to be. You are special and beautiful. He planned a design that would only fit you and your life. You are unique. You are loved.

Let's shove comparison and low self esteem out the door and let this be a reminder of how beautiful you are!

As the famous Dr. Seuss said, "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is youer than you."

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Head up, gorgeous.

Embrace who you are. It's what makes you you.

That's what I've learned. Today, I love my curls!

Ginny Stephens Photography

I Do What I Do Not Want To Do

Note: I encourage you to take the time to read Romans 7:7-25 today. I stumbled across this passage this week, as it was the next Scripture for the online Bible study I'm a part of, and it couldn't have been better timing. This is truth: the truth about me, the truth about you, the truth about humanity. But it is also the truth about Jesus. The truth about the hope that is available for both me and you. For all of humanity.

As I read these verses, I wrote and God spoke. These are the exact notes from my Quiet Time notebook this morning. This is my struggle. This is my hope. I felt led to share this with you. I hope it is of some impact and encouragement to you today:




"For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it." (Romans 7:19-20).

The sin living in me, the sinful nature of the flesh, is bringing me to death spiritually. It is because of my sinful nature that I cannot carry out the desire I have to do good. And this truth, laid out in this Scripture, could not have come to me at a better time this week.

All week (actually, this entire summer) I've been struggling. I want to keep the Lord first and I desire to spend time with Him in prayer and in His Word. I desire to journal and reflect on His faithfulness. Yet, I don't do these things like I should. I wake up to checking my Facebook for an hour or two and then finally head over to spending fifteen or twenty minutes in prayer. I know I should spend time in His Word yet I spend an excessive amount of time on social media throughout the day, scrolling mindlessly despite that I know (and desire) to put God first. Finally, I spend some time in His Word for ten minutes or so, usually at 1:30 am. This has become frequent. My life has been losing routine. I'm not spending enough time with God and I am definitely not putting Him first. I haven't journaled about His faithfulness (despite that I've been wanting to for months). I'm going to bed way too late and sleeping in way too much. I desire routine. I desire for the Lord to be first in my life. Yet I give into the flesh. I give into the sinful nature and do what I do not want to do.
 

"For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." (Romans 7:15b)

So is there a solution?

"For in my inner being I delight in God's law, but I see another law at work in the members of my body..." (Romans 7:22-23a)

The sinful nature is at work, and I do what I do not want to do. I may delight in God's law, but the flesh is working against me, and too often, I let the flesh win. I struggle in my sin. But this is why Jesus came. We are all destined to eventually let the sinful nature win. We are all in need of a Savior; none of us are righteous in the sight of God by our own doing. But Jesus won when He died and defeated the grave. I may do what I do not want to do, but HE has won--and I can live not only with salvation and new life, but in His grace, which is fully sufficient to cover my sins.

When I'm struggling in my sin, when I feel like I can never do what I want to do and that I always end up failing because of the sinful nature at work within me----
there is victory awaiting.

We are all going to fail, but that's why Jesus died. He rescued me, saved me, and means it when He says: "My grace is sufficient for you..." (2 Cor. 12:9)

So I'm giving my struggle to Him. I'm taking breaks from Facebook and restricting my time on social media. I'm seeking to put Him first.

But I know that no matter how much I fail (which I'm sure to do), no matter how much I do what I do not want to do, His grace is sufficient for my sins.

And that's enough.

"Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25a).

Keep Your Eyes On Him

I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:8 

That's it. These words of Scripture have become what I'm hanging onto for life. It doesn't matter what you or I face, it applies. Keep your eyes on the Lord. 

When things are going good, keep your eyes on the Lord. When you're afraid, keep your eyes on the Lord. When you're angry, keep your eyes on the Lord. When you're swallowing up in your sins and you feel like there's no escaping, keep your eyes on the Lord. 

When life is at its worst, keep your eyes on Him.

Because He promises to walk with us and to never forsake us. He promises that He will always love us. He promises that He has plans for our lives, plans to prosper and not to harm.

He doesn't promise that things will always be good, because trials are inevitable. 
He promises that we will not be shaken if we just keep our eyes on Him.

Let these life-giving words speak volumes into your heart tonight. It's what I'm holding onto. 

No matter what you're going through, fix your eyes on the Lord.

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