Tag Archives: Being God’s Creation

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The Pain of Not Measuring Up

Why I hate Mapquest

I Hate Mapquest and all those driving destination apps.  First of all, do the math.  The only way to arrive at the destination in the time it’s estimating is for me to  drive faster than the speed limit!!  Also, it doesn’t take into account traffic stops, rest stops, heavy traffic, sight seeing, getting gas, lunch breaks etc.,etc.  The driving app is only telling me that I am already behind schedule and that there is no way I can keep up.

Try as I may, there is nothing but pain involved when I use Mapquest.  I sincerely want to know how far and how long it’s going to take me to travel to my location of choice.  But,……….. I never arrive in the scheduled time shown to me.  It’s as if my foot can’t stay on the gas pedal hard enough, or all the red lights are against me, or the construction crews picked today to jump on the one project that’s between me and my destination.

The use of this “driving with directions” app is supposed to help me be more efficient with my time.  Yet, all it does is bring me pain.  I will never measure up to my expectations.

 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”  But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ….   Luke 10: 40, 41

Martha was “hard at work”, “trying her best”, “doing all she could”.  Martha was so busy being busy that she was missing her time to be with Jesus.  Worse than that, Martha was so busy trying to “do good”, that it was causing her to be anxious and troubled.  Martha was distracted, so instead of coming to Jesus to BE with Him, she came to Jesus to ask if He would get her sister to be more like her.  

Did you get that?  What just happened?  Let’s back up, cause you may have missed what Martha did,……… and YOU may be missing what YOU yourself are doing.  God’s good, I’m not, and I need to do something to make myself better is not the intended journey of a Christian.

This Christian journey you and I are on, this journey is not a race.  It’s an adventure, it’s a time with God, it’s a daily experience to be with God in your life.  When we feel that we have to “Mapquest” our spiritual life, we suddenly turn doing good, being good, and trying to be better into a driving force that literally drives us away from the true relationship with Christ.  While trying too hard to be good may seem like a “good thing”, like Mary it distracts us.  And,…….. it leads to anxiety and troubles.

The focus on your spiritual journey should not be on how fast, ( or how good) you are.  If being good is all that you see in being a Christian, then you are also distracted.

Focus on living as a Christian each and everyday. Being God’s creation is just as important as “doing” things for God.  You can’t do enough for God, right?  He’s already the one who’s done enough.

But can you BE enough for God?  Sure can.  By calling Him your Father.  Having a relationship…… a true living relationship.  A talking to and listening to Him relationship.  Calling on Him as your Heavenly Father allows you to BE his child!

Doing good things, trying to be good for goodness sake only leads to anxiety and troubles.  I did something really good, but now I’ve got to do something more.  It never stops, never ceases.  It can become your idol.

Being a Christian in a relationship with Christ leads to joy and peace.  As a by-product of this joy and peace comes a desire to “do good to others”.  Big Difference!!  You actually may be doing the same good deeds as before, but it’s now done because of Christ in your heart.  You are “doing” good deeds because of who He is , not who or what you’re trying to be.

This Christian journey is one where Jesus is with you every step of the way.  No need for a Mapquest, no need for a “good deed”score sheet.  No need for the anxiety and troubles.

“Lord, be with each of us today.  Help us to see where we can BE with you.  Help us to see if there is something we should DO as we are being your children.  I’ll never measure up, but thank you Lord, you’ve taken care of that!!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth

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You Are God’s Dream

Most of you have been following the construction of my log home in Colorado.  It’s a crazy adventure, I know.  But you are seeing my dream come true.  It’s taken time, more time than I expected.  Time to deal with the everyday activities involved with building a house.

It’s taken passion.  My passion.  This “project” has taken my heart and soul, my true passion to continue it from the very start.  I needed the passion to sustain me through the hard times, the difficult times,………. and the truly “I don’t know what I’m doing” times.

It’s taken love.  I love doing this.  It’s my physical way of showing my Christian journey.  To take a pile of logs, (trees that I planted myself 35 years ago).  A pile of logs that are crooked, scarred, weathered, containing knots and cracks.  But these logs have now been turned into a crafted tight fitting piece of furniture called a log home.  Every inch of this house has been touched by Staci and me.  I know it’s “character” inside and out.  And I love it.  It’s mine!  This log house is my dream coming true!!   Woo hooo!!!

