Choosing Joy in 2015

As the new year rolls in, I imagine most people reflect upon their year in some way. And though you may not do the resolutions thing, I think most people think on things they would like to or wish they could change in their life in the coming year.

2014 has been a crazy year that has brought on a lot of change for us.
-We celebrated 4 weddings in our family.
-Josh and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary.

-I finished up nursing school and graduated from college with my bachelor's degree.
-Josh accepted a new Youth Pastor position at FBC Shattuck after 3 years at FBC Buffalo.
-Josh and I moved from Buffalo to Shattuck.
-We bought our first house.
-I accepted my first job as an RN.
-We became an Aunt and Uncle.
-And we went to Disney World!!
 And many many more exciting things along with lots of obstacles.

But amidst the obstacles this Holiday season has very appropriately reminded me how truly blessed I am. When looking back at that list of good things I feel ashamed for ever complaining. But let's just be real and admit that amidst great blessings life can be really trying and confusing and frustrating. It is easier to give into frustrations and throw yourself a pity party, which frankly, I'm pretty good at.
But this new year, I would like to choose joy.

Sure I have other goals. I'd like to lose weight, I'd like to cook more home meals, I'd like to spend more time outside, and I'd like to be less busy. However, if I don't accomplish any of those, I still want to choose joy. If God decides to test me the most in 2015, may joy still be my heart's song. 

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

-Romans 15:13

The Bible speaks a lot on the joy of The Lord and how we will receive it when we follow Him. Catch that? We will receive it when we follow Him. To be quite honest that has been my biggest hang up of 2014- I think okay, I've been obedient, now where is my joy and peace. But lately God has been impressing on me that I have felt it lacking, because my faith and trust in Him has been lacking. I guess that's why I believe it is a choice. You believe to let the worry and anxiety go, as truely hard as it is, and to choose to trust and give it to God and therefore choosing joy. 

It will be really hard for me. I wish I was a naturally positive person, but my sinful nature made me into a generally pessimistic and jealous person. But this is my prayer for 2015, that I will let joy consume me more than I do worry, or doubt, or fear, or disappointment. I pray that others see the joy of The Lord in me. 

Even as this holiday season of fun and celebrating comes to an end, it is hard for me not to feel down and sad, but I'm striving for joy. 

I ask for prayers as I seek out joy this year. I pray that your goals for the new year bring you closer to God as well as if there is anything in your life you are seeking prayer for, I'd love to pray for you! 

I hope 2015 is the best year for you yet! 

In His hug, 

Molly 

These are a Few of my Favorite Things: Beyond Bible Devotion App

I grew up in church, and therefore I grew up learning the importance of spending daily time in God's word, also known as a "quiet time". If you are a new christian or a christian who has never put this into practice, I urge you to do so. Quiet times are so vital to your walk as a christian, not to mention that for me it is in every possible way, my "daily bread". I feel as though I'm literally being fed and prepared for my day when I start it with some personal time with God.

All throughout High school I went through seasons where I was really consistent and then times when I wasn't. Spending time in God's word was more of something that made me feel like I was being a better christian than something that was really doing me good. (Note: I do not think it is a bad thing necessarily to begin quiet times that way as long as that is not the reason you are doing them for the rest of your life. Either way it is a good habit to form and sometimes it takes just forming a habit to realize how vital something is for you). I thought that surely when I was in college and more mature, this habit would better establish itself. For the first few years it was at the same pace. Then when I began nursing school, I am not afraid to be honest and admit to you that my quiet times were almost non-existent for those two years. I bet I averaged one every 2 months or so. There would be possibly a couple of weeks mixed in there where I would start a good pace and then it would just fall apart.

Looking back I think I was trying to be too ambitious with them. I thought to myself, I am pretty mature in my christian walk, I should be having 30 minute quiet times at least, reading several chapters of the Bible at a time. If you do that, many claps for you! Really, I mean it! I hope to eventually be there, but right now I am just not. That being said, it is okay to start small! And that's what I have came to realize within the last couple of months.

Now enter Beyond Bible Devotion App. I have heard of lots of people using it, but it has definitely become one of my favorite things and thought it deserved an entry of it's own.

