go beyond creating your little nest egg

From The Desk Of Sandi Krakowski.... journal in hand, sharing my heart. 

 

I get so tired of this super pious religious crap where people say they are laying aside their dreams as some 'crucified life death to self sacrifice for Jesus.' No that's ego. Because at the core of why we do that is this: I feel important because you know I gave up everything. Look at me, giving up everything. Look at how holy I am because I gave up everything. NO! If God put a desire in you to steward so that the world could benefit from it, to add value to others, to not fulfill that dream is an OUTWARD ACT OF SELFISHNESS!

You know what the crucified life is? You know what death to self is? You want to know what it's like to EXCHANGE His life for yours, so that HE increases and YOU decrease? DO WHAT HE anointed and appointed and empowered and authorized for you to do! You are not helping anyone out by staying in that dead end job, thinking you are laying aside your desires so that you can just be humble and be who God called you to be. NO that is an apathetic path of procrastination that masquerades itself as holy.

THE TRUE LIFE and path to greatness means you will DIE to those self criticizing thoughts, you will DIE to those 'just delay and lay down and be small' ideas and you will DIE to those notions that it doesn't matter, and that you can have a choice and you can create whatever life you want and you can build your plan and just make sure your family is comfy cozy. YOU are designing what you want your life to look like. NO the holy path is YOU are designing your life to WHAT GOD wants it to look like and you are on a mission to impact as many people in this one lifetime you have as you can!

YOU want to know what the Warrior path is all about? DYING to this selfishness, this religiousness that thinks that we are doing God any favors by just laying aside our dreams and 'being grateful.'

Yes I want you to be grateful and I want you to be so filled with gratitude that you stop LIVING like an orphan trying to earn the love and favor of God by what you do or don't do, trying to PROVE TO GOD that you love Him, and what you sacrifice and I want you to STEP INTO the sonship that Jesus Christ paid for you to own. I want you to LIVE and WORK from His love and not for His love!

I want you to give it your all, do the hard things, do the hard work, put in the long hours, love your family, keep your priorities straight, go beyond creating your little nest egg and go impact thousands of other people and help them with their needs!

I want you to realize that GOD put that dream inside of you and HE has an intention that you would fulfill it and be a love offering of His to the world! Take that class! Get that degree! Do the work! DO what God has said to do and do all things as unto the Lord and LET HIM raise you up and LET HIM make you famous for HIS glory and for HIS honor and so that you can take His love to places that are dark and cold!!! 

I define success as someone who is giving it their all, robbing hell, building their platform because they know that they know at the core of who they are that GOD ALMIGHTY has summoned them to a task and they will fulfill it. Come hell, come high water, come friends and family persecuting them and all the pathetic religious people who are living lazy lives and just settling in a corner calling it 'holy'.  RISE UP my friends. THIS IS the year of OPEN DOORS!  RISE UP! 

 

The hardest thing I've ever done with my life is fulfill God's dreams for me. It's His love offering to the world and it's MY JOB to fulfill it. It's the best thing I've ever done too!

With love,
Sandi Krakowski

The Lord is Faithful

Wherever you are in your journey

The Lord cares so much about every detail of your life.

He put the desires in your heart

The more that you seek Him, the more your desires will become His

Don’t try to get ahead of God by trying to figure out how it is going to happen

Trust that if He created this earth and everything in it in such intricate detail, 

that he has your life planned and figured out

It will be beyond anything you can ever dream, ask, or imagine

 

Our God is so faithful.

Homesick

 

 

 

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I just went on a 4 mile run during my lunch break today

As I was running along the most beautiful path along lake union the sun was shining, beautiful house boats to my left, the wind at my face, the city of Seattle in clear view ahead of me

I see the our most famous landmark the Space Needle

 I look up at the tallest building in Seattle, the Columbia Tower

 I also see a glimpse of a 12^th flag that now holds even more meaning to our beloved Superbowl champions- Definitely a year remember for Seattleites- a name I thought I would always call myself

But you now what I kept thinking about? How I wish I was somewhere else

I don’t know where but I am homesick

My soul is longing for something more, something bigger

Something or somewhere I can give more of myself and be broken for that what breaks Him

As long as we are on this earth, we will ache for something bigger,

because we were designed for something bigger- something better.

