Puzzles

So, this isn't a typical "What's been going on the past month in my life" blog post. I will save that for another day (plus this past month has been so busy, I would be writing all night and I'm wanting to get to bed) ... But, I feel the need to share something from yesterday. I went running (that's not the part I felt I needed to share, I promise it gets better). I don't run often, but I try to put in a few miles here and there. Plus, I'm getting ready for another 5k and I really want to run it close to 24 minutes.  (5k Plug: join me Oct 5 to fight human trafficking ... sign up at www.pure5k.com). I ran while listening to a new album I downloaded. "The Young" by Marc Wymore. The music is more geared at teens, but I absolutely love the album. Talk about a self worth boost. And, my kids love it. They love to dance, and the album is some popular songs with Christian words. Seriously, check it out, even if you don't have kids. Ok, back to running ... I actually really enjoyed my time on the road. I most certainly didn't break any records, but wow, was it great. Marc was recently at our church and talked to a small group of us about worship. He said that worship is not what we do, it's who we are. Worship doesn't change based on our circumstances. So, as I was running, worshiping, at one point I stopped and reached my arms up, closed my eyes and was overwhelmed at the beauty around me. The rolling hills laid out before me, filled with corn, beans and cows, yes cows made me cry (I'm officially a crier now). I never thought I would end up back here, in South Dakota. The plan in my head was so far from it. Then, God put something on my heart for the rest of that run, and that's what I felt I needed to share ...

Think of your life like a puzzle. If you are putting the puzzle together, according to the picture you have in your mind and you are creating, I guarantee you, no matter how spectacular your puzzle picture is, it's nothing like the final picture God has planned for you. But, that's the thing, God doesn't show you the final picture. You have to trust Him and put the pieces where He tells you to. Believe me, my puzzle was great (or so I thought) but it was a puzzle I was putting together on my own. It wasn't until that puzzle was dropped and broken into 1,000,000 pieces that I started depending on God to shape my life. Once I began to allow the pieces to be put into the places He guides, my entire life has purpose and I am happier than I could ever have imagined. A saying that has been stuck in my head for some time now is "When I was living my life according to my plans, I had success. When I started living according to God's plans, I had purpose." I come back to this often when I start to make my own plans. My current devotions stress not to make anything about me. Not even asking the question, "God, what is my purpose? ... That is still about me.  It says to find where God is working all around you, and meet Him there to do HIS purpose.

Another thing, you can't put 1/2 God's puzzle and 1/2 your puzzle together and make a complete picture. You can't hide any of your pieces from God. No puzzle is complete without all the pieces and you have to be working on the same picture for it to come together in the end for the puzzle to be complete. God needs COMPLETE control.

Maybe you have it all figured out. You have your picture in your head and you are headed for success. I'm not saying you aren't going to be happy or that you won't succeed. You might, but think about the puzzle you are missing, the one you were created to put together. Also, sometimes you need to be broken (like I had to be), before you will stop and pay attention to the puzzle He is asking you to put together. If that happens, don't pick up the pieces. Leave them in the past. You have new pieces. Trust God to guide your steps and your moves. His purpose is so much greater than anything you had pictured for your life.

That's a puzzle I want to be a part of. Good Night <3