Category: God’s plan

Thoughtful Tuesday

On By LarissaNapolitanIn change, God's plan, journeyLeave a comment

Like the alliteration I have going here? Yep, just a little cheese is always a good thing. 🙂

Anyways, I am sitting here in my favorite coffee shop (in KC anyways) and I am having all sorts of frustrating thoughts. Since it is summer and I am a teacher, I have lots of time to think. That isn’t always a good thing for a perpetual over thinker anyways. These thoughts sort of go with the idea that I want my life to move forward. I want to magically get to my end goal weight, I want to suddenly arrive at someday, and have all the things that I spend a lot of time dreaming about during my thinking time.

HOWEVER, I make that a big “however” because I know in my heart of hearts, that skipping the process of change isn’t as wonderful as going through the change. As much as I want to be at the end of this chapter in my life, (There is a lot more to my chapter than just weight loss, but I won’t go into that here.) I know that I am supposed to go through this process, this journey, this chapter for a reason. I don’t think I would learn about the hard work it takes to get to the end if I just skipped the hard work, right?

As frustrating as it is to be where I am at in my life, I have to trust that God has me here for a reason. (Sometimes I wish I knew that reason.) However, there is a wonderful magic in not knowing and anticipating figuring out the reason someday.

I think my one of my favorite verses applies here:

Isaiah 55: 8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

What are the things that God is asking you to trust in Him for?

Reflection of 2010

On By LarissaNapolitanIn God's plan, reflectionLeave a comment

It feels appropriate to spend the first day of the new year reflecting back on the past year. I read through some of my posts on this blog and am somewhat surprised that in the last two months I have only posted twice. I feel like in these last two months much has been going on. Perhaps, I just haven’t been able to articulate it like I would want to but in a lot of ways 2010 was a good year, and God has blessed me in many ways.

More than anything, I think I am struck by the fact that so much can change in a year and so much can stay the same. Spiritually, I feel like I have come a long way since last January, but at the same time I feel like I am working out some of the same issues with God. Professionally, I have grown and changed and learned so much, but I have a long way to go. I do know that I don’t want to ever arrive, but continually be in process.

One of the biggest changes that 2010 has brought me was that physically I have changed. 45 lbs and counting, running a mile, and then running a 5k. To be able to wear things that I never thought possible, to be healthier and motivated to continue on this path. Those are all changes that I see. But I have to remember that those physical changes won’t bring me that inner satisfaction that I crave in approval or success, those will only come from the Lord.

As I travel through my year in my journal and writings, I feel sense of anticipation, of weariness, of wanting, of hunger for more. I am not sure what more of, because I know there are days when I feel overwhelmed by what I have on my plate, in my life. I feel not equipped to handle what God has thrown at me. However, I know there is more that God intends to do in 2011. Am I ready for it, am I prepared for what he has? Do I know what I am asking for?

Even though I feel one thing, I know that the fact is God is there and will always be there to help me through whatever he puts in my path. It excites me to think about it in a lot of ways. I am excited for His plans, whatever they may be.