What is your purpose?

Now that I am in my twenties, I feel the pressure to find my life purpose and my career path. I always feel some surge of anxiety when people my age know exactly what they want to do and what they are going to major in. For the past 3 years, I have been praying continually that my God will place me where He sees fit for me to be and do his work. After much reflection and reading His word, I think that I have found my life's purpose. I think that this purpose should be every believer's life purpose.

While Christ was on this earth, He showed the world how much He loved us, His creation. He performed countless miracles, He was there for the sick and the poor, and ultimately He laid His life down for us, His unworthy creations. He gave His disciples a great commission in Matthew 28:18-20
^"18 Jesus came and told his disciples, 'I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'" How do we do that? How do we make disciples of the nations? We do it through love. My purpose on this earth is to make disciples for Jesus by loving on every individual that I meet and helping them with what ever their needs are in that instance. Now, that is a very broad purpose but I can do it where ever Christ leads me. Whether that be in the work place or at home with my future children. Where ever I am I am going to run into the Chaos of the world and attempt to make a difference in this world.

The best way to give love is by creating lasting relationships. When I was younger I think that I made friendships for the wrong reasons. I made them so that I could feel like a decent human being who could properly function in society. Even though that is an understandable reason, I feel that now I am making relationships that are  not for my sake. I am making relationships for the sake of making them feel loved and cared for. In 1 Corinthians 13:13 Paul writes, ^"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." Maybe through giving other's love, we can show them that they matter and that they have a Savior who is greater than any other being out there.

Now, when trying to share the gospel with others we have to make sure that we can be understood. I feel that the best way to be understood is by being silent. By that I mean we can share the gospel in a non abrasive way, just by our actions. Live joyfully and positively. It is so much easier and enjoyable to be around someone who is positive and pleasant. I guarantee that someone will notice your different actions and will eventually start asking questions. When someone does eventually start asking questions and why we are so joyful and loving we can calmly explain that it is because I have a savior who is great and mighty. If you feel that you aren't knowledgeable to share the gospel because you are new in your faith know that when Christ makes His home in your heart as you trust Him, "Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong." Ephesians 3:17

So if you are a believer, what is your purose? What is Christ calling you to do? If you don't know Jesus and think that I am nuts, as my why I believe what I believe. To everyone, try Jesus. What do you have to lose?

Today is going to be a good day

I don't know why, but it is.
I woke up at 7 am without complaint.
I was able to drop Abbey off at the train station.
I then attempted a new route to the Starbucks at Seahome Plaza and I made it.
I have had my first Skinny Peppermint Mocha of the Holiday Season.
I am now sitting in Starbucks, enjoying my Mocha before I head to a woman's event at the church.
I am excited because my family is coming to visit me tomorrow.
I feel optimistic about my future.
I am not stressing about all I have to get done because I know that I will do it eventually.
I am blessed.
Life is good and I am going to enjoy that this morning.

Thankful,
All-i Rose

My purpose...

Yesterday was a lazy day. My roommate had gone home for the weekend so I had the room to myself. I work up early made coffee and then sat in my warm bed watching Gilmore Girls for a few hours. After the marathon I buckled down wrote a paper, read some sociology and then met with a friend for coffee. I returned to my room to study for the rest of the evening to study for a few upcoming tests. It was so nice just having a  laxidasical day where I had no solid plans and I was content with being by myself. But as the evening went on I started to feel a bit of discontentment in my heart. Everyone around me had plans which led me to realize that I don't have too many friends up here. Just as I was starting to feeling that way I received a text from my friend asking what my plans were. I texted her telling her to come to my room so we could watch a movie. As she was walking over another girl from my floor stopped by my room and invited me to a girls night. Now looking back at that moment I can see that God was so alive right then. He could see the discontentment in my heart and directed the right people to me. Unfortunately at that moment I just felt like I was a looser and I knew that it was up to me to make friends but right then I didn't want to have any part in being social. 

Today, looking back on that experience and analyzing my feelings, I have come to a few conclusions. 

1. I only have a few friend and A LOT of aquantinces. And that is okay. 
2. The friends that I do have mean a lot to me.
3. I read too much into relationships. 
4. I miss my friends at home. 
5. I don't have the energy to be social or the knowledge on how to be.
6. Having friends shouldn't be for my benefit it should be theirs. I have to be a servant to the Lord and put others first. 

Number 6 was the big one. I realized that I was feeling lame because I didn't have friends but in all reality I need to put the lord and others first. I need to make them feel good about them selves before I can feel good about myself. Having friends is nice and good but more important than that is my service to the Lord. And while I am serving the Lord I can meet people and possible create more friendships.

