Kayleigh D'abadie

About Kayleigh D'abadie

Kayleigh D’Abadie is an elementary school teacher who has a passion for making a positive impact in the process of building future leaders. She is a blogger, worship team member, and youth team leader. She spends most of her days experimenting with coffee, crafting, baking, and being outside in nature!

Posts by Kayleigh D'abadie:

July 15 2021

Highly Qualified

Kayleigh D'abadie Blog, Contributor, new

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-82px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||12px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px||0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/HighlyQualified.jpeg” title_text=”June8Blog_Insta” disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||8px|||” border_radii=”on|8px|8px|8px|8px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” custom_padding=”||25px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ inline_fonts=”Ogg Medium” sticky_enabled=”0″]You remember that point in your life when you were applying for jobs? Your resume was absolutely perfect (after editing it about one hundred times), and you had at least three letters of recommendation rolling in. The day of anticipation finally approached; you dressed in your Sunday best and walked into the interview with confidence (as well as a dash of fear). But one thing was for certain; you were qualified and had all of the things to prove that fact.

I think one of the greatest questions we can ask ourselves in this life is, “Where is my worth found?” I know that you and I are extremely valuable people, but where exactly is that value determined? We live in a world that is constantly asking us to find new levels of personal achievement: “What can I add to my resume?”; “How can I become more appealing?”; “How can I be better?”; “How can I improve my worth?”

Having a healthy balance of reflection and improvement in our personal lives is excellent; it helps encourage us to live our lives with self-accountability and pushes us towards growth. But what happens when the striving turns into stress? Does your worth start to feel like it stems from personal achievements? Sometimes we can feel like our worth is destined to solely lean on the product of our own actions. This puts a heavy weight on our shoulders making us think that we are required to live a life constantly needing to earn another “golden star” or climb to a higher tier of qualification.

When your worth feels disconnected or lost, remember that you were worth the cost of death on a cross. Jesus did that for you.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, Paul the Apostle was speaking to the church in Corinth teaching of the Great News of the New Covenant, unveiling the truth that because of Jesus, there was (and is) no longer a need to continue striving for the impossible goal of perfection.

“We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” – 2 Corinthians 3:4-5

When you feel unqualified, remember that your qualification comes from God. When your worth feels disconnected or lost, remember that you were worth the cost of death on a cross. Jesus did that for you. Your worth, your value, is not identified by the product of what you do, how others see you, or even how you see yourself – but it is determined by how the Creator of the universe identifies you. He calls you beloved, child, whole, free, forgiven. You are all those things and more – so be encouraged friend, lift off the weight of striving, and sit in the lightness of liberty.

“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17-18[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”80%” width_phone=”80%” width_last_edited=”on|tablet” max_width=”1920px” module_alignment=”center” locked=”off”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ background_color=”#ffffff” width=”100%” max_width=”1920px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” custom_padding=”51px|60px|51px|60px|true|true” custom_padding_tablet=”60px|40px|60px|40px|true|true” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px|40px|20px|true|true” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.0.3″][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJCeSAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9mZiIsImxpbmtfZGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJhdXRob3JfYXJjaGl2ZSJ9fQ==@” image=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Kayleigh-scaled.jpg” image_max_width=”150px” content_max_width=”860px” image_tablet=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/joshbairdblog.png” image_phone=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ShawnBaird2.png” image_last_edited=”off|tablet” image_max_width_tablet=”150px” image_max_width_phone=”150px” image_max_width_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _dynamic_attributes=”title,content” header_font=”New Montreal Medium|600|||||||” header_text_color=”#333333″ header_font_size=”22px” header_line_height=”1.4em” body_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.9em” text_orientation=”center” animation=”off” header_font_size_tablet=”18px” header_font_size_phone=”17px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” body_font_size_tablet=”15px” body_font_size_phone=”17px” body_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_css_main_element=”font-weight: 400;” border_radii_image=”on|200px|200px|200px|200px” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ box_shadow_vertical_image=”10px” box_shadow_blur_image=”20px” box_shadow_color_image=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfYmlvIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

April 7 2021

Just As He Said

Kayleigh D'abadie Blog, Contributor, new Grief, Hope, Loss

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-82px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||12px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px||0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/4-8_Blog_Insta.jpeg” title_text=”Hydrate” disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||8px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ border_radii=”on|8px|8px|8px|8px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” custom_padding=”||25px|||” inline_fonts=”Ogg Medium”]The Easter season is often celebrated with bright colors and happiness; we are joyful because we remember the gospel, the good news, Jesus’ love for us through his death and resurrection. But what happens when we approach this bright and cheery season, or just life in general, holding grief and despair? How do we respond when we have heavy hearts and feel the weight of disappointment, even as the world around us continues to move forward?

