Jet Lag, Prayer, and Blogging

So I know that nearly everyone I know how been "blogging" for a long time, but I'm just now jumping on the band wagon. I've journaled sporadically through youth camps, and mission trips, but in Japan I began to see journaling/blogging in a whole new way. I think it's wise to write down what the Father is showing me because, let's face it, I'm going to make the same mistakes again and again, and it's beautiful to go back and read how He helped me through it then and reassures me that He will help me through it now. I'm not really much of a writer--so you may find yourself often bored if you decided to read my blog, but it's mostly for me, so if you're bored--that's okay. :)

For those of you who don't know, I got back from Tokyo, Japan last Wednesday. It was without a doubt the most incredible life-changing experience of my life. I never realized how spiritually dead I was becoming until God took me to a foreign land where I was way out of my comfort zone so that I had no choice but to listen to him. I had developed a habit of praying three times a day--when I woke up and had my quiet time, when I ate dinner, and before I went to bed. Oh, and the occasional "I want something" prayer. After years of doing this, I had decided that I was an awesome Christian. I mean I was praying THREE (sometimes FOUR) times a day--that meant I was super close to God, right? Boy was I wrong. The Father had to pick me up out of Dallas, Texas and fly me thirteen hours to the other side of the world to make me SIT STILL and listen to HIM. I couldn't believe have self-centered I had become. Not only was my prayer life nearly dead, all my prayers revolved around myself or what I wanted out of life. Never did I once praise Christ for who He is, let alone thank Him for anything. That hit me hard. Who the heck was I to make this life revolve around me? Did I come to save the world? Could I even save myself? I laugh at the thought of that! Thank goodness, the Father was gracious enough to take my to Japan to SCREAM at me so that I could finally quit ignoring Him. I learned in Japan that prayer must be a constant thing. I don't mean sitting in your chair and mumbling to yourself for every second of every day. I mean that God is glorified in us when we call out to Him! Constant prayer--to me anyway--is when you realize that you've been on Facebook for three hours and you haven't done a lick of anything, you turn the computer off and spend sometime with Him. When your driving in your car and you can't find a song on the radio that you like, or even if you can, you just spend some time talking to Jesus, and novel concept--you take the time to hear what He has to say to you. I know for a fact that is where I struggle the most. I want to do all the talking, but most of the time, I need to shut my mouth and listen. When I'm quiet, it's amazing how much God has to say to me. I'm pretty sure he's been trying to say it to me for the last 21 years and I have just chosen not to listen. I get so caught up in my life and what the heck I want out of life and what I want out of my relationships that I forget to call on Him to see what He wants from my life. Praise the Father that He is patient with me and His heart is loving and forgiving. When we call on His name He cannot wait to reveal His glory to us. That is something He definitely showed me Japan. How powerful prayer is and how it is answered in an instant when He wants it to be. It is all about His glory. We are just called to be His hands and feet--He does the work through us. It has nothing to do with us and everything to do with Him. Glory to God!

I know that I just rambled in circles, and if you're still with me, then I applaud you. Another thing that I learned in Japan--well actually when I got home from Japan--is the power jet lag has over the human body! I went four days sleeping only 3-5 hours each day. I would wake up at 3:30 in the AM and want sushi! This was NOT okay with me. On Sunday morning I woke up at 9:54 AM praising the Father for allowing me to sleep! How we forget how wonderful sleep is until we don't get it! I had more to write about jet lag, and now I can't remember what it is. That's okay though.

I want to leave you with a verse that has become very close to my heart. For a while all I knew was the first part, but now that I know the whole thing, I feel like it means so much more to me!
"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth."
Psalm 46:10

It blows my mind that Father WILL be exalted in the nations and He WILL be exalted in the earth. Don't forget that Heaven is His thrown and earth is His foot stool--praise and glory be to God for He is Greater and He is Stronger!