Victory in Progress

I had an interesting conversation today.

Man: I think I would enjoy taking you out.
Me: Oh, ummm.
Man: Yes. I think I would. Not because of what you look like on the outside. *shaking his head vigorously* Not really my type. But I think you are beautiful on the inside.
Me: Oh wow....Ummm....no thank you. *Walk away quickly*

Yesterday, Graham Cooke said this on his FB page:
"Every single issue in your life is a possibility for something wonderful to occur. Everything in your life is designed for your upgrade. Everything the enemy does, Jesus can joyfully overturn. We are the people who are following that perspective." (From The Art of Thinking Brilliantly)

I am confident that the only reason I am not phased by this conversation earlier is because I read that two days ago. I know it sounds strange, but I think it's funny. I feel kinda bad for the guy and I walked away quickly to attempt to lessen his embarrassment from rejection.

A couple weeks ago, this man would have really hurt my feelings. Today, I feel nothing.
What an liberating accomplishment this is for me!

Let me just repeat this- "Everything in your life is designed for your upgrade." What a crazy amazing truth that is!

On Sunday, my Pastor asked us a very important question, that just so happens to go along with what I have been lead to reading in my Bible, which just so happens to go along with my conversations with friends, which just so happens to go along with the book by Kris Vallotton and Bill Johnson that I'm reading....a lot of 'coincidence' means it's NOT a 'coincidence', by the way. ;)

The question in all of these different areas of my life basically boils down to this....What if we lived like we really believed His promises were true? Well today I got a taste of this freedom.

I didn't have to reassure myself or pick myself up. It just really didn't phase me. ha! And all I can do it laugh because God is so good. Another thing my Pastor said was this truth that has CHANGED. MY. LIFE. (side note- I love my wise, God-fearing Pastor and I'm so thankful for his humble, honest, Spirit-led heart!)

"God is always consistent in his character but unpredictable in His behavior." -Fred Nelson

We have to be in love with WHO God is, not WHAT God does.
This could have been a heart breaking conversation in WalMart. I could have left in tears thinking that it was just another man in my life that didn't want me. But those thoughts never even crossed my mind. I was laughing to myself as I left WalMart, pleased and affirmed that He saw goodness in me.

I do not write this to toot my own horn of how great I responded. I write this to record a victory.
A victory over self-doubt and self-conscious thoughts and behaviors that have ruled over my life.
A record of the goodness of God. A written THANK YOU to God for protecting my heart, validating my soul and filling me to overflow so there are no voids.

Victory is not only accomplished in outcome. Victory is accomplished in progress. I will never be perfect, but this was a huge victory for me. Not done by me, but by Him through me.

THAT is exciting.