quote(s) of the day

good morning!

just read this quote on my friend Susan's Facebook status and thought it was so. rich.  good enough to blog about and share. 
  

" our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter." ~ Francis Chan

i don't know about you, but i definitely want to spend some time thinking about this.  maybe some questions i need to ponder include:

• what things/goals/projects do i really want to succeed with?
• what does it mean to "succeed"?
• when i think about "failing," what sorts of projects/decisions come into my mind?
• whose opinions matter most in my life? (be honest, ella!).
• what sorts of things really matter?  am i investing my time, energy, money, passion, etc. into those things?

maybe you can join me in pondering these things.  honestly, for me, i think sometimes it takes more courage for me to ask the Lord "What things in my life should i not spend as much time with/give up altogether?"  than it does to actually do the downsizing/giving up of those things/endeavors.  

why, ella, do you get so afraid?  


i have to continuously preach to myself that
the Lord is good.
He loves you.
He has your BEST interests at heart.
NOTHING can separate you from His steadfast love, goodness, and faithfulness.


maybe we can pray, together, that the Lord would change our hearts and lives that we might actually live out of those truths written above.  that we would go about our projects, activities, and relationships with the intention of blessing HIS name and not our own, and that we would deem success when HE gets the glory and not ourselves---- even though that is so hard sometimes... to take the back seat when i really want to be center stage, getting pats on the back and lots of compliments on my hard, devoted work.

but this is not His plan; this is not what is best for me.

God's passion is for HIS glory-- because He is GOOD! :)  and if God's passion is His glory, then it should be mine, as well.

one last good quote for the road:
“Do you feel loved by God because you believe He makes much of you, or because you believe He frees you and empowers you to enjoy making much of Him?” ~ John Piper

oh, Father, let the latter part of that sentence be my heart's desire today and forevermore!