In December of 2019 I stepped away from my business along with my blog, social media, and a number of other things. I felt a shift that I can’t explain.
I’ve always been highly motivated and driven in everything I do. So when I felt a need to step away from it all, it came as a surprise to me.
Letting it all go for a season was one of the hardest things. Especially when I wanted to make a wise decision. Taking time away from my business just didn’t seem wise to me.
“We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!” Hebrews 12:2 TPT
Fruit
5 months later, and I’m so thankful for this season God has walked me through and the fruit he has produced in me.
He stripped everything from me so I could focus on him in a new way, a way I’ve never done before. I see him for more of who he is, then ever before.
New things have been revealed to me in these months, almost like an upload and new revealing of who I am in Christ, who he is, his true character, how he sees me, my mission for the kingdom, and loving what he loves and who he loves…aka everyone!
The Journey
During this stripping away process I’ve committed to reading the entire Bible along with 20 books for 2020!
I want to share the list of books in the order that I’ve read them so far this year, because it was only God that could have put them in this order. (I highly recommend each of these books!)
When Less Becomes More, by: Emily Ley
The Pursuit of God, by: A.W. Tozer
Unexpected, by: Christine Cain
Redeeming Love, by: Francine Rivers
Forgotton God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit, by: Francis Chan
Everybody Always, by: Bob Goff
Crazy Love, by: Francis Chan
Radical, by: David Platt
Through the order of these books God took me on a journey of first stripping it all away, then pursuing him wholeheartedly like never before and in unexpected times. He then showed me his love for me in new ways along with my neglect of fully living in him and accepting his gift of the Holy Spirit. After which he showed me how I can love his people and finally love him + radically follow after and continue pursuing him like never before.
I marvel at the journey he took me on, and in the order he did it. It wasn’t just through these books, it was also as I took my journey through the Bible that he revealed all this to me.
Looking back it was like a computer upload, an uploading into my spirit in just a span of a few months. It’s so exciting when you look back and see God’s plan unfolding in your life.
We don’t always understand at the time but God always has something bigger and better planned!
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV
The Pandemic We Are Facing
I think now how timely that He took me on this journey when He did. Where months later, once again, more of my life has been stripped away. All of our lives are different and affected during this time.
I want to encourage you to use this time as a time where God can use what has been stripped away from our normal lives so we can see him in new ways, worship him deeper, hear him more clearly, and above all see the fruit he’s producing in our lives through serving and pursuing him wholeheartedly.
The fruit of becoming more like Christ, and revealing more of His image in our lives every day.
Yes, things have been stripped from our lives, but let’s not miss an opportunity to let our heart develop more of the basics we ultimately need to live the life he’s placed us here to live.
“As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has been already marked out before us. We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection.” Hebrews 12:1-2 TPT
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 ESV
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