life...

do you ever feel like you are living your life, and people just have no idea who you really are or what you are really going through? before i continue, i would like to say that i am not at all complaining. where i am in my life right now, i am extremely happy. content. satisfied. there are just times when i look around and feel like...all these people i see so often have no idea what is going on in my life. obviously, there are some that do.
being in ministry, you pour your life into people constantly. there are pros and cons to that. there is the verse in 2 corinthians that says "I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly i love you, the less i be loved."
it seems like the more time you put into certain people, the less you get in return. i only mean that the people that have hurt me the most are the ones that i put the most time into. BUT i have to "VERY GLADLY spend and be spent!"

i love being around people-lovers. growing up, my dad was my pastor...still is...so i watched how he treated people, and honestly just assumed that the way he acted was how all pastors acted. when i went to college and had to try and find a church to attend, i was very surprised. it seemed like in reality, the majority of pastors are NOT people lovers! my dad genuinely loves, spends and is spent for people. all the time. my husband is the same way. adam loves taking care of people, finding out their joys, their hurts and their needs. he is the happiest when he is ministering to other people. i am so glad that we are a team. we both are involved in the lives of so many people, and i really enjoy that.
i feel like there is a lot going on in my life right now...


that picture describes some of it. i feel like there are very few people who know about most of it. but you know what i love? i have a husband who knows it all. and is a part of most of it! i know that i am blessed in that way. i don't feel like i NEED to have a friend that knows everything about my needs and my wants. i enjoy feeling needed, not needy. i want to continue pouring my life into other people. yes, you do take the risk of being hurt. greatly. but you also have the chance of finding a life-long friend. it's worth the risk.

where are you right now? are you the needy friend? or the needed friend. living in a world that is constantly telling you to take time for yourself, give yourself a break, you need some "me-time", you owe it to yourself...aaahhhhh. enough!! how did Jesus spend his time? yes, he took "me-time" to pray with his Father, but he spent his time giving to the needs of others. i want to do the same. how should we get refreshment, fulfillment, renewal? spending time at the feet of Jesus. that gives us the strength we need to give more to more people. it takes the focus off of ME and puts the focus on Jesus, where it belongs. when you start loving like He does, caring like He does, and giving like He does, you'll find more joy than you could imagine.

so forget about your problems and annoyances. forget about your stress and your worries.

let's be spent today...for others.