“We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.”

– Luke 24:21 (emphasis added)

This passage in Luke reminds us to take a look at how Jesus’ followers felt when Jesus was crucified on the cross. Friends and family watched as their beloved Jesus was beaten, bruised, mocked, spat on, and crucified. The amount of sorrow and disappointment that they felt must have been overwhelming. Why would the Messiah, the Savior of the world, allow this to happen? I am sure Jesus’s loved ones felt a multitude of emotions; perhaps some including doubt, anger, confusion, and defeat. But this passage in Luke proves that though they had many emotions, they still had had hope in the promise.

May the weight of this world be lifted off your shoulders and the promise of the Father’s love delicately restore the condition of your heart in this season and the seasons to come.

Perhaps you are grieving today. Perhaps you are discouraged, disappointed, anxious, tired, lonely, or doubtful. Jesus knows. During a very dark period of my life the Lord led me to this passage, it gave me great comfort, and I pray it does the same for you.

“God, your God, will restore everything you lost;”

He will mend all that has been broken.

“He will have compassion on you;”

He knows your heaviness and has compassion on us when we are in pain.

“He will come back and pick up the pieces from all the places where you were scattered.”

He picks up our brokenness.

“No matter how far away you end up, God your God, will get you out of there.”

He meets us where we are. He pulls us away from our pain and closer to Him.

– Deuteronomy 30:3-4 (emphasis added)

No matter how far, He will meet us where we are – whether that be in pain or joy. I pray that when the sting of sorrow feels all-consuming, you will be reminded of the hope that the disciples clung to in the midst of darkness. Be reminded, for what was said has been fulfilled – the victory has been won and the King holds you close.

“He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said [He would]. Come! See the place where He was lying.”

– Matthew 28:6 (emphasis added)

Hope is always evident. When all seemed hopeless, God was working, and He still is. He keeps His promises – “Just as He said”. May the weight of this world be lifted off your shoulders and the promise of the Father’s love delicately restore the condition of your heart in this season and the seasons to come.

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February 11 2021

Love Paralleled

Kayleigh D'abadie Contributor, new

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Can’t you feel it? Love is in the air and you have officially entered into the great month of February 2021! I absolutely adore February because, as an elementary school teacher, it is a time not only to teach of the importance of being kind and loving towards one another, but also to educate and celebrate Black History Month. I recently came across one of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermons entitled, “Love in Action.” I thought the title of this to be particularly fitting as we approach Valentine’s Day and are in the midst of celebrating Black History, and if you haven’t read this phenomenal piece of literary art, I highly recommend it. One of the most striking quotes from this sermon would have to be in correlation to Dr. King’s affirmations of the type of love that Jesus expressed while hanging on the cross:

“Jesus eloquently affirmed from the cross a higher law. He knew that the old eye-for-eye philosophy would leave everyone blind. He did not seek to overcome evil with evil. He overcame evil with good. Although crucified by hate, he responded with aggressive love.”

Jesus’ love for all was indeed (and is still) aggressive, unimaginable, and magnificently radical. It is a type of love that lives on. Love is weaved into the very foundation of our faith; it is what our faith is built from and it never ceases (1 Corinthians 13:8).

Jesus’ love for all was indeed (and is still) aggressive, unimaginable, and magnificently radical.

During Jesus’ ministry on Earth, He taught us to love God and love one another (Matthew 22:36-40). Not only did He instruct us to live in this way, but He lived by example – displaying love in abundant action. This theme of love was perfectly shown and expressed in all areas of His life. And this love was shown, perhaps at its’ most raw and selflessly compassionate form, when He hung in excruciating pain on the cross. Jesus had His sight on the will of God, and He knew that love would be His most powerful weapon. He fought with love, for love – all to make a way for His bride, the Church, to be united with Him. He died for His Church, for you, for me – and I cannot think of a better love story than this to humbly reminisce on during this season.

