Almost the new year

So it's been almost 3 weeks since I've updated. I've been busy. Last week I babysat my nephew Jackson and I had a blast! Mom, Dad, and I decided to give Ang and Trav a break from their crazy-parent schedule so we took the baby while they went home. He is a bundle of crazy. It's was way fun but also tiring. After that the whole family headed up to K.C. and did all of out Christmas stuff. It was a lot of fun. We opened presents, took a sleigh ride around the plaza, and did some shopping.

The rest of my break has been as such:
The first week I wasted watching T.V. Every time I come home for a break it seems that I have to gorge myself on T.V. (since I don't watch any at school) until I remember how much it really sucks. You guys T.V. is lame. So incredibly lame. Don't be offended. I'm not judging you for watching T.V. Just look at what you are watching. Do you really want to fill your mind and your heart with that? I have to ask myself that question every day when boredom seeps in and I am tempted to believe that T.V. is the only thing that will entertain me.

After that I snapped into gear and finally started to spend time with God. That has been the best part of my break. God has been rooting and grounding me in His love. He has been calling me into deeper obedience (I hate it when I am disobedient). He is revealing areas where He wants to mature me. Side note: God knows the difference between immaturity and disobedience. Yay! He has been burdening me with specific things to intercede for. He has been teaching me about envy. He is building my relationship with the Holy Spirit. He has been teaching me about grace.
I am so thankful that though God always loves me where I am, He loves me so much that He won't leave me in my complacency, immaturity, or disobedience. I am so thankful for this break from school and that God has done so much more with this time than I expected.

Thank you IHOP

Thank you International House of Prayer for making the GBF (global bridegroom fast) free to watch all this week.
Listened to some Merchant Band this morning.
Enjoying some Misty Edwards-ness right now. Amazing!

"You are stronger in my weakness

So I'll lean into Your strength.

You are greater when I diminish

So I'll lean into Your grace"

Finals Week

I've only had two real finals and they were both today. They weren't that bad and were both Bible classes which makes it really fun.
I've spent more time in the prayer room this week than studying or taking finals. That's just the way I like it. It's been a challenge to pray this week. There is so much emotional stuff involved along with a large amount of rumors and misinformation. It can get really frustrating to have to sift through all the junk.
Although this has been a hard transition for the college I feel like the main thing God wants to do in this time is have our full attention. I think it is easy, as a whole student body, to use Christ when it is convenient. I feel like God is calling this campus to decided whether we want Him or not. That sounds harsh, but God is jealous for Sterling College. He has wonderful plans for us and wants to see us have the best, which means a restored relationship with Him. He disciplines the ones He loves. Right now I'm pressing into that reality in prayer for the campus.
This week has really been hard on me because I've come to the end of myself and my strength and have to rely on God's strength. That's great! I really have to fight for the things I love, like prayer and Sterling College. Ultimately God is strengthening my relationship with Him and developing my passion for prayer and people. Awesome. It is just painful. Jesus never said dying to yourself was easy, that's why its called death.

(Un) offended

Again, and it's one of those times you really hate repeats, there is turmoil on campus. For the 2nd semester in a row people are on the chopping block at Sterling College. Recently both our President of Academic Affairs and our VP of Student Life were fired for no reason. It is incredibly sad because they were both incredibly strong men of faith. There are rumors that more faculty will be cut when we leave for break. This is putting the students under incredible stress and in situations like this tend to make people angry. Here are my thoughts:

Though injustice needs to be dealt with, its not an excuse or reason to be angry with God. Only by digging into the word and having it written upon our hearts while coming before God in prayer and asking, "What is on Your heart?' over and over again will we remain unoffended. It's not that we're necessarily asking God to break down His plan step by step for us, but instead asking that our hearts would become like His. That (Having and knowledge and understanding of God's heart) will transcend and permeate any situation we are in or will be in for the rest of our lives.