Authentic Beauty

I just finished a wonderful book by Leslie Ludy (check out her website for wonderful resources and encouragement: http://www.setapartgirl.com/home.html). The book is called "Authentic Beauty" (Erin and I are going to lead a small group of girls through it next semester!) and is all about beginning a never-ending love story with our true Prince and discovering the authentic beauty of a life fully set-apart for Him. In the book, Leslie and her husband describe in depth what it looks like to be a Proverbs 31 woman...a woman who is "clothed in strength and dignity, and laughs without fear of the future." The book also discusses what true purity looks like and describes it as being "so much more than the noble decision to wait for a future spouse." Instead, "true purity is complete set-apartness for our heavenly Prince. True purity comes only when we fall into the loving arms of our Jesus Christ, surrender ourselves fully to Him, and allow Him to tenderly shape us into His lily-white likeness."

The book shares that "an ongoing, passionate romance with our true Prince is the foundation for success in every other area of life." Our Prince loves us more than we can every comprehend or imagine. Think about the awesome wonder of the truth that Jesus Christ poured out His blood and died a painful death He did not deserve-all to save us from our sins and allow us to be His lily-white princess, His spotless bride for all of eternity. We can't forget that His sacrifice on the cross was not just meant to keep us out of hell, it was also meant to make an ongoing, passionate, intimate love story with Him possible.

I feel like so many girls today are either a) consumed with the idea/desire of a romantic relationship or b) consumed with actually being in a romantic relationship. Ultimately, however, our relationship with our true Prince should be the primary concern and all other relationships should be secondary to the intimacy we experience with God. As we pursue God and God alone, all our other needs will be met and our desires satisfied. Leslie shares "as we dwell on Jesus Christ, He fills our hearts with His desires for our lives, and we are completely fulfilled by Him" and "only out of intimacy with our heavenly Lover can the beauty of a God-written human love story be experienced." We should always delight ourselves completely in the amazing love our our true Prince, and as we focus on Him, we will be more than fulfilled. We should spend every moment of every day delighting in our Prince. "The world may fear, but we always rest in the knowledge that even our death is a doorway into His presence!" Seriously, how amazing is that...makes me want to die right now!

Furthermore, the book has three sections about "Studying Manhood" and shares how we, as women, can help shape the men in our lives into becoming true men of God--not just boys who play at manhood but Warrior Poets who live it. Eric Ludy shares the role that women play in helping guys in their pursuit of manhood and shares that "the words of my princess makes me a prince." In other words, if we hold the men in our life to a higher standard and encourage them to be all that God created them to be, they will respond in a positive way such that our expectations become their inspirations. I loved it when Eric said, "manhood is at its best when it can make a woman feel both protected in her innocence and secure in the slow warming of her heart. It's all a part of becoming the warriors God calls men to be." Additionally, "married boys are shaped into married men when they finally realize that the buried treasure isn't the act of sex. The buried treasure is in knowing, loving, and sharing the most intimate aspects of life with that woman sleeping next to him every night."

I loved the part of the book that discussed "Feminine Mystique" and discovering the lost art of mystery. This section described guarding your heart and living completely differently from today's hold-nothing back expectations. It defined feminine mystique as "the steady, unyielding strength and confidence that flows from knowing our Prince intimately and protecting our relationship with Him at all costs." The book discusses the importance of not allowing a significant other to have your heart--or even see inside your heart--until you are absolutely certain he is worthy of such a scared gift. I loved when Leslie described how Eric asked her to marry him by saying "the times we have spent together have only ignited my desire to spend my life discovering more and more about you." It's so important for us to preserve the treasure of who we are and keep ourselves self-apart for the one who proves he is worthy of such a gift. The treasure of being set-apart, of being pure, innocent, and lily-white is so special and we can't just give it away to anyone. Instead, we must be guarded and practice the lost art of mystique in order to protect our hearts and save them for a man who will treat them like the treasures that they are. "When it comes to relationships, let this be your goal: to protect your feminine mystique at all costs and wait for a man who will guard your sacred treasure with his life." Furthermore, "a relationship that leads us closer to our Prince and carefully protects our inner sanctuary is the key to discovering romance as it was truly intended to be--a little taste of heaven on earth."

The author also eloquently discussed some of the reactions one may receive from living a set-apart life and shared that "Maybe no one in your life will understand your decision to set your life aside for your future husband. But don't let the irritated comments or uncomprehending stares of the world around you deter you from your goal. A lily does not try to resemble or imitate the thorns around her. She is focused on being who she was created to be--completely set apart for her heroic Lover." I just loved this and found it reassuring to hear. Furthermore, I was reminded that we have an enemy bent on destroying us, but we can learn to take everything our enemy could use to harm us and allow our Prince to transform it into greater spiritual depth and strength. "As set-apart young women, everything that bombards our lives can be an opportunity for a greater imprint of Christ upon our souls. The battle is found in every moment, with every choice, and with every inclination of the heart. If we learn to take these moments, yield to our Prince, and slam the door on our enemy, what glorious possibilities for growth await us each and every day!"

Ultimately, our relationship with our Heavenly Prince MUST be our number one priority. God treasures us as His princesses. "The King of the universe, the Creator of all things, the Ruler of the heavens and earth has said that you are valuable, a priceless treasure." Only after true intimacy with our Prince can we experience true intimacy in our relationships with our future spouse as it was meant to be--a reflection of our love for our Prince. The intimacy we will experience in marriage, should that be God's plan for us, is merely an overflow of the intimacy we experience with our Prince.

Living a set-apart life will not likely be easy. Oftentimes, we won't be understood or appreciated by the world around us, often even the Christian world. The good news is that we're not on this journey alone! Our heroic Prince is with us every step of the way and He is tenderly shaping us into the women He created us to be. In His presence is the fullness of joy. Let's live for His applause alone. Let's fall deeply in love with Him. Let's give Him the pen and allow Him to script the story of our lives. Let's trust in Him and rest easy in knowing that He is always in control. Let's let Him be God and let's get out of the way!

For God So Loved the World...

Things I think of when I look back at this semester....

Woodhill. Hospital visits. Crib building. Gattitown. Church. 608. Fazoli's. Art class. Amazing Race. Shift Group. Core Group. Synergy. Fall Retreat. Half-Marathon. Friends. Family. 541 Columbia. Jesus Prom. ELI. Baking.

