Lionheart

So it has gotten to be that time–the time when invitees, family, invitations, flowers, rentals, photography, contracts, etc all start to close in around us.  The stress of the minute details has a way of taking away from the true focus of what this special day is really about.

I have seen it too many times–individuals who are getting married succumb to the pressure and the stress of what is supposed to happen on their day to remember.  Money issues, who to invite, who not to invite, florists, photographers, etc–all get in the way of what the wedding is actually supposed to be about.

As Mel and I are in our period of engagement, we have begun to focus on the details of that special day.  I have seen how our plans have somewhat shifted–it is so easy to get caught up in all of the “junk” that comes with a wedding–all the minute, miniscule details that, quite frankly, in the grand scheme of things, don’t really matter.   Yes, flowers are important-yes, photography is important-yes, what invitations we choose is important, yet, it is so important to constantly check our focus.

Last night, Jesus really impressed upon me the purpose of this special day.  He has really broken Melissa and I down in our views of August 27th. He has shown us that even though this is our day–its not about us–it is all about Him.  Too many times in our society, a marriage ceremony is viewed as a big party–thats not the intention–it is a day set aside to commemorate what Jesus has done in the life of two individuals.  It is a day that should be Gospel-focused; a day that is focused on what He has done for us and through us by bringing us together.  The wedding–the two being joined together–is a perfect representation of Christ and His bride, the church.  When we view that day as a reflection of Jesus, everything else gets a perspective shift.

When we view August 27th as a day where the Gospel will be presented in an amazing way through a marriage–EVERYTHING pales in comparison.  Rental fees, photography, decorations, food, flowers–all pale in comparison to the fact that the sole purpose of this day is to bring glory and honor to Jesus.  Wow!  It is absolutely amazing–when we get the focus off of ourselves and onto Jesus we are then free to lay it all at His feet and respond in an attitude of worship.  When its done for His glory, we can rest in the fact that everything is going to fall into place–everything is going to work out.

When we step aside and give it too Him, we can rest in what He will do.

I have to give a shout out to my mom, Linda Heyward, on this very special Mother’s Day.  Lots of people honor their mom’s on this day, but I have to say that mine is the best–haha, I may be a bit biased.  Anyway, this woman loves Jesus–not only does she say that she loves Jesus, but she actually shares this love with everyone she comes in contact with.  Whether its friends or family, she always shows forth the love of Christ.  The Word says that people will know we are Jesus’ disciples by our love for one another–she definitely shows forth that love.

Also, my mom loves my dad.  A lot of people can’t say that, but I am so thankful to Jesus that Mom and Dad’s marriage has lasted 26 years and will continue to last as their love is rooted in Christ.  Mom and Dad love one another and thus live out the Gospel through their marriage.  They share Christ through how they love and serve one another.

Mom not only loves Dad, but she also loves her children.  My mom has given birth to and raised six kids–SIX KIDS.  That is flippin’ awesome.  Some folks think having a few kids is a challenge, but six–six is ridiculous.  I have grown up and moved on, so there are still five in the house; however, mom’s job continues each day.  A mom’s work is never done–its a full-time position. Dad always says that Mom has the hardest job in the world.

I thank God so much for my mom.  She is truly a blessing.  She has raised us with love, care, and sincerity.  She has constantly poured herself out for her family as she lives her life sacrificially each day.  She ensures that her family is taken care of before herself.

Thank you so much Mom!  I praise Jesus for you–thank you for all that you do and all that you are!!  I love you!

Ecclesiastes 3:11: He has made everything beautiful in its time.

These few words are so simple, yet so crucial to our lives as Followers of Christ. In our lives, it is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day-to get caught up in our own timing.  It is in these times when we have to be patient and rest in the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit.  He specializes in leveraging us and putting us in the right place at the right time.  He definitely makes everything beautiful in its timing.

So Melissa Sue and I have been seeing each other for over three years.  I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this wonderful woman; however, I was not in a hurry.  I knew God would work things out in His timing. It was during the start of this year that I really started seeking Him as to the future of mine and Melissa’s relationship.  I remember getting alone and getting real with God.  I told God that if Melissa was the one that I was supposed to be with for the rest of my life that He would show me—and show me beyond a shadow of a doubt.  It was on February 15, 2010 that the Lord led me to Proverbs 31: 10-31.  This particular passage speaks of the virtuous woman.  It was at this time that I knew that Melissa was this woman and would continue to grow into the ways of this virtuous woman.  From this point forward, I knew that she was the one.

