Who told you that you were naked?

Every time I try to read the Bible, I end up in the first few chapters in Genesis, particularly where Adam and Eve sin and hide from God.  I think it is so profound and so relevant to us even today.  “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.  And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’”  (Gen 1:26)  How amazing to be made in the image of God!  We were created different than every living creature on earth in that we were made like the Lord!  “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die.  For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’”  (Gen 3:4-5)  Adam and Eve were already like God, knowinggood.  But Satan always tries to trick us and make us think we need more than the Lord has given us.  They sinned and hid from God because they were naked.  “God said, ‘Who told you that you were naked?’”  (Gen 3:11)  Who told you that you weren’t good enough?  Who told you that you were weak?  Who told you that you have no beauty to offer the world?  Who told you that you would never amount to anything?  Who told you that you can’t?  I used to think it was silly when God asked that question.  Who told you that you only had 6 months?  Who told you that you needed the next biggest thing?  Who told you that you’d never get out of debt?  Who told you that your baby wouldn’t make it?  Who told you that your dream is too big?  Who told you that it’s a stupid idea?  Who told you that you’re all alone?  Who told you it’s not worth it?  Who told you that you’re worthless unless you achieve the American Dream?  Who told you the cancer would take your life?

WHO TOLD YOU THAT??  Who are you listening to?  You are made in the image of God!  You have the righteousness and power of Jesus Christ!  You are not naked!  You are not an orphan!  You are dearly loved and wanted!  You have BIG dreams that God gave you so that you CAN accomplish them!  Satan is a liar!  Take what he says and the opposite is true, hallelujah!

Kind and Gentle

Less than two weeks after Aaron and I moved to Salt Lake, God gave me a job.  It is not the job I would have chosen by any stretch of the imagination, but I knew it was God.  I went into it, happy to be so sure of His will, and intending to work at this job with my whole heart.  Then, a few days ago, I had a huge realization: this is exactly what I was doing in Phoenix, except with no benefits and for about half the pay.  It is a big-wig company being managed in a completely obnoxious and ridiculous manner.  And it is a job that doesn’t fit my personality.  I was completely motivated to find a better job, frankly because I was pissed off.  Not at God.  Just at the way big businesses are run and because even when I try to tell employers what kind of work I like to do, they come at me with this attitude of, “No, you’re young and pretty and excellent with customers, so you’re going in customer service.”  And for a while, I believed employers when they told me that, and worked so hard on my weakness that everyone now thinks it’s my strength.

I came home that night, went to bed, and prayed and cried.  I told God, “I don’t know if You still want me there, but I’m not going to do it anymore.  I’m really sorry, I love You and I don’t want to disobey You, but I can’t do this.”  I wasn’t defiant, I didn’t want to be; I wasn’t mad at God, I just had to be real with Him.  I wasn’t going to stay in a job where I was miserable, a job that barely paid enough for us to get by.  I didn’t want a job in retail, I didn’t see any way this job would help me accomplish my dreams or do us good in any way.  I didn’t see any point in staying in a job that is so unfitting with the way God made me.  There are so many other jobs I would be so much happier in, where I could make so much more money, and maybe even *gasp* make a career!  Why can’t I just have one of those jobs?

The next day I went to work half-heartedly with the attitude of, “Just wait, I’ll be putting in my notice soon…” when suddenly the front end supervisor starts talking about promoting me.  Nothing official, but she and the assistant store manager had been talking about who would replace another front end supervisor when she goes on maternity leave.  They both thought I was the person for the job.  I thought, Really God?  Really??  Now I HAVE to stick around to see what happens.  If I’m a supervisor I’ll be full time, and it had better come with a raise…  I was still half-hearted, I decided to keep one foot in and one foot out.  Well then at church tonight, Pastor Jason was talking about surrender and I fell apart!  I HAVE to stay at Ross, and it IS worth it, if only because God wants me there.  He has a purpose, He is already in the future seeing how it will all play out.  He knows my dreams because He gave them to me and who better than Him to walk me step by step til I get there?  I don’t have to understand, because He does.  I just have to surrender.