Well it's official. I'm completely finished with all of my classes and the only thing left standing in my way is finals next week. After that, I'm home free! This semester has been filled with so many blessings, so much service, and so much joy! My classes have been a relative breeze and school continues to be somewhat secondary to everything else (not exactly what mom and dad want to hear but it's all good...straight A's are a possibility haha ;)) It's crazy to think back to the beginning of the semester. In some ways it feels like the water balloon fight was just yesterday, yet in other ways so much has changed since then and it feels like a really long time ago. This semester has definitely been jam packed with tons of fun things and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

This Christmas season, I've found myself thinking about two very distinct things. First off, I've been completely overwhelmed by God's love for me. This past Sunday, we began a new sermon series at Southland called 316. It's all about John 3:16 and about how much God loves us. They're doing this sermon in conjunction with a meal packing event for Haiti. The mission was "3,000 Haitian children, 1,000,000 meals, and 6,000 volunteers." On Sunday, John spoke about God's love and made me feel SO small as he talked about the size of Earth compared to all the planets and galaxies. It's an absolutely amazing (yet overwhelming) thought to try to wrap your brain around....how can such a big God who's busy keeping this entire world in motion care about little ol' me? Yet the reality is, He cares about us individually SO much more than we can ever comprehend or imagine. Even more, God loves each of us as if there was only one of us to love. Seriously. His love is crazy--it's Sequoia strong and there's nothing we can do to win or lose it.

Here's my all time favorite song....I just love singing the promise that "His love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me!"

The second thing I've been thinking a lot about is Jesus' birth. Yes, this seems only natural considering it's December and Christmas is just around the corner. But this year, I've been struck at thinking about all that was happening on the night of our Savior's birth. I've been thinking about how crazy it is that God was completely silent for 400 years. I've been thinking about what the people must have been thinking and how desperate they were to hear from God. I can only imagine how hungry they were to hear from Him and how anxiously they were waiting for him from generation to generation. And then I think about the fact that the words that broke God's silence after 400 years came in the form of a little baby's cry. I've been thinking about Mary and Joseph and how they must have felt. I can only imagine the questions they were asked and how they must have felt. I think about Mary, a girl years younger than me, about to go into labor and praying that God would wait just one more night to bring Jesus into the world. I think of the fear Mary and Joseph must have felt and how much they were probably wishing they had close friends and family gathered around them instead of a bunch of animals. And yet, on that night filled with chaos and confusion came a perfect Son to rescue this imperfect world. I don't know about you, but that's pretty mind blowing to me. The fact that God waited 400 years and then chose a seemingly terrible night to bless this world with the greatest gift ever given...it's simply amazing.

Lastly, I wanted to share a few of my favorite Christmas songs with you. I'm not big into the traditional Christmas songs that we hear on the radio over, and over, and over again. Instead, I love listening to these songs and reflecting on what's really important this time of year. It's not about the presents and packages, it's not about the candy canes and ginger bread houses. It's not about the Christmas trees and light-covered houses. It's all about taking time to simply BE STILL amidst all the chaos that consumes this time of year and thank the Lord for sending His Son. Instead of busy ourselves and get overwhelmed by the lists of things to do, presents to buy, and cookies to bake, we need to take a moment to step back, get away, and simply be still. We need to reflect on what Christmas is all about. It's all about Him coming to us--a perfect God loving an imperfect world and a people in desperate need of a Savior.

Top Ten Thanks.

I can't believe Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow! Where has this semester gone?! Being off these past few days gives me just a little taste for what's to come in a few weeks...only 2 more weeks of school and then Finals Week. I'm really looking forward to Christmas and to the end of the semester...classes are going fine but I'm definitely ready to be finished with them!

I just wanted to take a couple minutes and share some of the things I'm feeling especially grateful for this Thanksgiving. I've decided to limit my list because there are so many things I'd like to talk about but only so much time haha.

Here they are...my "Top Ten Thanks":

1) First and foremost, I'm thankful for Jesus Christ. I'm thankful for His body and blood that were shed on the cross to save me from my sins. I'm thankful for His unfailing love for me, even though I'm so unworthy of it. I'm thankful for His patience with me and for His faithfulness. I'm thankful for His promises and I'm thankful for the gift of salvation. I'm thankful for the hope I have because of Him and the overwhelming joy He brings me. I'm thankful for each new day He blesses me with and I'm thankful for everything He's done for me.

2) I'm thankful for my mom and dad. I'm thankful for their constant help, support, encouragement, and love. I'm thankful for their patience with me and for all the little things they do for me. I'm thankful for their example and for the way they continually point me closer to our Heavenly Father. I'm thankful that our home is not broken and that I can always count on my parents to be there for me.

3) I'm thankful for Emi. I'm thankful that she's at UK with me and that I get to see her often. I'm thankful that she loves the Lord and that I get to watch her continually strive to learn more about Him and chase hard after Him. I'm thankful for the way Emi loves and encourages the people around her.

4) I'm thankful for my best friends, Olivia and Lauren. I'm thankful that even though I don't get to see them very often, they are always just a call or text away. I'm thankful that God has given me these girls to do life with and that He's given us such a deep friendship rooted in Him. I'm thankful for all the laughs  I get to share with these girls and for all the hilarious memories we've made together.

5) I'm thankful for a certain young man, you know who you are ;) I'm thankful for the work God's doing in both our lives and am thankful He's scripted you into my story. I'm thankful that we get to serve together and that you challenge me and make me want to be a better person. I'm thankful that the Lord has brought us together and am excited for where He's going to lead us in the future.

6) I'm thankful for my precious housemates. I'm thankful that our home is always overflowing with joy and laughter. I'm thankful that I get to live in a community of sweet Christian girls who are constantly striving to live more like Jesus. And I'm thankful for everyone's unique personality and the way the Lord has brought us together to love, support, and challenge one another.

7) I'm thankful for CSF. I'm thankful for the amazing community that God has surrounded me with and for the opportunity to grow alongside of so many wonderful friends. I'm thankful for the work God is doing on campus through CSF and am thankful for all the people that have come to know Him as a result of something they went to at CSF. I'm thankful for all the staff at CSF who forego money and advancement in their careers and instead, take time to invest in students and pour into us during our college years. I'm thankful CSF is on UK's campus and that I get to call it "home."

