This post will be a bit different than others I have posted in the past. I hope by unveiling more levels of who I am and how my thought processes evolve over time, I can connect with you, my friends and readers, even further.
Image Credit: Kara Welty
Today, I went to church for the first time in several months. Living in a new city has tested my courage. Truth be told, I have been eager, yet exceptionally nervous to find a new church community that I will belong in.
It can be nerve-wracking to display your heart to a group of individuals who you do not know, in particular on a personal level. But, through these moments, I need to remind myself that you see your strength and the strength of others in these moments of vulnerability.
Ironically enough, the message at church today ended up solidifying my feelings of vulnerability and reminded me about what REALLY matters. Below are themes from today’s mass that can apply to many facets of life. I hope this enlightens you, as it did for me:
Grit, tenacity, and hard work are valuable, but they are not everything.
We are trained to work hard and to pave the life we want to live. But, somehow we omit to take the pressure off ourselves to know all of life’s solutions. Furthermore, we get too accustomed in being in the driver’s seat. Sometimes, by “being in control” we can unintentionally push ourselves to levels of exhaustion. When we do this, we may be missing the point of what our journeys are all about.
Have faith in your life’s path and trust that opportunities will present themselves to you when you are ready; Letting go of that steering wheel can be a cathartic process.
Gladness is the opposite of loneliness.
Happiness can be temporary and fleeting. We often jump to the next thing or event that can bring us joy, but then once that anticipated moment comes, we feel empty again; It is a continuous cycle unless we break it. Seeking to be content is harder than it seems when life rises and falls in unexpected directions. But, what if we found gladness in the right, rather than the wrong ways? What if we praised moments where we were tested and tried? What if we sought gladness when we needed God as our refuge?
Do not get transfixed in the journeys of others.
We are all humans doing the best we can. We often see others who we think “have it all” and view them as superhuman. Admiring the traits of others is a beautiful thing; But, we cannot forget that those individuals are human, too. Everyone has a journey, and ALL routes include stumbles and falls, whether we see those pitfalls or not. Do everything you can to refrain from idolizing others. Be grateful for the journey God gave you. Take solace in what you bring to the table to serve the world.
Live life with purpose; Be who you were called to be.
Happy Sunday,
