Life

Today, all I could think about is how way too many of us take life for granted. We take for granted the time we have with our family and friends. Sadly, it took a family member of mine getting cancer for me to really think about this. I spent time with my siblings today. Quality time with them. And I thought, what if I don't get to do this tomorrow? We never know when we're going to die. Only God knows the number of our days on this earth.

But then this also makes me think about how I'm living. Am I living for Him, or am I just wasting my life? Hard question to ask and be honest with yourself about, but important for you to answer. I've been reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan the past few weeks. It's an amazing book! It really makes you think about how you're living your life. As hard as it is to face the truth, you have to. Living life "good enough" isn't what God put us on this earth for. So why are so many of us ok with it? Why are we so obsessed with what we look like, what kind of car we drive, who we're friends with, or how much money we make? It's not going to matter in the span of eternity. Those things aren't going to get you into heaven. Only living completely for God and obeying his commands is what matters. Think about it, when you're only concerned with how you look, who you hang with, etc, are you sincerely happy? Do you have true joy? In my experience, I was never happy when I was living like that. Never. When I'm living to please God rather than man, I have true joy. When I can just talk with God, I have true joy. Because I know no matter what, God will always love me. He doesn't love my sin, but He loves me. That makes me want to confess my sins to Him, ask Him to help me.

We all just like to be comfortable. But God hasn't called us to be comfortable. All I have to say is, get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It's how you grow. When you do things for God that you're not comfortable with, you become more and more comfortable with them the more you do them! God doesn't want you to stay in the same place. He wants us all to move forward. To grow in our relationship with Him.

Anyway, sorry this kind of has a few different topics, but once I get going, there's no stopping until it's all out. :)

P.S. Prayer for my great grandpa, Arvid, are greatly appreciated!

Dating

Dating. We all come to the point in our lives when we decide to date. But we need to be asking ourselves one question, "Why do I want to date?"

So many people these days date only because they want someone of the opposite gender to do things with. Relationships can't last on the things you do with each other. Yes doing things together is very important but that's not what the relationship should be based around. Too many people want to do date for the sake of saying that they're dating. They want that status. They do it for the sake of saying, yea, I'm dating. Some want to date for the butterfly feelings they get in the pit of their stomachs, or the "fireworks". Relationships won't last on butterflies or fireworks.

You should date the person that God has created for you. Yes, it is sometimes hard to be patient. Especially when you're a girl like me who really wants to be a wife to a good man. To be the helpmate to him. But trust me when I say, it's going to be worth the wait. I know this because I know God's preparing a man for me, just as He is preparing me for that man.

Dating should be about a relationship with a person. A friendship. You're supposed to marry your best friend right? Relationships have ups and downs. No matter what, because we're all only human. Relationships should be about putting the other person before yourself. And that goes for all your relationships, not just dating. Sometimes you will have to compromise and you will have to make sacrifices.  God should be the center of all relationships. If you're dating someone and God is the center of your relationship, He'll bring you closer together. God MUST come first.

Anyway, that's what's been on my mind today.   :)