FRIENDS.
I am sure you already have some. Isn’t it amazing to have someone we can play with, talk to, and go through life with? Sometimes, we confide in our friends. And although friends aren’t bad in and of themselves, it can be dangerous when we place our faith and trust in them rather than in the Lord. We can easily believe a lie that isn’t prominently visible and that lie is, “God is not enough.”
My girls, the world you’re living in has access to about anything and everything. You can easily view things that you may not have even thought possible, but because of technology, a lot is easily accessible.
What you believe about God will determine the way you live. If God is just like any other “higher being” to you, then your life will prove it. If you believe Him to be Someone powerful, yet only go to Him in times of trouble, then you don’t genuinely believe Him to be All-Powerful.
Yes, God is there for us in times of trouble & testing.
Yes, God is there for us in times of uncertainty and assurance.
Yes, God is there for us in times of failure as well as success.
But my girls, please don’t forget that He is also there in the mundane — in the everyday things, such as when you’re doing your homework, going to school, doing your chores. He’s there when you obey and disobey; when you honor and dishonor.
Don’t forget to dream but at the same time, don’t forget to seek the Lord about those dreams. Ask God to give you a passion or burden for something or someone. There is always someone that you can reach out to. There is always someone that you can be a blessing to.
Don’t underestimate how God can use you — but He can only use you if you WILLINGLY give yourself to Him.
“Not my will, but thine be done.”
If Jesus has you, He has all of you. But if you just give him your time, talent, and treasures but not your full TRUST, (which includes yourself), then you’re holding back from fulfilling what God had planned for you.
So my precious daughters, remember that God is enough.
You may even get to a point in life when you realize that God is all you have and therefore, God is all you need.
So today, I want to encourage and exhort you. You have been three of the greatest blessings in my life and I would be selfish and foolish not to thank God for you.
FAMILY.
I had a good family. Although it was a broken one, I can honestly say that part of who I am today is due largely in part to who raised me and how I was raised. When I was teenager, I dreamed that someday, I would have my own family. And here we are nowliving the dream I once had.
I often think about how your dad and I can’t always give you what you want and for that matter, we do our best to live a life that is enjoyable, not by the standard of material possessions but by the precious time we have with each other. Each passing day is one less day that we have with each. And it is my desire and prayer and hope that we would savor every minute that God gives us.
I pray that someday you all would have your own families. Family is so special and I am struggling to understand why “family” has become more about the possessions rather than the people in our culture today. Your friends may come and go but family—now, that is something to hold onto. And lastly…
FAITH.
My girls, without faith, it is impossible to please God. You all are still pretty young and you may not understand what “pleasing God” is or what faith is, but believe me when I say that you are going to need it if you ever want to get through this life. The times we are currently in are tough but faith is no respecter of our situations. There will be times when we will need lots and lots of it. So get your bags and fill them up because you’re going to need faith. This faith that I am talking about is not a religion — it is a relationship with a loving, Heavenly Father.
Without my faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross, I would be lost. I am pretty sure I would not be your mom and you would not be my daughters. So, I just wanted to remind you that all I am today is because of God. All I have today is because of God. And all that will continue to happen in my life, whether good or bad must first go through the lens of my Heavenly Father.
He is such a good, good Father. And my greatest desire and prayer is that you each would know Him and experience Him because He has changed my life and He can also change yours… It’s because I know Him that I am blessed. Even if you love your life right now, when Jesus is in your life—everything is so much better and everything has meaning.
In conclusion, my dear daughters, I love you with all that I am. I don’t know all that God has in store for your lives but I know without a doubt that He has one for each of you. So seek Him and when you do, seek His purpose for your life and then go and fulfill it. I love you, my babies!
Making Today Matter 