Joining the Rich

His name was James.

We didn't know him. Had never seen him before. He was a complete stranger. But he knocked on our door one quiet Sunday afternoon after we had just come back from church. I was cleaning up the kitchen from our lunch mess, and there came a knock at the door.

My husband answered, then came around the corner into  the kitchen and said, "There's a man here who is asking if we can make him some lunch. He's on his way to Oklahoma." I looked out in the driveway; there was no vehicle.

"What? Is he walking?"

"Yeah, I guess. He has a backpack."

I suddenly stopped. It was perfect timing, or as I like to say, it was "God timing"-Don't put that lunch stuff away just yet.

"Yes, of course, invite him in!"

I came to the front door with my husand so we could invite the man in. He looked grateful but ashamed at the same time. He kept his head low but his eyes made contact with ours when he spoke to say, "I'm truly grateful. I'll just wait out here."

We insisted that he came in, and as my husband sat down with him in the living room I set to work in the kitchen. Something came over me, and I wanted us to help this stranger as much as we could. There was no worry, no fear, no judgement of this man who, for some reason, chose to knock on our door that afternoon. Who knew how many other doors he had knocked at before ours? All I knew is that I was eager to serve him. I searched my cupboards and praised the Lord that I had just gone grocery shopping and had plenty-more than plenty-to offer! I quickly put together some sandwiches, fruit, crackers, and also an extra sack of food for him to take with him.

I brought the lunch to my husband and to the man who told us his name was James. As my husband sat and talked with him he learned that James was from a few hours away. He was coming from a hard life, full of lots of mistakes. He didn't disclose too many details, but told us he was trying to clean up his life and start over. Currently, he was on his way to Oklahoma because he had heard there may be some jobs down there. He had only the backpack on his back for his belongings, his two feet for transportation, and no money left. He ate his food and politely asked for seconds, so my husband continued to talk with him while I made more food. As I listened to their conversation I only heard bits and pieces, but I did hear James exclaim, "Wow, you have a really nice home." I also heard him ask, "What's it like to have a family and a home?" I didn't hear much else but I prayed, Lord, help us to just show James your love. Help us to serve him.

James wasn't at our house for long, less than 45 minutes, but by the end of our visit with him my husband had offered to drive him an hour away to Joplin (which I was about to suggest, but I guess we had been thinking the same thing!). I jumped on the computer to do a quick search for shelters that may be able to take him in once he got there. I gave him an extra bag of food I had packed, and then they left for Joplin. That was it.

As I sat there after they left, I was in awe. I was humbled. I was so thankful that the Lord chose to use us, for some reason, to help him out. Out of all the neighborhoods and houses and people he could have come to, he knocked on our little door. I was thankful that we had food to offer. I was thankful that we had a working vehicle to drive James closer to his destination. But most of all, I felt rich. Actually, I don't think I've ever felt so rich. I think my eyes were opened in a new way to all that I had.

Here was someone with virtually nothing. A broken past. A backpack, and now an extra lunch. He sat in our little home, which by our own culture's standard is very humble, and he exclaimed how nice it was. I thought of how often I'm tempted to think I don't have much; how at times I get frustrated because our tight budget doesn't allow for us to eat out more often; or how easy it is to "joke" about being poor because I can't buy myself a new outfit; or how we sometimes avoid having  people over because our house is so small and un-impressive compared to others. And yet James sat in here and looked at our humble little home and probably felt like we had a mansion. We did, compared to what he had. And as he looked around, with an expression of longing on his face, I knew I was rich. And I knew I would never "joke" about being poor again.

As Christmas approaches, and our western secularized version of it screams at us from every commercial to buy, buy, BUY, more stuff, I hope we can all look at what we have, no matter how much or how little, and realize just how rich we truly are. I hope we can all remember that what we do have is a gift from the Lord, and it is best used by giving back and serving others as He calls each of his followers to do. And I hope we remember that the reason we do this is because He first GAVE to us-the most precious, most costly gift of all-His son. And that is what Christmas is all about.

Be encouraged and lifted up! May you know the joy and peace of the Lord this Christmas season. And may that joy cause you to give to overflowing!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16

The Funny Old Car

"We're riding in the funny old car!"