8) I'm incredibly thankful for all things Woodhill related. I'm thankful for the wonderful friends we've made through serving there each week and am especially thankful for Momma & Jeep, Bobbi, Arlene, Marticke, Tabari, Gerri & her girls, Liz, Vanessa, & Baby Toree, and precious Selena and her family. I'm so thankful for all the doors the Lord has opened this past semester and for the work He's done in the hearts of these sweet families. I'm thankful that I've had the opportunity to see Him work in such a magnificent way and am thankful for the great plans He has in store for this community and the people who live here.

9) I'm thankful for Southland and First Church. I'm thankful for two wonderful church homes, one in Lexington and the other in Northern Kentucky. I'm thankful for the chance to worship at one of these churches every Sunday and am thankful for the teaching I receive from them. I'm thankful for Jon Weece and the way the Lord speaks so clearly through him. I'm thankful for the dear friends we have at First Church and am thankful for their constant love and support, even though I don't get to see them very often.

10) Silly as it sounds, I'm thankful for heat. I'm thankful for my warm house and am thankful that I'm currently writing this without being layered up and buried under my electric blanket (this would not be the case if I were still in Lexington haha).

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done." -1 Chronicles 16:8

One Thing Remains.

A year ago at this very time, I began going to Serve the City. Since then, Monday nights have never been the same. When I started last November, I had no earthly idea that this community was going to become such a tremendous part of my life. I had no idea how much I could care for the people who live there and certainly never expected to feel so connected to this community. Now, a year later, I can't imagine my life without Woodhill and the families we've grown close to. God has without a doubt been working in miraculous ways and I'm continually blown away by all He's doing there.

Monday nights are one of my favorite nights of the week and I honestly look forward to them all week. Over these past several months, Jeremy and I have had the opportunity to really invest in and get to know five separate families. Each of these families is so special to us and it's been amazing to watch as God has allowed us to draw up alongside of them and share in their struggles, as well as, their joys. We're so invested in the lives of our friends at Woodhill and I'm honored the Lord has placed them in our path...simply amazing.

God has opened up so many doors and continues to open ears, eyes, and hearts. He's certainly opened my eyes and heart to the needs of His children, as well as, opened the hearts of our friends. He's allowed us to become a part of their lives and given us countless opportunities to show and share His love with them in real and tangible ways. From building a crib to hospital visits and milkshake runs, our Heavenly Father is certainly at work and I pray it's been His Name that's made famous, not ours.

Here's a little bit of what's going on in each of our family's lives. If you don't mind, I would be so grateful for your prayers on behalf of these families...

-Bobbi: Bobbi is still in the hospital, after being admitted on September 24th. She had open heart surgery at the end of September and has yet to leave the hospital...aside from being transfered from UK Hospital to Good Sam nearly three weeks ago. Bobbi continues to be joyful and has been such a blessing to get to know. We love visiting her and hope to break up her day a little bit...I can only imagine how crazy I would go if I were in her boat. My prayer for Bobbi is that the Lord would strengthen her legs and help her to walk. I pray that she will be able to leave the hospital soon, that God would restore her health and bring her to a full recovery, and that she would come to know and love our Heavenly Father more and more...that she would seek Him more than ever during this time and that she would find comfort in knowing that He is the ultimate Healer and will do the fighting for her because He loves her more than she can ever dream or imagine.

-Momma & Jeep: Momma and Jeep are concerned about Bobbi. They haven't been able to visit her in a while and they both have had a rough time with recent illnesses. Momma continues to have dialysis three days a week and that completely wears her out. Jeep cares for Momma the best he can but I'm fearful he's struggling with things he won't tell us about. I pray the Lord would break the chains of addiction that are holding this family down. I pray for restored relationships amongst them. I pray for healing, not only physically but emotionally and relationally, as well.

-Arlene, Marticke, and Tabari: God's been doing work in this family's life and it's been amazing to watch as He continues to open doors to their hearts. We've had the opportunity to take Tabari with us to church the past several Sunday's and now, Marticke's coming too. They bring me so much joy and Tabari absolutely cracks me up. He's a hilarious little guy and I love watching him walk around Southland like he owns the place...so precious. For this family, I pray that God would give Arlene endurance and strength as she works constantly to provide for her family. I also pray that Marticke and Tabari would feel loved and so special...that they would know how much God loves them and that He created them both and they are perfect because He made them in His image.

-Liz, Vanessa, & Baby Toree: This past Sunday was amazing because we had the chance to take Liz, Vanessa, and Toree to church with us. I was thrilled they came with us and they were so happy to be there. Jon's message about "Rebellious Joy" really seemed to resonate with them and God was certainly speaking through Jon to touch their hearts...amazing. I just love Liz and Vanessa...they are so open to being loved and they bless us far more than they know. Tonight, Liz called me "mija" (baby girl) and Jeremy "mijo" (baby boy), names I think are sweet and endearing. Oh...and we brought them a microwave tonight and you would have thought we'd given them a million dollars (now that my friends is some #rebelliousjoy haha). I pray that the Lord would continue to reveal himself to Liz and Vanessa and that he would bless and protect their home. I also pray he would provide jobs for them and that they would seek to know Him more and draw near to Him in their weakness, knowing that He is above all things.

Selena & Her Family: Selena's family is doing pretty well and Selena is precious as ever. I seriously adore that little girl and would adopt her in a New York minute haha. Yesterday, we got to take Selena to church with us and I think she and her mom are going to come again this Sunday! For this family, I pray that God would continue to draw near to them and to those they love who are struggling. I also pray  they would hunger for more and that they would know how much God loves them and just how crazy He is over them.

Gerri & Her Girls: Gerri and her girls need to know how beautiful they are and how much God loves and values them. I pray Gerri would want to be the best mom she could possibly be and that her girls would feel loved, cherished, and protected by their mom. I pray Gerri's home would be filled with peace beyond understanding and that love would overflow. I pray they would hunger for Christ and that they would not fall to the trappings of this broken world. I pray for forgiveness and reconciliation. I pray against addictions and chains that are holding them down. And, I pray for joy. I pray their home would be filled with rejoicing and that laughter would fill up their hallways and bedrooms. Lastly, I pray we're able to help meet some basic needs for this family and that God would provide them with some beds so they have a safe and clean place to sleep at night.

