{FAITHFUL IN THE EVERYDAY & CHOOSING TO BE #TAGGRATEFUL....}
i am so grateful for the ability to have such big vision. and i really am. but sometimes big vision can feel like a curse. sometimes big vision feels like the source one of my biggest struggles. i find that my dreams are so big that there is constant temptation to be overwhelmed and confused with where to begin. what i am learning is that i get overwhelmed because of my tendency to ignore the importance of the everyday. and more specifically the importance of my faithfulness in the everyday.
constant.
STRUGGLE.
lets be real for a moment, shall we...
a few weeks ago, one of my biggest hinderances was the lack of transportation. there was no car! since brian lost his job, over 14 months ago now, we were down to one car. after accepting a position 11 months later, we still had just one car and he used it for work. so difficult to be a homeschooling family of three w/ no transportation!!!! not easy. but we continued to believe that God would provide just what we need when we need it (key point).
fast forward to today... i have transportation WHOOOOO HOOOOO! it didn't come how i wanted it to or , honestly, not even what i wanted at all. but, it most certainly solved my most pressing problem. and like most of us do, might as well move on to the next... problem that is (right??). where will i go??? every free dime that we had, we've invested in OUR SHOP and other dreams (which don't seem to be producing much fruit right now... a.k.a not making us any money ;) ) yes, i could take a trip to stores to see all the stuff i can't buy right now or drive by a few fun kid places that i can't afford the admission to enjoy at the moment. yep. ummmmm, no thank you!!! ( hashtag: oh, she of little faith)
i was washing, yet, another dish and folding, yet, another piece of clothing when the Lord impressed this quote upon my heart.
"faith doesn't deny a problems existence, it denies a problem a place of influence" -bill johnson
i had already spent half of the day inside the house, kids playing video games, me walking around in circles not accomplishing much other than storing seeds of ungratefulness in my heart.
i've made major progress this year, not letting the temptation to be confused overtake me and keep me from moving forward. but it is a constant struggle. what i have found to be true throughout these last several months is that GRATEFULNESS is KEY in overcoming and remaining faithful. and in a way that made me chuckle + grimace all at the same time, the Lord impressed upon my heart yet again, "but are you GRATEFUL?"
"faith doesn't deny a problems existence, it denies a problem a place of influence" -bill johnson
at that moment i knew that HE was offering me an opportunity to chose LIFE. he was offering me the opportunity to be faithful/full-of-faith... TODAY! HE wasn't asking me to deny that my problem existed. what he was asking of me was to REFUSE to let the problem decide what i DO and DO NOT do............ TODAY (key point) !!!!
at that point i saw things differently. what if, instead of walking the aisles of a store and browsing all the things that i can not afford, what if i walked through the aisles selecting the things i desired? what if i spent a little time making my request known to him? just a sweet little conversation with my father, just as my babies tug on me and ask of me (so delightfully) as we enjoy our experience browsing together through the store. they are never exactly sure when the items they have requested will show up, but still very certain that they will enjoy them one day very soon. what could i do to sow seeds of faith in these moments?
what i found to be true is that simple words of gratitude changed my whole world around TODAY. words of gratitude allowed me to have fun in these fleeting moments and focus my attention on the things i currently possess. the beautiful, healthy babies he gave me to enjoy. the heart full of dreams that he crafted just for me. the car that was gifted to me for my use and with no toil!!!!!
every message that is displayed on the items in our shop were first and foremost created for ME. they have been driving forces as i attempt to be both willing and obedient in living the life that God says was meant for me. and for that, i am forever #taggrateful!!!
what are you grateful for TODAY?
from syreena, with love