Sunday Devotion.

Another aspect of this new blog is being more open again with my spirituality. My relationship with God is one of the most important things to me. But I’m no saint. I curse a little too often. I don’t go to church as consistently as I used to.  He knows, I don’t lead the most pious life. I don’t turn down a drink and I’ve had my indiscretions. All that to say, I’m not perfect–but I still want to make it a priority to align my life with God’s hopes for me. Part of my hope is that through my sinning ways, maybe others like me who want to be closer in faith but struggle with the day-to-day, can relate.

I don’t post these devotions as a judgement, or proclamation of how Christlike I am–but really as a way to share Grace. And hope that maybe out there, I’ll find a friend who shares the same burdens and struggles–but still loves and wants to follow God closer, too. I really can testify that regardless of all my sin, it’s because of those sins that I so clearly know His Grace.

Last Sunday night I watched Oprah’s Lifeclass for the first time. It’s not a typical show I would flip to; but I saw that Pastor Joel Osteen was a guest and I love listening to him for the motivation and inspiration he shares that builds me up on a Sunday.

It was amazing.

I took so many notes, and thankfully DVR’d it simultaneously, that this morning when I didn’t make it to church–I decided to re-watch this Lifeclass as a morning devotion.

“Believe Big and Pray Bold.” What a testament to how you can live your life.

The message was to know that God has a vision for your life and when you align your vision with God’s, unbelievable things can happen.

For the first time in a long while, I have been opening myself fully to God’s plans for my life. There was a period of time after college where I felt like “I can take it from here.” I chose a career. I chose a place to live. And I chose how the story was going to go next and I really don’t remember consulting God’s input on the entire orchestration.

Don’t get me wrong, out of those decisions God has still rained a lot of blessings on my life.

But I didn’t go to Him with open arms and open heart asking for His direction on where He would like to move me, how He would like to use me and what He had willed over my direction. So part of you can’t help but be left with a question of, what would He have done if I had?

Right now I am in a place of open. And it has become of highest importance to revert back to how I used to handle my relationship with Him in college.

So much prayer.

So much trust.

I would make a prayer list with specific requests, things I needed clarification on, things that needed to be put to peace and things I needed confidence on if I was supposed to move forward. When God answered I would date it. I can’t even begin to tell you how incredible it is when you can look back over a list a year later and see all of the ways God moved in you and your life. It’s so hard to NOT trust when you can see action like that.

God has a vision over my life, just like He does yours.

And we are all going to be the happiest, most successful, most loving, inspired people when we are living in that devoted space just for you. Sometimes, like Pastor Osteen says on the Lifeclass episode, we start trying to live other people’s dreams because maybe what we’re supposed to be doing is just so familiar . . . so natural. . . .that we feel like we can ignore it and try something different.

But what’s so beautiful is that God has already armed you for achieving that vision, if you can trust, believe and follow where you’re being led. If it feels boring, you’re not dreaming big enough.

When you believe in all things through Christ, all things are going to be possible. You just need to first recognize the talents that God has given you that you can share and turn into a vision.

My vision? I’m a writer at heart. And I know that somewhere down the line, this is how God is going to use me. I just know it. So I’m praying very specifically over the things that I need clarification, peace or confidence about to keep moving forward.

I have been in a place that didn’t feel like God’s will and I’m entirely focused now on getting back in my own lane. I want to be where He wants me to be. In all aspects of my life.

I believe by opening myself up to God’s vision, I’m opening the door for him to do amazing things in my life. (Not that he hasn’t already. I’m thankful every day for how far He’s brought me!)

So, if you’re in a similar place today–I encourage you to watch the episode of Oprah’s Lifeclass with Joel Osteen. Again, I wouldn’t typically flip there but last Sunday I found two Sundays worth of inspiration and motivation for how I’m re-aligning my life moving forward.

“Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart, all you who HOPE in the Lord.” – Psalm 31:24