Lessons From Abram

It's terrifying to me how much I relate to this verse.
  
"The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you." - Genesis 12:1

 To even sort of begin to understand how terrifying this is to me you must understand 2 very basic things;
1. My family is, quite simply, the single most important thing in my life. They are my biggest fans, and best friends. Don't mess with them.
And 2. I hate change. it's right up there with sin, Satan, and smashing your toe (which has happened a surprising amount of times since I started my job... my poor toes can't take much more).

I, or rather, my parents have been called to many different places over the years, meaning leaving many different friends and amazing experiences, but opening up the opportunity for more friends and amazing experiences. And I, who as I said before, hates change, definitely had a hard time with that, but in the end, I never resented a moment. I grew a little more each place we lived. And I met AMAZING people.

Well, last year I decided to take the plunge into adulthood and move across the country and into my brother and sister-in-law's house and nanny their 2 most amazing, beautiful kids for them for at least 6 months. I had just started to adjust to the changes when my brother lost his job and found one very close to my family, 2 states away. Taking him and his beautiful family so very far away. I had a decision to make, I could do the terrifying thing, and stay here, far from my family, from the weather I knew (which is a bigger factor than you would think), and all the amazing people I knew, and try and see if I could get a job, and make it on my own. OR I could do the more simple and somewhat easier choice and move back home. I decided to stay.

I have been asked to move and leave a lot of things, but by far, living so far away from my family has been the hardest. I've known more loneliness since living here than I have ever known before.

All this to say, I fully understand exactly what God is asking of Abram, but that's not what's terrifying, what's terrifying is that I hear God calling me as well, "come, My Darling, far from all you've known, to a land you won't know, to a land I will show you."

It's terrifying, it's change. And worse, it's UNKNOWN change.... And yet, it's exciting at the same time, it's an adventure, and though there are so many unknowns, an adventure usually has a purpose, an over-arcing theme, to every story. So if my life is an adventure, then what is the over-arcing theme? Well, if I'm taking it from this verse, it would be to follow Christ, no matter the circumstances. Which, you'll notice, is repeated consistently throughout the Bible...

"Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me." -Luke 9:23

“But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” -Ruth 1:16

"Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!"" John 21:19

Following God is amazing in it's own right, I mean, you get a best friend guaranteed never to leave you, you have peace, even at the worst of times, you have Someone and Something to go to when you're lost and need advice (i.e. the best friend), but guys, check out how God promises to bless Abram if he does choose to follow Him;




“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.^" Genesis 12:2-3 

I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty exciting to me! He will bless me, making my name great? And those who bless me will be blessed? Sign me up! 

So the question remains, am I willing to risk it all on a whirlwind adventure into the unknown, trusting that God will catch me if and when I fall? Is the blessing worth what I'm giving up? Is the blessing worth the fall?

C.G.

I'm Not Dead, I'm Sunshine

An update on my life to all my amazing family and friends to show I still live and breath...

I have officially, and finally, gotten all my managers at my job to like me! Yay! This a great accomplishment as some of them really don't like liking people. I am getting more comfortable with all the different things I'm having to do on a daily basis. I am also getting more comfortable with the people I work with, they are all getting around to seeing me be me (i.e. random weird faces, odd noises, singing and dancing). They call me sunshine, (I can't express how much that makes my whole being happy).  I'm getting to know them a little more also, the drama queens, the lazy ones, the grumpy ones, the jokers, and the gossips, though I've seen them all be more or less all of those, sometimes at the same time, and sad to say, they've seen me be the same. Despite that, I love them, and I believe they return the feeling in kind.

Learning how to be a functioning adult is much harder that I had previously thought, mainly the finances, cooking, cleaning, eating, Bible studying parts, but everything else likes to jump in every once in a while just to check in. Despite all of that, God has remained faith, reminding me to follow and trust Him in my life, and let me tell you, He has moved more unmovable stuff for me in the last 3 months than I ever thought possible. If there is one word I want this year to be, it would be Trust, to Trust God with all my problems, concerns, and heart. He is always so, so good! And I am so, so thankful.

One way God has blessed me, is with an amazing roommate. She is so awesome, she puts up with my messy, sloppy ways, understands that I am a ridiculously forgetful being, and pretends that I don't wake her up in the morning when I stubble out of my bed to make coffee, and somehow manage to slam every door there is in the house a least twice on my way. I am so thankful for her.

I am learning that finding real friends as an adult is much harder than when you're a kid... of course, this may just be me, hahaha right when there seems promise of a close friend, I get nervous, which, for some un-explainable reason, makes me awkward, and unable to speak English. Amazingly enough, though this happens often, I've met a few amazing individuals that seem to be willing to put up with this annoying little quirk. This is actually quite exciting.

Now though this update has been fairly upbeat, there are a few ways you can pray for me,
That God continues to be the first in my life.
That through Him I would continue to learn and grow.
That my finances would continue to 1. sort themselves out and 2. that they would grow.
That God would use me as a light for all those around me to find Him.
And that I would keep going, keep working, keep following God in a way that is pleasing and honoring to Him. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." -Hebrews 12:1

Thank you all for being so amazing, loving, and encouraging, I love you all so, so much!

Your sunshine signing off,

C.G.