God is so good.

pic credit // harmony reed

I have not written in a while, but I just got back from a month long disciplining program and really felt compelled to share some things that have been on my heart lately. These past few days as I transition from being in a bubble with no knowledge of the outside world, to be thrown back into reality I am realizing God's glory all around. The transition is hard, but the one thing keeping me afloat is just the pure fact, that God changes us. He changes everything is us. We are no longer slaves to evil, but sons and daughters of the one true living King. Just take that in for a moment. In Acts 17:28 it says, "in Him we live and move and have our being", how radical is that? That gives me so much hope, beyond comprehension. Then in 1 Timothy 1:12, "I thank Him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He judges me faithful, appointing me to His service..." In Ephesians 4:23-24 "..and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." God is so good, y'all. He is living and breathing within us. He have the same mind and same love (Phillipians 2:2) that Christ Jesus had within Him, that is just incredible in itself. Just soak in that for a minute, take in the access to His glory and power we have as Christ-followers. When we are able to even comprehend this in some small way, His presence and love is all around. His goodness is all around.

why as christ-followers we can never just "be"

I love this quote because it reminds me that we can love Him and His people in  every way.

I have thought of nearly 50 blog posts and yet have only written this one today. Oh, how I miss blogging. It is like an open journal. It is a beautiful thing and maybe I will pick it up again, I don't know. This blog won't have a schedule, because life doesn't have a schedule so neither will my blog. Anyhow, today I just wanted to share some raw honest thoughts.

I can't count how many times I haven't wanted to "love" or how many times I have just wanted to "be" and not set an example of Jesus's love. But, I have to come to realize that as Christ-followers we get no break. No off button. Because we should never stop loving.


I fail at this. Every. Single. Day.

I seriously wish I didn't fail at this. But, just today plans changed and I no longer became excited about the plans, but rather dreading having to follow through on these plans a few minutes later the Holy Spirit reminded me that I need to look at this as an opportunity to minster to others. Every minute of my life is an opportunity to minister to others. Seriously, I can't think of one situation where you couldn't show the love of Jesus. Even though SO many times I have wanted to just "be" and not have to love constantly, we are called to be outsiders. We are His people, in the world but not of the world. We are called to love unconditionally. To live a radical kind of way because of His love.

I know there is no scripture in this post, but honestly do I need scripture to back up the fact that loving people unconditionally is one of our sole purposes as Christ-followers? I dare you to go and read a story in the Bible about Jesus and I bet my life on it that there isn't one situation where Jesus didn't show any love, because there isn't. He is love.

I write this blog post, not as condemnation but as accountability for myself and the community of other Christ-followers out there.


xo,
Moriah

an open letter...

I often think about my blog and what to write, so today I am just sitting down and writing the many things that come to my mind.

I live in luxury. Extreme luxury. I have a million things to be thankful for and yet I can still find multiple things to be ungrateful about. Why is this. It is because I am not focused on Jesus completely. When I am in a place of living for Him in every moment of everyday, then I should be so caught up in Him that I do not "want" anything else besides Him.

It is because I live in a world FULL of security. I know that I will have a place to live, money in my bank account, and family to rely on. While these are all blessings I am very thankful, I find it hard to be focused in such world like this. So, what do I do? There are so many distractions. How am I suppose to overcome these in order to be completely focused on Jesus. For me, I just have to constantly rely on Him, worship Him, pray, and read the Word. It is extremely difficult. Take away the distractions, ask God to push me to my furthest. Sometimes I wonder, am I really doing this right? If I proclaim He is my only purpose, why do I get so easily sucked into worldly things.

Please do not take this the wrong way. I know Jesus has placed me right where I should be and has given me these many blessings to spread His love. In fact, this has been something I have struggled with and have found this verse to be helpful, "Isaiah 41:8 - But  you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took YOU from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen YOU and have not rejected you." I am beyond thankful for this and the unending blessings He has given me. 

But, I had a moment this week, were I felt completely reliant on Jesus because my security was gone. I was no longer was under my own roof, or had family right next to me. I had to pray and pray. If I am honest, I was shaken up by this experience, but I ask God to put me in these situations to pull me and push me closer to Him. It is hard for me to focus on God when I have security, but when I experiences situations like I did this week, I can feel Jesus more than ever. I feel Him right next to me saying "I am your protector" (Psalm 46:1  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.") It makes living for Jesus 100x more real. I can see why Jesus came, right before my eyes. I am sinful, we are full of sin and desturction, but because of His undescriable love He saved us, He broke the chains, and He overcame EVERY sin. People need to know Him and I want to show them. 

Living for Jesus is not always going to be safe. It is not going to be this pretty little box full of rainbows and sunshine. But, I believe that He puts us in these situations to shake us, to move us, and pull us closer to His love. Whether these situations be as simple as stepping out to invite your co-worker to church or putting yourself in a dangerous situation in order to serve - it is for a purpose, Jesus, the almighty King, and Messiah. So, as you go into our sinful world, remember your purpose to love, to show His love at any cost. Because He is our purpose and He is the one we will stand before some day and hope He will say "Well done good and faithful servant." - what we do now determines what is ahead of us. So as we go on this week, I ask that you just pray. Pray for courage, bravery, His presence, whatever it is you need. 


This song by Amanda Cook puts these words into a song. "Say something even if your voice is shaking...."



Thanks for reading. xoxo

Moriah