Sunday, May 20, 2012
Above and Beyond
I am always amazed at how the LORD provides not just what I need, but above and beyond what I expect. I'm a pretty easily pleased person. A cup of tea with a friend, a soft breeze through familiar trees, the voices of my favorite people floating into my ears, or just a moment of repose amidst the chaos of this modern world. And yet, I am still so easily frustrated. I become anxious about tomorrow, even when today is beautiful. Instead of enjoying the breath in my lungs, I'm am worried about the few gulps of air I might miss in the future.
Exiting my high school phase and entering college has been a difficult transition. I feel uncertain about so many tings. Often times I feel like a failure because as hard as I work, I don't have a steady paying job, I don't know were my money is going to come from, and my future plans are brilliant but sketchy. I feel like I'm chasing after intangibles sometimes. I expect hardships, and I feel like I have to fend for myself. I feel like I have to gear up and fight, I have to be an adult and stand on my own two feet. This is true to an extent.
But oftentimes, I forget that I ave the LORD. He is ultimately were my next meal comes from. He dictates my steps, and he is my loving father who will give me what I need. I am so used to facing "the tough stuff" that I fall into thinking that God only deals in "tough love." I forget that he's into blessing too. I keep thinking that I'll land a really hard, boring job, and interact with cardboard souls. Instead, I just spent the evening working wit kids at our little baseball field "snack shack."
Its a great little place, and feels something like "Whits End," for any Adventures in Odyssey fans out there. I hand out candy to little kids, and get to work with high school students who are kind and dependable and fun. I'm pretty sure I always want to work with kids, there is so much life, creativity, and openness to the gospel, plus kids are much more real. The door to speaking the kids about God and important life lessons is wide open. And I get paid. I really couldn't have thought that up. Its a God thing. I don't know what the future holds, but God continually shows me that he's there in the hard times, and also as blessings in store that I couldn't even imagine.
Thank you Father, You truly are Amazing God
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Three cheers for Adventures in Odyssey, I still listen to it sometimes! The transition out of high school was probably the most difficult topic God tested me in. I was eager to start university right away, and wasn't going to worry about finishing my associates (I only had 4 classes left). I wasn't sure where the money would come from for attending a private university, but it felt right to be going there. I spent countless nights in tears because I had set my hopes on attending this school, and nothing was going as I had planned. After a long and tiring conversation with God about it, I was told to finish up my AA before going to university, and to keep working at the job I was at. Even though it was incredibly challenging as all my friends left for 4-year colleges, I tried to keep a positive attitude about it. I'm so thankful for letting go, and letting God do the decision making for me. If I had gone to university, I would be more stressed planning the wedding (going to school full time), I may have gone into marriage with school debt, I wouldn't have had opportunities to have quality conversations about God at my public community college, and if I hadn't stayed at work, I would have lost the opportunity to speak with a dear co-worker about life after death and how to deal with tough issues she's going through right now. His timing is SO perfect, and I couldn't thank him more for all the promises he fulfilled this last year! Your post is encouraging, and reminds me to thank God for what he has done, and will continue to do! I will be praying for you as you transition, and that God will meet all your needs and desires above and beyond! He is so faithful!
ReplyDeleteKatie
Wow, that is so amazing! Your story has encouraged me now =) One of the things I really struggle with is letting things go because I like to be in control. Its something I'll still be learning many years into the future, but I'm glad I'm learning now!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping me a note =) I've loved your posts and your photographs for awhile now. You're a very honest writer, and I've been encouraged more than once by your writing and photographs. Best of all, you are striving to honor the LORD with every aspect of your life. Keep on running the race!
- ashley