"not of this world, but in it"

wow, here lately, things have been busy. Life has happened, and it's happened at warp speed. I just wanted to fill you all in on some things that the Lord has been teaching me lately in so many different areas of my life. You know it's God telling you something important when you see the same theme around every corner.

I've been struggling lately. I've felt tried, tempted, and troubled. I say this in the most general way possible, as in the things of this world have been grabbing hold of me. Have you ever had a moment in which you felt like you wouldn't live through it? You felt crushed from the inside out? or maybe even about to explode? You just knew that what was about to happen would change your world forever, and that with that change you didn't know if you would make it. BUT obviously you made it because you're here. you're reading this. You struggled through it but in the end you survived.

One time, I was about 10 and went to the beach with a friend. I wasn't a very good swimmer, but the friend proceeded on pushing me into the deep end of her pool. I just knew I wasn't going to make it. ha 10 years old and panicking because i couldn't swim, but luckily her mom came in and "saved" me. Well i'm here aren't i? I didn't see it at the time, but I learned something. I learned that I needed to figure out how to swim. i'm sure we've all been in times like these, uncomfortable but beneficial. These are physical occurrences. These are tangible. But what about the intangible? what about the matters of the heart? the spiritual warfare that's going on everyday and we can't even see it.

God's been teaching me lately. He's been showing me and revealing to me that He makes us stronger through these struggles. They're hard. We can't see an end and we think that it will last forever, but guess what? If we trust in Him, He always wins.

Whatever it is that we have on this earth does not matter, not fame, riches, friends, things, or looks. Its who we are in Heaven that matters. Its what we do for our Kingdom. I've been challenged lately to change my life. To redirect it in a way that only leads things towards the righteousness of God. Does this mean that I will always succeed? NO. Indeed, I am human and 95% of the time, I get it wrong. but God's grace says that thats ok. I've already been forgiven freely and don't have to do anything to earn it. I don't have to be perfect. Isn't that awesome?!!!