Limited

I’m not really into watching movies. I like to sit down every now and then and watch a good film but you know those people who want to go see the movie in the theater on opening day at midnight? I’m definitely not that person. Even though I’m not really into movies there are a few that I will always be a huge fan of.

I know it’s considered cool pop culture nerd to say this but it’s totally true: I love Star Wars. Not the new ones – George should have quit while he was ahead in my opinion. I’m talking about A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. I remember being a little girl and my Dad bringing these movies home for us to watch and I was enthralled. The stories were amazing and the force was this limitless source to tap into to wreck major havoc on the dark lord Sith. Not to mention those ewoks were adorable and I dreamed of finding one some day. 

It’s movies like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Batman and Chariots of Fire (yes Chariots of Fire) that get me. These movies show people (or hobbits) that have extraordinary powers and abilities. Luke has the force. Frodo has the ring and his gang of mythical friends backing him up. Batman is billionaire Bruce Wayne and let’s be honest sometimes it’s awesome to have money. It can buy you the batmobile and that sweet utility belt he uses to protect Gotham city. And last but not least, my favorite Eric Liddell – who won the 400 meters in the 1924 Summer Olympics and was known as the flying Scotsman. 

While the majority of all these characters are purely fictional, no one can argue that they aren’t powerful. The force and Bruce Wayne’s bank accounts will never run out. It’s like these guys have no limits. I on the other hand certainly have limits. I’m no Luke Skywalker, or Frodo Baggins. I can’t fly. I can’t run at incredible speeds. I don’t have overwhelming strength. I don’t have the batmobile or utility belt.

But my limits don’t stop there. I am limited in giving because I don’t have a bottomless bank account. I am limited in serving because I just don't have enough time. I am limited at loving people who hurt and disappointment me. I am limited in my ability to forgive others. I am limited in overcoming temptation and evil. I am limited in my belief for the impossible. I am limited in receiving God’s blessings because I don’t think they’re for me. I am limited in understanding God and knowing His ways.

 Matthew 19:26 says:  

With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

I don’t know what areas you may feel limited in lately and we certainly live in a world where our limitations are constantly being thrust in our faces, but God is not limited where I am. Where I am limited God is not and therefore He enables me to be unlimited when I lean on Him.

Here are 5 Bible verses that encourage me when I feel limited:

1. Colossians 3:13 says that I am to forgive as the Lord has forgiven me.

2. James 1:5 talks about if anyone is lacking wisdom they are to ask for it because God generously bestows it upon us.

3. Matthew 7:10-12 Jesus says that no earthly father would give his child a stone or a snake when they ask for bread and a fish and then posses the question how much more will your heavenly father give what is good to those who ask Him?

4. 1 Corinthians 10:13 talks about that God won't allow a temptation to become too strong for me to handle and that He will show me a way out of it.

5. 1 John 4:8 says that God is love and therefore God is unlimited in His ability to love because it’s the very nature of who He is.

Because God is unlimited, we, His children are safe and it is when we fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith that He offers us the guidance, the will and the strength to push through our limitations.

This, this is the God we adore. Our faithful, unchangeable friend. Whose love is as great as His power, and neither knows measure nor end. ‘Tis Jesus, the first and the last, whose Spirit shall guide us safe home. We’ll praise Him for all that is past, and trust Him for all that’s to come. - Joseph Hart

Amish Taxi

While speeding down 472 (yes I was breaking the law on Sunday) I suddenly had to immediately hit my breaks as I came up behind a white passenger van. However, this was no ordinary Dodge 1500, this was an Amish taxi.

A little insight for you non-LC (Lancaster County) residents: There’s this ultra conservative group of people that live here in LC and they are known as the Amish. They are as mysterious as they are confusing. Intriguing as they are annoying. Some people are drawn to them – seriously I can’t believe the masses that make the pilgrimage here simply to see and smell the Amish up close and personal. Usually the Amish travel via horse and buggy, scooter, or walking but sometimes, when they’re feeling extra worldly they load themselves up into the classic white (or navy blue) passenger van. My friend’s parents use to taxi the Amish for a small fee. They’d go pick them up, drive them to their desired destination and then later jockey them back to the farm. 

So there I am following the Dodge van, knowing right away it was an Amish taxi and it wasn’t because I could easily spot about 8 or 9 straw hats through the back window. You always know when you’re following an Amish taxi because of one thing and that’s the speed of the van. Even though they aren’t using the buggy, they’re still going the same speed as it which causes so much confusion and frustration to me and many other LC non-Amish inhabitants.

I mean this group of Amish people (or hey it may have been just one family) have pulled some money together and hired someone to come pick them up and drive them to church that day. They are choosing to leave the buggy at home – and yet the van doesn’t break 5mph? Is the driver nervous that the sudden change from normal travel speed is going to cause motion sickness to his passengers as they look out the window and see telephone poles whizzing by? Does the driver not realize that they were most likely hired because these people were running late and hence opted out of the buggy because they had a need for speed that day? 

