Just You Wait

"Oh you think you're busy and stressed now? Just wait till you get older and have a job, bills to pay, a house to look after..."?
Have you ever benefited from a conversation like this? Yeah, me neither. Let me ask you something else, have you ever been the one telling someone something like this? Unfortunately I have. I've been on the recieving and giving end of it. Maybe you have too. We think by letting this poor young soul know that they certainly don't have anything to complain about, we have improved their outllook on their situation. Or maybe it's not them we`re thinking about at all.

Please don't think I am condoning complaining because I'm not. Complaining is wrong and it's a sin. We all do it. What I am saying is we miss an opportunity when we choose to respond in this way. What if someone isn't complaining. What if they are letting down their walls just a little bit. What if they're looking for some encouragement or a sliver of hope. What if all they want to hear is, "It's worth it". And instead we tell them it's not worth it. It's not worth growing up. The change isn't worth it. What you're feeling right now is not true and it isn't legitament.

Do you want to know why younger people feel stressed, stretched thin, and overwhelmed at times? Because they are! They are. What they are feeling is real and it's not made up. Sure, they don't know what it's like to have bills to pay, a house to keep up, or a family to care for. But that's just it! They haven't experienced those things yet. They are the busiest they have ever been not the busiest they will ever be. They can look at the lives of their parents and other adults in their lives and realize there's a differnce. But they only know what they have done so far.
Hopefully one day they will have a family, a home, bigger responsibilities. Wouldn't you rather they looked forward to it instead of dreading it?

There is enough negativity in this world. There's more than enough actually. Be someone who encourages the younger people in your life to live a full life where they are right now. But to also look forward to what's coming. I love being married! I love being a mommy! I love having a life together with my family and friends! I love where I am right now! Is life always a piece of cake? Of course not. There are hard days. There are painful days. There are days when I have to make decisions I really wish I didn't have to make. But life is good. Every day is a new chance to see where God's taking me on this adventure. 

I doubt I have had my last conversation like this with someone. But my hope is that as time goes on I have fewer and fewer. I want to encourage those around me and build them up. I may not be able to stop all the negativity in this world, but I can stop adding to it. So can you. I leave you with this encouragement from Ephesians.

Eph. 4:29
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

And to you young people (Yes I know, I'm young too):
1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

I Hope this has encouraged you! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! Blessings.

Yes, But Is It Worth It?

Please tell me I am not the only one who has a coversation like this with the Lord, "Ok, what do you have for me today? Who do you want me to witness too? How can I be the Light today?! Oh right...I'm going to be around people who are probably already saved...ok then. Then who is it that you need me to minister to?" Then the thought that follows is, "It's probably something hard and really not fun isn't it? It's probably going to be unpleasent isn't it? Something super simple like helping someone I don't want to be around." I then I say, "Oh well. That's what God promised us this life will be. He never said it'd be easy..." yata, yata, yata. Do you think that sounds appealing to someone who does not have a relationship with Christ? I can answer that for you in one word. No. No! It doesn't.

Hey! You should be a christian! 

Why?

Um... well...Oh! I know! Because if you don't you'll burn in hell for ever and ever while I'm sipping lemonaid with Jesus. You want to go to heaven instead right?

Yeah that sounds great and all, but don't you have to like, do hard stuff?

Well...yes. Sometimes I do.

And don't you have to miss out on a lot of fun things because they're "Bad"?

Yeah sometimes. But I still do fun stuff!

Right. Just not the kind of stuff I think is fun. No thanks. I'll live my life and you just live yours. That Jesus stuff is not for me. For all you know you could be wrong. Once you die you could just go in the ground. End of story. If that's the case I'd rather just live while I can. Without having to worry about what I can and can't do. Besides, I'm a good person. Sure I may not be the best, but I'm certanly not the worst.

What?! No! Just...no.

So many times we as christians are missing the point! Does the conversation I just presented you with convence you that you need Jesus? Or that you made the right choice as a follower of Christ?

Why do we endure the uglyness of this world? Why do we choose to do what seems hard to the rest of the world when we could be doing other things? Why do we continue to push back when the world says, "I have what you really want"? Why do we choose to look different from this world when it would be much easier to just go with the flow? 

Philippians 3:7-12, 14

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I press on. Press on towards the goal for the prize. The surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. He is worth it. He knows what's best. God has a plan! He knows best! He has my best interest and his glory in mind. Are you getting all this? Is it soaking into your heart and your mind? We serve a God that cares about every detail of our life and journey because it's right where he has placed us. He's so personal! Oh my goodness he loves you so much! Why on earth would we sacrifice knowing him, bringing him glory, and being loved by a perfect Father for the temporary gratification this world could give us? It's not worth it. Without God life is empty and hopeless. With him it's worth living, it's full, and it has purpose.

Now here's my challenge to those of us who are folowers of Christ and children of God; live like it. Live like the sacrifices are worth it because they are. Live so that others will say, "I want the peace and true joy you have". Live like this world is not your home and you are looking to what is coming next because it's worth the trials here. 

My hope is that you are encouraged from reading this post. I hope you are stirred up to live the amazing life that God our Father has set before you. Don't be ashamed of the life you have chosen. Walk out in faith! 

Blessings,

Cali Sims

Yours, Mine, and Ours

I love my son. I do. He's only been here 5 short months and already he's such a big part of our life. I love him so much that the thought of not having him with me hurts my heart and brings tears to my eyes. Now, I'm not trying to be morbid or make anyone sad. But I know the fear I have felt other parents have also felt. I have wanted to go to other mothers and ask, "How do you do it? How do I keep the fear of losing this precious person that is my child from overwhelming me?" How do these people, at a young age, not just fall apart when they lose a spouse or child? I'll share with you something that was revealed to me this weekend. My son does not belong to me. My own life it's not even mine. No matter what I do I cannot keep my son here with me if Jesus wants David with Him. And whether I choose to acknowledge it or not, David belongs to my Lord. 

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭1:20-22‬ ‭

Job tore his robes and worshiped. He worshiped! All his children had died and all his possession were gone, yet he worshiped. He knew that all those things had been given to him by God. He also knew that God could take them away as he acknowledged here. I've been given a family, a husband, and a son by my Heavenly Father. He could choose to take them away, and get this, it would be what is best. I trust him for my future, for my husband's future, and for my sons future. He is the only one that can see the big picture. Like we are able to see the whole story of Job, we know that everything works out for his best in the end. God has already seen my story and everyone else's from start to finish. I want my life to bring glory to Him. That's what I'm here for! Everything is His, even those things that He has given to me for a short time. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

You want to know something else? God loves my son more than I could ever hope to. He knows what is best for me, my husband, and my son. I have given God my life. I have surrendered my wants, needs, comfort, everything to my Savior. It is nothing more than what He deserves! He gave everything for me so that I could have eternal life with Him instead of what I deserve. I'm so thankful for everything that He has given me this side of heaven! I pray He gives me the wisdom to use it all to His glory. 

Thank you so much for visiting my blog! I hope this has encouraged you! Blessings! 

Cali Sims

A Blast From The Past

Sometimes I reminisce. Ok a lot of the time I reminisce. It's part of my daydreaming personality. Little things throughout my day can be triggers. A smell that takes me back, a word said, a sound, many different things. And sometimes it's easy to think, "Wow, now that was when things were easier." It's true, I often think back to my days of working at my beloved summer camp. Days spent on horse back working alongside my dad. Afternoons spent in my hammock with an enthralling book. Evening coffee with my friends at our favorite coffee shop and hangout spot. Where we had long discussions and I laughed so hard I cried. Midnight car rides. Spur of the moment trips. Last minute spend the nights. Nights spent having a heart-to-heart with my sweet mother long after the others had gone to bed. Riding my horse whenever I wanted to or felt like it. Sitting with my kitty doing nothing at all. Watching the rain from my back porch. 

In those days there weren't as many bills. No house of my own to clean. No baby to depend on me for their every need. No family all my own to cook for and care for. No business to run. Definitely not as much responsibility. 

It's so easy to look back and think those were the easy days. But in reality, they had their struggles too. Each season has its struggles. Back then I wondered when or even if I'd ever get married. If I'd ever have children. If someone would ever love me that way. I wondered what I was doing with my life. Was I doing things that mattered. Was I making a difference in the bigger picture. I had heartache and hurt. I had struggles and failures. I made mistakes and I had regrets. I cried and I lost. It was hard too. 

But that's easy to over look when wearing the rose tinted glasses of retrospect. Especially on days like today. Days when my house is a wreck, the dishes are piled a mile high in the sink, the dishwasher is full and so are the clothes baskets, the baby has been crying, supper didn't get fixed, I didn't get a shower, and I'm more exhausted than I have ever been...ever...in my whole life. 

