I finished my last final today.
The grade books are set in stone.
I'm officially on summer break!
Anyone wanna go kayaking?
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Something To Celebrate!!!
Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, he gave his disciples one last charge. It's told, in Matthew 28:18-20 that Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
I checked my e-mail tonight and Linda had sent me pictures from Santa Cruz. Our church sent out Sean (Linda's his wife) and his team a little over a year ago to start a church there. I'm so proud of them!!
I was looking at the pictures and nearly started to cry. Not just because baptisms are amazing and exciting, but because I've heard the stories leading up to this event. I've heard the struggles and met a couple of the people. I even got to help baptize one of the girls doing the baptizing!! It's a testament to the fruit that will be produced when you surrender your life to God. What a beautiful thing!!
Sean, Man of God, I'm proud to call you my friend. I'm proud of your church and everyone in it. I pray blessings on you, and for a continued hunger for God in the hearts of your people. I know that you would never want to take credit for the Lord's work, and I admire that humility, but in words that you once told me, you do more than you think. I love you and I'm so excited to see what the next year brings!! Keep it up. I'm behind you all 100%
"This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14
I checked my e-mail tonight and Linda had sent me pictures from Santa Cruz. Our church sent out Sean (Linda's his wife) and his team a little over a year ago to start a church there. I'm so proud of them!!I was looking at the pictures and nearly started to cry. Not just because baptisms are amazing and exciting, but because I've heard the stories leading up to this event. I've heard the struggles and met a couple of the people. I even got to help baptize one of the girls doing the baptizing!! It's a testament to the fruit that will be produced when you surrender your life to God. What a beautiful thing!!
Sean, Man of God, I'm proud to call you my friend. I'm proud of your church and everyone in it. I pray blessings on you, and for a continued hunger for God in the hearts of your people. I know that you would never want to take credit for the Lord's work, and I admire that humility, but in words that you once told me, you do more than you think. I love you and I'm so excited to see what the next year brings!! Keep it up. I'm behind you all 100%
"This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14
Thursday, April 17, 2008
2:00 am
Yes, the title is true. It's 2:00 in the morning on Thursday, April 17th and I am wide awake. It seems that this is becoming the trend. I know what you're probably thinking: "Of course Jessica's going to be awake at 2:00am. All college students are awake at 2:00am!" Well, let me start by saying that this is not normal sleep behavior for me, nor is it pleasant. I figure though, the less I sleep the more I could read, or pray... or invent things!!
I haven't read anything but text books and the bible, and I haven't prayed a ton. I haven't invented anything, but I have been thinking.
About what, you ask? Oh, well lots of things:
Identity, intimacy, discipleship, Worship, beneficial vs. Permissible, ministry, solitude, nature.
for a while there I was on the verge of a panic attack, but I'm feeling much better now. Here's some of what I came up with:
Identity: I know my identity. That is a work that Christ has already done in me and it is foolish to doubt something that is so founded. In doubting what I believe about who God had made me, I nullify the healing works that Christ has already accomplished. That doesn't mean that he will not reveal more of myself to me, but that who He has told me I am is truly who I am. Beautiful, creative, unique, powerful, strong, gentle, tender, loving, gifted and anointed (to name a few!)
Intimacy: The intimacy that we have with others in the world if vastly different from the intimacy that we have with others who contain within them the Holy Spirit. Deep calls to deep and the Spirit cultivates intimacy. With this I (we?) must be cautious. Intimacy binds hearts together and that bond it deeper where the spirit is involved. Intimacy is sacred.
Discipleship: Sean says it pretty good (click here!!) Discipleship is KEY in the growth and health of body of Christ
Worship: I'm leading worship for church on Sunday and I'm scared, but it's not about me. Holy spirit, I ask you to come and make yourself known. I ask that you would take center stage and that my heart would be purged of self-affirmation in this area. Help me to be a humble leader.
Beneficial Vs. Permissible: I'm allowed to do anything I want, but not everything will benefit my walk and my life with Jesus. Why am I not moving in a direction that seeks to uncover the permissible and replace it with the beneficial?? Note-to-self: This is something to really work on
Ministry: It's who you are, not what you do
Solitude: I need to fight for this. Solitude has easily been overrun by social time and homework. Yet another thing to work on
Nature: God is the ultimate creator and the beauty of his creation is astounding. Little fishes, tiny hummingbirds, flowers, trees and mountains... They all point back to Him. Even the simplest blade of grass is intricately woven to exact specifications... Evolution?? I beg to differ...
Anyway, that's some of what's been on my mind these past few weeks. Now maybe I'll be able to sleep...
I haven't read anything but text books and the bible, and I haven't prayed a ton. I haven't invented anything, but I have been thinking.
About what, you ask? Oh, well lots of things:
Identity, intimacy, discipleship, Worship, beneficial vs. Permissible, ministry, solitude, nature.
for a while there I was on the verge of a panic attack, but I'm feeling much better now. Here's some of what I came up with:
Identity: I know my identity. That is a work that Christ has already done in me and it is foolish to doubt something that is so founded. In doubting what I believe about who God had made me, I nullify the healing works that Christ has already accomplished. That doesn't mean that he will not reveal more of myself to me, but that who He has told me I am is truly who I am. Beautiful, creative, unique, powerful, strong, gentle, tender, loving, gifted and anointed (to name a few!)
Intimacy: The intimacy that we have with others in the world if vastly different from the intimacy that we have with others who contain within them the Holy Spirit. Deep calls to deep and the Spirit cultivates intimacy. With this I (we?) must be cautious. Intimacy binds hearts together and that bond it deeper where the spirit is involved. Intimacy is sacred.
