(This is from the monthly youths newsletter. ) It seems unreal that this month is the anniversary of the 5th year of me coming here to Artesia! In some ways it seems like it has been that long but in others it seems unfathomable that I have spent the majority of my twenties here in Artesia. If you would have ran into me 5 years ago and told me that in 5 years I would be in New Mexico and would have been there 5 years I would have told you that you were absolutely crazy! Nothing against New Mexico, but it just wouldn't be the place where I would have imagined I would be serving in. I had other dreams for my life that I thought were greater and that would make me happy. Turns out that God had better plans for my life. This has been a common theme in my life. In Proverbs 19 verse 21 the Word of God says this “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” I have often had great plans in my heart about where my life is headed! I have carefully planned weeks, months, and even years ahead to where I think my life should be and when those plans have not come to be I have often become bitter and angry at God for things not going as I had planned. I am what some people might call a “control freak” or what should be labeled as a “self-truster”. I am pretty sure that is not an actual word but lets go with that. A self-truster only trusts themselves. No one else could possibly be trusted to plan or chart the course of their lives. They alone have a stranglehold on control of their lives. Even though many times I have said, “God is in control!”. I have lived a life that says “God is in control of only the things I want Him to be in control of.” Sadly enough my future has often not been on the list of things God has control over. Now there have been times when I, by the power of God, have taken my slimy hands off of my future. In those God empowered times I have made some of the best decisions of my life. Decisions that have forever and are still directing my life. This “control freak” attitude has some bad side-effects as well! It has often caused me to worry about my future and about things that I have no power to control. I reading a book right night called “The Christian atheist” by Craig Greoschel. Last night I read a chapter on worry and when finished reading it I felt like it had just kicked me in the teeth and brought to light how I often write off my distrust as me worrying about valid things when in reality my life is screaming my distrust of God’s plans for my life. He talked about how worry needs to be an alarm that sounds that leads us to prayer and back to trusting God. Often when the alarm of worry sounds I treat it much like my morning alarm and I pound the top of it hitting the snooze button and delay my trusting in the Lord. So today I am trying to be back at the place where there is no snooze button on the alarm of worry. Where I allow the times when I worry about things to lead me to trusting in God and in His plans for my life. Now is the time when I let go of control of things I cannot control and focus my energies on doing what God has called me to and leave the rest to Him. (that is another suggestion given in the book). So here’s to trusting God with what He does best!!
I’m letting go,
sg
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