"It's not my job.."

If you know me, you know that I try way too hard to try and understand everything that is happening around me. It's as if understanding everything will make it easier to take in when in reality all it usually does it cause me more anger. I'm not saying it is this way with understanding people but it is this way with the majority of situations I have found myself in.

One day last week, on my way to school, I was listening to K-Love like usual and a woman came on and said something that was so relevent to me it was scary. This woman was talking about how she was in such turmoil trying to figure everything out and why things happen or don't happen. She said that it was affecting her health and relationship with others. One day while in the midst of all this worrying, she finally stopped long enough to listen to God and here is what he told her..."It's not your job to understand everything. It is your job to live for me and do the best you can with what I have given you." God was saying to me "Natalie! Shut up and let me do my job!" (I know this may sound harsh but you have to be very literal and direct with me.) This caused me to literally say outloud "OK God, I hear you!!"

I know I'm not the only one who struggles with this issue of having to know everything and have everything figured out and go the way I plan. But the good news is, there is still hope for us!! Since hearing this woman a week ago, I have had more peace than I have had in a long time. God doesn't want us to stop loving people and standing up for him but he also doesn't want us to continuously worry. He is the Creator of all things and instead of focusing on the bad, we need to be focusing on the blessings.

Trust.....what is it really?

I have started having a lot of trust isues in the past year due to the fact that people I thought I knew to be honest and trustworthy are actually liars and backstabbers. I'm not talking about politics or big business....I am talking about everyday situations. And I know it's not just happening to me! It is happening in job situations and even in churches which confuses me the most!

When I join a church, I am doing so because I trust and believe what is going on there. I trust the church leaders and count on them to be honest and portray christian values. Unfortunately, I am finding more and more that this just isn't the case and it makes me extremely sad. I completely understand that church leaders are people just like I am but when you are chosen and accept to be a leader, you have responsibilities not only to yourself but to those you are leading!

Anyway, other than constant prayer,  the only thing that helps me get through these issues is laughter and wise words. That is why I have included a few comics and some quotes. If you are having the same issues as me, I hope that these help to relieve some of your confusion as well.

“Love all, trust a few.” - William Shakespeare

“I'll start letting my guard down when people stop giving me reasons to keep it up.”

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.”

“We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone - but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy”

“You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you do not trust enough”

Until next time,
Natalie

Show Us Your Life

Today I am linking up with Kelly over at Kelly's Korner! (She is a dear friend of my aunt and uncle and she knows my sister!) Every Friday, Kelly has a link-up party titled "Show Us Your Life" and she has different categories every week. This week, it's single's week! Now, since I'm happily married obviously this isn't for me! However, my sister is single so I thought I would share about her!

Amy not only my sister, but also my best friend. She is 23 (almost 24 in March) and lives in Bryant, AR!  Amy graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in 2010 and she loved it so much, she decided she wanted to work there! So now she is an admissions counselor and her territory covers mid-south Arkansas and Tennessee.


Amy is a very passionate person. Whatever she is doing, she puts her whole heart into - whether it's her job, her friends, or some of her many talents. (We'll get to those talents a little later!) But one thing she will always be passionate about is her family. She has been the best aunt & godmother to my daughter, Neela Kate, as well as to her other 3 nieces, Alexis, Faith & Addyson! She loves getting to spend time with them and spoiling them! I know she will be a great mother when the day comes!

Amy doing her best friend Kate's make up for her wedding day!

Now on to her many talents. The four things Amy LOVES to do is cook, sing, do hair & make up, and plan events. And I will say that she does all of them amazingly. She fell in love with cooking when she took Home Economics in 9th grade. She has been singing since she could talk! She has done many of her friends' hair & make up over the years, even some for their weddings! And she has been the main event planner for her group of friends- planning showers, vacations and even bachelorette parties!


A few more fun facts:
• She loves to travel, even if its just a few hours away.
• Football and baseball are her two favorite sports.
• She's an avid Razorback fan, but also will cheer for Texas A&M!
• As you can tell in some of the pictures, she changes her hair color every now and then! She's naturally a blonde, and keeps that color for most of the time. But sometimes she'll go brown and most recently, she's had an auburn color!

Amy with her naturally blonde hair :)

My sister is going to make a great wife to one lucky guy someday! If you're interested, just leave me a comment with your info! Or if you'd like to know more - you can check out her blog!! www.amylynnwentz.com