What In The World???

"Your love never fails. It never gives up. It never runs out on me." 

-One Thing Remains by Jesus Culture

That line in that song is enough to bring a body to their knees, eyes to tears, and a heart to a breaking point -- at least it was enough to bring me to my knees, my eyes to swell with tears, and my heart to break. I don't deserve that unending love that never fails. I don't deserve a love that never gives up on me. I don't deserve a love that never runs out on me. But, He's given it to me and He's given it to me freely. The grace in that blows my mind. Why in the world would a perfect God humble himself to the form of a baby to be ridiculed, persecuted His entire life and then beaten, crucified, placed in a nasty tomb only to go through hell and conquer death so I never have to experience it? Why? Why would He do that? Because He loves me. HE loves me. HE LOVES me. HE LOVES ME. He said here is my grace it is sufficient for you. So then, why is it so difficult to give that same love and same grace to other believers? If God was willing to give you a love that never fails, never gives up, and never runs out, why in the world do we struggle to extend it to our brothers and sisters in Christ? It's easy to extend it to non-believers because "they don't know the truth of the gospel" -- it's kind of like we give them a get out of jail free card --but, when it comes to extending that grace and that love to the ones that God has already let experience His grace and love we don't do it. Does anybody else besides me find that incredibly heart breaking? What if we chose to love always? What if we chose to put our feeling aside and extended the grace and the love to everyone? What would our world look like? Doesn't everything start within the "home"? If we can't extend the grace that we've been given to our own "family" then is the grace that we extend to our "friends" genuine or is it that "bless your heart" kind of grace? Why do we draw lines when Jesus never did when it came to His grace and forgiveness? (I understand that sometimes lines do need to be drawn, but I don't think they ever need to be drawn when it comes to His grace and forgiveness. He forgave the sinner on the cross next to Him for crying out loud. He forgave those that persecuted Him. He forgave Paul. He forgave Judas. He forgave His brothers. He forgave ME!) I know you don't want to let people walk all over you, but that is completely different than giving grace. Giving grace is giving people that second chance that you don't think they deserve. It's forgiveness. It's loving your enemies. It's being kind when you really don't want to be because you've been hurt. It's understanding how raunchy you are, how great God is, and living by the same grace that you are saved (and if you ask me, part of living is giving...i'm just sayin').  What if we went on a journey to experience what it means to live like Jesus? It's not enough to know what it means. You must live it, experience it, enjoy it. I'm going. You want to join me? 
On His adventure,
Laurlee <3

It's okay...really...it's okay

If you've met me for five minutes you will be able to tell that I am a planner -- at least for the long term, "big stuff" that everyone wants to encourage you to see it through because they don't want to crush your dreams even though a little reality is probably a good thing.  But, the every day stuff...well I kind of live that by the seat of my pants. (Weird? Yes, but I'm beginning to realize that it's the little things that make a person a person and that characteristic is just part of who I am.) If you would have asked me last week what my future plans were I could have rattled off about 3 different graduate school options and that I want to work within the community educating them somehow or maybe even obtain my Ph.D so I can teach on the university level, or write a cookbook, or somehow work with women who are fighting eating disorders, or maybe even working with children in a pediatric setting fighting the obesity epidemic that is plaguing our nation, or...you get the point.  I had about a eighty-five different ideas of what my life could be, where it could go, and what it could do.  But then I was spending time with Jesus last Monday morning and it was then that His still small voice said, "It's okay.  It's okay that you don't know what your next step is. I do. Relax and enjoy these moments. Do the things you want to do because you enjoy them not because you have to." In that moment an overwhelming peace flooded my heart because it's true.  It is okay that I don't know the next step after I graduate. What is important is that I live my life now -- daily -- for the glory of God. This doesn't mean become lazy because God is going to do the work for you because He won't.  It simply means that you work towards the goal -- whatever your goal is for your life -- but, if the Lord takes you a different direction join Him and shout Hallelujah! The relief that brings to my life -- Oh. My. Stars. I feel like I can breath again. The pressure to have this resume and portfolio with this list a million miles long with accomplishments is gone.  There is no longer a feeling in my heart like I have to "give up" living life to get to the next step.  Because what if God chooses to completely change my heart and put me in the schools teaching? Or what if He chooses to bring a guy in to my life who has an amazing idea planned for an awesome adventure serving the Lord and graduate school just doesn't fit with that? Or what if He has me obtain my master's in nutrition and my R.D. license?  Or what if He chooses to let me be a mom to a million kids (maybe run an orphanage)? Or what if He has me become a Pop-Star (okay, maybe not...but...)? My point is, I can plan all I want to. I can think about it, stress out about it, talk about it all I want to but it's not going to solve anything.  It's still just going to be a pile of possibilities. So why not just relax and enjoy the moment. Enjoy the breath of the day the Lord has given you and work towards something you might enjoy doing for the rest of your life until the Lord shows you something else? To be okay with not knowing...it's something I never thought I would experience, but I am and it's AWESOME (because it's from the Lord).I can't wait to see where He makes my next footprint but, until then I choose to trust Him and smile about the days ahead because let's face it as long as your smiling you at least look good ;)
On His adventure,
Laurlee<3