summer project 2010.

I'm so excited for this summer.

God has really been laying on my heart this last week how much I need to start praying about where He wants me this summer. I know that He put a desire in my heart to go on summer project for a reason. I just have no idea where. There are probably about 75 locations to choose from, but today as I was browsing through it I was able to narrow it down a little (to about 5ish). I definitely am more passionate about being in a mountain area rather than the beach. There are two in Colorado that look amazing, one in the Smoky Mountains, and another one working at Yellowstone National Park. The thing is, I can see God using me at all of these places, so trying to figure out where He wants me is so tough. I just need to keep wrestling in prayer about it so that I can be confident that my desires line up with His.

I'm so excited. Trying to be content in school right now is a struggle, because I'm looking forward so much to this summer and how the Lord can use me wherever He places me.

Application process starts November 3rd. Only a little over a month to go. Dang dizzle.

my new sleeping pattern. its before midnight and im pooped.

so, i am trying this new habit. tell me if it is a good idea.

go to bed by 11 pm.

wake up by 645 am.

i get enough sleep, and i get to spend the peaceful mornings with the Lord.

pros: great quiet time, not wasting the day away, can easily start liking coffee (p.s. if you didn't know, i don't like coffee. but lately i have had a bookstack mocha and vanilla latte and am slowly falling in like with them)

cons: can't hang out late with friends, feel so exhausted by 11:30pm

pros outweigh cons in this case. correct?

thought so.

friends.

My friend's threw me a "suprise" birthday party.

God has blessed me so much by giving me such great friends that have a heart for the Lord above anything else.

P.S. I feel like sometimes I blog when I'm:

a. trying to avoid studying

b. in deep thought slash reflection

c. trying not to be stressed out

d. really tired

I'm all of the above right now.

This blog entry is so boring. But basically the point is, I love my friends.

go vertical.

In bible study last week, we talked a little about horizontal vs. vertical relationships.  Horizontal relationships - meaning your relationships on earth.  Vertical relationships - meaning your relationship with God.  As humans, our sinful nature draws us to think that our horizontal relationships are the only thing that matters.  We forget that it was God who granted us those relationships, and if we trust in Him and focus our relationship in a vertical direction, then everything horizontally will fall into place.  It kind of goes along with only depending on the Lord, and no one else.

P.s.: something crazy.  We talked about horizontal/vertical relationships on Monday in Bible study.  Then on Wednesday, Ashley and I led a Bible study where we talked about fulfillment in Christ alone (based on John 7).  Throughout the whole week I had been struggling about focusing my life on Christ - and it is crazy to think that the Lord has shown me to turn to Him and depend on Him so many times this week through those two Bible studies.  I'm realizing that a lot of the things that we're going over in the Bible study I'm leading with Ashley are basic, but they apply just as much to me as they do to someone who has never heard the gospel before.

So, go vertical.

Peace.  And Blessings.

I'm so small.

Have you ever encountered an experience where you are praying and then all of the sudden, in the midst of your prayer, you feel super super tiny?  That's how I feel sometimes.  I think it just proves that God is so great and so much bigger than us.  We are so small and insignificant compared to Him.

I love being small.

My God is a creator, not a duplicator.

So today I was listening to Francis Chan's podcast.  He briefly touched on change, but it really hit hard for me.

Change is biblical.  "He creates all things new."  I think so many times we are afraid of change, but think about it.  I don't want the same experience in my quiet time today as I had yesterday.  I want it to be even better and I want to feel even more intimate with my Lord.  God didn't save me so that I could be the same.  He saved me so that I could be born again.  He wanted me to change.  

God, you are not a duplicator.  You are a creator.  So everyday create something new in me.  Thank you that your mercies are new every morning.  Let me worship you and experience you like I never have before.

This is more important than my nutrition test tomorrow.

My 7:30 alarm clock will most likely be a rude awakening to my somewhat procrastination.  Oh well.

Psalm 91:4 - He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

I just want to take a moment and focus on the first part of this verse.  Especially, "and under his wings you will find refuge."  So many times in my life I have looked for refuge in other places, whether it be friends, music, boys, family, school, etc.  I think you can even go as far to say that often times we look for refuge in church.  People come to church broken and bruised, expecting to be filled with encouragement from fellow believers.  Don't get me wrong, the body of Christ is meant for fellowship and encouragement, but instead of running to earthly things for help, why do we find it so hard to run to God?  He is the one who provides faithfulness that "will be your shield and rampart."  

This is something that has been on my mind a lot lately.  Our loving God wants us to look to Him through all circumstances.  He is our foundation.  He loves us more than we can even imagine and understands and relates to our circumstances more than anyone here on earth is able to.  So the next time I go through a hard time, instead of venting to my friend or the nearest person I can find, I am going to look to God and accept the gift of His open arms.  After all, He is head over heels in love with us.  Why wouldn't I accept that offer?