Thank God for Jesus ;)

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."
— Mother Teresa

I had a really long conversation with God, a couple of days ago. It ended with me feeling like an idiot, lstm. I had just gotten done talking to a friend about not putting your plans for the future above God's. He had called and shared some thoughts and feelings that were in his head, but as often happens when personal thoughts are shared with us...sometimes they seem to apply to us as well.

The conversation ends well, however...*click*...*God's voice in my heart begins*"Daniel, let's talk about the things that you've got planned...." *sigh* I should have seen that one coming God....

At first, I tried to explain how flexible I am with what I've got planned, but I knew that He wasn't buying it...you don't have to hear God's audible voice to know when you're wrong. Next, I brought up the fact that I'm completely willing to go where He leads...then the conviction started coming. Finally, I stopped and listened...waited. It was hard to do at first, not just because of snoring Middle Schoolers, but as I reflected and sat...I started to get it.

*Laughs* The most "amusing" part was that I found myself pulling an Abraham with God. "I get it God, I might not be any of the jobs that I see myself doing, but could you try to keep it in the same type of range? Okay, if you ever do call me to live like Paul, which I truly hope you don't...I'll do it...but I won't be happy. In fact, why did you make my personality like it is if you.... BUT if you do...can I adopt? If you ever do want me to move, could you not send me somewhere that involves extreme heat? What if instead of...Etc..." I would keep going, but I'm embarrassed even as I type this out.

I'm embarrassed because I was hit hard by a mental image of my savior, spread out upon a cross, nothing like perspective to put someone in their place. And my place is at the feet of the servant savior.

I wasn't that God told me all the things that I hope for "won't" come true. It wasn't that He told me that the opposite would happen instead. He was simply saying, "Just live for me, today. I've got you, let go. Live for me, today. If something's supposed to come, it won't surprise me. Live for me, today. I have plans for you to prosper Daniel. Live for me, today."



"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Matthew 6:25-34


I don't want to live for myself, like I REALLY don't want to live for myself...but it so easy to fall back in to a lifestyle that revolves around me. What bothers me, I'll avoid it. What makes me happy, I'll go to it. Who challenges me, I'll avoid them. Who agrees with me, I'll go to them. I know that not the way I should be thinking, but it's going to be a fight...though I suppose that's often the point.


Your Love is Strong - Jon Foreman


Feel free to keep me accountable my friends, if it bothers me...I'll get over it. Seriously, this isn't about what I want or like...just keep me faithful. As I also keep myself faithful. As I realize and depend on God to keep me faithful more than anything or anyone else. "Thank God for Jesus" - Quote from a widow whose house I sat in during our mission trip, after working and sitting with her...she responded to something with those words...I LOVE IT!!! :)