I love to write. I have many journals that are in the working, many journals that have been completed, many blogs that I share my thoughts on and many sticky notes with reminders written on them. I have too many calendars that I write on, a chalkboard with the weekly menu, TO DO lists on miscellaneous papers and even my hand to jot down notes. Like I said I love to write.

So, many days I will open journals, old blogs, pick up old note pads and read my thoughts and can I tell you about 100% of the time, the Lord uses my old thoughts to shed light on a current situation.

I learn from the “past” Jenny on many occasions. For instance, I have a button listed “random” on my followmapenzi blog. If you click that button it will pull up any blog that I have written in the past three years. If you want to give it a try, you can visit that blog at: http://followmapenzi.tumblr.com

Anyways, so I clicked that button today and it brought me to December 16, 2012, titled: “2013 Commitment”

I would like to share with you what I wrote:

“To live close to the Lord it requires Him to be my first love, to be my TOP priority.
Isaiah 50:4 reads, “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” 

Everyday I learn more about my God through the people around me, the nature I walk by and through the deep breaths I take. I learn that I am not alone and my love for Jesus continues to grow.

So, how can I strive to follow Jesus and not the world? How can someone look at me and know I am a Christ Follower? If I were to compare my life to the life of an atheist, do I stand out? Can people tell I am different? How can I share the love of Christ everyday?

To answer these questions. I sat down. I grabbed a pen and a paper. Naturally I began to write my 2013 goals. In the midst of writing these goals, I realized this is more than just 2013. Our life is made of moments and decisions. When I look back and reflect on these moments, I want to know that it was more than just “yearly goals after yearly goals.” I want to STAND out of the crowd. I want to challenge others. I want to share Christ love to everyone I come in contact with. I want to respect my body, guard my mind and keep a pure soul. I want to be different.

Being different is difficult in the world we live in, but this is the step I need and want to take. Instead of just writing goals, I also wrote a Life commitment. I believe goals are essential, so keep daily, weekly, and yearly goals, but also dig deeper, take time to think a little longer and write a commitment between you and the Lord.

I hope 2013 brings much happiness and joy, but I also will pray that it brings much GROWTH with you and the Lord.

Take the journey to be different. Let people see the change in your life and start spreading Christ love one soul at a time.”

I opened up another journal I had written in about a year ago and it had said:
“Our choice is either to trust our plans with all of our heart or Trust our God.”

So, can you guess what I have been struggling with lately?

Making the Lord my top priority and giving Him all control of my life. I still have to daily work at surrendering my plans to the Lord and understanding that He calls me to be different and He has amazing plans for my life.

So, like I said in 2012… I am going to take the journey to be different. I am going to let people see the change in my life and continue to spread Christ love one soul at a time. I am choosing to Trust God and surrender my plans.

Want to join me?

The other day a friend of mine said something so simple, yet so profound in prayer. As we were all about to depart for lunch, she mentioned how we have hunger pains and that in order for those pains to disappear, we satisfy our hunger through food. Then she drew a parallel. She said something like this, “Lord, allow us to have those same hunger pains for you. That when we feel those pains, we know that the only way to be satisfied is through you alone. Allow us to crave you daily.”

It was simple prayer, but it was clear and it was bold. Some days, well many days, I try to do it alone, I try to take control and continue to make the decisions of my life, but what I am still daily learning is that I need to give my control, my decisions, my daily life to the Lord. I need to crave Him daily and allow only Him to satisfy my hunger. This world will leave me empty and the pains will always return, but through the Lord and Him only will I be satisfied and full.

What are you trying to feed your hunger pains?

“Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” –Romans 12:2

Radiating HIS love Everyday,
Jenny Nuccio