As you can tell, God is doing big things in this community but there is still so much brokenness and need. After serving there tonight, I don't really think I know how to express how I'm feeling other than to say that God's presence was definitely felt there tonight unlike any night ever before and the Holy Spirit was doing work...super crazy awesome. Honestly, I'm overwhelmed. I'm overwhelmed at the needs of my friends. I'm overwhelmed by their struggles and burdens. I'm overwhelmed by the fallenness of our messed up world. I'm overwhelmed at how badly they need Jesus in their lives. I'm overwhelmed by the struggles all these friends have to go through and am overwhelmed that some of them don't know that God delights in carrying their burdens for them. Even still, I'm also overwhelmed by all the good things the Lord has done and continues to do in this community. I pray He would continue to work here and that He would draw near our friends. More than anything, I pray that our friends at Woodhill would come to know, love, and serve God. I pray they would cast all their anxiety on Jesus and allow Him to fight for them.

My heart is heavy for this community and my eyes are wet as I think about what I saw tonight. Right now, I'm finding great comfort in 1 John 3:20's promise that states, "For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." I love that God knows exactly what each of these families needs and He knows everything about them. He knows what they're struggling with and He knows what makes them smile. I love that God is bigger than our problems and that He is made stronger in our weakness. I love that God loves us more than we'll ever know and that He's given us the honor of being His ambassadors, allowing us to carry His name with us wherever we go.

I pray for blessings over this community and I cry out shouts of thanks and praise for the work God is doing in Woodhill, especially for all that happened there tonight. I pray we would surrender to the Most High God and that we would recognize our utter dependence on Him. I pray that Jesus' Name would be made famous and that everyone in Lexington would know that God loves them so much He was wiling to have His Son die so that we can have life and life to the full!

*Here's my favorite song of all time..."One Thing Remains" by Jesus Culture. Tonight, I'm clinging to the wonderful promise that God's love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on us...

[[Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
constant in the trial and the change

One thing remains

Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me

Because on and on and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I'll never, ever, have to be afraid

One thing remains

In death
In life 
I'm confident and covered by the Power of Your great love

My debt is paid 
There's nothing that can separate
My heart from Your great love]]

Joy, Joy, Joy!

Joy. It's one of my very favorite words and is mentioned all throughout the Bible. It's far more than what Merriam-Webster defines as "the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires." In fact, I don't really agree with this definition at all. You see, happiness is because of circumstances whereas joy is in spite of circumstances. Success, good fortune, and possessions have absolutely nothing to do with our joy...they are all circumstantial and have no true merit! No matter what happens to us, we should all be filled with a defiant and relentless joy because of the cross. We have been bought at a price and thanks to Jesus, we can live every single day with an inexpressible joy that can only be explained as a gift from our Heavenly Father.

This past week, we began a new series at Southland called "Rebellious Joy." We're working through the book of Philippians (one of my favorite books of the Bible) and learning all about the crazy joy we have because of our Father's love for us. On Sunday, Jon challenged me by saying "We don't give people what they need, we give people what they're worth." Think about that for a second. I know for me, I so often just want to help people as soon as I hear of a need. If it's a crib for an infant, I want to rush out and buy it. If it's clothes or diapers or anything of the sort, I just want to run out and "fix" the problem. All of this is fine and dandy. In fact, we have been called to help "the least of these" and I just know God smiles when we help others in these simple ways. But what Jon said really stuck with me because it just reminded me that all of these "circumstantial" needs are far inferior to what it's ultimately all about...leading these people to know HIM! Jon expressed that the joy you feel baptizing a friend is like no other and it just helped me refocus and remember what all of these acts of service are all about. It's more than just being His hands and feet, meeting needs, and sharing a smile and a hug. It's ultimately ALL about leading others to know, worship, love and serve our Maker. I want everyone I know to be able to experience the same kind of joy that I do on a daily basis...a joy that can only be explained in response to God's love!

God has been moving in my life in so many tangible ways lately and He is absolutely flooding my life with blessings. One really cool way I've seen God lately has been through my friends at Woodhill. On Monday night (Halloween), we had a "Trunk or Treat" for the kids and passed out all kinds of yummy candy. Tons of families from the community came out and everyone had a really nice time...the kids were dressed so cute and absolutely loved all the candy. While we were passing out candy, our friends Liz and Vanessa walked up. As always, I was super excited to see them and greeted them with a huge smile. As I hugged Liz, she whispered in my ear that her mom had passed away the night before. It was clear she and Vanessa were in shock and still trying to wrap their brains around all that had happened and all the logistics involved with the funeral and such. As we spoke with them, we found out they needed some money for gas and God totally worked that one out...my, how His timing is perfect. Furthermore, it was super cool to see that despite their mourning and sadness they were both still joyful (not letting circumstances steal their joy), and they were comforted in the fact that her mom is in Heaven now! Lucky duck :) 

After that, we kept talking to them and asked if they wanted to come to church with us on Sunday. Their response? A resounding YES! No hesitation, no questions, no nothing. Liz and Vanessa both said (in unison I might add ha) how much they wanted to come and how excited they were. Seriously, God is good and I'm so excited to watch as He continues to work in Liz and Vanessa's lives. It's been amazing to watch as He has opened up their hearts little by little over these past several weeks and incredible to see how He's prepared a way for us to get to this point where they want to come to church with us. Absolutely amazing and such an answer to prayers. Ahhhhh.

As Jon said in his sermon, "when you are on the receiving end of the love of God, your joy abounds more and more." So let's love and live joyfully knowing that God is our true source of JOY and that love abounds through a joyful heart. Also, I'd like to invite you to join me in an attempt to memorize Philippians 2:1-11 (that's where I'm going to start for now ha). Think you can do it? I believe in you :) Let's let God's Word permeate our minds so that our attitudes are the same as that of Christ Jesus. Let's let our minds be renewed and thoughts focused on things above, not on the things of this Earth.

Let's live a life of JOY. Let's live so joyfully that other's look at us and wonder what's wrong with us. Let's make people want to know why we're so joyful, despite whatever may be going on in our lives. And let's live lives filled with gratitude, contentment, and love such that our joy is NOT dependent upon our circumstances. Success, good fortune, and possessions have absolutely nothing to do with our joy. Instead, let's "consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you that the testing of your faith develops perseverance" (James 1:2-3).

