Saying Goodbye to 2010 and Hello to 2011
I can't believe another year has gone by and with SO many changes. I'm in a new city... Starting a new church.. a new journey... new job.. new relationships.. and letting go of others I've said good bye to friends I've lost... I've left behind a church I love, but I'm trying out new churches in hopes of finding one I love just as much if not more (:
I have moved almost all of my stuff into a 10 x 10 storage unit really close to my soon to be house. I still have stuff in College Station and who knows where else. I officially will have a home January 15th, but until then I am living out of boxes and it is crazy. Right now I feel like I don't have my own life. It's always "we" rather than "me", and that we is inter-changed with the schedules of my parents, boyfriend, and friends. I know once I get settled, it will be different. I will have my own room, my own space, and be closer to work and my church!
So NYE weekend: I flew to Dallas Thursday night and from then on it was a sports celebrity sighting free-for-all! LOL my friends and I saw Mark Cuban out Thursday. We went home early and relaxed.. Friday was filled with massages, errands, and a mani/pedi. Sean and I went to dinner by ourselves where we saw Tony Romo and Jason Witten. Then went out with our group of friends to House of Blues. My friend there got me and my friends in at no charge and we danced the night away! We tried to be smart and leave early, but the cabs were on strike so we were waiting for a while! Ugh not the ending I wanted to my NYE (:
Saturday we all went to brunch and then we were lazy and watched football ALL day.
Sunday, I joined thousands of other iPhone users as our alarms didn't go off. At 10:21 I jumped out of bed and was determined to make it to church. That was the FASTEST shower and get ready job I have EVER done! Made it to Watermark Church during the first worship song, and then brunch with some ladies in my Community Group. Flew back that afternoon and dinner with my parents!
I honestly couldn't have asked for a better New Year's Eve. It was fun, relaxing, and I woke up Monday ready to tackle the week and the New Year. But something happened Sunday and I haven't figured it out just yet... Blake Holmes led the church sermon on Sunday and he asked us to evaluate our spiritual report card in 2010. To be honest, there were seasons I was an A or B Spiritual Christian, but overall for the year, I was more like a D. And that's really hard for me to wrap my head around. I have no reason to not be a faithful Christian: reading my Bible and journaling every day, blessing others, and living out my life the way a Christian woman should. I have so many blessings in my life that have been given to me solely from God... So much Grace for things that I have done to disobey him... and way too much gifts that have been given to a sinner (I think we can all relate to that last statement).
So my New Year's Resolution is to be more obedient and make a better grade in my spiritual life in 2011 than I did in 2010. And make no mistake this is not an act of checking boxes saying "give me a good grade because I tithed today. Give me another good grade because I went to church, and another because I read my bible everyday this week." No, this is being a Christian because I love the Lord and I want to obey his commands for my life. I love listening to Christian music!! I love going to church!! They aren't things I HAVE to do; they are things I LONG to do. I'm honestly not much of a reader, but that's just going to have to change. And I think that comes with having a heart more for God. The more you love God, the more you want to know about Him so you read the Bible. And the more you read the Bible, the more you learn about God, our loving father and the more you love him.
Right now God is trying to tell me something.. I've been restless since church on Sunday and I know it's God speaking to me: through the message Blake preached, through the words I've read in the Bible yesterday and today, through Matt Chandler's sermon on December 19th that I just pod casted. So now I must rely on discernment to tell me what He is wanting from me.
Thanks to Marshawn Evan's 7 day Challenge here are three Bible Verses on Discernment I am focusing on:
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (Amplified Bible)
21But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast.
James 1:5 (Amplified Bible)
5If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of [a]the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.
Proverbs 2:11 (Amplified Bible)
11Discretion shall watch over you, understanding shall keep you,
I'm excited to tune into her guest speaker tonight and you can too- http://marshawnevans.com/focusme2011/
To my Christian friends, please hold me accountable to making an A and staying on course. Proverbs 27:5-6 (Amplified Bible) 5Open rebuke is better than love that is hidden. 6Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are lavish and deceitful. And thank you for being a faithful friend!
