Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Worried About Work?

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I am.

I have been worrying about work a lot lately, to be honest. I know I've got some time with one more year of college and probably a couple years of grad school, but it will fly by. People ask me all the time what I want to do with my degrees, and I don't have a definite answer. That is frustrating. I don't want people to think I'm aimlessly going about my life and looking for something easy, just going to stay in school forever for a good time, or other things that might make me sound lazy or whatever my brain is afraid of. Maybe I do love school, and maybe I don't know exactly what I want to do after that. But I do know that God opens doors at the right time, and He will guide me on paths that will eventually get me to some doors. They won't all be right, and I may go in and out of a few before I find a home (literally, too?), but I have to keep my head up and keep walking (running?) in order to find any doors. God rewards faith and action, not fear and apathy. Things don't happen without some trust and trying.


Today my devotion hit on this topic like it has related to my situations so many times. I have picked up these little booklets from a desk at church a couple times over the years, and it is just a small, daily devotion, but they have made some of the biggest impacts in my days. It doesn't have to say that much when it says the right thing. I'm not on the "right" days by the calendar, but buddy I am on the "right" days in God's calendar! It is like a quote calendar lined up with days of the week and months and seasons of the year, but a devotion calendar lined up with the happenings of my life: the author knew what would be coming at the time I would be reading it. 

Aka there's a God, and He is always working for our good.

Sunday, July 29th 2018 was titled "Giving and Receiving" with the verse Luke 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given to you." 
Quick outline of the ways it related to me throughout the passage: loving to give but having fear of what will be left for myself, seeds and harvest, the people and business making claims that we act on, God's promises that can't fail

Honestly we like and support a lot of people and things. How many causes and pages do you "like" on Facebook? How many people do you see doing good things and think, "Aw, I'm so glad they're doing that!" but don't give any support beyond that? How many activities does your church put on that you pray for but don't give a dollar or volunteer time? I know I'm guilty. We just have fear of actually doing something for what we believe in. We fear failure. That's human nature. It's also what Satan uses to hold us back.

Sometimes we have to invest before we can reap any benefits. Without taking a step, we can miss the great opportunities that can come from where we do something. So you talk to someone, oh look, now you have a lunch partner. You go to a volunteer event, you find a new favorite pastime. You give to the love offering on Sunday, your husband surprises you with your favorite snack and coffee at work the next day. Sometimes these things work out simply, and sometimes they lead to much greater things. Anyways, the world needs more godly people to step up and make a difference.



I've been worried a lot about work lately, both for this summer and for my future. I know I need money to save up and have to start out a life, and I need a job later on to keep things going, but I just don't know what I want to do, what will be the best use of my time and talents. But I can't worry so much about reaching for these things that I miss what is right here in front of me. The devotion mentioned banks, people, and businesses that make claims and promises for money, services, and products that may or may not actually work out or amount to much, but we jump right at the chance to get them. Let's be honest, people are so unreliable (so we can step up and be reliable people!). But God promises to bless us for our work, and there is not a single economic issue, law, person, weather, location, or anything that can thwart His plans! Why do we not put ourselves into His work more than the worldly things?

This is what I needed to hear today. In my indecision, trust Him. In my between times, look for what I can do with the situation. When I get an opportunity, try to see it through His eyes. No matter where I go or what I do, I can work for God, and His blessings will not fail. That's why I took the time to write this post today.



Here are some more verses on this topic!

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men...it is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24

"May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us." Psalm 90:17

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9


Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Like a Baby Shower, and College is the Baby + Ethos Message

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After finally deciding that I was going to accept the offer to run in college at Lipscomb, I signed during the early period in the fall to make it official!
I also will use this post since it's all about Lipscomb, to go back to what I wanted to share from when I went to Ethos church on my visit!  It was the perfect message for me at the time, so I can't help but share.  
One of the greatest feelings in life is experiencing God at work.  It's one of those things that just blows your mind and leaves you in awe, yet longing for more.
After a tough race on Saturday and a long run the next day (an hour or so before church), I was feeling so tired, sore, weak, and just in pain from all the business life had thrown at me!  During the opening part of service, God brought the words of Matthew 26:41 to my mind, so I looked it up and wrote it down.  "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."  Not even five minutes later, the speaker started preaching on the exact same passage, just the version by Mark in chapter 14.  Now, if that wasn't God at work, I don't know what is.  That is no coincidence.  (Mark 14:38, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.")  Starting in verse 32, Jesus was praying in the garden of Gethsemane.  The sermon was focused on the model Jesus set here of how to approach The Father. 
1) His Preface-Though His circumstances were overwhelming--He was about to be killed!--Jesus still had unwavering faith.
2) His petition-Because He knew it would be such a terrible death, He asked God to let it pass if at all possible.  Even more than that, He asked that God's will be done in any way.
3) His posture-totally submitted, humble, and trusting
This was really motivating for me because I could feel God comforting me in my stress and uncertainty.  I was encouraged remembering all that my Savior has done for me.  I can't waiver when God's will conflicts with my ways.  Jesus didn't die the death of a martyr; He died the death of a Messiah!  Because he died in agony, we can live and die in joy!
Another thing that really stood out to me was a picture frame over my host Clare's bed.  It said Embrace the Journey, which combines two of my favorite sayings:  Joy in the Journey and Embrace the Race!  (That also goes with something else in my life that is a secret until May, but just know that it correlates!) 
These small signs from God are everywhere.  Pray for you eyes and heart to be opened to them in your own life!


One of my friends Will signed to play baseball at UT at the beginning of early signing period, and they almost like a party with cake and pictures and people got out of class and off work to come!  I talked to his mom, and that gave me encouragement to celebrate, too!  A couple friends and I got to talking about it, and we described it like a baby shower, a small party to celebrate something that isn't quite here yet.  It's like college was the baby!  We're celebrating it, but I'm just not there yet.
 
After state we went to Lipscomb to buy some shirts to wear until I actually got to college and they give me all kinds of gear.  This is the sweatshirt I got, so it's kinda dressy,too.



I was so excited once we got things planned, and I invited lots of people from inside and outside of school.  Even though some people had to work, a lot got off to come!  Mom and Dad both did, of course, and all my coaches came.



I wanted to have little snacks too, since it was around lunchtime, so we decided on some that would match the Lipscomb colors!  We ordered some dark chocolate truffles with a couple different fillings--peanut butter, hazelnut, or espresso--from Yummy Cakes in downtown.  The grapes and pineapple were my color coordinating colors, too!



Thanks for the sweet snapchat, Emily.



It was really last minute, but they pulled it off just in time!

I think truffles are some of the prettiest little treats.



They were a hit, too!  I barely got any myself!  We didn't have any left to take home.

I've always been a daddy's girl.  Only now I have more hair.

Thanks to Matt Daniels who came to do pictures and a fantastic interview for the newspaper!

I really mean it when I say that I wouldn't be where I am without the people around me.  All the prayers, support, laughter, encouragement, and bits of grace that I've been given so often mean so much to me, especially looking back.  I love these people so much!  God has worked wonders in my life, and I've changed so much, but I'm so thankful for it.

 

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Speaking the Language of College Students

http://www.anniearmstrong.com/lucasaube

Check out this awesome way missionaries are reaching out to college students. Their hunger for food isn't the only thing that is being satisfied.