You're doing what?

I'm tired of it. I'm tired of telling people I'm moving to Houston and the first thing they say to me is either " why in the world would you ever do that " or " that place is miserable." Here's a note of advice, if you want to encourage someone try not to say those things either to their face or immediately.
I've starting weighing all the different answers I can give people to make them feel that much worse for responding to me like that. Yes, that has gone through my mind.
Fortunately it hasn't materialized yet into actual words directed at someone. But really, why have I moved here. Can I answer that in a very short sentence that is the God honest truth without trying to be super spiritual at all what so ever - I moved to Houston because I am belieivng in faith that this is the exact place I needed to go. Not the place I needed to go to be succesful, not the place I needed to go because I am going to do great things or that anyone needs me here, and not the place I needed to go to in order to be blessed. But it is the decision to trust in faith that I needed to make and that is why I have moved here.
But couldn't I have stayed in Colorado and done the exact same things as I am going to do in Houston. Want to know the answer - NO.
I couldn't because i know that a decision to have stayed there would have been one led by fear of not leaving and not one of faith. There are people everywhere. There is need everywhere for people to minister by loving others. The measure isn't as much of the what I will be doing as it is the living by faith. Right now, I needed to live by faith and that meant trusting this way. This I can say with certainty.

Will

" Be joyful always, pray continuously, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. " 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ( I do believe)

Right, be joyful always. But today just isn't a " happy " day. I don't feel in a great mood and my emotions aren't running on feelings of wonderful excitement. My gosh, thats just it. The joy has remotely nothing to do with these things at all. What I'm describing above has everything to do with being happy. My happiness has to do with my " happenings." In other words, " my circumstances." So joy isn't based on my circumstances or emotions then. Truthfully, I understand that I do have joy, yes, even when my circumstances have been very painful. And that comes from when you understand the there is so much greater that does exist outside of yourself. In other words, coming to the assurance and the conviction that there exist a greater purpose to my life that I don't have the ability to produce by myself. And that this purpose is made known to me from something which is greater than myself.
Pray continuously - Ever asked deeply, Why Pray? Some have answered because its a great way to get things answered. Others say its a good way to connect with God. Most often I have heard it used as a " if you pray, you will hear what God has to say" way. I'll be honest, I have definitely not heard many times what God has to say on the issue that I have prayed to Him about. I have wrestled many times with my reasons for praying. I have used it at times as a " formula " to get things fixed. Other times because I didn't know what else to do. If I truly do believe prayer has great value then why would I ever do anything without praying with God about it. Why would prayer ever become 2nd choice to how I approach a decision, situation, or anything else to matter. Pray not to serve my needs but simply to Glorify God! See, get prayer in my head that it is something in which I was created for - to commune with God, to communicate with Him. Why the heck would I ever not want to do that?
Give thanks in all circumstances - Images of the " always happy people " immediately come to my mind when I hear this. The person who never has anything wrong. Rather uncomfortable if you ask me. Giving thanks - to give thanks when a close friend dies, to give thanks when one is dealing with hard medical situations, to give thanks when people turn their back on you....about the only way it seems possible for me to give thanks in these situations is if the ability to do so comes from some other source...Ummmm, this sounds rather familiar to that whole " joy " topic...So in order to give thanks in all circumstances it would take something inside of me, something other than myself, to give me the ability to give thanks...God's Holy Spirit is not some mystical weird thing. If you think so, I challenge you to do you darnest to take the time to read what it is about but even more to seek God for understanding as to what this Holy Spirit does...It is the power for being able to do the will of God - for being joyful always, prayig continuously, and giving thanks in all circumstances...

Pruning Shears and such

I've never been into gardening. Give me a shovel cuz I want to at least sweat. Plus I've never like those garden hats. They look kind of spaceshipish. BUT, there sure is a lot that we humans have in common with your local front porch hedge. It has taken me quite some 27 years to begin to even understand what commonality there is. That one thing that we as humans share so much with a garden hedge....Well before I tell you let me give you the true source of this incredible truth because it didn't come from me. I just know it is something I've begun to experience.
The source of this brilliant analogy comes from the Bible. Oh great, another " I told you so " remark. No, actually not at all. Just pure truth. Ever asked your teacher where the saying " you will reap what you sow " comes from? Surprise it wasn't an amercian president or great mathematician...It was Jesus who said it...And now, how are you and I ever so similar to a front porch hedge? Everyone knows that a hedge, if given ample oppurtunity and little care, will literally grow out of control. It will take over the area, produce unwanted messes, and lack any real definition or beauty. So out of care and fondness for the hedge and hope that it would continue to birth even more beauty than what is present, one PRUNES it. That's right. Someone takes these really sharp abrasive shears and cuts away at the exterior so that it would grow to produce even more leaves and become a mature porch hedge.
I've never asked but I don't see how this can feel good for the plant. And it is exactly the same with us. I too continually go through pruning in my life. Time and time again we have things cut away from us (health, friends, family, jobs, material items, ie) so that we would keep maturing in our understanding of what is truly significant and become mature in our love for the One who ever so purposefully prunes us. The enture chapter of John 15 describes this in full detail. It is because of love that I experience pain often. It is because of God's compassion that I dont always succeed. Remember, the hedge's leaves don't have the ability to grow fresh leaves themselves.
They must depend on the nutrients and the root. How freeing is that for the leaf. It doesn't have to sit around and worry whether it is performing good enough to grow. That job is totally on the shoulders of the root. It does make it dependent though. My life is similar. I dont have to depend on myself to produce " New Me." Recall in John it says " abide in Me. For apart from Me you can do nothing." How freeing it is to know that it is by abiding that I have " New Fruit" produced in me. But abiding in what? Abiding in who? That's the money question. The ansewr to this is abiding in Christ! By abiding in Him the fruit of the Spirit is produced in me. Does anyone want this fruit? Let me tell you what the fruit is first. The fruit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. Now let me ask, " Who wants this fruit?"
Even better, who is willing to be pruned so that this fruit might be produced. That's the desire I want to have. I dont always. In fact right now I feel like I'm being pruned and though it does not feel good I sense the utmost need for it. The after effect of being pruned sure is nice. Now I see more why it is that faith is so key. Ummmm. I need rest.

Hebrews 11:1