*You can check out Jon's sermon on "Joyful Leadership" here...http://www.southlandchristian.org/series/rebellious-joy/

And...here are some fun pictures from Halloween and Family Weekend :)

How Great Thou Art!

Yesterday, I ran in my first half-marathon and finished 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 27 minutes. My time isn't very impressive but hey, I finished and that was all I set out to do ha. More important than my time, however, were my other two goals...Goal  #1: Get a bunch of friends to run the race with me (there were 10 of us that ran) and Goal #2: raise a lot of money for Feed My Starving Children (I raised $500!). For these reasons, and the fact that I simply finished the race, I'd say it was a total success!

The race was such a great experience and I'm so glad I did it. Today, I'm paying for all the steps I took and can literally feel every single muscle from my hips down haha but it was totally worth it. I must say though, if this is what it feels like to get old, I don't ever want to grow up ha! #ithinkillpassonthatone

I felt so loved yesterday and was amazed at the outpouring of support from my friends and family. Running the race was just about as much mental as it was physical and there's no way I could have done it without everyone's encouragement...trust me when I say, their love went a long way! Not only was their support much appreciated but so were their prayers. It was crazy the way God answered our prayers and gave me the strength and endurance to keep on running! As I ran, I couldn't help but praise Him and I loved worshiping the entire time I ran. I was continually thanking the Lord for my wonderful friends and family, for the beauty of the crisp fall morning, for the opportunity to run in this race, and simply for a healthy and able body! I just felt so blessed and so humbled.

I seriously am so in awe of our Heavenly Father as He continues to reveal Himself to me in new and exciting ways every single day. All I can do is stand and sing How great Thou art, how great Thou art!


Also, here's my latest song obsession...it's called "We Are" by Kari Jobe. Enjoy!

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." 

-Matthew 5:16

Everything Is Yours.

When all the world is blossoming
And everything around is bursting into life
And I don't have to strain to hear the beat of Your heart

When all the world is under fire
When skies are threatening to thunder and rain
And I am overcome by fears that I can't see

If everything is Yours
Everything is Yours
If everything is Yours
I'm letting it go
No, it was never mine to hold
No, never mine

Who could command the stars to sing
Or hold the raging seas from breaking through the doors?
And tend the fragile roses with the very same hands

If everything is Yours
Everything is Yours
If everything is Yours
I'm letting it go
I am, I'm letting it go, letting go
Yeah, I'm letting it go

'Cause everything is Yours
Yeah, everything is Yours

If everything is Yours, God
And everything is Yours
If everything is Yours
I'm letting it go, let it go, let it go, let it go

It was never mine, no, no
It was never mine, never mine
[Incomprehensible] no


Just today, I discovered this song called "Everything Is Yours" by Audrey Assad. I completely love it's lyrics and wanted to share them with you...for me personally, I feel like this song couldn't come at a more appropriate time! Basically, these past several days, I've been reminded that EVERYTHING is God's and nothing, absolutely nothing, is our own. Whether it be a relationship, a friendship, a career, etc., God has everything under control and His ways are perfect. I love being reminded of this and the hope we have in knowing that God holds everything in His very capable and loving hands. As we meander through this crazy thing called life, I think it's easy for us to want to take things into our own hands and try to figure things out ourselves. This idea is totally bogus...who are we to ever think we know what's best or to think anything belongs to us?! Uhh...yeah right haha! We may not understand the way God is working and things may not make sense at the time, but trust me--GOD IS AT WORK! I can fully attest that He moves in unbelievable ways and His timing is so perfect...just be patient and seek Him before anyone or anything else!!! 


Additionally, I think it's so important for us to submit. Submit your desire to be in control and recognize that God is able. Recognize that every single gift is from above and that EVERYTHING is His. The God who made the Heavens and the Earth is the very same God who created you and knows you more intimately than anyone ever will. He knows the desires of your heart and He promises to work all things together for good for those who love Him. So let's let go of the control we think we have and trust in a God who is seriously amazing and just wants us to run to Him, to know Him more, and to love Him deeper every single day!


Father, may we die to ourselves daily. May we submit to your power and the work you're doing in each of our lives. Help us not to forget that everything is Yours! Lord, use us and guide us. May we go where you send us and be obedient to what you have commanded of us. Cast out fear and uncertainty and help us to trust in you. Would you remind us of your faithfulness and provision? God, you are good and all honor and glory and praise belong to you and you alone. We love you, God!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." -James 1:17


And, it's been a while since I've added any new pictures! So, here are just a few gifts God's been showering me with lately...

You are Good.

God's been revealing Himself to me in some pretty amazing ways lately. Literally, every single day for the past few weeks has been absolutely gorgeous and filled with blessing after blessing. I can't help but walk around with a giant smile on my face, singing praises to our Heavenly Father, and exclaiming "You are good. You are good." over and over and over again.

Today, my devotional spoke right to this exact feeling...I love it when everything seems to come together like that (not a coincidence). The entry reads this:

"Though I have brought many pleasures into your life, not one of them is essential. Receive my blessings with open hands. Enjoy My good gifts, but do not cling to them. Turn your attention to the Giver of all good things, and rest in the knowledge that you are complete in Me. The only thing you absolutely need is the one thing you can never lose: My Presence with you." -Jesus Calling

I just loved this and found it so encouraging to be reminded of. Right now, I honestly feel like our Heavenly Father is just looking down and smiling upon me...it's like every single day He makes another crazy awesome thing happen that I absolutely know is not of my own doing! So so cool. I'm loving the work the Lord is doing in the Woodhill Community and am so grateful for all that's happening over there...not only are doors opening up but hearts are too. It's pretty much blowing my mind, plain and simple. And, His good work isn't just stopping at Woodhill...it's happening in lots of other places too. Ahh I love it so much.

That being said, I often struggle with why God has blessed me so much. Seriously...why? Why do I have so much while others have so little? Why do I get to go to college while others don't have the opportunity to further their education? Why do I get to live in a free nation while others live in fear under a dictatorship? Why do I get to have such a wonderful family and amazing friends while others have such broken and messed up relationships? Why, why, why?

