Although the entire message at Encounter last night was great, there was one phrase that stuck out in my head. Intentional Growth. This really hit home with me because there is so much contraversy as to which will allow growth. So many times I feel that I need to just sit back and let God change me and that all of my faults will just disappear because I am a child of Christ. But then those words were put into my head. What does intentional growth mean? I used to think it was doing everything that you can to be in the presence of God, now I think it means to whole heartedly seek everything that comes from Him. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, and Self Control, just to name a few. So intentional growth does not mean DOING everything that you can to be a better Christian, but to acknowledge and accept and seek out everything that is Good. There are so many parts of me that is a wretch still, but trying to change those things are not going to cause me to grow. The growth will come in seeking the things that are opposite and allowing God to control the change.
What a positive thing to dwell on!
About Me
- Ashley Warren
- I am the proud wife of Michael Warren and the proud mom to Love Bug and Lilly Bug (aka Caleb and Lilly). I love spending time with people and building relationships.
4 comments:
thanks for sharing that! I am praying for you, for a community of believers in Montgomery and for a church home and family. I have been praying for community since July and I am just now making friends! So hang in there (Gal 6:9).He desires communtity for us and He will provide a church and fellowhsip for you. its going to be so neat to see where the Lord leads you and who He places in your path. Keep me updated!
thanks for sharing that! I am praying for you, for a community of believers in Montgomery and for a church home and family. I have been praying for community since July and I am just now making friends! So hang in there (Gal 6:9).He desires communtity for us and He will provide a church and fellowhsip for you. its going to be so neat to see where the Lord leads you and who He places in your path. Keep me updated!
thanks for sharing that! I am praying for you, for a community of believers in Montgomery and for a church home and family. I have been praying for community since July and I am just now making friends! So hang in there (Gal 6:9).He desires communtity for us and He will provide a church and fellowhsip for you. its going to be so neat to see where the Lord leads you and who He places in your path. Keep me updated!
"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."
Ash the Lord has brought you a long way down a very rough road. There were times when you sought out "all these things" from sources that only caused you pain. God in his infinite wisdom allowed you to travel those paths to lead you back to him.
We all need to be intentional in our growth. I agree whole heartedly that when we seek the things of the kingdom of God, He brings to light the sinful way of our heart and changes them, but it is still a struggle. Sometime we have short term memory lose. I have been a christian for 27 years. Wow! And sometimes I slip up. Recently I noticed that I have been neglecting that "intentional growth." It sometimes comes happens so subtely. I can't be lazy in growing my relationship with God, it effects my whole outlook on life and my purpose.
Ash, I am so proud of you and thankful to God for continuing to draw you closer to Him. I miss you too, but I am only an email or phone call away. You are so much better at keeping in touch with me than I am with you. But you are always in my thoughts and prayers. There is a great and mighty tie that binds and no amount of distance can break it. Have you been to Krispy Creme lately? Talk at you soon, Christa
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