Pressing On...

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect,

but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Brothers, 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 3:12-14

Distraction, party of one? Yep, that would be me as of lately. Man, when the enemy wants to throw you off course he pulls out every dirty trick in the book. In the last two weeks I've found myself distracted by jealousy, condemnation, exhaustion, iPhone games... you name it, I think I've stumbled upon it. But in the late night of last Saturday I heard the ever so familiar voice of my King speaking truth and love over this tired heart. You see, God has placed an amazing call on my life... we all have one, for some it is known at birth, for others it takes years to find where it is He has destined for you to go. I fall in the latter category. I've mentioned this before, but it took me 3 years after applying for graduate school to finally enroll and now having completed nearly 2 years of my 2.5 year program, I can't believe how quickly time flies. It has been such a wonderful journey, one that has been confirmed time and time again that I am indeed doing the right thing.

So I press on, battered, bruised, tearful, blood dripping, and exhausted... I press on to the goal, the prize set before me. And the thing of it is, it's not even about me or what I can do, but rather who He is and what He is going to do through me. Once I finish this portion of my journey that's when the real adventure begins. I cannot even fathom the doors that will open as God directs me along the path He has laid out. I get giddy with the thought of the clients, the families that I'll be working with once I'm licensed. But again, it's not about me, for without God none of this would be possible. I thank the Lord that despite the distractions I've faced along this journey, I know I can place my complete trust in Him and walk this out with no fear. With 84 days left until my big departmental exam, which will determine whether or not I graduate, all I have left (and all I've ever had) is hope and faith. My God is an awesome God, one who is faithful and true... one who gives and takes away, but never leaves us lost and never stops loving us.

If everything comes down to love

Then just what am I afraid of

When I call out Your name

Something inside awakes in my soul

How quickly I forget I'm Yours

I'm not my own

I've been carried by You

All my life

Everything rides on hope now

Everything rides on faith somehow

When the world has broken me down

Your love sets me free

~ Hope Now, Addison Road, 2008