This is what my toddler so adorably yelled one day from her carseat as we drove through town running errands in my neighbor's...um...well, funny old car as I had dubbed it. Having only one vehicle right now (which my husband usually takes to work) we've often had to borrow my neighbor's old Pontiac Grand Am, which I was sure belonged to the 80s, but recently found out it is actually a '91. In either case, it's the oldest thing I've had to drive lately, and it's definitely not stylish! So one day as I packed my daughter in to it, I let out a sigh and said something along the lines of, "Guess we'll have to drive in this funny old car for awhile." Now, as we drove around and she repeated what I said, I realized what an influence I was on my daughter! They really do hear and repeat everything you say!

I had to laugh a little because it was so cute, but then I found myself scrambling for more positive things to say, "Yes we are honey! We are in the funny old car, and we LOVE it; we are sooo thankful for it!" And really, we were thankful for it. Or, we should have been. We'd been without a second car for several months and it had been super challenging, especially when I needed to run errands or just get out of the house for my own sanity. We also were not in a financial position to buy another car, so we did the best thing you can do in any situation: we prayed! We prayed for God's provision, because we know that God is our provider, and that He cares about all the issues of life. So here we were praying and waiting on the Lord, and wondering where our new car was or when it was coming. I've had two friends tell me encouraging stories about being in similar situations and how God provided a car free of charge in their need, so I was excited and trusting the Lord for this same provision. When "Neighbor Bill" (as we so affectionately call him) offered his car for me to use whenever I needed to, I was grateful and accepted. He is in a wheelchair and can't drive anymore, and he didn't want his car sitting around not being used. Sure, I thought, that would be helpful, although I was already planning on not using it unless I really had to. And I have to admit that I would often feel a bit embarrassed driving around in it and would think, as I looked around at all the other cars, "This is the oldest car I see on the road!"

Now, I'm definitely not a materialistic person. We don't own the latest anything and it doesn't bother me one bit. After all, we are to lay up treasures in heaven and not materialistic things that will fade. I'm also not anywhere close to being "stylish" or up to the latest fashion. (Do people even say "up to the latest fashion"?) And the one vehicle we do own isn't anything fancy either, just a truck we call "Old Blue." So what was my issue? At that moment with my daughter, telling her how thankful we were for the funny old car, I realized how silly I had been to be embarrassed by it. I realized how thankful I truly was for it, otherwise I'd be even more miserable not being able to get around at all. And I also realized that this was God's answer to prayer for us, at least for the time being. We had been waiting for something else we thought was coming-maybe something nicer and newer; something that would be given to us. But this funny old car was just as good as that. It was exactly what we needed for now, without having to pay for insurance or gas!

That is so how God works-not in the ways we expect or anticipate. The bible tells us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9) My car story is kind of a silly example of this truth, but it still stands true! God's ways are not our ways; they are better! Actually, they are the best ways, THE way! Repeatedly in my life as I've prayed and waited on the Lord, I've seen those prayers and pleas and cries answered in ways I wouldn't have planned...and good thing too, since our plans and ideas will always be inferior to His. Our greatest dream, idea, or plan for ourselves could never match up to God's. How could they? He is the Almighty God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, and the Creator of you and me! How can we know better than God how to answer a prayer, or even how to plan and live our lives? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”? (Isaiah 29:16) I am encouraged knowing that as I wait on the Lord, seek Him, and trust Him with my life, He will be faithful to guide and direct and provide in the best way, and not in my way. That doesn't mean things will always be easy or carefree, or that I'll have what is viewed as the nicest material stuff, or even be successful in the world's eyes. I've had my fair share of struggles and hardships and heartbreak. But as the Lord has walked through each struggle with me, strengthening me, drawing me closer, and teaching me, I've seen how it has all been for His good and for the best. It's true! I am even grateful to the Lord for not answering certain prayers back in the past. It's scary to think I could have missed out on this life the Lord has blessed me with if He would have given me some things I thought I wanted back then!

So be encouraged! Are you praying and waiting on the answer? Are you striving in this life for success or for purpose? You are clay. God is the potter. If you let Him, (that's the key, and it involves turning to Jesus for salvation and then walking with Him in faith) He will sculpt a masterpiece of your life. His ways and His thoughts are higher than yours! And maybe He has already answered your prayer, but you haven't noticed it because you are too embarassed driving around in the funny old car. But if you open your eyes and focus on your blessings, you may realize that the funny old car is actually pretty great, and it has awesome air conditioning!

