//Be Brave//

I apologize that these posts never made it into the 31 day series time frame  they are the last of the final week digesting truth. So since I feel they are still appropriate, I'm going to finish sharing them =) 

Isn't it so funny how sometimes after we figure out what passion or dream to pursue, we still feel we aren't cut out for it? 

We still question when things get a little bumpy, when it doesn't go smoothly. 

And we find ourselves asking so many questions, was this really the right thing to do? Is this trouble a result of making the wrong choice? Is it simply because this is a good thing and I am being attacked? 

There's fear involved with chasing dreams.

Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of Change. Fear of it not meeting expectations. 

Feeling as we see others doing what we are trying to do better than we can.

Feeling as though are talents are less than those of others.

I don't know about you friends, but sometimes I even wish for another's calling. I wish to be able to do things like someone else does. Wish that I could be more like them. 

Then I was reminded of some truth.

'There is no new truth, all belongs to God. 

But sometimes we simply need to hear someone else say it.'

(Emily Freeman, A Million Little Ways)

It's true. Someone else may have the same dream, talents or abilities as you. But sometimes in order to hear things, they need to be said or communicated in a different way. By writing your stories, or making your artwork or taking your pictures or whatever dream you have, you may have the ability to share with someone something that allows them to finally hear a message. 

Even if its been said before, when you say it. They may finally hear it! 

How encouraging is that? We may not be the most talented or best, but we can still be used by God.

We just need to be brave! There are so many things in each of us that are not in anyone else. We have all been made different from each other with a different mix of abilities. 

(Via)

  

Be Brave friends! Lets pursue those dreams and talents we know we should chase!

This post is still part of my 31 day series for the month of October, 
fighting through the fears and sharing the confusing passions I have. 
Hoping to figure out the bigger picture of all these interests.

(I added several extra days to finish sharing truth I found along the way!)

October Fun. //Halloween//

We were invited to a Halloween party this year, so I thought we could totally have fun dressing up in costumes this year. 
Our first Halloween we weren't in the same country, so we didn't dress up. 
Our 2nd Halloween we had a blast dressing up as Thing 1 and Thing 2. (We had tickets to an event that required costumes....they were kinda last minute)

Last year was also last minute and involved driving around to about 4 different thrift stores to find things we needed. We were minions as you can see in the back of the group picture.

So this year.....I decided I didn't want to end up spending more than $20 as I don't think costumes should be expensive. So I found an amazing blog who made her kids costumes, but they were made from a template of their clothes......and figured we could totally do that and just make them to fit us. I knew what we should be this year, I just didn't want to pay the $100+ for actual costumes. I even checked eBay but they were still that price. So I went to Joanns with my coupon and spent about $20 on supplies and pulled out my sewing machine. So last weekend, all my waking moments were spent working on these:

Link to Rapunzel Costume (I only made the top section, the skirt was an old Prom dress)

Link to Flynn Rider Costume 

If you guys dressed up or your kids did, leave a link in the comments. 

I want to see =) 

//Knowing What to Chase//

One of the biggest things I have struggled with is the question of knowing what to chase. So there are all these passions in my life, potential things I could pursue. But how do we know what we should look into? What things are good things to pursue? Which one should I do that brings glory to God? 

Well first of all, the question of what shouldn't we pursue could be considered. 

'Chasing a desire that will lead to doing something wrong is sin. But be very careful with your wording. The point isn't that you would then be violating the law of God - we already know we can't keep his law. The point now, as a new covenant believer, is that you would be violating the love of God, and that is a different motivation altogether.'

(A Million Little Ways, Emily Freeman p.121)

So we know that we want to reveal His glory! That is our purpose. And our greatest fear is to violate His love. When we love someone, we want to do what brings them joy. So out of our love for Him, we know that is something we don't want to chase. Something that would hurt Him. 

'So God created human beings in his own image.

    In the image of God he created them;

    male and female he created them.'

(Genesis 1:27)

We are made in His image, for this reason we are an artist like He is. Isn't that amazing? I have always loved being creative, of feeling crazy and sitting with my felt & glue gun loving the mess of making something beautiful. There are times when projects don't quite turn out the way I see them in my mind though, where my talents come up short. That's ok too. 

Our limits can be a gift themselves. They should us what our passion isn't, what we shouldn't chase. And knowing what we shouldn't chase can be just as important as knowing what to chase.

'If you are a person who has received the sacrifice of Jesus in your place and who has a spirit united with His spirit, then your greatest purpose is to reveal His glory and your greatest grief is to violate His love.'

(A Million Little Ways, Emily Freeman p.121)

Guess I'll have to prayerfully consider which of the things in my life I have shared that are not to be chased. That is at least something helpful. 

This post is part of my 31 day series for the month of October, 
fighting through the fears and sharing the confusing passions I have. 
Hoping to figure out the bigger picture of all these interests.