Five Minute Friday: Crowd

Colossians photo It’s Five Minute Friday with Lisa-Jo Baker and the word prompt today is crowd…

When I think of the word crowd I’m reminded of a valuable lesson God taught me last year. I may have mentioned this before on the blog and if you’ve already heard it, I’m sorry. However, I think someone out there could benefit from my story.

Last year, I was away at an event and super excited to meet someone who had shown some interest in me. When I finally met the person, the moment I had imagined in my mind was extremely far off from what really happened. I walked away disappointed. My heart sunk and my dreams seemed to plummet in an instant. Later that evening I sat down on my bed and thought, “I guess I’m not in with the in crowd.”

Now, it’s funny how God will use exactly what we are studying in His word to speak to present circumstances. At the time, I was memorizing Colossians chapter three. And God was quick to bring verse three to my mind…

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

-Colossians 3:3

Do you see where I’m going with this? If I died to myself, truly died to my own will and control of my own life, then I should know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my life is hidden with Christ in God and I am, most certainly, in with the in crowd. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the only in crowd I should ever need, or care, to be part of in my life.

God’s got this!

It’s a tough lesson to learn when we have our own plan and timetable for life events, but the whole point is that I need to draw from Him first. I need to care about who He thinks I am. He loves this over-thinking, over achieving, crazed girl who is living her own real-life-episode of I love Lucy. I struggle and stumble (figuratively and literally) and He always pulls me back in and shows me how much He loves me. Regardless of what anybody else thinks, God loved me enough to send His Son, Jesus, to die for me. And He did the same for you.

You are so loved, so wanted, and so needed! If you’ve accepted Him in your life and died to yourself then your life is hidden inside His. You are in with the only crowd that matters. And just in case you missed it, I will say it again… You. Are. Loved.

Have a beautiful weekend, friends.

Love,

Jennifer

9 Comments

Alia Joy on March 14, 2014 at 1:01 am

So true. We are often disappointed by people. Sometimes we find the grace to imagine that they are just busy or are carrying their own burdens and it’s not personal when we feel left out or hurt. But often we find it tells a story to ourselves of not enough. We all need to rewrite our truth to know we are in Christ. Always. Loved. Such good truth here, Jennifer.

Jennifer on March 14, 2014 at 12:02 pm

Thanks, Alia. I’m a firm believer that remembering grace in the moment is the absolute best thing we can do. It’s not always easy, but it’s always the right thing.
Reply

Paula Kaye on March 14, 2014 at 2:07 am

Thank you so much for this reminder…
Paula at /Smidgen,Snippets,&Bits

Jennifer on March 14, 2014 at 12:03 pm

Thanks for reading, Paula!
Reply

Marisa Slusarcyk on March 14, 2014 at 2:08 am

This is really well written a beautiful Jennifer! I thought I would pop on over since you commented on my blog. It amazes me how all of us can have the same prompt and write about similar things that are still entirely unique. God is so great, so precious, so GIVING. There is no better crowd than the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Bless you!

Jennifer on March 14, 2014 at 12:04 pm

Thanks for reading, Marisa!
Reply

Karrilee Aggett on March 14, 2014 at 11:33 am

Oh Jennifer – yes! We tend to do this… especially as women AND creatives I think… we imagine an entire scenario before it unfolds and my, how that can set us up for disappointment! I love that God reminded you through His Word – which you were already carrying in your heart – that when you feel invisible, He sees you still, because you are hidden in Him! On a side note, I wanted to say again how much I enjoyed sitting with you at Allume and getting to know you a bit more. I myself was feeling quite overwhelmed and invisible and you were so gracious and loving. I hope I have said that already. That is one of the biggest things I took away from Allume – was that I wanted to keep my eyes and heart open to look for those who feel invisible, to invite them right in!

Jennifer on March 14, 2014 at 12:07 pm

Hi Karrilee! I enjoyed sitting with you as well! I really loved our time to get to know each other. Thank you so much for your kind words to me! I was extremely overwhelmed, but absolutely loved the conference and everything I was able to take away from it. Especially moments of “in real life” connections like ours!

amypboyd on March 14, 2014 at 9:49 pm

Thank you for sharing your experience. There are so many times I have envisioned the way I wanted a situation to go. More often than not it didn’t go anything like I expected but God always teaches me a lesson through it.

Alia Joy on March 14, 2014 at 1:01 am

So true. We are often disappointed by people. Sometimes we find the grace to imagine that they are just busy or are carrying their own burdens and it’s not personal when we feel left out or hurt. But often we find it tells a story to ourselves of not enough. We all need to rewrite our truth to know we are in Christ. Always. Loved. Such good truth here, Jennifer.
- Jennifer on March 14, 2014 at 12:02 pm
  
  Thanks, Alia. I’m a firm believer that remembering grace in the moment is the absolute best thing we can do. It’s not always easy, but it’s always the right thing.
Paula Kaye on March 14, 2014 at 2:07 am

Thank you so much for this reminder…
Paula at /Smidgen,Snippets,&Bits
- Jennifer on March 14, 2014 at 12:03 pm
  
  Thanks for reading, Paula!
Marisa Slusarcyk on March 14, 2014 at 2:08 am

This is really well written a beautiful Jennifer! I thought I would pop on over since you commented on my blog. It amazes me how all of us can have the same prompt and write about similar things that are still entirely unique. God is so great, so precious, so GIVING. There is no better crowd than the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Bless you!
- Jennifer on March 14, 2014 at 12:04 pm
  
  Thanks for reading, Marisa!
Karrilee Aggett on March 14, 2014 at 11:33 am

Oh Jennifer – yes! We tend to do this… especially as women AND creatives I think… we imagine an entire scenario before it unfolds and my, how that can set us up for disappointment! I love that God reminded you through His Word – which you were already carrying in your heart – that when you feel invisible, He sees you still, because you are hidden in Him! On a side note, I wanted to say again how much I enjoyed sitting with you at Allume and getting to know you a bit more. I myself was feeling quite overwhelmed and invisible and you were so gracious and loving. I hope I have said that already. That is one of the biggest things I took away from Allume – was that I wanted to keep my eyes and heart open to look for those who feel invisible, to invite them right in!
Jennifer on March 14, 2014 at 12:07 pm

Hi Karrilee! I enjoyed sitting with you as well! I really loved our time to get to know each other. Thank you so much for your kind words to me! I was extremely overwhelmed, but absolutely loved the conference and everything I was able to take away from it. Especially moments of “in real life” connections like ours!
amypboyd on March 14, 2014 at 9:49 pm

Thank you for sharing your experience. There are so many times I have envisioned the way I wanted a situation to go. More often than not it didn’t go anything like I expected but God always teaches me a lesson through it.