I believe God sees all
I believe He knows all.
I think He knows what will happen tomorrow, before it happens.
If I take Jeremiah 29:11 as truth, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord..." then God knows all about me.
He knit me together in my Mother's womb (and even gave me a womb-mate) years and YEARS and Ye--, you get the point. I'm old. Even then, He had a plan for me. He knew who I was going to be.
I've made choices, some big and others small. I've gotten off-course a few times and stumbled off the straight and narrow. My stubborn, head-strong nature has led me astray. All of my decisions combined with God's providence have led me here.
Who I am today is me.
But is it the me that God saw when he knit me together? When He ordained the plans before the world began....
I'm not trying to get too deep...you may believe differently, but here's where I am today: Am I living up to my potential? Am I doing what God planned for me? Or does my tunnel-vision blind me. Does my uncertainty of the unknown or fear of other's opinions cripple what I could be or do? Is my desire for the temporal (a beautiful home) and the carnal (stuff to fill my home) stronger than my desire for the spiritual and the unseen, the eternal?
I think I was supposed to start my blog months, maybe even years before I did. I pushed the idea away for a long time. And then, even when I did follow through, it was on a whim (or was it a part of some plan??) Sometimes I wonder.....
Young women like Katie (Kisses from Katie) are living up to their full potential. This 21-year old angel who left mother and the comfort of home, to mother Ugandan orphans (14 of them!) and feed 1,000 children a day, she is doing what God created her to do.
Am I?
When I stand before Him on That Day, I want my life to show good things. I want Him to acknowledge that I used my gifts for Him.
I want Him to see the me He created me to be.
Here I am Lord, use me.
Tomorrow, I will tell you some of the revelations He's shown me concerning my blog...stay tuned.
How about you? Are you living up to your potential? Are you doing what you were created to do?
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36 comments:
I'm looking forward to hearing your revelations...but from what I can tell, you are using your gift of writing to reach thousands of readers - and are unashamedly doing so for the Lord!!!!
That's an incredible thing. :)
Everything happens for a reason and at the time it is supposed to happen. I look forward to hearing what He has revealed to you!
I too am looking forward to your revelations. The Lord guides our steps. He may have brought you here so that your heart is prepared for the steps forward.
yes, love these thoughts. i, too, think of katie often and wonder if i'm saying "yes" to Him fully.
Wow, Kristen...I can't wait to see what's next.
God has been hammering me lately with some things about me as a mom. And what he has been telling me is that I am not living up to the call. So i too am refocusing. Don't you love the new year and fresh starts?!
I'm in that exact same place....here is to a New Year and the courage to get out of God's way and plan!
Blessings,
Lindsey
Isn't God's grace a miraculous gift? Even when we make mistakes or even put off being obedient (I know, I know. That is disobedience, but stick with me here), he still uses us and still loves us. How amazing is that?
God is using you every day through this blog!
(PS God's graciousness to me is what inspired me to name my blog Embracing Grace. I had to learn understand and accept it because I certainly don't deserve it!)
That Katie sure is inspiring, isn't she!
I've been thinking along these same lines as of late. Good stuff to ponder.
I think about this all the time. I pray about it a lot, too.
I hope I am. I still haven't felt called by God yet.. to do exactly what I'm suppose to do. Maybe its to *just* be a mother, I don't know all that yet. I pray every day that He will show me what I'm suppose to do. I feel like He has blessed me with a lot of things but I'm not using them. I'm not living to the full potential. Or something. I want to do MORE with my life besides be a mom and wife. I have so much I want to do.. but I don't know HOW or WHEN or WHERE to do it...
anyways, sorry for rambling. food for thought. :)
I do believe that the Lord has each of us exactly where we need to be to do His will. You never know when that one person who is questioning the Lord or who has never heard of Him will "stumble" across your blog and see the impact that the Lord has had on you and your family - the role that He plays. Even if only one person is lead to the Lord - what a blessing for that one!
I just spent two hours reading Katie's website. Amazing. Thank you for sharing that. Really, thank you.
I just spent two hours reading Katie's website. Amazing. Thank you for sharing that. Really, thank you.
I do believe you are doing what the Lord wants you to do! You are a wife, a mother, and a blogger that shares an important message while making moms feel like they are not alone in their struggles.
