IV fall camping trip this past weekend was so, so good :) Beautiful weather, lots of fun and fellowship, yummy food (even if it took forever to prepare on Sunday morning), new people!, great time of sharing by lamplight and moonlight on Saturday night, being renewed by Jesus in studying Isaiah 53, leading worship for the first time in a while, new friendships, recommitments to Christ...wow. :)
thank You, Jesus!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
missions (x4)
So this is a belated post, but I was sharing with a friend last week about how I feel like recently, God has constantly been speaking to me about missions...about what or where particularly, I'm not sure.
Exhibit A: When I went to visit Austin Stone for the first time on Labor Day weekend, the sermon was about how we respond to God's missionary call for us as His disciples.
Exhibit B: Two weeks later, when I visited AABC for the second time, the sermon focused on the church's vision for missions, and they shared about all of their missionary couples that are abroad right now.
Exhibit C: At IV Large Group two weeks ago, one of our IV alumni shared about his year on missions with YWAM (Youth with a Mission) in Taiwan.
Exhibit D: When I went to DCBC last week (for the first time in a looong time), the sermon wasn't about missions, but our Sunday School was led by a white missionary who had been in China for five years (who had also shared during service).
And then on top of all THAT, three different brothers and sisters who did STiM this past year approached me and strongly urged me to think and pray about doing it my senior year...whoa.
Coincidence? I think not.
God, please help me to be open to whatever You're trying to show me through these messages and events.
Exhibit A: When I went to visit Austin Stone for the first time on Labor Day weekend, the sermon was about how we respond to God's missionary call for us as His disciples.
Exhibit B: Two weeks later, when I visited AABC for the second time, the sermon focused on the church's vision for missions, and they shared about all of their missionary couples that are abroad right now.
Exhibit C: At IV Large Group two weeks ago, one of our IV alumni shared about his year on missions with YWAM (Youth with a Mission) in Taiwan.
Exhibit D: When I went to DCBC last week (for the first time in a looong time), the sermon wasn't about missions, but our Sunday School was led by a white missionary who had been in China for five years (who had also shared during service).
And then on top of all THAT, three different brothers and sisters who did STiM this past year approached me and strongly urged me to think and pray about doing it my senior year...whoa.
Coincidence? I think not.
God, please help me to be open to whatever You're trying to show me through these messages and events.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
streeeetched.
God, I feel like You're really stretching me right now.
Physically, I am exhausted--second night in a row of sleeping pretty late without the chance to sleep in the next morning. Spiritually, I'm still lacking in discipline in my daily quiet times and prayer times =\ sorry. Mentally, my thoughts are at once all over the place and crowded together, mostly for Amazing Race, biochemistry/mole cell homework and tests, plus camping trip...and now maybe leading a small group this semester?! I just (want to) feel like this: o______________o Man, and I thought school and IV couldn't get any crazier than last year when I was doing Amazing Race all on my own and tackling things like organic chemistry...but at least right now, it feels even more hectic.
Maybe this is what You pruning me looks like, in order that I may bear more fruit for Your glory. If that is the case, so be it. Let my heart choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name.
Maybe this is what You growing me looks like. Placing me once again in a place where I have no choice but to reach out for Your hand, to cling onto You and depend on You with everything I have, plans and all, so that when it's all over, I can look back and say that it was definitely, without an ounce of a doubt, all You, Jesus.
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." -1 Corinthians 10:13
Love that promise. Thank You, Jesus.
(from 9/25/11...because I don't really want to publish this publicly but can't do a private on just one post. Sigh, insecurities...still struggling with this one 3 months later. but God, thank You that You are greater than all my doubts.)
"rawr."
Why can't I let this insecurity stop bugging me? No matter how many times I reread God's message of love over me, once I step on the scale, I want to cry and wallow in self-pity. It's not even a big change...just a gradual increase that I guess I'm scared will never stop.
