Run wild, Live free, Love strong

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me." (Philippians 1: 21-26)

Everyone live for something, things happen for a reason. One question I ask all the time: What is the purpose in me on earth? As a Christian I know that after I die I will be going to heaven, where there will be no pain, no tears and no sin. I want to go there now, a place where I can spend the rest of my life worshipping God and live in a perfect place. Who doesn't want that? But it also gives me great joy seeing a positive change in people's lives, how can I let God use me to change that world to a better place, how can I live like Jesus?

In the pass few weeks I have been rethinking about my life and how I am serving God with my life. When we sing worship songs on Sundays, do we mean it? Is Jesus actually the centre of your life? Will you actually follow wherever He goes? Is it time we step out and do something to change the world? I have found what I am passionate about and felt God telling me it is time to act on it. If you ask me how do you know what God is calling you to do, my answer will be pray and talk to Him, the more you spend time with him and let yourself grow in Him, the easier it will be for you to recognise his voice and His calling for you. When you hear what God is calling you to do, don't let things in life to stop you, don't make excuses for yourself.

I am a person that wants to plan my whole life for myself, I know what I want and I will try to make it work MY WAY. At the moment I am learning to trust God with my life, I am learning to enjoy not knowing what's ahead with the knowledge that God has already got my whole life in his hand and that He will guide me through it. The only thing I need to do is trust, when you stress and worry about everything you are not trusting God.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4: 6-7)

Once you have trusted God with your life, the next step is to step out and serve God, listen to Him and see where He is leading you. Everybody is alive for a reason, Go Run wild, live free, love strong.

Pressing on toward the Goal

Getting up in the morning, get on my bike, sit through lectures, bike home (fighting through the headwind), do pre reading and sleep. Then repeat five days a week. After three years you come out with a massive loan, why do we do it? On that cold winter Monday morning what will get you out of bed to turn up to lectures? That Friday night when all your friends are hanging out but you have an exam the next day, what will keep your focus on study? Dear friends, KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE. Most of us are studying for a reason, you must be working towards a goal, if not FIND IT, otherwise it's going to get hard.
No one can achieve something great without working hard, let me encourage you to look at your goal during those times when you want to give up, remind yourself why you are doing this. When you look back at those times, you will know it's worth it, your endurance will pay off.

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)
And of course I am not going to end there. Yes in our lives it is very important to work hard to study, to get the degree we want the job that we want, with that supporting a family. YES it is very important, BUT let us not forget the REAL GOAL for us in this life. Paul wrote to Christians in Philippi, keep your eyes on the heavenly prize. Live like Christ. It's hard to tell the whole truth, it's hard to love those who hurt you. When we are here and now living in a sinful world, but like getting up in the morning and going to lectures, it's worth it for the prize. In our old age can we say that: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8)