STAYING CURIOUS

Song for Today: "Brand New Shoes" by: Paolo Nutini

Every day is a new battle. Every moment is a choice. You can choose to feel one way or another about something. You can choose how you react regardless of your feelings. But sometimes, because of pride, or insecurities, or lack of understanding, our emotions get the best of us. My journey for the past 3 months has been a tough one. I've decided to conquer my insecurities. I've had dreams about being chased by some entity, and recently in those dreams I've begun to turn around and decide to fight. I feel like this is my brain's way of coping with the new way of thinking I've adopted. There are numerous strategies I've incorporated into my day to day living and my reactions, that have begun a shift in my emotions. One of those strategies is staying curious.

Curiosity is healthy, inherent, and humbling. Now, I'm not talking about being curious about drug abuse, or experimenting and getting weird sexually. God gave you wisdom for a reason. Use it. I'm talking about being willing to admit that you don't know everything, and feeling good about it. You have so many amazing experiences ahead of you! be humble enough to ask questions (this is also a great way to get to know people. People LOVE to talk about themselves). Being adventurous means different things to different people. Maybe you've never rented a movie from a Red Box machine, GO NUTS! Maybe you've never been on a zip line, HAVE FUN! Maybe you'd like to know what a five star restaurant is like, MODERATION! (seriously though, make sure you can afford it).

"Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil"

-Proverbs 3:7 (NLT)

Explore! Learn! Go ask that girl to dance! Be the first one to sing karaoke! Try a new flavor of coffee! Inevitably you'll come across things you don't like, or things you're not good at, but don't worry about it! Now you know!

If you can't tell, I'm pretty excited about this. This revelation brought tremendous freedom and life to me. Especially in a place where everything is cold and dark (physically and spiritually). It also gave me the freedom to admit I'm a newbie at life, the humility to speak up about questions I have or things I've never heard of. And now, all of a sudden, I have no reason to be insecure because I'm excited to learn something new.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?

Song for Today: "Open Arms" by: Elbow

When you're told something about yourself as a child, you tend to believe it even if it's a lie. And when you grow up being told a lie, that lie gets played over and over again in your head. It can limit you or prevent you from being who you were meant to be. It can hinder relationships, opportunities and even creativity. It can cause unnecessary stress and impossible expectations. It can leave you wondering "what's wrong with me?" I know I've spent a lot of time talking about insecurities, but if you are unaware of the root, than you are just pacifying the symptoms. Insecurities are unwarranted, unwelcome, and untrue.

"For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope"

-Jeremiah 29:11

You have to confront the lie, call it a lie, and recognize that you actually are capable of great things. You have dreams, and maybe you wondered how it's possible that you could dream so big, because maybe you don't think you're capable. Realize that your up-bringing doesn't define you, what people say doesn't define you, you're self worth comes from within.

Awkwardness needs to flee because all of a sudden you are yourself, not what society tells you to be. Absent-mindedness needs to flee because your ideas are meaningful and potentially world-changing. And most of all, Insecurities need to flee because confidence is found within. When Christ lives in you, you are always capable of your full potential.

Don't use your past as an excuse, use it as a testimony. Start today. It's never too late to do something great! There's always hope. Just ask.