I look at countless friends and people all around me who are struggling--people who are broken, sick, mistreated, lonely, and lost. Seeing this absolutely breaks my heart and I hurt for them. Yet, our Heavenly Father has chosen to lavish me with blessing after blessing, even though I am so unworthy. I just don't really get it. But...what I'm learning is that the Lord fills people up so that they can pour into the lives of others. So, that's just what I'm trying to do. Every single day I pray that the Lord would use my life to be a blessing to others because He's given me such an unexplainable joy that I want every single person I encounter to be able to see and experience it, too. Every day, I want to lay down my life just as Jesus laid His down for us. Let's not forget...it's not about me and it's not about you. It's all about the One who saved us! May we rest in the fact that He is all we ever truly need and the promise that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

Oh...andddd I just want to say that I'm pretty much loving the glorious fall weather and the changing of all the leaves. The red, orange, and yellow colors are just gorgeous and make everything so beautiful to look at. Plus, who doesn't love stepping on a big crunchy leaf on your way to class? #itsthelittlethingsinlife :)

God is good and I'm so thankful. All glory, honor, and power is His!!!

[[You are holy, great and mighty.
The moon and the stars declare who You are.
I'm so unworthy, but still You love me.
Forever my heart will sing of how great You are.]]





"For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth." -Psalm 57:10-11

This Day.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the power of prayer and resting comfortably in the certainty I have in knowing that God hears my prayers, He listens when I talk to Him, and He cares about the things I come to Him with. Somedays, I wake up in the morning and before my feet even hit the floor, I'm crying out to God asking Him for strength to get me through the day. Oftentimes, all I can think is "Lord, I need You" and I say this to Him over and over, proclaiming my utter dependence on Him. It's true. We all desperately need Him.

I was reading "Jesus Calling" the other day and was reminded that although God is King of the universe, He is totally accessible to us and is with us wherever we go. Just think about it for a second: the God who set the world in motion, the One who created the moon and the stars and can call to each of them by name, the God who made the Earth and everything in it--that very same God is available to us all the time and wants to hear from us! I don't know about you but I think that's pretty amazing.

Right now, my future is so uncertain and there is more I don't know about what's to come than what I do know. I'm already a Junior in college and am realizing the bliss of college life is fleeting...my how time flies when you're having fun! At times, this uncertainty can feel daunting and overwhelming...so many unknowns are hard for my little Type-A self ha. This being said, however, I find such comfort in knowing that while I don't know what my future holds, I know the One who holds my future and know He works all things together for good for those who love Him. I often remind myself that there's nothing this day will hold that hasn't already passed through God's hands first and that no matter where I go, He is always with me. What comfort we have in that promise!

In my devotional the other day, I was reminded that Jesus calls us to live this very day abundantly--to see all there is to see and do all there is to do rather than be distracted by future concerns. We are called to focus on His Presence in the present and trust in Him, casting all our anxieties onto the One who cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). So...

Let's live this day in worship.
Let's live this day in prayer.
Let's live this day in service.
Let's live this day in surrender.
Let's live this day in gratitude.
Let's live this day in peace.
Let's live this day in trust.
Let's live this day in grace.
Let's live this day for Him and Him alone!


And let's ask ourselves this question: What if His people prayed?

Crazy Love.

Relationships...they're everywhere. I feel like every time I turn around, another one of my friends is crushing on someone, "talking" to someone, or dating someone. And now, even more prevalent are engagements and weddings. When did I get old enough to have friends be getting married?! Craziness.

These past few weeks, Southland has been doing an awesome series called "Serial Dating." The first week, Jon spoke on "Finding Mr. Right" and referenced Andy Stanley's saying that "Your present will someday be your past and your past will be present in your future." This may seem a little confusing but just think about it for a second...what is happening RIGHT now will quickly be in the past. At the same time, what you do with RIGHT now will also affect your future--positively or negatively. In his sermon, Jon's main point was that it's not about finding the right person but actually becoming the right person. In his message, Jon reaffirmed my desire for a husband and said "We were not created to be single. It's a good thing, it's a God-thing, to desire to share your life with a member of the opposite sex." Amen. Additionally, Jon shared that our dating relationship shouldn't be our primary relationship...our primary relationship should be our relationship with Christ! This seems like common sense but I just thought it was a good reminder for everyone, whether in a dating relationship or not. I think oftentimes the sheer desire to be in a relationship can become our central focus but instead, we need to use this time to strengthen our relationship with God even more because this is a precious time where it's just us and God. Likewise, I've seen countless friends make their girlfriend/boyfriend their "god" and think that is the exact opposite of what we are called to do. Instead, we ought to use our earthly relationships to be the clearest reflection of God's love for us. We must use our dating relationships to build one another up, challenge, and strengthen our partner so that the Kingdom of God is made bigger and our Father is glorified more together (as a couple) than He is when we're on our own. Additionally, Jon encouraged us to be able to say Romans 8:38-39 to our spouse one day and confess that "neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, neither anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Above everything else, our number one concern should be our relationship with our Heavenly Father and we must be committed to Him before we engage in a dating relationship. That is the way God intended it, that's the way He made us to be--in an intimate relationship with HIM.

Last week, Jon preached through some of the Song of Solomon and talked about "Man and Woman." He shared that "it is holy for a woman to want to be captivated by a man who captures her heart" and challenged the guys in the room with the question: "How do you lead a woman if you don't know where you are taking her? You HAVE to follow Jesus." Additionally, Jon spoke of obedience and encouraged us to "save as much as your can now so that you will be able to share later." I loved the part of his sermon when he spoke of Adam and Eve and completely resonated with the fact that women feel comfortable at a man's side because we were made from Adam's side. He shares that "Eve came from Adam's side. There's a reason why your girlfriend/wife wants to be pulled in close to you. They love to be hugged more than anything else because this part of a man's physique is home sweet home for them. They came from here. And they want to spend the rest of their life in the safety and security of your arms knowing that you will protect them like a strong tree." As a woman, I can attest that this is so true and love that God created us with these feelings, that they are natural and they are from God. Furthermore, Jon shared that "every woman wants to be sought after and fought for" (to which I wanted to stand up and shout "Amen!" haha). In closing, Jon stressed the importance of being a man/woman among boys/girls. We are called to find one man/woman and love, honor, and respect him/her for the rest of our lives.

