Radical

Today was a day that in the future I may not remember all the details of, but I will remember that what I am doing then was partly because of what I have done and decided today. I read the book Radical by David Platt. I feel kind of behind on this, I've had the book for a while, and honestly have been putting off reading it. I was afraid of it. Of what it would make me think and challenge me to do. I was detrimentally content with life as it was. But this book was exactly what I needed. It opened my eyes to what God wants from me. When you think you already know everything you need to know about something, that's the beginning of the end of you moving forward in whatever that subject may be. I thought I had things figured out for the most part. I didn't and don't claim to be perfect, but now even more I know that I am in need of the Lord to control my life and where He wants be to take it. The book revealed how often I think of me, and how big of a problem that is. My life and the reason I have it is to bring glory to God by showing others what He has done for me. Which is where I sit right now. There are many things I need to pray about and ask forgiveness for, but I'm moving forward and God is the focus. More on this in days to come.

Expectations

I've been having a lot of thoughts lately about the future and what it holds for me. I ask God for guidance because His ways are not mine, and I need direction. Even if I don't do what I had planned, it doesn't really matter to me because I know that that isn't what I was intended to do in the first place. When I know that my life is in God's hands, that's when I'm perfectly at peace because I know things will work out. It may not always be the best or most secure or pleasant situation, but it will be God's plan and that is worth living for and working through. Expectations are just that. They don't really amount to anything. They may be on point, but most often they're a little skewed. So when expectations don't turn out, take it as a fact of life and move past it to what is actually happening. Reality is living in the moment and living for a higher purpose than just a job or a career. It is living for the One who created your life in way that you will be proud to present it back to Him one day with as little regret as possible. My life isn't for me anyway, so why do I worry so much? God has given me exactly what I need at exactly the right time. And in more ways than one. So I will be thankful and take each day as it is until I come to the realization of what I'm actually supposed to be doing.

History

It's been a few days since I watched the series, but the History channel did a miniseries called Hatfields and McCoys. History has always been something that intrigued me, but this story really sparked an interest in me. Maybe because it's a story about the south, I'm not sure. I think what was the most compelling was how these two families became so bitter towards each other, not without good reason I guess, but I want to know the real story. At what moment did the vendetta truly begin? What was the point of no return, when forgiveness and turning the other cheek was no longer in question? In what ways were the families different, but in what ways were they similar? What happened to the kind of loyalty in the younger family members that made them believe that they had no other choice but to continue the feud their relatives began? Is it better or worse that adolescents have grown to be more independent of their parents' values? There are a lot of questions that may never get answered. This is the kind of story that seems like it was a piece of literature from time past, when actually it was real life. They were real people that walked on the earth just like we do. They ate food and breathed the air just like we do. What separates us from them other than time? We can learn that our actions have consequences and do not only affect us. We can learn to stand up for what we know is right in spite of what others are doing. History teaches us to be better people based on what others have done before us, good or bad. Learning about the past is the key to understanding how to achieve a successful future.