I have moved almost all of my stuff into a 10 x 10 storage unit really close to my soon to be house. I still have stuff in College Station and who knows where else. I officially will have a home January 15th, but until then I am living out of boxes and it is crazy. Right now I feel like I don't have my own life. It's always "we" rather than "me", and that we is inter-changed with the schedules of my parents, boyfriend, and friends. I know once I get settled, it will be different. I will have my own room, my own space, and be closer to work and my church!
So NYE weekend: I flew to Dallas Thursday night and from then on it was a sports celebrity sighting free-for-all! LOL my friends and I saw Mark Cuban out Thursday. We went home early and relaxed.. Friday was filled with massages, errands, and a mani/pedi. Sean and I went to dinner by ourselves where we saw Tony Romo and Jason Witten. Then went out with our group of friends to House of Blues. My friend there got me and my friends in at no charge and we danced the night away! We tried to be smart and leave early, but the cabs were on strike so we were waiting for a while! Ugh not the ending I wanted to my NYE (:
Saturday we all went to brunch and then we were lazy and watched football ALL day.
Sunday, I joined thousands of other iPhone users as our alarms didn't go off. At 10:21 I jumped out of bed and was determined to make it to church. That was the FASTEST shower and get ready job I have EVER done! Made it to Watermark Church during the first worship song, and then brunch with some ladies in my Community Group. Flew back that afternoon and dinner with my parents!
I honestly couldn't have asked for a better New Year's Eve. It was fun, relaxing, and I woke up Monday ready to tackle the week and the New Year. But something happened Sunday and I haven't figured it out just yet... Blake Holmes led the church sermon on Sunday and he asked us to evaluate our spiritual report card in 2010. To be honest, there were seasons I was an A or B Spiritual Christian, but overall for the year, I was more like a D. And that's really hard for me to wrap my head around. I have no reason to not be a faithful Christian: reading my Bible and journaling every day, blessing others, and living out my life the way a Christian woman should. I have so many blessings in my life that have been given to me solely from God... So much Grace for things that I have done to disobey him... and way too much gifts that have been given to a sinner (I think we can all relate to that last statement).
So my New Year's Resolution is to be more obedient and make a better grade in my spiritual life in 2011 than I did in 2010. And make no mistake this is not an act of checking boxes saying "give me a good grade because I tithed today. Give me another good grade because I went to church, and another because I read my bible everyday this week." No, this is being a Christian because I love the Lord and I want to obey his commands for my life. I love listening to Christian music!! I love going to church!! They aren't things I HAVE to do; they are things I LONG to do. I'm honestly not much of a reader, but that's just going to have to change. And I think that comes with having a heart more for God. The more you love God, the more you want to know about Him so you read the Bible. And the more you read the Bible, the more you learn about God, our loving father and the more you love him.
Right now God is trying to tell me something.. I've been restless since church on Sunday and I know it's God speaking to me: through the message Blake preached, through the words I've read in the Bible yesterday and today, through Matt Chandler's sermon on December 19th that I just pod casted. So now I must rely on discernment to tell me what He is wanting from me.
Thanks to Marshawn Evan's 7 day Challenge here are three Bible Verses on Discernment I am focusing on:
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (Amplified Bible)
21But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast.
James 1:5 (Amplified Bible)
5If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of [a]the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.
Proverbs 2:11 (Amplified Bible)
11Discretion shall watch over you, understanding shall keep you,
I'm excited to tune into her guest speaker tonight and you can too- http://marshawnevans.com/focusme2011/
To my Christian friends, please hold me accountable to making an A and staying on course. Proverbs 27:5-6 (Amplified Bible) 5Open rebuke is better than love that is hidden. 6Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are lavish and deceitful. And thank you for being a faithful friend!
Great Post... I Couldn't ask for a better friend than you've been! Enjoyed hanging out with you and Sean over the weekend!
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