You my friends are God’s dream.  Stop with the “stinkin’ thinkin'” that God has no place for you and that you are not good enough.  Hey just like me, and my logs, you are “crooked, scarred, weathered, full of knots and cracks”.  But if you will allow God to fulfill His Dream in your life, you will be perfected and made complete as only God can do.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Wow, talk about passion and love.  God sent His son Jesus to die for our sins.  Jesus in turn, becomes the way for us to follow.  We have to believe.  God then uses His time, His Passion, His Love to “craft” each of us into what He wants us to BE!!  What is that?  His dream come true.

Staci and I took the time to go to a Bible class here at our church in Westcliffe.  The speaker mentioned how God wants us to be His dream.  I think I understand better now.  God wants to take you “into His arms”.  He’s definitely got the time.  He’s got the passion, and He’s most certainly got the LOVE.  What better way to realize God wants a personal relationship with you.  You, little oh good for nothin’ you.  God’s wanting to throw some Love your way whether you realize it or not.  Whether you’ve stopped to look at it this way or not, you need to realize something that is life changing.  YOU ARE GOD’S DREAM.  Follow Him and you will be God’s dream coming true!!  Woo hooo!!

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, Living the Christian Dream, and still woo-hooin!!

 

 

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Why You Are Different From Everyone

Discovering Yourself

 

photo by Randy Ainsworth

It’s obvious that the one sunflower plant doesn’t quite fit in with all the others.  What’s up with that?  I mean, they all are in the same field, same growing conditions, from the same bag of seeds, and yet……… There she is …….. different.  I wouldn’t say different in a bad way, but different.  I see that plant all by itself out there and it reminds me of ME……, and it reminds me of YOU.

I remember being told that I was different.  I talked different.  I preached different.  What I also remember was that the person telling me this was trying to get me to conform to his ways.  He was telling me to be and do like he and they said I should. (Who is he and who is they?)  That got me to thinking. (Oh yeah, I was told that I think differently as well,…….go figure!)

But I got to thinking that in this spiritual journey that I am on, do I DO as others tell me?  Do I conform, try to “fit in their box”?  No, I chose to be and do something that is SO DIFFERENT in today’s world.  I didn’t choose to be like someone else.  I chose to be ME.  The me that God created.  The me that follows my Lord and Saviour seeking His will for little ole me.

Don’t get me wrong.  I listen to other people’s advice. Other’s experiences can be valuable for me on my own journey.  What I’m talking about is listening to others and not listening to my own heart.  I’m talking about following others, not following Christ and His teachings.  To me, that’s living your life without TRULY living.  I chose instead to “come alive”.

By focusing on what God has given me, that’s how I come alive.  His grace,His Love, His direction and guidance all help me to be what He has created.  And it helps you to come alive as well.  But dig deeper my friend.

That passion you have for the outdoors, the desire to help others, the ability to lead, your love of music…….on and on (and so very different for each of us).  Maybe your gift from God is the ability to connect with others, or a talent of working with your hands, or painting, or working behind the scenes.

Maybe what God has given to you is being hidden inside of you because you feel that it causes you to be “too different”.  UH OH  That’s not a good way of thinking right there.

 Romans 12:6-8 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

A better way of thinking is this.  God has created me.  He made me a unique child of his.  I’m different from others (and this whole wide world) because I am ___________ and I look _______, I feel  __________ .  My passions are _____________ . My God given abilities are _________  (Spend some quiet time with God and the both of you fill in these blanks.)

I certainly wish I could change some things about myself.  Let’s see, be better looking, not be afraid of heights, wish I could play a guitar, be better looking, wish I could work my phone, and be better looking.  Even with all those changes, I would still be ME!

A very sad thing is there are lots of people who can’t stand themselves.  They don’t like who they are.

I have to realize that God created me.  I have to live with me!  Me is who God created me to Be!  Me, myself, and I are the ones on this spiritual journey.  I myself, must choose to be Me!  (told ya I think differently)

God created me.  He’s still working on me.  He’s got a hold of my life.  He is in control.  I come alive by living for Him, and with Him.  Boy, that makes me different.

How different are you?  Are you like the tall sunflower standing alone in the field?  Next week I’ll share what it’s like to be a wolf in a “puppy dog” world.

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher  living fully alive (and that’s different)