Hold Fast

This has been on my heart for a while.

In America, we have such a surplus of choices in our lives every day. For example, we go to our local Super Target and for each item we are looking for on our list, there are about 12 different brands to choose from. We go to the theatre and have 20 different movies to choose from. Studies have been done on this topic, and we have what they call Consumers Guilt. We buy something and once we have it for a bit, we think “Did I pick the right thing? Should I have bought a different brand?”

It seems today that we have Consumers Guilt with our friends. Its all fine and dandy at first and we are happy as can be.. but then they do something that we don’t like, or that upsets us, and we decide to go hang out with someone else.

It is perplexing to me that how we deal with conflict with friends is not discussing it with them or dealing with the issue firsthand.. we decide to delete them on facebook like that will  just make the problem go away! Because of course, that will get the message across that you are upset, but you don’t have to deal with all those annoying feelings and such.

This is a dilemma.

It is tragic that we let ourselves toss aside old friends.
Friends are gifts from God that are placed in our lives and should not be taken for granted.

And it takes work

Friendships are like a garden that need to be tended to and maintained. If you just ignore them, it will not last. The work is well worth it though. A good friend holds you up like nobody else can. They stick with you through the hardest times in your life. They don’t just tell you what you want to hear, but challenge you to better yourself.

Friendships are priceless things. Do not let them go.

(to all my friends.. I treasure you, and keep you close to my heart)

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

We are all looking for a sign.

If only we came across these kind of signs more often.

We spend our lives searching for answers, wouldn’t it be nice if they were just roadsigns along the way?

College is the time where you feel the need for these signs the most. We flounder around as people pressure us to decide what to do with the rest of our lives. Many times we just feel like we want someone to tell us what to do.

We may not have physical signs that tell us to stop and go. But, God has a plan for our lives.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord”

His plans feel more to me like a Satellite. He is watching over us, and we have a communication with him. All we have to do is make the connection. Not that I am saying God does not ever intervene in our lives, because he definitely does.

But we must seek his will.

We may not come across these signs on the side of the road that often, but every so often he places someone or something in our lives that can be a stop sign or a yield sign. One thing that I have been desiring is a mentor in my life. Someone to speak into my life as one of these signs to guide me.

Maybe even better than that, I need a GPS.

God has plans that are perfect. If I try to find my own way (despite my natural male sense of direction) I will get lost.

And lost is not a place that I want to be.

So keep your eyes on the signs that you pass by, and do not break the connection.

It’s interesting how things change over time. 

By definition a Covenant is a binding agreement. Words were used in the agreement, but it wasn’t completed without blood. Covenants and promises now rely only on words. 

Word tend to be forgotten, accidentally or not.

How does this affect us today? Promises are made. Words forgotten. Then trust broken. Words have become just words to us today. We just push them aside, intentionally ignore them, or hope the other person forgot about it.

I Promise

My mom asked me to promise her that I would never get a tattoo. Without thinking I was like “sure I promise.” not knowing that later I might want one.

By saying “I promise” without intentional reciprocation to follow through with that promise is a dangerous thing. 

I haven’t decided on whether to get a tattoo or not yet.. but even the thought of it makes me uncomfortable, not because I am nervous about the tattoo even remotely, but because I said I promise.

Contrary to popular belief: Words are not just words.

If you wouldn’t write it and sign it, don’t say it. —Earl Wilson 

Words are actions waiting to happen. If we let them become any less that what we mean, people get hurt, trust gets broken.

I was talking to Allison yesterday about how things have been changing in my life. It has been this semester that things started. I am guessing it has something to do with my ministry class at Bethel that has changed my perspective on things.

I have been much more intentional about what I do or do not say. 

Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. – Plato

I have purposed to say what I mean and mean what I say and the beauty of it is, that I am upset less, the people around me are upset less.

Throughout this semester, I have been taking time to think about what is important to me in life and it comes down to this: The people in my life, and how my words and actions can affect them. Focusing on the important things to me. and most importantly, trying to enjoy every day.

Every day may not be good, but there is good in every day.

God Bless.

It is hard.

It is something I always struggle with.

It is something that in absolutely necessary.

It is something that is life changing.

I value the people in my life more than my ego. Forgiveness requires sacrificing that piece of you that just wants to be right, or that wants to avoid any more conflict.

It is difficult.. but the payoff is insurmountable.

Forgiveness heals wounds. No matter what has been said or done.

Forgiveness is like the hydrogen peroxide you pour on wounds. It stings. It feels like a blow to yourself, but a wound needs to be tended to in order to heal properly.

You can just keep to yourself and hope for the best, but:

We are built relational. If we break relations with someone because we are safe in harbor, we don’t just lose a person in our lives, we lose a part of ourselves. As the body of Christ, we must be as one. If we don’t forgive our brothers, it is like shooting the body in the foot. We might survive, but we might handicap ourselves.

If my ramblings don’t do it for you:

Luke 17:3-4 ESV “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Point being: Its kinda a big deal.

I’m going to quote my mother in saying: People cannot turn down love.

It may take a while for trust to be regained, wounds to heal, but people cannot refuse love.

Love.

It is God’s gift to us. It is who God is. It is who we must become.

So,

hold fast..don’t lose hope.. and never let go.

Life is short. 

We hear this all the time, and we usually just mock it up as a reason to go skydiving or streaking at a Vikings game (which is about the only entertainment you can find at a Vikings game). But really, it is a much more significant phrase than that. To me, the phrase is a challenge. This has recently been a matter that has been on my heart. 

For every action, there is a cause and effect. Every little decision we make in life will alter either our lives, or the lives of the people around us. Whether it be a large decision, like what college/career you choose, or something as small as a friendly “hello” to someone passing by. I am naturally an indecisive person (anyone who knows me well will tell you likewise), so this idea presents some problems for me. It is very easy to put yourself on auto-pilot and just choose whatever will be easiest or what you would like the most, and being an indecisive person, the easy route is the typical one to take. 

One thing that has really stuck with me is that if you coast in life, you are going downhill. For me, it is more like being at a stoplight going uphill in a car with manual transmission. I want to be making choices that will move me closer to my destination, but I tend to make these mistakes that rolls me back down the hill a ways before moving forward. I am always reminded of Carla Barwineck’s words; “If you make a mistake, 1. fix it. then 2. never do it again.” 

I have made many mistakes, made a lot of stupid decisions, and hurt people. There is no way to undo the damage done, but repair and healing can happen. God has been reinforcing this in my life. I have been learning to trust him in times of adversity, and to daily ask him to guide me, because I know that on my own, I can not make it up the hill.

I am constantly inspired by Allison Larson.

Just sayin’.

This woman has experienced so much life already. In the last few years, I have seen such incredible growth in these regards. I see her working and praying so hard on doing these beautiful little things to bring joy and love in peoples lives. She has been through many struggles and even though it would be so easy to have such negative emotions about things, she has such passion and joy for life. And because of these little things, I have seen so much growth in her, and in her relationships with others, and in her walk with God.

The beautiful little things we do make a difference. 

So when I say “Life is Short,” it is a challenge. A challenge for you to make the most of the time that we do have. An indian teacher named Sri Sathya Sai Baba once said “Yesterday has deceived you and gone; Tomorrow is a doubtful visitor. Today is a fast friend — hold fast to it.”

Tomorrow is a doubtful visitor.

hold fast..don’t lose hope.. and never let go.