Resolute Resolutions

It’s the beginning of the year, so, of course, I have to make a few resolutions.  I have decided, for no other reason than that it sounds like a good number, to make 5 resolutions.  Why do I do this?  Usually New Year’s Resolutions (NYRs) are thought up with the full intention of the thinker upper to bring them to fruition, but by about March they are completely forgotten.  Popular forgotten NYRs include quitting smoking, losing weight, finishing some unfinished project, or finding some new inner peace using some ludicrous method and idiot published in a book.  For example, “I will look in the mirror everyday and give myself 5 compliments”, or “I will write down 5 blessings every day.”  Hogwash.  Read your Bible.  It’s the only book you need to find any sort of inner anything.  So to answer my earlier question; I make NYRs in the hopes that some year I will actually accomplish one of them.  Plus, it’s just fun to look back after a year and laugh at myself.  So here goes; my 5 NYRs:

1.       To deepen my relationship with the Lord.  I’m pretty sure I will accomplish this one.  I better; otherwise my life will be the pits.

2.       To lose weight and get into shape.  I ain’t gettin any younger and I ain’t gettin any skinnier.  I better start doing something about it.

3.       To write 1,000 words a day and work my way up to 2,000.  Why would I do this?  Because Stephen King told me to and I think it’s a great idea if I ever want to be a published author.

4.       To finish my first book and start on the second one.  Reference #3.

5.       To get my short story and first book published J  That would make me a very happy camper J   

The Joy of the Lord

I’m not exactly sure what to write for my first post, so I will write what’s been on my heart lately.  For the first time in my life I am experiencing a more intimate relationship with Christ.  Yes, I have always loved Him and tried to follow His word (although I have failed miserably at times), but my relationship with Him has grown deeper over the past several months.  I had gone through a time when I was not happy with life at all.  I felt sorry for myself and complained about my station in life.  I wanted more.  I wanted more joy.  I wanted more money.  I wanted more respect.  I wanted more love.  The problem was that I was looking for those things using Earthly measures when only Heavenly measures could ever provide them.  I sought acceptance and love in relationships, which only brought severe heartache and an even greater longing.  To get to the point; I was not “in my place” as Christine Caine would say.  I was not seeking the Lord’s will for my life, so I was off the path that He had laid out for me.  But, the amazing thing about God is that when you are His child he never leaves you.  He always draws you back to Him in spite of yourself.

My family began talking with me about moving to Missouri, but I would cry at the thought of it.  Even though I was very unhappy, I still balked at the thought of bringing change to my life.  Since I wouldn’t listen to what God was calling me to do, He began to deconstruct everything I had built.  I began having problems with my job that made it almost impossible to go to every day.  My dear friends were planning to move away (they were a huge reason why I did not want to leave).  A relationship with a man-child, yes, I mean a 37 year-old child, turned into a nightmare.  Through that relationship I lost a friend (or someone who called themselves my friend) and did not feel comfortable attending my church.  You see, everything that I was trying to hold on to so desperately was beginning to slip away.  At first I would cry every time I thought about moving to Missouri; but God brought me to a place where I could not get there fast enough.  Despite walking around with my blinders on; God put me in my place.

Since moving to Missouri I have found a church, James River Assembly, which I absolutely adore and through the amazing leadership of that church I have reached a place in my relationship with God where I feel a joy that I truly cannot put into words.  I wish there were a way to describe the way that the Lord takes care of me and makes Himself known to me.  It is just simply indescribable.  I have faced numerous trials since moving here, but none of them have been too big for my loving and gracious God to handle.  It has been incredible to watch Him take care of me in times when it seemed that all was lost. 

So I guess that does it for my first post. 

Blessings,

Jessica