"What's been going on?"

What do you say to someone when you haven't seen them in a long time? Usually, the first thing out of my mouth is "Hey! What's been going on?" The phrase has become so tossed around and really doesn't even have meaning anymore. We say it in passing, we text it, we tweet people asking them how they are or we facebook it. But when is the last time that you genuinely asked someone what's been going on in their life? I know, I know. We have busy schedules and things to do and places to go. It has been a year since I last blogged. Over the last couple of weeks, I began to ask myself "what's been going on?" Do ever get the urge to self evaluate yourself? Because that is exactly what I did. From 1 year ago until this very moment, I have examined the places that I have gone, the friendships that I have gained and lost, the relationship that I chose to enter into, and the choices I have made (good and bad). There are things that I wish that I could blot out. Erase completely. But there are things that I would do over and over and over. What would I choose to do again? I would choose Jesus. I would pick Jesus. He trumps it all! Not one thing that I did outdoes who Jesus is and His superiority. From China to Alaska to Nicaragua, Jesus reigns. The places that I have been able to go in the past year have blown me away. God always outdoes Himself. He makes himself show up in ways that I can't even begin to describe. Reflecting on what I've experienced in a year, makes me fall more in love with Jesus each day. Knowing that I serve a God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-sufficient makes serving Him a joy! Because of my love for Jesus, I long to be obedient. That should be my natural response. Obedience should become a reflex for us because we have trained our lives to be about Jesus. When we hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, we should say "Yes Lord, wherever you send me, I'll go. Whatever it takes to make you famous, I'll do." That should be the cry of our hearts as followers of Jesus. Claim Isaiah 26:8 over your life! "Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." God will not fail you. He will sustain you. He will give you life. He will give you joy. CHOOSE JESUS! Make an effort in the next few days to really be intentional about asking people what is going on in their life. Community is important. Not only talk to others about life, but really do a self-evaluation. Are you choosing Jesus above your own desires? When you place God as number one, you are choosing life. You are choosing obedience. When you choose to be about the things of God, blessings will follow!