And then my husband comes home. The one that God gave me. He takes the baby because he knows I've had a long day. Doesn't even mention the lack of supper. And I look into the big dark eyes of my son. The son that smiles and coos at me. Holds my finger and falls asleep. And it's all worth it. Everything. 

This is a season. Like the time I reminisce about was a season. And they are fleeting. Make the most of each season. Some are painful. While others are so filled with joy you think you might just die of happiness.

 

I thank God for all the seasons in my life. Because through every single one of them I have seen His faithfulness a little more clearly. Gained a better understanding of His love. Received grace upon grace upon grace. He's so good. He's so faithful. He's so loving. And He's with me in every season. 

So Celebrate the seasons you look back on fondly! It's ok to miss them. It is. Just don't become discontent with where He has you now. You learned all that He wanted to teach you in that season. You moved on. Learn what He would have you learn in this season.  Celebrate the now! It is good! Its hard, but it's good. It's painful at times, but it's good. It's exhausting, but it. is. good!

*big sigh* I hope this was as helpful to you as it was to me haha! Sometimes it just helps to put my thoughts down. Blessings all! 

Don't Waste Your Time In The Pasture

Let me just start off by saying how thankful I am for our Sunday morning bible fellowship class. I learn and  gain so much encouragement each week! It has really been a huge blessing to my husband I. If you aren't in some type of small group with fellow believers where everyone is asked to share their thoughts, wisdom, insight, and even questions please look into it. My faith and walk with Christ has been greatly strengthened because of it.

Anywho! How about that title? Are you wasting time in the pasture? Let me elaborate a little. This past Sunday we talked about David. His anointing to be king, his entrance into the kingdom, and his battle with Goliath. In first Samuel 16 we read about the Lord telling Samuel to cease mourning over Saul since He had rejected him as king. He tells him He has chosen a new king and Samuel is to go and anoint him. Evidently David's father Jesse must not have thought much about this whole thing because we find David in the same place he was before, in the pasture tending the sheep. But because he was in the pasture tending the sheep someone in Saul's service knew David could play the lyre. They had heard him play and knew he had a good reputation. So Saul sent for him. David would play for Saul when the harmful spirit would torment him and the spirit would leave. 

At this point in our class a very good point was brought up. Why music? What about David playing the lyre made this harmful spirit depart? It's a picture of light versus dark. David was full of light. Ever since the day Samuel anointed him the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. Where there is the light the darkness cannot stay. David's presence and God's Spirit inside of him drove the darkness away.

This was something I had never thought much about. But it is a wonderful example to us. Light and darkness are both powerful things. Step too close to one and you will be consumed. Which would you rather be consumed by? Do your actions line up with your answer to that question?

The next part of David's story is about his battle with Goliath. But was it really a battle between a boy and a giant? The whole battle, as our teacher pointed out, is very anti-climactic. The whole battle between the two last two verses. Two verses! This wasn't a battle between a boy and a giant. It was a battle between gods. Goliath was cursing the name of the living God while promoting the gods of his people. And that sickened David. In his mind that gave him no choice but to face this enemy. If he truly believed in the God this Philistine was so blatantly blaspheming he had to do something about it. 

An excellent point was brought up. We always try to relate to David in this story. We can do anything, conquer anything, be anything. But David is not the one we are supposed to relate to here. It's the people of Israel that were shaking in their boots on the sidelines. They were never meant to fight this battle. David was. David was the substitute deliverer. And just like the people of Israel were never called to fight that battle, we aren't called to fight ours. Jesus, our Deliverer has already won. Has already conquered. He has overcome our every sin and shortcoming. He tells us in John 16:33 "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have over the world." 

All that time David was in the pasture tending the sheep, playing his lyre, defending his flock from a lion and a bear, God was preparing Him. God was the only One to see him there. David didn't waste his time in the pasture. David knew God delivered those wild beast into his hands, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the hand of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." David knew that his time in the pasture had served a purpose. 

I've been wasting my time in the pasture lately. Looking for what's coming next. Wondering when this season I'm in is going to come to an end. But I don't want to waste any more time here. God has something to teach me here. I'm not done here in this pasture. He has something He wants me to learn. He wants me to grow. He is preparing me, shaping me, molding me. Now, all those things are not always pleasant. However, they are necessary for growth and preparation in the life of a christian. 

So how are you spending your time in your own pasture? Are you wasting the days and training there by looking for what's ahead? Live in today. We aren't promised tomorrow. And what will tomorrow be worth if you didn't learn what He wanted you to learn yesterday? 