Looking back, I’m amazed that, even though I told God “no” He was still so kind and gentle with me.  He wasn’t angry, He wasn’t offended.  He didn’t punish me.  I was honest with Him, that I really didn’t think I could do what He had asked of me, and so, He very lovingly gave me what I needed to do what He asked.  It is worth it because it is ordained by God.  One day, I know I’ll look back and be SO thankful that I stuck it out, and whole-heartedly did what He asked.  Thank You God for Your gentleness and love, for motivation, and for always equipping me with whatever I need to do Your will.

Apartment and a Job

Before Aaron and I left for Salt Lake, I had been talking to the Lord about jobs, asking Him what job He wanted me to have.  He told me, “I have a job for you, I will give you a job.”  He implied I wouldn’t have to bust my butt, hit the ground running, that He would just give me a job.  This is hard for me.  I don’t like sitting around waiting for something to be handed to me. I am a lot like my dad, a hard worker, and I do think working hard honors God.  But sometimes God tells you to just wait.

Well we arrived in Salt Lake, and I felt I had to do something, so I went applying for some jobs I felt good about, kinda half-heartedly.  I was determined to stay away from retail, so I applied at a lot of banks, and for some nannying jobs.  I haven’t heard a word back from any of them.

Late last week, Aaron and I went out one evening.  We looked at an apartment and fell in love, drove by Ross and saw they were hiring on the way to Chick-fil-a.  I considered applying for Ross, I knew it would be an easy job for me to get, but it’s retail.  I stayed on the fence about it.

By the end of this weekend, Aaron and I both came to the conclusion that we could NOT stop thinking about the apartment we saw, and decided to just go and fill out an application to live there.  We were going to do this in faith, believing God would get me a job when I need one.  Yesterday morning I got up and started getting ready to go down to the apartment complex,  when I received a text from Aaron’s Dad.  “This is going to be a supernatural year!  Has Andrea considered working for Ross?”  He had NO idea I had been on the fence about this!  That was all the sign I needed!

I went and applied to live at the apartment and was approved!  We set our move-in date for Thursday December 13th.  Then I went and filled out an online application for Ross.  In the evening I went down to introduce myself to the Assistant Store Manager in charge of hiring.  She interviewed me right there, and as soon as my background check comes back, I start an orientation!

Later that evening, I was asking God, “Really?  Retail again?”  He said, “Yes, really.”  I told Him, “I don’t want to do retail, but Lord I’ll do it for You.  And believe me, You’re the ONLY one I’ll do it for!”  But you know, people at Ross need Jesus too!  There’s a lot of people who work at Ross and a lot of people who shop at Ross.  And isn’t that why we came here anyway?  For people?  Lord, I am most happiest when I know that I know that I know I’m where You want me, so retail or not I am so thankful to be in Your plan.  I intend to work at this job with my whole heart, with a smile on my face and a smile in my soul.  Please open my mouth to tell people about the God who loves them with an everlasting love, and about the church who will love them as You do.

Small Seeds

Back in 2007, I spent an entire summer working at United Christian Youth Camp in Prescott as a summer staff.  Aaron and I had broken up the previous summer, and I had spent the last year growing in my relationship with God and discovering who He made me to be.  I have to say, working at UCYC was the best summer of my life thus far.  I had found my niche, I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.  The summer, however, ended.  I went home, reunited with Aaron, did a year in college before realizing I didn't know what I wanted to study, but I knew who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.  Aaron and I married the summer of 2008 and began our life together.  It was an adventure, full of excitement and learning!  And yet... still it felt like a part of my heart had been left up in Prescott at UCYC.  For years, literally YEARS after, it felt like a part of me was missing, and I knew exactly where it was, it just wasn't where God had me at the moment.  

A few years went by, and still this dream burned and ached in my heart.  There were SO many dreams between Aaron and I, I didn't know how they would all come to pass in our one lifetime, but I trusted them to God.  I had asked Him over and over to take the ache out of my heart, but He never did.  I knew this dream was from God, so I nurtured it, though it seemed impossible to accomplish.  I would follow Him step by step and leave the impossible to Him.  

