Change Is Necessary For Us To Grow!!

"Change" can be a tricky word. If I were to venture into the minds of many of you, I would guess that most of you would either say "love it" or "hate it"!! For instance, this SNOW outside..either you love it or you hate it! Seriously, Christmas was over and I told my kids that we could now skip the snow and move to spring! Of course, they were not happy with that comment because they "love" snow. They love to play in it. They love to eat it. They love to fight each other with it! They LOVE snow. Myself, on the other hand, hates it! I hate the mess it makes. I hate that it is cold. I hate that it prevents me from going outside at times and makes me become a grouchy hermit crab. I absolutely hate that almost everything outside dies because of the pretty white, sparkling snow! BUT, without the snow, we wouldn't have the beautiful smell of spring flowers, the renewed freshness in the air come March, the warm family nights in the middle of winter, the reflection of the sun off the white snowflakes in the midst of the gloomy Ohio weather! We wouldn't have the giggles and the laughter as children sleigh ride down steep slippery hills and we wouldn't have snowmen with oreo eyes and carrot noses! So, is it truly just love it or hate it...guess not!

Beth Moore posted on her blog an invitation to reflect on what God has done in our lives during 2011. I know that you have had some CHANGE in your life...good or bad, loving it or hating it! "Change" is inevitable! "Change" is necessary! "Change" is for your good whether you love it or hate it. I am convicted in my heart that "change" is a part of God's plan and we better be prepared for it! It is part of the transformation process in our hearts and souls. Change can be good or bad depending on how we react to it and if we we are flexible or adaptable with it. What are we going to do with "change"? Are we going to allow it to mold us and transform us? Are we going to allow it to hinder us? Are we going to allow it distract us from the ultimate glorification for God? God uses everything for His Glory! Embrace change! Change transforms!

So, an invitation to reflect on what God has done in my life during 2011? What CHANGE have I seen? How has God transformed me? Reflection is part of my everyday life. My mind never stops reflecting! Mmmmm, this is a love-hate relationship in my mind! I love it because it helps me grow, but I hate it because my brain never shuts off! So, I have come up with 12 words that reflect how God has worked in my life with small tidbits of information supporting my WORD! I only have time for 3 today...but 3 key ones in my opinion!

1. Leader: Through my "full surrender", He has become the Leader of my life. Self sufficiency is no longer a part of my vocabulary. Luke 8:23 states "if any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me." Lord, be the LEADER of every part of my life....I just make a mess! I give you FULL control! Hey, I am no longer labled "sweet little control freak" by a friend of mine...now that is an accomplishment!

2. Potter: He is the Potter and I am the Clay! Isaiah 64:8 "And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the Clay, and you are the Potter. We are formed by your hand." I was the Potter trying to fix the cracks with all my "spackle" until one day a friend told me that "the Lord doesn't want a fixed up piece of pottery with cracks...He wants to transform you into a brand new piece of pottery!" So, I have chosen to throw that spackle away and allow God to be the one to FIX the cracks...Obedience is a tough one, but well worth it! Now I am just waiting to become that beautiful Pitcher full of His Living Water!

3. Faithful: Wow, this one could be a couple pages! Multiple scriptures speak of His faithfulness in our lives! Today I choose 2 Thessalonians 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one". The Lord has been faithful to me this year in strengthening me in hardships and guarding me from the attacks of Satan. He has stood faithfully by my side as I traveled along some rocky roads in seeking His Truth and in fighting the Lies!! Praise the Lord!

Check back for the continuation....my mind is still goin! Can't you hear the gears going?

I would love if you shared a few words of your own!!