Future's Endless Possibilities

Well, I deffinitely got a lot of insight on my last post since I posted it. But now it has me wondering. Ok, so everything is possible, there's just certain aspects, yada yada yada, I get it. But how do you focus on just one? Like everyone else, I do have a dream; I have things I want to do, and I have goals that I want to accomplish. But now my question is: what happens in something steps in that could potentially be better than what I've been planning on and working towards? What if I get into the college I want to, work my butt off, graduate and start a great career, but then something happens that could produce an outcome I've never dreamed of and I want to pursue that? What if, in order to do this thing, I have to leave my career and all the other things I've worked for behind? Was all that money and experience for nothing, and realize that I really shouldn't have done all that in the first place? What if I get an even bigger dream that outweighs the first one, now that I've accomplished the first one? I don't know, lots of questioning going on lately. Have a good thanksgiving guys!

God's Plan is Bigger

We all have a plan. We know what we want to do, or where we want to go, or what we want to happen over the course of our lifetime, or where we want to live. Whatever it is, every one of us has a plan. And sad to say, a lot of the time we spend so much time working towards that plan that we miss what we really should be doing.

Perhaps God has something a lot bigger planned for us than what we see now? Maybe, what we once thought was impossible is really very possible and is what God wants us to be doing all along?

But how do you tell the difference between the impossible and the possible? What is truly attainable to one person may not be to another person, so how do we know what we should strive for and what we shouldn't? How do we know that something we are working so hard at, or somthing that we feel should be or is the right thing, really isn't what we should be working towards in the long run? How do we know what to wait for and what not to wait for?

How do we tell the impossible from the impossible?

And which one is God's ultimate plan, and which one is the one that we're obviously not going to get, but desire more than anything?

One Day at a Time

So I realized this week that life needs to be lived one day at a time. Do you ever have one of those things that you knew was right, but you just didn't quite apply it to your life accordingly? Thats what it was. I know that we have to do that, but just never quite lived by it. That doesn't mean that we can't plan ahead...actually, how can you live life without planning? But in the same life, don't dwell only on the future. Live today out so that way the future can go as planned. Senior year; whats on everyone's mind? Oh ya, college. Does that mean that you need to live for college only and thats all that you need to strive for at the moment?

No.

Focus, yes. Live every waking moment of every day for college only?

No.

It goes with every other aspect of life too. Just enjoy today, because if you screw up today, who knows if theres going to be a tomorrow.... just a thought, but we don't know what tomorrow is, right? (and no I'm not being clichéd, it's truth.)

Something else I learned; this all applies to the past too.

Go figure!!!

"Just Get Over It!"

Is what keeps flashing through my head. As I'm finally starting to seriously think about what God has in store for my future, I can't help but think that I just have to get over the past. I feel like I can't move on without letting go. I feel like I can never let my heart go, without letting go. It's been five years, and I'm almost 18. Isn't it time to grow up, to stop living in the past and learn how to look forward to a bright and wonderful future instead of one clouded by a memory? Matthew 5:4 says '...God blesses those who mourne, for they will be comforted." Does that mean that I have to let it go in order to gain the comfort, or will it just come in time? In a way it just feels wrong to still be sad about this; who am I to wish things were worse for that person (i.e. be here on earth rather than in the presence of God) rather than be glad their not suffering anymore.

Or does this all have to do with contentment and not worrying? Am I just worrying aobut what happens next, or was this my bitter lesson of learning how to be content?

Or, could it just mean that I am not putting my whole faith in God?

And basically, I don't really know where I was going with that, but I just found a verse that deffinitely kind of "lightened the load" so to say.
1 Peter 5:10 "In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have [grieved] a little while, He will restore, support, and strenghten you, and He will plae you on a firm foundation."

Choices

So lately I'm finding myself faced with the challenge of choices. With the stress of college (among other things) I'm having to constantly remind myself to trust in God for everything. The problem is, how do I know that it truely is God, and not my own heart's desires? And is it just in my nature to worry about it? Because personally, worrying just comes naturally which stinks. But last night we were talking aobut it at biblestudy, and my friend Coleen brought an excellent verse to my attention after we were done. So if anyone else is going through this (which I know all those seniors are doing this right now), here is a verse to ponder and find some "peace" in: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD," -Jeremiah 29:11-14 1/2 Hope you all have a good week!

A parting of the ways...

So, basically this one has to do with the one about change (which, if you haven't read it yet, read it and then read this one....) So when we think of change, what is the first thing that we think of? Do we think of people changing, or the things around us changing, or do we immediately think that something drastic is happening? I tend to think of people, either leaving or coming. I've dealt with it a lot, and although all the changes happen, I'm beginning to see that God wouldn't allow it to happen unless a "greater good" was going to come out of it. And reguardless of what changes take place in our environment, God stays constant. James 1:17 says "Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow." So really, although all the things around us change eventually, God is always going to be the same loving, compassionate God that he has been since the beginning of time.

But what about people that change our lives, and then leave? What are we supposed to do once their gone, just forget about them and move on? If they've made such a huge impact on our lives, and the potential is still there not only to grow and learn from them, but to grow and learn with them, couldn't we almost consider it a misfortune or a bad thing if they leave? We as humans and as followers of Christ have so much potential to learn and grow from each other, that if the trail is broken because people go their separate ways, how can we continue the journey in the same way?

Life's purpose

So, as senior year is starting to fly by and college apps. open in about 14 days, I'm beginning to ask myself, why? Why are we here? I mean, I know we're here for the sole purpose of serving God, and for glorifying Him in all we do. But does that mean that it doesn't really matter what profession we go into? Obviously we're not going to do any of the off the wall stuff to serve God, but does it really matter? And how do we know we're doing the right thing? How do we distinguish God's voice from our own? Essentially, in the end, I think that none of it really matters. In Luke 12:7 it says "And the very hairs on your head are numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole floch of sparrows." (NLT) So, should I take that to mean that it really doesn't matter what we do with our profession, our life, as long as we're following God?

And then that same question just keeps creeping up; How do we distinguish between God's voice and our own heart's desires?