Stronger

Do you ever have one of those days? 

You know...the ones where you just want to run away, shut down, or curl up and cry? 

Well this was me the other day. Nothing big or horrible happened...

It was simply a bunch of little things that kept piling on top of each other. Before I knew it, I was feeling annoyed, angry, and insecure, and overwhelmed. 

Why God?

Why do these little things have to be so hard? 

Why do I have to feel this way?

Why don't you make it easier?

I asked God these questions, and I didn't get an answer right away. 

But, today on my way home from work the song STRONGER by Mandisa came on the radio. As soon as I recognized the song, I clearly heard God's voice.

Laura, your human vision can only go so far. You see your present circumstances, while I see your future. You see your weaknesses, while I see someone I can make strong. You see who you are now, while I see who I made you to be. I care about you more than you know. This may hurt a little, but I am changing your heart. I am the potter, and you are the clay. This is going to make you stronger.

Stronger by Mandisa

When the waves are taking you under
Hold on just a little bit longer
He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger
The pain ain't gonna last forever
In time it's gonna get better
Believe me
This is gonna make you stronger

God's will

Have you ever wondered what God's will is for your life?

Have you ever prayed for answers and only heard silence?

Have you ever been unsure about an important decision in life? 

In my last post I mentioned that I graduate at the end of April. I will have a bachelors degree in early childhood studies. I am currently a pre-kindergarten teacher at a childcare center, and I enjoy my job! However, it takes me about 45 minutes to get to work each morning, and alot of gas money. Also, I think I am just ready to be somewhere new. 

But where, and when exactly? Should I stay, or go? What if...how...why...?

This is what I have been asking God lately (As in the past 4 months). I so desperately want to be in the center of His will for my life. I don't want to make a decision without knowing it is what God wants me to do. I have prayed for wisdom, for clarity, for an answer, for something to point me in the right direction...

Recently, God has given me peace about a small part of this decision, but there are still SO many unknowns. 

Well God has also been teaching me something that I want to share with you. 

I randomly bought a 5 dollar book from half priced book store...It looked pretty interesting, but I wasn't expecting much. Well, in the second chapter I read this and immediately underlined it:

‎"Perhaps your period of waiting is God's way of showing you He

 doesn't want you to seek answers -- He wants you to seek HIM." 

~ Shannon Kubiak

WOW. Ok God, you have my attention...

Then, I just happened to stumble upon a blog post by Steven Furtick about God's will. 

I will share a glimpse of what the blog says...you can read the full post here.

"The point isn’t for God to make His will plain. His will isn’t the main objective. He is the main objective. He wants you to discover Him above all else.

As you run after God and his good, pleasing, and perfect will, remember these two truths:

God isn’t the shortcut to your best life. He is your best life.
God doesn’t want to give you the guide for your life. He wants to be your Guide.

The scariest possibility for your life isn’t getting God’s will wrong. It’s getting God’s will right but barely coming to know God in the process."

~Steven Furtick

I think God is trying to tell me something?

God wants us to know His will for our lives....BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, He wants us to know  Him. 

He does not want us to only spend time with Him to get answers...He wants to reveal answers and guide us as we spend time in relationship with Him. 

Here is the question

Do you want God's blessing on your decisions?

or

Do you decide to follow God? 

I am not dead

I am not dead.

Although the past two weeks I have felt pretty miserable...

I have had some kind of body aching, throat hurting, head throbbing, nose blowing ... thing going on inside of me. Therefore, all of my free time has been spent falling asleep on my couch and not blogging. 

Well, I decided I should just let everyone know that I am still alive and getting well :) 

Along with that thing attacking my body, I have this thing called graduation happening at the end of April! Woooot Woooot! 

This is quite exciting, but it also means that the next month I might feel a little overwhelmed. Of course this has nothing to do with the fact that I am a major procrastinator...

Usually my view right before I fall asleep on my couch 

My wonderful, thoughtful, prince has taken care of me the past couple weeks. Friday, I came home to this card and chocolate :) 

On a brighter note, the weather in Minnesota has been GORGEOUS! Last night, my prince and I walked to dinner

On the way, God decided to teach me a little lesson :)

I could never see enough sunsets in my life. They are one of my favorite things in the whole wide world.  Last night, this sunset reminded me that even in the snot filled days or weeks of life...God brings joy. It reminds me that in the crazy, busy, unpredictable-ness of life, God is my only constant. I need to take the focus off of my circumstance, and put it on His faithfulness.

(( hmmm...maybe my two-week icky sickness was simply God's way of drawing me closer to him ))