This is disgusting. People are starving around the world. Every time I'm able to fill my stomach, it is a joyful pleasure. Jesus, help me to truly know and believe in my heart that You are the only beautiful thing in me, and it is more than enough to overcome what numbers on a scale tell me.)
Physically, I am exhausted--second night in a row of sleeping pretty late without the chance to sleep in the next morning. Spiritually, I'm still lacking in discipline in my daily quiet times and prayer times =\ sorry. Mentally, my thoughts are at once all over the place and crowded together, mostly for Amazing Race, biochemistry/mole cell homework and tests, plus camping trip...and now maybe leading a small group this semester?! I just (want to) feel like this: o______________o Man, and I thought school and IV couldn't get any crazier than last year when I was doing Amazing Race all on my own and tackling things like organic chemistry...but at least right now, it feels even more hectic.
Maybe this is what You pruning me looks like, in order that I may bear more fruit for Your glory. If that is the case, so be it. Let my heart choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name.
Maybe this is what You growing me looks like. Placing me once again in a place where I have no choice but to reach out for Your hand, to cling onto You and depend on You with everything I have, plans and all, so that when it's all over, I can look back and say that it was definitely, without an ounce of a doubt, all You, Jesus.
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." -1 Corinthians 10:13
Love that promise. Thank You, Jesus.
(from 9/25/11...because I don't really want to publish this publicly but can't do a private on just one post. Sigh, insecurities...still struggling with this one 3 months later. but God, thank You that You are greater than all my doubts.)
"rawr."
Why can't I let this insecurity stop bugging me? No matter how many times I reread God's message of love over me, once I step on the scale, I want to cry and wallow in self-pity. It's not even a big change...just a gradual increase that I guess I'm scared will never stop.
This is disgusting. People are starving around the world. Every time I'm able to fill my stomach, it is a joyful pleasure. Jesus, help me to truly know and believe in my heart that You are the only beautiful thing in me, and it is more than enough to overcome what numbers on a scale tell me.)
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
heartache.
I don't know why it still hurts when I read certain things that he says or writes, even though they're not even directed at me. I wish these silly heart wrenches would go away, would be overwhelmed by Your love for me, Jesus. I know You're my first love, I know You're the only One who pursues me perfectly and holds my heart, but I still can't help feeling the sting. Will it ever stop?
thrift.
Wondering why it's so hard for me to let go of the thriftiness that's lodged so deeply within me. Even my parents got on my case about it (again) this past weekend...God, show me how to be a good steward of the (financial) resources that You've so richly blessed me with. Please. Dislodge this fleshly desire to hoard up money for myself and replace it with something more beautiful--a desire to use every penny for Your glory, whatever that looks like.
Jesus, thank You also for the love You've shown me through my parents for my whole life, including this past weekend. I feel so spoiled :) and I know this is something most children never get to experience from their earthly parents.
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
-Matthew 7:11
Jesus, thank You also for the love You've shown me through my parents for my whole life, including this past weekend. I feel so spoiled :) and I know this is something most children never get to experience from their earthly parents.
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
-Matthew 7:11
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
lovesong.
Song of Solomon is freaking awesome. Seriously, it's God's love letter to you.
If you don't believe me, just go read 2:8-14 or 4:1-10.
My beloved spoke and said to me,
“Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, come with me.
See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.
The fig tree forms its early fruit;
the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me.”
My dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. :) Thank You, Jesus.
If you don't believe me, just go read 2:8-14 or 4:1-10.
My beloved spoke and said to me,
“Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, come with me.
See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.
The fig tree forms its early fruit;
the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me.”
My dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. :) Thank You, Jesus.
familiarity and frustrations.
There's something nice about having familiar teachers. You know what I mean?
On a completely different note, being super detail-oriented and working with someone who is terrible with logistics is incredibly frustrating. Arghhh. Being stretched and grown in patience is difficult.
On a completely different note, being super detail-oriented and working with someone who is terrible with logistics is incredibly frustrating. Arghhh. Being stretched and grown in patience is difficult.
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