“If God is real and we are going to live with him forever, shouldn’t he be the only thing?”

I am reading this book by Jennie Allen called Anything: the prayer that unlocked my God and my soul and it is rocking my world in such an awesome way!  

I've always wished I could have a do-over in life so that I could go and do the missions trips that I want to do, travel to Israel and see where Jesus walked, go out to the homeless camps in our community, volunteer more at the Women's Safety & Resource Center and the million other ministry things I want to do.  Now that I'm a mom & a wife, it's not easy for me to just jump on a plane and head to Haiti or Africa or Mexico or even travel to Israel because I have responsibilities at home, a husband who doesn't understand my desire to do crazy things like sell everything we own and go somewhere off the beaten path and share Jesus with strangers.  We all know that we don't get a do-over in life and the Lord knows my heart and my desires so as I'm reading this book those desires are just burning away in my soul but God is good and reminds me that I may not be able to jump on a plane and head to Haiti but I have plenty of opportunities in my own back yard to share the love of Jesus with the lost & unsaved.  We have a neighborhood full of kids that don't know Jesus that hang out in my driveway on almost a daily basis.  I can share Jesus with them!  I have neighbors that don't know Jesus.  I can share Jesus with them!  There are people standing on the street corners asking for help.  I can love them like Jesus, fill up a blessing bag and offer it to them as I drive by!  I have friends that like to dig into the Word with me.  I can share my passion for Jesus with them!  I have an unsaved husband.  I can submit to him, love him like Jesus and pray for him daily!  I have young children.  I can dig into the Word with them, pray with them, guide them and hopefully instill my love for Jesus into their little hearts!  I have unsaved friends.  I can share Jesus with them and pray for them!  I know lots of hurting people.  I can tell them about my Jesus, pray for them and love them!  I have a troubled relationship with my stepson & his mom.  I can continue to show them the love of Jesus, pray for them and refuse to give up hope!  

Even something as simple as a smile to a complete stranger walking past me can show them Jesus. 

During this season of my life I may not be able to do the grand things I have planned in my head but I can do the little things and pray that one day I can do the big things!  This is where the Lord has me at right now and I need to be content with it but willing to do ANYTHING He asks me to do!  My prayer is that I live 100% sold out and surrendered to Jesus...totally willing to give up everything and do anything that He asks me to do!  I need to care more about pleasing God than about pleasing others...including myself!

Needless to say, I HIGHLY recommend this book and can't wait to get my hands on her two other studies! :)