Affirming Your Future

What flows into my life, I let it.  What flows out of my life, I let it.

God, please be the director of all these things.

  We were all created for a purpose.  Something greater than your average 9-5 jobs or hustling.  If we were made to just pay bills and die then what’s the purpose?  The author of life is undoubtedly one of intention and strategy.  He watches our going out and coming in even when we forget to even thank Him for giving us another day to live and love.  

The two beginning sentences of this post are an affirmation that I’m going to start using every day because I don’t know about you, but I HATE letting go in general.  I’m not just talking about relationships, but anything that causes chain reactions of emotions ranging from small to great.  It’s one of my greatest challenges and literally feels like a knife in my chest when I think of all of the things that I need to let go of and place in God’s hands.  Why?  Because I don’t want to.  Ever felt like that?

When we don’t want to surrender something it could surely stem from the want to have just an ounce of control in our lives or the fact that we may very well have soul ties with things and people that we shouldn’t.  Not all soul ties are physical, but let me tell you they are real.  I guess that word could also resemble attachment.  If you attach your heart and soul to anything that isn’t constant or what God has for you, it can surely cripple you if things fall apart.  

I don’t know if any of you reading this can relate, but even letting go of words that were said several years ago can feel nearly impossible.  For instance, someone said something extremely hurtful and damaging to my heart and mind in 5th grade and sometimes I still find myself thinking about it (not often, but still!)  Isn’t that crazy? Whoever said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” was on crack or something! I then have to give it to God and say, “Alright, that’s enough!”  You can’t let thoughts take precedence over your mind because as you think, so you become.  Life really can feel like a war sometimes and usually, the battlefield takes place inside of our minds before anywhere else.

That’s why we all need to seriously guard our hearts and heads.  After all, we’re all we have sometimes.  It can be extremely difficult to love people properly and be open to the things God has for us if our hearts become sick and we chain our souls to the things we can’t surrender or let go of.  It can also keep us from the blessings that are ahead and I absolutely believe the enemy knows it very well and uses it to get into our heads. Isn’t he the worst?! Like, go back to hell and stay there okay.

Anyway, the next time you find yourself in a battle thinking about everything you may have lost in the past or the mistakes upon mistakes you’ve made, remember that we serve a God who is greater than our yesterdays and has a plan for prosperity and hope.  It may not look anything like you thought or planned, but you know the saying, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” Love that!

Long story short, don’t attach your soul to anything but Him, and surely don’t put anything above. If you have done this (which I think all of us probably have at some point)  don’t worry! Can God still turn the ashes of our broken dreams and failed plans into beauty for His good and glory?  Absolutely!  Does He still speak and guide your life if you listen?  Absolutely! But there’s a price to pay if you want to see the fruit; you are going to have to let go, forgive, and give your life to Him completely.  If you stay in one place for too long either nothing will happen or if it’s urgent God will (metaphorically) send a huge fish like Jonah, and quite honestly who wants to go through that?!  No thank you!  I’ll take the route of least resistance. What about you?

Xo,

Rachel 

A Common Misconception About True Love

Ah, love. There’s nothing quite like having such raw emotion and compassion pumping through your veins that overflows and spills out of your heart and soul without your consent. It’s such a beautiful thing to cherish good friendships and relationships to the point where you wouldn’t want to cause a single bit of tension (which obviously makes sense!) But what would you do if someone you loved was headed down a path that you sense might not be in their best interest? That’s when things can really get tricky.

Not many of us enjoy negative confrontation with the people we’re close to which is completely understandable… especially if it’s towards someone you can’t emotionally afford to lose. Sometimes you may think in your head that it’s better to pick and choose your battles, but what if someday you end up losing the war because of all of the “little” battles you relinquished? They may have seemed little at first, but things can add up crazy fast (like the interest on student loans!) Never is it easy to say to a friend or lover, “Hey, you mean so much to me and I don’t want to lose you, but I’m afraid that what you’re doing or where you’re heading might not be so great for you.” Even writing that gave me a tiny sense of uneasiness and I’m not even talking to anyone!

True love should start to kick in around this point. It’s kind of like a fight or flight response, but the decision you’ll make has heavy outcomes either way. When you honestly care for someone, their life choices could very well have a big impact on you. So if you feel something isn’t right, there will be unmistakable indications that you can’t shut off. For instance, you may get that nudging feeling tugging at your heart just wishing to get out into a safe space that can be shared between you and that person. Of course, you want to be delicate and tactful; but remember that truth is one of the many facets of genuine love.

When I think of what it means to really be there for someone and love them, there’s a verse from the bible that really stops me in my tracks when I think about it. John 15:3 “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” …WHAT! That’s crazy. If you think about it, you don’t truly love someone to the depth that you were meant to until you are willing to sacrifice your own life for that person. I’d just like to throw out that I’m in no way trying to shove my beliefs or faith down anyone’s throat ever, I’m just sharing my heart hoping it can help anyone that sees it.

Bottom line, that’s what it’s all about. How genuine is your love for your friends and family? Are you willing to stand firm on your beliefs and values to the point where it could cause a temporary (or in some cases) permanent rift in your relationships? I know this generation is all about “You do you, boo!” and I personally can’t stand that mentality because it simply shows that you don’t care, and that’s not cute. Love is not about accepting everything and saying, “Well, if it makes you happy…” it’s about saying, “I care for you way too much to sit idly by and watch you go down a dark path without sharing my heart with you because I want the best for you.”

Xo, Rachel