Time went by and all I can say is “Jesus”.  Jesus happened to every piece of time and every aspect of the next few months that led to the proposal.  It is only by God’s grace that everything fell into place.  From paying cash for a ring to arrangements for a proposal on Good Friday, God showed up and showed out in a big way.  What better day to promise my life to the woman of my dreams than Good Friday—the day when Jesus gave His life for His bride, the church.

The morning of April 2 dawned as quite possibly one of the most beautiful of the year.  My best friend, Daniel Atkins, helped me with all of the preparations for the perfect proposal.  I picked Melissa up from her apartment a few minutes after 10.  After a quick Starbuck’s run, Melissa and I went to Clemson/Oconee County Airport a few short minutes from Clemson’s campus.  We boarded Barron Cooley’s plane on what she thought was just a neat Friday excursion.  We flew over Lake Hartwell, the city of Anderson, Anderson University, NewSpring Church, and of course, the campus of Clemson.  On our return, we passed over the hallowed ground of Death Valley and over the dike that separates Lake Hartwell from the stadium.  It was here that Melissa caught glimpse of the phrase “MARRY ME?” written on the dike.  I remember her saying, “Oh my God!” and “Seriously?!?”  As she turned around to look at me, I had the ring waiting.  She recalls that the sunlight glittered on the diamond of the ring. Epic perfection!!  Wow!  I asked her to marry me and slipped the ring onto her finger—it fit perfectly.  She was ecstatic.  She could not stop saying, “Are you serious?”, and she could not stop giggling.  It was a laugh that I had never heard before but could only be explained as the joy of the Lord.  I then shared with her how Good Friday is perfect because it is the day that we set aside to remember when Christ gave His life for His bride the church.   I explained that with this engagement came the promise that I would do the same and that I would strive to encourage her, to build her up, and to love her as Christ loves the church.  I also noted how from the air everything seems so small and that how we as people are just mere blips in the grand scheme of things.  Yet in all of that, God loved us so much to give us His Son and not only that—to take it a step further, He loved us so much to take two totally different people from two totally different places in the country and bring us to Clemson to begin a journey together.  How amazing and encouraging that is in itself.

We landed with many congratulations at the airport.  I then drove her to the place on the dike where Daniel and I had painted the letters.  We then drove to another spot on campus where Daniel had a picnic prepared and waiting for us.  It was here that I prayed for us and our new step in our relationship.  It was here that I also shared with her the scripture God had given me on February 15^th.  I read the passage about the virtuous woman.  It was at verse 25 when things got crazy.  Proverbs 31:25 states, “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.”  It was at this time that I stopped mid-scripture in utter amazement at the fact that ‘she laughs at the time to come’ as explanation for Melissa’s utter joy and laughing during the proposal.  I literally broke down in joy and amazement for yet another confirmation from the Lord as to our lives together.  I was utterly blown away.   I then finished the passage and read Ephesians 5:25-33 where Paul outlines how husbands should love their lives as Christ loves the church and how husbands should give of themselves in sacrifice and love for their wives.

As I reflect on the day, nothing—absolutely nothing—could have gone better.  Jesus took control of every piece of that day, and every piece of every part of that day was blessed.  I saw his faithfulness and provision in ever part—from the weather to the view of “MARRY ME?” from the air to the scripture connection with Melissa’s laughter.  Everything was absolutely perfect.  I have to give all glory to God because it all speaks as a testimony to His faithfulness and His ‘making everything beautiful in its time.’

Being a young person, I hear people who I come in contact with always ask about ‘hearing from God’.  ”How do I hear from God”, “What is hearing from God?”, “How do you know God is speaking?”, “Is God speaking?”, etc–it varies.

This is huge in the college/young professional time of life but it is relevant to all.  People always want to hear a message or hear a talk about ‘How to hear from God’. These same individuals really get desperate about hearing from Him when it comes time to make a big decision, career choice, etc.

We always want the magic formula or the audible voice to just tell us something.  We are so quick to put the ‘hearing from God’ problem back on God with the excuse that He doesn’t speak anymore.  We have all heard the excuse, “Oh yea, God used to speak to people in the Bible, but He doesn’t do that anymore”.

