Thursday, June 14, 2012
The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards and Becoming the Woman I Want to Be
Lately I've been feeling very introspective. Stress (over pumping, as I mentioned yesterday, and the busyness of life, among other things) has made me stop and examine myself.
*Side note: When you are stressed out, it is a red flag and warning sign. Pay attention to it! Stop what you are doing, and ask yourself 1)WHY you feel stressed out, 2) WHAT you ought to do about it. Make a point of seeking the Lord in prayer right then and there, and refocusing your eyes upon Him, getting back into fellowship and communion with Him. I've found that when I'm stressed, I am anxious, and not trusting Him or walking with Him.*
I've been taking a deeper look at my life and what I am really accomplishing with it.
What I'm finding is that I have grand ideas about the kind of Christian, wife, and mother I want to be. But I am not living like that woman right now. Subconsciously I've tucked her away into the future, and haven't given much heed to becoming her right now.
I am never going to be that woman in the future if I don't start heading in her direction today.
Have you ever read Jonathan Edwards' 70 Resolutions? If not, please take a few minutes and do so! You will be challenged.
When he was only 19, Jonathan Edwards sat down and make some conscientious, thoughtful decisions about how he wanted to live life (in light of God and His goodness), and the man he wanted to become. He wrote these things down on paper in the form of 70 statements, and made a point of reviewing and rereading them weekly for the rest of his life.
Jonathan Edwards went on the become a great and godly Pastor, highly influential in America's Great Awakening of spiritual revival. Today he is still known as the most brilliant theologian in American history, and is respected by all (even those who reject Christianity) in academia for his intellect and accomplishments.
He and his wife Sarah (another great lady, by the way!) went on to have 11 children, and their descendants have been some of the most prominent and outstanding American citizens in the history of our country. His legacy did not die with him.
What does this have to do with my week of introspection? Well, Jonathan Edwards has challenged me to form my own list of resolutions. Not the New Year kind that fade and are quickly forgotten, but the kind that become an integral part of my daily life, that I review weekly, that help to shape the woman I long to become.
I'm taking time (while my daughter naps) to think and pray about these things, and to put them to paper. When I've cemented them a bit more clearly, I will happily share them with you.
What guidelines are you living by? Do you know what kind of woman you'd like to be 5, 10, even 20 years down the road? How are these desires shaping your life today?
Linked with: Beautiful Thursdays, and Hearts for Home.
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I too have thought that the kind of woman I want to be will probably be somewhere in the far-off future. Someone that has grown and matured because of life's trials. Sometimes I forget that it's the woman I am today that will shape the woman I will be tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteAlecia, it is true that trials and circumstances help to shape us, and sanctification is definitely a gradual practice! It is also certain that the decisions we make today and the way that we live and walk with God will also play a big role. Thanks for bringing this out!
DeleteJust read about Sarah Edwards in WOMANLY DOMINION and am so inspired by her. Great book, too! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI LOVED Womanly Dominion! What a good book! And Sarah Edwards was some kind of woman :). The kind of Christian lady I can only dream of imitating :)...
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