Happy birthday to me!

This post is dedicated to the number 24. I heard it's a good one. I've been in need of a good one. I won't lament or complain, but I can tell you 22 and 23 haven't been extremely happy years (though there have definitely been some really good moments and some really amazing lessons), to say the least. So I'm excited for 24. I say bring it God! Bring it! Here's to believe that 24 will be a good year and knowing it will be!

Highlights of 22:
-Graduated from college
-moved to florida
-got my ass whooped by God
-moved to westwood
-got my ass whooped by God. Again. It's true.

Highlights of 23:
-moved home
-started working at foursquare
-lost my job at foursquare
-went through counseling; learned the value of intimate and honest communication
-went through cleansing stream; had incredible healing and restoration
-decided to apply for grad school

The thing that keeps me going is the hope that I have in the Lord and the belief I have in his power and in his might and in his love for me. God wants to give me the desires of my heart. He wants what is best for me. He doesn't want me to be alone. He doesn't want me to be hopeless. He doesn't want me to be angry and hurt for the rest of my life. God wants me to succeed. He wants me to find love and joy in people and in life and in work. He wants me to travel and see the world. He wants me to be happy.

Psalm 37:4 reads, "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."

It's common misconstrued that being Christian means always suffering, always bearing the cross, always dying to Christ. When I think the truth is that when we are following God and we are completely and wholly serving and dedicated to him that his love and his will and his mercy and his heart become the desires of our hearts. In one way or another. It doesn't mean everyone will want to help the poor. And it doesn't mean that everyone will have to sell all of their possessions to give food to the hungry. It's different for everyone.

A relationship with Christ is difficult. It's hard. It sucks. It's wrecked my life on more than one occasion. I thought I was destined to be somebody, but then God got a hold of me. God said, "Sorry, that's not going to be you." And ever since then I've been on this road, this path of life lessons. And it's still hard and it still sucks and God still wrecks my life.

Why? Because he wants the best for me. Because he wants to grow me and shape me and mold me into the person he created me to be. It may sound trite. It may even sound empty but God is good. All the time. He wants what's best for us. He wants us to succeed. He wants us to be loved. He wants us to be happy.