As followers of Christ, the seemingly undeserving love and forgiveness that Jesus put into action on the cross is the very same love that we are called to exude in our everyday lives. So, how do we accurately do this? Especially when it can be so difficult to do so in this broken and inconsistent world. Thankfully, we can confidently address our questions and collect wholesome guidance from the living word of God. The Apostle Peter, with much wisdom, encourages followers of Christ, in 1 Peter 3:8, how to live a God honoring life by doing good and choosing what is right. The characteristics in this chapter help us understand how to be Christians. “Be like-minded, sympathetic, compassionate, and humble” – step in someone else’s shoes, genuinely listen to one another, carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and live a life of humility and grace. This is how we should live as the bride of Christ, brothers and sisters – uniquely and intentionally made in the image of God, beautifully detailed and diverse. Love has no limits, and it is not exclusive. “Love one another”; love all, without limitations, without qualifications, inclusively, and divinely unified under the blood of Jesus. Simply put: love like Jesus.

His law is love and His gospel is peace. As we put an additional emphasis on love this month, let us be reminded of where love originates. And let our actions deeply parallel with the horizontal and vertical beams of the cross.

“Every time I look at that cross, I am reminded of the greatness of God and the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. I am reminded of the beauty of sacrificial love and the majesty of unswerving devotion to truth.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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November 10 2020

Give and Take

Kayleigh D'abadie Contributor, new

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I never thought my life could become as difficult as it was in 2018. After my dad’s sudden passing life was, and still is, extremely heavy at times. But this year is a different dose of difficulty! For me, and I’m sure for you too, this has to be ranked as one of the most challenging years of all. It almost seems like all the bad things in our lives have been amplified and to be honest, I’m not the best at inviting uncertainty with open arms.

Throughout the Bible there were many times where God’s people experienced times of trials and distress. As I was thinking about this, I was reminded of Job and his life’s story. Job was a brave man of God, full of faith, joy, success, and wealth. When everything seemed perfect, his life suddenly got ripped from him. His livestock, his family, and his health were all taken from him leaving him in agonizing grief and confusion. What I find most astonishing about Job is that when he lost all those things, he maintained and found sustainable wealth through his faith. He held a rich love for the Father, even when his circumstances left him in desperation. In response to his trials he was loyal and trusted in the Lord’s plans for him.

“We bring nothing at birth; we take nothing with us at death. The Lord alone gives and takes. Praise the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21 CEV)

Indeed, the Lord gives and takes, but His promises and goodness will always outweigh the trials.

In his sorrow, Job called out to God multiple times and through his struggles he never cursed the name of the Lord. We are from God and going to God, so while we live on Earth we will be guided and protected by Him. The things of this Earth are important, but not essential to the kingdom of God. What IS essential are the souls that are passing through, aka you, who will live with the Father in eternity. He will never give us more than we can handle because His strength lives within us.

Indeed, the Lord gives and takes, but His promises and goodness will always outweigh the trials. It is important to note that God did not cause the trials to happen to Job, but He did allow them to happen. God allowed the enemy to test Job because ultimately God is the one who is in control. He rules and holds victory over sin and Satan. The Lord does not give and take for enjoyment, in fact He has compassion on us and feels for us when we hurt. We live in a fallen world and that is the ultimate reason why tribulations exist. The Lord allows adversities to happen because He knows that He is in control. In the end His people will be encouraged, they will grow closer to Him, His relentless love will be tangible, and because of His character and integrity, He will be exalted.

To those who are holding uncomfortable, anxious, angry, sorrow-filled, fatigued spirits – take this as encouragement. Be like Job, hold on to the Father and embrace that flicker of hope you feel deep within. Fuel your faith and set your mind on things above (Colossians 3:2). May God’s blessings fall upon you in His perfect timing.

“The Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than he had blessed the first. Job owned many sheep, camels, cattle, and donkeys. He was the father of seven sons and three daughters. Job lived a hundred and forty years after this, long enough to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.” (Job 42:12-17 GNT)

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October 20 2020

Child-like Faith

Kayleigh D'abadie Contributor, new

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When I was about four years old, I had a Little Tikes house-bed – a bed built with a pink base and a light blue roof with little green shudders as the headboard. One of my earliest memories as a child was praying with my parents before bedtime. I vividly remember one night as I was getting tucked into that warm little house bed – my very own house in my own home – my mom asked me what I would like to ask God. It took me a minute to gather my thoughts and out of my curiosity I responded not with a prayer request, but with a literal question: “How many trees are there on the Earth?”.

Every time I remember this memory I always smile. There is something truly special about a child’s faith and wonder. I had heard once before at preschool that Jesus knew the amount of hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30), so I simply wanted to know if He also knew how many trees there were on the Earth. During prayer time that night I also asked God to please keep bugs out of my room as I slept, so they would not crawl on me. As silly as it sounds, that was one of my most frequent prayers throughout my childhood. I never got an answer to my initial question about the trees, but deep down I knew that God had the answer. And I am pretty sure I was granted the blessing of a bug-less bedroom each night I requested it. Yes, that was a silly prayer, but each time I prayed that, something profound was happening in my spirit. I was praying through a foundation of trust. I trusted that God would keep me safe through the night and I had confidence that He would carry me through to the next morning.

Be encouraged and run to the Father, go back to that child-like faith. Pray without pressure and keep wonder alive.

Matthew 6:7-8 teaches us that we should pray with confidence and not to obtain God’s favor through babbling. This portion of Matthew emphasizes the importance of fervent prayers over repetitious phrases. Prayer filled confidence does not come from the prayer itself. We may never get a definite answer, or the situation might not change in the way we want it. We can pray for something specific over and over again; but we will achieve nothing if we have not decided to trust in the One we are praying to. It can be so easy to get lost in our own words, or to feel the pressures of needing to pray a certain way. Confident prayers are those that come from faith and are set soundly in the abilities of our Heavenly Father’s power, whether we get the answers we were looking for or not. When we pray with confidence in Him and not in ourselves, our own words, or our own plans, we allow ourselves to let go of control, find comfort in depending on Him, and gather hope in the promises He has for us.

“When you go to pray, there is no need to repeat empty phrases… there is no need since your Father already knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Matthew 6:7-8 (TPT)

Be encouraged and run to the Father, go back to that child-like faith. Pray without pressure and keep wonder alive. For the Father knows the number of stars and calls them all by name (Psalm 147:4), He knows the very amount of hairs on your head (Matthew 10:6), and He already knows what you need even before you ask Him (Matthew 6:8).

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August 18 2020

What About The Sugar

Kayleigh D'abadie Contributor

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Welcome to Back-to-School season! But as we all know, it is August 2020 so back-to-school is bound to look a little (or maybe a lot) different than usual. I’ve seen quite a few commercials of kids jumping around with new backpacks and new clothes, and then quickly realize – that will not be the reality for most students in the Northern Virginia area. We have been venturing into “new normals” all year and yes, we will make this work; but that does not make this transition any easier. We are being stretched to the max, being unsure and uncomfortable are two of the most common feelings tied with the COVID-19 season – and let me just affirm to you that it is okay to feel this way. It is okay: if you feel fainthearted or tired, if you feel somewhat inadequate regarding the place you have been positioned, if you feel worried, fearful, or even exhausted. Your natural feelings towards such a sudden shift in reality are completely valid. The Lord has compassion on you and so do I. But let’s not forget that when life gives you lemons, you have the ability to make lemonade!

Something I find a bit silly about this inspirational cliché is no one talks about where the sugar comes from. I suppose you could make lemonade with just the lemons you are given but I could only assume that it would turn out to be some extremely sour, and not so desirable, lemonade. To be honest life can sometimes feel like bitter lemonade; it’s definitely drinkable – but it doesn’t taste that great. So, what do we do when life gets a little sour? Grab a little sugar and make it sweet! One of the most encouraging things that has helped pull me through this challenging year has been the sweet joy that the Lord provides. When we are filled with the joy of the Lord, life becomes a bit sweeter and we can share that sweetness with all the people we encounter.

When we are filled with the joy of the Lord, life becomes a bit sweeter and we can share that sweetness with all the people we encounter.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 teaches us to be encouraging, kind, and helpful to one another. I feel like I have seen this verse come alive within our communities this year. For example, we see encouragement and kindness being extended to our church and our communities through our recently organized Back-to-School Parades! The beautiful thing is that through the struggles, the Lord helps us, and through Him we can come together to support and encourage one another. Since it is back-to-school season students, parents, guardians, families, teachers, and school personnel have really been on my heart. And I truly believe that they all need a little extra supply of sweetness during this time. So, if you are one of those people, stay encouraged! The Father is holding you in the very palm of His hand, His plans for you are great, and we are here for you.

