Keep Making Me

Sometimes I look around and smile, because I know that it was God working in the world.  Last week was so busy for me. I was exhausted, and totally spent, emotionally physically, and spiritually. I had nothing to give, I had nothing to write.  Yet, I tried to force myself to write something.  Yet, no words were coming.

Then I received an e-mail from Kartini.  She wrote what was posted last time.  I read it, and God answered me. “I got this.  You restore your soul in Me.” I have surrendered the blog to God.  He is guiding us on this journey, and I hope that whoever is reading these posts is touched by God.  All those that post on this blog are posting their heart, and what God is doing in their lives.

Life More Abundant!  I have surrendered myself to God. I have put God first…now what.  It is not a miracle cure.  We are on a lifelong journey.  God is our guide.  It is going to take one step at a time.  Part of that life more abundant is to get lost in Christ.

This past year has been such a spiritual growth for me.  I am finally giving myself over to God.  He is doing amazing things in me.  I know that it is a daily adventure.  I take my steps closer to God, and He is becoming not only my Heavenly Father, but my friend.

There is a song by Sidewalk Prophets called “Keep Making Me”, and in that song there is a line that really hits home to me.  “…make me empty so I can be filled, cause I’m still holding onto my will, and I’m completed when you are with me.  Make me empty.”  I need the Lord to empty me.  It is not my will, but My God’s.

I need to TRUST the Lord with my journey.  I am still holding on to the wheel, because I am human. I like to have control over things. Yet, if I allow Him, He is willing to empty me, and complete me with Himself.  I want my lifelong journey to be with God, and to have Him be my guide.

It starts with the first step, and then with one foot in front of the other until I am running into the arms of my Heavenly Father.  Lord, empty me of myself, and fill me. All I am is yours.

"Keep Making Me"

By Sidewalk Prophets

Make me broken
So I can be healed
'Cause I'm so calloused
And now I can't feel
I want to run to You
With heart wide open
Make me broken

Make me empty
So I can be filled
'Cause I'm still holding
Onto my will
And I'm completed
When you are with me
Make me empty

[Chorus:]
'Til You are my one desire
'Til You are my one true love
'Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making me

Make me lonely
So I can be Yours
'Til I want no one
More than You, Lord
'Cause in the darkness
I know You will hold me
Make me lonely

[Chorus]

'Til You are my one desire
'Til You are my one true love
'Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making,
I know You'll keep making
Lord, please keep making me

Dear Lord, empty me of myself, I run to you with heart wide open.  I need you to keep making me.  I know that it will be lifelong journey.  You are my God, and I trust You with my life.  You are my first, my last, my everything.  As the song says, keep making me till You are my one desire, till You are my one true love, till You are my breath.  All that I am is yours.  Amen

by Laura Maxson

After putting God first, then what?...

I like to be in control, I like things to be perfect.

When I say that, I'm not talking about being in control as in charge, being the boss, telling other what to do. That is really the last thing I want to do. I'm talking about in my life, what I do, situations I'm involved in.

In January, Control was the word God has ordained for me to be the theme of my year with Him: The fact that I struggle with it and He wants it.  2 Corinthians 5:14, 15 "14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

So, my plan was to put God first in this area of my life. And my idea of what would happen after putting God first was very different then what has happened.

My expectation seemed logical to me.
- If I put God first...
- Then I would be much more capable to figuring out what else He wanted me to fill my life with.

That's just it. I was expecting to be more capable to figuring out what He wanted me to fill my life with.

These past few weeks He has allowed me to go through some experiences to reminded me I am not in control and I am not perfect.

Before figuring out what He wants in my life, I need to give it all to  Him. Not just certain parts of it, not 99.9% of it, but ALL of it.

After putting God first, then what? It's putting Him first, last, through out. It's making Him my everything and taking me out of the equation.


So.... Patient Gracious Lord, Here it is.

My Declaration of Imperfection & Freedom from Control

I’m not perfect.

I will never be.

Jesus makes me whole, complete, controls me. Not to be perfect & so I won’t make mistakes. But to Love. He loves me & my imperfections & who I am even though I make mistakes.

I choose not to blame my parents, or the way I was raised, or the path of anxiety and stress I chose in the past. TODAY and from now on,

                        I CHOOSE TO LOVE JESUS.

He will help me process my imperfections not to make me perfect, but to Love me. Always Love me.

I will allow Jesus and others to help me by:

*Giving myself permission not to complete something (what I would say was) 100%.

*Giving myself permission to not continue or complete something if I am interrupted.

*Occasionally, intentionally, be OK with doing things imperfectly, and not obsess or stress over it.

*Allowing others to help me, even if I know it will not be done the way I would do it.

*Celebrating these small successes.

*Find & enjoy a God dreamed hobby.

*Take time for myself.

*Exercising.

*Celebrating my mistakes. Acknowledge when I make mistake, and celebrate that I am not perfect and I am not in control.

God loves me & does not ask or expect me to be perfect. He asks to me love Him, those around me……& myself.

Lord, Thank You for Your Perfection, for Freedom from control, because You are in Control. Thank You for allowing this hard, stretching, painful growth to draw me closer to You. 

~Kartini Maxson

March Prayer Topic: After putting God first, then what?

Life More Abundant

John 10:10 …I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

My day, get up, have devotions, exercise, breakfast, get ready for work, at the office for nine or more hours, fight traffic, maybe get groceries, fix supper, on Wednesday nights, I have bible study with three other people at my place, after they are gone, I get lunch ready for next day, and clean up, and finally before falling asleep, I like to take hot shower, then I get to do it all again the next day.

I look at the list above, and I am exhausted just looking at it.  How many of us look at that list, and can actually add things to it?  We have filled our lives so full.  Is that a good thing?  Do we have life more abundantly? 

Here is another question, are you so glad that the weekend is here, instead of enjoying every day as God intending?  We have filled our lives with so much stuff.  Is it worthy stuff?  Absolutely, and don’t get me wrong, these things are important.  However, have we filled our lives so full that we have lost prospective of why we were made?

For me, I realize that I have filled my days so full.  Maybe, I can have a new outlook on my day to day.  Instead of a checklist of what I need to do, I can see if I can do them praising the Lord.  Will that change anything?

So, let’s see if I can change my outlook.

·      When I get up, I have worship.  That it is an easy one.  I start my day praising the Lord. 

·      Next, exercise, there are days that I don’t feel like it.  However, I try and go for a least a walk for about a half an hour or so.  While walking, I can put my I-pod on and listen to Christian music.  Or, if I go to the gym, then I can do the same things, and listen to Christian music instead of the loud music playing in the gym.

·      Eat breakfast & get ready for the day.  Praise the Lord that I have food in my refrigerator, and a job to go to.

·      Work – take the opportunity to be a witness to those that I work with and come in contact with at the office.   So, instead of growling over the list of things to do, I will praise and be joyful for the job that I have.

·      Driving home in traffic – Sometimes I wonder where people learned to drive, or if they even took Driver’s Ed.  How do I tackle that one?  Yes, I can change my outlook on that one too.  I can turn my radio to positive Christian music, and sing along.  I have been known to sing other songs at the top of my lungs.  Why not Christian songs?

So, you see there are several things that I can do to change my outlook.  Maybe you can think of your own ways.   Another idea is what we want to pray and see if the Lord will reveal in you what ways we can change our outlook.

Dear Lord, please show me a life more abundant.  I don’t want my life to be a checklist that I look at, at the end of the day to make sure I got everything done that needed to be done.  I want my life to be a praise to you, and no matter what I do, let me do it to your praise. Amen

Written By - Laura Maxson