Into the Unknown
- piper greer
- Jan 3, 2020
- 9 min read
wow. i haven’t posted on here in a hot minute. so much has been changing in my life as well as so much growth and learning i can’t even explain.
this past semester i have felt like the Lord has wanted me to share some things he has taught me, but because of so much learning and growth i wanted to take time to process these things, and then share so i can complete most of my thoughts.
before you read i want to make it clear that not all of these things i have learned have come by obedience and success, but also by failure and disobedience. i also don’t want it to seem like i have all the right words at the right time, this has definitely been a process. the things below I have learned, i would love to say i always believe them, but because i am human and make mistakes I am often tempted to choose my own way of living over Gods.
Many of you may know, this year I switched from Pulaski Academy to Little Rock Christian. Many have asked me why I have switched. That is not my intentions with this blog but i want to share a little bit for background info. There are a multiple of reasons i moved in little detail, and if you want to talk more about that we can, but ultimately i moved because I was not growing where I was at, and because after many hours of prayer the Lord clearly displayed to me that Little Rock Christian was where I needed to be for Junior and Senior year.
so here is a lot of stuff i have learned about change and life over the past semester. as you will see, I have a bible verse(s) at the end of each number because I fully believe that scripture is powerful and a firm foundation on which we can build our lives. happy reading and feel free to contact me with any questions, advice, or anything and everything!!
1. It’s okay to not know your next step, but to understand peace, you have to fully surrender to what the Lord has for you
This past summer and semester consisted most of walking in the unknown. I remember the day I walked in the Warrior gym for volleyball tryouts. I was so confused and nervous. The day of the first team camp for volleyball. Still confused and nervous. I had the opportunity to be a Junior Counselor at Brookhill. Confused and nervous. The first day of school at LRCA. Confused and nervous. Playing our first volleyball game. Confused and nervous. My last sibling going to college. Confused and nervous. There were so many changes going on it was crazy. For the first bit, I tried to do it on my own. I continued saying in my head and to the people around me "I love change." Although, thats not what it looked like when I was in tears crying out to God in my car on the way home from multiple volleyball practices. I prayed constantly before team camps and practices that God would calm my nerves. I was frustrated with God because I knew moving schools was all in his plan, yet I didn't know how to cope with all the change going on. One day, one of my coaches talked to me after practice and asked me if I was okay because I didn't seem like myself that day. I broke down in tears and explained to her how I was just frustrated because I felt like I was playing so nervous and not to my full potential. It was definitely a conversation prompted by the Lord. She followed up with me days after, and that was one of the first of many things this past semester that God was going to show me to calm my nerves and confusion. I learned that everything is in his plan, I just have to be willing. Willing to talk to my coaches and new people, willing to let go and let HIM work. God continued to show me that throughout the whole semester of learning a new school with new friends and junior year (am I right juniors?). I would realize when I was so worried about what was going on I wouldn't have peace, but when I fully surrendered and trust in God to guide the steps I was taking, it wasn't always easy and I didn't know what was going on, but I always had peace in knowing that he was in control of the situation. Volleyball was just one of the examples, but with all that said, it might sound cheesy, and might mean giving up what you want, but to fully experience peace knowing its in God's hands, you fully have to surrender to what the Lord wants to do in your life.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
2. it’s okay to not be okay
Wow. One of the hardest things I learned this whole semester. All my life, I have always believed I can't really show pain. Vulnerable is weak. But that's definitely not it. This semester I learned that it's okay to be vulnerable. It's okay to have emotions. It's okay to hurt and to feel pain. It's okay to not be okay. Living in the South and the age of social media, we live in a perfect family culture. Everyone's families look perfect and put together on the outside, but we all know, since we are human, that there are fights and frustration on the inside when no one is watching. I think we are so obsessed over what people will think that we forget that everyone is human, and everyone goes through hard stages of life. Being vulnerable is being strong. I am continuing to work on that with my friends and family, as I am very bad at opening up and sharing my emotions. But one of the first steps to realizing that, is to know its okay to not be okay. It's okay to be frustrated. It's all about what you do with your frustration. Now I am not saying every conversation has to be spilling out your frustrations of your life, there is definitely a happy medium and listening to the other person speak. What I am saying though is don't be afraid to open up, or to let someone in, most likely someone around you has or is going through the same thing as you.
