There You go...

"There You go changing my plans again.  There You go shifting my sands again."

Whoa.  That's really all I can say after hearing this song on Pandora this morning.  As I was absentmindedly playing on Facebook and killing time before class, this whopper pops up and slaps me on the head.  Wow.  Wow.  Wow.  WOW... did I say wow yet? 

Listen to the lyrics carefully and let them sink in. 

"There's too many things that I don't understand so it's into Your hands, Lord.  So it's into Your hands, Lord."  Just when we think we're comfortable where we are, He'll start stirring our soul.  Sometimes He asks us to do things we don't particularly want to do initially.  He's asking me to step out of my comfort zone and into a situation that I know is going to stretch me and my wonderful husband in ways that neither of us can imagine.  However, we know that that stretching is going to create something great for His glory.  Who are we to ignore the call of God?  Who are we to stomp our feet and pout "but I don't wanna"?  We were never meant to live in safety zones.  We were meant to walk out on faith and trust in a Holy God.

"There You go changing my plans again.  There You go shifting my sands again."

Until next time, 
Keep Reflecting :) 

Who are we?

I try, with everything inside of me, to follow God's plan for my life.  I pray through the decisions that I'm not sure about.  I cling tightly to His word and believe that whatever I do, if done in obedience, can be used for His glory.

You know, God gave us our conscience for a reason.  That little niggling feeling inside that tells us something is right or wrong, that we should change our direction.  I know this feeling.  I've felt it before.  So, why is is then, that we normally doubt this feeling when it comes?  When God nudges us through our conscience or our heart, why do we push it aside instead of stepping out on faith?  How many times do we cry out for an answer, yet refuse to move when He answers in a way that we're unsure of? 

I am the world's worst at what I just described.  I did that exact thing when I thought God was calling me NOT to teach.  I took weeks to consider it, pray about it, when the entire time I could feel Him saying, "Hello.  Savannah?  You listening?  Because I am nudging you like crazy and you keep begging me for an answer."  I was afraid to step out on faith and make the next move.  How many times are we afraid of the future?  Afraid of what people will say?  Afraid of doing something that seems illogical? 

Honestly, I'm not sure how to remedy this problem.  All I know to do is pray earnestly, be obedient, and stop continually asking when I refuse to listen.  I need to learn to pray for an answer and then, wait quietly for one. 

"He might not come with the lightning flashing, He might not come while the thunder rolls.  You're gonna know when His spirit is moving, that still, small voice gonna SHAKE YOUR SOUL."  -Lee Marshall.  Enough said.

Until next time,
Keep Reflecting :)

The light at the end of the tunnel

What can I say?  I'm in a fabulous mood.  I have been since I discovered that I will be completing my college career this December... well, that and since the weather has warmed up substantially. 

Finally, the cold snap has broken.
Finally, the wave of maddening due dates has ceased for a short time (like a few days).
Finally, I can feel the finality of graduation instead of just thinking about it.

The windows are open.  The breeze is blowing.  The sun is shining.  I have the dream semester for my last semester of college: 3 classes on Tuesdays and Thursday, 1 on Mondays and Wednesday, and Fridays off.  How fabulous is that! 

I know that this last semester is not going to be easy.  I know that this next chapter of our life is going to bring about it's own set of challenges and hardships... but I am so bloody excited to get started!  I know that no matter what this next part of our adventure brings that Paul and I can handle it because we have the God of the Universe on our side. 

Thank You, Lord for what You're doing and what You're going to do.

Next time I'm feeling down, I'm going to pull this up and smile :)

Until next time,
Keep Reflecting :)

And enjoy a song that makes me smile....

A new chapter :)

The realization hit me on a perfect, sunny Thursday morning that the following Tuesday (as in this coming Tuesday) I would be preregistering for my very LAST college semester.  Yes, you heard correctly.  After one class in the May mini-term, I will be in my LAST semester at college :)  In December, I will offically be a graduate with a Bachelor's Degree. 

I had been talking about this and had finally decided this, but the full affect of my decision did not set in until after I talked to my advisor.  I have to say, I felt like dancing or singing or jumping for sheer joy.  All of these years of hard work are so close to paying off! 

Letting go

There is a certain freedom that comes with having no plan.  There's freedom in trusting that God has a plan and all you need to do is be obedient to His calling. 

I've let go of my control.  I've given my future up to the perfectly capable hands of my God.  The decision has been made.

