A Beautiful Thing Indeed...

As sin (your understanding) increases, so does the cross (effectiveness of cross).

I was shown this illustration this past summer--I love it! God's grace is never-ending...Jesus' blood is all powerful.

Contentment

contentment |kənˈtentmənt|nouna state of happiness and satisfaction : he found contentment in living a simple life in the country.

This word gets thrown around quite often in our world. People work, get a degree, and dedicate their lives to something in order that they might one day feel content with where they're at. We can easily waste our whole life pursuing this feeling. Over the last few years this word has always been apart of my thinking.

This last summer has had a few themes that I'm slowly beginning to pick up on. The main one is contentment. God has settled my heart, slowed me down if you will, and let me enjoy the view. I can sometimes get pretty worked up about something, it happens often. This summer God has simply been faithful to me. Through all my sin, all my shame, all my worries, everything that's in me....He's remained steadfast. He's remained faithful. He's remained true. I now feel content because I know that God's timing is perfect.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."

Ecclesiastes 3:11

This verse is spectacular! Solomon is saying that God's timing is beautiful. I mean, how often do we do that--describe God's timing as beautiful??? Not often enough, but it's so true. Our life may not make sense, it may not aline the way we want it to, but who are we to try and fix it?

"Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?"

Ecclesiastes 7:13

God has put several things on, and in my heart. One of them is ministry in Europe. I've come to have a new thought on this desire I have. Instead of always wondering how, or what it'll look like I'm just going to be content with where I am right now. I'm going to make it to Austria. I've decided that. It's something that, I feel, God has put on my heart. Therefore, I'm going..............eventually. But right now, I'm okay. However, I do believe that God would like me to takes steps towards that. So, I'm going to start learning German. I've put it off long enough. My hope is that through everything I do in this life, it'll be glorifying to God--and not me. I'm learning a different language to better understand/communicate a group of people whom I feel called to. It's all for Him. That His gospel might be taken to a dark world.

I'm going into this semester with a good feeling of contentment. My desire is to seek Him above everything else in this world. He'll supply me with everything I need. I'm satisfied in Him.

turning the pages

As I look back at my first year of college, I smile. I had so many "firsts" in these last two semesters. I won't name them for the sake of time, because I should be studying right now. God is bigger than finals though :)

After the summer ended last year, I was definitely ready to start the next chapter of my life. Everything was lining up splendidly, and exactly how I wanted it to. Then something changed, and I realized that my plan wasn't really happening the way I wanted it to. It did hurt, but I see so much clearer now. I know that God's plan for my life is grand, and that it's perfectly fine not knowing what it's going to be. I just have to take it day by day, for I'm not promised tomorrow.

Through everything that happened, one thing remained true. God's love has always caught me. At the end of the day I can always look up and know God is still good, and that's comforting. I can fall back and rest in His love--not worrying about what tomorrow will bring. I've learned to pray differently. I now pray bigger, bolder, and with greater faith. Even my largest desire looks so small to Him, so why not pray big? I've learned to get up every morning, and ask God to simply get me through THIS day. To not worry about my future or even what the next day holds for me.

This life is so short! Take joy in where God has placed you now instead of waiting for where you want to be.

As Virginia approaches, I know that I'm turning to another chapter and leaving behind the old. I'm turning the pages of my life. I'm ready to go serve, love, and be used. I'm quite nervous (to be honest), but I can rest knowing that it'll be God working and not me. I'm going to miss my friends and family so much. This will be the first summer not being around Denton, but change is good. I can't tell you how weird it's going to be not leaving for Austria at the end of July, like I usually do. However, God knows what He's doing, and I'm just as excited to share Jesus and my life with Virginia!

I think the beauty of Christianity is that God chooses to use the lowest of people to shine His light through. Even in the midst of our sin, He still stretches out His loving hand. He would be perfectly just and fair to kill us all now, but He chooses to use us instead. I don't see how someone could NOT want to be a child of our God.

Austria 2008

This trip was unlike the others...in many ways.

Myself and 8 others from Denton Bible embarked, once again, to the beautiful Austria to help lead/run an English Teenage Camp. For some of us, it was our 3rd year back, so relationships were definitely established with most of the Austrian students. The team we took was simply amazing, in so many different ways. I could talk all day about the team God put together, I love them all. I truly grew with everyone that went on the trip, and our friendships are still very much thriving.

The week was amazing, and God was once again working in the lives of everyone there. He was good. His grace was ever before us, and His mercy was in great abundance. He called at least two people to Him, and countless numbers of seeds were planted. Even the details this year worked out splendidly. We even tried to teach them English--thanks Beau. This year our camp got cut short due to a World Baptist Conference--that we were somehow attending--so it was a bit more difficult to build relationships with some newer students. God was still good. I'm mainly going to focus on this part of the trip.

In our part, the rest of the trip required a good amount of patience and perseverance. We really had no idea where we were going, what we'd be doing, or who'd be going. We literally got into a bus and sat down. We arrived in Leipzig, Germany and started the second portion of the trip. Not really knowing the real purpose of the Conference yet, our Team wondered aimlessly amongst hundreds of different cultures. We sat down with our bags, and waited. We eventually all got signed in (thanks C-Willie) and made are way to the Hilton...oh I mean to tent city. We slept in these big tents that were spread out over miles and miles of this land beside the Conference. The best way to know what was happening next in this thing, was just by watching the crowd. If people were heading to the big non air-conditioned building, so were we. The talks that we went to were really cool and beneficial. We just had to use our ummm "filter", and pay close attention to what was said. I'm saying all of this for a reason.....I promise. My point is this. Even in the midst of a chaotic multi-cultured Baptist conference in Germany, God was still working. It was just a little harder to see. This conference may have been poorly run, uncomfortable, hard to understand, exhausting, and simply meaningless at times.

...but not a day goes by that I don't think of Leipzig.

I wouldn't trade the memories at the conference for ANYTHING in the world. Those four days effected my entire freshman year, in so many different ways. One being my love for other cultures. We were literally surrounded by different cultures all the time. I think there were over 80 different countries being represented there. My passion for missions was really confirmed during our time there. I just love our world; other cultures really interest me. I realized in this Conference that God's plan for my life is so much bigger than I could every imagine. I just have to be faithful, and let Him work. Another aspect of the conference that I really enjoyed was our group. We all really bonded through those couple of days. Whether it was Drew running around the Conference, or when we were making ridiculous movies on the bus. We established long-lasting friendships with one another. Chris was hilarious. God was good.

When it comes down to it, missions really isn't that hard. You just have to be willing. Willing to serve, love, and give up two weeks of your summer to take part in something way bigger than you. Think about it, it's not us doing the hard part. We just have to show up, and let God be God. You have to be in the mindset that you can't do it alone. You can't love these students for a week straight--sorry. You can't play 2,052 games of ping-pong, and still keep a smile. You can't walk through the woods at night, with no light or sound at all, and still have a joyful heart. We are incapable. However...when we tire, or run out of strength. God will always send fresh manna.

The one piece of advice I'd give to someone heading off on mission trip, and one that I've kept close, is to stay in the word. To let that alone sustain you. Never get caught running on empty. Get up earlier, and be fed in the word. Everyday I have to get up and have the mindset of: God feed me, because I can't do this without you. You are everything. Help me love like you today. Lord I want to be running on you alone. Keep my eyes focused on you alone, for I am nothing.

Let the Lord feed you.

Let the Lord guide you.

Let the Lord use you.

There's nothing in this world like being used by God, for something way bigger than you.