James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
3. God loves you more than anything
Grace! something I dug into this semester. I learned that Jesus loves you no matter what you do. His grace is sufficient for everything. He paid the price for all of our sins, for once and for ALL. No matter what you do, if it's picking a fight with your mom or dad, or disrespecting an adult, anything and everything Jesus covered when he died for us. Also, it's immediate. God doesn't do probation. God doesn't make you wait in a line to talk to him. It's immediate forgiveness, so why not live in immediate freedom!! I can remember sometimes this semester when I was in a fight with one of my parents, or made a mistake with a friend, or said something I shouldn't have, and I learned that it doesn't have to weigh me down for weeks and weeks. Yes, I should feel convicted but not shamed. God doesn't see us as shameful, he sees us as his children. I want to be clear though too, there's a difference between accepting God's grace and moving on trying your best (and since we're human we fail), and abusing God's grace. God doesn't want us to know it's sin, and do it anyway because we know he will forgive us. End all in all, God loves you no matter what you do, and forgives your sin in the moment. No need to wait to go to him or to live in chains, repent to him, his abundant grace is sufficient for everything.
2 Corinthians 12:19 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
4. can you stay true to who you are when you are put in a completely different scene?
This question continued popping up to me during the semester. As so many things began to change and as I got to know LRCA a little better, I had to challenge myself not to just change my personality or my desire to seek the Lord more and speak up in class. Being completely transparent, some classes I was in nobody really talked, and so I was scared to talk up in class because I mean if no one else does then why would I? But that's not who I am, I am the girl who likes to answer questions in class, likes to reach out to friends and help them, likes to say hi to everyone in the hallways. So the challenge for me was learning the new school while sticking to my roots and my firm foundation in Christ, knowing that he defines my identity not any quo at school. (I want to clarify--not bad quos, just ones different from who I am) So my challenge to you is when you are put in a different situation or with different people, will you stick to who you are who who you know God knows you are, or will you conform just to fit the mold?
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
5. you will have to sacrifice some things you want to spend time with God
While I know this sounds obvious, it really hit me a lot this semester. Having a genuine relationship with God isn't just going to be placed in your hands. To seek him, and know him, you will have to sacrifice stuff. One thing that really hit me was sacrificing my time. Many times it's hard for me to get myself to sit down and read the Bible. But when I do, I never once in my life have regretted it. It's so easy these days to get into bed after a long day and just turn on Netflix, etc. We go to church and say we don't have time to read the Bible or sit in the Lord's presence and listen, when we really are just not prioritizing our time correctly. I am 100000% guilty of this too!! Now I am not trying to say watching Netflix is bad, but I am saying you will have to sacrifice your time. You will have to set your priorities straight. I know I have made so many excuses through the years and this semester I learned no excuses, nothing holding me back. One thing I did to help me is put a lamp by my bed. Maybe you already have a lamp by your bed, but I always didn't really want to read because then I would have to get up and turn all the lights off lololol. So now I can just settle in with just my lamp on and read about Him for hours. Also, finding simple ways to remind yourself to spend time with Him can include writing on your mirror, or putting a sticky note in your car. Anyway, long story short, you will have to take time out of your day to go to him, it's not always easy, but it's ALWAYS worth it.
Matthew 16:24-26 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?
6. it's okay to take time to sit down and process stuff going on in your life
This is one of the biggest things I learned this semester. It's okay to have a night in, or to sit down and take a break from the world to process what's going on. Life is so go, go, go, and so this semester the Lord really showed me that it's okay to take time to sit down and read a book or spend sometime in solitude at home. It honestly has become a staple for me. Even as an extrovert, for me to continue to go all the time, I have to spend some alone time processing what's going on, and to recharge. Sometimes, I need a full night with Him when school and sport get a little overwhelming. Don't be afraid to say no to hanging out if you need some self-care time to reflect what's going on in your life.
Matthew 11:28-30 Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
Anyway, here are some of the things I have learned this semester. I want to remind you this is not written out of perfection, but out of realization that I am a broken human need of a Savior. thanks for reading! All the love.
-piper gwen greer
ps. I love reading and learning new stuff!! So if you have good book recommendations, lend them to me!! I do want to share one resource that really changed my view on life completely. It's called The Cure. I recommend this book for anyone and everyone. You won't regret reading it for real. Linked below is how you can get it on Amazon!
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