In addition to these sermons, I read a great article yesterday in Relevant magazine called "Making the Most of Being Single" (http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/relationship/blog/26851-making-the-most-of-being-single). The article highlights the fact that "making the most of being single means being on your own. It's just you and God. Being single is about discovering who you are, setting personal boundaries, knowing your likes and dislikes, your passions and the desires of your heart." I think it's easy to forget about this and we are quick to wish away this time. But lately, I've been learning a lot about how precious this time is and how I should try to savor it and enjoy it rather than want to skip past it. I've been thinking a lot about how this time is so very special because it's during this very time that God is shaping me into the woman He created me to be, while at the same time, He's also molding the man I will marry one day into His likeness. During this time apart, as we are both single, we are able to devote 100% of our attention to the Lord and cling to Him in such a way that we probably won't ever experience once we are married. It's cool to think about all the work God is doing in the life of my future spouse and though I often get impatient, all in all, I realize that I want this time of waiting because God is working and I surely don't want to rush Him from the work He's doing in my life or my future husband's life. In the article, the author shares how God created Eve for Adam when He saw that it was no longer good for Adam to be alone. God's timing is always perfect and I need to continually remind myself about His timing, not mine. Finally, the article reminded me that "God is a jealous God" and He wants us all to Himself so that our lives are centered upon Him. In order to make the most of our time as singles, we need to invest all of ourselves in the One who created us and who is, in fact, the very definition of Love.

God created us to be in communion with Him and in fellowship with others. He instilled within us the desire to love and to be loved. He has given me the longing for a "prince in shining armor" and a "warrior poet" to do life with and serve alongside of. Above all, however, He created us to be crazy in love with Him because He's crazy in love with us!



*Here are the links to the sermons if you want to check them out: http://www.southlandchristian.org/series/serial-dating/

I wish...

Last night, we went to the UK vs. U of L game. Although I had a great time in the company of sweet friends (and my family!) and loved sitting outside on a gorgeous September night, I came away from the game with a heavy heart as I was reminded just how broken this campus is. Sean would argue I'm committing a classic "Jesus juke" (http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2010/11/the-jesus-juke/) but I don't really care...I can't help but wish that people got as excited about the One who saves us as they do about college football. I'm not saying this as someone who is holier than thou--I know I'm terribly far from it. What I'm saying is that it just breaks my heart to see people so broken and lost, so caught up in the things of this world, and so desperate in a search for something more. Last night, I saw countless drunk people (so drunk that they were almost passed out), as well as, girls with skirts/dresses so short they might as well not have been wearing them. Sitting in the Student Section, I heard more cuss words than I'd ever like to hear and watched one guy pick a fight with another just because he was wearing a Louisville shirt. Really, is this what life is all about? Absolutely not.

I wish people would live for Someone greater and stop falling into the trappings of this world. I wish students got as excited about Jesus as they do a touchdown. I wish girls exhibited modesty and respected themselves enough to dress nicely. I wish guys didn't think the only way to have fun is to get drunk. I wish people spent half the money they do on tailgating on helping the poor. I wish homeless men didn't have to scour the trash left behind and collect empty cans to make money. I wish people packed into churches like they pack into stadiums. I wish this campus wasn't so broken and the students here weren't in such a desperate search of something they can't ever reach on their own. I wish everyone knew about the God who loves them and the One who gave up his life so that we can live.

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." -1 John 2:15-17

Worship.

I've discovered that the Lord speaks loudly and clearly to me through worship. It's like He talks directly to me when I listen to different worship songs and is such a cool way for me to connect with Him. One may say I'm slightly addicted to music...I listen to it practically at every hour of the day-when I'm getting ready, walking to class, eating lunch, doing homework, before bed, and many times in between haha. But the thing I've found is that it's through songs that I can truly hear God. He encourages me through worship, He gives me a sense of peace about whatever I'm troubled by, and He speaks truth into my life. I think it's so interesting how unique we all were created to be and how we all have our own distinct way of connecting with God and feeling closest to Him. For me, it's through worshipping but for you it may be through reading, praying, fellowshipping with others, dancing, fasting, etc. Our God's a creative God and He has inventive ways of getting in touch with each of us. So whatever it is, I hope you will discover how you most closely connect with our Father and feel the most "in tune" with Him. And whatever way that is, live by it and spend time doing it!

I've recently become addicted to a song by Elevation Worship called "This City is Yours." I so deeply connect with the song's lyrics and feel like it's what God is wanting to teach me this week, as it's been so heavy on my heart these past few days. The song's lyrics say "This city, Lord, it is Yours. Break our hearts, break our hearts for the people who are far from You, break our hearts. Teach us to love they way you loved us. Send us out. Send us out. Pour out your fire and flow through our lives. Send us out. Send us out." I truly believe this is God's call for us--we are to love others the way He loved us, just as 1 John 4:11-12 says, "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." We ought to wake up every single day praying "send us out"...wherever you want us to go and whoever you want us to speak to, Lord send us out! I'm especially praying this prayer for the people of Woodhill and those serving them through Serve the City. This ministry is so exciting and I love getting to be apart of it. Right now, we're in the process of expanding to new streets and houses within the community that we visit each week and it's awesome to get to meet new people and watch their faces as they look at us in confusion when we ask what we can do to help them. They laugh, smile, and scratch their heads...they simply can't believe people are just going door to door asking to pray for them or meet any of their needs. It's a super cool opportunity and I really feel God leading us to this make His name famous in this community. It's been amazing to watch the ways He's worked this past year and I'm excited for all He has in store for the people there this next year! We just have to keep asking Him to "send us out."

Another song that's been resonating with me this past week is "Your Great Name" by Natalie Grant. Through this song (on repeat pretty much all week ha), God's been reminding me just how great HIS name is. Some of the song's lyrics say, "Every fear has no place at the sound of Your great Name. The enemy, he has to leave at the sound of Your great Name. Jesus, worthy is the Lamb that was slain for us. Son of God and Man you are high and lifted up and all the world will praise Your great Name...Redeemer, my Healer, Lord Almighty. Our Savior, Defender, You are mighty!" I just love this song and find such comfort in it--no matter what's going on in our lives, Jesus is our Redeemer. He's our Healer. He's our Lord, our Savior, and our Defender.

In addition to speaking to me through worship, the Lord has given me a great sense of peace about my future. I feel content and satisfied. I'm no longer craving a relationship and feel happy just the way things are. These past few weeks, God's been teaching me a lot about the need to depend solely on Him and trust Him with everything. I cry out multiple times a day, "Lord I need You, oh I need You"--I need Him to get me through every hour of every single day because without Him, I am absolutely nothing. Additionally, I'm learning (the hard way) that though people may disappoint you, our Heavenly Father never will. Ah it's a hard lesson to learn and I'm really not enjoying it. But, I know that in the good times and in the bad, when things seem to be going well or seem to be caving in all around me,  God is always, always, always GOOD and He's got everything under control so I just need to trust in Him and step back so He can work.

