Approval Addiction pt. 1

I got this title from a book I've been reading by Joyce Meyer, called Approval Addiction: Overcoming Your Need To Please Everyone. It's an issue I've struggled with for almost all of my life...

I never really had to confront the issue until I got saved, because now I'm surrendering to the will of God not the will of others. My focus in life has changed to please God, not to please others.

This morning I was reading and came across this passage in Ezekiel ...

Ezekiel 2:3-8 (The Message)

3-7 He said, "Son of man, I'm sending you to the family of Israel, a rebellious nation if there ever was one. They and their ancestors have fomented rebellion right up to the present. They're a hard case, these people to whom I'm sending you—hardened in their sin. Tell them, 'This is the Message of God, the Master.' They are a defiant bunch. Whether or not they listen, at least they'll know that a prophet's been here. But don't be afraid of them, son of man, and don't be afraid of anything they say. Don't be afraid when living among them is like stepping on thorns or finding scorpions in your bed. Don't be afraid of their mean words or their hard looks. They're a bunch of rebels. Your job is to speak to them. Whether they listen is not your concern. They're hardened rebels.

God has CALLED us to be his ambassadors.
Whether we are called to the pulpit, the stage, the classroom, or the boardroom, the light of God should be shining through us. Our job is to do what He has sent us to do and if people agree/disagree with it, that is none of our concern.

Personally, I have always feared being a disappointment to my family, being an outcast amongst my peers, losing friends, etc. Learning to let all that go, being true to myself and most importantly to the intention I was created for is going to be a looooooonnnnnggggg road .... but I'm ready for it.

In the Words of Satan... Food 4 thought.

just saw this video posted on a friend's facebook page.

time to rearrange some priorities ...

something's not right.
wish i could explain.
that is all.

On candle passing...

i've decided to change the direction of this blog, details of which will be posted at a later date.

When I was a freshman at LMU, I joined one of the (then 7) service organizations on campus, Belles. It consists of 50 women dedicated to serving the greater Los Angeles community as well as being "the official hostesses" of the university. Each year, we have a candle passing ceremony in which the graduating senior Belles reflect on their experience in the organization and pass a lit candle on to the new class of Belles (Baby Belles). I remember sitting there in April 2007, listening to all the seniors talk (confused as to why they were so emotional) about how this org had helped them find themselves, created lasting friendships, and changed the direction they were going in their lives. Each senior had a unique experience of Belles, but they were similar in that they were in awe at how fast the time had passed since they had been Baby Belles. They each in their own way said: "Babies it's going to go by so fast, please cherish every moment you have with these women."


Now, it has come. My candle has been passed on to the new generation of Belles. Sometimes we may take for granted how blessed we are to be in a group of 50 phenomenal women, with a reputation of service, love, and solidarity that is upheld in each one of our hearts. When I first applied for Belles, I had NO IDEA how competitive it was. Now I look back and think "Wow, there are literally HUNDREDS of girls who could be sitting where I am right now... and they chose me." I was the one they wanted ... but now I think it's not that they wanted me, but maybe they knew that I needed them. I could sit here and ramble about the memories I've had in Belles, talk about how Belles has helped me to find myself, created lifelong friendships, and changed the direction I want to go in my life - but the blog would be so long, I doubt if anyone would read it.

I never thought this time would come so fast. Babies if you're reading this, please cherish every moment you have with these women. Sometimes you experience things that are indescribable, and you try your best to convey the feeling to others. Over the past few weeks, I've learned that I have 50+ women that share with me something we could NEVER explain.