Winged Contentment

Yes, I am alone on Valentine's Night.

Literally, alone. I've got the place to myself. Just me, my laptop, and a steaming mug of chai spice tea.

February 14 is an excuse for a lot of things: giddy laughter, chocolate, hand-holding, candlelight, chocolate, self-pity, sad poetry, chocolate, and nasty little sugar hearts printed with trite phrases. I'd be prepared to see less of some things (except the chocolate), but one thing that I think we need to see more of (among singles and couples) is contentment.

This is something that I struggle with sometimes--who doesn't? Even the happily dating, betrothed, or wedded can have their share of pity parties.

What image does the word "contentment" bring up on the screen of your mind?

Maybe you see quiet diligence, working hard and successfully ignoring all the beautiful, but deceptive, luxuries of the world.

Maybe you see a spiritualist wacko doing a yoga pose and blissfully deluding himself into thinking the world is peachy keen.

Does that sound like a life with wings? 

Does that sound like the kind of life God means you to live?

What if "contentment" instead meant somebody who laughs into the face of loneliness, fear of rejection, unworthiness and grace-less-ness and sings boldly,

"God I trust you. I trust you with every ounce of blood and passion of my being that you will do abundantly more for me than I could ever imagine, and I seize with my hands and heart the magnificent blessings that you have prepared for me in this very second."

That's an attitude I could get behind. That's a brand of contentment that I could be a fan of.

Questions for comments: What is your idea of "contentment"? Is it positive or negative? Can you honestly say along with Paul, "I have learned the secret of being content"?

Wherever the Cross Takes Me...

This is Altogether Separate's fortieth post. Forty is an interesting number. It rained over all the earth for forty days and nights. God led the Israelites through the wilderness forty years.  Jesus was on the mountain forty days and nights, tempted by Satan. A child is in the womb forty weeks...

But I digress.

Now, on to our regularly scheduled post.

As children, my friends' future careers changed on almost a weekly basis. Most of them still have no idea what they're ultimately going to do with their lives, and they rub their temples as they choose a major and pray for God's guidance on the road ahead.

I was always the odd one. I career-swapped a number of times in my early school days (though always pursuing similar fields), but well before middle school my love of animals and fascination with science fused into a steadfast pursuit of veterinary medicine.

My interest and utter enthusiasm in that area never waned (and if you find yourself particularly bored today or taking a curious fascination to strangers' childhoods you can read an essay about my peculiar and nerdy one), but as I grew older I began to wonder if doctoring animals was really what God wanted me to do with my life. After all, shouldn't I dedicate my blink-of-an-eye time on earth to serving people? Was this a God-given desire, or one to test me to see how much I was willing to sacrifice to follow Him?

It was during that time I learned of veterinary missionaries—veterinarians who abandon the comfort of their former lives to practice in less fortunate regions of the world, caring for the animals the native people rely upon for food, transportation, and income; educating them to increase the longevity of their livestock and equipping local veterinarians; and often ministering to the people in more conventional ways by distributing Bibles and helping churches and teaching English.

I came to realize there are at least as many ways to serve God as there are people to serve Him, and it was entirely possible I could serve through the veterinary field. Regardless of where life took me—overseas or here at home—I would be shining the Light He put in me by enabling me to live a holy life, and I would be fulfilling a necessary occupation in the world.

And what if this isn't what God wants? What if He wants me to marry and have children instead?

I suspect there is a good chance I am called to serve as a single woman (although honestly at this point I have no idea), but if I am to serve God by serving a husband, I will gladly devote my life to ministering to him and educating my children. If the latter, the knowledge and skills acquired in my time of singleness will probably help me in the future in ways I can't conceive of.

But the important thing is that I am content with God's plan, and I will carry my cross and follow Him wherever He may lead.

[By the way, I'm pretty sure I got all the facts right in the first paragraph, but I have the horrible habit of second-guessing myself and I don't have the time to double-check right now. So if I got anything wrong please let me know. =P]

Image credit GabrielaP93 on Flickr.

Finding Blessings

Hello Dear Readers,

This week and next weeks topics will conisist of writings focused on "Finding beauty in who God wants us to be" or " Being who we are as God created us to be."

As I thought about what to write on, I realized what a deep subject we are taking on and how we could spend a month rather than two weeks on this topic :]  How do I touch a subject that effects so many young ladies hearts and bring encouragement to them in a short post?

I have to admit, I write this with some trepidation.  This is an area that I struggle with and it's difficult for me to write about something I have yet to fully apply to my own life.  So, as you read this, please understand I am still working on application.

Our family has been learing a lot lately about this specific topic from Embassy Institute (I wrote about this on my blog).  Paul and Jenny Speed, two of the speakers, have specifically talked about how Satan desires us to believe different lies about ourselves that cause us to not be able to live vibrant lives, content and happy where God has placed us and with who we are. - The young women He has created us to be.    One of the points that they continue to point out is that we are made in the image of God.  If we believe lies that Satan has encouraged us to believe, like, "I'm ugly," "I'm worthless," "I'm stupid," "I need to do everything perfect in order to be loved," etcetera, then we need to ask ourselves, "Is God stupid?"  Is God ugly?" "Is God worthless?"  We are made in His image and He is not any of those things and neither are we.


Whatever it is that we believe about ourselves, we need realize that Satan is putting those lies into our heads and we need to denounce him and find who we are in Christ.  He is the only one we are to seek our validation and worth from.  If He believes we are special enough to send His only Son, to die on the cross, to take our penalty for our sins, then we as His daughters should trust Him.  He has a specific reason for the color of our eyes, hair and skin, our height and weight, our family, friends, and where we live, what our talents and weaknesses are and so much more.


Can you find the blessings in life's storms?

On of the keys to finding contentment with who we are (along with prayer & devotions) is seeing the blessings in our surroundings.  Cultivating the character qualities of gratefulness and contentment.

"Gratefulness is the foundation of a believers walk with God, and of God's daily will for our lives. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ~ In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
By giving thanks for all things, including unexpected trials, physical infirmities, people who reproach and persecute us, mundane necessities of life, distressing situations, we will pass the test of the Holy Spirit and receive the power of genuine love, joy and peace." [1]

(As I read the above paragraph I realized that the quote needed the verse Phillipians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." to go with it.  We will never be able to accomplish any of the above without Christ's help!)

"Gratefulness is defined by God as a sacrifice because it means surrenduring our natural tendency to murmur." [2]   Psalm 116:17, " I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord."

"Next to faith, this is the highest art: to be content in the calling in which God has placed you." ~ Martin Luther

God has a reason for everything, our job is to trust Him and follow where He leads.

I want to encourage you to find the blessings that surround you.  Satan has to work doubly hard on a heart that is grateful and content.

Abigail wrote on her personal blog a few week ago about a website that Ann Voskamp (author of "One Thousand Gifts") writes.  She has a free list that she will post every month, containing ideas on how to find unique and creative ways to find beauty in your life.  It has greatly encouraged me and I would highly recommend taking on the challenge of finding 1,000 gifts in a year.  Here is a link to her website.  Enjoy!

May God bless you girls with eyes and hearts that find joy, peace, and beauty in who God has made you and where He has placed you.

Striving one day at a time to follow the narrow road,