joy.

my getting up early to get homework done before going to work has turned into getting up to grab a cup of coffee and read for pleasure/the bible/devotional/journal time.

 

i could get used to this.

 

count down

This fall semester is (hopefully) my last full time semester EVER. after this, I have only two classes left in the spring to finish my undergrad degree, and then I start grad school in june. I’m counting down because this semester has been a doozy (silly me choose to take math (online math…who decided that was a good idea?), Genesis, Acts, and church history all in the same semester.) and I am beyond looking forward to being done with it. Because it’s been my excuse as to why I haven’t been seeing friends/eating better/going to the gym more/you get the idea.

 

I also cannot wait to actually read a book for pleasure again! My mom is pretty awesome and bought me a kindle for Christmas, and was even more nice to give it to me early. I’m already starting to read Jane Eyre… I need suggestions on what other books are great, I’m so out of the loop!

 

what’s the best book you have read lately?

 

excited.

this blog post doesn’t actually really deserve a whole blog post… but I can’t contain my excitement.

In about six hours, I’ll be waking up to finish packing (if I start any tonight) and hit the road to my home away from home… I cannot WAIT to be back in Pennsylvania. This weekend is going to be full of friends, laughter, a wedding of two beautiful people, and the church I miss like crazy.

 

cannot wait!

 

 

pray.

Lately I’ve been on this prayer “kick” I guess I’ll call it. I’ve been trying to focus on praying more, not even for myself, but for others. It’s been a really great experience lately, because I really enjoying going to the Lord on the behalf of others…

 

and then this little thing happened at work today.

I work at a business college here in the metro detroit area, and I work in both the financial aid and the records and registration departments at this institution. This evening I was working in the financial aid office, and one of our students who I happen to help often since I’m usually the one working when he stops in came to our window. He needed to fill out some more paperwork because of an extenuating circumstance that he did not expect to happen, and was not too happy about. He ended up telling me a little about it, and I could see that he was a little upset. It turns out he needs to take an extra class this upcoming semester for a number of reasons and he feels like it is going to be a very difficult challenge. Before the student left my counter, I offered a very heartfelt “good luck” because I really hope that he does well in his endeavors. He hesitated for a minute, started walking away, but then doubled back, looked at me straight in the eyes and said,

“Pray for me.”

My response came instantaneously, there was no hesitation on my part. I answered, “You got it”. The student smiled and walked away to class.

I know it’s the right thing to do as a christian to pray for someone, but how often to we tell people that we’ll pray for them and then just go about our merry ways forgetting that we offered to do such a thing?

 

This time, I mean it. You are being prayed for, friend.

 

ministry.

Dave Earley in the book Ministry Is… states, “Some people put on a ministry mask. It is easy to do. When we get hurt or disappointed, we put on a mask to cover our true inner feelings when we relate to others. Unfortunately, it takes a great deal of energy to keep the persona polished and clean. Wearing one makes you appear artificial or fake. In order to endure in ministry, we must maintain authenticity. We should invest our time and effort into being our best selves as opposed to trying to be someone we are not. Enduring ministry is the result of maintaining a perspective of authenticity.”

I can relate to being inauthentic when it comes to ministry… there came a point in my work that I just shut down. I was going to church even though I did not want to, I would not really have my heart into anything I was doing, and I shut people out of what was really going on with me. Living that kind of life is completely utterly miserable. So I stepped out of doing ministry this past year. I stopped going to church for a while, too. While not the smartest move (leaving church that is), it’s been a really healthy experience for me. I’ve stripped off the mask. I’ve been open and honest with people. I stopped making excuses. I’ve really grown as a person and a believer, and am more in love with God now than I have ever been.

And now, I miss ministry. It pains me that I am not active in a ministry, but taking a backseat and enjoying just being “one of the students” has been relaxing so far, even though I just got back into it. I am learning a lot about ministry by not doing it, and watching others work.  I am excited to see what God has for me next.

“You will last in ministry when you learn to accept your shortcomings, admit your mistakes, and laugh at yourself as you place the focus on Christ.” (Earley)

 

So tell me, honestly, how are you doing?

 

itunes.

This is a silly time waster.

 

cielo.

I can’t get this song out of my heart lately…

I’m walking through the bright white gates
Breathing in and out your grace
All around me melodies rise
That echo with the joy inside

So I start to sing

But I can’t sing loud enough
I can’t sing loud enough
When I’m singing for You my God
I can’t sing loud enough
I can’t sing loud enough
When I’m singing for You my God

With a thunder roll and a brilliant light
Your glory boasts and the heavens shine
The saints and angels stand in awe
Captured by the beauty of it all

So I fall to my knees

But I can’t bow low enough
I can’t bow low enough
At the vision of You my God
I can’t bow low enough
I can’t bow low enough
At the vision of You my God

I can’t hold it all inside

I’m reaching for the One who brought me out of death and into life

But I can’t lift my hands high enough
Lift my hands high enough
When I’m reaching for You my God
I can’t lift my hands high enough
Lift my hands high enough
When I’m reaching for You my God
Oh I’m reaching for You my God

I’m reaching for You
I’m reaching for You

I’m reaching for You my God

[cielo.philwickham]

 

hosanna.

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity

 

bibliology

this week in my theology I am learning about bibliology, and came across this great quote from C.S. Lewis:

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic– on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg– or he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.”

thank you, Jesus, for being an incredible man who came to this earth, endured torture and pain and died for me so that there is nothing in this world that I can do please God, for You have done it for me.

Happy Easter, friends. He is risen, He is risen indeed!

 

time.

blogging is something that definitely takes a back seat to the rest of my life… but here’s a few things to help me explain what fills up my life as of late.

I love my job and working with college students.

I am enjoying studying at home (even though it takes a whole lot more motivation since I don’t have to go to class!)… the beginning of my semester I earned an A in New Testament, B in English Lit and a C in U.S. History. Right now I am studying Theology (and enjoying it!).

I love my Rockpointe family and being able to serve on the aXiom leadership team… and I love the friendships that I have made with my girls (Joy is one, in the picture with me) and the other college students now that we have a college group.

My life is busy, it is stressful, but I am loving it so far.