Not Home Yet

Summer is ending. School will begin. For some of us it sounds like the same ole’ routine year after year, but not for me.  I attend my classes and I have a job to pay for them just like the previous years-- but my heart, mind, and soul are not what they used to be.  No way.  For the past year and a half, I’ve had more conversations with God than ever before.  Life couldn’t be any sweeter than those moments spent with Him.  My eyes have been opened and joyful tears have fallen down my cheeks.

Something I’ve always known since I began a relationship with God, was understanding that this life is only temporary.  But it wasn’t until about an hour ago that that Sunday school statement really took an impact on my life.  Up until this point in my life, I’ve prayed that everything I’d faced would shape me more into a God-fearing woman who glorifies the Lord with her heart, mind, and soul.  My motives were in the right place, but they lacked a valuable detail.  

Why did God send His Son to die on the cross for me? So that I could live in eternity with Him!! It could be because I’m blonde that I missed this or because I’m simply human. BUT if He sent Jesus Christ to die so that I could live with Him then--why am I worried about who I am going to marry in this life? Where I am going to live in this life? How I am going to pay for all the finances in this life?
God has spoken many times that He wants us to be fixed on our eternal rewards.  And when the Bible says, “Don’t be anxious about anything,” it actually means it.

I’ve been reading C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters and in it he writes this, (keep in mind these sentences are supposed to be spoken by a demon). “There is nothing like suspense and anxiety for barricading a human’s mind against the Enemy [God].  He wants men to be concerned with what they do; our business is to keep them thinking about what will happen to them”
I’ve been trying my best to focus on what I am doing and if it’s pleasing to God, but at the same time I am so excited for my future in this life to unfold that I am doing the opposite of what God asks, being anxious.  God wants me to be happy and excited for the plans He has for me, this is true--But not to the point that it gets me anxious and if my mind focuses only on that.  If that’s the case then I’m missing out on all the blessing right in front of me.  Everything I do should be more eternity minded, which will ultimately change my daily choices.  As God made this so perfectly clear to me, the next four songs that played on Air1 was a sweet conversation between me and the Savor to the world.

“Don't close your eyes

Don't close your eyes

This is your life

Are you who you want to be?”

Switchfoot - This Is Your Life

“All I know is I'm not home yet

This is not where I belong

Take this world and give me Jesus

This is not where I belong”

Building 429 - Where I Belong

You'll never make it to the great unknown till you

Keep your eyes open, my love

So tell me you're strong, tell me you see

NEEDTOBREATHE - Keep Your Eyes Open

Get me outta my mind and into Your heart

It's not about me, it's not about me

So I'm gonna start

Playin' my part in Your design

Now is the time

Get me outta my mind

Outta my mind

There's a bigger picture on display

And it's starting to come in focus

Causing me to see to see the ones in need outside my little world

Gotta try, just to say

O God, what can I do

Doesn't matter what it takes

I wanna lead them all to You

Anthem Lights - Outta My Mind

Live with eternity in mind!  Remind yourself that this life is only temporary.  Be excited for Jesus Christ and His Kingdom! Because this life is already taken care of if you've given it to Him. (:

Thinking of the Kingdom,

Kristen :]

Don't stop. Keep walking(:

Has holding out for God's will made you stop living your life? 
As I talk to more and more people, I realize that we're around that age where our decisions have more impact on our lives than ever before.  From the day you moved out of your parents house, freedom has had a whole new meaning.  With that freedom comes decisions and with those decisions come outcomes, whether they be good or bad.  More of my friends have told me recently that they're waiting for God's will to reveal itself than any other time in there lives. {{I am definitely guilty here too.}} But could we be waiting around for something that has already been revealed to us.  I recently read my previous blogs and realized that I spoke then too about "the answer being right in front of us."  I am a firm believer in free will & during this life there are many choices we will face---that have many paths we can chose to walk down for answers.  Are we so set on the one thing we think God has for us (or the one we want Him to have for us) that sometimes we're too naive to see the other options?

Each situation is different, I understand that, but what doesn't change is God's desire for us to grow closer to Him and more like Jesus Christ.  This will happen as we go through life's journeys.   
We increase our faith by going through good and bad moments and experiencing God's faithfulness to us.  If we sit around waiting for God to direct us with a flashing arrow pointing in the direction He wants us to take or for God to talk through a burning bush again... not only will it not come, but we will be missing out on all the blessings right before our eyes because we're too focused on the next step.  

C.S. Lewis once said, 

"It is better to see the next three steps, 

then a glimpse of the horizon"

Accept the blessings that are happening right now and keep walking in your faith! Because the longer you sit still (all those times without praises and being thankful/content), the greater chance the devil and his demons have to attack. 
Have faith in God and know that He will not let you go astray.
"Be strong and courageous" (Dt. 31:6, Dt 31:7,23, Jos 1:6,7,9,18, 10:25...) just as it was encouraged in the bible over 15 times! Don't allow fear of man, self-pride, loneliness, etc. stop you from taking chances you heart is calling you to.  
"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves" (Gal. 5:16)

Love your God with all your heart, mind and soul. <3
You'll have everything to gain. 

~Kristen~