Today was my first day getting to sleep in on project, it was so glorious! Except I had dreams about McDonald's and running (the person who bags the food and puts it on the trays) and I definitely remember getting up in the middle of the night searching for the monitor that tells me what food to put in the bags. I'm slightly embarrassed that one: I'm having dreams about work and two: it caused me to sleep walk. Haha, but anyway...onto a recap of this week so far.
Not a whole lot has happened, but since this is my only day off this week I figured I should jump at this opportunity and update you all on these past couple days. In my last post, I mentioned Adam Penning's message in Sunday school and how it was about being sent. Often times, especially during college, our main focus is on what we are going to do with our life after we graduate. In reality we should be asking, "Who is God calling me to be?" The answer: A sent one. "It isn't about what we should do, it's about who we should be." For me personally, I have to ask the question, "Will I say yes to where God is sending me?" I really want to expand my prayer life, I feel like the one I lack to have right now hinders me from seeing the Lord's work in my life and being aware of where he is leading me. I want my view of prayer to be transformed from something I believe I have to do to realizing it is simply conversation with God and it strengthens my awareness of him in my life.
Directly following Sunday school, Pastor O'Brien did a sermon on happiness/joy. It really made me think about where I search to find happiness. I believe this sermon relates really well to Ryan Berg's message on broken cisterns a few weeks ago. Where do I find my joy?? Pastor O'Brien mention how the fall caused vertical fellowship (with God) to be broken and that severed horizontal fellowship (with others), but because we have the ability to have a relationship with Jesus due to his death on the cross, fellowship was restored. I try to find joy in the circumstances I'm in and if things are going poorly, then I am unhappy. In reference to Paul, he had every reason not to be joyful, but he was. He knew true joy comes from the Lord and not from circumstances.
Feeding off of that, on Monday night Bob Fuhs talked about the Spirit-filled life. Christians that aren't growing spiritually often do one of two things. They are either spiritually inauthentic: not seeing a change but acting like the Spirit is at work in their life OR they measure their growth in a superficial way: how many quiet times they have, how many times they pray, how often they go sharing. I know I fall into both categories at times. Being involved in Campus Crusade, I feel like I always have to be "in a good place" and the truth is, I'm not. We looked at Galatians 5:16-26 and in verses 19-21 it talks about what it looks like without Jesus, the desires of a heart that is concerned with works. While in verses 22-23 we see what it looks like with Jesus. It is important not to see verses 22-23 as a checklist (example: I've mastered love...now onto joy, etc) but to allow the Lord to perform a miracle and take our disgusting, black, cold hearts and transform us into an individual that exemplifies all those things in verses 22-23.
"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:25
These messages are benefitting me so greatly; I am realizing the beautiful nature of the Holy Spirit. I feel as if I can't walk away from them without wanting to know the Lord better. He has so much to offer! :) To top of hearing three wonderful messages in two days, I had the opportunity to celebrate the 4th of July on the beach with the lovely clan of OCSP 2011. It was so much fun and nothing can compare to watching fireworks over the ocean...
I hope everyone else had a great Independence Day. I was definitely missing my family and our usual trip to Jon & Bons then watching fireworks on the lawn behind Nettleton Stadium. I think this was my first 4th of July away from home! Speaking of being away...we have hit the halfway mark! Only five and half more weeks here, and they will fly by. Time to embrace my time left here and soak it up while I can. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment