5 States, 1 Day

It has been another week of altered plans, surrender of my desires, and the need for submission to God's will. You'd think I would learn my lesson at some point... but clearly, God has more to teach me. And, I have more to learn. So, here I sit.

Details aside, as I was once quoted by my friend Kirsten, "oh, the tune of life!!" Sometimes you just have to roll with the "tune." Keep singing. Continue to praise God for his unfailing goodness. He's got the best plan, and He writes the coolest stories. 

I moved back to Michigan this week, and I praise God for His faithfulness in this current endeavor. Very rarely is life what (or where) I expected it to be, but always, God is good. It has been 15 years since I lived here, but there are still parts of this state that feel like home.

As I drove the 10 hours from Minnesota to Michigan, I hit 5 states in one day. MN, WI, IN, IL, and MI. For a girl who is used to the wonderful chaos of a big family and always having people around, that is a LONG time to sit alone... in your own thoughts. Needless to say, I went through many more than five states of mind.... 

Yet, my biggest takeaway from yesterday's long drive was in exploring a few things about what being a "servant" looks like in today's world: 

We often hear of the need to have a "servant's heart" in our work. Simple, right? Be kind, do something extra for someone, do good deeds, go the extra mile, etc. We know alllllll the lingo.

Yet, being a servant goes a whole lot further than that: Servant-heartedness is NOT ONLY action, but also attitude. It is not simply an attitude of service towards others, but an attitude unexpectant of returned kindness or gratefulness. 

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In a world where temperature checks are so prevalent, take a little time today to check the "temperature" of your servant's heart:

How do you act when you are TREATED as a servant? When you are un-thanked, un-recognized, and simply expected to do the "extra" work, how do you respond? 

__________________

Everyone is called to serve in some capacity. When you serve, how do you respond to being treated as a servant? As I enter my career as a nurse this coming week, I'm honored and humbled to get to take care of people in times of need. It isn't going to be easy, and I know that. But, I'm excited to embark on this journey with the goal of having a servant's heart: in deed, and in attitude. 

As a nurse, I like using the "temperature" check model for many aspects of my life. If I'm cold or lukewarm, there's probably a problem. Hopefully, your temperature-check gives you the results you're looking for. Corny analogy, I know. But, sometimes those stick with you the best. 

The sun has set on my chapter in Minnesota. Yet, when the sun sets on one continent, it rises on another. God writes the coolest stories. Be a servant for Him in all your endeavors today, and trust Him to continue writing your story. 

He is the Author.

He is the Story-Teller.

He is the Authority.

He is the Healer.

Jesus is the ultimate Servant.

And, He is the Lord.

Happy Thursday, friends. 


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