#23

by rachelshane

Going to start a tradition – to give a blog on my birthday.  You can see my post last year by clicking here.

The noteworthy things that I did while I was 22:

I went to Haiti for a missions trip. This was a life changing trip, and I am excited to be going again this January.

I also went to Atlanta, Georgia for a Children’s Ministry Conference.  I learned so much about Children’s Ministry. It was an invaluable tool for my job. And it was a fun adventure to travel, rent a car, and stay in a hotel by myself.

I slowed down last year.  For years I have been running through life, only taking rests when I was sick. Year 22 was not like that. I made more time for people and for God. My average amount of sleep per night went from probably 5 to 8. I said yes to doing more fun things, like going to apple orchards to play with deer.

Starting Monday that will change slightly though…I am starting a new job at Securian Financial Group. During September and October I will be working about 60 hours a week between my two jobs. I have been struggling being nervous about getting too busy again. I really have enjoyed working only about 45 hours a week this year. As I have been trying to surrender my worries to God in my devotional times, he has been speaking these things to me:

  1. When I will be in heaven for 50 trillion years, year 23 is not going to matter too much. I won’t remember being tired, I won’t remember being stressed. This season of life – though I don’t know how long it will last, is temporary. Eternal rest and peace is coming.
  2. My feelings on my current job or life situation is not the spiritual test I use to decipher whether I am or am not walking in God’s will. There are plenty of Bible stories where God asks people to do things they don’t want to do. Look at Moses, Jonah, or Esther’s life. They all probably would have chosen another way instead of the tough situations God put them in, but it was God’s great and sovereign plan for them to do something really difficult. There is nothing I want more in my life than to walk in the purpose that He has for me. Through easy or tough jobs, slow or busy seasons, God will be with me, and I believe this is the path he wants me to take right now.
  3. I will never find true satisfaction or contentment in a job or life situation. My hope, trust, and joy daily are in God alone. I am so glad that none of those things are dependent on this new job!
  4. God’s got my life. He is for me. He loves me more than I can comprehend. If God was going to withhold anything from me, it would be the thing most precious to him – his own beloved Son: Jesus. But he hasn’t done that; instead he gave Jesus up for my sake to be punished for my sin so that I might be justified and have eternal life. So what reason does God have to withhold anything else from me unless it is ultimately for my benefit? – that good word was from Kelly Needham.
  5. I am not going to forget what I learned this year, that is – the importance and command from God to rest. So I am committing to have a day of rest every Saturday this year.

Year 23. Bring it.