Fear Can Be A Friend

"Honor everyone, Love the brotherhood. Fear God..." 1 Peter 2:17

This week during my regular workout session at my local fitness center there was a few gals that walked in all fit to the 9's. Great definition, very toned, and agile in their routes. At that moment I began to think back to my heavy lifting days in college athletics when I was in great shape. Back then, it was routine, after the warm up and lighter sets, I would begin to gradually load on the heavy plates, tighten the belt, and then the fire of fear would build inside of me.

By the time I put my belt on and chalked-up, it was an inferno. I was in the zone. A deep inhale through the nose and then I'd get under the bar for battle. Indeed, I respected the bar too much to not respect it. Simply put, fear dictated my posture for the moment, kept me sharp, alert, strong. Fear was a friend

"When the Bible talks about fearing the Lord, it's not referring to a scary fear -- it is talking about a reverence, an awe, a holy respect that brings wisdom. When we seek Him daily in prayer and Bible study, we gain wisdom from a love that's born through awesome fear. As Christians with a mind for health, our fear of the Lord should dictate our posture -- first in our kneeling and quiet times, and then in how we conduct ourselves in humility and diligence. Our fear of the Lord is what separates us from other fitness enthusiasts or athletes. In other words, we respect Him too much not to. Fear keeps us sharp, alert, strong. Make no mistake, fear can be a friend." - Jimmy Pena

The lingering question that I was left with to consider is, "What do I fear more, not getting the approval and applause of others or not having God's approval? And is my life as a health-minded believer a posture that proves it?"

The grace and forgiveness that God has granted me, which I do not deserve, makes me afraid to disappoint him and allows me to live righteously everyday.

He Brews A Better Blend

It feels so good to be back and to be writing again. The past 8 months, have been filled with unexpected turns, complete faith driven experiences, and many prayers that have all lead to an unforgettable journey.

In March, I put in my final days at RFD-TV. It was a great career full of wonderful learning experiences and great opportunities. After job searching for a month in Nashville with no success, I decided to follow the calling placed on my heart to move back to Nebraska. Several months later, I landed a position at Columbus News Team (News Channel Nebraska48). I am so fortunate and grateful to be back working in broadcast television. However, it was in those several month of unemployment that I found myself drawing closer than ever before to the Lord.

Having applied to more than 200 jobs and having no luck, I felt unwanted, inexperienced, and exhausted. I did everything in my ability to accept the situation at hand and doing what I could do to move forward. Learning to move forward meant putting my complete faith in Jesus Christ. Most days I felt like I was staring into a white wall with no direction at. Heck, it seemed like God wasn't hearing my prayers... However, there was this voice telling me, "Keep pushing, trust in me and move forward in faith." Although most of the time I didn't know what this looked like, I kept a positive attitude and shut out all the negativity that surrounded me and told me to find other resources to put my faith in.

In just 3 months, I was able to check the unthinkable off my life list that I never thought I would ever experience.

* Laid off at 23 years old
* Unemployed for 3 months
* 200+ resumes sent out
* Taste testing coffee drinks

Despite all the challenges that I had faced in those 3 months, I was able to schedule more bible studies and coffee conversations. I began to open up to others and ask for prayers. Asking for help is something I was never great at. I soon began to see His plan unfold more beautiful than I could ever imagine for myself. My career, housing, and finances fell right into place.

I was never really about coffee drinks, but now I understand the greatness they bring. Learning to walk by faith and not by sight was one of the hardest lessons that I've had to learn, but through it all I've come to realize that his plans for us are far greater than we can imagine. With Christ, our life is more beautiful and our coffee is well blended. He does brew a better blend.

Welcome Back

I am very excited to be back blogging! This past year, my heart has been in constant prayer. Recently, God has put something special on my heart and I am overwhelmed with excitement to share it with you. Each week, I will be giving you a little insight on my crazy life. My hope is that I inspire you to stretch your comfort zone and reach out to others, passionately follow your dreams, and recklessly love our creator, Jesus Christ. 

While you are here, I invite you to laugh, disagree or most importantly share in my excitement about our Lord Jesus Christ!