Somewhere along the line, God gave me a passion for family.  Maybe it's because of how I was brought up, my family has always been huge and everyone always gets along with everyone.  When someone falls, there was an array of hands to choose from to help them back up.  Maybe it's because, working in the youth and children's ministry, I had seen what resulted when a child lacked family.  They were rebellious, but because they were hurting and insecure.  They acted out, but because they wanted someone to notice them.  They didn't love God, because mom and dad never taught them.  It broke my heart!  The older I get, the more I realize just how blessed I am by my family.  I decided, when God gives me this camp to run, I want to use it to reach hurting kids, maybe even their paretns and family.

Then it hit me!  This is EXACTLY what my best friend has wanted to do since before I met her at 15 years old!  She had ALWAYS talked about having a horse ranch and getting at-risk kids around horses, camping, and God!  Could it really be that God brought us together to do this?  It's almost too good to be true!  I love the outdoors, she loves horses, our husbands love music, my husband loves art!  There are so many different mediums in which we, together, could reach out to kids.  I was super excited and when I brought it up to my friend, she said she had been thinking we'd do this together too!

Step by step, we continued to follow the Lord.  He called her husband into the Air Force in Mississippi.  He called Aaron and I to The Well in Utah.  In less than a month, we will be in Utah and they will be in Mississippi.  So far away...  And still we carry this seed in our heart.  Still just a little seed, taking in nutrients, putting out roots, pushing up, up, up to the sunlight.  We are apart, but where the Lord wants us.  We are learning, growing, gaining skills, and touching lives along the way.  Our dream may not have broken the surface yet, but we do God's work.  No matter what stage we go through, we can ALWAYS make a difference.  We can ALWAYS reach out.  This is God's will, this is how He teaches us, this is how we are prepared, by simply doing the work.  Though our dream is just a seed, we put our whole heart into the work God has set before us, because this is part of our dream too.

Then at last, one glorious day, this dream will break through the dirt!  It will see the dazzling sunlight and grow and grow.  It will be a huge protective tree!  Many people will rest in its shade, eat its fruit, and from the fruit they will find seeds, their own dreams to reach out and make a difference in people's lives.

Roots

Today was my last day at my job at Little Scholars.  I had a lot of fun, got to spend some time with my coworkers, and everyone made me feel super special  =)  I thought it might be harder than that, but as I went through the day I was just enjoying being with everybody.  I'm a pretty even-emotioned person.  Everyone was there and we were having a good time, no need to be sad.  Then I got off, gave hugs, said goodbyes, and started driving home.  Then it hit me, I felt sad, not going to lie I cried a little.  

For several months even before we had any idea God wanted us to move to Salt Lake, Aaron and I have been feeling like the Lord has been pulling out our roots.  Surprisingly, it actually felt good!  I love adventure, and the monotonousness of every day life was getting to me.  It felt good to have my roots pulled out of the boring and meaningless things they were in.  World of Warcraft, my plans for my life, my job in retail to name a few.  It was exciting wondering what God was doing and where He would take us.  When we decided we had to go to Salt Lake City, I couldn't wait (and I still can't)!  I like Arizona only about 2 months out of the year, and I've always wanted to move to Colorado.  Utah is close enough!

Then more roots started coming out, and it didn't feel so good.  We moved out of our house so we could rent it out.  I love the woman who is in our house, and God worked it out perfectly, she is a blessing to us and we are a blessing to her.  But this was our home for 3 1/2 years, we laughed together, cried together, argued together, loved each other, worshipped God, played music, played with our dogs.  I miss our home.  I miss our dog, who can't stay with us at my parents house.  

Today another root comes out.  It's easy enough when my root is in dry, bland soil.  But this root was in rich, nutritious soil.  Working for Little Scholars was good for my heart and soul.  It allowed me to grow the fruit of patience (lots and LOTS of patience), love, understanding, compassion, even boldness.  This root was in a good place, but it had to come out.  They all have to come out, and the roots that have yet to be pulled will be more painful.

