Goodbye 26, Hello 27

I don't know about you, but with all the words in the world, I need snack size phrases that call me back to God's reality. Repeating them gets my heart caught up with my mind...or rather slows my mind down to rest with Holy Spirit in my heart. I hope you take a few of them to go with you into 2019 and by His grace, may we all look a little more like Jesus.

27 things God's taught me from being 27 years young:

1. I was born to be loved and so were you.

2. Trying too hard inhibits art - both in the physical and in your own heart. There is no striving. There is no performing. There is only authentic presence that comes from abiding and becoming.

3. Just receive. It’s actually that simple.

4. The gospel of the Kingdom of God is far better than we ever dared hope.

5. Transformation - Christ formation in you - is the goal.

6. Much of the time, we must slow down so we can catch up with God.

7. The answer isn’t in the answer. The answer is in living and surrender.

8. Unity is not contingent on agreement.

9. What is for you will not pass you.

10. A better you + A better me = A better us and a better we.

11. Breathing is really important. 1…2…3…breathe.

12. Best days are better than perfect days.

13. Be undone - let all the mess and wild beauty show.

14. Conflict is an opportunity to increase intimacy.

15. Tribing is a verb.

16. The point isn’t to get into heaven. It’s to get heaven into you!

17. You can’t change the world if your neighbor stays the same.

18. Marriage isn't the goal. It won't enhance your singleness, it will expose it

19. Opening your heart is always worth the risk.

20. You must say no in order to do your ‘yes’ with excellence.

21. There is no scarcity in the Kingdom of God.

22. Believing in change is vital to believing in Jesus because change is at the very core of repentance, reconciliation and redemption.

23. Silence leads to death. Death leads to silence.

24. Stay at the table - even when things get hard, messy, uncomfortable or frustrating.

25. When God speaks, life happens. Any thought that doesn’t make you come alive isn’t from God.

26. You make a really good you and a really terrible somebody else.

27. These are not the good old days but glorious, delightful, gratifying, dazzling eternal days of the Kingdom that is without end. It is in you and it’s me. We are it, it is we. We are the domain of God where his will and rule reigns, where life isn’t about you but you are about life and somehow that’s one in the same.

Giving Financially:

In order to be fully funded through the end of May and complete this portion of my journey, including graduating from G42, I still need to raise $2,400! These funds will cover tuition, flights home, living expenses and local ministry efforts. Would you please consider partnering with me financially by giving a one-time or monthly contribution of $50, $100, $200+? If so, you can give here: https://www.paypal.me/LVanSomeren