Lessons Learned

I know many of you have been asking me about my trip to Italy, but first I thought I would share with you some of the lessons God has been teaching me lately.....

The first thing is: Just be yourself!! (1 Cor. 15:10) To realize who I am through the grace of God. That the most attractive person I can be is being me, just the way God made me. I shouldn't be afraid to let others to see the real me, my true heart. Everyone has their insecurities and struggles just like I do. And God, in His faithfulness is changing me. Not into someone else, but He is making me into more of me. Into the woman He is calling me to be..the more of Him I become, the more of myself I become, the more of my true self!!

(1 Peter 3:3-4) I have finally understood the meaning of this verse. I struggled with it for such a long time because I am not a very quiet person. Those that know me well, know that I can be loud, I am very much an extrovert. But now, through His grace and work of the Holy Spirit, the Lord has shown me what He means about having a gentle and quiet spirit. It is to have a heart of faith, a heart that trusts in God, a spirit that has been quieted by His love and filled with His peace. A heart at rest in Him. And how beautiful that is!

The other three lessons I have learned are:
- Slow Down
- Focus
- Simplify

Sometimes you need to slow down in order to move forward. This hit me as I was trying to do everything I could at home and at work. I can't go 100 mph at work and at home - I need to SLOW DOWN! To slow down with my time with God. Lately I have just been trying to sit and listen more to Him...and not rush through my quiet times with Him, but really slowing down and taking the time I need to hear His voice. God cares about EVERY aspect of my heart. He answers the desires of the heart to those who fear Him. God has perfect timing - WAIT upon His timing! I have been learning to work with God's timing and seek Him with what is bothering me or what is laying heavy on my mind. FOCUS on what only I can do. Lately, what I have been doing is writing everything that has my concern and giving them to God (that includes the "pros and cons" lists that I make along with the concerns.) And with this, He has shown me how He guides me, how He is always faithful! How He is always there to direct my daily steps with certainty and purpose. There is such great peace that comes from trusting God and relinquishing our concerns fully to Him.

God has a specific job for me and for you. We need to slow down, simplify, and find focus on what it is and do it! And when we do, how beautiful it is when we allow our work to flow out of love for our Savior!!

"He will quiet you with His love" Zeph. 3:17

And my dear friends, our Lord's love IS extravagant!!