Life in Next and Now

Right now, I am finding myself very fulfilled in the 3rd day of teaching my incredible, crazy, hormonal, insightful, high school students. 

I have a class at the end of the day with a lot of struggling learners and they have made a special way into my heart already.

To think that at one time I dreaded this season. 

I remember hearing God call me into teaching High School like He was calling me to the mission field. (In many ways it has been like that...)

And I remember being so upset about it! 

It's funny how the seasons God drags you kicking and screaming into are the same seasons you gain such a new perspective from. Perhaps it is the perspective of being dragged that makes God appear so much bigger. Or maybe it's because eventually we are looking up at Him and that's what He wants after all.

He has told me that this season of teaching High School students is not my 50 year plan. But today, and the past three days, I really loved it. 

To think that if my attitude hadn't changed my perspective might not have either.

Your season is a training ground, but it is also a place for you to live fully. Now is not the place to live in Next.

When Next becomes Now then live it fully as well.

Just don't stay too long in the Now, overstaying your welcome in the Now will one day mean you are living in past obedience. 

Enjoy now. Enjoy singleness. Enjoy a full house with screaming kids. Enjoy school. Enjoy your profession. Live Now fully. But don't neglect the Next.

Look at Him

Focus.

Focus. Don't look to the right or to the left. He has marked out the race for you.

Let the Holy Spirit train you the way God desires.

Run the race. God has promised us overwhelming joy. Can you feel His joy now. Wait until you feel His joy. 

"Spirit of the living God come fall afresh on me-- come wake me from my sleep"

Awaken--

The time is coming for you, as the bride to rise in strength.

Prepare, the time is coming, when God will pour out His spirit on all flesh.

"Strip everything away, until all I have is you. Undo the veil so all I see is you."

Are you preparing for a wedding? Because you walk around like you are preparing for a funeral.

The things God has promised you in new life and new covenant are far greater than anything you had to leave behind.

Pursue Him! Pursue Him with your heart. He stands in front of you. He is looking into your eyes. Pursue Him from the distance between your head and your heart. 

The Spirit will guide you- go.

Go

Don't look back today. The Lord is calling you forward into the next season. Don't let the disappointments of the last season hinder you from the fullness He promises in the one that is coming.

The next season is about risk. Risk for Him. Risk for yourself. Risk for a life you have yet to imagine.

Go! 

Don't look back. Only pillars of salt await those who focus on what they are losing rather than all there is to gain.

Go!

The old has passed and the new is come. 

Go!

Everything you lost were things you didn't need.

Go!

He is sufficient for you. He is good and will sustain you. 

Go!

He has designed you to be strong and to act in tune with His great strength.

Go!

His arms are open wide. He has been waiting your whole life to walk with you through this season. 

Go! 

Thousands of people you have never met have prayed that one day you would awaken and cross into this season.

Go! 

Hundreds of leaders have been rising up for this time. They have been praying that one day you would join them.

You are the one they have been praying for. Within you lies the destiny and the power of The Most High.

Go!

Rest follow up:

A few days ago I talked about rest. I really had no idea what I needed to do to achieve a lifestyle of rest. I still don't have all of the answers so don't get too excited.

But-- I had two small moments I want to share with you:

(Both of these occurred when I was laying in my bed not thinking about rest at all)

1. This idea flew into my thoughts: kick your cell phone out of your bed. In fact, end the night time relationship. End it and kick that thing out of your room.

So, I relocated my phone to the kitchen. I got back in bed, snuggled up in my covers and...

2. A second thought flew into my mind: get out of bed, walk to the threshold of your bedroom door and let your thoughts go before you walk back inside. No more thought conversations with people who you will see tomorrow. No more worries about the days' troubles. Leave them at the threshold of the door and walk inside.

As I got back into bed, I felt the Lord speak wisdom into my heart: 'the bedroom is a place of rest and connection. Only connect with the people and situations in your room that are actually there with you.'

Right now, the only two beings here are me and God. At some point, this space will include a husband or a child or both. Connect with the people in the present. Not the hypothetical ones or the mirages of those you will see tomorrow. The bedroom is a space of rest NOT a stage for worry rehearsal. 

God is teaching me to reset the culture of my room from just another compartment of worry to a haven of rest and restoration. 

I haven't lived out dropping my thoughts at the door perfectly, but this isn't about perfection. This is about growing and moving. And I really like where this rest journey is taking me...

Real Rant Wednesday: Tired

I am tired. And I'm heading into a full season. 

I am not quite sure why I am tired, or how this exactly happened because technically, I have been on summer break.

I have rested from school work, but I haven't really rested from anything else.

What is rest anyway?

Sometimes I feel like I get it confused with laziness. Other times I disguise rest with "low-key" business. But sometimes time with others turns into work.

Join with me as I journey to discover what rest really is.

I'm going to try to discover the true meaning of rest as I enter into another full season. 

I feel like I have missed out on the opportunity for an extended season of rest, but I also believe that God doesn't want me to have JUST a season of rest, or JUST a  few moments of rest. 

I think God wants me to operate out of rest.

I wish I could say that that meant I was going to forgo all current responsibilities. Unfortunately, I can't sit at home eating bonbons. I'm pretty sure that you can't either.

My main question: How does one operate out of rest? 

I'm beginning to think that operating out of rest starts in how you think. I believe rest can be a mind set. 

I don't have the details on this whole mindset thing just yet. But I am really going to seek an answer to this during the next few days. I will journal my experiences with rest and share them with you in the next few days.