A Spirit of Power and Self-Discipline

It's definitely been a while since my last post. It's been quite a busy last few weeks with my Nephew, Joshua, being born, and making three trips back and fourth from Maryland in three weeks. And my life has just been a little chaotic and confusing as a whole the last three weeks anyway. Needless to say, blogging turned into a less necessary thing.

Even now, this is still not going to be very long, just a quick update on life. Aside from all of the confusion, I love what the Lord is doing in my life, and I definitely feel myself drawing nearer to Him. It's been a hard semester, but trials always bring forth fruit. Praise God for that. More and more I feel I just have a burning desire to grow back in discipline. I think I went through a stage towards the end of the year last year and into last summer that I felt like I had been acting really legalistically about all of the things I was doing, so I guess instead of changing my heart, I just stopped doing them. Not a good idea if any of you all were wondering. I don't even think my heart really was legalistic about it, and I think I just freaked out because I thought it was. The bible commands that we "discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness."(1 Timothy 4:7- NASB) I need to get back in that habit. Christ commands "Be holy, as I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16) The more I am around people who knows God's Word, and who speak it, the more I feel like it is amazing how they have all the answers and I don't. There is a reason they seemingly know everything. Because they have the Word of God stored up in their heart, so they are ready for any battle. I could site scripture after scripture, though not from memory, about why it is important to know the Word, but I still so often don't read it the way I should. I have developed a lot of bad habits... But I the Lord is my Shepherd. I should have not fear, because my path is strait, and the Lord is teaching me so much right now. It is very humbling to know how much more I need to grow, and how much more I want to do. The Lord has given me the power of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7), I just need to use what He has given me through His Spirit.

Considering how difficult this past semester has been for me as a whole in pretty much every way, I almost feel like I am starting all the way over... and I think that is a good thing honestly. I just need to reevaluate a lot. But the Lord has me, and I am not afraid :) I am trusting in His sovereignty to work all things for my good and His glory. College is coming to a close and I have a lot of big decisions to make, but again, for the first time, I am not afraid. I am just ready to do it, haha. Where ever I go, whatever I do, whoever I do it with, the Lord is still my Rock. God is good, and in Him I will have joy. What a wonderful promise. What a wonderful Savior.