Raw Impetus

im·pe·tus  

/ˈimpitəs/

Noun The force or energy or momentum with which a body moves. The force that makes something happen or happen more quickly: "the crisis provided the impetus for change". [Latin impetus, from impetere, to attack : in-, against; see in-2 + petere, to go towards, seek; see pet- in Indo-European roots.] Impetus - I love this word!  It should be no wonder to us that everything in life happens for a reason, especially if you are a believer in "The Force"...the one True Creator of all things seen and unseen.  So, before I move forward with this post, let me first say that all Glory and Honor belongs to Him alone, because He has breathed these days of mine into being and without Him, I am nothing.  He is my ultimate impetus! We are all on an unscripted journey and where it takes us...well, there are surprises around every bend.  But our choices also have everything to do with where life takes us.  Maybe you feel like you simply didn't have a choice in the matter and life has landed you in a very difficult place that, had it been your choice, you would have run miles to escape the pain and confusion life has wrought.  You may be in a season of "wandering" in your life right now...maybe with your health, job, relationships, faith!  Wandering, or wondering for that matter, "What is this all about?  Is there a reason for all of this confusion and suffering?" Having been through some very difficult and painful seasons in my life, I would like to offer that times of struggle and confusion, grief and hurt, are used by God to move us into "seek-mode", if you will.  He uses them as our impetus for change...but, we have a choice!  We can stay stuck or we can move towards the area of struggle (yes, I said 'towards') because it is in the attacking and moving towards that we find who GOD is for us in these places, and who WE are as His unique and precious creation.  If we run from our circumstances, we are giving power to the lies that are spoken out of them..."You're weak.  You'll never change.  You can't get a hold on this.  You're going to fail.  You're not good enough.  You're not smart enough."  And on and on they go.   Life comes with this guarantee...it WILL provide us with an impetus for change.  The question is, what will you do with it? Right now, in my own journey, I feel like I'm venturing down these little back alleys and finding the most unexpected treasures.  So, get our of your head the image of the dark, dead-end alley.  Envision European, cobblestone, lit-up, window-boxes, smell of the freshest pastries, kind of alley.  That's where I'm going here.  We are seekers by nature.  God created us body, soul and spirit (the tripartite nature of us humans) and the opportunities that this life gives us to discover the incredible intentions of the heart of God towards His creation are limitless!   Why "Raw Impetus" you ask?  Well, a couple of reasons for that.  First of all, and most simply, LIFE IS RAW!  The whole of it!  All of life, in it's origin, is in a natural and 'unprocessed' state.  As Glennon Doyle Melton from Momastery likes to say, life is "brutiful"... brutal and beautiful all at the same time.  We can't control what life throws at us, most of the time, but we can use our circumstances as impetus!   Every day, I wake up and I ask God to bring me up to speed on where we've been (He and I together)...you know, just a quick briefing.  Then I ask Him to guide my seeking that day and lead me wherever He knows I will find growth, healing, the chance to love another and ultimately...HIMSELF!  Where am I going with this?  Did you know that God really cares about what we feed our tripartite selves?  He cares about what goes into our minds.  He cares about what we feed our spirit-man.  He cares about what we put into these bodies of ours.   One of these little back-alleys for me recently has been a discovery of how the foods that I ingest directly affect my thoughts, emotions, hormones, all of me!  I know, no new discovery there...you are what you eat.  The discovery for me has been that what I thought was so 'good' for me and 'healthy' was indeed the culprit for most, if not all of the hormone issues I've been suffering these past eight years, along with a tendency towards depression and an overall state of malaise that would wash over me from time to time.   RAW IMPETUS!  I'm going to leave you hanging right there.  I know, so cruel of me...but guaranteed, much more to come on that subject.  Also, the potential for a new website and whatever else God decides to do with this.  The momentum is there and I am totally excited about the possibilities!!!   We are on this journey together and I know now, more than ever, that God wants us to change our mindsets about what His thoughts are towards us and what His desires are for us as we walk this earthen-sod!