Make the Most of the Alone Times

Last Friday, I did something that I'd never done before. Aside from getting my hair dyed completely honey blonde, I decided to make a trip to the movie theater. Alone. In all my years of life, I'd never done that. I always thought that was so weird and loner looking. However, I must say that I really enjoyed the time I spent with ME!

If any of y'all (mainly ladies) have fallen in love with The Notebook, then you will really enjoy The Lucky One! It's ranked up there for me! I mean, any movie that has the power to make me cry must be good in some way. And my my my...if my desire for a white man wasn't refueled in that movie! Move over Noah...and come on in the house Logan! =)

So I guess that little bit of eye candy on the screen made my solo movie going experience worthwhile...lol. However, I don't think I'm ready to go by myself to a sit-down restaurant or a night showing of a movie yet. And I mean, I shouldn't have to do anything alone. And don't get me wrong; I have friends that could have very well accompanied me. This was by choice, and I wanted to spend time with myself for a change.

For some people (maybe you), doing anything alone is a scary thought.  They feel lost without noise, chatter, and events with friends filling up their schedule. They don't know the essence of who they really are without their trusty clique and/or significant other.  Everyday they "grind," and pretty much they live for the weekends. And it's just a repeat cycle, with a mix of random events and the annoyances of life.

My question is: What are you gonna do on those days when you have no one to call? When you're just stuck with you?

The real prayer is that you will have enough sense to look above and call on Jesus. That's the only friend that will be closer to you than your brother, sister, parents, boyfriend, fiance, best friend, etc. He's availabe 24/7 and He knows you more than you know yourself, so why not consult the Master?  

***NewsFlash: Anyone other than your big brother Jesus will always always always find a way to disappoint you (in some way). Don't kid yourself. So, you might as well make Him the priority. When all else falls through the cracks, He will still be there in all His consistency. 

This is YOUR life. Don't wait on others to accept your dreams before you start living them. Don't hold yourself up from having a good time, just because others may be doing their own thing. The choice is yours. Embrace the surprisings and blessings each day offers. Enjoy time with friends, as well as time spent hanging out in your own company. When you're comfortable in your own skin, it shows!

Season of Seclusion

According to Exodus 34:14, God is a very jealous God. And it has become evident to me that God truly loves and cares for us so much, that even though we are nowhere near perfect, He still wants to build a relationship with us. The more I think on that, the more I realize that God literally has NO conditions for His love because we ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) But yet, He still wants us. That truly blows my mind because it causes me to think about how easily we'll give up on someone who disappoints us or hurts us. 

We must walk in the same patience that God holds for us. So in a season of seclusion, there are some things you must put on hold because God is trying to perform a work in you. And if He has already begun it, if we continue to hold on to things that should either be cut off or put on hold, than we're hindering our growth and prosperity. And the bible does say that if the work has begun, it WILL be continued to completion. (Philippians 1:6)

So may times God sees so many things that are taking our focus and our attention. And because He's a jealous God, He'll tell us to let go of some things, people &/or situations, so that we can regain our focus on Him. When we agree to discipleship, we agree to accept everything that comes with it. It reminds me of a song with lyrics that say "He never said it would be easy but you're a winner in the end. Jesus defeated all your enemies way before the fight began." We were never guaranteed a life without trials and hardships. But the difference between a Christian and a nonbeliever is that as Christians, we know it will all work out for our good and the good of those around us. We are offered an alternative way of seeing bad situations by being able to see the big picture, not just our current situation but the blessings that will come from our obedience perserverance and continuous pursuit of God.



When God calls us to a season of "aloneness" it's easy to feel "alone" because that's what our flesh tells us, if no one is around, then we're lonely. But someone with spiritual maturity understands that being alone can be one of the greatest blessings because God can speak to you much more clearly when He is the only one you expect to hear from. When you're in a season of seclusion, you expect a word from God because no one else is around.

