Patient

I am definitely one of those people that says "patience is a virtue". I believe that everything will happen in its own time and that God has a plan for everything.

However, I feel that, at this time in our nation, we need to be practicing patience more than anything. Things are a little crazy and I'm finding it hard be patient. With the election happening today and with graduation less than six months away (OMG), I find myself getting more and more stressed and wanting to get it all over and done with.

So, let's talk about what it means to be patient in our lives.

Patience is not a personality trait…

Despite our great wish that it could be so simple to excuse it’s absence in us. It does not come naturally or easily to any us. It is a character trait. It must be developed, honed, grown, tried, tested, proven. We are, naturally, selfish creatures, desiring our own way in our own timing always. Conscious effort must be made to flourish Patience. And how is Patience grown? In trials of course! Trials breed Patience, patience keeps us safe in trials. It is a cycle of growth, with each struggle we become equipped to handle the next. With each one growing in strength of character until we are who we were made to be.

It's not laziness or "passive waiting"...

And it's not a hardship, no matter what we all believe...

 Yes, patience will carry us through hardship, but do not get the idea that in accepting the task of learning Patience that you are subjecting yourself to a dismal existence. No! Patience is the very force that enables us to be able to live gloriously though all around you be broken. For Patience sees through the present gloom into the future brightness. Patience doesn’t just smile bravely as hell breaks loose around you. Patience smiles with a secret that it knows, though no one else can see it. Living in Patience is like living in the week before Christmas. The present is still a mystery, yet there is that package under the tree; bright, shiny, making you smile with anticipation whenever you think of it. You cannot open the present today, but you know that it is prepared for you. And so you are happy. THAT is Patience.

One of my favorite verses is in James. It says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4).

STORY TIME!

About two weeks ago, I received a call from my mother. It was like any normal call except for the very end. Apparently, we were having some financial aid issues and we lost some grant money that we were supposed to receive to help pay for my education at Berry. There was miscommunication through everyone and for a little bit, I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to finish my senior year.

I didn't want to be patient about any of it. I wanted things to figure themselves out and I didn't want to worry about any of it! I mean, isn't that what anybody would be wishing for??

So, I had to go meet with my financial advisor and figure things out and eventually had to write an appeal letter to Berry to try and get grants or loans to help me and my family out. It was stressful and I was on the edge of my seat for about a week.

Fast forward to today.

I was laying in bed and watching a movie, not really doing much of anything. I heard my phone ring, notifying me of an email from someone at Berry. I opened it and saw an email from financial aid and immediately my heart started pounding. I didn't want to open it. I just assumed that it would be bad news. However, I built up the courage and opened the email... And you know what?

My appeal was approved! That's right, Berry granted me more financial aid to help with my education and I will still be able to graduate on time next May!

After opening that email, I began to sob. Literally sob in my bed. I was so overwhelmed with everything that I just broke down.

Guys...God is so so good. I felt so stupid for being stressed out about this thing in life. I really should've trusted God with the weight of those burdens. Yet, I took it all upon myself to carry those weights.

You see, that story can apply to the rest of life. Especially with this election going on right now.

We need to stop stressing and worrying about everything. Yes, this election is crazy and yes, there are awful things going on in this country. But, we need to cast all those burdens on the Lord.

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalm 55:22)

We need to come together and be patient. We should not fear anything that happens on this world. For we have a heavenly world waiting for us. The bible clearly says "do not fear" 365 times. That is enough for every day of the year. 

So, let us not fear the future. Let us not worry about whatever will happen with this election. Let's cast all our anxieties upon the Lord and trust that He has the perfect plan for us. 

And remember, Christ is King. He will not forsake us. 

In His Name.

#firstworldproblem

Hello, again.

I apologize for not posting in a while. It got really busy last semester and then Christmas break came around. Really, all I wanted to do is spend it with my family. I don't feel guilty about not posting though. I think I needed a break to gather my thoughts and to really think about what I wanted this blog to do with the people around me. However, I am back and I am very excited to continue sharing the thoughts that God has put in my head.

Just a few days ago, I sat down with one of my best friends here at college. We grabbed a coffee and were trying to catch up since we hadn't seen each other in a few weeks. What was going to be maybe a 30 minute conversation turned into almost a few hours. I bet you're wondering how that could happen. Well, it isn't because we're girls.

The conversation that started with stories of being home and crazy Christmas tales turned into a discussion about a topic that we are both very passionate about: missions.

You see, my friend has traveled to Haiti a couple of times as she was in high school. And, as you guys know, I've been to Uganda. We've had conversations about missions before, but this one in particular was very special and close to my heart.

