Who Am I? {Finding Identity in Christ}

First off, high five if you heard Jean Valjean sing the title thanks to Les Mis...

Second, one of my biggest struggles as a Christian is remembering who I am in Christ. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (Emphasis mine.) It's hard to let go of bad habits, but if your heart is right then the best thing I can suggest is to seek God with all your heart. When we really allow Jesus into our hearts, we will lose our desire for worldly things and instead we'll begin to desire heavenly things. Accepting Christ as our Savior gives us a completely fresh start. This should radically impact how we live our life and how we treat others yet, it doesn't. Most of the time, we don't seek Him and soon, letting Christ into our lives is just a memory.

Too often, we let the world define us. We soak up the devil's lies and believe them. We don't feed our soul the truth. We don't renew our minds. I talked about this briefly in a previous post of mine, titled, What Lie Do You Believe?. What would happen to this generation if we uncovered who we are in Christ? What would happen if we believed the truth instead of the lies? I want to bring a few verses to your attention.

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died- more than that, who was raised- who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?"

 -Rom. 8:31-35

We are God's elect. 

Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We are so, so, very important to our Creator and nothing will ever change that. 

I have a challenge for you and for me. This coming week, instead of letting the world (i.e. our friends, our enemies, the media, strangers, etc.) define or label us with lies, let's look into Scripture to find what God thinks about us. To remember how special we are in His sight. Let us remember to love our enemies and those who persecute us. Let us remember to forgive seven times seventy. For there is Someone mightier than the world who loves us literally to death. 

Standing at a Crossroad {Asking for Help}

Have you ever stood at a crossroad?

Okay, okay, so maybe not a literal crossroad, but a metaphorical crossroad? Where, in that time, you just sort of stand there glancing back and forth between the paths? In this moment, God feels silent. The barrage of thoughts and the anxiety of making the right choice plugs your ears. Even if God was speaking, you wouldn't be able to tell.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Will one path close if you don't move now? What if both doors close? Fear of making a mistake keeps your feet planted. You just can't move. What's the right choice? You know you're over-thinking this but you can't help it. 

Breathe in, breathe out.

Peace is elusive. Which way? Do you take the riskier, more complicated, path? Or the safer, simple way? Are there merits to one path over the other? You know which one you prefer... and you're scared that God might call you toward the other. So what do you do? 

Ask for help.

Who says you have to make this decision alone? Asking for help will lighten the burden. It doesn't make you weak, it shows that you are brave. It shows that you know your own weaknesses and rather than risk a massive failure, you're seeking multiple opinions. I'd personally recommend asking help from someone you trust, who is old enough to be your parent. 

It wasn't too long ago that I found myself with a crossroad before me. But crying out and asking for help reassured my anxious spirit, because I knew I didn't have to make my choice alone. Breathe in, breathe out. Go talk to someone and keep on breathing. Big decisions should not be made lightly or hastily. 

When One Door Closes, Another Opens {Starting a New Chapter}

Oh, friends. Yesterday marked the finish of my college studies. Hallelujah!

I've been on this path for so long I can hardly believe that I've reached the end of the road. Wow. Just wow. It's cliché, but there's no way I would have made it this far without God. Or my fiancé. Or my mom. Without those three, I doubt that I would have come out of college sane. It's made me realize how valuable it is to be surrounded by people who support you.

Closing this chapter has brought on nostalgia, a handful of bad memories, and excitement for what's to come. Just as good things come to an end, so do the hard things too. That's the funny thing about time. It's running at its own pace. It won't stop for you nor will it speed up. Time is constant. Much like our Heavenly Father. 

So no matter where you are in life, consider this your reminder to hope. Hope for a better tomorrow. Hope for the new chapter on the horizon. Remember that everything has a season and Jesus is our constant through it all. Though it may not look like it, God is on your side and it will certainly work out.  

A new chapter is beginning for me, friends! I can't wait to continue to pour out truth and hope and love through these blog posts. Recently, God has been putting so much on my heart. He's given me a new vision and purpose, and I'm so excited to share. I hope you'll stick around for all the amazing things coming. :-)

By the way, have you entered yet?