Now when we walk in the flesh, we feel that we NEED someone around. We hear God saying, "Seperate yourself" but we don't want to because we're afraid to be alone. But aloneness does not mean lonely and if you're feeling lonely, it's because God is calling you to Him. Being lonely means you have a void. Take it from someone who knows, the devil will entice you with temporary "fillers" and most often it's things and people we can see so we jump on the opportunity because we're guaranteed an immediate relief. But the thing about that is it's only temporary. God makes Himself avaliable to provide us with anything and fill any void but because we can't see Him and we must SEEK Him, we tend to not have the patience to pursue Him. BUT the "filler" He provides us with is the only thing that won't fail. It can be compared to the lottery. Some people would rather pay a couple dollars to buy a scratch ticket in hopes of winning instant money instead of sewing 10% into the church and waiting patiently for the harvest. God won't forget the coveant He has promised us and we MUST also remember. So by being obedient and secluding ourselves, we have more time to SEEK Him, resulting in a closer, more intimate relationship with Him and an opportunity for Him to work on us and fill any voids that may be present.

Psalms 139:15 says, "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in secret." If God made us in a secret place, doesn't it make sense that He would occassionally need to get us alone and take us back to that secret place to adjust us and mold us. God is the POTTER. So how can we, the clay, tell Him not only what we want to be but also WHERE He should mold us. That's pretty much what we do when God tells us to let go of some things for a season or for good but we continue to hold on to it. We're not going to always want to let go of people or things but God needs to seclude us because He has work to do and He doesn't want our focus elsewhere. I encourage everyone who is in their season of seclusion like myself, to take a moment and just praise God for loving and caring about us so much that not only does He want us to Himself but He also has so much He's trying to use us for. I'm brought to tears everytime I think about the fact that God wants to use ME! When I didn't even want to be used, He continued to call my name. How awesome is God??!?!

(Had to go cry real quick but I'm BACK! lol) He should've dismissed all of us already but He chose us for our own individual assignments and He's a faithful God so I bow down to Him for not leaving me in the dust but for dusting me off each and everytime I chose to sit in dirt, each time I chose to focus elsewhere, each time I chose to turn my back on Him. I'm so unworthy but He's continued to call me. I owe Him more than I can ever repay but Jesus is our example so I give Him my life. He's called me to that secret place where it's just me and Him and the things He's doing in me is beyond words. Stay tuned. You will see the miracles of God once all these things in me finally manifest. My Redeemer..Letting Him work!


2 Chronicles 31:21 "In everything He undertook in the service of God's temple and obedience to the law and the commands, He sought His God and worked wholeheartedly. And so He prospered."
Selah.

Alone and Sometimes...Lonely

Ever felt alone in a room full of people?  Ever felt alone even in your own household? What about that feeling of being the "odd man out?" I know I have---too many times. I've been classified as: quiet, shy, weird, stuck up, anti, etc. by people who really don't know me. I guess the image I project would prove all those accusations to be true. But the truth is...

I am a pretty quiet person, UNTIL I know you well enough to be vulnerable. I'm definitely NOT stuck up.  I'm just a girl that would like to be genuinely included in something and/or others' lives.  I don't want to be tolerated or only recognized out of a feeling of obligation. I know I can be a great friend to many but sadly, I haven't been so bold to create the friendships I desire throughout my life.

I had the best group friendship encounters from 2009-2010. I just felt so great, like wow! So, this is what having friends feels like. That sounded dorky and almost as if I was a loner before 2009. I wasn't really a loner, but I often felt left out because I had been judged as the "weird, quiet girl" for most of my life. I had a few friends and acquaintances here and there, but never such a closeness as I found with the ladies I befriended in the summer of '09. 

It's funny how a year changed that whole scene. I learned last year that people really do come in and out of your life for seasons and reasons. I was left with one consistent true friend from that bunch, Chels. I feel blessed that I have at least one friend in the world PLUS my family, because being alone and lonely sucks. I still wish I had a nice group of at least 2 more close girlfriends. (Sorry, I don't think I know how to be "just friends" with a guy right now. My mind would be in the clouds...ha!) I just really need and desire stable, consistent friends---friends that share my morals, bring newness to my life, and have the ability to bring out the best in me and vice versa.  

As I mentioned on my previous posting, this week/weekend was just weird. I got hit with a plague of loneliness mixed with emptiness inside, but I didn't really let it show outwardly. I was hit with this "plague" a  few times last year, and I believe those were growing points where God was breaking me so I could be more like He created me to be. I'm sensing that is the case this time around as well, because I know I will be drawing near to Him soon for answers and comfort. To be continued....