**Please pray for my family and especially my Granny Becky as we deal with the death of my sweet great uncle, Ed Hatfield. He loved the Lord, and it’s such a blessing that he gets to be with Jesus now.**
Through all the stress and excitement of the school year beginning, I am finding myself overwhelmed. I thought this year would be easy and less busy, but I was completely wrong. Now don’t get me wrong, I love being busy. But man, I’m already feeling run down.
I don’t know why I do this, but I’ve noticed this pattern: when I’m really busy or I have a lot going on, I let myself get so distracted from my time with Jesus. I’ve been trying to handle all these health problems, all of my school duties, all of my responsibilities in other organizations, and even all my church related meetings/events, etc. all on my own. And because I’ve been trying (and failing) to balance it all by myself, it’s week 2 and I’m already having a freak out.
It’s times like these that I am so thankful for. Although I hate getting emotional and feeling stressed, I need these meltdowns to put everything in perspective for me. If not for these moments, I would never fully realize how desperately and deeply I need Jesus.
I’ve been feeling discouraged lately because I’ve been frequently haunted by my past, and by who I was when I was dead in my sin before I was made alive in Christ. There are people from my hometown and such who I know think I’m a fake.”There’s no way she could’ve changed so drastically so quickly.” But what they don’t understand is that it wasn’t me who changed me, it was Jesus.
I know there will always be people who don’t agree with or support my faith an my relationship with Jesus. I’ve even lost some friendships because of my faith. But I have gained so much more, and I know that God rid my life of those friendships because they weren’t for my good and they weren’t helping me grow.
I just need to learn to realize that there will always be folks who are disapproving, and that being a Christian isn’t always rainbows and unicorns. It’s a relationship. And relationships are hard. But there is NOTHING more rewarding than giving your life and putting your hope in Jesus.
“However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.”
1 Peter 4:16.
On a happier note, autumn is on its way… 🙂