So, I haven’t blogged in several weeks and I will explain why in just a few. But, to start things off, I think it would be most appropriate to give you a recap of what’s been happening on my journey Through the Valley to the Mountaintop.

Early in the summer, I expressed my hardship with finding work, but I decided to maintain a positive attitude (though it wasn’t easy), relying on prayer and God’s word. The entire summer was very hard because I had little to no money  and no opportunities were in sight….until. The day before my birthday, I get this email from a streaming TV network I had interviewed with a few weeks prior. Like all other interviews, I expected the email to say something like, “Dear Diana, we appreciate your time…blah blah blah….we have decided to move forward with another candidate…we will keep your application on file for 60 days….blah blah blah….”, WHATEVER! BUT, this time the outcome was different. I WAS OFFERED THE INTERNSHIP!!! I was like, “WHAAA!”. But check this, the next day (on my birthday), I received an offer for a Fellowship and production gig. Talk about a HAPPY happy birthday (thanks Lord)! Of course I accepted all offers! Now, how awesome is that? I prayed for just 1 opportunity and God blessed me with 3- what a divine number :). This just strengthens my faith, as it is written, “the Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him.” (Lamentations 3:25). God rewards the diligent and He will certainly bless us with way more than we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

On that note, how in the world could I get so caught up in my blessings that I neglect the Blesser? How’d I allow myself to get here? How’d I allow so much time to pass without blogging and helping others through my experiences? How could I be so self-centered and selfish? Staying up until 3am to finish assignments (I’m also back in school by the way), but when’s the last time I got on my knees and prayed at 3am? I wake up around 5:15am on some days to prepare for work and class, but when is the last time I woke up that early to spend quality time with God rather than waking up, mumbling a few words to Him (still half sleep), then getting up to start my day. I had to do a self-inventory (which is often painful) and I’ve come to realize that I’ve been…well…SELFISH. It’s easy to pray and seek when you want something but when you get it, will you continue seeking Him? Moving forward, i’m making my answer YES.

I have loads of work to do for my classes, for my Fellowship, and for my internship. Tonight I also had bible study. I could have stayed home to finish my work but NOT. God deserves way better than that. I’m through with having time for everything else but God. He gave His only Son for me. Jesus suffered for me. And I’m to busy for Him? NOT. My work was placed on HOLD for a couple hours while I went to bible study for an awesome word. The best decision I’ve made today.

God is a jealous God and commands that we love and follow Him as the ONLY God (Deuteronomy 6:13-15). God will not be placed on a back burner while other idols occupy the front-center of our lives. This will only lead us to a place of ultimate frustration and unfulfillment.  I’m a firm believer that God will sometimes take something away from us before He will allow it to take His place in our lives.  No person, job, material, or anything else should come before God- NEVER. If you find yourself more immersed in something than you are in God, guess what? You’ve created an idol. Knock it down and put the King where He rightfully belongs, in the front-center of your life.

I’m a firm believer that as long as we keep God first, EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY. We will be blessed with favor and the ability to successfully do whatever we need to do. In fact, I believe God will bless us to successfully do more in less time. God gives us His best, so let’s reciprocate with our best. I’m preaching to myself.