99 Days of Freedom

It sounds like a challenge for a charity. Or a bid to make a change to the lives of those bound in slavery, but no, 99 days of freedom is just an exciting title for what should be a simple challenge- staying off facebook for just over 3 months. It is an experiement set up to determine a persons happiness away from facebook. You can find out more about it here. 

I'm not one to shy away from a challenge, and after having a week feeling pretty convicted to spend less time on my phone, i decided to enter into this little experiement myself and did the unthinkable- logged out of facebook... 

Now this is not the act of a facebook hater. I can see incredible benefits to this site that connects and assists in maintaining relationships. Im already getting frustrated at losing this point of connection with people..

I do ask the question though- how healthy is it to spend a chunk of your day looking at peoples walls to find out their stories for the day- what they ate, where they went, who they caught up with..? I don't know but it almost sounds a little... stalkerish? 

And where do i rest my worth? I could say God but sometimes it feels more like its from the number of likes i get on my profile pic. 

Sorry to bring God into it, but we cant really exclude Him from facebook can we? even though it is just a virtual world, it's also another avenue to give Him the glory. And from what i shared in my last post, isn't that what our lives should be about?

So my challenge in these 99 days of 'freedom' is not to go on some facebook rant and encourage others to quit. Nor is it to unlock some secret to happiness and freedom. Nope, this is a personal choice that shows my weakness, and in this time i want to learn a way to use facebook better. 

Not to post to gain likes or boast about where i've been or what i do.  If my facebook page really is a window into my world then i want it to reflect Christ's love. Which means its got to be less about me and more about Him.  As i learn more about what this looks like i'll be sure to post it . Please feel free to share with me ways you healthily use facebook too! 

Ironically i'd usually post this blog on my facebook for people to read but today i cant, so who knows who will even read this, if anyone!

Peace out! 

Refocus

Have you ever thought like maybe you were on Plan B, or even C, D or E in life?

Maybe things haven't been working out so well, or at least not how you intended your life to play out by this point?

It's hard not to question a tough situation or to point the blame to something or to someone (most often at ourselves!).

But i don't actually think there is a Plan B or C in life when we're followers of Christ.

 Romans 3:22 says We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
Jesus by His sacrifice on the cross redeems us (Eph 1-7). This means that we are restored to God! This is big stuff. Our life becomes Christ's when we become followers of Him, and i don't think He works on second bests. If we're made right with God then surely our life isn't operating on Plan B? 

So maybe we need an adjustment in how we focus our lives?

I recently went to the Refocus Conference in Perth, where Ps Rick Holland (from Mission Rd Bible Church, Kansas City) spoke on relationships - specifically between a man and a woman. A clear message that was shared was that, above all, whatever situation we are in, including whether we are single or married- we need to be glorifying God through our lives! 

For many, dreams have been shattered, lives have been turned upside down. 

How can we respond to that? 

By knowing that God has a plan for us- right now. By knowing He is working through our lives. It's all for Him. 

The world will tell us differently, but rest assured, our lives are hid in Him. Our plan b's are still God's plan A. He is sovereign enough to work through any situation. Your life isn't worthless.

My encouragement to myself and to you would be that just because of where you find yourself (maybe at the moment it's surrounded by shattered dreams?) does not mean you are any less in God's sight. It doesn't mean He's given up on you, or is doing something less in you. No, until God calls you home, you are doing an important thing here on Earth- you are being the light of the world. So, refocus your life. Live for Christ in His Plan A.

And if you don't know Christ yet, consider a life where the standard isn't the worlds. A life that knows of a love that abounds in grace, forgiving us of all our transgressions, freeing us from guilt. A relationship that isn't based on works. 

Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

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If you would like to hear some of the talks given at the Refocus Conference, click here. You will find some useful discussions on being Godly women or men, how to glorify God through singleness, becoming one flesh, fighting sexual sin, defining biblical love and so much more!