Reason #414
I don't know how people do it. I don't know how people go through life without knowing Jesus. I don't know how they get through each day without Him. To know His goodness, to know His mercy and grace, I don't understand why anyone wouldn't want that. More over, I don't know how anyone could reject Him or turn an offer like that down.
I sat in the car wash line with my mom today and we talked about change. Upcoming changes, pending changes, and all of the changes I have gone through over the past 5 years. Seriously, the past 5 years of my life have been constant change. Moving, moving again, moving one more time, graduating college, getting a new job, getting another new job, and one more new job, losing friends, making new friends, loss, gains, new living arrangements, a dog, church, my name, weight, hair color... I mean really, every single aspect of my life has changed drastically over the past 5 years. Some good, some bad, some very much needed. But how much change can one person handle? Obviously, I have seen that I can handle more than I ever thought possible. But as we sat there and talked about it, I said, "I have no idea how I have gotten through all of this." And, not that I think I'm superwoman by any means, ask someone close to me and they'll tell you I haven't handled all these changes seamlessly, but I am kind of surprised I've been able to get through it all. Sometimes, when I stop and think about it, I'm amazed that I'm still slightly sane. But, you go through things in life and you look back and you think, "How did I do that?"
Tonight, I shared my testimony at dinner. I definitely didn't plan on doing this going in to it, but I was asked and so I shared. Sometimes, the difficult thing about sharing my testimony is that I know it's about to catch people completely off guard and then it gets a little awkward. They don't know what to say, and I'm wondering if maybe I said too much, but I feel the need to be specific because speaking in generalities doesn't really, in my opinion, make as big of an impact. And, like I said earlier this week, I try my best not to be ashamed of my story but rather proud of what God has done. And I am. I'm really, really, really impressed and amazed with what God has done with me and in my life, so I do like to boast about His redemptive power when possible. Anyhow, I concluded my story by stating the above, that I didn't know how people faced life without God. I really don't know how they walk through difficulties without having faith that He will somehow work things together for the good. But the truth is, I don't know how one could get through any type of day without Him.
As I was washing my face tonight, a song popped into my head that I learned while I was in college. The chorus says:
There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise
I've not tried a lot of things in life, but I can confidently say that I know there is absolutely nothing or no one else for me besides Jesus. Because could anyone else have taken a broken, hurting girl and not only healed her but made her whole? Who else could have taken what seemed like the worst possible situation ever and turned it into the biggest blessing imaginable? Could someone else have placed worth in someone who is worthless one her own, or used someone who is far from qualified? Who else could provide for my every need - emotional, financial, spiritual and physical? Who else could have raised me from the valley to the mountain, and who else would have been willing to carry me every step of the way? No one, no one but Jesus, that is. Because although a lot of amazing people have been placed along my path, no one has been able to take care of me like He has. And so, through all of the changes, I have tried my best to bring Him praise. I've tried to live a life that honors and glorifies Him and when people look at me, I hope they realize that the only reason I've made it this far in life is because of Jesus. That's how I've gotten through it, that's how I've done it.
I'm grateful for Him. My heart swells and is so overwhelmed at all He has done and continually does for me. Because I know me, really well, and the fact that He would do so much for someone who doesn't deserve it one bit just doesn't make sense. But that's the thing, it never will and it doesn't have to. For me, there is no one but Jesus. There never has been, and there never will be. And I'm glad to know Him, to get to see His goodness day in and day out, and to know that I'll never have to go a day without Him. I couldn't do it, and I'm glad it's one of those things I'll never have to worry about changing.
#414 - Jesus.
Then I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be glad because he rescues me. With every bone in my body I will praise him: “Lord, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?” - Psalm 35:9-10
I sat in the car wash line with my mom today and we talked about change. Upcoming changes, pending changes, and all of the changes I have gone through over the past 5 years. Seriously, the past 5 years of my life have been constant change. Moving, moving again, moving one more time, graduating college, getting a new job, getting another new job, and one more new job, losing friends, making new friends, loss, gains, new living arrangements, a dog, church, my name, weight, hair color... I mean really, every single aspect of my life has changed drastically over the past 5 years. Some good, some bad, some very much needed. But how much change can one person handle? Obviously, I have seen that I can handle more than I ever thought possible. But as we sat there and talked about it, I said, "I have no idea how I have gotten through all of this." And, not that I think I'm superwoman by any means, ask someone close to me and they'll tell you I haven't handled all these changes seamlessly, but I am kind of surprised I've been able to get through it all. Sometimes, when I stop and think about it, I'm amazed that I'm still slightly sane. But, you go through things in life and you look back and you think, "How did I do that?"
Tonight, I shared my testimony at dinner. I definitely didn't plan on doing this going in to it, but I was asked and so I shared. Sometimes, the difficult thing about sharing my testimony is that I know it's about to catch people completely off guard and then it gets a little awkward. They don't know what to say, and I'm wondering if maybe I said too much, but I feel the need to be specific because speaking in generalities doesn't really, in my opinion, make as big of an impact. And, like I said earlier this week, I try my best not to be ashamed of my story but rather proud of what God has done. And I am. I'm really, really, really impressed and amazed with what God has done with me and in my life, so I do like to boast about His redemptive power when possible. Anyhow, I concluded my story by stating the above, that I didn't know how people faced life without God. I really don't know how they walk through difficulties without having faith that He will somehow work things together for the good. But the truth is, I don't know how one could get through any type of day without Him.
As I was washing my face tonight, a song popped into my head that I learned while I was in college. The chorus says:
There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise
I've not tried a lot of things in life, but I can confidently say that I know there is absolutely nothing or no one else for me besides Jesus. Because could anyone else have taken a broken, hurting girl and not only healed her but made her whole? Who else could have taken what seemed like the worst possible situation ever and turned it into the biggest blessing imaginable? Could someone else have placed worth in someone who is worthless one her own, or used someone who is far from qualified? Who else could provide for my every need - emotional, financial, spiritual and physical? Who else could have raised me from the valley to the mountain, and who else would have been willing to carry me every step of the way? No one, no one but Jesus, that is. Because although a lot of amazing people have been placed along my path, no one has been able to take care of me like He has. And so, through all of the changes, I have tried my best to bring Him praise. I've tried to live a life that honors and glorifies Him and when people look at me, I hope they realize that the only reason I've made it this far in life is because of Jesus. That's how I've gotten through it, that's how I've done it.
I'm grateful for Him. My heart swells and is so overwhelmed at all He has done and continually does for me. Because I know me, really well, and the fact that He would do so much for someone who doesn't deserve it one bit just doesn't make sense. But that's the thing, it never will and it doesn't have to. For me, there is no one but Jesus. There never has been, and there never will be. And I'm glad to know Him, to get to see His goodness day in and day out, and to know that I'll never have to go a day without Him. I couldn't do it, and I'm glad it's one of those things I'll never have to worry about changing.
#414 - Jesus.
Then I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be glad because he rescues me. With every bone in my body I will praise him: “Lord, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?” - Psalm 35:9-10
Comments
Post a Comment