Big fish or small fish?

Everyone has heard the expression big fish in the small pond and vice versa.

I have been thinking,  which do I prefer to be?

Of course there are pros and cons to each option. Do I want to be the one challenges or is challenged? This very moment in my career I find myself in a weird place.

I can somewhat consider myself a big fish if you want to compare degrees but if I were to say let's move to another pond,  then I would be the small fish. Is that unnerving?  Is it uncomfortable?  Is it what I want?

Yes, yes and I don't know...

I had a conversation with my sister the other day about how God had taken us to places away from safe and comfortable.   Why had He done that? In the prayer of Jabez,  we hear the words "expand my territory"  is that literally?  I think you could pray it literally but in many cases I think it applies to not just literal space.

Expanding who you reach with the Word of God is the Holy Spirit's call.  But stretching your comfort level is what you allow God to do in your life.

When Jesus confirmed my call for India,  I kicked and screamed for years.  I tried to circumvent the initial plan by manipulating the plan and how I carried it out but in the end God did what he said he would.  I find myself contemplating long term possibilities in that country.  I didn't want to stretch my comfort.  But its in the battle where you disappear and God takes over.

Being the big fish is about comfort and control, when you become the small fish, you know that you have to give in to someone bigger, stronger and wiser.  You stretch your faith and your hope. Its uncomfortable but life changing.

So does that mean I now want to be the small fish and everything is peachy?

Nah, I still kick and scream and my Loving and Patient Jesus walks with me and The Holy Spirit reveals to me continually about His plan.  God is loving and merciful,  and He is JUST. What he says will go, it's just up to us if we want to experience His plan or stumble along in our own plan.

"So also will be the word that I speak— it will not fail to do what I plan for it; it will do everything I send it to do."
-Isaiah 55:11 GNT

This is the verse that finally got me to stop kicking and screaming about India and I pray it blesses you.

Love God and the rest will follow...

My identity

I seem to be confronted by the same issue over and over.

What's my identity?

Who validates me?

When I went to India in 2011, it was revealed clearly that I was to find my identity in Christ the Son of God. Sinner or saint,  leper or not, orphan or not, our identity is found in our God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.

I find myself in this battle again today.  My CEO didn't recognize me, then he couldn't recall how long I had worked for him. It brought tears to my eyes initially.  Then I had to remind myself that this man does not define me.

When I pass from this earth, will Jesus recognize me?

That is my only goal and battle.

I seem to be thrown this loop a few times a yr. My brother, my parents, guys i like, my coworkers and my bosses.  Its always been a fight for me.  Every single time I resolve that it is God who matters.  Yet somehow here I am again.

Jesus, know your servant. Search me and know me. Your approval, FATHER, is all I want. Holy Spirit guide me and show me who I am in your plan.

Love God and the rest will follow!

Falling...

'The idea of Falling in love starts with a negative connotation with the word fall... this implies a possibility of fractures and breaks.'

This is a paraphrase of a dialogue in a hindi movie I saw recently.

The argument was that one shouldn't fall in love but allow it to grow through experiences. Coincidentally I had a similar conversation with my dad just the day before.

This idea of love at first sight is engrained into us as young girls,  but as you grow in this world you realize, lust is at first sight and love will hopefully grow later.  I don't mean to sound like a cynic but on almost every occasion I hear people say, "I liked him/her at first but love came after all our  years together."

The premise of love is tied to the idea of endurance.  The more you endure, the more learn about the people around you. There is only one relationship where this does not apply.

The beauty of this is that our Creator God fell in love with us when He created us.  Why is he capable of loving us differently than what we can love?

Perhaps it is because HE IS LOVE!

He is so in love with his children unconditionally that He gave up His life for the sacrifice so that we would be worthy of His Heaven.  Ever hear of anything this ridiculous?  I use that word with full respect of the reality that no other god in all the other religions has made that kind of sacrifice.

The best part?

He rose from the dead. Jesus didn't stay dead.  My God is an alive and constantly working on me kind of God.

If I want anyone to love me, its God. And lucky me, He already does.  So anyone else is a cherry on top of my fun sundae :)

Do you know this Love? If not, ask Jesus to show you what He meant by giving up His life and then rising from the dead.  As he reveals it to you, you will find that this is one relationship where you don't have to constantly wonder if He truly Loves you.

Love God and the rest will follow...

Where does your help come from?

When we have an emergency we are trained from our childhood to call 911. As a kid I didn't understand who would come to help but I knew help would arrive.  To this day, I have never had to call 911 but I still have hope and faith in the system that help will come.

I find myself doubting that Jesus will come and deliver the world from trouble sometimes.  How is that possible? I am not sure why but sometimes I think,  we are going to drown in our sin and sorrow because we deserve it.  Humanity has strayed and continues to stray so far from Jesus' plan that we don't deserve a second thought.

However,  the beauty of the Love of the perfect God is that He delivered us 2000 some odd years ago.  In the midst of all the sin and sorrow that covers the world,  we have an out.  Do you want out of your lifestyle? Do your choices make you cringe?

Jesus loved you before you made those choices and he continues to love you now that you made the choice.  You just have to  choose Jesus to be your savior.  He will never forsake you and will always walk with you.

He lived and died for sinners like us.  All he asks is that we choose to live life with Him instead of ourselves. This day, I pray you choose life eternal with Christ.

Love God and the rest will follow.