Today my pastor spoke about a loaded topic (much like a loaded potato): authority.  My favorite part of his talk was when he said, "I will only have as much spiritual authority as I am willing to submit to myself. Independence will destroy me but there is power in submission."  Wow. Before I can submit to other people, I must first be able to submit to God; allowing Him to have full reign in my life.

In submission comes protection.  There is rest in my heart because I have fully submitted my life, my heart, my mind and my body to Christ.  Now, this is not to say I never have episodes of independence, because it is most definitely the tendency of this entire generation, and I am included. My heart beats with dependence on my Father though.  My lungs breathe Him in and my life is sustained because of Him.  I feel retarded to make any decision-big or small- without the counsel of the Holy Spirit.  Pitiful, huh? Well, it's a matter of opinion I guess.  What I know is that in such pathetic submission I have found a dear friend.  A counselor.  A teacher.  A companion.  A lover.  A king.  A defender.  A father.  I have found unrelenting compassion, comfort, protection, guidance, peace, joy, love and acceptance.  And that is quite enough for me to continue such a ridiculous (to my generation, at least) act like submitting.

My encouragement today whether you are 16 or 60 years old is also the advice of my pastor, Brady Boyd: Get older, wiser people in your life who have YOUR permission to speak into "blind spots", areas of ignorance or immaturity, to tell you wait or no and you respect their authority and listen and heed. If you are in your early adulthood, you will learn very quickly how much this simple act will change your life. Commit now to never stop growing and learning.  Your children will thank you, your grandchildren will esteem you for it.

I am currently working on surrounding myself with older, more spiritually mature women than myself.  My hope is that over the next 20, 30, 40 years these women will be my friends, my sounding boards, my encouragement to run the race and not weary.  I look forward to my future because I am being as intentional and strategic as I know how to be right now.  And I know I will reap the fruit of the decisions I'm making now (whether good or bad), so I'm really trying to make more good ones and less bad.

Here's to choosing the quality of your future TODAY!

(ahhh, what a cheesey last line.  But TRUE! But still cheesey)
Listen to Pastor Brady's sermon OR read his blog