Just thinking,
All-i

Hope

That saying has been constantly on my mind for the past few days. I am officially a college student now(just warning you all now, my grammar will not improve in these blogs because I honestly don't care). I moved in to my residence hall two days ago, and I am finally starting to get the lay of the law. Last night I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and really made an effort to get to know people and try new things. I am positive that I am not the only one who is nervous and insecure here and I realized that I should just be myself and meet as many people as possible so that they would feel included and loved. I tried to share Jesus's love to all last night. I ventured to the Ridge and joined in on different hall meetings, I ate dinner with a new group, I painted bricks with my hall, my RA and I ran to the Rec. center to workout and play games, I watched the Hawks win against the Packers with a new group, and  finally my roommate and I went to Fred Meyer at midnight to do some food shopping. I was defiantly exhausted by the end of it but I was also very proud of myself! I know that it is up to me to create how successful I am in this experience and that I have to make an effort. I know that it will not always be easy though! Yesterday morning was very difficult... I woke up at 7 am and layer in bed until 8:30 am. Now, you have to learn one thing about me. I cannot spend too much time on my own with nothing todo because my mind wanders to these pessimistic outcomes. So while I was laying in bed I was thinking about how alone I was, how I would have to spend 4 years here, and how much I will miss life at home. The life at home piece was the one that I tended to fixate on. I was extremely comfortable with where I was in my life at home. I had a fantastic family/home life. My parents were there to support me and my brothers were only a half an hour drive away. I loved where I worked and the Youth Group its self. I think that the youth group idea was the hardest one. I know that my mom is only  a phone call away so that is a bit more reassuring, but there is something about the group moving on without me that is difficult to understand. That group has been such a huge part of my life for so long. It gave me a purpose and it was my passion and I knew I was loved there. It is hard for me to look at pictures of the group because it makes me realize how much I love and miss them all but... I have to remember that that is the Lord's group and that it is not about me there. I will always be able to return there and hangout with them, but I also have to realize that it is time for me to fly and grow as my own person. I have to learn what my passions are and what I want to do and more importantly I need to figure out what the Lord's plan is for me. I am hoping that college will help me learn more about myself and that it will also help me gain a more positive attitude towards life. 

My RA had this verse posted on her wall and I LOVED it! 

Hebrews 12:1-2 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off everything that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let is run with endurance the race God had set before us. We so this by keeping out eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of this joy awaiting him, he endures the cross, disregarding shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne." 

I have to strip the negative thoughts and anything that is holding me back from personal growth and my love for Jesus Christ. 

-All-i

To Infinity and Beyond

Being a Christian I should surely know that God has a plan for my life and that there is no reason to worry about my future. It says so in Matthew 6:34, "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." And in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” And in Proverbs 16:9, ”A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” and in one of my favorites, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5. But, it is so hard sometimes, still with all of that reassurance, to trust your life in someone else’s hands.

Today I was talking about the future with a friend. And I don’t know how seriously it made her think, but for me it really stirred up some deep thoughts in my noggin. She was explaining to me her process of applying to colleges and her plans for the future. She told me that she has been praying on where to decide to go to since she has started to receive acceptance letters. Mackenzie explained to me that she hasn’t been able to decipher what God has been telling her what to do. She can’t tell the difference between her owns wants, her mothers, and God’s. Now, after listening to her talk about the future and what it could hold after college it made me think of what I would do after college.

Since I was little my dream was to be an elementary school teacher but, now, as I get older I am realizing there is so much more in life that I could experience! I want to go where I can really share the most important gift that I have ever received. It is something that I learned and received from my Heavenly Father and it is a little something called LOVE! I want to share happiness and I feel the way to give it is through loving people and working for the Lord. Now I could share this love through education but I really want to experience everything that the lord has given me in this world and the possibilities are endless! Whether I choose to be a doctor in Africa for needy children, working for Toms or being a small town youth pastor I know that the Lord will place me in the most beneficial place for this world and me. I have faith and believe that I was placed on this world for a reason and that I have a purpose.

So going back up to the first paragraph when I talked about being nervous about placing my life in the Lords hands I need to remember that it is in even better hands than my own. This incredible man loves me forever with all his heart and we mean so much to him! So far my life has been pretty incredible. Now, don’t get me wrong it has not been all smooth sailing but life on earth shouldn’t be. Paradise is in a place called heaven and the only way to get there is to ask Jesus Christ in to your heart and believe wholly in him! I am sure that the Lord has something pretty darn incredible in his plans for me and I can’t wait to see what they are!