Bright Days

I am not an avid shopper. I am far from trendy and catch onto the latest fads way after they were a fad. It takes me a little longer to embrace new things and I enjoy simplicity and consistency. However, I do enjoy shopping and looking for new forms of my old clothing. I tend to buy the same brands, same items, and to my family's dismay most of the time even the same colors. Hallelujah, for the times I find a shirt I love in at least three different colors I wear. It really just sounds like I am a very boring person. Maybe so, but this is how I have been all my life. I know what I like and what I don't. I would also say this is how I have followed Jesus most my life. I love Jesus. I love spending time with him, learning about him, talking about him, and telling others about him. But, I have my preferences on how I think my life should look and how I think it should go. I have a perfect idea of how I can best serve and love Jesus with my life.

But, unlike my wardrobe life is not that predictable. Over the years I have found myself in places that I never dreamt God would take me. Good and bad. I have journeyed in faith, not always by my own choosing and most of the time because it was all I could cling to. In my mind life should be safe, pain free, and comfortable even as I follow hard after God. I used to live in avoidance and fear of trials or pain. I do not go looking for it these days, but I don't fear it either. Through the trials of this world God has shown me how good He is despite the outcomes in my life. He has helped me release  my expectations and embrace my journey. He has also given me the directions (in his own timing) on how to navigate the paths before me. These paths are ones I wouldn't have necessarily chosen for myself. Oftentimes, they are more treacherous, scary, and equally more beautiful and rewarding than I could ever imagine.

Maybe that is why I love simplicity in my wardrobe. His journey is anything from boring. The funny thing is I am even beginning to venture out in my clothing colors too. I'm not quite ready to get rid of my favorite gray sweater ,which everyone in my family dislikes. But, I have added lots of bright colors and maybe even a few floral patterns! I'm not ready to get too crazy. It is all in taking the next step down the path before us. One step at a time. Keep walking your path even if it looks unfamiliar. His path is always worth taking.