I’m typing this into Microsoft word, unsure if it will ever make it into a blog post. Right now, I’m just writing for me and I’m liking it. I started blogging because I loved writing, and I’m afraid that somehow by blogging, I’ve lost the joy in writing – for Me, and for Jesus.
Ultimately, I want to write for myself, and I want my words to glorify my Savior. I came across a quote the other day by Leo Buscaglia that goes, “Your talents are God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God.” Sometimes I wonder what I’m doing – what am I giving to God?
A friend of mine, Hayley, and I talked for a few hours Friday, and I’m so thankful that we got to hang out. She’s in love with Jesus, on fire for Him, and is living her life for Christ. Her faith inspires me and I’m always grateful for the times I get to spend with her – laughing, talking, and sometimes even crying. We were sitting on her floor, munching on some nerds and gobstoppers and waiting for some homemade pizza to be done. And talking. About life, and faith, and everything in between.
One of the things that came up was that quote and we talked about how everything is our Lord’s. Everything that we have belongs to Him. And that’s something that we as humans can have trouble realizing – because it’s hard to completely understand that nothing is our own. Our Savior has given us all we have, but ultimately, it’s His.
The Lord has given her a Servant’s heart (we jokingly laughed, “Start stacking chairs!” as I mentioned that – if you’ve seen Tim Hawkin’s, you’ll know what I’m talking about) and a heart for missions. She told me that she’s been praying for Mission opportunities. And I’ve been inspired by her.
Something that we talked about was how living for Jesus is anything but easy. As my mom says, “Faith is a day by day, moment by moment, sometimes breath by breath decision to look beyond the current reality and to cling to something greater.” It means that in those little, gritty moments of life when you want to do anything but believe because you’re too tired, hurt, or beaten-down, you grip onto the Lord’s hand and don’t let go.
That’s something I struggle with. Faith is not a feeling. Faith has to be a verb. I know that I’ve experienced moments in church, or on youth retreats where I feel so passionately in love with my Savior. But then in those small moments in the everyday, that passion that I feel seems to ebb away and I wonder, where is my faith?
But faith is not a feeling. It’s believing—to the very core of your being—that Jesus is the Lord and that living a life for Him is better than anything else. It’s knowing that no matter what comes your way, Christ is bigger than anything else, and it’s being convicted completely that our Savior has called all of us to a great purpose. Faith is trusting Him even when we fear death, or pain, or sickness, or whatever life throws at us, and it’s loving Him deeply, passionately, and profoundly even when we don’t feel like it. It’s believing God, even when He is silent, and knowing that even though He may be silent, that doesn’t mean that He doesn’t hear us.
Lately, I’ve been realizing that a change has to happen in my relationship with my Savior and me. I told a dear friend of mine, Jess, that I feel too much like a Couch Christian. Where I’m comfortable where I’m at with my walk with God. “Lord, I know you, love you, and believe you. I read my bible sometimes, and pray, and go to church and youth group. I know that there are problems in this world, Jesus, but someone else will come—I’m comfortable where I’m at. I don’t want to move.”
But no more. Living a life of mediocrity can only satisfy a person for so long—pretty soon the sour taste of regret, accompanied by the sorrow of knowing you’ve been passive plagues you and you realize that something is wrong. And I know something’s wrong. Too often I’ve pushed aside my bible and instead, turned on my computer. Or grabbed a book. Or watched a show or movie. Or wrote, or blogged, or danced, or sang, and on and on. Not bad things. But harmful because they’ve replaced my life source.
Faith is not funny—it’s serious. It’s hard and painful and sometimes it feels like it’s not worth it. But it is. I cannot stress enough how much faith is worth it. How much Jesus is worth it.
That sentence there makes me cry, because Jesus is so worth it. He is the breath of life and He is the only thing that can truly satisfy my soul. All else can do naught but temporarily fill the hole in my heart that can only be mended by my Savior. Nothing in this life can ever replace the love of Jesus Christ. Repeat the sentence. NOTHING in this life can ever replace the love of Jesus Christ.
Embrace it. Love it. Live it.
He’s worth it. So much more than anything fame, fortune, or renown could offer. So much more than the love of anyone on this earth. So much more than anything in this world. He’s my Savior, the coming King, and the Messiah.
And He loves us.
Knowing that makes me weep.
