ONE DAY CHALLENGE

I wrote this for myself and Jesus told me to share it with you J

HINT: When you fail – start over at one – again & again & again

…Let me know how it goes! J J

WHAT NOW?

For those of you wondering: WHAT NOW?

For the teens seniors about to graduate high school next spring, for the college students trying to navigate their majors, for the 20 somethings asking the question - when and how do I start??, for the Mom's who aren't sure of their daily impact, for the empty nesters asking a similar question of the 20 somethings - WHAT NOW?

Its common.  Purpose - is a life driver.  So it's okay to ask, depending on what season of life you are in, every year, every 10 years, or more.  For those of you wondering, I'm in the journey with you.

Here's just a little encouragement for you.  I just attended a women's retreat with my church and was so inspired by the speakers (2 ladies living out their calling!), and the fellowship of WOMEN!  There was good conversation, a few tears, and lots of laughter - the perfect recipe for inspiration.

So, I've come back with a little perspective.

A Quick summary of my post high years

•  4 Years of Ministry & Training 
  After Graduating I went the Teen Mania Ministries to do a leadership Internship and then became a staff member, directing and counseling young women. 

• 1 Year in India 
  After leaving Teen Mania I got prepared to spend an entire year in the beloved country of India.  I observed, I learned, I fell in love! (Spent time with and Anti-Trafficking Org & the Poorest of the Poor at Mother Teresa's Institution). 

• 1 Year & Going at Home
  After being away for 5 years from my family and a community of people very near and dear to my heart, my main goal was to spend time here.  I also have been learning everything I can about homemaking, and have had the wonderful opportunity to develop my business skills while working at my Aunt's Fabric Store.   

All of the above were goals of mine - Although I only planned to be at Teen Mania for one year and then go to India directly after that and a slew of other things happened that I could have never EVER planned myself in the past 6 years - I feel absolutely honored and privileged and amazed at GOD and how BIG his plans are for my life.

Still, I find myself here - wondering.  Wondering again - Am I where I'm supposed to be?  Scared - Will I let my life go to waste?  Isn't that funny?  If you look at the list above you would think "She has the least reason to be worried," but I guarantee that you don't either.  That is just our little human heart - You can relate can't you?

Take a Moment - Think over the ways that God has orchestrated your life in the past 5-10 years or longer and see how many blessings you have to count. I encourage you to write them down and share them with a friend.  If you feel like you don't have many (and before you answer - Children are a blessing, family is a blessing, peace and joy are a blessing, knowing Christ is a blessing, and trials are also a blessing )- Ask yourself if you have been open to God's leading.

Have you:

1. Asked
2. Listened (Don't over-complicate this, God won't make it hard to hear, the hard part is the next step).
3. Obeyed
4. WAITED - this can be inserted before or after anyone of these steps ;))

80% of people miss the first step - ASKING

Jesus has a plan for your life - I promise!  God also has a mind BIGGER than you can imagine.  So try, try to out-dream him - You won't. 

I asked both ladies this weekend about their dreams and it was very obvious that God used a gift that he had given them and is using it for HIS glory.  For both of them, that dream was started in their (30's or later), and they agreed it was in God's perfect timing.  I guarantee that the time spent before that was not a waste though - they were in training.  

I walked away trusting that I am in this step: WAIT.  Just wait, and remember - This season is chalked full of purposeful things.  Trust that. 

Psalms 37:7

Things that everyone of us can do during the waiting season are: 

1. LOVE - Take the opportunity and don't miss it to love the people around you, and love them well, really well.
2. SERVE - Serve, serve, serve.  Yes - It is in fact, one of the most fulfilling things you can ever dedicate your time to. (Remember - 'Wait'resses serve)
3. KNOW GOD - This is our ultimate purpose in life - higher than any other.  Know Jesus - as a friend, a Father, and Lord - know Him deeper, and better, and more - continuously. 

Any life fulfilling these three things is purposeful - I guarantee it - because it is in accordance with God's heart.

This is a great time of year to write down your goals for the next year.  Pray first, write them down and share them with a friend.  If you're serious about starting your dream I encourage you to meet with a friend or small group periodically to update and encourage each other on the progress of these goals.  Create a plan now.

I am challenged in this waiting season (and whatever season you are in) to live to the fullest - FULL of joy - Overflowing with love - Full of JESUS!

If you feel like you need a word on your current purpose in life - ask a friend!  Or please feel free to write me (shyla.troyer@gmail.com or on Facebook) - I would love to pray for you and see what God says.

Thank-you to all the ladies who refreshed my heart this weekend!

Letters

Wanna know something that I've been doing this past fall?  Writing letters to a dear friend of mine - as a pen pal.  I write her once or twice a week and she writes back to me! 


That's amazing, huh?  Well, I guess not everyone is the pen pal type of person, but I always was.  I remember having pen pals from different countries in elementary school, and to this day since being away from home in Texas and India I have stayed in touch with close friends through letters.  I write letters at least once a month.  My grandpa Troyer does the same thing, he is an avid letter writer, an Amish man with friends all over the states, and does such a good job keeping up with them!  (In fact he says he won over my Grandmother who was in another state by his letter writing! ;). 





Some people don't like to write and the postal service definitely doesn't compete with our fast paced lives these days, however there is something special about it.


A lot of times I write to others just to let them know that I'm thinking about them, in a way that the meaningful touch is kept in tact where in email and Facebook and even text it has the opportunity to be lost.  I write Melissa to pour out my heart.  I decided that I needed a pen pal this fall while I was in Kolkata, India because it would be hard spiritually and I wouldn't have any acquaintances there.  Melissa is a dear friend and she speaks the same language spiritually, I asked her if she would commit to writing to me - I needed her!  I wrote her the day that I arrived in Kolkata and told her about all the smells and faces that colored the city, I wrote to her every time that I needed a friend to talk to, every time I needed to share my heart, every time my heart was overloaded. 


There wasn't an immediate response (in fact it took 2 wks for my first letter to get to her and 2 wks for me to get her response).  However my heart was not waiting in limbo at the response.  I knew that Meliss would understand and was in constant prayer for me.  Just writing it down and sending it to her did so much for me.


We've continued to write back and forth since I've come home to the States.  What a lovely friend.  Sometimes we don't need to busy our lives with constant action, immediate response, gratification, or emotional reactions.  Indeed quick access can actually make our lives more stressful.  We do have emotions though and need a way to understand and embrace them! 


Perhaps writing letters is a good idea for you?  Maybe you need to just go see that friend in person once every two weeks and pour your heart out - instead of just texting or FB!  See her!  Write her!  But do it well, and then your dear hear will rest!