Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
To be honest, this summer wasn’t easy for me. It was a rollercoaster of anxiety, happiness, fear, discouragement, excitement, frustration, eagerness, and doubt. But I’m still here. I survived the summer of 2018. And I learned a few life-changing lessons along the way.
I was listening to Satan's lie that I'd love my body if I followed his orders—his meal plan, his exercise regime, and his sleep schedule. But when I did, I still didn’t love my body.
And then I began to realize the truth: I wasn't trusting God's plan. I wanted to receive a book contract now. I wanted to be a successful author now. I wanted my dreams to come true now. But that clearly wasn’t God's will for me. Even though I struggled to accept His will, He graciously used my disappointment to teach me three important things about my dreams—and I'll share them with you here.
I worshiped eight idols today. No, I’m not exaggerating. I worshiped eight different idols in less than 24 hours—and that doesn't even include all of them.
Courage is more common than we think. Every single day, we are faced with opportunities to be strong and courageous…or to fearfully back down. I often choose to fearfully back down. I could try to complicate the reasons why I do this, or I could admit that I’m simply terrified and unwilling to trust my Savior.
Do you ever feel like you’re living a blah spiritual life? I definitely do. I’ve been a Christian since I was a little girl, so I’ve learned how I should act and what I should do as a Christian. But sometimes I get tired of doing the "right" thing.
Though writer’s block can cause plenty of frustration and anxiety, that's probably not the greatest fear that writers have. I'd probably include writer's block in the list of minor fears that writers have, along with other common fears like "What if I don't win _____ writing contest?" or "What if my writing gets rejected by _____ website or _____ magazine?" The greatest fear of writers is more serious than a bad case of writer's block—our plans and our purpose are at the core of this fear.
Perhaps you can relate to my experience. Maybe you live in a cramped dorm room where your roommate frequently blares her music. Or maybe you have a baby brother who cries constantly. Or maybe you live in a big city where the traffic outside your room is insanely loud. I understand that it can be hard to have a quiet time in a busy or noisy atmosphere, but there are some practical ways to handle the distractions.
I want to earn a degree in marketing. I want to become a published author within five years after I graduate from college. I want to write for Christian magazines or websites. I want to get married by the age of 25 and have kids by the age of 30. I want to maintain a beautiful home that’s close to my parents. I want to have three kids and maybe even a pet. I want to work from home while I take care of my husband and kids. But truth be told, my expectations are probably too high—and I blame you for that.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 