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28

Accomplished?

I have to admit, this accomplishment feels pretty awesome. Petunia is here, and in only a week I've had tons of support from friends, family, aquaintances, and even people I barely know who seem genuinely excited that I have a book published. I think I'm not even half as impressed with myself as most people seem to be, but I have been very encouraged by the positive response. I'm truly thankful to all of those who have been so supportive. Thank you all!

Being praised for this accomplishment, as nice as it is, also makes me realize how easy it is to stumble into thinking I've gained more value in this world because of it! Am I more accomplished now because I can call myself an "author" if I wanted to? I was only a "stay-at-home mom" before, so now what should I call myself? I was asked recently, "So what do you do, Erin? Is this what you do?" I said, "Well, I stay home with my daughter, I'm a stay-at-home mom," which, by the way, is the best "job" I've ever had! Anyway, the response to that was, "But what do you do? Is this what you do, write?" And I said, "Well sometimes, but this is my first published book." "So is this what you want to do?" Um, yeah, I'd love to have more books published. . .but I DO a lot of things, truth be told!

At Glacier National Park

I knew what was meant by the question, and it all came down to wanting to know what occupation I defined myself by. But I didn't have an answer for that. It's a strange thing in our culture, here in our country, to not be defined by a job or an occupation, as if the thing that you do encompasses all you are. After all, when meeting people the first thing you usually find out is what they do-what their job is. But I have to be honest, I personally have never aspired to any sort of a career. I've always enjoyed many things, but I never wanted a career or any specific job. Before my little family came along, I did a little of everything! I worked one summer at Glacier National Park cleaning hotel rooms and performing in their evening theater show; I traveled with Clear Vision Drama Company for over 3 years ministering to youth through drama; I was a bank teller, an assistant manager at a clothing store, and a coffee shop barista all within the same year.... and just as a side note, it's a good thing I took that pay cut to go to the coffee shop cuz that's where my future husband walked in looking for free wi-fi (not coffee) and found me! I guess my point in all this is, if I tried to define myself or find my identity in my occupation or my past job training, then I'd be a mess! I've struggled in the past, pressured by the wordly view that you need to have some sort of significant accomplishment or job title to be/feel important. But I've worked through that, especially when God blessed me with my little family. Being a wife to my wonderful husband, and a mother to my incredible daughter is the only thing I've "done" in my life that I feel I was made for. And that is out of the world's spotlight.

A bit of my dramatic side as silly little
 kid character "Renee" for Camp Josiah

I don't look to accomplishments, job titles, or opportunities to define myself anymore, nor do I seek my identity in them. I find my identy in my faith first, in my relationship with Jesus Christ, who made me and has a purpose for me. Who better to find your identity in than the person who created you and knows the plans and purposes He has for you? Until we know our identity can be found in Him, we will always be lost, trying to find it in other things or places or people.

I heard once from a pastor that God doesn't have just one thing for you in your life. He has something for you in your 20s, and something for you in your 30s, and then in your 40s, and 50s, and 60s and 70s and so on and so on.......for as long as He has you here, He has something for you. I love that because it reminds me that, for one, I'm not defined just by what I do, and that there isn't just one thing I'm supposed to "do" or "be." It also encourages me because I know that life with the Lord is always an adventure-an ongoing journey-full of many opportunities to love and serve and give and do and be many things. Jesus said, I have come to give you abundant life-but you need to invite Him in to your life and allow Him to lead you on that journey.

For now, I am excited for this chance to "do" some writing and to share that writing through a published work! I am grateful for the opportunity and I pray good things will come of it. But I don't want to define myself by it or get too caught up in it. I just want to be thankful for it. I want to keep my accomplishments in the proper perspective, and wake up everyday and say, "Okay Lord, here is something you've given me! Now what do you want me to do with it?

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." -John 10:10

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." -Colossians 3:23-24

You can also read my blog and buy my book at my new website: www.erinsbooksandmore.com. Check it out!

Peaches, Purslane, and Petunia!

