Do what makes you happy!?!

Have you or someone you know written "Do what makes you happy" anywhere lately? I've noticed it written on hands, facebook status's, twitter etc. 

On one person's status they got 104 likes on a picture that had that quote in it. You see at first glance you want to smile and say "YEAH! What a wonderful motto." 

Yet in my almost 28 years of life I've learned that the more I do to make me happy the less happy I am. The more I put others first the more happiness I have in my life. (not an easy lesson to learn) 

My marriage is better when I put my husband first. My friendships are better when I put my friends first. etc. 

Often its hard for us to do this because we don't feel any return. We feel like we give give give and get nothing back. But if you stick with it you will see a big difference! Some will see results in weeks other it might take years. But perseverance is key. Galatians 6:9 So lets not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

As a Christian God is helping me to have a servants heart and not be selfish. I am far from where I need to be. But God is helping me daily. 

God wants you to have a full, abundant life here on earth. But our selfishness stops that from happening. 

James 4 explains some of the outcome of selfish desires. It says: 

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong, you want only what will give you pleasure. 

Can you imagine a world where everyone does only what makes them happy? 

Instead of the motto: "Do what makes you happy" Lets try: "Do what makes God happy!" 

YOLO Better make it count! 

Secret Millionaire?

I really enjoy watching the show secret millionaire. I can't get through an episode with a dry eye. Every time I am still shocked at how many people have never volunteered or given back EVER.

I guess my parents raised me in a home where we learned the Biblical principle that it is better to give than receive. I understand that for some people giving comes more easily for them than others. I am one of those people who truly enjoys giving. Yet whether you naturally enjoy giving or not when you give to help someone else it feels GOOD!

The most recent secret millionaire episode had a daughter who was 19 and her father (40 something?) Neither one of them had ever volunteered EVER in their life. Please if you are someone who has never volunteered for anything... not to sound like Nike or anything but, JUST DO IT! You will be amazed at the results.

Something these people on the show are learning is actually a spiritual principle whether they come to realize it or not.

I am so thankful that I was raised in a home where I was taught about God and how to have a relationship with Jesus. God has proven over and over in my life. That if I put Him first He will provide for my needs. My family has never been rich and in fact has been very poor (for American standards). But God always made sure we had food on the table and a roof over our head.

In Luke 3 John the baptist is preaching to crowds of people who have gathered to hear him and be baptized. Three different groups ask him what they should do to bear the fruit of repentance. John gives three answers.

1. Everyone should share clothes and food with the poor. Vs 11
2. Tax collectors should not pocket extra money. Vs 13
3. Soldiers should be content with their wages and not extort money. Vs 14

Each answer relates to money and possessions. But no one asked John about that! They asked what they should do to demonstrate the fruit of spiritual transformation. What we learn from that is that our approach to money and possessions isn't just important its central to our spiritual lives.  It's of such high priority to God that John the Baptist couldn't talk about spirituality without talking about how to handle money and possessions. (Ideas taken from "The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn)

What the 19 year old girl learned is that life isn't just about getting all of the material things you want. The world became a larger place for her and I pray that she will one day see that God created her to Love Him and Love people.  I pray that her dad sees that God prospered him not to raise his standard of living, but to raise his standard of giving.

You don't have to be a millionaire to donate your time and money to help people out. When you do this for the Lord you are storing up treasures in Heaven and will be truly blessed.

We can't take any material possessions with us to Heaven. But as we serve God here on earth we are storing up real treasures in Heaven that will not be destroyed by rust or eaten by moths. It will last for eternity.

When we come to the realization that God owns everything and we are to manage His money, everything changes!

Longing to move away...

I was born in Canada and raised in Michigan. For those unfamiliar with geography you just cross some water from Michigan and you are in Canada.  I moved 5 times before I reached the 6th grade.

I can't say that I had a horrid childhood. It was amazing in A LOT of ways... not so much fun in other ways.. but we live in a fallen world so we can't expect perfection! But I can say I always had a longing to be somewhere else. Which is weird.. you would think with all of my moving I would just want to stay where I was. Yet I always dreamed of moving to the beach or at least to a southern state where the weather was nicer. I longed to move away...

In elementary school I learned about the underground railroad and was proud of being born in a country where slaves ran to find freedom. I was proud to live in a state that was so beautiful. (Even if I disliked the snow that covered the ground more than half of the year) Even with my attachment to my place of birth and State I was raised in, I still had a longing to be somewhere else.

I went on mission trips starting when I was 16 and continue to do so now at the age of 27 (leaving for Haiti June 22nd this year) I had/have a heart to travel and share God's love with the nations.

Going on my first mission trips I learned that I wasn't called to be a full time missionary in the sense of moving out of the country. I knew God was calling me to work with young people... I just didn't know where.. This longing to move away wasn't answered yet...

