I recently got coffee with a good friend who has been a constant mentor in the faith. We caught up on life, how to be better wives and ways to be more faithful in prayer. She has shared her heart with me countless times and last weekend I was encouraged by a scripture we read together.
We talked about being redeemed- and not just at baptism for salvation and forgiveness- but the redemption Jesus offers as he pulls us out of the pits of daily life. Every day has challenges (worries!) of it's own and I am reevaluating how much I truly meditate on the fact that Jesus is my constant redeemer. Life might be going pretty well right now, but there are always opportunities to grow, to be more Christ-like and to push beyond what's easy and comfortable.
Jesus redeems me from my greatest fear - the unknown. Will Taylor get into PA school? Where will we live? How much debt will we accumulate? How quickly could we pay it off? When should we have kids? What kind of long-term career do I want? How close should we live to family? The questions are endless and if I give in to the fear they create I am living a lie- assuming I don't know what it's like to live (and thrive!) in the peace and freedom Jesus gives so generously.
These are just a few thoughts that have been heavy on my heart and I wanted to share! I would love to hear any fresh perspective you've experienced lately.
"They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord..." Isaiah 62:12
P.S. Read Isaiah 61-63:9 if you're looking for encouragement. And if you're looking for a sweet love song, this one should do the trick.
// Photo via Masika Wa //
I was recently praying about a situation and I wanted to say, "My world is (insert words of concern)...not working, scary, etc". And then I thought, "It's not my world. It's God's." And God's world never falls apart, goes wrong, etc. Perhaps if I had a better perspective on who is in charge, I wouldn't feel so worried when things come up. That's something that's been helping me lately. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Elizabeth!
DeleteI always find it funny (and cool) that so many young marrieds go through such similar situations. Eric & I are in the same boat. My favorite scripture to cling to when I get overwhelmed by needing a plan for the future is, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." It puts me at ease knowing that no matter how meticulously I lay out a plan, God's will is ultimately going to prevail!
ReplyDeleteI love that! I love that God gives us the freedom to dream for our lives but still leads us according to His will.
ReplyDelete