Friday, January 29, 2016

Find your cause...

Yesterday I listened to a sermon that aligned with a dream that corresponded with words that I've heard my whole life. "Find your cause." It spoke about how the world puts our worth in how much money we make and how many things we own but really it's not in any of that. At the end of our lives it won't be our money and our cars that make us smile as we breathe our last but instead it will be the causes that we burned for.

So....what do you burn for? What is the cause, the passion, the legacy that you're dedicating your life to?

It's not the easiest question to answer but at 26, with a life full of years ahead of me I find it terrifying and yet so exciting to think about. Why not start blazing a trail today? Not one that's ignited by what your parents want you to do or what your counselors are advising/ pushing you towards but instead the thing that makes YOU come alive.

So, my challenge, my question, the mission that I'm hoping you're willing to embark on this year is what is your cause? Not mine, not his, not hers but yours. What's inside of you that's dying to come out? Do you know it? Are you searching for it?

If so, I hope that everything around you, everything that you spend your time and energy on is working towards that cause. If not, I hope that you don't feel like a failure or like you're doing something wrong because you're not. I think that a lot of people aren't sure what they're destined to live, breathe and die for but there's no better day than today to find out.

This is your life and if you're not who you want to be and what you see around you everyday is not the reality you want to live, than it's time for a change, it's time to find your cause.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

The mindset of freedom.

Yesterday I cut my hair. I went to the store, bought hair cutting scissors, went home, went in the bathroom and cut my hair. It was fantastic. As I palmed the curls and looked at my reflection I felt free. So free.

So what changed in my life from the moment that my hair was there to when it was all gone? Absolutely nothing. What changed was my mindset.

It's so incredible to me the power of the mind and how we let it steer us in different directions but in reality we're in control. I control what I entertain, I control what thoughts I let linger, I control what holds me hostage in my mind.

I was bound because I allowed myself to be. I tied freedom to a frivolous decision like cutting my hair when in reality the freedom was there the whole time. I'm very happy with my hair, I'm happy with my life and I'm happy with the freedom that I feel but it didn't come from yielding scissors. My freedom came from taking control and changing my mindset.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

I will desperately seek you.

With gratitude I lift my hands in worship
With gratitude I lift my hands.

With outstretched fingers I reach for you

with open hearts and soft gazes 
we search the world for your presence
we search for a place for you 
where you can abide 
where you can be free

We search in vain because your dwelling place
your place of rest
your home...
 is within us.

Deep in our weary beings 
lies a spirit renewed and free
calling to be released into the lives of those that have yet to believe 

In our eyes are secrets
trapped within our faithless minds. 
screaming to be heard
calling for ears to vanquish disbelief. 

Come down from your high places
come out of your dungeons
and on level ground
we all hold hands and bask in the warmth of his love. 

Focus not on the pain, as it is fleeting
dwell not on the past, for it is gone for good
look not towards yourself, for flesh will always fail
but instead tilt your head and set your eyes on him. 

To the holiest of holy's he calls us home 
to the most sacred of grounds he beckons us to step 
with outstretched arms he calls our names and begs for an embrace

Oh, how he loves us. 
If you can't see
be encouraged when I say that you're simply blind. 
Oh, how he loves us.

Deep in our weary beings
lies a Spirit renewed and free
calling to be released into the lives of those that have yet to believe. 

And as life and death are redefined
right before our eyes
we'll take one last breath in this carnal mind 
and become transformed and are finally yours

Seek ye first the kingdom 
for it is the only things that lasts
the rest will rot in your hands
and become bitter the moment you realize it's sweet. 

For his dwelling place
is the only place
that 
ever
want 
to
be...

I will desperately seek you. 
I will desperately seek you. 
I will desperately seek you, 
until my lungs have no more breath.

You are not a phase
not a right now trend,
you're my life
my love
my joy
my strength
and I will desperately seek you. 

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

2015: The year of new.

Holy moly, how is it already 2016? Five days into the new year and I'm already in disbelief at how quickly life changes and how abundant The Lord's love is. I'm really excited to post about my vision and plans for 2016 but first I think a review of 2015 is in order...so here are a few things that I learned last year.

1. Love is a tree.
When I picture love, when I describe love, when I imagine it in my head it always starts as a tree. True love is grounded, it's a firm foundation, it's strong. Love can withstand the strength of the wind and won't falter when being covered in heavy rains. Love provides shade, provides support, love changes in different seasons, it stands strong. Love is a choice and it can be uprooted by our hands but if we nurture it, it can grow. Love is a tree.

2. Transition is terrifying..
I thought that I was the kind of person that could move and have life change around me constantly and not be bothered by it and in 2015 I learned that's not true. The last six months of my life have been beautiful, scary, lovely and horrible. I've learned more than I ever thought I would and every time it seemed like I got my feet under me, things would change. I learned more about myself than I expected too and I hold dear the moments that I thought would break me and instead ended up refining me. Transition is terrifying and full of uncertainty...what an amazing teacher it is.

3, Reflection is key.
In Up with People, the company I work for, we spend a lot of time reflecting. This year I evaluated some aspects of my life and realized that I had been making the same mistakes, over and over again, so instead of repeating the process I began to reflect. Reflection helps us to learn from the past so that we can have a better future, 2015 helped me to see so many wrongs that in 2016 will be rights due to intentional reflection.

4. Expectations will break you...
When I first moved to Denver and started my new job I had so many expectations. I am quite the optimistic person, no shame about that but my expectations were so big that it didn't give much room for reality. I think it's so important to dream big and to reach for the stars with that being said I also think it's important to know that life happens no matter where you reside. With every upset and unexpected challenge comes either the chance to learn or a chance to be discouraged. After my fair share of discouragement I'm excited to start learning and growing from life.

5. Your posture will affect your perspective.
For maybe three weeks during this past year I let myself get into a really big funk. I was sad, nothing here was good enough and I just wasn't seeing all that God had for me in my current situation. One day I remember feeling so down and out and looking in the mirror and not recognizing what was staring back at me. It was at that moment that I decided to change my perspective. Life will never be perfect, it will never be problem less, it will never be only sunshine and rainbows and that's okay. Life is beautiful. Life is warm. Life is loving. I control my perspective, I control how I decide to feel and I choose happiness.

6. Happiness is not a destination it's where you are.
You won't be happier when you get that new job. You won't be happier when you get married. You won't be happier when you have children. If you're not happy now, if you can't find the joy in here you won't find it there. Happiness is where you are and as I become more and more content with my life and my journey I learn that happiness travels with you, it doesn't meet you there.

7. God is faithful
The one thing that has remained through all of my trials and struggles and weird days is the sense that God will never leave me nor forsake me. A few months ago I read a scripture in Matthew and in it The Lord says that he will be with us always, even unto the end of the world. I have this weird insecurity of being forgotten, of being left or being abandoned and to know that the God of the universe will never leave me...it was and still is life changing. God is so faithful and I'm so lucky to call him mine.

Oh 2015, may the problems and the pains be left behind me as I tuck the lessons and the memories under my arm. Before me lies success, before me lies hope, before me lies the brightest of futures. Here's to 2016, the year of fulfillment.