Originally Posted: Happiness

***When I came back to Chicago nearly 3 years ago for my surgery, I started a blog as one place all family and friends could go to read updates on my health. I then realized it was also a way of promoting awareness. Shortly after that, I started a second blog, for the purpose of sharing my faith. As time went on, I became convicted about something.

It was wrong of me to separate the two, as my faith, Jesus, is the absolute reason for my strength in getting through this. I could not exclude Him from my health blog even if others suggested to do so. Thus, I started talking more about my faith on my main blog. Now, many times, it's more about Him than me, which is where I came up with the current title 'About Me, Not About Me'. This story may be about me, but really it's not about me, it's about Him. That old blog still sits out there no longer being used. So I decided over time I will begin to move those posts from there to here to have everything in one place.

In just beginning to read some of my first posts, I've realized the amount of work God has truly done in me. A lot of times we hate the journey and want to get to our next destination, but it is in that very journey that God molds you into who He created you to be. Enjoy each mile of your own journey and know that God is working through you if you let Him.***

Originally Posted: September 24, 2013
Happiness?

I'm so happy. I didn't come here to be happy, in fact I thought I'd be everything but. I thought I'd be miserable. Furthermore, I was in no way looking for happiness, searching for it, trying for it, not even really thinking about it. Happiness- it's an emotion- it's fleeting. But, I'm happy.

Why am I happy? I'm happy because of Jesus. I have Jesus. I found Jesus. I devote my attention on Him and he blesses me with such goodness. I'm going through the absolute toughest times in my life with everything that many of you don't even know the start of because I can't talk about it on here. But in the toughest time I feel the most comfort, the most peace, the most relief, the most happiness. And it has absolutely nothing to do with or without anybody or anything else. It is completely irrelevant to any external matters.

Happiness isn't about how many "things" you have, how much money you have, what job you have or if you even have a job, not even about your family and friends. Any single one of these things can be gone in an instant. If your happiness was based on that person or that thing, and it leaves, then what? You are left without happiness.

Happiness, as in true joy, it is from within. When you repent your sins and turn to Jesus and make Him your Lord and Savior, following Him always in the mist of all you go through, the Holy Spirit lives within you. It's in the inside! This means no matter what you encounter in life, you always have that peace, comfort and joy from within. You can turn off all that is external and turn inward.

You can blame unhappiness on another, void things and people from your life thinking it'll take care of the problem, entirely up and change everything about yourself, but it all doesn't matter if you don't truly have Jesus. Without Him, happiness- it's fleeting. It'll come, it'll go, it won't last and it won't be the true and lifetime joy you can experience with Jesus in your heart.

I do not fear my circumstances when I focus my heart and mind on Jesus. I know what lies ahead for me after my short time on this planet. I know where I'm going because I know I am saved. I said Yes to Jesus and He said Yes to me! It's a love like never before. I just want everyone to experience and feel that love. Love and be loved. Really, that's all it comes down to.

"The Second is this 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no command greater than these." Mark 12:31

Here's a challenge for all of you that leads kind of into a new topic I will talk about at a later time... Do you listen to Christian music? K-love radio station for example? If not, try to. Try to for 30 days. K-love gives this exact challenge for their station. Listen for 30 days and see if/how it blesses you. Being a Christian means putting Jesus first. Are you doing that? Are you doing that in every aspect of your life? Start right here by one simple change. I hope it blesses you immensely and brings you into a transformation you couldn't even imagine, that you ultimately then find your happiness also. http://www.klove.com/


But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 1 Peter 3:14