Thoughts running through my head...

When something or someone becomes important to you, life gets complicated.

God gave us so many "tools" within our finite selves, and oft times we forget how much we have control over how we use these powerful tools -- things such as love, passion, and drive. We apply them to all aspects of life: people, hobbies, sports, pets, life in general.
Along with these tools we must never forget that God has given us the gift of free will. I believe that God created these powerful emotions, feelings, and drive so that we could use them to worship Him...

BUT -- it seems all too often we wrongly prioritize how we share these gifts. All too often we love our family, our friends, our jobs, schools, homes, cars, money, hobbies, sports team, and even church, more than we should.

The love, passion, and loyalty that God so rightly desires from us is often given to another as He watches on.
He will not force our loyalty to be His own, but how it must break His heart to see the meaningless, trivial things that we choose over Him!

I, myself, am so very guilty of misplacing where my loyalties lie. It seems all too easily I begin to allow other things to creep in on the time and devotion that I have for my Saviour, until suddenly it will come to the surface and I finally realize my unfaithfulness to my Father. Usually its because something I've planned out crumbles on me, or perhaps someone I have faith in fails me.

These are the times I find myself running to my Strong Tower, my High King.

And God is so loving and kind. He is always patiently waiting for my love's return. He is always ready to mend my broken heart. He is faithful and so good to this undeserving soul!

I know I'm going to stumble and I know I'll make some mistakes, but I am pledging my loyalty to God, my Heavenly Father.

No matter the earthly pain I must suffer, I desire to be wholly His, and with His help, to never let anything or anyone take first place in my life over Him.

I am thankful for these reminders and challenges He sends my way. Anything God intends to use to make me stronger and draw me closer to Him is of course for my benefit, so I will face it, and knowing He will be at my side, I will conquer it!

My day ahead...

Wow...

I'm sitting in my car -- stunned. (posting from my phone)

I recently went through some stuff I'd stored at my parents house. In doing so I found several old cassettes of mine, so these last few days I've been listening to them in my car -- seeing it has the only cassette player I own. Anyway, this morning I decided to listen to one that I picked up at a missionary convention, its Chinese hymns...

and I'm not understanding a word they're saying, but I can understand the meaning and I can hear the passion for the God they serve! Its beautiful...and moving.

I desire to sound like someone that loves God, I seek to look like someone who loves God, I want others to know that I AM someone that loves God!

A look at my surroundings...

my makeshift closet for the summer...

my "storage unit"...

and finally my "have-no-clue-where-in-the-world-to-put-this-stuff-yet" space!

But hey -- I'm not sleeping in my car! Life is good. (actually my summer bed is awesome!)

Summer desire

Yesterday I was talking to a friend about what we're both hoping to accomplish this summer. We talked about places we wanted to visit over our break, people we wanted to catch up with, and diets we'd like to make routine...

but those weren't the important desires.

We also talked of our spiritual battles we wanted to conquer, the deepening of our faith, and the hunger for allowing God's will to reign in our lives.

I thank God for a friend like this. And I thank Him for helping shape my focus. I desire to be wholeheartedly His, to deal with the battles, and to become a more powerful tool for His kingdom.

I know He's faithful and willing to complete these things which He's started in me, and I can't wait to see what all He's accomplished in me by summer's end!

Through Him we are more than conquerors! I intend to continue to pursue more through Him, to be more for Him, and to try to live more Christ-like because of Him.

I'd appreciate if my blogger friends would remember me this summer in prayer. Thanks...