WRONG!!  God still speaks.  God is constantly speaking for that matter.  The problem isn’t on His end, but rather it’s on ours.  We have dropped the ball.  We can’t hear God for the noise.  There are so many things that are going on–so many thing that demand our attention that we can barely even think straight.  We run through our day, crossing out things on our to-do list, consume a bit of food, pay our dues in our relationships, go to bed, and start it all over again the next day.  All the while–God is speaking the whole time.

It’s left up to us.  We have got to cut out the noise.  Get in His Word.  Spend a few minutes on our knees in prayer–and how bout this, don’t ask for stuff the whole time–just sit in silence.  You would be amazed at what God can do in our silence.  Let’s get our focus off of us and on Him and what He is saying.  The Word says that we know His voice.  It’s just left up to us being quiet enough to listen.

Some may say I’m crazy, others may say I am ridiculous, but I have to say that Tim Tebow is the greatest college football player of our time.  I would even go as far to say that Tebow is the greatest college football player of ALL time.  I know this is a pretty bold claim, but let me elaborate…

No other collegiate player has left a legacy and an impression on NCAA football as that of Tim Tebow.  Not only did he have an unparalleled career on the field, but his life off the field was just as much extraordinary.  In our day and age, Tebow as an individual was the exception to the rule.  Never before had a college football player stood up and commanded the respect of his fellow teammates, coaches, players, and nation.  This respect was not just the result of great stats, but rather the result of a life off the field that consisted of integrity, leadership, and faith.

When one thinks of great football players, many things come to mind.  Stats, wins, records, and championships are just a few.  Tebow’s record in this arena is unparalleled.  In 2007, he was the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and was The Sporting News’ and the AP’s Player of the Year.  Also in 2007, he took home the Davy O’Brien Award; he was also named the SEC Athlete of the Year as well as the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2007 and 2009.  As if that wasn’t enough, Tebow won the Maxwell Award in 2007 and 2008 as well as the ‘Academic Heisman’, William V. Campbell Trophy in 2009. Tebow’s career housed 9,285 passing yards with 88 passing touchdowns and a 66% career completion rate. Tebow rushed for 2,947 yards on 692 attempts in his career; Tebow is also the SEC leader in rushing touchdowns with 57.  On top of this Tebow holds numerous SEC and University of Florida school records.

Perhaps one of the most remembered Tim Tebow moments was his post-game speech after losing to Ole Miss 31-30 in September of 2008.  After Tebow was stopped on 4^th and 1 which resulted in a turnover and an Ole Miss loss, Tebow made the following speech:

I just want to say one thing.  To the fans and everybody in Gator Nation.  I’m sorry, extremely sorry.

I promise you one thing, a lot of good will come out of this.

You will never see any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season, and you will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season, and you will never see a team play harder than we will the play the rest of the season.

God Bless

After ‘The Promise’, the Gators, led by Tebow, went on to win the remainder of their games.  They went on to beat an undefeated, number one ranked Alabama team in the SEC Championship.  From there, they went on to defeat the number one ranked Oklahoma Sooners and 2008 Heisman Trophy Winner Sam Bradford for the BCS National Championship.  Not only did they win their remaining games after ‘The Promise’, but they outscored their opponents 469-131.  This is no mere stat and is quite phenomenal to say the least.  I’m not saying that this happened all because of Tebow’s promise, but there is no doubt that the routs and wins can be attributed partly to his leadership and motivation of his teammates.

His curtain call at the Sugar Bowl was arguably his best game. Tim Tebow completed 31 for 35 passes for 482 yards and three touchdowns.  On top of that, he rushed for 51 yards and one touchdown—that’s 533 yards alone.  With this, Tebow set the record for most yards by a single player in BCS bowl history.

Not only has Tebow redefined the athlete on the field, but his life off the field has been exemplary as well.  Just ask his teammates—Tebow is much more than a great football player.  His interaction with others is always that of joy and encouragement. His trademark scripture-laced eye patches have become the standard for his life.  Once again, ask his teammates—Florida running back Louis Murphy said, “It’s (his faith) who he is. “You don’t question that. You respect it.”  Tebow’s time off the field consists of prison ministries, mission trips to the Phillipines, and other volunteer work.  Some have criticized Tebow for his sayings and his faith, but here is a guy that actually backs it up.  He actually believes the words of his eyes patches and lives out what he says.  That is a rarity among athletes today—in a day and time full of scandals, broken promises, and hypocrisy, Tebow has raised the standard for integrity, honesty, and faith. Louis Murphy added, “I can’t explain it any better than this: He’s a great God man, and everything falls in line for him because of the way he lives.”

