Please enjoy this guest blog by Sarah Rexford, a millennial who writes well, and I believe has a message to share. Sarah and I enjoy being in the same writer’s mentoring group with Jerry Jenkins, called  Your Novel Blueprint. Sarah has written two books and is waiting to hear on publications. Enjoy!

There’s a difference between loving the results of following Jesus, and loving Jesus. In a world where sacrifice is necessary for big gains, it’s easy to consider sacrificing for God a necessary factor of success. After all, I’m by definition a millennial who wants to find success working from a café, not a cubicle! Right?

Really, sacrificing for God is a necessary factor when it comes to living for God.

I’ve found personal sacrifice actually brings a different level of success than I originally expected.

God Accentuates Abundance.

God says ask and we’ll receive.

When Solomon asked for wisdom God gave it to him without restraint. Solomon became so wise he basically became the Google of 9^th century B.C. That’s how much wisdom God gave. The abundance of God’s character and goodness is something I don’t think I’ll ever fully grasp.

My success doesn’t depend on the failure of someone else, but one the abundance of his character.

I’ve been reading “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and the author talks about something called the scarcity mentality. It’s a way of thinking that says if someone else gets it, we can’t. Success, resources, dreams, it’s all scarce.

This is far from true!

The enemy says life’s a competition because there’s not enough to go around. God says he’s all for us and the more we seek him the more we’ll find him. Knowing God is the God of abundance keeps me going to him for more. It keeps me connected to him.

But it also teaches me success doesn’t lie in who wins and who loses. Success is found in the journey of going back to God again and again. The more we ask the more he’ll give. The more we see who he is the more we see who we are.

That can only come from the God of abundance!

God of Conversation

 God was the first person to ever have a conversation (one of which spoke creation into existence!). I’d say communicating is pretty important to him. Prayer is just a shorter way to define “communicating with God.”

Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in how we think we should approach God and what exactly we should say. Instead of worrying, just start talking. Talk out your ideas. Fears. Dreams. That’s what I do all the time and he always meets me in love.

Plus, he’s the inventor of communication after all, so the more we communicate with him the more we’ll learn how to.

Communication doesn’t just stop at prayer. Go to the bible. Read the psalms. Allow God time to communicate back. Shouting people don’t expect others to get close. It’s hard to be quiet, but God speaks quietly so we’ll draw near.

Talking with God shows me success doesn’t lie in what I can do, but in what he does through me.

God of Rest

 Whether I want to admit it or not, I want to be God. I want to have control of my life. Plan my career. Go after what I want, when I want. That’s one reason it’s hard for me to rest. I think if I’m not working for what I want, no one is.

That’s a lie.

God is always working while we wait. I’ve learned to wait actively, but I’m still working on the resting and trusting God to work for me while I rest. He’s always working behind the scenes. I just have to trust him enough to let him be God, and take myself off the throne of my life.

Resting shows me success isn’t about how efficient I can be, but how effective I let God be through me.

Yes, I’m a millennial.

Yes, I love working in cafes.

Yes, I’m hustling hard to be successful in my career.

But regardless of the career I do or don’t achieve, I’ve already found success. Being in a relationship with the Creator of success is enough success for me!

 

Sarah is a Marketing Content Writer, working with brands to grow their audience reach. She studiedStrategic Communications at Cornerstone University and focused on writing during her time there, completing two full-length manuscripts while a full-time student. Currently she trains under best-selling author Jerry Jenkins in his Your Novel Blueprint course, is planning a speaking tour, and actively seeking publication for two books. In her spare time you can find her worship leading at Harvest Spring Lake, exploring the coast of Michigan, and making coffee with friends. 

Web: itssarahrexford.com

Medium: Sarah Rexford

Insta/Twitter: @sarahjrexford