When Life Shifts

So it's been a while since I wrote. Like always, I have a few posts in draft but I wanted to write some about when 'life shifts.'

This past summer was a time of lots of changes. Initially, the changes were hard. I was sick and couldn't do a lot of the things I normally could do. Life shifted. Thankfully, God was there to show me through.
Life got hard, I tried to adapt myself, I failed...but I then began to lean on God.

Life shifted and eventually I came to Him.  
It was beautiful and I learned a lot about myself, but most importantly I learned more about God's love for me. How it was constant. How HE is constant no matter what life was doing.

Fast forward some weeks/months and I began healing and my focus *shifted* again.
In this world, it's easy to lose sight of Him. Or, maybe it is easier for me to lose focus on Him. I got busy in the ins and out of life and got away from making time to start my day and end my day with My King.

I began feeling like my old self, and my old self shifted to my past ways. I wasn't plugging into God everyday, multiple times a day like I needed to. I wasn't engaging in prayer, worship or reading the Word.
I shifted away.
Did God shift from me? No. He was the same as He was today and yesterday.

Long story short, when I moved away from God... I reaped what I sowed.
When I try to live in this world without Him, I suffer. I hurt. I get hurt and I inflict hurt.
But, when I stay in my King, in His word and in His mercy and grace, I learn I can also extend that to others.

Today in Justin and my Sunday school class we talked about turning away from our sins and transgressions. And how, if we did TRULY reap what we sowed, we would all be destined for hell.
My sins, big and small, make me unworthy for Heaven. But, because of the salvation I have from my Savior, Jesus Christ, I am saved and won't burn in the lakes of fire.

When I say that outloud, or in this case, type it out...it is crazy. Here I am, a sinner, so unworthy of ANY grace, but because of HIS blood, I am saved from Hell and will spend eternity praising God in Heaven. Crazy huh? ALL because He loves us. All becaues God loves you and me so much that He gave His own son for us.

God keeps showing His love to me, regardless of deserving it.
That's the thing, I will never be able to deserve it. There's not one thing I can do TO deserve it.

My focus, is and should always be shifted to HIM and HIM alone. If life is going good and smooth, my focus should be on His Kingdom and will...not what makes me happy and pleased. If life is going rocky and hard, my focus should be on His Kingdom and will, not anything else.

I am learning. I am hard headed, so sometimes it takes falling on my face a few times to realize. And in this case, I have....and God is showing me, "Hey Halley, I'm still here. You may have drifted (and shifted) from Me, but I am the same today and always, for I am the great I AM."

My hope is that my walk won't wax and wane as it has before. But, that my walk stays more aligned in Him. I know I need to be consistent in my walk with Him (and in my actions) in order to be of use for Him.

I pray that the next time life shifts, be it good or bad, big or small, that my focus and walk won't shift again. I want my eyes to be glued on Him and Him alone. That His word is imprinted on everything I do and say.

So, that's my prayer. God, keep me in You. Thank you for loving me.
Thank you for showing me your love in so many ways. Thank you for your Son.

Amen.

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." -Deuteronomy 11:18-19

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Small update:
J and I are no longer teaching Sunday school (We still sub and do WIN) but we started going to a Sunday school class together. I love this time we have. Something that I take for granted on occasion is that we are freely able to attend church and praise God aloud.

I see the news and my heart breaks for these people who have to go in hiding because of their beliefs, and yet here we are, freely able to pray and worship in these beautiful churches all over the country.

So, today I thank God for that.
I am grateful to be in the USA---able to worship with my husband and children with other brothers and sisters in Christ.

I do believe we are living in the last days with all the persecution Christians are facing---and I ask that you pray with me for those that are being tormented. Thanks.