She is ready! Maybe not the best place to sit and wait for God's direction...in the middle of the road, but that's what I see in this picture. I see a lady who is ready! I like that she is studying the map. To me as I think on this, the destination isn't established yet. She knows an adventure awaits - she's packed, she is studying...prepared and preparing. I might wonder why the globe is sitting there...what is its purpose. I'd like to think that globe gives the big picture - there is so much beyond what the map contains. She isn't distracted, even as she sits in the middle of that road. No, it probably isn't a major road that gets a lot of traffic, but still! I don't think I'd be that focused in the middle of a road that could have a car, tractor or whatever coming my way. However, I'd like to become that focused! No, you won't find me sitting in the middle of any country roads anytime soon. However, as I spend time positioning myself...that is the time that I want focused for what God's purpose is into this new year (and beyond). Friends, it is not easy. This growth...it's kinda hard, humbling. It's the kind of growth I'd maybe prefer to do in privacy! If you know me well, you probably know that I'm quiet and keep things mostly to myself...only a few close to me probably know "the stuff". As I write today preparing for the year to come, I hear: "be open". And all within me wants to stop typing and run. Be open?! Like really open and share even the hard stuff?! The answer is coming back, yes...even the hard stuff, maybe especially the hard stuff.
Being positioned for purpose is about allowing God to use all things for His glory, not limiting Him, and allowing Him to change me. I've had the song Change My Heart Oh God playing through my mind lately. "Change my heart oh God, make it ever true. Change my heart oh God, may it be like you. You are the potter and I am the clay. Mold me and make me, this is what I pray." That is my prayer as I start this blog and process of becoming positioned for purpose - that God would continue to change my heart, to mold me and make me...that I would seek after Him first.
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December has come and is going quickly, a new year will be here shortly. As this year comes to a close and I reflect back I think it is only appropriate to think on my 2023 word goals.
Thought to drive I will become more one with Him through faith - growing in knowledge and understanding
Through faith in Christ, I will become all He has created/call me to be (Chazown) As 2022 was ending, I knew 2023 held much room for "becoming"...a lot of new was ahead. The previous year had months of hard decisions, conversations and changes. Looking back on that year, it was hard-- BUT...God is good. My prayer warrior, Jeannie, shared a saying her daughter Stacie had come up with - "God takes the broken pieces, and gives back unbroken peace." I'm living in that process! God is taking the broken pieces and giving back His unbroken peace to this day!
Through 2023, I was able to become. I started life coaching in Sept of 2022 and continued it into 2023. I hold this learning as very special and altering. I often reflect on my counseling as healing for my head, but the life coaching as healing for my heart. Both needed some healing and I'm thankful for both. Both helped me become a better version of me. I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone and move in April 2023. December of 2022, Caity had planted the idea of Em and I moving to Olathe to be near her for her senior year. I honestly, almost dismissed the idea - we had moved recently, would have to sell and move again; move away from our church and community. I'll never forget mentioning this move in life coaching and the response was "why not". I hadn't approached it that way....I did have a job and Em had school that would allow for us to move without much disruption. We prayed over the idea and trusted God to take care of the details. We sold our house within days of listing it. The process for finding a place to live wasn't as smooth and had me really wondering what God had planned! But He knew and His timing is always "just in time". Olathe has always had a special place in my heart. I attended college for a year here and my first teaching job was here. An added super bonus is that my best friend and her husband live here. This area has so much to enjoy and explore. It also gets us within an hour of most of my family. I love jumping in the car to head to see my parents for an afternoon, instead of feeling like we need a weekend to visit. It is my town and I feel free to be and become me. Becoming isn't easy and it kinda hurts at times. I've had some tough humbling lessons this year. However, I end the year in awe of my God, His plans, who I'm becoming in and through Him. He is always good! And He continues to take my broken pieces and bring His peace! That phrase came from a YouVersion devotional plan appropriately called "Positioned for Purpose" by Meredith Shafer. See more here. In this 5 day devotional Meredith talks about five steps to get positioned for purpose: Communication
As I continued to flesh out this as my phrase, I also found this post called "Position Yourself for Purpose." Then my precious "baby" girl (17 years old mind you) gifted me with How to Put Love First written by Sadie and Christian Huff. "How to Put Love First reminds you that prioritizing and deepening your love relationship with God is the key to growing healthy relationships in every area of life." I've also been reminded of my study of Chazown - "Chazown is the Hebrew word for vision, and it's what God had in mind for you when you were created. "Discovering your chazown starts with examining your core values, spiritual gifts, and past experiences. These three areas will help you identify common themes, bring clarity to your unique passions, and lead you to the purpose God has just for you." Why do I share all of that? I think back to the image I chose and that lady with her map...she is STUDYING, preparing, learning and ready. These are a collection of things that I've read or am reading, part of that positioning. Plus, it gives you some background for where my phrase for this year has come from. This won't be the last that you hear about these resources (in fact I'm collecting them on my "resources" page) and I'm planning to continue to build on them. God has positioned people, teaching, resources, etc. already as I'm becoming positioned for His purpose.
