Shelby Shaping!

God has been doing some major Shelby Shaping lately. I am always learning how ridiculous I am. My life is a constant process; seeing my flaws and Christ showing me where I need to get better. At first that thought makes me discouraged like, Dude..when will this ever end? But then I realize how great it is that He doesn't leave me like I am; a mess, swimming upstream without a paddle. He's by my side, caring enough to pull me out of my sinful self, cool huh?

Anyways. Shelby Shaping. God's really been convicting me lately on my attitude. I find it too easy to get frustrated with things or uneasy. I find myself focused on myself way too much. I find myself with attitudes I just straight up don't want to have. The last couple weeks our new church start-up team has been studying the fruit of the spirit...

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

When I read these I am kind of embarrassed to admit how many of them I am (in other words, am not) overflowing with. That's what I need to be. I have the Holy Spirit in me so I need to also be overflowing with that proof. At first thought I was being all human & thinking, Hey, I'm a pretty joyful girl. Hey, I stick by people when things get tough..That's faithfulness, no? Hey, I'm getting better at self-control. Blah blah blah. Oh Shelby..
When I think through the fruit during my day to day life I realize how much I'm lacking. How even in the areas I thought I was doing okay in...I'm SO lacking.
As a group we talked about how they are in order, you can't have one without the ones before it. They are the FRUIT not the FRUITS. It's a package, having one leads to another. With that thought...I have a lot of work to do. It really is deep in my heart to present myself to God as His follower who is displaying the fruit of a walk with Him.

So as come in to contact with daily strangers, as I participate in what seems like endless construction projects, as I continue learning this language, as I build more friendships, and as I wake up every day I ask you to pray for me.

Pray that I would show Christ's love to others and allow my love to reflect His.
Pray that I would never falter in my joy for this life I have been given, every bit of it.
Pray that the peace which surpasses all understanding would fill my every move.
Pray that I would remember how much patience it would take to put up with myself and then demonstrate that to others.
Pray that I would humble myself and show complete kindness to everyone in my path.
Pray that I would fix my eyes on Jesus and that in me, through Him, HIS goodness will show forth.
Pray that I would prove myself faithful in every maner, every situation, ever friendship, and every test. No matter what.
Pray that I would show gentleness day in and day out.
Pray that I would bridle every part of me (The things I say, think, & do) with self-control.

Pray that I would overflow with proof of my life in Christ. That others would ask, what's so different about that girl? Pray that God would help me as I seek to be filled with His fruit.
If this is your desire too, I urge you to pray for all nine of those things above! Join me as I strive to walk in the Spirit, closer to God, letting him shape me!
"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman..." 2 Timothy 2:15