Sometimes, obedience looks like simply putting one foot in front of the other. That has been my journey to what you see today. I didn’t run or sprint into obedience.
It was a day-by-day process of dying to myself, even when I was too naive to understand what that meant. He was beginning that process of shaking out the things that were unlike Him.
Maybe you’re wondering what that looks like in reality:
- Dying to vain ambition (i.e., the promotion, the millions, the hustle). Contentment and trusting Him became my focus.
- Dying to a perspective that is full of vanity. I had to stop trying to make it all make sense and focus on learning His Word. Faith is not rational; it’s radical.
- Dying to vain friendships that were not rooted in Christ and pulled me into darkness, whether that be worshipping Mammon, defiling myself with alcohol or drugs, etc.
- Guarding my ear and eye gates. Listening to the Holy Spirit and realizing there were certain things I could no longer watch or listen to.
- Rebuking my own thoughts when I found they didn’t align with the Word of God.
- It was denying myself food with a heart that was desperately praying that His Holy Spirit within me would become stronger than my flesh and help me look more like Christ in my day-to-day life.
It was the real-life moments where Jesus undid me. He undid my ways of thinking. He undid my pride. It was a true humility that left me begging Him to show me myself—to show me the ungodliness in me so that I would forever see that I need Him daily.
That there is no righteousness in me apart from my belief that I have been saved and given power by my faith in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. When He showed me there was no righteousness in me, I was filled with so much appreciation and deep gratitude for the gift of His grace and mercy.
I don’t have a master plan or strategy for selling my devotional and Nehemiah collection. I just know He had me write it and share it where He has me currently (i.e., on YouTube, in this email, and at the upcoming Gold Rush Festival). So I am going to share it where I am and trust Him to do the rest. Because purpose is not about me or you. Purpose is about being undone and asking our Heavenly Father to have His way in our life, whatever that may look like.
My prayer is that you be undone before Christ and never forget you need our Savior. He is love, but He is also God. We must honor Him in how we praise, speak, and think about Him. Never be so familiar that you fail to see that He has been given all power by Elohim. The time is short, and the laborers are few (Matthew 9:37-38). The day will indeed come where every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). Lord, how my heart sinks for those who will hear, "Get away from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you (Matthew 7:23)."
Bestie, remember He is looking at your heart; you cannot fool Him. Stay surrendered, stay submitted, and stay seeking Him diligently. He is all that matters. This earth is not our home. Be more committed to the One who has the ability to cast your soul to the abyss than the one who can kill your body (Matthew 10:28). In Jesus' holy name, we pray. Amen.