We are designed for an intimate relationship with God forever.

- Jennie Allen " Restless"

 

I don’t think its in Seattle

In fact, I don’t think I belong in any specific city, state or country

We are called to GO into this world and be a light for Him

Wherever that is for me , is where I belong

Whether that is Africa in June

 Phoenix later this summer

I don’t know where I belong right now

I do know its not Seattle

Or Enumclaw

I dont know

But it is true, I am homesick

I may not know where I belong but I know Whom I belong too

He promises He will direct my path
I am holdiong onto Him to lead me into the unknown and satisfy my longing only He can fill

You know what I think? 
I think I know exactly where I am homesick for- My forever home-
A place where Seattle sunsets or the Seattle skyline will never compare
A real home where I will be able to forever worship Him, forever be wrapped in His love forever

I have no doubt God intentionally creates this feeling of nostalgia for a place we have never been
He wants us to always be reminded that His eternal home for us will always be better than any home or place  here on earth

To remind us that that the only home we are to long for is His home

Knowing that my real home is with Him
Knowing that I wont be landing at a final desination but rather a path 
 This creates a bravery I never knew I had to go into the unknown
Excitement, desire and yet peace waiting expectantly for when He calls me to GO

I will embrace being homesick and embrace wherever He calls me to next along this path
Because He has promised that walking along with Him is better than we can ever imagine

I can’t wait to see what He has in store

“You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You."

- Saint Augustine

"Where I Belong"

Building 429

 

All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

 

Lord, the time is getting closer

Lord, the time is getting closer

June 15th is coming fast

I am still holding onto Your promise and truth that You have a plan for me

I will always go back to that day in October

You were so clear and told me this was my last year at SPU

You are a BIG God, a God of miracles and abundance

help me to ignore my critics or close friends and family who doubt what I am doing

They dont understand Your path for me

Lord, You have called me into something bigger -beyond what I am imagine or see

 I dont know what exactly, but I am trusting You will have something soon

Open a door I never imagined Lord and let Your Glory shine ALL over my life

 

 

 

Let Your light shine in a way that puts every ones doubts aside
Let your Glory shine so bright that they when they see me life,
They exclaim "Only by God"

 I am steppping out into faith with You because thats all I know how to live right now

Lead me to Your Glory, Your path for my life

Open a door and I will follow... anywhere

All You have to say is "GO"

The Fog Ahead: Embracing it with HIM

I've been spending a great deal of time lately talking to students and friends of mine about life. There is always a common theme in these conversations: uncertainty. 

  

I read an analogy of uncertainty that put in a positive context and I am in love with it. I want to continue to share it with others because it has opened my mind to a new train of thought.

None of us can see what the future holds before us. We use optimism or positive words to help us on our outlook. On the other side of the spectrum, we internally hold thoughts of worry or impatience. I recently read in a devotional a way to help me use the LORD, rather than optimism or worry, to help me better approach the pathway ahead.

Our pathway is clouded by fog. With the reassurance of GOD, we know it is bright! That there are "surprises", whether they be trials or triumphs, that await us. The next step may be a boulder we have to climb. Maybe it is a peaceful trail that allows us to praise GOD along the walkway. Whatever it may be, that fog is a reminder to step back and walk with GOD. We are meant to just dive right through it without HIM. We need to walk next to HIM in unashamed dependence. I want to hold HIS hand and communicate with the LORD as the fog clears and HE unveils what is next. 

The fog tells us, "Step back, walk with God and STAY with HIM".

At this current point in time, my patience is being tested by something that can be life changing. My mind and thoughts are consumed by the endless possibilities that may come of what that "next step" could possibly entail. 

But, I needed to put myself in "check", and say, "Jamil....you need to TRUST in the LORD....HE will show you which path to take" - PROVERBS 3:5-6

Talking with GOD is a blessing because HE gives me strength, joy and so much more. Why jump into the fog when I can talk to GOD as I enjoy the journey instead of rush it. I'm not UPS Overnight Mail. 

I'm right here, right now. Only GOD can deliver unto me...unto us.

Preparing Day 26 & 27

 

Day 26

3 Gifts Preparing

 

1- DREAMS-I know God is preparing me for something big. You know how I know? Because I have dreams about my future that I never dreamed of, never ever thought of accomplishing when I was youn ger. In fact most of my dreams have formed within the last year when I fully committed to letting go and letting God work in my life. The only explanation is they are from God! He knows my true hearts desires and He is slowly preparing me for those dreams.

