Meraki Notes

*coming soon*

The Word really is your HOW TO LIFE manual. 

I know its hard. Even for me its hard to always believe it, to always read it, to always remember. 

But just soaking a little more information in your brain. Something's gotta stay? Right :) 

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interest but each of you to the interest of others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the very nature God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death–
even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. "

~~Philippians 2:1-11

He makes you so angry. He is so inconsiderate and irrational. He abuses his power.

Your boss controls you, forces you to make unreasonable changes, and doesn't even consider what you have to say. 

Maybe for you its your parents. Your significant other. Your siblings. Your friends. 

They should not be abusing you, but what I am about to say may be contradicting. But the world's not black and white, so you can figure it out :) Keep this in mind too okay. 

The most powerful relationship principle: M U T U A L  S U B M I S S I O N .

If you don't remember, its really challenging to change someone. Not nearly as challenging to change yourself. 

No matter what, you love the person. Not their actions. Change your perspective to a love marked by giving without expecting.

Always strive to bring out the best in the other person. 

Why? Out of honor. For Jesus because he gave you life. 

~~Ephesians 5:21

"Submit to one another out of reverance for Christ." 

T R U S T. 

Yes, you have heard this so many times. It's engrained in your brain. But how about your heart? 

Uncertainty. University. Choosing a major. Struggling with prioritizing. Conflicted between money and chasing your dreams. Conflicted with comfort and taking a risk for something greater. Trying to balance EVERYTHING, but you know you must eliminate something. 

Thats me right now. 

I wanted to write more on surrendering to God, trusting, and having faith for I really have nothing else to say, but 

~~Matthew 6: 25-26, 33 NIV

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ...But first seek his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." 

Honestly, read all of Matthew 6 for more great wisdom :) 

Read. Pray. Open your heart and Listen to him. 

Stay in the present moment. That's all that exists anyways. 

Accept you've been hurt. Do not be ashamed, and try to prove your strength to the world and avoid being hurt again. Instead, bring your pain to Jesus. 

~~ Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Tae my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

________

PRAY for those who hurt you, don't just think about them and bottle up your emotions. Pray for them even if you are mad, even if you are sad. You're prayer doesn't have to be long, deep, and positive. At least not yet. You'll get there. Don't worry. 

~~ Luke 6:27-28; 36

"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you...Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." 

______

FORGIVE. Even if you don't feel like they deserve your forgiveness. Maybe not. You don't want to, but you can still choose too. Why? because the Lord forgave us, yet we are sinful and underserving. 

Not forgiving others, is like running off a cliff, but hoping the other falls.

~~Colossians 3:13

"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." 

______
 

ALWAYS be aware of what you say. Complaining, gossiping, talking bad, has no positive effect, even for you. Don't get me wrong, that is different than honest, constructive criticism. But know which side you are on. 

~~Ephesians 4:29

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your moths, but only what is helpful forbuilding others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

_______

Take I N I T I A T I V E  to improve the relationship. Don't be afraid. Try. Try again. Do your best. Be strong, thick skinned, and sensible. 

~~Romans 12:17-18

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the yes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."

**Bundle of wisdom inspiration credits: Ryan Ingram, Awakening Church, Marriaging - Part 4

Surrounded in a culture of honor. Yet we don't even realize. 

A fish surrounded in water, as unaware as we are humans surrounded in a culture of honor that we can create, or allow to control us. 

Honor those who hurt you.

Honor those who look down on you. 

Honor those who you believe don't deserve it.

Honor  E V E R Y O N E.

As humans, we are quick to judge based on worldly standards. Too often we fail to remember that every individual has the same value and worth in God's eyes. Actions, accomplishments, character, knowledge, all, is irrelevant to our worth.

~~ John 13: 16

Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, not is a messenger greater than the one who sent him."  ~~

--Honor vs. Respect--

Honor is given; respect is earned

Honor is a choice; respect is a response

Honor makes your life B E T T E R. 

--

Do not only honor those who you think deserve it. But honor everyone despite their actions or flaws. When we fail to honor others, it does not hurt them, but ourselves. 

E M O T I O N S  L I E.  Don't allow your emotion to control your actions. Be considerate of other's perspective and be slow to speak. 

Keep this in your heart | There is no one beneath me. Choose to treat others as if they are above you. Speak highly of others whether they deserve it. 

Why? Ultimately, honor improves the atmosphere positively. It elevates your attitude, and impacts your approach. 

Honor others does not mean you have to agree, make them happy, tolerate abuse, or ignore the past. 

We are A L L wonderfully made, yet horribly flawed. 

Speak highly of others, or don't say anything. 

**Enlightening information by Awakening Church Marriaging - Pt. 4

Ambitious Dreams.

Passion.

Love.

