we choose, as humans, to make the best out of every situation - or not. the decisions i make today will affect me. maybe tomorrow or maybe a few months from now. my attitude affects the outcome of my day. it also plays a vital role in the decisions i make.
my guilty pleasure is HGTV. the property brothers are my jam. i love seeing what it used to look like and what it turned into with a little creativity and hard work. i like to think of God as our builder. He created the world and individually crafted each one of us. in general, i am a big fan of uniqueness. nothing grinds my gears more (well besides people driving under the speed limit) than pinterest lovers. why? because people who are not creative all the sudden can copy & paste to make an "original" art piece. they somehow get labeled as creative and "superrrr artsy" (lol just kidding, don't ever say that). don't get me wrong, there have been a handful of times where i cheated and looked up a few ideas. it kind of hurt my heart a little because pinterest is #basic. what actually happens is that creativity is lost. ok, it's really not that bad. but i am thankful that God does not use pinterest. God is the founder of creativity. the definition of original. He keeps it fresh (yes, i just said that). i admire Him and want to be like Him. to use the tools that He gave me to be who He created me to be. He is my inspiration and i get to be the artist of my own life.
before i explain the three l's, you should know that my relationship with God is something that i can not explain in words, because it is my own and english is hard. there was a defining moment in my life when i realized that i was broken and that no human power or earthly object was able to change me. leaving my sinful life behind and only looking toward God, who seriously paid the ultimate sacrifice for me, got me reevaluating my life real fast. God asks for obedience, which is exactly what i plan to give Him.
the three l's are three short, powerful words. the following definitions can be found at www.dictionary.com.
live [liv] verb, to have life; be alive; be capable of vital functions
love [luhv] noun, a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person
lead [leed] verb, to go before or with to show the way; to conduct by holding and guiding
www.sarahsdictionary.com definitions.
to live: to be free, able to enjoy the life God has given
if you know me at all, adventure is my middle name. it's actually not, it's jean, but go with me on this. if someone wants to do something extremely rash or something your mother would probably strangle you if she knew beforehand, my number is... (just teasing, mom). but really, i am game. i love traveling (anywhere and everywhere), camping, extreme caving, atving in the jungle, kayaking, paddle boarding, parasailing, wake surfing, you name it - i am in. seeing the world from God's perspective is something i am learning. experiencing new things/exploring the land God created is life, to me.
to love: to show Christ through one's actions
love is a familiar word, yet i am not sure if i understand it completely. there are so many different kinds of love. i love God. i love my family. i love my spoiled (is an understatement) yorkies and turtle. i love coffee. it is a beautiful thing at 6:00 a.m. when i am about to study. i love technology when it doesn't turn ghetto on me. i love exercising. i love my friends. i love my church. i will admit my love for coffee is probably a little excessive but i really do think it can complement anything i do at any hour of the day. rain or shine, coffee is always there for me (kinda kidding). all of those things i truly do love, but not on the same scale. www.sarahsdictionary.com (sorry, i think i'm funny) defines love as demonstrating Christ through everything that one does. this includes actively seeking out relationships with friends and strangers. striving to be like Christ. being patient and encouraging. always gracious and never salty. way easier said than done. it means not judging others for the choices that they make because you got your issues too. helping the people around you with a happy heart. being proactive about calling, texting, meeting up, or sending a note via pigeon carrier to someone you know that needs a friend. all done with compassion and a servants' heart. that is when, i believe, love is used correctly.
lead
to lead: guide and walk side-by-side with other followers of Christ
since God is our shepherd and we are the dumb sheep (kidding, but not at all), we have a great example to follow. fun fact - when sheep would wander off, the shepherd would leave all his other sheep to find the lost one. once the sheep was found, the shepherd would break its legs so it would a) learn a lesson and b) not leave His side. that is exactly what God does to us. He carefully watches over all His sheep and when we do something wrong, He directs us toward righteousness. if we are still being dumb, He may "break" our legs til we figure out what His will is for our lives. thankfully He seeks us out when we are wandering. as a follower of Christ, it is important to lead. to encourage and walk alongside other believers. it takes a lot of patience to be a good leader. it takes a lot of love, as well as a whole latte (lotta - get it? i made a coffee joke) prayer. Blended all together, it makes the perfect recipe to shape you into the person God wants you to become.
the three l's is the beginning of my journey into becoming an actual adult. i have absolutely no idea what that means or where i will end up. but, i am trusting on the Lord to lead me in the right direction so i can live a full life, which is only through His love, mercy and grace.
just as everything starts with a beginning, there is always a period to the end.
live, love & lead <3
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