.
1. Ask God for the things that seem impossible. He will do immeasurably more.
I remember in a tough season of life asking a friend, "Can I even ask God to do that for me? Can He change this?" as if there were some things in life God doesn't have control over. I've learned to ask God for big things; to ask for the things that scare me because they seem impossible. I've learned that to experience God's provision I need to test Him. I need to hand him more than I can handle on my own. I've learned that God always does immeasurably more than I could ever even imagine.
2. I only get sick if I neglect my own health so basically I need to take care of myself.
Love me some vitamin C!
3. Feeling very lonely is usually a sign that you need to be alone.
I used to immediately distract myself from any sense of loneliness I felt instead of just being still and listening for God's voice to tell me "Hey Grace, you know you're never alone right? I'm right here, always." I've learned how to be so content in the moments where I'm alone instead of feeling lonely.
4. You think you’ll never stop loving that boy who broke your heart but one day you do.
The love that you thought would be always and forever dies out, and that's okay. Your heart heals.
5. The meaningful things in life are beautiful.
Lately I've challenged myself to discern what the meaningful things in my life should be and recognize them as things of immense beauty.
6. Don’t let anyone put you on hold until it’s convenient for them.
You deserve honesty and to be pursued.
7. You shop at Publix for the experience, not the prices.
Financially unstable Florida college students get it.
8. Just because you never want to feel heartbreak again doesn’t mean you shouldn’t allow yourself to feel anything at all.
I think this is one of the biggest mistakes I've made and it's something I'm still working on. There's a difference between guarding your heart and not allowing yourself to feel anything out of fear.
9. God is so patient.
He is so loving, so patient and pursues me even when I push back. It sounds crazy to push away a perfect, never ending love that we don't even deserve in the first place but it happens all the time. God is so good, He's there when we come running back and He's there if we don't look back at all.
10. How to lead in love and with grace but with assertiveness.
I was never a very confrontational person but I'm learning how to deal with conflict in a loving way. I think knowing how to handle correction with a spirit of love and understanding is definitely one of the most important skills as a leader.
11. Florida pizza isn’t pizza
Seriously.
12. What loving well truly looks like.
1 Corinthians 13 aka "the love chapter" is a well known scripture and you hear all the time that love is selfless, but as I've gotten older I've realized that love is sincerely not self seeking. I've watched my parents and the people I love most make huge sacrifices for me; hard sacrifices. These are the people who have taught me how to truly love well.
13. You don’t always need to be out on a Friday night.
I'm learning not to let the fear of missing out dictate my life.
14. Contentment isn’t complacency, it’s fulfillment
During a devotional one morning the speaker talked about how being content in a season of life is being fulfilled in that season, it's not just being complacent. It challenged me to continue to push myself further even in the seasons where I feel comfortable.
15. Love is always a choice
Love is waking up every day and making the decision to love. We have to consistently and intentionally remind ourselves to love God in every moment and with every decision.
16. For harvest there must be waiting. To break ground you have to spend time under the soil.
Being patient and waiting on God is so hard for me, yet God doesn't think twice about waiting on us no matter how long it takes for us to return to Him. God is constantly teaching me to step back, let go and just wait on Him.
17. I play into the game of comparison so easily.
I've realized that I'm someone who compares herself to others almost on a daily basis which is so unhealthy. Theodore Roosevelt said, "comparison is the thief of joy" which put things into perspective for me. Why should I be letting this steal my joy? God is reminding me daily of who I am in Him and bringing me to a place of peace when those thoughts come.
18. Empathy isn’t weakness.
When I went on my first missions trip I prayed that God would break my heart for what breaks His and He did. Empathizing with others, feeling broken for broken people is a life that God calls us to; a life of compassion and grace. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus explains, "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Serving others and empathizing with those in need is a tangible way to express our love towards God.
19. How to be still and find rest during the busy seasons of life.
One of the hardest things for me to do is rest. I love being busy. I love the hustle of life, but rest is so important to maintaining a healthy balance in life. It's essential to take time to take care of yourself. Time to be still, relax and recuperate.
gracejicha.com