Yesterday was a day of "Ps" if you will. First, I learned a new thing. I canned peaches. The whole 6-hour process was new actually, from picking up the peaches at a local market, to blanching them, peeling, slicing, filling the jars, and getting them cooking in my canner, all the while referring back to my "canning peaches" instructions, assisting my 2-year old with her art project, and occasionally getting her down from her chair when she yelled "pottyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!" (That could be the 4th "P" if I wanted to be really cutesy.) You should have seen this kitchen, it was a disaster zone! But by 9:30 pm it was cleaned up, and I had 8 quarts of canned peaches plus 1 ziploc bag full to throw in the freezer. Mission accomplished.

Then my husband came home from work and immediately set forth on his mission: finding and transplanting some purslane into our yard. For those of you who don't know what purslane is, get ready for some new wrinkles in your brain (when I was a kid I thought that learning something new meant that you got more wrinkles in your brain). My husband's latest passion has been looking up information on edible plants in the wild. He loves learning survival skills, and I think his greatest dream in life would be to get dropped off in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness like he was on that Survivor Man show. He'd have to survive on fish caught with spears and squirrels caught in deadfall traps. He'd live in tents made of sticks and leaves, and start fires with a piece of flint and a rock. I guess I wouldn't really want him to be in the Alaskan wilderness though....I did see "Into the Wild." Not cool. Anyhow, he is becoming quite the expert on what you can or can't eat that comes from the wild, or your own yard! Purslane, for instance, is considered a weed here in America, although most countries eat it because it is one of the most nutritional greens there is! We're talking Omega-3s, Vitamins A & C, iron, magnesium, potassium and more beta-carotene than spinach. Apparently it's good every which way you can eat it: raw in a salad, cooked up in a soup, or even pickled! It also seems to be everywhere once you start looking. After picking it at the park, my husband has now transplanted it in several locations in our yard so we will have free salad greens for years to come. Don't tell him I was accidentally pulling it up as a weed in our garden....

And finally, Petunia came in the mail! It's not the official, finished version of my book, but it is the final proof, which in essence is a true representation of what my book will look like. It's also my last chance to catch any obvious mistakes before they send it to the printer for the official version (to be out soon, this fall!). For those who haven't seen it yet, here is a picture of what the cover will look like. I am thrilled with how my book has turned out! My illustrator has done an incredible job at capturing the "essence" of Petunia. It is a small book, thin, and paperback, and I have to say I'm glad of it. It's simple and sweet, with a big message, and I like it that way. After all, the Lord's message to me all summer has been simplicity, and although I've had a difficult time simplifying, I think I am finally getting it! At first I thought that I needed to simplify my outward circumstances-which is always a good thing, especially when you find yourself overloaded and stressed-but now I'm starting to see that God wanted me to simplify my faith in Him, and to simplify my overwhelming expectations of myself. To briefly explain, I'm a goal-oriented person, and this summer I've had a lot of personal goals that I've just, honestly, flopped on. I've felt constantly disappointed in myself, and unfortunately I've translated that into wrongly thinking that God is disappointed in me as well. NO!! God has reminded me of that damaging lie, and to simplify my faith is to remember that I can't earn favor with my Lord! He loves me in an unchanging, unconditional way, and even if I do fail myself I don't fail Him! I was saved by God's grace-by what's He's already done rather than by what I can do-and that grace doesn't end, I just need to keep walking in it!

I could expand on all that, but I'll save it for another day. For now, I'm just amazed at how God can use anything to get a message through, even a little character named Petunia that I wrote over a year ago! He is faithful and will bring to completion every good work He has begun in you! (Philippians 1:6) He has also been faithful to bring to completion this book. And maybe I did fail on a lot of my other personal goals this summer, but I did get my peaches canned. Also, I'm pretty excited about those free super-greens in the back yard. So all in all, I'd say it was a great "P" day.

Hot, Tot, Spi-got!

I am looking out my kitchen window at our charming little tree that sits in our front yard, and I am wondering why, even though it is mid-Summer, the leaves are changing brown and orange already as if it is Fall. They should still be a blazing green. Even though it looks pretty, it is a little upsetting because it only reminds me of how horribly HOT it is outside. Today it happens to be a nice humid 102 degrees, and tomorrow we are expecting 104. It is hot-tot-spi-got, as my little family likes to say (but that's the only dorky saying of ours that I will divulge for now.....)! Even though I have lived here for almost 10 years, I still haven't gotten used to these Missouri summers. This summer has been hotter than normal, but I still miss the mild upper 70's and lower 80's of Northwest Washington State where I grew up!