This app has completely revolutionized my quiet times. Sadly, I am attached enough to my phone that I always have it with me, so if I forgot to read it when I was getting ready, I can quickly do it at work. It's fairly short, but long enough to provoke some good thoughts. It is $2.99, which to me was well worth it considering I would regularly spend more than that on a devotional book.

The writer of these devotions is also realistic. I find that some devotionals are all about the love, which is great, but to grow as a christian you need to be challenged as well.

I'm so thankful for this app and how much it has jumpstarted my individual time with God. If you are finding your quiet times lackluster, don't keep trying at the same old thing and don't try with something too ambitious that you are quickly burnt out and decide not to do anything at all like I did. It's okay to start simple. God just wants time with you and with only you. Bible study groups are great and being involved in church is equally great, but God also desires some time with only you.

Today is a new day, and a great day to start something new. I hope you have a great week and that God reveals himself to you in an awesome way.

In His hug,

Molly

Have I Told You About the Time I walked on Water?

If you follow me on Facebook at all or even reading my last couple of blogs, I think it is pretty evident that God has been a-workin on my faith life. My husband and I have discussed it lots and just how growing up, sure it was easy to talk about how "you just got to have faith, man! God will get you through this if your just obedient with Him!" And while all of that is all well and good and I really do believe that with all of my heart, it is much harder to put that into practice when real struggles actually occur and your faced with real decisions with real possible consequences, I have found.

The hard truth to swallow is, that while God WILL get you through it and He DOES work all things together for our good, it may not be at all how we thought the good was supposed to be. It may take years to "get through it". It may take years to "see the good" or to look back and see what the good even was. It may not have even really been for your good, (besides reaping the heavenly benefits and feeling the joy that comes with obedience) it may have been for the good of His kingdom which is ultimately for your good. Confused yet?

Most people know the story of Jesus walking on water, and then His disciple, Peter, also walking on the water out to meet Him. If you don't know the story, read Matthew 14:22-33 (if you don't have a Bible you can very easily google it).

When I was little, I imagine a toddler to five-ish year old, I learned this story and thought to myself, "hey! I really believe in Jesus and I really believe he can do anything and I can do anything with Him!"
So I decided to give this a try in my bathtub. I would start out by standing on the sides, saying, "I have faith Jesus that I can walk on water", and then taking a step. I knew I couldn't just half do it or that wasn't really faith. And what do you know, I could walk on water!

...

Obviously, that's not what happened. I will let you envision little curly headed Molly taking a plunge into the bathtub for yourself. However, falling on my hiney never made me question God's abilities or He, Himself. In fact, I tried it several times, each time giggling at myself and picturing Jesus laughing too.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, don't be discouraged when a faith filled intention doesn't exactly turn out like you thought it would or thought it should. God has a plan in everything and sometimes living by Faith is not just living out in obedience, but also accepting the outcome, that that wasn't God's intentions for you or for His kingdom.

I remember questioning my own faith. Maybe I really didn't believe that Jesus could do it through me. If I just believed better I probably could've walked on water. In my bathtub.

But the truth is, it just wasn't in God's eternal plan for me to reach the world by walking across my sudsy bathtub water, as cool as I still think it would have been. It's not that he couldn't have done it, or that I didn't have enough faith. It's just that sometimes having a strong faith in God's will for your life, is also having faith that slipping and falling on your hiney was part of His plan all along, when all you wanted to do was walk on the water.

Let me take this moment to reiterate-hello! Being a Christ-follower is really hard ! But, when you do finally see what the good was, and see a little glimpse of God's imaculate plan, it's completely worth it. That's another thing you just have to have faith on!

I hope these posts have been more encouraging, than discouraging. Sometimes it's equally hard to spit out the hard truths of Christianity than to sugar coat things. (On another topic) that's why it's so important to spend daily time with God as well as to refresh yourself by spending time with your church family, and if you don't have one, find one! Tomorrow is a great place to start!

Jesus said, "in this world you WILL have trouble,  but take heart! I have overcome the world!"
-John 16:33

In His hug,
Molly