Pursuing God's Plan

This is always the time of year that I begin to look forward to another school year with 8th grade ladies and taking them through what it mean to become God's best while we wait for our hopes and dreams. This year, I'm working towards making it a little more practical and applicable by talking about what it looks like to pursue God like we would an achievement, or a goal, or a job, or a guy...
My inspirations have come from the book "Lady in Waiting" by Jackie Kendall & Debby Jones over the last several years of presenting these concepts to our ladies. This book changed my entire perspective on what it means to actively pursue God before anything else. That, along with some experiences that changed my views on this world and who I am.

As I look forward to another year and another awesome crew of 8th grade ladies, I want to make that question real to you. Whether you are in 8th grade or still sitting around, waiting for happiness to find you. What would it seriously look like if you pursued God like you would a man? Or what would it look like if you seriously pursued God like you would a dream career? Or an achievement that you have been working so hard for?

The book covers 10 characters of being a "Lady in Waiting". I recently found a parent's edition of this book that outlines how to take your gal through the Lady in Waiting book, and one of the quotes that hit me hardest and made me realize just how vital this process is is this:

"The safest place for your girl to be is the place where she is more concerned about what God thinks than what anybody else things - possibly including even her parents who may have dreams for her that God never dreamed."

I think that we battle what our daughters think so much, that we forget that our plans for them may not completely align with what God's plans are. This can be hard...especially if He is sending them overseas to dangerous places to proclaim His good news! What if she moved there?

If you don't have daughters, think about you. What if what you are trying to plan for your life isn't what God is? You'll be left beating your head on a wall until you finally pursue Him and His way for you. I can guarantee that His plan is greater, safer, better, and much more satisfying.

So pursue God with all out heart and mind. We'll be talking about what this looks like throughout the weeks. For now, just look at what you are trying to plan for your life and ask if it is really working out for what God wants for your life. Are you asking God "What are YOUR plans for me?" or are you telling God "Hey God, I have this plan that I would love that You got on board with." Make sure it is His plan you are pursuing.

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I Can Never Stray

As a woman walking through this unpredictable world with tempting offers left and right, I have found it crucially important to keep reminding myself why I can never stray from His love and grace. I found life to be especially hard in this area as I grew through the teenage and college years. I literally had influences waiting to pounce at every corner of my life, and choosing wisely which ones to chase after was the defining moment for me. I found myself in a position where I had to choose between old friends who chased after things I knew were wrong, just so I would have friends, or trying to fit in with a new crowd that did the right thing. Because of this decision (very tough at the time) I am where I am today. Who knows what may have happened between now and then, but I've always had that thought processing through the back of my mind "I can't stray".
I knew that I could never stray from Him. His grace was bigger than everything I could ever do, and running from it was suicide to my well-being. I faced decisions to "make myself prettier" through things that would hurt myself, but remembered that His love was made especially for me, and I didn't need the tactics of the world to feel accepted. Finding where I belong is easy, because I knew I belong in His arms, and He is with me everywhere I go. Who cares what other people think? Pleasing Him was all want. And because of the mentality of "I can never stray" I hold tight to His love only.
Choosing the guys I was with came with the same process. "I can never stray". I would ask God if he was right. Did he seem to know the Bible? Who God was? The REAL God? Did I need to sacrifice my faith to be with him? If any of those answers were shaky, I'd turn. You can change a guy. He can only have the will power to change himself (with God's help of course). "I can never stray" - not even for the potential "one". My life would sink if I allowed this. I dated to marry, and if a guy couldn't fit into my life from day one, it was a no go. Call me snotty, but this is my faith we're talking about. I am told to "guard my heart, because it is the well-spring of life." I could be a light to this guy, but NOT EVER through dating him. Another red flag - He comes to church because he likes you, but once you turn him down in the dating arena, he doesn't come anymore. He didn't come before you existed either. Yep...been there, done that. Good thing you didn't marry him.
"I can never stray." Why? Because everyday I live is because of Him. Everything in this world is unpredictable, scary, unknown, except for Him. Because I have come to realize that I am absolutely NOTHING without Him. If I turn Him away for someone or something that could compromise my faith in Him in any way and in any capacity, I have strayed. I run the risk of never getting back because that's what Satan wants. That's what a lot of the world wants.
He is always there to take me back, no matter how far I stray, but I never want to. 
I feel like I'm in a war with society. Everything points away from Him. I, however, will always point to Him. I choose to be in the minority of faith because I know I can never stray. I need His grace, His love, His salvation, His direction, His comfort, His everything, forever. He must become greater, and I must become less.
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