but that's the great thing

i was made for a greater purpose.

and so were you.

maybe you don't know Him,

and maybe you do.

are you living by His will, 

or your own?

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. (Colossians 2:2-4NIV)

don't know what i'm talking about, or struggling with this?

shoot me a message and we can go grab some coffee.

i don't know everything,

but that's the great thing,

we are all in this together.

-lindsay

ear plugs.

about a couple months or so ago, our neighbor's house caught on fire at 4am. Since we were next door, we had to evacuate our home.

at 4am.

that night i decided to wear ear plugs. so while everyone in my house heard the loud knocking on the door and began to run around trying to gather things, i was asleep, not being able to hear anything. (A+ to the people who made the ear plugs!) i finally was awakened by someone, and when i opened my eyes, my room was glowing with orange. then i began to gather things in case something had happened to our home. i ended up forgetting my phone, which isn't a first, but that isn't really the focus i'm going for right now.

ear plugs. it's crazy out of all nights, that night was the night that i decided to try them out and to see how peaceful i could sleep, and then, that all happens. but once all the chaos was over, i realized i could get a lesson out of this. my own neighbor, who i barely even know, has been through a lot.. and still is. and in my own way, had put "ear plugs" in not reaching out to her. and then one day, that glowing, bright orange, fire takes away everything she had ever owned, gone.

sad enough to say, it's how some of us are with "sinners", "non-believers", or however you label others. instead of helping them out, telling them about the love of God, or even trying to show that love to them because of their looks, financial disabilities, etc. just because you and i are just too darn stubborn, prideful, or scared because, "they might look at me funny" or "they will curse me out".

check out Matthew 25. 

Matthew 5:43-48

"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. "In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."

So in the words from above, "In a word, what I'm saying is, "GROW UP. You're Kingdom subjects. Now live like it."

Take out the ear plugs, and listen to the cries of the broken and lost world.