Do you guys remember the first world problems hashtag and meme from a few years ago? Maybe this will help out a bit:

Does that seem familiar now? How about the Skeptical Third World Kid meme? 

We use the First World Problem hashtag as a way to complain about our country. We just slap it on the end of a tweet and we believe that we are being funny. And I'll be the first to admit that I have used this hashtag. Maybe not on tweets, but I have definitely said it whether it be referring to having to walk to class or referring to the fact that my dining hall doesn't have anything good to eat for dinner. 

And you know what?

I am so ashamed of this hashtag. So ashamed. 

This seems so cliche, but we shouldn't be complaining for this life that we live. Complaining about the water and food we have easy access to doesn't do us any good. We come off as petty and conceited. As if the United States doesn't already seem that way to others, we have to add this complaint to push it even farther. 

You see, my friend and I were sharing stories about being in Haiti and Uganda. Specifically, we were discussing how awful we as first world people seem to third world societies. I remember telling my friend a couple of specific stories about Uganda when I was so ridden with guilt and shame of my country.

In Uganda, the people there have to travel to a well in order to get water for their homes. This "well" could be only a few yards from their house or it could be well over 3 miles (there and back). While visiting a school there, we got to experience the journey (about half a mile give or take a bit) to the well. The terrain was rough; roots and rocks stuck up everywhere. It was easy to trip and fall. (At the time, I had on a knee brace from a dislocation earlier in the summer, so it was a more difficult trek for me.) I remember our youth leader having the opportunity to help a man put containers of water on his bike. As they walked together, the man asked our leader how far we had to walk to get our water for our homes. 

I don't know if any of you understand, but it was probably one of the most difficult things to tell this man that we only have to walk a few feet in our homes and water is instantly available. This caused me to think about all of the times I had complained about not having hot water for a shower, about how the filter hadn't been changed in our fridge, and about when the water pressure was to low for my "standards". So much shame weighed upon me in that moment. 

Then there was another time when a little girl asked how we got to school (i.e. how far we had to walk). That was another difficult conversation. We had to explain to this little girl (who was maybe 6-8 years old) that we each had our own car that we drove to school in the morning and it only took us about five minutes to get there. 

Those children walk miles upon miles to get an education. Some of them even walking five miles there and five miles back to there homes. And not all of them get to attend. Only a select few. 

How many times have I taken my car for granted? Answer: too many to count. 

I don't want to use the cliche and say that we need to understand that others have it worse than we do. And I don't want to blame anybody or try and make anybody feel guilty. We just need to recognize who remarkably blessed we are with our lives. We are so blessed that our complaints sound petty compared to the threatening challenges of clean water, accessible food sources and devastating medical challenges faced by the Third World populations. 

Even Christianity has its own First World Problems. We can see these in 2 Timothy 2. In this chapter, Paul repeatedly tells Timothy not to get involved in foolish or petty arguments. He tells Timothy to remind people to stop fighting over words. Today, it's easy to spot Believers when they get sidetracked by the Christian equivalent of First World Problems. 

Feel free to insert your choice of words here:

• The music at church is too…(loud, quiet, traditional, contemporary, inauthentic, unprofessional).

• The preacher at my church preaches…(too long, too short, too deep, too shallow, without enough meat, without enough application, without enough stories, with too many stories).

• I could never share the gospel with them they…(would be offended, might think I’m weird, would never believe that really matters to me, would hold me to a higher standard).

• I’m switching churches because my kids…(don’t connect here, like the program over there, need more personal attention, need a larger group with more activities).

• I’m thinking about going somewhere else because my church changed…(locations, Sunday School, Small Groups, Sunday night services, visitation, the free coffee they serve on Sunday morning).

If we are being completely honest here, none of the ideas or thoughts above are wicked or sinful. We're human, we are going to have these thoughts. However, we, as followers of Christ, have a responsibility to carefully consider the group of people God intends for us to grow with. We need to be accountable with them and partner with them in ministry. We need to be committed to making sure that our practice of faith and the principles of Scripture closely align. 

With that being said, there are those comfortable problems that are debated by those that are privileged. And by privileged, I mean to say that they have the time, energy and resources to argue about one preference over another. 

These problems can lead to broke relationships, declining influence of the church and the breakage of the strength of the body of Christ. 

2 Timothy 2:10 says, "So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen."

Let's just remember how blessed we are to have the life that God has given us. There is no sense in comparing us to others. For some of them believe, too, they are blessed with the life that God has given them. 

The First World Problem hashtag/meme will always be dislike by me. However, the usage of it does remind me of how blessed I am to be living this life. I just need to remember to thank my Father every day for the opportunities I have been given and not to take anything for granted.