My own limitations

"...And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set a royal crown on her head and declared her queen..." Esther 2:17

DON'T LET LIMITATIONS LIMIT VISION.

Tonight I'm considering my own short-comings. I'm selfless to the point of a loss of self-worth, I talk WAY more than I listen, I don't take care of myself, I'm sarcastic to the point of insensitivity, indecisive, selfish, and the list could go on....
But also tonight, I'm considering the life of Queen Esther. So consider this:

God doesn't only use our gifts to fulfill our destiny, He'll use our limitations as well.

Yeah, even the things we're HORRIBLE at, or that we struggle with the most, God uses it all.
Esther has several "big" short-comings for back in her day. Sure, she didn't have to worry about social status, having an iPhone, updating her Facebook, being tan enough for summer, or texting people back in a timely fashion, but she had a few issues to face in her time as well. And her limitations, the things she had "going against her" so to speak, are what God used to help her fulfill for role as queen.
She was an orphan.
She was a minority.- a Jew living in Persia, BIG deal.
She was a single woman.

And God used all of those things, along with her beauty and brains to fulfill her destiny.

Sometimes what looks like a disaster in my life is part of a much bigger plan. But I'll never fulfill that destiny if i'm busy throwing my own pity party.
Esther could've regretted her role. She could've done like most of us do today and said, "If only it wasn't me" or she could have looked at other people's lives and said, "Man, it must be nice to be them..."

I think I need to realize that the unpleasant obstacles in my life are more often God-ordained opportunities in the making.

So, for anyone reading:
You might be in a situation right now where everything is going wrong, and you can't figure ANYTHING out. "Why me?" But God knows. Nothing in your life is accidental. The pleasures, and the pains are all to be used by God.

So, I'm thankful to belong to a God who not only uses the good in my life, but the bad as well.
All I gotta do is say, "I don't get it..." and trust that He does.

Pray for me and my family tonight.
Redeemed, JAS.

A photo recap...

"A good snapshot stops a memory from running away..."


I'll be summing up this past month with old photos I found. :)

I'm a girl of few words tonight.

Africa is on my mind.



I hung out with Melissa. FINALLY. P.S. I miss Rose...

I'm leaving for Super Summer in a week and I'm PUMPED.

My crazy brother moved in next door. Grrrreat. ;)

I have the world's wackest best friend ever. :)

My parent's first year anniversary is coming up. ;)
 I LOVE THEM.

UCO's #CentralEdge KILLED IT at AAF this year. :)

Had a few heart to hearts with good ole Baby Ray. :)



Sometimes good things fall apart. <3



His Grace is and always will be more than enough. <3

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand. I leave for Africa in less than 7 months. Mmmmmm.
Doing good, doing REAL good. :)


Redeemed, JAS.