For HIS Glory

He guides me along the right paths
   for his name’s sake. 

Psalm 23:3

I am SO EXCITED!! to finally know where I will be in the fall.  While plans have changed numerous times I have made a final decision. However, yesterday after I finally decided what to do, God took a firm hold of my heart and mind and reminded me why exactly I am going where I am going. Skip to last paragraph if you don't want to read all this. The main point of the post is summarized there ;)

 Plans fail for lack of counsel,
   but with many advisers they succeed.

Proverbs 15:22

I cannot describe how grateful I am for God placing me in the community of believers He has. I talked with many people in making the decision.  One thing they all made very clear to me was that God will be glorified no matter what decision I choose. He is jealous for His glory and He is absolutely right to be so jealous for His glory. Praise the Lord for many wise advisers because if it hadn't been for numerous people clearly explaining benefits of graduate school, I definitely would not be going.  I had felt like God was pointing me in different direction.  God was definitely opening doors for me to work in a residential treatment facility for children with behavior problems.  And sometimes when I get my eyes really fixed on something I feel God is leading me towards its hard for me to see what else He might be doing.

But the night before I was going to call and except the job offer at the residential place, I got an acceptance letter from UNI for the Master's in Social Work program.  I was honestly very much closed to the idea of grad school and said I was definitely not going!  I wanted to just make a final decision. No more indecision!! But after talking with my brother and his wife, it seemed like grad school was something I actually needed to consider. So, as I am trying to make a very important decision that will affect the next two years of my life, I went to Salt Company (Student ministry). The talk was on making decisions in a way that honors God.  REALLY?? God definitely knows what He is doing! Why do we ever doubt His sovereignty?

It was so great. One of the things Alex said was how sometimes, God is more concerned about the motivation behind the question than the question itself. Or we can ask God the wrong question. And that sometimes God presents two options for us to choose from, neither of which are necessarily wrong.  Instead, He wants us to seek wisdom and for us to choose.  God will make His name great in either decision we make.  Jeepers...this could not more describe my situation!!

So, I closely examined my heart motivation why I would or would not want to attend grad school.  God did some pulling up of weeds in my heart. I had to change the question from "Which choice will better equip me?" to "Which choice will bring the most glory to Your name and serve to best further Your Kingdom?" While the first question isn't all that bad, the second one does not include the words 'me', 'my', or 'I'-lest I forget the focus, which is God and not myself.  After seeking wisdom, praying, and a few tears (though much less than you might expect ;]), I have decided to attend UNI to get my Master's in Social Work!! With which I hope to become a therapist after I gradate, but we'll see if that's still the case in 2 years ;)

But God revealed to me through this whole thing that I am getting my MSW for His glory.  While I will be attaining more knowledge to help people who have experienced trauma (among other things) and will be able to make slightly more money and have more job options, these are NOT my main reason for choosing what I did.  For HIS glory, I will go get my MSW, so that for HIS glory I can help people heal and know Jesus as their Savior and Healer.  True healing only comes through Jesus. And for HIS glory, the people I help might someday be able to tell their story and help others heal and know Jesus as their Savior and Healer .  There is bigger picture He is painting than just mine. It's not about me, but all for HIS glory.

He guides me along the right paths
   for his name’s sake. 

Psalm 23:3

Gifted--Not Entitled

Here is a list that the world tells me (and most everyone else) I/we deserve:

1. A dad and mom who loves me
2. Safety-being able to know I will not be harmed when around my parents, family, or at school
3. Many nice clothes
4. A car that runs
5. A comfortable job
6. A comfortable bed
7. A hot shower
8. Meals 3 days a week/snacks in between (personally something with chocolate ;])
9. Ability to see
10. 2 Arms and 2 Legs
11. Ability to hear
12. A cell phone
13. A computer
14. An education (Kindergarten-->College)
15. My own family someday
16. Biological children

I have every single one of the above listed items (with the exception of 15 and 16..not yet anyway). These things are not bad, when they are not idols.  However, we have become so accustomed to having them that we forget that they are GIFTS!! We ARE NOT ENTITLED to these things. They are given to us by God.

NOT EVERYONE HAS HAD SUCH BLESSINGS.  And when we meet someone who has not had such blessings, we don't know how to act around them.  Which, if we're honest with ourselves results in us ignoring them or pushing them away. Rarely do we give of ourselves for those who have not had such gifts handed to them.  We very rarely give up our gifts to come along side and love those who have not been gifted in the ways our world tells us is "normal".

However, this is EXACTLY what Jesus did.  Jesus gave up His place in Heaven, His place of perfect unity and peace with His Father.  He did not have to ever feel pain, hurt, or suffering.  Jesus gave up His comfort, to come down to earth to die a death He certainly did not deserve. He died the death of a criminal. He knew what would happen on earth and He still came (Luke 18:31-33). The perfect Son of God was stripped naked, beaten, mocked, spit on, hung on a cross and murdered.

Jesus gave up everything that was good, for me and you.  He was stripped naked, beaten, mocked, spit on, hung on a cross and murdered for you.  How dare I think that I deserve any one of the things listed above and how dare I look down on anyone who does not have those things. (Conviction is bringing tears to my eyes) THEY ARE GIFTS! So, I will attempt to follow Jesus' lead and lay down all these gifts at the foot of the cross--the very place He laid down His.

However, before you go feeling guilty about the way you have handled your gifts let me leave you with this.  If God has given you these gifts than PRAISE HIM!! He loves giving good gifts to His children and He loves when we slow down enough thank Him for them.  They are to be used for the glory of His name. So glorify His name with them, instead of hoarding them yourself/myself.

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:4-5