In many ways, Tim Tebow has redefined the image and set the standard for what an athlete should be.  He has carried the ‘larger than life’ persona off the playing field and into everyday life.  In a world where performance is the definition of a successful athlete, Tebow has shown that stats and records pale in comparison to a consistent display of honesty, integrity, and sincerity in all areas of life. He has shown that there is more to life than football and that there should be more to an athlete than performance on the field. Most importantly, however, Tim Tebow has left a legacy that will be remembered forever, not only for his performance on the field, but because of his faith in Jesus Christ and his love for people as well.

Recently, Jesus has really impressed on me the importance of serving.  Serving is so crucial to the life of any believer; without it, we can become stagnant in our relationship with Christ.  Serving gives feet to the Word that we receive in our lives.  In essence, we are able to live out the teachings and instructions of Christ.  Whether volunteering one’s time at church or meeting someone’s needs on an individual basis, serving others is key.  I believe there are four things we must realize or have in order to effectively serve.

1.  It’s not about me.

This, I feel, is so crucial.  One has to come to a place of brokenness and humbleness in order to effectively serve.  One has to realize that no task or activity is beneath them.  When we do something, we have to do it unto the Father, not unto anyone else.  We have to always keep Colossians 3:23 in mind.

I feel it is always helpful to look to Jesus as the ultimate example of a servant.  Jesus’ ministry was built on service to others. Wherever He went, he was preaching, teaching, and healing.  His ministry consisted of meeting people’s needs and impacting their lives.  We are called to the same.  We have to realize that acts of service are not about ‘what’s in it for me’.  Rather, it is all about glory and honor to the Father as well as showing forth the love of Christ.  Our wants, desires, and preferences should be put aside in order to be Jesus to others.

Service is great because it takes our focus off of ourselves and onto other people.

2. Be Teachable

Another very important key to serving is to be teachable.  I have met many individuals who thought they knew it all when it came to helping others.  Ironically so, this does not help others.  One has to be open and receptive to learning about others in order to discover their needs.  When you can learn about that individual or the particular area you are serving in, you have the tools and understanding to serve that much better.  In addition, find someone who has served before and learn from them.  Nothing beats a good coach–someone that can share wisdom and understanding.

3. Patience

When it comes to serving others, we have to be patient.  Serving isn’t necessarily something that we can just jump into and get–it takes some patience with others and with ourselves.  We as a people, are very selfish, and because of this, we have to be patient in unlearning those selfish desires and characteristics and replacing them with a heart for others.  I know from experience, it is impossible to effectively serve while you are selfish.

4.  The Gospel

This one is my favorite, and I believe it is the most important.  Unless we have a direct encounter with Jesus and His Gospel, we cannot have a heart to serve others.  When we have an encounter with the Jesus, we are not the same.  We have a whole new outlook on things.  We no longer see individuals as ordinary people but rather as children of God.  We see them as Jesus sees them, and we can’t help but meet their needs.

I heard it put this way once–’We should never recover from the cross’.  Wow!  That is amazing.  I pray that I would never recover from the cross.  When we fully realize the magnificence of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we can’t help but never be the same.  We are changed from the inside out–we are humbled and broken.  Our only thing to do is to point others toward the savior that has so graciously saved us.  Furthermore, we can’t help but love on and serve others.

“Bringing glory to God trumps man’s agenda and religious tradition every time.”  This particular phrase was a source of a tweet from yesterday, and I wanted to elaborate a bit more.  I was reading in Luke, and I felt Jesus really impressed this notion upon me.  Luke 6:6-10 talks about Jesus being in the synagogue on the Sabbath.  The Word says that the religious leaders were looking for ways in which to accuse Jesus, yet Jesus knew what they were thinking.  He said, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”  Jesus didn’t say what He was going to do, He didn’t speak out against the religious leaders, rather he just asked them a simple question.  Next, he just looked at them all then told the man with the deformation to stretch out his hand and his hand was restored.

That is absolutely amazing–I love Jesus–he doesn’t speak out against the religious leaders or preach at them.  Rather, he lovingly heals the mans hand.  He calls this doing good on the Sabbath.  The religious leaders did not tolerate healing on the Sabbath, yet Jesus told them that to ‘do good’ was more important.  In the act of restoring the man’s hand, he showed that doing good has precedence over the agenda or tradition of man.  Through the healing, good was done, restoration took place, and God was glorified.