Speaking of watching God work, He's doing awesome things through our Shift Group and I love getting to lead with Erin. Our first night, we had 10 precious girls come and last night, we had 10 again...only this time 4 of them were "originals" and the other 6 were new! So...if everyone comes next week, we'll have 16 girls...not that it's about numbers, but it's just super cool to see these girls come into community with one another and I'm so excited to "do life" with them throughout this coming semester. It's fun to talk with them and hear how they're feeling about things...I remember life as a Freshman like it was yesterday and it's weird being two years down the road and at a place where I can give them advice and try to calm their fears. I love it. Above is a picture of our group from last night...one of our girls had a birthday on Monday so we got to celebrate with a cookie cake!

[[For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.]] -Psalm 95:3-7

Set the World on Fire.

"Don't worry about what you "should" do, don't stop yourself with mind games about what you "can't" do--go get what you want believing that you can."

I read this quote the other day in my leadership class and just loved it. It made me stop and ask myself, "What would I do if the sky truly was the only limit?" and "If I wasn't afraid of failure, what things would I try, what conversations would I have, and what places would I go?" Seriously, why do we limit ourselves and put ourselves in a box? I just read in 1 Peter 3:14, "But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.' But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord." And again, I'm reminded of Romans 8:31, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" If we truly believed this and recognized that God is always on our side, then shouldn't we stop with what's comfortable or makes us feel good/safe/happy and live lives that acted out Philippians 4:13 in which we honestly believed that we "can do all things through Christ who gives us strength."

The article I read the above quote from was about Eleanor Roosevelt and talked a lot about what drives us--what our passions are. In thinking about it, my passions are pretty obvious (at least, I really hope I live out my passions and that others can see what my heart beats for just by looking at the way I live my life). I'm passionate about Jesus. I'm passionate about kids. I'm passionate about helping others. I'm passionate about world hunger and children who go to bed hungry each night. And, I'm passionate about loving others the way God intended them to be loved. As 1 John 4:7-8 says, "...let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

What is it that makes your heart ache? What makes it beat faster? What makes your mind race and makes you want to go out and make a difference? What keeps you awake at night? What. are. your. passions?

This is one of my favorite songs and ties in perfectly with this entire idea. Here's my favorite line(s):

[[Take my dreams, come and give them wings. Lord with You, there's nothing I can't do.

My hands, my feet, everything. My life, my love, Lord use me.

I'm gonna set the world on fire.]]

On a side note, we got to visit Ally in the hospital this morning and were amazed at how well she is doing! She ate a little ice cream and her beautiful smile lit up the room! Our Father is SO good and it's evident He's at work throughout this entire ordeal, just as He promised! Please continue to keep her in your prayers for a full recovery...God is certainly answering them in big ways!

Ride the Bull!

So...it's super late and I'm for sure going to regret staying up this late when I wake up for my 8 am class tomorrow. But before I go to bed, I just have to share what I'm learning, especially in light of what happened tonight.

Tonight after 608, they had a "Ride the Bull" after-party. Pretty much, it was just a big gathering after the service and they had free pizza. Anddd...a mechanical bull.

At the start of the service, we were told we could text in our first and last name to a number that would enter us into a drawing for the chance to compete against 9 other people, 1 of whom was Jon Weece. Well, being that I thought it would be hilarious if my name was actually selected, I quickly typed my name and sent the text, not thinking a single thing more about it. It turns out, my name was one of the lucky few and I was chosen to compete haha. The entire ordeal was completely hilarious but so much fun. I ended up being the runner-up and lasted a whopping 17 seconds. Plus, I won a $25 iTunes gift card just for coming in second place. It was seriously not a bad night!

The reason I'm telling this wild tale, however, is that it really represents how I'm feeling about life right now and all the things God has been teaching me recently. Sure, you could say I'm over thinking things and turning something extremely small and random into something much bigger. But as I think about it, I feel like tonight was just another way of God revealing Himself to me and drawing me nearer to Him. Lately, I've really felt like the Lord has put me in several positions that I normally would never expect myself to be in. And yet, I'm trying to recognize these instances and "grab life be the horns" so to speak. Rather than sit around and let life pass me by, I want to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way--whether that be riding a mechanical bull in front of hundreds of strangers, participating in the World's Largest Water Balloon Fight, or simply trying to figure out how to make a light bulb work in my Physics class. All in all, I desire to be set apart for my King and in being set apart for Him, I want to love like Jesus did and see people as He intended them to be.

Additionally, I've been learning a lot from Tim Keller's book, "King's Cross." In the chapter I read this morning, Keller shares that "The Bible says that our real problem is that every one of us is building our identity on something besides Jesus. Whether it's to succeed in our chosen field or to have a certain relationship--or even to get up and walk--we're saying, "If I have that, if I get my deepest wish, then everything will be okay." You're looking to that thing to save you from oblivion, from disillusionment, from mediocrity. You've made that wish into your savior. You never use the term, of course--but that's what's happening. And if you never quite get it, you're angry, unhappy, empty. But if you do get it, you ultimately feel more empty, more unhappy. You've distorted your deepest wish by trying to make it into your savior, and now that you finally have it, it's turned on you."

This passage really hit home for me and made me stop and think about what/who I'm placing my identity upon. It's so easy for me to build my identity on other things (specifically, the desire for a relationship), yet this "wish" is just one of many that will never be satisfied and always leave me longing for more. In reality, this "wish" is a tremendous blessing because it's through this unfulfilled desire that God is teaching me to put all of my hope in Him and Him alone. You see, if He gave me everything I ever wanted or thought I needed, I would have no need for Him (or so I would think). But, when we are utterly dependent upon Him and let God be the only One to fulfill us, all of our other desires become meaningless because He's the only One that matters to us. So, rather than chase my fleeting and unquenchable desires, I want Jesus to be the only One I build my identity on because He is the only One who is worthy of all my love and attention, He's the only One who can every fully and finally satisfy me, and He's the only One who will ever love me unconditionally.