Goals and God's Providence

Originally posted November 10, 2007

So I don't know if I've ever put this up here before, but I'm going to do it now anyway. About a year ago, after a moving message at church, I wrote out a list of goals that I had that I wanted to see come true. They were a starting point to help me grow into the women of God that I desire to be. So here they are:

1. I want to know what God's purpose is for me so I can be focused on it.

2. I want to be more Godly so I can live a blameless life.

3. I want to come out of this shoebox that I live in.

4. I want to open myself up to let others in and lose the shyness.

5. I want to have godly people in my life to help encourage and grow me.

6. I want to be a godly person in someone else's life to give life to them and encourage them.

7. I don't want to be afraid anymore.

8. I want to live life to it's fullest through Christ.

9. I want passion and clarity in my life.

10. I want to see God's amazing works and blessings everywhere I go and everywhere I am.

11. I want to be more committed to the hard things in life and not stray because it doesn't come naturally.

12. Make me uncomfortable.

The amazing thing about this list? Within 1 year God has answered all of these. Some more intensely than others, but I've seen all 12 of these come about in some shape or form. Wow, if I could have taken a mental video to be able to watch a year later and see what God has done in me. Wow. I just recently finished listening to a series from Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA entitle "Redeeming Ruth". Here is the link to it because it was just that AWESOME!!! http://www.marshillchurch.org/sermonseries/redeemingruth/

One thing that Mark talked about during this series was God's providential hand in our life. Those moments when we are like hmm...that's strange, or what a coincidence, or that must be some awesome karma, etc. etc. I whole heartedly belief that is God and His providence. It is when God shows up yet wants it to be ananymous, as one person put it to me. If you pay attention in life, you will realize just how THERE God really is. We always expect some big kinda miracle like the part of a sea or someone coming back from the dead. Truth is, God is awesome with those miracles but His providence is there even more if we just pay attention. It happened to me today. I won't get into all the details, but the way things unfolded, I was like well that was God because I know that nothing is coincidence. It's Him plain and simple. I really believe that recgonizing times of God's providence helps us see Him in a new and real way and helps us see His blessing in a new and real way. Well that's all I've got to write for now. Peace out!

~Steph