I feel that in our lives, glory to God should take precedence over everything else.  Our agendas and traditions should always take a back seat to the glory and will of the Father.  In other words, everything we do should be done in a mindset to bring glory to God.  Our daily activities, our jobs, and our ‘church’ activities should all be done for His glory.  In our lives, we are called to ‘Be Jesus’ to others around us.  In regards to this, I feel that we, like Jesus, should always stand for more.  We should stand up for what’s right and strive to bring glory to God above all else–even if that means challenging (in love) traditions and the way things are done.  Jesus, in His ministry, was never stagnant.  There was always growth–there was never a point of stand still.  Truth was being preached, lives were being changed, and glory was brought to God.  Glory to the Father was first and foremost in Jesus’ life and ministry, thus it should be first in our lives as well.

I recently encountered some extremely legit Bible heroes in the book of Luke.  These guys are not your typical heroes–they didn’t slay a giant, win an important battle, or perform a miracle.  Rather, these guys were obedient to Jesus.  Luke 5 has two amazing examples of individuals who obeyed Jesus, no questions asked.  The first deals with Peter, James and John.  At the beginning of the chapter, we see Jesus speaking to the crowds in Galilee.  The place is so crowded that he has to get into one of the boats and put off into the sea in order to speak to them all.  Jesus then instructs Peter to put down his nets even though Peter had fished all night.  Needless to say, Peter’s nets fill with fish to the point where he needs help from his friends, James and John.  All were amazed at the catch of fish.  Peter even told Jesus to leave because he was unworthy of being in his presence.  Jesus simply told the guys not to be afraid and that they would catch men from that point forward.  The next verse is so crucial; verse 11 says: “So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”  That is absolutely amazing.  Just because of a word from Jesus, they pulled their boats on the shore and left everything behind.  At first glance this just looks like they stopped what they were doing for the day and followed Jesus.  On the contrary, fishing was their life.  It was all they had.  It was the source of their well-being, stability, and money.  Without fishing, they had nothing.  Yet, because of a Word from Jesus, they ‘left everything’ and followed him.  According to the Word, they didn’t even bother to put their nets away.  They put their livelihood down and followed Jesus.

A similar situation happens in verse 27-28 with the calling of Levi, or Matthew.  Jesus walks up to him at his tax booth and tells him to, “Follow Me”.  The Word says that Levi got up, left everything, and followed Jesus.  Once again, we have an individual who is challenged to leave everything and follow Jesus.  Levi had it all–in this society the tax collectors had money.  Also, they were in good standing with the Romans. Yet he forsook this lifestyle in order to follow Jesus.  He, like Peter, James, and John gave up his livelihood in order to follow Jesus.

Decisions like this are few and far between in our society today.  What would the world be like if we actually took Christ at His word and were willing to move when he says move.  What if we really left everything behind in order to follow Jesus.  These heroes dropped their lives for Jesus.  They gave it all up.  Are we willing to do the same?  Could we follow Jesus and drop our lifelines all at Christ’s Word?  Could we give up our well-being, stability, and money in order to follow Him.  It is my prayer that we all would see these chances as opportunities for Christ to show up and show out and that we would be willing to take Jesus at His word alone.

Thanksgiving is an awesome time of year.  It is a time of family, friends, and great food.  It is also a great opportunity to reflect on the past year.  God has literally blown my mind this year, and he just never ceases to amaze me.  I cannot even begin to describe my attitude of thanks to God for all that He has blessed me with this past year.  I feel that it is only proper to give praise where it is due.  Here are just a few things that I am especially thankful for this year.

1.  Jesus-His life and his sacrifice is by far the most amazing thing ever.  His ultimate example along with his ultimate sacrifice of His life in order to save me is phenomenal.  Thank you Jesus.

2.  The Word of God-The Word is my guiding light and the source of my strength.  I am so thankful for the Word.  Not only does it invoke power in my life, but it also is an avenue for progressing in my relationship with the Father.  Thank you Lord for your Word.

3. Melissa Gryn-This amazing and beautiful woman of God is the love of my life.  Her love and dedication to Jesus is absolutely amazing, and she encourages me not only in my daily life but in my walk with Jesus as well.  She truly pursues Christ, and I love her dearly.