On top of it all, my beautiful vegetable garden that I worked hard to prepare, and then planted and watered and weeded till my back got sore and my legs got eaten up by bugs (as you will remember from my previous post), has now almost completely burnt up because of this uncharacteristic heat. Needless to say, my high hopes for an abundant harvest have already been a bit dashed.

So yes, we've had a bit of a drought here in good ol' Missouri, and my poor little tree and garden are proof of that. Although I am remembering to praise through it (remember my last post?!) I have to admit that I've felt that drought this Summer in my own life as well. It's funny how the seasons and the weather can really match up with my life moods at times. Any one else relate? I can't say there has been anything "major" going on, and I praise God for that, but for some reason I've struggled for the past couple of months with just the everyday goings-on and routine; the nitty-gritty details of life; feeling off-center; struggling to meet my goals; feeling over-busy or over-distracted; and so on and so forth. And it seems at the end of each day I am worn out, dried out, and badly needing some renewal! So physically I have felt this drought, although I do believe that spiritually I am growing through it! God is still faithful, and if anything, I have taken this time to seek after Him, focus on my blessings by praising Him, and put forth extra effort to pray and be in the Word. After all, He is the Living Water that can quench my thirst and bring the refreshing rains to ease this drought! (See John 4:7-26, & John 7:37-38 for more on Jesus as our living water).

And really, that's all I have to share for now, nothing too profound. I'm not completely out of the drought yet, and Missouri still has a while to go before these hot summer days subside and I can bask in the coolness and beauty of Fall. And that's just the thing--life is made up of seasons. Even in our own circumstances we experience the freshness of Fall, sometimes the barrenness of Winter, the joy and newness of Spring, and sometimes the drought of Summer. In every season though, make it your purpose to seek the Lord, whether things are going good or bad. Praise Him through it all. In every season or circumstance of life we can choose to turn away from God, or turn toward Him. When you turn toward Him and begin to know Him, you know that there is a purpose for every season under Heaven, and that He has the best things planned for you if you would just trust Him with your life (Jeremiah 29:11). The Lord wants you to rest and enjoy the good times, and He wants you to grow and learn in the tough times. He wants to walk with you, guide and direct you, and uphold you--you just have to allow Him to. And He already loves you!

Let Him be the refreshing rains of your life, and be encouraged today wherever you are at!

 But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
   whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
   that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
   its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
   and never fails to bear fruit. -Jeremiah 17:7-8

Frogs and Bunnies, and the Power of Praise!

"Dear Jesus, thank you for trees and stuffed animals!"

Lately we have been teaching our daughter to name two things during our meal-time prayer that she is thankful for. I don't know if she really grasps the meaning of being "thankful" yet, since she is only two and a half, but her answers always delight me. Today she said, "Thank you for a family, and for cold, warm, and hot food!" Sometimes she mentions things she was playing with that day--"thank you for puzzles, books, and toys"--but most of the time it is just random things--"thank you for frogs and bunnies" or "thank you for trees and stuffed animals!" A couple times she has melted my heart by saying "thank you for mommy and daddy!" Oh, the joy and excitment in a child when they think about all the things they like, enjoy, and are thankful for. They don't seem to have the capacity to dwell on the negative for very long, only the positive! I think this is one of those times where my daughter is teaching me something when I thought I was teaching her something. Maybe I should do this as well--name several things every day, throughout the day, that I am thankful for to keep focused on my blessings!

I've discovered that bright and early in the morning is when a battle for the mind seems to take place, and the thoughts that start to form in my head early on are the ones that can form a day for good or bad. For some reason, it is much too easy to start a day with negative thoughts and feelings, and from there they become a tidal wave that can completely consume you. Yesterday, for instance, was not a good day. Looking back, there was nothing huge or life-shattering that happened to make it a bad day. It was just a bunch of little everyday things that added up. I didn't sleep well, had too much to do all day, had a cranky 2-year old, the weather was hot and uncomfortable, had lots of messes to clean up, dinner took way too long, and by 8 pm when I was ready to crash (since I'd been going non-stop since 6 am) I realized I needed to work in my garden for the last bit of daylight I had. So I begrudgingly weeded my garden and checked my plants, all the while getting eaten up by bugs. By the end of the day I felt like I missed out on enjoying my family, and I didn't get to stop and rest. I also knew, however, that my thoughts weren't centered on praise, but rather complaining. When that happens there is no doubt it is going to be a bad day!