Much love & many blessings.
Hannah
{ Thank you to everyone who prayed for Sam. Your prayers mean more to all of us than we can even say. }
Ultimately, I want to write for myself, and I want my words to glorify my Savior. I came across a quote the other day by Leo Buscaglia that goes, “Your talents are God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God.” Sometimes I wonder what I’m doing – what am I giving to God?
A friend of mine, Hayley, and I talked for a few hours Friday, and I’m so thankful that we got to hang out. She’s in love with Jesus, on fire for Him, and is living her life for Christ. Her faith inspires me and I’m always grateful for the times I get to spend with her – laughing, talking, and sometimes even crying. We were sitting on her floor, munching on some nerds and gobstoppers and waiting for some homemade pizza to be done. And talking. About life, and faith, and everything in between.
One of the things that came up was that quote and we talked about how everything is our Lord’s. Everything that we have belongs to Him. And that’s something that we as humans can have trouble realizing – because it’s hard to completely understand that nothing is our own. Our Savior has given us all we have, but ultimately, it’s His.
The Lord has given her a Servant’s heart (we jokingly laughed, “Start stacking chairs!” as I mentioned that – if you’ve seen Tim Hawkin’s, you’ll know what I’m talking about) and a heart for missions. She told me that she’s been praying for Mission opportunities. And I’ve been inspired by her.
Something that we talked about was how living for Jesus is anything but easy. As my mom says, “Faith is a day by day, moment by moment, sometimes breath by breath decision to look beyond the current reality and to cling to something greater.” It means that in those little, gritty moments of life when you want to do anything but believe because you’re too tired, hurt, or beaten-down, you grip onto the Lord’s hand and don’t let go.
That’s something I struggle with. Faith is not a feeling. Faith has to be a verb. I know that I’ve experienced moments in church, or on youth retreats where I feel so passionately in love with my Savior. But then in those small moments in the everyday, that passion that I feel seems to ebb away and I wonder, where is my faith?
But faith is not a feeling. It’s believing—to the very core of your being—that Jesus is the Lord and that living a life for Him is better than anything else. It’s knowing that no matter what comes your way, Christ is bigger than anything else, and it’s being convicted completely that our Savior has called all of us to a great purpose. Faith is trusting Him even when we fear death, or pain, or sickness, or whatever life throws at us, and it’s loving Him deeply, passionately, and profoundly even when we don’t feel like it. It’s believing God, even when He is silent, and knowing that even though He may be silent, that doesn’t mean that He doesn’t hear us.
Lately, I’ve been realizing that a change has to happen in my relationship with my Savior and me. I told a dear friend of mine, Jess, that I feel too much like a Couch Christian. Where I’m comfortable where I’m at with my walk with God. “Lord, I know you, love you, and believe you. I read my bible sometimes, and pray, and go to church and youth group. I know that there are problems in this world, Jesus, but someone else will come—I’m comfortable where I’m at. I don’t want to move.”
But no more. Living a life of mediocrity can only satisfy a person for so long—pretty soon the sour taste of regret, accompanied by the sorrow of knowing you’ve been passive plagues you and you realize that something is wrong. And I know something’s wrong. Too often I’ve pushed aside my bible and instead, turned on my computer. Or grabbed a book. Or watched a show or movie. Or wrote, or blogged, or danced, or sang, and on and on. Not bad things. But harmful because they’ve replaced my life source.
Faith is not funny—it’s serious. It’s hard and painful and sometimes it feels like it’s not worth it. But it is. I cannot stress enough how much faith is worth it. How much Jesus is worth it.
That sentence there makes me cry, because Jesus is so worth it. He is the breath of life and He is the only thing that can truly satisfy my soul. All else can do naught but temporarily fill the hole in my heart that can only be mended by my Savior. Nothing in this life can ever replace the love of Jesus Christ. Repeat the sentence. NOTHING in this life can ever replace the love of Jesus Christ.
Embrace it. Love it. Live it.
He’s worth it. So much more than anything fame, fortune, or renown could offer. So much more than the love of anyone on this earth. So much more than anything in this world. He’s my Savior, the coming King, and the Messiah.
And He loves us.
Knowing that makes me weep.
Much love & many blessings.
Hannah
{ Thank you to everyone who prayed for Sam. Your prayers mean more to all of us than we can even say. }
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