...when I lose my focus

When I started college, I changed.  When I started dating my husband I felt myself changing.  When we had been married for a few months I felt myself still changing.  When we had our first baby 9 months ago, I felt changed.

And it wasn't until yesterday that I realized change isn't compromise.  Previously I felt like my
identity was being taken by all these changes.  I didn't like it.  I even felt myself becoming a little bitter about what these changes had made my life.
Yesterday something good happened.  While I was sitting in the sanctuary listening to the sermon, this simple truth hit me.  Ready?  My identity is in Christ Jesus.  It will never be changed.

My interests have changed.  The way I spend my time has changed.  The things that consume my mind are not the same as they were when I was carefree and single--but that's ok.  I am rooted in Christ. 

When I lose my focus and forget my purpose in life, I start letting other things take over my purpose.  When I remember my true purpose, then cradling my son becomes ministry.  When I remember why I'm here, loading the dishwasher for the thousandth time becomes service to God. 

Love God.  Love people.

...even when those people are slobbering, screaming babies.


Ephesians 3:14-19
¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^{[c] 15} from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

I stumbled upon a cool graphic that I had pinned on Pinterest 4 months ago!  I couldn't find the original source, but I will link it to what it's linked to on my pin board.