the three the's in my life

"Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." ~Proverbs 16:24

I have been slacking in my one word bible study, but really it is because I am a little stuck on "the". This word has been on my mind for a couple of weeks now as I have tried to find both the time to think and the time to write. "The" is such a simple word used to identify much of the things present in our daily lives. But I find that I get so wrapped up in the things that I have placed as priority in my life that I could spend many paragraphs discussing all of the things I do to try and serve the Lord. I am completely a Martha and need to learn how to be more of a Mary (see Luke 10:38-42).  But through all of the doing, I forget to spend time focusing on the three most important things: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. So here is to a restful Sunday evening and spending time with the three "the's" in my life.

-I am not

To Follow and to Trust the Father

I am attempting to continue with my one word bible study. I began last month, looking at Proverbs 16:24, "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." I last pondered the word "sweet", so I have been contemplating the word "to" for several days, now.

As I began thinking of the word "to", I immediately thought of my trip "to" Uganda. The past two weeks since I returned have been full of processing the Father's work in my heart while I was there and all that he is doing in the country itself. I am overwhelmed by His faithfulness and His heart and His creation. To say that Uganda was a life changing experience is both an incredible understatement and an incredible exaggeration. The Father blew through my heart and soul while in that beautiful country. Those children, and teachers, and pastors, and friends showed me so much of the Father's heart that I feel completely changed. We never wanted for anything while in country, yet, it seems so easy to come back and settle into the comforts of my home and my friends and my family. My heart still struggles with leaving sweet friends and sweet children who loved so freely. But my heart is also here with my family, my friends, my students, and my calling to teach and love teenagers. I found peace in a devotion this past weekend from Moravian daily texts, "God calls us to comfort the afflicted, afflict the comfortable, and call everyone neighbor."

I don't want to be comfortable. I want to be used for His Kingdom and His glory. Always.

God called me to Uganda. He calls me to listen to Him. He calls me to love Him and my neighbors (even those in Uganda and even those I don't know). He calls me to Him. He calls me to serve. He calls me to my knees. He calls me to leave my comfort zone. He calls me to the cross. He calls me to follow Him each and every day.

And in each and every situation, He calls me to trust in Him.

I was reminded of the Hillsong United song, Oceans, and it is my prayer my heart and everyone who finds themselves in their comfort zone that we may learn to follow and to trust the Father: "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters where ever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, and my faith would be made stronger in the presence of my Savior."

-I am not