Journeys with Jesus
Amy Dawson / Student Ministries Administrative Assistant
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| Photo by Jake Melara on Unsplash |
Do you get excited about adventures? Do you look forward to a journey? I sure do! What about these words gets your blood pumping? Is it the people you will encounter, the thrill of being in a new place, the snacks along the way?
When I think of embarking on an adventure to a destination it is all of the above that have me counting down the days to departure.
I have a mission statement for my life that reads:
When I think of embarking on an adventure to a destination it is all of the above that have me counting down the days to departure.
I have a mission statement for my life that reads:
As a welcomed woman journeying with Christ, I co-create connection with my gifts of compassion, hospitality, and gentle strength.
As I journey with Christ, I find that it’s an adventure. He has lovingly walked with me through it all. The past nine months have had me visit some hard spots, deep places of grief, dark spots where the only comfort I knew was the presence of Jesus and the truth of His Word. I wouldn’t call this recent journey exciting, but my discoveries have been priceless.
These verses were my guide, Romans 12:1-2: “Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”
A few things I have learned are:
1) Suffering has a special place in my life, it unites me with Jesus. Choosing to stay in God’s presence as a living sacrifice, willingly allowing Him to do heart surgery on me is a choice.
2) Pursuing holiness brings God glory and living in it delights Him even if it isn’t comfortable to me.
3) Challenging times have purpose and when I choose to walk with Jesus through them it becomes authentic worship.
4) Inward transformation doesn’t disappoint when I am willing to welcome it and depend on the Holy Spirit’s working in my life.
5) God made my brain to be resilient and He really does reform how I think.
6) When I live according to these verses, giving God me, my thoughts and all my most precious treasures the results are satisfying to my soul. I am pleased to know I gave my best, to receive what God has for me, and to be content.
7) The experiences I have with Jesus may not be the adventures I anticipated, but the company makes the journey worth all the effort, discipline, and heartache. In the end, I have experienced more of Jesus and am able to speak of His marvelous mercies.
As I journey with Christ, I find that it’s an adventure. He has lovingly walked with me through it all. The past nine months have had me visit some hard spots, deep places of grief, dark spots where the only comfort I knew was the presence of Jesus and the truth of His Word. I wouldn’t call this recent journey exciting, but my discoveries have been priceless.
These verses were my guide, Romans 12:1-2: “Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”
A few things I have learned are:
1) Suffering has a special place in my life, it unites me with Jesus. Choosing to stay in God’s presence as a living sacrifice, willingly allowing Him to do heart surgery on me is a choice.
2) Pursuing holiness brings God glory and living in it delights Him even if it isn’t comfortable to me.
3) Challenging times have purpose and when I choose to walk with Jesus through them it becomes authentic worship.
4) Inward transformation doesn’t disappoint when I am willing to welcome it and depend on the Holy Spirit’s working in my life.
5) God made my brain to be resilient and He really does reform how I think.
6) When I live according to these verses, giving God me, my thoughts and all my most precious treasures the results are satisfying to my soul. I am pleased to know I gave my best, to receive what God has for me, and to be content.
7) The experiences I have with Jesus may not be the adventures I anticipated, but the company makes the journey worth all the effort, discipline, and heartache. In the end, I have experienced more of Jesus and am able to speak of His marvelous mercies.