In Over My Head (Crash Over Me)

Do you know that God is still in control?  No matter the circumstances.  No matter what gets thrown at us.  Those who know God already know how it all turns out - so why do we spend so much time worrying when we already know how it ends?

"Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1)

Though it is cliché and so much easier said than done, we must fully surrender every situation to God.

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge." (Psalm 18:2)

In Over My Head (Crash Over Me) by Bethel speaks to just trusting God in all situations.  One of my favorite lines is:

"Would you come and tear down the boxes that I have tried to put You in..."

So often I put God in boxes and put limits on what I think He can or can't do or control.  Which is really silly because God is...well, God.  He's limitless.  He can do anything.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us..." (Ephesians 3:20).

"Whether I sink, whether I swim - it makes no difference when I'm beautifully in over my head."

I can't mess up God's plan for me.  I'm not that powerful.  I just have to trust that God is in control and it doesn't matter if I "sink or swim" when I'm so deeply immersed in God's love and His promises.

I can't imagine how anyone can go through life, with all its difficulties and challenges, and not have God to turn to.  Knowing that I once lived that way, I look back and wonder how I managed to pull through at all.  It isn't a place that I want to go back to...ever.

"Then You crash over me and I've lost control but I'm free
I'm going under, I'm in over my head
And You crash over me, I'm where You want me to be
I'm going under, I'm in over my head"

Check out my cover: https://vimeo.com/120209591

Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv3-TDdD1pM

What do you have to do?

What do you have to do?

This question came up in the message this morning.  It's not a bad thing, like I have to do this or that and ugh...that sucks.  But more, I know deep down that there is something that I'm supposed to do.  There are things that drive me and things I deeply care about and when I'm not able to pursue these "have to" things, I get really depressed.

I know that most people wouldn't consider me "old" by any stretch of the imagination...except maybe for the kiddos I work with!  To them, I'm ancient!  But another birthday is coming up this month and I'm frustrated again.  What have I really accomplished in my time here on earth?  Or how about just in the last year?  Nothing really noteworthy or anything.  And perhaps, I will never be famous or widely remembered, but I want my life to matter!

So what do I have to do?  Sitting down and making a list, nothing was really earth-shattering, but they are still things that drive me.

This comes at a time where I was going back through my Leadership Advance stuff and going through my strengths from the Strength Finders assessment and my DISC assessment results.  I had forgotten several things I had learned from the weekend.

So here is my list:

• music/worship
• following Christ
• learning
• listening
• speaking/writing
• teaching
• loving
• overcoming
• leading

How could I accomplish those things?

Music/worship:

• Spending time practicing and song-writing daily
• Spending time in worship, even if it's just alone in my room by myself
• Taking time to receive feedback from talented individuals so I can grow in my skills

Following Christ:

• It isn't easy, but spending time in His word...daily
• Praying without ceasing 
• Asking God for more of Him instead of asking for more of His stuff...

Learning:

• Continuing to pursue topics that interest me and learning everything I can about them through reading, online tutorials, classes, and hands-on experience

Listening:

• Being quiet and listening for God's voice.  We are surrounded by so much noise each day.  I like constant noise.  Silence is uncomfortable, but what have I missed by not actively listening for God's voice?

Speaking/writing:

• Taking time to talk openly about my faith and what God is doing in my life
• Writing and reflecting on what's going on in my life and what I see God doing

Teaching:

• Teaching others and sharing my knowledge with those who desire to learn about topics that I know a lot about

Loving:

• Actively checking in with those that I care about.  Seeing what I could be praying for and finding ways to show them love.
• Praying for the ability to love those who hate me and go out of their way to bring me down.  Praying that they would know Christ's love.

Overcoming:

• Running to God when I'm overwhelmed with all the thoughts that swirl around in my mind
• Breaking through the barriers in front of me so that I can influence the world.  Trusting that God will open the right doors for me, even when everything seems impossible.

Leading:

• Developing the talents I've been blessed with and using them to lead others
• So much focus has gone into trying to strengthen my weaknesses so that I can be a "better" person.  But God has given me what I need.  Everyone has been blessed with different talents, gifts, and abilities...so why try to be something I'm not?