Orange You Glad

We're all familiar with the knock-knock joke where someone repeats "banana" several times until finally they throw an "orange" in there with the punch line, "orange you glad I didn't say 'banana' again?" How frustrating is it to knock on doors only to hear the exact same response each time? This reminds me of how sin works in our lives. Sin tells you to try knocking on a different door, change your approach, mix up your knock, blame the door itself, and try harder- anything to keep you focused on YOU rather than the real problem. We think that because we're changing something it'll be different this time around but then we open the door to yet another "banana". 

Can you relate? Have you ever had those moments when you ask yourself, "how did I get here again?!" I've seen this play out in my life and the lives of my friends in a variety of ways like dissatisfaction when a desired goal is achieved, heartbreak at the end of an ungodly relationship, regret after a night out with friends, or remorse from a heated conversation with a family member. We walk into these moments with the best intentions and are even prayerful but we believe the lie, "I got this", and we walk toward that door full of pride. We have confidence that when we knock, THIS time things will be different (Proverbs 26:11-12). Albert Einstein said that insanity is "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results", which makes me realize that there are a bunch of insane people on this earth!

But thankfully, just like the old joke, we can expect a different result when we decide to fully surrender to God. We serve a Good Father who desires to bless us with an abundant life, but we have to remember that everything we have are His blessings- possessions/status, relationships, victory over sin, conflict resolution- not a result of our works. It's also important to remember that we shouldn't be asking God to bless something that His Word says he won't bless so before you start down that road, check in with what God says. At the end of the day, it all boils down to whether we trust God enough to give up control by aligning our desires with His. 

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 

–Matthew 16:24-27

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 

–Proverbs 3:5-6

He must become greater; I must become less.

–John 3:30

Orange you glad that Jesus came to set us free and give us new life?

Photography by Justin James

FALL IS HERE! It's my favorite season and I am so so excited for it to officially begin. This beautiful maxi dress was made especially for me and the colors are perfect for transitioning into Fall! If you read Hannah's "White as Snow" post, you'll remember eShakti, the online shop that allows you to customize a design to fit your personal style. One of my biggest frustrations with maxi dresses is most of the time they are WAY too long! I'm average height and if I have this issue, I can't even imagine how frustrating it must be for all my short girl friends. eShakti ensures that this is no longer a problem for you by asking for size measurements as well as your height. Not only do I love this scarf-like print but the process of ordering something custom-made for me was simple and seamless. For more information on how eShakti works, click here. Want to save $40 off your first purchase? Sign up today!

Dress: eShakti
Handbag: Reed Krakoff (currently unavailable)
Watch: Philip Stein

Shop my look: