hidden with Christ in God

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. –Colossians 3:1-3

1. Set your hearts on things above. (striving)

2. Set your minds on things above. (concentrating)

3. Your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (hidden & concealment)


Upward & Forward. With so much on my heart and mind concerning Kenya, this passage I read last night in class hit home. The unrest I’m feeling has to do with what I have set my heart and mind on. I’m striving towards July 2013, I’m concentrating on leaving for Kenya. My heart wants to love the children in Kibera already, my heart wants to grieve for the situations I’m going to see, my heart wants to feel that burden to understand. My mind is full of conversations that could take place to raise a support team, it’s full of names of people I want to connect with, it’s getting filled with knowledge of Kenya from resources I have gathered. But where is Jesus in all of this?
Even though Jesus is the reason why I’m striving towards leaving in 2013 and concentrating on getting to Kenya, I have left him out of the details.

Galatians 4:10, You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 
Galatians 4:18, It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you.

Paul reminds me in these verses from Galatians that as I strive towards Kenya and concentrate on what needs to get done, I am "observing" this season as if it is my god. Paul reminds me a few verses later that its okay to be zealous, but do so with a heart and mind in Christ. As I celebrate what Jesus is doing in this season, I must remain zealous for Him, for His purposes, for His glory, not for Kenya. Paul reminds me in Colossians to look upward and forward in everything I do here on Earth. All I do should be focused on Christ, his resurrection and His placement in heaven. As I work on details of getting to Kenya by July, I must constantly remember why I am doing this, who I am doing this for, and where all the power is.

With Christ. I am not doing this alone. In God. Every step, every detail, conversation, gift, thought, to-do, should be done with God as the center. This is no one’s fault but my own.(check out this amazing song by Matt Redman called Never Once... I blasted it in my car shortly after posting this the first time :)... it fits perfectly!) But as I reflect on how I have been doing it, I want to now look upward and forward, I want to begin moving with Christ and as God as the center. My heart can look upward as I focus more on my relationship with Jesus instead of what He is doing for me. My heart can look forward knowing that God can use these next seven months as a time for me to know Him more. My mind can look upward and release the stress, the weight that this is all on me, my mind can let go. My mind can look forward and remember that this is all in God’s hands, this is all in God’s timing and this is all in His power.

As I look upward and forward, I must remember I am only promised today, I must focus on today, and if Jesus was  to come back today, what would I care about? It wouldn't be Kenya anymore, it would be my relationship with Jesus. This is a marathon towards heaven, not towards Kenya. I must act, respond, and live as if it’s about Jesus, all the time.

There are 25 days until Christmas, 25 days celebrating the birth of Jesus. I look forward to these next 25 days where houses decorated with lights, cookies being baked, and families coming together are just a few of the many reminders of what this season is all about, celebrating His birth. Jesus is our ultimate gift anyone could ever want, and I’m so glad I chose to receive it! Christmas is about Jesus, Kenya is about Jesus, my life is about Jesus! What a sweet reminder He has given me today.


As I was sharing my heart this morning with my dear friend, she told me an illustration that fits perfectly with this thought of looking upward and forward. I am a swimmer, I have been trained, I have trained others, I have confidence in my abilities no matter what may be in front of me (thanks to water polo for this one). She said to picture myself going out to sea. Before the calm of the ocean are waves (and in SD right now, they are quite big...see exhibit A below...)

OB Pier 12.1.12 photo thanks to my amazing Mom!

...intense waves at times! And in this season ahead, He has equipped me with Himself to get through the waves that will hit me, that will cause me to want to give up, that will challenge me, that will grow my faith, and ultimately, when I get through the waves to the calm of the ocean, I will look back and praise Him for how He got me through. Right now, I'm walking towards the waves, I see them, not quite sure how bad they will hurt, or how I will get through them, but He is with me, He has equipped me, He has proven His constant presence in times past and I will rely on those as I move forward. My Missions testimony is a constant reminder of this journey being about Christ and His timing and I must constantly remind myself of this truth.

This next season is no different and I must remember Galatians 4, this season is about being zealous for Jesus as He moves me to Kenya. I get to do this whole journey with Jesus, no matter how much longer He has me here on this Earth, we are striving together, we are concentrating together on the goal, the party in Heaven, and the best part is He is allowing me to be apart of bringing more people to this fabulous party!