Resolved

Granted at this time of year this could be misinterpreted to mean I've got new years resolutions, sure, we covered that. More importantly I'm concerned with life resolutions. I've been inspired by Jonathan Edwards as of late. Especially as I consider being more disciplined in life. How can I strive to be more disciplined without stating goals towards which I strive to be more disciplined in. My resolutions. The trouble is after digesting his "Resolutions" and "Advice to Young Converts" I'm overwhelmed at where to start being resolved. I want these resolutions to be timeless. I intend to follow in the footsteps of Edwards and review these resolutions on a weekly basis.

1. I resolve to make every effort to say "yes" whenever God makes clear to me a request no matter how strange or uncomfortable it makes me. (Jan. 12, 2015)

Discipline required to be a disciple

Yesterday I was listening to some sermons on my drive to clarkston by John MacArther. I had some thoughts along this line. To come and follow Jesus you are choosing to be a disciple. But to be a disciple you must have discipline in some specific area. It got me thinking about how discipline is a character trait and very counter-cultural. As I began to look introspectively... I don't see much discipline in my life and I can't honestly define myself as a disciplined person. So as I've considered this and prayed about it, I believe my word for this year is discipline and I'm going to choose to change how I identify myself by the grace of God. I know it's a big undertaking but I have an action plan. I'm going to study men and women who are characterized by discipline. I'm going to start in small things that feel possible like flossing regularly and reach toward training my body and mind progressing in fasting exercise and my studies over the course of this year and above all else pursue to be disciplined in spending regular time in the lap of my Father and seek to become disciplined in saying yes to what he asks of me. 

So blessed

I'm overwhelmed by the blessings of the Lord! Today John and I had our marriage interview and honestly it couldn't have gone better. Then we spent an hour or so shopping. When we got home we worked on cooking and cleaning together. It was the essence of partnership.  I just feel so at peace and so comfortable in our relationship. I'm unbelievably thankful that Johns green card is on its way and that stall of time we've been stuck in for months with immigration is finally over and we can move on with the joy of being newly weds! 

Does God think you stink?

I believe God is perfect and cannot be near sin. Sin when we develop the habit of saying "no" to God which is essentially all sin is. When allow sin to make a home in our lives we keep his presence at a distance. We have a malodorous essence to God; we stink. But when we say "yes" we allow him to come closer and we begin to have a sweet aroma to the Lord. When we say yes to intimacy, yes to the random nudges of the spirit, yes to simple obedience, his presence begins to dwell more richly. Do you hunger and thirst to have the Spirit dwell so richly in you that like Charles Finney that the masses are moved to repentance simply by being near you? It seems to me it starts by letting God have his way with you in the simple things so that His Spirit doesn't find you "stinky" but is able to settle at home within you!

A time to pray

I found myself today realizing all the battles I've been struggling, not enough money, not enough time, not enough energy, etc. Have all significantly lessened as my husband has been able to help lighten these burdens for me. Having authorization to work in America obviously helps significantly. And I find myself at ease as he job hunts having full assurance that God is in control and he will have the right job soon. And so I find myself praying less the last few days because I'm not feeling so desperate or spent. Rather then fall into a pit of complacency I feel called to pursue God with a relentless passion. So then I was wandering in the book store for over an hour trying to decide how to purse God relentlessly when I have to driving problem pushing me. All the books seem to be focused on how to be pushed toward God. So I asked for help. Awkwardly. She gave me the book "Hearing God's Voice" by Henry and Richard Blackaby, which I have yet to start. I also walked away with  "21 Most Effective Prayers of the Bible," which is a journal/book. I started that today, more about that later, but it's good so far. My thought there is that I have weakened in prayer in the last few years as I've struggled through understanding what prayer is supposed to look like after having some decidedly unbiblical examples of prayer in my life. Then I thought about fasting, then blew it off. Then thought about it again, then ignored the thought. Finally I thought I'll talk to my husband about it and he'll say no. Well I talked to him about it and he said it sounded like a good idea. So now we're gearing up to Daniel fast start tomorrow. Ironically (God's never really ironic) church tonight was the pastor calling us to a fast. So all in all it's time to grow. It's time to become relentless. It's time to desire God and pursue holiness.

So Day 1 of this prayer journey is about Abraham's servants prayer as he searched for a wife for Isaac. His prayer: Make me successful today. So where do I need to apply this prayer today? I think towards the fast God is clearly calling me to. I struggle to finish fasts strong. I often make excuses and cut it short or change it to make it easier. I know there are great challenges to finishing this fast strong. Doing a Daniel fast while living in a hotel will be difficult, but today I pray, God make me successful.

On a final note, I'm giving up TV and movies while we fast and with that time I'm intending to pick the guitar back up and work on the sermon series God has been leading me towards preparing for the day when I am leading in ministry.

So I guess those are new years resolutions. It wasn't really my intention to make any but I guess it's kinda what they are. I'm excited about all this year holds. I'm excited to see what God is going to do in our lives!!