What have I learned?

It's been a totally crazy time since I finished Relay. Real Life is one big challenge, and my first 5 months in it has brought its many obstacles, smiles, new faces (with the job I've been doing, I've seen hundreds), hopes, prayers, tears.

Resolution has come, with a new job starting Monday, and maybe, just maybe I'll be able to settle into a routine that means I journey daily to one place, interact with about the same people every day, and form a semblance of normalcy in my young life. Who knows?

Well, practically on the eve of this momentous occasion, I want to remember to take stock, and think - what have I learned in the past few months since Relay has finished - about myself, about my relationship with God?

1. God is always on my side. What I mean is that God does all things in my life to grow me, to glorify Himself and to teach me. So an unexpected job rejection is glorifying to Himself in that it means that I don't rely on the job, I learn to find my hope completely in Him.


2. I need to communicate with God more. Hands up who feels close to God all the time. I certainly don't. So when trials/worries come, I tend to take them one board like I'm the only one who has them to deal with instead of praying like I'm reminded to in 1 Peter 5:7. Because I have a God who not only can but will look after me I shouldn't worry. I should pray!


3. As little as I like to admit it, I'm a typical girl. I'm no different to other girls. I like similar things (clothes, good food, the odd magazine). I get self-conscious about my thighs. Some days I feel ugly. Some days I feel lonely. Some days I feel single. This is a good thing because it keeps me humble. It makes me realise that I'm not the only person in the world that's going through what I'm going through, and that I'm not the centre of the universe, Jesus is. I recommend Louis Giglio's "Indescribable" and "How great is our God" tour DVDs (to be viewed in that order) to remind you of just Who is in charge when you feel prideful self-pity, or just plain old ugly pride in yourself.


4. Jesus is really the most beautiful. The Psalms point to God's majesty and splendour, and how great His love is for me. I need to learn to fix my eyes on God, so I don't weep for sheer despair when things collapse in on me. God is beautiful. God is beautiful. That should be my mantra.


5. I have to learn to fear sin more than suffering. The consequences of my sin have far worse repercussions than that of my suffering. I currently fear suffering way more than sin.

I think that's all...but that doesn't mean I won't have to keep learning all those lessons again, particularly the last two points. Thank you Lord for your patience with me. Help me grow, and not to keep crawling like a baby Christian when I should be running, sprinting for the fnish line.