Give it 100: Day 3 What is success?

What is success?
This is the question on my mind lately. My idea of success looks totally different 5 years ago than it does now.   Then it was probably more about starting college, getting a good job, looking forward to getting married and having kids. Even then it was my goal to have a thriving relationship with God, but at that point it was so much more about how God could be a part of my plans, and not so much how I could be a part of what He is doing. Things are a bit different now, at least I hope. I feel like my goals and aims are more about serving Him and being a part of what He is doing but now I feel like I have more questions about success than ever. Right now one of the hardest things for me is looking at the lives of friends I did school with the last 3 years.  It's so easy for me to look at their lives and compare myself. Success for them right now looks like preaching to thousands, healing the sick and hurting  on a daily basis, singing on the Bethel worship team and I could go on and on. They are all a huge part of what God is doing. So that must be what success looks like, right? Yes, for them, and hopefully for me at some point. One of the most dangerous things I have found in life it comparison. All those things that my friends and classmates are doing are great, but that's not necessarily what success looks like for me right now.  Are achieving the goals I made 3 days ago success? Maybe, at least a part of success, but once I do reach those goals, then what?
Today I was listening to a message by Steffany Gretzinger. One I have listened to many times, but one thing that she said the really resonated with me today was "God doesn't measure success by the end product but by each yes we say to Him. I think it really resonated with me because I can so often judge success by my achievements, comparing myself, or reaching my goals.  But really it all comes down to getting into His presence and saying YES.  That's it really isn't it? I thinks it's those yeses that lead up to those achievements, ministry highs, and goals reached. I think about the people who said "yes" in the Bible. Mary, wow because she said yes God was able to use her to usher in the Messiah.  Each of the disciples, they dropped everything they were doing and fallowed Jesus. They got to get so close to Jesus, in such amazing ways. God saved humanity from the flood by Noah's yes.  Those are just a few I could think of right off the top of my head. So that all said, in my life I want success to be saying yes to Him everyday, weather it be a big yes or lots of small yeses. Yes.

Give it 100: Fresh Start

      I need some change in my life, BIG TIME. I have been back in Minnesota for over 6 months now. And the transition has not been easy. There have been lots of ups and downs. There have been lots of good parts. It's been so great to be back in the place I love so much, and so great to see some many of people I love so much.  Honestly though, it's been very very hard. Especially the past 2 or 3 months have been the most difficult. I have not been thriving, just doing my best to survive. Today I was listening to a word from Heidi Baker and she was speaking about some of the almond trees she had on her property and how they were really not thriving or bearing fruit. She said they had were going to have the trees pruned back and if they didn't thrive after that, they would have to be chopped down. A few days after Heidi's trees were pruned they were green and thriving. I really feel like it is such a crucial time for me. It's time for some change. It's been 6 months since I have been uprooted and transplanted, and now it's time for some major pruning.  I am sick of not thriving, and ready to do something about it. It's been a few weeks since I knew I wanted and needed some change, but just didn't know how to realistically go about it.  A few days ago I saw this video someone posted on Facebook. It was this women who took 100 days to workout and get healthy. As I was watching it I really felt it it was something I could actually do. Take 100 days and really go for something. Obviously I want to make some real life time changes, but I figure 100 days is a really good start, and it will give me some motivation and structure. This is something I am doing for ME. Because I am worth it. I plan on blogging throughout this 100 days, but mostly for myself. I feel like it could be great accountability for myself,  a great way for me to track my progress, and to look back on later. One of the changes I plan on making is getting fit and healthy, which is one thing I am rarely open about and don't really like to talk to anyone about. Though it's quite an obvious struggle in my life and not a rare one for others, it's something I have always hated talking about. That being said I am going to do my best to be vulnerable on here and really share my heart and struggles.  So please be patient with me.

Here is a bit of an outline of the changes I plan on making over the next 100 days and beyond.

Not to do list:
These are things  I have found that keep me from being who I want to be.

-I will not be watching any Youtube vlogs. They give me a false sense of connection with people and are time wasters for me.
-I will not be playing games on Facebook. They are too much of a time wasters for me.
-I will not self-isolate when I feel down and disconnected.
-I will not compare myself to those I can often view as more fit, spiritual, or successful.

To do:
These are things I want to do over the next 100 days to be the person I know God is calling me to be. Some are big changes, and some are small. Some are things I am already doing but not everyday, and want them to be a daily thing.

-I will exercise 5 days a week.
-I will eat more healthy.
    No pop
    No fast food (except on Sundays when as a family we eat out after church)
    I will eat breakfast every morning
-I will keep my apartment clean.
-I will journal everyday.
-I will blog 3-5 times a week.
-I will read before bed.
-I will read my Bible and spend time with God everyday.

So there it is. I plan on day 1 being tomorrow. If you are reading this, thanks!!! I am so excited for this journey. Thanks for coming along.