"A Dare to an Emptier, Fuller Life" | An Arguement and A Challenge

I’ve been rereading this book by Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.  This book changed my perspective on life the first time I read it, and now that I’m rereading it, I feel refreshed all over again.  In this book, she talks of how the way to a full life is gratitude.  God says that we are to live a full life, in Him, and Ann’s argument is that the way to do that is with a heart of gratitude.  I think this is true. However, I also think that there are other ways to live a full life, completely for Christ.  I find that knowing Him, and His Word, and serving Him are doorways to a full life as well.

[I hope you read the book so that what I’m going to say has context. It’s really a very good book.]

As I’m reading this book, her idea of counting gifts is healing to her and brings her into a deeper understanding of eucharisteo.  What I’ve noticed in her counting is that she counts things.  She counts the gifts of “mail in mailbox,” “sun-rays spread across hardwood floors,” and others.  Sometimes she counts things about her family, but most of her gifts are tangible things.  I understand that in order to be grateful for all things, putting a name to it brings about gratitude.  And in noticing the details of life, she is able to have a joyous attitude. 

I’ve learned that people have a happier, fuller life if they invest in experiences instead of stuff.  For example, typically there are two ways for people to budget out their money.  There are those who place value on vacations and doing things, and those who place value on having nice homes, cars, and stuff.  Now, the tricky thing is that sometimes things play a role in experiences, but overall those who invest more in experiences are more content in life.  Stuff always changes.  There will always be a new smart-phone to buy, a bigger TV, and a newer, faster car.  But experiences can be constant.  They happen, and they can’t be outdone, because they are ours. 

As I’m reading through this book and on a quest to live fully as God intends, I think that counting experiences and relationships has more value.  God calls us to live in relationship with Him and His creation, not with the things He’s placed around us.  It is important to appreciate nature, and I think that it brings us to an attitude of contentment, but I think there’s also more.

I also find it difficult to read this book because Ann lives on a large farm in Canada.  She’s in nature every day.  She home schools her children, and has the opportunity to be in her home, in the outdoors, and be grateful for that.  The majority of Americans live in metropolitan areas, such as myself (hence the name of this blog…life in the city).  Is it possible to be grateful in Dallas?  Amidst all the concrete, money, attitude, and people?  Ann has time for solitude, reflection, and gratitude…but do I?  When my weeks are full of youth, and school, and rushing, and I feel that my life is full already, is gratitude like Ann talks about really the ticket?  Is it how God fully wants us to live?  Maybe in gratitude, we turn our attention of what is in front of us to Him, Creator, and in doing so He is glorified.  Do I need to name them in the city?  Can I just be thankful that today I’m breathing and that He is reigning?

“This pen: this is nothing less than the driving of nails.  Nails driving out my habits of discontent and driving in my habit of eucharisteo.  I’m hammering in nails to pound out nails, ugly nails that Satan has pierced through the world, my heart.  It starts to unfold, light in the dark, a door opening up, how all these years it’s been utterly pointless to try to wrench out the spikes of discontent.  Because that habit of discontentment can only be driven out by hammering in one iron sharper.  The sleek pin of gratitude.”

So here I am.  At a place where I must do something, change something.  I know that if I ignore God’s teaching in my life, I’ll perish with discontentment.  So I’m going to start, for the next three weeks, naming gifts in the city.  I’m shooting for a few a day, no set number, just for the next three weeks.  And I’ll see what happens from there.  But my gifts must be experiences.  They are of the people I come in contact with, the lessons God teaches me, the small things that make a meaningful, lasting difference.

Join me?  In this discussion of gratitude and fullness, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The Post Grad Life

Well, this small-town college girl has graduated, moved to a big city (ok, really a suburb of a sort of big city), started a real job, and started work on a masters degree. Whew! If only that was the long list.
Honestly, life is good. Life is full, and busy, and overwhelming. But mostly full.  It is almost Fall, and I long for the trees in Arkansas. I'm not sure I ever thought I'd really miss it this much. But I do.  Not that I don't love Texas - my roots. But Arkansas sometimes feels more home.  Maybe Texas will become that way again after the transition is done.
I had a phone call today from one of my former youth students.  Actually two of them - they're twins.  It was so good to hear their voices, and comforting that they would call me on boyfriend advice.  As I listened to them talk, I was shown a bit of how much they have changed in the past four years.  When I first met them four and a half years ago, they wouldn't have even dreamed of talking to each other about boyfriends. They would have been too worried about fighting. But now, God has done some kind of work in their lives.  They are actually friends. It makes my heart happy.
As I talked, I definitely miss them.  But at the moment, I don't long to be in Arkansas.  I still miss it but I know my place is here.  Arkadelphia is changing; Park Hill is changing; and I am changing.  It is good.  It is healthy.  And the best part is that God is orchestrating it all and His timing and plan is best.  He intends for us to have a full life, and as long as I'm following His leading, that is happening.
As an update on girls ministry happenings, my how God's at work!  Last Sunday was "Promotion Sunday" and we had over 400 students! On one hand, it's nuts, absolutely nuts that we have so many kids! On the other, more positive hand, that is so many students that are hearing about Jesus! Praise Him!
I am very excited to be able to be a part of this work that He is doing in Frisco. Still not sure about the traffic, but blessed to be at FBC.

