This is not my typical weekly blog post but something the Lord has laid on my heart:

During training camp in week one, our group was asked about lies we may have believed about God that aren't true. Immediately, I thought of the misconception that God is selfish. I know that my God is kind, gentle, loving, and desires the best for us. However, I lacked scripture or evidence to support this belief. Over the past few years of deepening my relationship with the Lord, this misconception has persisted in my thoughts. With many desires and goals in my life, I wondered how I could pursue them if God might have different plans for me.

I've recently realized that my view of the Lord has been tainted. I've often wondered why our sole purpose in life is to worship and glorify Him, which I enjoy, but I struggled to reconcile this with my own desires and interests. After diving into scripture, researching online, and discussing with my team, I've come to realize that this perspective was completely wrong. Two verses have been particularly enlightening in this regard: Psalm 16:11 and 1 Corinthians 10:31.

These verses affirm that we are called to do everything for God's glory, making it clear that He is present in our lives.

God's glory and our happiness are not mutually exclusive. We have the freedom to pursue our own interests and desires. However, aligning our desires with God's will brings true fulfillment and joy in life through everything we do.

God calls us to worship Him in every aspect of our lives, not to abandon our lives and only do what He wants every moment of every day.

We can honor Him in our work, school, home, relationships, free time, travel, and other activities.

God desires a relationship with us where we are free to express our desires and wants while seeking to honor Him in all we do.

I look forward to updating you on my week 3 recap.