I've decided to drop my teaching licensure and finish college in December with a Bachelor's Degree in English!!  Everyone has been asking what I plan on doing when I graduate since I'm not going to be teaching... I can honestly say I do not know.  I am perfectly okay with that actually.  Paul is okay with that.  My mom didn't freak out when I told her.  These are all signs that told me I was moving in the right direction.  I just know that whatever I do, I'm going to be serving as fully as I can. 

I love this song.  All I can say is... I'm letting go :) It's all in His hands now.

Until next time,
Keep Reflecting :)

My venting points...

Here is my disclaimer to this blog:  You do not have to read it.  You can quit at any time.  I've been building up thoughts for the past few weeks that I just want to get it out on paper (well, typing counts too).  They go in no certain order.  They have no deep meaning.  They're just my thoughts.  Like them or not.

On judgemental people:

~ No one asked your opinion.  Keep it to yourself.
~ Just because you're unhappy with your life, doesn't mean that you have to be negative for everyone else.
~ It's not your job to tell everyone else how their life should be "because it's reality."  My life/decisions are clearly none of your business.
~ Don't look down at people who do you services.  
~ Think twice before implying that a job is "below" you... if you eat at fast food or shop in the grocery store, neither of those jobs are below you.  You also just may offend someone who makes a decent living working some place that you deem "below" you.
~ Just because someone doesn't meet your expectations for their life doesn't mean they're not going God's will for their life.     

On marriage:

~ To also judgemental people, marriage can be done right.  Just because yours failed, doesn't give you the right to be a jerk to everyone else. 
~ When centered on God, marriage can be everything you dreamed of and more.  You will fight, you will argue, but it will work out.
~ Making each other laugh is essential.
~ Acting like kids together keeps you laughing with each other. 
~ Be the first to apologize, even when you're right.  Marriage is about making concessions for each other.
~ You're not going to change the person you're marrying... so love them the way they are. 
~ Spend time together.  You are married.  Enjoy each other's company.
~ If you're not prepared to WORK on your relationship, don't get married.  A good marriage takes honest, sincere work.  The rewards are spectacular.

On religion:

~ It's about the relationship... not the religion.
~ It's about grace, love, and mercy.
~ It's not about pushing people away with your judgement. 
~ Loving God.  Loving People.  Loving Ministry.
~ "It's gotta be more like falling in love, than something to believe in.  More like losing my heart, than giving my allegiance.  Caught up, called out."

I don't know what any of this really meant, except that I feel a lot better.  Sometimes you just need an outlet. 

I love my Jesus.  I love my husband and I love my life.  I may not have a plan, but I trust in the One who knows exactly what's going to happen.  My God is bigger than anything I could ever imagine.

Until next time,
Keep Reflecting :)

Revolution... Or Revelation :)

So, I've been struggling for weeks with what I'm going to do after graduation.  I don't even know what I'm going to do about graduation if that makes any sense.  My crossroads started with a simple decision: graduate in December with a BA in English OR graduate next May with a BA in English + teaching licensure.  My dilemma arose when I began to question what I wanted to do.  Suddenly, I'm not so sure that I want to teach any more.  School is exhausting me.  I worried myself sick for weeks over this decision. 

Then, I realized... I'm giving myself WAY too much credit. 

You see, I'm praying about this decision and I'm being obedient to what I feel God is leading me to.  However, I realized that He already knows exactly what I'm going to choose.  Either way, I'm going to graduate with a degree.  God knew when I began my journey at MMC that this was going to happen at this exact time.  He knew that I would struggle with this decision.  Here's the kicker though... He already knows EXACTLY what choice I'm going to make and how He's going to use it to His glory because I'm trying to be obedient.  Whoa.  Whoa.  Whoa.  What I decide to do as a career does not make me who I am.  How I serve my Jesus makes me who I am.  He knows that.  When I realized that He already knew what I was going to choose, it was like my chains broke.  I'm no longer worried about this decision.  It's going to be used to His glory alone.  I'm free to live and love Him and love people.  I'm not big enough to screw up God's plan.  I don't know who I thought I was to think something like that.  My God has this.  He's got this.  Ohh.... let me tell you.  When I discovered this, I mean, really let it sink in... Paul had to hear it.  I was bubbling with the Spirit.  I was free.  I was giddy. 

Here's the point.  I'm going to turn into the woman God is creating me to be (one more semester in college or not).  As long as I'm being obedient to His voice, He is going to bless obedience.  He already knows the outcome.  So, that in itself frees me to make the decision and trust Him with the outcome.  WHOA!