Defining You..

As Christians when we accept God into our hearts and our lives we die to self and are born again. The past is just that the PAST we are born again to walk in new life.

Today I'm talking about the struggle of feeling defined by your past.

My prior life before recommitting myself is something I work to no longer struggle with. I have worried in the past that it would be hard for a man to love me because of my choices, it would be hard for me to be taken seriously in my faith because of my past choices, and it would be hard for people to forgive me because of my past choices. I've spent months battling with the questions in my head until  one day.

My father is one of my favorite humans, men, and friend in the entire world. A few months back as him and I sat being transparent with one another me struggling with the inability to forgive my dad for some of the things going on in my life he simply said this, :" Morgan, my past is my past I will not let anyone define me because of my past. I let God slip away, I let my family down, and I wasn't the man I needed to be. I was in a place in my life I can't describe but I can't tell you this I won't let a moment in time define my entire life. I love you, your siblings, and mother with all my heart and I will fight everyday to prove that." In that moment my dad changed me for the rest of my life. I knew in that moment just like my father my past was my past. I couldn't let those actions define me. They could grow me but not define me.

1 John 1:19
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Someday there will be a man that walks in my life and loves me for every flaw I have maybe someday I will have the opportunity to share my past to help someone much like my dad helped me.

Life is not easy. Everyday is not rainbows and butterflies. There are days that the trenches seem deep and the peaks so far away. There are days you will lay it all down to God and days you can't find the strength to give it all to Him. I share this with you my friend,

He does not let your past DEFINE YOU.

Gods grace and mercy is greater than we can ever imagine. So feel encouraged as you start your week no matter where you stand right now. God loves you and I love you. Make this week one with intention and purpose.

X.O.,
  M.K.M

\Patience\

|| Proverbs 16:32
Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. ||

There are those days where the world just feels like it is falling to pieces. No matter how organized you tried to be nor how long you prepared for something everything seems to keep failing. Your patience is tried time and time again. For some of us we can handle the pressure for others of us we crumble.

I'm a happy balance of the two. Let me tell you though, when I crumble boy do I crumble.

This past week has been a busy one for sure. Every time I think I have a free moment it's filled with something new. This is also the last week of summer for the sweet kiddos I work with and man are they working on going out with a bang. Their energy is up and their listening skills..  well let's just say those have been turned down. Daily I remind myself though I was that crazy little minion at one time as well and try to remember the sweet patience I have had with them all summer. Yesterday though I think I forgot all about the art of patience and found myself defeated time and time again as I worked through different situations with kids. As nap time finally approached I was hoping I would get a little bit of down time to sit and maybe eat a bite of my lunch but those sweet little faces had a plan of their own. As the crazy antics and excitement of being in a different room carried on and my temper grew shorter and shorter my ability to be patient wore thin. Miss. Morgan had to raise her voice a tad and get snippy which for those of you that know me in Miss. Morgan mode that's a very hard role for me to play. Luckily though I was able to catch attentions and get some kiddos serious about nap time. As the crew settled in and started to fall asleep though one of the little munchkins came and crawled into my lap cause he just "NEEDED to get my attention before he fell asleep," and what that little 4 year old said stopped me in my tracks and really hit home for me. He said, "Miss. Morgan, you see God made all of us here in this room. He made some of us with BIG personalities and not all of or personalities work together. But you see Miss. Morgan I know you are sad right now because of how we are acting but God did all this. He made us like this so it's ok because God is good and that means this will all be ok. I love you Miss. Morgan."

That little dude could not be more right and he could not have touched my heart more in that moment if he wanted to. All the time we get caught in the moment and get upset with one another, with the current circumstance, or simply with God. If we only took the time to be patient and realize that everything comes from God and in time given our patience and obedience God will provide for us. Much like in the story of Job.

Probably one of the best known stories of patience in the Bible is the life of Job. To prove Job’s faithfulness to the Lord, God allowed  Satan to have his way and destroy Job's life. Job lost cattle, property, personal belongings, but most important of all he lost his family. However, Job did not blame God. Job accepted that God had a plan and that in time that plan would be revealed to him.

Job’s friends came to council him. They tried to find out what great sin Job had committed to deserve the punishment he received. Job would not admit to any sin. Job knew that sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Everyday we are given the the opportunity to be patient. Some days that opportunity comes easier than others. There is a blessing in knowing that God does for His people when they are faithful to Him. Be faithful in the trials and much like Job the lord will bless you and in time bless you more than before.

|| Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ||

As I close out this week and enter into a new school year with new kiddos I'm challenging myself to lead a level of patience like Job. I pray that I am reminded of the trial Job faced and realize that mine don't even compare. I pray that I keep an open mind and an open heart to all those little faces when times get tough. I'm praying for an amazing school year with these new kids. I pray for the opportunity to make much of Jesus and share about the wonderful things He has done with these kids. I pray they know just how loved they are.

X.O.
    M.K.M