Planning to Prosper

I usually start these posts off with some type of story but for this post, I'm starting off with a Bible verse. Jeremiah 29:11 says:

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

This one individual verse has pretty much been the basis for my college career up until this point. I started out wondering where I would attend college and eventually wondering what my major would be. In fact, before I even began college I decided to change my major. Now here I am, two years in, once again wondering if I've made the right decision.

I've been having a pretty tough time with some of the classes needed for my major, which if you read my bio you know is nursing. This difficulty has offered me up a lot of reason for questioning, why am I struggling? Am I having a hard time because God is trying to tell me this isn't for me? Is this difficulty God's way of testing me to see how much I can take? Over the course of these past few months I have tried various studying techniques, talking to the professor, and even attended tutoring sessions and it seems that I'm still having a difficult time remembering and comprehending what it is I need to be learning. If it's this hard for me now just imagine how much harder it'll be once I actually get INTO the nursing program.

This has also been pretty difficult for me as I am typically a planner. I'm always dreaming and planning things for my future. Up until this point I knew exactly where I wanted to live, where I wanted to work, and what I wanted to be doing, but recently I haven't been so sure. I suppose you could say I had been planning to prosper but as I was doing this, I was forgetting that the real plan should be done through God's will.

Every time I get down on myself, much like I am now, and begin asking the what-ifs and the whys, I read and reread that verse. I actually painted myself a picture of this verse for my dorm room as a simple reminder of who is in charge. Once we stop planning for ourselves we can see the plan God has laid out for us. It is important for us to remember that planning to prosper is going to get us nowhere. It is when we take a step back, fall on our knees, pray to God, and listen to him that we ACTUALLY begin to prosper.

Cheerfully given...

It has been a long, LONG time since I have posted anything on here. Since the last time I posted, a lot has changed. My cross country season has ended, I broke a personal record, and just recently (like within the past few hours,) I cut all of my hair off.

Not only did I cut my hair today I absolutely hated it. I'm still not rather fond of it but I should be. After all, I cut it for a good reason. I cut eight inches off to donate it to make wigs for people who need them. This act, so selfless, so why do I still feel awful? 

As a human being, I tend to be selfish, I tend to think of things in terms of me and mine. This selfishness could be the reason I'm so displeased with my hair, and it more than likely is. But shouldn't I be happy? Of course I should. It was so easy for God to give his SON to DIE for me, so why is it so difficult for me to give something as simple as hair to someone who needs it? 

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 of the NIV translation says: 

“6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

God loves when we give to others, but God loves it most when we give with cheer. Many of us, myself included, give to others by going through the motions, it's very important that when we commit these selfless acts we must give with our whole heart. God wants to see us give cheerfully rather than reluctantly. If you decide you want to give, make sure it's of the kindness of your heart and for the right reasons. God will give to you just as you have given to others, sow generously and you WILL reap generously. God loves you and he has given all there is to give, take after your father and be selfless, the outcome will be much greater. 

Until next time, here's a before and after picture of myself, may God bless the person who gets this hair after me, and thank you God for using this experience to teach me a lesson.