Obviously it’s much harder to pass a D1500 than a buggy. Plus no one else seemed to realize it was an Amish taxi so no one was passing the van. Therefore I arrived at church 10 minutes late. But that’s okay – the person doing the morning announcements was taking their jolly ole time so I didn’t miss much.

Purpose and Chance

A few months ago God randomly dropped this little nugget into my lap. Now when God speaks I certainly don’t think it’s random. Nor was what He said random. Why I say random is because God spoke to me about marriage. Now as a single 23 year old God talking to me about marriage is not random – or should I say me talking to God about marriage is not random. What made this moment random to me was that God spoke to me at 10 in the morning not while I was praying or speaking to Him but rather while I was at work. This is what I believe God said to me:

“Marriage is not about chance. Marriage is about purpose.”

If something is left to chance it’s clearly uncertain as to whether or not that thing is going to take place. I think too many times single people believe that if I say the right thing, do the right thing, look the right way and pray the right prayers then God is going to sprinkle my spouse down on me like a baker sprinkling rainbow jimmies on a cupcake. It’s pleasant, it’s wonderful, it’s just the right topping for my life. But what happens if I do all the right stuff and I still don’t find a spouse and get married? What then?

Well that’s where purpose comes into play. I truly believe God always has the best in mind for me. I also believe that to get His best I need to stay inside the will of God. Sometimes the best life possible for us is to not always get what we want. There are times and seasons, maybe even an entire life time on earth, where we don’t get exactly what we want when we want it.

Yes Emily but the Bible says in Psalm 37 that God will give me the desires of my heart and I desire to get married. Okay true, but there’s so much more to that verse than just getting the desires of our hearts.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. Psalm 37:3-5 (NASB)

There are specific instructions that must take place for God to bestow upon us the desires of our hearts. The first is to Trust in the Lord and do good. Do I trust God with my future or am I making Him my back up plan? Am I putting myself to do good works or am I too busy searching for a date to be about doing the work of God’s kingdom? The next is to dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Dwelling in the land is similar to doing good works. Be here. Grow and expand where God has you now. Regardless of whether or not I am where I want to be, I must not allow myself to become stagnant just because my timeline isn’t going the way I thought it would. Cultivate faithfulness. Am I willing and able to love God and remain faithful to Him even if He never brings a spouse into my life? Am I able to go, serve and love Him and others even if the thing I desire the most is never fulfilled here? I need to cultivate faithfulness so that no matter where life takes me I’ll be faithfully His. The next part of this verse says to delight yourself in the Lord. Am I able to find my satisfaction, fulfillment and joy in the Lord? I know that I can only find that in the Lord, and no one and nothing else will be able to do that. And finally the last clue (even though it comes at the end of the verse) is to commit your way to the Lord. God’s path, sense of time and dreams look really different than mine. If God thought the same as me I’d be married and have whatever else I’m desiring right now. I need to commit myself to His ways, plan and will, even when things don’t pan out in the order I wish they did.  Even though everyone seems to quote, love and remember the He will give you the desires of your heart bit, my favorite part of this verse is Trust also in Him, and He will do it. Because it’s not about getting what I want – it’s about trusting Him and following His lead.

Now back to purpose and chance:

I’m certainly not saying that anybody who wants to get married is weak and not following God’s will. I’m just trying to stress purpose. Sometimes our purpose is best aided and fulfilled by being single, this maybe for a short time, an extended season or a life time. The great thing about purpose is that you aren’t resigned to sitting in the corner and watching life pass by you. Life doesn’t start when I get married. Life is happening right now. I don’t want to become so focused on the one thing I don’t have that I end up missing all the other great things God is doing in my life.

Yes but what if I don’t know my purpose?

Well then you shouldn’t be looking for a relationship to put it bluntly. If you don’t know yourself and where you want to go in life, how do you expect to find someone who compliments you? Find God. Find yourself. Then find your partner.

I certainly have the desire to get married. And I do believe that someday God is going to set that in motion. But I also believe that if I don’t get married it doesn’t mean I’ve failed, my life is less and lacking or that I must have done something wrong. In my opinion no one deserves to get married. I used to think how much I deserved it. I’m mature. I love God. I’ve got some money saved. I’m attractive, funny, smart (not to mention humble) – I deserve this and someone deserves to bask in my awesomeness! (Seriously I thought this at one time.)

But you know what? I don’t deserve this. No one does. Marriage is a wonderful and beautiful gift from God. It’s the closest picture of Christ loving the church that we have available to us. No one deserves it- but God offers it to us. It’s another blessing He wishes to lavish upon those who seek His will and righteousness.

So do I believe that marriage is in my future? By the grace of God yes I do. Do I also believe that if I don’t get married that it means my best, most blessed and fulfilled life is accomplished by me being single? Absolutely.

Because after all…

            Marriage isn’t about chance. Marriage is about purpose.