Bless To Be Blessed

It's kinda crazy to think that it was just 2 weeks ago that I was making my trip down to Charlotte. It was just 2 weeks ago when I met these people...when I pulled into a parking garage with my car still packed with whatever I could fit into it from College. Thirteen minutes later I participated in my first ever 5K with some of the staff from Elevation just 16 days after having knee surgery. It was a great time! Today, we had a day off and I went with some of the other interns on a road trip to the beach to enjoy some ocean experiences. I can't remember the last time I laughed that often at things said or things done. The one liners were fantastic. These people all have different experiences and stories of how Christ has impacted their lives and we are all really starting to get to know and care for each other on a more personal level. God is good and sometimes it is encouraging to hear what He has done through other people. I am under some pretty powerful leadership and have the privilege of learning from some people who have been tried and tested. I have already learned so much about myself and I am extremely fortunate and blessed.

You really don't know that Jesus is all you need until He is all you have. One thing that I keep on seeing is how easy it is to be blessed and encouraged when I take the first step. God blesses all of us in different ways but there is one thing that is common...the more you bless others with Christ-like love, the more your own life will be blessed. The more I look out for the interests of others, the more things God opens up to me in my life. The more I change my attitude and ask God to show me the things that He wants me to see, hear, and have a heart for, the more I am able to bless and encourage others. I used to get so frustrated because I'd be praying for blessings and encouragement but I would be going about it the wrong way. I'd be more focused on what I wanted instead of asking for God to reveal it to me His way. Once you start doing and asking God to open your eyes, the greater the reward will be of seeing Christ impact the lives of others. You'll be amazed at how many opportunities there are in front of you every day to bless someone else when you start becoming selfless in your thinking process...when you rely on God to open doors instead of planning your course for yourself. Faith is active and we cannot expect God to use us if we are just sitting around and waiting. What an unbelievable 2 weeks it has been and I am excited to see what lies around the corner.