Refer back to THIS blog to get a list of my dreams.

 

 

2- One of our athletes and one of our coaches are preparing to head over to the Philippines to play for their National team. We did a last minute clothing/canned food drive with our department and fans. We received way more than I thought we would! So grateful for this community and to be able to have the platform to help. Below is my office full of the items!

 

3- Preparing for Thanksgiving! My mom and dad are at home setting the table, gathering the extar chairs and cleaning every square inch of our house. Preparing for a day full of family, food, laughter, joy and of course thankfulness.

 

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Day 27

A Gift Homemade, Held, and Happy

 

Homemade-  Every year when the kids were little, my parents took us around Deep Lake and we collected leaves. We then made placemats with the leaves. My mom still not onyl has them but puts them up as decorations around the house. Something so loving and nostalgic seeing them around the house when I come home.

 

Held- Cant wait to hold my nephew Jace! It has been almost two weeks and I am dying. The love I have for the child amazes me.

 

Happy- My parents- true joy and happiness.

Now that they are both retired, they have more time to live a life of adventure. Its is like they are  "dating" all over again! They go on dates, they make time for eachother to just enjoy life. It makes me happy to see them so in love and taking care of themselves! So proud of them and their committment to eating healthier, taking supplements, being more active and growing in their faith...together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Time For Everything

 

I think my time is coming

Maybe it is already here

Either way I feel God moving in my life

Moving me into the directions of my dreams

Moving me towards the desires of my heart

Moving through my heart

Deep in soul 

I know it

When I started at SPU I would have told you I would stay there forever

Continue my knowledge for marketing through conferences like NACMA

Possibly move up to assistant athletic director

I loved everything about athletics and what it entails

And then I would meet someone at SPU

I would raise my children going to SPU events on weekends and evenings 

 I would have a completely happy and content life working at SPU

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more 

than all we ask or imagine, 

according to his power that is at work within us"

Ephesians 3:20 

Do you remember this post?

The Purpose Driven Life 

This post was written almost a year ago

I prayed circles around this post

And then I started seeing the life I was meant to live

Dreams started forming in my soul I never imagined

I started seeing the adventure from God

That is my dream

That is my purpose to bring Him Glory

Bringing faith, hope, love to children 

All around the nation 

All around world

I knew from this day I wouldn't be at SPU much longer

The Lords great commission started becoming the life I wanted 

I didn't know when or how it would happen but it was coming

All I knew was I needed to GO

Leave SPU?

Leave the students I have come to love?

Leave the financial and medical stability?

Are you sure God?

I sure LOVE what I do 

I prayed all year for God to make it clear

Give me peace when the timing was right 

"The Moment I Knew" 

Friday, October 11th , 2013 

That was the day I knew You were calling me in another direction 

 I was driving past the airport, Christmas music playing and that was when I knew 

I wasn't even thinking about it. 

"This is my last year at SPU" I told myself 

It was an instant decision

Then the dreams and visions started flooding

I saw me traveling to Africa
Traveling to Germany
Not asking a boss for time off

Coming home to play with Jace and the new baby
In the middle of the week!

A life of freedom

I would volunteer  whenever I wanted 

Make-A-Wish

St. Jude

Jessie Rees Foundation

It was exactly the sign I needed

So easy

So much peace 

I have no reservations, no holding back

I am committing to Advocare to provide financially but I know You have a plan for me

No doubt, I see my dreams coming alive the next couple months and it excites me deep in my soul
Lord, I am ready for the next season in my life, a season of freedom and traveling, serving and giving, and of course my deep longing of becoming one with my husband

Lord, I know You are saving me for Your best
Right now may seem like a huge trial and hurdle, lots of negativity and distress
Maybe for him too, but I have hope!

The One in my heart is greater than any insecurities and unfulfilled dreams. 

I will continue to pray circles around my bold dreams Lord

I know that when you fulfill them You will get all the Glory! 

Lord, show the world Your glory. 

Amen. 

*I wrote this about a week after to remember exactly what I was feeling 

We will praise Your name forever, Christ the Lord