My Big Life Change!

Picture taken by Abby Austin of 1000 Miles on my own two feet.



MY GOALS FOR LIFE!

To transform my life, with God's help of course, one step at a time.

1. Get healthy & honor God with my body

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter


2.Become at least 50% sustainable with emphasis on doing our part to take care of God's planet.


3. Live life as an adventure, experiencing new places, things & people.
18 out of 150 bucket list goals accomplished


4. Become debt free & build security for my family, so we can then bless others financially also.

5. Continue to grow closer to God, building My family's faith & sharing the Gospel with those we meet, by using the talents and gifts God has provided us.

6.Continue to make money by creating and sharing my thoughts and beliefs through artistic expression: all the while hoping that my art will impact others. "Holly Kennedy

: All I know is, if you don't figure out this something, you'll just stay ordinary, and it doesn't matter if it's a work of art, or a taco, or a pair of socks! Just create something... new, and there it is, and it's you, out in the world, outside of you, and you can look at it, or hear it, or read it, or feel it... and you know a little more about... you. A little bit more than anyone else does... Does that make any sense at all?" Quote from PS I LOVE YOU

Friday, March 9, 2012

Crossing the lines

I would like you to do something for me, please. Look around at your neighborhood. Go look out the window and tell me what you see? Do you consider your neighborhood safe? Do you have items in your home to keep you safe?

I will tell you what I see. I have a lock bar sitting by my door, to put up at night. I look across the courtyard and see children unsupervised play fighting with sticks. Probably too young to be out by themselves. If I were to look down the street, I would see run down houses with unkempt yards and mangy dogs. Right down the street in walking distance is an elementary school, which is enclosed by gates and bars. So would you think that by what I describe that we are safe? I say yes and let me tell you why.

When we moved here in April of last year, I got a lot of comments about the neighborhood. Is that a safe area? I hear about a lot of violence in that area! And my favorite is I hope you don't get broken into! Of course being a young mother I was concerned about the safety of my little girl. But God has taught me so much about safety in the last couple years.

1. My safety is always in the hands of my Savior!
It breaks my heart to hear of Christians worrying themselves sick over loved ones who are away from them. I remember being newly married and being in a immobilizing depression because my husband was away from me. Will he be safe when he flies on the plane or drives over the road as a truck driver. My stomach acids would churn and I would be sick for hours with worrry. It took me a lot of time to realize that God had his hands on my loved one, whether or not I did. A soldier over seas is no more in danger of dying than he is here. Why? Because our God is that big! He doesn't just cover a certain area with His hands and say if you go over there it is out of His reach! Yet we wouldn't be human if we didn't worry. But what we are telling God is that I don't think you can handle the safety of my loved one, so I am going to keep close eye on him incase.

2. Being safe not stupid.
Now does this mean I should let my daughter play in traffic? Probably not! Okay Okay NO! But when does it cross the life from trusting God and being stupid? First of all you have to have a trust in God to even understand what I am saying. I mean fully trusting God! I think of missionaries when I write this. I recently have met a precious blogger named Amy, who adopted 5 children from other countries, 2 from Guatemala. Then the country of Guatemala closed for adoption, so what does her family do? They move there! God told them to go and serve at the orphanage called Eagle's Nest and they went. Were they concerned about moving their 9(count em) 9 kids to Guatemala and the safety, I'm sure that they were a little. But when God says go, he not only provides a way He protects and blesses. The work that they do in Eagle's Nest is not only beneficial to the orphans, but a complete blessing to them. And as a side note all who read her blog are blessed also! When we are doing God's will, it isn't about where or when or how, it's about yes or no. And when we ask God to use us as a blessing and as His hands and feet, we need to follow where He leads. Many times when we do something and aren't protected, it is because we are following our own selfish wants and needs and not His will. It's all about having the connection with God and waiting for His lead. Just ask and you will be blessed for it.

