I've gotten really slack with my writing. This posting every month or two just isn't cutting it. So I'm challenging myself to 30 days of straight writing. This was inspired after reading my sweet friend Jordan's blog (justacupofjo.com). I'm not good at writing posts that aren't long and deep, so I'm going try try and write short, concise, and tell it like it is. What God is teaching me, what is happening in my days, what I'm learning, school, life, relationships, ups and downs, bad and good...its all fair game. No fluff. Day one:
My home sponsors came home today! They were in Florida for 5 days because my host dad, Sam, was speaking at a business meeting convention thing. They own a salon and invest in a company called Redkin..which by the way has awesome hair products. My hair has never been more shiny and healthy feeling. Ha! Anyway. It felt like they were gone for a long time. Its so nice to have my family back home, even though I only have three more weeks of living with them. Don't let me think about that though. I have random bursts of tears when I start thinking about leaving Alabama. The relationships I've built here are priceless and I am going to miss these people so much.
One thing we've been talking about a lot in our house recently is obedience. God, flat out, plain and simple...wants our obedience. When we obey and have a willing heart, that pleases Him. If we obey but do it with grumbling, complaining, a bad attitude and with resentment...well that's not really obedience, now is it? Its all about when we call around here the "Get To" mentality. We look at everything with an attitude that says, "I get to do this", and never say "I have to." When you have an attitude of getting to do things, it makes everything so much more enjoyable and it keeps it in perspective of...I'm doing this as unto the Lord, not unto men, so I get to do it with my whole heart and enjoy serving my King because it is an honor and a privilege to serve Him.
Cat got out of the bag today that I'm an Auburn fan. My home sponsors are Alabama fans. I learned for the next ten minutes of all the not so classy things Auburn fans have done around them after I explained that I observed that Auburn fans were more classy than Alabama fans...even though they're the exception to the rule. Perhaps I spoke too soon. Its okay, they still love me. Ha!
I was telling Sam and Jackie about the issues I've had writing this research paper for New Testament. I'm writing about the value and liberation that Jesus brought to women. On Friday I accidentally stumbled upon the most horrific, evil pictures of women being abused out of Islam. I slammed my computer shut, sat there sobbing, and literally felt like I was going to throw up. I didn't touch my paper for the rest of the day. Now my paper is late, but I just couldn't bring myself to start writing after that. I didn't know how. Sam said that sometimes we see things that impact us, even disturb us...but if we didn't see it we'd remain in our comfortable bubbled life. Sometimes we're meant to see things that make us sick or uncomfortable, they impact us and keep the fire burning that drives us to live this life for Jesus. Its so true. We get so comfortable and so stagnant in life, while there is a world around us that is dying and desperate for the love of Jesus. Especially being in ministry school, sometimes its so easy to forget that the rest of the world doesn't have the life I have of being able to do life with people that love and believe in you, and being in the presence of God, EVERY SINGLE DAY. There are people that have never heard the Name of Jesus, have no clue who He is. And that wrecks me when I think about that. I can't imagine life without Jesus, yet there are so many who have never had the opportunity to feel His love and hope. I challenge you to get uncomfortable once in a while. Expand your worldview. Ask God to let you see things the way He sees them, to break your heart for what breaks His. Trust me. He will. And its completely worth it.
We talked today during family time about how hard Christianity is. It is the hardest thing. Its not easy. When you accept Jesus, life doesn't magically become all rainbows and puppy dogs and marshmallows. No. Its trials and hardships, its having a target on your head and a sign on your forehead that says "Attack Me." Jesus said, "Don't be surprised if the world hates you! It hated me first!" Is it hard? Yes. Is it worth it? Every single second of it. The Bible says to consider it pure joy when you are persecuted for the cause of Christ. Its all joy. Forget happiness. Jesus brings joy that is everlasting and eternal, even in the hardest, most painful times of life.
If there are two values I've learned at Highlands that I'd like the rest of the world to understand, its this: Excellence in all we do. Honor.
I graduate my first year of Highlands College in 11 days. How crazy is that? I'm not ready. At the same time, I'm beyond ready. I don't know what next year holds, but I say "Bring it on!"
That's all the thoughts I have for today. This next 30 days should be fun. I can't wait to see what crazy things my mind dreams up.
For His Reward.
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