Quick update...

So, there've been several things that have happened since my last update, and at the moment I cannot recall all of them. Even if I did, I don't think I would be able to sufficiently express everything that's going on as I only have about 15 minutes before I need to go.

In a nutshell, two of my really good friends got married this weekend! It was a really emotional wedding, but it was good because I got to see a lot of people that I haven't seen in a long time.

A friend and I are going to started to devotions together in an attempt to help each other, build each other up, and give each other some insight and thoughts that by ourselves, we would not have been able to come up with. To start, we are going to try to study the Old Testament in more depth in order to put the New Testament in context. We have both grown up in the church and are very familiar with the NT, and for me at least, the NT gets really old when you hear the same passage over and over and over and over again, so I really think that by being more knowledgeable with the OT, it will make the NT come alive again! I'm excited about it, and I think my friend is too!

Another friend of mine has introduced me to the world of the Heorot(sp?), which is a bar downtown, but not a club-ish bar. It's really fun, and I'm enjoying it so far!

Well, I think that will suffice for now. I'll try to get back on and update further, and give the anecdote's a fuller context and better explain the story, but knowing how I blog, I can't guarantee anything! Let me know if there's anything you need prayer for!

Love

Turning on God

I was doing devotions tonight starting in Jeremiah.  I've been wanting for a long time to do a study on the Old Testament.  I think it'll make the New Testament come alive.  Having been raised in the church, there are some passages that I've heard more times than I care to count and when I read or hear them again, I get in this mindset of "I've heard this all before, there's nothing more I can get out of it..."  It's a hard mindset to get out of, but I think if I'm more familiar with the OT, finding new things in those passages will be much easier.

Jeremiah chapter one was encouraging.  It's basically the call of the prophet Jeremiah, hence the name of the book, and a basic summary of what I'm assuming the rest of the book will be.  There were several verses that had sayings that I've heard many many many times, but never really read in context or given a second thought.  Verses 5, 8, 10, and 19 really stuck out.

Chapter 2 was really different.  It dove right into the anger and frustration that God felt toward His people for abandoning Him.  What was interesting was that around verse 32, the tone and mood shifted from one of angry frustration, to one of hurt, and pain.  God was hurt that His people, whom He had brought out of Egypt and given so much to had turned their back on Him.  And who could blame Him?  The shift in tone made me think of all the times I've turned my back on God.  It gave me one of those pangs in my stomach that happen only in times of extreme regret.  Makes me want to be very intentional about staying close to God and not falling or drifting away, and turning my back on Him.  

In order to do that, I need to have a stronger, and more consistent prayer-life and quiet time.  My prayer life has improved tremendously since LT.  I feel like I'm in almost a constant state of prayer.  When something goes on I don't like, I don't hold it in and let it fester, I pray about it, and then if the need is still there, I talk to someone about it.  Quiet times, on the other hand, are slightly more difficult, but just as necessary.  During prayer time, it is mostly me talking to God.  While He can respond in a number of different ways, comments by other people, epiphanies, a certain song coming on the radio or my iPod, and so on, one way that God speaks to me a lot, is through scripture.

It's so easy to forget all that God's done for us.  In order to not take His mercy for granted, we should also be very intentional about watching for what He does for us on a daily basis.  This is difficult, I know, but as we practice it more, it will happen.  I'm trying to make a habit of whenever something good happens, or some kind of a breakthrough that I've been working towards, to give God the credit for it.  This not only keeps Him central, and makes sure that He remains first and foremost, but it also keep my humility in check.  Even though I no longer live in a pit of self-hatred, I still know that no good thing that happens is solely because of me.  If anything, it had nothing to do with me, but God's love and mercy coming to my rescue.

In closing, please be praying that I can remember to watch for God's working in my life, and also so that I can be a blessing to those around me.  I would also like to ask that you remember my family in Detroit area.  I do not know the person, but one of the people up there committed suicide, and I know several people who are now dealing with the aftermath of that.  Let me know what you need prayer for!

A lesson in patience

A lot's been going on these past two weeks with the influx of school and all that comes with it... homework... schoolwork... drama... meetings... and so on.  As I was sitting through my first few days of classes, I realized how stressful this semester will be.  Especially since I will be trying not to be so lackadaisical about my work, but actually strive for excellence.  This semester would be stressful just doing the minimum, but actually doing my best is going to be extremely difficult.

The situation with my roommates seems to be improving... kinda.  I don't think I've really written much about my roommies on here, but suffice to say that the relationship with them is complex.  There's almost always drama of some sort going on, which is one of the reasons last year was so difficult.  One thing I am going to try to do differently is that, when something bothers me, to talk about it.  To get it out in the open as soon as possible and not let it fester for days/weeks/month's sometimes.  Hopefully that will help things.

Last Sunday I started helping out with the sound team at Revo.  It was kinda scary, I felt like a little kid playing with very big, very EXPENSIVE toys that could easily break.  It turned out okay though.  There were a few people who knew what they were doing, so that helped out a lot.  I think it'll be a good experience.

There is one thing that has stuck out in my mind as far as things I've learned over the past week(ish), and that is patience.  I think that God is working through the fruits of the spirit with me, found in Galatians 5.  Over the summer, he taught me about love.  Loving others, loving Him, loving myself, then, with that love, I learned about joy, and also, the peace that comes with walking with God.  Now, He's working with me on patience.  This is the hardest one yet.  The other day, however, I had an epiphany, that is that patience is not necessarily waiting for God, or someone else to do something, but it is trusting God, that He knows what He's doing, and that He has the best interests for me in mind.  That's a big lesson, and a painfully obvious one, you'd think.  I don't necessarily think that I'll get through all the fruits of the spirit, or that if I do, I'll never struggle with them again, but I'm glad that God is doing what He's doing.

Well, I think that's it for now.  Let me know how I can be praying for you!