Proverbs 30 Woman

Hello friends,

This week I was able to sit down with a phenomenal woman of God. Her name is Liz Burzynski and I have the blessing of being discipled by her every other week. She has such patience and a wisdom, she speaks a great deal of truth into my life and I am forever grateful!!

If you know anything about me then you know that I tend to be quite the chatter box. I have a million (literally a million) questions running through my mind, and 98% of them are about Jesus and the Bible. God definitely knew what He was doing when he placed Liz into my life. She will literally just sit there and INTENTIONALLY listen to me and not belittle me for not knowing. Rather she will speak the truth that the Holy Spirit has revealed to her, ask me what I think (which usually helps me answer my own silly question), or we have the other absolute blessing of running upstairs and asking her husband. (He is bomb!)

The Burzynski's have given me such a beautiful illustration of what a family after God's own heart looks like. Liz shows me what Godly submission is, patience, having a servants heart, how to laugh things off...or laugh at me.. :) how to confront my problems, how to pray out loud with confidence..ha... how to be nurturing to children as well as disciplinary, I could go on and on...But to not make this a novel. She IS a Proverbs 30 woman!! I could not ask for a better role model in my life. She takes discipleship to the next level! She not only digs into the word with me, but invites me into her home, out with her girlfriends, to dinner etc...I have never felt so loved from someone outside of my family before.

God is just so good to me and continues to reveal His character through the Godly women he puts in my life. Through what I have been learning through my church home, lot family and discipleship I have more confidence in my walk with God. I know that it is ok not to know the answers all the time, but the difference is that now I am constantly hunger and wanting to know more.

So thank you Liz!!! You have no idea all the blessings you have given me, and although this blog isn't even close to how extraordinary you are, I hope it can give you a glimpse of how great you are!

She is not only beautiful but a God fearing woman!

Quick to listen but slow to judge

Hello friends.

The past 2 days have been quite interesting if I might say so myself. I had the blessing of meeting someone that just really blew me out of the water. He challenged me to look at my faith in a new way and hunger to know more. I will call him Daniel through my story.

We found ourselves in random conversations that all led to one foundation. Jesus. I was asked and struggled to answer some of his questions. But the thing that really set me back was the lack of judgement I felt when I was not able to fully answer a question. Rather he encouraged me in a way (whether he knew or not) to seek after that answer and to run harder towards the foot of the cross.

Daniel had a personality that is extremely unique and genuine. When you meet him you are just drawn to his warm smile and strong character. When people would see him they would immediately light up. It was pretty humbling to see the effect that he had left on people here on campus.

In the end of the very short time I was able to spend with this new friend I had learned more in those few days from him then I have from friends I have known almost my entire life. He inspired me to become more concrete in my faith. Not to boast in knowledge but to be humbled by wisdom.

So I say to you, Daniel, thank you for pushing me more towards Jesus, and showing me that there are men out there that are hungry to learn and grow. Who will not pass judgement but rather words of encouragment.

One thing that I found to be a total God thing is how He orchestrated all of this. In my lot family we studied in Galatians 6:1-18 on how to build one another up in the spirit of gentleness and to restore and not belittle. Then not even a week later I meet someone who illustrated this for me and gave me a desire pursue this kind of spirit. One of kindness, humility and gentleness...one who does not look to gain anything but rather restore others through being an instrument of Jesus Christ.

With all of this being said, all I have left to say is...Thank you Daniel, I was truly blessed.

My name is Pride. I am a Cheater.

Hello Friends.
I hope you all had a great new year! Through the first week of the New Year God has been showing me so much that I literally find it hard to even put into words. (So hang in there through my brain farts.)

I have been convicted to seek and just LISTEN to God. Whether or not I feel like He is listening or responding. Through this God has really shown me my selfishness and how bad of a friend I have been to certain people. For a short time I began to focus on my own needs and if I was having fun. A few days later the Lord gave me a wake up call. A friend of mine wanted to discuss something and I just pushed them off. Later that day God just put it on my heart how selfish I was being. I was able to apologize for my actions and truly believe that they forgave me but that does not justify my actions. My selfishness and cold heart was revealed to me. My eyes were open. What did my friend do to deserve this? NOTHING. They have been nothing but a phenomenal blessing in my life and I chose to be a jerk. And because of my own stupidity I may have lost someone really important in my life.

With all of this being said...I am not trying to have a pity party, but rather to ask you. Who are you taking for granite? Who has God put specifically in your life to speak truth and love and you are just pushing them off like it is nothing. God used this person to build me up and us them as an instrument in my life to help me heal at a really rough patch in my faith. And I am forever grateful. I just wish I would have realized it sooner.

Don't let selfishness and pride take over your heart friends. Through this journey God has taken me through I found this iin an old Bible Study lesson I had gone through. God is good, what a great reminder of what pride can do...

My name is Pride. I am a Cheater.

I cheat you of your God-given destiny-because you demand your own way.

I cheat you of contentment-because you "deserve better then this".

I cheat you of knowledge-because you already know it all.

I cheat you of healing-because you're too full of me to forgive.

I cheat you of holiness-because you refuse to admit when you're wrong.

I cheat you of vision-because you'd rather look in the mirror then out the window.

I cheat you of genuine friendship- because nobodies going to know the real you.

I cheat you of love-because real romance demands sacrifice.

I cheat you of greatness of heaven- because you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.

I cheat you of God's glory-because I convince you to seek your own.

My name is PRIDE.

You like me because you think I'm always looking out for you. Untrue. I am looking out to make a fool out of you. God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry...if you stick with me, you'll never know