4.  My Family-God has blessed me with the greatest family on earth.  Each one is truly encouraging and they all love Jesus.  I am so blessed to have a family that love hanging out with–it is truly amazing.  They are always there for me.

5. NewSpring Church-I absolutely love my church.  Jesus is doing some amazing things in and through this ministry.  It is truly a blessing to be a part of what God is doing and the impact that He is having on the community in the upstate.

6.  My NewSpring Internship-I was recently awarded an internship with NewSpring Church for next semester.  This is such a tremendous honor and privilege.  Not only will I be able to prepare for a career in ministry, but I will also be able to serve with my church.  Thank you Jesus for this opportunity.

7.  Haley-I love my puppy Haley.  She is definitely one of my best friends, and she had a great Thanksgiving today.  I didn’t just give her scraps.  I actually fixed her a plate from out Thanksgiving feast.

8.  Clemson-Yes, I am thankful for God’s country–Clemson.  I love everything about this place.  Not only is it absolutely beautiful, but Jesus has taught me so much during my tenure here.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to learn and get an education–it is definitely not something that I take lightly.

9. Good Health-Thank you Jesus for good health.  In this day and time, it is so easy to take health for granted; however, I am so thankful for the blood of Jesus which heals all sickness and disease.

10. Friends-Thank God for great friends that He puts in my life.  Whether they encourage, listen, or provide a laugh, they are truly a blessing.  Authentic community is absolutely amazing.

Anyway, these are just a few things that mean a lot me in particular this year.  Of course, Jesus has blessed me with so much more, but these are just a few.  Thank you Jesus, for your perfect provision, guidance, and direction for my life.

So I was having a little QT with the Lord the other night, and He hit me pretty hard while I was in Matthew 16.  Towards the end of the chapter, Jesus tells his disciples that He will eventually suffer and die at the hands of those in Jerusalem.  Peter denies this and Jesus rebukes him.  Jesus then goes on to say this in verse 24:

²⁴Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

I have heard this verse countless times; however, that verse 24 just really stood out.  The word ‘deny’ in particular, just seemed to scream at me.  I started thinking about what deny means to us in our daily lives.  Many times in our society, the word deny is associated with restriction–like denying yourself from a particular type of food, activity, or state of mind.  When one denies oneself, they prevent themselves from experiencing something.  Because of this, the word has a negative connotation such as one can’t do something or is restricted from something.  I felt prompted to really take a closer look at that word ‘deny’–do we really understand it?  What I found was rather interesting.  In the original text, the word ‘deny’ is the Greek word ‘aparneomai’.  The definition of that word is to forget one’s self, lose sight of one’s self and one’s own interests.

In other words, I am not restricted from something, and there should be no negative connotation with that word.  Rather, I am called to forget myself.  I am called to ‘lose sight of myself and my own interests’.  Basically, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our life is no longer our own. We have been bought with a price, and our lives are now dedicated to Him.  The sight of myself and my own interests are no longer at the forefront.  They are put away for the sight of Jesus and the advancement of His interests.  In essence, it is a sense of freedom and not that of restriction.

With this type of mindset, a lot of crucial life decisions really start to change. For example, decisions about a change in major or a career are no longer viewed as us pursuing our own interests but rather as an avenue to advance the kingdom of God.  Questions such as ‘What do I want to do with my life?’ or ‘What kind of job makes the most money?’ are replaced with questions such as ‘What is His will for my life?’ and  ’What is His plan for me?’  It is no longer our decision alone but should rather be addressed by seeking God on the decision that should be made.  Our lives our His now–every piece and every part should be used for His glory.  Decisions for relationships and dating are no longer an issue of finding compatibility and ultimately a mate but rather an opportunity to share the love of Christ to others.  Each relationship should be viewed as a tributary through which to extend His love and grace.  Furthermore, confidence in the fact that God will direct your steps to that special someone is a must.  Our lives are His now; we should not worry and get consumed with finding that compatibility.  I see too many college and high school students who literally freak out because they are not dating someone.  This ‘losing sight of my own interests’ carries on into all aspects our lives.  Each and every decision should be viewed in correlation with our relationship with Christ.  It is no longer us just living our lives, but rather us being a vessel for which Christ to show through.  This really jacks me up.  All the pressure is basically off of me.  It’s all on Him, and as long as I seek Him with my whole heart, my steps are ordered.  My interests are forgotten, and His have taken the place.

May we all deny ourselves, seek to replace our interests with that of Christ, and truly live for Him daily.