Fireflies.

I saw fireflies tonight.


And not like one lonely one in my backyard.


I'm talkin like A LOT of fireflies.

Lighting up the earth.



Brightening the darkest corners.


Shining like stars on earth.





And as I walked down the darkening street..
they reminded of something.




I am always setting my goals SO high.
Like really REALLY high.




And I'm not talkin about fleeting goals,
like learning to play the guitar or losing 5 pounds.

I'm talkin about heart goals.
The deeper parts of myself that cry out to be better.




If you could only stop thinking about this, or sinning like that.
THEN, maybe,

Just maybe,


You will be more like Jesus.

You won't be as much of a disappointment.


You will be WORTHY of His love.


And y'all, I like always fall short.



ALWAYS.





And this evening, I was so. frickin. tired.


SO TIRED OF IT.


I can't be the woman, the DAUGHTER, He wants me to be.


I'm a loser, and a disappointment.

I'm ALWAYS falling short.






Y'all, we set our goals SO high.
ESPECIALLY as Christians.


We believe this lie as Christians that you can sleep when your dead.
Do as MUCH as you can now for the kingdom.


Well, I have news for you.

If you don't rest, you end up dead anyways.




You get SO overwhelmed by the "stuff" and take your eyes off Jesus.




And tonight, those fireflies reminded me that we tend to shoot for the stars.
Aim SO high.
When Jesus reminded me that He provides the stars, HERE.
Right now.
In front of me.


And Jesus just started speaking to me:
Stop aiming so high.
I am here with you NOW. In this moment.
I am tangible.
I am Immanuel. God WITH you.



Y'all, I love when my Father reminds me of why I am here.



Work doesn't fulfill.
My friends don't fulfill.
Alcohol doesn't fulfill.
Food doesn't fulfill.
My family doesn't fulfill.

JESUS fulfills.

And y'all, He is here WITH us.




He loves you.

You were created to be loved by Him

and to love Him back.



So.

Stop setting your goals too high,

And start setting your eyes on HIM.




And be reminded of His great GREAT love for YOU.



Because when you were still IN deep.
Sucked under.



DEAD
IN
YOUR
SIN.





He died for you.



That's love y'all.



Remember that.




Forever His,
Rach

Why I won't be celebrating "Single Awareness Day" this year.

Dear friend,


I have made a very big decision this last week.



I will not be celebrating "Single Awareness Day" this year.



WHAT?!?!?! You say?


Nope.


I can't.




I just. can't.


It has been decided.


Coming from the perspective of a very single 20-something young lady, who has never really dated, never been kissed, and never really been sure of herself for 20-something years,

I can tell you....this is a BOLD move.


I am very aware that I am single.

And I have never really had a problem with it.


SURE, there are the girls who really really REALLY want to be married.

And I COMMEND them.


They have a God-given desire, and I believe that God will bless those desires.


But I have never really been that girl.

Sure, I have liked guys.

Been "interested".


Thought they were CuUuUuUuuute.



But for a long LONG time, I have been ok with singleness.


Until recently.


God has really welled up this desire for marriage really REALLY recently.


Kind of like "I'm now on my own now, have my own job, and have to pay my own bills for the rest of my life, and I really don't want to do this alone. It would be nice to have a life-long friend, partner, bestie, LOVER."


I have never really been that girl. That girl who lives for the "Mrs" degree.
Who solely desires a big house, four children, and a long life of marriage bliss.

I think it's great.


But I think it can really go too far sometimes.


ESPECIALLY in the south.



Sometimes I feel like most of the Christian women in the south only desire one thing:
MARRIAGE.


Again, this is a God-given desire. And I think it's AWESOME.


But when all you can think about is who you're gonna marry, when you're gonna get married, and how many children you're gonna have,

I think you are cutting yourself WAY short.



And more than that, you are idolizing the one thing that God has given us as a representation of His covenant love.

And I don't want that to be a selfish love.


So the more I want it, the more I am THANKFUL.



I am thankful because I know how much marriage will never satisfy me.


I am thankful because I know how much MORE I need Jesus in this time of unfulfilled earthly desire.


I am thankful because I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that the more I desire marriage, the more I will seek to desire HIM. Because He is the real lover, and I am the real beloved.


Dear friend,

If you are single, join with me in not celebrating Single Awareness Day this year.
If you are married, join with me in not celebrating Valentines Day this year.

Let us celebrate "Single Thankfulness Day" and "Marriage Thankfulness Day",

because I believe that we are to be thankful FOR BOTH.

But I believe that Jesus is the only one REALLY worth waiting for.

"Because He is my portion, I will wait for Him."
Lamentations 3:24



I wait for Him alone.


So come on beloved,

Let us be thankful for our singleness or for our marriage this February 14th.


Because in both, we are blessed.


Because HE is our portion. He ALONE is worth the wait.



HAVE JOY.


He is the fulfillment of every desire.



So WAIT.



Forever His,
Rach