For me personally, I struggle with thoughts that I should be doing more - but I think that the Lord has showed me more than once that focusing on doing too many things outside my family (even if they are ministry) comes from my own desire, not His. He has called me to be a wife and a stay-at-home mom (for now anyway) and to do my very best at those jobs. I am not doing my best, but I know that He will help me to do better and straighten out my priorities.
Love your blog and I look forward to hearing about your news! :)
I don't think it's as much what we do, though, than WHY we do it. If our identity is in being daughters of the king, then what we do will just be an expression of his life in us. And my life won't look like yours and yours won't look like mine. But if our identity is in what we do, our self-worth will rise and fall with our comparisons to one another.
i love what you said in this post about being more about the eternal than the temporal and the carnal. let's raise our vision to see the lasting stuff...which is the kingdom of God.
Often I think it's better to do less rather than thinking you should always be doing more - but to do that less in a mindful way. I like to use this guided mediation to focus on what my path should be http://www.oprah.com/article/spirit/inspiration/ss_insp_med_lybloprah
I'm really looking forward to hearing more from you on this.
Well, I'm on the edge of my seat on this one. I love your blog and am excited to see how he is leading you with it.
You just put into words a lot of what has been pressing on my heart lately. Thank you and I look forward to seeing what God is doing in your heart.
Looking forward to reading your revelations!
Kristen, this post gave me chills. And I can't wait to hear your revelations.
It's always exciting when God is working in us! We can't wait to hear what He is prompting you to do with your blog!
I know there is no way I am living up to my potential right now. But I have to have faith and hold on to those promises and those things He put in me and keep striving to get there. If I look at my circumstance right this moment, I will just be discouraged, so I keep trying to picture myself living up to all He has put in me.
Looking forward to reading your revelations. Are any of us truly living up to our potential. I know I'm not and there's so much more I could do. So much more I should do.
Funny, this has been on my mind a lot as well (same verses and everything). I feel that I need to live up to my potential as a momma, wife and friend. This is something I have been lacking and I want to rectify that while my kids are still young and my marriage is still strong.
Yes, you are doing what he called you to do. I needed to read this today. I needed for you to type tose words to speak to me.
I have Jer. 29:11 hanging in my home and read it each day.
Wow, great post! It would do us all good to ask ourselves this question every day!
AMEN!
Just read your blog for the first time and as I read your post it was as if the exact thoughts and feelings I've been having were written out on your page. I can't wait to see what come nexts! Thanks for sharing!
The first Monday after the holidays is normally a very busy one. So much to clean up and catch up on. But I spent over two hours reading every word on Katie's site. Very thought provoking. By sharing that link today, you have accomplished so very much. Thank you.
Yes!!! I AM living up to my potential, and although it is not as dramatic or earth-shattering as dear Katie's, it's exactly where God has called me. I walk, abiding in Christ, and rejoice as He brings new opportunities to serve across my radar...until then, I continue on this path - wife, mother, friend, sister, blogger :)
Karen
I two want to be in Gods will and do his work. I injoyed reading your blog.
Kristen:
This was so good!! It's becoming the theme as I visit blogs during these last few days. Knowing God more deeply, and BEING who He wants us to be. For sure, the disire begins in our own hearts, and I feel like He is on a real 'roll' with each of us, growing us into what He has in mind for our lives.
Thanks for the good sharing!
Sonja
Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite verses, and I've been reminding myself of it often lately. But I've never thought of it in the context of God knowing the me He intended me to be. I do, however, often wonder if His plan would have unfolded in a different direction had I made different choices along the way. I'll be looking forward to what's been revealed to you!
I needed to read this today. Thank you. I especially liked what you said "Does my uncertainty of the unknown or fear of other's opinions cripple what I could be or do?" This is what I am struggling with right now.
Looking forward to your blog in the future! =]
Okay, darlin' I hate to be contrary but I just gotta pipe in here and say I tend to think you're doing quite a fine job of living up to your potential. For example...you are brave, modeling grace and authenticity to your readers and all who are in your life. You are strong, showing Christlike love and forgiveness. You are stinkin' talented and brilliant. Oh, and funny, and beautiful, and such. Sure, you'll keep on going and growing...just know I'm really proud of YOU right in the spot where you are (and I think Jesus is too).
p.s. I know you didn't write this post so people would say nice things but I just couldn't help myself. (:
Thank you so much for posting this. You wrote so eloquently what has been in my heart. THANK YOU!!!
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