I had an amazing time at Mount Hope Church in Lansing Michigan. I served there for years as a volunteer youth leader, and did an intense Summer internship.. yet something in me knew I wouldn't be there forever.. I longed to move away...

I took a job less than an hour away as a full time Youth Pastor. I felt God calling me to minister there. I thought maybe my longing to move away wasn't from God and was my own selfishness...

After about 2 years of ministry in that church with my fiance' and then husband. God obviously without a doubt sent us to a children's home in SW VA. Something I totally didn't expect to happen I had been trained to be a youth pastor. I have a 4 year degree in youth ministry. Why would God ask me to be a house parent in a children's home?

The location was beautiful. The job went really well at first. Then within 6 months I was going crazy. I thought oh no.. we picked up and moved left everything we knew all of our family and friends. Why would we be sensing God moving us after such a short time? The longing to move was still there...

We found out after a year at the children's home that God had sent us there to bring us to the church we now both serve in. (It was just down the road from the children's home)

For the first time in my life.. I have a longing to stay.... I have no desire to move away. I have no desire to find a warmer climate. (even when the snow comes and it gets cold in these mountains)

I don't know how long God has called me here for. I pray its for a long time. I didn't imagine raising my kids in this type of community. I always saw myself raising them in a big city. Working with inner city students with a church.

I now hope I am here long enough to raise my children in this community and in this church.

My ministry here at the church isn't perfect. I'm not perfect. Its not always easy in fact its not really easy at all. Though, It is absolutely where I know God wants me to be. I long to stay. I miss the family who lives so far away from me. I miss seeing my nephew's and niece grow up.

Yet I long to stay...

Its not okay to just be you.

Whoa wait a minute Suzie didn't your last entry say just the opposite?


My last entry focused more on not being fake. Not putting on a show.


Today I want to get you thinking on what John 3:30 means


"He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."


What about "2 Corinthians 5:17
"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"


Those are just 2 scriptures that remind us to not be us. But to be like Christ.


We are naturally sinful, broken, selfish people. We need to seek to be like Christ instead of just being ourselves.


How many cards or signatures in a year book have you seen 
written:  " You are awesome! Never change" 


What a crazy thing to say! "Never change?!" Who would never 
want to change? 


Only someone perfect would want to stay the same. 


Don't use excuses for yourself or others "well thats just they way I am" 


There are some things I can't control. Like my learning disability, my poor eyesight etc. 


There are other things I can control, how I treat people, where I spend my money, how honest I am etc. 


But if you know me at any depth you will know that I'm a fallen creature just as you are. Anything good that is in me is Christ. I don't want to be just me. I'm not okay with just being me. I want to be like Jesus. 

Who are you?

So many go through life trying to be someone else to please someone else.

How many girls pretend to enjoy sports or a certain team because the boy the like is into it?

How many boys end up hurting themselves as they try to do some amazing stunt that they don't really want to do... just to impress a girl?

How many people pretend to enjoy certain types of music, television shows, or video games so they can fit in with the crowd?

What a miserable life to live.. one of pretending...

I was a bit of a tomboy growing up.. I enjoyed getting messy outside, climbing trees, catching frogs and snakes and turtles.

As I got older I became the person who didn't want or need doors opened for me I could do it myself. I didn't need anyone to take care of me I could handle myself. I wasn't afraid of going to the store in the middle of the night in a dangerous part of the city. I always volunteered to help carry things and move large things. (I was physically stronger back in the day than I am now) I didn't see it at the time but it was a form of pretending on my part.

I thought it was something to be proud of that I was tough and not super girly. But what I've learned as I've matured and grown closer to God in the process is God created me to be a woman and he specifically made men and women differently.

I can still enjoy outdoors and my frogs and snakes. But if someone is going to open a door for me I now let them.  There's a reason God made women so complex and relational. We too are created in His image and we showcase different aspects of God. Instead of trying to be as tough as any guy or extremely independent. I should just be me. God created us to live in community so trying to be independent and doing it myself isn't how God created us.

Ladies don't be afraid to be feminine, in the Biblical sense of the word. These are the happiest, most fulfilled ladies on the earth.

Feminine doesn't mean putting a dress on and sipping tea. You can be feminine as you ride your quad around in the mud or sit sewing a dress. Being Feminine is much more than our likes and our tastes its our core being.

Some direction from scripture to us ladies.

Titus 2:3-5 


Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. ⁴ These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, ⁵ to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.


Now I could start writing about how men don't need to fear that loving their families or being a Godly man will make them less masculine. But I'm going to wrap this post up. 


I'm so thankful that I don't have to pretend with my husband or my friends. I can be who I am and they accept me faults and all. I pray that we all can live in the freedom of who God made us to be. That we don't have to act tough.. or act at all. 


In order to know who you are. You must know who created you, and know your purpose in life. Those answers are not difficult to find once you start searching.