3. When our kids are concerned.
I have to talk about schools for a minute. And I know that I am probably going to get a lot of heat about this and I am prepared for that. It does not matter what school you go to! Let me explain. I was raised in the mean streets of Dallas. My 7th grade year I was one of 5 white kids in my school. There were 9 permanent cop cars parked at my middle school and they were always busy arresting kids with guns and knifes. My mother walked to work at night in this neighborhood to the hospital and me and my younger brother and sister were at home alone. Before my mother left each night she would pray a prayer of protection over the house and herself and trust that God would take care of us. And He did, I never even heard the word drugs until I was 21 and we were robbed a couple of times, but it was always stuff we didn't need and we were never home at the time. Because of my upbringing, it was always apparent at an early age how much God took care of us. While my peers struggled with material and worldly issues, I struggled with spiritual issues. I am not trying to elevate myself at all, I am saying this to help you realize what God has revealed to me. Here it is, if you are concerned with worldly issues then it matters where you live and what schools your kids go to, if you are concerned with your children becoming Godly children then it only matters where God tells you to go. I wonder where Mother Teresa went to school and if she would have been sent to the best schools with the best teachers if she would have had time to consider a lifestyle like God had planned for her? I am not saying at all that it is wrong to send your kid to a great school. But if your attitude is that your child cannot be the best that God has called him to be in this school or that school, then your motives are probably wrong. Hate me or not, I believe this to be true. God may want your child to be a doctor or He may want your child to start a street church, it is about His will and not ours.

So there it is! I am ready so bring on the comments. Are you willing to stay safe or are you willing to cross the lines into faith?

12 comments:

  1. Love you and just want you to know that YOU inspire me. :)

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  2. "Safe," is boring. I can't think of a single boring story in the Bible, but there are a LOT of stories riddled with peril. It is human nature to preserve one's self, so we are all guilty of that. Faith isn't something we do when we are feeling safe. It's something we do when we are tired of our false sense of security and throw it all away for Security. It's a daily choice, and a hard one. But it's the one that leads straight down the Narrow Path. I completely agree with everything you said. Just remember, approval from others isn't necessary. Approval from God is mandatory. And, sometimes, we have to place ourselves in the pit of peril to follow His calling. But we aren't alone when He's in the trenches with us. No, we are all alone in our perfectly planned out safety.

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    1. So very true Layla! I thought living the "dangerous" road would be scary, but it is truly scary running from God's path! I would rather fall into His arms then to never leave the sidewalk!

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  3. That is such a good post Brown...You have touched my being...I don't read often but had to take the challenge of your FB post...You are so very wise and have figured it out...yes "worry is sin" in Gods eyes...and since we are human...we will worry (sin)...I am a big sinner when it comes to worry...for the most part I let God handle everything in my life...I worry for a little then I say "it is in your hands God" then let it go. Especially when my boys are over seas...one will not have to go anymore...but one will still be likely to have to go a few more times...it always tears me up even though they are almost in their 40s...I worry about their wives and their kids...We brought up our kids in the Lord and told them they had a choice in their friends and what they did in life and we always hoped they would choose well...we guided with the Bible...they have chosen well for the most part their whole lives...we are so very proud of them all...our sons...our daughter in laws and our grandchildren being brought up in the Lord as well...you are spot on Brown...you will not get an argument from me...

    sorry this is long...I have had coffee this morning...LOL

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    1. I think it is so wonderful how God is such a loving God when it comes to worry. He doesn't throw it in our faces but gently uses each time to show his love and grace more. I am always in need of his grace and understanding and he never disappoints. Thank you for sharing, it is amazing to me how mother's of soldiers cope with war, but with God it is not only possible to cope but to thrive knowing that God is always with us. What an example you are.

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  4. I think we get more courage as we get more faith.

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    1. I believe that is true too. More boldness to say the revelations that God has revealed to us.How can we not speak out? Thank you!

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  5. I moved mine and Jacobs blogs to wordpress

    Mine is
    http://iamonewearethree.wordpress.com/

    jacobs is
    http://apilgrimsjourney2015.wordpress.com/

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  6. I will admit that I am a huge worrier and it would definitely benefit me to let go of that worry and stress and know that God is in control no matter what. What an excellent post. Thank you for reminding me that no matter how much I worry, it doesn't change anything. I don't have that power, only God does.

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    1. Thank you Melissa, I am too a worrier. I have slowly surrendered certain aspects of my life one piece at a time to God and I find more peace and less worry.

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  7. New GFC follower from make my morning hop.
    http://www.housesbyshannon.blogspot.com

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