Life isn't important. He is.

A Cliche Phrase or a Lifestyle?

Jesus means everything to me. So do you, my incredible, inspiring and appreciative friends. Yet, I leave this place in 10 days. With arms high and heart abandoned, in tears. Tell me, when you sat at your thanksgiving table, surrounded by the people you loved, what WERE you truly thankful for? What ARE you truly thankful for? Make a 30 second mental list. Yours might look something like....

• Iphone
• Job
• Health
• Freedom
• Friends
• Family

...mine did. 

Great things, thank you Jesus. But wait, where IS Jesus? We're thankful for the things He gives us but forget that HE is the exact reason we even have those things. Yes, the "things" we have are great. But we're called to love so much more than our things. HE died an embarrassing and unworthy death on a piece of wood so that we could be forever free. Yet we shove the King of Kings at the bottom of our list and let temporary physical happiness reign in His place. Seriously, the way we accept the gospel is messed up.

We're packing our family of 10's life into 8 boxes and 16 duffle bags. 

My life as I know it goes into that 50 lb bag in the corner. 

But wait, Jesus IS my life. I can live without clothes and friends and electronics and youth group. Every single barrier can be stripped from me but Christ's promise's still will never fail. When we realize all we really need is Jesus, life becomes a whole LOT about Him and a whole lot NOT about us. Make sense?

‎"Because Jesus was strong for me, I am free to be weak;

Because Jesus won for me, I am free to lose; 

Because Jesus was someone, I am free to be no one; 

Because Jesus was extraordinary, I am free to be ordinary;

Because Jesus succeeded for me, I am free fail." -Tullian Tchividjian 

I sat at our table last Thursday, loving my family and hating the food. Literally. I could barely put a bite into my mouth without wanting to gag it up. Because in 10 days I'm leaving this place and going where that table of food would have fed an entire village. The delectable morsels were feeding my body but starving my soul. Don't get me wrong, I love to eat. But does one meal determine our happiness? Does a new car, or paid mortgage, or comfortable home make life great? Yes, yes it does make life great. But does our salvation not make it so much better?

These next 10 days, they're going to be a struggle. I hope I've been the friend you needed, and can continue to be that friend. Please pray for us. If I don't text you this week, I still love you, I just have a couple other things I'm doing. :) If I don't see you again for a year, you still mean the world to me, I'm just trying to find my place in life serving as the God-aholic I want to be.

As little Jack [7] and I cried in each others arms today, I was reminded of how fragile this life is and how every second counts. So please, don't waste your life. Remember Christ is everything for you.