A Beautiful Trust, As I Fall Into His Plan For My Life

One day it happened, years ago, entering into my church at 4 or 5 years old.  I began to trust God with my heart, as a child, a beautiful happening.  Little did I know would I be ever so thankful 18 or 19 years later that this would grow into a faith, hope, love, trust, I had never experienced in my entire life, and that it could heal everything in the past, present, and future.



This week I started thinking back to when I was in high school. The girl I was back then. My beloved jeans, and my beloved oversized t-shirts.  They were all I wore.  I wouldn't call it tomboy, but almost, I didn't care very much for makeup or anything.  I just lived, let my hair dry naturally!

I loved God, I went to youth group every week, went to conventions, and had many moments with God.  But the real moment came when I realized my friends and family fail me all the time.  At the time my "group" of friends was changing, and something significantly changed that day.  I realized God is the only person I can trust fully in this world with all I have, and it's something I had taken for granted until many hard moments in my life where I relied more on best friends, leaders, and I realized, it clicked, I have a best friend, He is God.

The biggest moment where I trusted God was when I felt like I needed a fresh start, to get away from Round Lake, Lake County, and leave where I had been, go start fresh, a new.  So I applied to UIC in Chicago so I could live in the city, and be far enough, but close enough to visit.  But I had people I knew who went to North Central University in Minneapolis, MN.  I never had been to this place, this college, but I felt like it should be where I should apply.  At this point I loved God, but as I went through the application, it forced me to reflect on the walk I had with God up until this point.  Sure I went to church, but I never had reflected on it all, where I had been, where God has brought me.  So as I turned on worship music, there was a moment I had with God that was so real.  Where I just felt at peace with this decision, and He spoke to me through the application and also whispered to me your calling is to help people, so Social Work was a very clear decision.

Then I ended up at North Central, spending 4 years, gaining wisdom of God to the max, with Chapel Services, Praise Gathering, and really letting all my hopes, dreams, fears, family, friends, finances, everything go to God.  Through this 4 years I learned about my family, myself, and many more things.  I also was blessed with friends who knew me, from the inside out, understood me, and are my best friends, and became my new family.  My brothers and sisters in Christ.  I learned about people, God's love through great classes where we prayed and God led them.  God truly spoke to me immensely, and I gave it all away.

When you give your life to God something new happens.  A new person comes out.  Someone you would have never expected.  Tweaking God's plan for you, and using your experience to make who you are a testimony to live by and to set an example.  In high school I was quiet, I talked, but not much, I was not confident, I was shy.  I kept to myself.  In college, I became who I am today.  Loud, crazy, a radical follower of Jesus, I wasn't afraid of being who God made me anymore.  I trusted in God with my heart, relationships, jobs, every part of me.  The best decision I have ever made.  A process, but a beautiful refining fire, if you will.

And since graduating I realized what my purpose in life is to love God, strive to be like Him, pursue His kingdom's cause with all of me, even if it takes everything I have.  My job, my family, my friends, my everything.  If God sent His only Son to die for me on the cross, Jesus, how could I not sacrifice my life.  My comfort, my money, my time, my family, my friends, He gave it all for me, so there's no excuse for me to not give it all back to Him.

Once I did this change in my life, it changed everything.  It made me live a life of freedom.  To live in God's life being everything that envelops you, is the best thing in the world.

My soul, my heart, my actions, hopes, dreams, will come, and God will tell you and instruct you as you go.  Holy spirit will lead you to do things, for example my passion is helping the homeless population, and before my freshman year of college I could have never even guessed that, but God threw it into my path, with friends, school, the city of Minneapolis, when He wants you to have something He will get it to you, special delivery to Heather Cheryl Craig.

I have had visions, completed visions that God has placed in my heart.  With many worship bands, summers, outreaches, Social Justice, many things.  God gives you things, even to the world it looks like you have nothing.  I don't have a job, I don't have money, but I have everything. I have joy, I have peace, I have patience (learning that one currently), and I have love.

Now as I think and reflect on the past, being the girl in t-shirts to now, being bold in my faith, using God's strength to do things, which is way better than your own, cause humans are plain selfish.

Now I can speak in front of churches, I can sing in front of people after years of people making fun of my voice, I can walk in confidence even though there were many who tore me down.  I can believe in a bright future for a family and beautiful relationships even though I come from a family with a past of brokenness.  I can have healthy relationships with people, love people, and live in knowledge of God's plan.

Because of God I have this, He changed me, I couldn't change any of this on my own, I could try, but I'd fail.  Because the love of God, is perfect, a perfect love no one can have except through Jesus Christ, He gave it all, Jesus gave it all, to share this love, the powerful love of a God, directly, every day, seeing every move, helping you with every word you say.  A trust that won't break ever.  Love that never fails.

And now I live in that freedom.  I have a hope that never dies, sure I have trials, and life isn't a game, it's not easy, there are painful moments, but I have a best friend in life who never fails and through the trials He blesses you, beyond what you could ever repay Him.

As I look at what I've gone through, past, present, and what will happen, I'm just happy to have God if all else fails, I will be happy worshipping God all my days, with every fiber in my soul.  Every smile, every triumph, every moment is because of God.

This year is a year of celebration for me, last year was beautiful yet painful.  Now I'm embracing the freedom of living in Christ for everything, for my plans will fail, but God's prevail every day!  Whether we like it or not :)



Last year, I learned.  I was broken, but here I am being rebuilt perfectly by the love of God.  God has blessed me with 4 jobs in the last week, interviews, ones I love, He's blessed me with a boyfriend, a new best friend to share life with, He's blessed me with awesome women who I can hang out with and glean wisdom from.  He's gaven me great leadership and people to trust through everything.  A family I love, sisters, mothers, cousins, and family! This year, is a great year, I declare it, walk in it, and I would love for ya'll to walk in that too.  Know God has, a plan, but are you ready, to give your ENTIRE life to Him.  Only in Him are you truly free from it all :)



I love you all! Just a little reflection for today!

God bless!