Landlocked Sailor: August 2012

August 25, 2012

Why I'm Here

No, this is not a post about the purpose of my life. I just wanted to explain my choice to start posting on a blog. I'm still unsure how I feel about it, but I figured I'd give it a try. I quit facebook because I felt like I was spending a lot of time reading status updates, and not actually having real conversations or discussions with my friends.

The posts below are copied from my feeble attempt at tumblr. Turns out, I don't really want to post only to people I don't know, so I've decided to share this with you. I'd love to hear your responses to any of these posts as well as updates from your lives.

August 16, 2012

Expected to Choose

At some point soon after graduating college, women are given a choice: pursue a family or pursue a career. The pressure comes from all sides. Someone says, “How are you planning to use your newly earned degree?” Someone else says, “Why isn’t a pretty little thing like you married yet?” The dichotomy even appears in our own thoughts. “But I like my job and I have to pay the bills.” “But I desperately want to be married and have kids.” “But I don’t have time to date.” “But I want somebody to love.” “But I’ve always wanted to be a ___.”

My point here is not to argue one side or the other. I’m not going to say one is right for you or the other wrong, or even that it must be only one or the other. I want to suggest a third option:
Choose to pursue God.

The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
~Psalm 34:10

Warning: The pursuit of the Lord will take you on an adventure that you will never have thought of yourself. Rarely will it turn out as you once imagined*. You may not have the perfect career woman’s resume. You may not be married by that deadline you gave yourself when you were 15. You may not have the house, the job, the 2.5 kids and the white picket fence. It will be hard.

Give up the dream career and the picket-fence family to follow God, and what are you left with? God Himself. Seek the Lord and He will give you Himself in all of His goodness and glory. Do this, and He promises to take care of everything that you need**. That may include your dream job, or a job you never thought of but absolutely love. It may include a marriage that honors the Lord, and the bundles of joy that become your charges. It may include bits and pieces of all of the above, or none of it at all. Here’s the thing: God knows exactly what you need and those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

*Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
~Ephesians 3:20-21

**But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
~Matthew 6:33

P.S. If you want to hear how this has played out for me over the last several years, I am happy to share the good and the hard with you. Just ask.

Thankful

After attending a cross-cultural communication conference yesterday, and watching “The Magic Washing Machine” video in class four times today, I am increasingly thankful for and praying for some specific things:

Thankful for:The utter, complete, internal confidence that I belong to God. No matter where I am in the world, or whether I’m one of a very small minority in a group, I am His. This world is not my home; I am a stranger here. And yet, God has given me a peace in Him so deep and true that I have never been concerned about being in a minority.
Praying for: The many, many people in this world who struggle daily with feelings surrounding the fact that they are in a minority. That the enemy would not be allowed to whisper lies in their ears about their worth. They, too, are worth the most precious blood of Jesus.
Thankful for: My washing machine, education, and all the time I have in a day to do things that are not essential to life. For being able to afford a $2 salad for lunch instead of those $2 being my entire household’s daily allowance.
Praying for:The two billion people that live on under $2 per day, that they may have enough food to eat and clean water to drink. For the two billion people that live on less than $20 per day, that they may find good jobs, get washing machines, and be able to go to school. For the two billion that live on $40 per day, that their work may be fruitful and their homes safe and warm. For the one billion that live on $80 per day or more, that we may be thankful for the abundant blessings that we have been given, and be good stewards of our resources. That our hearts may be broken open for the poorest four billion people in the world and that we may give generously of our resources in ways that can really help eliminate poverty.

"Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more."
~Luke 12:48

Worry and the Lack Thereof

My step mom had a pretty major surgery today, and it only struck me after the fact that I never worried about her. At first, I felt a sort of bad that I “should have” worried, but didn’t. But that’s a lie.

wor·ry/ˈwərē/ Verb:Give way to anxiety or unease; allow one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles.
Noun:A state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.

Worry says, “God, I don’t really trust You to take care of the situation, so I’m going to put my energy into anxiety instead of using it to ask You for help.” Worrying is futile. Can any of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life? (Matt 16:27)

Prayer is the antithesis of worry. Prayer is powerful and effective. Prayer puts your burdens onto God instead of you. Prayer says, “This one’s all Yours, God. I trust You.” Prayer lets you be free from worry and bank on real hope instead.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
-Romans 12:12

Once Upon A Time

I’ve been mulling this one over for a while. Like 8 new episodes worth of time. I’ve really been enjoying ABC’s Once Upon a Time. It’s a great distraction from the Sunday night blues. But I’ve been mulling it over on a deeper level.

(Disclaimer: I’m not trying to draw spiritual truths, start a new religion, discuss the writer’s meaning, or really do anything other than express what it has me thinking about here. No need to take this seriously.)

What if we are in a similar situation? We live in this world and go about our lives as if it’s normal and there’s nothing else going on. The majority of us think that’s all there is and don’t question it. But then slowly some of us start to realize that there’s more going on here than meets the eye. And day by day we learn more and more about our true identities in Christ. We start to understand the Great Story behind why we’re here on Earth and what it is we’re meant to do.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
~1 Corinthians 13:12

What’s your part in the Story?

Hope

I heard a speech today following 5 very tragic deaths. The speaker confessed that she did not really believe in God or heaven, or an after life of any sort. She said that what got her through these sort of tragedies was hope. Hope that life would get better, hope in the good parts of the world.

This broke my heart. It felt like she had a bucket without a bottom. She had a word, “hope”. A sweet, wonderful, intangible idea. She the hope she spoke of was like cotton candy: it looks delicious, tastes good, but disappears instantly upon the first sign of rain.

But here’s the thing: Hope is legit. It is concrete. It is real. It can be an anchor for our souls, firm and secure. It will always remain. It can be put in someone or something. But you better put in in the right place. Put your hope in the God who never fails, and you will not be disappointed in the end.

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope:
It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
~Lamentations 3:21-24

It is well with my Soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.