During this crazy and at times painful time of transition, I choose to plant my roots in the only thing they cannot ever be pulled out of.  I will root myself in the Lord, in His love, His patience, His plan.  I will trust Him.  I will worship Him.  I will follow Him, to the end of the earth if He asks.  The Lord is faithful, He will always be with me, and He will take care of me.  This is what I signed up for, and I do not for a second regret it.  Some people have told me I'm brave, but truly, I'm not brave enough to not be brave.  The consequences of being fearful are worse than the fear of stepping out.  Yes, following God is sometimes painful, but it is also glorious.  It is worth the pain because someday, for those who trust themselves to Him, pain will no longer exist.  It is truly a momentary, light affliction compared to the glory to come.  I will be His warrier as He has called me to be, and someday soon, I will celebrate victory, with all my loved ones close, never to be far again.

"I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind, the God of angel armies is always by my side!  The One who reigns forever, He is a friend of mine, the God of angel armies is always by my side!"

~Chris Tomlin

God is GOOD!

Today we moved most of our things out of our house.  We don't have a renter.  We don't have jobs in Salt Lake.  We moved our things to my parents house.  We wanted to make some room in our house to do some work on it, and we also wanted to save some money (on electricity, utilities, etc).  I should have been excited, but I was kind of sad.  I feel like things are moving SOOOOO SLOOOOW!  I wanted to be moved to Utah by the end of October, enjoying the cool weather and telling people about the incredible new church coming soon to Salt Lake.  But here we are, no renter, no jobs, no Utah.

It's times like these when Satan has a hay-day, all these doubts come in and it's so easy to be overcome by them.  It's times like these when it's so important to fight.  These are the times when we lead our feelings til they submit to the truth- that GOD IS SOOOOO FREAKING GOOD!  He has called Aaron and I out of Arizona (that alone makes me wanna shout Hallelujah!) to a beautiful, cooler state.  He has called us to love people who are so in need of him, people who most Christians have overlooked.  Despite waiting while being attacked, I do not doubt that He has called us, and I am thankful for my certainty.  He has given us parents and many friends who want to help us and bless us in our new endeavor, who already have in so many ways!  He is giving me and Aaron many, many opportunities to grow and become closer.  AND He gave me a $1400 catalytic converter for $150!! 

God is good.  I know He is good.  I KNOW He will get us to Salt Lake City EXACTLY when He wants us to be there.  Sadness and disouragement- be gone in the name of Jesus!  God is alive!  He is working!  He is bigger and stronger than ANYTHING that could come against us!  AMEN!    =D  =D  =D

Time to Clean House?

    I was working my late night last night, and business was pretty slow.  A coworker came over to my department and we started chatting.  From the conversation, I could tell he was a Christian.  After a bit, he walked over to the magazines, which are on the first aisle next to my department, and glanced at the covers.  "Girls kissing girls..." he said, "that's disgusting... That's just wrong!" he said with conviction.  I agree it's wrong, but I just nodded and shrugged.  It's not my job to judge people, it's my job as a Christian to show people the love of Jesus.  We began chatting again, and he was talking about his girlfriend and when he plans to propose.  He mentioned, when he doesn't feel like driving all the way home, he just stays with her.  I was a little surprised at this, since he just told me he was a Christian.  So... it's ok to sleep with your girlfriend even though you know it is wrong, but you point the finger at gay people whom Jesus loves dearly? 
    Hey Christians?  I think it's time to clean house.  And I don't mean someone else's house.  OUR house.  How is it that we see certain sins as worse than others?  Yeah, they're sinners because of homosexuality, and I'm a sinner because I lie.  Which is worse?  Well does it matter?  Isn't one sin enough to keep us from God?  How can we point at someone's sin and make a spectacle of it, but think our sin is no big deal?  Remember when Jesus said, "You are trying to pick a speck out of your neighbor's eye, but there is a log in your own eye!  First, pull the log out of your eye, then you might see well enough to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye."  FIRST- pull the log out of your own eye.  THEN- maybe you can take the speck out of your neighbor's eye.  Let's clean our own house first, shall we?