All at Once lessons

Excitement may  help you start the race, but it takes determination to finish the race. It takes determination when nothing seems to be going your way to know that no matter what He still is. It takes determination and a faith that can't be put into words to know that when it looks like you are failing, God is at His strongest. God's been at His strongest this week, because I have been at my weakest. Sadly though I'm afraid I felt my way through a couple of moments this week instead of just walking through. (Pretty sure that means I'll have a test with that again, but anyways). Trust doesn't mean you feel your way through the darkness scared with each step, it means you walk where the light is shining because you are looking ahead not to the side. 

I got distracted this week and with that I got discouraged. I am realizing now the two go hand in hand. When we take our eyes off of the One where they should be and focus on ANYTHING else, we are distracted from our true purpose and calling in life. Too much time spent focused on the distractions leads to discouragement. Been there done that this week, trust me.... I ended up being sick over some of those distractions. God wants our focus to stay on Him despite what else is going on in our world. This takes time and practice. We may not always feel like we passed the test, but if we learned a nugget of truth that we can take into the next test then we have made progress. 

When it seems like everything is coming at your all at once, it probably is. That seems to be the enemy's best tactic. The devil doesn't play fair and the more determined he knows that you are, the more he will through at you. Think back over your last couple of weeks, I think we have all had one of those weeks when it seems like EVERYTHING came at once. Everything means something different to each person, but we all have our own this and that's of life. If you are quiet for a moment, He'll let you in on what yours are.

So here are a few of the all at once lessons I learned this week:

• Take care of you so you can take care of what God has called you to do. So many times we put ourselves at the end of our to-do list feeling that is the "Godly" thing to do when He never intended it that way. If you don't take care of you, you can't do what He has planned. Make time to pour back into you(physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally).  
• Busy does not always equal best. Learn the difference in being busy and being fruitful. God didn't call you to live a life on the hamster wheel spinning in circles. Start cutting out things that aren't lining up with what He has called you to do and more important with who He has called you to be. 
• Sometimes God makes sure the person never answers the phone or text, because He wants you to lean on Him and Him alone for the pep talk/strength you need. 
• There is a different between friend and acquaintance. Learn it and save yourself some heartache. 
• Don't wait on God to open the doors if you aren't at least walking toward it. (In other words, do your part and He will do His). 
• God gives grace and strength for this thing called today. He will give you what you need for tomorrow's tasks when it becomes today. Don't try to handle tomorrow's problems or even yesterday's issues today. Today is a gift of it's own and will give you enough to handle. Think back to the story of the Israelites and the manna. Don't try to store up strength and grace for tomorrow's issues today. 

I'm learning the older I get the more thankful I am for people in my life who love me for me. Treasure those people and pour into their lives as much as you can! They are truly Godsends. God called you where you are for a season. During that season, learn all you can from the lessons that come your way, but most of all love. When this life comes to a close and we stand before God one day, God is going to ask how we did with what mattered most to Him. He knows we all have impatient days, but He knows our hearts. At the end of your day, ask yourself two questions....1. Did you love all you could? 2. Did you do your best at everything that came your way? God simply asks us to love others and to give today our all like we are doing it for Him. Let your to-do list line up with His....I'm a work in progress, but I'm moving forward. A couple of years ago God whispered something during the height of IEP season, I'm going to ask you about people not paperwork. Yes paperwork is part of the job, but people is part of His call. Keep it in perspective! 

Moving forward on the journey,

~Melissa