Three-Day Quote Challenge: Day One (AKA Alyssa is Amazing!)

Wow, guys, how long has it been? 9 months since my last, and only, post? Let's be real here, that makes Alyssa Tidmore's nomination of me for the Three-Day Quote Challenge even more amazing. Can we get a round of applause for the sweet girl who never forgets her friends? She's awesome and if there's anyone out here reading this that isn't her than you should really get your virtual self over to The Honey Drop Post ASAP. This post wouldn't be here without her.

Nomination Details:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Nominate three new bloggers every day.
3. Post a new quote every day for three days.

Well, number one is easy enough (THANK YOU, ALYSSA, YOU ARE AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING) and number three shouldn't be a problem (there are almost as many beautiful quotes in the world as there are sunsets) but number might be interesting. I'm about as good at keeping up with blogs as I am at managing my own. So here's to challenges, eh?

Today's quote comes from C.S. Lewis's book, The Screwtape Letters. Just in case you're unfamilar, Screwtape Letters is a collection of letters written from the perspective of a demon named Screwtape to a young tempter demon, Wormwood. As such, his terminalogy is a bit backwards. When Screwtape says "patient" he means the young Christian Wormwood is assigned to torment and when he says "the enemy" he really means the Lord Jesus Christ.

"My Dear Wormwood, 

There is nothing like suspense and anxiety for barricading a  human's mind against the Enemy. He [i.e., God] wants men to be concerned with what they do; our business is to keep them thinking about what will happen to them.  

Your patient will, of course, have picked up the notion that he must submit with patience to the Enemy's will. What the Enemy means by this is primarily that he should accept with patience the tribulation which has actually been dealt out to him - the present anxiety and suspense. It is about this that he is to say "Thy will be done", and for the daily task of bearing this that the daily bread will be provided. It is your business to see that the patient never thinks of the present fear as his appointed cross but only of the things he is afraid of.  

An important spiritual law is here involved... Fear becomes easier to master when the patient's mind is diverted from the thing feared to the fear itself, considered as a present and undesirable state of his own mind; and when he regards the fear as his appointed cross he will inevitably think of it as a state of mind."

This quote has become extremely important to me the last few days. If there's anything this summer has taught me, it's that I struggle very hard with anxiety and uncertainty, as well as fear, doubt, trust, patience - all things that ensnare and entangle my heart and mind and all things that, whenever I try to fight free of them, pull me back even harder. When I feel these things tug on my heart and soul, I fight with all I have to be free, only to give up in despair when I'm pulled even farther into the muck.

But this is not what we're called to do, my friends. Jesus said, "Whoever wants to my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). And what is our cross? The the very feelings and fears, "the present anxiety and suspense", that makes us doubt our faith in the first place. But feelings are feelings, my friends. They come and go and none can control. Our doubts are not what define us. Our thoughts are not what define us. What we do with them is what defines us. "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me."

Don't fear fear, my friends. Embrace it. Give it God. Pick it up and follow him. Trust in the maker of the universe, trust in the one who is stronger than you could ever be. "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming" Ephesians 4:14. The fact that you are afraid does not prevent God from loving you. Rather, it gives you a unique and wondrous opportunity to demonstrate that you love him. So pick up your cross and follow him. He's waiting for you.

So please, think about that next time you feel scared or guilty or afraid. God loves you. And he makes it wonderfully simple to love him :).

My nominations:

1. Emilie Hendryx at Thinking Thoughts. This girl is an amazingly talented writer and photographer as well as a wonderful friend. Please go check out her unique perspectives and awesome interviews!

2. Matt Sketchley at Probably Nothing Interesting. I haven't kept up with Matt's blog very well (I'm sorry! I know I'm horrible at all this!) but I've always found it refreshing and highly entertaining. If you want one of a kind ideas and good laughs, this is the place to go!

3. Melody Jackson at Melody Jackson, Author. Mels, Mels, Mels - what can I tell you about Mels? She's the greatest crazy dragon lady you will ever meet and one of the sweetest people alive. With amazing enthusiasm and one of the best imaginations I've ever seen, Melody will keep you smiling, laughing, and thinking forever. Also, she just published a new book so there's even more reason to go check her out! You heard me, go do it!

Thanks for reading, my friends. Please go check out all four of the amazing blogs listed above. I'll see you tomorrow with another quote. Ash out. Bye :).