Making changes...

I have realized in these past few days that there are things that need changing in my life. I see things in different light now. God has really opened my eyes and taught me so many things this week. I am ready to change. I am ready to do what he says.

Here are two verses that have impacted me this week:

"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these things we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction." (1 Timothy 6:6-9)

"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy...So be ashamed, you also, and bear your disgrace for you have made your sisters appear righteous." (Ezekiel 16:49, 52)

It is so tempting to fall into the materialistic mindset of our culture. Even the church is materialistic! We make a big deal about things that actually matter very little. Why do we spend millions on our buildings? What is the point? It would be very easy to get legalistic here. Things are not inherently bad. It's wonderful that my church can house so many people...but what are we doing with most of our money? What is our focus? Is it us? Is it me? God's word says that we/ I should be content with merely food and clothing. Wanting more that we need is a horrible trap that takes our focus off of God and onto ourselves. I am guilty of it! Man, the verse in Ezekiel really struck me. Here I sit in Barnes and Noble, about to go buy groceries. I have to admit that I am the epitome of that verse. I find that in my heart I have pride, I have excess of food and prosperous ease in my life...AND I don't aid the poor and needy, not even in my own city. I need to change.

As I have been thinking about what I could do to live out the verse in 1 Timothy, several things have popped into my mind:

1. I can sell my wedding dress to raise money for missions. It is very nice and I could get a pretty penny from selling it.
2. I can cut back on the "extra" groceries that I buy. (I don't really need snack food, like granola bars and such.) I can also buy less types of cereal. Do I really need 3 different kinds? I could also stop putting creamer in my coffee. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE coffee with creamer in the morning. It would be so hard for me to give up!
3. I can choose not to buy clothing unless I have an absolute need, including shoes and jewelry.
4. I could also go through my closet and take out some things to give away to someone in need. How many purses to I need anyway?
5. I can volunteer at Momma Tina's Mission House, serving food once a week to the homeless and needy.

Those are just a few that I have thought of today. I'm excited to see where God leads us as we seek to radically obey him! It's not really sacrifice when I look at Christ...it's a privilege!