Reminders

As some of you may have noticed, I have not posted in some time. A lot has changed since we last met, friend.

I moved back home for the summer, I started a summer job, I had a loved one meet Jesus. I had a best friend get engaged, I read eight books, I finished my Bible in a year plan (a first for me), I moved back to college and started the last semester of my Junior year. In this season I have had many firsts, lots of laughs, lots of surprises, and lots of things to learn about myself.

In this season I quit all social media for two months. I had to learn how to preach the gospel to myself and remind myself that God is continually good. I stopped writing because I had nothing in me that felt worthy of reading. Since then, I have rested, I have wrestled, I have fought prayer, I have craved prayer, I have sent some encouraging texts and some texts that I would never care to read again. I have grown. The world has changed, but Jesus has been a constant.

I’d love to share some thoughts with you that have lived in my Notes app on my phone during this quiet time away.

· Years of talking the talk can be destroyed from mere minutes or days of not walking the walk. Be careful to not damage your witness. You will never regret giving yourself time to be prayerful of how you should proceed in your actions.

· A season of quiet is wasted time if you’re not waiting expectantly for God to speak.

Be listening.

· Prayer is powerful- even when you feel powerless in doing it. Praying when it’s painful works those muscles of faith, hope, and patience.

Keep pressing in prayer.

· Your career does not define your worth. Your schooling does not define your worth. The people around you do not define your worth. No bank statement, report card, years of service, or follower count will bring you lasting peace. ALL things of this world are temporary- if your worth is found in temporary items, you will always only have peace that is temporary. You will only ever have a feeling of worth that is fleeting if that worth is not found in Jesus Christ, alone.

· God doesn’t love you any less because of the time that has passed since you last found it easy to communicate with Him.

Come home, prodigal.

· It is wiser to wait and speak in a time when you know your words are divinely ordained than to speak out of expectance.

· Serve God because it is what He deserves and what you were built for, not for any self -glorification, this breeds false fire.

· Disconnecting from distractions like social media can be useful, but only if that time is used to edify your walk. Deleting Facebook or turning off your phone will not fix the problems that are on it and bothering you. The problems will still be waiting for you when you get back. Put in the work, remember why you started, where your encouragement comes from, and then, be still. Allow God to speak.

· Bring it broken but leave restored. We can approach the throne with boldness, so don’t walk away with your tail tucked. Being broken is the only way to be rebuilt. Don’t allow pride or shame to hinder your growth.

· Find accountability and encouragement- in the Word and in a partner. In that order.

· As a person, you cannot pour yourself into other people continually without being refilled. Remove the things that drain you. Make sure the fill is coming from a well that never runs dry. (The Living Water, woot woot!)

· Treat others with kindness but don’t be a doormat. It is not your job to save or fix anyone, but rather to encourage and point them to the One who can save and fix. You will always be exhausted and depleted trying to fill a job you do have not been given the authority, by God, to do. Know when to walk away- this is not quitting, this is being wise- some are only called to plant the seed. Allow God to order these steps and do not linger any farther than what you have been called to do.

· God never asked you to collect everyone else’s troubles and tote them around. He said to bear one another’s burdens, but this is a job to be shared. Together we bear the burden. Jesus is included in that carrying. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. (Matthew 11:30) We are not built to collect a lifetime of weight from others. We are not expected to be able to carry that (even if you think that is the “Christian thing” to do) without being bogged down. Bear the burden only to the feet of Jesus- which is never far!

· Moments of discomfort can bring growth. Press the comfort zone but do not confuse discomfort and discontentment. This is a slippery slope. Discontentment gives doubt a foothold.

· There is no shame in returning to the thing that brought you freedom in the first place- the Gospel. Ask someone to tell you the Gospel, even if you already have heard and responded. Remind yourself of it continually. It never gets old. Remind yourself why you are here and doing the thing.

I hope you found something on this list that spoke to you or you need to be reminded of. If not, I still thank you for allowing me to share with you all the things I have been reminded of in the past months.

Happy Monday, friend. Live it for Jesus.

I love you.