Saturday, January 22, 2011

It's Been a Year

January 18, 2011 I wrote this post, Beyond Awesome (reposted today to my new blog), because on January 17th I made the best yet hardest decision of my life thus far. It has been a little over a year since that weekend retreat where I surrendered all control of my life over to Jesus!

However funny this may be, my first thought when I realized a year had passed since becoming a Christian was a bit out of the ordinary. It had nothing to do with the complete 180˚ my life made nor the love I experienced for the first time but instead was more along the lines of, "I can't believe I've stuck with anything this long."

Some daisies I nabbed pics of on a bike ride and one
of my favorite Bible verses
I usually have a hard time finding meaning in one thing for a long period of time. For the everyday person a good example might be dieting and exercise. In the beginning you give it 100% wanting to reap the full benefits of being healthier so you work hard to eat right, vow to take the stairs at work and maybe hit the gym a few times a week. But when the results don't come quickly, you feel as though the work you are putting in is a waste! Your diet begins to slip, the stairs are seen as a hassle, and the gym membership is just another bill you get in the mail each month. Before you know it, chips and ice cream have made their way back into your diet and you count walking around your house as exercise. Frustrating right?

I couldn't  believe I'd stuck with anything this long and I wanted to figure out why I had but the answer was obvious! God isn't like a restricting diet or a vigorous exercise program! The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." The harder you look for God the more he reveals Himself to you and unlike dieting and exercise the result of your dedication to Him can be seen everyday in relationships, in school, and even in struggles!

So I guess this is when I talk about the 180˚ my life took and the unconditional love only God can provide....It's too remarkable. Every day the guilt that used to weigh heavily on my heart becomes less of a burden and I experience more and more of His love. I could go on forever about how his love has changed me but I wouldn't even know where to start so I'll save it for another post! Instead I'll just celebrate the best year of my life in the presence of a God who understands, wants, and loves me just as I am!

1 comment:

Beth said...

I couldn't remember your blog name! But I've found it again. :)

Love you, glad you've stuck with it.