| It is almost midnight here; everyone is sound asleep. The hum of the swing and piano hymns softly play in the background. My Bible is open as I lay here and honestly talk with God… the raw, deep, and vulnerable prayers. Here are my thoughts… “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and FOLLOW ME.” – Matthew 16:24 We are all following someone. Think about it. Each one of us has someone we are modeling our life after. I would like to think most of us would say we are following Jesus, but the truth is, does that actually show in our daily actions? If you are honest and vulnerable right now, how much time do you spend with Him—in His presence? Or are those words we say, but our lifestyle and choices say differently? I like to think of Christ’s disciples, or apprentices, who left everything to “follow Jesus.” They wanted to become like Him and were willing to sacrifice everything they had in exchange for being with Him. Yet here we are, myself included, worrying about finding the best Black Friday deals this year, squeezing in that extra “me time,” or surfing the web for the perfect gold heels for the upcoming Christmas party…you know, the ones the social media influencer was wearing that you HAD to have to feel beautiful! I’m guilty. We live in a consumer-driven society. It is all about accumulating more and doing more. Every person and commercial seems to convince us to buy more things to be happy. But what if we were created for so much more? What if being in His presence and following Jesus brings the most joy? What if the things begging for our attention distract us from our true purpose here on earth? Jesus said, “I am the WAY, the truth, and the Life…”. When we follow Christ or walk in the way of Jesus, He fills our life with purpose. He fills the emptiness with true joy and peace. When you are living as Jesus would, you put everything through that lens. “What would Jesus do if He were me?” What does He say in His Word? The things that seem so important now seem meaningless and small through this perspective. As I heard a wise man once say, “Be with Jesus. Walk in the way of Jesus. Be like Jesus.” It is that simple. Be Encouraged. – Erin |
Crazy Moments + Joy
It is raining outside, and as I sit here rocking William and listening to the happy and noisy chatter of five others playing around me, it...
