Sunday, August 4, 2013

What God has taught me this year

    This year has been such a whirlwind.  So much has happened in my life in such a short period of time.  Today I want to reflect back and share with you some of the important lessons that God taught me lately. Enjoy!

  • Grace is Amazing.
  • God really knows who I am. And He desires a deep, intimate, personal relationship with me.  (He truly desires one with you, too)
  • Portland is the best place in the world to live.  It has the best food, the best coffee, and the best beer. My church is pretty rad, too.
  • God created us for community.  Oftentimes it's easier to do life by yourself, covering yourself up so that the world can't see who you really are.  The truth is, though, that God desires SO MUCH MORE for your life.  He desires freedom from the covering up and rest from the hiding.  And this is found in a loving, Spirit-filled community of people who love you and want the best for you; people who aren't afraid to tell you the truth and want the same from you. This has probably been one of the most challenging lessons I've learned this year, and I'm still learning it more every day. Living openly in a community is by no means easy, but its the best way to live.
  • Live honestly and open your heart. There is so much freedom there.
  • Pursue excellence in everything you do.
  • How you treat the grocery store clerk matters.
  • How you treat your body matters.
  • What you do when no one is looking matters.
  • Loving your coworkers can make all the difference in your attitude towards work.
  • Single friends, strive for purity like your life depends upon it.
  • Unplug from social media, smart phones and technology every once in a while to get back to what really matters: family, friends, Jesus, and being present in the here and now.
  • There is so much power in forgiveness.  While you should always forgive, don't do it begrudgingly.  There is power in forgiving someone - it breaks chains and allows grace to sweep into their heart on your behalf.  Don't tell someone you forgive them unless you really mean it.  So really mean it. Thank you for teaching me this valuable lesson recently, Jordan Andlovec.
  • I am not single for myself. I'm single for those who I have the opportunity to do life with, serve and love. Thank you, Haley Cloyd, for teaching me this one.
  • A few very close friends is better than a zillion "friends".
  • Prayer is POWERFUL.  Act like God is listening when you pray to Him, because He really is.
  • Jesus is LORD.
  • I can handle a lot more on my plate than I think I can.
  • When all else fails you can always call your best friend and count on her to answer. Shout out to my best friend Rebecca Maggi on this one.
  • Folding laundry is so therapeutic for me. So is blogging.
  • Drink lots of water.  Nine times out of ten this year drinking more water has been a medical problem solver.
  • My week tends to go so much better when I take a day for Sabbath. I need to constantly remind myself of this one!
  • It is possible to control your thought life.  It's not always easy, but it is possible.
  • Love in crazy, radical ways that people won't expect.
XOXO

Kathryn

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