With this lovely southern winter storm keeping me home from work all day, I have finally found some motivation and desire to write again. So here goes nothing.
The past few months being moved home and away from college have been quite an adjustment. Surprisingly, it has probably been harder than me adjusting to college when I moved in as a freshman four years ago. I love being around family and the comforts of home, but I miss my friends, my teammates, my sorority sisters, and voices and faces of the people that helped direct me to Christ. I miss volleyball, feeling somewhat in shape, having self discipline, and a strict routine. I miss being in the places and atmospheres where I felt most in the presence of God… Lets go ahead and say I have been throwing myself a big pity party lately. While working three jobs that I do enjoy most days, I don’t wanna focus on the things and questions that are being put into my life right now. I want everything to fall in perfect place for me and have the answers to my future and all these questions I have without having to lift a finger. But oh no that is not how life works nor is supposed to work at all…
Life can feel frantic and confusing when you are constantly searching for a promise that has already been made. I was doing my quiet time this morning when God really spoke to me. I read the devotional, Jesus Calling, and this is what it had to say to me today,
“Rest in Me. My child. Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually, asking My spirit to take charge of the details of this day. Remember that you are on a journey with Me. When you try to peer into the future and plan for every possibility, you ignore your constant companion, who sustains you moment by moment. As you gaze anxiously into the distance, you don’t even feel the strong grip of My hand holding yours, How foolish you are, My child! Remembrance of Me is a daily discipline. Never lose sight of My presence with you. This will keep you resting in Me all day, every day.”
So many parts of this stuck out to me. First off, this is the day the LORD has made! Not mine. I have the constant desire to plan according to my will sometimes not even contemplating what God may have in store for me. But this is the Lord’s day, not mine. We are on this journey together and He will direct my steps! It even says, “How foolish you are, My child!” That to me was God grabbing me by the shoulders and saying, “SLOW DOWN & FOCUS! I have promised you I will never forsake you. I will never leave you. And I will ALWAYS LOVE YOU!” Every time we fall, He is right there cheering you on by name, saying “get up Emily Michelle Johnson, keep going, I Love you!” He is my sustainer!
It has come to the reality to me that we all live in bubbles, with some chances every now and then, we get to escape to different bubbles. We move from bubble to bubble in life. With our friends, family, comfort zones, studies, and jobs, we will embrace our bubbles. Our bubble is filled with God, temptations, earthly desires, love, hate, anger, happiness, tears, laughter, and so much more.. The hardest part to remember is that God put you in that specific bubble for a reason. A very specific reason that is a part of your very carefully planned out life. So what we choose to do in that bubble is up to us. Do you fill it with love and kindness? Or are you letting the darkness fill your bubble and life with hate and anger? Does your face block out the light or does your face shine with the light of the love of Christ? Are you bringing down the person stuck next to you in the bubble or helping them up? Are you living the life God has called you to live? Are you shining his light?
“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lamp stand, and gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
Jesus is in our heart, so why not share it with the world you live in!
So in the midst of this chapter of my life, living in the bubble of Lucas, TX, I will remember the promises made to us all. He will be my refuge, my stronghold, my salvation. I will do what He called me to do in my time here and try the best I can to be the person He is calling for me to be. Ill let my light shine for Him. And when I get the opportunity to travel the world with the World Race, I will proclaim His name to all the bubbles I encounter across the world with love. Five years ago I would have never thought God would be calling me to developing countries all the way across the world to share His love. But if thats where God wants me in the midst of my life, thats where I will go. And I think thats how I was called to mission field. I actually think that is how we are all called. Don’t be foolish like I have been so many times before, embrace this mission in life He has given us no matter where you are. And embrace this everlasting love we are promised! Never lose sight of His presence.
