Conforming is too comfortable.

Good morning everyone!

So since I have started college I have noticed how absorbed a lot of students are with the idea of "popularity". Yes, this term of acceptance is still follows us even after grade school. People continue to think that the price of the shoes we walk in and who designed of our watches define us. If I don't hang out with the COOL kids, then I'm just not cool. If I don't have X amount of followers on Instagram, then I'm just not worthy of even sharing anymore. There is a theme here. Clothes, Accessories, Social Networking Sites...these are all earthly things. All of these things that we consume ourselves with apparently define our happiness now...? Funny, because I think we are all forgetting about this Father we have in Heaven that actually IS the One who defines us.

I know that I am guilty of thinking this exact way at times (and it's something me and God are in the process of working on), but it really is ridiculous when you think about it. We have this awesome God that can give us everything if we just let Him! He will provide the essentials. He will place the right people in our lives who are focused on the same overall goal as us, eternal life.

When I first came to ECU I don't really know what I was expecting. I knew (well hoped) I would make some friends and I knew I may lose some along the way as well. What I didn't know was that within my first semester here in Greenville I would get plugged in to a college ministry that's constantly on fire for God and find a great home church for when I'm at school (both of which are continuously growing and helping more and more lost people find their way...Hallelujah!) and that out of these I would be involved in a small group with some of the most amazing, God-fearing women that I have ever met. I didn't know that God would bless me with a pretty large circle of friends who are running the same race as me. Who are constantly helping me to become a greater image of God and to spread the love of Him to others. Who put Him first in their lives and are teaching me to do the same. Now when I say these things I am in no way trying to boast about all the good things in my life, nor and I trying to compare it to others' because I can testify that life is definitely not easy all the time. There will often be hardships, but if we truly carry the Lord in our hearts He will get us through anything. I believe that God places certain people in our lives to help us get through these times as well; someone to be a voice of reason, an encourager or maybe just some ears to listen.

Apart from all the temporary, worldly pleasures, whether they are considered distractions or blessings, none of these things are greater than God. Nothing in this fallen world is greater than the everlasting love of God and eternal life we have awaiting us. So stand out! Be bold in your faith and don't worry about what may happen in the process because it is all in God's plan. Focus on Him and it will come together.

DON'T CONFORM.

-e


"For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." -1 John 2:16-17


p.s. thanks for reading guys! my relationship with God really has grown tremendously since I have been at college and I've never been happier. My prayer life is better than it's ever been before and I'm surrounded by the right people. God really does have a greater effect on people than we think. And my gaining all the things that God provides I challenge all of us to go out and spread all the love we can in this evil world. We need to repair the broken. The devil constantly is constantly tempting us, but we need to show him that OUR GOD is bigger, greater, stronger, more powerful, loving, comforting and soooo many other things that no possession, person, or devil could ever be!