How will you run the race?

Good morning Lord,
I am excited for this day that you have made. It is my hope that I don't miss one single blessing that you have for me. I pray that this day I will have your eyes to see, your ears to listen, your mind to be aware, and your peace to see the beauty in the midst of the ordinary.

Fridays are my favorite day! I wake up at 445 to head to the gym, after an hour workout I head to Panera to have an hour of quiet time with the Lord. Then I meet with my mentor. By 830am I feel amazing and I am ready for the day and the weekend. These fridays have become crucial to my well-being. So here I sit(today my mentor is sick so I have a little extra time). I love to blog but it is something I have lacked time for. Today I will make that time.

I am learning so much every single day in this season of my life.

One thing I am really soaking in lately is the idea that I must live my life in a way as to embrace the race marked out for me. Doing my part along the way to finish strong!... It is easy to get focused on the meaningless details of my day. It is easy to get grumpy about the fact that I spend way too much time cleaning. I can easily focus on the fact that my family is poor in finances and cannot afford a decent vacation. I can easily focus on the fact that my parents are not walking with the Lord and their life is mess. I can focus on the mean people in the grocery store. I can easily focus on the fact that I am not in the physical shape i'd like to be in. I could focus on so many different things if I choose. But what I have learned is what you focus on grows! If I focus on these things that are not going the way I want then I can easily get to a dark place--depression and anxiety grow!!.

This is not what the Lord wants for me. The race marked out for me is not dark and full of anxiety...no it is a race full of joy and laughter and opportunities to grow and forgive. YES, It is a race full of ups and downs but all for His glory! It is a race that might leave me feeling exhausted at times but I must rest in Him so that I can finish strong!

Lets look at a real life race--a marathon. Now mind you I have never ran a marathon nor do I plan to but I like the analogy. People who run marathons have a reason, a motivation. It could be to raise money for a good cause. It could be an item on a bucket list. It could be a desire for fitness and focus. whatever it may be there is always a reason and a motivation. When someone decides to run a marathon they train. Some train minimally and some train really hard. The ones who train the best will be more successful! When you run a marathon they have rest stops. At the rest stop you can grab some water, a snack, go to the bathroom etc. Also when you run a marathon they have people cheering you on throughout the race. They have milemarkers and then when you finish the race there is a huge celebration. Often people run marathons they look forward to the celebration at the end. The most popular marathons to run are the ones with the best finish line celebration. Ok, so if we compare the race of life to the marathon. Here are my questions to reflect on,  on the race of life...
What is your motivation? My motivation is to bring Glory to God.
What does your training look like? reading, solitude, reflection, exercise, prayer
What are your rest stops? concerts, conferences, spaces where I don't lead!
Who is cheering you on? I have several mentors, accountability partners, growth groups, friends
Are you excited about the finish line?while I am excited about the finish line, I know that there is much more race ahead of me. I have to be honest it is hard for me to be excited about the end of the race when I know I am only at the beginning. It is easier to be fully present in the moment(the milestones) and forgetting that the end is gonna be so amazing. 

So in closing,  the point is to keep the Joy of the Lord(face to face with Him one day) on your heart as you adventure through the hard times and the pain(life).  Don't miss the milestones(to me these are the exciting times when I truly encounter Gods glory)and we cannot afford to miss the rest stops(these are the times when I remember how small I am and how big He is)...I have heard that the hardest parts of the marathon is when the crowds are absent...so might we never forget that community is a key...WE ALL NEED A CHEERING SQUAD sometimes! Without these things we will all grow weary and loss heart!--that is not how I want to finish the race! I want to run with perseverance the race marked out for me!!


Thats all I got today, To God be the Glory!!!

The scripture on my heart this morning--Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart!


PEACE BE WITH YOU, MOMMAAVILA!

Its a new year!

Hello Friends, It is a new year! 

As I reflect on the lessons I learned this past year. The theme seems to be Peace. I have become more aware and more exposed to the peace that comes from getting intimately acquainted with the Holy Spirit. This has been such a great journey. It started in January when I came across the SO LONG INSECURITY by beth moore material. I think I might have blogged on this topic but in a nutshell--I began to find peace in the great relationships I had right in front of me. Rather then look at what I wanted to be better in my friendships, marriage, etc I found myself thankful for what was good. I have learned that what you stare at grows--what you focus on is what you see! So if I focus on the bad--I am disappointed but if I focus on the good then I am grateful! The peace came when I began to let God influence the expectations I had for my relationships. Bottom-line I have a great marriage, I have great friendships, I have people who pray for me regularly, I have people I pray for regularly, I have people that I am invested in, I have people invested in me! ...This was only the beginning of my journey of peace...

Isaiah 26:3 YOU WILL KEEP IN PERFECT PEACE HIM WHOSE MIND IS STEADFAST,  BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN YOU. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you...You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! A few different translations..

This verse came to me mid-year and I spent a lot of time soaking(by soaking I mean memorizing, praying for a deeper understanding of it etc) in this verse.  At the Flipside Women's Ministry Retreat weekend in September I had a "BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR MOMENT" when Dante had a terrible mtn bike riding accident and basically went blind for 3 days. During those three days I was filled with an indescribable peace that I will never fully understand...I was beautiful and I cannot put words to the encounter I had with peace but it left me wanting more... when that weekend was over and Dante's eyes were healed I knew that would not have been able to feel His perfect peace without a huge trial. It is a scary tension to live in...Do I really want more of his peace? ...The reality is no one wants more trials right? So maybe I should not seek this perfect peace...

where I land with all this is Yes I want more of His peace and I TRUST the journey that God has carved out for me so I will seek it and remember that God is victorious!

I finished off the year reading everything I could that would help me get a deeper understanding of the peace that lives inside me...1,000 gifts by Ann Voskamp, Sanctuary of the Soul by Richard Foster, Too busy not to pray by Bill Hybels, Teresa of Avila's autobiography, just to name a few! 

I wish I could fully explain what I am learning but for 2 reasons I cannot--1. I don't have that much time(gotta pick up my beautiful daughter from pre-school) 2. I don't think I have found the words yet to fully explain what is happening inside of me.  It is really good and as I reflect on all I have learned and look to what this new year will bring. I find myself recognizing that I have only just begun this journey. . . So I will continue to seek more of His peace ...

The scripture I have been lead to this NEW YEAR is Psalm 23 --I plan to memorize it...

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not be in want, He makes me lie down in green pastures He leads me beside quiet waters  He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

peace be with you, It is my hope to write again soon! 

MOMMA AVILA