On my mind and in my journal

Here are some things that have been on my heart lately:

Holiness- I feel like God wants to raise up holy people on this campus. I have always replied with a"Yes!!!!....ummm...how?". Finally I feel like I have the beginning of an answer. As usual it is something that is simple, but it impacted me deeply. Here's the excerpt from my journal:

"God didn't say, 'Be holy' and leave it at that. He said, 'Be holy, as I am holy." He is our role model. He is our example, our blueprint, our mold. He is the one we are to look to in order to learn about what holiness is. As we look to Him we will be transformed into His likeness. Then we will be holy as He is holy."

The power of prayer- It seems like everyday I become more and more convinced regarding the power of prayer. God continues to show me the futility of my efforts apart from Him. More and more I feel the burden to pray. It's amazing and painful all at the same time.

"Prayer is as vast as God because He is behind it. Prayer is as might as God, because He has committed Himself to answer it."- Leonard Ravenhill.

Sterling College: "It's time to decide." 1 Kings 18:21

God wants our hearts. He wants people who won't play games and will love Him wholeheartedly.

Update on The 25...a week later

The 25 went really well. We ended up getting all the slots filled (last minute sign-ups are the best). What was exciting for me was to see some freshman stepping up and taking leadership. We've got some cool up and coming worship-leaders on campus.
This 'hours of prayer' was a lot different than the 48 last spring. The whole campus seemed really dead, nobody was around (which never happens), but the prayer room had a steady stream of people. It always seemed like a very intimate setting, never having an overwhelming amount of people in the prayer room at once. It seemed like God wanted to really work in individuals lives a lot more than the group as a whole. God really knows best and knows that this is a time when most people are so tired of school and a just itching for thanksgiving. I think that this was a time more for sowing things (a.k.a. not seeing with our eyes what God is doing but paving the way for things to come) than reaping (getting to see the fruits of our prayers). God is wise to hide such things.
It was a good time for me, though being in charge of everything is crazy. It was crazy in that God allowed me to participate on what He is doing on campus through prayer. I loved it though. I could organize to facilitate prayer any day. God continued to confirm in me what I am called to do, what I was created to do and that is a miracle in itself. It is also really refreshing and is helping me focus a lot more on what is important.
Praise God for the 25! Let's keeping asking for "More!" and praying for the next 'hours of prayer' in the spring.

"Maybe I just have a fat, girly face"

Kudos to Relevant magazine online for highlighting this hilarious news story. The best part is the quote used as my title. Just check it out, it should make your day.

The 25

The 25 hours of prayer is upon us!
That was a little melodramatic.
No, strike that...
It is exciting.
Last year The 48 was amazing. Getting that many people to pray for that long and seeing such a dramatic change in people's lives is definitely not something accomplished by human efforts.
Though this is a crazy time of year people are signing up (we still need more slots filled though. God will provide). I know that God is going to move again as we come before Him in prayer. God answers the cries of the hungry, thirsty, desperate, and lovesick with Himself.

Pray for us as we pray.
Pray that those who are hurting and heartbroken to find healing.
Pray for those who are confused that they would have clarity and discernment.
Pray for those who are looking for meaning in life, that they would find their definition in who God is and who God has made.
Pray for those who are questioning, that they would be answered.
Pray that God would move in amazing ways on this campus and cause people to love God and each other in a new way.

Ahh...weekend!

The roomie, Jean, and I are heading to Manhattan! No, not New York (though that would be quite a extraordinary weekend get-away), Manhattan KS, home of the Wild-cats and my best friend Ellen!
A Sterling graduate is performing in Tartuffe this weekend and we wanted to see that and I definitely wanted to see Ellen. How long has it been since I've seen her? Since this summer? Too long. I finally get to come visit her, like we always promised to do, and to meet all her K-State friends.
I'm looking forward to it. I think Jean and I will have a fun road trip up there, a good time seeing Tartuffe, and hanging out with the Ellen.

In other news....
This has been a completely odd week.
I almost no homework.
We had a Halloween barn dance thing Tuesday night. It was fun to see everyone's costumes. My favorite was my friend's recreation of the "American Gothic" painting.
As much as I've wanted to pray and study the Bible (after a long period of knowing I want to do it but never getting to it) it was really hard and I seemed to face a lot of obstacles that kept me from it. I really have enjoyed my time in the Prayer Room on campus though. God has been blessing me with the perseverance to pray, which is a huge blessing. Sometimes prayer can be such a battle!
I'm also gearing up for the 25 hours of prayer next weekend, I know God is going to do big things on this campus! To see what I mean check out any post on The 48 from last spring (March-April).