If you are part of my Facebook community you would have read my status updates around my latest “hobby” of running. So of course I just HAD to blog about it!
Would love to hear your thoughts…
Oh I’m super excited for you all to meet my friend Morgan. Morgan is a twentysomething totally on fire for the Lord. At the beginning of this year, I noticed Facebook status updates from Morgan with pictures of God’s creation that she snapped from her phone. The heart and motivation towards worship of Jesus and His beauty is what strikes me about Morgan’s updates.
I decided to interview Morgan to get to the bottom of why she began this journey of daily worship via her smart phone. I think it will uplift and encourage you as much as it does me.
Sarah: What spurred you on to start taking these beautiful pictures in the morning of God’s creation?
Morgan:Towards the end of 2011 I was in a really dark place. I can look back today and recognize it was part of a lot of spiritual warfare. But I felt so lost and hopeless, which makes no sense because through Christ I have all the hope possible! My focus and perspective were so very far from God and I was exhausted from trying to fill His role with my own plan. I couldn’t “find” God, so I decided I would track Him down at the roots of where everything began: Creation. Instead of focusing on my own selfish desires, I wanted to give praise and worship to a Father that loves us SO stinking much that He literally surrounds us every second with the things we get used to seeing on a regular basis as we go about life. I wanted to be very intentional about spending time with God, so I made it a daily thing for a year that I would take a picture that I felt captured the way He was stirring my heart that day.
Sarah: Is this a form of worship for you to take these pictures? If so, how?
Morgan: Very much so! More often than not, I’m stopped in my tracks and feel nothing but contentment in the very depths of my soul when I fully give my attention to God and the amazing sacrifice of his son, Jesus. That calm brings such clarity that I can’t help but worship Him!
Sarah: Do you go about your day now looking for other “sparkles” in God’s creation now that you are more aware?
Morgan: I wouldn’t say that I go looking for them, as much as I’m just more aware. I’d love to say that there isn’t an ounce of bitterness or discontent in my heart from day to day as I have been renewing my walk with Christ. But I will be driving in the worst funk and see something that catches me so off guard that I’ll have tears running down my face and words of thanks on my lips. Placing my focus on Him has positioned my heart to receive the daily gifts He brings. I love to explore, so I try at least once a week to make that part of my time with God. In those instances, I sometimes am looking for God. But most of the time I’m just aware that He’s there and we’re out together having beautiful conversations that only come with my Savior.
Don’t you just love all of this great worship!? Check out a couple of Morgan’s creation pics…She literally takes one EVERY day!
So how about you? How does Morgan’s example of worship encourage you to find a special way to acknowledge God’s beauty around you and PRAISE HIM?
Leave a comment…
The week before Easter I wrote this on Facebook as an attempt to get my priorities in order:
Whew! My life is a bit chaotic this week. I’m choosing to sit in the eye of the storm and focus on THE MOST IMPORTANT THING: He died on the Cross, He rose from the dead, He sits on the Throne and HE is in control of my chaos. The end.
Lord, yesterday we celebrated Your victory over death, Your victory over our sin, Your glory and Your awesome power. I want to live this out in my life beyond Easter Sunday.
My life is still chaotic. A wrench was thrown in my carefully laid plans today that threatens to throw me into a tizzy. But, I will stand in Your presence, at the Throne, and trust that You are in control. For when I LIVE OUT! my trust in You and RISE UP! rather than fall prey to chaos I see the benefits of enjoying the Fruit of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit produces a different kind of fruit: unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faith- fulness,gentleness, and self-control. You won’t find any law opposed to fruit like this. {Galatians 5:22-23 The Voice}
Lord, I don’t want to live to day in the rut of chaos, in worry and in distrust. I will RISE UP and live in peace, joy, YOUR love and in self-control. Oh how easy it is for me to lack self control and wallow in my own chaos.
But You equip me to LIVE OUT my faith in You.
I will partake in the Holy fruit of peace…taking a deep breath and relent of my self-perceived control.
I will partake in the Holy fruit of joy…looking for ways that You show up in the midst of my crazy life…I will praise You!
I will partake in the Holy fruit of love…knowing that You love me enough to only set out the best for my life.
Now since we have chosen to walk with the Spirit, let’s keep each step in per- fect sync with God’s Spirit.
I choose TODAY to walk in Your Spirit, to partake of Your Holy fruit and ENJOY!
Amen.