My life has been ultra boring to the max times 23108. What does that equal? A whole lot of boring. I haven't really done much over the past two weeks - I went to the lake a couple of days, but had to leave both days to go to work. :( and my two adorable nephews were at my house for a few days.
Although I may have done nothing over the past couple of weeks, I do have an eventful month ahead of me! Tomorrow I am going to have lunch with my favorite Chelsea Leonard in the whole wide world. Even though I just saw her two LONG weeks ago, I am so thrilled to see her again and get caught up with each others lives over the past ten weeks (or what we didn't get caught up on last time, anyways). Also, on Friday we are planning on taking a lake day with Allison Williams. Sadly, we have to end the day a little short so I can go to work, but I'll take what I can get. I miss these ladies and everyone else from school. So, it's always good to see people my own age, since I don't see many from home.
In just 10 (hopefully short) days I will be reunited with Hannah and Anna again, and I am SOO excited to hear about how God has used Hannah this summer during her missions, but also to get a lot of good laughs out of her! :) We have lots of planning to do for our apartment before we move in on August 25th, so maybe over our weekend we can do a little shopping! Me and Anna almost went crazy in Knoxville, we picked out the most tacky stuff (but we were in such an excited mood that we almost bought it! Praise the Lord we didn't)!
Speaking of planning, it's almost time to go back to school - where I have lots of planning to do for the BCM this year. Me and Stephen Hotz are in charge of New Students, and I'm so thrilled to have this position on leadership. It actually wasn't my first option for leadership, but God has had a mighty way of laying it out perfectly. I was thinking just the other day, this time last year I was getting extremely nervous about going away to Johnson City. And honestly, I think the BCM had a prettttty major part of making my adjustment so wonderful. Now, a year later - I can't wait to go back to school (never would have thought that on move in day). But anyways, we are planning on doing lots of fun stuff this year with our new students. At the top of our list is a New Student Retreat. They had one last year for us, and it was an awesome way to get to know all the other new students as well as older people from the BCM. We are also planning lots of smaller things for the New student's - like a bible study geared towards New Students, scavenger hunt, game nights, and cookouts. :) Please be in prayer for us as we start this planning, and pray that the new students would feel welcome at the BCM! Also, please pray for all other leadership teams as they plan their events for the year that we would reach the campus in awesome ways!
This summer has been awesome, but I am so ready to get back into the swing of things, and to be around people my own age. I got my new bedspread last week, so that gave me the fever even more. So, until then - I guess I'll just work work work! :)
Please be in prayer for all my friends doing missions and camps (kamps) this summer, and that they would have safe travels home. The summer is coming to an end for lots of them, so pray that God provides them with the right emotions for the right time!
Much love!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Is there really a purpose?
So, I have been super busy. So busy that it's almost to the point of overwhelming. I've worked 30+ hours two weeks in a row, which is completely awesome because I'll have spending money for whenever I go back to school, but it got to the point for a couple of days that I felt like all I did was work and then come home and go straight to bed.
I am officially "Johnson City sick" and can't wait to go back. Sadly enough, I still have six more weeks to go. BUT--I did get to have lunch with Josh Thompson and his Tennessee Travel Team. A much needed lunch, that actually boosted my spirits. Tomorrow, I am getting up bright and early for a reunion day with Anna Mayfield and Chelsea Leonard in Knoxville, and then heading to work.
Once again, I got super down about myself this week for not doing summer missions. But once again, God put me right back into my place by putting constant reminders in my daily life to make me realize that I am home for a reason. Tuesday night I went to the weekly bible study at the BCM which really really really helped me to open my eyes and put on my big girl panties and deal with being home. We have been going over the sermon on the mount and this week we finished up chapter five. Wow. I read it in my NIV bible at bible study, but actually just looked it up in The Message translation - and I like it so, I'll share it here.
"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. "In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."
What hit me the most is the verse that says "When someone gives you a hard time, respond with energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves." For the first time last week I had the desire to pray for those who did me wrong, and the things going on in their life. Which I feel like is some major progress. Also, over the past year I felt like I was the laugh of a lot of situations, and as crappy as it may sound I wanted the laugh to be turned around on the people who had affected my life so drastically. I felt really extremely convicted whenever I read this because I was doing the whole 'eye for an eye' mess. But really, I just needed to stand there and take it all in, have a Christ-like mind about it. So, even though it may be delayed - I have given those people "my best coat".
Tonight at church we sang Hosanna, and there is one part of the song that I've said over and over and never really comprehended what it meant, until tonight. It says, "Heal my heart and make it clean; open up my eyes to the things unseen." and God has been doing that very much over the past week. On Monday morning, I was beginning to really regret lots of opportunities I had turned down for what I thought was what God was telling me. I was second guessing myself and God for the final decision to come home for the whole summer, but he has wrapped it all up pretty amazingly. I honestly believe that this summer God has mended my heart, but prepared it as well. Mended it from my past year, and prepared it for my next year (and summer as well). I'm very anxious to see what God opens up for me through it all, as I'm sure it will be something pretty awesome (but, isn't anything God has part in?)
I am officially "Johnson City sick" and can't wait to go back. Sadly enough, I still have six more weeks to go. BUT--I did get to have lunch with Josh Thompson and his Tennessee Travel Team. A much needed lunch, that actually boosted my spirits. Tomorrow, I am getting up bright and early for a reunion day with Anna Mayfield and Chelsea Leonard in Knoxville, and then heading to work.
Once again, I got super down about myself this week for not doing summer missions. But once again, God put me right back into my place by putting constant reminders in my daily life to make me realize that I am home for a reason. Tuesday night I went to the weekly bible study at the BCM which really really really helped me to open my eyes and put on my big girl panties and deal with being home. We have been going over the sermon on the mount and this week we finished up chapter five. Wow. I read it in my NIV bible at bible study, but actually just looked it up in The Message translation - and I like it so, I'll share it here.
"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. "In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."
What hit me the most is the verse that says "When someone gives you a hard time, respond with energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves." For the first time last week I had the desire to pray for those who did me wrong, and the things going on in their life. Which I feel like is some major progress. Also, over the past year I felt like I was the laugh of a lot of situations, and as crappy as it may sound I wanted the laugh to be turned around on the people who had affected my life so drastically. I felt really extremely convicted whenever I read this because I was doing the whole 'eye for an eye' mess. But really, I just needed to stand there and take it all in, have a Christ-like mind about it. So, even though it may be delayed - I have given those people "my best coat".
Tonight at church we sang Hosanna, and there is one part of the song that I've said over and over and never really comprehended what it meant, until tonight. It says, "Heal my heart and make it clean; open up my eyes to the things unseen." and God has been doing that very much over the past week. On Monday morning, I was beginning to really regret lots of opportunities I had turned down for what I thought was what God was telling me. I was second guessing myself and God for the final decision to come home for the whole summer, but he has wrapped it all up pretty amazingly. I honestly believe that this summer God has mended my heart, but prepared it as well. Mended it from my past year, and prepared it for my next year (and summer as well). I'm very anxious to see what God opens up for me through it all, as I'm sure it will be something pretty awesome (but, isn't anything God has part in?)
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