Just like there is "power in prayer," there is also power in praise and thanksgiving--in remembering the Lord and all He's given--and focusing on that each day. When you wake up first thing in the morning, think about what you are thankful for. Be genuine, be specific, and be random and silly like a 2-year old if need be! When something comes along to challenge your day and potentially ruin it, focus on praise. This isn't just a "power of positive thinking" type of excercise. This is genuinely taking the time to refocus your thoughts on the Lord, and then giving Him the thanks and praise He is always worthy of! When you do that in all sincerity, you start to see what you have rather than what you are lacking. I've known people whose lives lack joy because they never have positive things to say about anything. Their lives are full of blessings, but they can't see it because they are always focused on what they don't have rather than what they do have, or on what is going wrong rather than what is going right. On the other hand, I recently read a story where a man's life was changed for the better when he started making a conscious effort to recognize his blessings, and then go out of his way to thank people through letters, emails, gifts, or anything else.

So what are you thankful for? Recognize what you have and say thanks for it! Start and end your day with remembering the Lord and praising Him for all He has done for you!

Taking my own advice, I sat in that garden last night, exhausted and hot, bug bites covering my legs, and I thanked the Lord for the space and resources to even have a garden. I thanked Jesus for the miracle of the seed, and how a huge harvest of food can grow from one tiny little seed! I thanked Him for my zucchini and tomatoes that are starting to grow, and for the satisfaction that comes from growing my own food--even if it means late night weeding sessions in the garden with all my bug friends. He just reminded me to use bug spray next time.

"Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Be Patient, Petunia!

Since part of the original purpose of this blog was to tell the progress of my book, I thought it was high time I gave a quick update. My book is finishing up month 3 of production, with 3 more months to go. That means it's half-way done! I have officially finished the editing phase and will be entering illustration, layout and design. Actually, as I am writing this blog I just received my "Welcome to Illustration" email from Tate! This part is the one that I am most nervous and excited about, since I will finally have a "face" for my story. Since I am definitely not an illustrator, I am thankful that Tate Publishing has their own team of illustrators and that this is just one of the normal parts of children's book production for them. They are experts at this, so I believe I am in good hands! For now, all I can offer is the official title of the book and the backmatter/teaser of the book for a taste of what's to come! Here goes:

Be Patient, Petunia by Erin Butler

"Petunia is caring and kind, but very impatient! Nothing goes the way Petunia wants it to because she doesn’t like to wait. With fun rhyming and a memorable character, this delightful story illustrates one of the fruits of the spirit: patience. Discover how good things come to those who patiently wait in Be Patient, Petunia!"

Fun, huh?! As I go through this process, which is a totally new world for me, I am continually reminded of God's goodness and grace. I give Him all the credit for everything in my life, and I want this effort to be something that brings glory and thanksgiving to Him as well. It's too easy to take what we have--whether resources or opportunities or relationships or whatever--and keep them for ourselves, moving forward in our own effort to make something that would be self-serving. After all, these are the values of our culture--glory and success and comfort for ourselves no matter the cost; the whole "me, myself, and I" syndrome as I like to call it. It's hard to not think like that. And I'm not trying to say it's bad to have high goals and strive for success, but ultimately, if we are doing it just for our own selves then what does it amount to? We need to measure "success" through the eyes of our Creator, our Father who loves us unconditionally and knows what is best for us. When we are walking with Him, loving Him and loving others (the greatest commandments according to Jesus), then our life couldn't be more successful. And then, if we give Him back everything we've been given--people, resources, opportunities, and so on--then He can do immeasurably more with them than we could even ask or imagine. That's what I desire! So instead of asking myself, "What do I want?" I've tried to start asking, "Lord, what do you want for me? What do you want me to do with all you've given me?" It's quite liberating, really.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you are encouraged today!