For the last several years I have chosen One Word (or phrase) for the year. I have loved this and it has been fun to see how God uses the word throughout the year. There have been years that I struggle with the word and have to pour over lists of words. This year however, the phrase about smacked me in the face! In the next post, I'll tell you about the background to my phrase. But for this post, I wanted to share my phrase and goals.
Two years ago, Pastor Jason challenged Grace Crossing Church to add to the word and verses, two things - a thought to drive and a statement.
Thought to Drive I will be positioned for purpose by:
Statement By loving God first, prioritizing and deepening my love relationship with Him, I will position myself for purpose. I said in the welcome post that, "Being positioned for purpose is about allowing God to use all things for His glory, not limiting Him, and allowing Him to change me." It's an important statement as I embark on this journey and three big areas. Allowing God to use ALL things for His glory
The key word there is all! It's easy to use the fun stuff, but not so easy with the hard stuff. However, looking back on some of the hardest moments those are the times that I can see Him. I realize what the "no" kept me from, what the "wait" allowed Him to do and me to learn, etc. Some day I'll tell you about a hard season that ended up bringing me to a better understanding of who I am in Him...that is a big story of Him using ALL things for His glory. As you read my "about me", I share that I'm in a new season of life. But the season I just had...it was a harsh winter or maybe summer (both can be harsh...at least in Kansas). A storm came, raged in fact. However, the person that emerged on the other side of that time is a very different person. She has a strength and confidence that she never knew she could have -- because God worked in me/her for His glory. As I continue into this new season, I want to be sensitive to how I can use each interaction, situation, relationship, etc. for His glory. Use this blog to share learning, the wins and the wins from the mistakes. Not limiting Him Oof, this one is HARD. Friends, I am not patient. I want to know right now what the plan is and how we are going to get there! But I've come to realize how much I limit Him when I try my ways. My ways are limited, but His ways are limitless. My warrior friend and mentor will remind me that "God's got this" (just recently in fact). I need those reminders! He's got every concern, dream, vision, stress...whatever it is that I want to worry about or figure out. I need to let go and trust Him...and His timing. And position myself for that answer/timing -- prayer, time in His word, worship....allowing God to transform me into a new person by changing the way I think (Romans 12:2). Allowing Him to change me Change?! Who likes change? It is uncomfy and takes us out of our nice normal routines. Sometimes change is what we need...not what we want, but what we NEED. And who better to bring a change to me than the creator who knows me so well?! In my devotional this morning, these words hit home: "Do you allow God to shape you, even when that means unexpected changes in your life? We need to trust God's vision for our life, rather than cling to our own, just as Mary trusted God to reshape her life completely." I'm trying to un-cling... de-cling....not cling to my vision, but seek His vision. To allow Him to shape me, even through (especially through) those unexpected changes. "For God is working in you (me), giving you (me) the desire and the power to do what pleases him." (Philippians 2:13) Wrapping it up I'll close with this thought that Sadie Robertson Huff shared on her Podcast in an episode that I was listening to. "What if we are positioned here for a reason...something in that place... that God is doing internally in you: strengthening you, reviving you for what is to come later." |
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March 2024
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