God's Inventory

Ok so I have this beautiful friend, Lisa. She is so lovely inside and out, and truly one of those rare friends that God brings into your life.



The other day we were having one of our Oprah-sessions (as we like to call them), and I was just sharing with her about my life lately. We got to talking about how people come in and out of your life. Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it really hurts. And sometimes, more often than not, we don't quite understand why. And it's not just people. Sometimes things that were important, dreams we had, plans we've made.....sometimes it all works out a little differently than we imagined. And as we were discussing this, my dear friend said something so simple, yet so enlightened. She said "Well ya know Jess, God does inventory. He cleans up and clears out."



I LOVE that! And how true it is! Sometimes we crowd way too much "stuff" into our lives. And in order for us to truly walk the path that God has for us, God has to do some inventory. And just like it's hard to throw out some of those special keepsakes during spring cleaning (which for me this year included an entire year's subscription to People Magazine!), sometimes it's hard to let go of things WE think are important. Not only hard, but sometimes it can be confusing. There is such a fine line between letting go of something because God says it's time, and giving up because we don't feel like it anymore. But thankfully, God has given us the discernment of the Holy Spirit, and it is in these moments that we need to ask "God, what are YOU saying in this situation?"

For example, we can confuse ourselves by justifying activities, relationships, and priorities according to how we "think" we are supposed to act. It's hard to say goodbye to a relationship. One voice inside says it is selfish of me to just quit trying, but then I can feel God saying guard your heart against a relationship that isn't bearing fruit. It's hard to say no to another Bible Study. ("That's a church thing, Jessica. Wouldn't God want me to be more involved??") But if ANOTHER Bible study is taking more time from other things that God has for you, then that is some space He may be trying to clear out. Like I said, it's a fine line!

What inventory has God been doing in your life lately? Are there things you need to let go of? Is there room that needs to be filled with something to help you grow? As we go through different seasons of our lives, these are questions we need to keep asking and prayers we need to keep praying. "God, as I walk into this next season of my life, help me to know what to hang on to, what to let go of, and teach me to be open to changes that you would make inside of me."

Much love!

Dogs: Faithful Friend or Divine Example?

I know you've seen it. And if you haven't, you should! Or read the book, it's ten times better! Marley & Me....a true story about the impact of a dog on its family. I am such a crier and such a dog person, so I'm not sure what I was thinking when I read this book, or saw the movie....or re-watched the movie the other day!! But as sad as it is, it got me thinking....


If you aren't a dog person, you will have to forgive me. But even if you aren't, you can't deny the bond and relationships that most people who do own a dog have with their animal. I have Baylor, my 3-year-old 108-pound Golden Retriever. This book touched me, but only because it echoed my own love for my dog.


Dogs are special. Baylor brings a joy to my life that was so apparently missing without him. He is unfailingly loyal, never refuses affection, is constantly willing to show love, doesn't hold a grudge, and thinks I'm the best person in the whole world. He has even managed to make a dog-lover (or at least a lover-of-this-dog) out of my husband. Dogs are special.



I saw this animated song/cartoon thing once. It was comparing a dog's love to God's. It said things like even when I walk away, a dog is waiting with open arms whenever you come back. It doesn't pout because you left it, it's just so thankful you came back. It talked about all we can learn from dogs too-- their selfless devotion, unfailing love, their will to make you happy, their ever-optimistic outlook on life, and the joy that they invariably bring to most circumstances. It even pointed out that DOG is GOD backwards. And it hit me: maybe God put "man's best friend" here as an ever present example of how to live? I know it's been said before, but the more I think about the ways of my dog, the more I wonder why we think it's so complicated....A dog loves. Loves life, loves his family, loves a stranger (at least a Golden Retriever does...).



Love for those around us......it's that dog-gone simple! : )

God Likes Surprises

One of my favorite Bible verses (if not my very favorite!) is Psalms 37:4. It says "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." I always loved this scripture. I tend to be a planner, not necessarily a worrier, but a planner for sure. I have this permanent feeling inside that if I don't plan out every detail, I might miss something going on around me! I might waste an opportunity! And oh how I hate waste! But this scripture simplifies things for me. It basically says 1) Be happy. 2) Trust and worship God. 3) HE will work it all out. And not only will He work it all out, He will give you the desires of your heart....the things you never even knew you wanted, or maybe you knew you wanted but in a way that totally takes you by surprise.

That's my favorite part. In my world where I think I need to plan or control the details so that I don't miss anything, God is waiting to surprise me with things I may have missed anyway because I never knew they were there! And even desires or dreams that you know you have, sometimes the way that God brings those about is nowhere near what you expected.....no where near "the plan."

I love to travel. Always have. My husband thinks I just like taking trips, but it's really more than that. There is something that truly touches my heart when I stand in a place I've never been before....especially somewhere I didn't think I would get to go. I cried my whole semester in Europe as I stood in front of sites I'd only read about and took in the reality that I was there! I've crossed alot of places off my list, but I've still dreamed about roadtripping across the country and seeing the western part of America. But in my last semester of grad school, as I started looking at paying my loans and needing a job, those kind of adventures seemed like maybe they'd have to wait. But just a week ago, Blaine and I drove from Louisiana all the way to Wyoming, crossing several new states off my list and also getting to see a beautiful part of the country. We took our time and made a fun road trip out of it, and as it was happening I heard this voice in my spirit reciting my favorite scripture. You see, it may seem small, but God knows the true desires within us. As I stood last week looking at the hidden lake with a great white peak towering above it out here in Wyoming, I wept from feelings of joy and thankfulness. That, as many big dreams as I have and as much work as God has for me to do, He still took time to let me experience something that He knows is a desire of my precious heart. Afterall, He put it there.

My gypsy lifestyle these days is a bit unconventional, but God works in weird ways, right? I never knew the extreme sense of peace you find when you commit to 1)Be happy, 2) Trust and worship God, 3) Let Him work it all out! His ways are SO much better than mine!