Determination to conquer the world. 

--------

C O N V I C T E D.

Yet, I have been fearful for pursuing worldly desires versus living out God's plan for me. Conflicted to the point where I would beat myself up about having these goals, trying to supress them.

Yet they do not need to be selfish and sinful thoughts.

God purposely created desires, ambition, and goals in the world. 

God plants desires in our heart to guide us towards his  plan and we must continue to cultivate these goals for HIM. 

Persevere, work hard, invest in the unseen hours, and God will ultimately open and close doors, directing you towards his path– if you listen. 

Is it wrong to distract yourself from all the problems of the world?

Overthinking, reminded of how  small, so insignificant, and even if you try your hardest, your impact will reach so little in the world. Yet you want to do great things and make a change. Show others God's love. 

Its okay. You do not need to help every single person in the world. Frankly, you simply cannot. 

But, do not underestimate I N V I S I B L E work. Do not look down on its impact.

Invest in others. Invest in those unseen hours of work.

Do not seek the world for validation of performing good deeds, but work diligently for God.

O N E  L I F E. A  B I G deal.

If we all just focused on investing in one person, doing invisible work in our community, the impact will be overwhelming.

~~The Great Commission

Matthew 28:16-20 NIV

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with youalways, to the very end of the age.” ~~

Overworked. Exhausted. Trying to do this, do that.  Seeking financial freedom, influence, impact, fame. 

There is a subtle line seeking ambitions of the world, or  for God.

What are we created for? What is God's plan for us.

The goal is not impact.

The goal is not perfection.

The goal is not influence.

The only goal is faithfulness. Our only focus. God will decide the impact, the outcome. Everything will follow once we focus on what is right. 

Past. Present. Future.

The overwhelming nature of time. The deception of the lack of time.

If only I had more time, I could...

As we enter routine in our lives, time seems to speed by so quickly. It is the familiarity, being comfortable, that creates this illusion of time flying quickly. 

The only time we have is the E T E R N A L P R E S E N T moment.

The past and future do not physically exist, but simply remain as projections we create altered by our perceptions. 

Projections  of the future fill us with hope, discouragement, and anxiety. Too often focused on when we will reach our end goal, our projection distracts us from living in the present time– from progressing.

Learn new things. Create new ideas. Curate new projects. 

Let go and focus on the N O W. Progress only happens when we are living in the now, creating, working, and striving. Breathe. Do what you can. And keep going. 

The things you think you don't have time for. Slow down. Make time for them. And you will see, how you still have just as much time. 

The act of bringing new knowledge, new ideas,  new activities, creating uncertainty in your life will make time appear moving more slowly. 

~~ once she stopped rushing through life, she was amazed at how much more life she had time for ~~

"If you don't have time, you don't have priorities." - Tim Ferris

As a creator, you need to set at least 2-4 hours of uninterrupted blocks of work. 

Creative block doesn't exist, its just that your standards are too high.

Don't drown yourself in good opportunities that aren't great opportunities. 

Life is a battle field, filled with endless obstacles including the lies we feed ourselves. Life is filled with peaks and valleys. How you react during the valleys are defining moments in your life. Its the truths you stand confident in during your peaks, that you must bring during the seasons of valleys as well. Meditate on the unwavering truths that do not change, even when the seasons change. 

Truth be told, I needed some convincing to go on this trip. Overwhelmed with work, I was afraid to leave and take this break. Yet, I am glad I did–it was super fun and gave me rest exploring nature and aesthetic coffee shops. However, coming back, it didn’t seem like anything had changed.

One month later now, reading King’s Cross by Timothy Keller, I came across some good points about the Sabbath.

Sabbath means a deep rest, deep peace. Synonymous for shalom (state of wholeness and flourishing in every dimension of life)

Sabbath is about restoring the diminished, replenishing the drained, and repairing the broken.

When we rest, we usually only take physical and mental rest from work, waiting to go back to work the next day. But there is a deeper level of rest. It is to be satisfied with the work you have done, and leave it alone. When God took Sabbath on the seventh day, it wasn’t because he was tired, but because he satisfied with his work. He said, “It is good.” and rested.

Jesus tells us that he is Lord of the Sabbath. He is rest. Sometimes it is not work that we need rest from, but the underlying work for self-justification.

“On the cross Jesus was saying of the work underneath your work–the thing that makes you truly weary, this need to prove yourself because who you are and what you do are never good enough–that is finished.”

Jesus finished the work on the cross–lived the life you should have lived, died the death you should have died. “He experienced restlessness of separation from God so that we can have deep rest knowing he loves us and our sins have been forgiven.”

All the naps, all the vacations, but if you don’t have deep rest of the soul, you will still be tired.

Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere,[e] 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom[f] and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.[g]

19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.