Thank you for reading! I hope the Lord has used this to encourage you in some way. God bless!    

A Wedding, A First, And A Reminder.

This past Friday Nathan and I attended a beautiful outdoor wedding. The weather was perfect for it! Lights glowed softly up above us in the fading evening light. The bride and groom stood in front of a huge mirror decorated with draping greenery. You could see there every reaction. The smiles, the nods, and the occasional tear.

I didn't realize till half way through the ceremony that this was the first wedding Nathan and I had attended since our own wedding. On the way home later that night we both commented on how different it was to attend a wedding now that we're married. I've been to and in my fair share of weddings. I love them! The ones I've been to have always been happy and festive. There are always people to see and joys to be shared.
When I would go as a child I would wonder how it felt to be that beautiful bride in white. I would wonder what must she be feeling as she glides down the isle to marry the man she loves? What would all of this feel like? What is it going to be like when I get to have a wedding of my own?

Friday night I could not stop thinking of our own wedding. How wonderful it had been. I watched the bride walk down the isle with new eyes. I knew now what she was thinking and feeling. The excitement that flows through you is like no other! It's something completely new and you just want to savor that moment. You look down the isle and see your groom smiling at you and everything else just sort of...fades away. And you realize this is the moment you've both been waiting for. You are finally getting married! And yet, it doesn't seem real. But it is! It is so very real. It is so very wonderful.
Nathan said for him he watched the groom Friday night and wondered what thoughts were going through his mind. What was he feeling at this moment? He remembered he himself standing there waiting for me to walk down the isle to him. It really was a completely different experience from this side of the fence. Yet no less wonderful. I had sweet things to be reminded of instead of things to be longed for. I had a sense of knowing what the bride would feel when she attended her first wedding as a wife herself. I had Nathan beside me to smile at knowingly. It felt good. I like this wife thing! ;)

Knowing what it feels like to be engaged and so badly wanting to be married, I've gotten a small taste of what Jesus feels right now. Oh what longing! You are so ready for what you know is going to happen to finally happen! But Jesus doesn't even know when He'll get to come for His bride. He doesn't know yet His wedding date. Only the Father does. So think how much more intense that must be! You are longing, waiting, wanting for this marriage to happen yet you don't know when. You just know it will. There is a very powerful, very long awaited love in the heart of our Groom. Our savor is ready to come for His bride when the Father gives the go ahead. And it's soon!
Matthew 24:36-44 "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day you Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let the house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

I hope this has been encouraging to you! God bless!        

Lay It Down

And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" Luke 9:23-25.

Daily. Let him take up his cross daily. Not just a one time thing and you're set. Not just a whim of a decision and you won't struggle again to sacrifice yourself. No, it's a daily decision to realize this life is short and fleeting. That there is so much more to come! It's a daily dying to selfish desires. It's dying to (and here comes the kicker for me) stubbornness over what I want. What I had planned. What I saw as the best way.

All that is rooted in the fact that deep down I still don't trust God with my future. Which if we're being realistic isn't mine at all. Oh no. I gave that right up many years ago. A decision I have never regretted. Because it's the only place where true joy and peace abound!
Back to the point at hand, it is rooted in distrust, selfishness, and pride. I don't trust that God knows what will really make me happy or satisfied. What will really be best for me. In my pride I think I know what that is and what it looks like. But who am I kidding? I can't see the second in front of me. I haven't gotten there yet. Much less the weeks, months and years down the road. God can! God knows! And He does care. He does want what's best for us. He knows what will bring Himself glory. Is that not my purpose here on earth? My short and limited time here is for His glory. But I can't bring Him glory if I am so focused on my wants and my plans for my life. That blurs my vision. That is when I've taken my eyes off of Him. When my gaze is no longer heavenward. The focus goes to me. And oh what a breeding ground for all types of sins. I lose faith, I worry more, I trust less, I lose my joy, I endanger my relationships, I become very unthankful. The list goes on and on, but I'll let you fill in the blanks.

Let's be honest. No one thinks of the act of denying ones self and thinks, "Hmm, that sounds fun, I think I'll try that today!" No! It's sounds hard, painful and very not fun. But we find so much peace there. We escape all the nasty things I just mentioned. We can be at rest knowing we are right where God want's us and that place is wherever He want's us to be. Doesn't that sound peaceful? Don't you want someone to take those burdens and worries you've been trying to carry? This is what Jesus has to say on the matter;
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30.

God bless you! I hope you find this encouraging in your (daily) walk with Christ.