Is God on your Facebook?

I got a friend request a few mornings ago from someone that I wasn't expecting. Although the title might lead you to think that it was God that friend requested me, it wasn't. We've been friends for a long time now and He doesn't need to be on my "friends list" to see everything that goes on in my life. He walks by me every step of the way already. This request was from my great-grandmother. My 85 year old, born in 1926, mother of 3, grandmother to 7, great grandmother to 8, Grandma. Not only did she manage to find me and send me a friend request, she had a picture of her and my great-grandfather, had her favorite shows, books and activities listed, and a little bio about herself. I was beyond impressed. You see, for the last few months, my grandmother has been sitting in my "Pending Requests." Not because I didn't want her to be my "friend," but because I wanted to force her to become better aquainted with technology and saying that she lived in Colorado and didn't have a picture just wasn't doing it for me. She might have figured out how to look at pictures and add people, but how was I supposed to know that Facebook shadow in the picture box was really my Granny?

Once I accepted my Grandma, I gave her access to see my friends, read what I write, and see my pictures. I didn't really care. I don't have anything to hide. My page is private for anyone that isn't my friend-and I have to be the one to accept you, so basically, the only people who see my pages are people that I know. Not that I have anything to hide, but I don't want to end up as a Lifetime movie anytime soon. I gave her total access to my life without her being with me at all times.

My Granny used to accuse me of not "adding" her because I was hiding something. I never could convince her otherwise, so when she finally added a picture of herself (and me) I friended her and gave her an all-access pass to my world. I wrote on her wall and she quickly responded the next day and even replied back to my reply. I'll give her credit. Her facebooking has drastically improved. I think she feels like she has to keep up with Grandma.

 It made me think-if you got a friend request from God would you quickly accept like you do those that you spend every day with?I let Granny sit in "pending" for awhile, not because I was cleaning things up and blocking things, but it made me think: Would you let Him sit pending while you cleaned out your pictures and quotes and wall posts? I don't have anything to hide. My mom, my dad, my sister, my grandma, and now my great-grandma are my friends. That just means they don't have to call me and ask me what I'm doing or what I did over the weekend. Chances are they've already seen it on Facebook. But what about God? Would you add Him to one of your 'lists' that can only see certain things? Would you let Him post on  your wall? I would. I want everyone to know that I am a friend of God. I want those that I come into contact with to see that God is a part of my life, that the things I do revolve around Him. Besides, what's the point in hiding things? He can already see what I do. He already knows what I'm going to do before I know it. Not really much of a point in hiding it.

I think there are Christians that struggle with this. I was one of them. Trying to find that balance between life and living for God. Knowing that He knows all, sees all, hears all, and yet sometimes thinking that "Oh maybe God will just overlook that." That being those greedy thoughts, harsh words, or un-Godly actions. Bottom line though, is that even though God's not on my Facebook, He still sees it all. Even though you've got God on your 'block' list, He still sees it all. The most important thing to me though, is not about what God is seeing, it's what are my lost friends seeing? Are they seeing a life of light in a dark world through my pictures, my posts, my activites? Or are they seeing another Christian still walking with the world? I want my life to count. I want it to really touch those around me. I want my life to always reflect a Saviour that died for me, so that I may LIVE.

So, is God on your Facebook? Because He's on mine!

A Shaded Road

La Pinada, Guatemala, 2009

Sometimes I feel like I walk on an unpaved road. Not sure of the bumps and rocks that will get in my way. The above picture is how I sometimes vision what my life looks like right now...at least what it looks like to me.

Some very bright areas where it is easy to walk.

These are the areas where I know what is going to happen. Where I am going, who I will see, what I will be doing. My comfort zone. An easy place to be. A comfortable place to be. A place where my insecurities are all but a distant memory.

And then, there are the shaded paths. Paths that I don't want to walk alone.

A place where it is hard to see. Hard to trust. Hard to know what lies ahead. A path that I don't want to walk alone. Simply because I don't know what is in store.

When I get to the shaded areas in life, I remember

Jeremiah 29:11~ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and to not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I was walking a shaded area yesterday. All day thoughts of my trip to Guatemala consumed my mind. How am I going to raise the money? Am I going to be able to save enough to pay bills while I am gone? Can I really do this? were all questions that flooded my mind. I went into work with these thoughts.
One of my favorite couples came in to eat with me last night. They are angels that lit my path last night. After catching up like we normally do I began to tell them about my trip. They were so excited with me and when I went to grab their drinks they prayed for me and for the trip. When I was getting ready to drop off their check, the sweet woman who has been so quick to take care of me in times of need, folded up a check and placed it in my hand.
"It has been on my heart all night to give you this. It isn't much, but it's something."
Two simple sentences that touched me to tears. A couple that was sent on a day that I was worrying when I shouldn't have been. A couple sent to remind me that their is light on path always....the light of Jesus. Sent to remind me that I shouldn't ever doubt the hand of God.

I may walk a shaded road at times, but the light of Jesus is never far away.