“… Be skilled at gently encouraging those who feel themselves inadequate. Be faithful to stand your ground. Help the weak stand again. Be quick to demonstrate patience with everyone. Resist revenge, and make sure that no one pays back evil in place of evil but always pursue doing what is beautiful to one another.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 (TPT)

Kayleigh D’Abadie is a blog writer and a member of the Manassas campus worship team at the Life Church. She is also a student at George Mason University pursuing her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She enjoys crafting, being outside in nature, and is always up for new adventures!

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Sowing Love

Kayleigh D'abadie Contributor Love

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During quarantine I have been doing a lot of gardening! Something I have learned is that plants are, generally, not self-sustainable. They need to be taken care of. They need water and sun – and some of them need a specific amount of such (and for the record – yes, I have accidentally over and under watered a few plants along my newly acquired hobby).

In Mark 12, Jesus was approached by the teachers of the law and they asked Him which of all the commandments was the most important. Jesus’ answer was simple and clear: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these,” – Mark 12:30-31.

I love how Jesus answered this question with more than they had expected. Not only did He respond with one of the most important commandments, but He intentionally responded with two. Jesus made it a point to ensure the wisdom He provided would encourage people not only live a life of love for God, but also for others before themselves.

In Matthew 13, Jesus teaches about the parable of the sower. Jesus went to a lake where He stood in a boat, on the water, to teach people on the shore. In this parable, Jesus told the story of a farmer who went out to plant seed. A few different things happened as he was scattering the seed:

Some fell along the way where the birds ate it.
Some fell on rocky places where the plant did not have the ability to grow deep roots.
Some fell among thorns, which eventually choked the new plants.
Some other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. (Matthew 13:1-9)

Now, I know for a fact that this farmer did not just throw some seed down and watch it grow; there is much more to the farming process than that. This farmer had to intentionally create a good place for the seed to grow and in addition the farmer needed to take care and tend to the crop to ensure it did not die.

I feel like, in a way, we can take this story and use it to analyze how we love our neighbors. When we show love to someone, do we just throw down some seed and wait for it to sprout? Or do we dig, till, and cultivate to ensure the love we sow will be maintained? As you walk through this week ask yourself – where are you planting love and how do you plan to sustain it?

Jesus dedicated His life to love others so much so that He gave His own life for it. Jesus is love. So, when you love your neighbor, whomever it may be, you provide an opportunity for love (Jesus) and kindness to be the foundation and cultivation of that relationship. Then from that one intentional encounter, a domino effect of love has the chance to grow – perhaps a hundred, sixty, or thirty times that which it was sown.

“Let everything you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14

Kayleigh D’Abadie is a blog writer and a member of the Manassas campus worship team at The Life Church. She is also a student at George Mason University pursuing her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She enjoys crafting, being outside in nature, and is always up for new adventures!

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The Pause

Kayleigh D'abadie Contributor

So, what’s the plan?

That has been a frequent question in our household during quarantine; taken as a joke, of course, because our schedules are the complete opposite of being booked. An empty schedule, which at times can feel like an overwhelming and lingering curse – can also be viewed as a huge blessing. If you’re anything like me, you like to plan. Planning is a big part of my life and my planner is essentially my best friend. Generally, my weekly schedule brings me security for my future and overall, I really do enjoy organizing and having at least some knowledge of what is coming up next in my life. I feel like many of us started 2020 with a plan, then life happened in one of the most uniquely confusing ways. We went from plan to pandemic to pause in a matter of three months! Now, it feels like we have been put on pause, in many areas of our lives, and are left to navigate the pause with minimal familiarity. In all honesty, not having a plan for the future has left me uncomfortable and unsure – but in the same breath I can also affirm that not having a plan has brought me increasingly closer to the One who already has the best plan for me.

Life right now feels a lot like stepping into the unknown and that can cause the sight of our purpose to become blurred. But where there is blurred sight, God provides clarity for His planned path for us. God has gifted us with the ability to attain identity and assurance through the power of His word. Where identity is sound, purpose is found.

Ephesians 2:19-22 tells us: you are known, you are a citizen of Heaven, you are a member of God’s royal family. Jesus is the cornerstone that keeps our foundation strong. Joined together we are a holy temple for the Lord, a dwelling place where the Spirit guides.

There’s no doubt about it, life is challenging right now. I want to encourage you to seek guidance from our Great Counselor. Receive God’s peace, comfort, and rest – for He is, and always will be, with you. Embrace this time with Him. Keep His presence and perspective close. Embrace the now, instead of the unknown. There truly is power, purpose, and a plan for the pause!

“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.” – Ephesians 2:19-22 NLT

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