Ponderings on turning twenty-five.

 

If you had asked me what I thought my life would be like at 25...

...at 3, I probably wouldn't have been able to give you an answer. Being that old was beyond my comprehension, I would have just thought one of those 'grown-ups.'

...at 5 I might have told you an owner of a dream house (probably pink) complete with jeep, a mommy and married to ken.

...at 7 I might have answered ballerina, I was on a ballet kick without ever having taken a class in my life.

...at 13 I might have been more serious and told you a kindergarten teacher. Perhaps I should have listened to 13 yr-old me.

...at 16 I might have told you married and a mommy. Oh and perhaps a doctor on the side. That one stuck a little longer than the others.

...at 18 I might have said probably still in med school.

Well here I am days away from being twenty-five and I can honestly say almost all of those predictions of where I thought I would be at aren't true.

I'm ok with that.

The truth of it is, I honestly don't know what life will look like in the future.

I am married now - one of the Lord's biggest gifts of grace in my life. I did think that I would have children by now, or perhaps be expecting anyway. I also thought we would be set financially a little more by now.

But God's ways are so much bigger than my own.

He has nothing but good things in store for me.

Just like He does for you.

'For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.'

{Jeremiah 29:11-12} 

The beauty of it is, He has my best interests in mind, not just my comforts. 

He knows what will bring me eternal happiness and what will only satisfy temporarily. 

He desires to grow me and shape me, not just make life easy for me.

The even better part is He so loves that sometimes He does give me those dreams out of His love for me. Sometimes my heart's desires line up with His best for me.

But His focus is eternal, on things above.

'Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  

Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.'

{Psalm 37:3-4}

As much as I sometimes want those dreams to be here already, I only have to read His letters to me,

'For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. 

The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.'

{Psalm 84:11}

and I am reminded that He knows what He is doing.

Life may not always look like I want it to.

And I'm learning more & more.

This is a good thing.

'There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens...'

{Ecclesiastes 3:1}

With Love,

An almost-25-yr-old Daughter of the King

[On my Heart] Run to Jesus.

{via}

Often the plans we have for our own lives are not God's plans for us.

We have to trust Him & exercise our faith knowing that He will work it for our good ~ which is His good, all for His glory.

At times when I am low, it is usually because I am not clinging to His truth.

I am not seeking Him the way I should be.

The world around me has once again taken over and problems seem too big.

Then I am reminded....

God is Bigger!

When I realise the problem is not the things around me, but in fact with me.

I run back to Jesus.

Into His arms.....

And the problems seem so much smaller.

Not as important as they once seemed.

They might still be a big deal and valid concerns.

But the knowledge that the one who moves mountains (Mark 11:23-24)

has me by my right hand (Psalm 73:23).

He is the one writing my story.

He will lead me in the part I have in His larger story.

I am trying to learn to let go of what I feel are my rights in life.

Everything beautiful in life is a blessing, not a right.

Being happily married, having godly children, living a life of purity waiting for the One He has.

All these are gifts from the Lord, a result of His grace, they are not earned.

It is by His grace, I am able to have anything beautiful in my life.

Without Him, I am nothing.

So He has been teaching me to focus on the joyful things He has blessed me with.

Not with the things which for now, are not part of my life.

To focus on the beautiful friendships, family & relationships He has given me.

This past week I did not write much, 

I was refocusing on the Lord.

Relining my Heart to His will for my life.

Learning to be content with where He has me, and continuing to learn what He wants me to learn at this moment in time.

No matter how hard.

Because nothing else in this life is as important as that.

Run to Jesus, sweet friends.

There is no better place to spend your time.

Much Love,

L

P.S. Check out the website linked to the first picture! Haha so much fun! It was edited, just so you know =)
P.P.S. I will leave the signup for the Spring Fling Swap open over the weekend just in case you missed it! If you have already signed up, you should be getting an email from Erin & I soon!!!! Yay!!!