So, here I am writing my first entry in my new blog. I don't know why but it makes me kind of nervous. It's almost like the feeling you get on your first day of work at a new job. There is excitement, butterflies in your stomach, and nerves all working together. I'm sitting here already wondering, am I going to be able to keep up with posting like I want to? Is anyone even going to pay attention to what I share? Do I really even care if anyone reads my posts? I mean, I'm doing this more for me than anyone else right now (I know, selfish, huh?). I guess the best thing to do though is to just jump right in and get started! So wish me luck... Here I go!
"What we selfishly keep for ourselves we eventually lose, but what we give to the Lord, we keep forever." This is a quote that I came across in my Bible today as I was flipping through. I honestly have no idea if this is a quote said by someone else that I wrote down (usually I write down the persons name who said it next to the quote) or if it's something I actually wrote on my own while reading my devotions one day. Either way, this quote stood out and encouraged my heart. With where I am at in life right now, this spoke to me regarding my family. More particularly, my daughter Leilani. Yes, she is only 4 months old right now, but already I see time going by way too quickly. I want to find a way to keep her with me always and protect her from all of the hurt and pain that is out there in the world. Even though she is a gift to me from God, I don't necessarily want to "give her back" to Him. I realize something though... Even though it is a long ways off until she leaves our home one day, I need to start giving her to the Lord now. I need to be in constant prayer for her. Prayer for her soul, that she would one day come to know God and that she would live her life to the fullest for Him. I need to be praying for wisdom on how to raise her to be a Godly young woman who makes wise decisions. I need to be praying for her future spouse that he would know the Lord and that he would be a mighty man of God. I need to be praying for Gods protection over her very life. Every breath is a gift from God. In Him we live and move and have our being. I need to place Leilani in the hands of God to mold and shape as He sees fit and to lead where He would have her to go. May I never be a stumbling block in my daughters life. In giving her completely to the Lord I know that He will take care of her better than I ever could, not that I won't do my best as a parent, because I will! If I raise her simply for my purposes and to make me happy though, one day I will eventually lose her... Something for me to ponder...
Oh gosh, so true! This is something I struggle with too, but more in the physical sense. I worry a lot about their lives, and losing them to death. Sometimes it's overwhelming to think about, and I know that I have to accept that I will lose them someday (choking back tears) - either to a life of their own, or if they enter Heaven before me. Either way, it will hurt, but if I can learn to give them back to God it will make the transition that much easier. What a great reminder.
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