Discipleship: Sean says it pretty good (click here!!) Discipleship is KEY in the growth and health of body of Christ
Worship: I'm leading worship for church on Sunday and I'm scared, but it's not about me. Holy spirit, I ask you to come and make yourself known. I ask that you would take center stage and that my heart would be purged of self-affirmation in this area. Help me to be a humble leader.
Beneficial Vs. Permissible: I'm allowed to do anything I want, but not everything will benefit my walk and my life with Jesus. Why am I not moving in a direction that seeks to uncover the permissible and replace it with the beneficial?? Note-to-self: This is something to really work on
Ministry: It's who you are, not what you do
Solitude: I need to fight for this. Solitude has easily been overrun by social time and homework. Yet another thing to work on
Nature: God is the ultimate creator and the beauty of his creation is astounding. Little fishes, tiny hummingbirds, flowers, trees and mountains... They all point back to Him. Even the simplest blade of grass is intricately woven to exact specifications... Evolution?? I beg to differ...
Anyway, that's some of what's been on my mind these past few weeks. Now maybe I'll be able to sleep...
Friday, April 11, 2008
She's Coming...
April 11th, 2008 and it's 81 degrees.
As I walk from a comfortably air conditioned classroom to my dorm I can feel it.
The dry air surrounds me and the smell of drying wild grasses is in the air. The sun soaks into the back of my black shirt.
Suddenly a coolish breeze unexpectedly leaps past me, providing a reprieve from the sun's heat, and I smile.
I'm taken back to waterfall hikes and kayaking on the lake. The weightlessness of jumping into the river from twenty feet above. The first headlong dive into a shaded pool...
Summer, being the seductress that she is, knows just how to entice me, and indeed the game has begun.
As I walk from a comfortably air conditioned classroom to my dorm I can feel it.
The dry air surrounds me and the smell of drying wild grasses is in the air. The sun soaks into the back of my black shirt.
Suddenly a coolish breeze unexpectedly leaps past me, providing a reprieve from the sun's heat, and I smile.
I'm taken back to waterfall hikes and kayaking on the lake. The weightlessness of jumping into the river from twenty feet above. The first headlong dive into a shaded pool...
Summer, being the seductress that she is, knows just how to entice me, and indeed the game has begun.
Monday, April 7, 2008
A Year Is Really Short
I was reading over some old blogs tonight. I had a thought at one point that it would be great to go back and read over the past year's writings. I know this year has been huge, but there's something about reading old stuff...
When I started blogging, a lot of it was because I hated sharing myself. I felt like God was prompting me to put myself out there for anyone to see, and it was so incredibly hard. It's been a deep internal struggle getting to the point where I can pour out my heart (within reason) and not care who reads it. I may have offended some of you, and for that I sincerely apologize. Some of you might be encouraged, and for that I praise God. Some of you might think I'm nuts.... and I don't really know what to say to that...
Anyway, I was reading one of the first blogs I wrote. I remember the season I was in with better clarity after looking back and seeing where God has taken me from. God was teaching me to let go. Let go of my insecurity, my doubt, my perfectionism. I think the past year can be summed up in this:
…Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal…
Right now I am storm-tossed. And what am I going to say? “Father get me out of this”? NO! This is why I came in the first place. I’ll say, Father, put your glory on display.
-John12:24-25 & 27-28
I read this and started to cry. These words still resonate with me, but it looks different now. I'm still trying to die to the world, and I still want God's glory to be put on display in me, but at the same time I am worlds away from the person I was less than a year ago. I find it fascinating that I can come so far with this goal, and yet have so incredibly far to go.
"anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal... Father, put your glory on display."
I have no clue what it looks like for the next season, but I think things are brewing. The past couple months have been pretty mellow in comparison to the past few years, but I think it's only in preparation for what's to come.
Papa, I'm ready, and I want all you have for me. I'm so thankful for this restful time you've given me, but I'm ready for vacation to be over. Use me to bring your kingdom to the places that I occupy. Put your glory on display and teach me more of what it means to follow you.
When I started blogging, a lot of it was because I hated sharing myself. I felt like God was prompting me to put myself out there for anyone to see, and it was so incredibly hard. It's been a deep internal struggle getting to the point where I can pour out my heart (within reason) and not care who reads it. I may have offended some of you, and for that I sincerely apologize. Some of you might be encouraged, and for that I praise God. Some of you might think I'm nuts.... and I don't really know what to say to that...
Anyway, I was reading one of the first blogs I wrote. I remember the season I was in with better clarity after looking back and seeing where God has taken me from. God was teaching me to let go. Let go of my insecurity, my doubt, my perfectionism. I think the past year can be summed up in this:
…Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal…
Right now I am storm-tossed. And what am I going to say? “Father get me out of this”? NO! This is why I came in the first place. I’ll say, Father, put your glory on display.
-John12:24-25 & 27-28
I read this and started to cry. These words still resonate with me, but it looks different now. I'm still trying to die to the world, and I still want God's glory to be put on display in me, but at the same time I am worlds away from the person I was less than a year ago. I find it fascinating that I can come so far with this goal, and yet have so incredibly far to go.
"anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal... Father, put your glory on display."
I have no clue what it looks like for the next season, but I think things are brewing. The past couple months have been pretty mellow in comparison to the past few years, but I think it's only in preparation for what's to come.
Papa, I'm ready, and I want all you have for me. I'm so thankful for this restful time you've given me, but I'm ready for vacation to be over. Use me to bring your kingdom to the places that I occupy. Put your glory on display and teach me more of what it means to follow you.
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