I'm posting a few of my posts from the FBC Blue Girls Ministry blog so that you don't have to flip back and forth between the two sites.  I'm going to try and do better at keeping this blog personal and the other ministry related.  I suppose soon I should change my title, but part of my heart is still in Arkadelphia, so bear with me.  Some days I feel as though I'm about to move back into West Side or Francie and we're all going to continue the college scene, but then I remember that some friends are in North Carolina, and Chicago, and Arkansas.  We'll see each other soon enough, but until then, God is doing a mighty work having us all spread out!
Please pray for me and my friends as we transition.  I especially am in need of some friends in Frisco that are about my age, and same situation. All in God's time.
May love, and peace, and joy be filling your life as the seasons change and Fall greets us.
InJoy,
Brittany

"To The Girl…Who's Life Is Changing"

From bluegirlsministry.wordpress.com

Can I just say that I love new things! New places, new cultures, new foods, new ideas, new people - I love it!

But man, oh man, change is SO hard! It is a weird contradiction, is it not?

Do you ever feel like I do right now? Like you're so content and happy to be where you are, but also long to be somewhere else? That's what I'm feeling right now. I love my new job in Frisco, and I love you girls that I get to hang out with and minister to. But at the same time, some nights my heart longs to be in Arkadelphia. I long for the clear, star-filled skies, the girls of my first youth ministry, and the comfort.

But then God reminds me that there lies the problem. Comfort. He told me a long time ago that my life is never to be comfortable. Content, yes, but not comfortable. And so I told Him that whenever I get too comfortable that He should move me. So He did. And I am so content, and life is full of joy.

God designed us to grow in change. Have you ever been through a season of change, and came out a better person for it? It happens all the time. We change from being elementary school kids to middle schoolers. And when we leave 6th, 7th, 8th grades, we are better people. Hopefully.

Let me encourage you that as life changes, embrace the growth that can happen. Let God guide you through these changes so that each choice you make is one that pleases Him, and is guided by Him. Change is hard, but without God at our side, it will be so much harder. And we cannot stay stagnant, living without changing. We must always change because time moves forward. We grow older, times change. And if we don't change with it, our lives become lost. Allow God to change you into the person He wants you to be. Allow Him to change you into a holy, righteous person, living for Him.

So do new things, ponder new ideas, go to so many new places, make a new friend, and eat a new food. You might find that you like it. And you will find that God has a plan.

Shall we change together?

"To The Girl…Who Needs Encouragement

From bluegirlsministry.wordpress.com

Social Media is becoming so ingrained in today's culture. It's almost impossible to have a discussion with someone without either mentioning something found out on facebook or twitter, or without first knowing some fact from the web. This is why we at Blue try to be up-to-date on the social networks. This may seem to have nothing to do with the title, but hang with me.

I had a phone call today from one of the moms of our youth. She was calling to tell me that another girl's mom was in the hospital because of surgery and experiencing some difficulty with the surgery. It seems pretty serious. I knew that this mom was having surgery, but had thought it was going well (because I saw posts on social media, of course). With this sad news, I was concerned for both our girls and the mom.

I checked Instagram earlier this evening, and was so encouraged to see what kinds of conversation (if it can be called that on instagram) were occurring between our eighth grade girls. This girl had posted that her mom was not doing well, and as I read the comments my heart was happy. All the posts were from girls in our youth group, her small group, and were discussions of how they had been praying for this girl's mom.

Just when I think that sometimes we're not getting through to some girls, I know that the Holy Spirit is at work. I know that we are surrounded by peers from church that are willing to pray for our hurts and encourage one another.

Life is hard. There are so many good things that happen in life, but often sad things happen. Our mom's get sick; dad's work late and sometimes leave; friends are flaky and change plans for better options; people are mean at school; life seems overwhelming when we try to balance school and sports; expectations sometimes put too much pressure on us; we don't fit in with the people we're around; we are forced to move and change our world; life happens.

But be encouraged. God is good; He is overly gracious; He puts people in our life in His timing that will walk with us; the flowers still bloom each spring; the sun still rises in the East every morning; God is faithful and saves; laughter heals heart-wounds; and sometimes people really are nice.


So as I sit here in Starbucks and enjoy a warm latte, waiting for fall to fully arrive, I want to encourage you. You can get up each morning; you can enjoy a full life; you can find little things to be thankful for. God will carry you through the tough times. Know that there are people praying for you, and are here for you through physical hurts, and emotional hurts.

You turned my deepest pains into joyful dancing;
You stripped off my dark clothing and covered me with joyful light.
You have restored my honor. My heart is ready to explode, erupt in new songs!
It’s impossible to keep quiet!
Eternal One, my God, my Life-Giver, I will thank You forever.
Psalm 30.11-12