Why I do what I d0

Two years and six days ago I did something big and scary: God told me I needed to quit my job, so I did. I had no idea what He had planned. I had no clue what I was going to do. I knew my Master was telling me, “take this step of faith and I will open the door.” So I took it. After 2 months of waiting He make the way clear. I had no idea that He was giving me work that would fulfill the many years of passion wanting to burst within my veins. I couldn't comprehend how He was going to weave photography into bringing glory to His name. Once He finally opened the door, I was puzzled. "God is this really what you have for me? Wouldn't a life on a mission field be better?"

Over two years later I see His plan so much more clearly. He has created me for this. It is undeniably certain that it is His desire for me to make know the Gospel through this art, this platform and the relationships I form because of it. That is the end goal, not fame, fortune, being published here or there. The why behind all of it is Jesus.

Yesterday I came back to the why again. Lately I've feel a huge shift in focus to what truly matters. In analyzing I've found that a lot of things don't match up with my end goal. I need to change. I need more than just a little too. I'm in dire need of a huge overhaul. I know why I do what I do, now I just need to live it out with boldness. It won't be easy, but I want to do the hard thing. I want to pay the price because the price has been paid for me. I'm kind of like a blank roll of film. I was black and dark inside, but God has imprinted me with the beautiful image of His Son Jesus. I just want everything to reflect that. It's my heart's deepest desire.

What does it take to get there? It will take a clear vision of the prize to strive for by the grace of God. There is just too much distraction in this world, and if I'm not careful I'll get off course. It's easy to get wrapped up in things that just aren't important. I have a huge tendency to get bogged down with the here and now and lose sight of what I should be striving for. We only have this one life friends! I don't want to waste mine, but to be completely spent when my final breath comes. In order to do that, I need something to look at every day to keep me on track. Yesterday I had to get honest and get visual. This is what I pray is my prize for the rest of this year:

Going deeper, higher and further with God. Simplicity in every aspect of life. Less doing and more being. Staying true to what is most important and saying no to the rest. Running a streamlined business so that good things don't get in the way of the best things. Refined and focused passion and purpose. Getting my hands dirty in Jesus' name. Cultivating deeper relationships. Boldly proclaiming the Gospel through my journey with Jesus, our marriage, family, ministry, relationships and this blessing I call a business. Seeking to bring glory to God in all things said and done.

The apostle Paul puts it this way in The Message Version and my heart resonates with it: " I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I'm am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward - to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us." (Philippians 3:12-15)

Do you want everything that God has for you? I can promise He has plans that we can't even comprehend. He has created you for a purpose in this life. I don't know about you, but I desperately want to live that purpose. My prayer is that I keep the eye on the prize - Jesus. I know that it will take less complacency and more focus. It will cost me the temporal pleasures of laziness and other seemingly good things. But is it not worth the cost? I feel like I'm going back to the girl I was two years and six days ago, saying "God you'll have to catch me because I'm jumping!" Jump with me friends! I want to share in this journey as we pursue what we were created to do. Do you know what that is for your life? Are you doing it?

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